Even Angels Fall

By: Foxy Lady

Lance stood in the doorway watching as the man in the bed slept. Watching this man sleep was his nightly ritual. He watched silently as the man, Josh was his name, began to twist and turn in the sheets. Each night was the same. Lance wanted to know what troubled this man so much. Until he found out, he would continue to watch and wait.

*******************

Josh sat up in bed quickly letting the sheets pool at his waist. He took a deep gasping breath as he ran his hand through his hair making a face when he found it wet with sweat. He lowered his head into his hands sighing. It was always the same. Each and every night he had to relive his worst day in his dreams. Remembering over and over the pain he felt at what he had witnessed.

He lowered his hands to his lap, and looked up. Sometimes at night when he would wake up, he could almost feel as someone was there with him. Watching him, but he was alone. The only habitants of his apartment being himself and his dog. He threw back the covers and stepped onto the floor.

Walking out of the room, he stopped in the doorway for a second as he felt a shiver go through him. He shook his head, as he continued onto the kitchen. He was definitely losing it. There was no one in the house with him. No one was watching him from the shadows. No one had shared this house with him for a long time.

He grabbed a glass from the cupboard, and made his way to the refrigerator pouring himself a glass of juice. He drank it quickly, and turned to the sink when he felt a shiver go through him again. He placed the glass on the counter, and looked around slowly. "Is anyone here?"

When no one answered, he began to laugh. "You are really losing it, Chasez. Just like Chris said you would someday." He rinsed his glass out, and made his way to the living room. After checking to make sure the door was locked, he sat on the couch and turned on the television set. He flipped through a few of the stations before throwing the remote on the couch next to him. He grabbed a pillow and set it in his lap hugging it to him. He watched the images cross the television screen as his eyes begin to drift close once again. He fought to keep them open knowing if he returned to sleep, his dreams would find him again. "I don't know why but I know something is here. Whatever you are help me have one night of good sleep. Can you do that?" JC sighed as he finally stopped fighting his eyes closing, and drifted off to sleep.

*********************

Lance ran his fingers through Josh's hair until he finally fell asleep. He knelt in front of him watching him as he slept doing what he could to make his sleep peaceful. He wondered how Josh could sense him. That was not supposed to happen. Lance was supposed to watch the world go by before him unnoticed until it was time to be noticed. However, Josh could feel his presence.

Lance sighed as he leaned against the couch. He should leave. Something was happening here with this man that was so against the rules, but he didn't want to leave. He liked watching Josh. As the sun began to rise, Lance stood up. Before he left, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Josh's forehead. Stepping back, he left the house. He would be back.

Chapter 2

The next morning Josh woke up to find himself laying on the couch. Sometime during the night he had pulled a blanket over himself and placed a pillow under his head. Although he doesn't remember doing that. He shook his head as he threw the blanket back sitting up. The television set was still on so he reached to the floor for the remote and turned it off. He stretched his back before standing up. He had finally gotten some needed rest. He glanced up at the clock and noticed it was already almost eleven. Luckily it was a Saturday and he didn't need to be to the shelter early.

After taking a shower, he sat at the kitchen counter drinking a cup of coffee as he read the newspaper. Just past noon, he rinsed his cup and grabbed his keys. Walking through the living room, he stopped as he felt a shiver go through him. He turned around, but saw nothing. Sighing, he left the house, and drive away.

***************************************

Lance moved to follow Josh out of the house. He had told himself not to come during the day. Stay away from Josh. You are playing with fire, and for one of his kind that was a bad thing. Yet, here he was.

"Lance, what are you doing?"

Lance sighed as he turned towards the sound of the voice. "Justin, don't start. I'm just visiting him."

"You just visit him a lot, Lance. They are starting to notice, you know."

Lance ignored his friend, and left the house reaching Josh and the jeep just before they pulled away. In the driveway, he watched as JC stopped the car. "You followed me, didn't you? God, I must be losing it. Talking to thin air cause I think something is there."

