Dies Irae- This Day

Author's Note: I think this is one of my favorite stories to write recently. I'm infatuated with the idea of it, and can you believe the idea just popped out of my head while I was playing tetris? Haha, you guys should play the game more often. It gives you good ideas. Anyways, about another fic. I'm sorry guys, but I think I'm going to have to end Curse of Stradivarius. Not, delete it, but stop writing until I get some inspiration to write it again. If someone can pull me out of the misery of Curse, maybe I'll write again. As for now, I'll just do Requiem and Secrets in the Dark. And after Secrets…if you really do follow the extensive storyline…well…let's just say that there is something ahead of you, if you know what I mean ;). Enjoy this chapter and the last days of summer!

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Dies irae, dies illa

Solvet saeclum in favilla,

Teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus,

Quando judex est venturus,

Cuncta stricte discussurus!

This day, this day of wrath

shall consume the world in ashes,

as foretold by David and the Sibyl.

What trembling there will be

When the judge shall come

to weigh everything strictly!

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"May I know the name of the one who sheltered me and tended to my wounds?" he asked her, his blue eyes peering into the depths of her brown ones.

The nun stammered for a moment as she said, "I…I…I…I'm Julia. Sister Julia Heartilly."

Squall managed to bow slightly and mumbled, "Thank you Sister Julia. I appreciate it." With nothing more to say, he limped on his crutches back to the room, closing the door behind him.

They all turned to her now. Quistis was the first to speak. "Julia? Since when did you start adopting your mother's given name?"

Rinoa began fidgeting as she rubbed her shoulder. "I don't know…call it a premonition if you like but…I can't use my name. Not here, not now. He may be just another innocent man but I can't take my chances."

Quistis looked downcast and sighed. "Rinoa, I'm sorry I accidentally said something about your…you know what."

Rinoa walked to Quistis and gave her a hug. "It's perfectly fine Quistis. I know you didn't mean to say anything about it. To be honest, if I saw a fellow sister curing someone with blue light, I'd be talking faster and louder than you did."

Quistis smiled and released herself from the hug. "You know, we are fortunate enough to have the convent to ourselves. God blessed us in a way when he sent the other sisters to do missions work in Bolivia. Now, at least only the ones who know of your um…you know, can be here to protect you."

Selphie walked around the two sisters and drew them into a hug. "Yes! We will protect you! But…um…if someone does attack us, how to we protect Sister Rinoa?"

The auburn-haired man in the corner coughed softly to catch everyone's attention. "Ahem…I believe my ladies have forgotten the masculine presence of my shooting prowess here?"

Sister Selphie rolled her eyes and said, "You? Hah! Irvine Edward Kinneas! You are expecting to be our personal bodyguard? You? You can't even shoot a bird!"

Irvine scowled at the brunette sister and retorted, "For your information woman, I shoot birds and much smaller animals perfectly! I never miss!"

"Cocky…we could have you thrown out of here for being rude to one of St. Agnes' sisters you know," warned Selphie as she put her hands on her waist, looking quite spunky in her nun's uniform.

"I," he said proudly, "am your beloved caretaker. And if anything should happen to you, I will be the first in line, my lady, to brandish my sword of fleeting fire and strike those who wish to oppose my dear girls!"

Selphie scoffed at him and muttered, "Poetry indeed. You are no Shakespeare so stop trying hard to impress me Irvine Kinneas. I've vowed a solemn promise of chastity!"

Irvine winked at her though and said, "Chastity is a vow that can be broken. We are human after all. And I am the epitome of the test for resisting your human desires…dear Selphie."

"Why you! What are you trying to insinuate you…wicked…wicked…"

Rinoa caught their attention this time with an "ahem" of hers. "Sisters…and Irvine…please listen to me. I would much prefer it if you avoided calling me Rinoa anymore. Not until he is gone at least. Will you please remember that?"

