Hey guys! Sorry for the long hiatus! It's been a crazy month for me! Hope you like this chapter, there should be more coming this week! Please review!

The moment his lips touched mine it felt so electric and I was so surprised that I made a sort of mewing sound. Apparently it's not enough that I'm destined to die a crazy cat lady, I have to randomly act like a feline at inopportune moments as well. I'm expecting Raffe to pull away at my weirdness and realize that he looks far too much like a Greek God to be even associating with, let alone kissing, this drowned-looking awkward teenager but instead he deepens the kiss, making a deep growling sound of his own and backs me up against the wall of the stairwell.

Half formed thoughts about how we must sound like feeding zoo animals float through my mind. Really though I can't think, hell I can't really even breathe. My body seems to be handling just fine with my brain checked out, and I realize that I've wound my arms around his neck and that my awkward dangling legs seem to have decided of their own accord to wrap themselves around his waist. Every nerve in my body seems to have gone into overdrive and I feel like I'm both overheating and chilled at the same time. I shiver a little and Raffe pulls me closer, cradling my hips against his.

I gasp and nearly jump out of my skin at the contact, breaking the kiss in my surprise. Any lingering questions I had about male angel anatomy just got answered. Raffe is breathing heavily—an unusual occurrence for him—and he stares at me in the semi-darkness, his eyes boring into me. He looks as surprised as I am and strained, as if he's desperately trying to pull it together enough to put on the calm collected veneer he's normally able to maintain. He sets me down slowly, and I sheepishly disentangle my limbs from his perfect body. I feel like kicking myself for my childish reaction but there's nothing I can do about it now, the moment has passed and Raffe already feels distant once again.

"I should go," he says quietly.

I look at him sharply, trying to mask the hurt on my face.

"Raffe. Relax," I say, lamely attempting to shrug it off as if the most amazing kiss of my life is no big deal. He arches a brow at me in the semi-darkness.

"Penryn. While making out with you might not be grounds to damn me to hell for all eternity the risks that you face if this gets out of hand- like being pursued by low daemons for the rest of your life- is nothing to be 'relaxed' about."

I'm blushing at his insinuation that things might get THAT out of hand. So much for I don't even like you (his charming comment to me after the first time we kissed)… As if my life wasn't complicated enough in the World After without the possibility of swapping v-cards with the Wrath of God. Unless he's not as inexperienced as I think? Just because Raffe has avoided humans in the past doesn't mean that he hasn't shacked up with an angel before….

I get a sick twisted feeling in my stomach when I remember Laylah and how possessive she'd come off when she'd met me and Raffe in the hotel room at the aerie. Considering she'd stolen his wings, sewn them onto a daemon, and attached the black bat-like monstrosities to his back on their last encounter I'd say if they do have history than Raffe's ex drama is extreme enough to be featured on Maury. Nothing for me to be jealous of… or want any part in.

I remember myself and look up at him through my lashes. His eyes are still locked on my face, though he's managed to put his mask of detached indifference back in place. I wonder for the millionth time if he can read my mind.

I realize awkwardly that it's my turn to talk but I've got nothing. I'm reunited with Paige, he has his wings back, and we're relatively safe here. What reason is there for him to stay? Whatever angel politics he needs to get into right now would be best done without me. Before I made him take me back to the aerie he'd half jokingly talked about putting me in a bomb shelter with two years worth of supplies until this all blew over. At the time I'd said that getting Paige was what stopped me from accepting his offer, but I knew better now. As much as I hated the feeling of being in danger waiting on the sidelines would kill me. Doc had suggested that Paige might be the best hope for humanity to survive the Angel's invasion. Finding Doc might be the best hope for humanity, he best hope for Paige! and potentially the best hope for Raffe getting his wings back in order,

"Wait until Paige gets back and we'll go together. There's a doctor that the Resistance evacuated from Alcatraz. He's the best chance I've got of helping Paige and he's the best shot you have of getting your wings back without trying your luck with another angelic doctor."

Coming out of my mouth it sounded like a fantastic plan. I pointedly ignore the fact that I only managed to pull it together when faced with the threat of Raffe leaving and look at him expectantly.

He sighs and leans his forehead against mine with his eyes locked shut. For some reason this feel almost more intimate than our make out session had minutes ago. Raffe seems almost vulnerable. As he leans into me, his wings coming around us so were cocooned in his warmth. Finally he speaks.

"Alright, Penryn, you win. But we're not rushing into whatever den the Resistance is hiding in and just hoping for the best this time. We'll do this cautiously, even if it takes more time and patience then you'd like."

I nod, hoping he can't tell how relieved I am at his words. More time is just fine with me.