Chapter Ten

Kathleen waited a suitable amount of time after Monica had left, before she walked back into the house carrying a bag of groceries. She peered into the living room, smiling at Andrew, who looked lost in thought. "Hi honey.... I'm back. Did you miss me?"

Andrew didn't seem to notice her for a moment but then he looked up, startled. "Huh?"

Trying hard not to show her annoyance, Kathleen forced the smile to stay on her face as she set the bag down on the table and walked over to her 'husband', reaching out to take his hand. "What is it, Adrian? Did something happen?"

Sighing, Andrew turned to look at her. "Uh, no… no, nothing happened. I-I... guess I'm just a little tired, that's all."

Kathleen felt her anger rising; how dare he not tell her that Monica had visited! She hated the fact that even now, after all Andrew had gone through, and losing his memory, he still seemed to have some distant link to that annoying little Irish angel. But not for long, not if she had her way.

***

Later that evening, Andrew stood alone in the back yard of the house, watching as the sun sank behind the horizon. Hearing footsteps he turned to see Kathleen walking toward him. She reached for his hand, looking up at him with a worried expression. "Honey, what on earth are you doing out here? It's getting late."

Andrew shrugged. "I feel more comfortable out here, you know? I guess I'm... used to it..." He frowned, thinking of last night, when he had been sleeping on a bench in the park, old newspapers covering him. In a way it seemed so long ago, but although he'd hated it then, a part of him now longed for that familiarity. Something about this house made him feel uneasy, and as much as he hated to admit it, so did Kathleen. He kept on telling himself that it was just the amnesia- once he remembered everything he'd feel fine. But he didn't know how long that was going to take; nothing seemed familiar to him, not even the smallest memories were being triggered. And it made him feel incredibly lost and alone.

Kathleen watched Andrew carefully, aware that it might take some time to get through to him and not having the patience to wait. "Come on, Adrian... let's go inside, huh?" She tried to pull him toward the house but he shook his head. "Really, I-I just want to stay here for a while, okay?" Sighing, Kathleen watched him for a moment, then stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his waist, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. "Honey... I've missed you..." She kissed him again. "So very much..." Another kiss, on his lips this time. "I've been waiting for you... for so long."

Taken aback, Andrew wasn't sure what to do, or what to say. "Kathleen, I-I don't..." But she silenced him with another kiss on his lips, deeper this time, and suddenly Andrew felt powerless to resist. Finally ending the kiss, Kathleen gazed up at him for a moment, and smiled. "Come on..." And then she led Andrew back into the house as the sun disappeared completely.

***

Monica walked toward her supervisor who was sitting on a bench in the park. "Tess? What's wrong, I heard you needed to talk to me?" The young angel looked tired and worried.

Tess hesitated, thinking once more of what she'd just been told a few minutes ago. She hadn't wanted Monica to see what was going on between Andrew and Kathleen- it was upsetting enough for her, but it would break the little angel's heart for sure. "Well, I just wanted to see you and make sure you were okay. Sit down, Angel Girl." Tess watched as Monica sank down on the bench beside her, and she reached for her hand. "How are you handling things, baby?"

The young Irish angel shrugged. "Okay... I suppose." She frowned, looking down at her feet. "It's... hard."

Tess nodded. "I know, baby... and you're handling it well, all things considered. The Father is proud of you, you know. And so am I."

Monica looked up at her supervisor then. "I don't know why, Tess... I feel like all I've done is failed so far. I'm trying so hard to help Andrew, but I haven't been able to get through to him. It hurts so much when he pushes me away."

"Oh, baby, you haven't failed!" Tess wrapped her arm around her young charge's shoulders. "And right now Andrew is confused... he doesn't know who he is, and until he gets those memories back he's gonna act a little strangely... and do things he most certainly wouldn’t do.” She frowned. “But you must never think that he's pushing you away on purpose- you know our Angel Boy would never do that." She thought once more of what Kathleen was doing to the blond angel. "Right now, Andrew is definitely not himself."

Monica blinked back tears as she leaned against her supervisor. "I know, Tess. And I want Andrew back so badly... I'm not giving up on him."

Tess smiled. "That's my baby girl."

Monica remained quiet for a few moments but then as she watched the sky growing dark she got to her feet. "Tess, I... need to go. I have things to do... to help Andrew."

Tess sighed, knowing Monica's plan even though the little angel hadn't told her of it. Hearing words from the Father, she knew she had to stall her young charge for a little while longer. "Er... no, baby... stay here for a while more, won't you? Whatever you have planned can wait... for now."

Monica looked at her, unsure. "I-I don't know, Tess... I need to be there, to help Andrew."

The older angel got to her feet and took both of Monica's hands in hers. "Trust me, baby... You need to wait, for now. The time will be right later, believe me."

Slightly puzzled, but thankfully not picking up on the urgency of Tess' voice, Monica finally nodded. "Okay."

***

Andrew was sitting on the bed, looking around the room as if seeing it for the first time- and unknown to him, it was the first time he'd been there. He felt extremely uncomfortable, especially when he looked up and saw Kathleen walking into the bedroom wearing nothing but a skimpy silk nightdress.

"Honey... don't look so worried." She wandered over to him, standing in front of him and cupping his face with her hands. "Oh, how I've missed you, baby..."

Suddenly Andrew pulled away, getting to his feet. "What did you say?"

Kathleen frowned at him, annoyed. "What?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "You-you called me..." He frowned, thinking, silent for a long moment. "Baby..."

Realizing her mistake, Kathleen reached for his hand and when he looked at her she met his gaze, staring at him, willing him to forget. "It doesn't matter now, Adrian... what matters is us..."

Andrew suddenly forgot what it was that had almost reached the front of his memory and he sighed, frustrated, shrugging Kathleen's hands off his body. "I-I'm sorry, I... can't do this." He turned away from her and headed toward the door, pausing to look back at her. "Do we have a spare room?"

When Kathleen nodded, he turned to leave. "Then I think I'll sleep there tonight."

===================

Chapter Eleven

Long after darkness had covered the city, Monica appeared in the room where Andrew was sleeping, having been directed by the Father to where her friend was spending the night. She didn’t know where Kathleen was, but all that mattered was that the demon was not with her dear friend. The young angel glowed softly, invisible to all humankind as she stood there, wearing a long white dress, her hands clasped together in front of her. For a long while she just stood there, watching Andrew tossing and turning in his sleep, and wishing she could just take him away from this place, but she knew that was impossible.

