A/N: Glad to see everyone is still hanging in there!

The last chapter was kinda crummy, but it'll get better, I promise! Now the good stuff is happening! Woot!

Enjoy!

Klara awoke early the next morning and wasted no time getting ready for the day. She had no idea when Kurt would be returning to take her to lunch but wanted to make sure that everything was in order before it was too late. As soon as she was dressed she made her way to the bookcase in her living room and pushed it to the side, stepping in quickly and flipping on a light in the corner. The family staying with her had been fast asleep but slowly began to rouse at her abrupt appearance. Klara moved over to Edith, who looked mildly alarmed, but quickly shook her head and motioned for her to stay calm.

"You. Stay. Quiet." Klara said gently, using her hands to emphasis what she was saying. "It is very important." Edith seemed to understand what Klara was telling her and nodded. "And do not, under any circumstances, leave this room until I say so." Klara continued on slowly. Edith's alarm level grew again but Klara waved her hands to cut her off when she began speaking rapidly. "Relax. It is only precautionary. Everything will be alright if you do as I say."

Once Edith agreed, Klara left again to do an extensive sweep of the house and make sure there were no remnants of the recent visits she'd had with Donny. Some of her apprehension dissipated once she was satisfied that there was no evidence of what had been happening in her home. Finally she reached into the cabinet drawer and produced the picture of her, Landa, and Kurt before placing in plain view on her coffee table.

Everything will be fine, Klara thought reassuringly to herself. Nothing will go wrong. You will make it through this.

When Kurt appeared on Klara's doorstep just after eleven o'clock to take her to lunch, she could tell from the grin plastered on his handsome face that his night with Emmerich had gone entirely too well, just as she'd feared. She returned the smile, albeit half-heartedly so, and quickly closed and locked the door behind her before Kurt could have the chance to go inside.

"Alright." Klara said as she turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Speak your mind, brother."

Kurt grinned at her for a moment longer before taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his elbow to escort her down the porch to the waiting car. "I think Emmerich would be a very good match for you." He said plainly.

Klara couldn't stop the roll of her eyes as he helped her into the car. "I thought you might." She confessed once Kurt had joined her in the vehicle. "But he is a pest to the highest degree – I refuse."

When Kurt turned his gaze on her he stared at her with an unreadable expression that made her feel a little uncomfortable. He sternly instructed the driver to take them to a café she knew to be located near the military base before addressing her again. "Klara, you are nearing twenty five and you do not yet have a husband, nor any in the making. It is time for you to settle down and Emmerich is a fine soldier with high ambition. I insist you accept his advances."

"No." Klara said simply.

"This is not a mere suggestion, Klara." Kurt said sharply, surprising her with the ferocity of his tone. She looked at him with wide eyes, noting that the expression on his face was all business and that he was not about to be denied. "This is an order. How do you think it looks on my part that my only sister, the sister of a widely known officer, has not only fled from Germany but is also unmarried?"

This was what had been scaring her about her brother ever since their parents had passed away – he cherished her as a sister and as one of his only remaining family members, but in an instant he could easily forget that she was one of the few people he had left and would gladly turn on her if it meant that his demands and wishes would be met. And though his words just now would have been enough to anger her and bring forth and argument between the two of them on any other day, his demeanor right then let her know that she needed to choose her words carefully.

"Kurt, brother…" She started gently, "I did not flee Germany. You know this."

Kurt didn't even bat an eye and the hard look remained etched into his features. "Of course, but others do not."

"And you would choose the opinions of others over the happiness of your flesh and blood?" Klara asked him a bit more snippily then she'd intended, her emotions getting the better of her.

Kurt only smirked and grabbed her roughly by the arm, yanking her towards him. "You will be with Emmerich." He instructed icily. "And you will marry him. Even if I have to drag you to the alter myself."

Then he shoved her away and Klara had to blink back tears as she was slammed hard against the door of the car. The driver never once did anything to interfere with what had transpired between Klara and her brother, who seemed unremorseful for how he'd treated her, and she was not at all surprised to see Emmerich waiting for them when they arrived at the café some ten minutes later. Kurt eyed her sternly for another moment before plastering on a fake grin as he stepped out of the car – she had no choice but to slip her hand into his when he reached down to help her from the vehicle and Klara had to do her best not to wince when he squeezed her fingers in a vice grip.

"Klara, Kurt, I am so happy to see the both of you." Emmerich greeted enthusiastically, blissfully unaware of the tension that lingered between the two siblings.

"Emmerich, good afternoon." Kurt greeted suavely.

