The Angel

Chapter 17

‘Broken Moonlight’

Mephistopheles had been right. Jason pulled into the compound just as the sun was about to hit the horizon. He parked Scott's car back where he had found it in a small garage along with several dozen other cars. He tried to get back to his rooms without anyone noticing him, but soon had to give up. Everywhere he went, whenever anyone saw him, they backed off and watched him pass. Apparently Nick wasn't very good at keeping his mouth shut.

The feeling he got from them though wasn't exactly menacing… more just… intense curiosity and wariness. Under what he felt was intense scrutiny, he broke into a run and dashed for the building his room was in. The walls were a blur as he tore up the stairs and along the hall. He slammed his door shut behind him and panted. He wasn't going to be able to take this much longer, he had to get out. And soon.

He grabbed his suitcase out of the wardrobe and started throwing his clothes inside it. Five minutes later he was finished. He sat down on his bed to wait, not exactly sure what, if anything, he was waiting for.

A little while later, Jason wasn't sure how long because he'd already packed his clock in his bag, there was a knock at his door. He remained sitting on his bed, arms wrapped around his knees. The door creaked open and Sara stuck her head timidly around the corner.

"Jason? Are you ok?" She asked.

He didn't answer, didn't even move or indicate that he had recognized her presence. She slipped into his room and shut his door as quietly as she could. As she got closer to him, she could see he had been crying. His eyes were red and swollen. She placed a hand on his arm and his eyes darted from the far wall, where they had been fixed, to her.

Jason hadn't even realized he had been crying. He had been going over and over again what Mephistopheles had told him about Matt. '"Matt is probably up in Heaven with that girl of his."' He only felt the sting of dried tears on his cheeks when Sara touched his arm.

He looked up at her though blurry eyes. "Can we go home now?" he whispered hoarsely.

Sara helped him up and took his suitcase. They went down to his car which was already packed with her and Scott's bags. Jason climbed into the backrest and was soon lost to exhaustion.

* * *

When Jason woke again the last rays of light from the sunset lit up a blackened sky with towering thunder clouds forming. He pulled out his iPod and set it to play randomly. The first song it selected was a recent remix of Finley Quaye's Dice.

Scott also had fallen asleep in the front seat, and Sara seemed content to drive on in silence. He leaned with his head pressed against the glass and listened as the lights on the highway flashed past.

* * *

Jason only realized he had fallen asleep again when he was awoken by the crunch of the tires on gravel. He turned off his still playing iPod and managed to smile groggily at Paul, the security guard who opened the front gate for them and waved as he passed by.

As they were pulling through the gates, the skies finally opened up and rain started pattering on the windshield. Paul rushed to close the gate behind them and then get back to his cozy booth and his raincoat. There was a dull rumble of thunder as Sara parked. Paul must have called ahead to tell the house that they were arriving, because Nancy was already standing at the door with two umbrellas for them. She hurried out to them and managed to keep all three of them relatively dry as they pulled their bags from the boot of the car. Quite a feet, Jason had to admire her.

Once they got inside, he dropped his bag on the floor and hugged her. "You cooked any of your famous Christmas cookies yet Nan?" He asked her with a childish grin.

She knocked his cheek with a knuckle. "Spoilt brat, you expect me to do everything?" She teased and then whispered in his ear so only he could hear, "There's a batch in the oven just now." Then she winked and bustled off back to the kitchen.

Elizabeth came out of her study and hugged her son and daughter then shook hands with Scott when he introduced himself.

"Is Dad here?" Jason asked his mother in a tone that showed he was ready to be disappointed.

"Not yet dear," She said. "He's getting here later tonight, if the storm doesn't ground his plane that is."

Jason snorted derisively and hefted his bag to take it up to his room. His mother called after him as he ascended the stairs.

"Jason, will you show Scott to one of the guest rooms please?" She called.

He looked back over his shoulder at Scott and narrowed his eyes momentarily. "Sure, I'll put him in first room."

"Put him in the second, Drew's already in the first." She called back up as he disappeared around the corner. Jason stuck his head back round.

"Drew's here?"

She nodded.

Jason s throat tightened.

