The Wings of Love
Chapter X
"Hey, Freund! Wo sind die gefaehrlichen Feinde von denen mein Bruder mir erzaehlt hat?
(Hey, friend! Where are those dangerous enemies my brother told me about?)"
The guard turned around abruptly and was faced with a giant of a man. This one was smiling happily, as if he was there for a circus show.
"Wovon zur Hoelle redest du? Zivilisten sind in diesem Kamp nicht erlaubt.
(What the hell are you talking about? Civilians are not allowed in this camp!)"
"Oh komm schon, ich will sie selbst sehen. Hast du die Unordnung gesehen die sie in der Stadt gemacht haben? Die muessen schon was zum angucken sein!
(Oh come on, I wanna see them for myself. Did you see the mess they made in town? They must be something to look at!)"
"Beweg dich, Mann. Oder du endest ab sie von der Innenseite der Zelle zu sehen.
(Move along man! Or you'll end up seeing them from the inside of the cell!)"
"In Ordung, in Ordnung" (Werner sagte dann), "aber du bist kein spass."
"(Alright, alright," Werner said then, "but you're no fun.)"
From behind the bush Werner had indicated earlier, Cole and Phoebe observed the exchange with appalled expressions. Cole had not been able to hold back the big man when he started casually walking up to the guard. Now, Werner was apparently turning back, and in their mind, he had simply spoiled the element of surprise. However, even as the thought formed in their minds, Werner swirled around much faster than Cole believed him capable of, and he hit the guard hard over the head in one swift move. This one looked up in utter surprise before dropping heavily to the ground. Werner glanced back at their hiding place with the same big grin he had shown the guard earlier:
"What are you waiting for?"
Cole grimaced, but cautiously started toward him, while Werner dragged the guard into his cubicle. When Phoebe tried to follow, however, Cole stopped and stood firmly before her.
"There's no need for you to come along. Stay here and we'll be back with your cousin in no time."
Phoebe looked up irritably.
"I've come this far, I'm not staying behind…"
Cole glared at her with a mix of worry and impatience. However, Phoebe sustained his stare steadily, surprising him, as if all her previous discomfort seemed forgotten.
Cole still tried to convince her:
"There's no reason for you to take this risk. You saw Werner in action. We won't need you in there."
Phoebe gave him one last dismissive look, and then she simply walked around him, ignoring his cautionary advice.
For a few seconds, he stood there, barely believing that she was again acting so recklessly. Then he hurried behind her, mumbling:
"You've got to be the most irritating woman I've ever met…"
Phoebe was still angry with herself for almost giving in to her earlier urges, but his disgruntled reaction amused her. In spite of the precarious situation they were in, she couldn't help smiling with satisfaction. Her amusement was short lived however. From the moment they entered the camp, they had to constantly hide to avoid detection either from the large spotlight constantly surveying the camp and from a few soldiers walking about, even at this late hours. They ran from barrack to barrack to conceal their advance, but as luck had it, no one saw them. Cole watched the big man going ahead of him, and was again amazed at how swift and stealthy he could be. His size alone would have suggested gaucheness, yet, he threaded along adroitly, as if he'd done this all his life. They had already made their way well into the camp, when they heard a gun shot followed by a horrified scream. Phoebe practically bumped into Werner's back, as he stopped short and then pushed her behind the nearest barrack. Cole rejoined them quickly and the three of them saw two officers coming out of a bunker. Werner indicated the bunker insistently, telling them that this must be their objective. This didn't do anything to reassure the other two about the fate of their friends, as they were certain that the commotion had come from inside that building. One of officers barked an order at the sentinel and this one immediately entered it. They were floored to see him returning less than a minute later, dragging a shape that could only be a body. Phoebe, forgetting altogether about their situation, tried to run to the guard as she was worried sick about Piper. Cole grabbed her just in time and, as she began to protest, he repeated his gesture from the alley, silencing her by covering her mouth with his hand. For a second, she was tempted to bite him and try to go anyway, but his worried expression actually gave her second thoughts. She still pushed his hand away while glaring at him.
"Stop doing this," she mumbled angrily.
"Then stop being so reckless," Cole replied in the same tone of voice.
It was still loud enough for Werner to hear however.
"Hey, you two, didn't I tell you to save it," he whispered, as he gave them a quick glance. This time, he didn't sound amused at all, and instead, they could feel the tension in his voice. Nevertheless, after a moment and without warning, he again left their hiding place to walk out in the open, startling Phoebe and Cole. The latter sighed in exasperation, but he still went out cautiously behind him. Werner seemed to hesitate between going directly toward the bunker and following the guard. However, before Cole could reach him, he had already made up his mind to go after the latter. This one being burdened with the corpse, it didn't take long for Werner to catch up with him, and then, he dispatched the guard with the same ease as he had the first one.
As Cole came to his side, he couldn't help commenting irritably:
"Could you be more conspicuous? Laying down bodies as you go is not the way to keep our little visit secret. They might just remember you later on top of that… You're not exactly forgettable, you know?"
Werner frowned at him, but instead of trying to defend his actions, he bent toward the guard and patted him until he found what he was looking for. He got up triumphantly, holding a set of keys. These, he dropped toward Cole, who nearly missed them. Then, without a word, and oblivious to Cole's irritated stare, Werner went back to the guard and picked him up like he weighed nothing, carrying him all the way to a trench, which was some kind of mass grave. Meanwhile, Phoebe kneeled besides Robert's body, unable to contain her sorrow at the sad spectacle. She was ashamed by the relief she'd felt at seeing him there instead of Piper, but she also felt terrible for the medic. She shrugged irritably when a hand came to rest on her shoulders, but she still looked up with tears in her eyes.
Cole was watching her sympathetically, and from the look of him, she thought that he might have guessed at her conflicted feelings.
"Come on… There's nothing we can do for him anymore… Your cousin's most probably in that bunker."
Phoebe tried to protest:
"We can't leave him here…"
"I'm sorry to be blunt, Miss Halliwell, but he's dead…Carrying him would only slow us down and reduce our chances to save your cousin."
She reluctantly nodded in acquiescence. Then, after giving Robert one last look, she slowly stood up.
Werner was already on his way back, but he stopped at seeing Phoebe by the body. Only when she and Cole were moving away, did he pick up Robert and carry him toward the same trench. Once there, he aimed for the guard, knowing that when he came to, this would at least be a reminder of the horror committed. He didn't delude himself in thinking that the man would actually feel bad for the medic, but maybe he would suffer through a few nightmares, he reflected. For a moment, he wondered if he shouldn't at least say a prayer, but he couldn't remember any just then. Sadly, he moved away.
Meanwhile, Cole was trying the keys one by one in the first cell's keyhole. Besides this one, there were 9 more cells in the bunker and Cole hoped that they would find her quickly. He succeeded on the fifth attempt at unlocking the door and, as he opened it, Phoebe walked passed him impatiently. She stopped short just inside the cell, as the obscurity didn't allow her to distinguish who, if anyone was there. When her eyes became accustomed however, she noticed a vague form in a dark corner. Slowly, she headed in that direction.
Piper was still trembling, trying her best to make herself as inconspicuous as she could. Irrationally, she pushed herself against the wall, almost believing that she could hide this way. In the doorway, she could see a man in uniform, but the person coming toward her, she couldn't bring herself to look at.
"Piper," called a female's voice.
Phoebe sighed in relief at seeing her there, but Piper reacted badly.
This one was so panicked that, at first, she didn't recognize her cousin.
"Leave me alone," she screamed almost hysterically.
"Piper, it's me, Phoebe. Come on Piper, we came to get you out of here…"
Her cousin still stayed in her prostrated position, obviously scared out of her mind. Phoebe bent toward her and tried to take her hand, but Piper removed it abruptly. Her reaction pained Phoebe, as she understood how horrible it must have been for her.
"Please Piper, look at me… I promise you, everything will be fine. But we've got to go, now!"
Slowly, Piper looked up, obviously only half convinced. However, when she finally recognized Phoebe, she exclaimed in a strangled voice:
"Phoebe? Phoebe? Please, let it be you…"
"I'm here, Piper!"
Piper's eyes filled with tears and she let Phoebe hug her tight.
After a moment, Phoebe had finally managed to nudge her up, but when Cole approached them, saying:
"Lucky for us she was in this one. Let's go!"
Piper threw herself back against the wall.
"It's fine Piper…That's Captain Turner…Don't you see?"
Cole was looking back and forth impatiently, while saying:
"Let me help her. The sooner we're out of here, the better…"
Piper still hesitated at letting him near, but she was so shaken that when he grabbed her arm, she didn't even have the strength to resist.
"It's gonna be ok, Piper," Phoebe added soothingly, as she saw the doubts in her cousin's attitude.
They were finally on their way when Phoebe noticed a moan coming from another cell.
"Captain," she called to Cole softly.
Cole was continuing on his way, dragging them along, but Phoebe stopped, and insisted:
"Captain, please!"
"What is it now?"
"There are other people in here. We can't leave them behind…"
"Miss Halliwell," he started in protest, but Phoebe interrupted him, almost pleading:
"We can't let them suffer the same fate as Robert's…"
Piper became more attentive at this and she also gave Cole a pleading look.
