The following morning Michael awakened to the sound of Toby's barking from outside. So Michael sat up in bed, stretched to reach for the curtains, and pulled them out of the window so he could see through it.
Below, April was playing fetch with the dog, her face bright and grinning. It was the first time Michael had seen her so joyful. It made him feel warm inside.
After watching April and Toby for a few moments Michael got up on his feet and sleepily made his way to the closet to pick out a pair of clothes from it. What he pulled out was a white t-shirt and black jeans which he quickly changed into before slipping on the running sneakers April had gave him the second day he'd been living at her house and joined her in the front yard.
When April noticed Michael approaching she gave him a small smile, one that showed no teeth, before turning away again to throw Toby his favorite old and soggy tennis ball that he'd just deposited in her hand.
As she watched the now healthy and healed dog leap after his toy April sighed, "Last night wasn't a dream huh?"
"No, it wasn't," Michael chuckled.
April shook her head in disbelief. "I never even really had faith in God. Yet, He sends one of his angels to protect me, and not just any angel but YOU?"
"Maybe that's just another reason He sent me here," mused Michael. "To give you the proof you needed to believe."
"I don't see how I could be that important," April admitted. "I'm just an average girl who happened to stumble into the supernatural world and decided to take a few of the evil creatures down. I'm sure just about every other hunter has killed more evil than I have. Except maybe the beginners…"
Michael shrugged. "He values all good humans do, even if it's small. And maybe you are destined to do something very important."
"I don't know," April frowned.
She seemed like she was about to say something else but when she didn't speak after several seconds Michael figured she'd decided against it.
It made him curious what she'd had on her mind.
"I'm going to work this afternoon," April said, changing the subject. "I'm going to help Jerry unpack some supplies. I was wondering if you'd like to come?"
Michael was surprised. "Sure."
"I don't feel like driving and I thought you would?" inquired April.
"I don't know…" Michael's voice trailed.
April nodded. "You're probably still sore from the attack."
"No it's not that," refuted Michael. "It's well, the fact that I don't know how to."
A sheepish expression formed on his face.
"You've never driven?"
"No," replied Michael. "I never had to. I always teleported myself to wherever I needed to go."
"You were lucky," April told him. "I'd give up this life in a heartbeat if I'd be given the opportunity to be an angel."
Michael frowned. "I don't think you understand what it's really like April. Except for the angels that tend to Heaven's grounds we're all soldiers. All we do is fight; it is part of us. We execute God's will, or we do what we think He would want us to. It's all we do. It's all I ever did."
"Are you saying you don't miss it?" asked April.
Michael shook his head quickly. "Of course I miss it. Heaven is my home, and like you said there are perks. I've seen nearly every inch of this planet and never felt pain until now, but I can't see you enjoying it. I can't see any human enjoying it, not after living your lives out here. It is why God doesn't create angels from human souls."
"I'm still not convinced that it would be like that," April said stubbornly.
"Think what you like, but remember I've experienced it."
April nodded and moved forward in their conversation.
"Anyways…I could teach you to drive if you want me to. Do you?"
"That would be nice," Michael decided. "I should learn in case I ever have to drive somewhere on my own."
April smiled. "Alright then, how about starting now?"
"Sure," Michael answered.
April whistled for Toby and he bounded over to them.
After April had let the pooch into the house and snatched her keys off the kitchen counter she led Michael to her pick-up which she'd taken out of the garage that morning.
Michael slowly sat down in the driver's seat while April hopped into the passenger side of the vehicle. Afterwards, she handed him the keys.
"We'll start off by getting you familiar with the stuff in here," said April.
She then began by pointing out the brake and gas pedal, the mirrors, the gas and speedometer, and whatever else she deemed important. When she was done April pointed out to a hole under the steering wheel.
"Push the black and silver key, the biggest key into that and turn it away from you until the engine starts," she instructed.
Michael did as ordered and let go of the key as the engine sprung to life like the object was on fire.
April grinned but suppressed the laughter that was bubbling within her because of his reaction.
"Now take the shifter and pull it down to D, for drive, while pressing on the brake with your foot."
Once Michael had gone through the motion April gave him a nod. "That's good."
They continued the lesson for the next three hours in that truck. April was very thorough with her teaching and Michael had trouble keeping the vehicle on the road. Driving definitely wasn't as natural to him as using a weapon. However, by the end of the morning Michael had progressed enough that April felt comfortable letting him drive without always watching the road ahead of them. She was sure after a bit more practice he'd be fine.
April asked Michael to drive to the Bull Steakhouse they had in town, which was a lot smaller than it sounded, and they ate there for dinner. April found it humorous that either of them took the business's famous steak. Instead, April had ribs and Michael had his first cheeseburger, which led to a second cheeseburger. He took a real liking to it.
When both were finished and stuffed Michael and April walked over to the bar.
What they discovered when they walked through the doors was something that would never fade from either of their memories.
They found Jerry lying down on his back near center of the room. He was a bloody mess. His clothes were bathed in red, his eyes wide open, and throat cut almost down to the spine.
It was something that Michael had seen all too often but never to someone he had actually known well. Except for in his nightmares.
"NO!" April screamed.
She raced to Jerry's side and kneeled beside him as she covered her mouth with her shaking hands.
Michael could see tears spring to her eyes as he joined her on the floor.
"Oh God no," April whimpered, shutting them for a second.
She then twisted her upper body towards Michael and grabbed a handful of his shirt before resting her head against his chest and sobbing into it.
Michael was unsure of what he should do. He had never comforted a person. He had never needed to, nor wanted to. But now he did. He wanted so badly to console his charge, but he didn't know how.
So he froze.
"He… was like a…like a brother to me," stuttered April. "He was the nicest guy; how could anyone do this to him?"
As she spoke the words Michael spotted strange yellow powder on the table behind Jerry's body.
He hesitated to leave April, but his curiosity took over and Michael stood before stepping over Jerry's body to investigate.
He touched the powder with his index finger, then sniffed it.
"It's sulfur," Michael announced as he showed April the yellow stuff on his finger.
April's eyes widened. "Victor did this, didn't he?"
"That or one of his demonic subordinates," said Michael.
April gritted her teeth together. "Son of a bitch," she hissed. "We summon him tonight; you hear me?"
"Ah uh," Michael disagreed. "Not tonight, you're not thinking straight. Revenge is blinding April; you're too vulnerable right now. That's what Victor wants. He wants us to make the first move; to make the mistake that costs us our lives."
April bit her lip and more tears escaped her eyes. "You can't protect me forever Michael."
"Maybe not," sighed Michael. "But I won't put you in danger just to get it over with. It's too risky."
"But," April began.
"No buts," Michael murmured as he kneeled back down beside her. "We're not doing the ritual."
April's glaze fell from his face and back to Jerry's which caused her to begin weeping again.
The sound tore Michael to pieces.
What was he supposed to do?
A/N: I'm sorry for not updating sooner, life has been busy. I hope the extra long chapter made up for it.