A/N: Anyone who reads this will need to pay close attention to the dates. Very Important: Read The Dates.

Wilhelm Wicki

1944

"Well, chaps, this is us."

The Basterds exchanged a series of doubtful looks as they followed the British officer into the basement.

"You didn't say nothin' 'bout no basement," Aldo said, casting a weary glance around the well lit, empty room.

"This isn't the rendezvous point," Hicox quirked a brow, "I'm just here to introduce you to the bomb makers…assuming you want to meet them, of course."

"'Course we do!" The lieutenant snapped, "don't we fellahs?"

A chorus of "Yes sir," was heard, and the Southern man motioned for Archie to go on. With an eye roll, he went into a side room. The door was closed behind him, and only the faint sounds of voices were heard, indistinguishable.

"We're we supposed to follow or what?"

"Shut up and be patient, will ya Donowitz?"

"Yes, sir."

A moment past before the door opened, and a woman was ushered out. Her sharp gaze flickered over the men as she wiped her oiled hands on her apron. It lingered on Wicki a moment longer than the rest, smirking at his shocked features with a raised brow.

"Nora?"

"And here I thought you'd forgotten me, Wilhelm."

Archie cleared his throat awkwardly, as the men around him began to mutter. "I was unaware you two were acquainted, Mrs. Osborn."

"Well," Her dark blue eyes set on the officer's, "I was unaware that you were bringing a brigade of men into my lab, Mr. Hicox."

"Mrs?" Wicki spat, glaring at her accusingly, "You're married?"

"Widowed, actually." Keeping her tone even was surprisingly easy for her, and Nora ground her teeth as he scoffed at her.

"Lucky."

"Wicki…" Aldo said, shooting him a disapproving glance as the flushed woman composed herself, "now Mrs. Osborn, I'm sorry if my men have said or done anything to offend you-"
"It's fine." She sighed, swallowing her pride as she shook her head, "I shouldn't of allowed myself to be baited like that." Again, her subconscious teased.

There was a tense pause.

"Well…you make the bombs?"

Nora's dark eyes set on Omar, and a tight smile drifted to her lips as she nodded. "That's right."

"Can I see how?"

Donny smacked the boy upside the head as Aldo barked, "Ulmer!"

"Of course." The woman gestured towards the room, "it's a rather simple process."

Leaving the men in a stunned wake, the two disappeared.

"I don't trust her."

"Why not?"

"I know her."

"Yeah, we picked up on that," Aldo rolled his eyes at Wicki. "Why the hell not? She an ex-girlfriend, er somethin'?"

"Not exactly," He sighed, "She's an anti-Semitic."

"Oh…well-"

Wilhelm took a deep breathe, "it means she doesn't like Jews."

"Well," A lopsided grin made its way onto the lieutenant's face, "does she like Nat-zis?"

"Apparently not." He admitted, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Then she's jus' fine in my books."

1925

Her fingers caressed the spine of a book, almost lovingly, as her eyes flickered over various titles.

"Looking for anything specific, m'am?" his tone sounded anxious, even to his own ears, and his face reddened at his dismissal.

With out so much as glancing at him she answered, "no, thank you."

"Oh, very well." Wicki went to turn away from her, but froze at the sound of her voice.

"You're in my biology class, aren't you?" She still wasn't looking at him.

"Yes, yes I am."

The young woman, no more than eighteen, offered her hand. "Nora."

"I know, Wilhelm." This seemed to catch her attention, and as he grasped her hand.

"Oh?" She asked, a fine brow raised.

"Well, you are the only woman in the class."

"Oh," a soft flush drifted across her cheeks as she nodded, dark hair bobbing, "right."

"I think you make the professor a bit uncomfortable."

"Is that so?" Doubt filled her voice and he could practically feel her second guessing the decision to speak to him.

"Well, elderly men typically aren't very comfortable discussing sexual reproduction with a beautiful woman in the room."

The compliment didn't go unnoticed, simply unacknowledged as she teased, "But he is with a group of young men? Odd."

