Author's note: The title for this chapter has nothing to do with anything whatsoever (yes, I'm running out of good song titles).

I have nothing more interesting to say. Do read on, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

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Chapter 11: Wouldn't it be nice.

Lt. Raine drove the stolen truck up a small and unused looking road in the woods. He figured they were far enough from the city and any Germans now, and it was very late. He guessed it had to be about 4am. It was a good time to stop, get some rest, and think what his next step should be. He had a lot to think about. First, there were the Nazis who would start to look for the Basterds as soon as they noticed they had escaped, which meant they would have to make sure they were far away by dawn. Raine wanted to move fast, but he couldn't use the truck forever (the engine already started protesting in lack of gasoline). But travelling on foot wasn't a good idea either; Donny's situation would only get worse, and although Raine hadn't checked, he was pretty sure his sergeant was really unconscious. Donny hadn't reacted to anything for hours.

Then, the engine of the truck finally gave in, and the vehicle came to a halt with a long, deep sigh. Raine sighed himself. He heard the others in the back of the truck move and talk in hushed tones. He didn't get out immediately; he rubbed his eyes, resting his elbows on the steering wheel. He was tired, more tired than he had been in all the time he had spent in France, and his mind and body whispered to him about sleeping for hours on end. But he still had work to do, and the others were counting on him. Sighing again, he first checked if Donny was still breathing, his heart suddenly leaping up at the thought of having driven with a dead body by his side all night, but Donny still had life left in him, although his breathing had become very shallow by now.

Raine got out of the truck, and saw his men had done the same. He couldn't see them very clearly since it was dark, but he could practically feel their gazes on him, full of questions.

"We're outta gas." he stated the obvious. "We'll stay here for now. Donny ain't in no condition to travel on foot."

"Is he alright?" Omar interrupted. Raine could distinguish a worried look on his face, and saw the rest weren't looking very at ease either. Even Stiglitz seemed more tense than usual.

"He's still alive if that's what you're askin'," Raine answered. "But he ain't lookin' good. That's why I'll be taking two of you with me to the village we passed before these woods, and get Donny a doctor. The rest stays here."

The Basterds understood the seriousness of the situation. Lt. Raine was taking a huge risk by asking any stranger for help. You never knew who was against the German occupation, and which ones were the collaborators.

It was Omar and Wicki that accompanied the lieutenant. The specific village was about a half an hour walk away. The place was rather large, and had more of a small town. Raine guessed that if he wanted to find a doctor, he'd have most chance of finding one in the centre. They snuck quietly along the streets, focusing on the regular houses, trying to read any signs attached to the walls or doors. The easiest to distinguish, were places like bakeries, shops and butchers, and there even was a hotel in the town centre. It had to be a blooming place despite the war. But then again, the Basterds didn't have much of an idea of how the regular Frenchman behaved under the occupation. The people of France had never been their concern. They were just there in the background, probably with their own dramas and problems, but the Basterds had never given them much thought. They had been focusing on the Germans mostly. Raine hoped the French people were friendly enough to help him. And if not, he knew a few ways of making them.

Then, he saw a small sign next to the door of an average house, that read:

Jaques Lefort

Docteur

Conseil tous les jours de 8h à 19h

Les nuits: sonner s.v.p.

Raine knew just about enough French to figure out that he had found what he was looking for. He had been thinking to break in through the back door, but now, he thought it would be best to just ring the doorbell. It was a lot less suspicious anyway. And he didn't intend on being unfriendly unless it was necessary.

Sophie Lefort turned over in her blankets and groaned at the sound of the bell disturbing her sleep for the second time that night. Her father had been called away about an hour ago, to assist the family of an old woman who was suffering from tuberculosis that was beyond cure, and whose final moments had come. Of course, others needed him now too. She turned over again, burying her face in her pillow. Why had her father decided to become a doctor? Sure, it was a noble profession, and Sophie loved her father very much and gladly assisted him in his work whenever he asked, but those late night calls… She wondered how her father managed to get up every time. She just had to go open the door whenever he wasn't at home.

She lifted her head up, and rubbed her eyes. Oh joy. It was morning… Sort of. She slipped out of bed and found the candle and box of matches on her bedside table. She lit the candle, left the room, and walked downstairs, the wooden steps cracking lightly under her bare feet. When the bell rang again before she reached the front door, she called over to the person on the other side she was on her way. She put on her coat over her night gown.

Lt. Raine frowned lightly when he heard a women's voice call when he had rung the doorbell again, assuming he hadn't been heard the first time. He didn't have much time to wonder, though. Just like every town with some importance, the Germans were around here too. Raine didn't think the patrol that now marched down the street towards them, was actually looking for them, but he didn't want to be spotted. As soon as the door opened, he pushed himself inside, along with Wicki and Omar. He almost knocked down the young woman who he'd heard earlier, causing her candle to go out. The girl yelped, and let out a stream of angry French. Raine quickly grabbed hold of her and covered her mouth. Omar closed the door as quietly as he could.

