Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:23:15 +0000
From: Jason Parker <archangelmatthew72@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Angel: Part 20

	Author's Note: Hey you loyal fans! Sorry it took so long, I'm
sure I just lost half of the fans I hadn't managed to lose before. Oh
well, thank you for staying with it if you have. Anyway, here's
chapter 20. Hope you enjoy.

	Disclaimer: OK kids (and adolescents, young people, adults
and old people) you all better get your reading on this site done fast
before Bush pumps the legal age up to 30 or something. And... ok
what the hell happened there anyway? Apparently 20% of the GBL
community voted for Bush. That's 2 in 10! ARE YOU CRAZY?! He
wants to revoke all rights gays have achieved. How could you do
that! I mean, sure Kerry wasn't that great. Sure he looks like
fossilized tree bark. Sure he flip flops on some stuff. And sure, he
isn't for gay marriages either. But the way I see it, Kerry was the
lesser of two evils. He's more about the right to choose. Oh well,
we're stuck with Bush for another 4 years. You see what you've
done?! Well the 1 in 5 of you, if you don't, then just stick around for
when he brings WW3 on us. Oh yeah, then you'll feel like fools-- but
not *just* fools. Radioactive fools! Won't THAT be exciting. And if I
disappear and never post again, you can all assume the CIA
hunted me down and now Im in Guantanamo bay for treason and
slandering the president.
Ok, now that I'm done with my little rant, lets get down to the story.
=D

* * *

Slap and Tickle


	Miriam silently came to a halt at the edge of the trees. Her
bare feet were almost as white as the snow, but she seemed not to
notice. She noted the position of the land rover and that it was
empty, before trekking through the snow. Her feet darted on their
own accord to avoid twigs and anything else on the ground that
would make noise if trod on. Keeping to the trees, she followed
along after the quintuple. She soon caught up with them and
paralleled them in the shadows of the trees.
	They were wandering among rows of pine trees, carefully
cultivated to grow in cones. She drew her blade, keeping it by her
side so it wouldn't reflect light and draw attention. She started
humming absently and then said quietly:
	"Fair is strong and fair is cold. I am fair and I am bold,"
before she spun and dove the point of her blade into a thick branch
above and slightly behind her. Damien gave a startled cry and fell
from where he had been perched on the branch. He landed on his
back and she was kneeling on his chest in moments.
	"You're late!" she hissed.
	"Piss off!" Damien snarled, pushing her off.
	They stood together and Miriam looked into his dark
complexion. She stepped close to him and reached out her hand.
Her white fingers traced along the black scar that marred his face.
A result of Damien's last face-off with Jason. She looked almost
sad as her fingers reached the bottom of the black gash. Then her
wrist snapped back and delivered a stinging blow to his face that
opened up the wound again. A few droplets of black ooze
splattered on the snow and hissed.

* * *

	As the five walked along, Drew scooped up a handful of
fresh snow and balled it. He quickly hurled it at Jason and hit him
square in the back. Jason turned and faced Drew and Scott who
were walking together. Drew made a subtle gesture at Scott and
Jason was quick to make his own snowball. He lobbed it and struck
Scott in the chest.
	"What the--?"
	Drew burst into laughter and Jason rounded on him. He
scooped up another handful of snow and sent it Drew's way. The
three glared at each other briefly before simultaneously stooping to
gather snow. A full-blown snowball fight ensured. Sara and Matt
walked slowly ahead of the trio, paying scant attention; Matt deep in
contemplation, Sara silently fuming. Jason chucked a packed
snowball at Drew who ducked. The projectile flew through the air
and connected with a wet smack with the back of Matt's head.
Jason froze as Matt did and tried to assume a serious face. Drew
stood slowly and looked cautiously at Matt. Scott paused too, his
arm in mid throw. Matt turned slowly and Jason braced himself for a
reprimand. Matt blinked and looked at the three pranksters. He bent
low and scooped two handfuls of snow. His fingers danced on the
clumps and quickly formed two perfect spheres out of the snow. He
held on up to his face to inspect it while Jason, Drew and Scott
waited to see what he did. Both of his hands suddenly snapped out
and hurled the two snow-spheres at Scott and Drew. Before they
had even hit their marks, Matt was scooping up more snow, which
he flung at Jason.
	Jason grinned to see Matt's participation and scooped up his
own handful of snow. The snow battle resumed, plus one member.

* * *

	"Fuck you!" Damien snarled. "It had just healed after what
that shit did to me!" His fist lashed out and struck Miriam in the
chest, propelling her back against a tree trunk. He was fast behind
her and as she struck it, snow from the upper limbs rained down
upon them in heavy clumps. He stood close, pressed against her
body, both breathing heavily. His many-toothed mouth opened and
a long black tongue snaked out. It slid along Miriam's cheek and
down her neck as he brought his face closer. She writhed silently
under him but didn't try to force him away. Instead, she closed her
eyes and reached up around him. Bands of liquid fabric flowed from
her arms and wound around them, pulling them tighter together.
Damien made a low, guttural moan.

