Whatever my tomorrow maybe,

Love, let it always be for your sake.

Whatever path lies in wait for me,

Let it always be with this precious ache.

.'.

He was a man possessed; there was no stopping the liquid fire running through his veins, fuelled by the music of their breathing, the feel of her hands running down his damp back. He was whispering and kissing her everywhere he could reach, her lips, her neck, her shoulders… He pushed himself up, letting his weight fall on the arms on either side of her as he gazed down into her alluring eyes. Her mouth was swollen from his ministrations, her cheeks flushed with the heat of their closeness…

"Klavier?" she said breathlessly and a shiver ran through him. Only she could induce such an intense reaction in him with just one word. In response, he let his mouth drop to hers in a gentle, tender kiss that soon grew into a passionate embrace and he was moving against her, massaging her body with his. He wanted to devour her, possess her, make it so that she could never again dream of giving herself to another. He wanted to brand her as his without marking her, he wanted to claim her without caging her…The strength of his desire was scaring him and he stopped again pushing himself up onto his arms to maintain some control over his actions. He didn't want to hurt her… She was so fragile, so beautiful… So gentle…

"Klavier?" she whispered again and he groaned as another shock coursed through him settling in that deepest most primal part of him. She lifted herself up and the feel of her cool lips running down his jaw broke the rapidly fraying rope of control and he knew he was going to die. He was going to burn alive and he was going to take her with him but he didn't care; he took her mouth again as his body moved forward to –

Klavier sat up in bed with a gasp, drenched in sweat and the ghost of her fingers still running down his arms. He took several deep breaths to calm himself and when he found it near impossible to relax, he threw his damp bed sheets aside and swung his legs over the side of his bed, his hands covering his face. This was not the first time he'd dreamt of her – he did so every night but the passionate aftermath of his dreams never lessened upon each awakening. He always woke up feeling as though his heart would explode out of the sheer intensity of emotion and his body… well the ache of his body was common enough now. He had become somewhat accustomed to that. But tonight… tonight was different for one reason and one reason only.

He knew he shouldn't have done it.

He cringed, remembering the way he'd pushed her against the wall, assaulted her and then smirked at her like a cocky bastard as he walked away. He'd done it intentionally. He'd done it to hurt her, to embarrass her, to humiliate her. He didn't blame her for hating him. Right now he hated himself more than he ever had. But when he'd heard her tell Deston that she hated him, it had felt as though everything inside of him had melted; like ice by fire, leaving him empty, hollow and numb. And then the anger had set in, made worse by the sight of Deston pulling her out of sight for whatever reason although one hardly needed to think twice about what that reason was. Deston probably thought nothing of what she had said but Klavier's entire world had been tipped upside down.

He knew he loved her – madly. But it wasn't until the moment he felt his own reaction to her words that he realised just how damn much. He'd have given anything, all his fans, his careers, his friends and his money just to have her feel a modicum of love for him. He would prefer that the world hated him but that she cared even the slightest for him.

Yet the damned, insurmountable truth was she hated him.

It wasn't just that she hated him that hurt him so damn much. It was the fact that he'd lay his life down for her, that she had so much power over him and in spite of that she hated him. What had he ever done to her? He'd treated her with respect, given her allowances at work where he would to no one else. When she spoke back to him, insulted him and generally disrespected him, he did nothing but smile at her and shower her with kindness. He had been willing to beat the living daylights out of his friend when he thought Deston was cheating on Ema and she still hated him? What could he possibly have done to provoke such an unforgiving emotion? He just didn't understand. It was yet another question to which he longed the answer.

He stood up and walked to the window where he looked out at the sky, his heart heavy and his mind conflicted. He felt guilty for treating her the way he had and yet there was a part of him, an angry, hurt side of him, that thought she probably didn't even care about his actions except that it gave her another reason to hate him. His fists clenched at this thought and he squeezed his eyes shut against the helplessness that washed over him. She had been the only one who took away his pain and his burdens and now that release was gone too. Every time he saw her he was be reminded of her certain, harsh words.

He wondered if he was naïve. He had spent the last decade declaring his hope, fighting against the forces of evil, strongly believing that good would prevail over evil and yet here he stood – his brother in prison for committing a murder without a motive; his best friend in prison for smuggling and murder because of his greed; the woman he loved in the arms of another man, detesting him… Was he the fool fighting on a battlefield devoid of comrades and hope? Was the battle already lost?

