CHAPTER 11

To no one’s surprise, Faith was the first one finished, and she sat quietly while the other angels continued to eat. They all wanted to ask her a dozen questions, but she was still getting to know them, and her trust was still a very fragile thing. None of them wanted to say the wrong thing and spook her back into complete silence.

Tess was the last person to lay down her fork and she watched with some amazement as Faith pushed back her chair and carefully started taking all of the plates from the table. Monica’s eyes grew larger and she was on her feet in an instant and taking them from the girl’s tiny hands.

"Faith, you don’t have to do anything like this. We’re going to take care of you, and you just have to relax and let us, okay?"

Green eyes peered up at her with a mixture of suspicion and confusion. Monica cast a frantic glance at Andrew, hoping that he would back her up.

"Monica’s right," he agreed. "Why don’t you and Tess go into the living room and finish that book you were reading? Monica and I can clean up in here."

Faith seemed reluctant to leave, but Tess stood up and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder to guide her from the room. "It’s all right; they’ll come join us as soon as they’re finished."

Monica watched the two of them leave, hardly noticing as Andrew took the rest of the plates and set them in the sink. "What are we supposed to do for her?" she said in a hushed voice.

The little angel only realized she’d spoken aloud when Andrew answered, "God will tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it."

She gave a little sigh and walked to the sink to drop off her little stack of plates. Andrew had already taken over the washing task and so she picked up a towel and waited for him to give her something to dry.

"She’s so little," Monica commented. "How old do you think she is?"

Andrew tried not to let mixed feelings color his voice. He had seen more abuse in his existence than he wanted to think about. Faith was the latest in a list he hated to see grow. The children were often small for their age but he had become adept at guessing.

"I think she’s about eight or nine."

"I can’t imagine how she’s been living out here all this time… and with her father chasing after her…" Monica shivered and Andrew looked over at her sympathetically.

"She’s with us now, Angel, and we’re not going to let anything else happen to her."

*****

When Andrew and Monica walked into the living room they stopped at the sight of Faith curled up on Tess’ lap, listening with rapt attention as the angel read from a book of children’s fairytales.

"I like this book," Faith said as she lifted her head and saw the younger angels.

Andrew smiled. "It’s a very good one, and we can read from it every day if you like."

When she nodded Andrew smiled even more. He had a feeling that for however long Faith was with them, it would do them all a world of good. Following Monica over to the sofa he sat down and tilted his head in Tess’ direction as if telling her to please continue reading. She shook her head lightly and gave a little laugh, but turned the page and went on telling the story of Beauty and the Beast.

By the time she had turned the last page, Faith’s eyelids were once again beginning to droop, and Andrew moved to kneel in front of the pair.

"I think it’s time someone went up to bed," he said gently.

Faith almost looked about ready to protest but then she pursed her lips and gave a little sigh before climbing off Tess’ lap. Her feet had barely touched the floor before Andrew scooped her up again and swung her up onto his shoulders, to her evident delight. Monica and Tess watched happily as Andrew carried her up the stairs, and then they followed right behind.

Andrew deposited her on Monica’s bed and ruffled her hair lightly. "I think Monica had better get you ready for bed and then I’ll come back to say goodnight."

As Andrew left the room, Monica started rummaging through her drawers, grinning when she found a small white nightgown that nearly matched her own. "Here you are, Faith. It looks like this is just your size."

"Where did it come from?" Faith asked, and it was the first question the girl had asked since arriving at the cottage. Monica smiled. She was finally beginning to get comfortable enough to speak without being spoken to.

"It came from our Father," Monica said, thinking that explaining about the fact that they were angels and were provided for by God might be a wee bit too much for a before bedtime story. She quickly realized that perhaps the complete truth would have been the better choice, as Faith shrank back from the offered garment, her eyes fearful once again.

"Father?" she whispered, and Monica immediately took hold of both her hands and looked straight into her eyes.

"Our Father, Faith… not yours… Believe me, He is the most wonderful Father you could ever hope for."

Faith looked doubtful, but she picked up the nightgown and rubbed the soft ribbon around the neckline. "It’s pretty."

Monica breathed a sigh of relief. "Then it belongs on you," she said with a grin.

By the time Faith was changed and tucked into the bed she seemed to have relaxed again, and Monica was grateful. "I’ll go get Tess and Andrew and tell them they can come wish you goodnight," she said.