* * *

	Jason paused in his snow flinging and stared across the
tree-dotted field at the woods. He'd seen one of the larger trees
shake violently and snow rain down from its top. It caught his
attention so sufficiently that he forgot about the snow fight around
him. At least until one of Matt's snow spheres caught him full in the
face. He staggered backwards and tripped on a stick protruding
from the snow.
	Matt left a flurry of snow in the air behind him as he rushed
to Jason's side. He crouched low over Jason and reached out a
hand to touch Jason gently.
	Jason didn't respond.
	He shook Jason harder "Jason?"
	Still no answer.
	Matt leaned over Jason and shook him more urgently,
starting to panic.
	Jason's hand snagged the front of his coat and yanked him
down. Matt toppled over and landed, sprawled over Jason, his face
buried in the snow. Jason laughed as Matt slowly rolled over in the
snow and glared at him. He giggled again and rolled atop of the
angel. His face lowered until their lips met and they locked lips.

	Scott and Drew had stopped fighting as Jason fell and
watched anxiously at Matt's mounting panic. Relief washed over
them as they realized it was a prank and laughed when Matt ended
up face down in the snow. Drew watched with envy as Jason rolled
on top of his boyfriend and they shared a kiss. Drew lowered his
gaze to the patch of snow between his feet. He felt hot air against
his cheek and then a pair of lips briefly.
	He looked up with a start. Scott was standing next to him,
pointedly avoiding his eyes.
	"What was that for?" Drew asked quietly so that Jason and
Matt couldn't hear.
	Scott shrugged. "I'm not really sure." He started to blush, so
he turned away and ran to catch up with Sara. Drew cast a curious
glance at him and then a wistful look at the couple on the ground
before he followed Scott.

* * *

	Jason and Matt finally caught up with the others when they
were deep into the field of Christmas trees. They set about on the
long and arduous task of selecting the 'perfect tree.' Always a
controversial task, it usually involved at least an hour of tree-
inspection and heated arguments. Traditionally it was Jason and
Sara who argued over the tree, whether it was tall enough, or full
enough, or if it were straight, and their parents stood back and
enjoyed the outdoors. But with Matt, Drew and Scott along, Jason
and Sara were trying to be less volatile about the whole thing. Even
so, whenever one of them found a tree they liked, the other would
find something wrong with it. Scott and Drew were in fits of laughter
as the siblings bickered.
	"Hey!" Matt called out. He had wandered off from the rest of
them several minutes before, but none of them had noticed his
departure. "What about this one?" He asked.
	Jason and Sara abandoned their argument over the
umpteenth tree and followed the direction of Matt's voice. The
gathered around two trees clumped next to one another to find Matt
standing, staring up at a tree almost twice the size of the ones they
had been looking at.
	"Too big," Sara snapped as soon as she saw the tree.
	Jason got a bit closer and checked out the tree properly. It
certainly was larger than any of the others, but it was also in much
better condition. Fuller and straighter with lush, green needles.
	"Why not?" Jason turned and asked her. "I mean, there are
nearly twice as many of us this year, why not get a tree nearly twice
as tall?"
	Sara glowered at Matt. He would have to choose the perfect
tree, wouldn't he? "How are we going to get it home?" She asked,
although she knew she was being ridiculous. She'd already lost this
one. She could see it on the faces of Drew and Scott. They both
liked the tree too.
	"Oh come on Sara, with that monster of a land-rover we
won't have any trouble," Jason urged.
	"Fine," Sara frowned. "But if mom and dad don't like it, you're
taking the heat."
	Jason grinned and began spreading a tarp across the snow.
Scott took the saw from Sara and with Drew's help, started cutting
the base of the trunk. Jason's hand snaked out and found Matt's.
They stood side by side as Drew and Scott made fast work of the
wood. Soon, Jason moved in to help support the tree as they cut
through the last bit of wood and then pushed the tree forwards so
that it toppled onto the tarp. The five of them positioned the tree
securely on the tarp before setting off, using ropes to drag it across
the field and back towards the entrance to the tree farm.

