Love is Like Atroquinine: Slow Acting, But Powerful
Chapter 22 "Turnabout Introduction"
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters or cases from Ace Attorney. All credits go to Capcom, they own the rights to everything. This storyline however, is completely original and was created by me.
Second Disclaimer: As usual, I cannot claim credit for Deston, Seren, and the Fop King Raoul. They belong to my friend Stormy, who was wonderful enough to let me bring the boys over here. As usual, I'm incredibly grateful. They've been a wonderful addition to LILA, and it's hard to imagine how some things would have turned out in the story if they hadn't been here.
*My usual warning is becoming lazier with each time I do it. Smut is present, you've been warned, now on with the story! ^_^
Ema made eye contact with the person she bumped into at the same time as she looked at Ema. "I am so sorry! I didn't see you, and I turned too quickly..." Ema trailed off in embarrassment. She normally wasn't this clumsy. The woman gave a dismissive wave of her hand and picked up all the bags off the floor. She handed Ema her two and took notice of the flavors she had picked out. "The dark chocolate ones aren't as great as you'd think. You're better off sticking with the regular chocolate Snackoos. The cheese flavor are good though. They're my favorite."
Ema glanced down at the bags in the woman's hand and noticed she also had a bag of cheese flavored Snackoos, as well as a fruit flavor. "I was considering the watermelon flavor, but chocolate is my weakness. Just ask my boyfriend, he calls me a certifiable Snackoo addict."
The woman laughed. "Yeah, I saw him laughing at your incredulous expression when you rounded the corner. The selection of Snackoos here is rather uncommon. Stores don't usually carry this much variety. I'm guessing you're not from around here, judging by the slightly lost look on your face." Ema shook her head. "You're right, I'm not. My boyfriend and I are just taking an extended vacation from work to come here. He's from Berlin, so it seemed like an obvious choice."
The woman nodded. "I know Klavier's from Germany." Ema's brows furrowed in confusion. "Wait, you know Klavier?" The woman's shoulder shook as she laughed. "Honey, you'd be hard pressed to find an oxygen breathing woman under 50 who didn't know who Klavier Gavin was." Ema groaned internally. Leave it to her to bump into a Gavinner's fangirl at the grocery store. "Tell me you're not one of the over-obsessive, squealing fans."
The woman shook her head. "No, I can't say that I am. I know who they are, and I like their music. But rock star womanizers aren't my cup of tea. I may be looking for a boyfriend, but an egotistical idiot isn't my ideal choice of a partner." Ema laughed that this woman managed to capture the essence of one of the Gavinner's personalities.
"They're actually not that bad in real life. Deston and Seren are nice guys, but Raoul is a real pain in the ass if you don't watch yourself. He thinks he the shit and then some." The woman nodded. "I could buy into that. He always seemed like the worst one of the group. Except for maybe Daryan. Real shame what happened to him. I followed his trial from last month." Ema nodded thoughtfully, remembering that tough day, then realized they had yet to introduce themselves.
"Oh my God, scientifically I couldn't be more rude right now. My name is Ema. Ema Skye." She extended her hand to the woman and noticed her firm handshake. It was that of someone who was confident in themselves. "I'm Alison Montgomery."
The two women momentarily scrutinized each other, sizing each other up in a friendly way.
Ema glanced appreciatively at Alison's auburn hair. The color went perfectly with her pale complexion, without making her look washed out. Alison was envious of Ema's emerald green eyes. Alison wished she had a more exotic eye color other than boring brown. Ema always considered her eyes one of her best features, but she disliked receiving compliments about them. It made her uncomfortable to be fawned over in such a way. Alison was about a head shorter than Ema, although Ema did have wedges on, so she supposed they would be the same height were she to take her heels off. Alison was well-proportioned, body wise. Skinny, but not too thin. She had nice hips and her breasts were just the right size for her height and frame. Alison was what most men would consider 'hot' or 'attractive'.
Ema made a mental note not to introduce her to Raoul.
