Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ My Angel From Hell ❯ Session #10 - Stairway To Heaven ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

It was another beautiful day in Heaven.

For the ArchAngel of Day and Healing, he loathed it.

Now he finally understood why Spike hated paradise with a passion.

Pushing his attention away from the disgusting society of paradise, Raphael remembered the only Angel created who could figure out how to handle a situation like this. He remembered how carefully and expertly the Angel would take the reigns of any disorder and bring back stability without a hitch. How neatly and nicely that Angel would sit at the top of the Council of ArchAngels, and start the meeting everytime with a gigantic, warm smile on his face. Afterwards, he would do a constant ritual of warm greetings that he always did whenever new souls entered paradise or were created. He was poised, crafty, intellectual, adventurous, and compassionate. However, there was one trait to the Angel that stood out among the rest. He was that damn rebellious. Conformity and submission were not in his mental dictionary. It was as if the Angel erased those words from his own psyche. And it was his rebellious nature that brought his downfall.

Things always went his way. It was either the Angel's way or the highway. The guy upstairs didn't like the sound of this rebellious Angel, and sent him down to his own domain. Of course B.G (Big Guy) still loved the Angel. He was, after all, the first angel he created. But for some odd reason, he didn't want the Angel in paradise. Therefore, he sent him down to a place below, filled in darkness. It was complete desolate and empty of life. There were no buildings, no people, nothing at all. That's when the crafty side of the Angel came out, and he created his own personal domain, the opposite of what paradise stood for. He made his own rules, his own judgments calls, and his own "city." If paradise was the "Silver City," then dammit his domain would be "Sin City." The Angel despised B.G for kicking him out of paradise all because he refused to conform and be perfect, but he liked it down here and being on his own. Always was the independent type of Angel.

All of this happened millennia's ago, when the Angel was sent down from paradise to down below, so far down below that there was nothing down there in existence. In a matter of time his domain grew into a city to rival the one above. Although he was content with his new world, the Angel was still pissed off with his leaving of the Silver City. If somebody was going to kick him out, at least let him have a say in it! Isn't Heaven a democracy or what? With his anger seething against the people above, the Angel and his armies fought against paradise, which came to be known as the Holy Wars. Some angels betrayed their kind and left for the Angel's clutches, becoming fallen angels. However, some were persecuted to be apart of the Angel's forces, and were pushed away from paradise for false accusations. The Holy Wars was a long bitter battle, the first between good and evil. In the end, the Angel lost his battle, but he didn't mind. At least he vented out his anger.

The Angel was Lucifer, and the Big Guy was God.

And they represented the distinction between good and evil.

But right now, Raphael wished and prayed that Lucifer was here in Heaven.

He had witnessed the entire thing from above between Spike and Heero. From the moment the hands of Astaroth, Vetis, Tahrea, and Mephisto took Heero, to the final conversation between the guardian angel and his companion. He still didn't know who the person was in the golden cloak, but right now that didn't mean anything to him. The sights and sounds of it all were too much for the ArchAngel of Day and Healing. For someone that was the third highest ArchAngel, Raphael was totally helpless to stop the situation. He was forbidden to leave the premises of Heaven unless it was an emergency. In the book, however, an emergency meant an attack on Heaven like the Holy Wars. To Raphael, the events that partook down below in the mortal world were the biggest emergencies he could think up. And still, he couldn't do a damn thing to help out, let alone stop it.

Sighing, Raphael slouched down in his chair and held his face in his hands. He didn't know what to do now except go on with this meeting. He was needed for all the meetings in the Silver City. He was, after all, the third highest ArchAngel. But right now, he didn't care for his title. He just wished to just sit down and cry for all the misery and sorrow one of his close friends was going through. No one should feel the pain Spike or Heero felt. No one. As the other ArchAngels began to file into the room, with Oriel taking attendance, Raphael silently cursed himself, wishing he never gave the job to Spike. It's not your fault, Spike, Raphael thought, shaking his head slightly, it's my fault. I shouldn't have given you a chance to go into the mortal world. I should have listened to my instincts and say hell no. Dear God, Spike, what have I done to you and Heero?

His broodings and thoughts were interrupted abruptly when he felt a soft, gentle hand rest upon his back. Lifting his head up while letting his arms elbows upon his knees, Raphael looked up to see the face of the highest ArchAngel around. Whitesmoke shoulder-length hair fell into huge, innocently shaped light brown eyes, as the ArchAngel of the Lord smiled warmly to the ArchAngel of Day and Healing. He was six feet tall, with broad shoulders, strong chin, rosy cheeks, and a warm smile that could melt the heart of any cold stone. A light chuckle emitted from his mouth, with peeved Raphael in the extreme. No one should be laughing right now. Not in a moment like this. And he's supposed to be a friend of Spike's, Raphael thought, disgusted tremendously. However, he kept his mouth shut, knowing that the ArchAngel in front of him was the highest of them all, and was basically his boss. Well, besides B.G. He's the original boss. He's everyone's boss here in Heaven, of course.

"Don't worry your head off, Raphael," Michael, ArchAngel #01, Angel of the Lord reassured to Raphael, ArchAngel #03, Angel of Day and Healing. The white-haired ArchAngel chuckled again while patting the back of Raphael three more times before putting his hand away and crossing his arms. Winking, Michael added to his statement, "I'm sure things will come out great in the end. I mean, everything doesn't end in a tragic ending, right?"

"I guess," Raphael muttered, looking away from Michael. He sighed again as he sat up in his throne, which was placed a step down on the right from the top where Michael sat. Across on the other side of Michael was another throne, equally even where Raphael was sitting. A table that went from one side of the room to another in an oval was in front of that throne, and was in front of his own as well. Below there were two more similar tables like the one on top. Unlike the rest of the seats, there was a gavel on the table in front of the throne and a bunch of organized and stacked papers next to the throne. The person that sat directly opposite of Raphael belonged to the courageous, respectable seat of the unforgiving, distant, and trustworthy ArchAngel throughout all of Heaven. It belonged to Gabriel, ArchAngel #02, Angel of Life and Judgment. He's no Lucifer, Raphael thought, but he'll do.

Knowing that Raphael was still troubled, Michael shook his head in defeat as whispered into his ear, "Look, don't get yourself down in the dumps. It wasn't your fault Spike got into trouble. That boy can get into anything, try to do good, and in the end just screwing up. I mean, for Christ's sake, look at his life, Raphael! And look at the life he was trying to protect! Of course he screwed up, they are both a bunch of lunkheads. Stop going on the guilty trail and wake up. It's over. We might as well give Spike what he wants now. Send him into the other world that he wishes for. If he wants reality, let's give it to him. He's a pest anyways. Always has been."

