Katherine had to stay at the school much longer than she liked. Thankfully, only one person was shot and it wasn't critical. They would make it. So many people were asking what happened, what she saw, where Nex was. She had no answer for that. She couldn't think of anything to say and so when they asked, she simply said they got separated. Which was why they were now under the impression they had to look for him.

The shooter had a heart attack, they said. A lethal heart attack that seemed very unusual given his age and that he seemed relatively healthy. No one had an explanation but when the security tapes were played, all they saw was the shooter going suddenly ridged, clutching his chest and gasping before sinking to the ground, dying with his eyes wide open.

It was hours before she was allowed to leave and as soon as she was, she ran out of the building and towards the parking lot. She got in the car and dug her keys out, her hands shaking too much to get the key in the ignition.

"You can do this," she whispered, trying to get her shaking under control, trying to not let her mind take her back to the accident. "You can do this," she repeated, trying to get the key in the ignition again, letting herself hear Nex saying that to her instead of her own voice, reminding herself how he sat next to her and told her she didn't have to always let this fear control her.

She got the key in the ignition and took a deep breath before starting the car, setting her shaking hands on the steering wheel. "You can do this," she repeated, tears falling down her face as she adjusted the seat and her mirror, pulling the seatbelt across her chest and focusing on Nex instead of the memory of the last time she had a seatbelt over her like this. It's not too tight, it's not too tight, it's not too tight, she chanted to herself.

Kat only allowed herself a few more seconds to try to breathe normally and calm down before putting the car in gear. She pulled the car out of the parking lot and stayed stiff as she drove towards the church. She had to keep reminding herself to breathe, to not panic when a car passed her, to not feel like the seatbelt was going to lock. Instead of letting fear take over, she thought of Nex and that got her down the streets and through the lights until she parked the car.

She jumped out of the car and rushed across the street towards her church. She ascended the steps and opened the door, hoping something would be on her side today and it would be open. It was. She stepped inside, letting the heavy wooden door close behind her loudly. She swallowed hard, her eyes darting around the seemingly empty building. Except if she'd learned anything through all of this, she knew things weren't always what they seemed.

She didn't know it this would matter. If it would change anything. But she had to try something. She had to. The only thing giving her confidence that she could be convincing was that she had the Bible on her side. Years in Sunday School classes, bible studies, sermons and youth groups where she memorized countless verses was what she was arming herself with today.

"Melchizedek?" She called out. She knew it was a long shot. She knew the likelihood of him hanging around after Nex was gone were small but she had to try. "Melchizedek?" She tried again, stepping further into the church, down the center aisle between the pews.

There was no answer. It was quiet. Tears filled her eyes again and she took a deep breath. Don't lose faith. Don't lose faith. Don't lose faith, she chanted in her head. Her eyes closed and she bit her lip to try to not let the crying get out of control. "Please let me talk to someone," she whispered, clutching her red scarf.

"We're not just here to answer anyone's call," someone said.

Kat turned, finding someone she didn't recognize standing near the door. He had a similar feeling to Gabriel, and yet not quite as calming and peaceful. While he looked nice and approachable, she didn't feel he was. There was only one other person Nex mentioned that she hadn't met yet.

"Uriel?" She guessed, taking a step forward.

His only response was a curt nod as he crossed his arms. Kat narrowed her eyes and walked over to him, grabbing a Bible off the pew and shoving it in his arms roughly. "I think it's time you brush up your knowledge on this," she snapped. "Having me thrown off a bridge wasn't very angelic behavior. When's the last time you read the Bible? Are you getting senile or something?"

Uriel's eyes widened in shock before they narrowed. He made a move to step towards her but he was frozen in place. He huffed in annoyance, knowing full well there was only one angel that could make him freeze up like this.

"You deserved that," Gabriel said simply.

Kat's head snapped to the side where Gabriel was leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. His eyes softened when she looked at him. "I'm sorry about today," Gabriel said honestly.

"Did you do that? Did a demon do that? How could you let that happen?" Kat demanded. "Someone got hurt."

"We didn't cause that, Katherine," Gabriel said, shaking his head. "Nor did Lilith or any of the other demons. Some people are just evil by nature."

Kat didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure how she felt about anything except Nex.

"I want to talk to Melchizedek," Kat said, walking towards Gabriel. "Please. I need to talk to him."

"We can't change what happened, Katherine. We can't turn back time like that," Gabriel said, shaking his head.