"So how long are you going to be in Germany for?" Alison followed Ema down the aisle-way in the direction that Klavier walked off in. "A month. We just arrived yesterday with my sister, and the rest of the group will be in today and tomorrow. The rest of the Gavinner's are flying in. So the whole group will be here. The trip was actually spur of the moment, in my case at least, so I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm here."
Alison nodded. "I can imagine. When I first moved over here, it took a month just to realize that this was a long-term move I made." That made Ema wonder. "How long have you lived here? You don't sound like you're German. Klavier's been over in the States since he was 17 and he still has his German accent." Alison stopped to do the math in her head. "It will be four years since I moved to Berlin. I'm 25, I moved here right after college. I'm from America, but I'd wanted to live here since I was little. My parents are German, you see, and we would do an annual trips until I got into high school. My entire family has migrated over there, so it's just me here now."
Ema's pursed her lips. "That's got to be lonely. I don't know what I'd do if Lana or I moved that far away. Lana is my older sister. We've both been in Los Angeles for years. I can't imagine us living anywhere else." Alison shrugged. "I got used to it. I made friends through connections with my job, so it's not all bad. I have the occasional boyfriend, when I can find one that's not a complete pig. But for the most part, I don't mind being over here by myself. I have considered moving back to America though. My parents have been asking me for a couple years when I was coming home."
"Where do your parents live at?" Alison maneuvered her cart to a stop on the side of the aisle so they could talk without blocking anyone. "They live in Arizona now. They moved to Phoenix when my father's military base transferred him out there." Ema nodded. "You mentioned that you've made friends with the connection from your job. What do you do?" Alison answered. "I'm a private investigator. I always found it fascinating to be able to find out hidden information on people. I love doing stakeouts, it's my favorite part of the job. Mostly I just have private clients who just want to find out if their spouse has been unfaithful or not, but I have had some high profile clients, trying to dig up information on their competition."
"Do you ever work with the police for their investigations?" Alison shook her head. "No, I haven't unfortunately. I've wanted to branch my business out further to gain some new clients, but I haven't had much success so far. Berlin isn't known for its high crime rate, so there aren't too many homicides that would require a P.I. What is it that you do, Ema? Are you a police officer? You seem to know about law enforcement."
Ema shook her head and shuddered. "Oh no, Klavier would have a coronary if I was a full-fledged cop. He worries about me with what I do as it is. I'm a detective at the same precinct as Klavier, and I'm his lead homicide detective. We've had some pretty intense cases lately. Busting up gangster rings, lots of violent crimes involving the underworld. I've been working with him basically since I started there last year. I actually just retook my forensics certification exam, and I'm hoping to become a scientist. That's why we're over here on vacation now. Lana planned the entire trip as a surprise for me, since I spent the last month and a half killing myself between studying, work, and my personal life."
Alison was surprised to hear Ema admit to having struggled at anything. She seemed like such a put together woman who was always in control. "Bad relationship or something?" Alison didn't intend for it to sound like she was implying there was a problem with Klavier, but since Alison didn't know otherwise, that was the only way Ema could take it. "Oh no, no. Scientifically things could be better with Klavier. We just started finally dating last month. It's been...really wonderful."
Alison nodded and sighed wistfully. "I envy you, Ema. You found a gorgeous, well-established man who worships the ground you walk on. What I wouldn't give to have one of those again." Ema was surprised to hear that a pretty girl like Alison had trouble getting a boyfriend in the first place.
"What problems have you had with men? I'd think men would be following you around just to have a chance with you." Alison rolled her eyes and shrugged. "It's not that I don't have that sometimes, but men are pigs most of the time. It's just a matter of finding one who isn't so much of a pig. They all want the same thing right from the start."
Ema shrugged her shoulders. "Unfortunately, I wouldn't know. Klavier was technically my first boyfriend, my first everything I suppose, so I never had to deal with dating or getting broken up with. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing that I have so little experience." Alison pondered that for a moment. "I think it's a little bit of both. It's a shame you never had much dating experience, because it can be fun. But at the same time, you're just incredibly lucky that you got it right on the first try. You found a meaningful relationship that certainly looks like it's heading in the direction of long-term status."