	Matt and Jason, walked along next to the procession, until
Jason suddenly stumbled. Had Matt not caught him, he would have
tumbled face-first into the snow.
	"Jase, you ok?" Matt asked him worriedly.
	Jason nodded weakly, but then his eyes flicked to the side,
darting around in paranoia. Sara had noticed something was up
and paused.  Scott and Drew did too.
	"We'll catch up in a sec." Matt called out, hoping Sara
wouldn't come over. She'd probably accuse him of doing something
to Jason.
	Scott and Drew tugged ahead with the tarp and Sara was
forced to keep going along with them.
	Matt led Jason over to a rock and sat him down on it. He
kneeled in front of Jason and took his hands, rubbing them with his
own. "Jase?" He asked again. "Jason, look at me." He touched
Jason's cheek and turned his head so he was looking down into the
angel's face. "What is it?"
	Jason looked at him and then he trembled and his eyes
darted back away from Matt's face. They jumped randomly from
object to object, never pausing. Jason's hands clutched hard onto
Matt's. "What are they?" he gasped.
	Matt turned his head to look behind him, but saw only the
snowy trees.
	"What are what, Jason?"
	Jason's eyes found his again. "Don't you see them?"
	"See what?"
	"Green ghostings," Jason hissed. "They're everywhere!"
	Matt closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them
again, allowing his second sight to take over. He gasped at what he
saw.
	Every tree, every plant that stuck out of the ground, every
living thing wavered with a green shadow that danced and flickered.
He'd seen it before on numerous occasions, but never with such
intensity. Usually, if he used his second sight, the living world
acquired a second, green image that overlapped. But now, some of
the objects around them had triple, even quadruple swirling green
shadows. The green, swirling mists were fairly bubbling up from the
ground and washing over things like an unstoppable river.
	"You can see it too?" Matt asked.
	"What is it?" an edge of panic touched Jason's voice.
	Matt almost chuckled. "It's the Earth Mother."
	"What?"
	"The Earth Mother." Matt said again. "There are four
elements that make up the universe we know. Earth and Water hold
dominion over your world." He explained.
	Jason looked at him, not sure whether or not to believe him.
He remembered back in the woods near Matt's sanctuary. Lying by
the brook and dozing. The leaves with their green mirror images
and then the squirrel...
	"But why can I see it?"
	Matt's brow furrowed for a moment. "I don't know. Maybe it's
just another of your powers."
	Jason shivered. He didn't like it when Matt said that. It made
him feel like something out of X-men. "It's making me nauseous."
he complained. "How do I make it go away."
	The angel crouching before him chuckled. "It's always there.
You can't make it go away. It IS life."
	"I don't care what it is!" Jason suddenly snapped. The
constant shifting and swirling was making his head hurt. "I don't
want to see it."
	"Just close your eyes and picture the world without the green
images." Matt soothed as he gently rubbed Jason's hands. Jason
did as he was instructed, and Matt took the opportunity to study the
ghostings around them. He felt the green mists extending tongues
to probe his own, brilliant white aura. His aura was almost invisible
against the pristine snow. Where it met the green, they merged and
swirled together. He wanted to go off and study the plants to figure
out why the ghostings were so strong here, but he couldn't leave
Jason. He looked back at Jason, who had by now opened his own
eyes. Matt suppressed a gasp as he saw the green tendrils
stretching out and swarming over Jason. They were like
appendages touching and feeling him. Everything seemed to be
flowing into Jason, and something was flowing back out from him
too. It was just above his skin and merged with the green almost
immediately so it was impossible to discern its color, but the mist
around him was in constant turmoil.
	"What?" Jason brought him back from his thoughts.
	"N-nothing." Matt blinked and the green shadows vanished.
It troubled him more than he liked to admit. Not just that Jason had
been able to see the ghostings, but also the way the mists reacted
to Jason. As if they were trying to envelope him. He wasn't about to
worry Jason with it though, so he stood and helped Jason to his
feet. "Come on, they'll be waiting for us."

	Sara, Scott and Drew had already paid for the tree. It was
now netted and strapped to the roof-rack with several bungee
cords.
	"You OK?" Drew asked as they approached.
	"Fine." Jason answered, more snappily than he had meant.
"Sorry." He quickly recovered and then clambered into the van. He
took a seat in the very back and hunched against the window,
looking out.
	Drew shot a questioning look at Matt, but Matt only shook his
head once. Sara and Scott were already in their seats, so Drew
jumped in as well. Matt got in last and slid the door shut behind him.
He moved to sit besides Jason, but their eyes connected. Jason
gave a momentary look and then returned to gazing out the
window. Matt sighed and eased himself into the seat next to Drew.
They pulled out of the parking field and headed home in heavy
silence.

* * *

	Miriam lay on the ground, Damien pressed heavily on top of
her. The snow around them had melted and evaporated, leaving a
circle of exposed, dry grass. Her ears picked out the unique noise
of the Parker's land-rover from the background noise as it started
up and pulled away, fading in the distance.
	She shoved Damien off of her and snarled, pulling at her
hair.
	"Fuck!" She cursed, and then again. "FUCK!"
	Damien sat up and then stood as she did.
	"What?" he asked.
	"We let them get away!" Miriam all but screamed.
	"So? Matt was there, it's not like you would have been able
to just take Jason and run--"
	Miriam's fist lashed out and slammed into his chest. Damien
flew through the air and struck the trunk of a tree. It cracked under
the impact. Damien spat blood and then froze as the tree groaned.
It snapped and toppled backwards, lifting him off the ground as his
back was embedded in the wood.
	Miriam stomped to the tree where her sword was still stuck in
the branch and ripped it from the limb. Her eyes blazed with fury as
she rounded on Damien.
	"This is all your fault!" She spat. "If you hadn't started your
little game of Slap and Tickle I could have gotten the brat!"
	She stood beside the tree and raised the sword over her
head. Damien looked up at her and struggled to pull his spine from
the wood. She moved so that the blade was positioned in such a
way that it would sever his head and then flexed her arm muscles.
Damien's eyes widened in fear. She brought the sword smashing
down towards him, but flames licked up his body, engulfing him.
The metal of her blade dug deep into the wood where he had been
and Miriam screamed.

* * *

	The expedition arrived home without incident and presented
their chosen tree to Mr. and Mrs. Parker. There were a few umm's
and ah's about the size of the tree and then about the logistics of
getting it inside the house. Jason sat by the whole while, still feeling
slightly nauseated from his experience in the snow, and watched.
He wasn't sure, and certainly no one else seemed to notice, but he
could have sworn he saw the doorframe expand on the second try
to allow the tree to fit in. He looked at Matt, but couldn't manage to
catch his eye.
	Jason continued to watch from the sidelines as they debated
whether or not the tree could fit in its usual spot in the living room.
Eventually, it was decided it couldn't, and they began setting up in
the hall to one side of the stairs. Jason took his leave of his family
and slipped silently up to his room. He didn't want to be around
anyone right now. Matt watched him go with saddened eyes. He
didn't know what was wrong, he didn't know how to help Jason, and
he didn't like it.

