"Well, what I wanted to say all day is that I know I'll have to go back to work tomorrow, and you've got to go to your classes. I'll only be able to come see you on weekends, if I'm lucky. However, I'd really enjoy still getting to see you because you meant a lot to me. Though, keep in mind, I often have a lot of work. But I've been wanting to ask you: Even if we can't see one another daily, would you still like to see one another? Remember, we can send letters and call one another, too!"

Elsa should've seen this coming. "I'd definitely like to stay with you! I promise I'll write once a week, just in case you come to visit!"

Reinhard smiled. "I'll call you when I can!"

The two sat smiling at one another till Reinhard punctured the still silence. "Well, we both have to get up early tomorrow, so I better."

"You're not going anywhere tonight in this snow! Stay here! You can have the couch, or my bed, but then I'd take the couch ."

Reinhard laughed. "Oh come here, you!" He hugged her and pulled her close to him. Elsa clung to him and buried her face into his jacket. There they fell asleep.

*********************

"Reinhard, come to my office once you get this note. Thank you, H. Himmler"

Reinhard crumpled up the note and lethargically tossed it to his wastebasket-missing by a few inches. He stretched his lithe arms and stood to go to the Reichführer's office. He opened the door and saw Rudolf Hess coming down the corridor. Rudolf stepped in front of him.

"Good morning, Reinhard. How are you?"

Reinhard focused in on Rudolf. "Just slightly tired." There was a dramatic hint of sarcasm set deeply in his voice. "And yourself?"

"Still tired from the escapade." Rudolf noticed the bruises on Reinhard's face were finally clearing up. "Anyway, I'm glad I ran into you. I was wondering, maybe this weekend we, as in Elsa, Ilse, you, and I could all get together. That way, it could be an almost reunion and Elsa and Ilse could meet one another."

Reinhard nodded. "That sounds good. I'll consult Elsa on it this evening. Have you already spoken to Ilse about it?"

"Yes, I have. She seems to think it would be fun!"

"Well, I'll get back to you on this matter tomorrow. I'm afraid I must be going now. Good day, Rudolf."

"It has been my pleasure. Good day, Reinhard."

Reinhard navigated to Himmler's office and knocked on the door. Almost immediately Heinrich Himmler opened it. "Ah, come in Reinhard! Take a seat!" Heinrich motioned towards one of the seats on the opposite side of his placement at the desk. "So, how was the trip?"

Reinhard huffed at Heinrich's enthusiasm. Heinrich made it sound like he'd just got back from a first class trip to some exotic island. "Some trip, alright. It was better when I got back home."

"Home?"

"Well, not my house. I was at my girlfriend's hou-"

"You have a girlfriend? Is she pure?" Himmler's voice became a nearly inaudible whisper on the last spoken word of his hasty sentences.

"Yes, yes she is. A wonderful women, too."

"Well, this is certainly interesting. I'm shocked I haven't met her. Or have I?"

"No, you'd know if you did." Reinhard smiled thinking of her.

"I think that we should arrange for me to meet this so called 'wonderful woman', how about you?"

Reinhard knew better than to disagree with the Reichsführer. "Of course; that sounds like a marvelous idea."

"I do not expect you to have a date off the top of your head, but I expect you'll get back to me within the next three days with a certain place and time. This basically concludes the meeting. I just was wondering how you were doing, and it seems that you are doing quite well. That is all."

***********************

Reinhard dialed Elsa's number and waited impatiently. After what seemed like a long while, Elsa answered. "Hello?"

"Hello, Elsa, it's me, Reinhard."

"Oh, hello Reinhard! How are you? I wasn't expecting you to call so soon!"

Reinhard bit his lip. He, himself, hadn't planned on calling her so soon, either. "Heh, well, surprise!" His voice wasn't too convincing, he assumed. "So, how was your day?"

She shrugged as if he could actually see her. "Just classes; nothing of particular interest. Yours?"

"I'm glad that you asked. Apparently, word has gotten around and there are a couple of people who are interested in meeting you."

Elsa felt her face grow red. "There are? Like whom?"

"For one, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. Also Ilse, the girlfriend of Rudolf."

Elsa swallowed. She'd heard Heinrich Himmler making speeches on the radio before, but she never dreamed that he'd want to meet her. "That's quite something! Well, that's okay. I'd be delighted."

Reinhard stretched his free hand and then began to rub his increasingly warming neck to calm himself down. "That's very good, but I would like to hold this. meeting. at your apartment, if you do not mind. I think it'd give them a clearer picture of who you are."

Elsa glanced at the random notebooks strewn across her table, her slipshod coffee table, and the dusty windows. "I suppose that'd be fine." Really she was thinking of all the work she'd have to do before they could ever visit.

"Excellent! However, when are you available?"

She calculated correctly, so today was a Wednesday. "This Saturday would be well enough."

Reinhard smiled. "Lovely! I shall see you this Saturday! Have an excellent evening, Elsa!"

"You, too!" She hung up the phone and was glad the call ended. She felt the nervousness building up inside her and knew it wouldn't cease till the guests left Saturday night.