KOCH'S POV

(P.s assume the dialogue is in whatever language makes sense for that scene bc I don't wanna go through and underline and bold)

November 28th 1936. Warsaw, Poland

"Come on, Ania, you can do this," Antoni urges Ania.

"Why am I so big?!" Ania cries

"I think you're going to have twins!" I exclaim, smiling. I'm so excited to be an uncle.

Antoni rubs Ania's forehead. "Breathe, breathe,"

"I can't believe I'm having my children in a god damn farmhouse basement with my husband and his brother watching."

"I can leave the room if you want," I say.

She shakes her head. "No, no you have to deliver them. You have medical training,"

"Only for gunshot wounds!"

"Just deliver the damned babies!"

"Fine, fine," I mumble. "Is it okay if I look?"

"Don't you have to look to deliver?"

"I'm being polite, thank you," I say, peeking under her dress. "I don't like looking up my sister-in-law's dress."

"JUST DELIVER THE DAMN CHILDREN!"

"You have to be dialated!"

"I guess I'll start pushing!" Ania grabs Antoni's hand and squeezes.

"Oh god, no, wait" I mumble, picking up a towel. "We're going to need to get rid of this bed,"

"Yeah, there will be blood stains all over it." Antoni adds.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTHS I'M TRYING TO BRING NEW LIFE TO THE WORLD!"

Antoni and I both shut up. I think she maybe is actually all the way dilated.

Oh, she's crowning.

I guess she's ready.

"Okay, push every fifteen seconds!" I say, getting ready to pull the baby out once its shoulders come out.

Ania pushes and a little more the head comes.

She pauses and pushes.

And pushes.

And pushes.

It looks like the baby is stuck, so I gently grab it by the head and pull.

The baby slips out more.

She pushes again and the rest of the baby comes out.

"We have a little boy!" I grin, cutting his cord with some medical scissors and wrapping the screaming baby in a blanket.

"THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING!" Ania screams.

"PUSH!"

She does.

And does.

And does.

Until baby number two is out.

"A girl!" I smile, cutting the cord and once again putting her in a blanket.

"Aw, twins!" Antoni says. "We have little twins!"

"No, no there's another, I feel it, I'm not done." Ania cries.

"Oh! Oh okay, keep going and don't you worry."

She eventually has another little girl.

Cord cut. Wrap in blanket.

They're all small babies. Really small, actually. Probably about four or five pounds each. I worry that they'll need real medical attention soon.

She did have triplets, though.

"Ania, Ania listen, you cannot stand up for a few days. Don't walk or get out of bed. You need to rest and not pht stress on your lower region." I tell her, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Okay, okay I won't." She replies, laying back.

After I think Ania is stable enough to be left for a few minutes, Antoni and I quickly take the babies upstairs and clean them up and dress them warmly.

I put the boy on Ania's chest and she smiles weakly. "I have a little boy,"

Antoni holds the two girls. "I love them so much,"

"Which one was the second and which was the third?" I ask. I lost track.

"This one on the left is the second," he nods to her. "I gave her a purple blanket. The third one has a white one."

I nod. "Do you know what names?"

Antoni looks at Ania. "We talked about naming a boy Jakub..."

My eyes go wide. "Really?!"

"Yeah, after you, brother."

"You don't have to,"

"I do, you just delivered him for Gods sake!"

"His name will be Jakub Nowak." Ania nods. "I like the name Jania for a girl,"

"Me too!" Antoni agrees. "The third looks like a Jania." He smiles. "She just has that look on her face."

They both look to me. "Well, have any ideas?"

I put my hand on my neck. "I like the name Julia..."

"Great! The 2nd one is Julia." Antoni hands me the purple bundle.

"Welcome to the world, little one." I smile to her. "I'm sorry it isn't a good place right now. So much violence and war. It will be better, someday, Julia. Someday."

November 20th, 1937, Warsaw Poland

"Wilhelm, please, take them. They're coming!" Ania pleads.

"Why can't they stay here? We can say they're German!" I beg.

Antoni shakes his head. "It's not safe anymore! Take them! Now!"

"Where!?"

"France, England, Sweden, hell even the United States if you can. Get them somewhere safe!"

I look to the three children in the corner, all babbling in their triplet speak. I don't know how I'd even begin to get three one-year-olds to an entirely different country when there's a huge war. "I dont know if I can!"

"TAKE THEM!"

"How am I supposed to?"

"A train? A plane? Walking? A car?"

"I..."

"HURRY AND TAKE THEM! I DON'T WANT THEM BEING KILLED!"

Shit, shit, okay.

I guess I'll have to figure out how to get on a train with the polish triplets.

"Go, now, before someone comes and finds them." Antoni says calmly. "I even packed a bag for them. Clothes and shoes and diapers."

I frown. "What if I never see them again?"

