Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Today was extremely difficult for Daniel Cain: it was the day before he was supposed to leave with his wonderful girlfriend and maybe-fiancée for Boston, to attend his cousin's wedding. It had been over a week since he and Herbert West returned from Peru after a five-month absence, following the chaos in the morgue - and the deaths of none other than Dr. Carl Hill and Dean Halsey, his would-have-been father-in-law. And just today, three people died, which was much more than the average amount a day for him. Meg tried to calm him with her infamous chamomile to no avail, and the sumptuous fish she made didn't help, either.

He was lying on his bed, no shoes yet, and then there was the perfect timing of his name called. Meg had not been able to stop her bright grinning ever since she got the invite herself from Boston. She was carrying the last of what he would need for the trip: his favorite denim jacket and a couple of collared shirts, neatly folding them into his suitcase. She was wearing a soft gray sweater over a short pale pink dress, her short blonde hair placed with a headband printed leopard. Herbert was busy in the basement, as usual, and he had no desire to run into Megan Halsey at all. You'd think when they first met - before the thing with Rufus, the death of her father, and so on - that they would get along. As for her six months prior, she still hadn't forgiven him for what happened to her father and everything else, even though she had grown to simply respect their "work" and keep her distance.

However, the tension between her and Dan was still present. He could never forget her words of her trying to hate him, how he didn't deserve her...it was too much, and he sometimes wondered if he did deserve her.

"Did you see what Lily sent us to wear at the wedding?"

Dan took notice of the two items - well, two of the same item - she had produced from her pocket. "My cousin sent us both corsages. How sweet," he said sarcastically, taking the one for him to pin on his shirt breast pocket on the day. Clever little Lily, always creating something by her own hands for everyone. She was the crafty one of the family, always sweet and smiling, hypersensitive to all sorts of criticism. Understandable with separated parents, one being a narcissistic, Irish-born mother - his aunt Breanna - who suffered from bipolar disorders and whom she barely saw much anymore.

"Here. Let me." Meg's delicate fingers secured the corsage to his shirt collar without difficulty; hers was fastened around her left wrist. Lily's imagination had procured green and white orchids, finished with both glittery and satin green ribbons and beads for softness and bling. After fastening the pin, Meg leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. However, it wasn't exactly completely warm, and her perfume didn't help, either; citrusy and spicy with sweeter notes as it was. "She's going to love that her masterpieces worked wonders."

"Yeah," Dan agreed, though his mind was elsewhere. Meg noticed this, and just like that, she slipped into impatience mode. Women.

"Dan, while we are gone for three days, can you please not think too much about these experiments of yours and West's? You and I haven't seen each other for five months, and your cousin's wedding is the first time you get to have real fun away from West."

"Megan, believe me, I will have fun," Dan argued, the warmth of discussion about Lily Cain's wedding forgotten. "West can live without me for just three days."

She snorted. "You two shouldn't do this, at all. This is disgusting and out of the world, as I told you in the beginning."

"Why can't you see what we're trying to do?!" He was suddenly on his feet and looking down at her. "This is what Dr. Gruber had theorized and tried to do, what other doctors had tried forever before either of us was born - but West has DONE it!"

She was on her feet, too, screaming back at him. "And it never gets better! Think of that monster that killed Daddy, what Daddy was doing in that padded cell, and so forth! And what Hill did to me before you two even showed up!"

"But at least we escaped with our lives!"

"Our lives which were broken because of HIM! And what have you done? Gone to Peru because he wanted you to. What good has it done now? Whatever it is he is hiding in that basement that you two won't let me see?" It took several moments after that, each one feeling longer, before she calmed down and took a few deep breaths. "Which is why we should get away from all of this for a few days, do something normal for a change, try to get back to us. At least hang around normal people for a while. No West, no zombies, no nothing of that."

~o~

He remembered the first day he came to this house, looking for a place to share, and the basement was the first thing he wanted to see; who could forget the suspicion most notably on Miss Halsey's face? Precisely why he loathed women; they were too prying. His shift ended earlier than usual today, which gave him the opportunity to begin the work of the re-agent mingled with what he and Dan uncovered while in Peru: the amniotic fluid of the rare Cuzco iguana, found deep in the jungles of the backwoods in midst of a civil war.

He had paused for a break and came upstairs, then stopped where he was upon hearing voices down the hall. Halting at Dan's closed bedroom door, he listened in on the latest heated berate between the happy couple.

"Megan, come on." Dan's voice was lowered; whereas it had been on the octave level of a monster tidal wave, now it was low to the level of soft winds. He could just picture him wrapping his arms around her. "You know I love you. I do care about other things besides the workings. But we're trying to make this work, all of this: you and I, the work...but it's never easy."

"No, it's not easy -" Meg started to say, only to be cut off. A stifled moan heard could only mean that a kiss was enough to shut her up, and it made Herbert shake his head; inwardly, it made him sick. He still didn't know how on earth his roommate could tolerate such an overbearing woman. Meg was one perfect example in addition to the fact that Herbert refused to love a woman who did not accept his passions.

"The next three days will be just the two of us," he heard Dan promise her. "I swear, just us and my cousin being a married woman now and away from her mother, and on her way out of college," he finished happily. He laughed then. "God, I'm proud of her. Lily is officially a coroner."

Herbert knew little to nothing about Daniel's family life. His parents lived in Boston, too, but his aunt and uncle were separated, and those two had a daughter who was also in college, named Lily. She was engaged to someone whom Dan said was a veterinarian - now that he knew he would have another someone who wouldn't approve of his experimentation on animals - not that he was interested in marital affairs, obviously enough. Now that his roommate and his empty-headed girlfriend were leaving him alone for the next three days, Herbert would have the house all to himself and begin what would be the next step beyond re-animating the dead:

The creation of new life.

~o~

Some of the living residences in Boston looked like they came from the Colonial era, elegant and still in good shape; others looked like they had been around for far too long and falling apart from lack of care. Dan was grateful that he had left this town on a full scholarship to Miskatonic, but why his parents, aunt, uncle, and cousin stayed was still a wonder. But Lily was going to leave the place soon enough. She had made her decision to move to Arkham with her husband-to-be, Jake Stevens, as soon as she graduated.

Dan's father and Lily's were brothers, and as mentioned before, her mother was Irish. It was said by some that the Irish were wild barbarians - that came from racist rumors, old-timey crap from centuries ago, and was actually just propaganda - and such was the case with Breanna Cain, severely narcissistic and suffering swings in which she was sweet one moment and violently angry the next. She wasn't even going to her own daughter's big day, something she would wind up never forgiving herself for. Well, it was her loss, as Meg said. She was too far gone for redeeming qualities; also her words. Where she was now after the split, no idea.

"Oh, Danny, my baby's home!" His mother, Rosalind Cain, beamed happily and welcomed her son home with open arms.

"Yeah, took you long enough, boy," John Cain teased, hitting him on the back.

"I was working too hard," Dan said, only it was half-true. He couldn't tell them of his and Herbert's activities; they would just call him batshit crazy. "And with her," he added with a nod to Megan beside him. He had been dying to introduce her to his family, but with her father's strict Puritanism beliefs, it had been impossible then. Now that he was gone, it was safe to open up. She was smiling nervously at them and looking down at the ground afterward, unsure of what to say. Rosalind looked her over then and gasped, hands shooting to her cheeks.

"My Lord, so this is Megan! Oh, such a delight!" she squealed, drawing her in for a big hug. "And so pretty!" She pulled back and took Meg's face in both her hands, still laughing and making an embarrassing impression on both Dan and Meg, until finally, his father ended it.

"Dear, they just got here, so save the kisses for later." His tone was still joking, but Dan knew his father well enough to know that he was serious.

Not long after was another voice heard, one he'd wanted to hear. "Daniel! Meg!"

"Lily!" Meg burst through the doorway of the house to the figure rushing down the stairs in a haze of white, bridal and virginal, long red hair bouncing behind her. She enveloped her arms around the girl and let herself be suffocated. The two women met only a couple of times, once last summer and the Christmas before that when Lily came to Arkham with Jake, then just her boyfriend, in tow, both getting along so well. However, Dan and Meg had not been present when Jake got down in front of his high school sweetheart and popped the question, and Dan regretted not being there sooner. But now he was making up for it by attending the wedding with his girlfriend.

When they broke apart, Meg looked her straight. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to see Jake propose to you..."

Lily laughed it off and held up her hand to show her engagement ring. Dan joined to get his first look. It was silver with a take on a traditional Claddagh, featuring a heart-shaped diamond at the center and two emeralds resting in the Celtic love knots alongside the middle attraction. The "crown" atop the heart-shaped diamond featured sparkling smaller accents. "That's okay, you guys. At least you are here on my big day." She looked up at the clock. "Speaking of which, I need to get into my dress..."

The ceremony was held in the backyard, overlooking the pond nestled in the woodlands, under one of the large trees and a number of chairs set up to form the aisle; instead of a white runner, there was a "runner" of scattered white rose petals, and the arch serving as the altar was draped with garland. On either side of the beginning of the walk down the aisle were vases filled with roses of white, soft peach, and pink. Family sat in the front: Dan and his parents on the left side, and he was sandwiched between them and Meg, who was in a short, vivid blue dress that crossed in the front and accentuated certain parts that drew only his attention. She gave a whiff at their surroundings. "This is how I imagined us..." she whispered.

Oh, there went the whole marriage thing. It had been their goal to tie the knot as soon as he graduated, but lately, he found himself unsure if marriage was possible. She had made it real clear that "marriage won't solve your money problems" and "Daddy won't approve of us getting married before finishing school". Again, her father was dead, something he still blamed himself for since it was he who brought Herbert into the morgue, but the past was still the past. "Yeah, our time will come soon, eventually," he whispered back.

She said nothing then, just continued to fan herself out of habit. Dan gazed once more at the picturesque background, right after watching Jake Stevens walk up to the altar, smiling broadly and, as Meg pointed out, handsome. His blue eyes were shining like Meg's were, eager to see his beautiful bride come to join him, and his dark brown hair parted down the middle, swept up the back, and naturally in place.

God, he couldn't stand green much anymore, given it reminded him of his and Herbert's re-agent; "theirs" being Herbert's idea, reminding him that he was as much a part of it as he was. Green represented balance, harmony, and stability; plus, it appealed to the nature-loving bride. Whether it had forever been her favorite color or simply represented her commitment to an eco-friendly life, there were many different possibilities for a green wedding palette. As you were close to becoming one with your love, make sure to take comfort in knowing that the color green also signified growth - an important component in any marriage.

This was why, despite numerous challenges, Dan could think of the perfect start to getting his relationship with Megan back on track. He'd always imagined getting her a custom-made ring, something hand-crafted and personalized, different from anything in the world -

The music of "Here Comes the Bride" started, in bagpipe version, and all rose to the sight of the angel gliding down with her father, Uncle Bruce, accompanying her. Dan knew what the groom himself was feeling right now. The dress had a dramatic illusion neckline and matching sleeves reaching the elbows, glowing white lace appliqued with a semi-sheer button-up back, and a scalloped mermaid train, hugging her body in the right places; it was innocent and youthful, yet bridal at the same time. The single-layered, satin-edged veil was attached to her elegantly pinned hair, held by brooches, and some curls framed her face. In her hand was a bouquet of white and green flowers.

Dan watched as Bruce tenderly kissed his daughter and gave his new son-in-law his blessing before going to sit in the front of the right side, allowing the preacher to begin the ceremony. "We are gathered here today to join the union of this man and this woman in holy matrimony. If anyone has any reason why these two shall not be wed, let him speak now, or forever hold his peace."

Ironically enough, no one had objections. Dan laughed to himself and shook his head. "Lillianne Maeve Cain, do you take Jacob Frederick Stevens to be your lawful wedded husband for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I do," she answered, breathless with emotion as she looked him on. Daniel's heart fluttered; he could picture Meg telling him those words.

"Jacob Frederick Stevens, do you take Lilianne Maeve Cain to be your lawful wedded wife for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I do," he answered, proudly and readily.

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Jake repeated, slipping the ring around Lily's finger, a romantic version of the Celtic eternity love knot. Lily repeated the ritual by giving her new husband his, similar to her own.

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Applause and excited screams erupted from all over the space as the newly married couple shared their first kiss as husband and wife. Dan could practically smell and feel that love and passion radiating off the pair that was his sweet cousin and her husband, imagining that it would be him and his own beautiful woman next to him. Who right now was screaming her vocal cords out with excitement as she watched Lily get picked up and carried down the aisle like a fairytale princess who had just gotten her happily ever after.

The reception took place at the grand Rainforest Ballroom, one of the few locations in Boston swarmed with grandeur. The opulent, pristine white surroundings bedazzled simply with gold and crystal chandeliers had been added dramatically to fit Lily and Jake's theme, having been drawn straight from the green saturation of a rainforest, the centerpieces consisting of green teardrop crystals, organic shapes, and a sparkling canopy overhead. Meg was still gushing when they arrived and took their seats.

"Oh, my God, look at the cake!" she exclaimed, pointing. He followed her gaze; said cake was three-tiered, delicately and carefully scrolled with images of the Tree of Life, and topped with some white roses.

"If green wasn't the color of a certain something," Dan spoke, voice lowered so no one else would hear, "I would have called green one of my favorite colors."

She looked at him, frowning. "Do I have to ask?"

"Nope."

Dinner arrived just after the couple's first dance, with a choice of three entrées: chicken topped with fresh vegetables, lobster claws with tomatoes and salad, and fresh salmon with oysters and lemon. Meg wasn't fond of salmon, or oysters, so she chose the lobster, and Dan settled on the rich and moist chicken that his mother was so fond of making for the family. "Look, I know I promised I'd abandon the subject, but really, he's onto something. Someday, it will be a better place where no one has to worry about dying."

"Dan -"

"Megan, please." He silenced her with a quick peck on the mouth. "Trust me, please? Nothing will take back what happened that night, and it certainly won't tear us apart. Can you at least believe me on that? Try cutting him some slack. Just a little bit?"

She stared at him for a good long time, no trace of doubt or disbelief, just calculating and trying her hardest not to scream at him and crumble over. Finally, he received only a nod, no spoken words. And when it came down to everyone getting on the dance floor, they spent the rest of the time away laughing and spinning each other around, just being two normal, happy people at a wedding celebration.

~o~

"Herbert?"

They returned by Sunday, Meg heading straight home and being too tired after the flight, so Dan kissed her good night before returning to the house he shared with Herbert. The lights were off, and no sight of his roommate. It was nine PM, so Dan assumed he was down in the basement, and that was where he went.

However, the sooner he arrived did he get a surprise.

"Dan, you've returned!" West greeted him jovially, turning around from the table and giving him the broadest smile he'd ever seen from him. "I've kept busy until your return, and you'll never believe what I've uncovered with the help of our reptilian friends from Peru."

Walking down the stairs curiously, Dan asked, "What is it?"

Herbert held up a beaker of re-agent, the fluids glowing brighter than any star in the universe. An unnaturally hued star. "Our re-agent is blended with the iguana's amniotic fluids, this creature having not evolved since its prehistoric era, and added are the necessary muscle proteins." Setting it down, he pulled down the bloodied sheet of the table from over his latest prize.

"Overall, we're no longer just re-animating the dead. We will create new beings from various parts, cast off from a meaningless existence. They'll have their second chance at life in a whole new fashion."

Chapter Text

A month went by, and life was normal as ever. But how could Herbert West classify "normal"? It was a label others used to explain what they didn't understand about people...not like them.

Megan had said he was not "normal", but she didn't understand him. She never would. There was nothing he could do to change her mind about him.

He had never been with a woman, but if that chance ever had come to him - which would be AFTER he spent however many years of his life trying to eradicate death once and for all - he would have the perfect one, one who did not fuss or complain, who respected him for who he was and not what she wanted him to be...he had more high expectations than anyone would ever realize, even Dan and his woman. Both of whom he saw from the end of the hallway as he stuck his head out from the basement; the hallway showed clearly the sight of the happy pair in the living room. She looked soft and playful in the white t-shirt and moonlight blue skirt. Herbert even noted that she was wearing the jewelry set Dan had shown him days before even though Herbert hadn't been the least bit interested: a jaw-dropping, sophisticated set of halo earrings - Dan's explanation from the jewelers a month before - and a three-stone pendant, the sapphires stunning and deep blue, surrounded by luminous diamonds.

If there was ever one thing about women that fascinated Herbert, it was the fact they were made to give life and bring it into the world. When he was in college, there were a few chances he had with Dr. Gruber to deliver a baby from its mother's womb. The old man always told him that life was special and that it should never be taken for granted, but the sad fact was that there were numerous people to abuse it with unprotected sex and unwanted pregnancies. Nature deemed it given to them.

Why? The question always rang through his mind, and he never had a solid answer.

But look at them, his mind also whispered to him. They're...blissful.

Somehow, it made him jealous. Not because they were content and at peace - but how could a woman not understand that death was the enemy and not HE?

A part of him wanted to ask about the topic, to attempt to understand, but it would make him feel ashamed in the end. Behind him, his duty awaited, being more important to dwell on than the future. Closing the door and locking it, Herbert descended back down into the basement, the smell of blood reaching his nostrils as a nice contrast to the Febreeze-scented first floor.

~o~

Arkham, Massachusetts was a place that harbored many urban myths. Among was the story of a device known as the Resonator, which could stimulate the pineal gland and access other dimensions; however, three men had died, and the lone survivor was confined to the Sefton ward and never released to tell the tale. Her parents - mostly her mother, if she were still around - would have called her insane in coming here, to begin with, but Lily Cain-Stevens' reasons were for her and Jake to be closer to Dan and Meg.

Being married the first few weeks had been blissful, but there hadn't been much money left for a backup honeymoon, and she had yet to graduate from medical school because of that; she couldn't miss any number of days. She was just like her cousin Dan in that way: the perfect student who wanted to excel and, at the same time, love what she did. Which was exactly the case. However, the dead bodies' stench got to her senses badly. It had been drilled into her early on that you had to get used to decaying flesh if you wanted to be a pathologist or medical examiner - coroner in her case.

Her husband, the other Dr. Stevens, was a respected veterinarian in Boston, but a week or so after the wedding, Lily began to feel ill, and it turned out to be more than just corpses' rot. She couldn't tell him, so she'd asked Meg to get her a pregnancy test she had to do herself, and the results were positive. She'd had a mix of emotions: excited because she always wanted a baby and be a better mother than her own ever was, and fearful because of Jake's reaction. He'd said he'd wanted to wait, so he hadn't been exactly happy when she told him. He'd flown into a rage and left her alone in the house. When that happened, Lily went to her father, Aunt Rose, and Uncle John for comfort until her husband who had been drinking his ass off at the bar came home, and she'd shunned him. Marital bliss hadn't been perfect, after all.

They still moved to Arkham after she graduated gladly at the beginning of June eventually, and by then, she was barely a month along. Dan and Meg were more than happy for her about the baby, but Jake hadn't changed much. While he was being around her more often and helping her make plans for the baby, them getting settled into their new home near the Miskatonic University Hospital for herself and to work closer with Dan who was still short of two years, Jake didn't seem so keen on being a father so soon.

Marriage was hard. Full of rocky roads and smoother, easier ones, never knowing what lay ahead, but there were plenty of ways to make things interesting. She hoped with the baby's birth that the Jake she loved since the day they met would come back around.

The latest case came in around ten-fifteen that day in August, and by that time, Lily was three months pregnant exactly; her bump was now showing if not the out-there bulge. She wore a mauve silk blouse and ivory trousers under her white lab coat, her auburn hair in a secured bun with a couple of stray curls on either side of her face; around her neck were the pearls given to her by her father as a wedding gift, snug against her throat but not strangling her. She watched as Dr. Wilbur Graves' idiotic student assistant came in with the latest gurney and body bag; she sighed and shook her head. Thank God the equally idiotic Graves didn't order it incinerated unless they'd already checked and found no abnormalities and the decision to burn the body after no relatives came, or certain stages of dismemberment.

She pulled down the sheet covering the head, exposing an elderly woman's face in good condition if not for the various bruises of her balding skull, and a couple of stitches and abrasions. Lily hissed. "Ernest, give me the already known details."

He nodded, munching whatever was in his mouth as he handed the clipboard made by Dr. Graves. This much was known, obviously, shown apparent in the dumbass's smooth but otherwise sloppy handwriting: Multiple yellow-purple discolorations and bruises across the skull, two stitched wounds - one towards the front of the left, the other farther back. Victim of an apparent fall down the stairs as reported by the husband, Arkham Police Lt. Leslie Chapham.

A loud, sarcastic snort was heard right behind her, and she jumped, spinning around to see Dan's colleague and roommate, Dr. Herbert West. "Fell down the stairs, did she?"

"West," Lily scolded, trying to hold in a laugh. "You should alert your presence once in a while."

He raised an eyebrow, not once cracking a smile even though one corner threatened to give way. "I'd have thought you'd hear me come in, Stevens."

She watched him go around the other side of the gurney to lean over and examine the poor old woman's face, his hands - pale and spidery, but delicate and intentional - not even covered with gloves, so she wondered how the hell he always managed to not get himself or anyone sick without them. He always snapped them on during surgery, but not here. Herbert West was a strange man; Jake met him a few times and already called him a weirdo. Hell, he almost said the same thing Meg had when she first told Lily about him, though she'd said that he simply spooked her and wasn't someone she ought to hang around with.

