Peace. That's what she could describe it as. Total peace. And comfort. And love. She didn't want to leave the serene serenity that surrounded her, the warmth and cozy, yet she knew it was inevitable. Sunlight touched her skin as the early dawn rose in the room, bringing forth the start of the day and a new sight beside her.

Delilah smiled at the peaceful face of Roderich, sound asleep. Gentle breaths left him as he held her close to against his chest. For her, it was a blanket of protection and love. Her eyes caught the bandages on his body, some white as others spotted a faded red, for the images from last night to come to mind. She sunk back into that blissful world. The feeling of being whole and complete made her nearly sing out in happiness, something she really hadn't felt in a long time. But the nagging knowledge of the day's agenda was what gave her the final push to get up.

Carefully prying his arms from around her waist, she slipped out of the bed, still gazing at the man she called her own. How did she become so lucky? Glancing at the damning clock and the file on the dresser, she pulled away. Hoping that he wouldn't be so stubborn and stay in bed like she wanted. Gathering her things for the day, Delilah made her way to the building, her mind still abuzz with Roderich and what was to come. She knew she was smiling, could feel the rosiness in her cheeks as everything rolled around. A future. A future with Roderich, her new hearing, a wonderful nation, and her career path, oh how it was all splendid. The only thing missing, a child. A small gray clouded her mind as the very thought came to her mind. How she longed for that feeling, to have life within her, a product of her and Roderich. A child with brunette waves and sparkling violet eyes like his father. The love of music radiating from them like Roderich, as her sharp mind flowed out of them as any subject was placed before them. It was something she longed for but if the world around her was true and she and Roderich would be personifications and immortals, the chance for it was slim. Even with a human.

In truth, she understood why he was close with Heldigard and her long line of the family. It was his tie to reality. Normality to be truthful. Something that was real yet would fade years away when before him. She couldn't image the pain. Seeing the death of the person by his side for so long, someone he trusted and loved as if they were his own family. He was much stronger than he portrayed himself as. So much stronger.

The large doors swung open to her as she made her way to his office, knowing that Hildegard was waiting for her there, ready for the news about Roderich. The woman worried about the aristocrat as much as she did, which was to say constantly.

"I see you look well." she heard Hildegard say, "He made it home then?"

"Ja he did. Bruised and battered but ok nonetheless."

"Answer me this, how'd you make him stay home?"

"He's still sleeping. I made him stay in bed last night even though he wanted to work."

Hildegard sighed, "That sounds like him. So how'd you keep him in bed? Drug him or tie him up?"

"I'm guessing you've done that?" Delilah chuckled at her.

"Threatened. Never got the chance to do so." she smiled at her, the woman's eyes narrowing at her, "Oh I see."

"See what?"

"You tired him out."

She glanced at her in curiosity, "What do you mean?"

Hildegard gave a wise smile, "You rolled in the sheets together, didn't you?"

Delilah felt her cheeks flush as her face drained, "How?"

"You have a light rosy afterglow of lovemaking. It's evident, especially by this old woman's eyes." she replied as her finger tapped her neck, "That and you have a love bite on your neck."

Her hand slapped over the spot in shock, forgetting he has his way with her neck and she enjoyed the ever living hell out of it. She sunk into his chair, awed and shocked that she noticed all of that before she did and yet happy that she did before facing the people within the place.

"So, answer me this one, was it good?"

Delilah let out a light chuckle, "My god, the most amazing thing I have ever experienced."

Hildegard laughed as she covered her face, embarrassment came over her as she replayed the reply in her head repeatedly. She was never this open to people, why was she now with Hildegard?

"Oh don't be bothered by it. I think it's about time that it happened."

"You knew?"

"I heard him muttering to himself one day of how to approach you about it yet wasn't sure if it was right at that moment or so. He was contemplating calling others around the world for advice since he's only had one before you."

"One before me?"

Hildegard grimaced at her words to her, making Delilah all the more curious, "Who else was there?"

"As I said only one." she replied, "There was ever only one. He loved his royals and such like you have seen but only one had him the most since the pact between the nations."

"A nation?"

The woman sighed, "Before the capitals were known to exist and be a part of this world, nations relied on one another for friends, companions, and lovers. Think about it dear, hundreds of years being immortal, no human contact to truly call your own and if you do fall for one, a damning hell will be for the human. So many souls taken way before their times in those matters."

"So the nation is?"

"Hungary."

"Eliza?" that wasn't something she fully was expecting, yet she knew she should have.

"Yes, Eliza." she nodded to her, "The day he said how you were incompetent-"

"Rather not be reminded about that."

"Yes but on that day, it was when he told her about you. It was Eliza that ended the physical relationship they had, yet deep down I think she was trying to end it for a while now. Not wanting to cause suspicion to herself and her thoughts within the nations."

