The Space Between

by Thelitnerd

Summary:

After Werner gets captured by the American military following the bombings at Saint Malo, he and Marie do what ever they can to stay connected until they can be reunited again

Notes:

Hello and welcome! First off, I’m very nervous about posting this work because I know this story means a lot to a lot of people! Here’s to hoping I don’t mess it up too much! A heads up, although I have read and love the book, this fic is more so inspired the recent limited series adaptation on Netflix since it’s fresher in my mind, and also what inspired to write this fic in the first place! I needed some closure when it comes to these two knowing how the book ends so here we are! It should be noted that this chapter is bit shorter then then I plan the others to be. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Apart

As the Americans yanked him away farther and farther from the only semblance of safety he had known since leaving the orphanage all those years ago, Werner turned his head in desperate hopes of seeing Marie one last time before what he knew would be a torturously long time. Although Marie could not see the terrified look on his face as the soldiers dragged him away, she knew that he must have been frightened out of his mind. She felt it for him as she heard the people of San Malo jeer as he passed by. She quickly turned away from the scene, unable to take it any longer as pangs of fear, guilt, and regret hit her.

Composing herself as quickly as she could, Marie sprang up from the ground and decided that the next order of business would have to be to take care of the diamond that had cost her father his life, and that had almost cost her own life as well. She walked into the kitchen and found a cloth napkin she thought would do well for her purpose. As she made her way into the room with the now smashed model, she made sure to carefully feel around and avoid the now expired Reinhold von Rumple. When she found what she was looking for, she ever so gently bent down and hesitated for a moment, thinking of Werner. She had thought herself practical and logical and certainly not someone who believes in curses, and yet, she can’t help but pray that the cloth she used to pick up the stone is enough to keep Werner safe. She repeats these same prayers when she finally rids herself of the jewel once and for all.

Marie decided to start broadcasting again the very next day. Reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea felt like moot point to her at that point, so she decided to choose something new from the small collection of braille books her father and uncle had so kindly bestowed upon her. She ran her fingers delicately along the spines of the books on the shelf until she found the one she decided to read; a book of french fairy tales. As she sat down to turn on the radio and begin her broadcast, she took a moment to run her hand over the machine which had proven to be so precious to her. Memories of sitting with her uncle Eitenne while in deep discussion about the inner workings of the radio flooded back, as well as those from her time alone, during all of those dark nights where she mustered whatever courage she had to keep her single flicker of hope aflame. It was only natural that her memories then landed back to the previous night when Werner had come, almost like a valiant knight to save her (though not that she’d ever admit it) and ushered in the feelings of safety and security that she almost had forgotten how to feel. She thought about how he fixed her radio like it was nothing, and how, when he borrowed it in an attempt to reach his sister, he had referred to her as the girl with the most beautiful eyes, and then how softly he held her waist while they danced, and how gently he had kissed her back when she rose on her tippy toes to me his lips. Her stomach couldn’t help but drop and tickle and churn at the thought. She didn’t need to see him to know that he was the most handsome boy she had ever met.

Finally, after regaining her composure and returning from her trip down memory lane, Marie sat down and began to broadcast. She took a minute to deliberate on what she should say to start, before taking a deep breath, and started.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my warm little corner of the world. For those of you who have been faithfully listening to my readings all this time, I thank you, and find it only fair to inform you that I have decided to move on from Twenty Thousand Leagues under the sea. It has been a real comfort during this dark time in my life, but now, the light is returning, and so I find it only appropriate to move on with a new story as my own life has begun a new story for me. My next literary adventure will be a collection of French fairy tales, starting with La Belle au Bois Dormant. I hope you all will enjoy these new stories. Dear Werner, if you are listening like I so desperately hope you are, thank you, for bringing light back into my life when I was just starting to lose hope. This war has hurt us both in ways I suspect will take quite a while to heal. Even though our time together has been brief so far, It was the happiest I had felt in a long time. I long for the time we can be together next, and hopefully without interruption. In the meantime I will keep reading in hopes that you’re tuning in. Now, to begin today’s story…

Chapter 2: Away

Summary:

Werner has been taken to a POW camp following his capture

Notes:

Hey!! Thank you all for your responses to the first chapter!! It makes me really happy that you all are enjoying this and wanted more! I hope you enjoy this chapter too! Writing Werner was a joy!

The last thing Werner remembered was being torn away from Marie, and looking back in slight resistance, holding back the urge to break free and run back into her arms. The rest of the night was a bit of a blur, as he was lost in a sea of both delirious happiness from finally meeting the girl he had been dreaming about and working so hard to protect all this time, and shock from being pulled away from her again all too quickly. That being the case, the hormones that had been filling and fueling his body during the whole experience had started to fade, allowing a bit of darkness back in again. The exhaustion Werner had been fighting off was starting to take hold. Werner fell asleep, dreaming of Marie; of her beautiful eyes, and soft lips, and of her her perfect name. He promised himself that he would never stop saying it as he drifted off to sleep.

