Heaven On Earth

Twenty-One|God

"What's an echo soul?" Phil asked.

"A soul that's constantly reincarnated. Sometimes he was a human, sometimes not. But it's always the same soul, just a different person with a different story and thoughts. Or animal. It's called an echo soul because it keeps coming back, just quieter each time, meaning that the soul slowly fades into a new one, the most recent, and less like the first one."

"So...if Dan died right now, he'd be reincarnated?" Phil asked.

"Maybe," Fate said, "But...maybe not now that he's found his way back to you."

"You are an angel soul, Phil. You came to heaven, and made the decision to become an angel. Do you remember that?" God asked.

"Yes," Phil said.

"But do you remember why?"

Phil thought for a moment, "...No?"

Fate laughed, "Exactly Phil, it was your destiny to find Dan again, we just had to push you in the right direction. I wrote you a love story, I chose how it would play out. I tried to make up for the unfairness life put upon you when you were first in love. I couldn't change how it happened, it wasn't destiny. I could only write you a new opportunity."

"So...I'm...Dan's soulmate?" Phil asked.

"Pretty much," God said, "I know, I work in mysterious ways, bro."

Then Phil frowned, "If we were meant to be together, then why doesn't he love me?"

Fate winced at this, and God put on one of those cringe faces as he looked over at Fate, "Oh wow, he doesn't know."

"He'll find out," Fate assured, "When we send him back."

"What?" Phil asked, "What don't I know?"

"Nothing," God and Fate said at the same time.

"But...why doesn't Dan love me? Why does he love Ricky, and not me?" Phil asked, trying not to get too emotional. The question has been eating at him for a while now and he just had to know. If if it was fate for them to fall in love, why didn't Dan want him?

God was silent for a moment, "Philip...an angel and a human...are forbidden to be in love. In fact, that's why you're here. I can't...have you be angel, and have Dan in love with you. It just won't work. Which is why Dan's in love with Ricky. He, just like you, can't help it. Everything Dan makes you feel, Ricky makes him feel. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father," Phil said, "But why was it Fates plan?"

Fate cleared her throat, "I couldn't let him fall for anyone else. It had to be with someone he couldn't have. He had to love Ricky to keep him from loving anybody else. Niall, as well. If he was in love with Ricky he wouldn't fall for Niall. And yes, sometimes I wish I could have had Ricky love him back, but it just couldn't happen that way. He needed a reason to have you."

"I understand," Phil said sadly, "But...I just want him to love me. Why couldn't he fall out of love with Ricky and become in love with me?"

"Oh, angel," Fate said, smiling as she shook her head, "Don't you see that he already has?"

Phil looked up at her, his eyes hopeful, "Really?"

God nodded, "Philip, he's falling so fast he can't even breathe. It's like an angel without wings losing their place in Heaven. Aka, you pretty soon."

"Father," Fate said, sending him another stern look.

"Yes, right, sorry," God said, "I'm just disappointed in your leave. And...you know what I'm going to have to do right?"