CHAPTER 2

Sunday 8:50pm

The sound of running water echoed off the walls of the small, poorly lit restroom.  Clear water, swirling around the sink was tinged bright red and then cloudy pink as it circled the drain and flowed away.  He hated killing with a knife unless he was sending a message.  It was so messy.  Unfortunately this time it had been necessary.  The old man had been looking at him strangely, and had moved towards the phone.  Really, what other choice had he had?

He washed his hands a second time, careful to work the soap under his nails.  The smell of blood had stopped bothering him, but the sight of it threatened to raise suspicions in others.  The faucet was stiff and it squeaked as he shut it off, and then the old worn-out pipes thudded, deep in the walls.  Looking in the mirror assuring himself that the face looking back was nothing like the one that had greeted him each morning in prison.  A shave and a dye job had worked wonders.  Yeah, it was a shame that the old man had just been a little too curious.  Dragging him into the woods had cost him precious time, and Washington D.C. was still three hours away.

*****

”I’m so glad that her brothers and sister remember her,” Monica remarked happily as she watched Lucy interact with her feline siblings. The angels and their human friend were all seated in the living room where they had gathered after the dinner dishes had been washed and put away. The evening had been a pleasant one as Andrew, Paul and Tess had fixed a lovely meal, the agent continually ribbing Monica about only being permitted to fix the salad. She had wasted no time in reminding him that he had liked her coffee pizza from the one meal she had made for him and Andrew had braced himself for Paul to be truthful about the mocha pizza. But if the agent hadn’t really liked it, the little angel was not going to know about it and he even went so far as to suggest that she make it for lunch the following day. The blond angel had chuckled quietly over the pleased look on his best friend’s face as she had nodded her head enthusiastically. Yes, Paul was one assignment he didn’t have to worry about ever hurting her.

“They certainly keep me on my toes,” Paul grinned, shaking his head as Sam jumped up into his lap and began to purr, “I think I rather enjoy cat sitting,” He and Monica exchanged a conspiratorial smile over the fact that he would never claim the cats as his own.

“Looks like the snow is starting,” Andrew remarked as he gazed out the window and saw the fine, white flakes beginning to fall.

Monica looked out the window as well from her place on the couch, “Each flake is as different as each of God’s children,” She remarked, her face reflecting the happiness she was currently feeling.

“Well, in light of the cold, wet stuff, I am heading to bed,” Tess remarked as she rose to her feet. She had to hold back a chuckle as she looked over at the threesome on the couch, deciding not to remark on the little angelic princess being bookended with her two knights.

“How long can you all stay, Tess?” Paul asked softly. He had been putting off the question all evening, not wanting to consider that they would be leaving at all.

“Through tomorrow, baby. By evening, one little angel will be flying solo and Andrew and I will be moving on to some other assignments as well.”

The news came as a bit of a shock as Monica and Andrew both looked up at her in surprise and the Irish angel was the first to speak, “Solo?”

“Yes, baby. The Father and I both think you are ready,” She approached the angel and laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “and in your heart, I think you know it too.”

Andrew looked ready to protest, but he stopped himself before saying anything. He knew Tess was right; Monica was ready. Maybe it was him who wasn’t.

“Yes,” Monica remarked, though a trace of sadness lingered in her dark eyes as she glanced over at Andrew. She had gotten very accustomed to his gentle presence at her side and she wasn’t looking forward to not having that.

“We’ll talk about it more tomorrow,” Tess assured her as she headed out of the room, “Good night and don’t you three stay up too late.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Paul remarked with a grin as Tess shot him an amused glance over her shoulder. Once the older angel had departed, he turned his attention to Monica, “Are you all right with all of this?” He knew the answer didn’t really matter. Even if she wasn’t, there was little he could do about it and he had to remind himself that they were angels once again.

“Yes and no,” She remarked softly, looking over at Andrew once more, “You won’t be with me.” She knew this meant saying good-bye to not only Paul, but to him too, at least for now.

Andrew reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, “I’m always with you, angel, and more importantly, God is always with you, so you have nothing to fear. He’ll never give you more than you can handle,” He hoped he sounded convincing and was reassured when she nodded her head.