The wind rattled the windows ominously as the storm picked up strength. The lashings of rain hit the glass with a heavy patter as Jason ambled down the long hall to the room his parents had given Drew. There was a sudden flash of lightning and a crack of thunder. He stopped outside Drew's door and raised his fist. He took a deep breath. He knocked once just as there was another flash of lighting and the following thunder drowned out the noise his hand made on the wood. He knocked again.

"Come in," Drew called out from within.

Jason gripped the doorknob and turned it. Drew was in the process of unpacking his bag. He turned and saw Jason at the door.

"Jason!" He jumped. "You made it!" He ran and hugged Jason exuberantly. Oh god, he'd wanted to do that for so long!

Jason smiled uneasily.

"When'd you get here?" Drew asked.

"Just a few minutes ago. I came down with Sara and Scott." He informed his friend.

Drew grimaced. "She scares me."

A real smile flashed across Jason's face and he laughed. "Yeah, she scares me sometimes too."

Drew beckoned him into his room.

"Drew," Jason started. "About that note I left you…" Drew looked at him curiously. "We need to talk."

Drew felt like his heart had missed a beat. He paled visibly. Oh fuck! Drew thought. Jason must've figured it out! He knows I'm gay and now— he hates me! He's going to ask me to leave. Drew started breathing faster as his mind panicked.

"Drew, we need to talk." Jason repeated solemnly. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Drew to join him. The thunder had passed on by now and only the gently patter of rain on the windows could be heard. A long moment of silence passed between them as they both struggled for the courage to say what they each wanted to say.

"I have to tell you something," they both blurted at once.

Drew blushed, "Sorry, you go first."

Jason took a deep breath. "Drew I'm g—"

The voice came through the window, unimpeded by the continuing rain and made Jason stop mid-sentence. Drew, watching him, saw his pupils shrink and his breathing catch. Jason turned his head to the window.

Drew followed his gaze.

Jason stood shakily and began moving slowly across the room.

He reached the window and eased it open. He peered out into the rain and caught sight of a figure standing across the street on the corner, under a circle of light from the street lamp.

He leant out over the sill into the rain and peered at the sodden figure. He hardly dared to hope who it could be.

"Matt?" Jason breathed more than spoke it. "Matt?" He called again, louder this time.

Drew, still sitting on his bed let his shoulders slump. His heart, previously in his throat felt like it had plummeted into his left shoe where it was slowly being squeezed by his foot. He remembered the name that had burnt itself on the coffee table only a few days ago at college. Who was this Matt that he could cause Jason so much hurt but seemingly so much… hope at the same time?

Jason ran past him out the door, blind to all around him but his goal out on the street. Drew stood and followed him more slowly down the hall.

Jason ran along the hall and then down the stairs. He raced through the living room where Sara, Scott and his parents had all stopped in their conversations to listen to the singing and wonder where it was coming from. Jason ignored them all and when Drew followed through behind him, they gave him wondering looks. He merely shrugged, showing he knew as little as they did.

Jason flung the front door wide and stared out into the rain across the street. He stepped out into the driveway, the gravel crunching loudly under foot. The storm had almost passed and the rain was lessening more and more.

Jason thought about how, during the last few weeks of college, if things had gotten too hectic to deal with, he had locked himself in his car and blasted loud music, hoping, aching for some sign from Matt that he was still there. Anything, a song over the radio as Matt had done as he was driving back to college, or even a direct message. But there had been nothing.

Now he was running down the driveway, the gravel scattering under his shoes. He pushed past the wrought iron gate and the stones turned to hard asphalt and he nearly flew across the road, stopping just outside the circle of light cast by the street lamp.

The singer raised his head, water still dripping down his sodden hair and the light from the street lamp stuck his face. Jason ran and pressed his face hard into his chest as Matt's arms closed around him, holding him tightly, as if to protect him from the world.

"Matt…" Jason whispered.

"Jason, I'm so sorry" Matt murmured as he kissed the top of his head gently. "I'm so sorry for everything I put you through. I was wrong…"

"Hushh," Jason whispered. He tilted his head up and stared into Matt's ice blue eyes. They were red-rimmed and he looked like he was about to cry. "You're here now." he said, and then stood on his tiptoes and kissed Matt gently on the lips.

