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(It was just startin' to drizzle as I walked out the door
But I've delivered papers in the rain like that before
3:30 in the morning, I was happy as a lark
As I grabbed my bike and rode into the dark
I peddled through the neighborhood, the weather on my mind
The wind was pickin' up and howling louder all the time
The sky churned like a cauldron, and the distant thunder roared
And I knew that I was in for quite a storm
A little rain never hurt no one, so I kept pressin' on
And I tried to tell myself it's always darkest before the dawn
Lighting struck an oak tree as I leaped off my bike
The sirens started wailing, but there was no good place to hide
I knew without a doubt there was a twister touchin' down
So I crawled into a culvert to wait it out
The little bit of courage I had left was almost gone
But I tried to tell myself it's always darkest before the dawn)
It was like any other day for the angel of healing. He started his walk to meet with the other archangels as they did at this time every day. A smile was plastered on his face as he looked around at the other angels getting to work, humming as he heard other angels speaking amongst themselves about what had been happening.
"Angels have been disappearing, and no one has answers as to why." "I wonder if the archangels know anything about this." "You would think they would tell us something so we don't have to worry."
Raphael shook their head, red hair going into their face as their smile faltered a bit since they knew the archangels also knew nothing about it. They picked up their pace a bit, hoping that the other archangels would have answers to their worries. They had started to notice that some of their angel friends were a few that had disappeared.
All of the angels that had disappeared had one thing in common that Raphael was aware of: questioning God herself. If her thoughts were correct, would she also fall? Her friends had gotten her to question a few of God's choices and actions. But surely not. Indeed God would have told the archangels this was happening, right?
He pushed forward, almost to where he needed to meet with the others, when he noticed that parts of the white of Heaven were suddenly darkening to black. He glanced around as he noticed that some of the dark spots seemed to open and cause the angels on them to fall through. A look of worry filled Raphael's face once he noticed the same was happening around him, picking up his pace before entering a full run. He needed to find a hiding place even if it wouldn't work. He needed something to feel in control of that moment, stepping into one of the covers. He curled into his white wings and buried his face into his knees. He covered his ears, not wanting to see or hear the screams as the other angels fell around him.
(And then the nightmare started; it got deafeningly loud
Every fiber in me screamed out, but I couldn't make a sound
The whirling of a vortex, a violent carousel
It sounded like a freight train was draggin' me to hell
AnHellis was my prayer
"Save me from this terrible nightmare")
Before they could process what was happening, the ground opened around them, causing them to begin their plummet from the only place they had ever known. Their wings tried to flap, to catch them from falling, but they felt too heavy. Tears brimmed their eyes as they opened their mouth to scream into the roaring wind around them, but no noise escaped. Pain echoed through their chest, causing the tears to fall faster. They watched as their wings waved uselessly above them, and they plummeted with their back facing wherever it was they were going.
Her mind raced, then suddenly became blank as her vision seemed to change from where she had been falling to being in front of God herself. She fell to her knees, hands folded in front of her as she stared at God, tears still in her eyes.
"Please- please tell me it was just a nightmare. I will never question you again, and I never should have done it before- I've made many mistakes that I regret, but I have always been loyal to you- please. I pray to thee- save me, and I will be your most loyal angel!"
Through the tears, Raphael could see the silhouette of God shake her head before he was back to the loud noise of the fall. He closed his eyes, hoping he would just wake up and be back in Heaven. That feeling suddenly disappeared when Raphael found himself in a boiling liquid that took away whatever air he had left in his lungs. His vision went dark as he let himself sink deeper into the sulfur, ready to let himself die where he was.
(That was when I saw my family with my eyes shut real tight
Would they know how much I loved them if this was how I died?
No, I vowed I'd not be murdered by a monster in the sky that night
But if I went home Heavenven, at least that's where I'd belong
Yeah, I tried to tell myself it's always darkest before the dawn
So I kept tankin' on (Ooh ooh)
I kept tankin' on
(Ooh ooh))
Raphael's mind filled with images of a particular white-haired angel. What would Aziraphale think? Would he think that Raphael abandoned him? Raphael just wanted to return to their angel and hold him in their arms. They wanted to remind Aziraphale that they wouldn't leave him. But they had. Not because they wanted to but because they didn't have a choice in the matter.
"I can't lose myself here. I need to do my best to get back to my angel. I need to live for him. I will find you, Angel." Raphael’s thoughts rang out.
(The shadows slowly melted as I was hunkered down 'Til, at last, the worst was over; the storm was dying out
I crept out of that culvert, and I went weak in the knees
'Cause what I saw was a somber sight to see. There was nothin' but destruction and wreckage in that town
Cars were upside down, and houses leveled to the ground
A twisted trampoline was hangin' from the power lines
I blinked a tear back 'cause I felt lucky to be alive)
Raphael got the strength to pull herself out of the sulfur, dragging her body and heavy wings out before looking around at the other Fallen who were looking at the wasteland they had all found themselves in. They were clinging to any of the others that they knew. Raphael pushed herself up, standing and forcing herself to continue walking.
Raphael let out a shallow breath, letting one last tear fall from his eye as he ensured everyone else was alright. Many were sad or angry, pushing him away and shouting unholy words. He knew they could onHello so much with what they had here.
Time passed, and the Fallen created Hell, building their lives in the vast wasteland when God created Earth. Raphael, now named Crawley, was tasked with going to Eden to crash God's plans, which they did well with the apple. They had decided to find the angel guarding Eden when they noticed the white hair of their angel. It was their angel, but how would Aziraphale react?
Crawley had changed a lot since the fall with her personality and appearance. Would the angel recognize her? And if he did, would he even want to see her? Crawley didn't have to worry about the second part because Aziraphale didn't recognize her. This was Crawley's chance to build a relationship with him all over again, with who she was now rather than who she had been.
(And that was how I learned to live when you can run, but you can't hide
How to feel trapped in a tunnel but come out the other side
'Cause with all the stormy weather in the world, you learn to take life one storm at a time
You don't have to be afraid
And now, when there's bad weather on the way, I stay calm
And I keep hangin' on because it's always darkest before the dawn
And I keep hangin' on)
"So he did; he rebuilt the relationship, starting off as enemies and becoming friends over the different moments they had. Eventually, they became extremely close, and the two helped save the world from Armageddon." Crowley looked over the crowd of people sitting in the bookshop for story time, a fond smile on his face as he finished his story. He fixed his sunglasses onto his face as he listened to the quiet whispers of everyone around. His gaze landed on a particular white-haired male who had been staring at him with shock the whole time, the two making eye contact as a smile formed on the angel's face as he let it all sink in.
(I keep hangin' on)
Crowley reached their hand out and took the angel's hand. "Did you like my story, Angel?"
The only response she got was a teary-eyed nod as her hand got squeezed.