Lilin's gown flitted across the floor. Her head looked behind her as her auburn eyes gazed at him. "Come with me?" He couldn't decide if it was an inquiry, a suggestion, an order or something else altogether. Nonetheless, Sylis followed her lead and they went into the balcony/fire escape. Sylis was never there for long to notice the plants or chairs that stayed in the small place. There were a lot of succulents and cacti. Lilin sat down in one of the two chairs and Sylis took the other. She didn't pay much attention to him and instead looked up so Sylis followed her gaze.

"Isn't it beautiful?" The night sky was in full swing. Stars of all brightnesses and colors sparkled in the night sky. The moon was more visible than the last time he stared at the abyss. "Sometimes, when I get lonely, I like to stargaze and pretend that all of those stars are reasons why I am happy." She looked at Sylis then refocused her eyes to the stars. "I'm not that religious, but I like to find the brightest star and I make a little wish and when it's a full moon I wish on the moon."

A calm sense washed over them like gentle waves lapping into the sand bank. Then Lilin pointed at the sky. "Look." Sylis followed her pointer finger to a single star. "That's the brightest star, quick, make a wish." It was a child's game to wish on stars whether they be shooting through the night or shining the brightest of them all, despite having said that he still closed his eyes (as is the official wish-making rules) and made a wish.

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight: I wish I may, I wish I might have this wish I wish tonight," they chanted together.

"I wish that..." and that was all Sylis heard before her wish became inaudible and just her lips mouthing out the words.

"I wish," he mouthed out the words, but he had not come with a wish ready. Thankfully it wasn't a shooting star and thus it would have somewhat of a time limit. He had all night if he needed to. His mind searched for something he would possibly want. To others, he seemed like he had everything: a modern mansion, a good-paying job as a detective that was that hard and yet fulfilling at the same time, and now he had the façade of a loving wife and daughter. Sylis looked down at the ring on his finger. The three diamonds represented the past, present, and future. Should he wish for the future or maybe the past?

The past; the past where he lost his father to a raid in East Germany. He remembered the bombs as aircrafts from America and France dropped them. Planes littered the sky, spamming small little dashes until those dashes got closer and closer to the ground. He remembered his mother who was still alive at the time pulling his arm and screaming, "Get inside, now!" He hadn't realized that the world around him had turned insane. People were running, screaming, and balling their eyes out. Some were praying, some were thundering that they were going to die, announcing it to the bombs above. He remembered his mother holding him tight, also to the point of strangulation, when they reached an underground passage. Her small prayers were whispered in his ears, "Bitte lass mein Kind leben. Gott, bitte beschütze meinen einzigen Sohn."

"Mutter," he mumbled, trying not to disturb her. "Where is Vater?" That only seemed to make her eyes pour out tears as her mouth let out death-willing wails. They echoed off the walls. Sylis held into her hand for as much comfort as it could give him. That was the first air strike of hundreds to come. He never saw his father after that.

The last thing he remembered from that day was his mother telling him, "Silvan—promise me this—when you are safe enough, run away. Run to freedom and fight for what you believe is right. Don't let anyone, and I mean anyone, tell you what is right and what is wrong. This is wrong. That man is wrong."

Silvan repeated "Ich verspreche es" which means 'I promise'.

"Silvan."

"Sylis."

"Sylis, what's wrong?" He opened his eyes to see a blurry Lilin, her hand was on his shoulder as she gently shook him out of the memory. Why was it blurry? Sylis could barely distinguish the look of worry on her face. Her hand went to his face and wiped his eyes. Oh, they were tears.

"I couldn't think of what to wish for," his voice was monotone like it was the first day he saw her in his office. "But I think I know what to wish for." He looked at her. "Can I please be alone?"

Lilin nodded her head, picking up on the cues. "Of course."

Sylis looked at the star in the sky. Then he began from the beginning: "Sternenlicht, Stern hell, erster Stern, den ich heute Abend sehe: Ich wünschte, ich könnte, ich wünschte, ich könnte, diesen Wunsch haben, den ich mir heute Abend wünsche." He took a breath and closed his eyes. No burning builds or dead bodies came to his mind as he focused on the wish. "I wish...Ich wünsche mir, dass meine Mutter und mein Vater stolz auf mich sind und das Jenseits genießen."