Rising Above

Gabriel had never gotten as far with Lilith as he was now where the truth was concerned, and there was no turning back now. He steadied himself, took another deep breath, telling himself to be honest, but be vigilant. “Lily, I wanted to keep you, in Heaven, with me.”

“You did?” She asked, beginning to pick up on his nervousness, and it was making her nervous. She’d never felt Gabriel nervous before. “You mean, like an angel?”

Gabriel was surprised that she hadn’t moved away from him, or coiled herself into a defensive position with her arms wrapped around herself like a shield, for she normally did at even the slightest hint of a conversation like this one. Her posture was encouraging; maybe she wasn’t scared anymore. He smiled. “No, trust me, this job’s not what it’s cracked up to be, and I’d never want to see you saddled with it.”

Lilith was still lost and confused, but Gabriel’s smile had calmed her a bit. “Then as what?”

Gabriel drew in another steady breath; the ice was very possibly getting thinner, or would be soon. “As mine, Lily.”

There was a long silence as Lilith’s mind opened to the feelings that her heart had already known possible for centuries, but still, she didn’t want to feel this, was not ready to let go of her fear, it had been all she’d ever known. Her stomach quivered, her eyes widened. “As your what?”

Gabriel grabbed both her hands again, and Lilith cringed when he moved so suddenly. They both froze, looking at each other, a bit afraid of what the other’s next move would be. They both breathed heavily as their pulses settled, for neither of them moved for a few moments. Gabriel knew it was now or it would likely be never, but he was too afraid that if he continued talking to her, she would continue to grow so afraid that she would flee him and the feelings he began to stir within her. Words were of no value; he had to show her. “Lily, you said you trusted me. But do you?” He whispered.

Lilith shuddered. “I am so scared, Gabriel.” She whimpered, but groped for some semblance of control, finding just enough. “But yes, I do trust you.”

He kissed her softly, soothingly, willing his body to readiness again. Lilith stopped trembling as he pulled her down into his arms, still kissing her, letting her be the one to deepen their kiss, and he could feel her fear turning into need for him, for his body. She swung her leg over him, straddling him as they kissed. He was not fully erect, but she pressed her body against his semi-hard penis, making him moan, desire sparking in him though he felt so tired. She sought solace in the form of a physical rush, but Gabriel was not planning to let her use him like a drug to dull her pain and fear, he meant to heal her. For the next few minutes he let her lay above him, their bodies close as they kissed and kissed.

Lilith hoped that perhaps she could distract Gabriel with passion, and maybe he’d forget she’d ever asked him anything. She had hoped that the trust she’d recently found would lessen, or even banish, the fear she had, but it had not. She didn’t want to repeat Rome, but then, she didn’t want Gabriel to be disappointed either; he’d already threatened to leave once, what if he did again? She knew that one day, she would have to face her fear, or lose him. Trusting the Seraph was only the tip of this iceberg. Still, she wasn’t sure if she wanted that day she would have face her fear to be today. It was too terrifying to consider, and feeling Gabriel’s lips against hers and his tongue stroking hers was much more pleasant. She could kiss him for hours, and often did. She trusted Gabriel. Again and again she heard herself saying that in her head.

“Lily,” Gabriel whispered as he severed their kiss. He was fully erect, his love for her surging through him. Not only did he want to heal her, he wanted to make love to her, he’d wanted to ever since he’d seen her. He’d been fucking her for centuries, but it was never the same as making love to her. “Let me be above you.”

Lilith’s body felt like ice water had been poured over her, but she willed herself not to flinch, for she knew where this conversation had been leading. She trusted him. This was not like Rome; he wasn’t being underhanded in this attempt. She trusted this angel. She’d asked him for the truth, this was the only way he could give it to her. She trusted the Seraph. He’d restored her eyes; he could heal her. She trusted Gabriel. She trusted her lover. She’d been governed by fear for too long, but she was still so extremely terrified. She couldn’t push forth any words.

