Anna was beside herself. The three of them ran back to the entrance as quickly as possible.

"What do you mean they will not give her back?" she asked, her voice thick with fear.

"Harrison'll explain," said Hollywood, as they reached the young man. He looked terrified; his eyes locked on Anna.

"What happened?!" asked Anna, her voice frantic.

"She ran off ahead of Sam," Harrison explained, both Abe and Hollywood's eyes boring holes in him. "I think they were playing a game. He lost sight of her for a moment. Then he saw them dragging her into the church. He tried to explain, but they wouldn't listen to him, and they're not letting anyone into the church now. We went to find Tread, but he's at some important meeting with Hatcher."

"I'll go with Harry," said Hollywood. "You go on ahead with Anna."

Abe nodded, guiding Anna to the car. They jumped in and sped off down the road.

Anna was trying to stay calm, but she couldn't. Her head was spinning. She needed to get to Elli. She had to. Why did she leave her there? She should have known she couldn't trust anyone to look after her.

"Anna, we'll get her back, I promise!" said Abe as the car bounced along the road.

"I cannot lose her Abe!" she cried; her fists clenched. "She is all I have."

"You won't," he vowed, taking her hand and squeezing. "Ain't nothin' ever gonna part you two."

They said nothing else as the car surged forward, but Anna did not release her grip on him. She was terrified.

They soon arrived back in the village, grinding to a halt in front of the church.

Anna leapt out, Abe right behind her. She ran straight to Sam. "How could you lose her?" she screeched, pounding her fists on his chest.

"Anna, I'm sorry!" he said, fending her off as Abe pulled her back. "I didn't mean to! She ran where I couldn't see her!"

"Anna, she was playing!" promised Ewie from beside Sam. "They were clearly watching her!"

"Darlin', ain't no good gonna come from screamin' at Sam," he said, trying to comfort her.

Anna hung her head, giving way to tears. "I am sorry," she managed.

"It's all right," said Sam, rubbing his chest a little. "I get it." Abe lead her to the big door of the church, pounding his fist on it.

"Open up!" he bellowed, his voice harsh and authoritative. There was a scrabbling from the other side. The door opened a crack and the Priest looked out. Before he could speak, Abe barged his way in, sending the Priest to the floor.

"Abe, that's a God damned Priest!" spluttered Sam, helping the man to his feet.

"Like I give a shit," spat Abe.

Anna ran past them all, calling for Elli. "Elli! My darling! Where are you?"

"What is the meaning of this?" asked the Priest. Anna recognised him. He had come to the camp's chapel at Christmas.

"Y'all better translate," said Abe to Sam. "Tell the son of a bitch that we ain't leaving without Elli."

Sam dutifully explained to the Priest what they were looking for.

"We know who she is!" said the Priest haughtily. "But we also know who she is," he spat at Anna, who was glaring at him. "The child deserves a proper parent, not this pretender that has turned from God's grace."

As Sam began to translate, Anna dashed at the Priest, grabbing his robes in her fists. "Now you listen to me," she snarled, "you are hiding my sister from me. She is legally my charge, and I want her back."

"Anna! Let him go!" said Sam, but Abe stopped him intervening.

"Where is your proof?" asked the Priest.

"I can get it for you. But you know very well that could take weeks. And you have no authority to take her away from me." Sam continued to translate, the Priest glaring at Anna.

Abe stepped up behind her. "Tell this fucker," said Abe in a low, threatening voice, "that if he insists on hiding Elli any longer, I'll have him shot as a collaborator."

"Abe, I'm not saying that to a Priest!" said Sam.

But Anna did, her face pushed even further into his."This solider behind me says that he will have you killed as a Nazi collaborator if you don't give her back to me."

Colour drained from the priest's face. "He can't do that!"

"Yes he can," she continued. "And I'll be the one that swears I've seen you helping the SS when they have been here. You were at the Christmas service, were you not?" The priest swallowed hard, Sam listening intently to what she was saying without translating. "I never told them you were there because I figured you had no choice. But perhaps I'm remembering incorrectly."

"I didn't..."

"Only that one can understand what I'm saying," said Anna, glancing at Sam. "But the man behind me will not be so forgiving. Now go and get my God damn sister!"

She let him go, allowing him to go charging off further into the church. She looked up at Sam. He seemed slightly horrified, but she held his gaze. She had done so much worse to keep her sister safe. Why would she fall at this last hurdle?

