[GothPop]

Alex felt a wave of relief when Violet said she would help them. He hugged Elliot tightly before turning to her with all the kindness he had. "Thank you so very much. From the bottom of my heart. If you need anything, I mean anything, just ask."
Violet was horrified when she realized she had failed to blink away her tears. Horrified, then shame as she felt them fall. How did she know she failed? Because she felt the comforting embrace vof Elliot's arms around her. Oh no. She had failed miserably.

"I will cherish it too," she said. "You're my first friend here. I'll never forget that." She straightened herself out, wiping her face. "I'm sorry. I've gotten my horrible tears on your nice cloak." She furiously scrubbed at them, with little success. "Please don't apologize. Falling in love is a celebration, not something to apologize for."

Her expression turned serious. "And if your father even thinks about harming a hair on that baby's head, I will consider it a declaration to back out of our truce. It will be an offense of the greatest degree. And I don't think he wants this deal to go south. Not when he had been trying to get an in on our naval power for years."