Part 1

They say, that all humans have a certain amount of years given to them by the head angel, Gabriella, when they are born. These years dictate how long your life will turn out to be. When those years run out, your life ends by natural causes such as disease or a force of nature.

If a human commits suicide, or is somehow murdered, there is an excess of years left over. These years are taken by Gabriella and given back to the human.

Now I want you to note, it is illegal to bring a human back from the dead. It is against the law of angels, and the most severe punishment is brought upon those who commmit such an atrocious act. But these left over years must be put to use, so Gabriella returns the humans years to them and brings them back, as an angel.

That is, if they were good while alive.

Arthur ran. He didn't know where he was running to, but he certainly knew where he was running from. Away from his adultery filled home. Away from his fiance as she hurridly pulled clothes over her sweat covered body. Her lover next to her, doing the same. Both of them panting and glistening in sweat from the passionate love they'd been participating in TOGETHER before Arthur oh so rudely intruded. Intruded on his fiancé cheating him with another man. Tears poured down his cheeks. The two were to be married in a little over a month but clearly she had different plans.
"Arthur! Arthur!" the panicked voice of his fiancé rang through the air like the shrill shriek of a hawk. He promptly ignored her and continued running, tears blurring his vision
"Arthur! Arthur please let me explain!"
Explain what? Explain how despite our soon to be marriage you so blatantly disregarded our love in favor of another man? How, while I am at work paying for our food, our rent, our lives, you spend your free time with some young man you took a fancy to? Am I no longer what you crave in a relationship? AM I NO LONGER WHAT YOU NEED?
His heavy footsteps echoed off the stone walls. If he had been able to see through his tears, he would have noticed the way the streets were almost empty due to the storm, and how everyone still in the streets hurried to get inside. Some gave the couple strange looks. After all, wasn't it always the man chasing the woman, isn't that usually how it worked? But Arthur knew better. Arthur had been nothing short of faithful and loving. What had inspired this sudden change of events? What gave his lover the reasoning to leave him and be with another?
"Arthur, NO!" Her scream of panic reached his ears just as the screeching of tires, blaring of a horn, and searing impact against his body sent his mind somewhere else entirely.

He opened his eyes gently, a hazy grey clouded his vision. His vision was directed towards a pale ceiling, although he was moving rather quickly. He himself found his own body unresponsive to his attempts to sit up, or move at all. After a few moments he realized he was on stretcher moving through what must be a hospital. His ears began hearing just in time for him to hear panicked shouts.
"I need an IV with number two four o seven in him stat! Haley prepare an x ray of his cranium, John stop that bleeding dammit!"
"sharlene apply pressure to the abdomen!"
"rick get a bandage on that gash!"
"Arthur please don't leave me!" His fiancé , no his ex-fiancé , called out to him. But for what reason? Why should he stay? Why now that she had clearly moved on and was unintrested in continuing their quickly blossoming relationship? They'd met a few years back in the summer. She'd been so beautiful and called to him almost immediately. The two were perfect, made for eachother as so many reminded them. When Arthur had finally worked up the nerve to propose he made sure it was perfect. Despite him not being born very rich, nor having much money at the current time, he was so, just so sure that he could make it up and raise enough for them to lead perfect lives once they were married. He'd saved up and even bought them their own apartment. He proposed in the exact spot where they first met. In the summer heat with children laughing and smiling around them. They were hoping to have some of their own someday. But now... Now he'd faded into nothingness. Now she didn't care. Now...There was nothing left for him.
"we're losing him! CPR now!" Several people cleared the way and a specific pounding in his chest could he felt, in the place of the natural beating of his heart. He rolled his head to the side, his final movement. They were dragging away a screaming crying woman. His ex-fiancé .
"ARTHUR PLEASE DON'T LEAVE I'M SORRY" She was red faced, and tears streaked down her cheeks. Her beautiful summer face that had once mesmerized him, Now contorted in screams of sorrow "PLEASE"
"goodbye" Was all he managed to whisper in response
"DON'T LEAVE ME" In some part of his mind, He wanted to stay and be there for her. To comfort her and tell it would be alright. But ironically enough the moment he considered life again, the pain stopped, the people froze. Arthur gazed upon his what would've been soon-to-be-wifes beautiful figure. Even in her current state with her hair a mess, her face red, soaked in tears, and contorted in pain she still looked as beautiful as the day he met her. His thoughts came slower and slower to him until eventually...he felt...nothing...at all...

