A/N: I hope you guys didn't think this story was over. There is still a little under two years left in the war, and I have a lot in store, so stay tuned!

Krakow, September 1942

"Mommy!" a cry filled the cellar.

Helga opened her eyes slowly and groaned softly. It was 2:19 in the morning. She knew the time not by looking at the clock, but rather due to the fact that Harold yelled "mommy" at the same time every night. It has been this way since they escaped Auschwitz.

"Helga, it's your turn," Phoebe groaned. They each took turns comforting Harold from his nightmares, with the exception of Patty.

"I know. I'm going. Keep an eye on Patty," Helga grumbled. "You would think after two months, they would have at least lessen in intensity."

She shuffled into the men's bedroom and did her morning duty. Once Harold was asleep, Helga stayed by his bedside in case he woke up again. When she woke up, she realized that she was in Arnold's bed. The first time this happened, it freaked her out. By now, it occurred so often she was no longer fazed by it. Arnold would wake early to see her sleeping on the floor, so he would carry her to his bed and he would go sleep on a chair. Helga insisted that he didn't have to do that, but nevertheless, he always did. She has yet to talk to him about why he left years ago. She didn't want to push the subject, but it was mostly because she was scared to know his reasoning.

The group fell into a routine in the past two months. Helga took charge of food while Phoebe helped with the cleaning the apartment. Helga was used to cooking when she lived with her parents since her mother was always indisposed. Phoebe wanted to make a contribution to the household, so she decided that cleaning will be best. She would spend her mornings performing the daily chores while in the afternoon she would either read or discuss current events with Gerald. They both would also sew new clothes for everyone so they weren't in unfitted clothes anymore.

Sid took on Arnold and Eugene with his business ventures. Eugene learned accounting from his father before the war so he filled that position. Arnold was in charge of inventory and preventing Harold from eating all the food. The latter proved to be difficult, and resulted in Arnold hiding the food and only bringing them out when Helga needed to cook.

Harold spent his days looking after Patty. She has gotten better, but it was a slow progression. She began to move on her own as her strength increased, but she still needed help. Helga and Phoebe each took turns bathing and dressing her, but she was able to stand on her own. She still was unable to talk. Harold would talk to her and stay by her all day.

As time passed, the former prisoners began to look human once again. They started gaining weight and color reappeared on their cheeks. They were still pale, however, because they never left the house. It was their number one rule, for they feared they would be caught and sent back to Auschwitz. They kept the curtains drawn so no one could see them. While they knew it was for their safety, it didn't prevent them from getting antsy every so often.

To help with the cabin fever, those not confined to the household would gather supplies needed for the Sabbath Friday nights. On this particular day, Helga was asked to pick some up from another businessman in the black market. She hid everything in a large tote bag and covered them with legal items.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Pigtails."

Helga stopped in her tracks. She hasn't heard that nickname in months. She was afraid to turn around to see that snarly grin she despised. Reluctantly, she turned.

"Wolfgang," she snarled. "What are you doing here?"

"No need to be so hostile," he said smoothly. "I've been transferred to Krakow. I'll be working with Amon Goeth. Do you know him?"

"Yes, he is the SS captain in the area." Helga remembered hearing Phoebe and Gerald talk about him. "Why are you here?"

"I'm afraid that information is classified."

"Of course it is," Helga sneered.

"Now, my question is, why are you here? I thought you were living in Oswiecim?"

"I'm employed as a nurse to Dr. Bliss. His office is just outside of Krakow. I needed to get supplies."

"Dr. Bliss, huh? Why does that name sound familiar?"

Helga's heart was racing. She could feel her palms get sweaty. Has the news about what happened at the camp spread?

"Oh yeah, I remember." Crap, Helga thought. "There was quite a commotion at Auschwitz that involved a Dr. Bliss and his nurse a couple months ago. Apparently, she punched a guard over a Jew being hanged." He eyed her carefully for her reaction. Helga's throat tightened; her heart raced. But she kept her composure.

"You don't say? Perhaps it was another Dr. Bliss?"

"Do you really take me as an idiot?" Wolfgang asked.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Wolfgang lowered himself to Helga's eye level and bore his ferocious eyes into hers. "You better watch it," he threatened. "You got lucky in Auschwitz, but that luck is going to run out. I may not know the truth, but you better believe that I'm going to find out." He straightened himself up and walked away.