Ema blushed and averted her eyes. She was a little embarrassed that Alison was so perceptive of the relationship after seeing them together only once.
Alison noticed Ema's faraway look. "It's not that hard to notice, Ema. I've seen the covers of magazines with you two. I've read the articles people have written about the pictures. Whether or not it came from a rag or from a reputable magazine, pictures don't lie. The look in his eyes when he looks at you...it's love. It really is. That's why I'm so envious of you. Every man I've dated turned out to be a royal jerk in the end. Klavier was always the more grounded member of the Gavinner's, so he would have been most dateable for a realistic fangirl. Instead of just looking at Deston's touchable black hair or Raoul's leather outfits."
Ema snorted and flashed back to memories of Gavinner's concerts when she first became a detective. "Oh please. He wasn't as great as you think. Trust me, he had his faults."
Suddenly Klavier startled Ema by coming up behind her and talking right over her shoulder. "He did, did he?" Ema yelped and spun around to see Klavier smirking, then turned back around to see Alison returning his smirk. "You knew he was behind me?" Alison nodded. "Yup. He gave me the 'be quiet' motion." Alison illustrated with the slashing motion across her throat. "So I complied. I figured you'd either be really shocked, or have noticed my averted gaze and guess that something was behind you."
Ema swatted his stomach as he moved to stand next to her. "Fop." Klavier laughed at her use of his pet name. "Yea, but I'm your fop."
Alison glanced at her watch and realized she was going to be late for a meeting with a client. "I'm sorry Ema, but I have to run." Alison rustled through her purse for a piece of paper and a pen. She scribbled down her cell number and handed it to Ema. She pocketed the paper scrap and smiled. "Call me if you want to hang out. You seem like a cool person." Ema nodded and waved as Alison walked away. "I will!"
Klavier trailed his hand over Ema's back and settled it on her hip. "Of course you would bond with someone in the Snackoo aisle. Only you, Fraulein." Ema smiled and gazed in the direction that Alison walked off in. She seemed like someone Ema could enjoy spending time with while she was here. She would most definitely be giving her a call soon to meet up again.
Klavier and Ema bought groceries and walked the few blocks back to the hotel. Once back in the room, Ema organized all the food and made them lunch. Lana called while they were eating and asked if it was alright to swing by for a visit. Ema agreed and told her to come up whenever. Lana said she'd be over in about an hour, as soon as she got dressed and hailed a taxi.
Klavier pouted as Lana hung up. Ema noticed him making a face and was confused. "Something the matter?"
Klavier nodded. "Ja." Ema maintained her gaze on him as she took their dishes and walked into the adjacent kitchen. Klavier followed behind and stopped less than a foot from her as Ema rinsed the plates out in the sink. He pulled her backside against his pelvis and whispered seductively in her ear. "Because maybe I wanted you to myself this afternoon. We've yet to make love since we arrived.." Ema rolled her eyes and had a retort on the tip of her tongue, but Klavier's every wandering hands found their way up to her breasts and she lost her train of thought. She rested her head back on his shoulder as his skillful hands massaged and got her mind whirling from the pleasure.
His hands quickly slid down to pull the hem of her t-shirt up and over her head. Ema murmured some half-put together excuse about Lana being there soon, but he quickly silenced her with a kiss. He answered her in between feather light pecks he placed on her lips. "Your sister will not be here for an hour. We have more than enough time..."
Ema gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck. He molded his body to hers.
She pulled the t-shirt he was wearing from the waistband of his jeans and quickly pulled it over his head so it could join hers on the floor. He pulled her hair free from the confines of her ponytail and it cascaded around her shoulders. Klavier unhooked her bra and tossed it over his shoulder in the direction of their shirts. Klavier grasped her breasts in his palms and gave a light squeeze, enough to tease a moan out of Ema. "I think you can do better than that, Fraulein. I want to hear you crying out with desire for me."
