+1+ Meant To Live - VSQ
+2+ Lights - Elle Goulding
+3+ XO Beyonce
+4+ Halo - Beyonce
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+1+
Tap tap tap tap had become the music to my lifeline. For years or centuries or lifetimes The Angel and I stared at one another from the glass ceiling and floor separating us.
Cracks had formed. At first each crack one was a celebration. Now they meant nothing
I considered giving up, but couldn’t.
Fools we were
Crazy we were
Wasting decades and centuries tapping away at that glass. Today, is just another day in infinity.
Then
A chime sounds and a thick chunk of glass shatters. I stick a finger through and her long talon coxes the glass more. Another small chunk falls. Followed by another, and another.
I let out a strange sound of joy, I can stick my hand through and grasp hers. More glass falls around me. I can reach two hands through I could pull my entire self up to her.
I lock eyes with her.
We can be together
Finally
I pull on her down and she pulls me up.
Surely I didn’t deserve to be pulled up to Heaven. Surely she didn’t deserve to be pulled down to Hell. For now all we can do is hold hands. That is a simple joy in itself.
Everything else is a problem for the future
+2+
Queen Anne’s Campus is a disaster area. When I stepped out of the mansion the scene before me was chaos. The aftermath of a storm.
The eight white BMWs were strewn around the campus, they were broken, dented and some even flipped over. Leon’s SGI worked quickly unloading the guns. The Brotherhood helped gather the bound and gagged Helios-loyal SGI and escorted them down into Helio's brand new prisons. On the way down they'd head the screams of their fallen leader.
I could see blue lights on the horizon. The SGI had been able to jam the 911 calls for but so long. This was what happens when you let the gates down.
Hmjeu always said to always have a story and deal with the aftermath later
+++
11 SGI were dead, 2 Demons and 1 Lady Angel.
Calliope was the Angel. She’d been in the mansion saferoom with Helios. When he realized he was losing he'd throttled her out of frustration.
My brother lived. The last I saw of Jona he was in line and cuffed with the other SGI still loyal to Helios. He had his head down and refused to look me in the eye. These SGI who refused to acknowledge Leonidas Argos as their new leader were given one last chance to change their loyalty before they were sent off to be imprisoned. They were sentenced to 100 years, a term that would hopefully go by quickly and allow for some redemption.
That morning I welcomed Anne back into the mansion she’d been forced out of and together the two of us got right to work.
The police and city council didn’t believe our story about organized crime activity causing the uproar at Queen Anne’s college. An investigation was under way and I realize we may have to tell the world of our existence one day.
In less than a day after the tumult we were able to put the inner gates back up, sealing Queen Anne’s partially from the rest of the world. The injured where cared and accounted for and what could be done to make the campus beautiful again was done in great haste.
Nearly 24 hours after the melee a celebration was in order. Anne was generous and broke out her special collection of champagne and a rather impressive amount of confetti. The beautiful dining hall had a light festive feel and I was glad we didn't blow it up. When I looked around the makeshift celebration. . . I loved what I saw
For the first time there was a strange casual mix of Angels and Demons. Everyone was glad to be alive and free of Helios. There was a bit of unease at first, but then Sera finally made her way in and was literally welcomed back with open arms as her sisters all of them rushed her at once. The tension broke after that
Ashe overpoured glasses of champagne to the delight of two Angels. Callum smiled at this from his corner where he was sulking. The Angels were all so beautiful and charming. Judging by how liberal some of them were with their kisses they were very thankful for their saviors.
Isobel had sat alone. She’d reappeared with Aria and the baby only an hour ago. Isobel had taken her to her old apartment where they’d both been safe.
“Paris”, she greeted me.
“Isobel. Are you okay”
“Yeah. I wish I could have helped.”
“You had the most important job. . . you protected the futyre.”
She smiled at that and watched where Aria was bouncing her smiling baby.
“So, Paris look. The thing is—“
“I know”
“No. Listen-”
“I know” ,I said.
I put my hand in my pockets and thought back to what Lysander had pulled me aside for before the mission. Lysander was a man of very few words. I’d always thought of him as loyal, brave and uncomplicated. It turned out Isobel saw more than that in him.
I should have seen it. I should have seen it in the way she cared for him after the explosions, how she helped him navigate his wheelchair and adjust to his cane. She’s never been able to tell me how she felt about him. . . so she left before she could hurt me. Isobel came back though, but not for me. It was never about me.
Lysander had wanted to go to the mansion with Seraphina and I to save Isobel. Not to confront Helios. It was never about him. It was too bad he’d been shot on the way over. All he wanted was to rescue Isobel. I waived to Lysander from across the room, he was back in a wheelchair with is cane across his lap. Isobel turned when she saw me motioning to him. Her hands went to her mouth and she started to cry.
I stood up and excused myself from the table. Lysander awkwardly pulled himself up to the table and took Isobel’s hand
“And uh”, I said, “I’m sorry I ruined your New Year’s Eve date.”
I patted Lysander on the shoulder and walked off before he could respond. This thing happening between them wasn’t something I was strong enough to witness.
I moved to join Seraphina where she was sitting by herself. She had a knife in her hand, the name Raizel etched into it. She ripped a price tag from a pawn stores off of it.
“She’s gone”, Sera said.
She’d changed out of the dress and was back in all black. The make up was scrubbed off her face to reveal her bruises and scars.
“Who.”