"But you can bring Nex back," Kat said.

"No, we can-"

"Don't tell me you can't," Kat interrupted. "You're angels. You're telling me you can't bring back one demon after he," she said, sending a glare to Uriel, "brought them all to their knees, you can't do something as simple as bringing one back?"

"Katherine, it's not that simple," Gabriel frowned. "We don't have unlimited power. We can't do whatever we wish. This was an inevitable outcome."

"No," Kat said, shaking her head. "I refuse to believe that. There has to be something you can do."

"There isn't anything I can do," Gabriel said. "It's not in our hands anymore. He's under Lilith an-"

"And she's going to hurt him," Kat said, trying to not let the tears filling her eyes spill out. "People would've died today if not for him, how can that not mean anything? How can that not be enough? What did he do that was so bad that he can't redeem himself?"

Gabriel didn't answer. His frown deepened and he darted his eyes away.

"You know, don't you?" Kat asked, tilting her head to the side. "You know why he became a demon." Gabriel didn't answer verbally, only gave her a small nod of acknowledgment. "What did he do?" Kat asked.

"Katherine..." Gabriel sighed.

"Tell me what he did," Kat said, crossing her arms. "I want to know what he did that was so bad nothing he does can make up for it. Because Psalm 86:5 says that God is 'forgiving and loving, abounding in all that call'. So what did he do that so bad my loving God can't forgive him?"

Gabriel's face crumpled. "Katherine, I..."

"'Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins'," Kat said, quoting 1 Peter 4:8. "I love him," she said, brushing away the tears that escaped. "And I love because God first loved me," she said, quoting 1 John 4:19. "So tell me what he did and let me love him anyway," she said. "I want to know, Gabriel. If you're not going to help me the least you could do is tell me why the man I love, who saved lives today, can't be redeemed."

"He traded his soul for his sister's life," another voice said.

Kat turned, finding the strange customer from the bookstore- Melchizedek. "What?" She asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

"He made a deal," Melchizedek explained. "Because his sister was sick and about to die. So he made a deal that hell would gain his soul if his sister's life was spared."

Kat frowned, opening and closing her mouth a few times. "That's what he did?" She said, shaking her head. "That's ridiculous! Would he have gone to heaven if he hadn't done that?"

"It doesn't matter," Uriel snapped. "He's still a demon."

"Gabriel, please escort Uriel anywhere that isn't here," Mel said, his eyes darting to Gabriel.

Gabriel nodded and while Uriel seemed less than pleased, he had no option as Gabriel set his hand on Uriel's shoulder and they both vanished with a flash of light. Kat watched in amazement, almost forgetting her question.

"Would he have gone to heaven?" Kat asked, looking back at Melchizedek.

"Yes," Melchizedek nodded. "He would have."

"So bring him back," Kat said, her voice starting to crack. "Lilith will hurt him. Please bring him back to me or at least don't let her hurt him," she said, walking towards Melchizedek. "Please, Melchizedek. I love him, I need him to be okay."

"You asked for them to have mercy and protect you both," Melchizedek said. "You haven't lost your faith. Even after all this, you haven't lost your faith?"

"How do you know what I asked for?" Kat frowned.

"Because I was with them when you asked," Melchizedek said, taking a step towards Kat.

"Them?" Kat asked, frowning in confusion.

"Yes," Melchizedek said, his mouth quirking into a smile. "God has no gender, Katherine. That was something humans came up with on their own to try to make men seem more important than women. God just is. God isn't bound to any human delegation. I was with them when you prayed and asked for help because I was also there, asking for guidance."

Kat blinked a couple times, trying to not let the information overwhelm her, her hands tightening around her scarf once again. "They were listening?" Kat asked. Mel nodded. "And... What did they say?" She asked. "Will they help?"

"Do you still have faith, Katherine?" Mel asked.

Kat bit her lip, swallowing hard. She considered or a moment then nodded. Too many things happened that could've been worse but weren't. That had to mean someone was watching. "Yes," she said quietly.

"Good," Mel smiled, setting his hands on her shaking ones, where her knuckles were turning white from holding the scarf so tightly. "Because they know the plans they have for you," he said. "And they know the plans they have for Nex."

"What does that mean?" Kat asked, trying to find some hope to cling to.

"It means," Mel said, squeezing her hands. "Don't lose your faith. Love perseveres."