~*~The Homecoming~*~

THE HOMECOMING

Semi-sequel to "MIRROR, MIRROR"

"Role call! Everrrrrrybody raus, raus, raus!"

The men in barracks #2 grumble and groan as Schultz wakes them from their slumber to go outside for morning inspection. The stout guard smacks the bedframe nearest the door, and Newkirk's head shoots up off his pillow.

"Hey, Schultzie," says Newkirk, rubbing his sleepy eyes, "why do ya always gotta bang on me bed? I heard your big mouth the first time."

"I'm just making sure that you're up," Schultz replies. "Everrrrybody raus, raus!" The men change their clothes and slowly head outside. Schultz follows them out and heads over to barracks #4 to wake Freddie, but she meets him at the door.

"G'moring, Schultz," she says with a big yawn. The big man smiles sheepishly.

"Guten Morgen, fraulein. Time for role call."

"Really?" she asks. "I thought Montgomery rolled into camp."

Schultz puts on a gentle scowl. "Jolly joker." He lets her pass in front of him on her way over to early morning formation. As usual, she falls into line next to Newkirk who greets her with a warm smile as she bids good morning to the other fellows standing around.

"Mornin', angel." She grins and discreetly slips her hand in his, squeezing it gently, then letting it go.

"G'morning." Knowing that she's the only woman in camp, she and Newkirk have kept their amorous episodes away from everyone so it doesn't provoke any jealously with the other prisoners. This means that even a 'good morning kiss' is out of the question until they are behind closed doors.

"Didja sleep well?" he asks.

"About as well as I can on top a bag of rocks."

"I'm sorry to hear that, love," he says. He leans over a little bit and whispers, "Maybe you should try sleepin' on top of me. I'm not as lumpy, and I can do wonders for your back."

She slowly turns her eyes to his and says with a smile, "I'll think about it." The morning calm is suddenly broken as Klink comes out of his office.

"Repooooort!" Schultz salutes his kommandant.

"All prisoners prrrresent and accounted for, herr Kommandant."

"Excellent, Schultz. Thank you." Klink looks at the tired soldiers left in his care. "Diiiiismissed!" And a with a final salute, he retreats back into his office. The prisoners are left on their own to start their daily routines, many of them electing to return to their racks and go back to sleep.

Freddie stretches her arms high above her head to work the kinks out of her back when a finger taps her shoulder from behind. She turns around and sees Newkirk standing there looking like an innocent child.

"'Ello," he says.

"You again?" she says with a small giggle. "What's the matter? Can't you find something to keep you busy?"

"Oh, I did," he says with a seductive spark in his eyes, "but it requires two people." Freddie playfully swats his arm.

"Can't you think of anything else except that?"

"Sure, but thinkin' about it keeps me warm." Both of them start laughing.

"Come on," Freddie says. "Let's get out of the cold. I got some coffee brewing." They start back towards barracks #4.

Once they're inside and the door is closed, Newkirk takes Freddie into his arms, dips her back, and kisses her hard on the lips.

"Good mornin'," he says in a luciously deep tone, his eyes gazing lovingly into hers.

"It's beginning to turn into one," Freddie says with a big satisfied smile. Newkirk picks her up in his arms and walks over to a random bunk and lays her down, carefully laying himself partially on top of her.

"It's still dark out," he says softly. "Wanna pretend it's evenin'? You know... have a 'night cap?'" Freddie curls her arms around his neck, half-heartedly pulling his heavy wool coat off of his shoulders.

"Darling," she says, "we'll get caught."

With his nose tracing around the outside of her ear and his lips dusting her neck, he says, "Not if we're quiet." She takes his face in her hands and kisses his lips.

"I suppose I can at least try." He smiles happily as she helps him take his coat off. He takes it and tosses it aside as she pulls him down on top of her again, her sudden aggressiveness thrilling him. Freddie takes his hat off and throws it over with his jacket, running her fingers gently through his wavy brown hair.

"Easy, Freddie," he says. "You may turn me on and never get me to turn off." She smiles back at him.

"I think you'll get over it." Newkirk giggles as he takes her hat off, letting his gentle fingertips caress her hair. He inhales deeply and exhales slowly.

"I hope not." Their mouths touch and almost immediately the world around them vanishes. Newkirk teasingly touches Freddie's lips with his warm tongue until she opens up and lets hers dance along. He's a virtuoso at creating lightning-like bursts of ecstacy with his mouth alone. His hands and arms hold her with such tenderness and skill the likes of which could only be matched by a master musician. The sensuous smacking of their lips intertwined with their pleasureful hums only intensifies the mood.

"Oh, Peter," Freddie whispers. She cannot say anything more, for Newkirk seals her mouth again with his own. He ingests her pleasent and gentle moans like a starved wolf feeding on the inards of a small animal.

"Don't speak, darlin'. Words can't help us now."

She holds him tight incase someone comes and tries to steal him away. His hungry mouth travels down the front of her neck, waiting axiously for his fingers to undo the buttons of her shirt so he may continue.

There is a brief knock at the door, and in walks LeBeau. His eyes open wider as he realizes that he's interupting a very private moment.

"Pardon moi!" Newkirk quickly looks up to see who made the intrusion.

"You ruddy-" He jumps out of bed and starts for the door, chasing poor LeBeau away.

"Louis, wait!" shouts Freddie. "Come back!" The young Frenchman peeks gingerly around the door at Freddie, who is buttoning up her shirt. Newkirk's pacing angrily near the door.

"I'm sorry, Freddie," apologizes LeBeau. "I didn't know-"

"It's alright," she says calmly. "What's wrong?"

"The colonel is calling for you."

Newkirk yells back, "Tell 'em to call somebody else!" He runs his hand through his hair and grumbles, "Blimey, he's gettin' on me nerves. Always interuptin' me. Always!"

"Peter, relax," says Freddie. She grabs her coat and heads for the door. "Come on, let's find out what he wants." Newkirk gathers his coat and hat and follows her out.

"Ok," says Hogan. "Here's the plan. We just got an urgent message from London telling us to expect an air drop tonight at 2230. They're giving us a dossier of fake battle plans and negatives of a supposed Underground headquarters on the south coast of England."

"Lemme guess," says Carter. "They want us to slip them into some German general's briefcase, right?"

"Wrong," corrects Hogan. "They want us to pass them along to a newly established contact along our route. Their codename is 'Big Bad Wolf.'"

Freddie nudges Kinchloe and says, "Why do I get the feeling we're fighting in 'storybookland' now? We're 'Papa Bear', London is 'Mama Bear', and the sub is 'Goldilocks.' I don't know if I should pick up a gun and fight or read a bedtime story." The sergeant smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

"Are they trustworthy, Colonel?" asks LeBeau. "I understand they are new, but are they reliable?"

"I don't know," says Hogan. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"I could radio London and ask them to forward us a background check," offers Kinchloe.

"No," says Hogan. "I don't want to make it look like we're suspicious." Freddie still wants more information.

"So, what happens once we pass on the information? Where will it end up?"

"Berlin, hopefully. HQ wants the Nazis to get the information and act on it. They're trying to draw the German bombers out of hiding and sneak some of our bombers in behind them to take out targets here. The strongest of the Messerschmidt units are stationed in Vichy France, so western Germany is considered wide open with only a mediocre defense."

"Sounds like," says Freddie, "the Luftwaffe is still trying to claim air superiority. They've parked their planes right in the middle so they can defend the Fatherland and still be within arms reach of the British Isle."

"Yeah. But that's where we come in," says Hogan. "The Allies want to spread the Luftwaffe defense as thin as possible. They can't be in two places at once. Our job is to help lure them out so our air forces can sneak in around them."

LeBeau cracks a smirk and says, "Let the French air force take them from one side, and Britain and the Americans on the other. That'll teach them for marching into Paris and poisoning La Belle France."

One of the men upstairs shouts down the hole, "Guard coming, Colonel!" Hogan and his crew scramble to get upstairs before the guard sees the tunnel entrance.

Hogan is the last one to come topside. He closes the tunnel just as Schultz enters the hut.

"Everrrybody outside for formation!"

"We just had role call, Schultz," says Carter.

"Please," he asks nicely, "don't ask questions. Just obey me, just this once. That's all I ask."

"What's wrong?" asks Hogan.

"Major 'Big Shot' is here. He demands to see the prisoners."

"All of us?" asks Kinchloe. "What for?"

Schultz's face goes blank. "That, I don't know." He heads outside with the prisoners following along. Many of them look at one another with curiosity and puzzlement.

Hochstetter is standing with Klink on the porch to his office as he awaits the POW's to line up.

"What is this all about, Major?" asks Klink. "If it is of a top secret nature, you can trust me."

"Oh, I trust you, Klink," says the major. "It is your big mouth that I don't trust." He starts away with his guards towards the prisoners, glaring at them the whole time.

"'Morning, Major," says Hogan in his patented sarcastic style. "What brings you to our little piece of shangri-la?"

"Hogan," says Hochstetter, "do me a favor, eh? Shut up."

Freddie can't resist the temptation to tweek a Gestapo man. "Are you a little less than regular today, sir?" The prisoners begin to laugh. "You seem awful cross this morning." Hochstetter slowly walks over in front of her as she laughs.

"Fraulein, it would delight me to no end if I could turn out your lights right now. But I won't." He paces back and forth in front of the men, then points to one of his aides and says, "Read off their names. As your name is called, step forward." A smaller man dressed in a black SS uniform steps forward and begins calling off names.

"Altman... Barth... Berger... Bock... Burgman..."

Newkirk leans over and whispers to Freddie, "What's goin' on?" She answers with a confused look and a shrug of her shoulders.

"Donner... Edwards... Erichson... Fitzgerald... Kohler..."

Freddie leans over to Newkirk and confides, "I don't know about you, but I'm getting scared."

"Miller... Nieman... Peterson... Rilke... Stihlman... Stocker..."

"Hey," protests Hogan. "What's this all about?"

"Tillman... Milworth-" Freddie's ears go up like a dog sensing danger. Newkirk looks at her with his eyes full of concern.