Raphael was too stunned at the words Michael said so bluntly to make a biting remark against the Angel of the Lord. Rage entered the proclaimed peace-loving heart of the ArchAngel. With his deep green eyes narrowed, he quickly stood up and locked eyes with him quickly. Even if Raphael was five inches shorter than the Angel of the Lord was, right now he didn't give a shit. His friend was on a suicide mission, the companion he assigned to him was dead, and everything was falling around his world. And this jackass had to make it worse by saying it was all Spike's fault?! Boss or not, Michael had no right. With all his might, Raphael shoved Michael in the chest, pushing him against the wall and holding him there with all his strength. With one hand he lifted Michael by the neck and started to whisper in such a low sneer, Lucifer would have been proud of him.

"Don't you ever say that about Spike," Raphael started, lifting Michael further and further into the air. The other ArchAngels that started to file in watched in total horror as a five foot, five inch man, was manhandling the Angel of the Lord. "You know damn well that it was all Astaroth's fault. I know it, you know it, Gabriel knows it, Julia knows it, and soon enough all the other ArchAngels will know it. What amazes me is how you treat a friend who helped you out during the incident in Heaven, and then, all of a sudden, you backstab him? After all the things he's done for you, even before the damned incident?! Tell me Michael. What kind of ArchAngel is that?!"

"Gentlemen! Cease and desist right now! We have a meeting to commence!" Raphael and Michael heard from the right side. The voice was highly pissed off, and seemed extremely dangerous at the moment. A tone of ambiguousness and secretiveness rode in his voice, but it was highly commanding and judgmental. Raphael turned his eyesight from Michael to the source of the powerful voice. Noticing whom it was, Raphael dropped Michael from the wall to the floor. He also took note that he had lifted the highest ArchAngel at least three inches off the floor and left a red mark around his neck that would soon heal itself. He bowed in front of the ArchAngel with deep respect and apology.

Charcoal gray eyes scanned over both ArchAngels, one high above him, one below him one rank. Jet black hair gleamed in the sunlight with some of his messy bangs going into his eyes. The colors of his wings were black at the top and a vivid yellow at the tips. He wore robes of yellow and black, distinguishing him from the rest of the ArchAngels. He had a sharp nose and chin, with oriental shaped eyes that had a distant yet chilling look to them. Raphael rose, glared at Michael quickly, and looked at the ArchAngel dead in the eye. It was Gabriel, ArchAngel #02, Angel of Life and Judgment. Gabriel smiled slightly, a ghost of a smile to be exact, as he walked between Raphael and Michael. He looked at Raphael, then Michael, and then he looked straight in front of him.

Closing his eyes, he whispered, "If you have any quarrels, do it elsewhere," he stated bluntly, walking towards his seat opposite Raphael and below Michael. "I do not wish to play referee between children. Settle it in a playground somewhere after the meeting." Michael smiled in triumph as Raphael let go of a reluctant smile and depressing frown. However, as he took his seat, Gabriel whispered, "Although I do agree with Raphael. Don't say things like that about Spike. Especially in a time like this. Now if you mind, I would like to get this meeting started right away. We have much business to attend to."

The tables changed as Raphael smiled triumphantly and Michael frowned depressingly. Raphael wanted to mouth to Michael, "I gotcha bastard," but Gabriel was right there. Therefore, he kept his big mouth clamped down for now. Taking his seat on his personal throne, he watched at Michael walked up towards his throne, high above his own and Gabriel's. Michael glared at Raphael one last time, but the ArchAngel of Day and Healing really didn't give a damn. He got the last laugh in the end. However, he noticed something different about the ArchAngel of the Lord. Something changed for a brief second in time as it began to slow down slightly. Raphael watched Michael keep glaring at him, noticing a change in his eyes a little to quick for his own mind to register. The minute Michael turned around, however, the image replayed in his head.

It changed from warm light brown to a bright, vivid amber.

His eyes went wide-open surprise, as if he was struck my lightning.

And that's when he whispered with such dread and fear, "Oh dear God no..."





All around her things started to fall apart like a shattered mirror. Darkness gathered, fading was the sun that shone brightly above the mortal world itself. It had only been a few hours since the death of another dream for two young men. She stood out like a store thumb in the middle of rush hour, lying back of a building, soaked entirely from the storm that happened overnight. Light started to pierced through the sky as the sun began to arise. Morning had come finally, but there was nothing new and pristine about today. Shadows of the night still lingered on, haunting her very existence. People were speaking of other matters all around her. Things about politics, things about the weather, things about sports. None of them knew the torture that happened last night. They'll never understand how the world will be now that his son was gone. They'll never understand how the world will be from now one when her son is gone. They'll never understand. They'll never understand.

She hugged her shoulders, closed her eyes and clasped onto her cloak tightly like a blanket, the only thing that could comfort her aching body right now. Nothing would be the same the minute Spike left the dream world for what he thought was reality. How she wished to find him and stop whatever he was planning to do. It probably wasn't even the right way to solve the problem at hands. Sighing deeply, Chaldea, Fallen Angel #09, Maiden of Larceny, silently held and bit back her tears, wishing deeply that the rain would start again. So it could hide away her tears and she could cry freely. Chaldea didn't know what happened in that Cathedral. She probably didn't even want to know. All she knew was that Spike was hiding something, and had been hiding something the minute he left the church.

What does he know? she wondered, opening her mauve eyes, which shined brightly with hope, curiosity, and wonder. Why couldn't he tell me it? Why didn't he at all? Didn't he trust me... I just don't know anymore. If there was one thing she would regret for the rest of her life, it was never finding out what was bothering her son. Now Spike was gone, unable to be found, and Heero was dead. Life just seemed empty now. Someday the rest of the world would feel something wrong, taken, or empty in their mortal lives. And when they do, they'll just shrug and move on. They'll never understand the true meaning of why they just stopped in their tracks and wondered about what that empty feeling was. Abruptly, Chaldea watched as a father and son passed her. Strangely, the father was tall and lanky, a built similar to Spike. He had auburn brown hair with golden brown streaks all around, and crystal blue eyes. The boy, who had a similar build to Heero's, lovingly clinked onto his father's right hand. He had dirty blonde hair with forest green eyes. Though looking totally different, Chaldea could see the similarities there.