He looked back toward the entrance to the bunker, just as Werner was coming in, startling him. Then, partly reassured, he turned back toward the girl and replied with a sigh:
"This is crazy…"
Yet, he still pulled out the set of keys and went to the next cell.
Werner came closer.
"Is she ok?" He asked Phoebe, as Piper eyed him with renewed fright. She tried to step away from him but Phoebe held on to her.
"It's ok he's a friend, Piper."
Cole had already managed to open the second cell and found no one. In the third one however, he found two men in tattered uniforms, obviously worse for wear themselves. He feared that they might be too weak to get out on their own, but as soon as they understood he wasn't an enemy, they stood up, ready to go.
Without wait, he moved on to the next cell, while Werner went back to stand guard near the entrance. Cole was working as fast as he could, but as time went by, pearls of sweat formed on his forehead. He couldn't help thinking that every minute they wasted in this bunker was bringing them closer to get caught. In the end, he found only one more prisoner in the last cell, who thankfully could also walk. This one looked like a British officer to him. The man soon confirmed this, speaking with a heavy accent.
"I don't know who you are," he said, "but thank you."
"Wait until we're out of here to thank us," Cole replied, while turning around and taking the lead toward the doorway.
"We shouldn't lose any more time," Cole said again once he had rejoined the others. To Werner, he asked:
"Seen anything?"
"No! The coast is clear, as you say…"
Cole cast a worried look to the now inflated group behind him, wondering if they would really get out of there. At this point the officer came closer with a suggestion.
"If you don't mind, I think that it'd be wiser if these men," he said, indicating the other two ex-prisoners, "and I went our own way."
Cole saw the wisdom of his reasoning, but now that he had rescued them, he felt bad at the idea of abandoning them.
"I don't know, you're all very weak…"
"We can hold our own and there's no point in all of us being retaken if something goes wrong."
Cole nodded hesitantly and the officer offered his hand with a nod of his own.
"Good luck," the officer said in guise of goodbye before he signalled to the other soldiers. They left soon after.
Cole, the girls and Werner waited a while longer before heading out of the bunker themselves. This after they were reassured that no one sounded the alarm.
Werner closed their rear as they started again through the camp. After another nerve racking trip, they were coming out of it, when the dreaded siren sounded, telling them that someone had either found the other men, or uncovered the escape. As one of the bright spotlights was coming their way, they distinguished soldiers running in the bunker's direction. Others were scrambling out of a few barracks and looking around curiously. Cole roughly pushed Phoebe and Piper to the ground, just as the spotlight lit up their position for a beat. Phoebe lost her breath for a moment, not knowing if it was from fright or the shock of the fall. She worried that they still might have been spotted, but she didn't have time to dwell on this, as Cole was pulling Piper up, while Werner came to her side and did the same with her. As they began running, Phoebe worried that Piper wouldn't be able to keep up. However, it was obvious that fear was now giving her cousin a shot in the arm, and soon, all of them had made it to the bush. As they went around it, they heard dogs barking. They redoubled their efforts then, and rushed toward the car. Even from where they were, they could hear clamours coming from the camp, along with some engines roaring to life, telling them that the Germans were preparing to pursue. Cole feared that their chances of escaping might be slim. Surprisingly, Cole observed that Werner seemed unconcerned however, even as he put the car in gear and sped away. Cole kept glancing nervously behind, and was taken aback when the car swerved abruptly. He looked back at Werner questioningly and only then saw that the man had taken them on a side road he had not noticed was there before. Werner kept going for a good distance and Cole thought better than to question him. Instead, he resumed his watch of their rear, but thankfully no one came after them. The further they went, the more tortuous the road seemed to become, until it barely could be called a road at all. Then the car came to an abrupt halt about fifteen minutes later, throwing them all forward rudely. Cole turned irritably toward the driver, but this one didn't pay him any attention. Instead, he put the car in gear again and manoeuvred it slowly under the cover of trees, obviously to conceal it from possible pursuers. Then, Werner went out of the car without a word and started walking away. This puzzled Cole, as he couldn't see any habitations, or anything beside a thick wood, and the road stopped only a few feet from where they had stopped. Seeing that they were not following him, Werner signalled to them imperatively, and then he seemed to be engulfed by the forest.
Cole hesitated a moment longer, and then he turned to the girls, who were huddled nervously in the back of the car.
"I guess that our friend wants to show us something. It's better if we stay together, so…"
Phoebe nodded yes and she encouraged her cousin to go out with her. Piper still looked around fearfully, unsure if they truly were safer than before. Phoebe shared her apprehension, but she tried to stay calm for her cousin. Even as they were starting in the direction Werner had taken, this one was coming back out of the woods, while impatiently motioning them to follow. When they finally started toward him, they found a narrow trail among the trees, which they surely would have missed hadn't it been for Werner.
After a ten minutes walk, they were surprised to see a small wooden cottage, toward which Werner went eagerly. He stopped short however when the door flew opened just as he was about to grab the doorknob. When they got closer, Phoebe and Cole were stunned to recognize the man they had met near the factory.
It was almost daybreak and they had been driving all night. Leo's worries grew worse for every mile that they put between themselves and their friends. He often looked back, hopeful that he would see a car speeding toward them and find out that it was Cole, safely returning. But as time went by, his hope diminished until, by the morning, he despaired ever to see Piper or Cole again. He was startled when Clay shifted down and turned onto a side road.
"What are you doing," he asked, uttering his first words since they had left.
"I need some rest, and as we had planned with Cole, we'll stay out of sight in the day, and drive at night until we're at the border."
Clay seemed about to add something and Leo could see that he wasn't the only one crushed by the situation. He still didn't comment on their friends' failure to appear however, and Leo didn't have the heart to start this discussion again.
The night before, as they were preparing to leave, Heinrich had come toward them and asked about the family he wanted them to save. Clay had only hesitated slightly before refusing to turn back for them. Heinrich had become obviously upset, but Clay told him that in the situation, the family in question possibly had better chances by remaining in hiding anyway. He still offered for Heinrich to come along, but this one declined angrily and started back toward the town on foot. Seeing that Leo seemed intent on following him, Clay grabbed him.
"Don't be crazy, Leo. What are you supposed to be able to do that Cole couldn't?"
"It doesn't mean that I shouldn't even try."
"Leo, we need you here. Cole needs you to stick with us…"
"Piper…"
"Cole's gonna do everything he can for her…"
Leo turned to him angrily:
"Oh, and now you believe that?"
Clay bit his lips apprehensively.
"I have to, Leo. At any rate, I'm responsible for you as well as everyone in this group. I won't let you take that risk, even if I have to knock you out."
Leo observed him uncertainly, wondering if he would make good on his threat. He finally decided that he just might, and dejectedly relented. By now, everyone but them had embarked in the trucks and they were ready to leave.
"Let's go," Clay uttered after a moment, seeing that Leo had apparently become more reasonable. Leo followed him in silence and they had not exchanged another word since.
"Maybe," Leo still began hesitantly… He couldn't bring himself to continue, afraid that saying it might jinx his friends' chances.
Clay understood what he meant and, as he was parking the truck in a clearing, he simply nodded.
Clay then climbed out of the truck without another word, and began rounding a few men to organize the watch. As Leo rejoined him, Clay strongly suggested that this one took some rest. Leo didn't think that he would sleep. Nevertheless, he still went into one of the trucks to lie down, as Clay suggested. As if his worries about Piper and Cole weren't enough, he had a nagging feeling that he was forgetting something important, but couldn't put his finger on it. After a while and in spite of his worries, he fell into an agitated sleep…
For a moment, at seeing Heinrich there, Cole had feared that none of their friends had managed to escape. However, Heinrich soon reassured them on the subject. He was still visibly upset about it, while Cole and the girls sighed in relief. At least, one part of the plan seemed to have worked. When they wondered how he'd gotten there so fast, Heinrich told them that he had hitched a ride up to the side road and walked the rest of the way. Cole couldn't help worrying about the safety of this place and he was becoming antsy. He'd figured that Werner was bringing them where the family was hidden, which would have made some sense considering the cottage's isolation. However, once inside, they couldn't find a trace of the family. Besides, even as they were making their way there, Cole had begun to have second thoughts about the whole family situation. By now, he had made up his mind to leave immediately.
He turned to Werner impatiently.
"We've got to go now… Our friends must already have a big head start on us."
Werner countered:
"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be on the main road right now. If they're looking for the fugitives, and I'm sure they are, they'll stop every vehicle."
"We should still try to go. The longer we stay here, the bigger the risk of us being found."
"I assure you… no one will come here anytime soon. Even if someone had recognized me, this place doesn't belong to me, it's Heinrich's. Besides, you still have to wait a while. The car will not be large enough for everyone…"
Cole looked around, still wondering about this family they wanted them to help. He hated the idea of breaking his promise, but knew that this was becoming riskier by the moment.
"And about that, "Werner was continuing, "Heinrich here, is gonna take care of getting a more suitable vehicle. He has a truck in town and only needs to go get it…Don't you Heinrich?"
