Assignment

as·sign·ment (əs-īn'mənt): A position or post of duty to which one is assigned.

"... if you don't believe that all this world could have just happened on its own, which is hard for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both our kinds together?" Edward, Twilight

A Long Time Ago...

Change.

As I sat at my desk, I knew it was coming. I couldn't guess exactly when it would come or by what means, but it was here. Anticipation of a new chapter in my life filled me with warmth; as when the sun colors the sky purple then pink then orange before it actually breaks above the horizon at daybreak.

I stared back at the screen on my desk. The numbers and letters were screaming by so fast even most of my kind weren't equipped to process it. I tapped on the control in front of me adding to the stream as I saw fit. While I worked I ruminated on what we had accomplished in this assignment and anticipated what was to come.

For the past 100 or so years I've held this very satisfying assignment as a data collector. It's an important job as we were the ones who watched over every soul dwelling on Terra, dutifully recording every thought and action. The data collected was an invaluable learning tool for library patrons in addition to a crucial part of a life review for souls returning from a corporeal assignment as all souls assigned to a body experienced loss of memory of existence in this realm which would not return until we reached the Ultimate Goal.

All of the inhabitants here came from the same place, but we all have different assignments which generally fell into two categories; those who stayed "in the know" and those who forgot. There were advantages to both assignments. Those who stayed informed as angels were there to support those who forgot. Those souls who were assigned corporeal bodies forgot, but were able to move on to the next phase. At some point I might be assigned to forget and move on, but right now I wasn't quite ready for that big of a change... of that I was certain.

The data collection portion of my current assignment was housed in a vast complex which consisted of the data and media center and the library. Other locations in this realm were dedicated to preparing those receiving a corporeal assignment and still others to helping returning souls transition from their assignment to the next phase.

My mind flipped through the possibilities for my future. We all supported the same goal – to protect and support souls, whether it was prior to their departure, in their corporeal assignments or upon their return. I would be happy to take any assignment as all of them were critical, whether it was working in the library, maintaining the grounds, teaching, making clothes or guarding those currently in a body. We used what powers we possessed to make sure everything ran smoothly – which was no small task.

I thought of jobs I had already held and wondered if I'd be reassigned to any of them. It had been a long time since I'd done grounds maintenance. My hands longed to dig through the living dirt, to feel the spirit of the flowers and listen to the melody they produced stemming from the love they felt. The harmony of the trees, grass and water was simply... heavenly.

Change.

I snapped out of my reverie as I felt the internal glow brightening. I quickly reached for the control and slowed the pace of the information flowing by. My mind had room to think of my current assignment and the one to come, but I did it in preparation to finding an appropriate breaking point – as I could sense my replacement would arrive soon. I had felt this change coming and I already prepared a guide to help my replacement fit into this role.

I looked back at the screen which reminded me it was currently the latter part of the 19th century on Terra. It would still be a long time before they had anything close to this computer. Many of my co-workers who were technologically savvy were finally being assigned to Terra to start the transition to a new age. It wouldn't be long before knowledge would be of utmost importance and the number one commodity. Commoditizing knowledge was one of the first steps toward the Ultimate Goal. I smiled to think how close we were to finally reaching our goal.

I contemplated again over my current assignment. I had worked hand-in-hand with a passionate team creating this particular storage system that would help usher in the important new era. I was very good at my current assignment. I was proud of what we had accomplished so far.

Pride.

As soon as the word crossed my mind I realized the sun had finally broken over the horizon and a new assignment was imminent. We kept our job until there was nothing more to learn or gain from it and were then given new assignments by Iam. The pride signaled I was at the end of my learning curve.

In the next moment I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I turned and met the smile of a beautiful seraph. Her long blonde hair glowed as it caught the light of the rising sun from the far window and truly made her look as if she was wearing a halo. The sky blue of her eyes was sharp with understanding. Love flowed from Nettie as I smiled back at her.

"It's time," she said with a warm smile on her face.

This assignment was over.