Smirking, she trailed her finger down another spine as she floated aimlessly down the aisle. He followed absent mindedly, completely entranced by the soft swish of her skirt.

"Is that your major?"

"No."

Wicki cleared his throat, "oh."

"Is it yours?"

"As a matter of fact it is."

Nora turned to face him, leaning against one of the book shelves. "Someone's cocky."

"Maybe a little." His brown eyes took in her curves as she laughed. "So. What is your major?"

"Chemistry with a minor in physics."

"Really?"

"Don't sound so shocked, one day there will be plenty of women in the sciences." The woman assured him, part of her mouth quirked upward.

Wicki smiled at her, enjoying her confidence, "hopefully that's not just wishful thinking."

"Hopefully." She agreed.

He smirked now, leaning on the shelf next to her, "because I like my women educated."

Again the implication was heard but not acknowledged as Nora licked her lips. "I think you're the only one."

"That's fine," he shrugged, "more women for me than."

A surprised giggle came from her throat, and the pair grinned at each other. "Well. That is looking on the bright side, isn't it Wilhelm?"

The young man smiled at the sound of his name, "I like to think of it as optimistic."

1944

Optimistic. Wicki scoffed, standing the door way as the men around him filtered off to find a place to sleep. Foolish would've been more accurate. Their meeting had led to sitting in class together (much to the disapproval of the professor, who liked to keep the young woman in the back regardless of how bright she was), to studying together to eventually well, being together. More often the latter two overlapped, and though he hated to admit it now, those were probably some of the best days of his life.

That is until fate, her father and Edmund got in the way.

Sighing, he dawdled in the doorway, not completely ready to commit to going down stairs yet. Not that he was exactly welcome in her lab any way.

Nora had lived the woman scorned life for over five years before she met her husband. And even then she made him go through the ringer before she let him into her bed. She spun the wedding band that still graced her finger, biting her lip as he appeared in her doorway.

Wicki's eyes dropped to her hand, narrowing them slightly, he asked. "What was his name?"

"Robert Osborn."

"You loved him?"

"Eventually, yes, I did." Her head dipped in a quick nod, and her blue eyes set on him. "Find yourself a nice all-American girl, did you?"

"No." It was low, like a confession. Wilhelm ground his teeth at the weakness in his own tone, "there was no one else."

"Pity." She said, keeping her voice impassive even though she cared more than she should have. He knew it, too.

"If you loved him like you say, I'm sorry he died." Guilt was fantastic card to play, but it troubled him that a small part of him meant it. "Do-do you have any children?"

She went back to spinning the ring, "No. Not extra the best time to have them…being in the middle of a war and all."

"Right."

An awkward silence loomed over them. But Wicki supposed it was better than the bitter tension that he had left her with.

1937

"So just like that, you're leaving?!"

"It's not like I want to! It's not safe here any more!" He snapped, closing his suitcase as her blue eyes regarded him with malice from the door way.
"You fucking coward."

"Coward? You think I'm a coward because I'm not gonna let myself be loaded into some truck-"

"I think you're a coward because you're not willing to try and fight! For anything!" Nora screamed, tears welling up faster than she wanted them to, "You're just running away like a child!"

"I'm the child? You're the one whose naïve. You think anything one man could do could change this? What's happening?" He said; his voice a cold mask of condescending and anger.

She shook her head, and some of her brown hair slipped from the bun. "You could at least try, don't you owe your people that? Your family?"

"I have no family."

"I'm your family." Her tone was weak, sad, and it stopped him in his tracks as he went to brush past her.

"So that's what this is about? You?" Wilhelm snapped, glaring down at her as she shrugged.

"No. It's about you," her voice had a bite in it he hadn't heard before, "it's about you, you fucking coward." It was breezy, like an accustomed swear as hot tears fell from her eyes. "Go. Run off to America, find yourself a whore and have nice church wedding because I don't want you anymore." She shook her head again, "just try not to think about me while you're gone."