Matt shivered slightly against him, and Jason realized just how wet he was. The angel must have been standing there for the better part of the storm. His clothes were plastered to his skin, defining his chest.

Matt looked over Jason and noticed Sara coming down the driveway. She looked about ready for war as she stormed towards them. "Is there somewhere we can go and be alone for a while?" He asked Jason softly.

Jason nodded, his face still pressed against Matt's chest. "The end of our garden, there's a copse of birch trees." Neither of them moved though.

Matt glared hard at the still advancing Sara and then closed his eyes. He pictured that small cluster of birch trees at the end of Jason's garden. He knew it down to the last twig and leaf there, having watched over Jason as he played there as a child. A warm breeze swept up around them and he held Jason closer to his body.

Sara threw her hands up in front of her to block the bright of the white lights that shot up out of the ground and swirled around Jason and Matt. The lights circled them faster and faster, kicking up a warm breeze that caught her hair. Then the lights froze in place around Matt and Jason, before the lights and the two men within were lit from somewhere between them and the whole column of lights shot like a pillar into the gray clouds above. Moments later a second column of light shot down from the clouds behind their house, somewhere in the garden she suspected. Sara turned to run back towards the house and meet them in the garden, but she found her way blocked.

"Stay your hand Sara." The cloaked person told her. "This must happen, and I cannot allow you to interfere because of your personal feelings towards Matthew."

"Get out of my way you bastard." She snarled and threw a punch at the hood.

The sleeves of the cloak shout out like snakes and wound around her wrist, holding her fist from coming nearer.

"I will not ask you again Sara. Go inside and keep your parents from interrupting Matthew and Jason. Leave Scott and Drew to play this out as they do."

"But he's my brother!" She begged and struggled to free her hands.

"That does not make him a defenseless child," her captor snapped. "If you think that keeping him and Matthew apart will help him in anyway, then you know nothing about him. I do not want to force you to do this Sara, but neither am I willing to risk this to your childish infatuations."

The sleeves snapped off of her wrists and she stumbled backwards. The cloaked person strode quickly towards the street lamp Jason and Matt had been standing under. Sara looked back to the house and saw the front door open. Her mother was coming down the front hall towards the door. Sara looked behind her to see the cloaked figure step behind the lamp post. They didn't emerge from the other side and the lamp was far to thin for a person to hide behind. She cursed under her breath and ran back to the house to stop her mother from coming out.

* * *

Jason opened his eyes and saw past Matt's shoulder, that they were standing in the small clearing of birch trees at the end of their garden. The night closed in around them and the silver bark was lit only by the small trickle of moonlight that escaped through the clouded sky.

Matt let go of him with one arm and held it out sideways as he slowly spun himself and Jason in a circle. Silver bubbles blossomed from his palm and drifted to the edge of the clearing where they began to glow with a faded silver light. Almost like miniature moons. Soft music filled the air and Jason relaxed against Matt's chest, taking comfort in its solidarity.

Jason inhaled deeply. Matt's lilies and jasmine scent filled his nostrils.

Matt touched his cheek and lifted his face so they were staring at each other. "If I didn't love you so much, could I hurt you like this?" he whispered.

"If you couldn't hurt me like this, could I love you so much?" Jason asked him back."

Matt shuddered slightly against Jason "If I didn't hurt you so much, could I love you like this?"

Jason stared up at Matt. "Do you love me?"

"Yes. More than anything." Matt's arms wrapped tighter around Jason and pulled him close. This brought his head near to Jason's hair. He sniffed in Jason's scent and then his eyes flicked open.

"What about Ashley?" Jason asked.

Matt stiffened.

Jason stepped back out of Matt's arms and looked at him. "Who do you love more? Me or Ashley?" he asked again.

Matt's voice trembled slightly, "H-how d-do you know about Ash?"

Jason shook his head. "That doesn't matter, answer my question. Because I'm not going to sit around and wait for you to get bored with your angel girlfriend. You have to choose Matt, her or me."

Matt looked at him baffled. "Jase, you don't know what you're asking…"

"That's it then?" Jason's voice had become ragged. "You've chosen her then. Goodbye Matt." He started to walk away but Matt grabbed his arm and turned him forcibly.

"Jason you don't understand! Ashley's my sister!" he almost shouted.

