Nex paced back and forth in front of the couch where Lucian and Marcus were seated, a concentrated frown on all their faces. Marcus opened his mouth to speak a couple times but closed it again, darting his eyes away. Lucian leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers pressed together and resting against his lips.

"It was probably nothing," Lucian said, looking up at Nex, dropping his hands. "There are plenty of strange people in the world. Maybe he just took a liking to her and wanted her to remember him. Maybe he's planning on going back to ask her out or something."

"What about the child? And her hand?" Nex challenged.

"She did say she sometimes see things since her parent's accident, remember?" Marcus pointed out. "Especially around cars. You know she gets freaked out around cars."

"I know," Nex sighed. "But her hand."

"It was probably more the shock of it, you said it barely touched her, didn't you? It probably was more in her head that it hurt than anything else," Lucian shrugged. "Again, we are dealing with the car issue. She doesn't even like riding the bus, she only does it when she has to."

Nex nodded. He knew all those things to be true but something wasn't sitting well with him. Most palm readers were full of shit but the art was not completely a lie. There was something very special about a person's hands. You could tell a lot by looking at a person's hands. Nex didn't know exactly how to read palms, he only knew basic things but he couldn't read into the soul like others could. The fact that so many strange things happened in one night seemed a little too coincidental to him.

"If you hear anything or notice any unnatural people enter this realm," he said, looking between them. "Tell me right away."

"We will," Lucian nodded. "Relax, Nex. I'm sure you're just on edge because of what happened with Lillith, who is still very much occupied in the underworld, by the way."

"Right," Nex frowned. He wasn't sure he agreed with that but he had no evidence for anything else. He would just have to keep a much closer eye on her.

The front door opened and Kat walked in, brushing snow off her hair. Nex frowned and strode over to her. "What are you doing here? It's early."

"I got out of choir early because of this crazy blizzard," Kat explained, shrugging her coat off and wrapping her arms around herself. "Man, it's cold out there."

"Katherine," Nex frowned, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "You're supposed to let me walk you home so you're not alone, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't walk home alone," Kat said, looking at him curiously. "I walked with Annabelle," she said, gesturing to the general direction of her neighbor's house. "I don't want to put you out every time I need to get somewhere."

"You aren't putting me out. Next time do not fucking walk alone," he said, narrowing his eyes.

"I wasn't alone. What's gotten into you?" Kat huffed. "You're hungry, aren't you? You always get crabby when you're hungry."

"She has a point," Marcus said, grinning.

"Oh, hi guys," she waved, smiling. "I'm freezing. I'm going to take a hot shower to warm up. Are you staying for dinner?"

"No," Lucian said, rising from the couch. "We were just stopping by."

"Are you sure? The weather is crazy. I can set you up to stay the night," Kat offered.

"No thank you," Lucian said, giving her a small smile. "We move fast and besides, we have a common mission tonight."

"Oh, okay," Kat nodded. "Stay safe."

Nex rolled his eyes but her comment had both Lucian and Marcus smiling. They'd never been treated well by humans until her. They said their goodbyes and as soon as they were out the door, Nex pulled Kat into a kiss, lifting her up. She let out a small sound of surprise and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"What are you doing?" She breathed against his lips.

"I thought you wanted to warm up," he said, biting down on her lower lip. "You didn't actually think I'd let you do that alone." Kat tried not to smile but couldn't so dropped her head in his neck to hide it. Nex chuckled and held her with one hand, tugging on her shirt. "Clothes off, Katherine, I'm anxious to be inside you again."

"Why are you so persistent about me not walking home alone?" Kat asked, lifting her head enough to peak up at him. "Is something wrong?"

Nex paused. Normally, lying came easy to him. It was different with her. It was different and he couldn't bring himself to tell her things Death said, the rules they were breaking, the concerns he had when she was already going through so much. Her nightmares had intensified and she was barely sleeping. He didn't want his time with her to end and she had enough on her mind with her parents and Christmas just passing, he didn't need to put more stress on her.

