Georg had watched his wife closely since they started on their trek after lunch, so he saw her falter and realized she was about to succumb to whatever illness had taken hold of her body. He had just enough time to get his arms around her before she fell unconscious. Nearby, he heard a gasp and looked over to see Brigitta watching, her eyes wide with fear. Her gasp drew the attention of her other siblings who all looked to him in concern, waiting for instructions. Georg looked ahead—the town was only three or four kilometers away now. It was not overly large, but it looked large enough to have a doctor. Unfortunately, it would still take at least an hour to reach it, especially while carrying his wife.

Friedrich seemed to sense his dilemma. "I can run ahead and find a doctor, Father," he offered. Georg considered for a moment. Given the distance they had traveled, he knew they were in Switzerland, but they likely were not too far over the border. That meant that there was still a possibility that Nazis were around though Switzerland was decidedly neutral. Georg had been hoping to enter the first town they came across on his own so he could assess the danger before bringing his family, but with Maria's mysterious illness, that was no longer a possibility. He needed a new plan.

"Okay," he agreed finally. "But Friedrich, please be very careful and discreet. If you see any sign of danger or Nazi occupation, get out of there immediately."

"I know, Father." Friedrich bent down so that Gretl could slide off his back before handing his pack to Kurt who strapped it to his front since Liesl and Louisa had the youngest boys. As soon as Friedrich had relieved himself of those burdens, he began to run, as surefooted as a goat down the gentle slope of the foothill. Georg watched him for a moment before turning to the other children who watched him carefully for instruction.

"We should continue. I would like to have a doctor see your Mother and be settled somewhere by nightfall." The children all nodded, but they were much more subdued than they had been as they followed the path Friedrich had taken.

"Will Friedrich be okay?" Gretl questioned.

"He will be fine," Georg said firmly, willing himself to believe it as well. Internally, however, he cursed himself for putting his family in such a precarious position. He hated that he had needed to send his fourteen-year-old son into potential danger.

They reached a well-worn footpath just under an hour later and a couple minutes after that, they passed the first house. Soon, the footpath changed into a gravel road with clear grooves showing it was well-traveled. Georg continued to follow it into the center of the small village, glancing around warily as they walked. The village was much too quiet—he saw no children out playing, no people strolling the streets, no signs of life except for the occasional flutter of curtains as someone ducked out of sight. Georg's instincts were screaming at him to run, to lead his family away from what was likely a dangerous situation, but he pushed those thoughts resolutely aside. He needed to find help for Maria. As soon as he had done that, he would reassess.

"Father!" a familiar voice shouted, and a wave of relief washed over Georg. He turned to see his eldest son motioning to him from a side street. Quickly, he ushered the rest of his family that way, and they all greeted their brother enthusiastically. "I found a doctor," Friedrich explained, a note of well-deserved pride in his voice. "He said he can see us now."

"Thank you, Friedrich. You did well." Georg nodded in approval at his son. Friedrich returned the nod before turning, leading his family down the side street for a few hundred meters before turning abruptly into an alleyway so narrow they had to walk single-file. Georg looked to Friedrich, puzzled.

"The doctor told me we should come in the back way. He did not explain why, but he seemed trustworthy." Georg nodded. Though he trusted his son's judgment of character, the suggestion merely increased the unease he felt. Something was very wrong. Friedrich stopped by a wooden door and knocked three times, and the door swung inward revealing a man a few years older than Georg himself. His eyes widened when he saw the large group in the alleyway.

"You were not kidding, were you, Son?" he questioned. Friedrich shook his head. The man stepped out of the doorway. "Come in everyone, quickly. It will be cramped, but I'm sure we can make do." They all entered a darkened hallway, crowding against one of the walls. The man—who Georg assumed was the doctor—closed the door behind them, and Georg heard the snick of a lock. He tensed immediately, fearing the worst, but the doctor merely led the way to another doorway, pushing it open to reveal an exam room. "Go ahead and lay your wife down on that table, Sir," the doctor told him, pointing. He glanced at the children as Georg moved to follow his instructions. "I am afraid these rooms were not built for more than three or four."