Lance sat still. Watching as the man drove. Wondering how this person could feel his presence when others could not. When the car stopped, he watched Josh until he was out of sight, before leaving again. He would be back.

********************************

Josh walked through the first floor of the shelter he worked in. He looked into each of the rooms as he walked by. Checking to see what his kids were up to. He walked into the office where he caught his friend and co-worker Chris with his head on the desk sound asleep. He walked over to the sleeping man, and slapped him on the back of the head. "Asleep on the job, Kirkpatrick?"

Chris sat up in his chair startled. "Well, you do it too, Chasez, so don't say a word."

Josh sat at his own desk looking at the files piled up on one corner. "Busy night, Chris?"

Chris stood up yawning. "Yeah, the kids were a handful last night. Had to put one of the girls in solitary."

Josh froze for a second before reaching for the file on top of the pile. "Okay. I'll check on her later."

Chris walked over to the door shrugging on his jacket. "Don't worry about it, man. We checked her out before locking her in."

Josh shook his head waving his hand. "Yeah, okay. Who's on tonight?"

"Joey, man. I'm outta here." Chris left the office closing the door behind him.

Josh let out a shaky sigh. He remembered the last time he had to put someone in solitary. He had thought it would be fine. Let her calm down. He hadn't known what she had hidden in her clothes. He hadn't known when he went to let her out that he would find her dead. He hadn't known that it would be his fault that he let one of his kids die.

Josh sat up slamming the file back on his desk. He walked over and poured himself a glass of water. As he brought the glass to his lips, he looked into its contents. For a second, he saw something reflected in the water. He turned his head but nothing was behind him. He looked again into his water, and nothing was there.

Chapter 3

The rest of the day past quickly for Josh. He removed the girl from solitary breathing a sigh of relief. He ate dinner with some of the older kids. Even challenging some of the boys to a game of one on one. By the time his shift was over, he was tired, and was ready to get home and crawl into bed. Through out the day, he felt something near by. He never saw anything, but he knew something was close.

Walking into his house, he threw his keys on the table walking through the dark house. He stopped in the kitchen, but continued on quickly. Walking into his bathroom, he stripped off his shirt, as he reached into the shower turning on the water. He adjusted it to a nice temperature before taking off the rest of the clothes.

As he felt the water cascade down his back, he let his memories go back to that day he most wanted to forget. It had only been three months ago. He had decided to take over one of Joe's shifts so that he could spend his anniversary with his wife. He was well into his second shift when a fight had broken out on the girls floor. He had separated the girls, and for the most part they had calmed down. All except for one. He had tried talking to her, but nothing had worked. After she had started another fight, he had decided to put her alone until the end of his shift. He had hated to do it. Putting people in solitary made it seem like the shelter was a prison which it really wasn't. It was these kids last hope before juvenile hall.

At the end of his shift, he walked down to the quiet room as they called it with Chris. When they had opened the door, they had found her. Somehow she had hidden a razor blade in her clothing. He had no idea how she obtained such a thing. She had laid cold and lifeless on the floor of the room. No hope for saving her. She had been the first kid he had lost in house, and hopefully she would be the last.

Josh shut the water grabbing a towel from the rack and wrapping it around waist. He walked over to the sink wiping down the mirror. He bent over the sink brushing his teeth with his eyes closed. When he finished, he looked up into the mirror gasping at what he saw. He turned his head to look behind him, but once again he saw nothing. He turned back to the mirror locking his eyes on the figure he saw standing behind him.

It was a man. He was dressed all in white. Shorter than he was with blonde hair and crystal green eyes. He reached up his hand to the mirror touching the glass softly as he spoke, "Who are you?" He traced the figure in the mirror, as he waited for a response. When none came, he sighed. "Am I finally losing it? I must be. I'm seeing things. Talking to things that aren't there. I must be going crazy." Josh watched as the man in the mirror shook his head. Laughing, he shook his head. "No, I am not going crazy. Well, thanks for letting me know. From my perspective, I'm losing it. I see you. I feel you. But you aren't there. It must be the lack of sleep, but I can't sleep. Last night was the first night I slept normally in months. I keep remembering. I don't want to remember that night."