	Jason sat in his room, the happy babble of his friends and
family drifting up from below as they decorated the tree. Everything
had gone weird now. He didn't like seeing the energy of the 'Earth
Mother' as Matt had put it. It made him feel nauseous; the swaying,
swirling green. He sprawled back on his bed and looked up at the
ceiling. Where had it all gone wrong? His life seemed to be falling
apart. Something inside him told him that it all led back to Matt.
Ever since Matt had come along, things had been happening,
changing, in his family. So long ago it seemed, yet it had only been
a few days... he thought back to Sara's words in the hotel that night,
and his question that had sparked it all off.

* * *

	"Fine. Then what happened between you and Matt, why
does everyone flip out at the mention of his name?" he had asked
her.
	Sara had drawn a breath and clenched her hands in her lap.
She'd faced Jason across the couch and her eyes had sought his
for a moment before she started. "It all started with Damien...
Damien was my guardian angel, sent by the republic of heaven to
watch over me and help to focus my skills. When you were born,
another angel was allocated to watch over you. Matt." She had
paused.
	"I don't get it," Jason jumped in. "That doesn't explain
anything."
	She'd shot him down with her eyes. "I wasn't done, so shut
it." She had looked at the wall to her left in exasperation and bit her
lip before continuing. "Damien broke the rules laid down by Heaven
and showed himself to me. He told me and taught me things that no
one could have known and we started an affair. I was seventeen,
he was five hundred." Sarah broke off and swallowed. She looked
nostalgic and wistful. "It was wonderful, to have such a secret,
forbidden love. He cared for me and loved me like I was his world.
Of course, this was before his 'fall from grace'." Her face hardened
and she turned back to fix her eyes on Jason again. "I didn't know
you were part of their project, but I found out one night during a
storm. I had come to check on you, you were only five at the time,
and Matthew was perched over your cradle. The moment I laid
eyes on him, I knew he was just like Damien, only older, stronger,
and far more beautiful. I-I was jealous at first, that you had gotten a
watcher like him and I had only Damien.
	"I left without a single word passing between myself and
Matthew, but when Damien came to me the next night, I unloaded
my jealousy upon him as anger. I'm sure I was a right bitch about it
too," she had chuckled bitterly. "Mainly, I shouted at him about not
telling me about my own brother, but he could tell there was
something more. I grew more and more distant with our love affair
and he grew colder in all his ways. I didn't see Matthew again until
you were about twelve, and by then I was blind with jealousy and
love. He was watching you sleep through your window so I was
able to grab his leg and pull him off the windowsill before he noticed
me. We scuffled on the ground but he pinned me." Tears started to
well up in her eyes. "I just brought my head up and kissed him. He
jumped off of me and wiped his mouth. I reached out for him again,
but he stepped away from me. And then, what he said made my
world at the time fall to pieces. He told me he was in love with you,
my brother! I couldn't understand, why wasn't I good enough for
him? I wanted him more than I wanted anyone before and he was
in love with my brother."
	She had covered her face which was by then streaming with
tears and she clenched her teeth. When she spoke again, her voice
had been muffled from the depths of her arms. "I called him a fag
and a pervert for loving you and not me, and--"
	At this point, Jason had had enough of her. "You what? I
can't believe you would do something like that!" he'd leapt up from
the couch. "I can't believe you Sara, that's sad even for you!" He
had shouted and then he stalked off to his own bedroom and
slammed the door.

* * *

	Jason sighed. He wished he'd waited and listened to the rest
of what she'd said, but he hadn't and now as a result, he had no
answers to any of his questions. But he did remember one thing. It
hadn't started with Matt at all-- it had started with Damien. He had
been meddling in their lives for far longer. It wasn't fair of him to be
mad at Matt for what was happening now; his only crime was
always being there for Jason and helping him out. God, he didn't
deserve Matt. He'd never shown his appreciation of Matt, not
properly, not the way Matt deserved. A smile played across his lips.
Jason would make sure that this Christmas was the best Matt had
ever had in his seemingly immortal life.