Then, as Klara nodded to Emmerich politely, Kurt passed her hand over until it was resting within Emmerich's grasp.

She knew that she would have bruises where Kurt had grabbed her and form hitting the door, but neither injury could compare to the pain that she felt emotionally as soon as Kurt had made that one subtle movement. In that moment he had given her away to Emmerich, and without so much as a care to what she wanted. Klara knew then that any part of the brother she had once known and loved was gone forever – Kurt was a cruel, unforgiving stranger. He was dangerous and she knew she needed to escape him. She just didn't know how.

Her mind raced chaotically throughout the entire lunch and she didn't even bother trying to participate in the conversation taking place. What would happen now? Would Kurt force her to marry Emmerich and then have her carted back to Germany? The thought of it made her want to scream and cry and run for the hills all at the same time and it was all of her self-control to hide the torrent of emotions raging within her. Leaving France would not only mean leaving behind everything that she'd built over the past year, but also Donny.

Klara almost lost it again when his face flashed through her mind. He would never understand or forgive her if he were to find out she'd left both him and France to go back to Germany with her Nazi husband. He'd hate her and if they ever met again, he'd probably kill her.

She needed a way out. And desperately.

Three nights later, after playing host to both Kurt and Emmerich for the past two days, she was relieved to receive a note from Kurt that informed her he would not be able to visit her that night. She had been very careful around the both of them, not wanting to encourage Emmerich while also trying to hold her ground against her brother the best that she could, but she didn't know how long she could keep up her struggle. She was afraid, terrified really. How much longer could she stand up to Kurt before he would become so frustrated with her that he resorted to more violence? And how badly would he hurt her the next time around?

When it was very late in the night, Klara slipped out of the study window and headed in the direction of the clearing with a new note for Dieter clutched in her hand. Someone on her side needed to know what Kurt was trying to do and she felt that now, more then ever, would be the time to get the family to safety.

Walking the streets again and heading to the clearing was quickly making her feel more and more like herself then she had for the past three days while dealing with Kurt and Emmerich. She relished at the feel of the cool night air on her face and the familiar adrenaline pumping through her veins, and suddenly found herself hoping that she might run into Donny at the clearing. It had been days since she'd seen him (because her flower pot had constantly been in her window to warn him away) and truth be told, she missedhim desperately.

The same questions that had been circling her mind the past few days raced through her thoughts again – should she tell him about Kurt and his plans for her and Emmerich? Should she finally come clean about her secret mission? She had always known that the truth, both about her and her brother, would come out in due time but now the situation had become much more serious then it had been previously. Her hope was that Donny would have advice for her, or maybe a solution…assuming he didn't bash her head in for having a brother that was the right hand man of Standartenführer Hans Landa.

Klara reached the clearing in no time and did a quick sweep of the area, feeling disappointed when there was no hint of anyone else's presence. She frowned for a moment before sneaking towards the tree to feel around in the hole used for messages. For a brief second she was excited to feel a note waiting for her, thinking it might be from Donny, but then frowned again when she realized it was the note she'd left for Dieter the night before Kurt had arrived.

Fear shot through her – why hadn't he come to check on the family yet? What if he was hurt? What if he'd been caught?

"Kinda chilly out here, don't ya think?" A voice asked suddenly, yanking her from her troublesome thoughts.

Klara whipped around in surprise and pressed her back against the tree. The voice wasn't one that she recognized, nor was the accent, and she quickly began devising a way to escape this stranger without getting herself shot. But then it registered in her mind that the voice had spoken in perfect English and did not have a European accent of any kind. Perhaps, she found herself praying, he was one of the Basterds.

"Who is there? Show yourself." She said firmly, straightening up a bit.

"Ya sure are German, ain't ya?" The man asked with a slight chuckle before stepping out from behind a tree and coming into view some seven feet away to her left. "If I'm assumin' correct, yer Klara."

Klara studied the mysterious man for a moment, noting the mustache on his lips and the hat sitting crookedly atop his hair. He was wearing dirty looking military clothes that reminded her of Donny's usual garb and had a large knife strapped to his hip. When the moonlight broke through the trees, illuminating the clearing, Klara spotted a large scar stretching across the skin of his neck. She knew in an instant exactly who she was speaking to.

"Aldo the Apache."

He nodded once, staring at her for a moment before walking towards her slowly. "So yer the woman keepin' ol' Donowitz up at night..." He commented idly, letting his gaze trail over her form. She stood with her chin jutted up as he walked a circle around her before coming to a halt directly in front of her. She was intimidated by him but refused to show it. "I can see why." He said before holding out a hand and surprising her with a pleasant smile. "Aldo." He introduced.

