CHAPTER 10

Late that night, Andrew awoke from a deep sleep with a sudden start. Sitting up, he blinked, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness in his bedroom as he tried to determine what had caused him to awaken so abruptly.

Monica.

He could feel that her heart was troubled and that meant that she was awake. Throwing back the quilt, Andrew got up and yanked on a shirt over his sweatpants, before opening his door. The door to Monica's room was open and after a quick glance that found her not there, he hurriedly walked down the hall, his bare feet scarcely making a sound against the hardwood floor. He was sure he would not be able to breathe again until he found her.

The living room was also empty, but his sharp eyes caught sight of someone on the balcony and he exhaled slowly as he saw his friend out there, gazing up at the stars. She was wearing a warm, cotton nightgown with her auburn hair cascading down her back and for a moment, he was so mesmerized that he could do no more but look at her.

"Angel?" Andrew spoke softly as he opened the sliding glass door, his worried eyes taking in her startled expression as she whirled around to face him. Though he had a pretty good grasp on the connection they shared, he knew at times Monica got so lost in her own thoughts that she failed to sense his presence, "It's just me, Angel. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Her pensive expression relaxed a bit as she managed a small smile, "It's all right, Andrew. Did I wake you? Did you hear me open my door? I tried to be quiet." Guilt flashed in her dark eyes over the possibility of disrupting his sleep.

"I heard your heart, Monica," he replied softly, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Oh," Monica smiled shyly, the guilt still present, "I suppose I need to learn how to not let that happen all the time."

His green eyes took on a stern expression, "Don't you dare. I don't ever want you to close your heart off to me, sweetheart."

"Oh no, Andrew, I just meant…I'm sorry my heart woke you up."

Andrew smiled and took her face into his hands, "I'm not. Now, tell me what has my beautiful angel girl unable to sleep after such a busy day."

Gazing into his loving eyes, Monica felt her own well up with tears even as she struggled to keep her voice steady, "This assignment, Andrew…so far I've folded clothes and cleaned a house, all the while a wife and mother is dying and laundry and cleaning isn't doing anything to make her better!"

His heart ached as he watched the tears slip down her cheeks and into his fingers that still framed her face, "Oh sweet angel…"

"Carrie either needs to tell Jim the truth or he needs to make her see a doctor, but neither of them is willing to do those things….and if something happens to Carrie, then poor wee Jenny will have to become a mother to those wee boys while her father drives a truck…and I have to figure out what to do so that you don't have to go through the pain of having to take her home!" Her words ended on a sob just as Andrew pulled her into his arms.

Andrew's heart nearly broke as he realized the true nature of her fears; her fear of causing him pain. Holding her protectively in his arms, he combed his fingers gently through her hair as he waited for her to calm a little bit, "Monica, listen to me. We both know that this assignment isn't over yet and even if Carrie gets medical attention it is no guarantee that she'll beat the cancer."

"I know, but at least I'll feel like I didn't fail; at least it would be in the doctor's hands…"

"Angel, it's in God hands no matter what happens."

Raising her tear streaked face from his chest to look up into his face, she whispered fearfully, "What if I was supposed to let Jim take me to Washington? Maybe he could have gotten the money to make his wife well…"

Andrew drew in a sharp breath at her words, even as he shook his head hard, "No. That is not what was supposed to happen or the Father would not have sent me to help you. Baby, it would not have been an honest way for him to get the money, if he even could have. Without the Father's will, you would have had no way to prove that you were an angel and if you had insisted, you would have wound up…" He didn't want to continue, remembering the one time the dear little angel had been committed to an institution for saying she was a heavenly being to a police officer.

Forcing himself to calm, Andrew tenderly wiped at the tears on her face, "Monica, you know this is not about money. This is about two people who have lost trust in each other and in humanity and all the money in the world can't recover those things for them."

Searching his eyes, she nodded her head, "A bit like us not so long ago…we lost trust in each other."

"Yes," he replied sadly, hating to remember that terrible time.

Laying her hand against his cheek, Monica continued, "But once we found each other again and were honest, we were stronger than ever, Andrew, and I know that nothing will ever tear us apart again. That's what Carrie and Jim need but I don't know how to make them trust each other again, Andrew." She sighed as her brow furrowed in thought, "Unless…unless their faith in humanity and God is restored first."

Andrew studied her face, barely able to keep up with how quickly her thoughts were changing, "What do you mean, angel?"

