A/N: yeah, here itt iss. the prolouge, first chapter may be coming soon. This might be one of my best fics. slap me if i'm wrong (just kidding). It's set where Anne Frank lived during the time of WW2. okay, so the german word for Jew is Jude. so you'll probably know the difference though. All words that are in german or in a different language is in italics.

Background Info: Jude is sixteen here, Tom is seventeen. Flashbacks are double spaced from the previous paragraph. Victoria is her mother, but Stuart is not her father. Stuart may be used later in the story though. Well, Enn-joyy.

don't forget to review. i may post another chapter later.

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Prolouge:

Jude sat on the couch in her chool uniform, her legs tucked under her as she read a book sitting her lap. The sun was setting just through the double windows that were open, showing a clear view of Amsterdam. She looked up and out the window, smiling to herself then back down at the book. Her mother walked through the room, the thick rugs laying on the wood floor muffling the sound of her heels. She glanced at Jude, as she grabbed the edges of the black curtains framing the window and drew them closed. "What are you reading, liebling?" she asked, her voice cool and calm like the fall weather. Jude smiled at the sound of her mother's voice, as her blue eyes raised from the book.

"I'm reading...Farewell to Arms." she said, placing her finger between the page she was reading as she closed the book. "It's quite good. Have you read it?" she asked, holding the book to her chest. Her mother shook her head, adjusting the curtains and making sure they blocked whatever light that came through. "No, I don't believe so." she replied, a half-german half-dutch accent seeming strained as she reached up to cover the window a few feet away from the other.

"Mother." she said firmly. "Must we have these dull black drapes? I like reading with the sunlight.." she seemed to whine at the last sentence. Her mother chuckled as she pulled the curtain.

"Yes," she emphasized the yes. "We read the notice together as a familie. You heard the Bumser." her voice became bitter on the last sentence.

Jude chuckled at her mother's word for the Natzi's. Like some citizens in the area, her family did not agree with the reich. Jude saw it as heartless what they were doing. Her old best firend, Natalina, had been jewish, but now since they were segregated to different schools, her's the Montessori and Natalina's the jewish lyceum, they barely spoke. Her heart did a flip flop as her mother closed the next curtain, the last one. Jude groaned as she shut the book, disinterested now and swung both feet on the floor, straightening the skirt.

"Ugh, when will this stupid war be over?!" she asked, throwing her arms up. "I want to see my old friends again.." she pouted bottom lip, looking at her mother.

Her mother shook her head. "I'm sorry madchen.." she said, walking into the conjoining kitchen and inhaling the aroma of foods cooking. "Hopefully soon it will be over.."

Jude nodded, the war was a bad one. Possibly worse than the first world war. The thought of the natzi's always made Jude shudder, she'd seen some of them when she walked with her younger sister, Katerena, to the ice cream shop months ago.

Three men were standing outside of the shop as they approached. Jude remembered seeing the swastika on his arm and never taking her eyes off it as they got closer.

There was a young boy of about sixteen, lying on the ground like he'd been shoved there. His hands covered his face as they rammed their boots into his side with unrelenting force. "dummer Jude!!" they'd shouted in german, spitting on him before walking away. She'd rushed over to the boy, dropping Katerena's hand. She squatted keeping her knees close together, and pushed his slightly disheveled brown hair from his face to look at it.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, helping him sit up. He nodded, rubbing his sides.

"I'll be fine.." he said quietly, almost shyly. "You shouldn't be doing this.."

Jude's eyebrows scrunched together. "Doing what?"

"Helping me.." he said, dusting some dirt off his face. His eyes had yet to meet hers. "They could come back and see you. They won't care if you're a jew or not..they'll hurt you too."

Jude shook her head ferverntly, her blonde tendrils whipping about. "I don't care..what they are doing..it is..unmenschlich. I'm Jude by the way.." she smiled warmly and genuinely and for the first time, the boy looked up at her.

His brown eyes were filled with gratitude and made Jude's stomach do a summersault in her body. "I'm Thomas...nice to meet you.." he said, smiling a boyish smile and standing up. Jude stood up with him, and fixed the tan skirt she was wearing. "You know, your name is the german word used for Jews.." he said, looking at her. Jude nodded her head.

"Yeah, but I used this name before these stupid Natzi's came around.." she said, crossing her arms over her chest and noticing Katerena for the first time, who danced around lithely near the canal that ran through Prinsengracht.

