"F-Father?"

Moritz stopped his father just as the older man was about to leave for the bank.

"Moritz, yes?"

The man's tone was soft and compassionate. It was new to Moritz hearing his father speak so kindly to him. Moritz began to fear what would come next. But, perhaps, his father would be understanding...?

"W-Well I, uh, was wondering...hypothetically speaking.."

He wrung his wrists before looking back to his father. "What would happen if.."

"If?"

"If...one day...I...failed."

Herr Stiefel's face turned a dangerous shade of red. Moritz put up his hands, saying, "Not t-that I'm saying-!"

"You're telling me you failed?"

Moritz's eyes flashed with fear as his father stormed over to him. "No, no!" "You're telling me you failed aren't you? I can see it in your face!"

"F-Father no, I-I-!"

The stinging slap momentarily stunned the boy. Herr Stiefel's eyes were blazing with anger. He slapped his son again and again, harder each time. Moritz closed his eyes and shouted, "Father PLEASE!"

He opened his tearing eyes to meet his father's angry ones. His face burned with shame and sorrow. He wanted to break into sobs, just collapse on the floor and cry. But somehow he was standing while his spirit and will broke down.

"Well, it's finally come to this. And I can't say I'm surprised. Failed. So now, what are your mother and I supposed to do? You tell me, son, what? How can she show her face? What do I tell them at the bank? How do we go to church? What do we say? My son failed- failed."

Herr Stiefel shook his head. "Thank God my father never lived to see this day."

With that the older man walked out of the house and slammed the door, leaving Moritz in the dark of the early morning. The boy ran up the stairs back to his room. The door to his parent's room opened, revealed a pale and teary Frau Stiefel. Mortiz reached his hand out to her.

"M-Mama..."

The woman placed a hand on her collarbone and closed the door on her son.

Moritz curled up into a ball on his bed and let out a sob. He clutched onto the sheets and broke down completely. That was that. His father was furious with him. He had done it, alright. He had screwed up again, just like he'd been doing for almost sixteen years. His head swam. Those words repeated over and over again in his mind.

The headmasters had allowed him the day at school to collect his things. In Latin, Herr Sonnenstitch made a long speech about the importance of studying and education. He brought Moritz up in front of the class as he spoke. The embarrassment and shame burned in the young man. He could see the sympathetic look from everyone, but Hanschen.

The blonde was ecstatic. Now dear Ernst shall be with me all the time next year, he thought contently. He eyed Ernst, who looked horrified at Moritz's treatment.

Anger was bubbling up inside Melchior. How the hell had Moritz failed out of school? He and Elise had personaly made sure Moritz knew exactly what was going to be on the exam! He smelled foul play.

Moritz hung his head in shame while Herr Sonnenstitch finished his speech. The boys were dismissed. Otto and Georg gave Moritz a sympathetic look as they left. Hanschen smirked at him and led Ernst out the door.

"I-I'm so sorry, Moritz!"

The metioned boy looked up at Ernst's apology. He sniffed and returned his books to Herr Sonnenstitch, who shook his head. "What a shame to our fine community," said the teacher as Moritz turned away.

The shame and sorrow built up more. His mind sank deeper and deeper in darkness. He didn't even remember walking home until he entered the house. His mother put down her sewing and walked out of the room. Moritz shook his head and walked to the stairs.

He slammed the door to his room and jumped onto his bed. He let out a muffled scream in his pillow and punched the mattress. His body shook with sobs.

He let out a wail of sorrow before crying himself into a drowsy stupor. Hours passed slowly until the clock chimed seven o'clock. Moritz heard the door to his house open and slam. His father was home. Moritz wiped his eyes and ran a hand through his untidy hair. His father's muffled voice became clearer and clearer as he came closer to the door. Moritz turned at the sound of the door opening.

His father stood there, anger stil present. In the back was Frau Stiefel, who had a fearful look on her face.

"This is your last night in this house, Moritz. Tomorrow, you will no longer be living here. It is hard on your mother but this must be done. I will not have a failure as a son."

