Chapter 2

The sudden weight on my bed drew me out of my sleep. For a second, I tensed up but the butterflies on my stomach and his scent of mint and spices told me I had nothing to fear. My radar had gone past its limit and I couldn't help smiling. I turned to him. Patch was sitting comfortably beside me, leaning on the headboard. He had camouflaged into the darkness as if he was a part of it. His skin and hair was barely visible. He also wore his typical black shirt and dark jeans. I have learned that long ago, his kind of darkness, though dangerous, was extremely alluring. Many people would be wary of him but I found it had attracted me to him even more.

"You do know trespassing is a crime," I whispered, pushing myself up and placing my hands on each side of his hip.

He shrugged a hint of smile on his lips. He pushed closer to me until there was only a hair width of air between us. "The windows were open. I figured it was an invitation to come in."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked, adopting a whiny voice partnered with a pout.

"You looked so peaceful sleeping. I didn't want to disturb you." He placed a palm against my cheek, caressing my face. "I missed you, Angel."

I pressed my lips against his lightly as a response. He pulled me in closer, wrapping his arms around me. He kissed me with his passion that I never get tired of. He ran his hands on the length of my back and I shivered in pleasure. I could tell this caused frenzy in him as his kisses became more passionate that I feel like my lips were going to bruise. He pulled me around him so he'd be on top, pressing his body against me.

The intensity of his kisses alarmed me. Though we were passionate about each other, the fervor of his lips against mine was a bit strange. I surfaced to breathe. "What's going on?" I asked without thinking.

"Nothing," he whispered against my ear. "I just missed you. Is that bad, Angel?" His lips roamed against my jaw at first and then went down to my neck. I ran my fingers on his hair.

I let his lips roam around my neck, trying hard not to lose my train of thought. I sighed and tried hard to push him away from me but I didn't put in much strength behind it. "Now that's out there, tell me what's really going on."

He pushed away from me, slumping beside me slightly. He hid his face on his hands. "You're killing my buzz."

"Tell me, please."

He inhaled and sighed silently. "The archangels are going to hold my trial soon."

It took me a few seconds to understand what he was saying. But when my brain caught up, my insides fell to my spine. I tried to open my mouth a couple of times to say something but the lump that formed on my throat kept me from saying anything.

They couldn't be coming back in our lives when everything is so peaceful now. How can they hold a trial against Patch when he had tried with all his strength to banish devilcraft from Earth? How can they still try to find something to hold against him when he had done everything to prevent one Nephil from controlling such evil power? Why were these archangels so bent in finding ways to chain him on hell? Tears stung my eyes and I didn't even try to stop them from falling. He pulled me in but this time to comfort me.

"I thought they weren't going to come back in our lives?" I sniffed. To regain some form of composure and dignity, I tried to push him away but he held on to me closer.

"It'll be fine," he promised as he ran his hands on my arms. His voice was even, disinterested. I had the sudden desire to slap him awake. Contrast to my extreme anxiety, he was perfectly calm. I didn't understand why he wasn't taking this as seriously as I was. We both know the archangels had it for him. They had been looking for any reason to banish him to hell, away from me. This trial sounds like they had found the perfect excuse. But it didn't make sense since he had contributed so much from keeping the dangerous evil power from Earth.

"What are the charges?" I said apprehensively, my voice thick and quivering. "If they are holding a trial against you, then they must have found an excuse to send you away."

"They said it was for past crimes committed against heaven." The bored voice he had adopted was almost too much for me. I slid away from him, breaking our contact. I turned away from him, crossing my arms. "It's nothing I haven't heard before."

"What makes you so sure?" I didn't bother hiding my suspicion and irascibility.

"I think I have a fighting chance," he explained, pulling me in again, persuading me to believe in him. I hesitated before letting him wrap his arms around me. "I have a good lawyer. Usually the lawyers defending the angels on probation are archangels as well so the bias is apparently there. They wouldn't normally view cases like mine in a fair way and often times they just want to hand over the sinned angel to the Avenging Angels quickly. But this time, many of the archangels are actually looking at this objectively. So as long as my attorney makes a good argument, then they have no choice but to acquit me and leave me alone. I'd rather take the risk to get that goal rather than have them on my back for eternity."

"When will this happen?"

"Soon." I heard his tired sigh. "I really can't go through this without your help. There's nothing that gives me strength better than knowing you're the one I come home to. It also doesn't hurt spending every minute of the next few hours with you."

He slid off me and stood up, walking to my closet. He rummaged through my stuff and picked out a pair of yoga pants and a stretchy blue shirt. "But before I do that, I need to know you can protect yourself without me."

He pushed the clothes towards me. My eyes narrowed into slits "You're making it sound like you're not coming back."

He shrugged. "Nothing is for certain. But I do know I don't want taking risks when it comes to you. Come on, Angel. You'll need to build those muscles up." I glanced at my watch and saw it was two in the morning. I groaned and took the clothes with a little bit much force.

"I'm doing this because it's you," I grumbled, heading towards my closet to change.

Five minutes later, I snuck as quietly as I could out of my bedroom, carefully avoiding the parts on the wooden floor that creaked. I crossed the short distance of the foyer to the door, quietly closing the door behind me. I made my way towards the back of the house, near the edge of the forest that surrounded my backyard. He was leaning against a trunk, his hands on his pockets. He was wearing his leather jacket now. With the moonlight hitting his face in an angle, he looked like a marble statue of the Roman gods deciphered in legends of old. A hint of a smile tugged on his lips as he gave me a look over, his eyes traveling from my shoes to the top of my tied hair but he remained silent.

When I was near enough, he turned around and started walking towards the forest without a word. I stumbled after him, wondering about the type of training I'll go through this early in the morning. The last time I had trained with Patch, it was to learn how to use swords. We used makeshift swords out of sticks, swinging at each other for twelve hours. I was under a time pressure then but I wouldn't be surprised if this training was just as grueling now.

We were about ten miles away from the edge of the forest when he stopped in a clearing. He had gracefully walked past fallen trunks and sticks and avoided sudden dips and obstructions carefully. On the other hand, I was a bit winded. Apparently, being a Nephil with enhanced eyesight hadn't completely solved my poor coordination.

