Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 21:55:17 +0000
From: Jason Parker <archangelmatthew72@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Angel Part 17

Authors Note: By now my new story has been posted. It's called
Cruising for Love and can be found in the Highschool section.

Disclaimer: If you shouldn't be reading this, then don't. It's quite
simple really. And remember kids, this November, don't just say
NO to drugs, say NO to Bush. Sanctity of marriage my ass! Oh,
and if anyone can explain to me exactly how gay marriages are a
threat to hetro marriages? I just fail to see how if David and Stuart
get married, it's going to be a threat to Robert and Sally next
door? Am I the only one who sees shit spewing from our
presidents mouth? Talk to me people!


Broken Moonlight

	Mephistopheles had been right. Jason pulled into the
compound just as the sun was about to hit the horizon. He parked
Scott's car back where he had found it in a small garage along
with several dozen other cars. He tried to get back to his rooms
without anyone noticing him, but soon had to give up. Everywhere
he went, whenever anyone saw him, the backed off and watched
him pass. Apparently Nick wasn't very good at keeping his mouth
shut.
	The feeling he got from them though wasn't exactly
menacing... more just... intense curiosity and wariness. Under
what he felt was intense scrutiny, he broke into a run and dashed
for the building his room was in. The walls were a blur as he tore
up the stairs and along the hall. He slammed his door shut behind
him and panted. He wasn't going to be able to take this much
longer, he had to get out. And soon.
	He grabbed his suitcase out of the wardrobe and started
throwing his clothes inside it. Five minutes later he was finished.
He sat down on his bed to wait, not exactly sure what, if anything,
he was waiting for.
	A little while later, Jason wasn't sure how long because
he'd already packed his clock in his bag, there was a knock at his
door. He remained sitting on his bed, arms wrapped around his
knees. The door creaked open and Sara stuck her head timidly
around the corner.
	"Jason? Are you ok?" She asked.
	He didn't answer, didn't even move or indicate that he had
recognized her presence. She slipped into his room and shut his
door as quietly as she could. As she got closer to him, she could
see he had been crying. His eyes were red and swollen. She
placed a hand on his arm and his eyes darted from the far wall,
where they had been fixed, to her.
 	Jason hadn't even realized he had been crying. He had
been going over and over again what Mephistopheles had told
him about Matt. '"Matt is probably up in Heaven with that girl of
his."' He only felt the sting of dried tears on his cheeks when Sara
touched his arm.
	He looked up at her though blurry eyes. "Can we go home
now?" he whispered hoarsely.
	Sara helped him up and took his suitcase. They went down
to his car which was already packed with her and Scott's bags.
Jason climbed into the backrest and soon fell asleep.

* * *

	When Jason woke again the last rays of light from the
sunset lit up a blackened sky with towering thunder clouds
forming. He pulled out his iPod and set it to play randomly. The
first song it selected was a recent remix of Finley Quaye's Dice.
	Scott also seemed to have fallen asleep in the front seat,
and Sara seemed content to drive on in silence. He leaned with
his head pressed against the glass and listened as the lights on
the highway flashed past.


	'I was crying over you
	I am smiling I think if you
	Where your garden have no walls
	Breathe in the air if you care, you compare, don't say
farewell

	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear that your love's
for 			me
	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear that your love's
for 			me

	I was crying over you
	I am smiling I think if you
	Misty morning and water falls
	Breathe in the air if you care, you compare, don't say
farewell

	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear your love's for me
	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear your love's for me
	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear your love's for me

	Virtuous sensibility
	Escape velocity

	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear your love's for me
	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear your love's for me
	Nothing can compare
	To when you roll the dice and you swear your love's for me
	Breathe in the air if you care, you compare, don't say
farewell
	Nothing'


