Chapter 12

        Adam watched, his eyes brimming with tears all over again, as Tess walked

        up to Andrew and Monica and brought the two angels over to the departing

        group. The large ballroom, which only hours ago was filled with

        streamers, balloons, food and music, was not completely empty and the

        lights alot dimmer. Gulping, the Angel of Death fought his hardest to

        keep the tears in his blue eyes from trickling down his cheeks as he kept

        his eyes on his three friends...the three friends who would soon be out

        of his life in just a matter of minutes...

        And one in particular who he would miss more than anything...

        Heaving a loud sigh, the angel stepped forward, his eyes watching angel

        after angel step toward Monica, Andrew and Tess and giving them each

        embraces, the tearfull words "Good luck" ringing through the air every

        now and then. Slightly elbowing his way to his friends through the large,

        departing crowd, Adam finally came forward, his tears finally falling as

        he gazed at the angel's sad--but ready--faces and Sam reaching his arms

        out to Andrew, embracing the angel tightly.

        "You take good care of yourself, okay, Andy?"

        Sam's nickname for Andrew caused Adam's tears to fall faster, but he

        couldn't stop a light chuckle from escaping as he watched his friend roll

        his green eyes and say something he couldn't make out to his former

        supervisor.

        Gently releasing each other, Sam gave Andrew's shoulder one final pat

        before turning to Tess and Monica, kissing them each on the cheek

        lovingly and wrapping his arms around them in a final hug. Adam kept his

        eyes on the older, wiser angel as he stepped away from their friends,

        whispered something softly to Rose, who was waiting off to the side, and

        quickly departed, his back disappearing out the ballroom door.

        The tears not stopping, Adam turned back to the four remaining angels,

        his eyes glued on Andrew. Letting out one final sigh, the Angel of Death

        met each of their teary eyes and commented softly.

        "This is goodbye then, huh?"

        His words coming out more quiet than he had expected, Adam watched as

        Tess gave her curly head a nod, her brown eyes sad,

        "It is, Baby...but not forever. The Father promises us that it won't be

        forever, okay?" she whisperesd, reaching out for the angel and giving his

        a quick, tight embrace and a soft peck on the cheek. Lightly squeezing

        his shoulder, the supervisor moved out of the way as she allowed him to

        face Monica and Andrew.

        A trembling smile playing on his lips, Adam layed a gentle hand on the

        Irish angel's soft shoulder, leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on

        her tear-streaked cheek. Resting the side of his head against her's, the

        angel quietly whispered into her ear.

        "Congratulations, Monica...I'll see you around, sweetie, okay?"

        Giving her head a jerky puppet's nod, the younger angel reached her hand

        up to her fellow angel's tear-streaked face and layed a soft kiss on his

        own cheek,

        "Take care of yourself, Adam, and I WILL see you around..."

        Gently pulling back from the gentle touch, Adam gave her shoulder one

        last rub before turning his face to Andrew. No words were spoken between

        the two friends for what seemed longer than it actually was before Adam

        closed his tear-filled, blue eyes, reached his arms out and threw them

        around his friend tightly, allowing a choked sob to escape his throat.

        Wrapping his arms around the angel in return, Andrew's own tears came

        harder as he softly talked into his friend's shoulder,

        "Hey...I'll see you later, my friend. Okay, man? I swear I'll run into

        you again soon..."

        Burrying his wet face into Andrew's shirt, Adam softly mumbled how he

        felt for his friend, not caring that he was turning mushy with the

        goodbyes,

        "I love ya, dude..."

        Closing his green eyes tightly, Andrew squeezed the angel back and gently

        whispered,

        "Right back at you, my friend...right back at you..."

        Knowing that he had to release the angel one way or the other, Adam

        slowly released his hold around Andrew's neck and immediately gripped his

        hand, squeezing it with all his strength. Meeting the friendly pair of

        green eyes before him, Adam choked out his final words.

        "See ya..."