"Alright," she tells Newkirk. "Now I'm terrified." She takes one half step forward, unsure of what's to come. Newkirk grabs her elbow and prepares to pull her back if necessary. Hochstetter steps up again and addresses the prisoners.

"In keeping with the Third Reich's policy of creating a total German state," Hochstetter says, "I have been issued orders from Reichsfuhrer Himmler to remove any prisoner who is suspected of having a German background. You will be taken to Berlin where you will be tested, then initiated into the new German society."

Freddie doesn't like this one bit and lets the small major know it. "I left because of the new German society. I was one of the lucky ones who got away. You can't take us against our will, Major. It's against the Genev-"

"We are expanding the Reich," interupts the major. "In one way... or another." Freddie clenches her jaw in anger.

"Expanding the Reich?" she repeats. "These men are Americans! They may have relatives from this part of the world, but I bet none of these men were born here!"

"If we can accurately trace their German bloodlines," says Hochstetter, "then they are German. If we cannot, then we will dispose of them." He begins pacing again. "Now is the time to rise up and show the world who you are. Be proud of your heritage. Help us take back what is ours."

"Poland, France, and Austria are not yours," Freddie points out. "And I know for a fact that Great Britain, Africa, and Russia aren't yours either."

"Fraulein-"

"You have no business in Italy," she says. "And the same goes for Crete. Your glorious Third Reich is trying to authenticate their exsistance by defacing ancient Greek temples and monuments. You're fooling yourselves into believing that you are the decendants of a great civilization. Well, we used to be, Major, until Hitler and his band of perverse merrymen took over. The Kaiser's German Empire no longer lives." Hochstetter ignores most of her speech, but tries to entice her with empty promises.

"Help us bring it back then," he says. "Be a part of building the new German Empire that will take the world by storm!"

"No!"

"Fraulein, it is your duty-"

"To hell with you! I won't go!" she shouts as she stands back in line. Newkirk grins and stands shoulder to shoulder with her.

"Did I ever tell you, Sergeant," he says, "that you're incredibly sexy when you get angry?" She doesn't look away from Hochstetter, but the corner of Freddie's mouth raises in a devilish smirk as the other men begin to protest.

Another man shouts, "Neither will I!" Soon, all of the men on the list begin voicing their anger and defiance.

"Silence!" orders Hochstetter. "I will return here tomorrow to take these prisoners, Klink. In the meantime, make sure that the necessary paperwork is done. I want transfer papers for all of them."

"Yes, herr Major." Hochstetter signals to his guards that it is time to leave.

Freddie sits at the table in her hut, smoking a cigarette and thinking about what's going to happen tomorrow. All of her emotions run through her mind in one continuous stream; fear, anger, and just the uncertainty of what's to come are all strung together like pearls.

Newkirk lays on her bed and watches her, stewing over her removal.

"I'm goin' with you," he promises. "I'm not lettin' you outta m'sight."

"Peter," she says, "you can't come with me." She snickers and puts out her cigarette. "You're not a Kraut."

"I can lie. I can say that m'grandfather was a veteran in the last war or something. Or maybe I have a cousin that's married to someone in the Gestapo."

"Darling, don't do that to yourself. Don't pretend to be someone that you're not." He quickly gets out of bed.

"What about you? You're pretendin' to be English and you're not." This remark hurts her slightly, making her feel like an outsider. She's grown to love England and the people who live there.

"True," she admits, "but everyone in camp knows why I did that." Newkirk is still mad over the whole situation.

"Well, what in the bloody hell am I supposed to do?" he asks loudly. "I refuse to just sit idle and watch you get carted off someplace!"

"If I knew what you were supposed to do, I'd tell you." The anger in his eyes fades and is replaced by remorse. "Trust me." Newkirk sighs heavily and sits down across from her. He reaches across the table and takes her hands in his, squeezing them tenderly.

"Oh, God. I wish there was somethin' I could do," he says softly. Freddie reaches out and slowly strokes his rough reddish sideburns.

"So do I." Newkirk reaches his hand out and strokes her jawline, pulling her face towards his slowly. He leans forward and presses his lips against hers, kissing her so gently.

"I hate to admit it," she says, "but I'm actually nervous."

"It's ok to be nervous," Newkirk says comfortingly. "I am, too. I'm scared outta my mind for you." Freddie chuckles lightly.

"I'm scared for me, too, but I think I'm more worried for you."

"Why?"

"Because I know you'll be on pins and needles until I get back. And you know how much I hate it when you worry."

"You're worth worryin' about." The lovers lean closer together until their foreheads touch. "It's not everyday that a girl like you comes along." Freddie smiles.

"It's not everyday that a girl comes along period. We're in the middle of nowhere." They both laugh. Newkirk plays with some of Freddie's blonde hair that's resting on her shoulder.

"I hope Colonel Hogan is comin' up with a plan," he says. "I don't wanna resort to mine unless I have to."

"Really? And what is your plan exactly?"

"Kill Hochstetter." Freddie beams.

"Under the circumstances, that sounds wonderful." She kisses his hands lightly before she stands up. "Come on. I want to talk to the colonel."

Hogan assembles Freddie and the other men who were singled out in his office. He's carefully listening to their complaints and concerns regarding their removal.

All of the men were born in the United States and have never lived outside its borders. Altman, Bock, Edwards, Fitzgerald, and Tillman all claim to have little or no knowledge of any German in their family backgrounds. Kohler is a first generation German-American; his parents left Germany for the United States during the first World War. The rest of the men on the list know of a little German in their histories, or they have distant relatives still living in the old country. Except for Freddie, that is, who has three major strikes against her; she was born in Germany, has relatives currently living in Germany, and has admitted to fighting against Hitler as an intelligence gatherer for the British Army.

"What's the big idea?" asks Donner. "What do they want with us?"

"Hopefully," says Hogan, "this is just a scare tactic. I don't think anything serious will happen to you. They're more than likely trying to drum up support from Allied prisoners whose last names sound German." Freddie, however, isn't as sure.

"Sir, I don't think this situation is as innocent as that. The SS could be hiding something and are going to use us to cover it up."

Hogan's eyes squint with curiosity. "Whatdya mean, Freddie?"

"Hochstetter said that the Reich was taking its ancient lands back, as well as the people. That's a very bold statement to make when you're losing on two fronts. Now, I know very little about military strategy, but don't you muster all available troops around your home base just before you're defeated? We receive messages daily from the French Underground saying that several hundred men a day are being called back to Germany. If this is true, France could be liberated in a matter of months. It sounds like the Germans have painted themselves into a corner and are falling back fast. I bet they're getting ready to go down in a blaze of glory, and they want every German in the world to go down with them." Many of the men agree.

"I think she's right, Colonel," says Berger. "That's a defensive move."

"Yeah," agrees Hogan, "but I'm not totally sure why they're doing that. We've been getting conflicting reports about where the Germans are. Some of our contacts say they're advancing when they're really retreating. I don't know what to believe. But I think in the meantime you men should just go about your daily routines. Make it look like you're not worried about the transfer. I'll come up with something." Donner leads the men out of Hogan's office. Hogan stops Freddie just before she leaves. "Freddie, hang back for a moment, will ya?"

"Sure, Colonel." She closes the door after the last man leaves. "What is it?"

"I'm going to cut out the 'middle man' on this assignment. I'm going to plant the dossier on you, and you'll take it to Berlin."

"Sir?"

"I've been thinking about this new contact and I'm a little skeptical. I'd rather risk an ass-chewing from London about skipping over a contact than to blow the mission because of a double agent."

"That's wise, sir." Hogan smirks.

"Let's hope so." He gently slaps her arm and asks, "Do you think you can pull this off?"

"Like stealing candy from a baby. It should be an easy job."

Hogan nods affirmingly. "Are you worried at all?"

"A little, sir. But I'm more worried about Newkirk."

"How is he handling all of this?"

"He's trying to be objective as possible about it, but he just worries so much when I'm gone. I don't think he doubts my abilities as an agent, just for my well-being."

"Well," he says, "think of it this way. He's only got you to worry about. I've got you and the rest of the men to worry about."

Freddie laughs. "Point well taken, Colonel. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go about my day."

That night, at 2230, an RAF Lancaster lumbers through the skies over Hammelburg. Hogan, LeBeau, and Carter go out to meet the plane and pick up the drop. The plane sends out two blue flashes, which is answered by the Underground's three white flashes. A small crate exits the bomber and parachutes slowly to earth. Hogan and his men move out to retrieve the supplies.

The three men move quickly as they pry the top of the crate off. Hogan picks up the red leather dossier and tosses it into his napsack. Carter and LeBeau fill their napsacks with the extra ammunition that was included.

Back inside the tunnel, Newkirk waits for the trio to return. He's been formulating a plan so he can accompany Freddie and the others to Berlin, and he wants to ask Hogan to vouch for him.

Upon their return, Hogan opens the dossier and examines the false documents and doctored negatives inside.

"Sir," asks Newkirk, "are you free?"

"Sure. What is it?" Hogan asks, still looking over the files.

"Well, sir, I was wonderin' if you might back me up on something. You see, I'm worried about Freddie goin' to Berlin. I'm afraid of what the Nazis will do to her. I want to go with her, and I was hopin' you might help me lie about me background so I could go along."

Hogan looks up from the dossier. "What?"

"I'll tell Hochstetter that my cousin is in the SS or something. All I need to you do is convince him that I'm tellin' the truth. Please, Colonel. I don't want her to go alone."

"She's not going alone, she'll have 17 men with her."

"I know that, sir, but-"

"Forget it, Newkirk."

"But sir, I-"

"The answer is no. Look, we're all worried about Freddie. She's going to have the toughest time there. The Nazis don't treat German defectors easily." He motions for the young Englishman to sit down next to him. "Our operation will already be short one soldier. I can't afford to lose two of you."

"Sir, I'm beggin ya-" Hogan doesn't say a word, he just looks sternly at Newkirk. The young Brit stops pressing the issue and heads topside.

Freddie, who has been asleep for an hour or so, is awakened by the sound of her barracks door opening and closing. She's lying on her stomach, but turns her head towards the door.

