A/N: I actually don't ship Anael and Jack, but this atrocious chapter happened anyway for some very important plot reasons. I apologize in advance.

For their plan to work with meeting up with Anael, Sam had to stay back at the motel to wire transfer the money over to her on Dean's command. Dean felt bad for his brother. He'd been up all night acquiring the money, and he'd called Anael once he was half-sure the police wouldn't come knocking on their door. The meeting had been set up. It was much more discreet this time, at an abandoned mill.

Dean was anxious to see the angel again. She was pretty, but he didn't like her. He had wanted to like her once he'd set eyes on her, but that was only because she was pretty. But she was more than that. She knew what she wanted, and she didn't care if others got hurt to get it, even if they were innocent or not. Dean couldn't stand with someone like that. He'd done it too many times with Crowley, and he'd told himself no more relationships with shady people. He was just glad he had Castiel with him, who didn't seem charmed by her good looks at all.

They reached the mill sometime in the morning. There was a dried up and dusty streambed that ran around it, and a rickety bridge that Dean didn't chance taking the Impala over. He and Castiel got out and walked, approaching the dilapidated brick building, gravel crunching beneath their feet. It was windy, but the sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, leaving it a brilliant blue that didn't fit his mood.

Dean was mad at it.

He supposed he was just trying to find things to be upset about instead of… Yeah, he couldn't think about that. That poor kid. It was tearing his heart out.

Anael was waiting for them just inside the main entrance, dressed as fashionably as she had been the day before, and Dean couldn't help giving her a once over before mentally scolding himself.

Maybe he'd get drunk later to deal with all this shit.

Yeah, that sounded good. Forget Anael, forget the angels, forget about the kid for just a little bit, fill up his hurt with a sweet burn in his throat.

But not until later. Right now he had this to deal with.

Anael smiled at them, the smile of a businesswoman trying to put her clients at ease, and Dean played along and smiled back. Castiel looked as stoic as he always did while going about their work.

"You ready to do this thing?" Dean asked her.

She stepped forward, heels clicking on the stone floor as she answered, "You give me the money and I'll set up a meeting with the angels."

"Tell the angels first."

"Why does it matter?" she asked sweetly. "It's not your money, is it? I know you boys couldn't have that much."

"Then why make the price so steep?"

"Betraying my own kind, remember?"

Castiel cut in, "Anael, just contact Heaven. Tell them… Tell them you'll do it, you'll help them."

"Fine."

"But don't touch my son," he warned.

"Yes, you've made that very clear."

Anael closed her eyes for a few seconds, and while it looked like nothing was happening, with closer observation Dean could see her eyes flitting back and forth underneath closed lids, like she was processing information.

She inhaled, and then opened them.

"They're going to open one of the gates and come down to meet me soon. Castiel, it was Cael I spoke with. I don't know if you remember him - always a bit rude, really, but he gets the job done."

Dean shot a glance at Cas, and Cas was looking back at him, worry in his eyes.

"He's not in charge of this, is he?" Castiel asked.

"No. Duma is."

Castiel clenched his jaw at that, but said nothing more. Clearly there was something there that Dean didn't know about. Was Duma worse than Cael? Or was she not a good leader, leaving room for Cael to take over?

Dean didn't know. Heaven's politics were something he didn't care to keep up with. But if it was going to affect Jack, Castiel would let him know later.

"Dean, I did my part. Now it's your turn."

"Alright, alright," he grumbled, getting out his cellphone.

He dialed Sam, and put the phone to his ear. His little brother picked up immediately.

"Sam, send the money."

His brother said nothing until a few seconds passed, and then he confirmed, "Sent."

Dean hung up, pocketed his phone and said, "Alright, Anael, you're paid."

"I'll meet with the angels, tell them I need to think about their offer first, and if I get my money within the twenty-four hour window, I'll do your job."

"No, you go with them now."

"Sorry, sweetheart. No money, no job."

A growl left Dean, and before he could even react, Castiel had his angel blade out and was lunging at her. He slammed her down to the hard floor, straddling her, silver blade flashing against her throat.

"You're going to do what we say now," he snarled.

She'd cried out upon falling, but she wasn't even struggling now, just asked, "Or what? You'll kill me? I'm afraid you can't do that. You need me."

