Chapter 29- Switzerland
Lake Geneva. 15 months after the Showdown.
Jesu walked into the house to see Madge trying to move an armchair across the sitting room.
"Nah, darling, you shouldn't be doing that." He took Madge's hands in his and kissed her cheek.
"I'm only a few months along."
"Why are you moving this?"
"To make room for that," – Mary pointed, and Jesus saw The Chair. "I want it by the window in my nook."
Mary's nook was near the window giving her light to sew, weave, or write (she and Jesus were writing their own Gospel, so their children would know the truth). Jesus' armchair was between the nook and fireplace. Leonardo's sketch of Mary was in the rosewood frame on his desk nearby.
After Jesus moved her armchair by his, and put The Chair in place, Mary looked it over. Her fingers traced the forms carved into it. "This is so beautiful".
"My world was empty without you" Jesus sat Mary down in The Chair. "Now my world is complete". He knelt, running his fingers across the smooth wood he had shaped for centuries. He knew every bit of it with his eyes closed. He smiled with satisfaction. "Not a scratch! How did it get here?"
"Our angels brought it."
"Are they still here?"
"They're in the back garden, feeding the kids." Mary stayed inside to investigate the carvings on The Chair. Jesus hurried outdoors to the garden and saw Aziraphale, complete in lederhosen cooing to baby Joseph as he fed him with a bottle. He looked up and still cooing, said, "Jesu! He is beautiful. This is all so lovely. I am delighted to see you so deservedly blessed." The twinkle in his eye was genuine.
Jesus shrugged and held out his arms "this is my heaven".
"And that is mine", Aziraphale tilted his head towards a figure that would have been mistaken for any backpacker through the Alps, except for the collar length mop of ember red hair.
Crowley sat cross-legged on the ground in faded jeans, hiking boots, leather jacket, and a t-shirt that read "Hell's Angel", bottle feeding the orphaned baby goat. His glasses hung from his jacket pocket. Happily tugging and chugging, the kid's stubby tale wagged and tapped against his boot. Crowley giggled- a cascading gleeful "heeheeheehee" that filled the already joyful Jesu with even more joy. The fallen angel looked up and bowed his head to Jesu, causing the goat to switch from the bottle to his thumb for a moment. "Oi there!" Crowley said with mock anger and then laughed, his attention back on his duty. Jesu looked to Aziraphale, whose eyes had a happy shimmer over the twinkle. "When we met, he found joy in all things. The Fall took that; all I ever wanted was to give him back his Joy."
Jesus sat in the chair nearest the bench Aziraphale and Joey occupied, and smiled at his happy friends, hearing the distant waterfall, and enjoying his home; surrounded by life, love, and peace.
He showed the Angel how to hold Joey and burp him, and after a loud "bwap" (Crowley looked up and barked one "Ha!" that echoed across the valley), he fell asleep in Aziraphale's arms. The goat finished his meal, took a wee on Crowley's boots, and curled up next to the sheepdog that had adopted him. Crowley chuckled as he rose, miracled his boots clean and walked over to the garden seats. He and Jesus grasped arms in the greeting of their time, and Crowley took a seat next to Aziraphale on the bench. He smiled at the sleeping baby then looked over the valley he had shown Jesus over 2000 years ago. They sat in quiet contentment, until Madge came out. She and Jesus took the baby and the feeding bottles into the house and reappeared with two glasses of the local wine and two cups of cocoa. Madge sat in the chair next to Jesu and smiled at the pair absently holding hands as they caught up on events. The two angels ping-ponged their conversation, finishing each other's sentences.
Crowley, "We came by train."
Aziraphale, "I like trains."
"..making sure the chair arrived safely. We did stop outside of Paris for-"
"crepes"
"A few days of 'sightseeing", now that I can." – Crowley laughed and his brown eyes warmed with a hint of amber.
Mary took the opportunity to jump in the conversation, "Well, we insist that you stay here for a while and enjoy this valley you have led us to. We own the chalet up by the waterfall and the stargazing is spectacular."
