A/N: Hello again everyone! A new chapter is here! :D

Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to Side1ways, Guest, Anno1701, winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, and Guest for reviewing!

I hope you all enjoy!

James got himself to school without incident and he almost raced into their classroom to see Logan. How could he have missed him this much? He'd only not seen him for an hour, but he did miss him. And he needed to see him. He needed to feel that calm that only Logan could provide. And it wasn't just James who needed Logan; the fire in his chest needed him, too.

But the room was empty. There was no sign of him. The lights were still off.

The flame behind his sternum billowed, searching for its mate.

The door behind him opened and James spun around, expecting to see him, ready for the rush of calm that would follow.

But it wasn't Logan.

It was Ahmed, then Holly, followed by Austin...and more kids, and their parents of course. James needed to get hold of himself. He needed to pull himself up by the bootstraps and deal with this assignment. He was the overseer of the Hell Department. There wasn't anything he couldn't do. Right?

He'd managed to survive centuries without Logan. Why did the last hour feel longer than that?

He welcomed the kids and the moms and dads, but every time the door opened, he caught himself glancing, hoping for Logan.

It wasn't until the buzzer was just about to go off that he came in. In typical Logan form, his hair windswept, his cheeks pink, like he'd just floated in on a breeze. He had his arms full of bags, stocked with craft supplies and boxes of tissues.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, though he didn't seem too sorry.

But their class began and the day went on like every other. Logan was all smiles for the kids, though he barely uttered a word to James. He barely even looked at him.

When the buzzer went off for lunch, Geraldine poked her head in the door. "Mr. Bellomo, we've got you for playground duty."

"Ah, yes," he said like he'd requested it.

Like he'd specifically asked to be removed from James' company.

"Need me to help?" James asked, unsure of what to do without him.

"No thanks," Geraldine answered, and Logan slipped out of the room without even a glance in his direction.

James looked around the now empty classroom, wondering what on earth he was supposed to do with himself…

The idea of being sequestered with Cheryl-Anne made him shudder. Gian was nice though, but he couldn't guarantee she'd be in there. His lunch was in the fridge, but he wasn't even hungry. At all.

So he sat at his desk in the classroom and pretended to be doing notes. But he spent the entire time wondering what on earth was going on.

What was Logan doing? Why was he avoiding him?

Because you're a selfish ass.

James sighed at himself. "Ouch."

It's true and you know it. Did you really think he was going to wait forever? Did you really expect him to be your doormat for eternity? You treat him like shit, James.

Wait a minute...that was a curse word. James couldn't swear.

"Kendall is that you?" James asked quietly. "Are you somehow in my head?"

...Maybe.

Before he could respond, the door opened and the kids filed through with the usual tired faces they had after lunch. It was quiet time for the kids, and maybe that would give James and Logan a chance to talk.

James knew they needed to talk. And he needed to apologize. It was Friday. They'd have all weekend to talk and clear the air.

But Logan never came in after all the kids. Geraldine did. "I've just borrowed Mr. Bellomo for the afternoon," she said. Her cardigan with the fluffy trim really completely her condor-look. "I needed some help with something, and I've arranged an aide to assist you for the afternoon."

She didn't really give James an option, and neither had Logan.

So James did what he was good at. When the kids were having quiet time, he went through all of Logan's craft supplies that he'd bought from the store that morning, and given the subject of the week was farming, they had a wonderful afternoon making cardboard chickens with crepe paper feathers, and he cut four eggs for each one, and they practiced counting and subtracting, and then they colored them in and learned some chicken song.

The kids had a great time, and each one left for the day as happy as could be, proudly showing off their artwork and doing the hand movements to the song they'd learned. James waved them all off with a smile, but he felt hollowed out on the inside.

Logan never came back, even after the last child had gone.

Maybe, just maybe, he'd had enough of James' ambivalence. James couldn't blame him exactly, but it still stung to be on the receiving end. Which was a taste of his own medicine, really, considering everything he'd put Logan through.

But James would talk to Logan when they got home, and they'd sort something out. They had to. It was how they operated.

James was a dick, and Logan was kind and understanding. That's how they'd been for a thousand years. But then Kendall's words came back to him…

Did you really think he was going to wait forever? Did you really expect him to be your doormat for eternity? You treat him like shit, James.