Jason stared at him as if he's been slapped. "Wow," he said. "Boy oh boy do I feel like a twat now…" His legs started to wobble and Matt caught him.

"Jason, please tell me who told you about Ash?" Matt asked him urgently.

"He- he was just a-a—" Jason trailed off.

Matt leaned forwards and sniffed along Jason's neck. He jerked his head back suddenly and then his eyes connected with Jason's for a moment. Matt saw with a flash the whole scene, as if through Jason's eyes. Sitting in the bar, talking with—

"Mephistopheles!" He snarled. "Did he touch you? Did he hurt you? I swear to god if he—"

Jason shook his head. "I'm fine. We only talked."

Matt drew him close again. "You stink." was all he said.

Jason pulled his head back and looked up at Matt, his lip curled slightly. "Oh gee thanks," he said. "I did have a fight with Damien this morning and I have been cooped up in a car for the last three hours. Don't you think you could have put it a bit nicer?"

Matt looked at him a bit confused. Then he laughed. "No, I meant you stink of Mephistopheles. I can smell him all over you, and its overpowering your scent."

"Oh." Jason mumbled. "Tonight really seems to be a bad night for me huh? I'm just getting everything wrong."

Matt lifted his chin with a finger and kissed him on the lips. When they broke apart, Jason licked them. "Vanilla still?" Matt asked with a grin.

Jason nodded. "I think you're right about that shower though…" He grabbed Matt's hand and tugged him towards the house.

Matt stayed stock still. "Jason, I should be going, I—"

"Please stay," Jason begged him.

"But your mother and sister—"

"It's Christmas," Jason insisted. "They'll just have to deal with it." He moved back to Matt and took his other hand. He kissed him briefly on the lips again. "It would mean a lot to me…"

"You're sure?" Matt asked him.

"Positive," Jason said and then led him through the trees back up the garden to the house.

Matt waved behind him and one by one the silver lights winked out and then popped with a soft sigh.

* * *

Sara had convinced her mother that Jason was talking with 'just a friend' and that they should stay inside. Elizabeth had given her a look that said clearly she knew there was more to it but wasn't going to press Sara. At the moment anyway. Then Sara had joined Scott and Drew at the window seat at the top of the stairs that overlooked the garden. Nancy had provided them with a plate of fresh cookies and she joined them in swiftly consuming them.

"So you're one of Jason's flat mates at school?" Sara asked him.

Drew nodded and swallowed the cookie he was chewing. "Yeah, me and Jeff. There was supposed to be a fourth guy, but he was a no show. He shrugged and took another cookie from the plate. "I'm not complaining, it gave the rest of us more room."

Scott laughed. "Yeah, I remember my first year of college. There were three of us crammed into a two person apartment." he paused and looked serious. "I'm actually surprised we managed to go a whole year without slitting each other's throats…"

Drew looked between Sara and Scott. "So are you two…?" He trailed off and let the unfinished question hanging in the air.

Scott looked momentarily startled and then laughed nervously. "Ah, no. I just work for her."

"And what exactly is it you guys do?" Drew pursued, always curious as to what exactly it was that kept Sara away from home so much, according to Jason.

Sara smiled. "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." She said it jokingly, but with just enough force that left Drew with no doubt that she fully meant it. He swallowed hard.

"So what brings you to the Parker residence?" she asked him between mouthfuls of cookie.

"Well, Jason left a note that he wanted to talk to me when he left college, and I thought I'd surprise him by just visiting for a… few… days…" Drew trailed off. He had been staring out the window as he was talking and had noticed a small copse of birch trees at the end of the garden. Through a gap in the trees he could clearly see Jason and another man, lit by broken moonlight and locked in a seep embrace.

Sara and Scott turned to try and see what it was that had caught Drew's attention so. They turned and joined Drew in watching Jason and Matt just as the two kissed deeply. The plate of cookies that had been balanced on Sara's lap slid to the floor with a clatter. The noise startled Drew and he jumped to his feet, eyes wide. Then he turned and ran down the hall towards his bedroom.

Sara spat quiet obscenities under her breath at Matt. Scott looked at her a moment.

"I'll go after him then shall I?" he asked, almost sarcastically. That's when he noticed her fists clenched on either side of her, her knuckles white with the force. He quickly backed off and then headed down the hall in Drew's wake.