One shows what he is made of under difficult conditions

And then it was as though a hand grabbed him and yanked him out of the darkness into which he was been descending. No, he wasn't going to despair. He was not going to allow circumstances make a weakling out of him. His mother hadn't carried him around in her womb for 9 months, borne every pain possible during and after his birth just so that her son could grow up to become a coward. She hadn't endured the trials and tribulations of being a single mother, fought tooth and nail to protect him from all afflictions just so that Klavier could willingly walk into the jaws of death. No, his life wasn't his to throw away – she had given him that and he would honour her gift no matter what happened. He would face all the troubles of life for himself, for those who believed in him but ultimately, he would do it for her. Wherever she was, he would make her smile in contentment because her son was a man.

And Klavier knew he owed this newfound strength to one woman. It was this one woman who had reminded him of his mother's wisdom. He walked over to the desk in his room and he dropped his gaze to the file that lay open there – her weary but gentle face smiled up at him and he felt a pang in his heart; did she have any idea what kind of end she was approaching when she took this photo? Probably not. Whoever imagined they would suffer such a death?

Klavier's fists clenched again as he attempted to ignore the unwanted details that ran through his mind again and he wondered what had happened to her during the 6 months she'd been held prisoner. His jaw clenched painfully as all manner of thoughts passed through his mind. He had only spoken to her once and at the time he'd known nothing about her but he felt close to her – of course, she had saved his life and renewed his hope. However, the fact that her murderer had been defended by his brother had made it all the more personal. He wondered why she had helped him. He didn't know how much the dead knew about the living but her knowledge of his situation had made it pretty clear that she was not uninformed. She must have known whose brother he was and despite it all, she had saved his life. Klavier could only put it down to sheer kindness.

He would find out the truth behind this case. He had no idea where his investigation was going but once he began to gather answers, he suspected he would know what to do. Unable to sleep and with his mind whirring, Klavier sat down at his desk to read over the file again and with each new detail he went over, a path revealed itself to him. He had no idea where it was going but at least he had enough to take the first step.

Klavier knew a few prosecutors who felt triumph as they walked through the halls of the prison, smug in the knowledge that they had put so many of these criminals behind bars. For him, however, these halls and their occupants were nothing but a reminder of the hatred and evil that still permeated the foundations of society. Here, he felt the hopelessness and danger and despair the most. Here, he felt more burdened than ever because he was reminded that no matter how hard he fought, this evil could not be eradicated – and there was nothing to be smug about in that.

He had arrived before visiting hours started – he wanted to conduct his interview in private with no chance of being overheard by anyone. There were two men he wanted to speak with and he'd had no idea which one he wanted to talk to first until he spoke to the warden who'd made the decision easier. So, he was being led to the cell of Simon Lowes because, apparently, the man never slept. Klavier had no idea what he was walking towards except that the man had been an accomplice in Gale Rainsford's murder and then felt remorse, pleading guilty. There was that all-consuming, ever-present question on Klavier's mind…

Why?

"In here," the warden directed gruffly, pointing to a hall that led to a solitary cell at the end.

"Why is Herr Lowes in solitary confinement?" Klavier asked, frowning, as he followed the stout man.

"He asked to be put in SC," the warden replied. Klavier waited for more information but got none. The question he was about to pose died on his lips as he approached the bars of the cell and slowly the man he'd been thinking about since waking up finally came into view.

A dark-skinned man was lying on his bed, his hands entwined behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. Klavier's eyes were fixed intently on him, silently willing him to sit up and look at him so that he could look into the eyes of the man who had helped murder Gale. His impatience was not satisfied by the sound of the warden's keys turning the lock; if Klavier could have, he would have ripped the bars off the cell and stormed in. In any case, the warden muttered something to the young man and stepped aside to let him through, telling him to call for him when he was done. Klavier barely noticed the sound of the door locking behind him and the warden walking away – he was transfixed by the man on the bed. Simon Lowes had not moved at all since Klavier had set eyes on him and he wondered if the criminal was in a trance. He decided to wait until the other acknowledged him and he sat down at the chair that was at the opposite wall. It seemed, he didn't have to wait long; in one fluid movement, Lowes had sat up and met Klavier's gaze head on. The prosecutor noticed now that he was a Latino – something he hadn't imagined, considering the name – and his eyes were as dark as his hair. He was an extremely handsome man by any standards and Klavier was taken aback; he didn't know what he'd been expecting but it certainly hadn't been this.

"Why are you here?" His voice was smooth and cultured. He didn't sound suspicious… he sounded dead.

