Zeke stared across the room at the young boy he once could recognize. Only remnants of his childhood were left on his face like fading scars. It was like the boy was still inside of him, but all you could see now was a young man.

Everything stood still.

The stir of life came to a halt, and everything Zeke thought he knew was hanging on the edge.

"Hey uncle Zeke." Cal spoke with a shy wave.

Zeke was in utter disbelief, not fully comprehending the situation until Cal was wrapped in his arms. "Hey bud." He whispered with tears in his eyes, sniffling as he patted his nephew on the back.

Ben gazed at them with a feeling of such loss, as he sat on the floor in shock. His face was flushed with confusion, and nausea.

"How are you...?" Olive began, unsure of how to finish her sentence.

You know, she pictured him like this in her thoughts.

Whenever she conjured up an image of Cal at her age, this was it. She didn't know how she couldn't recognize him in the first place. It was like a memory was playing out in front of her.

A memory she made up entirely out of her imagination.

"I have a lot to explain."


Grace was in critical condition at the hospital, but the doctors assured them she had a good chance of pulling through. She wasn't out of the woods yet, but she was surviving.

And that was all Ben cared about at the moment.

"So, when are we going after Angelina?"

Olive was sprung out in a hospital chair, her back laying flat against the uncomfortable cushions. A familiar place, familiar feeling, and familiar chair.

She wished to never have to come back here again.

Once you spend half your life in and out of hospitals, it becomes a place you'd rather never see the inside of ever again.

But somehow she found herself in this same situation for what felt like the millionth time. A loved one hurt or dying, and nothing she could do about it.

"Easy Ol." Cal spoke, sensing her anger. "We need a plan."

'No." Ben interjected as he sat himself up. "We need an explanation."

Cal's face sunk as he tried to recollect what had happened in those 3 years he was gone. Well, the 3 years he lost. And when he saw himself, he was a person he couldn't recognize, but always dreamed about.

"Where the hell did you go Cal?"

Cal exhaled, quieting his voice. How could he explain this without sounding like a complete lunatic? Then again, this was their life now. "I'm not sure exactly. It was some waiting place… like a purgatory."

"So you're telling me you went to purgatory?" Mick asked softly, trying to hold back her strong urge to throw up. Thus far in her pregnancy her symptoms hadn't been awful. Despite not even knowing for a few weeks, she didn't necessarily feel pregnant. Just fatigued and emotional... which she originally chalked up to stress. But for some reason the morning sickness it was hitting her hard... And now of all times.

Cal shook his head. "No, not exactly. I remember someone calling it 'Sheol."

Olive was taken aback, shaking her head as she tried to pick apart what he just told them. "There were other people there?" If she was hearing this right, Cal was in some sort of purgatory... but he wasn't alone? It didn't make sense, but it barely made her top 5 list of crazy things she didn't understand. She pulled out her phone, trying to compile as much research as she could about the place.

It was like everyone leaned in closer at that moment, silence forming between them as they awaited Cal's answer. "Yes. But we couldn't speak. It was like we communicated through thought only."

"I found it!" Olive shouted abruptly, causing everyone's attention to turn to her. "In Hebrew, Sheol literally means "Waiting place." But as her eyes danced over the page, she furrowed her brow. Confusion and shock filling her face.

"Ol, what is it?" Asked Ben, as he pulled her phone close to his face as he tried to read for himself.

"Ancient Hebrew text describes it as "the waiting place of the dead."

"Cal?" Zeke asked. 'Does that mean… you died again?"

Cal shook his head. "No. I think I was taken there to be given my mission."

"Your mission?" Michaela pushed her fist against her lips, placing a hand on her chest. She concentrated on her breathing, pushing the sickness down. Now wasn't the time to upchuck.

"Save mom, find Eden, and..."

Ben became annoyed. He knew Cal was only protecting them, but sometimes he wished he could just be forward, and give them the answers they needed without having to push for them. "And what Cal?" He asked.

"And destroy the plane."

Zeke cleared his throat. "But the plane is in Eureka."

In a moment of perfect timing, Ben looked down at his phone only to see a text that sent a shock wave through his body. "And according to doctor Gupta, it's gone."

"What do you mean it's gone?" Michaela couldn't even keep her head up; she was so sick. Even speaking was getting tough. And that was when her stomach turned. "Excuse me." She got up slowly, trying to walk to the bathroom inconspicuously. But she lost that privilege when her stomach turned once more.