"I mean…maybe there is a way around the money issue…a way to not make it an issue," She frowned and moved to rub her eyes sleepily.

He chuckled softly at the image of what appeared to be a tired little girl who was trying to resist sleep, "I think someone needs to get back to bed so she can think clearly in the morning," Andrew stated decisively as he took her hand and led her back inside and to her room.

Pulling back the covers for her, he waited for her to crawl back into bed before he pulled them up snugly around her small form. Leaning down, he brushed his lips tenderly against hers, "Sleep well, my angel. I love you."

"I love you too," Monica whispered, watching as he turned to leave the room, "Andrew?"

Turning back around, he looked at her worriedly, "What is it, Monica?"

Her face flushed slightly and her dark eyes lowered shyly, "Will you stay? I sleep so much better when you're holding me."

A smile broke out over his face as without hesitation, he moved to the other side of the bed and waited for her to snuggle into his arms, "There is no where else I'd rather be, baby." He stated, kissing her forehead as he watched her eyes close in sleep. With a tender gaze, he watched her peaceful face for a few long moments, before closing his eyes.

"Andrew?"

His eyes opened once more to find the little angel gazing up at him, "Yes, angel?"

"Thank you for hearing my heart."

When Monica's eyes fluttered open the following morning, they immediately came to rest on Andrew's handsome, sleeping face. She was nestled protectively in his arms and for long contented minutes, the little angel simply drank in all of his features as he slept, wondering what she had done to deserve such an incredible blessing as his love.

Reaching up, she laid a soft hand against his strong jaw, "You make me feel so safe and so loved, Andrew," She whispered before moving her hand back to his chest so she could feel the rise and fall that came with his peaceful breathing.

Monica's thoughts returned to last night and her idea of restoring Jim and Carrie's faith in humanity, so they could perhaps find faith in each other once more and slowly an idea began to form in the little angel's mind. She knew it was a gift from the Father, yet she could scarcely contain her excitement as her dark eyes looked back up at Andrew hopefully and a moment later he was opening his eyes.

"I think my heart woke you up again," She grinned, obviously pleased to see him awake.

Unable to help but chuckle, Andrew pulled her tightly up against him, "Yes, but I'm very pleased to not see you looking upset as you did last night."

"Oh no, Andrew, I couldn't possibly be upset this morning because the Father has helped me think of a wonderful idea!" She squirmed out of his embrace to sit on her knees beside of him, too excited to sit still, "I know how to raise the money to help Carrie!"

Sitting up in bed to face her, Andrew looked at her curiously, "I'm all ears, Angel."

"The people at the shelter…I know they'd like to help! Perhaps we could have a huge yard sale, you know, where people bring in all their stuff they don't want anymore and we could sell it to other people who do want it…and maybe we could also have a stand where people could just give donations to help Carrie and her family…and perhaps the wee children could bake cookies to sell at the sale because the shoppers would surely get hungry…and that got me to thinking about what I could do and I thought that maybe I could knit things to sell, because as you recall, I know how."

The blonde angel raised his eyebrows, remembering the sweater she had tried to knit for Tess and how it had not come out exactly as planned.

Seeing his expression, Monica gave a tiny sigh, "Okay, well, nothing big, but maybe something small and easy like scarves."

Tenderly, Andrew reached out to stroke her cheek, "I think that might take more time then we have, baby."

Smiling wider, Monica looked over at the dresser in the corner of the room and as he followed her gaze, a large stack of hand knitted scarves appeared on the dresser.

"Monica? What-?"

"They aren't perfect, but during those long months of not being with you, I needed to do something with my hands in my free time…" Her dark eyes held his gaze and her smile wavered just a little bit with emotion, "Because my hands were unable to hug you."

Feeling emotion welling up in his chest, Andrew pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, "The scarves are beautiful, angel," He managed to say once he could speak.

"But this is so much better," Monica concluded as she held him just as tightly, listening to his heartbeat beneath her ear, "So, do you think…?"

Pulling away enough to look into her meek face, he answered the question before she could even ask it, "I think it is a perfect idea, baby," His eyes shone with pride as he watched her face light up with happiness.

Grabbing his hands in her own, she looked earnestly into his eyes, "Will you help?"

"For as long as the Father allows me to stay, beautiful angel," He whispered, before meeting her lips in a long, languid kiss.