More Secrets
Godric was hovering over Arabella protectively, not even letting him or his sisters near her. Alex was freaking out because every now and then Ara would scream in pain. Scott was trying to keep them calm but he was freaking out himself. He had sensed the man in the diner was an angel and a powerful one at that. His angel hadn’t looked concerned but now she was stuck in bed screaming in pain, and being hovered over as if she were dying. Scott’s blood ran cold, both with the fact that he’d just referred to her as his angel and because she was dying.
That was weird. The only people he’d ever felt that way for was his sisters. And now he was freaking out over a girl he’d met yesterday. Interesting… That was something he was going to need to further investigate later. Right now he was just going to try and figure out what was wrong with Ara.
He walked up to the bed again and Godric growled. Literally growled. Scott finally snapped. “Back off, dude. I care about her too.” He yelled.
“I’ve known her longer!” Godric hollered.
“And she’s my…” He forced himself to trail off because his sisters where in the room. He was going to yell that she was his guardian angel. But that would have endangered his family. But now Godric was looking at him like he was public enemy number one.
“She’s your what?” He demanded in a low voice.
“You know exactly what.” Scott said in an even lower voice. Godric’s eyes cleared and the murderous tint disappeared from his face.
“Oh right.” He sounded less like he was going to rip Scott’s arms off and beat him with them. But he still didn’t sound happy.
“Seriously, man. I care about her too. So please, back off of me and back off my sisters. They’re just as scared as you are. Ara seems like the type of girl that just doesn’t go down and to see her like this… It’s scary and it’s almost painful to watch. Talking to her or at least being able to be around her would make everyone a little less edgy. So back off.” Scott was trying to keep his anger and fear out of his voice but failed miserably. Godric looked at Scott’s sisters then moved back away from the bed.
Alex flew to the bed and almost threw herself on Ara, but Scott caught her around her waist. “Alex, you have to be careful, you know that.” She was shaking and had tears running down her face.
Livvy was shaking and pale. “Are you guys gonna be okay? Do you want me to take you home?” She was shaking her head before his sentence was finished.
“I’m not okay, don’t think I will be but I refuse to go home. Ara needs us. You guys may know more about… Whatever it is she does, but I know more about being a woman. I don’t think she wants a guy helping her with things like showering or going to the bathroom. I’m staying here as long as she needs me.” His sister muttered.
“I don’t want to leave either.” Alex whispered. Scott shook his head.
“Al, you can stay here until tonight. Then you and Liv have to go home. You guys have school tomorrow.”
“I’m staying here.” Livvy and Alex said loudly together. Ara moaned and her eyelids fluttered.
She paled even more and opened her eyes. “Godric…” She whispered in a pained voice. Scott didn’t understand the disappointed feeling that suddenly swamped him. Of course she’d want Godric when she woke up. He was, after all, another angel.
“I’m here, Angel.” Godric said moving forward. “Who’d you get in a fight with?”
“Michael.” She said quietly.
“Michael; as in the Michael?” He demanded a little too loud. Ara winced and nodded then cringed again.
“Oh, ow! Don’t make… me move… Or talk… Or breathe… Everything hurts on me. I feel…” She looked vaguely confused and her complexion looked worse.
“I know. Believe me I know and no words truly describe it.” He said. Scott was disgusted.
“You should rest again.” He murmured. Godric and Ara both looked at him. “If who you’re talking about is who I think it is, you need rest so you can heal.” He defended.
“Answer one more question first.” Godric said turning to Ara. She continued to stare at him for a few more minutes then turned to Godric. “Why did he do it? Did he say? Did you provoke him?”
Livvy looked outraged but kept silent. Ara looked over at Scott again and then back to her brother-like figure. “He was… pissed off… because… of what Scott… knew. He didn’t… like our secrets… getting out. Then he said… something about… why I’m in this… business… still. And he… wants Scott… to move in with… me.” She said and her eyes closed. A few minutes later her soft snores were filling the room.
“He wants me to move in with her?” Scott suddenly rounded on Godric.
“Are we all gonna move in here?” Alex asked.
“I can go home and pack some of the essentials for now. We’ll go back later and pack everything else.” Livvy said.
“I can do it.” Godric offered. “And I’ll just get everything now.”
“Wait!” Scott said loudly. “Stop making plans!”
“Why?” All three voices rang out at once.
“Because… Because… We’re just supposed to pack up and move because some stranger says so? I don’t think that’s how the real world works!”
