A/N: YAY! I'm back *mentally created crowd goes wild* Yup, completely sane. Not really any action in this chapter, but I do have character development.

Lena

Chapter 11: The Aftermath

A lone figure walked across the deserted camp, with his hands clasped behind his back. The only thing that occupied the camp was him, a small collection of soldiers, and the countless bodies of the dead. He stepped over the body of a dead Nazi and continued his search.

He stopped at the body of another soldier. He turned the body over with his foot. He recognized the uniform instantaneously. American. The man stared across the camp, surveying the grounds.

"Colonel Landa, there is no sign of Lena Zimmerman," an enlisted soldier said behind him.

Colonel Hans Landa said nothing as he turned on his heels and walked back towards the Kübelwagen. The enlisted men followed in suite. Once they had loaded up in the truck, they left the camp behind. None of men knew what was going on in their Colonel's head, except for the Colonel himself.

-o-

I was the first to break the silence with a laugh. Not one of those cheerful laughs, but a nervous one, that boarded on insanity. Soon the bar with filled with the same laughter. We stood and paid the bewildered bartender.

"Could you not mention this Eric," Hammersmark said smoothly to the bartender. Eric just nodded and busied himself with wiping down the bar.

"That was fun!" said a boisterous voice that was so out of place after the near death experience.

"It is a shame there wasn't a shoot-out. In close combat such as this, I could have used my pipe. Pity…" I glanced back at my new friends. It seemed that nothing could truly faze them. I shook my head at their antics.

"Should we…" Hammersmark began, but trailed off.

"Leave?" I finished for her. "Yes. Lt. Aldo will be getting antsy with all this silence."

"Lt. Aldo? Lt. Aldo Raine?" asked Alfred, his eyes filled with excitement. "Where?" However, Alfred didn't wait for an answer before he made his way upstairs. Guessing that would be the likely choice. We all stared at each other before we roughly pushed our chairs back and ran up the stairs.

Ivan watched as we ran up the stairs, not bothering to follow. He simply pushed away his whiskey and glanced up at the bartender. "Vodka, da?" he asked the bartender, no longer bothering to hide his heavy Russian accent.

-o-

I was the first one through the door and surprise didn't even cover the emotion I was feeling. In front of me were Alfred and Aldo in a tight embrace. They pulled away and beamed at each other. Alfred saw me and came over to my side.

He drooped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I heard a low growl behind me that suspiciously sounded like Wicki. However, Alfred was oblivious to his impending doom, as usual it seemed.

"Ha! You are one dynamite gal, Lena. Travelin' with the Basterds!" He laughed.

"I see that you meet my nephew," Aldo said, his arms crossed and leaning against the door framed. Despite his face being void of emotion, I noticed amusement shinning in his eyes.

"He saved me," I whispered.

"Sounds like 'im. He's got himself a hero streak a mile wide." Alfred chest puffed out in pride.

"America saved her!" he boasted. "Along with the others in the camps. Russia was there too, but they are only the sidekicks." I was surprised that Ivan hadn't tried to kill him. He would have plenty of motives.

"So, how long have you been travelin' with Uncle Al, Lenny?" I cringed at the new nickname, but I imagined it could be a lot worse so I overlooked it.

"A few months now."

"Oh, good," I see a mischievous glint enter his eyes. "So, do you Lenny's lover boy? She would only give us a name and I was hopin' you might know more about him. His name is…" Alfred was cut by me slapping my hands over his mouth. Alfred eyes lit up at the challenge I had unintentionally presented him. He wrestled free from my hands. "Is he here?!" he asked excitedly, looking at each of the men that occupied the room.

"No, no, no, no," I pleaded.

"He is! Which one of you is Wilhelm Wicki?" he asked loudly. I started to hyperventilate and my face felt like it was on fire. The last thing I heard before I blacked out was Donny's loud and boisterous laugh.

-o-

When I opened my eyes, the light was blinding. I quickly closed my eyes as my head reeled in pain. When my head calmed down, I opened my eyes again. The light was considerably more tolerable. The first thing I noticed was that I was unable to move my right hand. I glanced over at my hand and noticed that it was cradled in a much larger one. My eyes travelled from the hand, up the arm, landing on the face of Wicki.

"He sure is smitten with you, Lenny." I look over to see Alfred sitting on a worn out sofa.

"How long was I out?"

"For about five hours. You hit your head pretty hard when you blacked out. Gave yourself one hell of a goose egg." I touched my forehead and sure enough, right at my hairline, was a good size bump that was sore to the touch. "Lover boy there hasn't left your side and damned neared growled if any one got to close," Alfred chuckled. I felt my face heat up and Alfred just laughed louder. All the noise woke up Wicki beside me. As soon as Alfred saw him, moving he quickly left the room out self-preservation, which was surprising. Wicki must have been scary, if Alfred was too frightened to be in the same room with him. I laughed at the thought of Wicki guarding me. It was endearing. I watched as Wicki released my hand and rubbed his face, trying to wake himself.

"Hey, sleepy head." Wicki's head quickly turned in my direction. The look on his face was a mixture of sleepy and surprised. It was a comical combination to behold. I small giggle slipped out, despite my best efforts to keep it in.

"How are you feeling?" he asked when he got his bearings straight.

"I'm okay. Well, I have a headache. But overall, I am okay." I gave him a soft smile.

"So, about what Alfred was saying before you passed out." I gave him a confused look before the memory flooded back. My eyes widened and I started to fell woozy again. What is wrong with me? I chided myself, mentally. You are 29 years old, for goodness sake! Start acting like it!

"Oh, that," I said lamely, despite my mental warm up.

"Is it true?" he asked simply. I wanted to say no, because it was complicated to yes. However, I knew that this was a dangerous time we lived in. And any moment could be their last, since she was wanted by the Jew Hunter himself and Wicki was a Basterd. I didn't want to live a life of what if's and regrets if I passed up this moment because I was scared.

"Yes," I said bravely. I lean to kiss him and feeling of complete happiness engulfed me when he met my half way.

A/N: Well, there it is. I know it is short…. Okay it is really short. But this story is starting to become difficult. I don't have the flow of ideas I once had. So I am asking you, yes you… no not her, you. Let me hear some of your ideas. :D