CHAPTER 2

Andrew paced back and forth at the cabin, wondering where on earth his Monica could be. Tess had told him when she'd be spending one last night at her apartment before finishing her assignment the following day.

The Angel of Death had immediately headed to his angel's apartment and cheerfully gone to work to fix them a romantic dinner to share once she arrived as a way of celebrating the end of this particular case. Her assignment had been long; nearly two months, though thankfully it had not been a dangerous one and though he had managed to steal a few moments with her, walking her home at night, the times had been short and not often enough for his liking. Though Andrew would never question doing the work of the Father, his heart had still longed to hold close his sweet Angel Girl and to her hear her soothing Irish voice and her adorable giggle. He also missed her constant chatter and her observations about the world as well as their relationship which seemed to grow deeper with each passing day.

But now, hours later, their dinner had long gone cold and the angel was growing more worried by the minute as to what could be keeping Monica. With anyone else, Andrew would have just thought they had gotten sidetracked, but when it came to the little angel, it could very easily mean she had found some kind of trouble. She never went looking for it, but her tender heart never allowed her to pass by someone in need and sometimes that resulted in her being in a wrong place at a wrong time.

Looking up at the clock, he frowned. It was now long past midnight and his anxiety moved up a notch, "Angel, where on earth are you?"

Suddenly, feeling a presence in the room with him, Andrew spun around to come face to face with Tess once more and the expression on her face did little to comfort his worried heart.

"Angel Boy, we need to talk."

X

The night had dragged on for one little angel, who had pressed herself up against the wall in the furthest corner of the cell, as if wishing to make herself invisible. Monica had watched as her few cellmates had been released on bail as their families or loved ones had come for them. Of course, most of them had been here for minor offenses, whereas she was being held on a murder charge.

Just thinking about that caused tears to flood her dark eyes once more from both fear and confusion. Though Monica knew that God was always with her, now, she just kept wondering what she had done wrong to be in that alley at the moment she had been there. Certainly, God's plan hadn't included an angel being accused of murder!

Pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, the little angel sniffed back a fresh round of tears as she tried to stop feeling so sorry for herself. She knew that angels worked on a "need to know" basis and that God's plan would unravel in His time, but that knowledge of those things did little to comfort her frightened and lonely heart right now.

The cell was dark and it seemed to match the blackness she could feel in herself as the night stretched into the early hours of the morning. The tired angel longed for sleep that would not come as her human form was both exhausted and too afraid. Monica continued trying to talk to her Father, but though she could feel his love for her, there were no answers forthcoming.

Did Andrew know what had happened to her? Did Tess? If they knew then why were they leaving her here all alone? They must not know yet, she concluded, gazing into the darkness through brown eyes that were welling up with fresh tears, otherwise they would be here; they would be here to tell her it would all be okay and to tell her what it was she needed to do to get herself out of this mess. Instead, she had never felt so lonely and so lost.

The knot in the pit of her stomach felt as if it was growing as it welled up in her chest and pushed her tears forward and before she knew it, a tiny sob escaped her.

But just as the frightened sound escaped her, a soft glow filled the jail cell and through blurred vision, Monica could make out the one angel she loved above all others.

The expression on her face nearly undid him and Andrew wasted no more time in sitting down next to her and tugging the little angel into his arms as he heard her sobs break free. His heart ached at her grief, knowing it was as much from the situation as it was from the solitary darkness she had been in for the last few hours.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here." Andrew whispered against her hair as he held her tightly to him. She was trembling and her small hands clenched his shirt, even as she tried to force herself to calm down by taking deep breaths to stop the tears, "It's all right, Angel. I just found out from Tess what happened and I came here as soon as I could. I was waiting for you tonight and I was so worried when you didn't show up."

His voice was a soothing whisper that finally caused the tension to leave her body as she knew she was now enveloped in Andrew's safety, even though she didn't know for how long, "I'm so glad you're here," She murmured tearfully after a few minutes, "Andrew, it's been awful and I don't understand any of it."

"I know," He replied tenderly, his fingers running through her auburn mane, "I'm not so sure I understand myself yet," He knew those words were an understatement, for though Tess had explained what she knew about the assignment, none of it made much sense to him yet and he had no idea how to explain it to Monica who was already rattled by this drastic change of scene.

"Was I…was I in the wrong place, Andrew?" Her sorrowful brown eyes looked up at him miserably, "I went the same way home I've always gone, but this time, these men were there and one shot the other and then he put the gun into my hands," Her words were rushed, such was her desperation for someone to hear her and actually listen to her as no one had earlier, "Then Adam was there and he told me he was sorry but now….now I don't know what he meant by that. Did he mean he was sorry the man died or was he sorry that I was there?" Monica blinked as the painful memories came rushing back to her and another tear escaped her eye which Andrew tenderly wiped away, "Then the police got there and they wouldn't listen to me, Andrew! They…they think I…that I.…that I killed that man!"

