1994

Whitney nervously waited in one of the red vinyl booths inside the diner. It was coming on dawn soon, and besides two truckers who sat at the counter having coffee, the place was completely deserted. A tired looking waitress who had a pencil stuck in her messy bun style hairdo threw a quarter in the jukebox and Patsy Cline's Crazy began to play. Whitney was on her second cup of black coffee and seemed completely terrified. The rain wasn't letting up and she prayed Lucy hadn't called the police.

Just then the bell to the glass doors rang and two men stepped inside. One was much shorter and older. His hair completely gray his face looked worn and well defined over his many years on this planet. He wore a black pea coat and his eyes were a stunning blue.

He also had a cane.

The man beside him was taller, perhaps late middle age. His hair was a salt and pepper and he had the same exact blue eyes the older man had.

Whitney's heart skipped a beat as the older man looked over at her. They slowly began walking over. Whitney's hands trembled and for a brief second she looked down at her engagement ring Philip had given her.

They stopped at her table.

"Excuse me, are you Whitney Castor?"

Whitney nodded as the old man let out his wrinkled hand.

"Smithson Utivich."

Whitney had studied this man for years. He was the only living member of the Bastards. She remembered all the articles and old photographs she had seen of him when he was in his twenties. It was so strange to see how he really looked now. Fifty whole years past within the blink of an eye. She was staring up at him, half terrified, half relieved.

Whitney took his hand and gently shook it. That's when the old man smiled and motioned to the younger man standing beside him.

"Whitney, this is my son Jeffery."

Jeffery smiled holding out his hand. He was handsome and looked very much like his father. In a strange way he reminded her of Philip.

"Hello."

Whitney shook his hand and found comfort having these two strangers here. Utivich looked at his son and smiled warmly.

"Jeff, ask that waitress to make up some apple crisp and a pot of coffee."

Jeffery smiled.

"Okay pop."

Utivich walked until his son was out of hearing range. Whitney saw the look of everlasting love in this old man's faded blue eyes before he carefully sat himself down, putting his cane to the side and placing a folder that was tucked underneath his arm on the table.

The old man stared at him and shook his head. Whitney didn't know what to say.

"My God, you look exactly like her."

Regan raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Utivich sighed before looking down at the folder.

"I had heard about you the last couple of years, even read some of your articles. My time served in the war was something I wanted to forget. These four years being a bastard are years I'm not proud of. Once the war ended and I returned home to my wife and our little boy…who is now over there ordering us some apple crisp."

Whitney looked over; the man seemed to be in his early fifties but had aged very well. He wore an overcoat and was in the middle of talking to the waitress. Utivich went on.

"What happened fifty years ago is something best left forgotten. I planned on meeting with you later this month and telling you the same exact thing. There's few people I can trust now, most of all ever since my wife past away…but from your letters and work you seemed like someone that would understand. There have been others, ones who know the truth. It's hard to see history books, films, and stories that say that something that you witnessed and were a part of is false. I was just a kid when I was drafted, but I thought being part of that team would make a difference…"

"Mr. Utivich…"

"Please, just Utivich. I'm used to it."

Whitney nodded as he went on again.

"Things fell apart shortly after it happened…"

"What?"

"When Donny Donowitz lost his mind."

Whitney stared at Utivich as rain continued to fall outside. Cars passing made swishing sounds and Whitney felt her heart begin to pound in her chest.

"After Donny lost a reason to live, after his mind completely snapped things changed. I think in a way the ones who were involved were so ashamed it didn't really matter if they lived or died."

"Please, tell me…"

"Have you ever heard of a woman in any of your studies of The Bastards named Regan?"

Whitney shook her head as Utivich nodded.

"I suppose you wouldn't. Nobody but the men in the team knew about her…"

"Who was she?"

"She was a sixteen year old German who we found back in 1941. Her family had been killed by her own people and she was kidnapped, beaten and raped. They did this because she was engaged to Hans Landa."

"In the German military?"

Utivich nodded.

"We found her naked and barley alive on a riverbank. Once we found out who she was our leader Aldo Raine thought up a plan. A plan to get back to Hans since she wound up in our hands…"

Utivich struggled as he spoke.

"He chose Donny to rape her until he got her pregnant with a Jewish American child."

Whitney couldn't believe her ears, ever since she could remember she had read and studied these men and seemed fascinated with them. In some odd way she looked up to them and viewed them as hidden heroes. Remembering how she went from foster home to foster home she found an escape through the history books and stories she read. Stumbling upon The Bastards as a fantasy she never wanted to leave.

"What?"

Whitney said. Utivich thought back on this painful memory and shook his head.

"Wicki and I were the only ones against it. Wicki tried to stop them but Aldo said they would kill her. He wanted her to suffer and then for them to bring a message to Hans. They forced Wicki to watch as Donny had her right in front of us. A week later she tried to escape, she threw herself through a window in an old factory we were in, we thought the fall killed her but it was worse…"

"What happened?"

"She was alive, but she couldn't remember anything. Donny lied to her, he said that we found her months ago and that he was her husband. He told Aldo it was part of his new plan on getting back to Hans but Wicki and I knew better. The guilt had gotten to him, he couldn't take it and needed to erase what happened. I think part of his mind snapped because he suddenly became crazy about her. He wouldn't let her out of his sight, he was coastally fussing over her, and kept trying to tell himself that he could fix things, make them better…have a second chance with her."

Whitney glanced and saw the waitress was fixing their plates, even though she didn't feel hungry at all. Utivich sighed.

"A few months later we discovered that Donny had indeed gotten her pregnant. I believe towards the end Donny really thought he had changed things, that they were husband and wife and that he had finally found someone to love her."

"What happened to her and the baby?"

Utivich looked up.

"Aldo saw what was happening and knew he needed to stop it. He planned on killing her and the baby…even though he told Wicki he was going to send her away. Donny, Aldo, and Wicki reached the cabin she was staying in right before she gave birth. I think Wicki knew what Aldo was planning…"

"What did he do?"

"The only thing he could do…"

1942

Donny was walking in Hanna's cabin. It was night and a full moon was up in the sky. Looking through one of the windows he saw that the moon was tinted red, as if it was dipped in blood.

He slowly walked across the floorboards before he heard crying.

Crying from an infant.

He slowly approached the room where the horrible crying was coming from.

There he saw Regan, laying in bed her pregnant stomach no longer there. Instead the sheets around her were soaked with blood. Donny walked in, opening and mouth and finding no words.

Regan stared up at him, tears rolling down her face.

"YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT!"

She screamed, pointing her finger at him.

Donny then looked down and found his bloody baseball bat in his hands.

"REGAN!"

Donny yelled as he snapped awake.

The first thing he saw was the star lit sky above him. It was early spring and a warm gentle breeze was blowing. Donny's bangs flickered in his face before he saw that he was awake.

He was laying in a field, a few feet away Aldo was drinking a flask of whiskey. Donny blinked, before sitting up, sweat dripping off him and his heart pounding in his chest.

Aldo stared at him.

"You all right?"

