𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 - 𝒎.𝒈.𝒄.

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 27 - 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆

«All my life I've been waiting for moments to come
When I catch fire and watch over you like the sun
I will fight to fix up and get things right
I can't change the world but maybe I'll change your mind»

"Michael? Why him?"
"I don't know, Heart, it's in the prophecy," Collins snapped.
"He's special. He's the only Angel to break the rules and stay on Earth without facing the consequences I know about," Paul explained. "I mean, I might be forgetting something. I'm getting old now. But I'm pretty sure I'm right."
"We better get going, then," Liv exclaimed. "Before the gates open."
"Wait, what gates?" Calum asked.
"The ones keeping souls and spirits where they're supposed to be," Paul explained, casually. "Let's go, kids. You too, the fallen angel - what's your name, again?"
"Philip Collins."
"Nice to meet ya. Well, not really. We need to know how to destroy that thing. Come with us."
"Can I have a word with Heart, first?" he asked. My friends looked at me. I didn't even know how to react.
"Only if I can stay, too," Ash replied for me, with his hands on my shoulders.
"Okay, whatever," the man sighed. "But the others can go."
I nodded, reassuring the others as they started to walk away.
"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Calum whispered.
Ashton smiled and nodded. "Don't worry."
"So, Heart," Collins started, once it was only the three of us. "Irwin. I wanted to apologize. I know this may sound stupid after everything I did. I tried to kill all of you, and…" he trailed off, looking down at the floor. "I'm sorry. I'm not that good at apologies. I just want you to know that I'm aware of the fact that I'm to blame, even though I wasn't really thinking straight. You heard it yourself, Lily. By the way, can I call you Lily?"
I nodded. "Yeah, okay, whatever."
"Good. As I was saying, I regret every single thing I did. Because of Margaret, mostly. I can't stand that look on her face. She hates me, and for all the right reasons."
"No, she doesn't hate you. She still cares," I said. "Trust me. You need to give her some time, though. You betrayed her trust."
"I know. I'll try to talk to her sooner or later. Well, I'm also sorry for all the extra homework and detention I gave you two and your friends. I think those were the early effects of the book."
"Before I accept the apology, I have a question," Ashton added.
"What is it, Irwin?"
"Why are you telling us these things? They'd be more useful if you told Paul. That'd probably save you."
The man shook his head. "I deserve the punishment. I know I do. It's no use trying to defend myself."
"Well, maybe we could help. I know you're telling the truth," I suggested. "And it's not completely your fault if you were being controlled, right?"
He nodded, thinking. "I guess you're right, yeah. That makes sense. So, is the apology accepted?"
I looked up at Ash. He just shrugged.
"I only have a couple of conditions."
"Okay. What?"
"You'll help us stop the Apocalypse, you'll talk to Margaret and you're calling an ambulance. We'll need it for Michael and Harry."
He smiled, the first genuine smile I had ever seen on his face. It wasn't even half as creepy as the first one. "Agreed. Let's go save the world."

