Usual disclaimers apply: I don't own 'Hogan's Heroes' and am only borrowing them for fun, not profit.

The business of the restaurant had gone on as the two women enjoyed their meal and each other's company. Some customers had left, and more had arrived to replace them. One of those new diners was a young Gestapo Leutnant who had chosen the table next to the chatting women. As the older one made her comment about her granddaughter's interest, he put his menu aside and favored both ladies with a smile. "I could only wish that Fräulein Weiss would show as much interest in me as she does in her dining companion, as I am quite interested in getting to know her better."

Liesel's eyes widened as she realized who had spoken, but other than that, and the brief clenching of her hand where it was still covered by her grandmother's, the young woman gave no outward sign of distress as she smiled back at the blond officer. "Oh! I didn't see you there, Leutant Schaeffer."

Schaeffer chuckled at the young woman's surprise even as he put a hand over his heart and exclaimed, "You have inflicted a fatal wound on me, Fräulein. I had thought that I was surely more noticeable than this!"

The old lady gave her granddaughter a look, her green eyes briefly narrowing behind her spectacles. However, the expression she turned on the Gestapo officer was one of wide-eyed curiosity. "Liesel, who is this fine young officer of our beloved Third Reich?"

Liesel's hand curled into a fist once again, but as her grandmother's hand was still lying on it, the Gestapo officer couldn't see the gesture. Putting all of the cheerfulness she could muster into her voice, she smiled as she made the introductions. "Herr Schaeffer, this is my grandmother, Frau Richter. Großmutter, may I present Leutant Franz Schaeffer of the Hammelburg office of the Geheime Staatspolizie."

Schaeffer rose from his seat as the introductions were made. He held his hand out to the old lady, who gave him a most charming smile as she placed her hand in his. The Leutant bowed politely, favoring theold lady with his best, most charming smile in return. "A pleasure to meet you, Frau Richter. I do not mean to intrude on your luncheon, but I so seldom have the opportunity to speak with Fräulein Weiss outside of work that I had to seize my chance when it arose."

The old lady tittered softly and gave the Gestapo officer a coy smile in return. "Why, Herr Schaeffer, as one of the Fatherland's finest soldiers, you should know that battles are won by taking the initiative." She gently pulled her hand away, and folded both of them primly on the tabletop before she went on. "However, I must ask you to forgive me, in that I shall have to take my granddaughter away for now. I have not felt well for a few days, and Liesel has been kind enough to offer to let me rest at her apartment before I start for home."

Liesel blinked, then nodded quickly as she stood up. "Yes, Großmutter, and we really should be going if you're to get any rest before your trip home." She glanced at Schaeffer as she picked up her purse and her grandmother's shopping bag. "If you'll excuse us, Leutant?"

Schaeffer could only nod as he helped the old lady with her chair. Once she was on her feet, he favored both women with a bow. "It would seem that you have won the day, Frau Richter, but rest assured, I shall take your advice in the future." He turned to Liesel. "May I offer you the use of my staff car to take your grandmother to your apartment?"

The young woman began to turn down the offer, but the old lady reached over and patted her arm gently. "Perhaps we should take the Leutant up on his gallant offer, especially as I have denied him the pleasure of your company for the afternoon." She picked up her reticule and nodded to Schaeffer. "Thank you so very much, mein Herr, for your kindness to an old woman."

A short time later, Liesel closed the door of her apartment and set the locks. She sagged against the door in relief, and watched silently as the old lady put her hat and reticule on the sitting room table. "I was so scared when Schaeffer walked in that I didn't know what to do. I don't think he suspects anything, but he's been watching me a lot lately. I'm so grateful to you for getting me away from him just now that I could kiss you."

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Hogan looked up as the barracks door opened and Andrew Carter scurried inside. The Colonel nodded in greeting as he poured himself a cup of the bitter brew that passed itself off as coffee, wincing at the taste as he took a sip. "This is bad, even for roasted acorn flour. What'd somebody do, burn this batch of acorns or something?"

