10 - Lies

"Gabriel," Aziraphale spoke with his new found confidence. He slipped out from Crowley's warm arms. Crowley tried to reach back out for him, but Aziraphale smiled back, silently telling him that he needed a minute. Crowley hesitantly nodded, but Aziraphale stopped walking Any further away for his demon's comfort.

"What?" Gabriel hissed, annoyed.

"Something has been bothering me for a little while now. I'm hoping you can help me with it." Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "All I want is to know if a few things are true. Can you do that for me? I think you might be the only one who can." Crowley looked stupefied and Gabriel nervous, but with all the Angel's around, he knew he didn't have a choice. God's army was an honest bunch and he knew it.

"What do you want?"

"The spell that turns an angel into a demon. It has a side effect. What is it?" Aziraphale tried to remain innocent-sounding. Gabriel rolled his eyes as though it was the most common knowledge in the universe.

"The user loses all memory of when they were an angel."

"Right of course... And the day I completed my creation exam. I created a creature. Did you tell anyone what it was?"

"No, of course not! Why would I ever tell anyone about such an impure creature?" Both Aziraphale and Crowley flinched at that. Crowley was desperate to ask what his angel was getting at, but he knew that If he was patient, Aziraphale would do something really clever.

"So, that means, that other than yourself, Raphael, whose memories were lost due to the spell, and myself, there was only one other who knew about the creature I created. The creature, which for everyone's knowledge, became known as the serpent of Eden. Is this Correct Gabriel?"

"Yeah... Obviously... Lucifer knew, you know, the one who signed off on it?" He spoke snidely.

"Obviously though, Lucifer wouldn't remember the creature though right?" Little whispers were coming from the crowd as people were starting to piece it all together. Crowley however, was still completely clueless. "Gabriel, if Lucifer was the only other one who knew about the creation, and he can't remember ever being an angel, how could he give Crowley a second form as that same very creature?" Crowley's eyes widened.

"Of course." He stepped back up to Aziraphale's side. "He couldn't if he had willingly fallen, but if he was forced to fall... Then he might be able to."

"See Gabriel, Lucifer was always kind to me. When you told everyone why he fell, I was shocked. It just didn't sound like him. But first rule of being an angel... Never doubt right? But it wasn't the almighty he was doubting. It was you. He had found out that you had implanted several of us with demon blood and had planned to send us into hell to try to kill Satan. He knew we'd all die and when he told you to stop it, you forced him to fall." The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.

Aziraphale stepped away shutting his eyes, his wings expanded, his left wing still trying to recover. Then a cloudy smoke covered his body. When it dispersed his eyes were completely white, his hair longer, reaching down to his shoulders and the tips of the strands seeming to have been dipped in darkness. A second pair of wings had also climbed out of his back. While his normal white wings pointed upwards, these wings were an impossible black and pointed towards the ground below.

"This is what the man who leads you has done to me!" Aziraphale called into the crowd. "There are others among you who have suffered this very fate. To those of you, do not be afraid. You are not evil because of it, what was done to you is evil. To those who have been fortunate enough to remain free from this act, the proof that demons are not evil are among you right now. You have been working with them, been friends with them since the dawn of time and you never even knew!" Aziraphale's announcement caused absolute silence within the room. Suddenly, footsteps could be heard entering the room a small smile rose on the half breed's lips

"Lucifer" Crowley breathed.

"It's been a while my Friend." The handsome man spoke. "And Aziraphale, I see you're revealing your true form now?"

"Had to be done sooner or later."

"I'm proud of you dude."

"Thanks Luc." As Lucifer passed him, Crowley hurried to Aziraphale's side.

"What's he doing here?" Crowley whispered.

"I sent a message down to hell." Aziraphale paused for a moment. "I'm sorry about this by the way." Crowley shook his head, not understanding.

"Sorry for what exactly?"

"Making you look at my true form, I know it's not pleasant." Crowley was gobsmacked.

"Angel, you are beautiful. You're so beautiful." A sliver of silver fell down the angel's cheek. Crowley wiped it away, before leaning in and kissing the angel gently. When they broke apart, Aziraphale's wings had shimmered away and he was in human form. Crowley's forehead rested against his Love's and wrapped his arms around the Angel's waist while Aziraphale rested his on Crowley's chest.

"I love you." He whispered. Aziraphale smiled.

"I love you too." Suddenly they heard someone clearing their throat. As they looked to the side, they saw Lucifer grinning at them.

"Can I have my turn now, or are you guys gonna just continue on with your PDA?" Suppressing a chuckle and hiding his embarrassment, Aziraphale hid his face against Crowley's chest. Grinning back, Crowley replied.

"Well I'd rather the PDA, but go ahead." Lucifer raised a mocking eyebrow and turned back up to face Gabriel in the stands. Crowley placed his hand on Aziraphale's head, while the other remained around his body.