Josh slumped over the sink closing his eyes. When he felt something touch his naked back, he opened his eyes to see the man standing next to him. He reached up his hand, and touched the man's cheek. "You're real?"

The man nodded. He brushed a few stray bangs away from Josh's eyes. He pressed his lips to Josh's forehead causing Josh to close his eyes. When he opened them back up, the man was gone. Josh sighed. He felt nothing, so he knew whatever it was that had been there was totally gone. He left the bathroom, and walked into his bedroom. He put on a clean pair of sweatpants, and climbed into bed covering himself with his sheets. Closing his eyes, he fell fast asleep unaware of the ever watchful eye of the man still watching him.

Chapter 4

Lance didn't know what he was doing. As he watched Josh sleep, his mind kept racing. Why had he shown himself to this man? Josh wasn't supposed to ever see him, but tonight he had. Lance had touched him, and had allowed Josh to touch him back.Another thing that was not allowed, but it had happened. He couldn't explain the feelings he had for this man. Lance just knew that he wanted to protect this man named Josh with his long curly hair and clear blue eyes. He wanted him to sleep. He wanted to help him forget whatever troubled his mind to cause him to lose sleep with his nightmares. He wanted to keep him safe.

"You're in love with him, Lance," a voice whispered next to him.

"Love?" This was not a feeling he had felt before. He had lived his life among the heavens born as an angel. He had never walked on the earth as a human as his friend Justin had. "Justin, I am not in love with him."

"Yes, you are. Trust me. I know these things."

Lance let out a chuckle. "You do, huh?"

"Yeah." Justin put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You are breaking all the rules, you know. Falling in love, showing yourself. You haven't talked to him, have you?"

Lance shook his head. "No."

"Not yet, anyway." Justin sighed. "Just be careful, Lance. Make sure you know what you are doing."

Lance laughed again. "That's just the thing. I don't know what I am doing." Lance watched as Josh continued to sleep peacefully. He would give him sleep. That he could do.

*****************

The next morning Josh woke up with a smile on his face. He had slept through the entire night without waking up once. No dreams plagued his sleep. He knew he had someone to thank for that. His green-eyed protector was responsible. He was sure of it. Getting out of bed, he walked towards the bathroom stopping to look at his dresser mirror. He saw the familiar figure of the man he had seen last night. "Thank you," he whispered.

The man nodded with a smile, and then he was gone.

Josh sighed. He continued into the bathroom. After taking a quick shower, he threw on some clothing, and went into the kitchen. It was his day off from the shelter, and he fully intended to take it easy that day. Lounge around the house. Read the newspaper. Maybe catch some basketball on television. He made himself a plate of sandwiches, and took it into the living room. Just as he sat down on the couch, there was a knock on the door. He groaned as she stood up. "Damn it!"

As soon as he opened the door, Chris pushed his way in. "Hey, Chasez! Time for the game yet?"

"Come on in, Chris." As he watched Chris grab a sandwich from his plate he continued, "Help yourself to my food."

Chris turned towards him. "Hey, thanks man," he said, as he chewed on his sandwich.

"Gross, Chris." Josh sat down next to his friend on the couch picking up a sandwich for himself to eat. Chris had turned on the television to a basketball game, and they ate in silence.

At halftime, Chris muted the television and turned towards his friend. "So how are you doing?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. Why?"

"Just wanted to see how you were after yesterday. You know after dealing with that girl from solitary."

Josh looked down at his hands. "Oh. I'm fine, Chris."

Chris arched his eyebrow, as he leaned back against the couch. "Really now?"

"Yes, really."