“Ariel”
“Fuck. Did she get shot—“
“No. She left this note for me. She ran away. She said she didn’t think she fit it anymore. It was my fault. I kept using the word monster. She left a note to say good-bye. Stupid girl. That boy went with her. “
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry.”
“Pawned my knife too. . . but at least she told me where to pick it up.”
“ I guess she knew it was your favorite. Paul will take care of her.”
“Whose Paul ?”
“Datnte ?”
“Who—Oh. Him. Stupid girl.”, Seraphina kept her eyes on the table. I pushed a flute of champagne over to her.
“Ariel will always need you. You’ll see her again.”
There was a terse silence. Ariel had in retrospect made the best choice she could. Helios daemon army had been isolated in the Long Island junkyard during the overthrow. There were to many of them to take in and to few of them to justify killing. All we could do now was work to cure them. Find some place quiet and remote and hope one day they can be returned to their human lives.
“Do you feel bad. . . for what we did to Helios.”
“Where he is he will have a long long time to rethink his position.”
Sera looked up at Isobel and Lysander toasting one another.
“What is that all about?” Seraphina asked
“That is probably the reason Isobel turned down my proposal.”
Sera looked into her champagne and took a minute to think about her interactions with Isobel.
“Hmm”, was all she said.
“I’ve got so much to do. I mean I never realized how much space you all have here. Not to mention we have to tally up Helios’ assets and Leon said something about Helios having a safe ? I can’t wait to tackle his accounting system. Not to mention the meetings with the police plus Anne and I need to talk about insurance. There is so much to do.”
Sera put her head on my shoulder and relaxed against me. I recoiled at first then realized I didn’t have to hide my feeling for her anymore. This was new.
“Tell me more”, she asked even though she was clearly uninterested
I went on anyway about arbitrary things.
We had an interesting future ahead of us, a glorified prince and a fallen angel.
+3+
Aftermath
One final punishment was handed down.
Exile.
All SGI including those who now recognized Leon as their leader were sentenced to exile.
“The atrocities that were done were Helios doing”, Anne had said, “However his men followed and their influence can’t be ignored. I think it’s for the best of the city . . . for the best of our people to exile every SGI from this city.”
Leon tried to fight it, he done the right thing in the end. . . but I had to agree with Anne. The SGI had left chaos in their wake and the entire city would have been better off without them. They didn’t stop Helios soon enough. . . exile was a sound punishment. I had to give Anne this one.
I watched as Leon prepared his loyal men for exile. They still wore the name of SGI, but Leon had planned to take them in a different direction. The men were all packed and lined up for their transport to the airport. Some said good-byes to Angels, most said nothing.There was a good crowd of both Angels and Demons to see them off.
I shook hands with Leon. I wish I’d had time to know him better, now I'd never see him again.
“Where will you go?”, I ask him
“Back to one of our bases. Get back into government contracting. Legit work from here on out. “
I saw a set of bright pink luggage next to Leon’s standard issue SGI duffel bag. I start to question this but then I get my answer.
“Excuse us.”
Aria moves around me and adds another pink bag to the pile.
“You’re going too, Aria."
“I don’t want my daughter growing up without her father. I’m not SGI so Tessa—I mean Harmony and I are allowed to come and go as we please. It’ll be an adventure.”
“Oh, good luck”, I said.
Aria smiled at me.
“You. . . don’t know do you ?”
“Don’t know what ?”
“About me”, Seraphina says from behind me.
“Sera. . .”
She’s wearing a gray SGI shirt and shades. She has a gray standared issue duffle bag in her hand.
“Sera what are you doing", I try to hide the panic in my voice.
“Anne made it very clear that every SGI is to be exiled. I was Helios’ shadow, I did terrible things, I have the tattoo. I pledged loyalty to Helios. I'm still SGI and I can't undo the choice I made.”
“We’ll fight this. Anne still doesn’t like you for some reason . . .”
“No.”, Sera says handing her bag to Leon, “It’s okay. I don’t want to be trapped in Queen Anne’s anymore. . .besides Leon needs a good second.”
Leon laughs a little and puts his arm around her shoulder. She stills at the contact, it happens so fast he doesn’t catch it. She slips away from Leon and hugs me. We didn’t let go of each other for along moment.
“I’m going to miss you, Seraphina”
“I know. But you have a list of things to deal with. You’ll barley notice I’m gone.”
“But--”
She doesn’t let me finish, instead she kisses me. It’s tentative and slightly awkward at first. She takes her shades off and leans in closer to me. She lets me open her mouth and really kiss her. When she steps away I’m suddenly aware I’d kissed her in public for the first time. Everyone was staring at us and I really didn't give a fuck.
She puts her shades over my eyes.
“Sexy”, she whispers.
I just shake my head. Isobel says her good-byes to Sera while Lysander and I try not to make eye contact. Callum is standing on my other side with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ground. I don’t know what Isobel and Seraphina talk about, but it’s quick and they hug even quicker.
“Uh”, Callum starts, but just gives a solitary half hearted wave to her.
“Callum”, she calls
“Yeah” he says folding his arms. Trying to save face
“Be nice to my boyfriend”
Callum laughs, “Yeah, okay sweetheart.”
I can’t remember the moment she was actually gone or the moment I accepted she was gone. Even when the caravan of Hummers and BMWs drive off I still didn’t believe it.
I watched for a few moments then turned back to Queen Anne’s.
I had so much to do before I saw her again.