[Trans-Europe Express]

The Postlude: Dieses ist Haus [This is Home]

2008-06-08T19:35:00.002-04:00

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan.
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow upon snow,
In that bleak midwinter, long, long time ago...

~ In the Bleak Midwinter, tr. Catherine Winkworth

...six months since the funeral...

"…und führen Sie uns nicht in Versuchung, aber liefern Sie uns vom Übel. Für Ihr ist das Königreich und die Energie und der Ruhm, von Alter zu Alter. Amen."

The Düsseldorf Quartet and their Mensch-Maschinen had all held hands and prayed the Lord's Prayer before the graves of Rebekah and Anneke's parents. Earlier upon arriving at the cemetery they said proper prayers for the parents that brought Elizabeth and Johannes to the world. In all their humility and respect the men kept their silence until the prayers were said and they had all left the cemetery.

Andelina and Gregorio moved back to Düsseldorf, so to start a new life with their son Alessandro. Every now and then the boy would get a visit from their deceased daughter Rinalee, and they would have funny conversations, which in turn amused their parents whenever the boy spoke of them. For Andelina, however, it was even more special to her, that her new son would speak with his guardian sister and find many a topic to talk about. Like Mother's homemade spaghetti...

Andelina's friends Faith and Ingo also moved to to that same town to help out their fellow Clandestinian family out in making the most out of life. Together the two women started a late-night cafe, while Ingo and Gregorio would help out in civil affairs throughout the city, and in keeping the peace.

Professor Henning and Conductor Fritz continued to oversee the Spacelab, and received many a visit from the Quartet, Mensch-Maschinen and friends. Henning himself had received a few visitations from Rinalee, who felt it was best to stick around for more than an hour to talk about life and all its humors. Fritz however thought that, perhaps, ghosts could fall for the living, and would joke with his friend the Professor after Rinalee left for Heaven.

Rebekah finished making Matzo-ball Soup, using Mother's recipe, and placed the pot on potwarmers in the center of the dining room table. Afterwards she grabbed two bowls and two spoons. She was about to sit down when Wolfgang entered the kitchen.

"Reki, can I see you a second?" he asked.

"And I thought you were coming to sit down for lunch, hun" she answered as she stood up and walked to him. "What is it?"

He sighed for a moment. "Remember back at the Spacelab when I swore that I'd marry you?"

"Yes, I remember quite well. I know I was in a bit of shock too. Why?"

He handed her a small, blue box. "Well... remember when Mother left you her jewelry to wear from time to time?"

She nodded. "Yes. There was that one small ring I loved that she wore."

"And it had a star on it, correct?"

"Ja, it did."

Wolfgang sighed again. "Well..."

Rebekah raised a brow at him and opened the box, and there it was--the special ring that Mother wore, a simple silver ring that was adorned with a small star-shaped cubic zirconia. The nurse blinked back tears--she hadn't seen the ring since before she was deported to Lisbon. Then she looked up at him.

"Wolfgang... you..." she whispered, but words failed her as he got on one knee and took her left hand in his.

"Rebekah" he said, with adoring eyes fixed upon hers, "before we sit down to lunch and Matzo-ball Soup, will you marry me?"

But she, at a loss for words, could but only hug him close to her heart for a moment and, taking his face in her hands, kiss his lips. He held her tightly to him, to drown in the kiss for that moment, and then he smiled at her.

"I'd marry you this very moment if we but just grab the Minister and the gang" she answered.

"And deny the girls the honor of fitting you out for a bride!?" he laughed as he placed the ring on her finger. "I'd rather a proper ceremony instead of a shortened eloping, hun.

"That and, the soup is getting cold."

Anneke glanced up at the bright blue, white and purple menorah for Hanukkah, which was a Jewish holiday that the Quartet celebrated. Not that the Quartet was Jewish--they weren't, they were Anglican, but they felt proper to celebrate a holiday so rich in roots and tradition. In a couple of nights they would begin the festivities with a party at Rebekah's, and with the traditional exchanging of presents. A few weeks later it would be Christmas, complete with Anneke's favorite service--Weihnachtsmitternacht, or Christmas Midnight.

But for now, she smiled at the Hanukyah, and returned upstairs from the family room to her bedroom, just as Karl arrived home from grocery-shopping. She could hear his "Hallo Anya, I'm home!!" and she giggled as she sat down at the side of her bed, just taking in everything that she'd been through up to now. After Karl finished putting the groceries away he went upstairs to the bedroom and smiled when he saw her. "Anya, stop thinking so darn much" he laughed a bit, but she looked up at him and smiled.

"I can't stop thinking how I've come a long way up to now in over three years' time" she spoke, the smile not leaving her face. "Have I ever told you just how happy I am to have you in my life, Karlos?"

He shook his head. "Nein, not that I know of." He then walked over to her. "Why?"

"Because, I really am happy to have you in my life" she answered as he stood before her. The smile never left her face, which caused him to raise a brow in curiosity.

"...okay Anya, what is up?" he asked finally, giving up the thinking process of just what could possibly be up with her.

But she simply grabbed his hands and, in one quick swoop, she got him on the bed and happily took the tie off of him. Karl, stunned at the quick move, was speechless as she took his wrists and tied them with his tie in the same manner he'd once tied her hands with a ribbon back in Venice.

"Dear God, Anya--" he laughed, but she put her finger to his lips and smiled.

"Tonight, it's Mistress to you" she answered.

Karl looked at her, wide-eyed, still smiling. "You can't be serious."

"Remember that night in Venice, when you had me all tied up and at your mercy?" she asked. He nodded hesitantly.

"Well" she said, "this is going to be the best case of payback I've ever attempted on anybody. And you wanna know the best part?"

He simply blinked, smiling nervously.

Anneke licked his lips for a moment, then smiled again. "I think we're going to like every moment of this."

Karl rested his head back on the bed, his eyes rolling back with a sigh as she fought with his shirt buttons, the smile not leaving his face--this form of payback was going to be such good torture...

Elizabeth and Florian sat in her parents' library in the basement, cross-legged, facing each other. It was, for the first time since their moment in Athens, another staring contest, and the same rule applied that, they could smile, they just couldn't laugh.

The ante was upped again when Florian began to make funny faces, and Elizabeth would follow suit. He'd smirk, she'd smirk. He'd pout, she'd pout.

Best part was, they'd been at it for a couple of hours now...

Johannes and Ralf were upstairs in her room, taking a much-needed nap from the whims of the day. Wrapped in her favorite blanket that Elizabeth gave her younger sister, the couple had to keep warm from the snowy chill outside, and fell asleep to her music box playing Funkeln, Funkeln, wenig Stern [Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star].

A moment later Johannes blinked her eyes open, a smile crossing her face as she looked at her beloved's sleeping face. He then opened his eyes and smiled--their quiet moment slightly interrupted by the sound of laughter coming from downstairs. The young lady giggled.

"Sounds like Elizabeth and Florian have found an end to their staring contest, Ralf" she whispered.

"Ja, sure sounds like it" he replied softly, still smiling.

Johannes closed her eyes for a moment, remembering how she felt this wasn't meant to happen to people like her. And then came the blessed Trans-Europa, with the sweeter company of Ralf and his friends.

"Ralf" she whispered, raising a brow softly.

"Yes, Johanna?" he said.

"Ever heard the phrase... home is where the heart is?"

He nodded. "Why?"

She smiled adoringly. "Because whenever I'm with you, my heart feels like it's at home. I'm sure that... Elizabeth, Rebekah and Anneke would agree with me... about the ones that they themselves truly love and adore."

Ralf smiled back at Johannes--no words were needed as he took her face in his hands and kissed her lips. She was right--the girls had found something sweeter than just being at home in beloved Düsseldorf, they'd found a home in the hearts of the men they loved, just as they found in the young women that went out of line for the sake of Eastern Europe's freedom. With the Mensch-Maschinen in their lives, in their hearts, there was no telling what was possible for the Quartet of the Düsseldorf Chapter of the Clandestine Rebellion...

~ trans-europe express ~ the end ~

Chapter 36: Requiem ~ An ewig Frieden [Requiem ~ Unto Everlasting Peace]

2008-06-08T14:38:00.003-04:00

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, דיין האמת
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, dayan ha-emet.

[Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, the True Judge.]

~ traditional Jewish blessing upon receiving news of a passing ~

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.

In memoria æterna erit justus, ab auditione mala non timebit.

Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omno vinculo delictorum et gratia tua illis succurente mereantur evadere iudicium ultionis, et lucis æterne beatitudine perfrui.

Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex gloriæ, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de pœnis inferni et de profundo lacu. Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum; sed signifer sanctus Michæl repræsentet eas in lucem sanctam, quam olim Abrahæ promisisti et semini ejus.

Hostias et preces tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus; tu suscipe pro animabus illis, quarum hodie memoriam facimus. Fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam. Quam olim Abrahæ promisisti et semini ejus.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam.

Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in æternum, quia pius es. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine; et lux perpetua luceat eis.

[Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

He shall be justified in everlasting memory, and shall not fear evil reports.

Forgive, O Lord, the souls of all the faithful departed from all the chains of their sins and may they deserve to avoid the judgment of revenge by your fostering grace, and enjoy the everlasting blessedness of light.

Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, free the souls of all the faithful departed from infernal punishment and the deep pit. Free them from the mouth of the lion; do not let Tartarus swallow them, nor let them fall into darkness; but may the sign-bearer, Saint Michael, lead them into the holy light which you promised to Abraham and his seed.

O Lord, we offer you sacrifices and prayers in praise; accept them on behalf of the souls whom we remember today. Make them pass over from death to life, as you promised to Abraham and his seed.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, grant them rest eternal.

May everlasting light shine upon them, O Lord, with your saints forever, for you are faithful. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may everlasting light shine upon them.]

~ from the Requiem Service ~

Alessandro took a deep breath and held the Processional Cross high, only glancing back once at the processional party behind him before starting his solemn march down the aisle. Behind him were Elizabeth and Johannes, serving as Torch Bearers. Ralf followed with the Paschal Candle, with Florian right after bearing the banner of the Martyrs of the Union.

Following them were, side by side, Rebekah and Anneke, dressed in traditional Clandestinian Mourner's attire--black coats, gray skirts. In their hands they held candles, black because of the nature of the service. And then were the many officers of the Düsseldorf Chapter, dressed in their Mourners uniforms, serving as Pall Bearers--
Among the Bearers for Rebekah's father, Gregorio and Henning;
Rebekah's mother, Andelina and Wolfgang;
Anneke's father, Ingo and Fritz;
Anneke's mother, Faith and Karl.

At a distance the ghostly angel Rinalee kept vigil, watching from a corner near the back of the Church. It returned her memory to her own funeral--she was much too young to die at the hands of the Darkstrom. But this... four souls lost at the hands of Hell's hounds. This was more than she could bear, more than she could comprehend. More than she could fathom as she remembered the night before...

Rebekah sat on the floor, beside the main door of the funeral home, hugging her knees to her chest. Sleep was impossible in situations like this. In merely hours she would have to bid her final fare-wells to her parents. She rested her forehead against her knees, struggling to fight the tears that welled up in her eyes.

Wolfgang had slept on one of the couches in the parlor where her parents' caskets were there. But he opened his eyes knowing the young woman herself was not in the room, and looking around a moment stepped out of the parlor. His gaze fixed to the left, and there she'd sat. Quietly he walked to her and, kneeling down, placed a hand on her knees.

She lifted her head to look at him, rivers of tears falling down her cheeks. Their eyes met, and he realized this was hurting her more than healing. He sat down beside her, took her into his arms, and consoled her in her tears.

As the Processional approached the altar, the caskets were lined up side by side, the Paschal Candle placed in the middle of the solemn row, and all took their proper places at the altar and pews.

Karl held onto Anneke tightly, as he done for so long since the night they returned from Alessandro's adoption festivity. He helped her through all the pain of the past two days, the long hours of the past night. His glance went around to the faces of the entire Düsseldorf Chapter present, to the Priest and Deacon, then to Ralf and Florian with their girlfriends, Alessandro who stood at attention. To Rebekah and Wolfgang, and finally to Anneke. Then his gaze fixed to the Paschal Candle, the symbol of victory over death, and he closed his eyes in the memory of the night's painful vigil...

"Mind if we join you, Becca?"

Rebekah and Wolfgang looked up to see Anneke and Karl, who were unable to sleep as well, and the younger woman nodded in acceptance of further company. Anneke sat beside Rebekah, holding her hand tightly.

"We're all in this together, Reks" Karl whispered as he sat beside his beloved. Rebekah smiled sadly and squeezed Anneke's hand tightly.

"The grief is shared amongst the entire Chapter" Wolfgang said quietly. "They will be present, considering that the parents to be buried gave birth to two of their finest officers among us. They have all found it fitting to stand beside us in a fond, proper and final send-off."

"This... is the darkest hour that we have ever faced" Rebekah finally spoke as she hugged her three friends close to her. "All we have now is each other, so help us... so help us Father above--"

Wolfgang could but only hold her close as she sobbed, the embrace made sweeter through Anneke and Karl. They knew in their hearts, the youngest of the Quartet was right.

Anneke's eyes looked back towards the darkness of the funeral home, the haunting of it all. She hadn't been to a funeral home since the passing of her best friend's parents, she vaguely remembered anything from the vigil. But this...

this truly weakened her more and more, the longer she suffered in its walls.

Elizabeth stood at the pulpit on behalf of the Düsseldorf Chapter, giving a proper eulogy for Rebekah and Anneke's parents, and at its closing gave the two friends a proper Jewish greeting--

המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שער אבילי ציון וירושלים
Hamakom y'nachem etkhem b'tokh sha'ar avelei tziyon viyrushalayim

Rebekah smiled at Elizabeth sadly, knowing the meaning of the greeting--The Place will comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem--and how much it meant to her that such a greeting would be said. Through her mother she made many Jewish friends, and while they were not as close as her tightknit Quartet, they shared in the grief of the passing. She glanced to one of her mother's friends, who was a Jew and in the Chapter, and they shared a grateful, knowing smile--that all would be well in the end. That all things began and ended rightly so in God.

The Priest continued with the service, which included the Prayers for the Deceased and Prayers for the Mourners, and then the Passing of the Peace. Then followed the Communion, with the Lord's Prayer. After Communion, Anneke and Rebekah stood up and, hand in hand, approached their respective parents' caskets. Ralf, Johannes and Elizabeth joined them and, taking each a permanent marker, inscribed the following on each casket--
Rebekah: זכר קדוש לברכה [zekher kadosh livrakha], which meant May the memory of the saintly be for blessing
Anneke: To my blessed family, here and in the life to come
Elizabeth: Our family, we grieve, we rise above, we thank God
Johannes: Requiescant in pace [Rest in peace]
Ralf: From the Clandestine Rebellion, the Düsseldorf Chapter, with all our love, honor and respect

Afterwards they were joined by Florian, Wolfgang and Karl and, huddling together, Rebekah led the Mourner's Kaddish, the traditional Hebrew prayer for the deceased, which praised God. Then the huddle turned into a group hug, and just as quickly they dispersed back to their proper places for the final blessing and Procession to the Cemetery.

The iron bells tolled throughout Düsseldorf as the Procession reached the Cemetery. Alessandro stood behind the small grave markers, in the middle, facing the approaching crowd. He watched throughout the entire service, his faces looking to those of the mourners, his family present to be there for their friends, the daughters of the deceased comforted by their loved ones. His own parents never received a proper funeral--they were cremated by the Darkstrom soldiers, and their cremains sunk into the sea.

As the party approached the open graves, the Pall Bearers placing the caskets in their respective graves, the boy's face lifted to the sky.

"...clouds" he whispered as he lowered his head to the four caskets, the gathering of mourners.

The Priest spoke the final prayers, and all joined in the Final Commendation, just before the first casket--Rebekah's father--was being lowered. Rebekah watched bitterly as first her father, then her mother returned to the earth. Wolfgang stood behind her, watching the caskets being lowered, unable to hold back the tears. His girlfriend closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them, tears spilling at last over her pale cheeks.

The casket of Anneke's father soon was slowly lowered, and the girl herself forced herself to watch through this. "Don't if you can't handle" Karl, standing behind her, whispered in her ear.

"I have to, Karl" she whispered back as she began to cry. "They brought me into the world. I cannot turn away. This is the least I can do for them now."

Karl held her in his arms, watching as the casket of her mother was soon lowered to the grave. Blessed be the ones whose love brought Reks and Anya to us he thought, wiping a tear from his face. The caskets now being lowered, Anneke looked to the youngest of the Quartet, who was on her knees and sobbing, being comforted by Wolfgang.

The rest of the mourners dispersed, but the Quartet, Mensch-Maschinen and Alessandro remained. One of the gravediggers asked if everyone was alright, and if anyone needed a hand. Alessandro simply looked up and asked for a shovel.

"A... a SHOVEL!?" the gravedigger asked.

"Yes, Sir. A shovel."

"But... why!?"

"Because this is family you're trying to bury. We will proudly bury our family ourselves."

The gravedigger simply smiled and handed the former orphan the shovel and pointed him to the mound of dirt, and told him of extra shovels if needed. Seconds later the boy ran back with his first shovelful of dirt. Anneke raised a brow at him, but Alessandro wouldn't have any of it as the rain began to fall.

"This is family, you guys" he insisted. "I'm not going to let strangers' hands place the ground over loved ones."

Anneke looked at the mound of dirt and shovels for a moment--the child was right. If you're gonna bury your parents, best to do it with your own hands. And what better way than to lead by example--she stood up and straightened out her skirt.

"What is it, Anya?" Karl asked, looking up at her.

"This is family, and there is huge debts owed to those who gave us to the world" she replied. "This is the last proper favor we can do for them." And with that she followed Alessandro and, taking up a shovel, returned to help seal the graves.

Then, one by one... the rest of the gang followed. The graves were filled within an hour. And as they stood before the graves of their loved ones, wiping sweat and tears from their faces, their eyes, Rebekah and Anneke smiled, clasping each other's hands tightly. For despite now being rainsoaked through the storm, there was a proper sense of closure in their being. All was going to be just fine.

Then the gang went back to the church to change and dry off, and then to the Spacelab, for a luncheon and rejoining of the rest of the mourners from the Union.

In paradisum deducant te Angeli; in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem. Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere æternam habeas requiem. Amen.

May angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs receive you at your coming and lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem. May a choir of angels receive you, and with Lazarus, who once was poor, may you have eternal rest. Amen.

*writer's note - much of the chapter was inspired by the funeral traditions of the christian and hebrew faiths.*

Chapter 35: Eine Korrekte, Süßere Liebe [A Proper, Sweeter Love]

2008-06-07T20:10:00.005-04:00

*to the few lurkers that read this story.

for louise and faith, my two beloved fellow passengers as i tirelessly tried to finish this crazy story.

and with all my love.*
Elizabeth knelt at the grave of her parents, Johannes standing beside her trying to take it all in. For the older sister, as she lost herself in prayer, it was the only way she could keep updating her parents on what all had gone on since before they were imprisoned. For the younger sister, however, it was simply a visiting to the parents. She could only remember their voices, but that was about as much as she could get from them. Her heart broke as she watched her older sister, then looked to the gravestone. Finally her gaze took in all the cemetery. In another couple of days Anneke's parents would be finally given a proper funeral, with Rebekah's parents' funeral following right after. The thought of it overwhelmed Johannes a little, as she'd never seen a funeral, and she didn't really remember anything from that of her parents'.

She closed her eyes, fighting tears as she looked back to her older sister. Elizabeth finally stood up and, wiping a tear or two from her face, looked to her younger sister.

"...what is wrong, Johanne?" Elizabeth asked.

"I just don't understand... why people have to die" Johannes replied looking to her with a sigh. "I don't... I just don't get it, you know?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I know, kleine Schwester. I know."

"And when it's time for Anneke and Rebekah's parents to be buried..." Johannes started, but couldn't finish.

"Not now, Johanne" Elizabeth interrupted. "Let not the sorrow be near on such a day as this." With a warm hug she helped her younger sister out of the cemetery and towards the Spacelab, where the rest of the gang awaited them.

"How are Mother and Father, Eliza?" Florian asked as the sisters entered the Meeting Room.

Elizabeth sighed. "They're doing just fine, Florian."

"You know, I still can't believe what happened to Anya's parents" Karl said somberly.

"Nor I for Reki's" Wolfgang chimed in, holding onto his girlfriend in an embrace. She looked up sadly, then hugged him tightly.

"We are all the family these girls have now, guys" Ralf said quietly from where he stood, in the back corner, his gaze fixed out the window to the cemetery in the distance. "Just as they are all the family we have." He then lowered his head as a few tears fell from his eyes. Then, with a sigh he lifted his head back up and fixed his gaze to the cemetery again. "After this, we have two funerals to be strong for. And we know this is going to be the hardest time that we can ever face.

"But, for now... at least... another family will be born. Let us rejoice for that" he finally said, looking to the rest of the gang. Johannes nodded.

"He is right" she said softly, "we'd better get going for Alessandro's adoption ceremony. We have to be there in 15 minutes."

En route to the main Clandestinian Rebellion HQ, Karl held Anneke in his arms as she took a decent nap. She'd been napping for the better part of the afternoon and, like Johannes, didn't wish to fall asleep mid-ceremony. The Mensch-Maschine looked out the window for a moment as they past the cemetery, and a tear or two fell from his face as his eyes caught four open caverns of earth, side by side. His heart sank as he knew whose graves were those, and his eyes quickly darted to Wolfgang, who held Rebekah to him. Rebekah's eyes caught Karl's and, for a moment, he reached out and held one of her hands tightly, mouthing "I'm so sorry, Reks."

"Danke, Karl" Rebekah whispered back with a sad, but grateful, smile. Wolfgang nodded his thanks.

Karl then let go of her hand and held on tightly to Anneke again, planting a tender kiss on her forehead. It was only a matter of time before he and the rest of the gang would put four dear souls to their final rest. But for now the thought of it all subsided as he looked at his beloved, then straight ahead as the gang arrived at the HQ.

"Everybody's here!!" Alessandro cheered as the Mensch-Maschinen and the Quartet walked into the Meeting Room of the HQ. Elizabeth's eyes met those of Gregorio, and her jaw dropped.

"Süße Mutter des Gottes…" she said, as Johannes looked to her, then to Gregorio. But the former guard walked to her and gave her a big hug with a smile.

"Yes, I am back in the neighborhood!" he said with a grin. "And I take it you've all met my wife Andelina?"

"Wait--WHAT!?" Rebekah asked in shock.

"So you mean... wait... Andy is...?" Anneke asked, trying to take it all in.

"Gregorio, you smart bastard!" Wolfgang laughed, hugging his old friend. "What are you doing here home in Düsseldorf?"

The guard smiled. "Andie and I are going to be parents again. To make up for the one we lost." His smile faded. "We couldn't allow Alessandro to be without parents, not if he's in need of a good family."

Wolfgang's eyes filled with tears. "Wait--you two are adopting Alessandro!?"

Gregorio nodded as Andelina joined him at his side and her face met Rebekah's. "You again!" she said with a grin.

"Andy!!" Rebekah cheered as she ran to hug the elder Clandestinian.

Gregorio meanwhile looked to Elizabeth. "How is your younger sister, Miss Korinn?" he asked.

Johannes peeked at him from behind her sister. "That sounds like Gregorio, Elizabeth" she chimed in.

"That's because it is Gregorio!" Elizabeth laughed. "He and Andelina are adopting Alessandro today!"

The young Italian Mensch-Maschine meanwhile ran into the arms of his soon-to-be parents, hugging Andelina tightly as Gregorio beamed with pride. The boy then turned to Johannes with a grin. "I'm so happy you all can be here" he said. "If not for you guys...!"

The ceremony, led by the General of the Düsseldorf Chapter of the Rebellion, went off perfectly, the entire gang--Mensch-Maschinen, Quartet, Fritz and Henning, Andelina's friends Faith and Ingo, and of course the proud family--celebrating the simple joy of belonging to a family. Alessandro, Andelina, Gregorio, Faith and Ingo were all accepted into the Düsseldorf Chapter by the General. And in turn, Elizabeth was named Captain of the Chapter, with Anneke as First Lieutenant, Rebekah as the Nurse. And Johannes herself was given the title of Chaplain-in-Training, which amused Elizabeth but it was fitting--for if not for her hope the gang would not have hung tightly to the fight for the freedom and safety of Eastern Europe.

After the proper Inquisition, the taking of vows and the signing of the documentations, the General "by the power invested and granted by the Solemn Court of Germany and the Clandestinian Union" declared Gregorio, Andelina and Alessandro a family, and that by right the child had every proper reason to have a family. The family got into a group hug, which was added by the rest of the gang. Johannes, with tears in her eyes, looked to Alessandro, who beamed at her.

"Miss Johannes!!" Alessandro said. "I have a family!! My wish for a family has come true!!" His eyes then met Florian's, and the two shared a smile that could only mean that, had Florian not allowed the boy along, this would not have been. And all the while the gang relished in the group hug.

Then Anneke caught a glimpse and, towards a distance, she turned her face to meet the ghostly figure of Andelina's daughter.

"Rinalee" she whispered, "you've come to bless us again, haven't you?" The young girl simply smiled and nodded in reply. No words were needed.

Anneke smiled back at her, as Karl looked to her. "What is it, Anya?" he asked quietly.

"Rinalee gives us her blessing, is all there is to it" she replied softly, smiling back at him as everyone prepared for the party which followed immediately. And everyone had their fill of cheer, and more than enough to go around.

Back home Anneke lied down on her bed with a sigh, looking out her window in her upstairs bedroom. If there was one crazy thing she and her three best friends had in common, it was that their bedrooms all looked alike in structure--wide windowsill bench, a few steps to the left of their beds, and at the other side of the rooms were the doors and, beside the doors, their desks. Closets at the wall opposite the bed. To the direct left of the bed was the bedside table, then the dresser. What was different were the pictures that graced the walls, the portraits on the desks, the colors that reflected their personalities.

Exhaustion had finally overtaken her as she sat up on the bed and took her coat off, leaving on only her sleeveless gray dress. Placing the coat on the foot of the bed she lied back down, facing the window. The braids had all been undone--first thing when she got home--and while she was happy that Alessandro had a family, it was still hard to take in the fact that she couldn't tell her parents in time that she'd loved them, that she was thankful for being there for her when they could. They'd been working class parents, working so hard to take care of her daughter as she bravely faced the world, for the most part, on her own. When the Darkstrom took over, after she and the girls were captured, there wasn't much else she could do--she didn't even get to say good-bye to her parents. She didn't get to tell them she loved them that final time before she was transported. Finally she closed her eyes, trying to sleep, tears of regret filling her eyes.

Karl had searched all over the house for Anneke, and finally he checked the bedroom, and became still when he entered the room. His face was fixed to the open window, then to the still figure on the bed. He knew she'd been exhausted from all the festivities of the day, he just never realized how much. But it all sank in the moment he looked at her, resting after a long day, as if nothing else mattered but sleep. With that he closed the door to the room and sat down on the side of the bed, turning to face her.

Anya he thought to himself, you've gone through so much in this life, haven't you?

Lying down behind her he took her into his arms, holding her tightly. They hadn't spent a lot of time together since the return to her home, with Fritz's birthday and Alessandro's adoption. But the time between it all, she'd spent the better part of her days with Rebekah at the HQ, settling the documentations and the funerals for their parents. Karl was with Wolfgang trying to figure out how else to console the girls, for they themselves hadn't really felt the pain of losing their own respect parents. But for Karl, the most important person in the world to him was in his arms, and so help him God if he couldn't see to it that he was there for her at every moment, every second that she needed him.

Except, inasmuch as she needed him, they'd been so apart because of all that had gone on, that he realized just much they truly needed each other. With that he held her to him even tighter, kissing her right ear.

Anneke opened her eyes, knowing that Karl was with her, and she turned to face him. And for a moment as their eyes met, all was still. And then finally she spoke.

"I've missed you, Karlos" she whispered, still lost in exhaustion.

"As have I, Anya" he whispered back as she held him to her.

"I have no idea what to make of all this anymore, Karlos" she whispered as she kissed the top of his head. "So much has happened... I never thought I could suffer such pain and still survive. I never thought what would've happened if I ever lost my parents. And now... I'm just... alone." Her eyes fixed to the picture of her with her parents--an impromptu, lighthearted portrait of her only family by blood. It was the last picture she'd taken of her parents before she was deported to Lisbon, the last picture of her parents alive.

"Anya, you're not alone" Karl whispered back, kissing along the scar on her neck. "You have Elizabeth, Johannes and Reks. You have Florian, Ralf and Wolgang. You have Andelina, Gregorio, Rinalee and Alessandro. You have Fritz and Henning.

"Anya... you have me."

Anneke was quiet for a moment as she looked at the picture again, then to him. He was right--she wasn't alone, even as the pain of losing her parents was getting to her. For now, she was in the sweeter company of the man she loved, and God forbid she'd dare to let her pain get in the way of this very moment. Not while he was with her now, and not while the next at least 48 hours were to be the hardest time she'd have to face.

"Karlos" she whispered, "I love you."

But Karl lifted his gaze to her face, took her face in his hands, and smiled. "I know, Anya, and I love you just as much but, no."

Anneke raised a brow. "Beg pardon--?"

"Not another word tonight, Anya" he whispered as he kissed her full on the mouth, and she finally understood why--that her words would only keep her somewhere in her misery. He didn't want to see her in such sorrow, not while he still had a moment to simply spend time with her. He then rolled onto his back so that she was on top of him and, breaking the kiss for a moment looked her in the eyes.

Outside the lanterns of the houses would be aglow, a lantern for each of the girls that remained alive through the chaos of the Darkstrom. Rebekah would take care of her lantern, then to that of Anneke, and then for Elizabeth and Johannes. Wolfgang would light four candles on the metal table in the living room of Rebekah's home, one for each of the parents soon to be buried. Florian and Ralf would keep their respective girlfriends company, the gang would soon reunite for the funerals, and that was to be their darkest hour.

But, not tonight. Not now.

"Angel," Karl spoke quietly, "not another word be said tonight, please. All I wish is that tonight, let's just... let's just be. All I want to do is to just love you tonight." He then held her face in his hands again and kissed her forehead. She then looked at him, how his eyes simply held that one plea. And then, she smiled softly. She couldn't say another word, didn't dare to. That one smile was all the affirmation he needed as their lips met again, her arms wrapped around him and his hands fighting the buttons on the back of her dress to take into his senses all of her, simply nothing more than to love her and for them to drown in that sweeter love that not even death could destroy.

Tonight, they would make up for some lost time...

Chapter 34: Mein Geliebtes [My Beloved]

2008-02-24T20:19:00.003-05:00

A couple of days had passed since Fritz's birthday celebration, in which all went well. Rebekah succeeded in convincing Wolfgang to not keep her in bed all day, so while she helped Anneke and Elizabeth with making the cake the boyfriend hung with the boys and Johannes to help pick presents. And then the next two days, it rained. And rained. And rained.

But this time, though it rained, Johannes opened the window to her room and sat on her wide windowsill bench. Her face took in the soft rain, the cool breeze that blew in the flowers that clung to her dark hair. She'd never seen rain for most of her life, but it fascinated her to the fullest. In her curiosity she even stuck out her hand to catch a few raindrops and smiled as they lightly fell upon her hand.

Carefully wiping her hands on her black skirt she got up and stretched for a moment. Now on a day like this there wasn't really a lot to do, as the Quartet usually declared it a day off to simply chill. But Johannes, busy as she was, didn't mind the extra time off. In fact, she loved it--extra time off meant more time to explore the world around her. Rainy days however were the best excuse to simply stay home and sleep.

She lied down on her bed and faced the window, still open as the scent of rain crept in. She loved the smell of fresh rain, wondering how she in all her blindness never really noticed it until this moment. Closing her eyes she drowned in its scent, even as Ralf entered the room quietly.

...what in the name of... he thought to himself when he saw the open window, but the worrying ceased when he saw Johannes half asleep on the bed. He knew she had fallen in love with the rainy weather since she'd gained her sight yet he didn't know how much until now. He gently closed the door and, removing his coat and tie to place them on one of the two chairs in the room, walked to her bed.

Johannes' eyes opened when she sensed that he was in the room with her, but she smiled to herself and closed her eyes again to rest some more. Ralf sat down on the bed beside her and looked over her adoringly, the flowers strewn about her hair, her black long-sleeved corset top and long skirt that made her light skin seem even paler, her face set at peace--a certain calm overcoming her. He couldn't help but realize how far they'd come since they'd first met all those months ago. But not even the blindness she'd been born with could stop her from finding love at last.

"I wonder how Joey's doing" Wolfgang sighed as he and Rebekah sat on her front-porch swing, watching the rain fall down. "I haven't seen her since Fritz's birthday party a few days ago."

"Joseraph's doing alright" his girlfriend answered. "She's just been enjoying the rain. She hasn't slept much lately, so she was going to try to make up for it today before we meet up with the adoption officials tomorrow with Alessandro."

Wolfgang's eyes widened. "Oh snap! The adoption is tomorrow!? How'd I missed out on that part of the memo, Reki!?"

Rebekah shrugged. "The hell would I know, Wolfie?"

Her boyfriend chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her. "Time out. Wolfie!?"

"Yes" she replied with a grin. "Get used to it."

He shook his head smiling. "I'm gonna love having you for my wife, Reki" he said. "Just you watch."

But she simply replied with a wink and a grin, and resumed watching the rainfall.

"Johanna?" Ralf whispered in her ear as he lied down beside her. "Are you still awake?"

"I've been having trouble sleeping lately, to be honest" Johannes replied softly, opening her eyes. "I hoped to catch up on sleep so I wouldn't fall asleep in the middle of Alessandro's adoption tomorrow."

Ralf held her close to him. "Why didn't you tell me, Johanna?"

"I didn't want you to worry so much about me" she answered, clasping her hands with his. "There'd been so much going on, but I just... I just couldn't sleep well. Between Fritz's birthday a couple of days ago and Alessandro's big day tomorrow... yeah. I've been hectic." She sighed, her eyes fixed to the open window. "Maybe a little too hectic. I hadn't seen you in days, Ralf. We'd all been so busy."

"I know, Prinzessin" he sighed as she turned to face him. "And I'm sorry. I really wanted to spend some time with you. And with all that had been going on and will be going on I guess we..."

"We didn't have much time to spend together... did we, Ralf?" she whispered lightly.

He nodded. "Nein" he whispered sadly, "we didn't, Princess. And I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too" she apologized humbly and hugged him tightly.

For a while they held each other tightly until Ralf blinked his eyes and looked into Johannes' own. Then, realizing he didn't have a lot of time left to spend with her until another whirlwind of activity would commence again, he took matters to his own hands and, holding her bright face in his hands, kissed her full on the mouth.

"...what in the world's come over you, Ralf!?" Johannes whispered, amazed at the power of his kiss.

"I'm making up for lost time, Johanna" he simply answered as he fought with the ribbons of her corset, the ribbons on her skirt. But the thought didn't register fully for her at first until she realized, he was right. They hadn't been with each other in a few days, and even that was much too long for them to be apart. And she knew he was right when he started trailing kisses along her shoulder, down her pale body that the clothing of darkness concealed for so long...

A few minutes later Elizabeth almost dropped her bowl of soup, a warmth in her chest arising again. But it was stronger than she'd felt the past three times before. Florian stood up from his place in the table at Anneke's kitchen and walked to her.

"Eliza, are you alright?" he asked, helping her hold onto the bowl.

But she nodded hesitantly. "Yes, I'm alright, love" she assured him. "I just feel a strange warmth in my chest... that only I can think about. I... I couldn't tell you what it was for the life of me. You wouldn't understand." She gave him a humbling smile.

He sighed softly. "Understood" he answered with a smile. "If you need me to help with anything, just ask."

"Got it" she spoke again, smiling.

He then kissed her forehead and left the kitchen, and carefully Elizabeth placed the bowl in the sink. She then took a deep breath, and realized fully what all could've gone on.

Johanne she thought to herself, you've become one soul with Ralf, haven't you? But she clutched her chest tightly, realizing that it felt warmer because of the outside chill of the wind that blew in from the open kitchen windows.

And then, a tear or two down her cheek, she smiled. She knew her sister's heart, at last, was full. And she sighed wistfully, wondering if her little sister could get any sleep after this new situation Ralf started.

Johannes opened her eyes after a much-needed few hours' rest and looked at Ralf. She was able to get some rest, relaxed as she was even as her senses were in overdrive some hours ago. Whatever crossed his mind as he undid the ribbons that held her clothes together, whatever crossed her mind as she fought carefully with his tie and shirt buttons--it must've been enough. But she still drowned in the memory fresh from earlier in the afternoon; she still tasted every kiss, she still felt every last inch of his skin upon hers, and as she closed her eyes she still felt their eyes meet when they finally found their release. There wasn't much else to do now, as all had been said and done.

She traced a finger along his cheek, his mouth. "You're so beautiful, Ralf" she whispered softly with a loving smile. "I simply don't... I just don't deserve you."

"No, you do deserve me, Johanna" Ralf whispered back, opening his eyes to look at her. "Just as I deserve you." He wrapped her tightly in his arms, lightly kissing her shoulder. "We deserve and belong to each other, Johanna."

Johannes sighed and looked to one of the healed wounds on his shoulder from that fateful, final fight against the DarkStrom. She never could understand fully how he, in the end, survived the fight... how he and the fellow Mensch-Maschinen survived. But she was grateful and thrilled that they'd survived.

"You know... I don't think I'll ever figure out how and or why we met" she admitted humbly. "But whatever the circumstances, I'm thankful for them all."

"How so, Princess?" Ralf asked with a smile.

"Because I'm here, in the loving arms of my beloved Prince Charming" she replied nonchalantly.

Ralf smiled again and wrapped each other in the blanket. "Well, if I were you, I'd still be resting up after what all went on in here" he suggested.

"Ja, that was... well... yeah" she laughed gently. "By the way... Ralf?"

"Yes, mein geliebtes Prinzessin?" he asked, his blue eyes looking into her purple own.

"I love you" she whispered, smiling.

But Ralf simply kissed her forehead and rested against her heart, whispering "I love you even more" as he planted kisses along her heart. Johannes held him tightly to her and closed her eyes to resume catching up on some much-needed yet rightly-blissful sleep, simply drowning in their love...

Chapter 33: Geduld Bewilligte. [Patience Granted.]

2007-12-26T17:42:00.000-05:00

Good gracious, it's good to be home!

Rebekah smiled to herself as the thought crossed her mind. A handful of days before, everyone had recovered fully in the Spacelab, the Mensch-Maschinen now with their own hearts, and Johannes with her sight. Later on that afternoon they were given the all-clear to go to their homes, and the guys opted to stay with their girlfriends than head to their oft-hectic headquarters they codenamed KlingKlang. For the youngest of the Quartet, however, it was more than just a humorous thrill to have Wolfgang staying over--she'd never had a guy stay over at her place before!

