She sat on a bar stool, her back to the crowd. He came in, his clothes still stained with his own blood, and sat beside her. The Bartender came over and poured them a drink each with a smile.
"Good work, Gabe." He said.
"Yes, I was watching you work, very good." The large woman said.
"Thanks, Al, Angelita." Gabe downed his shot of whiskey in one. "How about yours?"
"My Sam? He is doing fine. And he has his Al to look out for him." Angelita replied.
"Yeah, but that boy's a trouble magnet." The Bartender observed. "Almost as bad as Blair."
"Blair has his 'Blessed Protector' to look out for him and he's got me." Gabe said, not really amused.
"Come, Gabe, he meant no insult." Angelita said, putting her hand on his arm.
"Gabe!" a voice called out. "Are you alright? I heard you took a shot in the line of duty!"
"Clarence! It's been a while. I'm fine, you?" Gabe smiled at his friend.
"Oh, I'm alright." He grinned sitting down. He had a novel in his hands. He glanced up at the Bartender. "I've heard rumour that I'm getting a new charge. They say it's been long enough since George." Clarence was fairly new at the whole Guardian Angel thing. He'd only had one charge, a George Bailey.
"Yes, we might just give you a new one." The Bartender grinned. "Night, Stawpah!" He called and waved to an older gentleman, bent over and twisted, who was just leaving.
"Do you think Jim and Blair will need me again soon?" Gabe asked. "I kept having to act all Old Testament, and crazy."
"Well, they have a hard road ahead of them. That Ellison boy has some emotional hurdles in his path." The Bartender replied, cleaning a glass with a rag. "They aren't comfortable in their bond all the time."
"Not like my Sam and Al. Even if he is a devil." Angelita grinned. "They are brothers, no?"
"I just hope I get a new charge soon. I feel useless since poor George..." Clarence looked at the floor.
"Happily ever after doesn't last forever." The Barkeeper counselled quietly.

A woman walked into the bar and took a seat at one of the tables.
"Hey, Monica." Clarence called out. She was a roaming Angel, not having found her charge yet.
"Hey, guys. Barkeeper."
"How are you?" The Barkeeper asked knowingly.
"Well, I danced with the Devil, and Zack, well, he wasn't my charge." She sighed.
"I know." The Barkeeper replied, sympathy clear in his tone.
"She was tested?" Angelita asked, her usually loud and boisterous voice suddenly quiet.
"Yes." Was the Keeper's response. Monica didn't stay long, just drinking one glass of water before heading back out.

A man walked into the bar next. He came and sat with Gabe, although he gave the other patrons an odd look. He and Gabe matched each other in their scrappy appearances, and Angelita, with her makeup and bright clothes, and Clarence with his carefully maintained, if old fashioned, outfit, did not.
"She still won't listen to reason." He frowned.
"Earl, I'm sure she'll come around." Gabe said laying his hand on the other man's shoulder.
"Yes, I had to erase George from existence to get him to believe." Clarence put in.
"And I had to out stubborn two of the most stubborn men. She will listen in time, no?" Angelita smiled. "I must go now. Sam is meeting with some very bad people and I need to check on him." She smiled and walked out, where she vanished.
"Clarence, you're needed." The Barkeeper said, tilting his head. Clarence grinned.
"Oh, me? Wonderful, what are they wearing now?" And he too left the bar.
Earl and Gabe sat together in companionable silence, considering their charges. Of course, time meant nothing there, so they could contemplate for as long as they wanted. The Barkeeper left them to it, knowing that their jobs were the hardest.
"So, you boys get any time to relax?" The Barkeeper asked. For even Angels need vacations.
"Yeah, well, I caught Jags game when I was in Cascade." Gabe offered.
"I watched that show, with the brothers hunting demons? Always good for a laugh. I mean, have you seen the angels they have?" Earl snorted.
"Oh, you mean Castiel." The Barkeeper grinned. "He's just in a different division. They're having some problems at the moment."
The two angel ascendants looked at their leader, with horror in their eyes.
"But...."
"In that show..."
"Yeah, the apocalypse. Why do you think we've been so busy?"