The Devil Tips His Hat To Me
Josh exhaled, and slumped to the floor. Or he imagined that he was. This sense of a lack of body was unnerving, as was the fact that he had no idea how long he had been there and already it felt like an eternity. Believing that he wrapped his arms around himself Josh whispered, “I can’t feel him anymore.” Jack was almost gone and the knowledge was terrifying for Josh; he wanted to scream, and to cry, and although some would scoff at how easily some of the souls cast into this abyss had given up he couldn’t blame them. He was the newest, had technically been there the shortest, and he already felt as though he was just going to wash his hands of everything and let himself sink into the unnaturalness that was limbo’s endless realm.
“Don’t give up,” the soft female voice spoke. Josh quirked a small, weak smile in her direction. Even though she was an angel it was still difficult to fully comprehend how kind Lucifer’s soul-mate was, especially when she was half of the responsible sire-pairing to create someone as dangerous as Randy. “Giving up will be the end of you, and even if they come to rescue you they will not find you,” the sense of guilt Josh felt was admittedly weaker than it would have been had he been completely able to say that he was completely sure that he wasn’t getting out of there. She believed it even though it had never happened before, and the pleas on her own behalf had been ignored. It boggled his mind; she really was so very strong.
“You really want to see them again, don’t you?” he asked softly and he could sense her nodding even though he couldn’t see her. “I do,” she lamented softly, “I’ve missed my son growing into a man, and now I’m missing being there to guide him in this situation with the one he loves. Lucifer’s grief will have made him protective I know, but it’s not the same. Randy will have been left to do what he wants when he wants to do it because Lucifer couldn’t.” John found it strange that he was actually beginning to sympathise with the likes of Randy and Lucifer, but when he was talking to her… It was hard not to. Despite everything she still held her pureness, even though it was weighted down by untold melancholy and sheer longing.
“I’ve told you about my family,” she said suddenly, surprising Josh by the sudden abruptness, “Now tell me about your soul-mate. He seems like the determined sort.” Conjuring Jack in his mind Josh sighed wistfully, most definitely mushily, and had he been in his complete corporeal form he would have been embarrassed by how much of a pre-adolescent he probably sounded when speaking about his loved one, “The first time I saw him… I thought he was just so manly.” It was the only word even now that seemed to fit, “He had just been brought to heaven for the first time, he had died in a rebellion against some tyrant ruler somewhere in the Americas… and he came storming into the Library where I resided most of the time.”
“And he told you that you were destined to be with him?” she asked suddenly and Josh’s jaw dropped. At least, he thought it did. A soft laugh sounded then and he could feel her shaking her head, “Lucifer did almost the same to me. I think it’s the characteristic of the more dominant angels,” she confided, “Oh he was charming about it but there was no doubt in his mind, and soon after I too knew… I’m guessing it was the same for you and yours?” she asked and Josh nodded dumbly. People never normally believed him when he spoke about his and Jack’s courtship because of how in love they were in their present relationship. Before he could say something though something sparked in his awareness and he turned around.
A thin column of light was standing in the centre of the floor, swirling as though made of smoke, as though it was so fragile it’d blow away if you so much as blew against it. And yet it was made of light… Heaven’s light. Josh had almost forgotten what it looked like. And, stunningly, from inside the column he heard Jack’s voice, shouting, calling to him, commanding and begging all at once. “Josh! Josh! Come back to me! Josh!” unbridled hope filled his chest and Josh could feel tears cascading down his cheeks. “I told you to have faith, little one,” said a soft voice and Josh turned, finally seeing Lucifer’s own in a corporeal body. Beautiful in her simplicity, ruined wings and all. Unknowing where the urge came from he held out his hand to her.
“Come with me.”
~:~
If he had been asked later on, John would never have been able to repeat exactly what was said when he and Chris went before God, not merely out of a sense of privacy but also because it was so fraught, so busy. God gave them no indication that he knew the whole story, although he clearly did, he asked for full explanations of everything that had happened. John found himself blushing as he stammered out the tale of what had gone on with him and Cody and yet he started to feel calmer. It was the presence of God that caused it, although it was bright and terrifying, there was also something almost relaxing about being judged by someone who could see into his heart and know that everything he had done had been done for the right reasons.
Shortly after their explanations had been heard, the Higher Ups were summoned as well. Try as he might, John couldn't tell if they too were blinded but their voices were afraid - all of their voices, speaking as individuals for the first time in his memory. They too put forward their reasons for their actions, but what John heard through the excuses was that they disapproved of all their relationships and most particularly Ted's, claiming it would compromise the angels, the mortals, Heaven itself. Lucifer's son was simply more of a risk than his minions and Ted more of a liability than other angels because of his wholly Heavenly nature.
Chris disputed this quite loudly and a little bickering commenced, although God put a stop to it quickly by simply striking them all unable to speak. John wondered if mortal parents wouldn't like the same power when their own children fell into the same behaviours.
They ask for it at least once a day, although rarely seriously. God sounded almost amused but quickly got sombre. There are others who are not here who should be. Christopher, return. Summon Jack and Mickie to me and then we shall have Josh brought back.
“What if he's lost?” asked Chris, almost timidly. Questioning God was rarely a good idea and his voice had only just been returned to him, he liked the sound of it too much to lost it again.
He is not but it is close. Hurry.
There was an impatient few minutes as the group waited for the return of Chris, Jack and Mickie and during it, God made it very clear that the Higher Ups were to loan their help to retrieving Josh. John wondered for a moment why He didn't simply take Josh back Himself, but this time he had a sneaking suspicion; Jack was probably the one Josh needed to see and that simply wouldn't be possible in the presence of God. And perhaps the Higher Ups needed a lesson in consequences.
“May I ask why Ted hasn't been brought here too?” he asked, not really expecting to get an answer. But God surprised him.
Ted is not in a place where he can be reached.