Dean wasn't at all fazed by Castiel's actions - in fact, he understood them perfectly, and wished that he was the one with the blade to her throat - so he stepped forward to stand by her head and look down at her. Her chestnut hair was fanned out against the stone floor, and her brown eyes flicked to Dean.

"We can still torture you," he told her. He leaned down, getting close. "As I'm sure you know, I'm adept at it. So do as we say and I won't have to start instructing Castiel here where to put his angel blade."

Castiel's grim expression faltered, but Anael was too busy looking at Dean to notice, and Dean leaned ever so slightly closer to Castiel, a silent signal to tell him to just go with it. Dean wasn't actually prepared to torture Anael, but he'd do what he had to to get Jack back. He'd do it for Castiel, for Sam… for himself. He missed the kid and knew he didn't deserve what was happening to him.

But he understood Castiel's hesitation. Anael was an angel, just like him. He'd be torturing a sibling. Really, Dean would make sure he'd be the one to do it, but Castiel was in the more threatening position at the moment, trapping her to the floor.

"You wouldn't," she snarled, almost like there was a dare in her voice, trying to figure out exactly what kind of person Dean was.

Dean reached out and ran his finger along the angel blade, pressing it closer against her throat, making sure the edge nearly pricked her skin.

"Oh, I would," he told her. "I've tortured souls, Anael. I hated it, I still hate it. But moral of the story, I really know what I'm doing, so if you don't want to lose your voice screaming, you'll meet with the angels, and you'll go to Heaven now. And you will get Jack as soon as possible."

She didn't protest this time, saw the intent in Dean's eyes, the warning. He didn't want to hurt her, but dear lord, he certainly would if he had to.

Anael's eyes went back to Cas, then to Dean again.

"Understood." Apparently trying to get some dignity back, she then said, "Now, Castiel, if you would kindly get off of me so I can help you, that'd be great."

Cas glanced at Dean one more time, and Dean, who now stood to his full height, nodded. His friend let her up.

Anael straightened her clothes, and as she was fixing her hair, Dean gave her a smile he hoped was full of sass, and said, "Pleasure doing business with you."

Anael shot him a snarky look in return, and then Dean and Castiel were leaving.

"I hope this works," Castiel prayed.

"It'd better."

Jack couldn't figure out what the schedule with the angels was. Sometimes he'd have playtime, yet he still wasn't allowed it with Laila. He didn't know why, but that was okay. He preferred Tamiel since there was this thing that she did with her mouth that was fun, but he also liked the way Ariel pet his hair. Duma had tried playing with him, but something had made her nervous, and Jack had tried his best to comfort her, but she'd withdrawn from his touch. It hurt, made him feel like he wasn't wanted.

Between the playtime, there was bath time, the various meals he was fed, the angels slicing carefully at his neck while telling him he was a good boy, and time in the gardens. Jack was there now. Nathaniel was with him. Cael had been present at first, but there had been something that had drawn him away, something that seemed important.

Jack still wasn't allowed to play with Nathaniel, and it bothered him. Did Nathaniel think he wasn't fun to play with? He tried to touch him to let him know he didn't think so, but that just ended up with his hands being swatted away.

So now Jack was doing something else to show he cared.

He was making crowns out of flowers. One completed one already sat atop his head, to make sure it would fit properly. He was going to make one for each of the angels he met: Duma, Nathaniel, Ariel, Tamiel, Laila, Naomi (he'd learned that that was the name of the white-haired angel who had brought him to the weird room). He was sure there were others, but he didn't know all of them. Maybe he could make extras. But Cael wouldn't be getting one. Jack didn't like Cael, and Cael knew it. Jack saw it in the way he watched him, like he was worried he was going to suddenly hurt him, or like he was some uncooperative dog. Jack wasn't quite sure how he knew what a dog was, but he must've seen one when he was with those bad humans on earth. Maybe one of them had liked dogs.

Jack had figured out how to make the flower crowns on his own. He'd asked Nathaniel if it was okay to pick a lot of flowers, and he assured him it was, since he wanted Jack to be happy.

He sat cross-legged on white marble tiles before a giant pond, that somehow had a fountain in the middle of it that shot up towards the sky, spraying the water down like droplets of rain. Jack still didn't know the names of the flowers, save for the rose, but they were pretty, and he was trying to make a rainbow with the crown he was now working on.