Nettie signaled to my replacement to take my place as I stood and handed the assignment tablet to her. I looked around the room lit only by a dim ambient light and the uncovered window. I would miss it, but I also looked forward to the new opportunity I hoped Nettie and I were about to share. We walked side by side through the polished steel door. As we emerged from the darkened room and into the brilliant light of the new day, I was momentarily overcome by the warmth of the dual suns around which our world circled.

We started on the pale gray stone path whose polished surface glittered in the sunlight, and traveled through the gardens that flowed between each building. The crisp grass that spread from each side came to its inevitable end against the edge of a wall in the distance.

"We're going together?" I asked.

Nettie and I worked well together. We had previously been on assignment together in the library and I hoped to work with her again.

"Yes, there is a particularly troubled soul who will need our help during his 'time abroad' on Terra. His heart has an extraordinarily large capacity for love, but he cannot see that he's worthy of it. His assignment might take extra time, but the goal of our journey will be to teach him to find and embrace this capacity for love.

We looked at the green garden - punctuated regularly with flowers of purple, pink and red which hummed with life and swayed slightly to the music created by each individual cell's pleasure to exist. Artfully manicured shrubs lined the exterior perimeter of the complex with the edge of the clear blue sky leaning toward yellow as it reached the horizon. It would be quite some time before we would again see gardens this beautiful and we paused to record it in our memory to replay during our time away.

We continued toward a large white building whose silhouette reached across the garden, its shape came to realization via the mind of a master and could be no other form. Its white granite-clad exterior shone in the sunlight. It was hard to tell if the garden shaped the building or if the building shaped the garden. They both existed for each other. As we reached the far side, I looked upon the intricately carved wooden door of the building, weathered by the centuries to a smooth silvery finish.

My next assignment shouldn't be longer than the lifespan of a human, but as Nettie had said this person would need "extra time", I had the feeling I wouldn't see that door again for much longer. Will we be assigned to a Special Case? A feeling of dread gripped me – those almost never ended well. For a split second I almost felt fear, but as the door slid open silently, the pessimistic feelings were replaced by peace flowing over us, and it beckoned us to cross the threshold.

It was an expansive room and although one could not see the ceiling or the far walls, a matched wooden exit door was visible not far from the door from which we entered. Pink gossamer draped around us and white lights pulsed somewhere in the distance. Peace radiated from the core of the room through everything surrounding it.

This peace was why the flowers sung and the buildings stood.

The first eyes I met held a cherubic gleam, not of surprise or curiosity, but of anticipation. They were expecting us. Nettie had already received her assignment so she continued to the side of the room nearest the exit.

As I approached the center of the room, the throbbing light paused and a gentle foggy mist surrounded me. My feet felt the familiar softness of the soft white floor covering and I carefully folded myself into a lotus position. I closed my eyes, relaxed and waited.

I was not aware of time passing. It could've been a minute or an hour, but I suddenly realized I was not alone. I could feel the love radiating from Iam. He waited patiently while I sat basking in the completeness of the feeling. When I was satiated I opened my eyes and gazed into his.

"It is time for a change," he stated.

"Yes, I have seen the change coming."

"I have something unusual in mind for you. The intricacy of this assignment will make it interesting, but it is also why you're pairing with Nettie."

I nodded, "Nettie and I have worked well together in the past."

"It will not be easy. This mating is very special. They were created in the beginning to help us with the Ultimate Goal, but the man is stubborn and his life will take an unexpected, but requisite, turn which will affect them both. It will help you with a lesson you need to learn as well so that maybe one day you may take on a corporeal assignment.

"Your only goal will be to make sure he knows love before he returns to us. Of course his stubbornness and the unexpected turn will make it a little more difficult, but I know you can do it."

"Will this be a Special Case?"

"Yes, it will." He noticed his pronouncement made me vibrate nervously, "but I know you can handle it. Nettie has been working on this for some time and will help familiarize you with the project."

He patiently waited until I returned to my relaxed state where I could fully experience the love of being in his presence. When I was ready I rose and simply stated, "Thank you."

"His time is approaching. Please accompany him and make his journey safe. This is important for everyone. We are counting on you and Nettie." He smiled, "You are very special to me. I know you can do this."