It was still dark and the temperature was probably on its thirties. Frost hung in the air, making it pin sharp as it entered my lungs. My skin was cold as the sweat froze on the surface. Thankfully, there was no wind. The leaves on the trees remained frozen. I heard a few hoots in the distance. I was suddenly a bit wary of predatory animals hunting us. I knew they couldn't injure us fatally but being mauled by bears five times my size would not be a dream. I could still feel pain just like any other person. The only difference is, I couldn't be killed.

The clearing was about fifty feet in diameter, giving us a lot of space to do whatever it was he had in mind. Moonlight seeped through the leaves of the surrounding trees, lighting the forest floors in spots. He turned around and crossed his arm, his black eyes glued on me. I readied myself, in case he decided to pounce on me to catch me off guard. But instead, he sat down on a fallen log at the edge of the clearing, his eyes never leaving mine.

"You can relax, Angel," he called out. "We're not going to do something physical…yet I'll save that for later."

I hesitated, deciding if this was a trick. But when he did nothing, I straightened up, letting my muscles relax. "Sounds boring. So what is it we're going to do?"

"You are going to learn how to block any unwanted people in your thoughts."

I crossed my arms and frowned. "I don't need it. I can tear apart anyone's thoughts before they even think of trying to invade mine."

Amusement tugged at his lips again. "You're sounding cocky, Angel. As much as I like it, it's not going to keep me from showing you how important this is."

"The best defense is a good offense," I pointed out.

He nodded, acknowledging. "That may be true. But sometimes the best offense is a good defense. You can plan your next move without your opponent having an insight to what you're about to do. How many times have people invaded your mind? Chauncey, Rixon, Hank, Dante, Baruch, and I had done it with relative ease. Luckily all of them, except one, are dead and I have no plans in getting inside you in that way."

I rolled my eyes at the innuendo but kept silent as he pushed on. "It would also be harder for any unwanted visitors to play mind games with you. You're a Nephil so you probably will sense if something is off inside your head. It might be a little difficult for anyone to invade your mind. But it doesn't exempt you from unwanted invasion. A powerful Nephil can easily overcome your thoughts. I want you to have an armor good enough to defend against any kind of invader."

"Fine," I agreed impatiently. I really didn't think I'd need it. "What do I have to do?"

"Clear your head and feel the net you throw when you're invading other people's minds. Transform it into something that you can use to wrap around your head. Like how you force yourself into other people's heads, this blanket can vary in composition depending on the person. Think of something strong and durable."

I closed my eyes and followed his instructions. I focused on my breathing and felt the net inside my head. I clutched it tight and tried to think of something that I could use just like he said, but the sound of running water distracted me.

"Ready?" he asked, his voice sounded like it was moving, circling around me. I was out of time. Hurriedly, I made the net into flowing water and covered it the best I could in my thoughts that had turned chaotic now.

I waited for any sign of invasion inside my head but when none came, I opened my eyes again, slowly letting my guard down. Patch was nowhere in sight. I spun around and found myself completely alone in the clearing. But I sensed something wasn't right.

"Water? You'll need something more substantial than that, Angel," Patch whispered in my mind, his voice terrifying me. It had adopted a screechy timbre so different from his own. If he didn't say the word "Angel", I wouldn't have known it was him.

"You're not focused enough, either. I'm making you see what I want you to see."

I felt his touch as he forced my head to the side, exposing my neck. I felt his lips press against it as his arms wrap around me but he remained invisible. His scent was overwhelmingly close as my heart fluttered wildly against my chest. I could feel his breath on my skin and his chest rose up and down against my back. I closed my eyes, searched for him inside my head, and forced him out. I pried away from his grasp and turned around. There he was, his lips curved in a sensual smile that tipped slightly higher to the right.

"It is easier for someone you trust to invade your mind and make you see things," he explained patiently, placing his hands on my shoulders. "And let's face it, the list of people in your trustworthy list had done a stellar job in breaking the trust you had given them. But it's not only your trusted people you should worry about. Anyone powerful enough can take you by surprise and invade your mind when you least expect it. So let's try again, shall we? But this time, try to find something stronger than water."

"Water is strong," I protested. "It can move rocks and stuff."

"But when someone is invading your mind, you want to be rapid in blocking them out."

I sighed a bit frustrated and closed my eyes. I cleared my head and grasped on the net like I did before. I tried to think of a material that I can use as a shield and found myself going for glass. Not like the ones in a mirror but like the ones in windows. I focused on it, thinking of how light would reflect on any smooth glass surface.

I had just built up the glass casing around my head when I felt something ram against it, threatening to shatter it. I panicked, quickly finding a way to repair the cracks. I realized too late that what I had chosen was not strong enough. I tried to find a way to repair the cracks but another hard force had shattered it in a million pieces. I felt an overwhelming warmth flow inside my head like magma, threatening to burn me. I pulled away, afraid of being scald but something was holding me back. Just as I thought I was going to burn, the sudden heat stopped. I felt stiff and cold. I was lying on my back, my skin pouring out cold sweat and my hair sticking to the base of my neck. I pushed myself up and saw Patch sitting beside me.

"Glass is a good attempt but besides the fact that it shatters easily, you've also chosen the transparent type. They may not hear your thoughts but they can see your intentions and your plans."

I pushed myself up in a sitting position beside him. I wiped the sweat off my top lip with the back of my hand. Frustration was burning inside me and exasperation was taking root. I stood up and brushed off the dirt on my yoga pants with my hands.

"Are you ready to try again?" he asked, standing up as well.

My patience was running short. "I really don't know how to do this," I told him trying to sound curt and cold but I only achieved sounding whiny and tired.

He tucked in a loose curl to the back of my ear. "You can do it. I know you can." I caught a glimmer of metal on his ring finger. I realized it was the gold ring I had given him last summer. The ring had originally been given to me by my dad, Harrison Grey and had constantly reminded me of true love. That ring and my own ring given to me by Patch symbolize the love that we have.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his voice was gentler yet still had its coaxing edge.

I forced out a sigh, closed my eyes, prepared myself, and nodded. I tried to clear my head but the ring had distracted me. The memories of the night I gave it to him and the night he had showed me the etching on it took over my head. The beautiful handwriting of his name and mine on the surface of the ring was the only thing I saw behind my eyelids.