Nathaniel stood by him, back against a tree, calmly watching him with his hands in his pockets.

"Jack, tomorrow's going to be different."

"What do you mean?" he questioned before furrowing his brow, focusing on threading this orange flower's stem just right.

"I can't tell you, but… the other angels think it's best we try something new."

"Something new? Will I get to play with you?"

Nathaniel didn't answer, so Jack tilted his head towards him, letting him know that he was waiting. He seemed upset, features drawn low, eyes slightly bigger than normal.

"No, Jack. I'm… I'm sorry. It… It was my idea. I shouldn't have said anything. But we need you. Do you understand that?"

He nodded.

Nathaniel came forward and got on his knees before him, gently taking his hands in his. Jack wanted to object, wanted to go back to making the flower crown, but his grip was firm, even in its softness.

"Jack, I want you to know that what I'm doing isn't out of cruelty."

"What do you mean? You've done nothing wrong."

The angel's face fell, and he told him very intently, "Just get through tomorrow, Jack. I… I asked to not be present during… during it. But I will be with you after, and I can take care of you."

Fear settled in Jack's stomach, and it didn't feel right. He wasn't supposed to be afraid of the angels, but he liked and trusted Nathaniel. What had he done? What were the angels going to do to him? Why? Would it hurt? Jack didn't want to hurt.

Showing him that he understood, Jack leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Then, he took his hands back and continued working on the flower crowns.

Nathaniel went to stand by the tree again, staring wistfully out at the pond. One of the many balls of light that floated through the garden, twisting their way through the trees, billowed over the pond, it's light casting upon the water, making the falling droplets shine like golden tears, rainbows casting themselves upon the ground. Jack sat too far away for any of that light to touch him.

Cael and Duma were the ones who went to meet with Anael. They'd let her come to one of the closed gates of Heaven, and now they were all standing by a massive old oak tree, the gate open and shimmering in white and silver allure.

"You decided to help after all," Cael stated.

Anael nodded. "Heaven's dying, and I may not care about some of the angels that are left," she directed her gaze at him on her last words, letting him know that he was who she spoke of, "but I care about the souls. I don't need them falling to Earth."

"Yes, so you can do what you wish with them up in Heaven, is that it?" Cael asked.

Anael crossed her arms.

"Let's be reasonable about this," she began. "You're asking me to lie with a Nephilim and to carry his child. I have no loyalty to you, so what will you give me in return?"

"Anael, please," Duma begged. "We need as many angels on our side with this as we can get."

"Then make Cael get a female vessel. Make all of them get female vessels. Problem solved."

"No, Anael. The… The Nephilim. He's… We're not quite sure how to fuse his seed with his Grace, how to make it fertile."

"And you think I can help with that?" she asked.

They knew of her healing skills, and already she was thinking of various ideas that might work. Though, the Grace was the tricky part. Last she'd heard, there had to be intent behind it. It had been like that when Lucifer had raped the Nephilim's mother. Anael understood his reason for doing it though. He wanted power. She hoped, wherever he was, he wasn't going to get mixed up in this, not unless she could use him somehow, but she was already playing two sides. Playing a third would be stretching herself too thin.

"Perhaps," Duma responded. "But Nathaniel has come up with a plan. We'll be trying it tomorrow. In fact, his plan will make all of this much easier for the angels who refuse to touch the boy. You wouldn't happen to be one of them, would you?"

She knew she'd have to get close to Jack to do as Dean wished, and she knew she wouldn't be able to do that unless she complied. Anael didn't have a choice. She'd just have to worry about the Winchesters and Castiel coming after her once their boy was safe.

"No, of course not. I'm sure he's a very sweet child. I would love to spend some time with him. I'd like to study him as well, if that's allowed."

Dean hadn't asked her to do that, but why would Anael pass up a chance to get up close with a Nephilim, to figure out how he worked?

"But… I won't do it for free."

"Fine," Duma agreed, and then went on, clearly knowing where Anael's interests lay, "You will have access to a few souls as well. Will that be sufficient?"

No, Anael thought.

"Yes, I'm sure it will be."

She couldn't push her luck for now. She was going to be granted access to the Nephilim, and that was what she needed. But Heaven's bargain wasn't so bad either. She would play them as well, try and get more souls to work with. Anael had other ideas about how to save Heaven, but her brethren were too weak to see it. She'd show them, while doing as they asked.