“But I’m going to help you, Andrew,” she whispered, “I’m going to make you remember who you are.” She sounded rather more confident than she felt, aware that she wasn’t the most experienced of angels, and that her abilities were somewhat limited. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try her best- Andrew deserved that, at the very least.

Concentrating as she watched her friend, she began thinking of times they had been together, sending these thoughts to her friend, changing the abstract dreams he was having into something she hoped he would recognize…

...FLASHBACK...

Standing in a wood, Monica turned and looked up as an angel dressed in a long beige coat walked down a fallen tree trunk, and jumps off the bottom, smiling at her. She walked toward him.

“You must be the uninvited guest I’ve been expecting. I’m Monica.”

“I’m Andrew.”

“Angel of Death?”

“At your service.”

...END FLASHBACK...

Monica smiled at the memory of when she had first met her dear friend. Still watching him sleeping, a look of concentration on his face as he watched the memories she was sending to him, her smile faded slightly. “But our friendship took a wee while to get going, thanks to my jealousy…”

...FLASHBACK...

“Monica!” Andrew ran to catch up with the younger angel. “Listen, I handled a near miss a couple weeks ago and I found out something that might make this a whole lot easier for you.”

She turned to him. “I’m doing just fine by myself, thank you.”

Taken aback, Andrew frowned. “Did we get off on the wrong track here? Look, I’m just trying to help you. You know, my first couple of years as a caseworker were pretty rough too.”

Monica glared at the older angel. “I may be a rookie, but I’m certainly not incompetent.” She turned and walked away.

...END FLASHBACK...

Monica sighed as the memory finished. “I know you forgave me for my attitude a long time ago, Andrew, but I still feel terrible for the way I treated you back then…” She hesitated, watching him carefully, wondering if her dreams were having any effect on him. “Please, remember these moments, my friend. They all happened… they show who you are… who I am. Remember that, Andrew, but most importantly, remember the One who created you. God will never abandon you, Andrew, for you are His child- whether you know that right now or not. He loves you, and wants you to come back to Him- that’s why He sent me here to help you. And no matter what happens, no matter how hard this journey is or how long the road may seem, there is a way back to Him- a way back to who you are. And I will make that journey with you.”

Suddenly hearing a laugh, Monica turned to see Kathleen standing at the end of the bed.

“Very nice, Monica… did you dream up that little speech all by yourself, or did Tess help you? I know she usually has to help you with everything.”

Monica glanced at Andrew, making sure he was still asleep, and hoping that her words had gotten through to him. Then she turned to the demon who had once been her friend. “I spoke the truth… the words came from my heart. And the truth is what will save Andrew.”

Kathleen laughed again. “Oh, you’re so naïve, Monica! You really think you can win him back?”

The young angel lifted her chin defiantly. “I believe that I can, with the Father’s help.”

“But He’s not here right now… it’s just you and me.” The demon shot her an evil smile. “And we both know I have more powers than you.”

Monica took a deep breath. “It’s not about power, Kathleen- it’s about right and wrong. And love… love can conquer anything.”

“Oh yes, that’s right- how could I forget? You love Andrew, don’t you? And he loves you- well, he used to. What a pity he doesn’t remember you anymore.” She glanced at her red-painted fingernails, a look of boredom crossing her face.

Trying to hide the tears that were welling up in her eyes, Monica dropped her gaze. “He will… I won’t let him be lost forever.”

Kathleen scowled. “All this sentiment makes me feel sick. Well, you can go on believing that if you want to, ‘Angel Girl’,” she said the term sarcastically, “…but I’m going to win this. One way or another, I’ll beat you.”

And then the demon was gone as suddenly as she’d appeared, leaving Monica standing beside Andrew’s bed, gazing sorrowfully at him as she finally allowed her tears to fall.

===========

Chapter Twelve

Andrew woke up suddenly, sitting up in bed and wondering what was going on. Glancing at the alarm clock on the bedside cabinet he saw it was a little after midnight. Frowning, he rubbed at his face with his hand, trying to remember what had woken him. It was a dream, but the images were faint in his mind. He was willing to forget about it and try and get back to sleep, but a part of him badly wanted to remember the dream and so he sat there in the darkness, concentrating on the fuzzy images he barely remembered, but all he could see was a forest, and someone… there was someone else there, with him, and there was an important reason why he was there, but he couldn’t remember anything more than that.

Sighing, Andrew lay back down on the bed, pushing at the pillow, trying to make himself comfortable and wishing the bed felt more like a park bench for that was where he was more used to sleeping. Finally, reasonably satisfied with his sleeping position, he closed his eyes. And as he drifted back to sleep the last thing that came into his mind was Monica’s name.

***

The wind howled around the cabin, showing the ferocity of the storm that had begun brewing in the early hours of the morning. Rain lashed heavily against the window, drops so large that they bounced off the pavement, and a tree branch tapped at the window pane, beating a steady rhythm.

In the darkness of the spare room, Andrew awoke for the second time that night, wincing as a flash of lightning was quickly followed by a low rumble of thunder, somewhere off in the distance. At first annoyed at having been woken, he sat there for a few moments, running his hand through his hair, debating whether or not to get up and pour himself a glass of water.

But that might wake Kathleen… and he decided he certainly didn’t want to face her right now. So he fell back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling, watching as it was periodically illuminated by the flashes of lightning that were becoming more and more frequent. He’d never been afraid of storms…

“How did I know that?” His surprised voice was just a whisper, but it sounded loud in the darkness. He shook his head, sighing, frustrated at the vague thoughts and notions that kept invading his mind, but which never seemed to last long enough for him to understand them. But suddenly, somewhere at the back of Andrew’s mind, a memory did begin to surface.

He suddenly recalled sitting in the back of a car that was traveling along a lonely road, the location and destination unknown to him as he recalled the sketchy details. He remembered being aware that a storm was about to start- the increasing strength of the wind, coupled with the dark clouds overhead, confirmed it.

Concentrating hard on the memory, he was frustrated to find the details were fuzzy- he knew there were two people sitting in the front of the car, but he could neither see their faces nor recall who they were. But the one thing he did know was that they were both important to him- people he knew well.

