A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait! But here is the chapter! Enjoy and tell me what you think is going to happen next!

Chapter 15

Liesel woke up to the sound of heavy rain plummeting down and sliding against the glass of her window. Though she was covered in quilts and blankets, she still felt chilly and numbed. Her eye lids were dry and heavy against her eyes and her head felt sore and heavy.

The occurrences of last night were still a blur to her. It was as if everything had happened while she was intoxicated. Had it all been a dream was still was doubtful to her. But when she saw her muddy shoes by the side of her bed and her red eyes in the mirror, the pieces fell back into place.

It was about sunrise. Not precisely but close to five in the morning, which meant no one was awake. Liesel quietly swept down the staircase. Though she was cold, her head felt full and suffocated. She walked into the library and looked scanned the books that were on the shelf. She had read most of the book in here, some of them even twice. She carefully looked through the shelves and searched for an unknown title. Sometimes, it had taken her days to find a new book and she had not read anything for quite a while.

A chilly breeze swept through the room and made the hairs on Liesel's neck stand up. She realized it was from the window she had forgotten to close last night. She walked over to the window and looked at the sky. It was a light orange and the sun was peeking out from the horizon. Liesel stuck her head out the window and smelled the air. It cold and sharp up her nose but it cleared her head. She carefully listened to see if anyone else was awake and put her leg across the window and climbed out of it.

The street was quiet. It wasn't dull, but just noiseless and soothing. A couple of birds here and there were chirping and soared across the sky. Liesel headed across the road from her house and onto the main street. She didn't know exactly where she was heading but she kept on walking. She wanted to talk to someone, but at the same time she didn't. The only one she trusted was not available and everyone else was dead. She never really had that many friends at school, she admitted to herself. She thought that as long as she had Rudy, she wouldn't need to be social and "make friends".

But she knew who she could talk to.

Liesel paced fast across the roads and into the alley. She scanned the tops of the tree tops, each any every one of them until she found the right one. At first, she couldn't really make out if it was really him until she saw his dark curly hair, prominent against the tree leaves, blowing with the wind.

Maybe because the desperate side of her took over or maybe if was due to the lack of sleep that she couldn't sense what was right or wrong, but Liesel picked up a small acorn on the ground and flung it up to the top of the tree.

It hit Theo right on the cheek.

His eyes jarred open suddenly and he looked around searching for the source of the throw.

"Down here!" Liesel yelled.

He rubbed his eyes and spotted Liesel on the ground. He sighed with relief, and rubbed his eyes. After he stretched both his arms, he swiftly jumped onto the ground and patted his pants. A few leaves were stuck in his dark curly hair. He was dressed in a red top and his eyes looked a little bit drowsy. He leaned against the trunk of the tree and yawned.

Liesel bit he lip, regretting coming here. "I hope I didn't wake you."

Theo shrugged. His voice was a little muffled. "I didn't get any sleep anyway. But what are you doing here?"

Liesel kicked the dirt on the ground. What was she doing here anyway?

Liesel sighed. "I thought I'd come by and say hi."

Theo frowned. "At sunrise?" Don't you rich folk sleep until noon?"

Liesel gave him a dirty look and he laughed. "Couldn't sleep?" he guessed.

"Not as much," she said.

"Well neither could I," he said. "Surprisingly, trees are not that comfortable."

Liesel remembered him telling her that whenever he had an issue at him, he usually climbed up onto trees and slept there. "What happened at your house this time?" Liesel asked him.

His green eyes turned dark at the mention of his home. His face contorted slightly and he winced. "The usual," he murmured.

"Is it your step-dad?" Liesel pressed.

Theo shook his head slightly. Liesel had never seen anyone who looked so pained. "It's both of them," he told her. "Him and my mother."

Liesel knew that his family was a touchy subject for him, hence the reason he spent the nights sleeping in trees.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Liesel asked him.

Theo bit his lip and shook his head. "No, it's alright. But how about you, Liesel?" he said. A smile crept upon his lips again, the sadness disappearing. His eyes returned to the color of a lime. "What brought you here? I'm sure your warm bed with the thick fluffy comforters surely did not keep it awake. Was it your parents?"

Liesel shook her head. "They are not my parents," she said. "And, no."

Theo cocked an eyebrow and came closer to her. "Was it Rudy?" he whispered.

Liesel felt like an arrow pierced her skin was his name was said. Guilt, anger, or hurt, she did not know which it was. But all she wanted right now was some time away from all of it.

