A Child of Heaven and Hell (Sequel to Guardian Demon And Angel)

Chapter 10

Dodie clambered down the stairs. She would have fallen had it not been the practice of going down the spiral staircase for many year. "Good morning Sweetums," Aziraphale greeted his barely awake daughter. "Did you have any other hard night of falling asleep?"

"Always," the girl gurmmbled. She was haunted by nightmares almost every night. As a child she'd climb into bed with her parents, comforted by their precense. As she got older she developed way to deal with it by herself, but it leads to quite a loss of sleep. "I'ma go get coffee. You or Dad want anything."

"Crowley already left this morning," the angel told her, "I am fine, however are you sure you do not want to get dressed first?" Dodie was still wearing her pajamas.

"This isn't my first time going across the street in my pajama's," she reminded him, already heading out the door.

The coffee shop was of course busy with the morning rush. Dodie just stood in line, just awake enough to be conscience of the line moving. She hadn't even noticed she had made it to the counter. "What's going on across the street?" Nina asked the teen.

Dodie took a second to wake up and figure out what she meant. "Oh, he's an old friend of Papa's,has something wrong with his head," she explained.

"Well I'm glad he's not out in the streets," the burista commented. "Hey, well... do you happen to know a man with red hair and dark glasses. I've seen him in the shop before. Came in yesterday with your pops."

Dodie softly shook her head. "That's my Dad," she told her, knowing she just stars something akin to a rumor for the local regulars and shop keeps. Crowley wasn't much of a socializer, rarely introducing himself to people.

"Really?" Nina was in disbelief. She handed the girl a cup of her regular. The woman like to call or a Sugar Rush, from how sweet the beverage is. Dodie, as always, miraculously had the correct amount of change for the drink.

Dodie brought the cup to her lip, catching a familiar scent through the hole of the to(go lid. "Sometimes Mum," she added to the confusion. She left the cafe with a smirk on her face.

Dodie reveled in the sensation of the sugary warm liquid flowing past her lips. She took in a deep breath, as if the single sip of what can only technically be called coffee had given her enough energy for the day. She stood outside the cafe for a moment, taking it all in.

She looked across the street to her destination, her home, and froze. Any warmth she had just gain turned to pure ice. They were practically impossible not to spot. Their clothing so white and easily stained, their noses up turned at everything. One, one she could take, but more would be a problem. Not likely these ones were like Jim either. It was also Jim himself who invited them in.

Dodie couldn't go back home. Dodie couldn't even take a single step. She was frozen there on the spot. She couldn't remeber the last time she was that terrified. It surely wasn't this life time. She hadn't even noticed her ragged breathing or tears dripping from her eyes. All she could recognize was the crippling fear.

She practically jumped out of her skin as a hand came down on her shoulder. "Dodie," someone called out softly. The girl looked to who was beside her. Nina the owner of the cafe across the street. She liked her drawings, said she should repaint a wall in the cafe one day for her. The woman had a controlling partner and a toxic relationship.

"You should leave your partner," Dodie told her, still swimming in her memories of the woman, assuring herself she was good. Most humans by themselves were good. Humans as a whole however were not.

"Alright kiddo," the woman sighed, "Your not alright, let's get ya home."

Nina walked Dodie across the street, practically pushing her into the book store. Dodie froze right in the entry way, terrified of what she had just walked into. The group had already left. Jim was reorganizing the book, and Papa was at his desk, listening to music. It wasn't classical music, which was odd for Aziraphale, but not concerning.