Good Omens - You and I

Go back home

Crowley watched the world slowly fade away. The stars were going out one by one as he contemplated the fading universe. He clutched the broken mirror even tighter in his hands. He closed his eyes and saw Aziraphale's face in front of him again, the gentle smile and bright eyes as she smiled at him, felt the light touch of her fingers graze his face and saw him among the shelves of his bookcase as he spoke of things incomprehensible to him and sipped chocolate. He clutched the glass tighter, the pain managed to keep him clinging to his memories, now even the most painful ones seemed as sweet as honey. In his hands an almost imperceptible light began to stir, as if not wanting to extinguish the last remaining hope. His memories were flowing non-stop and one in particular caught his attention. He was making some galaxies not far from Casterburus and he had felt the air change, he had felt it shift under the strong wings of Aziraphale, he could recognise anyone approaching him by the way they moved among the stars and his dear friend was the most graceful. He did not even turn around, he felt the angel's arms wrap around his torso and an amused smile painted itself on his lips. "You should always let me embrace you," Aziraphale whispered in his ear. Now at that very moment his eyes met those constellations again, his heart ached at the memory. The twinkling of what he held in his hands finally attracted but little attention. The mirror put on a light play that flickered from time to time. He looked at it in disgust. That evil mirror did not want to die yet, it had all happened because of that piece of glass! If only it hadn't been there. His forked tongue snapped in a fit of rage, he raised his arm ready to hurl that stupid shard far away, once again the memory of Aziraphale taking that mirror in his hands invaded his thoughts. The light between his fingers became more insistent. Could it be?... No it could not be... Was there still a faint connection to the world? No! He shook his head as he floated in the void. He could not afford to hope.... And yet... He stared at the mirror and placed it at the level of his amber eyes. He sighed and then thought of Aziraphale with all his might. The mirror lit up with a new light, strong, blindingly hot. A new sob broke the silence. Crowley wept again, he had gone millennia without shedding a tear and now he did so out of joy. That light was hope rekindled, even though he had tried to let go and disappear with everything else his angel still held him. He had to think he had to react. Kicking like a child he cursed and flapped his wings until his position became good enough to stop too much blood reaching his brain. He took a deep sigh and tried to calm himself. "OK stupid thing! Now how do you work? You shone so something you still know how to do..." he tapped his fingers on it in the hope of an answer but his enemy remained as inert as he was in the seconds before. The hissing came out in frustration followed by the sound of a burning comet passing a short distance away drawing his attention back to the rest of the universe around him. The stars were disappearing faster, one after the other giving way to an oppressive darkness that seemed aware that something might impede its advance. At that sight a chill ran down the demon's spine. "If Aziraphale were here she would know how to make you work" as if she was just waiting to inflict this new slap to his feelings the mirror sparkled and finally Crowely understood. "Sometimes I know is to be just dense, obviously a mirror born to serve two lovers responds to that feeling" a smile painted itself on his tired face. He looked at where his galaxies had been until just before and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and held the mirror in his hands. His grip softened from the memories he was trying to conjure once more. That broken mirror did not have enough power to bring the world back to its original essence, but it still had enough strength to bring it back to a nearby moment when there was a firm anchor. He closed his eyes and let the memories flow back over his life beside Aziraphale. He saw his angel gazing at the stars beside him, saw him on the walls of Eden as he looked at the desert with sadness, saw him tasting his first crepes and getting drunk with him in Rome in Caesar's time, he saw him learning to swim and almost drowning, then being rescued by him, he saw him smiling as he pointed to a small shop in a corner of London, he saw himself with him as they slow danced during a party, he saw him smiling and taking him by the hand. Those happy memories were not enough, they did not create enough energy and he knew why. Something much more powerful was needed, he needed to want to return to his beloved with all his might. He saw his angel during the battle, wounded and dejected he saw him getting up and looking into his eyes. It was at that moment that Crowely realised that when Aziraphale had let him go she had spoken words too faint to be heard but he could see her lips move again. She had said, 'Save me my beloved. "O that stupid angel!" the demon was now screaming into the void "save me my beloved?! What was that supposed to be? The final declaration? Save me Aziraphale? Save me? Those were your last words?! Wait I am her beloved! so.... so..." a shocked expression had appeared on Crowley's face as he finally understood. Yes, those words were the declaration he had been waiting for for centuries, and as he had always saved his angel, he would do it again this time. He felt his heart explode with love, he forgot how to speak and only hisses came out of him. Now he felt the mirror's current of power flow and expand as around him the darkness rushed desperately to stop him. The gap opened and he passed through it just in time. He plummeted to the ground and hit the ground so hard that the air escaped into his lungs. For a second he felt nothing and then found himself surrounded by the battle. His eyes were blinded by the light but it mattered little, he sprang to his feet and looked for the spot where the old man stood with Risengard and Aziraphale. He saw his snake-like eyes looking at him in disbelief. There he had found them. He ran to the spot holding the mirror tightly to himself and when he reached the