That night Michael didn't dream of Heaven or Hell. In fact he didn't dream at all. It was the first night Michael had slept through soundly.
He probably would have slept away the whole next morning too if he hadn't stirred as April slipped out of bed.
"Where are you going?" Michael mumbled.
As April dressed she answered him. "I'm just going to feed Toby and go to the bathroom; I'll be right back."
She bent over to kiss him fleetingly before leaving the room like someone late for work when really she was rushing because she wanted to get back to him as soon as possible.
While Michael waited for her to return he closed his eyes and strained to hear the sounds in the house. Listening to whatever he could hear. Like Toby's happy woof as (he assumed) April poured kibble into his bowl downstairs.
When April returned Michael took her back in his arms immediately. April faced him and quietly traced the outline of his scar on otherwise flawless skin with her index finger.
"Last night seemed like a dream," she murmured.
"It was real," Michael assured her.
April smiled, but a troublesome light reached her eyes and it turned into a frown. "You don't regret it; do you?"
"Of course not," replied Michael. "I meant everything I said to you last night, April. I'd rather be mortal than be without you for eternity. Besides, I can't go back to my old life now; not when I'm not the same person I was before. Experiencing human life has changed me; you've changed me."
April shook her head. "I don't think so. I think you just discovered a piece of yourself you kept locked away as an angel."
Michael bowed his head to rest it against hers affectionately, and let his eyelids droop.
"I can't believe it's only been a little less then two weeks since you found me," breathed April. "I feel like I've known you so much longer."
"Me too," Michael agreed.
"You know I heard you talking in your sleep the nights it was too hot to keep my door closed," April told him. "You were having nightmares about Hell and your brother, weren't you?"
Michael nodded slowly. "Like I told you before, I regret what I did in God's absence, especially what I did while I was trapped."
"I didn't believe you then," April admitted. "But I believe you now. Now that I know how much you care, and not just for me. You were affected by Jerry's death; I saw the look in your eyes when we found him."
"Yes," Michael confirmed. "He was a good man."
"You should try to forgive yourself, you know," April told him. "We all make mistakes."
Michael knew she wasn't talking about Jerry's death.
He shook his head. "It was a mistake done purposely, April, and it nearly cost the lives of half the population on this planet. It could have cost your life before we even met."
April sighed. "Someday Michael you will forgive yourself, you'll see."
Michael didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing at all. Instead he covered her mouth with his, moving his softly over hers. The kiss quickly deepened and Michael reached to pull April's hip up tightly against his.
He was about to pull April's shirt over her head when Toby started barking and scrambled up the stairs to scratch the door frantically.
As April stood to go open it Michael dressed up.
When April let Toby in the dog bolted towards her and barked at her like he was trying to tell her something.
Michael knew even before April why the dog had gone crazy. The demon was back.
He fished the demon killing knife out of his coat and cautiously made his way towards the stairs and took them down to the first floor.
Inevitably, April followed close behind with a bottle of holy water.
The demon they found waiting for them wasn't the female Michael had expected.
No, this one was male, and he was wearing the same meatsuit as when they'd met during Michael's first night at April's house.
Victor.