"Katinka!" she exclaimed, using her pet name for her sister. "Be careful. you could fall in.."

"That is your sister?" he asked, smiling.

Jude nodded, and the sun broke through the clouds casting light upon Jude's porcelain face. "Yeah, she is the pretty one. I've got all the brains.." she said, her eyes rolling slightly.

Thomas leaned in towards her. "But not as pretty as you.." he whispered, leaning back with a smile on his face.

Jude's face flushed a rosy pink, and she chuckled behind her fingers that covered her mouth.

"Well, I must go now.." he said, pointing in the direction they walked from. "Maybe I'll see you around.." he kissed the top of her hand and walked away, leaving her standing there blushing furiously.

"Ooh, JudesgottacrushJudesgottacrush." katerena said, dancing around her in circles. Jude gave it a few moments before she made a move.

"Oh, c'mon Katinka..the shoppe is closing soon.." she said, her voice light and airy.

Jude's mother shattered her daydreams. "The Dutoir's are coming over for dinner tonight.." she said, standing in the doorway a smile on her face. Jude concluded she must've watched her.

"The Dutoir's?" she asked, her mother and father always had new friends. She'd heard the Dutoir's mentioned before, but everytime they stopped over Jude was out with Katerena or some of her friends from the Montessori school.

"They are our next door neighbors. I thought it'd be nice for them to join us.." she replied, urning and walking back into the kitchen. "I suggest you get cleaned up..they shall be here within the hour and you know how long Katinka takes in the washroom."

She nodded, standing up and stretching. "Sure, sure." she said as she walked towards her room that she shared with her two years younger sister. They always had bickering and fighting so Jude wasn't surprised when she found a big red line, made by something or another whatever Katinka could find, lined the middle of their room. She chuckled at her sisters craziness and walked towards her side, picking out a light blue skirt and white button up top.

A few hours later, Jude and Katerena were sitting at the living room table, sitting on the floor playing with cards. "Rummy." jude mumbled and smiled as Katerena pouted. Just then, the doorbell rang twice, both of their heads whipped around to the sound. They seen their mother disappear around the corner. She heard 'hi's' and 'how are you's?' coming from the door and then it shutting.

Their mother came around the corner with a slightly plump brunette woman. Her dark eyes showed something of sadness and fear, but her face held a perfect smile that revealed a row of ivory teeth.

"Marguerite..meet my daughters. Judith, who we call Jude and Katerena..." she smiled gesturing towards the two on the floor.

"Everyone calls me Katinka!" Katerena exclaimed and Jude threw her a look.

"Jude, Katinka..meet Mrs. Dutoir."

They both stood up, then curtsied. "Nice to meet you Mrs. Dutoir." they said at the same time.

Marguerite smiled at the two, she had always wanted a daughter herself, but the only try that her and her husband had left her with a son. She admitted she loved him with all her heart and would never let anything harm him, but sometimes she just wanted a girl.

"Nice to meet you too girls.." she said, softly and at that moment a man came from around the corner with his son in tow. They were all dressed neatly, and the boy stayed behind a bit. "This is my family..Hermann, my husband and Thomas, my son." she gestured to them.

Jude's heart jumped to her throat when she heard the name Thomas. She'd never known that he'd lived right next door to her. She shook her head to stop her thoughts.

Her mother smiled, clasping her hands together. "Let's eat then, shall we?" she asked, and after everyone agreed they made their way to the dining room.

"Marguerite, Hermann. You took sit there.." she pointed to the side of the table and then looked at Jude. "Jude, Thomas..sit across from them and Katinka you may sit on the other side, where your father usually sits." she smiled, standing behind her chair at the head of the table. "Edward won't be joining us tonight, he had some work to catch up on.." she explained, seeing Jude's confused face.

"Now, if you'll excuse me..I'll go get the food." she said, before walking to the kitchen. Jude's heart beat furiously inside of her chest, never slowing down as Thomas sat beside her. She'd never felt this way before, and as she looked at him from the corner of her eye, she looked at the line of his jaw and the slight pout of his lips. She pondered for a few moments how it would feel if his lips were on hers, his hands tounching the soft of her cheek. "Jude! pass the salt please?" Katinka shouted, breaking her trance.

She chuckled nervously and felt her cheek flush as she picked up the salt and passed it down. She could tell this would be a long meal already...

Do not forget to review! that review button is kind-of lonely. tehe.