There was a gasp from the Higher Ups and John tried to open his eyes in his own shock, his body not letting him. God took little heed. And while it would be suitable to have the demons attend also, they cannot be in my presence at all. Not as they are now, not if we don't want harm. And perhaps it is better to address one thing at a time.
“Has that demon harmed him?” asked the female Higher Up, sounding perilously near to tears.
He is safe with Randeus, as he always has been.
Now there was some food for thought, but John didn't get much time to mull it over as he sensed the approach of Chris, Jack and Mickie. He withdrew along with the Higher Ups to greet them away from God and realised when he opened his eyes that it was as well they did. Jack was still in pain and freaked out. Had he had to deal with God as well, he might have done or said something he would come to regret.
“Do it now,” ordered Chris, addressing the Higher Ups. They clearly weren't fond of the order but they had higher ones and so started to chant almost inaudibly, their voices one once more. The volume rose, they made a synchronised, complicated hand gesture and suddenly the very air seemed to tear.
“Holy...” Chris stared as the rip hung in the middle of the air, a gap in the very fabric of existence. He was an angel, used to oddities and yet this one hurt his head just to look at it. The tear was undeniably there but he could easily have put a hand at either side. It was the strangest thing he had ever been witness to.
The rip tore down, across, but gained no thickness at all, two dimensional and yet when they looked fearfully inside there was clearly something moving in there. The auras that flooded out were painful, desperate, mournful and so unimaginably alone that John found himself moaning quietly, seeing Mickie back away from it with tears running down her face, Chris hesitating with a look somewhere between compassion and anger. But Jack never hesitated, stepping to meet the wave of despair and never flinching.
“Josh! Josh! Come back to me Josh!”
There was a long moment when everyone was expecting Josh to simply fall out of the tear. But there was nothing at all, no sign of the record keeper. Jack took another step forward, looking as if ready to step into the void. “Josh! Please baby, come back to Heaven!”
Still nothing. A long moment passed and the Higher Ups exchanged looks. “He is one with the void,” they concluded as a group.
“He is not and if you try to close this gateway I'll shove every single last one of you through it!” Jack moved perilously close to the void, trying to shake off John's hand lying cautiously on his arm. “Josh I know you can still feel me! Come back to me or I'm coming in there to get you!”
“JACK!”
The cry seemed to come from the air all around them and then suddenly centralise in the void. A hand shot out of the darkness, seemingly attached to nothing and Jack grabbed it, using his considerable strength to pull back. Josh emerged half-way from the void, one arm still trailing and Chris stared, feeling a little ill. His vantage point meant that it seemed as if Josh was a dismbodied torso floating in the air and it was very hard when he knew his eyes couldn't be trusted.
Jack grabbed Josh under his arms and pulled and suddenly Josh was free, falling into Jack's arms and knocking the off-balance angel to the ground. A second figure tumbled after him, barely noticed. Angels were attuned to witnessing beauty and seeing the two soul-mates reunited after coming so close to losing one another was a touching scene for them all. Tears ran freely from both Jack and Josh as they embraced, Josh trying to kiss every inch of Jack's skin while Jack tried to return them while checking his soul-mate for injuries.
“I'm fine Jack, just fine now I'm back with you--”
“I thought you were lost forever, I was so scared and it hurt--”
John was pretty sure that the Higher Ups were going to be in for all the wrath Jack had in his body when he finally deigned to pay attention to anyone that wasn't Josh, but for the moment the pair were far too involved with one another to care who else was there. He turned to see if they were closing up the void and paused. The looks of horror on their faces were out of place and all too real and he followed their line of sight to the figure he had paid barely any attention to, as caught up in Jack and Josh's reunion as the angels themselves. A female was getting to her feet, very young and very pretty judging by appearance alone, but those facts did not hide the ragged stumps protruding from her shoulders, devoid of either wings or the leathery membrane that covered the demons wings.
John went cold. Josh couldn't have brought back who he thought he had, surely.
“Throw her back!” hissed the female Higher Up, echoed by the others.
“I'm not a bloody fish,” said the woman rather haughtily. “And I believe that certain events concern me.”
“Nothing concerns you any longer, Fallen! You should be with the void!”
Josh turned his attention from Jack for a moment. “You leave her alone! She helped me, if it wasn't for her I would be as lost as the others in there and you had no right and no reason to send me to Limbo! How many other innocents did you send there as some personal vendetta?”
“We are not in the habit of condemning innocents to the void,” said the Higher Ups, so in tune it was impossible to tell from which the thought had oriented.
“So, I'm the one-off. I feel so honoured.” Josh hadn't even been aware he was capable of sarcasm until the words spilled from his mouth. “She has lived in the void for this long, and she's right. This does concern her.”
“She is cast out and has no right to be in Heaven--”
Jack almost bounced to his feet, advancing threateningly on the Higher Ups. “Damn you all. You have played with all of us present and still presume to give orders? To Hell with you! If Josh thinks this lady deserves better than you imagine, then I agree with him. I believe an audience with Him is in order.”
“He is already waiting for us,” said Chris, a little weakly.
“She cannot attend though--”
Jack rounded on the Higher Ups again. “She must be angelic since she hasn't had any adverse reaction to being here yet! Wings or no, I say we give her an audience with Him.”
“You presume much, for a young one.”
“And you are unimaginably stupid, for an Old One.” Jack kept one hand clasped with Josh's and joined the other with the woman. “If He wishes us to attend business with Him, then we shall not keep Him waiting - and if He allows me to be the one to pass judgement on you, you had better keep that portal opened.”
“You do not know who she is...”
The Higher Ups were roundly ignored as the rest of the assembled angels turned their backs and went back to speak to God.
The woman was shaking visibly and Jack squeezed her hand. “Don't worry. He would not let an injustice stand.”
“I don't believe he will think an injustice has been done,” the woman whispered.
“You saved Josh.” Jack's voice was solemn. “For that you have my eternal thanks and I will be happy to stand in your corner on this matter. I cannot promise success of course, but I shall do what I can.”
