23: It is easier

~~Rose~~

Dear journal of nightmares and visions,

It happened again, I saw the death again, but this time I was asleep when it happened. The vision keeps changing with ever choice and step I make, causing each time to be more gruesome than the last.

The only up point was seeing A again. The sweet boy will not be as strong as his sister's magic, but he will grow into a wonderful boy.

I also saw about him that he'll go by a nickname as he gets older, but he'll be loyal and kind to his sister, loving and protecting her.

Then there's the main vision that continues to come back. In one version, they both died, but it was only a one-time vision.

There was more added to the vision. In the background, I'm in the castle in Heaven, and I'm writing a letter with a tear dripping down my cheek. Maura was older in this one, her hair becoming curly in her older years. She had also seemed to have dyed her hair. The normal blonde I loved on her was there on top, but with her hair half-up in the vision, underneath was a rainbow that I seemed to fall in love with too.

When she spoke, she said something about leaving for the academy. I replied with remember your job after I held her close.

She only said that she would bring her back no matter what.

~~~~~~~~~~

"You know, Rose, we never really spent time like this together," Angel says, walking with me through the dense forest of the Hell realm.

"That's true. There were always badies to fight, people to save," I respond, light humor evident in my voice.

I lost track of how long I had been here now, away from my duties, but it always felt so right.

I had read Week's journal that detailed every day of his abuse, and him visiting me. We cried together as I finally started to talk about what I went through. It was hard, it's never easy to say I'm broken inside, but I managed to find a way.

"You know, for once I wish we could go to our respective places, me ruling as the archangel and you here with Week ruling as an archdemon." I cringed. "For once, with nothing to fight. Just...peace."

Sadness strangled my heart. I wish I could be with Week here too.

"How about this, if we both make it out of this alive, we'll trade places. You can be an archangel with Kai, I'll be an archdemon with Week," I said, painting a smile on my face to hide what I knew.

"Really, you'd leave behind the lavish castle and the awesome people for a dreary life like this?"

"In a heartbeat. I'm so tired of trying to be controlled or killed," I replied, a rolling of my eyes being very necessary here. "I just want to be here in peace where I belong, with no one to fight and the peace I crave."

"Man, we really are polar opposites, aren't we?"

We laughed as we reached a clearing. One step onto the grass was all it took for the grass to revive, flowers to bloom, and the trees to brighten up. In my hair, was a flower crown I had no idea existed.

A giggle bursted from Angel as she stepped beside me. A small area around us went back to how it started, but slowly came back.

"Opposites indeed."

"Man, your magic seems to only be growing. This is an even larger magnitude than the garden!" She said, awe in her voice making me smile.

"I'm trying to reign it in, but I don't think I wants to be held."

We both went to the center and plopped down on the bed of flowers that awaited us. When I went back, they became soft and plush like a mattress.

"So, how are you doing? Anyone caught your eye yet?"

A slight blush crept up my neck. I thought of Week when he wasn't letting Xaphan run the show. When his green eyes were bright and how he seemed to find a way to make me feel right all the time.

"Awwwww, I see that blush, Rosie!" she sang at me, before leaping onto me, giggling. "Tell me!"

"Well," trying to be cryptic, but she wasn't having it. "He's kind of..."

"Rosie!!" Angel whined at me, a pout beginning on her face.

"Well, it may or may not be-"

"It's Week, isn't it?" More blood raced to my cheeks. "Oh, I knew it! You two were starting to get so much closer and him not leaving your room even to sleep made me think. I saw him curled up with you, how did you manage to get him to sleep?" She continued to ramble on.

"Angel!" I finally snapped her out of it. "Yes, it's Week, but we agreed to take it slow for me. I got him to sleep because my sleepy butt made him get in bed. Then, it became habit for him. We just want to make sure that slowly I'm recovering from my trauma."

"Awww, you two are so sweet."

I leaned back down with a smile. "Yeah, I guess so."

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

~~Maura~~

"But Dad!!!" I cried. I was ten and wanted to start dying my hair, Auntie Angel said she would help me if I could get Dad to agree.

"The answer is still no, Mauraline! I understand that you hate your boring hair and you think it's affecting your mother, but you're still only ten."

I pouted and then came up with an idea.

"Dad, if I can get Momma to say yes, would you agree?" I asked, a trying to hide a smile. Momma never said no to me. And I bet Dad didn't know that.

"Fine," he rolled his eyes at me. "If your mother says yes, I will personally go buy you every color of the rainbow to dye your hair. Okay?"

Mission accomplished.

"Okay! Momma!" I called, knowing she was just walking in from her day with Auntie Angel.

"Yes, baby?" she replied, walking into my room and giggling at Dad who had pigtails in his hair with little pink bows.

"Don't ask, but Maura has a question for you," he said, nodding at me.

"Momma, can I dye my hair?" I asked, looking at her with the puppy eyes.

"I don't see why not," she said, only to receive a sigh from Dad.

"And here I thought you would say no, that's what I get for assuming. Alright, Maura, what color do I need to buy surplus of this time?"

"Red, like the color of blood and your eyes."

Momma laughed again, and I saw Dad watching her, a relaxed smile on his face.

"Red it is, then, baby."