Well, update time!
And, sad to say, the end of this story is coming with this chapter.
Hope ya'll like it though!

Updated/Ended: 03/28/2014

…

"Young Angel, we need you to return."

"But why? I…I've never left his side. I can't go now! He needs me more than ever!"

"All will be well for the young man. You need to return to us. Now."

"Can't I at least tell him first?"

"…Very well. Tell him you must leave for a short period of time and that you will return."

"Thank you."

…

Only a handful of days had passed, but for Ethan, it felt like an eternity.

Not only was the girl he had a crush on gone, but so was his only real friend.

He had never felt so alone. Benny had told him he had been called away for the day; he had never been called away before.

And on today, of all days; the day Ethan needed him the most – he had to leave.

Today was Sarah's funeral.

The day he said goodbye.

"Ethan, are you ready?" Ethan looked at his mom, who would be going with him today; she was clad in a black sweater and pants, her blonde hair pulled up. He turned from her to look at his reflection, seeing his own self looking at him; his black dress shirt and black pants made him look paler than he really was. "Ethan?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

…

"Why did you need me, today of all days?"

"Young Angel… it has come to our attention that things are changing for you."

"They are?"

"You've begun to feel emotions."

"I've always felt his emotions."

"No. Your own emotions."

"I have?"

"Yes. As well as becoming more and more solid…more real."

"I have?! But… what does that mean for me?"

"It means… that things need to change."

"Change? How?"

...

Ethan watched the ceremony, tears pricking his eyes; he didn't let them fall though. He sat there, his mom gripping her hand in his while she covered her mouth with the other, her own tears falling. He saw Sarah's Angel, the blonde-haired boy, standing by the head of her casket, his face set in grim determination.

Ethan wanted to go talk to him, but he couldn't; not right now, when so many people were morning the life of the young girl whose body lied still and cold in the plush-lined wooden box that was sat at the front of the room.

"Ethan," his mom whispered, drawing his attention from the Angel to her. "Do you want to go say goodbye to her?" Ethan looked and noticed how people were now lined up to go to the body and get a last look. Ethan looked at his mom and shook his head.

"I don't think I can." His voice was hoarse – he hadn't used it all day from fear of breaking down.

"Ethan. She would want you to say goodbye." Ethan nodded, knowing his mom was right. He let her lead him away, his heart aching as he approached.

She could have been sleeping.

Ethan found it hard to breathe as he looked at her, his hand going to rub against his chest.

"Come on Ethan." Ethan nodded and moved from his mom, catching eyes with the Angel, who mouthed an apology at him. Ethan just gave a jerky nod and sat back down, his mom's grip on his hand never letting up.

This couldn't end fast enough for him.

…

"What's going to happen to me? You're not gonna remove me from him, are you?! Because you can't… you can't do that to me!"

"If it comes down to it…"

"No! I've been with him for 10 years."

"10 years is a long time for a guardian to be with someone."

"So you're just going to take me away?"

"So many emotions flowing through you."

"So what? Is it that weird for an Angel to feel emotion?"

"To feel the one they guard's emotion? No. But they're own? Very."

"…So what's going to happen now?"

"It might be time to say goodbye to him."

"No. Please. Anything."

"We're sorry, but it's for the best. Something better will come your way."

"Better than being by his side, protecting him?"

"You'll see. Have some faith."

…

When Ethan got home, Benny was nowhere to be found.

He didn't realize how much he had grown to depend on his being with him until he wasn't there anymore.

Feeling exhausted and worn to the bone, Ethan stripped out of his funeral clothes and grabbed some pajamas.

A hot shower and bed is just what he needed right now.

…

"Can't I at least go say goodbye?"'

"No. It will be easier this way. His new guardian will inform him of your goodbye."

"…New guardian? So I'm being replaced?"

"In a sense…Do not worry so."

"I will worry though!"

"See, more human emotions. You are being controlled by them."

"That's how all people are!"

"But you are not a person! You are an Angel!"

"…That's right…I'm not, am I?"

…

As Ethan left the shower, he stopped in the doorway to his bedroom.

There was an Angel on his bed.

