Chapter Fourteen

Ludwig walked ahead with steady strides as Feliciano hummed lightly by his side. Gilbert hung back slightly as he watched them, taking note of how their hands brushed as they walked.

"Hey Feli!" he cried with a smile, causing the Italian to turn around and look at him.

Ludwig kept walking as Feli stopped a moment to fall in step with Gilbert.

"What is it?" he asked.

"So he finally told you huh?" he asked, sounding much like a child in the school yard.

Feliciano's eye brows furrowed in confusion. "Told me what?"

"How he feels about you. That you're super special to him and all that."

Feliciano's eyes widened and a blush spread across his face. "Ah, well, yes…"

"And obviously you feel the same or you two wouldn't be walking together all lovey dovey up there."

Feli opened his mouth to say something but Gilbert waved it off. "It's fine, really, I'm the one that kind of pushed him into it so I'm really happy that it turned out so well for you two.

"In case you hadn't notices, I care an awful lot about Ludwig and in the end, his happiness is what's most important. You obviously do that for him and while I don't feel about you the way he obviously does, you make me really happy as well Feli, and I care about you almost as much as I do him."

Feli couldn't help but smile shyly at the compliment.

"You've been part of the family since Ludwig brought you home. He's opened up to you more than almost anybody else in his life. He's been rather introverted most of his life you know. Didn't like to talk to people or get to know them, didn't like annoying or hindering them because of his inability to speak. He had his heart broken one too many times because some people couldn't handle it. Kids can be cruel sometimes, you know? Well eventually he just gave up trying and more or less cut himself off. Of course he found ways of accommodating, finished school, all of that, but it wasn't until you came along that I ever saw him actually want to get to know somebody since he was a kid. It was really nice to see."

"Don't talk about me like I can't hear you," Ludwig said stopping in front of them to sign the words.

Gilbert laughed and nudged his brother playfully. "Sorry Lud," he said unapologetically.

Ludwig growled lightly and Feliciano smiled up at him, taking his hand as they started walking again. Ludwig still seemed annoyed but said nothing more as he wrapped his finger's around Feliciano's and slid his other hand into the front pocket of his jeans.

Caught up in their playful banter, none of them noticed the car until it pulled up next to them on the road. They all cursed themselves for not paying better attention as Gilbert reached for the gun in hem of his pants.

The vehicle was small, worn, and rusted and the driver was a middle aged woman with brown fraying hair and laugh lines around her face. She leaned over the passenger's seat and spoke out the window.

"Where are you three headed?" she asked.

They all hesitated to answer. She didn't seem malicious, but nowadays, you couldn't tell any more who was on what side.

She smiled and motioned to the back of the vehicle. "Why don't you check in the back?" she asked.

They did as she said and found camping supplies, a suitcase, bins of food and cooking utensils, gas cans and a gun. She was obviously heading someplace.

"I wouldn't have all of that if I was fighting in the war would I?" she called out. "Besides, it's three of you strong men against one old lady like me, you have the advantage in this situation."

While Gilbert wouldn't call her an old lady, she did have a point. While she still could have been tricking them, something told him that that wasn't the case.

Finally Gilbert switched the gun's safety back on and answered the woman's earlier question.

"We're headed to France."

"Wonderful, I'm headed that way myself, why don't you boys climb in, it's not good to be walking around like this. There's a war going on, don't you know?" She laughed lightly at her own joke and while it didn't make the situation better, it did relieve the tension a little bit.

Opening the door, Gilbert took the passenger's seat while Feliciano and Ludwig took the seats in the back.

Gilbert kept the gun in his lap, not bothering to hide it from the woman and she didn't bother to mention it.

"Got a few hundred Kilometers left on the tank. I'll take you boys as far as the car will, but once the tank is empty I'm afraid that's as far as we go."

They all nodded in understanding. Really, this was more than they could have asked for in the first place.

"What sends you to France?" she asked. "Other than the war I mean. Why not Belgium or Poland?"

"I have a friend there that agreed to let us take refuge with him until the war was over."

She nodded. "My son is studying in France, I'm going to stay with him for a while. I'm glad he's not here. He would probably be fighting if he was. Very loyal to his country you know. And he always thinks that he has to take on all problems as his own. Sweet boy but sometimes I don't understand what's going on inside that crazy head of his."

There was light conversation and idle chit chat, but mostly the ride was silent.

It only lasted a couple hours before the car stuttered to a stop and the woman let out a sigh.

"Well I guess this is it boys. We're still about 80 kilometers from the border, but that's better than what you were before, yeah? Thank you for riding this last bit with me, it's get lonely traveling by yourself sometimes. My name's Diana Faust if you ever want to look me up and come say hi." She gave them a smile as they all piled out of the car.

"It was nice meeting you Diana. Thank you so much for the ride," Feliciano said, truly meaning it.

She nodded. "The pleasure was all mine. Be careful boys, make sure you stay safe, alright. There have been attacks around these parts recently."

"Will do," Gilbert said, giving her a wave and tucking the gun back into the hem of his pants.

Turning back around, the three boys started once again back down the road on foot.

"We still have a few hours before dark. If we keep a good pace we should be able to get some distance tonight and reach the border by tomorrow afternoon." Gilbert stated, picking up the pace slightly.

The others followed suit and they were able to make good distance before night fell.

"We're going to be in France tomorrow," Feliciano said excitedly, staying up to take first watch as Ludwig laid down beside him.

"Don't celebrate yet," Ludwig signed.

"Oh lighten up Lud! Tomorrow we'll be free of this awful war! We'll be safe across the border and on a train to Paris by dinner!" Gilbert cheered.

"Once we get across the border I want wine to celebrate!" Feli joined.

"Not that cheap stuff either. Good wine," Gilbert added.

"Alright you two," Ludwig signed, calming them down. "Let's get some rest or we won't make it tomorrow at all."

Gilbert chuckled. "You're right. Good night you two."

"Good night," they replied.

As the brothers settled into sleep and Feli kept watch down the road for potential dangers, a warm bubble of excited hope surrounded the group and for the first time they managed to sleep full and well, knowing that tomorrow, their nightmare would finally come to an end.