Grey sucked in a deep breath and ran a hand through his already disheveled midnight hair. 
                          
"I was speaking with Michael just now. He thinks it's because you're not in Heaven anymore," he frowned. 
                          
"That can't be it. Allison did just fine when she came down from Heaven following her Pledge," I shook my head with a smile. 
                          
"He thinks it's my fault," Grey tightened his jaw, his thick brows pinching together in concern. 
                          
"How could it be your fault? You think you're so hot I swooned and fainted?" I chuckled. 
                          
"I haven't completed the bond, Greene. My soul is still draining yours. And Michael thinks because you're not in Heaven anymore, your soul can't replenish what power it's losing to me," Grey grumbled, standing up suddenly from the bed and beginning to pace back and forth next to it. 
                          
I swallowed, my eyes following him. I couldn't push him to complete the bond. This had to be his choice, even if it was draining me. 
                          
"If you're waiting for me to ask you, I won't. This is your choice," I frowned, folding my hands in my lap with absolution. 
                          
"No. There isn't a choice. I have to complete the bond," he shook his head, running his hands through his hair and resting them on the back of his neck as he stared up at the ceiling. 
                          
I knew him. I could tell he was still uncomfortable with this level of commitment. I could tell he felt like he was being caged for the sake of my soul. He couldn't hide that from me. 
                          
"Grey. I will always love you, regardless of whether or not you can commit to me like that. The Reckoning will be difficult, sure, but I can-I'll handle it," I sighed, shaking my head. 
                          
"I don't want you to do that," he grumbled, tightening his jaw. 
                          
"Do what?" I furrowed my brows in confusion. 
                          
"Feel like you have to walk on eggshells around me. I know you want me to do this for you. I want to protect you- more than anything. I've just- I've never committed to anything before," he breathed out, pausing when I reached out and gripped his hand gently. 
                          
"I will never force you to commit to me if you don't want to," I said with finality. "You're mine now, and that is all that matters to me." 
                          
Grey sucked in a deep breath, tightening his jaw as he sat down again beside me. My eyelids fluttered shut as he leaned in and pressed his lips gently to mine. 
                          
"I'm trying to figure out how to come to the realization that if I want you to be mine for forever, I must also be yours for forever," he said softly against my lips, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. 
                          
"I will always love you, Grey. If you don't think you'll always love me, then don't do this. I'll figure it out," I whispered, swallowing my pride as I spoke. I knew what he needed to hear. It would break my heart if he decided he couldn't love me for forever, but I'd have to understand. It was his soul we were gambling with now. Mine had already been dealt. 
                          
"Why would you say that?" He pinched his brows together. "I know- I know I've said before that I didn't know if I could commit to forever with you, but did you think that meant I wouldn't always love you?" 
                          
"Grey- I'm pretty sure you told me you weren't sure if you would always love me," I frowned a little. 
                          
"If I did, it was a lie. When all the stars in the sky go dark, and the sun swallows the Earth whole, and we're nothing but bits of stardust floating through oblivion- I will love you," he murmured, those glacially blue eyes gazing deep into mine. 
                          
I didn't even know how to respond to that. 
                          
Grey sucked in a deep breath and gingerly pressed his lips to my forehead, his hand cradling the back of my head. 
                          
"Michael said he will send Siena down on her way to Scotland. He's going to speak with God and the other Archangels about what's going on, see if they agree with his conclusion. Hopefully Siena will tell us how to complete the bond by then," he said gently, pressing his lips to mine once more before standing up again. 
                          
"In the meantime, I don't want you using your soul anymore. You got lightheaded last time and fainted this time. If you use too much, I'm worried you won't wake up from it. If anyone knocks on the door, I'm answering. And I will be accompanying you to all of your classes when we go back to campus so if anything happens, you won't be forced to use your soul," he explained. 
                          
"Don't you think that's a tad excessive?" I chuckled, earning a cool glare from Grey. 
                          
"I'm going to make you some soup. The TV remote is to your left. I'll be back in a minute," he huffed, scowling as he strode out the door. I could hear his heavy footfalls as he descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen. 
                          
If I'd thought Grey was overprotective before, I had no idea what he was now. I'm pretty sure he'd set the house on fire if I got so much as a paper cut. 
                          
I sighed in resolution and grabbed the TV remote, flicking it on and flipping through the channels absentmindedly. I think it'd been almost a year since I'd watched any television. Paris had been a nightmare- when we weren't busy looking for the tablet, Grey and I had either been passed out or making out. When we'd broken up, I'd been so determined to beat the pain out of myself, and ended up spending every waking moment training. And unfortunately, Heaven didn't have cable. 
                          
After a few minutes of mindless television, Grey had returned with a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup on a tray. He had laid it gingerly across my lap, helping me sit up against my will. I'm pretty sure he would've fed it to me too if I hadn't taken the spoon out of his hand. 
                          
"Don't burn yourself, it's hot," he grumbled, standing up and leaning against the wall next to the bed. 
                          
If I told myself when I'd first met Grey that one day he'd be making me soup in bed, warning me about the temperature- I think I might've pissed myself laughing. I'd have never thought that this was a facet of who Grey was. When I'd first met him, he'd been arrogant and intimidating and an absolute ass. He'd seemed more like the type of man to pour scalding hot soup on someone's head rather than the type to nearly spoon feed you in bed. It was a wonder to behold- the infamous Angel of Death, a man who'd murdered hundreds without remorse, bringing me soup in bed. 
                          
His cerulean eyes flicked to mine, a slow smirk crawling up his lips as he realized I was thinking about him. 
                          
"Who's the sap now?" He chuckled lowly and I rolled my eyes with a huff, blowing on my soul before taking a sip of the broth. 
                          
"Still you. You made me soup," I shrugged. His smirk dissipated and he huffed, looking back at the television. 
                          
HI! Hope y'all are doing well. I know a few of you had read chapter 20 like ASAP and may be confused about where this chapter started. If that's the case, go back and read the ending of chapter 20- I changed it. I didn't really HAHA like it, and felt it was out of place, so I decided to move the story in a different direction. Hope that's not too much of an inconvenience. It's what comes with me publishing the chapters as I go- sometimes I decide I didn't like something and have to go back and change it. 
                          
Also- I'm really trying to get more readers for Grey because I'm tryna lmao get her published. I would really appreciate if you'd go on the Romance Wattpad profile page and fill out the submission form in their bio for Grey to try to get Grey on their reading list. If they love it, there's a possibility Grey could be selected to become a screenplay. Which I would literally lose my shit over (and I feel like you guys might too) 
                          
My friend Livie and I are going through and editing the Grey manuscript currently to try to send it to some publishing companies as well. You all will be the first to know if anything comes of that. 
                          
Hope you all are doing well. 
                          
-TJ