Chapter 13: Plans with Pepper

Summary:

Plans are made and a new person arrives.
Tracey tries to help Aziraphale with the aftermath
of the fire and dealing with his voice.

Notes:

I know its a short chapter, but life interjected.

Back to our regular schedule and chapters incoming!

Chapter Text

Aziraphale had gotten up early, quietly sneaking out of the flat, down the stairs almost as if sauntering vaguely downwards. Through the swinging door, and out of the front entrance of Horns n Halos. Tracey had gotten hold of her friend, who would be able to help him find his voice again. His name was Adam, he had played at Horns n Halos when Aziraphale had sung and remembered him, almost immediately volunteering to help him, as a voice like that shouldn't be thrown away, for any reason.

Hopping into his piece of the sky, it turned over quietly, of course, and off Aziraphale went, his hopes tentatively low that this would work. Keeping it in his head that the chances were going to be slim if at all, but it was worth a try. Stopping by Tracey's flat, Aziraphale waited outside, looking for her. Ahead and just in front of Aziraphale was Tracey, wearing new clothes, her hair freshly done, a smirk that was more sinful than any actual sin.

Aziraphale hopped out, opening the door for her, Tracey spun and dramatically fell against him. Aziraphale sighed, looking down at his best friend. "You realize you get better with this every time." Aziraphale chuckled, holding the weight of Tracey from plummeting to the ground.

"Oh my dear Azzziraphale, thingsss are going so well." Tracey teasingly dragged her words out. Aziraphale rolled his eyes, the last thing he wanted to hear was about Tracey and Shadwell. To a degree anyway, Aziraophale was always curious, but Tracey's informational capacity still ended up in the bedroom, somewhere Axiraphale didn't want to end up. Tracey still had that sinful smirk causing a grimace as the next words rolled out of her mouth. "Oh, Aziraphale, I had no idea he was hiding all that; it was amazing!"

Tracey's smirk grew larger, watching Aziraphale cringe, "I should drop you, Tracey." Aziraphale said flatly; Tracey chuckled, starting to stand, knowing she could fluster the angel just a tad more, "So, speaking of size, how is yours built?" Aziraphale really was only listening to part of what Tracey said, and on autopilot answered her, more or less. "Mine, oh, he is built rather nice he leaves me rather sorrr." Aziraphale's face decidedly went through every shade of red in the known and possibly unknown color spectrum.

Tracey stood with wide eyes, covering her mouth as some of the colors from Aziraphale traveled through the nether landing squarely across the bridge of her lovely nose. Both friends stood looking at each other in full embarrassment, one scandalized the other in shock of said information. Then as though a fresh gust of air blew through, they started laughing. "You are such an arse, Tracey." Tracey still flustered and blushing sat in the car as Aziraphale closed the door behind her, going around the back of the vehicle, trying ever so hard to gather himself.

Crowley had gotten up as soon as he heard the bottom door close, he was well aware that his non-sneaky angel was going out. Tracey had told Shadwell who, in return, told Crowley. Of course, he did, Gabriel was still out there, nothing came of anything, Anathemas phone mysteriously disappeared. All of Crowley's accounts had to be changed, everything was redone, because the information was on her phone, as it should have been. It still inconvenienced Crowley, and he already had his hands full with Aziraphale having nightmares as of late.

A feather dusting of depression was gathering in his angel's eyes, Crowley could see it, every time a song came on that Aziraphale used to sing. Every time Aziraphales voices broke, or when he would do a run, his voice would crack, Crowley could see stars dampen in Aziraphale's eyes. It crushed Crowley to see it, to see his love slowly being eaten away, and add in the nightmares of the fire, Aziraphale was a mess. Writing the book became something that was an afterthought, to Aziraphale in his eyes, Armageddon had come on and stolen parts of his soul.

Crowley sighed to himself, waiting for Shadwell to come by, he should be here anytime, it was going to be a discussion of how to deal with Gabriel since the police were stuck. Grabbing a cup of coffee Crowley glanced up just in time to see someone hiding only at the corner of the alley and the main street across from Horns N Halos. Crowley acted normal, and slithered into the kitchen, going out the side door. Crowley crossed the road down a bit from the alley and reached the corner, leaving not a trace or sundering of any sound.

Waiting for that head to pop out from around the corner, without a breath, a sound, nothing a darkened haired head slipped out. Crowley struct like a cobra latching onto its kill, his hand gripping around the neck of the intruder. A sudden squeak, a growling complaint, Crowley dragged the person across the street and into the bistro. Pushing them into a seat, Crowley stood directly in front of them, their head down looking at the floor.

"You know I could have you arrested for assault, I wasn't on your property you dragged me here." She threatened Crowley, but he simply didn't care anymore; his angel was hurting because of these people.

"I would have cared quite a while ago, but I really don't anymore, care to tell me who you are and why the fuck you are hanging around my business like some evil demon lurking at night?" Crowley started tapping his foot without realizing his patients had already left when Shadwell arrived.

