The Corpse and the Medical Examiner

Episode Twenty-Two

Waking up in the hospital was disorienting. Crowley was trying not to go blind from the pure whiteness and he groaned in annoyance. He would recover, just a few more days in the hospital would be great. The news channel covered the case, and he grinned when Aziraphale wasn't mentioned anywhere.

Speaking of the blond, he was going to be visiting him today. He visited him every day but still, he loved the visits.

"Hello dear."

He turned and smiled, "Hey zombie."

Aziraphale smiled and handed him a small bag of baked goods, "You are always complaining about hospital food."

"Thank you." He opened the bag and was already going to eat a huge cookie. The blond giggled.

"The Them and Warlock wasn't to visit you tomorrow. I told them I would ask if you could see them."

Crowley nodded, "Yeah, might as well see the antichrist and his little demons."

"And your nickname for Warlock. Hellspawn was it?"

"He was a little bit of a brat when he was tiny zombie you can't blame me." He took a bite of the cookie and grinned.

He swallowed before speaking, because he was a well mannered lover, "These are great as always."

Aziraphale smiled, taking his hand. Crowley gave it a squeeze.

"I thought you were going to die."

They hadn't talked about it yet, because Crowley didn't want to think about what could have happened. He didn't want to think about how he could have left everyone. Though he would have easily given his life for those kids, no matter how annoying they sometimes got. Which was never, he was just being contrary.

"I know angel. But you protected us." he placed the worrying blonds hand over his heart.

"I'm still kicking."

Aziraphale smiled, his eyes still a little watery, taking a shaky breath he popped his fingers.

"Agent Swatter saw the whole thing."

"...yeah."

"What do you thin we can do?"

Crowley thought for a moment, "Make them think that it was all a hallucination?"

Aziraphale looked like he was seriously contemplating it but sighed, "that wouldn't be right."

"You getting taken by the FBI isn't right zombie."

Aziraphale hummed, his mouth was pouty and Crowley made a noise.

"Hey. Enough of the sad things. Gimme a kiss."

This got him the treat of rolled eyes and a soft kiss. He grinned and yawned.

"Anathema is amazing with excluding details." He commented, as the news played the same story for the Ten Thousandth time.

"Yes she is. If it had been anyone else we may have not gotten away with this for so long." This Crowley agreed with. Anathema is a huge reason they keep such a good secret.

"mmm Zombie."

Aziraphale chuckled, "Yes?"

He made a kissy face, all of this affectionate behavior he can blame on the medicine they keep him on. So he has no shame at this moment.

The blond rolled his eyes and kissed him again softly. Then a nurse came in and ushered him out, saying that Crowley needed his rest. He did as told and left with a wave. Crowley pouted but he did feel tiredness rest on his chest.

So he went to bed.

---------

Aziraphale walked into the flat with a sigh. The house felt empty. He wondered if this is how Crowley felt after he had run off. Flicking on the lights he saw the agent in his house.

"What the fuck?" That was the first time he had sworn in forever, he broke his streak!

"What are you?" The agent threatened. They had nothing that would hurt him, and frankly they were trembling.

Aziraphale blinked a few times. He wondered what he should say. The agent was shaking harder now, looking like they would fall over.

"I am dead. I am not a zombie as much as they use that nickname. One day I woke up and it was years after I had died and somehow Crowley had woken me up."

Swatter nodded. Then they ran past him to the door and his reflexes were faster than his brain. He had snatched the back of their shirt.

"You cant tell anyone."

"No one will believe me." They broke away and left.

Aziraphale watched the agent leave and felt lost. He locked the door behind him and went to bed.

---------

The day that Crowley was released from hospital, he was greeted by his friends in his home. Aziraphale had made his favorite foods, the Them plus Warlock had shown up with cards, Anathema and Newt came with board games, Dagon had showed up with a sleeping bag because she knew that none of them would be leaving.

Crowley may have cried. No one needed to know that though.

Playing monopoly lead to so many fights, and Aziraphale takes the kids home when he looses. It was late so he needed to do that anyway. He sent them home with leftovers for their parents and some backed goods.

When he got back Dagon and Anathema were the only ones left and they were squabbling over the railroads. Crowley had taken to laying on the couch with a glass of juice. He was rooting for Dagon, even if she was a dick sometimes.

Aziraphale smiled at the scene and sat next to Crowley's head, to which the redhead situated himself so that his head was in the other's lap.

This joy was like a balm to all their aching and uneasy souls. Crowley felt so much lighter than he did before. It was easy and carefree. He felt like things were back to normal, he felt like life had finally righted itself.

Anathema saw everyone living and safe. She had visual reassurance that all of her friends, happy, sane and healthy. There was nothing to worry about anymore.

Dagon wasn't there for most things, but she could be there to make the people she had grown closer feel less alone and sad.

Aziraphale no longer had to come home to an empty house.