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"Merry Christmas Eve everyone!" Mary said sarcastically. "Let us rejoice and eat like a family does! Better yet, Alex, let's go get hammered at this bar located downtown.

Ezekiel sent Maryanne a disapproving look. "Now, now Genevieve. There is no need for such negativity."

Aira finished examining my back and pulled down my t-shirt. 

I've been bleeding a lot for the past week but the pain wasn't as bad as it was the first time my bones started realigning. I'd seen my back in the mirror on Tuesday and burst into tears. The lines located on my back looked like two open wounds. I could see the white tissue in my back. The other day a few small black feathers were poking out of them. Gabriel helped me pull them out but it hurt like hell.

"Is there a reason for your presence Genevieve?" Aira asked unhappily. "Where is Gabriel?"

"He had to do something. He wouldn't tell me what." I gritted as I painfully stood up. I rolled my shoulders and felt the bones crunch and move.

Aira smiled down at me and walked out of the room. 

I was planning on making my way to Ezekiel and Aira's house for more of that liquid but Elizabeth asked a favour of them so they came here. I was glad they did. I was in pain especially now that I'd run out of that drink.

"Stop calling me Genevieve," Maryanne mumbled.

Aira came back with a bottle of red liquid in her hand. She poured out a glass and handed it to me. I swallowed it in seconds and could almost feel my back relaxing. "Thank you."

She bowed. "It's my pleasure, Lonny. One can't always be too careful." She winked at me and held her brother's hand.

"Make it last. For it will be the last bottle you get. Or the last bottle you need." Ezekiel said.

I gave him a look as to say, 'what the hell?'

He only smiled and pulled his sister out of the kitchen door. Maryanne offered me her hand and I took it. It was weird how Maryanne and I actually got along now...

"Come on Princess; let's go sit you on your royal throne."

Well, almost got along.

She helped me into the living room and sat me down next to Tristan. He smirked at me and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Do you know where Gabriel is?" I listened to his mind and only heard him counting backwards from 9789. "Tristan."

'Don't think. 9788, 9787... Don't think. Don't think. 9786, 9785... Don't think. Gabriel has not gone to the mall---"

"Why is he at the mall?" I demanded.

He groaned. "Mind readers piss me off so much!"

Maryanne chuckled and sat on the floor next to my legs. 

"Gabriel's gone last minute Christmas shopping for you."

"But we agreed no presents..."

Maryanne sighed. "Didn't you buy him something when you went to the mall with Elizabeth on Monday?"

"Yeah but--"

"Then there you go." She interrupted. "What'd you get him?"

I smirked. "I'm not telling you. All you need to know is that I'm hoping he'll love it."

Elizabeth helped me pick out the perfect present. It is pretty hard to choose a present for an angel. At first, I bought him something from Tiffany and Co but then I thought of something else. It isn't something money can buy. And I couldn't wait to show him.

Maryanne stood up and stretched. "Remember Tristan and I went to your school to find Reece?"

I sat up and nodded.

"Well, he fled. He's not there anymore. When we asked where he was they said he called to resign." Mary explained.

"We're trying to track him, Alex don't worry." Tristan said. "We'll find them."

I nodded and patted his leg. "Thanks. Both of you."

Maryanne scowled which meant, 'Your welcome.' in her words. "Are you coming to that bar or what?"

My eyes widened. "Of course not!"

Tristan stood up. "It's not like normal bars. It's filled with--"

Maryanne hit him in the chest. "Let's let her find out for herself."

He nodded slowly and rubbed his chest. "Are you coming? We won't tell if you don't."

I sighed. I was supposed to be spending Christmas Eve with my parents. Then again I could see them tomorrow. It was getting pretty late as it was. "Fine."

They both smiled.

And then Joseph walked in. He rolled his eyes as he said, "You've been corrupted by these two. Don't get into any trouble. If you need me, call me."

I smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry, Joe, she'll be safe with us." Tristan slung his arm over my shoulders. "We'll take my car."

We walked out to the garage to his red Audi. Maryanne got up in front with Tristan as I sat in the back.

We were driving downtown when I got a weird wave of energy... A lot of it in fact. "Hey guys, where are we going? I can feel this wave of energy coming from a lot of..."

The car stopped outside a club named, "Wing." This place was filled with fallen angles and Pure's surprisingly. Some were outside talking and laughing. Some of the dark hairs in provocative clothing. Some of the blondes in decent clothing. 

I was plainly in black jeans and a dark grey hoodie. I wasn't dressed to come out.

"When you're here, you're Lonny." Maryanne said.

"Why?" I wondered.

