A Long Fall

It felt like she was falling forever. And there was a point where she wondered if she would ever hit the ground. Was this really a dream? Or some cruel joke played on her? No, that couldn't be true. Valentina would have never dreamt up such a nightmare and this pain was much too real. But still, this long fall continued on. To be cast from the heavens was to only know misery.

Her thoughts were suddenly thrown to the side as Valentina felt her body hit the cold hard ground of the earth. She lost her breath completely from the impact on the hard pavement. A few moments later, the thin veil that hid her falling body from the mortals lifted away, now revealing herself to the humans. Though the woman didn't notice, unable to focus on anything but the searing pain that ran through her body.

The jury had shown Valentina no mercy. Being cast out of heaven was the worse of it, but there was much that accompanied that punishment. Firstly, her wings had been cut uncaringly from her body, leaving two large gashing wounds. Her angelic glow was also gone, though that was to be suspected when sent down to live on Earth. But they had not even given her a graceful landing, instead of throwing her out and letting her already injured and beaten body to land roughly on her new foreign home. Bruises, cuts, and scrapes covered her but the worst of it was certainly her body.

With much difficulty, Valentina was able to open her eyes to see where she had landed. She tried her best to push herself up to at least sit up, but Valentina found it much too difficult to do so. So, she laid her head against the harsh pavement as her eyes took in the sight of an alleyway. It seemed that she was in an alleyway, not far from a busy street. Though a breathy sigh left her lips before Valentina closed her eyes. There was no point in trying to catch the human's attention. They were selfish creatures.

Raine walked down the street as he talked on his phone, rolling his eyes as his brother complained to him about the business they had together. They both had taken over his father's business and while Raine's brother was into running things, Raine really didn't care. He basically would just approve things and go about his life. He had never been interested in the business. "Look Micheal, I will sign the damn papers when I come see you tomorrow." He said, before hanging up. He frowned as it started to rain, "Fucking fantastic." He muttered.

As Raine walked down the street he decided he was going to cut down an alley to get to his apartment quicker. He frowned when he thought he saw someone in the alley on the ground. In this city it was not uncommon for people to get killed. He approached with caution and frowned when he noticed it was a woman. "Oh shit." He said as he moved over to her. He knelt down on the wet concrete. "Miss, can you hear me?" He asked. He pressed his fingers to her neck to see if she had a pulse. She looked pretty beat up. He jumped a little when she reacted to his warm touch. "Hey, it's okay. I'm going to call someone for help." He said as his tattooed fingers dug into his jacket pocket for his cellphone.

Raine looked at her, pushing some of her hair from her face. "Do you remembered what happened? We have to get you to a hospital." He said as he started to call an ambulance.

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

Valentina's eyes shot open as she felt a fingers press against her neck. She pulled away, letting out a small whimper as she did so. Though as she moved her body, a low groan left her. It was hard to think through the pain that her body was in. But, she tried her best to keep her wits about her now that she was on Earth. Though she had been down from time to time, things consistently changed and she knew what kind of horrid things happened on this plane.

Even so, she heard the man begin to mumble about getting help and getting her to a hospital. Her heart started to drop in her chest. "No," Valentina whimpered out, using the little energy she had to reach up and drop her hand down on his phone, hoping that the stranger would stop what he was doing. If the man was determined enough, Valentina would not be able to stop him. So she could only hope that he would hear her plea. "Please, no...no hospital."

She turned her head slightly to look at the man, though her eyes winced in pain as she did so. The hospital was not where Valentina wanted to be. There would be plenty that she would not be able to explain to them, and she already knew they could not help her heal. It would take some time, but she would heal much quicker than any human.

Raine frowned as her hand came down on his phone. "What? Why not?" He asked. He stared at her as she pleaded with him. He wondered if this had to do with an abusive boyfriend or something. She didn't want to get someone in trouble. "Okay, okay. You have to at least let me take you back to my apartment. You can't stay out here." He said as he got to his feet. He bent over and managed to pick her up. He carried her bridal style to his apartment, stepping inside. He was quick to get her into his apartment so nobody would ask question.

He walked back to his bedroom and laid her down on his bed, turning on the lamp. Raine pulled his jacket off, then looked at her. "We need to get you out of those wet clothes." He muttered as he went to his closet and grabbed her a tshirt and some sweatpants. He set them on the bed, knowing she would probably need his help. He began to help her change, doing his best not to look. He got her into some clothes and then went to get his first aid kit. Raine sat near her on th bed and began to clean some of the cuts. "You really should consider going to the hospital." He said, looking down at her. He managed to bandage her up. "I'll be right back." He said. He got changed into some dry clothes and then made her some hot tea.