Klavier paused before answering him and when he did, it was with a steady gaze and a firm voice that made it clear he was not one to suffer liars; he would hear the truth and nothing less. "Three years ago, a woman named Gale Lana Rainsford was found stabbed to death with various signs of previous violence and rape. In the case that followed, three suspects were apprehended – Rafael Rainsford, Kade Richards and you, Simon Lowes."

During Klavier's speech, Lowes' face had paled and he was now staring at the prosecutor, distressed and somewhat angry.

"That case is over," he said harshly. "Rafael has been sentenced to death and Kade and me…" he gestured around him as if the sentence hardly needed finishing.

"Ja, sentences were given," Klavier nodded, never taking his eyes off the other. "But the case is not over."

"Why are you here?" Lowes' asked again, this time more aggressively. "Gale was nothing to you. I would have known if she had any famous friends."

Klavier studied the expression on the other man's face, trying to understand the anger radiating from him. There was something sad in his eyes when he spoke and Klavier thought he heard the subtle hints of guilt vibrating in his voice.

"You are Mr Rainsford's friend are you not?" Klavier asked. He was surprised when Lowes' chuckled darkly.

"Rafael doesn't have friends," he said as he lay back down on his bed, resuming his position. "He has cronies."

"I believe Mr Rainsford is to be executed next month," Klavier said. "Does this distress you?"

"I don't care what happens to him," the other replied, his voice now dull. "Whether he's imprisoned or dead, all that matters is he's away from people."

Klavier frowned. He wasn't getting the right reaction from this man. He would have to try something else. "If he were simply imprisoned, he could be released sometime in the future."

The older man tensed and sat up, glaring at Klavier. "That's impossible."

"I assure you, it is quite possible," Klavier pushed, realising this was the way forward. "Laws change all the time. He can make an appeal sometime down the line and it could be accepted no matter what his sentence now may be. It is not unheard of." Klavier hesitated glancing around the cell before taking a risk and lying – after all, how would Lowes know if he was lying or not? He had chosen solitary confinement; he obviously didn't talk to anyone. "I hear Mr Rainsford's wife is planning on appealing. She wants him released."

He didn't see it coming; Lowes' was on his feet within the blink of an eye, uttering a single word; "No." He strode across to Klavier who rose to his feet slowly, bracing himself for an attack. Black eyes bore into blue with ferocity as he murmured the words Klavier wanted to hear; "If you let that happen, I'll kill you myself."

Klavier smiled inwardly, triumph raging through him. "Herr Lowes. It is not my intention to ever let that animal out. I want him to be executed next month – a sentiment we seem to share." He waited for Lowes' to deny it but when he didn't Klavier smile revealed itself on his face. "Please, sit. I wish to ask you a few questions." Lowes stared at Klavier for a moment longer before nodding as if demonstrating that he trusted the prosecutor somewhat. He sat back down upon his bed and stared at the ground between his feet.

"Why do you have an interest in this case?" Lowes asked quietly. Klavier knew this question would be posed to him and he had decided that he would stick as close to the truth as possible.

"Mein bruder was the representative for the defense," Klavier said. "I happened across this case the other night."

"So?" Lowes asked. Klavier realised he was not stupid and therefore, he could not get away with such a vague comment.

"I met Gale once," he said ambiguously. "We did not speak for long but she left quite an impression on me."

Simon Lowes regarded him carefully as if scanning him for any tell tale signs of lying. Klavier met his gaze firmly; after all, he wasn't lying at all. He wasn't even bending the truth. There was no need for him to be nervous – and he wasn't.

"Gale left an impression on anyone she met," Lowes muttered a moment later. "Everyone loved her." Klavier noticed the gentle way he pronounced her name. It was familiar; it touched some part him as though he knew what the gentleness in his tone meant, almost as if he'd used it himself… Klavier's eyes widened.

It was exactly how he uttered Ema's name.

Could it be that this man loved Gale? But then, why had he helped in her murder? Klavier needed to know – he had to find out.

"She left enough of an impression on me for me to make sure I never allow her murderers out into the world again," Klavier said with a sharp look at Lowes as if to make it clear that that included him.

"You don't need to give me that look, boy," he chuckled. "I would gladly hang right now."

