Sam's hand was large. His long fingers were covered in calluses. It looks like the hand of someone who often did hard labor. Warm and dry, it made Kye feel safe, but at the same time, she secretly and unreasonably expected a tingle when their skins touched. That thought dampened her mood. Kye turned away and pulled out a pair of mustard-colored slip-ons from the tote bag. She changed into them and handed the old sneakers back to Sam.

"Thank you for the shoes," she smiled. "Let's go."

They walked side by side to the kitchen. The sky darkened quickly thanks to the rain earlier. All the outdoor lights had already been on. The silence thickened around them like a wet blanket. Kye slowed down in her pace.

"Can I ask you something, Sam?" She looked up at the man.

"Sure, anything," Sam shrugged.

Her head was a little below his shoulders, but Kye appeared much smaller and more fragile in the moment. Her arms folded tightly to her body, her thin eyebrows furrowed, and her lower lip turned white with her biting on it. Her little nose and cheeks were red. The cold wind blew her hair into a brown mess. She looked like someone who had lost everything and was all alone in this world. Her large sparkled brown eyes were the only things that still looked lively and beautiful on her face.

Kye reminded Sam of himself sixteen years ago when he and his brother had just arrived at the camp after losing their mom. At least he always had Dean. Sam knew Kye had her mother and younger brother back in Ayham, but there was no way to tell when or if she could ever see them again after what she, Bobby, and Ruby had pulled. Sam didn't know much about the relationship between Kye and the archangel, but he would not bet her safety on some feelings Michael might or might not have for her. Not after her betrayal. The compound was also hundreds of miles from Ayham. To get back to the city, they would need to pass several checkpoints with both angel and human law enforcement and then the City Wall. Not impossible, but also not a breezy task.

"Why me?" Kye's voice cut through Sam's train of thought. "What's so important about me that you guys were willing to trade the artifact for, right after you had just gotten it? It wasn't easy for anyone to get a hand on that thing in years from what I've heard. Sure, wasn't easy for me, no matter how much of an advantage you guys thought I had with Michael..."

Her eyes started to fill up with tears of frustration. And guilt. It was not a good feeling being kept in the dark, especially after everything she had put on the line and lost. Kye knew she had made the biggest mistake of her life and now was stuck with the consequences.

"Look," Sam clenched his hand in the pocket. It was hard to look into someone's eyes and lie or not tell the whole truth. "I don't know the whole deal, but from what I've heard, the bosses have some new plan regarding the weapon." He gave her a vague answer. "About you, I really don't know what they have in mind. I'm sorry for what you've been through, but please believe me when I say this, we didn't mean for you to get hurt and will not let any harm come your way. I promise."

Kye was not very convinced by what he said, but she bit her tongue and continued on her way. She didn't expect to get anything out of him anyway. Sam walked slowly behind while staring at the back of her head. He hated when the innocents got hurt in a fight like some kind of collateral damage, didn't matter if that fight was for a noble cause or had the whole of mankind's fate hung on to it.

The closer they got to the kitchen, the clearer the sounds of people talking and dinnerware clanking were. They stopped at the door and looked inside through the glass pane.

"I'm gonna have to leave you here, Kye..." Sam exhaled.

He put the pair of sneakers down and pulled out his small notebook from the jacket's pocket. He wrote down a phone number before tearing the page and giving it to Kye. "This is my number. Please let me know if you'll ever need anything." Sam gave her a genuine, sad smile and nodded to himself before picking the shoes up and walking away.

Kye stared at the piece of paper for a long time before looking up to watch Sam leave. The wind blew his almost shoulder-length brown hair in all directions. He looked lonely and vulnerable despite his size at this moment. Kye didn't know what would make him look like that or why he even cared about her situation, but she couldn't think too much about it. She already had enough questions and problems to deal with. At the end of the day, she couldn't trust the Resistance to actually take care of her. She still didn't know what their real intention toward her was. She watched until Sam disappeared around the corner, then turned back to look inside the kitchen again. Seeing all of the unfamiliar happy faces, she sighed and left.