* * *

"Drew?" Scott knocked on the door.

He heard a muffled sob from within. Scott eased the door open and slipped inside, closing it behind him. "Drew?" he asked again.

Drew, who was lying curled on his bed, his face buried in a pillow, stiffened at the sound of his voice. "Please go away." He choked out between sobs.

Scott sat down on the edge of Drew's bed as gently as he could, but his weight made the mattress creak and moan. "I take it you're in love with him too?"

Drew nodded into the pillow. Then he sat up and stared at Scott. "Wait… you too?"

Scott nodded and gave him a weak smile. "I guess it's a bit different with you though," he said. "I mean, I've only known him for a few days and you've been around him since, what, high school?"

"Yeah," Drew said hoarsely as he wiped his face clean. "I didn't even know he was gay though… Otherwise I would have—" He was suddenly wracked by a powerful sob.

Scott looked at Drew thoughtfully, then asked, "Drew, can I ask you something?"

Drew shrugged. "You just did, but sure, you can ask me something else." He smiled weakly at his attempt at comedy.

"Do— do you have feelings for Jason when you're not with him?" Scott queried.

Drew started to answer but then stopped. He thought it over in his mind.

Scott took the opportunity to continue. "I mean," he said. "Until a few days ago I'd never even looked at a guy like…" he trailed off, embarrassed suddenly. "But then Jason comes along, and I start… I don't know… The longer I was around him though the stronger the feelings got."

"So you're straight?" Drew asked, a bit surprised.

"Well, I thought I was, but now I'm not so sure"

Drew considered it a bit more, then, "I never really thought about it before, but you might be right… I know when I'm around Jason, all I can think about is him. But… when he's gone… It's like—" he stopped. "Well, I think of him more as a brother then. I think."

Drew stared off out of his window. The clouds were starting to clear and a sliver of a moon hung in the darkened sky. The sparkling stars reminded him of the light he had seen Jason and Matt by and tears started to blossom in his eyes again. He collapsed sideways into Scott and started to weep.

"Why didn't he tell me?!" He all but wailed. "I thought I was his friend and he didn't even tell me!" He pressed his forehead against Scott's chest as tears flowed openly down his cheeks.

Scott was a bit taken aback. An only child, he'd never had to comfort a sibling, so it was the first time he had ever been used as a crying support. It was an unnerving experience at first. Eventually he realized he should be doing something to comfort Drew, so he placed his hand on his back and gently rubbed it.

Several minutes passed and Drew's sobbing seemed to slow. His breathing became steady but ragged. Scott finally realized Drew had tired himself and fallen asleep against him.

Now, had this same thing occurred just a few days ago, Scott probably would have pushed Drew off of him and made a hasty exit, but now… He slowly leant back so he was propped up by the headboard of the bed. Drew slipped back with him, his head still resting on Scott's chest.

He sat, his arm held loosely around Drew and watched the moonlight trace across his face. He felt something stir in his stomach and chest. Something he'd only felt once before… when he had kissed Jason's neck in the showers… He wasn't entirely sure, but it just felt right, when he pulled the blanket up over himself and Drew, and when he wrapped his arm tighter about Drew holding him closer to his body. He laid his head back against the headrest and sighed. One thing was for certain, things had definitely changed ever since Jason had turned up. For better or worse, time would only tell.

* * *

When Jason and Matt got into the house, no one seemed to be about at first. Poking his head around the corner, he saw his mother, elbow-deep in papers at her desk. He carefully maneuvered Matt past her study so she wouldn't see him. They got to the stairs and Jason almost yelped. Sara was sitting at the top of the stairs on the window seat. He froze with Matt, just inches behind him. He waited for Sara to start yelling and for his mother to come running.

Seconds ticked by and then he examined her more closely. She was slumped, arms crossed over her breast and head tilted slightly on an angle. Her chest rose and fell evenly in sleep. Jason breathed a sigh of relief. They padded up the stairs, for once, Jason was thankful of the marble steps. Had they been wood, they might have creaked and awakened Sara. As it was, when they neared the top, she stirred restlessly in her sleep. Jason held his breath. Her breathing evened out again and he sighed. The two of them slipped past her and down the hall to Jason's room. He locked his door behind them.

