The Pasts We Wish We Didn’t Have: Part 10

 

            Duo collapsed on the floor as soon as he appeared in the room. His father automatically rushed to his side, “Duo! What happened? Where’s Michael?” Duo’s face quickly moved to stare at his father, and his eyes told of what happened. Not a word was spoken as his father helped Duo to his feet. Duo buckled into his father’s arms, clutching the lantern, and closed his eyes. His wings slowly folded into his back and he sighed. “I hate busy nights.” He said as he straightened himself and walked towards the door.

            Wufei was still sleeping when father and son entered the room. Moonlight flooded into the room and lit up Wufei’s sleeping form. Lorrie glanced up at Duo as he entered the room, “Where’s--” she began, but the look on Duo’s face hadn’t left yet. “You got the light.” She said her voice very soft. She stood and took the lantern from him.

            “I’m still not sure I understand this light thing.” Quatre said. He and the other humans were against the wall of the room.

            “Look at it this way, it’s his soul. She ripped part of his soul from him. Without his soul completely intact, I won’t be able to heal him.” Lorrie explained, and she slowly opened the lid of the lantern. The light within it immediately flew to Wufei, entering his body and making him glow for a moment. He gasped and his eyes shot open. Lorrie came towards him and placed her hands on his face. He struggled and threw her off of him. “Shhh,” she cooed. He quieted, his eyes fixed on the ceiling above him. She went to him again and placed her hands on his face. His body convulsed, but he didn’t resist her. Silently she told him he didn’t have to fear her, that she couldn’t and wouldn’t hurt him. Understandably, he didn’t believe her; after all she did look exactly like the woman that had tortured him so ruthlessly.

            “Leave,” she told everyone in the room, and they swiftly obeyed.

 

~~

 

            Lorelei left the jagged castle infuriated. Michael and Lucifer were left in silence. Lucifer’s hand dropped from Michael’s cheek.

            “Come on, I’ll take you to the room you can stay.” Michael said nothing, but followed Lucifer out of the room. His ex led Michael down a black hallway and up a flight of twisted stairs. Michael’s gaze avoided the windows that looked out into the torturous realm Luc ruled over. Lucifer led the archangel to a door, a door that depicted the War in Heaven, only the prominent feature wasn’t Lucifer, like one might suspect, it was Michael. Michael stared at it quietly. It looked like something you would find in a church, not in Hell. “Ignore that,” Lucifer said, actually a little embarrassed, “After being trapped in this place for a million years, I got really bored.”

            “You’re still a sculptor then?” Michael asked, distant and staring that the beautiful depiction of his own face, far more gorgeous than when he looked in a mirror.

            “I guess everyone needs a hobby.” He opened the door to reveal a room that was out of place. It was still black, yes, but the black was formed and polished to look beautiful. This room had care in it, and it was familiar. Michael looked around him. It looked like it belonged in the angelic realm; only it was black and not white. Then Michael knew where he has seen this room before. He turned to look at his old love. Lucifer stood his left arm folded over his right, watching Michael take in his surroundings. Michael realized there were no windows in this room, no way to look out and know where he was, Lucifer had done this on purpose. That’s when Michael noticed the sliver band on his ring finger.

            “You made this room for me didn’t you?” Michael asked.

            Lucifer shrugged, “I always thought you would come here to get me.”

            Michael shook his head, his black hair quaking a little, “You know I never would.” He closed his blue eyes, this place was a haunting reminder of his past, of their past.

            “I guess. I mean I still hoped. Michael, I hate this place. He made sure I hated it, punishment for not wanting to be second. Punishment for not wanted to put behind the mortals.”

            “It was His plan, Luc.” Michael opened his eyes to see Lucifer. His skinny but tall body hunched, a small lock of his blonde hair in his green eyes. “It was His plan and we were obliged to follow it. You just wanted too much glory.”

            “Well I have I don’t I? I’m more widely expected than He is. He gave me what I wanted by trapping me in this palace. He made mortals worship me; He made them believe in me, even more strongly than they believe in you. But He…He…He made me leave you. And you didn’t even bother to say good-bye. I could never raise my arm against, never win against you. That’s why He put you in charge, because He knew I wouldn’t be able to fight you face to face. He used you. That’s how He won, by forcing me to look at you as an enemy. That was before we couldn’t die by each other’s hands. That’s when I could have killed you…I could have killed you. My followers hated it when I would retreat, knowing full well we could win, but only my fear of hurting you making me order them to run away. So many times, so many times they tried to overthrow me. They tried to kill you behind my back, but could never let them and I would make sure they knew, they knew who was leading that war. I’ll never forget the last battle, when the Father told you to fight me, face to face, but I couldn’t and so I gave up, and watched my followers die. One third of us died that day, and the humans became His favorite. I remember Him telling Adam, ‘Look, look how my angels fought me. You’ll never do that, ever.’ I remember the Christ child dancing and telling Eve the entire story, laughing, saying that His Father would never, ever tolerate a war like that again, as long as Adam and she remained sacred…and clean. And that’s why I sent the Serpent.”

            “You’re bitterness got the best of you.” Michael stated. There was a silence that overcame the room.

            “I…I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to Michael. I could never force you to love me. I just really wanted you’re company. I’ve missed you so much.” Michael didn’t respond, his face remained set and cold. He looked around him.

            “Did you make this room for me?” He asked again, walking to the bed and looking down at the black silk sheets, sheets that should be white. The room should be white.