"You will, trust me. We will too. Someday." Antoni pats my back. "Go,"

I choke back tears and walk over to the children. Julia stands up and hugs my leg.

I lean over and pick her up. "We're going on a special trip. Us four. Mommy and daddy can't go, but you'll see them again someday." I tell them. "Come on, lets go,"

Jakub latches onto my leg and I pick up Jania with my other arm. I somehow manage to shuffle over to the stroller and put Jania and Jakub in.

Ania hands me a backpack and a baby carrier that straps to your front. I hand Julia to Ania.

Ania kisses Julia's face all over and begins to cry. "I love you babies, but I have to, I have no choice. You need to be safe." She hands me Julia and I put her in the carrier.

Ania leans over and kisses Jakub and Jania. "I'll see you again someday," she wipes her face.

Antoni does the same. Kisses them and says goosbye.

"Mommy loves you." She whispers to them.

"Daddy loves you so, so much." Antoni wipes away a tear. "I'll see you soon..."

November 27th, 1937. Paris, France

Don't ask me how I did it, but I managed to get three infants across actively combating countries countries.

I just did.

There was a lot of trains, yelling, and running.

The route was the hardest to plan. I took them through Poland, into Germany, across Netherlands, passed through Belgium, and landed in Paris.

While on my journey, I asked around and found that Cookeville Orphanage is the nicest and most reliable.

So, I drag myself and the children to the doorstep and knock loudly.

Soon, a frail looking middle aged woman opens the door. "Yes?"

"I, um, these children need help."

"I'm sorry, we cannot except anymore children..."

"Please! Please, they cannot stay in Poland!"

"They're Polish?"

I nod. "Please, I dont want them killed, I'm their uncle."

"Where are their parents?"

"They're dead..." I lie. I can't tell anyone that they're spies.

The woman looks at the three small children and sighs. "Come inside."

"Thank you so, so much," I smile. "Thank you."

She leads me to a parlor. "Names?"

"Vincent, Violette, and Velvet."

"Birthdates?"

"November 28th, 1936."

The woman glances at them. "They are...triplets?"

I nod. "Yes, please, take them," I repeat. "They're all I have and I couldn't live with myself if they died."

"Calm down, calm down, we will take good care of them, I promise."

"Juli- I mean Violette is the one with the little pink dot under her left eye. Do you see it?" I point to it.

The woman nods. "Yes. I see. Do they respond to their names yet?"

"I... I um, we, uh..."

"Sir, are you okay?"

"They're Polish and I had to rename them! They can't have their Pollack names, they'll be killed and they're only babies!"

"Okay, okay, take a deep breath, sir. I promise we will take care of them."

"They don't know their French names yet, please dont tell anyone they're Poles,"

"Here, monsieur, we can tell them a little fib to keep them safe."

I nod. "Please!"

"Okay, today is November the 27th? We can tell them that that's their birthday. And their parents couldn't afford them so they dropped them off here so they could have a better chance?"

"Great, yes. Sounds good,"

"Okay, yes, what's your name?"

"Wilhelm Koch."

"Okay Wilhelm, we will take amazing care of your neices and nephew, I promise."

I feel tears start to roll down my dirty face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you,"

She nods comfortingly and pats my back. "I understand how it feels."

"Thank you,"

"You may say goodbye as long as you need to," Madame Martin turns and walks into another room.

I look down at the three small children. I love them more than anything, but this is what's best.

I pick up Jakub/Vincent and kiss his forehead. "I love you, I'll always think of all the times we were mischievous together."

He smiles and kisses my cheek.

"You were your dad's little side kick." I slowly set him down.

I scoop up Jania/Velvet. "You're my little queen, Jania. You're high maintenance but you deserve nothing less."

She giggles.

"Your mommy loved to dress you up, baby." I set her down.

"Oh, and my little Julia. You're my best friend in the world." I pick her up. "You and I did everything together and I loved every second."

She laughs. "Daa!"

"Oh, my sweet baby. I'm sorry that I have to go." I wipe my eye. "I'll see you soon, I promise."

It's never been a secret that she's my favorite.

She furrows her little eyebrows . "Da?"

"Yeah, I have to go, I'm sorry."

She shakes her head.

"Yes, I need to. It's for your own good."

"Na!"

I set her down. "I need to leave!"

"Na!" Her eyes well up with tears as she grabs onto my leg.

"Please. Let go," I sigh. "Don't make it harder than it already is."

She hugs my leg tightly. "Ba!"

"Yes, goodbye, my baby. I love you oh so much." I wipe my eyes once again.

I turn and quickly walk out, wiping my face.

I see Julia/Violette running, well, crawling toward me.

"Please, let me leave, I'll be back soon. Before you even know it."

She looks at me with her big green eyes and starts to cry her little eyes out.

I shake my head and quickly run out of the brick building.

I'll see her again someday.

November 27th 1940. Paris, France

I glance around before knocking on the orphanage door.