The sudden force that hit my glass shield had once again rammed against my mind but this time, I could feel the surface surrounding the handwriting shielding my thoughts against the force. It collided against me over and over again but my gold shield remained intact.

I opened my eyes, still keeping the shield carefully wrapped around my mind, and saw Patch standing in front of me in deep concentration. He met my eyes and the hits stopped abruptly. A smile crept in his lips, softening his eyes.

"Good job, Angel," he approved with a smile. His voice made my insides drop along with my shield. The next thing I knew, he had suddenly disappeared again.

"Don't let your guard down," he said in mindspeak but his voice remained his own. "Let's try again, shall we?"

After discovering the right shield, we honed my ability to protect my thoughts for the next two hours. By that time, I was mentally drained but could definitely protect myself. I slumped back on a boulder at the edge of the clearing; panting and sweating as if I had just ran my typical ten-mile run in the forest. Patch was also sweating, though it only made the skin glisten under the moonlight. He settled himself beside me, his hands sliding in mine naturally.

"Great job, Angel," he congratulated me again, shaking my hand encouragingly. "You've done well today."

I smiled at him though I could feel the muscles even in my face aching. "What can I say? I have a great teacher."

He suddenly stood up and pulled me up with him. He drew me close for a second before stepping away. "Come on, let's get you all cleaned up. We're going to have breakfast. I cooked."

"I like the sound of that."

I stood in the shower with the water cascading throughout my body when I heard movement in my mom's room. Quickly cleaning myself, I stepped out of the bathroom just as she had stepped out of her own room. She was pulling her pink bathrobe on and her hair looked like a tornado had just passed by and decided to style it. She looked up to see me wrapped in my towel.

"You're up early," she said, glancing at the clock on the hallway. "Did you forget it's not a school day today?"

I wiped my hair with the spare towel in my hand. "Uhm, no I didn't. I just received a message from Patch. He wants to have breakfast with me."

She frowned at Patch's name but her next words were careful as if she was deliberating to be a little diplomatic. "Breakfast? Isn't that a little early to be meeting him? I'd think he'd want to grab lunch with you later on or something but not breakfast."

I shrugged, trying to be a bit indifferent but her obvious disapproval annoyed me. "Well maybe he just wants to change things a bit, right?"

"But Nora, I'm leaving for New York soon. I want to spend as much time as I could with you. Can't Patch just wait for a few more days?"

I sucked in air to force my voice not to crack. "He's leaving too. Today's the last day I get to see him for I don't know how long." Before she could question me any further, the doorbell rang. My mom glanced at me for a second before going down the stairs to greet whoever was at the front door. I ducked inside my room.

I had just tugged on my skinny jeans and had just pulled a pink oversized knitted sweater over my head when I heard Patch greet my mom downstairs in the foyer. In turn my mom gave him a curt "Good morning." I quickly tied my hair into a fishtail braid that fell to the side, worried my mom would say something that would dampen things between Patch and me. I sprayed my strawberry perfume into the air and walked into it to achieve the slight sweet scent.

I opened the door silently and froze as I heard them conversing. I craned to listen to their voices which seemed polite enough but the tension was so obvious, it was threatening to break. I slipped on my boat shoes and snuck down the hallway.

"So Nora told me you're leaving town soon," I heard my mom pry. She tried to sound a bit friendly but the accusation and suspicion was there. She might as well have interrogated him.

"Did she?" was Patch's reply, his voice low it was barely audible.

"Why are you going out of town? Are you leaving for good?" My irritation spiked up. She could at least have bothered hiding her hopeful pitch her voice had adopted.

"That I don't know myself," Patch admitted in the same low voice. "Sorry to disappoint you."

It was silent for a while but my mom suddenly spoke, her words tumbling out fast as if she was saying what she had always wanted to say now before she lost her courage. "Nora had explained to me what happened when she was kidnapped. I know it wasn't your fault and I know you tried your hardest to bring her back to me. So I am thankful for what you have done and I apologize for suspecting you all along.

"But you can't blame me for pointing a finger at you or even suspecting you're no good for my daughter. Nora is my everything and I know the moment I saw you, you were bad news. I was right, wasn't I? All the things you had to do to save her wouldn't have been necessary if you never entered her life. Why didn't you just stay away? If you stayed away from her, maybe she would have led a normal life."

I was outraged by her words. How, after everything I had explained to her, could she still blame Patch for everything that happened to me? She was being completely psychotic, not to mention irrational. I wanted to storm in the room but Patch's words stopped me. I froze again, listening intently. I knew if I walked in their conversation, it would cease. I want them to get along. I want my mom to accept Patch and maybe this is the way, even if it means having my mom insult and accuse him over and over again.

I was suddenly worried Patch was going to walk out of the room. But I was surprised when I heard his chuckle. "Blythe, I did everything to take Nora away from Hank not for you but for myself. All the times I have saved her and even my rejection to her sacrifice, it was all because I want her to stay by my side. You are wrong if I did all of that for anyone but myself.

"This is exactly why I haven't left. I tried. I removed her every memory of me but she found her way back to me. Who am I to push her away again when the only person I want keeps finding me too? She had gone through so much and had been in danger much more than I would like, I admit, but she had become stronger now. She had found herself when she finally joined my world."

"Your world?" my mom was almost shouting, her voice enraged. "She belongs to a world where she's safe! She belongs to a world where she has a good future! That future shouldn't include you! The way I see this, all of this trouble will never go away unless you're there! It has always been that way from the very beginning!"

"You're wrong again, Blythe. These things didn't start when I entered her life. It all began when you became pregnant with Hank's daughter. Don't you see? Being associated with Hank even through blood would have endangered her by the time she reached sixteen. If I had found her, what makes you think no other fallen angel would go after her? Rumors of the Book of Enoch had already spread and several others of my kind had already tried doing what was written. Her greatest threat would have been Rixon who had Hank as his Nephil vessel. The night your husband died, Rixon was looking for Nora. He was trying to get information from Hank. It would have taken him time but he would have connected the dots.

"But I don't blame you. If you haven't gotten pregnant, Nora wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have a reason to become a better man. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for the greatest thing you ever did.

"You're right. I'm not a good person. I have done so many things I'm not proud of. But I will never regret entering Nora's life and I plan on becoming a permanent fixture."

There was silence for a few seconds then I heard my mom gasp.

