Catch Me If You Can

I'm standing in darkness.

"Are you here?" I call out into the darkness unsure if I'll get a response.

Surprisingly I do. "Yes." His voice is light, gentle and smooth. Almost like the flow of water or the sound of a bell being lightly tapped.

"Can I see you?" He response with another yes and almost instantly features start appearing. Short, neat black locks covers the top of his head, bangs swept side ways stopping right above his dark, sapphire blue eyes, and long side burns brush against his defined jawline, framing his face. He stands at least a foot taller than me, my neck craning slightly to peer up at him. His outfit consist of a dark green t-shirt overlapping a long black sleeve, his hands slipped into his slightly baggy jeans. A gentle smile tugged at his lips, his eyes twinkling. But what surprised me most of all was his large, feathery white wings behind him.

I've never seen anyone's wings before.

He tilts his head ever so slightly, curious. "I've never seen anyone's wings before, not even Michael's..." I felt like I had to explain myself, the words coming out before I could think. "I was just surprised."

Azrael's smile widened. "If they bother you..." He didn't even finish the sentence. Slipping a hand out of his pocket and a small flick of his wrist, they magnificent wings were gone. He stepped closer towards me until he was right in front of me, my neck craning a little more.

"Did you come to me in my dream?"

"I did." He gave a small nod of his head.

Recalling my conversation with my friend in the morning, emotion leaped in my chest. "You aren't here for my grandmother, are you?"

He reached out, his fingers barely brushing across my cheek. "No, but I'm afraid I will have come back to you when that time comes." He all ready knows my tight attachment to my grandmother. I can see it in his eyes; the swirl of sad knowing that it'll be a hard experience for me to endure. 

Ignoring what I just saw, I felt relief ebb in relaxing my muscles that I had unawarely tightened. "Then... It's about the war, isn't it?"

"Yes."

I sighed. "I figured as much..."

Azrael raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, I wasn't certain. But it was a thought did pass my mind, one out of many that is."

All of a sudden his wings appeared again and his feet left the ground. The darkness faded into a forest scenery under the starry sky. He glided thought air effortlessly. Still facing towards me, he held out both of his hands if he wanted me to take them and glided away from me. "Come and find me."

Instantly I reached out a hand to grasp one of his, my feet moving into a run as he slowly disappeared before me eyes into the forest. I was not nearly fast enough to catch him. "Wait, am I going to have to find you like in my dream?" I called out.

I could hear his voice as if he stood next to me. "Yes."

"If I find you then you'll tell me what I need to know?"

"Yes."

I kept running, feeling my chest heave. My eyes searched past the trees for any sign of the whiteness of his wings. But there was nothing but endless tree stumps.

I wanted him to keep talking to me. I wanted to find him, I wanted to know what was going on. recalling a specific detail in my dream, I decided to ask knowing he would heear me. "Does it have to do with when I go to Wales? Are you supposed to help me with something related to that?"

"Yes."

My running came to a complete stop when my foot snagged something And I went crashing down into the ground feeling damp mud and grass burn against my skin. Slowly get up and lean against a large rock feeling achy. I examined my elbow streaked with mud and grass stains. The urge to cry started to build up, tightening my chest. I inhale shaky, lifting my head up to see Azrael gently dropping down onto a old, fallen over log.

Slowly I approach him cradling my elbow. When I near, he squats down in order to be eye length with me. His wings are gone again. He reaches out a hand again, brushing his fingers on my cheek.

"Your soul cries."

I blinked, ignoring feeling my eyes stinging with the want to cry and trying to understand what he had just said to me. It was... Unexpected.

Holding my gaze, he asked quietly. "What are you afraid of?"

I glance away from his eyes, thoughts of what terrify me instantly coming to mind. Lifting my eyes to meet his gaze, the words just escaped my mouth. "I worry about my best friend, I want her to stay safe." Azrael's lips twitch back into a small smile, knowing exactly who I was talking about.

"I'm sure she'll be just fine."

"I know... But worrying is natural when we're apart." I paused before continuing my list. "I'm afraid of what is to come with the war. I'm afraid for my family, both my physical family and my family from my first life. I'm afraid of death."

I watch him give another smile, one of understanding.

With a deep breath I add one more. "I'm afraid of losing Taran." Finally one tear managed to escape and slide down. I could recall the conversation that I had with Taran; admitting my fear of losing him  and how I could hardly grasp what to do with him gone, admitting that I would never understand how he felt when he's endured three lives of myself being murdered or dying in accidental deaths. Hearing  him explaining that he can't promise that he won't get hurt but promise that he'll keep living and wishing dearly that I won't ever have to go through the experience of losing him like he did when he lost me.

Azrael brushed his thumb to wipe away the tear. "Do you feel better?"

My chest did feel a little lighter, but there was still a slight ache. I gave a small nod, "Alittle."

He gave an encouraging smile before standing up again. "I'll come into your dream again tonight, but you still have to come find me." And with that he disappeared again.