"So where are we going today, dad?" the young teen asked his father, smiling brightly, without a care in the whole world.

The father smiled back while winking, "I say we go and pig out on pizza, chow down on popcorn at the movies, and then do whatever the hell we want after that."

"But dad, mom will be furious at us for using her new gold credit card," the son said thoughtfully.

"Oh she won't mind... much," the dad said, dragging his son along and into his huge scheme.

"Dad! You're being a daredevil again!" the son yelled, reluctant yet awaiting the day to begin.

"So what?! Live life to the fullest, kid!" the dad yelled back, thrilled and excited about today.

"Dad!!" the son screamed in futility, but went along for the ride anyhow.

For such a loving scene, Chaldea wanted to cry right there and then. So much like Spike and Heero, she thought, ending her sorrowful contemplations with a long sigh of depression. She could have imagined them as father and son. They seemed to fit the part so perfectly. It was like a match made in Heaven. She let go of an ironic smile to her statement as a lone tear slightly went down her face. However, Chaldea noticed and caught it quickly before anyone could catch her. But who was watching her? No one was. She didn't have a guardian angel like Heero did. No one cared enough for her like Spike did for Heero. She tried to help Spike love her at first, but it didn't work out. She tried to help Spike love her as a mother... maybe it would have worked out? She would never know.

She felt so lost and alone without Spike. She always felt that way. She always had this sense of hope, because she knew Spike was alive and he was save somewhere. This time was different, though. Spike wasn't stable anymore. He was on a suicide mission, Chaldea know that for a fact. She felt helpless and vulnerable, the same way that Spike was when he couldn't do anything while Heero was dying in front of his very eyes. Chaldea knew too well what Spike was going through. She had to find him, or it would be on her guilty conscious. Dammit, she was his mother! He was her son! And she'll be damned if anything was going to happen to her son. Even if the one killing her son was Spike himself. Chaldea was going to stop him, and that was that. One thing -- where to look? And that was the question of the day today annoying Chaldea's mind, boys and girls.

The image Chaldea saw after Spike left drilled a hole in her devious, caring heart. She saw him walk away moments after Heero left the mortal world for another. The way he looked and the way he spoke to her as he was leaving became another memory she wished that never happened. Chaldea undid her ponytail, letting her spaghetti-styled flaming bright orange hair fall into her eyes. Running a hand through it, she placed her head back, looking at the sky above. It was a beautiful day today. As if nothing was wrong in the world. Hell, she could faintly see a rainbow hidden in the clouds. With all her might she wanted to scream, to shout at how horrible Destiny and Fate are. What a fucked up day today is, she thought, closing her eyes as she remembered the devastating moment hours ago.

"Spike! Wait!" Chaldea called after Spike, running out of the hospital and trying to catch up with him. For a guy that was going at a slow, dull pace, he was sure getting a lot of distance from her. Stopping in her tracks, she watched as the rain started to stop, leaving only the darkness of the early night. The thunder rolled away as the lightning ceased to exist. The hunched form of the guardian angel brought her heart down to her feet. She had a sinking feeling this would happen to Spike, but not this hard. She probably would have start crying if she saw his eyes. Gulping down whatever fear she had, Chaldea whispered, "Don't run away. It won't solve anything, Spike."

"Then what will?" Spike asked in the coldest tone he could muster. She heard him sigh long and hard as he added, "You and I both know that I'm as good as screwed. I'm not needed anymore. Like I ever was anyhow. Heero's dead, and so I am. That's the bottom line, Chaldea. Nobody could have stopped Fate and Destiny. Nobody. So nobody can help me. Nobody--"

"-- but I can!" Chaldea screamed for dear life, her deep suspicions starting to become reality. She shook her head, not believing this was happening. She watched as Spike turned around, locking his mismatched brown eyes with her vivid mauve orbs. Her fears were answered the minute she searched into his orbs of sorrow. That's all it took for her to start crying silently, the tears running down her face without her even knowing it until later. With all her might she wanted to latch onto Spike, but she held herself back as she started yelling, "Don't you dare go, Spike! NOT like this! You just can't..."

"Why not, Chaldea?" Spike said cynically, as he turned around, breaking the gaze she had with the dead man walking. She watched as she kept on crying without a sound. She heard his dark laugh, like he didn't give a damn anymore. Not about anybody. Probably not even himself. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Chaldea didn't hear his trademark whistling whenever she saw him leave. This time he wasn't carefree. He had a mission. He had a job. He had something to do. And she couldn't do a damn thing for Spike... just like Spike couldn't with Heero.

"Please," was the only word she could emit as she kneeled down the ground, her knees giving way.

She watched helplessly as Spike only kept walking, his whisperings echoing in the air.

"Stay away from me, Chaldea. Nobody can help me... not even you."

"CHALDEA!" she heard screaming into her head. Jumping away from the wall, she looked around suspiciously, wondering who the hell would interrupt her at a time like this. Right now her son was missing, he was on a suicide rampage, and she was in a depressing mood. When anyone disturbed her during her broodings and thoughts, she would always act like a banshee. But right now, she was ten times as worse. Snarling at anyone around her, the voice started to shout again, "No no no! Chaldea, this is Raphael, remember me? I'm calling from Heaven during a meeting, okay?"

"Telepathy?" Chaldea asked outloud, as she added to her question, "I thought you couldn't do telepathy except Gabriel and Michael!"

"Of course I can! I am the third highest ArchAngel," he said matter-of-factly.

Sneering, Chaldea sharply asked, "Then why the hell are you calling me by telepathy, Raphael?"

She heard him sigh deeply and could almost image him narrowing his eyes.

"Chaldea, you need to come to the Silver City -- right now."



"Order! Order in the name of Yahweh I say!" Gabriel shouted, slamming his gavel three times. All the ArchAngels were silent by then, not wanting to piss of the Angel of Life and Judgment any further. In the row below Raphael and Gabriel were three other ArchAngels. They were (from left to right, since that was how the seating arrangements went) Uzziel, ArchAngel #04, Angel of Ministration and Wind, Azrael, ArchAngel #05, Angel of Death, and Camael, ArchAngel #06, Angel of Purity. Below them was another row, seating four more ArchAngels. They were Cassiel, ArchAngel #07, Angel of Joy (little brother to Camael), Haniel, ArchAngel #08, Angel of Love and Relationships, Israfel, ArchAngel #09, Angel of Music and Sound, and Jophiel, ArchAngel #10, Angel of Illusions and Dreams. And the final row below them seated the final five ArchAngels, making up fifteen ArchAngels in all. They were Metatron, ArchAngel #11, Angel of Thought and Intellect, Raguel, ArchAngel #12, Angel of Winter, Raziel, ArchAngel #13, Angel of Mysteries, Sandalphon, ArchAngel #14, Angel of Creation and Birth, and finally, Zadkiel, ArchAngel #15, Angel of Freedom and Mercy.

