Episode list

Single mother Alexandra mysteriously disappears without a trace. Her sister Karen, a career soldier, is called home from an overseas assignment in Mali to take care of her nieces. Nobody knows that Karen is an addict. Suddenly, violence outbreaks in local elementary school.

The conflicts between the children drag Karen into the power struggles of the affluent parents of Sünnfleth against her will. She tries in vain to protect Zoe, and be there for her. Karen accuses Rami of physically abusing Zoe. But Marie's daughter Greta breaks her silence, admitting that Lukas is the guilty party. Lukas' mother Anke is the CEO of a media company. Now Anke and her husband Daniel are worried about their reputation as perfect parents.

Zoe's and Lea's father is seeking custody of his daughters. Good news for Karen, because after all, she wants to leave. But why does Lea seem to literally hate her father? Zoe, on the other hand, has fled to Martin in her distress. This strengthens his position toward the Department of Child Welfare. Karen continues to resist Lea's hopes that she will become the girls' guardian. Despite everything, Karen still wants to return to Mali when her temporary leave comes to an end.

Karen and Lea hope that the information about Alex's pregnancy will help them in their search for her. At the same time, Karen feels increasingly overwhelmed by the children's pain and their dire situation. But then Mr. Yilmaz from the Department of Child Welfare reveals why he does not want to entrust the children to their father under any circumstances. When Lea also makes it clear that, despite Karen's problem with addiction, she trusts her aunt more than her father, Karen is plunged into a major dilemma. What is she supposed to do?

Lea and Zoe gradually lose all hope that their mother will ever return. They look to Karen for comfort in their pain, but Karen is evasive. She feels desperately lost herself. Karen reveals to Sarah and Marie why it is that she dreads being responsible for Lea and Zoe. She was forced to shoot a 10-year-old suicide bomber in self-defense in Afghanistan. Since then, she has been battling post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction.

Karen decides to stay with Zoe and Lea and file for guardianship. But if she is to stand a chance against the girls' father, it is crucial for her to stay sober. When Karen gets extremely drunk after just one day of abstinence, bookstore co-owner Christian Grawert, of all people, stands compassionately by her side. For the first time, the two of them are able to talk about the wounds of the past and reconnect with one another.