Chapter Twenty-Two: Wonders Never Cease

"There’s an angel with a hand on my head, She says I’ve got nothing to fear...

There’s a darkness deep in my soul, I still got a purpose to serve..."

‘Put Your Lights On’ - Santana, feat. Everlast

The next day, Gatoris held a funeral for Edge. The guilt was immense for him. It was his fault she died. The least he could do now would be send her off properly. After a short service, Gatoris carried the coffin (by himself) to a spot in the courtyard where he had dug the grave. He lay the coffin down for a moment, and then opened it. Gatoris unsheathed his sword, and placed it with Edge. "This sword is as cursed as it’s counterpart now..." he mumbled. "At least you will have protection in your next life, m’lady..." Gatoris then closed the lid, and gently placed the coffin in the ground. He let Jessica help place the dirt over her friend. After everyone left the courtyard, Gatoris remained on a bench overlooking Edge’s final resting place. Slowly, the guilt was eating him. "Thank you..." he began to speak after hours of being motionless. "You saved my family. I am beyond saving..." He broke down. He then looked up at the mural in front of him: the family portrait. There was a detail about it Gatoris never noticed before. He looked above the roof of the house and saw an angel in flight. He looked at the face closely, and cried harder.

Suddenly, Gatoris felt as if someone was behind him. He turned around and saw a brilliant light, and in this light was an angel. "Garret..." she spoke. Immediately, he knew who it was. "Edge.. I’m sorry. It’s my fault you died. Your death will be another cross for me to bear..." Edge grabbed his face. "It’s not your fault. It was just my time." Gatoris diverted his eyes. "I know that’s not why you came back. What do you really want?" Gatoris asked. She grabbed a sword from behind her back. He looked at it. "...I cannot wield that cursed blade anymore..." Gatoris exclaimed of the Masamune. Edge gave him a cold look. "It is not cursed. Though you think my blood cursed the blade, it purified it. That is why the rose appeared on it." Gatoris reluctantly held the sword. He felt a force surge through him, similar to when he first took it from Ifalna. "Take care of your family, Garret... especially your daughters..." Edge said as she faded back into the light. Gatoris felt at ease, and let his guilt recede.

"You are blessed, father..." a voice came from behind. "Yes, Angelise, I am." Gatoris replied. He turned around and hugged his young angel. "I just wish all of Angelina knew how I loved her..." he began to cry. "Soon, she will have a reminder of your love..." Gatoris looked at his daughter. What did she mean? Angelise showed her father.

"Angie, you okay?" Alma called from outside the bathroom. Angelina had been vomiting for a long time. She had not been sick earlier, so it came as a surprise. "Well, the results of your bloodwork came back..." Alma continued. Angie had donated blood, but something was odd about it. She was about to get a huge shock: "...it says you’re six months... pregnant..." Alma read out. Angie passed out from confusion.

"How can this be? I haven’t missed my period!" Angie yelled at the doctor. He shook his head. "I just don’t know. All the tests say you are beginning your third trimester..." Angie calmed down. She became pregnant somehow, and she didn’t know why. She probably would not ever know. But... "...I have a feeling I know who the father is, but he is dead." she said solemnly. "You wish for us to find out?" the doctor offered. Angie nodded. "I have two ideas who it may be. I have locks of their hair if you need it." Angie reached into her purse and opened a small tin. It had two bunches of hair: one from Jason, the other from Garrett. "We will know who the father is in about a week, ma’am." the doctor thanked her. "By the way, do you want to know if it’s a boy or girl?" Both Angie and Alma nodded. The doctor looked Angie in the eyes and said "...it’s a girl." Angelina smiled. She had the perfect name picked out, but she wanted her daughter to have her father’s last name. She had a vague idea which one it may be.

Gatoris looked at Angelise. "I’m not going to ask who’s it is." Angelise smiled back. "I wasn’t going to say it anyway." Gatoris hugged his daughter. "Three more months, and you will be born... I can’t wait..."

When Gatoris returned to his room, he placed the Masamune on his mantle. He would keep it only for emergencies. Though he still did not know why Edge was so willing to die like that, Gatoris let it slide. He reached into his closet and found Zack’s sword. It was exactly the same as Cloud’s sword, so it needed some type of identification mark. Gatoris grabbed a brush and some paint. With some patience and a splash of talent, he painted a rose on it. He then grabbed the hair dye.

When Aerith saw him, she asked why he had dyed his hair black. "I’m just mourning in my own way." he answered. "I wear black all the time, anyway." His wife sighed. At least his mental health was better. He then kissed his wife, and they retired for the evening.

A stagnant week passed in Gatoris’ life. About the only thing happened was he learned more of his past. He read up on his Cetra mythology. There had been many Angelinas. The name was just the title for the Queen of the Angels. His Angelina had something special about her, though. The muse of art, Kabya, died with her present. Angelina let Kabya become one with her. Essentially, they fused into one soul. This meant that Angelina and Almathea began separately, then joined, and finally separated again. Gatoris also noted that Kabya was the sister of Garret. He had been right to call Almathea his eternal sister. He then remembered the vision with Angelina. It was time for the moment of truth.

Angie arrived at the doctor’s office. She was anxious to find out which of her loves was the father of her daughter. Alma figured it was Jason, for she had never really been with Garrett. The doctor walked in, looking confused. "You said that you had been with Mister Steele for many years?" Angie nodded. "And your other friend, Mister Mackenzie... You never had any sexual contact with him?" she again nodded. the doctor looked at Angie. "You have to be lying." Alma passed out. The doctor ignored the fainting spell. "The tests show that there is no probability that your boyfriend is the father, but all results point to Garrett Mackenzie." The doctor looked confused still. "It’s a miracle..." Angie muttered. "Yeah whatever. It’s his daughter." The doctor said before dismissing Angie and Alma.

Gatoris smiled. "It is a miracle, Angie..." he whispered to the wind. "Love has the power to do the most implausible things..." "...and you two have the strongest love of all.." A voice said behind him. Gatoris turned to face a unknown, yet familiar-looking woman. She was wearing a Deadwood High School letter jacket... Garrett’s to be precise. The woman looked strikingly similar to Angelina, but with brown hair and blue-green eyes. Gatoris began to cry. "I never heard her mention what she will name you, but I think I know." he smiled. The woman gave him a chance. "Angelise, right?" She hugged her father. "I’m blessed to have two beautiful daughters in two different dimensions with the same name..." he said as he sobbed. He then felt someone else hug him. He smiled as his he saw the other Angelise. He hugged them both tightly as his vision ended.