Yes, there are a lot of ArchAngels up in Heaven.

And there was a quote that the ArchAngels used to explain their large number.

Lucifer always said, "When B.G. made us, looks like he got bored after making only me."

On the sidelines stood a one other ArchAngel that didn't wish or want to be apart of the Council of Yahweh. Duma, ArchAngel #17, Angel of Silence and Secrets, was standing on the sidelines, his snow-white wings glowing and glittering a brilliant white light. Messy bangs of his shoulder-length, midnight purple hair got into his eyes, but they didn't obstruct his view. Oriel, Angel of Destiny and Order, stood besides him, his greasy-looking 70's styled hair more horrendous than usual. Duma shook his head as he watched the writer of the rules in Heaven gloat at the defeat and loss of Spike Spiegel. Duma never got the pleasure to meet this Spike Spiegel, but he had heard great stories from Raphael. Besides, he knew Spike's secrets, even those the guy didn't even know. But there was one secret he wish he could speak of -- the one of who the mastermind is. But alas, he could not. For he was a born mute since day one he was created. No matter though, he thought, the truth will come out sooner than people think. A golden key hanged around his neck by a silver chain of platinum as his crystal black orbs looked above to the Angel of Life and Judgment in patience and understandment.

Coughing and aheming, Gabriel lowered down his gavel as he projected to the other ArchAngels in a booming, commanding voice, "I would first like to say thank you to all the ArchAngels that have decided to attend this meeting concerning the aftereffects of one guardian angel known as Spike Spiegel. I especially would like the opportunity to thank the Angel of Silence and Secrets, Duma, for attending this important meeting. It is a rare occasion that we are bestowed upon the intense, calming presence of such a glorious ArchAngel in times of chaos and depravity." Clapping soon followed Gabriel's recognition of Duma, one ArchAngel that all everyone liked and loved in Heaven. He looked towards Duma, and notice he was unaffected and unmoved by his words. It was clear his mind was off in another world right now, troubled by something. If there was one thing that troubled Gabriel was the distant look to a mute, especially Duma. He bowed his head to Duma in respect, as Duma did the same to him, but with more grace and agility than the Angel of Life and Judgment could ever muster.

"Being that this is an emergency session of the Council, correspondence, old business, or new business will be set aside for now," Gabriel stated, clarifying the obvious. Releasing a long, dreadful sigh, Gabriel continued, "Only two years, six months, two weeks, five days, six hours, and nineteen minutes PST, Paradise Standard Time, have passed since the arrival a former bounty hunter came from the mortal world to Heaven. As we all know, it is customary for the three highest ArchAngels to greet new souls coming into paradise. The image implanted in my head is still fresh, still remembering it like it was yesterday. He was smoking a cigarette, whistling some irritating yet catchy tune and had this cocky, mysterious smile when he walked through the golden gates of Heaven. I can even remember the look on Oriel's face when he heard the words after the new angel read the rule book, What the hell is this forsaken shit?!"

An uproar of laughter came from the ArchAngels as mirth-filled eyes looked directly at Oriel, who was snarling and growling underneath is breath as he leaned against the doors to the room. Gabriel knew for a fact Oriel couldn't hold him under "breaking a rule in the rulebook" because Gabriel was his superior, and basically could do whatever the hell he wanted. Too much like my older brother, he thought quickly. As the laughter started to die down, Gabriel started again, "He was known to be as notorious as Lucifer was back when he was ruler of this very council. Broke every rule, but was able to reprimand himself. Arrogant and childish, but had this enormous enigma about him. He was himself, but he was also someone lost in a dream. Two years past, which was two hundred down in the mortal world, and he never did change. He was still some old cowboy with wings, walking and laughing his ass in Heaven."

"Later on he became a guardian angel, thanks to the helpful, wise hand of Raphael, ArchAngel #03, Angel of Day and Healing." Gabriel quickly paused and looked at Raphael who was sitting across him as he continued, "In only a few days, four months will have past since this witty, careless, and dedicated angel left the jail cell of Heaven and took care of another life in the mortal world below. In these four months, however, things have changed when it comes to guardian angel-ship, which is the reason why I, Raphael, and Michael have called all of you here today."

"It clearly states in the manual for all guardian angels, and I quote, One should never ever leave their companion alone. You'll never know what they're going to get into. Apparently, this rule, the first rule in the book I might add, has been broken. Not also that, but almost every other rule in the manual. Reason being? The companion he was supposed to watch over, Heero Yuy, is officially dead by our records," Gabriel said, pausing for effect to let this information soak into the minds of the ArchAngels attending the session. Knowing by the look of understandment everyone was giving him, he continued in a larger, booming voice, "Therefore, gentlemen, it has come to my attention that we have a situation on our hands. We must make him suffer the consequences of his actions. Spike has silently made a prayer to us, the Council of Yahweh, to hand him over the ultimate fate -- non-existence."

Murmurs arose from the assembly of angels, which was quickly silenced by the sudden raps of Gabriel's gavel. Taking control over the session again, he stated, "Spike has pleaded guilty and awaits to be taken away from this world. I for one know the consequences that we will all be facing, as well as Spike himself. We all know that when a soul asks for non-existence, destiny will forever be changed, which is the reason why we give the punishment of non-existence rarely. When a soul is created, it will have a purpose in life and then be brought to either heaven above or hell below or the limbo between until Time decides to sleep forever, and that will be the end of everything. But when a soul is erased from existence, things change drastically. Fate will change, Destiny will change, everything will change. Of course no one in the mortal world will feel or see it, but we will. We all know that we will."

"This is the reason why I called all of us today, and I think of it highly appropriate that the Angel of Silence and Secrets was able to attend this meeting today. For it there is one angel here able to keep this judgment call today one secret that will forever be unknown outside these four walls and completely silent about it, that is Duma and Duma only," Gabriel said again, looking at Duma for a reaction. None came from the stoic, noiseless midnight purple haired angel. Sighing softly that absolutely no one could hear him, Gabriel started to speak again with a commanding tone, "We will do this as a democracy. I expect everyone, each and every one of us, to decide the fate of this guardian angel. We all know who he is, we all know of what he has done, and we all understand what we are all about to do. We shall, as a council, decided upon the system of, 'Yea' and 'Nay.' There will be no exceptions. Everyone votes. Plain and simple."

