Chapter Twenty

Monica watched her friend carefully, beginning to feel exhausted from her ordeal that morning, but also knowing that Andrew was close to remembering more about himself, if only she could find the right words to help him. It was far from an easy situation- their conversation was going well, at least for the time being, but she had a sense that it would be too easy to say the wrong thing and cause him to leave, setting the assignment back possibly further.

“I was frightened that day in the car, Andrew… even though I knew…” She hesitated, re-thinking her words, aware that there were certain things she could not say- anything relating to the fact that they were angels. Because as Tess had explained to her, this kind of news would be too much for Andrew to cope with- she could only help him understand that he knew her- the rest was down to him to remember, when he was ready to.

Andrew looked at her curiously. “That day? You sound as if you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“But I do…” It was Monica’s turn to shift her gaze back to the window, as her voice quietly recalled more details of the day in question. “It had started out as such a lovely day… none of us expected the storm that would leave us stranded out there in the dark, in the middle of nowhere…” She shuddered involuntarily, never having liked the darkness much.

Andrew frowned, watching Monica carefully as she spoke- it was obvious that the things she spoke about had actually happened- she certainly wasn’t making them up. And what was that shiver he saw run through her body? He realized he had to actually make a conscious effort not to wrap his arm around her and comfort her. When her voice trailed off and she fell silent, he asked tentatively, “What happened?”

Monica turned to look at him in a way that made him feel like she had just become aware of his presence, as if she’d been lost in her own thoughts. And he smiled to himself- she’d always had a habit of doing that…

It took Andrew only a moment to realize the enormity of this realization, another small yet important step on the road to discovering who he was.

In answer to his question, and oblivious to the realization her friend just had, Monica smiled. “We survived the storm unhurt, Andrew… and we found somewhere to spend the night, somewhere warm and safe.” She recalled her friend Lizzie, the kindly old woman who’d been their assignment back then.

Andrew’s mind was filled with questions, so much so that he wasn’t sure what to ask next. But when Monica started coughing again, all questions vanished as he hurried to pour another cup of water, handing it to her with a concerned look. She took a few sips then leaned back against the pillows looking exhausted, closing her eyes. And as Andrew set the cup back down on the table he sighed, his concern for her refusing to leave his heart. “Are you okay?”

Monica forced her tired eyes open and managed a small smile. “Yes… thank you, Andrew.”

He nodded. “Look, I… I’ve taken up too much of your time- you’re hurt, you need to rest.” He stood up but Monica’s hand reached for his, an instinctive motion borne from the simple fact that she didn’t want him to go. He frowned in surprise, but didn’t let go of her hand for a moment, savoring the feel of her touch, the soft, delicate skin of her hand, so familiar that it touched his heart in a way he didn’t know was possible. But then embarrassment took over and he quickly released her hand, sighing. “I… should go.”

The way Monica looked at him, he almost believed she was frightened at the thought of him leaving her. “Please, Andrew…”

Torn between a desperate need to stay, but also a need to go someplace quiet, someplace he could try and think through everything that had happened to him today, and the feelings he had at that moment, Andrew reluctantly backed a few steps away from the bed. “I hope… I hope I see you again.” He didn’t know why he spoke those particular words, or why Monica’s eyes widened when she heard them, but he decided against asking why.

Giving Monica a soft, apologetic smile, Andrew left the room, and it took only a moment after he had closed the door for the young angel’s tears to begin falling down her cheeks. She lifted her head toward the ceiling, a sorrowful expression on her face as she spoke in just a whisper. “Father… please, help Andrew to remember… and help me know what to do… I can’t bear to lose him…”

***

Once he was outside Monica’s room, Andrew leaned against the wall for a moment, closing his eyes and letting out a long breath. Then he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked slowly down the corridor, his head bent, a million confusing thoughts running through his mind but only one emotion in his heart- a feeling of love so strong it was almost blinding, so deep it was unfathomable.

***

Andrew didn’t feel like he could truly breathe properly until he’d left the hospital building and stepped out into the cool, crisp air outside. He glanced around, looking for something or someone- he wasn’t sure which, and then set off walking down the street, not caring about the direction, his only desire to find someplace quiet where he could try and work through everything he was thinking and feeling.

He walked for a few blocks, barely noticing his surroundings until he recognized up ahead the gates to the park that he’d visited the day before, when he’d been looking for Monica…before that terrible argument they’d had at his house, something he regretted deeply now despite Monica’s forgiveness. And so he walked into that same park, recalling another less pleasant memory, of when Kathleen had suddenly appeared, kissing him and then persuading him to go back to the house.

Andrew realized perhaps for the first time, how persuasive Kathleen was… and he found himself wondering why on earth he’d ever married her. Up until now, he’d assumed that his non-existent feelings for her were simply down to the fact that he was suffering from amnesia and couldn’t remember anything about her. But if that were the case, he wondered, then surely he would have no feelings toward Monica either?

