"Always forgive your enemies, nothing annoys them so much"
-Oscar Wilde
-Chapter two: Forgiveness-
Silence resonated through the small cabin, no light except for the occasional crash of lightning. Jude moved with caution, making sure to keep hold of the eyes of the celestial being. When she reached her destination, she lit a match and illuminated the room, bringing light to the face of one of the intruders.
His face was basked in the light glow of the candle, blue eyes seizing her up. "Why are you here", Jude asked, while setting the candle down on the kitchen table. She pulled out a chair and took a seat at the table, then motioned for him to do the same. Michael sat down rather gracefully considering the maneuvering involved with his wings, but he managed.
Michael pondered for a moment, he recognized this woman from somewhere. Pushing the thought from his mind he settled into the chair, preparing for a long session of question answering, although he was surprised at how well this woman had taken the events thus far.
After Audrey had fainted, both figures had dove into action, Jude quickly pulling Audrey off the mammoth angel on the floor, Michael doing something similar with Gabriel. Struggling she had managed to get Audrey in a well enough position to move her to at least the couch in the living room.
Looking up she saw that the angel had done something similar, only with more creativity. Michael went to speak, only Jude beat him to it, "I know who you are, so don't bother with introductions" she replied, annoyance giving her words a harsh edge. As if anticipating his next question as well she beat him to answering this one as well, "Audrey has spoken of you before, of both of you before" motioning to the larger angel in Michaels arms, positioned as a couple dancing would, only Gabriels legs trailed on the floor.
"We can speak in a moment, but first let's get these two settled in, I have a feeling they won't be up and about for quite some time" nodding his head in agreement, he followed her into the living room, where she was already putting Audrey on the love seat.
Not looking up from what she was doing, Jude pointed over to the empty couch.
Michael took the few struggling steps over to the couch, if Gabriel was anything, light isn't one of them. Flopping him onto the couch, he tried moving him in a more comfortable position with no avail. So he ended up leaving Gabriel on the fully sized couch, with his legs falling over the end.
Afterward she had led them into the kitchen, which had led up to the question at hand, why they were there. "We have come to help ease the struggle of the settlement" Michael stated, setting his hands on the table. Jude nodded her head slightly then placed her own hands on the table, "Indeed, I figured as much, what I meant was here, at my home" she said dryly.
Michael blinked once, then twice before his face broke out in a small smirk, "Ah yes, that, well unfortunately not even angels are completely immune to storms, we got tossed about quite a bit and ended up needing a place to land and wait out the storm" she raised an eyebrow. "And thus we found our way to your home", she watched him for a few moments, an unreadable expression on her face. "So you mean to tell me that even though the well lit settlement is maybe four miles away, the only place you could find was my dark, lightless home", Michael nodded his head, not letting her in on the real reason.
"Meaning you both didn't want to scare, and quite possibly get shot at by the settlement. Understandable, most people would probably assume the worst seeing two creatures, one who is almost seven feet, come flying out of a lightning storm." Michael sighed a long tiered sigh. "Yes, that seems to sum it up", smiling Jude extended her hand.
"Well I'm Jude and welcome to my home", confused slightly by her sudden change, he shook her hand warily; making sure his fingers didn't linger too long on her hand. Jude then stood up and walked over the kitchen entrance, "I'm going back to bed, you can go ahead and make yourself comfortable anywhere you like, I recommend staying away from the living room for a bit though, wouldn't want to wake up them up", just as she was about to leave Michael spoke.
"Wait," he called lightly, she stopped and turned ever so slightly, giving him a view of half her face. "Yes?" she asked, "why are you being so hospitable?" Judes face broke out into a knowing smile, "I told you, Audrey has mentioned you before" with that last statement she wandered out of the door way, Michael listen to her soft footsteps as they ascended the stairs.
Looking up at the ceiling, he wondered why his god had such a sense of humor.
-Forgiveness-
Light shone through the window, illuminating the room to the morning sun.