"So Eliza was before me."

"Ja, however, I do not think you need to dwell on that thought."

"How so?"

"The way he looks at you is how I know. The way he speaks or listens to you. Everything he does is all for you and how he wants to be more in your world than most would have believed. He has changed since you came here, being a part of our world and slowly getting deeper into it. It different to see him as such, yet rewarding really. He just seems happier to me."

"Have you seen him like that before?"

"I haven't, just you." she replied, "However one of my great ancestors said that the one day they ever saw relief and calm in him all at once was when he found Marie-Thérèse."

"Wait, isn't that the only surviving child of Marie-"

"Marie Antoinette, yes. When he found out that she was alive and safely away from the French, it set him in a calm. As if his mistakes were saved. According to them, he blamed himself for not teaching Marie enough of the royal world and what to expect. They were just too young to be crowned he believed."

"He really does care about his people then, huh?"

"You have no idea yet Delilah." Hildegard smiled at her, "But you will find out sooner or later."

Delilah smiled, understanding more of him each day as she spoke with the woman. It made her feel closer to him. And her as well, feeling the love he has for the sweet woman.

"Well, after that little history lesson, it's time for you and I to get to work." Hildegard said gathering the papers together, "I know Roderich well enough that the moment that he wakes he will be making his way here."

"He better not."

Hildegard laughed, "Trust me, I know him."

All she could do was laugh at her, doing the same as they felt his office side by side. As the woman spoke to her of the day's plans before her class, her mind slipped within itself and Roderich, wondering what else was there that she didn't know of yet.

Delilah was nearly shoved out of the way as a man pushed by her and Hildegard, one of the young women at the desk trying her best to speak with him yet he flew from them all.

"That was strange." Hildegard stated, her conversation moving to the young woman, learning what she could of the man, yet Delilah paid no mind, just the noise that caught her ears.

Her head whipped around, multiple times it felt like. The strange buzzing ringing catching her ears, bringing her to wonder of the sound. She tried to hone it in, finding it's source as she felt Hildegard's hand upon her shoulder.

"Delilah?"

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" the young woman asked.

"That noise, don't you hear it?"

The two of them stared at her in worry and curiosity, shaking their heads as the noise continued. Delilah walked the area, seeing what she could find as the noise grew louder by the one door.

"That's the conference room, Delilah, there's nothing in there." the young woman stated.

"Where did that man come from?" Hildegard asked her.

"Well, to be honest, I think there." she replied as Delilah opened the door, "I was trying to see what was wrong but I believe he forgot something. I've seen those looks before."

She continued her search, wondering where it was coming from as it grew louder in the corner. All she could see was a briefcase, nothing out of the ordinary, yet something in her was ready to scream. It was yelling at her, to run away, to find Roderich and get everyone out, yet she kept going. Getting closer to the piece, she looked it over noticing nothing out of the blue. Dropping to her knees, she moved the piece around, just to see the numbers counting down. Only then, did Delilah realize it was too late to react.

Oh, how he hated being hurt, hated being what he thought was a burden, hated the fact that she was doing all his work with Hildegard and not informing him that she was doing so. Ok, hate was strong. Disliked. Roderich was thankful that Delilah did what she did, it gave him such a strong idea of her and how strong she was. How amazed he was about her. Yet he was determined to get to the building where he knew both women would be.

Her voluptuous body illuminated in the pale moonlight, laying on his bed flooded his mind, bringing tingling warmth to every fiber of his being. He wanted to feel her against him again. Every night if he could truthfully. She was perfect in everything to his mind and when she told him to play her like the piano, by damn he did just that. He knew Hildegard would know of their late-night actions, things like that never slipped past the woman. She was quite famous for slipping the famous foil packages in the girl's purses and bag and just handing them to the boys of the building, giving that devious smile and nod of knowledge. Mostly it sent the elders on a small fit of laughter as the younger ones scurried away in embarrassment but he knew she was really looking out for all of them within the building.

A rocketing pain ravaged his shoulder as someone bumped into him down the sloping stairs. He gripped the freshly covered wound as his eyes landed on the source of it, only for fear to roll in his gut. He had seen him before. Those dark, soulless eyes as the wicked grin came upon his face, just for the attack in Bratislava to plague his vision. There was no way that there was someone there, not of Genesis in that case. He made sure all the borders were safe and secure, that no one could come in or out without being heavily looked at. So how the hell was he there in Vienna?

His thoughts were shattered when the deafening sound hit him, feeling heat lick at his back and the ground under him shutter. Roderich whipped around just to see a nightmare unfold in his capital.