According to Kathleen, Monica was the cause of his memory loss… but he couldn’t believe that. He didn’t know much about Monica yet, but he knew she wasn’t a liar and certainly wasn’t the type of person to deliberately hurt another. So that meant Kathleen had lied… why would she do that? But he remembered that she had already lied- about this morning, when she’d told him he’d collapsed at home, when in fact he’d been at the homeless shelter…

He frowned, suddenly recalling something that had escaped his conscious memory until now. As he’d been watching the fire, Kathleen had been there, telling him to go back home with him… and that was the last thing he’d remembered before he’d woken up at the house. He didn’t know what had happened to him- had he fainted, due to the stress and worry of seeing the fire and not knowing if Monica was alright? Now Andrew found himself having doubts, but not about himself or even Monica… no, now he was having doubts about Kathleen.

Finding an empty bench in a quiet area of the park, overlooking a small duck pond, Andrew sank down heavily onto the seat, running a hand through his hair. ...Why is it that I trust Monica more than I trust my own wife? Why do I have no feelings toward Kathleen, yet I feel such love in my heart for Monica?... Glancing up at the sky, he watched for a moment as small, fluffy white clouds drifted overhead, and he began speaking almost without realizing it. “God… you answered my prayer this morning, at the homeless shelter… now, would You answer another one? Please, tell me who I am… help me to understand what it is that I share with Monica… I need to know.”

His prayer finished, Andrew dropped his gaze, absentmindedly looking around the park at the few people out on such a chilly day. A flash of movement caught his eye and he smiled as he watched a little girl, who must have been about six or seven, run across the grass, her long dark hair flowing behind her as she ran, apparently heading toward a woman who sat on a bench a few meters away. Behind her, a man dressed in a smart suit followed her, watching her with a smile.

“Mommy, mommy, look what Daddy bought for me!” The little girl waved a doll in the air as she ran toward her mom, and as the little girl got closer, Andrew could see that the doll was dressed in a white dress, with wings sticking out from behind her. “It’s an Angel Doll!” She grinned as she showed her mom the new toy.

Andrew’s heart skipped a beat as suddenly a rush of emotions flooded his heart. The little girl, he realized, seemed oddly familiar to him, but even this was nothing compared to the impact of one small word… “Angel.”

Why did this seem so important to him? He didn’t even know if he believed in angels, and certainly couldn’t understand why such a simple word could evoke such a strong emotion. He almost felt like crying, frustrated by feelings that refused to fully come to the surface, but which instead stayed just out of reach, tantalizing him, teasing him.

===========

Chapter Twenty One

Andrew found the peacefulness of the park comforting, allowing his mind to be free to think about all the troubles worrying him at that moment. But he soon realized he wasn’t going to be alone for very long.

“Well, baby, fancy meeting you here!”

Andrew turned, surprised, and saw a woman walking toward him whom he soon recognized as the nurse he’d met earlier, in Monica’s hospital room. “Hi… Tess, isn’t it?”

Tess nodded. “You mind if I sit down?”

“Oh, no, please… go ahead.”

She sat down and looked at him carefully. “I don’t think I caught your name earlier…?”

“Oh! Sorry. I’m And… Adrian.” Funny, he thought, he’d almost said the name that Monica had called him…maybe he was going crazy- from the look Tess gave him, he could almost believe that he was. Shifting his gaze, he saw once again the little girl who had captured his attention earlier. She was now chatting happily with her parents, still holding the Angel doll.

Tess saw what Andrew was looking at and smiled knowingly. “She looks like a real chatterbox, doesn’t she? And she’s at that age where she probably wants to know everything about everything. I should think her parents are constantly bombarded with questions.” She chuckled. “Reminds me of someone I know… always inquisitive, always fascinated by the world around her.”

Andrew turned back to look at the older woman. “Yeah, I-I…” But then he frowned, hesitating. Something seemed familiar, but he didn’t know what.

“What is it?” Tess looked at him curiously.

“Oh, it-it’s nothing…” Andrew chuckled briefly, nervously. “I forgot what I was going to say… it’s been happening a lot lately.” He dropped his gaze to the ground, staring at his shoes. But then he felt a hand on his arm and looked up to see Tess looking at him with an almost sad expression. He caught her gaze and as their eyes locked he felt sure, somewhere at the back of his mind… but no, he didn’t know this woman. She was probably just one of those people who seemed familiar even when you’d only just met them.

“Baby, I don’t know exactly what’s going through your mind right now, but I can see that you’re a very troubled, very lost soul.” She paused for just a moment. “Look to your heart for the answers- because the truth will always be there.”

Andrew frowned at her, puzzled. “What do you mean…?”

Tess smiled. “I think you know. When a person has lost everything, it’s very easy for them to be taken in by something that appears real, because their minds are desperate to find something to cling on to. Your mind can be deceived… but your heart can’t.” She stood up, but then turned back to him. “And remember… God will always help you find the truth, because He loves you, baby.” Then she walked away.

Andrew was stunned. For an instant, when Tess had spoken about God loving him, he’d felt a jolt through him, of something so familiar and comforting that he knew it must be important. But now that feeling was gone, and all he had were the words the older woman had spoken to him. The truth was in his heart? But all that was in his heart right now was the love and concern he felt for Monica, a young woman he barely knew.