Donny took a second before shaking his head.

"Regan, I had a nightmare about Regan…"

"Looks like it was a pretty good one, never seen you so shaken up before."

Donny looked around. The others were spread around in sleeping bags or propped up by their packs fast asleep, completely unaware that anything was going on.

Just last week they had lost Hirschberg, he stepped on a mine, and nothing was left once the smoke cleared. Aldo looked when it happened and shook his head.

"Damnit Hirschberg."

And that was that.

They were in France, and the last five months had dragged on for Donny. He couldn't stop thinking about Regan. Depressed as each day went on he kept thinking about how she was back at Hanna's, nobody there to protect or take care of her. The nightmares were getting worse and he couldn't stand the fact that he wasn't with her. As of right now he didn't even know if she had given birth yet. He didn't know if she was okay or had a son or daughter.

Most of the nightmares were him raping her, and how her wide helpless eyes would stare at him before saying…

"Why Donny? Why do this to me?"

Now here he was, scared to death and shaken by his dream.

"Regan…I need to get to Regan…"

He muttered, grabbing his shirt. Aldo raised an eyebrow just as Wicki walked over, a canteen in his hands.

"Something the matter?"

Wicki had found ever since he joined the team he had a horrible time sleeping. Lately he would find Aldo somewhere and both would share and smoke and just talk. He still didn't respect Aldo, but followed orders just the same.

Donny looked up before shaking his head, grabbing his stuff as quickly as he could.

"Something happened to her, I know it."

Wicki looked down at Aldo who shrugged. Taking his snuff out he snorted before watching Donny.

"Hey Donny, hold on a second. You need to cool your jets."

Donny was listening, he quickly grabbed his things as fast as he could.

"The baby…something happened, I know it."

"Damnit Donny it was just a nightmare…"

Donny stood up before looking at the two of them.

"I'm leaving Aldo, she needs me…"

"Donny, she's a hundred miles away you can't be serious…"

"I'm going…"

"How?"

"I'll walk…"

Donny started before Wicki and Aldo exchanged a look.

"Donny wait!"

Aldo called, getting himself to his feet. Wicki took a sip from his canteen before Aldo walked over, shaking his head and trying to keep his voice down. It seemed as though the wind wouldn't stop blowing. Wicki put down the canteen and folded his arms watching.

"Donny, the whole reason we put her up with Hanna was so make sure she's safe."

"Something is wrong, I know it."

"Donny calm the fuck down and listen to me!"

Donny seemed a nervous wreck; he stared at Aldo before Wicki walked over. Aldo shook his head, before patting Donny's arm.

"Listen, would it make you feel better if we rode on down and checked on her."

Wicki raised an eyebrow; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Donny looked just as surprised.

"What?"

Aldo nodded.

"I'll tell the others to lay down low, ain't nothing going on for a while. Wicki and I will take you, put your mind at rest that your little wife is just fine. I bet she hasn't even had the baby yet."

"You're really willing to do that?"

"Donny, you're the best man I got. I can't afford to lose you."

Donny stared at the two men before staring down at the ground before laughing. This laugh had no humor in it; instead it had an empty horrible sound to it. Wicki looked at Aldo, unaware of what he was planning.

"I'll wake the others and tell them we're leaving. Now Donny it's just to fucking check on her. We're not staying and don't even give me shit about you wanting to stay with her if she's had the baby or not. Understood?"

Donny nodded.

Aldo smiled before turning around to wake Omar. Wicki all the meanwhile stood there unaware of what was going on.

An hour later the three of them drove in the truck through the darkness of the night without saying so much as a word to each other. Wicki sat in the middle, arms crossed and eyeing the two of them. A few hours later in the early morning they stopped.

Aldo looked at Donny who had brought his bat along. He was gripping it tight enough to bring blood. Aldo killed the engine before reaching into his pocket for a smoke.

"Relax Donny, it's another day until we even come close."

Donny looked over.

"Why are we stopping."

"To stretch some legs and for me to take a piss. Now let go of that fricking baseball bat, your making me nervous."

Aldo opened his door and slid out, Wicki followed. Outside it was start beginning to show the signs of another beautiful spring day. Aldo walked along the tree line before stopping, Wicki was right behind him and Donny was at the truck, leaning against the door and staring down at his boots.

Wicki walked over just when Aldo was beginning to urinate. Wicki motioned over his shoulder.

"What's the plan?"

Aldo reached into his pocket and took out a tiny little glass bottle, it handed it to Wicki who raised an eyebrow as he studied the clear liquid.

"What is it?"

"It's what's finally going to take care of the problem."

Wicki stared at him not following. Aldo zipped himself up before facing him.

"Look over there at him, he can't even think straight. How many times the last couple of months we've gotten close to messing up because of him? How many times have I had snap my fingers in front of him to make him snap out of it? She's all he can think of. I should of known old Donny wouldn't be able to handle this. Now I have to clean up after my mistakes."

"Doing what?"

"I'm gonna kill her."

Wicki's eyes bugged out, he couldn't believe what he had heard.

"What?"

"If her and the baby die than of course Donny will take it hard, of course he'll throw a fit…but time will go on and hopefully he'll get over himself. I can finally have my best soldier back and it will teach him a mighty fine lesson. We'll forget about it and go back to what we were put here to do."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"You can't be serious…kill her?"

Aldo folded his arms looking at Wicki.

"Listen Wicki, I'm sorry as hell for what you've had to seen. I don't blame you for losing respect for us Bastards and I'm sure Munich or Austria looks a whole hell of a lot better than us right now. But the truth is right here…she can't live. Donny is half crazed and can't keep pretending his lie is real. Besides even if I did let her go where if she gonna go? Her own people won't want her? She's used goods now and I take the blame completely for that…something I'll have to live with. If Donny doesn't think she's dead he'll search for her until he's dead…and I can't afford to lose him."

"At the cost of this poor girl's life and her child. Aldo do you hear yourself?"

"I hear myself perfectly clear. It's better this way…she's like an old dog that needs to be put out of her misery. Jesus Wicki, I thought you would be behind this. We gotta set her free. One day she will remember what happened…how she got that child of hers inside her and she'll be an empty shell. A waste of life."

"Thanks to you and Donny…"

"Wicki I brought you along because I thought I could trust you."

Wicki thought back on the plan he had briefly sketched out to Utivich, really not knowing how it would work, most of all when he didn't think they would be going back to the cabin any time soon. Looking at Aldo he spoke softly, making sure Donny couldn't hear in the distance.

"What's the plan?"

"Around this time she's either all ready had the baby or soon will. If she's all ready had it in the middle of the night we sneak in and inject the baby…in the morning it will simply look like crib death. The two of them will be upset and the next night we inject her. We'll make it up as though she killed herself over the grief of the baby…Donny will be upset, might even lose what's left of his mind but it will be over. Clean and done."

Wicki felt sick.

"And if she hasn't had the baby?"

"When Hanna is delivering her we stick her. This will kill both her and the baby inside. It will simply look as though she died while trying to bring Donny's baby into the world. Same results, different plan."