"Freddie," says Newkirk, "are you asleep?"

"Not anymore," she says. She rolls over and sits up.

"I'm sorry, darlin'. I didn't mean to wake you." She scoots over and makes room for him beside her.

"That's alright. Couldn't you sleep?" Newkirk curls up next to her, letting her hold him in her arms.

"No. I'm too worried to sleep." Freddie stokes his hair and kisses his head gently. "I just asked Colonel Hogan if I could go with you." She's a bit surprised.

"Peter, you didn't."

"I did. But he wouldn't let me."

"Good. You're needed here." She kisses his head, smiles, and says, "I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself."

"Freddie, I know that. But I'll be damned if I let anything bad happen to you. This isn't just a simple mission, love. You're goin' to the center of Hell, where all the action is. Berlin is the focus of all Allied raids. I don't want you to get hurt."

"If a 100 pound bomb lands on my head, I don't think there would be anything either of us could do about it. But I'll be extremely careful. I promise." She begins to gently rock him. "You'll be on my mind every minute, every second. No matter what kind of physical pain they may put me through, it won't be as painful as being away from you."

"Please don't say that," he pleads. "I can't bear the thought of bein' torn from you right now." He sets his hands on top of hers and closes his eyes, hoping that this is all just a nightmare. Then he asks softly, "Can you hold me tonight?"

Freddie squeezes him. "Yeah."

The next morning, following breakfast, Hogan gives Freddie the false information which she puts in her coat. Shortly thereafter, the POW's are called out into formation. It's time to leave.

Hochstetter arrives with eight of his own guards and a small transport truck. He goes into Klink's office to finalize the transfer. Hogan looks over at Freddie.

"Remember what I told you," he says. "When they search you, don't fight them. Let them find the documents."

"Right." Newkirk turns Freddie towards him, fear clinging to his heart.

"Oh, Freddie-"

She smiles and says, "Shhh... this isn't goodbye. As long as you and I breathe, there will never be a goodbye. I'll be back before you know it." His beautiful greenish eyes begin to tear up.

"Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise. On my mother's grave, I promise. And you be careful, too." Just then, Hochstetter shouts to his guards to begin loading the prisoners into the truck. She turns and looks at the major, then turns to Newkirk and fixes the collar of his jacket. "Alright. Stay outta trouble, Corporal."

"Yes, Sergeant." Newkirk tries to smile, but he embraces her instead. "I love you so much," he whispers.

"I love you, too," she replies. She kisses him quickly, then backs away from him, their hands slowly sliding apart. She quickly waves to the others as she walks away.

"Bon chance, Freddie!" shouts LeBeau. "Vive l'Allemagne! (Long live Germany!)" Newkirk can bearly watch as Freddie climbs into the back of the truck. He slept very little the night before eventhough he's always slept peacefully in her arms.

Once the prisoners are all onboard, the truck starts up and follows Hochstetter's car out of Stalag 13. The remaining prisoners are dismissed to their barracks.

Newkirk can say nothing, only stand and watch as his love is taken away. One lonely teardrop trickles down his cheek.

"She'll be back," says Hogan. The Englishman shakes his head.

"Not this time, Colonel. Not this time."

After driving for over 265 miles, Hochstetter and his new 'recruits' arrive in Berlin. Before the detainees are taken from the truck, they are individually handcuffed and shackled. They are lead into an old building, one that might have seen the old glory days of Germany. Freddie recognizes the Kaiser's coat of arms carved in the stonework above the door, which is hastily shrouded in a Nazi 'blood banner' as it blows in the wind.

All of the men, as well as Freddie, are assembled into a dark room that looks very much like a classroom. They are ordered to sit and wait by one of the guards. Suddenly, a tall and slender figure carrying a briefcase saunters through the door, followed by Hochstetter. Judging by his demeanor and the way his overcoat is slung over his shoulders, Freddie figures he is the one in charge. He sets his briefcase down loudly on the tabletop and opens it, pulling out several folders.

"Wilkommen in Berlin. Mein Name ist Obergruppenfuhrer Kirschner."

Stocker leans over towards Freddie and asks, "What did he say?"

"He said welcome to Berlin and his name's Lieutenant General Kirschner." She looks at the tall man and says, "Ich werde ubersetzen. (I'll translate.)" The general smiles.

"Na gut. (Very well.)" He goes to the head of the classroom and sits behind a large wooden desk. "Wie ist Ihr Name, fraulein?" Freddie stands up slowly, looking at the other men cautiously.

"Milworth, Fredricha. Sergeant. Serial number 078397."

Laughing, the general says, "Nein, nein. Ihr wirklich Namen, Ihr deutcher Namen."

Freddie sighs heavily. "Von Raffschneider." The smile fades quickly from Kirschner's face.

"So," says the general, "du bist der Verrater. Dich knopf' ich mir spater vor." Ice-cold fear and white-hot anger run wild through Freddie's vains as General Kirschner glares at her.

"What did he say, Freddie?" asks Bock.

"Don't worry about it. He was talking to me."

Donner wants to know. "What did he say to you?" She sighs and give in to their curiosity.

"He called me a traitor. He's going to deal with me later." Hochstetter steps in front of the prisoners again and addresses them.

"Have a seat, please, fraulein. I'm sure all of you have many questions about why you are here."

"You ain't just whistlin' Dixie," says Altman, sarcastically.

"All of your questions will be answered very soon," the major continues. "But first, we will tidy you up a bit, then we will begin with today's lesson." He motions for two SS guards to approach, each standing on either side of a prisoner. Altman is the first to be escorted out and down the hall.

"Lesson?" Freddie asks. "What kind of lesson?"

"Just a brief introduction to the new German way of life. In a few days, once you have digested the basics, we will study the National Socialist doctrine and show you film footage of our Fuhrer delivering his speech about racial purity."

Tillman can't believe it. "You are kidding, right?"

"Corporal Screwball is a big hit in London, you know," continues Freddie. "His speeches are considered to be some of the greatest comedies ever produced. Why, he's even been compared to Charlie Chaplin." This draws a laugh from the POW's, but Hochstetter isn't the least bit amused.

"You will not talk about your Fuhrer that way!"

"He's not my Fuhrer," she says. "Ol' Scramble Brains couldn't lead me into the loo." The prisoners laugh again, frustrating Hochstetter even more.

"You're going to be difficult, aren't you, fraulein?"

"Naturally. You didn't think I was going to sit here and swallow this rubbish, did you?" Hochstetter is finding it harder and harder to maintain his composure in front of Kirschner.

"We will persuade you. Make no mistake about that. We have ways of winning back the sheep who have strayed from the flock."

"I know," she says. "The wolf always wears a wool coat when he hunts." Fitzgerald is finding this very amusing.

"Ooooh... Game, set, match, Major," he says.

"You are a traitor, and you will be treated accordingly," Hochstetter yells to Freddie.

"Yeah," Freddie shouts back. "I'm a traitor, alright. I love Germany so much that the only way I could continue to be proud of it is if I left. I believe in the Kaiser and his monarchy, not in Hitler. I want to follow a king who could lead his country into prominence, not into war. Long live King George VI!" A few of the men begin singing 'America, the Beautiful' before Freddie's silenced by the crack of Hochstetter's leather glove across her face.

"You little insubordinate fool! Take her away!" Two guards grab her by the arms and lead her out of the room, down the hallway, and into another room. The other men shout and watch in horror as she's removed from the group.

After about five minutes, Altman returns. He has been stripped of his uniform and dressed in a Wehrmacht private's fatigues. Even his hair has been trimmed.

One by one, the prisoners are taken out of the holding room and lead into a smaller chamber that is brightly lit. They are thoroughly searched, and allowed to wash up under strict supervision. The German uniform they are given is meant to subconsciously show them that they are now part of the Reich.

Freddie is searched for weapons as one guard stands watch with his gun drawn. The young man stoically pats her down, finding nothing.

Next, he goes through the pockets of her jacket. Freddie watches carefully as the guard finds the documents.

"Was ist das? (What is this?)" asks the guard. Freddie says nothing, but her silence is making the guard angry. "Antwort mich! (Answer me!)"

Freddie looks at the soldier and coolly replies, "Spielkarde. (Playing cards.)" The guard snarls as he backhands her across the face, stunning her.

"Antwort mich!" She recovers from the sudden show of abuse and remains absolutely silent. The agitated guard opens the door and calls for General Kirschner. Within a few moments, he calmly walks in.

"Ja, was ist los?" The guard hands Kirschner the small packet of documents. "Ahhh..." A small smile creases Kirschner's lips as he goes through the papers. He finds the small strip of microfilm and holds up to the light. "Ich glaube Oberstgruppenfuhrer Anders werden ist interessiert in diese. (I think General Anders would be interested in these.)" He hands them to another guard and instructs him to deliver them to the general in charge at the Central Command office in town.

"Nun," Kirschner says, starting his interrigation. "Woher hast du das papiere? (Now. Where did you get those papers?)"

Freddie won't give in. "Milworth, Fredricha. Sergeant. Serial numb-"

"Jetzt reicht es aber. Wir schon das wissen. Genau Antwort das Frage. (That's enough. We already know that. Just answer the question.)" Freddie remains silent, slowly drawing out Kirschner's vicious temper. "Du bist ein Kurier mit die Untergrundbewegung. Wer ist Ihre Kontakt? (You're a messenger with the Underground. Who is your contact?)"

Still, the brave German rebel won't talk. Kirschner slowly closes in on her and slaps her violently across the face with the back of his hand, leaving behind a deep cut from his SS skull ring.

"Du bist ein Feigling. Du im Stich lassen das Reich. (You're a coward. You deserted the Reich.)"

"Deserteur, ja. Feigling... nein."

Back at Stalag 13, it's business as usual, but with a small difference.

Since Freddie left, Newkirk has been laying on his bunk in a nervous sort of rage. He didn't tell her that he had an awful dream the night before. In it, he dreamt that she was attacked by a pack of wild dogs and died from her injuries. He purposely didn't tell her because he didn't want to worry her.