"Bullshit. I saw your face when I told you about the girl. You know what happened is not your fault, Josh. You had no idea that she would off herself in solitary."

Josh stood up. "I don't want to talk about it, Chris." Josh could hear Chris following behind him. When he entered the kitchen, he turned back towards his friend. "Chris, I don't want to talk about that night, so just drop it."

His friend sighed as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Maybe talking about it will make things better for you. Still having the nightmares about it?" Josh did not answer. "Talk to someone, Josh. Me, Joe, someone else, but you need to talk to someone about this because it wasn't your fault."

Chapter 5

Chris left shortly after their confrontation in the kitchen. Josh knew that his friend was right, but he also knew that no one would understand. They would think he was just being stupid. Getting too attached to his kids. That was one thing you never were supposed to do. Kids could come, and kids will go.

Josh stood leaning against the counter until shadows crossed the walls showing the lateness of the day. He looked up, and sighed. Reaching into the fridge, he grabbed a bottle of beer. Walking towards the bedroom, he opened the bottle and took a drink. He walked towards the window, and stood in front of it with another sigh. He lowered his bottle, and watched as the sun fell behind the house next door.

Maybe Chris was right. Maybe he should talk to somebody about what had happened at the shelter. Leaning his forehead against the cold glass of the window, he closed his eyes. Who could he talk to? As much as he loved Chris as a friend, he wouldn't understand. Joe was too wrapped with his baby daughter to be of any help. With his eyes still closed, he took another sip of his beer. No one would understand, so why even bother?

***********

Lance watched Josh as he stood in the kitchen. As he moved into the bedroom, his heart filled with sadness for whatever this man was putting himself through. He had shown up just as Chris and Josh were talking in the kitchen, and he wanted to know what Josh needed to talk to someone about. Maybe he could be that someone. He sighed as he watched the room grow darker. He leaned against the opposite wall watching Josh stand there taking a sip from his bottle every so often.

Lance waited. Trying to figure out what he should do. What he was supposed to do was nothing. Do not interfere in the lives of the living. Let them live their lives until their time came. Do not allow them to see you. Do not allow them to touch you. Do not speak to them. Do not fall in love and do not let them fall in love with you. Lance had broken every one of their rules except for one, and in his heart he knew that the last rule would be broken that night.

Running his hand through his blonde spikes, he moved away from the wall. He walked up behind Josh, and stopped.

"Are you here?" Josh opened his eyes focusing on the window before him. "I feel you here, so you must be." Josh turned around, and sat on the windowsill. "Hi," he whispered, when he saw Lance standing in front of him.

Lance raised his hand in a small wave.

Josh tilted his head, and put his bottle down on the floor. "I don't know what you are, but you say I am not losing my mind. You did say that, right?"

Lance nodded.

"Okay, then. That is a good thing. Thanks for helping me sleep. I don't know how you did it, but you did. Thank you for that."

Lance moved a step closer, and raised his hand touching Josh's cheek softly. Josh closed his eyes moving into the touch. When he opened his eyes, he had a small smile on his face. "I feel better when you are around, but you know that, don't you?" Lance nodded again, and Josh sighed. "Don't you talk?"

Lance removed his hand, and took a step back. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He looked down at the floor beneath his feet. He took a deep breath, and looked back up at Josh.

"You can't talk, can you?"

Lance nodded then shook his head quickly.

"Which is it?" Josh asked as he sat on the bed next to Lance.

Lance looked up at him. He wanted to talk to Josh. He wanted to be the one Josh talked to.

"Okay. I'm confused here. I take it that you can't talk to me, but I can talk to you." Lance looked down again, and Josh sighed. "Okay, I'm not supposed to talk to you either." Josh looked towards the window, and let silence fall between them. He looked back towards Lance, and then to the floor. He let out a sad sigh. He didn't know what was happening between him and this mysterious man. They had just met, if you could call it that, and already Josh knew his happiness depended on whether or not this man was around. He couldn't be in love with this man. No, it was too soon. They hadn't really talked. "I think I'm falling for you," he whispered.