Nora wouldn't meet his eyes as his bored down on her, he said, "I wasn't thinking about you when you were here."

Red rimmed blue eyes gazed up at him, her bottom lip quivering slightly, and he knew he had won. And it saddened him.

"Just go."

"Nora-"

"I said go!" her palms shoved his chest roughly slamming him against the doorway as she glared up at him. "Get out, you fuckin' kike! Go! Go run off to America and forget what's going on here!"

Wicki's eyes narrowed at her and he left the door way, her last words lingering as he heard her murmur, "fucking coward."

1944

She couldn't say how long she stood there; staring into the empty apartment they had shared for years. Or how long she grieved him. Even now as he stood in front of her, Nora still did.

"So. Was it everything you expected?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Pretty much." Wilhelm shrugged, "they weren't very fond of me after the war broke out."

"Mhm."

"What?"

A head shake answered his question, and she shrugged as he moved a little furtherer into the room.

"Can I ask one more question before you send me from the room?"

"I suppose."

"Why'd you marry him? After everything you went through to get out of a marriage…"

"He was a good man. Loved me." Nora smiled softly, "and I wanted to."

1931

Her father smiled at her. "It's great isn't it?"

"That's not exactly the word I'd use." Her wide eyes looked from his grinning face to the man next to him. "I-I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to say, Nora! This is great! You can put all that silly schooling behind you and finally settle down!"

She continued to stare at them. "But I don't want to." Locking eyes with Edmund, she tried to assure him, "it's nothing personal, honest, it's just-"

"Cold feet." Her father shook his head, "think nothing of it darling, it will pass."

"I can provide for you," the other, older man took a seat across from her, his hand covering hers. "I've watched you grow up. You've become a beautiful woman, and I would make a good husband for you. Don't you want children? A family?"

"Yes of course, but-"

"But nothing." Her father insisted, her tone taking on an edge. "Edmund and I have already made the arrangement. It's agreed upon."

"But what about-"

A scoff came from the man. "If this is about your little Jewish boy, well, he'll just have to go."

"It's not just about him," A panicked sighed escaped her throat as she looked between them, "can't we discuss this?"

"There is nothing to discuss." Blue eyes looked down at her, "you will marry Edmund, end of story."

-

Days past, and Wicki hadn't so much as heard a word from her. It was concerning. He'd stopped by her house, but there was no answer. Hell, he even tried her parents' house, but her mother had dismissed him rather quickly.

Well, she wouldn't get away from him tonight. He was waiting on the steps of the lab when she spotted him.

"Wilhelm." Breathless tone, flushed cheeks, not meeting his eyes…

"What's wrong?"

Nora darted down the steps, moving past him she shrugged. "It's nothing."

He caught her arm, "don't lie to me, Nora, you're not good at that."

"You know Edmund?"

"Your father's business partner?" He asked, earning a nod from her, "what about him?"

"I'm-I'm," God this was so much harder when he was looking at her. "I'm supposed to marry him. This Sunday."

"What?" Wilhelm froze, holding her arm a little tighter. "What do you mean you're going to marry him?"

"It wasn't my idea," the woman muttered, "my father says-"

"Fuck your father! This has nothing to do with your father!" He snapped, "were you even going to tell me, or was I suppose to just show up at the wedding?"

"I don't want to."

Her shoulders shook under his hands as he grasped them, "then don't."

"I have to. It's been arranged." Nora's eyes looked up at him, helpless. "I'm sorry."

"Tell him no." his fingers dug into her shoulders, "tell him he can't have you-that you don't want him."

"I can't," Her voice cracked, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Wicki spat, "I'll show you sorry."

Shoving her back against the alley's concrete wall, Wilhelm captured her lips in a rough kiss. No way in hell another man was going to have the woman he loved. Had loved for years, would love for years. His hand curled under her skirt, pulling her panties down as her nimble fingers tugged on the collar of his jacket. Pushing it back, Nora moved from his hold, planting soft kisses on every bit of exposed skin she could see, feel, in the darkness.