Andrew's heart ached at her words and her tears and he knew how terrible it would feel to her for someone to think she could ever harm another, "I know, baby, and no, you weren't in the wrong place; not really. You were just in the same place that evil was and now, well, we have to let this play out and see what the Father has in mind," He laid his hand against her cheek and caressed it softly, "You know he can take even this and turn it into something wonderful."

He was trying to convince not only Monica, but himself with those words, as Andrew hated this situation already. Tomorrow, there would be an arraignment hearing, but with evidence mounting up against her, the older angel knew that she would not be set free to await trial, but instead be held without bail. How could he possibly tell her this when she was already so frightened?

Though Monica heard his words, she didn't know yet how to respond to them as she continued to cling to him desperately, "I hate this place, Andrew. It's so dark and so…hopeless. I know I didn't do anything wrong, but this place…it just gets to my soul and makes me feel…" Her exhausted mind searched for another word, but there simply wasn't one, "hopeless, Andrew…it just feels so hopeless…"

Something about her words scared him. The little angel had only been here a matter of hours, and already it felt like she was losing herself. He looked around the dark cell that contained no windows, no beds, only cold, hard concrete everywhere he looked; from the floors and walls to the few benches. She was exactly right. There was nothing here that could possibly offer even the tiniest glimmer of hope to anyone.

Kissing the top of her head lovingly, Andrew pulled away and took her tear streaked face into his hands, "What is hopeless, Angel, is how in love with you I am." He told her softly, wanting to do anything he could to soothe her and reassuring her about some things seemed to be the best way to do that. He would just have to let the morning take care of itself for now and maybe by then, they'd have some more answers, "And I know you're scared, but I'm right here with you and you know that God has a plan, Monica, even for something as terrible as this."

Monica's swollen eyes steadily met his, "I love you so much," She whispered tearfully, "just so much, Andrew. Please, could you just keep holding me?"

His heart breaking at her simple request, he brushed his lips tenderly with hers before pulling her back into his arms to cradle her against his chest, "Try to sleep, baby. There's a few more hours yet before morning and you need to get some rest. I won't leave you until the lights come back on, all right, and then only if I have to." He was already praying that he wouldn't have to.

"Thank you," She murmured, her eyes closing exhaustedly.

"You never have to thank me, Angel."

As he heard her even breathing, Andrew continued to simply watch her sleep in his arms, his own heart terribly worried over the pain in hers. This had to be so difficult for her, for any angel really, but especially for one with such a tender heart. Monica would never dream of hurting any of God's children and now she was being accused of killing one and her words about feeling hopeless chilled him to the bone. He hoped those words had just been spoken out of exhaustion after a highly emotional night, but even considering her current emotional state, the words were so out of character for her.

"How's she doing, baby?"

Andrew looked up as Tess appeared with them in the small cell and he gave a frustrated sigh, "I don't know, Tess. She's so upset and so confused and so am I. Have you been given any more information yet?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid, Andrew. I wish I did. It looks like we could all use some answers right about now." The older angel knelt down and ran a hand tenderly over Monica's head.

"She's so lost, Tess and her heart is just aching that she's even being accused of such a terrible act of violence. She said so little but at the same time, she said so much." Glancing down at Monica once more, he kissed the top of her head repeatedly, wanting to transmit his love for her any way he could right now.

"I have a bad feeling, baby, that this could get worse before it gets better," Tess stated with a sigh.

"So do I, but I didn't want to tell her that tonight as she was so distraught already," Andrew fell silent for a moment, weighing whether or not to tell Tess what else Monica had said, "Tess, she said this place made her feel hopeless. If she has to spend any more time here, I'm afraid of what that will do to her. Was tonight supposed to happen?"

"Tonight was about the free will of some other people, Angel Boy. Monica was right where she was supposed to be for what she was supposed to be doing, but human will got in the way and changed her course." She rose to her feet once more, "You take care of her and I'll be back as soon as I can. I've been asked to complete her assignment with Mrs. Lancaster, but that shouldn't take me too long."

As the older angel vanished, Andrew sighed heavily. If Tess was being asked to finish Monica's assignment, that could only mean one thing.

That Monica was not going to be available to finish it herself.

Feeling her stir slightly in his arms, Andrew brushed his lips against her forehead, "Sleep, my angel. You're safe right now," Resting his cheek against her hair, Andrew was unable to help but wonder just how long she would remain safe or even in his arms.