Bad Omens (The Final Cut/Definitive Version)

Chapter 58

Gabriel finally reached the door that led him outside. He landed on his feet gracefully as the door swung open, leading him to the wilderness outside.

Gabriel saw the pond, and he saw the figure sitting in the grass next to it. He was running again.

"Hello Gabriel." The woman by the pond said as she turned to meet his eyes. He had forgotten that warmth and kindness.

"Mother." Gabriel said as he got down on his knees.

"I see you've brought my Champion to me." God said as she gently touched Eden's cheek. "Oh my dear girl...I'm so sorry..."

"Mother, please....please save her. I can't lose her again....I'll do anything...make me Fallen if you have too...just please save her..." Gabriel begged.

Eden was beginning to fade away in his arms. "Please don't go Eden..." In just a few moments, Eden would cease to exist. Her soul would be completely obliterated.

God removed the tartan blanket and then pulled up Eden's shirt, revealing the terrible wound; she then scooped up a handful of water from the pond and poured it into the burning hole in Eden's stomach.

"Nothing is happening!" Gabriel sobbed, his voice high pitched with panic. "Why isn't anything happening?!"

"Look." God said patiently as she pointed at Eden's face. The orange veins started to disappear ever so slowly...

"There they are!" Crowley exclaimed as he saw the Archangel and the Almighty by the pond, just like Freddie said. The fathers' ran to them, desperate to be with their daughter.

"Thank you...thank you....." Gabriel rasped when Eden's breathing returned to normal once the orange veins disappeared.

"No need to thank me." she smiled at Crowley and Aziraphale.

"Eden..." Aziraphale gasped.

"Is she..?" Crowley started to ask.

"Her soul has been cleansed of the holy fire. It can be returned to her body now." God replied softly.

Aziraphale and Crowley cried with relief as Gabriel gently tried to rouse the slumbering form of Eden, "Eden..."

God cut in politely, "Let her rest Gabriel. You need to get her home." With a snap of her fingers, the Bentley appeared a few feet away.

Gabriel passed Eden into Aziraphale's waiting arms and the angel carried her to the Bentley while Crowley and Gabriel remained at the pond.

"Thank you...Mother..." Crowley said, bowing his head.

"You have more to say my dearest Crowley." God replied with a kind smile.

"I have so many questions...." Crowley answered honestly.

"I know, that's how I made you."

Before Crowley could say anything else, God said, "You take care of that family of yours, Crowley." She glanced at Gabriel, "Be prepared my loves, the hardest challenge is yet to come. But I will be with you through it all..."

"Wait-" Crowley began, but God vanished with a snap of her fingers.

Crowley saw a doorway appear several yards away from where the Bentley was parked. It must be the doorway to take them back to Earth. He and Gabriel dashed to the Bentley.

Crowley bore down on the gas and the Bentley zoomed through the doorway, flinging them into pure whiteness.

Adam peeked inside Eden's room where Bella still was still keeping vigil. It felt so strange to enter the room with Eden's corpse lying in the bed....and wrong....

"Bells, you need anything?" Adam asked gently. It had been three days since Aziraphale, Crowley and Gabriel had left for Purgatory. Eden had been dead for three days.

"No thank you Adam. I'm okay." Bella replied softly. Adam shut the door and went back downstairs with Dog at his side. Dog whined loudly. "I know boy. I miss her too..."

Right when he and Dog reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door flew open and in rushed Aziraphale holding a wispy figure wrapped in a tartan blanket.

"Excuse me Adam!" Aziraphale said as he rushed past Adam and up the stairs with Crowley following close behind.

"Bella! We got her!" Crowley said as he opened the door for Aziraphale. "Eden?!" Bella exclaimed as she shot to her feet.

"The Almighty cleansed her soul, she is safe from the holy fire." Aziraphale explained as Bella gazed at the limp figure in his arms.

"What about her body?" Crowley asked. "Is it ready for Eden to return to it?"

Bella met both of their gazes. "Yes it is, but..."

"But?" Aziraphale replied, his eyes stinging with tears.

"Her body has suffered severe internal damage. Severe blood loss, broken ribs, a broken arm, Adam and I have already set the break and we put the arm in a splint; her stomach was gouged by whatever she was stabbed with....I've patched her up the best I could, but there are still going to be risks."

"What sort of risks?" Crowley demanded.

"Well, I won't know until she is back in her body, but I just wanted to give you a heads up." Bella replied as Aziraphale rushed to the bed and with the help of Crowley, unwrapped Eden's soul from the blanket and together they laid it over her body.

Gabriel was watching from the doorway, silently praying and hoping that it would work...

Eden's chest heaved as she fought for breath. Eden was breathing! "It worked!" Aziraphale exclaimed with relief.

"Crowley it worked!" Crowley sank to his knees in relief as Aziraphale hugged him tightly.

Gabriel darted to the side of the bed, "Is she going to be okay?" he asked Bella.

"That's what I need to find out. You're going to have to wait out in the hallway, shoo!" Bella said sternly as she ushered Gabriel out of the room and into the hallway.

Less than a minute later, Crowley and Aziraphale followed him and the trio watched as Bella closed the door.

Crowley spread the blanket out on the hallway floor and the three of them sat on it, leaning their backs against the wall.

Aziraphale rested his head on Crowley's shoulder as he said. "Poor Gabriel, he's exhausted." Crowley glanced at the Archangel, his clothes still bloody and torn; he looked like he was about to keel over from exhaustion.

"I'm pretty worn out myself...." Crowley murmured as he wrapped an arm around Azirphale. As much as he wanted to rest, he couldn't. Not until he knew he daughter was okay.

Gabriel was in the same boat. He fought the temptation to fall asleep so he forced his tired eyes to remain open.

Crowley glanced at his husband. Aziraphale looked just as tired as he felt. With a snap of his fingers, he miracled three mugs of steaming coffee. Aziraphale shot him a grateful smile which made his heart melt. After the demon explained to Gabriel what coffee was and what it could do, the weary Archangel said his thanks and the trio drank quietly.