Chris and John exchanged looks. Clearly Jack hadn't realised who he was speaking to and there hadn't been time to tell him. He was in for a shock... but that was beside the point as they approached God and found themselves reacting, eyes closing against the radiance, limbs weakening.
Your faith in your soul-mate has served you well Joshua.
Josh merely nodded, unable to bring himself to speak. He had a lot of questions, like why it had been allowed to happen at all - but he wondered if it was something to do with the lady he had brought back with him.
Child. You have endured.
“Father--” The woman's voice was as clear as Josh remembered it from Limbo but there was a reverence there that had not been apparent even when she spoke of her soul-mate and child.
I do not need to ask if you understand. You cannot live in Hell, nor can you allow Lucifer to impose himself upon the mortal realm for a prolonged period. His presence there causes so much pain for the mortals. He is banished from Heaven. There is no place that you may be together.
“I realise that Lord.”
“There must be something,” said Jack, causing the other angels to gasp. No one took a belligerent tone to God and they weren't sure that the angel had realised even now what the issue was.
I appreciate your strength of feeling to she who saved your soul-mate.
“It's okay Jack,” she said quietly. “Do not interfere.”
Christopher, John, locate Theodore and you shall have further orders shortly. Take the time to reassure your demons. The rest of you, depart.
There was no question of disobedience and yet as they left they knew the order had not been meant for all of them. Sure enough, the woman did not leave with them and as they proceeded away from God, the Higher Ups accosted them.
“Where is she?”
“With Him.” John continued walking past, ignoring the rest of the words the Higher Ups spoke to him.
“Do not disregard us! We still speak for Him!”
“I think He's speaking for Himself right now.” Chris looked over at John. “Ready to head back to earth?”
“Ready to get about twelve hours rest. Hard shaking off mortality sometimes.” John chuckled a little, he was right about that part but he thought he could get by without the rest thanks to the rejuvenating effect Heaven tended to have on their kind. “Let's go. If we can catch up with Ted then perhaps we might get a little time with Cody and Evan before we're called back for our orders.” His face hardened. “Whatever the final judgement might be.”
~:~
Meanwhile, down in the Other Space, Ted was still atop Randy, Evan still frozen aside from them and Cody still sprawled out over the floor where he had been left.
It seemed as though Randy didn’t know how to respond; physically harming Ted was something that he seemed to struggle with the idea of, and yet he undoubtedly wanted to punish his lover for intervening. When he saw that there were a couple of tears of Ted’s cheeks he stilled, and then slowly reached up to brush them away. “Why are you crying?” he rumbled lowly, suddenly having the bad feeling that something he had done previously was the reason Ted was in pain now. When the angel spoke though the demon prince would have fallen over had he not already been on the floor like that, “Stop it Randy, you’re not supposed to treat your friends like that, you could have seriously hurt him if you had carried on any longer!”
Were it not for the finger-mark shaped bruises currently coming up along Cody’s throat the little demon would have laughed at the fact that Randy was being scolded; before this angel business he was pretty sure that no one, not even Lucifer, had scolded Randy in the entirety of his life. When it came to Randy many blind eyes were turned (or forced) and everyone knew to hold their tongues if they knew what was good for them. Evan slowly moved across to where Cody lay on the ground, grasping him by his shoulders and pulling him upright. His eyes were still fixed upon Randy, barely daring to breathe in case the other suddenly went into one of his tempers. Ted had seemed immune thus-far but with Randy you really never knew.
“You’re… crying for Cody?” Randy sounded almost confused and even Evan and Cody exchanged a small look at that; Ted might mean a lot to Randy and vice-versa but that didn’t mean either of them were obligated when it came to the others friends (or minions). Ted sniffed and wiped at his eyes on the back of his sleeve, not answering verbally but his chin jutted out slightly defensively as though daring Randy or any of them to say something about it. It was then that the angel recalled their surroundings and he shivered; this place wasn’t exactly angel-friendly even if he wasn’t experiencing any pain or obvious ill-effects from being there. “Where is everyone? Where are we? What’s happened?” he looked at the demons slowly.
A firm chiming from Evan’s pocket drew everyone’s attention and Evan’s hand shot into his pocket, pulling out the unusual pocket-watch. “It’s time,” he looked to Cody and Cody immediately looked to Randy and Ted, imploring Ted mostly since he knew Randy wasn’t being entirely logical with his decisions as things stood at the moment. “We need to go back to the house. John and Chris-we need to know if they’ve come back from heaven or not.” An angry growl left Randy at what Cody had let slip and although Cody flinched, a hand subconsciously seeking out his throat, he didn’t relent. Randy looked as though he was going to refuse, but when Ted got off of his lap smartly it seemed he had no choice on the matter anymore.
“They went back?” Ted demanded, although the unspoken ending to the question was more weighted than that which he had spoken, they went back without me? The angel looked to Randy, expression serious and his eyes still that little bit watery from before, “We need to go back. I don’t care what you’ve done Randy, or intended to do, but you can’t keep me from them over something this important!” he then paused, realising the way Cody had phrased his wording from before, expression closing slightly, as though he had to ask because he didn’t know but he already knew that he might not like the answer when he received it, “What did you mean by see if they had returned Cody?” he asked and then added, “Evan?”
The demons exchanged a look before Evan then turned to him, “We should go back and then everything will be explained, to both of you.” Cody was already pushing through the mirror and moments later Cody followed, Ted staring dubiously at the seemingly solid surface. Would he just be able to push on it the same way and go through? Something felt off here and he couldn’t put his finger on it. When a hand suddenly gripped into his hair and yanked his head down Ted squeaked in surprise, but then surrendered helplessly to the almost violent kiss that Randy had given him, stealing the very breath from his lungs and leaving him almost unnervingly light-headed when they pulled away from one another. Randy looked serious.