"Wait!" Faith called out.

"What is it little one?"

"You’re going to stay with me, aren’t you?"

The pleadingly hopeful tone in Faith’s voice warmed Monica’s heart at the same time that it broke it. "If that’s what you want, of course I will."

Faith nodded her head emphatically and Monica smiled, "Just let me get Andrew and Tess. I’ll only be a moment."

She didn’t have to look far as when she opened the bedroom door, she saw her two friends standing in the hallway and she briefly stepped outside the room, "She wants me to stay with her, so I’ll be down as soon as she falls asleep."

"You take your time, baby," Tess replied softly as she and Andrew moved into the room to bid the little girl sweet dreams.

*****

Monica heard Faith’s even breathing only twenty minutes after she had turned out the light and the little angel moved slowly and carefully to get out of bed without the disturbing the child.

She thought she was doing a relatively good job until Faith’s frightened eyes opened and met with hers.

"Please don’t go," She whispered pleadingly, her little voice trembling slightly.

Moving closer once more, Monica touched her cheek lightly, "You’re safe here, sweetheart. There is nothing here that can hurt you."

"But it’s dark. Bad things always happen when it’s dark."

The little angel blinked back tears, wondering what it was that had hurt Faith in the night and her own fear of the darkness making her feel inadequate to dispel her fears, "Nothing bad is going to happen to you, Faith. Not here."

"Please stay?" The girl’s eyes were pleading and Monica knew she was unable to resist. Discussing Faith’s situation would simply have to wait.

Monica settled back down in bed and opened her arms to the little girl who immediately snuggled close to her, "Better, little one?"

Faith nodded her head as she closed her tired eyes, "Will you sing me something?"

The angel was nearly rendered speechless by the request, "Faith, I don’t sing all that well…"

But the child’s eyes pleaded with her once more and Monica summoned all her courage and tried to relax. She remembered a lullaby she had heard once on an assignment and she found that the words came to her easily.

"Sleep my child and peace attend thee, all through the night. Guardian angels God will send thee, all through the night. Soft, the drowsy hours are creeping. Hale and vale in slumber sleeping, I my loving vigil keeping, all through the night. While the moon her watch is keeping, all through the night. While the weary world is sleeping, all through the night. O’er thy spirit gently stealing, visions of delight revealing, breathes a pure and holy feeling, all through the night."

Surprisingly, Faith’s eyelids had grown heavy, which Monica credited to Divine Intervention and not to her singing abilities, or lack thereof, but just as she thought the little girl was asleep, she murmured softly, "You sing like an angel…"

As Faith dropped off to sleep, the angel, completely touched, laid a gentle kiss on her head, "Thank you, Faith. Thank you."

At eleven o’ clock, Andrew and Tess had given up on Monica returning. Tess had already gone up to bed and Andrew ran a check of the house, reminiscent of his days working with Paul. Faith was in their keeping and he was not about to allow her father to sneak up on them in the middle of the night.

He climbed the stairs slowly, wanting to check on Faith and Monica to make sure the child wasn’t unable to sleep and that was what had kept his friend upstairs. He opened the door slowly and quietly and smiled tenderly at the sight.

Faith was snuggled in the little angel’s arms, both of them fast asleep and looking content. Monica had fallen asleep without even changing her clothes, lying on top of the comforter and the older angel grabbed a quilt from the chair and gently laid it overtop his dearest friend. He ran a light hand over Faith’s head, before bending down to kiss Monica’s cheek, but as he started for the door, he stopped himself.

Faith had been having a bad dream that afternoon when they had come to check on her and Monica had been having them the last two nights. Though they both looked peaceful, he suddenly couldn’t bear the thought of either of them having another one and him not being here to chase them away. Quietly, he pulled the chair over to Monica’s side of the bed and sat down, content to doze while he kept watch, knowing all the while that the Father was watching over them too.

*****

Monica opened her eyes just after dawn to find a pair of green eyes starring at her tenderly, "Andrew…" She smiled sleepily up at him, "You haven’t stayed with me all night since…"

"I know, but I wanted you both to sleep nightmare free, so staying close was the only option," He grinned at her, enjoying her sleepy-eyed smile.

