Erik watched the French countryside as it flew by. Katja slept beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. They had been on the train for several hours already; they had to be getting somewhat close. While he wasn't exactly excited about this trip, Erik had never seen so much of France. The countryside was beautiful. He didn't think he would actually mind living out here on his own…or perhaps with someone else.
Katja shifted in her sleep. She began to whimper and cry out in German. Erik turned to her when he heard his name. She was calling to him. He whispered her name, waking her up. "Erik, I'm scared," she admitted.
"Of what?" he asked. "You're not still frightened of your family rejecting you are you?"
"But what if they do? What if they don't want me? What will I do? Where will I go?"
He put a firm but comforting hand on her shoulder. "They won't, and even if they do, I won't let anything happen to you. Everything will be okay. I promise."
"And what if they don't?" she continued. "You're going to leave aren't you?"
"Well I'm going to stay for a while to make sure you're okay," Erik replied.
She stared at him, tears forming in her eyes. "But you're still going to leave me." Erik turned away not able to look at her. "How could you? " Katja cried. "Did last night mean nothing to you?"
Erik cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "Katja, it meant everything to me," he murmured in her ear. "Do you understand? Everything."
"Then why are you leaving?" she demanded.
"Because trouble follows me everywhere," he explained. "Nothing good ever comes from having me around. Katja it would be safer for you if I wasn't around."
Katja shook her head. "It would be safer if you were around!" she insisted. "You saved me from Javert. You saved me from the gypsy when he attacked me in Paris. You took care of me when I took the morphine. The only reason I'm still alive is because of you! I need you Erik!"
"No you don't," Erik replied softly. "You have a family, a life back in Germany just waiting for you. I would do nothing but hold you back."
"Stay," she begged. "Please. Just for a little while, a few weeks. Please Erik, that's all I ask."
"I don't know anything about Germany. I don't speak the language…"
"It's right on the border," she protested. "Everything is in French and German."
He sighed. "Katja…"
"Please Erik!"
"Don't do this," Erik pleaded.
"I love you."
Erik didn't think he could bear continuing this fight. Katja didn't seem to understand that having him around would bring nothing good. But he couldn't keep arguing with her. Her pleading was breaking his heart. He pulled her onto his lap as tears began to leak out of her big blue eyes. "Okay," he said softly, giving in. "I'll stay for a few weeks. But I won't make you anymore promises. Maybe you'll see that I'm not who you really need."
"And maybe you'll see that you're wrong," she argued, nuzzling his chest.
Katja grabbed Erik's hand as the train slowed to a halt. She stared at the window at the familiar surroundings. It was a place she thought she would never see again. "I can't do this!"
He caressed her cheek. "Everything's going to be okay."
"It'd didn't feel real, but now we're actually here!" Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt on the verge of panic. "Oh my God Erik, what am I going to do? What am I going to say to them?"
"Just calm down Katja," he said soothingly. "You'll know what to do and say when the time comes, I promise." Erik pulled up the hood of his cloak to hide the mask on his face and grabbed their bags. "Come. I promised to take you home."
She clung to Erik's arm as she led him through the village. The sun had set about an hour ago and the townspeople were settling down for the night. He looked around, intrigued by everything, all the unfamiliar sights and sounds. "You weren't kidding," he said. "There's almost as much French as German here."
"See? There's no reason you can't stay!"
Erik looked like he was going to respond, but seemed changed his mind. "Which way?"
"That way," Katja replied, pointing towards the center of town. The pair made their way through the streets. Suddenly she froze outside of a small café. Her eyes filled with tears again. "This is it," she whispered. "My family's café."
"Right here?" Erik asked.
Katja nodded. "My family lives upstairs on the second floor." Katja suddenly whirled around and started to run. Erik's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her to his chest. "I can't!" she cried, breaking down in his embrace. "I can't!"
He pressed his lips to her temple, trying to comfort her. "Yes you can. I would do anything to have the chance to see my parents again."
"I can't do this," she sobbed. "I'm sorry Erik."
Erik just cradled her and let her cry. Once she was starting calm down, Erik began to whisper in her ear. "Don't you want to go home and see your family again?"
"More than you can imagine," she replied through her tears.
"We're here. Isn't that what you want?"
"Five years is a very long time," Katja protested. "For all I know everything could have changed. I don't even know if they're still here."
"There's only one way to find out."
She hesitated for a few more minutes. Before Katja made her decision, a young blonde haired man, his arms full of groceries, came down the street. Katja stared at the man with wide eyes. When he reached the door to the café and started to head inside, she spoke softly. "Fredrick?"
The bags of food crashed to the ground. The man slowly turned around, his eyes glistening with hope. "Katja?"