A/N: This is the first fanfiction I've ever made, so reviews are very welcome! I finished reading The Book Thief a couple of days ago, and decided to make my own version of the ending. I always shipped Liesel and Rudy, so this has to do with them as a couple too.
All characters belong to the amazing Markus Zusak
Rudy Steiner lay awake in the very edge of the bed he shared with his sister. She moved too much and continually kicked and punched him in her sleep. He never complained, because it never really bothered him. He was already used to it.
He sees her shiver from the cold, and he turns a little so that her fragile back is against his chest, and puts his arm reassuringly around her.
He hasn't been able to sleep much this night, because he has been asking himself questions that he's afraid to ask out loud. Every attempt he has made to fall asleep is quickly dismissed when he starts to think again. Kurt's loud snoring doesn't help much either.
***THE QUESTIONS OF RUDY STEINER***
How will this all end? Will Papa come back alive?
Will we all live? Will the Führer be defeated?
How does kissing Liesel feel like? Does she love me?
Does she ever think about me? Will we ever be more than just friends?
His little sister kept shivering against his body, and even though he put his leg around her too, she wouldn't warm.
Quietly, he made his way out of the room all of his siblings shared and headed down the stairs leading to the basement. The basement was very cold, so he quickly went to the corner were ripped and old—almost useless—clothes, towels and some blankets were. His father would stitch them back up if they were torn, but he was not here to do that.
He grabbed the less torn-up blanket he could find and extended it in the air for the dust to come off.
Then the bombs fell.
As many of them hit Himmel Street, Rudy fell backward, tangling himself up in the blanket. When he untangled himself from it, he heard the cuckoo of the warnings that a raid would be happening. It's too late now, he thought.
Then the roof fell on him. Cries of pain escaped from his mouth accompanied with cries for his family.
He started to scream that he was there, alive. "I'M HERE! HELP!" It took fifteen minutes for the LSE to get there and take him out.
Some were laughing with relief and wonder, others remained silent. "The kid's alive!" One young man with brown hair and typical blue eyes exclaimed.
Rudy did not hear him, for he was wailing and screaming for his family. "Mama! Kurt! Where's my mama?! Where is my family?! Mama!" The young man grabbed him by the shoulders and spoke loud enough for Rudy to hear him. "You're fine, you're just in shock."
"What's happened?" Rudy asked frantically. "You got bombed." The young man said. "I'm sorry, kid."
Then, Rudy started to run. It was hard to escape the strong arms that rescued him from his bombed house, but he managed. He started to look for his family.
At his right, he saw them. First his mother's body laid there, alone. But then the LSE started to lay other people beside her, with them his siblings.
He rushed to their side and his knees hit the ground hard. He wept hard and loud. When he was finished, he kissed every one of his siblings and his Mama on the forehead. When he stood, he saw the body of his best friend Tommy Müller, laid beside his sister's. More tears came, and he kissed them on the forehead too.
He was not thinking anymore. He walked through Himmel Street slowly, blocking all the cries and screams from his mind.
Then he saw her. Liesel: Laid beside her dead parents in front of her bombed house. He started to run. He stepped over other bodies, but he didn't acknowledge them. He needed to get to her.
***WHAT RUDY FELT WHEN HE SAW LIESEL***
No. She isn't dead. She can't be dead. She's invincible and
I love her and she needs to know. I need to tell her!
He finally reached her, and stopped on his tracks when the sight of her pale body struck his eyes. Rudy knelt in front of her, and slowly touched her cheek with the back of his shaking hand. She was so cold. She was pale and cold and would not wake up.
Rudy started to scream and cry—if possible—harder and louder than he had ever done in his fourteen years of life. "Wake up, Liesel! Wake up, you Saumensch!" His tears dripped onto the girl's restful face, making her look more alive.
"WAKE UP! PLEASE WAKE UP!" He screamed, howled and cried for her to open her chocolate eyes and look into his.