They all nodded and Quistis said, "If Julia it is, then Julia you shall be called from this day forth until…um…you know, we never caught his name?"

Sister Xu agreed with Quistis. "If he never suffered amnesia, and I could tell that there is a very big chance that he did not, he will most likely remember his name."

Xu and Quistis looked at Rinoa, who was looking very confused at the moment. "Are the both of you thinking of something that your spiritual minds should be expelling at the moment?" Rinoa asked them both, feeling uncomfortable by the looks they were giving her.

"Rinoa…" Xu began.

"I was thinking…" Quistis continued.

"What if you were the one to ask the man his name?" they both said in unison.

Rinoa sighed. "I thought you were going to suggest something more inappropriate."

"Why would you think that of us?" Xu said, trying to portray an innocent look on her face.

"Because both of you look like you think I'd go further with the man!" she answered her friend back.

"Well why wouldn't you?" Quistis suggested. "He is very handsome you know."

"I'm a nun! I can't fall in love!" she cried out before Xu and Quistis continued torturing her with their teases. Rinoa was beginning to feel like she wanted to zap the two sisters.

"You might not be able to pull through with such a simple task dear Sister Rin…Julia," Xu said with a grin. She was enjoying the fact that Rinoa was reacting quite vehemently to their teasing.

Rinoa clenched her hands and balled them into fists at her side. "Of course I can do that! Why wouldn't I be able to do that?"

Quistis gave her a smirk. "Because dear sister…you're hand is clasping the shoulder which made contact with his hand and…you're blushing."

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The following morning, Squall woke up feeling less pain than he did the other day. In another attempt to rise from the bed, he felt a wincing pain spasm through his back. As he was about to reach for his crutches, he noticed a hand grabbing them and handing the pair to him.

"Please…don't try to strain yourself." It was her, Sister Julia, the nun who had nursed his wounds so tenderly yesterday. She put the crutches beside him and grabbed a stool. Setting it beside his bed she took her seat and looked at him annoyingly. "Do you want to get hurt?"

Squall was taken aback by her question. She seemed like a tough one. "Huh?"

"I said, do you want to get hurt? If you want to keep the pain around for a few more days, you're welcome to walk around the convent in your state of injury."

Squall made another attempt to get off the bed but Rinoa immediately noticed him grimacing. She placed her hand on his chest and tried to support his arm. "I am serious sir, if you don't want to remain in this convent, and I'm sure you have no intention of staying here forever, I suggest you get some rest. You had an accident, and you have several bruises and a few sprained joints. You must lay down on bed and avoid moving too much," she scolded him.

As she tried to help him lay back down, he grabbed her hand and held on to the headboard for a moment. "I'm sorry…my back hurts…but I'm not used to this."

Rinoa sighed and fluffed his pillow for him. "You obviously are an active man, but your lifestyle change shouldn't be an excuse for you to act like a brutish male who wants to show off his masculinity by acting as if nothing was the matter while he should be resting in bed." She carefully placed his injured legs on a pillow set on the end of the bed. Turning around and grabbing something beside his cabinet, she filled a glass of water and presented him a couple of pills.

"Here. Take this. They should help with the pain," she said irritably while administering the medicine to him. She handed him his glass and he quickly gulped it down along with the painkillers.

As Squall sipped the last drop of his water, he couldn't help but feel amused at the way Julia was acting around him. She seemed to be irritated at him, but he didn't know why. Well, at least he had a speculation.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked her while she was on the other side, making a small bed that seemed to be ruffled by someone.

"Do I have a reason to be mad at you sir?" she answered back. "I think you already know the answer."

Squall scratched the back of his head. "Sister Julia, I sincerely apologize for having shouted at you the other day. I wasn't thinking right."

Rinoa stopped making the bed for a while and laughed. "Men never think right! That's why I'm a nun!" She laughed again and straightened the blanket across the mattress.