"We'll stay in the hallway," Liesl said, and many of the older children nodded in agreement. Georg was torn for a moment, the need to protect his wife battling the one to protect his children. The doctor seemed to sense his predicament, for he gave Georg a tight smile.

"We can leave the door open," he offered. "There is no one else here right now." That seemed odd given that it was only mid-afternoon, but Georg did not question the statement. Instead, he carefully lay Maria on the exam table, smoothing the hair out of her face. The doctor busied himself with his instruments, joining Georg beside Maria after a few moments. "Your son said she collapsed a couple hours ago?" Georg nodded. "Any other symptoms?"

"She collapsed a few days ago as well, but she was only unconscious for a brief period. And she has been quite nauseous the last two days." The doctor looked at him sharply, glancing briefly back at the children.

"Ah. . . when was her last cycle?" Georg blinked stupidly at him for a moment. Surely he could not be suggesting. . . but of course, it was not outside the realm of possibility. They had agreed before their marriage to welcome any children God gave them, so they had never truly tried to prevent pregnancy. With Georg's erratic travel schedule, they had not had as much time to be intimate as they had early on in their marriage, but they still took every opportunity they could.

"I don't know," Georg said honestly. "But she never had any syncope with her previous pregnancies." His mind was desperately trying to reconcile this new information, to grasp at any chance that the doctor might be wrong. It was not necessarily that he did not want more children—he loved every one of his children and would normally welcome another, but he also did not want to think that he had dragged his pregnant wife through the mountains for more than a week, endangering both her and their unborn child.

"Every pregnancy is different," the doctor said, giving Georg a pointed glance that said quite clearly he should know such a thing as the father of nine.

"Of course, but. . . I just want to make sure she's okay." The doctor nodded, already checking her vitals. After a few minutes, he looked back at Georg.

"Her vitals are strong, but the fact that she has not woken up yet is worrying. She also appears somewhat malnourished. You said the vomiting only started two days ago?"

"Yes. However, we have been low on supplies for a few days, a situation I intend to rectify as soon as we are finished here."

The doctor looked at him shrewdly. "I see. You are not from around here are you?"

"No." Georg did not elaborate, but the other man did not seem to care. He considered for a moment, his eyes lingering on the children standing in the hallway, all of them looking worse for wear after their trip through the mountains. After a tense minute, he nodded.

"I have an apartment above the clinic. My wife is there now; we will fetch some food so you can all get a decent meal and we will be close to your wife when she awakes."

"I could not impose. If you would direct us to the nearest market, we can take care of our own provisions."

The doctor shook his head. "I am afraid that our town is not currently safe. A family as. . . conspicuous as yours would attract attention that I suspect you would rather avoid."

Georg nodded, remembering the empty streets and uneasy feeling. "At least let me pay for both your time and the food." He reached into his pocket to extract his wallet, but the doctor held up his hands.

"I only charge what others can afford."

"And I do not intend to give you more than that," Georg said in a tone which brooked no argument. He counted out some bills and pressed them into the doctor's hand—fortunately, he had a large supply of Swiss francs in the villa which he had taken with him, knowing they would be useful. Once he was able to find a bank, he would have even more money, for he had moved a good deal of money to Swiss banks over the past few years. The bulk of his fortune was still split between Great Britain and Austria, but he had enough in Switzerland to live comfortably until they could reach Great Britain. The man looked at him for a moment before nodding and pocketing the money.

"Come with me. Bring your wife as well; she can stay in our guest bedroom."

"Thank you," Georg said sincerely, picking Maria up gently from the table. The doctor led the way out of the exam room and down the hallway to a set of stairs. As they started up them, Georg realized he did not even know the other man's name. "I am Georg, by the way," he introduced. "And my wife is Maria." Georg decided against using his surname—though not as well-known outside his native country, his name still did turn heads in the German-speaking world.

