Cephirial couldn't feel him breathing. "Allen?" he questioned gently, surly he couldn't be…

He couldn't even bring himself to think the word. And yet he knew. Knew that Allen was, he was… Cephi let out an anguished sob. "Allen," he wailed hugging the boy close. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to come here and save Allen. Not get him killed. And the person who had killed his precious Allen was still in the cave. Alive and well. If Cephi had his way that would change shortly. Theo had to die.

He could feel the man's presence somewhere behind him. "Theo you bastard," the angel growled still cradling the dead boy in his arms. "You absolute bastard."

Cephi was shaking with rage now. "Why did you have to kill him? Why?" He set the body down gently, lovingly, on the cave's floor.

The livid angel turned his attention fully to the only being he hated, truly hated with a passion that burned more steady and brighter than the fires of Hell. He stared at him with eyes overflowing with malice and became even more outraged when he noticed that Theo was smiling crazily.

The crazed angel said in a sing-song voice, "He had it coming, little half-breed scum." He began to sing this over and over again causing Cephirial's absolute last nerve to snap. 

 "Listen you fucking bastard, this kid knew nothing of our world, he was innocent. And you killed him." In his rage his wings forced their way out… or what was left of them.

They stood majestic and horrifying from his back. Looking just as disgustingly tattered and misshapen as the day Theo had destroyed them.

Theo was still laughing hysterically when Cephi charged and tackled him to the ground where Theo continued to cackle.

"Ooh, you're angry," Theo stated as if he were surprised by the malice the other was showing him.

"You're about to find out just how angry I am," Cephi growled. He reached out his hand and his blade flew to him ready to do his bidding.

Theo's eyes shone with glee. Cephirial didn't seem to realize it yet, probably because he was absolutely pissed, but he was getting stronger. Theo used his dagger to slice into Cephi's leg. He smiled as the pain distracted the other man. It gave him enough time to switch their positions. Now Cephi was underneath him. Just how he liked it.

Theo raised his hands above his head, dagger held tight, getting ready to stab Cephi with all his might, but before he killed the man he wanted to get in one final round of gloating. "I've killed your disgusting nephilim lover, your sympathizer friend, Urial, and now, I'll kill you."

Cephirial watched as the blade fell toward him as if in slow motion. He heard the rumbling of thunder and smirked. God had been listening after all. And Theo had just admitted to committing the crime he had been accused of all those years ago, as well as killing another of angel blood. The blade bit into his flesh right as a lightning bolt came out of nowhere and struck the deranged angel.

Theo slumped against Cephi. Eyes lifeless. Cephirial couldn't quite suppress a cringe as he smelled the burnt flesh.

Quickly pushing the dead man off of him, Cephirial scrambled over to Allen.

He put his hands on the boy's chest. Never again would he see the boy smile, hear him laugh, smell his scent as they sat close to one another. He would never see him blush again or feel any warmth from the beautiful man's flesh. Never hear a sarcastic comment again, or see the hauntingly beautiful pictures he painted. Never kiss him again. Never do any of the stuff they could have done together if Allen had lived.

"Why?" he took in a shuttering breath. In heaven he had been powerful, a healer virtually capable of bringing someone back from the dead. But… when his wings disappeared, the healing power was greatly diminished. Now, he could only heal little cuts. Minor problems. If only he had more power. Finding angels were easy, healing… not so much. But still, he wanted to try. "Allen, please," this was hard. He willed something to happen, "Come back to me. I can't be alone. Not anymore. Not after knowing how wonderful life could be with you in it." He leaned his head down so he was close to that face. If not for all the blood, he'd look like he was sleeping. "Please, come back to me." He let a single tear fall onto the body and closed his eyes. He couldn't bring Allen back. He was too weak.

He decided he would stay with Allen until the boy's body was no longer warm with life. He clutched the body tightly to him and closed his eyes, just holding the boy for what would be the last time on this earth.

Unbeknownst to Cephirial, something was happen. Something was happening to Allen. The wounds on the boy's body began to glow. The wounds were glowing a bright blue and slowly, they began to stitch themselves closed. The light wove the cut skin back together until all that remained of the horrible lacerations were thin silver scars and the blood that had been spilled from Allen's body. And then ever so slightly one of Allen's fingers twitched. He took in a Gasp of breath and quickly returned the crushing hug from Cephi.

Cephirial pulled back a look of absolute belief on his face. "Allen, you're alive!" he whispered scarcely hoping this was more than a wonderful dream.

Allen looked up at him with tears in his eyes and nodded. He pulled the man into a gentle but searing kiss. And Cephi knew then that this wasn't a dream, that somehow Allen was alive again. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying being in each other's arms. Then, gently Cephirial took hold of Allen's chin and tilted the boy's head up to look into those beautiful eyes, "Allen, let's go home."

Allen nodded and for the first time since he woke up looked past Cephirial and saw the new appendages gracing the man's back. "Cephi, your wings," he whispered and Cephirial cringed. He had forgotten that those mangled clumps of flesh had managed to force their way out during the fight with Theo. He sucked in a breath, ready to throw some kind of explanation out to Allen of why they were so repulsive, even though the boy already knew why his wings were destroyed. But Allen's next words made Cephi choke on the half thought out explanation. "They're beautiful."