In Your Eyes I get a Glimpse of Heaven

Chapter Three: Aren't you Lonely?

"Gabi! Dinner!" she heard Rufus call from the other room. She jumped and caught her breath, she swallowed hard, "Coming!"

She walked into the bathroom to wash her hands and splash cold water on her face reassuring herself she was daydreaming. She leaned on the sink and closed her eyes. She turned the water on as cold as it would go and she covered her hands with it. She cupped her hands and brought it to her face, and repeated. She sighed and looked back into the mirror. She opened her mouth to scream but the reflection in the mirror reached a hand out and muffled her scream.

Azrael stepped out of the mirror and shoved her against the door, lifting her off the floor. She closed her eyes as she fought. She opened her eyes and looked upwards holding onto his arm.

He laughed at her struggle, "Tsk Tsk. It's alright. This won't hurt, much." he said coldly. His hand became red hot on her arm, She tried to scream again, her skin burning underneath the fabric. He moved his hand and she stared at him, her eyes wide.

He looked into her eyes and smirked. The hand returned to the place it had been burning and images flashed through her mind.

Women being raped.

Men being tortured.

A cloaked figure turning to gaze at her with piercing red eyes. She tried to scream loudly and it all stopped.

Azrael's hand stopped burning her arm and he vanished. She screamed loudly as she fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. The door was thrown open, Rufus rushed in. But Metatron was already there, cradling her in his grasp.

"What took you so long?" He said in a cold English accent.

"Something was keeping us from getting to the door."

Bethany fought past them and took her daughter in her arm.

"What's that?" He said as she grabbed the girls arm roughly, though his grip instantly became gentle when she cried out in pain through her tears.

"He burned her."

"Who?" Bethany demanded, "Who?"

"Azrael." Rufus said, shocked.

"What? He died."

"No, he went back to hell. Lucifer probably gave him a body to torture and sent him on a redemption mission to kill the last Scion."

"But he didn't... He stopped." Gabrielle spoke up.

"What?" It was the first time she had spoken, Bethany responded the quickest though.

"He was looking me in the eye, all these images filled my mind and then it just stopped. He looked at me like... like he saw something familiar. He was shaking his head when he vanished. He almost looked... sorry." She looked like she was lost in her memories. Rufus easily scooped her up off the floor and carried her into the living room.

"That's impossible." He said as he walked into the room

"No. It's not." Serendipity said as she appeared and cradled the once again tearful Gabrielle. They sat on the couch, Serendipity stroking the girls hair, "Azrael used to be a Muse. Muse's have human emotions, so we can come up with ideas that would relate to you humans. It is possible Azrael regretted what he was doing, he never chose to be a demon. He never chose to go to hell. He was sent there and he hates it. Though why he would suddenly regret something, I don't know. It could be..."

Gabrielle had fallen into a light sleep, she could hear them talking but their voices were fading.

"Gabrielle?" Another voice came from the darkness that had filled her mind.

She opened her eyes and found herself in what seemed like a white room. The floor, the walls... pure white. Even her clothes. She was in a white dress that came to her ankles, it was strapless and fit her perfectly. She stood up, her bare feet meeting a surprisingly warm floor. Her dark hair fell in waves over her shoulders, her violet eyes wide. She looked around, jumping when she felt something on her ankle, she looked down, it was just an anklet. The fabric on her dress reminded her of a sun dress, or something she would wear on easter. There was a white headband in her hair, she felt it when she tried to run a hand through her hair.

She looked up and saw a perfect blue sky. Fluffy white clouds floating in the sky. She looked around for a door but just saw the room. She walked over to the wall and started feeling around for anything. There was no way out.

She looked around, and sighed. She pulled the headband from her hair and sat down, looking up at the sky. She sighed again and a voice reached her ear.

"Lonely?"

"Hm?" She asked the voice, it seemed like it was coming from everywhere, but no where. She looked around as it echoed.

"Aren't you lonely?"

"Why?"

"Your mind, your dreams they're so plain."

"They're relaxing. I like them... Usually."

"But you're all alone..." She had heard the mans voice before, she knew it. But the echoing made it hard to sort out.

"No I'm not. You're here."

"But you'd be lonely if I wasn't."

"I can't say I would."

"Well why not?"

"I can entertain myself."

"What about the scenery? It's so plain."

"I like it, it's relaxing."

"Then why'd you try to get out first thing?"

"I couldn't, could I?"

"No, you didn't really try."

"You answered your own question." She said, holding her knees to her chest.

"I suppose, but don't you want more?"

She shrugged, "Not really."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"You need to open your mind. You want to get out, but you're afraid to."

"Why?"

"You'll have to answer that one yourself."

"Who are you?"