More than a year had passed since Max had found Liesel in the tailor's shop that belonged to Alex Steiner. After they hugged and cried and fell to the floor both realized that they would never let each other go again. They were completely alone in the world, each one the last known survivor of their families. The Hermanns had sheltered Liesel after Himmel Street had been bombed and her world had crumbled all around her. She had dropped school and started to work with Alex Steiner and at her sixteenth birthday she decided to find her own place. The Hermanns owned a small apparent in Molching which they had decided to rent to Liesel for very little money when she left their house. They had been very kind to her.
Ilsa Hermann visited her from time to time and often brought her books and cookies, which they shared together with a cup of coffee.
When Max showed up in Molching Liesel was 17 already. He was 28 and still very frail and thin. He had searched for his family and found out the worst. Completely alone as he was, he travelled back to Molching to look for the Hubermanns and the book thieving girl.
The same day they were reunited, Max moved in with Liesel.