Gabriel’s hand lightly stroked her tense back. He could feel her fear, smell it, even taste it, just like he could while watching helplessly as Adam raped her. He had to make that better, to replace such a nightmarish memory with one that was loving and sweet and gentle. She had to allow him above her, he had to mend what had been broken in her; he loved her too much to let her go on living with such crippling fear. “Lily, just lay beside me on your back. I promise not to move even a finger until you tell me to. I’ll be slow, gentle, I promise you that. I won’t do anything without telling you first, and if you want me to stop, I will. I swear it.”

Lilith swallowed hard, her breath shivering in and out of her lungs as her body shook. She was on the verge of tears, for she did not want to go through with this, but she knew she must, for Gabriel, for herself. Her brain ordered her body to move, but she couldn’t, she was paralyzed above the Seraph, and her head fell down upon his strong chest and she began to sob uncontrollably, her bloody tears staining his skin and hers. What if he hurt her by accident, or what if just the feeling of weight above her again set her off like before? She didn’t know what she was more afraid of, facing her fear, or possibly tearing him up again. “I can’t!”

Gabriel’s head dropped back against the pillow as he hugged her to him. It hurt him to see her cry, for the old Lilith, the one he’d loved so entirely, would never have cried about anything. He was determined; he had to bring her back to herself. She’d even said she wanted herself back. “Yes, Lily, yes, you can. Do you remember what you said to me earlier? You told me you didn’t want the truth from my eyes about what happened because you needed to accept responsibility in order to have yourself back, remember?” Gabriel stroked her hair, wishing she’d stop crying, and listen to him, and to his surprise, she seemed to be calming down, but she didn’t move, still laying with her head on his chest. “Lily, if you do not face down this fear, you will never get yourself back, no matter how much responsibility you assume for anything.”

He was right. She steadied herself, drew in a deep breath and lifted her head from his chest. She must have looked a mess; his chest did, almost as if she had torn into him. Okay, she would do this, though it terrified her. She did want herself back, and this was the only way to get it. “Gabriel,” she was able only to whisper as she slowly crawled off of his body, kneeling beside him. “I’m afraid.” It wasn’t what she’d meant to say, but it jumped out of her mouth anyway.

The Seraph smiled a bit, sitting up. “I know. But you don’t have to be afraid of me, Lily. I will not hurt you. I’m not him, I’m not doing this for the same reasons he did.” Gabriel tried to wipe the blood from her face, it had dried, and he leaned forward, kissing the tracks of her tears away, the taste of her consuming him, making him feel almost drunk. “I love you, Lily.” He wasn’t sure he’d said it, because he hadn’t meant to, but he’d allowed himself to be too lost in the moment, and now, well, what had he done? Was everything ruined?

Lilith never thought she wanted to hear him say that, she’d avoided it for centuries, but now, there it was, three little words, that pierced her ears, and stabbed her heart, but they hadn’t killed her. Gabriel loved her. It wasn’t even a shock, for she’d known that for years and years and years. She’d always fought him on it, tried to make him not love her even, that was the reason she’d always displayed her collection of pottery and glass snakes on his side of their bedroom, so he’d know each and every time he saw them that she did not want his love, that she wanted to hate him, forever. Despite that, every time she’d looked into the Seraph’s eyes, even for just a split second, there it was, he loved her. Nothing had dismayed her more, for how could she hate something that loved her as entirely as Gabriel did?

But now, after she’d acknowledged she was responsible for her own decisions, why did it matter anymore? She had no more reason to hate Gabriel, and nothing to blame him for. Nor did she have a reason to be afraid of him. Slowly, she sank down against the mattress of their beautiful bed, reclining on her back, willing her taught muscles to relax and looking over at the Seraph who watched in amazement. She lay without moving for a few moments, just taking deep breaths as she stared up at the ceiling, then looking over at him again. Gabriel loved her. “I know.”