Helga remained rooted where she was standing. She couldn't move if she tried. To say she was scared was an understatement. Not only was she in danger, but she put the lives of all she lives with in jeopardy. Somehow, she managed to trudge through the streets to the house.

"Hey, Helga, what took you so long?" Arnold asked as she entered the house.

"I got distracted," Helga half-lied. "But I have the stuff for tonight."

Arnold looked at her carefully. Her whole demeanor was different than when she left. "Is everything okay?"

No. "Of course everything is okay!" Helga exclaimed nervously. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"I wouldn't know, Helga, but you're acting different. Earlier this morning, you were fine. Now, it seems something is troubling you. If something is, I wish you would trust us enough to let us in."

Since when did you become so observant? Helga sighed. She was tired of holding secrets, but she didn't want to scare anyone. "Tonight," she whispered. "When Harold, Patty, and Eugene are holding Sabbath. Now, I need to get this stuff downstairs."

As the sun set, the Jewish roommates occupied the cellar apartment, leaving Helga, Phoebe, Arnold, and Sid upstairs. They were sitting in the living room with drinks in their hands.

"So, Helga," Phoebe began, "Arnold said you seemed distraught after the market. What happened?"

Helga hesitated to speak. She knows this will change their routine. She hated being responsible for ruining their lives, but it would be worse to be responsible for their deaths.

"Coming home, I ran into Wolfgang," she admitted. Phoebe gasped in horror.

"Who's Wolfgang?" Sid asked.

"He's an SS officer from Berlin. He transferred here to work under Goeth. He found out what happened while Curly and I were in Auschwitz and threatened to find out the truth."

"Helga, what happened there?" Phoebe inquired. "I know you don't like to talk about it, but I think it will be important so we can figure out what the best plan of action.

"All right, here's what happened. When Curly and I got there, Höess was there along with Himmler. We managed to convince them to give us our 'subjects' and when a guard said that Eugene was to be hanged."

"Oh dear," muttered Phoebe.

"Yeah, exactly. I ran to the scaffold and told them to stop. The executioner was Brainy, the guard who showed me around Auschwitz when I first visited. I told him that I needed Eugene but he wasn't budging. We were arguing and I couldn't take it anymore. So I punched him. Repeatedly. It took three guards to pull me off of him. Himmler and Höess saw the whole thing. They asked me why Eugene was so important when there were plenty of German Jews. I had to tell them that we are from the same area. I didn't want to, but I couldn't think of another excuse that they would believe. I told them I wanted them in particular because I hated them so much since I was a child and what they represented. Luckily, they bought it and let us go."

"Oh my goodness, Helga," Phoebe said. "You could have been killed!"

"I know, Pheebs, but I couldn't help it. I was so angry and scared about the whole situation that I wasn't thinking straight. Now I've jeopardized everyone."

"Why didn't you say anything about this earlier?"

"I didn't want to scare everyone," Helga explained. "I was hoping that it will blow over. And I thought it did until Wolfgang mentioned it."

Sid placed his glass on the table. "Okay, I think the main thing to do is no longer bring attention to ourselves. Helga, I want you stay inside now. We don't need Wolfgang or any other SS member stalking you."

"I understand," Helga replied. "But I think we need to do more. I think we need a plan to get out of any German occupied areas just in case they find out the truth."

"We can start working on that later. First, let's just see what happens in the next month. If it gets worse, we will come back to it. Right now, I think we should get dinner ready." Sid got up and went to the hidden food supply closet. Helga groaned and went into the kitchen. Arnold followed.

"It's going to be okay," Arnold reassured. "We will have a plan made."

"I just don't want to be caught off guard. I need to know that we are ready for them. And I don't want to be here anymore."

"I know what you mean. I would like to step outside of the house and go to a park without fearing I will be shot. And I'm sure I'm not the only one tired of hiding."

"We need to find somewhere far away from here."

"We'll figure it out. I promise."

"When?"

"Tomorrow. You, Phoebe, and I will work out some plan. I think Gerald is coming tomorrow too so he can help us as well. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a plan."

A/N: I know it's a short chapter but I thought this would be a good place to stop. Plus, I have a chapter coming up that I'm excited to write. Thanks for all of the support!

Where do you think Arnold, Helga, and Phoebe will plan to go if they have to leave? Place your guesses in the review section. Here's a hint: it's not the US.