If They Have Not Charity

by Koshka

(Read it and see.)

If They Have Not Charity

The auburn haired woman curled herself into a tight ball, hugging her knees close to herself. It was a beautiful evening, though it was getting a bit chilly with the clouds forming overhead. She pulled her shawl more snugly about her shoulders, reflecting on three things, they were names: Monica, Andrew, and Tess. She was certain of one thing. Her name wasn't Andrew.

Tess was watching the same sunset, but from a different vantage point. The Father's gentle voice of instruction continued its ever loving touch to her soul. Even so, Tess couldn't help but wipe at a tear.

Andrew caught the move, and, typical to his nature, approached his friend with the love that had been there since the moment God had created him. "Tess?"

She caught his eyes right then, saw his concern, and his love for her. "Oh, Baby..." she said, quickly wiping at her other eye.

'Where's Monica?' he wondered, but didn't voice his concern over his absent friend, focusing on Tess. He put an arm around Tess's shoulders, and just waited.

Andrew didn't know for sure what he was doing here, but the Father had sent him here.

He ran a hand through his hair. 'Guess a trim wouldn't hurt.' he thought, and went on in to the beauty salon. No one was at the front counter, so he waited for a few moments, looking around.

'Generally, haircuts aren't fatal.' He grinned, trying to swallow the chuckle his own thought had induced. He stood for a moment, surveying the main floor, and caught sight of a slender woman that seemed somehow familiar.

When no one came to the counter, Andrew walked casually onto the main floor, looking at the rows of shampoos, conditioners, mouses, and gels, and not to mention hair sprays that filled the long counter over the sinks.

"Looking for someone?"

Andrew turned. Only then, now that he could see her features, did she look familiar.

"You got a haircut!"

"And dyed."

"It suits you." He took the chair next to hers. "I thought I'd just get a trim."

"I thought I'd get a cut and color while I waited myself. That's just about done, and now you're here. Do you know why the Father wants an Angel of Birth, and an Angel of Death at a hair salon?"

Andrew just quietly shook his head.

"I usually keep to myself, but I've had time to become curious."

"Glad to see the both of you are here." Tess said in her knowing manner. "Nice hairdo, Angel Baby."

Kat could feel her spine stiffen up a bit as Tess took a seat across from her two angel charges.

"Are you sure this is the right place, Tess?" Andrew asked.

"It's the right place and the right time, Babies." Tess said, her manner one of complete no-nonsense.

Andrew's fists were tight balls at his sides, even as Kat stood beside him, watching, wanting to help.

'Vince, Kathleen...' Frustrated, Andrew said, through gritted teeth: "Evil lies! They'll do everything to drag you down!"

Kat massaged Andrew's stiff shoulders, ignoring the breeze blowing through the trees and through her short hair.

"Kat, you remember the last time we were together? Kathleen lied! She'd dragged me down into darkness, telling me over and over that Monica...Monica had killed me. That she was paying for it...filling my mind with lying words and lying images...all the time I knew the Truth! Angels of Light don't die! I couldn't convince her of that!"

"Breathe, Andrew. All that's in the past now." She glanced down at the trees below them. "Thick headed as evil usually is." she added, more to herself. "You know the truth, and that's what matters."

"Kathleen, Monique, Vince, Gregory...They all lie! And now they've got their sights on Monica."

"They may have Gregory, and every other evil Demon, but we have Archangels, and we have God." She made sure Andrew was meeting her eyes. "We have God, Andrew."

"I know. I'm just so tired..." His voice trailed off, staring vacantly into the trees going on forever below them.

A warm, gentle touch reached deep into his soul.

'I know that you're tired of evil and all it's ways, Andrew. That's what makes you the perfect angel for this assignment. Always remember I love you.'

"I need to go." He looked up, and Kat saw the tiredness in his eyes. "A friend needs an angel." He vanished a step before he would have stepped off the cliff.

'Father, I'd be more than willing to take Andrew's place.'

She could feel the smile of pleasure in the Father's loving embrace.

'This is his assignment, Kathleen. You will be together later on.'

