A/N Hehe so I didn't update again that day. As a matter of fact I'm updating almost a week later. As promised, this chapter will focus on Moritz's discussion with his mom and a little of Ilse telling everyone the plan. Reviews to me are the spazziness to Moritz and Mark…it just works.

Moritz walked slowly down the quiet street towards the building he once called home. He knew his father would have already gone to bed, but his mother would be up knitting. Gently reaching towards the door to knock, he froze. His mind told him to either knock or run away, but Moritz did neither. He just stood there still as a statue, frozen as ice. About 3 minutes later Frau Stiefel opened the door despite the lack of sound to find her son standing there with a deer in the headlights expression on his face.

"Moritz? Are you alright?" she asked thoughtfully, being careful not to sound angry.

"Mom, I'm leaving. Ilse and I…we're going to New York." Moritz replied and his mother could sense the fear he felt just from that sentence.

"Moritz, it's ok, I understand. I just want you to know that despite anything your father says, I will always love you and miss you. Let me get you some money so you can pay for boat tickets." She said quite understandingly, but with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Despite his relationship with his father, Moritz and his mother were very close. Moritz felt like he could trust her with anything and she wouldn't be judgmental. Leaving her was going to be hard but it had to be done.

"Mama, I'll miss you more than you'll ever know." Moritz spoke softly and truthfully.

"It's ok dear, I know. You can write to me anytime you want. Just sign it with the name of whomever you end up rooming with," she said then saw the confused expression on Moritz's face. "You didn't think you and your friends could afford to have your own place did you? In New York the more roommates you have, the less you have to pay for rent monthly." Moritz nodded in understanding.

Meanwhile

Ilse had gathered everyone there. Mechior, Ernst, and Hanschen none to pleased to have been called to a middle of the night emergency meeting, gathered in the vineyard immediately.

"Moritz and I have decided to go to New York," Ilse announced proudly. It was so silent she swore she could have heard crickets from France chirping their gleeful song. "And we want you guys to come with us…" she trailed off.

"I'm in. Get me out of this hell that we're damned to by the bonds of family," Melchior announced proudly after a few moments of awkward silence.

"I agree with Gabor, if we stay here our parents will suffocate us with their antics. Ernst?" Hanschen offered to the rest of the group.

"I-I don't know Hanschen," Ernst said softly, "I'll miss my family terribly-" Ernst trailed off, his eyes avoiding contact with the other members of the group who were awaiting a response. "But I guess it's worth it for you," he said and then smiled. Hanschen tried not to show his relief, but failed miserably when he saw the gleam in Ernst's eye and pulled Ernst in close for a kiss of nothing but trust.

"Then it's decided," Ilse said confidently, "we will leave when the clock strikes 5."

5 AM

Ernst had received the money from his mother and had gotten all of his clothing together before he embarked off with the others. It was that day that his life would change forever; it was the day he left Germany.

A/N So I'm going to skip the boat ride there because I wouldn't be able to do it accurately. Next chapter, drama ensues on Ellis Island.