For the most part, Dawn recovered quickly. She still had to walk with a crutch while her ankle finished healing, but the burns had faded. New skin had grown in place of the charred flesh and it no longer stung to have something rub against it. Some days were better than others, but she was determined to get it over with. She was tired of Claude feeling guilty when it wasn't his fault. If anything, she blamed Joseph.

The day came to meet the cardinal. Dawn was dressed in a modest white dress. She sat in one chair and had her injured foot propped up where it wouldn't start aching soon. Her crutch leaned against the wall beside her. Since her hand was still bandaged, Esmeralda braided her hair into a simple style to keep it out of her face. Squishie seemed to sense how important this was; she lay obediently beside Dawn's chair on the rug. She wondered why Claude seemed so nervous. Jehan was grinning from ear to ear, but she was unable to press them for any more information.

The door opened and the cardinal and the bishop both came in. They greeted everyone else first, then came forward to see Dawn. She remembered everything that Claude had taught her, like how to address them and so forth. When she didn't do her usual open-mouth-insert-foot moments, the tension visibly eased from Claude's face.

"I have heard many things about you," the cardinal told her, "some were good, some…not so much. In the eyes of this cathedral, however, you are seen as a hero for shielding our archdeacon from a stabbing."

Dawn did not know how to reply, so she said nothing.

"It was on your bravery alone that the others were willing to stand up for you," he told her, "on the day of your execution, several of the Notre Dame priests came looking for us. When we told them that we were unable to interfere, they protested rather noisily."

Dawn couldn't suppress a smile.

"I had a rather interesting experience shortly afterward," he continued, "I was in my chambers when there was a brilliant flash of light and three apparitions were standing there. Their names were…"

"Gabriel, Michael, and Mercy," Claude put in.

"Yes. And the one called Gabriel insisted that you were not meant to die, that you were a part of God's plan. He carried a trumpet, which he blew three or four times just as the sky went dark. The sun turned black and a column of water poured out of the sky. I didn't see what was down below, but I could guess. By then, I was told you were unconscious and that you could not be blamed for any of the events happening."

He had an almost amused sparkle in his eyes. The man was old, but Dawn could still see the youth that glowed there. His soul hadn't aged…for her, that was a blessing.

"All of us saw the same thing," he said finally, "and we dared not doubt a miracle. On behalf of Notre Dame, Paris, and France, I bring you this pardon for all charges brought against you."

Dawn graciously accepted the document.

"Thank you," she said appreciatively, "I always was scared of fire as a kid…that experience didn't help much."

"I have also heard of your friendship with Dom Claude over the last year."

Uh-oh. This must have been the subject that had Claude so worked up.

"Based on the testimonies of everyone here in this cathedral, the two of you mean a great deal to each other," the cardinal commented.

Dawn decided it was best not to talk unless he asked her a question. She wasn't sure what he was leading up to.

"We've never overstepped our bounds," Claude said nervously.

"I know," the cardinal answered, "I was here several times without your knowledge."

Claude paled.

"Don't look so sick, boy, you have nothing to worry about. I was only going to say that the two of you have my blessing."

"To…" Dawn prompted.

"To marry."

Dawn could have sworn she heard a record scratch in her head. Claude abruptly sat down, dropping into the nearest chair like a stone.

"I want you to promise me that the two of you will be married if your feelings deepen beyond friendship," the cardinal told Claude, "just because we're making a small exception here doesn't mean that we don't still have an example to set."

He took something from his travel pouch and placed it in Claude's hand.

"I'll be praying for your recovery," he remarked to Dawn on his way out.

….

Once again in their earthly disguises, the trio lounged on the sunlit balcony.

"We did it," Michael said, obviously relieved.

"It wasn't easy to talk the bishop and the cardinal both into it," Gabriel remarked, "most of the time I've known them, they're the most stubborn men I've seen here…besides Phoebus, of course."

"So…we're finished here?" Mercy asked.

"Well, they'll always need guardians," Gabriel remarked, "but we won't have to stay here twenty-four hours a day. There are others, after all, who need us the most. Dawn's slowly adapting to life in the Middle Ages, Claude's learned the difference between love and lust, Pierre and Esmeralda are developing a real marriage, and Phoebus is being kept on a tight leash by Fleur. Oh, and Quasimodo has real friendships as well…I don't think I've left anything out."

"What about Esmeralda's mother?"

"That will be revealed in time," Gabriel said, "two or three days, in fact. I just have one last thing to take care of."

He floated off of the balcony to the upstairs bedroom where Dawn was staying. The other two followed him.

"There's the matter of wedding presents," Gabriel said warmly. The air around his hands shimmered for a moment and a guitar appeared. The body of it was crystal clear so that some of the inner workings were visible. The neck was made of a pale wood, almost white. The tuning keys had a pearly sheen to them. The strap was a pale blue. A small box plugged into the hole where the cord to the amplifier normally went.

"This is an amplifier from the far future," Gabriel explained, "it has a nearly inexhaustible power source and it's much less cumbersome than the old amplifier. And watch!"

He drew Michael's sword out of its sheath and rammed it into the guitar. There wasn't even a scratch.

"Indestructible," he said with a mile, "they had to invent these in the future to keep the stage-bangers from destroying thousands of dollars' worth of instruments."

Michael thought for a moment.

"I have an idea!"

Since Dawn was forever bemoaning the lack of coffee, he produced a silver bag.

"It will never run out or spoil," he said as the faint odor of coffee grounds wafted from the bag, "and she'll have it the rest of her life."

"I have two gifts," Mercy said, "the first is related to that bag you gave her. She'll never run out of medicines or healing supplies and people from all over the world to be healed at Notre Dame. The second…"

She produced a black leather-bound sketchbook with three pencils in the front pocket.

"She'll never run out of drawing supplies or paper. Each time a page is ripped out of the book, another one takes its place."

"Well, I guess that's it for now. Let's leave them to their plans and their dreams," Gabriel said, grinning. The three disappeared in a flash of light.

A shimmering note wafted down on the air and came to rest on the bed.

Dawn,

Now that you have found your place in the world, your purpose, and your happiness, I must leave you now in Claude's capable hands. There was never a doubt in my mind that the two of you would make an excellent match. The two of you will need to work together and guide each other through the unknown areas of life. When all else is uncertain, remember this: you must stay as a united front. There are many more trials ahead, but there isn't a doubt in my mind that you'll do wonderfully. You were a wonderful friend to me and I appreciate the trust in me that you held. We will cross paths again someday and I eagerly await the opportunity for you to tell me of all your adventures. Grace be with you.

"Shadow".

A/N: No, it's not over yet…we still have the wedding, the party, and so forth to look forward to, right?