The memory was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, but it was strong enough and clear enough to make Andrew sit back up in bed, shocked at the realization that this was a memory… a real memory! “I was in that car… but where was I going?” He whispered into the darkness, searching for answers from himself, frustrated when none were forthcoming. And as he concentrated on that one tiny memory, trying desperately to remember more, he realized the one tiny detail that had at first been missing from his recollection...

...FLASHBACK...

The woman sitting in the front passenger side of the car huddled further down in her seat as the thunder cracked overhead, scaring her. Andrew saw her distress and leaned forward, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing that she hated thunderstorms. She turned and looked up at him gratefully.

...END FLASHBACK...

Andrew blinked, shocked out of the memory when he’d seen the face of the young woman who’d been sitting in the front of the car. “Monica… she-she was there… but how…?” Unable to understand what he was seeing, he got up from the bed, wandering over to the window, looking out onto the rain-soaked streets as more flashes of lightning lit up the city.

“Who are you, Monica? And who am I?” Andrew lifted a hand, allowing his fingers to trace the path of one of the raindrops as it made its way slowly down the glass.

He didn’t know that the young woman who once more filled his thoughts was now standing in that very room, just meters away, looking at him with an expression of love and sorrow, a lone tear making its way slowly down her cheek, her Angelic form bright but invisible to him in the corner of the room.

And neither of them were aware that they were soon joined by another figure, Kathleen; who appeared in the opposite corner, a veil of darkness and evil surrounding her.

===========

Chapter Thirteen

Andrew got up almost as soon as the sun rose the next morning, glad that the day had arrived, having spent most of the night unable to sleep since recalling those brief, but seemingly important memories of himself, Monica and the other person who’d been in the car, someone who was as yet unknown to him. He was curious to know who it was, but was able to put that aside for now because the one he was most anxious to know about was Monica. In the memory, he’d not only known her, he’d felt close to her… but yet only yesterday he’d stood on the doorstep of this very house, telling her he never wanted to see her again.

And all because Kathleen had told him that Monica was someone bad, someone not to be trusted… the very person who had left him with no memories in the first place. But as he got dressed and glanced once more out of the window, unsure exactly what he was looking for out there, he began to wonder. Why is it that Monica seemed so important to him, more important even than his own wife?

Sighing, he turned away from the window and ran a hand through his tousled hair in a vague attempt at styling it for the day. He walked to the door, hesitating as he put a hand on the doorknob. Something at the back of his mind made him reluctant to open the door, knowing he was about to face Kathleen. But he shook his head, chuckling at his stupidity. “She’s my wife… what’s there to be afraid of?”

As he wandered downstairs and into the living room he realized Kathleen must still be asleep… and despite shrugging off his worries of seeing her, he couldn’t help but feel relieved. Foregoing breakfast, he grabbed his jacket from the coat stand and headed out of the house, walking almost on auto-pilot for a few blocks before he realized he was heading in the direction of the homeless shelter.

***

Inside the house, Kathleen stood angrily in the living room, hands on her hips as she glared at the vision she could see, of Andrew walking toward the homeless shelter… where Monica would be working that morning. It was bad enough that Andrew had refused her advances the previous night, but now it seemed as though his mind was filled with nothing but a need to find Monica. “Damn that annoying little angel! She’s going to ruin everything!”

But after a moment her anger gave way to a smile, as an idea came into her mind. “I said I would help Andrew get revenge on Monica… but if he doesn’t want to, I guess I’ll just have to handle things myself.” And in an instant she had disappeared from the house.

***

Monica arrived at the homeless shelter a few minutes before her shift was due to start, filled with a renewed sense of hope for her assignment, and for Andrew’s memories to be returned soon. She had sent up many prayers of thanks to the Father for the memory Andrew had recalled last night, and although Tess had warned her this morning that it was slow progress, and much more still had to be done, and she knew that- still she couldn’t help the smile that stayed on her face as she helped the other volunteers get ready for the rush of homeless people who would soon be entering the shelter. And as she worked she thought about how she would continue her assignment tonight- for she intended to give Andrew more memories into his dreams, to help him until he was able to recall everything for himself.

The young angel headed toward the kitchen at the back of the shelter, where a large pot of soup had been put on to heat, ready for those who would shortly be arriving. As she set about spooning some into a smaller pot to carry through to the tables out the front, she spoke quietly to herself. “I will help you, Andrew… after all, I know what it’s like to forget everything.” She put down the pot as a memory surfaced in her own mind…

...FLASHBACK...

"Doesn't anyone believe me?" On hearing Monica's frightened voice, Andrew put aside his anger and turned to his dear friend. The distress on her face was almost too much for him to bear and so he chose to spend a few more moments with her, if only to tell her that yes, he did believe her. So, for the second time that afternoon, he sat down on the bench beside her. "I believe you."

The young woman looked up to see the kind face and concerned green eyes of the stranger. Of all the people in this place, he was the only one who cared, and that mattered. It mattered a lot. "Thank you..."

The passengers were being called for the bus and Andrew knew he had to go, whether he wanted to or not. He moved to get to his feet but was stopped by Monica's hand on his arm and her soft words, "Do you have to go?"

Remaining seated, he nodded reluctantly. "Yes, I have work to do, in uh, in Parchment."

The confusion and sheer hopelessness in the young angel's eyes was almost too much for Andrew to bear, and on hearing her next words he thought his heart would be torn in two. "It's just that, I'm so lost here and you're the only one who believes me and you're leaving... I feel so alone, I don’t know anything."

Desperate now, Andrew realized he had to try and get through to his dear friend as best he could. The sudden thought struck him that what if she remained this way forever? Surely the Father wouldn't allow that, but even so, the thought scared him. Turning to her, he looked deeply into her soft brown eyes as he grasped her hands in his, speaking with a desperation that showed how much he cared. "The one thing you do know is the truth... and you hold onto that. You have faith in the source of truth, and He'll show you the way home."

Suddenly overwhelmed with confusion, the young woman could only stare at this stranger who was trying so hard to tell her something... if only she knew what that something was. "But what is the truth?" She looked at him pleadingly.

Moved almost to the point of tears, Andrew replied simply, "Ask Him."