“I’m just going to miss you is all,” She murmured sadly, choosing not to say that by that time, she would be missing both of her protectors.

Andrew smiled as he wrapped her up in his arms, “Not for long though, Monica. Before you know it, you’ll be back telling me how perfect everything turned out.”

Paul was still looking slightly disturbed. He had found peace in knowing she had Andrew with her the last year, though he really hadn’t known it for certain. But now he would know for certain that she was on her own and the thought did little to comfort him. His trust in God had grown in the last year, but trusting him with one little angel he was exceptionally fond of was another matter altogether. Yes, God had taken care of her through McArthur and David, but she had worn battle scars from those experiences and he was in hurry to have those repeated. But he was also not about to tell her of his concerns, “Andrew is right, honey. You’ll be back with him safe and sound before you know it.”

Andrew pulled away enough to kiss her forehead before he smiled at her, “I’m going to head to bed myself and leave you two to catch up a bit more. I’ll see you both in the morning.”

Though Monica had a feeling he was more upset about the upcoming assignments then he was letting on, she let it go, knowing she could always talk to him tomorrow, or late tonight as the case might be, “Good night, Andrew.”

“Night, buddy,” Paul called out to him. As the angel departed, he turned his attention to the one remaining, “Now, how about you tell me about this last case of yours?” She looked surprised and he smiled, “There was mention made of it at dinner and I could tell it was something you still felt a little unhappy about. So, c’mon, fess up.”

“I think you see too much,” She teased lightly, though secretly, she was so pleased to be with him again, if only for a little while. Sitting here with Paul made her realize just how much she had missed him the last fourteen months and it was all she could do to keep from throwing her arms around him another hug.

He seemed to read her thoughts as he moved a little closer and wrapped his arm around her small shoulders, “I sure have missed you,” He remarked, watching as she nodded her head tearfully, not trusting herself to speak, “Now, tell me about this little girl.”

He listened with interest as Monica told him all about Faith, and her father and the sheriff. It was an amazing story and he could only imagine her pain when she had found the child’s remains and when she told him about it, he pulled her just a little bit closer. Her voice trembled slightly when she related how they had all found out the truth and he could hear the joy coming through in her words as she concluded with Faith’s journey Home.

“Incredible,” He remarked once she was finished, “It sounds like you were exactly what Faith needed, but yet, I never doubted that to begin with.”

Monica smiled up at him, “She was never supposed to be my assignment. She belonged to Tess, I just had trouble staying out of it,” She had purposefully left out the fact that Andrew had punched Gregory Tate in the midst of the assignment as she didn’t want Paul to know that at times her dearest friend still struggled with his anger. No, that was one thing that was best left in the past, “So, now it is your turn.”

He raised his eyebrows in amusement, “My turn?”

“Yes. Something has been troubling you as I know you well too. I saw the way you would stare off into space at times earlier tonight, so now it is your turn to ‘fess up’.”

He found her perception endearing, but was not about to burden her with the news he had gotten earlier and he wasn’t ready to share anything about Alex just yet. Those emotions were still far too new and he was still trying to sort them out, “It’s nothing I want to talk about, Monica,” He began but saw a tinge of hurt flash in her eyes, “Honey, it isn’t anything I need or want you to worry about, okay? They are things I am still trying to deal with and until I am able to do that, I can’t share them with anyone. When that time comes, if you are around, you will be the first I come to. I promise.” He felt more confident insinuating that she would be around again as he had never expected to see her again, but yet, here she was, looking up at him through big, worried brown eyes.

“If you’re sure…” Her voice held uncertainty and he placed a finger to her lips to silence her.

“I am and as for you, young lady, I think it is time for bed, for both of us actually as it is nearly two o’clock in the morning,” Paul kept his voice light as he stood up and pulled her to her feet, “Your old room awaits.”

A smile formed on her lips as she stood up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, “Good night, Paul.”

He touched her cheek lightly, still in awe of the fact that God’s very special angel was here with him once again.

