Chapter Three

Critical Time

Klavier could endure the trials and tribulations of being together with Ema. His boss would never find out. He would bear her moodiness, jealousy, and skeptical ways on a regular basis. And of course, he would buy her Snackoos every single day with a coffee from Starbucks.

He would prove to Ema that he was worthy to be with her.

"Um, Klavier?" Ema shouted. He had been in some sort of dreaming state, and Ema had been calling his name for the last couple minutes. "Ja?" he finally said. Ema let out a relieved sigh. At least he hadn't passed out. "I was just wondering... if you wanted to be a defense attorney now... couldn't you be?" It was a valid question. Kristoph was out of the way, and he really didn't have a band anymore thanks to Daryan. "Nein, Frau-...Ema. It arouses too many difficult problems with my family... even if Kristoph is... gone." Ema thought it was weird how he referred to his brother as gone. When Lana was in police custody, Ema had complete faith in her sister and loved her despite the lingering fact that perhaps, just perhaps Lana was guilty. I guess it's different when they actually are guilty. It was Ema to put her hand on Klavier's shoulder this time. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, her hand starting to feel awkward on his shoulder. "Nein, it is fine.. I shouldn't have brought it up." Ema wished she knew how it felt just so she could tell him she knows what it's like. But the reality stood: she didn't know what it was like.

"But... then you don't have a job you love." Klavier leaned his head back and pondered on the Fraulein's point. "Nein... but you don't either." This woke something inside Ema that said, "This is real. This is happening." Ema didn't want it to be a reality, but she was doing something she hated. "Ema...?" Klavier whispered, just to make sure the detektiv was awake. "Oh, yeah. Um, hi." She realized how awkward that sounded after she said it. Klavier laughed. "Hallo." Ema bit her lip. Dang it! He's so charming... "Sorry. I just.. I'm pretty out of it today." Ema tucked a strand of her behind her ear, desperately looking for something for her hands to be fiddling with. She slipped her hand off of Klavier's shoulder and started picking at her nails. "I have noticed..." Klavier chuckled. Ema blushed, and was suddenly glad that the storage closet was dark. "Well, I spilled coffee all over myself this morning!" Ema pointed out accusingly. Klavier smiled. "But you still are beautiful." I'm waiting for the kiss up remark, Klavier thought expectantly. "I don't believe you," Ema whispered, but silently smiled to herself in the darkness. Klavier felt pleased that she didn't say anything about being a "kiss up". "Believe it, Ema." I can't even see her, Klavier thought helplessly. But she is beautiful...

Ema didn't reply to Klavier because she didn't have a comeback for what he just said. "Maybe..." is all she came up with, and when it was too late, she realized she had said it out loud. "You're not so bad yourself," Ema smiled to herself, looking down at her hands, which were madly twiddling and picking at each other. Klavier grinned. I feel like I've finally won, he thought. Perhaps she does... his thoughts were interrupted by Ema calling his name. "Fop! Fop! Klavier!" He responded to "Klavier" with a quick "Yes, Ema?" It took him a bit of caution not to say "Fraulein."

"The air vent stopped." Klavier looked up to the ceiling. "So it has. It is still rather cold in here, so it would be in your best interest to hold on to my Joppe." Ema shook her head. "I wasn't talking about that. I mean that soon there would be any air left!" Klavier's eyes widened, and his mouth dropped like it would in a cartoon.

"So..." was all he managed, and Ema finished his sentence, "So we could die!" It wasn't something that seemed like it could happen to Klavier. His reality was his fame, his fortune, and his good looks. But he never pondered on death too much. He saw it at work every day, but the realization that someday he would die never connected inside his brain. Sure, he knew it would happen. However, at this moment in time, he realized he could die right now. Panic flooded his brain, and his heart started pumping, the adrenaline in his body moving like a roller-coaster.

"E..Ema..." he stumbled. "How much time do we have?" Ema was just as worried as he. And although she didn't exactly want to admit it, the answer was clear. No detectives or officers or prosecutors would be coming until their shift was over. And by then... "Not enough."

Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far! I'm thinking maybe two more chapters. One more and then an epilogue. Keep reviewing please!