"I just want you to be safe," he murmured, kissing her lips. "I just need you to be safe, Katherine. For me. I need you to not walk alone. Is that too much to ask?"

"I guess not," Kat said, biting her lip.

"Good. Then don't walk home alone," he said, pulling her into a kiss.

"I wasn't alone," Kat sighed against his lips.

"Keep it that way," he murmured, grabbing the back of her head and kissing her harder.

Their shower went on so long the hot water ran out. Kat was more than warmed up between the shower and Nex pressing her into the wall and thrusting into her. Still, she bundled up afterwards knowing that she chilled easily and dropped a blanket over them as they laid on the couch. Nex ran his fingers through her still wet hair as she laid on him and they watched The Dead Poet's Society.

"This movie is depressing," Nex said, shaking his head. "Why do you like it?"

"It's sad but it's very good," Kat said, snuggling into his chest. "I just like it."

"Why can't we watch a romance or something for once?" He sighed. "You have the strangest taste in movies."

"Do you like romances?" Kat asked, setting her chin on his chest and looking up at him.

"It depends on the movie but no, I mostly like them because they tend to lead to much more interesting activities when you're, say, with a beautiful woman," he said, smirking.

Kat rolled her eyes and shook her head, deciding to ignore his comment.

"What about a horror movie?" He suggested.

"Ew, no," Kat shuddered, resting her head in his chest and snuggling close to him. "I don't like horror movies. They're too scary. I watched one once with Frida in high school and I am never watching one again."

"What did you watch with Frida?" He asked.

"I don't remember the name. A little boy sees ghosts of people that died but haven't gone to their resting place, and he has to like... Get them justice or something," she said.

"A little boy sees-" Nex started then stopped, shaking his head. "Are you fucking kidding me? That movie scared you? You've never watched any other horror movie than that one?"

"No," Kat said, wrinkling her nose. "I don't like to be scared. I don't understand why people like scary movies. Being scared is not fun."

"That movie isn't even-" Nex started then stopped, shaking his head. "It's no wonder you didn't realize you were summoning a demon," he muttered. "That's really the only horror movie you've ever watched?"

"Yes," Kat shrugged. "I mean, I saw bits and pieces of other movies and sometimes I saw previews for movies but never fully watched another one again."

"I can't believe of all the movies, that one scared you," Nex said, shaking his head.

"I scare easy," Kat shrugged.

"You scare easy," Nex repeated flatly.

"Mhm," Kat nodded.

"That's bull shit," Nex said, shaking his head.

"How would you know?" Kat said, picking up her head and frowning at him.

"I don't know, maybe because I'm a demon and the first thing you did was hit me on the head with an umbrella," he pointed out.

"Oh, well, I was definitely scared," Kat said simply. "You can be scared and still defend yourself. Also, it hadn't really registered that you were a demon at that point, I thought you were just a crazy person."

"Well now you do know," he said, rolling his eyes. "You're brave enough to not only defy a demon several times but then fuck and sleep with him every night, stand up to someone like Lilith, but somehow you're not brave enough to watch a scary movie?" Nex asked doubtfully.

"First of all," Kat said, holding up one finger. "Part of the reason scary movies are so scary is because you can't control what happens and everyone in scary movies are really stupid and seem to lack basic common sense. I mean, really, why is there always a girl running around completely naked when she knows there's a killer on the loose? I haven't seen much but I know that happens a lot," she said, shaking her head. "And second, you're not scary."

"Obviously that scene only exists for the boobs," Nex said, rolling his eyes. "And- wait a second, what did you just say?" Nex said, frowning.

"Which part?" Kat asked, folding her arms over his chest and resting her chin on her hands.

"About me not being scary," he said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, yeah," she shrugged. "You're not."

"I'm terrifying," Nex growled.

Kat stifled a laugh, dropping her head in her arms to try to control the smile before looking up at him again. "Um, okay," she said, biting back the smile. "You're terrifying," she shrugged, turning her head to look at the TV.

"You don't think I'm scary?" Nex repeated.

