Knockin' on Heaven's Door, 26
by Laura Bryannan
Sprinting out of the hospital at seven, Dylan was half convinced his conversation with Minty had all been a dream, but there was Sid standing next to a limo out front and he exhaled the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Clad in navy slacks and a camel hair blazer, Sid looked even more dapper than usual. The older man caught him up in a bear hug, which Dylan happily returned, relieved Sid was as smiley as Minty had been.
"Well, Dylan," he said, "you've caused quite a commotion. Come, come, let's get you to the house before everyone dies of anticipation."
He gestured toward the open door and Dylan got in, still finding the situation hard to believe. "What's going on?" he asked, as Sid joined him, sitting in the opposite seat.
"Azrael has acknowledged you," Sid announced. "When John told me they suspected he was your father I was as doubtful as everyone else. But surprise, surprise, he's admitted to the deed."
Dylan's heart was racing and he didn't know what to think. "How did it happen?"
Sid leaned forward conspiratorially. "From what I understand, he came upon your mother engaged in a selfless act and became intrigued, which is interesting, because that's the exact same thing John said to me about you."
"He did?" Dylan could feel his cheeks warming at Sid's you-cute-little-puppy glance.
"I'll have you know, his bumping into you wasn't entirely a coincidence," Sid revealed, glancing around cautiously as though the limo had ears. "Keep that little tidbit under your hat. But, yes, he told me he saw you visiting with the terminal patients night after night and his curiosity got the better of him. Considering how matters have turned out, I couldn't be more happy for the both of you."
"But what does it mean?" Dylan asked, still totally confused.
"It means that Uriel has dropped her charges," Sid began, "and John can come back to work here in the U.S. where he prefers to be. And, if I'm understanding Gabriel correctly, it means that he will be allowed to interact with you in whatever ways the two of you decide to interact."
Dylan's spirit soared. Since Minty made her announcement he'd been afraid to hope, sure that whatever was going on was only a baby step in the right direction, not a leap that would land him at the finish line complete with trophy and blue ribbon. "You mean we can be together?" he asked.
"That's what I've been told," came the reply.
"Holy moley," Dylan whispered, finding it hard to breathe.
Sid grinned. "Quite so. And what's even more amazing is that Azrael has chosen to manifest in order to meet you, which means the angelic world is abuzz with gossip. There are those who feel that taking a body is beneath them, so there's much gnashing of teeth and finger wagging going on. Some are scandalized, but most are agog with curiosity and excitement, jostling to manage an invite to the house in hopes of meeting him as well."
Suddenly terrified, Dylan croaked, "H-He wants to meet me?" The idea that he had a father was too new, remaining unsettled in his heart. That he might now face the being who sired him seemed too shocking to comprehend. His mind raced, flailing, finally seeking the balm he'd been afraid to ask about. "Will John be there?"
"Yes," came the welcome answer, calming the butterflies in his stomach somewhat. The conversation had so unnerved him, he hadn't noticed that they'd stopped in front of the Oak Street Beach house.
Stepping out of the limo, Sid held up the hunk of gray tweed that had been laying next to him on the seat. "Here, put this on," he said. "It's one of mine so the sleeves will be a little short, but the affair is a bit more formal than you are dressed and..." He paused with a mischievous wink, "It will cover up the holes in your sweater."
"More than one?" Dylan put on the jacket, wincing at Sid's nod. He never paid enough attention to such things, and the comment presented a new worry. "There's other people here?" he asked. "Am I that big a deal?"
"Well, no, you're not," Sid told him. "Your angelic heritage isn't all that unusual, really. There are many others walking the Earth who aren't entirely human. What's unusual is that you learned of it. Most never do, and if you hadn't met John you never would have either.
"No, those gathering today want to meet Azrael," Sid continued. "Even I am hoping to say hello. I've interacted with him several times as a being, but I've never seen him in a body, so I'm quite curious."
As they entered the big house Dylan could hear the buzz of many voices, and felt grateful for the protective shield of the handsome sports coat as he felt eyes glance his way. "I don't believe John is here yet," Sid said, guiding him toward a group of people. "I'll introduce you around while we wait."
