Ineffable Family

Chapter 16

PLAYLIST:

Resistance by Skillet

War Pigs (300 Version) by Black Sabbath

TW: violence, fear, pregnant person in danger

"I knew you two were up to something," Sandalphon snarled, lifting the healer off her feet. "You're a traitor, Joph--"

That was as far as he got before Crowley cracked her wing against his skull. He dropped Jophiel, and spun to confront the angry demon who had struck him.

"Pick on someone your own ssssize," Crowley hissed.

"I thought you'd never ask."

The massive angel lurched forward, but before he made contact, Jophiel jumped on his back, screaming at Crowley to run. "Go! I'll catch up to you!"

God knew Crowley wanted to stay and rip Sandalphon's head off, but it wasn't only her safety she had to worry about. She thought of Hope and Aziraphale, and how they were both counting on her.

She spread her wings and leapt clumsily into the air. She couldn't fly far, but she could get a head start. Her family was depending on it.

~~~

Aziraphale knew that once the angel activated his distress beacon, it would be like kicking a hornet's nest, so he wasn't surprised when Heaven's intruder alarms went off. He was almost glad, because part of him—a dark part that he had almost forgotten existed—was itching to smite something. He held onto that rage as he climbed yet more stairs, nurtured it like a flame on a windy night, let it fuel him. Angels weren't supposed to feel anger, except when they meted out God's Holy Wrath.

Aziraphale was brimming with wrath.

He came to an open area where four hallways converged. To his left were stairs leading to the upper levels; to his right were regular corridors. The entire detention level appeared abandoned, which didn't make sense. If there was even a single prisoner here, it should be swarming with guards. This had to be a trap.

A voice called out. Aziraphale was so tightly strung that he had his weapon raised before he had fully processed what it was saying.

"Angel!"

His sword clattered to the floor as Crowley tore around the corner and into his arms.

"Angel," the demon sobbed. "You found us, oh, you found us!"

"I'm here, darling, I'm here," Aziraphale said, kissing her frantically. "Are you all right? Is the baby--"

"We're fine, but we need to go!"

Aziraphale picked up his discarded weapon. "Stay behind me."

They were too late. No, not too late—even if they had taken off at that moment, they still would have ended up surrounded by dozens ofsoldiers. Standing back to back, Crowley and Aziraphale prepared for battle, even as they realized how futile it was.

"We are fucked," Crowley remarked.

"We've been fucked before," Aziraphale said. "And we got out of it."

"Leave them alone!" someone cried.

"What now?" Crowley groaned.

Muriel skidded through the ranks of soldiers to stand with Crowley and Aziraphale. "Leave them alone!" the young angel pleaded the soldiers. "Please, they've done nothing wrong!"

"They're traitors!" boomed Sandalphon. Safely behind a contingent of soldiers, he stood at the top of the staircase and glared down at the trio. "And now, little Muriel, so are you. Earth really is a cesspool, isn't it?"

"Let us go, Sandalphon," Aziraphale commanded. "We've done nothing wrong."

"You deliberately laid with a demon," Sandalphon reminded him with a sneer, "and created a half-breed abomination. You are a disgrace."

"If love is a disgrace..."Aziraphale ignited his sword. "Then I am guilty."

Crowley heard the whoosh of Holy flame behind her, and grinned. All she needed was a flame to draw upon, and now she had it. She threw up a ring of hellfire around them with a flick of her wrist. "How fried to you want your troops, Sandy? Original Recipe or Extra Crispy?"

"Keep stalling, demon," Sandalphon accused. "But you will be captured."

"No, Sandalphon, they will not." With a flap of her wings, Michael touched down outside the hellfire circle. "I am the commander of God's Army, not you. Crowley and Aziraphale's child is an angel, and you are in direct violation of God's will."

Sandalphon was vibrating with rage. "Seize them! All four! Michael has sided with the demon, she is a trai--"

"ENOUGH."