Kat couldn't help but smile, feeling warm and safe in God's care.

'You're a special angel. Your willing and loving heart are very much needed.'

Kat closed her eyes, wondering about her part in this, and drifted into a sleep like no earthly sleep.

Memories floated to the surface as Kat slept.

'If you eat that, you'll become as big as her. You don't want to be a Fats, do you?'

Kat groaned in her sleep, she felt the same repulsion, the same derogatory names applied to larger sized people that had been repeated over and over in her life as a human.

'You're stuffing your face just like Fats. You're going to explode...' the nagging continued as she looked herself over in the mirror. She turned the tap on, and lifted the lid of the toilet.

'Doesn't that feel better? Get it all out of your stomach, and maybe you won't become Fats.'

'Leave me alone! Go away!' She tossed in her sleep, and her cries became verbal: "You're not welcome here! Father! Help!"

"It's okay, Baby!" Tess spoke urgently, trying to reach Kat through the powerful memories, cradling the young angel's head in her lap. She looked at the other form nearby. "Be gone!"

"Leave me alone!" Kat mumbled, not fully awake yet. "I said you're not welcome here!"

The dark form faded, disappearing completely as Tess watched.

"She's gone, Baby. Everything's okay." Tess said, soothing the young angel as she moved a curl that had fallen into Kat's face.

Kat stirred, feeling her head cradled in a lap. Sleepily, she wiped at moisture on her mouth. "Tess..."

More awake now, she moved into a sitting position beside Tess. "Tess, I just had the most real dream..."

"It was real, Baby. It was memory, and it was also teaching."

"Teaching?"

Tess nodded. "Our assignment's name is Clara Zeiggler. Evil has had its sights on her most her life, as it has had you, and as Monica is learning." Tess sniffled a bit.

Kat put a hand on the older angel's knee.

"Baby, I wish you could be with Monica, too."

"Andrew's with her." She blinked, surprised, not sure when that knowledge had been given to her.

Tess took Kat's hand and squeezed it.

"Your assignment is to be with Clara. You'll watch her grow up, and, when you return, with her, to her current age and time, that's when we'll be able to work with her."

"How far back should I go?"

"The Father will put you in the right place and time."

Kat thought this over for a moment, uncertain.

A gentle touch to her soul filled her with assurance: 'I'll always be with you.'

She hugged Tess, then got up.

Tess watched another of her angel charges disappear from her sight. She looked heavenward, a prayer in her heart, and felt the same love reach into her own soul.

Andrew quietly watched his friend resting, knowing that, though this teaching period for her had barely begun, already she'd forgotten who she was. That seemed to be one of the elements inherent when God had an important learning experience for His angels, something he'd experienced many times himself.

'An Angel of Light can die, Andrew.'

Memories flooded his mind, memories of becoming mortal, of being on trial for murder, of feeling alone--so alone--memories of dying. God had wanted His Angel of Death to see death from a mortal's point of view, a very personal point of view.

Andrew bowed his head momentarily. 'Thank you.' He acknowledged that he'd forgotten, and acknowledged at the same time, that God's way of bringing things back to remembrance was very loving.

Monica stirred in her sleep.

"God has sent an angel to be with you, Monica." He looked up and saw that dawn would soon be here, as would whatever was in store for Monica.

'There I go, thinking like a pessimist again.' He sighed. 'Father, unless I'm mistaken, this isn't my trial and testing.'

He felt God's love flow into him, and looked up to see a dark figure approaching.

Kat followed 10 year old Clara from the girl's restroom into her classroom. The girl appeared distraught.

Clara sat quietly in her desk at the back of the room, getting her school books out of the desk. A classmate sat down in the desk in front of her, and asked her what was wrong.

"I lost my ball. My superball went down the toilet."

"Didn't you try to get it out?"

"I couldn't. It was my favorite."

Nearby, two girls whispered to each other, looking at Clara and smiling, jeeringly.

Clara did her best to ignore them, writing something. It was clear that the mocking was hurting her.

The teacher saw the note that Clara's sole sympathizer was taking to the two mockers, and asked that the paper be brought to him.

