Fare-Thee-Well: noun; to perfection; thoroughly
Cool, linen sheets surrounded him as a warm breeze ruffled through his hair. He knew these linen sheets, he'd created them. The silence faintly began to break apart, a rhythmic crash in the distance rousing him from what felt like the deepest sleep he'd ever had. The smell of the sea and… something else familiar he couldn't quite place filtered into his nose as he slowly opened his eyes. What was this?
He'd been stabbed. Michael had killed him, he was positive. He'd made damn sure that blade hit him right where it needed to in order to off him quickly, not so much painlessly, but the physical agony had been nothing compared to what he'd felt inside. He shouldn't be… anywhere. The Empty was where beings like him went, an eternity of sleep in absolutely nothing. That had seemed a better fate than life.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the light, the sun… the white walls and sheets only adding to the blinding effect. He knew this place. As everything came into focus, he knew he'd been here before. Quickly, his eyes shot to the spot beside him in the bed. Empty. What was he doing here? The ocean waves lolled on outside the cabana's open window, and not a single part of this was making any sense.
"Gabriel," a voice he hadn't heard in thousands of years called from the bedroom doorway, and his heart dropped.
"Dad?" he gasped, slowly turning his eyes to the origin as he sat up.
"Hey, son."
Tears welled into his eyes as he stared at his father. His expression was soft as he gazed at his runaway child, it almost looked like pity. Neither of them spoke, they didn't have the words. Apologies, excuses, blame, it all circled inside Gabriel's head, unable to land on one to begin with.
"What is this?" seemed like a good place to start, hoping to gain his bearings.
"Heaven, of course," Chuck replied, smiling that crooked smirk as he lifted his hands in presentation.
"Aren't I dead? What am I doing in heaven?"
"I figured it was the least I could do."
"The least you could do. Yeah, that sounds about right."
Chuck's eyes fell away in shame as Gabriel peered down to his stomach, expecting a wound and finding his shirt still intact and clean. Cleaned even of the blood that had soaked into it from… her. Heaven. This was completely beyond the point of him getting himself killed in the first place.
"So what," Gabriel continued, "I get to spend eternity up here reliving my greatest hits?"
"Not exactly…" Chuck replied, eyes squinting with what looked like mischief.
Gabriel was in no mood for riddles. He pinched his eyes shut as he pressed back the slew of obscenities and anger he now wanted to throw his father's way.
"Look outside," Chuck suggested, leaning onto the open door frame.
Wanting to get this family reunion over with, Gabriel obeyed. Turning around to look through the window...had his heart been beating, it would have stopped. His throat closed in on itself as a wave of relief washed through him, the tears he'd been holding back breaking free in loud, choking sobs. He'd practically all but forgotten his father's presence as he stared at her standing on the ocean's edge, the setting sun bouncing off her skin, hair falling salt-tousled and wild around her shoulders. She was even more perfect than he remembered.
"It's really her," Chuck assured, "well, her soul. Not just some figment of my design. This is her heaven, I just added a plus one. No one can bother you. They don't know you're here. Our little secret."
"Hers?" Gabriel asked, dumbfounded. Her heaven was a memory with him?
"Yeah. She meant it when she said she wanted to stay here forever. Although, I think it's missing its key component."
He couldn't pull his eyes away from her. Why would he want to? He feared if he looked away, she would disappear.
"I'm sorry, Gabriel, for everything," his father finally said, healing a long open wound, and Gabriel's gaze shot over in disbelief, "I am. You did good son. I'm proud of you."
Hearing words he'd never once even considered imagining sent all of his rage and resentment towards his father to the wayside. Chuck's tone had been sincere, the look in his eyes of guilt and pain said more than any words could. Gabriel believed him.
"Well, thanks for this…" Gabriel finally muttered, ready to run out onto that beach to the one person who truly mattered.
Chuck smiled, knowing the thoughts going through his youngest archangel's mind as his eyes turned back to ensure she was still outside, "Well, I'm not gonna keep you any longer. She's waiting. I like her, by the way. Just what you needed."
"Was it you?"
"Was what me?"