Klara regarded his hand for a moment before sliding her hand into his and shaking it slowly. "Klara."

"Are ya afraid of me, Klara?" Aldo asked her, cocking his head to the side as he rested his hands on his hips.

"No." She said, though it wasn't entirely true.

"Surprising. Most Germans are."

"I am not surprised to hear this." Klara said with a smirk before watching as Aldo reached for the notes in her hand. "Information for a friend." She said simply, handing them over to him without argument.

"Yeah, I know. Donny brings 'em to me whenever a new one pops up." Aldo said without looking at her, unfolding the letters to read them. "Though half the time they don't make a lick'a sense." He added with a smirk. "Kinda like this one…" He commented, holding up the note informing Dieter of what Kurt's attempts to force Emmerich on her.

"If it is anything of concern to you, I tell Donny." Klara said quickly. The last thing she wanted to do just then was have a lengthy conversation with Aldo the Apache about the fact that her Nazi brother was trying force her into marriage with a fellow Nazi. Aldo would probably cut her throat right then and there. "Is he here?" She asked hopefully, searching around in the surrounding darkness again.

"Actually, I just saw him off to go see you." Aldo informed her as he folded up the note and reach up to place it in the tree's nook.

Klara couldn't help but feel excited at this news and nodded. "May I take my leave then? I would very much like to see him."

"Sure. But one more thing before ya go…" Aldo said, rubbing his mustache thoughtfully. "Donny's the best I got. And since he trusts ya so much I'm willin' to trust ya, too." Then his expression turned very serious and almost made her want to squirm. "But if anything happens to him or any of my men because of you, anything at all…by God woman I will break every bone in yer German body before I kill you myself."

Klara blinked at him in surprise before nodding slowly. "Understood."

Aldo then smiled brightly in a way that contradicted his frightening threat, and nodded. "Good. Now go."

She took a few steps away from him, happy to put space between them, before pausing and turning to face him once more. "Aldo." She started, gathering his attention once more. "May I keep Donny with me until morning? I have something very serious to discuss with him."

Aldo frowned and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Will I hear of this serious discussion?"

"I assume yes."

He heaved, not looking all that happy with her request, before nodding. "Fine. Tell him to be back at dawn."

"Thank you." Klara said before rushing off.

She could hardly keep herself from running back to her home knowing Donny was waiting for her there. She had no idea how he would take the news of her brother and Emmerich, or if she was about to sign her death certificate in her own blood for unveiling the truth, but she couldn't afford to delay anymore. And there was no better time to tell him then right then.

As soon as she turned onto the alley by her house, Klara spotted Donny standing on the corner and looking a bit confused. She smiled to herself as he scratched his head and peaked around the corner, obviously looking for her, before heading towards him.

"Donny!" She hissed.

He jumped about a mile in the air before turning to her with wide eyes. Once he realized it was her though he smiled and relaxed, coming to meet her halfway. "What are ya doing out here, blondie?" He asked her quietly.

Klara just smiled once she reached him and pulled him into a quick kiss that he happily responded to. "I went to the clearing to leave a message." She explained, pulling away from him to move the crate back into place underneath her window. "Oh…I met Aldo, by the way." She added off-handedly as she stepped up onto the crate and pushed the window up to sneak back inside.

"What?" Donny asked in surprise. "You met Aldo? What happened? Are you alright?" He questioned, sounding highly disconcerted by the idea of her running into his commanding officer.

"Of course I am. He knew who I was the moment he saw me." Klara reassured him as she easily hoisted herself up through the window. "Follow me." She instructed over her shoulder as she crawled through.

Once she was inside she turned to wait for Donny as he followed her lead. As soon as he was in the house he turned to close the window, then faced her again with a frown on his handsome face. "Continue." Donny urged, crossing his arms.

Klara shrugged at him. "Nothing substantial happened." She said simply. "We spoke for a moment, he threatened me with death should anything happen to you because of me, and then sent me on my way, but only after I got him to agree to let you stay until dawn." She explained.

The devilish smirk that appeared on his face was instantaneous. "Until dawn?"

Klara nodded in confirmation, knowing what the look on his face meant but also knowing that there were important things that they needed to discuss. "We need to speak though."

Donny, however, only seemed to have one thing on his mind. He ignored her statement and moved forward regardless, pressing his lips hungrily against hers to silence her. "Let's talk later. We don't get a lot of these opportunities, Klare." He said against her lips before kissing her even more eagerly. "I don't wanna waste one minute of the time I have with you."

