Chapter 22: January 1st, 2016

Nomi walked out onto the balcony of the two-story house. The early morning air was slightly chilly, but no coat was required for the Californian temperature. She could hear people chanting and laughing in the streets below, excited by the New Year.

"Having fun?" Amanita's mother walked onto the balcony, her feet bare and two cups of tea balancing on a tray.

"Yes. It's really nice here. Thank you again, Grace, for letting me stay with you."

Grace chuckled and shook her head, sitting down on a fold out chair. "Tea?"

Nomi graciously accepted the cup, and sipped the steaming liquid. She heard the sliding door open to the balcony, and both women turned to see Amanita step out in slippers and a bathrobe. Her hair was in tangles, and she yawned as she came to sit in another chair next to them.

"Ugh, I can't believe you're up. What time is it? I thought everyone went to bed after the fireworks."

"It's only been a half hour, I think. I couldn't sleep." Nomi murmured, fogging up her glasses with her breath, and cleaning them with the edge of her shirt.

Amanita lifted her face to the lightening sky and made a remark about sleepiness.

"Well, I'll leave you two. Maybe get you a cup of coffee instead of tea," Grace said with a friendly smile, her numerous necklaces jingling as she got up and went back in the house.

Nomi turned to look at the city lights in the distance. She thought about the days left until she'd have to return to the Board.

"Nomi. Are you okay? You seem really… contemplative."

Nomi looked back at Amanita. "Someone studied for their English finals." She sighed and rubbed at her wrists. "I was just thinking… we are all where we belong, but it doesn't feel like home."

Amanita guffawed and sat up, clapping her hands together. After she had gasped for air and the laughter had died down, she said, "Wow. Can I quote you on that? I'm serious, that would make a really good music lyric. Wait." Amanita turned to stare at Nomi, her eyes scrunching up in the darkness of the balcony. "You're not turning emo, are you?"

Grace came back out, halting the conversation. She handed each girl a saucer and cup of coffee.

Nomi drank hers, glad for the ability to think suddenly. After a few seconds a smile slowly formed itself on her face, and she set the saucer down. "Is now really a good time to be drinking coffee?" she asked.

Grace shrugged. "It's nine in the morning somewhere."

/

Wolfgang shifted his head away from the pillow, listening for the sound of footsteps outside of his room. Hearing none, he quickly slipped out of bed and dressed himself, hurrying down the stairs before any of his uncle's bodyguards or servants could find him. Making his way through the opened gate, he refused to look back and instead hurried down the road, heading towards the woods where he would be alone. Every step he took seemed to take him farther and farther away from the dangerous mansion. As he passed the tall, bare trees, he reflected on his arriving to Germany just a few weeks ago.

It had been cold, and he'd planned to stay at a hotel the entire vacation. But, of course, he was expected back in Berlin. He'd returned to his hotel room one day to find several men waiting for him. Knowing that resistance would be useless, he'd let himself be taken to the house. His uncle Sergei had welcomed him in an unusually warm way.

"Ah, Wolfgang," his uncle had started, his blue eyes lifeless and haunting. "I hope your studies went well?"

Wolfgang had had to avoid the overwhelming feeling to throw up and instead smiled pleasantly. "Of course. I'm returning there in January."

His uncle then had laughed, holding a drink to his lips. "Of course, my boy. Make yourself at home, then."

Wolfgang's mind snapped back to his surroundings as he heard a rustle. Moving quickly, he removed a small knife from his jacket pocket and slipped it from one hand to the next, ready to fight should the occasion arise.

A raven was looking down at him from its perch on one of the trees. It cocked its head in what seemed an almost disappointed manner. Wolfgang brandished the knife, and the raven quickly rose and flew away with another rustle of its wings.

Sighing, Wolfgang turned and was shocked to see Kala standing in front of him, her lips a dark shade of blue. She looked up at him with her deep brown eyes, and laughed despite the temperature she was feeling.

Small flakes of snow were falling from the sky onto her face, and melting away around them.

