Wedding

Alan's wings of brownish ocher and grey stretched as he stood a foot behind and beside Thomas. It was Edith and Thomas's wedding, he was best man and he was...having incredibly inappropriate thoughts about Thomas and that altar. Yes, that lovingly fitted tailed coat and those pants had something to do with it. Hmm, good God, he might've been a half-angel, but that didn't mean he couldn't want Thomas to throw him on the altar and take him right then. It would've been quite a shock for Mother and Eunice, but it would've felt oh so satisfying to have an answer for why he wished not to marry yet. Oh what he wouldn't've given for it to happen and even if for a moment alone that Thomas would gain True Sight and see him as he really was. To see him and know that hope was not yet lost.

Briefly, Thomas glanced back at him those sapphire eyes full of regret. He'd been so lucky that he had returned to the mortal plane when he did or he might've missed meeting Thomas entirely. Damn Gabriel for implementing flight restrictions for a half-century. What was the point of having wings when one couldn't well use them for that long ? There wasn't. He was rather lucky too that in spite of it he'd still intercepted his notification of death so that Mother and Eunice hadn't suspected a thing. Heaven and Hell only changed as the Earth changed, as above, so below as they said. Who 'they' were he didn't know, so 'they' must've been in Hell. He didn't want Thomas to go to Hell. Didn't he know all the horrid things that happened down there ? Being torn to pieces, raped or both simultaneously ? The man didn't have to believe. Hell, he hadn't believed either and he'd still gotten made a half-angel simply because he'd died saving that Berkshire man from a robbery.

Edith looked nervous, excited, and very much dazed to stand where she was. She didn't know how lucky she was to do what he could never dream of doing. If he were not seen as an abomination for revealing his true affections, if only it were legal, he would've loved to marry Thomas. After all, Alan Sharpe sounded so very nice in his head and even more so when whispered aloud in a lonesome darkened bedroom. What he wouldn't've given too to have another first night with Thomas, as in perhaps thirty minutes not just his too excited five and Thomas's well-paced ten. He was a half-angel, not a succubus, sexual magic was not in his repertoire.

His wings folded, fluttered and rustled in irritation as he stood stock still, waiting. He loved Edith, she was his best friend, after all, but he loved Thomas far more and his lover didn't want to do this. It was quite obvious that Thomas had gone on with the wedding merely to distract her from Mr. Cushing's murder. He hated to wonder it, but with everything Thomas kept pent-up could he have gone to visit Mr. Cushing who'd then said the wrong thing ? It wasn't likely, but it was possible. After all, Mr. Cushing had already insulted Thomas by touching him in their meeting and in roundabout terms called him worthless and lazy.

Finally, the moment came. "Does anyone have a reason as to why this couple should not be wed ?"

The only words sure to stop the wedding utterly burst from his lips, "Yes, damn you, Mother, but I love him ! I love you, Thomas. I love you !"

Horrified gasps of, "Alan !" from both Mother and Eunice.

A much sterner, "Alan McMichael ! What do you think you are doing ?" from Gabriel when she landed before him the brown, black, grey, and white wings flared. She'd frozen time, of course, so that she wouldn't be noticed.

"I am stopping an unnecessary wedding that will only bring him heartbreak, Gabriel."

Iron grey eyes were cool, but Gabriel's tone was condescending. "You are only twenty-some years old, child, what do you know of Heaven's plans ? What do you know of God's plan for Sir Thomas Sharpe ? You know nothing. The wedding will go on, no one will remember your little outburst and everyone, but you, will have only dim memories of this event. Interfere in this again and you will not like the consequences of your actions."

Gabriel waved a pale-skinned hand then flew away as time started again. Thomas and Edith married.