Wicki thought of Sara and he then knew what to do.

"Do you think Hanna will go along with it?"

Aldo shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not. I've known Hanna for a long time and she's a tough girl. I would like to believe so but you never know. She still thinks we're going to leave her and the baby someplace before Donny gets back. That might be where we might have a problem. Don't even know if she'll be willing to do it."

Aldo lit his cigarette and Wicki watched the flame closely before his plan all fell into place. Clearing his throat he looked at Aldo.

"If she hasn't delivered yet I'll do it."

Aldo looked at him.

"What?"

"I've helped during child birth before…my wife…"

His words drifted off and Aldo nodded.

"Okay sure, we'll tell Hanna if she hasn't had the kid yet that you can do it. We'll feed some lie to Donny that she can't do it…sight of blood makes her sick or something. I'll make sure he isn't in the room and you do it."

"And burn the body."

"What?"

"Even if she's dead he won't accepts it. I've been there before. Unless you want a fight between us trying to get him away from her for days you'll let me burn it."

"How the hell do you think you can do that?"

"While Donny is waiting either hit him over the head, tell him when he wakes up he passed out. Or put something in his drink. He'll wake up and there will be nothing but ashes by then. Sure he'll want to kill us for doing it but there won't be anything left, anything to hold onto. Might help him in fact.

Aldo thought about this, rubbing his chin before nodding. Handing Wicki the small bottle he nodded.

"All right, it's a plan then."

Wicki nodded before Aldo looked at him closely.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Ever since we first found her on the riverbank. I regret shooting her then…would of saved her from this new hell we put her though."

Aldo nodded before walking back to the truck. Wicki followed.

The rest of the ride there was silent. They watched the sun set and then rise, then set again. The forest was changing and before they knew it they were passing beautiful golden fields just beginning to change color. Aldo spoke a little, mostly about how he hoped Stiglitz wouldn't have the men do anything stupid while they were away.

Donny just stared out the window.

Finally they reached the cabin.

By then it as almost dusk again, the windows were barley lit up and smoke was coming from the chimney. They barely got to park before Donny scrambled to get out and began running towards the front steps. Aldo and Wicki watched before getting out themselves. A dim cool blue glow had settled over the area. The strong smell of honeysuckle filled the air as Wicki noticed beautiful spring flowers growing along the pathway.

Once they reached the steps Hanna appeared in a dirty dress. Her hair was sloppy, and her hands blistered.

"Hanna what in the hell happened to you?"

Hanna looked exhausted before shaking her head.

"Two of my girls died last night from the fever, took their unborn children with them."

Wicki looked confused.

"Girls?"

"A lot of the women I once worked beside in Paris come to me whenever they're in trouble. They spend their months here carrying their children and then give birth. It's a private place they know they can be safe. I've been doing it for years and usually they have their babies and move on…but two of them, Ann and Nancy caught the fever. Had to bury them myself this morning with my own two hands. Regan has taken it pretty badly since they had become so close. She's been in labor for the last two days and she still offered to help me fill the graves…"

Hanna shook her head and Aldo and Wicki looked at each other.

"She's in labor?"

Hanna nodded.

"Having a hard time, she's laying in the back room…horrible pain. I'm sure glad you boys came by, almost like God answered my prayer. She's been calling out for that husband of her ever since the pain has gotten worse. I'm worried for her."

"You look exhausted, like you're about to fall over Hanna."

Aldo said. Hanna gave a tried smile and wiped her forehead.

"It's been a lot…can barely stand myself. Let's hope this baby doesn't come until morning…"

"Well we came because Donny was worried, but you're in luck. Wicki here has delivered many children and he wants to lend a hand. He'll stay with her tonight and try and help her though. You can finally get some rest…"

Hanna shook her head.

"No I'm perfectly fine…"

"Hanna don't you be lying to me. If anything happens to Donny's girl he'll raise hell. Better it's on us than on you."

Hanna looked uncertain before finally nodding.

"All right."

"Good, now why don't we get ourselves settled and once there's some tea on you can get some sleep."

A few minutes later they were inside. The fire was going and the cabin seemed very comforting. Hanna offered the men food but they said they were fine. Wicki left Aldo who was talking to Hanna as she began heating up water and getting blankets out and slowly looked in on the back bedroom.

Regan sat on the bed, her pregnant stomach stood out perfectly beneath her dress. She sat on the bed, her face pale and her eyes tired. Donny sat beside her, his hand on her stomach as he gently kissed her down her neck.

They were talking but he couldn't hear them. Regan seemed uncomfortable and even looked up and saw Wicki standing in the doorway for a moment.

Her eyes seemed helpless.

Wicki turned and went back to Hanna who told him more than likely the baby wouldn't come until tomorrow night. By then she had laid out some food and showed Wick where she kept the basin and pots to heat up over the stove. She gave him blankets and her old scissors from her sewing basket. Aldo meanwhile went into the back room to inform Donny about what they planned on doing.

"How do you know he won't hurt her!"

Wicki heard Donny's voice once. Sitting at the kitchen table, the small glass bottle in his pocket he glanced over. Hanna who looked as though she was about to fall over glanced over at him before bringing some tea.

"That Donny sure is protective of her…"

Wicki looked up lost in his thoughts.

"Yeah…he is."

Finally Donny appeared with Aldo just as Hanna was starting to settle down. Donny glared at Wicki.

"You sure you know what you're doing?"

Wicki nodded.

"I do."

"Don't fuck with me Wicki, this is my wife we're talking about!"

Hanna nervously looked up from the stove.

Wicki stayed perfectly calm and looked up at him.

"I understand that, but would you rather have Hanna, who's on the verge of exhaustion or have me who knows perfectly what they're doing and has Regan's best interest in mind."

Donny stared down at him before beginning to pace back and forth.

"She's all upset about those two women who died, she said her back hurts and the baby is kicking too hard…"

Hanna nodded.

"She's in labor."

"Then she's going to have the baby tonight?"

"Tonight, maybe tomorrow. These things can take hours or days."

Wicki added. Donny stared down at him, his eyes intense and worried. Just then Aldo walked over, hands in his pockets.

"I say we stay another night, she ain't had the baby yet Donny tough."

Donny looked over as Aldo shrugged, pulling up a chair.

"I said a day or so…tops. My men ain't waiting around forever. Besides Wicki knows what he's doing and I'm sure she'll be in good hands."

Donny looked as though Aldo's words outraged him. Eyeing Wicki he took a step closer to where Aldo was sitting.

"His own wife died doing this, what if something goes wrong?"

Aldo looked across the table at Wicki who used everything inside of him not to flip out. Underneath the table he made a fist, his fingernails digging deep into the palm of his hand. Instead he just stared at Aldo, both knowing how extreme Donny was acting.

Aldo rolled his eyes.

"Nothing ain't fucking gonna go wrong. Now I would listen to Wicki and stop giving him so much shit since he's gonna take care of your girl."

Donny didn't say anything; instead he turned and went back into the back bedroom.

