CHAPTER 18

Andrew walked back to Monica’s temporary room and opened the door to reveal her sitting up in bed with a beautiful smile on her face.  He knew immediately that she had indeed been given another opportunity to talk to Alex.  Tess was not in the room and he could only assume that she had gone down stairs to pace and wait for the antidote to arrive.

“I take it that Alex believes now?” he teased.

“In her heart she already did, but it was so wonderful to be able to reassure her that there really is a bigger plan out there, and a bigger future ahead of her.”

“You know what happened,” he said solemnly.

“She came very close,” she replied quietly, “but she never gave up… not for a second, and God isn’t done with her yet.  She has more to accomplish down here.”

“I know one agent who is particularly grateful about that.”

“Paul was there?”

“Yes, and for a second I thought he was going to throttle me.  Luckily he didn’t say too much or Rob would have been looking at him even more strangely.”

Monica let out a little laugh.  “I think so!”

Andrew sat down on the bed beside her and picked up her hand.  “Are you sure you’re feeling better now?” he asked, still unaccountably concerned though he knew that God had healed her.

“I’m fine, Andrew,” she answered, laying her other hand on top of his.  “In fact, I haven’t felt this good in a long while.”

He smiled and raised one eyebrow.  “Well actually, you’d better try to look at least a little bit sick, because you know the doctor is going to want to give you the antidote when it arrives and I don’t think telling her you’re an angel who has been miraculously healed will be an option for you.”

“Hmm.  Probably not.  She would just call in another kind of doctor and I’m really not in the mood for that right now.”

Wrapping his free arm around her shoulders he gave her a little hug.  “No.  I think you’ve been through quite enough for now.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes as they both contemplated what had happened over the past week.  It certainly wasn’t anything they had ever expected but as usual it had ended up working according to God’s plan.  Andrew was having a slightly harder time accepting that Monica’s pain had been a necessary part of that plan, but in his heart he knew better than to doubt God’s reasons.

“It’s here!”  The rallying cry could be heard throughout the house as one of the agents downstairs called out.  Footsteps pounded up the stairs and Monica and Andrew heard Alex’s door being flung open.

“Give it here!”  Paul’s voice was strong and didn’t lend itself to debate.

Andrew kissed the top of Monica’s head.  “I wonder if God will let us come back for their wedding?” the little angel wondered.

“Monica!  They aren’t even dating yet… not officially…”  Monica’s rolled eyes made him chuckle.  “All right… yes… I have a feeling He will.”

She smiled in satisfaction as he laughed once more before he turned more serious, “I have a feeling the doctor is going to be in here soon, so I suggest you feign sleep, so we don’t have to try to explain anything.”

Monica gave out a tiny sigh as she laid back down and Andrew tucked the covers over her, “She’s going to have a needle, isn’t she?”

He knew her fear of them, though the experience in the psychiatric ward was before he had known her, “I’ll have your hand the whole time, angel,” He promised, taking her hand into his own and holding it tightly.

She met his eyes in a look of love, before she closed her own just as her bedroom door opened and the doctor hurried inside.

“We have the antidote,” She informed Andrew as she readied the syringe.

“How is Alex doing?” He asked immediately, knowing that Monica was very much awake and that question is the one she wanted answered.

“Only time will tell, but hopefully it will reverse the affects of the poison. It will take a few days to know that there are no lasting affects from what the poison did to her system.”

He felt Monica give a small squeeze to his hand and he knew what she was telling him. Alex was going to be just fine. The small squeeze tightened as the needle entered into her arm and he ran his thumb gently over the back of her hand as he watched her face worriedly. Though it was a small thing really, he didn’t want her to go through anymore than she already had, but her expression of sleep never changed, only the pressure on his hand.

The doctor was checking the little angel’s vitals and she shook her head slightly, “She’s doing better than the last time I checked her. I don’t quite see how-.”

“She’s a fighter,” Andrew replied quickly, unable to keep the affection from his voice, “She isn’t one to walk away from a fight, not even one of this nature.”

She gave another shake of her head, “I’ll be in to check on her in a bit. Give a yell if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” He watched her leave the room before he turned back to his best friend, “Are you all right, angel?”

Monica opened her eyes and gave a nod, “I wish I could go and see Alex, but I suppose that would be pushing things.”

“Afraid so,” He smiled down at her, clearly able to tell that she was growing tired. Though healed, her mind and body had been through plenty the last week, starting in that freezing cold barn, and now that she was no longer in pain, and relaxed, the mental exhaustion was catching up to her, “Why don’t you try to get some sleep? We’ll gauge how quickly you can be up and around by how Alex does.”

Emitting another sigh, she consented, though it was obvious she was no longer interested in being confined to a bed, “I know I’m all better and I feel fine, other than a little tired, but-.”

“Of course, I’ll stay,” He finished for her, smiling as she immediately moved over in her bed to make room for him. Moving in next to her, he leaned up against the headboard and waited for her to curl into his arms. Andrew marveled at how much stronger she had become since the days of McArthur, but then he realized rather selfishly, that he hoped she was never so strong that she no longer wanted him holding her when she drifted off to sleep.

Gazing down at her, he realized she wasn’t quite asleep as a smile crossed her face, “What is that for, Monica?”

“I’m thinking about that visit to the ocean you promised me last night. I’m looking forward to collecting on that,” She glanced up at him hopefully, “If you really meant it…I know I was dying, but-.”

A kiss to the top of her head silenced her, “I always mean the things I say to you, angel. Our next day off together, that is where we’re heading. Consider it a date.”