* * *

	Jason only realized he had fallen asleep when he was
awoken by the crunch of the tires on gravel. He turned off his still
playing iPod and managed to smile groggily at Paul, the security
guard who opened the front gate for them and waved as he
passed by.
	As they were pulling through the gates, the skies finally
opened up and rain started pattering on the windshield. Paul
rushed to close the gate behind them and then get back to his
cozy booth and his raincoat. There was a dull rumble of thunder
as Sara parked. Paul must have called ahead to tell the house
that they were arriving, because Nancy was already standing at
the door with two umbrellas for them. She hurried out to them and
managed to keep all three of them relatively dry as they pulled
their bags from the boot of the car. Quite a feet, Jason had to
admire her.
	Once they got inside, Jason dropped his bag on the floor
and hugged her. "You cooked any of your famous Christmas
cookies yet Nan?" He asked her with a childish grin.
	She knocked his cheek with a knuckle. "Spoilt brat, you
expect me to do everything?" She teased and then whispered in
his ear so only he could hear, "There's a batch in the oven just
now." Then she winked and bustled off back to the kitchen.
	Elizabeth came out of her study and hugged her son and
daughter then shook hands with Scott when he introduced
himself.
	"Is Dad here?" Jason asked his mother in a tone that
showed he was ready to be disappointed.
	"Not yet dear," She said. "He's getting here later tonight, if
the storm doesn't ground his plane that is."
	Jason snorted derisively and hefted his bag to take it up to
his room. His mother called after him as he ascended the stairs.
	"Jason, will you show Scott to one of the guest rooms
please?" She called.
	He looked back over his shoulder at Scott and narrowed
his eyes momentarily. "Sure, I'll put him in first room."
	"Put him in the second, Drew's already in the first." She
called back up as he disappeared around the corner. Jason stuck
his head back round.
	"Drew's here?"
	She nodded.
	Jason swallowed hard.



	The wind rattled the windows ominously as the storm
picked up strength. The lashings of rain hit the glass with a heavy
patter as Jason ambled down the long hall to the room his parents
had given Drew. There was a sudden flash of lightning and a
crack of thunder. He stopped outside Drew's door and raised his
fist. He took a deep breath. He knocked once twice just as there
was another flash of lighting and the following thunder drowned
out the noise his hand made on the wood. He knocked again.
	"Come in," Drew called out from within.
	Jason gripped the doorknob and turned it. Drew was in the
process of unpacking his bag. He turned and saw Jason at the
door.
	"Jason!" He jumped. "You made it!" He ran and hugged
Jason exuberantly. Oh god, he'd wanted to do that for so long!
	Jason smiled uneasily.
	"When'd you get here?" Drew asked.
	"Just a few minutes ago. I came down with Sara and
Scott." He informed his friend.
	Drew grimaced. "She scares me."
	A real smile flashed across Jason's face and he laughed.
"Yeah, she scares me sometimes too."
	Drew beckoned him into his room.
	"Drew," Jason started. "About that note I left you..." Drew
looked at him curiously. "We need to talk."
	Drew felt like his heart had missed a beat. He paled visibly.
Oh fuck! Drew thought. Jason must've figured it out! He knows I'm
gay and now-- he hates me! He's going to ask me to leave. Drew
started breathing faster as his mind panicked.
	"Drew, we need to talk." Jason repeated solemnly. He took
a seat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Drew to join him.
The thunder had passed on by now and only the gently patter of
rain on the windows could be heard. A long moment of silence
passed between them as they both struggled for the courage to
say what they each wanted to say.
	"I have to tell you something," they both blurted at once.
	Drew blushed, "Sorry, you go first."
	Jason took a deep breath. "Drew I'm g--"

	"Beauty queen of only eighteen
	He had some trouble with himself
	He was always there to help him
	He always belonged to someone else"

	The voice came through the window, unimpeded by the
continuing rain and made Jason stop mid-sentance. Drew,
watching him saw his pupils shrink and his breathing catch. Jason
turned his head to the window.
	Drew followed his gaze.
	Jason stood shakily and began moving slowly across the
room.

	"I drove for miles and miles
	And wound up at your door
	I've had you so many times but somehow
	I want more"

	Jason reached the window and eased it open. He peered
out into the rain and caught sight of a figure standing across the
street on the corner, under a circle of light from the street lamp.