There he found Regan, she sat in a wooden rocking chair beside the open window. An old fashion wind chime hung from the window that had hanging glass and peacock feathers. The chime made a beautiful noise as a warm breeze gently blew in, making the curtains blow back.

She was softly humming and rubbing her stomach.

Donny stopped in the doorway, his nerves on edge. Ever since he first found out she was pregnant that day in the ditch things slowly seemed to be slipping through his fingers. Now his dreams of bringing Regan to America seemed to be flicking and fading away.

He didn't like how distant she had become. Besides that one time last winter when they made love they hadn't done anything else. In fact she seemed almost to flinch and not like it whenever he touched or kissed her.

These last five months had been horrible for him. The nightmares were getting worse and he couldn't seem to figure out what he was going to do after the baby came. Part of him tried to lie to himself. To believe that everything would work out. That he would have a child…a child of his own and he would never have to worry about being alone again.

That somehow out of this horrible hell he had been fighting in brought hope. That he had someone who would always love him and never leave him. Somebody to protect, and stay alive for.

Looking at her, he couldn't believe one of those fourteen times that he forced himself on her that he made a child. Never before in his life did he see himself as a father, but looking at Regan and knowing that part of him was inside of her he had this sense that he needed to protect them. Somehow he would figure something out, and know for sure that Regan could never leave them. This baby connected them.

Walking over he gently slipped his hands on her shoulders. She stiffened.

"Are you okay?"

Regan nodded.

"Are you in pain?"

Regan shrugged.

"Not really, just uncomfortable…"

"Anything I can do?"

Regan forced a smile before leaning over and softly kissing one of his hands.

"No, of course not."

Donny then came around, crouching down in front of her. Reaching over he brushed some of her hair away from her face. Looking down at her stomach he smiled.

"I'm sorry I left you…"

"You had to. Besides I'm glad I stayed."

"Has Hanna been treating you okay?"

Regan nodded.

"She's been wonderful."

"And the other girls?"

"They caught the fever, Hanna tried her hardest to save them…at least until they had their babies…"

Her voice drifted off and Donny sighed, touching her face.

"Hey…I'm here now. Don't worry, nothing is going to happen Regan. I promise I'll never leave you again."

Regan stared at him.

"But Aldo…"

Donny shook his head.

"I don't care, you're what's important to me…you and our baby…"

His hand touched her stomach, gently before the baby inside dully kicked. An excited grin spread across Donny's face before he looked at her.

"Holy shit was that it?!"

Regan smiled softly before nodding.

"It moves whenever you touch and press in gently…see?"

Her thin hand covered his, and again the baby kicked even stronger. Donny laughed before leaning over, pressing his ear against her stomach. Waiting for any movement. Regan sat there, smiling before the strangest image came across to her.

Donny on top of her, his hands pressed against her wrists so hard that bruises appeared in the form of finger marks. Donny's scruffy face against hers, his warm breath, his body crushing hers.

And pain, horrible pain.

Blinking, she snapped out of it and looked down at him.

It had been so odd. At first she thought the news of the pregnancy would bring joy to her. Instead she felt the most overwhelming horrible feeling of loneliness spread through her. As though a sickness had been planted deep inside her body by something ugly and dark.

Suddenly things didn't seem to add up.

The German told her she was three months along, yet Donny told her the only time they had made love was when he proposed. The math didn't add up.

That's when she started getting uneasy, almost scared whenever Donny went near her. In fact his touch sickened her. She wondered if when she was kidnapped if she had been raped. Yet Donny told her they had found and taken her in months before it would have made sense.

His story was starting to fall apart.

She had in fact fallen in love with Donny, felt safe whenever he was around. But as the baby inside of her grew, the nightmares of her family became more real.

Unknown to her, that one German who had looked her over and survived that fateful day in the ditch had been interviewed. He claimed afterwards when they were questioning him that there was in fact a woman with him.

Landa was called in right away.

Landa described Regan, his hands shaking slightly as he did so.

"Did she have red hair, green eyes? Sixteen…"

The young German soldier nodded.

"Yes, she was with them."

Landa felt his heart drop. He was almost certain she was dead. That's when the young German nervously looked up.

"I had to examine her…"

Landa raised an eyebrow.

"Was she hurt?"

The soldier shook his head.

"The Americans seemed worried about her. I looked her over and it seems that she was with child. Three, maybe four months."

Everything went black for Landa. For the last few months he had driven himself crazy trying to find her. He knew how a group of his own men…those who he fired had done their best to seek revenge. They killed Regan's family and took her.

He had a manhunt going, searching high and low for her…hoping that nothing had happened to her. Night after night horrible dreams would come, ones of her being laid out on the ground, her clothes being torn off as men took her over and over again.

He would always wake up shaking, sweat rolling off him.

No, they couldn't do this.

He planned on being the one to take her innocence, to make her into a woman on their wedding night. Knowing those filthy pigs had been at her made him sick.

Now The Bastards had her.

He grabbed the young solider by the collar, demanding to know exactly what happened.

Now as Regan sat there, watching her husband lay his head against her swollen stomach, her heart dropped. Thinking of the man in her dreams she wondered who he was. Knowing Wicki was here made her comforted.

Just then Wicki appeared in the doorway. He cleared his throat and Donny looked up.

"If it's all right, I was wondering if Regan would like to take a walk with me around the cabin. Walking can help the cramps."

Donny made a face at Wicki before looking at Regan. She smiled over at Wicki before nodding.

"That sounds good, their kind of getting worse. The fresh air will be nice."

Donny looked at her in disbelief.

"You said nothing was wrong…"

Regan looked uncomfortable as she began to rise from her chair.

"It's nothing…besides I want to stretch my legs."

Donny grabbed her hand.

"Then I'll take you."

Regan eyed Wicki before shaking her head.

"We'll stay close, besides get something to eat and some sleep…you look tried."

She gently touched his unshaven face smiling. Donny looked unsure and eyed Wicki. Regan slowly walked over to him and nodded. Wicki looked at Donny.

"We won't be long…"

Donny watched as they walked out, his hands gripping at his sides. Hanna by then was sleeping on the old falling apart sofa beside the fire. Aldo was finishing eating and motioned Donny over who glared out the dark windows.

The sun was just setting.

"Relax Donny…"

"I don't trust Wicki…"

"He's trying to make sure you see your baby before we leave. Now shut the fuck up and sit down, you're making me nervous."

Donny's mouth twitched as he sat down, his eyes looked exhausted and hollow. Aldo just then slid across a glass bottle. Twisting off the cap he began to pour the liquid into the tin cups.

"Come on, let's drink…"

Donny shook his head.

"No thanks."

"Damnit Donny, take a drink. We'll toast to your unborn child."

Donny looked as the cup as Aldo smiled.

"Aldo…I'm worried. I know this was supposed to be the plan but I don't want anything to happen to her."

Aldo nodded.

"Nothing will, now come on drink up."

Nodding, Donny sighed before gulping down his drink with one swing. Aldo watched closely before nodding.

"Good…that's good."

