"So, this is my life. And I want you to know I'm both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be."
- Stephen Chbosky

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The baby is awake, I can hear him. I want to try and settle him before he wakes Adele up, she needs the rest.

I don't want to make him jump by appearing in his room so I walk down the hall. As I reach for the door handle a mans voice echoes from the room.

I freeze, my mind flashing, impossibly to Derrick, of all people.

"Ok...Ok! How about this one? What do you call a man with a spade on his head? ... Doug!!"

The tension leaves me as I roll my eyes and open the door.

Harry is cradling Theo and laughing loudly at his own lame joke.

Theo coos up at him and Harry's face softens into a huge smile.

I clear my throat and he jumps, looking guilty.

"Ah, um... there you are Louis... I was just.. Er... Ow!" He exclaims as Theo pulls one of the feathers on his wings.

"You woke him up purposefully didn't you?" I accuse.

"No! I just..."

I raise an eyebrow as Harry gives me a sheepish grin and puts Theo back in his cot.

"I just wanted to see him awake. He's adorable isn't he?" Harry grins goofily at the little boy in front of him.

I sigh and cross the room, tucking Theo's cover around him. His whole face lights up when he sees me and my heart swells with love for him. I stroke his little cheek with my finger.

"Who ever thought you'd be so happy in the end Louis?" I turn to see Harry watching me with a soft smile. "Three centuries you've spent, bringing happiness to others and you've finally got back what you gave so readily."

I smile at him, feeling a little embarrassed.

"How's Adele?"

"She's doing well." I smile at the thought of her. "She's so happy. She's like a different person altogether."

"That's good." He smiles and then frowns and sighs. "It's not exactly normal though is it?"

I can't help but laugh.

"Harry. You're an archangel lecturing a ghost in the presence of a child who'll change the world about what's normal and what isn't."

"Fair point." He laughs.

"What about you? What happened after you left here?"

"Me? Oh I'm on probation. Had a right telling off from Raphael." He winces at the memory. "Honestly, this whole 'Chief Archangel' thing hasn't half gone to his head. I'm being closely monitored for the next three millennium. They'll review me after that." He shrugs.

"How did you get here?"

"Gabriel pulled a few strings... Well, actually he tore a hole in the dimensions for me to slip through." He looks slightly sheepish. "Both of us are going to get in huge amounts of trouble, hopefully we haven't altered reality too much.  I always knew he was a pal." Harry smiles cheerfully and I roll my eyes, thinking of all the times Harry has bitched about Gabriel.

Suddenly he looks serious.

"This is the last time though Louis." He says quietly. "I won't be able to come again. Not ever."

"Don't be so dramatic Harry, if you've done it once-"

"No old friend." He looks me straight in the eye. "This really is the last. Even if I came back to the house and spent a thousand years waiting I wouldn't be able to find you again. After what I've done to get here they'll make sure it's not possible to do it again. You're completely on your own now, you've removed yourself from the whole system."

For once he's not being dramatic. He really means it.

I feel an odd ache in my chest as I look at him.

For the past 300 years he's been my closest friend. Despite the fact he's incredibly annoying, he really is the best friend I've ever had. I can't believe this is goodbye.

"Not long left now." Harry glances up, listening to some message I can't hear. "I'm going to be in so much bloody trouble. Nothing new there." He shoots me a dimpled grin.

He looks down at baby Theo.

"Time is so very, very brief Louis."

I nod, the ball of emotion still welling in my chest. I'm going to miss him so much. I knew I'd lost everyone else... But I never dreamt that meant Harry too.

He's still staring down at the baby.

"Aren't they marvellous?" He says in wonder.

"Who?"

"Humans." He gazes down at the baby. "They have this huge, beautiful planet, full of wonders but they don't even take the time to watch the miracle of sunrise. They're so busy with their unimportant little dramas that they take the stars for granted. They don't spend every night gazing at them and thinking of their own insignificance. They're destructive, I mean, which other creature destroys it's own habitat? They're ignorant, wasteful, they kill and maim and hate with such passion because of petty things, like differences in skin colour or religion. They've drawn imaginary borders on maps and they'll kill each other to protect those invisible lines." He shakes his head, smiling at the ridiculousness.

"Yeah, they're totally marvellous Harry." I mutter.