For the first time ever, Gabriel was speechless. It wasn’t so much that Lilith had said she knew that he loved her, for as hard and awfully as they had so often fought, he knew she was able to feel something from, and nothing else would have upset her more than knowing he loved her. What shocked him was how she had reacted to him actually saying the words out loud to her. She’d lain down! He’d never expected that of her. Getting Lilith to lay on her back had actually been easier than it had been for him to convince some of the beautiful young virgin human girls to whom Gabriel had been attracted to and seduced to lay down. She did trust him! He leaned over her, gently touching her face and then kissing her, but not making any moves to get above her. His body surged with a desire like he’d never felt for her or anyone else before.

Lilith was not very responsive, for she was so nervous, so terrified, still. She couldn’t believe this was happening, and part of her wouldn’t acknowledge that it was. Gabriel only kissed her, his hands on her shoulder, touching her cautiously, but lovingly, but not sexually, even though he was ready to take her. His erection brushed her ribs as he leaned down to kiss her, and Lilith shivered again, beginning to focus more on the kiss Gabriel painted over her lips and tongue, defining the pattern and rhythm of the osculation, allowing her arms to wrap around his neck as she returned his kiss, again feeling like she wanted to be close to him. He loved her, she trusted him, he could give her herself back, and take away her fear. She didn’t have to be afraid of him. It was alright, he wouldn’t hurt her, he loved her. Gabriel’s lips trailed away from her mouth, kissing down to her chin and over her throat, Lilith gasped, raising her upper body up against his, her nipples hardening as they pressed against his biceps. She could feel his hand move down her body, slowly, gently.

“Lily,” he whispered, looking into her eyes. “It’s okay, just kiss me, and keep looking into my eyes if you get scared. If you ever doubt what I am doing to you, look into my eyes, they don’t lie.” His hand was now down as far as her hip, moving towards her thighs. “It’s okay, open your legs for me.”

Lilith swallowed again, taking another deep breath to maintain her calm. What Gabriel had said about looking into his eyes was comforting, for his eyes could only hold truth. His fingers stuck in between her thighs, not near her groin, but gently pushing her legs apart as she obliged his hand, separating her legs. He loved her. It was alright. He wouldn’t hurt her. His hand ran up and down her inner thigh, gradually getting closer and closer to her outer labia, but not touching it. Her besieged brain focused on the tempo of his stroking fingers, and he began to kiss her again, softly, slowly, soothingly. She relaxed a bit, not terrified anymore, just scared.

Her body shuddered viciously as her legs parted, but then reduced the shaking to a mild tremble as Gabriel’s hand smoothed the soft skin in between her thighs. At any moment she might flee in fear, and Gabriel knew it. He couldn’t take her when she was this scared, her body was too tense, he would hurt her. He had to relax her, and if possible, make her even want this. He lay on his side next her, one arm behind her shoulders, holding her, and the other gingerly skimming her inner thighs, creeping up between them higher and higher, his finger’s extending out to touch her soft outer labia. She jumped. “It’s just my hand, Lily, I’ve touched you here before, nothing is different.” He whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple as his finger traced her smooth outer lips from the bottom of one to the top and then down the other. She shivered under his touch, as if she’d never been touched before. Not even Simon, who had been so deathly afraid of Gabriel at first, was this nervous and startled the first time the Seraph touched him.

Lilith settled herself again, Gabriel was right, so far, nothing was different, and he was being careful and slow and more patient than she would have ever imagined he could be. This was not only hard for her; it had to be hard for him too. She wanted to make things easier for both of them, and she tried to relax, moving against his fingers even though she felt no searing heat of passion, but hoping to invoke it. She closed her eyes, tried to enjoy this.

Gabriel sighed in brief relief; it was good to see she was making an effort to work with him, and let her rocking pelvis draw his fingers into her deeper, until he felt her wetness. Lilith’s mouth opened in a silent cry as his fingertips brushed her clitoris, though it was not erect. Feeling her inner folds and creases made Gabriel’s erection throb, he wanted her, and he hoped to raise Lilith’s desire for him as well. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her most sensitive flesh, plunging his digits into her pink folds and rubbing slowly up and down her slit, tracing her clitoris, feeling Lilith’s body respond with more moisture and her legs spread a bit wider. She wasn’t trembling any longer. In fact, she seemed to be warming to his touch, encouraging it with subtle movements. He looked down at her, her eyes closed, her face calm, but she was not the Lilith he’d come to know between the sheets yet. But, maybe if he turned on the charm and the powers of seduction he’d been blessed with just a bit more, she would be. “I wanted to be your first lover, Lily. I wanted to be the first to do this to you. I wanted to be the first and only thing you loved.”

