Chapter 7: Night in the Aerie
Still unable to fall asleep, Noma stared at the rock wall in front of her. It frustrated her that she had too much time on her hands. Too much time to think. "Damn it," she hissed at herself, rubbing her eyes and squeezing them shut again.
She knew that Michael had entrusted her with Alex's safety time and time again as well as other humans that he was trying to protect. And she had willingly been a part of their plan, even when she was sent away to deal with 8-balls out in the Cradle while Vega and the other settlements were still being established. Noma was willing to follow Michael's orders because there was something different about the child, something that may hold the key to His return.
When Noma returned years later at Michael's request, she hadn't realized how much Alex had grown into a young man. It became clear how much she would be involved in his daily life, posing as a soldier in Archangel Corps. So often, she had wanted to tell him who he really was and even who she really was. And then when she started to have those…emotions for him, she knew she had to pull away.
Michael had seen the change in her, and had warned her sternly. "Remember your purpose, Noma," Michael had said to her, with that serious glint in his eyes.
And yet, she couldn't stop loving Alex. Even when she knew he was in love with someone else. It was a strange feeling that warmed her chest whenever she saw him. Noma didn't quite understand it. The attachment and sense of protection that she felt towards him. She had tried to distance herself, but he needed her and she knew it. And so did Michael. And then Louis, possessed by Gabriel, pushed her out of Michael's window and she flew for the first time in years. It had been exhilarating and at the same time heart-wrenching, knowing that Alex would probably look at her differently after finding out who she really was after all that time.
And he did look at her differently. Painfully so.
That look of betrayal had only recently started to fade while they dealt with Gabriel in the aerie. While they tried to implement a fallible plan. Alex stayed close to her whenever possible and clearly didn't like it when they used her as leverage against him. She could tell by the look on his face. Noma knew she was a liability to him. That he would probably try to protect her at the cost of his own life. And although a small part of her felt touched by that thought, the other practical part knew that she was a detriment to him.
The door behind her opened with a small creak and then quickly shut. Noma froze at the sound, almost holding her breath, wondering who it could be. She hoped it wasn't Furiad.
"Noma?" Alex whispered behind her. "You awake?"
She relaxed and turned to him, giving him a smile as he slowly sat down on her bed and kicked off his shoes. Noma sat up and looked him over. He was still wearing that jacket of his and seemed agitated with that tense look on his face. It was the look he used to get when he was concentrating on an attack formation back at Archangel Corps headquarters in Vega.
She touched his arm without saying anything and he looked up at her and tried to give her a smile, but she could tell it didn't touch his eyes. She lifted the blankets for him and he didn't hesitate to move under them, lying down on his side with his back facing her. Soothingly, she ran her hand over his hair for a moment and then settled in behind him, putting her arm around his torso and holding him close to her body.
The room was cold and he seemed to be shivering despite their combined warmth and the jacket he wore. Noma remained silent, letting Alex relax for a moment. He was so tense that she knew dealing with Gabriel and Furiad was taking a toll on him.
"This isn't working, Noma." Alex said, quietly.
She rubbed his arm. "You mean being stuck in an aerie with an angry archangel? Believe me, I know."
Alex sighed and then pulled away, turning onto his back so he could look at her. "Michael was right. You were right. Gabriel is…" He huffed with frustration.
"What happened, Alex?" Noma gently touched his face.
"Do you think Michael would go to New Delphi?" Alex asked.
Surprised by his question, she moved back a little and propped her head up with her hand. Contemplating, she said, "It's possible. But that would be a strange move."
"What's there for him? What's there for Gabriel?"
After a moment, Noma said, "Man power. Larger population than Vega."
Alex stared up at the ceiling, musing, "So Vega has nuclear reactors, Helena has a bomber and some helicopters, and New Delphi has a large amount of…thieves? Doesn't track. Gabriel would gain more from taking Vega."
Noma knew he was fishing. She had been to New Delphi, of course, in the early days when it really was a cutthroat settlement. It slowly became more organized as time went by, but she hadn't been back there in a long time. "Michael could start a new Archangel Corps there, if he convinced the right crew bosses."
Alex scoffed, "Crew bosses aren't known for their cooperative nature."
Noma looked him over. "Gabriel's pushing for New Delphi?"
Alex groaned and then rubbed his face. "Yes. And he's making it sound like Michael is there, spearheading a resistance. It doesn't make sense. And I don't understand what Gabriel wants from me? Nothing he's told me has been useful."
Noma laid her head down and then reached a hand out to touch his chest. "And these…?"
Alex turned to her, studying her face for a moment. "They keep moving, Noma." He unzipped his jacket and took her hand so it rested directly on his chest. "Whenever Gabriel is around."
Noma nodded. "And you can't exactly pull your shirt off every time that happens."
"Especially around him. He is as bad as his sister with these things." Alex sighed, his hand still on hers, rubbing a thumb over it.