Dan, on the other hand, was a balance. He talked about how he was one of the typical average "geniuses", just asocial and keeping to himself, which explained how West never seemed to smile at anyone or get any from them, not even from Lily no matter how often she tried being nice to him. It had been that way when she first came to Arkham; he only cracked a half-smile once which didn't last long. She wondered why he was like that, but why did she care? She was married, except it wasn't like she was trying to get into West's pants if she loved Jake.

Except lately, it seemed like she and Jake had been on the rocks since the discovery of her pregnancy. They'd been distant more and more as hard as she tried to make it work for them.

Lily tried to break her head free from these thoughts by engaging in conversation about Elizabeth Chapham's body. "Multiple bruises to the head..."

"Not the product of a fall down a flight of stairs." West snorted and shook his head, letting the corpse's head lay back on the metal surface. "No, if anyone bothered looking closer, they would see that ruptured blood vessels and damage to the cerebral hemisphere would be more than just a fracture of that part of the skull." He looked her square in the eyes, and it dawned on her.

"Are you saying her husband killed her?"

"Precisely. This wasn't a staircase; this was done by a blunt instrument. Multiple times to the head. A single final blow did the work permanently."

She stared at the peaceful face of the woman old enough to be her grandmother with fire in her heart and shooting to her face. She remembered cases of battered wives, the numbers killed in few and most of them under thirty-something years, but to know an elderly wife was murdered by her husband like this? She must not have had the money or the will to leave him and start over, or at least testify against him.

Or maybe if she did testify, then she would have lost and still gotten in more trouble than before.

Or...maybe she did testify and lost her case at one point or two, given her age.

Lily clenched her fists and turned away from Dr. West to mull her thoughts over.

~o~

Herbert's thoughts were on the dead woman on the table and only her, but with Daniel's cousin, Dr. Lily Stevens, in the coroner's room with him, he was getting irritated by her presence. He was always this way with every woman around him, not just Megan, but with Stevens, she didn't wholly have that effect on him the way those other women did. Like his creation - locked safely at the house for the last three months - did. She was a splendid masterpiece from various women who undeservingly lost their lives but were put to good use, and Daniel had been amazed by her upon completion. Megan, however, knew nothing about her as of now. Not that Herbert wanted her to see anyway.

However, this one right here...Herbert tightened his lips as he regarded the yellow-outlined, hideous purple marks on the old lady's scalp. How dare she get this treatment from her husband, whom he remembered from the investigation of the massacre in the morgue and meeting only one time but already knew he was a shady fellow who regarded him distastefully and knew there was more than what he and Dan were letting on.

Elizabeth Chapham did not deserve this, so perhaps he could test his serum on her and bring her back. The re-agent enhanced by the iguana fluids worked less violently on his "girl" in the basement of his and Dan's house, but she wasn't an intelligent thing. At least she wasn't fussy and loud-mouthed like Meg. "If you want to, Lily," he offered to the red-haired woman whose back still faced him, "why don't you go grab something while I take care of this for you?"

She turned her attention back to him, frowning slightly. "I haven't even begun my full report..."

"And you will after relieving yourself," Herbert interjected. "This knowledge is getting onto you, so please."

Lily scoffed and walked around the table, going past him. When she did, he caught a whiff of some unknown flowers mingled with amber and musk. He almost retched; bodily aromas turned him off indefinitely, but this one...he refused to go there and instead watched as she exited the room, the door slamming shut. He suspected her shifts from sunny and happy to gloomy were not simply from the dead she was around and issuing their certificates and investigating their circumstances, causes of death, and maintaining the records; it had to be the trouble with the husband. Dan would always break it to him and Megan how Lily would be in her moods and complain about how she and Jake weren't speaking or being close like they used to be. They were high school sweethearts, but now they were drifting apart.

Herbert also believed this had to do with her pregnancy; she was three months along, one of the things that he had intended to make possible for the female in the basement. Her husband had been less than pleased, and it angered Herbert. He reminded him of his father, but at least he didn't beat his wife up that he knew of. Jake Stevens ignored her despite agreeing to be more supportive, and this was against what Herbert must believe in between a man and a woman.

He was getting too distracted. Mrs. Chapham wasn't getting any fresher, and she'd been dead for hours now. Who knew when Lily would be returning; he didn't have much time, so he hastily lifted the woman's head and stuck the needle at the tender space where the top of the neck met the end of the skull.

Herbert waited, keeping track of the time as he debated internally. He couldn't publish his findings months ago because they would never understand his methods. Besides that, they would steal the work.

He counted to two minutes exactly, and Lily still hadn't come back, thank God. He sighed in relief; at the same time, the old lady's eyes snapped open to the ceiling, and an inhuman shriek tore from her mouth, exposing rotten teeth, her arms thrown up into the air with a sudden bolt; she sat right up, spinning back around, given that she'd seen him upon her return to life.

However, instead of the calm he'd witnessed in his girl yet to be named, Elizabeth Chapham got off the table and made way for him. Panicking in spite of himself, Herbert turned and made way for the medical instruments yet to be cleaned on the counter, hastily trying to search for a weapon to defend himself...

...at the same time as the doors opened, and Lily walked in with her coffee cup in hand. She stopped right there and screamed upon seeing him and the re-animated corpse that had been dead on the table moments ago. And Mrs. Chapham, upon hearing the scream, whipped her head around and laid her animalistic eyes on three-month pregnant Lily, unprotected and in danger because of him. She cackled wildly and began to charge for her.

"What the hell is going on in here?!"

Oh, saved by the bells! There stood the security guard Mace, and upon seeing him, Chapham shrank back and cowered from him like Dean Halsey had, only it had been his daughter then. "Dr. West, Dr. Stevens, what's going on here? Who's that?"

"M-Mace," Lily stammered, getting herself together and moving to stand beside Herbert, "I d-d-don't know what happened. She just..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say, turning and grabbing hold of Herbert's shirt and burying herself into his neck. Her coffee had spilled onto the floor in the midst of her panic.

"That was one of our patients I was caring for, and she just burst on in and attacked us. I don't know what happened, sir, but..." Herbert allowed his mask to be as innocent as possible. If Daniel found out - which he would eventually - he would release his anger on Herbert for getting his pregnant and married cousin into all of this. He would also break it to Meg, who was so damn good at voicing her sides.

The guard looked at the battered but otherwise crazy old hag before announcing he was calling more security and taking her to the Sefton ward. Herbert held his breath for a moment as he watched the black man leave to call for backup. While he did, Lily loosened her hold on him and looked up at him with wide, red, and glassy eyes full of bewilderment, horror, and fury.

"What did you do to her, West?"

~o~

Dan was beyond furious; how could Herbert do something so stupid as bring a dead woman back to life so recklessly when Lily was around?! "What the hell were you thinking, West? I happened to walk in on Mace calling for more security backup to take in Elizabeth Chapham to the Sefton Psychiatric Ward, and there happened to be one thing I could piece together!"

"It was never my intention to bring your cousin into this!" Herbert yelled, standing before him in the middle of the living room, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "She just walked in at the wrong time!"

"The wrong time which you picked to bring back a battered wife from the dead which happened to be what my cousin was in charge of filing the autopsy report for! We were in the middle of an investigation overseen by none other than Elizabeth Chapham's husband! Seriously, Herbert, now he'll see that something is on us now!"

Herbert growled and stalked up to him, sticking his face up into Dan's so their equally blazing eyes met a match. "The case is closed to them, Daniel. They have no proof that we had anything to do with it, remember? It was all pointed to Dr. Hill as you know it really was."

Dan groaned and threw his hands into the air in frustration. "You know, Meg was right about you. If you hadn't come here, both her father and Rufus would still be here. We'd still have our old life."

Herbert felt his jaw drop, but he eventually pulled it closed. That wasn't fair, but what could he say? It wasn't like Halsey was his fault, and that infernal beast Rufus was a nuisance.

"She was also right that this is vile and abnormal." That construction of various women's body parts - most of them women he failed to save in the hospital, including one who looked so much like Meg, being a pancreatic cancer patient named Gloria, whose head was used - was actually an amazing result, nothing like the whole bodies who reacted violently, but she hardly had the intelligence of a real human being, and she was kept hidden from the world because both he and Herbert knew society would never understand. It would be a matter of time before she got out and got into trouble.

And if Meg knew what they'd done, she'd never forgive him for real this time.

And as for Lily, she was going to find out sooner or later, and he'd lose both important women in his life. He needed to get away from this like he should have done a long time ago.

"I'm getting out of here," he announced, not bothering to wait for Herbert's answer and knowing there would not be one. "I'm going to be with Meg for a while. You'll be fine without me tonight."

Chapter Text

"Hello, beautiful," Herbert crooned, unlocking the door to the basement and peeking his head inside, scanning the vast space that showed the mess he always left and that Daniel hated. His own friend left such a depression on his mind that he wanted to be down here just to not want to see his roommate IF he came home.

Elizabeth Chapham had been another success, in a way, but she'd been as violent as the others before her...unlike this one which stepped out of the shadows and made way for him to the bottom of the staircase which he was now walking down. She was a magnificent creature, her splendid figure seen through the sheer, gauzy material serving as a dress since the day he injected life into her heart; that theory of re-animating all the limbs at the same time would have been impossible if they separated unless the re-agent was directly injected into the heart, the circulatory system distributing the re-agent concurrently to all the limbs. Herbert met her at the bottom of the steps, but it was she who towered over him, standing six feet approx. "Did you miss me today?" he asked tenderly, taking both her hands into his.

She stared at him with that same look of uncertainty in her beautiful face...Gloria's face. Her mane of dirty blonde hair was as bushy as a lion's mane, not bothered to be treated because Herbert thought it was only natural. Her torso was amazingly at the topmost of hourglass shapes, the hips a perfect width for childbearing as she was made to do, the breasts barely filling in a D-cup which was perfect for a man to grasp if he wanted to...the last of which made him sick, remembering the woman whose womb was now this one's. Anyways, lower, where her legs were made for walking and heightening her to be Dan's height, standing on feet graceful for dancing, running, and walking. Her hands, still held in his, were slender and delicate, once belonging to a seamstress, attached to the arms of a waitress who was killed in a freak fire accident at one of the downtown diners.

She was...perfect. An angel of his own creation. There was no God in existence to make such a beautiful thing like this which rivaled Meg and any other woman like her.

Speaking of Meg, Dan just had to run off to her because he was angry with Herbert for exposing his cousin to this. Well, it hadn't been his plan and was not his fault. He just...didn't think Lily would be back so soon. But then again, women had bad timing. Not like this one here. Herbert smiled up at her and guided her to the middle of the room, the floor mopped up before of blood so nobody slipped. He always knew Dan would snap eventually, but how could he turn back when they came this far? All over his precious little cousin.

Herbert couldn't help but wonder, as he slowly waltzed with his creation, how Lily would be around her husband as soon as she got home. And how would she be able to explain to him? If she gave everything away, then it was over, all that he worked so hard for.

On second thought, she had no idea the whole story, and if she did know, nobody would believe her. Herbert smirked to himself at that, as well as a new thought that crossed his mind:

If Dan truly backed out, maybe his cousin would be a suitable replacement.

~o~

Megan was just getting ready for bed when suddenly, the doors to her house were busted. She panicked and ran from her bedroom with her handgun loaded and in hand; after that night and everything Dan and West had been up to, you could never be too careful. She clicked off the safety and went to the door, slowly opening it and quickly stepping back to raise the pistol to the door itself as it opened by the hand on the other side -

"Oh, God, Dan!" She gasped sharply and dropped the gun, firing a shot somewhere into the wall by accident - not hitting either of them or anything else but a blank space - but she didn't care. Meg threw her arms around the neck of the man she loved and held him tight. "I could have killed you!"

"Not like West almost did." His words were muffled as he buried his face into the nape of her neck, but she heard him right.

"Why, what did he do this time?" Meg pulled back to look at him hard. "What did you both do?"

He sighed. "No, I had nothing to do with it. He did it all by himself. He had the nerve to bring an abused wife back to life in the hospital..." He'd had his eyes lowered and now raised them to meet hers. "...with Lily in the picture."

Meg gasped sharply, angrily, stepping back as though she'd been electrocuted. Damn that man! He brought a woman back to life with Lily around? How the hell could he do this?! "I wasn't even there," Dan spoke. "Security took her to the ward, and I heard them talking about it and who was there."

"Oh, the nerve." Meg reached up to rub both her eyes. "Is she going to tell now?"

Dan shook his head. "I don't think anyone would really believe her. But I had to get away from him. I needed to be here with you."

She looked up at him and smiled. Glad to know she'd knocked some sense into him; however, there was still Lily. She was in trouble now, and Dan had gotten himself into it. They had to keep Lily away from him now, it seemed.

~o~

Lily drove to Dan's house with a sense of betrayal and heartbreak. She just needed to get away from Jake. She'd come home after a long, hard day in which she'd seen a dead woman arise and attack Dr. West and almost her...what had just happened? Had she imagined it all?

She tried to think about that more than what she'd come home to: Jake pounding into his secretary at the animal clinic, which made her fly into a rage and leave the house. He'd - Jake, he - cheated on her! Jake CHEATED on her! They were married, he promised he'd be faithful to her until the day one of them died, and he betrayed her!

Lily's eyes stung with tears as she kept to the limit, but it was too hard given her torrent of heartbreaking emotions; the baby stirred inside her as it sensed her distress. That was why he did it: because he wasn't ready to be a father, and he had to escape and seek favors to avoid the burden of fatherhood. What kind of man did that? A cowardly one, at that.

She had to get away and stay the night at her cousin's since he was the only family she had here, and the others were in Boston. However, as soon as she brought the car into the driveway, Dan's sedan wasn't anywhere around. Lily frowned; he must have gone to Meg's, since where other place could he be outside work? West had to be here; she just needed someone, anyone, to take her emotions out on.

Herbert West didn't seem like he'd care about anything or anyone else. However, he seemed to tell whether she was upset over how things were with her and Jake, and he was there to console her when Dan wasn't around. People around them called him a strange fellow, but what if there was more than what they saw? What happened earlier was living proof of that. What did he do to Mrs. Chapham's body?

The more she thought about it as she remained inside her car for a little while longer, simply staring at the house with the porch lights on, the more interested and eager to find out she became. There was no such thing as bringing the dead back to life, so she had to have gone crazy. Blinking, Lily shook her head. Wait a minute; she couldn't be crazy. Never in her life had she been known to suffer hallucinations. And staring at the house her cousin shared with that odd, bespectacled man didn't give her any answers. Lily shut off the engine and pulled her keys out - among them being to this house given to her by Dan - before she started up the pave way.

A chill crept up her spine as she stood before the door, pulling her pink cardigan over her blouse tighter, an ominous feeling of dread washing over her. What was wrong with her? She'd come to escape her unfaithful husband, to stay with Daniel, and she was acting like a scared little girl. There were no such things as ghosts or creatures of the night. She stuck the key into the lock and turned it. The lock itself clicked, and the door creaked open loud enough to make her jump and step back as it opened the other way just for her.

"Dan?" she called quietly.

No answer. She slipped around and quickly but quietly closed the door behind her, her heart thumping loud enough to be heard in her chest as she examined the darkness of the house illuminated by only a few lights in the streets. The goosebumps on her skin were rising, the chills stronger, and her heartbeats quickened with every step she took, slow and deliberate. Was it because her cousin wasn't home and his creepy roommate was? "Dan?" she called again, a little louder this time, calming herself only slightly before it was ruined and returned with a vengeance when a voice responded, though not the one she expected.

"He's not home."

"West!" He sat there, suddenly switching on a light and startling her out of her wits. "Where's Dan?"

"Out with his empty-headed girlfriend, of course," he stated, staring her hard, lips pursed. "What are you doing here?"

Great, how would she get this out now? "My husband," was all she could get out at the moment. He raised an eyebrow. "He was with another woman on our couch," she clarified, just talking about it suddenly no better than she thought it would be.

"Hmm."

That single word made her snap. "Really, is that all you have to say?"

Herbert laughed then, shaking his head. He didn't mean for it to be funny, but it still set her off. "My apologies. You're honestly talking to someone who hardly understands marital affairs save for a few key elements."

The way he spoke about Jake's unfaithfulness as though it were a mere scientific experiment instead of two people who used to love each other so much...! Lily had no idea how Dan could put up with this man. However, what did he know about marriage? "Just tell me what you know best about these things."

West looked off to the side briefly as he spoke; he didn't want to look at her for some reason. "Because the man thinks he's so superior just because his private parts hang." Wow, she never took him as one to crack a joke, and it made her laugh. He turned back to her then and shared it with her briefly before getting serious. Lily almost lost track of what he said next because of how she thought his smile was so...human, for lack of a better term. "He and the woman should be on the same page if they are so meant to be together as one. They are supposed to create life together. Not one of them is above the other."

Chapter Text

Oh, to hold Meg close to him was all he needed at the moment. To have a whiff of her - and her smelling his cologne on his skin; lively bergamot blended with fresh aromatic tones - and kiss her fervently until it all became too much was just what he needed to pick her up and carry her like a bride to her bedroom...now it made him think of the one thing he'd saved up for and had yet to pick up soon, then pop it as much as it scared him. When her father was still alive, it would have been very dangerous to sneak into her house and make love in her bed out of fear of him hearing the noises with his super-sensitive ears despite his age.

But now they could do this anytime they wanted now that she was the house's sole owner.

Dan set her down so she stood and that they were before each other. She wore the sexiest piece he had ever seen: a blue chemise to match her eyes, popping with green lace down the neckline and over both fronts of the breast cups. It made the heat in his pants rise and cause his member to twitch. God damn, he wanted her now. Dan hurriedly tore off his favorite denim jacket while watching as she pulled off the slip to show her beautiful body that he remembered complementing, in return getting a teasing remark: "Says someone who spends his time with cadavers." Oh, how true was that, thanks to a certain spectacled little man at his own house.

Meg had made it loud and clear that she preferred it slow and gentle, and it hurt to slow down the haste, but it made it even better. She grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him down, kissing him hungrily, her tongue snaking out to taste his lips and then stick into his mouth, clashing with his tongue, moaning so sweetly that he joined in with her and pulled her close, both hands reaching down to cup both sides of her plump little ass, bringing her higher up. "Mmmm, Dan..." she purred against his mouth. "Bed...now..."

He grinned down at her and let her tear open his shirt without popping any buttons off and exposing his chest to the AC's conditioning. "What do you want me to do?" he asked huskily, making her laugh.

"Make love to me."

He hauled her up into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist, and they tumbled onto the bed together, him fishing himself out from his jeans and pushing them down to show his obvious erection to her. Meg giggled happily; he rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he wished she didn't laugh every time she saw the little guy; it was mildly insulting to his masculinity. "But he's just so cute!" she would say and reach down to scrape her forefinger nail over the moist head, sending a wave of shuddering pleasure over his body before he couldn't take it anymore and reached to pull her panties down, showing her bushy blonde mound hiding the obvious wet heat ready to receive him. She reached up and grabbed both sides of his face, pulling him down to kiss him again and then cry out in sheer pleasure when he finally entered her and started to do the in and out rhythm slowly and gently to build it up, then picked up pace for them both, making her scream his name so loudly he thought she'd break the windows.

Dan threw his head back by the end and groaned like a dying man under the sun when his coil unraveled, and his release filled her up to flow and mate with the eggs. She followed not long after, her cream covering him so that he didn't want to leave her sweet body so soon. Never had it been that way, just them lying in bed together and kissing passionately, her finally asking him to stay since they no longer had anyone to tell them what to do.

And besides, West wouldn't need him for a while anyway. Not after what Dan said to him earlier, which he now regretted but didn't want to think about right now.

~o~

For someone so focused on his work and nothing else, West knew better about male and female partners than she thought he would. But had he ever actually been with a woman? She didn't think so, but it never hurt to ask. "Have you ever dated?" she asked, moving to sit down in the chair on his opposite side.

His soft green gaze had followed her the whole time; he never seemed to want to take his eyes off of her, and it partly made her uneasy. However, the way he looked at her was so...intense. She tore her eyes away and chewed her lower lip. No, she wouldn't go there. Jake may have cheated on her, but they were still married, and there was a part of her that still loved him despite it.

But he still hurt her, her other half reminded her. He wasn't happy with the announcement of her pregnancy which they thought they would wait on, and they hadn't exactly been...honest with each other since then. What had she been thinking then, rushing into marriage so soon, shortly before leaving school?

And Herbert West, who had creeped her out before with his mysterious aura and cold demeanor - and the thing with the body in the autopsy room just today - he seemed to understand her despite -

"There was never a...partner for me."

Lily wasn't surprised by the reply, but at the same time, she was. "No...woman?"

"Not once. Love and all things related distract from the important matter at hand and even break you in the end. It's always taken for granted. As your husband did to you," he stated manifestly, getting up then and leaving her to head down the first hallway, not the one that led to the bedrooms lining the corridor. Lily watched him go but said nothing.

She felt like she was crippled from the spine down. Suddenly, the room was getting hot, and she reached down to unbutton her cardigan. The sooner she was at the bottom did she find herself staring at her ring duo. The first when Jake proposed to her last winter in front of the whole family, and the second on that day in April, just four months after. They'd known each other since high school, but now it was like they were strangers. Was it too late to fix it?

