#friedrichsteinkopf

"I am flattered, but nein."

There were three of them. Bigger, stronger, obviously intoxicated. They'd been to the Den a few times, hardly regulars but they'd never caused any trouble. But now, maybe because of the booze or maybe they just felt bold or maybe both, they had cornered the singer in the alley out back of the Den.

Their proposition was clumsy, but clear as a bell. And it wasn't something that Karl was interested in, no matter what he presented onstage.

But the men were persistent.

"Oh, come on, beautiful. We know y'want it. Don't be like that."

They advance and Karl backs up. He's through being polite and professional, and quick as a wink, he draws a concealed knife. It's not big, but it's very sharp.

"Don't come near mich, I'm varning you..."

There is an old panic coming alight in the back of his eyes. No. Not again. This is not happening again.

"Look at him, Roy. Just a frigid little cocktease, that's all. Get people all riled up and won't give up the goods. Well, we came out tonight for a good time, and one way or another, we're going to get it." They advanced further. Karl thrust out to stab and managed to get one assailant in the arm, but his wrist was grabbed, twisted. Karl's mind began to slip into panic mode. Everything became less distinct as he thrashed and struggled. And as more hands grabbed him, terror overcame pride.

Its not exactly clear WHO was responsible for such an atrocious act of treacherous barbarism but non the less it remained. Someone had stolen in to a personal place of sanctuary, gutted it and proceeded to defile its personal touch.

Decimated more like.

Friedrich steinkopf would never know just who would have had such a vendetta against him (though there were a few). Who ever it was certainly possessed a sick sense of humor. He would have heard no one skulking about his apartment regardless if he had been home or not. The damage was done. The aftermath? His personal quarters being a mess haphazard battlefield which spewed the entire contents of a pink obsessed five year old ever every last inch.

The question, or more the individuals in question strike Sophie in a surprisingly strong way, snapping her pretty little Blond head around for just a moment. Little more than a few seconds was all the time she could meet the anons cool gaze.

Memories of their discussion, how he had fawned over his children as any proud father would. LIttle blond waifs clinging to their fathers legs, insistent they help with any and every chore. How his arms must surely wrap around their little bodies when they asked for his unfailling love.Next came Friedrich… how the memory of his lips on hers, those loving eyes.. the gentlest of touches in places where her body craved.

"I…" its hard to put into words the feelings settling inside. "I don’t know what you are looking for with these question.. I dont honestly know why I’m telling you…"

How ashamed did she feel knowing that when it came down to it, Sophie would choose to spare the life of the loving caring father, the father who took part in all the aspects of his childrens lives despite any flaws.

"I love Friedrich… with every ounce of my heart…" *but those children do not deserve to grow up without the love of the one steady person in their lives.

It didn't take long for him to find the place. He'd left Siegfried in the capable hands of Niklaus and borrowed a car from the motor pool. Thankfully the roads were clear enough to be merciful to a fairly inexperienced driver, and he parks near the address he'd been given, walking up to the door with his duffel bag on one shoulder.

He knocks, and when the door is answered, he smiles. His eyes are a bit dark circled, as if he hasn't slept well in a while, at least consistently. The last couple days had been particularly rough, with the migraines pounding at his skull.

Being in Friedrich's presence, though, he instantly feels... safer. Like for at least a while, while he was here, he didn't have a thing to worry about.

"OPEN THE DOOR! I DEMAND YOU OPEN THE DOOR THIS INSTANT! You Wretched BLU when we get our hands on you! There WILL be hell to pay!… Are you even listening!? Someone get a spy in here! Or A HEAVY or SOMETHING!"

No matter the amount of screaming on the other side of the door, Sophie would refuse to pay it any mind or attention, didn’t bat an eyelash at the furious yelling in accompanying pounding of fists. An occasional irritated kick came through as well. It didnt register on Sophie reality at all…. how could it…. her world was slowly breaking down into a messy pained glass riddled emotional mine field.

Friedrich…. Steinkopf layed out on the proverbial slab, grey and unmoving as the steel under his corpse

"WHats going on?!"

"There’s a god damned BLU in my office!"

"It locked you out?"

"She didn’t just lock me out, they bloody well barricaded the damned door! This isn’t VERDAMNDT FUNNY!"

Sophie couldn’t take the note which found its way across seriously. How could she? When had he been released from prison… it stung at first, trying to get over the knowledge that he hadn’t come to see her, if she were understanding it he had avoided her completely. Why didn’t he come? Why?

"… I waited for you…"

He doesn’t respond. How could he? Corpses weren’t known for their talkative nature or vocal prowess. That didn’t stop Sophie from carding through those stripped locks affectionately, leaning over what was left of her love. It was obvious that someone was to start an autopsy soon only hadn’t quite gotten around to starting. Friedrich’s civilian clothes were rumpled so Sophie smoothed them flat.

"The base was too quiet without you here…. I missed you for movie night you know, I even stocked up on pop corn for when you came back. "

Someone savagely banged against the infirmary office doors. It sounded like they had finally resorted to using a battering ram.

Sophie felt tears streak quietly down her cheeks… trying not to feel how wrong it was that Friedrichs face still fit so naturaly against the curve of her palm. Something splintered painfully in the background but it wasn’t clear whether it was the abused door or the medics withering soul.

"HURRY UP ALREADY! Who knows what trouble that wretched little snake is getting into! DO YOU HEAR ME BLU!"

She did not.

Whether it was an age or more, the medic couldn’t tell, yet the door finally gave way beneath the less then gentle ministrations from the angry (yet mostly amused) RED mob outside. The resident medic was not in the least amused. Bursting inside in furious abandon they had a hell of a time trying to remove Sophie from where she had nested herself.

It was truly a sad sight… the medic had curled herself in against the body of the man whom she loved, tucked as close as the limits of space would allow. It didn’t matter his touch was frigid, nor his complection was sallow and sunken. He smelled just how she remembered and even if he would not - could not - return a touch she so desperately begged for deep inside, she could not move, did not move, not even when rough furious hands forcefully ripped her body off the table. No one heard her muffled whimpers asking, wanting needing begging for forgiveness from someone who could no longer hear her.

Sophie did not make it back to base that night… not until well in the early hours of the next morning after begging for the bullet which was gladly fed from RED hands.

Some lessons, they mused, just had to be taught the hard way. To Sophie if didn’t matter… the world had become a place too empty to be comfortable anymore.

Titiled: An Average day at work.

Here we witness a Friedrich Steinkopf making much haste.