Raine set the tea on the nightstand and looked at her. He knew that keeping a complete stranger in his home was not a good idea, but he didn't want to leave her.

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

As the man picked her up and carried her through the streets, Valentina laid her head against his chest. The rest of her body was limp in his arms. She was surprised that he would care for her at all. She didn't understand why a human would do this, but she accepted his help, knowing that she needed it. Once in his room, she tried her best to get herself changed easier, though it was with much difficulty and groans of pain. But him tending to her wounds was a much easier affair. It was painful but at least she didn't need to use any of her strength. By the end of it, she had tears in her eyes.

Valentina glanced to the hot tea he laid down on the side table. She was thirsty but, quite simply, it was too much effort at the moment to try and take it to drink. So, instead, Valentina closed her eyes and rested her tired body. "Thank you," Valentina whispered weakly. It was strange how quickly she managed to owe this mortal. But he brought her home, he fixed her wounds and now he was giving her a place to sleep. "You have a kind heart." She knew she would have to repay him, somehow. It was easier when she was an angel, but now figuring something out would be difficult.

But that decision was for another time. Quickly, Valentina was fast asleep.

Raine smiled when she said he had a kind heart. A lot of people didn't tell him that. He watched as she fell asleep, then pulled the blankets over her. He leaned back against his chair before he ended up falling asleep.

The next morning he woke up to the sun in his eyes. "Fuck." He breathed as he ran his hand over his face. He looked over at Valentina. He wondered what she would want for breakfast.

He got up and started to get dressed. He looked at Valentina, seeing all the bruises on her.

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

Valentina had fallen into a heavy, almost dead like sleep. She self on her stomach, trying to give her back as much relief as possible. and it was not until late morning did she start to open her eyes.

The woman woke with a pained groan, feeling the pain still in her body. The amount of it radiating down her back made Valentina want to pass out again. Though even with being in bad condition, her stomach was growling and her throat was parched. Her eyes slowly opened and glanced around the place that she was, having not gotten a good look at it the night before. Valentina was able to take in the fact that it was a bedroom but not much more than that. "Hello?" Valentina called out gently, hoping that the man from before would come back.

Raine walked out of his bathroom, seeing that she was awake. "Good morning." He said. He could tell that she was still in pain. "I will get you some water and medicine. Are you hungry?" He asked. He knew that she had to be starving. He was pretty sure he could make her something.

He stepped towards her, turning on his lamp. He frowned when he seen how cut up she was. "I will clean your cuts again after we get some food in you." He said.

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

"Good morning," Valentina responded a bit breathlessly. She wanted to try her hardest to continue to show manners and respect to the man who had helped her. Though, it was a bit difficult to do so in her current state. It was so odd to be the one on the end of receiving help instead of offering it as well. Normally, the human was the weak one, not her. "Yes, please," Valentina whispered. The food and water sounded great. As for the medicine, she was unsure it would work but it was worth a try.

As he mentioned cleaning her cuts again, Valentina gave him a small nod. She didn't know what they looked like but it didn't matter much. Even at her current state, there were certain things that did not affect angels. Valentina could not get sick or infected like humans. Her injuries would heal without intervention. Though she would let him clean them, mostly not to cast more suspicion on her but also Valentina was rather sure that the man did not have anything that could make her condition worse. "What is your name?"

Raine was about to step out to get her some food when she asked what his name was. He looked back at her, "My name is Raine. I will go get you some food. I will be right back." He said. He walked out, going to the kitchen. He made her some scrambled eggs, toast, and some fruit. He walked back in with her water and offered it to you. "Once you are done we will clean you up some." He said as he got some of the bandages out. He glanced over at her, "Why were you even in that alley?" He asked her. He knew a lot of people didn't hang out in that part of town.

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

All Valentina could find the energy to respond with was a small nod of her head. She wanted to provide so much more but everything she did really took something out of the young woman. It seemed that even though Valentina knew she would survive these injuries, that she needs to be careful about keeping her energy levels high enough to even stay awake. Though she watched him wake out of the room.

Once he came back in, Valentina had managed to get to a point where she was sitting up ever so slightly. Enough so that she could at least eat the food that he brought her. With a small thankyou, Valetina took a few bites. Though as Raine asked his next question, she grew slightly tense. "I was dropped off there by someone who wishes not to see or hear of me again." She whispered to him before shaking her head a bit. "I m sorry but I do not wish to speak of it."

Raine sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her. He couldn't believe that someone just dumped her in an alley. Then again the city could be harsh. "I'm sorry to hear that." He said. He wasn't about to keep asking her about it yet. She seemed to be very upset about what happened. Raine looked at the bandages in his hand, "You can stay here as long as you want." He told her, giving her a small smile.

