Yes, Eli came to his senses enough to save the day, and make Harriet a Soldier. Yes, Zach managed to drag Brynn away from Lucifer, before she did something fatal. Yes, all the children and Hachilah escaped safely. And yes, the demon that Eli had demanded that Zach leave alone, escaped unharmed (but very, very scared). All of this has done nothing to lighten up Zach's mood, however. Dissonance bites, and he had come incredibly close to causing untold harm to innocents, by sheer carelessness. And he had doubted in his Archangel! Shame, horror, angst and confusion.
Enter Harriet, who, though also somewhat traumatized and confused, will gleefully use the opportunity to take care of Zach, to escape her own woes. Also enter Harriet's Picnic Basket, in which there is unbelievably huge amounts of edibles, drinkables and tools to deal with the above. Her grand idea: To have an indoor picnic, on the floor of Zach's tiny apartment. This causes the messed-up, dissonant and brooding angel much confusion. So much so, that an epiphany comes knocking...
Here, we enter real-time...
Harriet beams at the confused Angel, and points at the blanket. "Sit," she orders. "I brought everything we need, and I'm going to take it all back with me when we're done, you know?" She hauls the basket onto the floor, and settles down beside it.
Zach obediently sits down. He is nothing if not good at following orders these days. Following orders is ever so much more easy than giving orders. Still befuddled, but also very happy to have a Harriet in his room, he suddenly blurts out, "Heaven help me but I love you Harriet! If I were human I'd be on my knees begging you to marry me!" And with that revealed, his face goes all horrified. He did NOT just say that out loud?! He did? Oh God... A groan escapes from his throat and he just curls up into a very embarrassed ball on the floor, idly thumping his head in it for good measure. "Crap.."
Harriet stops and stares at Zach. Okay, that was unexpected. She blinks a few times, then scoots over to the mortified Zachball, and embraces him. "Don't beat your head against the floor, dearheart. There's no reason to do that," she says, in a soothing voice. Okay, she's blushing furiously, but Zach obviously needs supportive and cuddly, so supportive and cuddly is what she is.
Zach does not uncurl, but he does stop banging his head on the floor. Harriet gets treated to an extremely rare sight, namely that of Zach blushing the most incredible shade of intense, dark red. He rocks a bit back and forth, tearing at his hair and making groaning, unarticulated sounds. "Crap, crap, crap.... Oh please, Harriet, I'm so sorry. I dunno why the hell I said that! Oh man, that was...." He whimpers in utter embarrassment and mortification. "I'm sorry."
Harriet's shade of red matches his own, so that they look like a pair of tomato-heads. Her hands come up and gently pry Zach's hands away from his poor, abused hair. "Don't be sorry, Zach. That was probably one of the most wonderful things that anyone has ever said to me, you know?" Still holding his hands in her own, she bends down and kisses him gently. "It's okay. Absolutely and completely okay."
Zach lets her pry his hands away, and stops rolling around like a big piece of tumbleweed. At being kissed, he stills completely and closes his eyes. He really, really, really wants to answer that one but he daren't. Still blushing furiously, he unballs a little and bites his lip. Swallows, then looks up at Harriet with uncertain dread, confusion, guilt and embarrassment radiating off him. "I wasn't supposed to say that... Not like this, anyway. I'm... Is it?"
Harriet smiles gently, and nods. "It is," she says, firmly. She raises his hands to her mouth, and brushes her lips across his knuckles. "You are the sweetest, kindest, most amazing person I have ever known, you know? I love you, Zach. I really, really do."
Wow. How did that happen? That wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to say that. Wasn't supposed to feel that way. It snuck up on me, is what it did. I mean, I fall in love all the time. It's like a schtick o' mine. And I it's a good schtick, wonderful feeling. I like being in love and all. 'S part of my reason to live. I just... I just never thought I'd feel something so powerful again. Not after Neah was taken away from me...us.
Dear God! I haven't been this embarrased since I don't know when. It's absolutely ridiculous to be embarrassed about love, I know. And still I just wanna crawl under a rock and hide. She's been through more than enough already. How could I do this to her? Putting her on the spot like that? I've gotta get rid of this dissonance, it's screwing up my mind and leaving my big mouth unchecked. Gotta get a date with Trade, see if I can work in the Tether. I don't wanna swear new oaths blindly. Gotta get some perspective going.
How I love her. She is the most incredibly bright and loving human I've come across in decades. So shining, so loving so generous. She reminds me of the Bright Lady Novalis. I am helpless in her presence. Smitten like an inexperienced kid.
Oh, Harriet. How could I do this to you. I admit that I fear your next words. I want to reach out and touch you, I want to kiss you, to hold you, to warm you, to get to know you in all respects, to share my Archangel's Sacred Rite with you. But you don't love me like that. You're still hurting over the Balseraph, that cursed fiend who stole your affections, and returned only spite and malice.
And yet, you're not angry with me for blurting out what I should have kept inside. Blurting, like a love-crazed schoolboy from the days of Vic an' Albert. You say it's allright, and that it's all good. That 'twas a wonderful thing to say. Sweet Jesus. The worst thing is that you're right. Love is good. It is wonderful. And I could never, ever force it on you; and you, of course, know that. Whether you return the feelings in equal, or not, I will continue to love you. I have been blessed with love a second time, and such a gift is not to be scorned or resisted. Never!
But still.
Wow...