Noma was very aware of Alex's every touch and movement, and so glad for his company. When he first came to the aerie, he would barely sit near her. He was still angry and even more so that he was there, in Gabriel's reach. She could tell that he was also hurting, walking around with a pained expression on his face, trying desperately to fake a smile when speaking with Gabriel. He wasn't really fooling anyone, though. At least, not her. She knew him too well.
She had been both relieved to see him and upset by the news that he had given her about Michael, as well as the fact that Alex came to the aerie at all. She had hoped that he would stay away until it was absolutely necessary. But since Michael wasn't in the picture…
"You should have gone to New Delphi yourself, Alex." Noma blurted out, revisiting an old topic.
Anger flared up in Alex as he stared at her. He shoved her hand away and sat up, pulling away from her. "I'm not going over this again."
Noma sat up quickly as well, immediately regretting her words. "No, I know. It slipped out… I'm just worried. I'm worried all the time, Alex." She touched his shoulders and he leaned away from her touch, so she sat back and dejectedly stared at his jacket.
When he had arrived and Gabriel finally allowed him to see her, they had spent nights talking and planning. And arguing. Often. Mostly because Noma wanted him to leave and put distance between Gabriel and himself, and he did not. He wanted to glean as much as he could from Gabriel. Occasionally, he stayed with her at night, sleeping side-by-side or holding each other. It was comforting to her as well as him, but it was nothing else. Despite her hidden desire for more.
And here she was ruining what hard-won peace they had established. She knew it was difficult for him, dealing with Gabriel and the inexplicable nature of the tattoos, and she worried for him daily. She didn't care anymore about her own safety. She just wanted him to be somewhere else, where Gabriel couldn't get to him. Couldn't influence him. Where he could read the symbols in peace without any prying eyes.
Alex slumped a little as he ran his fingers through his hair. In a small voice, he asked, "Why would he go there and not tell us?"
Noma's heart clenched. She had been wondering the same thing. Why would Michael abandon them and start a new plan without them? She moved closer to him, tentatively touching him and then leaning her forehead against his back as she wrapped her arms around his torso. "I don't know," she said, quietly.
He didn't pull away, leaning back against her. "I just feel…" he sighed, at a loss for words.
"Lost," Noma whispered.
He didn't respond, and they sat there for a few moments in the silence.
And then he opened the rest of his jacket and pulled away from her, standing up. Noma pulled back as well, sitting against the wall, looking at him with a small sad smile.
"Leaving? Going to bed?" she asked, softly.
As if in response, he pulled his jacket off and threw it to the side. And then he pulled his shirt off, leaving him bare-chested with the tattoos exposed. He looked down at the ones that were now moving on his right pectoral muscle. They had started moving as soon as Noma touched him. He glanced at them and then up at Noma's expectant face. "They've been telling me the same thing for a few weeks now."
Noma didn't move. She wanted to encourage him to continue, but she didn't want to inadvertently push him to leave either. So she gave him space. And stayed still.
"They move when you touch me, Noma." He said to her, his expression softening. "It always reads, 'Greater love has no other than this.'"
Noma's heart felt like it might grow it's own set of wings. She didn't know what to make of his expression. He must already know how much she loved him. Noma had tried to keep it to herself, but he must have known all this time.
"When Gabriel is near, I have gotten a glimpse of this one from time to time," Alex said, pointing to his left forearm. "It always reads, 'love your enemies, keep them close.'"
"Just like when they told you not to trust those close to you? When Michael was nearby?"
Alex sighed. "Maybe I should have listened to them."
Noma shook her head, "You don't understand, Alex. Michael is not your enemy."
"I know that, Noma! Don't you think I know that?" Alex spat out, his shoulders tense again as he stared at her with his hands splayed out. His tormented expression was breaking her heart.
She didn't say anything more, her whole demeanor quiet and shut down. They had discussed Michael's departure at length before and have always ended up feeling worse for wear.
Alex shook his head with that pained look. He gazed at her and she could tell he wanted to say something else, but instead he sighed heavily.
And then he did something she hadn't expected. He crawled onto the bed to her and paused in front of her, cupping her face with his strong hands. "Greater love has no other than this," he whispered, and then leaned in slowly, as if waiting for her to stop him. When she didn't move while observing him intently, Alex kissed her softly and she responded in kind. Pulling back after a moment, he gazed at her with a softness that she had seen only a few times before. His thumb caressed her cheek and he smiled at her. "Nomes…"
Noma didn't know what to do. This was what she wanted, what she desired so much that it hurt. But she still remembered who and what she was as well as the fact that he was the Chosen One. The Chosen One who meant so much to her kind. The one who was supposed to change everything. And yet…
…she leaned into him and wrapped her fingers in his hair as she kissed him with everything she had. All the love she had to give him, she poured into that kiss and they were locked in that embrace for several minutes before he pulled her down onto the bed.
Smoothing the hair from her face, he gave her an enormous smile that touched his eyes and warmed her heart. "Nomes, I…"
She beamed at him, smiling with fondness, and kissed him again. She didn't need him to say it. Noma already knew.