"No, but that's it! They're terrible, they really are. And yet... Look at them. Look what they've created. They've build cities and monuments... walked on the moon, travelled the seas. They're constantly curious and hungry for knowledge. No other creature in the universe can be as destroyed by emotion as they can... The loss of a loved one can ruin their entire existence.  They're ruled by their hearts, they can love and hate with such burning passion it can destroy them... And yet, they think they're the masters of all they see... But they're just children. In the grand scheme of things they know nothing, absolutely nothing." He smiles and touches the babies cheek gently. "They're as innocent and clueless as this one here. They're wonderful." His voice is full of affection.

I watch him and it occurs to me that despite how human he seems, he's full of a wisdom I'd never understand. He sees how awful and destructive humans are, but he sees the beauty of it, he loves them all the more for it.

"I'll miss you Harry." I say quietly.

I can't believe this is it. I'll never see him again.

He turns back to me, his face sad again.

"I'll miss you far more old friend. I don't know what the future holds for you Louis... But enjoy every second of it."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

A glowing gold doorway appears a few feet away and an urgent whisper comes through.

"Haniel? What are you doing?"

"Gabriel?" Harry whispers back.

"You'll never guess what's happened!" The disembodied voice goes on. "Bloody Archangel Michael has found out about this and he's gone straight to the big guy!"

"Little snitch!" Harry looks furious.

"I did tell you that he'd get you back for stealing his harp."

"I didn't steal it! I borrowed it!" Harry says indignantly.

"Whatever... Just hurry up!"

Harry looks at me.

"I've got to go Louis."

"Are you going to be in trouble with God?" I feel faintly ridiculous asking the question.

"Nah. He's quite understanding about these things. It's Raphael who's going to kill me." Harry says cheerfully.

He walks towards the doorway.

"This really is goodbye then Louis." He looks depressed.

"Goodbye Harry. And tell Niall I miss him. And I'm sorry."

"It's ok Louis... He understands. You chose love. And that's the way it should be."

We look at each other. I can feel tears welling in my eyes.

"Stop it. At least you're not going to get a bollocking from God." He tries to make a joke but his voice wobbles.

"Oh crap! Haniel!" Gabriel's voice comes urgently. "Get back here! Raphael's only sent the cherubic police force! They'll be here any minute!"

"Oh bollocks!" Harry mutters. "I've really got to go. I'm in so much bloody trouble."

And just like that, Harry is gone for the very last time.

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

Adele closes the curtains and lays Theo on the bed, so that he's between us. He giggles to himself before kicking his chubby little legs and yawning.

"Oh, now you feel like sleeping!" Adele laughs as she presses a kiss to his soft hair.

He can barely keep his eyes open and gives me a last cute smile before his eyeslashes flutter and he falls into a soft sleep.

She looks exhausted. She's trying to stay awake but her eyelids keep closing.

"Louis...?"

I create a little orb and she smiles at the sight of it before she falls into an exhausted sleep.

Mr T wedges himself between me and Theo and I look down at the three of them. Adele's long hair fans out and mixes with Theo's soft dark curls. He's inherited her adorable habit of pouting in his sleep. Mr T begins to purr softly as I gaze at them.

My family.

I made the right choice.

I don't know what the future holds. All I know is that if Harry's fears were right and I do end up alone... Even in a thousand years time I'll never regret choosing Adele. I might get a tiny amount of time, a teardrop in the ocean of eternity with her, but every second with her is worth a thousand alone.

Maybe Harry's wrong though. Maybe I do get to be with her forever. I don't know. But it's worth the risk.

I watch her as she sleeps. I still don't understand love, why my heart feels like it's singing every time I see her face. All I know is that this feeling is addictive, I need it constantly.

Adele was messed up and lonely. So was I. But somehow our souls found each other and we make each other happy... And that's all that ever really matters.

I've seen a lot of life and a little of heaven too.

I'm not a wise man. But if there's one thing I could tell anyone it's that you should always choose love, no matter how difficult the path is. Love is the beacon of light that'll guide you home on a dark, stormy night. It's the only flicker of light in a dark world.

If you haven't loved, you haven't lived.

And after 300 years, I'm finally living.

Fin

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The next in the Angel Harry series, Demon, is now in my works x

If you've enjoyed this story, please comment and let me know 😘

Of course I have to dedicate this too @minniemair thanks for all your support and kind words :) x