            “I made it because of you.” Lucifer explained and looked at his hand, the one with the sliver wedding band, “What did you do to your ring?”

            “I had it destroyed.” He said simply, as he took out a chair and sat down.

            “Oh…” Lucifer didn’t even try to hide the pain in his voice, “Of course…But you never officially asked for a divorce.”

            Michael looked at him, “God told me that if I ever found someone knew our marriage wouldn’t matter to Him. He said that I didn’t have too as for a divorce. He said He didn’t recognize our marriage anymore, so I didn’t have to worry about any paperwork.” Luc bit his lower lip. “He said I should hate traitors.”

            “Do you?” Luc’s eyes were filled with watery tears that threatened to pour down his boyish cheeks.

            “Yes.” And Michael concealed any pain he felt when Luc started to cry.          

 

~~

 

            Hours passed and the air in the room was heavy and uncomfortable. Duo didn’t even bother to start a conversation as he looked at each face in the room. His father’s eyes were his color and shape and they stared at the Oriental rug in the room, Duo asked his father silently what he was thinking and knew the older angel’s thoughts were with his General and friend, worrying what Lucifer might make Michael do. Duo glanced at Heero, who was standing against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, he was as still as a statute, his face as cold as stone. Then Duo’s eyes fell on the couple, sitting on the couch. Trowa held Quatre so tightly that Duo thought it must have hurt, or maybe the embrace just looked that tight. Then the door opened and each face in the room looked up to see Wufei, standing, his face very serious. He walked into the room. Quatre made a motion to stand, but thought the better of it. Wufei looked at Duo, he crossed his arms, “So you’re an angel, eh Maxwell? What the hell was God thinking?”

            Duo laughed, “My sentiments exactly.”

            “And I have some short of Spirit thing inside of me?”

            Duo nodded.

            “Ah...” Wufei smiled, “And you and that woman in there made it?”

            Again Duo nodded.

            “I guess you’re not completely insane onna,” Wufei was speaking to Lorrie, who was behind him.

            “Nor are you.”

            He turned to face her, “I guess I was, back there.”

            “You had a right.”

            “I suppose.” His voice was distant, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

            “That’s good, it means I did my job.”

            Wufei turned to look at his old comrades. Quatre’s eyes were filled with tears. “Don’t be so emotional Winner. It’s weak.” He was saying it softly, not really meaning the words.

            “Wufei,” Quatre said and stood to hug his friend. Wufei returned the embrace. Trowa stood and after Quatre broke away he put his hand on Wufei’s shoulder, “It’s good to see you standing.” He said.

            “You have no idea.” Wufei smiled. Heero came forward, looked at Wufei and nodded. Wufei nodded back. Duo rolled his eyes, “You people and your gestures get so annoying,” he said and stood to put an arm around Wufei’s shoulders, “We all missed ya, you know.”

            Wufei thought a moment, “I missed me too.” He put a hand to his head, “Man, I have a headache.”

            “That’s to be expected. That healing must have taken a lot out of you and Lorrie.” Duo’s father said and stood to shake Wufei’s hand.

            Wufei was forced to sit down and a cup of tea was asked for in his behalf. His friends crowded him and the Preventer headquarters was called to let them know he was ok. Sally cried when she saw his face on the view-phone screen.

            “Really, Sal, I’m perfectly fine.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “Yes I’m sure.”

            “That’s so wonderful. I was so worried about you.” Her eyes filled with tears again.

            Wufei spent and hour on the phone, arranging when he would go back to work. And thanked Quatre for every scrap of food he was offered, he was so hungry. Finally it was decided that he would take a week more off, with he accepted only because Une insisted and then he would return to work as a Preventer. He insisted that nothing horribly bad had happened to him, knowing full well that was a lie, but not caring, it was better to avoid the fuss that would follow that information, Lorrie’s healing touch had insured that it would not haunt him. Then came the inevitable question, “What about that man that said he was Duo’s father.”

            “That…that will have to wait till later, Preventer Chang out.” With that he hung up the phone. Lorrie and Duo were the two angels left in the room. Duo’s father had returned to his home, to plan how to get Michael back from Hell. Trowa, Quatre and Heero were sitting in the room as well, but for that moment, the only thing Wufei saw where the angels, their wings tucked inside their backs. They looked human, but Wufei knew they weren’t and as he stared at them, they looked back at him. It was uncomfortable for them, he knew, but he didn’t care. He was the old comrade of the war and she was the better half missing from the woman that had raped and tortured him. They were also the makers of the Spirit inside him, the Spirit that had made him such a wonderful candidate for the Gundam and he felt that Spirit more now than ever. He almost could see a dim outline of their hidden wings and he closed eyes.

            When he opened them again they were completely white and he smiled. Before anyone could react Duo, Lorrie and Wufei disappeared.

            “Where are we?” Wufei looked around himself, shocked. They were in the courtyard of a castle made of marble and gold. There was a small child with brown hair by a small pond to their right. He was hunched and looking at the small golden fish within the water. When Wufei asked that question the child looked at them curiously, then he stood and ran into one of the castle doorways. Then he poked his head back out to look at them, “Well? Are you following me or not?” he asked playfully. The three looked towards each other, and then quickly moved to follow him, cautious and defensive.

            The child lead them down a marble hallway and into a wide room. “Wait here.” He said playfully then skipped from the room.

            “Duo, do you recognize that child?” Lorrie asked.

            Duo looked at Lorrie, thinking dimly, “The Christ child. We are in Heaven!”