“Unfortunately, it is. And everyone wishes it weren’t but strangers control everything you do. Some person somewhere makes all the decisions about your life without any feeling or second thoughts. Your world is a sick and cruel one. But it’s the world we have. So get used to it.” Godric said with the wisdom of a man who’s been around for thousands of years. He also spoke as if he’d had experienced this first hand. “Packing up and moving in here doesn’t sound ideal right now. But if you do it, you are safer. Your sisters are safer. Ara is safer. Because we are doing what they want and that makes them happy.”
Scott wondered how he’d gotten sucked into this psychotic world where nothing made sense. He closed his eyes and prayed for guidance and patients. “Fine. Godric and you girls, go. Only pack what you need.”
He watched them walk out and then groaned loudly. He stood up and stalked into the back of the apartment. Back where the bedrooms are. There were only two. How were four people supposed to stay in a house with only two bedrooms? Ara could, of course, stay in the living room. And he guessed Livvy and Alex could share the master bedroom. So Scott could have the second bedroom.
“Scott…?” Ara called weakly from the living room.
He walked back over to the bed to find her in a semi-conscious state. “Hey, why aren’t you asleep?” He asked.
“I can’t… ignore… the need… to pee anymore.” She whispered then smiled slightly. Her lips were chapped so they slip. Her tongue snaked out to lick the small drop of blood. Scott’s smile was just as small. He didn’t want to help her go to the bathroom. Not because he didn’t want to help her, but because he was embarrassed about pulling her pants off. He didn’t think Godric would like it either.
“Please…?” She whispered again. He sighed and leaned over. Pausing he glanced at her faced.
“Where do you hurt least?” He asked.
She gave a small chuckle and winced then froze. “Just pick me up…”
He reached down and gently rested his hand on her hip. She winced again. “Okay, ready? Three, two…” He quickly slid his arm around her waist and pulled her gently against him. She cried out and tears slipped down her face. “I know; I’m sorry.”
She gently rested her head against his shoulder. “Let’s just go.” She sighed into his shirt and Scott shivered.
When they reached the bathroom, he set her on her feet, but kept one arm around her waist. She rested heavily against him. He tensed and pushed her away from his slightly. She swayed and then doubled over the toilet and vomited. He grabbed her waist with one hand and then scooped her hair up in his other. He held her like that as she puked. When the retching died down, Ara leaned up against him again. “I really need to pee.”
He nodded and helped her use the facilities. Then Scott helped her over to sink. She washed her hands and brushed her teeth then collapsed against him.
Scott pulled Ara up into his arms again and carried her back to bed, laying her down gently on the bed. She curled up into a small ball whimpering. “Will you lie next to me?”
He kicked his shoes off and climbed into bed without question. Settling behind her, he put his hand on her hip again and rested his head next to hers on the pillow. She was snoring again only moments later. Scott touched his forehead to the back of her head and closed his eyes.
He felt the drowsiness creep over him slowly. Soon he was asleep too.
Godric woke them up a few hours later by coming in hollering, “We went shopping!” Scott pulled his face away from the tangle of Ara’s hair. She tensed slightly and rolled around so her chest was pressed against his. She leaned over and rested her cheek on his shoulder.
“Oh God. You didn’t torture them by taking them shopping with you.” She said in mock shock. Scott pressed his face against her shoulder and sighed.
“Oh sorry. Did we interrupt something?” Godric suddenly asked with pure hatred dripping from his voice.
“Oh, jeez sorry, Scott. Alex, come on.” Livvy said with amusement.
“We aren’t doing anything!” Scott said still against Ara’s neck. She shivered. “You okay?”
“Yeah, fine.” She said in a whisper.
“You sure? How do you feel?” Godric asked. He came over and sat on the bed almost on top of Scott, who wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep to get away from Godric.
“Better. It’s kinda weird. Isn’t it?” She asked. There was a long silence so Scott looked up. The two angels were staring at each other as if they knew what the other was thinking. But then, of course, they did. Scott flopped back against the bed and looked up at the ceiling.
“So what’d you buy?”Ara suddenly asked.
“Bunk beds for the girls. They’re bringing them over later on today. We have all of the clothes. Scott, I got yours. I’m dropping them off and going back to get the dressers and stuff. I didn’t want the girls to be there. You know I have a special way of doing things, Ara. I’m going to go right now. I’ll be back later on.”
He walked out of the door. Scott looked at his little sisters. “Are you guys really okay with this?”
“Yeah, I’m cool with it. And it’s not that big of a deal. The house is Mom’s, anyway, and it’s not like she…” Livvy trailed off looking at Ara who was once again resting against Scott. She wasn’t quiet asleep yet.
Livvy smiled at her then turned to Alex. “So do you want to go clean up the rooms with me?”