Tristan chuckled as he parked a couple of blocks away from the bar. "Oh you'll see why."

"What does that mean?" I mused as I got out of the car. "Tristan?"

He turned toward me as we walked down the road.

"Why are they all here?"

"This is the only place we can all get along and be classed as equals without the Council or Elder's saying anything. Most states have some sort of area for us."

"Wow." I really didn't believe there were so many angels on this earth. Let alone in one state. I still couldn't believe the fact they walk around like they're human and nobody notices. It's surprising.

"You might see some familiar faces. From your past lives I mean. They know you're not fully, 'Developed' yet because of how interesting your aura or energy is. It's fine though." Maryanne reassured. "We've got your back. I will allow one drink, Missy. I'm not having you drunk."

"Am I allowed to buy alcohol? I mean, I'm still eighteen."

"There is no age requirement in this place, Princess so it doesn't matter." She said as we walked up to the door. Tristan and Maryanne walked in while I trailed behind. I got stopped by a heavy looking blonde.

"And who are you small fry?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. A thought from Maryanne caught my attention. 'Stay strong. Act tough. Show him what you can do.'

"None of your business." I gritted out.

His eyebrow rose. "Hmm.. really?" He crossed his arms over his wide chest.

I pulled my sleeve back on my mark covered hand and arm. He glanced at my mark and his eyes widened. "Wait a minute are you...?"

I ignited the flame inside my hand and watched it dance all over it. He stepped away from the door with a gasp. "Go right in, Lonny."

I smiled. Huh. Interesting.

I closed my hand to extinguish the fire and walked past him. Maryanne laughed as she led me to the bar. The place had a quite a few Angels. Some of them blonde, some of them dark haired. There were two pool tables in the corner of the bar. There were speakers with Alternative music playing. Booths and tables scattered around the room and stools up at the bar.

Some eyes were on me as I walked with Mary to the bar. Tristan trailed off to a woman I recognized from one of my first council meetings. "One drink; okay?"

I laughed. "You're not the boss of me but okay."

She smiled and went off to a blonde woman near the pool table.

"What do you want?"

I turned to the bartender. "Ah... Vodka and coke?" If I was only having one drink then I'd make it the best one.

The dark haired bartender laughed. "Aren't you a trooper?" He made my drink and handed it to me. "You be careful around here sweetheart. You seem Purer than your hair and eyes make you out to be."

I chuckled. "Yeah, well that's life isn't it?"

He nodded and smiled as he went to his next customer. I took a sip of the strong drink and cringed a little. Yes, it was vile. But it'll do.

A very attractive dark skinned man with surprisingly bright grey eyes sat next to me with a smile. I smiled back politely and took another sip of my drink.

"My friends are wondering if you're the woman everyone is saying you are?" He said softly.

"And who's that?" I asked.

"The Powers. The Apocalypse. The Goddess. Lonsa--"

"I prefer Lonny." I said with a smile.

He smiled and ran a hand over his jaw. "How interesting," He then ran a hand over his extremely short black curls. "Are you ready to make the decision?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure."

He nodded and stood up. "Well, good luck with the future. I'm obviously not allowed to influence you so I'm just going to say this. Choose what your heart tells you. Don't listen to any of those asshole Demons." He winked and walked off.

I chuckled and watched him walk over to a group of people at a booth. My eyes wandered to a booth next to them. The man sat on his own brought a memory to the front of my mind...

I stood up and started walking toward him unthinkingly. The words that came out of my mouth were mine... And yet somehow they weren't:

"So you made it through World War 2?"

The red headed man looked up at me with wide eyes. "Lonny? Is that really you?"

I sat down opposite him and smiled. "I know this is weird but I had a memory of you the other week."

"Ah, so you probably don't remember me fully yet?"

I shook my head.

He smiled and held out his hand. "Well, I'm Edmund, but please call me Eddie. We met centuries ago. The last time you saw me was when you were asking for a loop hole for Gabe."

I shook his hand politely. "I still want that loop hole." I said.

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you don't remember the whole conversation then?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry but no. All I remember is us in a bar during World War 2. You hadn't told me the exact loop hole."

He frowned. "I'm forbidden to tell you the loop hole, Lonny. You're going to have to figure it out yourself."

"That's not fair!" I said pretty loud. A couple of heads turned toward me but I ignored them. "You told me once before, who's to stop you from saying it again?"

He chuckled. "A lot of people my dear. Listen to me when I say, you and Gabriel are not meant to be together. It wasn't allowed back in the fifteen hundreds who said it's allowed now?"

"No one has done anything about it." I mumbled.

"Yet. Anything yet. They did something before but you had a tantrum and got him back. Remember?"