Matt broke his hand free of Jason's and took a seat on the bed. Jason looked at him oddly.

"Don't worry," Matt assured him. "I'll be right here when you get out."

"OK," Jason said reluctantly. "Just don't pull one of your disappearing tricks."

"I wont."

Jason cast a last glance behind him and then slipped into the bathroom. After a moments pause, he turned the latch to lock the door. He undressed quickly and turned on the water. Jason turned back to the door and unlocked it. He poked his head out. Matt was sitting on the bed, right where he had been, staring back at him.

Jason smiled nervously. "Erm," he started timidly. "You think I could have one of those silver music thingies?"

Matt grinned and curled his hand under his arm. He closed his fist and the twisted his hand up and around so that his loosely balled fist pointed, palm up, towards Jason. He uncurled his fingers and a silver globe bobbed through the air between himself and Jason. Jason stepped out of the way and the sphere bobbed inside to hover beside him at head level. He stepped into the shower and it followed him, slipping past the closing shower door. As the spray hit Jason's body, the sphere started to play.

Jason grabbed a bottle of shampoo and squirted some out into his hand. He paused to listen to the song for a moment before massaging the shampoo into his hair.

The steam started to rise up around Jason. 'No', he thought, 'I have more than dreams. I have you Matt.'

Jason rinsed his hair out. He remembered what Matt had said about him reeking of Mephistopheles and grabbed a bottle of body wash. He scrubbed himself vigorously with a washcloth until his skin had taken on a pinkish tinge all over. Satisfied with the results, he rinsed the suds off and stood under the spray, relaxing as the rivulets of water cascaded down around him. He started to unconsciously sway to the music.

The song wound to a close and the silver sphere gave a soft sigh and popped like a bubble. Jason shut off the water and stepped from the shower. He was padding himself dry with a towel when he realized something about the song. It didn't quite sound like the version he knew. It was slower, deeper, more soulful. It was… Matt's voice.

He brushed his teeth quickly and with his towel wrapped around him, unlocked the door.

"That was you singing, wasn't it?" He asked as he stepped out.

Matt wasn't on the bed.

"Matt?" Jason's shoulders sank. He sighed and dropped the towel to the floor. He rummaged in his wardrobe and pulled out a pair of his sleeping boxers. Silk ones, just incase Matt came back. He slipped them on, shivering a bit as the smooth material ran over his thighs. He turned back to get into bed.

"JESUS CHRIST!" He shouted and leant back against the door of the wardrobe, gasping for breath. "You scared the shit out of me!"

Matt was crouched on the windowsill watching him intently.

"Don't do that!" Jason glowered.

Matt grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I got lost in the view." He hopped lightly down of the sill and walked towards Jason. With every step he took, his clothes dissolved into liquid strands and flowed over his body. They snaked down his arms to his wrists, where the bands of watery-fabric sank into his skin. By the time he stood before Jason, only a small white cloth wound around his waist. Matt enfolded Jason in his arms.

"I said I wasn't going anywhere, and I meant it," he said. "I'll stay as long as you want me."

Jason nuzzled his face against Matt's chest. "Then stay forever," He whispered.

"Forever is a long time…"

"Not nearly long enough," Jason mumbled. The events of the day seemed to finally be catching up with him, and catching up hard. His body felt like it was about to give and he was suddenly aching from his fight with Damien and his creatures.

As if reading his mind, Matt lifted him gently and set him in his bed. Jason gripped his hand and tugged it gently. Matt took the hint and slid under the sheets behind Jason. Jason shivered a moment from the cold of the bed and Matt wrapped his arm loosely around the boy's waist. Within seconds Jason's mind was drifting through blissful sleep.

* * *

At some point in the night Jason woke alone in his bed. He turned over and looked about the room. Matt was sitting motionless beneath the window, the moon behind him cast a halo of light around his head.

As if sensing Jason's unease, he cracked open an eye and it fixed on Jason. Matt smiled reassuringly. "I'm right here," he whispered across the room.

Jason grinned groggily, if a bit stupidly and lay down again. He watched Matt's peaceful meditation for only a few seconds before he once again nodded off.

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