She sat up slowly, careful to not disturb Faith who was burrowed under the covers still fast asleep. "I could stand a shower and a change of clothes," she remarked in a whisper, looking down at the rumpled shirt she’d had on since her venture into the woods the night before.

"I’ll start coffee, angel. You take your time. I think this little one is going to sleep awhile longer," He rose to his feet and stretched before touching Monica’s cheek and heading out of the room and down the stairs.

When she emerged into the kitchen a half hour later, Andrew handed her a mug of coffee, which she accepted gratefully, smiling her thanks over her first sip, "You must be exhausted."

"Not really. You both slept pretty well, so I was able to catch some rest myself," He elected not to remind her of the one nightmare that had begun to emerge from her before he had calmed her with a touch of his hand. He sat down and waited until she had done the same to continue, "Tess wants us to go into town and see what we can find out about Faith and her father."

He didn’t miss the way she tensed up immediately or the look of dread that appeared in her brown eyes, "Why? She’s here now and safe. I don’t see why we have to go and find out anymore about him. I know enough."

"She’s been abused, angel, that much is abundantly clear, but we still have to consider the fact that he is her father and try to find out what we can," He kept his tone gentle, seeing how opposed she was to the idea.

"I don’t want him knowing she is here…"

"We won’t tell anyone," He assured her.

"But that’s like lying."

"It’s being careful. We don’t want her hurt again."

"I don’t want to run into him again, Andrew. He scares me."

He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, "I’ll be with you the whole time. No wandering off this time, from either of us," He winked at her, relieved when she managed a small smile.

They both looked up as a small cry carried to them from upstairs. Monica was the first to move, and she was out the door and up the stairs before Andrew could even blink. He was only a few steps behind her and he could here her talking under her breath as she ran.

"I never should have left that wee child alone!"

Neither of them seemed to realize that the cries had stopped by the time they reached the top of the stairs. They burst into Monica’s room and looked around expecting to find a hysterical child, but what they found instead was a comforting angel with both arms around the young girl.

"I had a bad dream," Faith said, her eyes wide and still a bit frightened. "I thought I was outside again and it was cold on the ground and I hurt all over," she continued, her little voice trembling.

"But you’re safe now, Faith," Tess reassured her, "and Monica and Andrew are here too."

"Yes, I’m very sorry I left," Monica said sincerely, pained that she had brought Faith any grief at all.

Faith nodded, her face relaxing into understanding. "It’s okay. You didn’t know what I would dream."

Monica smiled at the easy way forgiveness flowed for the tiny mouth. "No, I didn’t but next time I’ll wake you up before I leave."

With the immediate crisis over, Tess moved back into her usual take-charge persona. "On that note, I think it’s time we all headed downstairs and had some breakfast, and afterwards I think that Faith and I are going to spend some time making more cookies. Someone," she looked at Andrew with narrowed eyes, "snuck downstairs in the middle of the night and ate half of what we made yesterday."

The sheepish ‘who me?’ look on Andrew’s face caused Faith to burst into a round of giggles and all three angels held their breaths. It was a sound they hadn’t even considered hearing and it rang through the air like a sparrow song. Faith didn’t even notice the effect she had on them, she just climbed off the bed and latched onto Monica’s hand, pulling the angel along as she marched down to the kitchen.

Despite Tess’ promise of cookies, Faith was clearly dismayed when Andrew and Monica announced that they were leaving. She grabbed onto both of them and they were introduced to the amazing strength of a determined child. They hated to see her upset, but at the same time they were almost glad to see that she was beginning to feel even more comfortable speaking up about what she wanted.

"I promise we won’t be gone long," Andrew said as he knelt down to meet her at eye level.

She stuck out her lower lip in a pout that was frighteningly and humorously reminiscent of Monica’s. "But I don’t want you to go at all."

"I know, sweetheart, but we have to go. It’s part of our job."

"Stupid job," she muttered quietly.

"Faith," Monica spoke as she stepped closer and bent down. "We’ll be back before you know it, and I promise I’ll bring you something… a present."

Faith’s expression turned to one of surprise and anticipation, but then it was as if a curtain was drawn and her eyes turned sad and serious once more. "You don’t have to do that," she said. "Just please come back."

Monica reached out and pulled the girl into a fierce hug as Andrew stood up and watched. "We’ll be back, Faith, and I’ll keep my promise too."