I came downstairs and sat down at the bar, Bob slamming my plate onto the counter in front of me. I simply rested my chin in my hand and stared at him, shaking my head as I sighed.

"What," he asked irritably after a long moment.

"I'm just trying to understand after all that you have seen- here, in your very own diner, your home- how you can still not believe," I replied. "If only you could see as Michael and I could… as Charlie's baby will."

Bob scoffed. "Its not disbelief. Its- its, just a lot to take in."

I chuckled, looking around conspiratorially before leaning forward, "Just look at who you're telling. I mean, one second I'm praying and the next, Michael's in front of me in all his angelic glory- and you should have seen him Bob; he was a sight to see with his armor and his sword… And then he's telling me that I'm supposed to save the world? I have no idea how to do that, no idea how to become this savior, but what I do have is faith in Michael and by God, he has faith in me, so I don't have a choice. Because I trust him.

"And I trust him with all of my heart," I murmured, swallowing.

He looked around before bringing out a beer and opening it, passing it to me with a little more civility. "I'm not sure if your… bodyguard will approve, but I can always tell a girl who likes a beer," Bob smiled before pulling out a box of cigarettes. I rubbed my throat and he raised an eyebrow, lighting one. I reached out for it and took a much-needed drag, exhaling deeply. "I think you found the way to my heart Bob; thank you," I said, allowing myself to relax completely for the first time since this all started.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Bob did the same with Sandra, the newly widowed woman sitting a few seats down with a devastated look on her face. They began to talk and I turned back to my dinner, thinking about what awaited me upstairs. "Jesus."

Charlie walked over and I held my hand out, seeing her mouth open as she began to apologize. "Stop right there. Its okay, Charlie, really," I grinned before looking around and sniffing self-consciously. "Just don't tell anybody, okay? I'm not sure Michael would give two shits either way, but… I'm a pretty private person."

"How exactly did you meet him again?"

I put out my cigarette with a sigh, folding my hands underneath my chin. "He descended to come and find me. I mean, I've felt a presence- which I am assuming was his- pretty much my entire life and now, its just-"

"Right?"

"I guess you could say that," I replied before standing slowly and smoothing my clothes down. "Well Charlie, dinner was good, but my shift's in a couple of hours and I could really use some sleep."

Charlie laughed and shook her head, "I doubt you'll be getting much with Michael waiting for you."


Just as promised, when I got upstairs Michael was there waiting in the bedroom, his appearance just as if nothing had ever happened. I kicked off my boots and climbed into bed quickly, Michael wrapping his arms around me and sighing. "I missed you," I murmured, resting my head on his chest.

He hummed as he began to stroke my bare are, his eyes closed as he swallowed thickly.

"I knew that I was in love with you when you were sixteen. You had just met your first boyfriend, Jeremy… You had sex with him; and instead of being mad that you had gone against the commandments of God, I was envious, jealous that he could have you in the one way I couldn't. And then he broke your heart. And against everything, I visited you."

I shook my head, laughing softly, "I knew that someone was there…"

"Yes, but I was afraid to show myself to you and so I would wait until you were either sleeping or so absorbed in your thoughts about your mother and that… infant, and I would hold you, comfort you the best I could. I have watched you all these years, growing from a child into a woman, becoming so strong after being so weak… And through it all, you had your faith; in Mary and in Gabriel and in God. Even in me," Michael said softly, looking down at me. "You were, and still are, flawless in my eyes Lily." I smiled, reaching up to stroke his face. "There was a time before you were born where I couldn't fathom how He could be a loving and forgiving God; I saw what Mankind was truly capable of… But when you came, even though you hadn't done a fourth of what others had, I understood. I understood that only true love and devotion could make you blind, but still let you see.

"I was the first to bow down to you, the first to love humanity-"

"And you were the first to defend it," I whispered, brushing the tip of my nose against his.

He swallowed and shook his head, bending down to press his lips to my curls. "You'll think I'm selfish Lily, but- it was not the whole of Mankind I came to defend. Yes, He saw you in my thoughts and in my heart, but He also saw your 'faults'… and He said no matter the words that you said, that your heart was not in the right place. He lost faith; I didn't because I saw you for you, saw the reasons behind what you did. And when I realized that He threatened you with an order I didn't believe in, my first instinct was to come, to protect you. It wasn't until I had landed with my feet on this soil that I realized the Messiah was here; he had not been prophesied for another millennia. But I believe that other forces were at work and knew that we would need a savior.

"And they knew I needed you."

I knew he couldn't see it but before the first tear was even shed, his fingers were there, ready to caress them away. "This is a lot to handle, you know that right? My heart-"

Michael moved his hand down to rest it over my left breast.

"Is perfectly fine. God did not make the human heart to love like we can… but if you give as much as you can, I can understand. And it will be more than enough," he replied softly, pulling my hand up to kiss it. Michael then intertwined his fingers with mine and kissed me passionately, pulling me to him as much as he could.

I gripped his tee shirt and exhaled once as I pressed my forehead against his, for once not meeting his eyes. "Michael, I don't think I'm human."