Lilith was still tinged with fear, but most of it had turned to something else now. She trusted Gabriel. He would not hurt her. And he was not hurting her. He was making her want him, making her want this. His words sank in, and she moaned a bit, a pleasurable feeling of comfort rolling through her body from her head to her toes. He wished that he had been her first lover. Adam may have known her body first, but Adam was hardly a lover. “Gabriel,” she quietly moaned, but then opened her eyes, looking up at him. “You were my first lover.” She put her arm around his neck and pulled him into a kiss, a kiss filled with her rising hunger, her fingers tracing all the perfect lines of muscle in his back and shoulders. The Seraph was so strong and so powerful, he was capable of so much destruction, but also so much good, and despite how Lilith had always treated him, he’d never given her anything but the good. Yes, she trusted him, he loved her, she would do this.

Gabriel’s breath and heart rate quickened, he could feel that she was beginning to want him and the thought was clouding his mind. He wanted to take her, his cock begged to take her. His entire body ached to lie between her legs. He would mount her and do what he should have been allowed to do, the way it should have been done when she was created. He’d make love to her, and he’d heal her. He couldn’t wait any longer. “Lily, do you want me above you?”

Lilith breathed deeply, looking into his eyes for some last bit of comfort before speaking. She could see how badly he’d wanted this and for how long, and how much it had hurt him to have been denied the right to be with something he loved. But there was something else she saw in his eyes, something she couldn’t quite make out; it was like some void that she was staring into, a void that was still waiting to be filled. She became so curious and so concerned with the emptiness in the Seraph’s eyes, that for a moment she’d forgotten what was happening, and how close she was to letting go of an older than ancient fear. But then Gabriel’s fingers stroked her swelling clitoris again, and desire for his body rumbled through her, returning her to the task at hand. Perhaps that emptiness in Gabriel’s eyes was his need to take away her fear? Would that complete him, as well as it would her? She had to know, and she swallowed back the fears and uncertainties that still swirled within her, threatening to burst out. “Yes. Lie above me.”

Gabriel kissed her again, feeling more than thrilled that she’d said ‘yes’ to him. He’d waited for this for so long, never truly expecting to get it, and particularly without a horrible fight. “I’ll be slow, and gentle, I promise.” He assured her, shifting his weight and getting to his knees, maintaining eye contact with her, for she’d never looked into his eyes like that before, and she still seemed to be studying them. He’d wanted this for centuries, and now, Lilith had said she also wanted it. He massaged one of her legs gently, lifting it up over his shoulder as he maneuvered between it and her other leg, then gently laying it back on the mattress. His entire being throbbed with the beating of his heart; for as many lovers as he’d known, and as many times as he’d know Lilith, he’d never felt this way. She’d asked him earlier if he had been nervous with her the first time because he’d never been with a woman before, and while he had not been nervous that first time, he was this time. He knelt between her knees, watching her as she watched him, her body spread out before him, like an offering. She trusted him; he couldn’t allow any amount of nervousness to betray that. Slowly he leaned forward, not touching her body with his, and kissed her again, arching his back away from her, not wanting to set his weight on her all at once.

Lilith again trembled, but stopped when he kissed her, even raising her hands up to caress his shoulders and back. She made an effort to turn her fingernails upwards and not touch him with them, not wanting to remind either of them of what had happened last time. Little by little Gabriel lowered his body against hers, she froze each time his skin touched hers, and he would wait until she relaxed again and then settle more of himself against her until he lay comfortably above her, his weight supported by his elbows.