They smiled at her, though Cael was clearly faking it, and they let her into Heaven.

She was shown to the Nephilim's quarters, though he wasn't there - apparently they let him into the Garden of Eden, something that Anael thought was a terrible idea. But there were guards there. Thankfully, none of them had proved themselves to be like Gadreel, but they had greatly dwindled in their number. In fact there was only one guard for the area of Heaven Jack was allowed in. He had a bedroom, and a bathroom, all in a stark white. The poor child must've been bored out of his mind with the scenery. There was another room Anael was shown to, and she stared at it with big eyes, wondering what her brethren were even thinking.

"Was this Nathaniel's idea?" she asked Duma once it was just the two of them.

"Yes."

"And you're alright with it?"

There was a pause before she answered, "Yes."

Anael didn't press her further.

She'd been amongst humans, laid her hands on them daily to heal them, knew what they were like, but this human thing was very odd to her, very alien. She could guess its purpose, and she felt sorry for the poor boy. Still, she understood that this was what had to be done. It could work. Potentially. Either way, she would just have to play the part for now, ease into it, maybe become the part if she so chose. Anael was going to be swimming in riches and power when she was done with this whole ordeal.

After being shown that room, she was taken to the Garden to meet the boy. Nathaniel greeted her with a nod of his head, and let her approach Jack. Duma watched from about twenty feet away, under a bone-white gazebo.

Anael knelt down in front of him, placing a smile on her face. It was hard not to - the boy had a flower crown on his head, and had some by his side. He didn't look up at her, focusing on the flower crown in his lap that he was nearly finished with.

"Hi, Jack," she greeted.

Probably noticing that her voice sounded different from other angels, he finally looked up. His deep brown eyes brightened upon seeing her, and he smiled - a big, genuine smile.

"Hello."

"I'm Anael."

"It's nice to meet you," the boy told her before going back to his flower crown.

She sat down beside him, looked at Nathaniel to see if she was doing well, and with a nod from him, she leaned closer. "How are you?"

Jack shrugged, also looked at Nathaniel, and then said to her, "I'm doing good."

There was truth in his eyes, in his words, but it was a false, erroneous truth. It wasn't real. It was what the angels were making him think.

Anael knew to do what the Winchesters wished she'd have to break through that somehow.

"Do you know why I'm here Jack?"

"Are you going to play with me?" he asked.

Anael blanched at that. That's how they were getting him to cooperate? Not just with the the brainwashing and the torture, but with manipulative words and fake kindness? She knew the angels were doing what they thought they had to do, but she hadn't known they were twisting words so much, that they were lying so much.

Still, Anael went along with it, doing her duty.

"Yes, Jack. Would you like that?"

He nodded, not looking up at her, concentrating very hard. He finished twisting a knot with some stems, and then he lifted up the flower crown to her.

"May I?"

"Of course, dear."

With a smile he put the flower crown on her head.

Jack led Anael around by the hand as he gave a flower crown to Nathaniel, and then Duma, and then Anael was the one leading him out of the Garden, his other flower crowns in tow. He told her he was going to give them to some of the other angels: Ariel, Tamiel, Laila, and Naomi.

It was a sweet gesture, and Anael didn't think he deserved to be lied to. He should know what they were using him for.

But did she have it in her to tell him?

She'd tell him about his family, but she knew they were being watched. Anael was going to have to do what she had sworn not to, what she didn't truly want to do. Besides, she'd been on Earth awhile, but she'd never done this before. It almost made her nervous.

Jack had his hands on Anael's waist as he backed over to the bed, and she followed with him. He sensed hesitation from her, and he didn't know why. Playtime was fun, and he was going to show her, just like the other angels had shown him.

"It's okay," he told her. "You'll have fun."

She swallowed hard, perhaps a nervous gesture, but then she smiled. It didn't reach her eyes. Jack slid her coat from her shoulders, and then pressed his hands curiously against the fabric of her shirt, lifting it up to expose bare skin. He leaned down and kissed her neck, tugging her closer to him.

He wanted her to relax, realize this was supposed to be fun. Anael was breathing heavily as he took her shirt off of her, the flower crown toppling to the floor. He continued undressing her, sitting on the bed, having her stand before him. Jack could undress himself later. He was glad that now without the chains he was able to take his clothes off for this. It felt easier, more natural, and less rushed and sloppy.

