Inside the underground hiding shelter, the couples were assigned rooms for the night by Andelina, and her team of baristas set to work finding fitting clothes for them to change into the next morning. Andelina, however, hurried to find coffee, hot cocoa, homemade sweets, biscotti and hot tea for the gang. Florian watched in amazement at her swift nature, and noted to himself that this was probably how she couldn't have stayed alive otherwise--to keep others alive and well and taken care of.
After the gang settled to their rooms for the night, the Viennese Clandestinian reminded them that if they needed anything, to call her and let her know. Rebekah nodded with a smile, as the two had exchanged numbers earlier on in the evening. Andelina then left the underground kitchen light on, so that if anyone of the gang was either hungry or thirsty they could find the kitchen without a problem.
The rooms' lights went out for the evening, and Andelina and the girls went through an underground hallway to their own shelter, beneath their home.
Dear Lord the hostess prayed, watch over these darling souls.
Meanwhile, Karl kept quiet, not really thinking much except for whether or not the Darkstrom would find them. His gaze went from the ceiling to Anneke, who couldn't sleep herself. She finally glanced to her companion, and sighed.
"This isn't going to be an easy rest tonight, Karl" she said.
"It's alright, Anneke" he whispered as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to him. "It's alright. I'm here. The guys are here. We're all together." He then looked her in the eyes. "And I promise, I'll make sure you're safe--even if I have to put my life on the line for it."
"You're crazy!? But to do that for someone you've hardly known for maybe a few weeks!?" Anneke whispered in curious fear.
"Yes... perhaps I am crazy but... I have been a fool for lesser things, dear" he replied, quoting her from their conversation in Paris with a smile.
She sighed, giving up the argument, and snuggled up against him. He kissed her forehead and kept watch until she fell asleep.
In another room, Johannes couldn't fall asleep because of fear, that the Darkstrom would find them and destroy them all. Ralf, wide awake to keep watch over his beloved, held her close to him and sang, almost in a whisper, a lullaby:
When chaos stirs before your eyes,
When stars in madness flee the skies,
Take heart--know that you're not alone,
That I am always near.
The tears that fall across your face,
The hopes and fears that crash in place--
Let none of these distort your hopes,
For I am always near.
Now rest, dear soul, and be not afraid
Of what the enemy does or says.
Rather, be strong no matter what,
For I am always near.
Johannes fell asleep at last, and Ralf kissed her on the lips, said a silent prayer, and held her tightly, falling asleep.
Wolfgang and Rebekah fell asleep right away, as the day in Vienna had worn them out a bit. But the Roboter could not resist blinking his eyes open for a moment, just to look at his girlfriend.
"...mein Fräulein Rebekah" he softly whispered, tracing a finger along her cheek, down her chin. Finally it ran slowly across her lips, and she opened one eye to look at him. Unsure of what to do, let alone what was going on in his mind, she herself traced a finger along his brow and down his cheek. But he caught her hand in his, kissed it, and looked her in the eye again. Finally, fed up with the torture, his lips met hers, and stayed there as their arms wrapped around each other.
In the meantime, Elizabeth sat in the corner of her room, hugging her knees to her chest. She couldn't sleep for even a moment, for fear that the Darkstrom would find her and everyone. Memories of witnessing her parents' murder at their hands surrounded her again, and she fought well to keep them from overrunning her at her wits' end. Her companion meanwhile was already in bed, and noted that she had not turned in for the night.
"Elizabeth" Florian said in a deadpan voice, "get to bed."
"Make me" she retorted. "I'm not falling asleep wondering whether or not the damn enemy's gonna kill us all."
"They're not going to find us, Elizabeth. Now get in bed already."
The Clandestinian sighed and, giving up whatever argument would've started, stood up and quietly walked to bed. Lying down on her side, she looked to the wall, her back turned to Florian. The mensch-maschine noticed but, as she fell asleep, was determined not to have her in her misery. He turned to face her and, noting he got her back instead of her face, thought for a moment how to attempt this. Finally the thinking got the better of him, and he decided on wrapping his arms around her.
Her eyes blinked open right away, thinking the Darkstrom were in, that they were found and, if anything, why everyone was silent. But her fears died as quickly as they had appeared when Florian kissed her ear, along her cheek, attempting for the mouth. Elizabeth wasn't sure what was going on, and tilted her head to catch his eyes with hers. But the move backfired when, as soon as their eyes met, so did their lips. She blinked for a moment and broke the kiss quickly, unsure what to think. Florian however rested his head on the pillow, eyes still fixed on her, arms still wrapped around her.
"...the hell are you thinking, Florian?" she asked in a hushed whisper.
"How I could at least keep you from panicking all night through" he whispered back, "though it seems I've failed.
"I can take the child out of the nightmare, but not the nightmare out of the child."
With a heavy sigh he let his arms unwrap her, and he turned on his side, his back to her, and closed his eyes.
"Guten nacht, Fräulein Elizabeth" he said quietly, and attempted to fall asleep.
Elizabeth turned on her side to face him, but seeing his back she turned away, the tears filling her eyes at last. How on earth did she upset him--she didn't mean to! He was right though--he didn't want to see her suffering, but he couldn't take the memories from her. Now what was she to do? Quietly, she wept, and it felt like an eternity of tears until she realized--Florian truly cared for her, even though he at times was very quiet and kept to himself. Somewhere beneath his odd, offbeat, silent exterior there really was a heart for her. And she had feelings for him too--strong feelings that, often, she was one to keep to herself.
So why... why did she push him away like that? Was it some sense of pride...
or was it a sense of fear?
She quietly wept again, upset at herself for not understanding. For a moment it felt like all was lost somewhat, until she felt those familiar arms wrap around her again... and, this time, she didn't turn him away.
"...Elizabeth, was ist falsch? What is wrong?" Florian asked, his mouth close to her ear again. Elizabeth took a deep breath and turned to face him.
"I'm scared" she replied.
"Of what?"
"Of everything, Florian. Everything."
The Roboter kept his arms around her and looked her straight in the eye. "I know you're still hurting from what happened in your younger years but... don't let it get to you. Don't let it hurt what we already have." He hugged her even tighter. "Sometimes I wish... I wish I'd have met you even when we were younger. I feel as if I've known you forever. I... just have that feeling."
"You know... it does feel like that, Florian" the young lady replied. "Probably not just with us but with all of us. Us girls, we've known each other practically all our lives. You guys are, I'm guessing, the same way." She closed her eyes, relishing in his warm embrace, half asleep in content at last.
When the silence became unbearable, Florian kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, and finally his lips met hers again. Blinking her eyes open Elizabeth looked him in the eye when he didn't break the kiss. After a moment of thinking through, she smiled in the kiss, able to say what words couldn't. That, even though they didn't always quite get along on certain aspects, while they were still different, she had come to love him.
A small smile finally formed on his face mid-kiss, and he had the nerve to break the kiss, only to kiss her cheeks and neck for a moment. He rested his head upon her heart, the smile still on his face. All she could do was smile, close her eyes and, with some hope left that all would be well, hold him close and finally get some sleep.
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