The fire had ripped through the old church just a few days ago, but it looked like it had been in shambles for years.
I stood in front of where the altar had been just last week. I fell to my knees and looked up to the heavens. I needed answers and I hoped He would hear me now, after all these years.
“My father, what should I do? I’ve lived amongst the humans for years now and I thought my penance was finally coming to an end, but I think I’ve fallen in love. Is that even possible?”
The silence tore through what was left of the pews. I waited. And waited some more. But, I didn’t even hear a whisper. “Have you completely forgotten me?” I cried out and when I didn’t get a reply again, I jumped to my feet and did something completely human. I picked up a piece of rubble and threw it hard against what was left of the cross and stormed out, tears streaming down my face.
It was my own fault, I supposed. I was the one who had chosen to come down to Earth and walk among the mortals. Curiosity had always been my sin. Wanting more than just watching and guiding had gotten the better of me and I broke the one rule we had. I exposed myself to the mortal world. Not that I had actually shown anyone my true self, but now I walked among them as if I was one of them. That was until him. Until I had fallen in love with one them. He was going to be my undoing, if I wasn’t already undone.
I was pretty sure I was unraveled…
Fallen in Love
Part I
Fallen in Love
Part II
… I ran into the woods and fell under a weeping willow.
I remembered how he looked at me before. Before, I had been foolish. The passion that had pulled us together was undeniable. It had taken me by surprise, to feel such emotions. I wasn’t used to the emotions that humans felt, but I had been among them for so long, that I was starting to acclimate to their world, and therefore their emotions. We had fallen hard and fast, without knowing much about each other. We had gotten completely lost in each this past summer.
But, when I had shown him … I shivered at the memory. I would much rather have had a memory of being wrapped tightly in his arms, our bodies pressed together as if we were one. Those memories sent heat ravaging through my body. But, the memory that haunted me was fresh.
“I love you,” he had said and I thought I had gone back to Heaven at the sound of those three little words coming from his mouth. But, before I could tell him it back, I had to show him the real me. Apparently I had hesitated a little too long because he started to look worried.
“Do you not feel the same?” He asked.
I fervently shook my head. “No, that’s not it. It’s just, I have to show you something.”
Before I could chicken out and run from him, I took a couple steps away from him and took a deep breath as the light started to fill the room and my wings unfurled from between my shoulder blades. I opened my eyes and looked at him and instantly wished I hadn’t done it. His face was fear stricken and his eyes wide and the love that had been there a moment ago was gone and replaced with something that I couldn’t translate.
I didn’t even have time to explain before he turned and ran from me…
Fallen in Love
Part III
… As the memory washed over me, I looked back toward the church and as if mesmerized by some sort of spell, I got up and walked back in.
I stared up at the light cascading through the church window. It was calling my name. I could hear it on the slight breeze that was flowing through the abandoned, fire torn church. I closed my eyes and tilted my face up to soak in the light and let the breeze lift my hair off my shoulders. One moment I was standing still, completely braced on the ground and the next I was floating, flying toward the broken window and the light beyond. I heard my name again and again. But, this time it wasn’t on the wind. It was coming from behind me. My eyes fluttered open and I turned my head. As I did so, I fell, hard against what was left of the cement structure of the church.
Jaxson.
He was here. Why was he here?
Shakingly I got to my feet, but I stayed where I was as he slowly approached. He got within touching distance and stopped. We stood there, gazing at each other; me with curiosity, him with … what was in his eyes? Fear? Love? I would have prayed for the later, but I didn’t know where I stood with the Almighty at the moment. The silence echoed through the hallowed walls so much so that I couldn’t take it a second longer and I broke it.
“Jax, what are you doing here?”
I expected him to look away, to take a step backward, to change his mind about being in the same room as me. But, he didn’t do any of the above. Instead, he surprised the hell out of me.
“I couldn’t let you leave without telling you something Aniela.” I could feel the tear roll down my cheek as he took another couple of steps toward me and took my hands in his. I looked up into his ocean eyes and I could swear I saw hope there. He released one of my hands and used his now free hand to brush away the tear on my cheek, his eyes never leaving mine. Jaxson cupped my cheek with his hand and I could feel the heat radiate through my entire body.
“I love you. I know I was stupid when you told me the truth, and I hope that you can forgive me, because I can’t live this life without you.”
I let out the breath I had been holding. I desperately wanted to believe him. I needed to believe him, but he had already hurt me once. What was that saying?
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me…
Fallen in Love
Part IV
… I did the one thing I could think of to see his reaction once again and see if the look in his eyes changed.
I took a step away from him so he wasn’t able to touch me anymore, which helped me think a little clearer. I took a deep breath in and let what was once natural for me take over my body. My wings unfurled from between my shoulder blades and flexed wide. I let them curl around my shoulders and I looked back at Jax, expecting the fear I had seen the first time I had shown him my true self. But what I saw there surprised me. There was fascination there, and the love that I had been desperately wanting was still there. I let out the breath I had been holding, and then quickly sucked it back in as he stepped toward me and reached out and touched one of my wings. I felt it flutter under his touch as he stroked the white feathers.
“You are truly beautiful. I’m sorry I didn’t see that before,” he said. “It’s just I never believed in angels before and then there you were standing right in front of me.” His eyes met mine and I felt my heart, cliché enough, skip a beat. There was a deep, passionate heat radiating between us. “I do love you,” he continued. “Please give me a second chance.”
“Are you sure you can handle this?” I asked, almost pleadingly.
“There is nothing to handle. It’s you I want. It’s you I need.” He took my hands in his, truth gleaming in his eyes. I smiled and squeezed his hands, pulling him closer to me so that our bodies were pressed together.
I spread my wings and wrapped them around us. “I love you,” I whispered and held him tightly as I slowly lifted us off the ground, letting the light surround us as he pressed a soft kiss against my lips. The breeze picked up and swirled around us and a familiar, soft voice filled the room:
“Fear no more, my daughter.”