Chapter 8: Our Solemn Hour (Within Temptation)

A/N: This is AU. Specifically, this is a place that isn't our world, but is modeled off of London during the blitz.

The air was filled with the stench of smoke and death. Riza could barely see where she was going, but she knew that she had only one chance to meet Roy, and this was it.

The bombing had just started up, and her roommate, Gracia, had told her that she was absolutely crazy to go out in this. But if Riza did not, the chances that she would survive to make this happen later were slim to none.

A faint whistling and a crack sounded, and Riza knew that another neighborhood had just gone up in flames.

"Wherever you're going, you should at least try to travel in the underground tunnels!" Gracia had cried as a last resort to keep her roommate safe.

"It's just the church! I'll be fine! I'll come back, Gracia! You should go to the underground, too! Maes will never forgive me if you're caught in this!"

Gracia had packed up and left with Riza, but the underground and the church were in opposite directions.

"Godspeed, Riza," Gracia had whispered as she had hugged her.

Godspeed. Right. A walk that would have normally taken less than five minutes had taken the better part of an hour, and each minute in and of itself seemed to be an eternity. All of the debris from the shattered houses, the broken bodies, the fires and downed power lines to avoid… it was almost too much. Riza knew that any sane person would turn back, wedding or no.

There was no time left, though! Roy was sure to be drafted any day now, and most who were called to war were never heard from again.

Like everyone, Riza wished for peace, but there was no chance of that now. They were in the thick of it, and somehow, though it did not seem like it could, Riza was of the opinion that things would get far worse before they had a chance of getting better.

Another whistle-crack, closer this time. Riza picked up her pace as much as she could while still staying safe. She could barely see an arm's length in front of her, the dust was so thick. She only hoped the church was still standing.

And then she was there. It seemed like a mirage. Riza felt along the door to find the handle, unsure if she was really feeling what she was feeling.

The door next to her flew outward, and strong, familiar arms jerked her in. "Riza! Oh thank God!" Roy buried his face in her hair.

Riza wrapped her arms around him, as well. "Not what you imagined, I'm sure," she whispered, her throat raw even though she had tried to filter the air with her jacket.

"I don't care," Roy murmured. "I have you now, and that's what matters."

It was truly real. Riza very nearly burst into tears then and there. "Let's do this now, Roy. I don't want to wait a moment longer. I can't. I want this too much."

Roy grabbed her hand and led her to where the priest was standing. The old man read a prayer, asked them to repeat after him, said more prayers, and just as they were about to exchange rings, he suggested that they go to the catacombs beneath the cathedral for safety. It would not affect the sanctity of the marriage, he assured them.

But they refused. They were going to do at least one part of this right, even if the gates of Hell were closer than they'd ever been.

Suddenly, the narthex exploded in a maelstrom of stained glass, metal, stone, and wood. A flying chunk of glass scored Riza's hand, and she yelped and drew her hand from Roy's.

The priest was heading toward the stairs for the catacombs, and was yelling for them to come, too.

Riza looked around. Where was Roy?

"Riza!"

There he was, caught under a chunk of fallen stone. Riza rushed over to lift it off him.

"No! Go, Riza! We've been married!"

"And that's why I'm not leaving without you, Roy!"

The air was howling around them as bombs fell in the area around the church. Riza put all her weight into shifting the rock, perspiration soaking her dress.

Finally, it shifted enough that Roy could wiggle out.

They darted for the stairs.

Whistle.

Terror.

Crack.

Horror.

BOOM!

Disbelief.

"Roy!" Riza screamed, surprised that she was able to hear herself over the noise. He was no longer in evidence at her side, and all she had in her hand was his ring. "Roy!" she cried again, looking around desperately, as she stood in the doorway.

As another whistle sounded almost directly overhead, Roy's arms surrounded her and yanked her back into the stairwell. The entrance caved in, and they huddled there for a moment, happy to just be alive.

Riza heard the sobs of someone in hysterics, and realized that it was she who was breaking down.

"It's okay, Riza. We're fine, we're safe, we'll be okay…" Roy rubbed her back as he hauled her down the rest of the stairs.

The priest met them at the bottom. "I've got a two-way radio for communication with the nearest underground station. They were digging a tunnel here, and they should arrive in a day or so. Until then, I've managed to store provisions down here. It's not much, but it will do."

Roy nodded. "We asked for a second chance and we got one."

The priest nodded in return. "And may there be many more for you."

Maybe things would turn out alright, after all.

A/N: I have no idea where this came from. I was listening to the song for which this was named, and then I had a kind of daydream about a girl trying to escape a church as a blitz raged and, well, there you go. This came to be.

I was debating a tragic ending, but I so dislike them, and miracles do happen.

Reviews will be used to restore the church so that these two can have a proper marriage!