Author's note: I know I have much work to be done with stories and whatnot but it will be done soon. School has been the focus of my concentration right now. Also, thank you Awen Sofer for beta-reading this.

Review if you enjoyed.

Summary: AU, OC, after WWII. Reira was a shy woman who was over-looked by all except for Alfred Jones, an American soldier who was about to be off to battle. They had fallen in love within two months, both unsure if any of it was real or not. He had promised to marry her when he got back but he never did. She vowed to never learn to love again.

It had finally ended. The war was won, people were happy and cheering loudly when the announcement was made. Beer glasses clinked, handshakes were shaken, kissing ensued, and bodies rushed out upon the streets. Amongst the crowd, there was one who stayed inside and that was a woman whom goes by the name of Reira. She sat along the bar while her eyes gazed upon the radio that caused the commotion and silently stood up. The bar was empty except for the owner who was waiting for her to leave. With the letter in hand, she quickly left and stumbled through the crowd of happy people; none taking notice of her struggle to get free.

She forced her way into a dark, dank alleyway and reopened the letter to read it once again. It said:

Mister and Mrs. Jones,

We regret to inform you that your son, Lieutenant Alfred Jones, has been reported missing. A bomb went off near where he was stationed and unfortunately officers could not recover his body. If he cannot be found, he will be presumed dead. Alfred lead his group to success against the enemy and ended a German raid. A small memorial will be raised in his honor for the great service he gave his country. He will be recognize by his homeland for many years to come. Our sincere condolences and thoughts go out to you during your time of grief.

Mrs. Jones had given the paper to her with a severe look of depression and sympathy towards her. She had said that Reira could keep it just for the memory of him and refused to take it back. The Jones' knew how much they had loved one another so it only seemed fitting to let her know. Deep down, there was the dullest glint of hope inside of the redhead that Alfred was still alive but she was most pessimistic.

Tears glided down her cheeks and throat as her hands slowly folded the paper closed. Was all that love she received just a jest? Or is this all a nightmare, a very long nightmare? She didn't know and didn't want to know. All she wanted right now was Alfred back home and safe with her but that was just a fool's wish. She would never see his face again, never be held in his arms again, and never hear the comforting lull of his voice.

He head began to swim with confusing thoughts and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out all the noise in the world. It was no use; it was like a black hole had appeared above her head and sucked out everything that she lived for.

~:~

The only thing he could feel was the warm metal of the locket in his tightly clenched hand all the while his body was violently jostled about. He could hear the thundering pounding of falling bombs, the crackling of falling debris, and the pained groaning of bending and straining metal machines, such as the one that trapped him in between a crevice. Rapid fire guns snapped across the field before him and the hoarse yelling of voices calling out to others. Suddenly, a large boom resonated right next to him with rocks and dirt flying around his face, prickling his skin.

Struggling, he managed to look up through the rocks wedged about him to see this dark-colored vapor looming above his head. It was not smoke from fire but a gaseous poison. He immediately covered his mouth with his hand in feeble attempt to stop the gas from being inhaled but it had gotten to his eyes. It burned like spikes digging in, and tears instantly poured down his face trying to flush it out.

What happened next was a blur to him. He heard the rushing of bodies while screams of pain filled his ears and his focus of what was going on disappearing. Then suddenly he was wide awake. He had the sense of his eyes opening but he could not see which caused a slight sense of panic hit him. It churned his stomach but he tried to hold back the gag of nerves. Breathing slowly, he tried to focus on something else - anything that would take his mind off of the slow approaching dread.

He turned about until he felt a snag and a tug of resistance against his own movements. There was that eerie groan of a large metal machine and the great sense of a large presence in front of him. Straining a bit as he sat up, his hands met with the hard and cold feeling of smoothness. With a slight push the mass of steel moved very little, and it struck him what it was. His fingers fiddled over a small medal and a memory flashed in his head: it was the truck he and his fellow soldiers were riding in what seemed like only moments ago.

It was then that the sudden strike of pain slashed down his spine when the sound and feeling of grinding bones resonated throughout his body. His movements halted and that same panic came back. It swirled around the bottom of his gut and taunted his heart which had begun to race. His legs were broken and his eyes were damaged. Questions began to pound into his mind and his fists tightened.

A little click of metal twinkled from his palm.

He was not going to die, he couldn't. He wouldn't let it happen. He had to get home to her. He had to marry her and make her happy which was something he always wanted. It was then at the lightest moment that there was a distant motorized engine wheezing and he let out a loud scream for help. Before he could even be rescued, he passed out from the throbbing pain.