They both lay still, gasping with anticipation and desire, looking into the other’s eyes as they kissed. He was not inside her, but he was covering her! Gabriel waited, watching for any signs of terror from Lilith, but she only stared back into his eyes, again focusing on the void she’d seen in them, wondering what it was. When he was sure that she was alright, he pushed himself up onto the palms of his hands, aligning his pelvis against hers, but pressing on no further than that. He felt Lilith again tense as he positioned himself, and she remained tense. No! It was so crucial now that she be as relaxed as she could be; he was too large to try take her if she was tense. “Lily, don’t be afraid, I’ve been inside you many many times, and I’ve never hurt you. I won’t now.” He kissed her forehead, lingering around her beautiful eyes. “I love you, Lily, I do. Give me your hand.”

Lilith put her hand in his, willing herself to relax, trying to not make this harder than it had to be for either of them. She felt so shy. Gabriel placed her hand on the shaft of his erection, not able to help the moan that escaped him as her fingers wrapped around it as if touching it for the first time. He felt so tremendous, so stiff, so thick. She must have been crazy to ever have slept with him.

Gabriel shivered as her fingers gripped him, but he couldn’t allow himself to be lost in the feeling and need. He’d placed her hand on his cock for a reason, but it was not for his pleasure. “Lily, when you’re ready, put me inside you.” He whispered, stroking her face, but no longer able to resist the appeal her body held to him. Her fingers were stroking his cock, getting to know it all over again, running from his glans to as far up his shaft as she could reach and then back down again. His fingers trailed from her face down over chin and neck to her chest, stopping at her breasts, tracing her nipples, pinching them gently, kneading her ample flesh until Lilith moaned and moved into his touch. His erection throbbed in her hands, the two veins on each side of it sticking out again and beating with a pulse of their own. “Come on, Lily, you know how much I want you.” Gabriel groaned.

Lilith wondered how it would feel to have something so large inside her from an above angle. Would it hurt? Or would it simply just be different? Would the void in Gabriel’s eyes be filled if she slid him inside her? Would she truly be healed? Would that feeling like something was always missing from the sex they’d had finally be banished? Gabriel was quite large, but he could also be quite gentle, and he loved her. He was beautiful, his body was exquisite and there was no creature that was a better lover than he was. She wanted him, wanted to be healed by him this way, her body was ready for it, she was ready for it. Her vagina heaved with moisture, readying for his length, making her feel like she needed him inside her, and she did. She groped around his cock, taking him just behind his glans with her fingers and drawing him against her opening, feeling her own lubricants on her fingers as she guided him inside her, not able to help the sudden jolt of her body when the first two inches of him slid inside her. She was surprised that all she felt was an intense need to have more of the Seraph, and her legs raised off the mattress a bit as she guided more of him into her, her hips beginning to rock against his, passion rising, his weight heavier and heavier above her, but she wanted it. Yes, this felt very different from having him deep inside and thrusting himself upwards, but she wasn’t scared anymore. She could feel how much heavier and stronger Gabriel was than her, but he loved her, and she trusted him, and it was becoming clear that his strength was something he wanted to share with her, not conquer her with. Adam did not have any concept of this.

Gabriel was short of breath at just feeling himself encased by her body, her legs wrapping around him. Finally, they were one in the fashion that he’d dreamed for so very long. Her soft body was both giving and accepting beneath his, her fear was vanishing. Lilith enclosed her arms, her legs around him, wanting to be closer to him, kissing all any skin she could reach, and he hadn’t even moved yet. He loved her so much, and he enjoyed her beneath him more than he’d ever enjoyed any other lover beneath him. The memory of the other hundreds of thousands of partners he’d had was insignificant in the face of this moment with her. Lilith was so brave, she’d done it, she’d faced up to her fear, and now, Gabriel could cure her of it, forever. The need to thrust into her danced through his veins, making his cock spasm and his back arch, he needed her. “I can’t be still any longer, Lily.” He gasped.

“It’s okay.” Lilith breathed as she wiggled beneath him, never remembering that being filled with his cock had ever felt so satisfying. Something was changing inside her, this position did feel unusual, but in a way that she had never expected. Her female body needed the maleness of his, but along with that heat was the sensation of emergent power in her chest, in her heart. It made her unafraid, it made her want Gabriel to take her this way; it made her want to giver herself to him like she never had before. “Take me Gabriel, take all of me that you desire!”