All had been quiet when the gang returned to their homes, but for the first few days it was a sad day for both her and Anneke, as they returned to find their parents had died in the hands of the enemy. Wolfgang hugged Rebekah tightly while she sobbed against his chest; Karl shed tears beside Anneke, then contacted the rest of the gang to notify them of what all went on.

"So... we have only us to carry on some legacy" Rebekah whispered quietly. Wolfgang just sighed and hugged her tightly. It wasn't fair that they should return home to find no family to welcome them, no close kin to greet them--it wasn't fair. In the back of his mind he felt as if he was the only family she had now, close to her as he was.

But now all was well, the gang fully recovered from returning home [or, in the guys' case, moving in with the Quartet], and for the first time in days Rebekah truly felt like all was simply well. Time for a morning shower! she thought to herself with a whimsical smile as she tiptoed to the shower quietly, as she usually did, so that she wouldn't wake Wolfgang up unnecessarily. However, that proved a wasteful effort as he silently opened one eye to catch her leaving the room.

...and just where does she think she's going? he thought to himself as he blinked his eyes open and fixed them to the door. But quickly it all came back to him as he could hear her singing before she turned the water on--

"Ein frohes Picknick heute, welche Freude!
Mit allen meinen Freunden--welche Freude!"

--sweet Mother of God! he thought to himself. The picnic's today!? ALREADY!? Surely the days hadn't passed by this quickly, yet alas! the gang had all planned a picnic two days before, to celebrate Fritz's birthday. And Andelina and her two best friends, Faith and Ingo, were going to visit from Vienna for the party!!

Wolfgang smacked himself in the forehead. "Damnit, Wolfgang!! How the hell could you forget Fritz's birthday, you dork!?" he scolded himself in a quiet whisper. With a sigh he sat up and looked over to the pillow where his girlfriend had slept. And then, another memory returned as he heard the shower running--

His eyes caught through the slightly open doors to both their room and the bathroom that she was busy preparing for the long day ahead. But the sight of her was what made his eyes widen in even more shock, and he buried his face in his pillow for a moment.

"Bloody hell, Wolfgang!!" he mentally scolded himself. "Reki. In a towel. And nothing freckin' else!?" This was quite more than enough torture for him.

He got up from the bed and started walking to the bathroom quietly as the thought crossed his memory again--that's right, she still owed him some time from Athens, and now that they were no longer in harm's way...

"Alright, I've already informed Lexi of the situation. He's got Fritz in good hands." Anneke grinned hanging up her cell phone; she called up Alessandro to let him know about the surprise picnic for the Trans-Europa conductor, and sighed in relief that the conductor had no idea what all would go on later on that night in the Spacelab's garden.

"...Lexi?" Johannes asked with a questioning look to her friend as they and Elizabeth talked for a while in Anneke's kitchen, with Ralf sitting beside Johannes, his eyes fixed to the newspaper. Karl was also with them, sitting on the counter, drinking a cup of hot cocoa and listening in on all the conversation.

Anneke giggled. "That's my nickname for Alessandro" she explained. "He loves it."

"Ohhh. Gotcha" the purple-eyed replied with a nod. She then smiled to her older sister. "What should I bring to the party?"

"I'd say you bring yourself" Elizabeth replied with a shrug. "I still have to teach you to cook sometime soon!"

"Don't teach her to cook--she'll burn the house down" Florian chided in sarcastically. He entered the kitchen with a grin to Elizabeth. But his sweetheart shook her head.

"How 'bout she burns you in the butt first, moron?" Ralf said to his best friend, as nonchalantly as can be. Anneke giggled after the comment.

"But she's still got a ways to go before Eliza attempts to even show her how to write love poetry, let alone cook!" Florian retorted.

Finally, Johannes spoke--"Eh um... Florian?"

"Yes, Johanne?" the flutist said, looking to her with a polite smile.

But she looked at him unamusingly, raising a brow. "Bite me, quirkface."

*PFFTT!!* Karl spit out his cocoa and blinked before glancing to the young dark-haired woman and her very first insult. Ralf lowered his paper to look at her, his eyebrows raised. Elizabeth had a surprised yet amused smile on her face and Anneke had to control her giggling. But Florian stood still, quiet, a stunned look on his face, which ended up having Ralf joining Anneke in trying to silence giggles.

"Listen, dear, dear Florian" Johannes spoke further, "keep in mind that I just got my sight, and I'm pretty excited about learning all there is to know about this charming world. Now if you want to go ahead and be a smart-aleck you can but, rest assured, I will gladly be the woman with the last laugh.

"Now, have I made myself clear?" she smiled politely at him.

Florian nodded hesitantly. "Y-yes ma'am!" he stammered, and quietly walked out the kitchen with his finger over his mouth. A couple of seconds later Karl finally bursted into laughter, with Anneke and Ralf unable to hide their giggling any longer. Elizabeth shook her head, laughing at what she had just witnessed.

"That, Johanne, was the best thing to come out of your mouth!" Karl laughed.

"Sure was better than what I had to say!" added Ralf.

"Now THAT is how you should insult the boys from back in the day!" Anneke cheered.

"And just how in the world did you learn to talk like that!?" Elizabeth asked with a chuckle.

"Simple" Johannes answered with a grin. "I learned it all from you."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Well then damn!" she laughed. "I think I taught you well!"

"By damn, I think you did!" Karl affirmed with a grin that matched Johannes' cheerful own.

Rebekah stepped into the shower, the warm water hitting her slightly shivering skin. One thing about home was, she didn't miss how cold it was. Since her childhood she always wore long-sleeves, never cared for any short-sleeved shirt or dress. For her, it was always cold, and she even wrapped herself in her blanket tightly at night. But a memory reminded of the one time she ever stood out of her comfort zone, a present from so far back yet worn not so long ago...

In her quiet demeanor she emerged out of the bathroom wearing her dark-blue night skirt and, which she never really wore, a blue sleeveless corset which her neighbors' mother had made for her birthday some years back. At first the youngest of the Quartet swore to herself she'd never wear something so daring, no matter how pretty it was. Yet the memory of her neighbors' mother provided enough reason for her to wear the corset. A lopsided smile crossed her face as she tried it on and saw her reflection in the mirror just moments before she exited the bathroom.

"Daaammmn, Reki-Nova!" she thought to herself, "that actually looks and fits and feels pretty damn good!!"

She grinned to herself at the nice momentary change in the weather, the change in attire. Self-conscious as she usually was from the faint scars that ran along her upper arms, she never let the thought cross her mind that one night in Athens. In fact, she had completely forgotten all about them. But around Wolfgang she had no reason anymore to worry herself about the scars of the battle that almost killed her close friend Anneke all those years ago; she felt beautiful around him, and it was through him that she learned how to truly accept herself for the bright, green-eyed, redhead angel that she truly was. He told her she was beautiful and, for a while at first she wasn't too sure to believe it, but it all changed that night in Vienna, and truly realized that he'd truly loved her. And then, for a moment, it felt as if all was lost...

She sobbed quietly against his chest, her own hands gripping his shirt. Why... why did he have to give up his own life so she could live, when there wasn't much meaning to life now that he was gone? She had lost the courage that kept her strong in the face of chaos; he had been the reason why she stood her ground, became the daring woman he fell for as he'd fallen for the cowardly woman-child she once was. But even worse than cowardice was what she felt as failure--failure to heal his injuries, to fix his wounds, to keep him alive.

"I could not save you" she whispered sadly, "I've failed you. I'm so sorry, Wolfgang... I'm so sorry."

He'd truly given his life, his wires now worse for wear, entirely all for her. Up until he met her, he'd only thought of himself and his best friends, his fellow Roboter. But then she came into his life... and he miraculously changed for the better. Andelina knew this. Karl witnessed it firsthand. The youngest of the Quartet had been the brightest influence of his very life.

But her light of hope had dimmed as his life faded away before her.

"Wolfgang..." she whispered, "you were always kind to me... you looked out for me like no one else had. You inspired me to be strong, to never back down again.

"I never thought... I'd have to watch you die in front of me.

"So... the great Creator has decided to... to further my misery, to try to test my courage... by having to go through this world without you in my life. But I... I don't want to...

"I don't want to live in this world alone!

"I don't care if we're in Düsseldorf--what all does that matter to me anymore if... if you're not here with me..."

After sobbing to herself some more, she lied down on her back, clasping his hand in hers, and closed her eyes.

"If the Creator wants to take you from me" she mourned, "then don't forget the other half of your soul... please, take me with you..."

Patiently she waited for him to die, waited for her own death to pass beside him.

She sighed with another smile as she recalled how he woke up, and how she realized he was alive and well. How he promised her he'd marry her. The thrilling promise of forever warmed her to the soul, even more so than the water that warmed her not-as-chilly flesh. She fought with the soap, scrubbing her body for a couple of minutes, and finally she washed her face. Shutting her eyes she stood under the shower and rinsed off the soap from her body before feeling her hand along the wall for the washcloth. Grabbing it she realized as she rubbed the water from her eyes that, wait a sec! that wasn't where the washcloth usually was!! Which meant that either something wasn't right or... that someone was here...

"You almost knocked the shampoo over, it would've hit your foot and that wouldn't be good now, would it?"

Rebekah quickly opened her eyes as she recognized the voice that spoke--

"WOLFGANG!? The hell are you doing here!?" she spoke in a hushed whisper. Their eyes met and as he touched her cheek with his hand, she quickly remembered a situation similar to this... not so long ago.

"...well, if my memory seems proper" Wolfgang answered, "we're not in harm's way anymore, are we?"

Rebekah took a deep breath and blinked for a moment--he was right. She'd told him that, perhaps, when they were back home and all was well. She'd begged him to be patient for her sake, and he'd gladly obliged. But now that they were back home, now that the Darkstrom was no more, he wasn't sure how much longer she'd have him waiting and, in the back of her mind, it was time enough she'd had him upholding patience. But the train of thought rightly derailed as Wolfgang quietly stepped in the shower and, holding her face in his hands, kissed her.

For a moment she could've sworn her cell phone was ringing, but for the moment it didn't matter as her boyfriend trailed kisses along her body. She'd felt this before, back in Athens, when she stepped out of her usual manner and surprised Wolfgang with her daring nature in the process. But this wasn't what she'd expected. Not while she was still in the shower, and certainly not while she had a picnic to prepare for!!

Yet, he kept stringing patient kisses along the scars of past fights that adorned her fragile body. How could anyone so delicate fight and bear scars like this? he thought to himself as he kissed one scar that ran across her abdomen, then looked up to catch her eyes in his.

"You... you fought when necessary, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes" she said hesitantly. "Why?"

"You've got quite a bit of scars there, sweetheart" he answered, trailing a finger along one of her scars that ran along her upper arm.

"Yeah... I know" she sighed. "I had to. I couldn't simply stand by idly and watch my best friend and her older sister and Annie on their own. I may have been the nurse, but even Florence Nightingale took risks and took on challenges, didn't she?"

Standing up he took both of her hands in his. "Bad enough you fought, then you unexpectedly captured my heart" he said as he kissed her along her jaw. "In honesty, I never expected this. Never."

"Give me a break" she retorted with a smart smile and a raised eyebrow. "Whatever happened to those days of being the playboy?"

"I may have flirted shamelessly then" he admitted, "but you're different. You're special. You're... you. I can't figure out what else to say about it. The other girls back then, they may have been pretty, but I didn't expect to fall for a young lady reaching just up to my eyebrows, red hair and green eyes, bright and courageous in shades of blue that would make the sky rightly jealous.

"I didn't expect to fall in love with you, but I'm so damn glad I did."

A soft smile crossed her face just before he kissed her sweet mouth, and all the thoughts that ran through her mind--her past battles, his past flirtations--died as quickly as they had arrived. But she'd gladly die in this moment, she'd want nothing more than this, until--cautiously--he entered her. At that second she'd bit his lower lip a bit and he blinked his eyes open.

"Ouch, Reki!" he whispered. "What gives!?"

"Just that bit of pain" she admitted, biting her lower lip lightly.

"...ohhh, okay" he noted with a nod. "Yeah, you get the bit of pain and I have to restrain myself a little. Remember--I love you too much to ever want to hurt you."

She rolled her eyes. "Isn't that the fun of a first time or what?" she said sarcastically.

He shrugged. "I have better things to worry about."

"Like what?" she asked.

But he lightly nibbled her lower lip and, as he then kissed her warmly, she felt no further question needed to be said as she carefully, yet sweetly, welcomed all of him.

"...got no answer!" Anneke said, hanging up her cell phone. She sighed. "It's not like Becca to not answer her phone. She usually answers it within the first two rings!"

"Maybe she's finally discovered the joys of sleeping in?" asked Johannes with a giggle.

"Maybe!?" Ralf chimed in, his face one of surprise.

"Yeah, she's always the early riser, or so I've been told" she answered. "She never sleeps in, even on Saturdays!"

"What happens on Saturday?" Ralf asked.

"It's usually our sleep-in day!" she replied with a grin. "That's tomorrow!" Ralf grinned back, excited about sleeping in for the first time in quite a while.

But Elizabeth felt a quiet warmth, in her own heart, something familiar, yet she realized also what all went on. She'd felt that same warmth when Anneke and Karl were together that one night. She'd felt that on her own when she was with Florian. Quickly she looked to Anneke and pulled her aside for a moment.

"No... maybe she...!" she told her best friend quietly, biting her lower lip to silence herself.

"...no way, not... not Becca!?" the practical jokester of the Quartet whispered in an effort to hide her shock and silence any further giggles.

"It's the only strangely warm feeling I know of in my heart, Anophelia" Elizabeth whispered back. "I'd felt it when you were with Karl. I'd felt it when I was with Florian. And that was back in the Spacelab."

"...so the youngest has had her maidenhead breached then?" Anneke asked in a hushed whisper, an amused smile on her face.

Elizabeth nodded. And the two shared a secret, knowing smile.

Silence had fallen between them with the exception of the shower. Two souls had gladly, finally, merged into one; two anxious bodies sought and found their worth-waited-for release. Wolfgang in his exhaustion fell to his knees, resting his head against her lightly-scarred abdomen. Never had he expected to make love to anyone, yet this was perhaps the most unexpected yet thrilling moment he'd waited for, and rightly so. He'd truly loved Rebekah, and had been patient with her until, at long last, he gladly gave all of himself to her.

Rebekah miraculously stood against the wall of the shower, where he'd pinned her as he loved her with all he had. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting everything sink in, every kiss and every touch that went on. She then bit her lower lip recalling that moment they'd found each other's release, their whispered names drowning in each other's kisses--it felt so strange yet, so wonderful. She never imagined, never thought, that this could happen to her. But there they were, still in her shower, in each other's arms.

Finally she was overwhelmed and slumped to her knees as the aftershocks set in. Wolfgang caught her in his arms and held her to him.

"It's alright, sweetheart" he whispered softly in her ear, "I'm here. You're safe with me."

"I know" she said with a warm smile. "I know." Then, after a moment more she held his face in her hands and looked him in the eye. "You know we have a picnic we should be at later, right?"

He nodded.

"Alright," she spoke again. "Just making sure. I still have to help with the cake and set-up later on. Just that... I'm not wanting to go there looking like something happened in here... between us... y'know?" She gave a light, lopsided smile.

All her life she never expected what happened in her shower to happen, but as he shut off the shower and helped dry her off with a towel she'd realized that, this was no dream. That situations like this were meant to happen to cowards and playboys that could rightly love each other no matter what the odds were. They'd faced the odds, they'd overcome the odds. Their battle against society was gladly won. And they'd found each other, different as they were, perfect for each other.

"Trust me, Reki love" he said, "they'll never know what all went on in here." He smiled and carried her back to her bedroom, where he laid her down on the bed and lied down on top of her, and for the first time in Rebekah's life, she didn't feel the chill of her home--all she could feel was a warmth that overtook her entire soul, that same warmth that overtook all of Wolfgang. Truly, this had to be what true, unexpected bliss felt like; and it was well worth the wait, a patience perfectly granted!

"I love you, Reki" he whispered as he looked her in the eye.

"Love ya too, Wolfgang" she whispered back with a smile.

Gently they held each other as he kissed her on the mouth, then trailed kisses along her neck and a wound on her shoulder blade; all she could do was smile, plant kisses along his shoulder, and simply bask in the love that consumed each other whole.

*writer's note--memory excerpts for athens and the spacelab are from, respectively, Chapter 24 [Temptation] and Chapter 27 [A Light That Never Goes Out].*

Chapter 32: Nicht mehr Vorhang. [No Longer Blind.]

2007-12-13T15:36:00.000-05:00

The morning had been well-spent for Ralf and Johannes as they stood at the window, the purple-eyed child once blind now looking towards her hometown, her beloved Mensch-Maschine behind her with his arms around her. The two smiled as their eyes glanced over the busy streets outside their window, as Fritz and Alessandro ran out of the Spacelab's doors and through the gates to capture the day ahead of them.

As life began to unfold in Düsseldorf, Johannes closed her eyes, letting the memory sink into her soul--a while ago Ralf had kissed her until they were dizzy from lack of air and their senses rendered numb. But what sealed the memory even more were the words he said, who he was to her,

"Meine liebe Prinzessin... my dear, sweet Princess..."

A content grin crossed her bright face as she opened her eyes to catch the city glowing in sunlight. She'd never seen a city so full of life before, and it was only a matter of time before she and Ralf would join in the joyful outside world. But for the moment, it was only her and her beloved, happy in each other's company.

"Elibeth, you look like you're half asleep!!"

"Yeah, so do you, Annika."

Inside the Spacelab's meeting room, Elizabeth and Anneke laughed in conversation as Florian, Karl and Wolfgang talked amongst themselves. Rebekah helped Professor Henning in checking up on the healing status of the Maschinen and she smiled in the thought of the guys having healed for the most part. But all became silent when two familiar voices were heard in the hallway, heading for the room.

"Okay, so this is the hallway..."

"Yep, and we're about to approach the meeting room, straight ahead."

"Alright, that room we're about to enter is the meeting room."

"That's it, princess."

All seven turned their heads to the door to look at Johannes enter the meeting room without hesitation, followed by Ralf. She smiled walking into the room, and went to the nearest empty chair at the table.

"And this...?" she asked, looking to Ralf, who nodded but once.

"That's a chair" he explained.

"A chair!" she noted. "I sit in a chair!" And with a proud grin she sat down on the chair.

"Correct, Johanna" Ralf smiled with glee. "And do you remember what that is over there?" he asked, pointing to the window.

Johannes nodded. "That is also a window, Ralf?" she said, curious.

"Yep" he nodded. "That's also a window."

"Yay!" she cheered. He simply smiled at her in adoration.

"And how many fingers am I holding up!?" Karl asked, holding up a hand with four fingers.

The young woman blinked and counted for a moment. "Ein... zwei, drei... vier!" she counted with a bright, cheerful grin. "Four fingers!!"

Elizabeth and everyone--except for Ralf, because he already knew--stared in wonder at what they could only call a miracle.

"Is that Karl, Ralf?" Johannes asked, pointing to Karl, who smiled in joyful affirmation of what was to be the best treat about returning home.

"Yes, that's Karl" her beloved explained. "Can you figure out who else is everyone here in the room?"

The young woman blinked and, taking a look around, looked to Rebekah. But the youngest of the Quartet looked with a glowing smile and spoke only a sentence:

"You... you can see us, can't you, Joseraph?"

Johannes grinned. "You are Rebekah!" she whispered enthusiastically. The redhead nodded, tears welling in her eyes. The purple-eyed woman stood up and carefully walked to Florian, who gave her his hands.

"This is familiar, is it not?" he asked smiling.

She closed her eyes, remembering the train ride to Athens, and nodded smiling. "Yes!" she answered, opening her eyes. "You must be Florian!" But he said not another word as he hugged her. Her eyes then met the pale green eyes of her older sister.

"Jo... Johanne" Elizabeth whispered, tears falling down her cheeks.

"...meine geliebte ältere Schwester" Johannes whispered to her, tears falling from her own eyes; "mein Elizabeth."

Elizabeth immediately knew--the only person to ever address her as her dear older sister had to be Johannes. But the younger used to address her as that when she cried in the elder's arms. Now... there was only joy, that the younger was blessed with sight. With that the elder sister went to her younger and hugged her tightly.

"How sweeter the sight... that you've been blessed to see!" Elizabeth whispered as she smiled admirably into her younger sister's eyes.

"So I'm guessing you're recognizing voices and matching them to everyone?" Wolfgang asked with a grin.

Johannes nodded with a smile to him. "I'm trying to remember... we haven't talked a lot, have we?"

"Yeah, sorry about that, Joey" he said apologetically.

She giggled. "You must be Wolfgang then!!"

"How the heck!?" he laughed.

"Because you're the only person I know of that calls me Joey!" she explained with a grin.

"Damn... busted" laughed Karl watching the scene. But Wolfgang laughed with his best friend--Karl was right. But, it was a good humor for everyone, because many a miracle had passed within the first half of the new day.

"Well surprise, I'm not gonna kill you because your eyes are my favorite color!" a familiar voice chimed in. Johannes turned her head to look at a grinning Anneke, who had her arms open to hug her best friend's little sister that they all loved so dearly.

Johannes smiled and, letting go of her sister, walked to hug Anneke tightly. "Annika!" she laughed as they hugged and cried. "I can see you, all of you, Annika...!"

"Well I'll be supershorted!" Henning laughed as he watched all the events unfold in the meeting room. "The Robots have their hearts, Miss Johannes is no longer blind. Miracles abound! What sweeter way to return home than to have this all occur?" With that he stood up and added to the hug.

Then, one by one, starting with Ralf, they all joined in the hug until Johannes was surrounded by people she loved, they who cared about her because they knew she couldn't live without them. For a moment her eyes locked with those of everyone, one at a time. Finally, she whispered as she relished in the hug, "This is what hope does to all of us. This is what love allows for all of us!"

All was in silence as Fritz and Alessandro returned and entered the meeting room. Their eyes watching the group hug, smiles were on both of their faces. Then, with a nod to each other, they added to the hug, with little Alessandro scooting in the center to hug Johannes.

"Noi tutto l'amore voi, Signorina Johannes" the orphan whispered, a smile to catch Johannes' cheerful face as he hugged her. "We all love you--very, very much!"

Chapter 31: Erste Liebe, Letzte Liebe. [First Love, Last Love.]

2007-12-12T15:44:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth blinked her eyes a bit, wrapped tightly in Florian's arms, as the sun shone in the room later on that morning. The sun had finally risen, but she wasn't sure she wanted to fully get up and deal with the world yet--not after all had happened between them. Later on that morning she'd be concerned over her sister's state of being, as well as those of Anneke and Rebekah; with her beloved alive and well she began to hope against hope that, perhaps, the other Mensch-Maschinen were alive and well, basking in the love of their dear companions. But for the moment, it was to be the last thing on her mind as she began to replay in her mind a newly fresh memory, only a while after she'd fallen asleep in his arms the first time around.

She was still in some sense of disbelief at first when she woke up a few hours ago to look at him, who was still asleep at the time.

Turning to face him she remembered what had been said earlier that morning, only a short while past midnight, how he promised her he'd never leave her alone. A small smile broke on her face as she ran her finger along his cheek--he'd looked so peaceful sleeping, without a care in the world. She became half-tempted to kiss him, but the thought quickly perished as she closed her eyes again. Then, seconds later she opened them again and, realizing that the best course of action was to never waste a second with him, gave in to her minor temptation and kissed him on the lips--but it wasn't the usual short-and-simple kiss this time. Quickly he blinked his eyes open and smiled in the kiss a bit, a tiny bit amused that she'd stepped out of her comfort zone again. But he closed his eyes and held her in his arms while she held his face in her hands--it felt so wonderful just to be in his arms, to kiss his lips again.

He attempted to break the kiss, to ask her what in her right mind she was thinking to kiss him this sweetly, and succeeded in the first of the two. She opened her eyes and smiled a bit, their faces so close they could've touched nose-against-nose.

"What... what rightly possessed you to kiss me... like that?" he asked, blinking as they sat up and faced each other. His curiosity was revived at an alarming rate, but it wasn't a simple curiosity he once had about her since the beginning--there was something stronger about his curiosity, and by damn he had every right to question almost everything he'd once knew, once thought about her.

But she simply smiled and replied softly, "Just... that simple reminder to never take anything for granted."

She sat up and, hugging her knees to her chest, looked out the window at the vibrant city outside. Home sweet home she thought with a warm smile. She hadn't seen home in over three years, and now she was home. She was back in beloved Düsseldorf, with her sister and their best friends, with the ones they truly loved, and with the one she herself loved selflessly.

Closing her eyes for another moment she dwelled on the memory of a few hours ago, her forehead now resting against her knees as the morning sun slowly made its path beyond Düsseldorf's horizon...

Florian shook his head gently, amazed at the honesty of her answer. One thing he knew about her was, she was brutally honest in everything she said, everything she did. That was one thing about her that would never change.

"What is it, Florian?" Elizabeth asked in a hushed whisper, but she dared not say another word when he ran his thumb along her lower lip. She lowered her eyes to the thumb for a second, then met his curious but longing eyes again. Her simple courage revived, and keeping up in doing what must be dared, she lightly bit the flesh at his thumb.

He kept his silence as she bit his thumb, but the torture was enough for him to snap back his thumb from her. She gave him a questioning look, her pale green eyes still fixed upon him. But he gave no answer as he leaned over and, locking hands with hers, kissed her sweetly on the mouth, nibbling gently on her lower lip.

"You've no idea... just how much... I've really missed you," Elizabeth whispered inbetween kisses as her fingers tangled against his tie and blouse buttons. But Florian knew in his heart how much she'd missed him as his fingers fought her coatbuttons.

She sighed, halfway drowning in the memory. Lifting up her head she glanced to the clothes strewn in a neat pile on the floor beside the bed and chuckled quietly. Who knew--who in their right mind knew!--that everything that had happened since they'd met in Lisbon would lead right up to this? For certain, she had no idea this would happen, and she was sure that the man she loved would gladly agree with her on the very thought.

In her younger years she swore she'd never fall in love, that she'd focus her attention towards the freedom of Eastern Europe, her sister and two best friends, the safety of her own life. Never did she dream of falling in love... never did she dream of meeting Florian.

Despite this, in all her recollections and past wishful thinking, the bold Captain of the Quartet smiled to herself again as she rested her head, chin to knees, eyes fixed to the window and the glowing world outside the Spacelab's walls. She sighed thoughtfully as her thoughts returned to the memory she was, last she recalled, drowning in...

"I already know, Eliza... I already know" Florian whispered back as their clothes quickly were put aside and the line between common sense and uncommon behavior blurred. Neither he nor Elizabeth could think straight yet, despite whatever could be going on outside their room, nothing else mattered at the moment. She shut her eyes and held him tightly, her senses in overdrive and planting kisses along the shoulder where he'd suffered both of his bullet wounds that Rebekah healed. If even Johannes were to have attempted to wander about and find Ralf, that wouldn't have kept her older sister from losing herself in the moment she had found herself in.

Her eyes reopened as he entered her and, for a moment, she was still. Perhaps, a bit speechless as well. Sure, she'd think that the first time would hurt, except it didn't quite hurt as much as she'd thought.

"...you okay, Eliza?" Florian asked, blinking as his eyes shifted to her and he kept still.

She nodded once, a quick one. "Yep" she answered. "I'm alright."

"Any pain?" he asked, biting his lower lip a bit.

"No pain" she replied.

One careful thrust and she winced a tiny bit--"Ouch!" she whispered and he stopped again; quickly he glanced to her face, still holding her to him. Did she actually feel any pain, try as he might to make this as painless as possible?

"...on second thought, just a little" she admitted with an embarrassed face. Their eyes locked for a moment, and a second later she broke into a grin. Then and there the two broke into a fit of giggles, holding each other tightly.

"You sure know how to say you're in pain" Florian laughed, kissing her shoulder.

"Well, it was either that or keep quiet and stay too serious for our own good!" Elizabeth replied in a hushed whisper, kissing his ear.

He gently lied her back down on the bed, not leaving her for a second, and hugged her tightly with a giggle. She turned her head to smile at him but her lips met his, and at that minute their giggling died down as their lips locked again.

Her eyes fixed to the necklace with her parents' wedding rings on it, as it had spilt out of one of her coat-pockets. The first thing she did, the day her parents were killed, was to remove their wedding rings. The night before the funeral she strung the three rings along a shotbead chain she rarely wore. The next morning she wore the rings to the funeral, but she always wore them under her coat.

Closing her eyes she continued to reminisce--a warm smile as she recalled to mind how wonderful, how strange yet... right... it all came together...

A calm silence overcame the room as the two made love, their lips lost in a long and bittersweet kiss. The outside world would have no clue, and they'd be damned if their friends ever overheard what had gone on in this very room. God forbid Johannes should accidentally stumble in on them but, as her intuition was in check she knew than to stray for whatever--whoever--it was she'd look for... which in this case would be Ralf.

Elizabeth however held Florian's face in her hands gently as she kissed him as willingly as she gave all of herself to him. Occassionally she'd open one eye to fix to the door in case of anything, but it was the last thing she was concerned about. All that mattered to her was the one person she loved more than anyone else.

But as minutes silently passed in untold bliss, their bodies sought and found their release, their souls drowning in each other, thoughts ran through each others mind. The lovers could hear their own hearts pounding in their heads, but they held each other gently, somewhere lost in their morning bliss. All the while their eyes were to each other, amused but worn-out half-smiles on their faces as they caught their breaths.

"...so... any pain, Eliza?" Florian asked inbetween catching breaths.

"...Florian... you smartass" Elizabeth retorted with a chuckle.

She giggled to herself at the memory as she lied back down on the bed with a sigh. Turning her head to look at her beloved she smiled, wondering how she'd come this far. She couldn't imagine life without him now--they were two equal halves to one soul. When the sweat turned to cold and all was said and done, they'd become so much more alike than when they'd first met all those months ago.

Florian finally opened one eye and smiled. "So, how'd you sleep?" he asked.

Elizabeth sighed happily. "Quite nicely, thank you very much."

"Any pain?" he asked with a grin.

She shook her head. "Florian" she replied, "I swear you're lucky I'm in a good mood!"

"Well then" he said as he pulled her into his arms, "shall I take advantage of said good mood?"

Elizabeth was beside herself--did the idea of making love again pass through Florian's mind!? Surely he's lost his mind! she thought to herself, but the thought was pushed aside when he kissed her with resolve--his resolve to always be there for her when she needed him, no matter what. After he broke the kiss she smiled at him warmly.

"Florian..." she said shaking her head, "what the hell am I ever going to do with you?"

But he smiled and, lying on top of her, held her hands in his. She raised a brow, her face fixed in a humble, amused half-smile.

"Simple, mein Liebling," he answered. "Consider me crazy but love me anyways."

Giving up the fight then and there, she chuckled. "Well, could you do me a favor, crazy little Roboter of mine?" she asked.

"For you, Eliza, anything."

She touched her nose to his for a moment and smiled. "Shut up and kiss me already."

Florian raised both eyebrows and, with a grin, replied, "Gladly!" Pushing her head back on the pillow he kissed her on the mouth, which itself still wore the smile since she relived the memory. But Elizabeth kept to herself, in her heart, that warm memory of her first time; her heart felt its sweetness. She'd never forget it, and rightly so--he was, to her, her first time, her last crush, her only love.

Chapter 30: Ein Licht, Das Nie Erlischt [A Light That Never Goes Out] - Johannes.

2007-12-11T14:21:00.000-05:00

...Ralf, where... where are you?

Mama?

Papa?

Elizabeth?

...where

where are you?

Johannes quietly stumbled in her blindness through the hallway to find Ralf's room. She had cried herself to sleep and, as she was sleeping, her sister and two childhood friends had all left to find their loved ones and to lament over their deaths. The blind woman woke up whispering her older sister's name. Realizing that she was alone, she sighed and, in her misery, felt as if she should just disregard waiting and go find her beloved. But she had more tears to cry and, as she tried to make her way through, she felt her weakness overwhelm her, and she stumbled over her blind steps, falling on the floor a few times.

Finally her intuition kicked into overdrive and, boldly, she got back up and had her hand along the wall and closed doors as she made her way to where her Roboter slept in death. Noting a gap in the wall, she sensed it was the open door to his room and, her hands feeling for the door, she found the doorknob and closed the door to his room. Numbly she felt her way through until she found the bed; she then walked around it to the other side, so as to get a feel of what sort of room she was in. One hand on the bed, the other against the wall... the window... Unable to stand anymore, she sat down on the side of the bed, unsure what to do, how to feel. But whatever it was she felt, it was a pain worse than loneliness.

"...why... do I feel so empty inside?" she asked herself as she felt around the bed with her hand and, to her saddened shock, found one of Ralf's hands.

His hand... is like ice!? she thought to herself as more tears fell down her pale cheeks. Does that mean that... he's...

Unable to finish the thought she let go of his hand and, hugging her knees to her chest, began to sob. Surely he couldn't die--he was a robot! Robots couldn't die! They'd live forever if they wanted to, they'd shut themselves down if they wanted to! But... unlike robots, Ralf was also human, which meant that he could die at any moment, and there'd be nothing that Johannes, as his love, could do about it. Yet if love could bring back anybody from the dead, surely love could bring back even a semi-human being... it had to be possible.

It had to be possible! It just had to be.

"Ralf... I'm... I'm sorry" she whispered. "I'm sorry I have no power to bring you back to me. I'm sorry I'm just this blind woman who's got faith in the future but not in herself. I...

"I will always be alone here, won't I?"

Memories flooded her mind as tears overflowed from her eyes. It all began in Lisbon, and then onboard the Trans-Europa, when in their first conversation together...

"I pray you don't ever end up alone in this life."

"I am not alone, Ralf" she replied. "I am never alone. I have my sister and neighbor and Anneke with me. I have Florian and Wolfgang and Karl with me. And I also have you with me, which is a blessing." A grateful, humble smile appeared on her face.

He smiled back at her, squeezing her hands a bit. "Fräulein Johanne, I promise you, while we're on board the Trans-Europa, I will not let go of your hand."

"But... why?" she asked, confused. "I do not understand."

"That way you know I am with you" he replied. "I want very much for you to be safe, not just around your family but also with me and my friends."

"I suppose it is not a weakness to want to be protected then?" she implied, blushing a bit.

"Not at all, darling" he reaffirmed, kissing her hands.

Johannes mentally cursed herself. Why didn't she beg him to stay instead of him leaving to fight against the enemy only to die? Why did she have to let him go? Perhaps it was better to have to face the world alone, her heart embittered as it was back in Lisbon.

"I... should've never let you go out there" she mourned, recalling their conversations, their memories together... their first kiss...

Ralf stood up and, holding Johannes by her hands, helped her up. "I think we're up for a waltz, Fräulein Johannes" the mensch-maschine said softly. But she only had a blank stare on her face.

"I... I do not know how to dance, no one's ever taught me how to dance the waltz" she replied sadly.

"It's alright, I'll teach you" the kind Roboter responded, and with that he patiently led the waltz as she followed along. But the two only took small, careful steps, pacing themselves so that she would try to get the hang of it. She mentally paced herself as they waltzed to the music. It was a bit out of the ordinary for her to experience her first waltz like this, but she almost stepped on his toes. Yet he was patient and kind with her, smiling at her every moment, every second that he had to spare. He wished he could just see the smile on his face but, at the least, she could feel its warmth in her heart.

Ralf, somehow more than overwhelmed by his love for her, held her hands close to his chest with one of his, while the other touched her pale yet life-sparked face. Then, in a daring move that he would've never considered, he kissed her lips, carefully, but endearingly. For a moment she blinked before closing her eyes, not sure of what was going on, yet liking this moment that, for once, was hers, his, and theirs alone. At this point the two had adjusted well to the waltz, but for Ralf, his feelings finally consumed him.

"Fräulein Johannes" he whispered, "I fear that... I have fallen in love with you..."

"I came to realize that... a long time ago, Ralf" she whispered back, "not simply with your heart but with mine also...

"I just... I just do not know what else to think than, I fear I've begun to love you... when you promised me you wouldn't let me go..."

But the sentence died on her lips as he kissed her again, and at a distance Elizabeth knew then and there how much Ralf truly loved her younger sister.

The waltz had ended before the entire gang hid in the shelter beneath Andelina's cafe in Vienna. The memory never escaped her mind, always settled in her heart. It was bittersweet, recalling the waltz, the lullaby he sang to her that night, the food she consumed in one sitting and the hilarious teasing that followed. But...

none of that mattered anymore now that Ralf was gone.

"Elizabeth... what happened?" Johannes asked when they arrived at the Spacelab.

"I fear... the boys are dying" her older sister answered sadly.

"No! They... they can't be dying..." she replied in despair. "They're... they're robots. They... they can't die! They live forever, don't... they...?"

But her sister was silent as Professor Henning took Ralf from Johannes' arms and into his own.

"No! don't take Ralf away from me, please!!" she pleaded, but it became a sob when she realized he wasn't going to return.

"Ralf!! Wait!! Come back...

COME BACK!!"

Quietly, waiting for something--anything, she lied down on the bed, curled up on her side, facing the wall, and cried herself to sleep.

...a few hours later...

"...and what color is that wall in front of me?"

"The wall is white, Johanna."

"Alright. That color is white. And your arm?"

"The sleeve is red."

"Okay. This color, red."

Johannes woke up to feel warm arms wrapped around her, kisses along her right ear. Her eyes opened and, the first thing she saw was the wall, the window. Tears had fallen from her eyes and became like melted candlewax on the pillow. She glanced to the waxen teardrops, and back to the wall. She started to ask questions, while the person holding her tightly from behind answered her curiosities. She had looked to the wall, to the window, asked about the wall, asked about the color of his sleeves.

"And... what color is this?" she asked, looking to her skirt.

"That color is black" the kind voice answered.

"Black... my sister told me my hair was black" she said wistfully, looking at a curl of her own black hair. "So then that must be black!"

She felt the person nod his head against her ear. "Yep, that's black."

Her face then went to the ceiling. "And... what's that!?" she asked, giggling.

"That's the ceiling" he answered with a kind laugh. "And that thing over there is a fan."

"Elizabeth always complained about the fan in her room breaking down" she recalled. "She hated the thing. I guess I don't really blame her.

"...white... walls, white ceiling... this isn't heaven, right?"

"Right" he answered. "You're alive, just like me."

"So then if I'm alive..." she said sadly, fearing the worst of it.

"No, it's not over for you" the kind soul replied.

