So guys, this is the last real chapter of Eternal... :'( I've really enjoyed writing this story. My manuscript, where I write all my notes, it's super large and I'm so proud of it. This chapter is kind of...well, not mature, because I don't go into detail, but kind of heated. Too much Fifty Shades. Yes, I did read them, (I wanted to read them before I judged them) and apparently they started off as fanfiction. Interesting thought to me. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Patch's POV

She stared at me, her gray eyes filled with fear and relief. I'd silently opened Vee's front door, and followed their voices until I leaned in the doorframe of the living room. Even immortal, I still shocked her by appearing so suddenly. I loved seeing her jump. Moving like lightning, she'd once described it as. I stared back at her, letting her know silently that everything was okay. The fear drained from her eyes and she smiled, her body relaxing.

Vee ruined our moment by piping in. "How'd you even get in here?" When I smirked at her, she shook her head. "Never mind. I'm asking the prince of darkness; I forgot. Go wash your hands, and take off your shoes. I don't want any police tracing blood back here."

"Where's Ezra and Nehemiah- weren't they supposed to be with you? Are they okay?" Nora asked, her voice worried.

"They're fine, Angel. I dropped them off near Delphic."

Ezra and Nehemiah were silent during most of the ride towards Delphic. Finally, Ezra spoke up, revealing the elephant in the room.

"Is it always like this? Has your life always been like this? Is this what we have to do? Is this how we have to be?" he whispered. I'd never heard fear in his voice before, so I knew that he must have been seriously affected by what I'd done. I shook my head, and stared darkly at the road.

"No. When I fell, I made sure the fall was straight from grace. I was so angry, and so stupid, and I got into things that only made me worse. You know when I make a decision, I go full throttle. I chose to be like this. Many fallen choose to be like this. A bad decision. I wanted Heaven to know that I was fallen; that they made me that way. I wanted to reject everything that I was beforehand, and the only people it hurt was myself and those around me. Stupid, really. You don't have to. It'll be hard, but it's possible. I once met someone who rejected this life. It worked out very well for him, until he succumbed." I trailed off, remembering how Robert had turned into dust in front of me. That thought still terrified me, although I'd never admit it.

"It frightened me, the thought that every night would be like this past couple nights. I miss the light. But things will never be the same, will they?" Nehemiah whispered.

"No, they won't." I answered honestly. "But it doesn't mean that they have to be bad."

It was quiet for a moment, then Ezra laughed.

"I think I'll work at a gym. Be a fitness instructor or something. I'd enjoy that." He mused.

"How boringly legal," I teased.

"I could be a coroner. I'm used to dealing with the dead. That would make me happy." Nehemiah said, smiling.

"Sure, guys. Make better decisions than me. Of course, when I need anything, you'd better have my back." I was serious, and some of my dark tone slipped out by the end.

"Relax. Of course we have you." Ezra answered, rolling his eyes. I turned back to the front.

"I do it for Nora, you know? It makes things different, when you're used to having only yourself to take care of. I want her to be proud of me. To want me around. She's worth it, if I'm not." I pulled up in the Delphic parking lot. "It is what it is, I guess. Drinks tomorrow? At my studio?"

"Sure. See you later, man!" Ezra said, opening the door and running out. Nehemiah followed suit, but then ran back to the door. I rolled the window down.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to know that, despite what you've done, you've come out a better man in the end. Heaven should be ashamed to have lost such a strong angel. Nora is proud, and we're proud, man. Terrified if I'm being honest, but proud."

I held my fist across the car. "That means a lot."

He bumped it. "No problem." He took off, and I knew I'd see them tomorrow. I really wanted the best for my friends, and I knew that they'd do much better than me.

Follow me. Bathroom, I practically purred to Nora. I slunk towards the hall, pretending not to see her blush. I entered the bathroom, checking myself. I'd stopped by a gas station to buy a new shirt, and while it wasn't my style, it was black and long sleeved and had no blood stains or skin on it. I washed my hands, slowly, waiting.