She looked at Theo straight in the eye and just smiled.

"Come on over to my house," she said. "Join us for breakfast."

By the time Liesel and Theo had entered the mayor's house, the sun had reached it's maximum point in the sky and was blazing down. They entered through the open window that led them into the library.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Theo had exclaimed. "A library?"

When they had gotten into the kitchen, Ilsa turned around and sighed with relief.

"Thank goodness," she said. She wiped her forehead with a cloth. "The only reason I knew you were out is because of the open window."

Right then, Theo walked into the room, jaw hanging down and pupils dilated.

"Frau Hermann, this is Theo, a friend" said Liesel.

Theo turned his attention to Ilsa and stopped right in place. He slightly bowed, as if he had met the queen of England. "It's nice to meet you," he said.

Frau Hermann smiled at him, but glanced at Liesel . "It's nice to meet you, too."

"I was wondering if he could join us for breakfast," Liesel asked.

Ilsa nodded. "That would be fine," she said. She looked at Theo. "Please, help yourself." She motioned him into the kitchen. "I'll be in my room if you need me."

Liesel walked into the kitchen and Theo trotted behind, still star struck. "You live in a mansion!" he exclaimed. "And you call it a house?"

Liesel grabbed a banana and tossed it to him He caught it swiftly and peeled it open. "When you live here long enough, it becomes small."

Theo munched on the banana and chewed it aggressively. "I agree. But I wouldn't know too much about that."

Liesel brought a couple of plates with a few slices of fresh bread and some cranberry jam Ilsa had made and set it on the table. Theo and her sat on opposite ends. "Tell me now how bad it is at your house."

Theo looked away. "I told you," he said heedlessly. "All the same."

Liesel raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been sleeping in the tree since the ast time I saw you."

Theo picked at the slice of bread. "What was that? A week ago? I'm not quite sure. I don't really remember."

"Fine," said Liesel. She could tell he was doing a great deal trying to evade the questions. "When was the last time you went home?"

Theo bit his lip. "Not too long ago, I suppose."

"Theo!" Liesel exclaimed.

He dropped his knife onto his plate and sighed. He stared down at his fingers. "I've been sleeping in the tree for about a couple of weeks now," he admitted. He briefly met Liesel's eyes but dropped the contact.

Liesel swallowed. Even though she barely knew him, she was still worried about Theo. She didn't know how hard it would be to be in a situation like his, but did her story resemble his in the slightest way?

"Isn't your mother worried about you?" Liesel asked softly.

He shrugged. "She knows I'm okay," he said. "But I don't think she would know if I was not. And it's not like I never go home." He picked up his butter knife and placed it on his napkin. " I stop by if I need to, to pick up clothes. As long as I have attendance at school, she does not really care."

Liesel carefully studied Theo. She remembered the first time she had seen him at school. Natasha had teased her because he was always staring at her. He had looked full and handsome. But now, him sitting across from her, Liesel could see the black circles under his eyes and his bony structure that was clouded underneath his carefree attitude, his gorgeous eyes, and his smile. "How long has it been since you've eaten?" Liesel asked.

Theo looked away. "Calm down, Liesel. I'm alright."

"I don't think you are," she pressed. "Look at you. You need to go back home."

Suddenly, his jaw clenched and his abruptly stood up from his chair and started heading out from the dining room.

"Where are you going?" Liesel yelled. She followed him out the room and grabbed his hand. They were cold but soft and small.

"This is the last thing I want!" he said to her. "Someone to act like my friend only to just tell me to go home!"

"I just want to help!" said Liesel. "Look at you! You haven't eaten or slept in days-"

"But I'm alive! And I'm okay. That's what matters!"

Liesel shook her head. "No, that's not the point."

"Listen, Liesel. I really appreciate that you care. But all I really need is a friend. Not someone to tell me what to do." The corners of his green eyes sparkled with tears. He took I deep breath in. "I can't go home," he said. "It's all a mess there and I can't go there now."

Liesel gently touched the knuckles of his fingers. He wouldn't let her help him. But it was obvious that he needed her and depended on her right now.

She sighed, knowing that words would not help. But she did know a way to cheer him up. "Can I show you something?"

Theo frowned. "What is it?"

Liesel motioned him to follow her upstairs. "Follow me and you'll see."

