That Certain Night in Bethlehem

a Good Omens AU fan-fic

The dusty streets were crowded with people. Everywhere one looked there were crowds; men, women and children all talking, laughing, babies crying, donkeys braying. The little town of Bethlehem was full to overflowing. There simply wasn't room for all these people. They had come from far and wide, some from full across Palestine. Caesar Augustus had sent out a decree for everyone to be counted, so he would have a record of how many subjects were in his kingdom.

Many people were not pleased with this. It meant they had to put business on hold, pack up all the children, and prepare for a journey. For some this journey took weeks, traveling across dirty, bumpy roads during the heat of the day. The nights had grown long and cold. Tired and weary, the travelers stumbled into the sleepy town, their steps laboured and slow.

A man from Nazareth came with his wife, who was very tired. She was large with child and the time of birth had almost come. Every room and inn in Bethlehem was full. When Joseph and Mary arrived just as the sun was dipping low, there was no spare place to be found. Joseph went from door to door and received the same reply.

There was no room. Not even as much as a place to spread a blanket.

Finally, an innkeeper took pity on the couple and offered them the stable. It wasn't much, only a cave cut into the side of a hill as a shelter for the cows, sheep and donkeys. Joseph would of course have preferred even a rug on the kitchen floor, but Mary was grateful. It was dry and she could rest. Or at least lie down. The baby was about to come.

As night fell, Bethlehem grew quiet. Stars appeared in the dark sky overhead.

Out in the fields, shepherds were tending to their flocks. The pastures were meager and the sheep had to work extra hard to get at the short grass.

The shepherds huddled close to small fires for warmth.

It was a dirty, thankless job, tending sheep, but someone had to do it. Sheep had no teeth or claws for protection. They couldn't defend themselves against wolves, lions or other potential dangers. They couldn't even prevent themselves from being stolen. So the shepherds were needed to guard the flocks. Shepherds kept watch and protected the sheep. They cared for the young and the old.

They did as their fathers before them had. They trusted each other and were cautious of strangers. Not many of the men on the hill were friendly towards the tall shepherd in the dark robes, with the yellow eyes. He had come to the town several months ago. Naturally, the shepherds were distrustful, as he wasn't from around there. They weren't even sure what tribe he came from. However, he had proved to be a hard worker and had never lost any of the lambs in his charge. He was usually silent, but shepherds don't often have much to say to each other. They were an entity unto themselves; secretive and solitary. Their nights were spent around little campfires, leaning against the spindly trees dotting the pastures, keeping watch.

This night was no different. Everything was still. The sheep slept as the shepherds rested. A few fathers had brought their sons with them. The boys had fallen asleep long ago.

Then one boy awoke with a unexpected cry.

Into the silent night there suddenly shone a light, brighter than any star and as majestic as the sun. In this light appeared a figure, clothed in glistening white robes with golden trim. Wings unfolded and the angel of the Lord floated over the fields, making the night as bright as day.

The shepherds were now all wide awake. The boys hid behind their cloaks and even the grown men had to admit they were terrified. All but one shepherd, the tall one in dark robes.

Crowley wasn't afraid. He knew who the angel was. He didn't know why Gabriel, the angelic messenger, was appearing to shepherds, but it had to be something important. Whenever God had a message to share, it was always important.

A little boy stumbled back into Crowley and tripped.

"Oh!" the boy cried, looking up at Crowley in worry.

Crowley knelt to help the boy to his feet.

"It's alright," Crowley assured him.

"What is that?" the boy pointed towards Gabriel in wonder.

"An angel," Crowley whispered, trying not to say the word with contempt.

"Why is he here?"

"Let's listen and see," Crowley replied.

A moment later, the angel spoke.

"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you; you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

The shepherds all gazed with mouths open. Gabriel raised his hands and there suddenly were hundreds upon hundreds of angels all around, shining brightly and they all lifted their voices to Heaven and sang.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men."

A longing inside Crowley wished to join in with the song of praise, even though he could no longer. Among the heavenly host, he spotted a familiar face. Down on Gabriel's right was an angel with golden blond hair, her eyes bright as she sang of glory.

Crowley smiled.

Aziraphale looked down and her gaze alighted on his face, surprise coming over her own. When Gabriel and the choir of angels ascended into Heaven, Aziraphale stayed and landed lightly beside Crowley. The little boy gaped at her wings in astonishment.

The shepherds were far too distracted to notice her. The mystery and the wonder was still hanging in the air as they talked about this strange event.

"What shall we do?" one asked.

"Let us go to Bethlehem," said another, "and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

"Yes, indeed!" cried the boy clinging to Crowley's robes.

Crowley looked to Aziraphale. "Angel?" he asked.

"Come and see," she smiled. She spread her wings and took to the air.

Something in Crowley's tarnished heart told him something big had just happened. A ripple through the fabric of reality had come. There was a change, a shift. A normal demon would have felt fear or experienced a flash of panic. But Crowley felt neither, only curiosity.

