A/N Thank you to all of the people who have reviewed. The positive reviews make such a difference! I really liked the name Bjorn, but as it turns out this Swiss man is reminding me a little of Heidi's grandfather. Not as old and not as cranky, but similar in situation. I am not making this a Heidi/SOM cross over, but there are similar elements at the moment. That said, I couldn't bring myself to use the name Adolf given the family's recent escape from the Nazis, so I went with his late son's name.

This Chapter is from his point of view, but the next will be more Georg and Maria.

(PS) I don't own any of the elements in this story that resemble Heidi either, such as Swanli, Baerli or the Grandmother.

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Tobias Kramer was still getting out his supply of bread, cheese and eggs when he started to hear voices outside of his cottage. Knowing how brisk the weather was, especially up high on the mountains, he had built a large fire. He looked around his home again and wondered how 9 people would be able to fit in there. Well, they'd have to crowd.

His food supply was better than he had thought. The goats, Swanli and Bearli, had produced a lot of milk and cheese lately, and he had more eggs than he had expected. Tobias had briefly considered seeing if the Grandmother across the alm had any food he could borrow, but quickly dismissed that idea. He knew that she had less than he did, but that she would be willing to give everything to hungry children.

He looked at the eggs, cheese, sausages, fruit and berries he had and sighed as he realized he'd probably have to cook as well. There was little doubt that this wealthy stranger had cooks all of his life and probably had no idea how to cook an egg. Still, he was not a man to let children go hungry. He didn't doubt that this stranger would eventually pay him, but what good would money do him up in the mountains? He was a subsistence farmer. Money could probably buy extra food, but it wasn't what he would really need.

Finally, Tobias looked out the window and winced. The idea of 9 people was overwhelming enough, seeing them was something else entirely. 'You're a fool, Tobias Kramer' he said to himself. 'How are you going to be able to feed all of these people, or even fit them in this house?' He looked again and all doubts fled his mind. It really was a group of children, and even from this distance he could see how exhausted they were. They must have been walking for a few days, and they needed help.

As he kept looking out the window he realized that there was something odd about this group. The seven children all varied in age, which he had expected. But the woman who must have been their mother was far too young to be mother to some of the older children. He assumed she must be the mother – or at least the wife – but she was much younger than he had expected. There was also something different about her. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but she was different from the rest of this crowd. She obviously loved them dearly. He could see that in the way she was holding the hands of two of the girls, and she exuded a love that could only come from a mother. But there was something different. She was not what he was expecting, and he was intrigued.

Far too soon they were at his door, and he was there to greet them. The father of the family was the first one at his door, with such a look of gratitude in his eyes that any reservations Tobias might have had about taking in such a crowd evaporated instantly.

The father spoke first. "Herr, uh Herr …" "Kramer" Tobias filled in. "Herr Kramer," the wealthy stranger acknowledged. "This is my family. We are grateful for whatever you can share with us."

He had a small brown haired girl asleep in his arms, so Tobias stepped aside and let the stranger enter. He gestured to one of the most comfortable chairs in his home and the wealthy stranger walked over and deposited his daughter into the chair. She curled herself into a ball without waking up. "Thank you," the stranger said again.

The rest of the children tentatively filed into the cottage, looking warily around and doubtless wondering where they could all sit. They were very quiet, and Tobias could tell it wasn't rudeness, but exhaustion, hunger, and probably a certain level of shock. Whatever had happened, this family had been through a great deal.

The wife – the mother – was the last one into the house. She also looked weary but Tobias recognized that she was radiating a level of happiness and love. Happiness and love that even exhaustion and hunger couldn't entirely dampen. "Thank you very much, Herr Kramer" she began "I know we are a large family, and we can squeeze together quite comfortably." Her voice was absolutely beautiful. Even speaking it sounded like bells ringing, and Tobias Kramer knew that he would love listening to this woman speak.

She looked over at her husband and gave him a small smile and nod. Tobias realized that this wealthy stranger had asked for his wife's approval too, and that she had just given it. He wondered again what had happened to this family that would drive them into the mountains, into a new country, and would make them so wary of people. Maybe one day he would know, he thought to himself, but he certainly wasn't going to ask. He decided not to even ask their names unless they offered them.

Tobias watched as this young wife and mother arranged the children into chairs and on the floor, some of the smaller ones in the larger children's laps. The children were all still very quiet, but he didn't mind. He wasn't used to a lot of company, and the chatter of 7 children would probably have set his teeth on edge.

After the children were all settled and the father was watching them, this wife and mother with the beautiful voice turned to Tobias and asked "what can I do to help you?"

Tobias snapped back into gear, remembering how hungry these children must be. "I don't have much" he apologized again. And began taking out the milk, cheese and bread. "The milk and cheese are directly from the goats, they may not be what you are used to" he explained, almost apologetically. The smaller of the two boys piped up "I'll eat anything!" he said. The rest of the children groaned or chuckled. Tobias smiled at him. "Then you're in luck," he replied. He poured the goat's milk into the cups he had and passed them around. There weren't 9 cups, so they would have to share. The children drank hungrily, but he noticed that the father didn't drink much. He was obviously putting his children's well being before his own, and Tobias decided that he respected this man even more. As he went back into the small kitchen to slice the bread and spread the cheese on it, the wife and mother followed him. "Herr Kramer," she began "how can I help?" Then she saw the basket of eggs that he had gathered and walked over to them. "May I cook these?" she asked.

Suddenly Tobias realized the difference between this woman and the rest of her family. She hadn't been born wealthy, she was used to hard work, and she had probably grown up in the mountains as well. He felt an immediate kinship and respect for her. The obvious love and devotion she had for her family shown through, which made her all the more beautiful. He decided that he liked this woman, though he knew nothing about her, and found him respecting this wealthy father even more for having also recognized what a remarkable woman she was and marrying her. Tobias looked at her for a long moment and then nodded and said simply "Yes, thank you, Frau …." "Maria," she responded. "Just Maria."