Gabriel awoke with the mother of all headaches. He lifted his hand sluggishly to the side of his head, the skin hadn't been broken but there was a lump the size of an egg. Using the same hand he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up.
He promptly realized he was on a couch, or more precisely half of him was on a couch, the rest was hanging over the end.
Surveying the room he didn't see anything too impressive, the space had been painted a light green, which didn't match anything in the cramped place. To the right of him there was a small fire place with a singed carpet laying at its opening. Across the room on either side of the window sat two well worn chairs, one a faded red, the other the same pink stained floral print as the couch he currently occupied. In between the two chairs was an old stained covered coffee table, with a book under one leg.
Overall Gabriel was unimpressed, and would have assumed it was abandoned if it wasn't for the events of the night before.
He was just relieved to see a place to get out of the rain, he didn't even think to assume there was someone living there. While Michael had been in the kitchen looking for something to light the fire with, he had begun to explore the living area.
Picking up a book, he flipped through it wondering what kind of book "The Vikings Bride" could be, most likely a book of history.
When he heard the light patter of feet going down the stairs he froze, making sure not to be seen.
Two women descended the stairs, their makeshift weapons in hand, the last thing he wanted to do was frighten them. His plan was to simply approach them calmly, then announce his presence.
Yet as he neared the smaller one spun around with such unexpected speed that he didn't have time to react.
It was in the moments of blurry confusion that he realized who she was.
The young woman who had jumped upon his back, sacrificing herself to save the young couple and infant, even then he had known she was a brave young soul; causing her death was one of his biggest regrets.
His though process was interrupted by a small movement coming from the love seat to his left, a sleek black couch he seemed to have missed.
He watched her eyes flutter open, he dared not move.
Audreys head was killing her. It took her no time at all to realize she wasn't in her room, she shifter around to get a better look at the room. As she did a surge of pain shot through her shoulder, groaning she clutched her shoulder and sat up gently.
She stopped midway, there he was sitting watching her.
She let out a hoarse cry and scooted back as far as she could get. Her heart was beating at an alarming rate, at the back of her head her mind was telling her it was just a dream. Only thing was she didn't dream anymore.
They watched each other, grey eyes meeting piercing blue.
He went to move closer, she replied by giving him a fierce glare, as if daring him to move closer, but he didn't.
"Why?" she question, an edge to her tone.
He remained silent, not knowing how to answer.
Her eyes began to water, tears falling from her eyes, "why are you here?" her yell echoed through the small room, making the silence afterwards seem as thick as fog.
Gabriels demeanor changed drastically, his body slumped ever so slightly, and her hands shook as if they were cold.
She was startled when he looked back at her, there were tears in his eyes. "Why are you here…?" she asked again, only this time curious by the sudden change the monster displayed.
"To try and help", his reply was all but a whisper. Audrey went to question him more, but before she could he shot up, clearing the room in three huge steps.
As he was leaving she watched him wipe tears from his eyes.
Audrey sat in silence, until finally Jude came walking in an hour later, the entire time the image of the monster crying played over and over in her head.
-Forgiveness-
The guilt, it was suffocating him.
He didn't bother flying, he just began walking as fast as he could, away from that home, away from that woman who was once a girl. How did she become a woman so quickly, with eyes so cold, it stung him to look right at her.
He stopped, it hit him, he had done it, he was the one that had turned a carefree girl into a woman haunted by images of her past.
He couldn't stand it, taking a running start he jumped into the air, taking flight and letting the numb feel of weightlessness take over.
-Forgiveness-
As she walked down the stairs Audrey caught the whiff of pancakes being made, of coffee being brewed. Stopping just at the base of the stairs, she heard Jude laughing, then Michaels sweet voice.
Michael, the angel who cut off his wings for humanity, the man who risked his life to save her from a burning car, and the man who shot her mother.
She couldn't face him, not now, not until she got her mind back in check.
