A Second Chance

on the way home

This time only one car left this time. Jordon was in the front seat with Gabriel. Tina, Raphael and two huge books, which were with Jerome when he explains them about Windrunners, were at the back. None of them talked with each other.

Jerome said that one book contains Windrunners' history and the other is about researches done by various Windrunners on themselves. Tina borrowed both to know if she can do anything to get rid of Windrunners.

"Tina do you want to go home right now?" Jordon asked suddenly. "No" Tina said looking at Raphael, "but how about Raphael?" "Gabriel can drop him, can you?" Jordon asked Gabriel. He nodded. "Is it okay?" Then he turned to Raphael. The younger boy nodded. "Tina?" he looked at her. "Okay." She said. "Can you drop us here?" The car stopped. Jordon and Tina got out. "Take care Raphael." Tina said before she got out. Then the car went. Jordon looked at Tina and saw she was weight of two books are too much for her. He took the thickest book to his hand.

"What made you like the idea of working at night? Did you suddenly felt like imitating Nathan and Maroon?" Tina asked Jordon. "Things happened there, they were too much for me, Tina." Jordon said, with his calm smile. "I never thought about devil's privet army. So far it is just that, but I get a feeling worst is yet to come." He looked at the book when Tina placed a hand on his shoulder and he threw an arm around her waist. "Is this their motto?" Jordon took his finger on embossed, silver letters on deep blue book cover. Tina didn't notice it yet.

"Diabolus angelus fuit"

Devil was once an angel

"So they serve devil because he was once an angel. Great." Jordon looks exhausted. "No, that is something used to justify their deeds. They can say they do the things they do for an archangel." They both knew she was right. Jordon stopped to look at her. Suddenly both were thinking the same thing. Are the tasks of Windrunners so evil, so that they need an archangel to justify them?

****

Nathan has loosened three buttons of his shirt. The heat of the summer air was disturbing.

"What are you thinking?" Nathan asked her, noticing she was silent for all the time. "Nothing." Maroon said looking at him. "Look here Maroon; I know the whole concept of Windrunners is crazy, eerie even. I can't promise you 'I'll make it right' but whatever happens, we are gonna face it together." He said holding her hand. Maroon threw her arms around him. They forgot the heat. Nathan smelled her perfume and her sweat. They both were sweet.

"Thanks." Maroon said letting him go. They began to walk again, this time holding hands. Then they entered the path, in which Tina got shot, and they met Lucifer. Nathan saw Maroon shiver slightly. He tightened his grip, and look at her, assuring her he will be there for her. Maroon look at him and stretched her lips to faint smile. "I still can't believe everything happened. Sometimes I wake up and wish them to be nightmares, but then I see this," she looked at her mark. Nathan carefully chooses words to say. "In that case, you're not alone. I do it every morning." He said smiling.

Maroon loosened her hair and start do it again, lost in her thoughts. She was thinking how nice Nathan is, how handsome he is. All memories about him flooded into her mind. She downed to earth when one strand of her hair tangled somewhere. She turned her head and found Nathan holding it, looking at it as if he talks with it silently. Maroon stood watching. Then he caught her gaze and let it go.

"Nathan, have you got anything to tell me?" Maroon asked looking at him curiously.

He shook his head, and then smiled a sorrowful smile. Maroon got close to him and took his hand. "Nathan, are you sure?"

"Yes." He freed his hand from her grip. "Now go. Your parents must be wondering where the hell you went."

She turned reluctantly and took few steps ahead until a strong arm caught her and dragged her towards him. Maroon found herself collapse on Nathan's flat chest and abdomen, his arms around her waist. He pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear, and Maroon took her arms on his shoulders. Nathan bent and Maroon went to her toes. Their lips touched. They both felt the fragrance of their breaths; Nathan drew her closer, and deepened his kiss. When they took intervals to whisper each other's name or the words, 'I love you'. When they parted, both were smiling. Maroon's face was radiant than ever.

When Nathan walk back home, the smile on his face never left his lips. When he wakes up in the morning, as usual, he looked at the mark. It did not weight his heart as it always did. Some miles away, Maroon was thinking the same thing.