A Little Piece Of Heaven

Syn slumped down next to Raven, wincing slightly before staring at her.
“Still here then ?”
Raven blushed slightly looking across at Jimmy. It was the first time she had been to the makeshift HQ the reapers were using and it signified that despite her doubts, she had agreed to stay with him and see just what they got up to. He hadn’t pressured her into joining them, hoping that it would come naturally. All she knew was that leaving Jimmy was not an option.
“Wasn’t about to leave poor Jimmy alone with you lot.”
“The whole thing is his fault !”
Jimmy smirked at Syn and filled his coffee cup as Dani and Lilith wandered into view from the staircase. Out of habit the witches had set up shop on the top floor, Johnny and Stefanie taking up residence in the basement and the boys taking the offices inbetween. They had all found houses nearby, fifty years of manipulating the stock market and government had made them very rich. Lilith helped herself to coffee and sat on her lovers lap, not at all surprised that Raven had decided to stay. She looked at Jimmy.
“We need to talk business, I have uniforms with your names on them and a war to win.”
Syn groaned and Zacky winced as he sat down.
“You want us dead. Again. How many times is this now ?”
“You’re bullet magnets that’s all I’m saying.”
She ignored the obscenely worded comments and looked over to where Claire was now climbing the stairs to join them. By the time they were all gathered around the table Raven found she was lost in the conversation. Maps appeared, Jimmy placing various coloured markers to denote troop movements and places of interest.
Claire pointed out that it had taken considerable resource to divert the Battle of Britain in the way they had wanted it and it had really been Johnny’s radar invention that had swung it. Dani and she agreed, sending the boys in was an unwarranted risk.
“You know what’s coming in December, we will need a presence.”
Lilith pouted.
“I agree but Hitler has otherworldly help, this research into the occult is paying off for him and we need to stop it.”
Matt sat back in his chair, he had been calmly listening to all sides of the argument and quietly conferring with Zacky. He didn’t particularly want to split the team but neither issue could be ignored. He tapped the map and looked at his friends.
“We can’t be everywhere but the war on this side of the pond won’t kick off in earnest until we do our bit in December.”
Jimmy pondered, gripping Raven’s hand under the table. Neither theatre of war was suitable for a mortal but she would be safer in the US than Europe. He gazed around and knew that what he was about to do was just as risky as starting his own war.
“OK, Matt and I will take Hawaii, Dani can show Raven a little of what we do. Johnny and Stefanie can be base control here. Fuck, I can’t believe I am doing this again….”
Syn and Lilith were sitting with smug smiles on their faces, Claire and Zacky looked a little more apologetic but still jubilant about what was to come. They knew that Jimmy had been somewhat backed into a corner over doing this but there was no one better in a war zone and they all knew it.
“Syn and Zack get Europe. You do what you need to but I don’t want any fucking massacres or any of you ending up ruling small kingdoms again, Lilith I am looking at you…”
“I was a good Queen !”
There was a moment of silence, Raven unable to stop the smile that crossed her face at all of them staring at Lilith intently. Even Syn looked as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing before Zacky moved a marker to check the name of the town underneath it and smiled.
“You weren’t supposed to assassinate the King in the first place.”
“He was an ass.”
“You lost your temper.”
Claire left them to argue, pulling Jimmy to one side with Matt and looking over at Raven. She was worried and wanted to make sure that Jimmy knew exactly what it meant if Raven decided that the life was for her.
“Will you let her join us ? Does she know what it means ?”
Jimmy sighed, his face slightly guilty.
“She has no family, she says if this is truly what we do then why not ?”
Claire grinned, he clearly had it very badly and it was interesting that Raven was now joining Lilith and Stefanie in baiting Syn, insisting he bow to Queen Lilith and ducking out the way as he tried to silence them all. Matt was more worried about the upcoming battles.
“Can you keep things under control out there ? Zacky will keep Syn in line but I’m worried that you could be going up against something worse than bullets.”