"So you're using the church as an excuse to get away from men? What about the work of God?" Squall asked her, obviously finding her an easy target for teasing.

Rinoa whirled around to face him. "Listen! You know what? I serve the Lord day and night, and my life has been peaceful until you came here! I don't even know why I wouldn't give you up to one of the sisters! You are such a nuisance sometimes! Why do I even put up with you?"

Squall smirked and said, "But what have I done, sister Julia, to disturb your peace?"

Rinoa stopped what she was doing and glared at him. "Well, unlike the other patients who sit down nicely and listen to me whenever I treat them, you make things so much more difficult for me, shout at me, push me away, and now you're acting like a complete…bloke!"

Squall looked at her for a moment and mumbled, "I'm sorry Sister Julia. Like I said, I was not thinking right."

Rinoa sighed and sat on the side of Squall's bed, making him uncomfortable with the proximity. Even if she was a nun, she was very beautiful. "Look, I shouldn't be acting this way around an injured man but…please cooperate with me ok?" She touched a hand to his cheek and he could feel himself burning up. "Your injuries are more serious than any other patient I've treated before so please…just get some rest Mr…" Rinoa stopped to think and suddenly giggled. "You know what? I don't even know your name."

Squall breathed in for a moment, pondering on whether he should give his name. "I…I am Squall Leonhart."

"Squall Leonhart…" Rinoa repeated after him. "You know, you have a beautiful name there. What does it mean?"

He blushed slightly at her comment and answered, "A squall is a violent tempest of rain or snow."

"Ah, I see. So what do you do for a living Squall?"

"…I work as a friar," he plainly stated. He suddenly raised an eyebrow when he caugh Rinoa giggling out of the corner of his eye again. "What?"

"I'm sorry Squall…or should I say…Friar Squall. I just never saw you as the kind of person who would do holy work for the church." When Squall looked confused, she laughed again. "First of all, your choice of fashion seems to be quite depressing. You constantly have that irksome frown on your face, and you never seem patient enough to deal with people. It really seems strange at first that you are on the path to priesthood…but if you say so."

Squall shook his head and replied, "I get that a lot from people, and I can't believe you would say the same."

"Well Squall, I was on the receiving end of one of your tantrums yesterday, remember?" she teased him.

"…whatever."

She laughed again and walked over to the bed she was straightening out earlier. "And…you don't talk much. How can you give advice during confessionals?"

Squall turned away, obviously irritated at the nun. "Who are you to judge my life?"

She giggled again, walked to him, and put a hand on his shoulder. "I apologize sincerely friar Leonhart, for my constant teasing and yapping. However, it is imperative that rest to gain back your strength." She walked away and went back to the bed, laying down on it this time.

Squall saw her do so and asked, "Did you spend the night here?"

She turned to Squall, her amber eyes causing a peculiar warmness to emanate from inside of him. "Yes Squall, I did. Why? Does my staying here bother you?"

Squall shook his head. "I just thought you would be sleeping with the other sisters. The bed doesn't look very comfortable."

Rinoa smiled at him. "Why, Mr. Leonhart…I didn't know you cared."

Squall blushed and sat back on his pillow in an attempt to say something. Rinoa laughed again. "You know Squall, you shouldn't try to hold back whatever it is you are trying to say. I for one, like listening to what my patients have on their minds. It helps me to get to know them better."

"…" Squall felt himself heating up. 'Sister Julia is a nun you fool! You can't break the rule of lusting after fellow church people!'

Rinoa looked at the clock on the wall and said, "Well Squall, I must go prepare your lunch now so I'll be outside if you need me. There is a phone beside your bed and if you need anything, just dial 433 to reach me in the kitchen." Just as she was about to leave, Squall called her.

"Sister Julia."

She turned around at smiled at Squall. "Is there something you need Squall?"

Squall pointed to the dresser and said, "I have a black coat there. In the top pocket, can you please get something for me?"

