A/N Azrael said that whenever she was in the neighbourhood she stopped by to see Ella after that first meeting. That there was just something about her. Ella mentioned a few different past events and so the writing happened. The intention is for this to be a series of drabbles of under 1000 words, not necessarily in chronological order but I will give some context. There may be the odd Azrael and Lucifer scene thrown in there for a little bit of variety. Talking about Ella of course.
Ella. Ella Lopez.
Azrael walked slowly through the scene of the accident. Torn metal scattered in twisted lumps that were once cars. There were whimpers and sobs and pain, but she blocked it out. She had done this so many times she was immune. It was a job, that was all. With practised ease she folded away her wings. In this age it was more beneficial to assist recently dead souls in a human form. When they saw angel wings they tended to panic. No one wanted panicking souls. They made things…messy.
An object lay alone in and amidst the chaos, out of place. Azrael bent down and placed a finger lightly on the teddy bear, lying in a pool of fluid. A mixture of blood and engine oil. Its fur matted in the two contrasting colours. Something that felt a little too much like an emotion flashed up and she snapped her hand back in response.
"His name is Senor Bear."
The voice was small and so very quiet. Azrael froze, lifting her eyes to alight on the child. Dark hair framed a face consisting mostly of wide, innocent eyes.
"Its okay," the little girl told the Angel of Death. "It will be okay. You don't need to be scared."
Azrael felt the words like a needle, hot and fierce, tears suddenly needing to be quelled. This child was not a soul to be reaped, so how…
"You can see me?" she managed, and the girl nodded. The child's fingers opened and curled up again, as though clutching around the bear.
"They said I was too old for Signor Bear," the girl said seriously, "but I said you're never too old for Bears." There was a flash of a smile in her eyes, a childish joy, a glimpse of the real her and then it was gone again. Azrael felt the loss physically. It was as though a light had been snuffed out. It was of fierce imperative that it be rekindled.
Eight-year-old eyes looked around at the carnage as she started to tremble, her voice emerging cold and strained, ready to snap. "There's so much blood."
"Hey, hey," the Angel of Death found herself crouching in front of the kid, shielding her view. "Yeah, but let's not look at it okay?" Behind the child was an open car door. "That where you came from?" The little girl nodded, and Azrael did a quick reconnaissance. No detached souls. "Let's get you back there then." She reached out for a small hand, but one was not offered in response.
"I came to help," the young girl told the angel in an almost firm voice. "Let me help, please."
If she had been prepared to forget this girl after this encounter, all chance disintegrated in that moment.
"We need to get you safe first," she told the child and received a reluctant nod in response. Again, she held out her hand but instead found herself enveloped in a hug. Small arms wrapped around her tight.
"I'm Ella. Ella Lopez."
Azrael's family didn't do hugs. Taken off-guard the angel froze until the human withdrew. The contact was awkward but…nice. Every warning she'd ever been given about interacting with humans vanished in the face of this Ella. A golden warmth was lighting up her insides where only icy dispassion had been a moment ago.
"I'm Rae-Rae."
Odd that she would hand out her childhood nickname on such a whim, but out it poured, easily and ready. A soothing balm.
"Rae-Rae," Ella repeated. "I like it."
"Let's go over here Ella," Rae said quietly, coaxing the child out of harm's way. People were rushing over to help. A siren could be heard in the distance. Her job wasn't over yet.
"Hey, you know what, Ella, people can't usually see me."
"Really? Are you like a ghost of something?" Ghost. No wings. That made sense to a child.
"Yeah, and you being able to see me? That makes you pretty special. So, what I'm going to do is come back and see you some time. If you'd like."
Ella beamed, the situation momentarily forgotten.
"Sounds great."
"All right. Great." The Angel of Death smiled at the child and it felt good. "Okay. Smell ya later Kiddo," and then she vanished from Ella's sight.
She still had a job to do but somehow, in spite of it, she felt a little better about herself than she had before.