Even Angels Fall

“Eddie,” Sarah looked shocked to see her brother, and took a small, protective step in front of Zip. “Eddie, I can explain.”

Having been giving Zip a hard stare, Eddie finally pulled his eyes back to look into Sarah’s face. Immediately, any anger in his expression turned to hurt. “You can explain?” he asked Sarah, his voice incredulous as he motioned towards Zip. “I didn’t even know that you two fucking KNEW each other, and I walk in on him… groping you.” Eddie’s voice was rising steadily in volume.

“Just listen for a second, Eddie,” Sarah pleaded, feeling overwhelmed with guilt as she looked up into her brother’s face. He looked wounded, offended even. “Zip and I… we, um…” she faltered suddenly, though. She wasn’t sure just where to begin. The past twenty minutes had been a whirlwind in itself. Now, with Eddie standing there…

Gently placing his hand on Sarah’s shoulder, Zip nudged her over so he was facing Eddie. His expression was apologetic. “You shouldn’t have found out like this,” he said to Eddie. “But you need to know that I love her. I’m in love with Sarah.”

The complete confusion on Eddie’s face quickly turned back to anger. “I wasn’t talking to you,” he told Zip in a hard, cold, threatening voice. “I was talking to my sister.”

Taking a deep, trembling breath, Sarah felt her eyes filling with tears. “Eddie, neither of us wanted to hurt you,” she said softly. “And things… they just sort of happened. Zip and I have been hanging out for a while, and over time… well, our feelings grew.” Sarah glanced over at Zip for a moment, who was giving her an encouraging nod. “Like Zip said, Eddie. We’re in love.”

“Oh, please,” Eddie rolled his eyes. “God, Sarah, I can’t believe you actually fell for this guy’s ploys. I always thought you were smarter than that.”

Suddenly, the door to Sarah’s apartment opened, and Sin stood there, taking in the scene before her. A few minutes earlier, when the sound of raised voices had permeated Sarah’s small apartment, she had assumed it was just Zip and Sarah arguing. But then she had heard the unmistakable sound of her boyfriend’s voice, and her heart rate had doubled immediately. She knew, though, that she should go out there.

Having been so surprised by walking in on Sarah and Zip together, Eddie had completely forgotten that he had stopped by Sarah’s apartment to see Sin. As he looked at her, staring at him from the doorway, he knew immediately that she had already known about this. “Am I the only person who didn’t know?” he asked, his voice low and angry as he locked eyes with Sin.

“I’ve only known for a few days,” Sin said, hating to see Eddie looking at her with such hurt in his eyes. “Sarah was planning on telling you, but she and Zip weren’t really sure what was happening yet.”

“Oh,” Eddie raised his eyebrows, his voice sarcastic. “Oh, well, if you’ve only known a few days, then there’s no reason for me to be mad that you’ve been lying to me and withholding things from me, right?” Turning his angry glare back on Sarah, Eddie pushed on. “And I’m so glad you went from not knowing what was happening to being so damn in love. That makes me feel much better.”

Not even bothering to look at Zip, Eddie turned and headed out of the building with Sarah calling his name out. “I have to go after him,” she started to say, but Sin grabbed her arm.

“No,” Sin’s voice was firm. “I wouldn’t recommend that. I’m going to go.”

Turning around to face Sin, Sarah’s eyes were glassy. “I didn’t mean for you and Eddie to-”

“You didn’t,” Sin sounded resigned as she looked at Sarah. “I did what I thought was right. Now I just have to get that through to Eddie. No, you stay here, and you two talk more. And you,” she pointed a finger at Zip. “Try not to do anything else to fuck up other people’s lives while I’m gone, okay?”

Looking a bit sheepish, Zip nodded. “Thanks, Sin,” he said quietly. As she met his eyes, his look told her that he was thanking her for more than that moment – he was thanking her for being such a good, forgiving, generous friend since he had met her.

“Whatever,” Sin’s cheeks heated, as she hated receiving compliments like that – especially sincere ones from people like Zip. “I have to go. I’ll call you later, Sarah.” With that, she pushed past them and darted down the hallway, intent on going after her boyfriend.

