Angel Of Death - Crowley X Aziraphale (Finished)

9 - Lightning

Crowley's eyes take several moments to adjust to the blinding lights around him. As he finally begins to be able to see again, his eyes widen at the white walls and golden pillars. Bright diamond-like chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting a warm light onto the ground below. He hears washed-out words coming from around the corner and without taking a second to think about it, slips into his snakeskin and slithers around one of the chandeliers, watching the scene below. Gabriel, Uriel and Michael walked out chatting among each other.

"Who was it?" Michael asked.

"Admael," Gabriel replied. Crowley's eyes widened at the name he hadn't been called in almost seven thousand years. A name he had all but forgotten. With a wave of his wrist, Gabriel summoned an unconscious body to the floor, just a little way away from them, surrounded by a golden circle of light. Crowley flinched as he looked at his past body, naked and unconscious in a fetal position. His long hair fanning around him.

"What shall we do with him?" Uriel, standing proper and prim, asked.

"Lucifer wants him, he can have him. Strip his powers and throw him into the lake." Michael nodded in response before waving her hand to attract his powers, but as her miracle was about to reach his body, it bounced off. She frowned in surprise. Trying again, she received the same result. The serpent, also watching in surprise, looked around and in the corner of the room, hiding behind a pillar, he saw a blue-eyed angel, standing in the shadows, using little miracles to deflect the archangels'.

"Angel..? Crowley whispered as he watched. Michael looked at Gabriel in uncertainty. Gabriel then also had a go, also to be deflected by Aziraphale.

"Perhaps, we could try to purify him?" Uriel spoke up.

"Yes, Yes. Good idea." Gabriel replied turning to Michael. As if out of thin air, Michael produced a jug of holy water. Crowley watched as she poured it over his body, only to have no effect. "I think we must presume, hell has already stolen his powers. There's nothing more we can do. Let us go. The guardians will take his body to the lake." As the Archangels strolled away, Aziraphale hurried out and knelt next to the body, resting a hand on the falling angel. Crowley watched in confusion, not understanding what was going on.

"I'm sorry you got caught in this." The angel whispered with tears running from his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't convince them of your innocence. I'm sorry I can't save you." The angel kept apologizing. Crowley finally remembered the story Aziraphale had told him about the Angel he tried to save. This wasn't the Aziraphale he knew, this was the Aziraphale of the past. And the angel he had tried to save was Crowley!

"I cannot save you, but I can give you this." Aziraphale whispered. A glowing blue light left the angel, while a warm golden glow exited the body of the unconscious and flew into the angel. The angel winced a little at the contact with the light.
"One-day Admael... One day I'll find you and return this to you. I swear to you, Heaven and hell will never find out about it." Crowley was confused, not understanding what Aziraphale had taken. As Aziraphale stood up, Golden ropes wrapped around his wrists, ankles and base of his wings. Pulling him into the air and seeming to eventually disperse into the air. Crowley gasped at the sight. Hellfire was coursing through the rope, burning into the Angel's skin, the smoke making it difficult for him to breath.

"Aziraphale! How dare you help the traitor!" Gabriel exclaimed, returning with Uriel.

"He's not a traitor Gabriel!" Aziraphale struggled to retort

"He has turned to the darkness! He is a traitor to heaven."

"He's innocent Gabriel and you know it! You know who's behind this!"

"DO NOT MENTION HIM HERE!" Gabriel's voice boomed. "This traitor will fall into the sulfur lake where he will become hell's problem!"

"Please Gabriel. You know this isn't his doing! He doesn't deserve this!"

"If you're so adamant on protecting this traitor than perhaps you should too!" Uriel leaned over to his brother's ear and whispered:

"While I do think a punishment is necessary, giving him to hell could create greater problems with his..." Uriel's eyes met Aziraphale's. "Condition. Perhaps the pit would be better?" Gabriel seemed to think about it for a moment.

"Very well. You're lucky I'm feeling generous Aziraphale. You'll remain pure. But you cannot go unpunished. Three hundred years in the lightning pit should do the trick. Should you survive that long that is" Aziraphale's eyes widened in fear.

"No. No! NO!" Aziraphale cried, writhing against the ropes, screaming in agony as the hellfire grew brighter. "You know I won't survive that long in there Gabriel!" Gabriel snatched away the angel's powers and the blonde immediately fell unconscious, unable to endure the pain.

"Oh, my angel..." The snake whispered sadly. Every part of him wished he could have been able to protect his angel. He watched as Gabriel dragged him by the arm and threw him into a very deep pit, encircled by sharp dark rocks. No light could enter the space. Pitch black covered the pit. With a last-second miracle, Crowley broke the angel's fall, resting him on the ground and healing the red marks from the ropes. For hours Crowley watched over his angel. His serpentine eyes allowing him to see clearly despite the darkness. Eventually, the angel woke up, looking to the sky. Crowley remained out of sight, not sure how the angel would react to a demon being there. The demon watched as Aziraphale covered his head with his arms protectively, and before Crowley could even question why, strikes of lightning were hitting the angel. Animalistic screams came from his mouth. Crowley was in so much pain, watching his love tortured. He tried miracle after miracle to stop the storm, to shelter the angel but nothing worked. In a desperate attempt, the demon opened his wings and flew up, attempting to act as a shield, preventing the strikes from hitting his angel. As a bolt of light streamed down, it travelled straight through the demon as though he wasn't even there. He couldn't understand why he couldn't protect Aziraphale. After hours, the angel passed out and eventually the storm ceased. Crowley, shifting his wings back into his body, rushed to his angel, quickly healing his injuries and making him comfortable.

"I'm sorry my angel. I don't know how to protect you this time."