Werner turned to Heinrich then, and without waiting for his answer, he gave him the keys to the car.
Cole took a step forward:
"Werner, you're not thinking of letting him go with the only vehicle we've got?"
"I'll be back soon," Heinrich said somewhat irritably. Then, he tried to go out of the cottage, but Cole put himself between him and the door, startling everyone.
"No! He's not going anywhere. This is getting way too complicated. This family that you want us to rescue's not even here. And even if they were, I can't take this risk, I'm sorry. The girls and I are gonna leave now. We'll take our chances on back roads, if necessary."
"Captain," Phoebe exclaimed then, unhappy at his change of heart.
"I'm sorry, Miss Halliwell, but I've got to think of you two first. I hate to do this, but we've got a much better chance on our own." He said this as he was still watching Werner and Heinrich carefully, while he moved to pull his gun out of the holster. Before he could do this however, a female's voice startled him from behind. He tried to look back at the newcomer and Werner did not hesitate to use this distraction to come after him with the same agility Cole had witnessed in the camp. He never had time to react or even to see who the woman was, before Werner hit him hard in the jaw. Phoebe's scream of anguish was the last thing Cole heard before he lost consciousness…
Cole was slowly coming to and he had a strangely familiar sensation as he felt a hand caressing his chest. He wasn't in any hurry to break the moment, but a throbbing pain in his jaw suddenly reminded him of the situation.
"Phoebe?" He asked, even before he looked up. This had seemed the most natural thing in the world, even though he knew that they were not on a first name basis by far. Indeed, the hand moved away quickly, and as he opened his eyes, he realized that they were in a poorly lit room. What's more, as he became more aware of his environment, he guessed that this must be a cellar because under the blanket he was lying onto, the floor was made of dirt.
"What's happening," he asked in a hoarse voice.
"Hum, you've made things very complicated is what's happening…"
There was obvious reproach in Phoebe's voice.
"Look, Phoebe…"
"Since when did I allow you to address me by my first name?"
Cole grimaced, but still pursued:
"If it makes you feel better, call me Cole…we'll be even…Now, why are we in this basement?"
Phoebe sighed impatiently:
"Werner thought that you might not be very cooperative..."
"Jeez, I wonder why…"
Phoebe pouted at this, very unhappy with his attitude apparently. He felt the need to defend his actions:
"Look, we're not in any position to be helping anybody, Phoebe." She gave him another irritated glance, but he ignored it.
"We've been separated from the others and we're no closer to get out of this country. My first concern is for you and your cousin…"
"And I'm telling you that I wanna help these people…Cole," Phoebe added almost in a whisper. Although, what she was telling him didn't please him in the least, her saying his name gave him a warm feeling. He searched for her eyes, but she was looking away. He let out a little sigh, and then questioned her further about the situation at hand:
"How long have I been out and where are the others?"
Still not looking at him, she answered:
"You've been unconscious for about four hours. Heinrich had time to go in town and back with the truck. Right now, Werner and he have gone to help the kids pack their things. They were staying deeper in the forest…"
"Kids?"
"Well, Werner wasn't exactly precise about the family thing. They're four children. One big sister of seventeen and three younger kids, one of them six months old…"
"What? Oh this is getting better and better… Phoebe, we can't try escaping with babies. We've gotta get out of here. Where's your cousin by the way?"
Phoebe didn't answer immediately and he felt that she was uncomfortable.
"Phoebe?"
"She's upstairs, keeping watch in case I need something…"
"Well then, just call her and tell her to open this door."
"No…"
"Phoebe, you've got to listen to me. I can't save all of you. We barely have a chance as it is…"
He stopped for a beat. Then, he added:
"I don't want anything to happen to you…"
Phoebe caught the change in his voice and she couldn't help glancing back for a second. She had been so afraid herself. After Werner had knocked him out, she had become angry with the big man, but he quickly made her see that this was the only way. He even told her that he understood the captain's point of view, but he still couldn't let those kids rot in the forest until god knew when. The war seemed to be going on forever, and them being Jewish, there wasn't any salvation in sight unless they left this country. Cole tried again to get through to her:
"Phoebe, please tell Piper to open the door."
"No!"
"Alright," he said, while getting up, "then I'll tell her myself…"
"She won't do it."
He was almost at the bottom of the steps when she spoke and he turned to her irritably:
"And why is that? Aren't we on the same side? Did they threaten her?"
"I told her not to listen to you."
"You did what," Cole exclaimed, while coming back angrily toward her.
"Don't you see how crazy this is?"
This time, Phoebe stood up and faced him squarely:
"We're gonna help this family, whether you like it or not."
"And how much more time are we supposed to lose on this?"
"Werner suggested that we departed in the early evening."
"You mean we've got to wait here all day?"
Phoebe didn't answer and they simply stared at each other for a long moment.
Then Cole, seeing that she wouldn't change her mind, suddenly asked, slightly calmer:
"How come you're here? Why didn't you stay up with your cousin?"
Phoebe kept silent and walked away at this.
"Phoebe?"
She bit her lips before finally answering:
"You were unconscious and I couldn't leave you alone. It was my duty as a nurse to make sure you were ok…"
Cole knew that she was leaving something out. He walked closer and said:
"So… earlier, you were just checking my heart beat, I suppose…"
Phoebe jumped slightly both at having been found out and his proximity. She had believed that he had not noticed.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, but almost in a whisper.
"Then, I guess you'll be leaving me now?"
"And then, you'd try to get out." She answered louder.
"Is that the only reason why you're still here," he questioned, as he moved close enough to touch her back.
Phoebe breathed deeply before answering, trying to steady her voice.
"Why else?"
"Well," he said suggestively, "we might talk about it, since we've got lots of time apparently. Or maybe, I could simply show you." Even as he was telling her this, he leaned toward her neck and could feel her trembling slightly. For a second, he wondered if she feared him and almost stepped back. Yet, she didn't move away, and instead, as his lips touched her skin, her breath quickened noticeably. Encouraged by this, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. The sensation was almost electrifying. In that instant, he forgot all about the war and all the troubles to come. All he wanted was to hold her against him, to kiss her and make love to her right then. Yet, as he tried to twist her around toward him, she pulled away.
"No, I can't let you do this to me…"
Her voice was shaky and he knew that she wanted it just as much as he did. This didn't help at all convincing him that her refusal was sincere.
"Are you so sure Phoebe," he asked, as he came closer again.
Phoebe couldn't even bring herself to look at him, for fear that he would see how uncertain she truly was.
"You…you'd seduce me and move on to the next pretty girl you'd see. I don't need someone like you in my life."
He felt it like a slap in the face, knowing full well why she'd said it. Yet, even if that had truly been like this for him before, he knew it wasn't anymore. How could I convince her of that," he thought forlornly.
"Phoebe, I…"
He stopped, unsure if anything he had to say would change her mind. Still, he had to try:
"Phoebe, I know what you think of me, and arguably, you might have been right about that in the past…"
"The past," Phoebe questioned dubiously, while finally looking up.
"Yes…the past. I…I want you to know that I never felt like this for anyone else. And as you so pointed out, I did know a lot of women…"
Phoebe shrugged irritably.
"Is that supposed to help me trust you?"
"Phoebe, I was just trying to be truthful here. Isn't that what you wanted from me?"
"I'm supposed to believe that you've fallen for me? Even after I saw you flirting with that girl?"
He took a step forward before replying:
"Phoebe that was just a moment of weakness…I was afraid."
"Afraid?" Phoebe exclaimed angrily. "Afraid of what?"
He looked down for a moment, wondering if he should really tell her all of this. Yet, he felt that if he held back, she'd never believe in his sincerity.
"I was afraid of how I felt about you. Of what it meant…"
"What was that exactly?" Phoebe asked in a softer voice.
He looked back at this:
"I never believed in love, Phoebe. I thought that it was just something you read about… I saw relationships rather as a burden, a prison of sort. I never imagined that I'd wish to share my life with one person…Until I met you…"he added softly.
Phoebe couldn't help staring back in surprise at his last words. She wanted so much for it to be true…
"I don't know," she still said. "I…I heard it all before, from someone who had not even betrayed me first…"
"But he did afterward…didn't he?" Cole understood then the depth of his mistake with her. Particularly, when he saw the sudden sadness in her expression…
He sighed deeply while closing his eyes. He realized that his chances might have become null that very night, just like he had believed then. An infinite remorse and sadness was already invading him, as he uttered:
"I'm sorry…"
Then, he felt her fingers coming to rest lightly on his lips and opened his eyes to see her looking up at him.
"I'm afraid too, you know? I'm afraid of what it'd do to me if you left me after I gave myself to you. I want to, but…"
"Phoebe, I wouldn't leave you," he said with a renewed hope.
"How can I be sure of that?"
He took her hand and kissed her palm before answering:
"I don't know what the future holds Phoebe. I can't tell you if there's gonna be a tomorrow for us…But if we get out of this mess, I promise you that I'll stay by your side for as long as you want me. I couldn't leave you…I…I love you," he finally said, even surprising himself. She watched him curiously for a long moment, obviously uncertain of how sincere he was. He felt like his entire life rested in her hands at that moment. The most amazing to him was that he wasn't afraid of losing himself anymore; just of losing her.
