May 6th, 1944

-

Four years passed. The war still continued.

The family was still staying at Buckingham Palace. Letters from the men out fighting took longer and longer to arrive. Soon after a while, the letters ceased.

The sisters kept their minds off of the gloomy feeling of war by visiting wounded soldiers at St. Mary's Hospital.

Maria and Anastasia had visited soldiers in their infirmaries during the first world war and it was almost like they were returning to their old soldier friends. Although not nurses, they still helped out with tasks.

During this time, Maria secretly wished Marcell would become wounded so he would come to the hospital.

One rainy day changed her hope for her husband.

Maria was walking through the hallways of the hospital. Anastasia was off somewhere with soldiers. Maria was headed to a ward when she heard music coming from a room. She looked in the room to see Anastasia and a few wounded sitting around a radio.

It was playing Vera Lynn's song, 'We'll Meet Again'.

"Listen Mashka!" Anastasia swayed her head to the soft beat. Maria joined her sister, swaying along with her.

The chorus of the song played and the room joined in on the song, singing along with the men on the radio. Once the song ended, the sound of applause from the soldiers flooded the small room.

"That live performance from Miss Lynn was truly spectacular!" the radio broadcaster spoke.

"Live here in Shamshernagar airfield in Shemshernager, India. Here's a few lucky soldiers that will get to send a quick message to their sweethearts back home."

A few men came on the radio and spoke tearful messages but it was one that stunned the room.

"Hello," a voice started. "My name is Marcell Taylor. I would like to send a message."

Maria felt her blood run cold.

It couldn't be...

Could it?

"This is for my darling Maria Romanov back at home in England. I do hope you are listening. I love you very, very much. Please continue to take care of our children. Remind them often of their father. It's just as what Miss Lynn has said. We'll meet again. And my one and only true love, Maria. We will meet again. That is all."

Marcell's voice faded. The radio broadcaster's returned.

There was still of silence that encompassed the room. No one dared to speak. All were in shock, Maria especially.

Anastasia was the first to break the tension.

"He's alive, Maria!" Anastasia cried, cupping her sister's face and attacking her in a joy-filled hug.

"Oh, he's alive!" Maria rejoiced, close to tears, wrapped in her sister's embrace.

Her prayers had been answered.

"Marcy's alive!"

-

September 2nd, 1945

The war was over.

People celebrated in the streets of London. Pubs were filled to the brim with people celebrating the end of the bloodshed.

The family was ecstatic that their husbands and sons were returning home. They traveled to the London Victoria train station to await Marcell, Andrei, Vasili, Tikhon, and Guri.

Maria made sure to wear Marcell's favorite dress of hers.

The station was packed with people and the family forced their way in. They found an empty bench against the stone wall of the platform. Anastasia stood on the bench to look out into the crowds of families. She spotted people crying, kissing, and hugging.

Anastasia tried to look for Andrei but there was no sign of him. Vasili and Tikhon found the family in the crowd. Both were was unrecognizable but Xenia knew it was her sons.

After scouting the area for a second time, Anastasia was about to step off the bench when she spotted a certain someone.

It was Andrei, running towards her.

Anastasia sprinted to her husband. They were reunited in a bone-crushing hug and the two kissed. Once their lips departed, Andrei and Anastasia didn't know what to say to each other to express their happiness of being back together after six years apart, so they continued kissing.

Maria tried to be happy for her sister, but where was her Marcy? Her sister had gotten her sweetheart back. A year ago Marcell was alive. Alive. Maria feared he had been killed.

After the station was nearly deserted and the sun was beginning to set, Marcell did not appear.

Maria knew he was dead. The children's father was gone.

She collapsed into Anastasia's arms and stayed there, sobbing all of the tears she had left in her frail body. Strangers in the station all offered caring looks, knowing exactly why tears spilled.

Anastasia tried to comfort her but she knew nothing would help.

Nothing would bring Marcell back.

That's the thing about death. You only die once.

Maria's eyes were hazed with tears. She struggled to breathe, to get ahold of herself for her entire life had shifted in a second.

A life without Marcell was one Maria knew she did not want to live.

The family was just in reach of the exit when someone started to sing.

♬'We'll meet again. Don't know where, don't know when. But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.'♬

Maria turned around to see Marcell standing behind her.

Hearing the soldier sing, the remaining people at the station began to sing along and a heavenly choir of voices echoed through the station, bringing everyone to tears.

♬'Keep smilin through. Just like you always do. 'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away.'♬

"Miss me, darlin?" Marcell said softly, gazing into Maria's eyes.

♬'So will you please say 'Hello' to the folks that I know. Tell them I won't be long.'♬

Maria fell into Marcell's arms and the two kissed passionately, finally together. Maria's tears were no longer of sadness.

♬'They'll be happy to know that as you saw me go. I was singing this song.'♬

"See, Marie." Marcell whispered so only his wife could hear. "I kept my promise. I would come and find you. Well, here I am."

♬'We'll meet again. Don't know where, don't know when. But I know we'll meet again-'♬

The two walked hand-in-hand out of the station as the sunset painted the sky with vivid oranges and pinks.

The setting of the sun can show just how beautiful the end of a long journey can be.

♬'Some sunny day.'♬