If he had not been dangling by a fervent necessity to be thrusting into her body, Gabriel would have paused long enough to say something like ‘damn, I’m good’, for he was so impressed with Lilith, and with what he’d been able to accomplish with her. For now, he would congratulate himself with plunging his cock into her, driving down into her exquisite body with a strong flex of his buttocks and back, able to direct or even the pressure he meant to inflict for the first time ever with her. She joined him in his movements, their pace quickening as they each shoved against each other frantically. Lilith’s cunt felt like it was made for him, like it was made for him to do this specifically to her. She was soft and hot and wet and warm, like liquid satin that closed around his big cock each time he thrust it into her. He had been prepared to suffer inside her, expecting she would only allow him small, barely penetrating thrusts as she struggled with her fear, but she was just the opposite, not afraid, and offering her body up to his, letting him use her how and when he liked.

Lust was quickly replacing the caution that had bound them both in a nearly passionless quest to heal her. But now, they each seethed with desire for the other, trusting and needing one another. He’d tamed the “beast” as Lilith had come to be called in Heaven! “Do you want me to stop?” He teased, feeling how she moved with him, not wanting to have too much of his cock withdrawn from her body, but rather wanting to hold him inside her as deep as she could.

“I want what I’ve always wanted from you,” Lilith smiled back at him, searching out his eyes, and a bit confused that the void was still present in them. Wasn’t this what he’d always wanted? Perhaps the act would have to be completed before all his needs were met. “I want every ounce of you!”

Gabriel tried to catch his breath, not knowing what he had left in his body or his balls to give her, he was not in tip top form when they’d began this quest of all quests, he was surprised he was able to fuck her now. “For you, anything, but you will have to get me there. You’ve used me pretty hard tonight.” He smiled down at her.

Hmm, maybe the void in Gabriel’s eyes was not a void at all, but it was just sheer exhaustion? Lilith smiled back at him, she was so aroused, he felt so wonderful above her; why had she avoided this for so long? “You’re above me, get yourself there by using me hard.” She wanted to fill that void in his eyes, he was completing her; she needed to complete him, and was anxious for him to cum, hoping that was what was lacking from the act.

“Lily you astound me with your wantonness!” Gabriel hissed, delighted at how this whole venture had turned out. He’d never expected to encounter her tonight, and even when he had, he never expected to finally be taking her from above, and having her enjoy it while he did it. He reached back, grabbing her legs, lifting both of them up to his shoulders, leaning more forward, pulling her more into his groin, more onto his cock. “But, please, tell me if I am too rough.” Her ankles were on his shoulders, his hands gripping her hips and he began to thrust harder and faster, whipping her sopping juices to a froth around the base of his cock as Lilith lay back and moaned. Yes, he’d always wanted this, it had been a major part of what had driven him over the centuries, but still, what he wanted most was missing. He’d earned her trust, he’d said out loud that he loved her, he’d gotten her over her fear, but she hadn’t said she loved him.

Gabriel’s strength was as tremendous as his beautiful cock, and as he conjured his own orgasm, Lilith felt hers beginning. She couldn’t wait to cum with him above her, fucking her hard and fast, the way he was meant to. He was so beautiful, so seductive, so patient, so loving, but so lecherous, and she loved every bit of all of them about him. The memory of Adam was gone, erased, she knew only that the Seraph was ever above her, loving her, and making her love him. Wait! That was it! The void in the Seraph’s eyes! It was neither the need to complete the act with her from above, and nor was it exhaustion. Gabriel wanted her to love him! And she did! She always had, she began to find; that’s why she had always hated him so very much.

