DISCLAIMER: I only own Nikki and David, no disrespect is ever meant.

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Chapter 7 Haguenau to Landsberg

David was the first person to find his voice. "Well I believe that Lew and I have some packing to do. Take your time love, we won't leave without you."

Nikki shot David a nasty look as he and Nixon beat a hasty retreat from the room. Great, they've left me to face him alone. Man he doesn't look happy.

"So are you going to stand there all day or come in?"

Ron didn't speak but stepped into the room and shut the door. Walking over to the bed, he took the seat vacated by David.

Nikki sat staring at him, his eyes had lost some of the tension they'd held when he first entered, but they still didn't look happy.

"Okay let me have it; I know you're dying to say I told you so, so go ahead get it out of your system. You were right, I was wrong…blah, blah, blah."

Still not saying anything, he reached for a lock of her hair that was currently flowing loose around her shoulders. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?"

Pulling her hair out of his hand, "did anyone ever tell you that you never say enough?"

Laughing he relaxed back in the chair. "Well you must be feeling better to want to start a fight."

Starting to get up from the bed, she quickly realized her pants were missing. "Okay, where are my clothes?

"Why thinking of running away again?"

Pulling the t-shirt, she was wearing a little lower she scooted to the edge of the bed. "No, I wasn't running away, but I did want to get up and take care of some things."

He was now wearing that sexy smile that caused her to melt, "Yeah like what kind of things?"

Well here goes nothing! Before he could react, she jumped into his lap facing him and kissed him for all she was worth.

At first, she thought he was just going to sit there, but then his hands were in her hair, as he took charge of the kiss. After a couple of breathless minutes, she pulled back with a nibble of his lower lip. Damn but the man had the most kissable mouth.

She smiled and ran her hands down his chest. "So does this mean you forgive me?"

When he opened his eyes to look at her, they were dark with passion. "There was nothing to forgive. But I do think we need to talk."

Before he could say any more, there was a knock at the door. With a very feminine squeak, she was off his lap and back in bed.

Doc Roe opened the door and came inside. "Good to see you up, David said I needed to stop buy and give you a once over before we move out."

I knew David hadn't completely abandoned me. "Sure Doc, I'm looking forward to getting out of this bed. Besides, I hear we're moving out today."

Ron got up from the chair and headed to the door. "Oh, I'll have someone bring your uniform by. You need to be outside and ready to go in an hour."

Nikki looked at Doc and shrugged. "Guess something's never change, he's still a pain in the neck."

When Nikki made it outside Nixon was waiting on her. "Okay, good news is you get to ride into Germany, bad news is it's with me and Dick, I'm sure you'll manage."

Nikki feeling a little vindictive decided to take a jab at him. "Aren't you afraid Speirs will hurt you if I'm around you too much?"

Nixon laughed, "Who do you think suggested for you to ride with us. I guess he figures that the only way you'll stay out of trouble is to be with Dick and me."

Nikki threw her bag at Nixon and got in the back of the jeep, it was going to be a long trip into Germany.

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For several weeks, there was no chance for her to talk to Ron and in some ways that was good. David had told her everything that happened while she was sick. Now she knew what Ron wanted to talk about; but she wasn't ready to discuss it with him.

Entering the town of Landsberg had been a nice change. Dick said they would be here for a few of days and that would give everyone a break.

So as the Soldiers set up security around the town and conducted patrols she and David arranged for most of the Soldiers to live in the houses, moving the locals in together in some cases to make room.

When they were heading back to the CP David decided to bring of the topic of tall, dark, and brooding.

"So what is the latest between you and Ron?"

Nikki sat down on the church steps. "I don't know, he speaks, but we really haven't spent any time alone. It's almost as if he is avoiding me. Maybe the whole thing has just been too much."

"Love I don't think so. I still see the way he watches you. Maybe with the war drawing down he is trying to figure out what he wants."

She sighed, he was probably right, but it still felt strange. "I just don't understand, at one time I couldn't go anywhere or do anything without him being on me and now…nothing."

"Maybe he is just trying to give you some space, or maybe he just needs to focus on work. Besides, what is it that you really want?"