"Come on, Newkirk," says Carter. "Let's play poker." Newkirk won't stir.

"I don't feel like it right now, Andrew. Get someone else to play." Carter tosses the deck of cards down on the table and steps up on the bed below. He's genuinely concerned for his friend.

"You're worried about her, aren't you."

He eventually answers, "Yeah."

"We all are. Believe me." Newkirk rolls over and faces the wall, trying to block out the world so he can submerge himself in sorrow. Carter won't let him be.

"Peter, I don't know if this will help or not, but Freddie once told me that worrying about something only makes the situation last longer. We should find something to occupy the time in between." The young Brit rolls over to face his friend. "I really think she'd want you to focus on something else."

"You're probably right," Newkirk concedes. "But I just can't help it. She's... she's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I know," Carter says. "I know." Newkirk lays his head back down and thinks about Freddie.

"So she really told you that? About not worryin'?"

Carter smiles. "Yeah. I wouldn't make up something like that." Newkirk lets the words sink in.

"That sounds like something she'd say. Always tryin' to change a negative into a positive." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "She's so full of truth."

"She'll be back soon. I'm sure of it."

"I hope you're right. I really hope you're right."

"Look," Carter says, "I know you think I'm a little absent-minded, but if you just wanna talk, I'm here for ya." This brings a small smile to Newkirk's depressed face.

"Thanks."

Kirschner continues to grill Freddie with a barrage of questions, even throwing in a few slaps and punches for good measure.

Her face is red from the punishment. Blood slowly leaks from the cut on her face, as well as from her nose and lip.

"Du Arbeit mit eine Untergrundbewegung, ja? (You work with the Underground, yes?)"

"Was meinst Aussehen ahnlich? Eine Malwurf? (What do I look like? A mole?)" Again, the general hits her with a closed fist, this time in the stomach.

"Sarkasmus bringt dir gar nichts ein. (Sarcasm will get you nowhere.)" Freddie grins proudly as she licks the blood from her lip.

"Abgesehen von die Nerven gehen. (Except under your skin.)" She can see in his eyes that he's plotting something. He orders his guards to take her to another room, with Kirschner following behind.

"Wir werde du bremsen. (We will break you.)"

"So sieht du aus. (That's what you think.)"

A big iron door is opened and Freddie is taken out of her handcuffs. She is then thrown into a chair with her hands strapped down to the arms. The tall general stands before her with a curious look on his face.

"Was glaubst du, wer du bist? (Who do you think you are?)" asks Kirschner.

"Ich bin Deutcher. Ein Nazi nicht, aber ein stocksauer Deutcher. (I'm a German. Not a Nazi, but a very pissed German.)"

Kirschner bends down close to her ear and says, "Du hast einen Fehler gemacht. (You've made a mistake.)

"Nein, hab' ich nicht. (No, I haven't.)

"Wir werde er korekt, (We will correct it.)" he promises.

The guards attach a small suction cup to the back of her hand and then connect a wire to it. The procedure is repeated to her other hand, then finally to her temples. Kirschner and his men leave, leaving Freddie to wonder what's going to happen next. She can see him through the window on the far side of the room as he talks with a man in a white lab coat. Suddenly, she's given an electric jolt.

"Aaahhhhggg!! What the hell are you doing?" Another jolt, and again she yelps.

The other prisoners can hear her clearly from down the hall. They begin to ask Hochstetter questions.

"What are you doing to her?" Donner demands.

"That's none of your business," Hochstetter replies, casually dismissing the incident. "Now, in Germany today, we-"

"You better tell us what you're doing to her," says Edwards. "None of us are listening to your crap anyways."

"Gentlemen," says the major, "I assure you that Fraulein von Raffschneider is being treated with charity and kindness."

"Don't sound like kindness to me," says Miller. Just as the prisoners are about to raise hell, Hochstetter stops them.

"We'll continue our lesson tomorrow. These men will show you to your new quarters." He waves two guards over and they walk the men out and down to their cells.

Freddie is dragged to her cell and tossed on the bed. Her face is still bloody, and she now has marks on her skin from the electrodes. The semi-intense shock treatment causes her body to ache.

"You bastards," she says weakly. "You'll all rot in hell for this." Hochstetter, who met up with her on her back to the cell, doesn't look too concerned for her.

"In a few days, you will not think so." He turns to leave, but turns and asks, "Is there anything I can get you? A copy of 'Mein Kampf' perhaps?"

"Very funny." Freddie thinks carefully before answering. She remembers that Hogan will have no way of knowing whether or not the papers were found, so she elects to send him a message. "Can you get a message to Stalag 13 for me? I didn't have a chance to say goodbye."

"Of course." He pulls out his black notepad and asks, "Who am I sending this to?"

"Colonel Robert Hogan, care of Colonel Klink. Tell him... 'touchdown.' He'll know what that means. It was an inside joke." Then she thinks of Newkirk and almost breaks down. "And have him tell Corporal Newkirk that... I won't be coming home."

"Very well." He puts his notepad away and says before he leaves, "Get some rest. You'll need it." He closes her cell door behind him. Freddie closes her eyes and rolls onto her side, curling up into a fetal position. Her body hurts so much that she wishes Newkirk was there to take the pain away. Soon, she hopes, she will fall asleep.

Newkirk, on the other hand, isn't so lucky. He tosses and turns in his rack all night, unable to shake the thoughts of Freddie being attacked by dogs. He climbs out of bed and quietly gets dressed.

Once dressed, he carefully opens the barracks door and sneaks out. He watches the guards up in the light towers and waits for a clear shot at Freddie's barracks. When the opportunity arrives, Newkirk dashes towards the door. He slips inside undetected.

Newkirk looks around the empty barracks, secretly wishing he'd find Freddie lying in her bed. His eyes gaze upon her empty rack and almost immediately fill with tears. He's alone now and doesn't feel guilty about crying. His emotions surface quickly as he leans back against the door with one hand covering his face. The seperation is pure agony.

He crawls under the blankets and into a bed that used to be so warm. His nose fills with the ghost-like traces of her sweet perfume as he brings her blanket up under his chin. Still, his eyes drip. He looks at the blanket and sees a couple of long blonde hairs stuck to the wool. Carefully he picks them out and wraps them around his little finger. As he looks at them, he begins crying yet again.

"Please," he says aloud, "bring her back. I don't think I can make it without her." Soon, Newkirk's eyes become too heavy to stay open, and he drifts off into an uncomfortable sleep.

The male 'recruits' are awakened at 0430 and given a meager breakfast of cold porridge. General Kirschner has Hochstetter explain to them that this is what a German soldier eats on the Eastern Front, and they should be proud to eat what their comrades eat.

Freddie, however, has been up for a full hour already and hasn't had anything to eat. She was pulled from her bed and strapped into the 'electric chair' again, receiving a mild shock every five minutes. She falls in and out of sleep, trying desperately to keep an eye open for trouble.

Suddenly, the creaky iron door opens. Freddie's tired eyes spring open.

"Ah," says Hochstetter as he comes through the door. "Good morning, fraulein."

"Whatdya want?" she groans.

"I want to talk to you. Seriously." He pulls a chair over from the corner and sits down in front of her. "We need your help."

Freddie's tired eyes close. "With what?"

"Saving Germany. We are trying to turn her around and steer her into the future. You can be at the forefront and leading the charge. All you have to do is denounce the Allies, admit that you made a mistake by joining them, and return to us."

Eventhough she's very weary from lack of rest, Freddie will not be bullied into giving up to the Nazis. She continues to taunt and tease the SS by singing the national anthem of Great Britain.

"God save our gracious King. Long live our noble King. God save the King!" Hochstetter glares at her as she keeps going. "Send him victorious, happy and glorious. Long to reign over us. God save the King." He motions to the shock machine operator to give her a five-second jolt, which he does.

"Ahhhhhhhggg!!" Freddie's legs and hands start to hop uncontrollably as the rest of her body stiffens with the current. She finds the sensation irritating, much like a thousand fingernails lightly scraping the skin all over her body. When it's over, her body relaxes back into the chair.

"Fraulein, you are only making this harder on yourself. A simple 'yes' will get you out of that chair and into a warm bed." Freddie breathes hard as if she's just run a five-mile race.

"I would rather take the hard 'no'!" Again, she is given a shock, only this time it has a little more juice. "AAAaahhhhggg! You goddamn son of a bitch!" When the surge stops, her head falls forward as her body slumps in the chair.

"What is your answer?" he asks indifferently. Freddie slowly raises her head, her eyes concentrating on Hochstetter's.

"God save... the King..."

Back at camp, Kinchloe sits by the radio in the tunnel and awaits orders from London regarding the whereabouts of the dossier.

Almost by accident, he intercepts a transmission from Berlin. He grabs a pencil and deciphers the message as it comes in.

Reading it back, it says:

From the Office of the German High Command, Berlin. Forward message to Col. Robert Hogan, in care of Col. Wilhelm Klink, Stalag 13. Message reads as follows: Touchdown. Tell Newkirk I won't be coming home.

Kinchloe's mouth drops open when he reads it. He quickly takes it upstairs to Hogan.

"Sorry to burst in on you, Colonel, but I just intercepted a German communication." Hogan's sitting at his work table reading, but drops the book when Kinch explains what he has.

"What's it say?" Kinch hands him the message and he reads it to himself. He almost sighs when he reads the part about 'not returning home.'

"Touchdown? That's the Underground code for 'mission complete.'"

"Is it from Freddie, Colonel?"

"I don't know," says Hogan. "I didn't think she'd be able to get her hands on a radio. But it sounds like Freddie delivered the goods. It may be from her." He looks at the message again. "But I don't like the sounds of that last part."

"Me neither," adds Kinchloe. "I wish there was more to the message, but that was it. It sounds so open-ended. Is she alive? Is she dead? It's not specific." He scratches his head and asks, "What do we tell Newkirk?"

Hogan looks back and says, "The truth." Kinch opens the door and calls Newkirk in. The Brit's young face is aged with worry. His eyes are dark and puffy from the lack of sleep. Hogan stands and points to his chair.