“We really are a couple of losers, aren’t we?” Sarah looked up at Zip. “Lying, sneaking around, even getting Sin in trouble.”

“She’s actually not mad at us,” Zip told Sarah, reaching for her face and cradling it gently. “I mean, we definitely have to make it up to her, but I think she and Eddie will be okay. He just needs time to cool off and take in all of this.”

“I hope so,” Sarah said sadly, looking into Zip’s eyes. “Man, we really have the luck, huh?” she smiled wryly. “The minute you get the balls to tell me you love me, all hell breaks loose.”

“Not to sound more like a selfish prick,” Zip grinned back at Sarah. “But I would have done it, even if it meant the whole world would set on fire. I finally – FINALLY – figured it out. And I just had to let you know that I love you.”

Swallowing hard, Sarah turned her face slightly to kiss Zip’s palm before looking back up into his eyes. “I love you, too,” she whispered. She then closed her eyes as she saw Zip tilt his head. His mouth met hers softly, gently, unhurried and tender. He kissed her innocently for a long time, his thumb stroking her cheek, and then pulled back. As each person opened their eyes, they both jumped a little.

Standing in the still-open doorway were Madison and Ava. Ava had a wary look on her face, but Madison was just giving them a sly smile.

“Can I help you?” Sarah asked the girls, an amused smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“No, I’m fine,” Madison waved her hand dismissively. “This is just way more interesting than watching some movie.”

Rolling her eyes at Madison, Ava crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Sarah. “Do you think Sin and Eddie are going to be okay?” she asked more seriously.

Looking up at Zip for a moment, Sarah saw him look at her sympathetically before sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her back to his chest. “God, I hope so,” Sarah said softly, seeing even Madison’s expression change to a more solemn one because of the subject matter. “I’d never forgive myself if anything happened between them…”

-----

After stopping by their apartment and realizing that Eddie wasn’t there, Sin had called Joseph. She thought that Eddie might have gone over to the hospital, but he hadn’t. After explaining the situation in a rush, Joseph sympathetically encouraged Sin to come by. Lianna was sleeping, and Joseph had been feeling restless anyway – although he had refused to leave the hospital when there weren’t any other friends or family there.

“I get why Eddie’s upset,” Sin sat across the hospital cafeteria table from Joseph, playing with the soda in her hands. “But he didn’t go home, and he’s not answering his cell phone. He’s acting like a brat. Now I see that Sarah wasn’t the only one in the family that reacts immaturely sometimes.”

“Don’t turn this around on Eddie,” Joseph suggested kindly to Sin. “You have a tendency to do that when you’re upset.”

Grumbling under her breath, Sin looked across the table at her friend. “I hate that you know me so well sometimes,” she told Joseph.

“Sometimes, I don’t think I know you all that well,” Joseph admitted. “I really would have thought that something like this would have been just the ammunition you needed to finally go through with killing Zip.”

Chuckling, Sin shook her head. “When I first realized…” she paused as she thought about it. “I wanted to kill him. I couldn’t believe that, of every girl in New York, he had to choose Eddie’s sister to fuck with. I wondered if he was just doing it to toy with me and Eddie.”

“What changed your mind?” Joseph asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Chewing on her lip, it took Sin a moment to figure out her answer. “I spoke to Sarah,” she said. “And I realized that Zip wasn’t just fucking with her. He really cares about her – he loves her.”

His eyebrows shooting up in shock, Joseph looked at Sin with wide eyes. “What would make you think that?” he asked, and then suddenly remembered the cryptic conversation he had shared with Zip recently.

“Joseph,” Sin looked into her friend’s eyes, her expression serious. “Zip told Sarah his name. His REAL name.”

“No fucking way,” Joseph looked taken aback. Then he paused as a small smirk crossed over his face. “Did she tell you what it is?”

Laughing, Sin shook her head. “No,” she told Joseph. “But when she told me that… that’s when I knew that he had fallen for her. Now, I just need to figure out a way to explain all of this to Eddie. IF the ass ever speaks to me again, that is.”

