Author's Note: Thanks so much to everyone who bothers to read, follow and review this. I'm very very grateful. As always, reviews are most welcome! And now, on to the story!
ALL IN A LIFETIME'S WORK
Chapter 10
Gabriel had recieved the demon's call 20 minutes ago. The demon knew exactly where Aziraphale was and the archangel could only speculate on how he did. He was walking hurriedly with four policemen, the detective in charge who had introduced himself as Lt. D'?osta leading the way. They didn't question why Gabriel knew, it was simply a fact that men never second-guessed the opinions of divine beings in their midst.
He could feel the sweat trickling down his temple, and fought the instinctive urge to miracle it away; couldn't be too careful with these humans. Little things like that piqued their curiosity, and they were very curious indeed. Gabriel clenched his jaw, praying that Aziraphale was alright.
*******
Crowley was running like he's never had before, not even the time he was caught in Pompeii the night Vesuvius erupted and turned the Roman city into a smoldering time capsule.
He was so, so close, he was feeling the firmament in the air growing thicker and he drew upon this - Crowley couldn't shape it yet, but it certainly bolstered his strength and endurance. He saw the nondescript door just down the narrow hallway, looking old and battered just like the rest of this area in the complex. Crowley was no architect, but from the knowledge given to him by the lords of Hell, he deduced that this was an old studio, built over and forgotten as Madison square remodelled and grew over the years.
Crowley finally faced the door breathing hard, beyond it would be Aziraphale and Jonathan Skims. He was almost too afraid to find what was beyond it. What if he was too late? What if Aziraphale's sufferred too much he'd never be the same again? Its been over an hour now since, and the demon knew all too well how much could happen in just those sixty minutes. He swallowed, and placed his hand on the doorknob.
*******
Aziraphale couldn't believe what was happening. How could it all have gone so wrong? He was only doing his job, granted he didn't really like the job to begin with, but he did it anyway. Mighty well too, if he did think so himself. He was just a singer, an angel doing what he was told to do. How could he drive someone to do something so horrible, so... fantastically evil? Him! A holy being!
He forcibly focused his eyes on the young girl, she was just as terrified, tired and drained as he was. Aziraphale could only imagine how long she's endured alone in this room, locked like an animal in a cage, and now, staring down the barrel of a gun. A child must never experience something like this, no man should ever be forced look upon a weapon that was about to take his life. She doesn't deserve this. Was it his fault as well for what she has endured?
Aziraphale closed his eyes for a moment, almost numb from exhaustion, his injuries and loss of blood catching up to his body. So this was how it felt to be human. It was all pain. All pain and no power to do anything about it.
No. He can't let it happen like this. He can't let this madman take a life on his watch. Never on his watch.
"Don't you dare hurt that child." the angel hissed.
John jerked the angel's head up and Aziraphale winced at the pain, "What did you say?"
Aziraphale summoned all of his energy, he was an angel. He may be mortal now, but he's still an angel. An angel thats been on this Earth for some odd 4000 years and another couple millenia fighting against real demons. He curled his fist and uttered with a voice and conviction he hasn't used in centuries;
"I said, don't you dare hurt that child."
Had John had a sensible head on his shoulders, he would have recognized the deadly tone - a tone uttered by one older than any human can fathom.
He didn't.
His mind only cared for what he wanted and what had to be done to get what he wanted. And he wanted Aziraphale's full cooperation. He'll hurt, maim and kill as many as it takes to break his angel's will. John, born Jonathan Cain Skims to a pair of negligent parents, couldn't have even comprehended how Aziraphale's change in mindset had just evened out the playing field.
"Or what angel? You'll kill me?"
Aziraphale grabbed at the wrist holding his hair, "No. Or at least, I hope not." He pulled down as hard as he can on his captor's arm, bending down and using his own weight to throw John off-balance.
This caught John completely by surprise, and realized as he fell on the floor that the angel had practically broken his left wrist. He landed with his other hand, gun clutched and onto his elbow. He rolled onto his back to find Aziraphale standing over him, blocking out the light. The angel's near-silhouette outlined by the light giving John his first real fear of the divine.
John brought up his hands as Aziraphale delivered a blow to his jaw and another jab to his face. He fought the darkening edges in his vision and took the opportunity to kick his opponent in the stomach.
Aziraphale was thrown back, crashing into the chair that had held him, causing him to tumble backwards. He grunted in surprise as John scrambled to get up.
Now, roles reversed, John glowered down on the angel the manic glow in his eyes bright with anticipation. He brought up his gun, left arm hanging limply at his side. "You have to calm down Aziraphale." John kneeled on one leg, and pushed the barrel of the gun to the angel's shoulder. "Calm down, okay?"
John squeezed the trigger and Aziraphale screamed in pain as he felt the bullet enter his flesh and shatter bones. He watched in horror as blood flew everywhere before his eyes.
The girl screamed at the top of her lungs.
*******
Crowley had kicked in the door the moment he heard the gunshot, almost tumbling down the stairs. All rational thought escaped him when he saw Aziraphale's prone body drenched in its blood, a man holding a gun.
He was at the man's side in an instant, the unfortunate soul barely realizing what was happening until Crowley had sent him flying across the room with a blow to the chest, gun thrown right off his hand.
"Crowley?" the voice sounded excruciating to the demon's ears, and he kneeled down to look at Aziraphale. The angel was breathing hard and shallow, eyes half-lidded with pain. "How did you find me, my dear?" He tried to smile, the demon was the most welcome of sights.