Klavier leaned down to take a nipple in his mouth and Ema cried out as his tongue worked slow, lazy circles around the sensitive skin. With one hand she gripped the edge of the counter to steady herself, and the other hand was tightly gripping his neck as he worked his way to the other breast. Ema chewed on her lip as she felt more and more aroused with each passing second. True to what he wanted, with each graze and nip of his teeth, he pulled another moan deep from her throat.
Before Ema could become completely undone mentally, she pulled his head back up for another delicious kiss where their tongues met with the force of a maelstrom that had both of them gasping for air before long. Klavier unbuttoned her belt and capris and pushed them to the floor. When Ema hear the clanking of the metal clasp from her belt on the linoleum she kicked them away furiously, then did the same for Klavier's jeans.
Ema could feel Klavier's hardness pressing insistently against her stomach, and she became even more aroused at the anticipation of having him inside her again and climaxing together. Ema never felt more emotionally connected to him than when they looked into each other eyes right at their peak moment of passion.
Ema's surprisingly brazen hands made their way to his butt and gave a squeeze that had him chuckling. He was coaxing the goddess he knew existed deep in her mind. The lusting woman he recognized from the moment he laid eyes on her many months ago. And she was all his. He finally achieved his goal to make her his one and only, hopefully for a very long time.
"Klavier...you did...bring protection...right?" Ema managed to get out in between kisses. Klavier nodded once and looked over his shoulder to locate his pants. He grabbed his wallet from the back pocket and pulled a condom out.
Ema breathed an internal sigh of relief. She would always be careful when it came to protection. Since she didn't really have enough money to spend on birth control pills (She looked into it. Out of her detective's salary budget.)
Ema pulled her panties down and they joined the pile of clothes near the refrigerator. Klavier spun Ema around so she was facing away from him. He gently pushed her so she was leaning over the counter and he could enter her from behind. She heard his tear the wrapper and roll the condom on.
Klavier pushed inside Ema and she moaned as he filled her to the hilt. He pulled out and pushed back in to begin a rhythm that had Ema catching her breath in her throat with every thrust. She spread her fingers wide on the counter as she grasped at air in her desperation to find something to take her urges out on. Her knuckles turned white as she pressed her fingertips onto the smooth countertop as Klavier sped up with his thrusts. She heard him moaning as well when he did an extra deep push.
Ema rested her forehead on the counter and gritted her teeth as she felt the climax building steadily low in her stomach. If Klavier kept the current speed up, she would be on the edge very soon. But Klavier must have been approaching the end rapidly as well, because he sped up even more to hurry their climaxes along. Ema's breathing sped up to match the tempo of their lovemaking and the moans coming from her throat were increasing in volume as she went higher and higher.
She pushed herself up a couple inches off the counter and grasped the edge with her right hand. Her voice went up a couple pitches as the last few thrusts pushed her into an even more mind blowing orgasm than one she experienced last time. Klavier groaned as her shriek set him off and he felt himself come. Their labored breathing eventually slowed after a few moments.
Klavier pulled out of Ema and disposed of the condom. Ema pushed herself up all the way and let her head hang as she came back down to Earth.
"My God...Why did I wait so long to do this? Why did I hold out on you?" Ema panted. "It doesn't matter, Fraulein. Just that we can do it now is enough." Ema turned to see Klavier putting his clothes back on and she bent down to do the same. When they were both fully dressed, she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. "I love you." He smiled. "As I you, Liebling." Klavier grazed his hand across her cheek and she leaned into his touch.
True to their luck, the phone would once again interrupt a nice moment between them. Ema's cell phone trilled with Lana's ringtone. She smiled and rolled her eyes. That silly phone. She grabbed it off the kitchen counter and flipped it open. "What's up sis?" "Hey what is your room number again? I'll be there in a minute." Ema walked over to the sofa and sat down. "Room 215. Top floor." "Good enough, see you guys in a minute." Lana hung up and Ema pressed the end button.
Lana arrived a few minutes later and she admired the spacious suite they were staying in. "Wow, you sure can pick a good hotel Klavier." "Danke. The Hilton has been my hotel of choice for years. I rarely stay anywhere else when I'm on the road." Klavier sat down next to Ema and slung his arm around her shoulder.