Lilith didn’t want to love someone she could so easily blame all the bad things in her life on. She was weak then, scared, haunted, she needed a scapegoat more than she needed to be in love, and so she’d made herself hate Gabriel, and never give into him, for her hatred of him was such a fragile thing, always endangered by the love she felt for him behind it all. But no longer, she felt strong, able, in control of herself, and it was all because of the Seraph’s grace and patience, and love. Ironically, as she began to focus on such tender elements of Gabriel’s demeanor, he was slamming her as hard as he could. In fact, her body was stirring with tension and shivers again, building up around him and ready to surrender in climax. “Gabriel!” She had meant to whisper, but ended up screaming as his cock struck every erect nerve ending inside her, making her body crumble in orgasm, convulsing so fast and so hard it made her arms, legs and spine stiffen. “Oh God, Gabriel! I love you!”

He’d been busy trying to let her contractions milk an orgasm from his well worn body, when she’d called out that she loved him. His body jerked, spasmed, her words sending a bolt of pure pleasure through him that yanked a gob of semen from his balls and cock with a force that surprised him. He should have just collapsed, his body was tired, but Lilith loved him, and it gave him so much power, though his body could no longer sustain an erection, and his cock softened, dripping out of her body with the remnants of his orgasm. He was filled with so much peace, so much happiness as he took her into his arms, holding her tightly. “Oh Lilit!” He groaned, and kissed her, hard and deep, sharing his mouth, lips and tongue with hers, eager for the taste of her.

Lilith wasn’t sure how long they’d lain naked together, kissing and necking, smiling and laughing with each other, savoring how wonderful it was to feel truly happy again. She could tell it was dawn outside now; the sun peaked through the one window her basement apartment afforded her. She broke their long, continuing kiss, studying the look on Gabriel’s beautiful face, stroking his cheekbones as he held her. “Look at me,” she asked.

“That’s a switch.” Gabriel smiled. “Why? What don’t you know now?”

Lilith smiled, gently tracing around his eye. “That while you were giving me myself back, that I was able to do the same for you.”

“Well,” Gabriel sighed, leaning his forehead against hers, enjoying the contact, for she would have never allowed such a thing as that before. “Go ahead and look, but don’t be too disappointed if there are still some pieces missing. You cannot heal everything in me, just as I cannot heal everything in you.”

He was right, there was still an emptiness in his eyes, a void caused by damage that had not been done to him by her, and she couldn’t fix that, only God could. But, the void in his eyes was less now, she had given him back something, she smiled, kissing him again. “I do love you, Seraph!”

“And I you, Lily, more than I ever have anything, which is why God would not let me have you.” Gabriel answered, his voice a bit tainted with old hatreds and memories. “And He accuses me of jealousy!”

Lilith stroked his temples, trying to calm the Seraph, but what he’d said had begun to raise a new fear in her, but she didn’t want to focus on more fear. She wanted to think about how good it was to finally live this love with him, and think about their future. “Shhh, Gabe. There are so many other things we can talk about now.”

“Hmm…such as?” Gabriel smiled.

“Such as, you are not dust!” Lilith laughed.

“Sorry to disappoint you.” He said, feigning hurt feelings.

“Okay,” she giggled. “Then, let’s talk about Paris! We had so many good years there, Gabriel! And we could have even better years there now! Let’s go back, I don’t have to be passed off as blind now!” She smiled, getting more and more excited about a trip they weren’t even taking yet. “Besides, the night life of that city has always agreed with you!”

“Lily,” Gabriel moaned. “Paris is a dump now.”

She pulled away from him and looked at him sternly. “I’m warning you, Seraph, don’t ruin this moment!” She said, but then smiled, not wanting to seem too harsh, but she would not have her memories of Paris sullied.

“I’m sorry, I meant, that ‘we’ll always have Paris’!” Gabriel laughed, and eventually Lilith with him, and he kissed her again. “However, it won’t be for a little while, Lily. I’m in the middle of something right now, that’s why I’m here.”

“Oh no,” Lilith groaned. She’d heard this before, 1945 to be exact. “What are you doing?”

“Looking for something.” He said plainly.

“No, Gabriel…not this again!” Lilith sighed, rolling to her back in exasperation. Gabriel spent a lot of his time ‘looking for something’ and it never ended well. She wanted to disappear with him for a few more centuries, not sit and wait for him to ‘look for something’.

