Reaper and Amora left Metatron to find Bethany. They had hatched an idea to help convince Eve to let go of her anger towards Metatron, but they needed Bethany's cooperation.

Not a simple task, since Reaper was the one to kill her.

Bethany still blamed Metatron for her death, mainly because he'd known about it for so long and never told her about it. Not that he could, of course, it wasn't his place to tell her. Still, Bethany vented her rage at him, which Reaper believed was the reason for Metatron's idea to become human in the first place.

'Idiot mortal, Metatron fought me to give you more time, yet you blame him!' Reaper thought to herself as she glided over the top of a hill. She had to find Bethany, she was the key to Metatron and Eve's reunion. That is, if she agreed to help.

Reaper burned at the thought of Bethany refusing. The gall, the nerve, the pure insolence! Reaper was an angel, her powers were meant for light, but if Bethany pushed Reaper one more time...

Reaper flared her wings and landed lightly on the ground. Bethany was there at the lakeside with the Apostle and the muse Serendipity. Reaper walked over to them.

"You can't blame Metatron for this..." Rufus was saying.

He stopped once he saw the seraphim coming.

The three turned to see her.

"I must speak with the mortal scion. Alone." Reaper declared.

Rufus and Serendipity rolled their eyes to each other.

"She could at least ask nicely..."

"Bossy angels, they always act so high and mighty..."

Reaper ignored their insulting remarks as they walked off, leaving her alone with Bethany. The woman looked annoyed with Reaper.

Reaper did not care. "Mortal scion, Metatron needs your help."

Bethany frowned, "He can help himself, didn't I just tell him that I didn't want to see him again?" she started to turn away.

"Scion, return! I command you to assist Metatron!" Reaper barked.

Bethany kept walking.

Reaper quickly flew around Bethany and landed before her, spreading her wings to block Bethany from leaving. "You will listen to me."

"Why should I?"

"Have you forgotten what you are, Bethany? You are a mortal, and so inclined to obey God's angels, especially the seraphim. Now, when we need your help, you will answer the call."

"Fine! What do you want from me now?!" Bethany yelled back.

"I need you to assist Metatron-"

"Why? Why should I help him, that lying-"

"Silence! You wish to know why you must help him? I'll show you."

Reaper made a motion with her hand in the air, where another window opened. "Look, mortal, look! See the Voice's sacrifice!"

Bethany looked into the window and watched as Metatron begged for Reaper's help, Reaper cut off his wings, and she saw Metatron being torn apart and reformed in different planes of existence.

Bethany watched as Metatron fell from grace and landed in a broken heap. She watched as he trembled in pain and fear and how, with Amora's help, he managed to pull himself together to go help Eve.

Bethany watched as Metatron tried to help, and how Eve turned him away.

"Metatron, he's-"

"A mortal now, yes. Begged me to cut off his wings to make him like you," Reaper hissed angrily. "All so he could help that ungrateful brat of yours. Metatron will be lost if Eve rejects him. You must have them reunited."

"He-I didn't know he did that." Bethany said quietly as she watched the window replay the sequence of events, from Metatron's wings being cut off to Eve's outburst of resentment and rage.

"Forgive Metatron, you know your death couldn't be helped. You will not return from the dead, but for one night. Only if you choose to help the Voice."

Bethany watched as tears coursed down Eve's cheeks and then the horrible pain and disappointment in Metatron's eyes.

"Tell me how I can help them."

OXOXOXOXOXOXO

Eve tossed and turned, hopelessly trying to fall asleep. But how could she? It had been the most horrible time of her whole life. She had seen Bethany die.

Her mother and best friend.

Eve had been raised a Christian, she knew that her mother had accepted Jesus and was a wonderful person besides, so there was no doubt in Eve's mind that Bethany was looking down on her from Heaven-but that didn't mean she couldn't be sad about it!

Then her "father" just decides to drop by for a visit this afternoon, what the hell was that? She had never even seen him and he comes over at a time like this? What was he thinking?

Eve felt fresh tears well up in her eyes. She'd gotten so upset in front of him, it made her feel weak. It wasn't fair. Why was so much being piled on her shoulders at once?!

Eve had tried to convince herself that he wasn't who he'd said he was, but he had one of the pictures that were taken of them when she was a toddler. After he'd left she went directly to her room to see if maybe he'd just stolen it.

He hadn't, the picture was right where she'd left it.

That man had been her father, then. He had to have been. He looked just like he did in the picture. Bethany had told her that he was British, and he had the accent to prove it.

After so many years, Eve had met her father-though she secretly wished it had gone better. But so what?! He left them, it's not like she owed him any kindness.

"You were raised better than that,"

Eve jumped. She could have sworn that she'd just heard...but no, it couldn't be.

"Don't you believe in miracles anymore?"

Eve turned over and flipped on the bedside lamp.

Bethany was standing in front of her bed.

"This is a dream, isn't it?" Eve asked glumly. This is the only way she'd ever see her mother again, in a dream.

"More or less." Bethany replied.

Bethany came closer and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Mom, what's-?"

"You shouldn't have turned your back on your father."

"How did you know about that?"

"A friend of a friend told me. Up there." Bethany said, pointing towards the sky.

"So you're in Heaven?"

"Of course. But I only have a few minutes and we're not going to waste them talking about me. I'm dead, Eve. What I do doesn't really matter anymore. But what you do does matter. It matters to me."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the man that came over today, your father. You know better than to turn people away like that."

"But he left us! You said he left us right after my 2nd birthday party."

Bethany shifted her eyes and seemed uncomfortable for a moment, but quickly recovered and said, "I know that's what I've always told you, Eve, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you that. You see...um, I told him that I wanted him to leave. He was just doing what I had asked him to do. When he heard about me...he just wanted to help."

"But why?"

"We had, uh, marital difficulties. And...um, well, I thought it best."

"But I never even got the chance to meet him! I had never talked to him before today!"

Bethany quickly looked over to the corner of Eve's room and then rolled her eyes. When she spoke again her voice was tight and forced. "And that was my fault. But you can change that, you can reunite with him and have the family you deserve."

"How can I change what happened?"

"You can't change what happened but you can repair the damage. You know it would be for the best. Forgive him and try to embrace him."

"But-"

Bethany leaned forward and took Eve's hands in hers. "Please, Eve, for me. I made the mistake a long time ago by dividing our family, but you can fix it by bringing it back together."

Eve's eyes flooded with tears. "Ok mom, I'll do it."

Bethany smiled and hugged Eve tightly. "Oh, good girl! I knew you'd do the right thing...I've always been so proud of you."

"I love you mom."

"I love you too...oh, Eve, I don't have much time."

"Please don't leave me again."

"You know I have to. Eve, I love you, please live a good life. I'll always be by your side, I promise." Bethany sobbed.

"I will mom, I'll make you proud."

"You already have so many times...here, take this." Bethany held out her hand.

Eve took it and hugged Bethany again, "Mom..."

"I have to go now," Bethany said as she was quickly fading away, "Remember, nothing is more important than family."

Eve's eyes snapped open.

She was in her room, the alarm clock was going off, sunshine streaming in through the window. Eve sighed. Last night had been the first dream she'd had about her mother that didn't make her relive Bethany's death.

Bethany had talked back to her, encouraged her to reunite with her father. Eve looked down into her hand, it was a locket.

Inside was a picture of Bethany, Eve when she was a baby and the man Eve knew to be her father.

Determination steeled over Eve's face. She closed the locket and slipped the chain over her head.

"Alright mom," she said out loud to herself, "Show me the way back to my father."