"Newkirk, you might want to sit down." Kinchloe takes this as his cue to leave. "Kinch just intercepted a message from Berlin. It may have been from Freddie, but we're not sure."

Newkirk's heart beats faster with anticipation and his eyes open wider. "Is she alright?"

Hogan waits a second before he answers. "I don't know. If is was from her, she gave the confirmation code for 'mission complete.' But there was an added message that said, 'Newkirk, I won't be coming home.'" Newkirk goes numb with confusion.

"So... what does that mean, Colonel?"

"I don't know," Hogan answers. "I really don't know." Suddenly, a big cheer erupts from the bunkroom, prompting Hogan to check it out. He comes out just in time to see Schultz sitting on the floor by the door with the men milling around him.

"Mail call, Schultz?" he asks as he makes his way through the throng.

"How could you tell?" asks the stout guard. With a little help to his feet, he pulls a message from his coat pocket. "This is for you. Kommandant Klink wanted me to bring it to you right away." Hogan takes it and reads where it came from.

"Berlin?"

Schultz grins happily. "Do you have, uh... a little fraulein tucked away in Berlin, Colonel?"

"Yeah, but I told Ava to stop writing to me. Adolf was beginning to get suspicious." Schultz lets out a belly laugh.

"Jolly joker." The men laugh as the jovial guard leaves. Hogan goes back into his office and opens the letter. He compares it to the one that Kinch picked up. They're identical.

"The message must have been from Freddie," Hogan concludes. "She must have had someone send it out for her."

"How can you tell?" asks Kinchloe. Hogan hands him the new message.

"Because one just arrived from Berlin on official Nazi stationary." Kinch looks at it, then hands it to Newkirk. He looks at it with trembling hands.

"I won't be comin' home," he echoes. "Colonel, she's in trouble."

Hogan says, "Yeah." Newkirk stands up and is ready to jump into action.

"Then lets go get her!"

"We can't," says Hogan. "If we go get her, it'll look like a mass escape."

"So you've given up on her?"

"Absolutely not. We'll get her and the others out, but I don't know how yet." Carter comes in, oblivious to their conversation.

"Hi. I got your mail, Newkirk." He hands a couple letters to him, but he doesn't take them. Carter looks at the men in the room. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?" Newkirk looks up sadly at his friend.

"Freddie's... in trouble. She may even be dead." Carter's heart sinks with pain.

"Oh, my God. What kind of-"

"We don't know exactly," interupts Hogan. "Kinch intercepted a transmission from Berlin that Freddie may have sent out. The Nazis have the false plans, but she said something about not coming home. I just got the actual message from Berlin, so we know she sent it."

Carter's beginning to get mad. "We're gonna get her out, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't know how yet," reassures Hogan.

"Well, whatever you decide to do," says Carter, "I volunteer."

Kinch says, "I don't think you'll find one man in camp who wouldn't, Colonel. 18 of our closest buddies are being held by men who could kill them if they felt like it."

"They're coming home," comforts Hogan. "I'm not letting them die in Berlin. They'll come home."

Hochstetter grabs Freddie violently by the hair and slams her head back against the chair's headrest, causing her to groan.

"Will you talk now?" he asks loudly.

"Only about my name, rank, and serial number." This remark gets her another backhand shot across the face.

"I am losing patience with you!" Bloody, bruised, and battered, she continues to joke and make fun.

"It's because I'm a better doctor!"

Hochstetter has had enough. He takes his Luger pistol from its holster and savagely pistol whips her until she has almost lost consciousness.

"Schlag sie! (Shock her!)" The man in the booth gives her a ten second blast that creates little heat blisters on her skin.

"AAAHHHGGG!!" Freddie closes her eyes as tight as she can as her body moves uncontrollably. "Du... kannst mich... mal! (Damn you!)" All Hochstetter can do is laugh as she's punished.

"Remember, fraulein. You chose this path. We offered you a way out, and you didn't take it."

"Death... is the only... way out!" she shouts. When the shock ends, her body once again slumps in the chair, leaving her gasping for breath. She moans in misery.

"You may get what you wish for," the major says. Freddie tries to raise her head and look Hochstetter right in the eye.

"You better... pray that I do..."

Hogan, Kinchloe, Newkirk, and Carter are discussing plans to spring Freddie and the other men from the SS headquarters in Berlin. LeBeau has since joined the group and has been filled in on what's happening. He's ready to fight.

"Kinch," says Hogan, "get on the radio. Send an urgent message to all area Underground agents. Tell them that we need at least 10 men for a rescue mission in Berlin. Have all available volunteers contact 'Papa Bear' A.S.A.P., and tell them to wait for details and instructions."

"Right, Colonel." The other three men are curious as to what Hogan came up with.

"What are we going to do?" asks LeBeau.

"We aren't going to do anything. I'm asking the Underground to bust them out."

"Sir, can we go, too?" asks Carter.

"No. I know that all of us are ready and willing, but it would look too obvious if all five of us were missing at role call. But the Underground is a close-knit organization. They look out for their own. They can get in, spring the prisoners in no time, and be back in hiding before the Gestapo knows anything happened."

Hogan's men look just a bit anxious. Newkirk, especially, hopes they can get to Freddie before it's too late.

After a massive dose of electicity, Freddie is dragged back to her cell and ordered to rest.

"I will be back in five minutes," says Hochstetter. "I hope, for your sake, you have changed your mind." Freddie raises her head off the pillow as much as she can.

"Rule, Britainia..." is all she can say before she blacks out.

Kinchloe has been sitting by the radio all afternoon after he sent out the emergency distress call. It's now evening, and he's received only a few return messages.

"Schnitzer says he wants to help out," reports Kinchloe, "but he can't. He's got a spare truck he says he'll lend us. It'll be parked in the usual spot."

"Great. Who else responded?" asks Hogan. Kinch looks at the list.

"The Schmidt brothers, Gunnar Metzburger says he can spare four agents, and 'Mama Bear' is calling their eight men in Berlin. They've been briefed on the situation, and they'll meet the rest of the team there."

"Good. That's plenty."

"If it's not, Colonel, a bunch of us will step in."

Hogan smiles and sets his hand on Kinch's shoulder. "I know. But I hope it doesn't come to that."

Newkirk is sitting at the table in Freddie's deserted barracks. He's trying not to think of what's happening to her, eventhough it's extremely hard. Carter and LeBeau come over to check on him.

"How are you holding up?" asks the Frenchman. Newkirk shakes his head.

"Not too well. I don't think I can take much more of this. I hate not bein' there with her."

"You'll be with her again real soon," says LeBeau. "Colonel Hogan just told us that he's got all the men he needs and he's sending for them tonight. Hold on, Newkirk. Just for another day." Newkirk feels a knot forming in his throat, but tries hard to hold his tears back.

"God, I hope she's alright."

Around 2200 that evening, Hogan meets with all of the agents at the rondezvous point in the surrounding woods. He explains the situation in further detail and makes sure the agents know what they have volunteered for. When everything is finalized, Hogan takes them down into the tunnel and has them all fitted for Gestapo uniforms and hoods.

2400. Zero hour. Hogan goes over the game plan once more, then sends the unit on their way. They are all carrying standard German weapons, including a few stielhandgranate, or 'potato masher' granades.

"Remember," says Hogan, "be prepared for anything. You may get caught in a firefight with the enemy, so exercise extreme caution."

"Jawohl, Colonel," says Rolf Schmidt. "We will get your men back safely." He leads the small assault force up the ladder and out into the woods. Now, it's on to pick up the truck and high-tail it to Berlin.

"Answer my question," demands Hochstetter. "Will you join us?"

"No!" screams Freddie, her voice straining against the pain. She is strapped into the chair so tight that the leather bindings are digging into her flesh, tearing her blistered skin open.

"You stubborn little bitch!" He takes his leather glove and cracks her cheek with it. By now, Freddie is so physically weak, she can't feel much of anything. She's can't even swallow the blood that's pooling in her mouth.

Hochstetter orders the guards to take the old electrodes off of her and replace them with different ones. Again, she gets them stuck to her hands, her head, and now she has a heart monitor hooked to her chest.

"I promise you," he says. "This will be more painful to watch than to endure."

"Enjoy my suffering," Freddie says lifelessly. The major instructs the man to flip the switch, sending a painful amount of electricity through her body. Her body lerches violently in every possible direction, for as far as the straps would allow. She has no control over her body whatsoever.

Freddie is almost to the point of going into cardiac arrest, but the doctor in the lab coat shuts off the machine just before she does. Her eyes open wide and stare off into space.

Hochstetter stands over her and looks down into her face. He's almost dissappointed to see that she's still alive.

"Do you believe me now?" he says. "Do you see how strong the Reich is now?" Freddie tries to speak, but she can't say a thing. She shakes her head 'no.' Angered by her constant defiance, Hochstetter motions for the machine to be turned on yet again.

Rolf Schmidt and his brother Hennig carefully guide the group through checkpoint after checkpoint as they speed their way towards Berlin. They are within two hours of the city, thanks to the new Autobahn.

This group of agents will make contact with eight German-born British agents at a small beerhall just outside of the city. From there, the unit will storm the SS building, locate and liberate the POW's, and get them to a safehouse in Lippstadt, which is between Paderborn and Hammelburg. When the SS search squad is safely out of the way, the prisoners will be taken back to Stalag 13 by another group of agents who will be posing as Nazi infantrymen.

Unfortunately, they have absolutely no idea that Freddie is being tortured.

"String her up!" yells Hochstetter.

Three guards take Freddie out of the strapped chair and hold her up against the bullet-riddled wall. Another guard shackles her hands to it. When they let her go, she is hanging, dead weight, like a lifeless puppet on strings. Hochstetter takes her limp face in his hands. Her nose has been broken, one tooth has been chipped, and her forehead is severely cut. Blood oozes from her open blisters.

"You will hang here until you've come to your senses," he orders. With the last of her strength, Freddie lifts her head to look at her captor.

"Why don't you... just kill me... and get it over with?"

"Because that," he says coldly, "would be showing you mercy." She chuckles in spite of the pain.

