The Corpse and the Medical Examiner

Episode Fourteen

Crowley spent his days working, evenings searching, and nights sleeping and making a new bedroom. He wasn't sure why he did it. There is still the fact that they may never find Aziraphale again, but he held out hope, and anyways it was something to keep his mind occupied. With Queen playing through the flat he had it almost decent for a three day remodel.

Three days. Three days since Aziraphale left. No traces of his were anywhere. At least if it was still snowing they could find footsteps but not. It was edging up to spring and the weather was still cold as hell. He grumbled about it often enough for Dagon to snap at him for being a little bitch about it.

Anathema and the other two would be over in a few minutes, just to check notes and talk. It felt wrong without a bastard blond, but they were doing their best.

When they did arrive it was only minutes before someone was knocking frantically on their door. Crowley got up and flung open the door, staring at eye level he glared, but then his gaze trailed downwards.

There was a child at the door.

Four of them.

"Hello. You know Mr. Aziraphale right?"

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Using half the day to look through the woods was inefficient but it was all the Them could do without arousing suspicion to their cause. Said cause would sound absolutely nutters to anyone not the Them, but they were determined in this.

They got through a few yards everyday before day three. The they heard Wenslydale scream. The other three kids turned quickly, excited and a little scared to what spooked him so badly. It was a tree, it towered heavily even over the other tall trees. Its trunk was black like rot, and what looked to be blue algae covered the north side.

They looked at it in awe. Adam circled the thing before looking down and seeing a hand.

The person attached to that hand was inside the tree! Adam looked closer and saw that is was Mr. Aziraphale. Around him was frost covering the ground in the trunk, ice crawling up the inside like ivy tendrils. He tapped the mans arm.

They couldn't get him out of the place but they knew where he was. Adam tried to yell for him to wake up but he was fast asleep.

Pepper hummed and screamed louder, but the sleeping zombie didn't budge. She might have kicked him if she wasn't stopped by Brian.

So they came up with a plan, which involved finding the redheaded man from the woods. They set about the task as soon as they went back for lunch. They would soon be finished with their daring quest and they would have their villain player back.

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It didn't take long to find the redheaded man in town. He was by himself and they followed him around the market, being completely sure that he wouldn't see them

If they talk to him then, he might not believe them. Children's brains work weird. They followed him and saw him walk up a se of stairs to a flat. Ok, check on that. They now needed a picture of Mr. Aziraphale in the woods. That would make the man believe them easily! Cant fake a picture!

So they ventured back to their sleeping tree and took a picture, multiple actually, One of the tree, on of the inside of the tree and one of their zombie. They high-fived their victory.

All the steps were over with except the last one.

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"Hello. You know Mr. Aziraphale right?"

Crowley spluttered and nodded. The kids pushed their way into his flat and short circuits.

"Wait, you-"

"Yeah yeah. Don't go into a strangers house. We have something to show you." The girl said, and the boy who looked like the leader held up three pictures.

"We found Mr. Aziraphale!" he puts the pictures in a line on the coffee table. Crowley looks at the pictures and feels confused and shocked. Then he grins.

"He's still alive!"

The other three adults in the room looked at the kids and nodded.

Anathema takes a picture of the photos, "Where did you find him?"

"We can take you!" Said the one with dark brown hair.

Dagon tuts, 'Listen kids, we cant just go following kids we will look like creeps."

The one who looks like a leader rolled his eyes, "Well that sucks, you'll have to follow us."

The four adults meet eyes and all decidedly nod. They gesture for the kids to lead the way, before stopping it.

"Its too dark for you four to be out."

"Well then no one will see us slinking about!"

Fair point, the adults conceded. Crowley locks his door behind him and they are off.

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The walk is dangerous in the day, and the adults have all taken out their phones and uses the flashlight on them. The kids march through a path without fear, as if they had been through this junkyard before over and over again. Which they have.

They lead them through the trees and then come to a stop at the blackened trunk of the dead mans bed. The leader of the children turns and gestured. Crowley walks fast to the opening and stares sadly at Aziraphale. He places a hand on his pulse and feels nothing, but that isn't unusual.

He shudders with how cold the blonds skin is and he feels his grief catch up with him. He carefully tucks it back into him brain for later perusal when he isn't surrounded by his friends and random children.

With a deep breath he starts thinking.

"Are you going to kiss him awake like one of those kid movies?"