Rising Light

Chapter 7: The Healing Power of an Angel

A lonely piano was a terrible sight to see. Kate hated it, hated seeing an instrument used simply to decorate a space rather than to fill it with music, with love, with the messages that came from the notes on a page, or that came to the player as they stroked the keys. She glanced around the shopping center, noticed that there was no one nearby so much as giving the grand piano a passing glance. They all just seemed to move around it without really noticing it was there, lost in their own worlds.

Without thinking she moved towards it, slipping between groups of people, already thinking about what she was going to play, about what music she was going to fill the space with. Old songs that her mother loved to perform all came back to her, the sheet music that she kept in her purse from her father. But that wasn't something she'd play in public, that was her own, to take her time to figure out.

She slipped onto the stool, played a couple of keys, a few chords, before settling into it. The chords were coming back to her without her needing to think about them too much. She closed her eyes, let the music take over.

It wasn't until she got to the end of the piece that she realised a crowd had gathered around her. The applause told her that there was more than just a few of them. She didn't open her eyes though, instead she just kept playing, not wanting to stop the magic that it was creating.

That was, however, until her phone buzzed. She contemplated just letting it ring, too lost in the music, but the insistent vibration was ruining the sound.

With a sigh she picked it up, heard the crowd muttering slightly but paid them little heed. The music was, after all, as much for her as it was for them.

She groaned at the four messages John had sent, telling her to get back. They had a case, and it was one that she needed to see to believe.

"Aren't they all?" she murmured, deciding to finish the piece before going. John could wait, his summonings would still be there in a few seconds, after all, and there was still unfinished music to play.

_______________

"Snakes?" Kate questioned as she stuffed her duffel bag with clothes. Of course when she came home she was going to find out that some preacher had been bit by a poisonous snake and came back to life with the power to heal.

"Are you afraid of snakes?" Zed asked.

Kate shook her head. "Not really. I fear things that try to actively kill me."

"Like demons."

"Or John when I try to make him quit smoking. It isn't pretty." She zipped up her bag. "So how did your art class go? Meet anyone cute yet?"

Zed rolled her eyes but there was no hiding the glow of her skin and the smile on her face.

Kate's grin widened. "Who is it? Oh my god, don't tell me its a nude model."

Zed's blush deepened. "His name is Eddie. I'm getting dinner with him on Thursday."

"I have to internet stalk this guy. Do you have a last name?"

Before Zed could answer, John popped his head in. "You two done gossiping? We need to get going. Kate, since Chas isn't here, you're driving."

Kate smiled. "Sure, John, whatever you say."

John thought about what that smile meant before he tossed the keys at Zed. "You're driving. At least you have decent taste in music."

Kate grabbed a pillow off her bed and tossed it at the door. John narrowly avoided it, closing the door behind him as she called out, "Carly Rae Jepsen is real music!" She looked at Zed. "He has absolutely no taste. Now, tell me everything."