Abe's arm wound round her shoulders as Hollywood and Harrison ran through the doors, finally catching up to them. "Did we get her back?" Hollywood asked.

"I think we're about to," he said.

The Priest returned along with another, Elli between them.

"Elli!" cried Anna, both of them running towards one another. She cradled her sister in her arms. "Why would you run out of Sam's sight?" she scolded.

Elli clung to her."I'm sorry, I was only playing!"

"What if I had lost you? What would I have done?"

"I know. I won't do it again."

Abe stepped up to the Priests, glaring at them. "Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves!" he spat, Sam translating. "Tryna separate a family like that."

"We were only thinking of the child," said the older Priest. "She needed God's guidance."

"She ain't nothing to do with you!" replied Abe, poor Sam speaking quickly to convey everything. "Stay away from them, you hear?"

When the translation finished, they nodded, bidding them to leave the church. They all did so, Anna's stomach churning. She was completely run through. Abe scooped Elli up and gave her a little telling off as Anna crouched down for a moment.

"Did you mean what you said?" asked Sam.

Anna looked up. "I don't know," she admitted. "I just wanted Elli back."

"You were willing to let him die?" he asked.

Anna now wavered to her feet. She stared at him, breathing heavily. "I hope you never have your whole life stripped from you," she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. Hollywood was listening to them, curious as to what had happened. "I hope you never experience the loss I have. But if you ever do, you'll understand how desperate I was in that moment." She stepped closer to him, Sam trying not to step away from her. "You'd know how everything else ends up paling in comparison. It's not a good way to be, I admit it. I hope I don't stay this way. But right now, I have no choice."

"What y'all sayin'?" asked Abe, coming over with Elli.

"Nothing important," sniffed Anna, holding her arms out for Elli to be handed to her. "We need to lie down." Elli wrapped herself around her, her head burrowed into Anna's shoulder. Anna gave everyone a nod, and left, continuing to soothe her sister as she carried her away.

Abe didn't protest, watching their retreating figures as they disappeared into the bakery. "What was all that?"

"He was getting at her for threatening the Priest," said Hollywood.

Sam rubbed his face with his hand. "Yes I was," sighed Sam. "But she explained that she had no other choice in the moment, and I get that."

Abe just nodded. "Let's go getta beer," he said, worn through. "I think we need it." They nodded, and headed for the bar down the street.

***

Night had set in, and Anna was lying beside Elli in the single bed they shared. She stroked Elli's hair and listened contently to the soft purr of her snoring.

Within the space of a week, she had nearly lost Elli twice. It was tearing her apart. She couldn't stand it. Is this what their life would be like forever; this constant threat of being parted? She had given up every facet of herself in order to keep Elli safe, and it could all have been for nothing.

Anna got up from Elli, now looking out of the window at the church. She opened it a crack, enjoying the cool night breeze. Women filed in its doors, and Anna couldn't help but wonder what they were doing. After a time, she had her answer.

Soft music began to travel across the road to her, the women's chorus touching her heart. She felt a pull to it. It was so odd. Unable to stop herself, she crept out of their room, down the stairs and out of the front door.

Anna wandered across the street, pulling her cardigan tight around her. She stepped into the pool of light coming from the church doorway, not brave enough to actually step inside. She stood instead, listening to the women singing. It was beautiful; so truly haunting that Anna couldn't help but feel lured towards it. Yet she could step no further. She felt so conflicted.

How could a God that inspired something as beautiful as this song also inspire people to rob her of the only person she had left? It made no sense to her. No higher power did. The comfort of an ultimate divine being had been ripped from her long ago, and the past few years had only confirmed that even if there was a God, she would hate him anyway. Yet music had always lifted her in this way, and it was difficult not to feel its power now. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought back to the last time she had heard anything like it. It had been Christmas eve; the night she had made herself a silent promise to reunite with her best friend and the man she loved. It was hopeless now.

Anna turned and leant against the cold wall, sliding to a crumpled heap on the ground. Pulling her knees to her chest, she let the tears come. She felt so desperately alone. Her dream of Karl had been right. All she had ahead of her was a lonely future. Who could she turn to now? She had no idea where Maria was, and Helga was so far away from her.