He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to feel her soft pink lips pressing against his, just once. But he couldn't. Not like this.
He slowly lifted her heavy body to his arms, and he sat there, crying on her shoulder. "Wake up." He whispered. His voice was now hoarse for screaming so loud for so much time. "Please, Liesel. Wake up."
The young man that had rescued Rudy was now approaching him. He crouched in front of him, and gave him a sad look. "I'm sorry, kid." He said. "But you have to go. You're not safe here." The young man reached over to take Liesel away, when Rudy looked up and yelled: "Don't touch her! Leave us alone! Save yourself!" There was hot fury in Rudy's eyes, and a vein was popping out from his neck.
Then, Liesel opened her eyes. She could feel the tears starting to form when she saw Rudy above her, holding her, protecting her. She realized he was the only one she had left. She counted all the people she had lost throughout her life: Her mother. Her brother. Papa Hubermann. Mama Hubermann. Max.
"Don't be mean, Saukerl." She said quietly. Her throat ached and it burned when she spoke.
Rudy looked down into Liesel's chocolate eyes. He started to cry again, shouting: "Liesel! You're alive! Liesel, thank God!" He cried hot tears of relief into her shoulder. Liesel was crying too, for grief of her family and relief to find Rudy alive. She hugged him with the little strength she had at the moment.
"We have to go." The young man said again. This time, Rudy did not protest. He got up, with Liesel still in his arms, and carried her to the truck with the other survivors. When they were seated, he did not let go of her.
"Are you alright?" Rudy asked. Liesel nodded into his chest. "Liesel…" He began, but he couldn't finish his sentence, for they had arrived at the police station.
They were all seated in the plain waiting room, and Rudy still didn't let go of Liesel. He sat in a chair on the corner, with her still on his arms. Liesel had fallen asleep, and she looked so peaceful that he had to wake her up. He was afraid that she might have died.
But Liesel slowly woke up and started to protest. "Let me sleep, Saukerl. I'm tired." And she closed her eyes again.
The door opened and a lady with fluffy yellow hair and a robe walked in, followed by the mayor. Frau Hermann talked to the officer by the desk, and then came toward Rudy and Liesel.
"You're coming with us." She says. And with that, Rudy stands up, with a sleeping Liesel still in his arms, and follows her out the door.
They drove through the ruins of Himmel Street, and to the mayor's house. He parked the car in front of the gate, and waited for Rudy to come out with Liesel. They went inside and Frau Hermann told him were his new room was and were was Liesel's.
When she left them alone in Liesel's new room, he finally laid her down, onto her bed. She instantly woke up.
"Where are we?" She asked. Rudy climbed in the bed with her and said: "Ilsa Hermann adopted us." She rested her head on the wall and looked at her hands.
"Liesel," Rudy began. She looked at him, and he cleared his throat. This was serious. "I love you." He said. "And you can count on me whenever and wherever you need me, because I'm not leaving you. Ever." Seconds passed that felt like hours to Rudy. He had been anticipating this moment for such a long time, and he didn't know what to expect now.
Liesel smiled. She smiled and hugged him hard. "I love you too." She said. When they drew apart, Rudy said what had to be said: "How about a kiss, Saumensch?"
And she slowly pressed her mouth to his. Her pink lips were soft on his, and she tasted like dirt and sugar. Rudy put his hand behind her neck, making the kiss deeper. Liesel slid her hands through his lemon-colored hair, feeling it slide through her fingers. The kiss was slow and intense and perfect. Neither of them wanted it to end.
When they were done, Liesel slid down the wall, deeper into the covers of her new bed. "I'm really tired." She says. Rudy was tired too, so he slid down with her, holding her in the darkness of the night.
Liesel fell asleep before Rudy did, and he watched her face in the moonlight. So beautiful, he thought. And so innocent. Then he slept.
But she is not that innocent, Rudy, for she is The Book Thief.