	Downstairs, the Parker's and their guests had finished
decorating the tree. Matt had hung mistletoe around the windows
and doors, with Sara following his every move. She didn't once let
him out of her sight. He couldn't take it anymore. Jason had been
on his own for long enough. Matt started up the stairs, but Sara
grabbed his wrist.
	"You leave him alone! If he doesn't love you anymore, then
deal with it." She snarled so only he could hear.
	Matt looked at her contemptuously. "Move on Sara. I never
loved you, and I never will. Jason needs someone now, and that
someone is me." He wrenched free of her grip and took the stairs
two at a time to reach the top. He didn't bother to open the door, he
just phased through it into Jason's room, his body becoming
ethereal as he passed through the wood and then solidifying again
on the other side.
	Jason was sprawled out on his bed, eyes closed and a smile
curled upon his cute lips. Matt stalked silently to the bed and then
pounced suddenly onto the bed. Jason's eyes flicked open in
surprise but before he could react, Matt's hands were already on
his sides, his fingers dancing to tickle the boy. Jason yelped and
doubled up with laughter as Matt's fingers found his sensitive sides.
They rolled together on the mattress, getting tangled in the sheets
and enjoying each other's company.
	Jason rolled off of Matt and sighed heartily. His fingers
searched out and found Matt's hand and he clasped it gently.
"Matt?" he asked, tentatively. He felt like he'd pressed Matt for
answers so much lately, but he needed to know, or at least try to
find the answers to the questions that had been troubling him.
	"Hmm?" Matt grunted.
	Jason chewed his lip. "Ok, I know you don't know everything,
and I know you don't understand what's happening to me any more
than I do, but... I just have some questions and I- could you just try
to answer them?"
	Matt turned on his side and raised his head up on an elbow.
"I'll try, but no promises."
	Jason grinned, "Well, trying is the first step to succeeding."
At least this time Matt wasn't shouting at him. Jason broke his eyes
away from Matt and stared at the ceiling. He swallowed a lump. "Is
God dead?" He repeated the question he'd asked Mephistopheles.
	He felt Matt shrug on the bed next to him. "Haven't got a
clue."
	"What?" Jason jerked his head around to look at his
boyfriend.
	Matt shrugged again. He started to say something, and then
closed his mouth again. He pursed his lips in thought and then
started once more. "Our records go back only a little further than
Human records go. Certainly the first council watched over Homo
Sapiens and Neanderthals, the first humans. But before that there
is no record. We don't know any better than you do if there was a
Creator that made the universe. Or if there was, where this Creator
went. All we know is that there isn't a god or creator in heaven, and
there is no one left from the beginning times. Those angles were
mighty and terrible."
	Jason ran this though his head. "So no-one knows?"
	Matt shrugged again.
	"So what is heaven?" Jason pondered out loud.
	The Angel answered the spoken thought. "Heaven is a
parallel universe to your own. It is exactly like your world, but the
main element is air. Land and cities float in the clouds."
	"And Hell?" Jason queried.
	Matt furrowed his brow. "Hell doesn't exist."
	Jason looked at him in confusion. "But I went there, I saw--"
	"Hell is a fourteenth century invention of the Christian
church," Matt interrupted. "The other plane you went to when you
disappeared from the pattern was simply the land of the dead."
	"What do you mean the 'land of the dead'? All I could see
were fires and furnaces. It looked like the descriptions of Hell to
me."
	Matt shook his head. "The land of the dead has been
expanding since the first human died. Each new death adds to its
expanse. 20,000 years of existence has made it vast. What you
saw was a small portion of its expanse. And from the sounds of it,
you saw the Forging Pits, where everything metal in that land is
created."
	Jason was just mulling this over in his head when something
struck him. 'Land of the Dead' sounded like there was only one...
"I'm confused," he said, sitting up and looking at Matt. "If where I
went was the land of the dead, then what is Heaven? And why are
the fallen angels and such in the land of the dead?"
	Matt chewed his lip again. "You know, I'm really not
supposed to be talking to you about this... but... um... Well Heaven
is simply the residence of angels. Nothing more. And as for the
fallen angels... well, when they were cast out for rebelling against
the council, they decided to take dominion over the underworld and
subvert the efforts of Heaven."
	Jason opened his mouth to ask another question, but his
sister's voice echoed up from the hall. "Jason, dinner!"
	Suddenly the only questions that filled his mind were about
Matt and Sara. Matt made a move to rise from the bed, but Jason
laid a hand on his chest. The angel sank back down on the duvet
and looked at him questioningly. Jason laid his head down on
Matt's chest and curled up by his side. He listened to Matt's
heartbeat while he tried to phrase his next question.
	"What happened after you told Sara you were in love with
me?"
	Matt's chest stopped rising and falling and Jason could feel
the intake of breath.
	"She told you about that?"
	Jason nodded.
	"What else did she tell you?"
	Jason relayed Sara's words to Matt, repeating the scene in
his mind for the second time that night. When he had finished, they
lay in relative silence, the occasional clink on metal on china ringing
up from the dining room.
	"Is that right? Is that what really happened?" Jason asked
cautiously.
	"Umhm." The Matt's chest shifted and Jason assumed if he'd
been facing his boyfriend he would have seen him nod slowly.
	"After she said that, Damien moved out of the shadows. He'd
heard and seen it all, and he was furious. Both at Sara and at me."
Matt touched his fingers to Jason's brow. "Here, let me show you."

