Mimi picked up the only intact chair in the room and sat before him as stately as a queen. Quiet descended in the shattered room and Jack felt the tension slowly evaporate in the peaceful sunshine. Mimi's face grew serene, glowing almost in the golden sunshine that flooded the room. The spoiled, selfish look that sometimes characterized his sister was gone, the slightly petulant cast to her features replaced by calm determination. In that instant; Jack knew he was truly in the presence of Azrael.
"Bonds are more than just love." Even her voice was different, cooler and more remote than he had ever heard it yet echoing with a hundred emotions. Jack listened, the voice taking him back ten thousand years and more, to the very vaults of heaven.
"Bond partner are two halves of the same soul; matched pairs that work as one. When they fight, they fight as one and are unstoppable. Even when apart, a bonded pair is more than a match for anyone."
She reached down and took his hands, holding them gently.
"However if that bond were to break, either through death or design, those who had been paired would be diminished. They would stumble where once they would have trod confidently, the feelings of abandonment would plague them at every juncture and in the next cycle, they would be weaker. This is why Michael has not led as confidently as before, why Sandoval is a mouse and possibly why Gabrielle still slumbers."
Jack stared at Mimi, his face frozen in shock.
"I did not remember."
"Of course you didn't." Mimi replied, her voice reverting to normal as she moved to stand. "You've wanted to be Jack Force rather than Abaddon this cycle. But for us to work effectively and end the threat of the silver bloods, we need to be joined properly and earlier than before." Crossing the sunlit room, she reached the drinks cabinet and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of clear mineral water. "And you've fought it all the way."
"I just wanted to walk in the light." Jack watched her pour the drinks and tried to clear his thoughts. "I wanted to be..."
"You wanted to be loved like Gabrielle and you disliked what you had to do." She turned back to face him, her face shadowed by the sun. "But you forget that this is our nature. And yes we can soften ourselves and adjust, but we will always be the angels of darkness."
Jack watched as Mimi moved closer and handed him a glass of water. He took a sip, feeling the cool liquid sooth his throat as his thoughts raced. How could he have been so blind, so wrapped up in his own problems? He searched through his memories, noting the large gaps in shame. Closing his eyes, he ran his mind back, back to the beginning and their fall.
"You hate what the Almighty has made in you Abaddon?" The voice was soft, coaxing, a voice that damned with promises. "Gabrielle rejects you because of your place." The shining light of the morning star blinded and confused as Abaddon listened. "Join with me Abaddon and you can walk a different path." As always, the morning star lied.
"Abaddon!" He turned to his twin, Azrael, the dust and blood of battle splayed across her form. "We must join with Michael, Lucifer will never keep his promises. Look at the destruction he has wrought. We must stop him before he ends all we hold dear."
"No! he promised."
"Don't be a fool. This has nothing to do with you walking in the light, he wanted us to destroy and we have. We are losing the grace of the Almighty, you must know this."
"When the Morningstar wins?"
"He will never win, Gabrielle and Michael have joined the fight and he will fall. I do not want to fall with Lucifer Abaddon."
"You would abandon him?"
"As he has abandonned us. He loosed us on Heaven as though we were his pet dogs and he keeps all for himself. He will never make you one of the light because it serves him more that you are like this. But if you wish to keep faith with him, I will stand with you till the end."
His eyes flickered open and he stared at Mimi, wondering how long she had known.
"You have to remember Abaddon for all of our sakes." And there was Azrael, her words softer than he ever remembered. Jack placed the glass on the nearby bedside table and turned back. Mimi was looking at him, her green eyes calmly measuring.
"I remember." Jack reached up and caught her wrist. "That you always save me." The red marks encircling her wrist, pulled at his conscience and softly he kissed the bruised flesh. "It's time for me to acknowledge how special you are." Mimi placed her glass on the floor as Jack drew her closer. Nose to nose they sat, eyes searching each other as they spoke without words. At some silent signal, they crossed the last distance and kissed. Her lips were cool yet soft, tenderly exploring his as her fingers reached for his upper arms. Jack pulled her from the chair and into his lap. Their kisses intensified, passion warring with gentleness. Passion won and they fell backwards onto the bed. He peeled the blouse from her body and kissed her deeply, hungrily, letting time slip away from them as they became lost in each others arms.