Coincidence (Falk)

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

Country: Salzburg, Austria
Current Time: 1943, near the end of Spring.
Weather Conditions: A few scattered showers, humid and over all sunny weather.

Liesl let out a sigh of relief when she was told she was being temporarily transferred to Salzburg Austria. She wasn’t quite use to being far away from home…so being stationed in Austria…well only temporarily seemed perfect. She figured on her break she could go into town and walk around. She didn’t know all the places in Salzburg…but it should be similar to her home in Carinthia or Vienna. Liesl hummed an upbeat tune as she stepped out of the hospital doors in Salzburg. Instantly being met by a soft spring breeze, she inhaled the sweet aroma of spring rain clutching her bag close and scurried down the cement steps. It was the first time in months that she was able to go around without blood being splattered on her or tending to injured soldiers. She sighed smoothing out her nurse uniform, slipping off her bandanna; she began walking into towards town. She tied her cascading dark chocolate locks into a bun as she walked; the town wasn’t too far from the hospital, only a few blocks at the most. As she got closer she noticed there were more German officers here than usual. She didn’t figure that after the Anschluss that there would be so many Germans in such a small town in Salzburg. She shook her head a little, trying not to draw too much attention to herself. As she walked through the shops and market, a group of Austrian girls clinging to a few SS officer arms, bumped into her.

Liesl shifted a little catching her balance as the group went on giggling and lost in their conversation. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes a little at them, “ Was für ein Haufen von Idioten…” she muttered under her breath.

Translations:


“Was für ein Haufen von Idioten…” – What a bunch of idiots…

[Friedrich Falkenbëck]

Finally a well deserved leave. He had been lucky enough to receive a well deserved break after having been locked in combat for a long time before finally being linked up with their support troops. And then they had been allowed some time of leave where he had decided to go to Austria a place he'd never been and he didn't feel like going home to his family although it had been two years since he had seen them last.

He drove around a motorcycle in the countryside to enjoy the nature and the freedom of not getting shot at as well as the generally happy Austrian population who was also talking his language of cause with a slight dialect, but better then being in Russian or French town where all people did was glaring at you like you were some kind of sick maniac who had no other plans then to kill and rape.

He finally came back to the town of Salzburg. Feeling the light rain hit his face before he drove down the street seeing a young nurse who was bumped into by a small group, something odd about this girl seemed to strike a memory though he wasn't entirely sure what. He pulled to the side and turned off the motorcycle dismounting before looking back at Liesl for a few moments.

Then he felt a feeling of happiness realizing that it was the nurse he had met a couple of years ago who had been polite and nice. He was surprised to begin with before he finally spoke "Miss Stauffenberg? Is that you?" he asked with surprise while removing the helm and pulling down the goggles.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

A slight drizzle began to fall from the sky. Liesl formed a slight scowl, scolding herself that she didn’t bring her jacket or anything to protect herself from the rain. Liesl decided to make her way to one of the fruit stands. She began looking through the fruit to see which were ripe or not when a soldier on a motorcycle rolled up to her. She didn’t recognize the boy at first and just decided to keep looking through the fruit; she stopped suddenly when he called out her name. A look of confusion washed over her face trying to figure out if she had met him before.

Liesl smiled awkwardly as he removed his goggles…once she got a better look at him, she finally recognized him as the soldier she helped, ”Ah…Friedrich, Guten tag…” she said trying not to sound surprised that he is in Austria, ”I see you’re holding up quite well from the last time I saw you.” She mused lightly, ”What are you doing here in Austria? More specifically Salzburg…” She asked as she walked up to him. She wore a friendly smile on her face as she spoke, fiddling a bit with the bag she was clutching. She was quite happy to see Friedrich was still alive and not hurt…though it was kind of strange to see him, she thought he would still be stationed somewhere in France or somewhere. Regardless, she was in fact happy to see someone she knew.

[Friedrich Falkenbëck]

He looked at her with a glad smile not being able to avoid hearing how surprised she sounded "Surprised to see me?" he said with a smile "Well I'm on leave, having been caught behind enemy lines after almost the entire platoon I was with being wiped out makes ones officers to feel a bit with you and give you leave, of cause I couldn't go home though..." his smile fainted a bit with a silent shrug.

Then he looked curiously at her "How about you? Didn't know nurses was send on leave... Well It makes sense they do but still, as you noted yourself, this is Salzburg... It's not exactly an obvious location..." he sounded curious knowing that if he could he would have gone home to his family and celebrated years of survival.

He took and placed his helmet on the handle of the motorcycle "I see life treated you well? How long have you been in Salzburg? It's a quite nice and silent city, it's like the war never taken place, at least not anywhere close to this area, it's nice" he spoke calmly before sitting on the motorcycle relaxing his leg which had gotten hurt before he was send to Salzburg to relax and be away from the terrors of war.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

Liesl laughed slightly when Friedrich mentioned her being surprised to see him...in truth she was rather surprised. She wore a smile on her face as he spoke about himself being on leave. She stayed silent for a moment when he asked if she was on leave; she shook her head slightly still wearing a smile on her face, "No, I'm actually just taking a break right now....I'm taking the night shift in the hospital so...I won't be needed till this evening." she said lightly.