“Don’t think for one second that this means I’m just going to let you go waltzing off with them,” he muttered and Ted frowned slightly despite his quickened heart giving another skip of excitement, “I mean it Ted; I’ll move heaven and earth to make sure you stay with me. I think I proved that when I stood up to my father.” He then gripped Ted’s waist and pulled him over to the mirror. Ted felt as though he had been filled from head to toe with pins and needles as they passed through the mirror’s barrier and realised that he had been right when he suspected that he wouldn’t have been capable of passing through the Space on his own; it was demon controlled and therefore surrounded by their own power, counteracting his own almost.
When they reached the house Ted immediately sensed Chris and John--- and he could sense something was different. Concern filled the angel as he almost ran from the room, Randy right behind him. As he hit the landing atop of the stairs he saw Chris and John in the foyer, Evan and Cody fussing and shouting even as they pawed over the pair and expected every inch of them that they could without stripping their clothes off then and there. The tension in the room seemed to spike alarmingly though when John suddenly caught Cody’s chin in his strong fingers and then forced the demon to lean his head back, exposing the fresh bruising on his neck. However it was as discoloured as though it was a few days old.
John’s eyes were like iced-water as he stared up at Randy, his hands flexing dangerously, indicating his Fire was seconds from being called. Randy tilted his own chin haughtily, goading John without words to attack him if he thought himself capable of it. Without thinking Ted immediately placed himself in front of Randy, quietly murmuring for him to stop it, Cody hastily assuring John that the bruises were nothing--- when he asked about what had happened in heaven the two men’s faces changed most peculiarly, and they seemed to lose a great deal of their colouring. Ted wondered if they should go and sit down a while… and that couldn’t be from anything good could it? Grabbing Randy’s hand he started down the stairs.
Evan and Cody all but dragged their angels into the sitting room, placing them close to the fire and then pouring them generous measures of alcohol and forcing them to drink the entirety. Slowly, Chris looked up and met Ted’s eyes, seeing that their young friend seemed upset, as though frightened he was going to be scolded or forcedly dragged back to face some terrifying and divine punishment. They didn’t blame him though, and as things had turned out maybe it had been for the best that he hadn’t been there when they had confronted the Higher Ups… the knowledge that they had gleaned wasn’t exactly easy to comprehend, and the stuff about his parents and what they had participated in may have been enough to send him over the edge.
“Josh was in limbo,” Chris croaked, as though he had worn his voice down from shouting, Evan’s brow furrowing in concern as he heard it. “Josh was in limbo and He forced the Higher Ups to bring him back. He and Jack have been reunited,” even the news was enough to bring a tear to Ted’s eye again and he brushed it away softly murmuring a quiet prayer of thanks to Him for stepping in. “Is he OK? Why did they send him?” it was just impossible that someone like Josh could be sent to limbo when he hadn’t done anything even remotely close to what Ted would consider appropriate for such a punishment. Had he? It didn’t seem like he had been out of circulation long but he had no true idea as to just how much time had passed.
“It was a close thing,” John sounded as off as Chris, seeing something that none of them could, “He was almost lost to the void but… but someone saved him.” Incredulity was so strong in those gathered that Chris and John could feel it, and neither of them blamed them for the reaction; had they not witnessed the (miracle?) that they had just now then they probably wouldn’t have believed it either. “What are you talking about?” Randy’s voice was brusque and snappish, showing his feelings more than the closed expression on his face did. Evan and Cody exchanged a look, biting their lips slightly; Limbo had always been a sensitive topic for Randy, and in his youth he had researched it extensively after finding out about his mother.
“It’s not possible for people to come back from there, and it’s not possible that someone in there could have helped him,” he sounded bitter and hate-filled and John’s heart actually went out to him for a moment because although Randy hadn’t felt the residual emotions from the void the way he, Chris and Mickie had, he still seemed to understand that there was only one word to describe that place with, and that was: abandoned. Everyone sent there was abandoned, abandoned by those they trusted and cared about, even if those said people didn’t do it intentionally. “But she did,” Chris whispered, the awe and disbelief coming out of his own voice and Evan wrapped his arms around the blonde’s shoulders, rubbing them.
“She?” Ted repeated curiously and John nodded. However, before he could even begin to consider how he was going to explain what had happened, especially to Randy, he cut in, snorting somewhat as he asked, “So, what? Those Old Bastards-“Chris and John knew they should be offended but at the same time after all they had experienced back home found it hard to, though they did wonder if Randy would change his opinion of them should he know who two of them really were, “-brought back that mousy little library worker and that was easy and done and someone magically helped him when it’s also never been done before? Wow, isn’t he so very fucking special!” Randy was all but spitting the words out now.
“Randy-“Ted understood that this was a sore topic and that they were all stressed but he didn’t appreciate the way that his lover was speaking to his friends. When Chris and John both levelled Randy with suddenly deadly looks the other men in the room froze, staring at them. Ted didn’t recall ever seeing such expressions on their faces before and admittedly it frightened him. “John? Chris?” his voice came out a little more timidly than he’d intended but that couldn’t be helped. The abrupt movement of John standing almost dislodged Cody from the arm of the chair where he’d been curled around John’s shoulders, Chris almost dislodging Evan the same way although the demons managed to catch themselves in time.
“You should be putting Josh on a damned pedestal!” John barked and Cody found himself getting oddly turned on by the angry look on John’s face; his dimples were adorable but when his eyes got all flinty like that and his jaw was clenched… fuck, the man’s aura was spreading, enveloping everything and Cody could feel himself shivering and growing hard at once. Chris’ aura was also growing, the magnitude of the force alongside John’s causing Evan to unbutton his shirt, squirm in his seat and fanning at his face to try and calm down. Ted found himself shrinking back slightly, Randy standing in front of him. He looked coolly unruffled by the display, sneering at them both. “And why would I do that?”
