Hi there^^

Now I know I said there shouldnt be a sequel because it completely forfeits the message of the origional story, but I couldnt help it.

If you havent read The Sound of Thunder you should do that right about know for comprehension. This starts where we left of, still from Hogans POV.

The title is a word game which i couldnt ranslate into english so I´ll just explain it here:

Morgengrauen means dawn or daybreak, more literally in the gray of dawn. Therfore it symbolizes a new chance, a new morning for Hogan who thought he would never see another one. On the other hand Grauen also meansdread, so you can tell he doesnt wake up to marshmallows and butterflies.

That´s it from me. Let me know how you like it.

Btw, thanks to all tose who reviewed the previous story!

Morgengrauen

He remembered the darkness, remembered the despair it had brought being trapped in the Gestapo´s basement.

That night he had been sure would be his last. He hadn't expected to see light again. Until now, he hadn't. He wasn´t dead, but the darkness had not left him.

Hogan shifted uncomfortably against the damp wall of the dark cooler; his limbs mostly fallen asleep after not moving for what seemed like days. Not once since he´d been thrown in here had he tried to see in the faint glimmer of light which came from the door.

Beyond, he knew, was life, reality.

That's why he was content just sitting here in the darkness. He was dead; his life was supposed to have ended five days ago by Hochstetter´s hand. He had sacrificed everything for the life of his men, had thrown away his dignity and integrity along with his life, had let go of the last thing that still bound him to this world. He had been almost anxious to meet death´s blissful oblivion after that.

But death hadn't come.

Painfully, he closed his eyes as he remembered being dragged out into the court yard, the taste of Newkirk´s kiss still on his lips.

Hochstetter had waved some piece of paper in front of his face while his guard Weber was already loading his rifle. Then, surprising to everyone except Hogan, thunder filled the air and the buildings walls shook violently. So he lived to see his mission accomplished while, ironically, all he could seem to think of was the look in his corporal´s eyes as he left him in the cell.

At the explosion, the men instinctively threw themselves to the ground and when strong hands pulled him up afterwards it had not been Hochstetter´s, but Colonel Klink´s. The Commandant's bewildered expression, shifting between worry and anger was the last thing he could recall clearly.

Afterwards, everything pretty much blurred together.

Burkhalter had been yelling at Hochstetter incessantly until Hogan stopped listening and just stared into the rising sun instead. He remembered the cool breeze on his face, breathing the very essence of life.

Maybe, he thought now that he was more lucid again, it was that which had him react so apathetically. Life had suddenly been all around him while he had already bid farewell to it. It had been hard to swallow even though he should have been happy. Obviously, Klink and Burkhalter had noticed his very unusual demeanor because they hadn't pushed him, or asked too many questions about how he´d come to this point.

Neither had they asked his men, but that was also something that came to him only now. Maybe LeBeau had told them the essentials, making up some swift lies about their escape and Hochstetter´s insanity, given that Carter seemed to have passed out from pain and Newkirk was about as catatonic as Hogan himself. Hogan couldn't know for sure. He hadn't looked at any of them, trying desperately to vanish into thin air. He wasn't dead. He revealed his darkest secret thinking he wouldn't have to face the consequences, and now he was standing here not ten feet away from the men into whose eyes he would never be able to look again.

Maybe the German officers had simply assumed that Hochstetter's usual maniacal obsession with getting at Hogan had gone too far this time. Hogan didn't bother talking to them. He had let them usher him out of the building and into a waiting staff car, glad to get out. They were just starting when an ambulance parked next to them.

Worry hit him as a delayed reaction.

"My men…"; he had muttered, the only thing that could penetrate his mind at that moment. They were hurt. Badly so. And all he had thought about was his reputation. Guilt mixed with the rest of the raucous inside his head as he tried to push it all away unsuccessfully.

"They will be taken care of.", Klink had told him and gloved fingers had ever so shortly squeezed his arm. That was the last thing he´d said before returning to his stupor and remaining there until now.

In the cooler, Hogan was now staring at the cell´s door. He could hear heavy steps approaching. Moments later, Schultz´s heaved his bulky body towards him and opened the door.

"Colonel Hogan?", he asked almost hesitantly: "Colonel Hogan, please, I need you to answer me this time. It´s important."

Hogan blinked dazedly.

He couldn't seem to remember Schultz coming to talk to him before.

"What is it?", he finally asked, startled at how hoarse his own voice sounded. Had it really only been five days?

Schultz seemed incredibly relieved to have gotten an answer. He waltzed into the cell with a smile on his face: "Colonel Hogan, the Kommandant wants to see you now. Es ist wichtig. He says it´s been long enough and Burkhalter is here so…"

He groaned as he bent down to help Hogan up. The colonel let the guard practically pull him to his feet, for once not caring if he appeared weak. Right now, he needed all his energy just to keep from sinking back into the darkness. He was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to hear Schultz or anyone else from there. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea after all…

But no, somewhere in the back of his mind there was a voice telling him he was needed. There was something he had to take care of…

"How are the guys, Schultz?", he asked as they slowly made their way to the exit. The feeling was beginning to return to his legs and -unfortunately so- to his brain as well. Memories and emotions that he had shoved as far away as possible during his holiday in the cooler were now returning with a vengeance. Images –Hochstetter's evil sneer, Carter passed out on the floor, LeBeau with broken bones, Newkirk almost to battered to stand, Newkirk with a rifle shoved into his face…

He shuddered and shook his head forcefully.