	"I don't mind spending everyday
	Out on your corner in the pouring rain
	Look for the boy with the broken smile
	Ask him if he wants to stay awhile
	And he will be loved
	He will be loved"

	Jason leant out over the sill into the rain and peered at the
sodden figure. He hardly dared to hope who it could be.

	"Tap on my window knock on my door
	I want to make you feel beautiful
	I know I tend to get so insecure
	It doesn't matter anymore'

	It's not always rainbows and butterflies
	It's compromise that moves us along
	My heart is full and my door's always open
	You can come anytime you want"

	"Matt?" Jason breathed more than spoke it. "Matt?" He
called again, louder this time.
	Drew, still sitting on his bed let his shoulders slump. His
heart, previously in his throat felt like it had plummeted into his left
shoe where it was slowly being squeezed by his foot. He
remembered the name that had burnt itself on the coffee table
only a few days ago at college. Who was this Matt that he could
cause Jason so much hurt but seemingly so much... hope at the
same time?
	Jason ran past him out the door, seemingly blind to all
around him but his goal out on the street. Drew stood and
followed him more slowly down the hall.
	Jason ran along the all and then down the stairs. He raced
through the living room where Sara, Scott and his parents had all
stopped in their conversations to listen to the singing and wonder
where it was coming from. Jason ignored them all and when Drew
followed through behind him, they gave him wondering looks. He
merely shrugged, showing he knew as little as they did.

	"I don't mind spending everyday
	Out on your corner in the pouring rain
	Look for the boy with the broken smile
	Ask him if he wants to stay awhile
	And he will be loved
	He will be loved
	And he will be loved
	And he will be loved"

	Jason flung the front door wide and stared out into the rain
across the street. He stepped out into the driveway, the gravel
crunching loudly under foot. The storm had almost passed and
the rain was lessening more and more.

	"I know where you hide
	Alone in your car
	I know all of the things that make you who you are
	I know that goodbye means nothing at all
	Comes back and makes me to catch him every time he
falls"

	Jason thought about how, during the last few weeks of
college, if things had gotten too hectic to deal with, he had locked
himself in his car and blasted loud music, hoping, aching for some
sign from Matt that he was still there. Anything, a song over the
radio as Matt had done as he was driving back to college, or even
a direct message. But there had been nothing.

	"Tap on my window knock on my door
	I want to make you feel beautiful"

	Now he was running down the driveway, the gravel
crunching under his shoes. He pushed past the wrought iron gate
and the stones turned to hard asphalt and he nearly flew across
the road, stopping just outside the circle of light cast by the street
lamp.

	"I don't mind spending everyday
	Out on your corner in the pouring rain
	Look for the boy with the broken smile
	Ask him if he wants to stay awhile
	And he will be loved
	And he will be loved
	And he will be loved
	And he will be loved"

	The singer raised his head, water still dripping down his
sodden hair and the light from the street lamp stuck his face.
Jason ran pressed his face hard into his chest as Matt's arms
closed around him, holding him tightly, as if to protect him from
the world.
	"Matt..." Jason whispered.
	"Jason, I'm so sorry" Matt murmured as he kissed the top
of his head gently. "I'm so sorry for everything I put you through. I
was wrong..."
	"Hushh," Jason whispered. He tilted his head up and
stared into Matt's ice blue eyes. They were red and he looked like
he was about to cry. "You're here now." he said, and then stood
on his tiptoes and kissed Matt gently on the lips.
	Matt shivered slightly against him, and Jason realized just
how wet he was. Matt must have been standing there for the
better part of the storm. His clothes were plastered to his skin,
defining his chest.
	Matt looked over Jason and noticed Sara coming down the
driveway. She looked about ready for war as she stormed towards
them. "Is there somewhere we can go and be alone for a while?"
He asked Jason softly.
	Jason nodded, his face still pressed against Matt's chest.
"The end of our garden, there's a copse of birch trees." Neither of
them moved though.
	Matt glared hard at the still advancing Sara and then
closed his eyes. He pictured that small cluster of birch trees at the
end of Jason's garden. He knew it down to the last twig and leaf
there, having watched over Jason as he played there as a child. A
warm breeze swept up around them and he held Jason closer to
his body.