Lana sat down on the love-seat across from Ema and Klavier. "So what did you guys do today? I walked around and scoped out some good restaurants for all of us to go to once everyone else arrives." Ema glanced at the clock on the DVD player.
It was three in the afternoon. Phoenix, Trucy, Apollo, and Aria should have gotten into the B & B they were staying at by now. Ema flipped open her cell phone and shot Apollo a text asking where they were. Ema replaced her phone in her pocket and looked back at her sister. She deliberately omitted one activity her and Klavier did earlier. She knew Lana wouldn't want any of the details. "Not much, just got unpacked, got some breakfast, brought some groceries. Oh speaking of groceries, check out what I got!" Ema sprang up and pulled the new bag of chocolate Snackoos. "BIG bag of Snackoos!" Ema brought them back over with her and stuffed a big handful in her mouth.
"Ahh this is so good. I've been craving Snackoos something fierce. Even more than usual. Kinda weird." Lana shrugged. "You eat so many of those anyway, I'd disregard an extra insistent craving. Not like anything's changed with you."
Ema went through half of the bag within twenty minutes. She didn't know why she was craving the Snackoos so much more, but it seemed like no matter how many she chewed and swallowed, it never satiated her craving. She forced herself to put the bag away in the drawer before she ate the whole thing in one sitting.
Ema, Lana, and Klavier discussed some of the activities that the group planned on doing in the coming weeks. They planned on going to a local park one day, going to a museum or two. Apollo texted Ema back telling them that they were all settled. He also told them that his mom would be doing her last concert in Germany, as her European tour was wrapping up. She messaged them all tickets to come to the concert that would happen in a week and a half. Ema was excited to see Lamirior perform. The last time she had been to her concert, she had been stuck backstage with security and had been unable to watch the actual performance.
They were talking about things that everyone planned on doing, and Ema's memory jogged back to the friend she made today. "Oh Lana, I forgot to tell you. I met someone at the grocery store today. Alison and I bumped into each other, literally, when we were getting Snackoos, and we started talking. She seemed like a really nice person, I think you'd like her. Mind if she comes along with us sometime if she's free?" Lana nodded. "Sure, that sounds great. I need a buddy to hang out with since someone is going to be busy most of the time with her boyfriend."
Lana raised her eyebrows and jokingly pursed her lips. Ema laughed at her sister's attempts at copying Ema's trademark pout. "Oh stop it. You know we're going to have plenty of time to hang out. Plus we might be meeting up with Miles while we're over here. He lives in Germany after all." Lana nodded again. She hadn't seen her former colleague in several years. It would be good to catch up with him.
Lana left shortly after to return to her own hotel. Lana described the Soho House as very trendy and modern. They had the latest furnishings inside and the artwork and color scheme of the rooms was very abstract, but tasteful.
The rest of the night went uneventfully. Klavier and Ema relaxed on the couch and watched television. As Ema got up to go brush her teeth and get ready for bed, a wave of nausea suddenly overtook her and she rushed to the bathroom. She threw up all the Snackoos she ate earlier and the half sandwich she had for dinner.
As Ema washed her mouth out, she was baffled by the sudden bug. She rarely got sick with anything. Hopefully this was something that wouldn't last long. She chalked it up to something funky that she ate. Maybe it was the unfamiliar Snackoos. She had been eating the same flavor for so long that her stomach was unaccustomed to the different taste. Ema went to bed feeling better, but still unsure of how much better.
When Ema woke up the following morning, she once again felt sick. She had a glass of water, hoping it would settle any acidity in her stomach, but the only thing it succeeded in doing was making her throw up again. Ema was worried that she might have picked something up at the airport. So many people passed her that day, it's possible she picked up a virus from someone who breathed too close to her.
The entire group went out to lunch at a restaurant that was located in between the Hilton, Soho House, and the B & B. Trucy told everyone how excited she was during her first plane ride, how excited she was to be there, etc. Trucy's happy chatter certainly made the rest of the group feel good. Everyone was enjoying themselves so far, and everyone was looking forward to Lamirior's upcoming concert.