"I just got here a few weeks ago...it's a nice change in scenary if you ask me. It's not home...but, it's close enough." she said referring that she's just happy being back in the country of Austria itself, "The people here are very nice...though, admit tingly I would prefer to be back in my own home with my family...." she joked lightly

She looked down noticing lift his leg a little,"A-are you hurt???" she said with a hint if worry in her tone,"If you are, you shouldn't be driving a motorcycle..." she said thinking she needed to take him to the hospital to be treated. Of course she could be just over reacting...but at this moment she couldn't tell if she was. All she knew was that Friedrich was hurt....somewhat.

[Friedrich Falkenbëck]

He nodded "Well besides this being more like the most quiet place I ever been I don't expect you guys have to much work to do here? Except treating officers and such" he said while looking around thinking that he had seen few enlisted men around town, of cause he hadn't been here for long.

He smiled as she said it was a nice change but not quite like home he nodded agreeingly "I dare imagine it is, then you finally got to see Austria?" it was more of a rhetoric question, because he remembered she had longed to see Austria back when they had first met in rainy France. He chuckled lightly to himself "You noticed... Every time you and I seem to meet it is raining more or less" he said jokingly feeling it a bit funny.

As she asked if he was hurt he shrugged and pulled on his shoulders "I was hurt... I'm not any more... It was only a bullet to the leg... Don't worry to much about it, it doesn't hut to much... Been driving in worse condition" in truth he knew he shouldn't be but it was a habit as well as he hadn't been driving in a worse condition, weather like yes enemies firing yes but not while being hurt, but as any soldier he would try to sound a bit better then he was.

"But remember I'm here because it has been fixed and the faster I get better, the faster I get back" now that he didn't sound to positive about and it might explain why he wasn't taking to much care of his wound. "Anyways how about you? How is it going around here? And how are you doing? I mean it must be a changed going from field hospital to a quiet hospital where people are only send for prolonged care... And what does one do around here?" he asked curiously with a lot of questions still keeping eye contact with Liesl.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

"Yeah...treating officers..." she drawled a bit, "I particularly don't like treating the more higher ranked officers....they're very...err...unfriendly most of the time." she said as she thought about the difficult patients she had to treat. She scrunched her nose a little at the thought, "But, yes...you are right. There isn't much to do here...it's rather nice..and quiet." she said with a slight smile on her lips.

"I suppose..." she replied after Friedrich mentioned that she finally got to see Austria, "Well, I guess bad weather follows you everytime we meet...it was sunny this whole week. I suppose everytime it rains I can expect a visit from you...no?" she teased back.

"If you say so..." replied Liesl suspiciously, frankly...she didn't like the idea of Friedrich driving in his condition. Preferably, she would rather bring him straight to the hospital...but he seemed to be insistent that it was nothing. She sighed a bit and nodded quietly as he explained that he was fixed and he will get better faster. She arched her eyebrow at him as he spoke, flashing a smile, "Alright Herr Friedrich..." she said plainly in response...even though he insisted he was alright...she was going to keep a close eye on his wound.

"Nothing really has happened lately...again I just got here a few weeks ago, the only thing that has been going around lately in the hospital is rumors about some nurses getting with a few officers...the usual gossip." she said with a roll of her eyes, "And I'm doing well...and yes it is a big...very big change from being in a field hospital; I got kinda overwhelmed and decided to take a walk." she replied simply, " I donno...I was trying to figure out what to do here actually." she said with a laugh, " As much as I love chatting with you...are we just going to stand here in the rain and talk or head for somewhere a bit dryer?" she said with a joking smile.

[Friedrich Falkenbëck]

He understood to well her view on officers, but they also got the best care and that would mean she gave the best care. But they were also arrogant and some of them had read more books then done actual courage and had just been lucky enough to get a bad excuse to avoid experiencing combat or seeing their soldiers into their eyes.

He smiled as she said bad weather followed him "Indeed! That's me, bad weather where I go... Although I must admit... It was quite sunny yesterday" he said with a smile still being more glad that there was a bit of difference between the nice weather of Austria and what he had experienced in Russia.

He noticed that she wasn't believing his story and it was obvious he hadn't made to much trouble to lie but he was glad that he could relax a bit especially in a town where it was a bit more nice and quiet as Liesl had said.

He smiled politely "Well It's good to hear that you like the change, I must admit I am surprised to see you here, but must mean that you have some good skills" he spoke in a calm tone. as she said 'as much as I love chatting to you' he hoped that she wasn't about to leave, he felt a great joy talking to her again and knowing the bombing hadn't gotten her, though to his luck she just asked if they should find a more dry place to talk, he nodded. "Of cause... I been here even less then you spend a few days on some enlisted men's hopsital a bit outside town... So not sure where we should go... But you can lead the way?" he got himself to his leg still doing most of the support to only one of them.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

"Yes it was..." she replied folding her arms lightly across her chest. At least she wasn't in that claustrophobic hospital...actually, anything was better than staying in the hospital. Though, she did enjoy engaging in a conversation with a friend.