Lily pondered removing them both to release herself from the bondage of pain, but she would end up regretting it so soon, so she left them on and stood to head in the direction Herbert went. She found him in the kitchen, making himself a sandwich. Her stomach growled. Jake would still be at home waiting for dinner; if she didn't show, he'd pop himself a sandwich once he gave up.

She was about to head for the counter and cupboards when Herbert spoke to her. "Here, have mine." She turned around to see him offering his plate to her. She blinked again. Was he really offering her his? She took it and nodded thanks, watching as he went on to make another.

Taking advantage of their alone time before Dan came home who knew when, she asked before taking a bite, "So, what did you do to the body earlier?"

His posture went rigid, and that stoic shell was back. "I don't know if I should tell you, Dr. Stevens," he said coolly, back to the professionalism, "or if I should trust you with it. But I do know for a fact that you must tell no one."

Lily scoffed and put her sandwich back on the plate. "You honestly think I would snitch on you just like that?" Unless there was more trouble than let on; the chills were back again, and the baby stirred in her abdomen again.

"What you'll see might prompt you to change your mind," he stated, eyes hard like concrete, drilling into her like that same tool used to screw into the solid ground structure itself. Lily returned the look.

"Try me," she challenged.

He huffed once, then turned and stalked out of the kitchen; she followed him right into his room, which she noticed didn't have much besides a refrigerator at the foot of the twin-sized bed, anatomical posters on the wall, and minimal personal items, not once seeing family photos or frames. Did he have any family? He opened the fridge and showed her the most shocking thing she'd ever seen in her life:

There was a dead ferret on the top shelf, and beneath it was a vial and three syringes filled with some glowing green substance she didn't recognize. "Oh, God, West, what is this?"

He smiled down at her, a sinister expression that prompted her to turn and run out of the house; fear glued her to her place. "What I've been doing all this time. Something that no doctor has been able to succeed at."

Lily managed to pull herself together and plop her rear onto the foot of the bed, her legs wobbling. There was only one thing her terrified brain could think of that doctors tried to do forever. "You want to...cure death."

"Precisely." He pulled out the dead animal by the back of the neck and one of the needles. "And your cousin is my assistant. He wants so badly to stop our patients from dying. Can you imagine what poor Mrs. Chapham endured, and other women like her? Accidents? Murder? Or simply sickness?" His lip curled in disgust. "Do you want to go through life anymore fearing death to come?"

Lily could feel the sweat pouring from her forehead. Everything was spinning so fast that she thought she was going to faint. Conquering death...it was a wonderful dream, the image of a beautiful world without people losing their loved ones - but it was also so wrong. And so illegal. His performance today was enough to say so, and this dead thing in his hand within his room in Dan's house, and the fact that Dan, her cousin, was in on it...God, what had she gotten herself into?

She should have listened to what her friends and coworkers at the hospital were telling her, about what had happened barely a year ago. On the night of October eleventh, the morgue down below was overrun with panic and death, the whole place covered with blood and bodies mutilated and twitching unnaturally. The papers called it the "Miskatonic Massacre". Among the dead were Dean Alan Halsey - Megan's father - and Dr. Carl Hill, the school's eminent brain surgeon and grant giver. The dean had been torn to pieces, but Hill's head had been bashed to smithereens to the point of being nearly unrecognizable while the rest of his body was such a part of the mess that it wasn't even easy to recover.

Above all: Daniel, Megan, and Herbert West were the only proven survivors.

And now she was beginning to piece it together that this man in front of her had something to do with that night, and Daniel was still rooming with him. No wonder Meg was spooked by him so much. Why had Lily thought for a second that she liked him by a small part? She tried talking herself out of it. "West, I can't do this."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why not? Because you find it beyond reason? Daniel tried backing out on me before I succeeded in bringing his poor feline Rufus back. Unfortunately, Rufus' will to live wasn't strong enough."

Lily said no more as she watched him inject the needle into the back of the ferret's neck - at the base of the brain stem - wondering where he got that thing from. "Where did you get this animal?"

"The shelter your husband works at," he answered simply. "It was losing the will to live, and it had been nearly mauled by a bulldog. Perfect candidate for a test."

Ugh, how disgusting could he get, acquiring an ailing creature from the animal shelter where Jake treated small beasts and housepets, speaking of them as if they weren't even important? He had to have some sick interest in death rather than life. Dan's interests were solely on preserving life for as long as she'd known him. Lily said no more as she waited some seconds before the animal began to twitch and spasm in Herbert's hands, making horrible noises unlike it had when it was alive in another time. "God, West, why is it like that? Why isn't it normal?"

In her heart, she knew this was wrong. This was like how she'd been raised growing up, that God had the power to take the soul at the right time, and that man did not have the willpower to do that. Medical science would never truly conquer death. The look on the man's face was pure insanity.

"Daniel asked me the same thing once. Birth is always painful."

Lily couldn't believe it; that thing was dead! And then it sprung out of Herbert's hands when he could no longer keep a grip on it, flying right for Lily. She shrieked and rolled off the bed; it vanished on the other side. She scrambled away to stand beside Herbert, who had suddenly abandoned his warrior armor and turned to scramble through some things for some weapon to defend them. "Hold on and don't react too fast," he warned. "We have to kill it."

Lily had never thought to take the life of anyone or anything, but it seemed now she had no choice in the matter. She saw in his hands a silver letter opener, and its sharp point made her sick. She was so distracted by it that she almost missed the sudden brown buzz that flew at her, but it never reached her. Lily closed her eyes as she heard the horrible squishing sounds and painful cries from the beast. Opening one eye, West's hands were splattered with blood as he pinned the ferret, dead for a second time, to the floor with one hand and jabbed the letter opener deep into its stomach. Lily felt like she was going to be sick and dashed out of the room...

...and ran straight into Dan.

"Jesus, Lil, what's going on?" he exclaimed as he held her in his arms.

She couldn't answer him, just tore out and ran for the washroom and emptied her stomach's contents, a horrid taste left in her mouth afterward. She remained there for a few moments, letting her head clear, but there were voices heard. Shouts. She quickly left the washroom and hurried out to see Dan and Herbert, the bloodied ferret cadaver in both hands, in a contest. Both men turned to her upon sensing her presence. Herbert's face wasn't even hard; well, actually, it was, and mixed with great concern for her. But Dan, however, had murder written all over his face. Uh-oh.

"We're sitting down and talking now."

~o~

"I'm not surprised that you hid this from me, but you would tell Meg because she's your girlfriend," Lily stated flatly as she sat across her cousin from the kitchen table, her green eyes venomous on him. Herbert watched the conversation between them as he leaned back against the kitchen counter.

"But she wants nothing to do with this, and you ought to know why," Dan returned. "It's all wrong. I want to stop death, believe me, but there's things that I've seen I can't let you in on -"

"You can't let me in on," she repeated with a sarcastic laugh. "Believe me, too, but I'm already in on it."

"Because of him," Dan seethed, turning and glaring at Herbert, who returned it without a waste. "He sees nothing past his obsession."

Herbert exploded. "After all this time, Daniel, I thought you believed in our work!"

"Until you pushed past the boundaries we'd set up for it!"

"There is always more to discover and expand!"

"ENOUGH!" Lily screamed at the top of her lungs, getting their attention. "Would both you assholes just shut the hell up for ONE MINUTE?!" Both Herbert and Dan were surprised by her sudden outburst and focused their attention on her. Herbert never thought he'd say this to himself, but this bickering was getting to her, and he hated seeing her like this. "Goddamn, Daniel, I've had enough for one day as it is. I witnessed a dead woman brought back to life, and we all know she didn't deserve to die at her husband's hands. Plus, I came here because I found Jake humping his secretary on our couch."

Dan's jaw dropped. "He cheated on you?! Why, that son of a bitch, I ought to -" He started to rise not long before Lily jumped up from hers and stalked around to put both her hands on his shoulders.

"Don't kill him, please."

"He broke his vows of faithfulness to you all because you're pregnant with a baby he never planned for!" Daniel shouted. "I should teach him a lesson."

All of this was amusing for Herbert, and a change from his loathing of his work being disregarded and called unworldly. He remembered Dan being in awe at their girl in the basement after she was finished, but then it changed when he took a closer look at her, at how she didn't function like an intelligent human being. He'd called it Herbert's "doodling with body parts" the first time. "Is this what all our great work has led to, tinkering with parts?!" he'd yelled. Over time, he began to lessen his attempts to talk Herbert out of it despite helping him get bodies from the morgue, but now enough was enough for him, settling on going back to the real deal. Whole people, not parts.

"If you kill him or assault him, the police will be on you, and you'll be arrested," Lily pleaded. "Just...let me stay here for the night. Please? I can't stand being there without thinking about that bitch in our house."

Dan hissed and shook off her hold. "Yeah, but this isn't over. Neither of this," he added with a look to Herbert. "I won't let her in on our work, not when she's three months pregnant."

Lily gaped at him. "Excuse me, Daniel, but I'm not a child! I can handle myself! I won't have to be the way you are, but at least let me in since Megan already knows this."

"Not when there's a baby in there. You're my cousin, and I love you. And that means I won't have my family involved as far as I have sunken myself."

~o~

"I'm sorry if you don't like having a woman at the house you share with my cousin..." Lily started to say to Herbert only to be cut off by him.

"I got used to Meg being around. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if he left me alone." The way he said it was devoid of any emotion.

It was just the two of them in her car, him in the passenger seat beside her. They hadn't spoken much, and this lack of conversation between them made her unnerved more than today's events and before when they barely made much vocal contact at the hospital. "West, it never hurts to engage in conversation about something else, you know."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Are we going to waste time talking or are you going in first to face your unfaithful spouse?"

And that attitude needed management. Lily said no more as she unbuckled and got out of the car. "Leave the windows rolled down in case you hear anything suspicious. Like me screaming." In case Jake got violent if he was drinking again like he almost did on her twice before.

"Oh, I believe I won't miss out. I always come prepared." He shifted his hips up to show the revolver strapped to his belt. Lily shook her head with a laugh and scoff combo, then went into the house she shared with Jake.

As expected, he was passed out on the couch, but that wasn't all. The bottle of Scotch lay on the floor, all empty - well, she was lucky he was out for once, but she still had to hurry - and Jake was snoring. Add in the fact his pants were still down, and she did not want to know why. She didn't love him that way anymore; their lovemaking times were suddenly too painful now, and it added to the sense of betrayal. She left him there the way he was and hurried to their bedroom down the hall and gathered as much of her clothes and bathroom products as she could. Once she was finished, she left the house with speed, tossed her bag into the back seat, and climbed into the driver's beside Herbert. "He was drunk and passed out."

He smirked at her. "Figured, since I heard no screaming, Lily."

"Lucky for me because I didn't want to deal with him. He's drunk before and almost attacked me twice since I got pregnant." She looked down at her abdomen for emphasis, rubbing the bulge gently to quietly assure the baby that she hoped everything was going to be all right. Sadly, she had no idea.

"Sometimes, I wonder what it is like to give life to a child," he spoke quietly. "Instead of the physical interest you, your cousin, and Megan carry, it's the fact the female can conceive life." His face twisted as though he'd tasted something acidic on his tongue. "It sickens me how half of them go to the hospital to abort the life she was made to give."

Lily sucked in a breath and leaned back against her seat. Jake had almost forced her to get an abortion since that was what Herbert was talking about, but it was against her wishes and those of her family's beliefs. But it was her baby; it wasn't a thing. It was a part of her. For Jake, a doctor if not like her practice, to suggest something horrible as killing THEIR child...

"And for your husband to not accept the child disgusts me even more," he continued. "Reminds me of my own father."

The mention of his father suddenly piqued her interest as she started the engine and got them into the street. "How?"

"I'd rather not discuss it in full detail. But I'll have you know he didn't want me before I was born, and he didn't want me up to the time I became a man, either."

Something inside her cracked that she felt like crying, but she held it in.

Chapter Text

Dan was on the phone with Meg, knowing how late it was but had to tell her before Herbert and Lily came back. And obviously enough, she was upset and made it clear she wanted to kill Jake as much as he did. "He thinks he can stick his wiener where it doesn't belong -" He cut her off with a sharp bark of laughter at the use of language for that part of the male anatomy. "What? You know I'm serious."

"I know you are," Dan answered, still laughing. "What would you love to do to that?" Getting the answer, no matter the desired treatment, would still hurt his own section at the image he would bring up in his head.

"Take a knife to it like the actual sausage itself."

Well, it actually made him feel a lot better thinking about Jake getting it instead of himself, but he was still a man, and that was part of the masculine system. "Yeah, well, Lily won't let me kill him, so could you do it for me?"

"You bet I will, baby, and I'll also pack a gun, pepper spray, and any other weapon so that an offender won't come on." He could just hear her grinning; this was one of the things he loved about her. She might drive him crazy, but his mother drove his father crazy, and that was enough to tell him that was how women were. He loved Meg for making him feel like he had the will to live through anything, and her inability to take nonsense. And for that, that was why he'd been waiting for a certain something he'd purchased days before.

And then the doorbell rang. Must be it. Dan grinned triumphantly. "Sweetheart, I'll have to let you go now. You get some sleep, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Kiss Lily for me," was her answer before a smooch was heard on the mouth of the phone, and he returned it before letting the lady hang up first. He then went to the door - the time was almost nine - and opened it to see a small brown package waiting for him to open. And when he did, he beamed and could already picture Meg's expression when he showed it to her.

~o~

She tried to sleep that night, but the more she tried, the harder it was to keep thoughts of Jake out of her mind. Lily slept in the only guest room Dan had in his house, tossing and turning despite the warm comfortable bed and her favorite lilac pajamas with the silhouette of a bird perched on a snow-covered branch against the tee's background. The house was quiet - too quiet, but that was how she loved it - if not for the fact that the beautiful silence she savored but was deprived of because of Jake's constant sleep snores...this silence was intruded this time by the sudden burst of cries that should have come from dreaming. Except it was proved that she hadn't been dreaming because she heard them for a second time. Leaping out of the bed, Lily decided to investigate.

Why did being afraid in her own cousin's house freak her out so much? Was it because of the secret life he and his housemate were living? Or the fact that the cries came from somewhere in the house? Did Dan hear anything? Or was he sleeping like a log than she did?

The sound of the opening of his door to her right startled her. He blinked twice. "Lily, what are you doing up?"

"I heard noises," she replied. "Someone...crying."

He frowned, looking like he was about to say something when there was once again the sound of another door opening to the far end. On the left side of the back door was a familiar dark head poking out, spotting them right away. "Herbert, what was that?"

He quickly stepped out of the doorway and closed it behind him. "What was what?" The question/response was innocent, but Lily wasn't buying it. She knew she heard cries - now she knew by listening closer that they belonged to a woman - and then they were heard again...and upon stretching out her senses, they came from behind Herbert, behind that door.

"You're lying. Did you bring another person back?"

He looked her straight without a flinch of reaction. "I...I did, technically. But this one is..." He stopped speaking; from the way his eyes were rotated, Dan was looking at him with a look that silently warned him to keep his mouth shut. Okay, now what was this? Did this have to do with what he'd said earlier? About something she shouldn't see? "Well, let's just say she's not in excellent condition."

There was a knock on the door then. Except it was too forced to be a knock. Herbert quickly spun around and turned the knob, sticking his head in and saying something to the "thing" she couldn't see. She could only make out words like "we have a guest who can't see you yet." Wait, he talked to it?

Dan had his hands on her arms and turned to guide her back to her room. "Come on."

She pulled her arms free. "No, I deserve to see it. Whatever is behind that door."

"No, Lily!" Herbert shouted, but she shoved him aside - maybe the hormones got the best of her curiosity - and opened the door in time to see a horrid sight before her eyes right there at the top of the stairs that led to the basement.

Lily started from the bottom: the whole body was very human and very female if not for the fact she was abnormally tall enough to reach Dan's six feet. But the thing that offended her was the exposed red muscle sections of the ankles to the knees and tops of the thighs to the wrists and chest area, and the neck. Living people never had those features displayed ever. Every part of the woman's body was the perfect model type if not for the fact the exposed genital area was covered with what looked like narrow blue tape in a very slim thong form, looking very much disfigured from her own if anyone were to fully see it. The flowy white dress garment was sheer enough to show all of her body, even the breasts.

But most of all, she recognized the face of a certain patient who died in the hospital and Dan failed to save. Lily gasped and stepped back. "Gloria..."

Gloria Webber, a terminally ill patient she'd met on her first day at Miskatonic University Hospital, had succumbed to pancreatic cancer which she, Dan, and Herbert failed to save, leaving her poor cousin in despair. He'd lost patients before; he just loved people so much he hated losing them. Even Gloria would have lived longer, gotten married, and had children if she didn't die so soon. And now Lily was looking at her face in this...monstrosity.

The woman-thing stared down at her for a moment, taking a step forward at the same time as she stepped back. But Lily shrieked; what had they done? This was way beyond what she'd expected of today. Injecting the re-agent into a whole person was one thing, but to...use body parts was a different story altogether. "What did you two do here?!" she demanded angrily. "This - this -"

"She's magnificent," Herbert breathed, going to stand beside her, taking one of her hands and holding it out. Lily cringed and stepped into Daniel further. "She's going to stun the whole world once we show her."

"She's going to make them scream! What did you DO?!"

His face changed then; the woman's face was doing the same, only tripling as she came to realize that this strange female in the house of her creators wasn't a favorite. "Daniel and I created her. Dead pieces of castaways of a meaningless existence. With my hands." He held them both up proudly. "I did what God failed to do. I took remnants of his failures and made them anew again. This is something he could never achieve for himself."

Lily felt her heart pick up at this...blasphemy before GOD. The one and only God who had the power to create life and to take it away. "You're going to hell," she stated. "For this. You're intent on conquering death, to save millions of lives, but instead, you made a monster! A thing that does not belong in this world!"

Herbert's eyes flared with the fires of the previously mentioned hell. "A thing that once belonged in this world as more than one being who was so undeservingly taken away. Look..." He started from the bottom and worked his way to the top. "The feet of a suicidal ballet dancer after she failed miserably...the legs of a hooker murdered by her pimp in the ER after she tried to save herself from the miserable existence on the streets...the womb of a virgin raped and abused without actually enjoying the pleasure, without the chance of enduring a happy marriage and a child of her own - unlike you - and eventually murdered before she could escape with her life...the upper torso of a young model killed in a plane crash...the arms of a waitress...and look at these delicate hands." He held them both up in his hands with an open-mouthed smile that made her shiver and step away from Dan finally.

The way he was describing this grotesque mistake of a woman, combined with parts of women who suffered tragedy - excusable, but not was the fact that this man she, for a second, had entrusted with her secrets regarding her once-loving husband - and made into something that God only had in his own hands, not man...it made her want to vomit. He was sick. And by the looks of Dan's face, he thought so, too.

"These were once a seamstress'. Delicate and efficient, but stronger than they look. And oh, how beautiful is this face." He turned his back to her to cup "Gloria's" face in his hands. "She was - is - special."

Lily knew she was making a grave error, but it had to be done. "Herbert, this was all a mistake. You've been desecrating body parts for something that is out of your hands. We can't remake a human being on our own. Not like when it comes to man and woman making life as we talked about." He turned his attention back to her, his eyes wide. "Yes, you know I'm right. Get rid of this monstrosity and return to the real work with Dan and I." She motioned to the woman-demon, whose face suddenly became a mask of utter rage and rejection before she did the unthinkable but expected thing next.

She uttered an animalistic growl like a wild she-cat and shoved Herbert aside, charging for Lily and then pushing Dan aside so she could get her target. She picked up Lily by the throat and threw her across the hall. Lily sailed in the air, but she didn't land on her stomach, thank God - rather on her back, but still, what the hell had she done? She not only put herself in trouble but also the child in her womb. What was she going to do now?

The best thing she could do was pick herself up and run for her life into the kitchen for a knife or something to defend herself. When she finally found one, the woman caught on to her and charged, but Lily already raised the knife and swung, cutting one of the tender fleshy parts of her right arm, ready to grab her again. She howled and drew back, holding her wrist as she staggered back. Lily saw this as her chance to run past her to where Dan had come around the corner with Herbert behind him. She ran into her cousin's safe and strong arms while Herbert hurried around them and moved for his mildly injured creation, shouting at her. "Bad girl! Bad girl, don't hurt the guest!"

She glared down at him and screamed as she raised that same hand and struck him hard so he fell to the kitchen floor. Then she zoomed past Dan and Lily, making way for the front door, which she successfully got opened - damn, how did she know that when, for all this time, Herbert had her locked in the basement? - and vanished out. Dan abandoned Lily and hurried after her, not bothering to grab some weapon with him as he hunted down their escaped trophy.

Lily looked down to where Herbert was sitting, rubbing his face and blinking, flinching. She walked up to the sink to wet the towel and hand it to him for his burning face. "You okay?"

"Mm, I will be," was all he said as he removed his glasses and wiped his beet-red complexion. That was sure to leave a bruise. "You were right, Lily. It was a mistake."

~o~

The phone rang as soon as Lily vanished back into her room for the rest of the long night. Dan nearly jumped out of his skin, but Herbert glared at it on the kitchen counter. Who in bloody hell could be calling at this hour of the night? Dan was the first to make a move, walking over and taking it off the receiver. "Hello?"

