CHAPTER 8

Monica walked slowly to her temporary home, reflecting upon those poor children who needed nothing but their parents' attention, especially their father's. She wondered how in the world she would approach their father and make this contact possible. However she would do it, it had to be soon as Josh was the one suffering the most with his absence.

With slow movements, she opened up the door of her apartment and entered without caring to check at her surroundings. Only when she closed the door behind her and turned around did she see an all too familiar figure standing by the window. The last sunrays made his short hair look like gold and the green of his eyes was more accentuated. One could even say it was possible to see his soul.

But Monica didn't even need to look at him to know what was in his heart: they were a whole, a unity, and whatever filled his soul with joy or pain had a direct impact on her and vice-versa.

"Andrew…" she spoke, as he turned his eyes to her.

Her soothing voice and lovely accent alone were already enough to put his troubled heart at ease.

"Angel…"

He opened his arms and, a moment later, she was in them.

"I thought you wouldn't be here so soon…" she spoke, listening to his steady heartbeat but also feeling the heavy burden he had been carrying with him.

"I thought so too, but this is the only way I renew my hopes… holding you and hearing your voice." He said, kissing the top of her head.

Monica closed her eyes, wishing that that sad story was over soon. "You still have no clue about the crimes, do you?"

"No. I returned to the place where the last victim was found but there is nothing there that can show us where to begin."

The Irish angel pulled away just a little to look up at him, a shocked expression on her face. "You went there again?"

"I had to. There was no other way to start the investigation other than redoing the police steps so far." He informed, trying his best not to show what he was feeling inside, even though he knew the effort was useless once it was his Monica who was standing before him.

She reached out and gently placed her hand against his cheek, caressing his face with tenderness and compassion. "Oh, my dear Andrew… I'm so sorry… So sorry you have to go through this again."

"I've prayed a lot, angel. Not for the victims, as you and I know they are in the best of places. I prayed for the human race."

"I know that the Father hears you, Andrew. As much as I know He will guide you so that you can help make it stop."

Andrew covered her hand with his and kissed her palm. "Well, He is helping me right now, because without your encouragement I don't know if I'd be able to handle it."

X

As the night fell outside, the two angels in human form said a prayer of thanks for the shelter they were both granted. In those forms, food and water were necessary to keep them strong, otherwise they would have to become invisible to the human eye and wander along the deserted streets waiting for the time to interact with their assignments again.

After a light dinner, Monica finished preparing Andrew a cup of hot chocolate along with her indispensible double mocha latte. She took a seat next to him at the table, pondering about what she could say to make him at least a little more relaxed as the angel could see the disappointment in his eyes and how the lack of evidences were shattering his soul. And it saddened her too.

"I know that in His good time, our Father will show you the way, Andrew." She spoke, placing her hand over his; her soft brown eyes searching for his as the angel of death kept his head down, green pools fixed on an invisible point ahead of him.

But her soothing voice made him turn his hand and his fingers entwine with hers. "Thank you." He spoke, with an affectionate look.

"When do you have to return to the agency?"

"Not until tomorrow afternoon. I am officially out of the city investigating the latest crime." He decided to change the subject. "What about your assignment, angel?"

She let out a soft sigh. "I found out the reason I am there, actually. The children's father."

Monica could see a slight frown of worry on his forehead. "Why? What's wrong with him?"

"He works too much, and wee Jane, Aiden and Josh miss him terribly. Especially Josh." She was quick to explain, noticing his immediate relief at knowing that the man she was talking about was not a threat to her in any way. He has been among humans too much lately, and seen their darker side way too close. "When Mr Clark arrives from work, they are all sleeping already. Plus, he spends the weekends working in his office. It's difficult for them to have a few minutes of his attention, you see."

Andrew nodded his head. "I understand." He tried to smile then, a faint smile as his green eyes studied her beautiful face. "But I do trust they have the most warm-hearted angel to help them."

Smiling, Monica inched closer and brushed a loving kiss against his cheek. "Thank you, but I think you are a wee bit too biased to say that, don't you think so?"

Smiling more openly now, he wrapped his arm around her small shoulders, bringing her closer to him. "I have my reasons." He spoke, kissing the top of her head and keeping her in that embrace for a long time.

That night, the angel of death lay awake and kept his soul mate in his arms, as only Monica's loving presence was able to alleviate the anguish he was feeling inside. Finding the human being who was guilty for those horrible crimes was not only a huge responsibility but also a heavy burden. Andrew knew he was running against the clock and his fear was that the murderer could strike again before he had the chance to help. He prayed that it wouldn't happen, otherwise his heart would forever be broken and he would even consider the possibility of quitting his duties as an angel of death.

As that thought crossed his mind, he closed his eyes for a moment and tightened the hold around Monica a bit more. She was fast asleep now, her beautiful human form was beaten by the exhaustion of taking care of three young children; Andrew noticed how hard she fought to remain awake and keep him company, offering a comforting word and chattering about the joy of past assignments in an attempt to lift his hopes.

Her generous loving heart was one of the many uncountable reasons why he loved her so much.

"I know what you were trying to do, my sweet angel. I don't know if I deserve the gift of your love, but I promise you I'll honor it for the rest of my eternity…" he whispered against her perfumed hair, kissing her temple lovingly. "And I promise I'll try not to disappoint you."