"Shhh." he held Aziraphale's hand and felt the broken knuckles. "You rest up a bit alright? I'll be right back."
Crowley got up, and straightened his coat. He started walking towards where Skims was crumpled to the floor trying desperately to catch his breath, the crowbar had hit him hard enough to leave an impression across his torso. His face was twisted in agony, ribs broken, he couldn't breathe. Crowley's lips curled into a menacing smile, serpentine tongue slithering in and out tasting the fear in the air. He threw the bent crowbar aside.
"Jonathan Skimssss."
"Wh-who are you?" Skims pushed himself flat against the wall, and if he could have, pushed himself as far away from the man before him. His terror-filled eyes were trained on the forked tongue, "What are you?"
Crowley paused before the man and grabbed him by the collar, his smile could have melted Skim's face off. "You didn't think only angelsss existed on this world, did you?" He picked up the man without effort and threw him headfirst into a corner. There was a loud thud and moans of pain followed. Crowley was sure he broke a few more bones but that was not enough. It won't ever be enough payment for what he had done to Aziraphale.
He walked slowly towards the human entangled in a heap of pain and fear, knowing that each slow and measured step only heightened Skim's terror. He took a sidelong glance at the little girl watching with wide glassy eyes, knuckles white on her cage. "Tsk. What kind of coward are you? Using a little girl." Crowley roughly hauled up Skims forcefully slamming his face into the concrete wall.
"P-please... I'm sorry. Please..." he sobbed pitifully. Blood and some spittle dribbling from the corner of his mouth.
But Crowley's vengeance would not be sated. Taking off his sunglasses with his free hand, he peered over at the poor human, staring at him with slitted golden eyes. His back to the girl and Aziraphale, he allowed Skims a priveledge so few humans have been so unfortunate to see; Crowley's face began to change, cheeks growing taught over snakelike bones, scales began to appear and his canines grew further into sharp needle-like fangs. It was a terrible sight to behold, and it was about that time that Jonathan Skims lost all control of his bladder.
Crowley was hissing with dry amusement, "You will regret that you were even born Ssskimssss"
"FREEZE! Nobody move!"
There was a scuffling of feet and the patter of leather shoes and boots quickly coming down the stairs, Crowley didn't have to turn to know who it was. He heard guns cocked and he smirked at Skims.
Crowley gave Skims one last shove before letting him go, "Lucky bastard," he hissed, "Don't even think this is the last you'll see of me."
"I said freeze!"
When Crowley turned, his face was as it had always was, the humans none-the-wiser. He had his hands raised, just to be cautious and Gabriel rushed forward.
"It's okay, it's okay. He's with us." Gabriel said gesturing to the demon. He pushed past the policemen and rushed to Aziraphale's side where Crowley too was heading. The archangel's hands were trembling as his vision registered the sigils written all over the room. He too was beginning to feel very queasy inside the room.
Behind the trio, the police were busy cuffing Skims who was screaming 'the devil! The devil is among us!'. They found the young girl and began working to free her while the liteunant was calling for back up and paramedics.
Crowley had a half-smile, as he knelt down to check on Aziraphale. "I wish I could say that was true." He grabbed the angel's hand and realized with a start that it was cold, "Aziraphale?"
Aziraphale took a few agonizing moments before stirring and painfully opened his eyes. "I... I feel so sleepy."
"We have to get him out of this room." Gabriel was saying quickly, as a police officer knelt down beside him.
"I'm afraid we can't move him, sir. We have to wait for the paramedics."
"No. We have to get him out of this room. Like right now." Gabriel insisted, pushing the man away. "Azirapha-- Azira, stay awake. You have to stay awake." he said as he slowly hoisted up the battered angel with Crowley's help.
"Sir, I insist that we not move Mr. Azira. We may be doing more damage. The paramedics are on their way." the young police officer was saying but it was falling on deaf ears. Some days later, he wouldn't be able to recall what exactly happened tonight, except that he was there when they found the kidnapped popstar.
Aziraphale's face was contorted in pain, but he was fighting to stay conscious. "The girl. Where is she?"
Crowley looked into his eyes as he and Gabriel carried Aziraphale between them, he gave his angel a slight squeeze at the waist where he was supporting him and said, "She's fine. They got her out."
"Oh good. Oh good..." Aziraphale's face fell forward, the world becoming so, so dark and so heavy. "I was afraid, for a minute there that I'd gotten her..." he coughed, "killed or somesuch..."
"Shhh. It's okay. Everything's alright now angel, rest easy." Crowley said fighting back the tremble in his voice.
Gabriel gave an audible sigh of relief as they bounded up the last steps and exitted the room. They both propped Aziraphale up the nearest wall, Gabriel miracling it clean and warm. He started working immediately to staunch the bleeding. "It - it will take a while before you get back to normal Aziraphale, but, but I should be able to take care most of the minor wounds. I'm sorry." he was trembling, "Im so sorry this happened..."
Aziraphale gave a small smile, "Its, nothing Gabe. All part of the job." His eyes were drifting closed, Crowley's face slowly disappearing into the darkness. He was so happy the demon had come for him, so thankful the girl will be alright, so grateful he was far, far away from John. Aziraphale had a smile on his face as he drifted slowly into welcome sleep,
"All part of the job..."