OMG I'm sorry I'm sooo late in updating! I hope you forgive me! Anyway, here's the magic chapter that inspired this story! I hope you enjoy! Oh, by the way, I'm happy to inform everyone that at nine chapters, I've got more reviews for 'Temples Of Gold' than I got for 'The Spell'. Guess we all grow!

Chapter Nine: The Cathedral

Tap, tap, tap.

Marlene stirred in her slumber.

Tap, tap, tap.

She groggily opened one eye.

Tap, tap, tap.

What was that sound? Marlene awoke silently in her bed. The noise came one more time.

Tap, tap, tap.

Reminded her blearily of glass...

Her window! She bolted upward in bed to face a frosty window with an excited Kadaj behind it, green eyes shining. A smile lit up on Marlene's face as she managed to shove a hand over her mouth before she shrieked in excitement.

A slow smile spread to his lips. Wait—how had he gotten to her window? Quickly, Marlene unlocked the glass panel, slid it up, and then the screen. A flurry of cold air hit her and Kadaj silently slid into her room.

Before they said anything, Kadaj laughed and flew at Marlene, his leather-protected arms losing themselves around Marlene's torso. Marlene lowered her face into his familiar leather jacket, choosing to ignore the questions she had,and let Kadaj's hands caress her soft head, eyes shut.

When they finally broke the embrace, Marlene glanced toward the door. They couldn't be loud. The last thing they needed was Daddy coming in. She darted to the door, locked it, and quietly ran back.

"I missed you so much!" She whispered excitedly, unable to take her eyes off of Kadaj.

"I missed you too. I missed you more than I ever thought I could . . ." His eyes unfocused themselves.

"How did you get here?" Marlene asked. "How are Loz and Yazoo? Where have you been for the past week?" She questioned, careful to talk any louder than a whisper.

"Well," Kadaj spoke in a quiet tone, "we were put on the outskirts of Midgar. We've been staying out of the way of the people—they apparently haven't taken too well to the idea of our arrival. Loz has forgiven me for not leaving sooner, and Yazoo has spent his time preparing to leave for Parlhun."

Leaving for Parlhun? But they've just come back! Tears formed in Marlene's eyes.

"Is this goodbye then?" She asked timidly.

"Not quite yet," Kadaj told her, "you see, two weeks ago, you made me a promise." Marlene looked up at him.

"I did?" She asked. Kadaj nodded toward his glass entrance.

"Look out the window, Marlene," he whispered. Her bare foot slipped forward. Marlene caught her breath.

"It's snowing," she breathed. And then she turned back to him.

"You'll probably want a coat," he remarked, "and maybe a pair of gloves and shoes."

Marlene scrambled to pull on thick socks and sneakers, then to grab for a pair of mittens and her coat that hung on her door. After a moment's hesitation, she also took a woolen blanket that lined her bedset.

"Ready?" He asked. Eyes sparkling, she nodded.

"Did you bring your bike?" She asked.

"Not here. I parked it a few blocks away—it was pretty loud. Don't worry, we're not going very far." He smiled.

"How are we getting out?" Marlene asked. Kadaj stepped up to the window.

"Same way I came in," Kadaj grunted, opening up the window again. "It's a good thing you live in a one story house. I'm going to go out first. Then you. I'll catch you," he said.

He slipped out the window and landed with a quiet crunch onto a thin layer of snow. He then smiled up at Marlene, raising his arms to catch her. Marlene grinned and leaped, landing in Kadaj's arms, blanket and all.

"Let's go," he said with a smile as he began to walk.

"Where are we going?" She whispered, clutching his neck. He chuckled.

"To watch the snow." They began to walk.

We're going into town?" She asked, huddling in closer with her blankets as he began to walk in the direction of a quiet, local downtown.

"You'll see," he said, and she was unable to catch the delighted twinkle in his green eyes.

A good 10-15 minutes of quick-paced striding later, they stopped on the corner of Spire Avenue.

"Are we almost there?" Marlene asked, hiding her face in Kadaj's neck. She felt him let out a long breath.

"Look Marlene," he breathed, "look at it."