Blinking her eyes for a moment she turned her head to face a kind face with bold blue eyes and a warm smile. She then realized... it wasn't a dream. The hands that held her... the voice talking to her. She knew its warmth, she knew the voice.

"...Ralf?" she whispered, a faint smile of hope appearing on her face.

Her true love nodded slowly, tears filling his eyes.

"You... you came back to me?" she asked. "Is it... really you?"

"Yes... it's... it's me" he said, smiling warmly. "I'm here, Johanna. I'm not going anywhere."

"...what color those... things?" she asked softly, pointing to his eyes.

"My eyes are blue" he responded.

"And mine...?"

"They're... purple...!"

"--they're not gray!?" she asked in shock. "Then... it's true... sweet Mother of God above... I can see...

I can see, Ralf!! I can see you!!" she cried joyfully as they hugged each other tightly. Her beloved couldn't help but share in her joy, knowing that she'd often doubted about the hope of her sight, as a few tears fell from his own eyes. She then pulled back to look in his eyes again.

"Alright, that color is blue" she noted. Then, she blinked. "You have very pretty eyes" she said with a smile. He blushed.

"Now your face is almost as red as your shirt!!" she giggled. But he giggled along with her and held her tightly, her face resting against his chest as he kissed the top of her head.

"Ralf?" she spoke again.

He rolled his eyes for a moment--WOW! you're curious!! he thought to himself as he looked to her and asked, "What is it, Johanne?"

"You... have a heart!" she said gleefully in a hushed whisper. "You have a beating heart, Ralf!"

He blinked for a moment and placed his hand on his chest. A faint smile appeared when he felt his own pulse. He had survived the last and worst of the glitch attacks--he had become a full-spirited Mensch-Maschine with, just as his best friends had, a beating heart.

"I... I suppose there are such things as miracles then?" he asked, looking into his beloved's purple eyes.

She shrugged. "Hey, if it can bring you back to me and give me sight in the process..." she answered with a smile.

"By the way, this color is gray, this is brown, and this is also blue!" Ralf quickly explained, pointing to his pants, hair, and the crystal on his Radio locket. Johannes nodded quickly, trying to absorb the information.

"Okay, blue... gray... brown... red... white... black... and my eyes are purple!" she recalled all the colors she learned so far.

"That's my girl!" he cheered, hugging her tightly.

"...no" she said.

"--eh!?" he asked, blinking as he looked into her eyes.

"I'm not a girl, you goober!!" she retorted with a grin.

The Mensch-Maschine looked at her, puzzled.

"I am your Prinzessin, remember?" she reminded him.

A giggle... a laugh escaped his lips, and he held her in a warm embrace. "You're something else, Johanna!!" he said as his laugh died down gently. "Who knew... you'd be so full of life when all you knew was despair?"

"It's because... I can see the world around me now" she explained quietly as she lied down on her back, her face to the ceiling. "I want to see trees... the bells that ring and the birds that sing... my sister and my best friends... Alessandro and Fritz and Professor Henning... Florian and Karl and Wolfgang... Andelina and Gregorio... the city, the world, the life that surrounds me everyday!" She turned her face to smile at him. "But the best part is that I get to see you! Your blue eyes, your warm smile. You're beautiful, you know that?"

He laughed again. "You've got a lot to see then, Johanna."

"Hey, I'm ready!!" she affirmed, smiling cheerfully.

"Now, as for who's so-called beautiful" Ralf spoke, changing the topic a little bit, "I see someone far more beautiful than myself." He lied down on top of her and held her face in his hands. "Someone with bright purple eyes and a dear smile, a warm heart and an even warmer embrace.

"...why, it looks like someone I love."

"Should I ask who it is?" Johannes asked with a curious half-smile.

"...no" he answered. "You know who it is."

"I know" she replied with a grin. "I just want to hear you say it. I want to hear sweet words again... I miss... hearing them..." Her grin died to a somber smile. "My heart almost died because I felt as if you'd died."

"Johanna" he said, "I've no reason to leave you. It was so I could recover fully, on my own, and become an actual Mensch-Maschine. I had once told you this, a long while ago, but it seems that in all of the recent chaos you'd forgotten.

"But rest assured, as long as I'm alive, we'll always be together."

"You... promise?" she asked with a hopeful look on her face.

He kissed her nose. "Always, princess, always."

For a moment they smiled, eyes locked to each other without a care about the outside world. Then he hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek and resting his head beside her head on the pillow.

Hours later the sun shone into the room, and Johannes blinked to see the beautiful sunrise outside in her home city. This must be Düsseldorf! she thought with a smile as her eyes fixed to the life outside the window. She then looked at Ralf, who'd fallen asleep with his head rested against her heart. Gently she ran a finger along his cheek, and he blinked his eyes open, looking up at her.

"Guten morgen, Ralf" she whispered, still smiling.

"Guten morgen, Johanna" he whispered back as a smile broke across his face. He then moved so that his his forehead could touch hers.

"...you know," she said, "I realized that, I forgot to tell you something."

"Forgot to tell me what?" he asked.

"I actually forgot to tell you I love you" she said nonchalantly, still smiling.

His smile turned into a humored, bashful grin as he held her face in his hands again. Running a thumb along her lower lip he kissed her nose and smiled.

"I love you, Ralf" she whispered.

"I love you too, Johanna" he whispered back. Glancing to the scene outside the window for a moment, he then turned his gaze back to her.

"It looks like a promising day today" she said.

"That's mostly because I'm with someone I love dearly" he replied wistfully.

"Oh really?" she laughed. "And who might she be, my dear?"

But he simply kissed her forehead, and then her nose and cheeks. Finally he looked her in the eyes and smiled warmly. "I... I don't have to tell you, you know that. You know who it is."

"I know but... I just want to hear it from you again. It's music to my ears."

When he heard her words of love, his heart became overwhelmed by his love for her, and he gently kissed her still-smiling mouth, whispering inbetween kisses who she was to him so that she could remember who she was in his heart, more than anything--"Meine liebe Prinzessin... my dear, sweet Princess..."

*writer's note--memory excerpts are from Chapter 3 [All Aboard the Trans-Europa!] and Chapter 10 [A Late-Night Cafe].*

Chapter 29: Rechtmäßig Besessen. [Rightfully Possessed.]

2007-12-08T19:39:00.000-05:00

*writer's note--
this chapter is written from anneke's point of view.*

I was only 17 years old when, after the Darkstrom started to try to take over Germany and, in particular, beloved Düsseldorf, Elibeth, Rekah and I fought against a handful of troopers. When all was said and done, however, I was near death, and so was Rekah, because she used up almost all of her life force to fix me. I was scared more for the younger of us, because she didn't deserve to die at age 12. No way. Not the way she looked out for Johanne.

As the one always prepared for anything, I had always looked out for the girls. Elibeth was my best friend since childhood, Johannes was her sister and Rekah their neighbor. All our lives we'd known each other, grown to love each other as sisters. We were our own family. It was very nice for the most part. If not for the Darkstrom it would've been nicer, but such is life and so it goes.

In Lisbon we were treated all the same as everyone else, except for Johannes. She was given the okay to simply wander about. She was blind; "she was born blind and she'll die blind" the officers would scoff. But she ignored them. She only wanted the future of Eastern Europe to be filled with freedom, not fear--light, not darkness. She possessed the gift of eternal hope in the face of eternal chaos. That was how Elibeth and Rekah and I, we loved her dearly. We held on with that hope she instilled in all of us.

And then... I met Karl. And then I began to change.

For the first time, I felt a sense of whim that never existed before. In my very soul was the sense that, perhaps I didn't need to take caution around men. In my heart there was a case of skipping beats; I had let my guard down, I had dropped my defenses.

For the first time in my life, I fell in love.

I wasn't really sure of myself for a while. Karl was the only person I felt I could be myself around, besides Elibeth, and he'd be alright with it. We loved our cameras and took so many pictures; then, after developing them and putting them into scrapbooks, we'd show them all to everyone and save them for the day Johannes would get her sight, so she could see them too.

All was well until Venice. And then the courage came to confess my love for him, but I was very scared, because of what Rekah had suffered at the hands of men. But Karl... sweet, sweet angel that overtakes my senses and turns a grown woman into a cheerful child! What had he done to me, God above only knows. But he was the only person outside of the Quartet to love me for who I was. And my feelings for him were mutual.

After all that we've been through, one would've hoped that, in effect, we'd always be together. But on that final fight on the Trans-Europa, in which we basically annihilated the enemy forces, Karl had been wounded to the point where, Rekah couldn't save any of our Roboter for some ungodly reason, and basically the fear of death was in.

I quietly witnessed Johannes crying herself to sleep, Rekah and Elibeth leaving me to cry over the men they had come to love so selflessly. Realizing that, maybe Karl would appreciate it if I said one last Guten nacht to him, I left Johannes sleeping and went to his room. I swear, I should've just died the second I entered the room, because the room had an air as cold and still as death itself. Or perhaps when I saw his lifeless body? Not sure for certain.

Lamentations over the city, joyful since their beloved Quartet was home.

Lamentations over the dead, sleeping and waiting for love to arrive along.

I had slashed my scar open, the first time I saw it bleed in almost 10 years. I had no fear, no sense of pain. It just... it just didn't matter anymore. Life had no meaning for me. To go on living, knowing that the one person that I ever loved, selfelessly and with willing lack of resistance, had died... it was not possible for me. It wasn't worth the pain, the aggrevation, the humiliation. Nothing had meaning, everything became nothing.

Closing my eyes, I simply awaited death. All because I loved someone too much to stay in this world. I'd give all my soul just to stay with him no matter what.

...one flaw though. Death didn't happen.

Lost in some dream... someone holding me, adorning my miserably-spent body with kisses... it felt so real. In my dream, it was Karl. But, it felt so real... perhaps, past real. I felt as if this wasn't meant to happen and yet, how the hell did it go? I could've sworn I was holding on to something--whether it was the blanket, his shirt, his pants, or my skirt, I had no clue. In any case, it was very unusual yet... something unexpected and, perhaps, a bit nice.

But not since the night in Venice had anyone held me this way. And definitely not before, either. No one had dared to love someone who played positive practical jokes from time to time, let alone prepared for almost anything. But... this was too different somehow. I was never prepared for something called falling in love.

A fingertip gently tapped along the scar, it felt as if it was a gentle needle sewing the wound shut. The warmth of his finger... the warmth of the one who was holding me... it felt like Karl. And no one else I knew had the courage to tend to the past's scars I wore. Yet... here I was, sleeping in some sense of death, or so it felt, and someone was trying to save me. But... why? I had no intention of living anymore!! I didn't want to have to suffer the tears in the past all over again!! I didn't want to live this life alone!!

And then, a whisper, the voice familiar to me--

"Anya... Anya, wake up..."

But I don't want to wake up from this! I thought, and as the thought escaped my lips I swore to myself in my heart that, damnit I'd gone mad! But a hand held my neck gently and I was being kissed along that scar. The kisses... familiar to me...

"Anya please... open your eyes..."

But... I don't want to...

"Why not?"

...because I'm scared that... when I open them... if I open them... I'll be alive, the one I love will still be dead, and I'll have to face the world... alone...

"No... that's not so. You... you won't face this world alone."

I think I hesitated for a moment. Alright, should I open my eyes?

...I'm... afraid.

"Don't be. Don't ever be afraid, Anya."

--suddenly it dawned on me, no one else had ever called me Anya. I finally gave in to fear and, hoping past hope, opened my eyes to see my hands clutching the blanket. I was still crying, I thought I had died, only to realize I was still alive, but it all pulled together for me the moment I turned my eyes to look up at a face, so sweet, so familiar, who smiled at me with eyes of love.

It was my beloved Karl. And he was alive.

...well, a bit scarred, but still adorable. And did I mention he was alive?

"You're... alive?" I asked in a dazed whisper.

He nodded. "And I'm not going anywhere without you. Even if it was to the gates of death I'd gladly follow."

I gently ran my finger along where my scar was, and felt the light stitching. "Did you do this?"

"Yes" he answered. "I couldn't bear to see the blood spilling from the one I'd give my life for."

"I... thought you'd died... so I wanted to die... just so I could be with you" I confessed. "I didn't want to face this world alone."

"And I won't let you face this world alone, angel" he told me. "Wherever you go, I gladly follow, because I love you."

I looked into his eyes for a moment, and there dwelled the promise of our future together. But I had one moment of doubt, which led me to ask--"Are we alive and well then...?"

Karl grinned. "Alive and breathing, with beating hearts and happy souls. Or at least on my part. I don't know about the happy soul part on your end."

I giggled for the first time since before Athens. It felt so good to smile again, but even better to know that we were both alive, we were breathing, we were alright. With that I hugged him tightly to me... and then, my heart was overwhelmed. It was as if... as if nothing else mattered except for one moment against the current of time, the rush of the outside world. It didn't matter to either of us. Only we mattered to each other.

Recalling what happened after this is nothing short of one helluva blur. I remember everything--every touch, every embrace, every kiss. But it felt so strange, that of all the memories in my journey home from Lisbon, this was the one memory that meant so much more to me than the night in Venice... even though that memory would always be a part of me. Well, both me and Karl's memories. Definitely. But anyway... trying to recall... it felt so strange. It felt like a dream, but I knew we were alive.

The braids were undone, the ribbons aside, more kisses to adorn that exhausted woman-child that was me. I held Karl to me tightly and blinked my eyes in sudden alarm--and I swear, how on earth I let this slide I have NO CLUE whatsoever!--Karl had no shirt on! This had surprised me even more than the incident in Venice. But nonetheless he was shirtless, and as I looked at him, he had not simply become adorable in my eyes anymore--he was, perhaps, beautiful. In spite of the few bullet wounds and glass cuts, he truly was beautiful in my eyes.

The next thing I knew, buttons from my coat were undone, bittersweet kisses adorned my body that had scars of past battles that I'd fought on my sisters' behalf. So help me God, this put the night we spent in Venice to absolute shame. Yet... I willingly was powerless to stop it. It showed as I quickly sat up and, in doing so got my arms freed from the coatsleeves. Perhaps I'd be less bold, less nervingly brave to do that.

On second thought, nah.

But he straddled me on my lap and held my face in his hands, kissed my lips and confessed his heart inbetween the kisses, to which I'll never forget the words he said, that I'd always be his only angel--his only love. I couldn't speak a word in reply, as words failed me altogether, and all I could do was plant kisses along his torso, along the wounds that had almost taken him away from me. After a moment of this sort of gentle torture he carefully lied me back down on the bed and kissed me as if he'd never see me again. Then he broke the kiss and, in a near whisper, told me something that I'd tattoo in my heart for ever if I wanted to--

"My dearest Anya, my angel... my rightful possession."

All I could do was speak what my heart felt at that moment. "My beloved... my little heaven against the hell of the outside world."

I don't know if it was his heart or my words that caused whatever happened afterwards, but we held each other tightly for a moment. It felt so good to be in his arms, to simply hold him again, to bask in the warmth of his love. It was surreal. It still feels surreal.

Then, somehow, I felt this strange warmth in my very soul, deep inside of me... it wasn't there before. But it was there, and it was welcomed there, whatever that warmth was. Somehow, for once in my life, my heart was full, my spirit was whole. It was... entirely strange yet... very, very nice.

There wasn't much else to note except the feeling surged deeper into the very depths of my being. I couldn't quite figure out what all went on at first, but my thoughts quickly rationalized itself as I noted that, beneath the blanket that covered us, I couldn't really see past my skirt's waistband what all happened as our legs intertwined. Somehow I thought amusingly he'd either painlessly breached the maidenhead or I just didn't feel an ounce of pain and it's all his fault! ...well, in a good way of course, 'cause this does feel kinda nice...

Really, it was MORE than nice.

I'll never really figure out how we'd synchronized our breathing... our own heartbeats to each other, simply in the process of fully drowning in each other's love. But he was careful, yet he loved me dearly, not slowing yet not rushing either. I took his face in my hands and brought it to mine so I could kiss him right on the mouth--well, it was either that or I'd end up crying out in untold bliss!! Preferably, I think I'd prefer keeping silent. Obviously, so did Karl, because he kissed me as if I truly was his possession, his only angel.

I felt him clasp my hands tightly and placing them behind my head. He stopped kissing me and looked at me for a moment, a smile on his adorable face.

"My Anya" he whispered, "my angel, my princess."

For a moment my memory returned to Venice, where he'd called me the exact same names. My heart felt strangely warm in opposed to the chill in the room that was still there, but I never felt it. I couldn't... not while the man I loved was here with me, overtaking all of me, and gladly so.

Another kiss along my scar and he resumed making love to me at the pace he'd been at. I quickly snapped my wrists free of his hands and held him to me, wishing he'd not cease the kiss this time around. A while would've gladly passed until, the next thing I knew, I found myself lightly biting Karl's lip as a surge flooded my entire being, and finally his name escaped my lips in a hushed whisper as I held him even tighter, my senses in overdrive yet my mind rendered numb. He too whispered my name as, so it seems, he'd felt that same surge overcome him, and he held onto me for dear life. I swear, I'd never felt anything like that before... it was so... well... damn... I can't really put it into words.

As morning took its course and the sun peeked through the blinds, I opened my eyes again. We'd fallen asleep in each other's arms, tightly, wrapped with only a blanket to help keep us warm in the chilly room. I was still on my back, Karl on top, resting his head beside mine on the pillow as our hearts were beating against each other. Except, I couldn't figure out whose heart was beating, if it was mine or his. And I quietly told him this.

He simply opened his sleepy eyes and smiled. "It's neither yours or mine" he answered. "Not yours nor mine, but our heart beating." He then kissed my forehead and whispered, "And not the chaos of the world or the madness of the Darkstrom can ever take that away from us. Ever."

My heart was filled with emotion, and I hugged him tightly to me, the words I wanted to say finally escaping me. But I guess it became more of a show of humility, that I truly could not make it through this world alone, that I needed him more than I thought.

"Please... stay with me?" I asked humbly.

"However long my angel's heart wishes it" he answered, touching his nose to mine.

"Stay... for ever?" I then asked with a sense of longing.

"Now Anya" he replied, smiling lovingly. "I'm afraid to say that... for ever...

"for us, for ever is never long enough."

"I guess... that's how much you love me then?" I asked, a small lopsided smile on my face.

"I love you so much more than you know" he confessed.

"And I love you just as much" I admitted. A few tears overflowed my eyes--I couldn't be happier!! The one man I truly, selflessly loved in this entire world, was here with me again. For always!! Not even 'for ever' was long enough!!

They say that the heart of one who truly loves is warm and kind. I never really understood that... until that very moment.

There wasn't much to be said though as we basked in each other's love. "My beloved angel" Karl whispered against my neck, kissing my scar with love as we held each other tightly. "My dearest Anya... my only love."

Chapter 28: Ein Licht, Das Nie Erlischt [A Light That Never Goes Out] - Anneke.

2007-12-08T17:58:00.000-05:00

Anneke watched Johannes fall asleep in tears as time passed through in the Spacelab's waiting room. Should she simply leave the blind angel here and go find Karl? Elizabeth had left to mourn over Florian, just as Rebekah for Wolfgang. But then what would the young blind soul of the Quartet do if the no-longer joke-filled spirit of the bunch went to look for the one she loved? Surely she herself would go find Ralf to cry her tears over his unlikely death.

Quietly she made her humble decision and, leaving Johannes to sleep, left to find her beloved's room. As she closed the door, she felt the chill in the room, took it all into her soul. To her it was as if it was the very chill of death--the chill of death that overtook Karl, the chill of death that would soon overtake her. Then she turned to look at him, and tears flooded her eyes when she saw his lifeless body wired to the machines that either kept him alive or prepared him for his funeral.

"This..." she said softly to herself "can't be... happening..."

Going to the window at the other side of the room she saw the lights that shone brightly in Düsseldorf, her hometown. It glowed beautifully as it used to be in the past, yet to her it meant nothing. Not while Karl was dead. She never wanted this to happen--that she'd return home but her soul'd lost all feeling. Leaning her forehead against the window, she looked out the window to see Alessandro and Fritz outside, walking to the town ahead of them. The orphan was dressed as the guys were--he himself was a Mensch-Maschine in spirit and form. His glitch attacks came as an infant, but he overcame them boldly and grew up to be a cheerful 12-year-old with the respect and charm of a young boy.

"Someday" she whispered softly, "the boy will have a family. I can feel it."

Turning away to look at Karl, she went and sat down at the side of the bed, her face gazing painfully at his lifeless own. Who was she to think that miracles were possible now, given the circumstances she'd faced throughout her entire life? Her best friend since childhood witnessed the death of her parents as a child. Her best friend's younger sister was born blind, with no hope of sight possible for her. And the youngest of the Quartet was afraid at almost everything. But what... what about the Anneke that grew up? She'd faced life alone as her working-class parents worked so hard to support the family, if not for her three dearest friends. But all she knew was just that--her best friends, Düsseldorf as it used to be.

Yet, recalling the memory, it all changed when, as the girls were about to leave Lisbon...

Anneke walked up to KW310552, her eyes a bit solemn in case he meant trouble. Her stern glare soon turned into a giggly grin when he made a funny face. Suddenly, she no longer felt like she had to be on high alert around him as he extended a hand to her.

"Hallo, my name is Karl" he spoke. "And you are?"

"Anneke Weldenta" she answered, her hand now in his. "Are you going to be with us on the Trans-Europa?"

Karl nodded. "Absolutely, Miss Anneke."

She'd remembered the charm in his smile. He was always adorable, how he forgot her name at first when the train started for Paris, how whatever he wanted to say died when his blue eyes met hers. She remembered his blue eyes, his adorable smile, his silly sense of humor which matched--and at times rivaled--hers, his funny respect for the camera. She remembered so much about him, but in particular things had begun to change one night in Venice not so long ago...

"Hide what must be hid, tell what must be told."

Karl's words echoed in her head. What was she to do? Should she think through her words or simply spill out her heart?

Suddenly she felt a tie being tied loosely around her neck, and her gaze looked up to his smiling face.

"I kinda wondered if that tie looked better on you than on me" the Roboter said, keeping the tie loose around her neck. He had his top two buttons undone, and a faint scar had shown at the base of his neck.

"...what happened there, Karl?" she asked, glancing to the scar.

"That was from the accident that... that almost killed me" he replied sadly. Curious she opened one more button to see the extent of the scar. It was only enough to scar the shoulder, yet it missed his heart. But, of course, the circumstances of that injury could've been much worse also.

Quietly she undid the back buttons of her high collar, and one button from each side of her coat, revealing a scar that started just below her left ear, running down the side of the neck, over her collarbone, stopping just above where her heart was.

"This" she explained "was when I fought against the enemy in the beginning of their invasion. One of the Troopers almost killed me. Rekah had to heal me before taking care of anything else. The girl almost died." She then sat down on the grass, hugging her knees to her chest. "I wanted to help out the girls, and two almost died because of it."

She still could not believe she told someone she'd only known a few months about the fight that almost killed her had Rebekah not interfered and revived most of her with her own soul. Then the tears fell as the memory continued, her hands now holding his cold, lifeless own...

"I... I'm in love... and it hurts sometimes" she started as he kissed her forehead, and looked back into her eyes with a smile. She took a deep breath, not sure what else to tell him, until an encouraging nod from him meant for her to keep talking.

Karl, to death I dearly love Elibeth, Johannes, and Rekah. We've been together all our lives, through thick and thin, Birthday parties and funerals. We've suffered together, we've laughed together, we've cried together, we've fought together. Til death I will always love these girls, these sisters that they've become for me.

"But I swore I'd never fall in love and suffer the pain that Rekah felt. Her heart was broken simply because she took care of Johannes.

"You... you're the reason I changed in such a strange way. For the first time, I felt more... dare I say, vulnerable than I'd like to admit. I felt my heart be happy, at the same moment I felt that same heart break. And God forbid something ever dare happened to you, I wouldn't know what to do, how to act, what to think.

"And I think I'm beginning to realize that, this must be what love does to people. It makes people really see how much they're truly worth.

"It scares me to think this but... but I love you a bit much more than I love my sisters."

"I guess I owe you a confession myself" Karl whispered after he had kissed along the scar again. "Well then, where to begin, where to begin..." Anneke blinked watching his every move.

"For one" he said, straddling her again, "you look damn beautiful like that." With a smile he grabbed his camera and, as she giggled for a moment, turned the camera on. "This one is going in my own little photo album." With that he took a picture of the beautiful, bashful woman. Putting his camera to the side, he lied down beside her again and smiled.

"Two, that tie looks sooo much better on you than on me" he admitted as he ran a finger down her cheek, along her neck, which made her giggle.

"I love your smile, I love your laugh, I love how your eyes just glow when there's a case of moonlight about. I love the way you look, I love the way you think, I love all of that and more than I could count at the moment. I...

"I couldn't love anyone else that couldn't be you" he admitted. "And for me I don't want anyone else. For me, there is you, and that is all there is to it.

"So I guess, what I'm trying to say is... that... I love you too."

Anneke opened her eyes to see the tearstains on the bedding, his shirt, her own attire. She'd turned into a downright mess of emotions. Who knew that behind the laughter, the humor and joy she had for everyone... lived the despair of being alone for the rest of her life? The fear had faded away when they confessed their love for each other; her heart was very happy. This moment, however, was anything but cheerful--it was the darkest moment since the takeover of the Darkstrom. The death of Elizabeth and Johannes' parents. The fight that almost killed her. The capture and imprisonment in Lisbon.

The life she'd felt so far... she didn't deserve that happiness...

She was a strange goofball, her sense of humor could've kept her friends laughing for hours. But she was also always prepared for anything.

Or so, she thought she was. But she was nowhere near prepared for what happened to her that night, when the braids at last came undone and she was willingly unable to stop whatever was going on.

Finally her gaze fell to her still-slumbering companion, still dressed except his shirt was no longer tucked in. She still wore his tie, wondering if she should tie it back on him, but the thought perished as she turned on her back to face the morning sky again.

Why'd I let him love me this way?

The thought crossed her mind as she closed her eyes, crossing her arms behind her head as a pillow. Why did she allow him to be with her, when she'd shunned at the thought of love nearly all of her life? What was it about him that brought her to lowering just about all of her defenses? Was it the way they connected in a way they couldn't connect with anyone else? Did they see something in each other past the silly reputations, the humorous laughter in front of and behind the cameras? She couldn't really think much more on the matter, until she felt someone's head rest against her heart, arms wrapped around her tightly. But she didn't open her eyes right away--she knew whose mind was well set against the love of his angel, whose arms wouldn't let go of her for even all the world.

A giggle finally escaped her lips, but it was a soft one, not the usual fit-happy laugh she usually had. Her hands still in his, the mensch-maschinr kissed along her left ear, near the scar she had suffered. Meanwhile her giggled softly quieted down, and she smiled contentedly, basking in his affection. This wasn't what she had grown to know as a child or teenager, but it was definitely something she could get used to.

After a while longer she took his face in her hands and smiled. "By the way, you're the first person since my Father who's ever seen me without my braids and ribbons" she said softly. Karl blinked, slightly stunned, but she still smiled.

"You should realize that, it's an honor. I don't even let Elibeth see me without 'em!" she noted.

His shock died down, and he smiled back, hugging her tightly. Then his eyes met hers again.

"My dearest Anya" he whispered. "My angel, my princess."

Words were finally rendered useless as his lips met hers, and she wasn't sure if either her lips smiled into the kiss or if her heart did. But whatever her heart was feeling, however strong or sweet it felt, whatever it was, she felt it was very, very nice...

"Karl" she whispered as tears fell down her cheeks, "why'd you have to do this to me?" Mournfully she lied down on the bed and hugged his lifeless body to her.

"You're... so cold..."

The sentence escaped her lips as she let go of him and turned on her side, facing the window. The world outside was beautiful and, after all that had just happened, she felt she'd no part in it anymore, for whatever reason arose. It was as if her entire world had fallen apart, and she was stuck in the middle of its ruins.

Something inside her--pure self-despair, the feeling that life was no longer worth living--caused her to take out his pocket knife and, going to the mirror, look at her own reflection. Taking off the high collar that covered her neck and placing it aside, she undid the top buttons of her coat to reveal the scar of the battle that could've done her in. Kissing the blade without a shard of remorse, she carefully reopened the wound, the slash bleeding cautiously for the first time in years. Placing the knife beside the collar she removed her locket then, placing that aside, went to the bed and took the tie off of Karl. After putting the tie loosely on her own neck, she went to the window one last time. Then she went back to the bed and, lying down on her side, faced the window.

"Oh happy world" she whispered with a smile of misery, "you can have your blessed freedom. You can have whatever the hell you want.

"But rest assured, you will never have me."

Lying on her back she stared at the ceiling for a moment. After she prayed to the Creator above for forgiveness, she closed her eyes, clasping her hands on her chest, cried her last few tears.

Then she fell asleep, awaiting to join Karl at the gates of death.

*writer's note--memory excerpts for Lisbon, onboard the Trans-Europa, and Venice are from, respectively, Chapter 2 [We Are The Robots], Chapter 16 [...to the Heart of the Moment], Chapter 17 [Confessions], and Chapter 18 [Recollections].*

Chapter 27: Ein Licht, Das Nie Erlischt [A Light That Never Goes Out] - Rebekah.

2007-12-05T19:11:00.000-05:00

Rebekah quietly walked into Wolfgang's room and closed the door. She had sat quietly until the silence was no longer unbearable in the waiting room, and she stood up, leaving Anneke to care for Johannes.

Memories of her boyfriend slumping over... coughing blood in the severity of his wounds... the image brought back the coward in her that once died. Amazing how one person could cause a heart to be joyful... cause a heart to be miserable...

"Wolfgang!" she cried, clasping his hands with one hand while trying to heal one of the new bullet wounds with her other hand. Some sense of emergency had caused her to attempt to get through to him, to fix whatever injuries had arisen. But something was wrong--terribly wrong.

"...Lilibeth, Annie... we've got a big problem" she said in a scared tone of voice, looking to her neighbor and good friend.

"What is it, Rekah?" Anneke asked with an alarmed face.

"I... it seems I can't heal Wolfgang's wounds" she answered. "My power's not working. Something's wrong."

"Oh God" her neighbor whispered as Rebekah pleaded for her boyfriend to stay alive and hang on.

Sitting down on the side of the bed, her gaze fixed to the empty space of the wall. How could anyone suffer what had happened and survive? To her, the concept of pain made absolutely no sense at all. So many thoughts raced through her head, and she wasn't sure if she could keep up with them. And who was she to attempt to stick to even one thought that tried to fly past her?

Her once-full heart now broken, Rebekah turned to face her dying boyfriend. She quietly whispered his name and, after drying some of her own tears away, undid his tie and buttons from his shirt. As she undid the buttons her eyes caught something she hadn't seen since the first night in Paris weeks if not months ago...

"Oh my God... the string... it's still there..." she whispered as she remembered the incident that caused the string to be sewn into the one she loved--

"This" she said as she strung the thread through the needle, "might hurt a little bit."

"It's nothing I'm not worried over, Rebekah" he replied with a weary smile.

With that she took a deep breath and put down the needle and thread for a moment, and poured some antiseptic over him. She closed her eyes, said a quick prayer, and took up the needle and thread again. Opening her eyes, she glanced at his hand, which, miraculously, had the bullet.

"How the hell..." she asked, but shook her head at last. Putting the kit on the table to the side, and placing the bullet in the first-aid pocket, she carefully removed his bloodstained coat, tie and shirt. Placing them at the foot of the bed, she picked up the needle and thread, took one more deep breath, and began to sew up the tear on his skin.

She was very careful in sewing up his wound. Her expertise in being a seamstress for patchwork and sewing up small emblems came as an experience in the concentration camp. She looked at his face, watching for any sign of pain or weakness, careful not to inflict pain unintentionally. A sense of deep worry overcame her and, while she kept a steady hand over the needle and thread, her eyes now fixed over the needle and thread, filling with tears.

"Ah--ah, ouch..." he finally cried out softly, a slight twinge of pain getting to him at last, and she blinked as tears finally spilt.

"Oh my God!!" she cried out, putting aside the needle and thread. "I'm very sorry, Wolfgang!" She reached for the box to hunt down the numbing ice, which she totally forgot about, but he grabbed her hand. She looked at him, blinking.

"...no, it's okay, Rebekah" he said.

"Yes but, you're injured on account of me!!" she answered. "The least I can do is try to fix your wounds!!"

"They will heal on their own. Not so quickly, but they will heal" he replied. "You can remove the needle and the rest of the string now."

She carefully ran her finger along the sewn pattern on his chest, circling around where the wound had once been. She closed her eyes and, leaning over, planted a tender kiss on the old wound, remembering the memory further, how she felt that, if she couldn't help him then she was of no use to him...

"Not really, Rebekah" he answered, pulling her closer to him so he could look her in the eyes. "Not at all."

Rebekah stared into his brown eyes, her own green eyes still drowning in tears. What was it she saw in his eyes, that in her own being she denied herself? Had she fallen for him while she tried to fix him? Did he fall for her because she was brave enough to step out of her comfort zone and actually try to fix whatever wounds he had? Or did his admiration over her begin when they met outside of the Trans-Europa? In any case, whatever was there between them, there was something that couldn't be denied at any instant.

Wolfgang tried to sit up, for despite the pain, he wanted more than anything to kiss her.

"You're not sitting up, damnit!!" she exclaimed. "Not with the wounds you have!!" But he only pulled her closer to him, wrapping her in his arms. While she had the hearted ambition for him, at this point, she was not amused!! But at last, she finally gave up and sighed, just looking at him.

"One thing you must understand about a mensch-maschine is," he said, "when they intend to do something, they do it."

She sobbed quietly against his chest, her own hands gripping his shirt. Why... why did he have to give up his own life so she could live, when there wasn't much meaning to life now that he was gone? She had lost the courage that kept her strong in the face of chaos; he had been the reason why she stood her ground, became the daring woman he fell for as he'd fallen for the cowardly woman-child she once was. But even worse than cowardice was what she felt as failure--failure to heal his injuries, to fix his wounds, to keep him alive.

"I could not save you" she whispered sadly, "I've failed you. I'm so sorry, Wolfgang... I'm so sorry."

She traced the finger along the stringed pattern again, and closed her eyes, another bittersweet memory she soon relived; she recalled the night back in Vienna...

"Rebekah!!"

She turned to see Wolfgang, now at a distance before her. "What happened!?" he asked as he ran to her. "You could've been killed!! What the hell possessed you to just disappear like that!?"

"When..." she said softly, "when you were talking with Andelina. And the girls. And I..."

The semi-human being's face softened from upset to worried. "You got jealous, didn't you?"

She remembered the look on his face, the fear in his own eyes. Fear of losing the one truly good thing in his life. She never meant to wander through the town in her own anger like that, but she couldn't think much else to do otherwise. She gained the courage to open her eyes and, as tears spilt on the string and flesh, shook her head softly. She never meant to cause him pain, yet twice she'd done so. Finally she lied down on the bed beside him, her body facing his, as she held him against her... the memory returning further...

He wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her to the nearest park at the outskirts of the city. With that he sat her down on a park bench as he knelt before her, wiping tears off her cheeks with his hands.

"Es ist gut, Schatz... it's alright, sweetheart" he whispered as he dried her tears and looked up at the pale, rosecheeked face and the bright green eyes that adorned them perfectly. "It's okay... my days of being Mr. Flirtatious have ended the moment I saw you courageously step out from behind your friend that day... at the station..." His train of thought died when he lowered her head to kiss her lips. All was well until he lost his balanced and fell back, pulling Rebekah with him. She fell on top of him blinking, but he didn't wince in pain as he wrapped her in his arms.

"You okay there, Wolfgang?" she asked. He nodded and, with a smile, kissed the tip of her nose. She wiggled her nose, giggling as the mensch-maschine laughed softly.

"I am so much in love with you, Rebekah," he whispered, "so much in love and... there isn't a damn thing to be done to change that."

"You mean this?" she asked, a curious smile crossing her face.

He nodded--"My life and my wires on it, sweetheart."

He'd truly given his life, his wires now worse for wear, entirely all for her. Up until he met her, he'd only thought of himself and his best friends, his fellow Roboter. But then she came into his life... and he miraculously changed for the better. Andelina knew this. Karl witnessed it firsthand. The youngest of the Quartet had been the brightest influence of his very life.

But her light of hope had dimmed as his life faded away before her.

"Wolfgang..." she whispered, "you were always kind to me... you looked out for me like no one else had. You inspired me to be strong, to never back down again.

"I never thought... I'd have to watch you die in front of me.

"So... the great Creator has decided to... to further my misery, to try to test my courage... by having to go through this world without you in my life. But I... I don't want to...

"I don't want to live in this world alone!

"I don't care if we're in Düsseldorf--what all does that matter to me anymore if... if you're not here with me..."

After sobbing to herself some more, she lied down on her back, clasping his hand in hers, and closed her eyes.

"If the Creator wants to take you from me" she mourned, "then don't forget the other half of your soul... please, take me with you..."

Patiently she waited for him to die, waited for her own death to pass beside him.

...but, that did not come to pass.

Morning had broken as Rebekah felt what was as if the reversal of the memory in Vienna, as her cheeks were adorned with kisses. But she wouldn't open her eyes at first to recall the memory, to see who it was on top of her with arms holding her fragile body gently--her eyes still welled up with tears. Yet as the tears fell over the sides of her face she slowly remembered the warmth of his own soul against the courage of her own heart, and she felt her own strength returning at a calm pace.

Carefully trailing a finger down his chest she felt something that made her eyes open wide--string, a pattern sewn on him so familiarly, on his chest. And immediately she glanced to the wound, then to the face of the one she loved.

"You're...!" she spoke, but the words died before she could say further.

But Wolfgang just smiled and, touching her girlfriend's tearstained face, kissed her forehead. "About time you woke up, Sweetheart" he whispered softly as he held her body tightly against his. "I was afraid you'd never open them again."

"But that was... because I thought you died," she explained inbetween her own tears as she hugged him to her. "I hoped to die myself, so I could stay with you. I didn't want to face the cruel world outside alone. I didn't have the strength or courage to do it anymore."

"And so you chose to rather die than to live without me?" he asked, a worried look now on his face.

"Even if I had my two neighbors and my wacky buddy to stand beside me... it would not be as it was when we left Lisbon" she answered. "Without you guys, it would just be as if we'd never met--just us four girls against the world, the guys in this town would simply mock us mercilessly and we'd try everything in our power to ignore them. But when they simply say that we girls are nothing more than a blind girl and her band of merry seeing sisters, it's... it's an insult that hurts me more than anything.

"I never wanted to fall in love with anyone because of that. The men in this town, they're cold. Heartless. They do not understand.

"You... were the first person... to ever understand me... for ME. Not what anyone else said about me, except for Andy of course. But still. I...