Finally, he couldn't take her silence anymore:
"Phoebe?"
Instead of answering, she lifted her face toward his and kissed him passionately. At first, he barely reacted, so astonished he was. Then, as her lips parted, inviting him, he forgot all about the doubts, holding her tight against him. The electrifying sensation returned even stronger, as their kiss deepened and became more intimate. For all the women he had known in his life, he had never felt such a need to give himself to one. It was a new and utterly rewarding sensation. More than pleasure, this felt like ecstasy. As their passion flared, they undressed each other shamelessly, impatient to be with each other as they were. Slowly they made their way toward the blanket, never stopping their caresses and kisses. He laid her down on the blanket then, leaving her lips to kiss her neck then slowly making his way toward her stomach, revelling in the shivers he felt coursing through her as he tasted the soft skin of her breasts. He wanted her so much that the wait was almost painful, yet he wanted to prolong this moment for as long as he could. Finally, she arched herself against him, practically begging for release and he didn't resist anymore. She had to bite back a scream of delight when he moved inside her. Then as his mouth covered hers hungrily, they both felt the explosion of pleasure at the same time, as their body moved in a rhythm as old as the world, yet as new to them as if it was the very first time. For a long moment afterward, they held on to each other, while their hoarse breaths mingled through lighter kisses. Cole finally lied on his side, but still pulled her toward him possessively. Phoebe had never felt more complete and content than in that moment, when her head rested on his chest, just listening to his heart beat. It was such a perfect moment that she didn't even want to shatter it with words. He seemed to agree as neither one talked for a very long time.
At last, it was a discreet knock on the door that reminded them of the world outside. For the first time since they had first kissed, Phoebe suddenly felt self conscious as she heard Piper calling to her:
"Phoebe, is everything ok?"
Phoebe tried to answer, but her first try came out hoarsely and fortunately too low for Piper to hear. She cleared her throat while pulling the blanket over herself then:
"Everything is fine Piper. Give me a moment?"
"All right," was the hesitant answer from her cousin.
When Phoebe looked up at Cole, this one was smiling, apparently amused.
"Hey, it's not funny…"
But even as she said it, she couldn't help smiling as well. However, she soon became serious again.
"Cole…" she took a moment longer before pursuing.
"I need to know if you've changed your mind about the kids…"
His smile faded then, and he sighed heavily.
"I'd lie if I told you that I agree with this, but if it's that important to you…"
"Yes it is. I couldn't stand the idea of us abandoning those kids. We don't even know what happened to the other prisoners, and then, there was Robert," she added, still choking at the thought of the poor medic. "I don't want to leave anymore people behind. And besides you promised, didn't you?"
"You're right, of course," he answered then, albeit reluctantly.
"So, can you promise me now that you won't try to leave without them?"
"On one condition…"
Phoebe stared at him somewhat suspiciously.
"Which one?"
"I want to revisit our time of departure. If we start before noon, we'll have a good chance to catch up with Leo and the others. Then, we can go on with the plan. Otherwise, we might have to wait a long time to go across the border, or try our luck through the mountains. With those kids, I don't think that it'd be a good idea."
"I've been meaning to ask you about this. Are you so certain that you can pull it off?"
"I'm pretty confident yes. All we need is to find an airfield close to the border and well, make our own luck."
"We'll have a talk with Werner then," she said, as she moved up toward his face and kissed him lightly on the lips. She then whispered:
"I love you…" She hesitated. Then she added:
"Please, don't disappoint me. I don't know what I'd do…"
"I won't," he said firmly, as he took her lips again. "But for now," he said as he reluctantly let her go, "we've got to take care of business, so to speak."
She nodded yes weakly, then went to pick up her clothes and dressed hurriedly, just as Cole did. Before she went to the door, he gathered her in his arms one more time.
"I love you, Phoebe. I'll never stop, no matter what." Phoebe felt an intense relief as they exchange a long and languorous kiss, interrupted by the nervous voice of her cousin:
"Phoebe, are you sure that everything is fine?"
"More than fine," she uttered while gazing at him. Then she resolutely turned toward the steps.
"We're coming out Piper."
Piper opened the door, but still watched Cole with a hint of reluctance:
"Wait, are you sure about him?"
Phoebe looked back at Cole for reassurance and he said:
"I agreed to take the children. But we need to talk to Werner now!"
The big man in question pushed Piper aside delicately, surprising her as well apparently.
"Well, it seems I've come back just in time…"
Seeing him suddenly reminded Cole of the pain in his jaw. Weirdly enough, until that moment, it had not seemed so bad.
"Depends for what," Cole asked with a hint of suspicion.
"If you're finally being more reasonable, then we'll get along just fine."
"It'll all depend on if you're also being more reasonable," Cole replied while ostensibly massaging his jaw.
Werner seemed to think about it for a moment, then the jovial smile returned to his lips:
"I'm opened for a reasonable negotiation."
"Good," Cole simply answered, as he moved toward the door behind Phoebe.
Werner let them by and watched them with a renewed interest. As they were taking seats around a small wooden table, he approached them and turned toward Cole with an obvious twinkle in the eyes.
"I see that you and the lady had a "talk"…"
Phoebe had to look away to hide the blushing she felt coming, as she wondered how he could've known. Cole simply smiled back without a word and Werner didn't comment on this anymore. Instead, he went on with the matter at hand.
"Ok then, what is it that you wanted to discuss?"
Cole couldn't answer right away, as a commotion coming from the door interrupted him. Heinrich entered, carrying a very young child, soon followed by two more pre teens and the young girl they'd heard about. The girl in question watched them warily before entering the house. She remembered what Werner had done to the tall man.
Heinrich, seeing that she was hesitating, motioned her inside insistently.
The girl had delicate features, crowned by thick dark hair that gave her an altogether very distinctive look. Phoebe reflected that this girl would have difficulties staying unnoticed; as it was well illustrated by the way Heinrich was looking at her. In the same vein, she wondered if that was what gave Cole and her away to Werner, and the thought was rather pleasant, if also slightly embarrassing. As she turned back toward Cole with a smile, it soon faded when she saw him staring at the door. For an instant, she feared that he had noticed the young girl and again played her for a fool. However, when she looked back toward the doorway, she saw that he was rather staring at the baby. Heinrich was now holding him facing them, and she felt something akin to a shock at his appearance. Somehow, and for no reason that she could fathom, the child seemed oddly familiar. Much more than this, she felt attracted to him instantly. She wondered if Cole had felt the same thing, although the why was still a mystery to her. She couldn't resist standing up and going toward him. Heinrich gave her a curious glance as she couldn't take her eyes off of the baby.
"What is it?" he finally asked.
"I don't know…Can I hold him," she asked without looking up.
Heinrich turned toward the young girl and obviously asked her for permission in German, because the girl nodded with a little smile, and then Heinrich handed the baby to Phoebe. The moment she had him in her arms, she felt even more complete, as if he had been the only missing piece somehow. The strange sensation never left her, even throughout the discussion that followed.
It took some convincing, but in the end Werner agreed to help them slip through the patrols by indicating some back roads less likely to be watched. He still feared that they might get caught, but Cole's arguments about their original plan weighed in the balance. When they had agreed upon this, Cole finally got to question Werner about his own situation:
"I've been meaning to ask you a few things, Werner…"
"Like what?"
"Like, what's gonna become of you when we're gone? I mean, those guards might be able to describe you, and that soldier you saved us from? Hans?"
"My brother?" Werner questioned, lifting an eyebrow in which seemed a dubious gesture. "You don't think that my own brother would denounce me, do you? I mean, I don't approve of his ideas but…"
"Your brother?!!!"
"Yeah…" Werner answered casually.
"So, what? You just asked him to let us go and he did?"
"Well, not exactly… you see, my brother thinks that I'm some kind of simpleton. He's not all that smart himself, I'll say. Because of my differences, many people in my family lend little credit to my intelligence. I let them say, because really I don't care much about what they think."
"Huh, Werner? That doesn't answer my question."
"Oh right, well I told him that you were trying to steal this lovely girl from me, and that I intended to teach you a lesson…"
"Boy, am I glad that you're on my side," Cole uttered, again massaging his jaw… "Still," he pursued, "that doesn't guaranty your safety…"
"Oh really, there won't be any problems. I'll just tell them that you made me do it and Hans won't contradict me. He may be a brute, but he's a good brother nevertheless…"
"If you're sure?"
"Really, don't worry about me. Just take care of Heinrich and the kids for me."
"I promise I will…"
Werner also added in a lower voice:
"And take care of this girl of yours. You make a lovely couple."
Cole smiled with some embarrassment this time, and then they shook hands on this. Soon, all but Werner had left the cottage. It was decided that Heinrich would drive for the first part of the way, while they stayed in the back, hiding behind crates filled with live stock. These he had smartly put in to hide his passengers. The smell was rather overpowering, but on the bright side, they knew that it might very well discourage a patrol from looking too closely. As the truck started, the passengers still stared at each other apprehensively, wondering if they weren't going to fall back into the hands of the enemy…
Chapter X
"Hey, Freund! Wo sind die gefaehrlichen Feinde von denen mein Bruder mir erzaehlt hat?