Pause. "Oh, Jake, hi." Herbert seethed; what was the drunk dog doing calling at this time of night? He had to have awakened out of his stupor only to find his wife missing after running out on him. "What are you doing getting a hold of me this late?" Dan asked, trying to sound as ignorant and frustrated as possible. Another pause. "Uh, no, I haven't seen her." Herbert grinned; Dan was one great actor. How would it have been if they were both actors today instead of doctors and scientists? "But if I do, I'll call you. I promise." After that, he put the phone down and exhaled sharply, shoulders tensing back.

"You suppose he could come here?" Herbert asked. There was the possibility of an unfaithful, impending abusive husband coming to the house in search of his wife who had caught him having sex with another woman on their couch. If he came, then Herbert was more than prepared for anything.

Dan turned around then. "I don't think he will. It's way too late. He said that she didn't come home from work at all." He scoffed. "He's lying, obviously."

"Of course he is," Herbert agreed. "He just doesn't know that we do know. Which can't change at all."

"No, it can't. But I still have to keep them apart until we figure out how to get her fully away from him." Dan walked over and sat at the table, head in his hands. "God, I don't want her living in fear by running away, and other things."

"Raising her child alone and away from the man who put it inside her," Herbert stated, reaching up to fix his tie. "The child growing up not knowing who its male maker was. It'll be a pain for her to try and find someone who is willing enough to help her raise a baby."

"Would it be you?" Dan challenged, half offending him. "You're not going to be spending the rest of your life alone before we accomplish our goal. And you know I won't be around forever; I have a life with someone I love."

Herbert snorted and folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, yes, and we know how that will end if one of you dies before I finish my part." His partner threw his hands up in the air with heavy irritation, then came back to rest in his hair again.

"Please, enough for one day. Lily's right; too much in one day. I have a date with Meg tomorrow, so don't bother me with anything. I'm sure Lily will be willing to help you out instead of me."

Herbert lowered his eyes; he felt more alone than he did in his life. Yes, Daniel was still on the same page about conquering death, but he was too focused on life instead of the dead. They were just two different people in that direction. Herbert knew there would never be another like him, and that was why he didn't get too close to people anymore. And that included what happened between him and Hill in Switzerland.

~o~

There was still a lot about Herbert West she still wanted to know, but she couldn't do it in broad daylight for risk of discovery of privacy invasion. However, if there was a way she could sneak his file from the dean's office...

"Oh, Dr. Stevens." Just perfect, Dean Eliza Richmond herself. She was barely reaching middle years, with blonde hair pulled into a smooth bun atop her head, and she wore a flattering purple tiered-sleeve skirt suit; she was extremely beautiful despite her age, married - her rings flashed with a gorgeous green emerald sparkling around with brilliant round and baguette diamonds - with two grown up children, one in college and the other just reaching the real world. "Just the woman I wanted to see. How are you doing since yesterday's incident?" she asked kindly, taking Lily's hand into hers. It was one of the reasons she loved her employer so much.

"Oh, I'll be better," she answered. "How's...Mrs. Chapham doing?"

Richmond frowned, her delicately penciled brows furrowing. "Oh, nastier than I'd ever seen a crazy person. And it doesn't make any sense to me because - well, she was dead..." she said hesitantly, and they were now walking in the direction of her office. "And my God, there's no such thing as zombies," she added with a laugh. Lily joined it in, but inside, she was shaking from every organ in her body. Getting closer to bringing up Herbert...

"Dr. Richmond. Dr. Stevens."

Both women stopped at the mention of their names and the sight of the man before them. He was near elder years, face sallow and unflattered by his professional suit that did little to attempt and do the same to his flabby abdomen and everything else. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a badge. Shit, Arkham Police Department, Lily realized, also glimpsing the name of this man: Lieutenant Leslie Chapham. "Oh, what can we do for you, Lieutenant?" Richmond asked pleasantly, Lily struggling to keep a straight face.

He gave them both a pleasant smile, but she could see it was far from that. "I only just saw...my wife." His voice faltered, holding a soft tone of sadness, but Lily knew better than that. He was faking it; he beat his wife to death, and he was doing all he could to cover it up himself. "She's never done anything like that before, and she was dead. I can't even figure out myself how this happened."

She made a habit of looking down at her watch without trying to look suspicious; it was nearing her lunch break, and it was when she would meet with Dan and Herbert, but the latter never seemed to eat much of anything. "Dr. Stevens, I understand she tried to attack you and Dr. West," Chapham said, his eyes drilling into her and trying to probe as deeply as he could. "You didn't see how it happened?"

"No, sir," she answered "honestly". "I only walked in after a short coffee break and found her trying to kill Dr. West, my colleague."

"Hmm, I see." He nodded and pulled out his notepad. "Whom I understand has some...radical ideas about..." He looked down. "...the re-animation of dead tissue."

"Lieutenant, that is something you have to discuss with him about, because I do not know much about that," she said, suddenly feeling the need to get away from this nosy man and go to lunch. It seemed the file from Dean Richmond's office would have to wait. "Forgive me for being rude, but my lunch break is now calling to me."

"Oh, certainly, you may leave." Eliza nodded. "Unless you have any more questions for her, Lieutenant."

"Not anymore right now. But would you please get back to me if you do?" His face had twisted at some point; it was one of the ugliest looks Lily had ever seen. She smiled politely, then moved away from him and down the other end. She could still feel his eyes on her as she escaped down the hall where the cafeteria was. She had to tell Dan and Herbert soon.

~o~

Herbert truly hated cafeteria food; in fact, he didn't eat much in general anymore besides water, coffee, and sandwiches. It had always been his choice. He took to making his own lunch to bring with him, and so did Dan, who picked up a Deli on the way to work. And there was Lily, coming to join them now with a worried expression she had bottled up until she met up with them. Dan noticed, too, her pale face framed by her soft red hair loose and layered. Herbert had never essentially been fond of...blondes, mostly because of Megan, and his late mother had been blonde. Her death had affected him terribly at the time, and he hadn't liked Meg from the start.

But Lily, with her fiery red locks and green eyes vivid as the re-agent - only near enough to match a rich emerald - was nowhere near that description. He found himself getting a bit warmer towards her despite her hatred for his creation last night and her fear of the deep waters she was now in.

"Lil, what's the matter?" Dan asked when she sat down.

"I was cornered by Leslie Chapham," she answered softly, voice warbling.

Herbert stiffened. Oh, the fat man! The nerve to corner her! "What did he want?"

"Just asked me the usual, if I knew what happened before I walked in," she answered, voice steadier than before but still full of anxiety. That would not be good for her child to be that scared. "And then he mentioned your...theory," she added in a hushed undertone so no one else would hear. Herbert hissed angrily and dropped his sandwich back into its plastic wrapping. Damn the fool! Now there were two men who were thorns in his side. One for snooping into business he shouldn't, the other for Lily's heart and the well-being of her baby.

"And I told the police when I was in medical school, I might have had time to discuss it," he stated. "Not anymore."

"But I think he's catching up," she whispered frightfully, and then her eyes adverted upwards upon hearing something he wasn't paying attention to, and she gasped. "Oh, God, look, you guys."

Herbert turned around the same time as Dan did, and both saw the news headline at the bottom of the cafeteria TV screen: MYSTERIOUS FEMALE FIEND FOUND WANDERING ARKHAM. "Oh, no," he heard Dan moan.

The reporter herself was speaking. "Arkham citizens, just this morning, a grisly discovery was seen wandering the town streets: a young woman somewhere in mid to late twenties, but it appears that she had been in an accident because of her state of being covered in an amount of gore that no words do it justice. Three people or so tried speaking to her to which this unidentified woman has reacted violently and escaped; no person was harmed in the process, but she has not been seen again since. So, be aware: should anyone come into contact with this mysterious figure - she is described to stand about six feet, blood-covered, and wears a revealing dress which shows her body almost transparently - please go to the police right away."

"Damn, our girl," Herbert fumed. "We need to find her and soon." He turned back to Dan and Lily, all three of them leaning in to form an extremely private circle. "We can't have Chapham finding out."

"But what if he does?" Lily asked fearfully.

Oh, he knew what he would do, but he wouldn't answer that right now. Even Dan knew the answer; the warning look in his eyes was living proof.

Chapter Text

She'd been blindfolded the whole drive since Dan came to pick her up for their date, and the heat of excitement was burning up in her to the point where she was unable to contain herself. "Dan, would you please just tell me what's going on?" Meg asked with a laugh.

"Just a little longer," he promised her, the smug there.

Oh, damn him! He hadn't done anything like this since their very first date together in freshman year. And she was in one of the few nice dresses she owned, and it was the same one from their first date - one of the few he'd told her was his favorite. It was a hot, salsa red with three-quarter sleeves, a subtle V-neck, the skirt reaching her knees, and finished with satin piping going to one side in a starburst. Her heels were three inches tall, also habanero-red and soft suede with shiny patent accents. Finally, her earrings, necklace, and cocktail ring around her right forefinger all had a spectacular centerpiece surrounded by brilliant rounds; the facets of every stone flashed with bright white fire contrasting beautifully against the warm rose-gold settings. She felt like she was a million dollars tonight; all he'd told her was to dress her best, feel special, and then he was taking her out for a night to remember.

Meg grinned to herself, knowing he would see. Just the two of them; no Herbert West and no zombies.

She'd seen the news on the TV and in the papers. She knew both he and West had something to do with that thing everybody was talking about, but that would have to wait for tomorrow. She didn't want to spoil the perfect mood for either of them. So, maybe this was it: the moment she'd been waiting for. They'd waited long enough, and since Daddy was gone, their relationship had been opened for the whole school to know. They had more time for each other - when he wasn't doing anything with West, of course - and hopefully he would be away soon enough just for her so they could live a normal life.

Dan brought the car to a stop; she heard him unbuckle and get out of the driver's seat; some seconds passed before her side door was opened. She unbuckled her belt for him to take her hand and lead her out step by step. "Okay, Meg, watch your step."

She couldn't stop giggling; where had he taken her? It felt like forever before the blindfold was finally taken off, and she gasped. They were outside their favorite restaurant, on a deck and facing the gardens. The table was set with a white silk cloth and a golden brocade table runner. To the far corner was a candle surrounded by white plumerias and a few smaller candles. Dinner for two was the same meal: a creamy linguini with shrimp, a tangy and creamy Caesar salad, as well as some kind of strawberry dessert. Their shared drinks were white Sangria garnished with mint leaves. "Dan, you didn't -!" She turned to him only to find him down on one knee, and she gasped, bringing both hands to her cheeks. Oh, God, it WAS happening...!

"Yeah, I did all of this just for you." His voice was low, sweet, but also uncertain. He was willing to do anything for her, and this was the man she'd dreamed of as a little girl, but her father never let her date boys before because of the strict traditions of Puritanism. Dan then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a black box; he opened the lid to show not one ring, but two. One was for her, and it was easy to identify simply by style: the ring was dual-toned and contoured, details of milgrain and beads of metal shining across the face. Dan's was the perfect symbol of a relationship built to last, with its carbon fiber inlaid with a gold chain link. "Meg, I love you, and I don't ever want to lose you like I almost did before. So, will you marry me and help face with me whatever obstacles are ahead?" He was already putting her ring on her finger, and it fit perfectly snugly when he asked her the question that should have been asked this way a long time ago.

"YES!" She squealed and jumped into his arms as soon as he stood up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him long, deep, and passionately before letting him carry her over to their setup for the remainder of the evening.

~o~

Lily screamed with excitement when Dan called and announced their engagement officially; eventually, they would break it to the whole world. The mood was abuzz with a celebration that she wanted to have with Herbert as the happy couple would be having it alone tonight - except she couldn't drink alcohol while she was pregnant, so she got herself and Herbert some Sprite. Except he wasn't home yet.

Lily was wearing a short blue dress that plunged low at the neck to show some curves, sleeveless, and the skirt ending at the knees, hair still loose about her shoulders when she grabbed the beverages from the fridge and was just coming back when she heard the front door open. Now Herbert was back; he'd been out again in search of the "female", and it seemed no luck again. She just hoped they would be able to fix this problem in time. Stepping out of the kitchen with the soda in both hands, she saw him round the corner and lean against the doorframe. He was scowling as ever, meaning only one thing. She walked up and helped him take his coat. While she did, he looked her over, and she could not read his expression at all even though the glare softened. She hoped he liked it.

Herbert still wasn't exactly fond of Meg, but he did admit he would offer his congratulations and share this cause for celebration with her; she had a great time and laughed when she felt the baby stir even though it was barely four months along. She asked him to reach over and feel it - they both sat on the long couch in the living room - but he hesitated and shifted back a seat. Lily couldn't help but pout at him. "Aw, it won't hurt a muscle."

Taking his hand into hers, his skin felt as warm as hers instead of as cold as it looked. And softer, daintier than Jake's. Placing it over her rounded, still-growing belly, she felt a tingle despite herself. His hand began to feel the tiny little thing slowly growing inside its mother; looking up at Herbert's face, she saw a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks.

He was embarrassed at touching her stomach, but it eventually gave way when he became fascinated at the feel of the baby in her womb. It made her feel more comfortable than Jake ever did. Who could forget his reluctance when she asked him to feel at any time?

"Are you going to continue to look at it as a living, growing being instead of just as an interesting topic?" she asked when she continued to examine the expression on his face. Remembering their talk about conception, she went on, "You said that you were touched by how a woman can give life - is that all you see?"

He sighed. "I cannot answer that in an easy way you would understand, Lily. I still stand when I tell you that life should not be taken for granted, and the man should be with the woman's decision no matter unplanned. Abortions every day - and the whole idea of unplanned pregnancy entirely. Even if an abortion is not done, that child still grows up feeling unloved and unwanted. I didn't...have the best example growing up, as I told you once before."

"Then tell me more about it," Lily pleaded, leaning back. She HAD to understand why he was the way he was, obsessed with conquering death so much, and she would not sit by and pretend that it was just because he was an unwanted birth.

Herbert looked like he was angry at himself for revealing one of his...darkest secrets, but knew he had to say it so she understood; Lily knew she would have to get this to Dan and Meg so they would understand, too, whether Herbert wanted them to know or not. And Meg had to especially cease her disgust somehow. He sighed. "Well, I was born unplanned. My parents had it going well after getting out of college, but having a child was another matter entirely - at least for my father. My mother really wanted a baby, so she planned the pregnancy by herself. Later on, when I was about eleven, she told me that my father didn't want a child because his own father was not a good example, having fought in the war and come back a different man altogether, an alcoholic. She was convinced her husband would be nothing like his father, but she was wrong. He lashed out at her when she told him she was carrying me." He stopped right there, looking at her hard.

Lily swallowed. Everything he was saying about his father was not at all much different from the situation with Jake. She was pregnant with a child that they both didn't plan, but it was neither fault of theirs, yet he blew up and turned to his secretary; in Herbert's case, his mother wanted the baby on purpose, hoping that it would help her suffering husband move on from his demons. But what did this have to do with Herbert's lifelong desire to conquer death? "Go on," she managed, both her hands cradling her stomach.

"As I grew up, he never once showed any sign of love and affection for me, but my mother was always there. She would be the peacekeeper, but no matter her efforts, her husband would hit her and me. Even then, he did provide well for the family. He was a construction worker, until one day, he was in an accident. He was taken to the hospital where his legs were removed; I was fourteen at this time. Mum and I were in the hospital for the duration with him, despite the horrors at home. It was there that I watched the process from the window into the ER when my mother wasn't looking, and that was the beginning of how I learned how these matters worked." He paused again, frowning. "To this day, Lily, I don't know why I made the decision there to wish his life was saved."

Now she was confused. She didn't ask it aloud because she didn't have it in her. If you hated him so much, why did you want his life saved? He was looking into her eyes, then speaking as though reading her mind. "Even though I despised him, he was still my father, and my mother could never live without him. Unfortunately, the damage done to his body was so extensive that he died of blood loss and all forms of puncture hours later. My mother lost her wits over it."

Something inside her wrenched, causing her to lean over, putting her face in her hands. "Oh, God," she gasped, fighting to keep herself together. "That's..." She could not think of anything to say.

"You don't need to say anything," Herbert told her, devoid of emotion. "I can never forget all that blood, nor can I remember my mother's screams when she found me and pulled me away, held me against her as she told me that I shouldn't have seen that. She told me that even though he was a 'tormented soul' -" The sarcasm was evident right there. "- he was still her husband and therefore my father. Words I accepted but sometimes wished I didn't."

"What became of your mother?"

He leaned back against the sofa, looking ahead and avoiding eye contact altogether. "My poor mother suffered a meltdown so great that it was me taking care of her from then on. I began to work at the hospital after school, taking care of the elderly sick and dying, the like. But ever since Father died, she was never the same. She relied on me to do everything for her, and as time went on for the next four years, she wasn't the happy, smiling soul she used to be. Sometimes, I wondered if she was...dying. She got frail and sickly every day, even if she didn't seem to have an actual illness. It...shattered ultimately by the time she found out I got accepted overseas by Dr. Hans Gruber, instead of at Miskatonic University.

"She had begun to howl and wail that I was leaving her to fend for herself, screamed at me after everything she did for me - I was abandoning her, she said. Whereas the last four years, she had been very quiet and passive, she then blew up the moment I informed her I had found even greater studies to further what I had promised her when Father died: that I would be the one to stop death, our greatest enemy, once and for all. I told her that all others failed because they had no real passion, no real care - and no devotion. But as I began to study hard in school, even seeing how a failed operation took a life, and so forth, I wondered what would happen if I lost my mother, the one important being in my life - even though the reality was that I was losing her. I never had real friends, so I never knew what it was truly like. My mother was all I had.

"In the end, I had no choice but to put her in the hospital." It was by then that she heard the choke in his voice; he had regretted his decision. He loved his mother, but years of living with the monster in their lives rendered her helpless and unable to fend for herself. And her only son had done all he could only for it to harden his spirit and resort to placing her in the one place for people with shattered minds like herself. "I went away to Switzerland afterward on a full scholarship won, but some years later with the incident, I was in custody for a few months before I was let go, and I came here. To Miskatonic. But upon arrival, I went to see my mother, given that we had not spoken for years...but she had passed away three years before. Took her own life with a drug overdose."

Her head was pounding now; why did she have to hear all of this? She felt the tears burn her cheeks. Herbert suffered more than she thought; he had seen what happened to his father in spite of the physical trauma inflicted on him and his mother - a product of past demons and insecurities - and as a consequence, his mother lost her mind that her son did the best job he could to take care of her until she took her own life when he left her. "I'm so sorry," Lily whispered, moving over and not caring if he wanted to be left alone, resting her head on his shoulder, and taking his hand into hers.

He snorted, even though his hand squeezed hers in return. "How could you possibly feel sorry for me?" he asked, very cold and undeserving that she hated it.

"Because you didn't deserve any of that!" Lily burst, hiccupping. "Your mother loved you but depended on an abusive monster who should have loved you just as much, but he was not even close to the man that you are!" Indeed, Herbert West was more of a man than his father - and his father before him - ever was. She now knew that it was not simply because of the fact that women were "distractions" in his eyes; it was because his mother whom he loved so much had changed on him and destroyed everything that his work became all he cared about.

She fervently hoped to death that he could be healed from that somehow.

~o~

Herbert was still thinking about Lily's words while he was in his room, just sitting there and wishing he had it in him to go to the basement to work on the formula, but his brain was too distracted, and it was one of the things he hated the most. He'd devoted his life to this, but after earlier telling one of his darkest secrets he kept to the back of his subconscious for his own sake to one of three people he knew only, now he didn't know if he would be able to tonight. Not working made him morbidly sour.

"Your mother loved you but depended on an abusive monster who should have loved you just as much, but he was not even close to the man that you are!"

Lily...perhaps truer words had never been spoken. Even though he had tried his hardest not to think too much about the past, she was right about his parents. He never once mentioned them to anyone, nor would he ever admit it aloud to anyone else like he did to her. He still loved his mother, still missed her no matter how much time went on, and no matter how foul everything got. But he had been hurt all his life he could not let it happen again - losing the one.

What made him even stronger and prouder: she said he was the man his father never was.

Herbert stood from his bed and stomped over to the middle drawer of his low wardrobe dresser where he kept what few possessions he had of his mother - notably her wedding ring which she had taken off and asked to be given to her son if he ever returned to her; the doctors gave it to him when he arrived several years later, having patiently waited for him to come. They told him that she would have wanted him to have it in the event of finding true happiness she never had, that she tried so hard to give her son. He kept the promise, but it would have to wait. He had never, either, been involved with an already married woman; as much as he did not want to admit it either, but with Lily...