Aziraphale politely demurred, "We couldn't impose."
Crowley (in a sing song tone), "stargazing…."
Jesus added, "and late at night you could fly around the peaks and over the lake. People would mistake it for hang gliders."
Crowley brightened, "We could go to the Matterhorn, or to Montreaux to visit the Freddie Mercury statue." He explained to the couple, "We've had a lot of Queen's music in our recent history."
Aziraphale started to soften, "I could use the practice before our trip.."
Mary coaxed, "And next week there's a festival. It sounds touristy, but it's more like a county fair. Local wine, cheese, and chocolate; with fondue and dancing. There's also a talent show."
"I could do magic!" Aziraphale was hooked, his fingers wiggling in preparation.
Crowley, trying to save his Angel from embarrassment, "In a French speaking Canton? Really?"
Aziraphale giggled, "Oui, Monsieur Fell's magie extraordinaire!"
Crowley shrugged, "If it makes you happy…" looking at Mary and shaking his head.
Jesus asked "Trip? Where are you going?"
Aziraphale settled down, "We're going to Florence to see a sketch of Crowley that Leonardo did. He was a model for –"
"Vitruvian Man?" Mary guessed.
Crowley, downplaying it all, "Mona Lisa – mostly just moving around the house and perching on stools (not easy with the amount of wine we consumed) till he found the right light, then he'd call for the model. It's not nearly as nice as his sketches of you, Mary."
Aziraphale bounced in his seat, "Then we're finally going to Alpha Centauri!"
"And let our wings out!" Crowley sounded genuinely delighted.
"Muriel is minding the store and the plants, so we only plan to be away a few months. Crowley has set a timer so we don't lose track. I want to be back in time for the symphony season."
"That sounds like a plan," Mary sipped her cocoa.
Aziraphale nodded, "Thankfully, not "The Plan"." They laughed.
Crowley asked Jesus, "Has the Almighty kept Her word and stayed in touch?"
Jesus counted on his fingers. "Three visits to talk, one to bless Joseph. We talk a little almost daily, but via channels, not in 'person'. We're coming to an understanding. The Second Coming will not be 'Wrath and Retribution'. No destruction. More of a Reset and Rehabilitation. Gabriel and the Metatron left out two important ingredients of the plan- Love and Mercy. When humans rise up or pass away, they'll have a choice- three actually."
Crowley guessed, "Heaven, Purgatory, Hell?"
Jesus answered. "Hell and Limbo (I guess there are five!) are determined by God and I, but advisors, such as you two, will be heard when needed. Their three options will be 'Heaven, Purgatory, or Reincarnation.'"
Mary added, "Everyone deserves a second chance."
"Some people will return to Earth. And they can change their mind – an open, revolving door. As long as they're good. And if Earth gets too crowded, there's always Earth II." Jesus looked at Crowley, "What does hell say to that?"
Crowley, using his business voice, "They are still allowed to tempt and recruit. There are always people who want more than they can get. My job is mainly 'soul negotiation' – there are a few humans that Heaven wants Hell to keep its hands off – who will become saints or scientists or philanthropists; the "Good Deed Doers", to quote the Wizard. But the harder the fall, the greater Hell's elation, so they sometimes overreach, and this leads to …negotiations. That usually involves listening to Shax and Michael snipe at each other, then I tell them what I think, and they both turn on me a while, and finally, they work out a deal. But if certain people start on the wrong path, we (nodding to Aziraphale) run some interference."
Aziraphale took Crowley's hand, "We're very good at interference."
Crowley gave it a squeeze, "It's what We do…. now."
"Actually, it's what we've done all along." The Guardian Angel still loved gazing at Crowley, and now Crowley gazed back.
Mary observed, "So you are basically still saving mankind."
Jesus said, "As God intended."
