Lost in Blue

𝕾𝖎𝖊𝖇𝖟𝖊𝖍𝖓: Rhein in Flammen

When Fräulein had heard that Rhein in Flammen, a yearly display of fireworks along the Rhine, would take place and be celebrated on the 16th of September, Henning had immediately known she would ask him to take her there.

Initially he had refused. With everything Eckert, Gessler and he had found out about her possible involvement in the case, as well as Schneider's interference on his sister's obit, Dorn felt uncomfortable facing the blonde, let alone spend time with her.

For the sake of getting a confession and her pleading puppy eyes, however, he and his two partners in crime figured it would be best to pretend everything seemed fine for one last time. Maybe this was the only opportunity they would get, so he was told.

In the end, he agreed to accompany her. For the occasion, he just knew the perfect place no one would be able to disturb the two of them.

Dieter Kühn's cutter.

A quick call at the mention that the salvage team's boss was indebted to the policeman – he reminded him that he willingly shared secret intel with his opponent in exchange only for some cheap beer – Kühn was more than happy to oblige for the sake of smoothing over the differences and of course the possibility to avoid legal action.

Evening came and when Dorn set foot on the hoveller, Fräulein in tow, his hands clenched up on the banister nearby. A flashback to his first trip here in April reminded him how much more he preferred to be on land.

While Kühn was nice enough to drive out along the Rhine in order to find a nice spot, Dorn decided to make small talk. With the engine roaring in the background, Fräulein talked about the newest events in the clinic – his favorite story being how some children pulled pranks on Eduard Arzt – and how she had started to dance as a hobby to pass the time, while N played the flute. He wasn't surprised in the slightest. Back in June she had already expressed great interest in music and dancing.

Suddenly, the cutter came to a stop. When he turned his head forwards, his eyes widened. Henning had to admit, Kühn had driven them to what was probably the best place to watch the fireworks erupt. In front of them, below the indigo night sky, the town of Sankt Goarshausen's illumination unfurled, bright like a sea of flames, the building's radiant silhouettes reflected in the Rhine's dark waters in contrast. Its waves carried the faint music echoing from the mainland across.

In awe, the blonde next to him gasped loudly – a sentiment he emphasized with. Despite having attended Rhein in Flammen many times, he was still amazed at the yearly Rhenish tradition and all the effort the townsfolk put into making it work.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked to which her only response was a nod.

The policeman glanced at his watch. 6:59 pm. Only a minute left until it would start.

"Henning," she suddenly spoke.

He tilted his head to the side to face her azure orbs staring at him. Her gaze was more intense than usual. As if he was struck by lightning, goosebumps ran across his skin. Just as her lips parted and moved, the fireworks exploded on cue, drowning her words among loud explosions of red, blue and green, each of them reflected in her orbs.

"Was?" he inquired, imagining himself scowling as usual. He realized he was too tense and her expression didn't make it easier for him to loosen up.

Again, he saw how her mouth moved to repeat herself, teary-eyed this time, but he still was not able to understand. On the night sky, firecrackers erupted constantly, immersing the sky in flames as they took the form of colorful stars, flowers, hearts.

"Wie bitte?" It felt like his ears could explode. Have the fireworks always been this loud?

What was only a few minutes in real-time of their eyes interlocking, felt like an eternity for him. He could see how she fluttered her lashes in slow-motion, how she nervously fiddled with her fingers and suddenly, he became aware how close to each other they stood. When had she closed the distance between them?