Herbert had mixed feelings about Lily, to be honest. She had been afraid of the experiments, but so had her cousin the first time. Even more so with the "girl" loose and about town, wherever she was now. It had been a mistake to recreate a human being, now that he knew it; humanity was too submissive to evolution and luck. He was going back to whole humans like both Cain cousins had insisted. Now back to the jilted wife herself, whose husband betrayed her only the night before. She said that he didn't deserve what his father did to him, just as she didn't deserve what happened to her, and the child didn't deserve a man like that as its father. Herbert swore he would never be like his father, so perhaps by taking both Lily and her baby under the wing, he and Dan could take care of them both while -

Something sharp pricked at his mind, and Herbert flinched. He slammed the wardrobe drawer shut hard. Goddamn it, he was going through a withdrawal from his re-agent! He hissed when another jab came, and he turned and staggered for his fridge, opening it and grabbing the vial that wasn't the strong version, which he made for himself in college and suffered when taken into custody in Switzerland after Gruber's failed re-animation. The symptoms then were no different than here. He'd been a night owl in college as he was now, and the brain cells were known to deteriorate from lack of sleep; the idea of a solution weaker than the one for the dead had been his own risk to take, the dosage less than the one needed for the dead.

However, he was not able to stick the needle in when his whole body began to shake, and the vial and needle fell to the floor with him. He cried out when a stronger attack came to his brain, and Herbert thought he was going to die now, so he screamed for Lily's help through the closed door of his bedroom.

~o~

She had gotten off the phone with Dan again; he was spending the rest of the night with Meg on the first night of their official engagement. There wasn't much discussion on when the wedding would take place, but it was to be in October; why the rush? She'd asked that, the answer being that they wanted to be married as soon as possible because they'd waited long enough. Which meant they needed to get to the planning and soon, get a hold of her father, Uncle John, and Aunt Rose for this stuff.

And now that Dan was gone for the night, she was left alone with Herbert, whom she began to feel all the more sorry for after learning of his tragic past, which was more screwed up than she'd thought. He'd had a problem not at all different from hers, if it was his father who antagonized him instead of the mother, the latter being all he'd had before he was the robotic being he'd made himself into.

The house was getting a bit cool, and even though she turned on the heater, Lily had the need to pull on her favorite pink cardigan over her blue dress when she heard Herbert's scream of her name from his bedroom. Panicked, she dashed down the hall and opened the door, throwing it open to find Herbert sprawled on his back and staring up wide-eyed, a vial of the glowing green re-agent and a needle beside him. She gasped; did he drug himself? That insane son of a - "Herbert, you trying to kill yourself?!"

He gritted his teeth and hissed. "No, damn it, I was trying to give myself a small dose. This is a version weaker than the other one, so I can stay awake to keep my mind...s-sharp..." He sounded like he was fading away, his whole body convulsing and shuddering, sweat pouring from his forehead. Lily couldn't believe it; how could someone so smart as Herbert West do something this idiotic to his own body? This wasn't even for a living person! "L-Lily, p-p-please, I n-need it..." Herbert pleaded, his lips quivering.

She stared first at him and then at that stuff made for a dead body and a dead body only. She shook her head, hating watching him suffer; she settled on picking it up and walking back over to the fridge, placing it on the shelf. "NOOO!" Herbert's scream was loud enough to shake the walls. She turned her head behind her to see him trying to sit up only to fall back down again. Lily hurried over to him and quickly grabbed his hands to pull him up, then went behind him to help him rise and clumsily brought him over to the bed where he slumped back against the bedcovers, still shaking and whimpering in pain, his eyes squeezed shut from the agony in his brain and all parts of his body. "Oh, Lily...ohhhh...you're trying to kill me..." He had his head turned from her when he said this to her.

Angry, she grabbed his chin and turned his face to look her in the eyes. "You shouldn't put that shit in you, West. It's meant for a dead person and a dead person only. And it's not good for any cell in your body. Why would you do this?"

He glared back at her and said nothing. "Stay here while I get you some water," she stated, standing and going into the kitchen, returning with the ice-cold fluid and kneeling back down beside him. She put her hand under his head and supported him, then brought the glass up to his lips - to which she noticed, for the first time, how soft and pale they were. And the soft noises they made when they drank down the water slowly as she ordered him to...

"Now, let's get you into a nice...hot bath." Just saying and thinking that was so embarrassing, to say the least. She might have an unfaithful husband who was still looking for her, but she was still married, so to even think about seeing another man that way, much less follow through...she left him on the bed to walk down the hallway to the only bathroom in the house, starting the water to lukewarm so he wouldn't get too drowsy and fall asleep right away. While she waited for it to fill, Lily walked back to Herbert's room and started at the foot to remove his shiny black shoes and socks, which were also black. When she exposed his feet, she was surprised - or maybe not - at how CUTE and dainty they were. She giggled when he faintly wiggled his toes to feel that they were free, and she was tempted to reach and tickle them when the professional side of her kicked back into place, and she went back up further, starting next at his tie, loosening the knot and tugging it off from around his neck, laying it beside him for now; his clothes looked like they needed to be washed, but did he have anything else besides this one he always wore?

The belt was next, but Lily stopped when she looked up to his face. He said nothing, nor did he give any expression of objection at the removal of his clothes. So, off with the belt, and then the undoing of the button and zipper of his pants. Her face burned. He managed to lift his right hand and unbutton his shirt from the top down after she tugged it out from beneath the waist of his pants. When she did and opened his shirt, she glimpsed a smooth, pale, and hairless chest heaving slightly up and down, but she tore her eyes away from it and instead focused on getting Herbert down to his underwear.

But by the time they were there, Herbert stopped her and quickly rolled over to his side, wrapping his arms around himself, his back facing her; she glimpsed the outline of his spine, and it saddened her. "Herbert, what's wrong?" There had to be more than just him trying to preserve his dignity, so what made him so self-conscious about himself?

He shivered fiercely briefly when her hand touched his naked shoulder and squirmed away from her, his voice slightly cracked. "D-don't touch me. Just...don't..."

"I'm trying to get you into a bath..." she started.

"Just give me a moment alone, PLEASE."

His sudden forcefulness startled her but also made her remember the still-running water. Lily stood and ran, barely catching it in time before it flooded the floor; she had to unplug and drain some before putting it back into place and returning to Herbert, who was now in a different position than before. He had somehow managed to regain some of his strength left and take off his briefs while she was gone, tossing them onto the floor with the rest of his clothes before sitting and drawing his legs up to cover his business. His arms were wrapped around them at the knees to hold them together, looking up at her with hard eyes when she walked in. "Happy?"

"Just that I'm ready to get you in there, and be glad my cousin isn't home to see this," she snapped, walking over. "Can you stand?" He shook his head like a stubborn child, and she sighed. "Herbert, I'm in no mood for this stubbornness. I want to take this illness away."

"You deprived me of my routine medicine; you call that making me better?"

"You take something that's not meant to be used in a living human being; drop this so we can get this over with."

He continued to glower at her before he loosened his bent limbs so he sat at the side of the bed for her to help him stand; he wobbled in his movements before he was steady, and this was when Lily saw the fuss, which shocked her to her core. His body was unhealthily in semblance to a prepubescent boy's, with his narrow shoulders and hips, his limbs bearing muscle but not enough to give a relatively healthy look, his chest lightly muscled but his stomach inwardly curved, and his body completely hairless - with the exception of the pubic hair, if in a sparse growth. Lily suspected that his line of work kept him from taking better care of himself.

He cleared his throat, getting her attention back up to meet his blazing orbs still behind his thick-framed glasses. "Well, Dr. Stevens, are you going to clean me up or are you going to stare at me all night and further humiliate me?"

"Yes, Dr. West," she returned, helping him walk down the hall in his nude suit; if Dan had seen this in his house, he'd have thrown a bitch flip. Herbert said nothing until they were in, and he wobbled, nearly falling onto the cold, hard, tiled floor.

"Lily, I don't think I can make it," he ground out, managing a hold on the sink counter, so she had a full view of his smooth back and mildly jutting spine leading down to a smooth, rounded rear end, making her blush again. Even Jake never made her feel this way before, because she didn't remember ever seeing him this way before...

She pushed all thoughts of her husband out of her head and walked over to Herbert, gently taking one of his hands into hers and guiding him over to the tub, letting him step in on his own while still keeping one hand on his back and another around his hand until he settled against the end and sighed, the warm water absorbing into him. He closed his eyes behind his glasses, which were starting to fog. And upon removing them, Lily gasped when she saw how...beautiful he really was. There were no words to do his soft face justice - none. Herbert didn't open his eyes until he sensed her leave his side and set his glasses on the sink counter.

"How do you feel?" she asked when she returned to his side with body wash, shampoo and conditioner, and a rag all under one arm.

Herbert blinked owlishly without his glasses. "I've been better," he stated flatly. "I can't even see you far away."

She laughed. "Are you that blind?" She only meant it as a joke, but he didn't seem to tell the difference because his lips tightened in a thin line.

"I don't take that kind of humor as well as you and your cousin do."

"Well, I'm sorry, Herbert." She squeezed the bottle of mint-scented shampoo and began to lather it into his soft dark hair, drawing a moan from him, and his eyes closed then. Her heartbeat picked up at the sight of that facial expression: his eyes squeezed shut and his lips parted. She felt something stir in her that she hadn't felt in a long time. And it hadn't been since she found out she was pregnant and decided to abstain because of fear of losing the baby in the first trimester, which could happen, especially when this was your first. "Scoot your head down." She guided him that way, washing the water out so the conditioner was next. "Feel good?" she asked with a smile.

He looked up at her with a languid heat in his eyes and his lips stretched in a near Cheshire cat-like smile. "Mmmmm."

His voice sent a heated wave over her nerves and her blood afire, a way that Jake no longer made her feel. Now it seemed that the love she once had for him truly did die, and it didn't start the previous night when she found him pumping his secretary. It had begun the day he lost it when she told him they were going to have a baby. How could she live with a man like him?

She needed to file for divorce, but she knew it would get ugly. Divorces included splitting up the house and money, as well as who got custody of the children. Well, the last should be obvious enough; he'd made it clear that he wasn't ready to be a father before, but then she would have to move in with Dan and Herbert since Jake owned the house. Dan would be moving in with Meg sometime before the wedding, so that would leave her with this man whom she was bathing to help recover from the withdrawal attack. Taking him to the hospital was not an option for obvious reasons. It was all in her hands now.

As soon as Lily finished, she drained the tub and helped him stand so she could pat him down with a soft linen white towel nearly matching his pale body, which she accidentally touched with her fingertips and flushed again. Herbert, however, didn't give much of a response to her touch, only looking at her in the mirror despite not having his glasses on. He did let out a soft moan to her rubbing his hair till it was dried down to the roots. And he was able to walk on his own, but he flopped onto his bed and looked up at her with a content, smug smile.

"Don't you want to dress first?" she asked, uncertain.

That smile was still in place. "I'm already tired; I just want to sleep now." With that, he rolled over onto his side and closed his eyes right away. Lily stared at him for a moment as she pulled the covers over to keep him warm, wondering if she should leave him before deciding to stay with him just in case he had any attacks through the night. But first, she had to bathe and change into her pajamas before joining him. She scooped up behind him much to her embarrassment; getting into bed with him while he was naked was just as bad a risk, but she couldn't take any chances of him falling out during the night.

Chapter Text

"Ah, Mr. West. Just the man I wanted to see." He sneered at the older man's sarcasm outlined around the word "man"; he treated him like a child when Gruber wasn't around. He stepped aside for Herbert to come inside; for Carl Hill to call him from his mentor's house at this time of night should be branded suspicious to any other person, but he knew why. And to demand the paperwork of Hans' theories - no, it wasn't a request - and the order of not telling his teacher where he was going or there would be consequences...

"What do you want?" Herbert wasted no time in demanding to cut to the chase. The papers were in a folder tucked safely into his coat so no one else would notice.

Hill chuckled as he closed and locked the door, Herbert turning around fast and glaring at him with his chin up in defiance. "I don't suppose you would want a drink before we get down to 'business.'" Herbert didn't answer, just continued to scowl up at him. Hill smirked again. "I didn't think so." His smile soon faded. "I trust you have them."

"Indeed I do," Herbert answered, reaching in and giving the folder to him.

"Very good," Carl mused as he opened it and flipped through the pages. "That old fool doesn't have it in him to organize his files, but at least he has everything in order. And you take after him." He raised his eyes to Herbert as he spoke, who seethed at the disrespectful way he spoke of Hans. It made him wonder how on earth he had thought of this man as his "oldest friend". "You may take off your coat while you're here, Mr. West. Since you will be here for a while."

Herbert wanted to spit back that he would prefer to leave now that he'd seen the papers, and since he had a feeling there was more than Hill was letting on; his senses detected more than just what the man had told him over the phone about merely reviewing what Hans had broken to him about "the latest work". He bit back his words and obeyed, shedding his long black coat and hanging it on the rack against the wall. He felt Hill's eyes on him the whole time, not once taking them off.

"By a while, you mean more than simply looking over the papers."

Hill chuckled and set the folder down on the table. "You're a smart boy, West. But not smart enough to tell your mentor you'd be here. Had you told Hans, you would have spared yourself the trouble." His smile darkened. "I want what Gruber has claimed to break the boundaries of. But we both know that his delusions are far more advanced than anyone should know, and you, as his pupil, share that pretension. We both know death won't be truly conquered. Medical science won't ever do that trick. However...this could serve a purpose of mine as soon as I leave tomorrow. I would have to need some time to kill before I take off."

Herbert stood his ground. He knew what the man was planning to do all this time, knew it all along but couldn't get his poor professor to believe him when he suspected Dr. Hill had ulterior motives since his genius level was nowhere near as perfect as Dr. Gruber's. "I won't let you take the rise and allow Dr. Gruber to fall into disgrace. You won't be labeled the paragon of man because you stole the ideas of another man who actually works for a cause -" He didn't get the chance to finish before there was a stinging sensation across his face, and he was on the ground.

Hill's figure towered over him before he was yanked up by his hair and dragged across the room, then thrown onto the bed, his stomach face down. Herbert rolled over to get up before the older man was on him and pinned his smaller, weaker form to the bed. "I would watch that mouth if I were you, you little runt," Hill growled into his face. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to show some respect?" First his father, now this son of a bitch. Herbert spat in his face, receiving another slap. "You're such an arrogant little monster who needs to be put in his place. I will take immense joy in doing this the hard way because the hard way is the only way."

Herbert looked down in horror when he saw Hill unzip his pants; he tried to squirm himself out from under before his wrists were grabbed and pinned to his sides. "NO! Don't do this to me!" he shouted. Hill only laughed.

"Lessons learned, boy. This is one you will learn tonight...all night long." Hill let go of one of Herbert's slender wrists. "Behave or I will do worse than bruise your little face." Herbert held his breath as his belt was undone, followed by the button and zipper with efficiency. He wished there was a way to get away with Gruber's work - and his fragile, untouched body - safe and sound, but the terrible truth was it was useless. Herbert snarled when Hill's hand slipped down his briefs and felt him through, grinning maliciously when he found and tugged the hair between Herbert's legs. Of course, Hill's smile said it all if not spoken words, before he withdrew his hand and roughly turned Herbert over onto his stomach; Herbert hissed when cold air soon violated his bare buttocks. He tried one more time to escape before something horrible intruded, and his hair was grabbed so his face was shoved into the quilt and that his screams of agony were muffled, so the neighbors wouldn't hear. Nobody was here to help save him from the shameful violation of his body that he'd brought himself to...and most of all, he did this to Dr. Gruber. He'd betrayed him, and this was the price he was paying for it.

Hill let go of his hair so he could grab both of Herbert's hips as he pushed in and pulled out, drawing an excruciating sting of pain from the younger man and sharp gasps as he was free to roll his face to the side and breathe precious air. He also tried one last time to get him to stop this torture. "P-please...please, stop..." He whimpered, angry that his masculinity was damaged by his helplessness. "Just...let me go; I won't tell him...!" Herbert choked out, only to yelp at another jab into his flesh. He felt something hot and sticky inside him. He was bleeding.

Hill groaned and laughed at the same time, continuing as he responded. "I'll make sure of that, Mr. West...if you promise to remain here all night before my departure."

Oh, God, he was going to endure MORE of this all night! But he had to protect his teacher and his life, so Herbert nodded frantically, finally releasing sobs through his sore throat, the noises hoarse as thoughts of revenge and hatred quickly began to overtake his mind and the rest of the night after the painful release which his tormentor enjoyed...and he would get him for this in the very near future.

Herbert's cheeks burned as his eyes glazed and opened from being painfully squeezed shut, an equally painful smile managing its way onto his face. Oh, yes, he would kill Dr. Carl Hill and have no regrets about it.

~o~

Herbert awoke crying and gasping, blinking, and seeing darkness. He shivered and pulled the covers around himself, trying to protect himself from the shivers that ensued. For a moment, he felt safe - at least for the moment, and there was a warm but clothed body behind him. He looked up and gasped when he saw Lily's face looking down at him, concern etched into her face. "Herbert, what's wrong?" Her soft hand came up to brush the side of his face; the gesture made him wince slightly, but at the same time, it comforted him. He wanted to ask her why she was sleeping in his room with him because he did not like people in his room, yet he also was relieved that she was here.

"Nothing. Just...a dream," he lied smoothly, turning away from her. A flashback, in his mind. What happened to him in that hotel room at Hill's horrible hands. Another great reason he'd killed the snake for taking what belonged to him and Dr. Gruber...and for taking his body's innocence. This was why he didn't sleep anymore and shot up on the re-agent; when he slept, he dreamed of his father's abuse and death, then his mother's insanity which in turn switched to his rape. Dan and Meg could never know of this, no matter how he wished he could so they'd understand. He'd have been called that horrid name men who were sexually assaulted were labeled and disbelieved. But at least he would relate to Megan, who had almost undergone what Hill did to him. Both of them suffered from that monster who deserved what he got in the end.

Lily didn't believe him, once again. Sometimes, he hated that she could see right through him. "Don't lie to me. You were screaming 'Please, stop...don't do this to me...'" His head jerked back up to her, and he glared at her; she stopped where she was.

"I know what I said."

"Don't get defensive with me, Mr. West." He bristled at the name he did not go to medical school for to get his MD. "I'm here to help you."

"I'm a doctor. I don't need help." He sat up and turned his back to face her. But that didn't stop her.

"Herbert, whether you like it or not, I care about you even when you don't need it. More than you think. You might not have said it aloud this way, but it's certainly implied: you want a woman there for you, who worships you in a way you deserve no matter what. Well, I'm here." He stiffened when her hand touched his shoulder, and her breath was warm on his skin when she whispered in his ear. "So, tell me, what did you dream about? And take your time."

He took in a slow, deep breath to calm his racing heart. Why not? He'd told her about his parents and everything else, but he still feared what she would say to him next. He turned all the way around to face her, sitting back in the bed and drawing the covers up to cover his bare flesh. "Remember when I told you I worked alongside the late Dr. Hans Gruber?" She nodded. "Well, some time ago, he had a colleague named Dr. Carl Hill...yes, the same Dr. Hill who perished the night of the massacre," he added when he noticed she looked like she wanted to ask. "Anyway, he had a genius IQ nowhere near brilliant as Gruber's, and he was a bad influence in my eyes. I knew Hill was trouble the moment I laid my eyes on him. He never made any real breakthroughs in the fields of medicine like Dr. Gruber, but then one night when he called me in to review what Hans had discussed with him earlier that day, that was when it truly took a turn and I knew he was a menace to the scientific community...and to myself as well as Meg in the future."

She stiffened where she was. "What did he do to you? I heard people talk about how respected and brilliant he was, but you and he clashed in the classroom. Dan told me that one."

Herbert snorted; of course, people would say that. "Of course; they're so ignorant, but your cousin knew better. I believe my cries in my sleep should be enough to tell you what he did to me to get the papers of Gruber's theories and research he spent half his lifetime trying to fulfill."

Her face was pure shock as the realization of his words dawned on her. "Oh, God, no, he didn't..."

"Yes, he did, Lily." Herbert answered her calmly; inside, he was burning up again. "I was violated by the man who stole Dr. Gruber's ideas to publish as his own so he could have his moment of fame. Which is why I killed him, removed his head from his body that night, and re-animated him. He was a success, but then he took my notes and serum before he had one of his lackeys kidnap Meg and bring her to the morgue so he could have the fun with her that he had with me. Not long before Dan and I saved her, but in the mess, Hill and Dean Halsey weren't so lucky."

Lily said nothing, just leaned back, and took a few gasps of air to try and calm herself. "Oh, I'm sorry..."

"Of course you are," Herbert said bitterly. "Everyone is sorry over something they never understand no matter how hard they try to."

"Herbert..." She moved from her side and got so close their noses touched. "...he's dead. He got what he deserved. You should try to let this go as I just now decided I don't love Jake anymore."

He laughed bitterly. So, she finally got over the cheating husband now, so soon? And him, forget? How could he when he remembered the pain like it was yesterday? "What do you expect me to do, then?"

He let out a noise of surprise when her lips were on his. His mind leaped with horror, and his whole body went stiffer than before. He couldn't move any further than he was because his back was against the wall. Lily's lips were soft and moist, just laying there on his to send tingles of pleasure that both excited him and petrified him. He had never been kissed before, nor had he ever kissed any girl. He didn't know what it would feel like. Herbert tried to push her away, but she grabbed his hands and held them in hers before bringing them down to her hips while her hands, now free, roamed over his tingling stomach and up his chest, teasing his nipples in the process. Herbert moaned delightfully, but then that voice inside his head was back, reminding him of his commitment to no lovers until his task was finished.

He broke back, gasping for air. "No...no, Lily...not now..."

"You know you want this," she whispered. "So do I."