"Nein." he spoke aloud as the smoke and flames left the doors and windows, "Nein!"

Roderich rushed in, ignoring the pain that blistered his body and any thoughts of reason. He was lucky to even think of where to enter the place as people ran out screaming and crying, holding onto one another as some addressed wounds and others search for friends and loved ones. He knew where they would be, it was typical to find the two of them there before meetings and classes. Chaos was all he saw as he made his way in the destroyed foyer, so much debris and destruction covered the place that he was lucky to even see the remains of the desk as another quake shook the ground once more. Panic finally overcame him.

"Delilah!" he called out, feeling the strain of fear in his throat, "Delilah! Hildegard! Girls, where are you?"

There wasn't a soul present in sight, only death that lingered in the air, something he knew too well of. He kept moving, knowing he had to find them, just had to, and if it took him till the building burned down completely then that was what he was doing. He knew the office wasn't far, at least the ones he knew they'd be in. Just a few steps. He repeated it over and over again, hoping that his mind was wrong with the truth as others tried to find survivors behind him.

Finally, the door came in sight, "Delilah!"

The normal pristine door of hers hung on broken hinges as it splintered and cracked all around it, something visible poking through it as he tried to push it open. As weak as he felt, he budged it lightly, trying his best to peer in and see the damage. The vibrations and light within going made with the hell outside its frame.

"Come on, please move." he begged the broking thing as he pushed himself against it again.

With another burst of strength, it moved again, this time it gave him the glance he wanted, and the fear consumed him with his daunting thoughts.

"No! Girls!" he shouted as he saw the tangled mess of bloodied bodies, "Lieber Gott, öffne diese verdammte Tür!"

"Roderich, hör auf!" he heard someone yell at him, "Du wirst dich selbst verletzen."

Looking up, Vash stood beside him, face full of worry and fear as he pressed himself against the door. All the man did was nod to him as he glanced behind him for just a brief second. It was then he saw Vlad and Časlov.

"Roderich!" Vash's voice rang in his ears, "Listen to me. We'll push the door open, you need to slip in with Časlov and get them out of there and outside where we can help them. Got it?"

He wasn't able to speak, he was lucky enough he could nod his head at him. Before he realized, Vash and Vlad pushed themselves against the door, making the piece nearly fall inwards as he and Časlov made their way in. There was barely anything left of the room, anything at all. He was lucky enough to bump into the tangled mess that was Delilah and Hildegard's bodies.

He felt Časlov tap his shoulder as he tried to get one of them, "We'll shimmy one out at a time, it's too dangerous for them to be moved together with how this room is and the door as well."

"Hurry it up, you two!" Vash yelled in.

"We can only hold on for so long you know." Vlad added.

Roderick nodded to him as he helped him move one of the women out, making sure that there was little damage given as he went back to the next. He gathered the last one in his arms as he felt something fall beside him. Moving his hand around, he found the familiar device and his heart sank. He tried to see her face, through all the smoke and more, he tried so hard to see that pretty face, yet he couldn't.

"Roderich!" he heard the men yell.

Without a pause, he left the room as Vlad and Vash let the piece collapse inward and followed Časlov out with Delilah in his arms. As the suns bright rays hit him, it gave no warmth or comfort as he looked over both women. Their bodies were broken and mangled from the blasts, and any signs of life were long gone from them. He prayed, oh how he prayed one would just cough or gasp, yet there was nothing.

"No. No, girls, no." he pleaded, "Don't go, I can't lose you both."

"Roderich, they're-" he swatted the hand away that attempted to give comfort, he didn't want it.

He gathered both of them in his lap, cradling the last two real people he loved wholeheartedly as his mind tried to make sense of what happened and his heart shattered into millions of pieces. How, no not how, why. Why was the world so cruel? It was every war he fought, every soul he saw die, every person that ever meant a damn thing to him was once again ripped away. He broke so many promises and now there was nothing holding it together.

"Roderich." someone called out weakly.

Looking down, his eyes widened as Hildegard gave the faintest smile to him, "Hildegard!"

She tried to speak as her hand came off her chest, "Oh no, no Hildegard, you need to rest. Please don't-"

Her nimble finger met his quivering lips as her eyes sparkled at him one last time. Gently her hand graced the back of his head, pulling him down lightly just to place a kiss on his lips. Roderich was stunned, to say the least, but something in her face told him to just accept the notion.

"Thank you." she spoke out, "Thank you...for being the best...man I ever knew. For everything...you did for...me and my...family. Ich Liebe Dich, Austria."

"Ich Liebe Dich, Hildegard." That simple sentence meant a lifetime to him and he knew that life was done.

With a final breath, she smiled at him, slipping away in his arms as Delilah took her own breath. One now as Vienna.