Thank you all for the amazing support and reviews. Here is Chapter 8 and i hope it gets the same love :D It's a lot shorter than most chapters, mainly because trying to publish fast and come up with more plot is dwindling. Sorry. Please review and chapter 9 should be up in a couple of weeks just before i go away. xx
Chapter 8:
"Can't tell you," i said immediately, glancing anxiously at Patch beside me. I knew Vee wasn't fooled but i really couldn't – didn't - know how to tell her. If i told her it would have to include how Patch was a fallen angel - and is now my guardian angel. And that would get complicated. Not to mention weird.
She slapped her knees in irritation, "Come on! Is that all you're gonna say?"
"Yup. Pretty much." I grinned awkwardly.
Beside me, Patch sighed heavily like he was heaving stress on his shoulders. "I'm a guardian angel. Nora's guardian angel, to be specific,"
My mouth flew open and i turned to stare eyes wide at Patch - not only in surprise but with worry. What if Vee stormed out and called the insanity ward?
Instead she laughed. "Really, that's a great excuse! But seriously, i want to know. Is it something serious?"
Patch glanced my way and raised an eyebrow. Sighing again he said, "Vee, i'm not joking. I could show you my wings if you want?" I gulped with anticipation.
"Patch, no!"
"It's okay, honey." he rested a hand on mine. "She was going to find out eventually."
Vee cleared her throat theatrically. "Hello? She is sitting right here. And what are you talking about? Angels and wings? What the-"
Patch stood up, cutting off Vee's rant and slowly unfurled his wings, although not all the way as there wasn't enough room. Vee went completely ghost pale, i thought she was going to pass out. After a moment of shallow breathing and a couple of blinks, she began to relax. Then her reaction took a turn for the slightly more realistic example.
"How do i know they're not fake?" she said with conviction. I rolled my eyes. It was so Vee, that she'd think it was all a hoax.
Patch seemed to agree but didn't say anything. He just turned around slowly, trying to avoid knocking anything over as his wings stayed open.
"Feel it. They're real alright. And once you've realised, then we can stop with this behaviour. Back to more serious matters, perhaps?" his tone was turning icy and i couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He was in as much trouble as i was and Vee wasn't helping matters. She couldn't have asked questions after the problem was sorted, could she?
She came closer with care, her hands twitching nervously. When she reached out to the soft white of his wings, her eyes widened with wonder. "Wow.." she exclaimed, touching the wings. Then i had a sudden realisation. "Patch, the memories. The-" But it was too late. Already they were in a world of their own, seemingly taken back to another time in Patch's memories. I suddenly felt very jealous. I thought he didn't like anyone to touch his wings because of this memory intrusion? Every time i did it he would either squirm away or, every so often, actually let me in to see his past. But this time, he hadn't even flinched. It was like he was purposely letting her delve into his memories. To discover something perhaps, that would inform her of the situation. To give her knowledge and make her believe what he was, was real.
It felt like days, weeks even, before they appeared back in the present - the here and now, with me. Vee stood back, eyes glossy and almost fell over, but Patch caught her before she hit the floor.
"It's okay. It takes a while to get used to it, doesn't it Nora?" he said offhandedly, and smiled my way.
I fiddled with my fingers, "Um, yeah. I guess. So what exactly did you show her?" i asked after a pause. He didn't look up from Vee once he'd set her down on the sofa.
"Just something to make her see the problem. And the solution, although that was more my thoughts transferring to her, than an actual memory."
My eyes narrowed, "You transferred thoughts? How?"
"By simply sending them through the waves where her fingers touch my wings. It's simple, but at the same time can have a slightly light headed feel afterwards. As you can tell," he gestured to Vee lying unconscious on her back.
"Well, that went well," i said with sarcasm. I crossed my arms and slowly walked to the other chair. I plonked myself down and frowned, "What now?"
"We wait," was Patch's smart reply. Raising a dubious eyebrow i said, "What exactly is our plan? Or do we not have one?"
He looked up to me from his perch on the sofa. He'd refolded his wings, and was back to his usual... self. Of a sort. He did look rather pale, though.
"Other than wait for Hank to come to us? No. No plan."
"That's it?" i very nearly shout. "That's the best you can come up with? I can't run forever, but we can hardly just wait it out like an illness!"
"We can, and we will. Unless you can think of some other elaborate plan that won't lead us into a death sentence."
I gaped, "And waiting for Hank won't evidently end in death?"
"Well, at least i can stop him when he comes. If we walk into a trap, it might be too late."
"You're deluded, you know that? Hank will stop at nothing to get me. He's already used mom, who's to say he won't try to use Vee next? Or Marcie's mom? Or worse, Marcie herself?" i looked down, "Not that i care or anything."
Patch snorted, "Yeah, not that you care." he repeated. "Anyway, do you not think i've realised all of this? It kills me that he might somehow get to you. I want to do all i can to destroy him. Unfortunately, he seems to have developed the art of stealth." he ended bitterly. Coming across to me, he put an arm around me and kissed my cheek. "Of course i don't want to risk you. We have this obstacle, but we will come out alive. I promise."
I turned to him, my eyes welling up more from fear than his heartfelt words of comfort. "I just, don't know... how." I leant my head into his chest as he sat on the armrest. He stroked my hair.
"I know. I know. For now though, all we can do is just wait. I'll also see if i can find out some details."
I looked up into his piercing black eyes, "Details?"
"Yeah. I still have some contacts, you know," he winked, "I may be a fallen angel, but i'm not the only one, remember?" He kissed my head and sat back up, letting me go reluctantly.
"You're not going, are you?" i said as he walked towards the front door. He turned back and nodded, "I gotta check out a few things. You stay here where it's safe... for now. And make sure you're mom and Vee are okay. I'll be back in a little bit. If anything happens, you ring me, okay? The number's in your cell."
I cocked my head, "You have a cell?"
"Um, yeah. I've always had one, actually." he said guiltily.
"So..."
"I didn't give you the number before because if i ever got reassigned, i'd have to change numbers. And that's just annoying," he joked, and left the house before i got a chance to comment.
I checked my pockets for my cell and scrolled the phonebook. Yep, there he was. Patch. In among all the other P's.