Quietly passing the kitchen, she quickly headed out side making sure that the door didn't slam shut as she went. Passing the vegetable garden, making her way through the colorful field of flowers, she just kept on walking.
She walked until finally reaching the cliff she knew resided there.
Looking out at the expanding valley she spotted the settlement nestled between two mountains, past that resided the desert, the place where she left her family.
Carefully sitting on the cliff edge, her hair became caught in the cooling wind.
She came to this place often, it was her way of separating that night from the rest of her world, her way of reassuring herself that the events of Paradise Hills stayed in that barren wasteland, and couldn't cross over the line of lush green and mountain.
Yet last night the safety bubble she had painstakingly built for herself had been popped. The creature she had built her defense against, had come and demolished it with one glance, then completely changed her image of him with one tear.
Why had he cried? He was Gabriel for petes sake! The creature that with one swipe of his hand had sent a man flying eight feet into a stove! The thing that had blocked bullets with its wings! The angel that would kill an innocent child, order or not.
Yet he sat there and shed tears for her, then all but ran away! As if he was afraid of her or something.
Her heart and mind were in turmoil, she knew that all the unanswered questions would simply give her a headache, she lifted her knees up and rested her chin to them, letting her arms wrap themselves around her legs.
She sat like this, with the wind as her only companion until she heard the beating of wings from up above.
She didn't move.
The stranger landed a few yards away from her.
She still didn't move.
The person walked up to her until there were only feet separating them.
"It's good to see you without that ridiculous face paint and in some less scandalous clothing", she smiled slowly, then pushed herself up off the cliff edge. "Really and here I thought that outfit was tame", turning around she met the eyes of Michael, "but a lot less comfortable", he snorted, then took a step closer.
"Why the change?" he asked. Audrey glanced up to the sky, "an homage to my parent, well that and wearing miniskirts while gardening is just too much" she replied giving him a cheeky smile.
He raised an eye brow at her obvious joke.
Her smiling face suddenly faulted, making her shift her gaze towards the ground. "I thought you had died" he moved his hand so it rested on top of her head, "I did" looking up quickly she moved and hugged him.
Michael stood there for a second not sure of what to do, but surely enough he moved his arms and wrapped them around her.
"You miss them" was all he said, she nodded her head, resisting the urge to cry.
Slowly he pushed her away from him, and look her right in the eyes, "I wish there was another way, you mother shouldn't have had to die", shaking her head Audrey replied, "no, even I knew there was no other option, it was the baby or her".
Michael let out a large sigh, "you have grown up since the last time I saw you", she smiled ever so slightly and let out a weak laugh. "Yeah, reality will do that to you", all he did was nod his head in agreement.
"Why did you come back?" she asked, "You mean why did I come back with him", he said, looking out at the valley bellow. Audrey glanced away so he didn't see her blush of embarrassment, "yes" she mumbled.
A faint smile graced Michaels mouth, "as I'm sure you already know, the few colonies remaining are struggling, with lack of food, and faith. We have come to guide them to a better way of life", Audrey nodded her head in understanding, "like the Sheppard to his heard, but you could have done that on your own, why bring…well, him?" she asked, him coming out as a sneer.
"It is his way of atoning for what he has done, he has to gain forgiveness from those he has hurt", Audrey head shot up, and she looked at him in disbelief. "You mean I have to forgive him?" She asked in shock.
Michael squinted his eyes and looked up at the sun, "well, more he has to forgive himself, but he doesn't really know that" Audrey gazed at Michael for a few seconds then let herself be drawn back towards the landscape before her.
"Forgiving yourself is harder then gaining someone else's forgiveness", she said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
They stood like this in silence, the entire time Audreys eyes never leaving the land she had forsaken for so long.
-End Chapter two: Forgiveness-
Well finished chapter two!
I promise next chapter will be very Gabriel/ Audrey.
Like last time if there is anything I can improve on or you just wanted to comment on the story, please review.
Also next chapter I will have some sketches from the previous chapter, so stay tuned!