Nikki shrugged, "I don't know but like you said with the war coming to an end I guess I need to figure out what I want. I'm sure there will be some work for me here."

"Well you need to consider it for sure."

"Yeah maybe you're right. Hey I saw a bakery around the corner, want to go split some Kirchtorte (Cherry torte)?"

While sitting together enjoying coffee and cake, they watched Frank come running back into town looking for Major Winters. Looking a David, she shrugged and went back to her cake until she heard Nixon yell for her and David.

"Well no rest for the wicked." Picking up their helmets, they hopped into the back of the jeep.

When they arrived at the compound, no one spoke. Inside high fences were what once could have been called men, but now were little more than walking skeletons.

"On David, the stories we were hearing are true, they weren't lies."

Dick turned around to look at her and David. "You know what this is?"

Dick and Nikki exchanged looks and both nodded yes. David took it upon himself to explain. "We had heard stories both in England and before Nikki made it out of France that certain people were disappearing out of their homes and towns. They did it to keep the German race pure, if this is one of these places, they are probably Jews, political prisoners and anyone who spoke out against Hitler. I never thought I would see such a place."

David watched Nikki as she got out of the jeep and approached the fence. "She'll take it very hard, her father was German and her fiancée went to fight for them, and knowing her like I do she'll take this as somehow her fault."

Once the gates opened, Nikki and David moved among the prisoners translating for Dick, Nixon, or where needed. The other men of Easy brought out food trying to feed the starving men.

Nikki approached Dick, "one of the prisoners said there is a woman's camp down the road, closer to the train station. Are we going there too?"

Dick shook his head. The haunted look in her eyes was almost as bad as looking at the prisoners. "No that is in another units sector. We're heading back into town; COL Sink has declared martial law. The locals will be brought out tomorrow and made to bury the dead."

Nikki nodded, "I'd like to stay and help the medics and doctors tonight. I'll be back late tonight."

Dick nodded and headed back to the jeep. She watched he and David speak for a few minutes and then David walked over to join her. "Love, you know if you stay, I stay."

She just hugged him, "I knew you would understand."

"Yes, but you will have to deal with him when you get back. This is something he will not understand."

Nikki shrugged, "he'll get over it remember this is the same man that hasn't wanted to be around me in the last couple of months."

David watched her walk off with the Doctor from Regimental Headquarters. Yeah you can be brave now, but wait until we get back to town.

It was past midnight before her and David returned to town. They had to be back down in the square by five the next morning in order to get the people moving.

"Love I'm exhausted. I'm going straight to bed; forget even taking off my boots."

Nikki laughed, "I agree, but taking off the boots is something you really want to do, otherwise your feet are going to be killing you in the morning. See you in the morning."

Nikki climbed the stairs of the house she was staying in eating a piece of bread as she went. She really wasn't hungry, but she was tired of David and Nixon harping that she had gotten too thin.

She was mumbling as she entered the room, she was so tired that she didn't bother to turn the light on. The full moon had the room lit enough for her to see what she needed.

Dropping her helmet next to the door, she contemplated actually removing her clothes but was just too exhausted. Sitting on the bed, she took the time to remove her boots and take down her hair. Finally collapsing back onto the bed, she fell into an exhausted slumber almost instantly.

Ron got out of the chair he had been sitting in for the last hour. He had decided to wait on her in her room, expecting to get to talk to her, but the sight of her entering the room in her exhausted state, stopped him from saying anything. Instead, he sat and watched her take off her boot and let her hair down. It had been nice to see her in such a relaxed state; she was always on guard with him.

Walking over to the edge of the bed, he picked her up and laid her fully on the bed. Even in sleep, he could see that she really wasn't completely relaxed. Nixon had said she was having a hard time dealing with the camp, he could see it in her face now. Running his hand down her cheek he decided to let her sleep tomorrow would be soon enough to talk to her.

Nikki felt the bed shift and then the smell of fresh coffee brought her to full consciousness. "If that isn't for me whoever you are better run now."

"Love, do you think for one minute I would bring coffee in here without having some for you."

Groaning Nikki sat up taking the coffee cup from David. "Let me guess I probably have about ten minutes to drink this and be downstairs."

