Author's Notes: The first one shot I wrote for AlanXEric. I was listening to Guardian Angel (By Red Jumpsuit Apparatus) and thinking about the musical Alan and Eric come from. I started thinking about what would happen if Eric had gathered all the souls, and thus the theory below was born.
Guardian Angel
Disclaimer: Eric Slingby, Alan Humphries and Undertaker belong to Yana Toboso
The night was dark, wet and gloomy. The London streets were eerily silently, the only sound the rain hitting the pavement. Eric looked around the alleyway he was hiding in with a look of indifference, the cigarette in his mouth glowing brightly in the gloom. He always had a smoke before he gathered another soul. It calmed him, settled the doubts in his head. With the tar and the nicotine clouding his thoughts what he was doing seemed less of a sin. He took another drag; Big Ben began to chime in the distance. Eric looked up, then looked at his watch. Twelve midnight exactly. Eric closed his eyes, allowing the rain to run down his face. Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes exactly until the girl would run down the alley way, trying to hide from an attacker. Fifteen minutes until Eric would confront the girl, pretending to offer protection. Fifteen minutes until he collected the last soul. Eric threw away his cigarette stub and immediately put another in his mouth. One would not be enough for tonight. He couldn't afford to doubt his actions. Not when he was so close to the end. He took a long drag from the cigarette and started coughing,
"You keep that habit up and you'll end up in my shop, boy"
Eric jumped, dropping his cigarette. It fell into a puddle with a hiss. Eric looked around, tightening his grip on his saw. Undertaker was leaning against the wall, looking at him and smiling the same insane grin he always did. Eric sighed and lowered his saw,
"What are you doing out here?" he asked, pulling out a third cigarette and putting it between his teeth. Undertaker chuckled and walked over, grabbing the cigarette out of Eric's mouth and crushing it between his fingers,
"I could ask you the same question" he said, brushing tobacco dust from his hands "A gentleman shouldn't be stalking young ladies in the middle of the night",
"Tonight is the last time" said Eric, pouting slightly from the loss of his cigarette "After tonight it all ends". Undertaker smirked and started laughing hysterically. Eric looked at him, wondering if Undertaker had just lost what was left of his mind,
"My dear boy, did you think curing the Thorns of Death is really that easy?" Undertaker continued to chuckle lightly, a small line of drool running down his chin. Eric growled, once again tightening his grip on his saw,
"You think running around, collecting souls behind everyone's backs is easy?" he shouted "You have no idea what I've been through!",
"And what about the people whose souls you've stolen" said Undertaker "All those innocent people died for your own selfish need". Eric stared at Undertaker. Selfish? He called him selfish?
"I did what I did for Alan" said Eric, a spark of anger in his eyes "I collected each and every one of those souls for Alan"
"Alan never said he wanted those souls though" said Undertaker "He's accepted his fate and resigned himself to death; it's you, dear boy, who won't let go". Eric folded his arms and looked down at the puddles beneath his feet. It was true. He continued to fight, even though Alan wanted nothing more than to enjoy what little time he had left. He sighed,
"Maybe I am selfish for wanting to save him" said Eric "Maybe the method is immoral, but the end justifies the means in my eyes". Undertaker sighed and shook his head,
"Your eyes are blinded" he said "The higher power considers it sin, and for that you must repent",
The alleyway fell silent, once again the pouring rain the only sound. Eric looked down, staring at his reflection in the puddles at his feet. He sighed deeply and looked up at the sky,
"I would commit any sin if it would allow me to share his pain" he said "I don't care what it takes, if it saves Alan, I'll do it". He jumped as Undertaker appeared behind him,
"That is not a choice for you to make, dear boy" said Undertaker. He traced over Eric's heart with one hand "Every time you took a soul, a piece of yours was taken away to pay the debt" He continued to trace lightly over Eric's heart. Eric shuddered and quickly pulled away,
"That is a small price to pay" he said "Alan's soul is worth more than mine ever will". Undertaker smirked,
"You only have one piece of soul left, Eric" he said "What do you think happens once that is taken?". Eric stared at Undertaker. His grip on his death scythe loosened, it slipped from his fingers and clattered onto the pavement. He knew what Undertaker was implying about him and Alan. Neither of them could live while the other was still alive. Eric leant against the brick wall of the alley and closed his eyes. Several tears slid down his cheeks. He knelt down and picked up his saw. He growled and lifted it up, ready to throw it away. The bracelet on his wrist jingled. Eric paused and looked at it. It was a plain silver link bracelet, nothing special. Alan had given it to him for their first anniversary. There was a little metal plate at the top that sat on Eric's wrist; it was engraved with their initials. Eric looked at it and sighed. He picked up his saw and stood up facing Undertaker,
"I would happily give up my place on this Earth" he said "Than live and watch Alan suffer in pain". A loud chime echoed around them, as Big Ben started to mark quarter past the hour. Eric quickly got into position, already hearing footsteps. Undertaker turned away from him,
"What do you think will hurt Alan more, Eric?" he asked "Dying from his disease, or having his lover taken away from him without him even knowing?"
Eric ignored Undertaker. He watched the silhouettes dance on the wall as the girl appeared in the alleyway, her attacker following closely behind.
I will never let you fall~
He moved into position, standing halfway in the moonlight. The girl ran towards him, straight into his arms.
I'll stand up with you forever~
Eric held her close to his chest, whispering hollow words of comfort in her ear. She relaxed into his arms, feeling safe.
I'll be there for you through it all~
Eric took a deep breath and raised his death scythe. He brought it down in a smooth arc.
Even if saving you sends me to heaven~