* * *

	"Bitch!" Damien spat. "I trusted you! I told you everything and
promised you eternity, and this is how you repay my trust? By
lusting after your brother's watcher?"
	Sara gaped "Damien I--"
	"Save it Sara, it's over between us."
	Matt looked between the two. "Damien, what have you told
her? You know it's forbidden to disclose information to wards AND
to become romantically engaged with them."
	Damien shot daggers at him with his eyes. "You fucking
hypocrite. I heard everything Matt. And it's no secret that you're in
love with your ward. Even your mother knows it."
	Now it was Matt's turn to gape openmouthed.
	Sara stepped towards Damien. "Dammy, I'm sorry! I wasn't
thinking, can you forgive me?"
	Damien snapped his wrist out at her and a cord of white
energy lashed out, knocking her back and binding her against the
wall of the house. "Snake! A bloody snake is all you are!" The
energy still flowed from his open palm, but it was steadily growing
darker.
	"What are you doing Damien? You're going to kill her!" Matt
shouted.
	"She deserves it! She betrayed me!"
	Sara writhed and gasped for breath.
	Matt started moving towards Damien. "If you kill her, the
ramifications will be dire. You could be cast from grace and--"
	Damien whipped his other wrist in his direction and sent a
talon of black force straight at the elder angel. Matt quickly
summoned up a defensive shield and the force spike smashed into
the wall of energy and sent out crackles of energy in every
direction.
	"Maybe I'm tired of Heaven?" Damien snarled. "Hmm? Did
that ever occur to you?" He made a few rapid hand movements and
the ropes of energy that bound Sara lashed together and held her
on the wall by their own accord, setting his other hand free to fight
Matt. "I'm tired of working and never receiving! The favoritism of
your mother is disgusting. I want to be recognized, I want real
power, not just watching over these weaklings."
	Damien began ripping the white garments off his body,
leaving tatters clinging to his form. He curled his hands and his
nails began to grow and elongate, forming black talons. He shook
his shoulders as if with a chill and a pair of glistening white wings
cascaded down from his shoulders. They glistened in the night.
	"Damien!" Matt shouted anxiously. "Get control of yourself!
You're loosing your mind, you have to stop--"
	Damien shot across the ground between them and barreled
into Matt, slamming him against a towering pine tree. Their faces
were pressed close, and Matt stared into Damien's eyes. The
darkened from bright green and clouded over with pitch. Two pits of
blackness stared back at Matt from Damien's face.
	The younger angel hissed into his face, "I am in control of
myself! Maybe for the first time, I don't have Heaven lording over
my every action."
	Matt struggled against him, his skin beginning to burn from
Damien's corrupted touch. He summoned up his will and cast it out.
There was a blinding flash as Damien was sent sprawling and
Matt's wings simultaneously blossomed from his back. They
cascaded like twin fountains, glistening plumage flowing around
him. Matt cast a glance to Sara. She was begging to turn purple
from the constricting bonds. He sprinted towards her, intent on
ripping them off of her, but Damien caught his foot and sent him
crashing into the ground. He skidded to a stop at Sara's feet and
reached to grasp the bonds, but Damien was already on him. The
crazed angel dragged him back and pounced, arms outstretched to
claw Matt.
	Matt kicked his legs up, catching Damien in the torso and
flinging him back. Damien tumbled through the air, before using his
wings to halt his motion and then launch after Matt again.
Meanwhile, Matt had struggled to his feet and began tearing the
lashes from Sara's neck and wrists.
	Sara looked over his shoulder and shouted a warning just
before Damien caught Matt around the waist and tossed him into
the air. Damien pressed his body against her and opened his
mouth. He reached into his mouth with a finger and there was a
tearing sound. A trickle of blood ran from his mouth, and then he
extended his tongue, licking up the side of her face. She sobbed
and struggled as the now forked organ traced over her features.
	Damien cackled. "I'll finish with you later." He swung his legs
up on to the wall on either side of her and then launched off.
	Matt meanwhile rolled a few times before using his wings to
balance out. He swooped down towards Damien as the crazed
angel shot up to meet him. They clashed in midair, black energy
smashing against white. Damien tore at Matt's wings with his claws,
pulling feathers out in bloody clumps. Matt gritted his teeth in pain
and grabbed hold of Damien's wings, bending them backwards until
he screamed in pain. Damien lashed with is feet to push Matt away
and forced him to loose his grip. He lashed with his claws against
the elder angel's stomach, tearing through the long white coat he
had been wearing and causing a blossom of blood to stain it.
	Matt cried out in surprise. Out of instinct, he brought his hand
up, backhanding Damien across the face. As he hand connected,
his pain and anger welled up and sprung forth. At that proximity,
Damien's energy shield had no time to cause effect. Damien's head
snapped back and he topped through the air, Matt's hand print
glowing faintly on his face and burning into his flesh. Damien
hurtled to the ground. He hit with a sickening thud. Matt's own
wings were failing now. He flapped them frantically, trying to slow
his descent. Droplets of blood filled the air, like some sort of
macabre precipitation.
	He landed heavily and sprinted to Sara, tearing the bonds
from her body. He cast them to the ground where they sparked and
fizzled from existence. She couched and sank to her knees on the
ground. Sara rubber her throat were a tether had been and gasped
raggedly for breath. Matt propped her up against the wall.
	"Go into the house and stay there." He instructed her. "We'll
sort this out later." He strode shakily across the garden and arrived
by Damien in time to hear him mutter the last line of some
incantation.
	Damien started laughing, but was silenced by a gurgling
cough. Blood trickled from the side of his mouth. "A curse upon this
household! I'll take the one you love from you as you stole from me
mine."
	Matt frowned. "I'm taking you to the High Council for
judgment." He knelt to pick Damien up in his arms.
	He received a glob of bloody spittle in his face. Damien
chuckled again. "I'm past their reach Matthew." He paused, and
smiled. "Be seeing you." The ground around his body darkened and
then he burst into flames.
	Matt leapt backwards, away from the fire, as what Damien
had done suddenly became clear. The flames vanished as quickly
as they had come, leaving a black, greasy smear on the ground. He
was really beginning to suffer from loss of blood now, but this was
more important. Matt summoned upon his reserves and cast his
form upwards towards the High Council to deliver the news of
Damien's defection.

