𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 || 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥

Chapter 33 - Clarence Still Got No Wings

My boots clicked on the floor as I paced, back and forth over and over. I could feel green eyes watching me, the phantom of a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You're gonna wear a hole in the floor, you know," he pointed out to me and I rolled my eyes at the comment, ignoring him as I kept pacing.

"Yeah, well, I'd think you would be, too, at this point," I grumbled, irritated by his nonchalant behavior.

I guess that was a bit harsh though because truthfully, I know Chris had been stressed out about the situation for months now. And that his worry only mounted the closer we got to the date. But now? I was even more scared. The dreaded day was finally upon us and..Piper and Leo were missing, whisked away to the Ghostly Plane.

My gaze was trained to the hardwood floor, avoiding my boyfriend's eyes. It was too hard to look at him now - he had started fading away sometime after they disappeared. Seemed like every time I looked at him, he was a little less there. It was a frightening prospect to even wrap my head around - the idea of Chris not existing anymore. Would I forget him? Would he forget me?

It was only then that I felt his presence which made me glance up into a concerned pair of eyes.

His hair was falling in his face but I knew that the act of brushing it back was far out of my reach now, trying desperately not to think about the fact that I could now see through him to the other side of the room.

"Don't worry. Okay? We're going to figure this out," he soothed me best he could, his voice gentle.

I shook my head, knowing these were all just well-meant lies, "That's just the thing, Chris - you don't know that! You don't know that this will be okay. Because what happens when they don't come back, huh? What happens when...when you disappear entirely?"

His eyes, as deeply green as new leaves in spring, bore back into mine with an intensity that only further assured me that he meant every word he was about to say, "Then I'll know that I had six more amazing months with the woman I love. That knowing you, the past you, was an experience I wouldn't trade anything for... That no matter how short the time I got to spend here with you...I don't regret a single day."

Tears pricked behind my eyes and I wished beyond anything in that moment that I could just touch him once. Have him pull me into his chest, breathe in the scent of his cologne... Just one last time.

Suddenly, a noise erupted from somewhere outside, effectively ending the moment. Chris made a face and rounded the corner to walk down the hallway. I expected it to be nothing and was assured of this when I heard his voice come back around, announcing just that. Except...except he didn't exactly come back down the hallway to the living room. No, instead, he just walked through the wall into the living room.

My brown eyes went as wide as saucers as he glanced down at his hands that were now near-transparent, "Whoa, not good,"

I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off abruptly by an unfamiliar voice, "It's almost time, Chris,"

Chris, almost completely translucent by this point, hid behind the wall, "Clarence. What are you doing here?"

"Clarence? Really? That's his name?" I scoffed.

"Actually, I've come for you," he said, directing his words to Chris, "It's okay, son, I know,"

Slowly, Chris stepped out into view, eyeing Clarence warily, "Who are you?"

"Yeah, that's what I'd like to know, too, actually," I said, crossing my arms as I glared over at the old man.

"Someone who was sent to make this easier for you," he replied and I rolled my eyes.

"This?" Chris hissed, as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth, "What do you mean this?"

"I think you know,"

My blood ran cold at the insinuation and even more so when Chris said it aloud.

"You're an angel of death,"

"Yours is a unique situation, Chris. One which requires special handling. That's why I wanted to meet you early. So you could get to know me, trust me. There's really nothing to be afraid of," Clarence said softly, holding out his hand to him.

"Yeah, that's easy for you to say!"

"Don't fight it, Chris. It'll only make it more difficult for you,"

"What? No 'you've really had a wonderful life, Chris'?" I mocked, earning myself a glare from the angel.

"No. Forget that, alright?" Chris spat at the old man, gesturing for me to follow him as he edged around Clarence before beginning to bound up the stairs, "I still got time. You stay away from me!"

I said nothing as I followed on his heels up to the attic. After all, what could I say? The literal Angel of Death had come to take the love of my life away. I felt strange, I felt numb. Like none of this was real. How could it be? Maybe I was just in denial or refusing to admit to myself how bad this was. But he just couldn't leave me...not like this.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be pushy but..." Chris began to say as we stepped inside the attic finally, gaining the girls' attention.

Phoebe put up her hands, "Yeah, we're working on it, we're working on it,"

"You don't look so good," Paige eyed him before letting her eyes return to the piece of paper in her hand and beginning to chant, "Sister's spirit I call to thee, cross on over so we may see."

Then the unthinkable happened.

All of a sudden and completely without warning, Chris disappeared from view. As if he had just blinked out of existence. The cry ripped free from my throat unbidden.

"CHRIS!"