by Deanna James
“Katie!” I could hear Raphael’s voice as if it was distance. It sounded like I was under water and he was calling to me from the depts. Something around me was cool and felt soft. I reached out and ran my fingers through whatever it was, it was light and feathery. Opening my eyes I noted that everything around me was a pale blue with white spots scattered throughout. I could feel eyes on me, but from where.
I sat up and looked around me. Everything was soft and white, like a bed of clouds. It was overly bright and smelt of sweetness, like flowers and fresh air.
“Katie…”
A voice echoed through the emptiness. I quickly glanced around searching for the source, but nothing. No one was around for as far as I could see.
“Yes?” I questioned as I sat up.
“Katie…” The voice repeated, “I have heard your hearts desires.”
“My hearts desires…you mean?”
“Yes, I have heard your hearts pleas. They are very strong for one with darkness in them. I believe you have beaten the darkness…” The voice echoed over the landscape and sounded deep and soothing. “But the question is…does Raphael feel the same?”
I didn’t know how to answer that. I had never mentioned anything to him, how would he even know my feelings.
“He can sense your feelings,” The voice answered my thoughts. “It is part of his job as your guardian angel.”
“So he knew…” I started.
“Yes, he knew the moment you figured it out. And it is time we see what his answer is…”
The soft ground below me began to shake and an explosion threw me back onto my side as I cowered against the ground. As everything quieted down I slowly glanced between my arms and looked around. Standing a few feet from me was Raphael, his black wings spread full and his black modern clothes were gone. Now he was dressed in a black robe.
“Raphael?” I sat up and stared at him. What happened to everything that was going on in my dorm room? Where was the bat-winged guy?
“Katie?” Raphael glanced from me to the sky. “Why have you brought her here? She’s not passed yet!” He yelled up toward the sky and then turned his beautiful silver gaze back to me. “Are you alright?”
I glanced at myself, quickly checking to make sure. “Yes,” Finally I decided to see if my legs would support me and thankfully they did. Glancing around me, I couldn’t figure out if I could walk or not. The ground didn’t give, but it looked like it would at any moment. “What’s going on, Raphael?”
“This is a holding area for the deceased,” He explained. “God has decided he needs to speak to you in a safe place.” I watched as he made his way toward me, in his black robe he seemed to clash with everything around him. If I didn’t know better I would think him a follower of the dark, not the light. But here he stood before me in what he says, in between heaven and earth.
“Raphael, this woman has decided in her heart that she loves you. You know the rules,” The voice stated as I watched Raphael stare up at the sky.
So the voice was God? I was actually in heavens entrance talking to God himself, and why of all times did I have to feel tongue tied?
I felt Raphael’s gaze return to me. Strangely it made me want to divert my gaze. What had my feelings gotten us into? Was it this wrong to love your guardian angel?
“Yes, I know what has to happen.” I felt a hand on my shoulder and glanced up carefully. Raphael was in front of me with his silver gaze staring me down. “Katie, over the past few months I’ve been with you I’ve never felt so happy. You are the first Master I’ve had that hasn’t tried to flee from me or just treat me like I’m there for their controlling.”
“Raphael,” I really didn’t know what this was going to turn into, but I was happy just to have those silver eyes staring at me. Even if this was the end of us being together, this was enough. I closed my eyes and tried to not cry. “I’m sorry…”
I heard his laugh and couldn’t help but be curious now. I was about to break down crying and he was laughing, what was there going on here that I didn’t know?
“Katie, I knew you were starting to feel love for me the moment you did. That is our bond.” I felt him pull me into a gentle embrace, and I could feel my body easy into his. “This is what happens when a guardian angel finds his or her true Master. When our true master shows up, we bond through love…” I felt his lips press against my hair.
It was then that I couldn’t help but let my tears flow. I had never thought this would be how my life turned out. Never in a million years would anyone believe their love would be their guardian angel.
“Katie, are you sure you would like to bond with Raphael?” The voice asked from above.
“I’m more worried about what will happen to Raphael. Will anything bad happen?” That was my main concern. I had been through so much that my life or my happiness wasn’t the main concern, I was worried about him.
Raphael clasped my hand and brought me over to a bench, a bench that simply materialized out of thin air. He pulled me down onto the bench and stood before me.
“Katie, if I bond with you and stay with you, I have to give up my heavenly powers.” He said and squeezed my hand.
I had never thought of something so horrible. “But you’re dead, so if you aren’t heavenly - how will you live?”
He laughed at my question, which made me fill silly. “I will not lose all of my powers; an angel’s heavenly powers come from our wings.” He flared his out to full span. “When we bond, we lose our wings.”
“So,” I paused a moment. “If you stay with me…you’ll lose your wings!” I exclaimed and stood up quickly. “No! Why your wings!”
“Calm down, I don’t need them to continue existing.” Raphael said and laughed as he flapped his wings a few times causing the air around them to accelerate.
“But,” I was paused by Raphael’s finger against my lips.
“God,” I watched as he looked up at the sky and spoke again. “I wish to bond with this mortal. I love her and she loves me! We wish to share our lives together!”
“Raphael!” I tried to protest, but before I could say any more I watched as his wings began to glow and the feathers began to drop slowly from each wing. They were dying slowly until they were gone. I stared at him in shock and confusion. “Why did you do that?” I asked about to break down into tears. How could he make such a rash decision so quickly.
“Katie, I have been watching you for your entire life. I was assigned to you from the day you were born. From your first steps to your first day at college, I have been with you. I have loved you each and every one of those days.” His eyes stared down at me, showing every ounce of feelings in his soul.
“But why did you wait until now to show yourself?” I asked.
“Your heart was pure until recently, I had to wait until your heart was in jeopardy.” Raphael said as he sat down on the bench and pulled me down again with him.
“So…what will happen to you as my guardian angel?” I asked, confused about this situation.
“Your heart is pure once again. And if a need arises that you need protecting from the darkness, I can summon powers to protect us.” He said as he pulled me close. “I will spend the rest of eternity protecting and loving you, Katie.”
I didn’t know what to say. Never in my life had anyone spoke those words to me. It was like a fable that had come true. But never would I have thought that the words I longed to hear would come from my guardian angel. It is strange how my life was so turned upside down by a stray dog that scratched at my door, and then to find out that that dog was my guardian angel.
“I can’t wait to see what eternity has in store for us…” I said and smiled as I leaned up and lightly kissed Raphael on the cheek.
“So after watching over you all these years, a peck on the cheek is all I get?” He asked as we stood up and he pulled me flesh up to him and smiled. I blushed and stared up at him with a half-smile.
“What do you want?” I asked and smi
led as I watched him lean down into my lips and accepted his sweet lingering kiss. Everything could not have fallen into place more perfect.
Here was to hoping each and every day would be just as perfect as this very moment. Nothing could turn my world back to the way it was, because now…I had my guardian angel by my side forever.