I closed my eyes and, in reverence, bowed to him slightly. I could feel the mist rise and his presence retreat. I mentally grasped at his feeling of confidence in my abilities so I could recall it later when it would surely be needed again. I rose slowly and joined Nettie on the far side of the room.

She smiled and hugged me, "We're going to have so much fun together!" Her excitement was as contagious as the laughter of children and I couldn't help but catch her enthusiasm. I hugged her back.

We left the room through the wooden exit door and into a shiny white hallway which snaked for miles through the complex. I turned to Nettie and asked about the soul we were guarding.

"Oh, I'm very excited. This assignment has the potential to be either transformative or devastating. If we can pull it off, it will be more than simply rewarding – it will help to usher in a new era!

"His name is Edward," she continued. "Although he and his mate were created as a pair, their emotional imbalance would make them almost incompatible once they reach Terra. The only way he can be prepared for her is if he goes ahead alone to begin his journey. It will take some extra time for him to learn what he needs before she can join him which, in part, necessitates the Special Case. It is rare to find a soul mating strong enough to survive being parted for such a long time. It will make his journey extremely difficult. He will feel alone and abandoned yet not understand why."

The more Nettie spoke of our assignment, the more excited she became.

"His mate is the most extraordinary soul I've seen in quite some time. She realizes the complexity of this journey and anxiously desires for him to reach his full potential even if it means an extended separation. She will make an astonishingly strong and beautiful Special Case. We will be lucky to see this transformation first hand!"

As we walked towards our destination, I pondered the new assignment. I was honestly excited to be assigned as a guardian angel again and Edward and his mate sounded like an extraordinary pair.

This was not my first time traveling to Terra, but I hadn't been there for over 300 years. It was a place of extremes – possessing both tremendous beauty and soul-searing pain. I was not looking forward to the pain we would witness, but it was a good reminder of what we were all working towards.

My last assignment there had been in Mongolia. This time I was looking forward to seeing the New World. I was also looking forward to modern medicine whose arrival there was imminent. Mongolia in the 1500's was no place to birth a child or catch pneumonia! My assignment had been important but brief; much, much briefer than this would surely be.

This assignment was going to be exceptional even without the Special Case. Although pre-designed mates were not unheard of, they were also not common. A fair (albeit completely inadequate) human comparison would be identical twins. Although for angels, time was almost irrelevant, souls waiting to join their body could be quite anxious as the tie between body and soul grew closer. Souls waiting to join their mates were doubly anxious and having to wait more than a lifetime before joining would be excruciating for both parties.

We walked in silence as we pondered our assignment. Nettie was patient as she waited for me to grasp the situation. After a time I was finally ready to learn more.

"When is he to depart?"

"His parents are already together on Terra and his conception is approaching rapidly. We are going to meet him now to see when he wants to join them."

As I approached the glass door at the end of the hall I saw thousands of souls awaiting their departure. The large room was filled with angels standing around a swirling vortex frothing with love and light.

Nettie spotted them and pulled me toward the edge of the room. As I approached I saw two souls so close together they appeared to be one being. The translucent apparitions were gazing into each other as if they were two lovers being banished separately to far away lands, as in fact, they would be. The feelings emanating from them went beyond love. They were not just lovers... these two were created together as two parts of one whole.

The way they moved reflected this design. Their movements were in perfect harmony. As one moved, the other finished the movement with a duplicate or complementary movement that made one action incomplete without the other. As one took a step, the other was drawn as if pulled by wires. Their movements looked like a beautifully choreographed dance.

Although their forms and movements were almost as one, the aura they each radiated was distinctly different yet complimentary. One was a bright red and the other a beautiful blue, however at certain points their auras intermingled with each other making an interesting and ever changing pattern.

It wasn't often pairs like this were broken apart for such an extended journey. Their poetic movements only underscored how closely these two were bonded, yet their devotion to growing and moving beyond this state was inspirational. Each step in their journey would only serve to make their union more complete and satisfying. It would make them extremely rare and powerful once they found each other. They would be stronger together then they could ever be apart.

As we approached we could hear them speak. She lifted her hand and his followed, "The anxiety we'll feel when we're apart will only help us to grow, but it is necessary and I will join you when you're ready." They had both heard it before, but they needed the last minute affirmation.