She nodded and opened the dresser, searching the pocket he indicated until she found a silver rosary. She looked at it for a moment and smiled. "It's beautiful Squall. But…I find it quite odd that there is a lion head charm attached to this rosary."

Rinoa handed him the rosary. "I admire lions. They give me a sense of courage. This one lion, in particular, is a favorite of mine," Squall informed her while dangling the beads around his hand, keeping his eyes on the lion. "It's called Griever. I believe he is the King of the lions."

"It's quite nice to see that a man like you admires such things. Frankly…" she said as she opened the door. "…to see a man acting sensitive is very adorable."

Squall's mouth hung open when she said that, and Rinoa couldn't stop herself from giggling. "I'll see you in an hour Squall."

His throat felt dry when he saw her leave. "See you…Julia."

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Squall had just finished his prayer and picked up the Bible beside his bed. Just as he was about to open it, the door opened. His eyes lit up at the prospect of having Sister Julia beside him again. He strained his back to sit up, but Squall ignored the pain. The light in his eyes though, flickered and soon died when he saw another one of the sisters entering with his lunch. It was the blonde from yesterday.

"Hello Squall, how are you feeling right now?" asked the nun as she set the tray of food beside his bed.

Squall felt a grey cloud descending over him. "Better…I guess."

The nun held the bowl of soup to him, handing him a spoon as well. You need this. You haven't had food for three…four days now and you must be weak."

'Funny, I don't feel weak or tired. Maybe my stomach shrunk a bit?' He quietly ate his soup as the nun watched him. "Where is Sister Julia?" he wondered out loud.

The blonde looked puzzled and she uttered, "Sister Jul…oh, I see. She's taking a break right now in the flower fields outside the convent. She needs some rest after all. Didn't you know that she didn't sleep last night watching after you?"

Squall paused and stared into the void before him. "She…didn't rest at all?"

The woman shook her head. "Ri…Julia cares for her patients very much. She is usually a heavy sleeper, but when a patient is being treated, she stays close by to see if they are fine. That woman is such a dear."

Squall continued to eat his soup, feeling the hot liquid sooth his dry throat as the contents were passed into his stomach. He felt a sense of warmth as the food began to fill him up. Soon enough, he emptied the bowl. "She told me she would be here."

The woman took the soup bowl from him and passed a glass of water to him. "So she did, but I saw her in the kitchens earlier. She looked quite tired while she was making this soup for you. I told her to get some rest. She was adamant at first, but eventually agreed when I told her that taking care of you when she is fatigued would not be very helpful for either of you," answered the nun.

Squall finished drinking his water and looked at Quistis. "Is she coming back?"

She smiled at the man laying on bed and answered, "Of course dear."

Squall looked away and a smile began to creep on his lips. "I take it that you like her."

Squall faced the nun with a bewildered look on his face. His cheeks had begun to heat up. "No…it's not that! I meant…"

The sister let out a laugh and sat on the stool beside the bed. "Don't worry…you aren't Julia's first male patient who found her to be very attractive. She is a beautiful woman after all."

"She's a nun," Squall spat back.

"And before she was a nun, she was a lady. Oh come on, we are human too aren't we?" she insisted on Squall. "And if you were wondering, nuns like me are attracted to men too. The only difference is that we have to suppress these carnal desires for the sake of God."

"…"

Quistis laughed as she lifted the tray and began to exit the room. "Would you like me to call her? She can rest here, after all."

Squall shifted his gaze to his feet and kept his silence.

"I'll take that as a yes. She'll be here soon." Quistis closed the door behind him, leaving the man on his bed, dumbfounded once more by the frankness of the nun.

'I really should get out of here before the dear sisters drive me mad,' he thought to himself as he passed his eyes over certain passages of the Bible.

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Rinoa returned to Squall's room after her time alone in the flower field and knocked on his door.

"Come in."

