A/n: Don't even question where this story came from. This just kind of happened because we were watching "Saving Private Ryan" in my history class...and my mind just made things happen. And I do not mean any offence to people who read this with the pairings and the things that happen for this. It just happened like this and if you take offence to it just do not read.
Chapter 1:
Meet our German Helper
His name was Ludwig. Yes that was who he was, a man that Miller found that was willing to help him and his troops. He never would have thought that this one little encounter would be what changes everything for them, and for Private Ryan.
He did not know who this man was. It seemed like he did not speak English, but his bright blonde hair was slicked back. However it was covered with dirt and grime, which turned it almost perfectly brown. They did not speak but they held their rifles in their hands, keeping them at ready in case they had to act quickly. So far everything was quite as they walked, which he was glad for. But he knew that it would not last forever. After a few more moments of silence the man in front of him stopped and looked around. He then glanced to him, and spoke carefully. "Ve are almost at the gates. It is a prison where they are being held. Ve have to be very careful though. There are a lot of men guarding it. And they vill fight until the last breath." He was taken off guard by the accent and suddenly he wondered if he was being led into a trap. But he decided to test the waters on that thought.
"So then, you are a German?" He questioned carefully. The blonde seemed to pause for a moment as he thought about it.
"Vell...yes..." He responded hesitantly. "I am..."
He paused for a moment at those words. "And so, why is a German soldier helping one from America?" He questioned then, crossing his arms but also keeping his riffle at ready in case this man did turn on him. A soft sigh came from the German soldier.
"Not all of us vant this you knov. Ve don't like it. Ve vant it to end...but ve are nothing but toy soldiers to be used for vhat Hitler vants...I vant this var to end..." He watched the German soldier carefully.
"And why me of all people?" The German Soldier turned away from him.
"Because, a friend of mine told me to make sure you make it to your mission...and come back safely." He looked back. "And...I promised him that I vould do just that." He stared at the German as if he was trying to let those words sink in...they didn't make any sense. Who would tell a German man to come save him and his group and help them on a mission? After all they were fighting the Germans. This was not something he could believe so easily, even if he didn't see any evidence of being lied to. He carefully swallowed as he looked at the German.
"I don't get why a German would be sent to help us, it seems all to...sketchy to me." The German slowly sighed and shook his head at him then.
"If you don't believe me fine, shoot me ve are done getting your men back." He stated calmly and kept walking then, not looking back at him. He stared at the German man like he was crazy but he slowly followed. If he wasn't leading him into a trap, okay he would probably listen, but if he was...he would be the first one he would shoot. That was for sure. With a soft sigh he looked at his gun and slightly trembling hands. How had he been so stupid? He had left for a moment and when he came back his troops were missing and others slaughtered from the group they were with. At this point he just had to hope that his troops, at least, were still alive...and any of the others that were captured as well. "Captain Miller." His name snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked back to the man then carefully. He had never once spoke his name or let the man find out, so he now wondered why did he know? He didn't want to think so in depth on such silly things but maybe...it wasn't a silly thing at all.
"...yes?" He questioned then, why did he hesitate? He knew that was not a good sign at all.
"Once ve get there, you listen to my orders. I vill get you and your men out of there without, hopefully, any loss of life. Vhen I order to leave, none of you vill keep fighting. You vill listen to me and leave." At that time, Miller only understood one thing, the German man was serious and he knew it was an order he should follow. He just didn't know what would happen between then and getting to safety. He would never learn the true story, but he would know enough to make the rest fall into place.
The mission with him and the German man was a success. No one had died, which was good for Miller. But he was distracted as his men spoke with each other about what had happened. Miller didn't listen because he stood there by the fire, carefully looking in the direction they had ran from. There had been many German soldiers, but as he agreed, he had made them leave on the German man's orders. But that man still wasn't back. Was he giving them away? Or what else had happened? He didn't know, but he carefully kept his eyes on the barren street, wondering if that man would come back or not. Mellish thought he was crazy for waiting for a German soldier to show up, even if he had saved them. But Miller didn't really care.