“Yeah,” Joseph tilted his head compassionately. “Eddie’s not really likely to get the deeper meaning of the whole ‘real name’ thing, I guess.”

“Nope,” Sin looked down at the can in her hands as she continued. “And the thing is, you know how much I hate dishonesty. I’m the last person who would lie to Eddie. But I really thought this was something that Sarah deserved to tell him herself. Sometimes, he treats her like a little kid, and as hard as it is for him to realize, she’s not anymore. She’s going to do things he doesn’t like – and she’s going to get hurt sometimes. But she’ll get through it. And Zip… hell, I never thought I’d see the day where I said this, but… he’s as far gone for her as she is for him. But in actuality, what’s killing me is that I hurt Eddie. I know you know this, but he is the best thing that ever happened to me. I hate that he feels like I betrayed him in any way.”

Realizing that she had been babbling, Sin looked up and saw Joseph smirking at her. “What?” she asked. Noticing that Joseph wasn’t looking at her eyes, but over her shoulder instead, Sin turned around. Standing behind her was Eddie. “Hey,” she said with shock, rising quickly.

“Hey,” Eddie said softly. He looked past Sin to wave at Joseph. “Hey. How are Lianna and the baby doing?”

“They’re both doing great, thanks,” Joseph rose from the table and gave both of them a friendly nod. “They get released on Monday, hopefully. But I’m going to go now. You guys have some stuff to talk about.”

Nodding her thanks, Sin smiled at Joseph before turning back to Eddie. “So… how much did you hear?” she asked Eddie gently.

“I walked in around the time you said you were the last person who would lie to me,” Eddie replied. “Straight through when you said that you hate that I felt like you betrayed me.”

“Well,” Sin gave Eddie an insolent pout. “It’s true. You jackass.”

Unable to stop himself, Eddie chuckled. Only Sin, after the argument they had earlier, would be able to call him a jackass and make it sound like a term of endearment. “I shouldn’t have taken off like that without talking to you,” he admitted apologetically, putting his hand on Sin’s cheek. “But I still think you should have told me about this when you first found out. And I still don’t like it. I don’t trust Zip.”

“I don’t blame you for not trusting Zip. He’s not a nice guy,” Sin reached up and placed her hand over Eddie’s. “And you don’t have to like it – Sarah’s a grown-up, and she’s likely to do a lot of things in her life that you don’t like. But as for thinking I should have told you… I still disagree. I think this is something that needed to come out between you and your sister; you needed a wake-up call that she’s not some innocent little girl anymore, and she needed to learn to face the consequences of her actions.”

Despite the frustration he was feeling, Eddie couldn’t argue with Sin’s logic. “Sometimes, I wish I was dating a dumb girl,” he grumbled, but smiled when he heard her laugh. Leaning forward, he kissed her lips lightly. “Come on, let’s go home. It’s been a long night. We can talk more when we get to the apartment, and then you can make it up to me that you lied to me.”

“Oh, I can, can I?” Sin’s eyebrows shot up in amusement. “And how would I go about doing that?”

“Well, I can’t tell you here,” Eddie whispered, motioning around the cafeteria. “This is a hospital; there are people with weak hearts. They may not be able to handle all the dirty, lewd things you’re going to have to do for my forgiveness.”

“Is that so?” Sin countered with a grin. “Well, far be it from me to put people with weak hearts in danger. Come on, let’s go.”

-----

“I’m so glad,” Sarah said into the telephone, sighing in relief. “And I am sorry again, Sin. I didn’t mean to-“ She paused, obviously having been cut off, and then chuckled. “Okay, you don’t have to threaten me. I’ll stop apologizing. And please, thank Eddie again for agreeing to meet me for lunch tomorrow… Okay, goodnight.” Putting the phone back in the cradle, she turned to the room full of curious eyes. “They’re fine, thankfully.”

“Well, good,” Madison rose from her spot on the couch and reached for her jacket while letting out a yawn. “Since everything’s out in the open now, and everyone is doing hunky-dory, I think I’ll go home and surprise my fiancé in bed.”

“Lovely,” Ava muttered, rising as well. “Now everyone’s in a happy, loving relationship except me.”

