Well, much sooner than I thought, I became wont to do a bit of work. Granted, working off something that I've already built is easier than making a completely new chapter, but it's a start.

I've no idea if there's a notification when I replace a chapter, as this is the first time I've done this. But, in any case, I present to you all the first work I've done, with pleasure, in about 2 years. Enjoy.

Prologue

"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier that must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."

-Douglas MacArthur

Hauptmann Gerhard Köln

German 12th Army, XX Corps

2nd Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment

Potsdam, Berlin, Germany

3,6 kilometers from the River Elbe, 2nd IB Camp

26 April 1945

0438 hours

"Incoming!"

Gerhard dove into the nearest trench as Soviet heavy artillery began pounding their positions, wrecking the final line of defence of Seelöwe Heights. Gerhard looked to the commander, who nodded his head.

"All units! Prepare-"

The commander was cut short as a burst of machine-gun fire tore through him, spraying Gerhard with blood. On a nearby ridge, three Soviet T-34/85s sat in wait as infantry gathered around them. He blinked, momentarily paralysed, before another soldier pulled him down, cursing.

"What do we do, sir?!"

Gerhard looked up in surprise as multiple heads turned to him. If they fought here, no one would survive. However, there was a good chance at least half of the remaining men, no more than a platoon, would survive if they broke from the trenches to escape.

Looking again at the mostly young, frightened young men before him, Gerhard made up his mind. "How many of you have smoke grenades?"

A few men raised their hands, while some others retrieved said grenades from their belts. Gerhard nodded. "On my count, we run for the trucks...do not stop for anything." In the momentary silence that followed, Gerhard looked up, suddenly remembering his promise...

"I'll take that as a yes."

Maho grinned as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again. Gerhard sat there, stupefied for a few moments, before his brain connected the dots and he reciprocated. The couple stood in the snow, the wind buffeting them as they kissed. Finally, the two broke off, and Gerhard remembered Nicole was still there, watching with an amused grin on her face. "Right."

Gerhard watched as the men began to get to work, scavenging supplies from the dead forms of both Soviet and German troops. The cold air blew into his face as he looked up at the moon and stars, lighting up the night sky. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, allowing himself to think he was back in the future, and Maho would appear any moment. When he opened his eyes, though, everything was the same.

'I plan to keep my promise, Maho. One way or another, I will find you again and tell you everything I should have. With God as my witness, I will be reunited with you once more.'

Gerhard snapped awake, instinctively grabbing his knife from under his pack. Seeing and hearing no immediate threat, he relaxed slightly, setting the blade aside. He lay there for a few minutes, staring at the canvas above him as it fluttered in the light breeze outside. The tent's material rustled, muffling the distant booming of antiaircraft fire from the city center; from the sounds of it, he'd slept through another bombing raid, the last of the sirens winding down as the Allied bombers retreated for the night.

Absentmindedly, the man fiddled with a small bracelet on his wrist, taking a moment to look at the engraved nameplate, the Japanese characters spelling out a name from what seemed like decades ago.

N. Maho.

Sighing as he observed all the charms Maho had put on it, Gerhard slowly became lost in his thoughts, thinking back to those few days he had been in Japan. 'I miss you Maho. If only things were different…'

"Hauptmann Köln!"

Gerhard immediately came out of his thoughts, closing his hand on the bracelet as he identified the voice. "What is it, Bernard?"

"I was instructed to inform you there will be a meeting at noon tomorrow in the command tent. General Wenck is to be present and he requests that all officers are there." There were a few moments of silence as Gerhard waited for the boy to go on. "That's all sir."

Gerhard sighed. "Very well.. Carry on."

"Yes sir!"

He listened to the footsteps of the young soldier fade before laying back down, returning to observing Maho's bracelet. There was too much on his mind lately, but for some reason, the little charm bracelet brought a little respite from the otherwise roiling thoughts of the former Luftwaffe pilot.

His mind a little more at peace, Gerhard rolled over and made himself comfortable before shutting his eyes, swiftly falling asleep once more. Just outside his tent, the citizens of Berlin woke to a new day as their city burned with the fury of the Red Army.