Hammelburg, Gestapo Headquarters, Office of Captain August Dorfmann
December 23, 1943, 1130 hours

August Dorfmann was not a very happy Gestapo officer. He had been very happy when he first joined the Gestapo. The anchlu had just occurred and Germany annexed both Austria and the Sudetenland without a shot being fired. It seemed that nothing could hold his country back, and he wanted to be part of it. The happiness faded as he rose through the ranks and saw more and more of the horrendous behavior of the Gestapo towards the German citizens. He was very happy when he received this transfer to out of the way Hammelburg.

That was until he met Major Hochstetter. It didn't take him long to realize that the Major was a bitter, spiteful man that hated everyone and everything. It must be because he is so short, he thought. I bet he was a bully who tormented everyone because he felt it made people respect him. Now that he is a man in charge, he continues to bully people because he can get away with it.

The events of the past two days had shown him what was wrong with his country. Major Hochstetter had used the murder of two of his men as an excuse for rounding up anyone who looked at him wrong. For interrogation, he had said. No Major, it was so that you could feel some pleasure in your bleak little life, he thought. You bring these people into headquarters and then proceed to humiliate and abuse them simply to have some fun for yourself.

Dorfmann sighed. There was nothing for him to do. He had to do his job, or else he would join those who were being interrogated, and find himself shipped out to a concentration camp to toil the rest of his life away at hard labor.

Why does this bother me so much today, he thought. Nothing had changed, I've seen worse than Major Hochstetter before coming here. So why does this even bother me so much? He shifted in his chair.

He knew why it bothered him – Ilse. Ilse Wagner. He had met her yesterday in Johann Mueller's shoe shop when the Major had been traversing the town searching for information. He hadn't known her last name until this morning when the Major had ransacked the Wagner's farmhouse simply because he had remembered that Friedrich Wagner had complained about his daughter being attacked by the same two men who were murdered. If they did attack her, then the scum got what they deserved. How dare they attack such a pretty, young innocent like her! He felt himself flush. He didn't know if the Wagners were involved in the murder, but he knew that he didn't care. He was attracted to Ilse Wagner, and that was all he cared about at the moment.

He stared at the clock, as if waiting for it to make a decision for him. After a while, he got up, put on his coat and left his office. "I'm getting some lunch," he told the sergeant at the front desk as he left the headquarters building.

---------------

Johann was busy working when he heard the door to his shop open. He looked up to see Captain Dorfmann entering.

"Hallo, Captain," he said. "What can I do for you today?"

"Herr Mueller," Dorfmann said in reply. "There's something I'd like to say to Fräulein Wagner, if I may."

Ilse stared at him with a worried look on her face, but still managed to nod her head slightly.

"Fräulein Wagner," Dorfmann said. "I would like to apologize for what happened at your house this morning." He paused, grasping for the proper words to use. "It was ..." he started, then stopped and shook his head a little. "I mean, I feel that it was not right for Major Hochstetter to allow the mess to be made."

Ilse was relieved. She had been expecting him to tell her that something had happened to her father or her brothers. "We've come to expect that kind of behavior from the Gestapo," she replied slowly, not wanting to offend him.

Dorfmann shook his head. "That does not make it right," he replied.

Ilse shook her head and smiled at the Captain. "That is something that I would never say in public," she responded.

Dorfmann smiled back at her, saying nothing. After a moment, he seemed to come to a decision. Looking quickly at his watch, he said, "It is lunch time, and I was wondering ..."

She inclined her head, prompting him to continue.

"Um, would you like to have lunch with me?" he asked, looking a bit sheepish. He saw the color rise in her cheeks as she started to blush.

"I'm sorry," she said. Dorfmann's heart started sinking as she continued, "But I have brought my lunch and eat here in the shop."

Dorfmann looked at Ilse sitting at the desk. August, he thought. She did not say she didn't want to have lunch with you, only that she brought her lunch. Don't give up! He pondered the thought while another voice countered, But what if she really doesn't want to have anything to do with you? It would be so embarrassing to be turned down. While this thought percolated, the first voice started up again, You'll never know unless you ask. What if she's waiting for you to ask again and you don't?

While Dorfmann wrestled with his feelings, Ilse kept looking at him. I wonder what he is waiting for? I didn't say no to him, I just don't feel right about going to lunch in public with a Gestapo man right now. She smiled at him again. Oh please ask me again!

Dorfmann saw Ilse smile at him, and he suddenly blurted out, "You are very pretty when you smile." Oh no, what am I saying. How could I say something as stupid as that? Now she really isn't going to want to have anything to do with me.

Dorfmann watched as Ilse's cheeks turned a bright red, and she looked away shyly. Digging deep down and finding the courage, he took a deep breath and said, "If you would like, I can go get some lunch and bring it back here to eat with you."

Ilse looked up at him demurely. "I'd like that very much, Captain," she replied softly.

"Please, call me August," he replied smiling. "I will be back soon!" He turned and nearly skipped out of the shop.