“What happened with Joel?” Sarah asked with confusion as she took a seat beside Zip on the edge of her bed. “I thought you guys were doing great.”

“I thought so, too,” Ava grumbled, reaching for her purse. “Apparently, though, I wasn’t the only woman in the building that the mechanic was ‘servicing.’ Asshole.”

“I’m so sorry,” Sarah replied, feeling guilty that Ava had spent the earlier part of the evening consoling Sarah while she was going through relationship pains herself. “Why didn’t you say something before?”

“No reason to,” Ava said matter-of-factly. Seeing the guilt on Sarah’s face, Ava’s voice softened. “It sucks,” she admitted. “But I’m not heartbroken. That only happens if you’re in love.” With that, she gave a mistrusting look at Zip, who quickly averted his eyes as he felt his cheeks heat. How did he manage to always find the few women in the world – Sarah, Sin, Ava – who could make him feel like dirt with just a look?

“Well, we’ll split a cab and you can bitch on the way,” Madison put her arm around Ava’s shoulders. “And if you’re lonely, you can just come home with me. I promise, Tavian would have NO objections, I’m sure of that.”

Letting out a laugh, Ava shook her head. “You’re out of your mind,” she told Madison. “Okay, guys, I guess we’re taking off. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Sarah?”

Nodding, Sarah waved at her friends. “Totally,” she said. “And thanks, guys. You were both so great to me…”

“That’s what friends do,” Madison said simply.

“Yeah. That,” Ava rolled her eyes and smiled. “And offer to have threesomes with you and their fiancé when you get dumped. Oh wait, that’s just Madison.”

Shaking her head with laughter, Sarah called out another few words of goodbye while Zip smiled his farewell as the girls left. Turning towards Sarah, Zip reached over for her hand. “Quite a night, huh?”

“You can say that again,” Sarah replied, looking up into Zip’s black eyes. “In all that happened, we never really got to talk about… you know.”

“About me realizing how ridiculously in love with you I am?” Zip replied without shame, loving the way Sarah’s cheeks turned a gentle pink at his words. “I guess that’s something we might want to discuss.”

Biting her lip, Sarah nodded. “I just…” she paused, unsure how to continue. “After I went to your place a few days ago and said all that stuff, and you said you didn’t love me… I just never thought there was a chance.”

“I’m not a good guy, generally,” Zip admitted immediately. “I’m actually a pretty big dickhead when it comes to women. And when you came over – which, I have to say, took real balls – when you came over and said that all to me, all my normal, natural, asshole instincts went up. I was in fight-or-flight mode. But after you left… I spent the last three days thinking about things. I had plenty of time to do that, considering I couldn’t eat or sleep whenever I thought of how hurt you looked when you left…”

“It did hurt,” Sarah replied, leaning forward to rest her head on Zip’s shoulder. “But what made you change your mind?”

Sliding one hand into Sarah’s hair, Zip inhaled the citrus scent of her shampoo before continuing. “Joseph called me,” he told Sarah. “He said that he spoke to Tavian, and that they’re all going to do a double-wedding thing. And since Tavian’s going to be one of the grooms – meaning there would be no fighting for the spot – Joseph wants me to be his best man.”

“That’s great,” Sarah said as she pulled herself back up to a sitting position. Her eyebrows were knit in confusion, though. “But I still don’t get what that has to do with me.”

Reaching over to run the back of his hand over Sarah’s cheek lightly, Zip gave her a small smile. “It’s hard to explain,” he told her. “It’s just… when Joseph called, he and I talked for a long time. We talked about all the wild times we’ve had together – and let me tell you, there were A LOT. But then he talked about the fact that he had never been happier than the moment he got to introduce Lianna to Aiden for the first time. He’s so in love – with Lianna and with the baby – it just got me thinking.”

“Thinking what?” Sarah asked gently.

Smirking, Zip tilted his head. “It got me thinking that I had found someone that made me feel that way, too,” he told her. “But I am such an asshole, I let her get away. That’s when I decided that, if you had the nerve to call me out like you did, I had to have the nerve to tell you how I really felt.”

