The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 136: Christmas, At Last

Chapter 136: Christmas, At Last

Jasmine Cottage was a soft and silent place that Christmas Day. If there was celebration to be had, it would have to wait. Greif and sleeplessness took their effect.

Aziraphale strolled through the snow, his nose lifted to the air. He had no thick coat. Just his telltale jacket, a mackintosh perhaps, or not. The stains were gone, the twigs miracle away. But inside he still felt as if an acid rain was pelting him sideways.

A cold wind played with his garments and hair. He paused and closed his eyes. And then he opened them, and turned to his left.

"Should you be out here without your walking stick?"

"Don't need it," Crowley mumbled, slouching against the wind. Hands in pockets, he sauntered up the angel and blindly smiled his eyes. "Do I surprise you with my agility?"

Aziraphale's brow rose. "Your perception. But we'll have to get it fixed when we go back to the great wide world."

"I do miss the sunsets," Crowley drawled. Then, "I don't want you to try yet."

"Why not?"

"Took a bit of a shock, didn't you?"

The angel sniffed. "Didn't we?"

"Agreed. Although yours was a bit.... special...."

"As if I need more baggage." The angel hugged himself, finally feeling the cold. In soft syllables, pained even, he admitted," I can still feel her being dragged from our arms!"

Crowley didn't tell him to calm down. He drew in, and took his head to his shoulder. The weeping had been going on and off for a while, as did the angel's walks.

"It's going to take some time," was all he said.

Aziraphale raised his head and looked into those blind eyes. "But it won't go away, will it?"

Crowley shook his head.

"Do you think, perhaps, we will ever find her again? Out there on Proxima?"

"If the universe let us," Crowley mused, smiling a very sad, then smile. "Consider it out next great battle before the Big One comes along. Although, we have to get through this one first."

"But, afterwards?"

"Now that we know where she is? Angel, what could possibly stop me?"

They walked on for a few minutes, then Aziraphale proclaimed," Enough of this! We need a reprieve for a bit. It is Christmas as it is! A time for joy!"

"You're going to make yourself feel betta?"

"And everyone else!" the angel proclaimed almost defiantly. "Why, we should be celebrating! We won!"

"For a time."

"But we still won! Our friends deserve a reward, a celebration. We owe it to them! And ourselves!"

"What can we do?"

And for the first time in a while, Aziraphale grinned from ear to ear.

"Oh," moaned the demon. "I'm going to be sorry I ask, aren't I?"

They had their Christmas.