"I have Nora's ring and she has mine. I haven't taken it off since I had promised to spend my life with her. It was a blood promise that I tend to keep because I want to be in her life.

"I am the last person to want to drive a wedge between you and Nora. I want the people she cares for in her life. But I am not going to let you or anyone keep her from me. I don't want to sound threatening but she's mine. If it's any consolation, I do plan on taking care of her as long as I live."

I heard the front door slam and I knew he had walked out of the door. This was exactly the kind of thing I was trying to avoid but my mom had decidedly plunged on it headfirst. Annoyance, injustice, and anger throbbed inside me as I stomped down the stairs and into the foyer. My mom was still standing at the archway that led to our dining room, apparently deep in thought. She looked up when she heard me and met my eyes.

"I'll do us both a favor and won't pretend I didn't hear anything. How could you corner him like that, mom? How can you still be as close minded as before? Is this going to go on forever?" I was babbling on but I couldn't hold my tongue. Tears were spilling out of my eyes and I angrily slapped them away. "He's not the bad guy, mom. Why can't you just accept he's not going anywhere? I know he's not the guy you'd dream I'll marry but hey, I don't want anyone else but him."

She sighed and held up her hand as I was about to burst again. This made me angrier but she delved on before I could get a word in. "I wanted to confirm his feelings for you. You are so invested in this relationship that I need to know he's not just staying by your side because of some responsibility he feels. I want to know he's with you because he wants to be not because it's the right thing to do. I want to know he loves you as much as you love him. When you told me he was leaving, I thought he was running away from the magnitude of everything you both had gone through. I know I sound like I'm making excuses but I'm not. I wanted to face what you're both feeling and maybe I'll be able to accept it."

She placed her palms up in a silent surrender. "I was just trying to help." She hesitated before adding, "And I accept that you're with him."

I stood there, frozen at her words; my tears were still sliding down my cheek. "You accept my relationship with him?" I asked, doubting and quite stunned.

"Yes," she answered shortly. I ran to her and wrapped my arms around her waist with a bit force.

I let her go just in time to see the tears swimming in her eyes. She slapped them away and gave me a watery smile. "Well, go on. But I want you home by midnight, all right?"

I nodded and whipped around, running towards the door. My heart was light and even the freezing air couldn't dampen my spirits. It was only five-twenty in the morning and the moon was still high in the sky. His black Jeep was waiting for me at the driveway, the paint job glistening. I jogged to it, the chilly air stinging its way inside my lungs. By the time I had pulled the passenger door open, my face was flushed with cold. The warm air coming from the vents blasted to me was mixed with his scent. I greeted him with a quick kiss before pulling the seatbelts on. My heart was light until I realized he was still upset with my mother.

Though the car's heater was up, the silence couldn't be chillier. I glanced wearily at him, trying to find the exact words to say but his black eyes remained stuck on the road. I wanted to tell him my mom was just putting him through her test and he had passed with flying colors it seemed. But his eyes didn't soften until I was afraid he was angry at me as well.

I tried to think of another safe subject to talk about and settled on asking him where he was taking me, which he hadn't told me. He only told me breakfast was coming up but for all I know, that could be at the bottom of the ocean.

Ten minutes later, we had reached our destination. His car didn't slow down at the sandy beach of Delphic, as I had expected him to take me at his studio there. Instead he drove the Jeep into his townhouse's driveway. He pressed a button and his garage door slid open. His headlights shown the black motorcycle he usually used but now it was covered with a black cloth. He turned off the engine and rushed to my side to open my door. I stepped out, a bit confused with the formality.

"I thought you were angry," I commented as I walked around with him, reaching for his hand.

At this, his eyes softened as he smiled. "We don't have much time and it wouldn't help if we're both mad at each other. Come on, I want to show you something. Close your eyes."

"Is this the part where you sacrifice me to get a human body?" I asked, flashing him a smile.

"I think we're past that," he answered with his easy smile. "Besides, there's something else I want to do with your body. Come on, close your eyes or we're going to be late. And no peaking."

I didn't know what he meant by late but I held my question. I did as he said so, closing my eyes tightly. I felt his hand on my right hand and gently pulled me. Out of instinct, my free hand reached out, in case I bumped into a wall. I tried to guess where we were going, quickly studying the blueprint of the house in my head. I heard a door opening and a second later, the cool winter air greeted my face. I frowned, unsure why he was leading me to the front of the house.

"Watch your step," he murmured, his warm breath sweet against my cheek. I stepped carefully forward, expecting my foot to hit the brick steps in front of the house. But I was surprised when I stepped into wood. It confused me even more to hear water in the distance. This only meant that we were at the side of the house. Did Patch made new renovations to his place?

"Okay now stop." He let go of my hand and I froze on my place. I heard him scuffle a bit.

A second later, I felt his finger on my cheek. "Open your eyes."

My eyes fluttered open and an amazing sight had greeted me. The sky was already turning, the deep blue lightening as it mixed with a streak of orange. It reflected on the lake, making a majestic sight. I was standing on a wooden patio just outside his home. White banisters surrounded the patio, carved with intricate lines. Two white garden chairs stood angled towards each other, facing the lake. In the middle was a small round table with two plates of eggs, bacon, biscuits, and sausages, two glasses of orange juice, and two mugs of steaming coffee.

Patch walked around the chairs and straightened the plates. He looked up at me and I was surprised to see him so nervous. He gave me a wary smile and clasped his hands together.

"So what do you think?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

"Wow," I breathed out. I know I should have said something more intelligent but my tongue wasn't working properly.

His face broke into a wide smile and hurried to my side. He took my hand and guided me to the front, pulling the chair for me. I sat down and he laid a blanket on my lap. The smile never faded from my lips. The great view, the amazing breakfast, and him doing this all for me were more than I could take.

"This is the first time I'm doing something like this," he admitted, sitting down himself. "I wanted to at least share one beautiful sunrise with you."

I stared at the distance, watching the sun slowly creep into view. I cradled the cup of coffee in my hands and sat back, enjoying the moment. I wasn't sure if this was going to be our last but I didn't want to think about it. I wanted to just stay in this moment with him forever. "Thank you," I muttered so softly I wasn't sure he heard me.

I looked at the breakfast before me and took a bite of the sausage. I could feel his eyes on me as I chewed the meat slowly. "This is delicious," I said, amazed. "Are you sure you haven't tasted food ever?"