“So… the truth is that I love Monica?” He frowned, shaking his head as he spoke quietly to himself. “But where does that leave me with Kathleen… my wife?” Suddenly Tess’ words came to him again- “something that seems real… your mind can be deceived…” And his eyes widened as he came to a startling realization. Suddenly it no longer seemed odd to him that he had no feelings for Kathleen… because for reasons he still didn’t understand, he now knew that she wasn’t his wife after all.

Andrew knew there was only one person who could help him to understand the truth now… which was why he wasted no time in leaving the park, and began walking back toward the hospital.

***

Kathleen had been waiting for the right moment to make her move. Aware that Andrew was dangerously close to remembering everything, not to mention the fact that his trust in her was waning- if it had ever been there to begin with- she knew that time was not on her side. But Tess’ visit to Andrew gave her the opportunity she needed, and as she walked along the hospital corridor, dressed in the white lab coat of a doctor’s uniform, she smirked to herself. Her plan might not be heading in the direction she’d expected, but she was determined to win no matter what the cost.

Even if it meant destroying the angel who’d once been her friend.

Reaching Monica’s room, the demon glanced up and down the corridor just briefly before turning the handle and entering, noticing that the young angel was sound asleep, unaware of her presence. Closing the door behind her, Kathleen walked toward the bed, reaching into her pocket for the needle that contained a highly powerful drug. How fortunate, she thought, that Angels had human forms that were vulnerable- and the fact that Monica was already weakened from the effects of the fire, just made things even easier.

Leaning over the bed, Kathleen grasped Monica’s arm, ready to administer the drug. But suddenly the young angel awakened, opening her eyes widely with fright when she realized who was there. “Kathleen…?” She struggled weakly, trying to get away, beginning to cough with the effort, but it was all in vain- she didn’t have the strength to fight.

“Sweet dreams, Angel Girl.” Kathleen plunged the needle roughly into Monica’s arm, causing her to cry out in pain, and it was only a matter of moments before the young angel’s struggles ceased and her eyes closed.

By the time anyone would find out that this particular patient had gone, they would assume that she left of her own volition. The only ones who would know the truth were Andrew and Tess… but that was all part of Kathleen’s plan. With another evil smile, she pulled the oxygen tube out of Monica’s nose and lifted the angel’s limp body into her arms before disappearing from the room.

***

Andrew got to the hospital as quickly as he could and once inside, got into the elevator and made his way to the fifth floor, toward the room number that was firmly etched in his mind. But as he walked along the corridor his steps slowed as he saw Tess talking to a doctor outside Monica’s room, and she looked distressed- and Andrew knew immediately that something was terribly wrong.

“Tess… what’s going on?” Andrew reached the doorway, glancing inside and seeing that Monica’s hospital bed was empty.

Tess finished speaking to the doctor, who walked away, and she turned to Andrew. “She’s not here, baby.” There was sorrow in her voice, and fear also; and this only worried Andrew more.

“Well… where is she? Did something happen?” His voice sounded frantic, revealing the deep emotions he felt for Monica, emotions that couldn’t be erased even though at that moment, he still didn’t truly know who she was.

Tess laid a gentle hand on Andrew’s arm, looking at him with a seriousness she hoped would convey to him the enormity of the situation. “Baby… you have to find her. I wish I could tell you why, but…” She hesitated, aware of the Father’s instructions, frightened of what might be happening to her Angel Girl in Kathleen’s evil hands. It was terribly hard for her not to reveal herself to Andrew there and then, but that wouldn’t make him remember who he was- only Monica could do that.

Andrew frowned at her, not understanding, his thoughts clouded with the worry he felt for Monica. “I-I don’t understand… where did Monica go?”

Tess sighed heavily. “I don’t know where she is, but I know who is with her- and if you search deep inside of you, then you’ll know too. This is something you need to do on your own… I can’t help you. But don’t forget something, baby… God can help you. He answered your prayers this morning- and He will answer them again.”

Andrew’s eyes widened. “How did you know…?”

Despite the severity of the situation, Tess managed a small smile. “Oh, I just know.” She turned serious once again. “You need to go, baby. Time is of the essence.”

Andrew nodded, too stunned to ask any more questions. He nodded mutely then turned and began walking back down the corridor, but he heard Tess’ voice again.

“I’ll be praying for you, Andrew.”

He stopped in his tracks, shocked, and turned around, the question already forming on his lips… but Tess was gone- the corridor was empty.

===========

Chapter Twenty Two

“God, please… help me know what to do…” Andrew mumbled this prayer over and over as he walked out of the hospital and down the street, unsure really as to where he was going. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, and he knew if he was to stop and try and think it all over, he’d have a hard time understanding just what on earth was going on, and why he seemed to be so important in everything that was happening. Which is why he kept on walking, guided by what seemed to him to be an unseen force, as he certainly didn’t know where he should go to start looking for Monica.