"You're pregnant," he said, trying to get her side to change and also thinking about the child's well-being.

She smiled. "One time won't kill. Besides, my mother was pregnant when she did it, too. I'm still here, but I promise we'll both be gentle." With that, she kissed him again, her hands on his shoulders and massaging them while wrapping her legs around his waist. Herbert hummed with pleasure at the tension building up between his legs at what he felt between hers through the rayon fabric of her sleep pants. He shivered then, realizing that the room temperature had changed altogether and was about to ruin the mood. He sadly broke the kiss again, unable to control his shivering.

"I'm cold," he murmured, furrowing his brows and looking down, ashamed to look at her. He heard the sound of a shirt being lifted; looking up, he saw Lily had pulled off her top to show her beautiful chest to him. His eyes widened. He couldn't believe what a sight he was seeing, how her breasts were smaller compared to Meg's outlines - only brief scientific curiosity reasons - but defined and curved sweetly. He wanted to touch her, but he was too awkward. Lily smiled and took one of his hands, running it up her stomach to cup her left breast; she felt so soft and smooth, the peak hardening like a pebble. "Oh, Lily..." He didn't know what to say, to be honest.

And then she got off the bed to stand. "Lay back." He did, the covers still over his body, which were soon pulled down to expose all of him to her once again. His tremors became all the more powerful, but it wasn't just the air conditioner. He was embarrassed at being nude in front of a girl. No one had ever seen him like this, but she did when she bathed him earlier. Still, he felt like he wanted to curl back into his private shell. He tried recovering himself, but Lily stopped him. Once she was sure he was okay now, he watched as she pushed the last of her sleepwear down to show more skin than he'd expected. His cheeks flushed now; she was more beautiful than he thought. He felt like crying; he had made it loud and clear that he couldn't lose someone else he loved. She then moved on top of him as though reading his mind.

"Herbert, don't worry. I won't ever leave you for whatever reason." She calmed him down with another kiss, and now Herbert could relax as her words returned to him from earlier. "I'll be by your side as long as we both wish once we handle Jake and the other thing out there...and many more to come."

He moaned happily and cried freely when a warm, wet feeling engulfed him, and he felt more alive than he'd ever been. Herbert held onto her the whole time, giving himself to her as she did to him whilst the fire between them burned the night away and his worries.

Chapter Text

Rosalind was still screaming with joy after Dan broke the news to her and her husband about the now-official engagement. "OOOOHHHH, my baby's finally getting married!" He had her on speakerphone for this in the house that night - and Meg with him - just eight days after Lily started staying the nights with him and Herbert, avoiding any calls from her husband who somehow managed to find out where she was after being unable to find her all over town. He'd been calling the hospital and was being told she still went to work, but with his own hectic schedule at the animal shelter, Jake was unable to get time off to try and talk to her. It had also been the next day after the night of Dan asking Meg, properly, to marry him that Lily announced her marriage was at an end after only four months.

He wasn't the least bit surprised; the marriage would be at an end if one spouse caught the other cheating. And at this point, he was worried for his cousin. How would she be able to provide for herself and her baby now that she would soon be going through a divorce? Jake wouldn't want custody so that part was easy enough, but when it came to splitting up money and the house, Lily would move in with Herbert since Dan decided to move in with Meg. But how would Herbert help take care of a baby with his lifestyle? That life was filled with grave danger and hopelessness.

And then he heard his father's voice: "Sweetheart, give the boy some room. He just got off work and probably doesn't need so much screaming." He was laughing that the couple themselves had to join in.

"Thanks, Dad," Dan said.

Then his mother was there again. "How's Lily? She told her dad and Uncle Bruce got back to us."

He exchanged a look with Meg, who decided to speak up. "Yeah, she's fine. She's staying with Dan and his roommate, Dr. West. For the time being."

Rose sighed. "That bastard Jake." Then she burst into a fit of giggles. "Oops, my bad, sweetie. But you all know he is. I hope she leaves him soon. You know how we hate cheaters."

Dan nodded. "Which is what I'll never do to this wonderful woman right next to me." He looked down at her, into her vivid blue eyes, and smiled with her, leaning down to kiss her. "I hate to cut this short, but we got some work to do."

"Better not be that kind of work I'm thinking about," his father joked, making Meg shriek with laughter and lean into him to stifle more. "Sorry, kids, but I had to throw some humor in."

"Honey, let them go," his wife teased. "You better get back to us soon so we can get to the planning and fast. Two months isn't enough notice."

"We will, and I already have a few ideas planned out," Meg told her. "We'll come up there on Saturday."

~o~

The wedding was in October, so planning had to be made. Both Dan and his fiancée wanted their wedding intimate with a small number of guests, but still have their space be an experience of a lifetime. Meg always wanted to do an enchanted garden theme, so early on, they already selected a venue at the local gardens but had yet to officially buy it. Their families were most definitely going to be there, and so were some of their friends and colleagues at the medical school; Dean Richmond was also an included guest on the list. Had the late Dr. Alan Halsey lived, he would have walked his daughter down the aisle to the man who would be her husband and his son-in-law. Now Uncle John would do that job for him.

Lily had already picked out her dress; it was simple and mostly casual, but still elegant for an intimate wedding. It was coral pink with a slit to expose the left leg, touching the ground and baring her arms. The temperature tended to drop, but the ceremony was made to be short and sweet; afterward, the reception would be held at a rustic old barn on the outskirts of town. She looked up from her computer to see Herbert pouring over his notes in an even more jovial mood than she'd ever seen him lately. He was smiling broadly as he sat at the table to review before he headed down into the basement with the latest subject taken from the hospital; the deed still freaked her out, because someone was going to someday catch them. Dan didn't like this any more than she did, but he followed through anyway. Herbert had made improvements so far with the re-agent, such as the subject being less violent, but they had to be offed since the last one threatened to go to the police, resulting in Herbert shooting him for the second time. Which made her decide to ask him the question.

"Herbert, once we've conquered death, how do we prevent the authorities from taking all three of us in?"

He looked up with a frown on his face. "Why do you ask me this?"

"Because so far, the violence has subsided," Lily explained, sitting down across from him. "But they'll go to the police to try and tell on us. How can we go on like this?"

He sighed and reached up to remove his glasses, rubbing his eyes. "Because they don't see that we only saved their lives. And if we give this in now, they'll just never understand us, steal our work when we've come so far in becoming the Eighth Wonder of the world."

"But what if we'll never be the ones? What if someone else will? This has gone on forever," Lily insisted, knowing deep down that they would have to do this until the day one of them died. Herbert looked so shocked that his face soon changed to anger, about to snap back that he wasn't giving up now before there was a rough pounding on the door. She jumped and whipped around upon hearing the voice on the other side of the door.

"Open up this door, Lily! I know you're here!"

"Jake," she whispered in horror. "He's found me."

Herbert glared viciously at the door as he slowly stood, reaching for his gun that he kept strapped on him at all times during the experiments. "Stay here." Lily shook her head and stopped him.

"No, I must do it. I can't have the police over here where everything is at an end." She didn't really mean what she'd said before; she'd only said it because of the stress she'd been feeling lately that she'd tried hard to shove down, but the damn hormones at random times! She hoped he knew and forgave her for that.

Herbert's gaze softened on her before he nodded and let her walk away, stopping her not long before she left the area with a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. There was something more, something warmer in the way he looked at her, that he began to gaze at her with since that night. "I'll stay behind you. If he does something to you and the child together, I'll never have a reason to continue without you, not even for my own work."

~o~

He was more than ready to kill Jake Stevens the sooner he walked into the house. He stayed around the corner with his gun in hand and watched the terrified woman he had grown very fond of over the last week with her unborn child at risk as much as she was. She stopped at the door just as the bounding got louder and her husband's voice got louder to the point of roaring; Herbert was reminded of his father.

Lily finally opened the door, and Herbert's sharp ears detected a drawl of her husband's voice. "Well, well, well, look who I finally found after she abandoned me for over a week."

"You screwed Gia Cole on our couch, in our home," Lily snarled. "I had a right to be away from you."

"Leaving me worried sick!" Herbert could tell he'd been drinking; his words were slurring despite his attempts to remain straight.

"Because I don't know you anymore! You've become something SICK!" Lily was about to close the door on him when Herbert saw Jake stick his foot in the door to stop the closure.

"You don't close the door on me, bitch." Herbert's raging fury bubbled, the more he was ready to shoot him on the spot; how dare he call his own wife such a foul name?! "Not until I'm through with you and you come home with me, where we forget about what happened and move on. Not one of us will bring it up again. I spent the last week searching for you only to find you spending the day with your cousin's roommate."

"How dare you speak of Herbert that way?"

Her retort did the final trick because of the forceful shove that sent her backward even though she remained on her feet. Jake looked mildly disheveled, his brown hair all over the place, charming blue eyes bloodshot and glazed, and he wore his work uniform. But from afar, Herbert could smell bottles of liquor on his breath. And those cold eyes landed on him before moving back to his visibly shaken wife. "So, I was right. Not only did you run out on me, but you're also cheating on me with the cousin's flatmate," he leered.

"No, we're not doing anything." Lily was lying because she didn't want to endanger Herbert any more than she did, and Herbert admired her spirit for that. But something had to be done soon. "You better get out of here, or one of us will call the police," she threatened, but Jake laughed cruelly.

"And how long before I make the first move, Lils? We're husband and wife until death do we part, remember?"

"No more." She spat at him both in words and physically at the same time she reached to take off both her rings and throw them at him, the first step in freeing herself from the cage she had been trapped in. "You were the one to break it down all because of an unplanned pregnancy. Marriage is a journey between two people - one day at a time - but you're a coward, Jacob. You went elsewhere because you're too chicken shit about becoming a father."

Her husband exploded just like that, charging for her. She screamed and turned to run not long before he grabbed her by her hair and wheeled them both around, shoving her face into the wall and roaring at her, "How dare you call me a coward, you wicked little witch?! You're going to pay for running away and humiliating me, and for wrecking our marriage!"

"You did that last one all by yourself, Stevens!" Herbert growled, finally moving forward and shooting into the back of his leg; Jake screamed at the bullet striking into the back of his ankle, and he doubled over, clutching his leg. "That's for everything you've done!"

Jake growled then as he lashed out and grabbed the ankle of Herbert's pants, catching him off-guard and taking him down with him. As a result, Herbert lost hold of his gun in the wrestle with Lily's husband, rolling over on the floor and clawing at each other, drawing scratches of blood not long before - once Herbert found himself on the bottom and having the lower hand - a gunshot was heard, and blood splattered around them. Herbert saw Jake's face bear a frightened expression and choking as he fell limp against him. Making a disgusted sound, Herbert shoved the body off of him and glared at the man who tried to kill his wife and him.

There was the sound of a gun being dropped, and he looked up to see Lily falling to her knees, shaking more than previously, as she stared with horror at what she'd done. "Oh, God, Herbert...I...killed..."

"You did the right thing," he tried to assure her as he rolled the monstrous veterinarian onto his back, checking to see that he had a weak pulse fading rapidly. "He deserved it."

"But now I'll go to jail for manslaughter and because I never reported!" she cried. "I don't know what we're going to do now, Herbert!"

Oh, he knew what they were going to do, alright. He smiled reassuringly. "We'll fix it. We can get him up and running again. Go ahead and call the police while I take care of this."

She stared at him, dumbfounded, before he raised his voice, not for fault but to get her moving. "Go before we lose our opportunity!" Lily was up and running to the kitchen while Herbert raced to grab what he had of his re-agent and a syringe as well as what else he'd made; he ran to the basement to stash it there until the police collected what they would come here for. After doing that, he locked the basement door and returned to Jake Stevens' corpse, injecting directly into the brain and waiting for some time before the eyes opened, and what followed should be obvious enough before the police arrived.

Chapter Text

Lily had called them while they were both in the hospital; well, Dan, but Meg came over to the police station of all places where Jake was being held. Dressed in a black sweatshirt and gray jeans, she walked up to the desk. "Excuse me?" she asked. "Megan Halsey. I'm here to see Dr. Stevens and Dr. West."

"Oh, Miss Halsey." She turned around to see the source of the voice who called her. He was an older man who put on more weight than her father ever did in his life, but this one, however, seemed like more trouble and with less heart than Alan Halsey despite his custom-ridden, narrow mind. "Lt. Chapham. Your friends are back through here if you would follow me."

Meg frowned the whole time as she followed him down the hall to one of the interrogation rooms, but they stopped along the way to have a quick peek in one of the tending rooms...where she saw Jake strapped down to a table facedown as his back wound and behind one of his knees were cared for, bullets extracted. Lily had told her briefly that he'd come to the house drunk and attacked her for leaving him, even accused her of sleeping with Herbert, but Meg knew there was more than just that and that Lily would tell her eventually when they were alone.

Add in the fact Jake reacted violently, howling more loudly and like a woman than she remembered hearing him. To know he had sex with his assistant and was enough for his wife to walk in on them...it still sickened her, and Lily had the right to leave him. He had no right to barge into Dan's house to try and kill her and Herbert. As much as she didn't want to admit it, he deserved what he got when Lily took advantage and shot him in the back.

But for him to die of the wound and West to do what he did best...now she was afraid. If the medics discovered that the wounds hadn't healed, they were bound to find out. Which meant all four of them were in trouble eventually. And this shady lieutenant leading her away and in the direction where Lily and West were - she knew he was going to be trouble.

"She shot her husband," Chapham was explaining to her as he opened the door and let her walk in first. "Said he was drinking and attacked her and Dr. West, to which we ran alcohol and blood tests, and found traces." She tried her hardest not to show it, but she saw Herbert remain rigid and stoic as ever as he regarded the man in the room with them, and Lily was trying her hardest to remain calm and composed.

"How...is he?" Lily asked softly, her voice squeaky as a mouse's.

Chapham chuckled, but it wasn't a nice one. "He'll be fine, Doctor, but I have to say it was a miracle he survived that bullet. A shot like that to the spine would have killed him, which is exactly what his doctor here for the time being is trying to figure out. So, in the meantime, we'll keep him here."

Meg looked back to the other two at the table; well, West stood while Lily sat there with her shaky hands wrapped around her cup of water. Looking back up at Chapham, she saw the man's face studying her like a vulture looking out for dead prey. "I also understand there was a misunderstanding that led to all of this."

Lily spoke up in defense. "He was unfaithful to me, Lieutenant," she spat. "I walked in on him - coming home from work last week - pounding into his secretary from the animal shelter where he works. He cheated on me because he wasn't ready to be a father."

"Hmm. I didn't suppose reporting it would have been a bad idea."

Meg fired up at that, and good thing Herbert was there before her. "Would either of you or your colleagues have believed her and taken her side firsthand?" he asked crudely. "Now, Lieutenant, if you are done with your questions for the day, Miss Halsey and I would love nothing more than to take Dr. Stevens home after all of this."

Chapham glared at him but gave no response to the retort. "I don't see why not," he said instead, then refocused on Lily. "But we'll be in touch if anything changes in your husband's behavior." However, he was not meant to be warm and inviting towards her as he tried to make himself out to be. Meg could see right through him, and Herbert more.

"Wife-beater," he hissed to them both as soon as they were out of the station. "He's no better than Jake."

"He knows we're hiding something," Lily whispered nervously, wrapping her arms around herself. Night was beginning to fall, the sky turning colors again. "I'm afraid now. For the baby, myself...for all of you."

"We'll be fine," Meg tried to assure her, but even she doubted that herself. She pulled Lily closer to her to try and comfort her; she was still shivering. "Let's just get you back to the house; Dan won't be home for a while, again. Herbert, do you have to be back at the hospital?"

"Not tonight," he answered. "But there is something I must do. You take her home and I'll see you both soon." He turned and headed off in the opposite direction. Meg and Lily watched him go, the former knowing that this had to do with that "demonic female" the people around them were talking about.

~o~

Herbert had made "her" for a reason: to be astonished in a fascinated manner, not to be cringed upon, but now he knew the mistake he made and wouldn't repeat it again. No reports of physical injury, but he had to put a stop to her, yet the memory of how she treated him, her Maker, in the lab was different from the way Lily had treated her. Of course, Lily had been the one to start it all; she'd called her a monster, which caused HER to retaliate and flee from the only place she'd known.

Which was Herbert's plan: to bring her back to the house for the time being but keep her and Lily as far apart as possible. However, Lily was so hell-bent on getting rid of her that it would be too difficult. In other words, Herbert had to be the one to finish his creation off.

Sometimes, he wondered how he could tolerate Lily in the future. She was always there for him, she supported him unlike any other woman, but at the same time, she tried talking him out of certain things in his work no different than her cousin had. But she was there to root him to reality, and this was a reality he was willing to face just for her. Add in the fact she would be living with him now once her cousin moved out with his bride-to-be. Just her, him, and the baby.

Thinking that made him almost lose track of his task while Herbert walked the lonely streets of Arkham as the sky darkened and the wind picked up, but his coat was bundled up around him to prevent the chills. His revolver was tucked safely into his coat's confides; she wouldn't harm him since it was he who loved her and made her. Well, he used to love her until she nearly harmed both Lily and her child. Arkham had danger lurking in every corner, so why not with this one he searched high and low for? Herbert then heard a noise to his side and found himself facing a deserted, darkened alleyway, scoffing to himself. Too stereotypical with these things; there was always a dark alley thought to be empty only to hide frightening people and things, but Herbert West wasn't afraid of anything other than death itself.

"Show yourself," he called out, proud that his voice remained steady, reaching for his weapon in his pocket at the same time.

He took his step in there only to be yanked by his jacket collar and shoved against the wall, his skull smashing into the brick wall, his vision whitening, and then he felt his body go weak. The last thing he remembered seeing before he went out was the face he had been looking for but couldn't respond because his conscious mind was slowly fading away.

~o~

She didn't know who she was, because this man who made her didn't give her a name. She hadn't been born the same way as these other "humans", as they were called, according to what she'd found in this place filled with things called "books" which she spent most of her days and nights learning about on her own and picking up fast. Her vocabulary, as it was also called, was gathering new words every day faster than her Maker had given her before, even though she was a fast learner from him...Herbert West.

If all other humans and he had names, why hadn't he named her? The one he made and loved? She'd read in a book that human men and women mated together in an act called "sex", the details of their bodies greatly explained for her to understand faster than a baby produced from it and took so many years to process. That hadn't been her birth; no, Herbert made her from different parts of different women who died when they shouldn't have. He gave her a chance to live and be happy.

Happy...a wonderful word of choice, she thought as she looked down at the sweet face of the man who cherished her, who lay peacefully asleep on the stone slab of the tomb they were in. She'd brought him unconscious to Christchurch Cemetery and into one of the abandoned centuries-old tombs, also from the books. Tombs and cemeteries were places where dead people were taken and buried after their lives ran out. No, this wasn't for her, but this housed others like her which shouldn't exist. But she did exist because he wanted her to; he didn't want her to be out in the world, and now she knew why. The world hated her because she was nothing like them. She was all but these words used to label people, things like her: wretched...miserable...hideous...and above all, abominable.

Herbert, however, did not call her that. She towered over him as she surveyed him in sleep. His skin was soft as the moonlight pouring in through the window, hair black as the sky, though his watchful eyes were closed and covered by these things called glasses - for those whose eyes could not see well. The origin of terrible eyesight was unknown, but some people were born with it. However, it made her Maker all the more magnificent than any man she'd glimpsed from afar. A man with his genius deserved more than the big, strong men that women fawned over like whimpering puppies. She brought one of her maimed hands, though still delicate as he often called them, to caress the side of his face. His skin...so soft, but so cold...he moaned under her touch and stirred lightly. Oh, his voice which was so heavenly and soft, speaking such powerful phrases and chilling his enemies to their bones. She hissed when she thought of that fire-haired woman who called her ugly and took him from her. That she-devil was the only target she could think of who stood in her way.

Herbert stirred again, this time coming out of his sleep. From more reading, she'd learned how to make a fire, so she'd taken fallen wood and twigs to create one in this room if not a large one to gather unwanted attention from the cemetery caretaker or anyone visiting a loved one's grave at this hour. She left him there and went to sit on the other side, watching as Herbert opened his eyes to see where he was now, blinking and reaching up to remove his glasses and rub his eyeballs before putting them back on, turning his attention finally onto her. She smiled at him, but he didn't.

Now she knew that something in him changed while they were apart.

~o~

His head was pounding; if he were back at the house, he would have asked Lily for Aspirin, but he was in one of the tombs that he'd entered for the recent trophies he could find...and now seeing the "woman" he was looking for. Sitting up and wincing, Herbert found himself face-to-face with his creation Lily had shunned.

She was still both beautiful and horrible at the same time, and he couldn't help but feel guilty at never naming her, which he was sure would be one of the things she wanted to "discuss" with him. And what surprised him was the sight of the fire that she made with her own hands. How did she learn to do that? It amazed him that she'd appeared to have gotten smarter without his help...but the smarter you got, the more dangerous it would become. Herbert met her eyes then, detecting bitter anguish, disdain...and loneliness. She was alone in the world and called horrible things by those she tried to socialize with. She was sure to blame Lily for that.

"What would you like me to call you?" he asked her.

She laughed then, a magical yet harsh sound. "Is that all you can ask me as a start of our reunion, Herbert West?"