Logan would be at home when he got there, right? That was where his flame-tracking device was leading him. Home. James knew that's where Logan was. He just needed some time, that's all.

Right?

James would get home and they'd talk it out and everything would be fine, right?

The flame in his chest burned hot as though the answer was no.

James walked a little faster on the way home, and he might have been closer to a run on the last block. The doorman gave him a nice smile, and James thumped the elevator button, out of patience.

He needed to see Logan like he needed air. The fire under his ribs was making it harder to breathe. It could have been the running that did that, but James was pretty sure it was the twin flame.

The elevator took forever, but when the doors opened, he rushed out and saw Logan and almost sagged with relief. He was sitting on the sofa with Kendall, but he didn't look up. Kendall did, though.

"You're puffing. Did you run?" he asked with a smirk.

"It was a brisk walk," James panted. He wiped his brow. "And it's not sweat. This body leaks. It's dysfunctional." He inhaled deeply and went to Logan and sat beside him. Logan didn't look at him, and the emotions rolling off him were awful. "Something's wrong? What's wrong?"

James reached for Logan's hand, but he pulled it away.

"James," he whispered. "I've made some decisions."

"That I make excellent cardboard chickens? Because we totally knocked it out of the park this afternoon, no thanks to you," he replied, which didn't exactly come out the way he meant it. "I mean, not that I'm not thanking you, but you left me alone. I had no choice but to step up and be the best preschool teacher on the planet. And I'm going to be honest, if we're looking at the chicken-making skills of these kids to determine which one is going to do amazing things, I think we can rule out Theo because his chicken looked like it'd played a round of cuju. As the ball. Not saying artistic skills aren't a vital-"

"James," Logan interrupted sharply.

James sucked in some air. "Sorry. You're making me nervous."

Logan stared at his hands wringing in his lap. "I've asked to be removed from the mission."

"You...you've what?" James asked. "I didn't quite catch that. It sounded like you said you asked to be removed from the mission."

He glanced at James before looking away again. He gave a nod. "That's correct."

James' mind scrambled, and his anxiety splintered in all directions. "No. No, that's not correct. If this had to do with the chicken comment, I was just joking. I mean, I can't do this whole thing by myself. One afternoon was okay, but Logan, I can't do the whole thing!"

Logan stood up and walked to the window, putting some distance between them. "James," he said, barely audible. "I'm not just asking out of the mission. I'm going to ask Peter to sever the bond between us."

"You're what?"

"I can't do this anymore. I thought this assignment might change something, and I foolishly believed for one brief moment that you might want to actually be with me. But you don't. That's very clear to me now. I can't put my heart through it again, James. To be unwanted...it's that hardest part."

"What? That's not true!"

Logan turned and met his gaze. "Isn't it? Which part?"

James couldn't speak. Logan looked so defeated. So heartbroken. The burning in James' chest roared.

"I thought we were getting somewhere," Logan whispered. "The other night when you told me what happened in Peru...I thought we…" He raised his chin, eyes glassy. "I thought maybe that would be the turning point. But it wasn't. We're not closer, and the fact is, you just don't want this."

"This?"

"Us. To be bonded with me. What you said yesterday about Uriel and Icarus...I realized we will never see eye to eye on...what we are."

James tried to speak. He tried to say that he did, but the words wouldn't come. Neither would air. He needed to breathe, but he couldn't.

The flames beneath his ribs stole his oxygen, and if Logan would just touch him and tell him to breathe, he'd be okay.

But he didn't.

He turned away, and that was when James saw that Archangel Michael was now standing by the wall. How long had he been there? Had Logan asked him to come?

Oh, Heaven's mercy, he was really leaving.

Logan didn't even turn around. He just kept his head down, and Micahel frowned deeply before giving James a sad look. He reached out and took Logan's arm, and in a flash of light, they were gone.

James shot up off the couch as if he could somehow stop Logan from leaving, but it was too late. He ached all over, and the fire inside him blazed and burned. The world stopped turning. Everything went dark and silent. His lungs squeezed to the point of pain.

Everything was wrong.

Then Kendall was there, close and concerned. "James, breathe."

