Took me a while but here it is.

Thrust Back In

A pair of gentle green eyes scanned over the unconscious form of Issei Hyoudou. His chest rising and falling slowly, his boosted gear manifested on his left arm as some of his veins extending from the gear pulsed red. He was resting in a large bed within a large marble room made of white and gold. The silk sheets that covered Issei Hyoudou a pure white.

She leaned forward to brush a strand of his hair back, a genuine smile forming on her lips. He seemed so peaceful but he had been unconscious for the better part of a month. The moment when Issei began dying in her arms flickered through her eyes once again almost destroying her smile. If it weren't for Serafall and her healing magic, he would not have survived to reach heaven where they worked round the clock to keep him alive.

The first week were the most stressful, she barely left his bed side and even Serafall would check up with her about Issei. The two set aside their differences for him despite their mutual distrust of each other but even so it would take time to fully get rid of the distrust. Her hand moved down to hold his own as she sat on a bedside chair. She sometimes fooled herself into thinking he squeezed back but she still held hope he would wake up.

"Gabriel?" Another voice entered, she turned to see Xenovia clad in her exorcist outfit with her Excalibur Destruction strapped to her back ever since she was attacked by Kokabiel. She never let the sword out of her sight.

"Xenovia" Gabriel nodded back, Xenovia walked closer to the bed her eyes glued to his sleeping form. "How is he today?" she asked her voice lacking its usual bluntness and harshness, it was soft. "Still no change since last week" Gabriel admitted sadly. The two held their breath as they saw the veins on his face glow green while his breathing stopped before the green bled away and his breathing resumed. It happened from time to time but it was simply spikes from left over excess draconic power acclimatising to his system or bleeding away,

"You have recovered well" Gabriel spoke reluctantly prying her eyes away from Issei to look at Xenovia. "I was lucky, if it weren't for those devils I would have died" she begrudgingly admitted but her hatred of devils still under cut her voice.

"I only wish I could I have killed that bastard myself…" Xenovia muttered her fists clenched.

"He is dead Xenovia there is no need to hold on to the hatred" Gabriel told Xenvoia, she wanted Xenovia to get rid of her hatred just as she hoped Issei would when he wakes up. But she knew it would take time for both of them but in Xenovia's case she could see it bleed away bit by bit.

Issei would take longer his scars run deeper and his hatred stewed for longer. She knew for sure that every moment he was doing a monotonous task his mind would wander to her that was just how Issei was. He always cared for his friends and loved ones their failure would weigh upon him. Xenovia walked closer to him, her eyes glued to his face she looked as if she wanted to do something the doubt evident on her face but fear, fear of what she was thinking of doing.

"I must go; Griselda wishes to see me" Xenovia said stiffly before leaving the room. Gabriel eyes followed her for a few moments before returning to her vigil of the man she loves.

Serafall stood at her desk, her eyes hardened as she once again read the file on Issei Hyoudou given to her by Michael per her request. A sign of good faith and cooperation for the future, Serafall was no fool and neither was Michael this was diplomacy, the church recognised they are in weaker position it was near impossible Issei would join the church again. So the church had to try and curry favour with both sides hence why she was given the file and Michael was helping Azazel hunt down Kokabiels followers and the Excalibur's.

Her eyes slowly drinking in every line, every word as her mind played a mental image of his story. She read the file to the last page before shutting the file and setting it on her table. Michael was crafty for an angel; he knew how to get Issei to join their side but she could not understand what possessed him to send two exorcists after Kokabiel during his theft of an Excalibur. Presumably they may have been the closest response team but was it worth risking two skilled exorcist to attempt to stall for reinforcements? In her opinion no, Excalibur users were rare just because he stole the blade it would not mean he necessarily had someone to wield it? She had bene mulling over the problem but she only could come down to the conclusion the angel had made a fool hardy naïve mistake that cost him the loyalty of Issei and the death of an Excalibur user.