He laughed with her. So, her vocabulary had improved; that was a terrific start. And now that Herbert thought of it, there was one name he could think of. "How does 'Eve' sound?"

Her face had scrunched up at first before it softened at the meaning and origin behind the name. "Eve...the first woman created by the almighty God to mate with his first man, Adam - both of whom had two sons: Cain and Abel, the former who murdered his brother. Eve who was tempted by the Serpent to taste the exquisite pleasure of the Forbidden Fruit, whose name means 'life'." Herbert's heart swelled with pride before the reality of his mission returned to him.

"Please, you've been alone all this time. I came to beg for you to come home with me, where you belong."

"Eve" stared at him, surprised, blinking once before shaking her head slowly from side to side. "I will not go back. Not to that horrid woman."

"Lily doesn't understand you," Herbert tried to reason. "She doesn't know you like I do." He loathed lying to her; he was many things, but a liar wasn't one of them. Except for that time with Rufus the cat; animals were never his favorite things, just irritating. "I can try and convince her to love you like I do."

Her mouth twitched until it was curled into a snarl. "You don't love me as much as I love you, Dr. West. I can see it in your eyes, and I can smell it off your body underneath your clothes that do well to hide it all."

Herbert's face burned at the comparison about his body, even more that she could see right through him. He was right; getting all the more intelligent was a danger for some, unlike himself who knew better. And her professing her love for him when she never vocalized it that way before...he'd known it when he looked into her eyes, but not now. And for that, he was now convinced he was a magnet for what Daniel called "fatal attraction". But he still had to try and save his skin. "Because you've been such a bad girl, trying to kill an innocent human being..."

"Innocent," she spat. "You call calling me ugly innocent?"

"It's a word any person can use," he stated. "So, please, get to the reason why you brought me to a place I could run to any time I feel."

Eve calmed down once more, but who knew for how long. "I will start with how I found refuge in the woods before I came to a wonderful place where I began to expand my intelligence without any of your help."

"You were at the library." Herbert laughed and shook his head. "I should have guessed. I'd have thought you'd be seen and reported sooner than that."

She continued, undaunted. "I spent my days and nights there, learning everything about the human ways of life: how the line is drawn between good and evil. How there are humans who love and others who hate...but the good is overshadowed by greedy ones." Her eyes flared up with fire that was further illuminated by the makeshift in between them. "I understand how they mate and bring more into the world with their bodies, but I feel there needs to be more love rather than hate and cynicism." Herbert whistled with impressiveness at her ability to use words bigger than her once-dead brain. "Man hates other men because of appearances and the inability to see heart. I see bliss in others around me, but I suffer, and it is because of being called a monster I act like the fiend I'm seen as."

She stopped right there to look him in the eyes. Herbert had his own glued on her the whole time, seeing and feeling her anguish, but at the same time, the right deed had to be done. He'd never labeled anything, but it never hurt to make a rare exception. There was a pregnant and newly widowed woman back home waiting for him, waiting for him to finish what he'd done nearly on his own. "I want to be happy, Herbert. I deserve it. You and I...we were happy until she came."

"Lily," he whispered, lowering his eyes then and staring at the pale golden flames ready to die in a matter of time.

"She separated us. Come away and be with me, Herbert. Just you and I."

He looked up to see that she had stood and walked around the fire, reaching out with both hands for him to take and stand with her. He did, but no longer did Herbert feel that magical moment he had in the last months with her in the basement; never did he then resort to what he shared with Lily for the first time since that horrible night at the hotel in Zurich. That night between him and Dan's cousin was pure bliss, and he felt so alive that he wanted to study life more and more in order to help him in a new direction for his work.

And this...this was wrong. Herbert shook his head and pulled his hands away. "We can't be together, Eve, because...we are two different people. I'm alive and you..."

Eve's face contorted hideously again, and she stepped back with a snarl. "You feel to chose a woman more like you. You loved me...you MADE me..."

"I did love you!" Herbert shouted, his control of his emotions losing hold. "I loved you until you became what I never dreamed of."

She screamed angrily and turned away from him, tugging at her hair in heartbreak and frustration, spinning around in a circle, the gauzy dress swirling around her to highlight her goddess form before she stopped and fixed her wildcat gaze on him, raising an accusing finger at him. "I will give you until the start of the last of two months to come to make up your mind...and I will come for you, Herbert. We belong together."

His heart was pounding. His friends were now in danger, and this was all his doing. He tried to think of a response before she was on him again, and her powerful hand was clasped around his neck, cutting off his air supply as she dragged him up the stairs of the tomb until they reached the gated door, and she shoved him out into precious life air and soft grass. "Two months - no more and no less," she said coldly, glaring down at him; Herbert did the same, rolling onto his back and sitting to look up at her as she stood there, a ghostly apparition amid the darkness of the resting place, the bloody exposures being the perfect beauty work. "I swear that to you and to the repulsive God who condemned failures like me."

Herbert had no time to reply to that when she slammed the gates and locked them fantastically behind her.

Chapter Text

Almost five months now. Lily breathed a sigh of relief when she removed her sparkling gray cardigan sweater to show her elbow-length white shirt and black leggings to accommodate her growing belly. It was only two days until the wedding, and her father and Dan's parents were coming tomorrow. Last month, Dan had moved out to live with Meg, leaving her with Herbert now that Jake was still in jail.

Last month, she had a call from the station, saying that Jake didn't seem...human anymore and he had to be transferred to the Sefton ward where she received routine calls that he got into violent fights with Elizabeth Chapham and two others in the same room, resulting in him being put in a straightjacket.

And one more thing, too, that made them suspicious: his bullet wounds were not healing.

Lily bit her lip while she was in one of the hospital rooms with Dan and Herbert, overseeing the care of a dying patient who was a cancerous seventy-year-old mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She reminded Lily of her late grandmother and how poor Elizabeth Chapham would have been if she'd been in a happier marriage. Had she known the old woman in her previous life, she would have known she was a sweet lady in a horrible marriage she couldn't escape. Would Lily have been like that if she hadn't escaped from Jake sooner?

"Penny for your thoughts?" Herbert questioned with a little smile while Dan looked over the old woman with a sad look on his face; he in turn watched her with his usual stoned expression, stating he didn't want her to die, either. Lately, Lily had been seeing him become more and more...human. Maybe that meeting with his ghastly creation in the tomb had caused him to soften up. As of late, in addition, he'd been more keen on studying life as continuing his work.

"She's got young ones in her life," Lily spoke softly. "You know how the littlest ones always look up to the older, funnier ones? I used to have a grandmother who was like that; she died too soon when I was seven."

"Hmm, I wish I had one to understand better," he said. Of course, he'd say so. "But, Lily, I also think the littlest ones should have a permanent figure in their lives, which I believe is the same thing."

She looked up at him. "Herbert, what are you asking me?"

"Lily..." His voice was low, but Dan could still hear him since he was now looking at them. "...I think I'm in love with you."

She felt as though her heart had stopped dead in its tracks. The baby leaped inside her at the same time. "Herbert, you - you what?"

"I said I. Love. You." He repeated each word slowly and with punctuation. He looked up at Dan, whose jaw was slack with amazement before he managed to speak.

"Herbert, you love my cousin?" he repeated. "I don't know if I believe it."

"I know I do because of all this time I've spent with her," Herbert answered strongly. "And I'm telling her now because I want to even if she might not feel the same for me. Because of everything we've been through as a team." He took both of her hands into his. "And I saw everything you and Megan have, and it is all true. Because of anything I was willing to give up for her, such as the tinkering I shouldn't have done when the real thing was right in front of me. I'm willing to be there for her and protect her. I feel something that I have not felt in a long time for another, but there are no actual words to describe it."

He sounded like he was reciting something else he heard and passed it on as his own, and it made her laugh. Lily was so happy she couldn't explain it, only find it in herself to speak what she'd kept in herself all this time. "I love you too, Herbert," she said, taking his face in both hands and bringing him down for a kiss. His lips were warmer and softer than ever; all these weeks between them had been blossoming into something more whenever they were in the basement bringing back the dead, upstairs in the bedroom, and sometimes in the treks to the cemetery. It had gotten only hotter and hotter to a point where Lily was sure she'd found love again and that Herbert could finally seek the happiness that he had long denied himself.

And Dan was right there, laughing and coming in between them. He took her in for a hug. "As much as I'm happy for you guys, we got some work to do and a wedding to think about."

Lily smiled before turning her face to see Herbert's while still resting against Dan's chest, seeing the grave expression he now had. She knew what he was thinking: she was coming for him in one final life-and-death struggle.

~o~

She couldn't believe that she was finally getting married. The original plan was to wait until they'd graduated school, but that had been when her father laid his strict rules, and Meg just couldn't break them because she was afraid of getting Dan into trouble; he would have lost his scholarship, then gotten kicked out of school and his life. Which almost happened because Herbert West came into the picture.

But now she was at her vanity, getting her hair and makeup done with help from Lily and a few of her friends from school. Her nerves were shaking, so she took in a few breaths and let them out slowly as she surveyed herself in the mirror. Her dress was made of lace, classic and sexy at the same time, filled with romance. The sleeves were short and the neckline plunged to show her proud breast curves; the skirt, upon her standing for the final result, was a mermaid cut with mild pearl appliques here and there. Meg's hair had no need for any more embellishments other than the veil, which was of vintage romance with the sheer tulle fabric elbow-length and beaded lace flowers on the edges. In her ears and around her neck was the sapphire and diamond halo set from Dan on her last birthday...she was getting MARRIED!

"Megan, you're beautiful!" Her maid of honor, Vanessa, gushed as she picked up Meg's bouquet of ivory roses and cascading ivy leaves and vines, handing it to her. She and all the bridesmaids wore charming icy pink chiffon dresses with V-necklines and a crystal accent at the waist, shawls in addition for warmth against the dropping temperature. Lily was among them, in the same dress opposite of what she'd originally picked for herself since she hadn't officially been asked to be among the bridal party before, and oh, she was pretty in pink. Also, seeing her ring duo from Jake gone, Meg saw that her new cousin-in-law was happier than she had ever been. She slightly frowned to herself before it dawned on her that Lily and Herbert West...

She'd long ago lost her detest for Herbert, but that did not mean she approved of his way of "creating life". She still worried for Lily's safety in all of this and the baby was due in a few months. Nobody was ever safe with what West did, and especially not with that thing still out there...

"Ready?" Lily's voice broke her out of her reverie, and that was when one of the other maids, Janet, opened the door for the bride to go out first. Now Meg's heart was racing again. This was it...the moment she and Dan had waited for all their lives. She picked up her skirt and led the way.

All of this time and waiting had been worth it because of the manner and everything she'd seen walking down the aisle to where the man she'd loved since day one in school - and who would now be her husband - stood smiling warmly and waiting for her. Dan's eyes were shining like the hanging lanterns from the trees of this breathtaking scenery around them and their witnesses. Their altar arch which she now stood under and before him was of draping white wisteria glowing with as much energy as the lights. The lush flowers drenched the air with their perfume, but Meg paid no attention to any of it but the man before her as they took their vows before God and their tearing guests.

"Meg, I've been alone all my life, never been with a girl because I thought I would never find someone as beautiful, smart, and funny as you, and who drives me crazy," he added, making her and everyone else laugh; she saw Herbert West as one of his groomsmen - a funny position - but even he was smiling. "But you don't take nonsense from anyone, and that is exactly why I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you."

She could barely control herself when she spoke hers in a slight warble. "Dan, I thought I wouldn't find anyone like you, either. I spent my whole life living as a daddy's girl who had to fold her hands in her lap and sit straight, do what I was told to do, afraid to be with anyone because I was scared it would end badly. But you're everything to me because you're willing to do anything for me. I love you more than anything in the world."

To finally have that ring around her finger was amazing and surreal; the feeling of it being placed sent a jolt through her nerves, but no more than when the minister said, "Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Daniel, you may now kiss your bride." That kiss he gave her was so powerful a surge of electrical energy set her body afire. She couldn't wait for their alone time tonight after the party coming up was over; they'd made love before, so she wasn't a virgin, but it didn't matter because she was now officially married to the man she loved. The man who swept her off her feet and spun her around as he deepened that kiss before picking her up and carrying her down the aisle to head back to the house for a change of wardrobe and then to the destination where the fun would really begin.

~o~

Weddings and parties were not Herbert's cup of tea, but seeing his former housemate and good friend marry the woman he loved had Herbert suddenly thinking of him one day asking Lily to be his in this position sometime in the future. He'd known her for five months, but he felt like he'd known her forever.

He watched with everyone else as Daniel carried his new bride down the aisle until they vanished into the trees...and that was when he saw her.

She deliberately stood there for everyone to see, but how was it when Herbert saw her and no one else screamed to acknowledge her? He needed to see her because he knew the expiration date was up. Everyone was leaving, including Lily, but he stopped her and pulled her close to him, not missing Eve's sneer when he made sure Lily's back faced her, and leaned in to whisper to her. "She's here."

Her eyes widened. "Her? Where is she?"

"I can't let you in on this," Herbert said. "I won't let her kill you like she almost did, so I must go alone to finish this." He leaned further to gently brush his nose against her. "This experiment is over, I promise you, Lily."

"Herbert..." She had no idea how to respond, but he didn't need a spoken reply. He had to kiss her, hoping it wouldn't be the last, but he swore that if something happened to him, she would bring him back even if he wasn't the same as she remembered him. And if anything happened to her, he would do the same for her and run away with her if the world didn't accept the first and only woman he ever loved, but that meant her unborn child's life would be in danger, so he would be forced to choose between them if that ever happened.

But in Herbert West's world, it was all or nothing.

"You shouldn't be here," he hissed as soon as he hid behind the tree to face the obsessed object he'd made and regretted. "That obese fool Chapham is on our trail, so you can't be here."

She snarled at him and reached down to grab him by his shirt collar, pulling him up to her. "I do not care, Herbert. I'll destroy anyone who comes between us. Now, we are going away to a place where it can be just you and I..."

~o~

The reception dress for Meg had been Lily's idea, really. It was a completely different direction from the sexy, vintage bridal look; it was short, high above the knees, and enough to show what was best left to the imagination if she bent forward: silver and one-shouldered, bedecked with diamonds and pearls on the bodice. Which Meg tested out and left Lily and the other girls gasping and shrieking with laughter, prompting her to jolt back up straight and glower at them while at the same time trying not to laugh. "You guys, no way I am wearing this! My in-laws are there! And the school!"

"You're a married woman now," Lily said. "This is your big dance and fun time. It needs spicing up!" She laughed and gestured up and down the "spicy" dress. "So, come on, no more complaints, and let's get you and Dan to the barn!"

Said barn was an abandoned structure outside town, perfect for a vintage romance-themed reception, and it was hanging with glamorous chandeliers, joined by exquisite vintage birdcages and flowers for the centerpieces, and extravagant silk flower arrangements here and there in antique white porcelain vases. The cake itself was an adorable fairytale in its own way, with the pastel color palette and frosted flowers. All of this was not overtly done and exactly as her new cousin-in-law had envisioned. Lily would have overall enjoyed the whole experience - from everyone savoring a sumptuous filet mignon while the bride and groom themselves made their appearances and had their first dance together before mingling with their guests - if not for the memory of Herbert abandoning the party for one final search for that Female still about.

And he hadn't even returned yet, which began to scare Lily. She didn't want to spoil Dan and Meg's perfect wedding, but she had to tell them soon.

She had fun for a while, having turns with some nice guys she knew from the medical school and hospital, as well as once with her cousin. "How does it feel to be a married man?" Lily asked him, trying her hardest to keep her smile on her face.

He grinned down at her. "It feels great. And I'm never going to sink low if we decide to have a kid so soon. I have a great feeling about having a family soon."

"Speaking of family, guess what I just found out," Meg announced, coming up and wrapping her arms around Dan's waist, leaning up and whispering into his ear. His reaction was an even broader smile than before, and he spun around to gather her up into his arms and laughed happily with her.

"Okay, everybody stop for a second!" he yelled over the music, which paused as soon as everyone else did. "Meg and I have some wonderful news to share with you. We're going to have a baby!"

In response, the whole room burst into a succession of applause and laughter. Lily was over the moon; she knew what it was going to be and felt herself tear up in happiness. Meg was pregnant, and she couldn't be happier, watching as Dan whirled her around and kissed her before setting her down and doing the most embarrassing thing for the bride but still making her laugh: he grabbed her and bent them both over - well, he was over her, nibbling and kissing her neck against her protests. Even Lily laughed her ass off with everyone else, even Uncle John and Aunt Rose.

But as soon as her cousin and his new wife were enjoying their little fun moment, she glimpsed a certain person who had not been invited, and who, obviously enough, was not happy to see her, nor did he come to enjoy the newlyweds' celebration of the good news.

"What the hell are you doing at my cousin's wedding, Lt. Chapham?" Lily crossed over to him and folded her arms across her chest, trying to look as intimidating as possible, but it only made him laugh and shake his head. "I don't remember anyone inviting you."

"I wasn't, Dr. Stevens," he sneered, his face suddenly turning ugly.

"Then why are you here?"

"On business."

"And whatever would that involve?" Would he just get to the point already?

"Your husband, that 'monster girl' running around town that no one has seen or heard of in a while - but I know she's out there somewhere," he added, his voice lower and doing a hell of a great job at making her shiver. Even more was when his eyes glittered and his smile broadened.

"And your Dr. West."

Lily sucked in a breath. "What about them?"

"We've had your husband long enough, and his injuries have not healed. Not. At. All." Now her heart was on the verge of stopping, but she would not let her guard down. This bastard who had the nerve to show up at her cousin's perfect wedding of all places was going to get his tonight. "And further testing showed that the blood cells are deteriorated. He constantly cries out in pain like two of the others in the Sefton ward. Which means he must be...walking dead." His eyes hardened as they bore down into hers. "Which leads me to think one thing."

"If you're trying to scare me at such a wonderful time, Lieutenant," Lily said coldly, putting her hands on her hips, "you're sorely mistaken. Besides, you wouldn't really hit a pregnant woman, would you?" She winked and smirked at the same time; his whole body was shaking as he was also struggling to keep himself under control in public.

"You can stop playing games with me, Dr. Stevens. I know your friend West has more to him than meets the eye. Since he, Cain, and Halsey were the only ones to make it out alive the night the dean and Dr. Hill died."

"Halsey is Cain now." She whipped her head around to see Dan and Meg abandon their guests for the moment to help her handle this uninvited one. Meg's eyes were like blue fire as they settled on Chapham. "You have the nerve to show up and ruin a perfect night," she snarled.

He laughed when his eyes landed on her. "Oh, well, congratulations, Mrs. Cain," he said sarcastically. "How is it to be the good doctor's wife now?"

"Leave my wife be," Dan defended, pulling her to his side. "What do you want?"

"All three of you know more about Dr. Herbert West and that demon wandering around Arkham. This gives me the idea of a warrant for the arrest of all three of you IF I had physical evidence, but right now, I don't need any."

"You're conducting an illegal search against the books," Meg ground out. "And you are right: you don't know anything."

"Just that Stevens here and West," Chapham said, fixing his eyes on Lily, "did something to her husband the same way however he did to my wife."

"And what Herbert did was the right thing," Lily said furiously, taking a step up to stick her nose in his face. She nearly retched at his foul breath but still forced herself on. "Your wife didn't deserve to be dead, because those injuries on her skull were far too extensive for a fall down the stairs. Multiple contusions...multiple. I'd have reported it myself, but the fact I knew you would do the same to any competition you have."

"My wife's death was not my FAULT!" Chapham nearly raised his voice before he forced it to low as they began to get a few faces their way. "You misunderstood, Dr. Stevens."

"Not at all," she snapped. "A good doctor never makes mistakes. You tried covering it up, but Herbert and I knew."

He leaned his face down into hers once again, growling, "You and your cousins are going to take me to West and that she-devil right now if I have anything to say about it. And after that, all four of you are going to be in so much -"

He didn't get to finish his speech due to the sound of glass breaking and screams following.

~o~

Dan held Meg close to him as they, along with Lily and Chapham, spun around to see every one of their guests jumping out of their seats at the sound of the glass windows breaking by brute force, and figures coming out. "Oh, God, we got more party crashers!" Lily cried.

"Obviously!" Chapham said, grabbing his gun for ready.

The first of the four that intruded this peaceful place was in a tattered straightjacket, stained horrendously with blood, and had it smearing a handsome face that once captured his cousin's heart before it betrayed her for another woman. The brown hair was all over the place and greasy; the bright blue eyes were bloodshot, maniacal, and hell-bent on revenge. They scanned the room and the frightened guests who screamed and did the smart thing in running away with their lives, but only a couple of guys stayed behind - two tough guys from one of his classes - being stupid enough to think they could help them fight these "guys" they had no idea were dead.

"There's the bitch who left me for that mad nerd!" The re-animated once known as Dr. Jake Stevens, Lily's ex-husband and the father of her child, let out a crazy laugh as he began to move for the small group, the lieutenant himself with his gun raised and firing a shot, hitting Jake square in the right shoulder and sending him back.

"Freeze!" Chapham shouted, his weapon now raised at all three of the others who still crouched and advanced on them. "Policeman with a gun! Don't come any closer to us!" He turned to Dan, Meg, and Lily and hissed under his breath. "Get outside to my car now!" Dan glared at him for a moment before nodding for his wife and cousin to hurry out through the back from which they all knew he came, not bothering to wait for this man who might be on their side for the time being but whom they had to get out of the picture somehow.