Telling him was probably a bad idea, but with the way Randy had been acting and the way he had disregarded the miracle of Josh’s safe return (and so clearly missed the obvious point as to who had saved him) John found his temper suddenly exploding, voice booming like thunder as he bellowed, “Because your mother was rescued by Josh upon his retun, and is no longer in the void!” the effect of these words was devastating; Cody and Evan actually did fall off of the chairs they had been sat on this time, Ted swayed in shock, hands covering his mouth and Randy turned so white that his lips looked grey, not moving an inch. They couldn’t even see his pulse moving or his chest rise and fall with his breathing. He looked literally carved from stone in shock.
“Don’t give up,” the soft female voice spoke. Josh quirked a small, weak smile in her direction. Even though she was an angel it was still difficult to fully comprehend how kind Lucifer’s soul-mate was, especially when she was half of the responsible sire-pairing to create someone as dangerous as Randy. “Giving up will be the end of you, and even if they come to rescue you they will not find you,” the sense of guilt Josh felt was admittedly weaker than it would have been had he been completely able to say that he was completely sure that he wasn’t getting out of there. She believed it even though it had never happened before, and the pleas on her own behalf had been ignored. It boggled his mind; she really was so very strong.
“You really want to see them again, don’t you?” he asked softly and he could sense her nodding even though he couldn’t see her. “I do,” she lamented softly, “I’ve missed my son growing into a man, and now I’m missing being there to guide him in this situation with the one he loves. Lucifer’s grief will have made him protective I know, but it’s not the same. Randy will have been left to do what he wants when he wants to do it because Lucifer couldn’t.” John found it strange that he was actually beginning to sympathise with the likes of Randy and Lucifer, but when he was talking to her… It was hard not to. Despite everything she still held her pureness, even though it was weighted down by untold melancholy and sheer longing.
“I’ve told you about my family,” she said suddenly, surprising Josh by the sudden abruptness, “Now tell me about your soul-mate. He seems like the determined sort.” Conjuring Jack in his mind Josh sighed wistfully, most definitely mushily, and had he been in his complete corporeal form he would have been embarrassed by how much of a pre-adolescent he probably sounded when speaking about his loved one, “The first time I saw him… I thought he was just so manly.” It was the only word even now that seemed to fit, “He had just been brought to heaven for the first time, he had died in a rebellion against some tyrant ruler somewhere in the Americas… and he came storming into the Library where I resided most of the time.”
“And he told you that you were destined to be with him?” she asked suddenly and Josh’s jaw dropped. At least, he thought it did. A soft laugh sounded then and he could feel her shaking her head, “Lucifer did almost the same to me. I think it’s the characteristic of the more dominant angels,” she confided, “Oh he was charming about it but there was no doubt in his mind, and soon after I too knew… I’m guessing it was the same for you and yours?” she asked and Josh nodded dumbly. People never normally believed him when he spoke about his and Jack’s courtship because of how in love they were in their present relationship. Before he could say something though something sparked in his awareness and he turned around.
A thin column of light was standing in the centre of the floor, swirling as though made of smoke, as though it was so fragile it’d blow away if you so much as blew against it. And yet it was made of light… Heaven’s light. Josh had almost forgotten what it looked like. And, stunningly, from inside the column he heard Jack’s voice, shouting, calling to him, commanding and begging all at once. “Josh! Josh! Come back to me! Josh!” unbridled hope filled his chest and Josh could feel tears cascading down his cheeks. “I told you to have faith, little one,” said a soft voice and Josh turned, finally seeing Lucifer’s own in a corporeal body. Beautiful in her simplicity, ruined wings and all. Unknowing where the urge came from he held out his hand to her.
“Come with me.”
~:~
If he had been asked later on, John would never have been able to repeat exactly what was said when he and Chris went before God, not merely out of a sense of privacy but also because it was so fraught, so busy. God gave them no indication that he knew the whole story, although he clearly did, he asked for full explanations of everything that had happened. John found himself blushing as he stammered out the tale of what had gone on with him and Cody and yet he started to feel calmer. It was the presence of God that caused it, although it was bright and terrifying, there was also something almost relaxing about being judged by someone who could see into his heart and know that everything he had done had been done for the right reasons.
Shortly after their explanations had been heard, the Higher Ups were summoned as well. Try as he might, John couldn't tell if they too were blinded but their voices were afraid - all of their voices, speaking as individuals for the first time in his memory. They too put forward their reasons for their actions, but what John heard through the excuses was that they disapproved of all their relationships and most particularly Ted's, claiming it would compromise the angels, the mortals, Heaven itself. Lucifer's son was simply more of a risk than his minions and Ted more of a liability than other angels because of his wholly Heavenly nature.
Chris disputed this quite loudly and a little bickering commenced, although God put a stop to it quickly by simply striking them all unable to speak. John wondered if mortal parents wouldn't like the same power when their own children fell into the same behaviours.
They ask for it at least once a day, although rarely seriously. God sounded almost amused but quickly got sombre. There are others who are not here who should be. Christopher, return. Summon Jack and Mickie to me and then we shall have Josh brought back.
“What if he's lost?” asked Chris, almost timidly. Questioning God was rarely a good idea and his voice had only just been returned to him, he liked the sound of it too much to lost it again.
He is not but it is close. Hurry.
There was an impatient few minutes as the group waited for the return of Chris, Jack and Mickie and during it, God made it very clear that the Higher Ups were to loan their help to retrieving Josh. John wondered for a moment why He didn't simply take Josh back Himself, but this time he had a sneaking suspicion; Jack was probably the one Josh needed to see and that simply wouldn't be possible in the presence of God. And perhaps the Higher Ups needed a lesson in consequences.
“May I ask why Ted hasn't been brought here too?” he asked, not really expecting to get an answer. But God surprised him.
Ted is not in a place where he can be reached.
There was a gasp from the Higher Ups and John tried to open his eyes in his own shock, his body not letting him. God took little heed. And while it would be suitable to have the demons attend also, they cannot be in my presence at all. Not as they are now, not if we don't want harm. And perhaps it is better to address one thing at a time.
“Has that demon harmed him?” asked the female Higher Up, sounding perilously near to tears.
He is safe with Randeus, as he always has been.