The pair spent a fortnight in the valley as Ezira and Anton, guests of Jesse and Magda Godson. They spent the days hiking, picnicking, and enjoying time with their friends on the farm. Nights were spent with long dinners and late-night flying. Mr. Fell won 3rd place in the talent show. No one had the heart to tell him the judges thought his bad French and bumbling magic was a comedy routine.
On their last day, Jesu took Aziraphale on a tour of the local chocolatiers. Crowley transformed to Cora and spent the day with Mary, watching Joey and the baby goats and sheep, preparing the evening meal like they used to, while sharing their opinion of the goings on of the last 2000 years. The angel returned with armfuls of chocolate and a sugar buzz. He went with Jesu to tend the animals, then they returned and played with Joey (making faces while he babbled) until he fell asleep.
It was with mixed emotions that Aziraphale watched Cora and Mary as they moved around the house. He had never seen his friend as relaxed and confident as Cora was, and he was sad that Crowley had never been that comfortable with him. Still surprising after 6000 years.
They ate, laughed and talked with their friends. They told of holding off the Apocalypse, and their conversation between the seconds with Adam Young. "'Human incarnate' – you nailed it, didn't you Angel? And possessing Madam Tracey – what are they doing now?" Cora asked.
"She and Shadwell are operating a newstand and keeping a cottage near Blenheim."
"Blenheim, where no one would dare have more than two nipples…." Cora said in an exaggerated posh voice and everyone laughed with loud amusement. "A flying scooter! Only you!" Cora surprised Aziraphale by reaching over and squeezing his arm.
"Well, you were driving a flaming Bentley!" Everyone laughed and Cora told them about driving a flaming car.
When everything was cleared away. Jesu pulled out a radio and the couples danced, everything from the gavotte to cheek-to-cheek. The evening ended with laughter and hugs, and a blessing from the Lord.
Aziraphale and Cora walked hand in hand back to the chalet and Cora transformed back into Crowley. Aziraphale wondered if Crowley felt he had to switch back, so he asked "Are you sure? You seemed happier…" his words fell away; afraid he was disappointing his friend. They kept walking, still hand in hand.
"With them, I am Cora, and it does make me happy," Crowley stopped, turned to face Aziraphale, and said, with a catch in his throat, "but, We are 'Aziraphale and Crowley', and … I LOVE being 'Us'".
Aziraphale beamed brightly, but said softly, "I love 'Us' too". There. It was said, or close enough for now.
Crowley dropped Aziraphale's hand and looking embarrassed, he took two steps away then turned back. "Let's go flying, Angel. One last chance to dip our toes in Lake Geneva and toast Freddie at his statue. Wha'dya say?" And his dark wings unfurled.
"Oh! were this fluttering spirit free, How quick 't would spread its wings to thee." Aziraphale quoted from "To A Star" as his white wings also spread.
In Montreux that night, 2 wine glasses were left at the feet of the Freddie Mercury statue as he looked across Lake Geneva . People walking along the lake that night heard the sound of wings, followed by a "Wahoo". The next day, people talked about the laughter, and assumed a couple of campers were very drunk as they heard Crowley's gleeful squeals and Aziraphale's delighted woohoo's.
After flying around the Alps, the Guardian and the Ambassador sat tucked under a duvet on the deck of the chalet, for a last night of cocoa and stargazing. Tomorrow, they'd leave for Alpha Centauri.
Aziraphale was exuberant, "Isn't it wonderful to see so many happy endings?"
"I didn't think it possible", Crowley's finger absently rode the rim of his cocoa mug, his eyes focused ahead to what might have been. Speaking in a quiet voice he only used with Aziraphale, "You saved me, Angel."
"Pish – I'm sure we saved each other," knowing how easily his partner embarrassed, Aziraphale resisted throwing his arms around him and just rested his hand lightly on Crowley's for a moment, "it took both of us to save the world."
"Perhaps the world saved us", Crowley looked at his Angel and held up his mug. Aziraphale's eyes twinkled back and they clinked mugs.