Anna was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't hear the three men around the corner. Abe, Ewie and Frenchie were chatting as they headed back to the place they were staying. They'd been drinking, all of them in high spirits. Ewie looked up and saw Anna, stopping them all. He nudged Abe whose face immediately fell.

"Anna?" Abe said gently, taking a step towards her. She looked startled as she glanced up, fiercely wiping her tears away. "You okay?"

"Yes," she said quickly. "I am just fine."

Abe wasn't convinced. He turned to the other two. "You guys go on. I'm gonna stay here for a bit."

"Abe..." began Frenchie but Ewie nodded and dragged him away as Abe went and sat beside Anna.

"You do not have to sit with me, you know," mumbled Anna.

"I know, but I wanted to." There was a small silence. Abe pulled out a cigarette for them each.

Anna glanced at him, and he smiled. "Thank you," she whispered, letting him light it for her. Another pause.

"What's got you sad, then?"

"Honestly, it does not matter."

"It certainly does matter if you're sad," he pushed. "You shouldn't have to go through whatever it is alone." She didn't respond. "Today has been really tough," he continued. "Seeing your friends, goin' to the house, this whole Elli thing... its gonna make you sad."

"For a man that is famous for saying very little, you certainly say a lot," sighed Anna. He just smiled again at her, and Anna couldn't help but soften a little bit. "Sorry," she murmured.

"There's something 'bout you that makes me wanna talk," he explained. "Don't know what... but it's there."

"I understand. I feel the same with you." Their eyes were locked, Anna scanning him. "Thank you... for helping to get Elli back."

"Any person would have done the same-"

"You keep saying things like that. And yet, it is always you that does. The others come and go, and yet here you are. Always the one by my side."

He shifted a little, clearly uncomfortable with her direct approach, even if it mirrored his own. "I guess it's just the way I am," he shrugged, "though, if my Momma ever finds out I threatened a Priest, I'm a dead man." Anna managed a smile, before they fell quiet again. "Today, you seemed so afraid." His mouth pressed into a hard line as she looked away from him. "Normally, you're so... quiet... when you're sad. And you've got so much to be sad about. But somehow, you always find a way to smile through it." He paused. "That is, until you think Elli might be taken from you. Then you look as if the world is crashing down on you. And I get it. But the idea that I would see you that sad again tore me up."

Anna didn't know what to say. Abe was an odd man. He seemed to understand her almost instantly, yet not in the same way as Hans. Hans would read people, suss them out. With Abe, it was as though he felt everything she did, even if he wasn't entirely sure what it meant.

He cleared his throat, uneasy in the silence. "So, come on. Don't leave me hanging. We have such good talks, you and me."

"I suppose that today has been very difficult," she said finally. "You are right. Elli is the one person I have left, and they tried to take her from me. I do not know what I would have done if they had succeeded."

"But they didn't!" he reminded her. "You wouldn't let them."

"I know. It is just- it made me think about the other people I had lost. I know I should not dwell on them..."

"You don't just forget people," he said quickly, their eyes meeting. "I remember the friends that this damn war has cost me. You have to give yourself time, Anna."

"I suppose."

"Do you wanna talk about them? We could swap. One of mine for one of yours."

"You first," she said, taking a long drag on her cigarette.

He took in a deep breath. "First one was on D day," he said, his big brown eyes glassing over. "Johnny. We'd been so close in our training camp days. Even when I got promoted to Sergeant and he didn't he was chuffed for me." He paused a moment. "He got shot in the air as we were landing. I saw it happen. Hardest part was when his body drifted away, and I couldn't get to him. We never recovered it."

Anna's heart panged. She appreciated his honesty. So few people spoke so earnestly, and she liked it very much; no matter how hard it was to hear.

Abe looked at her again. "Your turn."

She fumbled around in her pocket, shifting closer to him as she held the photograph in front of them. "This one," she sniffed, taking another drag as she pointed to the picture. "This is Freddie. He was the last one I lost. He tried to look out for me in the very first camp I was in. He died protecting me from the man that gave me these." She pointed to her back. "That bastard beat him black and blue and then shot him. Then he made Elli and I bury the body out of spite." She glanced at Abe whose mouth was turned down at the corners. "Your turn," she whispered.

"Erm," he began quietly. "I guess the next was Bill." His voice was low and throaty. "He was a nice kid. The youngest of us from the training camp in Georgia. He died in Market Garden. Shot in the back. I made sure his dog tags got back to his girl. He never shut up about her." He nodded to her, gesturing that it was her go.

