Waking up to the quiet sounds of the door opening and shutting, Liesel decided to remain laying motionless, with her eyes shut. It wasn't until she got tapped on the forehead that she cracked an eye open and looked around, albeit bleary eyed with sleep. Being still half buried in the pillow, she just blinked her one visible eye slowly. Desperately trying to get the sleep out, and wake up. It didn't seem to work because her eye did slide shut and didn't open again until something caught her attention. Food, or more specifically the smell of toast. A rather specific smell, but one which caused Liesel's eyes to open and for her to press herself promptly up onto her hands. Seeing as how she was laying on her stomach, suddenly shooting up caused a rather painful cracking sound to come from her spine as she clicked it. Through being temporarily being in pain, Liesel was rather aware to Erik crouching by the bedside, one arm lazily draped over his knee, while the other held a plate aloft. It seemed he had taken advantage to the words: 'free breakfast for no extra charge.'

Swinging into a cross legged position, Liesel quickly yanked up the neckline of her baggy t-shirt and smiled warmly. "Morning!"

"For someone who was in pain moments ago, you seem rather happy." Erik stated while relinquishing the plate to her hands, which she accepted with twitching fingers. He simply stood afterwards and turned to sit beside her.

"Breakfast in bed...what woman wouldn't be happy over that?" Liesel asked while nibbling on the corner of a slice of toast. "Tell me, is there hot chocolate lurking somewhere too?"

"How about burnt coffee?" Erik leaned back on his hands and looked at her, he couldn't help but smile as she pulled a face.

"Would rather decent coffee."

"I don't think they know the meaning of the word here."

"You chose this place." Liesel pointed out rather blatantly with a slice of toast. She let out a whine though as it was simply plucked from her fingers.

"Didn't you ever get taught about sharing, Liesel?"

"Sharing is caring..." Liesel mumbled to herself and smiled at him. Erik frowned worriedly when she just continued to smile and even nod at him.

"What?" He decided that as soon as he asked he may have regretted doing so.

Liesel just shrugged, she would openly opt to share with someone she really cared for. She was rather sure anyone else stealing breakfast from her would get a lot more than just a whine sent their way, but not Erik. With toast in hand she stood and stretched. It was an action which caused her joints to pop and click and for her to wince slightly over it. She had always had problems with her joints since she was young. Stunted growth really didn't do any favours for her. Turning she shrugged again, "Nothing." Leaning down she plucked some clothes from her bag and shuffled her way over to the bathroom, still eating and just finishing as she walked into the room. Placing the bundle down on the counter near the sink, she put a hand to the door and pushed it shut quietly. Walking out tucking a creamy coloured shirt into a pair of loose legged trousers, she reached behind herself and managed to get rid of the bed hair she had been sporting for the last few minutes. "Plan?" Liesel pulled on a pair of ankle boots as soon as she reached the bed. Proper shoes were so not going to do her any favours for today. She could tell; there was going to be a lot of walking involved.

With a sigh Erik stood and shrugged, she looked at him dumbly. "I inquired downstairs and got very little results. It seems that you were perhaps right."

"Yes! It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it always shocks me!"

"No pun intended." Erik rolled his eyes as she double took and laughed quietly over the rather pathetic pun.

"Wait a minute...what exactly did you ask?" Liesel asked sceptically seemingly automatically thinking the worst.

"Well I certainly didn't approach him questioning his whereabouts at certain times. Nor if he was stationed anywhere we had been." Erik replied while frowning down at her. She could at least give him some points for being discreet. Apparently not. Though she did look relieved that he hadn't just blatantly walked up to an old man and asked outright if he was a part of the Nazi regime.

"Right...so?"

"Do you believe in coincidences?"

"Hm...maybe, I mean...I've come across many to not believe in them, why?" Liesel tied up her hair and started looking around at her scattered belongings. Tilting her head to the side, she slowly frowned. Was there a need to bring what little she had with her? Be fair she did like some of the clothes within the little bag...shaking her head, she looked back up when she realised she was being spoken to.

"A man," Erik repeated slowly when he saw he had got her attention again. "He comes to the newsagents across the road, every other day at eleven to collect a newspaper. One day the man downstairs was in there too and overheard a conversation."

Liesel smiled slowly, "This other man dropped the secret of visiting elsewhere, didn't he?"

"It seems there was a reunion of some sort that he was most intrigued about."

"Intrigued or excited?"

"Both?" Erik mused and placed his hands in the pockets of his light tan coloured trousers. Looking around the room he nodded slowly. "You've always been apt at stealth."