	Sara threw her hands up in front of her to block the bright
of the white lights that shot up out of the ground and swirled
around Jason and Matt. The lights circled them faster and faster,
kicking up a warm breeze that caught her hair. Then the lights
froze in place around Matt and Jason, before the lights and the
two men within were lit from somewhere between them and the
whole column of lights shot like a pillar of light into the gray clouds
above. Moments later a second column of light shot down from
the clouds behind their house, somewhere in the garden she
suspected. Sara turned to run back towards the house and meet
them in the garden, but she found her way blocked.
	"Stay your hand Sara." The cloaked person told her. "This
must happen, and I cannot allow you to interfere because of your
personal feelings towards Matthew."
	"Get out of my way you bastard." She snarled and threw a
punch at the hood.
	The sleeves of the cloak shout out like snakes and wound
around her wrist, holding her fist from coming nearer.
	"I will not ask you again Sara. Go inside and keep your
parents from interrupting Matthew and Jason. Leave Scott and
Drew to play this out as they do."
	"But he's my brother!" She begged and struggled to free
her hands.
	"That does not make him a defenseless child," her captor
snapped. "If you think that keeping him and Matthew apart will
help him in anyway, then you know nothing about him. I do not
want to force you to do this Sara, but neither am I willing to risk
this to your childish infatuations."
	The sleeves snapped off of her wrists and she stumbled
backwards. The cloaked person strode quickly towards the street
lamp Jason and Matt had been standing under. Sara looked back
to the house and saw the front door open. Her mother was
coming down the front hall towards the door. Sara looked behind
her to see the cloaked figure step behind the lamp post. They
didn't emerge from the other side and the lamp was far to thin for
a person to hide behind. She cursed under her breath and ran
back to the house to stop her mother from coming out.

* * *

	Jason opened his eyes and saw past Matt's shoulder, that
they were standing in the small clearing of birch trees at the end
of their garden. The night closed in around them and the silver
birch bark was lit only by the small trickle of moonlight that
escaped through the clouded sky.
	Matt let go of him with one arm and held it out sideways as
he slowly spun himself and Jason in a circle. Silver bubbles
blossomed from his palm and drifted to the edge of the clearing
where they began to glow with a soft silver light. Almost like
miniature moons. Soft music filled the air and Jason relaxed
against Matt's chest, taking comfort in its solidarity.


	'Sun shines through the daytime
	And sometimes through the rain
	But sun that shines in the nighttime
	Has a different name.'


	Jason inhaled deeply. Matt's lilies and jasmine scent filled
his nostrils.


	'Signs that point to the heavens
	They aren't that hard to find
	Moonlight's sometimes broken
	As its falling from behind.

	I can see right through this window
	You can see right through me
	So I'm gonna look back through this window
	And you can look-a right through me.

	Everything is showing
	From the inside
	There's no sense in going
	There's nowhere I can hide.

	Sometimes in the middle of a crime
	Is the loneliest place to be
	Moonlight's sometimes broken
	As its falling through the trees

	I can see right through this window
	You can see right through me
	So I'm gonna look back through this window
	And you can look-a right through me.

	I can see right through this window
	You can see right through me
	So I'm gonna look back through this window
	And you can look-a right through me.
	You can look-a right through me.'