"Not particularly," Kat said, peeking up at him. "I think you're adorable."

"I am not adorable," Nex snapped, his eyes turning red.

Kat looked at him questioningly, a frown forming on her face. "Are you insulted that I don't find you scary?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Of course I am," Nex growled. "I'm a demon, for fuck's sake. If I'm not scary then what the hell am I?"

"Adorable," Kat said, smiling at him.

"That's not funny," Nex said, narrowing his eyes and scowling at the TV.

"Okay, okay," Kat said, scooching up and kissing his cheek. "How about this? You were terrifying when I first met you and had I not gotten to know you, I'd probably still be scared of you. Is that better?"

"I suppose," Nex grumbled.

"Don't be mad," Kat pouted, laying her head in her chest. "You're the scariest demon to ever have lived, all right?"

"Now you're just coddling me," Nex said, rolling his eyes.

"Nex?"

"What?" Nex sighed, looking down at her.

She reached up and set her hand on his face, giving him a small smile that always managed to melt away any annoyance he might have. "You're my favorite demon."

He wanted to still be annoyed. He wanted to. He didn't want to smile. He couldn't help it and so he looked away. "I'm going to get you to watch a scary movie," he vowed.

"How about instead you just watch the movie that's on right now?" Kat suggested. "It's a good movie."

"I'm not denying it's interesting," Nex sighed, continuing to lazily drag his hand up and down her back. "I just don't know why humans enjoy watching movies that make them sad."

Kat rolled her eyes and rested her head in his chest again, focusing on the movie. They were quiet for a while before she spoke again.

"It was my dad's favorite," she said quietly.

Nex frowned and stopped his movement, setting his hand on her back instead. Christmas Eve may have been a great night for them intimately but the entire holiday the next day left her less able to keep denying how much it hurt to be without them. It didn't escape his attention her normally relatively cheerful self was not quite as cheerful. She was putting a lot more effort into it than she usually did.

"What did he like about it?" Nex asked, curling his finger around a strand of her already curly hair.

"It's real," Kat shrugged. "It's... It doesn't dance around the hard topics and it shows that time is precious and people are precious," she said, picking her head up and resting her chin on his chest so she could look at him again. "Sometimes things we think are important don't actually mean anything really because we won't remember every single time something didn't go like we wanted. We remember moments. Moments where time stands still and everything is perfect. And those moments are infinitely more precious because you know it can't stay that way forever and art is important because it can capture those moments," she said, snuggling into his chest again. "That's why it's so good. Because it shows special, unforgettable moments in the midst of tragedy and loss and injustices and that's how real life is. Things don't always go like you hope they will, the people you love don't always get to stick around, people make mistakes, people you should be able to trust hurt you. It tells us to cling to what's important and not let the other stuff bother us so much we forget to live in the moment."

"What's important to you, Katherine?" Nex asked.

Kat blushed and peeked up at him. "Right now?" She asked, biting her lip. He nodded and she shrugged. "You. You're... You're everything to me."

"And will our perfect moment not last?" He asked, frowning.

"I don't know," Kat shrugged. "Are you... Are you going to stay with me or..." She darted her eyes away nervously, taking a moment before looking at him again. "Or are you going to try to get home still?"

"Katherine," Nex murmured, pulling her up closer and cupping her face. "I am home. My home is where you are," he said, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that left her feeling more than she ever knew she could.

"You're not going to leave me?" Kat asked uncertainly, looking up at him with apprehension.

The words he couldn't say to her floated around in his mind but couldn't seem to find an escape. At least not before. But now as Nex stared down at her big eyes, so full of fear that his hesitance went away. She needed to hear it more than he was scared to say it. "I..." He started then paused. "I'm not going to leave you," he said quietly, setting his hand on her face, running his thumb over her cheek. "I can't."

