CHAPTER 4

The snack from earlier was starting to wear off by the time the two reporters and one angel had finished writing the front page story for the morning edition of the paper. It was quickly approaching midnight when the threesome leaned back in their chairs, finally satisfied with their work.

"Let me run this over so it hits the morning paper," Phil offered as he grabbed the pages off the printer, electing to hand deliver it due to the late hour, "Then I'll see that you both get home."

As Phil left the office, Monica leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes wearily, "So much for an easy first day."

Annie laughed at her new friend's crooked grin as she took another sip of her coffee, "Sorry 'bout that, Monica. This story has the potential to be the big one for us, so we've been giving it all we have."

"The big one?"

"We're just a small town newspaper, but this story has been making national headlines. The perp has now gotten three victims and if we can crack this case wide open and be the first paper and the first reporters to get the story, we could very well be offered writing positions with much bigger papers."

"Ah, I see," Monica met her gaze with Annie's steadily, "But what if the two of you get offers from different papers?"

"Then we'll deal with that when the time comes. I'm not too worried…I think Phil is the real deal, know what I mean? The 'One'?"

"You both seem to love each other very much." The little angel remarked, her own heart giving a tiny pang for the one she loved so much.

"We do and I think it is going to take a lot more than working for different papers to keep us apart." Annie studied her co-worker closely for a moment, "And what about you, Miss Monica? I saw that look in your eyes just now and it tells me that you have your own little love story going on!"

Monica blushed, completely caught off guard by the question, "You could say that," She replied after a moment once she had regained her composure, "I haven't seen him much lately though."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"N-no, not exactly." She felt terribly uncomfortable by the sudden attention being shed on her relationship with Andrew. She was confused enough herself in many ways and was not at all sure of how to explain any of it to Annie…or even if she wanted to, "We've just been spending a little time apart…to work a few things out is all."

Annie's green eyes filled with sympathy, as she laid a hand on Monica's arm, "I'm so sorry. I know how hard it is when things don't work out."

"No, it isn't that at all!" She struggled to reign in her emotions. She was too tired to be defending her relationship with the gentle Angel of Death to someone who barely knew her. She knew that Annie only had the best of intentions, but Monica knew that tonight was not the time to discuss any of it.

Fortunately, Annie seemed to pick up on her discomfort, "Hey, Monica, I'm sorry. It's really late and it isn't any of my business. I guess it's just the reporter in me that has to ask questions."

"Annie, it's all right. It is late, and I'm feeling tired and a wee bit sensitive, I suppose."

"Yeah, I'm tired too. Do you need a ride home?"

Monica hesitated before speaking as she felt the words come to her, "No, but I was staying with a friend and she lives a good ways from here and it's very late. I was actually planning on trying to find a place to stay closer to work."

Annie's eyes widened, "You're kidding right? Because if you aren't, I have had an ad in the paper for a roommate and haven't had any desirable people show up yet. The last one I interviewed wanted to move in right away, along with her six cats and four dogs!"

The angel laughed, "Yes, I am quite serious! How soon can I move in?"

"Tonight suit you okay? The room is furnished, so if you can just get your stuff…"

"There's a suitcase in my car." She smiled confidently, knowing that the red caddy would be waiting for her out in the parking lot.

"You girls ready to go?" Phil asked as he returned and wrapped an arm around Annie's shoulders.

"Phil, meet my new roomie," Annie grinned happily, "Monica is moving in tonight!"

He chuckled, "This morning, rather. It is after midnight," His expression turned more serious as he looked at the two females, "I'll follow you both home if that's okay. I just…I want to make sure you get in safely."

Annie's eyes sparkled with love for him, knowing that tonight and another victim had him feeling especially protective of her, "I think that would be wonderful."

X

Sometime later, Monica lay wide awake in her new bed, dark eyes staring out the window as she blinked back tears. While Phil's protectiveness of Annie had been sweet, it had only caused the little angel to feel even more lost and alone. She missed her own eternal protector and everything about Annie and Phil's relationship only made her miss Andrew more.

Part of her wished she had never said a word to him about being hurt after what had happened at the lodge, even if in her heart she knew that silence would not have been the answer. She just wanted things back to the way they were before any of this had happened.

And now Annie thought that her relationship was in trouble and it had Monica wondering if maybe that were true. Had this whole thing placed the amazing gift they had been given in jeopardy? The truth was now out there between she and Andrew and she knew in her heart that if he felt unable to control his protective instincts for her, he would remain distant and the thought was nearly more than she could bear.

He hadn't kissed her today.

That thought, more than any other, made her wonder if her fears were justified. Yes, he had kissed her head and had shown her affection very similar to what he had shown her when they had been merely friends and nothing more, but the sweet feeling of his lips on hers had been denied…and it hurt. It hurt horribly. It made her feel frightened and vulnerable and she was suddenly questioning everything. What if things were never the same between them?

The little angel bit her lip and felt tears slip from her eyes and drift down to her pillow. Though she'd spent time wondering just how much further their relationship would be permitted to go, she didn't want to think about going backwards. How could she go back to simply being Andrew's friend now that she knew she loved him with her whole heart, in a way that only humans were usually able to experience? Maybe she was just being silly. Hadn't he told her today how important she was to him?

But he hadn't kissed her.

That was the cold, hard truth.