"I had no hope in living if I were to resume my life in the fear that you died and there was nothing I could do to fix that.

"And so, disregarding my three best friends, I simply longed to die. Here, beside you. I waited for you to die, I waited for myself to shut down."

Her boyfriend watched and, as tears filled his eyes, shook his head. "I... can't believe you'd want to do that!" he cried against her shoulder. "I swear, I never meant to cause you tears, to hurt you in any way. You know that, Sweetheart... you know that. You know I'd never want to leave you alone in your misery!"

After a moment of his own sharing of the tears, he looked her in the eyes.

"Rebekah Novalee..." he spoke again, "my heart, it's yours. It's been yours. And I'd rather shut myself down than to ever hurt you in any way whatsoever. I love you much more than you think I do.

"I fought with self-control back in Athens. I'm still fighting to keep it in check, because you inspired me with your honor and innocence, your courage and your self-respect."

He finally took her hands in his and kissed them tenderly, still smiling warmly at her. "One day, Sweetheart, I hope to call you my wife" he admitted. "It's going to happen. I just know it."

His girlfriend's eyes widened. "You... you actually want to marry me!?" she whispered, trying to register everything that was going on at the very moment. There he was, the man she loved, alive and well--being honest that he wanted to marry her!!

He nodded. "Don't forget what I told you on that train to Athens--that you'll always be the first in my heart" he said with a smile.

She smiled back, but only for a moment. "And Wolfgang," she spoke softly, "if you get injured again... I won't be able to heal you, will I?"

"How so, angel?" he asked, his face alarmed.

"When... after the fight ended... when you guys all collapsed due to your injuries, I couldn't use my power. It wasn't working on you guys. It worked on Lilibeth and Annie... but not on you."

"That was because we had to heal on our own" he explained. "We'd turned into full-spirited Mensch-Maschinen but, we had to face our own inner death... our own worst fears... only to come back and, along with it, rightly bear our hearts."

"--wait, heart--you have a heart now!!" she exclaimed with a big hug. "Can I hear its beating for a moment!?"

Wolfgang laughed as his girfriend grinned. But her composure quickly returned and she blinked. "And... I probably won't be able to heal you anymore, will I?"

"I don't know" he said, pulling out his pocket knife and making a little slash on his finger. "Want to test out the theory now?" he then asked, looking to her.

Rebekah took a deep breath and, holding his hand and pressing her lips carefully to the cut on his finger in, perhaps, the boldest move she'd ever made. Closing her eyes she carefully sucked some of the blood that had already spilt down his finger. Wolfgang simply stared in wonder as a light current of energy surged through his finger. After a few seconds more she kissed the now-healed cut, and he ran that finger along her mouth, stunned that she was able to heal him again.

"Didn't... taste like... sprocket oil or anything, I hope?" he asked, making a face.

"Nope" she answered, licking her lips for a second. "Tastes like blood to me." With that she shrugged and smiled. "But at least the theory's now a proven fact."

"Whew!" he replied. "Good. Now that the theory's been proven..."

"Yeahuh?" she asked, raising a brow.

"How about some breakfast?" he said with a smile.

But as she had missed being with him, the last thing she wanted to do was eat. Now that he was alive, she had other plans for the moment.

"Actually... I had other plans in mind" she answered.

"Oh?" he asked, puzzled. "How so? Like what?"

"Well... there's something else I'd rather do with my mouth... like taste something a bit sweeter... that DOESN'T taste like blood..." she said wistfully.

He raised a brow. "Oh really!?"

"Yeah. Really" she answered with a proud smile.

"Like what?"

"Like your sweet mouth!" she said amusingly as she pulled his mouth down to hers. A small smile hid within his own heart as he gladly kissed his beloved--one of surprise over how boldly she'd acted, as well as cheerfully. For him, she was all the more sweeter than he'd ever asked for, the love he felt he didn't deserve yet was rightfully granted.

*writer's note--memory excerpts for Paris and Vienna are from, respectively, Chapter 4 [A Misadventure in Paris] and Chapter 9 [An Early Evening Memory].*

Chapter 26: Ein Licht, Das Nie Erlischt [A Light That Never Goes Out] - Elizabeth.

2007-12-05T15:32:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth and the girls sat in the waiting room of the Spacelab in Düsseldorf. Never mind the fact they were back home--what all mattered to them when the men they loved were at the mercy of the Creator above? Each other? Of course, but they would be alone. And considering that they were now at home in Düsseldorf, given all the emotional torments they suffered at the hands of men that could've cared less, if the guys died... then what?

"Florian... please tell me you're alright" she begged her beloved as the train swiftly made its course for home. But the Roboter, in his weakened state, could only open his eyes and smile sadly.

"Florian... Florian, please tell me you're alright..."

But he said not a word as his eyes closed and his skin went cold.

"Florian...!?" she whispered, then looking to the other girls feared the worst of the matter. Tears spilled from her eyes, all hope was lost. Finally she looked at the lifeless face of the only man she ever loved... and cried in inexplicable despair.

"FLORIAN!!"

Her eyes reopened, the memory of the fight of the century, the fall of the courageous running through her mind. She looked to her best friend, then to her neighbor, and finally to her younger sister. They all were silent, somber. Professor Henning had advised the girls to wait in the waiting room while the guys recovered--if there was any possible chance of recovery. Quietly, and fed up, she stood up and straightened out her skirt, wiped a few tears from her face, and looked to the other girls.

"Anneke... Rebekah... please look out after Johanne," she instructed.

"Where are you going, Elibeth?" her best friend asked.

"I'm going to cry over a dead soul."

With that she quietly found Florian's room and, as she entered it, closed the door. She went to his bed and, sitting down at the side, looked him over, her eyes taking in the sight of her true love--wires attached to machines at one end, his body at the other. Wounds slowly healing, cuts and scars from the final fight.

"...my God" she whispered, "what has this all done to you?"

Closing her eyes for a moment, she recalled their first staring contest, fearing that she'd never see the blue eyes that challenged her green eyes boldly...

Elizabeth and KW070447 kept their eyes on each other for a while. Finally she spoke. "You know, I'm not one for staring contests."

"Neither am I, liebling," he replied with a polite smile.

"You must be our guardians on the Trans-Europa then" she said. He nodded in reply, took his hand in hers, and kissed it.

"I am Florian" he spoke, his kind gaze now fixed on hers. She smiled.

"Elizabeth Korinn" she introduced herself, then looked to her sister and KW200846. "And over there... my sister Johannes, who was born blind." Florian nodded in acknowledgement, still holding her hand.

She reopened her eyes, drowning in the memory, fixing them to her dying friend.

Taking his hand in both of hers, she kept his eyes on his calm yet lifeless face. For the first time in her life, worse than the death of her parents, she truly felt alone in the world, unable to go any further. She felt unable to stand strong as she once used to.

For the first time in her life, it was as if life was no longer livable.

"Florian," she spoke softly, "I know you can't hear me... yet I only wish you could. I really wish you could hear me, I really just..." For the moment the words died, and all she could do was sigh for a moment before speaking again.

"We're home... in blessed Düsseldorf yet... I am not happy to be home. I don't know if it is even worth returning home anymore. If anything is of any worth. It just...

"This life just doesn't feel so livable anymore."

Closing her eyes again she recalled their first night in Paris, when they had an argument over her fear that the Darkstrom would find them and destroy them all. They argued now and then over that dark and violent fear, but he understood where she was coming from--that she had watched her parents die in the hands of darkness, with no way to help her younger sister whatsoever. But her concern to look out after others were cause for unnecessary verbal fights as well, as she recalled their first night in Venice...

Fed up with his tendency of silence he finally stormed up to her and stood in front of her. She fixed her gaze to his eyes, which was in the meantime fighting tears.

"...Elizabeth, I'm sorry."

"...for what, Florian?" she asked quietly.

"For... for being the bastard that I shouldn't be" he answered, lowering his head. "I didn't mean to push you away and snap at you and act the way I did. I was wrong to do that. And...

"and I'm truly sorry. I just... I just don't deserve you."

Elizabeth blinked and tried to look him in the eyes. "--what?" she whispered.

But Florian shook his head. "Really, Elizabeth... I just... I didn't mean to hurt you the way I did. I...

"I knew better than to have acted like that--and even Ralf knows me damn well I would never do that. Hell, if he heard about what I did today he'd sock me in the jaw and scold me half to death. And I damn well deserve that but..." Finally the words died. "Damnit to hell, I don't know what else to say. I'm miserably in love with the one woman I acted so coldly to. I'm..."

The young woman blinked her eyes at what she was hearing. This wasn't the Florian she knew, who kept quiet about his feelings and often could've cared less about his actions. This... this was the Florian that not even Ralf would've seen.

"Florian..." she whispered, and with a sigh took his hand in one of hers and, with her other hand, lifted his chin so that their eyes met. What she saw had put her speechless--a small river of tears down each cheek, his face pale and filled with remorse. Her heart now broken altogether, she placed his face upon her shoulder, wrapped her arms around him, and consoled him as he wept silently in her arms. Now which pain was worse than enough for him to bear--the pain from the gunshot wound to his arm, or the pain of the heart that he unnecessarily broke?

With a sigh, she spoke again.

"Florian... for most of my life I've been watching out for Johanne, Anya and Rebekah. After the parents were killed it was us four looking out for us. We were captured, sent to Lisbon. Three years of hell later we meet civilization. We knew different people, we were different people then to now.

"But you... I never met anyone else like you.

"The very moment we fixed our eyes on each other I noticed... a sense of silence yet a sense of guardianship. And admiration--a strong sense of admiration.

"One that I... I guess I was a bit cowardish to show myself."

Time out--what was she saying!? Florian blinked for a moment, not believing his ears. Did Elizabeth mean to say that... she had fallen for him as well?

"I always enjoyed your company" she continued sadly. "And you always made sure I was alright, that I would be okay after an attack from the nightmare. You looked out for me when I had a tougher time to even consider looking out for myself when I was more concerned about the others.

"It hurts me even now to admit all this yet..."

...yet? he asked mentally, the tears escaping whatever was truly left of him until all that remained was in the safekeeping of the woman he loved.

She hugged him even tighter as she quietly confessed--

"...yet, I love you too dearly, Florian."

And quietly, she sobbed against his shoulder, her embrace even tighter as she whispered the three words over and over. The mensch-maschine was moved enough to embrace her just as tightly, knowing the pain in her heart was the same he'd felt in his own nerve.

"I am so sorry I hurt you, Elizabeth--" Florian started, but she quickly pressed a finger to his lips, her eyes finally meeting his.

"Really, you can call me Eliza, Florian" was her quiet answer.

The semi-human being was stunned beyond thinking--had her temper finally ceased to burn after all that had just happened? He could only think of one answer as he took a deep breath and, carefully holding her face in his hands, planted a bittersweet kiss on her lips. She blinked but for only a moment, then closed her eyes and smiled a tiny bit into the kiss.

"I... won't forget this" she whispered, remembering the feel of his warm lips against hers in that little kiss. She opened her eyes again and, with one hand, held his hand tightly against her own heart, her other hand carefully touched his cheek. He still felt terribly cold as if in death's final sleep, yet with some strange warmth to him. But the warmth meant nothing to Elizabeth as she ran her fingers along his silent lips. Tears fell down her cheeks again as she looked at him with longing eyes.

"Florian... take my soul with you, please. I love you too much to hurt this way... if you must die, so be it. Just... don't leave me here... don't leave me alone here.

"I can't survive this miserable world alone. Even if I had Johanne and Anneke and Rebekah... I still wouldn't have you. And at this point... you are the one person I'm holding on to the most.

"I don't want to live in this terrible world alone."

When he didn't respond she gave up on the whole matter and leaned over to sob against his chest as she had done many times before in her times of weakness. Holding herself tightly to him she cried the tears that she wouldn't ever tell her parents about if they'd still been alive. For her, losing the one she loved more than anyone else hurt her more than anything.

"Please... don't leave me in this world alone" she cried softly. "Don't... leave me... alone here."

Elizabeth woke up the next morning to dried tears, a warm hand against her back, another still gripping hers tightly. She still had more tears to cry--she'd cried them all night, and still more to spare. But something felt so strange--the hand she held tightly felt warm. She recognized its warmth, its familiarity. His hands were hers to hold, and she slowly turned her head to look into the eyes who'd watched her sleep in tragedy... only to awaken in mysterious hope.

"...Florian?" she whispered, unsure if she was still lost in sleep wide awake as ever.

"Yes, Shortcake?" he answered with a warm smile.

"You're... you're alive... right?"

"Yes, I am, Liebeling."

She blinked for a moment, then smiled softly, still crying the tears that now came in small streams. But Florian in all his love for her hugged her at the waist, moving her face closer to his. With one hand he dried the tears she cried, smiling all the more.

"Florian, you... you wouldn't leave me alone in this world... would you?" she asked in momentary hesitation.

"Never, not even if my wired soul was depending on it. My heart depends more on you, Eliza."

She smiled with a happy sigh, hugging him tightly when she noticed something new, something... special about him... that wasn't there before. She kept her ear against his chest, and tears of joy resumed falling from her eyes.

"What... what is it, Shortcake?" he asked with a slightly alarmed look.

"Your heart... is beating...!" she whispered with a smile. "Florian, you have a heart now!!"

He blinked--wait, a heart!? He put his hand to where his heart was and, behold! he felt a beating, living heart. He had survived the pains of the glitch attacks--he had truly become a Mensch-Maschine in its finest form.

"Wow... that's pretty damn good news!" he laughed gently. Then he took her face in his hands and pressed his forehead against hers. "And I promise, I won't ever leave you alone in this world. Not as long as you don't leave me alone in this world."

But Elizabet simply smiled, her pale-green eyes fixed to Florian's blue eyes. After a moment the two giggled again and she hugged him tightly, basking in the joy of being with him again.

"Sugarplum?" she spoke again after a moment of silence.

"Yes, Shortcake?" he responded.

"I love you" she whispered with a grin.

"I love you too" he whispered back with a kiss.

*writer's notes--memory excerpts are from Chapter 2 [We Are The Robots] and Chapter 13 [A Sense of Understanding].*

Kapitel 25: Helles und Schwärzung. [Chapter 25: Light and Darkness.]

2007-12-04T14:54:00.000-05:00

12 o'clock noon. On board the Trans-Europa. Four half-human robots. Four young women. One conductor. One orphaned boy. The future hope of Eastern Europe.

"They're catching up. This can't be good" Rebekah said as their faces watched the trees, ruins, and chaos fly past them, the Darkstrom troopers hot on their trail as the Trans-Europa sped for home with the gang on board.

"By damn, there's the General!!" Anneke noticed as she glanced through the window, binoculars in hand. "And there's a lot of officers in high rank too!!"

But everyone else sat there, bracing themselves for what would be a final round ahead of them.

After a moment more of thought, Ralf looked to his fellow Roboter and took a deep breath. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out a small Radio-shaped locket. He looked at it for a moment, wondering if this should be the appropriate moment to see what they're capable of, what they could do. When he looked outside the window at the growing forces of Darkstrom troopers and officers, he was overwhelmed. After glancing to Johannes, who was worried about the safety of all left behind in Athens as well as all on the train, he looked to his best friend and sighed.

"Florian," he said, "I think... I think it's time."

"Ralf, you can't be serious" the flutist remarked. "We don't even know how far ahead we have until we have fully evolved to Mensch-Maschinen! There's no way we'd come out of this alive!!"

"We have no other choice. If we don't do something we'll be in worse matters than worrying about the state of our own health!"

"Ralf Hütter, you've gone mad."

"Then you damn well better think of something. Fast."

Florian glared at his best friend when he presented the challenge. His glance went to Karl and Wolfgang, who looked back.

"I say we annihilate the bastards" Karl said quietly. "And quickly, if we want to stay alive and get home to Düsseldorf."

"But don't forget" Wolfgang chimed in, "we don't know how much we can handle as full-spirited Mensch-Maschinen so, if we're to do anything, we'd better be careful not to overdo ourselves or get worse than wounded."

The flutist sighed, then looked to Ralf. "Alright genius," he said, "you lead, we follow. Happy?"

His best friend simply sighed. "Florian, for once, stop being a stubborn bastard. Guys, let's do this."

Florian shrugged. Karl and Wolfgang nodded, and the four guys each held their Radio lockets. The lockets shone with a small glow, which grew quickly and, in a flash, the guys were dressed in red long-sleeved button-down shirts, black ties and gray pants. They looked different, not exactly the same as their mild-mannered selves were. They had, as if to say, evolved...

from

to

All the while Alessandro watched what was going on. He knew in his heart that the guys would be able to survive the final bout against the Darkstrom, but he also hoped that they would not have to go through the round alone as the mensch-maschinen quickly got their guns and started to make their way a couple of train cars back.

"RALF!!" Johannes called out to him from her seat. "Where are you going!?"

The semi-human being quickly turned and ran back to her. "It's okay, princess" he whispered as he hugged her tightly. "I have to stop the enemy from pestering us any further."

"But what if anything bad happens!?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

"Nothing bad will happen, meine liebe Prinzessin, I promise" he said calmly, his bold blue eyes looking into her gray lifeless eyes. "It's okay... we're gonna be alright. I promise."

Sadly sighing, she kissed his hands. "Geben Sie, Ralf acht" she said softly. "Please, please be careful."

"I will" he said as he kissed her forehead. "Ich liebe Dich Johanna."

Tears fell down her cheeks as he kissed her lips farewell. "Ich liebe Dich auch, Ralf -- immer" she replied.

His eyes widened a bit with her words. "Al--always!?"

She nodded. "Always. Always thine. Remember?"

He hugged her tightly as he remembered their little vows, how he promised he was always hers, how she promised she was always his. Releasing her from the hug he kissed her lips one moment more before looking to the girls.

"She's under your care now" he instructed. "Keep her guarded well. Guys, let's go."

And with that the four mensch-maschinen marched onward to the final round.

"Johanne..." her older sister spoke, "how'd you know he was leaving?"

"Because, he promised me..." the blind woman recalled, "that as long as we're both on board this train... he wouldn't let go of my hand. That he'd always be with me."

The women sat in a worrisome silence, fear surging through them. Was it worth it to not simply just sit there, worth getting up to help the ones they loved? To sacrifice their lives for the cause of freedom, in the name of Liberty, for the sake of Eastern Europe? The dread for a while overwhelmed them.

But after a few moments Elizabeth looked to her sister, best friend and neighbor, then to Alessandro, who was quiet. Suddenly an idea came to her, and she looked to Anneke.

"Anopheli," she said, addressing her by an old nickname. The resident jokester looked to her best friend.

"What is it, Elibeth?"

"Get out the guns. We're going in."

"But what about Joseraph!?" chimed in Rebekah regarding to the younger sister.

"I've got just the friend for the task" the older sister answered, looking to the orphan. "Alessandro, come here quickly!"

The young boy glanced to Elizabeth and quickly ran to her. "Yes, Miss Elizabeth?"

"I want you to look out after my sister, please" she begged. "I'll be damned if the guys attempt to fight this alone, and behind every good Mensch-Maschine..."

"Is a just-as-tough Frau-Maschine!!" he finished with a grin.

Elizabeth smiled with surprised eyes to Anneke and Rebekah. "I think he's got us set on maschine-hood someday!"

The neighbor shrugged with a smile. "Hey, in this day and age you never know!"

Alessandro ran to Johannes and explained to her the situation as the girls armed themselves and ran to the car where the guys were.

Meanwhile the guys glared out of the windows, two to each side--Ralf stood beside Florian, while Karl and Wolfgang rounded out the other side. Their train of thought was interrupted, however, by three women dressed in red coats with black coat-fronts and gray skirts. One of them fixed fixed her usual braids in black ribbons instead of her traditional purple ones. The guys blinked and Karl, noting the girl in the black ribbons, spoke up.

"...Sweet Mother of God, no freckin' way."

Anneke grinned to her beloved. "Better believe it."

"But what about Miss Johannes?" Florian asked as Elizabeth stood between him and Ralf.

"Alessandro is with her" she reported. "Fritz is on the communicator with her. She's a big girl. She'll be fine."

"I can't believe you're helping us out, Reki!" Wolfgang said as she stood beside him with Anneke's gun. "I mean, it's jawdroppingly wonderful and whatnot but still... you know, you girls could get killed out here..."

"It's no different from Venice, Vienna, or Paris" she remarked. "When you give it some thought we've been at risk of death all along. But... I'm not afraid to die. If I do die, it's in the name of Eastern Europe, for the cause of freedom. I'm ready." With that she gave him a small smile. "And, I'm a lot stronger than when we first met. I'm the courageous, daring young lady that I am now, because of you.

"Thank you eternally, Sweetheart."

Her boyfriend blushed for a moment when he realized that, she was right--but how!? The thought perished as the youngest of the Quartet lock-and-loaded her gun, her glare now towards the madness outside.

"Lilibeth!! Annie!! I think we know what time it is!!"

Anneke nodded, aiming her back-up gun towards a group of troopers in a carriage. Elizabeth also nodded and, aiming a shotgun at one of the officers, said "Sound it out, Reki-Nova!!"

Rebekah announced, the girls sounding in reply--"Ladies, Game Time--"

"GAME ON!!"

The mensch-maschinen all nodded in agreement, as the fight for Eastern Europe began.

In the meantime as shots began to fire, Alessandro sat with Johannes while Fritz spoke with them through the Übermittler. The orphan wanted to keep watch but the train conductor advised against it, opting instead that the two stick to keeping below the window if they want to see the next sunrise. The blind woman agreed with the conductor, the orphan thought he had a point. That ended the discussion topic as the orphan helped the blind woman to the floor, to keep away from the window.

"Alessandro," Johannes spoke.

"Yes, Miss Johannes?"

"I'm scared. Very, very scared. Not good."

"I know that feeling. Don't worry though. We've got the best guardians in the whole wide world. Your sister, neighbor, good friend, boyfriend, and your boyfriend's best friend and their two best friends too! Things are gonna be alright. You'll see!" he affirmed with a grin.

And how the hell did I wound myself up in this hellhole!? she thought to herself unamusingly--and unimpressed.

"GODDAMNIT!! FLORIAN'S DOWN!!"

Elizabeth stopped firing at enemy troopers for a moment to dodge a bullet as her guardian angel fell back, having been hit in the shoulder. Anneke glanced to Rebekah--"Rekah!! I'll cover ya. Go help Florian!"--and back to the enemy officers she aimed at as the Secret Florence Nightingale of Düsseldorf knelt down to check the wound.

"...not too bad. Very shallow wound" she diagnosed, placing a hand on the wound. "Give it about a minute or two and it should be just fine."

"We ain't got a Goddamn minute, Reks!!" Karl snapped as he dodged another bullet, firing back. "Let's go!!"

"Calm the fuck down, Karl!" Wolfgang retorted. "Just focus on putting the enemy to their eternal rest."

The young percussionist sighed and nodded. "Ja, sorry 'bout that" he said humbly as he fired another shot at an enemy trooper. "I'm just... frustrated, you know?"

"Typical Karl Bartos" his friend replied. "But you gotta hang in there. You've been doin' good on calming down too." The drummer fired a couple of shots into a Darkstrom officer. "I'm impressed and proud of ya."

"Heh... thanks, Sparky" Karl said with an amused smirk.

"Anytime, Short-stuff" Wolfgang answered with a nod and a grin.

Anneke chuckled with a smile to the two as Rebekah ended up with the bullet in her hand and Florian felt as good as new. She helped him up to rejoin the fight and, grabbing her weapon, regrouped with the rest of her team. "Sorry 'bout that, guys" she apologized, firing a couple of shots into the heads of some Darkstrom troopers. "I had to play nurse for a bit."

"Understandable, Reks" replied Karl. "Sorry 'bout my attitude a while ago."

"Forgiven and understandable, Karl" she said kindly. "Right now, I just want to--"

"EVERYBODY DUCK AND COVER!!" Ralf shouted for dear life as he quickly ducked and everyone in the train car followed. Karl huddled his beloved, along with Wolfgang and his girlfriend, in his arms, glaring at the windows.

"The hell are you doing, Karlos!?" Anneke asked, exasperated.

"I swore I'd guard my friends with my life" he answered, looking to her with a loving smile. "I'm keeping my word."

"Now that's guts" complimented Rebekah.

"Agreed" Wolfgang chimed in as above them, from one end of the enemy line, shots were fired just seconds after all had ducked. But the enemy bullets soared across the train car, out the other side's windows, and accidentally hitting their fellow soldiers. Some of the soldiers, hit in the head and heart, fell to their deaths.

"CONDUCTOR HILPERT!!" Elizabeth shouted onto the Übermittler. "If you can hear me above the gunfire I have a request!!"

"What is it, Miss Korinn!?" Fritz asked.

"Get this train going--FULL SPEED AHEAD!!"

"Full Speed Ahead... YOU GOT IT!!" he cheered as he pushed a couple of buttons and pushed the FSA lever forward. The Trans-Europa began to accelerate... faster... faster still.

Alessandro meanwhile poked his head up to look out the window for a moment--and giggled in glee as he ducked again. "There's less than a third of them now, Miss Johannes!" he reported, but Johannes was quietly crying to herself. More than anyone else she wanted desperately to see Ralf, but knew that she couldn't. The orphan boy, sharing in her misery, hugged her tightly in consolation.

"Everyone, let's go!!" Ralf cheered the rest of the gang on as they stood back up to take on the remaining Darkstrom troopers, as they had taken down all of the officers. But as more shots were fired the mensch-maschinen suffered what could only be described as "glitch attacks"--slight problems with their programming which only worsened through time. Pains that only the brave few that underwent the transformation from human to full-spirited Mensch-Maschine suffered. In any case, Ralf's hand wouldn't work right--and the pain surged right through to his head. The pain that Florian underwent from his bullet wounds returned--at an even worse rate, causing him to stop in his tracks. The same happened to Wolfgang for, though he suffered only one bullet wound, he felt the pain, which caused him to cough up blood. Karl felt a burning jolt throughout his body and, trying desperately to move in dodging the bullets, caused himself even more pain. The girls, in a panic, looked to the guys and then to each other.

"I don't like the looks of this!" Rebekah spoke up, reflecting the thoughts of Anneke and Elizabeth as the three tried to help the guys. But in a last ditch effort to combat the glitch attacks the guys stood in harm's way as bullets were fired from the remaining troopers. The girls fired back from between the unlikely safety surrounding them, despite the fear and chaos surrounding them. They had all endured glass cuts and dodged bullets, but this was something that the guys prayed would've never happened to them in front of the girls. The worst thing that the Roboter could ever suffer--watching their loved ones suffer while they're unable to do a thing about the pain they themselves felt.

Courageously the three women took on--and defeated--the last of the entire Darkstrom fleet. But it wasn't until after all the shots had been fired, all was said and done, when the four guys in their worst state tried to stay standing. Karl, in all his pain, collapsed in Anneke's arms while Wolfgang slumped into a chair when Rebekah tried to help keep him up. Elizabeth caught Florian's fall and quickly got herself into a chair with him in her arms, begging him to hang in there.

But Ralf, in all his courage, struggled to stay standing and, keeping himself up along the chairs, tried desperately to reach the door, to run back and see if Johannes was alright. Yet as he coughed out blood from the wounds and his vision blurred, he somehow knew she was alright, but more than anything else at the moment he simply wanted to be with her. And then he heard voices...

"No, I'm going over there!!"

"But Miss Johannes!! What if they're still fighting them!?"

"I don't care! The one I love is there, and I can't just leave him out there alone!!"

As Ralf approached the door it was quickly opened by Johannes, who was followed by Alessandro. The young boy's eyes widened in shock--"Madre Dolce del Dio..." he whispered in his native Italian.

"What... happened?" Johannes spoke in a soft voice, but the girls couldn't say a word.

"Jo--Johanna..." Ralf stammered in his pain, "Are... are you--alright?"

"--yes, are... are you, Ralf?"

"Just... barely... my..." --but his words stopped short as he stumbled. Unaware of what went on the blind woman stepped a couple of paces forward, arms open in a longing to hug him. The mensch-maschine in his weakness too had his arms open, wanting just as much to hug her. Yet as he hurried to her, in all his pain--

"Johannes--"

he collapsed into her arms, her name being the last word to have escaped his lips. Sitting on the floor carefully, with Alessandro's help, she took her true love in her arms and realized his warmth was dying, that he began to feel cold as ice. The orphan meanwhile ran to tell Fritz what all had happened, and the conductor kept full speed ahead to hurry them to the Spacelab in Düsseldorf in hopes that the four brave Roboter might be saved.

"Oh my God..." she whispered, "what happened... what happened to you!?"

But no words were needed as the girls began to cry over their loved ones--Rebekah unable to heal their wounds for some unknown reason, Anneke feeling the pain of her first lost love, Elizabeth hurting over the possibility of losing her loving rival, Johannes in her fear of realizing that she had just lost her true love.

Chapter 24: Versuchung. [Temptation.]

2007-12-01T17:57:00.000-05:00

Rebekah took a much-needed shower before calling it an evening, considering all the insanity she had just survived. After arriving at the station she helped the four mensch-maschinen unpack and settle for the night, assisted Fritz in registering Alessandro as a fellow semi-human being on the roster, cooked dinner for the gang in the hideout's kitchen--in which her only flaw was that she didn't cook enough and thus gave her plate to Alessandro, and brushed up on her Greek outside while everyone opted to talk amongst themselves. The youngest of the women, however, opted to busy herself with some knowledge of the ancient city and refresh her memory of the language she once learned as a child but had since forgotten. After all of this, she was quite the mess and, not wanting to go to bed in such a wreck, went for a warm shower.

In her quiet demeanor she emerged out of the bathroom wearing her dark-blue night skirt and, which she never really wore, a blue sleeveless corset which her neighbors' mother had made for her birthday some years back. At first the youngest of the Quartet swore to herself she'd never wear something so daring, no matter how pretty it was. Yet the memory of her neighbors' mother provided enough reason for her to wear the corset. A lopsided smile crossed her face as she tried it on and saw her reflection in the mirror just moments before she exited the bathroom.

Daaammmn, Reki-Nova! she thought to herself, that actually looks and fits and feels pretty damn good!!

Going to the mirror in the room she stayed with Wolfgang in, she fought with her damp red hair and, fixing it into a loose bun, secured it with bobby-pins. The city lights from outside illumined the dark room with a bright glow, which reflected in her emerald-green eyes. Afterwards she grabbed her book on Greece from the nightstand, sat down on the bed, and, turning on the bedside lamp, read for a while.

Wolfgang, who had fallen asleep while she was in the shower, blinked his eyes open when he noticed he wasn't alone. Turning his head he saw Rebekah and, in his shock, didn't say a word. His eyes were fixed on the redhead sitting next to him, knees hugged to her chest, bright red hair in a makeshift bun, her own eyes fixed to the book she was reading. But what shocked him was what she wore--he never thought to see her in a corset, of all things!! Yet... it fascinated him at the least, at most shocked him to the nerve.

After reading for a while she put the book on the bedside table, turned off the lamp, and simply sat on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest. The Roboter kept his eyes on her, but she knew she was being watched.

"Johanne's mother made the top for me years ago" she spoke quietly. "At first, back then, I swore to myself that I'd never wear something so out-of-character. But it's been years since I saw this. This is the first time I actually wore this.

"I'm a little beside myself that I actually fit well into this."

"Well" her boyfriend said hesitantly, "it's... well, it suits you well."

She gave a small smile. "Thank you" she said.

After more conversation she lied down on the bed and, closing her eyes, attempted to sleep. But her companion, now unwilling to sleep, kept his eyes on his unlikely temptress. How could an outfit turn a panic-happy young woman into a green-eyed redhead devil in a blue dress!? ...or, something close to it. In any case, there fell the problem with something inside of him called self-control.

"...so help me God, my heart is overwhelmed" he whispered as he trailed a finger along her cheek, along her mouth, down her chin and her neck. But even that did no justice to his admiration, and quickly gave in his own silent whim, he held the sleeping redhead in his arms and kissed her along the trail his finger had once led.

--sweet Mother of God!?

Rebekah's eyes darted open, the thought crossing her mind as her dream was distorted, she never expected Wolfgang to do this to her! And worst of it, he was shirtless!! But she said not a word and held him to her as he trailed kisses along her shoulders.

However, exhausted from the day, it got the better of the semi-human being, and he rested his head over her heart and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. But his girlfriend simply held him to her, face to the window, wondering what went on in his mind... was it something she did? She couldn't be too sure. The thought trailed on as she closed her eyes once more in sleep.

Morning broke in a quiet manner as Rebekah took her early-morning shower. She really wasn't thinking about waking up at the earliest moment as she usually did, but her mental and physical clock wouldn't allow much time for sleeping in. But inasmuch as she had to wake up, she couldn't. She didn't want to--not after the second attempt at sleep, which failed after about an hour, when Wolfgang woke up once more to kiss her. First time around, she hadn't reacted much. But that time, the moment his lips met hers she opened her eyes then and there for a moment. He'd held her hands above her head, clasped them tightly for a moment before letting them go and holding her body next to his. The next handful of minutes were a blur--she felt his hands warm against her, she felt his kisses through her dark blue outfit. But whatever else happened... was a blur. All she felt were his hands, his lips.

His inner struggle to keep his self-control.

She hugged herself tightly. No one had even dared to consider doing that to her. But she never guessed that the one man that she'd ever love would try to love her the way he did. She still had her innocence. And it took everything in his power to keep his self-control, knowing he'd never thought of her the way he did. But it must've been something she did to make him want her the wzy he did also. It chilled her to the nerve to think that someone could love her this way--it also warmed her soul to know that there was no other person she'd known that could do this to her. For that, she smiled a bit as she finished her shower and shut off the water.

Wolfgang blinked his eyes open to see that he was alone a moment later, but his eyes caught through the slightly open doors to both their room and the bathroom that she was busy preparing for the long day ahead. But the sight of her was what made his eyes widen in even more shock, and he buried his face in his pillow for a moment.

Bloody hell, Wolfgang!! he mentally scolded himself. Reki. In a towel. And nothing freckin' else!? This was quite more than enough torture for him. Finally after another few minutes' thought he got up and took matters to his own hands. Within seconds he was in the bathroom with her.

"Guten morgen, Wolfgang" the young woman spoke with a smile to him. "How'd you sleep?"

He raised a brow. "Now hold up just one minute, sweetheart" he replied with a smirk. "I'm not the one who turned into Princess Temptation last night!"

She blinked for a moment--Okay, NOW I know what's up! she thought to herself, and spoke up in humble defense:

"Well now does it look like I knew that a rare out-of-character moment out of me would challenge your self-control?"

She grinned to herself, proving her point. But the mensch-maschine wouldn't have any of it and quietly, quickly closed the door. Her face then turned solemn in a moment of questioning, which she gladly would've done had he not held her face in his hands and lowered his head to kiss on the lips. For a second, she would gladly have lacked common sense to have him that moment, but while there was chaos outside waiting to destroy them she had a job to do--for the sake of Eastern Europe and, even more importantly, for the sake of the people she loved so dearly. Yet her common sense returned as she held him at the waist and, while she knew her purpose and responsibility as a Clandestinian, she realized also what was happening this moment. And she would've gladly kept this going, had it not been for the chaos outside the safe walls.

Yet she could've sworn common sense had numbed when his lips trailed down her cheek... down her neck... --she had felt this before. But this feeling was even stronger than the night before, she hadn't realized what she had done to him and, ultimately, to herself. She took one deep breath, eyes to the window for a moment before looking to Wolfgang again, who now on his knees had taken her fragile body into his arms and kissed along her chest through her towel.

Again the eyes went for the window, but her train of random thoughts quickly derailed as her boyfriend resumed kissing her down her body. Not wasting another moment she held his face in her hands and lifted his humble face to her courageous own.

"Wolfgang..." she whispered, "I can't. Not here."

His face sobered to understanding. "Not... not now?"

"No, not now. Not here. Perhaps... when we all return safely home to Düsseldorf. But... while our lives are still hanging on strong-yet-thin threading, my heart be gladly yours but... not now. And not here."

Wolfgang hugged her tightly as she planted kisses along his shoulder. "Please, please be patient" she begged in a hushed whisper. "Please be patient. For me. Please?"

"For you, if I have to wait for ever, just say the very word and it's done" he whispered back. "Just as my heart is yours. Gladly and entirely yours."

Her head was dizzy after all she'd been through the past few hours, but she smiled with a level heart and held him to her. "I know I am willing but," she admitted, "not while we're still in harm's way and nowhere near home."

The two shared a small smile until--

*PHWOOOOOOWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!*

A loud siren wailed throughout the city, and Wolfgang stood up, looking around. Then he looked to Rebekah. "Quick shower, and then we see what's happened?" he asked.

"You go ahead," she answered. "I'm gonna go get dressed."

Within five minutes the word had arrived that the Darkstrom and Clandestinian forces had clashed, and that the enemy forces were to arrive shortly to storm the city. The gang all met in the kitchen and, looking to Rebekah, asked what she thought the best course of action would be.

She closed her eyes again, deep in thought, before reopening them and taking a deep breath. Her bright face was set with resolve and, after everything that had happened the night before and all that went on a few minutes ago, she realized that now was their only shot to escape home to Düsseldorf.

"Pack up, and quickly" she warned. "We need to be on that train in fifteen minutes."

Chapter 23: Augen Öffnen Weit Sich. [Eyes Wide Open.]

2007-11-29T14:26:00.000-05:00

The next couple of days en route to Athens were filled with conversation, leftover meals from Venice and Alessandro visiting each couple to talk with them. He thought of the gang as "illegitimate aunts and uncles" and were more than willing to keep them company as the train effortlessly made its way on its tracks for their next destination. For one, he got Karl and Anneke to be their humorous, joke-filled selves again, which was his favorite accomplishment.

Meanwhile in their usual train car, Elizabeth looked out the window from where she sat. Across the width of the car, looking out the other window, Florian sat there, his eyes glowing in fascination over the world outside. But after more than enough silence she looked to him, thinking of something that would not only break the silence but also keep him from worse than bored. And then, a smile crossed her face, turning into a grin, as a mental lightbulb went on.

News flash to Florian she thought, you're mine, sugarplum.

"Hey Florian" she spoke, still grinning.

The Roboter blinked and looked to her. "What is it, Eliza?" he asked, wondering about her smile.

"Come over here" she answered. "I've got a challenge for you."

"Oh really?" he remarked, going over to sit next to her.

"Really" she retorted with a proud grin.

"So what is it, then?"

"Simple. A staring contest."

Florian's eyes widened. Wait--WHAT!? he thought, Eliza doesn't do staring contests!! The heck is she goin' on about!? But Elizabeth just smiled smugly.

"Now, seriously, Eliza" the semi-human being said. "You call me over here... just for a staring contest!? What. Is. Up!?"

