This bothers me so much too because I see people making the point that Aiziraphale want back to heaven to stop the second coming and protect humanity and no, no he didn't.
That's the oh shit moment when the Metatron says 'we call it the second coming' and we and Aziraphale realize we're up shit creek without a paddle, the paddle being Crowley because they have successfully been split up by the higher ups because hey they caused this powerful miracle and thwarted Armageddon last time now we've made sure that won't happen yay new end times.
I even watched the s2 ending again just to make sure I was remembering it right and ugh my heart our poor angel and demon.
I can see Aziraphale rationalizing his choice the whole way. With his still strained connection for wanting to do good with familiar dynamics. From the lockdown video of no we can't just be together it would break all the rules, to him still wanting to tell Crowley about his good deeds without having to do reports to heaven.
And I can see why he thinks he could make a difference too the supreme archangel fucking Gabriel just left after all why wouldn't change be possible?
Of course Gabriel left in spite of the system not because of it.
It all seems like it's going to be fine he and Crowley are going to be together where hell could never reach Crowley again. And of course heaven won't do anything because he'll be in charge.
Unfortunately saying to Crowley we could both be angels again doing good is probably the worst thing he could possibly have said right behind I forgive you after the kiss.
What Crowley hears is you were better as an angel and heaven made a mistake now we can fix it by making you as you should be and putting you back in the abusive enviornment that led you to fall in the first place.
And Crowley of course wants nothing to do with any of it and wants an us away from the whole toxic disaster that is both hell and heaven.
The irony that they both wanted the same thing. For them to be safe together and they never realize it.
Sure Aziraphale gets I went back to protect everything including us because you taught me to be brave and stand up, which makes no sense our angel had been brave since Eden and the flaming sword. And we don't even get to linger on Aziraphale calling them an us.
Crowley says point blank "does that include choosing heaven over me?"
And Aziraphale never gets to say I chose heaven for you Crowley, to keep you safe and nothing else.
S3 never lets us have the catharsis from the S2 finale and I hate it.