Promptly forgetting every name he heard, Dylan shook the hands of the friendly, curious and often haughty people Sid offered him to. And if a few of them seemed familiar somehow, he was too overwhelmed to consider asking, "Hey, do I know you from my history books?"
At some point Sid was called away from his side. Glancing around furtively, he panicked, feeling awkward and out of place, not knowing anyone or what he should do with himself. It seemed the gathered people talking to each other were either ignoring him outright, or staring blatantly like he was a monkey on display at the zoo.
Thankfully, a friendly face caught his attention, waving him over to his small group standing in the corner. Escaping to their welcoming smiles was a huge relief. "You look a little dazed and confused," the man noted.
Dylan nodded emphatically as the others chuckled. Sid had introduced them – the guy's name was Joshua, maybe – but his brain had apparently stopped functioning when he walked into the house. "Yeah," he replied. "This is all a little crazy."
"John should be here soon," the man said. "He was delayed coming out of Israel. Why don't you join us?"
Dylan smiled gratefully at the others in the group, but felt completely tongue-tied as usual. "You must be a little nervous about meeting your father," one woman noted correctly.
"Uh, yeah," Dylan said. "I spent most of my life thinking I didn't have one. Um...well, you know what I mean."
They all nodded sympathetically as Dylan's brain went white. They apparently expected him to keep talking but he could think of nothing to say. They managed to engage him in smalltalk he would never remember until the magic words were finally uttered, "Ah, there he is!" Dylan turned to see John in a silver gray suit, standing in the doorway scanning the room, and felt a burst of pride knowing that the magnificent creature was looking only for him.
Their eyes met and it was like a bolt of electricity down Dylan's spine, inflaming his face, searing his heart and making his jeans uncomfortable.
John strode to his side, grabbed his hand and somehow twirled him in dance step that ended in a dip right out of a Fred Astaire movie. Knees weakening as his beloved's scent enveloped him, Dylan lost his footing and was literally swept off his feet, but John held him tight. Nose to nose, he whispered, "Hello, gorgeous," before righting him again.
"I can't believe it's you," Dylan cried, burying his face in John's neck, unwilling to let go despite the chuckling and scattered applause he heard about the room.
John guided him to an unoccupied couch and sat them down, still holding his hand. Spying the ring on Dylan's finger, he raised it to his lips, kissing the knuckle above it. "I'm touched you're wearing it," he murmured.
"Do you want it back?" Dylan reluctantly asked.
"Nope," John said without hesitation. "I gave it to you, it's yours."
"But..." Dylan didn't know why he was arguing as he wanted to keep it.
John squeezed his hand, interrupting. "You're mine now, so I still have it, in a way. You are mine, aren't you?"
Dylan's heart melted at the sincere hope written on his lover's face. "Sure," he replied. "If you really want me."
"I do." It was enough of a vow that Dylan's breath caught, and he peered sharply at John to discover he had heard it too, asking, "And do you want me, my Dylan?"
A shiver went up Dylan's spine as he replied, "I do."
"Huzzah!" John cried. "Isn't this the most amazing thing? I want to dance around the room, I'm so happy." His face went from rapturous to impish in a matter of seconds. Finally he sighed and glanced around. "Now that I'm back, I don't want to share you."
"Don't you want to meet Azrael?" Dylan asked. He still felt highly ambivalent about the the idea himself.
John turned to him with eyes so wolflit, Dylan shuddered. "I didn't come here for Azrael," he declared. "I want to take you home and..."
There was a lull in the conversation around them, and Dylan looked up to see Michael, Uriel, Gabriel and Raphael enter the room, all wearing navy business suits, the women in pencil-thin skirts. They smiled, acknowledging various individuals milling about, then turned their piercing glances to the both of them. Even with friendly faces, they still seemed intimidating, and Dylan's guts quailed as Gabriel crooked her finger, gesturing to join them.
"Come on," John whispered, pulling him to his feet. "Looks like it's time."
They followed the four archangels up the spiral staircase, thankfully stopping at a different suite than the one Dylan had tackled John in so many months ago. They were all smiling at him like they remembered, however, and it made him blush, which took the edge off of his major freak out.
"Are you ready?" Michael asked. "I'll introduce you."
John squeezed his hand with a reassuring smile, gave him a shove toward the door and sent him to his father.
end