James gasped in air, but it wasn't enough. Logan was gone.

"Come with me," Kendall said, holding his arm and leading him to the sofa. "Take a seat." James moved woodenly, his head hurt, his heart burned. Kendall helped him to the sofa, and he kept his hand on James' arm. He watched him for a long moment. "It's not getting any better, is it? Breathing? The pain?"

James shook his head. Was Kendall trying to send him some calm like Logan could? If so, it wasn't working.

"When the bond is broken, it should get better," he said softly. "We think. We don't know. It'll either get better or exponentially worse. It could kill you. We don't know for sure."

James shook his head quickly, his breathing rapid. "No."

"No to dying?" Kendall pressed. "Or no to not knowing?"

"No," he tried again. "No to breaking the bond."

Kendall sighed. "James…"

"I don't want him to leave me." Then his eyes were burning too, and a tear escaped down his cheek. "I need him."

"You need him, or you want him?"

"Both."

He grimaced. "Yeah, no. No, you don't."

"Yes, I do!"

He sighed. "Okay, I'm gonna tell you straight. You've had a thousand years, and you didn't want him or the bond in all that time. You treated him like shit, James. Like a doormat. You strung him along, too scared to commit and too scared to cut ties."

"I was scared," James whispered as another tear rolled down his face. "I still am. Petrified, actually. I thought I hated the idea of not being able to choose, but that's not true. He's everything I need. He's more than I need."

"You're still lying to yourself."

"No, I'm not." James shook his head, but Kendall remained stoic. "I can't lie. I don't know what you mean. You have to tell Logan to give me another chance. Please."

"Why the change of heart now?"

"Because I was unsure before. But now I'm not."

"You told him yesterday you didn't want the twin flame."

"I was scared."

"Of what?"

"Of him!"

"Scared of Logan? The most placid angel in all of Heaven?"

"The most perfect angel," James corrected him. "Don't you see? He's perfect. Without fault. He is pure light. And I…"

"And you, what?"

"And I...He just deserves better. He should be fated to someone that isn't broken." James sobbed out a breath. "Someone better than me."

Before he knew it, he was being pulled into a hug. "There it is."

"What?" James snapped, pushing away from Kendall and wiping his face. "That's what you wanted me to say? That he deserves better than me? Because every angel in Heaven could have told you that."

"And why should Logan give you another chance? Haven't you put him through enough?"

"I have, yes. And I'm so very sorry for that. But maybe if I just talk to him...maybe he'll forgive me. If I could just see him. Please."

"He doesn't need to forgive you, James, because he doesn't blame you. You need to forgive yourself."

"I'm trying. I've had a lot to think about and it hasn't been easy. I'm trying to let some things go while holding onto others. It's hard. And I'm still angry at all the gods who sit on their thrones and who've lost touch with their people. I thought if I lost myself in the Hell Department, I could vent and redirect my anger to those who deserve it. But I'm so used to being alone, and I haven't been human in a long time. My time here with Logan has been the best thing for me. And I've wasted so much time I don't want to waste another minute, and the fire in my chest is burning hot." James put his hand to his forehead. "Kendall, please. Something's happening. It's not good."

Kendall sighed. "Okay, but you listen to me. If Logan says no, then that's the end of it. No means no. And if he decides to make you suffer for a thousand years, you will agree to it without complaint."

"I will."

Kendall rolled his eyes. "Though we all know damn well he won't make you suffer because he's Logan. You, on the other hand…"

"I know," James said. Kendall was so close to agreeing… "I know. I've been an insufferable jerk." Harsh, but not untrue. "And he deserves better. But I want to make him happy. I want to hear him laugh and see his smile. Have you seen how his eyes light up when he smiles? And he smells like...like home. And I just want-"

"Okay, okay," Kendall said, shaking his head before grabbing James' arm. "Just shut up and hold on."

"You know, you're really rather bossy-"

Before he could finish, there was a flurry of light and sparks, and they were gone.

Logan found himself walking into Saint Peter's office with Archangel Michael. Everyone was there; it was a full board meeting. Though Logan couldn't look anyone in the eye.

He felt like a failure.

He was a failure.

"Logan?" Saint Peter asked, getting to his feet.