When he awoke again, Werner found that he   was among one of the lucky prisoners of war that was captured that day. The soldiers who had captured him immediately caught on to his youth as well as the fear in his eyes and decided that the best place to put him was within a camp located in Rennes, a city not all that far from Saint Malo. The conditions of the camp weren’t too bad either, all things considered. They even had a radio, which was a huge relief to Werner. As long as he had a way to listen to Marie, he would be okay.

Going forward, Werner knew he would have to work as hard, and be as useful as he could if he wanted continuous access to the radio. For his first night however, maybe it was that the soldiers in charge of the camp felt pity that a boy his age had already lived through tremendous horrors, or that they were simply in a good mood that day, but they had allowed him to tune into his favorite program, something Werner was quite grateful for. He knew that there would be no privacy for him as he listened, but he did not care. Just hearing Marie’s voice would be enough.

When he did hear her gentle voice come through the radio, a wave of relief washed over him, like he received medicine for an ailment that he had been suffering from for a long time. Werner was going to miss Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea being that it had a staple of his life for so long. However, he agreed with Marie that a change was probably for the best given everything that had happened. He leaned forward and listened carefully as he heard his name being said.

Dear Werner, if you are listening like I so desperately hope you are, thank you, for bringing light back into my life when I was just starting to lose hope. This war has hurt us both in ways I suspect will take quite a while to heal. Even though our time together has been brief so far, It was the happiest I had felt in a long time. I long for the time we can be together next, and hopefully without interruption. In the meantime I will keep reading in hopes that you’re tuning in.

Werner knew he must have been smiling like a dope. Being addressed directly in one of Marie’s broadcasts was something he would have only dreamed of until recently. Let alone the thought of being Marie’s light, when he was so sure that it was the other around, and the fact that Marie apparently longed for him, in the same way he did her. If he wasn’t in a tiny room surrounded by men who could no doubt outmatch him in combat, and would, if he wasn’t extremely careful, he would have thought he was in heaven. That night, Werner stayed by the radio and listened carefully as he was captivated by the words Marie spoke. He even shut his eyes at times so that he could pretend he was back in that magical room with that magical girl back in Saint Malo. He was completely taken by her words as she told the story she chose. She talked of kings and queens, and fairies, good and bad, of maidens cursed to sleep for a long time, and the young prince who eventually saved her and won her heart. Something about this particular tale was comforting to Werner, like the warmth of childhood, when he was safe and at home at the orphanage with Frau Elena and Jutta. It was enough for him to forget where he was for a while and when Marie finally ended the broadcast for the night, Werner felt almost as if he was plunged into freezing water, the reality of the situation hitting once more. I promise Marie, I will come back for you, Werner promised to himself.

Next to finding his way back to Marie, Werner’s other most important goal was reaching his sister, Jutta. Luckily, he had a pretty good idea of where she was, thanks to the letters they had exchanged while he was at school, and later while he was traveling with his unit. He just hoped that whatever letter he sent now would reach her. Once Marie finished broadcasting for the night, Werner shifted his attention to writing his first letter.

Dear Jutta, I am unsure if you were able to hear the broadcast I did in an attempt to reach you, but either way, I felt that I must write to you to let you know that I am still alive. I have been taken to a camp somewhere in France, where they keep soldiers like me after we have been captured. Please do not fret as I have no doubt you will. The conditions here are not too bad, and the Soldiers here in charge of it have so far have not considered me as a threat and have therefore treated me as gently as I could hope for given the circumstances. I was interrogated when I arrived, but the only information they requested from me was my name, unit, and basic information like that, so that makes me hope that my imprisonment will be relatively brief compared to others. In the meantime, I have the beautiful voice of Marie to keep me company and see me through. Speaking of which, I have met the most wonderful girl, Jutta. It turns out that the professor has a grandniece and she was a fan of his too! It seems as though she has inherited his brilliant mind. She has taken over shortwave 13.10 and has kept me going ever since I first heard her voice. Just being in her presence felt almost heavenly, like all of the things that had been weighing me down suddenly lifted and I was left with only joy and comfort I didn’t know I could feel. Once I get out of this place, and find you, I intend on finding her again too. Right now, she is safe and waiting in a French city called Saint Malo. I can only pray that she’ll remain there until I can go back for her. I could go on and on, but in order to stop this letter from being neverending, I will stop myself here and talk about what you will probably find to be the most exciting news. I was also bestowed the honor of meeting The Professor. If I’m being honest, we didn’t start off on the best foot, and rightfully so, but somehow I was able to earn his trust, and he even saved and entrusted me with his precious Marie. He was once a soldier like me, back during the Great War. It gives me hope for myself, that I too, can find light despite the things I have seen. Meeting him was something I will remember the rest of my life. Getting his approval is something I will carry with me always. There is so much more to tell you, but I feel as though it would be best to tell you in person, so I will save some stories until we see eachother again. Until then, know that I am alive, and as okay as I could be given the circumstances. I look forward to hearing from you soon. All my Love, Werner.