Shaking her head, the young woman almost wanted to scream. "But I don't understand who He is!"

Still holding onto her hands, Andrew wanted nothing more than to take Monica into his arms and hold her so tightly that he'd never want to let go. But he had only words now... only words of truth, words of the Father, to get through to her. "But He understands you... You take a step towards Him and He'll step to you, 'cause God loves you, Mon-" He paused, seeing the sudden confusion on Monica's face and realizing he'd almost given himself away, he'd almost said her name. Catching himself in time, he continued quickly. "God loves you, and even though it doesn't make sense at the time, God can turn anything into something good..."

...END FLASHBACK...

As the memory ended, the young angel smiled at the recollection of how Andrew had helped her so much to remember who she was. Hearing voices outside and suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be working, she set to work spooning some more soup into the pot, aware that the shelter was beginning to fill up with homeless people who would be desperate for something to eat.

But what Monica wasn’t aware of, was the demon who had appeared in the alley at the back of the shelter, smiling to herself as she stared up at the building, invisible to everyone. Seconds later she disappeared, re-appearing in the storeroom that was situated beside the kitchen. It was perfect, she thought to herself as she looked around at the piles of boxes and blankets… a fire would start easily here.

It wasn’t long before the fire was well and truly started, flames flickering madly up through the boxes, eating away at the blankets hungrily. Kathleen stood and watched for a moment, satisfied with her work, then appeared, still invisible, by the door of the building, which was closed against the cold outside. It took her only a moment to seal the door shut, and then she turned and looked around her, smiling an evil smile before she disappeared.

***

Several fire trucks passed by Andrew as he walked the long distance to the homeless shelter, and he felt a sudden sense of worry, wondering what was happening and hoping it was nothing too serious. He briefly felt a pull to somewhere he didn’t understand, momentarily feeling that the sirens of the emergency vehicles meant that he had somewhere to be. But it was a vague notion and he shrugged it off, not understanding its meaning.

By the time Andrew turned the corner onto the street where the homeless shelter was situated, he suddenly realized he knew where the fire crews were heading. And he felt almost sick when he saw that the shelter was ablaze with the most terrifying of fires.

===========

Chapter Fourteen

When the flames had become visible through the gap under the door of the storeroom, it was one of the homeless people who had noticed it first, as he stood in line waiting for the soup that Monica was supposed to be bringing through from the kitchen. “Fire! There’s a fire!”

Carl, who was setting out bowls and spoons onto the table, looked up and saw where the man was pointing, his eyes widening as he realized what was happening. “Okay, everyone, stay calm!” But he felt anything but calm as he looked around for Tim and Jake, the other helpers at the shelter. “Tim… find the fire extinguisher… now!”

The young man, barely out of his teens, nodded nervously as he saw the fire, and it took a shove from Carl to get him to move. He ran to the kitchen, where Monica was humming to herself, completely out of tune, as she finished spooning the soup into the smaller pot. She looked up, puzzled, when she saw Tim ran in. “Tim, what is it?”

“There’s a fire…”

“A what?” Monica put down the pot, looking worried.

“Where’s the fire extinguisher?” Tim looked positively terrified. “I thought it was here?”

Monica glanced at the far wall, and frowned. “It was… I-I don’t know where it is, Tim…” They both looked up as Jake appeared in the doorway. “Tim, what are you doing? We need that extinguisher, now!”

Tim shook his head. “It’s not here…”

Jake’s face turned white. “Oh, God, no…” He turned back to the shelter, where suddenly a deafening crash could be heard, followed by terrified screams. The three of them ran back out into the main area of the shelter, seeing a commotion of people running toward the door. “It’s out of control, guys!” Carl showed them the storeroom, the wooden door of which was now lying on the floor, burning, as the flames licked ferociously around the doorframe, making their way terrifyingly quickly into the main area of the building.

Monica tried to stay calm, sending up silent prayers for everyone’s safety. “We need to get out of here!”

The other volunteers nodded and followed the group of homeless people toward the door, but soon realized something was wrong. “What’s going on?” Tim demanded, his panic reaching almost breaking point.

One of the men near the door turned and shouted. “It’s locked! We can’t get out!!” This resulted in terrified shouts and screams from the group of people as they all clamored toward the door, desperate to escape the heat and smoke that was already permeating the building.

“Try the windows!” Someone else shouted, and a few people ran to the windows, realizing only when they got there that there were iron bars across the outside of them, the unfortunate answer to too many break-ins and vandalism in the area over the past few years. The bars were put there to keep people from getting into the building, but it was only now, in such a desperate situation, that everyone realized they also stopped people from getting out.

The smoke quickly filled the room, heat from the flames making already frail people even more weak, and it wasn’t long before everyone was coughing, lying down on the ground under instructions from Carl, as Monica and Jake searched desperately for any other way out of the building, but to no avail.

And now, as the fire began to really take hold, Monica looked around desperately, too frightened and confused to even think about why or how the fire had started. But suddenly she began to feel light-headed, finding it hard to breathe, and as she lost consciousness the last thing she saw was Tess and Adam’s angelic forms standing at the back of the room.

***

Sadly the residents of the neighboring apartment buildings had only become aware of the fire when they’d seen the flames and smoke coming through the windows, which meant that by the time the fire crews arrived, the building was engulfed in flames and in a very dangerous situation. They quickly aimed the hoses at the building, sending as much water as they could through the windows which had broken under the intense heat of the fire. But while this was happening, other firemen tried desperately to open the door that seemed impossibly jammed shut, locked for all they knew, unaware that the lock itself had been welded shut by Kathleen’s evil hand.

Outside in the street, crowds gathered to watch the spectacle, some shocked, some crying, others simply intrigued by what was happening, strangely interested in disasters such as this as if not realizing that real people were involved, and that real people could die.

One of the people watching was Andrew, who’d tried to run toward the building as soon as he’d realized it was on fire, but had been pushed back by one of the police officers who were specifically in charge of keeping the crowds from getting too close. “But I have to get in there! Please!”

The officer shook his head. “Sorry, but no one’s allowed in there. That fire’s a real bad one… we gotta get those people out, somehow, we can’t let anyone else in.” He pushed Andrew back, making it all too clear that he wasn’t going to get anywhere near the building, no matter how desperately he wanted to.