Her heart sang at the nickname he'd given her and she found herself falling under his spell just as easily as she had on the only other night they'd made love. She knew she needed to tell Donny the truth about her family and what was going on, but what if he never spoke to her again after he knew? What if this was the last time she'd ever see him after this conversation? At least then she could have this one last night with him to remember him by.

Klara gave into him then and returned his kiss as she dug her fingers into his hair. Donny lifted her effortlessly into the air before carrying her out of the study they were currently in and heading towards her bedroom, never pulling his lips from her. She kissed him with everything that she felt for him, knowing these could be the last few kisses she would ever share with the man currently setting her on her bed gently, and clung to him like her life depended on it as they quickly became wrapped up in their passion and each other.

As soon as the sound of tweeting birds reached her ears and the sunlight forced her eyes open, Klara's heart dropped. It was dawn. She felt Donny shift and turned to look at him over her shoulder, feeling her heart skip a bit when his arm tightened around her waist and he sighed deeply in his sleep. The time had come to tell him the truth and for him to go back to his troop, where he would most likely then be ordered to never come near her again. This relationship, which she now realized was so much more meaningful then she'd wanted to admit, was about to reach its end.

It took all of her courage to finally speak. "Donny…" She said gently, running her fingertips over his arm.

He shifted again then groaned in protest. "No." He grumbled sleepily. "I'm not leavin."

"Donny, you must wake." She said firmly.

He blinked his eyes open slowly before moving a hand to rub the sleep out of them. But when he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder he frowned and ran a fingertip over the bruise he'd just brushed his lips over, inspecting her with calculating eyes. "I didn't see this earlier…what's it from?"

She looked away from him and bit her lip. Now or never. "My brother." She finally answered.

"What?" Donny asked. His voice had a dangerous edge to it and the ferocity of it surprised her. "Ya brother? What the fuck, Klare – is he what you wanted to talk about?"

Klara sighed and closed her eyes with a nod, tears rising underneath her eyelids. Wordlessly she held out her arm, the one Kurt had grabbed, for him to see. Donny was deathly silent and when she finally opened her eyes again, he was staring at her with a clenched jaw and a murderous gleam in his eye. "Tell me what's goin on. Now." Donny instructed as he sat up and stared down at her.

"My brother, Kurt…" She started to explain.

But Klara didn't get to finish her statement. A knock sounded on her front door at that moment and both she and Donny looked towards the noise quickly, their eyes widening in surprise. As the knocking continued she and Donny shared a look of confusion.

"One of your men?" Klara asked him as they both scrambled out of bed to dress quickly.

"Could be – " He began to say.

"Klara, open up!" Kurt's voice suddenly rang out.

Klara froze, her eyes going wide, and looked at Donny fearfully. "Sheisse, sheisse, sheisse!" She began cursing wildly in German.

Donny looked mildly panicked as she began hurriedly collecting anything he hadn't snatched up himself and shoving them into his hands, and when she began ushering him towards the bedroom door with the intent of forcing him into the secret room he finally grabbed her hands to bring her frantic movements to a halt. "Klara, who is it?" He hissed at her.

"My brother!" She said in a panic.

"What?" He asked viciously, looking very much like The Bear Jew she'd first met within a nanosecond. "He's a fuckin' dead man for hurting you." He growled.

Then he strode to the bedroom door and yanked it open himself, wasting no time to go striding for the door. When he snatched up his bat in the process Klara immediately went running after him.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Klara hissed as she grabbed him by the shoulder, shoving him hard towards the bookcase. Donny looked surprised at her strength then downright confused as she pushed the bookshelf aside. Kurt was still knocking on her door and Donny narrowed his eyes at her.

"What the fuck is going on?" He asked her quietly, looking highly upset with the situation at hand.

"Hide here. Please. Please hide in here. I will explain everything. Just hide! Please!" Klara pleaded with him quietly.

Donny glared at her for a moment before glancing towards the large picture resting on her coffee table. When his jaw dropped in absolute shock, her heart plummeted to the ground. "He's a fuckin' Nazi?!" He hissed at her ferociously. "And is that…is that…" He sputtered angrily, pointing to the picture furiously.

"I will explain. I swear." She said desperately.

Donny was so angry that is chest was heaving and he looked like his head may explode at any minute, but he didn't put up a struggle as she finally pushed him into the room with the hiding family. The fact that he was deathly silent in that moment worried her more then anything he could have possibly said just then but she had no time to worry about it right then. One of the Basterds was in her home while her Nazi brother was about to break down the door – she had to get him to safety.

Klara finally slid the bookshelf closed again then hurried to answer the door and face her brother, dreading what would happen whenever she finally released Donny from the hidden room.

A/N: Review!