After lunch, Ema called Alison and asked if she wanted to go shopping at a small strip of stores that she saw on their walk to the restaurant. Alison agreed and said she'd be there as soon as she could. It was only five blocks from her apartment. Klavier went off with Phoenix and Apollo to a local history museum.
Lana, Trucy, and Aria went to a nail salon. They asked Ema if she wanted to join them, but Ema was not a fan of having to sit in a manicurist's chair again. The first time she did it would be her last. So she promised to call them all later and headed off on her own.
Shopping with Alison was fun. They had similar tastes in clothing, so picking out pieces for the other to try on was easier than Ema thought. She wasn't usually into shopping and doing girly activities, but going out with her new friend made it more interesting. Alison picked out a top and shoes for Ema that went together well, and Ema picked out a purse and some bracelets for Alison. As they walked out of the store, Ema felt good. She hadn't made a new friend in awhile.
The next few days were as uneventful as the first few. After one week in Germany, everyone was properly adjusted to the time difference and had settled into their routines.
Apollo and Aria went off on their own a lot of the time, exploring the city and enjoying the sites. Everyone was joking that they were expecting Apollo to possibly propose to Aria while they were there. Ema agreed that it wouldn't surprise her.
Phoenix took Trucy to do a lot of sightseeing, and a couple times the two met up with Lamirior when she was free to do so. Trucy stayed with her mother for a couple nights, and Phoenix perused a couple jazz clubs, hoping to have somewhere to play the piano. Since Lana and Ema got him the how-to cd for the piano, Phoenix had been practicing and learning that he did have some actual musical skill. He still wasn't as skilled as someone like Machi Tobaye, but he didn't make people cringe internally when he played.
The Gavinner's flight came in on schedule (much to Ema's dismay) and they settled in the three bedroom suite a few doors down from Klavier and Ema. The guys often joined Klavier and Ema on their outings (also to Ema's pseudo dismay. She enjoyed hanging out with Deston and Seren, but Raoul seriously grated on her nerves. He was loud, more opinionated than a normal person should be, and hit on more girls than Ema thought was scientifically acceptable. She withheld the urge to thump him every time he trailed off from a sentence to follow the gaze of a passing girl. True to her word, Ema did not allow Alison to hang out with the group when the Gavinner's were present. She did not want to subject Alison to the company of another proclaimed 'pig'.)
Alison and Ema struck up an immediate and close friendship. It turns out they had more in common than they originally thought. Obviously they had their mutual love of Snackoos, she was very passionate about her job as a P.I. (much like Ema's devotion to science), they both went through their preteen and teen years without either of their parents (Alison's father walked out of her and her mother when she was a little girl, and not long after that, Alison's mother abandoned her at a supermarket). Alison, like Ema, was protective of her friends, and had a core group that stuck by her. She was much more laid back and sociable than Ema, but they still complimented each other. Alison got along with the other girls in the group, especially Aria.
While Ema reflected over the past week and the fun adventures they've had so far, there were a couple dark clouds obscuring the silver lining.
Her stomach bug continued to thrive, and she was throwing up at least once a day, usually not long after she woke up. Ema chalked it up to a persistent virus. Whatever it was, it was adding other symptoms to the list of afflictions. She was becoming tired easily, and had the occasional mood swing. The worst one was when Klavier simply asked what she wanted for lunch and she screamed at him to just shut up and leave her alone. Ema felt terrible afterward and apologized profusely. Klavier forgave her, but did agree that she was acting different. Moodier than usual. And certainly going through more Snackoos than she normally ate.
Ema shrugged everything off until she looked at her phone and saw the date. She did the math in her head, but every time she recalculated, it only served to confuse her more. She didn't know if she was getting the dates mixed up or if something was wrong, but she figured it would come when it wanted to come.
A few more days passed, and still nothing. Ema was starting to become a little worried that something might be physically wrong with her. She had never experienced this problem in the past eight years, and she saw no scientific reason for it to happen now.