Clara had written a poem! It didn't rhyme, but it was beautiful delivered it's message clearly.

Kat looked over to Clara, the young girl finally succeeding to subdue her distress, and saw a reflection in the window of the door leading to the darkened closet, a figure no mortal could see. His smirk was one of satisfaction, the darkness about him feeling like a heavy weight in Kat's heart.

Clara looked over her shoulder, and though the 10 year old couldn't see her, Kat felt that nevertheless, Clara was aware that someone else was here.

As the young girl turned back to her school work, Kat saw a familiar look in those eyes: the first few bricks in a strong wall had been laid.

"It's a wall she's going to need, Angel Girl."

Kat looked up from her young assignment, and saw Tess standing beside her. Tess was watching the other unseen form in the room.

"It's also a wall that's going to be to strong for her own good." Tess shifted her position. "Come on, Baby. This is only the beginning."

'Evil lies. It only uses just enough truth to make its lies more acceptable.'

Andrew was startled to awareness by the feeling of a hand shaking his shoulder. He looked, but no one was there.

Then he remembered the dark, evil angel, and Monica. Monica! 'Where is Monica??!'

Kat appeared with Tess in Clara's bedroom. The young girl was searching through a pile of letters saved from correspondence with various friends.

"She appears quite happy, Tess. Look at all those letters. She has friends."

"She has a few friends, and she's saved every letter. She's lost the address for one of them. Every lost contact builds that wall she's been building since she was ten."

"Every time she loses a friend..."

"Either inadvertently or deliberately."

Kat shivered, and Tess nodded in return for the questioning look she received.

'Someone deliberately sending hurtful mail...' Kat wondered at the tricks evil was using in this young girls life.

"She might never write back," Clara was saying to herself, "but I'll give her one more chance..."

The auburn haired woman felt an ache in the core of her being. It had really hurt when those two girls had mocked her, and it hurt every time when someone ignored her proffered friendship. She wished she could find that one address...She didn't like not keeping in touch, having others think she'd rejected them.

Andrew squatted down beside his friend, who shivered in the early morning cold. There was a special connection he had with Monica, it was called friendship. He felt that she was getting lost in the experiences she was having.

Feeling the coldness himself, but recognizing that it wasn't due to physical temperature, he looked up into the face of evil. He got up with an ease that seemed much more than natural, and placed himself between the being and Monica. His fists clenched.

"Back off!!! You will not try her anymore than she is able to bear!!!" He slowly advanced, pushing darkness away from his friend.

"Shouldn't she be dating, Tess? Dating is a normal activity for teenagers."

"It's that wall of hers, Baby. It keeps the hurt out, but it also prevents friendships from forming."

Clara removed the thick lensed glasses she wore only around the house, when she had to have her contacts out, and turned out the lamp beside her bed.

Kat picked up the composition book that had been put aside moments ago. She held it to catch the light beyond the doorway.

"She liked cats, Tess. There's several here about felines, cats... 'our four footed furry feline friends' she calls them. Oh! Here's one called 'That's that'. Listen to this:

"The cat

"And the rat

"Had a spat

"About who was fat

"Till the cat

"Ate the rat

"And decided that."

"Isn't that a cute poem, Tess?"

"Read on, Angel Girl." Tess sat gently on Clara's bed, and lovingly touched the sleeping girl's head. 'Already, evil's working on her to disfavor a certain type of being.' Tess thought, even as Clara smiled in her sleep. 'God loves all His children, regardless of size, shape or color.'

"Here's a beautiful thought: 'Mercy comes in one flavor: Love'." She put the book back where Clara had put it.

"She does have beauty in her heart, Baby, but that beauty is being destroyed with every brick in her wall." Tess got up, careful so as not to disturb the sleeping girl. "Look."

Kat turned to look where Tess had bid. A name came unbidden to her mind: 'Fats!' It was the derogatory name evil had put in her mind during her lifetime, the very one she'd turned to describe the evil harassing her. The name didn't bear any physical resemblance to the evil being she could now see, but the feeling evoked by his presence was the same.

"His name is Vince. The other one..."

"I know him." Kat said, hearing the cold in her own voice.