	Matt touched his cheek and lifted his face so they were
staring at each other. "If I didn't love you so much, could I hurt you
like this?" he whispered.
	"If you couldn't hurt me like this, could I love you so much?"
Jason asked him back."
	Matt shuddered slightly against Jason "If I didn't hurt you
so much, could I love you like this?"
	Jason stared up at Matt. "Do you love me?"
	"Yes. More than anything." Matt's arms wrapped tighter
around Jason and pulled him close. This brought his head near to
Jason's hair. He sniffed in Jason's scent and then his eyes flicked
open.
	"What about Ashley?" Jason asked.
	Matt stiffened.
	Jason stepped back out of Matt's arms and looked at him.
"Who do you love more? Me or Ashley?" he asked again.
	Matt's voice trembled slightly, "H-how d-do you know about
Ash?"
	Jason shook his head. "That doesn't matter, answer my
question. Because I'm not going to sit around and wait for you to
get bored with your angel girlfriend. You have to choose Matt, her
or me."
	Matt looked at him baffled. "Jase, you don't know what
you're asking..."
	"That's it then?" Jason's voice had become ragged.
"You've chosen her then. Goodbye Matt." He started to walk away
but Matt grabbed his arm and turned him forcibly.
	"Jason you don't understand! Ashley's my sister!" he
almost shouted.
	Jason stared at him as if he's been slapped. "Wow." he
said. "Boy oh boy do I feel like a twat now..." His legs started to
wobble and Matt caught him.
	"Jason, please tell me who told you about Ash?" Matt
asked him urgently.
	"He- he was just a-a--" Jason trailed off.
	Matt leaned forwards and sniffed along Jason's neck. He
jerked his head back suddenly and then his eyes connected with
Jason's for a moment. Matt saw with a flash the whole scene, as
if through Jason's eyes. Sitting in the bar, talking with--
	"Mephistopheles!" He snarled. "Did he touch you? Did he
hurt you? I swear to god if he--"
	Jason shook his head. "I'm fine. We only talked."
	Matt drew him close again. "You stink." was all he said.
	Jason pulled his head back and looked up at Matt, his lip
curled slightly. "Oh gee thanks." he said. "I did have a fight with
Damien this morning and I have been cooped up in a car for the
last three hours. Don't you think you could have put it a bit nicer?"
	Matt looked at him a bit confused. Then he laughed. "No, I
meant you stink of Mephistopheles. I can smell him all over you,
and its overpowering your scent."
	"Oh." Jason mumbled. "Tonight really seems to be a bad
night for me huh? I'm just getting everything wrong."
	Matt lifted his chin with a finger and kissed him on the lips.
When they broke apart, Jason licked his lips. "Vanilla still?" Matt
asked with a grin.
	Jason nodded. "I think you're right about that shower
though..." He grabbed Matt's hand and tugged him towards the
house.
	Matt stayed stock still. "Jason, I should be going, I--"
	"Please stay," Jason begged him.
	"But your mother and sister--"
	"It's Christmas," Jason insisted. "They'll just have to deal
with it." He moved back to Matt and took his other hand. He
kissed him briefly on the lips again. "It would mean a lot to me..."
	"You're sure?" Matt asked him.
	"Positive." Jason said and then led him through the trees
back up the garden to the house.
	Matt waved behind him and one by one the silver lights
winked out and then popped with a soft sigh.

* * *

	Sara had convinced her mother that Jason was talking with
'just a friend' and that they should stay inside. Elizabeth had given
her a look that said clearly she knew there was more to it but
wasn't going to press Sara. At the moment anyway. Then Sara
had joined Scott and Drew at the window seat at the top of the
stairs that overlooked the garden. Nancy had provided them with
a plate of fresh cookies and she joined them in swiftly consuming
them.
	"So you're one of Jason's flat mates at school?" Sara
asked him.
	Drew nodded and swallowed the cookies he was chewing.
"Yeah, me and Jeff. There was supposed to be a fourth guy, but
he was a no show. He shrugged and took another cookie from the
plate. "I'm not complaining, it gave the rest of us more room."
	Scott laughed. "Yeah, I remember my first year of college.
There was four of us crammed into a two person apartment." he
paused and looked serious. "I'm actually surprised we managed
to go a whole year without slitting each other's throats..."
	Drew looked between Sara and Scott. "So are you two...?"
He trailed off and let the unfinished question hanging in the air.
	Scott looked momentarily startled and then laughed
nervously. "Ah, no. I just work for her."
	"And what exactly is it you guys do?" Drew pursued,
always curious as to what exactly it was that kept Sara away from
home so much, according to Jason.
	Sara smiled. "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."
She said it jokingly, but with just enough force that left Drew with
no doubt that she fully meant it. He swallowed hard.
	"So what brings you to the Parker residence?" she asked
him between mouthfuls of cookie.
	"Well, Jason left a note that he wanted to talk to me when
he left college, and I thought I'd surprise him by just visiting for a...
few... days..." Drew trailed off. He had been staring out the
window as he was talking and had noticed a small copse of birch
trees at the end of the garden. Through a gap in the trees he
could clearly see Jason and another man, lit by broken moonlight
and locked in a seep embrace.
	Sara and Scott turned to try and see what it was that had
caught Drew's attention so. They turned and joined Drew in
watching Jason and Matt just as the two kissed deeply. The plate
of cookies that had been balanced on Sara's lap slid to the floor
with a clatter. The noise startled Drew and he jumped to his feet,
eyes wide. Then he turned and ran down the hall towards his
bedroom.
	Sara spat quiet obscenities under her breath at Matt. Scott
looked at her a moment.
	"I'll go after him then shall I?" he asked, almost
sarcastically. That's when he noticed her fists clenched on either
side of her, her knuckles white with the force. He quickly backed
off and then headed down the hall in Drew's wake.