"Why is that?" Klavier asked. "I read that you pleaded guilty to the murder apparently out of remorse. Why?" He waited for the other man to answer him but he received nothing. Lowes had even turned his gaze downwards so Klavier couldn't read the answer in his eyes. He decided to hazard a guess. "I wondered if you loved her at first but that was before I realised that you cannot kill someone you love," he ended coldly. At these words, Lowes' head snapped up and he was up on his feet again, glaring at Klavier.

"If I hadn't promised her never to harm anyone again, I would have knocked your teeth down your throat," he snarled. "Don't you dare question my love for her."

Klavier stood up again, very slowly. "Does murder not class as harming someone?" he demanded. "What does the promise matter when you murdered the one you made it to?"

Lowes was nose to nose with Klavier within seconds, hissing in his face, "I didn't murder her! I would have died before I laid a finger on her!"

"Then why are you here?" Klavier asked. "Why did you plead guilty to murder if you never 'laid a finger on her'?"

Lowes seemed to deflate instantly. The fire of rage subsided leaving his black eyes dull once more as he stepped away. He looked distressed again and Klavier wondered what was causing this sudden change in his mood. He watched as Lowes backed away and sunk on his bed once more. His hand came up to cover his face and he was silent.

"I am not doing this for fun, Herr Lowes," Klavier said after a minute. "I am doing this for her."

"It won't bring her back," Lowes mumbled.

"No, but she deserves more than – " Klavier gestured wildly. " – than this! Nobody knows what happened to her during her time with you. It is almost as if she is forgotten. I want to know the truth. I want to name and shame the people responsible, before it is too late, and I want to know why. If you really feel remorse then help me."

Simon Lowes rose his gaze to meet Klavier's and the two stared at each other, one pair of eyes pleading and the other scrutinising. After what felt like forever, Lowes nodded; "I'll tell you," he said. "But I don't know everything."

"What do you mean?" Klavier frowned. "You were an accomplice."

"An accomplice who was in love with her from the beginning," he said heavily. "Rafael kept a close eye on me at all times and he would even prevent me from seeing her towards the end."

"If you loved her from the beginning, why did you agree to help in the kidnapping and murder?" Klavier asked.

"I had a history with her. I thought I hated her, that I didn't care for her. I fooled myself into believing it was for revenge that I agreed but really…" he shook his head and ran a hand through his short cropped hair. "Really, I just wanted to see her again. I didn't know Rafael was planning on hurting her. I only thought he only wanted to kidnap her."

"Why did he want to kidnap her in the first place? What is the relation between the two?"

"You noticed the surnames huh?" Klavier nodded. "There's no relation between the two but the surname isn't a happy coincidence."

"Elaborate, bitte," Klavier requested but to his surprise, the other shook his head disgustedly.

"I won't talk about that. Ask the devil himself. He'll be only too happy to tell you," Lowes sneered. Klavier could tell by the look on his face that pushing Lowes now would probably do more harm than good.

"Very well. You had no idea he was planning on murdering her?" Lowes shook his head. He chose his next question carefully. "When did you find out?"

The elder man's eyes dropped to the ground again. "The day they killed her," he said and the intense grief in his voice was not lost on the prosecutor.

"What?" Klavier frowned. "You did not know…?"

"That's right. I told you, Rafael never trusted me. When I realised what he was doing, I tried to stop him but he made sure I couldn't interfere." He smiled bitterly at Klavier's shocked expression. "He tied me up and made me watch as he tortured her, raped her and eventually killed her." His gaze dropped again. "I couldn't save her. I am no less guilty than Kade or Rafael himself."

Klavier hadn't realised how tightly he was clenching his fists until the blood seeped out from in between his fingers. He glanced down at this hands blankly and the crimson moisture barely registered – all he was thinking was, how much blood did she lose? How long was she subjected to pain and humiliation? How quickly had she died? Had she known she would be dying in all those months that she was held against her will?

"I deserve to rot in here," Lowes muttered as he lay back down and stared up at the ceiling.

"Your guilt is noble," Klavier said coldly. "But as you said, that will not bring her back."

He stood up and walked to the door, calling for the warden. He understood now that Lowes had had no hand in the actual deed but he was still an accomplice to the kidnapping. Had he not quietly acceded to the kidnapping, she might have been alive today. Klavier would not easily forget that. As the warden approached the cell, Klavier turned to the man on the bed.

"One last question," he said, his voice still icy. "What did you do to her during those 6 months?"

"Nothing. She was treated like a guest."

Klavier stared at him disbelievingly. "Herr Lowes… You cannot expect me to believe that."

