darkmoon
carolyn
destiny
garcia88
behr_able
Natalie
Jan
Thank you so much for everyone who left me such amazing fb throughout this story! And yes Jan
I am ending all of these fics because i'm very excited to start my new story
"Sacred Vows" I hope to update this one several times a week.
Thanks again for sticking with this story, I hope so much you like the ending
Chapter 10.
After waiting for the nurses to leave Max raised his weak hand out towards Liz.
Rushing towards his side Liz bent over so she could hear his faint voice.
“What is it Max? Are you cold? What do you need?”
Max gently touched her cheek stroking it with his thumb tenderly as if trying to imprint her imagine into his mind.
“You need to get me out of here.”
Liz widened her eyes and shook her head swiftly.
“Max you’re body is too fragile you can’t leave the hospital, you barely made it back to me.”
Pleading with his warm golden eyes Max touched her lips and smiled hoping she could grasp what he so desperately needed her to understand.
“Liz I must talk to him, I must find the answers to what has happened to me, I must know why god has abandoned me.”
“B-But how Max…where do you want me to take you?”
Struggling to breath against the sharp pain that ripped inside his chest Max licked his dry lips and pointed towards the window.
“There’s a church just outside of the city. It’s where I would go when I needed to feel his presence. Please Liz you have to take me, I’ll never get there on my own.”
Looking around at the glass windows of the intensive care unit Liz was lost on how she was going to get him past the doctors and nurses.
Then she spotted Maria and her cousin Kyle drinking coffee in the hallway.
Grasping his hands tightly Liz brushed his dark hair from his eyes and kissed him softly.
“Are you sure you need to do this? I mean Max your life could be at stake.”
“It’s not my life I’m concerned about Liz … it’s my soul. Please help me.”
Nodding Liz took notice of all the monitors and machines he was hooked up to that would alert the staff if they were suddenly disconnected.
“Max I’ll be right back, I have an idea.”
Casually she walked into the hallway and pulled Maria and Kyle into the waiting room.
After a few minutes all three of them returned with a bag containing Kyle’s clothes. Liz waited for the nurses shift change before closing the blinds to the room.
“Ok Max we only have a few minutes to pull this off. We have to move fast if we’re going to get you by everyone.”
Max looked up at Kyle and back at Maria.
“No worries Max this is Kyle he’s more Buddha then Christian but he’ll do anything you ask. “
Kyle reached out to touch him as if he was witnessing a miracle.
“It’s truly an honor.”
“So you know about me Maria?”
Liz returned just in time to get a questionable look from Max.
“You can be upset with me later, I had to tell them, I needed help. Now come on we have to hurry.”
Kyle quickly removed his coat that revealed the hospital gown he had changed into earlier.
“Maria are you sure you know what your doing?”
Maria waved everyone aside and reached down at the clip that was on Max’s thumb.
“I watched the nurses do this all the time with my grandmother, piece of cake. Now Kyle lie down next to Max.”
Without skipping a beat Maria managed to replace the clip from Max’s thumb along with the pads that had been applied to his chest onto Kyle.
They all stared at the monitor with relief when all the alarms remained silent.
“I told you I could do it! Hey does helping an angel squash some of my sins cause-
“Maria please not now. I have to get him out of here.”
Carefully Liz opened the bag and helped Max into Kyle’s clothes. Reaching into the closet she pulled out his boots and long black coat raising the lapels to hide his face as much as possible.
Max was so weak he was barely able to walk. Even with most his weight on Liz it took all the energy he had not to collapse.
Once in the elevator he leaned against the railing inside and rested his head against the wall praying to god for strength.
Both breathless and scared they watched as the numbers descended.
“Liz, I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Max you saved my life. I just hope I’m not ending yours by doing this.”
Taking her hand in his he whispered as he gasped for air.
“You have to trust me Liz. I have to do this.”
As the doors opened Liz wrapped his arm around her shoulder and the two limped toward the street.
“I would do anything for you Max. That’s what love is all about. Caring more for the other person then you do yourself.”
Liz smiled as she raised her hand in the air signaling for a cab
Once inside Max took a shallow breath and gripped Liz’s hand harder. It was clear to them both that he was quickly fading.
“1368 Parker Street, Saint Mary’s church, and please hurry!”
As the colors of the night blurred by his half opened eyes Max prayed that he would be able to find redemption for his soul, that God would forgive him for turning his back on everything he had been given.
Devotedly Liz stroked his hair and held his face against her body whispering words of love and gratitude for everything he had done for her.
“I love you Max.”
Whispering softly Max mouth the words back to her. Even though he hated himself for his sins he knew deep in his heart that loving Liz was something he could never regret. She meant everything to him and he would never let the memory of the time they shared fade. He would gladly pay whatever price was to come for loving her.
“I love you Elizabeth.”
Tears fell from her eyes as the feeling of emptiness filled her, she knew that one way or another she would be loosing him forever.
After watching the cab drive away they gazed up at the more than thirty steps that led to the large double wooden carved doors of the ancient church.
“Max how are we going to get you up there? You can hardly breathe.”
“Close your eyes Elizabeth.”
Liz stiffened as a much deeper rougher voice spoke clear in her ear.
Her blood ran cold with fear hearing the strong commanding tone so close.