"Yes, I remember. I destroyed this town."

"Exactly. But technically you found him. But they might do it again. They might take him away again. If you release him, who knows what'll happen to him."

"If I release him, it'll be better for the both of us."

"You don't know that for sure. Wow, it's like déjà vu. I've said the same thing to you back in 1940 except I actually told how to let him go-"

"Listen, I know you're wiser, older and possibly a little stronger than me right now, but I'm not very patient. I just want to know the loop hole. Please." I begged.

He sighed and ran a hand through his red hair. "Lonny... To tell you the truth the loop hole is only valid when you're in your final form. But..."

"What? Tell me." I demanded.

His bright blue eyes looked sympathetic. "Nobody knows what you'll be like. Nobody knows if you'll lose your mind or your memory again. For all you know, you could kill Gabriel. You could kill everyone. You wouldn't even care or know it. That's the only problem."

I slumped back in the booth. Nobody had really explained to me what would happen during my transformation or how it would work. Maybe because nobody truly knows what happens...?

"That's the truth." He said, breaking my train of thought.

"Thank you, Eddie." I said. "This could help me so much."

"Yes, but when the time comes, will it?"

"I damn well hope so." I said as I stood up. A shiver racked through my body and most of the Angels in the bar glanced at me.

Maryanne and Tristan looked at me with a frown.

"Dammit." I muttered.

"That was an angry call there, Lon. Is it Gabriel?" Edmund asked

I sighed as the feeling intensified. "Oh yeah. This is definitely Gabriel." I took another gulp of my drink and shook my head. "What possessed me to order this?"

Eddie sniggered. I walked around to give him a quick hug. "I suppose it was good seeing you."

"And you. Be careful. There are some mean ass demons around here."

I laughed. "You can say that again."

I half ran to the pool table where Tristan and Maryanne were having a game. "Time to go."

"We've barely been here an hour." Tristan groaned. "Why does Gabriel have to be an ass?"

Another strong wave passed through me and I groaned in frustration. I pulled out my phone and speed dialled Gabriel.

He picked up on the third ring. "Gabriel stop calling me, people are beginning to--"

"Are you at that bar downtown?" He asked calmly which was a completely different contrast to how he it was a moment ago.

"Yeah. Why, are you walking in now?" I joked.

"Yep."

I turned to the door to see Gabriel strutting into the bar. I hung up the phone and quickly turned to Mary and Tristan. "Gabriel just walked in. Do you think he'll be mad at me?"

"He won't be mad at you sweetheart. It's us you should be worried about." Mary muttered as he walked up to the pool table.

"Good evening," He said with that familiar smirk of his. "Nice night isn't it miss?" He said to me.

"Are you being serious?" I laughed.

He wiggled his eyebrows. "Whoa. What's a beautiful woman like you doing with a couple of irresponsible dick heads like them?" He narrowed his eyes at his adopted siblings.

I laughed but they just scowled.

"Would you care to dance?" He held out his hand to me just as a song I remembered came on. The Wombats - 1996.

I gasped. "I have a boyfriend. I don't think he'll like this..."

He scoffed. "Screw your boyfriend." He grabbed my hand and led me onto the basically empty dance floor. He placed my left hand in his right and wrapped his other arm around me.
I rested my arm on the side of his shoulder and lent my chin on his shoulder.

He danced to the rhythm of the song and chuckled. "Is your boyfriend a better dancer than me?"

I hummed and said, "I've only danced with him once and that was at junior prom. He wasn't bad."

Gabriel pulled back to look at me with a soft smile. "You remember that?"

"There are some memories that don't fade, Gabriel; especially when you're in them."

He grinned childishly and hugged me closer. We remained silent until the second chorus and then he said, "I know we agreed no presents for Christmas but I got you something."

I smiled against his neck. "Yes, well I got you something too. One was brought and the other is something I've had for a long time."

"Can't wait to get it."

"I can't wait to give it to you." I grinned. "I have to go to my parents in the morning but I'll be back soon. You can come?"

He chuckled. "Not while Theo's here."

"I almost forgot about him." I mumbled but shook the thought away. "I'm not going to let him ruin it for me. I'm going to enjoy this dammit. I haven't had a decent full day in weeks—"

He brought my lips to his to silence me. I was a moment away from deepening the kiss when he pulled back. "Go. Enjoy yourself. Don't worry about Theo he'll be... reasonably happy."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What do you---"

He pecked my lips. "Don't worry about it."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Fine."

He grinned and glanced around. "You know a lot of people are staring."

"Let them stare." I brought his head down to connect our lips again.

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(Edited: 2023)