"Captain." Miller turned his head when Upham spoke, and he nodded for him to speak, glancing back for a moment before finally sitting down with them all. It was getting late, they would need to rest soon and be ready for the morning. "I was wondering, why was a German man helping you? I know not...all are really bad but still. He was dressed in Nazi attire." He hesitated again for a moment, clearing his throat. "And what if he used that all to gain trust and he right now is giving away everything to them?"
Miller seemed to hesitate for a moment as he tried to answer but he wouldn't need to, because a voice spoke up. "Vell if it makes you feel better I'll change, and really I'm not going to give away the people I just saved to be killed. That is stupid." Miller turned his head then to see the German officer walking up. But something seemed wrong, because Miller noticed things... And he had a bad feeling as he stepped next to the fire and all of his men were looking at him. Upham moved to speak but before them all...they watched the German man drop to his knees and pass out...something was very wrong.
Wade looked quite discouraged as he looked over the wounds. They were bad, and not for show either just to get them to trust him. They were life threatening wounds, which in a second could take the German man's life. Miller watched as Wade became frustrated with what he was doing, while he fumbled with the cross in his fingers. He sighed a little, looking at it. The man had left it to him right before they entered the gates of where his men were being held, and said he would come back for it...and if he didn't it was no longer his. Miller wondered for a good moment why the man gave it to him, instead of mailing it off somewhere if he was that afraid of it going to waist. With a sigh he turned to Wade, "is he or is he not going to survive?" It was a simple question. Because how he saw it was that Wade could say he could save him or that he couldn't. And he knew despite being a medic, Wade really did not want to treat the man.
Wade looked at him.
"I could, but I don't know if he would in the end." He responded, frustration in his voice as he spoke then. Miller nodded a little at that, he had to make a decision before he heard the German's voice.
"Don't vaste resources on me." Miller looked at him.
"You say that so simply after these men owe you their very lives." Miller stated and stood up. The man's head turned to look at him. He chuckled then.
"No, don't. Vatch...by tomorrow they'll be scars. If the bullets are out that is."
"They are." Wade responded then, but he was confused on how the man could get better so quickly. As was Miller but he just nodded calmly and sat back down then, calling out.
"Everyone get some sleep! We start a long walk tomorrow!" He then looked at the German, "so we need to have a little talk about things, don't you think?" The German looked at him calmly as he lay there.
"Of course ve do."
They sat up for a long time talking about this and that before Miller finally decided it was time to rest. Some of the other men they saved had offered to take watch so he agreed, as to not have to worry for one night. For once he was a little bit relaxed. He glanced over to the German man, who remained silent as he stared at the night sky. "You also have to rest you know, it can't be just me." There was a glimmer of amusement in the German's eyes.
"I might, or maybe not. Vho knows." He responded then and kept staring up at the sky. "I'm too vorried to sleep, and I von't hold you all back so it's fine. Just rest yourself Captain Miller." Miller blinked a little bit then he cleared his throat.
"Why are you worried? I mean the day is over and you said you did what you were supposed to...so now why are you getting worried all of the sudden?" There was a long pause and the air seemed to be tense for a few moments before the German spoke and looked over at him.
"Because I have betrayed my country, and I fear for my older brother." He whispered then. Honestly Miller did not think that he could be so quite from how he normally spoke.
"You have an older brother fighting out there somewhere then?" The German man sighed softly.
"Actually near here...once they get vord I switched sides they'll probably take him in to use against me...but knowing him he'll yell at me if I let it get to me..." He shook his head. "But I can't lose him...so that is vhy I am vorried." Miller was silent for a good long moment before he cleared his throat a little bit.
"What would you do if that happened?" There was a long pause before the man spoke once more, but his voice was something that Miller could not even hear. But then he heard:
"I vould die trying to save him." Miller closed his eyes slowly at that.
"...would you sacrifice the lives of others then as well?"
There was a small chuckle. "He vould never forgive me if I did...so...I vould not..." He rolled over then and whispered something in German. Miller did not know what he had said but...all he did know was moments later the German man was asleep...but his sleep was not without unease and pain. Miller found he could not sleep for the rest of the night...