He walked quickly, barely aware of his surroundings, but as he turned onto a side street he saw a group of homeless people up ahead, wrapped up in dirt-stained woolen overcoats, trying to keep themselves warm with a fire they’d set in an old metal trash can. And for a moment Andrew paused, watching them, remembering many days and nights spent trying to keep warm while he’d been living on the streets. Funny, it had seemed so far away, but now it was familiar again in a way he couldn’t understand.

But as he watched those people, hoping that one day, they would have the good fortune to have a home once more, as he now did, he realized that the emotions he was feeling wasn’t because of the time he’d spent living on the streets. It was something else, something… different. And after a moment, Andrew was no longer aware of those other people, or anything else around him, because suddenly a memory invaded his mind…

...FLASHBACK...

Andrew was sitting in a chair in the living room of the house, watching sadly at the children watching television, no adults to supervise them. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice. “Andrew?” He turned around in his chair, and smiled softly at Monica, who was standing in the room, dressed for all the world like she was another homeless person. “Hi.”

Monica smiled “Hi. What are you doing here?”

He glanced again at the children, his eyes showing sadness. Turning back to Monica, he shrugged. “Well, I… spend a lot of time in this house. More time than I’d like to.”

The younger angel looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?”

He sighed lightly. “You’ll see.”

Monica looked at him with a puzzled expression, but didn’t question him further. “You know… Lydia, she’s a slippery character. She tells me something and then it turns out not to be true.”

Well, the truth is actually just right down that hall.” He pointed to the hall behind her. Maybe…” He frowned. “Maybe you better go back and take a look…”

...END FLASHBACK...

The sound of a car horn startled Andrew out of the memory, and he felt that there should have been more- something important in the scene he’d just witnessed in his mind, something that would have helped him see the truth. Glancing again at the homeless people up ahead, he realized that Monica had been dressed just like them… “She’d been homeless?” He frowned, shaking his head. It didn’t seem quite right, but… he didn’t know how else to explain the scene he’d just witnessed.

“Monica…” A stab of pain invaded his heart at the thought that the woman he loved so much was missing. He didn’t know where she had gone, or why, and he wished he had the answers. He’d been right- as long as he’d been walking he’d tried to push aside the fear he was feeling for the young woman- but now he began to think about her again, that fear had returned with full force. Instinctively, he looked upwards at the gray, cloudy sky, and he remembered what Tess had told to him. “God can help you… he will answer your prayers…”

“God… I don’t know what’s going on… but I believe that You can help me, so here I am, seeking Your guidance. Tell me what to do… tell me how to find Monica… I don’t think I could bear to never see her again. I think that my memories are real- on some deep level I think I know they are real… but I don’t know how, or-or why…” He frowned, dropping his gaze, oblivious to the stares of some of the homeless people who had noticed this smartly-dressed man standing in the middle of the street, apparently talking to himself. Not that it wasn’t anything they hadn’t seen before.

Andrew sighed deeply. Somehow he’d been expecting an immediate answer, almost as if… but no, he told himself. Even though he did believe in God, he wouldn’t actually hear His voice- it didn’t work like that. Feeling somewhat disheartened, he shoved his hands in his pockets and carried on walking, past the homeless people, past the memories that they’d brought to his mind. “I guess the answer’s no…” But as he said those words, he heard a voice inside of his mind, a voice that he recognized as Monica’s…

“Sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes the answer is not yet.”

***

Monica awoke to find herself in a cold, dark room, somewhere she didn’t recognize. At first she was confused; her mind felt fuzzy and if she moved her head more than a fraction, it hurt terribly. Trying to remember what had happened, she cast her mind back to being in the hospital, talking to Andrew. But he wasn’t here- and this wasn’t the hospital. The cold stone floor she was lying on confirmed that, even if the room was too dark to see anything.

But then she remembered waking up in the hospital to see Kathleen standing over her bed… and although she couldn’t remember anything after that, she now knew what had happened to her. Knowing that she had to find a way out of wherever she was, and acutely aware that she was in human form and therefore had no angelic abilities for the time being, she tried to sit up, but as she tried to move she realized that her wrists seemed to be tied together. Now even more afraid, she continued her movements but only got as far as lifting her head off the floor before an intense headache and a wave of dizziness forced her to lie back down. The effort also caused her to start coughing, and she panicked when she realized she no longer had the oxygen that was helping her smoke-damaged lungs to breathe.

Willing herself to calm down, Monica eventually stopped coughing, although her lungs were hurting slightly and she knew she was far from okay. She shivered; the place was cold and she couldn’t help but wonder where she was. Whispering into the darkness, she prayed. “Father… help me, I’m so afraid. The dark scares me so…”

Tears pricked at the young angel’s eyes as she tried to understand what she was doing here. Kathleen’s purpose was to get at Andrew- she’d known that since first realizing that the demon was involved in this assignment. “So why me?” But it only took her a moment to think of the answer- she knew she’d been succeeding in the memories she’d been giving to Andrew, he was starting to remember some more times they’d shared and it surely would only have been a matter of time before all his memories had returned.

“So Kathleen was worried that she would fail…” Monica sighed heavily, wishing the terrible pounding headache would go away, for it wasn’t helping her to think. She was frightened and desperately wanted Andrew or Tess to be with her- they’d help her, they’d keep her safe.