Now there was some food for thought, but John didn't get much time to mull it over as he sensed the approach of Chris, Jack and Mickie. He withdrew along with the Higher Ups to greet them away from God and realised when he opened his eyes that it was as well they did. Jack was still in pain and freaked out. Had he had to deal with God as well, he might have done or said something he would come to regret.
“Do it now,” ordered Chris, addressing the Higher Ups. They clearly weren't fond of the order but they had higher ones and so started to chant almost inaudibly, their voices one once more. The volume rose, they made a synchronised, complicated hand gesture and suddenly the very air seemed to tear.
“Holy...” Chris stared as the rip hung in the middle of the air, a gap in the very fabric of existence. He was an angel, used to oddities and yet this one hurt his head just to look at it. The tear was undeniably there but he could easily have put a hand at either side. It was the strangest thing he had ever been witness to.
The rip tore down, across, but gained no thickness at all, two dimensional and yet when they looked fearfully inside there was clearly something moving in there. The auras that flooded out were painful, desperate, mournful and so unimaginably alone that John found himself moaning quietly, seeing Mickie back away from it with tears running down her face, Chris hesitating with a look somewhere between compassion and anger. But Jack never hesitated, stepping to meet the wave of despair and never flinching.
“Josh! Josh! Come back to me Josh!”
There was a long moment when everyone was expecting Josh to simply fall out of the tear. But there was nothing at all, no sign of the record keeper. Jack took another step forward, looking as if ready to step into the void. “Josh! Please baby, come back to Heaven!”
Still nothing. A long moment passed and the Higher Ups exchanged looks. “He is one with the void,” they concluded as a group.
“He is not and if you try to close this gateway I'll shove every single last one of you through it!” Jack moved perilously close to the void, trying to shake off John's hand lying cautiously on his arm. “Josh I know you can still feel me! Come back to me or I'm coming in there to get you!”
“JACK!”
The cry seemed to come from the air all around them and then suddenly centralise in the void. A hand shot out of the darkness, seemingly attached to nothing and Jack grabbed it, using his considerable strength to pull back. Josh emerged half-way from the void, one arm still trailing and Chris stared, feeling a little ill. His vantage point meant that it seemed as if Josh was a dismbodied torso floating in the air and it was very hard when he knew his eyes couldn't be trusted.
Jack grabbed Josh under his arms and pulled and suddenly Josh was free, falling into Jack's arms and knocking the off-balance angel to the ground. A second figure tumbled after him, barely noticed. Angels were attuned to witnessing beauty and seeing the two soul-mates reunited after coming so close to losing one another was a touching scene for them all. Tears ran freely from both Jack and Josh as they embraced, Josh trying to kiss every inch of Jack's skin while Jack tried to return them while checking his soul-mate for injuries.
“I'm fine Jack, just fine now I'm back with you--”
“I thought you were lost forever, I was so scared and it hurt--”
John was pretty sure that the Higher Ups were going to be in for all the wrath Jack had in his body when he finally deigned to pay attention to anyone that wasn't Josh, but for the moment the pair were far too involved with one another to care who else was there. He turned to see if they were closing up the void and paused. The looks of horror on their faces were out of place and all too real and he followed their line of sight to the figure he had paid barely any attention to, as caught up in Jack and Josh's reunion as the angels themselves. A female was getting to her feet, very young and very pretty judging by appearance alone, but those facts did not hide the ragged stumps protruding from her shoulders, devoid of either wings or the leathery membrane that covered the demons wings.
John went cold. Josh couldn't have brought back who he thought he had, surely.
“Throw her back!” hissed the female Higher Up, echoed by the others.
“I'm not a bloody fish,” said the woman rather haughtily. “And I believe that certain events concern me.”
“Nothing concerns you any longer, Fallen! You should be with the void!”
Josh turned his attention from Jack for a moment. “You leave her alone! She helped me, if it wasn't for her I would be as lost as the others in there and you had no right and no reason to send me to Limbo! How many other innocents did you send there as some personal vendetta?”
“We are not in the habit of condemning innocents to the void,” said the Higher Ups, so in tune it was impossible to tell from which the thought had oriented.
“So, I'm the one-off. I feel so honoured.” Josh hadn't even been aware he was capable of sarcasm until the words spilled from his mouth. “She has lived in the void for this long, and she's right. This does concern her.”
“She is cast out and has no right to be in Heaven--”
Jack almost bounced to his feet, advancing threateningly on the Higher Ups. “Damn you all. You have played with all of us present and still presume to give orders? To Hell with you! If Josh thinks this lady deserves better than you imagine, then I agree with him. I believe an audience with Him is in order.”
“He is already waiting for us,” said Chris, a little weakly.
“She cannot attend though--”
Jack rounded on the Higher Ups again. “She must be angelic since she hasn't had any adverse reaction to being here yet! Wings or no, I say we give her an audience with Him.”
“You presume much, for a young one.”
“And you are unimaginably stupid, for an Old One.” Jack kept one hand clasped with Josh's and joined the other with the woman. “If He wishes us to attend business with Him, then we shall not keep Him waiting - and if He allows me to be the one to pass judgement on you, you had better keep that portal opened.”
“You do not know who she is...”
The Higher Ups were roundly ignored as the rest of the assembled angels turned their backs and went back to speak to God.
The woman was shaking visibly and Jack squeezed her hand. “Don't worry. He would not let an injustice stand.”
“I don't believe he will think an injustice has been done,” the woman whispered.
“You saved Josh.” Jack's voice was solemn. “For that you have my eternal thanks and I will be happy to stand in your corner on this matter. I cannot promise success of course, but I shall do what I can.”
Chris and John exchanged looks. Clearly Jack hadn't realised who he was speaking to and there hadn't been time to tell him. He was in for a shock... but that was beside the point as they approached God and found themselves reacting, eyes closing against the radiance, limbs weakening.
Your faith in your soul-mate has served you well Joshua.