* * *

	Dinner had been a quiet, uncomfortable affair. Sara, Scott,
and Drew were again sitting along one side, which made Jason and
Matt's absence even more painfully obvious. They sat in silence for
the most part, with the occasional hushed request for a dish the
only thing to break the silence. It was as if an oppressive, dark
cloud had settled over the table, barring all chance of conversation
and enjoyment. As soon as it was over, Sara, Scott and Drew
politely excused themselves. Sara went immediately to her room
and her own devices. Mr. and Mrs. Parker both retired to their
separate studies. The two men breathed easy in the living room,
glad to be away from the dour mood of the dinner table. They
settled down on the couch to watch TV, arms barely touching. The
movie 'Empire Records' was just starting on one channel. They sat
back to enjoy it.
	About halfway through, Drew slumped sideways on the sofa
and his arm pressed into Scott's. The older man's arm was quickly
moved, and Drew felt his heart sink. What was with this guy? One
minute he was kissing him on the cheek, the next he was reluctant
even to touch. Scott shifted on the couch and Drew dared not to
look, in case he was getting up and leaving. But the couch
continued to sag towards the larger man. He clearly hadn't left.
Then Drew felt something along his shoulders, as Scott draped his
arm around him, hand resting on Drew's right shoulder. His heart
felt like it had wings it was rising so fast. He turned and their eyes
met. They both smiled, nervously, but warmly, and then went back
to movie watching. A few minutes passed before Drew again took
the initiative. He leaned sideways and rested his head on Scott's
muscular chest.


'Anyway now, it don't seem right
He is in there and you're on the outside
Over pine ridge to wounded knee
There's blood on the ground as far as you see
Crazy life

In the air I'm sensing a change in the weather
In the end the path is clear
Does anyone remember here
Did you all think he'd just disappear
Crazy life

What have you done with peltier
Who did you think you'd taken away
Crazy life

In the air I'm sensing a change in the weather
In the end the path is clear

Burying won't stop it breathing forever
Underground it takes to root

Anyway, it don't seem right
He is in there and you're on the outside
What have you done with peltier
Who did you think you'd taken away
It's not over...'


	The song and the credits ended, and Scott flicked off the TV.
Drew had dozed off with his head still on Scott's chest. The man
sat, admiring the boy's face from above. Gently he eased himself
out from under Drew and scooped him up in his arms. He walked
softly and carefully through the house and up to Drew's room where
he gently deposited the boy on his bed. He hesitated a moment
before pulling Drew's shoes and pants off. A few seconds passed in
which he quietly admired the boy lying sprawled on his covers in
boxers and shirt, before he slipped the duvet down past his feet and
up over the boy.
	Scott slipped quietly from the room, switching off the light as
he went and crept down the hall to his own room. If Drew wanted to
sleep with him, then a decision would have to be made. But he
wasn't going to make it for Drew. Scott disrobed and slipped under
the covers of his own bed. As he drifted off, he curled up on the left
side of the bed and said a silent prayer of thanks to whoever had
thought to turn on the electric blanket.

	In his own room, Drew rolled to the right side of his bed, a
smile playing across his face as he slept.

* * *

	Matt removed his fingers from Jason's brow and the boy
gasped.
	"And thus Damien, watcher to your family, fell from grace,"
the angel spoke to the darkened room.
	Jason blinked his eyes and looked to his bedside clock.
Evening had long since passed. According to the clock it was
almost eleven. They'd missed dinner completely. As if to prove the
point, Jason's stomach growled in complaint. "Heh." he blushed.
	Matt chuckled and poked Jason's belly. "Let's get you some
food."

