Chapter 2-Forgiveness Is a Gift From the Creator.

Jim and Kyrie sat at a table in what looked like a coffee bar. But it was no coffee bar. It was a weigh station for souls not ready to make the jump but were on the verge of it.

"Kyrie I can't think you enough for letting me see all this. I am really becoming peaceful." Jim said as Kyrie smiled at him. She let his hand go for a moment.

"You are very welcome. Oh and in here we can let go hands. This place is to rest and you are expending a lot of energy and so am I."

"Yeah I can feel that." He said as he looked at his hand.

"You aren't really looking at your hand." She said.

"I got that early on. You said it was part of still being earth bound."

"Yes. How are you feeling now?" She asked.

"Better. You're right. I feel a little drained."

"I'll fix that as soon as you are ready to go on to the next place which will bring us almost up to date."

"Kyrie, why do I feel a pull? Kyrie I feel pain……….."

Suddenly he began to be pulled back. Pulled toward were his body was.

"Jim I………." He was gone. Going back the immeasurable pain his body was in. He looked down and saw his body and the doctors working on him in the trauma room.

"Kyrie!" He shouted holding out his hand to her as she appeared close to him.

"I can't help you right now. They are saving you. It's a tug of war. They have to stabilize your body for us to go on. Just don't fight it. It makes it worse."

"I can't…….Kyrie!" he yelled.

In a flash he was in his body again and in a great deal of pain. He saw Kyrie on the ceiling.

"Please!" He begged. "Kyrie!"

"Shush Captain. Brass you have been shot." Said a female doctor. He looked up and Kyrie was gone. He looked at the doctor who winked at him. Kyrie had gone into the doctor partly. "Please don't fight it. It's making it worse."

"Kyrie?"

She winked again and put her finger to her mask. She touched his head stroking his hair. "Sleep now. I'll be with you in a moment. This part will be over soon I promise."

He felt himself going to sleep and not fighting. The pain was gone and he was back in the mist again. Kyrie stood before him.

"What just happened?" He asked as she clasped his hand again.

"Like I said it's a tug of war right now. Your body was responding to the life saving measures. That in itself calls you back to it. All I can say is it might happen again. We have to go quickly now. You are in surgery. You will survive that. It's after you will have to make your choice."

"What happened to the man who shot me?" He asked.

"He died after being shot by your men. He was a lost soul. He is in Limbo near the outskirts with his brother. They were both lost and I am afraid that the other guys will eventually entice them."

"He wasn't going to back down. I had to save that hostage. He didn't hurt her?" He asked.

"No, Jackie is safe. Like I said before you saved many lives and gave much closure to grieving families over the years. You and the good people you work with." She said.

"Willie Cutler doesn't deserve not to be saved Kyrie. He only did what he did because he was lost. Can't we do something to save his soul?" he asked.

"I've never been asked that. They didn't go over that in Angel school." She said.

"Could you please ask? He didn't mean……."

"Oh I know he did. I was there remember. I can arrange for you to meet with him if you like but that means going back to Limbo and risking being……"

"I'll do that maybe someone will see and help. Nothing is impossible for God to do. Plus it is me that is asking. The person he harmed. I couldn't go on with this and not try. It's not inside me to hold a grudge now, since I'm kind of beyond that at the moment. I felt for the guy all along. He's sick and needs help. If it had turned out different I would have helped him……Besides Bell has forgiven me right? I mean I'm here and not well……."

"I see what you are saying. You were given forgiveness and you want to return the favor to another. Ok. But you ask a lot of me. I'll do it on one condition." She said.

"What's that?"

"You can not be distracted by others there. Demons take just as pleasing shapes as we angels. You will be talking to Willie Cutler, only him, not his brother Sammy, nor anyone else there but me and him. If you see that I have an unnatural red glow about me it's not me and leave. Wait for me in the middle of Limbo. I'll give you a sign…….a sentence, "Forgiveness is a gift from the Creator."

"Ok, deal."

"Jim, I must help you a little. Please come and embrace me." She said spreading her arms and wings outright.

"You are so beautiful." He said gasping a little at her beauty.

"Come Jim into my arms and under my wings. I will be passing you some of my energy for more strength. Jumping in and out of your body is draining." She said.

Jim put his arms around her and she around him. She folded her wings gently. Jim heard the rustle of the white feathers that were encompassing him as her arms did. She smelled good like fresh linen sun dried on the line. Her body was warm and she touched his head with one of her hands. He looked at her face. It was glowing bright blue white light. Her hair moved in the gentle breeze her actions were creating. She looked lovingly at him. No other woman had ever had that look on her face. Suddenly he felt an energy surge. It wasn't painful just took him off guard a little. Just as suddenly it stopped. She unfolded her wings and smiled at him.

"There now." She said as a mother would in comforting a crying child.

"Kyrie will you marry me?" He asked.

"Silly boy. I'm an angel. Until you become one yourself that can't be. But thank you for the offer. What made you ask me that?" She asked unfolding her wings.

"It was the way you were looking at me. Like, you love me." He said.