He gazed into her and finished, "I'm willing to go to complete our mating, but I am sorry this is necessary because of my inadequacy."

"We are all inadequate until we finish our assignment. Don't worry; when I find you and join you it will make all the pain worthwhile." She smiled and nodded in our direction. "Your companions are here. It's time to go."

Now that we were next to him, I could feel the warmth of his spirit surround me and I became familiar to the feeling. During his time possessing a body, I would be inexorably linked to him and I needed to get to know that feeling. It was good. He was intelligent and inquisitive. He had a youthful, lively mind but could also be edgy and cunning. This was certainly going to be interesting!

Nettie greeted Isabella's guardian who was standing next to the pair "Eavan!" her smile was contagious. Eavan was especially necessary as Isabella waited here for her time on Terra who would need help during the pain of separation.

Eavan smiled back, "The last piece is now in place," as she nodded towards me. "Let us begin final preparations."

Once placed in a body most souls did not require full time guardians. Assignments sometimes came mid-life or some were even called in temporarily for an especially trying experience, so our assignment to these two souls was an exception.

Edward's soul turned to me and took my hand in his, "I must really be in for it if I need you both here with me. I had no idea I rated so highly," his countenance flashed in anticipation.

"Your self-doubt is why we're traveling this path together," I said as I smiled at him absorbing both his anticipation and trepidation.

"Hmm," he mused.

Nettie took his hand and stared deeply into his eyes, "You don't see yourself very clearly. Don't worry, you will learn. You cannot fully know love until you find yourself worthy of love. Love is a part of creativity and creating is what we're about. You will learn much more about the world and about human nature than most. You will learn to develop your imagination. You will learn to love."

Eavan's protective stance over Isabella was obvious. She smiled and nodded at me then bowed as she took Isabella by both hands and separated from our group. As Edward and Isabella's souls separated, their auras swirled as if confused where to go. It was apparent they were not used to being apart. As the distance grew, Edward's red and Isabella's blue aura settled into place, but reached for each other like the abstract hands of God and Adam stretching across the Sistine chapel, just shy of touching.

Edward turned to look at us, "Nettie you look anxious. We've been planning for a long time and it's not as if I'm the first Special Case."

"No, of course there have been Special Cases for as long as we have graced Terra." Nettie conceded.

"Then why do you look at me with such concern?"

"This is a very special time. Things are changing at a rapidly increasing rate down there. About the same time as you arrive, the perception of Special Cases will begin to change. We are all on the cusp of a new age. We are ever closer to our Ultimate Goal. You will help usher in a crucial step towards that goal. I look at you so because I am simply awed that we are all a part of this." Nettie smiled as she took one of his hands in her right hand and one of mine in her left. I reached out to him to complete the circle.

Edward looked over my shoulder to see Isabella leaning over closely to Eavan, deep in discussion. "I am grateful to be going first so she won't be alone in the world for long without me, but I'm still concerned we will not recognize each other."

"Please don't worry, Edward. It's our job to make sure you make it back to each other." Nettie looked him in the face and smiled.

"But will I feel her when she's near? Will she recognize me when I look at her? Will I know what she's thinking as I do now?" his eyes never strayed from her back.

"We've been through this before. Your souls will recognize each other, but your bodies will not. We will be able to whisper to your soul to help you along. This is how it's been done throughout the ages. You are in good hands."

For an instant, his diaphanous face flashed and I suddenly realized his human eyes would be green as they came into focus for the first time, level with Nettie's gaze. "I will wait for however long it takes, but I want to give a piece of myself to her to be sure we are drawn to each other."

"Edward, no. That is not a good idea. Although it has been done before, in your situation it might be very dangerous. When you meet her she will be a fragile human and there is no telling how strong the attraction will be or how it will physically manifest itself. You are already mated and will feel the bond. If you leave a piece of your soul with her now, it will only make your journey without her more difficult!"

"I can resist anything to insure I'll be with her again. If I give a piece of myself to her there will be no way I can ignore her. When I'm there I will search forever until I find her."

"You do realize you'll be alone much longer than most due to your special assignment."

