"I'm really sorry, Tess." Silas apologized for the twentieth time.

  "If I hear those words again, I will personally throw you out my window." Tess said back at him as she headed to her bathroom. Her hand covered the white bandage on her upper left arm. During the end of their fighting session, Silas managed to scratch her with the tip of his sword. Gabriel said the injury was minor and would heal within the week, but Silas felt like he had cut her arm off. He hadn't wanted to fight her in the first place, but no, Gabriel had insisted upon it. He wondered if Gabriel was trying to diminish some of the closeness between them. Silas followed Tess, hanging in the door-frame of the bathroom.

  "You're sure you're okay?" He asked, his voice was soft. Tess smiled.

  "I'm fine Silas, don't beat yourself up." She patted his arm, walking out of the bathroom. Silas turned and watched her shake her hair out of its ponytail.

  "You know, I once thought that being angel would be fun." Tess said. Silas laughed and raised an eyebrow.

  "What made you change your mind."

  "Gabriel." This produced another laugh from Silas.

  "He does drive a pretty hard bargain."

  "No kidding. Again, again, again! I think we take that word for granted." Tess exclaimed in exasperation, spreading her arms out wide. Silas smiled.

  "Would you really want to be an angel?" He asked.

  "I don't know, maybe? Would you ever want to be human?"

  "I think about it." Silas walked to her window sill.

  "It'd make things easier." He sighed. He heard Tess come and stand beside him.

  "Make what things easier?" She asked. Silas wasn't sure about confessing what he felt, but yet he trusted Tess more than anyone else he had ever met.

  "Like being with you." Silas said quietly. Silas looked at Tess, trying to gauge her reaction. There was a softness to her eyes that he had never noticed before. He brought his hand up, stroking her cheek tenderly. Before his hand could retreat Tess grabbed it and pressed it into her cheek, she kissed his palm. Silas leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers. He could feel her warm breath tickling his face.

  "Silas, you shouldn't." She whispered.

  "I know, but I want to." He breathed out. Silas slowly lowered his lips down to Tess's. Tess inhaled slightly and kissed him back. Silas could feel eagerness that she held back, respecting him, but that just made Silas want to kiss her more. He cupped her face with the hand that was still on her cheek and kissed her again. A warm buzzing was growing inside of him. He had never kissed a human before. Angel's bodies were perfect making kissing another one, well perfect. Humans were not, but yet it made the kiss all the more invigorating for him. Silas slowly released Tess from the warm embrace of his lips. Tess opened her eyes, staring back into his golden ones.

  "Don't tell Gabriel." Silas smirked.

  "I won't." She whispered. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting herself lay against him. Silas let his head rest in the crook of her neck. He could feel the heat of her skin and it tempted him to no end. He let his hands settle around her waist. He couldn't imagine anyone more beautiful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Silas woke up with a burning pain in his calf. He checked to make sure Tess was still asleep before he limped to the bathroom. Silas closed the door silently. He unwrapped the bandage on his leg. He had thought the infection had left, but clearly it wasn't gone. Bloody puss ran out of the wound and the cut itself was deathly black. Silas shook his head, he needed a little more than some new dressing and a little disinfectant.

  "Silas?" Tess's sleepy voice came from the other side of the door.

  "Yes?" Silas said, quickly covering up his wound and turning the sink water on. He waited a couple of seconds before shutting it off and opening the bathroom door. Tess was making her bed when he came out of the bathroom.

  "Want some help?" Silas asked.

  "Not really." Tess answered. Silas walked over to the head of the bed.

  "Too bad." He threw a pillow at her.

  "Hey!" Tess threw it back.

  "Hey yourself." He threw it once more.

  "Oh, it's on." Tess narrowed her eyes playfully and ran around the back of the bed. Silas jumped onto the bed, rolling off the other side. He grabbed her other pillow.

  "Let's see what you can do." He challenged. Tess lunged across the bed and Silas easily dodged her.

  "Is that all you have?" Silas grinned.

  "Not even close." Tess began swinging her pillow again. It hit Silas's arm. He raised his eyebrow playfully and hit her in the side. Tess laughed and they both swung their pillows at each other. Silas laughed as Tess grabbed his pillow, trying to block his hits.

  "Do you give up?"

  "Never." Tess giggled hitting him again. She sat on her knees on the bed while Silas stood beside it.

  "Oh really?" Silas took her pillow.

  "Hey, that's cheating!" Tess said, frowning. She let out a surprised squeal as Silas grabbed her around the waist, pulling her up to him.

  "Still don't give up?" He asked, wrapping a hand gingerly around her neck. Tess gave a coy grin and leaned forward.

  "I never give up." Tess whispered in his ear before springing away. Silas let out a gusty sigh.

  "Boy, you're cheeky." Tess smiled at him from across the room before scampering out. Silas shook his head and followed her, finding her in the kitchen.

  "Water?" She asked, holding a cup up.

  "Sure." Silas answered, Tess turned on the faucet. Once the glass was full she handed it to Silas. He just shook his head.

  "What?" She asked.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "We just about kissed in your room and all you're focused on is water?"