Miller was aware that morning was coming as he opened his eyes. He didn't remember going to sleep, but he remembered speaking to the German man. When he rolled over the man was not there but rather he was running down the street. His wounds were bandaged heavily, but that didn't seem to stop him. He carefully began to stand up then and he watched him. The man would finish a lap, do five push-ups with one hand, three sit ups, get up and keep running. It was a cycle that he kept doing until the sun rose. When it rose he pulled off the white tank top that was stained with blood and sweat among dirt and grime. Through the bandages it was easy to see a six pack and all of the mans muscles. Miller then slowly walked over to him. "So, did you even rest last night?" The man lifted his head and a smile broke out.
"Vell yes but I voke up two hours ago." He responded calmly. Miller blinked.
"And you were working out since then?" He questioned carefully.
"Ja."
"I think you should be resting though." Miller said then as he walked over to the ex-German soldier. "Yesterday you had life-threatening wounds." He said then he crossed his arms at him.
The German man blinked a little bit before carefully he looked at the captain then he patted his head a little bit. Miller blinked at that and carefully looked at him. "What are you doing?" He questioned and then the German blushed.
"Sorry!" He said then moved back quickly, eyes wide. Miller blinked at the negative reaction before he watched him run off then to continue training.
"...what is wrong with him..." He whispered then, watching him...but he saw the sadness in the man's eyes. "...he acts so nice and friendly...but he freaks out at the simplest moment."
"Maybe he doesn't trust us, or he's giving himself away that he's not helping us." Mellish said then. Miller could only sigh at those words. He knew Mellish didn't like the German. After all he wasn't all that...happy with the German people. Honestly Miller didn't blame him but...it did put a slight damper on things. Miller sat back down then and carefully began to watch the German as he trained. His eyes closed for a slight moment or two. He had to think things through at the moment. A lot was making him uneasy about the situation, mostly being his men's little trust in the German man. He then cleared his throat as he thought.
"Can you give us your name?" He noticed there was a pause but he opened his eyes to see the German looking at him calmly.
"Ludvig." He responded calmly. "That is my name." His bright blue eyes calmly seemed to look over them all for one moment. He cleared his throat a little bit then and glanced away.
"Is there something that you need to say Ludwig?" Questioned Miller then carefully.
"...no nothing."
The rest of the day passed slowly. They were not attacked thankfully, and they decided to rest for the whole day. A lot of them were exhausted and if they kept going like this it could easily make them slower and less able-bodied. Which would only put them in dangerous positions. But not everything was so fine and well. "You know, by leaving they'll really think you sold us out." Miller stepped out of the shadows as he approached Ludwig with extreme caution. The ex-soldier for the German army slowly glanced back at him for a moment and he stared at him before he sighed softly.
"I'm not vanted, and it's dangerous for me to leave." He shook his head slowly. "Honestly I can not vin lately can I?" Miller sighed and put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a good squeeze.
"You can stay you know, it will just take a while for them to get used to you. My men and I owe you for what you did, you can stay as long as we find out you are not plotting against us or something like that." Miller looked at him calmly. "So for now stay with us, alright?" He slowly and hesitantly gave the lightest sign of a smile as he looked at Ludwig. It was strange how he trusted this man, it really didn't seem right that he did. Yet, here he as, giving this man a smile when he hardly knew anything about him.
Ludwig then looked at him and lightly took his hand, then looked into his eyes for a moment. "You know captain Miller. You're a very observing of everything around you, but sometimes you miss the few key details that you need to understand." He closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, you kind of do owe me, I admit, but that under no reason says I have to stay...I vill be back. Not to kill or harm, but for my own reasons." He looked at his necklace then removed it as he had gotten it back earlier that day. He carefully put it over Miller's neck, the cross seeming to catch the light of that around them. "And I say that on my honor as vell as my vord I vill come back for that cross. My brother is in trouble...I have to make sure he stays safe...and that you stay safe...stay near here. I'll be back soon. Three days at tops I vould say. And then I'll help you again, as I did promise my old friend I would." Miller lightly touched the necklace and looked at it before he looked at Ludwig.
"You make no sense to me but if you have to protect him then get going." He said then and turned around. "And come back with nothing weighing your heart down or I won't have you back here at all."
"...something will always weigh my heart down if I'm here Miller." Miller seemed to pause at that and he carefully glanced over at him then.
"And why is that?" He murmured softly then. Ludwig turned back to look at him and with a charming smile he responded.
"Why? Why, because you are here Captain Miller."