Logan kept his head down. "I concede defeat."

Saint Peter sighed heavily and let his head drop. "James."

Logan didn't need to answer that. "Tell me, this assignment, the soul we were trying to save was James, wasn't it? He was the mission."

Saint Peter sighed again, which was all the answer Logan needed.

Logan's hands were fists at his side. "You should have told me!"

Metatron stood up at the large table. "It was a decision we all agreed to. To keep you out of the loop. We thought it was for the best."

"Then you're all to blame. I never understood James' skepticism of this office. I thought maybe he was just being paranoid, but he's not. I'm beginning to see it now," Logan responded.

"That's not fair," Saint Peter said.

Logan almost laughed. "No, what's not fair is being sent in blind to an assignment that directly affects us both. That's not fair."

"We'd hoped you'd find a way on your own," Saint Peter said gently. "That once James spent time with you, he'd see more clearly."

"Well, he didn't. I can't fix him. He doesn't…" Logan's voice croaked. "He doesn't want me."

Saint Peter looked forsaken, his whole frame deflated. "What can I do? Tell me, and I'll see it done."

"I want you to break the twinning of souls," Logan said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't bear it any longer."

Someone gasped, someone else murmured something Logan couldn't hear, but Saint Peter put his hand up. "Quiet, please."

The room fell silent.

"Logan, what you're asking has never been done. Not intentionally, anyway."

"But it's possible," he countered.

Saint Peter scrubbed a hand over his face. "We're going to need to resort to the Manual." He pressed the intercom button. "Please bring in the Manual."

"The Heavenly Instruction Manual?" a voice clarified.

"That's the one."

A moment later, an office clerk wheeled in a large trolley with a book on it that was almost the size of a small car. It was old-like, really old-bound in ancient palm leaves, browned with age, and smelled of dust.

"We really should get this digitalized," Peter grumbled. He turned the cover to the index, scrolling down with his finger as he read. "Ah, here it is. Twinned souls and other fated catastrophes." He looked at Logan and grimaced. "Sorry. Appendix 364 subclause 2J. Page five thousand and...Ooh boy, we're gonna need some help to open the book up that far down." Several other admin angels began gently lifting the pages, being careful of the binding. "The subclauses were added after Uriel and Icarus. But I must warn you, Logan, we might not find the answers you're after. While what happened to Uriel and Icarus' bonding was tragic, your situations are not the same. Your bond is between two angels. We have no way to know with certainty, if the bond is broken, how it will affect you."

Logan bowed his head, and he tried not to feel disheartened. "I understand."

"Do you?" Peter asked. "If the fire is extinguished, it could be a clean break, or it could send you both mad. It might even kill you both. I just don't know."

Logan gave a solemn nod. "Staying fated to him and feeling the sting of his rejection bears a similar fate."

One of the admin angels waved their hand at the now-opened book. The page was papyrus. The writing was in a language that even pre-dated Sumerian.

With a heavy sigh, Peter gave a nod. "As you wish." And he leaned over the huge book and began to read.

"The twin flame is the ethereal bonding of two souls…" He began to mumble as he read quickly down the page. "In two humans-no…" He scanned some more. "One angel, one human. See the Uriel and Icarus subclause 3E. No.." He mumbled as he scanned farther down. "Ah, between two angels. Here it is."

And just then, the air crackled and sparked, and two angels took shape in the room. Kendall appeared with a stylish flourish. And James with a clatter. His wings shot out, dark umber, ethereal and glorious, but one knocked over Tennin's pen holder.

"Oh my," James said, shuffling his wings back in and rushing to pick up the pens. Every pair of eyes were on him. "Sorry. Forgot to account for my wingspan. Wasn't expecting that. Sorry."

Logan couldn't believe his eyes. The flame in his chest grew hot.

Saint Peter clearly couldn't believe his ears. "Oh my? Did James just say 'oh my'?"

James spun around to face Saint Peter at the head of the room first, then his eyes landed on Logan, and James visibly sighed with relief. His hand went to his chest, and Logan knew he was feeling the fire there.

"Logan," James said, breathless. "I'm sorry. For everything. Please don't have the bond broken just yet. Hear me out first. Please."