Marlene raised her small head to look up and her eyes widened, feeling a strange still at the sight in front of her.

It was a cathedral. Not Aeris's church by a long shot, but a majestic stone palace of a church in Midgar.

She'd passed by this same, quiet place many times before. But she recognized it in a new light now. It stood, terribly beautiful; black sky against stone rooftops covered in snow. A silver moon shone brilliantly through fractals of stain-glass windows. Marlene recognized a great power in this cathedral.

Kadaj began to run toward it, Marlene jostling against him as he did so.

"Whoa—what are we doing?" She asked, shivering at the cold rush of air that passed through her.

"Would you like to see more?" He asked. They reached the base of the stone tower. He was still a moment.

"Kadaj?" Marlene whispered.

"Hold on," he warned, and taking a deep breath, he lunged at the building with two hands. Marlene shrieked aloud before quickly silencing herself. Her eyes flashed with panic as she realized Kadaj was no longer on the ground, but a good five feet up, stuck to the wall. He brought up his feet and stretched ahead of him with his hands. He was climbing the wall!
"Kadaj, is this safe?" Marlene dared to question, her voice low and shaking against him.

"I haven't forgotten everything," Kadaj strained as they quickly but inconsistently inched their way up. Marlene shut her eyes, not daring to look down, and clung to Kadaj's neck for dear life.

After what seemed hours, but in reality couldn't have been more than ten minutes, Kadaj grabbed at an indent on the cathedral's roof. Marlene was at once dizzy with fear for being so close to the edge—a mere inch away from sudden death, and quickly backed away from the edge and onto the snowy roof just as Kadaj swung up top.

"There now," Kadaj smiled, "that wasn't so bad was it?" He grinned, revealing her blanket draped across his arm which she hadn't realized was lost, and wrapped it around her.

"You're crazy!' Marlene exclaimed, peering down at the streets below. "But I trust you," she said, hugging him affectionately. Kadaj beamed. Marlene offered him half of a blanket, and he accepted. Now the two figures sat, side by side under one blanket, on the roof of a cathedral watching the snow fall.

"Marlene?" Kadaj asked. She turned to him.

"Yes?'

"I missed you."

"We're together now," Marlene smiled sweetly and so did he. She traced a pattern on the thin layer of crisp snow. It was cold and delightful. "Here," Marlene said, "hold out your hand." Kadaj did as he was told. Marlene then slid off the leather glove that protected him from touch.

"The air is very cold," Kadaj admitted, making a fist with his ungloved hand and stretching his fingers.

"Feel it," Marlene encouraged, letting the powder sift through her fingers. Kadaj ran his hand over the roof and gasped at the icy touch. He scooped up a handful and clenched it to his closed fist.

He then offered it to Marlene who set it back gently They sat then, for a long time.

It was perfect silence. Neither Kadaj nor Marlene had ever heard such a beautiful thing. The air was still and black with big billowing clouds camouflaged on the dark. They gazed at their city below, proud to be associated with such a mystery.

The snow was an exquisite accessory. Kadaj gazed in wonder at the tiny crystals that floated and danced their way down. There were now several icy flakes embedded into Marlene's dark hair. She looked lovely.

They looked. They no longer spoke. The silence on the cathedral roof was unbreakable. Pure. Magic. Marlene learned that not all things can be said with words.

She saw Kadaj's eyes—filled with wonder and amazement at such a beauty, and Marlene's heart suddenly felt like it was going to lunge at her friend as she felt wave after wave of love for this boy.

They sat for a long time, engaged in the sultry fragility below and around them, disregarding time and cold.

And then, the flakes gradually became fewer and fewer until eventually, they ceased altogether, leaving Midgar a world of frost and white.

Marlene sighed contentedly. "Is that it—the end?" Kadaj asked, afraid of the answer. "What now?" He asked. Marlene acknowledged the missing moment, and shook the snow out of her hair and smiled.

"Well, if you take me back down I'll show you 'what now'!"

XxXxXx

So I divided this scene into probably about three chapters because it's so long. Hope it doesn't confuse anyone! Please drop me a review!