  "Is that a problem?" Tess asked, raising an eyebrow and leaning against the counter.

  "Yes." Silas pouted. Tess giggled and bit her lip.

  "Why don't you come over and see what happens." Silas smirked and used his speed to practically teleport to Tess. He put a hand around her waist and felt her nervously exhale.

  "You okay?" Tess nodded and smiled.

  "I'm more than okay." Silas smiled and leaned down to kiss her.

  "Aren't you two cute." Silas slammed his fist against the cabinet.

  "Every time." He growled and turned. Diana waved and smiled innocently. Tess was blushing madly.

  "Did I interrupt something?" Diana asked.

  "Don't even try that." Silas sighed, looking at her.

  "You're no fun." Diana stuck out her lip in a child like manner. She stared at Silas and Tess.

  "Why are you staring?" Silas asked, slightly irritated.

  "Just looking at how cute you two are together." She smiled.

  "Gabriel says Tess needs to come up for more training." Silas heard Tess groan, she wasn't particularly fond of the idea. Silas couldn't say he was either, but it was important.

  "Come on Tessie, you know you need this." Silas said, turning to her.

  "Doesn't mean I want it." She sighed. Diana laughed.

  "What?" Tess asked.

  "Nothing." Diana waved her hand. Silas studied her, but she revealed nothing.

  "Let's just go." Silas said. They walked outside. Silas made himself invisible and waited for Tess do the same. Once her voice confirmed she was, they began the quick ascent to the sky. Silas could feel pressure on his arm, indication that Tess was hanging onto him. They arrived in the golden throne room, where a quiet Gabriel waited.

  "Wait here." Silas told Tess. She looked at him in confusion, but he didn't want to tell her about his injury. He approached Gabriel.

  "I need to see Remus." Silas whispered to the angel. Gabriel features hardened into deep concern.

  "Remus is to be seen only in great need." Gabriel whispered back. Silas looked at Tess and could tell she was trying to listen in on their conversation.

  "Follow me." He told Gabriel. Silas went behind a small pillar and Gabriel followed. Silas pulled up his pant leg, unwrapping the bandage.

  "I think this is a pretty good reason." Gabriel's eyes widened at the seeping wound.

  "How long has it been this way?" He asked.

  "Since this morning." Silas said, he covered the wound quickly. Gabriel looked angry and conflicted, but consented.

  "He is in the medical tent of course, I will keep Tess occupied until you get back. I'm assuming you don't want her to know." Gabriel glanced around the pillar at Tess.

  "No, if she knows she will just worry about me and not focus." Silas didn't like the way Gabriel eyes narrowed at that. Silas decided he'd better go see Remus before Gabriel began to ask questions. He walked out of the throne room and a little ways down the golden streets before arriving at the medical tent. He pulled back the tent's flap and was immediately washed in the strong smell of herbs. Silas coughed, trying to clear his throat of the strong sting.

  "Remus?" He asked through his coughs. He heard rustling at the back of tent and a salt and pepper bearded angel walked towards him.

  "Silas!" He exclaimed, embracing the other angel. Silas rolled his eyes, letting the healer hug him. Once Remus let go, Silas waved a hand in front of his nose.

  "What have you been doing in here?" Remus smiled.

  "Oh, you know me. Dabbling with some herbs here and there." Silas quirked an eyebrow. He knew by dabbling Remus meant misusing.

  "You're going to kill yourself one day."

  "Probably," Replied Remus, as he sorted through some sage, "but let's not focus on how I'm going to die. Why are you here?" Remus asked.

  "Oh, you know me. Just getting stabbed by a demon here and there." Silas chuckled. Remus shook his head and patted a stool.

  "Let me see." Silas sat down and again unwrapped the bandage on his leg. He propped his leg up on another stool so that Remus could see his calf. Remus's face drooped into a large frown. He examined the long cut.

  "How long has it been like this?"

  "Since this morning." Am I repeating myself? Silas cringed as Remus probed the wound.

  "Does that hurt?" Remus asked. Silas bit his lip to stop himself from making a snippy comment.

  "Yes." He answered dryly.

  "Well that's a good thing." Remus said, standing up.

  "What?"

  "If your wound was numb, we'd be a lot of trouble!" Remus shouted from the back of the tent. Silas looked at the wound silently while he waited for Remus to return. It did look pretty awful. Remus returned with a liquid in a bottle Silas had never seen before.

  "What's that?"

  "The only cure to this demon poison."

  "What? I thought there was more than one cure for demon poison." Remus didn't answer, but dropped on some of the antibiotic onto his leg. Silas almost screamed. Remus didn't mention that the cure was going to make his leg feel like it was on fire, but Remus just continued on like it was no big deal.

  "Not for this one. Akbar's poison was specially formulated, a nasty formula at that." Silas wasn't even about to ask Remus how he knew about Akbar's poison.

  "Most demon inflicted wounds will heal with time and being kept clean."

  "And what if I don't treat it?" Silas asked skeptically. Remus stared back at him.

  "How would you like choking on your own blood?"