A Happy Ending

Whenever his people talked about angels, they were always monsters. They were just as bad as demons in their cruelty, some even said worse because they were beautiful as they slaughtered whole families and hunted down innocent children.

For most of his life, he believed it.

He'd been the hunted, by demons yes, but he hadn't seen an angel in his life before. It was a natural fear, almost instinctual to fear them despite never having seen one. His older brother said that the job of the Nephilim was to be invisible, to look out for their own; and to never let an angel find them.

"We can kill demons, even outwit them, but no one has ever killed an angel." His brother always reminded him. "Angels have this single-mindedness, where once they have you in their sights they won't rest until you're dead."

It was their way, Nephilim were forced to live a nomadic life, always on the run, because you never knew who was going to kill you when you opened the door. Fear the demons. Fear the angels. Fear mankind. Your only friend is the Nephilim. It was a cold existence, it was barely a life, always looking over your shoulder for someone to stab you in the back.

"Damien?" He looked up at the sound of a quiet voice, it was questioning and he could hear the heartbreak in her voice. He looked up into the watery eyes of his best friend. An angel. "Its time." Her voice broke and he watched as his brother, Dimitri, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned and buried her head into his chest and Dimitri held her.

He looked up and found her entire family, a family of angels, looking at him with sorrow in their eyes. His feet felt like lead, he didn't want to do this. He didn't want to say good-bye. Finally he took a step, and then another, and he walked towards the coffin.

She had saved his life when his brother had left to 'protect the Nephilim'. She rescued him from demons and monsters; from himself. She took his betrayal of her familiy and she forgave him; they all did. The angels hadn't been the monsters he'd been taught to fear, at least not this family. They were loving, forgiving, and everything you would expect with the term angel. Were they terrifying when angry? Yes. Were they capable of the destruction he'd heard stories about? That and then some. But he'd seen them at their lowest, and they mourned like humans, they had souls and hearts that could be shattered, and despite their own suffering, their own hurt, they'd taken him in and protected him. And it cost them.

He finally stopped in front of the coffin and looked down. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. She looked so peaceful, as if she were sleeping, and she was beautiful. Every moment he'd spent with her flooded his memory, from their awkward official meeting and his confession of his crimes to the first time she kissed him and right before she left.

Her baby blue eyes had been filled with some wistful glaze, as if she was trying to find words. He'd spoken instead.

"So this is it. The final battle."

"Something like that." She had replied in an off-handed way.

"You're gonna win." He'd stated.

She watched him quietly before she spoke, "You're confident. I don't deserve your confidence."

He had shrugged, "I believe in you. I don't really know how to explain it, but, since the day I met you, I've always had faith in you. You've got this-"

"I love you." She had cut him off.

Damien had stared at her, in shock. "What?"

Her baby blue eyes rolled, "I'm not repeating myself." She looked unsure, "But I know I'm in love with you. Angel, she showed me what that felt like....when I was trapped with her. I faked everything, even love for my family, before you, but then...somehow, you made me realize I did have an emotion besides fury." She paused, and offered him a bittersweet smile, "I don't deserve your confidence or your friendship. Not when I'm about to go kill the love of your life."

He shook his head, "Camilla was never real, and I know what you're going to do in battle, its war, right? Angels versus demons. The good guys need a win, and someone has to die." He tried to be nonchalant.

"And what determines good, Damien? I can't be good." She took a step towards him, "I'm not whole." She shook her head, "I'm going into battle to kill my counterpart, your lover, and I can say I love you over and over again, and know its true, but also know that I'll never be able to actually feel it." She looked over her shoulder, as if she heard something, before she faced him again. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked.

"That someone has to die, and it will either be her, or it will be me. I will win, because if I don't, you will never be safe; my family will never be safe. No matter what happens today, Damien, you will lose someone."

Damien opened his eyes as a sob choked him. "You won, Shay. You won, but we lost. You were right about me too. I wasn't over Camilla, her death hurts, but so does yours." He blinked away tears, "You know, your family offered me a place to stay, since Wolf burned down our house, and we've been practically living here anyway. I'm gonna stay a while, probably pray for a miracle. Angel comes back from the dead all the time, so, why can't you?" He whispered the last part.

She wasn't coming back. She would be placed in the family crypt, alongside her older brother and sister, her nephew, and her mother; casualties of war. Shay would be locked in a dark room and it wasn't fair. She deserved the sky, the warmth of the sun, and all four seasons. He sighed, 'You deserved a happy ending.'

@chainedinshadow