But then, she realized sadly, that was exactly what Kathleen wanted- for Andrew, at least, to find her. Monica couldn’t understand exactly what the demon had planned, but she knew that, despite her fear of the darkness that surrounded her, she would rather face that alone than put her dear friend in any danger. So she whispered another prayer, hoping it would be answered.

“Father… don’t let Andrew find me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to save him if he does.”

===========

Chapter Twenty Three

Andrew had continued to walk aimlessly through the city streets, trying to figure out where Monica could possibly be. But soon Tess’ words invaded his mind… “I know who is with her- and if you search deep inside of you, then you’ll know too…”

He stopped, wide-eyed, as a realization came to him, the memory of something else spoken to him just a couple of days ago, by Kathleen. “I can help you give Monica what she deserves… then we can be together forever.” It became clear to him, like a bolt of lightning, that the woman he’d believed was his wife, must be responsible for Monica’s disappearance from the hospital.

She wanted revenge on Monica… but for what reasons, he couldn’t understand. If she wasn’t his wife, what did she have against the beautiful young woman Andrew loved with all his heart? Without an answer to these questions, all he could do was make his way back to the house as quickly as possible, and hope that Monica would be there.

But when Andrew finally arrived at the house, he found it empty… a search of all the rooms showed no trace of either Monica or Kathleen. Frustrated, disheartened and even more worried- for his only hope of Monica’s whereabouts where now apparently dashed- he made his way back to the door, unsure where his search would take him next, but sure that if Monica wasn’t here, at the house, there was no point in him staying.

Why, then, did he feel a sudden urge to stay right there in the house? What feeling possessed him so quickly, so urgently, that it made him stop in his tracks and instinctively listen for something, only to realize that he didn’t know what he was listening for? What seemed even stranger, was that he had the feeling that he wasn’t listening for a sound his ears could hear. It was almost as if…

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes as he leaned against the wall. Maybe he was going crazy, maybe this was all some terrible nightmare and he would suddenly wake up and find himself lying on a bench in a park somewhere, covered in newspapers or an old blanket, and he wouldn’t have any knowledge of Kathleen, or Monica, or a nurse called Tess who seemed to know things about him that she shouldn’t be able to know. Maybe then he wouldn’t have the strangest feeling that his heart was waiting to listen for something… or someone.

***

After numerous attempts at trying to sit up, Monica had still been unable to, the throbbing headache refusing to go away, making her feel dizzy and sick- and although she didn’t know a lot about human medicines, she knew that her symptoms probably had a lot to do with the contents of the needle that Kathleen had stabbed so viciously into her arm back in the hospital room. The only thing she didn’t know, was how long these horrible feelings would last. And to make things worse, she had realized by careful, slow movement of her legs, that her ankles were also bound together… evidently Kathleen was taking no chances.

So unable to do anything but lie there on the cold, hard stone floor, Monica found that the darkness was quickly consuming her to the point of almost sheer terror at times, which would have been unbearable if it weren’t for the one thing that kept her going- thoughts of her dearest friend. For although she had prayed to the Father not to let Andrew find her, aware that he would be in grave danger if he did, it didn’t stop her from thinking about him, or remembering times they’d spent together- happy times, memories that she could cling onto, memories that were so clear in her mind that she could almost believe she wasn’t in this cold, dark, frightening place.

Memories she was especially fond of, were times when Andrew had helped her or taught her something- he was so much more knowledgeable than her, and his infinite patience, coupled with the friendly, gentle way in which he’d explain things to her, was something she treasured dearly. And as this thought stayed with her now, coaxing her out of the frightening dark void and toward somewhere brighter and much more pleasant, one moment in particular came to her mind and she couldn’t help but smile…

...FLASHBACK...

Andrew and Monica were standing on the shore of a lake, the blond angel holding a small stone in his hand as he addressed his friend. “It’s all in the wrist, okay?” He turned and threw a stone into the water, where it skipped a couple times. He turned back to Monica. “There… just pop it out there. Try again.”

Monica threw her stone, but it just sank. Tess, who had now joined them, spoke up. “Oh you got to get the right spin on it, baby.” As she spoke, Andrew threw another stone into the water. “Get a good angle on it and go with it, like that man over there.” They all turned to watch a man wearing a suit throw a stone into the lake.

Andrew took in the stranger’s appearance. “Doesn’t exactly look at home here.”

Tess shook her head. “Oh, no, he’s not. He’d rather be any place in the world except Lake Paradise. But he’s got work to do here, and so do we.” She turned to Monica. “Did you see how that itty-bitty stone made great ripples as it plopped in the water? Well that’s what you’re going to do for this town.”

Monica thought about this for a minute. “I’m going to plop?” Beside her, Andrew chuckled.

Tess looked at her. “Well, let’s face it, Angel Girl, if you wanna ripple, you’re going to have to plop.” Andrew chuckled again, and Monica smiled, but her supervisor remained serious. “There’s a problem. This lake is dying.”

Confused, the youngest angel turned to look up at Andrew. “Dying?”