Kye needed a walk to clear her mind despite the hunger and exhaustion she felt. The compound did not have a complicated layout, but it was huge. Kye kept going aimlessly with the piece of paper squished up in her hand until she reached the top of the hill. The wind howled around her, and there was the three-story main building, standing like a beast in the dark. It looked ominous, but there were still lights in a few windows on the third floor. Kye thought about it and decided that it was best for her not to advance any further. Curiosity could kill a cat, especially one like her. Her position was awkward, so she didn't want to chance her luck. Kye turned around and found her way back to the cabin.

There was no moon or stars in the sky that night because of the bad weather. Everything was in the shade of dark blue. It also got much colder then compared to earlier. Kye hugged her body tightly, trying to keep some warmth in her sweater, but it was no good. She suffered all the way back to the cabin. When she got there, the light was on, and two women were chatting happily with each other inside. They stopped their conversation and looked up at her when she walked in.

"Hey, you... Nice to meet you. What's your name?"

One woman with a round, dimpled face and blond hair tightened in a ponytail stood up and approached Kye with a brilliant smile. She had the right amount of chirpiness in her voice that picked people's moods up without annoying them, and after a long, terrible day, Kye didn't mind it at all. The woman wore a Sherpa-lined denim jacket over a black and red plaid buttoned shirt, pajama pants, and chunky fur trim plaid slippers. The other one had pixie-cut dark brown hair, also wearing pajama pants and a white and purple long-sleeved t-shirt, smiling at Kye without saying anything.

"I'm Kye, Adlin. Nice to meet you guys." Kye shook the woman's hand and then turned to smile at the other one.

"I'm Donna Hanscum. This is Jody Mills. We've heard someone new came today but didn't know they would assign you to our cabin. There are a lot of cabins around...Anyway, welcome to Cabin 12." Donna smiled and continued. "We're supposed to have eight people in the cabin, as you can see, but now there are only me and Jody, and we don't expect to have more newcomers anytime soon."

She pointed to a bunk bed with both bunks occupied next to the window with the wildflower vase. "This is our spot. I know you've already put your stuff on that bed," she pointed at the bed with Kye's tote bag on it. "But feel free to choose any other bed you like. It doesn't matter anyway."

Donna jumped on her top bunk as a way to end the conversation. Jody followed suit to the bunk below. As she passed Kye, she also held out her hand and said, "Welcome" with a smile. Before Kye knew it, she heard faint snores coming from both bunks of the bed. These women definitely didn't seem like the worst roommates to have, and they started off well. Kye chuckled and went into the bathroom. She desperately needed a hot bath to get all the gunk and dirt out of her hair and body. Her bones and muscles ached, and the depressing feeling started to sink in her chest again. Kye ran the water, almost scalding hot before taking off all of her dirty clothes and stepping in.

She realized she had forgotten to ask Sam or anyone here about where Ruby was or how to contact her. If she talked to the girl, maybe she could've got some answers. Ruby would never lie to her, so that would be the first thing to do in the morning. Figuring out her next move, Kye leaned back in the tub and slowly slid down until she was fully submerged in the water. It felt like she kept sinking deeper and deeper to the bottom. There was nothing left around, nothing to remind her of the outer world, nothing but a cocoon of warmth and sadness.

***

As Fig promised, Michael was up and back to normal in almost no time that day. Kye was in shock when she turned back and saw his big blue eyes watching her attentively, clear as the sky on sunny days with no hint of tiredness or pain. They even glowed a little as his grace charged up. It was just like he lay there consciously the whole time, without being shot, poisoned, or having someone dug into his grace just hours ago. Fig definitely did wonders on the archangel, and Kye would love to give his chubby cheeks a thousand kisses the next time she saw the guy.