She seemed to be easing into it, leaning against him as he kissed her stomach, running her hands through his hair. But Jack wasn't sure if he'd have to teach her how to play. Funny that she didn't know.

It was a problem he could think about later. Right now was just play.

Jack hooked a leg around her and rolled, his own flower crown toppling off, so that she fell onto the bed on her back, and he was holding himself above her. Anael laughed in surprise, but she still felt so tense. He kissed her, hoping that would help. She really was very pretty. Already he was liking her more than his other playmates.

In no time he had the rest of her clothes off, and after some gentle coaxing, she was doing the same for him. Jack was happy to be with her, and he smiled as he kissed her, smiled as he tasted her skin.

Jack still didn't understand the female body, didn't understand the male body, but he knew it felt easier when his partners were having fun. So he did what he'd done to Ariel when he'd been curious. He was still curious now, didn't understand how it all worked. Anael eventually seemed curious too, letting him touch her, learn her, and she began to do the same with him.

It was brilliant once he was in her. Jack really loved playtime, loved how it filled his core with a wonderful fire, a fire that traveled up to his belly, making him blissfully lightheaded. He loved when he heard and felt his playmates react to how he was playing. Jack still wasn't entirely sure if he was doing it right, but he liked how the bed bounced and shook, liked the motion. There was something intense about it too, which was why he sometimes liked to roughhouse with his partners. He couldn't help himself, and found him doing that with Anael. She was just so pretty, and her legs were wrapped around him, and she was kissing him, and crying out into his mouth, letting him know she was enjoying herself.

At one point Anael seemed to get a handle on what was going on and she rolled so that she was on top. Jack didn't mind the break, was breathing heavily and sweating, his face, neck, and chest all red.

Anael above him was a sight to behold, all curves and soft, wonderful skin. She was holding Jack's hands as they played, their fingers intertwined, and he squeezed hard, letting her know that he appreciated her company, her touch, how beautiful and sweet she was.

Each movement of her body was mesmerizing, and Jack's mind felt alight with bliss, so ecstatic he could feel something stirring in him. He didn't know what it was - maybe it was his Grace, though the angels had never taught him about that - but he liked it. He liked it a lot. Anael was sucking along his jaw, and Jack had his head tilted back, giving her access to his neck. She went slowly at him, no longer the rough movements that he enjoyed, but he realized he liked this too. He felt everything so much more, paid more attention to how she was flush against him, to how he was inside of her.

Jack felt her teeth graze his skin, and it sent a thrill through him that had him arching his hips upwards, delight coursing down in between his legs from where she was trying to mark his skin. The mark would heal, but she seemed insistent, was now biting him, nibbling, voice leaving her as she did so. He fought her handhold, letting go of her, so he could hold her body to him, hug her and know that she was making him happy. It wasn't enough for Jack, and he ended up sitting up. She seemed startled at first, but then she was moving again, and Jack was rocking up into her. Their mouths kept brushing together, almost meeting, and Jack brought his tongue out to try and trace her lips.

He tried to focus more on bouncing on the bed, since that was really very enjoyable, but he ended up slipping out of Anael. They both ended up laughing from it, and then Jack was rolling again. He wanted to try something different, so he put her ankles over his shoulders, and leaned forward. She didn't protest, so he must not have been doing anything wrong. Jack was curious to know what other ways to play existed. He couldn't possibly think of all of them. But she held onto him more tightly when he entered her this way, pressing her legs back against her chest. Jack wondered if he'd be able to do that with his body. He didn't know.

He felt something from Anael, felt it reaching out to him, and she was glowing, her eyes a brilliant blue. Jack felt power surging through him, felt it in every cell in his body, like he was truly alive for the first time. His shoulders began to burn in a pleasant way, and he let that feeling take hold of him, fill him, just as he filled Anael.

Before he could reach the inevitable end of playtime he felt screeches in his head, felt them drilling deep down into his brain, and he fell, pulling out of her, holding himself above her with shaking limbs. Jack was crying out, whimpering, and the power in him died. The power he'd felt reaching out from her died, and she seemed distracted as the brilliant voices yelled and screamed in great chiming clangs.

Anael untangled herself from him, and pressed his head against her chest, her arms and legs wrapped around him, rocking him gently. He felt like his skull was being split open.