Tears were shining in Sarah’s eyes, but she was smiling widely at Zip. “I’m glad Joseph called you,” she said softly.

Laughing, Zip reached out and embraced Sarah, pulling her to him. “You have no idea how glad I am that Joseph called me,” he whispered, kissing the top of Sarah’s head. “And you have no idea how glad I am that you didn’t change your mind about me.”

Pulling back just enough to climb onto Zip’s lap, Sarah wound her arms around his neck. “I couldn’t help it,” she said. “I’m in love.”

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Zip looked into Sarah’s eyes, admiring the specks of gold that seemed to float in them. “Me, too,” he whispered before closing his eyes and bringing his lips to hers.

Sarah didn’t think she could ever grow tired of the way it felt to kiss Zip. As his hands slid underneath the hem of her shirt in the back, the contact of his fingers on her bare skin sent a chill up her spine. Sinking one hand into his dark hair, she let out a soft sigh against his mouth, parting her lips in invitation. As the kiss grew in intensity, Zip’s tongue pressing against hers as his hands slid further up her back, Sarah wondered how she ever thought she might survive without him touching her again.

Taking Sarah’s bottom lip between his teeth, Zip nibbled gently as his hands slid forward to run down her ribcage to her waist. Pulling back, he chuckled at her disgruntled sigh and then smiled as her expression changed when he began pulling her shirt over her head and unclasped her bra, pulling it from her body in one quick movement. She immediately helped him discard his own shirt next, and he leaned back on his elbows, watching as Sarah ran her hands over the tattoos adorning his bare chest. His breath caught just a little as her small fingers grazed his nipples.

Wanting to feel every inch of Zip, Sarah leaned down and pressed her lips to his throat as her hands roamed freely over his naked torso. His muscles were so tight, but his skin was so soft… it almost seemed impossible that the two could belong to the same person. Feeling Zip pulling back slightly, Sarah leaned up so he could move up the bed some, resting his head on the pillows before she sank down on top of him once again.

Fighting back a groan as Sarah’s teeth grazed his collar bone, Zip tenderly ran his hands down Sarah’s back. Although it had been less than a week since they were last together, his body was reacting more like he had gone without for months. Sitting up suddenly, he took Sarah by surprise, and she almost protested before his mouth descended onto her breast, kissing the silky skin and then taking a pink nipple between his lips.

Sarah could feel her breath catching as Zip’s tongue reached out to flick her nipple, sending shock waves through her body. His hands were on her hips now, pressing hard into the bone, probably hard enough to bruise, but she wasn’t complaining. As his lips traced over the space between her breasts, she placed her hands on his head and guided his mouth to her other nipple.

Zip eagerly took Sarah’s other nipple into his mouth, tracing circles around it with his tongue, sucking gently as it grew harder between his lips. He could hear her beginning to pant, and he could feel her unconsciously grinding down on his growing excitement, making his head grow fuzzy very quickly.

“Zip,” Sarah’s voice was low and pleading, and she watched as Zip looked up into her eyes. She could feel that her face was flushed, and she felt no embarrassment saying what she was thinking. “I need you inside me.”

Never in his life had five little words made Zip’s body ache quite the way Sarah’s words just had. He immediately reached for the button on her pants, and helped her balance as she slid them off along with her underwear. Then he helped her remove his pants, grabbing a condom from the pocket (that he was COMPLETELY grateful for having with him) before tossing his jeans and boxers to the side.

Resting between Zip’s legs, Sarah opened the foil packet carefully and removed the condom, slipping it over Zip’s erection quickly. Moving up slightly until she was straddling his hips, she looked down at Zip nervously as he took her hips in his hands. “I love you,” he whispered to her, and she smiled as she took him into her body with one fast movement.

“Oh God,” Zip whispered, his eyes involuntarily fluttering closed, as Sarah’s body engulfed him. She didn’t move for a moment, though, causing him to open his eyes curiously. Looking up, he could see nervousness across her expression, and realized she had never been on top before. “Here,” he guided her body gently up, and then back down, knowing he would never tire of teaching new things to Sarah – and experiencing new things together.

