"Die, my dear? Why that's the last thing I'll do!" -Groucho Marx

Chapter 3

I've spent an entire day with the twat and I still can't tell if he's actually a demon…WHAT IS THIS? Okay, calm down Arthur. You're irrational when you're…excited. What do you know about Alfred?

Well… I know he has the powers of a demon because he can cause illusions. And teleport. And he lives in hell…

But, he also looks like an angel. And he has the purest soul I've seen in a long time. He also doesn't really seem to enjoy being a demon. Wait. No one's supposed to like being a demon…

Arthur sighed.

"Arthur!" A familiar voice called.

"Bill!" Arthur called back, catching up to his winged superior.

"How are ya doing, Arthur? I haven't seen you in a while."

"I'm fine, thank you." Arthur paused, debating if he was going to ask his next question. "Can you give me access to the Vault of Memories?"

"Sure, sonny." Bill patted Arthur affectionately on the back. "But I have to ask, what business do you have in the Vault of Memories? Sorry, standard regulation."

"A friend asked me to go to his birthday party, and I forgot what his favorite animal was…" Arthur cringed internally at the white lie. "I needed to check his memories so I can buy him a present." It was true he was going to check a friend's memories, if you could call Alfred a friend. But he definitely wasn't there to check what Alfred's favorite animal was.

"Okay. I know you're as honest as they come." Bill gave Arthur the key with a wink. "Have fun at your friend's party." Bill smiled as he walked off.

Arthur gave him a tight smile back, clenching the key in his sweating palm.

Arthur quickly skipped down the hall to the Vault of Memories, alternating flaps of hi swings with jumps.

"All right, here it goes…" Arthur muttered, fumbling to turn the key in the lock.

The lock clicked, hurrying Arthur into the large computer room. Countless bottle of memories rose to the ceiling – duplicates so God would always have a record.

"Alfred…Alfred…demon…" Arthur quickly strode up to a computer and began scrolling through the database of demon profiles. "Come on, he's got to be in here somewhere."

But he didn't recognize any of the demon Alfred's. Arthur closed out of the search engine, confused, but oddly excited.

So he's not a demon after all…

Arthur scanned through the residents of heaven, wondering if Alfred's memories had been separated from his soul when he died.

Suddenly, a picture of a blond teen flashed onto the screen, cheek smile radiating. "Found him."

Arthur's eyes widened, flitting to the bottom of the screen.

"Memories…both copies in stock?" So he never did get his copy… "They're here!" the angel exclaimed. "I knew it! He isn't a demon! He's an angel!"

"Uh…excuse me? Is someone in here?" A tentative voice asked. A boy with wavy golden hair pushed the door open a little wider, purple eyes squinting into the dark room.

"Oh. Shoot." Arthur immediately closed out Alfred's file, guilt welling up in his throat. "Come on in, lad." Arthur called, politeness overriding his frustration. Drat. I didn't read the call number for Alfred's memories. I'll have to wait until this bloke leaves. Then I can pull Alfred's file up-

"Uh…are you okay?" the blonde interrupted, waving a hand in front of Arthur. "You spaced out for a minute."

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Arthur blushed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess that happens when you're as old as I am…"

The boy shrugged. "That's one thing about the afterlife that I've never gotten used to."

"What is?"

"How people ever age here." He stated simply. "I look the same I did the day I died!" he pointed to himself. "Which sucks, because I'll never hit puberty and will be small forever!" he wailed.

"Right." Arthur grumbled. Leave already, will you?

Arthur stared the boy down, hopping to scare the poor lad off.

"Wait, you look familiar." Arthur exclaimed. The boy he was staring [rather rudely] at had the same face as Alfred, minus the eyes. And this lad's hair was a little neater – less spiky. "Tell me," Arthur made a spontaneous decision. "Do you know this man?" The picture of Alfred popped onto the screen.

The boy's eyes widened considerably. "A-Alfred." He stuttered, a hand tentatively touching the screen.

"So you know him?" Arthur's impressive eyebrows rose in surprise.

"He's my brother. Or was my brother." The boy corrected himself. "I thought he was still alive though."

"I'm not so sure about that, lad. Not if he's in our databases. Say, what's your name?" Arthur asked.

"Matthew." The boy replied. "Alfred's actually my twin – thought he's so much bigger than me now! Damn him for reaching puberty before he died…"

"What a horrible thing to say!" Arthur screeched. "He looks like he's what? 17? 18?"

"19." Matthew stated, looking at the screen. "Says he died last year."

"But he never made it to heaven." Arthur cut in.

Matthew turned around in surprise. "Why not? I mean…I guess that explains why I've never seen him around here, but…"

"Alfred's memories are here, but his soul was stolen by the devil." Arthur growled.

"So my brother's living in hell?!" Matthew shrieked, voice cracking. "We've got to get him out of there!"

"You got that right. I was just about to get a copy of his memories when you walked in."

"Oh. Sorry. Let's go get them. What's the call number?" Matthew asked.

"070420141159," Arthur rambled

"Sheesh, slow down!" Matthew took off from the ground.

"I'll look on this side." Arthur took flight as well.

The two fluttered around in silence for a bit.

"What were you doing in here, Matthew?" Arthur broke the silence, voice echoing endlessly in the vault.

"Security check." He replied. "It's my job to keep the vault safe.

Arthur nodded in reply. That's good to know…

"Hey, I found it!" Matthew exclaimed, tugging at the wall. "But it's locked!"

"Locked?" Arhtur rushed over, tugging on the locked locker himself. "Why would Alfred's memories be locked away?"

Matthew shrugged, eyes slidding away in discomfort.

Arthur's eyes narrows. "You know something, don't you, Matthew?"

Matthew shrugged evasively, floating softly to the vault floor. "I have a speculation as to why God would lock Alfred's memories away…"

"What is it?" Arthur pressed. "What do you think?"

"Well…" the boy swallowed, shuffling his feet. "I'm not sure, but I've heard-"

"-WHAT?"

"Love." Matthew squeaked.

Author's Note: What is this love Matthew speaks of? I guess you'll have to wait to find out! Please review and let me know what you think (I love reviews~) As well as suggestions, awesome quotes, etc. OH YES, Please send in awesome quotes! I might incorporate them into my writing depending if it fits~