"I mean just what I said. Close your eyes..." He muttered something and his wings closed around her, blocking her from the spiraling emerald flames that engulfed them. Next thing, they were falling. His wings spread as his feet touched the ground outside her home. He rested a hand on her head, "There's a chance your death date could be fairly soon, your lifeforce, for lack of a better term, isn't very strong. I thought I'd warn you now. Go get some sleep and finnish up here, I'll be back in a few days."

((I figured it'd be easiest if she 'died' soon. n.n; ))

With his wings closed around her, a soft blush came to her face. The situation felt too intimate, and she was relieved when the area opened up again. However, the relief was short-lived, horror coming to her expression at his words regarding her death. "What?! But...I'm only in my twenties! Late twenties, but still!" The idea of sleep, so tempting moments ago, now seemed ridiculous. If she was going to die soon, she'd rather not spend her remaining time asleep.

"Carol, relax. Get some sleep, your body needs it. You aren't going to die tomorrow. And what is death really? Because you're with me you'll still be able to walk the Earth. You just won't age anymore, and you won't be able to die again."

"I can't exactly visit my parents as a corpse," she pointed out in annoyance. "You may enjoy being a demon, but I enjoy being human. I'm not exactly in a hurry to change that." Frustration welled up inside her and her voice rather suddenly raised several levels. "It has been nothing but bad news since you forced yourself into my life!" That was a lie, and she knew it. She knew she could have easily turned away from him, and she knew her mother getting better was better than good news. But she was angry, and the fact that she was blowing this up didn't faze her at all at the moment. It almost made her feel better. It wasn't until she reached up to rub her eyes that she realized she was crying.

Jin gave a sigh. This was why humans weren't allowed to see The Book. Knowing about thier death date only tore them apart. "Your deathdate isn't something my being here has affected and you know it. As for my being here, you had your choice and you made it." He said, although he knew it wouldn't have any effect. She was angry and panicked, and he couldn't blame her. "Carol, hit me." He said smoothly. "Go ahead, if it'll make you feel better. You can't really hurt me."

"I don't want to hit you!" She sobbed, wiping her face uselessly. More tears just fell to replace the lost ones. "I just...I..." Then, for a reason she'd never be able to comprehend or explain, she threw arms around him and sobbed into his chest. She blamed him for how miserable she was right then, but by some insane reasoning she was compelled to seek comfort from him. Perhaps because she knew deep down it was in no way his fault, perhaps because his embrace, no matter how much it repelled her, was strong and safe, or perhaps simply because he was the only one there. No matter the reason, she pressed herself as close as she could to it, her eyes squeezed shut and her shoulders shaking with each sob.

Jin fought back a laugh at the sheer irony. He'd thought of pulling her into a hug, ut he'd assumed she woudl have pushed him away and only been angrier. It seemed the opposite action had warrented an opposite result, and he could live with that. He rested his arms around her, ignoring the tears that were soaking the front of his clothes. "Once I know when and how, we can change the how to something painles and private. No one will know you've died, and you'll still be able to visit your parents." He said softly.

It took her several minutes to calm down enough to speak, and when she finally had, she looked up at him, dim hope in her reddened eyes. "R-Really...? You won't get in trouble....?" A few lone tears fell down her cheeks, but it seemed the worst of her episode was over. She still held to him tightly, her hands linked behind his back.

"Why would I get in trouble? My rank permits me almost anything I wish." He said, his wings closing around her again, seeming to move on thier own. He wiped away her tears, "Relax, everything will be fine."

"Almost anything?" The same feeling of odd intimacy returned, but she was too relieved to care. She sighed softly and rested her head on his chest, exhaustion washing over her. "Maybe I don't hate you," she murmured, already starting to drift off.

Jin raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. He slidd on hand down to the back of her thighs and lifted her bridal style, his wings folding back enough that he could see where he was going. He carried her to her room and gently set her on the bed, his wings rustling lightly.

She opened her eyes just barely and gave him a sleepy smile before closing them again. "Thanks...You know..." She yawned. "You're not the terrible demon I always expected. You're not wonderful, but you're not intolerable." Her words were mumbled, and it was obvious she was barely awake anymore. Chances were, she wouldn't even remember the conversation when she woke up.

