The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 105: Help From a Quarter, Red/Blue Light Optional

New Chapter 105: Help From a Quarter, Red/Blue Light Optional

Olivia felt the demon's mood proceed him, as he opened first pub and then the Bentley door for her. When he started the engine, he asked her, "Whot did you think of that?" But what she saw all over him was a shadow of despair. It had been there, ignored, smothered hard sometimes. Every once in a while he let the rain and sunshine take it, then stomped it back down into the dirt of his subconscious. But now it grew branches, and leaves, and blooms of black, sticky with a sap like tar.

"I think a few things, but let's get out of the city limits," she answered. With a dark grunt, he careened into traffic and the heavy weight of the monstrous vehicle propelled them forward into the early morning of Christmas Eve.

When at last they got to the open road, she said. "I think she's desperate for family."

"Mm-hm," the demon agreed. "I think that creator of hers has more control over her than I thought. I also think when it starts acting up, or fails, she starves it for attention. Beginning to wonder who we should fear more."

"Do you think she's the mother, somehow?'

Crowley's lip curled, "I think she's called mother. I also think that this 'mother' is more involved than we give her credit for."

"Do you think she suspects she's been outed?"

"Yeah, but we still don't know her name, or what she looks like. But I'm certain now, if any true attacks come, it will come from her directly."

"Why?"

"The homunculus is her main weapon, and it's trapped. It may still be wounded. She's saving it for the big show. So now, we have to watch out for something—"

"--that has no ward against it."

He nodded, then looked at his watch. "Crap, it's already 6 am. This is the day that will never end." He sped up.

"It's Christmas Ever, Crowley."

"Not exactly feeling the spirit of the season right now," he told her honestly.

"Which leads me to the elephant in the room."

The demon didn't answer. He sped up more.

"You think you're doomed, don't you?" Olivia checked the speed dial, which, not original stock, had marks going to 500. He was at 90, going on 100.

"All that talk of prophecy," he growled thru gritted fangs. 110.

"You believe her."

"I don't want to." 130. "But I do." 140. Olivia straightened in her seat.

"It could be a snare."

160. Crowley barked a laugh," That's the wonderful/terrible thing about this bloody creature!" Panic was entering his voice, flinging the pitch higher. All around them the world was a blur and the engine roared like a wild beast. "Everything she hands over is both harmful and helpful. And you can never get one without the other. It's a bit like drinking from a poisoned well in the middle of a lifeless desert. And she enjoys it, just like her creator." Hopeless humor. He was laughing, and something red trickled down his cheek.

Olivia looked down. 300.

Slowly, she reached over and touched the inside of his wrist. "Crowley?"

Manic despair was taking him. But his mouth twitched at the mention of his name.

"Take off your glasses."

As if in a spell, he reached up and removed them. And Olivia didn't comment on the fact she'd seen smaller eyes on an elephant. "Crowley," she said evenly.

His mouth started to drop open, waiting, listening.

"A word with you."

The utterance had weight, and tone. And history. It lent head space. It was a prompt, and a command, and above all, it was a rope to a drowning demon.

Slowly, silver chains began to form around his neck, and the pendant the angel had made for him slid down into his open collar. The dom touched it, and said," Are you ready to listen to me?"

He nodded; his face frozen in a kind of rictus. He was relinquishing control....

"I want you to count to ten, and breathe very slowly."

He did.

"Now," she told him, "Let up on the gas." His eyes flicked down but she told him," Ignore that! Eyes on the road!" His attention snapped back up. "All I want you to do," she continued very slowly, very precisely," is keep easing up the gas."

His foot raised a hair at a time. "That's it. Good job," she said as if to a child. "Now a little more."

For unknown miles this went on, her sing-songing voice bringing the demon down from his mania. The eyes stayed where they were: those were a problem best left to the angel. But we deal with one thing at a time...

At 10 miles an hour, they rolled gently up the cottage driveway, and she told him," Go ahead and stop the car." Like a robot he reached out and cut the gas, then fell back, pop-eyed. And with that, Olivia finished with, "Nice conversation." And it was done.

Crowley blinked at her, stupefied. "You took over," he croaked. She shrugged.

"Had to. You were reeling."

"I could have—" she shook her head.

"New, I don't think so. But you were in trouble. And Crowley, that's why I came along, remember?"

No words.

"Are you ready to show your angel what you've found?"

He nodded vaguely, trying to process what just happened. His hands felt for the pendant. He miracle the whole thing from site.

"Crowley, your chest is glowing."

"It'll go down. Doesn't matter," he pulled the handle and just let the door fall open. "Can't hide what happen: he'll have felt it if it caused harm, which means—"

Something light-colored slammed the cottage door, a bolt of light beige and tartan, and suddenly it landed squarely at the edge of the open car.

"—he'll be running to greet us, hello angel."

"Anthony!"

"It's over, angel, I'm bloody fine." Still, he let Aziraphale pull him out and squeeze him, let his downy head rest on his chest and felt the sting of those tears. "Didn't mean to scare you."

Aziraphale pulled away and composed himself. But he was frumpled, and flustered, and flushed. "Oh, ridiculous. I was just concerned is all, Anthony."

"Angel."

"Hmm?"

"Stop calling me Anthony."

Realization struck and Aziraphale's face worked. "Oh."

"Hard to hide."

The angel nodded, and they came around, and let the woman in dark out of the car. And as she rose, she made a little mental note of the name, and ticked off in so far how often it was in use lately.