"Mustn't be... something you're not, Major." In a sudden show of rage, Hochstetter grabs one of the guards' rifles and proceeds to punish Freddie with a series of thunderous blows in the abdomen. When she finally collapses in torment, he stops.

"That should keep you quiet for a little while," he says emotionlessly, lifting her head with the tip of the rifle barrel. Freddie just hangs there, pleading silently for God to take her. She would rather die with a strong spirit than to leave behind a mangled corpse.

At last, the cavalry arrives. The 14-man attack group pulls up outside the SS building and prepares to barge in. Hennig, who lost part of a leg in the first World War, stays behind with the truck.

Rolf shoots the lock off of the door and kicks it open. Three of the men rush inside and secure the lobby. When the 'all clear' signal is given, the rest of the team moves through and clears the hallways. Much to their surprise, the main floor offices are empty.

One of the men motions for the team to join him at a decending staircase. Everyone listens for sounds coming from the basement, finally hearing a man shouting. The all go down, single file, into what they're sure will result in a bloody confrontation.

At the base of the stairs, Rolf peeks around the corner, seeing only a long corridor with prison cell doors on either side of the hall. There are only two guards at the end of the hallway.

He retreats back for a moment, closes his eyes, swallows his courage, and steps back out into view.

"Halt!" shouts Rolf. The surprised guards fumble for their rifles, but Rolf doesn't give them a chance. He squeezes the trigger of his machine gun and drops them both quickly. "Find the prisoners. Hurry!" Rolf stands watch where the guards were as the rest of the men unlock the cell doors.

Donner is one of the first prisoners released. "What's happening? Who are you?"

"Colonal Hogan sent us to get you out. There is a truck outside. Move!" As the others are released, they are pointed upstairs.

"Get Freddie out!" shouts Edwards. "They're gonna kill her!"

"Where is she?" asks Rolf.

"Down the hall somewhere. I'm not sure." Rolf signals for Dietrich, another agent, to accompany him.

They turn another corner and come face to face with General Kirschner. Dietrich doesn't wait for him to make a sound; he'll shoot now, ask later. When Kirschner falls down dead, he searches the general's pockets and finds a set of cell keys.

"Let's go!" he yells.

Both men run down the hall and turn another corner, finding the room that Freddie's trapped in. Dietrich quickly finds the right key and opens the door. Rolf enters and shoots into the control booth, killing the technician inside. He then helps get Freddie down.

"Is she dead?"

"No," says Dietrich. "She's alive, but I don't know for how long." Each man takes an arm, puts it around his shoulder, and helps drag her out of the building.

Suddenly, an alarm goes off. It will only be a matter of minutes before the building is surrounded by SS troops.

Dietrich and Rolf get Freddie to the end of the hallway when they both hear voices coming from behind them. They turn around and see five SS men chasing after them, machine guns drawn and ready to fight.

"Here," says Dietrich, "get her out of here. I'll right behind you." Rolf carefully slings Freddie over his shoulder and heads upstairs. Dietrich, meanwhile, stays behind to hold the Nazis back, the number of SS men slowly doubling.

Dietrich takes a potato masher granade, pulls the pin, and chucks it in the Nazis direction. When it explodes, four of the SS men drop over dead, while the others retreat for cover. Dietrich now makes a break for it.

As he heads for the door, he notices Rolf just exiting the building with Freddie. On his way out, Dietrich tosses granades around the office, hoping to start a fire. He had no idea that the SS guards were following behind him.

Now trapped at the door, Dietrich turns and fires on the aggressors. During the volley, he sees a granade lying under a desk, very close to the German soldiers.

"Auf wiedersehen!" he shouts as he shoots the grenade. The blast triggers the other granades, causing a massive explosion and trapping the SS inside. Dietrich now has a clean getaway.

The eight British/German agents slip quietly into the night once they have escorted the male prisoners safely outside to the truck.

In the back of the truck, the POW's huddle together under blankets and worry about Freddie. They haven't seen her in almost two days, but they heard her scream and are positive that that can't be good.

They all watch in sadness as Freddie is carried out of the building. Rolf carries her to the back of the truck where the prisoners take her and load her inside. By now, she's involuntarily twitching from the shocks.

As Hennig pulls away, Rolf shoots up the 'blood banner' and screams, "Lang lebe Deutchland!"

Two and a half hours later, the Schmidt brothers pull into the quiet villiage of Lippstadt. Silence is a rule in this town; it is a hotbed of German resistance activity.

One by one, the POW's are shown into a large farm house that is owned by an older couple who work for the Underground in London. Edwards is the last one out, carrying Freddie's near lifeless body into the house.

Upon seeing Freddie, the old woman shows Edwards into the bedroom.

"Put her on the bed," says the woman. She looks at the bruises and cuts on her face and asks, "What happened to her?"

"I don't know," says Edwards. "We think she was shocked."

"Shocked? Are you sure?"

"Well, the lights dimmed in our cells everytime she screamed. We figured that's what it was."

In the den, the old man pours some coffee for the prisoners.

"You are the prisoners from Stalag 13, ja?" he asks.

"That's right, Pops," says Miller. "Any word when we're going back?"

"Soon. Very soon. I shall contact Colonel Hogan and let him know you are here." The man goes into the mud room and takes out a small radio. He puts on the earphones and turns it on. "This is Blue Sparrow calling Papa Bear. Papa Bear come in, please. Over."

In Hammelburg, Kinchloe happily receives the message. "This is Papa Bear. Go ahead, Blue Sparrow."

"16 chicks in the nest. Repeat. 16 chicks in the nest. Over."

Newkirk, who's waiting anxiously by the radio, just about jumps out of his chair when he hears such a low number. Kinchloe tries to calm him down before he goes back on the air.

"16? There should be 18, Blue Sparrow. Please count again."

The old man counts the men again. His wife and Edwards come out of the bedroom and talk to him.

"The female soldier is in dire condition. We must get her to a hospital immediately."

"I will arrange for an ambulance right away." He returns to Kinchloe and says, "You're right, Papa Bear. 18 chicks. We will be sending one of the prisoners to a hospital in Hammelburg." Again, Newkirk jumps up.

"Which one? Which one!" he shouts nervously. Kinchloe has LeBeau try to get him to leave, but it's no use.

"Which one is it and what is their status, over?"

"The female soldier. She's in grave condition." Kinch's body goes numb as he watches Newkirk try to take it in.

"Roger, Blue Sparrow. Please contact us if status changes. Papa Bear out."

"They hurt her," says Newkirk quietly. "They hurt her." Tears begin to flow from eyes. "They hurt my girl. LeBeau, they tried to kill my girl!"

LeBeau tries to comfort his friend as he shakes with grief. "They didn't though, Newkirk. She's alive, she's alive!" Hogan and Carter come down from the barracks.

"Any news?" Hogan asks. Kinchloe looks at him sadly.

"All the prisoners were rescued, Colonel. Freddie sustained... life threatening injuries. Blue Sparrow says it's grave."

"Oh, my God."

"They're transferring her to a hospital in Hammelburg." Hogan even seems stunned by the news. His face, which is usually a soft golden color, goes pallid white.

"I hate to ask you this, Kinch, but-"

"I'll stay by the radio, Colonel. All night if I have to."

"Thanks." He looks at his weary men and says, "Get topside. Try and get some sleep."

"I'm stayin' down here," announces Newkirk. "If Freddie... dies durin' the night, I wanna be here to..." He can't say anymore because he doesn't want to think about losing her. Still, his eyes continue to tell the story of his grief as they spill over once again.

Early the next morning, the woman goes in and checks on Freddie. She still looks pretty bad, her blisters beginning to get infected.

"Little one," she says. "Little one, wake up." All Freddie can do is moan and roll her head around. Her body still aches severely.

The old woman, with all the gentleness of a grandmother, places a cool, damp cloth on Freddie's forehead, hoping to reduce the swelling of her broken nose. Her blackened eyes crack open a little.

"Hello, liebchen," says the woman. "You are safe now. Rest." Freddie tries to look around her without moving.

"Where am I?" she mumbles. "I must... get back to... Peter..." The woman holds her down gently.

"No, no. You are with 'Blue Sparrow.' You are safe here." Again she tries to get up.

"But I promised-"

"My dear, you are badly injured. We are sending you to a hospital." The kind woman strokes her hair and says, "Peter will wait for you." Freddie is too tired and weak to argue, so she lays her head back down and goes to sleep.

Around noontime, a German supply truck pulls up outside the old farm house. A young fair-haired man jumps out and runs to the door.

The old man answers the door. "Ja?"

"My name is Jurgen, I am one of Gunnar Metzburger's agents. You have prisoners from Stalag 13, yes?"

"Ja." The old man goes back into the house and rounds up the prisoners. Jurgen stands watch as the men hurry out of the house and into the back of the truck. "17 men will go back. One soldier will stay behind. She is going to the hospital in Hammelburg."

"Very well."

"Good luck, Jurgen." The young man climbs back into the truck and heads quickly down the road towards Stalag 13.

Back inside the house, the woman tends to Freddie.

"We must get her to the hospital at once," she says. "Her wounds are becoming infected and we do not have anything to treat them with. I think she is going into shock, too."

"Ja," he says in agreement. "Get her ready to go. I will start the car."

As 'Blue Sparrow' and his wife hurry to get Freddie proper medical attention, Jurgen arrives at Stalag 13 with the men.

He pulls the truck through the gates and parks it outside Klink's office. Hogan and his men hurry over to the truck to greet them.

"Welcome back, fellas," says Hogan. Just as the men climb out of the truck, Klink and Jurgen come out of his office.

"You found them walking along the road?" asks Klink.

"Jawohl, herr Colonel. We stopped them and asked them for identification. They said they were American prisoners of war and were being held at Stalag 13. That's why we brought them here."

"But Major Hochstetter came and took these men three days ago," explains Klink. "Did they escape from him?"

"I do not know. In the meantime, I suggest you hold them here until he asks about them."

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Corporal. Heil Hilter." Jurgen salutes him and returns to the truck.

Newkirk stops and asks every man who gets off of the truck if they've seen Freddie.