His father turned away, leading off Frau Stiefel. Moritz held out his hand and then dropped it as he collapsed into loud sobs.

Moritz fell onto his bed. "M-Mama," he whimpered. "Mama, Mama, Mama. H-Help m-me.." He felt like a child, a little boy who wanted nothing more than his mother's comforting arms around him. But Mama was gone. His Papa, too. They left him to cry, to moan..

To die.

Death. Death seemed like the peace he was looking for. Something, anything, around this house would bring him to that eternal peac-

Elise!

He couldn't die, wouldn't die. There was Elise. His dear, and only, love Elise. Moritz wiped his face once more. There was still hope. Still a glimmer of light in the distance. He opened the door and sped down the stairs.

Moritz was about to exit the house, when a hand rested on his shoulder. He jumped. "This was delivered from Frau Gabor," the voice of his mother told him blankly. She slipped an envelope into his pocket. "M-Mama-" But she had gone upstairs.

Moritz opened the letter with hope in his heart. Please, Frau Gabor, He begged silently as he pulled out the letter. Help save us.

Elise chewed on her thumbnail as she paced back and forth. What was she to say? She loved Moritz, she truly did. She wanted nothing more than to be with him and stay by his side. But marriage? Fleeing this conservative, unjust little town to America? She covered her face with her hands. Her heart said to go with him. Leave everything behind and go with Moritz.

But could she truly do that? She was fifteen years old! She knew nothing about the world out of her town. All she knew was how to sew, how to run a house (sort of), and how to be a lady. She didn't know how to be a wife, live on her own, and get through the day. With all her talk about fleeing the town and living on her own, Elise was scared to do it. She had no clue what to expect.

But perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as she thought. Maybe she and Moritz would get some money from Frau Gabor, like Moritz had said. Perhaps it would be enough for them to get over to America and start a new life. They would have money for food and a home. Moritz could find work at some store or factory and Elise could try to raise some money herself.

Elise began to change into her nightgown. Her hand held onto the silver cross. She stared at herself in the mirror.

Could she do this? Could she just leave everything she knew behind her and start all over again in a strange country? What would her mother do? What would her father and Hanschen think of her? And what about Anna, Thea, Wendla, and Martha? Oh, poor Martha! Elise was sickened to her stomach at the thought of her friend's future without her.

She brushed out her hair and straightened out her nightgown. "L-Lise! L-L-Lise!"

She turned. Moritz climbed through her window. Elise rushed to the door and locked it. Moritz's face was blotchy and tear-stained. His body was shaking with sobs. "Moritz, what is it?"

The teenaged boy fell to his knees, beginning to cry once more. Elise held him from behind. "I-I-I've b-been ki-kicked out. Th-They don't want me." Elise held onto him tighter and tighter. Moritz turned to face her. He held her face in his hands. His head shook. "But what about Frau Gabor? You said-" "S-She r-refused. Sh-She won't do it." Elise's heart broke at her beloved's despair.

Moritz began to hiccup. He gasped for air throughout his crying. Elise helped him stand. Moritz walked and sat on her bed, his head bowed in disbelief. His crying stopped. Elise sat down next to him with her hand on his back, rubbing it.

"The-They've given up on us," he said monotonously. His eyes met Lise's blue ones. Their hands entwined. "Everyone h-here has given up on us. W-We'll have to find our own way."

Moritz took Elise's hands in his and kissed them. "We'll f-find our way to America. We ca-can stow away on a ship when no one's looking! Just agree to marry me, Elise! W-We can start again. J-Just the two of us." Elise stared down. She drew her hands back from Moritz. His hopeful smile fell within seconds of appearing. "Wh-What is it?" "Moritz..I can't do this."

Elise stood and covered her face in her hands. "Leaving life here behind? I don't think I can!" "W-What? B-But you've been telling me that you want nothing but to leave this place." "I j-just don't know, Moritz! I-I am fifteen. I do not know how to care for myself on my own! I do not know how t-to be a wife or run a home." She walked over to Moritz and kissed him quickly.