"Why not?" Lowes said looking at him from his position on the bed. "I told you, everyone loved her. When Rafael was not there, all the men treated her like a queen."

"Men?" Klavier said, ignoring the warden who was jiggling with his keys.

"There were others," he said nonchalantly. "She was watched all the time. Rafael had better things to do than hang around her 24/7."

"Then why kidnap her?" Klavier demanded, the volume of his voice rising.

"Ask Rafael."

Klavier's plan had been to speak to Rafael Rainsford next. However, the fury that flooded him was carrying him in another direction entirely. For once in his life, Klavier Gavin was not in control. He didn't care about the right way to do something – all he wanted was an answer. So, it was with quick steps and a thunderous frown that he found himself moving towards his brother's cell, not so far from Lowes'. The officer standing guard at the door unlocked it quickly without question and Klavier spared him one glance that was just enough to send the young man stumbling out of earshot.

He was sat in his regal chair, reading a book which he glanced up from to see Klavier walk in. With all the elegance and grace that was synonymous with the name Kristoph Gavin, his brother placed a thin string between the pages of his book before closing it and setting it aside. He brought his hands up, pressing his fingertips together and regarded his brother with a small smile.

"Klavier," Kristoph said pleasantly. "It's been too long. I trust you are well?"

Somehow, Klavier's anger abated and he almost felt foolish and childish for storming over here in such a rage. He wanted to turn around and walk back out but there was one thing stopping him – and she was dead.

"I am not well, bruder," he said quietly.

"How distressing," Kristoph said with a tiny frown. "I hope I can help to alleviate this unwanted tension."

"Ich auch." Klavier took a few steps forward but maintained a distance between himself and Kristoph. He looked straight into his brothers eyes and it took all his willpower not to look away. "You were the defense for the State vs Rainsford case, ja?"

Kristoph tilted his head to the side. "I defended many clients, Klavier. It is how I came to develop my own firm. You know this."

Klavier had a sneaking suspicion his brother was intentionally being ignorant. Something told him Kristoph knew exactly which case Klavier was talking about. "Rafael Rainsford. He murdered a woman named Gale Rainsford. She was found stabbed to death."

Kristoph paused and then nodded. "Ah, yes, I know which case you are referring to now. It was not a successful defense," he sighed.

"Because he was guilty," Klavier said through gritted teeth.

Kristoph nodded. "Yes." He cocked his head again. "Is this going somewhere Klavier?"

"How could you defend that monster?" Klavier hissed, losing control. "How could you defend him knowing what he's done?"

Kristoph looked mildly surprised. "I am not so arrogant as to believe that I am experienced or wise enough to know the truth in every instance. I believed him to be innocent. I fight for each and every client that comes to me with – "

"Erzähl mir keinen Scheiß! It was clear as day that he was guilty!" Klavier snapped. "I have read the case! I know the details!"

Kristoph looked at his younger brother over his glasses in a sort of condescending manner as if he was waiting for the younger Gavin to finish throwing a tantrum. Klavier knew that look well and even now it made him feel childish while knowing that he was not being unreasonable in his anger.

"I am an objective officer of the law," Kristoph said, reclining in his chair leisurely. "It is not our job to pass judgement – that is for the Judge. We are tools of the law. You know as well as I, Klavier, that under the Bill of Rights, Article 6, every single individual possesses the right to a fair trial." He took off his glasses and cleaned them with a cloth he picked up off the table next to him. "I defend every client that comes my way as you prosecute every defendant that comes yours. I believe you have prosecuted some who have in fact been innocent. You are liable to make mistakes." He replaced his glasses back on his nose and smiled. "Would you crucify me for the same susceptibility?"

Klavier glared at his brother for a long moment, at a loss for words. He knew that his brother was doing what he did best – arguing the other side of the argument even if he knew it was wrong. Because that was his job – to defend everyone, even, apparently, the criminals. He also knew that Kristoph was talking down to him in an attempt to dodge the accusation but he wasn't going to allow it now.

"Dass ich nicht lache!" Klavier said with narrowed eyes. "I do not take the risk of defending and acquitting criminals, leaving them free to commit the same crime again."

"And you think that finding an innocent individual guilty of a crime he did not commit and incarcerating him for said crime is the lesser of two evils?" Kristoph said and he was regarding Klavier with amusement now. "Do you not realise that even if their hearts continues to beat, you are taking away their life? And what of those who are unjustly sentenced to death because of overwhelming evidence which may have just been an unfortunate string of coincidences?" The smile widened when Klavier did not respond, intimidated and angered beyond words. "Come, Klavier. It has been a long time since you visited me. Let us not quarrel."

