Bad Omens: The Aftermath (Novella)

It Should Have Been Me

Aziraphale watched as the Archangel practically ran to the bed and knelt at Eden's bedside. The poor boy looked like he had been to the Seventh Circle of Hell and back.

"Eden....are you okay?" Gabriel rasped. He gently reached out and clasped her good hand, flinching at the sight of her wrist, which was still purple with bruising.

"Yeah. The ole stomach wound is bothering me though. But it's not that bad...." Eden added quickly to try to put his worries at ease.

"I feel much better now that you stopped by for a late night visit." She squeezed his hand and noticed that it was trembling. "Gabe, you're shaking!" Eden then noticed that the Archangel's dark purple eyes were round with fear and that he was drenched in sweat. "You look like you've seen your first horror movie, are you okay?"

Was he okay? The one with the hole in her stomach was asking him if he was okay.

"I-I'm so so sorry Eden." Gabriel rasped as he buried his face in Eden's red tartan blankets.

"What? Gabriel, love, what are you talking about?" Eden asked.

"It's my fault....it's all my fault......." Gabriel sobbed.

Eden and Aziraphale exchanged a shocked glance. "Gabriel..." Eden said. "What do you mean?"

"Satan was going to run me through, not you. Then I lost you......you died.....and then I let my guard down....and he tried to take you away from me again....he almost did....." The words came tumbling come out of his mouth as the tears fell from his eyes, his mind swirling with those terrible memories. The blood.....so much blood.....

"Gabriel, you're not making any sense." Eden said with a wince. Her wound was really starting to hurt now. Gabriel had looked up and saw a look of pain flash across Eden's face. Aziraphale rose from his chair and the angel quickly checked Eden's stomach wound, making sure once again that the infection was completely gone.

It felt like his corporation's heart was going to break in two. It had been horrible, seeing Eden suffer through that terrible fever. He had been completely helpless as Eden lay there, his angelic powers completely useless and unable to heal Eden.

"It should have been me...." Gabriel rasped.