Outside it was slowly cooling off. There was a nice breeze in the air and the sky had a beautiful red tint to it. Wicki locked his arm with hers and both slowly walked into the thin woods behind the cabin.

"How fast are the pains coming?"

Regan shrugged, looking nervous as a crow cried off in the distance.

"A few minutes, some are bad some aren't."

Wicki nodded before stopping, both were behind a huge tree.

Wicki stopped his eyes serious as he stared at her. Regan stopped and stared at him. Nervously she smiled.

"What is it?"

Wicki took a deep breath, staring down.

"Regan, you need to promise me something."

"What?"

"After I'm done speaking…you can't scream."

Regan stared at him, her eyes wide.

"What?"

The woods around them became darker. Wicki knew this would take a lot before he breathed deeply and stared at her.

She was so young…

"I had a wife once…did you know that?"

Regan shook her head, confused.

"Her name was Sara; I met her once I came to America. She had green eyes…just like yours."

Another bird cried in the distance, Regan leaned against the tree, her hands gently rubbing her stomach.

"I worked in a factory shortly after we were married and before the end of the year she was going to have our first child. She went into labor on Christmas Eve…I remember it as if it was yesterday…we were in a snow storm and the doctor couldn't come to our apartment building so I tried to deliver her myself…"

Regan looked scared.

"What?"

"I don't mean to scare you…but my wife wouldn't stop bleeding. I tried everything I could but she…just wouldn't stop. She was losing her color, could barley stay awake. I remember I was up to my elbows in blood and I kept telling her to stay awake, to just keep pushing…but she wouldn't."

"Wicki what…"

Wicki went on, ignoring her.

"She died…and so didn't our baby. A son…there was nothing I could do. The neighbors broke in after hearing my screams and found me curled up beside Sara, there was blood everywhere and they had to drag me away screaming…"

Regan stared at him.

"Wicki why are you telling me this?!"

"I tried to kill myself at least a dozen times, and then finally once the war started I enlisted and ended up getting drafted. I thought maybe I could do some good…do something and maybe if I was lucky get killed and I would finally be with my wife and baby again. I don't feel anything anymore Regan, but I did when we first found you almost ten months ago."

"What?"

"Regan…does the name Hans Landa sound familiar?"

Regan stared at him, before a flicker lit up in her eyes that Wicki had been waiting for.

At that exact moment Donny struggled to sit up. Gripping the table, his chair fell to the side with a hollow thud. Donny blinked, watching the room begin to spin.

"What the hell?"

Aldo watched him, lighting a smoke.

"Just take it easy Donny…"

Donny felt sick, holding onto the table he blinked again, his eyes cloudy.

"Regan, where's Regan?"

"She's with Wicki, she's fine."

"I-I need to get to her…"

Before he could say another word he stumbled backwards and hit the floor hard. Hanna who was sleeping a few feet away hadn't heard any of this. Aldo had put the same stuff he had given Donny in her tea. Aldo shook his head before getting up, looking down at his friend he rubbed his neck.

Outside, Wicki had finished. He told her everything.

Regan just stared at him before her face crumbled up. Her eyes were wide and glassy.

"I…think I'm going to be sick…"

She turned and threw up violently beside the tree. Donny watched, his eyes filled with pity before he stepped forward, gently placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Regan…"

Regan turned, her face pale and in shock. Silent tears rolled down her face before she hitched in a deep breath. Closing her eyes Wicki saw all those horrible memories come back to her. Leaning against the tree she cried out loud before slowly sinking down, her back sliding against the trunk of the tree as she covered her face with her hands.

Right away she ripped the dog tags off from around her neck. She looked disgusted to even wear them. Wicki frowned, knelling down in front of her. Regan cried as darkness settled over the woods and finally looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot and worn.

"I remember…you tried to save me."

Wicki shook his head.

"I didn't try hard enough…'

Regan looked heartbroken, staring down at her stomach she shut her eyes and shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Why?!"

She cried out, her voice helpless and broken. Wicki watched her before she stared at him.

"I remember…I remember everything…"

"Regan, what I said about Aldo is true. He knows how Donny has lost his mind over you. He really is planning on killing you and the baby."

Regan shut her eyes.

"Landa…"

She whispered. Opening her eyes, she looked at him. Wicki still couldn't believe how one sixteen year old girl could go through all of this without losing her mind.

"I knew what he did…I wasn't stupid. But I thought maybe I could change him. I think every time I thought I loved Donny, I was really thinking about Hans…"

She looked at her stomach, a lonely look spread over her face…as if there wasn't any reason to live. Her hands touched her round stomach over her dress and she sighed. Wicki stared at her before Regan snapped her eyes shut.

"Ah!"

Wicki saw what appeared to be water soak down on Regan's dress and onto the ground. Regan opened her eyes and began to breath heavy, her hands shaking.

"W-what…h-happened?"

She sounded scared to death before Wicki stared at her.

"You're going to have your baby."

Regan shut her eyes, tilting her head against the tree.

"No…it isn't my baby, it's that bastards…"

Wicki stared at her before reaching across and holding her hand. Regan opened her eyes as Wicki eyes became serious.

"It's your baby Regan…never forget that."

Regan shut her eyes as a horrible pain washed over her, she cried before looking at him.

"What am I going to do?"

"I have a plan…but you need to listen."

A few minutes later as Aldo crouched over Donny's body Wicki silently walked in behind him. Donny's baseball bat in his hands. He slowly walked in behind him.

Before Aldo even knew what had happened Wicki hit him over the head. Aldo's body slummed to the ground over Donny's. Wicki leaned over, checking his pulse before grabbing the things he needed.

He went out into the forest, rolling up his sleeves before hurrying to where Regan was. By then he could hear her screams of pain. A few minutes later he sat in front of her, laying out his things before gripping her hand.

"I need you to breath Regan…"

Regan stared at him, helpless and in pain.

As a full tinted red moon rose up in the sky, screams echoed through the woods…then finally cries.

Regan lowered her head, her red hair hanging in her face as sweat dripped off her. She looked exhausted as Wicki held up the screaming wiggling baby.

"It's a girl!"

Regan looked at the baby as Wicki smiled, his arms bloody and his shirt unbuttoned. Handing the baby over, Regan took it into her arms and cradled it, a look of love and awe showing in her eyes as she stared down at her newborn daughter.

"She's beautiful…"

Wicki stared at her.

"There isn't much time."

Regan stared at him, she had listened to Wicki's plan and knew what she had to do. She couldn't go back to Landa, and she couldn't stay here.

Wicki grabbed some blankets and wrapped her up in them before grabbing a shovel.

"Where are you going?"

She asked as she held her baby who thinly cried in her arms.

Wicki stared at her.

"To finish it."

Regan was weak, but knew she had to stand. Struggling, she fell back against the tree before looking at the baby. She couldn't believe this had grown inside of her.

Thinking of the horrible rape she shut her eyes. How something so beautiful could be made during something so ugly. Thinking of Donny, back when he would smile at her, lift her up, and pretend. She tried to think of how he might have really been…

But it was all a lie, even if he was in love with her and regretted what he did.

