Okay! Sorry for the long wait for the next chapter. I just finished my classes at Uni and I finally have some time to write. I feel so strongly for Max here. His torment I will say was drawn upon my own experiences. I am personally married to a wonderful man who happens to be two years younger than I. Scandalous, right? Actually, yes. We started dating when he was a sophomore in high school, so it was a hot topic in our families. Even now, after five years of marriage my parents still ask me when I am going to dump my husband and get a younger model. Anyway! Oh right, I forgot to apologize for any grammar mistakes—I currently do not have a beta for this story. Enjoy!

Max stayed in Liesel's bed much longer than he intended to stay. Liesel had long gone to sleep, but Max couldn't bear to rip himself away from this angelic girl. Yes—she was sassy and very young still, but she was literally the girl of his dreams. So many nights he dreamt that Liesel was in his arms like this; that they were safe. Max pulled Liesel tighter against his chest and buried his face into her soft curls. Her hair smelled like sun and sandalwood. He inhaled deeply, committing the smell to memory. Her body was so much smaller and softer than his own. Her contours fit perfectly against the grooves of his own body.

Ugh, Max groaned inwardly. This was so wrong. Here he was, a grown man in the bed of a girl almost half is age. It didn't matter if she thought that she loved him, she was still too young to know what real love felt like. The way she felt about him was puppy love. The way she felt today could change—would change. Max squeezed Liesel tighter against his chest knowing that this would be the last time he would hold her with such unabashed affection.

Alright, Max…let go. Max disentangled himself from the girl—leaving a part of himself behind. He touched her face one last time before walking out the door and back to his part of the apartment. He couldn't find the courage to completely walk out of her life, but he knew this was a necessary step to propriety. He couldn't let his feelings sway Liesel. She needed to grow up and fall in love with someone the right way—not because their worlds were unceremoniously amalgamated.

Max slipped under his covers into his makeshift bed. His heart was screaming at him to go back, but he knew this was where he belonged—and that Alex would be home very soon. Max shuddered at the thought of Alex catching him in Liesel's bed. Liesel was just a girl—her actions could be excused. But Max's…they could not.

Max tried to hide the shame he felt by pulling his covers up over his head. He felt the pang of longing in his chest, and it was different this time. The pain was sharper. When he was imprisoned there was an ache that he felt when he thought of Liesel, but now it was a stabbing pain. Max could feel his hot breath warm the small space between his head and the covers. Just as Max felt a single tear slide down his cheek, Alex walked through the door, tiptoed past the couch, and stopped at Liesel's door. Max could see Alex's shadow in the doorway; just standing there watching Liesel sleep. Max's quiet heartbeats counted the seconds, but then Alex sighed lightly and slipped into his own bedroom. It was only after the apartment settled that Max finally found some sleep.

~~

Liesel could feel the pleasant rays of the sun on her face, and she couldn't remember a night where had slept so soundly. It must have been because Max had been there to watch over her, or rather that she simply knew he was by her side again. Liesel could see the red light from the inside of her eyelids but still wasn't ready to open them. She knew Max had left her in the middle of the night—she hadn't expected him to stay with her. Still, she had hoped to wake and find him in her arms. She had never been so close to another human being as she was last night with Max. Her heart swelled with happiness knowing that she had finally told Max that she loved him. Liesel could feel a grin spread across her face. He didn't exactly return her feelings forthright, but he did not reject them. Liesel knew that he loved her, maybe not to the same degree that she loved him, but it was love just the same.

Liesel could hear Alex moving some pots and pans around in the kitchen, presumably starting breakfast for the three of them. She should probably get up and help him instead of just lay in bed. Liesel listened hard for other sounds, anything to tell her where Max was before she left her room. Hearing nothing she finally groaned and slid out of bed. Liesel quickly changed into a clean dress and brushed her hair. She usually did not dressed until she needed to head down and help out at the store. Paranoid that Alex might question why she was so dressed up for breakfast, Liesel messed up her hair again and took one stocking off. Liesel creaked open her bedroom door and peered around the edge. She saw Alex cooking in the kitchen—his back away from her. She looked to the couch and saw that the bathroom door was open. Where was Max?

Quietly she padded over to the kitchen table and Alex beamed at her.

"Well, good morning! How did you sleep last night, kiddo? I was just about to come in and get you up."

Liesel pulled out a few plates and started setting the table. She kept eyes on the plates and tried to sounds nonchalant.

