I was starting to piece together my role in this whole thing, and what Sariel was planning to do…. Destruction. On a mass scale. Using me to carry it out. If I died in the process, I'd just be collateral damage.

After my rather… sudden physical changes, I couldn't bring myself to face my colleagues. And besides, with Sariel slowly taking control of my body, I didn't want to risk being used to harm anyone… But in five- no, four- more nights, none of it would matter. There was no way in hell I could stop a fallen angel. I've never used the healing touch outside of a surgical setting or mindset, and even if it didn't fail me, it wouldn't give me much of an advantage.

I couldn't think straight. My back and shoulders were killing me. I was scared; I couldn't do anything to stop this…

But I could feel something at the back of my mind. The suggestion of an idea on how I could stop Sariel from destroying it all. But, like an itch you can't scratch, I couldn't reach it. My head was too fogged to concentrate. I would take a brief nap, just to clear things up a bit. Then I'd write it all down, so I wouldn't forget…

Flopping down on my bed, I tried to focus on falling asleep…

For the first time since that first nightmare… I dreamed.

I was flying through the air, but I didn't have control over myself. Looking around was the extent of what I could do in this state, but I'd take it.

Then… Something strange happened: I started to feel. The air was thin and nearly freezing, the wind harshly strong. Looking down below, I grew nauseous thinking about how high up in the air I was. Strangely, I was still somehow managing to stay aloft in the storm. The pain from before hit me with a vengeance; it was all I could do to keep from blacking out- wait a second… Oh no…

This isn't a dream!

I panicked. This was all real…! The lack of air at this altitude was making me weak, yet somehow I was still up in the air, but how?! Slowly, I looked to my side…

Feathers. An impossible amount of feathers. So white it almost hurt my eyes to look at them. Connecting that with my back pain… Did I…

Did I sprout wings…?

"Markus Vaughn, let me take control here. It's too dangerous for you to be fully aware in this situation." my mouth moved of its own accord, my voice… altered, somehow. It had that bitter, hissing tone of Sariel…

"Just why the hell did you think it was a good idea to fly me in the middle of a storm?! I can hardly stomach planes to begin with!" I snapped back at her. Would she hear me? Technically we were 'sharing' a body.

"Not now, you imbecile! Let me take back control before you crash into the ocean!" Couldn't really argue with her there. Having these extra limbs coming off of me felt… Unnatural. I had no idea how to control them. Sariel probably had her wings for as long as she's been around; best to let an expert pilot me through this.

We finally landed on a quiet, untouched stretch of coastline. My legs felt weak from being up in the air for so long; so weak that as soon as my feet hit the ground I toppled over and face planted into the sand.

Spitting out sand, I could hear myself mutter, "Pathetic creature… I almost pity you…"

"Alright, now that we're not in the middle of a thunderstorm several miles above the ocean, what the hell were you doing?!"

I looked down, "I hadn't really had much of a chance to exercise my wings. Between being in hibernation for so long to having my spirit torn between two worlds, I couldn't fly. Besides, the weather here on Earth… I love it."

"So you like the rain? The thunder and lightning? That I could understand, but flying through it?"

My gaze shifted upwards to the darkened sky, "it's a challenge, navigating such obstacles. But the stimulation I get from it… Icy-cold air, pouring rain, the booming claps of thunder and bright cracks of lightning… It's beautiful, experiencing that all at once."

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever, would've been nice if you'd have given me a warning first." Looking down at my bare feet in the sand, I got a bit… curious. I wanted to test something.

"What are you doing? Hey! Cut that out!"

I had waded into the water so it just came up past my ankles. Part of me, the actual me, loved the feeling of wet sand and crisp ocean water; reminded me of when I used to live in California.

But the other 'part' of me, Sariel, was reacting a lot more… erratically to the water.

"What's the matter?" I teased gently, splashing a little bit, "I thought you said you liked the water."

"I like rain, you simpleton! Larger bodies of water… It's… It's not good for my wings. I don't want to risk getting them wet." Sariel hissed, trying to jerk away.

I chuckled, "Your wings? I'm sure they'll be fine if I take a little swim-"

"Absolutely not!" Sariel snapped. "Those wings are a physical part of you now. If you try swimming and the wings get soaked, they'll become so heavy that you won't be able to even stay afloat! Let alone fly away…"

I… Actually hadn't thought about that. I know some birds had a special oil on their feathers that let them get wet, but… Well, Sariel's wings weren't exactly what you'd see on the average duck. And with six of them, that would be a recipe for disaster… Best not to swim until these wings went away, if they ever did.

That's when the realization hit me that all of the changes to me might be permanent. Of course, if Sariel was going to use me to basically blow up everything, I doubt it would matter. But what about after the fact?

"Hey, Sariel, quick question. After your big 'plan' is all said and done-"

"I" cut myself off, "I will have no further use for you. By then I'll have enough energy to restore my physical form as powerful as it was in its prime."

"So does that mean you'll get out of my body?"

"Again, I see no reason to remain in such an… awkward specimen any longer than I have to. But you'll always have a part of my being with you, Markus Vaughn."

"Now, until the moment you die…"

A part of her being… Always with me?! So I guess these changes were permanent after all. Just fucking great; even if I did live through this I would never be the same person- if I even was fully human anymore. I would have a hell of a lot of explaining to do to a lot of people, not to mention figuring out how the hell these damn wings worked.

A part of my being… that was what really scared me. As long as I had even the tiniest, residual fragment of Sariel in me, I ran the risk of turning on the people I swore to protect. My family, my friends, my colleagues, my patients… Everyone. Part of me didn't want to take that risk, but at the same time I couldn't run away from it all. Not again…

I just realized that it was cold as hell outside and my wet clothes didn't help. "Alright, I've had enough of the crap weather; fly me back home, Sariel."

"Alright, but I don't want to take any risks this time. Hold your breath for a second."

"Wait, what are you-"

"Four…."

Once again, my body was effectively a ragdoll for this demonic, sadistic angel to control completely. At least the pain was gone now.