"Yes, of course, Nettie."

"And you know the pain of separation will only grow in intensity over time."

"I do."

"I want to again emphasize that an attraction of that magnitude might not be in her best interest as she will still be so fragile. You should allow us to let this progress slowly and naturally. Think about the jeopardy you would be putting her in. Your mission is far too important to take that risk. Naturally you have your free will, but please trust us to help you through this." Nettie pleaded with him to allow us this trust, but he was much to head-strong to let this go.

He held onto her sky-blue eyes with his gaze with the beginnings of a scowl on his face, "I trust you, Nettie. We have been preparing for this for a very long time. Now you have to trust me."

At that moment, Isabella and Eavan broke from their discussion and returned to bid our farewell.

Eavan smiled at me and turned to my companion, "Nettie, it will be so good to see you again on the other side. I have thoroughly enjoyed our preparations together. See you soon!"

Nettie and I took turns embracing Eavan and Isabella.

The paired souls grasped each other and again melted into one another. They did not speak aloud, but the emotions pouring off of them spoke volumes and it was again hard to visually separate the ethereal figures beyond their colorful auras. As they began to part, Edward reached into himself. A pained look crossed his face and he then pressed his hand into Isabella.

Her eyes flashed temporarily into focus, slightly pained as she looked as his hand embedded into her chest. She recognized what he was doing and looked longingly up into his eyes. "Don't you trust me to find you?"

He grimaced, "I don't trust myself. I want to be absolutely certain I will recognize you. With a piece of me in you, I will not fail to recognize you."

Isabella's form shimmered in anticipation.

Edward's gaze was only for Isabella, "Do you trust me?" and he lifted his hand to her face.

She gasped as his hand parted from her. Her hand lifted with his and she embraced his sacrificed piece into her soul. "Irrevocably." Their eyes shut simultaneously as they became acclimated to their new weight and they sighed as one.

At that moment we heard his name as it rumbled from the exquisite vortex.

"Edward Masen."

Nettie bowed her head and said, "Are you ready?"

The pair stepped away from each other. Their auras again danced, but this time tiny spots of red remained in Isabella's aura. Eavan took Isabella by the hand and Nettie took Edward's. He turned to look at Isabella to drink her in one more time. Nettie smiled and Edward's response was immediate, his eyes full of expectation.

I looked into his eyes. His features continued to sharpen as the tie between his body and spirit grew stronger. "Are you ready now or do you want to wait a little longer? It's up to you."

"I'm ready, but can we take it slowly?"

"Of course," I answered. "We'll follow your lead."

The three of us held hands and approached the vortex. Thousands of spirits were also approaching the vortex beginning their descent to earthy existences. To the untrained eye it might appear to be chaos but as we circled, the vortex turned everything into beautifully patterned order.

As we reached the center, we grasped each other a bit tighter. We entered a whirlwind that was more powerful than time and space, yet gentle enough that it did not force our hands apart.

We traveled in the pure love of the vortex. I could not see Nettie or Edward, but I could feel them near me and our hands still grasped each other. We traveled in a prone position towards the blue globe. The speed of our advance was metered by Edward's will to approach his new assignment.

As we neared I could feel Edward pull us to slow down. Souls were usually so excited to begin there was not time to see the approach, but he took the time to watch where we were going. The globe got closer and we could see the green continents. We were headed toward North America near the Great Lakes.

Straight away, a moderately sized two story house was in front of us. "Masen" was stenciled on the mail box. We all entered the house and heard a piano playing. We were standing next to a beautiful bronze-haired woman with the same green eyes Edward was now wearing. It was his mother. She was playing Chopin's Nocturno, Opus No 2.

She had a soft smile on her face. We could not yet see her pregnancy showing. The timing of corporeal bonding was up to the soul, but as we stood there Edward's mother was almost a dozen weeks along.

Nettie turned to Edward, "She's ready, are you?"

We could feel some anxiety, but his excitement was overriding his fears, "Oh yes, she's so lovely!"

"Let us begin, then."

Nettie and I held his hands and he closed his eyes. After a time, he faded until he was gone. Although we could no longer see him, we could still feel his warm presence.

It had begun.