Lance gasped causing Josh to look up. Before they knew it was happening, the men had moved closer and their lips were touching. The kiss was soft and quick. Lance was the first to move back. He reached out and took Josh's hand in his own. "Lance," he whispered.

Josh looked at him for a second. "I love you, Lance,' he whispered.

Chapter 6

After Josh confessed his feelings to Lance, he sat there silent holding Lance's hand in his own as he played with the fingers. He didn't know what to do. His mind was buzzing with so many things he wanted to know. He wanted to ask Lance all these questions, but this was uncharted territory and he knew that. He knew Lance talking to him was not supposed to happen, and he wondered what would come of it. What would Lance talking to him cause?

"Josh, don't worry about it," Lance whispered.

"How did you know I was worrying about it?" Josh asked as his fingers stilled.

"Cause I know you. I've been watching you for awhile now." Lance brought Josh's hand to his lips brushing his lips across Josh's palm. "I was worried about you."

"Oh," Josh mumbled. "I don't want to talk about that right now." Josh took his hand from Lance's and stood. "You wouldn't understand. No one would."

Lance sighed. He had hoped that Josh would open up to him, but he knew that he would want to talk eventually. He just hoped that he was there for josh when that time came. "We don't have to talk about it right now if you don't want to, Josh. Just know I'm here if you ever want to talk about whatever is troubling you."

Josh nodded with a slight smile on his face, as he sat back down. "So what about you?"

Lance chuckled. "What about me?"

Josh fingered the collar of Lance's white coat. "What are you for one?"

"I'm an angel," Lance whispered.

"If you're an angel, where are your wings? Aren't angels supposed to have wings?"

Lance laughed softly. "That is just for fiction, you know."

"Oh."Josh moved closer laying his head on Lance's shoulder. "Have you always been an angel?"

Lance reached up and ran his hand through Josh's hair. "I was born an angel. I've never been to earth as a human."

"Wow, so you haven't done a lot." Josh looked up and touched Lance's cheek softly. "Had you ever kissed before?"

"No," Lance whispered. "I never had anyone I wanted to kiss."

"But you wanted to kiss me?"

Lance nodded unable to find the words to speak. He watched as Josh moved closer until he was just inches from Lance’s face. He finally let his eyes flutter closed as Josh pressed his lips to his own. He felt Josh stroke his cheek softly, and he sighed parting his lips. When he felt Josh's tongue touch his own, he gasped pulling back.

Josh looked up at him confused for a second before sighing. "I'm sorry."

"No, its okay, Josh."

Josh shook his head. "No, it isn't. I'm moving too fast here. I'll just slow down." Josh looked towards the nightstand. "It's late, and I got to go to work early tomorrow."

Lance nodded. "I'll go."

"No, don't. Can you stay? I like being able to sleep through the night," Josh said with a smile on his face.

Lance sat silent for a moment before nodding. He watched as Josh moved towards the bed pulling the blankets back. "Will you sleep with me, Lance?"

"Okay," Lance said as he shrugged off his coat laying it on the back of the chair by the window. He watched as Josh slid beneath the covers. He shouldn't be staying. He was going to get in trouble anyway might as well as make it good while he could.

Chapter 7

Lance lay awake with Josh sound asleep with his head on Lance's chest. He kept stroking Josh's hair wondering what would happen to him now that he had broken all of the rules he had for a person like himself. He didn't know what would happen. All he knew is that he didn't want to lose Josh. Not now. He still didn't fully comprehend what was happening between the two of them. He being so new to this being in love thing. From what Justin had said in the past, being in love was great.

Lance looked towards the window and sighed when he saw Justin leaning against it watching him and Josh. "I have to go now, don't I?"

Justin looked down at the floor nodding his head. "They sent me to bring you back. They are not happy with you, Lance."