The same frail woman from years ago answers. She looks like she's so, so tired.

"How many kids?" She tiredly asks in German.

"No, Madame, it's me, Wilhelm Koch. I gave up triplets around three years ago." I say. "Please, are they alive?"

"The triplets?" She asks.

I nod. "Little red headed girls and a blonde boy,"

She steps aside and I step in. It looks the exact same as it did three years ago.

We sit at a table.

"I don't usually let soldiers in here," she mumbles.

I lower my voice. "Remember? I'm Polish. They're polish. I'm their uncle."

Her eyes widen. "Oh, yes, of course. Why are you here? Why are you a soldier?"

"I'm here because I was stationed here. Trust me, I went through hell for just a chance to be here."

"Yes, okay, soldier?"

"I was drafted. I have absolutely no Nazi ideals, I promise. I hate Hitler and I hate the agenda."

"You know today is their birthday?" She smiles.

"Their birthday was tomorrow, the 28th?"

"Hush, remember the agreement we made? We tell them a fib. It will hurt them less."

"Oh, yes, I remember." I nod. "Are they alive?"

She nods solumly. "Barely. Our little Vincent was pistol whipped last week, he still has a big bump on his head. And Velvet, poor thing, she sprained her ankle yesterday."

"How's Violette?" I ask

"Oh, she seems okay. She's always getting hurt, it's nothing new. That girl has a little mouth on her. Always talking back and she's so clumsy!"

"Where are they? Can I see them?"

"They're outside," she stands up and ushers me to the back door.

"Triplets, come here please!" The woman calls.

I see a two little manes of red hair stand up and run over. Violette and Velvet. Violette is slightly smaller and still has the birthmark under her eye. It's faintly visible now. It'll be gone within the next couple of years.

"Where is your brother?" The woman asks.

Velvet shrugs. "He was inside with Monseuir doing school."

"Ah, okay, let me get him." The woman smiles. "This is a very good man, let him speak to you." She disappears up the stairs.

I crouch down and look at them. "Hello, my name is Wilhelm Koch. You may call me Wilhelm if you like," I smile.

Violette refuses eye contact. She stares at her feet.

"I'm here to protect you, okay? I'll never ever hurt you."

Velvet points to the swastika on my sleeve. "Bad."

I shake my head. "I'm only pretending to be a bad guy so I can protect you. I don't like to hurt people,"

They both stay silent.

"Violette and Velvet are your names, yeah?"

Velvet nods. "I'm Velvet, not Violette. People confuse us a lot because we look the same."

"Yes, I see that. Identical."

"Identical?" Velvet asks.

"Yes, that means you look the exact same as each other. That's very special, you know. Not very many people have an identical twin."

"We aren't twins, we're triplets." Velvet crosses her thin arms.

"Yes, but when you're born at the same time and you look the same, you're identical twins, even if you have a brother aswell. You're identical twins and he's your triplet brother."

"Oh, I understand, sir." Velvet remarks.

"You don't have to call me sir, Velvet." I smile.

She hugs me. "I'm happy you're here to protect us, Wilhelm!"

I can already sense their personalities. It seems that Velvet is very trusting and social. Perhaps an extrovert. Violette has yet to say a word to me. She's the shy one.

"Today is our birthday." Violette blurts.

I'm slightly taken aback that she spoke.

I nod. "I know, I still have to buy you all some presents. I haven't had time to get them yet."

She doesn't look up. "Madame Martin is going to make a cake for us. It's really special because cake is expensive to make and it takes a long time."

"Yes, she's right."

"She says we're lucky because were getting a cake."

"You are,"

"I like cake. I had it one time last year for my birthday and it was really sweet."

"Good, Violette!" I put my hand on her shoulder. "Tell me, what do you want for your birthday?"

"To be adopted." She says quietly.

"Oh, my poor Violette. I can't get that for you. Do you want chocolate or a teddy bear or some blocks or any sort of toy?"

Velvet climbs onto my back like a backpack. "I want a doll!"

I laugh and nod. "Okay, I can see what I can get. Violette? Do you know what you want?"

She shakes her head.

Poor girl. She just wants parents.

I'll do my damndest to be her parent.

"Come on, Violette." Velvet sneers.

"I want a new blanket and a teddy bear." She mumbles. "My blanket has so many holes in it and it isn't warm. My teddy bear was ruined by some mean men who ripped him apart."

"Violette that's two things!" Velvet cries.

"You may also pick two things, Velvet."

"Yay!" She squeals. "I want two dolls!"

"Okay," I make a mental note. Two dolls. A blanket. A teddy bear. "Velvet, you must get off me now, I need to see Vincent."

She climbs off. "Bye, Wilhelm! It was nice to meet you!"

"And you, Velvet." I grin.

"Goodbye, Koch." Violette looks up for the first time.

"I'll see you later, Violette." I discretely wipe a tear.

My poor children.