He took a bite himself and smiled. "I used to cook some of the tacos at the Borderline when the place was too full for the chefs to take care of every order. They would just tell me what to do. I figured I was decent enough since no one complained."

"This is amazing," I commented as I took a bite on the eggs this time. "You're giving Enzo a run for its money in terms of being my favorite go-to during breakfast."

"You're actually deliberating that?" His eyebrow shot up at me. "I mean, with the view, the food, and the cook I think the answer should be simple."

I nodded. "You're right, I think I would still go for Enzo's."

He chuckled and took my hand. "I'd love to do this with you over and over again."

I looked at the sun again, this time it was finally halfway up, painting everything a bright color of yellow-orange. I wanted to have these moments with Patch for the rest of my life. I didn't want him to go to the trial. A few months ago, when the archangels were breathing down his neck, he offered we escape and hide from them together. We could hide, running away from them, moving place to place. It was a life of uncertainty but at least we'd have each other. But he told me eventually they will find us and we'd still have to face the trial. I wanted to tell him how much I wish we could do that, just run away and think only about today. But I know he'd opt for the small possibility that he might be free from them through this trial, even if it meant there's a great risk of him being chained to hell.

"Tell me about the trial?" I approached the topic with a small voice.

He stared at me for a minute, his black eyes digging into mine. "Why do you want to know?"

"I want to face it. There's no point in dancing around the issue, Patch. I know why you're doing this sunrise-breakfast thing. No matter how much you tell me it'll be okay we both don't know what the archangels have up in their sleeves. We both don't know if this will be the last sunrise we have together. We don't even know if this will be the last day we have together. But I would feel much terrible if we'd let that threat dangle over us like a dagger waiting to strike at my heart. I don't want to run away from any possibility."

He leaned back, closed his eyes, and drew out a long breath. "I don't want to spoil anything for us."

"I know but if we talk about it for more than five seconds, at least it will be out there."

His eyes flicked open. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

I chewed on my lip. I knew the things that could happen if he was found guilty and was chained in hell. I don't know what hell looks like but I was pretty sure it would be worse than any nightmare I could think of. He had been doing the best he can for the past few centuries to avoid it.

"What makes you certain about your lawyer?" I asked, deciding to start from where he was most confident about. "Who is he?"

"His name is Basso," he answered.

I blinked in surprising, my mouth falling open. I wasn't expecting this. "Detective Basso?" I added the "detective" part since I had known him to be one until the last morning of Cheshvan.

"Detective?" he asked, grinning. "I guess he upgraded to lawyer then. Wait, how do you know him?"

"He had been around my life a few days after you entered mine. I didn't know he was an archangel investigating about devilcraft until the morning of the battle. He was the one who told me to slit my wrist which helped you to feel."

"The more reason to be confident in him then, along with my own personal list."

I cocked my head to the side. "So you know him? How?" I looked back thinking of any chance they could have met since I met Patch but I came up short. So they must know each other before Patch had fallen.

"He was my friend before I fell," he said in a low voice, confirming my assumption. I looked at his eyes which seemed so far away, looking back at his own memories. I know Patch only let a few people in and trusted even less. But I knew his experiences after he fell had led him to be this way.

"He was like an older brother to me back then," he continued. "He had done a lot for me when I was on the brink of falling. He was the one who warned me against it. He was the one who told me not to fool myself, that I was never becoming human since I was never created to be one. He had always looked out for me I guess until even now.

"When I snuck out to the human world, he was the one who made all the excuses. He stuck his neck out for me but eventually, the other archangels found out and the Avenging Angels had come for me.

"In my first trial, they didn't let him become my lawyer but he was one of the witnesses that came to my defense. He made it clear that it was a mistake and he even promised he'll guard me to make sure I never do something like that again. But as we both know none of his pleadings worked and I was sent here."

"How about today? Where exactly do you stand with him?"

He shrugged. "He seemed civil enough. Even so, things are much better he's my lawyer than any other archangel. Not many of them are sympathetic to me." When he saw my expression, he reached for my hand and gave it a soft shake. "Everything will be fine, I promise."

I nodded and let go of his hand. I reached for my fork again and bit some more food. We had gone through a lot, more hardships than I wish. This was just another obstacle we have to go through. I want to be positive about this. If they acquit him, they would have no reason to bother us any longer. The appeal had finally caught on to me.

"It'll be all right," I agreed finally.

When breakfast was done, he started to pick up the plates, telling me to stay put. He pushed the blanket around my shoulders before kissing my forehead. He headed back inside to wash the dishes and I slipped into sleep. A moment later, I woke up to see him leaning against one of the banisters, watching me.

"Wake up, Angel. We have a full day today."

I blinked and stretched a bit. "Was I out long?"

He shook his head. "If you were, I would have woken you up. Hypothermia would have caused trouble even for an immortal." He pushed himself up and leaned on my chair, his hands on either armrest. "Come on, we're going."

I tilted my head to the side. I had expected a stay-in date today and I wasn't really up to going somewhere with him. I kind of wanted to monopolize our time together and going somewhere else usually would mean distractions. Nevertheless, when he offered his hand, I took it, the blanket sliding off me.

Thirty minutes later, he stopped his car at the Delphic Amusement Park's parking lot. Situated at the edge of the Delphic beach, the Delphic Amusement Park was once the only amusement park Coldwater had for miles. Its reputation was definitely questionable. The rides endured the harsh Maine weather and sea poorly for years. Their structures were far from stable. The parking lot had more drugs than a pharmacy and most of them were illegal. The carnival food didn't give any confidence in the sanitation department either.

But this place had a lot of memories for the both of us. Most of mine are pretty recent but his goes way back. Delphic Amusement Park was built by fallen angels to hide their underground city beneath our feet. I know Patch wasn't one of those who built it but I was pretty sure he knew most of those who did. Actually I was pretty sure he knew most of the fallen angels who lived there.

But now that the fallen angels had been banished from Earth except for Patch, I could tell the amusement park was finally seeing its downfall. Though it hasn't been that long, the place had already had a desolate and abandoned feel to it. As the sun slowly climbed higher and higher up the sky, it casted shadows all over it, sending long eerie fingers of shadows in every direction, giving it a more haunted feel. For a second, I didn't want to enter the place, fearing of ghosts.