Placing her hands on Zip’s chest, Sarah slowly became more comfortable with the movements. After a minute, she was moving her hips experimentally as she rode him, causing Zip to let out a soft moan. “Good?” she asked with a smirk, moving her hands to the pillow on either side of his head and pressing her mouth to his.

“Very good,” Zip murmured against Sarah’s lips, sliding his arms around her waist as he began lifting his hips in time to her movements. He heard her sigh contentedly against his mouth as he thrust deeper into her, and he felt her body shiver as his stomach slid against her clit.

Sarah had never really believed the old cliché when she heard it growing up, but she knew now that it was true: sex was much better when it was with someone you loved. Her whole body was now humming as Sarah sped up her movements slightly, making sure to roll her hips so Zip’s body rubbed against her deliciously each time she sank down on him. She loved the way it felt to have Zip inside her, like he fit perfectly. She could feel her heart rate speeding up, though, and her lower body was beginning to tingle, letting Sarah know she was nearing her finish.

Zip noticed as soon as Sarah’s breathing changed to a more ragged pattern, and he began raising his hips harder and faster, pressing into her so deeply that she released small whimpers each time. Looking into her eyes, he smiled as he saw them cloud over, and pressed his mouth to hers once more just in time to swallow part of the cry she released as her muscles tightened and she came.

Sarah’s body trembled with the intensity of her orgasm, but she kept moving, hearing Zip releasing a few nearly-inaudible moans before his body stopped moving. She could feel him shuddering inside her as he came right after her, and she buried her head into his sweat-covered chest as they both recovered.

“No more silliness,” Zip whispered a few minutes later, once both their bodies fully recuperated. When Sarah raised her head from his chest to look at him curiously, he reached down to tuck a piece of stray hair behind her ear. “Between us. From either of us. No more threats or saying this isn’t right or it shouldn’t have happened.”

A smile spreading across her face, Sarah nodded. “I like that idea,” she slid to his side and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Good,” Zip rolled onto his side and enveloped Sarah in his arms as he kissed her forehead. “Because, as much as I was your first, you were mine, too. You are the first person I’ve ever made love to.”

Looking up into Zip’s eyes, Sarah felt her own eyes stinging with tears. “Stop being such a nice guy,” she teased gently. “I’ll think you got body-snatched or something.”

“Get used to it,” Zip kissed the tip of Sarah’s nose. “Because you make me want to be a different person… a better person. You make me want to be someone who deserves to be with you every day, for the rest of your life. You make me want to be a nice guy.”

-----

OKAY, BEFORE ANYONE SAYS ANYTHING: I KNOW THAT CHAPTER TIED THINGS UP PRETTY QUICK AND TIDY. I JUST DON’T WANT TO DRAG OUT THIS STORY, AND AS A REVIEWER POINTED OUT, THE STORY HAS REACHED ITS CLIMAX. NOW, I ONLY WANT TO ANSWER ANY LINGERING QUESTIONS READERS HAVE. NOW, A FEW WORDS:

ASH – I’D SAY THERE’S A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF THIS WRAPPING UP BEFORE YOU GO, CONSIDERING THERE’S ONLY ONE OR TWO CHAPTERS LEFT.

TEMPLETON21 – OBVIOULSY, I AGREED WITH YOU ABOUT EDDIE’S ANGER. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT SOME READERS THOUGHT HE WOULD FLY OFF THE HANDLE. OF COURSE, AS A WRITER, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS (AS IF THEY WERE REAL PEOPLE). I’M SURE YOU KNOW THAT ONE.

CECILLE – THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT ABOUT EDDIE’S ENTRANCE. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT IT FEELING HEAVY-HANDED, AND I’M GLAD YOU DIDN’T THINK IT WAS.

THANKS ALSO TO TKMOORE, CARIAD, WOLF, AFICI0NADA, SOUTHERN, CD, LEYLIA, ANGEL, EGGMAN, KIAL, KENZI, HOMAN, ROSEMARY, 1HUMMER, ARAINAINA, GINGER, ROSIE, MIZTIKAL_DRAGON, KIRSCHE AND ADAEE FOR REVIEWING (AND OFTEN SO THOROUGHLY!).