"They're helping build the very wall Clara will use to keep evil at bay."

"I thought you said her wall was going to be to strong for her own good."

"That's why you've been assigned to work with her, Baby. Not only do you know the evil tactics that are going to be used against her, but you can help her use that wall she's building to ward off evil and let the good in. It won't be easy."

"But it'll be worth it." Kat finished for her. She went and sat on the edge of Clara's bed. Gently, she placed a hand on the shoulder not pressed into the mattress.

"God loves you, Clara. He never said it would be easy, He only said it would be worth it."

The frown that had creased Clara's forehead eased, and she relaxed into a deeper sleep.

Andrew turned quickly as another form approached. Immediately, he relaxed, recognizing the warmth of love and peace about her. He'd never been in her company before, but her bearing was in complete contrast to the evil he'd been keeping at a distance.

She reached up and shifted the long, golden brown braid off her shoulder to fall down her back. She extended the hand to Andrew. "My name's Celeste."

"You're an archangel."

"One of many." Celeste confirmed with a nod. She looked at Monica, resting peacefully, for the moment. "She shares Clara's burdens."

"Do you know why?"

"Because two beams are stronger than one. Joined together, they are stronger than one beam with the dimensions of the two."

She smiled at Andrew's expression, or lack thereof. "Kat's there to help Clara through her battles with evil, and Monica will be there also, as will you."

"Are there other angels assigned to Clara? I've seen some of the things evil's doing here."

"More than you can count, Andrew. More than you can count." She gave Andrew's arm a squeeze before turning and vanishing a couple steps later.

Kat sighed when she saw Celeste. "I'm glad you're here. They're working on Clara the same way they worked on me, but with twists. Clara's been trying to write something for her writing class for hours, and has only written a couple of things."

She picked up the composition book that Clara had tossed aside when she'd left her bed room. "Look at this." She read what had been written as Celeste read with her: 'There's nothing wrong with not knowing where you're going. That in itself is knowledge.' and a poem titled Rest:

"Death

"Eternal mortal

"Slumber."

Kat met Celeste's eyes.

"They're with her all the time, Celeste, whispering, suggesting...I hate to think what lies and twisted truths they're putting in her mind. Who knows what she'll do because of them."

"God knows what she could do. The hosts of evil working to bring Clara down are numerous, Kat, but the hosts of God...They that be with us are greater than they that be with them. It's a quiet battle, one that she's been fighting against evil since before she was born."

"The Battle in Heaven..."

Celeste nodded. "Fully one third of the hosts of Heaven followed the evil one. Clara was one of the valiant ones against evil. She was on the front lines of the battle from the moment it started. That battle still continues, only the setting has changed."

Both angels watched as Clara came back into the room, evil ever present, and picked up her composition book again. The pen rocked back and forth in her fingers.

"We have our work cut out for us." Celeste said.

Linking arms with Kat, the two angels went to Clara, evil parting before them.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" Clara shouted, muffled so as to be almost inaudible, by sleep. The intensity and command in her vocalizations were the same...

This must have been what it felt like to Andrew when he'd been assigned to her before her time to go Home had come, watching, and knowing that the soul in an angel's care was battling evil at that very moment.

Clara was getting her sheets all twisted in her fight against what she KNEW was there.

Evil was one step ahead of Kat. He tossed aside the blanket, and touched Clara's leg with an almost gentle caress.

A rage she didn't know she still and in her boiled up, and Kat was at Clara's bedside before she'd even registered the motion. "No!!!" she almost hissed, and gripped his arm with a firmness that surprised her, yanking it away from Clara.

"I'll take care of this." a firm, tight voice said.

Kat saw the intensity in the Archangel's dark eyes an instant before he yanked evil away from what he intended to do, with a force capable of dislocating shoulders from their joints. Evil firmly in his grip, the archangel growled in an ear: "You will not harm this girl!"

"It's not over yet!!!"

"Be silent!"

Kat was sitting beside Clara on her bed, stroking the young girl's hair with one hand, and wiping a tear in her own eye.

