Wrong Time

Chapter 35: Time To Choose

·Grace's POV·

"Y-you're m-my what? Okay, it's official. I've really gone crazy in the end."

"I know it may be too much information after what you just went through and it's going to take time to sink in, but you both need to hear the truth."

"We are all ears." Archer answered by my side, still holding my hand. Before Ella started to talk, he squeezed it a little.

"Our fight with what you call 'the darkness' is as old as time. It was a spirit, like you Archer. However, it was an evil spirit. After the archangels noticed its obsession with inhabiting Grace's body, they knew it was time to act. That's why they trusted me for the mission. As your guardian angel-" She continued explaining, looking straight at me."-my job is to protect you from anything that might cause you pain. So, to crash the darkness' plans of possessing you, we decided to add Archer into your nightmare. I knew you would try to find the owner of the unknown voice and it led you to him."

She then turned her head towards Archer.

"As for you, I'm sorry to say we kind of made use of your state to our profit. Don't get me wrong, you being a ghost was the darkness job. Nevertheless, it was us who dragged you into all of this mess. You have always wondered how is it possible that Grace is the only person who can see and touch you. Well, that was because of us too. Call it an archangels' gift for you two. It was necessary though, for you to meet each other. Otherwise, that evil being would still be here, giving us a splitting headache."

"Is it gone forever?" I dared to ask.

"We can't know for sure yet, Grace. Maybe it will return, maybe not. For now, it's as dead as a dodo." Ella laughed at the expression she used. "What I know is that he won't be brave enough to cross paths with you again, that I can promise you."

"Thank God for that." Archer let out a sigh. "What will happen to us now that we've destroyed the darkness?"

"Grace's life won't change that much, although this time she will finally get some sleep. The nightmares aren't coming back either."

After two long, agonizing years, I will be sleeping without any inconveniences. Bye bye bags under my eyes. Hello eight hours of sleep. I'm free once again and I love the feeling.

It didn't take long to disappear again, giving way to anxiousness when Ella kept speaking.

"And you Archer, your case is very special. You were murdered forty years ago, when you were seventeen. Do you think it was your time to leave?"

"If we're being honest here, no. I don't think so."

"We don't either. You had a bright future ahead of you."

"What's your point?"

"I'll show you..."

She then put her fingers on top of Archer's forehead. Various images passed through my mind, seeing the same as him. I guess it's because of the contact between our hands.

Firstly, we saw Archer returning home for Christmas from St. George and reuniting with his brother - who ran towards him and hugged him tightly, telling his older brother how much he's missed him.

Then, a graduated Archer came into sight holding his diploma before an office appeared in front of us. He was wearing a suit and sat a chair while speaking through the phone. Hanging on the wall, there was a plaque where it read:

Archer Gray Sutcliffe
Boss

What caught my eye were the golden wedding ring around his finger and the photo on top of his desk. It was a picture of two little boys, who were no more than 6 and 4 years old.

His sons.

Just after that, we returned to reality.

Tears sprang my eyes after what we had witnessed. Archer would have had it all. The successful job, the happy marriage, the beautiful children. The perfect life.

He was in shock at the moment. Why wouldn't he be? He's watched the life he won't ever have slipping through his fingers.

"Why would you show me this?" Archer whispered.

"The archangels want to do you a favor. Apart from having died way before you were supposed to, you have saved Grace two times today, right?"

"Yes..."

"As you may have not noticed, she is the descendant of your murderer. Archer, you've saved the granddaughter of the person who killed you. Not once, but twice. That, in Heaven, is what we call forgiveness."

Not getting what she meant with all that, Archer prodded:

"And...?"

"We've decided to give you two choices. One, we'll provide you with your human body again. You'll start living your life as if nothing had happened, all because you weren't prepared to die back in the day and you've learnt to really forgive someone. And two, we'll offer you a job as a guardian angel. That way, you can look after your family and friends you left behind from a distance, before you all reunite again. What do you say?"

Okay, that was unexpected. I'm seriously hoping he chooses the human body. That way we will be together and he'll finally talk to his family. God, let that be his answer. However, what came out of his mouth was this:

"Can I think about it? I don't want to rush my decision. In addition, this is all too much for me. I need some time to wrap my head around it."

"Take all the time you need. We'll be waiting for your response."

Ella hugged me and concluded:

"I'm so proud of the woman you have become Grace. You are stronger than you think, don't forget that. No matter what happens." She glanced at Archer. "It was a pleasure to finally get to know you in person. I'll be up there watching over you sweetheart, okay? "

"Okay. Thank you, for everything Ella."

"That's what I'm here for."

And with a wink, she vanished.

Silence fell between the two of us. Archer stood next to the armchair while I was starting at him.

"Do you have any idea of what you're going to do?"

"I don't know... I mean, of course I want to be alive again, but... What if it is not my destiny? What if I can prevent what happened to me from happening to other children? I'll be able to protect my family from above. I'll be able to protect you." He tried to touch the side of my face, wet from all the shedded tears. I didn't let him though.

"You are leaving me." I muttered.

"I didn't say that, love."

"You are thinking about it, for God's sake!"

"Understand me, please."

"YOU understand ME. I told you I love you, overcoming my fear of losing you. And now that you have a fucking choice, you bail on me?! Is that fair? This is what I didn't want, for you to leave me brokenhearted. All those things you've said to me about giving us a shot, all for nothing. But you know what? It's going to be what you decide. It's your life, not mine after all."

"Grace... I must think about it."

"I know and I'll leave you to it. Before I get going, let me tell you something. I love you, more than you'll ever imagine. That feeling won't change, I can assure you. It doesn't matter if you are down here or up there. Do what you really want and think it through, unbiased my presence. Bye Archer."

I kissed him one last time and left him there dumbstruck.

Who knows if this is our last moment together.

                                *****

A.N: What will Archer choose? Will he stay or will he leave? Keep reading!
Love,
M³