Chapter 4 - New Friendships  

Billy blinked. Stared. Then blinked again.

"Bastian?" His voice barely registered above a whisper, like he was seeing a ghost. In a way, he was. Because Bastian Webber was sitting right there, alive and well—something Billy had long given up on ever seeing again.

Anastasia had warned Billy about the memory loss. Told him everything before they got back. But actually seeing Bastian, sitting there like he hadn't been ripped away from them for good all those months ago? That was something else entirely. For a split second, Billy forgot their whole conversation and nearly hugged the guy.

But he caught himself. Swallowed hard. Cleared his throat. "Hey, Bastian. I'm Billy."

Billy extended a hand, half-expecting Bastian to stare at him like he was an absolute stranger. But instead, Bastian stood up with a grin and shook his hand without hesitation.

Anastasia felt that one. Like a gut punch. That was the first time since reuniting that Bastian had smiled at anyone so easily. With her, it had been nothing but confusion, hesitancy, distance. But Billy? He greeted him like an old friend he just hadn't seen in a while. She didn't let her face betray her feelings, but inside? Yeah. That stung.

Billy introduced himself to the other angels, who practically vibrated with excitement at meeting an Earth-born angel.

"Billy, since you're an Earth angel, could you show us around?" Hugh asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Billy hesitated. "I mean...I'd need a bigger car."

Trixie tilted her head, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Earth angel Billy, why get into a human machine when we have wings?"

And just like that, she unfurled her enormous white wings with a dramatic flair, like she was showing off.

Billy grinned. "Oh, I like you guys. Alright. But stay out of human sight."

Phillip snorted. "Earth Angel, we know the rules. We've only been around for a few hundred human years."

With that, they all burst out laughing, then excitedly ran outside, wings flaring open before they took off. Bastian included.

Wyatt, watching his daughter, placed a hand on her shoulder. "He'll come around, Ana. Just give him time."

She forced a smile. "I know. Anyway, shall we head off?"

"Let's." Wyatt turned to Sean and Matt with the same look that meant 'you're not off the hook' lads. "Clean up the kitchen. Then call your schools and ask for assignments for the next month. I already spoke to your teachers, and they're willing to work with us."

Groans. Long, dramatic groans.

Wyatt arched a brow. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" they said in unison, grumbling as they shuffled off to clean up, clearly devastated they couldn't go with the angels.

Meanwhile, Billy and the other angels spent the day flying across the city, bouncing from one random adventure to another. Museums were first. They wandered through exhibits, pointing at artifacts they remembered firsthand.

"That battle? I was there," Jacob muttered, arms crossed as he eyed an ancient painting. "They got the armor all wrong."

"And that war," Hugh added, pointing at a display about World War I. "We weren't allowed to interfere. But we snuck in as field medics."

"I got shot three times pretending to be human," Phillip said proudly. "Didn't even flinch."

Billy gawked at them. "Do you guys ever follow rules?"

"Not if they're boring." Trixie grinned.

Then came the fair.

They rode the roller coasters with the emotional range of a rock.

"This is supposed to be thrilling?" Phillip deadpanned, arms crossed as they whipped through loops at 90 miles per hour.

Hugh yawned. "Humans are so fragile. I thought this was supposed to be scary."

Billy sighed. "You guys suck."

But things changed when he introduced them to ice cream.

"What is this divine creation?" Trixie gasped, clutching her cone like it was made of gold.

"I think I love it more than my own father," Phillip declared, stuffing his face.

"We must have more," Jacob said solemnly, already reaching for another cone.

Within ten minutes, they were each on their third cone, faces smeared with different flavors, looking like overgrown kids at a carnival. People were starting to stare.

Billy shook his head. "You're supposed to be mighty warriors of Heaven. And yet, here you are, having a spiritual experience over mint chocolate chip."

"Don't judge us, Earth Angel."

For days, they got to know Billy, explored and often flew out over the ocean, the wind whipping through their wings, enjoying the rare freedom of just being together.

And then one evening—

"Billy!" Bastian's voice rang out suddenly, sharp with urgency. "Can we go there?"

Billy followed Bastian's gaze and nearly dropped out of the sky.

Billy inhaled sharply but then exhaled, giving Bastian a knowing look. "Sure, buddy."

They landed softly on a rooftop of a large building. Bastian walked forward, eyes sweeping the familiar scenery, but his expression twisted in frustration.

"What are we doing here?" Phillip muttered, unimpressed. "Nice view, but boring."

Trixie saw the building's sign and slapped a hand over his mouth. "Shhh!" She pointed to the glowing letters: 'D.R.A.K.E.'

Phillip's eyes widened. Hugh and Jacob followed, realization dawning over them like a thunderclap.

While they connected the dots, Bastian wandered to the ledge. He frowned, eyes narrowing, like something was pulling at him from deep within his mind.

Then it hit him. Hard.

A searing pain shot through his skull, and suddenly, memories came flooding back in jagged flashes.

Ana. Sitting on the ledge, smiling at him, laughing, her eyes bright with mischief, kissing him, her lips soft against his.

And then—

Ana. Falling.

His heart nearly exploded in his chest.

Without thinking, without hesitating, Bastian bolted forward—

And jumped over the ledge.