I decided it was best if I slept while we waited for my father and Maria to return. I really didn't want to do anything stupid and accidentally hurt myself while Maria wasn't here. I also knew I could trust Finny with my life, and he would keep watch while I slept and wake me if something happened.

As I slept, I dreamed of darkness consuming everything around me. Once the world turned dark, the dream changed. Suddenly, it was bright again, and before me was everyone I loved: my mother, my father, Maria, and Finny. They were all facing me, evil smirks on their faces. A beat, and I was facing the four of them pointing guns at me. Another beat, and they all shot.

I awoke with a start just before the bullets made impact with my body, and sat up quickly, panting. Finny moved closer, but didn't get the chance to ask me what happened. I gasped as pain shot through my wings yet again. Finny placed his hand gently on my shoulder, but I shook my head before he could say anything. There was nothing either of us could do.

I stretched my wings. My once angelic wing was nearly pitch black like my demonic one. The shape was still changing; I could practically see it morph as I stared. I didn't have much time left. I didn't know how to nurture my angel half on my own. I was the only one of my kind, as far as I or anyone else knew. Not many demons decide they want to marry and angel, and if they do, one gene usually dominates the other in their offspring. That was why I was such a rare creature.

I frowned at the sight of my once beautiful wings, now misshapen and dark. Dad needed to hurry. I had no way of knowing how much time I had left before I became a demon forever, but if my wings were any indication, it would be rather soon.

I started as an unexpected knock rapped on the door. Finny sprang out of his seat, looking confused as he slowly approached it. I folded my wings back into hiding a little too quickly and winced at the pain, thankful Finny wasn't looking. I turned my back to the wall to hide my wings better, then prepared myself for the person outside to enter.

Before Finny could open the door, however, it burst open, causing my to jump in surprise and Finny to fall back onto the floor. We both glanced up to see who had thrown the door open, and we both groaned as the reaper in red sashayed into the room.

"Bassy!" he called, looking around the room. His gaze paused momentarily at Finny, then fell on me.

"Where's your daddy?" Grell asked, sounding as if he was trying to pretend to be sweet but sounding more annoyed than anything.

"Not here," I replied, crossing my arms.

"I can see that, brat. So where is he?"

"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you."

Grell growled, then stormed over to the side of my bed, grabbed the collar of my dress, and lifted my into the air so that my eyes were level with his.

"Look, Missy," he shouted angrily. "You tell me where my Bassy is or you'll have a hole in you!"

"It wouldn't be the first time..." I muttered.

Outraged, Grell shook me, and I groaned in pain as my wings were rattled. Finny was at Grell's side in an instant.

"Put her down!" he screamed at the reaper.

Grell looked down at him for a moment, as if pondering something. Then, he simply shrugged and released my dress, dropping me to the floor. He kicked the side of my head, then headed for the door. "Tell Bassy I was here, and I would like to see him soon."

"Sure," I replied, pushing myself up from the floor. "I'll tell him as soon as you admit you're a man."

Grell gasped, spinning around to face me. "You take that back!"

I grabbed the bed and pulled myself up, my free hand holding my aching cheek. "And wait until he finds out what you just did to me. Of course, knowing my dad, he's probably on his way to check on my right now."

Grell, looking panicked, stepped back and out of the room. "He'll just think you're a couple of liars. He would believe me!"

Finny cocked his head in confusion. "You wanna try that again?"

I smiled at his comment, then countered Grell's claim. "Besides, I'm part angel. I can't lie." I mentally crossed my fingers, hoping this idiot of a reaper would buy it. And based on what he did next, I say he did.

Grell turned and ran from the room, but a moment later, he cried out, and we could hear the thump as he fell to the floor.

"What happened here, Grell?" I heard my father ask from the hallway.

"Bassy!" Grell squealed, and a moment later I was watching my father walk into the room, Grell latched onto him like a small child.

Dad sighed in annoyance, then walked over and opened the window. He easily broke free from the reaper's grip and threw him out the window. I cheered him on as he closed the window, then he looked over at me, smiling.

"What happened? Are you alright?" Dad asked as he lost his smile and approached me.

Finny opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "Yeah, I'm fine," I answered, but the lie was obvious. The pain in my voice was as clear as day.

Dad sat on the bed beside me, and the shift in the mattress made me hold my stomach. He frowned. "I'll have Maria check on you once she gets back. She'll know better than I will."

I perked up a little at that, suddenly worried about the safety of our friend. "She isn't with you? Why not?"

"I felt there was something wrong here, and told her I was going ahead to make sure you were alright. She said she would be right behind me."

I nodded. I was honestly surprised at how sharp his fatherly instincts had stayed in the two years we were apart. He could still sense me if I was close and knew when I was in danger. I leaned over and hugged him, despite the pain in my stomach and wings urging me not to. "Thanks for caring about me still, Dad."

"I couldn't see his face, but I felt him tense a little at the question. "Why would I not?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. It felt like we grew really distant after Mom was killed. We didn't really do anything together after a while. And then when you left me two years ago, I thought you might go and just leave me for good."

"I believe we did become distant, but that was only because of how much your mother meant to both of us. Being a family was all we knew, and once she was gone, I wasn't sure how to continue alone. And you were always so close to her. It took years for you to finally come back out of your shell. But trust me," he said, leaning in to hug me back, "I never forgot about you for an instant. You're the reason I keep living."

I smiled. Dad and my friends were the reasons Mom had been able to convince me to keep living. She had been right. They needed me just as much as I need them.

After a long moment, Dad pulled back. "I better go look for Maria. I would have thought she would be back here by now."

I nodded, and he kissed my forehead before standing and exiting the room.

Finny finally approached me. He looked concerned, but also like he knew I was going to be fine.

"Finny, promise me something," I said suddenly, turning my gaze away from him.

I could see his concerned expression grow from the corner of my eye. "What?" he asked cautiously.

I took a deep breath. "If I become a full demon, I want you to stay away from me.

Finny's mouth fell open. "What?! How can you tell me to promise you that? I... I care about you."

I finally looked at him. "And I care about you, too. Finny, that's the whole reason I'm asking this of you," I said, trying to explain. "Most demons don't have any emotions or care about anything other than what they need to do to get their next meal. They're like wild animals. I might become like that, some random emotionless zombie, and I might hurt you if you approach. I don't want that. And I don't want you to see me in a true form that I won't know how to control."

"But-"

"Finny, this is because I care for you so much. At the very least, wait until someone tells you I'm okay. Finny, if I end up hurting you..."

My eyes welled up with tears at the thought of hurting a hair on his head, and my sadness matched what I was seeing in his eyes. I knew he would still want to be there for me and help me, but if I lost control of myself for even one second...

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Finny leaning forward and hugging me tight. I turned to hug him back, and froze when I felt his lips on mine for an instant before his head rested on my shoulder.

"Okay," he said. "I promise to stay away if you promise that you won't turn into a full demon."

I blinked and pulled away, not knowing what to do. He'd kissed me, even if only for a quick second. He was blushing slightly, and trying to act like nothing had happened. I smiled at him, then followed his lead, playing dumb. We could talk about it later. "I can only promise you that I will put it off for as long as I can. My only chance is to either find Mom or another angel. The only problem is, Dad and I already searched this entire city for anyone who might be an angel, but couldn't find anyone. My ability to sense other angels is gone, so I can't help find Mom's body or another angel to help me."

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find someone who can help you," Finny said. "We have to."

I leaned into him, careful of my wings. I spread them open wide, and we sat together just like that, enjoying the sunlight and each others' company.