"How'd you guess? Hey, I thought you told me to take my clothes off before going to bed, guess you didn't take your own advice."

Nikki slide to the edge of the bed and finished her coffee. "Actually I remember sitting down and taking my boots off and then I laid back and I guess that was it, but-."

"But what?"

"Nothing, I thought I'd been closer to the edge. Oh well, let's get moving."

Nikki and David went back out to the camp with the civilians and a group of Soldiers to oversee the work. They were out for the better part of the day and heading into the night when the civilians returned. Most of the civilians were shocked by what they saw, but sometimes Nikki could see the truth, they had known the whole time. That made them no better than the people who ran the camp.

When they arrived back in the town Nikki went to find Nixon in the battalion CP. "Lew, where's your canteen?"

Nixon looked up from his paperwork, "I think it's in my room…why?"

"You are the only person I know who has alcohol on them normally and right now I could use a drink."

"Come over here brat."

Nikki went over and sat in the chair to next to Nixon. "Don't you ever just want to forget and go numb?"

"The entire time brat, but need I remind you the last time you got drunk that Ron was less than happy."

Nikki slammed her hand down on the table. "Gees, everyone talks about him and me in the same sentence like we're married or something. I'm tired of it. You know I really thought that you of all people would understand, but I guess you've joined the 'marry me off' crew. Besides, why should I care, the man has barely spoken to me in the last few weeks."

Nikki stood and headed for the door, but at the last minute decided to ask. "So before I walk out of here to go raid someone's wine cellar, you with me or not."

"Nikki, come on you don't want to do this it won't help."

Nikki went back across the room and jabbed him in the chest. "You know, you've got some nerve. Aren't you the same man who was kicked out of his job because of his drinking?"

Nikki could see that she had hurt him but right now, she didn't care. She was hurting over what she had seen and now the only person she trusted outside of David was turning his back on her.

Heading back for the door, she threw one last comment. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

She heard Nixon call her name, but didn't stop. She knew the house she was staying with had a wine cellar; she'd just grab one of their bottles.

Nixon left the CP not far behind Nikki in search of David. Covering most of the town, he finally found him heading into the bakery.

"David, did something happen today?"

David thought for a moment, "No why, has something happened?"

Nix rubbed his face, "Well let's just say that I got chewed out by Nikki because I told her not to drink."

"Hmm, that's not good, any idea where she went? The last thing I want is her drinking by herself. You've got to understand, the past two days have been rough on her and couple with the fact Ron hasn't been talking to her-."

"You know she said the same thing, hell he went to her room last night and waited on her I was sure they talked."

David gave Nixon a huge smile. "Nope they didn't talk but I'm sure he was there. She was complaining that she woke up in the middle of the bed and not the edge. Guess he moved her. Maybe we should go get Ron to look after her?"

Nixon laughed, "Right now that's the last person I'd send. She accused me of trying to marry them off. No thanks, I don't even think I would send Ron Speirs into that lion's den. But hey, if you see her tonight, let her know we're moving out in the morning."

"Where we headed?"

Nixon smiled, "Bavaria."

When the knock came on the door, Nikki considered not answering. However if was David, he'd just keep knocking until he drove her crazy.

Getting up to open the door, she found David standing there looking very disapproving. "

"So love, I see that you have turned into a total bitch tonight. That was not a very nice thing to say to Lew, you know he cares about you."

Nikki motioned him into the house and shut the door behind him. "Yes, I know, I'm just…oh I don't know what I am. I do know that right now I'm tired, very tired, and very confused."

Dropping down onto the couch, she leaned over on David when he sat down.

He just put his arm around her and sat staring into the fire. She hadn't opened the bottle of wine and he didn't think she would. In fact, after only a few minutes she was asleep. Easing her off his shoulder, he laid her head in his lap. She had only been that way for a few minutes when he heard the front door open and close.

"I wondered how long it would take you to show up."

Turning his head, he met the eyes of Ron Speirs. Without speaking, Ron bent down picked her up and headed upstairs with her.

Whistling David picked up the bottle of wine and headed off to find his own room. I can't wait to find out what happens when she wakes up in the morning. This is going to be fun.