Patch

I gripped Nora's hand tightly and my arm snaked around her waist. I wasn't going to lose Nora. Not after being sent to hell and coming back for her. My heart beat loudly in my chest and I could feel her muscles tightening, ready for a fight if she had to be.

"Call off your men, Lisa," Nora said, her voice was hard. "I fulfilled my oath to Hank. It's over now."

"It's not over until I say it's over," Lisa hissed. "Or haven't you learned?"

Nora, without warning, lunged forward and slammed into Lisa. Lisa gripped Nora's wrist and slammed it into the floor.

I didn't waste any time.

I launched myself forward at the other Nephilim. I wasn't going to lose this fight, for the love and peace I felt with Nora –I couldn't.

Nora was thrown into the wall, face first with a sickening sound and forced myself to remember that she could handle herself and not run to her aid. I knew she could take care of herself –she was a strong girl and she was mine. I loved her. But I could never stop feeling that deep protectiveness that made me want to maim Lisa Martin and anyone else who would dare touch my girl.

But Nora was already on her feet.

I turned to the rest of the Nephilim and with a diabolical grin, I fought back.

I slammed one into the hard edge of the table and punched the other in the jaw, sending him reeling in pain.

I spun out –avoiding a close, incoming blow to my head. Angel, I said, softly to Nora. How are you doing over there.

Ok, was her answer.

I just wanted to gran her and kiss her and love her until morning came around again and do it all over again. I wanted to taste the sweetness of her skin and kiss her until I couldn't breathe anymore.

So I fought harder.

And then I heard a small gasp and shouted, "Don't touch her. Don't you touch her!"

"No!" I shouted just as I saw Lisa bring her hands to Nora's neck and in one swift movement, snap it.

She fell to the floor.

The Nephilim backed away slowly. "Next time, we take your girlfriend away and you never hear from or see her again. We'll be back."

I wanted to kill Lisa but I also needed to get Nora up from the floor. She would be okay, she was immortal. As I lifted her from the floor, they walked away

Her body stirred and I pulled her gently against my chest and pressed my lips to her ear. She took a breath and curled into my side. "Patch?" She whispered against my skin.

Angel.

She shot right up and looked around wildly. "Patch."

I wrapped my arms around her and sat her on my lap. "I'm right here, Angel. Right here."

She pressed her face into my shoulder and breathed in a deep breath. "Patch. Patch. Patch." It was simply breathing my name –saying it over and over again. I pulled her even closer and kissed her hair. She was here in my arms and nothing was going to change that. I wasn't letting go –ever again.

"How are you feeling, Angel?" I pressed my face into her hair and breathed the scent of her skin and her hair.

"I've felt better." She looked up at me with an emotion that I had rarely ever seen in her eyes. I'd seen it once and twice before but it reminded me of the day that I'd found her again, that she could remember me again. I had her again, that day. She'd come back to me and she'd loved me even though I'd made her forget. We'd found each other. Even when she couldn't remember her love for me, she felt it. We were tied together forever and nothing was going to change that. But the look in her eyes was something that was as fleeting and as beautiful. Like she were afraid of losing me. And she curled her body gently against mine and whispered against my skin. "I love you." Breathless.

"Angel," I said quietly. "It isn't safe for you to be here with me." It hurt just to say the words and I knew that it tore her apart on the inside too. "They'll come for you and for me and…I can't lose you."

Nora threaded her arms with mine and when I looked into her eyes, I saw nothing but her love and her fear for us. "We could go," she whispered.

I knew what she meant. "Anywhere you want to. I'll go anywhere with you, Nora Grey."

I stared into her eyes and I saw an emotion moving in her gaze. Love –always love.

She threaded her fingers in my curls –locking her fingers in them and she kissed my lips with a gentle longing and I shuddered with pleasure. Nora broke the kiss and whispered softly against my skin, "I love you."

I stood up and pulled her up with me. "Are you hungry? Do want me to make you dinner?" But when I heard her response and the husky sound her voice made when she said "starving" –I knew that eating food was the last thing on her mind.

I pressed her back against the wall and she pulled herself against me and kissed me with a sudden urgency I hadn't noticed before. She was all tongue and teeth and fierce longing and all I could think about was the longing inside my chest when I couldn't find her, when I was lost –and I was so sure that she was dead.

That was the place I would never go back too again.

"Angel," I said roughly, I nipped her ear softly and she sighed against me. I kissed her neck intensely and lifted her up onto the kitchen counter –remembering the first time I had kissed my girl.

I later pulled back and found that we had moved to the dining room and I had her whole body pressed to the dinner table and her cardigan's buttons had been flicked open, all accept one, revealing her flimsy tank top beneath.

My voice was rough and I almost trembled as I spoke. "I love you Nora Grey. No matter where you are and where I am, I will never stop loving you. You are everything to me, do you understand that? Everything."

"Patch." Her fingers slid over my cheek as she softly caressed it. "I'll love you forever, Patch," she whispered, her voice was like air and silky soft. "Always and forever. I promise." She shook underneath me and I saw all of the love in the world in my angel's eyes.

"You're my guardian angel, Nora Grey." I kissed her and she wrapped her legs around my waist as I lifted her from the table, stealing up her hair in my fingers.

Forever and always.

That's what we had, forever and always.