Chapter Text
The night had started off picture-perfect. Nancy was dressed in a gold, corset off-the-shoulder dress that nearly made Ace’s jaw drop dressed in his black suit with a matching gold tie. Tonight, they were guests at some rich person’s gala, most likely one of the Hudson’s associates. Neither of them was quite sure which one it was, all they knew was the date and time that Ryan gave them and that it was a black-tie event.
Whether it was an auction or a banquet, the two didn’t really care. They used these parties as an excuse to go on a super fancy date while maintaining Nancy’s status as the youngest Hudson. It was the only thing the girl really liked about her newfound family tree beside her Dad, even though it came with uncomfortable conversations with old, rich people.
When they arrived, the two were escorted through the Hall and into what they assumed was the ballroom, which was filled with people dressed similarly to them. The open floor in the center was crowded with couples waltzing to the orchestra that was playing in the corner, the surroundings decked out with tables and chairs where stragglers sat, talking over a glass of champagne or wine.
Almost immediately, Ace took a step in front of Nancy, bowing slightly and holding out his hand jokingly. “May I have this dance?”
Nancy smiled, chuckling slightly at his antics. “Ace, I have to make introductions.”
“You can make introductions after.” As he took her gloved hand in his, he gently but firmly pulled her towards an empty space on the dance floor.“First, we need to have our dance.” Just as they reached the area, the orchestra began to transition into a new song. Without a single word, they began to sway to the music. The redhead’s smile grew bigger as he put one hand on her waist, reciprocating by placing hers on his shoulder. The couple followed the other dancers' foot movements for the rest of the song, Bess having taught them some forever ago. She insisted they needed to know some waltzes if they were ever going to fit in at their first banquet. Both of them were extremely thankful for her after they got home the night. With each passing moment, they moved together in perfect unison, lost in the rhythm and the magic of the moment.
Eventually, the song shifts once again, this time to something slower. Nancy gradually decreased her pace, as she shifted her hand from his shoulder to his lower back, allowing him to draw her nearer. Neither of them needed to say anything as they swayed back and forth, Nancy leaning her head against his shoulder.
Neither of them cared anymore about the missed introductions. Completely lost in each other's company, they didn't want to let go of the moment. Their focus was solely on each other and their desire to relish it for as much time as they possibly could.
Like a record scratch in a perfect melody, a boom interrupted the sweet moment. Screams started erupting in choruses, chaos following suit. Nancy, based on instinct, started advancing toward the corner of the room, where smoke was beginning to spill.
“Nancy-“
“Get everyone out of here, I’m gonna see how I can help.” Ace knew better than to stop his girlfriend when she was in the zone, so he immediately started shepherding the partygoers towards the exits, helping a few elderly by putting his arm around them. He knew Nancy would be able to handle herself, probably better than half the guests here.
The rain was pouring down by the time he managed to get a rather frustrated old lady to sit down on one of the benches outside. He quickly ran a hand through his hair, pushing the long strands out of his eye line. He was scanning the crowd, searching for the red-headed girl he could spot almost anywhere.
A scream pierced through the chatter of the crowd, the street falling eerily silent. Time stood still for Ace as his heart dropped to his stomach, his mind racing. In a split second, he raced back into the building, deftly leaping over the scattered debris of broken furniture and ceiling that had been flung across the room by the explosion. The rain continued to pour down on him from the gaping holes in the roof as he reached the back hallway, the source of the explosion.
He stopped short, nearly tripping over the mess in front of him. He nearly threw up when he realized what it was; a pile of bodies.
“Ace?” The sound of his girlfriend's voice pulled him back into reality, looking away from the horror and turning towards Nancy, who was running towards him as fast as he could with her heels.
“Hey-” He was stopped when her lips connected with his, Nancy cupping his face with her shaking hands. She needed him right now, after everything she had just seen. From the fresh bodies of partygoers who were a little too curious to the old corpses of generations before, it was one of the worst things she had ever seen, which was saying something. All she wanted was to melt into Ace’s arms, to pretend like the last 5 minutes hadn’t happened, like the bodies didn’t just fall out of the wall and nearly crush her.
So she did. Nancy buried her face into his neck, her hands pressed flat against his chest as she felt his racing heartbeat under them. Stray tears ran down her cheeks as she took in shaky breaths, her whole body shivering with each one. Despite her attempts to remain composed, the tears kept coming. The only thing that calm her down slightly was the small reassurances Ace was whispering in her ear. “It’s okay, I got you. I’m here.” She melted into his embrace, the rain pelting down on them and sticking their outfits to their skin. The car ride home didn’t help at all in that manner, both of them still making small puddles on the floor.
The room was quiet, save for the soft ticking of the clock on the mantel. Both of them had changed out of their fancy outfits into sweats, Nancy entering their living room to see Ace already on the couch, waiting for her.
She tried to speak, try and explain what she saw, what had happened in those 15 minutes, but no words came out. Instead, she moved toward her boyfriend, Ace immediately shifting his position so she can easily sit. She snuggled into his embrace, sinking into his lap as his strong arms encircled her. With her head on his shoulder and arms wrapped around his waist, she allowed herself to breathe again.