I am so sorry for the wait guys. I had this chapter done a while ago but due to some technical difficulties it had been deleted...but here it is and I actually like this version a little better...the ending is definitely more suspenseful. Oh and about my German translation...I am sorry if it isn't completely correct...I umm...I do the translation by hand because I have a friend who is taking German in school and she's kinda tutoring me...soo...if they aren't exactly correct please forgive me!

Anyway please enjoy the story and review!

Chapter Three

I must admit that if I had my choice when it came to rooms I would choose the living room. It was so wide and open that if gave the whole house a sort of warmth. Strange, warmth was never something I had incorporated with the term Nazi. A warm fire crackled in front of a large, blood, red sofa. I jumped slightly as Hans approached me from behind and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders.

"Would you like some tea, or maybe some coffee?"

"No thank you, Hans." I said gently. "Could I just have a glass of water?"

"Of course." Hans said walking away. "Please, make yourself comfortable."

I knew that meant sit down but I could not resist taking a stroll through his sitting room. I knew that this qualified as being nosy, but how could I make myself comfortable when I did not really know the home I was in. All I really got to see was the bedroom and when I came in here I was so out of it that I didn't even remember coming through this room…as a matter of fact, where was Hans's front door?

"Gabrielle?"

I quickly moved from the fireplace's mantel and went back to the couch. It was strange how quickly I could walk now that I had food in my system and wasn't coated in a layer of filth. I accepted my water gratefully and began sipping from the glass. The cool water made contact with my throat and I felt myself sigh in pleasure. I have not had anything to drink since I came here; it was nice to be able to quench this horrible thirst of mine!

Before I knew it my glass was completely empty. I pulled the glass back and looked around for a water basin.

"My, you were thirsty!" Hans exclaimed. "Would you like another glass?"

"No thank you, Colonel." I said formally.

His lips pursed, I knew I had made a mistake…but I really did not care to remedy it right now.

"You are welcome Frau Blanc." (Mrs. Blanc)

I felt my teeth grit together. I knew that he had done that just to press my buttons; Hans knew that I was not married. But that wouldn't keep me from telling him myself.

"Nein, nein. Nicht geben Frau Blanc, es keine Frau Blanc hier." (No, no. Not Mrs. Blanc, there is no Mrs. Blanc here.)

Hans smiled devilishly at me, as if I had just revealed to him some great truth. I didn't smile back; I actually didn't know what kind of expression to make. Smiling back seemed too much like flirting, scowling seemed to cruel, not really having any expression…well then a person just looked like an airhead.

"Ja, Ja," he laughed.

Now I could not resist smiling...his laugh, it was just so…enjoyable. How can such a murderous man seem like such a kind and just person?

"I am just teasing you, Gabrielle."he said placing his hand on my shoulder. "It's all in good fun, yes?"

I nodded and went to the sofa as he had instructed before. Slowly I lowered myself down onto the cushion. My legs were still sore from the severe beating I had received a day ago and it hurt to bend my knees.

"Do you know what I just realized?"

"Non."

"You have eaten, bathed, and I still have not given you the pain medication one of our doctor's prescribed." he made his way towards the staircase. "I apologize Gabrielle, I had completely forgotten."

I watched as Hans disappeared upstairs and as he did so I turned to the fire. The flames crackled happily and I watched as one of the embers popped. I didn't really know what to think at this moment…I had so many questions reeling through my head. Some that would be answered by Hans, some that could not be answered by Hans…and some that I would never dare ask Hans! What would happen after this? How was I expected to resume living after what just happened? It just seemed to be so impossible to return to normalcy…everyday I would be looking over my shoulder always wondering if someone would be coming up from behind to hurt me!

Something so simple just seemed far too complicated. I could no longer imagine me in my own kitchen making myself supper, I couldn't see me sitting in my living room alone without someone being their to protect me. I did not want to go there and be alone, and I curse myself for not setting out after a husband sooner. All those times my colleagues at the school had flirted with me and I just brushed it off…now I severely wish I had taken them up on that offer.

When Mr. Goetz, head of the Reading Department, had asked me out for lunch I should have said yes. Granted that he was a German soldier…but I was lodging with one now so what did I care? When the single male parent of one of my choral students chose to flirt with me, I should have returned the gesture.

I liked to think that before this incident that I was somewhat pretty, I could have had a man by now. However, because I was so damn particular I thought I would have plenty of time. After all I am only twenty; usually women of my age are just starting their relationship.

It was strange; you never really realized how much you missed in life until you actually gave it some serious thought. And why was it that when you thought about things you just recently lost it triggered memories of things you had lost or given up n the past. No, I wasn't going to think about my past…I didn't want to; thinking about the past was severely unhealthy.

"Here you are, Gabrielle," Hans said, interrupting my thoughts. "Would you please hold out your arm for me?"

I complied, it was an injection…lovely…nothing made my day more then have a subcutaneous liquid flowing through my veins. He rolled up the sleeve of his black shirt and sterilized the injection site. Taking a deep breath I braced myself for the pain. Inserting the needle did not hurt; it was the liquid going into your arm that hurt like Hell.

"Ow…ow…ow…" I breathed.

"Now, now, that was not so bad was it?"Hans asked pressing gauze firmly to the place where the needle hit me. "Dr. Adler said that you may experience some fatigue, but it is nothing to worry about. However, before you become too out of it we need to have a serious discussion."

I knew that this was coming, there was no way to avoid it…but that did not change the fact that I really did not want to have this conversation.

"To catch the men that did this to you I must know exactly what happened. You must be very precise. No fact is too miniscule and if you think that something is irrelevant it probably isn't. Do you understand?"

"Oui." I said with a nod.

"Okay to do this you will see me writing down various things you say. I promise that these are for my personal reference only and I can assure you that no one other than me will look at my notes."

