The Book Thief Sequel- The Past's Bridge

Chapter Seven- Consciousness

"Max! Max!"

I rushed over to his body, starting to shake him to pull him out of his unconsciousness. He had to be asleep. He had a pulse. He had a heartbeat.

He started to groan as his eyes fluttered open and he put his palm to his forehead.

"Max?!"

"I'm here Liesel, it's alright."

"Oh my God! What happened? Are you hurt? Do you want me to take you to a doctor? Your forehead's bleeding."

I looked at him with fear and a growing concern for the flow of blood tricking down his face.

"I must have hit my head on something. I'm alright though. Can you just help me to the sofa, and then turn the oven off. The meat will burn."

He laughed as I attempted to support his significantly higher mass with my petite little frame, dragging him across the floor with all my strength. Once reaching the safety of the sofa, I quickly ran to salvage whatever food I could for dinner.

"You're very sufficient in your domestic encounters, you do know that?" Max said in a teasing tone.

"Was that an attempt at a compliment Mr Vanderberg?"

"Yes." He smiled at me as he took out a cigarette, filling up the entire living room in a blossom of smoke, engulfing all of the sweet smells from his home cooking.

Even with the crimson blood dripping down his face, he still somehow looked handsome. His shiny black hair slicked back, his lips curled round the cigarette, his deep brown eyes surveying me. Everything Max Vanderberg did was somehow irresistible to me. I loved even his deepest fears and 'faults' with all my heart.

As I left the meal to cool down on the counter, I brought a wet cloth and a plaster to clean him up a little. Stealing the cigarette from his mouth and kneeling in the space next to him, I cleared the blood away, leaving only a small wound and a bruise.

"You know, this is the closest I've ever been to a lady before." Max whispered, smirking.

"Really? You haven't...?"

"No. I just haven't found the right girl yet, or one who'd actually want to date me. What about you then Miss Mysterious? Any heartbreakers back in Molching?"

I'd had offers, quite a few actually. It's just that none of them could have compared to what I felt for Max. But of course, that's not what I said.

"No. The only boy I'd ever kissed was Rudy. My Rudy. Before he died. I kissed him to try and bring him back, you know, after the bombings. I was so stupid."

He stopped my hand from addressing his wound, and slipped his hand on to my cheek. I could feel myself burning up, unable to control this tension I felt when I was with Max.

"Liesel. It was wrong, so so wrong what happened to Himmel Street. I'd do anything to bring them back to you. Anything."

He pulled me in closer, his eyes firmly taking their hold on my heart.

"I know there are millions of others in the world you could be with, but you're with me, here and now. I never want to let you go again Liesel, as long as I am breathing. I know your first kiss was out of pain and sorrow; but would it be alright if I could be the last person you ever kiss? Then I promise my darling every kiss I give you will be out of my eternal love for you."

Max Vanderberg. My Jewish fist fighter. He wanted to kiss me. Finally.

I nodded, half smiling, half in tears of mixed emotion.

I felt his warm lips wrap around mine, sending bursts of electricity, igniting my body. Our bodies moved together in motion as he tightened his grasp around my waist and pulled me on to his lap, our lips never parting.

I could feel everything, his warmth, his heartbeat twinning with the rhythm of mine, his sharp stubble tickling my jaw, the way his hands would move, exploring every inch of my body he could get hold of.

I was wholly and completely in love with him. New feelings were racing through my body as he lay me down and exposed my vulnerability.