(Hey, friend! Where are those dangerous enemies my brother told me about?)"
The guard turned around abruptly and was faced with a giant of a man. This one was smiling happily, as if he was there for a circus show.
"Wovon zur Hoelle redest du? Zivilisten sind in diesem Kamp nicht erlaubt.
(What the hell are you talking about? Civilians are not allowed in this camp!)"
"Oh komm schon, ich will sie selbst sehen. Hast du die Unordnung gesehen die sie in der Stadt gemacht haben? Die muessen schon was zum angucken sein!
(Oh come on, I wanna see them for myself. Did you see the mess they made in town? They must be something to look at!)"
"Beweg dich, Mann. Oder du endest ab sie von der Innenseite der Zelle zu sehen.
(Move along man! Or you'll end up seeing them from the inside of the cell!)"
"In Ordung, in Ordnung" (Werner sagte dann), "aber du bist kein spass."
"(Alright, alright," Werner said then, "but you're no fun.)"
From behind the bush Werner had indicated earlier, Cole and Phoebe observed the exchange with appalled expressions. Cole had not been able to hold back the big man when he started casually walking up to the guard. Now, Werner was apparently turning back, and in their mind, he had simply spoiled the element of surprise. However, even as the thought formed in their minds, Werner swirled around much faster than Cole believed him capable of, and he hit the guard hard over the head in one swift move. This one looked up in utter surprise before dropping heavily to the ground. Werner glanced back at their hiding place with the same big grin he had shown the guard earlier:
"What are you waiting for?"
Cole grimaced, but cautiously started toward him, while Werner dragged the guard into his cubicle. When Phoebe tried to follow, however, Cole stopped and stood firmly before her.
"There's no need for you to come along. Stay here and we'll be back with your cousin in no time."
Phoebe looked up irritably.
"I've come this far, I'm not staying behind…"
Cole glared at her with a mix of worry and impatience. However, Phoebe sustained his stare steadily, surprising him, as if all her previous discomfort seemed forgotten.
Cole still tried to convince her:
"There's no reason for you to take this risk. You saw Werner in action. We won't need you in there."
Phoebe gave him one last dismissive look, and then she simply walked around him, ignoring his cautionary advice.
For a few seconds, he stood there, barely believing that she was again acting so recklessly. Then he hurried behind her, mumbling:
"You've got to be the most irritating woman I've ever met…"
Phoebe was still angry with herself for almost giving in to her earlier urges, but his disgruntled reaction amused her. In spite of the precarious situation they were in, she couldn't help smiling with satisfaction. Her amusement was short lived however. From the moment they entered the camp, they had to constantly hide to avoid detection either from the large spotlight constantly surveying the camp and from a few soldiers walking about, even at this late hours. They ran from barrack to barrack to conceal their advance, but as luck had it, no one saw them. Cole watched the big man going ahead of him, and was again amazed at how swift and stealthy he could be. His size alone would have suggested gaucheness, yet, he threaded along adroitly, as if he'd done this all his life. They had already made their way well into the camp, when they heard a gun shot followed by a horrified scream. Phoebe practically bumped into Werner's back, as he stopped short and then pushed her behind the nearest barrack. Cole rejoined them quickly and the three of them saw two officers coming out of a bunker. Werner indicated the bunker insistently, telling them that this must be their objective. This didn't do anything to reassure the other two about the fate of their friends, as they were certain that the commotion had come from inside that building. One of officers barked an order at the sentinel and this one immediately entered it. They were floored to see him returning less than a minute later, dragging a shape that could only be a body. Phoebe, forgetting altogether about their situation, tried to run to the guard as she was worried sick about Piper. Cole grabbed her just in time and, as she began to protest, he repeated his gesture from the alley, silencing her by covering her mouth with his hand. For a second, she was tempted to bite him and try to go anyway, but his worried expression actually gave her second thoughts. She still pushed his hand away while glaring at him.
"Stop doing this," she mumbled angrily.
"Then stop being so reckless," Cole replied in the same tone of voice.
It was still loud enough for Werner to hear however.
"Hey, you two, didn't I tell you to save it," he whispered, as he gave them a quick glance. This time, he didn't sound amused at all, and instead, they could feel the tension in his voice. Nevertheless, after a moment and without warning, he again left their hiding place to walk out in the open, startling Phoebe and Cole. The latter sighed in exasperation, but he still went out cautiously behind him. Werner seemed to hesitate between going directly toward the bunker and following the guard. However, before Cole could reach him, he had already made up his mind to go after the latter. This one being burdened with the corpse, it didn't take long for Werner to catch up with him, and then, he dispatched the guard with the same ease as he had the first one.
As Cole came to his side, he couldn't help commenting irritably:
"Could you be more conspicuous? Laying down bodies as you go is not the way to keep our little visit secret. They might just remember you later on top of that… You're not exactly forgettable, you know?"
Werner frowned at him, but instead of trying to defend his actions, he bent toward the guard and patted him until he found what he was looking for. He got up triumphantly, holding a set of keys. These, he dropped toward Cole, who nearly missed them. Then, without a word, and oblivious to Cole's irritated stare, Werner went back to the guard and picked him up like he weighed nothing, carrying him all the way to a trench, which was some kind of mass grave. Meanwhile, Phoebe kneeled besides Robert's body, unable to contain her sorrow at the sad spectacle. She was ashamed by the relief she'd felt at seeing him there instead of Piper, but she also felt terrible for the medic. She shrugged irritably when a hand came to rest on her shoulders, but she still looked up with tears in her eyes.
Cole was watching her sympathetically, and from the look of him, she thought that he might have guessed at her conflicted feelings.
"Come on… There's nothing we can do for him anymore… Your cousin's most probably in that bunker."
Phoebe tried to protest:
"We can't leave him here…"
"I'm sorry to be blunt, Miss Halliwell, but he's dead…Carrying him would only slow us down and reduce our chances to save your cousin."
She reluctantly nodded in acquiescence. Then, after giving Robert one last look, she slowly stood up.
Werner was already on his way back, but he stopped at seeing Phoebe by the body. Only when she and Cole were moving away, did he pick up Robert and carry him toward the same trench. Once there, he aimed for the guard, knowing that when he came to, this would at least be a reminder of the horror committed. He didn't delude himself in thinking that the man would actually feel bad for the medic, but maybe he would suffer through a few nightmares, he reflected. For a moment, he wondered if he shouldn't at least say a prayer, but he couldn't remember any just then. Sadly, he moved away.
Meanwhile, Cole was trying the keys one by one in the first cell's keyhole. Besides this one, there were 9 more cells in the bunker and Cole hoped that they would find her quickly. He succeeded on the fifth attempt at unlocking the door and, as he opened it, Phoebe walked passed him impatiently. She stopped short just inside the cell, as the obscurity didn't allow her to distinguish who, if anyone was there. When her eyes became accustomed however, she noticed a vague form in a dark corner. Slowly, she headed in that direction.
Piper was still trembling, trying her best to make herself as inconspicuous as she could. Irrationally, she pushed herself against the wall, almost believing that she could hide this way. In the doorway, she could see a man in uniform, but the person coming toward her, she couldn't bring herself to look at.
"Piper," called a female's voice.
Phoebe sighed in relief at seeing her there, but Piper reacted badly.
This one was so panicked that, at first, she didn't recognize her cousin.
"Leave me alone," she screamed almost hysterically.
"Piper, it's me, Phoebe. Come on Piper, we came to get you out of here…"
Her cousin still stayed in her prostrated position, obviously scared out of her mind. Phoebe bent toward her and tried to take her hand, but Piper removed it abruptly. Her reaction pained Phoebe, as she understood how horrible it must have been for her.
"Please Piper, look at me… I promise you, everything will be fine. But we've got to go, now!"
Slowly, Piper looked up, obviously only half convinced. However, when she finally recognized Phoebe, she exclaimed in a strangled voice:
"Phoebe? Phoebe? Please, let it be you…"
"I'm here, Piper!"
Piper's eyes filled with tears and she let Phoebe hug her tight.
After a moment, Phoebe had finally managed to nudge her up, but when Cole approached them, saying:
"Lucky for us she was in this one. Let's go!"
Piper threw herself back against the wall.
"It's fine Piper…That's Captain Turner…Don't you see?"
Cole was looking back and forth impatiently, while saying:
"Let me help her. The sooner we're out of here, the better…"
Piper still hesitated at letting him near, but she was so shaken that when he grabbed her arm, she didn't even have the strength to resist.
"It's gonna be ok, Piper," Phoebe added soothingly, as she saw the doubts in her cousin's attitude.
They were finally on their way when Phoebe noticed a moan coming from another cell.
"Captain," she called to Cole softly.
Cole was continuing on his way, dragging them along, but Phoebe stopped, and insisted:
"Captain, please!"
"What is it now?"
"There are other people in here. We can't leave them behind…"
"Miss Halliwell," he started in protest, but Phoebe interrupted him, almost pleading:
"We can't let them suffer the same fate as Robert's…"
Piper became more attentive at this and she also gave Cole a pleading look.
