Hogan's Heroes: The Bride, the Groom, and the Gestapo

Summary: Klink finds an injured woman on the road and takes her to Stalag 13, not realizing she has secrets. Will she be Klink's last mistake? Will Hogan uncover the truth in time?

AN: Spoken German will be in italics but written in English. Occasionally I will use German words. Those will not be in italics. I do not speak German and only a little French, so please bear with me. Thank you. Chapter titles are from Emily Dickinson's poem 'Because I Could Not Stop for Death'.

Chapter 1: Because I could not stop for Death…

She ran through the dark woods, the icy path littered with frozen leaves threatening to send her sprawling with every step. Her tattered clothing offered little protection for the bitter autumn night, icy rain falling steadily from the bare branches overhead. She couldn't feel her feet, bare and bloody, torn by rocks and twigs as she ran and ran.

She could not stop. They could not be far behind, their black uniforms glimpsed by grinning skulls glinting in the light of the crescent moon.

And yet, she could not keep going. Pain had long since been left behind, but the creeping numbness was no longer helpful. Rather, it pulled the strength from her; her legs barely under her control.

She fell.

Icy mud cradled her as she laid there, her frame shuddering with exhaustion and the deeply biting cold. It was too late. They were upon her. The focused golden rays cut through the silver moonlight, unmistakably growing closer with alarming speed.

She fought it still, rising to her knees and glaring at the two eyes glowing in the darkness.

They would not find her weak. They would not have that satisfaction. She would fight, like her brother had.

They would not win.

There was a shriek, like the defiance she held inside had found a way to escape despite her lack of breath.

The lights froze and seemed to dim.

She felt more than heard the low thrum, familiar and yet not, her ears cottoned by her own heartbeat.

The silhouette of a soldier, two soldiers, blocked out some of the light. One was as thin as he was tall, the other still tall but wide. They seemed to loom larger as they stepped towards her, as terrifying as shadows come to life.

She tried not to be afraid but her body betrayed her, leaving with what little strength her defiance had provided. Like a film clip slowed down to half pace, she collapsed back into the mud, her eyes locked on the men.

They kneeled next to her, as dark and faceless as Death.

"Fraulein?" the larger shadow asked, reaching towards her with a huge hand. She wanted to flinch away, wanted to run screaming, but it was all she could do to keep her eyes open.

"Was ist das?" the thinner man muttered, turning towards his companion. Something glinted near his eye, reflecting the moonlight and sending it bouncing like a fairy through the mud.

Her eyes followed the light, wishing she was a fairy like in the stories she had loved as a child. So tiny and light, with wings that could fly her far, far away from Germany.

Her eyes closed. She would not fight them any longer, though she did fight the darkness. No need to give in all at once.

She was lifted, carried gently towards the light, the smell of Apfelstrudel disconcertingly wafting up from the uniform of the soldier carrying her.

They laid her in a car, the thinner man sitting next to her. Standing guard. The car rocked to the right as the larger man sat in the driver's seat, the thrum of the engine rising in pitch as they started to move.

"Should we turn around?" the driver asked.

"Yes. She will need a doctor. The hospital in town should…" the thinner man replied, his voice quiet as his hand firmly clasped her shoulder, keeping her on the seat.

Her heart skipped a beat. They were not the ones looking for her, then, or they would not have taken her to the hospital.

"Nein," she managed, her voice barely audible.

"Was?" the thinner man asked, his hand shifting as he leaned down.

She looked up at him, her eyes cracked just enough to see.

"Please, no hospital," she begged, wondering if he would listen. If they took her to the hospital, they would find her for sure.

"But, but why?" the man stuttered, straightening his monocle, "You are injured!"

"Please," she begged again, "I'm afraid."

He looked at her, his expression lost in the dimness. Finally, he nodded.

"Very well. Take us home," he ordered, looking up at the driver.

"Jawohl," the driver responded quietly.

That was when she finally stopped fighting.