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

For a moment, the fallen angel tilted her head up to meet his gaze. She looked into his eyes as though she was searching for something before her head dropped back down and she refocused on her food. Receiving anything outside of aw and wonder from a human felt unnatural to her. And Valentina honestly was concerned if Raine asked too many questions. Even though she was fallen, she wouldn't be able to find it in herself to lie. There were many things that Valentina still needed to live by.

"I appreciate it, thank you," Valentina whispered before going back to eating the food. It was truly kind, and she would take the time to gain her heal back, but no longer. While she did not know where to go after this, it was not right to stay with him longer than she needed. "I promise I will not overstay my welcome."

Raine shook his head, "You don't have to worry about staying too long. You can stay as long as you would like to." He said as he glanced down at his phone. He answered a text on his phone then looked back up at her. "Do you need anything else?" He asked. He could tell that she was kind of shy, but then again she was in a stranger's house. "I could still take you to the hospital if you want to go." He said. He really felt like she should go to the hospital. So far convincing her was not going well. She clearly was afraid of going to the hospital. Maybe she felt like someone was after her. "You know, I could take you to a hospital that is out of town if you are worried about someone finding you."

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

A small sigh left the angel as Raine started to ask her about heading to a hospital again. She understood why he did, but she wished that he would leave it alone. Valentina managed to set her plate down on the side table before laying her head back against the bed and resting her body. It was even miserable to try to eat right now but at least she managed to get something in her stomach.

"I just need rest and some more water, please," Valentina responded. It was true, all she needed was to sleep to get better, but water would make her throat feel better. "And I do not want to go to the hospital. That would be..." Valentina hesitated as she tried to figure out how to describe why she did not want to go. She would not lie, but she couldn't tell him the whole truth either. "It would be more trouble than it is worth, trust me. I will heal perfectly here."

Raine sighed when she said that she wasn't going to the hospital. He was hoping that he could do enough to help her in his home. He got to his feet and grabbed the glass of the nightstand. He looked down at her, seeing the bruises that covered her skin.

"Alright, I will get you more water. I hope you are right about healing here. I just don't want something bad to happen to you."

With that he walked out of the room to go get her something to drink. He stared at the glass as the water began to fill it. He knew that eventually he was going to have to go help his brother. He didn't want to leave her like this though. After he got the water he walked up to the bedroom, offering her the glass.

"Do you need anything else?"

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

Valentina's frown grew along her face as Raine mentioned not anything bad happening to her. If only he knew that the worst thing had already happened to her. Anything else could not compare to being thrown out of heaven. Though she was also fearful of what kind of danger she could be attracting to Raine by being in his home. It was possible that undesirables might come to try and bully her now that she was alone. Though, it was hard to tell if they even knew she was there. Another reason to heal up quickly and leave. Valentina did not want the man who assisted her to be harmed.

Once he came back in and offered the water, Valentina took it and thanked him. "There is nothing else that I acquire. Please do not worry for me too much, I will be okay," Valentina set the water down on the table before laying her head against the pillow and slowly closing her eyes. "I think...I just need to sleep more."

Raine nodded, "Okay, well you get your rest. I will just be downstairs if you need me." He said. He watched as she closed her eyes before he walked out of the room. He sat down on his couch and went over a few emails that his brother had sent him. Raine sighed as he looked at the time. He hadn't realized that a few hours had went by.

He walked upstairs to check on Valentina. Raine walked into the room, looking at her. "How are things going?" He asked as he walked over to sit on the edge of the bed next to her. He was careful not to get too close to her.

@ BearGirl

@ XXGhostyXX

Throughout the next few hours, Valentina had managed to sleep peacefully. No dreams even managed to come through due to how heavy it was. Her body needed to heal and her mind knew it. Though as she woke up, Valentina could feel that her body was eating up. She felt burning hot and sweaty. It was uncomfortable but nothing to really worry about. This was just a part of being able to heal so quickly. But she couldn't really manage to fall back asleep until she cooled down.

As Raine came into the room, Valentina looked over to him, watching as he sat down next to the bed. The angel let out a small hum in response. She couldn't lie but Valentina did not want the human to worry if she said uncomfortable and hot. "I am glad that you came up. Would you have anything that I could do while I am awake?" Valentina asked softly. She was hoping Raine could give her a book, paper or really anything to keep her from having to just stare at the walls while she was waiting to cool back down. Though, in all truth, she didn't know much about the human world in its present state so Valentina didn't know what to ask for.