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

The Return - Four of a Kind

The angel and the demon flinched when there was a knock at the door, but it was not opened. "If I'm intruding, I'll be gone again!" rang out Nathanael's voice, which held a certain ambiguity, causing Crowley to shake his head in a grin. After a hedging glance at Aziraphale, he stood up, walked towards the door and opened it, where the young angel stood in front of it.

"Seriously?", Crowley was still grinning and Nathanael shrugged. "Just playing it safe," she defended herself, after which, however, her face grew more serious.

"Muriel?"

"Muriel. Going through a serious existential crisis right now," Nathanael answered Aziraphale's question honestly. "You told her everything," Crowley understood. "Only what happened here and now. The rest I took the liberty of leaving to you, if that's what you wanted at all."

"But...was this really a good idea, I mean..."

"...Angel, the little one may be of low rank, but she is not blind, or even stupid," Crowley, Aziraphale radioed in, "She can also put one and one together." With a nod, the angel had to agree with his demon.

"Then, best we talk to her," Aziraphale announced, wanting to get up, but then falling back onto the mattress with a contorted face.

"I'll get her," Nathanael determined after she had briefly squeezed his hand as Crowley and she could still save Aziraphale from a harder fall.

"This is so humiliating," Aziraphale growled afterwards, annoyed, and Crowley sat back down beside his angel. "They just knew what they were doing already..." the demon sighed, "...they're not beginners after all!"

"No...especially Elion didn't..."

"...Elion did this to you?" interrupted Crowley, Aziraphale immediately and he nodded slightly confused.

"I should have guessed, actually!" growled Crowley, massaging his temples. "What, is he also the one who...?" understood Aziraphale and Crowley took a deep breath. "The sadist of the court. As soon as the punishment is a little harsher, he's right there. Miserable bastard!"

"But that explains why he did this for Metatron then," Aziraphale concluded and Crowley had to agree with him. "Firstly, absolutely conservative and secondly, he just loves to see suffering. Actually a perfect candidate for hell if he didn't do his job up there well! At least now we know who to look out for in particular too."

The two immediately interrupted their conversation as Nathanael re-entered the room hand in hand with Muriel.

Even though technically Nathanael was the younger of the two, Muriel looked like a lost child. Her eyes were slightly red and her lips trembled slightly.

"Aziraphale," she began barely audibly, "...if I had known...I could have done something..."

"...We all could have," Nathanael said softly, "...but we didn't know!"

"After all, I didn't think of it until I got to heaven!" agreed Aziraphale, extending a hand, whereupon Nathanael handed Muriel to him, so to speak, "...and in tipping Nathanael off, you helped me a lot! For that, I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart!"

"Both of us," Crowley corrected with an encouraging smile.

"But...I don't understand. If Beelzebub and Gabriel are allowed...why not you? What's so bad about you guys?"

Crowley and Aziraphale looked at each other. For how long, neither knew. But the inner dialogue seemed to be visibly taking place, for the moment Crowley was about to look at Nathanael, she had already fetched a chair and placed it in front of the bed so that Muriel could sit down.

"Are you sure?" she inquired nonetheless, and Aziraphale nodded. "Sure," he added to his gesture and took a deep breath.

Taking turns, he and Crowley began to tell Muriel everything. Her history, the business with Adam, the events that had led to the present state; all of it was discussed to her. Muriel herself remained silent. Now and then she nodded slightly, but her eyes were literally glued to the two of them. She absorbed every word like a sponge.

Finally, she took a deep breath and squeezed Aziraphale's hand. "Thank you," she said softly and swallowed. "As I said, we thank you," Aziraphale replied. "Now I don't want to go back either..." whispered Muriel dejectedly and Nathanael, who had been leaning against the wall of the room all this time, made her way to the group. "I can look for a solution for me otherwise," she offered and Crowley raised an eyebrow.

"What nonsense!" he hissed and Aziraphale nodded. "You are both welcome here! After what you've done for us, we can't just throw you out on the street."

"Could, but won't," Crowley corrected, to which Nathanael smiled. "Too kind," she acquiesced and sat down on the floor beside Muriel. "Just starting to wonder what next. Even if we can move freely around the neighbourhood here thanks to Crowley's miracles, it's not a long-term solution."

Nathanael, Aziraphale and also Muriel looked to the demon who stood up, took Nathanael by the hand and pulled him to his feet.

"First of all, we need to strengthen the miracle, now that we have Muriel with us too," he began and the two of them stood in the middle of the room.

"But, is it wise for Nathanael to do this with you?"

"We've been talking about it over the last few days," Nathanael answered, Aziraphale's question, "I think I'm the best solution in that regard. Remember, if you pursue this, Metatron would have to admit that his creation has turned on him!"

"And he definitely doesn't want that," Crowley grinned devilishly, then looked at Nathanael. The latter nodded and at the same time, the two waved their free hands.

Immediately, Crowley climbed onto the chair and checked the miracle. "There you go. A-plus," he grinned with satisfaction and jumped down again.

"Even if the alarm was set off in heaven now, our good old scribe would be too proud to admit who set it off," Nathanael clapped his hands together too.

"So...are we safe?"

"For now," Crowley, Muriel answered the question, "...but Nathanael is right. Once Aziraphale is back on her feet, we need to get behind it. This is only a temporary solution! Besides, if Heaven is really planning the Second Coming, time is also an important factor!"

"In that regard, after all, it's only our physical bodies that are in danger," Muriel remarked, and Crowley shrugged.

"Frankly, though, I don't want the Earth to perish either," Aziraphale muttered. "...There too! I almost...!"

Aziraphale bit her lower lip and shook her head with narrowed eyes.

"Angel, again, that wasn't really you!" admonished Crowley, and Nathanael, as well as Muriel, agreed with him with a gesture.

Aziraphale said nothing, merely took a deep breath and then screwed up his face.

"I think that's enough for today!", Nathanael realised the situation and walked towards Aziraphale. "You need rest now, my friend!" Dejected but agreeing, the angel nodded slowly and Nathanael looked to Muriel. "Do you trust yourself to tend to the wounds?" she asked and Muriel pointed to herself.

"Me? Um...yes...just dab the wounds with holy water?"

"Exactly," Nathanael confirmed and then looked to Crowley, who seemed very aware of why Nathanael was taking this step. Without saying a word, he then followed his new acquaintance back into the bookshop.