The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 174: What Happens Without a Map

Chapter 174: What Happens Without a Map

In the end, Aziraphale had to go it alone. For not soon after they entered the bookshop and made a few calls, Crowley received a text that made his lip curl.

"Back already?" Aziraphale asked worriedly. The demon stoically nodded. "Could it be a bad sign?"

"Not exactly. Just...we haven't even had time to tie up the ends."

"I'll do it now," the angel proclaimed, readying to snap his fingers. Crowley grabbed his wrist, and shook his head.

"Go see Death first."

"Why?"

"Time is short."

"How do you know?"

"Gut feeling. Listen. Neither one of us knows how long this will take. But as soon as you're finished, call me and meet me back here. I'll do the same."

Aziraphale nodded then caught his sleeve as he nearly rushed out. "Angel, you're tugging a lot on me today."

"Look, I...don't like this, us being separated. What if something were to happen?"

"We can't take care of ourselves?" Crowley pulled out the medallion and dangled it before him.

"Yes, that's good for evil twisted homunculi and all, but..."

"But, whot? I'm not blind anymore, you've mastered your growing powers enough that they don't take over your life, and we've had a good and thorough rest. And, I might add," he said very pointedly," It's rather rude to keep the queen waiting. That would be courting danger."

"Honestly, I just think you want to avoid Death."

"We don't play well together. And you could never follow me into the Seelie Court. You're angelic, and they don't like your kind poking around, for some ancient, daft reason."

"Fair enough." Aziraphale studied the demon's face as if to plant it in his memory. Then he gave him a quick peck and patted his shoulder. "Off you go then."

"I'll be fine."

"Mind how you go, my dear," he said, turning his back and briskly leaving the shop. Crowley stood for a moment, watching the door swing after him. Then he popped his neck,"Roit," and took a great big step out the door after him.

Crowley had been right, in regards to the angel mastering his new powers, more so than he realized. Aziraphale not only got over his nerves, he exercised daily.

And, despite his friend's warnings, he was pushing limits.

Every so often he tried to go off his own timeline, just a little, or move things in the future, or bring something back. All it earned him was a shuttering experience, as if he about to be torn apart, and a vicious head headache only a cool dark room could repair.

That he didn't do, often. The demon could sense his pain, and just in case Aziraphale repeatedly inspected their medallions for cracks. Pretty soon Crowley would ask about it, and then he'd have to say something, so he stopped for a time.

But he found he could do other things, like walk the worlds in between without Crowley's help. Getting the soul of the young TORCHWOOD agent to her own heaven, that had been the first test. These were places he, in the past, could not venture without an escort: planes here and there that had nothing to do with his own timeline. Once, on this notion, he tried to visit himself in another dimension, and came back with the headache.