The shepherds were leaving the sheep and fires unattended and running down the hills towards Bethlehem. Crowley followed. Two of the orphaned lambs in his care stumbled to their feet and also followed.

The town lay slumbering, all doors closed and windows dark. The shepherds didn't care how much noise they made as they hurried along the deserted streets in pursuit of the stable. There were several places where animals were kept, but none showed any life, until they came to the last.

Here, the cave was lit with candle light and a man and a woman rested in the hay. Above them hovered an angel, clothed in white and gold, her wings encircling the couple. And there, in the feeding trough, and nestled peacefully in the hay, was a baby.

Mary looked up when the shepherds all crowed in, out of breath and cold and damp. She smiled at their faces all turned to wonderment, gazing at the infant boy.

Crowley slipped in behind the others, not wanting to intrude. He too looked at the child and something came over him.

There was nothing remarkable about the boy in appearance. His skin wasn't perfect, His curly hair wasn't extraordinary.

But the baby wasn't ordinary. Crowley knew who He was, even though he was no longer an angel, he still knew.

It was Jesus, God himself in human form.

Crowley stared, forgetting about the others, only seeing the Child, sleeping soundly and peacefully.

"He's beautiful," someone said, startling Crowley. It was Aziraphale's voice.

He looked up to see her smiling at him.

"Yes," he managed to reply.

"Do you know who He is?" she asked.

"How could I not?"

"Well, I thought maybe… you being, well, you know, it might cloud your judgment?"

"Even demons can recognize God when they see Him," said Crowley.

"God," breathed the little shepherd boy, who was again by Crowley's feet, between the lambs who were nuzzling each other. He looked up at Aziraphale and Crowley, his eyes wide in awe.

"Our Savior," the boy whispered. He turned to his father, his excitement almost causing him to dance. "Papa, our Savior! We have to tell others! The whole town!"

His father looked down and nodded. "We should, Nathan. Come, everyone. We must share the good news!"

The shepherds all talked at once and left, leaving the little shed quiet, except for noises of the animals.

Aziraphale came down and folded up her wings. Crowley kept staring at the Baby.

"He's so little," said Mary, tucking the hay around Him gently.

The Baby opened His eyes. One tiny hand came through the swaddling clothes and reached towards her. She scooped Him up and held Him close to her heart. The tiny hand touched her chin. She kissed Him.

Did she know she just kissed the face of God? Crowley wondered.

It seemed so strange, in this stable, crowded by a donkey, sheep and cows, to see Him as a human baby, so small, helpless and… human.

Crowley couldn't understand it, couldn't put it through his head how this had happened. He looked to the angel, but Aziraphale was just as clueless as he. She was standing next to him, gazing at the infant.

"It's incredible," she whispered, "I don't understand it."

"Perhaps it isn't something we can understand," Crowley said.

"Perhaps not," Aziraphale agreed. "But, I wish I did."

Crowley had a desire to understand as well. What Great Plan did God have in mind? How was He going to reach humanity as a baby? Would the world be willing to pay heed to God as a man?

And why had He chosen to be born here, surrounded by animals, with shepherds to see Him? Crowley could tell there was nothing special about the man and woman who sat adoring the Child. Joseph came from a good family, but he was only a carpenter. Mary was simply a country girl. They weren't anyone important. Jesus could have chosen to be born in a palace, with servants and kings and queens.

Why here? Why now?

"It's so strange," Aziraphale said, her golden curls falling around her face as she shook her head.

Crowley nodded. He put down his shepherd's crook and got down on his knees. The lambs crowded close to him, bleating loudly. Even the donkey lowered her head and sniffed at Baby Jesus. Animals sometimes had the advantage of knowing more than people did. Even they could tell this Child was different.

Mary turned to Crowley. "Would you like to hold Him?" she asked with a smile.

Crowley was stunned. He had no idea what to say. Would it be right, could a demon even touch the Son of the Almighty?

He opened his mouth and no words came out.

Mary slipped the bundle into his arms, not waiting for an answer.

Crowley sat there, staring down at the tiny face, which was looking up at him. He was holding Christ in his arms. The Most High was looking up at him with bright blue eyes, at him, a Fallen one.

One of Crowley's long tresses of ginger hair dipped near Him. A little hand grasped at the hair. Aziraphale sank down beside Crowley. Another little hand reached towards her. She held out a finger. It was grabbed. A giggle escaped Aziraphale, a funny sound for an angel.

The sound of voices told that the shepherds had returned and brought some curious folks with them. The demon and angel didn't notice. All their immediate attention was for the miracle wrapped in swaddling clothes, who was tugging on Crowley's hair.

The demon let himself smile.

"What a strange way to save the world," he whispered.

Now, I'm not one to second guess

What angels have to say

But this is such a strange Way

To save the world…

Notes:

-Based on the Nativity as told in the book of Luke, chapter 2, verses 1-20

-Lyrics are from Strange Way to Save the World by 4Him and David Allen Clark, Donald A. Koch and Mark R. Harris