Wings and Tears: The End
Michael was acting as a tour guide. Lucifer laughed at his very official manner.
“And here we have a massive library, with every work created by humans and angels.” Michael opened the door. Indeed the room was massive, the ceiling was several stories above their heads and the length of the room stretched far from them. The walls were covered with books, from top to bottom, every inch was covered. The center of the room harbored tables and chairs that were virtually empty excluding one haggard looking angel who sat reading from a thick, leather bound book.
“Who’s that?” Lucifer whispered to Michael.
Michael regarded the angel sadly, “That…is Lorelei’s father.”
“Mandy’s husband?”
Michael nodded slowly, “He spends all of his time here. I doubt he even knows what’s happened.”
Luc tucked back his lips, looked at the angel determinedly. He walked up to the tan winged, voiceless figure. Luc was considerably older than this wretched creature, but grief and pain had aged him. He had spent too much time dealing on the past, he was ‘crippled’, flightless, and sad.
Luc sat opposite of him. Michael, curious, went to watch them. For awhile Luc just sat in the chair, looking at the angel his friend had deemed worthy of her love. The angel seemed to finally give in and looked up at Luc. Luc made sure their eyes were locked onto each other.
“Mandy told me to tell you, that she still loves you, and that she hopes one day you can be happy again.”
There was a thick pause in the room, and the tan winged angel looked back at the book, but he couldn’t continue reading. Instead, he began crying.
~~
It had been three months since Michael had left Earth and life was just barely beginning to pick itself up again. The television was once again broadcasting; however it only had one channel, which showed constant news reports. These news reports were tuned into by every person that still had a television and the anchors spoke of casualty lists and warnings if more angels were spotted. The war not officially ended between angels and humans, and the humans were in a constant state of panic. Planes had started once again to carry people from the colonies and Earth. Catherine, the only survivor of Trowa’s old circus, and Hilde had quickly boarded planes to stay with the old pilots. The cries of mortals no longer reached even Solo’s ears. Stores had opened, to provide rations to the public. Humans wandered streets, aimlessly looking for their lost love ones. People were dazed, unbelieving.
Hanna sat between Quatre and Trowa, her head rested against Trowa’s chest. Catherine entered the room holding a tray.
“Let me guess,” Trowa began.
“Soup anyone?” she asked.
Quatre looked at his husband and smiled.
“I want some!” Hanna said, “I like Auntie Cathy’s soup!”
Catherine smiled. “At least someone appreciates good food,” she said as she sat the tray on the table of the room for the little girl. Hanna sat by it and began greedily eating.
“Solo, do you want to try some?” Hanna asked, as she nibbled on a cracker.
“No, Sweetheart, I’m not hungry,” Solo answers lazily.
“And he’s not in the mood to be poisoned,” Wufei joked. Catherine looked at him, mock-insulted. She tossed a pillow at his smug face. Hilde laughed softly, her hand supported her head. Rasid entered the room.
“Master Quatre, we’re leaving.”
Quatre looked at his friend and stood, “Ok. Please, as soon as you find out who survived, call me.”
Rasid nodded and they embraced each other before Rasid and the other Maquancs left in a hurry. They were leaving to see which of their group of 40 had been killed by the angels. Quatre walked them out and watched helplessly as they drove away. Trowa’s arms came around him and he looked back at his husband.
“They’ll be alright,” Trowa said softly.
Quatre nodded, “I hope so.”
Later that day Rasid would call, all of the Maquancs had survived.
~~
Lucifer spent a lot of time in the library. Michael watched him, amused, as he communicated with Amanda’s lover by having the angel write messages of pieces of paper.
Luc laughed at an ironic comment the angel had written. “Yeah, I liked Inferno too. Actually I love human depiction of me.”
The angel wrote on the paper again and Luc leaned over to read it. ‘Horns and tails and all?’
Luc laughed again, showed it to Michael, who smiled. “Yeah. All of it.”
“It’s a little barbaric if you ask me,” called a voice behind Michael. Luc looked up to see his Madam Creator.
“
“Hello Lucifer. I see you’ve been enjoying the destruction of Jehovah, which is good, you should. I am here to tell you that Christ has completed fixing the mess your husband made of Hell.”
Michael’s eyes evaded to the ground.
“Lucifer, we have some things we need to discuss with you.”
“Like what? You aren’t going to make me go back there, are you?” Luc asked, voice panicking.