Looking around, Gabriel gave his final cry before the ultimate question of judgment, "If anyone here has a good enough reason why we should not stop deliberating on this issue before continuing on with the judgment pass of the guardian angel Spike Spiegel, speak now and state your argument or hold your tongue and wisely be apart of this voting process."

"I do," Gabriel heard, somewhat startled since no one ever interrupted a voting process that he directed entirely since the days during the incident in Heaven. Looking over towards his left, he watched as the third highest ArchAngel, Raphael, stood up from his throne and walked up towards the table in front of him. Raphael looked at Gabriel dead in the eye, a look of determination and stubbornness settled into his deep green eyes. It was a look that Gabriel had never seen before in the Angel of Day and Healing.

Softly whispering in a deadly tone, Raphael said, "If you don't mind, ArchAngel #02, I would like to state my argument now."

Smirking at the guts Raphael had to address a man like himself, Gabriel nodded his head and whispered back in the same tone, "Be my guest, ArchAngel #03."

Once Gabriel sat down on his throne again, Raphael addressed the whispering chatter of the ArchAngels, "I know this hasn't happened before in a long, long time, but this had to be done. I, for one, will not stand back and watch a good soul like Spike's go to waste. If Spike won't make a stand for himself, then I'll just have to do it myself." Pausing, Raphael looked around at the other ArchAngels, noticing that they were listening to his every word. He nearly wanted to faint when he saw Duma smiling brightly. Duma never smiled unless Spike was around. Either it was the sign of the Apocalypse, or Raphael was doing something right that Duma knew and he didn't.

Looking away from the Angel of Silence and Secrets, Raphael continued in a determined tone, "What happened down there is probably a matter none of you care, but I do. When Heero Yuy, the companion Spike Spiegel was looking after, was taken hostage by four of the Fallen Angels -- Tahrea, Fallen Angel #16, Maiden of Violence, Vetis, Fallen Angel #07, Lord of Pride, Mephisto, Fallen Angel #05, Lord of Hatred, and the merged fallen angel of Astaroth, Fallen Angel #09, Maiden of Lust, and Idumea, Fallen Angel #13, Maiden of Blood -- there was another fallen angel that was unknown to me. Yes, I had been watching everything from the beginning, but all of you and I know that being one of the three highest ArchAngels, I cannot interfere with the mortal world by the laws and rules binding me and the others to Heaven. I do not know who this fallen angel was, but I was able to catch a sight of his eyes."

That's when Raphael turned around, and looked up towards his superior, his boss, and his former mentor. He narrowed his eyes as he watched Michael play stupid with a "huh?" expression on his face. Oh, but Raphael could see beyond that mask of innocence and power. He saw the Angel of the Lord's eye color turn from light brown to a vivid amber once again. The same way it happened beforehand. Raphael wanted to thrash him around the room already, knowing who he was exactly. But he knew better. Of course. Raphael knew things would end up good in the end. After all, Michael said it himself. Everything doesn't have to end in a tragedy, sometimes. But as God as his holy witness, Raphael would have the world around Michael demise into a full Greek tragedy, one that not Spike deserved, but Michael himself.

"You never did like Spike, didn't you Michael?" Raphael asked, a cocky tone in his voice.

"What are you implying, Raphael?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow, but his eyes told the story.

"You know damn well what I'm saying, ArchAngel #01!" Raphael shouted with all his might, slamming his fist into the table as his teeth started to chattered in uncontrollable rage. "You're the one who set this all up! You're the mastermind in the golden cloak! Don't deny it, don't play stupid, and don't you dare lie to me. I figured it all out, you sniveling little bastard of an ArchAngel. I know what runs through your demented head, Michael. Ever since Spike walked through those gates and never obeyed you're rules and conformed, ever since the goddamned incident in Heaven, ever since Spike nearly gave up himself to Hell to save you, me, and Gabriel from the clutches of the corrupted Fallen Angel #02, Duriel, Lord of Pain, Suffering, and Agony, you've done nothing but hate the clouds he walks on!"

Standing up from his throne, Michael screamed, "That's an outrage! How dare you talk to me in such a rude tone like that! I would never do that to Spike! He's a good friend, and I am not as corrupted as the former ArchAngel #01 was!"

"How dare you! At least Lucifer had some dignity, which you obviously have none whatsoever," Raphael retorted, crossing his arms. "You are not one bit like Lucifer. You weren't even around! You don't have the right to say that about him."

"Well, well, well!" Michael shouted back, extremely childish and sarcastic. "Look whose talking, boys and girls! You said I set up the trap against Spike? YOU'RE defending Satan! Hell's Ruler! The Demon From Heaven! That's a sin already!"

"If it wasn't for his fucking rebellious nature, he would still be up here and you'd probably be some insignificant angel and YOU for one KNOW this!" Raphael shouted back, getting pissed off by the second.

"ENOUGH!!" Gabriel screamed, the echoes of his voice bouncing off the walls of the room. Silence filled the place as everyone looked at Gabriel in surprise. No one had ever seen Gabriel lose his cool so easily. Especially when it came to Lucifer. He was always stoic about that subject. Barring his teeth, Gabriel slowly took long, deep pants of air as he was trying to control his temper. Once settled down, the second highest ArchAngel said, "You have spoken your argument, Raphael, and I for one believe you wholeheartedly."

"WHAT?!" Michael shouted, his eyes blazing amber slightly.

"Silence!" Gabriel commanded with his teeth barring, and a vicious growl rumbling in his voice. This action the ArchAngel created made Michael stand in complete awe of the power this angel held. Grumbling internally, he silently obeyed while watching Gabriel and Raphael talk. Looking back at Raphael, Gabriel asked, "But do you have any evidence to back this story up? Do you even have someone who was crazy enough to stop a man like Spike Spiegel on a suicide mission, let alone give such a noble sacrifice? You and I both know what Spike wants, but I don't think anyone in the afterlife can give it to him--"

"-- except Julia," Raphael stated, no emotions in his voice. Sighing, he added, "But Spike wouldn't forgive us if we let Julia sacrifice herself to save him. He would end up back in the same suicide mission again." He smirked, though, as he kept on talking to Gabriel, "But that's when I did some researching, Gabriel. There was only one person I could call upon to come here today. And you should expect her anytime now."

