1. Dreaming of Angels

I gasped awake. It was that dream again, the one where the angel is flying towards me, trying to save me, but it's always too late. I hate that dream, I hate how sad the angel looks as he reaches for me.

I lift my right hand, the one I wish the dream would let me use to reach out to him, the one that my Mama always said had been kissed by an angel. It was her way of explaining the weird birthmark that covers most of the back of it. I trace its strange edges. When I was younger, Mama and I would try to think what it was supposed to be.

"A bird!"

"A bunny wearing a straw hat!"

"A fairy!"

"An angel," mama would always finish giving the hand a kiss.

That was a long time ago, though.

I had asked Papa once, shortly after Mama's death when I'd been missing her. He had just called it a birthmark and told me to stop being foolish. I never asked him again.

Shaking off the last of the dream and the memories, I get up and get ready for work. Papa hadn't approved of me getting a job, but I'd insisted. I wanted something that was all my own, something that didn't have the Hart name stamped all over it. Besides, having my own source of income gives me more freedom in other aspects of my life, such as wardrobe.

I smile pulling out a white blouse and brown knee-length skirt. Papa would never have let me purchase such a short skirt with his money, but since it was with my money, I was able to get away with it. If it were up to Papa, all my skirts would be ankle-length, but times are changing whether he approves or not. Women are wearing shorter skirts and even pants! I don't think I can get away with pants though so modern skirts purchased with my own money is the silent compromise we have.

I twist my hair into a bun and look in the mirror. I shake it out immediately, I look too much like Mama when I wear my hair up like that. I always look like her, same brown eyes and blonde hair, at least I'll never forget what she looked like, but mirrors always make me miss her.

I decide to just leave my hair down and grab my bag before heading out. As per tradition, I say goodbye to all the paintings in the hallways as I make my way to the front door. I linger a bit on Mama's portrait, she's wearing the pink gown with its full skirts, and her hair is twisted into a perfect golden bun. I'm glad the artist had kept her smile when he painted it.

"Goodbye Mama, I'll be sure to tell you about my day when I get home" I whisper to her, tracing the gold frame with my fingers lightly before turning away.

With all the goodbyes out of the way, I head out the door and make my way through the gardens and finally to the front gate. As always, I take a moment to debate whether to ask Papa's driver for a ride. Of course, I don't, I don't need to give Papa a reason to complain about my job again, besides, I've walked there and back so many times that I know I can do it. It's just so tiresome.

With a little sigh, I keep walking away from Hart House and follow the streets to downtown. I follow Main Street until I reach the Empire Weekly news office. It's not the biggest paper in town, but they were willing to take on a female reporter, even if most of the work I've been doing so far has been gossip columns for the social section. That being said, Jason and I have a deal that if I find any stories on my own, I'm allowed to write them, and he even throws tips my way every once in a while.

Overall, it's the best job I could ask for. I get to write all day and get published! I figure I improve my writing skills working at the Weekly and then put those skills to fantasy and write a novel someday. Lord knows I have plenty of ideas for a novel, between the stories Mama used to tell me and the crazy dreams I have, I could definitely spin a story.

I'm happy to start here though, improve my skills, make connections with publishers. I'll write a novel someday.

Jason is waiting inside for me, as always, his excitement and passion for reporting are contagious. I can't help but smile back at him as he hands me my assignment for the day and I head to my desk to get to work.

The rest of the day is the standard routine, I write, ignore comments from some of my male coworkers, have a coffee break, more writing, lunch, call contacts to see if I can pick up a scoop on some new stories, more writing, and then pack up my bag to go home.

"Bye, Jason" I call out as I head for the door.

"Keep it cool, Lucy!"

I chuckle at his catchphrase, I don't think 'cool' will ever catch on, but Jason loves it.

I smile as I walk up Main, heading home. I'm just crossing the intersection of Main and Harbour when I notice a flash of pink out of the corner of my eye. Confused I turn to look and –

I see my angel.

A/N: Chapter one! Please leave a review and let me know what you think, the good, the bad, I want to know!

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