*****

“Monica?  Angel Girl?”

“Wha… What is it?”  Monica rolled over, still half asleep and squinted at Andrew through eyes that were barely open.  Even so, she was able to see the serious look on his face and she quickly pushed herself into a sitting position and rubbed at her eyes.  “What’s wrong?  What happened?”

He forced a weak smile for her sake and rested a hand on her leg.  “I’ve been called away.  I have to leave right now.”

“Now?  But it’s the middle of the night,” Monica protested, knowing that it was pointless to do so.

“I know, but I’m needed.”

The tone in his voice told her that this was not going to be an easy trip for him.  “I know,” she said.  “I was hoping we’d have a little bit more time, but you have a job to do, and I know first hand how important that is.”

“Take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will.  Don’t worry about me.”

“I’ll try not to, but no guarantees.  Remember, if you need me… I’ll hear you, and even if I can’t be with you in person, I’ll be right there in your heart.”

“You make sure you remember that goes both ways,” she said with a little smile.

He leaned forward and pulled her into a hug.  “I’ll remember.”

When they parted she was blinking to keep the tears in check and he had to clear his throat.  He was surprised at how difficult leaving her was.  He knew that God was watching over her, but that didn’t seem to make a difference in how he felt.

“It’s still early, Monica.  Go back to sleep,” he said as backed away from the bed.

She relaxed against the pillows, but kept her eyes focused on his until suddenly he wasn’t there anymore and she was left staring at the door.  A sigh rose from her chest and she blinked slowly, holding onto the image of him in her mind.  She was sad at their parting, but she knew that it wouldn’t be for long.  God was whispering in her ear, and his words of strength and hope lulled her back to sleep.

*****

Monday 9:00am

“Andrew left already?”  As usual, Paul didn’t hide his feelings and the disbelief came through loud and clear in his voice.

“Yes, baby, he was called away in the night,” Tess answered when Monica continued to concentrate on her cup of coffee.

Paul shook his head.  “Man, I was thinking we’d have a little more time.  I guess the Big Guy had other plans.”

The way Paul referred to God always made Monica smile and even with the turmoil she was feeling, this time was no different.  “Maybe after all our assignments are done, we’ll be meeting back up again here,” she offered.

“Well, I hope so, or you’ll have one mighty unhappy cat.  I think she’s enjoying the companionship, but I hear that once you’ve seen Heaven, nothing else really compares,” he joked.

“You’re sure it won’t be a problem leaving her here?”

“Monica, don’t give it a second thought.  Tim and Gary take great care of the others when I’m not around… the more the merrier.”

“I’m glad… it will give us the perfect excuse to come back,” the Irish angel said with a grin.

“For some reason I don’t think you’d need much of an excuse, Miss Wings,” Tess commented as she buttered a piece of toast.

Tess was right.  Monica was smiling and trying to stay light-hearted, but the truth was that Andrew’s abrupt departure had made her a little uneasy.  It meant that her own solo assignment was that much closer to starting.  Concentrating on the fact that eventually she would be coming back to the farm was much easier than thinking about what her awaited her.  She just hoped that it would go as smoothly as all of her recent assignments with Tess and Andrew.

Paul noticed how hard the little angel was trying and he looked outside at the freshly fallen snow, “How about a ride after breakfast, honey?” He offered, knowing she would immediately know that he was trying to cheer her up and take her mind off her problems, but he didn’t care if she knew. He cared about her; in his own way, loved her, and he would do anything to see her smile.

“I would love that, Paul,” She replied with a grin, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a ride with Scout, or with you either.”

Tess smiled at the exchange, knowing that her Angel Girl had found a friend for life in Paul. Though the agent was at times brash, she knew he had a heart of gold and a heart that held a soft spot for one little angel, “I’ll clean up, so you two can go ahead.”

“Sure you don’t want to come along, Tess?” Paul extended the offer, though he was fairly certain that Tess was not the horseback riding type of angel.

“I’m sure, baby. You two go on ahead and enjoy yourselves. You’ll have to leave for your assignment right before dinner, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the day.”