"Who are you talking about?" Gabriel asked Raphael with a raised eyebrow.


Suddenly the doors of the room were slammed open.

Out of those doors came this solitary, determined woman.

And all questions were answered by her French accented voice.


"I am here as you asked, Monsieur Raphael."





There was nothing left for him now.

Nothing. Nothing at all. Heero was gone, so he knew what was left. Nothing but... nothing. Yeah. That's where this old cowboy was going now. This little place called nothing. Always dark, always light, always in the middle. It's nowhere, and everywhere. It's reality. Such a perfect place for him to be. Such a perfect, perfect place for a broken man like himself. The sun was still here, reminding him of all the times he had in Heaven. Sure, he hated it, he admitted it beforehand to Chaldea. But still, there were some good times up there in his little hellhole. He had another dysfunctional family in paradise, one in which Julia was in the picture. They had it all up there, but Spike knew something was missing. It was reality, of course.

Then he gets this bright idea to come on down to the mortal world and become a guardian angel. Feh! Some idea. It wasn't even his. He didn't want to become a guardian angel. He wanted to just leave Heaven for a while, join the mortal world and have some fun, and once he was done come back to his own personal hell in the clouds and live his tragic happily-ever-after once again. Just like his other life, it didn't come out that way, though. He was screwed by Oriel out of a job, and his good friend Raphael gave the only position left. A guardian angel. Dammit, he said he couldn't watch over another life! He just couldn't... and now he was paying the consequences of his actions.

Kicking a rock with his left foot, the hunched form of Spike Spiegel walked through Eckner Park, the place were he and Heero met for the first time. The trees around him were dull and gloomy, as if they knew exactly what was going on. Nature was always a mystery to Spike, sometimes. Time went too fast for him again as he looked upon the bench where he and Heero met. He wanted to smile at the memory, but nothing would come up. All his memories were gone, like Idumea said he would. Sighing, he sat upon the bench, wanting to cry with all his might. Instead he sighed, and whispered a silent apology to his companion in Heaven, wishing that he could keep his promise of them meeting each other again. But he knew that it couldn't be kept. He knew that since he made it.

He had given false hopes to a child, the greatest sin he could ever commit.

And in Spike's eyes, he didn't deserve to exist in this world any longer.

Sighing one last time, Spike began the prayer of his non-existence.

"All around me darkness gathers, fading is the sun that shone," he began as he closed his eyes, feeling his body starting to weaken slowly. "We must speak of other matters, you can be me when I'm gone." Spike knew this would be quick and easy for him, but it would be hell on Earth for those in the afterlife. He didn't care anymore. This was the thing he wanted, and if Heaven wasn't going to give it to him right now, then he was going to use the prayer inside the manual that was supposed to be used whenever things go really, really wrong. And to Spike, things went extremely wrong. As he started to lay upon the bench, wanting to reach his reality and sleep forever, he watched the rest of his memories starting to fade away into darkness, none of them staying behind.

"Flowers in the evening," he whispered softly, his existence fading into nothing. "Afternoon they blossom on... still are withered by the evening... you can be me when I'm--"

"Oh hell no!" he heard a voice shout as he felt his mouth being clamped down from the last word to be uttered and then having sweet nothing. Opening his eyes, Spike stared into the hard gaze of Chaldea's mauve orbs. They seemed to be on fire, glittering and dancing in pure rage, sympathy, and determination. She removed her hand from his mouth, and caressed his cheek lovingly. "Don't go the easy way out. You're still needed here."

"Who--what?" Spike asked, his strength coming back since Chaldea interrupted the prayer. He glared at Chaldea as he grasped her hand and moved it away from his cheek. Although she was astounded by this move, Spike didn't pay attention. He wanted to get away from this dream world and enter reality, and still Chaldea believed that he was needed in this world. Sitting up, he shouted, "Why did you do that?! I was just about to leave for good and everyone's problems would have been solved!"

"Nothing would have been solved!" she shouted back, ignoring why she was sent here.

"It would have because I'm no good for anything," Spike muttered, running a hand through his green puffy hair. He still didn't understand why Chaldea stopped him. "Heero's dead because of me."

"Spike," Chaldea groaned in frustration. Shaking her head, she sat down on the bench next to Spike, but was unable to hold him in a hug. He refused to be touched right now, Chaldea could see that. Sighing, Chaldea quickly remembered exactly what had happened with the ArchAngels in Heaven. Closing her eyes, she whispered silently, "Heero isn't dead."

"What?" Spike asked, not believing what he was hearing.

Turning her head away from Spike, she whispered, "He's in limbo. Purgatory."

"But I thought that the land of Purgatory was reserved for only those who had unfinished business in the mortal world!" Spike exclaimed his fact, still reasoning with the information Chaldea gave him. He absolutely refused to be mislead into false hopes. But if she was right... maybe he was needed after all. But he remembered another fact about the land between the two worlds that proved Spike he still wasn't needed. "You and I both know that once a soul's business is done, he or she will be sent to the Angel of Life and Judgment for sentencing. If Heero is in Purgatory. there is no way to bring him back except for a self-sacrifice -- like non-existence. He's still dead, Chaldea, and I know only one way to bring him back to the mortal world."

"Not exactly as you think, mon amie," Chaldea whispered, her head still turned away from Spike. He watched curiously, waiting for the information Chaldea held, as the Maiden of Larceny sat up from the bench and started to walk slowly towards the right. She stopped once she was under the drooping, sorrowful leaves and branches of a weeping willow tree. Mauve eyes opened and looked at the tree with fond interest, seeming like she had this special connection with the immobile object. There was this undeniable gaze of regret in Chaldea's eyes that Spike could read easy like a book. She was hiding something deep inside herself, whether it'd be about Heero or not, and Spike was intent to find out.

Standing up, he moved away from the bench and went towards Chaldea underneath the welcoming arms of the weeping willow. Spike wanted to find out about Heero, let alone what was wrong with Chaldea herself. Two of the three most important people in his afterlife were in some deep shit, one of them already dead, and one of them hiding all the answers to his never-ending questions. Once underneath, he looked at what Chaldea was looking at. Through all the leaves of the weeping willow tree, a clear blue sky could be seen. Looking closer, he could see a shinning light blue star glittering in the cloudless blanket above. Maybe it was a comet or a supernova. Spike didn't know for sure. He started to wonder why Chaldea was looking at it so fondly, but with such a reluctant gleam.