"Simple" she replied. "There are two rules to this staring contest. Rule number one is, winner gets a kiss from the loser."

Florian grinned to this rule. "Okay, I'm in already!! And rule number two is...?"

"Rule number two is, you can't laugh."

His face quickly sobered. "...at... at all!?" he stammered.

She nodded. "Yep. You can smile. But you can't laugh."

He simply blinked. But she smiled slyly. "Trust me, you know you want to take on this silly little challenge" she taunted.

"Hmph!" he retorted as the two now sat facing each other. "Bring it on, sweet stuff."

"Hey, I'm the one callin' ya sugarplum, sugarplum" she replied with a smirk. With that the staring contest began.

After about five or ten minutes simply staring at each other, Florian broke out into a smirk, while Elizabeth raised a brow and shook her head. Unamused, the semi-human being made a mock-scowling face; in response she rolled her eyes, then stuck out her tongue. His eyes widened for a moment; a smug grin appeared on her face.

This woman is murder on this Roboter's heart! he thought to himself as he shook his head. Then... it was as if he figured it out. Quickly he grinned and then, a second later, broke into a funny face. Undaunted, the usually-well-behaved young lady raised both brows, and a moment later she made a funny face.

Hey, I can be stupid too, you know she thought to herself as the exchange of the funny faces went back and forth for what felt like almost an hour. The funny faces soon turned into mirroring faces as she mirrored whatever face he attempted. Eventually he gave up on the fight and just sat there, somewhat exasperated. And just like that, so did she.

After what felt almost like another hour of simply sitting there, a small smile broke on their faces... and then a giggle at the same moment escaped there once-silent lips. And then the giggle turned into an amusing chorus of laughter as the two laughed without a single care. The contest had ended in the best possible manner; Elizabeth's experiment was a success in every possible sense of it all.

Moments later the train arrived in Athens, where there was an underground shelter at the station. After the gang settled to their rooms for the evening, Florian and Elizabeth sat on the bench at the windowsill, her in his arms, her head on his shoulder. Their faces looked to the city at nighttime, the lights glowing to brighten the ancient city, and on their faces each a content smile.

"Eliza" the mensch-maschine spoke at last.

"Yes, Florian?" she asked, her face now looking up to his.

"Why'd you challenge me to that staring contest?" he asked, an amused smile on his face as he looked to her.

"Because I was bored," she admitted, "and because not only did that give us something to kill time over, it also gave me a chance to do something I usually never do--which was challenging a staring contest."

"But I thought you said you don't do staring contests, Eliza!!" Florian exclaimed in surprise.

"I didn't. At least, for the most part" she replied frankly. "But, sometimes I have to just go off the deep end and do something a little bit different. A bit, if you will, daring."

"Nicht ehrlich, Eliza!!" he laughed. "Not fair!! If you don't do staring contests you shouldn't do that!! That's just not you whatsoever!!"

"I know, I know" she laughed in defense. "I'm sorry I did that." Her laughter then stopped and she fixed her face back to life outside the window, her face now a bit more sober.

The Roboter blinked. Oh my God! he thought to himself, don't tell me what I said offended you!! But she kept silent and, after another moment, stood up.

"Where are you going--" he spoke, but was silent when she turned to face him.

"I'm going to get ready for bed" she replied quietly, but he quickly stood up and grabbed her hand.

"Eliza" he spoke, and she stopped and turned to face him again.

"...yes, Florian?" she asked.

"...I'm sorry if what I said... hurt you in any way" he apologized. "I didn't mean to be offending in any way. I just... I didn't expect you to challenge me the way you did. And... well...

"I actually loved that challenge. I really did. It was just unexpected and fun and humorous as to how long we could keep from bursting out in laughter! It was just... just fun!!

"I just couldn't believe it when you challenged me. And I can't believe it now when my words offended you. And I'm really sorry I said what I said." After his apology he lowered his head, realizing just how much of an idiot he turned himself into.

Elizabeth couldn't help but look at him with a sad smile, squeezing his hand. "Verziehen" she answered quietly. "Forgiven."

Florian lifted his head to face her again, smiling. "Thank you" he said humbly, then pulled her into a hug. But she stared blankly for a moment, wondering if it really was worth the experiment, the attempt at doing something different, to be a bit more than simply a woman whose heart was more set on protecting others than simple humors. Realizing her own failure, she pressed her face against his chest to stiffle the sob that was rising in her chest, the tears that welled in her eyes.

"Eliza--!?" he whispered as his eyes fixed on her. Then he realized what had happened, and he spoke again, smiling sadly.

"You were trying to be a bit more cheerful... to brighten up the silence that was there between us... to do something different. You were tired of simply being someone known for caring about others, for having no sense of humor, and so you wanted to do something different...

"Yet every time you attempt it, it seems to backfire in the end because someone had to chastize you about who you are and how you're supposed to behave.

"I just triggered those memories, didn't I?"

But she gave no answer as he pulled away for a moment to look at her face, his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes were closed, her face just solemn as tears spilt down her cheeks. She simply stood there, silent in her own manner. He was right, but she didn't tell him this. He knew he was right, and that she didn't have to tell him. Finally she opened her eyes and lifted them to his, a twinge of anger in her own.

Florian gave up whatever words he wanted to say at that moment and simply held her against his chest again, as she sobbed quietly. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth... I'm so sorry" he whispered gently, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."

After what felt like a few hours the semi-human being finally pulled away again to look at her face. There was only one tear this time, and that tear he wiped away with his thumb. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at his hand that wiped that last tear, then up at his face. His heart still filled with regret over his actions, he kissed her forehead.

"What was that for, Florian?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"Because I'm still sorry, and because I owe you a handful more kisses" he replied.

"How so?" she inquired, raising a brow.

"Because" he answered, holding her face in his hands, "you said the winner gets a kiss from the loser, remember?"

"Yes but, we both ended up laughing at the same time!" she retorted, her face still a bit somber.

"I know but, after all that's happened here, I've given up this round" he admitted. "And anyway, I'd rather I'd lose to you any day, gladly given up the fight, because I love you dearly--and because I'm still sorry."

After a moment of silence she sighed... and gave a small, lopsided smile. "Y'got a point there, Sugarplum" she answered.

He blinked for a moment--"Wait a minute--Sugarplum!?" he asked with a laugh. "Whatever gave you the whim to call me that!?"

"Earlier. On the train. When the idea for the challenge came to my head" she answered with a grin.

"Oh dear God" he said, shaking his head. "I remember that damn grin. You had that grin of pride on there, like you knew you wanted to start something surprising.

"I swear, I am never, ever going to question that move again, now that I've figured out the why of it."

"Well then, good!" she affirmed with a nod. "Now, what did you say about owing me a kiss?"

He pressed his forehead against hers. "Keep in mind I rightfully lost this round.

"However..."

"...however?" she asked with a raised brow.

"...next round" he declared with a proud grin, "you're mine, Shortcake!!"

With an amused smile she shook her head and sighed. Words were not needed afterwards as he gladly pressed his lips against hers in a sweet gesture of defeat from the staring contest earlier in the evening.

Chapter 22: Das Alphabet des Verliebens. [The Alphabet of Falling in Love.]

2007-11-24T16:18:00.000-05:00

A couple of hours had passed since the game of Truth or Dare had ended, the couples dispersed with Alessandro keeping Fritz company, and the sun had finally set on an otherwise exciting day onboard the Trans-Europa. In one train car sat Florian and Elizabeth, who sat there quietly to recover from all the insanity that had happened. The Roboter had his arm around her, while she rested her head on his shoulder. While he kept his eyes to life outside the window, her eyes were closed as she was half-asleep.

Finally, Florian spoke--"Eliza?"

Elizabeth opened one eye to look at him. "What is it, Florian?"

With a smile he looked to her. "A is for admirable, B is for brains, C is for cute, D is for darling, E is for educated, F is for fearless."

"Oh my God, Florian" she said with a soft laugh. "You're actually attempting the dare!!"

He nodded and continued. "G is for graceful, H is for human, I is for interesting, J is for judgemental, K is for kind, L is for laughter, M is for... erm... M is for..."

"M is for Marissa, which is my middle name" she added with a proud grin.

He blinked. "Really!? I didn't know that...!"

She shrugged. "Just ask Johanne!!"

He shrugged also. "Anyway!" he said, continuing where he left off. "M is for Marissa, N is for nowhere-near-normal, O is for off-the-wall, P is for pretty, Q could go for quite precise, R is for really cute, S is for the staring contests we almost always seem to have, T is for trains, U is for unusual, V is for very dear, W is for wonderful, X is in the word fix, Y is in the word snarky, and Z stands for what you're not: a zebra!"

Elizabeth laughed and applauded Florian for a job well done on his alphabet.

Meanwhile in another train car...

"Wolfgang, have you figured out anything?"

"About what, Reki?"

"I don't know. I just... about anything. I don't know."

Her boyfriend held her tightly in both arms as the two looked outside the window. "I know that..." he said, "A is for amazing, B is for bright, C is for courageous, D is for dearest, E is for enlightning, F is for fantabulous--which you are, by the way."

She grinned at him. "And you're quite the goober!"

"Thank you for the letter G, sweetheart!!" he laughed, kissing her forehead. "And H is for heartwarming, I is for imitable--which you're not, because there's no one to be you except for you. And J is for jumpy, K for your sugary-sweet kisses, L is for lovable, M is for mornings I wake up to see your smiling face, N is for...

"...uhm..."

"N is for Novalee, which is my middle name!" she giggled.

"Holy cow, Reki!" Wolfgang exclaimed. "Nice middle name."

"Thank you, honey" Rebekah replied, kissing the tip of his nose.

He continued, but not before wiggling his nose out of humor. "Alright--O is for outside-the-lines, P is for perfect shooting aim, Q is for quiet, R is for your bold red hair, S is for sweetness, T is for trusting me for who I am, U is for unusual because it's unusual for a sweet girl like you to love a former playboy like me... V is for a very, VERY darling girl, W is for the world I'd surrender just to stay yours, X is in the word sexy because... well, you just KNOW you are!! Y is in the word sassy, because you can be at times too--and that's alright with me! And Z... well... it's the last letter of the alphabet but..."

"...but?" she said, raising a brow with an amused smile.

"...but you'll always be the first in my heart" he admitted with a blush.

"...aww" she said softly, and hugged him tightly. "Those were the best ABC's I ever heard." He smiled back at her, hugging her close to him, proud at himself as if he wrote the best love letter in the world.

In another car, Karl and Anneke kept their silence for the most part, which was uncharacteristic of the two. For one, they were a bit exhausted after all the madness that the day could've overrun them with. For another, they had said all that was needed to be said when they spent the night together in the abandoned park in Venice. But sitting quietly against the wall, the Roboter stretched out his legs and rested them on the other chair. His beloved, meanwhile, had sat across from him, looking out another window.

Yet as Karl's eyes fixed to the brown-eyed princess of pranks who sat across from him, his soul was moved. How on earth did his heart ever get to be so strung through and through for someone he knew only a handful of weeks, maybe even a couple of months? He wasn't sure how but, when his eyes met hers, ever since their eyes first met, he'd felt a strange yet marvelous linking at the heart with hers--even though, for the moment, he was rewired without a heart.

"Anya" he whispered, and a second later the girl's eyes darted from the window to him. He blinked and gave a small half smile. Returning the smile she got up from her seat and walked to him. He stood up and hugged her tightly.

"A is for Anya" he whispered, kissing her after each letter, "B is for your braids, C is for your confession, D is for being downright daring, E is for the brown eyes I always gladly drown in, F is for friendship, G is for your bashful grin, H is for the heart whose beating I count my seconds in joyful sleep."

Anneke closed her eyes listening to his words, a sweet smile on her face which itself was adorned by light kisses from the one she loved. Karl was apparently attempting the dare yet, whatever surprises came out of his mouth, she loved and took in every word, every embrace and every kiss. It dawned on her that, apparently, he was still lost in the memory of the night she confessed her love.

"I is for inventive, J is for a joyful company of friends, K is for the knuckles that fight in defense of innocence, L is for being lost in laughter whenever I'm with you... M for the memories made so far since we've met, N for the new memories that are yet to be made, O is for... Ophelia, isn't it?" he asked, his eyes meeting hers for a moment.

She nodded. "Yep. You got it. Ophelia. My middle name."

"See, I told you I was paying attention!!" he retorted with a grin.

"You goofball" she laughed softly.

"But meanwhile..." he resumed, "O for Ophelia... P is for purple, Q is for quirky, R is for the ribbons that adorned your hair, S is for the sweetest soul that I'm glad to be with, T is for the tears you cry that I'm more than happy to wipe away, W is for these silly little whispers... X is in the word extremely which goes with 'I'm extremely happy to be with you', Y is for younger-at-heart-than-not, and Z... well, I don't know what we can find with that letter."

But Anneke didn't say a word in reply, but instead held his face in her hands and kissed him on the lips. Karl blinked for a moment over what she had done, and realizing that words were not worthy of saying how she felt, held her tightly to drown for that moment.

Meanwhile Ralf and Johannes talked much of the afternoon away, the conversation ranging from the moment they met to their time together in Venice.

"You know, all that we've been through, it's got me inspired finally" Ralf said wistfully, smiling to Johannes.

"Inspired to do what?" she asked.

"Well, let see" he answered, thoughtfully. "A is for adorable, B is for beautiful, C is for your cheerful smile, D is for this crazy Dare, E is for your enchanting face, F is for the flowers that graced your hair in Venice yesterday..."

"Oh Lordy" she sighed with a giggle.

"...G is for your grace that inspires and captures me, H is for the hope we both share for the sake of Eastern Europe, I is for that infectious giggle!!" he continued, stopping only to giggle with her. She held him to her.

"Oh please" she spoke, "do keep up with your humorous words, Ralf!"

"Gladly!" he responded. "J is for Johannes, that dear sweet little angel who, though blind, can see the world around her. K is for the knowledge that you rightfully possess, L is for the love we've found for each other in each other, M is for missing your company yesterday because I talked with Florian too much!! N is for naptime together well spent, O is the openheartedness, P is for pink which is the color of your cheeks, Q is for the quick-hearted intuition that only you have. And R is for that really jawdropping outfit you wore yesterday!!"

Johannes grinned proudly. "Well, my sis said Mama had made the outfit just for me. And, although I cannot see it, I can feel it. I actually feel a bit like a princess in that outfit. I rarely ever wear it, and I'm glad that Elizabeth saved the outfits Mama made for me."

Ralf held her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "And rightly so, as you are my princess, and no one else's... well, except for your sister of course, but still."

She snuggled up to him. "Please do finish the alphabet, pretty please" she begged with a giggle. Hugging her to him the mensch-maschine smiled and continued.

"S is for your middle name Seraphim, T is for the truth of angels among us, U is for this unlikely yet undeniably nice romance, V is your vibrant soul, W is for words that sometimes need not be said but felt. I can't really think of anything for X but I do know one for Y, and Y is for you, because as Dr. Suess said, 'there is no one alive who is youer than you'! And Z... I can't really think of one for Z either..."

But Ralf's thinking-through was interrupted when Johannes, sparked by her intuition, placed a finger to his lips. He blinked for a moment while she smiled and, wrapping her arms around him, spoke up in reply--

"A is for awesome, B is for brilliant, C for cuddly, D for dreams, E for endearing, F for funny, G for gracious, H for humble."

The semi-human being blinked and continued to listen to her, eyes widened in surprise.

"I for intriguing, J for joyful, K for my knight in suit for armor, L for love that knows no bounds, M for the music that raises up hope" she continued, smiling contentedly. "N for the joyful noise of birds that sing, O for the one whose heart beats inside me, P for the patience to be there for me. Q for the quiet ways of letting me know I'm loved, R for romantic--just like Ralf, my Roboter. S for the smiles that warm my soul, T for taking my heart and soul just as I am. U for unexpected but mostly pleasant surprises, V for my Valentine, W for the whimsey I can't find in anyone else. I'll agree on X and Z, but I'll also agree about Y--for YOU!"

Ralf smiled and, hugging her tightly, cheered. "Now THAT was what I call a good alphabet!!" But Johannes just smiled, held his face in his hands, and planted kisses along his cheeks.

"I do silly things like that" she explained "because no other force greater than love will make me do this. Love makes people do what no one would ever expect."

The half-human robot then stood up carefully and, helping his beloved stand up, held her face in his hands, and smiled sweetly.

"Then, I suppose, it's enough to allow us to be the unexpected, then?" he asked.

She nodded lightly. "Y-yes, for love is the only force that can help make this chaotic world whole... or at least, in my opinion anyway. And the string that ties hearts in love to each other, no matter what the distance. With love, the distance is immeasurable, as it does not matter."

His own feelings for her overwhelmed him slightly and, leaning against the wall, he pulled her over to him and hugged her tightly. "I pray that there be no distance between us then, Johanna" he whispered before taking her face in his hands. "And even now I fear that words are not enough to say whatever else I wanted to say."

But Johannes wrapped her arms around his waist and blinked for a moment, her usually cold gray eyes adorned with a spark of love. "Words need not be said," she whispered. "In times like these no words are needed."

"And I truly believe it, mein liebe" he whispered as he lowered his lips to kiss her still-smiling mouth.

Chapter 21: Wahrheit, Trauen und Umstand.. [Truth, Dare, and Circumstance.]

2007-11-23T16:41:00.000-05:00

The gang all found themselves in a humorous game of Truth or Dare a few moments after Florian joined the lot, as Karl dared Wolfgang to admit to the gang how much he loves Rebekah.

"Well... more than Andelina's sugar cookies, that's for sure!" was the electrodrummer's reply, with a bashful grin to adorn his face. His next target was Johannes, and she was dared to figure out whose hands held hers. The mess of it was, it wasn't Ralf's, so she had to think for a moment before agreeing to the dare. When Florian's hands held hers she closed her gray eyes for a moment. Opening them she squeezed them for a moment.

"Certainly not Ralf's... yet similar to Elizabeth's... and it's not any of the Robots or the girls..." she said softly. "I believe they belong to Florian?"

Laughs abound, Florian nodded. "You got it, those are mine!" he confirmed. Wolfgang's jaw dropped as the blind woman smiled and picked Ralf for the challenge. When he chose Truth over Dare, she asked him what his favorite pasttime was.

"Either it was playing with robots or hanging out with the guys" he recalled, "but the piano lessons were a pain in the neck!!"

"Oh, those were the days" Florian chuckled, shaking his head.

Ralf then smiled to Alessandro, who was then picked to choose either of. After opting for the Dare, the mensch-maschine dared the boy to sing a German folk song. Alessandro, with a grin, began to sing Die Gedanken sind frei in a clear voice...

Die Gedanken sind frei, wer kann sie erraten,
sie fliegen vorbei wie nächtliche Schatten.
Kein Mensch kann sie wissen, kein Jäger erschießen
mit Pulver und Blei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

Ich denke was ich will und was mich beglücket,
doch alles in der Still', und wie es sich schicket.
Mein Wunsch, mein Begehren kann niemand verwehren,
es bleibet dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

Und sperrt man mich ein im finsteren Kerker,
das alles sind rein vergebliche Werke.
Denn meine Gedanken zerreißen die Schranken
und Mauern entzwei, die Gedanken sind frei!

Drum will ich auf immer den Sorgen entsagen
und will mich auch nimmer mit Grillen mehr plagen.
Man kann ja im Herzen stets lachen und scherzen
und denken dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

Ich liebe den Wein, mein Mädchen vor allen,
sie tut mir allein am besten gefallen.
Ich bin nicht alleine bei meinem Glas Weine,
mein Mädchen dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

Cheers and applause from the gang to Alessandro filled the train car, the child smiled to the guys. "Ralf, Karl, Wolfgang, Florian... Truth or Dare?" he asked.

After a quick glance and a quick nod, all four said in a firm voice, "DARE!"

The boy grinned. "I dare you four to put together an alphabet for your girlfriends," he said, "to be done within the week!"

The girls giggled, the guys blinked. Alessandro just smiled.

Chapter 20: DURCHLAUF!! [RUN!!]

2007-11-20T10:44:00.000-05:00

Another morning in Venice. All was well. All was quiet.

Until the sun broke through.

"EVERYONE!! CODE RED!!" Karl's voice sounded through the entire hideout as he ran through the halls, knocking on the doors. "We gotta go, guys!!"

"Was ist es, Karl!?" Florian asked as he poked his head around the corner from his room.

"Darkstrom Troopers have stormed the city. We need to get the hell out of here. NOW."

"...fucking hell. EVERYBODY OUT!!"

In half an hour all had showered and were dressed, packed up, and swiftly en route to the Trans-Europa station. Johannes tapped her Übermittler on the hand that was held by Ralf. Quickly switching hands she spoke onto the transmitter.

"Herr Fritz?"

"Johannes!! Dear child, how are you?" the Conductor spoke.

"We are on our way to the station now," she said.

"Why so early, have you even had breakfast?" he asked.

"No."

"Why not!?"

"Enemy forces are storming the city. Get the Trans-Europa ready."

Fritz's eyes widened. His resolve returned and he nodded. "Consider it done, Miss Johannes. We'll leave as soon as all are ready."

"Thanks, Fritz" she answered, then spoke up louder so that Ralf and the gang could hear her. "I just notified Fritz of the situation. He's getting the train ready. As soon as all is ready we're out of here."

"Smart thinking, sis" replied Elizabeth with a smile. "Thank you."

Suddenly shots were fired and, as Karl, being the one to watch out the rear of the gang, turned his head another shot was fired. The Troopers were firing into the city.

"Son of a bitch!" Karl shouted. "Everyone, RUN!!"

Ralf carried Johannes in his arms while the rest of the couples ran hand in hand to escape the madness and get to the station. A bullet dodging them, particularly Wolfgang, Rebekah glared at the officer that shot the bullet, and looked to Anneke.

"Annie, the gun, please" she asked. Her friend nodded and, handing her the gun, kept running with the others. Rebekah carefully aimed the gun at the officer, who was shooting at an innocent child, and fired a shot into the officer's head. It only hit his neck, and with a low growl she fired one more shot. A perfect hit, and the officer slumped to his death. Quickly the child ran to the gang, and Rebekah took the child in her arms and ran to catch up to the others.

"Where is your mother, little one?" the resident child of the Quartet asked.

"Mama and Papa died. Bad guy almost killed me" the little boy answered.

Tears filled the usual coward's eyes. How could the bastards of the Darkstrom leave children to be orphaned? It wasn't fair. Even to not have anyone to look out after them. Elizabeth and Johannes were lucky to have her and Anneke look out after them. But this dear, parentless boy...

"What's up with the child, Rebekah?" Fritz asked as the gang entered the station.

"An enemy officer was trying to shoot him down" she explained. "His parents were killed. They could've been killed by that same officer too."

"Wait" Johannes spoke in a soft voice. "That voice... is familiar to me."

The boy looked up at the blind woman. "I remember you from yesterday. The kind lady with the gray eyes!" Immediately his face lit up. "Thank you again for getting down my kite for me!"

Carefully she knelt down to catch the dear embrace of the boy, who smiled. "I remember you too. Especially your voice. I didn't know you have no parents."

"They died because they were metà-robot, half-robot. The mean people killed my parents because they would not respect them. I refuse to respect them. They don't like our kind."

Johannes' eyes widened. "Wait a minute--you mean your parents were mensch-maschinen also?"

The child nodded. "Yes. As I am too. Parents almost died while Mama was pregnant with me. They became man-machines. I was born a man-machine."

The eyes of the gang filled with tears. The child hugged the blind woman tightly, but she hugged him gently. She didn't know what to think.

"I... I'm sorry, little one" she whispered.

"It is okay, Miss..." the child answered, unsure of her name.

"It's Johannes" she said with a kind smile.

"Thank you again, Miss Johannes" the boy spoke. "I am Alessandro."

"Well Alessandro, Venice isn't a safe place anymore, I hate to admit it."

"I do not care, I just want to go away from these mean people. I'm scared to die."

"There's gotta be something we can do, guys" Wolfgang said, looking to the others. "But what can we do? seems to be the proper question for the moment."

"He could tag along with us for a bit of ways" Karl suggested.

"Are you insane!?" exclaimed Florian.

"Well God forbid Alessandro stays in this hell and gets killed!! Don't forget he's one of us, Florian!!" the percussionist shot back at the flutist with a glare. "And I myself be damned that he stays here on his own and without a single help. He's going with us."

"And all of a sudden we're a daycare, Karl?!" the flutist retorted.

"It's better than the hell this city's become" Ralf answered quietly. "You wouldn't leave anyone of us fellow Roboter behind now, would you?"

His best friend nodded. "I wouldn't leave anyone of you behind even if it meant my own soul."

"And you wouldn't leave Miss Elizabeth and the girls behind, even though they're only human, right?"

"Right."

"Then why Alessandro, when he himself has no parents because he AND his parents all are just like us? I wouldn't leave my own child stuck in this miserable chaos, surrounded by death's soldiers. Would you?"

"No, I wouldn't if it was my child."

Ralf glared at Florian. "Then, if the child stays behind in hell, so will I."

Ralf's best friend looked at him in shock. Then he shook his head. "You... you wouldn't, would you?"

"I would, even though he's not my own son. But he is of the same thread. We mensch-maschinen have to stick together through this mess. And I'll be damned if we leave Alessandro behind to die in the hands of the Darkstrom.

"So, will the child be left behind?"

Florian sighed. "No, the child won't be left behind."

"Good" Ralf replied. "Then neither will I. Conductor Fritz, the child's coming along with us. We'll find a safe family for him to stay with at the next stop."

Fritz nodded. "You got it, Ralf. Plus, the child could be a blessing to others, since he's got a new chance to live."

Alessandro smiled at Ralf. "Thank you, Sir!!" he exclaimed, hugging Ralf's knees. The Roboter hoisted up the young one and hugged him as the gang all boarded the Trans-Europa.

Along the way to the next station at Athens, Greece, Florian sat by himself, not wanting to sit with the happy lot. He feared that he had unnecessarily angered the gang with his comments. For the most part, he only thought about himself and the gang, and was unsure about anyone else. But his train of thought derailed when a young voice spoke.

"Mister Ralf asked why you are not sitting with the others, Mister Florian."

Florian blinked and his eyes met those of Alessandro, and a sad smile crossed his face.

"I'm sorry I made those comments earlier, little one" he spoke carefully. "I didn't quite consider you one of us at the time. But when I give it some thought, a mensch-maschine is a mensch-maschine no matter what age. You're a fellow soul. I have no right to say things against one of our own."

The child-robot then hugged the adult-robot, in a kind gesture of goodwill. "It is alright, Mister Florian" he spoke in his childlike voice. "We all get mad over stupid stuff, as Papa reminded me and Mama sometimes. Sometimes you need time to think it over, get over it, and move on."

Florian smiled and hugged him back. "I guess sometimes it takes a child for me to figure out what needs to be taken care of" he said, as the child nodded back.

"Now, come on, Mister Florian" the child said, taking him by the hand. "Everyone is waiting for you!!" And with a smile he led Florian to the rest of the gang to join in the conversation.

Chapter 19: Eine Einfachere Freude Haben Überfluss. [A Simpler Joy Abound.]

2007-11-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

"ANNIE!! The hell were you two all night!?"

Rebekah jumped into the arms of her older friend, who hugged her with a small laugh. Karl watched as the eyes of the gang turned to the couple, who had finally walked through the door of the hideout. Wolfgang raised a brow to him.

"Alright children, you got some explaining to do" he said.

"Bite me, quirkface" the percussionist retorted.

"Come on you two" Florian said, somewhat exasperated with their quarrelsome behavior. As usual.

Anneke looked to Rebekah. "Rekah, get Miss Andy on the phone. Pronto. I need to talk to her." The younger girl nodded and called up Andelina back in Vienna.

"Andelina? ...hey, how've you been? ...yeah, uhm... Anneke's got a bit of a dilemma to ask you about. I'm putting you on speaker, alright?"

On that note, Rebekah turned the speaker/videophone on. A moving image of Andelina came on the screen. "Alright, is this thing on?" the Viennese Clandestinian asked. She then saw on her phone screen the faces of the gang.

"Suh-weeet!! Hello there, Anneke, how've you been?"

"I've been well, danke" the resident goofball replied. "Listen, I sort of have a question... for you. I met this particular person last evening at a park--she wore a cloak. Had me give something to Rekah, which I still have in my locket."

"What was so strange about her, Annika?" Andelina asked.

"She... she looked like you, Andy" Anneke replied. "She gave me this to hand to Rekah--" She then took out the Mizpah coin. "It was this she wanted to give me to Rekah and Wolfgang."

The woman gasped. "That was... I recognize that coin."

"She said her name was Rinalee..."

"--Rinyalena!? My own Rinalee!?"

The young lady blinked back tears. "You mean... the child I met... who wore a black cloak..."

"Did she wear a white outfit with stars on it?"

"Yes. She did, Andy."

"What were the stars' color? Did her cloak have any lining..."

"The stars and the cloak's inner lining were blue. And there was a cross... between her eyes..."

Andelina's eyes overflowed with tears. "You've met her... you've been blessed... all of you..."

"What happened!?" Rebekah asked, running to the phone.

"Annika has met my daughter, and my child has a gift for you."

Anneke smiled as she handed the Mizpah coin to Rebekah, who looked at it. Wolfgang joined the two, looking to the phone's screen.

"...I remember... she wore this all the time" he asked.

"She wanted you and Rekah to have it" the goofball explained. "She saw no further reason to wear it after her death, so she gave it to me to deliver it to you two."

Rebekah hugged her friend. "But you're even more blessed!! You got to meet Rinalee!! And how often is it that we are blessed with the sight of angels!?"

"She's right, you know" agreed Andelina. Anneke smiled.

After the conversation, Elizabeth looked to her childhood friend. "I just noticed... how different you look without your braids."

The friend blinked and looked to her. "Oh... yeah... well... let's just say Karl had his way with the braids last night" she explained with a wry half-smile.

Her best friend smiled. "Well, you do look rather lovely without 'em."

Meanwhile Florian explained that the wheel on the train was fixed but it would take another day to fully set. Which meant another day in Venice, which was fine for all involved. After the meeting, the gang, in couples, dispersed to prepare for the day. And that meant a much-needed shower for Karl and Anneke, which they took separately to primp and pretty up.

Later on in the afternoon Johannes found her way back to her room in the hideout. For the most part Ralf was concerned about picking up stuff for the trip back on the Trans-Europa and talked more to Florian on the Übermittler, while all she did was walk alongside him, holding on to his hand that held the bags of what-not. Trying to talk to him became hopeless and, quietly, she let go of his hand and found her way back to the hideout--all while Ralf concerned himself over the train and the conversation with his best friend.

Lying down on her bed, she tried to sleep, looking back on all she had gone through so far. Before she'd met Ralf, it was her, Elizabeth, and their two best friends Anneke and Rebekah. Now the girls had apparently found themselves boyfriends. But even then Johannes had found herself to doubt whatever it was that she and Ralf had found in each other. He could see. She couldnt. But he was kind and caring enough to understand she was blind, that the odds of sight were well against her. It wasn't her fault that she was born blind, he noticed.

Yet, her fears were that she was a bit more "high-maintenance" because of this.

"Fräulein Johannes!? Are you here!? Are you alright!?"

Ralf's voice echoed through the hideout as he returned after sunset and, putting away the stuff he had found for the gang's trip on the train, he looked around. Taking off his coat and tie he hung them over a chair in the dining room and walked around, his eyes on alert and top two buttons loosened after a long day outside. Finally he noticed the door to her room was open. Quietly he walked in and closed the door, then turned to see the young woman asleep, turned on her side, facing the window. Her back to the door.

"...Fräulein Johannes?" he whispered softly. When she didn't say a word he lied down beside her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her. Yet still she didn't react. It worried him. How could a young blind woman, so unnotable no matter what had happened, suddenly cause a semi-human being to go weak in his resolve?

"Johanna... please... speak to me" he whispered in her ear. Giving up at last on the effort he spoke no more until she moved, her eyes still shut in slumber, to turn over on her side so that she faced him. What he saw and finally noticed about her blew him away.

Her bright face was slightly pale, her long wavy black hair adorned with flowers that were strewn about in the wind. A black longsleeved corset top decorated with lace and ribbons, black skirt that reached to her ankles to match. Her black boots did justice to the outfit, which in itself did justice to her as a whole.

Ralf looked her over in a small case of shock. This usually wasn't what she wore!! he thought to himself; Usually it was her black and red coat, gray skirt. But not... not this. How'd he not notice what she wore? How could he? Was he that overly concerned with Florian that he completely forgot about her until he noticed she was no longer walking beside him?

But she didn't speak a word, nor did she open her eyes.

Soon his feelings got the better of him and, his arms still wrapped around her, started planting kisses along her cheeks and jaw, down her neck and along her shoulder. He never meant to have neglected her the way he did earlier. He didn't mean to; he didn't want to. And he'd gladly surrendered his entire being to her if she but dared to say the word. Yet even without her asking, he'd willingly do it, because he loved her dearly.

Finally she opened her grey, lifeless eyes and, as his kisses trailed along the side of her neck again, wrapped her arms around him and held him to her tightly. In her heart she felt his remorse for the way he acted to her during the day. Noting her reaction Ralf looked up at her, trying to find the eyes. But he gave up that effort and kissed her along her ear.

"Johanna... I'm sorry... I'm sorry" he whispered softly, unable to say anything else. Yet not another word was needed as she closed her eyes and, her mind and heart serving as the eyes she never had, trailed a hand along to his neck, and then along to the collar of his shirt. Mental reminders replayed a bit in her head, and she took note of what her fingers ran through. But he also took notice and trailed a finger to her hand.

"What is is, Johanna?" he asked quietly.

"I would've hoped... that I could at least find some way to hand you half of my heart... so that at least you have a heart beating inside of you" she answered, her voice calm and her mind and heart least bit concerned with her well-being. But Ralf knew better than to let Johannes jeopardize her own life just because she loved him.

"Johanna..." he whispered, unable to think of what else to say. Giving up whatever words would've been spoken he had her lie on her back, then lied on top of her and held her tightly to him. She too held him tightly, her hands gently clenching his shirt. Finally, he spoke again.

"Fräulein Johannes... I told you once before, I'll tell you this again" he spoke softly. "I have a heart. It beats inside of you.

"I'm sorry I left you a bit worse than just by the wayside. I didn't think you'd just quietly up and head back here on your own. When I noticed you weren't beside me, I panicked for a moment because I was worried of what might've happened to you.

"I am so sorry, Johanna..." he mourned sadly.

But Johannes wouldn't worry herself over this as she held him tightly again and ran a finger to find his mouth. When she had done so she tried to kiss him, but he held her hand in his and rested her head against the pillow again.

"It's okay, my love, it's okay" he whispered, "I'm here."

"...and I believe it," she replied. But whatever more words she had died when his lips pressed onto hers and stayed there. She blinked for a moment, the shock lightly surging her every nerve, but then the shock subsided and, what was a moment of What the hell just happened!? became a moment of peaceful and unspeakable bliss. Sure, this was meant to happen to anyone, or so she thought. But the longer the moment lasted, the more she realized that he proved she no longer had the longing to be alone, that her fears that no one could love a blind woman were meant to fade to misery's dust and ashes. A small but warm smile graced her mouth as the kiss lingered, and she realized in her heart that, truly, he loved her so much more than anyone else he'd known... that his heart, or at the least his soul, rightly belonged to her, as her heart rightly belonged to him.

Ralf finally broke the kiss to catch his breath, his eyes fixed on the gray eyes that adorned the face of the one he loved. Johannes just smiled, her heart feeling a little bit light.

"Can I confess to you something, Johanna?" Ralf whispered in her ear.

"Yes, please tell me" she requested gently.

"I've finally realized that I love you very much" he said softly before planting a kiss on her ear.

"And I love you just as much" she admitted, still smiling, as she turned her head to kiss his lips. But he held her face with one hand, her body draped in black with the other hand, and kissed her cheeks before returning to her now slightly pink lips. The smile stayed upon her as she held him to her. Hours would've passed, the rest of the gang would've had dinner and talked some more until they went to bed. All of this would've happened, and Ralf and Johannes could not have even noticed, not even if all the world stood still. For the moment, the world outside her room wouldn't matter.

Midnight crossed through as the two finally spoke again.

"Remember when Rebekah asked about how often is it that we are blessed with the sight of angels?" Johannes asked.

"Ja, I remember" Ralf answered. "Why?"

"Because these past couple of months, I've felt I've been with the dearest angel that I could've been blessed with, and I'm blind!" She smiled warmly.

"Who, mein Fräulein Johannes?"

"You, Ralf."

Her heart tweaked with kindness, a sleepy smile crossed her beloved's face, and he kissed her forehead. Wrapping their arms around each other, the two whispered "I love you", closed their eyes, and went to sleep.

Chapter 18: Erinnerungen. [Recollections.]

2007-11-16T18:33:00.000-05:00

The sun had risen when Anneke opened her deep brown eyes and looked around for a moment. Flowers everywhere, just as the night before. Dew had sparkled the empty park with a sense of sweetness. To the side were four purple ribbons and a coat. At another point near her was a camera. The park looked even more beautiful in the morning glow than during the night previous. Finally, she looked to her right, where still asleep was someone she had at first thought of as a dear friend before realizing that, there was something so much more than just their friendship.

Quietly she lied back down beside him, her eyes fixed to the sky. How the hell did she luck out to be with someone who could find a joke in almost anything, let alone have a serious side to him with a quiet, snarky attitude that was overrun by his kindness? How the hell did even her best friends luck out, given the circumstances they grew up in, the dilemmas they suffered through together? Somehow, either there had to be a mistake, or it was about time they had enough of relying solely on each other. She blinked away the tears that welled up her eyes, and turned on her side to look at her sleeping companion.

She glanced for a moment to the four purple ribbons that were once, all her life, a part of her past she could never erase. Ever since she was a little girl, her light brown hair was mostly loose, all but two braids in four purple ribbons that got replaced every couple of months. Father always tied two sections of her hair, equally separated and divided, into ponytails, and braided them. She'd hold the braid together while Father tied the bottom ribbons to seal the braids tight. The ribbons would hold--she swore that she'd rather die than have anyone see her without the braids that set her apart from anyone else.

But that night, beneath the stars, in a lonely park in the near-outskirts of Venice, she faced her own fears, her own vulnerability. And for the first time since the days of childhood when her Father would braid her hair every morning until she was able to fix her hair herself, someone else saw her in a new light, a unique standpoint.

Someone had the courage to undo a part of her existence.