"You're sending a lamb to slaughter." Liesel plainly stated catching on instantly. It seemed that Erik thought that by complimenting her, she'd openly accept doing something. She usually did...only, walking into a den of evil was not really what she wanted to do.

"Only this lamb can fight back with destructive force." He smiled down at her, Liesel narrowed her eyes slowly.

"This lamb won't be able to find any information out, if it knocks out or accidentally kills everyone present."

"Time to learn some level of control then."

"I hate you." Liesel muttered while frowning up at him.

"No you don't. If you did you'd have shot me through a wall for stealing some of your breakfast. Now come on, stop standing there sulking we do have work to do."

"We? What's this we?" Liesel followed him around the room with a slight glare. So far all she could tell was that she was doing most of the work.

"Who exactly do you think is going to be watching over you if things get tough?"

"Wait, if you're watching me following this guy...then why aren't you coming too?" Liesel had to ask as she came to an abrupt stop and stepped back to avoid walking straight into him when he suddenly turned and looked at her.

"You're a lot less intimidating if you get found out."

"Lamb to slaughter," she reaffirmed with a heavy sigh.

"I will watch you as far as I can, but someone needs to speak to this newsagent. If this other guy has said anything else to him, then we need to know."

"You are better at speaking than me...I'll give you that." Liesel admitted with defeat. Looking up suddenly when her shoulders were lightly clasped onto, she looked up at him with confusion.

"Do not follow him into anywhere, any building, any thing. This is information gathering. We don't want to be walking into something we may have to fight our way out of." Erik said firmly before patting her shoulders one last time before walking past her.

"So...we're going to be here longer than planned then, huh?" Liesel smiled as she turned and looked over at him. He seemed so adamant that they weren't going to be. Yet with the plan as it was...it seemed like this could be a drawn out thing.

Erik smiled as he looked over at her from his position near the window. "Still doesn't mean you can go sightseeing."

Her happy face fell slowly as she looked at him blankly. Crossing her arms firmly over her chest she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and even pouted slightly childishly. "One day, one day we will go somewhere and we will. Mark my words, Erik, one day. One day when we don't need to hunt someone out, one day where we don't need to mingle and stalk for answers and information, one day we will go somewhere and just enjoy it for what it is."

"Sounds ideal." He replied somewhat dryly.

"You're boring, live a little. Look past this mission you've set out for ourselves and try and find something to do after it's done with." Liesel commented while swinging her handbag strap over her shoulder as she walked to the door.

"Be careful," Erik looked at her with a sidelong look as she stopped in the doorway and looked back at him with a slowly growing smile. "And try not to get caught. If you're not back by six, I'm coming to find you."

"Oh hide and seek, sounds like fun." Liesel shrugged with a grin.

"I'm being serious." He frowned and narrowed his eyes at her as he turned to look at her fully.

"I know...and I will be, if I spy any trouble, I'll run and you'll be the first and only person to know about it." She waved at him as she stepped back and shut the door slowly and disappeared from view.

She hadn't been too long into her walk, before she had grown bored and had started humming away to herself. Her humming soon grew, and eventually she walked quietly singing to herself. "Dornröschen war ein schönes Kind. Schönes Kind, schönes Kind. Dornröschen war ein schönes Kind. Schönes Kind." Liesel sung as she quickly crossed the street and skipped slightly along. From the people about, who heard her, sent her odd looks. Her quiet singing wasn't going amiss, but she didn't particularly care. If she was going to stalk this man, who looked about sixty, maybe late fifties, you know what; she didn't even know. She just knew that he had grey hair and seemed to be walking as if he was on a mission.

When he suddenly stopped and looked behind himself, Liesel just continued on her way on the other side of the street. Her hands were outstretched slightly as she walked along, eyes downcast but flicking up to look at him now and again. Frowning when he seemed to turn into a park, Liesel faltered. Slapping her hands to her sides she frowned, what the heck was she meant to do now? Even from here she could see that the park wasn't well covered. There didn't seem to be many trees, or bushes. So basically hiding was out of the question if she walked over and followed him.

"Dornröschen, nimm dich ja in acht. Ja in acht, ja in acht. Dornröschen, nimm dich ja in acht. Ja in acht." She continued on as she sat herself down opposite on a bench. Reclining slightly she picked up the abandoned newspaper beside her. She seemed to be waiting for a bus to those who walked past her. But really she was peering over the top of the paper in her hands. Narrowing her eyes she flicked the paper and turned the page. She could see the man sitting on a bench too, under one of the few trees which seemed present. Liesel frowned up at the sky. This place needed more cover. The sun was so hot, even at such an early time of the day. She groaned rather loudly, and got worried looks shot her way.