Content, she closed her eyes once more and drifted off to a peaceful sleep in the safest place she knew on earth. Andrew’s arms.

*****

As the hours passed, Paul began to relax more with every stronger beat of Alex’s heart. She was still sleeping, but her features had begun to relax, a sure sign that her pain was lessening. He had thanked God more times than he could count as he had sat beside of her bed holding her hand. He knew he should be exhausted, having had minimal sleep since all of this had begun, but he couldn’t seem to take his eyes from her face long enough to close them.

The sun was just setting in the winter sky when a small murmur escaped her and he was instantly sitting up in his chair, his hand tightening on hers, “Alex?”

Ever so slowly, her eyes inched open. There was still pain present, but just the fact that she was awake was a significant improvement, “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

She considered his question for a moment, “A little better actually,” She stated softly, though her voice was still weak, “How long as it been since they gave me the antidote?”

“You know it arrived?” She had been so out of it, fighting for her life and he couldn’t imagine her being coherent enough to remember.

A sleepy smile crossed her face, “Monica told me in the field. It was so beautiful.”

Of course, he realized. Monica had explained it all to her as well as had shown her the truth, “You believe everything she told you?”

“How could I not?” Alex whispered, feeling tears forming in her eyes at the memory, “She’s pretty convincing and if that left room for any doubt, all I have to consider is the fact that I’m alive.”

Paul smiled, moving his hand to stroke her cheek, “And I, for one, am eternally grateful for that fact, Bennett.”

She met his gaze and bit her lip with uncertainty before speaking, “You told me you were falling in love with me…”

He lowered his eyes briefly, before looking back to her once more, “That’s because I am, Alex. I’m just sorry it took this to make me realize it.”

A small grin played on her lips, “Hey, whatever works.”

His laugh echoed through the room and he was fairly sure it was the first bit of laughter he had heard in days. It felt wonderful.

“I have many questions about these angels you keep hidden away,” She teased, even as her eyes began to droop in sleep.

“And how about I answer all of them once you are better, over dinner?” He offered, pleased when she smiled happily.

“That sounds like a very fair deal,” she muttered, and a minute later she was asleep.

*****

“I can’t believe the messes these people get themselves into,” Monica remarked with a shake of her head as the foursome sat on Alex’s bed. The angel had all but abandoned the Scrabble game in lieu of the soap opera that Andrew feared she was becoming addicted to, “I mean, I’ve seen quite a lot but never coming from the same dozen humans. They seem to find themselves in one disaster after another.

Paul exchanged a sly wink with Andrew as he replied, “Sounds like someone else we know…”

It took the little angel a full minute to realize that Paul was referring to her, and leaning over, she slapped at his arm playfully, “Hey, that wasn’t very nice.” She informed him with a little pout.

“Perhaps not, but it was near enough true,” The agent chuckled.

“It’s all part of my charm,” Monica informed him indignantly.

“Most definitely, angel,” Andrew replied, stifling a little grin as he tried to unruffle her halo. He knew she wasn’t really upset, but he also wasn’t sure of just how sensitive she was feeling after everything that had happened since they had first met Paul.

“Yeah, so leave my friend alone, Gatlin,” Alex grinned, giving him a tiny, playful kick from under the covers.

Paul’s eyes widened as Monica giggled, “Your friend? Andrew, this can’t be good. If these two have bonded, I see nothing but heartache in our futures.”

“Looks like you’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it,” Alex retorted, meeting his eyes in challenge, “You and Andrew will just have to keep on your toes.”

Andrew laughed, now truly wondering if Monica and Alex had been comparing notes as he had heard the little angel say that to both he and Paul on more than one occasion.

Paul’s expression softened as he looked into Alex’s eyes and he smiled, “Yes, I suppose I will. I don’t plan on allowing you to nearly slip away again, Bennett.”

She was no longer surprised at the tears that would spring to her eyes when he would say such things, nor at the fact that he leaned over and kissed her gently, “Again,” She whispered with a little smile, “Good to know.”

“Shhh,” Monica scolded softly over her shoulder, “The commercials are over.”

Her angelic companion chuckled and shook his head as he reached for the remote, switching off the television, despite Monica’s look of annoyance, “Angel, I really think it’s time for the soaps to go. A coffee addiction for you is plenty.”

“But Andrew, I was just about to find out if Jade was going to continue taking guitar lessons from her roommate in the mental hospital while on a twenty-four hour suicide watch because her mother took away her computer! You can’t turn it off now!”

Catching Andrew’s pleading eye, and knowing that Monica, along with Alex were slowly going stir crazy, Paul spoke up quickly, “Actually, as Alex is feeling so much better, what do you say to going out to lunch for a change?”

“You’re really going to let me out of bed?” Alex looked slightly skeptical, but her hopefulness was shining in her eyes.

“Sure am. We’ll call it a trial run. What do you all say?”

Casting Paul a look of gratitude at seeing Monica’s pleased expression, soap opera now forgotten, he nodded his agreement, “I think that sounds like a great idea.”

As Andrew and Monica hurried off to get ready, Alex reached for Paul’s hand, “Thank you,” She said softly.

He grinned and cupped her cheek in his hand, “I know you’re bored to death in this bed and it will probably do you good to get out a bit and get some strength back…slowly,” He emphasized, “No pushing yourself, okay? If you get tired, just tell me.”

“I will. I promise,” She crossed her heart and then leaned over to kiss him, having a feeling that if God agreed, she would promise him her heart and life before it was all said and done. The thought alone made her smile.