Heyho dear readers!

I'm sorry this story is going so slowly, but thank you for all of your support and continued interest in it. At the end of the chapter I have some answers to reviews from not logged in readers – thank you so much, everyone who reviewed! You make my day and help me keep on track with my writing.

This chapter is from different points of view, and its also in past tense for a change. There are a few things revealed from Erik's past which might be upsetting or triggery, please see the end notes for detailed warnings as they are also spoilers.

Enjoy!


Pietro's POV, past tense

I have been looking forward to today, because uncle Erik and uncle Charles were visiting us!

They were visiting us two weeks ago for Shabbat dinner and we had so much fun. Uncle Charles is really nice, I'm glad uncle Erik found him.

Uncle Erik was always a little sad before and now he laughs a lot more and he looks at uncle Charles like papa looks at mama. When Wanda asked if they would be having children, too, uncle Charles blushed but said that yes, if everything worked out, they would.

And uncle Erik had laughed and kissed uncle Charles then.

And today they were visiting again, and even coming earlier so we could have a whole day together not just the evening!

That was really great.

Mama wasn't awake yet when Wanda and I jumped on the bed of the parents. She often isn't awake yet when Wanda and I wake up, and then she makes these funny little noises which are meant to be shushing, I guess. But because she mumbles and is still half asleep you can't really understand it.

But that's no problem, papa always wakes up when we jump on the bed and he gets up and makes breakfast when mama is too tired to have fun and roll around in the bed with us.

Papa made latkes for us and then about an hour after breakfast uncle Erik and uncle Charles arrived.

When we first visited uncle Erik and uncle Charles in their home, Wanda was a little shy and didn't speak much. But uncle Charles is so nice she soon got over it and so we got to play and have a great time with him. Uncle Erik is great for wrestling or if you like to be thrown in the air or conduct a race. But uncle Charles is a scholar, and Wanda and I haven't found a question yet he can't answer. It became a new game for us: "Ask uncle Charles..." It was lots of fun!

Today uncle Erik went off to talk with mama and papa went to work and we had uncle Charles all to ourselves. Uncle Charles had brought a book with him, and we were sitting together on the sofa and looking at it. It was a large book full of beautiful pictures of animals, called "Brehm's life of animals". Neither Wanda nor I can read very well yet, but uncle Charles read and explained the texts for us. The pictures were very beautiful and I was very impressed with doctor Brehm, who seems to lead a very exciting life. I think I'd like to be an explorer too, when I grow up. But only if mama, papa and Wanda can come along. And perhaps uncle Charles and uncle Erik, too, if they want.

Mama came through at one point, but she only went to fetch something from the parent's bedroom.

Then sometime later uncle Erik came out of the kitchen and asked us if we'd like to help mama cook. Of course that's always lots of fun and I was ready to go at once when Wanda asked "But what about you, uncle Charles? Do you want to help cook, too?"

Uncle Erik smiled at us and held out a hand to uncle Charles. "If you don't mind I'd like to take your uncle Charles away on a little walk. We'll be back in time for lunch."

"Oh, all right, then," uncle Charles said with a smile and we jumped from the sofa and raced to the kitchen to see what mama had planned for lunch.


Ruth's POV, past tense

While Charles took the twins to the lounge I followed Erik into the kitchen and closed the door behind us. He seemed unusually agitated.

After watching him for a while I asked "All right, what's up?"

Erik was pacing, clearly distressed. Abruptly he stopped. "Do you still have father's tools?"

"Of course I do," I answered, a little bewildered.

"Can I – can I see them?" Erik asked hesitantly and I just had to give him a hug, he looked so lost there.

"Sure, I'll get them for you."

I went through the lounge, checking on Charles and the children as I went by. They were deeply engrossed in a book Charles had brought along, it seemed to be a compendium of some sort. I left them to it and went through to our bedroom to the trunk where we store our valuables. This includes father's tools of trade.

They were in a soft leather pouch and I took a moment to remember our parents, little as I recalled about them.

Then I returned to Erik, handing him the pouch. He carefully opened it and rolled it out on the table. He reverently ran his fingers over the delicate tools.

When he looked up after a long time, I was startled to see his eyes shining with unshed tears. I went over to him and took his hand.

"Erik, Liebling. Please tell me what's the matter."

He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the right words. At last he began to speak haltingly.

"The – the house we bought. There's – there's this workshop outside. And when I went in it was just like being back in father's workshop – there even is a little furnace inside – and – and – "

I hugged him again and held on this time, and he clung to me as well, slight tremors running through his frame. I was not surprised.

Our father had been a silver smith and Erik should have followed him into the trade. Father had already begun showing Erik the ropes and Erik had been so happy and proud and eager to learn.

Then came that horrible day our parents were taken from us much too soon.

At first we thought it was an accident, they were visiting relatives and had to travel through the mountainside. We only heard that the carriage had crashed down the mountain, it was rumored it was too fast in a curve. We were taken in by the business partner of our father, Klaus Schmidt.