Logan's eyes welled with tears, his lips in a heartbroken frown. He shook his head. "I can't, James. I can't do this anymore." He tried to swallow. "I've hung on long enough."

James shook his head. "Just listen first. Then if you decide you still want to leave me, I won't object." He made a face. "Okay, well, I'll probably still object, but I won't stop you."

Logan sighed. "You shouldn't have come. It'll only make it harder."

Saint Peter was frowning. "James, we're reading up on how to extinguish the fire."

James' gaze went to the huge book. "What? No. No, that's not…"

"That's not what?" Logan glared at him.

"That's not what I want."

Logan couldn't believe this… "Bullshit, James. For a thousand years I've waited while you denied me, denied not just your own fate, but mine. And I'm done. I can't take it any longer. I shouldn't have to. You shouldn't want me to. But you've strung me along for eons, and it's cruel, James. It's a cruelty like no other. And I'm done."

"Logan…" James whispered.

Saint Peter turned to Logan. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"This isn't what I want at all," Logan said. His heart was broken, his voice thick with emotion. "What I want is to complete the bond, to live my truth, and seal my fate. But clearly, that's never going to happen." Then a single tear rolled down Logan's cheek. "Extinguish the twin flames, and take my heart, too. I've no need for it. I don't want it. I want to be rid of this ache, of this longing. This pain. I don't know who I am without it." He hung his head, his wings, and cried.

And sorrow detonated through Heaven, something only seen once before. A fallout, far-reaching and heavy.

Angels should never weep.

"Oh, Logan," Peter said, putting his hand to Logan's shoulder. "I'm sorry it came to this."

"What?" James asked. "Came to what?" He looked at Logan, at his tears. He was stricken. "Logan, please don't cry. I can't stand it. I…"

"You've done enough, James," Saint Peter said with an unfeeling glance.

He shook his head, and panic began to creep over him. "Wait, just wait a second...I don't...Logan…"

"The bond between you will be broken," Peter said, his voice solemn. "I had hoped...I thought it would be different between you, both being angels. But it seems false hope beckons false dreams."

"Logan," James tried again, panicky. Had he somehow brought his human anxiety into his angel form?

"You're getting what you want," Logan mumbled.

"No." He swallowed hard. "Just wait. Please. I need a second here."

"You've had a thousand years."

"But this isn't the end. It can't be." He shook his head, frantic. "I can't...I don't…"

Logan put his head down. His wings hung low, as if they, and as if everything, weighed too much.

James crossed the room and put his hands to Logan's cheek. "I know now. It's taken me this long, and I'm so sorry. But now I know what I want, what I need. And that's you." He shook his head quickly. "Logan, please. I know I wronged you. Kendall told me some pretty harsh truths."

Logan didn't dare believe it. He glanced at Kendall, and Kendall put his hands up in defense, then he nodded to James. "James, tell Logan what you told me."

James' eyes never left Logan. "I'm an insufferable jerk."

Someone in the room laughed, someone else coughed. Logan almost smiled despite his mood.

"It's true," James continued. "I am. And I'm so sorry for everything. For how I treated you. There is no excuse. I can only apologize, and promise to do better."

Logan shook his head. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't want you to break the bond. I want to be with you, if you'll have me. If your answer is no, then I will accept that." He swallowed hard. "I'm a mess, and I have more issues than Reader's Digest. But I want to be better, and I want to be with you."

The fire soared in his chest, licking up his throat and down to his stomach. It was consuming him, and it was marvelous. Logan dared to hope…

James thumbed Logan's cheekbone. "I was a fool to deny you before. I was a fool to not speak to you sooner. I have a lot to learn and a lot to deal with."

Someone at the table mumbled something, but Logan didn't catch who it was. James turned to their audience of upper management. "Something I have also learned that involves you lot," James told them. "You sit up here while your people suffer. You need to spend more time down there getting your hands dirty. Playing deities from a distance is a terrible management plan."

"I beg your pardon," Barachiel said, affronted. "How dare you?"

"How dare you!" James shot back at him.

They all sat stunned, and Saint Peter spluttered. "James…"

"That includes you, Peter. You too. All of you," James added, pointing around the room. "The world's a mess. But there is good down there, too. It's worth saving. But you can't do that from here. You need to be part of it. Logan reminded me of that."