"Spike?" Chaldea asked, a content smile all too familiar to Spike's senses rising upon her face.

"Yeah, Chaldea?" Spike responded, a sudden chill filling his heart to the brim.

"Have... have you ever-wondered about death?" Chaldea asked, narrowing her eyes as she looked deeper into the light blue star above. "That... when someone dies, it isn't a black and white picture that people in the mortal world seem to create? It's just this one simple, solitary color that is so soothing and warm... and people never thought about it. That when you die... it isn't white like you're going to Heaven or black like you're going to Hell... it's just all blue? Have you ever dreamt or thought it about? Brood over it? Cause I am. People haven't. They rarely do until it's too late. But I am. And it's all amazing to me. Simply, simply amazing."

Spike slightly chuckled, echoing, "Simply, simply amazing. Isn't it ironic, don't you think?"

They started to laugh together as if nothing could go wrong.

But then it all clicked like a light switch had turned on.

He gasped, not believing what he was thinking.

"No..."

Chaldea smirked as she closed her eyes and turned around, walking away from the weeping willow tree. Hanging the hood of the cloak over her head, she whispered, "So you finally figured it all out, haven't you Spike? It's all clear like crystal and just as sharp as it, right? I knew you would eventually. So bright of a mind you have. Never lose that. At least, I hope you don't." Chaldea started to walk off until a forceful, gentle hand turned her around sharply. The figure grasped her shoulders tightly, as if she was about to fade into nothing in a matter of seconds. Opening her eyes, she stared into the frantic, desperate mismatched brown pools of Spike Spiegel.

"You're not doing this, you just can't be doing this," he stated in absolute denial, shaking his head back in forth in protest. The wind started to blow softly as the weeping willow's leaves danced in the air, creating a melody of depression set in. Chaldea couldn't believe Spike was taking this so hard. She never knew he cared so much. No matter how hard and how guilty and how selfish she felt inside, Chaldea knew this was the right thing to do in order to save her son, and the child just waiting around in Purgatory. She could only hand her son a motherly smile, and caress his cheek loving. This time he didn't shove it away. This time Spike held onto it for dear life, not wanting to let her go.

"I'll never leave you, Spike. You know that," Chaldea whispered, tilting her head slightly as she kept on comforting the shattered heart and mind of the guardian angel. The broken image of her son wanted her to go on back to Heaven and break the deal she created, but Chaldea knew she couldn't. And she wouldn't. This was the right way to go, the right way to deal with things, the right way. Period. She felt his body shake, out of rage and out of misery. She knew he couldn't take it anymore. First Julia in his past life. Then Heero this life. And now herself. He was breaking down, but this time she could make a difference. A lone tear that Spike didn't even notice went down his face and splashed upon her cloak which was highly noticeable now that the rain had stopped. The minute she saw the teardrop, Chaldea felt herself starting to slip away from this world. And it seemed to her that Spike felt it as well.

Quickly Spike pulled her into a hug as he whispered, "Don't leave me. Not now. You're not going to come back, and it's not fair. Why did this have to happen?! What did I do to deserve all this punishment?! Why did it have to come..." He couldn't finish as he began to feel Chaldea slipping away, her body relying more on his strength. In such defying fear, Spike cradled Chaldea in his arms, extremely similar to his memories somehow, but none of them seemed to come up. "CHALDEA!" he screamed with all his might, clutching onto her so that she wouldn't leave him. Silently and gently Spike laid her on the ground, still cradling her and holding her head to his chest. She was giving up herself to save the one person that gave him reality. And once again, he was put into a position where he couldn't help anybody. Not even the person that he cared for.

"Chaldea," he whispered so softly, that even the mention of her name would turn her into dust.

She opened her eyes as she whispered back, "Never blame yourself for any of this. Blame that son-of-a-bitch Michael."

Eyes wide in shock, he shouted, "You knew?!"

A small chuckle escaped from her lips as she whispered, "I found out from Raphael. All the people in Heaven know about Michael now. Raphael figured it out, Gabriel believed him, and Duma was able to prove it. Everything's going to be fine now. Just fine."

"No it isn't! You're going to leave now!" Spike shouted, holding Chaldea as close to him as he could. His rage and sorrow and pain finally was released upon his mind, heart, and face as he began to silently cry to himself, the tear small but plentiful. "Why did it have to come to this? Why did you have to give up your existence to save Heero from Purgatory? He's my responsibility, and it says in the manual that if I screw up, I have to fix it! And it's all because of me that he died and ended up in Limbo! And it's going to be my fault again because you have to give up your own existence because I couldn't!"

Chaldea didn't have the strength to protest anymore. Spike would have to know the truth now. All she could do now is tell him the truth. Nothing could be held a secret forever. Not even the one she had ever since she met him. All the ArchAngels knew who she originally was when she was an angel in Heaven. Even Duma knew it. But Duma knew something the others didn't know, which is the reason why he silently nodded to her in respect when she walked into the Council, astonishing everyone. But not her. She was actually expecting it. Duma never did consider her a Fallen Angel. Just one that was falsely accused of being one. Using whatever strength and power she had left in her body, Chaldea began to speak below a whisper, but loud enough for Spike to hear it.

"I remember you Spike, when you were just a young boy," she began, smiling contently at the fond memories. She knew they would all soon fade into darkness, extremely normal whenever one was becoming non-existent. The confused look on Spike's face made her want to chuckle at his cuteness and nativity, but she wanted to save her strength. It was now or never to tell him the truth, and right now was perfect for explanations. "You were so alone when I found you, pick pocketing and stealing and doing all the tricks in the book. For a child so young you knew how to survive. Living in muddy waters, relying on pieces of cardboard as food -- hell, you were so strong and so fearless, but you were still a child. A lonely child in a cruel world on Mars. And that's when I became... your own guardian angel."

"Say what?!" Spike exclaimed, not believing what he was hearing.

"Of course it wasn't official," Chaldea whispered, wanting to chuckle so much at his reaction. Her body started to fade into nothing as she kept on talking, but Chaldea needed to tell her secrets before it was too late. And too late was coming very soon, very fast. "But being that I was the Fallen Angel of Larceny, and you were pulling out all the tricks in the book, and you were lonely, I decided to become that person who always watched over you. I know I didn't do a good job, Spike. I mean... look at what happened to you. Joined the Syndicate, took in Vicious, lost Julia once, ended up on the Bebop, lost Julia again, killed Vicious, killed yourself, sent you down on an emotional roller coaster with Heero along for the ride, and here we are. I tried, though, I really tried. I thought... that if I could watch over you, the ArchAngels in Heaven might re-admit me. It was a long shot to get back my title, but I tried. And I can say wholeheartedly I have no regrets about the decisions I've made in my afterlife."

