Chapter Text
He found himself on Frau Larkin’s doorstep once more, hand already raised to knock upon it, even though his brain hadn’t quite caught up to him yet. With one swift movement, he rapped his knuckles sharply across the wood. There was no answer. “Frau Larkin!” he yelled, knocking louder, more demandingly. “Frau Larkin please! It’s David Jacobs!”
The door swung open. “Shhhh!” Frau Larkin hissed, “I cannot see you right now!” He glanced over her shoulder. A bag lay on the floor, clothes stuffed inside haphazardly, clearly someone had been in the middle of packing.
“Please,” Davey begged, his voice breaking, “I need to talk to you.”
Frau Larkin’s expression softened, “What is it?”
“Please.”
She sighed and moved aside for Davey to enter. “Alright, come in quickly.” Davey squeezed in through the barley-open door and stood quietly in the middle of Frau Larkin’s apartment awkwardly as she closed and locked the front door. “Okay, slowly, slow.” She gripped Davey’s elbow, and guided him over to the sofa. He sat down shakily.
“They killed all their fathers.” He spilled, shocking himself and Frau Larkin.
Frau Larkin sat next to him, “What do you mean?”
Davey swallowed, “I delivered their ashes.”
“...Ashes.” Her eyes widened as she understood what Davey couldn’t make himself say.
His fingers scrabbled against his leg as he gripped at his pant leg, looking for something, anything, to ground him. “My friend k-killed himself. And my mother doesn’t- she-” Tears started to leak from his eyes.”But I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do. I…”
“It’s alright, David.” Frau Larkin put a hand on his shoulder, probably to be comforting but it didn’t help.
“It’s not ‘alright’!” He shook her hand away. Frau Larkin held both her hands up in surrender. “God… the night they took my father away, we were in the middle of dinner.” He paused, taking a deep breath and repeated, “We were in the middle of dinner. And they just came in. And we didn’t do anything ! He told us not to do anything. He was so calm. He… he didn’t seem scared at all… but… but when he came back four months later, I wasn’t sure it was him. He looked so different. He was so weak, he couldn’t even speak. And he never touched his violin again. He was so scared. He wouldn’t leave the house, or, or pick up the telephone. And I don’t.” he faltered, “I mean I just- I don’t know what they could’ve done to him. My Vatti, he was so, so brave . He was wonderful.”
No one spoke, then, hesitantly, as if unsure if Davey was done speaking, Frau Larkin stood up. “I found something after you left last time,” She said, turning to approach a cabinet. She opened the bottom drawer. “It’s a letter from your father to my husband.” She pulled out an old, tearing piece of paper and returned to the couch to sit. She showed it to Davey, “Shall I read it to you?”
Davey nodded. His throat was too stuck to speak again. Frau Larkin smiled sadly and started to read. “"We must all take responsibility for what is happening to our country. If those of us who have a voice do not raise it in outrage at the treatment of our fellow human beings… we will have collaborated in their doom. It is not good enough to raise these voices in our homes. Many Germans do this. But outside their doors all they hear is Hitler's voice of hate, his promises of glory."
Davey’s eyes were already watering more when she paused and said. “He goes on later in the letter to talk about you.” She cleared her throat and began to read again, “Every day I look at my son, my David and he's grown a little bit bigger. He's already becoming a man. And what curiosity. Always asking questions. Question after question. Until he fully understands the answer. The sight of his small face, strong and hopeful awakening to the world around him is what keeps me going. It is when I think of him… that I know what I'm doing must be done." Davey couldn’t help himself, he sniffled. Frau Larkin opened her arms towards him, and he fell into her embrace easily.
“You must go now, David.” She whispered into his ear. “I am leaving too. But be strong, we will meet again.” She pulled away from him and pressed the re-folded piece of paper into his hands.
“Take me with you,” Les trotted at his heels like a puppy.
“No.” Davey said firmly, winding his scarf around his neck. “Stay here with Mutti.”
“I don’t want to stay here! I want to go with you!” Les whined.
Davey sighed and passed the letter down to Les, hoping that could satisfy him. “I wish I could, but I really can’t take you with me. Here is a letter from Vatti.”
Les skimmed over it, “So he did love us…”
Davey forced a smile and shoved his brother playfully. “Never think he didn’t” Then he left, heading over to the Cafe Bismarck.