Das Mädchen mit purpurroten Bändern für Flechten, boys in school would call her. The girl with purple ribbons for braids. But she never let the namecalling get to her, at least in their presence, and would reply with a snarky comment to counteract to their insults. But watching her friend Rebekah suffer in silence over the haunting chaos of the boys, she swore off even the nicest guy asking her out for coffee. She couldn't run the risk, as people knew she was one of the three girls who protected what people at times called das Kind von Blindheit. The child of blindness.

But he who undid the braids... he saw in her what no one else could. Whatever he saw in her, he loved dearly. He told her so the night before, when she ended up in a situation that she never realized could've existed. She was a strange goofball, her sense of humor could've kept her friends laughing for hours. But she was also always prepared for anything.

Or so, she thought she was. But she was nowhere near prepared for what happened to her that night, when the braids at last came undone and she was willingly unable to stop whatever was going on.

Finally her gaze fell to her still-slumbering companion, still dressed except his shirt was no longer tucked in. She still wore his tie, wondering if she should tie it back on him, but the thought perished as she turned on her back to face the morning sky again.

Why'd I let him love me this way?

The thought crossed her mind as she closed her eyes, crossing her arms behind her head as a pillow. Why did she allow him to be with her, when she'd shunned at the thought of love nearly all of her life? What was it about him that brought her to lowering just about all of her defenses? Was it the way they connected in a way they couldn't connect with anyone else? Did they see something in each other past the silly reputations, the humorous laughter in front of and behind the cameras? She couldn't really think much more on the matter, until she felt someone's head rest against her heart, arms wrapped around her tightly. But she didn't open her eyes right away--she knew whose mind was well set against the love of his angel, whose arms wouldn't let go of her for even all the world.

Her beloved meanwhile kept his eyes on her, and finally moved to rest on top of her, holding her face in his hands. Finally, unable to think straight anymore, she opened her eyes to meet his, unsure of what was going on, yet liking whatever was going on.

"Karl" she whispered quietly, her mind still numbed from the daze of the night previous, "how long... have you been in love with me?"

He smiled. "For a while. Problem was, I wasn't sure of myself, let alone how you felt, so I kept to myself and still admired you--

...no, admire no longer does justice for how I feel about you anymore."

She blinked for a moment. "What do you mean... by that?"

"What I mean is, admiration has turned into love" he explained. "I'd hoped you felt the same."

"I do feel the same. I did then. I wasn't sure though, because I was afraid."

"No, angel, no" he whispered, "I can't see any reason why your past should attempt to take over what brighter future waits.

"That and, I'm afraid I love you too much to ever want to leave you."

His hands found hers, and clasped them tightly. He touched his nose to hers and smiled.

"You know, I bet that if I were to kiss you you'd end up with your fingers gone numb... just like last night" he said coyly.

Anneke, now slightly amused, raised a brow. "Oh really?" she asked.

"Mmhmm" Karl answered in reply.

A giggle finally escaped her lips, but it was a soft one, not the usual fit-happy laugh she usually had. Her hands still in his, the mensch-maschinr kissed along her left ear, near the scar she had suffered. Meanwhile her giggled softly quieted down, and she smiled contentedly, basking in his affection. This wasn't what she had grown to know as a child or teenager, but it was definitely something she could get used to.

After a while longer she took his face in her hands and smiled. "By the way, you're the first person since my Father who's ever seen me without my braids and ribbons" she said softly. Karl blinked, slightly stunned, but she still smiled.

"You should realize that, it's an honor. I don't even let Elibeth see me without 'em!" she noted.

His shock died down, and he smiled back, hugging her tightly. Then his eyes met hers again.

"My dearest Anya" he whispered. "My angel, my princess."

Words were finally rendered useless as his lips met hers, and she wasn't sure if either her lips smiled into the kiss or if her heart did. But whatever her heart was feeling, however strong or sweet it felt, whatever it was, she felt it was very, very nice...

Chapter 17: Geständnisse. [Confessions.]

2007-11-13T23:44:00.000-05:00

Damnit Anneke!! she mentally cursed herself. Now you've got yourself stuck in a situation you probably didn't want!!

...or maybe that you wanted more than you thought.

With a sigh she gave up whatever battle could've started by her resistance, and looked him square in the eyes.

"If... if I were to tell you everything that was in my heart... about you" she started, "I fear we'd be here all night and not be back at the hideout until dawn."

"But" he counteracted, "isn't that what you really wanted?"

She blinked. By damn, he was right.

"You know" she retorted, "if you had the capabilities of reading my mind and heart then you'd probably already know what I would say, and then I wouldn't be stuck in this situation, right?"

"Perhaps" he replied. "Except I'd rather hear it out of your own sweet lips."

His adorable smile was enough to unnerve her. But was it worth just to finally admit whatever her heart needed to say, to really confess what should've been said? Her eyes fixed to the stars above for a moment, then to his own eyes. And finally, she spoke.

"I... I'm in love... and it hurts sometimes" she started as he kissed her forehead, and looked back into her eyes with a smile. She took a deep breath, not sure what else to tell him, until an encouraging nod from him meant for her to keep talking. She glanced to the stars again, said a mental prayer for encouragement, and closed her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them, and continued with what she needed to tell him.

"I know... we're both very different, given the circumstances, but it seems we're not that different at all, and sometimes I wonder if... if I ever could be the one you'd wanted" she spoke, her eyes locked on his even as she could hear her own heart pound in her head. "And, perhaps, this has been the best thing to happen to us all since the days of old, before the Darkstrom took over. It just has to be. I cannot see Johannes as happy as she is now unlike then. Same for Elibeth and Rekah.

"And while I'm thinking on... those three have been, since my parents and grandparents and relatives, the only people I love dearly. They know this.

"But... you..."

She couldn't speak more, as Karl noticed the tears that welled up in her eyes and hugged her to him. "Shh, it's alright, angel" he whispered, "it's okay. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere no matter what you say. I'm going only wherever you're going.

"Wherever you go, angel, I follow."

He kissed her tears away, then straddled her for a moment to check his coatpocket for a handkerchief. With that he gently rested on top of her again, drying her eyes from the tears.

"Anya..." he whispered, and she looked at him again, perhaps unwillingly. She was known to be anything but vulnerable, but he was the only person who'd ever seen her this way. And not even her lifelong best friend Elizabeth had seen her this vulnerable, this human.

"Don't let your heart take over you as fear" he said. "Just say whatever you feel needs to be said."

Anneke thought this through for a moment. Perhaps... perhaps he was right. Yet what were the odds that his feelings for her were mutual? But even now she knew that there was something there between the two of them, and that in itself was something no one else could take away from them.

Wrists tied behind her head, face in his hands, she took a deep breath and finally got her nerve together.

"Karl, to death I dearly love Elibeth, Johannes, and Rekah. We've been together all our lives, through thick and thin, Birthday parties and funerals. We've suffered together, we've laughed together, we've cried together, we've fought together. Til death I will always love these girls, these sisters that they've become for me.

"But I swore I'd never fall in love and suffer the pain that Rekah felt. Her heart was broken simply because she took care of Johannes.

"You... you're the reason I changed in such a strange way. For the first time, I felt more... dare I say, vulnerable than I'd like to admit. I felt my heart be happy, at the same moment I felt that same heart break. And God forbid something ever dare happened to you, I wouldn't know what to do, how to act, what to think.

"And I think I'm beginning to realize that, this must be what love does to people. It makes people really see how much they're truly worth.

"It scares me to think this but... but I love you a bit much more than I love my sisters."

She stopped for a moment--oh my God!! she thought, I can't believe I just told him I love him!! Their eyes locked for a moment before she could think of whatever else to say. Then she realized, there wasn't anything more to say.

Karl looked at her and, eyes still warm with love, kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and along her scar again. While he adorned her scars with kisses, she untied her hands from the purple ribbon and, as he made his way back up the scar to her ear, clenched her fists upon his shirt. By damn, he truly was more than enough to unnerve her, and she was powerless to stop him--willingly powerless.

His hands caught hers and, as he brought them behind her head again, he kissed her cheeks again.

"Why'd you break free from that silly little prison?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

"Well, does it look like I want my hands to lose circulation?" she retorted.

"No" he answered.

"Well then there ya go" she replied, trying to find his eyes, but she could only clasp his hands as he kissed along her ear.

"I guess I owe you a confession myself" Karl whispered after he had kissed along the scar again. "Well then, where to begin, where to begin..." Anneke blinked watching his every move.

"For one" he said, straddling her again, "you look damn beautiful like that." With a smile he grabbed his camera and, as she giggled for a moment, turned the camera on. "This one is going in my own little photo album." With that he took a picture of the beautiful, bashful woman. Putting his camera to the side, he lied down beside her again and smiled.

"Two, that tie looks sooo much better on you than on me" he admitted as he ran a finger down her cheek, along her neck, which made her giggle.

"I love your smile, I love your laugh, I love how your eyes just glow when there's a case of moonlight about. I love the way you look, I love the way you think, I love all of that and more than I could count at the moment. I...

"I couldn't love anyone else that couldn't be you" he admitted. "And for me I don't want anyone else. For me, there is you, and that is all there is to it.

"So ja, what I'm trying to say is, I guess... that... I love you too."

Anneke smiled. That was the best bit of good news she had heard since... since so long ago... she couldn't remember. In any case she was happy, and there wasn't anything else in the world that couldn't change that. It was in this kind of strange happiness, the happiness that she had desperately dreamed about in her youth, dashed away as she grew older, now willing to drown in. But this was more than enough, this moment, to drown the smile as she held him tightly to her. Again, her heart pounded in her ear, her senses could've driven her dizzy. Still she held on to whatever was left of her common sanity... even if it wasn't enough to render it as common sense.

Again Karl trailed kisses along the scar that reminded her of all the pain she suffered through the years against the enemy. For the moment, the scar became a new memory, one that now belong to them and no one else. But when the sun would rise the next morning, and the morning birds sing and their souls were fresh and renewed, would the memory of this night still reverb in their memories? She hoped to God this would be the case, that they would constantly remember this moment, this night, for many a year to pass through. But for a moment not a word was spoken as she tried to figure out what went on, why circumstances worked out the way they did.

And finally, she could not stand the torture.

I think... it's time to turn the tables she thought to herself as he kissed her cheeks once again. But this time she stopped him from continuing, as she this time held him and planted a few kisses along the scar that ran along to his shoulder. The Roboter was a bit speechless--Anneke had surprisingly turned things around on the situation. Unable to move much, unwilling to move much, he kept her there until he himself could not bear it much longer. He grasped her hands and, placing them behind her head again, tried to find her eyes. But all that she had done was enough to unman him, and all he wanted to do was kiss her again. But she kept her composure and, without thinking twice, kissed him along the jaw. That was enough for him to find her eyes and drown his in them.

And finally, their lips collided. For a moment, time stopped. Or so it felt.

...midnight.

Had anyone sent out someone to find Karl and Anneke? No, didn't think it necessary.

But alone, at the park, surrounded only by grass, flowers, and dewdrops, the two lovers rested in each other's arms. Earlier that night they had made out until their fingertips sizzled and they felt dizzy enough to stop for air. Their eyes locked until their lips collided again. But for now, they slept in each other's arms, in each other's company. It was more than anything they had dreamed of.

The only matter now was, when dawn broke they would have to hurry back to the hideout to reunite with the rest of the gang. At this point however, it was the last of their worries. All that mattered now was each other.

Chapter 16: ... zum Herzen des Momentes. [...to the Heart of the Moment.]

2007-11-13T21:46:00.000-05:00

Night had fallen between the converstion that Anneke had with Rinalee, but now it was her and Karl. And, in all honesty, she was in a situation that she could not even attempt a joke out of. Her own heart, her own soul was now out for the revealing, but it would only be for the person she had admired for quite a while.

Hide what must be hid, tell what must be told.

Karl's words echoed in her head. What was she to do? Should she think through her words or simply spill out her heart?

Suddenly she felt a tie being tied loosely around her neck, and her gaze looked up to his smiling face.

"I kinda wondered if that tie looked better on you than on me" the Roboter said, keeping the tie loose around her neck. He had his top two buttons undone, and a faint scar had shown at the base of his neck.

"...what happened there, Karl?" she asked, glancing to the scar.

"That was from the accident that... that almost killed me" he replied sadly. Curious she opened one more button to see the extent of the scar. It was only enough to scar the shoulder, yet it missed his heart. But, of course, the circumstances of that injury could've been much worse also.

Quietly she undid the back buttons of her high collar, and one button from each side of her coat, revealing a scar that started just below her left ear, running down the side of the neck, over her collarbone, stopping just above where her heart was.

"This" she explained "was when I fought against the enemy in the beginning of their invasion. One of the Troopers almost killed me. Rekah had to heal me before taking care of anything else. The girl almost died." She then sat down on the grass, hugging her knees to her chest. "I wanted to help out the girls, and two almost died because of it." She closed her eyes, sighed for a moment as a tear or two fell down her cheek. Karl did NOT need to see her in this state.

Finally she lay down on the grass, staring at the stars beyond the trees, the bright moon that added a spark to the tears that finally spilt down her cheeks.

"There's a lot that needs to be said" she said, her eyes finally meeting his. He nodded and, lying down on his stomach beside her, began to undo one of the four ribbons that held part of her hair in a total of two braids. But she was unaware of what he was doing, her eyes back to the skies. "There's just... there's just so much I want to tell you, but I'm afraid.

"There's just this... unsettling fear in my heart that--"

But Karl interrupted her by placing one finger on her lips, and in silence he undid the remaining three ribbons and, placing them to the side, looked at her adoringly. Her eyes blinked and, glancing to the side, bit her lower lip. No one, and not even her three best friends of their entire lives, had dared to see Anneke without her trademark two braids that adorned her face and the rest of her loosened hair. But the mensch-maschine, in all his admiration for her, dared what the girls themselves would've considered unthinkable.

"If all you've known is fear, it's time to disregard that fear" he said. "Yes, I overheard the conversation with Rinalee. And no, I understand. Trust me. If I didn't, I don't think I'd be here now, would I?"

A lopsided smile crossed her face, and she shrugged. "Good... good point, Karl" was all she could say. But why the silence? Somehow there was more that needed to be said, but for the moment the words died when he wrapped one arm around her, held her face gently with the other hand and trailed soft kisses along the battle scar.

Her train of thought derailed quickly--what the hell is he doing!? became her last thought as her eyes fixed towards the starry sky, and then at the quiet scenery around her. This was something highly new to her and, even more surprisingly, highly unexpected of Karl to do. Yet she lacked the nerve to stop it. In fact, she didn't want to stop it. But not much was left to be done as he made his way back up the scar to her left ear, and God help her if she didn't do something, say something. NOW. But even that train of thought derailed as his lips kissed her ear and, tormentingly, brushed against her cheek.

"Karl?" she spoke--at long last.

"Mmhmm?" he wondered, his eyes meeting hers.

"You have any idea how much of a pain in the neck you really, really are?" she asked with a wry, lopsided smile. His eyes widened.

"How so, Anya!?" he retorted.

But she still kept that smile on her face. "You didn't ask me what needed to be said, you dork" she replied dryly.

He blinked. "Oh."

She giggled in reply. "Never mind, disregard, disregard..." She wanted only to be with him, to just think the night away and he could happily trail kisses along her scar to his heart's content! But his eyes fixed back to hers.

"Now now, Anya... you're tellin' me..." he demanded with a grin as he trailed a finger along the scar. She giggled even more in response.

"Cut that out, goofball!!" she squealed. "That tickles!!"

Karl's eyes lit up. "Oh my!" he exclaimed. "So my little princess Anya's ticklish, eh!? Well then I guess I'll have to torture you until you speak up!" And he tickled her mercilessly until she pleaded for him to stop, so that she could catch her breath. Quickly he took both of her hands and placed her arms criss-crossed behind her head so that she rested a bit on her wrists; taking one of her ribbons he tied her wrists together so that she couldn't get away or fight back. Finally, he took off his jacket and, after placing that besides the ribbons, held her face in both hands so that their eyes met.

"Now, are you going to be a good goofball and tell me what's up or do I have to mercilessly force it out of you in excruciatingly good measures?" he said softly, a content yet amused smile on his face.

Chapter 15: Eine Prüfung der Seele... [An Examination of the Soul...]

2007-11-13T19:55:00.000-05:00

"Oh come now, dear soul" the childlike figure spoke again. "Who are you? Speak up."

"I..." Anneke started, but her brown eyes were with fear as she faced the figure. Was this character friend or foe? Where did this being come from? Who sent it? Why? She had to know before anything else was to pass. But who was this person to ask such questions!?

"Speak up, coward!" the figure taunted.

Coward!? Anneke dared not find herself as a coward in the eyes of what might be a possible enemy's challenge. Finally, face determined, she found her voice.

"I am... I am certainly not a coward" she spoke calmly.

"I noticed" the oddity spoke again. "And that's why I've kept an eye on you."

"--on... on ME?" the Clandestinian wondered, eyes widened in slight shock. The figure nodded.

"But before I get to what needs to be said, I have to wonder... about your heart" the being spoke again.

"My... my heart!?" This was all too much already. Maybe she and Karl should've just stayed with the rest of the gang after all.

"Yes, your heart."

"But what about it?"

"There has been something you've wanted to tell someone, but you're afraid."

Afraid!? How dare this child says such things!? Anneke thought to herself.

"Oh now, come along, sweetheart" the figure spoke again, moving back the hood of the cloak to reveal a girl's face. "You know your heart's been afraid."

"...afraid!?" Anneke said, looking to the child's face. "But how..."

"It's there" the young girl answered, this time with a kind smile. "All those years of being concerned more for your best friends than finding that one true love. You even feared falling in love because of what your dear Rekah suffered through."

Suddenly the Clandestinian's face sobered. The young child was right--but how'd she find out about the past of the Quartet??

"I..." she tried to speak, but the words died before they she could open her mouth.

"It's okay, you are a friend of Miss Rebekah and my Uncle Wolfgang, are you not?" the child asked again. Anneke nodded before fixing her eyes on the cross between the young girl's eyes.

"What... what happened to you...?" the woman asked.

"That was where I was shot" the child replied.

"...shot?"

"Yes."

Then the child reached out a hand to the woman. "Here, please give this to Miss Rebekah, I want for her to have it." Anneke held out her hand, open to receive the present. The young being placed what felt to be a pendant with two chains in her hand.

"What... what is it?" Anneke asked.

"It's a Mizpah coin, Anneke" the child answered. "My mother gave this to me when I was young, in case I found someone I loved to have a half, but after I died..."

"...you felt as if you had no reason to wear it anymore" the woman finished.

The girl nodded. "Exactly."

Anneke looked at the Mizpah coin and smiled sadly. "I think Rekah and Wolfgang will appreciate this greatly, Miss..."

"Rinyalena, Rinalee for short" the child answered, smiling.

"--wait, Rinalee--!?" Anneke looked at her, eyes widened. But the child only smiled.

"Meanwhile, your heart, Anneke" she spoke. The woman placed the coin in her box-locket pendant, and looked at the girl.

"Y-yes, my heart...?"

"Yes. What... what are your feelings..."

"For who?" Anneke asked quietly.

"For the one you admire?" Rinalee answered.

The woman looked down at the ground, thinking this over. All the while she had been with Karl, life had been at its most whimsical. They had indulged in their love of taking pictures and being silly, of sticking to their companions through and through. And she couldn't help but drown in his bright blue eyes, as he himself couldn't help but enjoy her company.

"Karl... to me... is a friend, a companion... someone I want very much to take care of... and someone I want to always be with... like with Rekah and Elibeth and Johannes..." she admitted with a smile. "But... at the same time... when I'm happy... my heart hurts a little bit too, because I'm afraid that the enemy will find and kill us all."

Rinalee jumped off the branch and ran to hug Anneke. The woman hugged the little one back as the child smiled up at her.

"Whatever your heart needs to tell him, tell him" she said.

The woman nodded, smiling, as the child ran away from her. But she stopped for a moment and waved her goodbye.

"I'll be watching you guys!!" the child shouted, smiling. "See you around!!"

And with that, in a swirl of blue stars, she disappeared.

"...wow" Anneke whispered to herself, amazed at what had happened. She didn't realize that, she had just unveiled her entire heart and soul to a child who died. Even more so was the reality that shocked her when a familiar voice caught up with her.

"Anya, are you alright?" Karl asked, looking at her.

Dear God--what if he heard her talking to the child!? Then what?

"I..." she started, then sighed as her face looked to the ground. "I have... there's something I guess... I guess I've been trying to tell you yet I'd been afraid all along."

Karl touched a finger to her chin, tilting her face to fix his eyes upon hers. His face was now not of concern but of kindness. But the words he told her struck her as a dart of panic to her very heart. It struck a new chord of fear as the quiet words were said.

"Hide what must be hid, tell what must be told" he said.

Chapter 14: Ein Abbildung-Vollkommener Nachmittag. [A Picture-Perfect Afternoon.]

2007-11-13T16:05:00.000-05:00

"What the hell ya waitin' for, Karl!? LET'S GO!!"

Anneke dragged Karl out by the hand, literally running out the door to a gorgeous morning in Venice, Italy. The Roboter laughed as the two ran together to the busy city square that awaited them. A bright sun warmly greeted the rest of the gang, who were already out and about. But this couple in particular, the last of the gang to actually wake up, have breakfast, get a quick shower, and finally decide on what to wear, opted to grab their cameras and capture the day ahead of them.

"Wow!!" Karl said to himself as he looked around at the vibrant city. Maskmakers busy with making masks for Carnaval, gondoliers and water taxis out and about on the waterways, people out and about and going their daily business. It was nothing like his hometown. How'd he and his friends miss out on this because of the enemy?

Meanwhile the rest of the gang rode on gondolas throughout the city, taking pictures along the route. Ralf held Johannes' hand while they were on the gondolas, and the blind girl's curiosity was piqued.

"We are not on the Trans-Europa" she said with a light giggle. "Why then are you holding my hand?"

"Because it feels nice to hold your hand, and because I want to" the semi-human being replied with a warm smile. "And anyway, that way I can just pull you over and kiss you on the cheek." To which, he did too. She blushed smiling.

"You are quite a charmer, Ralf" she admitted. He shrugged, a bit bashful, and held her hand tightly.

Wolfgang meanwhile could not stop smiling at Rebekah, who took a lot of pictures along the gondola ride. None of the gang had ever been to Venice before, and the young lady had read about Venice, and always wanted to go, but never had the chance. Now a childhood dream she had was coming to life, and she could not help but take pictures to remember her first time visiting the legendary city.

"You must really love this city, Reki" the mensch-maschine spoke with a warm smile. His girlfriend smiled brightly.

"I've constantly dreamed about visiting this city since I was a child, Wolfgang!" she answered enthusiastically. "And now this dream is real! We are all together in Venice!!"

On a bridge they were crossing under, some of the locals were throwing flowers and petals to all the gondolas below. Wolfgang caught a flower and, with a bashful grin, tucked the flower upon Rebekah's ear. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. He hugged her for a moment, and she resumed taking pictures, the first being of the kind locals with their flowery cheer. Afterwards she waved to them, and took more pictures of the city.

Elizabeth, watching all of this, giggled to herself, smiling to Florian. He glanced back to her and, without warning, kissed her on the lips. She blinked for a moment, and giggled some more. Finally the case of giggles caught on to him, and the two were laughing together, happy in each other's company.

In the meantime, Karl and Anneke strolled through the town, taking pictures of the city and each other. Among one stop was the -Basilica di San Marco, Saint Mark's Basilica...

"Whoa!!" exclamed Karl. "That's a huge Church!!"

"That is the Basilica di San Marco, Karl!!" noted Anneke with a smile. "Rekah always dreamed about visiting this city, and she used to tell me, Elibeth and Johannes about what she read in books and encyclopedias. And she even saved a picture of this Basilica that her dad gave her from when he helped out here years ago."

"Hey! stand up at front and I'll get a picture!!" the Roboter said, and the young woman stood where he could get a good shot of the Basilica and her.

*CLICK!!*

"...good picture, Anya!!" he then said with a grin, lowering the camera. She grinned back at him warmly.

After an afternoon of pictures, the couple regrouped with the rest of the gang, and they all set out on gondolas down the waterway some more, as sunset approached. One of the gondoliers led a sing-along of "That's Amore," and Johannes in her recollections of Vienna giggled.

"What is it, Fräulein Johannes?" Ralf asked, still holding her hand.

"Didn't we sing this melody back in Vienna?" she asked.

Ralf thought through for a moment, and nodded. "Ja" he confirmed. "We did, didn't we?" And with a hug he sang along. Johannes, with a grin, sang joyously with the gang, and all were in vibrant spirits as the gondolas approached the Ponte dei Sospiri.

"De Ponte dei Sospiri!!" cheered Rebekah. "The Bridge of Sighs!!"

"What's so awesome about a bridge so beautiful, Rekah!?" Anneke shouted to her friend from her and Karl's gondola.

"There's a legend here that lovers will be assured eternal love if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the bridge" explained the bright-eyed redhead. "And if the clock strikes us all proper..."

"Looks like sunset time for all" noted Florian as the bells of sunset tolled and the gondolas were passing under the Bridge.

Johannes reached out a hand to find Ralf's face, but he caught her hand and kissed it, smiling.

"It is alright, Fräulein Johannes" he said softly, "I am here."

"I know but" she answered, "I want to kiss you at the moment."

Ralf blinked for a moment. Hold up--she WHAT!? he thought to himself, as if to make sure he heard proper. But considering what Rebekah had told the gang, his slight panic subsided and he smiled again. Leaning over, as their gondola passed under the Bridge, he kissed her. And the remaining three couples, each in their gondola, too shared a kiss as the gondolas passed under.

After the gondola ride and the sunset kiss, the gang opted for dinner and to call it a day. But Karl and Anneke, still wound up from the adventurous day they had so far, opted to continue taking more pictures and sightseeing until they felt tired enough to call it done. With that the two set forth on more picturetaking and misadventures.

At one point the two were strolling down a walkway, when Anneke glanced to her dear friend and simply smiled. Karl raised a brow, wondering what was up. Then she winked and let go of his hand.

"By the way," she said, "betcha can't catch me!"

But as the semi-human being blinked she'd run a couple of paces ahead, he laughed and ran in pursuit of his companion. The chase pressed on, and for a moment Karl caught up with her, but she glanced to him and, with a quick wink at him, faced ahead and speedily dashed ahead of him, running into a park straight ahead. Dodging trees and bushes, leaping over benches, she lost him somewhere in the chaos of it all, and slowed down to catch her breath.

Damn!! she thought to herself, I hadn't run this fast in years. I didn't know I still had it in me.

Her heart pounding in her ears, Anneke quietly looked around, unsure of herself as to where in the park she was. But then she turned around, someone had caught her eye.

A cloaked, winged figure, seated on a low tree branch.

"What the..." Anneke thought, stepping closer to the figure.

But, in a young girl's voice, the figure spoke:

"Have no fear, except for what's in your own heart."

But the Clandestinian, in her unspoken fear, kept her eyes on the being.

Chapter 13: Eine Richtung des Verstehens. [A Sense of Understanding.]

2007-11-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

Florian rested for a while on the Trans-Europa while the rest of the gang explored Venice for a Clandestian hide-out for the next couple of nights. After the gunfight with Darkstrom forces and one of the wheels on the train being shot out, he needed every moment to recover from the injury to his arm. Rebekah strengthened the healing process, shortening his recovery time by a very long shot. But he insisted the rest of the gang go explore the city while he stayed in and recovered a while. The one person concerned the most was the one who wanted to stay behind...

"Elizabeth, go with the others" Florian had insisted.

"Florian, I'm not leaving you alone here" she answered back.

"Look, Eliza, I will be alright" he insisted. "Now go along and be of good cheer."

"Good cheer be damned!" she replied defiantly. "I'm not leaving you alone."

But he wouldn't have any of it. He gave her a sharp look, which silenced her and even worried her.

"...fine" she answered quietly, and stormed out of the train.

"Damnit Florian" he muttered to himself, "the hell were you thinking being rude to her like that!? She..." But the thought died as tears of regret filled his eyes, the image of a distraught and hurting Elizabeth flooded his memory.

She only wanted to take care of someone she loved.

Why did he push her away like that? Was it because he felt as if he would've been fine taking care of himself? Did he feel like he could've been alright if no one worried so much about him? Or was there something deeper--the real reason he couldn't bear to be around her while she worried?

That, he wanted time to rest and sort his feelings out?

He thought things over--his fascination over someone who didn't do well with staring contests, and his curiosity was stirred. Along the way he noticed her steadfast courage; her devotion to protecting the Quartet and, more importantly, her blind-since-birth younger sister Johannes; the humor she shared with not just her sister but Anneke and Rebekah. But he also took note of the bold copper highlights in her brown hair, the way her pale green eyes shone as she faced a sunrise the morning they left Vienna, how despite her courage she was still vulnerable...

how despite she was strong, she was still human, and feared for the lives of all the gang.

Yet in spite of the circumstances, what were her feelings for him? She had loved his company, and their conversations were lively even during their silences. Even as they fell asleep in conversation, she loved to be around him. His presence was comforting, almost as if a guardian angel was assigned to watch over her.

But really, what were her feelings for him?

Sitting in his seat, drowning in the misery of his own tears. This was not the Florian Schneider that his darling Elizabeth deserved to see--that he himself was hurting in his own thoughts, his own fears.

And yet he wanted to tell her everything that his heart had to say.

Finally night had fallen and, as the gang hadn't returned yet, he decided it best to dry his tears and go find and reconnect the lot. But as he stood up, he saw a familiar figure, sitting outside the train, knees hugged to her chest. The brown-and-copper hair. The outfit she wore. Tears returned to his eyes, her name escaped his lips.

Elizabeth.

Quickly he pushed the door of the train open and ran out to see what had happened. But she sat there, her eyes fixed on him.

"...what happened? Where are the others, Eliza?" he asked.

"They are at a Clandestinian shelter a mile from here" she answered quietly. "After the gang settled I came back here."

"For what!?" What could she had possibly come back here for!? he thought to himself.

But, she lowered her head, silent.

"Answer me, Elizabeth!!" he demanded.

Her face glared at him sternly. "Do not yell at me, Florian" she answered bitterly as she stood up. "I walk half past hell all afternoon, then back to check up on you.

"And this is the thanks I get."

Florian's face sobered as she turned to walk away. She had walked all this time to make sure the gang was settled safely for the night, and diligently returned to check up on the one person she wanted to protect who'd protected her in return.

"Eliza--" he spoke, but she kept walking.

Damnit Florian!! he scolded himself mentally. Now you really have to humble yourself. And open your mouth while you're at it!!

Fed up with his tendency of silence he finally stormed up to her and stood in front of her. She fixed her gaze to his eyes, which was in the meantime fighting tears.

"...Elizabeth, I'm sorry."

"...for what, Florian?" she asked quietly.

"For... for being the bastard that I shouldn't be" he answered, lowering his head. "I didn't mean to push you away and snap at you and act the way I did. I was wrong to do that. And...

"and I'm truly sorry. I just... I just don't deserve you."

Elizabeth blinked and tried to look him in the eyes. "--what?" she whispered.

But Florian shook his head. "Really, Elizabeth... I just... I didn't mean to hurt you the way I did. I...

"I knew better than to have acted like that--and even Ralf knows me damn well I would never do that. Hell, if he heard about what I did today he'd sock me in the jaw and scold me half to death. And I damn well deserve that but..." Finally the words died. "Damnit to hell, I don't know what else to say. I'm miserably in love with the one woman I acted so coldly to. I'm..."

The young woman blinked her eyes at what she was hearing. This wasn't the Florian she knew, who kept quiet about his feelings and often could've cared less about his actions. This... this was the Florian that not even Ralf would've seen.

"Florian..." she whispered, and with a sigh took his hand in one of hers and, with her other hand, lifted his chin so that their eyes met. What she saw had put her speechless--a small river of tears down each cheek, his face pale and filled with remorse. Her heart now broken altogether, she placed his face upon her shoulder, wrapped her arms around him, and consoled him as he wept silently in her arms. Now which pain was worse than enough for him to bear--the pain from the gunshot wound to his arm, or the pain of the heart that he unnecessarily broke?

With a sigh, she spoke again.

"Florian... for most of my life I've been watching out for Johanne, Anya and Rebekah. After the parents were killed it was us four looking out for us. We were captured, sent to Lisbon. Three years of hell later we meet civilization. We knew different people, we were different people then to now.

"But you... I never met anyone else like you.

"The very moment we fixed our eyes on each other I noticed... a sense of silence yet a sense of guardianship. And admiration--a strong sense of admiration.

"One that I... I guess I was a bit cowardish to show myself."

Time out--what was she saying!? Florian blinked for a moment, not believing his ears. Did Elizabeth mean to say that... she had fallen for him as well?

"I always enjoyed your company" she continued sadly. "And you always made sure I was alright, that I would be okay after an attack from the nightmare. You looked out for me when I had a tougher time to even consider looking out for myself when I was more concerned about the others.

"It hurts me even now to admit all this yet..."

...yet? he asked mentally, the tears escaping whatever was truly left of him until all that remained was in the safekeeping of the woman he loved.

She hugged him even tighter as she quietly confessed--

"...yet, I love you too dearly, Florian."

And quietly, she sobbed against his shoulder, her embrace even tighter as she whispered the three words over and over. The mensch-maschine was moved enough to embrace her just as tightly, knowing the pain in her heart was the same he'd felt in his own nerve.

"I am so sorry I hurt you, Elizabeth--" Florian started, but she quickly pressed a finger to his lips, her eyes finally meeting his.

"Really, you can call me Eliza, Florian" was her quiet answer.

The semi-human being was stunned beyond thinking--had her temper finally ceased to burn after all that had just happened? He could only think of one answer as he took a deep breath and, carefully holding her face in his hands, planted a bittersweet kiss on her lips. She blinked but for only a moment, then closed her eyes and smiled a tiny bit into the kiss.

All of a sudden... a moment she captured returned. That first night in Paris. The nightmare that returned, and he had comforted her. The slight argument they had, how she thought he was heartless because, in her eyes, he was a robot. How he assured her he and his friends would protect the Quartet. The moment she fell asleep holding his hand. The second he kissed her good-night.

Except, this moment was even sweeter than the first kiss good-night.

Finally Elizabeth broke the kiss and smiled up at him, her pale green eyes glistening in the moonlight. Florian kept a hand to her cheek and, with a kiss to her forehead, smiled warmly.

"I think we've had a long day, Eliza" he said. "Bedtime in order?"

She nodded a bit. "Ja, it sounds about right this time of night."

"Piggy-back ride then? You lead, I carry?" he asked.

"...you can't be serious, Florian!" she exclaimed with a laugh, but he insisted.

"My dearest Eliza, you're insane if you think I'm gonna have you walk all the way back to where the gang's at" he explained.

With an amused sigh, she shrugged. "Good point."

After the piggy-back ride back to the hide-out, the two spent much of the night enjoying each other's company in their quiet room. Florian kept Elizabeth in a warm embrace while she rested her head against his chest. The Roboter had been facing the ceiling, when his thoughts stopped for a moment.

"Eliza?" he whispered.

"Yes, Florian?" she answered.

"Did I ever tell you I love you?" he asked.

"...nein" she replied, looking to him. "I recall you said you were in love with me but... that's about it."

"Well then" he noted, his eyes fixed on hers. A smile was on his face and she knew that whatever he was about to say, by damn, he meant it.

"I love you, my dearest Eliza" he whispered, before gently pulling her lips to his for a dear kiss good-night.

Chapter 12: Unter Angriff!! [Under Attack!!]

2007-11-04T19:15:00.000-05:00

After another two days in Vienna, in which Andelina kept watch over the gang in the underground shelter, the Trans-Europa was prepared for departure. Receiving the all-clear in Morse code by the Clandestinian Lookouts, Ralf and the gang packed up some extra snacks and beverages diligently prepared by their hostesses. Florian glanced to his best friend as they packed up a local Clandestinian-friendly carriage.

"You know, Ralf" he spoke, "that was a good idea to stay over and try some of their awesome cooking."

"Ja" Ralf answered with a smile. "Even Johannes ate a bit more than she should've--she actually apologized for eating more than she usually should've!!"

Florian laughed. "But Elizabeth said it was alright--that it was good to see Miss Johannes eat plenty. That's the first time since before they were imprisoned in Lisbon that she's had more than a plateful of food in one sitting!! And the girls were highly delighted!!"

The blind girl's true love smiled humbly, blushing slightly. "She'll be thrilled we packed up extra food. She's gonna miss Andelina and the baristas."

"Especially Rebekah--she'll miss Madame Andelina tremendously" noted his friend. "The two have come to be wonderful friends thanks to Wolfgang."

"Hmph!" Ralf huffed. "The playboy that he is."

"You do know he's planning to quit those ways for good, right?" Florian informed. Ralf just looked at him with widened eyes, absolute shock. His best friend just nodded. "Ja, it's true. He's been inspired by Rebekah to straighten up, because he's finally fallen in absolute love with her. Quite a surprise but, I do think they'll make it well past the altar the way this is going."

After all was packed, the gang boarded the carriage, the last to board being Rebekah who had one final chat with Andelina.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality and the food!" grinned the younger Clandestinaian.

"You're absolutely welcome" replied the hostess. "I pray you all come and visit again after you've returned home safely. Send some postcards too, I'll add them to the Wall of Memories."

"Absolutely" Rebekah affirmed with a grin.

"Also" Andelina spoke again, "I'm praying that your dear Johannes does get her sight. I noticed she's a bit cynical about her sight yet more hopeful for the freedom and future of Eastern Europe. However, I will pray and hope for the sight to be granted to her, as I'm sure she deserves to see."

The young girl nodded, smiling. "I think we all can appreciate that. Thank you."

"Always welcome, Rivka" the hostess answered warmly. "Always."

After a hug farewell and blessing from Andelina, Rebekah boarded the carriage, and the humble transport made its way for the Station.

"You know, Wolfgang" the girl spoke, "she has to be the coolest hostess here in Vienna. Maybe one day we can invite her over to Düsseldorf and return the favor!"

Her boyfriend nodded, smiling to her. "Actually... that would be a good idea. I bet she hasn't been home in Düsseldorf in years. That's a brilliant idea, Reki!!"

"...Reki??" she asked, a lopsided yet curious smile now on her face.

Wolfgang nodded. "That's my new nickname for you. Reki. Get used to it."

"Like she's gonna get used to that this quickly, Sweetmouth" retorted Karl.

But the other Roboter wouldn't have any of it. "Shut it, Sugarplum Fairy" he snarled back.

"Oh good God..." Florian sighed as Ralf shook his head.

"Hey, at least I didn't eat all the candy canes" Karl replied.

"Uhm... that was Florian, remember?" Ralf noted.

"...oh, yeah. My bad" the percussionist replied.

"Hey, the candy canes were good, Ralf!!" the flutist answered in defense. "I couldn't eat just one!!"