Sitting there she fell asleep, her baby in her arms.

Before midnight, Wicki was refilling the grave. Going out back to where the firepit was he made the sign of the cross before throwing the body down. Lighting a match he watched it burn.

When he went back into the woods, he found Regan sleeping along with the baby. He shook her to wake up and asked how she was feeling.

"Tired…"

Wicki unfolded a map in front of her, the moonlight casting down on it. He pointed.

"You're here…head West and don't stop for anything. You'll find a small village…"

As he continued speaking, Regan simply listened. It didn't sound like it would but it had to.

Finally he finished, looking unsure as he stared at the map.

"I would take you myself…"

She shook her head.

"I know."

He stared at her before the baby wiggled, crying in the bundle of blankets she had it wrapped in. Wicki smirked, looking down.

"She really is beautiful. What are you going to name her?"

Regan shrugged, smiling as she stared down at her daughter

"I don't know…"

Wicki looked up at the sky, seeing the full moon.

"You better get going…"

He helped her up, there was horrible pain but Regan didn't say anything. Wicki handed her a blanket which he draped over her shoulders and a box of matches. He then handed her a few crumbled up dirty bills and some change.

"I wish I could give you more…"

Regan shook her head.

"You helped me enough…"

They stared at each other before Wicki sighed.

"I'm sorry Regan…"

Regan nodded, clutching her baby.

"If fate had been different and we had met some different way…"

He nodded, stepping closer.

She struggled with her words before he placed his smooth hand against her cheek.

"Nehmen Sie Sorge Regan. ..maybe wir werden uns treffen in einem anderen Leben."

Regan smiled.

"I hope so…"

Nodding, he kissed her hand and watched as she disappeared into the woods. Watching her go, he gathered up his things, wiping his dirt and blistered covered hands against his slacks before heading to the cabin.

He found Aldo, Donny, and Hanna exactly as he left them.

Washing up quickly, he threw everything else into the fire before dragging Aldo back to the kitchen table. Placing his head down he filled half a cup of whiskey and put it within reach. Donny was much harder to drag, but he brought him over to Hanna.

Then he waited.

Aldo woke before sunrise, mumbling and swearing before lifting his head. Looking around he saw Wicki having a smoke in one of the chairs, his eyes blank of emotion.

Aldo rubbed the back of his head.

"My God what happened?!"

"You got drunk, fell to the floor, I helped you."

Aldo blinked, still foggy on what happened before looking over at Donny and Hanna.

"Did you…"

Wicki nodded before taking another drag.

"I did."

Aldo checked his head again before blinking and looking around.

"Jeez, I really blacked out? Hit my head?"

"On the floor."

Aldo shook his head before slowly getting up. He eyed Donny sleeping on the ground.

"She have the baby?"

Wicki shook his head.

"No, she didn't."

"You take care of it?"

Wicki nodded, finishing his cigarette. Aldo walked over to the nearest window and stared out back. There he saw the fire pit just beginning to die down. Rubbing the back of his head he sighed before checking his watch.

A little while later Hanna and Donny both woke up, groggy and out of it. Hanna could barley sit up while Donny coughed and looked around. He saw it was morning. Blinking, he slowly got to unsteady feet before staring at Wicki and Aldo. Right away his expression changed.

"Regan? Did she have the baby?"

Shortly before Donny woke up Aldo hit his baseball bat, and emptied all the bullets out guns that were laying around. He warned Wicki that Donny's reaction would be dangerous.

Aldo and Wicki exchanged a look and right away Donny knew something was wrong.

"Where is she?"

"She's gone Donny."

Donny froze. Just then Hanna looked up, her hair sticking up and her eyes scared.

"What?"

"She's dead Donny, she didn't make it. I tried helping Wicki but she kept bleeding…I'm sorry."

He said flatly.

Donny just stared at them before he shook his head.

"You're lying…"

Aldo shook his head.

"Afraid not. She didn't make it. She was too young Donny…"

"The baby?"

"Died with her."

Donny then stared at the two of them in disbelief. Right away he ran into the back bedroom, screaming her name. When he came back out he began throwing the furniture, two of Hanna's chairs broke into a million pieces as he threw the table over and grabbed Wicki by his collar.

"WHERE IS SHE YOU SON OF A BITCH?!"

Wicki stayed calm before eyeing the window. Donny looked before throwing him down. Running, he nearly took the door off before running outside. His screams for Regan heard even inside. Hanna began to say something when Aldo shook his head.

"Shut up."

Wicki got himself off the floor, and followed Aldo to the porch. They looked out and saw Donny collapse to his knees in front of the fire pit. Wicki looked over at the freshly dug graves of the women who had died a few days before. One of the graves was really empty unknown to Aldo and Donny. He knew no matter what happened Aldo would still want to send a message to Hans. He knew he didn't go through this entire thing for nothing.

He knew Aldo would either get the ashes or bones and leave it in some village with a letter addressed to Landa. Informing when that his darling little fiancé' died trying to bring a Jewish baby into the world. Just by looking at Aldo, Wicki knew exactly what he was thinking.

Aldo took out a smoke and went down the steps, Wicki stayed on the porch as Hanna came over, a shawl over her shoulders, her eyes uneasy.

"What happened?"

"She died before morning…"

"You couldn't have saved the baby?"

Wicki shook his head.

"I tried everything I could."

"You shouldn't have burned the body…"

"Aldo wanted me to."

"Still, he was crazy about her. He shouldn't have found out this way."

Wicki ignored everything else Hanna said. Instead he saw as Aldo walked over to Donny, who's head was lowered as the last of the fire was flickering out.

Aldo approached Donny and saw what was left of Regan. The fire pit had thick gray ash in it along with what appeared to be charred bones. Shaking his head he was glad it was finally over. Just then Donny reached for his belt, unsnapping his pistol he jammed it into his mouth and snapped his eyes shut. Pulling the trigger, an empty chamber filled the air.

Aldo had emptied the bullets from his gun before he woke up.

"FUCK!"

Donny cried, throwing the gun into the fire. Lowering his head he let out the most hopeless cry. Aldo watched him before lighting his smoke.

"There ain't nobody to blame but yourself Donny."

Donny looked up, tears filling his lost empty eyes. Aldo nodded.

"You raped her and got her pregnant. The baby killed her trying to be born and now they're both dead. It's over and done with. She ain't coming back and I know it hard pill to swallow but it's finished. If you really loved her…a German…then I'm sorry Donny. I regret what we did to her, she was just a kid…but still a German. You showed you were a better man than me when you started taking care of her. But she's dead Donny. You have to accept it."

Donny tried to say something but instead he lowered his head and cried. Aldo watched him, surprised there wasn't such a violent reaction that he expected. Donny just knelt there, crying in front of the fire pit. Aldo stayed with him, not saying a word and smoked five cigarettes before he got him to stand.

"Why didn't you wake me?!"

He said, tears rolling down his face. Aldo shook his head. He had never seen Donny cry before.

"You past out cold, I couldn't."

Donny stared at the fire pit helpless.

