An Angel in Serpent's skin

Ch.24-The end

Sweet pea's p.o.v

"This is it. Are you ready?"

I should've said no. Because, in reality, I wasn't. Not even a little bit, but how was I supposed to know? How was I supposed to know that in a split second everything would change? How was I supposed to know that I should've cherished her and told her every minute of everyday just how much I loved her?

What had I done wrong? I wasn't such a horrible person that I deserved this, was I? The things I've been through this past year could've killed a lesser man. I realize now that she wasn't lesser and it still killed her, so maybe it wasn't about what I'd been through but how I came out on the other side.

Was I stronger for it? Weaker? Have I moved on with grace? Or have I sunk in my sorrow? This pain... the pain of knowing that I'll never see her smile again, or hear her laugh, it's nearly unbearable. What's worse is knowing I'll have to raise our daughter on our own, she never even got the chance to hear her name fall from her own child's lips. How cruel fate could be.

I keep seeing that image of her in my head, the image of her dying in my arms. If I didn't think it would sound cliche as hell I'd say it haunted me. My mind keeps telling me that that's not it, that this isn't right because we were supposed to get our happy ending. We went through hell, and we were supposed to come out on the other side triumphant. How could everything have gone so wrong?

I knew deep down in my heart that this couldn't be the end, but a nagging voice in the back of my head still whispers in my ear...

Could it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One day earlier

Angie's p.o.v

I paced the length of the spare room Richard was letting us stay in, muttering to myself and ringing my hands. I could feel the anxiety rising in my chest the longer I thought about what I was going to say.

There were currently at least a hundred people standing outside on Richard's lawn waiting for me to address them. Waiting for their leader, me, to tell them what our plan to take back the Angels was. And I had no idea what the hell I was going to tell them.

Sweet pea had, of course, been the encourager and told me that I'd do great. Richard had been the annoying older brother that promised he'd laugh when I inevitably messed up. Sara had told me they'd follow me into whatever the battle was no matter the consequence or how well thought out the plan was. I'd had every possible version of encouragement, and yet I still didn't feel ready for this.

A slight knock on the door tore me from my thoughts, and I let out a grunt of approval for them to come in. I was graced with the presence of my beautiful baby being held by her equally handsome father.

"The crowds getting a little restless, are you almost ready?" I sighed and plopped myself onto the bed, bouncing slightly on the springs.

"No. I don't know why I'm so damn nervous. Is it because I've never asked them to risk their lives like this? Maybe, but I feel like it's more because I'm asking them to do it and I don't have some foolproof plan to present them with. Sara says they'll still follow me, but I think that just makes me feel worse!" I groaned and let myself fall backwards so that I was laying flat on my back and looking at the ceiling.

My self-pity was interrupted by quite possibly the cutest giggle I'd ever heard. I slowly sat back up, only to see Alissa grinning at me with wide eyes like she was waiting for me to do it again. Sweets and I shared a look of pure adoration before I decided to do it again. Sure enough, just like last time the moment my back hit the mattress her angelic little laugh erupted from her mouth, which in turn made me laugh giddily. I stood up and walked over to her, gently taking her from Sweets arms.