"I-I love you, Moritz Stiefel, more th-than words can possibly say. B-But I-I cannot go with you to America. I have a life here. I cannot just leave everything behind."

"You wi-will have me! Elise, please-"

"Moritz..."

Elise went to wipe Moritz's eyes, but he turned away. He sniffed and composed himself. When he turned back, Elise became frightened. His eyes had a look of finality in them. His eyebrows raised then dropped. "...I s-should go."

"Moritz, no! Wait!"

"I love you," he told her as he slipped out of her window. "I-I love you so much."

Elise sat against the tree the next morning. She stared blankly ahead of her to the pond. Had she done the right thing? Was telling Moritz that she could not leave Germany the best thing?

She feared that look in his eyes. Moritz seemed to have made an unspoken decision after the refusal. Just what that decision was she did not know. His last words to her before slipping out of her window frightened her. "I love you. I-I love you so much." The way he said it scared day at classes, Elise was distracted by her thoughts. She needed to talk to Moritz. He did not seem well at all.

"Is everything alright, Elise?"

Thea was worried about the faraway look in her friend's eye. Elise snapped out of her thoughts at Thea's question. "Ja, everything is fine. Why do you ask?" "Well you seem a little...off today." Elise and Thea quickly strolled up to Anna and Wendla, who too looked a little lost in her thoughts. "I promise, everything is fine. Now, what time do we have to be at the church to practice for the Chorale?"

"Around six," replied Anna, braiding her own hair as she walked.

The girls took their separate roads home. Wendla accomponied Elise until her home appeared. "I will be seeing you later," Wendla told her blankly. "Wendla? Is something wrong?"

Wendla turned back to her friend. Her face was pale. Despite the warm April day, Wendla was wearing a sweater with her dress. The Bergman girl smiled sadly to the blonde Rilow child. "E-Everything is fine," she replied softly. "Just fine."

Elise's stomach felt uneasy as she continued on her way down the road. Wendla was off. She wasn't her normal, happy self. She seemed lost and sad.

Later Gretchen came to her room to give her tea. The maid found the teenager staring out her window. She had been doing that a lot lately. However this time she seemed more serious. "Fraulein Rilow, your tea is ready." The girl ignored the older woman and place a hand on her throat. Gretchen set the tray down and walked over to the girl. "Are you alright, liebchen?"

Elise chewed on her lip for a second before turning to Gretchen. "Gretchen, what if the person you loved suddenly...changed?" "Changed? What do you mean?" Elise shifted so she faced the questioning maid.

"What if they asked you something life changing, but you said no. And when you said no, what if they got sad? A-And they looked like they had made some agreement with themself that you could not break?"

Gretchen's eyes widened a little. "Life changing?" Elise looked down. "What would you do?" The older woman sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Elise, are you speaking of Moritz Stiefel?" The fifteen year old blushed slightly but nodded in agreement. "What did he ask you?" A short period of awkward silence followed until Elise stood up and went to grab her tea.

"Nothing.. Never you mind."

"Child, what did he ask you?" The woman gasped. "He did not asked you to become...intimate did he?" Elise nearly dropped the teacup. "N-No! Goodness, Gretchen, do not say that!" "Then what did he ask you?"

"...H-He a-asked me to ma-marry him."

Gretchen felt lightheaded. She held onto the window seat for support. "W-What?...H-How?...Wh-When did he do this?" Elise shook her head. "Oh I shouldn't have said anything?" "Child, you tell me when he asked you this?" The older woman grabbed the teenager's shoulders and shook them. "S-Stop it! H-He asked me two nights ago! Wh-When he told me he failed his examina-"

She had said too much. Gretchen dropped her hands from Elise's shoulders. "Moritz Stiefel failed out of school? Child...you realize you can never associate yourself with him again? You may not look at him, much less speak to him." The blonde's eyes became icy. "You don't think I know that? You do not think it pains me to know this especially considering I tried to help him?"

Tears appeared in her eyes. "I l-love him, Gretchen. I-I truly do. B-But I cannot marry him! I-I'm so young.. I don't know how to live in a d-..live as a married woman. I wanted to say yes, I did!"