I nodded to confirm and assure him that I did in fact understand.

"Now as unbelievable as it may be I prefer writing in English over writing in German or French, so if you would not mind I would appreciate us talking in English."

"Yes…I mean no I don't mind."

"Wonderful." Hans said in approval. "Now I want you to tell me a story…your story Gabrielle. You must paint me a picture… beautiful or horribly ugly."

"Ugly?"

"I mean whether or not you are a good enough artist to make me see it and feel what you felt."

"Oh."

Hans reached to the side and pulled out a tablet of paper. There was an inkwell sitting next to him as well as a very nice pen. He dipped it into the inkwell and scribbled something onto the paper.

"Okay when you are ready," he said briefly looking up. "Start from the beginning."

And I did…and just as he asked I did not overlook anything. I even told him what perfume I had worn that day. He smiled when I said that to me it smelled like roses. Well he said any miniscule detail could be considered important. I told him everything and yet it didn't seem like it was enough! I couldn't help but feel horribly stupid as we continued our conversation…how thick in the head was a person that could be followed for at least three miles and not even take notice to it.

"What did they say to you…after they had you on the ground?" he asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked, rather defensively.

"I don't know yet…I told you that anything that you can remember could be important."

I shook my head.

"This isn't…this isn't remotely important…can we just move on?"

Hans jotted down something on his tablet and shrugged his shoulders. I waited for his answer and for a moment that one minute of silence felt like it lasted an eternity.

"Continue." He said with s sigh.

My eyes closed briefly…I couldn't…how did he expect me to?

"Gabrielle?" Hans asked. "Go on."

"I don't know if I can, Colonel." I said weakly. "I wouldn't know how to start."

Hans nodded and cleared his throat.

"They ripped off your skirt yes?"

"Oui." I said, forgetting myself.

"Start there."

"They took my skirt off…and began slicing my legs-

-do you know what they cut you with?"

I swallowed hard. "It was just a knife."

"What do you mean by knife…was it a Swiss Blade, kitchen knife, steak knife…do you know?"

"I…I'd have to see it to remember it…It…was very sharp…I don't know Hans…I'm sorry…s-s-sorry."

Hans handed me a handkerchief which I gladly accepted.

"It is fine Gabrielle…we can find the knife. If you saw it you said you would know?"

"Yes."

"Well then some time this week we will go through every knife I own in this house until we find the one that matches." He scribbled on the paper. "Keep going Gabrielle."

"They used that same knife to rip my skirt down the middle-

-you just said that dear." Hans said, pointedly. "Please move on."

"S-Sorry Colonel." I stuttered, wiping my eyes. "He asked me what my name was."

"Did you tell him?"

"No, I spit in his eye."

Hans laughed, not because he was amused with my abuse…I think he was amused by the fact that I actually tried to fight back!

"Hem," he coughed straightening himself in his chair. "Continue."

"He used his knife and cut me…here." I said gesturing to my side.

Hans nodded, he had seen every wound from when he carried me to his car and into his home.

"And then?"

"Then…then nothing…they continued doing that until…until you came."

I knew that I was lying…I knew that Hans knew I was lying…so why was I lying?

Embarrassment, maybe?

Yeah pretty much. I was embarrassed to tell Hans that at the age of twenty I had lost my virginity to three men that I didn't even know like some common whore. He knew this…so there was no point in me telling him anymore. I did not want to verbalize it! For some bizarre reason, saying it was actually worse then thinking it.

"You are lying." He said, harshly. "I do not like liars."

"You know what happened next…you took me to your Dr. Adler; surely he could tell you what happened next."

Hans placed his notebook down.

"Dr. Adler cannot paint me your picture." He snarled. "Now I have been as patient as I could with you. So now, you have two choices. Either tell me the truth and allow me to help you…or leave and go home."

I stood from the couch, my temper to the point of boiling over. No one treated me like a child…Colonel or not it was my life and I would do whatever I bloody well pleased!

"Fine…then I will take my leave!" I spat.

I knew that I was only wearing his shirt, and that I really had no idea where his home was located…but when you are angry and upset you make foolish decisions you come to regret. You run out on a man that just wanted to help you in the first place and you say things that you don't mean like, "I don't need help from a Jew Hunter," and, "I wish you would have left me for dead!"

Yes these things do tend to come out when you are livid. Oh, and let us not forget the slamming of the front door as you storm out of the house and begin heading down a street you do not know. Wearing nothing more than a long dress top and a pair of man's underwear. No shoes on your feet…and tears in your eyes.

I was in a pickle…more then a pickle…I was fucked. I would go home…but how did I know those men weren't there waiting for me? And where was home from this location? I could not go to some hotel, my handbag was missing…I could not visit any relatives for I did not have any left…I sure as Hell could not go back to Colonel Landa's…he would probably shoot me down as soon as I walked inside.

What was I going to do, where was I going to go, why was the world starting to spin and blend together? I felt my legs quiver underneath me, but I continued to try and carry myself down the empty sidewalk. I wasn't going to pass out…God, my head was killing me! Had he poisoned me…had that bastard poisoned me while I was…was-

I sunk to my knees on the curb of the road and sat down. The street lights were blurring together and everything sounded like it had been submerged underwater. I was hot…and yet my feet were cold…sweat began to bead on my forehead and then slide down the back of my neck.

I could feel my heart against my chest, like it was trying to pump itself right out of my body. I couldn't just lay here, I…I had to get up. But even if I did get up…where would I go? Death seemed like a welcome mat…it was waiting for me to just wipe my feet on it and step through the door…

I looked up to see black spots begin to coat my blue eyes…it was so dark…and I was just so hot……….

I hope you enjoy the story, please Read and Review!

(no flames ;) )