"Is this some… fate or destiny or… written excerpt? Did you make me love her?"
"No, actually, that's what makes it all so interesting…"
She was still there, glowing in the evening light. She was no illusion, she was here and he was here, they were together. When he turned to respond to his father's last words, he was saddened to see the doorway now empty. He was surprised he felt no anger towards him. He'd come through in the end. It only took him a couple thousands years, but this was worth the wait. So this hadn't been predetermined, it was never a guarantee. It had been chance. Luck. The greatest turn of events his life had ever taken.
Slipping his boots off—he wouldn't be needing those ever again—he got out of bed and headed out into the house, every detail exactly as he remembered it. It was a perfect replica, down to the tattered, gauzy curtains blowing in the breeze. Passing a mirror on the wall, he chuckled to himself, running his hand over his now bearded chin and jaw. This really must be her heaven after all. When he opened the back door, the sun warming his face instantly, he took off into a sprint through the sand. His eyes remained locked on the only thing he cared about, praying again that she didn't vanish, too afraid to blink in fear she'd be gone. He stumbled as his feet weren't carrying him fast enough, but when he got close to her, he froze.
There she was, four feet away, still unaware of his intrusion into her paradise. This was terrifying and he couldn't place his finger on why. Surely she'd want him here, right? He wondered what she was looking for, staring motionless to the skies as the waves licked at her toes, the skirt of her dress billowing around her thighs. He'd always loved that she wore them here, and only here. He wanted to call out to her, run to her, pull her into his arms and never let her go again, but he just couldn't move. This was everything he'd ever fought for, everything he'd ever wanted. It didn't seem possible that it was actually a reality.
"You're early," she chimed, not turning to face him.
The sound of that sweet voice, so unburdened and free, welled in his chest. A despair-filled cry broke free from his throat and she turned to face him, smiling softly at him as her own tears welled in the bottoms of her eyes. He was finally here. It had seemed like such a long time, she wasn't sure just how much time had passed, but she assumed things moved a little slower up here, too. They stared at one another, shock and relief mixing as their eyes met, before Gabriel could resist no longer. He ran to her, wrapping her into his arms as he let his tears flow freely. His cries struck a chord in her, and she reached up to pull his head into the crook her neck and he melted into her embrace. Unabashedly, he wept. There was no control over the wails and moans of relief that fell from his lips as she held him strong, her fingers running through the curls behind his ear, her skin soft against his.
"You're okay," she soothed, "looks like your stuck with me for eternity."
A small laugh cut through his sorrow and he lifted his head to see her. She was smiling, her cheeks damp from her own silent tears. He looked at her, his eyes red and swollen and tear-soaked, and she couldn't deny just how human he looked.
"Still not long enough," he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead.
"I'm sorry," she cried, her voice cracking as her guilt resurfaced, cupping his cheek and running her thumb over the soft, blonde hair that covered it, "I'm so sorry…"
"Ssshh, doesn't matter. None of it. It's over. Little different than what I had in mind for the end here, but it'll do. It's my fault. All of it. Everything."
"No. I knew what I was getting into. I'd do it all over again, too, even it played out exactly the same way."
It was his turn to falter again. His face twitched as he felt the hot surge of another wave of remorse wash through him. Leaning into her hand, his eyes snapped shut, taking in every sensation of this moment.
"Can you kiss me now?" she requested with a breathy chuckle.
"Yeah," he exhaled, voice shaking.
He wanted to savor this. Enjoy every nanosecond of her, feel every millimeter of her skin against his. Her breath shook against his lips as he lowered his face towards her, first stopping to rub his nose along her cheek. Her lips were parted and eyes snapped shut in anticipation, the hand that had been on his cheek now wrapped around his neck and locked into his hair. As much as she wanted to pull his head to hers and relieve this aching hole in her heart, she waited for him.
"I love you, you know," he whispered, his lips feathering against hers as he spoke.
"Ditto, baby," she sighed, "more than anything."
His kiss was soft, both of their faces twisting into relieved grimaces as their lips made contact. They both held the urge to grab and pull at the other at bay, keeping this moment simple and slow as they both felt their losses wash away. There was no loss, not anymore. They lingered just like that, still, pressed against one another, the last of their tears falling away.