"Well it is good you did not," the maid said harshly. She picked up the tea set and began to march out of the room. "I cannot keep anymore of your secrets, Elise. One more little secret would have killed me. If you ask me, I am glad you will no longer be able to see that boy anymore. Now you and Hanschen will have to be at the church in a few hours. I suggest you get ready."

Elise was at a loss for words. Her confidant had betrayed her. The support was gone. She was alone in this matter..

Moritz knew where his father kept his firearms. He had been shown at the age of twelve.

He'd taken the key when his mother and father were out of the house and stolen his father's favorite pistol. He found a bullet and placed it in his pocket. He stowed the unloaded gun in his jacket.

"There's nothing left. Nothing, nothing, nothing," he repeated both aloud and in his mind as he took a pen to paper and began writing several notes. He penned one to his parents, another to Melchior, and one to Frau Gabor.

It was harder to write the last note.

He sealed the last one and kissed it. He placed each letter in his pocket. Thankfully he wrote them on smaller paper so they did not bulge out of his pocket. At six o'clock, his parents arrived home.

Frau Stiefel looked pale and gaunt in her black attire. Herr Stiefel took his son by the jacket and pushed him harshly out of the door. No goodbye. Nothing.

And then he was alone.

The mental stress overwhelmed him. He walked around town for the longest time. He passed by the bakery shops he had stopped in so many times when he was younger. He cast a last look at Frau Schindler's shop. He remebered the times his mother had brought him in and let him watch her try on dresses. He remebered Frau Schindler giving him treats on occasion.

Moritz's walk brought him to the pond. The memories flooded his senses. The memories of playing pirates and princes with Melchior, Wendla, and Ilse came back to him. He could almost see Ilse's bruised and battered body standing there in the moonlight. The days he spent here both alone and accompanied flashed back.

The talks he had with Melchi and Elise..God, he would miss them. The time he hurt Elise struck his heart. The Saturdays he had spent with Melchior and Elise, both at the girl's house and walking around the town. The feeling of Elise's lips against his seemed almost real. He could almost feel her comforting arms around him. The early spring wind seemed to carry her voice.

"Don't, Moritz. Don't leave me..."

"I'm sorry," he said shakily through tears.

"You're a failure. You should have done this a long time ago."

"You're not my son. Why did I give birth to you?"

He looked around him. "M-M-Mama?"

"Thank God my father never lived to see this day."

"ENOUGH!"

He fell to his knees, holding his head. "ENOUGH ENOUGH!"

Elise turned to the window. "Is something wrong, Fraulein Rilow," asked Fraulein Grossenbustenhalter with a raised eyebrow. Elise found that the entire choir was staring at her. Hanschen was giving her a glare. Wendla was not present. She had excused herself earlier, claiming she did not feel well.

"Nothing. I-I just thought I heard something.

"Well, let us continue."

She looked down at her music. She could have sworn she heard someone screaming. And the voice...

God, what if it was Moritz? Had his parents truly thrown him out? What if he hurt himself? He seemed so unstable last night. Instintively she shouted out, "Fraulein Grossenbustenhalter, I need to leave!"

Hanschen whipped his head around. "What on earth are you talking about, Elise," he hissed. Elise looked at her brother with pleading eyes before meeting her teacher's look. "I-I am not feeling well. M-My stomach is hurting me." Fraulein Grossenbustenhalter raised an eyebrow. "All of a sudden?" "All day, actually. I am feeling very sick. I-I fear I may bring up my meal," she lied.

"Hanschen, you and your sister are dismissed."

"No! I-I can make it. I promise you, Ma'am. Hanschen should stay here so he c-can help me with the song later." The teacher sighed and pointed to the door. "Very well." Elise nodded in thanks and ran out the door. As she ran, her cross beat against her chest. Hanschen saw the flicker of silver gleam in the candlelight as she ran out the door. He didn't remember her ever having a silver cross.

His anger flared. Something was going on with Elise. And he didn't like it.

