"Your pet?" Duke repeated.

"Yes. Her name is Orin and I've looked after her since she was a kitten."

Oliver looked between his soulmate and the cat. He found it almost amusing that it was black.

"I like the name Orin," He said and carefully stretched his fingers out so the cat could get used to his scent.

She sniffed him and eventually rubbed her head against them.

Vinny watched Oliver, loving that he was right in his arms and loving that he was stroking his pet.

"You don't mind?" He asked.

"About Orin?" Oliver questioned, making Vinny nod. "Of course not. Did you get her to keep you company? Or did you find her? When did you get her and why did-"

"Oliver" Vinny interrupted but he missed it so much when he exploded all of his questions out like that. "One question at a time."

"Sorry," He said and smiled once more. "I've got a lot to ask so I'm going to apologise in advance."

Vinny's kind expression was melting his heart.

"It's okay, I've mentally prepared myself for your interrogation."

There was a little noise of sniffling, making Oliver and Vinny glance up.

Jed was trying so hard to keep back his emotion.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I've missed seeing you both together like this. Oliver, it's so nice to see you smile again."

Vinny's heart hurt a little bit. His soulmate must have experienced terrible things for his smile to disappear for longer than half an hour.

John put his arm around Jed's shoulders and kissed his temple. He loved how angels are so in touch with their affection.

Jed gave him a little smile. He sometimes still surprised himself that he and John are a couple.

"I don't like cats" Duke then said.

Vinny rolled his eyes as Orin simply sat down next to him.

"Well you'll have to get over it, I'm keeping her."

"Son, I don't think I want a cat in this-"

"Well tough, I'm keeping her."

Madison nudged Duke, making him close his mouth.

"Why are you so attached to the cat?" She asked kindly. She didn't care that he brought it home with him, she was just happy that he was home.

Vinny sighed. He had to talk about his feelings now.

"I found her when she was lost. We both had nowhere to go and no family or anyone really" He said and watched her as he spoke. "So I looked after her and I guess it made these two years a little easier with her to distract me from being away from Oliver."

Duke knew that Vinny had always wanted a pet but never asked. He wished he came back with a dog instead, though.

He isn't a cat person and he didn't think his son was either.

But then again, he didn't think Vinny was a lot of things and he proved him to be very wrong.

"That is the cutest thing I've ever heard," Oliver said before giving Orin a proper stroke. "You looked after each other."

Orin let a cute meow escape before jumping into Vinny's arms and licking his bruised face.

"Stop it" He chuckled and pulled his head back. "So, I hope you can understand why I can't just give her away. I basically raised her."

"You really do love that cat don't you?" Duke asked.

Vinny nodded. He is far too attached to just give her away.

"Fine" He sighed. "You can keep her. But if she's not litter trained, then you can say goodbye to it."

"I left everything I had for her behind but she's toilet trained. She'll just go outside" Vinny shrugged and put her down so he could stand up.

Little Luka's eyes followed the cat as she wandered past him. He could feel something about her that was maybe a bit different.

He wasn't quite sure what it was.

Rayvon towered over him and watched as his eyes quickly glance up.

"Are you alright? I know you don't like animals."

It was true that Luka is frightened of most things that move.

"Yes," He said quietly and dug his hand into Rayvon's trouser pocket for warmth. "I'll get used to her."

Rayvon gave him a big smile before wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling his back against his stomach.

"I'm sure you will."

Luka felt very relaxed right now.

Maybe it was because Rayvon was finally relaxed and feeling happy. There has been a constant gray cloud that hung over the mansion and it seemed to be clearing now that Vinny is back.

He rested his head against his soulmates chest and watched while his parents gave Vinny a hug.

"We're so pleased you're back Vinny," Corey said and squeezed Oliver's hand, knowing he'll finally return back to normal.

"I don't know how you both managed to live in that world. The demons, they just don't stop."

Oliver could detect a troubled emotion behind those chocolate brown eyes.

Vinny has been through a lot and it was clear to his soulmate that he might be a little affected by it.

"They don't, that's why we're so happy this world is free from them."

Vinny then remembered back to that demon woman who helped him get home. He swore he wouldn't tell anyone but he doesn't make deals with the enemy.

He wasn't going to keep her a secret, he's not stupid.

But he'll tell them later. He was more than sure that Oliver was about to burst at the seams with questions anyway.

He rested a hand on his shoulder and gave him a big smile.

Oliver adored it when he did that. It made his face look so happy.

"Food."

"Alright," He sighed and took his hand. If he could, he'll probably hold it for the rest of the day without letting go. "I'll finish my sandwich."

Everyone made their way over to the dining table.

All eyes were still on Vinny. They were so surprised that he got home quicker than what the angels predicted and they wanted to know how he did it.

"You can ask your questions when there's no more sandwich left on your plate" Vinny said to his soulmate and wrapped an arm around his waist.

They had to stay close because their bond was still strengthening.

Oliver nodded. He was not hungry but he would get his appetite back now that he's beginning to feel normal again.

"So Vinny, where did you stay all this time? With the demons?" Duke asked as Jed carried the unconscious demon out of the room. He was giving him to the secret service so they could interrogate him about the war.

"No," He said and watched Oliver as he spoke. "The demons abandoned me on the mountain because they knew I was trapped there. I knew I there was a way through heaven but that was pretty much impossible. So I tried getting off of the mountain, but I hurt myself and needed help. I-"

"Your wrist," Oliver interrupted. "You broke your wrist didn't you?"

Vinny nodded as they both glanced down at it.

"It's a bit swollen, I don't think it healed properly. I got annoyed with the cast after about a week and took it off."

Panuleon got up and walked over to the vampire.

He gently took his wrist in his hands and inspected it with his fingers.

"That has definitely not healed."

Everyone watched as he put a hand on the side of his face too before sending that cooling energy through his body.

Vinny let it take over and really refresh him. He was hurting all over but Panuleon made sure he healed him correctly.

When the angel took his hands away, Vinny was almost pain-free. It was just the mellowed aching in his and Oliver's chests that would take a little more time to settle down.

"Um," He then said, trying to remember what he was saying. "So I ended up getting caught by the demons but I escaped and forced the leader to start re-opening the tear for me. In the meantime, I stayed in a cave that was opposite the mountain so I could make sure he was coming back every six months."

Oliver watched his mouth when he spoke. He couldn't wait to kiss those lips again.

"You stayed in a cave?" Madison asked.

"Yes. It was actually okay. It wasn't very comfortable and it was too cold for Orin most nights but it was pretty peaceful."

"You stayed in a cave?" Duke repeated his wife.

Vinny rolled his eyes.

"I had nowhere else to go."

"I think you're amazing" Madison blinked and shook her head. "Honestly Vinny, I don't know how but you manage to just get on with life even when it gets as tough as that. You're so mentally strong."

"Maybe I am" Vinny sighed. "But if I had to go through that again, I wouldn't even last a day. I can't describe how lonely I was."

"The one thing I hated more than anything was waking up alone" Oliver said. He had nearly finished the other half of his sandwich.

Vinny pulled him closer and kissed his temple.

"I'll never let you wake up alone again" He whispered. "I prayed every night, hoping that a miracle would come and just take me back to you."

Oliver couldn't put how incredible it felt to feel his warmth into words. just to be in the same room felt like a blessing.

But the Vanderwood family didn't know that the animal who was wandering around their home was in fact, the biggest miracle of all.

That cat didn't come to Vinny by chance, it came for a reason and that reason was to help him get through his lonely struggles.

The only person who could feel that the cat was a little different was Luka. But why?

And what mystery does this cat hold? It came to Vinny when he needed help.

Just like a guardian angel.