The Wayward Son

“Easy,” Taylor said warily. She kept trying to hold Remiel’s weight as they moved up the stairs.

Remy laughed. “I’m fine, babe,” he said calm, though his arm never left her. He didn’t even trust himself.

Remiel had spent a few weeks in the hospital to let his spine heal. He was still sore and could barely move, but other than that, he was fantastic. Finally reaching the top, Remy leaned against a wall, watching the frantic and nervous Taylor fiddle with her keys. For some reason, she had been nervous. Like it was her fault that Remiel ran into the fire. Remy tried comforting her on that account, but she didn’t listen, so he just smiled and acted like everything was fine. Everything wasn’t, but he wasn’t going to tell Taylor that.

“You know which key it is right?” Remy asked sarcastically, though he shut up when Taylor gave him a threatening look.

Another second later, Taylor pushed the door in and helped Remiel to their bed. Remy sat down lazily and looked at Taylor. She was frazzled but beautiful and he loved it. Smiling, Remiel stood up. Wobbling a bit, he moved into the kitchen where Taylor was and put a hand on her waist.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Taylor asked. Her voice was soft though, like a whisper.

Remy didn’t answer. Touching a hand to Taylor’s chin, Remiel kissed her. Every bit of emotion and love he had went into the one kiss. It was the best way he could tell Taylor how he felt. She had dealt with his memory loss and now him getting himself put in a hospital. Remy loved her. He just didn’t know how to say it.

*****

BANG!

The door of slammed open suddenly. Remy woke with a start. Trying to get up to go face the issue, he fell back quickly. Remy couldn’t move, but kept trying when he saw someone walking towards him and Taylor.

“What do you want?” Remiel asked, trying to sound dangerous even with his body as feeble as it was.

The intruder stepped through into the moonlight and revealed himself, only freaking Remiel out some more. The man was probably his age and had long blonde hanging over his shoulders. Through the bangs, Remiel saw intense green eyes. Something about the man gave Remiel a familiar sense. Remy knew him.

“You,” the man said, “Stop talking. Taylor, I need his book. Now.”

Taylor stood up quick, “No. You said it was my choice. I don’t want him to go back to before.”

“I’m sorry, but that choice has been taken,” someone else said from the doorway. Stepping into the light was a petit girl with snow white hair. Again that sense of familiarity passed over Remiel. Who were these people. “Gabriel,” the girl said to the blonde guy. “The perimeter is formed. Civilians are asleep. The Arcs have been called, but I don’t know when they will make it. We have only ten angels. I don’t know how long we can hold them back.”

The man, who Remy figured to be Gabriel, nodded. “Okay. Go coordinate. I’ll finish here.”

The girl looked at Remiel for a second, but soon walked off. Taylor spoke before he managed anything. “Gabriel, you said he could stay. Why are trying to take him?”

“Because he is in danger.”

Remiel froze. He knew they were talking about him, but he didn’t know why. “Do I have a say in whatever is going on?”

Synchronized, both Taylor and Gabriel looked at him and said, “No.”

“Where is the book?” Gabriel asked Taylor again.

“I’m not giving it to you!” Whatever was happening, it was upsetting Taylor. She was on the brink of tears.

“Gabriel!” Remiel heard the girl scream from outside. “They’re here!”

Gabriel groaned and turned away, but before he left, he looked back at Taylor and said crudely, “Show him the damn book or we’re all dead.”

Leaving the room, Taylor crashed back onto the bed, tears flowing. Remy finally loosened his muscles a bit and sat down on the bed next to her. “What was he talking about? What book? Taylor, what is going on?”

Taylor wiped the tears away and reached under the bed. Rummaging around for a few minutes, Taylor bent back up, this time holding a book. The book they were talking about if Remiel had to guess. Rubbing a hand across the thick book’s cover, Taylor looked back to Remy and said, “I need to tell you something.”

“Who are those people?” Remy asked.

“They’re angels.”

“What?”

Taylor smiled, “I remember you telling me this same thing a few months ago.”

Remy was still confused, “You said we’ve been dating for years.”

“Four months. Sort of. The first two weeks, you were still an angel.” Remy was about to ask about that, but Taylor stopped him. “That’s not important. Soon, you will remember it all.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m making a choice and I hope it is right. I hope…” Taylor said. She was hesitating. Her eyes were transfixed on that book. The strange symbol on the cover was distracting to say the least, but not enough to keep her attention. “Here,” she said after a second, setting the book on Remiel’s lap.

Remy figured he was supposed to open the book, but couldn’t bring himself to. Whatever this book was, it would change him. “What if I don’t want to change?” he thought out loud, stroking his fingers over the book’s cover.

“You heard Gabriel. You have to,” Taylor answered him.

Remy sighed and turned to Taylor. Touching a hand to her chin, he kissed her. Breaking off, he looked Taylor in the eyes. His mind fumbled around of what to say, but could only come up with one thing. “I love you.”

Turning away, Remy opened the book.