CHAPTER 1

The hardest decision

Early the following morning, the two angels walked hand in hand through the meadows of heaven and despite the certainty they had both felt last night, now the aura of nervousness that surrounded the heavenly beings was palpable. This love that the two of them shared was something that had never before happened among angels and both Monica and Andrew were very much aware of that fact. Though they knew Monica's supervisor to be both understanding and loving, there was still apprehension in their hearts over Tess' reaction to their honesty.

As they neared the clearing, the Irish angel suddenly stopped walking, causing Andrew to stop and turn to face her with deep concern penetrating from his green eyes.

"Angel?"

"Maybe...maybe we shouldn't tell her, Andrew. Maybe this is best kept between us," Her frightened doe-like eyes peered up into his face.

"Baby, it's going to be all right," He began, his voice soothing as he rested a hand against her cheek.

"What if it's not?" Monica's voice was beseeching, as she worried her lower lip, an action Andrew knew came with her distress, "What if she tells us it is forbidden? I couldn't bear it, Andrew! I already love you; I know how I feel, so how can she forbid me to do so?"

"Monica," His voice was firm yet so tender that it silenced her deep concern as she looked deeply into his eyes, silently begging him to reassure her that they were doing the right thing, "You're exactly right; if what we feel for each other were forbidden, then how could we be feeling it in the first place?" Still seeing the turmoil in her dark eyes, Andrew cupped her face in his hands, watching how she closed her eyes briefly at his touch and then drew in a deep breath as if to center herself once more. He waited patiently, taking in every lovely feature of her face until she opened her eyes again. Only then did he continue.

"My angel, regardless of how Tess reacts, it doesn't change anything. Her reaction will be her reaction; it will have to do with Tess and not with you and I. But for the record, Tess has always been understanding and I don't think this time will be any different, and even if it is, it doesn't change how much I love you. If we're told its wrong, how can it possibly be true if we are both feeling it? No matter what she says, baby, I promise you, it is all going to be fine."

Her teary eyes searched his as she nodded her head, "I love you, Andrew."

"Oh my sweet angel," the words were but a breath as the angel of death brought his face closer to hers and when their lips met in a tender kiss, he could feel the tension draining away from the small body he held in his arms.

That was until the moment was interrupted.

"What in the name of all that is good in heaven is going on here!"

The sound of Tess' less than pleased tone startled Monica badly enough that she nearly fell in her haste to disentangle herself from Andrew's arms. Only his hand at the small of her back kept her on her feet, though the color had drained from her face.

"Hello, Tess." Andrew's voice was unwavering as he caught up the Irish angel's hand in his own, not missing the way it trembled.

"I believe I asked a question!" The supervisor huffed, her own eyes hardened at what she had just witnessed even as she wondered what on earth to do about it, "And you can begin by telling me that I didn't just see what I thought I did."

"Funny enough, we were just on our way to find you," The angel of death continued casually. Andrew had decided that the best way to handle this situation was to remain calm and unaffected by anything the older angel said.

"Well, funny enough, I found you first and not at all in the way I expected to!" Tess' patience was obviously running out and her exasperated gaze then fixed on the younger of the two angels, "Miss Wings, I expect an answer to my question!"

Feeling Andrew squeezing her hand, Monica somehow found the strength to speak, "T-Tess, Andrew and I...we were coming to tell you. We didn't plan this...it just happened. These feelings we have for each other...we love each other, Tess...we're IN love with each other."

If it were at all possible, the older angel's eyes seemed to spark flames in Monica's direction, "IN love with each other? Monica, may I assure you that you most certainly are NOT in love with each other because that kind of love was not created for angels."

"But yet it's happening, Tess," Monica began but she was immediately caught off guard and not by the gentle understanding she had hoped to find in her supervisor.

"That's because you both have turned your backs on the Father! He did not create angels to love each other so that fact tells me that the reason this has happened, that the reason you think this has happened, is because you have always been too much of a dreamer, Monica! You always have to find a way to romanticize even the worst of any situations, so you did the same thing here! You took a friendship and dreamed of how it could become more; dreamed of how you could experience the kinds of things you see human beings experience, because you have always been far too curious for your own good!" Anger, frustration and on some level, fear, fuelled Tess' temper and made her blind to the fact that her words were hitting their intended target, "Now these things you refuse to control are going to be your downfall! You have succeeded in not only destroying your own status in heaven but Andrew's as well and only God knows what happens to angels who break the rules and decide to give into the sins of the flesh!"

"No, Tess, it isn't like that-." The little angel's voice was pleading.

"Then tell me what it is like, Monica. You've just again acted on your impulses; just one more thing I always told you would get you into trouble! Now you've betrayed not only me but the Father as well. You two couldn't even stay away from each other long enough to try to tell me what was going on; or rather, what you think is going on. No, I have to find you two pasted together like a couple of teenagers! Now what do you expect me to do? I certainly cannot condone this...this...whatever it is! You may never have learned before, Miss Wings, but I guarantee you are going to learn it this time that acting on your impetuous impulses-."

"Tess! That's enough!"

Andrew's voice boomed overtop of the older angel's and his eyes blazed with barely contained fury. He had seen the tears streaking Monica's cheeks out of the corner of his eye as he had listened, dumbfounded at the horrible things Tess was saying to the younger angel.

