Darkness Light

Just Talking

New chapter

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For a split second Ani felt sick and her world spun into a blur. Then, as quickly as it had started, it stopped. Her legs felt slightly wobbly, and the world still didn't feel quite straight, but she slowly opened her eyes. She gasped as she saw where she was.

Ani stood next to Stephen on top of the Eiffel Tower, an onslaught of memories rushed through her mind. Her growing up here, watching the tower be built, meeting Jake, dying again. A whole life time of memories flashed through her mind in a matter of seconds.

Stephen either didn't notice her sudden memory rush or he chose to ignore it. He smiled. "J'adore Paris. I remember when you lived here. Jake could tell you what life time, I'm horrible with that kind of stuff."

Ani held onto the railing and looked over Paris, it was a beautiful day it surprised her that no one else was up there. "I died here." She suddenly said. It was a strange thing to say, but she felt like it was important.

Stephen leaned against the railing and raised an eye brow. "Then why is this such a happy place for you?" His head tilted to the side slightly.

Ani took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "This is where I first realized that I loved Jake." She gave a small smile. At least consciously. She had loved him for a long time…she had just never given it a name because she feared what it was.

Stephen smiled back. "You know I was a Cherub before I fell, one of Fathers happiest Angels in charge of opening the gates to Earth. I used to watch humans a lot, so it wasn't a surprise that I saw you. You just looked so sad and heartbroken. But you were also scared. Two Demons had you trapped, so I came down to help you."

Ani looked down, without really seeing the ground. What she was really seeing was everything Stephen had just told her. Jake had left her, saying that he couldn't see her anymore. She had run blindly through the streets of Berlin, which had been that life times place. It didn't take long for the Demons to find her. "You saved me." She whispered as her memory showed Stephen appearing and saving her.

Stephen nodded. "Yup," he popped the p. "and I got kicked out of Heaven for it. Jake found me crushed and broken hiding in an abandoned barn. He thanked me for saving you and offered me a spot on his team. It helped me shine again." He looked at her. "Jake really is a nice guy. Vampires hate Cherubs, so it means a lot that he helped me and continues to help me."

Ani blinked and looked at him. "Why do Vampires hate Cherubs?" she couldn’t really think of a real reason for it.

Stephen laughed. "Because we're always happy. Vampires are dark creatures by nature and it takes a lot to make them happy, so they don't like that we're so happy. Jake says it’s annoying, but I help everyone unwind. Especially after you reincarnate, everyone is stressed then."

Ani nodded, that made sense. She needed to know more though; she would have to ask some of the guys about everything. Ani looked back down to the ground and took a deep breath. "I love this place."

Stephen chuckled. "Yeah. Jake said you were really happy here, it was one of the few life times you didn't have to move very much."

Ani was confused. "What do you mean?" move? Did she move every life time? How many things had happened that she had no memory of? Exactly how many life times had she lived?

Stephen shrugged. "They do find you, a lot more then we need. We move you every time they do and erase you from the memories of all the people who met you. It’s hard on you, but it keeps you safe. Jake tries his best to put off reincarnating you for as long as he can."

Ani suddenly sighed, so everything she knew was basically a well constructed lie to keep her safe. Wonderful. "We should be getting back." She whispered.

Stephen frowned. "Yeah. I guess we should."

Ani suddenly straightened as she felt the pull in her head become forceful, then disappear. She turned and faced the elevator doors. "You found us rather quickly."

Jake narrowed his eyes, he stood next to Samuel. "I am your guardian, I will always find you." He glared at Stephen. "You had no right to take her; no one would have hurt her."

Stephen shook his head. "Physically no, but the emotional damage was there. She's already been emotionally torn."

Jake took a step towards him. Samuel just seemed to be his transportation, because he just leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. "It is my job to protect her, I could have done it." His accent slipped through, Ani was going to have to remember to ask where it was from.

Stephen spread dirty grey wings. "The longer you drag this out Jake the more you hurt her. I have a feeling this is her last life time." He leaped into the air. "Think about it Jake." He disappeared.

Jake lowed his head, as he did Samuel pushed away from the wall. "I'll meet you guys downstairs." He walked into the elevator and pressed the down button.

Jake sighed as the elevator left. "Stephen is right. Something is different this time. You love more people." Ani jumped as he said that, she didn't love anyone other then him. Right?

She looked away. "Do you love me?" She whispered. She almost couldn't hear it herself, but she knew he had heard her.

"Does it matter?" He countered, avoiding her question.

Ani ran a hand over the railing and sighed. "It was here that I realized how much I love you."

She heard him growl. "You aren't allowed to love me."

She turned and faced him. "Why not?" this was very different from the last time they had this conversation in this very spot. Of course she had been about to die then.

Jake watched her for a moment. "I promised to protect you and not let emotions get in the way of that. It is the rules."

Ani walked over to him and shook her head. "I don't care."

Jake grabbed her arm and pulled her close. "Don't say that. Your heart is torn. Don't deny it either, I can feel everything you feel. I will return your love once you love me and only me." He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear; she could feel the burning warmth from his hand on her arm. "I forgot to tell you." He pulled away from her. "Luke is going to be staying with us, so to make use of him he's been put in charge of your training. He'll teach you your powers and answer any questions about history as he can. Anything he doesn't know you don't need to." Back to business as usual.

He headed for the elevator and stepped inside. "Are you coming?" He smiled. "Or am I going to have to come get you and drag you in here?"

Ani gave a small smile. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She rolled her eyes and walked into the elevator.

She may have not gotten many of the answers she wanted, but she got enough for today. One day she would have all of the answers. One day she would know exactly what was going on in Jake’s head.