Crowley knew Aziraphale could feel his sweaty palms in his and yet, the angel tightened his hold on him as his smile seemed to be as bright as the stars themselves. The demon kept staring at his angel and it wasn't until the angel gestured his chin towards his right and he felt his daughter nudge him that he finally turned and stammered.
"Vows, dad." The nephalem repeated.
Crowley nodded slowly and then shook his head as his mind caught up to what was transpiring. "Wha- me?" He looked at the angel in front of him. "Erm, no, no, yo-you can go first."
Cassi shook her head while Aziraphale encouraged his partner. "It'll be alright, dearest." He looked around the church where he saw but two witnesses: Gabriel behind him, while Beelzebub was but a few steps behind the demon. "I'm sure they are beautiful." He winked.
"Right. Right." Crowley let go of Aziraphale's hands and looked through the inner pockets of his white jacket where he found a crumpled-up piece of paper. He unraveled it as best as he could, and reminded himself it was not at all his fault he had to come up with his vows at the last minute.
Their wedding was to take place in days, not hours and thankfully for them, they managed to get some of their wedding stuff without using any type of miracles. Aziraphale was especially thankful their tailor had their wedding suits done three weeks prior. The angel decided to go with a nice black tuxedo, Victorian fashion of course, black matching vest, white button up shirt, and a black bowtie, and as Crowley put it, the angel looked quite sexy in black. Meanwhile, the demon opted for the opposite, knowing it would please his lovely angel to see him in white. Crowley wore a form-fitted white tuxedo with black buttons, complimenting the black tie around his neck, all while his hair was slicked back. The best part about their lovely outfits was that they wore matching cufflinks, a silver snake on their left sleeve and a silver angel's wing on their right.
"Dad?" Cassi whispered while Crowley read his vows to himself. "You are meant to say them out loud."
Crowley turned to his daughter. "Give me a moment." His attention went back to the paper in his hands.
Aziraphale and Cassi exchanged glances and smiled at each other. The angel nodded at his daughter, assuring her it was quite alright. He sighed contently seeing his daughter standing between them in her beautiful grey, chiffon dress with semi-transparent long sleeves and a modest V neckline that showed off the necklace they had gifted her on her birthday. Aziraphale had mentioned to Crowley how much Cassi looked like a fairy in the flowy dress, especially while her curls were pinned to the side by a silver snake on her left and a silver angel's wing on her right (she had to match them somehow), giving way to her lovely face.
The church echoed as Crowley cleared his throat. "Right." He cleared his throat once more and looked straight ahead at his soon to be husband. "We've, um, known each other for a long time. We've been on this planet for a long time. I can always rely on you…you can always rely on me. We are a team. A group. A group of the two of us since day one when we filled the sky with stars together and I wish…I wish I could recall that very moment which you have shared with me countless of times. I wish I could recall the smile you gave me, the warmth you shared with me, and the adoration we exhumed for our creation. However, what I can recall is how an angel did not shun me away on that garden wall or tried to smite me for asking questions. I also recall how that very same angel kept me grounded, kept constantly reminding me that I was more than a demon and how I was worthy of praise, care…love." He sniffed. "I am thankful to that angel for never giving up on me and never making me feel anything other than loved." The demon's voice became shaky. "I-I…I wish to forever reciprocate that love, those praises, the care and even if you grow tired of me, for whatever reason, I will still worship you until the last day of my existence." He exhaled sharply. "You once told me nothing lasts forever but…but you were wrong because the only thing that will last forever is us." He sniffed once more and took in a breath.
Beelzebub stepped forward and handed Crowley a ring. Crowley's hand shook while he took the ring and gently placed it on his angel's delicate finger, all while said angel choked out a sob. "I love you, Aziraphale." He whispered.
Gabriel then stepped forward and handed Aziraphale a handkerchief. "Best angel right here." He pointed at himself with a grin.