She approached Michael with a smile before a realization suddenly hit her: He might've been awake the whole time and listened to the conversation between her and Ruby. It would definitely not be a good thing. Her smile died off, and she just stood there barefoot on the dusty floor, in her blood-stained sequin dress, looking nervously at the archangel. Kye prayed she didn't just put a target on Ruby's back.

"Kye, did you get hurt?"

Michael slowly sat up and asked her in his deep, monotone voice. His eyes fixed on her while he gingerly touched where the wound used to be on his shoulder. He looked more human in that moment than ever before with his messy dark hair and his raised eyebrows.

"No...I'm not, Master. How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain or discomfort anywhere?" Kye walked closer to him.

"How long have we been here?" Michael looked around and asked but didn't answer her questions. He didn't even ask where they were.

Kye's stomach sank, but she managed to give him a smile. It was probably just Michael acting like his normal self, she hoped.

"I brought you here last night after we got to the alley. It was safe to stay inside somewhere and wait for the men to come. We've been here all night, as you can see." Kye looked out the windows at the rising sun. Her answer didn't contain the whole truth, but at least she didn't lie to Michael. She was just thankful he didn't ask her how his wound healed because she surely couldn't answer that question.

The archangel also looked in the same direction before turning back and staring at Kye.

"You've been worried." He stated in a familiar matter-of-fact way that put a smile on Kye's face. She gently placed her hand on his face.

"Yes, I have. You gave me a good scare, Master."

Michael grabbed her hand from his face and held it on his lap. He looked down at their joined hands before looking up at Kye's face again.

"I'm fine now, so don't be scared."

Kye had waited to hear that from him. She leaned down and wrapped her free arm around Michael's neck. Under a faint scent of blood and a stronger chemical one, he still smelled like himself, clean as fresh air. Kye inhaled all of them in comfort and relief. The wall she built to keep out all of her fear, stress, and heartache from the night before started to crumble down. She buried her face in Michael's bare shoulder and sobbed.

Grace slowly rose to his skin's surface to meet hers. It felt like thousands of tiny prickly kisses. The familiar tickle made Kye lift her head and laugh while tears still rolled down her cheeks.

Being curious, Michael used his free hand to pull her arm out of his neck and keep her in front of him. He studied her face for a moment before grabbing the hand Kye used to wipe her tears and pulling her back toward him. He let go of both hands and wrapped his arms around her waist instead. Then he rested his head on her chest and listened to her erratic heartbeats slow down.

Kye closed her eyes and put her lips on Michael's dark brown hair.

"Next time, let me know before you want to pass out on me." She mumbled.

The archangel chuckled at what she said and squeezed her harder.

***

Kye jumped up in the bathtub and coughed violently. She fell asleep, and a lot of water had gotten in her mouth and nose. The warmth and floatiness were gone. Instead, coldness and darkness wrapped around her like a suffocating blanket and weighed her down. She thought she was stuck in a never-ending nightmare. The hunger came back full force after almost knocking Kye off her feet, but she was glad to feel it. It reminded her that she was still alive.

Kye got out of the bathroom and was grateful to find the two women were still fast asleep. She quickly put on some clean clothes and tip-toed out of the cabin. Learning from last time, Kye wore a turtleneck top under a thick pine green zip-up hoodie and brown sweat pants, which might've been made for someone who was twice her size, to protect herself from the cold. The rain started again in combination with the raving wind. Kye put her hood on and braced herself for the weather. The wind and rain slapped her face and pushed her small body back and forth all the way to the kitchen, so there were no words to describe how relieved she felt once she stepped through the door.

The kitchen was warm and quiet. It was an enormous and brightly lit multi-plane hangar that got repurposed, filled with rows of benches and long tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. There was a line of brown wooden tables filled with baskets of bread, snacks and fruits, bottles of water, stacks of clean plates, and utensil holders. The kitchen opened at all times to serve people coming back from missions at weird hours. Kye sat down on one of the benches and fidgeted with her hands, not knowing what to do next. She still felt unwelcome here at the compound even when everyone she had come across so far showed her nothing but kindness.