Jack wasn't having fun anymore.

Anael laid Jack on his side, still holding him to her, whispering soothing things to him as she stroked her hands through his hair.

The voices stopped, and he was left shaking, clinging tightly to her, not wanting to let go, fearing that if he did the voices would return.

It was the angels. He knew it was the angels.

He'd done something wrong. He'd upset them, and he couldn't figure out what it was.

Was he not supposed to enjoy playtime? He didn't understand.

Anael took him into her hand, stroking him in between his legs as she continued to murmur soft things to him. He felt the pressure he associated with this current activity, felt the heat once more, and then he was inside Anael again, with her putting him there this time.

Their play was soft now and he did it till he reached his end, once again feeling that odd, but pleasant sensation of something leaving him.

"Jack, I have to go," Anael said.

"No, no," he moaned, clutching her.

He felt lonely when they left him afterwards, felt like they didn't actually like playing with him.

"Jack, it's okay. I'll be back. I just have to discuss something with the other angels. I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't really important. We have to talk about adult things, okay? I'll come back to you after."

Reluctantly, he let her go, and he hoped she was telling the truth when she said she'd come back.

Anael hurriedly dressed. She'd been sore, but it didn't last long, healed rather quickly, and she didn't mind. She was doing what she had to to get Jack to trust her. This was how she'd get him home, and this was how she'd get souls.

She went to the room where she knew at least one of the angels had been watching them.

"What were you thinking?!" she yelled at Cael, and Nathaniel who whirled in surprise upon her entrance. "I almost had it!"

"The boy can't know he has wings, and can't know of his powers," Cael explained.

"No one's going to get pregnant that way!" she argued. "Are you both idiots? I was trying to do what you enlisted me to do, what you're giving me souls for. And you screwed it up. I was so close, and you stopped it. You hurt him."

"Who cares if he's hurting?" Cael asked.

Nathaniel chimed in: "We've been over this. He'll be less cooperative that way."

Nathaniel brushed Cael aside and went to Anael. "Go back back to him," he told her. "Try to fix our mistake. See how much he understands about what happened. We might not need to get Naomi involved with this."

"Yes, I noticed her handiwork."

"So you disapprove of our methods?" Cael asked.

"I don't think they're exactly proper. But if it must be done."

Anael didn't exactly approve of Naomi's tactics. She'd been a loner before, but she'd seen angels fall prey to Naomi's drill. But it hadn't bothered her much until now. Maybe she'd learned a bit about free will while on Earth. Maybe Lucifer was right to turn away from all this, to rebel. Maybe Castiel was right.

Anael didn't know. Her head was spinning from everything, and she no longer knew whose side she was on.

She just knew she had two jobs to do. Go back to Jack, and comfort him, find out how much he knew.

And tell him of his family.

So she went to him. He was still naked, didn't seem bothered by it at all. She wondered if he'd even spent enough time with humans to learn much about their ways. But perhaps he could tell something was wrong. She'd felt it in the way he'd held her, like he was trying to grasp at something he couldn't reach or even remember.

So she let him hold her again, let him hug her to his chest and play with her hair. It made him smile. A sweet, innocent smile, and it left her confused.

Anael knew she only had moments, that the angels could figure out what she was doing, so she pulled away from Jack and made her mouth level with his ear. Her lips brushed against him accidently, and he giggled, a painstakingly innocent sound.

"Jack, the other angels aren't good. They've been messing with your head. They're hurting you, Jack. Using you. You have a family. A different family than them."

"What are you talking about?" the boy asked.

To silence him, Anael kissed him, and he leaned into it, humming pleasantly.

Then she murmured, "Jack, please. They're in your head. You have to fight them. Your family - their names are Sam, Dean, and Castiel. They sent me here to save you. You're going to be saved."

"Saved?"

Anael kissed him again, and tried to put insistence into it, letting him know her words were important, that he had to think of them, that he had to focus.

"Sam, Dean, Castiel," she whispered. Then she ruffled his hair. "Pretend I didn't say anything to you. Laugh."

There was slight realization in Jack's eyes, like maybe she was getting through to him, and then he laughed.

Relieved that he'd be thinking on what she'd said, Anael rested her head against his bare chest again, and he continued playing with her hair.

Then the guilt took her.