Rudy's P.O.V

Rudy heaved himself through the damp streets of Molching on a foggy morning and crisp day. His back was stiff and head felt weighed as much as a pound of flour. He aimlessly headed through the ally to his home as his right leg ached and begged for him to stop walking. He harshly opened the door to his home and found Alex Steiner sitting there, next to the dining table, eyes wide and looking furious.

He stood up from the table. "Where have you been?" he demanded Rudy.

Rudy shook his head and walked past him ignoring his presence.

He marched to Rudy and yanked his shoulder. "Don't ignore me."

Rudy turned around and brushed off his hand raucously. "Just let me be,"

"Rudy Steiner," he said. He stopped in place. "Where were you last night?"

Rudy turned around and raised him eyebrows. "I was not home. That's where I was."

Alex narrowed his eyes. His lips trembled. "I was worried about you. I was about to inform the polizei."

Rudy let out a harsh, bitter laugh that stung the entire room. "And if you cared enough, you would have called them!"

Alex sighed and took of his glasses. His eyes were tired and worn out. "I knew you were with Liesel-"

"And you're were wrong."

He took a step closer to Rudy but Rudy walked away from him, slamming the door behind him to his bedroom.

Liesel P.O.V

"This," Liesel informed Theo, "is my all time favorite." They were in her room and Liesel was showing him the stuff she had collected over the years and, of course, her books. She carefully handed him a hard covered book and twitched when he turned it around roughly.

"The Wuthering Heights," he announced after glancing at the cover.

Liesel eyes gleamed. "It's incredible," she said. "It's about-"

"I know what it's about," Theo remarked. "I've read it three times."

Liesel looked at him, impressed.

He let his eyes roll. "What?" he said, his eyes eyeing her carefully as if he were trying to read everything about her. "Did you think I couldn't read?"

Liesel swallowed. "It's not that I thought you couldn't read," she told him defensively. I just assumed you never had an interest in doing so."

He glanced back at her. The early sunlight shone on his dark hair from the window making it seem a light brown. "You didn't think tree people liked to read?"

Liesel chuckled quietly as he reached into the book and pulled out a small piece of paper within the pages. "What's this?" he asked, his fingers opening the folded piece of paper.

Liesel knitted her eyebrows. "I don't know," she said trying to grab the piece of paper from his hand.

He lifted it into the air, out of her reach and looked into it. Suddenly, his eyes lost the playful gleam and his impishness grin vanished. He lowered the piece of paper and handed it back to her.

"Did you write this?" he asked.

Liesel glanced at the piece of crumpled paper in her hands. It was from about a month back. She looked at the writing on the paper and said, "Oh! I have been looking for this sheet for ages." She remembered the day where she was looking for this and the mayor had come in to have a small chat with her about her future.

"What was were you writing about?" Theo asked her.

Liesel shook her head, her cheeks burning and resembling the color of an apple.

"Whatever it was," he said, "it was not the worst piece of literature I've laid my eyes upon."

Liesel briefly looked at him and casted her eyes away. The corners of her lips rode upwards involuntarily. "You barely read anything," she murmured.

Theo shrugged. "Maybe if you'd let me read it-"

"No!"Liesel shouted. "I mean, maybe when I have finished."

Theo frowned but nodded. "Deal," he said. "What was it for?"

Liesel shook her head. "Nothing," she said lightly.

"I can tell your lying," he admitted. He moved a step closer to her until she could feel his breaths onto her ear. "You were writing for some reason, right? For what?"

Liesel glanced over at him. The color of his eyes were captivating and whispered a spell onto her luring her in. "I-" she stumbled upon her own words. She sighed. "I've always wanted to write a book," she confessed.

Theo's eyes lit up. "A book?" he asked. "As in you want to write one?"

She nodded unwillingly. "I know. It feels quite stupid-"

He blinked at her. "No, no," Theo said. "I think it's a brilliant idea."

"It's just that I've been surrounded by books for my entire life and the best day of my life, I would have to say, was probably the day I learned to read fluently."

Theo nodded and walked over to her shelf. He let his hands gently run over the bindings of the books, as if he were petting a delicate kitten. When he turned back at her, he was wearing a sad smile on his face. "I think it's great you've got a goal in your life. It helps you get through the difficult days knowing that there is a greater purpose waiting for you."

Liesel thought about this. "That's true," she said. "Very, actually."

"But then again you are not technically suffering," he said to her. He gestured towards her entire room. "I mean look at this place."

Liesel grabbed the book from his hands and set it back on her table. "I was not always living here, remember?" she admonished him. "Years ago, I was just like you."

