Disclaimer: Shadow of the Vampire and all its characters belong to Saturn films and…is it Universal that released it? Yes…Universal I think. So Wolfgang doesn't belong to me...too bad. *sob*

Chapter One: Shattering

He awakes, sits straight up in bed, gasping, "More light, more light." Groping, blindly for the tableside lamp his hand brushes a glass, sliding it only a centimeter before it topples over the edge and makes a great shatter on the tile floor. There are a couple gasps as the room's other occupants are awakened by the noise. Soft, frantic footsteps sound on the tile before crunching on the broken glass.

Light. Finally, Light.

"Herr Muller?" the nurse manages to find the lamp that only a few seconds ago was so elusive to him. The nurse's white uniform reflected the lamplight causing her to glow like an angel.

Light. Blessed Light.

The nurse sits on the edge of the bed. She takes his cold, sweaty face in her hands on peers into his eyes, concernedly. "Did you have another nightmare, Herr Muller?" She asks in a comforting tone. He shivers at the remembrance of it and nods. She smiles. "It's all over now, Herr Muller. Why don't you lie back down, I'll get you some water, and when I get come back I'll clean up this glass." She stands up and precariously steps over the shards on the floor.

Wolf does as he is told and lies back down, turning his head so he faces the light. Even the darkness that his eyelids cause when he closes them stirs fright. He cannot lay back and look at the ceiling for the lamp is too weak to reach as far as that. There is no ceiling only blackness, the surrounding void.

Back in the nurse's station Berit fills a glass with tap water and sets it on the counter. As she bends to open the cabinet where the cleaning supplies are kept she is startled by a loud yawn. Straightening abruptly, she turns to see fellow nurse, Inga, sitting and reading a magazine. "What's the fuss now?" Inga asks, idly flipping a page, "If it's that Muller again I'll volunteer to put him out of his misery."

Berit tuts, "Don't be unkind, Inga."

Collecting the glass of water, hand broom and dust pan, she makes her way back to Muller's bedside. Setting the water down she notices his fixed gaze on the lamp. "You shouldn't do that you know," she says, bending to sweep up what is left of the previous glass, "it'll be bad for your eyes."

He makes a small noise in his throat, but keeps his eyes fixed in their current position. With all the glass shards in the dustpan Berit reaches to turn the lamp back off, but Muller grabs her wrist. "Please don't," he says finally looking at her.

"Herr Muller, the light will disturb the other patients."

"If only you knew what disturbs my slumber."

Something in those dark, pleading eyes make Berit comply with his request. "Alright, Her Muller only for tonight." He lets go of her wrist. "Now get some sleep and pleasant dreams."

Her receding footsteps, his own breathing, and circulating blood within his ears are the last he hears before another fitful night.

At least the last he sees is light.

Light. Illuminating Light.

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Wolf awakes again except this time it is morning; at least he can assume it is morning. The ever-helpful lamp had been turned off and a soft glow desperately tries to make its way into the room form behind the thick, closed, curtains.

The two other patients he shares the room with are sitting up and eating a bowl of some type of gruel that smells as foul as it looks and Wolf assumes tastes. Footsteps come form the hallway. Wolf finds himself slightly hoping that it is the kindly nurse from the previous night. But alas, Dr. Komisch sweeps in, his white coat fluttering behind him. A white coat not unlike the kind himself and the rest of Murnau's crew had worn.

Murnau. That bastard.

"Good morning, Herr Muller. Glad to see you awake. For one so adverse to the darkness you rather enjoy the kind provided by the back of your eyelids, ja?" The doctor treats himself to a laugh on the behalf of his own joke. Wolf only makes a disgruntled noise and turns his attention to the window. The doctor, unacknowledged by Wolf, goes to his side and tears off the bandage at Wolf's neck, causing the younger man to flinch as the adhesive pulls at his skin. "Hmm, no sign of healing yet. Very strange," he says, taking out another gauze and applies it to the wound. "What was it that did this to you?"

Wolf blinks a couple times. "What did Murnau tell you?"

"That it was some animal while you were filming in Czechoslovakia."

"Then that's what happened."

"If you say so Herr Muller, but not any animal I have seen can do this."

"Have you ever been to Czechoslovakia, Herr Doctor?"

"Well, no."

Wolf finally turns to look at Komisch. He doesn't open his mouth, the one raised eyebrow peaks the "Apparently not."

Komisch sighs. "Fine Herr Muller, whatever you say, but the more you can tell us of what happened there the easier it may be for is to treat you."

Wolf just blinks once at the doctor and turns back to the window. Resigned, the doctor leaves.

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Evening comes. Berit arrives for her shift, punctual as ever at seven o'clock. Inga is there as is another nurse, Elsa. "Why look Elsa, it's Herr Muller's personal nursemaid! Do you think she will read him a bedtime story along with his glass of water tonight?"

Elsa laughs. "Of course! But nothing scary, the poor man is afraid of the dark as it is."

"Oh, of course not," Berit says, playing along, "I'll read him faerie stories about beautiful maidens and handsome princes and lots of romance. And afterwards I'll give him a kiss goodnight." Berit sticks her tongue out at the other two nurses. If they are going to be childish, she may as well be too.

Inga rolls her eyes and drops the matter, but Elsa insists on pressing Bit further. "You know. Speaking of Herr Muller, I heard Herr Doctor say that he belongs more in a mental institute more so than here."

Berit looks at her in surprise. "Stop joking Elsa, it's not nice."

"I'm not!" Elsa insists. "Herr Doctor made a comment about him not being connected with reality." She laughs with her high-pitched giggle.

Berit bites her lip. "Even if it is true… He still has those wounds, we have to take care of them!"

Elsa scoffs. "Oh please, those bite marks? Probably an overeager lover."

Berit scowls, but says nothing knowing that Elsa had hoped mentioning a lover would get her riled. Berit isn't going to let it. It was ridiculous really, the assumptions that these women make. Seriously, Muller was only brought in four days ago and just because Berit has been showing a bit more sympathy everyone thinks she is fallen in love with him! True, she thought him rather attractive, but that hardly ever affected which patients she paid more attention to. She takes special interest in Muller because well…he seems to need it.

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This was of course only chapter one. I hope to get more of the chapters up soon. Just depends on how much time college allots me. Hope you enjoyed it thus far. So review! REVIEW! REVIEW!