"You know, I've never been to Germany," she breathed, looking longingly at the white setting. "It's beautiful."

"Kala." Wolfgang choked on the word, and quickly hid the knife in his pocket again. "What are you doing here? You'll freeze."

"Well..." She nodded back with a tilt of her head and when he looked up again, they were on the balcony of a building in what he assumed was Mumbai. It was noon, and the sun hit them hard, causing Wolfgang to sweat under his winter jacket.

"I always forget how different you and I are from each other," he muttered, looking over the edge of the balcony. The streets on one side were lively and full of people heading to and coming back from work. He continued in a slow voice, trying not to show his surprise. "Where we come from, how we dress. Who we are."

Kala slowly stepped back, looking at him steadily. "We didn't say goodbye. You just left."

Wolfgang said nothing. There was no explaining why he'd stolen away from the others at the airport. Why he'd spent the entire airplane trip nervous that she'd visit him. Or why he was even back in Berlin. Looking up, he shrugged and slipped his hands into his pocket. Feeling the edge of the knife handle, he hastily removed them, and let his arms fall to his side.

Kala moved forward once more, as if it were hard for her to be separated from him for long. She slowly took his hand, and a new bracelet from which an elephant charm hung caught his eye.

Wolfgang felt something in the pit of his stomach as he looked up at her again. It was as if something was inside him and making him nauseous in a fluttery way. An urge-he didn't know what, and later would wonder why-pushed him to step closer to her. He let go of her hand and cupped her cheek suddenly, so warm against his cold skin. He hesitated for a brief second, and then leaned in to kiss her. Wolfgang didn't have to look away to feel that he had slipped back with Kala to Berlin. The cold seemed to melt away as she met his lips. His hands slowly slid into her hair, trying to bring her as close to him as humanly possible.

"Wolfgang."

Wolfgang whirled around in the snow in response to his name, this time sure that someone was there in the woods with him.

Stepping out from behind a tree, he saw his cousin saunter over casually with a bemused look on his face.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Wolfgang's face became expressionless. "Nothing. A walk. What about you, Steiner? Following Uncle's orders as usual?"

Steiner sniffed in disdain and jerked his head back to the mansion. "Come. Now. We're having breakfast. Unless you'd like to stay here and do…whatever you were doing." Steiner's lip curled at this and he laughed, a nearly dog-like bark. He turned and walked back down the path, heading to the house again.

Staring at the spot where Kala had been, Wolfgang felt as though a part of him had been ripped out suddenly, with no explanation. He followed the fresh boot prints to the house; a cold spreading over him that had not been there previously. It numbed his mind, and he shook his head in confusion.

Stepping inside, his jacket was taken from him by an elderly woman, who hung it on a coat rack. Following his cousin down the corridor, they walked into a high ceilinged room, with large paintings covering the walls, and expensive velvet couches taking up the center of the space.

Sergei was sitting with his legs crossed and his hands holding a too-small teacup. "Sit," he ordered, and gestured to a yellow couch across from him.

Wolfgang reluctantly sat down next to Steiner, who made a show of not looking at him.

"Well, boys," Sergei started, and set the cup down on the elegantly crafted table in front of them. "It is the New Year. And I have a job for the both of you."

Wolfgang tasted something acidic in his mouth, and fought the urge to stand and hit Sergei. To slowly beat him, and watch as his eyes dimmed and showed no signs of life. He felt this strongly, and in that moment he knew he was no better than his cousin sitting next to him, his uncle sitting across from him, or his father in the alley that night. He thought this, and felt again Kala's kiss on his lips. He wondered what would happen if she just realized how damaged and terrible and monstrous he really was and always would be.

A/N: Oh my, the Feels are just too strong to handle. Here is the special New Years chapter. Next chapter coming on the 19th. Are Saturdays good? I feel like it's kind of difficult to tell when it's a good time to post. Please note that Chapter 20 (Family Reunion) is very important! Don't skip it, or you may get confused later on. Anyways, I hope all of you have an awesome weekend. Next chapter we will most likely be back at the Board!

~C.o.D.