DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own the characters from TBAA. They belong to CBS.
Enjoy!
God loves you!
A/N: This story has been in my head for a wee while and I just wanted to write it out. I Hope everyone likes it.
"All He Expects"
Gloria sighed as she sat upon the roof of a local junior high school. She, along with Monica, Rafael and Andrew, had just completed a very difficult assignment.
But ever since this assignment had ended, Gloria hadn't been herself. She was less cheerful than usual and she kept to herself for the most part. She stuck close to Monica, but not even her supervisor could help her feel better.
As Gloria sat there, she noticed that Sam had joined them. He was talking to Monica and it looked like the discussion was serious.
The youngest angel didn't look up until she heard Monica's gentle Irish lilt near her.
"Gloria? Little one, we need to talk." Monica said, sitting down next to Gloria. She put a comforting arm around Gloria's shoulders, letting her know she was there through touch.
Gloria glanced up and met her supervisor's gentle gaze for a minute before turning away. She didn't want to burden Monica with her problem. But what made matters worse, Gloria didn't know what her problem was exactly. She was just feeling so guilty, angry and sad, she didn't know what emotion to let out first.
Monica saw her case worker's pain and her heart broke. She wanted so badly to take Gloria's pain away, but the Irish angel knew she couldn't. All she could do was help Gloria in any way she could.
"Gloria, please, talk to me. I want to help you, but I can't if you won't let me."
Gloria shook her head as she tried to fight the tears back.
Monica waited a minute or so before starting to speak again.
"Sam wants to take you off this next assignment." Monica informed her 'little one. "I told him I thought it was best."
Gloria jerked her head around as Monica's words registered in her brain.
"I'm being fired?" She asked, her tone full of fear.
Monica laughed softly, despite the situation. Her 'little one was truly cute.
"No, little one. You are NOT being fired. You can't be fired from our line of work."
Gloria nodded. She sighed with relief, but then her gaze travelled to the setting sun. She then averted her gaze to the building and rested it there for a few minutes.
Monica noticed where Gloria's gaze had traveled and sighed.
"Sam told me that someone will be down to help you feel better."
"You're not staying with me?" Gloria asked.
Monica shook her head. She gave Gloria a hug before planting a motherly kiss on the top of her head.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I can't. I need to finish this assignment. But I promise, you'll see me soon enough. I love you."
"I love you too." Gloria replied, truthfully. She then whispered something Monica didn't catch at first.
"What was that, darlin'?" Monica asked, wanting to help Gloria in any way she could.
Gloria shook her head, but then thought it would be best to answer Monica's question.
"Nobody can help me."
Monica sighed. She knew she had to leave, but her heart was breaking for Gloria.
With one last hug, Monica told Gloria she loved her before leaving with the others.
No sooner had Monica left, Gloria sighed while gazing up at the sky.
"Father, please help me." Gloria prayed, a few tears streaming down her face. She sighed before repeating what she had said earlier to Monica. "Nobody can help me."
Just then, Gloria heard a familiar voice from behind her.
"God can do anything, little angel."
Gloria turned around and met the concerned brown eyes of Tess.
Without warning, Gloria practically flew into Tess's arms, breaking down the moment Tess wrapped her in a protective and loving hug.
"Shh, shh, it's okay, little angel. It's okay. It's gonna be okay, baby. Just cry it out. Just let it out. That's it. Just let it all out. You're okay. I have you now. Tess is right here. I'm here, honey. You're gonna be okay." With that, Tess started to sing. She knew it would calm Gloria down and she needed Gloria to be calm before she tried to help her.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Gloria cried, breaking Tess's heart.
"Shh, shh, it's okay, little angel. You don't have to be sorry for anything. I promise. You didn't do anything wrong."
It took Gloria a good ten minutes, but she was finally able to calm down enough to listen.
Once Tess was sure that Gloria was calm, she started to speak. Her voice was full of nothing but love and reassurance. The elder angel just prayed Gloria would listen to her.
"All right, there you go. That's my little angel. First of all, you're not being fired. Secondly, you didn't do anything wrong."
Just then, Gloria mumbled something.
"What was that?" Tess asked, wanting to help Gloria feel better.
Gloria hesitated for a minute before repeating herself.
"Monica's probably disappointed in me." Her voice was tearful as she said this, making Tess's heart break right there.
Tess shook her head. She had to get Gloria to understand she wasn't in trouble before the youngest angel worked herself up.
"Monica is NOT disappointed in you. And neither am I. I promise. We just want you to feel better, baby. And the only way that's going to happen is if you confront whatever is making you feel so guilty."
Gloria shook her head, as if doing so would make Tess's words not true.
Tess sighed. She knew exactly what she had to do. She only prayed it would work.
"Come on, little angel. Follow me." With that, Tess led Gloria down the street and towards another part of town.