How was she going to survive in this heat for most of the day? Shaking her head and straightening up she watched as her man met another man and seemed to briefly talk. It seemed like a rather short to the point conversation because no sooner had it started had it ended. Throwing the paper to the side, Liesel stood and shuffled along the road again. She started to falter though when the streets seemed to fade and countryside started to creep in. Tilting her head, she looked over her shoulder before looking forwards again. Even now she could see her man walking rather briskly into a wooded path that seemed to wind up and into the countryside surrounding them. Liesel bit her lip and ran forwards. She looked both ways as she darted across the road, she continued to run all the way up to the point where she had last seen the man. Looking past a tree she watched him go. He didn't falter, and he continued on a straight looking path. Liesel looked back the way she came, something was really not sitting right.

Truthfully; she thought this man would just return to his home. No way was his home out here. Not unless he lived in a tree. Or a log cabin. Liesel's eyes widened at the last thing. "Villa." She muttered and pushed away from the tree she was hiding behind. With slow quiet steps she followed him. She continued to follow him for another half hour, perhaps forty minutes until she stopped on an outcrop and looked down. "Da kam die böse Fee herein. Fee herein, Fee herein. Da kam die böse Fee herein, Fee herein." Bad fairy indeed, Liesel thought before looking to a tree beside her. Clicking her fingers quietly she placed two fingers together before reaching for the trunk. With a steady spark she scratched a mark into the bark. "Sorry," she apologised to the tree before turning and walking away. She needed to mark something, though the destination was rather clear seeing as how it was right there. It wasn't likely to disappear and move, yet she would see the mark before the actual structure when she showed the way back later.

Later, Liesel shook her head. Who was she kidding, there would be no 'later'. She smiled at the man behind the reception desk as she walked back into the building about an hour or so later. Despite rushing back to the central town, she had actually dawdled to look about. Opening the door she shut it quietly and walked over to the bed. She fell on it and wiggled about while kicking her boots off. She laid in silence, it was so silent and peaceful. She took the moments of being alone to just drift off into herself before the door opened a few minutes later and she was rather rudely moved. Her legs got picked up and then placed back down. She had fallen diagonally on the bed, there was no way for Erik to sit down beside her when she was like that. Suddenly having her legs in his lap meant he got a comfortable seat, and she didn't actually need to move. Though she did, she rolled over and curled into herself before sighing and sitting up. Running a hand down her face, she was rather glad it was cool in this room. 

"So?" Erik asked after a few more moments of silence passed.

Liesel frowned and looked at her hand before looking at him. "I found it." He looked at her interestedly then, he had just been staring at the opposite wall. "He actually went there." Liesel's eyes unfocused as she zoned out, she blinked slowly and came back to reality when she felt a hand on her forehead. She managed to look to the side only to lean back, she hadn't realised in his attempt to see if she had perhaps caught the sun too much, Erik had leaned closer.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Details Liesel, please tell me you took at least a little notice to it." Erik removed his hand and moved off of the bed. He disappeared into the bathroom and appeared a few moments later with a flannel in hand. Sitting back at her side he held it out to her, when she looked a little perplexed he placed it to her forehead. With his other hand he took a hold of her wrist and made her hold the flannel to her head.

"It's near a lake."

"Fancy doing some fishing, Liesel?" Erik leaned back against the headboard beside her with his arms crossed.

She laughed shortly and shook her head. "Was more thinking of going for a swim actually."

At this he just gave a nod, "Would you be able to?" He looked down at her sadly. Liesel shook her head again with a saddened look. She could barely deal with a sink full of water, or the sea, a lake was a no go too.

"How about a paddle?" She joked.

"Would still involve getting close to water." Erik pointed out and frowned suddenly. "Tangent."

"Sorry, Erik." Liesel removed the flannel and leaned her head back. Looking up at the ceiling she flicked her eyes to the side. "It's just a normal looking building. I didn't get too close, because I didn't want to risk being seen...and you asked me not to. If it wasn't full of complete bastards, I would say it was a nice place to be."

"Language."

"Sorry, again." Liesel shut her eyes.

The moment of parent scolding passed as he mused over what she had said. "So it's just a regular villa?"

"Seems that way." She replied quietly. Opening her eyes she looked to him, "It's backed up to some trees though. Wouldn't say a forest, but definitely a small wood of some sort. There would naturally be a back exit, and if anyone tries to flee they'll probably go there."

"They won't escape."

"Won't give them the chance, hm?"

"You've got it in one." Erik patted his knees and slowly made to move off of the bed. "Be ready to leave in five, Liesel." He looked over his shoulder at her, she smiled and saluted him. She shut her eyes for a moment before sighing and leaning forwards. Rubbing her eyes, she peered through her fingers and frowned with confusion as Erik seemingly took to rummaging about in his bag for a change of clothes. He didn't answer her look, he merely turned and walked briskly towards the bathroom again.

