Florian paced back and forth in the hotel room where he and Elizabeth shared for the evening. He had just received word through the Übermittler from Rebekah that Wolfgang was wounded and recovering in northern Paris. Ralf and Johannes got lost in Paris and retreated back to Notre Dame for the evening, hiding near the belltowers. Karl and Anneke found a place to stay for the evening after some sightseeing and picturetaking.
He sat himself down on the nearest armchair and looked out the window in despair. How the hell were they all going to return to Düsseldorf at this rate? The Trans-Europa was to be docked for another day or so, and then they had to be back on board for the trip to Austria. Checking the clock.
9:52 P.M.
He glanced to Elizabeth, who was already fast asleep on one of the two beds. When the two had first met outside the station in Lisbon, he'd sensed something different, something special about her that he couldn't quite pinpoint. But he did take notice about a few things on her--for one, she didn't take too well to staring contests. And she was very intuitive, as well as highly protective of her younger sister Johannes. She was also highly polite, and was gifted with the patience of a saint. And, she was very compassionate, sort of clueless as to why the world had to go through suffering--this he saw when, onboard the train, she carefully examined the markings on his right arm. Above all, she was beautiful, with her brown hair with copper highlights and the passionate green eyes.
Sighing he looked to the window, and at the busy nightlife outside. Paris was such a vibrant city, full of life, color and spark. He smiled softly, the thought of, just maybe, tomorrow would be a better day to explore Paris, then a rendez-vous at Champs-Elysees. And then, leave Paris the next morning on the Trans-Europa. It would be the perfect start to the escape for home.
"Mutter!! Vater!! Nein!!"
The cry of distress derailed Florian's train of thought and he quickly looked to Elizabeth, who was now sitting up on the bed, sobbing. "Was das -- Elizabeth!!" he spoke in hurried German, running to her. "Elizabeth... it's okay... I'm here..."
He hugged her tightly as she sobbed, wondering what sort of nightmare could've distracted her from sleeping. Finally she hugged him tightly, still crying.
"My mother... and father... I remember... I remember..." she mourned.
"Re... remember what, Elizabeth!?" he asked, holding her at a distance to look her in the eyes.
"When... when the Darkstrom took my parents away from me" she answered.
He shook his head in shock, and just held her tightly as she sobbed against his shoulder. Somehow, he suddenly didn't feel as if he was just there to keep an eye out for her, her friends and his comrades. There was that warm spark again, that bittersweet feeling that usually would never be there yet, when it was, it was unexpected.
"I am very scared now, Florian" she confessed. "Terrified for this trip. That the enemy will find us."
"They're not going to find us" he assured. "Not while die mensch-maschinen are around."
She looked him in the eyes, her green eyes piercing his own hazel eyes. "You don't even know half the hell we girls have been through growing up!!" she cried. "You don't know anything about losing family or struggling to regain whatever hope's been lost. You know damn near nothing about feelings or emotions!! You're robots for crying out loud!!"
Florian just looked at her for a moment and closed his eyes, tears finally spilling in a rare show of emotion. "No... that is not true" he responded, reopening his eyes. "We mensch-maschinen have a soul. We are flesh, but not of bone but metal. We have feelings, but in my case I rarely ever show them.
"But... I do want to make this clear.
"So lang, wie meine Freunde und ich hier sind, sind Sie, Ihre Schwester und Ihre Freunde sicher."
Elizabeth looked at him with a questioning glare, and then it softened to a look of haunted despair, distorted worry. Finally she let go of her ill-tempered pride, and looked up at him with sincerity, realizing that her anger wouldn't make matters easier. Better to trust someone with your life that would be there no matter what.
"Shall I take this as your word then, Florian?" she asked calmly as he took her face in his hands.
He nodded. "Ich verspreche" he affirmed, planting a kiss on her forehead.
After moments more of talking [which included a conversation about her witnessing her parents' death], he tucked her back in bed with another kiss to the forehead. He then took a desk chair, strategically placed it beside her bed so he could watch over her while she slept, and placed his gun on the bedside table.
"If anyone unauthorized comes in" he told himself, "they'll meet a quick end."
In the middle of the night he blinked his eyes open, his head now on the bed beside her. His hand had held hers all the night through. He lifted his head to gaze at Elizabeth, in case of anything. Luckily, nothing happened. She was still asleep, contentedly. Her hand gripping his for dear life.
With a tired smile he left a kiss on her lips and, resting his head on the bed beside her once more, went back to sleep.
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