Christmas Eve had snuck up on Demetrios and he was alone. His Angel of Hell hadn’t returned as he said he would and Deme was thinking the man would never come back. He couldn’t blame him, he didn’t feel good enough for Carrighan and he was sure that he had found someone else. Someone better even, someone who fit in with him more and wasn’t so…awkward. The Angel sat on the ground at the base of the ten foot tree and looked up the side of it with a sigh. It was beautifully decorated with lights and garland of ornaments, but it seemed to be missing something. Maybe it wasn’t just the tree that was missing something. Hell, he couldn’t see anything missing from the tree. It even had a large star on the top of it, so what could it be missing?

No, it wasn’t the tree that was missing anything. He was. He was missing his heart and it just didn’t feel like any kind of holiday while he was alone. How many years before had he celebrated this day alone? Well, he had never been alone. Other Angels normally showed up but he had asked them not to come since Carrighan would be there. He had been so hopeful and now he was just being let down. He looked down at the presents under the tree. Every one of them was for the one he was missing, every last one. He had gone out and purchased a bunch of things he thought the Angel of Hell would like for Christmas; things ranging from tight fitting shirts and baggy pants to books and trinkets and other such goodies. “But they’re just going to go into the attic and gather dust,” he whispered to himself, raising a hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks. He should have just expected it.

He jumped as the trees creaked outside, the wind howling around the house. “I should turn up the heat, this storms going to be bad.” He got up and walked to the thermostat the house becoming warmer almost instantly, he could tell how cold it was outside as the windows fogged slightly. “Well, I might as well go to bed.” He muttered to himself as he looked at the clock. It was nearing midnight and he was beginning to feel sleepy. He sighed once more, walking away from the decorated living room to the stairs and up to the second floor. The second floor wasn’t decorated; he didn’t see a need to decorate it. Outside the storm sounded like it was getting worse and it sounded as if there was a tree limb bouncing around in the wind.

Demetrios nearly jumped out of his skin as one of the windows down stairs shattered and something came thudding n along the floor. Thinking it the limb he had heard, since he didn’t hear it anymore, he ran down the hall and galloped down the stairs. As he reached the bottom, the clock began to chime midnight. In the light of the Christmas tree he saw the dark form by the trees base. There was a path of glass leading from the window to the limb. He stopped and took a few steps back as the limb groaned. Alright so it wasn’t a limb, what in the world was it??
He reached over and hit the light switch, his eyes growing wide at the sight. There below his Christmas tree was the Angel of Hell he had been wanting. Carrighan groaned again, his wings twitching as he worked to sit up. His forearms were covered in blood and glass, his body beaten and bruised, cut and bleeding. “Ow…” he whined as he hit the bottom of the tree. Deme quickly moved to the dark wing ones side and pulled him from under the tree.

“You made it.”

“I told you I would,” he moaned and just fell against the Angel. “Santa’s a bastard.
He was lazy and didn’t want to land, so he threw me through the window.” He
chuckled, looking up at the man he loved. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

Demetrios shook his head, “you’re not late, you’re right on time.”