Claire nodded, Lilith had seen some nasty things happening in France that pointed towards a serious manipulation of otherworld forces. She would rather have had Dani with them but understood that someone would need to help Raven if her talents were to be used in the right way. The girl was a fighter and a damn good one but she wasn’t ready to join them in the field unless she too became an immortal.
“If we find out it’s worse than we thought we may need you over there.”
“We will be ready.”
They rejoined the others at the table. Raven had convinced Johnny to explain how they could walk into just about any place on the map and blend in without question or thought. It had also exposed how much harder it would be for her. She had been thinking all night about what Jimmy had told her, this world within the one she walked in that had never even begun to register on her mind until she had met these people only the day before.
Was she ready to step into this ?
Jimmy had shown her photos from various times, the dress and manner of poses had changed but he and his friends had not. He had explained how he had died originally and been chosen to help shape the course of the next centuries and how he had found a way to bring the people he loved along. He had been honest about them all, not hiding the bad things they had done as well as the good and all the things that this war meant they would have to do again.
She had listened to it all.
One thing that had stuck in her mind was a single conversation that Zacky had instigated. Weirdly she was almost more afraid of him than the others, his little trick with the blade had both frightened and fascinated her, it still called to Raven and she understood at that moment that there was no bullshit in any of it.
“You were meant for him. The universe put you on this path to meet Jimmy and play your part in what is to come.”
“My part ?”
Zacky had smiled, he liked the kid but could see that right now Raven was scared. None of them were that good at human manners anymore, once you had no need of them and could take what you wanted politeness went out the window.
“Yes, we just don’t know what it is yet.”
Raven sat now and listened some more as Lilith laid out some of the places where she had felt hot spots and disturbances that shouldn’t be there. Things were being cloaked which suggested something powerful and they would need to use caution and tact.
“We’re so fucked. I’m gonna get shot again aren’t I?”
“Probably.”
“Thanks Zack.”
“You’re welcome Syn.”
Raven silenced the conversation with three words, Jimmy closing his eyes and shaking his head as she spoke.
“Sign me up.”
His hand reached for hers across the table, he had almost hoped that their talk would make her walk away. Jimmy had found that his love for her now battled with the guilt of taking Raven from one life and depriving her of marriage and children and a normal life. Even now he wondered whether Matt and Dani ever regretted their decision despite the positives. He would understand if she wanted that over him.
“Are you sure ?”
Raven looked around, Claire and Stefanie looked unsurprised, Lilith and Syn were smiling while the others looked to see what reasons she would give for such a serious decision. Zacky was the only one that seemed to immediately understand and stood at Jimmy’s shoulder ready to lend his weight to her explanations.
“Yes. I can’t be part of this properly if I can’t come with you and learn what you all know. Zack’s right, I met and fell in love with you for a reason and this is it. To help and be part of this.”
Zacky nodded, his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“She could be one of us. Just needs the right training.”
The others nodded and Jimmy found a smile crossed his face. They were right, he was right. Raven was one of them and it needed to be done. Then nothing and no-one could take her from him, the dangers would be lessened, her soul would be his.
“Fine, we do it tonight. Before we split up.”
Lilith checked her watch and decided that it was too early for spirits.
“I’d say we could drink to it but that will have to come later. Now, uniforms….Claire ?”
“Fly boys ? Eagle Unit but shot down over France ?”
Syn put his head on the table as Claire and Lilith started eyeing both of them up.
“Oh yeah, RAF Blues….”
Jimmy pulled Raven into his arms, murmuring his love and appreciation for her decision. Matt was trying to persuade Dani that he would only wear Marine Corp uniform while Johnny and Stefanie were lost to the others in calculations and formulas, the maps pushed aside and more papers spread out across the massive table.
Raven loved it all, her head on Jimmy’s chest as she considered how to make her own mark in the upcoming war for souls.

Notes