Standing in front of the mirror, Mila eyed the blue sweater she had chosen from her closet, taking special care as she fastened each button with shaking fingers.

She had been pacing around the house all morning in nervous anticipation of Josef's arrival. She didn't know why she was so unnerved. Maybe it was the fact she had failed entirely, thus far, to gather any useful information from Josef, or maybe it was the fact that the files she had been asked to copy earlier that week hadn't gleaned the tiniest bit of information for her to go on about the transports. She had hoped the files would've at least given her a clue ... Something to bring up casually in their conversation. But, the files had made no mention of the transports that were scheduled for Berlin ... Not the slightest mention of a time, date, or place.

Smoothing down the front of her sweater, she stole one last glance in the mirror before walking out of the bedroom, and into the kitchen. Grabbing her red, wool coat from the hook beside the door, she slipped it on and buttoned it up. Josef had said to dress warm, but as hard as she racked her brain, she hadn't been able to figure out what he had in store for the afternoon.

Peeking behind the curtain, she looked out the window. A fresh layer of snow had fallen during the night and on through the morning, the bright rays of the afternoon sun glinting off the white surface, making her eyes burn as they adjusted to the glare. It was a beautiful day, a welcomed change from the icy gloom the city had been engulfed in over the past month.

Her eyes traveled down the street as the sound of tires crunching through snow filled her ears, watching as the familiar, sleek gray of Josef's car came into view. Grabbing her hat and scarf from the hook, she slipped them on, grabbing her bag from the kitchen table just in time to hear a knock against the door.

"Hello," She said after she had opened the door, her eyes falling on Josef, who was dressed in civilian clothes instead of his uniform. She eyed the navy flannel button down he wore underneath his gray coat. As absurd as it was, she had grown so used to his uniform she hadn't considered that he might actually own real clothes. "I almost didn't recognize you," She joked, gesturing to his outfit.

"I'm off duty this weekend," He grinned, grabbing her hand as they made their way off the porch. "Besides, I didn't really think the uniform would be appropriate for what I have planned."

"What exactly do you have planned?" She asked, climbing into the passenger seat of the car after he had opened the door for her.

"It's a surprise," He smirked, closing the door before she could protest.

"You know I don't like surprises," She said once he had gotten in on the other side and started the car.

"I know," He replied, his smirk growing wider. "It makes surprising you that much more fun."

"Uh-huh," She rolled her eyes, suppressing the small smile that threatened her lips. Pulling out of the driveway, they began their journey, most of it spent in small talk, the sound of snow crunching beneath the tires encompassing the moments of silence. "Where are we going?" Mila asked after they had driven for nearly twenty minutes.

"You'll see," Josef replied, turning off the main road, onto a narrow dirt one still covered in that morning's snow, not yet having been cleared off for driving. "We're nearly there."

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" She smirked, cocking an unconvinced eyebrow at him.

"As a matter-of-fact, I do," Josef replied with a satisfied smirk of his own, pulling off the road, onto a small shoulder. Mila looked around, nothing in sight but a wall of pine trees on either side of them, the only barren spot of ground, a small clearing to the right with an icy pond stationed in the center of it. "Come on," Josef said, turning the car off and opening the door.

Pulling the handle, she opened the door and slipped out. Wrapping her scarf tightly around her neck, she turned around to look at Josef, who was rummaging through the trunk for something.

"Um, Josef," She began, an involuntary knot forming in her chest as she realized, for the first time, that she was completely and utterly alone in the middle of nowhere, with a German officer she hardly knew. Gripping her bag a little tighter, she made her way around to the back of the car, her gloved fingers pressing into the leather of her purse, feeling the hard indention of her handgun within.

"I'm sure you're wandering what it is we're doing out here," Josef began; slamming the trunk with one hand while the other concealed something behind his back. "That story about going ice skating you told me on our last date," He continued, causing the knot in her chest to tighten further. Oh God ... What if she'd said too much ... What if he'd somehow found out who she was? "I thought maybe you'd like to go again," He said, pulling two pair of ice skates from behind his back with a grin.

She breathed a sigh of relief, the knot in her chest immediately loosening at the sight of the skates he held in his hand. "I know this probably isn't the place you and your family used to go, but I did some asking around town and found this little spot," He gestured around to the clearing. "And I figured it would do just fine."