Wolfgang rolled his eyes. "Well, it's safe to say the one who ate the most was our own Johannes. That. Girl. Can. Eat!"

"Well she deserved all that was on her plate" Elizabeth spoke with a chuckle. "I hadn't seen her eat so much food since before the imprisonment in Lisbon--and that was at least three years ago!!"

The guys looked at the elder sister. "Are you serious!?" Ralf asked in shock. She nodded in reply.

"After we were captured and sent to Lisbon, our morales grew bleaker" explained Anneke. "The food was barely enough for us to survive the day. Small bowl of watery potato soup, a few small loaves of bread, and a small glass of either milk or water--and even the milk wasn't all that wonderful. We grew a bit weaker because of the terrible rations; we were lucky if we received any extra loaves of bread or a spare bowl of soup.

"Johannes however didn't eat much since, and chose water over milk almost every day. But... to see her eat more than what she usually ate lately, in the underground shelter... it's warmth to our souls.

And yes, for the first time in over 3 years I can say, that girl knows how the hell to eat!!"

Her statement drew laughter from the group, even from Johannes who laughed heartily. Ralf smiled warmly at her, happy to see her in such jovial spirits as the carriage approached the Station. After loading up the train with the sweets and beverages, the gang boarded the train, where the conducter, Fritz, spoke through the intercomm.

"All ready for Italy?" the conductor asked.

"Ready when you are!" was Ralf's enthusiastic reply. "ALL ABOARD!"

And with that the Trans-Europa set forth on its next destination--Venice, Italy.

"You never told me you used to eat quite a bit before your imprisonment, Fräulein Johannes!" the mensch-maschine said to his blind sweetheart. She blushed and giggled.

"You never asked" was her amusing reply.

"You must've ate a lot then" he replied, taking her hands in his. "But, that's another humor for another afternoon." And with that he kissed her forehead.

"Ralf... did I tell you I actually feel safe around you?" Johannes spoke softly.

"Nein, I don't recall" Ralf answered.

She snuggled up to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Well, it's true" she responded quietly, as she closed her eyes for a small nap. The semi-human being smiled and held her tightly.

The rest of the gang were engaged in lively conversation, when all of a sudden something went wrong--very wrong.

*KA-CHOOM!!*

*CLANK-CLANK-KERRANG!!*

The train shook, tilted slightly to its side for a moment, and got back on track, but the gang knew immediately that something wasn't right. Even Johannes woke back up and sat up, clutching Ralf's hands tightly.

"Was geschah gerade?" Karl asked, as Wolfgang stuck his head out of the window on the side of where the incident occurred. Florian and the rest of the gang looked on in worry.

"...aww damn" the electro-drummer cursed. "One of the train's tires is down--look, see how shot up it is?"

Florian looked out the window beside him. "Yep... that one's done" he confirmed to the others.

Wolfgang's eyes then fixed upon the source of the matter--and his eyes widened in panic. A team of Darkstrom troopers were following along the train in carriages and horseback.

"GODDAMNIT!!" the Roboter shouted to his friends. "Darkstrom Troopers about to attack!!"

Ralf shook his head again as Johannes held on to his hands. Elizabeth sighed in grief, and Anneke contemplated what their next move should be. Rebekah however didn't take this too well.

"Oh m'God, oh m'God, oh m'God..." she whispered to herself in a frantic.

"Fucking hell" Florian growled as he pulled out his gun from his inside coat pocket. Wolfgang followed, his .45 in hand. Together the two marched to the next train car, and poked their heads out of the windows.

"Ready, Wolfgang?" Florian asked.

"Bereit" his fellow semi-human being answered.

Meanwhile the rest of the gang stayed in their train car, until finally Rebekah couldn't stand just sitting there worrying. She had to do something.

"Annie..." she said quietly to Anneke, "get your gun."

"--what!?" the resident thinker asked her panic-happy friend.

"Just... Annie, get your gun" the girl requested. Anneke sighed in grief and pulled out her shotgun.

"Now, hand me the gun" Rebekah said, looking in the direction of the car where her boyfriend and Florian were.

"What the heck's up!?" her friend asked, and reluctantly handed her the gun.

"I promise I'll take good care of it" the girl answered as she stormed to the next car.

"...what is Rebekah doing, Ralf?" Johannes asked, unsure of what was going on.

"It seems that... she's adding to the fight against the enemy troopers" he noted quietly with a sigh. "Looks like she couldn't panic any longer."

As Rebekah walked into the other car, Wolfgang and Florian looked at her. "What is it, Reki?" the boyfriend asked as the other Roboter resumed looking out the window. The young girl just walked to where her beloved was.

"I'm tired of hitting the panic button until it breaks" she sighed, and quickly shots were fired and exchanged between Florian and the troopers. "Damnit!!" she muttered and ran to the window and, aiming for one of the troopers in the enemy carriage, shot him clear to the head. The trooper fell down, dead.

Florian looked to Rebekah, wide-eyed. "How the hell...?" he asked, his eyes returning to the carriage and horseback troopers.

"Yeah, how'd you get to shoot 'em so good!?" Wolfgang asked in curiosity. But she just kept her glare at the enemies not too far from the train.

"I used to be on the Archery team in school" she answered. "And I think that this is no different. Daddy taught me how to aim proper when I was 7, but he made sure I mastered archery before I ever dared touched a gun."

"...well, daaaaammmmmmn you're good" her boyfriend complimented as the three resumed the shoot-out.

In the gang's car, Anneke stuck her head out to watch the fight for a moment. One of the troopers shouted an insult at Rebekah, calling her a "sissy girl with a water gun" and other verbal assaults. Wolfgang and Florian looked at her to see what her response was, but she kept her face unamused and, aiming perfectly, executed the trooper with a gunshot to the head. Anneke quickly stuck her head back in and gave an update to the others--

"Good Lord Almighty!! Rebekah's shot 'em down, them bastards!! Florian and Wolfgang are speechless!!"

"Are you serious!?" Karl asked, and his object of admiration nodded in reply.

"She's still got that perfect aim then" noted Johannes quietly.

"Yep, she still does, even after all these years" answered Anneke.

Dodging bullets and verbal shenanigans, the trio of sharpshooters took care of each trooper until the carriage stopped at last and all that remained alive were the horses, who were now confused and in disorder. Florian however was hit in the right upper arm by a trooper's final bullet just seconds before the shot-down. The trio returned to the main car, and Rebekah returned the gun to Anneke.

"You, my dear, kicked serious ass" the owner of the gun complimented, nodding.

Rebekah shrugged. "Daddy taught me well, that's all."

Florian meanwhile sat down in pain. The bullet had struck his arm well, and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. Rebekah quickly saw this and ran for her back-pack, pulling out the first aid kit. She then dashed back to the wounded Roboter and, kneeling down beside him, touched his arm with her hand, trying to find where the bullet struck.

"Bloody hell..." she muttered, "where is it...?"

When she finally found the wound, she took out a small knife and cut a square from his jacket, then from his shirt, to get to the wound. Then, she took a small cloth and, pouring antiseptic on the cloth, pressed it to the wound. Florian winced for a moment but then, the pain quickly subsided, and he felt much better in seconds. She then removed her hand from his arm, but he spoke up--"Wait, don't. Put your hand back on the wound."

"--what?" she asked, glancing to him.

"Just do it. Whatever you're doing, it's working. You remove your hand, and it doesn't work."

"What, the antiseptic?"

"No... it was while your hands were on the arm."

She looked to her boyfriend. "Wolfgang, how long does it take for a mensch-maschine to heal from a bullet wound, on average?"

He thought quickly--"Four hours perhaps, at the most. Why?"

She realized something of extreme importance. "I think I know what is going on" she told Florian as she placed her hand on his arm again. "Is... is it working now?"

He nodded. "It feels like a warm electrical current passing through, just fixing whatever needed repairing." He watched her hands as it stayed there, and she closed her eyes, fully aware of what had happened.

"It seems I still possess the ability to heal others" she spoke softly. "I haven't attempted to use that gift in a very long time.

"This would explain why you're healing faster, as well as how Wolfgang healed from his bullet wound so much faster.

"The bullet should appear in your hand by now, Florian" she concluded, opening her eyes to look at his hand. He opened it and, behold, there was the bullet. She smiled.

Wolfgang smiled as well and, touching the bullet, formed a chain with some of its metal. "Now you can wear it and say you got wounded too" he spoke, revealing his chain with the bullet from the incident in Paris.

Florian smiled to Rebekah. "Thank you very much, Miss Rebekah" he said, as she smiled in humble gratitude. The rest of the gang also smiled as the Trans-Europa swiftly made its way to Venice--which, thankfully, had a repair stop at its Station. And, with that one wheel shot out, it was going to be a necessary operation to undertake.

Chapter 11: Hoffnungen und Furcht Stößt Zusammen. [Hopes and Fears Collide.]

2007-11-03T18:51:00.000-04:00

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.

Chapter 10: Ein Spät-Nachtcafe. [A Late-Night Cafe.]

2007-11-02T19:33:00.000-04:00

to everyone that's been reading, thanks. a. bunch!

this chapter is for you all.

After what felt like an eternity, which really had only been a few hours, Wolfgang could not stand the kisses Rebekah tortured him with any further and, taking her face in his hands, kissed her deeply.

"Ich liebe Dich, mein Fräulein Rebekah" the semi-human being whispered with a smile, and she smiled back knowing he was honest to the letter.

"I love you too, mein Roboter" she replied, and the two hugged each other tightly. She then stood up, holding out her hands to him. "Come on, Wolfgang" she spoke again. "The gang's probably wondered what we were up to."

He chuckled as he held her hands, and she helped him up.

"If they ask, we'll just let them guess" he replied with a smirk, and arm in arm the couple walked out of the park, towards the cafe where Andelina and the Vienna Sisterhood worked. The rest of the gang assembled there, and Wolfgang and Rebekah made the introductions. Andelina, with a joyful grin, went to Elizabeth.

"You are a legend here in Vienna," the Vienna Sisterhood Captain said to the leader of the Quartet.

"I've heard of your wonderful hospitality, actually" Elizabeth replied kindly. "It's a thrill to be here at last in Vienna. This is our first time here."

"Is it really!?" Andelina asked, a bit stunned.

"Ja" Elizabeth answered.

"Well then!!" the cafe owner exclaimed. "The hell with it, on the house tonight!"

"No really, you don't have to!!" replied the kind brunette, but the Viennese woman wouldn't have any of it.

"Now now, Miss Elizabeth of the Quartet" Andelina retorted, "you are our guests here in Vienna. The least we gals can do is make you lot at home. And, as we are Clandestinians all..." But her sentence died, and she just smiled at Elizabeth, who sighed.

"Ah well then," the Captain of the Quartet answered with a grin. "Thank you so very, very much."

The two hugged, and Andelina nodded. "As the Spanish puts it best, nuestra casa es su casa. Our home is your home. However long you need be here, we've got ya covered."

As the gang settled down at tables, Florian sat beside Elizabeth, smiling warmly at her. As the journey home progressed, he had come to admire the green-eyed tour de force, and was a bit beside himself when she began to show feelings for him as well. She had inspired him to break out of his shell a little, as the two began to talk a little more as the days and weeks progressed. Earlier in the afternoon she picked up a hat for him, with flaps that covered his ears. She giggled as he tried it on, and he asked her if it made his head look wierd. But she replied that it made him look rather adorable. In return he picked out a hat that also had flaps to cover her ears, but in her favorite color: green. She loved it.

"That hat suits you good, Elizabeth" Florian spoke, glancing to her. Then, as the string quartet of the cafe started a waltz, he stood and, extending a hand to her with a slight bow, asked, "Now, may I have the honor of a waltz with a bright green-eyed angel?"

With a blush and a warm smile she stood, nodding. "With you, always" she replied, and the two had a waltz beneath the bright full moon and the stars, with the gang conversing and watching on.

"They look so cute together, Wolfgang" whispered Rebekah to her boyfriend. He grinned, nodding in agreement.

"I still think Ralf and Johannes are the sweetest couple there is" he replied, "with us being the most-unlikely-to-be-happy-together couple, and Karl and Anneke being the goofiest couple. Florian and Elizabeth, well, they're just the most unlikely yet wonderful couple. It's as if...

"It's as if we've all found the other half to our souls... us Roboter having found our beating hearts."

Wolfgang blushed a bit, looking away, but Rebekah tilted his face to smile at him. "That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard you say, second to the fact that you love me" she whispered and, with a happy smile, kissed his lips. He couldn't help but smile back.

As Florian and Elizabeth's waltz ended, Karl and Anneke had a dance, followed by Wolfgang and Rebekah. Then, after a rousing sing-along of "That's Amore" another waltz began, and the last couple stood up for their little reverie...

Ralf stood up and, holding Johannes by her hands, helped her up. "I think we're up for a waltz, Fräulein Johannes" the mensch-maschine said softly. But she only had a blank stare on her face.

"I... I do not know how to dance, no one's ever taught me how to dance the waltz" she replied sadly.

"It's alright, I'll teach you" the kind Roboter responded, and with that he patiently led the waltz as she followed along. But the two only took small, careful steps, pacing themselves so that she would try to get the hang of it.

Andelina watched carefully at the couple's cautious steps, and glanced to Elizabeth.

"What is wrong with the girl, has she never danced a waltz before?" she asked curiously.

"That girl is my sister, Miss Andelina," Elizabeth answered with a smile. "She was born blind, so no one ever wanted to dance with her. I wanted to teach her, but she was afraid. This is the first time anyone's wanted to dance with her, so she's trying to be careful with her steps. She doesn't want to step on Herr Ralf's feet."

"And it shows he's being very patient with her" the cafe owner replied, also smiling. "That is absolutely a blessing."

"The two are meant for each other" the elder sister said. "Mark my words, Andelina, if they get married I'm making sure you and the gals are there."

Andelina smiled at the couple. "You know... the look of adoration in his eyes... the gentle way he leads her along... the humble smile of being in the presence of someone he loves dearly... the warm, comforting way his hands hold hers...

"It is amazing that she has found someone she could trust fully with not just her life but her heart as well."

Elizabeth watched Ralf carefully. Andelina was right--why hadn't the elder sister of the blind one noticed before!? How could she have missed it all along, when he truly cared for and loved her younger sister for who she was? How could she...

how could she have missed the signs? Somehow, she had to mentally scold herself for not taking the time to thank him for being there for her more than ever. These days he had been there for Johannes, as Florian had been for her.

Fireflies began to appear and, floatingly, surround the gang seated. Karl, curiously, watched the little glowing insects make for a very ambient atmosphere. Anneke smiled, noting his curiosity for even fireflies. If anything she found admirable in him, it was a lot for her to mention, but she always loved his curiosity for the world around him.

But his curious nature took a stop as he received a Morse code message from one of the lookout Clandestinians, translating the message as it was received--

.-. . -.. .- .-.. . .-. -
RED ALERT

-.. .- .-. -.- ... - .-. --- -- ..-. --- .-. -.-. - ... ... .--. --- - - . -.. ...-- -- .. .-.. . ... ..-. .-. --- -- ...- .. . -. -. .- -.-. .. - -.-- .-.. .. -- .. - ... .-.-.-
DARKSTROM FORCES SPOTTED 3 MILES FROM VIENNA CITY LIMITS.

-... . --- -. -.-. --- -. ... - .- -. - .-.. --- --- -.- -....- --- ..- - ..-. --- .-. . -. - -- -.-- ..-. --- .-. -.-. . ... .-.-.-
BE ON CONSTANT LOOK-OUT FOR ENEMY FORCES.
Karl sighed to himself. "Damn" he muttered. Things just went a tiny bit bleak.

"What is it, Karl?" Anneke asked, her face now alarmed and glancing to the face of her companion.

"Just got a Morse code message from a Clandestine Lookout. Darkstrom troopers have been spotted 3 miles outside this city" he answered with a glare. "Seems we might have to close up shop early."

"...verflucht es zur Hölle" she answered.

Elizabeth's ears picked up the comments made from the two, and looked with alarm to Florian. "We've got trouble, hun" she said, and he nodded glancing to Wolfgang.

"Flür, erhalten Ihre Gewehr" he warned, "we've got trouble three miles from this town.

"Get your gun, get it ready. We might need it."

Wolfgang nodded, glancing to his .45, then to Rebekah.

"Sounds like a long night ahead of us" he told his girlfriend, who glanced to Ralf and Johannes, who seemed unaware of whatever was going on.

Johannes meanwhile mentally paced herself as she and Ralf waltzed to the music. It was a bit out of the ordinary for her to experience her first waltz like this, but she almost stepped on his toes. Yet he was patient and kind with her, smiling at her every moment, every second that he had to spare. He wished he could just see the smile on his face but, at the least, she could feel its warmth in her heart.

The fireflies dispersed as Karl received another Morse code message, translating it to the others as it was being received--

-.-. --- -.. . .-. . -.. ---... -.. .- .-. -.- ... - .-. --- -- ..-. --- .-. -.-. - ... .- .-. . .---- -- .. .-.. . ..-. .-. --- -- -.-. .. - -.-- .-.. .. -- .. - ... .-.-.-
CODE RED: DARKSTROM FORCES ARE 1 MILE FROM CITY LIMITS.

.- .-.. .-.. -.-. .-.. .- -. -.. . ... - .. -. .. .- -. ... .. -. - .... . .- .-. . .- --..-- .--. .-.. . .- ... . .--. .-. . .--. .- .-. . - --- .-. . - .-. . .- - - --- -. . .- .-. . ... - .... .. -.. .. -. --. ... .... . .-.. - . .-. .-.-.-
ALL CLANDESTINIANS IN THE AREA, PLEASE PREPARE TO RETREAT TO NEAREST HIDING SHELTER.

-.-. .-.. .- -. -.. . ... - .. -. .. .- -. - .-. --- --- .--. . .-. ... --..-- .--. .-. . .--. .- .-. . ..-. --- .-. .--. --- ... ... .. -... .-.. . -... .- - - .-.. . .-.-.-
CLANDESTINIAN TROOPERS, PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE BATTLE.
Anneke sighed, glared about, and looked to Andelina. "Is it possible you could find us a place to stay for the evening, so that the enemy doesn't find us?" she asked the cafe owner, who nodded in reply.

"Right beneath this cafe is an underground hiding shelter" Andelina replied. "There you all can rest up for the night and hide from the Darkstrom."

"Thank you so much" the swift-thinker of the Quartet answered, but as the final Morse code transmission came in, Karl didn't bother with translating, and the gang were about to head out for the shelter.

But Elizabeth, who knew damn well than to leave her younger sister and her beloved behind, stopped the gang for a moment.

"Wait" she said, "the fireflies..." and quickly the gang turned to watch most of the fireflies surround Ralf and Johannes, who were still lost in their waltz.

Ralf, somehow more than overwhelmed by his love for her, held her hands close to his chest with one of his, while the other touched her pale yet life-sparked face. Then, in a daring move that he would've never considered, he kissed her lips, carefully, but endearingly. For a moment she blinked before closing her eyes, not sure of what was going on, yet liking this moment that, for once, was hers, his, and theirs alone. At this point the two had adjusted well to the waltz, but for Ralf, his feelings finally consumed him.

"Fräulein Johannes" he whispered, "I fear that... I have fallen in love with you..."

"I came to realize that... a long time ago, Ralf" she whispered back, "not simply with your heart but with mine also...

"I just... I just do not know what else to think than, I fear I've begun to love you... when you promised me you wouldn't let me go..."

But the sentence died on her lips as he kissed her again, and at a distance Elizabeth knew then and there how much Ralf truly loved her younger sister.

"Florian... we had better make sure they don't get separated" she told her companion, who nodded.

After the waltz ended Karl and Anneke sent word of the Morse code alert to the two sweethearts, and Ralf carried Johannes so that she could rest up. From there the gang made a run for the underground shelter, the blind young woman falling asleep in her true love's arms.

Chapter 9: Ein Frühes Abend-Gedächtnis. [An Early Evening Memory.]

2007-10-04T16:41:00.000-04:00

[this was started on my birthday, and finally completed on 29 october 2007, 8:49 p.m.

for louise.
thank you for giving me a spark to write again!]

The Trans-Europa arrived at the Station in Vienna in the early afternoon, and the group dispersed to find something to eat before reconvening in the evening. Ralf as always accompanied Johannes, who delighted to have some company in what to her felt like a nice afternoon stroll in the city. Florian and Elizabeth went arm in arm to find a small bistro, while Karl and Anneke grabbed their cameras to take pictures.

Wolfgang and Rebekah meanwhile wandered about to another part of the town, not necessarily talking to each other as they were stuck on their own separate trains of thought. At one point the mensch-maschine glanced at a group of charming women which caught his eye, paying no attention to his companion who, meanwhile, wandered a few more feet ahead of her. For her, she was fixed more on fears that the Dark Strom would find not just her and Wolfgang but all of them, and destroy them either all at once or one at a time just to watch the suffering. She couldn't think of much else after that...

until she stopped after wandering a bit to ask a question...

"Wolfgang...?"

and did not hear her companion's voice. She turned around in alarm, glaring at the surrounding area. Where the hell'd he go!? she thought to herself, This isn't the time for getting lost!! So much surged through her mind as she started retracing her steps to find the semi-human being. Where could he have gone?

After about maybe five minutes or so, her eyes fixed on him, who was now flirting with the women lightly. But she couldn't tell if he was only kidding... or if he meant it. Quietly she turned away and started to walk again, this time feeling a little numb. Inside her very spirit, overflooding her mind, was the feeling of seeing herself only as a platonic, momentary love interest. That he perhaps was using her as a means of returning home to Düsseldorf. She fought the tears that began to fill her eyes.

Meanwhile Wolfgang glanced around, asking "Rebekah??" One of the women, Andelina, asked if that was his girlfriend. He nodded.

"You should find her then!!" the woman replied. "I think she was staring at you earlier in trembling emotional chaos."

"Wait--what!?" he asked. "Did you see where she went?"

"No but, we'll help you find her" she replied, and the women set out with the mensch-maschine to find the younger woman.

As hours passed she wandered further into the heart of the city, lost in memories of the past that haunted her. She remembered going to school and accompanying Johannes who's only a year older than her. Most of the girls in school would pick on the blind girl for not being able to see and thus being unpopular, but Rebekah would always stick up for her neighbor and, as a result, suffered the insults as well. The guys would always ask her out, as a joke, and then deny that they had any plans because, as they would say, she said she was busy taking care of her blind neighbor. The insults hurt Rebekah to the core, and thus her self-esteem and her outlook on life in general was well affected. And then came the Darkstrom...

"Fräulein Rebekah!!" a kind voice yelled out to her, and she turned around to see one of the women Wolfgang was with run to her. It was Andelina, who stopped just a few feet before her to catch her breath.

"Fräulein Rebekah" the woman spoke, "Wolfgang is looking for you."

"For me?" the Clandestinian responded. "What for, if he was obviously more interested in you than in me?"

"No, seriously, your boyfriend is looking for you" Andelina insisted. Her face was more of concern now than humor.

Rebekah examined her face for a moment, and nodded.

"Who are you?" the young woman asked, feeling a bit disillusioned.

"I am a Clandestinian, Andelina," the older woman replied politely. "Wolfgang looked out after my daughter Rinalee, who's since died. We have not seen each other in years. Or, at least, since before the accident that almost killed him."

"What... what happened... to Rinalee...?" Rebekah asked further.

"Rinalee was killed by the Darkstrom. They shot her point blank, between the eyes" the woman responded, her face a bit more somber now. "How've you come to know Wolfgang?"

"He is accompanying me on the Trans-Europa back home to Düsseldorf. Him and his friends the mensch-maschinen with me and the Quartet" the younger one said softly.

"Wait... you're of the legendary Düsseldorf Quartet?" Andelina asked, her eyes widened. As Rebekah nodded the elder smiled warmly. "Then you are in good hands with my longtime friend. The girls that were with me, we all went to the same school together. He was a bit of the playboy sort but, he would be undoubtedly true to you. He spoke of you quite a bit while we were catching up earlier."

"What... what did he say of me?" the younger woman asked, curious now.

"He was blessed to be accompanying a sweet nurse, a kind conversationalist, a bright thinker, and a warm soul. He's head-over-heels for you, Rivka!! You might be the one bold enough to make him quit his playboy ways for good!!" the older woman answered brightly, addressing her in the Hebrew name.

"R-really?" the young one pondered.

"Really, Miss Rivka" Andelina answered.

The two became acquainted and, realizing they had a lot in common than they expected, exchanged cell phone numbers.

"What part of the Rebellion are you from, Andelina?" Rebekah asked.

"I am from this very city of Vienna" she replied proudly. "If you and your friends ever need anything while you're here, just call. My gals and I shall be more than thrilled to assist you." With that she smiled.

And suddenly, Rebekah didn't feel so discouraged anymore. She smiled back at her new friend, a tear or two in her eyes.

After walking her back to the cafe she worked at, Rebekah bade Andelina farewell for time being.

"You should stop by later on!" the woman insisted. "We are open very late and we wouldn't want you guys to leave without trying some homemade sweets."

"We'll definitely have to stop on in tonight then!" replied the youngster with a hug.

The elder hugged back. "We have live music too. Maybe you and Wolfgang can have a waltz or two?"

"Definitely!!" Rebekah answered with a big grin.

Andelina hugged her tightly. "Wolfgang was right--you are adorable!"

After the two wished each other a good evening Andelina contacted her friends to update them, that the girl was found and all was at last well. Rebekah meanwhile wandered about through the city until she heard a familiar voice calling out...

"Rebekah!!"

She turned to see Wolfgang, now at a distance before her. "What happened!?" he asked as he ran to her. "You could've been killed!! What the hell possessed you to just disappear like that!?"

"When..." she said softly, "when you were talking with Andelina. And the girls. And I..."

The semi-human being's face softened from upset to worried. "You got jealous, didn't you?" She nodded in reply, and he hugged her tightly to him. "No, Rebekah... nothing to get jealous over... she's a friend I hadn't seen in years... I used to watch out after her daughter until the accident that almost killed me..."

"I know" she answered sadly. "We got to talk. She's a Clandestinian too. And... she's very nice..."

"But she's not you" he retorted. "She's not the one person I've actually fallen for."

She finally lifted her head from against his chest, where it had rested. Her eyes met his and realized that, he was telling the truth all along.

"I... I had my share of being miserably heartbroken..." she spoke at last. "I've had a hard time trusting men fully with my heart after being teased horrendously in school. So... it was hard for me to accept at first when I saw you with those women... but after meeting Andelina..."

Wolfgang listened on, his eyes not leaving hers for a moment.

"...I realized... maybe I shouldn't be so paranoid over...

"...over you."

And with that she sobbed against his chest. He sighed and looked around; the sun had set for the evening and he knew she would want to meet up with the gang later on at the cafe. With that he wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her to the nearest park at the outskirts of the city. With that he sat her down on a park bench as he knelt before her, wiping tears off her cheeks with his hands.

"Es ist gut, Schatz... it's alright, sweetheart" he whispered as he dried her tears and looked up at the pale, rosecheeked face and the pale green eyes that adorned them perfectly. "It's okay... my days of being Mr. Flirtatious have ended the moment I saw you courageously step out from behind your friend that day... at the station..." His train of thought died when he lowered her head to kiss her lips. All was well until he lost his balanced and fell back, pulling Rebekah with him. She fell on top of him blinking, but he didn't wince in pain as he wrapped her in his arms.

"You okay there, Wolfgang?" she asked. He nodded and, with a smile, kissed the tip of her nose. She wiggled her nose, giggling as the mensch-maschine laughed softly.

"Ich bin so in der Liebe mit Ihnen, Rebekah," he whispered, "so much in love and... there isn't a damn thing to be done to change that."

"You mean this?" she asked, a curious smile crossing her face.

He nodded--"My life and my wires on it, sweetheart."

Her smile faded a little and, tears filling her eyes, she sighed. Wolfgang could not understand what suddenly crossed her mind, but she lifted her face to heaven for a moment, then back down her her eyes to meet his. Helfen Sie mir so Gott... das mein Herz überwältigt wird she thought to herself as she fought the tears in vain.

Wolfgang waited patiently to wipe any more tears that would spill on her face, but that thought was dashed when she smiled faintly. "So help me God... my heart is overwhelmed" she whispered, the mental confession spilling out at last as she took his face in her hands and planted sweet, delicate little kisses on his face. For him, this was completely unexpected of her. But for her, it was a token of gratitude and love, somehow unable to be spoken.

He wondered if he could've just kissed her back, to repay her dearly, but finally gave up on the thought and held her body to his, relishing in the little kisses that, coming from a young woman who often was more to panic and hold on dearly to whatever hope remained, rendered him at her most beautiful mercy...

Chapter 8: Alles entlang der Ruhe Fängt auf. [All Along the Quiet Fields.]

2007-09-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

The Trans-Europa went on its way to Vienna, and along the way the track went along some wheat fields. Karl looked out the window, Anneke asleep in his arms. It had been about a week or so since he and his friends, the mensch-maschinen, met the Düsseldorf Quartet, and Karl had been fascinated with the practical thinker and resident goofball of the lot. But he learned along the way a lot of tidbits about her, some of which amazed him.

For one, she had a short temper. At times, very short. One incident in Paris involved a Frenchman trying to hit on her. French by descent herself, she understood what the Frenchman wanted, and she clearly and politely declined. Karl was in awe of, at the instant, her very cool, calm and collected nature. But when the Frenchman persisted the heck out of her, she kept herself calm until he touched her arm. Then, she glared at him and gave him one final warning. But did the Frenchman listen? Apparently not...

After one final dose of harrassment, she punched him square in the jaw and glared as he fell to the ground. Karl's jaw dropped and his mouth stayed agape until they left the marketplace. After they were away from the crowd, the youngest of the mensch-maschinen began to giggle mercilessly.

Anneke, looking to her companion, raised a brow. "I wonder what's so amusing, Karl?" she inquired.

"I'd never expect you to lose your temper like that!!" he giggled some more. "That was one hell of a punch you gave him!"

"Well he just wouldn't leave me alone!" she argued. "He damn well deserved that smash to the skull."

"Well then if I were to be hitting on you" he kindly retorted with a bashful grin.

"Now you, on the other hand..." she started, but was unable to finish as she began to giggle at his grin. "Aww hell, you I can't resist!!"

"What!?" he laughed.

But she just smiled warmly at him. "Ich weiß nicht" she replied. "Möglicherweise bin ich ein Dummkopf für wenige Sachen gewesen.

"Aber, das ist ich gerecht."

Karl chuckled at the memory, then looked to the now still-sleeping Anneke, the woman with a deadly punch if no one was wise enough to think. He had really come to admire her quick thinking and intelligence, as well as her fascination for the mensch-maschinen. She was curious about them, so to further her information for the HQ back home.

"Karl..."

The mensch-maschine blinked out of his train of thought and glanced to Anneke, who was waking up at last. He smiled a little bit at her. "How'd you sleep, Anneke?" he asked.

"Like I've been sleeping the past week or so--most contentedly" she replied, smiling up at him.

"Wonderful," he said, still smiling.

She looked out the window at the morning scenery. The flowers, the trees, all flew by at a decent, calm speed. It wasn't as if it was right past them in a heartbeat. She got to enjoy the view, and was well in the company of a good person, even if he was a semi-human being.

"So... you have been a fool for lesser things, Anneke?" Karl finally asked, looking to her as the memory of her last words in that recollection replayed in his head. Anneke blinked and glanced to him, then turned away blushing.

"Well?" Karl asked, holding her hand. A curious smile adorned his face. Finally she looked back to him, still blushing, but with a smile this time.

"...yes, I have said so, and I believe I still am, Karl" she replied. "And, perhaps, I shall always be such a fool."

"What about falling in love though?" he inquired. Do you think it's foolish?"

She looked out the window, her face now more solemn, more serious. Then she lowered her head.

"I..." she started, then stopped. She took a deep breath, and continued. "I... never really had time for that kind of stuff. I was always busy protecting my fellow Clandestinian Sisters, always looking out for them. I never really considered anyone to really hold onto my heart for the rest of my common life.

"It just... it just never occured to me to do so. But..."

Her hands held one of his. Their eyes met as she spoke.

"...perhaps... it is time I took that chance."

The two shared a smile, and the mensch-maschine could not help but notice just how sweet and honest she was. He was half-tempted to kiss her, but couldn't and drew her into his arms instead. Not everyone in the world understood his kind, yet she had a mind interested in them and a heart to be there for them. Especially the one in whose arms she rested safely in, quietly taking this moment in. Their eyes were fixed to the window, and the scenery that past them by at a calm yet swift speed.

"It's a beautiful day outside, Karl" she whispered, smiling. "Just gorgeous."

"I agree" he replied softly. "It is quite lovely outside. Kind of reminds me of someone." With that comment he smiled at her as she blushed in response. With that the two resumed conversation as the Trans-Europa swiftly made its way through to Vienna.

Chapter 7: Die Morgenbrüche, das Gedächtnis rührt sich.. [The Morning Breaks, the Memory Stirs.]

2007-09-22T14:32:00.000-04:00

Florian looked at his watch the next morning as the gang boarded the Trans-Europa. The mensch-maschinen woke up first, as the girls slept. Noting this they packed up the belongings first, then the girls. Anneke blinked her eyes open as Karl brought her into the train.

"Karl... what's going on?" she asked sleepily.

"We're almost ready to leave for Vienna, Anneke" he whispered, smiling a bit at her. "We just have to finish making sure everything and everyone is on board safely."

"...oh" she replied, a half-smile on her face. "Carry on then."

Karl smiled a bit as his companion went right back to sleep.

Ralf meanwhile sat down, Johannes in his arms, and glanced around. The adventure was enough for an adrenalin rush, but he was, while excited for the trip, nervous that things would not go as well as hoped for. His gaze fell to his best friend Florian, who closed the doors and sat down near the front, taking Elizabeth in his arms. Finally, his gaze fixed to Johannes, who slept after an evening of conversation with him. It wasn't until 11 P.M. the night previous that the two at last went to sleep. Still, he couldn't help but look back on the conversation...

"So what do you intend to be if you ever get your sight, Fräulein Johannes?" Ralf asked as the two sat down on the roof of the Trans-Europa station. The young mensch-maschine offered to buy dinner a short while ago, and the two walked to the nearest pizzeria for some breadsticks.

"Maybe a nurse... or a writer" Johannes answered, sighing a bit. "To be honest with you, I don't have a clue."

Ralf gave her a breadstick. "I'm sure you'd make a great nurse, but that is just my opinion."

She bit a little from her breadstick, and sighed again. "The problem is, will I ever gain my sight?" She closed her pale, lifeless eyes, to hide her tears.

"I have hope that you will, Fräulein Johannes" he replied positively, looking to the beautiful Eiffel Tower that glowed with bright Neonlicht.

"I cannot say the same" she spoke. "I have more hope for the freedom and future of Eastern Europe than in my sight. It is a lot more easier to fight for freedom, to live in freedom, than to give sight to a girl who was born blind." And finally, the tears spilt.

Ralf sighed looking to her. He couldn't understand why she was so embittered about herself. Perhaps he needed to get to know her better. Finally, curiousity ensnared him, and glancing to her he spoke again.

"Fräulein Johannes... what is it like... to be blind?" he asked cautiously.

"Schwärzung" she replied after a moment of thought. "Darkness. All the time. All I can do is eat and hear and breathe and feel. I can do a lot. Just... I can't see."

He took her hand in his. "Then whose hands are holding yours?" he asked with a quirky smile.

"They are yours" she answered with a soft smile. "I've gotten used to your hands now. They have a... a certain warmth to them. It's not like Elizabeth's hands or Anneke's or Rebekah's, because those girls each have their own degree of warmth for their hands."

"How is Elizabeth's hands then?" Ralf inquired.

"She has this warmth that is familiar. She's a few degrees less warm than your hands. But I know which hands belong to Elizabeth, and which are yours, Anneke's and Rebekah's. Anyone else, I do not know, and I have a fear that grips me when I am touched by hands different from those I know" she explained.

"Ahh" he nodded. "Understood."

She smiled softly. "Heh... yeah." She then blushed, giggling.

"What is it, Fräulein Johannes??" he asked, amused by her giggling. He squeezed her hands a bit.

"I actually like your hands" she admitted. "They're nice and warm, and perhaps a little delicate. A few cuts and scrapes but... they're alright. Your hands are warmer than Elizabeth's hands. And... they're kind. I can just sense it."

Ralf blushed a little bit and hugged her with those hands, those careful arms. She rested her head, closing her eyes, upon his shoulder. Not just his hands but all of him had that certain warmth, and it only strengthened her trust on him for a kind companion as well as a dear friend. Encouraged by this she wrapped her arms around him, but her face sombered up a bit.

"Ralf..." she asked sadly, "how come you do not have a heart?"

Her friend blinked, half-shocked. His face too sombered up as he ran one of his hands through her hair.

"I once had a bicycle accident, in which I was in a coma for months. Next to dead, I opted to become a semi-human being. A mensch-maschine. My bones were turned to metal, most of my organs now computers and wires for veins. Unfortunately because of my rewiring I do not understand everything like I used to; I have to be taught something sometimes, or even retaught" he explained. "I mean, I am still able to think and function, just as any normal being, it's just that..."

"...you don't have a beating heart" she finished, a bit saddened.

"N-not really, perhaps" he answered. "I suppose one could say that, my heart still beats somehow...

"It beats inside of you, Fräulein Johannes."

Johannes blushed lightly and hugged him tighter, letting a few more tears fall down. She didn't want him to see her cry, but she only wanted to be with him all the more. Perhaps he could understand where she was coming from, and vice versa. Perhaps... perhaps they were meant for each other...

After a few more minutes of just being there, Ralf whispered her name, but she didn't respond. He realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. What time is it? He glanced around and finally to his watch.

10:57 P.M.

Quietly he carried the young woman and their now-slightly cooled dinner back down to the main floor of the station, where they rested with the rest of the gang for the night.

Chapter 6: Rendez-vous auf den Champs-Elysees. [Rendez-vous at Champs-Elysees.]

2007-09-18T16:29:00.000-04:00

"Wolfgang, you awake?"

Rebekah was already awake, opening the curtains. Her companion blinked his eyes open as the bright mid-morning light made its way inside the room. The past two days were anything but ordinary for the two of them as they spent the first day exploring the North End of Paris. The second day however was spent with the mensch-maschine recovering from a Darkstrom soldier attack, the young lady having to play nurse.

"Well" he spoke finally, "I'm well awake now, Rebekah. Wide-eyed and so on."

"Good!!" she said, grinning to him. "'Cause we all gotta be at Champs-Elysees in a handful of hours. We're leaving Paris in the morning."

His face became alarmed. He nodded.