	They crept from their room and slipped silently down the
stairs. The rest of the house was silent. The hum of the kitchen light
when he switched it on sounded like a running motor to Jason's
ears. Matt perched himself on the counter as Jason tiptoed about,
searching in the fridge and cupboards for something that appealed
to him. He straightened up after his second search and looked at
Matt, frowning.
	The angel smiled and hopped down from the ledge. "Go
make some tea, I'll sort it," he whispered as he reached under the
counter, pulled out a saucepan and set it on the stove. Jason filled
a kettle and put in on the stove to heat before pulling down two
mugs and a box of tea bags. He sat at the informal breakfast table,
looking out the window at the still falling snow, the drifting flakes
illuminated by the light pouring out from the kitchen. He shivered
and drew his knees up to his chest, holding them. Jason looked
across the kitchen to watch his boyfriend, his angel, who was busy
cooking something in the saucepan. He couldn't see what it was,
but it sure smelled good. A thought suddenly struck him. It would be
Christmas soon. In two days in fact. He had to find presents for
everyone by the end of tomorrow. As Jason watched Matt, he
wondered what on earth he should give him. Nothing seemed
practical. Matt had no need for clothes, he made his own. He
pondered long and hard on the matter and realized he's never seen
Matt use anything that he hadn't been able to make himself.
Perhaps then, something less practical...
	His thoughts were interrupted as Matt set a bowl of porridge
down on the table in front of him, as well as Jason's cup of tea. Matt
moved around and took a seat beside Jason, his back to the
windows. He'd only taken a few bites, when the kitchen door swung
open. He looked up to find his mother framed in the doorway.
	"Mom" Jason said in surprise.
	Matt quickly stood, the chair screeching on the floor.
"Elizabeth." he said gravely.
	Mrs. Parker looked at the two of them and then got herself a
cup down from the cabinet. She poured herself a cup of tea from
the still hot kettle and steeped her tea bag a bit. Without a word,
she moved to sit at the breakfast table, a seat between herself and
Jason. She took a sip of her tea, her eyes still fixed on the snow
falling outside the window. Matt sat down beside Jason again.
	"You two have some serious explaining to do." She said
quietly between sips.
	"Mom," Jason started. "Look, I know you don't like Matt, and
I know you two don't have the best history, but I love him and--"
	Mrs. Parker set her mug down heavily. "Jason, you're a
grown up now, which means you're old enough to make your own
decisions about who you date. But that's not what I'm talking
about."
	Jason blinked.
	"Everything I keep hearing about one or the other of you is
completely unacceptable." She continued. "First Fiona shows up
here in a car that's driving itself, with her terrified maid in, telling
some half-crazed tale about tea with some crazy bitch and being
rescued by Matt." She shot a glance at Matt. Jason did likewise, but
in surprise. "Then when you got here last night, Sara told me all
about what happened at her base. I want answers, and I want them
now." She demanded sternly.
	Jason gulped. She was in her 'don't fuck with me mood.'
	Matt cleared his throat. "I apologize for sending Fiona here,
but I felt like it was the best option at the time."
	Elizabeth fixed her gaze on the angel. "You want to explain
exactly what happened?"
	"I was out trying to find where Sara had whisked Jason off
too, when I felt someone summoning me. It was coming from
Fiona's house so I hurried there. When I arrived, it turned out
Miriam was holding her hostage to make me turn up. I managed to
help Fiona and her maid escape and I sent them here." Matt
paused. "Your house has wards of protection that prevents
otherworldly beings from entering without being invited. I thought
she would be safer here. Whatever story she told you is most likely
right. Miriam seems to have lost her mind of late."
	Elizabeth nodded, as if accepting his story before she turned
her gaze upon her son. "And what about you? I could hardly believe
Sara when she told me you'd used your powers in full view of the
public!"
	Jason stared open mouthed. "Y-y-you know about my
powers?"
	"Of course I know about the powers," his mother informed
him curtly. "As soon as Sara went and formed that Agency of hers,
she told me everything about the angels and their little experiments
with humanity. With what she told me, and the little information I
had managed to gleam from my own watcher, I figured a good deal
of it out. What I didn't know was that my own son had them, let
alone such powerful abilities!"
	Jason looked bemused. "I-I..."
	Matt came to his rescue. "It's not his fault Lizzy. Damien
attacked him while I was occupied. Jason isn't fully in control of his
powers yet, so they just burst out when he is threatened." Matt
looked at him with a bit of an odd expression on his face. Both
Elizabeth and Jason noticed it.
	"What?" they asked in unison.
	Matt shrugged. "Nothing, maybe. It's just--" he stopped again
and they both continued to stare at him. "Well, Jason, you know
what I told you about 'the one' and how I thought you were he?"
	Jason nodded.
	"Well you're not really displaying the powers we intended
'the one' to have."
	"What are you saying?" Jason asked, confusion evident on
his brow.
	"I don't think you are 'the one'."
	"Oh." Jason's forehead furrowed. "Does this mean I don't
have to save the world anymore?"
	"I don't know what it means, Jason. Sorry." Matt apologized.
	Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Well, regardless of what it is
you've turned my son into, he has powers, and he needs to know
that using them in public is not an option."
	"Agreed." Matt inclined his head.
	"Look," Jason burst in. "It's not like I'm *trying* to use my
powers. But I get the message. Don't use them in public." A grin
played across his face.
	Elizabeth noticed and raised an eyebrow.
	Jason giggled. "You know, you two just went over five minute
without either one of you shouting or trying to kill the other." Jason
quickly buried himself in his food again, avoiding the sharp look he
received from his mom. As soon as he was done, he stood up, Matt
following him, and he kissed his mother goodnight. Jason placed
his bowl in the dishwasher and grabbed Matt's hand, ushering him
out of the kitchen. He looked back at his mother, sitting at the table
sipping her tea and staring out the window. "You should try some of
Matt's porridge, it's even better than yours!" Jason called to her
jokingly.
	She turned and looked at him, a sparkle in her eye.

	Elizabeth finished her tea, watching as the snow slowly
accumulated outside the window. Eventually, she stood and placed
her mug in the dishwasher and turned it on. As if as an
afterthought, she pulled off the lid of the saucepan of Matt's
porridge and dipped her finger in side. She licked it clean and then
suddenly slammed the lid down.
	"It bloody well IS better than mine too!"

* * *


	Ok, so on the whole, quite a slow chapter. As you can see,
there are new developments at every turn. Miriam and Damien as
lovers? EW! AND as enemies at the same time? That's just weird.
But at least Scott and Drew are slowly coming together. Who
knows, maybe Scott will eventually be comfortable with it all.
Anyway, you just read the chapter, you know all about what
happened in it! If I need to be telling you, then you clearly weren't
paying attention and you need to go back and read it again. This
chapter featured a song by Toad The Wet Sprocket, called "Crazy
Life."
	Once more, sorry for the long delay. I can't make any
promises as to when the next chapter will be ready, but hopefully it
won't take nearly as long. As always and ever, comments and
questions can be sent to me at
ArchangelMatthew72@Hotmail.com. Till next time!