He frowned. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Liesel. "You mean you were sleeping in trees years ago, too?"

Liesel kicked him in the knee and he laughed brightly, encouraging the mood of the conversation. "But what about you, Theo?" she asked him. "What's your goal in your life. What's your purpose?"

Theo looked at her suddenly, as if he didn't recognize her. But then, a dark shadow crossed his face taking away his smile. "I'm not sure yet."

"But are you willing to figure out?"

He slowly walked towards her and took her hand in his. She could feel little sparks bolted inside of her. "Thank you for the breakfast, Liesel," he told her soothingly. "Please tell the mayor's wife, too."

He started to walk away when Liesel called out to him. "But you haven't answered my question yet!"

He turned to look at her, a small smirk was pasted on to his face. "Some questions are not meant to be answered," he said.

"Okay, but at least tell me where you are off to now?" Liesel asked.

But he was already gone.

Rudy's P.O.V

Little droplets of water fell from the sky bouncing on Green Strasse and landing carefully into a puddle. The whole storm soon commenced, until the entire street looked a large puddle, or even a river.

But that did not stop Rudy Steiner from walking through it.

Maybe years ago, you could guess he was planning on jumping in the puddles and getting his clothes muddy. But at sixteen, though he still still was obnoxious, careless, and somewhat stupid, his intentions were different.

He knocked on the Brandt's house door until his knuckles were red. And when Kirsti opened the door howling at him to get under a roof, he just sarcastically smile and said, "It's a free shower, I don't know why someone would deny it."

"At least let me get you a raincoat," she said.

Rudy shook his head, the raindrops flying from from his blond hair as he did so. "I'll be gone soon. But I need to ask you something."

Kirsti swallowed. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. "What is it?"

"You didn't avoid me because of Liesel, am I right?"

Kirsti's blue eyes dilated, "I was trying to tell you yesterday, but you cut me off!"

"I know I'm sorry," Rudy yelled. The sound of the rain was increasing as the storm raged on. "Then why didn't you come see me, Kirsti?" he begged. "We've known each other for years, and I really missed you when you left!"

Kirsti blinked. The glass broke in her eyes. She looked around cautisouly as if someone might be watching. "I- I," she hesitated. "thought you were dead," she whispered.

Rudy's jaw dropped. "What?"

Kirsti nodded. " I thought you had died in the bombings too." Her voice cracked. "And when I saw you, I was not sure if it was you or not. So I followed Liesel and you around because I was just certain it was you." She reached out to touch Rudy's damp hair from his forehead. "And it was you," she said, a slight smile prominent in her voice.

Rudy stepped back, still confused. "Why did you think I had died?" he demanded.

"It was the newspaper," Kirsti said dully. "I suppose they hadn't gotten the right information."

A dark shadow crossed upon Rudy's face. Rain plummeted down harder onto the pavement. "This isn't the first time someone thought I had died," he told her.

Kirsti raised an eyebrow. "Oh," she said. "It's bound to happen, there were too many people who died that night-"

Rudy turned away, a small knife piercing his heart.

But Kirsti reached out and touched his hand gently,"And I know I'm a little too late, but I am so sorry for what happened to you." Her warm fingers brushed his face. "I just can't imagine what I would have done if something happened to you," she whispered.

Rudy smiled nervously and stepped back a little, letting her hands fall back to her side abruptly. "It was really nice seeing you," he said.

Kirsti bit her lip, as if she wanted to say something else but didn't have the courage to. She sighed. "It was nice seeing you, too," she said. "Are you going home?"

Rudy put back his hood and started towards the rain again. "No," he called back to her. The power of the wind was increasing, causing the trees to sway side to side. The leaves were caught in the wind and blew around the street. Water wasn't falling, but it flew along with the current. "I owe someone an apology," he said. "And it would really help my cause if she knew I fought the rain to do so."

And after he winked at Kirsti who returned him a sad but hopeful smile, Rudy Steiner dashed into the rain hoping that one of the swaying trees would not fall on to him.

A/N: So that's what happened! I really wanted to give you guys a chance to meet Theo and Kirsti, before everything gets really mysterious and serious!

Any thought? Did you like it? What did you think of them?

Please please review and tell me what you think the sacrifice is and how many more chapter do you hope there will be? :) I would LOVE to know :)

I will be updating soon and sorry for the long long wait. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN! I will make it up by writing another chapter!

Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS, FAVORITES, AND FOLLOWS. KEEP THEM COMING!

- Emma