“No! No, we won’t do that. However, Christ has an idea. He wants Hell to stop being what it was. He…He wants it to be a type of school. Not eternal damnation, but a place of one last chance. He will speak with you about it.”
The voiceless angel looked at her curiously. She sighed and looked back at him. She went around the table to him, looked down at him. Then she kneeled down and kissed him on his lips. When she pulled back he looked at her in surprise.
“Speak,” she told him.
He shook his head, “I can’t…” he said, and realized that he had. “Oh God.”
“Not ‘oh God’,” Luc joked, “Oh Goddess.”
“As for
you,”
Luc had hid his wings since Lorelei brought him from Hell, hiding their bat-like appearance. He looked at her, scared, but then complied. He heard the wings rip through the fabric of his shirt and heard Michael gasp. He also felt the white feathers lined his wings. He looked back in amassment and Michael came forward to kiss him.
“You are the Fallen One no more,” said Mandy’s husband, smiling at their joy.
~~
The anchor man looked at the television screen, “One hundred more people have been reported missing,” his eyes were miserable. “The names will scroll over the screen.” The names and ages of the lost humans moved up the screen. Quatre hugged his husband. When the names stopped listing themselves the screen went to the face of a grown man, of about 30 years of age. He had thick black hair and looked authentically Arabic. He stared at the screen very calmly, blinked His brown eyes. He held up his hands for the camera. There were noticeable holes in his wrists and palms. The humans watching could see scratches on this forehead. He smiled bitterly, “These are very real.” He said. His voice was calming and peaceful. “I hope I don’t need to extend the offer I gave Thomas to convince everyone. I know it may seem odd, me using the news station, but it’s hard to travel all over the world and the colonies, even for a God. I simply wish to say two things. One: I have ended this war and will be punishing my angels as I feel is needed. Two: I hope each one of you, my beloved humans, will find it in your hearts to forgive them, and me. Forgive us of our sins and neglect. I love you all, and will take good care of your lost loves. I promise. All I ask is that you forgive.”
And the humans did forgive. Christ spread His loving heart into each of them. Even Quatre found the hope to forgive. Tears swelled in billions of eyes, and every human forgave the deeds done to them by angry angels and the souls of Hell. Even those who were not watching the broadcast forgave. The souls of the dead, forgave. Christ smiled and the crying face of the anchor man was shown again.
~~
“It’s that simple.” Christ, the new God said. Michael nodded.
“So I’m now
the trapped Satan?” the
“I thought I should give you far warning. Michael you have two days left of complete freedom. Hell won’t be the prison my Father made for Luc, but…” Christ couldn’t continue.
“It’s my punishment.”
Christ
nodded and leaned on
“And then Jehovah only gave it to a select few.”
Christ nodded again. “I’m sorry Michael, for every injustice he did to you.”
Michael nodded, “It wasn’t your fault.”
~~
Michael held Luc close to him. His two days were up and they were on the roof of Michael’s home.
“You’re coming with me, aren’t you?”
Luc looked up at him, “Do you even have to ask? Of course.”
Michael smiled, “I…I just…” Michael wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, so he looked back at the last sunset they would see in a long time. “I just love you.”
“I love you too, Michael. I always have, and I always will.”
Michael kissed Luc lightly. “I know,” he whispered. “Thank-you.”
Luc shrugged under his arms. “No problem.”
~~
Michael went to Christ again. Christ looked at him sadly. “Are you ready?”
Michael nodded squeezed Luc’s hand. Christ nodded. Amanda’s husband walked into the room.
“I wish to go with them,” the tanned winged angel said.
Christ nodded. “I guessed you would say that. Very well. The souls are already there and the only one of you who will be trapped is Michael. I know Luc will never leave his side, but for you…”
The angel nodded.
Michael looked at Luc and sighed. Christ began crying.
~~
It had been two years. Solo watched Hanna draw things in the sand of the beach. Solo’s grandfather sat beside him, eyes closed and face titled towards the sky.
“Hey Grandpa.” Solo said.
“Hum?”
“You got the gift right?”
Solo’s grandfather nodded. “I went to Hell and back, but got it.”
Solo laughed. “How are Lucifer and Michael?”
The other angel opened one violet eye. “There fine.”
“And how’s Mom’s Dad?”
Duo’s father smiled, “Reading too much, as always, but fine.”
Solo laughed. The car drove up. Duo was blindfolded.
“Heero, this isn’t funny!”