“Sure.” She glanced nervously at Ara too. “Um, Ara, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, sweetie. Healing right up.” She whispered drowsily. The girls nodded and walked off.
Just a test, does this work? He asked inside his head all of a sudden, thinking it towards Ara and hoping he wasn’t being an idiot.
Yeah, it works. What’s up?
So, what were you and Godric talking about?
I’m healing. Literally healing. Even now I can feel myself getting better. It’s not normal at all. No angel can do this. We’re worried. If Michael isn’t helping me, then I’m some abnormal creature. No one can do this. So if other angel’s find out, I’ll be examined. Dissected, tortured, and studied. They won’t kill me, but I’ll be in pain constantly.
That’s sick. And they can just do that? He thought in outrage.
You’re people do worse things to better creatures. I don’t like the idea either, that’s why we’re gonna keep this pretty low-key. We wait it out. If I heal too quickly. Like say, tomorrow, then we know Michael’s behind it. But if I heal in let’s say a week, I think we can assume, it’s me. But if I don’t heal for another few months, then I’m normal and was just feeling things. It’s all about the waiting.
Aren’t you scared? Scott asked, turning to study her face.
To his amazement she smiled and turned to him. Of course. I’m terrified. Since the first moment I saw you, I was terrified. First, I was afraid that you would soon be dying and I’d be taking you away from this world. Next, I was scared because you weren’t dying and you could see me, find me, sense me. Then I was frightened by the fact that you had to face two angels that could have easily killed all of us and made the world forget about us. Now I’m scared shitless because the only thing keeping you in this world, with your sisters and your mother and your friends, is me, and I’m not sure I’m the person for the job. How can I keep you safe when I can’t even keep myself safe? And if you die, and I have to Collect you, what the fuck do I say to those two beautiful, sweet, innocent little girls who’ve already had too much happen to them?
So yes, Scott. I’m scared. For you. Because nothing in this life is certain. Hell, I’m dead and I’m still alive. So tomorrow we could wake up in a totally different place. I know that. Tomorrow you could die. And I’d be to blame. And I’d have to face your loved ones, who are banking on me keeping them safe.
I’m not going to die. He thought. With you being the one in charge of keeping me safe, I have no fears, no doubts. Because with you I’m completely safe. I feel so safe. So I want to thank you.
Arabella suddenly sat up and leaned over him. She paled by doing it, but she braced her hands on either side of his head and stared into his eyes. “You can’t. You have to promise me right now. Swear on everything most important in your life, you won’t.” She said so desperately, he gently grabbed either side of her face and lifted his mouth so that it was a whisper away from hers.
“I promise you. I swear it on my sisters’ lives. I’m not leaving them… Or you.” He murmured. She blew out a shaky breath. It was a refreshing scent almost like a spring breeze. She moved her face a little closer to his. “Fuck it.” He said and kissed her.
What amazed him was that she kissed him back. And she was good at it. He deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue. She leaned in and kissed him back with gusto. She teased his tongue with hers. She gripped his slightly too shaggy hair. Scott gripped her face a little more tightly. Ara winced when he did that. Pulling away, he looked into her eyes.
“Sorry, are you okay?” He asked. She nodded.
“I’m about to be better.” Ara said as she kissed him again. He groaned and rolled over her. Settling gently on top of her, he placed his hands on either side of her head and kissed her again. He tried to balance most of his weight off of her to not hurt her again.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. When he pulled back again, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned to find Livvy staring at him with open mouthed shock. He snorted and rolled off of Ara. Livvy blushed brightly and tried to look away from Ara, who was staring at his sister with the same embarrassment etched into her face.
“Um, I was just coming, to um, check if you needed, um… Anything.” She finished lamely then glances back at Ara. The girls looked at each other. Ara smirked suddenly and winked, Livvy burst out laughing and the girls snorted with laughter until tears stream down their face.
“Anyways, do you need to use the bathroom or anything?” Livvy asked.
“Actually, yes, but I’m sure Scott doesn’t mind taking me again.”
“That’s what she said.” Godric said from the doorway. Livvy and Ara jumped, blushed, glanced at each other and burst out laughing again. Scott nearly fell off the bed. For whatever reason, Godric scared him enough that he didn’t want to make public the fact that he was just making out with the girl Godric viewed as his sister.
“Come on, love. I’ll take you.” Godric said, coming over and picking her up. They disappeared back into the bathroom. Scott looked at his sister with a pleading look. She smiled and “zipped” her lips. He blew a kiss to her in thanks. Now all he had to do was convince Ara that this… thing… that they had going on was better kept from her brother.