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

Being human - New challenges

"...and yet here we are. Sometimes the unexpected comes when you don't need it...", Aziraphale sighed and Nathanael folded his arms. "Were you actually able to spot anything on the map?" she asked and the addressed shook his head in frustration. "Unfortunately, no. However it was done, it didn't set off any alarms..."

"It was to be expected, though," Crowley had to admit and Muriel nodded in agreement.

"We do have one small advantage though," Nathanael thought aloud, "By being human now, you are invisible. To heaven and to hell. One would have to go to extreme lengths to find you..."

"Doesn't make up for the problems it causes now though," Crowley growled and Aziraphale sighed.

"How are your wounds as a result?" Aziraphale shifted her shoulders at Nathanael's question and bobbed her head back and forth.

"Better, honestly." he marvelled, and Crowley lifted his shirt briefly to look at it. "As a human, of course, you are freed from the influences of the sky that, had aggravated the wound. The injuries can now heal more quickly as a result."

"That's something," Muriel now tried to think positively too. "Besides, we can now move about entirely freely," Crowley rejoined, "except..."

"Muriel should still avoid it and I'm honestly not pushing my luck either after all that's happened!", Nathaniel continued to think, "...however, this really is a small advantage."

"Crowley and I can follow clues if necessary, should we find any," Aziraphale now agreed and Crowley nodded in agreement.

"Still...", Aziraphale then continued, "...I don't even know what all we have to look out for now. Humans have needs, have to take care of their bodies to survive. Sure, we know a little bit about that through our temptations but..."

"...that's what I'm here for now! You said so yourself," Nathanael assumed her role, "it's best if I make you a first notepad. A little helper that you can stow in your pockets."

"That I'll ever need a thought aid for life...especially after over 6,000 years..." mused Crowley, following everyone to the seating area after Nathanael took two small papers, as well as a pen from the desk.

"So," Nathanael began after she had sat down cross-legged on the floor so that the others could use the seating area. She had placed the papers on the floor.

"The two most important things ahead: Hunger and thirst. These express themselves with stomach growling and dry throat. Should you ignore this, pain, dizziness, nausea can result. AND: don't fight it with alcohol!", Nathanael looked at Crowley briefly admonishingly, "your bodies will not simply experience intoxication now. They will also react to the negative sides of stimulants."

"Well great," Crowley growled, sinking deeper into the chair.

"Equally important now is sleep. It's no longer just to clear the mind a little. Rest is important. Your bodies need to recharge, as it were, as the battery slowly runs down."

"That was to be expected," Aziraphale sighed again.

"For me personally, the most important thing about you: You can't be too lax with your bodies anymore! No risky actions! Even if I and Muriel can heal you with miracles, our options are also limited!"

"From the dead, you cannot bring us back, after all," came it darkly from Crowley, and while Nathaniel nodded in agreement, Aziraphale and Muriel swallowed hard.

"All these challenges people have to live with...and yet they love life..." murmured Muriel, "...and they are treated by the authorities like pawns in a power struggle..."

After Muriel's remark, Aziraphale, Crowley, as well as Nathanael inhaled sharply and looked at the inexperienced angel with wide eyes.

"What did I say wrong now?" the latter whispered in intimidation, and winced when Nathanael stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Muriel, you fucking genius!" she said mysteriously.

"PLEASE?" the woman addressed asked back in a squeaky voice for that reason, and as Aziraphale put her hands to her face, Crowley kicked one of the pillars, regretting it at the same time with a pain in his foot.

"This is filthy! Absolutely filthy!" grated Aziraphale between the cracks of his fingers and Crowley massaged his temples.

"But brilliant! You've got to hand it to the old man," he added to his gesture and Nathanael moistened his dry lips.

"I still understand station," Muriel had to admit.

"Pawns! He has made us pawns Muriel, just as you said!", Aziraphale began to explain after he had lowered his hands again, "Should the second coming come soon, as suspected then..."

Now realisation seemed to dawn on Muriel as well. "Oh," she whispered, "oh, that's absolutely mean! Surely he can't do that!"

An uncomfortable silence fell. While Crowley was visibly trying hard not to explode with anger, Aziraphale shook his head over and over again and his eyes were dim.

"Okay, yes the situation is...not ideal," Nathaniel began after a while, managing to pull himself together at the last moment to avoid using a swear word, "...but we can't let this get us down. If we do, everyone wins...except us!"

Her voice was firm, even iron. Even though she blamed herself greatly inside, she had come to realise that she was now the driving force.

"You're right," Crowley joined in, "and I don't want that at all. In fact, it's a very good motivator. We've had to put up with so much already, but this is the last straw!"

Aziraphale nodded in agreement. "So if my rose-coloured glasses hadn't fallen off before, they would have by now at the latest!"

"Absolutely!", Muriel confirmed him and Nathaniel smiled with satisfaction. "There you go, that sounds different."

"I'm still scared," Aziraphale admitted in a trembling voice, looking up as Nathanael stood in front of him and then knelt down. With one hand, she also motioned Crowley to join her and he moved closer with the chair and took it.

"This is normal!" Nathanael's voice was now tender, caring. She sounded almost like a mother who was now teaching her children a new lesson in life.

"Anything new is scary. It's more than ... well ... human! Whatever challenge will come now - it will be mastered! We don't even allow any other possibility. We accept what we are given and go for it!"

As Crowley nodded hesitantly, Aziraphale's eyes widened and he smiled sadly as Nathaniel winked at him.

"Using my own words against me..." he chuckled softly and Nathanael shrugged as now Crowley was also looking at them with a mischievous grin. "Those are really good words!" praised Muriel.

"I should have guessed they were coming from you, Angel!", Crowley now had to admit as well, and Aziraphale now took Nathanael's free hand.

"Offspring..., if you had known what was coming..."

"...I would have done exactly the same!", Nathanael interrupted her mentor immediately, "...as I said, you are worth it! We are worth it! It's time for things to finally change, and until then, we're going to figure out how to undo Metatron's mess. No matter what comes! Every challenge will be met. Muriel and I will support you in everything!"

As if she had taken the hint, the woman addressed stood up, knelt beside Nathanael and now placed her hands on the entire weave.

"No matter what!" she said in a rock-solid voice, beaming her big smile at everyone.