"Josef," the other man responded. "And we have something in common—my wife is also Maria though most call her Ria." He stopped at the top of the stairs. "If you can wait here a moment, I want to explain what is happening to my wife."

"Of course." Josef slipped through the doorway, leaving the family to wait though not for long. In less than a minute, a large, buxom woman opened the door, her eyes wide as she took in the group standing in the stairwell.

"Oh, you poor dears! Come in, please, all of you. Josef gave me some details but the rest can wait until we have you fed—you all look like you need it! I have a few things here that I can prepare quickly while Josef gets more." Kurt visibly brightened at the mention of food, and Georg bit back a smile. "You just bring your wife right this way, sir, and we will get her settled. I am sure she will be up in no time!" She led Georg through a small entryway to a large, homely living room. "The rest of you can just make yourselves comfortable in here; I am afraid our dining area is not suited for such a large group, so we will have to eat in here but I have always loved this room more anyway!" The children looked to Georg who nodded. Immediately, they moved toward the large fireplace where a fire chased away the early spring chill. Georg watched for a moment before turning back to see his hostess was already halfway down a hallway off the living room. He hurried and caught up just as she opened a door to reveal a small bedroom, just big enough for a comfortable-looking bed, a nightstand, and a dresser. "You can just put her in there and tuck her in so she's nice and warm. I will leave the door open a crack so we can hear her when she awakes."

"I can stay here with her," Georg said as he settled Maria's much too still form on the bed.

"Nonsense. You look like you are in as much need of a good meal as your children, and speaking as someone whose husband sometimes works far too long, she will not appreciate it if you do not take care of yourself." Georg opened his mouth to object again but no words came out, for he knew she was correct. Instead, he sighed and followed her out into the living room. The children all looked up when he entered, and he smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. Ria bustled off to the kitchen, and Georg met the eyes of his eldest daughters, nodding in her direction. The immediately understood the unspoken request and moved to the kitchen to offer their help. Georg glanced around before finding an armchair which he settled into, opening his arms to his youngest four children. They all clambered into his lap, cramming themselves in with only minimal pushing, and Georg breathed deeply, inhaling their scent. For the moment, they were safe.

A couple minutes later, Ria came back in the room, trailed by Liesl and Louisa. All three had trays piled high with food—sandwiches, crackers, cheese, meats, fruits, vegetables, and even a pile of what looked like some sort of cake. Georg's eyebrows rose at the volume, and he found himself grateful he had insisted Josef take so much money. Even so, he mentally noted that he would need to find a way to pay his hosts more, for they had both gone above and beyond for his family.

As the three women set the trays down on a large coffee table, Ria once more exited the room, muttering something about plates. Kurt met his father's eye, but Georg shook his head firmly, tightening his hold on his youngest boys as well who seemed ready to attack the platters in front of them. When Ria returned with a large stack of plates, his children quickly distributed them, thanking the doctor's wife profusely without a reminder from their father. Even little Johannes added his own words of thanks as Louisa pressed a small plate into his hands. Automatically, the children all bowed their heads, and Georg quickly said the blessing, his eyes darting back to the room where Maria lay, for it was typically her role at mealtimes. Once he had finished, Friedrich approached, holding out a hand for Johannes' plate. "Here, Jo, I'll get you and Philip some food," he offered. Johannes quickly thanked his brother, and Georg gave his own nod of thanks as well. Friedrich filled up the plate for his younger brothers first before waiting for the rest of his siblings to take their fill and then filling up his own plate. Georg could not help but smile at his actions. He truly was becoming a fine young man.

The food soon revived their spirits, and they were talking animatedly after a few minutes. Georg noted, much to his relief, that Ria seemed to sense his desire for privacy, for she asked the children innocuous questions such as their favorite games or foods. Georg knew she was burning with curiosity, and he planned to eventually give a bit more of their story to Josef and his wife, especially since he was hoping they would be able to help him, but for the moment, he was content to keep his secrets.