* * *

	"Drew?" Scott knocked on the door.
	He heard a muffled sob from within. Scott eased the door
open and slipped inside, closing it behind him. "Drew?" he asked
again.
	Drew, who was lying curled on his bed, his face buried in a
pillow, stiffened at the sound of his voice. "Please go away." He
choked out between sobs.
	Scott sat down on the edge of Drew's bed as gently as he
could, but his weight made the mattress creak and moan. "I take it
you're in love with him too?"
	Drew nodded into the pillow. Then he sat up and stared at
Scott. "Wait... you too?"
	Scott nodded and gave him a weak smile. "I guess it's a bit
different with you though," he said. "I mean, I've only known him
for a few days and you've been around him since, what, high
school?"
	"Yeah," Drew said hoarsely as he wiped his face clean. "I
didn't even know he was gay though... Otherwise I would have--"
He was suddenly wracked by a powerful sob.
	Scott looked at Drew thoughtfully, then asked, "Drew, can I
ask you something?"
	Drew shrugged. "You just did, but sure, you can ask me
something else." He smiled weakly at his attempt at comedy.
	"Do-- do you have feelings for Jason when you're not with
him?" Scott queried.
	Drew started to answer but then stopped. He thought it
over in his mind.
	Scott took the opportunity to continue. "I mean," he said.
"Until a few days ago I'd never even looked at a guy like..." he
trailed off, embarrassed suddenly. "But then Jason comes along,
and I start... I don't know... The longer I was around him though
the stronger the feelings got."
	"So you're straight?" Drew asked, a bit surprised.
	"Well, I thought I was, but now I'm not so sure"
	Drew considered it a bit more, then, "I never really thought
about it before, but you might be right... I know when I'm around
Jason, all I can think about is him. But... when he's gone... It's
like--" he stopped. "Well, I think of him more as a brother then. I
think."
	Drew stared off out of his window. The clouds were starting
to clear and a sliver of a moon hung in the darkened sky. The
sparkling stars reminded him of the light he had seen Jason and
Matt by and tears started to blossom in his eyes again. He
collapsed sideways into Scott and started to weep.
	"Why didn't he tell me?!" He all but wailed. "I thought I was
his friend and he didn't even tell me!" He pressed his forehead
against Scott's chest as tears flowed openly down his cheeks.
	Scott was a bit taken aback. An only child, he'd never had
to comfort a sibling, so it was the first time he had ever been used
as a crying support. It was an unnerving experience at first.
Eventually he realized he should be doing something to comfort
Drew, so he placed his hand on his back and gently rubbed it.
	Several minutes passed and Drew's sobbing seemed to
slow. His breathing became steady but ragged. Scott finally
realized Drew had tired himself and fallen asleep against him.
	Now, had this same thing occurred just a few days ago,
Scott probably would have pushed Drew off of him and made a
hasty exit, but now... He slowly leant back so he was propped up
by the headboard of the bed. Drew slipped back with him, his
head still resting on Scott's chest.
	He sat, his arm held loosely around Drew and watched the
moonlight trace across his face. He felt something stir in his
stomach and chest. Something he'd only felt once before... when
he had kissed Jason's neck in the showers... He wasn't entirely
sure, but it just felt right, when he pulled the blanket up over
himself and Drew, and when he wrapped his arm tighter about
Drew holding him closer to his body. He laid his head back
against the headrest and sighed. One thing was for certain, things
had definitely changed ever since Jason had turned up. For better
or worse, time would only tell.