She frowned slightly at Friedrich, still giving him a rather suspicious look. Why did he have to hide the fact that his leg was hurt. Did he not want to go to rest and get better? Then again...who would want to be in that hospital...it was practically every soldier's nightmare to be there. The awful smell of acid and cleaning liquids made one's stomach churn...not to mention the fact that almost everyone that enters the hospital dies. It was just prolonged torture for the soldiers.

Liesl sighed shaking the thought out of her head. She flashed Friedrich a nervous smile.

"You give me too much credit Friedrich..." she said with a slight smile, "No, I was sent here because they were low in staff....I might be sent back to France soon once this hospital gets more nurses with expedience." she said as her smile faded slightly. She cleared her throat trying to avoid the fact she might have to leave Austria again.

Liesl watched at Friedrich got to his feet...she couldn't help but notice he was leaning more on one leg than the other, "Well I guess we can explore the town together?" she teased, "Actually, a few days ago a few other nurses and I found this cafe...would you like to go there...you can at least get something warm to battle the cold." she smiled lightly.

She laughed lightly and continued walking down the sidewalk, she kept a slow pace making sure Friedrich didn't have such a hard time keeping up with her. She turned her gaze slightly towards the sky, luckily it stopped raining; for now...

[Friedrich Falkenbëck]

He listened and nodded as she spoke "Well I'm sure you count as a nurse with expedience, you can only hope that you can stay here, it's nice and well... a lot like back in Germany." he felt like trying to make her think of she might be able to stay here, he was assuming her fainting smile was caused by the thought of leaving, leaving back to war torn Germany.

As she spoke of a cafe he nodded interested, a taste of something a civilian would do, he couldn't recall if he'd ever been in a cafe before. At the mention of something to battle the cold he chuckled lightly "Oh don't worry about that, I been in worse weather then this." he spoke with a slight smile "Now about that cafe? Sounds like a nice idea, the taste or proper food would be nice for a change" he shook his head amused and followed after Liesl.

Although he didn't like people noticing his flaws he was glad that she walked a bit slower so he could actually follow her without her being way ahead of him. As it had stopped to rain he smiled again at her "Seems you brought the nice weather again" he said amused referring to a bit before "Always nice with a bit of... Not so bad weather for a change, gotten tired of mud and rain by now..." he shrugged lightly "So is Austria as you had hoped? I remember you talking about hoping to see Austria at some point right?" he wasn't quite certain if he recalled correctly but he was trying.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

Liesl forced a smile as Friedrich spoke, "You may be right Herr Falkenbëck..."she said politely. Feeling as though Friedrich was trying to keep her hopes up. She began walking smiling a little as Friedrich chuckled at her 'pun', "I'm sure you have."she mused a little as she continued down the sidewalk. She smiled again when Friedrich caught up with her as she slowed her walking pace down.

She arched her eyebrow curiously at his comment about the weather. She looked around seeing the sun peak through the clouds a bit, "You tease..."she mumbled in ensnarement.

She pouted lightly not really use to getting compliments; she giggled softly as Friedrich said that it was always nice change to have nice weather, "Yes the rain was getting a tad annoying..."she said as her eyes scanned the small shops for the cafe.
Liesl quickly felt herself grow cold at Friendrich's question, "...well..."she stammered, "It...umm..."

She looked at her friend wide-eyed for a moment before forcing yet another smile, "O-of course!" she said in a rather false cheery tone, "It's everything I would have hoped for, I think Austria is better off like this...being joined with Germany...under our great Führer's leadership." she felt the corner of her mouth twitch as she smiled, "Our future looks very promising....we'll surely win this war."she said as she came up to the cafe, "Oh! here it is!" said Liesl changing the subject.

[Friedrich Falkenbëck]

He chuckled a bit "Herr? Didn't know I had become an officer within the last few minutes" he said smiling amused as he shook his head. He had never been called herr very often so he wasn't sure how to feel with it. Though he thought to himself he'd look good in an officers tunic.

As he had asked if Austria was as she hoped and she seemed to freeze up, and a short stammer followed by a short smile which seemed obviously fake, or at least forced in order to cover something, she didn't seem to believe in her own words about the great führer and the annexing of Austria, he simply shrugged as his smile faded.

As they came to the café and she stated it was there he stopped next to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder "Liesl, your opinions are yours, as a friend I do not care what they are, you are still my friend" he gave a short smile, he knew she might not believe him by the fact that he was serving in the SS, but she for one seemed like the propaganda hadn't convinced her, and after all the death he had seen he was starting to understand why, and he knew she most likely had seen more death then he.

Before walking up to the café and opening the door. "After you miss" he gave a joking smile as he stood at a half-hearted attention trying to act all fine. "I can just say I hope you speak the Austrian dialect." he said with a light shrug.