When Squall saw her, he flashed a smirk towards the nun. "You know, knocking wouldn't be necessary if you were the one entering."

Rinoa felt her heart thumping against her rib cage before she answered, "I'm only trying to be polite Squall. Besides, I wouldn't want to accidentally stumble upon you changing into your clothes…" 'Not to mention that you have a really hot body that I am dying to touch! Oh God, forgive me for these thoughts! What do the Italians say to get rid of things like these again? Oh! Va pensiero!'

Squall closed the Bible he had been reading and placed it on the bedside table. "You weren't here earlier."

Rinoa seemed to glide across the room as she stopped at the foot of Squall's bed. "I'm sorry Squall, but I needed some time alone."

"I know…Sister Quistis told me." Squall noticed her taking a warm comforter from a cabinet and carefully placing it over Squall.

"It's getting cold outside," she immediately explained as she passed her hand over the bandages on his chest, her fingertips feeling the toned firmness of his muscles.

The contact sparked a tingling sensation that caused Squall to smile a bit. "You know Sister Julia, despite the pain, I am enjoying this."

Rinoa exhaled loudly and rolled her eyes. "Men…" she muttered under her breath as she covered his flesh with the rest of the comforter. 'I have to remind myself to pray ten times today or I'll sin lusting after him…'

With nothing else to do, she decided to sit on the edge of Squall's bed. "How are you feeling right now?"

Squall turned to her and found himself staring at her angelic visage. "I guess I'm feeling better. I think your taking care of me has improved my condition significantly."

Rinoa looked away and clasped her sweating palms. "Oh…" she mumbled silently.

Squall strained to get up once more. "Squall…what are you doing?" Squall was pushing himself up by holding on to the bed's railings.

Rinoa immediately came to his side and tried to help him. "Squall, please…you're not fully recovered yet. Do you know the repercussions of too much mobility after a serious injury? I don't want you to get hurt."

Squall sighed as he rested his back against the pillow once more, ashamed of his defeat because of the pain coursing through his entire body. "I want to take a walk." He sighed and looked down, causing his silky brown hair to fall in cascades over his face.

Rinoa inched closer to the injured man and brushed his hair away gently from his eyes. "I'm sorry that you are like this, but if you really want to take a walk, you must wait for a few more days. When you are better, I will let you go. We're not trying to keep you prisoner here Squall."

"Don't you think I realize that? Listen, I know that you care for your patients and all that but stop trying to act as if you are in control of what I do!" he said in an accusing tone that seemed to cut deep into Rinoa.

Rinoa immediately stepped back from the bed, her eyes holding an emotionless gaze. Despite the blankness of her face, she was struggling to hold back the tears his painful words had caused. "You're right. Perhaps I shouldn't care too much." Looking away from him, she allowed a tear to roll off.

Squall immediately realized the gravity of his actions and tried to remedy them. He gently wrapped his hand around her wrist and pulled her slightly closer to him. "I'm sorry Julia."

Another tear fell. "Sorry…is that the only thing you would say after you say something that hurtful?" She released another tear, keeping her face away from his gaze so as to prevent him from knowing that she was crying. "I tend to all my patients with love and care. Not once did any of them refuse me. It hurts Squall."

He gently turned her around and felt guilt eating away at him when she saw the tears falling freely from her eyes. "I'm sorry Julia," he said again. He drew her in an embrace, despite the pain that it caused him, and comforted the nun by passing his hand back and forth over her back.

Rinoa pushed herself away from him and went to her small bed. "You should get some rest Squall. If you really want to take that walk, go to sleep and everything will be better in the morning. I promise you that. Then you can go and do whatever you want."

Squall guiltily looked away from Rinoa and sighed, staring at the ceiling as he pulled the comforter over him. 'I am such an idiot.'

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Woo! Another chapter is done! Read and review this one okay? I spent extra time making it good so that you guys would enjoy it. Next chapter: Tuba Mirum.