Three…two…one…

There was a small knock, and grinning I opened it only slightly. Nora stood outside it, looking down at the ground. She looked up from under her eyelids, and I immediately felt my desire stir.

"Well, welcome. What brings you here?" I whispered, teasing. Blushing, she began to turn away, but I pulled her in by her collar and pinned her to the door.

She was breathing quickly from the sudden motion, and I made sure to make it worse by pushing closer.

"So, what do you want?" I whispered, right at her ear.

"I wanted to talk in private. About finishing our business earlier," she said, pressing against my chest.

I cocked my head to the side, playing confused. "Enlighten me."

"Random question, I know, but what exactly is your job? Like, when you aren't doing "prince of darkness" things? Vee and I were discussing it." she breathed. Apparently I had a new nickname.

"Private investigator. Fully qualified and everything. Hardly a difference from my "prince" work- just legal. What else do you want to know?"

She eyed me, shocked. "Really? That's it?"

"What did you expect?" I teased, trailing kisses down her neck.

She threw herself onto me, kissing me hard, and I wrapped around her. Getting into it, I began to pull off her shirt, but she grabbed my hand.

"Wait- Vee," she gasped.

"I don't care," I growled.

"No…her mom is…upstairs…"

I knew I had to stop, and I removed my hands from her and placed them on the wall above her head so I wouldn't be tempted. Damn them, Vee and her mother.

"Are you sure?" I plead, breathing hard.

"Yes. Sorry." She answered, pouting. Looking at her lip only made me kiss her again, and she giggled around it.

I laid my head back on my pillow. I was covered in a healthy sheen of sweat; my favorite way to be. Especially when I got to turn to my right. Nora laid next to me, and the sheets clung to her, revealing her shape. At the moment, I was running my fingers through her hair, and she was talking about nothing important in particular.

"You know, Vee was telling me about this book she'd read. Fifty Shades? Have you heard about it? Apparently, the guy, Christian Grey, is really dominant. She's reading it in secret, because Gavin would probably flip if he noticed her attracted to another guy. She wants to introduce the idea to him. So typical Vee, really. Then again, he's not real, so I don't see why Gavin would be threatened…" She was rambling in a dazed, happy-after-sex sort of way. I smiled at her.

"Well, maybe Nora Grey could give him a run for his money." I teased. She smirked at me.

"And you?" she challenged. I gave her a dark look.

"I could put him to shame. Make him look downright angelic. Without the whips and chains and playroom. Should I be threatened by this guy? Do I need to prove myself?"

She laughed, and it was a wonderful sound. I loved that laugh.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you could put him to shame. Do your worst." Nora continued to laugh at me, and I slowly moved over her until my elbows were on both sides of her face. She stopped laughing, began to touch my face.

"You know, we haven't gotten into any of the things we fought over." She mused.

"To be honest, I wasn't even thinking about them. I think they were totally irrelevant anyway." I kissed her hand, and began to kiss down. "Do you want me to stop? We can go talk about it right now." I was purposefully asking between kisses, moving lower.

Nora began to breathe heavily. "All of our fights should end like this."

I nodded. "All our fights," –kiss- "successes," –kiss- "good and bad days," –kiss- "breaths,"

She giggled, but it was filled with lust, and it made me move quicker. "You spoil me."

"Rotten."

"We were supposed to be mad at each other, then solve our problems. We aren't being good adults."

"Au contraire, I think I'm being very adult." I heard her sigh.

"I love you. Do you love me?"

"Forever."

She began to ask me another question, but I moved up to kiss her.

"Enough. Talking." I growled into her lips. She moved to meet me.

I knew that we were going to have a really good morning. I'd make sure to tell her everything that she wanted to know.

You know, tomorrow. I wasn't worried anymore.

We had forever.

:'( There's a epilogue...I just can't end it there! I also remember someone asking what Patch's actual job was, and so I figured that he'd be best as a private investigator (it's already what he does!) Read and review!