Turning the flannel over in her hands she threw it onto the bedside table. Pulling her bag close, she had a hunt for something lighter. The only thing she really had was her yellow dress she wore back in Paris. With a shrug she glanced at the bathroom, seeing as how he was still in there she rapidly tugged her clothes off and slipped the dress on. At least it was sleeveless! She cursed herself for not wearing it earlier. Digressing she tugged the same black socks on too and shot up to stand as Erik appeared out of the bathroom. He looked over her change of attire, even when she hopped about tugging her boots back on.

Once back on both feet she tied her hair up again and smiled. "Nice hat, I'm jealous."

Erik tipped the off white fedora at her before picking up a creamy coloured jacket from his luggage. In truth he dressed all in colours which would naturally reflect the overbearing sun outside. Liesel held in an irritated sigh, someone clearly thought wisely about their wardrobe; unlike her.

"Ready?" She asked instead while looking about herself, plucking a cardigan from her luggage she flung it over her shoulder. She doubted she'd need it, but she could always hide under it if the sun got to be too much. That or steal Erik's hat.

"Lead the way, by all means."

"Follow the leader, how fun!" Liesel all but rudely jumped onto the bed and ran across it before jumping to the floor with a thud and darting out of the room. Erik rolled his eyes at her moment of childishness but followed after her silently. He met her again in the corridor where she was rocking on her heels. Turning she clasped her hands behind her back and walked briskly down the corridor and out of the building. "Say," Liesel fell back in line to his side. "How exactly are we going about this?"

"What do you mean?"

"We're just going to walk in there...all casual like?" Liesel looked confused.

"Well we're certainly not parting ways and making our own entrances." Erik replied but the thought of the rear exit to the building had him double guessing. He shook the thought out of his head. He didn't really want her to part ways from him now, not with the people who were within the building. He did not doubt her ability to fight back, far from it, it was just security. He genuinely felt she'd be safer beside him right now than watching the rear exit, or entering the building through it. It seemed though that was the correct answer because Liesel smiled up at him before pointing across the street, indicating they had to cross over. He simply followed her lead, she clearly knew where she was going so he didn't really need to question her about it.

Though he did look sceptical when her path led up into the hills, he frowned at her and simply got a smile from her. He frowned even more when she said it was like the perfect setting for a picnic. He shook his head at that, any chance for something recreational and she'd be totally up for it.

"Here," she placed a hand on his arm and tugged him by the wrist gently up another hill before stopping by a tree. The tree wasn't alone, the others surrounding it seemed to link and round off to the back of the wooden building at the end of the hill. Liesel looked up at Erik as he assessed the building. She could openly admit she was still surprised it was as big as it was. She was honestly expecting a log cabin. Not something which was effectively a house. Shaking her head she let Erik lead the way down, she followed him slowly. "Erik?" Liesel whispered, he stopped and turned in mid-descent of the hill. "Can I admit something to you?"

"Now?"

"It's a little important."

He looked at the villa from over his dark glasses and then at her. Nodding slowly he moved back up and stood in front of her. "What is it?"

"I'm scared." She whispered, she wasn't one for admitting to such things. But crossing paths with people like that, it caused something in her stomach to churn. It wasn't until she mused about this that she figured she was afraid. They were all old men by now, or at least middle aged, but regardless she was still frightened. Naturally it didn't bode well for when they would eventually cross paths with Schmidt. That was fear beyond fear, if there was such a thing.

Taking one hand out of his pocket, and lowering the other from where it rested against his shoulder with his jacket flung over it, he placed both on her shoulders. "You are not going into this alone. I am by your side, Liesel. Though the moment we walk through the door, to when we leave, I am going to be with you." He said sternly while she looked at him with worried eyes. "Ja?"

"Ja."

"Better?"

"Somewhat." Erik nodded at this reply, holding out his arm he allowed her to link hers with it before picking up walking again. Leading her down the hill, she seemed more hesitant once on level ground as the villa. Yet she picked up her feet and walked beside him with a frown slowly forming on her face.

----

(Sleeping Beauty:

Sleeping Beauty was a pretty child,
A pretty child, a pretty child,
Sleeping Beauty was a pretty child,
Pretty child.
Sleeping Beauty, oh beware,
Oh beware, oh beware,
Sleeping Beauty, oh beware,
Oh beware.
There came the bad fairy,
Bad fairy, bad fairy,
There came the bad fairy,
Bad fairy.

----

Edited: 7/June/2019

Reedited: 16/August/2021