"Told you I'd always find my way back to you," he teased, kissing the corner of her mouth as she giggled, then her cheek, then the outer corner of her eye.
"I can't believe I get forever with you," she smiled, nipping her lips against his bearded chin.
"Drew the short straw, did ya?"
"And you say I'm self-deprecating."
"Match made in heaven."
Her laugh burst through her nose, head falling against his chin and he chuckled as he pressed his lips into her forehead. When Chuck—God—had shown up and told her that when he finally passed, he'd be joining her, she almost hadn't believed him. They'd chatted about things one would never think they'd be discussing with God himself. Music, books, Gabriel and how exactly their relationship had come to be. All in all, God had seemed completely all right with one of his most powerful creations falling in love with her, he had to have been, giving them this place.
"How long? Has it been…" she asked, trailing her lips along his jaw, still enjoying the scratchy feeling against her lips.
"I made it about 4 hours," he laughed, and she groaned, "What? I saw my out and I took it."
"Gabriel!"
His lips cut her scolding off, his arms lifting her up. Instinctually, her legs wrapped around his waist and this time, they couldn't keep it slow. His tongue wrestled between her lips to meet with hers, little grunts and whimpers escaping from both of them as they moved. He began to walk forward, the waves splashing up around them as he carried her into the ocean, stopping when they were chest deep. The water was warm as heat built between them, and she didn't think it was right to be this happy to be dead, but she didn't care. His mouth traveled down to the skin of her neck, the taste of the ocean salt on her skin damn near euphoric. Clumsily, she reached down to the hem of his shirt, peeling the soaked fabric from his skin. They laughed as it took the two of them to wrestle it off, throwing it into the cerulean depths as her hands began roaming his freshly uncovered skin beneath the water. Her eyes drank in the sight of him, hair soaked, water dripping from his angular features, and she'd never been more in love with him than in that moment.
"You're beautiful," she breathed, grazing her fingers along his jaw as she lowered her mouth back to his, capturing his lower lip in a simple kiss, "I missed you."
"I thought I was never gonna see you again," he cried, leaning into her as she pressed her lips to his forehead.
Pouring every ounce of love she had into it, she kissed him again, harder this time. He soaked in every emotion, felt her cool skin beneath the sea, her thighs tightly pressed around his waist as her skirted floated freely in the waves. She took control, trying to rip that pain she knew he still felt away, let it wash away with the tides. He accepted everything that she gave him; every press of her lips was healing as she showered him with the love she knew he deserved.
"I thought I was never gonna see you again," he repeated, voice cracking as he pinched his eyes shut, recalling the sight of her lifeless in his arms.
"I know," she lamented, "me too."
They hugged each other tight, that fear of the other disappearing into thin air still lingering. The war was over, they didn't have to fight anymore, they'd won. They held each other there in the ocean until the sun had set, the stars now twinkling above them, the moon casting a peaceful glow over the vast blue.
"So, can I cook you dinner?" Gabriel asked, pecking a series of kisses to her cheek as he shifted her in his arms to carry her bridal style.
"Are you gonna keep this beard?" she asked as he began to walk them back to the house, one arm around his neck as her other hand stroked against his jaw.
"Do you like it?"
"Mhmm."
"Then I'm keeping it."
For the first time since before she could remember, she felt no weight on her shoulders. She had no one to prove herself to, no work, no responsibility. Gabriel loved her, she loved him, and that was all that mattered. It was all that should have ever mattered. She'd wasted so much of her life on things that she shouldn't have, and it'd taken dying to finally get her priorities straight.
No more goodbyes. No more monsters. This was forever.
So show us a bird, flying high above,
Life ain't worth living without the one you love.
Fare Thee Well, my honey, Fare Thee Well.
Fare Thee Well, my honey, Fare Thee Well.
A/N: I want to thank everyone for reading an reviewing! I hope a few people out there enjoyed it. There will be a one shot eilogue and a prequel coming cause I like these two too much to give them up just yet 3