It's lovely weather this weekend. Tony's mother is taking Tony to the park. He's so excited to get out of the house. And I'm excited too, it's nice to be more than just a few places, and all of them indoors. I want to feel the wind on my face, in my feathers, for more than a few seconds.

    I slip inside the car as his mother gets him into the car. The ride there is quite enjoyable, and I'm glad I don't have to walk or fly there and back since there is room for me in the car. When we arrive Tony can't get out of the car quick enough and I'm in complete agreement with his eagerness, though not enough to realize that his enthusiasm can cause him harm. So I make sure to keep a hand on him as he tumbles from the car and makes a mad dash for the park.
Laughing joyously he runs around with the other kids. I keep as close as I can with the tangle of limbs and children everywhere. I can still feel the dark figure nearby though they have not made their presence obvious since that first time a few weeks ago, who ever they are they are keeping their distance. Watching, waiting. Expecting something to happen. I'm always on guard, nervous is a mild way of describing my behavior lately.

    I talked to Grey last night before taking my night shift. He said it was unusual that I could sense this dark presence and not see its source. He hadn't heard of the Fallen being specifically assigned to a particular human, unless they were supposed to be extremely important, in years. There just aren't enough Fallen for them to do that anymore. Just as we are running low on willing Guardians they are running low on demons. He said he would call in a favor of and Archive angel to look into accounts like the one I'm describing.

    Old Grey has changed since we first met. He's more devoted to his Elaine now than he was that first year we met. I guess it's not true what they say, you actually can change and old angel's ways. Even a stubborn one like Grey. Jericho, the Guardian of Tony's father, thinks we were too revolutionary. That they old ways have worked for near six thousand years, why change them now if they work? She's what we call a privileged angel. Both of her parents were Archangels, though she is a rare step down in a long and strong bloodline her parentage still holds a lot of weight. Being raised in the Archangel hierarchy but being merely and angel gave her a complex. Much like the grouchy angel at the agency the day before I came to Earth. It doesn't help that she's set the marry the director when she's through with this job. I can't stand her honestly, and though Grey agrees with me he doesn't vocalize his opinions as strongly as I do.

    Suddenly I feel a shift in the energies in the air. A surge of dark power like a jolt of electricity. And it's headed straight for Tony. In an instant I'm by his side and attempting to shield him with my wings. I feel the dark magic wrap around my protective shield around him, trying to find a weak point to penetrate. But I hold firm.

    That is until a second charge is released and hits me squarely on my spine between where my wings connect with my shoulders. And the lights go out. My body crumbles and there is nothing I can do to keep the curse from touching my precious Tony. He doesn't notice a change, bless his soul, but the second the curse touches him searing pain runs along my spine and robs me of what little energy I have left that I've been using to heal my already injured self. I bite back the scream that threatens to break free of my throat and pass out just as I hear Grey calling my name in a panic.

    When I wake up Grey is kneeling over me. I'm not where I fell though. "There she is," Grey smiles down at me. "You can't get rid of me that easily," my voice is raspy and I cough. I struggle to sit up but there's a sharp searing pain down my spine and I hiss against the urge to cry out.

    "No don't sit up. You took a bad hit. You won't be able to just walk this one off Greenie." Grey tries to push me back down but I shove his hand away. When I'm fully in a sitting position I hear Grey pull in a sharp breath. "What's wrong?" I ask through my tightly clenched teeth. "You're burned. Between your wings." His words bring the burning throbbing of the spot where I was hit. "Well patch me up, I'm on duty." I know he wants to argue but I don't give him the chance. So he pulls out some medic supplies and gets to work.

    I grit my teeth as he tears and peels away the fabric of my shirt from the burn and treats it as best he can. The second he's finished taping a bandage into my back I spy Tony. And I have a bad feeling about what is about to happen. And I'm right, he slips and starts to fall. Ignoring the pain in my back I speed to his side and wrap my aching and delicate wings around him. A fall from that height at his age would result in a broken bone if I didn't do something. My wings take the brunt of the fall and feel the pain of the ground hitting my sensitive wings but I don't hear the crack of bone. Tony is safe.