Hey, all! Just a few things before we get started:

This chapter starts about four years after the last chapter ends. I couldn't think of a good way to write this in. I wanted it to be starting a "year or two" after the last chapter (as a joke; since we're all SOM fans here, you probably understand), but I couldn't historically.

Second, I promise you that the first segment of this chapter has to do with the story. Don't give up hope!

Bill Sefton gunned the motor of his motorcycle, only vaguely looking at the Austrian countryside as it zoomed by. He knew it was a shame, for the country was world-renowned for its beauty. Then again, though, he had already been in several other countries, and sadly, he had seen them in much the same way, so, while it was a shame, it wasn't like it was anything new. Besides, getting to the Swiss border was the only thing that mattered now.

He knew that the rest of the men he had broken out of the prisoner-of-war camp with were dead. There was no way they couldn't be, after that ambush a mile out of camp. The only reason he had gotten away was because he was expert at holding his breath for long periods of time. This made it ten times more dangerous for him, though, because now all the German forces from the camp would be on his trail and his trail alone. If it weren't for the appointed safe houses, friendly families who had provided their homes as hiding places for escaped POWs as they made their way to places where they could make their way home. Home… Sefton's mouth watered just thinking about it. The lights on Broadway, a delicious New York strip-steak, a nice warm bed with feather pillows, just everything the old US of A had to offer.

Sefton pulled the piece of paper the last safe house had given him and unfolded it for the first time. He read the name of the next safe house to report to. Von Trapp? He had heard of him somewhere; it seemed like he had had something to do with naval warfare or something. Sefton checked where exactly the house was, and then pulled out a map he had lifted from one of the German officers and checked it. It wasn't too far from the border. If all went well, he should even be able to get there by dark. Of course, the chances of all going well weren't as high as he would like.

As if on cue, he heard an ominous roaring coming from behind him. He turned around to see a column of gray and tan and dark green coming up the road behind him. He quickly roared his motorcycle into life and sped down the road.

As he crested over one hill, he sighed with relief at the sight of strands of barbed wire strung over land obstacles. The border. Now, all he had to find was a way to cross it.

The roar of the motorcycles of the column behind him grew ever louder and closer.

Sefton quickly scanned the area around the border, looking for something to help him clear the barrier. His eye rested upon a grassy rise about two feet away from the barrier. If he could get enough momentum coming off that rise, he could easily jump the barrier and he would be practically home free.

He sped off the road and started throwing mud and grass into the sky as he made his way toward the rise. He sped off of it and made his way over the barrier. Unfortunately, he hadn't gotten enough momentum to clear the barrier entirely. The back tire of the motorcycle caught in the barbed wire and was shredded. The motorcycle flipped, sending Sefton sprawling into the barbed wire. He screamed in pain as the barbs ripped and tore at his flesh. Blood flowed freely at his wounds as he dug his way through the jungle of wire. At every move, more wounds were ripped into his skin. Finally making it out of the wire, he got up and started running as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast, considering the circumstances.

He could hear gunfire rattling off from the other side of the barrier, and he shrieked as he felt a line of hot lead sink into his leg. He instinctively dropped to one knee for a moment, but shot back up again and began limping toward the woods that could provide good cover for him, looming up in front of him. He plunged into the trees, running as far as his energy would allow him. He finally dropped down next to a large tree.

He took a large drink from his canteen and wiped his mouth. He brought his hand away from his mouth and gagged at the mix of blood, sweat, and water in his hand. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped away as much blood as he could from his mouth. He removed his ragged shirt and wiped away the blood there. He then rolled up his wounded pant leg and cringed at the sight of the bullet holes running up his leg, and it didn't get any better as he cleaned the blood away. He hoped that somebody at his next safe house wasn't squeamish; the wounds needed to be taken care of right away.

He checked the map again. According to the map, he could make the safe house right around sunset. In fact, it was just on the other side of the woods…

xxx

Liesl, Kurt, Friedrich, Brigitta, and Louisa came through the door, just beating the setting sun. They had just gone on their weekly trip to the movies. Father and Mother typically didn't let them go very many places by themselves, seeing as how they didn't live too far from the border, but they knew that their children needed a chance to be children, a chance to get away from all the worries that seemed to be plaguing the whole world as the time, so they had granted the request for this weekly excursion to the movie house.

They each took turns picking the movie they would see each week. The last time it had been Liesl's turn, they had gone to see Casablanca. She had immediately fallen in love with the story of the star-crossed lovers troubled by living in a Nazi-occupied area, with a love triangle thrown in for good measure. However, this week, it had been Kurt's turn, and in keeping with Kurt's usual tastes, they had gone to see the thriller This Gun for Hire. Those kinds of movies had never been Liesl's cup of tea, but she went to the movies anyway, because seeing one of those kinds of movies was better than not going to the movies at all.

Liesl hurried up the stairs, eager to get to her book. She had been reading Wuthering Heights for a week now, and she had been completely swept up in the story. She had pretty much given up on finding any kind of romantic love in her life, but she still knew that it was a wonderful thing to have in one's life, and if reading about Heathcliff and Catherine's love affair was the closest she was ever going to get to such a thing, well, it was better than nothing.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Letting her natural curiosity get the better of her, Liesl made her way to the banister in what she hoped was a discreet manner and watched as Father made his way to the door and opened it.

"Are you Mr. Sefton?" Father asked in a way that told Liesl who this was immediately. This was one of the men they had been hiding for about six months now. They were very interesting, but unfortunately, not the most couth. She was about to turn away when Father let the man in.

Liesl's breath caught in her throat. What felt like an electric surge made its way up her spine, leaving her with a warm, euphoric feeling. A beatific smile spread across her face as she stared at this bronzed, blonde-haired man.

As if he knew she was there, he turned and stared at her with his dark eyes. Their gazes seemed to meet in the center of the room and just lock there, staying there for all eternity.

Liesl wasn't sure what she was feeling, but she could make a good guess.

As I said earlier, please review! I don't care if it's long or short, good or bad!