As his mind is drifting off, his cheek nudging into her shoulder, his final thought is that soon her wings would be in the exact same place.

Very soon.

x-x-x-x-x

Michael felt the ever so slow rise of the sun, his mind stirring awake. With a glance, he realized he was resting on his back; wings stretched out under him and Zuriel. The girl was laying half on his torso and left arm with her leg thrown over his. Her breathing was still soft and even, her small hand curled against his chest.

The angel looked at her discolored fingers, the thin appendages folded into her palm. Her knuckles were a pale purple with yellowish edges. He stroked his index finger over the back of her hand, feeling her skin give a slight twitch as it seemed to still be tender.

His blue orbs roamed over what he could see of her face, his hand moving to rest at her temple in a feather light touch. Michael felt carefully through her mind, reaching where all her nightmares seem to form. He prayed in a soft whisper of words, making them blur and fade. Though the negative emotions would still be there, they wouldn't be able to form into any solid nightmare.

Michael let his fingers move through her hair, his left hand lying limp against her lower back. Zuriel was peaceful all night, for the first time in years she had a decent sleep. The thought made him smile, the girl he had grown to love so dearly sleeping in his arms.

x-x-x-x-x

Zuriel entered into a room she had only seen in her dreams, once when she was just five, though she was much older in her dream. It held an eerie familiarity as she moved forward through a set of unmarked doors.

It was a huge room with white marble floors and four pillars, one in each corner as if the room would collapse any moment. The pillars were decorated with thick bands of gold on the top and bottom rim with flowers of all kinds and huge leaves resting over the sides.

Her eyes scanned over a table, the items thrown over the surface looked to be weapons she hadn't seen before. Each was made of heavy steel and black grips on the handles. Zuriel turned suddenly as a presence entered through a set of oak doors from which she came through. The power she felt was rolling off Michael in waves.

He looked regal, with the collar around his throat being thick and weighed. His armor was in place and his wings shined in the bright light of the room everything about him seemed to glow. The angel moved without sound towards her, a sword placed behind his back. The grip gleamed gold with the guard studded in honey colored jewels, the same shade as her eyes.

Michael smiled, the way he seemed to towards her. His face was clean shaved and hair cut short just as she remembered. He was speaking in a language she didn't understand, though it somehow made sense. 'You were born to protect, and protect you shall.'

The words echoed and bounced through her ear drums. She didn't understand, but felt herself nod. Michael removed a second sword at his hip, still within its sheath. The handle shined silver with the guard similar to his, though the jewels upon it sparkled in blue. The blue that she could never forget, the color of his eyes that had seen everything.

The angel offered her the weapon, and she took it without hesitance. Something in her burned with an intensity she had never felt, and as her gaze met Michael's, an understanding moved through her.

Whatever she was meant to protect, she was born to do. It was her sole purpose in life. Or was it?

x-x-x-x-x

Zuriel felt hazy, the dream seeming so real though she could feel Michael under her. His breathing was steady, his heart hammering to a rhythm she seemed to already know. She made a soft sound, somewhere between a whine and a sigh as she turned onto her back. her legs stretched once again, her limb once more resting over his.

The angel didn't seem to mind, her head falling on his shoulder as the arm she had slept a good portion of the night on stayed at her side. She found his hand in her sleepy movements, her open hand resting over his as her fingers dipped between Michael's.

She kept thinking about the dream that had suddenly been pulled forward when normally all she had were nightmares. Some of her mother, some of her mother's boyfriends, and some of school and the terror her mother would unleash if anyone found out.

Zuriel's body was so warm despite the covers having been kicked off, and having nothing but Michael near her. Normally, she was cold as the day was long, yet for once all of her was settled in a nice heat. Must be an angel thing.

The dream, she kept thinking, what did it mean?

"You seem quite content." She could hear the smile in Michael's voice, making her own appear across her face. "Mhm."

The girl didn't want to move now, she was comfortable, warm, happy.

"Everything about you is calm and safe." Zuriel said the words without thinking, sleep already tugging at her senses once more. "I am whatever you need me to be."