Another thing plaguing her mind was a conversation she had with Sirzechs two weeks after Issei's battle with Kokabiel,

"You want to use him?" Serafall almost snarled as she looked at her long-time friend

"I don't see some any other way to get Rias out of her marriage" Sirzechs sighed

"But having the Red Dragon Emperor duel the Phenex? What's in it for them?" Serafall countered

"Raiser's pride, if he gets goaded he will take the bait"

"I don't want him to be used, Sirzechs" Serafall declared

"Dammit Serafall, I am out of options. I will be damned if I let Raiser marry Rias" Sirzechs retorted back

"You have another option and you know it…" Serafall countered back

"I can break the marriage myself but the political fallout…." Sirzechs sighed as he continued pondering the situation "No that's not an option. I can't show favouritism; the council will be up in arms"

Serafall begrudgingly relented she cared for Issei but she understood Sirzechs plight "You can ask him if he wants to help but you know this will thrust him right back in if he accepts it. I don't support this."

"Serafall, he is already neck-deep. It's now up to him to make the most of it." Sirzechs pointed out before he left Serafall.

Back to current time, Serafall was pondering another dilemma involving her brunette bartender. Why did her heart raced every time she thought of him? Why did she seethe at the fact Gabriel was taking care of him and not her? She had an answer but whether anything would come of it was another story.

Raynare walked down the halls of the Grigori having been requested by Azazel in his office. She reached the door before knocking gently but Azazel could hear it with ease.

"Come in" Azazel's voice called back

"You wanted to see me Lord Azazel?" Raynare greeted Azazel with a small bow as she entered the office of the head of the Grigori.

"Raynare, yes I did" he greeted back with his usual smile as he looked up from his seat

"How are you holding up?" he suddenly asked this made Raynare cock her eyebrow in suspicion

"I am sorry I don't understand what you mean?" She asked attempting to act clueless

"Rayanre…" Azazel deadpanned before he continued.

"Issei Hyoudou, your bartender, the red dragon emperor" and that was the elephant in the room.

"I am doing fine" no she wasn't. Issei plagued her mind. She couldn't believe it, her bartender, her friend, her confidant… her love interest was the red dragon emperor with a lot of baggage.

"Raynare, he has been unconscious for a month and I still remember how you talked about him when we had our conversation. I also saw how you were reluctant to leave him when he went berserk." Azazel continued his tone was soft and honest.

"So I will ask again, how are you doing?" he pressed

"I… can't stop thinking about it. I couldn't believe that he was the red dragon emperor. I sat across from him, talked with him asked him for advice but I just didn't know."

"He had us all fooled" Azazel calmly pointed out

"I knew he had something haunting him. I just couldn't imagine that it was… a dead girlfriend killed by Kokabiel, a fallen angel." Her glued to the floor as she spewed her thoughts while she squeezed her hands together in nervousness. Azazel calmly listened before inputting his thoughts,

"You like him" Raynare heart jumped while her face jerked up to face her leader. She fought hard to resist blushing but some of it seeped through. Azazel chuckled but it wasn't cruel or meant to insult her it seemed genuine. He stood up before going behind to lean on his chair as he continued facing Raynare.

"If you think he is going to hate you just because you are a fallen angel… I think you are sorely mistaken. It also helps from what I have heard Gabriel say about him the kid isn't the type to judge or usually hold grudges. " Raynare brightened up at this and continued listening. "But he won't exactly be warm, the kid wanted out but now he is neck-deep back in the supernatural. He will feel backed in a corner and people tend to react badly but you can also be his friend, his support, his comfort. He will need a friend; he will need you." Raynare listened intently to Azazel's advice.

"This has helped clear up my thoughts. Thank you Azazel" Raynare thanked him while Azazel nodded

"As soon as I know any changes to his condition I will tell you." Azazel informed her. Raynare softened at that and a small smile graced her lips as she stood up but before she left, she glanced over her shoulder.