        Watching his best friend nod his head slowly and return the hand squeeze,

        Adam reluctantly released his hold, met Andrew's tear- stained eyes for

        the final time, turned away and disappeared.

        *****

        Several minutes later...

        Monica, Andrew and Tess, along with Rose trailing several feet behind,

        walked out of the Country Club into the dark night sky. Each angel of God

        stood still as they stared up at the beautiful stars in the sky, each one

        twinkling high up above. A silence pervaded the area as the three friends

        moved their gazes to one another, no one knowing what to say first.

        Finally, after several minutes of silence, Monica's Irish voice rang out

        through the parking lot,

        "I heard a saying once during casework that if you wish upon a star, your

        dream could come true...it may be just a saying, but--my only wish is

        that I'll be reunited with you two again soon..."

        Her voice cracking, the Irish angel reached her hands out and grabbed

        hold of Andrew and Tess' hands, gripping them tightly,

        "I'll love you two forever...and I'll never ever forget you. No matter

        what..."

        The flood of tears starting up again, Andrew released his friend's warm,

        soft hand and held his arms out to her, his green eyes never leaving her

        pretty face. He knew in his heart that he would have to be the first to

        leave...the Voice of the Father was all-too clear. And, after all, Rose

        was waiting ever-so patiently behind them...

        Not wasting any time, Monica let out a choked-up cry and threw herself,

        full force, into Andrew's waiting arms. Holding onto his neck as tightly

        as she dared to, the angel planted several tiny kisses on his wet cheek

        as she listened to her friend whisper into her ear.

        "I'll always love you, too, Angel Girl...and I'll never forget you two

        either...you two are my heart and soul. How COULD I forget you??"

        Feeling in her heart that her "Angel Boy" was the first to leave, Tess

        reached for her two friends and drew them into her strong arms, wishing

        there was a way she could hold them forever. After all...they were her

        "Angel Babies"...

        "Tess loves you, too, Babies," she whispered softly to her best friends,

        gently rubbing their backs,

        "Ol' Tess here will always be there waiting with open arms when you need

        me and you two will forever be in my heart...I promise, Angel Babies..."

        Not knowing completely how well he would be able to do it, Andrew

        squeezed his two best friends one final time before slowly pulling back

        from the farewell embrace. Meeting each pair of brown, tear- filled eyes,

        the Angel of Death turned his head slowly towards Rose and gave his

        blonde head a slight nod and a quiet,

        "I guess I'm ready, Rose..."

        His hear pounding rapidly, the angel watched as his new supervisor gave

        him a loving, reassuring smile, a twinkle in her blue eyes, as she walked

        over to him, a hand outstretched. Gently taking Andrew's in her own, the

        Search and Rescue supervisor met his green eyes,

        "Okay, Andrew...whenever you're most ready, honey..."

        Moving his eyes back to Monica and Tess, the Angel of Death shakily

        reached his free hand out and lightly touched Tess' cheek. Without so

        much as a word, the angel leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently.

        Gently wiping away as many tears as possible, Andrew turned his gaze

        toward Monica and gulped.

        This really WAS it...

        Not knowing what else to say, the angel stroaked his best friend's tear-

        stained cheek and plated a loving kiss upon it. Smoothing her long,

        auburn hear away from her face, Andrew removed his hand and returned his

        look to Rose,

        "Okay..."

        Taking her new charge's signal that he was ready, Rose flashed one final

        loving smile in Monica and Tess' direction before giving Andrew's hand a

        tight squeeze and ushered him away from the two remaining angels ever-so

        gently. The two figures walked, hand in hand, down the long path of the

        Country Club towards a beautiful light up ahead. Before either angel knew

        what was occurring, they slowly disappeared into the gorgeous, white

        light.

        Not knowing whether her tears would ever come to an end, Monica sucked in

        her breah and turned to Tess, who was still staring in the direction her

        "Angel Boy" and Rose had disappeared in. After several minutes, the two

        angels faced one another, their brown eyes meeting.