Andrew stared in disbelief at the building, watching as the flames and smoke continued to pour out through the windows, defying the amounts of water that were being fired at it through the hoses from the fire trucks. “Oh, God… don’t let them die… don’t let Monica die…”

The words were spoken before he even realized what he was saying, but as he mumbled them over and over again he realized one thing he hadn’t thought about up until now… he believed in God. Glancing heavenward, he spoke again, this time with even more conviction. “Save them… please…”

Moments later his thoughts were invaded by a cheer from the watching crowd and he turned back to see that the firemen had managed to break down the door to the building, and were now able to begin their rescue of the people who were trapped inside. Andrew managed a small smile, overcome with emotion at the realization that God had heard and answered his prayer. But then, deep inside of him, he realized he already knew that.

He turned back to watch the building, as firemen continued dowsing the flames with water, as others emerged from the building, carrying victims to the waiting ambulances. Andrew took in a deep breath, desperate to know if Monica would make it out alive as he said another quiet prayer.

===========

Chapter Fifteen

Adam sighed heavily as he watched the crowd of desperate people in the shelter as they tried in vain to break down the door but finally had to give up as the smoke and heat of the fire overcame them. He glanced at Tess, whose face held a deeply worried expression. “Why did this have to happen, Tess?”

“I wish I knew, baby. But where demons are concerned, there will always be tragedy, because that’s what they love the most- hurting people. And Angels.”

Adam nodded, turning to watch as a desperate Monica tried to open the door but couldn’t. “Kathleen’s taken her powers?”

Tess sighed. “Not taken them… just left enough evil around this place to stop them from being used. That’s why we’re here, Adam… to help where Monica can’t.” She hesitated, watching as Monica also began to be overwhelmed by the flames. “My baby girl’s been trying so hard on this assignment, and now…” She turned to Adam. “We gotta make sure everyone gets out… you hear me?”

The Angel of Death nodded solemnly. “You know I’ll try, Tess… but their lives are in the Father’s hands now.”

Tess nodded and then the two of them walked slowly toward the crowd of people, to watch over them and keep them safe until the help that they prayed for could arrive.

***

For agonizingly long minutes Andrew watched as some people emerged from the building able to walk, people who were homeless as he had been up until a couple days ago, and he realized how close he’d been to being one of the victims of this terrible fire. But as more people were carried out to the waiting ambulances, too far away for Andrew to know how badly injured they were, he realized that none of them resembled Monica in any way. And deep inside of him, locked away in a corner of his heart, this frightened him down to his very soul, and while he couldn’t understand why he cared about her so deeply, another part of him felt that it was completely natural.

But he didn’t get a chance to find out if Monica made it out alive or not, because suddenly an all-too-familiar, but at the same time very unwelcome, voice invaded his thoughts. “Adrian! What are you doing here?” Andrew turned to see Kathleen walking toward him, and his instinct was a wish that she wasn’t there, not now, not when Monica was in danger.

“Kathleen… I-I can’t talk right now… the shelter…” He turned back, still desperately looking past the crowds of people as the firemen continued their rescue. But a hand grasped his and he turned back, catching Kathleen’s gaze, and her eyes locked with his. “Adrian… I really wish you’d stop disappearing like this! Don’t you know how worried you make me?”

Andrew looked at her incredulously. “Kathleen… the shelter is on fire! Haven’t you even noticed?! And you’re more concerned about yourself?! Why should have I expected anything else?”

“What did you say?”

Fully realizing what he’d just said, Andrew knew he should have felt guilty… but instead, he felt nothing, only the immediate, nagging concern in his heart for Monica. “Look, you go back home, okay? I’m gonna stay here… I need to know if Monica’s okay…”

Kathleen’s anger returned quickly. “Monica! She’s all you care about, Adrian! After I told you what she did to you… why do you still insist on caring about her?! Huh?”

Distracted, Andrew shook his head in frustration. “Because I know her! Okay? Because I care…” He lowered his voice slightly, surprised at the words that seemed to come from deep within him. “…because I care about her.”

The demon’s eyes widened as she looked up at him- this wasn’t what she’d expected, her plan wasn’t supposed to end this way. “What… do you mean? Do you remember her?” She knew he couldn’t have remembered everything, otherwise he certainly wouldn’t be standing here talking to her. But still, she was worried.

“No! I-I… I don’t… I don’t know, Kathleen, I just…” he turned to face her, hoping to make her understand.

But as Andrew caught her gaze, Kathleen stared at him, determined that he wasn’t going to get away from her without a fight. “You don’t care about her, Adrian… she’s not who you think she is.” Sensing his doubts, and desperate to get him away from this place before he remembered anything else, Kathleen increased the intensity of her stare and suddenly Andrew fell to the ground, unconscious.

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Chapter Sixteen

Andrew blinked open his eyes and sat up too quickly, he realized as a pounding headache forced him to lie back down again. Frowning he looked around the room, recognizing it as the spare room of the house. “What am I doing here?” He glanced at the window; it was daylight outside, so why was he in bed, and why did his head hurt so terribly?

But as he tried to remember, the door suddenly opened and Kathleen walked in, looking at him with concern, although as far as she was concerned it was just pretence. “Adrian, oh, you’re awake… I’m so glad. How are you feeling, honey?”

“My head hurts… what happened? I-I was…” He frowned, trying to remember. “What was I doing?”

Kathleen smiled sweetly at him. “You were feeling dizzy, honey, when you got up this morning. You collapsed, and I managed, somehow, to get you back here.” It was easy for her to lie, just as easy as it had been to persuade the worried people in the crowd outside the shelter that her ‘husband’ was just in shock over the ‘terrible fire’ and she just needed to take him home where he could rest. She’d allowed him to regain consciousness just enough for him to stumble confusedly to the car she’d placed nearby, so she could take him back to the house where she made sure he would sleep for a few hours, long enough for her to erase the memories of the fire from his mind.

Andrew frowned, unsure… something didn’t sound right. “I collapsed? Here?” He sat up slightly.

“Yes, honey… I think it’s because you didn’t eat any breakfast… you really need to take better care of yourself, after all you’ve been through.” She grasped his hand, squeezing it slightly. “I worry about you enough as it is.”