"It's okay. Angels are with you." she whispered, pulling up the blankets over Clara's shaking shoulders. She knew the vulnerability Clara was feeling: the feeling of being a little girl in a cold, cruel world, without loving arms to comfort and reassure.

"I want to go home..." Clara mumbled in her sleep. "I want to go home..." tears streamed down her face.

Kat looked up, saw Celeste appear once again.

"Ethan...Ethan..."

"Yes, I know. Go on, Kat. You need some healing of your own. I'll be with Clara." Celeste said. She scooped her up with ease, holding her close as she settled into a rocking chair that hadn't been there a moment ago. She grabbed a blanket from the bed, and began rocking slowly.

"Theo...he would have...almost did..."

"I know. Go now. You don't want to keep the Healer waiting."

Celeste turned her attention back to the girl she cradled in her arms.

"I know you want to go Home, Clara, but your time isn't yet. I know how much you want to be cradled in the Father's arms right now. That's why He sent me. He's very proud of you, Clara. You've grown so much. But no matter how much you grow up, or how old you get, you will always be a child in His eyes. You're one of His precious little ones, and He loves you very much." The warmth of God's love that had been surrounding Celeste now surrounded Clara.

'Thank you, Father, for Clara will not remember the evil here this night, but only Your love.'

She looked back into the face of His child, and saw the peace and healing manifested there. Nevertheless, she shivered, because she knew this wasn't the first, nor the last time.

'Must she go down this path?'

Celeste felt a familiar warmth touch her soul almost before she'd asked the question.

'She is one of my Valiant daughters, and must be tried in all things that she might be prepared to receive the glory that I have for her.'

The tear that rolled down Celeste's cheek was one more of joy now than it had been earlier. Still, her heart ached.

'Through her trials, she is learning to trust in Me, and she will be supported in all her trials, troubles and afflictions, and will be lifted up at the last day.'

'Such hard trials...'

'Evil works the hardest on the most Valiant ones, because he knows he cannot have them easily. To them I send my angles, even my archangels.'

Celeste felt warm arms reach around and embrace her, and the gentle voice touched her soul again:

'For all my children, I sent my Son.'

Monica, sometime during the night, had curled herself into a tight ball, her back against a big rock. She'd withdrawn so far into herself, that Andrew couldn't reach her. And yet, she remained conscious of him, not letting him get physically near her.

Morning came, finding Monica where she'd been most of the night, huddled against her rock, Andrew sitting as close to her as she'd let him: out of arm's reach. He was tired, so tired... He only wanted to hold his friend close and comfort her as she went through whatever it was she was going through right now. But she wouldn't let him.

'She doesn't trust me.' he realized.

"Monica trusts you impeccably, Angel Boy."

Andrew looked up and saw Tess looking at him with a love in her eyes that began to quench a thirst he wasn't aware he'd felt.

Tess took a seat on a rock near him. "But Clara is losing any potential trust in males." She shifted a bit on her rock. "Clara Zeiggler is our assignment, Andrew. Do you remember what Celeste told you about two beams being stronger than one?"

"I remember. I'm not sure I understand, but I remember."

"The Father has joined two souls: Clara's and Monica's, making both stronger than either would be on their own, even stronger than Clara would be alone, no matter how many angels are around her to support her in her trials. Clara and Monica are connected, through the Father."

"How is it done, Tess?"

"I'm an Angel, Baby, not God."

The two angels sat there for a moment, watching Monica.

"There will be a time, Andrew, when you need to understand, as Monica does, what Clara is learning."

"Why do we have to stand back and let this all happen?" Andrew asked.

"No one is letting this happen, Baby. All these things, which would push anyone else away from God, will one day bring Clara to Him. She's learning, or will learn, to not put her trust in the arm of flesh, but to trust in the One who created her."

An almost inhuman cry, sounding like a whimper, came from deep within Monica and she curled back into the tight ball that she'd almost relaxed from when Tess had appeared. Tears streamed down Monica's cheeks as she rocked, helpless.

"It's Clara..." Tess said... as a bright light flashed...

And Andrew found himself in a bedroom that looked like it had been decorated by a high school graduate.