"As you can see, it's starting to fall apart," Patch pointed out, slightly waving towards the place.

"It's kind of sad," I admitted. I might as well be honest. I added, "And eerie."

"It's kind of hard keeping the huge place looking nice but then I can't say I try. I rarely go here any longer but there are really only two things I keep up with," he explained. There was a hint of darkness in his voice that made me feel like he hated the idea of being alone at such a vast place. I couldn't help but to wonder if he regretted being the only fallen angel who hadn't been banished to hell. I pushed the thought out of my head and placed it in one of my files. I really don't think I can afford thinking about this especially this close to his trial. I had lost him once. I really don't think I had the strength to go through a minute of that, much less an eternity without him.

"What's the other two you're trying to maintain?" I asked, sounding curious enough. I wanted to hide my sudden worry.

He grinned, his eyes twinkling at the same time. "The arcade and the Archangel."

My stomach did a mini-back flip at his words. The arcade and the rollercoaster ride, the Archangel, both reminded us how we started. It had seemed like forever because of everything we've been through. But in reality, it had just been a few months ago. I was out with some friends then when I had bumped into Patch, who infuriated me at the time, at the arcade. I wanted to figure him out because he knew too much about me. I had tried to ignore him but eventually, my curiosity and the strong magnet between us had lured me into riding the Archangel with him. I swore I thought I had fallen off my seat at the peak of the ride but the next thing I knew, I was holding onto Patch's arm, screaming my head off. Patch had later revealed that he was going to kill me then, to sacrifice me so he could get a human body but he didn't go through his plan and eventually settled to scaring me instead.

"Well, guess who's pretty sentimental," I grinned back at him. "So are we going to your studio?"

He shook his head. "I am in the betting mood."

I lifted an eyebrow up and crossed my arms. "No gambling here. We can always go to Bo's Arcade or the Z."

"The games here are more than enough. You'll have to win against me, three out of five games. Loser will be severely punished."

I wasn't up to any game but I might as well ride along to whatever he had planned for today. I pretended to think for a second, pressing an innocent thumb against my lips. I walked slowly to him, swaying my hips in the most subtle yet provocative way I can. When I was near enough, I wrapped my arms around his neck, amused his face lost a bit of its composure and his eyes lost their wicked glint. I was hoping this little seduction trick would get me out of the gambling.

"So, what's the punishment?" I asked in a hushed tone as if we were sharing some conspiratorial secret.

The twinkle returned in his dark eyes and a hint of smile tugged at his face. "Five rounds, non-stop, on the Archangel."

My stomach flipped and he flashed his full-on grin. I hated heights. I had my fair share of facing this fear but all those instances did nothing to alleviate this phobia. I recovered and slid a hand down his chest, ignoring my own fluttering heart. I was banking on my seduction skills, which honestly I had not used but it was worth a shot.

"Isn't that a little harsh?" I pouted my lip out a bit. I knew he wasn't going to fall for my honeyed voice but still, I gave it a shot. "You know I hate heights." I ran my hand over his chest again, lowering it a bit to his solid abs.

He caught my hand and tightly snuggled it between his palms. "Don't worry, it's a ride for two. I'll be your support system." He spoke his words with great exaggerated sarcasm.

I scowled playfully but I didn't bother to hide my annoyance. "What about you? What's your punishment?"

He ran his hand over his chin, a gesture he does when he's thinking. "Well, to be fair, I'll leave that up to you."

The first real hint of a smile slid into my face. "Scars," I purred softly. There were two scars on his smooth back that began on his shoulder blades and met each other down the small of his back, in between of his kidneys. Every fallen angel have scars like his, made when their wings were torn off. They were fallen angel's Achilles heel. Damage their wing scars by sticking something in it could paralyze a fallen angel for hours. Besides this, the wing scars also shows the fallen angel's past, showing their memories. Patch was very guarded and his past was one of the things he hid well, even from me. But I wanted to know more about his past, despite him telling me over and over again he was not a good person. The allure of knowing what he was like in every stage of his long life was too much.

He thought for a second about it, his lips thinning a bit. But after a second, he nodded slowly. "Deal."

We made our way towards the entrance of the amusement park. The whole place was more eerie than it was on the parking lot. I remembered walking on its packed pathways last spring and summer. The empty concession stands stood several feet away from ride entrances. Memories flooded me of the place with its bright lights and eerie cheerful music. Though it was no Disney World, Delphic Amusement Park was the best the good people of Coldwater had. During the weekends and vacations, the place would be so filled with people, you'd have to squeeze your way out of flocks just to get to a ride or one of the concession stands.

We approached the small building at the side, labeled "Arcade" at the top of its doorway. Patch fished out a circle of keys and flipped through the right one. He glanced at me in the corner of his eyes before pushing the door open. He tapped the walls for the lights before finding it and flicking it on. The whole place had not changed since I had last seen it. Several game consoles littered the whole building with some tables for table tennis and air hockey lined in one side of the room. Compared to the rest of the amusement park, this small building had obviously been well kept.

"So, where do we start?" I asked, glancing at a Pacman game near me.

He walked past me in his confident stride and leaned against one of the air hockey tables. "Well, this will be fun."

An hour later, I was badly defeated. Though I had won against him in air hockey and in the Pacman game, he had definitely outscored me in the hoops game, the Zombie apocalypse game, and the military war game. I had my arms crossed and a scowl was stamped on my face.

"Why can't we ride something else?" I whined as he grabbed my arm and dragged me out towards the Archangel. I looked up at the structure of the rollercoaster ride looming in front of me. When I had first rode it spring, the girl selling the tickets at the entrance said it was newly renovated. But the rusted metal and the weathered wood that made up the ride really didn't help ease my fear. Even today, as I was being dragged near it, it didn't give me confidence on safety. It actually looked even worse for wear, just like every other ride here.

"Are you sure you've been keeping up with it?" I asked.

"It works fine," he replied, emphasizing on the word "fine" a little too much for me to like. "Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you. I just don't trust it from collapsing on itself."

He laughed; the sound sent ripples of pleasure in my skin. Even though I had liked it, it didn't hinder my annoyance. I meant to push him hard but he staggered backwards only a step. "Don't laugh, I hate heights."