After a shower and choosing what to wear for the day, the two set out for Champs-Elysees, on the Northwest End of Paris. Along the way the two communicated with Ralf and Johannes, who had been staying at Notre Dame with the company of one of the priests there. Karl and Anneke were already at the Parisian monument, and Florian and Elizabeth took the local cab.

Once regrouped, the eight of them reviewed a map and, glancing to the points of the map where the destinations were marked, realized that they had a bit of ways to go before homeward.

"Any more reports of Darkstrom sightings?" Florian asked, looking to the gang.

"Not since the attack on Rebekah and Loudmouth" quipped Karl.

"Shut it, Snaffy!!" Wolfgang retorted.

"QUIET, BOTH OF YOU!!" Ralf snapped at the two. Immediately the two quarreling semi-human beings quieted down, while Florian shook his head.

"Seriously" Elizabeth spoke in a calm voice, "we need to leave first thing in the morning, so we can get to Vienna early enough without the Darkstrom figuring out what the hell is going on. We can't risk what happened to Rebekah and Wolfgang to happen to the rest of us."

Anneke nodded. "Plus, we have no idea where exactly to go from the station after we arrive in Vienna, so we'll have to be there early enough to figure out where we'll need to stay. The sooner we get to Vienna, the better."

The gang all nodded in agreement, with the exception of Johannes, who sat there quietly. Ralf glanced to her and squeezed her hand a bit with his. He had every reason to be worried about her. For one she was blind, for another she was very precious to the rest of the Düsseldorf Quartet. Add to the fact that he had fallen for her...

"Alright, so are we all agreed?" Florian asked, disrupting his best friend's train of thought.

"Agreed??" Ralf asked, blinking.

"Yes, we're leaving first thing at seven tomorrow morning" his younger best friend noted.

"Ah well yes then" the so-called leader of the bunch affirmed. "Seven tomorrow it is." He glanced to Johannes. "Sounds like you better sleep well, Fräulein Johannes" he mused to his companion. She smiled softly but said nothing.

Anneke handed the gang [except for Florian and Rebekah] each a Übermittler, which had the emblems of the Trans-Europa and the Rebellion on them. It was to look like a bracelet, all in all, so that the Darkstrom wouldn't suspect a single thing.

"These" she explained "will keep all of us connected to each other. They're communicators, but they look like funky bracelets. Rebekah and Florian already have begun using theirs', and I'm gonna help Johannes with hers."

After all was said and done, they took a local bus to the Trans-Europa station, and rested there for the evening after preparing to leave first thing the next morning.

Chapter 5: Frequentierende Verzerrung. [Haunting Distortion.]

2007-09-14T12:11:00.000-04:00

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.

Chapter 4: Ein Mißgeschick durch Paris. [A Misadventure through Paris.]

2007-09-13T15:33:00.000-04:00

The Trans-Europa arrived in Paris' train dock after a two-days' journey. The whole trip through, the gang had vivid conversations and plentifully slept, each couple in their own quiet row of seats on the train. Ralf was the first of the gang to wake up the morning they arrived in Paris. His eyes fixed first to the window, then to Florian and Elizabeth. Finally, his gaze went to Johannes, who was still asleep.

As the train stopped and locked-to, Florian blinked his eyes open, and glanced to Ralf. "Where'd we stop at?" he asked his best friend.

"We're in Paris now, Florian" Ralf replied as Johannes and the rest of the gang woke up.

After the gang stepped off the train, they opted to split up into four pairs so they could explore the city better, as their Trans-Europa station was in the center of the first district. Florian and Elizabeth explored the East End, Karl and Anneke opted for the West End. Wolfgang and Rebekah chose the North End, while Ralf and Johannes decided for a bit of the South End, leaning more into District 4, the heart of the Marais Structure of the city.

map of paris, france

Florian and Elizabeth took a cab to check out the area of the Bastille and the Père-Lachaise cemetery on the East End of town. Karl and Anneke bought cameras to take pictures of the the Musée d'Orsay and the Eiffel Tower at the West End. Ralf opted rather to take Johannes on a small ferry ride across the River Seine to go to the Cathedrale Notre Dame.

Wolfgang and Rebekah, meanwhile, explored the North End, particularly the Ninth District, where the Paris Opera stood. All seemed well between the two until two undercover soldiers of the Darkstrom took notice, looking to the couple.

"So, where would be a good place to try to take the picture?" asked the mensch-maschine as Rebekah looked around. But her eyes caught the two soldiers', and she looked to her friend with fear.

"Uhm... I don't think we're gonna have a chance if we don't get out of here" she replied, taking hold of his hand. "We need to go. Now."

"What... was ist es? Was wird geschehen?" he asked, his face now one of alarm. He then looked around, his scanners and sensors working into overdrive, until he spotted and identified the two soldies. "Ugh... verflucht es zur Hölle..." he cursed, tightning his hold on her hand. "We gotta get the hell out of here." With that the two started to run, with the soldiers following in pursuit.

After running a few blocks one of the soldiers fired at the two, missing them by mere inches. Rebekah glared back at them, but Wolfgang stopped and aimed his laser gun at the soldiers. His face was now one of determination, not of fear.

He fired his gun at the soldiers, hitting one but missing the other. The one still standing fired back at the mensch-maschine, hitting him in the chest. Rebekah caught him falling back, and aimed the laser gun at the soldier, firing at him and hitting him with one shot.

"Damnit" she muttered, "they got you good, sie bastard." With that she carried him to the nearest hotel, which it turned out was made especially for Clandestinians. The receptionist got them to the nicest room available, and helped Rebekah carry Wolfgang to the room.

"If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask" the lady said kindly. "And best of luck on your journey home."

"Danke freundlich" the young woman replied with a smile, then hunted down for the first-aid kit in her mailbag-purse. Finally done fumbling through, she took out the small box with a red cross on it, and opened it. Quickly she found the bandages, antiseptic, needle and thread, and looked to Wolfgang.

"This" she said as she strung the thread through the needle, "might hurt a little bit."

"It's nothing I'm not worried over, Rebekah" he replied with a weary smile.

With that she took a deep breath and put down the needle and thread for a moment, and poured some antiseptic over him. She closed her eyes, said a quick prayer, and took up the needle and thread again. Opening her eyes, she glanced at his hand, which, miraculously, had the bullet.

"How the hell..." she asked, but shook her head at last. Putting the kit on the table to the side, and placing the bullet in the first-aid pocket, she carefully removed his bloodstained coat, tie and shirt. Placing them at the foot of the bed, she picked up the needle and thread, took one more deep breath, and began to sew up the tear on his skin.

She was very careful in sewing up his wound. Her expertise in being a seamstress for patchwork and sewing up small emblems came as an experience in the concentration camp. She looked at his face, watching for any sign of pain or weakness, careful not to inflict pain unintentionally. A sense of deep worry overcame her and, while she kept a steady hand over the needle and thread, her eyes now fixed over the needle and thread, filling with tears.

"Ah--ah, autsch..." he finally cried out softly, a slight twinge of pain getting to him at last, and she blinked as tears finally spilt.

"Ah! mein Gott!!" she cried out, putting aside the needle and thread. "Ich bin, Wolfgang! sehr traurig!" She reached for the box to hunt down the numbing ice, which she totally forgot about, but he grabbed her hand. She looked at him, blinking.

"...no, it's okay, Rebekah" he said.

"Yes but, you're injured on account of me!!" she answered. "The least I can do is try to fix your wounds!!"

"They will heal on their own. Not so quickly, but they will heal" he replied. "You can remove the needle and the rest of the string now."

She stood there for a moment, hesitant of what else to do. Finally she sighed and, taking out the scissors, cut the remaining string from him and placed that and the needle back in the box. She then turned to face him, unsure of how else she could help him.

"Then..." she finally said, "I do not know how else to help you, Wolfgang. I am of no use to you now."

"Nicht wirklich, Rebekah" he answered, pulling her closer to him so he could look her in the eyes. "Überhaupt nicht."

Rebekah stared into his brown eyes, her own pale green eyes still drowning in tears. What was it she saw in his eyes, that in her own being she denied herself? Had she fallen for him while she tried to fix him? Did he fall for her because she was brave enough to step out of her comfort zone and actually try to fix whatever wounds he had? Or did his admiration over her begin when they met outside of the Trans-Europa? In any case, whatever was there between them, there was something that couldn't be denied at any instant.

Wolfgang tried to sit up, for despite the pain, he wanted more than anything to kiss her.

"You're not sitting up, damnit!!" she exclaimed. "Nicht mit den Wunden haben Sie!!" But he only pulled her closer to him, wrapping her in his arms. While she had the hearted ambition for him, at this point, she was not amused!! But at last, she finally gave up and sighed, just looking at him.

"One thing you must understand about a mensch-maschine is," he said, "wenn sie beabsichtigen, etwas zu tun, tun sie es." Finally he gained enough nerve to kiss her, cautiously, on the mouth, as she blinked for a moment and, in the kiss, drowned. Perhaps she knew no better?

The next morning the receptionist checked up on them, and she smiled a bit when she saw that they had slept through the evening peacefully. She closed the door while the two rested up some more, wrapped in each other's arms. Wolfgang's wound had healed, Rebekah was still in her Lisbon prisoner's dress. For time being, all would be well until they, with the others, would attempt to escape Paris.

Especially since, now that the Darkstrom had found them...

Chapter 3: Alle an Bord des Trans-Europa!! [All Aboard the Trans-Europa!!]

2007-09-10T17:30:00.000-04:00

"So this is the Trans-Europa?" Elizabeth asked herself as she, the Quartet and the men stood outside the impressive train. Florian nodded, glancing to her.

"Yes, this is the route that'll get you all back home" he replied.

"By the way, where are you girls going?" Wolfgang asked Rebekah.

"We're going home to Düsseldorf, Germany," she replied, "where we grew up."

"Düsseldorf!?" Karl exclaimed. "That's our train then!!"

"Is it really now!?" Anneke asked, eyes widened now at her new friend.

"You... you men are from Düsseldorf as well?" Johannes spoke quietly.

"Yes" Ralf answered, still holding her hand. He hadn't let go since they had met, as he took it upon himself to look out after her. "I suppose this means we will all go home together then?"

"If we are all going home together, then let us all stay together" Johannes replied with a soft smile. "All of us."

Ralf smiled warmly at his companion, likened already to her positivity.

"Well then" Elizabeth announced, "Alle en Bord des Trans-Europa!!" And with that, accompanied by Florian, she boldly boarded the train.

"Seconded!!" chimed in Rebekah, grabbing her travelling buddy's hand. "Come on, Wolfgang!!" she exclaimed as she ran to board the train. "Let's go!!" Wolfgang only laughed as he ran with her.

"Eh... thirded?" Anneke spoke, laughing. She then glanced to Karl. "Ah well, let's go along." Hand in hand, the two entered the train.

"Where... where is everyone, Ralf?" asked Johannes.

"They're boarding the Trans-Europa, Fräulein Johanne" he replied. "They're not leaving without us though."

"I suppose we better hurry then" she said.

"Yes, let's" he reaffirmed, taking both her hands in his. Gently he led the way and helped her board the train. Once on board, she felt her way around a bit.

"Where shall we sit, Ralf?" she inquired.

"Let's sit here" he answered, helping her to an empty seat. He then sat beside her as the train doors closed.

After the doors closed the train started, and the conductor spoke through the intercom. He informed them of their journey, which would be through much of Eastern Europe, and assured them that they would be [God willing!] safely at home in Düsseldorf, Germany.

And with that, the train began to move.

"So where were you before you got on the Trans-Underground?" Wolfgang asked, glancing to Rebekah.

"We were imprisoned in Lisbon's concentration camp" she answered, smiling at him. "Until Gregorio helped us out of there, as he had probably done with so many others."

"He's still got a ways to go, that twerp" he said with a smirk. "But, he's a good twerp!"

"Stop callin' him a twerp, you spazgoid!!" Karl snapped at him with a grin. He then turned to Anneke while Wolfgang and Rebekah had a laugh over that comment.

"So... erm... I forgot your name" he said, blushing a bit.

"It's Anneke" she reminded him, her bright eyes fixed to his.

"Right... Anneke..." he spoke, but whatever else he wanted to say died as his eyes were locked on hers.

Meanwhile Elizabeth and Florian had their own conversation.

"So... what exactly are you guys?" Elizabeth asked Florian.

"Wir sind die Mensch-Maschinen" he answered, rolling up the sleeve of his coat and shirt to reveal his tattoo. KW070447. His identification code. "You see these markings?" She nodded looking to the code, then back to his face.

"This... this is my identification code" he explained. "The KW stands for Kraftwerk, which is the name of my team."

"You mean you and your three friends?" she inquired, blinking. He nodded.

Hesitantly, Elizabeth gently brushed her fingers against the slightly-raised markings. Her eyes began to water. "Did... did the Clandestinians really have to mark you guys like branded animals?" she asked. He just held her tightly, resting her head against his shoulder. She wanted desperately to cry, but somehow couldn't fully shed the tears, no matter how much they welled up in her eyes.

"It is alright, liebling" he said softly, sighing a bit. "It is alright. I'll be okay. We'll be alright. We're all together.

"We're all going home. All eight of us."

In the meantime, Johannes and Ralf had a vivid conversation about food, childhood memories, daydreaming [which they did a lot of as children], and, at this point, falling in love.

"So, what are your thoughts on love, Fräulein Johanne?" he asked, glancing to her.

"To be honest with you, I don't really know" she replied sadly. "I never really had much thought on that. I mean, I love my sister and my neighbor and Anneke, and my parents even though they've since died but... I never really thought much about it otherwise."

"But how so?" he said, blinking.

"Remember--I cannot really judge this world. I don't have much right to tell anyone else that I love them. I... I am blind. I don't know how else to see" she explained, her smile fading to a sad frown. "It's something I would never wish on anyone, but it's a sadness that overwhelms me."

Ralf sat there in silence, somewhat saddened over her humble words. Finally he spoke: "Fräulein Johanne... I pray you don't ever end up alone in this life."

"I am not alone, Ralf" she replied. "I am never alone. I have my sister and neighbor and Anneke with me. I have Florian and Wolfgang and Karl with me. And I also have you with me, which is a blessing." A grateful, humble smile appeared on her face.

He smiled back at her, squeezing her hands a bit. "Fräulein Johanne, I promise you, while we're on board the Trans-Europa, I will not let go of your hand."

"But... why?" she asked, confused. "I do not understand."

"That way you know I am with you" he replied. "I want very much for you to be safe, not just around your family but also with me and my friends."

"I suppose it is not a weakness to want to be protected then?" she implied, blushing a bit.

"Not at all, darling" he reaffirmed, kissing her hands.

"One other thing" she spoke again as he rested her head against his chest, their arms now wrapped around each other.

"What is it?" he said, looking to her.

"...is it wrong... if all I can see with... is my heart?" she asked, her face growing a bit somber.

"No, mein Fräulein" he replied, holding her close to him as his eyes closed and he drifted off to naptime. "Not at all."

Florian glanced to his best friend and Johannes, and sighed a bit. He knew this trip was going to be dangerous, but he also knew that things were going to be alright. That his friends would protect their companions, that he would be strong enough to protect Elizabeth. That his best friend would be able to truly be there for Johannes. He sighed a bit, looking out the window. Elizabeth had fallen asleep, conversation had died down, and everyone [with the exception of Johannes] was enjoying the view.

Finally he looked at Elizabeth, who had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder as if on a pillow. They had only begun to know each other, but already he had begun to fallen for her headstrong persona, for the courageous woman that she was. He knew he couldn't be fully elusive as far as his feelings for her were concerned. However, he wasn't a man of much words. He had to find some way to get over his silenthood and speak up, to tell her how he felt about her. He would have plenty of time to develop that very nerve. In the meantime, he and the gang would enjoy the trip to their first stop on the Trans-Europa: Paris, France.

Indeed, their journey was just beginning...

Chapter 2: Wir sind die Roboter. [We are the Robots.]

2007-09-08T19:44:00.000-04:00

As the Trans-Underground Express transport arrived at the receiving dock, the Düsseldorf Quartet looked around at their changing surroundings, with the exception of Johannes of course, who just sat there.

"Where... are we now?" asked Rebekah.

"Wherever it is, it's gotta be good, I guess" replied Johannes, a semi-hopeful smile on her face.

Elizabeth just held her sister's hand tighter as the transport car stopped and locked onto its dock.

Anneke stood first and got out of the transport car. Rebekah followed, then Johannes accompanied by Elizabeth.

"Alright gals" spoke Anneke in a mock-commanding officer's voice. "This is it. This is the big time. We're in a new position of insanity. We're not in Kansas anymore. Hell, we never were in Kansas to begin with!!"

The rest of the Quartet giggled as Anneke gave them a goofy grin, then ascended the stairs to a metal door on the ceiling. She opened the door, and finished ascending the stairs to the outside of what looked to be an office building. She looked around.

"...hot damn, gals" she spoke again. "I don't know where the heehaw we're at."

"Only one way to find out then" answered Elizabeth.

"Of course" retorted Anneke with a smirk. "What, you think I'm refusing to go lurk about? Hell-oo!! I ain't goin' alone, y'know!!"

Johannes giggled as Elizabeth shook her head laughing. "Alright you goofball" the elder sister said. "Lead on like the so-called commanding officer you are."

Anneke stuck her tongue out at Elizabeth, then looked around and started to walk towards the building. Rebekah, Johannes and the elder sister followed Anneke, unaware of who they were about to meet...

Four men emerged out of an office inside the building, dressed in suits, walking in time, their steps synched. Their faces were a bit serious, but they showed in each some distinct personality.

The man coded KW070447 glanced to his fellow cohort to his right, and nodded. His face looked back to what was ahead of him. He said not a word, but kept his pace in time with the others.

His friend, coded KW170747, nodded back and fixed his gaze ahead of him. While at it he brushed off a strand of hair that got in his face. Glancing to his code on his arm, he recalled how he nearly died and became a new person.

To his right, the man coded KW310552 kept his gaze straight ahead, his thoughts rerunning through his head about the mission that they were to undertake. The four men were briefed on who they were assigned to protect on the train back to Düsseldorf before dismissed to meet up with them.

And finally, at his right, the so-called leader of the quartet coded KW200846 took a deep breath, unsure of what would occur at their great adventure. And, miraculously, during their mission briefing, he kept his mouth shut!! But he glanced at his three friends, and then straight ahead, ready for anything. He sang a few lines as they made their way to the doors leading outside...

Wir laden unsere Batterie,
Jetzt sind wir voller Energie...

Wir sind die Roboter.

As the guys exited the building the young women blinked. Rebekah blinked, hiding a bit behind Anneke as Elizabeth let go of her younger sister's hand and stepped forward to meet the men. Her eyes locked on those of KW070447. Meanwhile Anneke walked up to KW310552, her eyes a bit solemn in case he meant trouble.

Rebekah however showed no fear at last, and stood out from behind her friend. KW170747 stood before her, nodding to her. She just stood there and blinked. Geez Rebekah she thought to herself, where's your courage when you need it? Finally she spoke. "Gu-guten tag" she stammered, a bit nervous. But the man just smiled and extended his hand.

"It's okay, Miss" he spoke. "I do not intend to harm you. I am, however, curious as to your name."

"It's Rebekah" she replied, placing her hand in his. "Rebekah Zordenoff."

"I am Wolfgang" the man spoke, "and we will be accompanying you on the Trans-Europa."

Anneke's stern glare at KW310552 turned into a giggly grin when he made a funny face. Suddenly, she no longer felt like she had to be on high alert around him as he extended a hand to her.

"Hallo, my name is Karl" he spoke. "And you are?"

"Anneke Weldenta" she answered, her hand now in his. "Are you going to be with us on the Trans-Europa?"

Karl nodded. "Absolutely, Miss Anneke."

Elizabeth and KW070447 kept their eyes on each other for a while. Finally she spoke. "You know, I'm not one for staring contests."

"Neither am I, liebling," he replied with a polite smile.

"You must be our guardians on the Trans-Europa then" she said. He nodded in reply, took his hand in hers, and kissed it.

"I am Florian" he spoke, his kind gaze now fixed on hers. She smiled.

"Elizabeth Korinn" she introduced herself, then looked to her sister and KW200846. "And over there... my sister Johannes, who was born blind." Florian nodded in acknowledgement, still holding her hand.

KW200846 walked up to Johannes, who was still standing where her older sister had left her. He blinked, waving a hand to her, wondering why she hadn't noticed him yet. Finally, he spoke.

"Hallo there" he said, and she snapped back to.

"Oh--oh my, I'm sorry" she replied. "Just that, I sometimes do not really notice anyone until they're talking to me."

"Are you alright?" he asked sincerely.

"Yes," she replied, nodding hesitantly. "It's just that... I... Ich kann nicht sehen. Ich war geborener Vorhang."

The man's eyes widened in worry. "Meine Güte! Ich bin sehr traurig" he said. "Sind Sie gut?"

She nodded, smiling a bit. "I'll be fine. I'm just wondering if we'll be on the Trans-Europa soon."

"We will be, Miss" he replied. "My friends and I are here to protect your friends. We are programmed just to do anything you want us to, in a sense."

"Are you guys... robots?" she asked.

"Sort of" he answered. "We are mensche-maschinen, to be exact. But we are here to protect you." He took her hand in his and kissed it. "My name is Ralf."

"Ich bin Johannes Korinn" she replied, smiling faintly. "It is very good to meet you, Ralf."

"Es ist als gutes, Sie, Fräulein Johannes zu treffen gerecht" Ralf said, smiling at her cold, lifeless eyes. The rest of the guys and girls looked to the two, wondering what had just happened.

Chapter 1: The Trans-Underground Express.

2007-09-08T15:53:00.000-04:00

"Wake up, Johannes. We gotta hurry up!!"

Johannes stirred a bit, hearing Rebekah's voice in a hushed whisper. The young next-door neighbor tugged on the blind woman's arm a bit, and Johannes hastened to get her shoes on with the neighbor's help. Together the two quietly snuck out of the barracks that they had slept in, and made their way behind the building, to the Eastern Wall of the concentration camp. Awaiting them stood Elizabeth, Anneke, and the seamstress guard who was kind to her.

"Alright" Elizabeth spoke quietly to Anneke and the guard. "Johanne and Rebekah are here."

"Right" acknowledged her childhood best friend.

"We must hurry" spoke the guard as he looked around carefully. "There isn't much time left for us."

The guard carefully removed the sod covering, reavealing a metal door. On it were the initials T.U.E., and immediately Rebekah looked to the guard.

"Do you mean to tell us that..." she spoke, but silenced herself fast, for fear of the other guards listening.

The guard nodded. "Yep" he answered in a hushed whisper. "This is the Trans-Underground Express, and I'm one of the Underground guardians. Gregorio. From the Lisbon Order of the Clandestinians."

Rebekah realized that he was a secret ally, because only to the Clandestine Rebellion and its allies did they share the title of Clandestinians. It was a sort of secret identity that the Darkstrom knew nothing of.

"Alright, one final check" Gregorio whispered as he looked around. "So far about a fifth of the camp has escaped because of this route.

"This" he then said to the girls as he opened the door, "will lead you through much of Lisbon, to the Station of the Trans-Europa."

"The... the Trans-Europa?" Johannes asked softly.

The guard nodded. "Yes, the Trans-Europa will be awaiting you. I've already sent the transmission to the Clandestinians there. They'll be thrilled to know the Düsseldorf Quartet will be boarding the great Trans-Europa homeward bound."

Elizabeth smiled to Gregorio as she took her sister's hand. "Thank you for all you have done for us while we've been here in this Portuguese hell" she whispered with a dry smirk. "The Clandestinians will be glad to know that the secret guardian has done another rescue task well done."

"Very" affirmed Anneke as she looked to the Trans-Underground transport. It was similar to the underground subway, but it was a small car on rails. The car itself was red, with the T.U.E. initials in white. She then looked to the others.

"Friend, Johannes, Rekah" she spoke quietly.

The other girls nodded, and Gregorio also nodded.

"You four better get going, lest we all get in trouble and meet our Maker" he spoke again in a hushed whisper as Elizabeth, Anneke and Rebekah started down the stairs to the transport car. Johannes however just stood there, unsure of herself, before she slowly started down the stairs. Gregorio watched in wonder as the blind woman carefully descended to join the rest of the Quartet.

"You are, perhaps, the bravest woman that the Rebellion will never realize" Gregorio spoke as he watched Johannes walk into the arms of her older sister.

"I thank you for your kind words, Gregorio" she replied as Elizabeth hugged her sister. Anneke and Rebekah boarded the transport car, as Elizabeth looked up one last time at the guard.

"A thousand thanks eternal," she spoke, with one smile more to him, and with that helped her sister on boarding the transport.

After the Quartet boarded, Gregorio pressed a few buttons, and the transport car kickstarted. It started slowly, then gained speed as it left its port with the precious cargo on board.

"Godspeed, children of the Rebellion," the guard sighed. "I do pray that your escape is successful... and that you girls find happiness." With that he sighed once more, wiping tears that welled up in his eyes, and ran up the stairs from the T.U.E. dock. Closing the metal door, he replaced the sod over it carefully, and quickly ran to resume his morning rounds.

Meanwhile onboard the T.U.E., the Quartet sped through the Underground, the route making its way through the Medianoche Lake tunnel. Rebekah held onto Anneke, somewhat scared of what could happen en route to the Trans-Europa. Johannes meanwhile just sat there, Elizabeth holding her hand.

"It's alright, Rekah" Anneke comforted the youngest of the Quartet with a smile. But Rebekah just looked back at the neighbor with a questioning glare.

"You're talking to someone who's gonna break the Panic button down!" she retorted with a wry smile.

Elizabeth laughed watching her two friends go at it, but Johannes just smiled softly.

"Rebekah and Anneke are at it again, aren't they?" she asked her older sister.

Going through the Underground Checkpoint at the Castelo Real [Royal Castle], Prince Antonio greeted them on the Intercom screen. The Prince and the Quartet exchanged a small conversation, pertaining to their destination.

"I wish you four the best of luck on your journey" the Prince concluded.

"And we thank you kindly, Principe Antonio, Sir" Elizabeth replied.

The transport weaved through the Underground network of the Downtown Smalltown Lisbon district. Rebekah watched on in curiosity, Anneke looked to Elizabeth and Johannes with a kind smile. Elizabeth smiled back and looked to her younger sister, who just sat there quietly as the transport made its way through the district.

"Are we almost at the Trans-Europa, Elizabeth?" Johannes finally asked.

"Almost there we are, Johanne" her older sister answered with a smile. "Almost there we are."

The Prelude: Chaos, Darkness, Fear... and Hope.

2007-09-05T20:31:00.001-04:00

mog.com

More about this song

Mama... I cannot see... where are you...

Elizabeth...

Papa...

I... I cannot see you...

Where are you...?

Johannes somehow snapped out of a daydream, an unfortunate memory the day she, her older sister, and their two dearest friends were captured. Elizabeth looked to her younger sister and held her hand tightly as they queued for the line to receive their rationed lunches. Anneke, Elizabeth's best friend, queued up behind the sisters, with the girls' next-door neighbor Rebekah in tow. The young women were used to the rationed lunches of small loaves of bread, potato-and-chives soup [which was mostly watery but still somehow filling], and a small glass of milk or water. It wasn't the best thing edible for the women, but as they were indeed at the mercy of the Darkstrom they really had no other choice.

"Johanne" Elizabeth spoke softly, "are you having milk or water today?"

"Water" the younger sister spoke, "I'm not really up for milk today."

"But Johannes!" Anneke whispered. "You haven't drank milk in days!"

"And in the state you're in" Rebekah chimed in quietly, "you shouldn't be in such a state of total illness. You need to stay strong somehow."

"I am strong" Johannes replied softly, her soft gaze slightly tilted to the ground. "I'm just weaker in spirit than in flesh."

Elizabeth sighed sadly. Her sister truly was stronger in the flesh than in spirit, but it hurt her older sister more that the poor soul was more glum than usual. Johanne was not born to be a cynic she thought to herself, she was born to overcome the darkness. But she sighed sadly, holding onto her younger sister's hand, worrying terribly over what had become of Johannes.

"I do not know what is worse" Johannes spoke softly again, "being born blind or being cynical."

"Do not say that, Johanne" Elizabeth pleaded softly as she took one tray while Anneke took two [one for herself, and another for one of the two sisters], Rebekah taking one tray. Elizabeth helped Johannes with getting the glass of water in her hand, while taking a glass of milk for herself. Rebekah placed one of the glasses of water on her own tray, while settling a few more on the plates that Anneke carried. Together the Düsseldorf Quartet--as they were known in the Lisbon, Portugal concentration camp of the Darkstrom--made their way to a table in the corner of a desolate building which was the cafeteria, and set their stuff on the table, sitting down for grace.

Grace was said, each girl taking up the line--

"Dear God, upon this table humble," Elizabeth started.

"Here we praise the TriGodhead," Rebekah added.

"Thank you for our lives, our hands," Anneke contributed.

"And above all, this our daily bread," Johannes chimed.

"In the blessed Lord's name" Elizabeth concluded, and the Quartet answered "Amen," and began their meal.

After their humble lunch Elizabeth, Anneke and Rebekah returned to their daily chores while Johannes was able to carefully walk through and "explore" the grounds of the concentration camp. The young blind woman had a tendency of being able to figure out her whereabouts on her own, which was tough and inexplicable to understand on her part. She didn't know where she obtained this odd intuition, all she knew was how to find her way around on her own. It was a strange miracle all its own, but she never took that ability for granted.

Elizabeth wiped the sweat off her brow as she sewn the prisoner shirtdresses mercilessly, glaring intently at the sewing machine. It was an old machine, but cooperated well with her. She had sewn about a dozen within the first two hours, as she was an incredible seamstress, and the hall guard complimented well on her task well done. She sighed, looking for a moment at her worn now-bleeding hands, when a handkerchief was placed in her fragile fingers. She looked up to see the surprisingly kind, smiling face of the hall guard, a Darkstrom trooper, who gave her the kerchief.

"You've worked very hard today, Miss Korinn" he spoke. "Take it, and rest for the remainder of the day."

"But... how will I be able to return it to you?" she asked, curious. That sort of thing had never really happened to her before. But the guard just smiled.

"I have witnessed your hard work, you and the Quartet" he replied. "And the way you care for that young lady outside is remarkable. The patience of a saint.

"Take this, a token of my gratitude for your humble inspiration. You are the reason why I haven't been so harsh on any of these amazing seamstresses here."

With tears in her eyes she smiled, and nodded once, holding the kerchief carefully for her bleeding hands. "Danke" she answered softly. "I will never forget your kindness, Sir. Thank you."

"Not a problem, Miss Korinn" the guard answered.

"Really, Elizabeth is fine" she said.

"I am not worthy of adressing you as Elizabeth" he retorted with a wry smile. "You deserve a title of respect, in my honest opinion. The troopers and guards here are all in admiration of you and your Quartet."

"I'm just worried really over Johanne," Elizabeth replied, sighing a bit. "She doesn't deserve to live a cynical life or anything. I don't ever want that poor girl to be cynical."

"What exactly is wrong with Johanne... and who is she, even?" the guard asked.

Elizabeth looked at him with a sad smile. "Johanne--Johannes rather, she's my younger sister... she was born blind."

The guard was shocked. "Dear God, I'm sorry, Miss Korinn..."

"It's no trouble really" she replied. "Just that, after Mother and Father died, all there was left was me and Johanne. So basically it was me, Anneke and Rebekah who all looked out after her. Even here and now." She fixed her gaze to her younger sister, sitting outside the window, against a fence. "That young lady, with the dull yet hopeful stare... the cold, lifeless eyes..."

The guard nodded.

Elizabeth nodded also, tears in her eyes. "That is my Johanne."

Rebekah and Anneke joined the elder sister, their eyes fixed to the second-youngest of the Quartet. The guard too fixed his eyes upon the dark-haired young woman, and for the first time really understood what despair was for not just the trio of women beside him, but for the girl that, while she could not see, was surrounded by chaos, untold pain, fear... and a strange light called hope.

The Story and Passengers and Guardians of the TEE [the basic plot and main good guys]

2007-09-03T15:14:00.000-04:00

[The Story of the Trans-Europe Express]
The year is 2347, Common Earth Era [CEE], and all the world was at peace. The war of the StarCourt versus Chaos ended centuries before. War dared not exist. All was well...

until a new enemy force, the Darkstrom, somehow rose to power in post-war Eastern Europe.

The Clandestine Rebellion rose up, out of a few rebels to the destructive government, to attempt to overthrow the Darkstrom. Despite the growth in numbers as far as Clandestine Rebels were concerned, the Darkstrom overtook the underground regime and, separating families and friends, sent rebels to various Nazi-inspired concentration camps throughout Eastern Europe. A few remaining Rebels hid in the Underground and set up the Trans-Underground Express [TUE]. They also turned the Trans-Europe Express [TEE] into a secret life-saving route that would reconnect the few lucky escapees of the concentration camps with their hometowns and/or loved ones [if any remained]. Most of the Rebels however were imprisoned or killed, either in battle or within the haunting four walls of the concentration camp.

Among the handful enlisted in the Rebellion were half-human robots--humans who, not wanting to lose their lives having been mortally wounded, had their bones replaced with metal, and most of their organs replaced with wires and the most advanced technology available. They were often termed humanoid cyborgs, and were still mostly able to have human senses. The human never really died, as the operations would be successful. These humanoid cyborgs looked human, and it would never really pass to the Darkstrom that they would've been anything but human. Their main purpose was to serve and protect escaped Rebels onboard the TEE, and sometimes even after the journey homeward ended.

The TEE originated in 1957 CEE, and was mostly abandoned by around 1984. After the Rebellion was organized the TEE was revived, and served as the Rebellion-escape-route version of the EuroCity [EC], which replaced the TEE in 1987.

[The Passengers of the Trans-Europe Express: The Düsseldorf Quartet]

[The Düsseldorf Quartet formed after one of the leaders of the Düsseldorf Order of the Clandestine Rebellion was captured along with her younger sister and two of their closest companions. The Quartet grew up together, in the same neighborhood, the youngest being Rebekah, just a month younger than Johannes. The young women soon met Team Kʁaftvɛɐk, who each took one of the ladies to their care and protection on board the TEE back home to Düsseldorf.]
Elizabeth Korinn - Elizabeth is a German young woman of American descent. Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, she was brought to Lisbon, Portugal after the Darkstrom overtook most if not all of Eastern Europe. She was among the leaders of the Düsseldorf Order of the Clandestine Rebellion, and was captured by the Darkstrom along with her younger sister, childhood best friend, and next-door neighbor [known as the Düsseldorf Quartet]. Generally sincere and touched with humility, she has the wisdom that only 26 years alive can provide her. However, scarring those years is bearing the witness to the death of her and Johannes' parents at the hands of Darkstrom soldiers at the beginning of the invasion. To this end she's tried time and again to suppress those memories, but she's also realized she can't do this without the help of her friends and, especially, her Trans-Europa companion.

Anneke Weldenta - Anneke has been Elizabeth's best friend since they attended Kindergarten, and is the resident jokester of the Düsseldorf Quartet. Always prepared with either a joke, an answer to a question, or even at times a question itself, she thinks well of herself and the Quartet. She also has a tendency of being short-tempered which, given the proper circumstance, can prove rather useful. Usually she keeps a gun with her, in case the resident sharpshooter of the gang needs it [which, surprisingly, is Rebekah].

Rebekah Zordenoff - When she was younger, Rebekah, Elizabeth and her younger sister's next-door neighbor and the one in the Düsseldorf Quartet most likely to hit the PANIC button at the first sign of a crisis, was trained in archery and sharpshooting by her father, and while at school, she was on the Archery team. Despite her panic-happy nature, she is usually positive and is always there for her neighbors when they need her, and because of this she also can be very courageous when need be. But the singular quality that sets her apart from the others is her healing power she was blessed with as a child, which also designates her as the resident nurse of the bunch, and is the reason why she is sometimes nicknamed the "Secret Florence Nightingale of Düsseldorf."

Johannes Korinn - Johannes is Elizabeth's younger sister and, while possibly the dearest of the Düsseldorf Quartet, is the only one enduring a tragedy. She was born blind, so she often has to be accompanied by either her sister, Anneke or Rebekah. Miraculously she can find her way around on her own if she's alone. She hopes one day to finally gain sight, though--despite her hope for the Quartet and the freedom of Eastern Europe--she doubts herself in a lot of things. A surprising quality about her is her intuition, as well as an awareness of what is going on around her--a "sixth sense" if you will.

[The Guardians of the TEE: Team Kʁaftvɛɐk]

[The main guardians of the TEE in the story is Team Kʁaftvɛɐk, more known as Kraftwerk. After a near-fatal accident, each of the reborn bandmembers were 'roboticized' and given identification codes, which were tattooed on the inside of their right forearms. Each of the Guardians is unique yet alike in some sort of manner. Their purpose in this case is not to make music, but to aid the Clandestine Rebellion in the liberation of Eastern Europe. They opted to be Guardians of the TEE and, in the process, personal guardians of the Düsseldorf Quartet, each taking one of the young women under their wings.]
Florian Schneider [KW070447] - Known as being the somewhat secretive noise-aholic of the bunch, Florian's elusiveness is made up for by his intelligence. Philosophical and intelligent, he can also at times be amusing. His favorite instruments are the flute and the electric violin.

Wolfgang Flür [KW170747] - The relatively outspoken of the bunch, Wolfgang is a very curious individual and likes to ask a lot of questions. He questions the group's existence and meaning, while struggling to understand everything there is to understand. Sometimes his inquisitive nature tends to get him [and even at times his friends] into trouble--and even danger. He's also the resident playboy of the Mensch-Maschinen, which leads to some unnecessary trouble all its own. The verbal sparring with his friend Karl have proven to be some of the most amusing within the gang. His favorite instrument is the electronic drum.

Karl Bartos [KW310552] - Often cited as the sometimes-bored, sometimes-frustrated [and even at times ill-tempered] of the bunch, Karl makes up for it by his humble but lovable quirkiness. He is also, with not much help from his short temper, armed with a tendency of being accidentally destructive--i.e. knocking over a table or falling over someone, causing that person to fall back on someone else, etc. Usually most of his verbal assaults are aimed at his friend Wolfgang, and the two get into a verbal spat on a regular basis. His favorite instrument is, basically, any electronic percussion instrument.

Ralf Hütter [KW200846] - Noted as the rather talkative of the bunch, Ralf likes to sing. Okay, make that, loves to sing. Since his robotization [after a cycling accident in which he was hit by a drunk driver and nearly died] his mental wiring's a bit off, and because of this he doesn't understand everything. In spite of this he believes in the good of the world, and because of this he can come across as kind and nurturing. His favorite instrument is the synthesizer.