Carter shrugged as he got himself a cup of water at the sink. "I don't know, Colonel. I just know that we're out of the real thing until the next batch of Red Cross packages comes in, whenever that is."

"Thank you, Mary Sunshine." Hogan smiled at the Sergeant as the young man took a seat at the table. Another sip, and another wince. "It's almost bad enough to make me start drinking tea instead."

"Don't let Newkirk hear you say that, sir. You know he'd never let you hear the end of it if he did." Carter propped his elbows on the table and took a drink from his tin cup. Hogan disliked tea as much as Newkirk liked it, which was saying something, and it was a constant source of amusement for the rest of the men in the barracks when the Colonel and the Corporal got into one of their 'discussions' on the merits of the English national drink. "Speaking of Newkirk, has he come back from town yet?"

After a glance at his watch, Hogan shook his head. "No, and he's getting close to being late." He started to say more, but stopped when the door opened once again, and a young Englishman with Sergeant's laces on his sleeve walked in.

"I got word that you wanted to see me, Colonel?" Theodore Sheffield, a former Hurricane pilot with several air victories to his credit, came to attention as he spoke to the camp's senior prisoner of war officer. Hogan never insisted on the usual formalities of rank, but Sheffield was a career man and such things had been drilled into him for nearly a decade.

"Yeah, we've got a situation developing, and I'm counting on you and your squad to help out." Hogan nodded to the Flight Sergeant, and went on as Sheffield relaxed into an 'at ease' posture. "Klink wanted to see Newkirk in his office about ten minutes ago, but there's just one small problem; he's not back from town yet. Well, that, and he's almost overdue."

"So you want us to play dodge 'em with Jerry until Newkirk returns." Sheffield nodded thoughtfully. "Right, what's the plan then, sir?"

Hogan grinned as he set his cup on the table. "That's why I like you, Sheffield; direct and to the point. Ok, right now it's just Schultz that's looking for Newkirk, and I've already got him going to the motorpool, the bakery and all the way over to Barracks 52. That should give you and your gang of used-car salesmen time to set up a whole flock of wild geese for Schultz to chase." The Colonel paused, and glanced at his watch again. "Hopefully, that'll give your wayward countryman time to get back here."

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The young woman quickly crossed the room and flung her arms around her companion, and gave a long kiss that was welcomed by the recipient. Once they came up for air, Liesel laughed softly. "You know, I've never kissed an old lady like this before, but I think I like it. And I want to do it again, only this time, without the wig."

A distinctly male voice responded, the quavering falsetto of the old lady's voice replaced by the Cockney tones of a born Englishman. "Well, love, I believe that can be arranged." Newkirk swept the grey wig off his head, dropping it to join the hat and reticule before he ran his hand through his dark brown hair. "Better now, I think, though it'll be a bit hard to compete with myself after that first one, but I'm willing to give it a go."

Liesel reached up and gently removed the glasses, carefully laying them on the table as well. "That's better," she said softly. "I love your eyes, and I don't want anything in the way when I look at them."

"So it's just me eyes you love then, is it?" Newkirk set his hands on his hips as he spoke, the grin that threatened to break across his face spoiling the skeptical tone of his words. "And here I thought I meant more to you than just a pair of eyes by now."

The young woman laughed and wrapped both hands in the shawl that was still draped around the Englishman's shoulders, using it to pull him close. "Don't be silly, Peter. I love you, not just your eyes."

Newkirk smiled and kissed her gently. "I know, liebschen." He cupped his hands around her face, his deep green eyes meeting Liesel's light blue ones. The Englishman paused, not quite believing what he was about to say, but it had to be said before he allowed himself to become distracted any further. "Now, as much as I like the way this conversation is going, perhaps we'd best take a moment to talk about Leutant Schaeffer."