"I'm flattered..." He said roughly as he pulled blanket over her ad left the room. He headed outside and vanished with a flash of his wings.

Carol woke the next morning suprisingly well-rested. She stretched and looked around, wondering if Jin had already left. Humming softly, she got to her feet and shifted through her closet, pulling out a dark blue t-shirt and jeans while mentally scolding herself for sleeping in her clothes.

Jin's... off stealing info from a bigbook. o.o; So let's fast forward. n.n

There was a loud crash and a solid thud and Jin came stumbling in, wearing white robes, similar to those the angel Annet attacked had been wearing. Dark blood stood out well against the white from a gold arrow that stuk out from his left shoulder. "God damnit... He muttered as he collapsed, trying to pull the arrow out. The ends were hooked making it increasingly painful, since the holey object burned his skin anyway.

Carol, who was cleaning a mess in the living room left by her friends (who'd insisted on throwing her a going-away party the second she told them the fake news), jumped at the loud noise. "Oh Je-!" She cut herself off and ran to him, dropping to her knees by his side. "What in the world happened?!" Her hands hovered uncertaintly by the arrow. Instinct told her to pull it out, but she was hesitant to touch it for fear of hurting him further.

"Someone recognized me on the way out, and they were a damned good shot." He grumbled. "Just rip it out would you?"

Night

"This book was in heaven?!" She gripped the arrow and gritted her teeth. "Don't you guys have your own copy or something?" Squeezing her eyes shut, she ripped the arrow out, taking a fair amount of strength to do so. "I sometimes faint at the sight of blood so clean it up, please," she said, holding the arrow out to where she assumed he was, her eyes still closed.

"There's only one book in existance, and it's pretty damned heavily guarded." He said as he leaned forward, taking advantage of her having her eyes closed. He pressed his lips to hers in a lick kiss, "Thank you." He said brightly as he took the arrow and trashed it, then moved to the sink to wash away the blood. He let the top portion of the robe hand around his waist, revealing his upper torso. There were two twisted marks on his shoulderblades where the skin was darkened, shaped like the wings they hid. On his chest, oer his heart, was a small, perfectly round scar from the bullet that had burried itself in his heart, the cause of his death.

Her eyes flew open in shock, the contact sending strange sparks of heat through her body. Colour came to her cheeks as her hand moved automatically to her mouth, her fingers touching her lips softly and her confused gaze following him across the room. His exposed body didn't do anything to help her situation, her face darkening several shades. Almost a minute and a half had passed before she finally asked, in a surprisingly calm tone, "Why did you do that?"

"No real reason not to." He said with a small shrug, turning back to her, the wound already healed over. His outfit changed several times and he frown, each outfit had a bloodstain and a rip in the same place. "I'll have to get a new outfit... and I can't pick up another of these here..." He said, a little dissapointed by the lost garment. "For now though..." The garment changed to just a pair of jeans and tennis shoes. He grinned, "You're face is all red." He teased.

"There were plenty of reasons not to," she argued, looking away to hide the increasing blush before deliberately changing the subject. "You seem to be in an awfully good mood, especially for someone who was just shot with an arrow." Her hands busied themselves with the buttons on her top. With him gone, she hadn't bothered much with how she'd looked, and the bottom half of her shirt was undone, revealing her pilates-toned stomach. "Things went....well?"

"I'm lucky I only got shot. Although it being a blessed arrow was a pain. Literally. But I like going into heaven. Demon or not, the place just gives me a good feeling. Like everything will be alright, no matter what. It' very missleading." He moved back over to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Do you really want to know the how and when?" He asked, "If you would prefer I'll keep it to myself and when the tiem comes I'll do it before fate does, painlessly and private."

Her hands froze, the two bottom buttons still undone. Slowly, she raised her gaze to his face, debating it in her mind. On the one hand, knowing would relieve her anxiety. She wouldn't be wondering which day would be her last, and she could make the best of every day left. However, if it was really as soon as he'd said...perhaps it would be better to wait. In the end, she sighed softly, her eyes closed. "Just tell me."

"In eight days, on your way home from the church. Nothing special, fate says you get hit by a drunk driver."