Expectantly he looked up at the big guard, knowing he wouldn't lie to him.

"You asked me this before, Colonel.", he was met with a concerned glance: "It´s all anyone got out of you for the last ten days…"

Hogan squinted his eyes as his mind reeled. He dint remember that either. Wait, ten days? Christ almighty, he really had to get a grip on himself. If he had been in here drowning in self pity for ten days already, that meant that his men had likely been forced to face the General´s questioning on their own. And if he still had to go and see Burkhalter that didn't say much for their credibility…

"They are doing fine.", Schultz told him truthfully when he didn't reply: "They had to get medical treatment here but they are recovering well."

Hogan nodded in relief. Now that he thought of it, he thought he could remember Klink telling him that they were safe. But had that been on the drive back? Or here in the cooler? He couldn't tell…

But now he knew they were probably already back in the barracks. No one had come to see him through the tunnel though and he had a pretty good idea why. He groaned unconsciously.

"How are you feeling?", Schultz asked him, the grip under his elbow tightening a bit: "You don't look so well, colonel…"

Truth was, he didn´t feel so well either. He shouldn't have gotten up so quickly. Or more accurately, he shouldn't have gotten back up at all. He should be taking a dirt nap right now, but as always one could count on Hochstetter to fuck up even the easiest task.

"Could I maybe sit down for just a minute, Schultz?, he asked: "Give my blood a chance to reach my legs and brain?"

Schultz half shook his head as he nervously looked towards the door but he stopped walking and let Hogan lean against the wall. "General Burkhalter is waiting for you."

"What´s he want?"

"To question you about the curious incident with Major Hochstetter. You weren't responsive after he almost…", the guard didn't finish the sentence, looking somewhat queasy now.

But Hogan didn't need more to understand. So the story wasn't over just yet. If Burkhalter was here it either had to be because he didn't believe the lies LeBeau and the others had told him or because Hochstetter had somehow managed to make his explanation of what had happened somewhat plausible. He would have to wait and see. In any case, he couldn't afford to be apathetic any more. He was still the Senior POW and responsible for taking care of his fellow men. He had gotten them into this mess and he would get them out. Whether they would be happy to see him again was an entirely different question. After what he´d done and said in his last moments spent with them he had no idea what their future looked like.

Would they still accept him in their midst? Much more as their leader?

Or would he have to leave and be replaced by London just to restore the peace? Among the guys, they had never talked much about the issue of homosexuality but the general consensus of their society was pretty clear even in the States, much more here under Hitler´s regime. To say it was frowned upon would be an understatement. And even if they did somehow accept it, their close relationship was bound to be destroyed. Every time they showered, every time he put his hand on one of his mens´ shoulders they would think of that night.

He closed his eyes tightly for a long moment. Apart from his family back home, these guys were the people that meant most to him. Losing them would devastate him. If only he had known for sure that Klink was going to bethere in time…but no, it would have been too late. Hochstetter had been about to shoot Newkirk.

"Is Hochstetter here too?", he inquired and Schultz declined. "No, Burkhalter was very cross with him for acting without his consent and he sent him to Berlin to be disciplined. He said he´d be back though."

"I´m sure he will.", Hogan scoffed.

He was feeling much more alive now than he had just minutes ago. It was probably a good thing considering he would have to con the two Germans successfully. No matter what happened later, he would have to get them out of the line of fire first before he could address his personal issues.

"Are you ready now?", Schultz asked impatiently and with a nervous glance at the door.

"As ready as ill ever be.", Hogan smiled grimly.

Schultz nodded as he guided the American officer into the compound. Hogan winced at the sudden brightness stinging in his weary eyes. They walked straight to the Kommandantur where Schultz announced their arrival.

"Ah, yes, do come in.", he heard Klink´s overly enthusiastic voice even before he saw him: "Hogan, I trust you´re feeling better. We have some questions that still need answering."

Hogan mentally steeled himself before he put on a poker face and fully entered the office. Burkhalter and Klink were standing by the desk, Klink as obviously nervous as Burkhalter was annoyed.

Before he could greet them, his gaze fell onto the other men standing at attention in a line just left of him. Neither LeBeau nor the others broke their stance to look at him which was lucky as Hogan felt his mask slip upon seeing them here. His heart skipped a beat and then went into overdrive while he felt heat rising in his neck.

Damnit. He had known he would have to face them eventually. He had just hoped it would not be so soon, not under the eyes of Burkhalter where there was no chance of speaking openly.

"Alright, Hogan.", Burkhalter snarled, interrupting his thoughts: "Now that you´re here, we can finally get the rest of the story, ja? Tell us what happened the night Major Hochstetter arrested you."

Hogan swallowed, suddenly feeling the gaze of every man in the room directed at him.

Death seemed pretty convenient right about now.