"This is Karl," she said a lump in her throat. "He was..." She couldn't get any more words out. She just hung her head, her bottom lip trembling.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't've made you talk about them... I thought it would help."

"No, it does help," insisted Anna as they both threw their cigarettes away. "It is just hard."

Tentatively, Abe placed his hand on Anna's shoulder, squeezing it a little. It felt nice; comforting and warm.

She steadied herself enough to speak again. "Karl was my oldest friend. He was the one that got me out from the camp. He had to leave, and then died in the Ardennes offensive."

Abe stiffened. "That's why you left that first night."

She nodded.

"I'm so sorry Anna..."

"I am no fool," she assured him. "I do not blame you, any of you, for his death. Even if you had been the ones to pull the trigger, you were just carrying out orders. You would not have known him, and he would not have known you." He seemed to pull her in a little closer, Anna letting him. "Do you have another name for me?"

"None that carry the weight," he admitted. "I've still got my two closest with me; Hollywood and Sam."

She started at her picture, her fingers touching the final face lightly.

"Was this your fiancé?" he asked.

She nodded.

"What was his name?"

"Hans," she managed, her throat constricting as the word escaped. "He died with Karl."

"I'm so sorry."

A frustrated breath escaped her nostrils. "He was a complicated man. I think he is the reason I wanted to try and go inside the church a moment ago."

"Why? What made you think about him today?"

"I wanted to forgive him," she whispered. "Churches are supposed to be good places to do that. I thought if I forgave him, then I might find a little peace. But I could not."

"Why do you need to forgive him? What did he do?"

"He told me Elli had died. Then when I asked him to stay and help me, he left and took my best friend away too." There was a pause. "I do not know if it made it better or worse knowing that he still loved me when he died. It did not change his choice to leave, and it did not change mine to stay." She sniffed again, the tears falling faster. "I have thought over and over again if I could go back, would I choose differently? When I think about him, my heart breaks all over again. I hated him; I was so angry. But it would be a lie to say that I did not still want him. I miss him so much. Yet, every time, I always come to the same conclusion. I always pick Elli." She looked up at Abe, and he wiped the tears from her cheek. "I know I got what I really wanted, but it does not make their loss any less."

"Of course it doesn't," he mumbled. "But honestly, I get why you can't forgive him."

"Really?"

"I've never been in love, so I don't know how it feels. But I can't imagine being in love with someone and leaving them when they needed me most. It seems so selfish." He saw the hurt in her eyes. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't bad mouth him."

"It is not bad mouthing him to speak the truth," she assured him. "I never understood it either." There was a pause. "Reina was his baby."

"Your fiancé's?"

"That is why Ernst beat me so badly," she whispered, then corrected herself. "I mean, the Commandant. He thought she was his. When he found out she was not, he took matters into his own hands."

"Fuck me," breathed Abe. "Did Hans know?"

Anna shook her head. "I never got to tell him," she murmured. "I do not think telling him would have changed my mind about him. I thought it might have, but now, even though he is gone, I still just feel betrayed." She looked up at him desperately. "Do you think it will ever go away?"

"I don't know," sighed Abe. "You've been through so much. I don't know how you kept going at all. It's amazing that you did."

"Thank you." Another pause.

"I hate that you're so sad," he continued. "I wish I could take it all away."

"You are, in your own way. Thank you for helping me... again."

"Any time."

"Why though? Why do you help me so much? You barely know me."

"Because you are the kindest, most courageous person I've ever met!" he said quickly, Anna's heart pounding. He cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed. "Knowing what you have suffered, and then seeing you hold your head up and high and always choose to be good... you make me wanna be better."

"That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me."

"Well, I mean it," he confirmed. "I'm grateful to know you."

Anna sniffed again. "Now you are making me cry for another reason," she smiled, and he grinned back at her. She reached forward and hugged him, Abe responding slowly. "You are a kind and courageous person too," she whispered before she pulled back.

He helped her to her feet, squeezing her hand again. "Can I come and check on you tomorrow morning?"

"Why do you ask permission?"

"You might not want some random man getting in your way."

"You are not some random man," she mumbled. That made his grin grow further. "See you tomorrow morning," she said, then dashed back into the house.

He turned, beginning his journey back to the house, his head still fixed on this strange woman who had so completely captured his attention.