This one goes especially to my sister Kimbre, who has been patiently waiting for me to develop it (she never forgets to remind me of it, lol). Kitty sis, here is your story! Hope ya like it:-)
P.S. This story takes place after the events on "Days filled with joy" and "A perfect day." The whole series can be found at my homepage (address on my profile), but it's not necessary to read all the stories to understand what happens in this one, as they all have a definite beginning and ending.
Far from Heaven
(By Deyse Magalhães)
Prologue"... no! Please, help us! Help! Andrew! I can't see you! I'm here... I... I can't breathe... Please, help..."
Monica rolled in her bed, shouting words that were a result of a terrible nightmare. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she moved her head from one side to another, trying to free herself from the darkness and the agony that took control of her heart. She was also trembling and breathing hard, as if lost in an ocean of sorrow and despair.
"... please, somebody... help... help..."
Her pleading soon woke Andrew up and he rushed to her bedroom. Frowning with worry, he pushed the door open and walked over up to the bed, sitting on its edge, "Monica? Angel, you're having a nightmare!"
She kept on begging for help and the blond angel had no other choice but to gently shake her shoulders as he cupped her face, "Monica, wake up! You're dreaming!"
It broke his heart to see how badly she was trembling, terrified with the images in her nightmare. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly against his heart, "Angel... it's just a dream... shh... it's just a dream..."
Andrew continued to whisper loving words into her ear and to caress her auburn hair until her eyes finally flickered open. "Andrew?" she said, confusion all over her meek scared face.
"I'm here, angel. We're at the beach house, remember?"
Panting heavily, she sat down on her bed and looked at her surroundings, which were now involved in a shadowy atmosphere as the bedside lamp was the only source of light in that room. "I-I had... I had a terrible dream..."
"I know... One of the things I don't like about being in human form is to see you having these nightmares. Come here." He wrapped his arms around her small shoulders and she gratefully held him tightly, her heart still pounding loudly in her chest.
"We were in the ocean and it was all dark... There was a storm and... and I couldn't see you anymore... I was drowning and couldn't breathe..."
"Shh... don't think about it anymore, angel. You had this dream because we're about to set off to a new assignment and it involves being in the ocean." He spoke, running his fingers through her hair and resting his cheek on the top of her head.
"It was so... terrifying, Andrew... it seemed that... that I was dying..."
He held her a bit tighter at those words, dreading even to hear something like that. "Come with me. I'll make you some hot tea..."
Half hour later, they were both sitting at the kitchen table and the Irish angel grabbed the cup of hot tea with both hands, it was warm enough to bring her some comfort and help her forget the terrible dream.
"Thank you, Andrew."
"Sorry it's not coffee but well... I guess tea will make you feel better this time." He said, taking a seat right next to her.
"Tea is perfect. And it does make me feel better." She said, taking his hand and squeezing it. Then she frowned, confusion and worry still visible on her face.
"Don't think about it anymore, angel. Remember that we have an assignment that starts tomorrow and you have to take care of your human form."
"I know..." Monica drank some more of her tea and sighed, "Have you ever had a bad feeling about an assignment, Andrew?"
"Well, yes, but then I found out lately that this 'bad feeling' came from something that was in my mind before the assignment started... You see, a pre-judgement about something I didn't know well."
"Like me being afraid of water for many years?"
He brushed his thumb against the back of her hand, "Yes... I know you improved a lot on it, but maybe a memory from the past, combined with the fact that our new assignment will involve staying in the ocean for some time, has triggered the nightmare you just had."
Monica turned her hand up and entangled her fingers with his, "I'm so glad you're here..."
"And I am always grateful to be next to you..."
x
They returned to their bedrooms some time later and before the little angel entered her room, Andrew lay both hands against her cheeks and tenderly caressed her temples, "I'll pray for you to have only sweet dreams."
"You are such a wonderful friend... I love you very much, ya know?"
Smiling, he nodded his head, "Let's say I suspected that!"
"And I'm glad I love you, otherwise I wouldn't know what a great friend you are!"
Chuckling at her remark, he brushed a tender kiss on her forehead, "I love you very, very much too. Sleep well, angel."
"You too, Andrew..." she spoke, as he stood there waiting for her to enter her bedroom. But when she stopped in front of the door she turned around and looked at him again. Suddenly, she gave two steps and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tightly, feeling an unexplained need to do so. A mix of fear and sadness she didn't know exactly the reason for.
Sighing deeply, he held her for a long time, praying that by the morning all that fear and distress coming from her heart would go away.
x
That night at the beach house was the last memory that came to Monica's mind at the moment of the tragedy: in a matter of seconds, the boat where she and Andrew were working at was parted into two and the angels, as well as the researchers in it, were thrown into the violent ocean. The tidal waves brought by the thunderstorm combined with the strong wind made it difficult to breathe. The water was terribly cold and the fact that it was a dark, terrifying night only made things worse. The little angel shouted for Andrew, trying hard not to be swallowed by the troubled waters and, much to his despair, the blond angel couldn't manage to swim until where she was. Her cries were barely audible to him, as the thunders echoing throughout the dark skies almost made him deaf. The last thing Andrew remembered was to pray – for him, for the people on the boat (a group of scientists he and Monica were helping) and especially for his dearest friend, who he loved so much.