“Haven’t you noticed?” He said. “There’s no birds singing, no butterflies flying, no frogs… frogging.”

Tess gave him a look. “You mean ‘croaking’.”

But the blond angel winced. “I try not to use that word.”

“Well… it seems too beautiful to give up without a fight.” Monica suddenly looked determined, ready to begin her assignment, whatever it would entail.

Her supervisor nodded. “I’m glad you feel that way about it, because sometimes it takes a fight to save a life.”

...END FLASHBACK...

As the memory faded and Monica’s awareness came back to the present, she shivered not only from the cold, but from fear as well. “A fight…” Suddenly overcome with guilt, she blinked tear-filled eyes heavenwards, trying to see past the darkness to the One who would hear her prayer. “Father… please, forgive me for not being able to help Andrew. I’m afraid I’m making such a mess of this assignment…” She hesitated, beginning to cough again, and it was a long moment before she was able to speak. “I wanted so badly to help him, but now I’m here, I can’t do anything and I don’t understand why. But please, Father… help Andrew. He needs an Angel so badly and I really thought that it would be me, but…” She dropped her gaze. “I guess I’m just not able to help him.”

***

Andrew’s eyes suddenly shot open as he realized he’d been remembering something else, something indistinct, that he only recognized as water… a lake, perhaps? And he’d been there with Monica… they’d been having fun, and someone else was with them… he thought hard, willing himself to remember, but the person’s face was unclear, and their name escaped him totally. In frustration, he hit the wall hard with his fist, wincing for a moment at the pain, but he pushed it aside, closing his eyes in anger and sorrow. “How can I help you, Monica, when I don’t even know where you are?”

Somewhere deep inside of him, he could have sworn he heard her voice, and if anyone had asked, he would have been able to tell them that she was frightened… but he couldn’t explain to himself, let alone anyone else, how he could possibly know that. Was it just because he knew she probably was frightened because someone, most likely Kathleen, had taken her from the hospital? He told himself that was the explanation, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to believe that it was as simple as that.

***

Downstairs in the cold, dark basement of the house, Monica whispered Andrew’s name, wondering if she would ever see him again.

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Chapter Twenty Four

Andrew couldn’t leave the house. He didn’t know why, and all his common sense told him to go, to search the city and not rest until he found Monica. But each time he had tried to head for the door, a voice, or a feeling inside of him- he wasn’t sure which- told him to stop, to wait there.

Finally, he’d given up… and had spent the remainder of the afternoon just sitting on the steps on the back porch of the house, watching the sun slowly setting. But he hadn’t just done nothing… he’d prayed, over and over again, for help in finding Monica, and in remembering who he was. Funny, though, he’d realized… his primary concern wasn’t getting his memories back- it was getting Monica back.

As the last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon and Andrew finished another prayer, suddenly a strong ray of sun illuminated the wall of the house beside him, strong enough to make him turn and look. And he saw something there, on the wall, glinting in the sunlight, behind a bush. Getting up from his seat he stepped closer, pulling the branches aside to reveal a small window, that seemed to be boarded up from the inside.

“I didn’t know this house had a basement…” He frowned, puzzled, but then his eyes widened and, without any other proof other than a strong instinct, he raced up the steps into the house, and searched until he found a door he hadn’t taken much notice of before. Grasping the handle he pulled, somehow expecting it to be locked, although he didn’t quite know why- but to his relief, it opened easily. Grasping in the darkness he found a light switch, which illuminated a set of steps straight ahead of him. He ran down them, and as he looked around his gaze fell on a sight which both shocked and relieved him at the same time…

“Monica?!” He ran down the remaining steps two at a time and was at the young woman’s side in an instant, falling to his knees on the floor as he looked her over, wondering if she was okay, was she… “Please, God, let her be okay…” Andrew looked at her carefully; her eyes were closed and he saw that her hands and feet were bound together with rope, and the sight pulled at his heart. “Monica… Monica?”

The young angel blinked her eyes open, frightened for a moment until she realized who was there. “Andrew?” But her relief soon turned to fear when she realized what was happening. “No… you can’t be here… please, Andrew…”

Puzzled, Andrew paused in his efforts to untie her wrists, and frowned. “What are you talking about? I’m gonna get you out of here, Monica…” He continued to untie the rope. “I-I don’t know what’s going on here, but I do know that the last thing on my mind right now is leaving you here alone.” Finally, he’d finished untying the ropes, and he caressed the skin of Monica’s wrists- it was red and slightly raw and she fought to keep from crying out in pain. Sighing, Andrew moved to untie her ankles. “Kathleen did this, didn’t she?”

Fighting back tears, Monica nodded. “She’s not who you think…”

Andrew held up his hand. “I know. She’s not my wife.”

Monica blinked; how did Andrew know this? Clearly he still didn’t know who he… or she… was. “It’s more than that, Andrew… that’s why you can’t stay here….” She finished her sentence with a fit of coughing, which only worried the blond angel more. As he finished untying Monica’s ankles she tried to sit up, but he pushed her gently back down. “No… you’re hurt.”

