Missouri stood alone, and in her mind she was not alone only because she was on a balcony without anyone's company but also because in the messed up world she inhabited she was truly alone. No one to call hers, she was familiar with these feelings they'd been her companion all her life but she never felt it so strongly. Of course the angels swore to protect her but she was nothing to them but a mission, she didn't belong here and she was certain that as soon as the opportunity opened up, they would kick her to the curb to fend for herself.

Missouri knew she was being harsh on account of the angels but trusting anyone was a huge issue for her, humans hadn't given her much encouragement and what she saw of the angels didn't help in her evaluation of them. They may be pretty nice to her, with the exception of Muriel and on occasions Hadriel but what they stood for bothered her. 

But importantly, the thing that bothered her the most was her attraction to Hadriel. She hadn't the time to analysis her feeling but she impatient to see him, and that definitely could not be a good sign! She resisted screaming until her frustration melted away to leave her shoulders bare of their weight. 

Missouri slumped on the banister, the balcony was really small, hardly big enough for three, it was an opening from inside of the Cathedral, it was pretty secluded, and for the angels guarding on the roof, she would be out of sight.

"What are you thinking?" Missouri jumped to attention and immediately spun around to face the angel she was eagerly awaiting. "You startled me." Missouri was out of breath, but of course he was unfazed, maybe Muriel was right!

He walked closer and the insufficient space felt even more so, he held an apple in his hand and studied it intently as he repeated his initial question. "What are you thinking?"

Hadriel felt the urge to know what preoccupied Missouri's mind probably because she wasn't afraid of him. She seemed to consult herself before answering. "I was thinking how my previous preceptions of what an angel ought to be have been undeniably crushed." She looked at him to measure his reaction but he was as calm and cool as ever.

"How?" he asked after which he took a bite of the apple. Missouri looked out over the view, "Well- I thought, fluffly white wings and beauty-" when he looked at her suddenly she clarified quickly, "I mean an innocent sort of beauty; don't get me wrong the angels I have seen are beyond beautiful, but there is an element of aggression."

"I suppose that that's a common misconception, but 'white fluffy wings don't exactly conjure fear now does it?" he drawled.

"I guess not." Missouri agreed.

She was startled by a low sound only to realise that Hadriel was laughing! She didn't even think him capable of such a natural emotion. "We would be a laughing stock if we were made that way and marching into battle." he continued to laugh and Missouri couldn't help but get dragged into his humour and soon enough she began to laugh herself.

Hadriel walked closer to the banister and with a quick movement that was too fast for Missouri's eyes, when he moved at a pace she recognised he was sitting on the banister, his legs dangling off the edge. If it were anyone else she would have been tempted to call their sanity into question but he was an angel so she doubted he could fall to his death.

"Do you want to sit with me?" Hadriel was uncommonly nice. Missouri looked at him in disbelief, the height they were at was not something she was willing to experience at such a proximity, she couldn't estimate the building's stature because she felt as if she would pass out she thought about it. "No thanks, I am fine right here-" She knocked her feet on the floor, "where I have support under me."

"Please sit with me." His eyes pleaded and she was momentarily dumbfounded. She wouldn't have minded but she was afraid of heights. Seeing her look of indecision, he added. "Trust me." 

Although it was the wrong choice of words, for trusting really was not her strong suit. "I promise I won't let you fall beside I swear you won't regret it." His eyes continued to plead and all Missouri could think of was how unnatural he was being, Hadriel was so cold and aloof and here he was treating her as if they had been childhood friends.

Agreeing to him, he helped her up until she was sitting to close for comfort, for them both! Missouri found that she did indeed enjoy the view and the wind dancing around her in initiation to something never before explored.

"I almost forgot. How was your meeting with the Council?" Missouri slightly turned to face him, she was burning for an answer. 

"Uneventful." he replied in a manner that could be described as bored. Missouri resisted the urge to laugh, he was so vague.

"Huh." Was all Missouri said, it wasn't meant to be heard or to evoke any response, but one was given.

"What is it?" He inquired; he wanted to know everything; that included what she thought of him in particular. Hadriel wasn't particularly sure why he desired her good opinion, perhaps it was because she was the only person; and a human at that who didn't require his permission, she made her individual decisions. He admired her strength and sacrifice, he would always recall the moment when she had begged for his life over her own, when he himself was ready to die.

"Nothing really, but you just seem so vague." Missouri pointed out.

"Vague?" Hadriel spoke the word as if it were his first time hearing it. Missouri gazed upon him, this was the first time she'd seen him so human, and she found that she was enjoying his company immensely.

"Yes, you don't seem to give a lot of information." 

"Me? I am open book. Ask away." He commanded, his eyes meshing with hers.

"Ok, did you meet the Council in heaven?" She questioned, "I did." He answered lightly.

"How does one get into heaven?' 

"There's a door, we usually knock in order for the angels guarding the other side to be aware of our arrival." he informed her.

"You knock on the door to heaven?" Missouri smiled, and Hadriel quizzically looked at her. 

"As a matter of fact." He replied hesitantly.

"You know the song?" she asked and Hadriel raised an eyebrow in confusion. 

"Knocking on heaven's door' by 'Guns n Roses" She clarified but Hadriel hadn't a clue of what she spoke of.  "They must have known what they were talking about." She mused.

"So when I die, which given the circumstances might in fact be very soon, I will also have to knock on the door to heaven?"

"No, you don't have to knock-"

"Humans enter via another passage?" 

"Humans don't enter at all." They were staring at each other. 

Missouri kept getting shocks from this man, maybe it would be better if she didn't ask a question at all, if humans didn't go to heaven then where do they go? HELL? Missouri was about to ask him but he was already speaking.

"The entrance to heaven, any entrance, exerts a force, it's very strong, humans will not be able to withstand such pressure, they will be crushed. Only angels are able to reside in heaven."

"Bu-"

"Hadriel!" The both spun around to see a clearly annoyed Satael. Missouri, spun completely on impulse and found that she would have plunged to her death, it was so sudden that no sound escaped her lips, except a tiny gasp when, Hadriel grabbed hold of her and slammed her into his chest. His arms clasping her in his arms while her hands lay on his chest they stared at each other, theirs was a proximity that had their noses almost touching and their breaths mingling.

"Hadriel, I need to speak with you now." Satael voice rose above the sound of their breaths, and as quickly as the encounter had arrived so too was it gone, and Missouri was left once again on her own, watching as Hadriel left with Satael.