“Bei mir bist du schon…”
The music and the lyrics to the song was the only thing Davey could focus on as he danced. He danced more than he ever had before. Clearing his mind from all of the worry.
“Bei mir bist du schon…”
He made eye contact with one of the club girls. He approached her, arms outstretched.
“I could say, ‘Bella, Bella!’”
She took hold of his hand and allowed him to spin her into his arms. They began to dance.
“Even say, ‘Wunderbar!’”
The back doors to the cafe opened, unbeknownst to everyone in the club. Boys wearing dark HJ uniforms started to file in.
“Each language only helps me tell you…”
“Move in!” The Gestapo and HJ men poured into the main room of the club. The reaction was immediate. Every tripped over themselves trying to escape as the HJ swung their sticks at anyone they could reach.
Davey stared as he caught sight of Jack . Jack, who was beating people away just as ruthlessly as anyone else. Jack looked up and made eye contact with Davey.
Davey shoved the girl away from him, “Go!” Jack was walking fast, ignoring everyone else as he beelined towards Davey.
“Hi, David.” He greeted, standing right in front of him.
Davey backed up so he was pressed against the stage, “Hi, Ja-” He couldn’t finish before Jack had hit him across the face with his stick. Davey shoved him away, and scrambled away, heading towards the hidden exit behind the stage.
Jack followed. He knew exactly where Davey was going, they had used this escape together, afterall. Davey was heading down the stairs when Jack grabbed him by his shoulders, causing the two of them to trip down the remainder of the stairs and roll out onto the dark streets. Jack straddled Davey’s hips, bringing the stick down to press against his throat. Harder. Harder, until he couldn’t breathe. “Jack!” Davey gasped, grabbing his hands to try and pull him off. “Jack please!”
Jack didn’t let up. Davey gasped, unable to speak in fear of using up his limited amount of air. His vision started to fade in and out, his eyes fluttered shut… was this how he died, choked to death by who he had thought was his best friend?
Suddenly, the cold metal of the stick wasn’t pressing against his throat. Davey’s eyes opened to see Jack, still over him, glancing over the street. He got off of Davey, seizing his hand and pulling him to his feet. “What are you doing?” He asked, “Go! Run!”
Davey grabbed his forearm. “You said they’d never split us apart.”
“Davey…”
“Jack, please. Listen!”
“You!” There were people running down the stairs they had come out of. “Stop there!”
“Go!” Jack shoved Davey, “Get out!”
Davey didn’t budge, “And then what? ‘HJ by day, swing kid by night’ that is what you said, Jack?”
“They’ll send you to a work camp!” Jack pleaded, “Just go! They’re not going to let it go this time!”
“It doesn’t matter,” Davey spat, “I know who my friends are. I’m not alone.”
“You two!” The man on the stairs was emerging now and running towards the two of them. Davey didn’t even try to run as he grabbed his arms, bringing them behind his back.
“You’re not like them, Jack. You’re not a murderer.” Jack took a few steps towards him.
“Davey!” A high-pitched voice screamed, “Davey!” Les ran out from the crowd.
Davey gave Jack one final request, “If he comes over here, tell him where I am.”
Jack nodded firmly, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.
“Wait!” A man yelled, this voice much more recognizable. “Stop right there!” Herr Pulitzer was approaching him and the man who had seized him. “You can drop him.”
The Gestapo man complied, and Davey crashed to the ground, picking his head up enough to see Herr Pulitzer. “Such a waste,” He scoffed, “So much passion, for nothing.” Davey… spat on his shoes. “Put this one into the truck!”
Davey was hauled to his feet once more and thrown into the truck, he quickly sat back up and peered out to see Jack holding Les back by the arm. “It don’t mean a thing,” It was quiet, but Davey could still hear it clearly. “If it ain’t got that swing.” Davey smiled at him, the first genuine one in months.
“Davey!” Les cried. Fighting against Jack as hard as he could. “Davey. No! Come back!”
The truck started to move as Les finally got away from Jack’s hold, “Davey!” He chased the truck as fast as he could, but it wasn’t enough.
“I’m okay!” Davey yelled back, reaching his arm through the bars of the truck. “Tell Mutti where I am. Les, I love you.”
“Davey!” Les sobbed. He tripped and fell as he reached out for Davey’s hand. “Swing heil! Swing heil!”
The last thing Davey saw was Jack helping Les to his feet, a look of regret deep set in his features.