The nighttime air was cold. Elise sprinted down the road to the pond. It was the first place Moritz would go. A rumble of thunder shocked her, causing her to let out a scream of fright. She covered her mouth before continuing her run.

Moritz swore he could hear something in the distance. It wasn't the low roll of thunder, but a sound much higher and more shrill. A scream perhaps?

Or was he imagining it again?

He held his head as he continued his stumble through the woods to the clearing."Just breathe..I've done my t-time. God, it just b-blows my mind." Moritz looked up at the moonlight. He thoughts about leaving his friends and loved ones behind. Mama, Melchi, Wendla...Elise. God, what would Elise do? He would miss her terribly. It wasn't her fault he was doing this. He hoped she would understand.

"So been there. I don't do sadness. Just don't c-care."

Moritz finally reached the clearing. He took one last look at the moon and pulled out the gun. He slowly pulled out the bullet. He took in an unsteady sigh as he loaded the gun. With a click, the gun was ready for him. He pressed his lips together and closed his eyes.

Goodbye..

"Moritz Stiefel!"

He panicked and ran behind a tree. A figure ran into the clearing, looking around. Its long hair flew to one side as the head turned to and fro. "I-Ilse?" He put down the gun and went to the girl.

Ilse looked lovely. Her long brown hair reached down to the middle of her back. She was clad in a man's dress shirt that was many sizes too big for her frame. She turned at the sound of her name with a smile on her face. "Y-You frightened me," Moritz stammered. His eyes scanned to his side to the bush where the gun lay hidden. Ilse gave him a questioning look.

"Did you lose something?"

"W-Why did you frighten me?"

He sighed and looked away. "..Dammit."

"What are you looking for?" Ilse kept a hold on the flowers as she walked over to her old playmate. Moritz shook his head and smiled forlornly. "If only I knew," he said quietly. Ilse went to put a hand on Moritz's arm, but he pulled away. "Then what's the use in looking?"

P-Please, go.

Moritz tried to turn his sight away from her, but Ilse walked in front of him smiling. That was Ilse alright. Always trying to cheer him up. "S-So, where have you been keeping yourself?" "Priapia!" Priapia? Where on earth was that? At Moritz's questioning look, Ilse clarified. "The artitst's colony."

"Yes."

Ilse smiled widely and went on about her days spent with the artists in Priapia. Moritz nodded along as she explained what she did with the artists. He laughed slightly when she mentioned getting drunk and passing out in the snow. It worried him, though, when her tone turned dark.

"Until this morning when he put a gun against my breast."

Moritz's eyes opened wider. G-gun.. Ilse grew a little more emotional. "He said, 'One twitch and it's the end!'." She shivered and shook her head. "It..really gave me the goosebumps.." Her tone and face turned cheerful again. "But how about you, Moritz? Still in school?"

Moritz looked down at his hands, which he flexed and then relaxed. "Well this semester, I'm through." He smiled a small, umpleased smile. Ilse tried to take his hand in order to give it a sympathetic squeeze, but Moritz withdrew it immediately. "God, do you remember when we used to run back to my house and play pirates?" Moritz nodded and smiled slightly.

"Wendla Bergman, Melchior Gabor, you and I?"

Moritz remembered back about eight years ago, when he, Ilse, Melchior, and Wendla played pirates and princes. Wendla was nearly always the damsel and Melchi was her dashing prince. Moritz and Ilse were the evil pirates.. It was a memory he had thought about for the longest time after Ilse fled for Priapia.

He was released from his thoughts when Ilse's hand took hold onto his. "A-Actually, I'd better go." "Walk as far as my house with me?" Moritz sighed. He did not want to lead Ilse on. He had made up his mind and there was no changing it. But, perhaps, she did need to be escorted home. The roads were dangerous at this time of night.

"..A-And?" "We'll walk as far as my house and play together, Moritz, just like we used to!" Moritz laughed. "And so we did have some remarkable times," he remembered. "Hiding in our wigwam." Ilse giggled. "Yes! I'll brush you hair and curl it? Set you on my little hobby horse?"