Josef returned part way through the meal, a small smile crossing his face when he saw the family eating heartily. His wife disappeared once more into the kitchen to help put away the food, returning just as Kurt was dishing up his third plate. Georg, who had finished a large plate and was content for the moment, looked over to Liesl. "Liesl, can you watch the others for a bit? I would like to check on your mother."

"Of course."

"And we can clean up," Friedrich said, pointing to himself and Kurt. Kurt nodded in agreement, his mouth stuffed with food. Ria laughed, patting the boy affectionately on the head.

"No need for that; I can certainly manage."

"You have been more than generous. It is the least we can do," Georg told her firmly. Like her husband, she seemed to realize he would not back down, and she simply clapped her hands together.

"In that case, I would love the help. Work is always more pleasant with helpers!" Satisfied that his children would be okay without him for awhile, Georg once more entered the small guest room. Maria was still lying in the same position he left her in, and his breath caught in his throat for a moment, but he forced the panic back. Stepping closer to the bed, he leaned over, relaxing fully when he saw the steady rise and fall of her chest. Reaching down, he took one of her hands in his as he leaned forward, pressing a brief kiss to her forehead and then a longer one to her lips.

"Oh, my love," he muttered, starting to sit on the edge of the bed. Her eyelids fluttered suddenly, and he stood again, leaning over her.

"Georg?" she questioned, her voice weak but more beautiful than ever. Her eyes opened, focusing on him, and Georg had a brief thought that she was like sleeping beauty in the fairy tale he had read to his daughters more times than he could count, but he pushed that to the back of his mind. Instead, he gave her a wide smile, bringing the hand he was still holding to his lips to press a kiss to it.

"It's good to hear your voice."

"What happened?"

"You collapsed a few hours ago."

"Hours? I knew I was sick, but I thought it was just the stress and the exhaustion."

Georg pursed his lips, considering how to best phrase his next question. Finally, he said, "Friedrich found a doctor to examine you. Maria. . . when was your last cycle?" He watched as she silently did the math, her eyes widening when it came out as Josef had suspected.

"You think?"

"It certainly is not outside the realm of possibilities."

A smile started to form on her face, but her lips quickly turned down when she saw his expression. "You're upset," she noted.

"Not at you," Georg quickly assured his wife. "It's just. . . I dragged you over a mountaintop while you were pregnant! You could have been killed or lost the baby or. . . "

Maria stopped his words with a finger on his lips. "And yet none of those things happened. You kept us safe, Georg. You got us out of Austria in time even when everything seemed to be conspiring against you. There are not many men that could have done that."

Georg, however, would not let himself off so easily. "Not many men would have become a spy for the British government against the Nazi party knowing how dangerous that is either."

"I have told you before and will tell you again—I still think that was the right decision."

Georg pursed his lips but decided it was not worth arguing over at the moment, especially when she still needed to gain her strength back. "Do you think you could eat?" he asked instead. "I could bring in something light—perhaps some crackers and tea?"

Maria considered for a moment before nodding slowly. "I could eat something light." Georg pressed a short kiss to her forehead before leaving to retrieve the desired items.

As night fell, the youngest four children crowded into the bed with Maria, and the oldest five sprawled across the living room, covered in some blankets that Ria had found, insisting that she needed to wash the ones they had carried over the mountains. Louisa, Brigitta, and Liesl had promised to help with that task tomorrow without prompting, and Georg felt the now-familiar surge of pride well up inside him.

Once everyone had settled in for the night, Georg met Josef in the small dining area. He slid some additional cash across the table. "I promise we will be out of your hair as soon as we are able to move on."

Josef shook his head. "You can stay as long as you need. Ria loves the full house. And you have already given us more than enough." Josef pushed the cash back to Georg, and the two strong-willed men stared at each other for a few moments before Georg pocketed the money. Depending on the state of the Swiss banking system, it was possible he would need it in the future, so he decided not to fight Josef to take it.

"Still, I do not want to linger too long in this area," Georg remarked The last part of the sentence went unspoken but both men understood it—Georg did not want to be too close to Austria.