Josh merely nodded, unable to bring himself to speak. He had a lot of questions, like why it had been allowed to happen at all - but he wondered if it was something to do with the lady he had brought back with him.
Child. You have endured.
“Father--” The woman's voice was as clear as Josh remembered it from Limbo but there was a reverence there that had not been apparent even when she spoke of her soul-mate and child.
I do not need to ask if you understand. You cannot live in Hell, nor can you allow Lucifer to impose himself upon the mortal realm for a prolonged period. His presence there causes so much pain for the mortals. He is banished from Heaven. There is no place that you may be together.
“I realise that Lord.”
“There must be something,” said Jack, causing the other angels to gasp. No one took a belligerent tone to God and they weren't sure that the angel had realised even now what the issue was.
I appreciate your strength of feeling to she who saved your soul-mate.
“It's okay Jack,” she said quietly. “Do not interfere.”
Christopher, John, locate Theodore and you shall have further orders shortly. Take the time to reassure your demons. The rest of you, depart.
There was no question of disobedience and yet as they left they knew the order had not been meant for all of them. Sure enough, the woman did not leave with them and as they proceeded away from God, the Higher Ups accosted them.
“Where is she?”
“With Him.” John continued walking past, ignoring the rest of the words the Higher Ups spoke to him.
“Do not disregard us! We still speak for Him!”
“I think He's speaking for Himself right now.” Chris looked over at John. “Ready to head back to earth?”
“Ready to get about twelve hours rest. Hard shaking off mortality sometimes.” John chuckled a little, he was right about that part but he thought he could get by without the rest thanks to the rejuvenating effect Heaven tended to have on their kind. “Let's go. If we can catch up with Ted then perhaps we might get a little time with Cody and Evan before we're called back for our orders.” His face hardened. “Whatever the final judgement might be.”
~:~
Meanwhile, down in the Other Space, Ted was still atop Randy, Evan still frozen aside from them and Cody still sprawled out over the floor where he had been left.
It seemed as though Randy didn’t know how to respond; physically harming Ted was something that he seemed to struggle with the idea of, and yet he undoubtedly wanted to punish his lover for intervening. When he saw that there were a couple of tears of Ted’s cheeks he stilled, and then slowly reached up to brush them away. “Why are you crying?” he rumbled lowly, suddenly having the bad feeling that something he had done previously was the reason Ted was in pain now. When the angel spoke though the demon prince would have fallen over had he not already been on the floor like that, “Stop it Randy, you’re not supposed to treat your friends like that, you could have seriously hurt him if you had carried on any longer!”
Were it not for the finger-mark shaped bruises currently coming up along Cody’s throat the little demon would have laughed at the fact that Randy was being scolded; before this angel business he was pretty sure that no one, not even Lucifer, had scolded Randy in the entirety of his life. When it came to Randy many blind eyes were turned (or forced) and everyone knew to hold their tongues if they knew what was good for them. Evan slowly moved across to where Cody lay on the ground, grasping him by his shoulders and pulling him upright. His eyes were still fixed upon Randy, barely daring to breathe in case the other suddenly went into one of his tempers. Ted had seemed immune thus-far but with Randy you really never knew.
“You’re… crying for Cody?” Randy sounded almost confused and even Evan and Cody exchanged a small look at that; Ted might mean a lot to Randy and vice-versa but that didn’t mean either of them were obligated when it came to the others friends (or minions). Ted sniffed and wiped at his eyes on the back of his sleeve, not answering verbally but his chin jutted out slightly defensively as though daring Randy or any of them to say something about it. It was then that the angel recalled their surroundings and he shivered; this place wasn’t exactly angel-friendly even if he wasn’t experiencing any pain or obvious ill-effects from being there. “Where is everyone? Where are we? What’s happened?” he looked at the demons slowly.
A firm chiming from Evan’s pocket drew everyone’s attention and Evan’s hand shot into his pocket, pulling out the unusual pocket-watch. “It’s time,” he looked to Cody and Cody immediately looked to Randy and Ted, imploring Ted mostly since he knew Randy wasn’t being entirely logical with his decisions as things stood at the moment. “We need to go back to the house. John and Chris-we need to know if they’ve come back from heaven or not.” An angry growl left Randy at what Cody had let slip and although Cody flinched, a hand subconsciously seeking out his throat, he didn’t relent. Randy looked as though he was going to refuse, but when Ted got off of his lap smartly it seemed he had no choice on the matter anymore.
“They went back?” Ted demanded, although the unspoken ending to the question was more weighted than that which he had spoken, they went back without me? The angel looked to Randy, expression serious and his eyes still that little bit watery from before, “We need to go back. I don’t care what you’ve done Randy, or intended to do, but you can’t keep me from them over something this important!” he then paused, realising the way Cody had phrased his wording from before, expression closing slightly, as though he had to ask because he didn’t know but he already knew that he might not like the answer when he received it, “What did you mean by see if they had returned Cody?” he asked and then added, “Evan?”
The demons exchanged a look before Evan then turned to him, “We should go back and then everything will be explained, to both of you.” Cody was already pushing through the mirror and moments later Cody followed, Ted staring dubiously at the seemingly solid surface. Would he just be able to push on it the same way and go through? Something felt off here and he couldn’t put his finger on it. When a hand suddenly gripped into his hair and yanked his head down Ted squeaked in surprise, but then surrendered helplessly to the almost violent kiss that Randy had given him, stealing the very breath from his lungs and leaving him almost unnervingly light-headed when they pulled away from one another. Randy looked serious.
“Don’t think for one second that this means I’m just going to let you go waltzing off with them,” he muttered and Ted frowned slightly despite his quickened heart giving another skip of excitement, “I mean it Ted; I’ll move heaven and earth to make sure you stay with me. I think I proved that when I stood up to my father.” He then gripped Ted’s waist and pulled him over to the mirror. Ted felt as though he had been filled from head to toe with pins and needles as they passed through the mirror’s barrier and realised that he had been right when he suspected that he wouldn’t have been capable of passing through the Space on his own; it was demon controlled and therefore surrounded by their own power, counteracting his own almost.