        "It's time, Angel Girl...you'll do excellent. Tess knows you will,

        Baby..."

        Wrapping her strong arms around her remaining friend, the older angel

        stroked the waist-lenght hair of Monica as she whispered to her softly,

        "Tess has to leave now, but always know this: You and Andrew will always

        be my Angel Babies and whatever you need, wherever you are, I'm

        here...just like if you need Angel Boy...he'll be there...You can do

        this, sweetheart; I have complete faith in you."

        Planting a gentle kiss on the top of her now former's charge's head, Tess

        pulled back from the protective hug, gave her friend's warm, shaking hand

        a final squeeze before stepping away and began walking backwards towards

        a similar light that Andrew and rose had departed through. Flashing a

        supportive, tearul smile the Irish angel's way, Tess softly spoke as she

        continued walking,

        "I love you, Baby Girl...and know that I'm so proud of you for

        everything..."

        Without any more words, Tess slowly turned herself around and walked

        towards the familiar bright light.

        And disappeared from sight...

        Monica gulped as she stood, alone now, in the dark, deserted parking lot.

        Did this really just happen? Were Andrew and Tess really gone? For good??

        Lifting a shaky hand to her brown eyes, the angel wiped away as many

        tears as she could, although she knew perfectly well she'd never get them

        all. Forcing her body to take a few deep breaths, Monica tried her

        hardest to pull herself together as much as possible as she turned

        halfway, her gaze landing on Tess' large, red Convertable still parked in

        the Country Club parking lot.

        The tears brimming again, Monica watched the familiar car, images of

        wonderful memories of herself, Andrew and Tess taking rides in the large,

        comfortable vehicle...Tess teasing her about how she would never let her

        drive it...how the car was nicknamed Tess' "Baby"...

        What's it still doing here?? the question rang in the angel's head as she

        stuck her hands in her dress pockets. But, however, her question was

        immediately answered as she pulled out a set of car keys.

        Tess' car keys...

        Her heart pounding loudly, Monica suddenly realized what was happening:

        Tess had given her the car as a gift...her CAR...

        Lifting her tear-filled, dark eyes to the stary sky, the Irish angel let

        out a quiet sigh, holding the car keyes close to her heart...just as

        Andrew and Tess were.

        And always would be...

        "Thank you..." she softly whispered alowd, lowering her eyes and slowly

        turning around...and coming face-to-face with a beautiful, younger-

        looking female. Her black hair hung in curls up to her shoulders while

        her dark blue eyes shone excitedly. The young lady wore a flowered, black

        skirt with a turquoise turtle neck to match. Black sandles were on her

        bare feet as she stood smiling a bit nervously in Monica's direction. As

        she opened her mouth, her words came out quiet and a bit of an accent.

        "Are you Monica?"

        The question taking her by surprise, the Irish angel lifted a hand and

        quickly wiped away the last of her tears before facing the lady...a very

        young-looking lady at that...

        "Yes, I'm Monica," she replied softly, trying to keep her voice from

        getting choked up again.

        Extending a delicate, perfectly manicured hand, the lady smiled widly,

        "My name is Denise. I'm--I guess you could say that I'm the new

        caseworker...the Father said I could find you here..."

        My new charge, Monica thought, shocked, to herself. It's happening now!

        Knowing deep in her heart that they really DID have to move on, Monica

        allowed a soft smile to play on her lips as she remembered Andrew's words

        of comfort earlier that day: That things would change, but they would get

        used to it and they all had to move on...

        Oh, thank you, my friend, Monica silently lifted up a note of thanks to

        her friend as she faced Denise once more, smiling at her gently as she

        took the extended hand in both of hers,

        "It's a pleasure to meet you, Denise. I'm Monica, your new supervisor..."

        Just as the words came out of her mouth, the beautiful, white dove that

        had been perched on a tree branch the entire day, flew, cooing, off of it

        and into the dark, night sky up to the heavens and where he had first

        come from.

        ~The End~ OR IS IT?