"Was it a boy or a girl?"

"We never knew, she didn't have it."

"Did you at least…try to cut her? Save the baby?"

Aldo shook his head.

"She said the baby hadn't been moving once we had her trying to push. We tried everything we could Donny."

Donny just stared off blankly, his eyes dead.

Aldo wanted to leave right away. Hanna tried to say something but Aldo said nothing. Instead he gathered their things and even went over to the burnt out fire pit as Wicki expected. By then Donny had finally snapped as Aldo said he would. He began punching the side of the truck until there were dents in the side. His hands bleeding he screamed before falling to the ground. Wicki stayed out of the way until Donny found him on the porch.

There was a fight, in which Donny kept screaming that Wicki killed her. Wicki defended himself, but knew with Aldo watching it wouldn't get out of hand. He ended up with six broken ribs, and a swelled lip. Finally Donny came out telling him to cut the shit. When Donny tried punching Wicki in the face Aldo said he was going to burn Regan's things.

Donny stopped.

Hanna gave him something to mute his shock and deep grief. His eyes were blank, his expressions slow, and silent tears falling from his face.

Wicki watched.

"If only the Germans could see The Bear Jew now…"

Wicki thought.

Donny broke down one more before passing out. Hanna was worried and asked if they wanted to but Aldo said no. It was finished and done and they needed to move on. Hanna gave them a hurt look and said they were heartless.

Wicki took a few of Regan's things, including the dog rags Regan had torn off and placed them in the truck. Both men dragged Donny into the cab and left not saying a word.

When Donny woke a few hours later his face looked pale.

"Pull over I'm sick…"

Aldo quickly did as Donny stumbled out and threw up everywhere. Wicki and Aldo watched before Donny got back in. Looking down, he saw Regan's things. Reaching down and taking his dog tags he held them in his hands before crying.

Wicki looked over.

"She told us to tell you something…"

Aldo kept driving. Donny looked up, his eyes bloodshot.

"She wanted to tell you she loved you, and that she forgave you."

Aldo glanced over as Donny looked.

"What?"

"She remembered Donny, for months she did. But she forgave you…and loved you despite what you did."

This was a lie of course, but it needed to be said.

Donny lowered his head and said nothing. Both Wicki and Aldo knew…

He would never be the same.

At that exact moment, Regan stumbled through the forest. The boots she had on were caked with mud and her legs were scratched.

She was also bleeding, it went down her legs and she was getting weak.

She clutched onto her baby as she struggled through streams, hills, and bushes. She was so tired and her legs felt so heavy. Her head was spinning,

The baby was crying, and she was freezing.

Finally she stopped, trying to catch her breath. She really didn't know if she made the right choice. If she had stayed at cabin Aldo would of killed her and the baby.

Thinking of Donny, not the one who had raped her, gotten her pregnant, and lied to her.

She tried to think of the man who perhaps really did try to make things right. That the guilt and lies just all caught up to him. The one who was so gentle with her. The one who carried her, kissed her, explained baseball, and even made love to her…

She knew something was wrong the second she found out she was pregnant.

She wished things had been different. In fact she wished it was all a lie. But as she stared at Wicki's face as she delivered, she knew it was the truth. The father to her baby really was a bastard.

She wished she hadn't remembered. She wished she was in the nice warm cabin, holding her baby and Donny coming in to meet his daughter. She could see him coming in, grinning before kneeling beside her, kissing her forehead and telling her she did good.

But flashes of him raping her, forcing her to the ground went before her eyes. She didn't think she could ever forgive him, even though this was how her daughter came to be. She knew if she had stayed her and her daughter would be buried in the back yard with the other two young mothers.

The Germans killed her family, kidnapped, and raped her. Taking her away from Hans, perhaps the only man as much as a monster as he was that would of never hurt her.

Donny had raped and lied to her. Aldo wanted to kill her.

Thinking of Wicki, she wished somehow…in another life that she found a love like him. Catching a deep breath, she felt dizzy and saw more blood going down her legs.

She could see the village Wicki had talked about. She needed to just hang on a little longer. Looking down at her baby, her heart broke.

"Shhhh…"

She said trying to sooth it. Using the last of the strength she struggled through the trees and towards the buildings.

A few minutes later she stumbled down the cobble stoned road. Grasping her baby, she stared up at the clear blue sky and gasped. Her head was swimming, and she had lost a lot of blood.

That's when she saw people and collapsed. The baby began screaming as she clutched onto it. The people came running.

Regan's eyes fluttered open and close. One second she was thinking about Hans in the countryside. The next she was kissing Donny's hands in the winter snow. Then she saw Wicki staring at her with those handsome eyes of hers in the darkness of the forest.

When she opened her eyes people were surrounding her. She couldn't understand what they were saying…feeling things beginning to slip away she knew this was for the best.

Clutching onto her baby she looked up at the faces.

"S'il vous plaît m'aider, aider mon bébé..."

She spoke in French.

The people of the village knelt down before one of the farm hands scooped Regan up, bringing her to the doctor. All the while, she didn't let go of her newborn daughter.

Present

Once Utivich had finished a few more people had come into the diner. An older couple in their sixties, and a kid in his twenties holding a skateboard under his arm. They all sat at the front counter ordering coffee and early breakfast.

Whitney listened, her apple crisp untouched. Jeffery had now joined them and simply sat beside his father drinking his coffee silently.

Utivich had told Whitney everything he knew from what Wicki told him when the men returned a few days later. Aldo fed a story to the men that sadly Regan had died in childbirth along with the child she was trying to bring into this world.

When Omar tried to say something to Donny, who had stayed silent and in shock the entire ride over he nearly broke his arm. It took Aldo, Wicki, and Stiglitz to hold him down.

Utivich told Whitney that Wicki told him everything the following night. He told him about Aldo's plan to kill Regan and the baby, and how he had told her everything before she gave birth in the woods. By then, after Donny had tried attacking Wicki once again, Aldo had hit him over the head with his very own baseball bat. Donny laid slummed against the tents sleeping, his head slightly bleeding. Wicki got off lucky with just a few bruises around his throat.

He told Utivich about digging up the young woman's body and then refilling the grave. He said that if Aldo had in fact kept any of the remains they weren't Regan's. He told him of how he had lied, and send Regan and the baby…a daughter into the woods alone.

Utivich asked if he thought she made it.

Wicki honestly didn't know. She was bleeding badly and if any animal had gotten to them he didn't think so. But lowering his head he sighed before looking up at Utivich with ashamed eyes.

He told him it was all he could do.

Utivich told Whitney that Donny woke up the following morning with a knife to his throat by Aldo. He told him if he attacked one of his men again, or kept carrying on like this he would go straight back to Hanna's, get any ashes that remained and send them to Landa.

Aldo of course till did this, Utivich had wrote the letter. But as he dropped the letter, and small sack full of ash and bone Aldo had winked at Utivich a few weeks later saying whatever Donny didn't know couldn't hurt him.