Sighing, Andrew leaned back against the pillow, closing his eyes against the pounding that wouldn’t leave his head. “I-I guess you’re right…”

“Of course I am.” Kathleen smiled at him again as he opened his eyes to look at her. “Now… stay there and rest, okay? I have some… errands to run, and I’ll be back later with something for you to eat, okay?”

Andrew nodded tiredly. “Okay.” He watched as she left the room, closing the door behind her, and he sighed heavily, glancing toward the window. Something tugged at his mind, causing him to worry, although he didn’t know why. Oh, how these fleeting feelings bothered him, making him wish he was just a normal person again, like he guessed he had been, before he’d lost his memory.

***

It had been a long and difficult morning for Tess and Adam, one filled with worry and sorrow but also prayer, which ultimately had saved the lives of all the people in the shelter. Although many of them had been taken to the hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation and some with minor burns, the outcome could have been much worse.

And perhaps their greatest relief was that their dear friend was safe although, as Tess had known, Kathleen had made sure that the young angel was just as vulnerable as the humans in the shelter- and unfortunately, this meant that Monica was one of those taken to the hospital, having inhaled some of the smoke from the fire.

So, now the young angel was lying in a hospital bed, an oxygen tube in her nose to aid her breathing and a bandage wrapped around her right hand, covering a small burn on the back of her hand. She looked completely lost and frightened, gazing up at her supervisor who was sitting by her bedside. “Baby, don’t look so worried. You’ll get out of here tomorrow, it’s just one night.”

Monica lowered her gaze. “I need to be with Andrew tonight, Tess…” She hesitated as a coughing fit interrupted her, the result of the minor damage to her lungs. “… I have my work to do… he needs me.”

Tess looked at her young charge worriedly. “I know he does, but right now, you need to get better, baby- that smoke didn’t do your lungs any good at all and it’s important that you stay here until you’re well enough.”

The young angel frowned. “I still don’t understand, Tess… why was I hurt?” She coughed again, slightly, and Tess handed her a cup of water, watching as she took a few sips then leaned back against the pillows again.

Only once the older angel was satisfied that Monica wasn’t about to have another coughing fit for the time being, did she answer her young charge’s question. “Baby, you’re no match for some of Kathleen’s powers… she knows that, and she used it against you.” A look of worry crossed Tess’ face. “You gotta be careful where she’s concerned, Angel Girl… she’s one dangerous demon, and I think this morning has proved that beyond a doubt.”

Monica nodded, looking exhausted. “Thank you, Tess… for being there…” She hesitated, taking a few deep breaths, frightened of the feeling of breathlessness that the smoke inhalation had caused. “And Adam, too… I’m so thankful everyone survived.”

Tess smiled. “Well you know Who to thank for that, baby.”

The younger angel nodded, thinking for a moment. “What will happen to Andrew tonight, Tess? If I can’t be there to give him more memories…” She dropped her gaze, and Tess saw that she looked slightly guilty.

“Baby, you don’t need to worry about that. Now, I know that this assignment has been yours up until now, but under the circumstances, I know the Father is happy for me to lend a helping hand. You just rest there, and make sure you’re ready to leave here tomorrow. I’ll be back to see you later, but for right now, there’s something I need to do.” Tess got up and planted a kiss on Monica’s forehead, then smiled at her young charge as she disappeared from the room.

***

Feeling exhausted, Andrew had closed his eyes, hoping that perhaps some sleep would make him feel better. But as he tried to doze off, suddenly the radio beside the bed switched itself on, inexplicably, and the announcer’s voice startled him. “… other news, police have confirmed that this morning’s fire at the homeless shelter, which miraculously claimed no lives, appeared to have been started deliberately…”

Andrew frowned, the shock of the radio switching on by itself now overridden by another feeling, one of fear and worry, as the rest of the announcer’s words faded into the background. It wasn’t long before his eyes widened as he remembered that he hadn’t been in the house all day, he’d left… to go to the shelter… to find Monica! And the fire…

“Oh, God, no…” Andrew sat up, wincing as the pounding in his head increased, but he didn’t care- it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart as he worried about the fate of the young woman who seemed to hold a place in his heart, even though he still didn’t understand why. He got out of bed as quickly as he could, glad he was still dressed as he didn’t want to waste any time. As he left the room, Tess leaned across and switched off the radio, her task done, at least for now.

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Chapter Seventeen

Andrew had realized after leaving the house that he couldn’t go back to the homeless shelter to find Monica- she certainly wouldn’t be there now, no matter what had happened to her. So he decided he should head to the nearest hospital, and see what information he could get from there. Unsure where the hospital was, he’d walked a few blocks looking for a cab, and had finally found one, and now he sat impatiently in the back, hoping it wouldn’t take too long to get to the hospital, desperate to find out whether Monica was okay. He knew from the radio announcement that nobody had died, and this filled him with relief, but didn’t take away the worry that she could still be badly hurt.

Thankfully it was only a matter of minutes before the cab pulled up outside the hospital and Andrew paid the driver, wasting no time in going into the building and to the reception desk. “Hi… I’m looking for a young woman called Monica… she was in the homeless shelter that was on fire this morning… do you know if she’s here?”

The woman behind the counter looked at him carefully. “Do you have a last name for her?”

Andrew shook his head. “No, I-I… I don’t know her last name… she’s called Monica, she’s pretty, with long dark hair… please… I need to know if she’s okay.”

Sighing, the woman glanced down at the notes in front of her, expecting to have to search through the entire pile of papers to find the information this man wanted… but surprisingly, right on the top there was an admission form for a Monica Doe, who had been brought in this morning. Raising her eyebrows, she picked up the sheet of paper. “Well… it looks like no one else knows her full name either…” Glancing up at Andrew, she saw his confused expression. “Never mind. She’s in room 528...the elevators are right over there.” She pointed to her right.

“Thanks…” Andrew hurried toward the elevators and got inside one of them, pressing the button for the fifth floor, only realizing once the elevator started moving that he hadn’t asked how badly hurt Monica was, such was his desperation to see her, and his relief at finding that she was in fact here. But the ride up to the fifth floor gave him time to realize that she was in the hospital, admitted to a room, which meant that she must have been hurt in some way. And that only increased the worry that seemed to stem from somewhere deep within his heart.

