Roman has been fighting in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising for weeks as German forces systematically destroy the remaining resistance. As Germans begin burning entire blocks to flush out fighters, his unit is reduced to three survivors: Roman, Andrzej, and Chaim. They desperately take to the streets, trying to connect with another unit in another building. During an ambush by German soldiers, Roman is shot in the arm, and Andrzej is killed in the fighting.

Chaim forces the wounded Roman into a sewer to hide him from the pursuing German soldiers and then sacrifices himself with a grenade to kill their pursuers and ensure Roman’s escape. Roman crawls through the sewer system for hours before eventually emerging near Krasiński Square, where he discovers a gap in the ghetto wall. Bleeding heavily and near collapse, he escapes into “Aryan” Warsaw and stumbles to the door of Emilia’s apartment building before losing consciousness.

Uncle Piotr finds the unconscious Roman at their apartment door and brings him inside, where Emilia immediately fetches Sara to provide medical care. Sara takes charge of treating Roman’s gunshot wound and sends Piotr to find a surgeon while she and Emilia work to stabilize him. During the crisis, Sara reveals to Truda and Mateusz the secret ghetto-related activities that she and Emilia have been conducting.

Roman briefly regains consciousness but is too weak to keep water down, and his condition remains critical. Emilia justifies her deception to her parents, explaining that she was inspired by their own courage during the occupation. Mateusz embraces her in understanding, but Truda remains angry about the secret, though she reluctantly agrees to help Roman.

Roman endures weeks of fever and delirium in Sara’s apartment while a surgeon treats his infected arm, which nearly requires amputation. When Roman finally regains lucidity, Sara explains that Piotr has obtained false Catholic identity papers for him. It will be relatively easy for him to adopt this false identity since he was raised Catholic and is not circumcised—something that Sara noticed while bathing and caring for him. 

Emilia visits with books, and Roman explains his mixed parentage. He affirms his Jewish identity despite the false papers, viewing them only as a necessary means of survival. As he slowly recovers, Roman expresses his happiness at seeing Emilia again, and his romantic feelings for her continue to grow stronger.

During Roman’s recovery, he and Emilia grow closer through conversations and shared stories about their experiences during the war. She shows him her sketches of the ghetto, explaining that art serves as her outlet for processing the trauma she has witnessed. She sometimes hears his nightmares through the thin wall between their rooms.

Concerned about their developing intimacy, Truda warns Emilia about maintaining appropriate boundaries with Roman. Mateusz forbids Emilia from revealing her true identity to Roman, fearing the consequences if their deception is discovered. Emilia reluctantly promises to keep her secret, though the burden of maintaining this lie weighs heavily on her.

Roman overhears an argument between Sara and Piotr about the risks of continuing to shelter him. Piotr expresses concern about the danger they face, but Sara accuses him of only caring about risk when there is no profit involved, referencing his black-market activities. Sara claims that she will not marry Piotr because his materialistic values dishonor the memory of her deceased first husband, who died fighting for noble principles.

Later, Roman asks Emilia about Piotr’s business dealings and her own secrets, sensing that there is much she has not told him. She refuses to answer his questions, citing the promise she made to her parents. Roman agrees not to ask again, though he reflects on his deepening feelings for her and his growing frustration with the barriers between them.

On July 25, 1944, a Boy Scout messenger informs Roman that the Warsaw Uprising will begin at five o’clock that evening. Sara confirms that she will work at a church clinic during the fighting, and Roman learns that Eleonora is safe in Częstochowa. Roman warns the family to evacuate to Lodz immediately for their safety.

Roman shares a goodbye with Emilia, who pleads with him to leave Warsaw with her family rather than fight. Roman refuses to abandon his duty to the resistance, despite his love for her. The Warsaw Uprising begins prematurely just after one o’clock that afternoon, and Roman dons his red-and-white armband, grabs his weapon, and enters combat.

Piotr’s last-minute business deal delays the family’s evacuation to Lodz. When the fighting erupts early, they become trapped in their apartment building as street battles rage throughout the city. Piotr disappears for four days before returning with news of the chaotic situation outside.

As weeks pass, the family listens to radio reports about the German massacre of civilians in the Wola district, and they realize that they are in great danger. A guilt-ridden Piotr gets drunk and vows to atone for trapping the family in the city. On August 13, he announces that he has secured a costly escape route for the entire family, including Sara and Roman, through Warsaw’s sewer system.

Piotr and Mateusz find Roman at his battalion headquarters and plead with him to join their planned sewer escape. Roman refuses to abandon the fight, arguing with them about duty and survival as artillery shells explode nearby. As they argue, a captured German tank being paraded through the streets by celebrating Polish crowds is revealed to be a booby trap and explodes with force.

The blast kills hundreds of civilians and fighters, including Piotr, who is caught in the explosion. Roman’s face is severely wounded by flying shrapnel, and his young squad mate who goes by the code name “Sword” is also wounded. Mateusz survives the explosion and helps the wounded Roman and Sword make their way toward Sara’s makeshift hospital.

Emilia and Truda hear the explosion from their apartment and feel the building shake. Soon after, a Scout messenger arrives and summons them to the church hospital where Sara is working. They find a scene of chaos and bloodshed, with wounded fighters and civilians crowding the improvised medical facility.

They locate Mateusz, who informs them that Piotr is dead, having been killed in the tank explosion. He is trying to restrain a burned and irrational Roman, who is desperate to return to the fight despite his injuries. Mateusz asks Emilia to try to convince Roman to stay at the hospital, hoping that her presence might calm him.

Consumed by rage and grief, Roman tries to leave the hospital to rejoin the fighting. Emilia physically stops him, pressing on his burn to inflict pain and force him to listen to her pleas. To shock him into staying for treatment, she reveals that her true name is Emilia Slaska and confesses that her father and brother were executed for helping Jews.

Stunned by this revelation, Roman listens as Emilia confesses her love for him. Roman reciprocates, telling her that he loves her too, and they share their first kiss amid the chaos of the hospital. Despite her confession and pleas for him to stay with her, Roman feels bound by duty to his fallen comrades and leaves to rejoin the battle.