"Is aunt Mick ok?" Olive asked as she gave Zeke a look of concern.

"She's fine. Just not feeling well." Zeke replied, trying to throw them off her scent. He wanted them to know about the babies, but now wasn't the time.

Suddenly Ben's eyes widened at his phone screen once more. He scoffed, this entire thing felt like some sort of set up.

"What?" Zeke asked.

"It's Jared."


"What do you mean Daly is gone too?!" Ben screamed over the phone at Jared, causing Jared to quiet himself.

"We don't know."

"He tried to kill me and my sister! Does that not mean anything to you?! He could be coming for us right now, Jared!"

Jared sighed. "Not that kind of disappeared Ben. He... vanished."

Ben didn't know how to reply. How the hell was this even happening? How the hell was any of this happening? He found himself asking that question multiple times a day. And without Grace to bring him out of it.. he wasn't sure he'd survive. "He… vanished?"

"Here one second, gone the next."

"So you're telling me Daly vanished with 828?"

Mick came walking into the room at that moment, only catching the last sentence.

"What?" She asked Ben. He held his hand out, signaling her to give him a second.

"Thanks Jared."

Mick walked over to Ben, placing her hand on his shoulder. "What's going on?" As she held onto her brother, she felt the room spin around her. Her surroundings changed, and she knew she wasn't in the hospital anymore, but instead she was in a calling.

She saw Daly at the far end of an open space. It felt like it was underground. Dirt surrounded her, flat plains of nothing underneath her. She felt intense heat on her face, only making her morning sickness reappear.

Daly was being led across a large glass bridge by an angel. The bridge was sapphire, a reflection of clear water running over top. The angel hovered at his side, grabbing him by his arm. It led him to the end of the bridge, stopping abruptly. Michaela noticed a pit of growling fire lingering below. Hot and bright like the glowing sun.

In an instant, the angel pushed him down, causing him to be engulfed in flames.

Fear rushed over her face as the calling ended. Remnants of golden fire pierced her eyes, leaving them teary. "What the hell?" She whispered.

Instead of asking questions, she pulled out her phone. And without hesitation, she showed them what she saw. "I saw this." She turned, and pointed the image to everyone.

"That's the angel Gabriel." Olive spoke softly.

Ben looked at her in astonishment. She was truly the most intelligent young woman he's ever known. He was so proud of who she's become, and he couldn't help but feel hope. For the first time in a long time… he felt hope.

"Angelina and I did some digging after her first calling a while back." She shook her head, trying to recall the information. "Gabriel is a messenger and guardian. Essentially God's right hand man."

She had lost everyone by her first sentence. Similar to Ben, her facts didn't always entertain, but at least they were helpful. "You saw him in your calling?" She asked.

Mick nodded her head back at her, taking a deep exhale as Zeke came to stand behind her. "I saw him throw Daly into a pit of fire."

"Ok. So why would Gabriel throw Daly into a pit of fire?" Ben was truly lost, he had no idea how to connect the pieces of this.

Biblical things weren't exactly his expertise.

After all the bad things that happened in his life, he struggled to believe. After watching Cal, Zeke, Michaela, and even Grace, suffer in the ways they had, he found it hard to believe there was good anywhere.

But maybe this was a sign.

Maybe this is what the callings were trying to show all along.

That there is not only life for those who follow and keep the demands of the callings, but justice for those who are ridiculed and abused by others who use the callings for evil.

"To signify judgement, and ensure our protection" Everyone's attention turned to Cal, who was now standing still as he spoke up. His gaze was so sure, no doubt clouding his mind.

"Daly is gonna be burned for what he's done."


Hey all. It's been a hot minute. I am so sorry this chapter took so long to be posted, but everything has been busy with the move. But we're here, and (mostly) all moved in! I'm on the hunt for a job, trying to start some classes, and meet people. It's been fun so far, and everyone around here is very warm and welcoming!

So about my update schedule: I'm thinking about doing a chapter either every other week, or possibly once a month, just because of how busy everything is right now. It definitely won't stay that way, I just don't have as much time as I used to to get things done at the moment. So we'll see how these next few weeks go. But I'm not going away! This fic has plenty more story to tell.

Also I FINALLY made an A03 acc! Same username, and I'll be posting my fics on there as well! Super exciting!

Anyways, let me know what you thought of this chapter here or via my twitter!

Love you all,

The Color Gray