They walked for a few more minutes before Tess stopped, causing Gloria to do the same.
The youngest angel gazed up at the building standing in front of them before starting to shake. She fell to her knees before closing her eyes and letting the tears of guilt and fear fall.
"Tess, please, don't make me do this! Please!"
"Gloria, it's okay. I'm right here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'm right here, but you have to do this. It's the only way you're going to get passed this and be able to heal."
Gloria nodded, although she was still crying.
"Tess, please! I-I can't!" Gloria cried, her voice full of desperation and fear.
"Yes you can, baby. I'm right here. Besides, with God, you can do anything."
Gloria nodded. She knew Tess spoke the truth, but it didn't stop the tears from continuing to stream down her face.
"Ask God for the strength you need to do this. He'll give it to you." Tess assured her 'little angel. "All you have to do is ask."
Gloria did so, even though she was still shaking. She wanted to be anywhere than where she currently was.
Just then, the sound of a gun going off interrupted the still silence of the mid afternoon.
Gloria turned around and buried her face in Tess's shoulder. She couldn't watch it again. She just couldn't. It had been hard enough the first time around.
Tess rubbed Gloria's back and combed her fingers through her hair in an effort to calm her down. But as much as Tess wanted to protect Gloria from confronting her guilt and fear, she couldn't.
"Gloria? Little angel, you have to do this. I'm right here and I'm not gonna leave you. But you need to do this. It's the only way you're going to heal, baby."
It took Tess five minutes, but she was finally able to convince Gloria to turn around with the reassurance that she wouldn't leave her.
Taking a deep breath, Gloria willed herself to do what Tess had instructed.
As Gloria watched the horrible events play out once again, she let out a sob before seeking comfort and refuge in her superior.
Tess allowed Gloria to bury her face in her shoulder this time. She knew Gloria needed her comfort and reassurance right now. She was afraid and it was Tess's job to protect her.
"I'm sorry!" Gloria cried, her tearful voice making Tess fight back her own tears. "I'm sorry!"
"What are you apologizing for?" Tess inquired, rubbing Gloria's back. "Shh, shh, it's all right. It's all right. I'm right here, little angel. I have you. You're safe, honey."
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop that kid from killing all those people! I should have been able to stop him! I'm an angel! I'm an angel! I'm supposed to-" Gloria was interrupted by Tess's voice.
"That's right. You're an angel. You're not God, you're an angel. You're a servant of the one who created those precious children and created you. And an angel is all the Father expects you to be." With that, Tess hugged Gloria close, knowing she needed the physical comfort more than ever right now.
Gloria let out a sob before continuing to speak. She felt a sense of peace come over her as she poured her heart out to Tess.
"Those children shouldn't have died! They were just kids! They didn't deserve to die!"
"You're right. But they did and now they're with the Father. They're safe in the Father's care."
"And there's no safer place to be." A familiar Irish lilt added from just behind Tess.
Gloria lifted her head and locked eyes with her supervisor and best friend. She was sure Monica was upset with her. But as Gloria gazed into Monica's eyes, she saw only love and concern there. This made Gloria's heartbeat slow down considerably.
"Amen to that, angel girl." Tess commented, referring to Monica's statement. "Amen to that."
"You're not mad at me?" Gloria asked, feeling a wee insecure.
"No, little one. I'm not mad at you. I was worried about you. Are you feelin' better?"
"A little." Gloria replied, truthfully.
"I'm glad." With that, Monica came over and gave Gloria a hug.
The youngest angel hugged back, relieved that her supervisor wasn't upset with her.
Monica planted a motherly kiss on Gloria's cheek before hugging her close.
"I'm not mad at you, little one. I promise. I never was. I was just worried about you. I wanted to help you feel better. I knew you were hurtin', but I also knew that for the first time, I couldn't help you." The Irish angel's gaze travelled to her former supervisor as she spoke the next few words. "But I knew Tess would do just fine. I'm glad she was able to help you feel better. But I'm also proud of you for letting God help you as well. God will always help you if you ask Him for it. He can do anything."
Tess smiled.
"You got that one right, angel girl." Tess said. With that, she came over and embraced both of her angel babies.
As the superior angel secured both younger angels in a loving hug, she started to sing the song she had sung to Gloria earlier.
Tess was glad that Gloria was feeling better.
The youngest angel still had a wee ways to go, but as long as she left it in God's hands and trusted Him, He would help her come through on top.
But if there was one thing Gloria would try hard to remember, it was that she was an angel and that was all God expected her to be. And it was thanks to Tess that Gloria would be able to heal. Tess had been there for Gloria when she had needed her the most. The youngest angel was grateful to her superior for all she had done for her.
Gloria only prayed she would be able to do the same for Tess one day.
THE END