Shadwell took in the scene that befell him as he entered the bistro, Crowley intimidatingly leaning over another person hunkered over in the chair in front of Crowley. "I love a good intimidation tactic as the next guy, but can I get some insight here, because all in all, this has all the makings of ending badly, Crowley." Shadwell leaned against the glass doors, his hair flawlessly done, his leather jacket slightly worn but fitting to the style of the man. Crowley glanced over his shoulder at Shadwell and stood back up, shaking his head. "Alright, I will back off, you talk, let me know if I should call the police or not. I preferably would like to take care of this myself." Shadwell pushed off the glass with a nod to Crowley, who casually went into the back kitchen, leaving Shadwell with the person.

"So, you want to tell me who you are? We know the majority of you lot, but you, I haven't seen before." Shadwell grabbed a chair spinning around to the front of him and straddling it. Leaning his arms over the back of the chair and resting his chin on his hand, he gave the other chair a quick kick, startling the woman who looked up. "Pepper names Pepper." Shadwell smirked, "So, Pepper, before I tell Crowley to call the police, or let him loose, want to tell me why your here?" Shadwell leaned just a bit more forward.

"I was hired, just doing my job." Pepper irritatedly responded, looking at Shadwell without fear, dead in the eye. Shadwell was rather impressed by the gall of this girl who was in front of him.

"So who hired you, and for what, do you even know?" Shadwell waited, sitting more upright now in the chair. Crowley had turned the music on low inside the bistro.

"Freaking E.D.E.N., I owed Beelzebub, I really don't want to help them but, I don't have many choices the matter." Pepper looked down, Shadwell catching the regret and guilt in the flash of an eye.

"Alright, how about this, I'll make you a deal, you tell me everything you know and maybe, I can use you, maybe I can hire you." Shadwell had a brilliant idea, but he needed the reaction of Pepper.

"That sounds like something I might be interested in, if you can get me out without the fear of them offing me, I'll tell you anything." Pepper had immediately brightened up, her demeanor lightening from the darkness it once held.

Shadwell grinned, calling Crowley back out, his eyes never leaving Pepper, watching for any telltale signs. Crowley appeared behind the counter, Pepper turned to look at him, she smiled to an unsmiling demon. Shadwell told her to lift her arms, and he checked her for any wires, nothing. "Alright, you're good. So tell us what's going on, everything." Shadwell explained to Crowley that Pepper was going to work for them now, finding out information from inside; she would be a double agent for them.

Aziraphale and Tracey had arrived to see Adam, Aziraphale had hope very little hope but hope. At least he thought he did, Tracey took his hand, bringing him to the second floor flat. Aziraphale pulled back slightly, looking at the door that Tracey was heading for. To Aziraphale, the longer he held back, of even for a moment, was one more moment he had the hope that his voice would come back. That some semblance of him would still be there, that door in front of him could take that one thread of hope away for all time.

Tracey looked at the sudden pull against her hand. Aziraphale eyes had the look of a man that was trapped. Quietly she walked a step closer to her best friend, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Zira, if you aren't ready for this, we can leave until you are." Tracey rubbed his shoulder gently, Airaphale shook his head, his voice cracked when he spoke to her, not out of injury but fear. "What if they tell me there is nothing they can do, Tracey, that'll be it, all hope gone. I know it sounds stupid, I can still talk, write, but singing that was something I could do well, without anyone else's input." Aziraphale's gaze dropped to the floor, "I could sing to Crowley, and now I can't even duet with him."

Tracy didn't realize just how deeply this particular problem went, how deeply this injury cut into Aziraphale. It wasn't only skin deep, this cut into his soul, the core of Aziraphale, and Tracey was determined to help. "Enough of that, if there is anyone that can fight their way out of situations, it's you. Now let's go see what we can do!" Tracey all but kicked the door open in a dramatic flare of entry. Aziraphale wandered in, rolling his eyes as he watched Tracey drop into a chair, a hand held over her eyes. Two men now looked at her shaking their heads.

Adam held his hand out to Aziraphale, "Nice seeing you again, heard about what happened man, I'm really sorry." Aziraphale took Adams's hand in greeting, nodding a reply rather than speaking. "So, the fire took your voice, entirely or partially?" Aziraphale looked at him.

"Singing mainly, it just, well, it gives up." Blue eyes looked at the floor as though in mourning.

"Alright, well, let's try some very minor things, nothing to strain your voice, but maybe just hear where there seems to be a difference in power, alright?" Adam motioned for Aziraphale to head into another room, presumably a music room. Tracey was not far behind, Aziraphale's own personal cheerleader was already whispering Aziraphale's praises.

Pepper left the bistro through the side door heading back to E.D.E.N., her job was simple for the moment, get times and schedules for everyone. Tracey couldn't help anymore with getting information as she had to quit, being best friends with someone they tried to kill put you high on the hit list. Crowley and Shadwell worked out a plan, a way to make them pay and end them. Meanwhile, in a second-story flat, an angel was learning how to sing again. Having had his voice stolen away by the demons and evil of the earth.

Notes:

I hope you enjoyed it!

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