“Actually it’s quite hilarious,” Heero said, guiding Duo to the party spot. He removed the cloth.
“SURPRISE!” Everyone yelled. Duo jumped back and yelled.
“Happy Anniversary Duo,” Heero smirked. Duo playfully hit him. Duo’s white-winged father handed his son a stone plate, in it was carved the faces of Heero, Duo and Solo.
“Wow…” Duo said as he held it.
“Shit…Luc did a good job.” Heero said, looking at it.
“I want to see!” screeched Hanna and Duo titled it for her to see.
~~
Michael and Luc were fencing when the tanned winged angel entered the room.
“Hit!” yelled Luc and smiled triumphantly. “I won!” Michael mock-glared.
“Excuse me you two,” the angel asked. The lovers looked at him. “I merely wanted to share something.” He produced a book to show them.
Luc walked to him curiously and took it. “Wings and Tears? By…Solo Maxwell?!”
Michael looked at it curiously. “Solo wrote a book?”
Luc continued reading, “Part one of the history and secrets of angels…”
“It’s actually very good,” said the proud grandfather.
Michael looked at Luc. “Well?”
Luc smiled. “Let’s read it.”
The two angels went their bedroom and lay on the bed, taking turns reading the book. Luc started.
“Many people do not understand exactly what happened in the ‘War Between Angels and Humans’. Many do not know how it is that we are in the position we are now in. Today it is common place for angels and humans to be living together, but before this was not so. It wasn’t that long ago that humans did not truly believe angels existed. Once I asked my father what separated angels and humans most (this was before the war in the treasured talks I had with him) he said that the major difference was unconditional love. He told me that angels were born with the forgiveness of Christ. After everything he and my mother did they were both still loved and welcomed back.”
~~
Solo stood before the gravestone. Duo Maxwell…Hanna walked to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. She was old now and so was he. They were adults, but he would age no more, and she would grow even older and die.
“Hi Guardian Angel.”
“Hello Hanna.”
“So…I heard your series has really become popular.”
Solo smiled. “Yeah, it has.”
Hanna went to place a flower on all five graves. The Gundam pilots had been buried in a neat line. Solo stepped back from his father’s grave.
“It was a beautiful service.”
Solo nodded. His father had been the last pilot to die. Each had died of old age. It was a fitting and sad end for them, to finally be killed by natural reasons. Duo’s funeral had been that day.
Hanna came and hugged Solo, stroked his long red braid. “I love you Solo.”
“I love you too Hanna.” Solo was the ‘Guardian Angel’ of the Winner-Barton family. He had promised Quatre on his death bed he would take care of his little girl, who was now an old woman with children and grandchildren of her own.
“Is Heaven everything they say it is?”
“Yes, Hanna it is, and so much more.”
“Christ lets angels visit, doesn’t he?”
“Yes, my love I will see you there, after you’re time on Earth is done.”
She smiled.
~~
Years later the gates of heaven opened and Hanna was greeted by her fathers. She smiled and kissed their faces. The two lead their daughter the golden streets, where they began dancing, with everyone. Millardo’s hair shined under the Sun as he turned Lucrezia around. Sally laughed and joked with Une and Duo wrapped his arms tightly around his husband.
“I’ve missed you all so much!” Hanna cried.
“And we’ve missed you, Little One!” Wufei declared. “Come I wish for you to met my mother, she makes the most amazing tea you’ve ever tasted!”
~~
“It’s been hard, living on, knowing I’m not human like my father and that I’ll never see my mother again, but I realize now, how important even small events are. Possibly my mother and grandmother did see the future, they deaths started many things. I’ll always love them, even if they are not here. I’ll always love my father and I can visit him in Heaven. All I wish we all could know is that love is the most important thing we have. We should always cherish it.”
“Amen to that.” Luc said, at Michael closed the latest edition of Solo’s groundbreaking series. Michael leaned over to kiss him.
“Guys not in front of me!” protested their tan-winged friend and co-worker.
Michael laughed. Luc smiled.
And on Earth, angels lived in harmony with humans; the angelic realm lay almost forgotten. Nothing could compare to Earth’s oceans and sunsets. Everyone was happy, everyone was free. Solo’s body gilded through the sky, carried by thermals and his red wings, as if to say. ‘I’m heading for my future and I embrace it with open arms.’
THE END!
Yeah, I know corny ending…but whatever…that’s it folks, hope you enjoyed…