"The things you are standing here criticizing about Monica are the things I love most about her. And yes, I said love! I love her, Tess, and if that makes us wrong, then so be it. We're prepared to accept that. But don't you dare stand here and blame this on the angel Monica was created to be; that God created her to be. You can be angry over this situation all you want, but DO NOT place the blame on her! We both feel this way and we have simply acted on the feelings God has given us! Do you think we understand where they came from or why? Of course not, yet the fact remains that they are there!"

"The Father would never allow this, Andrew! There is a reason this has never happened before! It is forbidden!"

"So was the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, Tess, but God loved his children through it and Monica and I are also his children!"

"Stop it, please!" Monica's tear-laced voice broke weakly through their heated debate and several soft sobs escaped her before she could speak again, "This isn't solving anything."

"I'm sorry, Angel," Andrew turned to face her and placed his hands on her shoulders, hating the fact that she was crying, yet so angry with Tess he could hardly contain it, "But I won't allow her to speak to you that way. This is not your fault."

"She's just upset, that's all," The little angel stammered, casting a saddened glance at her fuming supervisor who was listening to all they were saying, "Tess, I'm so sorry, really..."

"I don't want to hear any apologies, Monica," Tess snapped, crossing her arms over her chest, "Let's go."

Andrew's hands dropped back to his sides as he turned to look at the older angel, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, "What?"

"You heard me. Monica, let's go. It's obvious the way to stop this nonsense is to keep the two of you apart. There are other Angels of Death who can work with us as needed, but for now, you won't be seeing Andrew for awhile."

The Irish angel thought for sure she wasn't hearing Tess correctly and a frantic glance at Andrew showed that his face had paled in color at what was being forced upon them. This could not be happening!

"No, Tess..." She began but was immediately silenced.

"I said, let's go, Monica!"

"No!"

The outcry that came from the little angel startled both of the older heavenly beings. Monica was an angel who rarely raised her voice and the single shouted word had surprised even Tess into silence...almost.

"Miss Wings..." The tone bordered on threatening, but Monica would not be swayed.

"No, Tess. I won't allow you to do this. I'm not leaving Andrew. Not unless the Father himself tells me it is necessary."

Tess gazed at Andrew's stoic expression and then to the tearful defiance in Monica's eyes. She was not accustomed to such blatant disobedience from her charge, but then again, this was not just a mishandled assignment. No, this was much more than that, "All right. I'll give you both an option then. Monica can either come with me now or you can both remain on earth, completely human until this can all be sorted out. It will take time to speak with the angel's in charge and it all has to go through proper channels before the Father is advised of what two of his angels have done."

Andrew once more grabbed up Monica's hand in his own. He couldn't ask this of her; to stay on earth in human form, being exposed to all the dangers humans faced every single day. The thought of his little angel being that defenceless nearly made his stomach twist violently, while at the same time being separated from her was a thought he could not even imagine, "Tess, you are hardly being fair about this. What kind of choice is that?"

"The only one you have, Andrew," She replied calmly. She knew him well. He would never want to place Monica in any danger as the Angel of Death has always been very protective of her. What Tess wasn't counting on was Monica's stubborn streak.

"Then I'll stay here," The Irish angel's words caused Andrew to turn to face her once again.

"Angel, no. You need to go with Tess," His expression showed his misery at the mere thought of what he was saying, "We'll work this out, baby, but not like this."

"The only way I'm working this out, Andrew, is with you," She uttered as the tears continued to flow from her dark eyes, "How can we work anything out if we aren't even allowed to see each other? Now that we know how we feel about each other, I couldn't stand it, Andrew! Not being with you? I can't!"

"Monica, there is too much down there that can hurt you. If anything happened to you-"

"I'll be with you, Andrew and together we can get through anything, right?" Her liquid eyes searched his, still seeing his doubt and concern.

Reaching out, he wiped at the tears that persisted in falling, "Angel, are you sure?"

"Other than the Father's love for us, I've never been so sure of anything in my entire existence. I love you and I want to be with you. God will take care of us as he would never turn his back on us, unlike others who won't even try to understand," Monica cast a heartbroken glance at her supervisor.

His hand cupped her cheek tenderly, "You wouldn't be doing the Father's work, Monica, the work you love so much."

"We have no way to know what he has planned for us, Andrew, but we do know that whatever it is, it will be divine."

Their gazes locked and Andrew felt certainty fill him at her words and at the trust and devotion in her sweet brown eyes. Tess was not making logical decisions and she was not acting on any word from God, not yet anyway. No, he had no idea where they would live or what they would do, but together and with God's help, they would figure it out and go where they were led until things became clearer to all involved.

Leaning in, he kissed the little angel's cheek, then took hand firmly into his once more as he turned to face Tess, "We'll stay."

For a moment, Tess was speechless. She had never expected this! First an angelic romance, then angels willing to live on earth as human beings! What was her existence coming to? But she also knew she could not back down now. They had made their choice and she had to follow through with it while she decided what to do about this in the long term.

"Fine," Tess stated coldly, not meeting either of their gazes, "I'll be in touch."

Before anymore could be discussed, the two angels vanished and then found themselves reappearing on earth at dawn in a city. Traffic was already heavy and the sound of car horns mingled with the conversations of people on the sidewalks on their way to work. There were suitcases at the angel's feet and Monica's panic stricken eyes jerked up to meet Andrew's as tears pooled in her eyes at the stark realization.

"Andrew...what have we done?"