* * *

	When Jason and Matt got into the house, no one seemed
to be about at first. Poking his head around the corner, he saw his
mother, elbow-deep in papers at her desk. He carefully
maneuvered Matt past her study so she wouldn't see him. They
got to the stairs and Jason almost yelped. Sara was sitting at the
top of the stairs on the window seat. He froze with Matt, just
inches behind him. He waited for Sara to start yelling and for his
mother to come running.
	Seconds ticked by and then he examined her more closely.
She was slumped, arms crossed over her breast and head tilted
slightly on an angle. Her chest rose and fell evenly in sleep. Jason
breathed a sigh of relief. They padded up the stairs, for once,
Jason was thankful of the marble steps. Had they been wood,
they might have creaked and awakened Sara. As it was, when
they neared the top, she stirred restlessly in her sleep. Jason held
his breath. Her breathing evened out again and he sighed. The
two of them slipped past her and down the hall to Jason's room.
He locked his door behind them.
	Matt broke his hand free of Jason's and took a seat on the
bed. Jason looked at him oddly.
	"Don't worry," Matt assured him. "I'll be right here when you
get out."
	"OK," Jason said reluctantly. "Just don't pull one of your
disappearing tricks."
	"I wont."
	Jason cast a last glance behind him and then slipped into
the bathroom. After a moments pause, he turned the latch to lock
the door. He undressed quickly and turned on the water. Jason
turned back to the door and unlocked it. He poked his head out.
Matt was sitting on the bed, right where he had been, staring back
at him.
	Jason smiled nervously. "Erm," he started timidly. "You
think I could have one of those silver music thingies?"
	Matt grinned and curled his hand under his arm. He closed
his fist and the twisted his hand up and around so that his loosely
balled fist pointed, palm up, towards Jason. He uncurled his
fingers and a silver globe bobbed through the air between himself
and Jason. Jason stepped out of the way and the sphere bobbed
inside to hover beside him at head level. He stepped into the
shower and it followed him, slipping past the closing shower door.
As the spray hit Jason's body, the sphere started to play.


	'Can hopes this heavy help me fly?
	Should I act like I know or ask why?
	Has my heart froze? Have my feet been bound?
	Nothing's lost 'cause nothing's found'


	Jason grabbed a bottle of shampoo and squirted some out
into his hand. He paused to listen to the song for a moment
before massaging the shampoo into his hair.


	'And This day might be the last day, or we might be here to
			stay
	And this whole thing could be some giants dream
	Nothing's quite as big as it seems
	And all we really have is these dreams'


	The steam started to rise up around Jason. 'No', he
thought, 'I have more than dreams. I have you Matt.'


	'These dreams got me on my knees, they're made of fast 			trains and melodies
	Can't no other train knock me off my track, I hold on
	These dreams are like old trees, they stand strong in a cool
			breeze
	Can't no hurricane come and blow them down, I hold on

	Am I building a boat out of water?
	Can I float just a little bit farther?
	When my courage turns to run I sing my song to the rising
sun
	He's my heartbeat, he's my lifeline, he reels me in just to 			remind me
	That this whole thing could be some giants dream
	And nothing's quite as big as it seems
	And all we really have is these dreams'


	Jason rinsed his hair out. He remembered what Matt had
said about him reeking of Mephistopheles and grabbed a bottle of
body wash. He scrubbed himself vigorously with a washcloth until
his skin had taken on a pinkish tinge all over. Satisfied with the
results, he rinsed the suds off and stood under the spray, relaxing
as the rivulets of water cascaded down around him. He started to
unconsciously sway to the music.