Gabriel reached over, turning her head to face him again. “Lily, I’m very close to winning this time, just give me a few more days, weeks, whatever.”

Lilith sat up, shaking her head full of disappointment but also unease. “You remember what happened last time you tried this, do you want to go back to the Basement again? Just what are you going to do if this latest plan fails, Seraph?”

“Well, I have a back up plan that involves the Catholic church, it’s priests, and young boys, but admittedly, it’s not much right now, but I think it’s a good plan B nonetheless.” Gabriel smiled, touching Lilith’s back lovingly, hoping she’d lie down beside him again, but she didn’t. She wouldn’t even look at him, not so much because she was angry though, it was something else, that also made him smile. “Lily,” he moaned but also grinned, pulling her back down onto the mattress and then kissing her forehead. “I like it when you worry about me, Lily.” He chuckled. “It shows you care.”

Lilith didn’t share his amusement. She was worried about him. Gabriel could come and go between Heaven and earth whenever he pleased, but she was bound to the earth, and could not leave it for Heaven, or for Hell. Loving him had made her suddenly realize how easily she could still lose him. “Do you know that you are the only thing I have ever loved, Gabriel? You have always loved God as well as me, but the only thing I have feelings for is you!”

“Oh Lily,” Gabriel sighed. “Come here, closer.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly, hugging her against him with all the strength left in his angelic body. He’d known the grief and concern that his escapades, as far as the war effort went, may evoke in her, and that was one of the reasons she would need her newly restored strength to love him. “I have to do this, Lily, not just for me, though. If I can put things back the way they were, maybe I can get you back into Heaven, to stay, with me. I want that so much, Lily! You never should have been sent down here.” He stroked his fingers through her blond hair, again remembering when it was red. “Tell me you understand, Lily. Please.”

Lilith lifter her head to look at him, surprised that she was not crying. “I don’t like it, not even a little, Gabriel. But yes, I understand.”

Gabriel smiled, then kissed her. “Good. And you know I’ll come back to you, I always have. I love you, nothing can change that, not even the Boss can change that!”

“I know.” Lilith still sighed, falling onto her back and looking up at the ceiling as the new fear, the one she’d pushed away only moments ago, returned. She looked at the Seraph again. “God still does not want us together, does He?”

“It doesn’t matter, we are.” Gabriel answered, taking her hands in his. “He ignores me more than He tries to encourage or discourage me these days, Lily. He’s too ashamed of me to even address me.”

“But, what if He tries to…you know, split us apart.” Lilith hadn’t even wanted to think about that happening, let alone say it, but she couldn’t help it. It was a concern she had. “I don’t want to be without you, Gabriel. I love you too much, it would kill me!”

Gabriel shook his head. “No, it wouldn’t, Lily. You obviously don’t know your own strength.” He smiled, tiredness beginning to creep back into him again. He needed to sleep, with her in his arms, and then he would have to leave, for he was looking for something, and though what he’d found here had been more than divine, it wasn’t what he had to locate. Lilith would not be happy that he was leaving, but he at least knew how to lessen the pain, and give her something to not only ponder, but also look forward to. “Besides, we aren’t exactly powerless beings, you and I. We can join together in a way that no one can ever separate us, if we want to.” Gabriel smiled subtly, waiting for Lilith’s question.

“How?” Her voice was eager and trusting, ready to do whatever it was that he suggested if it would make them one, forever.

Gabriel got up on his elbow, leaning over and kissed her, stroking her hair and her face, moving his lips over hers until his eyelids shut and he couldn’t open them anymore, and he lay his head on her chest, smiling, knowing she was not expecting the answer he was about to give, but then, he’d never expected that he would have reached this pinnacle in his relationship with her. It was a big step, a huge step, but it would be worth it. He loved her; she loved him. It was time. Now, he would ask Lilith the question, and wait for her answer. “Marry me.”


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Made it to the end, did you? Want more? Let me know! Thanks so much for reading! It's been my pleasure!