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

The Return - Elion

"Control?"

"Control!" confirmed Nathanael after they had stopped. "And how are you going to do that?"

"I have a map in my car that shows everything in the sky - get it once on a job and then just keep it - because it's still pretty handy. If an alarm has been raised, it should be on the map too."

"You're already making things extremely complicated..." rolled Crowley's eyes, but nodded afterwards, "...but good idea. You'll just be out by the car?"

"I think it's better if I leave the sheltered quarter. Just to be on the safe side. Not that you'll find a gap then," Nathanael replied to Crowley's question and he folded his arms. "Because of me...but please take care of yourself!"

With a grin, Nathaniel tilted his head and plucked a small ball of dust from Crowley's pitch black shirt. "What, is the good Lord Demon worried about me?"

"Now get out of here!" groaned Crowley, turning Nathanael around and shoving her towards the door so she wouldn't catch sight of his brief smile.

Not knowing that Nathaniel had known exactly why he was doing this. Without a word of protest, she ran out of the bookshop, took out her keys and got into the car.

She decided to leave the neighbourhood and park the car again near a park. She opened the storage compartment of her MG and took out the aforementioned card. A folded, thicker paper she got out with and spread it on the bonnet.

In fine lines an entire overview of the sky had been drawn. So had Michael's office, where most of the alarms had gone off.

As expected, however, none had been recorded. "At least something," sighed Nathaniel with relief, folding the map back up, "...but, that he hadn't noticed..."

"...Right, you can't assume that!"

Startled, Nathaniel winced and turned around. Eyes wide, she gazed upon a young, dapper angel of the male gender in a fine suit of the finest fabric. The cheekbones were finely curved, the eyes ice blue and the blond hair was combed straight.

"Elion..." she gasped and the addressed man smiled. "Long time no see, Nathaniel. The last time was when you turned down Metatron's offer to join us!"

"Oh you mean the great squad that clips the wings of other angels?", Nathanael had quickly collected herself and her voice was drenched in venom.

"We had to make an example, my love," Elion began quietly, "Aziraphale is a traitor and you know it. Even if you enjoy other freedoms, you too know the limits. And these he had far exceeded. Then Metatron also offers him an optimal opportunity and he doesn't even use it!"

Contrary to his youthful, refined appearance, Elion's voice was deep and even monotone.

"Optimal opportunity..." laughed Nathaniel appraisingly, sitting down on the bonnet. "He'd rigged it. One of the cheapest tricks to get to his goal!"

"He is acting in the best interests of all Nathanael. Remember, there is a second purge coming up soon and everything must be ready. Actually, we don't have time for such trivial side issues!"

"Trivial?" gasped Nathanael in shock, running his hand through his hair, "Trivial! Sure!"

"That you of all people should harbour such hatred towards him! He gave you a privilege that is given to so few. You were the first to experience it and yet you treat Metatron like a leper!" Nathanael's gaze turned silver after Elion's lecture, but she remained sitting on the bonnet. Saying, she did nothing. Didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being amused by her anger anymore.

"Anyway. I'm really only here to clarify Metatron's words again. You are playing an extremely dangerous game here, my dear! You are working with a traitor and a demon!"

"You make it sound like a business relationship...", Nathaniel could only shake his head. "Please! You can possibly still be friends with a traitor, but not with a demon! Be glad this is all happening behind closed doors, otherwise I would have had this..."

Elion did not even get to finish his threat. In an instant, Nathaniel had jumped up and stood on tiptoe in front of Elion. Warningly, she had extended a forefinger. "Don't you dare get too close to Crowley. Or Aziraphale for that matter! You've done enough damage! Be glad, those two are already on Heaven and Hell's keel!"

For the first time, the corners of Elion's mouth moved slightly upwards. In one quick movement, he had grabbed Nathanael's hand and before she could react, Elion's skin lit up and a fiery hot pain slid through the female angel. Without meaning to, she had cried out and dropped to her knees.

When Elion let go again, Nathaniel's hand was marked with a burn in the shape of Elion's.

"Never raise a threatening gesture to a judicial angel, my dear!" admonished Elion, taking a handkerchief from his trouser pocket with which he cleaned his hand of Nathanael's blood.

"And be sure of one thing, I will make a report to Metatron. What he will do I cannot tell you, of course, but...I would keep my eyes and ears open!"

"Go to the..."

Nathanael raised her head and Elion had already disappeared. "Son of a bitch," she cursed softly, standing up and grabbing the map with her healthy hand, stowing it back in the compartment of the car. She sat down in the driver's seat and took out a thin black scarf from the same compartment, which she tied around her injured hand.

Letting the adrenaline of anger take over, Nathaniel started the engine and drove back to the neighbourhood, where she parked her MG behind Crowley's Bentley again. Hastily, she had taken the card out of the box, got out and ran back to the bookstore where she placed the card on Aziraphale's desk before subsequently the pain now took over and forced her to her knees.

Not knowing if Aziraphale had returned to sleep in the meantime from exhaustion, she pressed her lips together, pressed the injured hand against her chest and fell to her knees. Suppressing a sound, Nathanael's anguish expressed itself through tears that gathered in her eyes. "Damn...damn...damn..." she whispered like a mantra, feeling her whole body begin to tremble.

"Little one!"

Nathanael lifted her head and could see Crowley spotting her and coming towards her, goose-stepping. "What happened?" Nathanael merely shook her head and tried to turn away, but Crowley was quicker, undoing Nathanael's weave in front of her chest. "What the..." He untied the makeshift bandage and pulled off his glasses so he could get a good look at the wound.

"Elion..." escaped the demon, folding the glasses with his free hand and then hanging them on the collar of his shirt.

"Wanted to scare me...I went too far too...should know a court angel, can do damage with bare hands too..." said Nathaniel, biting his lower lip as Crowley had briefly run his finger over the burn.

She felt Crowley's gaze and looked deep into his yellow eyes, for the first time. "He had said that if it wasn't all so secret, he would have done something to you by now...I just saw red and threatened him..."

Nathanael's face contorted. This time, however, it was not from pain but because her dams were breaking. The tears that had been gathering now found a way down her cheeks.

"Little one..." whispered Crowley, moved.

Besides Aziraphale, no one had ever done anything like this for him. Because of a threat to him, Nathaniel had spoken up to an angel of the court and was now paying the price in great pain.

"Come...first we'll take care of this, then you'll tell me everything," he said, regaining his senses and putting an arm around Nathanael so he could support her as she stood up. "I just need holy water, then I can do the rest on my own!"

"Fiddle-dee-dee, now let me help you, little one! We'll manage somehow. Muriel is watching over Aziraphale, who is asleep, so you don't have to worry about him!", Crowley replied immediately and went with Nathaniel to the kitchen.