"I do love you Jim. I have loved you all your life. Didn't you feel that?" She asked.

"I never felt unloved even when my marriage was breaking up. Was that you giving me hope?" He asked.

"Yes. You are as I said a very smart man. You are learning. I'm pleased and proud of you. What ever you decide I will be there. I will always be there." She said placing her hand on his heart. He took his other hand and held hers. Then he hugged her again.

"I love you too Kyrie."

"Now with that over and done with are you ready to meet with the man that shot you?" She asked as he let her go.

"Yes and I know you will be there. I know you won't leave my side."

"You can count on that." She said as they walked on though the mist to the door to Limbo. She opened it and they walked across the wasteland. In the distance he saw Willie Cutler sitting and sobbing on what looked like a dead tree stump. His brother Sammy standing beside him.

"Willie Cutler." Jim said. He turned around and saw the man he had shot standing with an angel. He was afraid. His brother got in front of him.

"Sammy, we are not here to hurt you but to help you and Willie." Kyrie said.

"How do I know that?" Sammy asked.

"This is Limbo. Until you find the light you are going to be stuck here. Jim Brass came to forgive your brother so that you both might find peace." She said.

"How do I know……."

"I'm here too." Said Jim. "Look I know you didn't mean to shoot me but that is done. What I want for you is to find the light and cross over. I want the powers that be to help you."

"Are you dead too?" Asked Willie.

"Not yet. But you and Sammy are. You need to find an angel and go into the light. There you can find the peace you are looking for. I know you didn't mean to shoot me. It was reflex. I have been a cop too long not to understand that. As for killing your wife and boss and co workers…..man you just snapped after you found Timmy was well you know and you boss overlooked you for another guy. You dreamed up Sammy being there for comfort."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. The evidence was leading to it. Am I not right?" Asked Jim.

"My Brother doesn't have to listen to this." Said Sammy.

"Look if he doesn't he will never find peace. If you were any kind of brother you would be looking for a good guy to get you both across. You don't want to be enticed by the bad ones. Kyrie said……."

"Are you sure she is an angel?" Asked Sammy.

"Yes I'm sure. She protected me from harm with the other guys and brought me here. I asked her to help me help you. There are demons just waiting for you on the outskirts. So be careful." Jim said.

The two men looked at each other. Sammy began to glow red. Jim and Kyrie knew it wasn't Sammy. The demon had just taken a pleasing form. Then he turned into the ugly thing he was.

"He is mine. Jim Brass will be mine too." The Demon said and took hold of Willie. Willie was frightened and pulled against the demon.

Kyrie got in front of Jim unfolded her wings and let go a blinding light. The demon did the same thing only the light was red.

"Go demon there is forgiveness here. You can't take a soul that has been forgiven." Kyrie said.

"I forgive you Willie Cutler! Be gone demon in the name of Jesus Christ!" Jim shouted.

The demon upon hearing this acted like Jim's words were painful and yelled in rage then let a very frightened Willie go. He flapped his wings and turned around and flew off into the mist.

Kyrie folded her wings and caught hold of Willie.

"I'm not supposed to do this. I'm really only for Jim. Willie, do you want to find the light and go on to heaven?" She asked.

"Yes, since I have been forgiven. It takes a good man to do something like that. I kind of sensed that you were trying to help me back there and you were right I panicked. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry Captain Brass." Willie said hanging his head.

Jim put out his hand and touched Willie's shoulder. "Take the chance that has been offered to you by me and Kyrie. Go on to the light. I'm not finished with what ever I'm being put though. What ever happens know that it was meant to happen. God chooses his own time for all of us. Your time was then. Go and try to do something good up there." Jim said smiling at him.

"Will I have a chance to do that Kyrie?" He asked.

"You will if you choose the light. See it's coming for you." She said looking over Willie's shoulder. Another angel appeared. Willie turned around.

"Mother?" He asked of the angel.

"Yes son. Sammy is here with me. You couldn't hear me calling you because of the demon. Come son. Come and be with us." She said lovingly.

Willie turned around. "Thank you Jim. Thank you Kyrie. I have to go now. My mother is waiting to take me home." He said smiling at them.

"Take care Willie and try to do good from now on." Said Jim.

"Yes. Go with your mother. It is her and Sammy is right behind her." Kyrie nodded for him to look. Sammy stood there waving for him to come along.

"Good Bye and I hope I don't see you for a while. Don't take offense. You deserve to live having done this for me. Again I am so sorry." Said Willie.

"Good Bye Willie. You might be the one reason I do go back. Because right now I feel a weight has been lifted off of me. I feel like I have a reason now to be." Said Jim.

Kyrie let go Willie's hand and he walked over to where his mother and brother were waiting. They embraced each other and let go. Then Willie's mother lead them on into the light.

"That was a great thing that you did for Willie." Said Kyrie. "How did you know to say that?"

"I just did. All that Catholic school training, reading the Bible, Milton, Dante and such. I figured he would have to go if I said it out loud." Said Jim.

"Jim I am very pleased. I'm very proud of you and for you. Now let's see what is to be." She said and they walk out of Limbo together.