Logan smiled and stepped closer. "You're being serious."

"I am, Logan. I mean it. I can't be without you. You make me want to be better and do better. You make me happy, and you make the fire right here feel alive." He put his hand to his sternum. "I want this, and I want to be yours. But you have to know that it's not going to be easy. I'm...insufferable. As you know. I'll try to be everything you need, even though I am in pieces. I don't know what I can offer you, but what's left of me is yours."

Logan's eyes welled with tears. "Oh, James."

He cupped Logan's face and made him look at him. "Please. I don't want us to end. I don't…"

"You never wanted me for so long."

"I told myself I didn't...because I took you for granted, which is the worst, I know. But to imagine a life without you...I can't face forever without you." He turned to Saint Peter. "Complete the bond. Make it real, please. Whatever it takes. I'm in. I want it."

"James…" Logan said softly. "I don't want your pity. I can't bear it."

"It's not pity. I've been a fool."

Logan wanted to believe him. But he needed to know…

"Why now? What changed? I need to know, because this can't be undone."

"For the longest time, my choice was removed. I never asked for this. I know you didn't either, and fate chose us. And we got along well, but then Peru happened, and it occurred to me that I was responsible for you. I couldn't make you happy, and what happened proved that. How can I be responsible for making you complete when I'm not? But now I realize I'm not just responsible for your happiness, I'm responsible for your misery, and if I can do anything to stop it, I will. I can't bear the pain. Seeing you in pain kills me. I want you to be happy and to be loved, and I want to be the one to give you that. I want to try. I have to try." He leaned his forehead to Logan's.

"You were always there. I thought you'd be waiting for me forever. I took you for granted for all these years, and now the thought of not having you there...I'm such a fool. I can't face forever without you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll spend eternity trying to make you happy, Logan. If you can forgive me."

Logan met his gaze, searching for any doubt, for any hidden reservations. "You really mean that?"

"Please don't leave me. Please don't break the bond. Please. I'll understand if you still want to because I've been so horrible to you. I know you're getting the raw end of the deal because I get you, and you're perfect. And you get me, which is unfortunate for you because I'm such an idiot."

Logan smiled. "You are an idiot. But you're my idiot."

James put his hands to Logan's face. "I want to do this. I want to be yours, the twin flames, or whatever it is. I just want to be yours." He bit his lip. "How do we make it real?"

Saint Peter cleared his throat. They both looked at him. "Are you both absolutely sure?"

James squinted at him. "I'm sorry, were you no listening just now?"

Logan snorted. "Yes, we're sure."

"One hundred percent," James added. "How do we complete the bond? Is there a ceremony?"

Saint Peter leaned over the huge book, pointing to one particular part. "Uh, it says here you just need to kiss. That's it."

"That's it?" James asked. "Just kiss? You mean to say this whole complicated fated-angel, entwined-souls thing could be sealed with just a kiss?"

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Ever kissed anyone before?"

"Well, no," James mumbled. "But I was expecting some fancy ceremony or something…"

"Are you stalling?" Peter asked.

"What?" James asked, pretending not to understand. "I'm not stalling. I'm just...Ugh. I've never kissed anyone, and I wasn't planning on an audience for my first time."

Saint Peter crossed his arms and fought a smile. "You're stalling."

Logan laughed and slid his hand along James' jaw, and he licked his lips. "Yes?"

James nodded, and his eyelids fluttered closed as Logan ever so slowly leaned in and ghosted his lips across James'. James gasped and Logan smiled, and then he pressed their lips together in a proper kiss.

White light, blinding and pure, exploded outwards, and Logan's and James' wings went out and entwined. They held each other, their mouths joined, and they shot upwards, spinning and flying in a flurry of light and levity.

And landed with a soft thud on their bed in their New York apartment.

Done! So, things were quite rocky there for a while, but it looks like Jagan are finally together!

I'd love to hear you thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!

Again, I hope you all enjoyed and that you all are staying safe out there! The next chapter will pick up right where this one left off and will be up sometime next week! For those of you reading The Ghost of Ravenswood, the next chapter of that will be up either tomorrow or Saturday!

Until then!

-Epically Obsessed