He looked back toward the entrance to the bunker, just as Werner was coming in, startling him. Then, partly reassured, he turned back toward the girl and replied with a sigh:
"This is crazy…"
Yet, he still pulled out the set of keys and went to the next cell.
Werner came closer.
"Is she ok?" He asked Phoebe, as Piper eyed him with renewed fright. She tried to step away from him but Phoebe held on to her.
"It's ok he's a friend, Piper."
Cole had already managed to open the second cell and found no one. In the third one however, he found two men in tattered uniforms, obviously worse for wear themselves. He feared that they might be too weak to get out on their own, but as soon as they understood he wasn't an enemy, they stood up, ready to go.
Without wait, he moved on to the next cell, while Werner went back to stand guard near the entrance. Cole was working as fast as he could, but as time went by, pearls of sweat formed on his forehead. He couldn't help thinking that every minute they wasted in this bunker was bringing them closer to get caught. In the end, he found only one more prisoner in the last cell, who thankfully could also walk. This one looked like a British officer to him. The man soon confirmed this, speaking with a heavy accent.
"I don't know who you are," he said, "but thank you."
"Wait until we're out of here to thank us," Cole replied, while turning around and taking the lead toward the doorway.
"We shouldn't lose any more time," Cole said again once he had rejoined the others. To Werner, he asked:
"Seen anything?"
"No! The coast is clear, as you say…"
Cole cast a worried look to the now inflated group behind him, wondering if they would really get out of there. At this point the officer came closer with a suggestion.
"If you don't mind, I think that it'd be wiser if these men," he said, indicating the other two ex-prisoners, "and I went our own way."
Cole saw the wisdom of his reasoning, but now that he had rescued them, he felt bad at the idea of abandoning them.
"I don't know, you're all very weak…"
"We can hold our own and there's no point in all of us being retaken if something goes wrong."
Cole nodded hesitantly and the officer offered his hand with a nod of his own.
"Good luck," the officer said in guise of goodbye before he signalled to the other soldiers. They left soon after.
Cole, the girls and Werner waited a while longer before heading out of the bunker themselves. This after they were reassured that no one sounded the alarm.
Werner closed their rear as they started again through the camp. After another nerve racking trip, they were coming out of it, when the dreaded siren sounded, telling them that someone had either found the other men, or uncovered the escape. As one of the bright spotlights was coming their way, they distinguished soldiers running in the bunker's direction. Others were scrambling out of a few barracks and looking around curiously. Cole roughly pushed Phoebe and Piper to the ground, just as the spotlight lit up their position for a beat. Phoebe lost her breath for a moment, not knowing if it was from fright or the shock of the fall. She worried that they still might have been spotted, but she didn't have time to dwell on this, as Cole was pulling Piper up, while Werner came to her side and did the same with her. As they began running, Phoebe worried that Piper wouldn't be able to keep up. However, it was obvious that fear was now giving her cousin a shot in the arm, and soon, all of them had made it to the bush. As they went around it, they heard dogs barking. They redoubled their efforts then, and rushed toward the car. Even from where they were, they could hear clamours coming from the camp, along with some engines roaring to life, telling them that the Germans were preparing to pursue. Cole feared that their chances of escaping might be slim. Surprisingly, Cole observed that Werner seemed unconcerned however, even as he put the car in gear and sped away. Cole kept glancing nervously behind, and was taken aback when the car swerved abruptly. He looked back at Werner questioningly and only then saw that the man had taken them on a side road he had not noticed was there before. Werner kept going for a good distance and Cole thought better than to question him. Instead, he resumed his watch of their rear, but thankfully no one came after them. The further they went, the more tortuous the road seemed to become, until it barely could be called a road at all. Then the car came to an abrupt halt about fifteen minutes later, throwing them all forward rudely. Cole turned irritably toward the driver, but this one didn't pay him any attention. Instead, he put the car in gear again and manoeuvred it slowly under the cover of trees, obviously to conceal it from possible pursuers. Then, Werner went out of the car without a word and started walking away. This puzzled Cole, as he couldn't see any habitations, or anything beside a thick wood, and the road stopped only a few feet from where they had stopped. Seeing that they were not following him, Werner signalled to them imperatively, and then he seemed to be engulfed by the forest.
Cole hesitated a moment longer, and then he turned to the girls, who were huddled nervously in the back of the car.
"I guess that our friend wants to show us something. It's better if we stay together, so…"
Phoebe nodded yes and she encouraged her cousin to go out with her. Piper still looked around fearfully, unsure if they truly were safer than before. Phoebe shared her apprehension, but she tried to stay calm for her cousin. Even as they were starting in the direction Werner had taken, this one was coming back out of the woods, while impatiently motioning them to follow. When they finally started toward him, they found a narrow trail among the trees, which they surely would have missed hadn't it been for Werner.
After a ten minutes walk, they were surprised to see a small wooden cottage, toward which Werner went eagerly. He stopped short however when the door flew opened just as he was about to grab the doorknob. When they got closer, Phoebe and Cole were stunned to recognize the man they had met near the factory.
It was almost daybreak and they had been driving all night. Leo's worries grew worse for every mile that they put between themselves and their friends. He often looked back, hopeful that he would see a car speeding toward them and find out that it was Cole, safely returning. But as time went by, his hope diminished until, by the morning, he despaired ever to see Piper or Cole again. He was startled when Clay shifted down and turned onto a side road.
"What are you doing," he asked, uttering his first words since they had left.
"I need some rest, and as we had planned with Cole, we'll stay out of sight in the day, and drive at night until we're at the border."
Clay seemed about to add something and Leo could see that he wasn't the only one crushed by the situation. He still didn't comment on their friends' failure to appear however, and Leo didn't have the heart to start this discussion again.
The night before, as they were preparing to leave, Heinrich had come toward them and asked about the family he wanted them to save. Clay had only hesitated slightly before refusing to turn back for them. Heinrich had become obviously upset, but Clay told him that in the situation, the family in question possibly had better chances by remaining in hiding anyway. He still offered for Heinrich to come along, but this one declined angrily and started back toward the town on foot. Seeing that Leo seemed intent on following him, Clay grabbed him.
"Don't be crazy, Leo. What are you supposed to be able to do that Cole couldn't?"
"It doesn't mean that I shouldn't even try."
"Leo, we need you here. Cole needs you to stick with us…"
"Piper…"
"Cole's gonna do everything he can for her…"
Leo turned to him angrily:
"Oh, and now you believe that?"
Clay bit his lips apprehensively.
"I have to, Leo. At any rate, I'm responsible for you as well as everyone in this group. I won't let you take that risk, even if I have to knock you out."
Leo observed him uncertainly, wondering if he would make good on his threat. He finally decided that he just might, and dejectedly relented. By now, everyone but them had embarked in the trucks and they were ready to leave.
"Let's go," Clay uttered after a moment, seeing that Leo had apparently become more reasonable. Leo followed him in silence and they had not exchanged another word since.
"Maybe," Leo still began hesitantly… He couldn't bring himself to continue, afraid that saying it might jinx his friends' chances.
Clay understood what he meant and, as he was parking the truck in a clearing, he simply nodded.
Clay then climbed out of the truck without another word, and began rounding a few men to organize the watch. As Leo rejoined him, Clay strongly suggested that this one took some rest. Leo didn't think that he would sleep. Nevertheless, he still went into one of the trucks to lie down, as Clay suggested. As if his worries about Piper and Cole weren't enough, he had a nagging feeling that he was forgetting something important, but couldn't put his finger on it. After a while and in spite of his worries, he fell into an agitated sleep…
For a moment, at seeing Heinrich there, Cole had feared that none of their friends had managed to escape. However, Heinrich soon reassured them on the subject. He was still visibly upset about it, while Cole and the girls sighed in relief. At least, one part of the plan seemed to have worked. When they wondered how he'd gotten there so fast, Heinrich told them that he had hitched a ride up to the side road and walked the rest of the way. Cole couldn't help worrying about the safety of this place and he was becoming antsy. He'd figured that Werner was bringing them where the family was hidden, which would have made some sense considering the cottage's isolation. However, once inside, they couldn't find a trace of the family. Besides, even as they were making their way there, Cole had begun to have second thoughts about the whole family situation. By now, he had made up his mind to leave immediately.
He turned to Werner impatiently.
"We've got to go now… Our friends must already have a big head start on us."
Werner countered:
"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be on the main road right now. If they're looking for the fugitives, and I'm sure they are, they'll stop every vehicle."
"We should still try to go. The longer we stay here, the bigger the risk of us being found."
"I assure you… no one will come here anytime soon. Even if someone had recognized me, this place doesn't belong to me, it's Heinrich's. Besides, you still have to wait a while. The car will not be large enough for everyone…"
Cole looked around, still wondering about this family they wanted them to help. He hated the idea of breaking his promise, but knew that this was becoming riskier by the moment.
"And about that, "Werner was continuing, "Heinrich here, is gonna take care of getting a more suitable vehicle. He has a truck in town and only needs to go get it…Don't you Heinrich?"