***

Tess stood outside the hospital, invisible to all humans, but not to the demon who walked toward the hospital now, an angry look on her face which got even angrier when she saw who was standing outside. “Tess… I’d say it’s nice to see you, but that would be a lie.”

Folding her arms across her chest, Tess glared at the demon. “Then that’s just the sort of thing I’d expect you to say, Kathleen.”

“What are you doing here, Tess? Haven’t you anything better to do?”

“I’m where the Father wants me to be… and there’s nothing better to do than His work. Like this morning… saving all those souls at the homeless shelter… even Monica.”

Kathleen snorted angrily. “I almost beat that annoying little angel… if it hadn’t been for your interference, she would be out of my hair and Andrew would be mine.”

Tess lifted her head slightly higher. “That will never happen, Kathleen… Andrew is an Angel of God, and he will remember that… sooner than you expect.”

These words visibly worried Kathleen, although she tried not to show it. “Don’t think you’ve won yet- Monica might still be here, but word has it, she’s not well enough to do any dream-making tonight.” She said this sarcastically, trying to look unimpressed at Monica’s attempts to win Andrew back, but in reality the demon was worried at how well Monica had been managing thus far.

“Monica’s not the only Angel around here, Kathleen… as you can see. But in any case, I don’t think you should rule out my Angel Girl just yet. You’d be surprised at what she can achieve without even trying.” Tess smiled knowingly.

Kathleen just scowled even harder. “Out of my way, Tess… I’m here to make sure Monica doesn’t get a chance to do anything.” She moved to step forward, but Tess blocked her path as a strong orange glow suddenly surrounded her.

“In the name of the Father I command you to get your little demon butt out of my sight… now.” Tess stood her ground, knowing whose side she was on- the winning side, the good side. And good always triumphed over evil.

Unable to fight Tess’ power, Kathleen scowled angrily. “I’ll be back, Tess… you can bet on it.” And then she disappeared. Tess believed her- of course she’d be back, this wasn’t over yet. But for now at least, the two angels in the hospital wouldn’t have to worry about Kathleen’s intrusion.

***

When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Andrew found himself walking along the corridor almost without thinking until he reached room 528 and he stopped outside the door, suddenly realizing what he was doing as if up until now he’d been acting completely on auto-pilot, guided by some unknown force, nothing more than a sensation deep inside of him that he needed to find Monica.

“Now I’m here… why am I here?” He frowned, suddenly remembering his wife, Kathleen, who was by now probably back from whatever errands she had been running, and would be wondering where he was. He was almost feeling guilty, when he remembered that she’d lied to him about what had happened to him today… and why would she do that? “Why would my own wife lie to me?”

Taking another look at the closed door, all that separated him from Monica, he suddenly knew that he was right where he was supposed to be. Without stopping to wonder why, for he still had barely any memories of this young woman, he grasped the door handle and pushed it open.

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Chapter Eighteen

Monica looked up as the door opened, expecting to see a doctor or perhaps Tess, hoping her supervisor would be back soon as she felt terribly alone in this hospital bed. But it was neither of those people, and the face she saw through the open doorway was that of someone she’d never expected to see here- not now, not under the circumstances. Too overcome with emotion to speak, she simply looked up at him, wondering if he remembered everything, for she was sure that was the only reason he’d be here now.

Andrew’s gaze immediately fell on Monica as he opened the door, and his heart was filled with a multitude of emotions; relief that she didn’t appear to be seriously hurt, worry that she was hurt at all, and something else… something else he couldn’t quite understand… something that felt a hell of a lot like love.

“Monica… I-I…” He frowned, suddenly unsure what to say, but feeling a need to explain his presence. “I… heard about the fire, and… well, I… I just wanted to know that you were okay…” He stepped into the room, closing the door carefully behind him, and then just hesitated there, unsure if he was even welcome, remembering the last time they’d talked- just yesterday, but a lifetime ago, it seemed. And he suddenly wished he could relive that moment, and make sure it didn’t end with him telling her he never wanted to see her again. Because he certainly didn’t feel like that now.

Monica couldn’t help the slight feeling of disappointment at the realization that no, Andrew hadn’t gotten his memories back… but as she sat there, watching his clumsy explanation, she realized that it didn’t matter… he was here, and even if he didn’t remember who he was, or who she was, it still meant that he cared- and she finally understood what Tess had tried to tell her yesterday. Deep down, somewhere inside of him that was too far for him to reach just yet, his connection to her was still there. And she couldn’t help but smile as she realized this.

Andrew watched Monica carefully, unsure why she wasn’t speaking, but then given his attitude toward her yesterday, he realized he shouldn’t be surprised. For a moment he felt like he wasn’t welcome, but then he saw the smile creep across the young woman’s face, and it warmed his heart like nothing he’d known in a long time. Taking this as a sign that he didn’t need to beat a hasty retreat, Andrew tentatively walked toward the bed, glancing at the chair next to it. “May I?”

Monica nodded, finding her voice at last. “Yes…” She watched him carefully, taking a few deep breaths of the oxygen that was still aiding her breathing.

“What are you doing here?”

“How are you feeling?”

They both chuckled slightly when they realized they’d each spoken at the same time. Monica’s chuckle quickly turned into a cough, however; and Andrew instinctively looked around, seeing the cup of water on the table beside the bed, and handed it to her. She took it gratefully, taking a few sips and only once her breathing had settled down did she realize how familiar, yet how surprising, given the circumstances, Andrew’s gesture had been.

And she almost felt like crying.

Andrew took back the cup from Monica’s slightly shaking hands and replaced it on the table, suddenly embarrassed at his attentiveness to her, confused by the conflicting emotions running through his heart and his mind. Unsure quite how to handle the situation, he opted for his original question instead. “So… how are you feeling? I-I see you’re on oxygen there…”

Monica nodded. “The smoke damaged my lungs a wee bit, Andr…” She stopped quickly, looking up at him, unsure what his reaction would be if she said his name. “I’ll be okay.”

Andrew sighed lightly, fully aware of what Monica had been going to say. It seemed to come so naturally to her, to call her the name that he was convinced wasn’t his… and he realized that it also felt completely natural for him to hear that name spoken by her soft, beautiful accent. He smiled at her, needing her to know that he wasn’t angry at her, and as he glanced downwards slightly he caught sight of the bandage around her hand and he frowned worriedly. “You’re hurt…” He reached out to brush his fingers lightly over the white bandage.