After four more days of ignoring the problem and trying to enjoy her vacation without thinking about it, Ema couldn't ignore the seed of worry that had been wiggling its way into her brain. She would have staked money on the fact that she hadn't slipped up. Ema Skye was always careful and never allowed herself to lose control and make a mistake. She deliberated with her fear of going and getting something that would either confirm her suspicions or put her mind at ease.
One morning, she sent Klavier out to a bakery on the other side of town that was known for their cakes and pies, on the pretense that she wanted to bring everyone over to the room in a couple days and have something to celebrate Lana's birthday. Klavier willingly obliged, and asked if Ema wanted to join him.
She practically shoved him out the door, and the minute he was on his way she raced to get dressed and go out, get what she needed, and get back before he did. She needed to be alone.
Ema walked as fast as she could to a convenience store and hastily browsed the shelves until she found what she was looking for. She bounced on her toes as the cashier nonchalantly rang up her purchase and took the money from Ema's outstretched hand. Ema threw the money into her messenger bag and was back out the door in a flash.
When she got back to the hotel room and realized she beat Klavier, she breathed a sigh of relief. She chucked her shoes, bag, and coat into the living room and detoured straight to where she needed to go. Ema ripped open the box and quickly read through the instructions. She followed them and waited for what she needed to know.
When Ema looked down at her hands, one of the most unexpected and ill-timed pieces of news was revealed to her. Her hands shook as she processed the reality in her head over and over again. The room started spinning and Ema sat down so she wouldn't fall over. She leaned back against the wall and pulled her legs into her chest.
The tears that fell were silent, as were the internal screams that were pounding through Ema's mind.
Klavier inserted the electronic card key and opened the door. He was surprised to enter a seemingly empty hotel room. He was under the impression that Ema wasn't going anywhere until he returned. He put the cake Ema asked him to get in the refrigerator and tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter.
"Ema?" When he got no answer, he pulled out his cell phone and pressed her speed dial number. The call started, and Klavier heard Ema's phone ringing with his designated ringtone. Her messenger bag was on the sofa, where it was when he left. He hung up and put the phone back in his pants pocket. "Fraulein?"
Klavier heard a muted sound coming from down the hallway. The first room on the way to the bedroom was the bathroom. The door was cracked open, and the light was on inside. "Ema, are you in here?" Ema spoke, but her words came out in barely more than a whisper. "Yes." Klavier pushed the door open and saw Ema sitting on the floor hugging her knees to her chest.
Her eyes were puffy from crying and her cheeks were tearstained. Klavier rushed to her side and crouched down beside her. "Ema, what is the matter? Why are you crying?" Ema only bit her lip, saying nothing. She couldn't even find the words to describe why she was upset. Klavier cupped her chin and lifted it so she met his gaze. The only emotion that he could easily identify in her eyes was fear. Clear as day, fear was there. Something happened to scare the living daylights out of her, and he wouldn't know until she found her voice and told him. "Fraulein, what is wrong?" Klavier said more insistently. Her silence was only working to worry him. She bit her lip furiously and pointed wordlessly to the counter above their heads. Klavier stood back up and focused on what was the cause of her severe distress. The sink looked no different, it had their toothbrushes and Ema's skin care stuff. Until he looked at the corner of the sink. The little stick must have been the reason for her crying. As Klavier's eyes comprehended what it was, his brain went blank as well. Never in a million years was he expecting this to be what she was talking about.
The plastic stick bore those two pink lines.
Ema was pregnant.
Author's Notes: Reviews, please and thank you. Holy crap I think that is the biggest cliffhanger for LILA to date. Was anyone else expecting that? I deliberately left a detail out of the New Year's...erm, activities, so that it would be possible for that to happen when you finished reading this. I was dying to write the final scene of this chapter, it's been in my head since the idea for the twist came to me. Well, cue the dramatic music, what do you think will happen next? I know, of course, and believe me when I say there will plenty of drama in the chapters to come. It wouldn't be a good way to wind down the story if it didn't ^_^ Chaper 2 of The Sibling Bond is next, so keep an eye out for that over on FF! Can't wait to hear your guys reactions to this.