"I didn't hear Max leave, did you send him on an errand?" Alex smiled at his adopted daughter not missing the over interest in her voice even though she had tried to play it cool.

"He went over to Frau Weber's to pick up something for me. Don't worry, he'll be back in time for breakfast." Liesel watched the second man to be her papa smile at her. His face wrinkled up at the edges where they always creased when he smiled.

Max ended up almost late for breakfast. He jogged up the stairs with a package in his hands. He came through the door and handed Alex the box.

"Thank you, you're just in time for breakfast." Liesel watched Max lean against the counter top to take his shoes off before he sat down. His dark hair was getting longer and covered his face as he bent over. Even doing this simple task made Liesel's heart race. Max had his cream colored shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Even as slender as he was, Liesel could still see his strong muscles up his arms. Strong enough to carry her as she sleep— to hold her tight in the dark. Liesel quickly adverted her eyes as a blush began to creep up her neck.

Max looked up just after she looked away, but still saw the color tint her cheeks. During breakfast Liesel kept stealing glances at Max, and looking away just a little too late each time. Liesel needed to hurry up and open up the store downstairs. She placed the plates in the sink and went to get dressed a second time. She twisted her hair into a loose french braid. Since her hair was so curly, she always had little baby hairs that framed her face like tendrils. She gazed at her reflection in the vanity and noticed the straightness of her jaw line; the freckles that dusted her cheeks. She looked at herself and realized that she was growing up. Her teeth were glistening in the little light that squeezed in through her shutters. She admired the straightness of them, not in a conceited way but in an astonished way. She never expected to ever look this way—look like she was someone that could be loved.

It was past time to open the store so she finally tore herself away from the image and walked down stairs. Working in the store was easy work and a great distraction; just like her books. It was so easy to escape to another world when reading, and talking to her customers. People would tell her everything about their lives; something she greatly enjoyed. It was mostly women who would come in looking for cloth or to have something made.

Liesel's favorite thing was to listen to the banter of two elderly women who came in every Sunday to buy thread and occasionally cloth. Now with all the soldiers home people were starting families again. Liesel had personally adjusted four wedding gowns, six suits, and ran out of pick baby cloth in the past week. That meant a lot of work for Liesel and Alex, but it also meant good business. Liesel couldn't remember the last time the till had been so full; maybe it had never been so full.

Liesel was taking a particularly large order just then from a middle age woman. She wanted her old wedding gown altered so her daughter could use it later that month. Liesel was writing out the ticket stub for her when Max walked in the front door. Liesel could feel herself gasp as she watch him saunter into the little shop. Max had gotten a haircut and a new suit. He looked positively amazing, like a movie star. Max had cropped his dark hair so that it was short on the sides and just barely swept into his face on the top. He had tight fitting gray slacks and a brand new gray vest against a blue button down. Max's newly polished shoes clicked on the floor as he walked behind the counter.

"Let me help you with that, Liesel."

Max swept behind the counter and hung the dress up. Liesel's mouth was still agape staring at the beautiful person standing beside her. Max smiled a crooked smile and Liesel thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Liesel saw Max's smile falter when she didn't say anything. She was just standing there with the ticket stub loosely held in her hand. Max turned toward the woman asking if she needed anything else. Liesel didn't hear what the woman said, but she must have said no because Max smiled once more and turned to walk into the back room.

"You'd better watch out, young lady. People are getting married every day, and a handsome man like that can't miss a beautiful lady like you."

Liesel was finally able to close her mouth and dreamily handed the stub to the woman.

"He does look great doesn't he?" Liesel felt herself sigh out. Even she could hear the love in her voice as the woman gave her a knowing look and left. Max was still in the back but her heart was beating wildly out of control. She had told Max that she had loved him last night, but things were just the same this morning. He hadn't said anything about this morning, nor did he act any different. Actually, now that she thought about it, he hadn't said anything to her this morning. Max usually patted her on the head and let her babble at him all through the morning as he shaved. This morning he had gotten ready early and when he came back for breakfast hadn't said anything. Max usually worked in the store when Liesel did, but after about an hour of awkward silence he had said something about needing to go into town.

Clearly, he had gone into town. Liesel loved the new look, but was anxious from the strange day. She simply wanted to hurry up working so she could talk to Max. She wanted to tell him how much she liked his hair cut. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him.