Notes:

Thank you all for continuing to read my little fic! I’m still learning but I promise to do my best to make it entertaining and enjoyable for you all! I appreciate all of the comments, kudus and hits, so thank you! I also created a tumblr blog under the same username I use here for posting updates and bonus content relating to the fic, so please feel free to check it out! I hope to see you all next week as well!

Chapter 3: Stranger

Summary:

Marie starts to figure out her life again after everything that’s happened

Notes:

Hey again! Thank you for continuing to read and leave kudos and comments! It makes me happy that you’re all enjoying this story! If you would like updates and accompanying posts, I have created a tumblr account under the same username I use here just for that sort of thing! This chapter will be a bit shorter, but the next two should be a bit longer to make up for it! I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 3: Marie had been doing her best to keep her broadcasts compelling. If she was being honest, not knowing if Werner was listening to broadcasts or was even okay, was really hard. She wished more than anything, that he could talk back when she reached out each night. That said, the end of the German occupation meant that she was finally free to explore again, something she missed dearly while having no choice but to stay safe inside her great uncle’s house during the chaos of war, only leaving to get food when she had no other choice, so that’s just what she did. She went out and about, catching up with neighbors and shop keepers she hadn’t seen in a long time. Relearning the streets by herself after all of the damage that had been done to them was a challenge, but one she knew she could handle. Marie also started going down to the beach again. She liked just sitting on the soft sand and running her fingers through it, taking notice of the course texture as she listened to the ocean in the distance and breathed along with it. Additionally, Marie would visit the grotto feeling her away around the dark caves. She would look for oysters, and remember both her brush of death with von Rumple, and how her father would take her there during a time that felt so far away to her now. The juxtaposition of the memories left her conflicted. Not wanting ghosts to keep her from living her life however, Marie decidedly kept going.

When she was stranded in the house that had once belonged to her great uncle, whether it be by weather, or illness, or simply wanting a break from exploring, Marie would work on repairing the model her father had lovingly crafted for her when they first arrived there, all that time ago. She went slowly, restoring and creating new buildings and streets as the city around her changed and rebuilt itself as well, and before Marie knew it, the crispness of summer faded into the chill of autumn. It was around this time that Marie had also decided that it was time for her to restart her education. She had enough funds from what Etienne had left her to sustain herself for the foreseeable future, so she put most of her efforts into preparing herself for university when she wasn't exploring or broadcasting.

As for her broadcasts, she made sure to remain steady and on point each and everyday, starting at the same time everyday without fail. She was finding that she quite enjoyed the book of fairy tales she had selected, only skipping over the tale of Bluebeard both for its admonishment of both women, and curiosity, making a point of doing so, announcing her distaste for the tale on one of her broadcasts. She always made sure to leave a little message for Werner each time, like she once did for her father and uncle, with the hope that he was listening in. She would tell him about her trips to the beach, and how she'd like to take him there someday, or something new she had learned in her studies that she knew his scholarly brain would appreciate. When she finished La Belle et La Bête, she told him that, much like the girl and the prince in the story, she was certain that they would meet again someday, and finally be able to live their lives together in the way that they deserved. It was times like that when she so much wished that he could respond. She wanted to hear about his day, and all of the little adventures he had been on during the course of it. She wanted to hear new information he had acquired, and about all of the interesting things he had encountered. She wanted to hear about all of the bad and scary things he had faced and be there to offer him the comfort he needed, and for him to offer the same for her when she needed it too. She wanted to hear his laugh and the way he said her name again. She got goosebumps just thinking about it.

She happened to be lost in thought over the very topic one day after her daily broadcast when she heard a knock at the door. She made her way down the stairs rather quickly before hesitation kicked in. Carefully, she approached the door like a cat unsure of the intentions of a human who was offering them food. “Hello?” She questioned carefully. A light, feminine voice she didn’t recognize responded. “Hello! You don’t know me, but my brother Werner told me quite a bit about you! My name is Jutta Pfennig!”

Notes:

Thank you for reading again! I appreciate all of you continuing to follow the story as I post! I’ll do my best to stay consistent with updates! Also, if you haven’t, I suggest listening to the demo version of “At All Costs,” from the new Disney movie wish. It gave me major Marie and Werner vibes and I listened to it while I wrote this chapter! I hope to see you all next week!

Notes:

Hello again! Thank you for reading this far! I plan to post a new chapter every Friday so if you enjoyed this first chapter, there will be more to come! I hope you like it so far! See you next week!