Lance sighed. He knew that would happen. He looked down at the man sleeping peacefully in his arms. He ran his finger down Josh's cheek, and looked up at Justin. "I don't want to leave him, Justin."

"I know, but you have too. You have to confront them on this, and you might need to make a decision."

Lance kept silent. He knew what Justin was speaking about, and he never thought he would have to make that decision. To leave the heavens so he could walk on earth as a human. Be a man. He knew though that he would do that if he had to. For Josh, he would. He slowly disentangled himself from Josh's arms, and got up from the bed. He put on his coat, and looked towards his friend. "Let's go." With one last look, he disappeared from the room.

Josh woke up slowly the next morning. Stretching his back with his eyes still closed, he smiled as remembered what had happened the night before. He turned on his side reaching out for Lance next to him, but felt nothing. He opened his eyes, and his smile faded. Had it all been a dream? Was Lance real?

He threw back the covers, and got out of bed. He would see Lance again. Sometime during that day, he would feel Lance's presence. He was in love with an angel. He laughed, as he got into the shower. After his shower, he got dressed, and left for work. He was actually happy for the first time in a long while.

Lance sighed, as he sat down next to Justin. The worst that could have happened did happen. He could no longer see Josh. If he did, he would no longer be an angel. He would become a man. That is what he wanted to do. He couldn't imagine never seeing Josh again, but that would mean he would be giving up everything. Experiencing new things, and a new life.

"I can't leave him, Justin, but how can I leave this?"

Justin shrugged his shoulders. "You have a decision to make, Lance. What do you want to do? If you love him, then you have to decide if he is worth giving up eternity for."

Lance sighed. He stood up, and walked away from Justin before turning back. "I need to think, but I worry about him. He is going through something, and I have a feeling it might get worse before it gets better."

"I know. I get that too. Want me to keep an eye on him for you?"

Lance smiled walking back towards his friend. "Would you, Justin? It would really help me out."

"I'll do it for you, Lance.'

Lance leaned over and hugged his friend. "If I decide to go with him, you know I'll miss you, right?"

Justin didn't just say anything. Just nodded his head. He would miss Lance too.

Chapter 8

Lance didn't return that night. Or the next. Before Josh knew it, a week had passed, and Josh had not seen Lance or even remotely felt his presence near him at all. He wondered if maybe he had dreamed Lance up. Maybe he had lost it, and made up this perfect man for him to fall in love with that would save him from his troubles.

With Lance gone, his nightmares had returned, but now they were worse. He actually had started sleeping in front of television set in the living room. Drifting off sometime in the night to the sounds of infomercials playing. He wondered if Lance would ever return to him, or if something had caused him to disappear from his life for good. Had he gotten in trouble for talking to him?

Josh knew he had to forget Lance. He wasn't going to come back. Chances were that he had never existed in the first place. He walked into the shelter to find it eerily silent. He walked towards his office, only to find it empty once he reached it. He continued on hoping to find one of his co-workers. All of the doors that he passed on his search were closed. He scratched the side of his head trying to remember the last time a situation like this had presented itself. He stopped in front of the staircase remembering full well the last time the shelter had been like this.

Shaking his head, he started to go up the stairs. As he walked down the hall, he could hear voices coming from the end of the hall. He stopped in front of the one open door in the hallway. He saw Chris and Joey talking quietly as they packed up the room. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

The two men stood silent for a minute before Chris put the stuff he was holding down. He walked over to Josh and closed the door behind him. "Hey, Josh. Why don't you take the day off?"

"Why, Chris? What happened?"

Chris sighed as he took Josh aside. "We lost another kid last night after you went home."

Josh slumped against the wall. "Oh my."

"Josh just go home. We'll take care of everything here today."

Josh nodded before moving away from Chris. He moved blindly down the hall and down the stairs. Another life lost. He didn't know how he made it home, but he did. He collapsed onto the couch, and covered his face with his hands. This one wasn't his fault. He wasn't there.