A whimper escaped her throat as he slammed into her, making her take him in one thrust. Grinding her hips into his, she gently caressed his face as he cocked a leg over his hip.

No one seemed to notice the lovers' scandalous embrace as the street lamps flickered on.

Apart from the barbaric movement of their hips, the process was rather gentle. Her hands ran tenderly through his dark hair, Nora caressed his shoulders as he latched onto any inch of available skin, tears slipping from their eyes. It would only be a matter of time before she did this with someone else. A man she barely knew because her father disapproved of Wilhelm.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, brushing her fingers over his face as they slowed, "I'm so sorry."

"Tell him no."

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," He said, pulling out of her, "you're the one that will be miserable."

And he left her, cold and shamed in the alley.

-

Sunday came too quickly for his liking, and Wicki found himself drowning his sorrows with a bottle. His place was small, completely inappropriate for a family. He couldn't provide for her. His dad had left him the book shop when he died, a business that was stirring up very little profit in light of the depression, and his dreams of science were put on the back burner.

A cigarette hung off one hand as he took a swig from the bottle.

He didn't even hear the door open.

"Hi."

A brow arched at the girl in the door way. "Shouldn't you be at the church?"

"Well, yes," the eleven year old's head bobbed as she toed the carpet, "but so should you!"

"What?" Wilhelm stared at her. "Why?"

"To stop the wedding!" Ada shrieked, "you have to! Edmund is old!"

"That's not my problem," He grumbled, ignoring the child's crestfallen look. "Your sister should stop it herself."

"She tried, but papa got all mad and said he'd disown her and he'd lose the business and-"

He raked a hand through his hair, "Alright, I get it."

"So, you'll stop it right?"

"Why should i?"

Ada's shoulder's rose and fell in a familiar motion, "because you love her."

-

Spinning the veil in her hands, Nora paced the small back room as the curtains fluttered behind her. Frustrated, hurt, angry, all good words to describe her, and all terrible words to describe a bride.

"Ich hasse dich, vater."

"That's a little harsh."

The veil fell to the ground, and she looked to the open window to find him smirking in at her. Hopping onto the windowsill, he climbed through with ease. Wilhelm stopped at the sight of her. "You look beautiful."

Her dark brown hair fell on her shoulders, teasing the white material she was draped in.

"Thank you."

"Wanna go for a walk?"

"My-"

"Come on," his hand slipped into hers, and tugged it. "Just a walk."

Laughter bubbled up in her throat. "Just a walk? Minutes before I'm supposed to walk down the aisle?"

"Your sister won't disown you. You'll still have your family."

Nora stared at him a long time. "Let me change."

1944

His fingers brushed her cheek, leaving her to wonder when exactly he had gotten so close.

"I may never see you again." He whispered, keeping his eyes on her soft features.

A dry chuckle came from her, "so? Not the first time we've crossed this bridge."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're only sorry because you want to fuck me."

"Stop pretending you're mad, we both know you're just hurt." His lips brushed against the corner of her mouth. "It never would've worked."

"It worked for twelve years, Wilhelm." Nora shook her head, "I left my family for you, and you just left me."

"I had no home to bring you to."

She bit her lip, and pulled his hand from her face, "you were home."

Wicki's brown eyes swept over her pale features. "It would be one night, Nora. No one would know."

"I would." Nora said. "I know the concept of loyalty is a strange one to you, but I loved my husband."

"I never said you didn't."

"He's only been gone a month, I can't just dive back into bed with a man because he bats his eyes at me. It'd be disrespectful."

A sigh came from him. "I understand."

"Do you?" Skeptically, an eye brow rose.

He nodded, "there's been no one since you."

"It's not the same."

"I know."

Nora kissed his cheek, smiling slightly. "I do love you. Just…"

"Not like you used to." Wicki finished. "I love you, too, Nora."

Dropping a kiss to her forehead, he nodded, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

-

Word came the next night of his death. And it was like losing Robert all over again.