The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 134: Little Girl Lost

Chapter 134: Little Girl Lost

Not long ago, Marjorie promised Aziraphale she would call for Jinny, on the day Crowley was ready. But it appeared Jinny had beat them to the punch.

When they fell to earth, they didn't land roughly. They alighted, glowing so brightly no one dared touched them. Wings folded away from view, and a new dome formed around them. None of the company could touch them.

"Better leave it that way," Marjorie whispered. Inside, the light dimmed, except for the medallions around their necks. And they clung to each other, like the tight weeping buddhas of the past. But now there was motion, and energy. The energy of grief.

No noise escaped the dome. No feelings or icons drifted to the ladies. But it was pretty explicit to one and all what was happening.

The angel's face was awash in tears, his curls plastered to one side of his cheek while he buried his head into Crowley's thin chest and gripped his shirt. And Crowley's head fell back on that long swan neck, and his golden eyes were huge, scarlet streams pouring out of them. His mouth fell open in a silent wail that went on forever and ever.

Olivia stepped up to her, and asked," Do you remember all those stories of missing children, on the news? Long periods where the parents wait and wait, and finally the case runs cold?"

Marjorie nodded numbly.

"And then, one day, maybe a decade later, a shred of cloth is found, or a new court case comes up?"

"And they live the hell all over again?" Marjorie answered, touching the edge of the dome.

The dom didn't reply, but the adept did it for her. "You suppose it's a bit like that, what just happened?"

"I know it is." Olivia caught her eye. And finally, the dom revealed a tiny portion of herself, to a heart that knew how to keep secrets.

"I'm sorry, dearie," Marjorie told her. There was really nothing else to say.

So, the angel and demon were left to their grief, and the others went to sleep at last, while Shadwell kept watch until someone took his shift, focusing on the brightness of the halogens, and not the two inconsolable fathers within the dome.

Samantha kicked the creature. "You've doomed us!"

She yanked the poor thing up by its shoulders and shook it, then threw it on the ground. "We have to regroup now! All that planning! All those resources—"

"I hate you."

It was a gurgle. The tyrant paused in her tirade, shocked. "Did you just...try to berate me?"

"I hate you," it repeated louder, rising on its knees.

"You can't hate me," Samantha laughed lyrically, taken by a sudden humor. "You ridiculous thing! You aren't anything without me!"

"We could change that."

The homunculus hadn't spoken. Ice swept down Samantha's spine, and she slowly turned around to see Haster glaring at her from the shadows.

Early before the dawn, the dome collapsed. Newt and Shadwell carried the unconscious bodies of Crowley and the angel to the upstairs room. They must have cried themselves to exhaustion. Oliva volunteered to stay with them until they woke.