"It is not going to be easy to leave at the moment," Josef told Georg. "As I am sure you have noticed, the town is currently in a rather precarious situation. A group of Nazi soldiers came into town about three weeks ago and began terrorizing the citizens—demanding food and other items from the shops, preying on women who happened to be walking alone. They blocked the roads and train station so that no one could leave. We notified the Swiss government, of course, but it sounds like we are not the only town in such a situation, and they are trying not to interfere too much, for no one wants an open war with Germany."

Georg considered for a minute. He had expected something similar after Josef's comments about safety and his own observations of the quiet streets. "You say they came three weeks ago? Before the Anschluss?"

Josef nodded. "They warned us that it was coming. I remember them drinking in the streets and singing in celebration after it became official."

A small smile appeared on Georg's face. "Then they defied direct orders."

"What do you mean?"

"The Nazi leadership was very clear with their instructions. No one was to attack before the Anschluss occurred. If leadership learns that the soldiers here attacked early, they will be quite angry, and no Nazi soldier wants leadership upset at him. It means that they are isolated and will not ask for support."

Josef peered at him suspiciously. "You seem to know a great deal about the Nazis."

"Let us just say that I was in an unique position to learn information they likely prefer I not know." Josef studied him carefully, but the suspicion gradually cleared from his face. Eventually, he nodded.

"So if I am understanding you correctly, you feel that we can drive the men away since they will not want to ask their superiors for help and draw attention to their disobedience."

Georg nodded. "How many men do you have who would be willing to fight?"

Josef considered for a couple minutes. "I know of around a dozen, and they might possibly recruit others."

"A Nazi regimen is typically three dozen, so we will be outnumbered, but with a bit of misdirection, I think we can make it work."

"We?"

Georg smirked at him. "If you will not take my money, I have to find some other way to help."

Josef stared at him for a moment. "Why do I feel that our paths crossing was more than just luck?"

"My wife would say that God knows what He's doing."

"Well, I suppose I have some work to do tonight to contact all of the men."

"I can come with you."

Josef shook his head. "Go get some sleep yourself; I cannot imagine you have had much in the past few days. Besides, something tells me you would rather have as few people as possible see your face." Georg acknowledged the truth of the statement with a slight incline of his head. After saying goodnight to Josef, he stepped quietly through the living room, looking over at his children to see that they were all sleeping peacefully. Given the stress of the past few days, he was not surprised that they had fallen asleep quickly and deeply now that they were somewhat safe and had full stomachs. Entering the room, he pulled the blanket up to Kurt's shoulders; Kurt had always been his most restless sleeper, so he imagined it would not stay there long. He pressed a kiss to Brigitta's forehead where she lay next to Kurt and then reached out to gently caress the faces of his oldest three. He spent a minute just looking at them, noting how much younger they looked in sleep. In the past few days, he had demanded a great deal of all of his children, but he knew the oldest three had borne the brunt of it, and they had done so admirably. Looking at them now, however, he thought of just how young they still were, and he said a silent prayer to God that the remainder of their journey would be far less arduous than the first part had been.

After a couple minutes, Georg stepped to the hallway that led to the bedrooms, quietly pushing open the door to the guest room. He smiled when he saw the tangle of limbs and heads in the bed. Johannes and Gretl were both lying almost completely on top of Maria, and she had an arm around each of them. Phillip had cuddled into Gretl's back, clutching his mother's hand in his own, and Marta slept next to Philip, her arm thrown across his small body. Georg stripped down to his trousers and undershirt before carefully slipping into the bed next to Johannes. The small boy let out a small breath, wiggling closer to Maria. Maria turned her head to face him, her eyes opening slightly. "Georg?"

"It's me, Darling," he told her, leaning over his son to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Go back to sleep."

"I love you," she breathed, her eyes fluttering closed once more.

"I love you, too," Georg whispered. "So much." With that, he lay his head down, uncaring about the small amount of space left in the bed for him. His family was nearby and safe, and at the moment, that was enough. For the first time in days, Georg drifted off into a peaceful sleep.