An older lady with a gray ponytail and deep wrinkles came over to ask if Kye needed anything. She told Kye they had soup and lasagna earlier, but she could also make her a sandwich if she wanted.

"Anything is fine. Thank you." Kye gave the woman a weary smile.

She soon returned with a bowl of soup, a sandwich, and a cup of orange juice.

"Let me know if you need anything else."

She said and walked away. It was interesting to see all the people of different ages and backgrounds at the Resistance's compound. This old woman reminded Kye of someone she knew growing up. They were actually polar opposites, but Kye couldn't help but see the similarities, and it put a warm feeling in her chest.

***

The late night's quietness made Kye think of home. She missed her mom and brother terribly. The company probably would come to their apartment in a few days to announce that Kye was "released from service," with no further explanations, just the salary for the portion of the month she had worked. That was the worst news families with people working as domesticated companions or servants for the angels could receive, especially when the person went missing. It could mean a number of things. Murdered at the hands of their own masters was a big possibility, but the families never had a definitive answer.

That would kill her mom and Nick, but what would hurt them even worse was the broken trust and expectations they had for Michael. They had hoped that Michael was different from other angels, that he actually cared about Kye and their family, and that his relationship with Kye was more than a master-servant relationship. They would spend their lives together, or at least Kye would spend her life with him. Her family didn't know much, but they could only hope for the best based on what they had seen. Kye's brother was only in his teenage years. He would have to drop out of that school and start looking for work to help their mom out. They definitely would be in bad shape without Kye. She just prayed to God, wherever he was, that Michael would leave her family alone and not punish them for her mistake.

Kye knew she was safe with her thoughts here with the multiple wardings around the compound. Before, every time her thoughts or emotions became stronger—when she thought about the archangel or called for him—Michael would always know and come to her. It was a pull or an urge to respond according to him, not because of his instinct as an angel, but mainly his choice to connect to her. It broke her heart but relieved her at the same time now when that connection was severed.

***

The first year working for Michael was tough. He didn't have any human emotions or understanding. He looked down on the whole human race as nothing but parasites, destroying his Father's great works and maybe the reason why God left, so his treatment toward humans reflected just that. He was cold and quick to use different torture methods as forms of discipline. The archangel had an absolute, almost twisted, sense of responsibility and duty. He expected complete obedience and submission from his employees and servants. Everything needed to go exactly how he wanted it, or severe punishments would come after.

There was a high turnover rate of employees at the loft, but new people kept signing up because of the attractive compensation. Kye received a lot of perks working for Michael. Not only did he pay her a good monthly salary, just for her to spend time with him, even after their relationship took a different turn from being strictly professional, but he also cured her mom of acute asthma and sent her brother to a good private school for free.

Kye was Michael's sole companion after the first year. She moved into the loft and accompanied him everywhere he went. They spent the majority of every day together. Somehow, she could figure out a way to deal with him from the get-go. Being born in poverty and losing her father at a young age made Kye a very sensitive and observant girl. She learned to read people and asset situations well, and those were the skills she relied on while working at the loft.

She realized Michael loved to talk about Heaven and his achievements, how good of a son he was to God and a leader to his angel siblings, so she stroked his ego with many questions about these topics, but only when the timing seemed right. Other than that, she kept herself almost invisible. The archangel also had a huge curiosity about humankind and modern culture, but he covered it well, so she picked on it slowly, one thing at a time. It was a calculative move at first to become his favorite, and the last companion remained, but it slowly turned into genuine care and feelings for the archangel.

He was not a fragile soul that needed to be taken care of, but she felt, deep down inside, he was quite lonely and lost. God had left the building, and no one knew where he went. No instructions or promise to return, only billions of angels and humans left wandering under Michael's command. Even when the angels were supposed to be a family, they were not. They were an army. Doubts, distrust, and disagreements simmered under the harmonious front, and those were just the perfect ingredients for a civil war.

Chapter 5. The aftereffect

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