Michael could see her starting to drift away already, knowing the extra sleep would do her some good. "Will it always be this way?" Her words slurred towards the end, her breathing starting to even out with her last words.

"As long as I am able to, sweet girl." He suspected she couldn't hear his response, yet the smile that was barely visible told him otherwise.

x-x-x-x-x

Michael didn't actually want to remove himself from the bed, but he knew Zuriel would appreciate breakfast being made. He paused just as he stood up, pulling the comforter over her once more. Her face was soft with sleep, her lips parted ever so slightly. She looked so peaceful that Michael almost didn't want to tell her the truth.

He didn't want to shatter the protective shell he was building around her, but he knew time was precious. The angel knew how much time he had to train her, prepare her mentally and physically. The weight of it all was on his shoulders, but he didn't mind it. He wanted this to be his task, he wanted to take care of her.

The angel moved away from the bed, closing the door on his way out to shower and change in the other room. It was completely unnecessary, though he knew it would be nice to indulge himself, even in something so small. Then, he would make Zuriel breakfast, and she could eat to her heart's content.

x-x-x-x-x

Zuriel sleeps dreamlessly, her mind empty yet the void is comforting. She moves through the darkness to find herself waking up buried under the thick blanket. She can smell herself and sunshine where Michael had been laying. His lack of body heat has left the bed rather cool, but still it isn't anything she can't handle.

The girl pushes the blanket back, sitting up in the dimly lit room as a yawn escapes her. Zuriel's lips make a soft smacking sound as she stands from the bed and makes her way to the bathroom. She gives her face a once over, ignoring the ugly bruise as she checks the bags under her eyes. Despite it all, she looks better. Zuriel feels better.

After washing her hands and brushing out her hair, she makes her way to the kitchen. Michael's back is to her, his magnificent steely wings fluttering lightly against his back. She can see he's wearing a hunter green t-shirt, her eyes catch glimpses of tattoos disappearing under the fabric. She ideally wonders what they must look like, what do they feel like? She meant his wings of course.

Zuriel pushes those thoughts away as she approaches him, the smell of bacon, eggs, toast and hash browns swirling all around her. Her tummy grumbles which makes Michael chuckle softly, tossing a half smile over his shoulder at her. "Someone is finally awake."

The girl leans lightly into the counter beside the stove, the cool marble of it feels refreshing against her sore hands. It's a sadly familiar ache she mostly ignores. "Yeah. Thank you, for letting me sleep in." Michael just nods, moving the scrambled eggs around in the skillet.

"Sleep well?" Zuriel nods, her eyes downcast as she remembers her dream. "It was the first time I didn't have a nightmare in a long time."

"Good." Michael holds out a white ceramic plate, it has a stack of bacon and eggs on one half and a pile of hash browns on the other, a slice of toast resting over the hash browns. "Eat up."

Zuriel holds the warm plate in her hands as she grabs a fork, something in his eye catches her off guard. As if he wanted to say something else, but held it back. It was odd that she was able to pick up on it, moving towards the table.

A flash of her dream made Zuriel pause, the table littered in weapons. The sword. Michael's sword. Her plate settled on the table with a soft clank, her body spinning on her heel.

"When you're in heaven, do you have a sword? A sword you carry on your back between your wings, with a gold grip and jewel guard?" Michael's body has gone still by the sink, the pans making a soft sizzle as luke warm water rinses over them.

"Michael? Answer me, please." She doesn't mean to sound so desperate, but the sudden wave of anxiety forces her to ask. She has to know if her gut feeling is right, is he hiding something?

"Yes, I have a sword, just as you've described it." He's facing her now, his expression is unreadable. He's calm, as always. He must be know she's on edge about something. "How can you possibly remember that?"

"Remember what?" Her voice cracks as he stands there, unmoving, almost like a statue aside from his breathing. "The sword. My sword."