"Gabriel, you have forced many innocent Angels to fall over the millennia. Many have felt that they had no choice but to become evil after being thrown in hell. You and I both know many are not. After many thousands of years, we are ready to forgive. We are ready to offer an arrangement where Angels and demons can work together for the greater good. All that we ask, is that those who fell by your hand, be offered a fair trial and if they are seen to be innocent, they be offered the chance to rise again." This caused loud conversations to erupt within the crowd.

"NEVER!" Gabriel yelled definitively. And that caused silence.

"Gabriel, are you truly not willing to put aside your pride for the good of all creation?"

"Good? Siding with demons isn't good. Demons are creatures that bring nothing but pain and disaster to the world. They deserve what they get!" Aziraphale was shaking, trying to prevent his power from lashing out. But his anger... It was far from angelic. He was ready to burst and strike down Gabriel where he stood, regardless of the consequences. Crowley just held the angel tighter, quietly shushing him.

"Gabriel," Lucifer tried again. "We are not evil. We were thrown into a pit where our options were to serve an evil master or to die. Those who chose to fall had their own reasons. And," lucifer briefly turned back to face Crowley and his angel. "I definitely don't think they're evil either. But those of us who were forced to fall... We didn't have a choice but to serve Satan. All I'm asking is that you give them a chance."

"I won't. Heaven will not allow those putrid creatures to taint our home!" That was it. Aziraphale had enough. He broke free of the demon's grasp and walked to Lucifer's side to face Gabriel. Lucifer gently looked over to Aziraphale to silently ask if he was okay. After a short nod, the angel looked up firmly to Gabriel.

"That's not your choice to make. Once upon a time the Angel's elected you to lead them to a better future. They trusted you to enact God's will and to put her above all else. But just today, you have been proven to have lied. You have so much pride. And Gabriel, I've been thinking about this for years, but I think you're jealous of the almighty." Gabriel's face went amazingly red.

"What!? Of course not..." Aziraphale raised a hand to stop him.

"I'm not finished Gabriel. Even if it's not true, I'm fearful that you yourself believe that you are higher than the almighty. Can you really expect the rest of heaven to trust you after all you've done? It is not my choice to make. I've chosen my side. But if I were an angel who just learned what my leader had done to my brethren, I'd be inclined to take him out of power sooner rather than later."

"But you're right Aziraphale, it's not your decision." Came a voice from the shadows. Stepping out came Sandalphon. His usual smile on his face but his features looking dark. Gabriel smirked.

"Tell me Aziraphale," Gabriel began, "any idea what happens when the demon blood has been taken out of a half breed?" Aziraphale's eyes widened as he looked back to Sandalphon. He took a shaky step back as he saw what he was holding.

"What is that?" Lucifer questioned, looking at the odd looking little device in the archangels hand.

"I... It's... It's a d.. Divider." Aziraphale spoke shakily. "T... They use it to, um, to remove impurities from an angel. Normally it's just used in case an angel accidentally touches something demonic... But something half demon... Would be tortured... Then killed."

"Well that's not going to happen." Crowley says nonchalantly, walking up to Aziraphale and snaking a hand around his waist. Aziraphale looked up at him with a terrible fear in his eyes. Crowley looked gently at him.

"C...cr... C..."

"I won't let anything hurt you." Crowley whispered. Aziraphale moved closer in an attempt to feel safe.

"Do it," Gabriel ordered his colleague. And just as Aziraphale tensed, ready to endure the pain, a voice called out.

"Enough!" Michael quickly entered the room and with a miracle, threw the device out of Sandalphon's hand

"What are you doing Michael?" Gabriel seethed.

"I've had enough. I've visited the demons several times since the aversion of the war, and I've learned that all that Lucifer has spoken is true! Many demon's want desperately to do good in the name of the almighty, however are bound to Satan and are unable to do so. And I have watched you abuse your power to do as you have wanted for too long. You haven't even spoken to the almighty in Millennia! You and I both know that the last angel to speak to the great one was Aziraphale!" Several gasps shot out from around the room. It was unheard of for an angel to lead without speaking to the almighty regularly.

"Is that true Angel?" Crowley asked looking down at Aziraphale.

"I... I didn't know. The last time we spoke was the day I met you as a demon."

"But that was 6000 years ago!"

"ENOUGH!" Gabriel's voice boomed. "I am not going to be thrown out of power by some stupid half breed and his friends!"

"You don't get that choice Gabriel. That choice belongs to heaven and heaven alone." Michael spoke. Gabriel gulped and though Sandalphon tried to back away, Michael wouldn't allow it. Michael turned back to face Lucifer, Crowley and Aziraphale.

"Gentlemen," she spoke calmly. "If you don't mind, I would say this is heaven's business now." The three nodded before promptly leaving, each happy to be gone.