Tap. Freya watched the soldier set his glass of water down as all four of them sat around a table at a nearby bar. Roger sipped on something that Freya wouldn't approve of while Axel sat next to her, staring at his glass of water and deep in thought. She rested her hand around her own glass of water, the coldness from the ice seeping into her skin.

"For you two, the names Ace." The soldier nodded toward Freya and Axel. Then, he turned back to Roger. "What brings you back in this mess of a city?"

Roger set his glass down and cleared his throat, getting straight to the point. "It's a long story. Uhm..." His eyes clouded and he looked over at Freya, tilting his head toward Axel. Freya nodded reassuringly.

"This man here..." Roger patted Axel's shoulder, "Is a German Paratrooper who fell out of his plane. He needs to get back to Germany. We were hoping you could give us a ride."

Ace stared at Axel, who calmly stared back. Ace chuckled, shaking his head as he sipped on his water and set the glass back down.

"Sure," Ace laughed. "You fell out of your plane, what'ya do? Trip?" He scoffed, looking at Axel, who just shrugged.

"Yes." Axel replied, completely serious as he met the exasperated gaze of the pilot.

Ace blinked, taken aback as he saw the seriousness in all three of their eyes. "Your kidding, right?" He looked at Axel. "Your a German soldier? You know I could turn you in right now."

"Please, please don't." Freya interrupted. "It hasn't been easy and we don't need more trouble. We just were open to the idea of trying to get to Germany with help. We know that you can fly and we don't expect you to do more." She added softly, eyes pleading as she stared at the pilot.

Ace blinked, sighing as he stood up and pushed his chair in. "You all have good interests at heart. But i'm not going to get involved with helping the enemy. I don't want to be part of this. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor," Ace shook his head, walking over to the bar counter and placing the glass on it, "I took it personnel. They attacked my country. The Germans have allied with Japan. I won't get involved." He stated calmly, returning to the table and standing behind the pushed in chair.

Roger looked up at Ace, "I know how you feel. The Germans attacked us. But Axel," He turned and looked at Axel, "Axel is different. He never even wanted to be in the war."

Axel smiled a little, nodding. "That's true." He looked up at the pilot. "I...understand. I'm the enemy." He replied to Ace.

Freya nodded. "If you don't want to help, its understandable."

Ace sighed, looking around the empty bar. "Look, kids, it's not that I don't want to help. It falls into many different reasons. Flying into enemy territory isn't safe, I can't just fly alone. We'd get shot down before we could even get over there." He stated. "I've already lost a lot of men to this war. I don't want to go on a suicide mission to save the enemy."

Roger stood up, pushing his chair in. "Thanks Ace. I just wanted to check. Is there any way we could get into Germany?" He asked.

"Well, yes."

"How?"

Ace paused, thinking while he reached his hand up and placed it on his chin. "You could come with me to the base and from there I may be able to get you on a specific plane. Or, you could take a ship there. Perhaps there are a few cruises still around, I don't know what you kids like." He adjusted his uniform a little, pulling out a few wrinkles. "But I can't guarantee you all safety."

Roger smiled, nodding. "Well, that works. Thanks. Which would be faster?"

"Plane." Axel answered Roger's question.

"Then plane it is." Freya finished happily, standing up and pushing her chair in.

The waiter walked by and Ace fished a few dollars from his pocket, handing it to the waiter. The waiter, satisfied, walked away.

Axel joined the three as they all walked outside, into the darkness of night. Walking through the dark, staying close to each other because the street lights were damaged, the four made their way down the street. Roger fell in step with Ace and they began talking so Freya fell back with Axel.

Freya looked over at him, seeing him staring at the ground, remarkable green eyes darker in the shadows of the dark. Freya frowned, noticing that recently he had been distracted. Maybe she should ask him, after all, he had asked her.

"Axel..." He turned to Freya at the sound of her voice, focusing on her, "Are you okay?"

Axel blinked, and Freya could see him smiling as he replied, "Yes. Just tired."

She nodded, "I understand." She fixed her gaze in front of them, following Ace and Roger as they turned down a street. Freya looked around, hoping that her bag with all of her clothes and belongings she had brought was still safe with the rental barn. Luckily the owner had allowed her to rent out a small locker for it. They were going to have to get it back before flying to Germany. Germany.

Frey thought about it. She was going to fly overseas to Germany. The thought made her a little homesick, but she knew that it would help Axel, and that was her goal. Her father would be proud of her, she knew that for fact. He would've helped anyone who was in nee of it. But then the memory of pain in Pastor Evans eyes returned to her mind and she wondered if he would have been upset too. Was all of this too much for someone like her?

Axel nudged her and she looked up. Ace was walking backward, looking at her in curiosity. Roger looked over his shoulder, eyebrows raised.

"W-what?" Freya blinked, snapping her head up and wondering if she had missed a question.

Ace chuckled, "Deep in thought?" Freya nodded. Ace smiled, continuing, "So, how old are you? You look young."

Freya decided to take that as a complement as she replied, "17."

"Hm. Do your parents know your helping these two out?"