He removed his hands, and looked around him. The house felt empty. He knew Lance wasn't near, and he wished at that moment that he was. He laid back on the couch staring up at the ceiling letting his mind drift back to that night not too long ago where he had been the one there to pack up the belongings, and ship them home. It had been him to tell the girl's parents what had happened. Maybe if he hadn't had put her by herself, she would still be alive.

He ran his hand over his face surprised to find tears there. He hadn't cried in awhile. He looked towards the TV screen, and saw a flash of something there. He sat up, and looked behind the couch, but nothing was there. "Lance, are you here? If you are, I need you now. I need to talk." Josh waited looking around the room, but saw nothing. He felt nothing. Lance was gone. He would never come back. Maybe he would see him again in heaven someday.

Running his hands through his hair, he got up from the couch, and walked towards his room. He left the lights off, and slid to the floor next to his bed leaning against. He needed Lance back.

Chapter 9

During that week he was gone, Lance missed Josh like crazy. He had actually already made his decision. He would return to Josh, but he didn't want to rush it. This decision would change his whole life. He had waited. Justin had promised him he would keep an eye on Josh until he was ready to return. He just hoped Josh would understand why he was gone for so long.

"Lance."

Lance looked up to see Justin coming towards him. He sighed as he stood up. "Justin, what's up?"

"You need to go back, Lance. Josh he needs you."

Lance stood silent. He looked down at his hands. He knew he had to go back to him. If he could never see Josh again, he would never be truly happy.

"You had decided to go back to him, right?"

Lance nodded. "It's just that I am losing so much here. I will miss it all, but I know I will be happy with Josh."

Justin sighed. "He really needs you right now, Lance. He was calling out for you. Saying he needed to talk to you."

Lance grabbed his coat, and slipped it on. He started to walk away, but turned back. "I'll miss you, Justin. You take care."

"Hey, you know you ain't getting rid of me that easy. I'll visit you from time to time Lance."

Lance walked through Josh's house. The rooms were dark and silent, but he knew Josh was there. He walked into the bedroom, and found Josh on the floor next to the bed. He took off his coat, and lay it on the chair. Kneeling down next to Josh, he reached up his hand and ran his fingers through Josh's hair.When he began to stir, Lance moved back and sat down next to him.

Lance watched as Josh opened his eyes. He smiled at him, but his smiled faded when he saw the tear stains on his cheeks. "Josh, I'm here," he said as he pulled Josh to him. "You needed to talk to me?"

Josh nodded against Lance's chest. "I thought you were never coming back."

"No. I had to come back, and I'm back for good."

Josh raised his head. "You can stay?"

"Forever."

Josh kissed him briefly. "I like that. You can keep the nightmares away."

Lance sighed. "Want to talk about those nightmares, Josh?"

Josh moved back from Lance to lean against the bed again. "I let somebody die. It was my fault she killed herself."

Lance turned Josh's face back towards him. "Josh, it is not your fault. That girl would have done it if not then some other time. You cannot blame yourself for something you cannot control."

"But if I hadn't put her in the quiet room maybe she wouldn't have tried. Maybe I could have talked her down from it."

"If's and maybe's now aren't going to help you, Josh. I know you care for your kids at the shelter, but you need to move on."

Josh sighed, as he leaned his head on Lance's shoulder. "Will you help me do that, Lance?"

Lance smiled. "Of course I will. I love you, Josh. I'll always be here for you."

"I love you too, Lance."

Months passed, and Josh slowly got better. He no longer had nightmares, and he tried to stop blaming himself for that night. He still worked at the shelter, and Lance has joined him there. Chris and Joey got along great with Lance, and were always asking Josh where he had found him, but he never told. Lance's past was there little secret. He had his own personal angel to keep him safe.

As for Lance, he was happy. It was weird at first, but with Josh at his side, he learned all he needed to. Justin kept his word and visited from time to time. Then he saw Chris, and as you know even angels fall in love.

The End

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