Return of an Angel
"Love you Ivy," Will whispered softly. The two were sharing a quiet picnic in the backyard of the Baines mansion. The stars were shining down on the couple who had their arms around the other in a loving embrace.
"Love you too Will," she whispered back. Ivy looked up at the stars, letting the bright light shine down on her.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked, rolling over to his side so he could face her.
"Will, where do you think Tristan is?" Ivy asked softly.
It took a moment for Will to respond. He was silently contemplating his answer. "I honestly don't know. I'd like to think he was up there." He gestured towards the stars. "But who really knows?"
Ivy continued to look towards the sky. She and Will didn't notice the familiar purple shimmer collapse in the grass behind them. Lacey listened, quietly to their conversation. She too wondered where her friend had gone. Never before had she worried about the angels after they had completed their missions. But none had touched her like Tristan had. Over their short time together, she had fallen in love.
"I miss him Will. And strangely enough, I miss Lacey too." Ivy closed her eyes, picturing Tristan in her mind; his soft brown hair, gentle hazel eyes. He was her first love and would always hold a special place in her heart.
Lacey smiled. This was the cue she was waiting for. "Aw, isn't this sweet? Though I can't say I've missed you both." Lacey projected her voice so that the couple could hear her.
Ivy and Will both sat up quickly and turned their bodies around. Both saw the shimmering purple light and smiles lit up their faces.
"Well, if it isn't our resident sarcastic angel," said Will, smiling widely. "I see you still haven't finished your mission."
Lacey glared at him, but he couldn't see. "I've made progress," she stated. "It's no fun without Tristan around to fuss at me."
At the sound of his name, Ivy looked off towards the trees. It had been just over a year since the accident. She hadn't felt his presence in months.
"Well I'm sorry to ruin your night. I just…" Lacey trailed off.
"You wanted to make sure we were okay," Will supplied.
"Sure, if that's what you want to think," Lacey said laughingly, with an air of overconfidence. "I'll be off now. Must leave you two lovebirds alone. Ciao."
Ivy and Will watched as the purple shimmer slowly made its way down the yard. "Bye Lacey," they both whispered together.
"Well, that was random," said Will, breaking the deafening silence. "I never expected to meet her again."
"Yeah," Ivy whispered, her mind off in the sky, Angel Zone. "I miss Tristan," she thought. She loved will very much, but Tristan…
"Come on," said Will softly as he stood up. He held out his hand and Ivy took it, pulling herself up. "I should get you inside. It's getting late."
The couple walked hand-in-hand into the house, smiling when they found Philip still watching TV in the living room.
"Goodnight Ivy," said Will, kissing her hand when he dropped her off in her bedroom.
"Goodnight Will," she whispered back.
After he left, Ivy collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep immediately. Her dreams were filled with colorful shimmers, sparkling lakes and dozens of lavender roses.
Tristan sighed, gazing down at his one, true love from above. He longed to hold her again; to kiss her soft, sweet lips one more time; to hear her musical laugh.
"I know," he said frustratingly. "She's Will's now, not mine. But I can't help it." He stared down at her sleeping form. Will was taking great care of her. She was happy and that was all Tristan wanted for her.
"You may have one more time with her," spoke a deep voice from above. "She may hold another's heart, but she was meant to be yours. You will go now, for she will think it is a dream." The voice was warm, caring and Tristan grinned.
"Thank you," he said softly. "Thank you."
The voice chuckled. "And while you're down there, remind Lacey she has a mission to complete."
Tristan laughed as he felt himself gently sent to Earth. He landed in Ivy's bedroom, remembering the last time he had been there. The décor hadn't changed, still white princess furniture. He laughed as he wandered past her mirror. He stopped when he saw what was reflected. Himself. He had a reflection. There hadn't been a reflection in a mirror he crossed in over a year. Tristan stared at himself. He looked exactly as he remembered.
His gaze moved from his reflection to the sleeping form on the bed. He felt his legs moving towards her without his consent. Gently, he sat on the bed next to her. He carefully brushed a lock of hair from her cheeks. Leaning down, he kissed the spot from where the hair had been removed. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.
"Tristan?" she whispered, her hands coming up to wipe the sleep from he eyes. "Is that you? Am I dreaming?" She asked, sitting upright now.
Tristan stared, unsure of how to answer. "I've missed you so much," he managed to choke out. The lump rose in his throat and the tears welled in his eyes.
"How can I see you?" She wondered aloud. "Before you were just a shimmer. But you're here." She reached out a hand and grasped his. "And I can touch you."
Tristan grinned at the feel of her hand on his. He reveled in its softness; it had the same silky feeling he remembered from so long ago.