Frustrated, Monica forced herself to sit up, ignoring Andrew’s concern. Right now her own welfare and safety was not at the front of her mind. “Andrew… please, trust me. I can’t explain, but… you can’t stay here. If she finds you…”

Andrew shook his head in confusion. “Monica, Kathleen can’t hurt me! I think I can take care of myself!”

Struggling to her, feet, Monica watched as Andrew stood also, keeping a close eye on her, steadying her with his hand in a gesture that should have been comforting and familiar, but instead only served to increase the worry she felt in her heart. Looking up at him, she met his gaze and spoke in a pained whisper. “Please, Andrew…”

“Let’s go. Either way, I’m not leaving you here, okay?” He looked her over worriedly. “Are you okay to walk?”

Monica nodded mutely and he sighed. “Okay.” Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he led her toward the steps and they slowly made their way up them. But they had only gotten about half way when a figure appeared at the top of the stairs, and the two of them looked up to see Kathleen standing there, hands on her hips, an evil smile on her face.

“Going somewhere?”

***

“Kathleen…” Andrew frowned. “I-I don’t want any trouble, okay? Just… let me get Monica out of here.”

The demon laughed. “Oh, poor, misguided Andrew- you really don’t know what’s going on here, do you? But Monica does- isn’t that right, honey?”

From her position beside Andrew, Monica forced herself to stand up straight, despite the throbbing pain in her head. “Let him go, Kathleen.” She took a deep breath. “If you want to take someone, then… take me instead. Just don’t hurt Andrew.”

“Take you… where?” Andrew looked at Monica in confusion. “What is going on here?”

The young Irish angel turned to her dear friend with sadness in her eyes. “I wish you understood, Andrew. I tried so hard to give you back your memories, but I suppose I just wasn’t strong enough.” She glanced down at the floor and closed her eyes. “Dear Father,” she whispered, “please, help Andrew. Give him back the knowledge of who he is.”

Kathleen sniggered. “You can pray as much as you want to, ‘Angel Girl’, but it’s not going to do you any good.”

“What did you just say?” Andrew looked at Kathleen curiously, thinking for a moment. “You-you called her. Angel Girl…” He turned back to Monica and said nothing, just watched her for a long moment. “Monica?”

The younger angel’s eyes widened. “Andrew… do you remember?”

But before Andrew could reply, suddenly Kathleen lifted her hand and he was thrown down the stairs. And as Monica looked on in horror, she never saw Kathleen raising her hand to her also…

***

“Where are you, Monica?” Andrew walked along the beach, occasionally glancing at the waves crashing against the shore, watching the sun glinting on the water that was as blue as the sky. Overhead seagulls cried out, echoing his anguish.

He remembered everything - Monica’s prayer had been answered. Two simple words, spoken by a demon intent on destroying him and everything he held dear, had triggered something in his memory and as he’d turned back to Monica, seeing the love in her eyes but also the fear for his safety, everything had come back to him in a flash.

But he’d never gotten the time to react to what was happening, for suddenly his world had plunged into darkness. And now he found himself on this familiar beach, able once again to feel the Father deep within his heart, to know that He was with him- and certain as to why he was here.

This beach, this place where he’d met Monica once before, in a time that seemed so long ago now when the two of them had been separated by the actions of demons. Andrew wasn’t here physically; he could only guess that right now his body was lying unconscious in the basement of that house, vulnerable because of everything he’d gone through. And he could only guess that a similar fate had befell Monica, although the thought pained him. She too was vulnerable to Kathleen’s powers- she had already been hurt when he’d found her.

But Andrew knew in his heart why he was here- the Father had confirmed it anyway. He just had to find Monica- and then he would also find Kathleen. His memories were back, but the danger was far from over.

===========

Chapter Twenty Five

Monica didn’t know how she found herself on the beach, but as she looked around, recognizing the place almost immediately, her first thought was of Andrew.

Staring up at the clear blue sky, the young angel felt tears pricking at her eyes. “Father- I know You answered my prayer about Andrew- and I’m so grateful for that. And… somehow I know that he is here, somewhere on this beach.” She sighed. “Please, help me find him, Father.”

As she ended her prayer, Monica shifted her gaze to look out across the ocean, sparkling gold and white with the sun. And somewhere inside of her, she felt peaceful for the first time in several days.

“Monica!”

The familiar voice snapped her out of her reverie and she turned, smiling, to see Andrew running toward her, his blond hair flapping slightly behind him. As he reached her side no words were spoken as he enveloped her in a tight hug that almost lifted her right off her feet. She wrapped her arms around him too, savoring his touch, his strength; this was her Andrew, finally with her once again.

Andrew finally ended the hug and pulled back, keeping his hands on Monica’s shoulders as he looked down at her, smiling but with concern in his eyes. “Monica… it’s good to see you, and know exactly who you are.”

The younger angel nodded, smiling through her tears of joy. “I’ve missed you so much, Andrew.” She lowered her head guiltily. “I tried so hard to help you.”