But it wasn't Benny.

"Hello Ethan."

"…Sarah. What are… why are you here?" He took in her appearance, already knowing the answer before she spoke; her dark hair was clipped back from her face, her dark eyes sparkling more so than they ever did when she was alive; she wore a white flow-y shirt and dark grey pants with light gray boots.

She was his Angel now.

"I'm sorry to say this but your recent Angel has been called away for more… important matters. They thought you'd like a familiar face, so here I am. Not even a week of work and I've already been assigned to someone! How exciting."

"Benny's…not coming back?"

"No, I'm afraid not. But you've got me. I know I'm not much… but I'm here."

"I went to your funeral today! And now you're sitting in my bedroom, to guard my life. And I don't even know how you died." She frowned and scooted over so he could sit next to her on his bed.

"Internal bleeding. Something ruptured, blah-blah-blah, and then, I was dead. That little blonde boy was very helpful to me though. He was very supportive."

"I'm sure. Benny was always supportive of me."

"Was he always with you?"

"Yeah, since I was six."

"I'm sorry that he had to leave. It will be okay though. I'll take care of you." Ethan nodded and crawled into bed.

"Could you just… leave for a bit? I want to be alone." She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair with a loving, motherly touch.

"Sure Ethan. When you want me to come back, just say so." Ethan nodded and watched her shimmer and fade before he closed his eyes.

He didn't like to be alone, but right now…

He cherished it.

…

As Monday rolled around, Ethan slouched to school, Sarah a few steps behind him.

He felt hollow, empty; he hadn't smiled all weekend.

His mom thought that it was because of Sarah's passing, and at first, it was – but then, he realized he missed Benny.

The boy had been a constant in his life, always by his side, supporting him, helping him, taking care of him.

He had become his best friend, and then, like a puff of smoke, he was gone.

Ethan wasn't sure how to function without Benny there.

It was weird; he had grown to depend on him, to need him.

And now, he didn't have him.

Ethan ignored his locker and walked right into class, falling into his seat. As the teacher began to talk, his mind drifted off, making him just zone out.

"Everyone," his teacher's voice was loud, cutting through his desolate thoughts. He looked up and his eyes widened and his mouth fell open in surprise. "We have a new student. Everyone say hello to Benjamin Weir."

"Please, call me Benny." The teen turned, a wide smile on his face and eyes bright as he looked at Ethan. Ethan shook his head, believing this was a trick of the light, a joke…

But there he was, flesh and blood, striding between the desks to the one in front of him.

All through class, Ethan just sat there, staring at the tousled brown hair in front of him.

He looked just like he remembered him, except instead of white and gray clothes, he wore a red and black shirt and blue jeans – he looked like any other teen.

When the bell rang, Ethan got up so quickly he bumped into the taller boy.

"What's the rush? Miss me that much?" It was his voice, but Ethan felt warmth seeping through the shirt that his hand still rested on. He looked up at Benny, unsure what to say now. "Aw, come on Ethan, say something. You were never one to hold back your words with me."

"…How?" Benny smiled then and steered the two of them into the hallway so they could head to his next class.

"Well, I got called back for a talk with the Big Boss and… I was told I was becoming too human."

"Which is why they took you away from me."

"Yeah," Benny said, his green eyes laughing at some unknown joke. "But then, after they shot Sarah down to you, they dropped another bomb on me; since I was already so human, why not make me one?"

"But… how?"

"How does anything work?" Benny said, shrugging as the teacher let him sit next to Ethan in class after quickly introducing himself. "One second I was a gray Angel in the clouds, the next, a human."

"What made you so human?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yeah. Usually I only felt your emotions, because that's what I was supposed to do. But then… I got my own. And Angels aren't supposed to do that."

"But you did."

"I did. And wha-la, here I am."

"Here you are… alive."

"Looks like you got the best friend you've always wanted." Ethan finally smiled for the first time in days; it was wide-lipped, full-toothed, and radiant. Benny returned it as Ethan nodded.

"Looks like I did."

…

Aww, see happy Bethan Bromance ending for everyone!

Hope my readers liked it & thanks for reading!

-JustMe133