"It's perfect," She smiled, her heart now fluttering with excitement, rather than nervousness.

"Come on," He said, extending a hand for her to take. Accepting it, they walked hand in hand towards the pond, stopping just short of its bank, where a rather large log sat, turned on its side. Brushing off the layer of snow, they sat down and took off their shoes.

"Where did you manage to find these?" She asked, standing to her feet, balancing herself carefully on the blades of the skates.

"I have my sources," He replied coyly, still tying up the laces of his own. Once he had finished, he stood to his feet, his knees wobbling as he struggled to get his balance.

"Come on," She said, turning and walking to the edge of the ice. Pressing her skate against it gingerly, she pushed off, gliding smoothly onto the glossy surface. Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes fell on Josef, who was still standing apprehensively on the embankment. Turning on the toe of her skate, she glided back in his direction. "What is it?" She asked once she had reached him.

"I've..." He trailed off; a somewhat embarrassed smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Never actually been ice skating before."

"I'll teach you then," She smiled, extending a hand. "Come on," She chuckled when he gave her a hesitant look. "The trick is to keep a wide center of gravity," She began, once he had taken her hand and stepped out onto the ice.

"Wide center of gravity," He repeated, as if he were taking an order from a superior. "Got it."

"Now," She continued, digging the toe of her skate into the ice, Josef mimicking her every move. "Push off with your toe." Together they pushed off, hands still firmly clasped together, and propelled themselves forward, Josef squeezing Mila's hand in an effort to steady himself. "Good," She said, once he had regained his balance. "Now push off with the opposite foot. They continued forward, pushing off with the left foot then the right, until they had gained a good bit of momentum and speed. "You're doing it!" Mila grinned, glancing over at Josef, who wore an expression of great concentration, as they continued to glide across the ice.

"Okay, now let's turn," She said once they had reached the edge of the pond. "Point your toe in and-," She was cut off as Josef's hand tugged her backwards, his back hitting the ice with a thud as his feet slid out from under him, pulling Mila down onto her butt.

"Are you okay?" Josef asked, groaning as he sat up, shaking the snow that was covering the ice from his hair.

"I'm fine ... You look like you've seen better days though," Mila chuckled, unable to control her amusement at the disheveled state of his appearance.

"Is something funny?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow as she helped him stand to his feet.

"Just that you look like the abominable snowman," She snickered, brushing a layer of ice and snow from the arms of his coat, which was covered in the white powder.

"Well," He began, bending over, pretending to brush off his trousers. "I'm glad I could be of amusement." In the blink of an eye, he grabbed her waist, pulling both of them down into a snowdrift on the bank of the pond.

"Oh my gosh!" Mila gasped, sitting up, her own coat now covered in snow, along with every other inch of her.

"Whoops," Josef shrugged, his lips twisted up into a mischievous smirk. "I slipped again."

"Oh you are so going to get it!" Mila scoffed at his feigned innocence. Grabbing a handful of snow, she slung it at him, the white ball of powder exploding against his chest before he could react. Grabbing snow in either hand, Josef retaliated, flinging handful after handful in her direction. Trying to escape the bombardment of snowballs being hurled her way, she stood to her feet, only to be pulled back down into the snowdrift by Josef.

"I think I won," He said, hovering over her, his hands on either side of her head, propping himself up.

"For now," She replied, the knot in her chest from before returning, this time to her stomach, as a wave of butterflies shot through her. He was suspended over her, his face inches from hers. She peered up at him, suddenly overwhelmingly aware of their proximity. His eyes scanned over her face, searching for something, though she wasn't sure what. Despite her coat being soaked through with snow, her entire body was hot, her heart threatening to race out of its chest as he continued to gaze down at her intently.

"I'd really like to kiss you," He said after a moment, his eyes locking with hers. She swallowed hard, forcing down the waves of nervous anticipation threatening to overtake her. Leaning down until their noses were nearly touching, he peered into her eyes, his hot breath against her lips sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. "But only if you want me to."

"I want you to," She replied breathlessly.

Pausing, he gazed down at her for a moment longer, before closing his eyes and pressing his lips against hers...