Freya smiled kindly, "No. My mother passed when I was younger and my father died fighting in Germany, so I'm-"

Ace stopped walking, interrupting Freya, "Wait, your father was killed in Germany? Then why are you helping him?" Ace pointed to Axel, then added, "I don't believe in love at first sight, but you do you if that's-"

Freya's cheeks warmed. "Um, no. I'm helping him because even if he is the enemy, we are all humans. I couldn't just let him die." She looked over at Axel, who smiled warmly at her.

"Huh." Ace paused, brushing his dirty blond waves off his forehead before turning back around, continuing to talk with Roger.

They turned down a street and walked a little further until they reached a separate building, stairs leading up to it. Ace led the way inside, leading them into an empty hallway. The sounds of chuckling and yelling could be heard farther down the hall.

"Please don't get involved with the other men here. Most of them are all idiots." Ace smiled warmly as a young man walked past, stopping to salute the pilot as he raised his arm in return.

Freya followed them all down the hall and to a bunch of doorways, names inscribed above each one. She figured that these were the barracks that most of the soldiers stayed at. Ace opened the door to an empty one, revealing two bunk beds and a dresser.

"This is where you all will be staying." Ace looked down at Freya, "Is that okay? If you want, you can stay with the nurses in the building a few streets down..." Freya didn't like the idea of being so far from Axel and Roger in a city she didn't know.

"Um, thank you but i'll be fine." She replied softly.

Ace nodded and then looked over at Roger. "Well, it's past my bedtime, so goodnight. If you need anything, come to barrack number 53. Can't promise you'll make it out alive." He chuckled as him and Roger shook hands.

"Sure, mate." Roger replied, turning and heading inside to look around the barrack.

Ace shook Freya's hand, nodding. "You're pretty strong to be handling these two and trying to get to Germany. I'm assuming you're the leader of the group, right?"

Freya smiled, blinking as she responded "I'd like to think so. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Ace turned to Axel, shaking his hand. "You should keep the fact that your a German to yourself, now that your surrounded by American soldiers. And maybe think before you get on a plane next time." Ace nodded, walking back down the hallway and then turning the corner and disappearing.

Freya and Axel stood side by side. Frey looked up at him, "Yes Axel. Think next time, okay?" Axel looked down at her, amused as he nudged her playfully and then the two went inside the room.

Freya brushed her loose strands out of her face as she looked up to see Roger on the top bunk of the right bunk bed.

"I get the top..." He claimed. Freya rolled her eyes as she yawned, walking over to the dresser and looking into the mirror.

She looked tired. Her hair was a little frizzy and messy from all the walking and the horse ride, she shouldn't have kept it down. She looked at herself, realizing that she would have to sleep in her day dress. That would be okay, but it wouldn't be the most comfortable thing to sleep in...

She saw Roger hop down from the top bunk and she watched as he pulled his shirt off, standing so he could see himself in the mirror. She laughed quietly as he began flexing, checking himself out. She rolled her eyes, focusing on her hair as she reached her fingers through the brown waves, finding a hair tie in her pocket that she would use to put it in a braid. She ran her fingers across her head and gathered up her hair, not use to putting it up without a brush.

Then, Freya noticed Axel watching her, emerald eyes narrowed while he leaned up against the bunk bed ladder. Axel then smiled, revealing his dimples and limping forward to stand beside her.

"Want some help? I use to do my mothers." He offered, Freya turning toward him.

"Um, okay. Thanks." She smiled, turning back to the mirror as Axel stepped behind her, reaching his hands up and gently brushing her hair with his fingers so he could gather it. Freya waited, feeling nervous for an unknown reason.

Axel gently separated her hair into three groups and then he began braiding it. Freya liked the feeling of someone else doing her hair and she smiled, meeting Axel's green eyes in the mirror as he smiled and then looked back down to continue braiding. Freya watching him braiding her hair, his unique green eyes fixed on it as he neared finishing. She then saw Roger in the background, staring at them, jealousy in his eyes. Freya looked down, at the dresser. He didn't need to get jealous...why would he be? Freya didn't really want to know. Her thought went back to when Axel had told her that he liked her. That wasn't true, was it?

"There." Axel stepped back, studying her braid as Freya brought it around her neck, noticing that it was pretty good.

"Thanks, Axel!" She smiled, stepping to the side and facing him. Roger muttered something as Axel grinned, nodding and then turning to Roger.

"It's about time we all go to bed now." Roger muttered, stretching and looking over to where the light is.

Freya smirked, "Yes, before you begin your flex show again!" Axel laughed as Freya joined in, staring at Roger as his face reddened and he put on an angry face, but his eyes were full of humor.

"Well, we all know I'm much better at flex shows than you both, so that's a good point." He joked, smiling as Axel shook his head.

Freya wanted to face palm as Roger began flexing his arms again. "Please...please stop..."

"Fine. Lights out." Roger huffed, running a hair through his light brown hair and turning and flipping the switch off. The light above them flickered off.

Freya climbed up onto the top bunk, looking over at Axel and Roger, who was on the other bunk.

"Goodnight, you two." She whispered.

"Night." She heard Roger say.

"Gute Nacht, Freya." Axel whispered in return, from below Roger.

Freya smiled, then turned onto her side and closing her eyes. She didn't know what would happen tomorrow, but she hoped they would find a way to get Axel safely back to Germany. Then, part of her felt sad as she realized she would have to leave him. He was her friend now. And even if she feared to admit it, she thought he was a little more.