A/N: Hey guys! Last chapter! Hope you enjoy! Please review at the end!

To sum everything up into one sentence: Theo was the book thief.

It was never told to Liesel, but she picked up bits and pieces of information as people swarmed through the house all day.

Police, officials, friends, there was no one who didn't come by.

Liesel tried to recite the story of what happened in her head. Each time she did, the pain was slightly a little less.

Sometimes anger filled up in her, sometimes sorrow, and sometimes, fear. There wasn't a single emotion that did not consume her while she told herself the story.

Liesel couldn't believe anything Theo had told her anymore. She couldn't make anything of it.

Theo wanted to go to Berlin. God knows why. To see his father? That's what he told Liesel.

He needed the money obviously so he started off by selling his stuff. But soon, he realized that wasn't going to do him any good. After he figured out that the books in Ilsa's library were worth a good amount of money, he got into the house and stole them. He then sold the books to local bookstores and at a low price for prestigious books. According to the book buyer, he knew how valuable the books were and were surprised at the price Theo was selling them for so bought them at an impulse. He claimed that Theo was at first trying to sell the books the higher price but he could not afford it.

But Theo was desperate for money.

Liesel didn't understand the rest. Why did he bring her to his parents' house then? To make sure she didn't have any suspicions? To give him a reason to need to return a favor?

That's probably why.

So he could "guard" the house when really he needed to get back inside and steal.

So why did he ask Liesel for money the night before he was killed?

"Maybe it was because he didn't want to steal the money if he could obtain it without committing a crime," Ilsa had said when she told her what happened.

"Was he trying to steal books when he came in last night or what?" she asked one of the police officers who was in the house that night.

"He was in this room," one of them said pointing towards the mayor's room that was right next to the front door. He was scrimmaging through drawers probably looking for-"

"Money," Liesel said blatantly. "I told him that the mayor kept money there."

Theo couldn't steal any more books because the buyer was already in jail.

"Okay," the officer said. "And as soon as he saw us, he pulled out a gun and shot two bullets at one of our men, killing him."

The officer's funeral was to be conducted later on that day.

Liesel's eyes widened.

"And as soon as he did that, we were allowed to raise a gun at him according to the law." The officer sighed. "The rest you know."

Liesel had shaken her head. "Where did Theo get the gun?"

"I don't know if you knew this," said the officer, "But another officer on our team had dropped by earlier that day to give your foster parents a gun for protection. By then we had known that the man who we had first suspected to be the thief was actually not the one who carried out the crime."

Liesel nodded. "He was just the man who bought the stolen books."

The 15 books which were missing were safely back on their shelves in Ilsa's library. Liesel didn't know if she could go in there again.

As for Theo, his mother had to come by to claim his body. Liesel didn't know, but a single teardrop didn't fall from her eyes. She just stood still and waited for them to take his body away. She said she didn't want a funeral for him.

Liesel's didn't attend school the next day- which was the last day of school. She didn't mind. The only people she had wanted to see that day was Rudy and Theo neither whom which were available now.

After Liesel had finished giving her police report, she realized she could not be surrounded by any more people. She didn't want Ilsa's condolences. She didn't want to sit in her room and dwell upon Theo anymore. She didn't want to regret him or hurt for him. She didn't want to think of all the things she hadn't said to him or the things he might've said to her.

She wanted to give him a chance to explain, but it was too late.

Late in the afternoon, without anyone knowing, she strolled out of the house and back onto the streets of Molching. She knew the path to where she was going, she just didn't know where she was going until she got there.

The Amper River. Still flowing as freely as possible. The light blue color of the clear water. You could see the rocks underneath perfectly.

Liesel sat down at the edge where the land met the water. She let her hands into the cold water. The chill made her feel fresh inside. Eventually she scooped up water with both hands and washed her face with it. Her mind was ridded from the events of last night.

But only for a bit.

"I knew I would find you here," said a voice.

Liesel turned around and saw Rudy approaching her from the other side. "I went to your home first and they told me you weren't there."

"So what made you come here?" she asked.

"Just an instinct."

Liesel looked over at him.

"Okay, fine. I looked every where else."

Liesel picked up a rock from the ground and threw it into the river.

"I'm sorry about Theo," he said.

A cold fist wrapped around Liesel's heart when he said his name. "How'd you know?"

Rudy sighed. "First of all, Liesel, everybody knows. Second of all, I saw the whole thing."

Liesel looked over at him. "You did?"