"Because of me. Because I won't pick a name. I know," Kat said, darting her eyes away. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"That's not why," Nex said, directing her gaze back to him. "I can't leave because I can't be away from you," he admitted. " Because I..." He stopped, swallowing hard and staring into her eyes. He wasn't supposed to be able to feel this way and at first he thought he was losing his mind but as he stared into her eyes he knew there was no denying it. "I love you, Katherine. I'm not going anywhere."

Kat's eyes widened and she set her hand on his face. "Really?" She asked, biting her lip. "You love me?"

"I do," Nex confirmed, kissing her. "Very much."

"I love you too," Kat said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. "So much," she whispered against his lips. "I love you so much," she repeated.

Melchezedik frowned, leaning over the pews and opening his eyes, leaving them to their privacy. He was supposed to mark her and that was it but he couldn't help himself, he had to understand. Normally he had no problems settling matters like this, separating the humans from the demons, but this was different and so he left a kiss on her hand that would let him see them together only in a moment where love was professed. When he looked into her palm he saw nothing tainted. When he looked into her eyes there was still purity. She passed the test he set up with her with the child. It didn't add up and so he wanted to watch her with him to see why it was different. The purpose wasn't to invade their privacy but to understand and what he heard shocked him.

He'd never heard a demon say they loved anyone. In all the centuries he'd been alive, he'd never heard a demon say those words and mean it but there was no denying it. He tried to deny the aura he saw surrounding them in the snow but there was no denying this. Nex loved the human, and she loved him too.

"Did you do it?" Gabriel asked, stepping into the church and interrupting Mel's thoughts.

"Not yet," Mel said, looking over at Gabriel. "I'm not entirely convinced it is the right thing to do."

"We have an obligation under the law," Gabriel said. "That's how we know it's right."

"We're working under old laws that existed as a blanket statement for what appeared to be a blanket issue when demons started manipulating minds of humans to get what they wanted," Mel said, rising from the pew. "That is not what this is. He has not manipulated her mind at all. I looked into her soul, Gabriel. She is still the same person, just one that loves someone who returns that love."

"Love?" Gabriel said, shaking his head. It couldn't be. "Demons are not capable of love."

"Are they not?" Mel challenged. "Are they not just brothers and sisters in a different form and another realm?"

"How can you say that?" Gabriel said, narrowing his eyes. "It's not the same. It's not the same at all. They are demons."

"Descendants of a fallen angel, some fallen angels themselves," Mel pointed out. "Technically speaking they are all angels, just fallen ones. In many ways, they are not so different from us. You say their titles with such disgust and yet you call on them so you don't have to get your hands dirty."

"The ones that are there want to be there," Gabriel pointed out. "We don't force anyone to become a demon. They find that path on their own."

"That was true once upon a time," Mel shrugged. "It's not that simple anymore. Some of the demons do not wish to be demons, they have no other choice since humans learned they could summon, since they learned they could make deals. Do you even know why Nex is a demon? Have you looked into his past?"

"I don't need to know anything more than he is a demon and this is our duty," Gabriel said, shaking his head. "It's unfortunate, it is, but I made vows and I intend to keep them before I get disciplined or Uriel arrives and makes the situation worse. Nex's past is-"

"Something you don't want to know because you're afraid," Mel said. "Admit it. You don't want to know his past because this has already been difficult for you and knowing his past would make it worse."

"Or it would make it easier," Gabriel said.

"You don't think that," Mel said, shaking his head. "He's too good to be all evil, Gabriel. I know you see that. If you didn't then you wouldn't have spent so much time stalling and hoping other angels wouldn't take notice so you could leave them alone and look the other way. You should know better, Gabriel," Mel sighed. "His status is too high to be ignored. You may have been able to let minor instances slide for others in the past but his rank makes that more difficult."

"Exactly why it doesn't matter what his past is, we still have to handle it," Gabriel pointed out.

"His sister was sick with yellow fever," Melchizedek revealed. "She was sick and about to die. He offered his soul up in exchange at the time of his death for her to be well so that she could live a full life and he could be there to witness it. He then caught the disease himself and died while taking care of her before he ever got to see her well. Now, does knowing that make this easier?"