"Chaldea," Spike asked, still a little flustered about the information he was being given by Chaldea, "who where you before you became a Fallen Angel?"

Smiling still, Chaldea whispered in answer, "I was Oriel, Angel #24, Angel of Destiny and Order, and writer of all the rules in Heaven."

"You mean to tell me you were the original Oriel before the Holy Wars started?" Spike asked, not expecting Chaldea to be the position old Oreo was currently.

"And then falsely accused by Michael to be apart of Lucifer's forces," she said bluntly, coughing as her existence began to fade in and out rapidly. Spike couldn't cry out her name as Chaldea clamped a hand over his mouth, wanting to say one last thing to him before she left.

"Spike, mon amie, I want you to promise me something," she asked, her eyes closing slightly.

As she removed her hand, Spike quickly answered in a whisper, "Yes, Chaldea?"

"I w-want you to t-t-take care of yourself and Heero when he gets back," she whispered, trying to stay a little longer and fight of the depths of emptiness. But it was a losing battle. Chaldea knew she was going to leave now, and not a second longer. Looking at Spike pleadingly, she desperately asked for an answer before she left this world forever, never to return. After all, when one gives up his or her existence, he or she never comes back. Ever.

Smiling slightly, Spike kissed her forehead, a similar gesture she gave to him.

"Of course I will... mama," he answered, as she faded away slowly.

And as she faded away, Chaldea whispered her final words.

"You always made me proud, my little baby boy..."

One flicker, two flicker, three flicker.




And then she was gone.







Wretched smells of death and demise rose high and low in this frosty, sub-zero section of the hospital. The morgue as it was highly deemed by officials as known to the nurses who worked there as the "Icebox." Miss Emma Jenkins was busy fiddling with her keys to open the door to the Icebox. Pushing up her thick black rimmed glasses, she finally was able to open up the door and enter inside the little part of Antarctica. A piece of white duct tape was holding her glasses together since she broke them a week ago. Eighteen years old and standing tall at five feet inches, her sculpted muscles could pack a wallop whenever she got angry enough.

Sitting down upon her chair, she turned on the computer and waited for it to load. If there was one thing she hated about this job was the freezing temperatures inside this place. That, and hanging around the dead people which totally freaked her out. That, and she had to touch them and place them in the filing cabinets in the walls. She didn't remember how she got into his mess of a part-time job, but somehow either her sister Holly or her friend Trin set her up to this. They were still probably laughing about it. But she would get her revenge. Probably destroy all of the secret files on Trin's computer, and maybe break a few things in Holly's room and blame it on Trin. Oh she was evil when she wanted to be. She just didn't let go of it that often.

Still grinning at the thought, the computer finally loaded. Pulling out the schedule of bodies she was supposed to check over for symptoms, she looked through a found a bunch of them. Goddess of Delirium, what is with all these deaths? she thought to herself, sighing at all the work she had to do. Guess I'll have to pull all niters tonight with those papers due tomorrow, Emma thought again, looking at the name, file number, and symptoms of the first person she had to look over. Getting up from the chair she walked over towards the "Wall of Death" as she fondly called it. Opening up the cabinet of File Section A, Class Number 171, Serial Number #537210, Emma looked down upon the fifteen-year-old dead Japanese boy.

"Well, time to look you over," she said, putting on her latex gloves.

What this nurse didn't expect, though, was for him to come back to life.

And what a crazy coincidence -- he suddenly opened his eyes and sat up straight.

Heero Yuy looked around the place, wondering where the hell he was. It was all cold, dark, and pretty bleak in here. It felt like he was in an icebox or someplace in Siberia. The last place he remembered was that he was floating around in Limbo, talking to this guy wearing all black and had a devil of a smirk plastered on his face. He seemed like one "rebel without a cause" guy, but was a very crafty and intelligent one. More along the lines of "devil without a cause." Turning his head around, he locked his prussian blue eyes with the young woman's mismatched blue and green eyes.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What? Never seen a living dead person before?"

Instead of fainting, Emma only shook her head in total and utter disgust.

"This is the last time I'm taking a job Trin or Holly suggested..."





Looking above, Spike watched as that light blue star faded away.

Slowly... slowly... and then in a flash it wasn't there.

As if it never existed... never existed... ever.

Sighing deeply, he stuffed his hands into his pockets, wanting desperately to whistle that tune he loved so much. But nothing would come. Even if his memories were return, all of them, even if Heero was back from Limbo, it just wasn't the same. Destiny had changed, Fate had changed, everything had changed. Heaven felt it, Hell felt it, Purgatory felt it. He felt it. It wasn't the same when a soul was erased from existence. But dammit, when it was someone he knew... it really didn't feel good at all whatsoever. Like something had been taken from his heart and ripped out. It made his mouth feel bitter all over again. God, did he hate that taste.

He wished he could have known Chaldea more. If only she would have said she was his guardian angel in the first place... no. It would have been too hard for him to let go of her. He would have done the prayer himself and gone into that place of nothingness with Chaldea if he knew all of that information about her. Besides Duma, who knew every secret known to the cosmos, Spike was the only person who knew exactly who Chaldea really was. If given the chance, Spike would have gone into the past and stopped Heero himself. But that wouldn't happen. It couldn't.

Now things were back to normal. Heero was alive. The world was back together in one solid mirror. But he could feel the changes. He knew they were there. The wind blew around him, the same gust that he felt when Chaldea left him. Maybe her existence left, but he would always feel her presence near. An existence can be gone, but a presence, or an idea, can live on forever in eternity. Even when Time has stopped and it's the end of everything. In that same wind, he could hear a certain song that seemed to cry out to him and make him feel at ease with everything. But he would never feel total ease. Not because of what had happened. Things would never be the same. Ever. Closing his eyes, Spike listened to the wind attentively, hearing the sweet music and words apart of it.


// And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our souls
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll //


Au revior, cher fils, he heard the wind whisper gently a silent goodbye to him.

Opening his eyes, Spike Spiegel smiled contently and whispered back.

"Au revior... chère maman."




And then he was gone.

AND SHE'S BUYING A STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN...