CHAPTER 8

Allie had pressed a foil wrapped sandwich into Monica's hands before she had left the diner, and now the little angel held the warm gift in her chilled yet sore hands as she walked briskly in the direction of Allie's home. This was the part she hated most; walking home alone this late at night. She preferred to wait until Allie was ready to leave and then they would walk home together, yet the little town was usually pretty quiet other than the bar crowd and so far they had been harmless.

Walking as quickly as she could manage, her thoughts again strayed to the mess her existence currently seemed to be. Yes, there were dozens of things to be grateful for each day, and Monica made it a point to be aware of each little gift and to thank the Father for them. Yet she was estranged from everyone she knew and loved, her human form seemed to be revolting against her, she wasn't working though Andrew would probably argue that just getting Misha to smile was a completed assignment in its own rite and the bottom line was that she had never felt so afraid or unsure.

She was only about a block from Allie's home when the all too familiar wave of dizziness came over her, stopping her in her tracks.

"No, no. Not now," Her whispered words came out in little puffs of smoke due to the cold of the late night and she reached out to grab hold of a mailbox beside of her to try to steady herself as the sandwich slipped from her hands and fell to the ground.

And she would have been quick to follow it were it not for two strong hands catching her around the waist and stopping her from slumping to the pavement.

"Monica? Baby?"

Weary eyes looked up and tears instantly filled them, "Andrew…Oh Andrew…"

His heart was racing. Even in the dim street light, he could see she wasn't well. Rafael had been right, "Are you all right? Can you stand?"

"I…I just got a little dizzy…I've been at work…I…what are you doing here?" He was holding her up in his arms and the tears were falling from her eyes and suddenly none of her questions mattered as she buried her face against his chest and allowed hard, painful sobs to finally be released.

He crushed her to himself, holding her as tightly as he dared, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other around her waist, "I'm here, Angel. I'm here." He whispered, his own voice thick with emotion. He allowed her to cry for a few moments before he spoke again, "We need to get you out of this cold, Angel Girl. Where are you staying?"

"J..Just down the street," She managed to say, not wanting him to release her now that he was finally holding her.

"Can you walk, baby? Are you still dizzy?"

"I'm all right."

Supporting her with his arm around her waist, they walked slowly down the street and he could still hear the soft sobs escaping her. They had so much to talk about, but she was shivering and he needed to get her out of the elements, but he still took the time to kiss the top of her head as they walked, "I have missed you so much, my angel."

"Andrew…" her words were but a whisper that caught in a sob.

"I know, baby," He replied, giving her a squeeze as she indicated the house where she was staying. Monica rummaged for her key at the door but her hands were sore and trembling and Andrew tenderly took it from her and unlocked the door before ushering her inside.

Helping her out of her coat, which he noticed was a few sizes too big for her petite figure, Andrew then led her over to the sofa and eased her down. Grabbing a glass from the kitchen, he filled it with water and then sat down next to her.

Though thirsty, Monica only took a tentative sip, too afraid her stomach would not hold onto it and she wasn't ready to tell Andrew about the baby yet. He had only just gotten here and she needed to think, but she was oh so glad to see him.

Placing the glass on the table, she turned to face him and was taken back by the look of complete love in Andrew's eyes, and it caused fresh tears to fill her own.

His tender fingers stroked her bangs to the side so he could see the stitches on her forehead and the angry bruise that engulfed it. He drank in the dark circles beneath her teary dark eyes and swallowed hard against the swell of emotion he felt. She had been suffering and the thought of it nearly made him feel sick. Taking her hands into his, he looked down at her raw and blistered fingers, "Where have you been working, Angel?"

"A diner. Washing dishes…they're hot when they come off the washer."

Lifting them to his lips, he kissed them lovingly, gathering his thoughts to try to decide what to ask her next. He knew her so well and he could tell she had been and was still feeling extremely overwhelmed, "Rafael told me things weren't going well with Tess."

"No," Monica whispered brokenly, "And they were about to get worse."

"Monica…"

"Not yet," She pleaded, knowing he was going to ask her what she meant but she needed more time. The facts had shocked her and Andrew had not so much as a suspicion. Shouldn't the moment be special? She felt too sick to enjoy it if it was supposed to be that way.

Her words alarmed him, but he drew in a deep breath and reached up with his hands to smooth over her somewhat tangled auburn hair, "Okay. Then what happened tonight? You almost collapsed, Angel."

The feel of his touch made her just want to cry; she had so been longing to feel it for months, "I…I had just worked a really long shift…" She felt him rest his hands on both sides of her head and she closed her eyes, "I can't believe you're here."

Unable to help himself, Andrew touched his lips to hers, savoring the sweet feeling he had only experienced in his mind for weeks, "And I'm not going anywhere. You have my word." The tears that slipped from her eyes fell into his fingers, "You were dizzy before tonight, baby. You were in the hospital on your last assignment."

"Yes. I haven't been feeling very well. Not for awhile."

"You need to eat something. You've lost weight," He rose to his feet and opened the refrigerator, shocked to find it nearly empty, "Monica…there's no food here. Your human form needs to eat."

"I dropped my sandwich right before you found me. I forgot to pick it up…" Her eyes pleaded with him, "Andrew, you're too far away…please…"

His heart ached in response to her words as he closed the door and quickly walked back to her, "I'm right here, Angel," He soothed as he wrapped his arms around her, hearing the tiny sob of relief that escaped her as he did so. He needed to go buy some food and she needed to sleep. He didn't want to stop holding her, "Are there things you aren't telling me, Monica?"

She closed her eyes tightly and gripped at him more desperately, "Yes. Andrew, I'm just so afraid…"

The Angel of Death pulled away enough to look into her eyes once more as his hands cupped her face, "You never have to be afraid to tell me anything. You know that. You've always known that."

Liquid brown eyes looked at him as her chin quivered slightly. Her words were frightened and forced, "I don't know how to tell you…"

"Baby, you're scaring me. I want to help you but-."

"I'm pregnant."

Time seemed to stand still as confusion filled Andrew's green eyes. He searched her expression, but only saw her certainty…and her absolute terror, "Monica…are you sure…it shouldn't be possible…."

A tiny sob as she gazed upwards for a moment, as if searching for answers, "I…I had been feeling horrible for weeks. Sick, all the time and the dizziness…when I hit my head, they did a pregnancy test because I wasn't conscious and when I woke up…they told me and…and that's why I left…Eventually Tess would have known and I couldn't bear it, Andrew…things were already so bad…and I don't know why this happened…I don't know if the Father is blessing us…or punishing me…"

He couldn't bear to hear anymore as he pulled her tightly back into his arms. For over three months she had been left to deal with this alone. No more. He was finished following the demands of those who refused to listen to them or even try to understand how they felt, "It's going to be okay, Angel. I'm here and we'll figure this out together. I promise you."

For the first time in months, Monica felt her body relax as it melded against his. Her secret was out to the only one she had ever wanted to tell, and he was here and holding her and saying the words she had been longing to hear, "Thank you."

"Baby, you don't have to thank me," Andrew pulled away to look into her eyes once more, "I believe I had a part in all this, if I recall," His wink caused a little laugh to escape her, and the sweet sound nearly took his breath away, "I love you so much, Monica. I have been so worried about you and I'm so sorry you have been going through all of this alone."

An exhausted smile crossed her lips, "but you're here now and that's the only thing that matters to me, Andrew. Nothing else."

Their lips met in a kiss that seemed to erase the months of separation they had endured; for those sweet moment, they were certain there was no one else in the universe but each other.