Meanwhile, Cassi sniffed as she blinked her tears away. "Alright." She cleared her throat. "Papa?"
Aziraphale wiped his tears and hoped he did not look like a complete mess. After a small moment, the angel managed to compose himself and retrieve his own vows from his jacket. "As this being my first wedding, I don't suppose it is the norm to apologize during vows." He began. "However, I'm taking this opportunity to do just that." The angel took a deep breath and looked deep into his partner's yellow orbs. "I know you've heard me say this before, but I wish to say it to you once more; I apologize." He sobbed. "I apologize for the hurt I've caused you in the past, for wounding your optimistic heart. The same heart you have so graciously decided to share with me for millennia and yet, I did not see it as you waved it in front of me for me to take but…but I see it now. Your heart is a wonderful, beautiful, lovely thing and I wish nothing more than to keep it safe, happy, and cherished for eternity. I am… grateful you never gave up on me and waited until I was ready. It took me quite a long time but here we are and…if we had to do it all over again, I would change a few things but what would always remain the same would be the love I have for you." He sniffed. "I love you…most ardently."
Crowley sniffed while he let out a shaky breath as Aziraphale placed his wedding band on top of the one he had received from the angel when he had asked to spend their lives together.
"What I have joined, men, angels, demons, heaven, and hell must not and will never divide." Cassi proceeded with a smile. "I now pronounce you a them, a team," she giggled, "a group of the two of you…husband and husband and alright then, you may now snog."
Both angel and demon chuckled and leaned forward, meeting each other in the middle with a gentle kiss. "I love you." Crowley whispered as he placed his forehead against Aziraphale's.
"I love you too, my dearest husband."
Crowley leaned his head back and chocked out, "I'm your husband." He cleared his throat and nodded. "Cassi, your papa and I are married!" He grinned while tears ran down his cheeks. "Lord Beelzebub, I am married, and this adorable angel is my husband! Gabriel, have you met my husband?" Crowley sounded giddy through his tears.
Aziraphale chuckled and held Crowley's hand in his. "Alright, dearest." He kissed his cheek and gently patted his chest. "We can celebrate later but right now," he turned to Cassi, "we have other important matters to attend to."
6 hours prior
Cassi sniffed as she walked away from the chaos that was unfolding in front of the shop, and she wished she could not only stop time but go back to a time when she did not know anything about how messy heaven and hell could be. To a time she didn't know she was a child of an angel and a demon however, even though she felt hopeless in trying to save the earth her parents loved, and the humans she came to care for throughout her existence, she was grateful to have met her parents. She loved them dearly and would do anything to keep their happiness; she hated seeing them distressed, especially over her.
"That's the problem with the love thing." Elliot walked beside her. "Seeps inside you and ultimately destroys you."
"Can you…just…leave me be." She continued walking. "I'll pretend I don't even know you." She turned and pointed down the block. "Go on. Shoo. End of the world starts over there." She wrapped her arms around herself and continued.
"I'm sorry." Elliot spoke under his breath.
"For what?" She avoided his gaze.
Elliot pulled her back and stood before her. "For showing you how bad the world truly is."
Cassi sighed heavily while she tried her very best not to step on his foot and call it a day. "I know the world is not great, but people are still worth saving. I just…didn't need to know heaven and hell were run by a bunch of idiots." She averted her teary eyes to the heavens. "My parents love earth more than anything and they will be giving it up for me. They have to witness the destruction of their home and of the humans they care for. I know I can make a difference but they…will never let me."
"By showing the angels we can all live in harmony?" Elliot questioned as he crossed his arms. "I didn't think it possible, but I enjoy your optimism."