Werner turned to Heinrich then, and without waiting for his answer, he gave him the keys to the car.
Cole took a step forward:
"Werner, you're not thinking of letting him go with the only vehicle we've got?"
"I'll be back soon," Heinrich said somewhat irritably. Then, he tried to go out of the cottage, but Cole put himself between him and the door, startling everyone.
"No! He's not going anywhere. This is getting way too complicated. This family that you want us to rescue's not even here. And even if they were, I can't take this risk, I'm sorry. The girls and I are gonna leave now. We'll take our chances on back roads, if necessary."
"Captain," Phoebe exclaimed then, unhappy at his change of heart.
"I'm sorry, Miss Halliwell, but I've got to think of you two first. I hate to do this, but we've got a much better chance on our own." He said this as he was still watching Werner and Heinrich carefully, while he moved to pull his gun out of the holster. Before he could do this however, a female's voice startled him from behind. He tried to look back at the newcomer and Werner did not hesitate to use this distraction to come after him with the same agility Cole had witnessed in the camp. He never had time to react or even to see who the woman was, before Werner hit him hard in the jaw. Phoebe's scream of anguish was the last thing Cole heard before he lost consciousness…
Cole was slowly coming to and he had a strangely familiar sensation as he felt a hand caressing his chest. He wasn't in any hurry to break the moment, but a throbbing pain in his jaw suddenly reminded him of the situation.
"Phoebe?" He asked, even before he looked up. This had seemed the most natural thing in the world, even though he knew that they were not on a first name basis by far. Indeed, the hand moved away quickly, and as he opened his eyes, he realized that they were in a poorly lit room. What's more, as he became more aware of his environment, he guessed that this must be a cellar because under the blanket he was lying onto, the floor was made of dirt.
"What's happening," he asked in a hoarse voice.
"Hum, you've made things very complicated is what's happening…"
There was obvious reproach in Phoebe's voice.
"Look, Phoebe…"
"Since when did I allow you to address me by my first name?"
Cole grimaced, but still pursued:
"If it makes you feel better, call me Cole…we'll be even…Now, why are we in this basement?"
Phoebe sighed impatiently:
"Werner thought that you might not be very cooperative..."
"Jeez, I wonder why…"
Phoebe pouted at this, very unhappy with his attitude apparently. He felt the need to defend his actions:
"Look, we're not in any position to be helping anybody, Phoebe." She gave him another irritated glance, but he ignored it.
"We've been separated from the others and we're no closer to get out of this country. My first concern is for you and your cousin…"
"And I'm telling you that I wanna help these people…Cole," Phoebe added almost in a whisper. Although, what she was telling him didn't please him in the least, her saying his name gave him a warm feeling. He searched for her eyes, but she was looking away. He let out a little sigh, and then questioned her further about the situation at hand:
"How long have I been out and where are the others?"
Still not looking at him, she answered:
"You've been unconscious for about four hours. Heinrich had time to go in town and back with the truck. Right now, Werner and he have gone to help the kids pack their things. They were staying deeper in the forest…"
"Kids?"
"Well, Werner wasn't exactly precise about the family thing. They're four children. One big sister of seventeen and three younger kids, one of them six months old…"
"What? Oh this is getting better and better… Phoebe, we can't try escaping with babies. We've gotta get out of here. Where's your cousin by the way?"
Phoebe didn't answer immediately and he felt that she was uncomfortable.
"Phoebe?"
"She's upstairs, keeping watch in case I need something…"
"Well then, just call her and tell her to open this door."
"No…"
"Phoebe, you've got to listen to me. I can't save all of you. We barely have a chance as it is…"
He stopped for a beat. Then, he added:
"I don't want anything to happen to you…"
Phoebe caught the change in his voice and she couldn't help glancing back for a second. She had been so afraid herself. After Werner had knocked him out, she had become angry with the big man, but he quickly made her see that this was the only way. He even told her that he understood the captain's point of view, but he still couldn't let those kids rot in the forest until god knew when. The war seemed to be going on forever, and them being Jewish, there wasn't any salvation in sight unless they left this country. Cole tried again to get through to her:
"Phoebe, please tell Piper to open the door."
"No!"
"Alright," he said, while getting up, "then I'll tell her myself…"
"She won't do it."
He was almost at the bottom of the steps when she spoke and he turned to her irritably:
"And why is that? Aren't we on the same side? Did they threaten her?"
"I told her not to listen to you."
"You did what," Cole exclaimed, while coming back angrily toward her.
"Don't you see how crazy this is?"
This time, Phoebe stood up and faced him squarely:
"We're gonna help this family, whether you like it or not."
"And how much more time are we supposed to lose on this?"
"Werner suggested that we departed in the early evening."
"You mean we've got to wait here all day?"
Phoebe didn't answer and they simply stared at each other for a long moment.
Then Cole, seeing that she wouldn't change her mind, suddenly asked, slightly calmer:
"How come you're here? Why didn't you stay up with your cousin?"
Phoebe kept silent and walked away at this.
"Phoebe?"
She bit her lips before finally answering:
"You were unconscious and I couldn't leave you alone. It was my duty as a nurse to make sure you were ok…"
Cole knew that she was leaving something out. He walked closer and said:
"So… earlier, you were just checking my heart beat, I suppose…"
Phoebe jumped slightly both at having been found out and his proximity. She had believed that he had not noticed.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, but almost in a whisper.
"Then, I guess you'll be leaving me now?"
"And then, you'd try to get out." She answered louder.
"Is that the only reason why you're still here," he questioned, as he moved close enough to touch her back.
Phoebe breathed deeply before answering, trying to steady her voice.
"Why else?"
"Well," he said suggestively, "we might talk about it, since we've got lots of time apparently. Or maybe, I could simply show you." Even as he was telling her this, he leaned toward her neck and could feel her trembling slightly. For a second, he wondered if she feared him and almost stepped back. Yet, she didn't move away, and instead, as his lips touched her skin, her breath quickened noticeably. Encouraged by this, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. The sensation was almost electrifying. In that instant, he forgot all about the war and all the troubles to come. All he wanted was to hold her against him, to kiss her and make love to her right then. Yet, as he tried to twist her around toward him, she pulled away.
"No, I can't let you do this to me…"
Her voice was shaky and he knew that she wanted it just as much as he did. This didn't help at all convincing him that her refusal was sincere.
"Are you so sure Phoebe," he asked, as he came closer again.
Phoebe couldn't even bring herself to look at him, for fear that he would see how uncertain she truly was.
"You…you'd seduce me and move on to the next pretty girl you'd see. I don't need someone like you in my life."
He felt it like a slap in the face, knowing full well why she'd said it. Yet, even if that had truly been like this for him before, he knew it wasn't anymore. How could I convince her of that," he thought forlornly.
"Phoebe, I…"
He stopped, unsure if anything he had to say would change her mind. Still, he had to try:
"Phoebe, I know what you think of me, and arguably, you might have been right about that in the past…"
"The past," Phoebe questioned dubiously, while finally looking up.
"Yes…the past. I…I want you to know that I never felt like this for anyone else. And as you so pointed out, I did know a lot of women…"
Phoebe shrugged irritably.
"Is that supposed to help me trust you?"
"Phoebe, I was just trying to be truthful here. Isn't that what you wanted from me?"
"I'm supposed to believe that you've fallen for me? Even after I saw you flirting with that girl?"
He took a step forward before replying:
"Phoebe that was just a moment of weakness…I was afraid."
"Afraid?" Phoebe exclaimed angrily. "Afraid of what?"
He looked down for a moment, wondering if he should really tell her all of this. Yet, he felt that if he held back, she'd never believe in his sincerity.
"I was afraid of how I felt about you. Of what it meant…"
"What was that exactly?" Phoebe asked in a softer voice.
He looked back at this:
"I never believed in love, Phoebe. I thought that it was just something you read about… I saw relationships rather as a burden, a prison of sort. I never imagined that I'd wish to share my life with one person…Until I met you…"he added softly.
Phoebe couldn't help staring back in surprise at his last words. She wanted so much for it to be true…
"I don't know," she still said. "I…I heard it all before, from someone who had not even betrayed me first…"
"But he did afterward…didn't he?" Cole understood then the depth of his mistake with her. Particularly, when he saw the sudden sadness in her expression…
He sighed deeply while closing his eyes. He realized that his chances might have become null that very night, just like he had believed then. An infinite remorse and sadness was already invading him, as he uttered:
"I'm sorry…"
Then, he felt her fingers coming to rest lightly on his lips and opened his eyes to see her looking up at him.
"I'm afraid too, you know? I'm afraid of what it'd do to me if you left me after I gave myself to you. I want to, but…"
"Phoebe, I wouldn't leave you," he said with a renewed hope.
"How can I be sure of that?"
He took her hand and kissed her palm before answering:
"I don't know what the future holds Phoebe. I can't tell you if there's gonna be a tomorrow for us…But if we get out of this mess, I promise you that I'll stay by your side for as long as you want me. I couldn't leave you…I…I love you," he finally said, even surprising himself. She watched him curiously for a long moment, obviously uncertain of how sincere he was. He felt like his entire life rested in her hands at that moment. The most amazing to him was that he wasn't afraid of losing himself anymore; just of losing her.