Monica blinked up at him, willing her tears to stay hidden from him. “It’s nothing, just a wee burn.” She pulled her hand away slightly, feeling uncomfortable and confused; suddenly Andrew seemed to be the Angel she knew and loved so dearly, but yet it still wasn’t him, and she really didn’t know how to handle that.

Frowning, Andrew cleared his throat, feeling just as uncomfortable as Monica, but misreading her reactions as residual hurt for how he’d treated her yesterday… something he realized he still hadn’t apologized for. “Well, I-I.. I hope you feel better soon…” He met her gaze, seeing soft brown eyes looking up at him, needing something from him that he wasn’t sure he could give. “Monica, I… I’m sorry, about yesterday, I…” He frowned, searching for the right words. “I had no right to say those things to you, and… I hope you know, I didn’t mean what I said, about…” He shifted his gaze to the sheets on the bed. “About never seeing you again.”

Taken aback, Monica took a moment to answer, while all the time Andrew kept his gaze on the bed, and she wondered why he couldn’t look at her now. “It’s… okay, I… I understand… I forgive you…” She managed to stop herself from saying his name again, and in a way it was easy- because saying his name would make her believe that her Andrew was here- and he wasn’t, not yet.

Andrew looked up at her, surprised that she was so willing to not only understand, but… “You forgive me? After what I said?” He watched as she nodded without saying a word. “Thank you, Monica.” The words sounded inadequate, but it was the best he could do. “Look, I… I-I needed to know…” Andrew looked at the young woman, intending to ask her something, anything, about his life or who she was.

But as their eyes met, something silent yet unmistakable passed between them, and suddenly Andrew was lost for words.

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Chapter Nineteen

The moment between Andrew and Monica was broken when the door opened and a nurse walked in… or at least, that’s who Andrew thought she was, on seeing her uniform- as he had no recollection of ever seeing her before. Monica’s eyes widened slightly when she saw her supervisor. “Tess…?” She glanced at Andrew, then back to the older angel.

“Hi, baby… I brought you some fresh water, I thought you could use some.” She walked up to the bed, replacing the half-empty jug of water with a fresh one, and turned to smile at Andrew. “Hi, there. Are you a friend of Monica’s?”

Andrew looked at her, unsure how to answer. “Well, I-I…” He frowned, seeing Monica’s rather confused expression. “Yeah… at least… I hope to be.” Catching Monica’s gaze he smiled, and was rewarded with a smile in return- small, but unmistakable nevertheless. And the gesture warmed his heart.

Tess smiled also. “Well, that’s good, because Monica here could sure use a friend. You’re the only visitor she’d had… well, apart from me and the doctor, of course.”

This news came as a surprise to Andrew, and he felt even more concerned for the young woman sitting in that hospital bed, injured and now it seemed, alone also. Deep inside of him, an instinct told him that he needed to be here with her, that his place was by her side. And a day ago, or even perhaps this morning, he would have dismissed that feeling, or tried to analyze it. But now, so much had changed in just a few short hours- brief memories of a life he couldn’t remember, feelings deep inside of him that showed him how much he cared for Monica. And those subtle but important clues were enough to confirm to him that he wanted to stay with this woman- he still didn’t know why, but somehow that really didn’t seem to matter.

Tess watched Andrew carefully, aware of the range of emotions visible in his eyes, and also aware that his deeply-felt feelings for Monica were now beginning to surface, and that pleased her, giving her hope that this assignment would be a success, despite Kathleen’s attempts to keep Andrew and Monica apart forever. The oldest angel knew how strong the bond was between her “Angel Babies”, and she knew that it would take a lot more than a demon to break that bond, if indeed it ever could be broken completely.

“Well, I’ll leave you two alone… try and get some rest, baby, you don’t want to overdo things until those lungs of yours are healed.” She turned to Andrew, who suddenly looked for all the world like he had remembered something. “Are you okay, baby?”

Andrew blinked, startled out of the vague memory that had almost reached the front of his mind. Somehow, this nurse’s voice, and the way she spoke to Monica, sounded oddly familiar, like a feeling of déjà vu. He looked up at the nurse, searching her face for a moment, certain that there was something he should say, but yet he couldn’t figure out what that something was. “Erm… yeah, I-I’m fine…” He frowned.

Tess eyed him sadly, hating to see her Angel Boy so lost and confused. “Well, if you’re sure- although if you don’t mind my saying so, you look as pale as Death.” She took one last look at Monica then left the room, closing the door behind her, leaving Andrew with another of those feelings of déjà vu. “Death… he whispered, the word refusing to leave his mind, important to him in a way he couldn’t understand.

“Are you okay?”

Monica’s soft, concerned voice lifted Andrew out of his thoughts and he looked up at her, offering a small smile. “Yeah, just… you know, it’s been a long day.”

She nodded. “It must be hard for you, not knowing who you are, not remembering anything… and I’m really sorry this happened to you, Andrew…” Monica stopped talking suddenly and frowned, regretting that one word the moment she’d spoken it.

Andrew looked at her carefully, realizing she seemed afraid all of a sudden, and he knew the reason why. He also knew that he should be angry, but somehow, he couldn’t. “You keep calling me Andrew… why?”

Monica breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that her prayer had been answered. She looked at him seriously, soft brown eyes meeting his confused green ones, and she hoped that he would understand. “Because that is your name, Andrew… please, believe me. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Andrew sighed heavily. “I-I don’t understand… you know, this might sound crazy, but…”

She blinked up at him. “What?”

“Well…” Andrew ran a hand through his hair, a familiar gesture to Monica that threatened fresh tears in her eyes, but he didn’t seem to notice the effect it had on her. “I thought I remembered something, last night… something that…” He shrugged. “It’s silly.”

“No… it’s not. Tell me, Andrew… please.”

That name was beginning to sound more and more comfortable to Andrew and somehow, it gave him the courage to continue speaking. “I dreamt that… we were in a car together, there… there was a storm, and we were going somewhere… I but I don’t know where…” His voice drifted off as he shifted his gaze to the window, wondering why it seemed so easy to talk to this woman who was a virtual stranger to him, yet who seemed so much more than that.

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