Sophie's eyes widened. What was going on? Three men had stormed inside, almost knocking her over, and they hadn't said a word. Burglars? But if that were the case, why hadn't they raised some sort of weapon at her yet? They didn't move, as if they were waiting for something. Then, she heard the sound of marching footsteps. A German patrol. Sophie had never liked the Germans, but if she really had three burglars in her house, they might come in handy for once. She stirred, trying to wring out of the grasp of the man who was holding her, while trying to give a scream of warning to the patrol outside. The man seemed to have expected her to do something though, because his grip tightened around her neck, and the next moment, she looked into the barrel of a gun.

"Don't make a fuckin' sound, or I'll blow your brains out." he hissed in her ear.

Sophie's eyes widened again, but it wasn't just in fear of the gun, but also in surprise at the language she had heard. English? Her mind raced at top speed. These men weren't burglars. They were foreigners hiding from the Germans. They were probably soldiers of the Alliance, too. Sophie's plan of warning the patrol instantly dissolved. Instead, she kept deadly still as well, not wanting to give anything away. She had always told herself she would help any person that were with the resistance or the Alliance if she encountered one, and it sure seemed to be the case.

The sound of marching feet faded. The people in the hallway of doctor Lefort's house let out their breaths. Raine let the girl go, but didn't put his gun away. He had to be sure of a few things first. He saw her move away from them. Well, he didn't blame her. She was probably just scared. Then, he saw light coming from another room. The girl returned, holding another candle. She motioned for them to follow her. Raine found this a pretty good sign, put his gun away and followed her into the combined kitchen and living room of the house. She put the candle on a large wooden table and turned to him.

"Who are you?" she asked in English with a French accent.

"Americans." Raine answered. He was glad the girl knew English, but he was in a hurry and didn't feel like telling her much. She didn't look like she would give them away to the Nazis, but you could never be too sure.

"Is the doctor here?" he asked.

"He is with someone else. You'll have to wait." she said. "Is it urgent?"

Raine noticed she had a slightly concerned look in her eyes. Maybe he was being a little too precautious. She was being nice, despite the fact he had put a gun to her face only minutes ago.

"We got a friend of ours who's injured. He needs help pretty fast, yeah."

"You'll have to wait." she repeated. "He should be back soon…"

Raine sighed. He had expected the doctor the be home at this time of night, but he had forgotten that the man might have to pay more late visits. He decided to wait, hoping the girl was right when she said doctor Lefort would indeed be back soon.

He took a moment to look at her from the corner of his eyes while they all waited. She looked to be in her early twenties, and was quite pretty, with curly red hair and blue eyes that had a more violet tint in the candle light. Raine guessed the doctor had to be very young himself and this was his wife, or this girl was his daughter or another kind of relative.

Sophie wasn't sure what to do or think. If anyone else would've came to see her father while he wasn't in, she would invite them to sit down, and offer them a drink. But this was a completely different situation. These men were foreigners, and chances were the Germans were looking for them. She suddenly realized the illegality of her actions and the possible consequences if the Nazis found out. And her father, would he be angry when he returned? She guessed not. He was a kind man, and believed everyone deserved care if one required it.

She looked at the men assembled in her living room. She already knew the older one was their leader. He also looked the most American of the three. The other, shorter one with his black hair and dark eyes looked like he was from a more southern region, and the last one could be American, but looked like he belonged in Europe more. But Sophie wasn't really sure. She didn't have very good eye for foreign people. Her father would probably tell her that one's nationality didn't matter, but that one's character was much more important. She tried to guess what these men were like. They didn't look aggressive or anything, more like very tired. She guessed they really were sought after by the Germans.

They all looked up when they heard the front door open.

Jaques Lefort let out a sigh as he entered his house. Poor old Mrs. Duval. There hadn't been anything he could've done, except for easing her pain by giving her a shot of morphine, and patting her daughter Juliette on the shoulder when her mother had finally passed away. Juliette's husband had thanked him for his assistance with a very sad look in his eyes.

Lefort was so lost in thought he only saw there was light in the living room when he entered it. He was only mildly surprised, though. It seemed he would have to work some more tonight. He was more surprised when he saw the look on his daughter's face, and especially when one of the three men present started talking to him in English.

About fifteen minutes and a few glasses of the doctor's 25 year old scotch later, Lt. Raine had explained everything Lefort needed to know. The man's English was very good for a Frenchman, and he seemed genuine when he promised to come with them, and not turn them in to the Germans. The lieutenant finished his glass, and decided they should get going.

"Just one more thing, doc," he said while getting up. "I want your daughter to come with us too. You two are the only ones that know 'bout us now, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"I understand." Lefort said. He didn't like Sophie to get involved in this, but he felt he could trust Aldo Raine. And it wasn't the first time he helped foreign soldiers. He had taken care of a wounded British pilot about a year ago, and helped him and his companions on the way again. He had no idea what a team of American soldiers did here in France, and he didn't need to know. He had a hunch that these men were the same Americans the Germans had been looking for a long time now, but he didn't really care. It was their fight. His fight was that of saving human lives, and he would do just that.