	'These dreams got me on my knees, they're made of fast 			trains and melodies
	Can't no other train knock me off my track, I hold on
	These dreams are like old trees, that stand strong in a cool
			breeze
	Can't no hurricane come and blow them down, I hold on

	Can hopes this heavy help me fly?
	Should I act like I know or ask why?
	Has my heart froze? Have my feet been bound?
	Nothing's lost 'cause nothing's found

	And This day might be the last day, or we might be here to 			stay
	And this whole thing could be some giants dream
	Nothing's quite as big as it seems
	'Cause all we really have is these dreams

	These dreams got me on my knees, they're made of fast 			trains and melodies
	Can't no other train knock me off my track, I hold on
	These dreams are like old trees, they stand strong in a cool
			breeze
	Can't no hurricane come and blow them down, I hold on
	I hold on.
	I hold on.'


	The song wound to a close and the silver sphere gave a
soft sigh and popped like a bubble. Jason shut off the water and
stepped from the shower. He was padding himself dry with a
towel when he realized something about the song. It didn't quite
sound like the version he knew. It was slower, deeper, more
soulful. It was... Matt's voice.
	He brushed his teeth quickly and with his towel wrapped
around him, unlocked the door.
	"That was you singing, wasn't it?" He asked as he stepped
out.
	Matt wasn't on the bed.
	"Matt?" Jason's shoulders sank. He sighed and dropped
the towel to the floor. He rummaged in his wardrobe and pulled
out a pair of his sleeping boxers. Silk ones, just incase Matt came
back. He slipped them on, shivering a bit as the smooth material
ran over his thighs. He turned back to get into bed.
	"JESUS CHRIST!" He shouted and leant back against the
door of the wardrobe, gasping for breath. "You scared the shit out
of me!"
	Matt was crouched on the windowsill watching him intently.
	"Don't DO that!" Jason glowered.
	Matt grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I got lost in the view." He
hopped lightly down of the sill and walked towards Jason. With
every step he took, his clothes dissolved into liquid strands and
flowed over his body. They snaked down his arms to his wrists,
where the bands of watery-fabric sank into his skin. By the time
he stood before Jason, only a small white cloth wound around his
waist. Matt enfolded Jason in his arms.
	"I said I wasn't going anywhere, and I meant it." He said.
"I'll stay as long as you want me."
	Jason nuzzled his face against Matt's chest. "Then stay
forever," He whispered.
	"Forever is a long time..."
	"Not nearly long enough," Jason mumbled. The events of
the day seemed to finally be catching up with him, and catching
up hard. His body felt like it was about to give and he was
suddenly aching from his fight with Damien and his creatures.
	As if reading his mind, Matt lifted him gently and set him in
his bed. Jason gripped his hand and tugged it gently. Matt took
the hint and slid under the sheets behind Jason.  Jason shivered
a moment from the cold of the bed and Matt wrapped his arm
loosely around the boy's waist. Within seconds Jason's mind was
drifting through blissful sleep.

* * *

	At some point in the night Jason woke alone in his bed. He
turned over and looked about the room. Matt was sitting
motionless beneath the window, the moon behind him cast a halo
of light around his head.
	As if sensing Jason's unease, he cracked open an eye and
it fixed on Jason. Matt smiled reassuringly. "I'm right here," he
whispered across the room.
	Jason grinned groggily, if a bit stupidly and lay down again.
He watched Matt's peaceful meditation for only a few seconds
before he once again nodded off.

* * *


	And thus closeth Chapter 17 of The Angel. Matt and Jason
have finally been re-united with one another, but at what cost?
Will Drew and Jason ever again share the friendship they once
did? What about the looming threat of Miriam now that Matt has
left Heaven? And just who the hell is that damnable cloaked
person?
	I wish I could answer at least one of those questions, but
as it turns out, either I don't know myself or if I told you it would
spoil the surprise. This chapter had a lot of music in it. You may
have noticed. The songs featured were, in order of appearence:
'Dice', by Finley Quaye, an adaptation of 'She Will Be Loved', by
Maroon 5, 'Moonlight's Sometimes Broken', by The Sim Redmond
Band, and finally an adaptation of 'These Dreams', also by The
Sim Redmond Band. All great songs worth getting hold of.
	Comments and questions to
ArchangelMathew72@Hotmail.com are always welcome.