When we got into the room our friends were gathered in three groups.
In the right corner of the room Crystal, KayKay, Liam and Niall were talking to Louis and Harry, telling them everything that had happened.
In the left corner Michael was talking to Calum, Luke, Zayn, Margaret and Sierra.
In the middle of the room Paul was scolding his daughter. "Your mom better not find out about this Apocalypse stuff. She'll get mad at both of us. You know what she's like when she's angry. I don't want to starve to death."
"I know, dad, but she'll hear it on the news anyway!"
"Not if I change the channel."
Everyone turned around when they noticed Philip, Ash and I walking in the room.
Ashton went to talk to Cal, while I ran straight to Michael. "Are you okay?"
He nodded. "Kinda. How are you?"
"I'm fine. We found a way to solve this situation."
"Oh, really?" He smiled. "How?"
"You need to destroy the book."
"What? Why me?"
I was about to reply when Philip interrupted me. "Because you two are the one who was hurt and the lonely heart. You're the ones in the prophecy."
Liam tried not to laugh. "Lonely heart as in… Lily Heart?"
"So the purpose of this prophecy was… a pun?" Sierra asked.
"Wait a minute," I stopped them. "There's a verse I don't understand. Angels will be humans. Why?"
Paul shrugged. "Maybe an angel will be downgraded to human shortly. Maybe it's the right punishment for Philip."
"But the prophecy makes it sound like the two natures coexist in the same being and at the same time," Zayn argued. "Right?"
"I think he's right. Like… a hybrid of some sort?" Louis whispered.
His boyfriend looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "What?"
Lou shrugged. "Listen, I don't know. I'm tired."
"I have a serious question," Sierra intervened, raising her hand like she was in class. "About the book. Why was it cursed?"
Paul sighed. "It's a long, long story. At the time of the Creation, some angels decided to rebel against the forces of Good. The normal copy of this book is still somewhere in Heaven, where it was written. It will be used on Judgment Day, to start the end of the world as we know it. But a rebel decided to copy it, so that him and the other rebels could start the Apocalypse sooner. But when these rebels were defeated by the Angels, them and everything that had to do with them was cursed forever, to remind everyone of the consequences of their actions and to warn them about the Heavens' power. And to add a little bit of drama to our lives, I guess."
"There's no time for this right now. The book, Philip," Margaret ordered.
"Right. Here, Clifford, take the book. Has anyone seen my knife?"
"I'm pretty sure it was on my chest, a while ago" Louis said.
Zayn sighed at his friend's sarcasm and took the knife from the counter, handing it to Philip.
"Sorry about that, Tomlinson. And thanks, Malik," he said, passing the knife to Michael. "Stab the book," he instructed.
Michael looked at me as if to ask for support. I smiled and took his hand, the one he was holding the knife with. "You can do this, love," I thought. He must've heard me, because he smiled and did as he was told.
The blade cut through the book as if it was made of butter.
Michael took the knife out and looked up at the red sky.
"What was supposed to happen?" he asked.
Collins couldn't even reply before we saw a blinding white light coming out of the cut on the book.
I closed my eyes, still not letting go of Michael's hand. My heart was racing as I held my breath. I waited a while longer, hoping everything would be alright soon.
When I finally opened my eyes the light was gone. Everything looked normal, but something felt different. I couldn't understand what was wrong until Harry pointed at the morning sky outside the window. "Guys, look!"
What I hadn't noticed was the lack of red light. As I looked up at the sky I felt the adrenaline rushing through my veins fade away, leaving me very, very tired. But at least we were alive.
And the sky was blue again.
Everyone started laughing and talking and celebrating as if our favorite team had won a world cup.
KayKay and Crystal hugged, smiling like idiots. I kissed Michael's cheek and turned around just in time to see Ashton run to Calum and kiss him, for the first time in front of everyone.
Louis was still hugging Harry, stroking his hair, while Niall and Liv jumped around the room holding each other's hands. Liam kissed Zayn on the cheek, making him blush, and Sierra hugged Luke koala-style.
Even Margaret smiled back at Philip.
Paul was the only one who stayed calm. "Guys, can someone call an ambulance for the redhead and the curly one, over there?" he asked, pointing at Michael and Harry. "Sorry, I'm not good with names."
"Right, I'll do that," Philip replied, respecting his promise.
"So this is it?" Liam asked. "We did it, right?"
"We did it, babe," Zayn smiled.
"And it's only six in the morning," Kay said, checking her phone.
"Well, that's okay," Crystal shrugged. "Wanna have breakfast together, guys?"
"Where do we find the food?" Niall argued.
"The cafeteria!" I suggested.
Margaret shook her head. "I think the door's locked, kids."
"Yeah, but I can take it down with no effort!" Calum said, proudly. "Let's go."

My friends and I, Michael included - Cal and Ash had to help him walk all the way to the cafeteria -, sat together at a table chatting and eating, while Margaret and Philip were alone at another table, at the opposite end of the room to have some privacy. Philip had promised me they'd talk.
Everything seemed pretty normal, right? We were together, we were having fun and we were eating breakfast. Everything looked perfect.
But it felt weird.
Don't get me wrong, it felt good to be together again, without having to worry about the end of the world. But something was wrong. Maybe it was because it was weird to be the only ones in the otherwise empty school, or maybe I was just tired and a bit shaken. I didn't know. But I wasn't really feeling alright. I kinda felt sick. I didn't say anything, though, because I didn't want to get my friends and Michael worried. I knew they cared about me.
After a while the police, firemen and a doctor made their way in the school.
Guess who was with the police?
Yup. Amy, the one and only.
"Lily! Lils, are you okay? Michael, oh my God, you're bleeding! And Harry, you're so pale. Is everyone else alright?" she asked, accidentally turning invisible every once in a while.
"Mum, we're fine!" I laughed. "Calm down. And stop disappearing once a second, I want to see who I'm talking to!"
"I'm sorry, I look like those Christmas lights we put up every year, I know. I'm nervous! I was so scared…" she trailed off. "I'm glad you're alive."
I looked at my friends, laughing together, then I smiled. "Me too, mum. Me too."

||In the next chapter...||
Everything was perfect, then, right?
Nope. Not right. Definitely wrong.
[...]
"I think I'm about to faint."
[...]
"So what will happen to us now?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE HELP
I CAN'T BELIEVE THE NEXT CHAPTER IS THE EPILOGUE. I ALREADY MISS LILY, ASH, MICHAEL AND ALL OF MY BABIES. BRB GOTTA CRY.
Kira <3