Even God had to admit that his wife's alternate universe was beautiful. Most of it had been created before he had joined her world; but she had collaborated with him on his favorite earthly places. The rough, jagged cliffs. The roaring waves, cutting the liquid spectrum of the setting sun. Her sun, her moon, even her heaven shone brighter. Or perhaps they didn't. Perhaps the brightness he had come to observe was merely the light of a goddess.

Basking in another glorious evening, he stood on a brick road staring out at the replicated Silver City, sparkling brilliantly even in the fading light. Every once in awhile, he would spot his winged children, flying through the city. He could of course always sense them there, but that faint glimpse was a million times better than sightless observation.

There were some things a father would rather not know.

Suddenly he was struck with a harsh illumination. Unperturbed, he smiled calmly as the light bounced off the Silver City; but he only turned around when the light evaporated, with a hissing sound. The Goddess faced him, clothed only in her natural form. Her straight, golden hair cascaded down to obscure her full breasts, and her whitish-blue eyes still glowed.

"I felt your vexation from the human world," Goddess commented.

"You have no need to visit there. It's been completed, and you think of them as bugs."

"Confirmed...but if they are important to you, then they are important to me. Your presence is the only reason I created those...humans."

God smiled as he opened an arm. She stepped into him and they stared out at the Silver City. "Thank you," he said suddenly. "For this paradise."

Instead of responding, the Goddess gently removed his arm, hanging onto his hand. "If it is paradise, why do you still have that look? Do you regret recreating hell?"

"No. There should be justice; and I think Michael has found his place."

"I do like the symmetry. Though perhaps we shouldn't tell Lucifer."

"Well, with Michael confined to this universe, it shouldn't be a problem. And Gabriel has been made aware that divulging that fact will have consequences."

She finally released his hand, running her own through her hair. "Is that what worries you? That we may be on the path to further destruction?"

"No. Children will always be erratic...especially some of ours."

Goddess crossed her perfect arms. "Will you please stop being mysterious with me? We've been together millennia."

"I thought you wanted to keep guessing."

"I shouldn't have to! I'm a divine being, too. How come I'm not omniscient as well?"

When God would only avoid eye contact, she sighed and spun away, taking several stops before changing her mind. She turned back, putting her hands on her hips. "Husband," she said, and he finally looked her way. "Please. Don't pretend like you don't know exactly what I want."

He closed the gap between them, then pointed up to the darkening sky. She looked up at the brightest star, and started blinking back tears.

"It's not worry I feel. It's merely...every other emotion."

"Oh, good," she said insincerely.

He smiled then, reluctantly meeting her eyes. "I don't want Remy to be a star anymore. I want to recreate her."

"I miss her, too, husband..."

"Then why do I get the feeling you're about to reject the idea?"

"You know why."

He bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Your world...your rules."

Goddess took a few steps back, maintaining eye contact. "By the way, husband. If you were thinking of leaving, you should know you are unable to take the star. I trapped her here, because I thought this universe, like she, was ours."

The sad resignation in his eyes hardened.

Goddess tilted her head as her eyes began to glow even brighter; until they were beacons of the brightest light and the Almighty was squinting in pain. Waves of light traveled over her body until she was nothing but a human-shaped glow for the span of a heartbeat; then she shattered into nonexistence as she left the divine realm. The residual particles of light fluttered around like fireflies before they dissipated into the evening air.

"Your rules," God growled through his teeth. He stood still for a moment, attempting to rein in his anger, then turned his eyes up to Remiel's star.


As God reentered the Silver City, he was wracking his brain; and he had come up with a few options. He could create something for each of his children that would prevent their souls from being trapped, eradicate Azrael's blade from existence so nothing could kill them, or he could eradicate his wife.

The blade was a more benevolent choice. On the other hand, surely a goddess could undo the actions of a god. How was he supposed to choose between his wife and his child?

The millennia of animosity was his fault. The first time. Now, he could see, she was leading them down the same path if not a darker one. This universe was supposed to symbolize forgiveness, and unity; it wasn't supposed to push them further apart than ever before.

He couldn't believe he had thanked her. God was scowling as he walked through the kingdom; and the sight of his children standing in a line looking at him only further irritated him. "You're leaving," he deduced.

"Yeah, we're going home," Zadkiel answered. "Michael told me we have a niece, so I want to meet her."

"Hm. Well, be sure to meet your other niece and your nephew."

Zadkiel, Saraqael, and Raziel all looked surprised at the comment.

"Uh, same world?" Zadkiel asked.

"Mm-hmm."

"Good. You know, it's no fair we still feel like you guys are separated."

Saraqael shushed him.

"You know, I'm starting to feel like we still are, too. Your mother, she...she just told me I'm forbidden to take Remiel's star to her home planet. I think she would want to go."

"She doesn't want anything. She's not even a soul," Raziel said.

"She could be. I can remake her. Exactly the way she was. The only catch is, she wouldn't know who or what we are."

"Well, unless Mother forbade you from remaking Remy, couldn't you do that in this world?" Saraqael asked.

"Unfortunately, no. It has to be the world she was created in... And I cannot make a daughter on my own. There are rules even for me."

"Couldn't you make a goddess?" Saraqael joked, and all three children sobered when they saw the look on their father's face.

"I could indeed."

The siblings were quiet, absorbing the shocking revelation.

"Well, you should know that your nephew is Amenadiel's, and your niece is Lucifer's."

"How exciting! We could do a picnic," Saraqael suggested. "Well, I mean...if they're not too busy doing the...prestigious, angelic jobs you gave them. Generously."

"There's always time for family," God answered. He retrieved Azrael's blade and created a portal to the original universe. The light emanating from the portal was a mixture of blue and green, and they could hear echoing voices, as well as laughter and sobs, coming from the rip in the air. Saraqael and Raziel kissed their father on the cheek before stepping into the portal, and Zadkiel shook his hand. The portal disappeared at God's will and then he was all alone in the Silver City.

Putting the knife back into the cabinet, he sighed and closed his eyes as waves of light traveled over his body.

When the light faded, he could hear the call of a robin and feel the sun on his face. Opening his eyes, he brushed the residual light particles off his clothes before walking casually through the human realm. As expected, Goddess was fashioning a marble statue; her hands not even touching it. She now wore a pale pink dress that flowed in the wind, and her hair was elegantly pinned up. Her wrists, fingers, upper arms, and hair were decorated in diamonds.

When the whale fountain was complete, and shooting water through its blowhole, Goddess turned around. Her eyes, still blue but no longer glowing, widened a little at the sight of her husband. "Oh. Hello," she said, and tilted her head when he was quiet. "Why are you here, of all places?"

His voice was only as pleasant as his expression as he told her, "We need to talk."

She motioned to the outdoor seating area of a nearby restaurant, and they walked together in silence, sitting across from each other.

She sighed, frowning at him again. "Are you still upset about the star?"

"Oh, my dear. I'm not that petty."

Thunder growled, and the Goddess' eyes shot up to the clear blue sky.