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

The Return - Chaos, Queen and Plants

As Crowley made his patrol of the neighbourhood, he noted to his satisfaction that his wonder seemed to be very solid indeed. He could sense no piercing, controlling eyes, and even waved at Nina and Maggie, who were both standing in their well-run shops, waving their arms with broad smiles.

Apparently Nathaniel had been right. He really had been missed. Without meaning to, the demon had to smile slightly as he walked over to his beloved Bentley after his tour, rolling his eyes and shaking his head as the vehicle honked briefly. "Yes, I know! I know! I'm satisfied. And you're getting a few pounds lighter now!" retorted Crowley, opening the door to the back seat where the boxes containing his belongings were. Leaning over, he grabbed one of the boxes, straightened up, turned around and winced when he spotted Maggie and Nina.

"And I thought sneaking up on people was my forte!" he yipped, and Maggie couldn't suppress her friends. "Sorry. We couldn't help ourselves. Nina had told me you had someone new with you, who told her what happened and you were finally back! We had to say a quick hello!"

"YOU, had to say a quick hello," Nina corrected with a grin.

"Um...yes...Nina was right about that," Crowley began, setting the box down on the pavement, "...there was indeed a small incident and that's why there was no sign of us."

"Poor Mister Fell. I hope it's not too bad..."

"...Well, it's not a small thing, but he's tough," Crowley tried to cheer Maggie up. "And I think you two have some very good support in Nathalie," Nina agreed with him and Crowley looked at her for a moment, puzzled.

"Mister Fell's family member?", Nina helped him up and Crowley understood. "Oh, yes. Of course. Yes...does her thing well."

"Anyway, it's good to see you back here...despite previous events. Whatever that was. If any help is needed, please get in touch!" said Maggie and then took her leave with Nina.

Overwhelmed by the situation, Crowley looked after them. After everything that had happened before Aziraphale's disappearance, he thought that the two of them definitely didn't want to have anything more to do with them.

Now he found out that they had not only missed her, but also offered to help him. Humans really were more than fascinating.

Crowley glanced at the Bentley as it flashed its lights a few times. "Right," he reflected, picking up the box again and making his way to the bookshop, where he pushed the door open with his shoulder.

Immediately the sounds of his favourite band Queen reached his ears. He recognised the song perfectly. "Invisible Man" - one of the latter songs, before the tragic passing of lead singer Freddie Mercury.

Standing at the counter was Nathanael. A deep crease had formed on her forehead. She had been bent over a long, self-written sheet of paper and was in the process of adding to the notes. Without uttering a sound, she was forming the words of the song with her lips and her head kept bobbing up and down.

"Well, desperate already?", Crowley snapped her out of her thoughts, chuckling, and the woman addressed looked up.

"Desperate? No. Confused is more like it," she murmured and put down her pencil, "Quiz question: Who comes up with the brilliant idea of sorting books according to the first letters of the first sentences in the readings themselves? After all, my ordering systems are not always comprehensible, but this is beyond even my imagination!"

Crowley raised an eyebrow, set the box down on one of the shelves and walked towards the counter.

"Must have been Jim...I mean Gabriel..." he thought aloud.

"That's right, he was hidden with you guys before he then ran off with Beezlebub. Then again, it makes sense. Those on the thrones never have any idea of the normal people and their habits anyway!", Nathanael understood and scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's going to be quite a show then. Muriel apparently wanted to clean up the mess, but then mixed up the genres on top of that..."

"...I warned you!", Crowley now grinned again and then followed Nathanael's gaze, which had turned to his box.

"Ficus Elastica..."

"You know the species?" was Crowley's astonishment and Nathanael nodded. "I don't know what you do to look after them, but I've never seen one so green-shimmering!" Nathanael blinked a few times as she noticed Crowley staring at her through the sunglasses.

"What?"

"Queen, literature nerd, plant lover, coffee addict...do you drive?" At Crowley's counter question, Nathanael was even more confused.

"Yes...I don't know if you've noticed, but that silver MG MGB parked outside behind your Bentley, that's mine! Although I prefer motorbikes. I still have a Triumph Rocket parked in a storage shed nearby."

"A woman with clear standards..., now if you tell me that you like to break the speed limit while eating travel sweets and also like magic tricks, it will be really creepy!"

"I find your questioning rather creepy," Nathanael remarked, walking towards the gramophone as the needle rose. Swiftly, she had turned the record over, reinserted it and after the needle was placed, music sounded again.

"This isn't the best-of, is it?" inquired Crowley with interest, and Nathanael held up the record's sleeve in reply. " The Miracle. One of my favourite albums of theirs." she added to her gesture and put the envelope back.

"Shouldn't run it when Aziraphale's in the room, though. "Too modern." grinned Crowley.

"Will keep it in mind. But he's still asleep. I've gone to check on him now and then. Also because of the fever. But that finally seems to be going down a bit!" After Nathanael's explanation, Crowley took a deep breath of relief.

"Do you actually need help with that?" asked Nathanael, nodding towards the box. "No. I only have one left in the car and that's it..."

Nathaniel noticed Crowley becoming thoughtful.

"What's on your mind?" she couldn't suppress her curiosity about that.

"Oh...I had a place...or almost had it again...every time I brought the boxes here it was with the ulterior motive...to get them back into the Bentley."

"Say, you were homeless!" concluded Nathanael, and Crowley shrugged. "Did Aziraphale know about this?"

"No, and I'd like to keep it that way," Crowley informed her plainly, but Nathanael remained unimpressed. "You do realise that the most important thing in a relationship is always communication!"

"Now you're starting to sound like Nina and Maggie...whereas back then there was no..." Crowley paused, which made Nathaniel grin. "Still feels weird?" To their amazement, Crowley didn't blush this time. On the contrary - he even seemed to lose a little of his complexion.

"Are you all right?" Nathanael's jocularity in her voice had given way to concern. She approached Crowley slowly and he wet his lips briefly with his tongue.

"I've always called it the us..." he began slowly, "...because...I don't know...that r-word was always so far away and I thought I'd never des..."

Crowley didn't even get to finish the sentence. He winced in shock as Nathanael wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Yes you do!" she said softly, waiting. Hesitant and trembling, Crowley returned the embrace.