It was dark, far darker than any earthly night. He saw what has happening on the bed, the pure evil of what the Demon was doing, and he couldn't move! "No!!!!"

'Father, if it's her time, I would know if You had sent me here to bring her Home! But I don't feel that assignment! Why am I here, and why can't I move?!! Father, your child needs your help!'

The Demon finished his task, and an angel's prayer was answered. Ethan pulled the Demon off the bed and struck him a blow that wouldn't soon be forgotten.

At that same moment, Andrew felt himself freed from the evil that held him bound, and hurried to see if he could help the young woman.

Martin helped his fellow archangel, binding the Demon's arms, who was beginning to struggle. "You made a couple archangels very angry, and that's not easy to do!"

"Theo wasn't good enough here, huh?" Ethan asked, disgusted with the Demon's poor imitation of Human form. "That body's not God given!"

The Demon growled at him in return.

"Let's send him back where he belongs, Martin." Ethan jerked the Demon along, showing him who was in charge here.

Andrew looked up from the familiar tight ball of Carla curled up on her side.

"I'm here far to often." Celeste said with a small sigh. She beckoned Andrew form Carla's side, and lay down beside the shaken, cold young woman. A warm glow surrounded her, sharing with Clara more than her own body warmth.

"Where's Kat?"

Celeste pointed to a corner.

There, Andrew found the young angel, shivering.

"Why did God assign me to Clara, Andrew? Obviously, I can't protect her."

Andrew put a blanket around Kat's shoulders.

"You weren't sent to protect Clara, Kat. You were sent to be with her. Other angels were sent to fight evil. God was with her, with you, and with me while I was being held bound, unable to move. Be with Clara. Both of you survived this, and you'll both survive whatever happens next."

"Who's protecting Clara, Andrew?"

He smiled at her question, knowing this had been hard on her, too.

She looked to see what Andrew was looking at. "They were here the whole time, Kat. We just couldn't see them."

Angels and archangels surrounded Clara's bed, shoulder to shoulder. The battle was won, if not the war.

Clara's brow furrowed, and she turned around, looking for someone, but no one was there. She tugged at her backpack, full of foreign language text books, and quickened her pace.

She rubbed her forehead. "Go away." She shut the apartment door with a firmness she'd brown use to over the years. If only it would keep evil out as easily as it kept out the weather. The darkness he felt about her constantly followed her, unhindered.

"Clara, I know you can sense the darkness, but there's Light here, too. Say your prayers. Ask for God's help. He's already sent it, He just wants you to ask."

Clara grabbed the remote control.

Kat sighed. Running short of patience.

Clara's finger had been placed on the power button, but hadn't yet pushed it.

"Remember when you were younger. You asked for help, for angels to push evil away from you, and we did. Angels stood guard at your window, at your door, and by your bed. You must ask for help. Evil will find a way in if you don't act."

Suddenly, the TV blared, and Kat threw up her hands.

"She's deeply religious, Tess, but she's not listening! She has the power! She's one of the Valiant ones that's on the front lines in the Battle begun in Heaven! She has the key to make evil leave, she just needs to ask for her Father's help!"

"She's starting to, Baby. She's a deeply religious person, but she's also become very independent."

"So what am I suppose to do, Tess?"

"Be her friend."

"How? She's not even suppose to know there are angels watching over her yet."

"But she is aware. She's aware of the good around her as she is of the evil."

Clara turned quickly, sensing someone approaching, by way of the kitchen.

Celeste met Clara's eyes with a smile, then vanished from the woman's view. She swept her loose, flowing hair into a ponytail.

"Yes, I know." Celeste responded to Kat's question. "She's beginning to see."

Kat walked quietly into Clara's dark bedroom, looked at Ethan standing beside her bed, and smiled.

"Theo's lost his nerve." Ethan said with a meaningful glance at the evil angel.

"That's because Theo's inexperienced." Vince taunted. "He hasn't had as many assignments as I've had."

"This place needs some music." Ethan commented as Kat sat down gently on the edge of Clara's bed.