"Thank you Azazel." He nodded a final goodbye just before she stepped through the door before sitting back in his chair. He leaned back in his chair and sighed, he didn't want to tell Raynare she had competition in the form of Gabriel and Serafall. He was less sure if Serafall was interested but he didn't rule it out. He didn't want to dissuade Raynare but whether she would get his attention while competing with Gabriel and Serafall would be intriguing.

"That kid is gonna have a lot of problems on his hands." He muttered as he then moved to ponder about the conference and how Issei Hyoudou factored in to the situation.

Afternoon descended as Issei Hyoudou continued slumbering away, Gabriel had gone quickly to get some food.

Meanwhile, a gauntleted finger twitched as the emerald gem of the boosted gear began humming gently and softly. Another finger twitched as his facial muscles tensed and relaxed while his eye lids scrunched. His breathing halted for a few moments.

Before his eyes burst open and he immediately launched into a half sitting position as he desperately exhaled his reaming breath before his cheat began heaving as he greedily sucked in fresh air. A sweat began forming on his face as he clasped his face with his gauntlet clad hand. His felt his body shaking and bile pooling in his throat.

"Ddraig, Ddraig…" He called for his partner desperately as he felt his head begin spinning

[Issei I am here, calm down its just excess power. Your body is bleeding away what little there is left.] Ddraig quickly intervened to calm his partner

"Gah!" He groaned as he felt his headache worsen. He held his head in his gauntlet hand but then he began hearing words drum into his skull.

"Issei stay with me it will be fine, I promise, please Issei I love you…" the voice all too familiar his headache intensified

"I love you…" the phrase echoed

"I love you…" the phrase echoed again

Issei's eyes widened in abject horror as his heart began speaking and he began hyperventilating.

[Issei calm down! Dammit Calm down!] Ddraig shouted trying to calm his panicking partner

"I can't Ddraig… She can't love me; I can't love Gabriel back. Dammit I am not ready for this. Dammit Gabriel… Dammit Dammit…" he began panicking as images of him and Gabriel dating assaulted him but then one struck him, Gabriel dead in her own pool of blood and he was unable to save her. The supernatural would cause her death or more accurately his power would, people would fight him and Gabriel would die as she would be a means to him, a weakness. Just like Kokabiel and Irina.

He wouldn't have any of it.

"No, dammit I want out of this shit!" He growled, Issei threw off the covers before leaping out of the bed clad only his under wear as a massive scar from where Kokabiel speared him was carved into his chest. Ddraig's words to his partner had fallen on deaf ears as Issei was oblivious to the dragons calls to heed him.

He ran out of the room and his heart jumped into throat as he came face to face with her. She dropped her tray as tears flowed from her eyes. Issei stepped back,

"Issei?" she asked as if he was ghost. His heart raced faster while he clenched and unclenched his fists. His mouth dried up and his jaw clenched shut.

"Issei you shouldn't be standing her voice soft and oozing with concern as she stepped towards him, her emerald green eyes practically searing into him. Issei clenched his fist as his head thrummed with pain, their eyes locked for just a moment but Issei pulled away and glanced behind him to see a balcony.

She stepped closer but she wouldn't get any closer as Issei Hyoudou ran towards the balcony as Gabriel called out to him. He put one foot in front of the other before he threw doubt out of his mind and leaped from the 7th heaven.

Heaven was greeted with the sight of a pair of crimson dragon wings as Issei Hyoudou descended from heaven to earth.

The whole supernatural would know the Red Dragon Emperor has returned.

Well here is this chapter, I decided to focus on the harem members this chapter. Ergo why I gave them their own part and I hope this attests to the fact that I am trying to develop their character. . I am focusing on Raynare, Serafall and Gabriel while I am sitting on the fence with Xenvoia. I am probably going to leave it as if the story develops it or allows it kind of mantra. But my main goal is the big three so to speak. Well, I am not sure what everyone will think about Issei freaking out so please leave a review of the chapter giving me your thoughts and until next time.