“You have a coat?” Paul asked as he rose to his feet and watched as Monica nodded her head, before she bolted down the hallway, eager to spend each moment she could with her human friend until she would have to be separated from him as well.

*****

Andrew let out a deep breath as he returned from taking Cliff Miller Home. The truck driver had been happy to see the Father, but the angel was still feeling more than unsettled, especially since this had been his second assignment since leaving Monica early this morning. Walter Evans had been murdered; stabbed to death and his body left in the woods and Andrew would not soon forget the sight. It seemed that no matter how many violent deaths he was witness to, he would never get over the intense sadness he felt at lives that were taken too soon.

Cliff Miller had been killed much in the same manner, just outside the Washington DC city limits in the early hours of the dawn and the angel was certain that the same killer had murdered him as Walter. The man had been dead in the cab of his truck and the police had already started to arrive now that Andrew had returned. He shook his head sadly, as he stood nearby, waiting to see if they found any clues to the killer, but he saw detectives shaking their heads in frustration.

Knowing that they couldn’t see him, he moved in closer to hear bits of the conversation and were he not feeling so heavy hearted about the two men he had taken Home, he would have smiled at the fact that his days working with Paul were still something he carried with him.

“It looks like his work, though we can’t be certain. Devin Jackson was hard enough to catch the first time as he always covers up his trail,” One detective remarked with a shake of his head.

“One would think he would want to keep a low profile, at least temporarily,” His comrade stated in disgust.

Andrew felt his heart grow heavier. If what they were saying were true, he could stand to be kept busy for quite some time.

*****

Paul glanced over at Monica in concern. They had been riding for the last twenty minutes and she had been uncharacteristically silent and even with the hood of her white coat around her head, he could still make out the worry lines that were now on her face, “What is it, little angel?” He asked as she looked over at him, “Are you worrying about Andrew?”

“He’s having a hard time,” She remarked softly, her answer surprising him.

“How do you know? I mean, does God give you some sort of memo or something?”

She managed a tiny smile, “No. But He did give Andrew and me a gift. I can sometimes know what is in his heart, the same way he so often knows what is in mine. He’s being faced with some difficult assignments…”

Her voice trailed off and he had the distinct feeling that she was longing to be there for him, “It’s strange to see you two apart.”

“It feels just as strange to be apart,” Monica admitted, her breath making small clouds of white smoke in front of her face, “I think ever since McArthur, he has only had one assignment that took him away and it was only for a day. Since then, I’ve been blessed to have him with me.”

“Are you nervous about your own assignment?” He watched her carefully for any signs that her words might not match the look in her dark eyes.

“A little.”

“Do you know anything about where you’ll be or what you’ll be doing?”

“No.”

He sighed. It was suddenly every bit as hard for him to set her off on her own as it was for Andrew. He now knew that that the other angel had been at her side continuously the last year and it did little to calm his concern that suddenly she was going to be without either one of them, “You’ll be fine,” He heard himself saying, deciding that confidence was what she needed at the moment.

Monica nodded her head as she fell silent for another moment as she and Paul allowed the horses to walk side by side in the snow, “I know that having Andrew near is not a prerequisite, I suppose it just makes me feel better knowing that he is. The same way I always liked knowing you were nearby as well.”

“I’ve learned something the last year, honey. God always gives me exactly what I need,” He smiled, sometimes still amazed to hear such things coming from his mouth, but it was the truth. Facing the fact that a long time friend had been responsible for the death of his fiancée was something he was glad he hadn’t had to face alone.

Despite the sadness that was in her heart at the moment for Andrew, she could not hide her delight at his words, “Yes, just as God knew how much I needed to see you.”

Her words touched him deeply, “I guess He answered both our prayers then,” He replied as they exchanged a smile, “You look cold. How about we head back? I’ll build a fire and we’ll have a laid back afternoon before we both get ready to head back to work?”

The angel nodded her head in agreement, “That sounds perfect, Paul, just perfect.”

As they turned their steeds around and headed back in the direction of the farm, Monica found herself offering up all the love in her heart to her dearest friend, hoping that he could feel it when he needed it most.