Donny silently agreed, even though it was perfectly clear he had lost his mind. He didn't want Regan or his child's remains in the hands of any Nazi. Instead he kept to himself and as days worn on he slowly got better.

Utivich said he didn't talk much, but a few months later when they attacked another small group of Germans he had never seen Donny unwind before like that with his bat. By the time they dragged Donny away there was nothing but a bloody pulp.

Whitney felt sick.

Utivich briefly sketched over the missing years. He said Donny was never the same. That he barley talked and when he did it was always about violence. His life had become killing Nazis at any cost. Day after day he would beat them to death and then sit alone, his eyes blank and empty.

Nobody was ever allowed to speak of Regan ever again.

So they moved on, as if it never happened.

Utivich told Whitney the letter he was forced to write said nothing about The Bear Jew. Only that Regan his darling fiancé' had died giving birth to a Jewish American baby. That she had gone against her people and died saying she would rather rot in hell before Landa ever touched her again.

This of course was a very romanced lie by Aldo who found it fitting.

They never knew how he reacted.

"In 1944, the year the war ended our mission took place. Wicki got himself killed in France along with two of our other men. One was a brit from England, the other…"

"Hugo Stiglitz."

Whitney finished, this part of the story she knew perfectly well.

Utivich nodded.

"Yep…good old Wicki, I don't think his heart was ever truly in the whole killing Nazis anymore. What happened to Regan changed him. He kept to himself and when I learned he had been killed…it kind of set in to me that after all these years he finally got what he wanted."

"Which was?"

"To be with his family again."

Whitney sighed, it was so strange hearing about these people as though they were right here. Utivich sighed and went on.

"Donny and Omar blew themselves up as you know on their suicide mission. By then I think whatever happened was for the best. Maybe even the one good thing Donny did before he died. He ended the war you must remember, but I don't think he cared any more if he lived or died. He was like an old sick dog that was crazed…he was simply put out of his misery…"

"And after the war?"

"Well right before hand we did get to see Landa. He mentioned Regan as he tried to make his deal. He asked if the ashes he received had in fact been hers. I knew better of course but Aldo didn't. Instead he just sort of grinned and told Landa that Regan was sure pretty, and even liked being fucked by them…pardon my language."

Jeffery looked up from his coffee and met Whitney's eyes for a second. He smiled before looking back down as he stirred his cup.

"Any who, he asked in a very serious voice which one had in fact been the one to kill her. This of course meant who out of the Bastards was the one who got her pregnant. At first I thought Aldo would say it was him but instead he smiled and leaned forward saying The Bear Jew. I remember Landa's eyes widening…he had shaken hands with this man earlier that evening, even spoke to him. How Donny was able to keep his cool in front of him was beyond me. But still…I could see the utter shock and hurt in Hans' eyes. Maybe the one time I really saw him as a human."

"And the war ended?"

"It did. We went our own ways and didn't want credit for what we did. In fact it wasn't even us. It was Donny and Omar who had killed ended it. Instead Aldo and I went our own ways. I returned to my family and then read in 1964 that Aldo had drank himself to death back home. I didn't mind the cover up, nor the rewritten history. It was best unsaid. Men like the Bastards shouldn't of been looked up to. We did horrible things and we're still playing for our sins."

"Then why me? Why is this happening?"

Utivich opened the folder which showed articles and glossy photographs, he slid them across to Regan to look at.

"I've been following this for years. Twelve women, all fitting your description have been killed…"

Whitney looked, there were dozens of photos of all young women with red hair and her same face features. Her slim fingers looked at the articles which read that most of them were suicides. It traced over the last fifty years or so. Whitney felt sick.

Utivich looked at her.

"It's happened all over the country…I've followed them and every single woman ended up dead. Tell me something Whitney, where are your parents?"

Whitney lowered her head.

"I was adopted. Put into foster care when I was very young…my mother was a druggy."

"Do you remember her?"

Whitney shook her head.

"Not really. Only that she used to play Motown records all the time when I was a baby…I think she killed herself but I never followed up…"

"I know you Whitney, I've spent many years following your mother. Her name was Wicki…her mother had died when she was only three in a small village in France where she had stumbled upon when your mother was first born. She worked in the tailor shop trying to raise your mother until she died. When she did friends of hers, the same very people who found your grandmother and mother took her in and raised her. They became Americans when your mother was just ten. They moved around a lot before settling on the West coast. You're mother was haunted by nightmares as a teenager, nightmares of a man chasing her through the woods…she ran away when she was eighteen and lived on the streets as a prostitute for years…"

Whitney began shaking her head.

"What are you talking about?"

Utivich flipped over a few of the articles and showed her photographs of a worn looking woman with dark brown eyes and red hair. It was a mugshot…and it was of her mother.

"In her thirties she got pregnant with you and then overdosed when you were very young. There was no other family and you're father was never involved. You were placed in foster care where you never knew…that you had devoted most of your life to studying your own family…"

"NO!"

Whitney yelled.

A few people on the other side of the diner looked before turning back around. Utivich looked hurt.

"I've followed you for many years Whitney. I'm so sorry that I hadn't contacted you. When I started seeing your work and then got your letter I didn't think you would believe me. So many women have died…women who have looked like you. I'm scared for you Whitney…because you're his blood."

"What are you saying? Donny has returned from the dead! You can't expect me to believe that!"

"I'm sure there have been a lot of strange things happening to you today that a lot of people wouldn't believe…"

Whitney felt sick, pushing out of the booth she stumbled to her feet before running out. Utivich and Jeffery yelled after her.

Running outside she just wanted to escape it. This couldn't be true, he had to be lying. She would of known…

The rain was letting up, but she had no idea where she was going. She saw Jeffery beginning to run out of the dinner after her.

Taking off, she ran back to her apartment, the only safe place she knew.

She ran down the sidewalks, her clothes soaking wet and her feet filthy. Crying, she kept trying, trying to escape the reality. Finally she found her building. Her doorman raised an eyebrow looking at her.

"Ms. Castor?"

Whitney tried to ignore him, instead she took a second to catch her breath. Her sides hurt and she was freezing. The doorman took a step closer.

"Ms. Castor, you're friend Lucy is upstairs along with your other friend. He had a key so I let him up."

Whitney froze.

"What?"

The doorman looked at her with nervous eyes.

"He said he knew you, had a key and went up a few minutes before your friend Lucy arrived. I told her that he was waiting upstairs, I didn't catch his name but she raced to the elevators…is everything okay Ms. Castor?"

Whitney's eyes widened.

Running past him she sprang to the elevators, crying as she slammed the button.

"COME ON!"

She screamed. Finally it reached her floor. Racing out, she ran down the hall and then stopped dead in her tracks.

Her door was slightly open.

Biting her bottom lip, she slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The lights were off.

Shutting the door behind her, she walked forward.

"Hello?"

Just then she stopped.

Lucy laid in the hallway in a large puddle of blood. Whitney stared at her, her mouth opening and no sounds escaping.

"Hello Regan…"

A voice said. Whitney screamed and tried to run but slipped in Lucy's blood. Falling backwards she hit the floor hard and blacked out.