Klavier clenched his fists, wishing nothing more than to punch something. He wanted to take the vase on the table and smash it, to crush the rose it held, to stamp on the framed picture and to pull down the book case at the far end of the wall. He also knew that he would never actually do any of this.

"How are you?" Kristoph asked. "The detective told me of Daryan's trial."

Klavier's head snapped up and his eyes widened in shock, his anger forgotten for that moment. He stared at Kristoph. "Ema was here?" He asked.

"Ema?" Kristoph said, tilting his head to the side again with a puzzled expression.

"Fräulein Skye," Klavier corrected, his heart pounding now. What had she been doing here? If she was visiting Kristoph could it mean she was concerned for him and….

"No," Kristoph said and the disappointment hit Klavier hard. He supposed it served him right for even thinking about his love life at a time like this. "I meant Detective Gumshoe." Klavier nodded, absent-mindedly. He was trying to gain control of his emotions again. The mention of her name had brought all these feelings of love, hurt, rejection and loneliness flooding back and he had to work hard to put the dam back in its place. Now was not the time to be dealing with this.

"Klavier," Kristoph interrupted and Klavier looked up to find the elder Gavin surveying him. He was scanning Klavier's face, analysing his expression to come to a conclusion. He had always been able to read Klavier like an open book and the younger Gavin looked away, disconcerted, not wanting his brother to know that he was riding a romantic rollercoaster. He cleared his throat.

"I have to go," Klavier said. "I have a trial to be in the day after tomorrow and I have many places to be."

Kristoph looked disappointed; "What a time-consuming occupation," he sighed. "I do miss it." He flashed a smile. "Don't wait too long until your next visit, Klavier."

He cast a glance at the picture of his pet that Kristoph kept before turning around and leaving the cell. The fact that his brother preferred a framed photo of his dog rather than his own brother was all Klavier needed to understand how little he meant. There was nothing left to say.

It was past midnight when he finally got home, his mind full of the day's events and spilling over with information. He usually worked later on the preceding days of a trial but he knew there was no use forcing himself when he would not absorb any information and might indeed just make another mistake.

He'd spent so much of the day struggling to reign in his anger and making sense of what he'd learnt from Lowes while planning his next move that he'd barely managed to get anything done. In between the workload and the stress of trying to solve the mystery of the events leading up to Gale's death, one would have thought he would have had no time to think about Ema. Unfortunately, every time he saw her she glanced at him, her expression blank so he could not tell what she was thinking (although he had a pretty good idea it was nothing good), his heart would twist in his chest and he wished he could just go up to her and apologise for being a pig. However, before he could gather the courage, she always disappeared and he was left with another dollop of anger added to an already lethal martini of emotions. Every so often, his mind wandered off into deep thought and he remembered the dream he'd had and his body would tighten in the most awful, irritating and painful way and he had no idea how to compose himself.

He groaned as he yanked off his jacket and sank into the sofa, not bothering to turn on the lights. He had to get a grip on himself! He couldn't carry on like this or he would go crazy. He had to find a way to control his emotions – there had to be a way! He was not the first man to experience unrequited love. He just had to…

The phone rang, interrupting his thought process. He grabbed his jacket and dug around in the pockets to find the cell phone which he flipped open.

"Hello?" he said, wearily.

"Mr Gavin…" a familiar voice said. "It's Phoenix Wright. I need your help."

Klavier stiffened. Why would the man be ringing him? "Yes, Herr Wright," he said curtly. "How may I help you?"

"It's Ema," Phoenix said and Klavier's stomach dropped at the worry that laced the other man's voice. Please let her be okay.

"What is it?" Klavier demanded, already out of his apartment door and descending the stairs two at a time as all manner of thoughts rushed through his mind. "Where is she? Is she alright?" She had to be. She had to be alright because he could not envision a life without her. He could spend a hundred lifetimes with her hating him, insulting him and rejecting him – just so long he could see her glittering eyes, hear her beautiful voice and feel the gentle push of her hands on his chest. He could bear all the loathing she had to throw at him. What he couldn't do, was spend even a second on this earth without her. She was the reason his heart beat, the reason he breathed, the reason he raced to be by her side now… She was all his reasons.

"Please, come quickly," Phoenix said. "Ema's been attacked."

Ich auch – Me too.

Don't give me that shit – Erzähl mir keinen Scheiß!