This time, when he opened his eyes, nothing hurt. His bones didn't feel misplaced, and he didn't have the sinking feeling of his organs leaking. He felt soft... And light. Almost as if he was floating on a cloud. Ironic as this thought would turn out to be later.
Smiling, he opened his eyes. Blue skies replaced the white ceiling he'd been seeing before his... Death? He wasn't sure what to call it at this point as here he lay alive. Wait, was he even alive?
Sitting up rather quickly confirmed to himself that he was indeed, alive. Not only that though, The weather and general area of where he was just seemed beautiful. He lay in the middle of a small courtyard. The grass was a vibrant green like none he had ever seen before. Beautiful white fluffy clouds made their way across the sky slowly, in no rush to reach their destination. Rather large birds flew amongst the clouds playfully swooping down at one another. For a few moments he admired these strange birds and their elegant flying. He'd never seen such a species before, maybe they newly migrated here?
"Arthur" Said man looked in front of him. The courtyard was rather nice, with cobblestone walls surronding but they didn't seem imposing. They appeared almost as if they were a growth of the land, naturally forming objects that had always existed there. A figure stood in front of one of the walls. A figure he quickly identified as his old friend "Matthew"
Matthew smiled that sweet passive smile of his that Arthur hadn't seen in years. Not since the incident "hi Arthur. How do you feel?"
He blinked a few times. How did he feel? He wasn't sure of himself at that moment "better than i did a few moments ago"
Matthew chuckled "well, that's a given."
Arthur stood up and looked Matthew in the eye. Arthur realized he was wearing the same clothes he did in the crash, just some loose casual things he changed into after work. His loose pants were soaked in the mud of the street he'd been running in. The faded plaid of his shirt was stained... red? "Matthew..." His voice barely rose above a whisper as he stared at the crimson liquid covering his front "Where am I?"
Matthews smile was soft, but still ever present on his face used to smiling so much. His smile almost seemed... Sad and pitying "We are somewhere safe"
"That doesn't exactly answer my question Matthew"
"I-I know, why don't you come with me and get changed. I'll explain everything on the way"
"Alright" Arthur rose and walked over to where his old friend stood. How long had it been since they'd been able to hold a casual conversation like this? How long had it been since he last saw Matthew smile? Since Matthew had looked upon him without a hint of sadness in his eyes? When he said he was fine and actually meant it? "Follow me, there are rooms nearby" Matthew turned and began walking into the old builidng. Its walls were made of a pale cobblestone and vines grew up the side. Yet none of it was in the slightest bit onimous. Everything actually felt calm and welcoming, like an inn run by an old couple with grandchildren in the middle of an otherwise unpopulated area. A couple who welcomed you with freshly baked cooking and gave you lunch as you left the next day to continue your journeys.
"u-um Matthew how am I..." He felt a loss of words and at Matthews confused expression, he gestured to himself.
Matthew giggled. Not an incredibly girly giggle like you might hear from middle school girls talking about a crush. Just a light laugh "Walking, talking, moving, breathing?"
"Yes" He exhaled. At least Matthew understood his confusion in the least. Well, considering this was Matthew he was talking to, he would of course understand being alive after apparent... death The word still felt strange on his lips. Death. He was dead. But was he really? Here he was, walking and talking with an old friend as if he hadn't just been cheated on, hit by a care, and died in a hospital. Those memories felt rather disconnected. As if his real life all had just been some strange dream. Actually, if it weren't for the blood currently staining his shirt, he would probably assume just that.
"So... you're probably wondering where you are, what happened to you, how you are alive. correct?" Matthew suddenly piped up, interupting Arthur from his thoughts. He guiltily wondered if Matthew had been talking this entire time
"oh u-um yes" In truth, this point really was confusing him.
"well, I can't tell you in detail right now. It actually kind of confuses me" He chuckled and got a sort of lost look on his face for a few moments before snapping back "But to sum it up, you are in heaven"