She rocked back and forth on her feet, awaiting Moritz's answer. He looked at her, opening his lips to speak. "I wish I could." "Then why don't you?" Moritz chewed on his lip. He needed a lie. He couldn't exactly say, "I'm going to be with the angels" now could he?

"Eighty l-lines of Virgil, sixteen equations, a paper on the H-Hapsburgs."

Ilse could sense his lie. "Why are you lying to me, Moritz?"

"I-I'm not." Ilse grinned a little. "I know you liked me, Moritz. Anna told me." Moritz blushed furiously. Anna could never keep a secret. He'd accidently let it known that he liked Ilse a few days after she had left. Anna promised not to tell. Looks like I couldn't trust anyone here.

"...I have someone else now."

Ilse was interested. "Who?" "Y-You do not know her." "..Is it Wendla? Or perhaps Martha?" "N-No..E-Elise Rilow..." "O-Oh! Hanschen's sister! She is truly lovely. Well, I am happy for you." Moritz could tell she was lying. Her tone held a hint of sadness.

"Well, can you walk me home anyways? It's cold and I'm scared." "I can't." "Please, Moritz?" "I wish I could."

Ilse walked up to him. "Please-"

"Honestly! I..wish I c-could."

His old friend backed away. Her eyes filled with tears. "You know..By the time you wake up, I'll be lying in some t-trash heap?" She shook her head, threw down the flowers, and ran away.

What had he done? God, that was his last hope! He could have walked her home and left the gun to rust!

"My God. All I had to do was say 'Yes'! ILSE! ILSE!"

But she was gone. She'd left him alone, like the others did.

Moritz covered his eyes. "I'm s-so so-sorry, Ilse. I've disappointed you like I have so many others."

He retreived the gun and stared into the cold metal. He saw his old friend's face flash in the reflection. In Ilse's place was Elise's face. Her eyes teared. Moritz could almost feel her hand on his shoulder. Her voice begged him:

Don't...Don't leave me.

"I-I'm so sorry, Elise..The sun's gone down. Now there's only stars. The st-stars and their light can't save me."

Elise heard the scream. She knew it was Moritz. All the children in the town were at the church. The only ones missing were Melchior, Wendla, herself, and Moritz. The scream was masculine. Melchior had never gone to the clearing, to her knowledge. It had to be Moritz.

Was Ilse there? Was that why he screamed her name?

She rushed through the woods. "Moritz? Moritz!"

Moritz pulled the gun from the ground. "I'm ready now. I'll be an angel."

She could see the clearing up ahead in the moonlight. A flash of light indicated that there was someone and something there. A figure became present as she neared the clearing. The messy hair and uniform confirmed her thoughts.

"MORITZ! MORITZ, PLEASE!"

He placed the gun between his lips and closed his eyes.

"STOP IT!"

His eyes opened. A figure tackled him and began wrestling him for the gun. He grunted. His head was pounding, vision blurred.

BANG!

The figure yelped. Moritz jumped away. He stood shakily, feeling lightheaded. In the moonlight, he could see a slim figure he knew oh so well. "M-Moritz!" "Elise?" Oh Gott, it was her! Moritz took a step forward and reached his right arm forward to her. Pain ignited throughout his entire arm and upper body.A gasp caught in his throat. Elise covered her mouth with her hands. She let out a bloodcurdling shriek.

Moritz's vision blurred. He staggered forward to Elise. His knees buckled and he collapsed onto the ground. Elise fell to her own knees and gathered Moritz in her arms. Her tears slid down her face and onto Moritz's head. Her hand searched his shoulder.

When she removed her fingers, sticky blood coated them. She began howling with all her might, screaming for help. Moritz shakily pressed his left hand to his right shoulder area.

He felt the hole, the pain, the blood. His head swam. His vision clouded and turned black. He fell limp in Elise's arms, with only his breathing indicating he was alive. For now.

Thought you guys deserved a double-whammy in order to make up for not updating in a long time. My hard drive crashed last Sunday and it took until Tuesday for it to be fixed. I'll try to update as soon as I can.

Peace and Joy be with you