"I was told I could come see you one last time," Tristan whispered. "I've been watching you and Will." He paused, contemplating his next words. "He's good for you. He takes great care of you."
Ivy blushed. "I still love you Tristan. I never stopped. You'll always hold a special place in my heart. You showed me that love was real, that angels were real." She stopped, suddenly aware of his closeness to her.
"You're amazing Ivy, you really are." Tristan laughed softly, lifting her hand up so he could kiss the back. "I'll be waiting for you and Will. One day, you'll both come up and I'll be there to greet you and we'll all be happy again."
Ivy leaned forward and kissed his cheek, smiling at the warmness of it. "Until that day Tristan. I'll love you until that day," she whispered, her emerald eyes gazing into his hazel ones. "I love you."
Tristan pulled her gently to him, committing the feel of her to memory. He ran his hand through her hair, letting the golden waves all through his fingers. The couple remained that way for several minutes, letting the sound of their heartbeats fill the room.
"I have to go Ivy," Tristan said softly. He didn't want to ruin the atmosphere, didn't want to leave her. "I'll be watching." He leaned in, slowly touching his lips to hers. Their lips met and each reveled in the softness of the others'. It was exactly like they remembered.
For a moment, Ivy felt guilty, kissing another while dating Will. But her heart would always belong to Tristan. Will would understand, he always did. Besides, this was just a dream.
The kiss lasted several seconds, time seeming to have stopped, until Tristan gradually broke away, leaving Ivy gasping for breath. "I love you," he said again. "Always remember." Tristan separated himself from her, leaving her sitting quietly on the bed.
Ivy stared at him, trying to memorize the feeling of her arms in his, the feeling of his lips on hers. "I love you Tristan," she managed to whisper through her newly forming tears. "I love you."
As she spoke the final works, he vanished from sight. Ivy silently cried herself back to sleep, awakening the next morning thinking she had just experienced a very vivid dream.
*~*~*
Tristan left Ivy in her room, aching with pain. He quietly wandered the cemetery, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lacy.
He found her, subletting on his grave right where he knew she'd be. "Hey there," he said softly coming up behind the tombstone.
Lacey Lovitt scrambled upwards, climbing quickly to her feet. "What the…" she managed to gasp. She recognized the voice, but it couldn't… could it?
Tristan laughed. "That must be the first time in your life and after that you've been speechless." He paused, his smile fading, "you look good Lacey."
Lacy quickly recovered, shaking her head slightly. "I'm dead," she retorted. "I don't change."
Chuckling, Tristan moved forward. He held out his arms and walked slowly towards her. "Hey," he said quietly. "Can I have a hug?"
Lacey met him halfway and wrapped her arms around him, surprised. The last time he had been near her, he had appeared as just a shimmer, no solid form. Her heart cheered with the feeling of him so close. "What are you doing down here? I thought you had passed to the great beyond?" She asked once their hug ended.
"Seeing Ivy one last time," he responded softly. "And visiting you."
She laughed, "why me? I'm nothing special."
Tristan stared at her in silence. "Nothing special? You helped me save Ivy's life! You helped me so many times! I owe you so much Lacey," Tristan gestured enthuastically. He couldn't understand Lacey's thought of 'nothing special.'
"Eh," she shrugged. The two stood in silence for a few awkward minutes.
Tristan chuckled again to break the silence. "I was told to remind you that you have a mission to finish."
Lacey looked shocked. "I'm fully aware of that Tristan Carruthers," she said, her hand against her neck in mock shock. "It's not as much fun to procrastinate without you here. You always made me feel guilty." She paused, her look of shock turning to sadness. "What's it like up there?"
Smiling, Tristan took her hand in his. "Beautiful. But don't worry, you'll make it soon. I have full faith in you. And then, we can spend the day making fun of people. It'll be like a date."
Lacey met his eyes confused. He couldn't know, could he?
"I know Lacey," he said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't see it before. I was too focused on Ivy's safety. I'm sorry." He took her hand and squeezed it gently. Leaning in, he kissed her cheek. "Finish your mission, then we'll talk." He paused and looked around. "I have to go. Take care Lacey. I'll se you again, soon." Tristan let her hands go and slowly became a shimmer that vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
"Bye," Lacey whispered, tears in her eyes.
Tristan arrived back in the clouds and looked down at Ivy. She was happy and that was all that mattered.
*~*~*
Two months later, Lacey Lovitt managed to finish her mission. Tristan met her at the gate, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.
"Welcome home Lacey. You've finally made it," he whispered, kissing her cheek.
Lacey smiled, "I did. Only took two plus years."
AN: I wasn't happy with the ending to the book so here's my version. Please leave a review on your way out!