"Donner," he asks, pulling his at his coat, "where's Freddie? Is she alright?" Donner looks sullen, as do all the men when they think about her.

"She looked pretty bad," he says. "I don't know if she'll make it." Newkirk is desperate for answers. He grabs him by the shoulders and continues to ask questions.

"Where is she? What's wrong with her?" Carter and LeBeau take Newkirk back to the barracks and try to calm him down. Hogan goes over to Donner.

"How bad is she, Sergeant?" he asks.

"She looked like she was in a train wreck, Colonel. Burned, cut up, beaten, and bloody. We even suspect she was given the shock treatment."

"Oh, no."

"Yeah. She shakes just like she's having seizures. Her eyes are swollen shut. I wish I could have helped her."

"We all do, kid," reassures Hogan. "Now get back to your barracks and wash up. We'll get you a different uniform."

"Right, sir."

In barracks #2, Newkirk sits at the table with LeBeau and Carter. The Englishman hasn't had a case of the jitters this bad since he was captured. His face is dreary and pale, his eyes red and bloodshot from constant crying and lack of sleep.

"I could lose her," he mumbles. "I could still lose her."

"No, you won't," comforts LeBeau. "She's a strong woman. Eventhough she is petite, her fighting spirit makes her stronger than the Eiffel Tower. She will pull through."

"I wanna go to her," whimpers Newkirk. "I just wanna touch her and heal her. I wanna hold her and make everything alright again."

"Newkirk," says Carter, "you're love will pull her through. I know that. And I believe she knows that, too. I bet she's thinking about you right now."

Newkirk sadly looks at his friends, then buries his face in his arms and weeps. Both of them can hear him mumble Freddie's name as he cries for her. LeBeau puts his arm around him and tries to soothe his friend's misery.

Schultz, usually happy no matter what, walks into the barracks. He sees Newkirk crying, and sees the sorrow on the other mens' faces.

"What is wrong?" asks the guard.

"Freddie's in the hospital," explains Carter. "I guess Hochstetter... beat her pretty bad."

"What? That's terrible!" exclaims Schultz. "I was wondering why I didn't see her get off the truck." Suddenly, Newkirk stands up and grabs Schultz by the arms.

"Take me to her, Schultz. Please!"

"I... I don't know if I can, Newkirk."

Newkirk almost gets angry. "I've gotta see her! Come on, Schultz. Please!" The stout man thinks about it carefully.

"Alright. Alright, I will take you." For the first time in days, Newkirk's face shows small signs of gladness.

"Thanks, Schultzie."

Within ten minutes, Schultz and Newkirk are on their way into town to see Freddie at the Red Cross Hospital.

A storm of emotions run through Newkirk's vains. He's afraid to see what kind of condition she is in, but he doesn't want to be away from her any longer. If she should die, he wants it to be in his arms.

Schultz looks over at him as they drive along. He is worried about Freddie, too.

"Promise me you won't try to escape," he asks.

"I'm not leavin' Freddie's bedside. What makes you think I'd try to escape?"

"I'm just doing my job," he explains. "I don't think you will, but I have to ask."

Five minutes later, Schultz pulls up to the hospital building. Newkirk jumps out of the truck and bolts up the steps before Schultz can park the truck.

He runs up to the front desk and asks, "A young girl was brought here. She was beaten pretty bad. Where is she?"

"Room 117, down the hall," replies the stunned nurse. He races down the corridor just as Schultz wanders in.

"He's with me," he says to the surprised staff.

A doctor comes out of room 117 just as Newkirk gets there. The surprised doctor tries to hold him back.

"Lemme go!" screams the young Brit. "Lemme in there! I've gotta see her!"

"Calm down!" shouts the doctor. "She is resting. She shouldn't be bothered. Come back later."

"Later? I just spent three agonizin' days without her while she was tortured by the SS. I'm not goin' back until I see her!" The doctor holds him back again, explaining her situation.

"Listen to me. She is in very serious condition. The couple who brought her in said that she was beaten and subjected to shock treatment. She has multiple burns on her body, and her nervous system may have been damaged. Her body shakes from severe trauma." The doctor sighs. "It is my understanding that she looks better now than when she was found. I want to let you know what you are about to see will not be pretty."

Newkirk's body begins to ache in sympathy for her. "I'll take the chance." The doctor lets him go, and watches as he enteres her room.

Newkirk quietly closes the door behind him, then turns around and sees Freddie, dressed in a white hospital gown, lying motionless in bed. Her bloodied uniform is lying in the chair by the window.

"Oh, my God," he whimpers. "Freddie, my sweet angel, what have they done to you?" He slowly approaches her bed, letting the sight of her black and blue body sink in.

He carefully takes her burned hand in his, trying not to smudge the salve on her wounds. Tears fill his eyes as he looks down on her bandaged face. Slowly he bends and kisses her on the lips, but he pulls back when he can't feel her return it.

"Those bastards," he says. "Those bloody bastards will pay." Suddenly, she twitches. He watches uneasily as her face contorts and her hands move. When her shaking stops, he sits on the edge of her bed, still holding her hand, and leans down to whisper in her ear.

"Freddie. Freddie, I'm here, love. I'm right here."

Ever so slowly, she turns her head towards the voice that is calling to her from beyond the darkness and pain. With all the strength she can gather, she opens her swollen eyes as much as she can.

"Peter..." she says weakly. Newkirk is overcome with happiness. Even thought it's minimal, the sight of her sapphire blue eyes brings immeasurable amounts of joy to his heart.

"Yes," he cries. "It's me." Freddie squeezes his hand as tight as she can. She holds him close as he sets his head down on her shoulder. She buries her face in his neck and begins to cry with him.

"My darling," she bawls. "My dearest one."

"You're alright now, love," he says soothingly as he wipes his eyes. "You're gonna be alright." As they release one another, he brushes some of her blonde hair off her scabbed forehead. "What happened to you?"

She swallows hard. "I was tortured. Hooked up to... some sort of an electric machine. They shocked me." Newkirk thumbs away the tears falling from the corners of her eyes as she continues. "Had my nose broken. I've got... steel rods up there... to hold it straight." He grimaces at the thought of something so uncomfortable.

"Have the doctors take them out," he says. "I'll hold it straight for you." Freddie laughs as much as she can without hurting herself.

"Will you pick it for me, too?" Newkirk laughs for the first time in days.

"And even wipe it on me shirt." Freddie reaches up and rubs his forearm, then wipes the warm tears from his cheeks. Slowly, the smile fades from her face and she looks very serious all of the sudden.

"I almost... died, you know." Newkirk shakes his head. "For the first time in my life, I almost didn't come back."

"I know. I know." He tenderly strokes her face and says, "LeBeau called you a powerhouse and said that you were too strong to die, and Carter said that my love for you would pull you through."

She smiles. "They're right." She looks lovingly at him, sighs, and says, "You were all I thought about. Not once did I think about dying." She watches his eyes as they carefully scope her face. "Does my appearence frighten you?"

"No," he says emphatically. "Even if, God forbid, you're face were blown off, I'd still think you're beautiful." Freddie laughs and taps him gently on the chest.

"You're a horrible liar." She takes his hand from her face and sweetly kisses his palm when she suddenly realizes that he's missing from camp. "Oh, God." Newkirk is isntantly panic-stricken.

"What's wrong?"

"How did you get here?" He breathes a sigh of relief, then smiles.

"Don't scare me like that! Schultz brought me. He's out in the hall."

Freddie smiles. "Send him in." Newkirk gets up and opens the door, asking Schultz to come in. The lovable guard peeks carefully around the corner of the door.

"Hi ya, Schultz," she says. He smiles and removes his helmet as he enters.

"Hello, fraulein." He stands at the foot of her bed and asks gingerly, "How do you feel?"

"Like a radio that's been struck by lightning. But other than that, I'm fine." Schultz smiles wide.

"Everyone at camp is concerned about you. Even Kommandant Klink. They all hope you are feeling better soon."

"Aww. That's sweet, Schultz. Send them all my love. I'll be home in a few days, so they needn't worry anymore."

"Ah. That's good. I shall do that. Now," he says, "I have to take Newkirk back to camp."

"Come on, Schultzie," protests Newkirk. "Just a few more minutes."

"Just a few more minutes and Kommandant Klink will know that I'm gone."

"He doesn't know you're here?" asks Freddie.

"Nein. He doesn't even know the Englander is gone." Newkirk smiles.

"You mean, we snuck out?"

"Ja," he says. "But you didn't hear that from me." Then he begins to blush as he admits, "Well, I wanted to see the fraulein, too." Freddie begins to laugh. "Five more minutes, then we must go. Get well soon, fraulein." Newkirk nods his head as Schultz turns to leave.

"Thank you, Schultz." Newkirk sits back down at her side and takes her hand again.

"Oh, Freddie. I don't wanna leave you like this."

"I know, darling, but you mustn't get into trouble. Schultz is sticking his neck out for you."

"Yeah." He looks long into her eyes and says, "I'll try to come back tomorrow."

"Alright." She squeezes his hand a little tighter. "Just seeing your face makes me feel so much stronger." Newkirk's ego swells with pride.

"Just knowin' you're alive brings comfort to me heart." He takes her hands carefully and says, "The fellas all send you a kiss." He leans forward and kisses her forehead. "That's from Colonel Hogan." Next, he kisses her cheek. "That's from Kinchloe." He kisses the other cheek. "That's from Carter." He goes back to the other cheek and says, "And that's from LeBeau."

Freddie smiles. "What about you?" Newkirk's eyes light up just a little.

"This one is from me," he says before he presses his lips carefully onto hers. Freddie holds him close, his warm body feeling so good against her aching bones.

When they separate, Freddie touches his mouth with her fingertips and says, "I missed those lips."

"They missed you, too." He pulls up her hands and kisses them. "I'll be back soon, love. I promise."

"I know you will. Goodbye, darling."

Newkirk smiles as he echoes her parting words to him. "Hey, there'll never be a goodbye. I'll be back before you know it." She recognizes her own words being used against her.

"Smart ass..." He kisses her once more before he leaves.