"I-In my dream. You had it on your back, and you gave me a sword. They looked similar." Michael's face creases at the edge of his mouth, a slight twitch of a smile. "I sent you that dream when you were very young. I'm surprised you had it again." The angel leaves out the fact that he altered her mind ever so slightly to help her rest more easily from now on.

"Why? Why would you give me that dream?" Her hands are shaking at her sides, her anxiety is growing. The afterglow of leaving her mother and being with Michael seems surreal, why did he really 'save' her?

"To help prepare you, even if only a small piece of you, for what is to come." Michael turns slightly, looking away from her as if it pains him to speak of this. He turns off the faucet as his body settles in to lean against the counter.

"Prepare me for what?" He tenses, there is a slight twitch in his jaw. "Zuriel, can we please discuss this after you eat?" His eyes are pleading, he's delaying.

"I'm not hungry, please tell me." There is a shiver in the pit of her belly, she's amazed she can stand as he gives her this look. He's afraid, worried, maybe even uncertain.

"Alright, Zuriel…" He takes in a deep breath, his gaze suddenly steady, voice even.

"Your mother was raped by your father, he was a freshly fallen angel. With the last of his grace fading, he raped and impregnated your mother and then he disappeared. Zona tried to get an abortion, but it didn't work out. At the first appointment, I made the equipment malfunction, and on her way to the second, I gave her a flat tire. By the time she returned for her third appointment, she was too far along to have the abortion. So she decided to keep you, against the urging of her then family.

After you were born, the very moment you were alone in the nursery, I came to you. I was forbidden to save you the years of hardship the Lord knew you'd endure, but I was allowed to bless you. It saved you from any fatal injuries until you became of age. And, from that moment on I watched over you.

I sent you that dream in which I say, 'Morti natus es, protegat, visitet atque tueatur te', as a warning of sorts. You were born with a higher purpose Zuriel, you're half angel. You were born to protect the second Coming."

Zuriel felt nauseous by the time he had paused, a wave of dizziness causing her to grip the edge of the table. Michael made a move to come towards her, but her open palm signaled him to stop.

"Second Coming of what?"

"There will be a baby born to a woman, much like your mother, but her child will be humanity's only hope of survival." His brows pressed together, watching Zuriel's shaking hand move through her thick hair.

"I'm going to protect this baby from what?" Her eyes had blown wide, huge with fear at the thought.

"From Satan, he will do anything to stop the child from being born. If he kills the child while still within the womb, humanity is doomed. After the baby is born, you must guard the newborn and mother until he or she is of age." Michael felt his gut twist in a manner he wasn't familiar with, a stab of pity going through his heart as Zuriel finally settled herself into a chair.

She had her elbows digging into her knees, her hands cupping her face. "You can't be serious. I couldn't even protect myself, let alone a child."

The angel did move forward then, bending onto his knees to sit in front of Zuriel. Ducking his head down slightly to be more eye level with her. "That is why I am here. I have time to heal you, then prepare you for what is to come, because weather you are ready or not, this child will be entering this world."

Zuriel's eyes had become glazed, her golden orbs moving over Michael's face. "My only purpose in life is to protect this child yet I am so utterly helpless myself." The angel's hand moved in a slow circle over her knee, the other open towards her. She slips her hand into his without hesitation, their fingers lacing in a natural way.

"You may feel that way, but I will help change that." Zuriel's stomach feels as though it's in a tight knot, her entire outlook having changed in the beat of her heart and a single gust of air. Half angel? How could that be?

"Where are my wings?" She sits up straighter then, both their hands locked in against the other. He gives her a soft smile at this. "They haven't broken free of your back yet, but they will. Once I finish healing you." Zuriel gives him an unbelieving look, the first she's ever tossed his way. He stifles a chuckle at this.

Taking a breath, and giving her a soft smile, he asks, "Will you let me prepare you, Zuriel?" She mulls it over, weather you are ready or not, this child will be entering this world. What else can she do? She couldn't possibly walk away now, after everything she knows. And, then something in her shifts. Michael wasn't allowed to save her, but her sole purpose in this life is to save this child. How can she not?

"I will."

x-x-x-x-x