Erik tried his best to continue his studies, though we were both numb with grief, of course.

It was years later we found out it had been no other than Schmidt who had tampered with our parents' carriage, causing them to fall to their untimely death. He had been jealous of father and his fine workmanship and the customers who preferred our kind father to the oily Schmidt.

Erik was sixteen when we found out. Schmidt had been drinking one evening and began bragging about his own cleverness and how he pulled off his nefarious plan. After Schmidt had been taken into custody by the authorities Erik got us the little house by the river and we tried to start a new life.

My brother could no longer bear to look at father's tools, he said they felt tainted by the years of study under our parents' murderer.

So he became a basket maker to support us and until Charles came into his life I worried that he would go on living his life like that. He wasn't miserable all the time, but there was an undercurrent of melancholy.

Things had definitely begun to look up with Charles, that much was evident even they first day I visited them. Erik was laughing more, he seemed more at ease and he had enough other things on his mind now so he did not brood all day. We were seeing more of Erik now, too, either visiting them in their little hut or inviting them over to our house

The twins had always loved their uncle Erik and they simply adored Charles, who was excellent with children as soon as he got over his initial uncertainty. And then the brilliant idea of Charles to buy a decent house – I could have kissed the man. And with a workshop fit for a silver smith I began to hope Erik would finally be able to return to the profession he loved most.

"So I'll just pack the tools for you, shall I? I think there are also some raw materials and half-finished pieces in our trunk."

Erik hugged me tighter at that and whispered "You're the very best sister, you know that?"

I laughed. "I bet you say that to all your sisters."

After a long while he withdrew from our embrace and smiled at me, though he was still a bit teary-eyed. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

He began looking a little anxious again. "I'm not sure what Charles will say about all of this..."

"Are you kidding me? That boy loves you, Erik. Of course he will support you in taking up the profession you cherish."

"You really think so?"

"I think you should talk to him so you can hear it from him directly. But I'm completely sure about it."

Erik looked at least a little reassured about this.

"Why don't you have a look how Charles and the kids are doing while I start lunch? And you can send the children to me while you take a little walk with your mate."

That brought out a smile in my brother's face and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, again. I'll do that."


Charles' POV, past tense

Erik came in and I was a little alarmed at how red-rimmed his eyes were. Since we bought the new house he had seemed like something was troubling him, but he did not want to talk about it. As I'm the last person to bother someone when he doesn't want to talk, I left him alone, hoping he'd confide in me when he felt up to it.

The preparations for moving into the new house were taking up quite a lot of time and this along the preparations of the wedding and, of course the normal workload had left us both quite busy over the last week. I was glad we made the time to visit Ruth's family. I really liked them all, especially Pietro and Wanda, they are great kids.

I was touched that Wanda thought of me in the lunch preparations, but I can't say I was disappointed to get to take a walk with Erik instead. I get to cook often enough at home, believe me.

Erik and I linked arms as we walked around the neighborhood and for a while we just enjoyed the peace and quiet.

I waited for Erik to speak what was on his mind, and after a while, he did. "I'd like to tell you something, Charles."

"Of course, Erik."

And he told me about his father and about learning how to be a silversmith and the much too soon death of his parents and everything after. I admit, I was a little stunned. I didn't know very much about Erik's past and I felt honoured and humbled that he would trust me with what must have been very painful memories.

I understood why this was on his mind when I thought back to the little workshop outside our new house with the furnace – I think it would be an ideal place for a silver smith and of course I would do anything to help Erik finally become one if he wanted to. (Not least to get these dangerous willow rods out of the house...)

When he was finished I took his face into both hands and kissed him tenderly. "Thank you for telling me. Whatever you decide you want to do now, I'll do everything to support you. I know only too well what it's like to have your dreams ripped away through circumstances."

Erik looked stunned, but then a smile broke out on his face and he kissed me back with vigour. When we finally came up for air some minutes later his eyes were shining not with tears but with something else entirely.

"If we weren't invited for lunch and if it wouldn't completely offend my sister I'd take you straight home right now to show you how much I love you."

I laughed and probably blushed. "There will be plenty of time for that later. You spoke about your father's tools? Would you show them to me?"

"Of course, Liebling. Come along, Ruth also mentioned some half-finished pieces she saved – I think you'll love to see them."

I agreed and let him tow me back to Ruth's and Samuel's house. Things really never got boring with our little family.


Warnings: Remembering of murder, though no graphic descriptions. Also, Klaus Schmidt, better known as Sebastian Shaw. He needs a warning on his own.

Thanks for reading!

To my dear reviewers who are not logged in:

Angel: Wow, I'm completely overwhelmed by your wonderful and so many reviews! Thank you so much! :) I will keep going, even if it might be slow sometimes.

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I hope you'll all continue to enjoy! ^_^