4

Dieter's POV

I was sitting up in my hospital bed as the nurse from before, whose name I forgot, was tending to my wounds.

"You have quite a pair of guns major." she whispered softly, but I did not respond. I was in my own mind hoping that Frederick managed to make it to my home and find Nicholette's barrette before anyone else. I hoped he found her before anyone else does. There was a firm knock on the door, and I looked up to see Col. Landa entering the room. I straightened up immediately.

"Colonel." I said with respect and he gave calm smile almost, one I did not trust.

"Major Hellstrom, I am pleased to see you awake and not looking so pale." he said. I nodded once.

"It will take more than a few bullets to kill me." I said seriously, and he nodded.

"Good. The doctors say you can leave in a matter of days, hm?" he asked and I nodded confirming his words and he smiled. "Ah good. I simply came to inform you that Amon Goeth will be arriving in three days to help us with the Basterds and the fugitive Nicholette Moraeu." I did my very best to remain cold and nodded.

"Are we tying her to the assassination attempt on the fuhrer?" I asked and the colonel nodded.

"Yes. She has been evading capture for interrogation. We can only assume she is an ally alongside the Basterds and must be destroyed." he said and I nodded, holding back the urge to gasp. I bit the inside of my cheek lightly to stop this action.

"I agree. Once my wounds have healed, may I be able to return to the field and help you find them?" I asked and the colonel shook his head and raised his hand.

"Nein, you did so much taking on the Basterds on your own. You are on one months, full paid, bed leave. You will remain home and if I need you I will call for you." he said. I was not too upset by this command. If I was off duty, I could look for Nicholette myself. I nodded.

"Sir." I responded and he just nodded and raised his hand straight to the sealing saluting me, and I returned the gesture. The nurse smiled.

"Don't worry, major, they will get those Americans and that fugitive, and put them all against a firing squad." she said changing one of the dressing over the wound on my stomach. My right hand tightened into a fist. If she wasn't a German woman, I would have struck her quite quickly, and reminded her of her place. But I had other problems. I had three days to find Nicholette before anyone else does. I needed her, I needed to hold her in my arms- inhale the sweet scent of her smooth skin. We also needed to flee and escape Paris so we both may be safe. Fuck, I didn't care about my safety anymore, I just want Nicholette safe in my arms.

Normal POV

Meanwhile, before the sun was setting, Frederick was searching Dieter's room with the spare he had found hidden in a small stone in the ground in front of his home. He was off duty, so he figured he would help his friend out. He couldn't believe the trouble Dieter was in. Why was risking his life for a negro, hell why was he risking his life for his friend who would risk his life for a negro?

But it made sense to Frederick. Negro women were like the forbidden fruit of this country. You shouldn't mix with them, but that fact alone, made you want to lie with one anyways. They had quite a vexing power to them, and Dieter was deeply ensnared. Entering his room and getting right down to business, Frederick moved toward the neatly made king size bed and searched beneath the number pillow. His gloved hand felt nothing or a long time until slowly his hand stopped. He found something. He removed it from under the pillows and saw a blue and white jeweled barrette. He remembered the singer had it in her hair the night of the attack. Yes, Frederick was visiting in hopes that Emmanuelle Mimieux would be there.

She was indeed a talented singer and Frederick doubted she had anything to do with the attack on his leader, but nothing could be done about it. He tucked the jewel away and straightened up the pillows and marched from the room.

Nicholette's POV

I couldn't wear dresses anymore. I could only wear pants and old shirts that didn't fit me very well. I couldn't wear anything that would draw attention to me. I pulled my hair back into a braid and turned and looked at my opera dress that was on the bed. It was dirty and torn at the bottom. I walked over to it thinking as if somehow, I am a different a person. I was no longer the petite opera singer who worked at a small gun store. Now I am a fugitive. I leaned over and slowly picked up a small barrette that I wore in my hair the night it went down. Now I couldn't help but think of Dieter. I remember one day, we met in secret for a picnic deep within the forest outside of town.

I wasn't as nervous as I should have been. Sometimes, I thought he could kill me and leave me in the forest, but as we laughed a bit and talked, those thoughts faded. He was in regular brown pants and a collared shirt that was unbuttoned at the top.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked gently as I took a bite of a grape, and he nodded as he took a bite of some bread.

"Of course." he said and I nodded unsure of what I was really asking.

"If I asked you to run away with me, just leave Paris with me would you?" I asked and he was mildly stunned as I stared at him. It had been a few weeks and I had truly believed he was smitten with me even if he didn't know that I feared him sometimes.

"Is that… what you want?" he asked and I just cleared my throat and shrugged.

"I'm just asking. If I asked you to leave this life you lead now behind, would you?" I asked and now he winced and looked away and down at the checkered blanket.

"My duties are to my country and to my fuhrer. I serve the people and help eradicate the vermin Jews of this world." he said, and as he spoke I winced at the horrible words he spoke fear showing on my face. But suddenly he took his hands and pressed them into his chest. "But I would give it ALL up if it meant you were with me. There is something about you, Nicholette, that possesses me, that possessed me the day I first saw you." Now we both looked at each other shocked and he released my hands and leaned back from me.

"Is that what I have to do?" he asked lightly. I tilted my head.

"What?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Is that what I have to do to make you love me?" he asked and my entire chest tightened and I felt a lump form in my throat. "I would do anything for you."

A calloused hand was now on my shoulder and I jumped lightly and saw that Hugo was beside me dressed now in regular civilian clothes. I looked down and noticed my hands were over my chest with the barrette deeply pressed into me.

"We are going to your home, the theater of your cousin, and his home to find him. Donny is coming with us." he informed lightly, and I nodded.

"Yes." I replied before moving to follow him from the room. "We have a meeting with an Englishman tomorrow night. You will be with us along with your cousin, if we find him." I paused and looked at him with great worry and he shook his head.

"When we find him." he said and I was still not consoled, but we just left the room and joined Donny in the hallway. He suddenly held up a black gun to me.

"You know how to use this?" he asked. I shook my head.

"No but I am a fast learner." I replied and he smiled.

"Good girl." he replied and the three of us moved from the home.

Author's notes

I am sensing a major power group in Hugo, Nicholette, and Donny ha anyways an update is coming up soon.