Finally, he couldn't take her silence anymore:
"Phoebe?"
Instead of answering, she lifted her face toward his and kissed him passionately. At first, he barely reacted, so astonished he was. Then, as her lips parted, inviting him, he forgot all about the doubts, holding her tight against him. The electrifying sensation returned even stronger, as their kiss deepened and became more intimate. For all the women he had known in his life, he had never felt such a need to give himself to one. It was a new and utterly rewarding sensation. More than pleasure, this felt like ecstasy. As their passion flared, they undressed each other shamelessly, impatient to be with each other as they were. Slowly they made their way toward the blanket, never stopping their caresses and kisses. He laid her down on the blanket then, leaving her lips to kiss her neck then slowly making his way toward her stomach, revelling in the shivers he felt coursing through her as he tasted the soft skin of her breasts. He wanted her so much that the wait was almost painful, yet he wanted to prolong this moment for as long as he could. Finally, she arched herself against him, practically begging for release and he didn't resist anymore. She had to bite back a scream of delight when he moved inside her. Then as his mouth covered hers hungrily, they both felt the explosion of pleasure at the same time, as their body moved in a rhythm as old as the world, yet as new to them as if it was the very first time. For a long moment afterward, they held on to each other, while their hoarse breaths mingled through lighter kisses. Cole finally lied on his side, but still pulled her toward him possessively. Phoebe had never felt more complete and content than in that moment, when her head rested on his chest, just listening to his heart beat. It was such a perfect moment that she didn't even want to shatter it with words. He seemed to agree as neither one talked for a very long time.
At last, it was a discreet knock on the door that reminded them of the world outside. For the first time since they had first kissed, Phoebe suddenly felt self conscious as she heard Piper calling to her:
"Phoebe, is everything ok?"
Phoebe tried to answer, but her first try came out hoarsely and fortunately too low for Piper to hear. She cleared her throat while pulling the blanket over herself then:
"Everything is fine Piper. Give me a moment?"
"All right," was the hesitant answer from her cousin.
When Phoebe looked up at Cole, this one was smiling, apparently amused.
"Hey, it's not funny…"
But even as she said it, she couldn't help smiling as well. However, she soon became serious again.
"Cole…" she took a moment longer before pursuing.
"I need to know if you've changed your mind about the kids…"
His smile faded then, and he sighed heavily.
"I'd lie if I told you that I agree with this, but if it's that important to you…"
"Yes it is. I couldn't stand the idea of us abandoning those kids. We don't even know what happened to the other prisoners, and then, there was Robert," she added, still choking at the thought of the poor medic. "I don't want to leave anymore people behind. And besides you promised, didn't you?"
"You're right, of course," he answered then, albeit reluctantly.
"So, can you promise me now that you won't try to leave without them?"
"On one condition…"
Phoebe stared at him somewhat suspiciously.
"Which one?"
"I want to revisit our time of departure. If we start before noon, we'll have a good chance to catch up with Leo and the others. Then, we can go on with the plan. Otherwise, we might have to wait a long time to go across the border, or try our luck through the mountains. With those kids, I don't think that it'd be a good idea."
"I've been meaning to ask you about this. Are you so certain that you can pull it off?"
"I'm pretty confident yes. All we need is to find an airfield close to the border and well, make our own luck."
"We'll have a talk with Werner then," she said, as she moved up toward his face and kissed him lightly on the lips. She then whispered:
"I love you…" She hesitated. Then she added:
"Please, don't disappoint me. I don't know what I'd do…"
"I won't," he said firmly, as he took her lips again. "But for now," he said as he reluctantly let her go, "we've got to take care of business, so to speak."
She nodded yes weakly, then went to pick up her clothes and dressed hurriedly, just as Cole did. Before she went to the door, he gathered her in his arms one more time.
"I love you, Phoebe. I'll never stop, no matter what." Phoebe felt an intense relief as they exchange a long and languorous kiss, interrupted by the nervous voice of her cousin:
"Phoebe, are you sure that everything is fine?"
"More than fine," she uttered while gazing at him. Then she resolutely turned toward the steps.
"We're coming out Piper."
Piper opened the door, but still watched Cole with a hint of reluctance:
"Wait, are you sure about him?"
Phoebe looked back at Cole for reassurance and he said:
"I agreed to take the children. But we need to talk to Werner now!"
The big man in question pushed Piper aside delicately, surprising her as well apparently.
"Well, it seems I've come back just in time…"
Seeing him suddenly reminded Cole of the pain in his jaw. Weirdly enough, until that moment, it had not seemed so bad.
"Depends for what," Cole asked with a hint of suspicion.
"If you're finally being more reasonable, then we'll get along just fine."
"It'll all depend on if you're also being more reasonable," Cole replied while ostensibly massaging his jaw.
Werner seemed to think about it for a moment, then the jovial smile returned to his lips:
"I'm opened for a reasonable negotiation."
"Good," Cole simply answered, as he moved toward the door behind Phoebe.
Werner let them by and watched them with a renewed interest. As they were taking seats around a small wooden table, he approached them and turned toward Cole with an obvious twinkle in the eyes.
"I see that you and the lady had a "talk"…"
Phoebe had to look away to hide the blushing she felt coming, as she wondered how he could've known. Cole simply smiled back without a word and Werner didn't comment on this anymore. Instead, he went on with the matter at hand.
"Ok then, what is it that you wanted to discuss?"
Cole couldn't answer right away, as a commotion coming from the door interrupted him. Heinrich entered, carrying a very young child, soon followed by two more pre teens and the young girl they'd heard about. The girl in question watched them warily before entering the house. She remembered what Werner had done to the tall man.
Heinrich, seeing that she was hesitating, motioned her inside insistently.
The girl had delicate features, crowned by thick dark hair that gave her an altogether very distinctive look. Phoebe reflected that this girl would have difficulties staying unnoticed; as it was well illustrated by the way Heinrich was looking at her. In the same vein, she wondered if that was what gave Cole and her away to Werner, and the thought was rather pleasant, if also slightly embarrassing. As she turned back toward Cole with a smile, it soon faded when she saw him staring at the door. For an instant, she feared that he had noticed the young girl and again played her for a fool. However, when she looked back toward the doorway, she saw that he was rather staring at the baby. Heinrich was now holding him facing them, and she felt something akin to a shock at his appearance. Somehow, and for no reason that she could fathom, the child seemed oddly familiar. Much more than this, she felt attracted to him instantly. She wondered if Cole had felt the same thing, although the why was still a mystery to her. She couldn't resist standing up and going toward him. Heinrich gave her a curious glance as she couldn't take her eyes off of the baby.
"What is it?" he finally asked.
"I don't know…Can I hold him," she asked without looking up.
Heinrich turned toward the young girl and obviously asked her for permission in German, because the girl nodded with a little smile, and then Heinrich handed the baby to Phoebe. The moment she had him in her arms, she felt even more complete, as if he had been the only missing piece somehow. The strange sensation never left her, even throughout the discussion that followed.
It took some convincing, but in the end Werner agreed to help them slip through the patrols by indicating some back roads less likely to be watched. He still feared that they might get caught, but Cole's arguments about their original plan weighed in the balance. When they had agreed upon this, Cole finally got to question Werner about his own situation:
"I've been meaning to ask you a few things, Werner…"
"Like what?"
"Like, what's gonna become of you when we're gone? I mean, those guards might be able to describe you, and that soldier you saved us from? Hans?"
"My brother?" Werner questioned, lifting an eyebrow in which seemed a dubious gesture. "You don't think that my own brother would denounce me, do you? I mean, I don't approve of his ideas but…"
"Your brother?!!!"
"Yeah…" Werner answered casually.
"So, what? You just asked him to let us go and he did?"
"Well, not exactly… you see, my brother thinks that I'm some kind of simpleton. He's not all that smart himself, I'll say. Because of my differences, many people in my family lend little credit to my intelligence. I let them say, because really I don't care much about what they think."
"Huh, Werner? That doesn't answer my question."
"Oh right, well I told him that you were trying to steal this lovely girl from me, and that I intended to teach you a lesson…"
"Boy, am I glad that you're on my side," Cole uttered, again massaging his jaw… "Still," he pursued, "that doesn't guaranty your safety…"
"Oh really, there won't be any problems. I'll just tell them that you made me do it and Hans won't contradict me. He may be a brute, but he's a good brother nevertheless…"
"If you're sure?"
"Really, don't worry about me. Just take care of Heinrich and the kids for me."
"I promise I will…"
Werner also added in a lower voice:
"And take care of this girl of yours. You make a lovely couple."
Cole smiled with some embarrassment this time, and then they shook hands on this. Soon, all but Werner had left the cottage. It was decided that Heinrich would drive for the first part of the way, while they stayed in the back, hiding behind crates filled with live stock. These he had smartly put in to hide his passengers. The smell was rather overpowering, but on the bright side, they knew that it might very well discourage a patrol from looking too closely. As the truck started, the passengers still stared at each other apprehensively, wondering if they weren't going to fall back into the hands of the enemy…