"Even if it did collapse, you'll walk away from it. Immortal, remember?" He rolled his eyes and my annoyance raised a notch higher.

"Yeah, well even if I did walk away from it, I'll look horrible, remember?" I retorted, my tone mockingly sarcastic.

He shrugged as he grabbed my hand towards one of the empty trains. It would have seated at least eight passengers but since it was the just the two of us, the train seems unnecessarily long. I hesitated in front of the train, staring at him pleadingly.

"You gave your word," he reproved. I sighed, seeing no way out. He held out his hand to help me climb in and strapped the slightly creaky safety barrier.

He walked away and I panicked. "Hey! You said you'll ride with me!" My voice was shrill and I grabbed the barrier, rattling it loudly. "Where are you going?!"

I heard the hydraulics of the train and I froze. It began moving slowly and I panicked even further, my hands gripping the barrier so hard my knuckles turned white. "Patch, come back here right now!" I hissed as the train began to lurch forward again.

I heard his low chuckle before I heard several fast heavy footsteps, then I saw him leap from one side of the track to the other, landing evenly. He climbed in and hurriedly placed his own seat barrier before the train started its slow ascent.

"You need to calm down more, Angel." He sounded too amused for my liking and if I wasn't clutching on to the railing hard, I would have found a way to punch his shoulder. "I just had to set the controls so we could use the ride."

"This isn't funny and I don't want to hear anything from you!" I glared at him. We were reaching the crest of the tracks, the statue of the male archangel meeting us at the very top. I didn't want to look down. The height would just make me dizzy so I opted on focusing my eyes at something in the horizon. I chose the sea, which seemed consistent whatever altitude you are in. The slowly creeping winter had sent its cold air against us, making me shiver but it was more on the fear inside me rather than the temperature itself.

The train tilted forward but it didn't plunge on, extremely enjoying my discomfort with all the air between the ground and myself. I could almost hear Patch laughing beside me, which he probably did in his mind. I glared again at him and there he was, grinning from ear to ear. I opened my mouth to say something but the words were sucked right out of me when the train plunged forward with gravity and its own mechanics working with it. The scream making its way to my mouth got stuck on my throat. I held on to Patch, my nails digging into the skin on his arm.

"Open your eyes, Angel," he coaxed gently in mind speak. I shook my head and I felt his hand pressed against my face. "Come on, open them. I want to show you something."

Hesitantly I opened them and another beautiful view had met my eyes. We were flying, high up the ground, headed for the horizon. It looked like we had escaped the safety restraints of our seats and took off, using the train's velocity as it sped through the tracks to our advantage. We passed the never-ending blue of the ocean, the cool wind whipping our faces. I looked up to see Patch holding me in his arms, his muscles tight. His face was serious, his eyes holding the familiar tint of steel black but when he saw me staring at him in what must have been awe, his eyes melted to their usual velvety black.

My eyes wandered towards the sky but came up short as I saw the two huge, black wings protruding from Patch's back. It flapped and beat steadily, cutting the air with their sure rhythm.

"Patch, your wings!" I gasped, my jaw hanging open. "How did you-?"

The teasing grin came back and I was thrown back against him, my cheek hitting his shoulder. The ride was coming to its end, the train slowing down to a stop to the platform. The hydraulics puffed the last of the air before the train froze and the safety restraints lifted off us. I was still shaking; unable to catch up to what just happened. Patch guided me out of the train, holding on to my hand as I climbed up.

"Are you okay, Angel?" he asked, his smile was polite but his eyes twinkled in amusement.

"You mind-tricked me into seeing that," I whispered. Confusion, annoyance, and awe mixing together, leaving me speechless. A familiar feeling climbed its way into my head as I remembered the night I first rode the Archangel with Patch. He had mind-tricked me as well. He made me see I was falling off the ride.

"You didn't have to do that," I narrowed my eyes to slits.

He shrugged. "You needed to learn that it's easier for someone to invade your mind if you're running high on emotions." His face turned serious. "If someone knows your fears, they will use that to their advantage. Never let them use that against you."

"So it was just all for a lesson?" I asked, my annoyance increasing. I know he did it to keep me aware and guarded but he didn't have to do it on that extent.

He shook his head, his grin slowly returning. "No, not exactly. I remembered the last time we were here I showed you an unpleasant image. Though it was fun finally seeing you break your own carefully crafted shell, I felt like I owed you another view." His eyebrow lifted inquiringly. "Didn't you like it?"

The velvet quality his voice had adopted confused me a bit, wiping my mind blank. I grasped to catch what we were talking about but I only opened and closed my mouth like a fish. He waited for me patiently, his face was politely expectant but I knew he was enjoying this. "I liked it," I declared defiantly.

He placed his hands out and nodded as if he was convinced. "All right. Well, we're done here. Come on." He offered his hand out.

I stared at him, my eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Where are we going?"

His grin was back. "I think I owed you a beach date."

"Beach date?" I repeated, doubtfully. "It's almost winter. The water will be freezing."

"Just trust me," he said, grabbing my hand. He led me towards the back of the amusement park and stopped in front of a high fence that divided the park and the beach. He climbed over it with relative ease and I followed him.

During this time of the year, the Delphic Beach was almost void of people. Even though it was a weekend and despite it being a little sunny, the cold temperatures didn't attract any tourists. The locals are too busy trying to warm up inside their homes to even come take a walk at the newly renovated board walk. We had the beach to ourselves.

Behind one of the dunes that separated the beach itself to Delphic Amusement Park, Patch had taken out a roll of blanket and a basket. We made our way near the water, laying out the multicolored blanket. He carefully set down the basket before sitting down himself.

I couldn't help smirking as I sat down beside him. "You really thought of everything, didn't you?"

"It doesn't hurt to be a little prepared when it comes to these things," he said lightly.

The rest of our day was spent on the beach, cuddling on the blanket, and watching the clouds roll over us. Like the sunrise that morning, I chose to enjoy the moment and forget the future. We didn't talk much, maybe because words will probably ruin this or maybe there was nothing left to say. But I had a feeling that if we talked, we'd talk once again about the impending future. If this was the last day I had with Patch, I wanted it to be as peaceful and memorable. I didn't want the uncertainty of the future threaten this quiet date, even though throughout the day, it had been threatening to break me down into anxiety attacks.

