BondSlave: Hey there! *Waves frantically*

Nathan: *Coy smile and a slight wave*

BondSlave: Welcome to the climax of ACT II!

Nathan: The shortest ACT I must add.

BondSlave: Oh don't complain Nathan, *Huggles* You know why this one is so short

Nathan: So true, such a tragic play that I was cast into. You are truly a twisted mind my dear.

BondSlave: I'm flattered. *Giggle* Ok, well, warning due to violence, character abuse.

Nathan: *Cough*

BondSlave: *Shifty eyes* and scary German people. Note: I have nothing against Germans! These particular individuals just happen to scare me.

Nathan: On with the Show!

*Clapping, lights dim and the show begins*

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Parting is such sweet sorrow

"How long did you think you could keep this secret from me?" John questioned teasingly at a very uncomfortable looking Nathan who was dressed in a black coat, hat, pants and boots that went up to his knees.

"Well, I kept my other secret for a long time, years in fact." He stated smiling though John merely rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps you did keep that one for years, but that was last December, how long have you been keeping this one? Because this is a lot bigger then the last."

"Bigger?"

"Much."

"Oh."

"So?" John leaned in and gazed up, knowing smirk on his thin lips, as he looked up at the blond who sighed and gently pushed him aside.

"Four months." He stated mater-O-factily walking off towards another room that rested just beyond the door of a dank and rustic looking coal factory. John followed.

"Really? That is impressive."

"You where other wise occupied."

"So true." Both entered through the door. The room was dark, the only light coming from a long wired light that hung from the rafters and dangled pathetically over a long wooden table where a handful of others stood, reclined or sat, around, all glancing over at the arrival of the other two.

"Ah, Nathan, who is this strapping young man?" A tall, hulking figure of a man questioned. His eyes where small and squinty, but blue as the sky, his hair blond, and a light mustache gracing his lip.

"This is John Coldbeck, a close friend of mine." Nathan stated smiling down at the slightly uncomfortable man standing in front of him.

"Ah, John," The hulking man said, with his booming voice pulling John into a tight one armed embrace, the others surrounding him, some clapping him on the back others taking his hand in a hard, firm handshake.

"Good to have fresh blood in our mists." Nathan stood forward and cleared the men away a bit.

"No, no, don't smother the boy." He stated causing a few others to take a few steps back, John panted a bit and turned around as to keep his eyes on the hulking man taking a few steps back towards Nathan.

"The hulk over there is Peter, the skinny red head is Mcnikki, the twins over there we know only as Salty and Sea dog,"

"Why?"

"I don't know. And the scrawny legged old guy over there is known as Ginger snap."

Peter took a seat in a wooden chair, that creaked a little under his great muscle mass before he kicked another chair over which halted near John.

"Take a seat boy." John did as he was told as the others also took seats."Why'd you come here?"

"Because I'm interested in your cause. Germany could be on the brink of war, there may be few of you who want to take a stand for what you believe in, but, I want to be one of those people who isn't afraid to stand up for what is right. We can start a revolution, but only if we try."

"Here, here." The twins cheered.

"He's a good boy Nathan." Peter praised. Nathan smiled.

"I am aware of this." Peter stood and took Johns hand, and at the same time pulling him from his chair before shaking his hand gruffly.

"Welcome to the group kid." Nathan smirked and leaned back in his chair while the other men made themselves acquainted with John.

'Wonder what he thinks of being called 'kid' and 'boy'.'

Days passed, spent in the dark room, going over papers, blue prints, plans, and major issues and faults that needed to be resolved.

"They'll have much heavier defenses then we will,"

"They'll have better guns to."

"We might not return men," Peter stated as they all sat together under the dim light. "But, I just want you all to know that, you are like the brothers I never had. And, if one of you fall, you can rest in peace knowing that we will fight till we can fight no more." The room feel silent, the men bowing their heads, some praying, others simply remaining in what could be the final goodbyes. Nathan let his eyes flow smoothly over each of the men in the room, the only thing that could be heard where their breathing, and the trembling of their hearts. He bowed his head. He'd believed God had a plan, a plan for everything that happened, a reason…and though, his belief may have faltered a bit, he prayed for these men. If there was no God, or if there where one, or many…that these men found favor with him or them.