Cassi smiled at Elliot and wished he was always as kind as he was to her at times. It wasn't his fault though. He did not have the luck of meeting a Nutter witch and it made her wonder if she would have ended up like him and the others of her kind. Full of hatred, revenge, and disdain for everything around them. Cassi felt sorry for what they had been through in heaven and just because she did not go through it herself, did not mean their feelings were invalid. The nephalem felt sadness for those around her. Sad for her friend who thought it necessary to use her. Sad for the nephalems who had let their demon side overtake them. Sad for the demons in hell who were punished for falling. Sad for heaven who thought they had to eradicate what they had created in order to seem superior. Sad for the humans who had no idea they were to meet their end soon. Sad for her parents who were not able to be together for millennia and the lost time they endured because of it.
Meanwhile, the still sky became alive as snow began to fall once again. "What will you accomplish if I guide you to heaven?" Cassi's voice was soft and almost inaudible. "Your parents are long gone, there is no bringing them back. The more you let heaven seep into your heart and mind, the more you become engulfed by such a terrible feeling. You want me to let you into heaven. Heaven wants me to protect them somehow and if I do, hell automatically thinks I am on their side. Why should I protect the place that casted my dad down for asking questions? The place that bullied my papa and made him feel insignificant." She let out a shaky breath. "Hell is no prize either. My dad saved a girl once and was punished for it. Earth is the only place where they belong. It's home to them…to me…to us and…it will be gone because it's, what, ineffable?"
Elliot had no words while a foreign feeling of guilt crept within him. "Cassi, I-"
"I wish for peace between heaven, hell, and earth. That way my parents can finally be safe and free to be together because it is possible for angels and demons to get along, no need for a silly war. But…it's too late…it's always too late." Cassi turned around. "Come on then, I'll take you to heaven. You can do as you please, I don't care. Let this all become one big pile of goo."
—-
"I'm not a dog. I can't track her down." Hex popped another biscuit into his mouth.
Crowley yanked the box of biscuits from the familiar. "I don't care. Do it anyway." He growled.
"I'm sure she's fine. Will pop into the shop any moment now." He looked past Crowley's shoulder. "Any…moment…now." He shrugged.
Aziraphale reached for Crowley's hand and led the demon towards the back of the shop. "Threatening him is not going to help us."
"I'm not threatening him."
"Well, whatever you are doing I need you to stop and calm down."
"Angel, our daughter is out there somewhere while the end of the world has started, these idiots-" he pointed to the shop's door, "-are at our doorstep, people are getting raptured left and right, and not to mention the mental lot who kidnapped her two hours ago! Stop telling me to calm down!"
Aziraphale pursed his lips and took in a long breath. "You are no help to me when you get like this, letting your emotions guide you. We need to remain calm and trust Cassi will be back shortly."
Crowley stammered and paced around. "Oh? Oh! Trust the same girl who did the disappearing act?! Same girl who has us going mad at the moment? Don't tell me to calm down when you are beyond worried. Your little act doesn't fool me. You're more worried than I am!"
"Yes! Alright! Yes! I am worried but can you please shut up!" The angel glanced at the window where he witnessed another wave of people being raptured.
Soon the shop's door flew open as two strangers looked inside the shop. "Wow," Luca whistled, "impressive." He pointed at one of the bookcases. "Jane Austen wrote books?"
Violet stepped forward and looked around as well. "I'm Nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody – too?" she began as she and Luca fully entered the shop. "Then there's a pair of us! Don't tell! they'd advertise, you know! How dreary to be Somebody! How public. like a Frog ."
Crowley shielded Aziraphale behind him and growled.
"To tell one's name, the livelong June. To an admiring Bog" Violet finished as she removed a book from a shelf and began to skim through it.
"Is that Jane Austen?" Luca questioned.
"No, you uncultured beast, it's-"
"Emily Dickinson." Aziraphale interjected.
Violet took in the demon and angel and nodded slowly. "She was mental that one." She shelved the book. "The angel." She pointed at Aziraphale.
Luca cocked his head and pointed at Crowley, "The demon I take it." He clicked his tongue and looked at the pair from head to toe. "Elliot hates you."
Crowly smirked. "The feeling is mutual."
Luca chuckled through his nose. "Where's the girl?"