We had stayed in the beach long enough to watch the sun set in the horizon. It was as beautiful as the rise earlier but it had a solemn, sobering quality. If the sunrise signifies a new beginning, a new hope, a renewed sense of happiness, the sunset had determined the end of the day and the beginning of the end of my time with Patch for who knows how long. As we walked away from our spot to head out to his Jeep, I didn't let go of his hand, afraid that if I let go, our time together will be up.

We drove again, this time, returning to his townhouse. I could feel the electricity in the air crackling around us as we stepped inside the home and I knew it would break any second. It was just a matter of who will make the first move. I could feel the both of us holding it in throughout the day and even repressing it as we cuddled in the beach. It wasn't a decency thing. The tension was repressed in the beach because it was just a perfect moment and doing something will break the fragile existence of the peace.

But now as we stood there, the calm before the storm, we both know, and perhaps are a bit glad, that the perfect peace of the moment was gone. Nothing but passion was left to resolve with. I had a clear insight on what I was about to do for a few seconds before Patch grabbed me by the arm and pulled me against him, his lips hungrily meeting mine. He roamed my mouth with his tongue and I answered with my own passion burning through me and into my kisses.

He hoisted me up and I hooked my legs around his waist. He gently pushed me up against the wall on his living room. His hands slid inside my sweater, sending electricity against the skin of my stomach and my back. My hands slid through his curly hair and landed on the back of his neck pushing him closer. His mouth made its way to my jaw and traveled down to the side of my neck. My thoughts jumbled together, my brain focusing on the pleasure his touches and kisses were giving me. I felt his hands slid further up my back, nearing my bra strap and that reeled me in back to reality.

"No," I whispered, barely getting the word out. It was difficult for me to stop let alone stop him from taking our relationship further.

He looked up at me, confused. "No?" he repeated questioningly.

"No," I replied, my voice sounding hollow.

"There's not much conviction there, Angel," he said with a polite smile but his eyes were suddenly a degree colder. Nonetheless, he planted my feet gently back on the ground. He hesitated first before finally breaking our contact. He leaned against the wall opposite mine and stared at me, waiting for an explanation.

"I want to, I really do," I insisted earnestly.

"But you're just afraid of giving yourself when you're still uncertain about the future," he guessed, his voice was hollow but I could feel the implication. He was accusing me of being a coward, of reeling in when he was about to give all of himself to me with nothing to gain and everything to lose.

I shook my head vigorously. "I did think of that but that's not the reason." I gulped some air and sighed. My lip was starting to tremble at the way his voice and his eyes had suddenly gone colder. "Don't you see? This will be the last test for us. If we get through this and do it when we're not worrying about anything else, then it'll be a lot sweeter for the both of us." I approached him warily, cautiously pressing my palm against his cheeks. When he didn't pull away from my touch, I felt relief sweep over me. "You already have most of me and I am willing to give everything to you. I'm not afraid of giving you my all but I want to do it when it's the perfect time for the both of us."

He was silent for a few seconds but he nodded. "Where do you want to go? Do you want to go home?"

"I want to stay here," I amended, taking his hand and sliding my fingers with his. I glanced at the watch on his kitchen wall. It was only seven and my curfew was twelve. I really had no intentions of going home right now.

He pecked my lips. "I'll cook dinner." He walked towards the kitchen and I heard the stove being turned on.

His kitchen was divided from the dining room by a granite counter lined with three barstools. I slid into one and I watched as he moved around, preparing several ingredients. He had a large pot boiling water. After a few minutes, he had plopped in pasta. He took out a skillet and started boiling oil. He sliced garlic, tomatoes, anchovies, and olives. He fried the garlic and added in the tomatoes. He then added anchovies, tomato paste, capers, olives, and red pepper flakes. He drained the pasta when it was done and mixed in the finished sauce. He placed the Puttanesca in two plates and served one to me. He slid to the barstool beside me and dug in. I took a bite myself and smiled.

"You know, since you're an immortal, you have a lot of time in your hands," I said in between bites.

"Yeah, and?"

"And I was just thinking, maybe you want to go to a culinary school or something. You can really cook."

He threw back his head and laughed. "I only cook for one special private client."

"You know what, you're right. This is too good for me to share."

After dinner, I took it as my responsibility to wash the dishes since he had cooked. He wanted to do it, to complete the task as to speak but I insisted he watched T.V. or at least stay out of my way. He opted in watching me work behind the counter. Once the dishes were done, it was almost nine. I hung a washcloth that I used on the counter near the sink to dry.

When I turned around, he was staring at me, his eyes focused as if I was the most interesting thing on the planet. I gave him a smile as the butterflies on my stomach returned. He got up and walked around the counter, his hand sliding through the surface. The anticipation had built in my stomach and I was once again in his arms.

He entered the Jeep into my driveway, three hours later. I could see my mom's light still on and I imagined her straining to hear every car that passed by the farmhouse, which is definitely not a lot. The car stalled as we remained seated, the heat blasting from the air vents.

My jaw and my lips were trembling. This was going to be good-bye for now. I fought the urge to cry but the tears stung the back of my eyes. I pushed the tears away, trying hard to be inconspicuous about it. But I felt his eyes burning on the side of my face. He reached over and tugged me to get closer to him. I crawled over the console and slid on to his lap, facing him. He leaned close, his forehead against mine and his breath warm on my face.

"I will come back to you," he whispered gently. "Nothing can keep me from you. Even if the archangels find me guilty, I will never let them keep me from coming back to you."

My heart sank at the words "guilty" and I buried my face on his chest. His arm was around me, comforting and protective at the same time. His free hand stroked the curly locks of my hair.

"Sshh, Angel. It will be all right," he muttered.

I turned to him and he wiped the tears off my face with his hands. "I love you, Angel. Nothing else matters, not the archangels, not this trial, and not hell."

Like a child, I nodded, my body trembling as I took in gasps of breath. I saw the light in my mom's room flicker on and off, signaling me to come inside already. He wrapped his arms around me again, his lips pressing against mine. The way his mouth moved against mine was sad and longing.

"We'll get through this," he said with finality. "We've gone through worse."

I slid off him and ran towards the house. Before I disappeared inside, I looked back and waved longingly to him. I watched as he backed out of my driveway and disappeared into the night.