"Dream of me tonight, my sweet darlin'."

"I will, my dearest." Freddie watches as Newkirk walks out, blowing her a kiss and slowly closing the door behind him.

Back at camp, Donner, Edwards, and the other men who were taken, give statements to Hogan so he can file a complaint with the Prisoner of War Commission.

Newkirk feels some better having seen Freddie. Now that he knows that she's alive and getting progressively better, he doesn't worry as much.

Carter, Kinchloe, and LeBeau are all equally glad the Freddie is doing better. She's not only a valuable part of Hogan's outfit, but she's become a great friend to all of them.

The next day, Newkirk, as promised, returns to the hospital. He and Schultz walk down the hallway to her room, but Newkirk goes in alone.

"Hi, Freddie love," he says cheerfully. "How are ya this mornin'?"

Freddie is still laying down, but she's beginning to show signs of improvement. Her burns are slowly scabbing over, but her nose is still plugged with the steel posts. The night before, she slept with an ice bag on her face to reduce the swelling of her eyes.

"Fantastic," she says sleepily. He goes to her side, sits on the edge of the bed, and leans down to kiss her softly on the lips. "The doctor ran some tests and found that my nerves aren't permenantly damaged."

Newkirk beams happily. "That's great!"

"Yeah. Eventually," she says, "the shaking will stop. I guess my nervous system is just misfiring a bit. It'll set itself right." Newkirk takes her hands and squeezes them.

"Let it take its sweet ol' time. I just can't wait to have you back at camp with me."

"The doctor says maybe as early as tomorrow morning. He'll take the rods out of my nose then." Newkirk bends down and hugs her.

"Freddie, I'm so excited! I didn't think you'd recover this fast. I expected you to be here for at least a month." She smiles back at him plays with the buttons on his jacket.

"So did I, but I guess my little body is stronger than I thought."

"It's stronger than Krupp steel, darlin'. You're as tough as nails." He leans down towards her mouth again. "That's why you're my girl." She takes his face in her hands and kisses his lips. His mouth feels better today than it did yesterday.

When he backs away, Freddie holds his head to her chest. Her fingers wind themselves through his thick brown mane.

"Can you hear that, love?" she asks. Never in his life has the familiar lub-dub sound of a heartbeat sounded so comforting.

"Yeah," he says. "Slow and steady. Just like flow of the Thames." She looks down at his head as he lies there.

"You kept it beating, you know. Everytime I thought I was going to take my final bow, I thought of you." Newkirk raises his head so he can look at her face. "Thanks for keeping me alive."

"If you would have died," he says, "I would have been right behind you. I would never make it in this world all alone."

She plays with his sideburns. "Now neither one of us will ever have to." They gaze at one another lovingly before Newkirk lays his head back down. He stretches his arms up and holds her shoulders.

"My love for you will never die, Peter," she whispers.

"Nor mine for you, Fredricha."

The next day after lunch, an ambulance returns Freddie safely to camp. Her nose is still swollen and she is still very weak, but the doctors wanted to move her out before the Gestapo came looking for her. Nevertheless, she gladly returned to Stalag 13.

Freddie is able to get out of the ambulance under her own power, but she takes it easy. Her nose is bandaged across the bridge, and she took nine stitches in her cheek, which is also covered with gauze.

She is greeted by the men of the camp with happy cheers and shouts. Fitzgerald and Peterson try to protect her from being mauled by the well-wishers.

Freddie makes her way through the sea of faces and heads for barracks #2, where Hogan and his men are standing outside.

"There's our girl!" shouts Hogan. She stops in front of him and salutes, then is swallowed up in a bear hug from her commanding officer. "Welcome home, Freddie."

"Thank you, sir," Freddie says happily. As soon as Hogan lets her go, LeBeau and Carter both usher her inside.

Once inside, LeBeau hugs her. "It's so good to see you!" he says as he kisses her on the cheeks. "I was so worried."

"I heard you all were quite upset," she says. "Well, fear no longer, gents. I am home." Carter grins like a little boy when Freddie gives him a hug.

"How are you feeling, Freddie?" he asks.

"Better than yesterday," she replies with a kiss to his cheek, "but not as good as tomorrow."

Kinchloe, who is coming up from the tunnel, smiles when he sees Freddie.

"Hey, Freddie. How are ya?"

She gives him a hug and says, "I'm fine." She gives him a kiss on the cheek also.

"That's good. You had us all worried sick."

"Like I told Louis. You may all stop worrying now." The men laugh as she looks around for Newkirk. "Where's-"

The men respond collectively, "In your barracks." Freddie bursts out laughing.

"Thanks. You fellas are beginning to know us too well, I'm afraid." She starts for the door, but turns around and kisses Hogan on the cheek before she leaves. Hogan tries not to grin and blush.

Freddie takes it slow over to her hut. Her legs are finally feeling strong enough to support her light frame again.

She opens the door to her bunkhouse and calls softly, "Peter?" Newkirk emerges from the officers' quarters. His jaw just about hits the floor.

"Freddie..." He rushes to her and hugs her carefully. "When the ambulance didn't arrive this mornin', I started to panic." He steps back while holding her hands and looks at her. "I wasn't expectin' you to be walkin' either!"

"Are you kidding? I'd walk a million miles on bloody stumps to get to you if I had to," she says. "Nothing could ever stop me from coming back to you." He smiles as she slowly runs her hands up the front of his chest and asks, "So, are you going to kiss me like you mean it? Or do I have to go elsewhere for a little affection."

Newkirk smiles as he takes her gently into his arms, breaking into his Humphrey Bogart impression. "Lady, if you're lookin' for a little affection, you came to the wrong place. I give big affection."

"Well, in that case," she says, "I'll take all you got."

Freddie gladly welcomes his warm and tender mouth. Their lips pinch and rub together for a few seconds until she opens up to him, desperately wanting him to kiss her in his uniquely passionate style. She can feel his right hand come up and touch the side of her face just before he slides it around to the back of her neck. He doesn't want her to fall away from him as he slowly slips inside of her mouth. After 72-plus hours of physical hell, she was ready for a little heaven.

Their slippery tongues slowly caress each other in total bliss. Freddie brings her bandaged hands up around Newkirk's shoulders and pulls him closer so she can feel his body against hers. Without saying a word, they both decided that physical seperation is utter madness. He pulls his mouth away for a brief moment.

"I never wanna kiss you when you're out cold again." He pecks at her lips once more. "It frightens me too much."

"Why does it frighten you?" she asks as she kisses him again.

"It was like kissin' a dead person." Freddie smiles and strokes the outsides of his ears.

"Oh," she says. "Good reason." They share a brief laugh before they kiss deeply again. When they separate, he leads her over to her bunk and helps her climb into it.

"Here, lay down. Relax." She closes her eyes and breathes a sigh of relief as he kneels down beside her. "Feel anything different?"

"Yeah," she says. "My bed feels softer. Probably because I spent the last three days chained to a wall."

"That could have something to do with it," he says, "but while I was worried sick, Carter told me to restuff your mattress. I needed something to do to get rid of all that nervous energy."

"I appreciate it, love," she says with a kiss. "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

"However," she adds, "you left something out."

"What?" Freddie smiles and tugs at his sweater.

"You. I can't sleep unless my guardian angel's beside me." Newkirk smiles as he climbs in next to her.

"I can't sleep without you beside me either." They lay face to face, touching one another tenderly. He can't help but look at her wounds and pray that they weren't there.

"I wish I could heal you, love," he says softly, his fingers tiptoeing across her lips. "One touch of my hand, and you'd be as good as new."

"You're healing me right now, Peter," she says. "Everytime you touch me, you're healing my soul."

He smiles. "Oh, darlin'. I wish I could do more for you. I want so much to take away your pain."

"Pain is only temporary," she says with a smile. "Love is forever." Newkirk moves himself closer to her, draping his arm carefully across her hip.

"It certainly is." He fondles her hip lightly as his eyes try to telepathically heal her body. "I'm a magician. Why can't I make your bruises disappear?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day, so naturally I won't be healed in a day."

"True," he agrees, "but I'm not madly in love with an entire city. Unless, of course, you are an entire city."

"Well," she says with a devilish smile, "I didn't want to tell you, but I'm the city of London." This draws a laugh from Newkirk. "The doctor says that my concussion has caused me to become quite foggy."

Newkirk rolls onto his back as he howls with laughter. He contains himself somewhat, but he looks at her and begins laughing again.

"And," Freddie continues, "I've been bombed on more than one occasion, but German beer will do that to you."

"Stop it!" he pleads. "My stomach's killin' me!"

"Oh, alright." Newkirk once again calms himself down, but can't resist getting in joke of his own.

"So, do you wanna see the Big Ben?" Freddie screams with laughter, making him laugh, too. Slowly the giggles fade into loving gazes again.

"If I was feeling better," she says, "I'd say yes."

"I know," he says as he runs his fingers through her hair. "I know." He rolls onto his back again and asks, "Remember when I said that you should try sleepin' on me?"

"Yeah." Newkirk says no more, just looks her in the eyes and opens his arms. Freddie smiles as she carefully rolls onto him, their hearts beating aganist each other.

"Go to sleep, love," he coos. Freddie rests her head on his chest while his hands rub up and down her back. "You can rest easy now."

"Is that an order, Corporal?"

He looks down at her face and yawns, then smiles. "Yes, Sergeant. You and I could both use it."

"Yeah." Freddie rubs her hands over his chest, giving him a little squeeze before hooking them around his shoulders. "I'll meet you under the lullaby tree in Dreamland, alright?"

He smiles lazily and answers, "Yes, my love. I'm on my way." He wraps his arms around her and holds her tight. "We'll make love to one another in the green meadows of our dreams."

It isn't too long before they both fall fast asleep, dreaming of each other within the warm confines of a lover's embrace.

The End
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FanFic
The Richard Dawson Experience

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Last UpDated: 23 February 2002.
Site Copyright © 2000-2002. Lisa Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Story Copyright © 2001. Rhonda "StuntChick36" Inc., All Rights Reserved.

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Email: RichardDawsonFan@aol.com