Dear Readers, There is a story of a similar name on my AO3 account, but it has a strong slash element, whereas in this story there is a very mild suggestion of an unrequited attraction that Newkirk has to Hogan, kind of a hero worship. Hogan is fatherly toward Newkirk in this story, and only Newkirk and LeBeau are aware that Newkirk has daydreamed about him. I am rewriting the entire story to remove anything explicit as well as the slash storyline. I'm also trying not to let this become a Mary Sue. Anja is just a bright girl with no superpowers!

As with my previous stories, Newkirk is young, 22, and I'm going with the German TV version of Newkirk, where he has a very bad stutter. There is a reference to this in German in the story, when Schnitzer tells Anja before their visit to Stalag 13 that she will be meeting Peter, and explains that unfortunately, "he has a severe stutter." Please read and review. Your reviews help me get better. Sincerely, Grace.

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She was a 19-year-old college girl, the niece of Oskar Schnitzer, and Peter Newkirk fell for her hard.

Anja Blankmeier had golden brown hair, clear blue eyes, a petite figure, and a bright look about her. Home from her course of studies in medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich for the summer, she was helping her Uncle Oskar mostly with farm calls. But one morning in June, with a dozen dogs to vaccinate at Stalag 13, Uncle Oskar brought her along to help. Peter Newkirk was lolling against Barracks 2 when the veterinarian's truck rolled in and Oskar helped the young girl out.

The arrival of any young woman at Stalag 13 was such a rarity that it was bound to draw stares and wolf whistles. But the men respected Schnitzer and no one dared to let out a sound when Anja stepped into the yard and looked around. Dressed in a flowing, short sleeved, robin's egg blue sundress specked with tiny yellow and red flowers, wearing a pair of red shoes, with her sunny brown hair tucked back in braids laced with ribbons, she was a walking rainbow in a dreary gray POW camp.

Louis LeBeau, standing beside Peter, smiled with delight to see the girl; he'd heard from Hogan that she was coming. He let his eyes follow her as she walked confidently to the dog's pen carrying her uncle's medical bag. Lovely, lovely, Louis thought, but of course much too young for him.

Peter, on the other hand, simply gaped. It had been a long time since he had been in the presence of a pretty young girl. He watched her with intense interest, noticing the glint of the sun on her hair and the swoosh of her skirt across her bottom as she walked. It didn't take much to trigger the young airman's male physical response to stimuli, and he stiffened. Louis noticed, shook his head, and gave Peter an affectionate bump of the elbow.

"Like what you see, eh?" Louis whispered. "Maybe you'll stop thinking so much about Colonel Hogan now."

Peter stubbed out his cigarette and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Leave off. It's not as if I'm getting anywhere near 'er," he said. "But she is easy on the eyes, ain't she? Wouldn't mind a little petting time with 'er in this ruddy zoo." He fiddled in his pockets until Louis elbowed him again.

"Pierre! Behave yourself," he said, scowling at his 22-year-old friend's manipulations until Peter withdrew his hands from his pockets with a guilty look on his face. "Be a good boy, imbecile," Louis joked. "No nice girl wants to see that. Calm yourself first, and we'll go meet her," he instructed.

"Close mmmmy eyes and think of England. Right," Peter answered. With some effort, he willed his bulge away, nodded to Louis, and set off across the compound with him.

"Guten Morgen, Herr Tierarzt," Louis greeted Schnitzer. By now, Hogan and Schultz had arrived on the scene-Hogan leaning in for a chat with Schnitzer while Schultz fawned over the young lady.

"Hmmmph," Schnitzer replied, acting annoyed at the intrusion from Louis and Peter while acknowledging them warmly with his eyes.

"I see you have brought your new assistant. Bonjour, Mademoiselle, my name is Louis LeBeau," Louis greeted Anja. Peter stood shyly behind him, shifting from foot to foot. Hogan noticed and smiled. He was used to thinking of Newkirk as a confident, capable and even cocky soldier, and it amused him no end to see him looking bashful.

Anja smiled broadly at LeBeau, and shook his hand, exchanging pleasantries. Hogan, in his classic fashion, gazed into her eyes, exuding charm. "Welcome to our humble Stalag, Anja. I hope we'll be seeing more of you."

But it was the young man behind Louis who had caught her eye. She peeked around Louis, seeing a shy boy with a slight build, hair just a little darker than her own, with the same golden streaks, and a remarkable pair of wide, almond shaped green eyes. "And who is this?" she asked playfully.

Louis pushed Peter around in front of him. "Allow me to introduce mon pote, Mademoiselle," Louis said. He pulled Peter by the elbow. "Pierre, say hello to Anja."

Peter stepped forward and smiled, but the words would not follow. "Nice to meet you, mmmmmm," he said, making an attempt at Miss. "Mmmmmm." Stuck again, he berated himself. So he tried another tactic. "Fraulein Anja. Mmmmy name is Peter. And definitely not Pierre," he added with a wave of the hand at LeBeau.

Her soft hand took his, and squeezed it gently, as if to say she wasn't surprised by his hesitant speech. In fact, she wasn't because her uncle had told her that Newkirk was one of the most talented men in Hogan's crew, but unfortunately, Er stottert sehr.

"Well, Peter, it is very nice to meet you too. How long have you been a prisoner here?" Anja inquired.

Peter was starting to answer, but Schultz cut in. "Fraulein, I'm sorry, but I can't let you socialize with the prisoners. Oberst Klink – he would have my head!" But he leaned conspiratorially toward her. "Newkirk has been here almost three years, and he is a very nice and clever boy when he isn't up to monkey business." He winked at Peter, who surprised Schultz and Hogan-but not LeBeau-by blushing in response. He was trying to make a good impression on the girl, and so far it wasn't going well.

In a second, Hogan was at Peter's side with an arm around his waist. "Us? Monkey business? That's not fair, Schultz! We're doing our best to be model prisoners. Isn't that right, Newkirk?" He pulled the Englishman closer, and his fingers pressing into his waist.

Anja just laughed, tipping her head back and looking delightful and unguarded. At that, Peter began to feel aroused again. Hogan noticed, and surreptitiously dug his fingers deeper into Newkirk's waist, causing him to jump. Focus, Corporal, was the clear message. The team couldn't afford for any member to be distracted.

Anja set off to vaccinate the dogs, with Louis and Peter trailing behind to help her identify each animal by name so she could make accurate records. Though Peter had always been terrified of dogs, because he was never around them while growing up in London, Louis was skilled at dealing with them. He had shown Peter how to befriend them and helped him conquer his fear. Now Peter was enjoying showing off what he knew about them to Anja as Louis stood by beaming like a proud older brother.

Schnitzer, meanwhile, was having a word with Hogan. "We will need Newkirk's stealthy skills for the handoff," he was saying. "I've already told Anja about him, and she will work with him. They can both pass for young students."

Hogan was nodding, but inside he was worried. He wasn't sure he wanted Peter getting too cozy with any girl. Not while they had a mission to fulfill.