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"How's he doing?" Hirschberg asked Utivich, who was sitting in the back of the truck. There, they had put Donny down after Lt. Raine had left. They had covered him with their jackets to protect him from the cold. Utivich had chosen to stay in the truck, in case something happened. He didn't want to think about what that something could be. Every now and then, someone would come over to check if anything had changed. But Donny was still unconscious, and it didn't look like he was improving, but he didn't get worse either.

"Same as before." Utivich answered. "Any sign of the other three yet?"

"No."

Silence fell around the truck again. Then, the Basterds heard people approach, and a light shone through the trees. It was Raine, Omar and Wicki, and they had two people with them: one they assumed was a doctor, who was a rather tall man with a big moustache and glasses. He was carrying one of those typical black briefcases. He was accompanied by a young woman with red hair tied in a ponytail.

Sophie could feel the curious looks of the men on her as she followed her father to what looked like a German army truck. She kept her head down, feeling nervous. She had been there when Lt. Raine had explained about his situation to her dad, and her sharp mind had immediately connected his story to the rumors she had been hearing for months. She had a friend whose brother worked with the French resistance, and she had heard about a small group of American soldiers that had come to France to spread fear and death amongst the German troops. They were called the Basterds, and pretty much every Nazi feared and hated them. Sophie had heard the Basterds did terrible things to their victims. And here she was now, helping them. She wasn't sure if she liked it.

She got in the back of the truck and helped her father by holding her light up high, so he could see what he was doing. She instantly saw the wounded man was in bad shape. He was as pale as a ghost, and if she wouldn't be seeing thin clouds of misty breath coming from him at irregular intervals, she would've assumed he was dead. She didn't know this man, but felt sorry for him nonetheless.

In the meantime, Raine and the other men had gathered at the back entrance of the truck. They all felt anxious. The short relief that Lt. Raine had managed to return with a doctor had faded, and they all hoped Donny would make it. They didn't think otherwise. They didn't dare. It wouldn't be fair to lose a member of their team now, just when they had made it out of enemy hands in one piece.

Lefort first checked Donny's pulse, noticing it was too slow to be healthy. He took the jackets from the man's upper body, and removed enough of his clothes to take a look at the bullet wound he was told about. He frowned. The shoulder was all black and blue and swollen, and the wound was a dark hole in the man's flesh. Lefort's frown deepened. Lt. Raine had only talked about a bullet, not about additional bruises and an infection. Hell, this man was lucky to be still alive. This all complicated the situation.

"How long has been unconscious for?" he asked the men behind him.

"Since midnight or something." Raine answered. "How's it lookin', doc?"

Lefort noticed the lieutenant was trying to sound casual, but failed because of the nervous hint in his voice. He decided he might as well be honest.

"Bad, I'm afraid. This man's only chances are if I take him back home, and take care of him there."

"He's not going anywhere." Raine said, and the other men nodded.

"He will die if he stays here." Lefort retorted. He was met with silence and angry looks. He hadn't meant to be this straight forward, but it was the truth.

"Please," he said, in a much calmer tone of voice. "It's his best chance. And you don't have to leave him behind. You can stay in town until he's better. I have friends who will want to help you."

"The Nazis are lookin' for us, pal. It's risky business." Raine said. "And we don't know how trustworthy your friends are."

"But I do." Sophie said. The Basterds all looked up at her. Her eyes were burning with determination, and also anger because Raine didn't find her father and her friends trustworthy enough.

"Look," she said, no longer taken aback by the reputation these men had, and their tough appearance. "I have a very good friend who has connections with the French resistance. Her family owns a hotel. They have more than room enough for all of you. They will help you. The Germans will never find you."

Raine was almost convinced by the sincerity in Sophie's eyes. He considered her suggestion. It sure sounded good, but he had his doubts. He had become especially cautious ever since they had been found by the Germans, and hiding in a town where there were Germans, seemed like the worst idea ever.

"If you stay here, they will find you for sure." Sophie said, as if she had read his mind. Raine bit his lip. She had a good point there. He wanted Donny to get better. He also wanted ever man on his team to be safe. The Nazis would be looking for them, probably starting at sunrise. They were running out of time. He turned to his men.

"What do you guys think?" he asked. He had already half made his decision, but wanted to hear if there was anything he might have missed in this dilemma.

"I don't think it's a good idea." Hirschberg said. "We just got away from the Nazis. We can't just walk back to them."

"Donny's in bad shape." Omar said. "You heard the doctor. He has to stay if we want him to make it."

"Maybe we could travel ahead, and leave some kind of trail…" Zimmerman muttered.

"No, we have stick together." Utivich said.

"I don't think we have much of a choice, guys." Wicki said. "This is our best chance."

"You're right." Sakowitz said, and Kagan simply nodded in agreement. Stiglitz didn't say anything, but Raine could see he obviously agreed with the ones that thought of staying, and trusting the doctor and his daughter.

"We'll stay." he said. "Might as well trust the people of beautiful France, right?"