Dan had seen the other three who had come with Jake: one was one of the bodies from the morgue he remembered - tall and skinny, bearded, suffered from some form of malnourishment before dying of starvation; another was African American, having gone through some malforming disease that rendered him constantly vomiting over himself in living death.

And the third and final...none other than Elizabeth Chapham, whose pitch-black eyes were on her abusive husband, and she was more than ready to kill him. Chapham saw her coming, losing his brave boy shell and screaming before running after them, getting past them all and into his car first, starting the engine and letting everyone else in after him before getting them all the hell out of there.

~o~

Herbert was sure that Eve did not intend to kill him; she had made that real clear in her body language and her sweetness for him, but one slip-up meant she would strangle the life out of him. She'd carried him over her shoulder; it made him feel small and very silly because she was a woman - an extremely tall, extremely strong woman - and he a man, smaller and shorter than she was. Herbert had been carried all this way in her arms as she walked on foot without being detected.

He was dropped onto the grass, the cool feel of the earth beneath his hands as Herbert was released from her arms, looking back up at her once again. She was glowering at him murderously. "Y-YOU! You and that horrid girl! You dare insult me!"

Herbert laughed insolently. "You, insulted? Now that's a new word I first hear you use." Instead of a spoken response, he got grabbed by the shirt collar again and held this time high in the air to the sky.

"I thought you loved me! You made me!"

"I've said this before, and I'll say it again!" Herbert returned, his eyes burning into her fire-filled orbs. "I did make you, and I DID love you! But it was all a mistake! Because you were exactly as I wanted a woman to be until you viciously attacked Lily! I don't know you anymore, Eve! What more do you want from me?!" He squirmed in her grasp, to which she shook him furiously.

"What do I want from you?" she choked out, her face softening then and heartbroken. She lowered her arms to let him breathe briefly before taking him into her embrace with a loving attempt, but Herbert did not want her body. "I want you, Herbert! I want you to be MINE!"

Chapter Text

This bastard had the nerve to pop at her and Dan's picturesque wedding night! And with him came three "crazies" from the Sefton ward, one of them being Jake. Now all three of them - herself, Dan, and Lily - were all in the police car belonging to Lt. Leslie Chapham, rogue cop and wife-beater. She would be a stupid person to ask if this situation could get any worse.

"I'm sorry, Meg," Dan whispered to her. She sat between him and Lily in the backseat of the car, leaning into him while allowing Lily to hold her right hand which faced her. She shivered and held him. "I really am."

"I know," she choked, wanting to cry so much.

"Sshh," he breathed, holding her in both of his strong arms and kissing her forehead. "I really wanted this night perfect for you. I really did."

"I know." From the corner of her eye, she saw Chapham look in his rearview mirror briefly before snorting. Meg got angry again, then lifted her head off her husband's chest and snapped, "What? You didn't know what real love was when you married your wife?"

"Oh, I did love Elizabeth," he returned. "More than you thought."

"If you loved her, then you just had to take it out on her with a bludgeon?" Lily countered hotly.

He shifted his whole body around to face her; he almost lost control and ran them off the road. Instead, he brought them to a halt on the side of the isolated road. "She made me so mad...!" he started to say only for Meg to lose her temper again.

"Oh, take it out on the women, will you?!"

"All right, enough!"Dan roared, shutting everyone up. "Damn it, can we put our differences aside and focus on something more important than violence against women?!" His angry gaze switched between both women and the man in the front. "Can you do that?"

Chapham's ugly glower remained in place, but he nodded. "Where do you think that walking corpse took your mad friend?"

"Well, I don't think back to our house, because that would be too obvious and where we'd find him right away," Lily answered. She shifted in her seat and tightened her fists so hard the knuckles turned white even at the question that came next.

"Where he does whatever it is?" the lieutenant sneered. "Does Dr. West really believe that dead is dead? Do any of you?"

"You know nothing about Herbert," Lily spat, putting a hand on her stomach then. "You don't want to argue with a pregnant woman, but you pushed my buttons too far, Chapham. Herbert is trying to do something that would make a difference in saving lives. He's trying to cheat death, but he's had trouble on the way, such as fellow doctors who didn't understand his cause and another who tried to snake in and take his discovery so he could take the credit. You're just begrudged against him because he brought your dead wife back when she didn't deserve what you gave her."

Meg sucked in a huge breath and tensed, bracing for the worst from the policeman, clenching her fist in Dan's; his massaging of her knuckles didn't help, either. Chapham, however, said nothing, only fixed his furious eyes on Lily, then moved back and forth between the newlyweds. "How would you explain your father then, Mrs. Cain?"

"My father was an accident," she answered steadily. "Something that shouldn't have happened. Carl Hill used him to get what he wanted: me and West's research. He started the mess in the morgue."

"And what about that thing out there at this moment?"

Dan took a breath and stepped in. "Something we tried talking him out of. He went beyond re-animation to the point of...creating new life. Like in the story of Frankenstein. Now she's loose because Lily upset her, and now she has Herbert hostage somewhere."

Chapham seethed. "Boy, all three of you, I wish I could turn you in for withholding information, but I got something else to do. I got a 'bride of Frankenstein' figure out there with her Maker held to her, and I'll be made a hero once the force hails me when I show them," he announced with a broad grin as he started the engine. "Any ideas where she took him?"

"I'd like to say cemetery - one of his favorite places," Dan stated, his voice as hollow as Meg was feeling; Lily had to be, as well. This man was going to finish them all off and far worse than death. Once Herbert's freak-making was out of the picture, it was jail time for all four of them: West for being the main ringleader, Meg and her husband and cousin-in-law for aiding and abetting. This meant, as well as those other three loose and about and following them at the moment, they had to go with this monster man who saw himself above the law when he wasn't even Batman.

~o~

That smell of rotting flesh was nowhere compared to Lily's living warmth and sweet floral aroma. In all his time with dead bodies and parts, Herbert had been used to it and touching it, but now with this living assembly of dead tissue holding him close to her and trying to kiss him lovingly, he tried squirming away from the body that he'd so once preciously assembled because of the women whose lives were lost: the feet of a suicidal ballet dancer, the legs of a murdered hooker, the womb of the raped virgin, the torso of a model, arms of a waitress, hands of a seamstress, and the face of Gloria who had once been a near resemblance of Meg.

"No, I don't want you!" he burst out, finally breaking free from Eve's stronghold and landing gracefully on his feet, standing his guard and lifting his chin at her. "I don't want your foul-smelling body; I did once, but now there is someone else, and you know who that is. Her body is alive and sweet; mine desires hers and only hers. Not you."

"Herbert..." she gasped; he mentally groaned. Women never knew when to quit, did they? That was one sure characteristic passed down to this one he'd made himself. "But, when two people love, they mate..."

"Mating when both people are willing! Not only one of them! There is nothing beautiful about death, or a walking dead!"

The scream that tore from her was ear-piercing to his ears and shrill enough to match the Irish banshee who screamed death when a dying person was preparing for their final journey with her to the other side...in the stories. Herbert was once again grabbed - why couldn't she settle on somewhere else other than his shirt collar? - and dragged across the greenery only to be slammed against the gate. She nearly ripped off his tie in the process of undoing it and pulling it from around his neck before grabbing both of his hands in hers, also slamming them above his head, and tying them to the space between the iron.

"Damn it, let me go!" Herbert shouted. "What are you doing?!" His only answer was her growling and grabbing his shirt in the front by both sides and ripping it off his body in a swift movement. He shivered violently before he realized what was going to happen, and it would be no different from what Hill did to him in that hotel room. "No, don't do this!" She didn't listen to him when she roughly yanked open his belt and worked on his pants. "This isn't right!" he yelled, squirming against his bonds and the unwanted touches. The rest of him was exposed to her gleaming, hungry eyes that sickened him worse than Hill; his bare back and front were getting colder amid the night chill and the fact that his lower crevice was split in half by one of the narrow bars of the gate, reminding him that it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Her coos were soft and loving, appraising, when her hands - the bloody muscles gleaming proudly as they searched his body - roamed over his chest and shoulders, then behind to massage his back and buttocks, violating him. He tried not to cry, not even to let the hint of a tear escape him when she moved over to the front and caressed his stomach, stopping just above the top line of his crotch area. "Herbert..." she whispered. "...I love your body. You're more man in nature than any muscled brute, more intelligent but lacking the masculine image. But no matter...I love it..." Damn it, her fingers clawed inward and caressed his pubic region. Herbert whimpered, angry at how his body was responding against his feelings; his erection was just beginning to twitch before Eve's glowing eyes when they fell on it. "The body never lies."

With that said, her tongue snaked out and began at his collarbone; Herbert wondered if this was how Meg felt when Hill's tongue molested her on the table, and if she did, then he thanked her for that. "Eve, stop this," he ground out when she licked at his nipples in the way that he wanted Lily to do. But she moved lower and lapped at his sensitive navel, making him gasp sharply and furiously. He tugged at the tie around his wrists harder, his back pressing further into his gated prison.

"But I love you, Herbert, and this is the only way I want you to love me back..." Eve whimpered, her bloodied mouth now closer to his most sacred place...

"Seriously, tying a naked man - and the same one who made you - to a gate and having sex with him when he doesn't want it is nasty as hell." His head jerked up at the sound of Meg's disgusted voice. "God, you remind me so much of Dr. Hill."

~o~

Lily's blood boiled at the sight of Herbert - her Herbert - kissed, licked, and groped by that horrid thing she was so ready to kill herself. Meg did the honors of distracting, as did Lt. Chapham with his gun out and behind her. Lily and Dan snuck up to Herbert, mostly nude and squirming, while the "Bride" abandoned her prize and advanced on Meg and the lieutenant.

"Who's this wench?" Lily almost gasped in the middle of releasing her man before she caught herself; that thing actually talked! She wondered how she got so smart before she decided she didn't care. Herbert was who she focused on; after undoing his tie and freeing his wrists, she threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him, almost crying before she felt him move, pulling his pants back on and fixing them. His shirt had been ripped off by bare hands, so it was beyond repair. But Dan had been nice enough to lend his own, leaving himself in his muscle shirt underneath and not caring about the night cold, helping Herbert cover up what was supposed to be for Lily to see.

"I'm no wench," Meg snapped back. "Who's the one trying to get a man she can't have? I knew a man who ended up losing his head over me. So, what makes you think you are going to get a man you have no real brain over?"

The creature's back faced the three, but Lily could hear the baring of teeth. "Herbert made me, so I love him when no one else does..."

"But he doesn't!" Lily shouted, getting the monster's attention back on her. "He's mine and no one else's!" Her opponent for the heart of Herbert let out a more than angry roar of fury as she began to move for her before being blocked by Herbert, who took a stand in front of Lily to protect both her and the baby. The monster stopped right there upon seeing him, at the same time Chapham fired a gunshot for her to stop and whip around to see him, more than ready to make a charge at him for interrupting her...

...at the same time, his wife screeched wildly and pounced into the air, seemingly out of nowhere, and tackled him to the ground screaming. And then the rest followed out, happening at the same time.

The other two were the skinny man and sick man from the hospital psychiatric ward, and the third and final who came onto her was none other than Jake, ready to kill her for leaving him now that he was stronger and faster in re-animated form. "BIIIIITCH!" he bellowed, reaching to grab her throat only for her to duck him and have him crash his head into the gate, stunning him. Everything around her was a mess as she tried to pay attention to the others around her while at the same time trying to save her life and her baby's. She saw Meg fight off the dark-skinned man who was trying to strangle her, and Dan moved to help her, while Herbert fended off the skinny man only to be helped by the "Bride"; she did the honors of bashing his head into the gate and then breaking his neck herself before he collapsed, dead a second time.

"Stevens!" Chapham yelled as he fought off his wife the best he could. "Use my radio to call for help!" After that, he managed to throw her his gun, which she caught and turned to run as fast as she could.

Lily had to pick up her skirts as she ran up the hill to where the police car was parked; the door had been left unlocked so the keys were still inside. Dumb Chapham for that, but thank God at the same time. She didn't hear anyone following her, but she knew she couldn't be here for too long. For all she knew, Jake was after her, and the rest of her family was at stake. Once the car itself was in view - and still no one else after her, not even a sound - Lily unbolted the door to the driver's seat and quickly locked all doors and windows before picking up the radio and crying into it, "Hello? Hello, this is Dr. Lily Stevens using Lt. Chapham's radio. Come in, dispatch. We need serious help, over."

She waited a few seconds before there was a response. "Dispatch to Lt. Chapham. Dr. Stevens, what's your situation?"

"My friends, the lieutenant, and I are at the cemetery; three mental patients from Miskatonic University escaped and crashed my cousin's wedding party and are after us. They've cornered us here, but we're barely going to escape, so we need your help, over." She didn't get an answer before there was a loud bang on the hood of the car, and she screamed when Jake's bloodied face came into view, leering at her and licking his tongue on the window.

"Just where you think you're going, Lils? Thought you wanted to have some fun."

"Screw you, asshole!" Lily shouted, raising Chapham's gun and firing directly at his face. However, he'd backed up and away so the bullet shot into the air. Then there was a break of glass to her left; Jake had brought his palm flat against the glass, and Lily screamed again, keeping her hold onto the gun as she scrambled to the opposite side of her and finally managed to get the door opened just as Jake was finishing shattering the glass of the driver's window. She crawled as far away from him as she could; he'd seen her escape, but it was a good thing she had the weapon, whatever how many shots were left, so she rolled over onto her back and fired the last remaining six shots right into his heart, gore bursting from behind as he flew backward with the impact, seeming slow-motion before he landed on his back, gagging his last before he breathed no more.

Staring at her ex-husband's dead body, Lily fell onto her back and breathed a sigh of relief. He was dead; the man who tormented her long enough was gone.

But the shouting in the distance told her there were other people who needed her still, so Lily bolted up and ran in the direction where her friends were, not before running back to the car to refill the bullet chamber.

When she got there, Meg had the upper hand over the undead dark man who threw her around a lot - it seemed these re-animated guys weren't in a hurry to kill anytime soon but still wanted to savor the pain - so Lily did the brave girl act that she was not afraid to do after killing Jake herself, and fired a shot into the air, getting everyone's attention. The dark man let go of Meg and cowered back in horror before taking a shot to the leg so he fell, coughing up more vomit and blood in the process, and finally one to the head where he twitched one last time and no more. There left only one, and she was still tackling her abusive husband on the ground.

"Hey, bitch!" Lily still thought the poor woman didn't deserve to die the way she did, but with the behavior she had now, she had no choice but to kill her again. Elizabeth saw her and quickly abandoned her husband for Lily, who was more than ready to kill her the same way she had her husband. The old lady shrieked painfully as she, too, fell with bright red blood staining her soft hospital gown. Behind her, Lt. Chapham stood and shakily stepped back, staring first at the corpse of his wife and then at her.

"Y-you..."

"I did what I had to, Lieutenant," she hissed. "But I know you'll be next, too."

She felt the fire of vengeance build in her; that wasn't good for the baby, but it felt good. She had felt more than amazing killing her husband, and now this one was next; however, before she could say more, there were Herbert, Dan, Meg, and of course the last thing in the picture to off.

"She'll be doing this for me," Herbert stated, setting the lieutenant off at once.

"You little squirt, you used my wife for your sick experiments!" he bellowed, starting for him. "And now you're coming with me so I can finish you off myself!" However, he never got so far; the "Bride" stepped before Herbert and struck Chapham down to protect her Maker, snarling viciously, and Lily suddenly realized she didn't have to shoot the bad lieutenant so that she could avoid facing murder charges. The woman then reached down and picked him up under both arms, heaving him upwards into the air, throwing him backward behind her so Chapham - screaming like a little girl - slammed his whole large body into a statue of an angel, hitting the ground with a loud thud, some blood left on the statue from a mild injury, but more serious to come.

The Bride charged over to him, leaving the four survivors alone to stand and watch as she picked up Leslie Chapham again to finish him off by taking an immense bite out of his fat neck, severing his jugular vein, and taking more cannibalistic bites out of his throat before dropping the corpse to the ground.

~o~

He would have called it heroic if not for the fact that this thing which he had backed out on making with Herbert had kidnapped him, tried to kill Lily, and just didn't fit into the world no matter how hard Herbert had tried to help her to do. Dan pulled Meg to the side and held her when she ran to him, more than happy that they were both alive on this terrible night which was supposed to be magical and perfect for them both.

Chapham lay dead before "Eve" - what a fitting name for that mistake of a woman - his eyes wide and jaw slackened, blood staining his chin red as his eyes remained frozen on his killer and would forever be so. Who just now turned back to them with her eyes wild and mouth stained, meat hanging off her teeth enough to make the person vomit, which was exactly how Dan was feeling.

Eve's eyes softened when they landed on Herbert, whom Dan saw take a step back from Lily, who ran over to him and Meg to avoid getting harmed for real. All three watched as Herbert remained where he was as he stared face to face with his creation whose love he rejected all for the newly widowed pregnant one beside him. "Well, go ahead and finish me off if you can't have me," he told her. "Remember that if you can't have me, I'll have no one?" Well, smart move. What a genius, Dan thought sarcastically. He was setting himself up for a death sentence, but Eve shook her head desperately.

"No, I will never kill you!" she declared. "I love you too much I will do this for you!" And then she did the most horrible thing, gritting her teeth the whole time, and right in front of them all, even Lily who turned her head away and buried into Meg's shoulder:

She actually reached into her own chest, separating the metal plate holding the sternum together, and pulled out her own heart to hold it out for Herbert, who flinched and backed away from her. "I'm giving THIS to you, Herbert!" she wailed. "Take it while you still can!"

Herbert shook his head. "I'm sorry, Eve, but this is the final time I am saying this: I loved you once, but you changed. I love another woman who brought me to life." He turned his eyes to Lily when he spoke, smiling softly and getting one back from her when she lifted her face to him. Meg smiled at the sight before returning her attention to Dan and them to the howl of pain and heartbreak of the woman before them, doing a spin around with her cries before the sound of bullets burst through the night air, and she fell for a final time, the parts of her from the different women they once belonged to falling apart and scattering throughout the earth.

~o~

Herbert held his breath and was tempted to nervously fidget from foot to foot as he waited under a rustic canopy perfumed and bedecked with seasonal blooms the following April. Nevertheless, he forced himself to remain composed as he stood with Dan beside him as his only best man on the day he was waiting for a certain special someone to come up here and join him.

There was also Meg, still smiling and sunny in sheer yellow lace despite the events of months ago, nearing the anniversary of the massacre at the hospital. When the police found them, the story had been that the escaped asylum patients had them and Lt. Chapham cornered in the cemetery as well as the monster woman they'd been looking for all those weeks. She'd even been the one to kill him before backup arrived and finished her off. No fingers were pointed to the only four survivors left: Daniel and Megan Cain, Lily Stevens, and above all, Herbert West.

All four of them were safe once again.

Looking at Meg - aside from the seven-month growth that was her and Dan's first child - Herbert saw the bundled little one in her arms. Just two months ago, Lily had gone into labor and gave birth to a healthy baby boy she decided to name Herbert, which had made him laugh and flattered. Herbert West, Jr...he liked it. He was a loud little fellow, with his birth father's dark hair and mother's lively green eyes; Jake Stevens must be burning in the hellish afterlife other people still believed in. Little Herbert would grow up never knowing who his actual sperm donor was because it was for his protection.

Gasps from the crowd were heard, and his attention snapped to the front where he saw his bride walking towards him with her father by her side. His breath caught in his throat, his heart leaping at the same time. Lily was truly more of a woman in her second wedding dress; while the first had been more modest and youthful from what he'd seen in a photograph, this one bared her back, had an extra long train sweeping freely, hugging her body in the right places, and was blinking with jewels at the sides of her hips, over the bust and the thin straps; it was all over covered with a bold lace pattern. Her luscious auburn hair was knotted elegantly, letting curls free while still set with pink rosebuds and a crown of green leaves. The bouquet was of wildflowers freshly plucked from the field. She was dazzling. "Are you ready?" she whispered.

"More than ready," he answered, for lack of a better answer.

The priest cleared his throat for the reciting to begin. Herbert was never religious, obviously, but they needed someone to officiate. "We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony..."

Herbert drowned out the words the whole time he kept his eyes on Lily and Lily only, until the time came for their "I do"'s, and he forced himself back to life, almost missing out on his turn. Now came the part he'd been waiting for. He searched his pocket without trouble for the rings, handing her his to give while he did the first. His mother's ring - it was a soft vine filigree of gold centered with a small round opal. She smiled sweetly before taking his hand into hers, her warm, soft skin sending jolts through his nervous system.

"With this ring, I thee wed," she spoke, slipping the thick golden band on his slender finger. At first, it felt strange since he'd never been one for rings, but as soon as he got used to it, it bound him to her, that unbroken circle.

How could he have put her on hold once before? Herbert wondered this before sealing their marriage with a kiss that brought her close to him in his arms. He'd made a vow to never love until death was conquered, and that goal was still far from accomplished. But the love he had for this wonderful woman who saved him as he saved her and helped him as he helped her would never die as long as he faced the hardest task of his life: to never let her slip from his side.