Just then Max fell to his knees, his large hands sinking into the snow.
“You’re scaring her.”
“Max! Are you ok!”
Raising his hand in the air towards her he nodded in pain.
“Woman I am here to help, close your eyes there isn’t much time.”
Knowing she could no longer help him she covered her eyes for a moment.
“This is insane! Who are you?”
After a few seconds she pulled her hands from her face to see Max slumped over against the large doors of the church.
“What?”
Looking quickly around she saw no one and ran as fast as she could.
Max was shaking and gasping unable to move from the intense pain coming from his chest.
“This is crazy Max, we have to get you back to the hospital! I can’t watch you die!”
Slowly he shook his head “no” and rested his palm on the cross that was etched under the handle of the door.
Mouthing the words “please” he looked up at her threw his long dark eyes lashes silently begging her to help him.
Now openly crying Liz pushed open the large doors and was blow away by what she saw.
It was the most beautiful church she had ever seen. Every piece of wood was engraved with flowers. Large marble statues of saints and angels stood before large majestic stained glass windows that depicted the stories of the bible.
Candles burned bright all around the corners at the alter as if some important service was about to start.
High above everything was a large mahogany cross with Jesus looking down on everything.
Max whispered cracked voice echoed in desperation as he held his hand out to her.
“Hurry.”
With all her strength she lifted him to his shaky feet and together they slowly made their way to the alter where he finally collapse exhausted and barely breathing.
Sobbing she knelt down to him and held his face in her hands.
“Max you’re here, you made it! Talk to him, do what you came here to do so you can be saved!”
In her horror Liz watched as his gentle eyes closed for the last time.
“No! Max! No not now! We made it! You did it! Please wake up! You have to wake up now!”
Falling to the ground she placed her hand over his heart realizing that he was gone.
Liz stayed for hours holding him and cursing God for taking him away from her until she finally passed out from unimaginable grief.
In the morning Father John opened the doors letting in the bright sunlight that startled her awake.
Lifting her head she looked down to find that Max was gone. The only evidence of him was the long black coat that she was still clutching in her hands.
Gabriel was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For months she would lie awake in bed her thoughts only of him. She prayed that he received the forgiveness that he so desperately needed.
It was almost three months before Liz was able to get out of bed. The pain of loosing Max was something she knew she would never get over.
Life seemed meaningless to her as she went back to her daily life of work and the occasional dinner or movie with friends.
Then one night after a particular long shift at the diner Liz went home with the intention of taking a hot bath and going to bed early, .
As she climbed her stairs she noticed a young man fumbling with several boxes that were stacked high in his arms.
“Shit!”
Liz laughed as she looked up at the landing watching as the man juggled the boxes in his hands.
Running to the top of the steps to the door opposite hers she caught one of the boxes as it fell from the top of the heap.
“Damn it!”
Grasping the large box in her hands Liz looked up at the stranger whose face was now revealed.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she lost her footing. Dropping his cartons he reached for her hand just in time before falling down the stairs.
Unfortunately in doing so he tripped over the packages and fell on his back with Liz on top of him.
Laughing he looked down to see that he was still holding her hand.
“Well this is awkward, I wanted to show up at your door with a bottle of wine but now that you know me for the klutz I am what chance do I have now?”
Stunned Liz found herself gazing down at the same warm sensitive amber eyes that she never thought she’d see again.
Shaking the hand that he was already holding he smiled brightly at her.
“Sorry I should introduce myself. I’m your new neighbor Gabriel. I've seen you around but I haven't had the chance to introduce myself.”
Her voice cracked as he helped her up and dusted her coat off.
“Gabriel?”
“Well actually my friends call me Gabe. Do I know you from somewhere? Maybe we met in college? You look so familiar.”
Liz tried hard to keep her composure as she gazed up at the angel that was now a man. A man who had no idea who she was.”
“Umm no I don’t think so.”
Running his hand threw his black hair he looked down at the pile of boxes on the floor and into his bare apartment.
“Well it’s looks like I’m not going to be getting much done tonight. Would you like to join me for some take out? We’re in luck the kitchen table is the only thing the movers managed to deliver on time.“
Liz was speechless as she stared up at his handsome face.
“Look at it this way, if you find yourself having a horrible time you don’t have far to go.”
Liz laughed and nodded still unable to take her eyes off him as she followed him in his apartment.
Completely caught up in the moment they both failed to notice the figure standing at the bottom of the stairs.
Cleaning his fingernails with his sharp dagger the angel quietly chuckled as he peered up at the couple that was destined to fall in love.
“Good luck my friend. I’ll be keeping my eye on you.”
In the end it wasn’t God who punished Gabriel but Gabriel himself that let guilt and shame destroy his gifts. The torment he felt tore away at the purity of his wings and the power to heal. He learned only threw death that God does not seek vengeance or punishment for our mistakes; he is full of forgiveness and kindness. Gabriel understood this in his final moments and received the peace he so desperately needed.
Standing in the heavens healed and cloaked in the warmth of God’s presence he was given a choice.
Gabriel chose love.
~ the end~
..oh my hello Heigl! 
I just love him!! thank you so much for being here! 
Seki must be loosing his mind!! 
honestly you have no idea how much that means to me. I don't even know what to say except thank you from the bottom of my heart!