vicinity he dived behind some rubble cursing. The old man must have done the same if their cursing overlapped for a moment. Suddenly a blade was pressed against his neck but it didn't impress him much "Who the hell are you?" the question came dryly. "I am you now shut up!" the offended look that came his way made him sneer for a moment "Look, I have a mirror too. No it is a long story and no there is no time to tell you. We have to make sure you can get close enough to kill that bastard Risengard and you will do it using this" he pushed the mirror into the old se's hands and began to explain the plan to him.Aziraphale looked around panting heavily, he had just fended off another of Risengard's monstrous attacks and had lost sight of Crowley, which he did not like at all. His distraction was almost fatal, his enemy's new lunge almost hit him if it hadn't been for Crowley's blade intervening just in time to keep him from getting skewered. Now there were two of them again fighting that monster but they were not strong enough, not yet. Crowley saw the angel plunge his hand between his clothes ready to grab the shard but this time he was ready he already knew what he was going to do. As soon as Aziraphale extracted the shard he grabbed it and did what he had to, while his angel let out a heartrending scream. The piece of glass sank into his chest, just above his heart. The surge of energy that shot through the demon forced him to his knees. "What have you done?" were the words that came choking from the lips of the angel beside him. Risengard shouted furiously and launched himself into the attack without hesitation. The monster in front of them was striking almost blindly, his only intent was to tear them apart, but things were becoming difficult even for him. The demon was turning on the shard's powers with full force and was now almost able to stand up to him. Perhaps it was that moment of optimism that distracted him; he was not in time to parry the blow aimed at Aziraphale that he was hurled away like a rag doll. A howl of satisfaction went up from Risengard, who was now in the grip of total madness. His moment of joy was short-lived; behind him the air shifted, cut in two by a second Crowley, who struck him with a sword in the hilt of which were embedded mirror fragments. The demon had used the time when the if from the future fought to convert the fragments into a weapon that could destroy the mirror forever. The mirror would destroy itself. Both demons attacked together as Risengard struggled to respond to their attacks but still seemed unwilling to give in. Must drew on all the power of the two shards he possessed, they were now evenly matched and the frustration of both sides was clearly felt. Crowley looked at the spot where Aziraphale had fallen and in his head the words he had whispered echoed. He sighed and cast a glance at the other se who widened his eyes in disbelief. He had understood her intentions. They both snapped at the same moment, pouncing on Risengard in what would be the last moment of the battle. Risengard managed to fend them off with a blow that made the earth tremble, but the demon did not give up, attacked again and then took the final step. He let Risengard sink his sword but then did not let him go. Behind them the Crowley of the past attacked but the monster had understood and created a barrier that prevented the sword from completing its path. The demon thrust the sword with all his might as Risengard tried to free himself from the grip in which he was held, but he was exhausted and felt his strength begin to fail, it was at that moment that Aziraphale's hands rested on his. The sword gained ground again until the barrier broke and sank into the body of their enemy. The shocked look on Risengard's face was like that of a child. As the two celestials moved away, he lost all his strength. He fell to his knees together with the Crowley of the future who enveloped him in an embrace as the defeated man wept under his breath. The demon's eyes met those of the Aziraphale standing before him, and he merely smiled as he felt his energy fade and fade away. He saw the angel take a step towards him but his Croley stopped him. The two demons exchanged a gesture of understanding as the future Crowley turned to ashes just as the figure clutched at him sobbing. Thus they both disappeared without a trace as the swords that had ended their lives clattered to the ground. All around even the monsters turned to ash and dissolved in the wind as the first screams of joy from the survivors invaded the air.The angel approached him and on his face were a million questions, but the demon had no intention of answering any of them, at least not for the moment. He pulled the angel to him and held him tightly to him, immediately he was reciprocated by his celestial snapping his fingers, leading them away from there. When Crowley opened his eyes he found himself in what was left of Aziraphale's library, but it only took a miracle to restore it to its former glory. They detached and stood a little apart from each other as they resumed their usual forms. The demon looked down at his shoes in embarrassment and for a moment longer they stood listening to the snaps of miracles echoing around London. The angels were already at work erasing everything that had happened. "It's all coming back to the way it was before...however...well I...when I saw you on the ground...that is me...my dear...I would have died of pain if anything had happened to you," the angel said hesitantly as he smoothed his suit nervously trying not to meet the other's gaze. Crowley smiled at that sight so familiar and reassuring " O but I know..." hissed the demon. He felt so relieved, so light and now he was sure of what he wanted. He lifted his hand and placed it on the face of the angel who leaned into it, closing his eyes and sighing, his smile widening even more and he took the last step to join him. Their lips touched for the first time in millennia, matching each other perfectly, as if they had been created specifically to unite. Their bodies grew closer and a tear fell lightly from the eyes of the angel who smiled as he pulled away, turning red and then stepping forward for the next kiss as their hands intertwined again.

They were the first kisses of many that sealed an eternal love.