Everyday it's a-gettin' closer - English Version

The Return - As once almost 2,000 years ago

It was a clearly audible groan that snapped the two out of their peaceful mood. Crowley immediately stood up and looked at Nathanael. "He was in a lot of pain again earlier!" he indicated, and the female angel understood.

She instantly followed him into the room, where Aziraphale had shifted more to his side and tucked his hands into the pillow. Though his eyes were closed, they were squeezed tightly shut. His lips pressed tightly together, so that they seemed almost like a single, thin line.

"Angel..." whispered Crowley anxiously, moving to the side where he could take one of Aziraphale's hands in his and stroking his cheek soothingly with the free one. Nathaniel, in the meantime, had been briefly by the shelf, where she pulled out a small cardboard box.

"It hurts so much...I feel like someone is tearing at my back all the time...", Aziraphale confessed honestly and his voice was clearer now. It hardly seemed like a hoarse whisper anymore.

"We'll get right on it, Aziraphale!" announced Nathanael, and Aziraphale's eyes opened. "Then I hadn't dreamed that either," he marveled, and he turned his head toward Nathaniel after Crowley's approving smile.

"Hello, old friend," the latter greeted him, squeezing his shoulder briefly before rolling up his shirt so she could take a look at the wounds he had tended to.

"Do you really think I'd still have my beautiful, delicate hands if I had to treat you with holy water all the time?" explained Crowley at Aziraphale's questioning look.

"And I wouldn't have been able to save you from the room if your store wasn't secured with a One-A-Wonder," Nathanael added, picking up a bottle of holy water and soaking a towel with its contents.

"Crowley," murmured Aziraphale, now squeezing the demon's hand, "you know who this is, don't you?" Crowley nodded, unimpressed. "I do. Nathanael. Former apostle/disciple. The first human to be "promoted" to an angel." he rattled off quickly, and Nathanael couldn't help but grin as she loosened the bandages.

"...And I was beginning to think you wanted my autograph; but I'll spare myself now with your tone," she commented, but immediately became serious again.

"This is going to sting now, Aziraphale. After that, it will be better with the pain!" After taking a deep breath, Aziraphale nodded and instantly clenched his teeth as Nathanael dabbed at the fresh stitches with the soaked cloth.

Again and again, a hiss and groan escaped the angel's clenched teeth. His fingers had a firm grip on Crowley's hand.

"You're almost there my friend!", Nathanael motivated him and Crowley too, nodded visibly when Aziraphale looked at him for a moment.

"Okay, we've got it!", Nathanael finished her work and rolled down the shirt again, before she then also put the blanket over his waist again.

Indeed, a soothing numbness now gradually set in and Aziraphale puffed out her cheeks once for a moment.

"I may be the more intelligent...but you are the stronger," Crowley said softly and kissed Aziraphale rewardingly on the lips.

The latter blushed. "Dearest...but..." he stammered, turning to Nathanael, who grinned mischievously as she filled the box.

Crowley said nothing, but stood up, walked toward Nathanael, and accepted the box. "I'll do that," he announced, "besides, I think it's time for tea!"

At Nathaniel's puzzled look, Crowley nodded to the vacant chair beside the bed.

"Get your laurels!" the demon whispered so softly that only Nathaniel could hear him, after which he disappeared from the room.

Clearing his throat, Nathanael straightened up, sat down and moved closer to the bed, while Aziraphale lay back down more comfortably with a puckered face.

"It's been a long time...," Nathanael began unusually quietly, tucking a disturbing strand of hair behind her ear, "...a very long time..."

"Could you give me a moment..." suggested Aziraphale, trying to get a higher position with the pillows. Nathaniel nodded, adjusted the back of the bed a little higher, and then placed the pillows before helping Aziraphale to lie down.

"Better?" she inquired anyway, and Aziraphale nodded.

"I want to be able to look my lifesaver in the eye," he added softly and Nathanael sat back down.

"Well..." she stammered out and began nervously playing with her fingers, "...I wouldn't exactly call it that...besides...one hand washes the other and all..." She winced as her hand was taken and squeezed shut. "It's so good to see you again, even if I don't think the circumstances are necessarily ideal for it."

Nathanael smiled sadly at Aziraphale's comment.

"I never really thanked you for everything, Aziraphale...and by that I mean everything. Without you, I'd probably still be roaming the lands today, without a purpose."

The addressed angel remembered. After Nathanaels death as a human being, had been communicated in the sky that this would be now the possibility to start the attempt to be able to make from humans, angels.

However, this had been done approximately with such a carelessness that one simply put out Nathanael like a young puppy again. Something that was not understandable for him at that time. Immediately he made himself then to the earth and had sought out, at that time still "him".

He took care of Nathanael, named its destination and what would happen now. He prepared, so to speak, the puppy for life.

"But that was..."

"... Self-evident? It always is for you," Nathanael interrupted him, stroking the back of his hand with his thumb. "Still...when I heard that any trace of you was missing...I had to act. After all, you not only helped me find my way as an angel...but also...who I really am...", slightly ashamed, Nathanael stroked her free hand through her long hair and looked down at herself.

"You look beautiful," Aziraphale praised, "...I'm happy for you!"

Unwillingly, tears gathered in Nathaniel's eyes. She literally clung to Aziraphale's hand and covered her mouth.

However, her sobs could be heard clearly. "'Sprout...'," Aziraphale whispered slightly overwhelmed, and that word caused Nathanael to look at him with wide eyes. "That..." she whispered, "...I haven't heard that in almost two thousand years..."

"...Should I let it go?" asked Aziraphale timidly, and Nathanael shook his head. "No...no...I was just amazed, that's all!" she replied more composedly now, taking a deep breath.

Being able to interpret her friend's look, she started to tell everything. How she had found out that he had disappeared. The search for Crowley and how she managed to convince him. The rescue operation.

Slowly and thoughtfully she explained what had happened and Aziraphale followed every word. Every now and then he gripped tighter around Nathanaels hand; so too at the end, where it was now he who had the tears in his eyes.

"Do you realize what you've done?" asked Aziraphale softly, "Nathanael...you...you can't go back to..."

"...Home? My friend, heaven had never really been my home. I was human...and seem to still be deep down, despite immortality. I could not stand by and watch a wedge be driven between you and your beloved. If that means I can't go back, so be it!"

She now put her second hand around the braid as well. "Besides, you don't know about anything yet, Crowley and I are going to take up residence here now. Your demon, of course, forever, what is with me, you can then still poker out at a later time. But you don't know anything!"

There he was again - the rogue! Especially when Aziraphale looked at her and she blinked one eye. Without any effort, a smile now also played around Aziraphale's lips and the tears gradually began to dry up.