Okay, so the whole "I'll update in a few hours" thing didn't work out. Well sorry, and here it is :)

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Liesel's POV

It's been a few days, as mama forced me to stay in the house away from anyone else. What would Rudy think of me now?

"Saumensch leave, I've got things to do." Mama said leaving to go outside, with a pocket of what change we had left.

I didn't hesitate. I ran upstairs to grab my diary, and back down again for my coat.

I was off to the Bürgermeister's house. I wanted to steal again.

It had been so long, without new words to build my wall of vocabulary.

I was half hoping I'd run into Rudy, but there was a blue leathery book sitting on the shelf in the library; that was my first priority.

It was winter again, and the snow had stopped falling before it would continue that night. Men were on the street, salting the sidewalks and roads to melt away the snow.

At sight of the grand house, I dashed to the window, at a low crouch in order not to be seen or heard. I dropped my coat, satchel and book under the tree of dead leaves and crisp, white snow.

I climbed to the window, smiling at the window as it swung open, with my knowledge of being a step closer to another book to borrow.

I picked the book from the last shelf I'd taken from, next to a small empty gap.

"The Dream Carrier" I grinned in a whisper, at the marvelous title.

"Ilsa."

I gasped and dashed back to the window and hid in the shadows of the curtains.

Herr Hermann walked over to the window to close the gap I'd left open from my sneak in. I held my breath as he passed, and let it out at the click of the door closing behind him.

I climbed out the window determined to get back into the basement for my evenings readings.

I bent down under the tree and collected my coat, finding the satchel and diary gone. I got up and frowned, trying to remember where I'd left them.

"Lose something?" Rudy said with the shoulder strap of the satchel in his hand.

"Give me that." I snatched it back.

"So let me guess," I started walking off, not in the mood to talk to him. "You forgot where the front door was. I've got to hand it to you Saumensch; you've got guts, stealing from the Bürgermeister's."

"I'm not stealing, I'm borrowing." I turned to face him.

"Well whatever you're borrowing, I just wish you'd let me in on it."

"It's not what you think." I went to turn away, but he grabbed my shoulder to pull me back.

"Well, then what is it?" He said coldly.

"I'm borrowing books. That's all."

"Books; are you nuts. We're starving out here and you're stealing books?" His voice got louder.

"Stop using that word." I didn't want to be caught, and I didn't see it as stealing.

"We could've planned this better if you'd told me."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't." I continued walking.

"You know, for a best friend, you keep a lot to yourself."

I stopped, shocked and turned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Who's Max?" He said pulling out my diary.

I looked down to my satchel realizing it was gone, before forcing it from his hands and running away. "Who is he? Liesel!" He called after me, but I continued running.

The nerve of him! Why can't he leave me alone?

I stopped at the bridge, staring into the water, clutching the book in my hand. My brother was trying to talk to me, but I wasn't prepared to listen to him. I wasn't in the mood for anybody else. Why is everything going wrong? I gave the Saukerl his kiss, why does everything come to be my fault?

Rudy started to slow down when he reached the bridge, and padded to stand next to me.

"Tell me what's going on." He demanded. "It was him who gave you the dare, isn't it?" He knew it. "Tell me Saumensch, who is he?" He was very determined to find out. "Is he your, boyfriend?"

"What." His despicable answer wanted to make me laugh. It hurt to think he could think such a thing. "Is that what you think?"

"Then what? Tell me, who is he." I was really getting annoyed of the questions. Everything he'd said so far has been a question.

"I can't." I said.

"Why not?" Another question.

"Stop questioning me!" I screamed.

"Tell me Liesel!" He yelled. I felt like crying, I'd never seen him like that to me before.

"It's a secret." I said.

"You don't trust me?" He was just as hurt as I was.

"It's not like that Rudy I can't." I forced the words without leaving a tear to fall down my cheek. "If I- If I told you, I'd have to go away. Papa would have to go away. And God knows what would happen to him." I muttered the last one, but not quietly enough.

"Him? You're hiding someone? You're hiding someone, aren't you? Liesel? One spit yes, two spits no."

I spat once.

"I knew it."

"No one can know Rudy, I mean it."

"You can trust me, don't worry. I won't tell anybody."

"You won't tell anyone what?" The words came from the cowardly mouth of Franz Deutscher. "Hello Steiner, Hello Dummkopf. What's that behind your back?"

He approached me, so I quickly handed the book to Rudy. He took it quickly and switched it between his hands as not to give up on letting Franz take it.

"Give it to me. I said give it to me!" He yelled.

"Leave him alone!" I tried to intervene, but I knew what Deutscher was capable of. I was scared that he would hurt Rudy.

He continued to wrestle him, leaning over his body to reach his outstretched arm for the book.

Rudy released the book, and we all leaned over and watched it splash.

"What was that? What was it?" Franz demanded.

I continued to stare at my lost book, in the ripples of the water. "None of your business, Deutscher." Rudy approached him.

Franz got to it again, smacking his head, and then punching him in the abdomen.

"Leave him!" I cried.

He grabbed him by the shirt, and shoved him into the bridge, causing him to collapse at the blow. I watched Rudy thrash about under his grasp, as he swung another punch to his face. He left Rudy with a push to the ground.

"You're done for Steiner." Then he turned to me. "I'm reporting you."

"For what, having a diary?" I half lied.

"I know you're up to something." He eyed me dangerously.

He took off on his bike, as Rudy started to force himself up off the ground.

"Rudy?" I said concerned. I saw a bruise forming on his skin, uncovered by his jumper, and a fresh-cut had been made on his lip. I touched the flesh and he hissed at the pain and cold touch. My heart dropped.

He rolled over and pretended as if it never had happened. "Come on." He said, and started running down the hill of snow, to be level with the ice-cold river.

"What are you doing?" I said. I had an idea, knowing Rudy, but I wanted to be sure.

"I know where it is. I watched it!" He said leaping into the river.

"It's freezing Rudy, you'll die in there!"

He turned to me smiling, and took one last leap, diving under the top layer of paper-thin ice, into cold water.

"Rudy!" I cried. "Rudy?" I began to panic. 'What if he freezes? What if he drowns?'

My breathing was quickening "Rudy?" I said taking a step into the icy water.

"Rudy?" I continued taking a few short steps to a point where I was knee deep, with frost already sticking to my clothes.

"Rudy I can't swim!" I felt as if I was going to collapse, and it made me feel sick. "Rudy? Please."

He soon jumped out of the river in a victory leap, taking in a gasp of air, as I let one out in relief.

"I got it." He said swimming towards me.

"Rudy." I was now waist deep. "I thought you were- never mind." That crazy boy scared me half to death. Just to think that if I'd of collapsed, I would've drowned.

"Trust me now?" He said shaking out the water trapped in his jacket.

"Ja." I led him out the water. "Come on, you're going to freeze."

"Are you alright?" I asked. "I'm sorry." I really felt guilty, for how hurt he'd become, for something I'd said, and something I've done.

"I'm fine." He said. "Liesel..."

We stopped, outside of the backdoor to my house, right beside his.

"It's ruined." I said.

"What is?"

"This! It's all my fault."

It had been urging me, a voice kept telling me to kiss him, and I really wanted to, but it didn't feel right.

I took a step forward, and wrapped my arms around him breathing into his chest. He rested his chin on the top of my head and slowly brought his arms up in shock, to return the hug.

Kiss him Liesel, kiss him.

Wow I wrote more than I thought I would. I'm proud; I usually suck at writing chapters longer than around 600 words.

Please review and leave your requests. I'll probably leave this story a bit longer to give your time for requests. I do have ideas on mind, but I've found you guys really help me to improve :)