When they reached the house Ted immediately sensed Chris and John--- and he could sense something was different. Concern filled the angel as he almost ran from the room, Randy right behind him. As he hit the landing atop of the stairs he saw Chris and John in the foyer, Evan and Cody fussing and shouting even as they pawed over the pair and expected every inch of them that they could without stripping their clothes off then and there. The tension in the room seemed to spike alarmingly though when John suddenly caught Cody’s chin in his strong fingers and then forced the demon to lean his head back, exposing the fresh bruising on his neck. However it was as discoloured as though it was a few days old.
John’s eyes were like iced-water as he stared up at Randy, his hands flexing dangerously, indicating his Fire was seconds from being called. Randy tilted his own chin haughtily, goading John without words to attack him if he thought himself capable of it. Without thinking Ted immediately placed himself in front of Randy, quietly murmuring for him to stop it, Cody hastily assuring John that the bruises were nothing--- when he asked about what had happened in heaven the two men’s faces changed most peculiarly, and they seemed to lose a great deal of their colouring. Ted wondered if they should go and sit down a while… and that couldn’t be from anything good could it? Grabbing Randy’s hand he started down the stairs.
Evan and Cody all but dragged their angels into the sitting room, placing them close to the fire and then pouring them generous measures of alcohol and forcing them to drink the entirety. Slowly, Chris looked up and met Ted’s eyes, seeing that their young friend seemed upset, as though frightened he was going to be scolded or forcedly dragged back to face some terrifying and divine punishment. They didn’t blame him though, and as things had turned out maybe it had been for the best that he hadn’t been there when they had confronted the Higher Ups… the knowledge that they had gleaned wasn’t exactly easy to comprehend, and the stuff about his parents and what they had participated in may have been enough to send him over the edge.
“Josh was in limbo,” Chris croaked, as though he had worn his voice down from shouting, Evan’s brow furrowing in concern as he heard it. “Josh was in limbo and He forced the Higher Ups to bring him back. He and Jack have been reunited,” even the news was enough to bring a tear to Ted’s eye again and he brushed it away softly murmuring a quiet prayer of thanks to Him for stepping in. “Is he OK? Why did they send him?” it was just impossible that someone like Josh could be sent to limbo when he hadn’t done anything even remotely close to what Ted would consider appropriate for such a punishment. Had he? It didn’t seem like he had been out of circulation long but he had no true idea as to just how much time had passed.
“It was a close thing,” John sounded as off as Chris, seeing something that none of them could, “He was almost lost to the void but… but someone saved him.” Incredulity was so strong in those gathered that Chris and John could feel it, and neither of them blamed them for the reaction; had they not witnessed the (miracle?) that they had just now then they probably wouldn’t have believed it either. “What are you talking about?” Randy’s voice was brusque and snappish, showing his feelings more than the closed expression on his face did. Evan and Cody exchanged a look, biting their lips slightly; Limbo had always been a sensitive topic for Randy, and in his youth he had researched it extensively after finding out about his mother.
“It’s not possible for people to come back from there, and it’s not possible that someone in there could have helped him,” he sounded bitter and hate-filled and John’s heart actually went out to him for a moment because although Randy hadn’t felt the residual emotions from the void the way he, Chris and Mickie had, he still seemed to understand that there was only one word to describe that place with, and that was: abandoned. Everyone sent there was abandoned, abandoned by those they trusted and cared about, even if those said people didn’t do it intentionally. “But she did,” Chris whispered, the awe and disbelief coming out of his own voice and Evan wrapped his arms around the blonde’s shoulders, rubbing them.
“She?” Ted repeated curiously and John nodded. However, before he could even begin to consider how he was going to explain what had happened, especially to Randy, he cut in, snorting somewhat as he asked, “So, what? Those Old Bastards-“Chris and John knew they should be offended but at the same time after all they had experienced back home found it hard to, though they did wonder if Randy would change his opinion of them should he know who two of them really were, “-brought back that mousy little library worker and that was easy and done and someone magically helped him when it’s also never been done before? Wow, isn’t he so very fucking special!” Randy was all but spitting the words out now.
“Randy-“Ted understood that this was a sore topic and that they were all stressed but he didn’t appreciate the way that his lover was speaking to his friends. When Chris and John both levelled Randy with suddenly deadly looks the other men in the room froze, staring at them. Ted didn’t recall ever seeing such expressions on their faces before and admittedly it frightened him. “John? Chris?” his voice came out a little more timidly than he’d intended but that couldn’t be helped. The abrupt movement of John standing almost dislodged Cody from the arm of the chair where he’d been curled around John’s shoulders, Chris almost dislodging Evan the same way although the demons managed to catch themselves in time.
“You should be putting Josh on a damned pedestal!” John barked and Cody found himself getting oddly turned on by the angry look on John’s face; his dimples were adorable but when his eyes got all flinty like that and his jaw was clenched… fuck, the man’s aura was spreading, enveloping everything and Cody could feel himself shivering and growing hard at once. Chris’ aura was also growing, the magnitude of the force alongside John’s causing Evan to unbutton his shirt, squirm in his seat and fanning at his face to try and calm down. Ted found himself shrinking back slightly, Randy standing in front of him. He looked coolly unruffled by the display, sneering at them both. “And why would I do that?”
Telling him was probably a bad idea, but with the way Randy had been acting and the way he had disregarded the miracle of Josh’s safe return (and so clearly missed the obvious point as to who had saved him) John found his temper suddenly exploding, voice booming like thunder as he bellowed, “Because your mother was rescued by Josh upon his retun, and is no longer in the void!” the effect of these words was devastating; Cody and Evan actually did fall off of the chairs they had been sat on this time, Ted swayed in shock, hands covering his mouth and Randy turned so white that his lips looked grey, not moving an inch. They couldn’t even see his pulse moving or his chest rise and fall with his breathing. He looked literally carved from stone in shock.