“And you did, baby girl! My dreams, the memories- they are what started giving me back the knowledge of who I am, and your prayer- it was answered sweetie, when the time was right.” Seeing that she still wouldn’t look up at him, Andrew placed a gentle hand under her chin, lifting her head so that she faced him. “I’ll never forget what you did for me, Monica. Thank you.”

Monica smiled, feeling more at ease. “I’m just glad you’re back with me, Andrew.” She looked around her. “But I don’t know why we’re here…?” She looked up at her friend curiously.

Andrew sighed. “It’s… not over yet. Kathleen…”

“Kathleen is here!”

The two angels turned to see the demon standing on a rock a few feet away. Suddenly the sky grew dark as thick clouds appeared overhead. The waves crashed harder against the shore as the sea turned gray and stormy.

Andrew took Monica’s hand as they prepared to face the demon.

***

“What are you doing here, Kathleen? This is…” Monica frowned. “This is our beach.”

The demon laughed, jumping off the rock. “Well now it’s mine too. Don’t forget, I still have power over both of you- and when this is over, you’ll both be coming with me. This has turned out better than I expected- I’m gonna leave this place with two fallen angels instead of one.”

Andrew took a step forward, protectively shielding Monica. “You are not going to take either one of us, Kathleen. I won’t let you.”

Kathleen scowled. “Oh, that’s right, you remember everything, don’t you, Andrew? Thanks to my little ‘slip-up’ back in that basement- I don’t know why I had to go and say that.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “But, what’s done is done.” Thinking for a moment, she smiled evily. “Speaking of things that are done, do you remember that day in the park, Andrew? When we kissed?”

Andrew’s eyes widened as he turned to glance at Monica, who looked pained.

Kathleen sniggered. “Oh, it’s alright- she already knows. She saw the whole thing.”

Monica nodded, blinking back tears. “I saw you…” Her voice was just a whisper.

Andrew shook his head, grasping her hand with both of his. “I’m so sorry, Monica. But I didn’t want to, I…” He sighed. “I would never do that intentionally.”

“I know, Andrew.” She gave him a small smile and he knew that although it had hurt her to witness him and Kathleen kissing, she didn’t blame him.

Kathleen stepped closer, still smiling evily. “But what poor little Monica didn’t see, was our first night together in our ‘marital home’ - right, honey?” She sniggered as suddenly a vision invaded Monica’s mind- Andrew sitting on a bed, Kathleen walking into the room wearing only a skimpy negligee.

“No!” Monica’s eyes widened as she looked first at Kathleen, then at Andrew. “You didn’t?!”

Confused, Andrew frowned, remembering that night. “Monica, nothing happened! I-I would never…” As the Father’s voice floated down to his heart, he nodded in reply. “You were there, that night- giving me memories in my dreams…” He watched as Monica nodded. “Then you must know I was alone!”

As Monica tried to think of this, Kathleen spoke again. “But that was much later on, Monica- don’t you remember how Tess stopped you from going to the house right away? My, she must have had a real good reason for stopping you like that. What did she know that you didn’t?”

Monica frowned, taking a step back from both Kathleen and Andrew. “I-I don’t know…” She shook her head, staring down at the sand.

Andrew’s heart went out to her. “Monica, she’s just trying to confuse you! Lies and deceit, that’s all a demon knows!” He took a step toward his friend, slightly hurt when she flinched as he tried to take her hand. “Monica, listen to me. Nothing happened, I swear. I want you to believe me, but… if you can’t then ask the Father. You know He will tell you the truth.”

Kathleen stepped forward, pushing Andrew out of the way. “Don’t listen to him, Monica. He’s the one who is lying- and Tess, too! She kept this from you- what kind of friends does that make them?”

Andrew’s eyes widened. “Stop it, Kathleen!”

Monica looked up at Kathleen, who smiled warmly at her. “Remember when we were friends, Monica? We could be like that again- you and me. I would never betray you.”

Andrew stepped forward. “Don’t listen to her, Monica. She’s lying- everything she says is a lie.” He put his hand on his heart. “I’m the one who would never betray you, Monica- I love you, and so does Tess. Nothing happened that night, but I know that if Tess prevented you from going to the house, it was to protect you, that’s all.”

The young Irish angel looked bewildered. “So much has happened… I-I don’t know what’s real anymore…”

“I’m real. Listen to your heart, Monica- I’m there, close to you, with you always. And the truth is there, too.”

Monica closed her eyes, and began to whisper. “Please, help me, Father. I want to believe Andrew- is he telling the truth?” She listened carefully, and then over the sound of the waves, and the distant rumbles of thunder, she heard the truth.

Opening her eyes, Monica turned to Kathleen. “Leave this place- now. I don’t want you here, or your lies.” She walked to Andrew, standing beside him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Kathleen scowled. “I was so close…”

But Andrew shook his head. “You can never win this, Kathleen. Now go- in the name of the Father, leave this place. Leave us alone.”

Defeated, Kathleen’s eyes grew red with anger as a blackness surrounded her and she faded into it before disappearing completely.

As the clouds moved away to reveal a blue sky once more, and the waves calmed to a gentle lapping of the shore, Andrew and Monica looked at each other and smiled.

THE END