The Beauty is in the Flaw

Epilogue

Time in Heaven passes differently than on Earth. That is how it has always been and how it will remain. It seemed as though a heartbeat had passed since the order was given, and the angels all sighed in relief as one. Michael's actions, helped in no small part by the actions of the soldier Tessa and the steadfast group of humans from the Paradise Falls Gas'n'Grub had averted the extermination of humankind. Their determination proved definitively that even some of the most flawed souls held the promise of goodness and selflessness that God had begun to believe them incapable, and that the beauty of the human soul was the flaw. They had forced him to stop and think, to reconsider, to wonder if Michael's insistence that guidance was what they needed most was truly enough to heal humanity's wounds and banish the darkness once and for all.

The angels who played pivotal roles returned to their rightful places, free to watch over humankind and the individuals who caught their attention. Despite the upheaval that persisted long after God's orders had been rescinded, Charlie and Jeep found a peace and happiness with each other that neither had ever truly believed they deserved. All the while their beloved son, Andrew (and his eventual siblings), grew under their loving and watchful eyes.

Though many of the souls who died in those pivotal three days found peace, Audrey, like many exceptional souls before her, gained her wings upon her entry to heaven. She lost none of her spunk as she left her mortal life behind her, though loving exasperation was soon a common reaction when she appeared. Gabriel was hard pressed to resist her wry humour and free spirit, eventually allowing himself to be a little less serious when she was around. He became her special project, the new angel vowing early on to get him to loosen up. Subsequently, he made it his special project to get her to take things a little more seriously.

As time wore on, Audrey came to prove more successful in her endeavor, though Gabriel was loath to admit it to anyone but her. More importantly, they allowed one another to heal from the wounds their souls had suffered, especially the ones from those pivotal three days in the desert. The bond they developed was powerful and lasting, something they both cherished deeply. It wasn't long until neither of them could imagine not having the other in their lives.

Tessa and Audrey came to love each other as sisters, their own bond nigh unbreakable for reasons beyond their comprehension. Despite the differences in their pasts, they intimately understood the pain the other carried deep down and the flaws that pain caused. Tessa showed Audrey the intricate workings of Heaven's Army and was as proud as any mentor when Audrey proved to be an exemplary fighter.

Michael resumed his position as the General of God's Army, his experience at Paradise Falls shifting his outlook ever so slightly. His already remarkable patience grew and the compassion he bestowed upon the humans below him deepened. His protective nature had been tested and tempered while the trust he once bore towards his Father and his kind healed. His deep, abiding friendship with Tessa continued, stronger than ever, while their love, fostered by the chaos though it was, endured far past the events in the Mojave Desert, where the even the legions of heaven hadn't been able to tear them apart. 

A/N: Thank you so much for reading!

Be sure to vote and comment and let me know what you thought! And if you enjoyed, be sure to spread the word to anyone and everyone!