Rudy nodded. "I took a different route so you wouldn't see me. I was at the street when the gun shots were fired. I left immediately after I saw Theo-"

Liesel clenched her teeth. No matter how many times she heard the story, the pain would always be there. At whatever intensity, it would still be there. She was sure of it.

"You don't have to be sorry, Rudy," said Liesel. She threw her hands up in the air. "I can't believe you were right!"

Rudy drew in a breath of air. "I thought I'd say something before, but I knew you'd react that way. But, I expected some punching though."

Liesel chuckled. "It's not too late for that."

Liesel set her head back and let the sun shine on her face. The warmth brought her comfort.

"You know you should go to Humboldt," Liesel said.

Rudy was quiet for a bit before saying, "You could have said that yesterday, you know." Rudy stood up from where he was sitting and took a rock from the bank. "It's not like we'll be leaving the other, you know? I will visit you and you can visit me."

Liesel sighed. She knew that this was the right decision, right decision for both of them. So much had happened to them in the past years, especially Rudy, that they needed to move on. "No, you're right. We can visit." Liesel found a small rock that was right next to her. She threw it into the water- it went further than Rudy's.

"Wasn't there something you wanted to ask me last night?" said Liesel. "I know I kind of interrupted you."

Rudy let out a small laugh. "Kind of," he repeated. "Yes, there was."

He plopped down right next to Liesel and took her hand in his. "You know we'll be far from each other in the fall?"

"Yes," answered Liesel.

"And you know how we'll worry that we'll grow apart?"

Liesel took a deep breath in. "That I am concerned with."

"Well," Rudy said. He looked a bit nervous, even a bit flushed. "I can make you a promise so we don't have to worry that will happen."

Liesel rose her eyebrows. "Do we just say 'I promise'-"

"We can," Rudy announced. "Or," he reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and round-like. It shined in the rays of the sunlight.

It was a ring.

"You can promise to marry me one day?"

At that moment, the dread that had sat with Liesel suddenly disappeared. A smile crept onto her face.

"Now, don't worry," said Rudy. "It's not like an engagement ring," he told her. "It's a promise ring. I promise that one day we will be together even if we can't be together right now."

"Oh!" Liesel exclaimed. She took the ring from Rudy's fingers and examined it. "This is so pretty, Rudy," she said. "Of course, I promise you, too." She pecked him on the cheek and put the ring on her finger. There was a small stone on the top of it that sparkled in the light of the day.

Liesel was filled with joy.

"You must've spent so much on this," she murmured.

"I've been saving up for this for a long time," he admitted.

"So you were sure of this for a very long time?" asked Liesel.

"I was sure of us for a long time," Rudy answered. "And longer," he said.

Liesel wrapped her fingers through this and placed it on her cheek.

"So we're good now?" he asked.

"We're good."

"So, can we go? It's getting cold," he said.

"Rudy," Liesel admonished. "Can't you just sit here and enjoy the moment. It won't last for long."

Rudy sighed and put his arms around Liesel to keep warm. "Fine," he said. He picked up another rock and examined it before saying, "Hey, do you remember the shoe you left at Herr Gundermann's farm the day we stole his apples?"

Liesel laughed. The memories of that day came pouring back in. She still had the other shoe hiding in her closet somewhere. "Yes, I do," she said shaking her head. " I have never been so scared. I thought he was going to call the police on us."

Rudy looked at her sideways with a devilish smile. "Do you want to go see if it's still there?"

Liesel's eyes widened. "The shoe? You seriously want to?"

"Yes! Why not? Plus I'm in the mood for apples."

Liesel shook her head. "You're insane, Rudy-"

Rudy interrupted her. "Unless you want to go back home?"

Liesel looked at him for a moment and sighed. "Fine," she said. "Let's go!"

They stood up and walked hand to hand maybe to commit there last crime for long time. Maybe there was still pain, and sorrow, and so much left unsaid. But, Liesel had realized, there was time, a lot of it and very little of it. Enough time to confess what needed to be but not enough to have moments you will remember.

And Liesel did not want to waste any more of it.

The End.

A/N: That's it! Did you like the ending? I first of all want to thank every single reader I have, everyone who wrote a review, and criticized me. You have all made me a better writer! I spent one and a half years writing this and I have had so much fun constructing a story that branched off of my favorite book. The characters will forever stay in my heart. Thank you guys once more for every inch of support you have given me though out this year- it means to much to me. I will sadly not be writing another FanFiction soon- I want to proceed to another type of writing and get published somewhere else. But, you never know! Anyway, thank you guys so much again and of course review so I know how you liked the ending.

I hope we keep in touch

-Emma