One never forgets the sound of gun fire, the thunder and rain that comes from men, brothers slaughtering other brothers. They weren't alone, they where just a small group of men standing up for what they believed in, the equality of all human beings. The battle front, a once nearly empty black street, white snow covering a majority of the ground and buildings. Time seemed to move slowly as Nathan stood amongst fallen bodies, the sound of screaming, and of firearms whizzed upon the air though he barely heard it. He'd long since run out of ammo, and had no where to take cover, and he didn't. He walked slowly, as if he where not in the middle of a battle field. He walked from fallen body to fallen body, giving his last good byes, even if he did not know them. He knew what they had fallen for. His blond hair lay flat upon his face, the slight angelic wave held down by sweat, and melted snow, his blue eyes empty of everything but prayer for the fallen. Snow feel thick and heavily upon them, clinging to their cloths, before melting away, weighing them down with the cold dampness. He gazed up towards the cloud laden heavens, the snow falling in spiral circles, seemingly only towards him, landing upon his nose, lips, sticking to his eyelashes before being blinked slowly away. He didn't even flinch as a man was shot down near him, blood splattering him across the face, leaving a messy line from his cheek up across his nose and to right under his eye. Though his stance remained his eyes followed the body as it seemingly floated towards the ground, slowly before resting upon the frozen ground.

'Good bye Peter.' His eyes widened slightly as the feeling of a thick led ball ripped its way into his chest and out through his back. He didn't move for a long moment before his shoulders twitched slightly as if in shock. Blood spilled over his front and back, and he could taste a slight tangy liquid upon his lip. He let out a haggard breath, a cloud of fog forming about his pale lips before he hung his head forward gazing wide eyed at the snow, which was stained red. Everything had seemed blurry, and slow to him, but a round sounded loud as thunder a good forty yards away. He lifted his head and gazed around at the men, standing and on the ground. A familiar sent, stronger then that of the sense around him hit him. He stood up a little straighter, fingering the hole in his coat, and pulling out the let ball that had slowly been pushed out as his body healed. He tossed it aside before running forward quickly, dodging the bullets here and there, quickly jumping over or around men who'd lost their ammo and had resorted to physical, hand to hand combat. He slid to a halt gazing around, his shoes skidding slightly in the snow, before his eyes fell upon a trail of blood that seemed to stand out form the others. He quickly followed it till he found a man leaning against a building. He'd wandered away from the battle, a man, the enemy lay dead near his feet. He let out a struggled grunt before taking a unsteady step forward before falling to his knees.

"John!" Nathan ran forward grabbing him and turning him over leaning him against the wall of the building.

"John!" He cried, his eyes wide before his ungloved fingers found a damp bloodied wound staining his chest. His eyes widened farther before he turned to John. His eyes where heavy, his skin pale, his hair damp and plastered to his forehead and neck, his lips almost blue.

"I have to get a doctor!" John shook his head grabbing Nathan's hand and holding it as tightly as he could.

"Don't…Don't leave me." He pleaded quietly, his voice weak, his eyes widening slightly at the thought of being alone, his eyes glassing over tears forming.

"I have to John! You have to see a doctor! You're hurt!" Nathan argued attempting to dominate the situation, but he couldn't, he couldn't keep the stern note in his voice, couldn't keep his eyebrows forward, couldn't keep the worry from creeping over him.

"I…I don't want to be…to be alone…" John whispered as the tears slid over his face, leaving shining wet paths along the side of his face. Nathan shook his head sitting upon the ground pulling John onto his lap and against his stomach and chest holding him close, holding him against the cold wind that bit at them. Nathan smiled sadly at him, though it faltered a few times before he used his thumb to wipe away the trails and the tears that threatened to fall.

"Don't cry, you'll be ok. You hear me? You'll be just fine. We'll get through this, and then we can go home." John smiled and nodded.

"I'd like that…" He shivered and coughed, the cough racking his body a bit causing Nathan to hold him closer. John's eyes began to droop. Nathan gently shook him.

"Hey, you need to stay awake. Hey, hey, John, do you remember the time you told me you wanted to travel the world? Huh, do you remember that? Come on, what do you want to do John?" John leaned his head against Nathan's arm.

"I…want to t-travel the world…a-and…I w-want you to come with me…"

"I said I would, we can do that John, we can travel the world, just you and me. This spring, ok?" John nodded.

"I'd…like that…" He coughed again. Nathan gently leaned down and pressed his lips against John's forehead.

"You're freezing." He breathed before opening his own coat and pulling John closer. John turned a little and gazed up at Nathan.

"Nathan…I…I always loved you…" Tears spilled from his eyes. "Always, from the moment you became my critique…even if you never loved me…my heart always…" Nathan's eyes widened. "belonged to you…" John whispered his eyes drooping slowly shut his breathing stealing. Nathan's eyes widened.

"John." He gently shook John's shoulder. "John!"…"John!" He froze biting the inside of his mouth before leaning over the still body laying in his arms.

"I…you where the most important thing in my life John. Sleep, in…" A sob escaped him as he pressed his lips against the top of John's head. "Peace John."

The snow slowly fell upon them, decorating them in white jewls that rest upon their damp hair, and rested upon their cloths and eyelashes. Johns, to adorn him, never to be blinked away, never again.

…I cried…I'm sorry, I can't talk right now…*Crying*