Bidden by the Archangel of Music, hymns of faith drifted into the room. Tess appeared, God's love glowing about her as she sang: "I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord... I need thee, oh I need thee, every hour I need thee..." She smiled at Kat, who leaned closer to Clara and whispered: "God loves you, Clara. He will help you in your hour of greatest need. He only requires that you ask."

'He'll often help you even if you don't ask, but, like any father, He loves to hear from His children.' Kat thought.

"Father, I...need your help..." Clara murmured.

Kat looked up at Tess. "She heard me!"

At that same moment, Ethan said: "You heard her."

"She didn't order us away!" Vince mocked.

"In asking for God's help, she has."

"She has the faith of a child, and such pure faith can move mountains." Tess said.

She looked up, and saw evil backing away.

"She's doing that, Tess?"

"The faith of one of God's valiant ones is more powerful than anything in the world. Our presence is beginning to awaken that power." Tess paused, touching Clara's head with almost a mother's love. "Evil has thought, because Clara's now human, they could have power over her, Baby. But they're mistaken. Clara has a body now, and that's what makes her more powerful than all the angels of evil who have never, and will never, have a God given body. Because she chose, in the Battle in Heaven, to be on God's side, she was given the opportunity to be born, where as those on the side of evil lost that opportunity forever." She looked up and saw beyond the archangels present, demons being held at bay.

"You are infinitely loved, Clara. You are loved more than any word can say."

Monica woke with a smile, and though she was still unaware of who she was or who the man always around her was, the feeling of peace Andrew felt about her brought a measure of peace to his own soul. It felt like it had been years since Monica'd had any peace. Perhaps it had been years, at least for Clara.

Suddenly, Monica slapped the well-packed earth with a sudden sharp force that made Andrew jump.

"No, Maddi, don't! Don't you see? It's so much a part of me! I can't be any less than who I am! My beliefs are me!"

"Monica?"

She was looking straight at him. No, through him. A chill ran down his spine even as he avoided looking at the dark form nearby.

"Maddi..."

Clara finished writing the letter to the president of the fan club, and enclosed it with her submission of a written work. She set it aside and picked up her book.

The letter appeared in Kat's hands, yet the envelope remained sealed, right where Clara had left it.

"I cannot participate in a group where one person accuses another of something she hasn't done. I've merely told Maddi that I'm a deeply religious person, and cannot be any less than what I am. I apologized if that had offended her, and it should have stopped there. I apologize that it hasn't. I wish to request that, if Maddi continues to accuse me of what I haven't done in this matter, my with-drawl from the club be granted. Also, if she does so, and I'm sure she will, that she also be removed from the club. The members of this club are my friends, and I don't want to see them hurt by Maddi's actions. (Signed) Clara Zieggler"

"More bricks in her wall." Kat commented to herself.

"Rejection is something you risk when you open up to others." Tess said. She took the letter, and it was returned to its place in the sealed envelope.

In the space of a blink, the scene changed, and they saw Clara pull a refund check from the letter which had come from the club's president.

Suddenly, she slapped her desk with such force that her hand ached for several moments after.

"No, Maddi! You did this to yourself."

A quiet prayer began in her heart, and Kat heard it clearly in her own soul.

'Father, she's only harming herself. Thy will be done in all things, but before she harms the well-being of her soul any further, could she go home to you sooner?' she wiped at a tear in her eye, 'I know you want her to be with you, but the way she's going...'

"Tess, how could she...?"

"It's not what you think, Baby. It's Maddi's soul that Clara's concerned about."

"And Maddi's my assignment." Carl said, joining his friends for a moment.

As Clara put the check away with a sigh, Kat and Tess watched the strawberry blonde Angel of Death walk off into the Light.

"You know it will make you feel so good." Vince said in a silky, inviting voice. He placed a hand on Clara's leg, and squeezed. "A touch in just the right place, and nothing can hurt you." His voice dripped with sickening enticement.

Kat felt the revulsion the same as she had in her own life, the memories were paralyzing her now as easily now as she'd been paralyzed then.

'Come on, Baby!' Tess thought, watching unseen, her face wore her concern for both Kat and Clara.

"Touch can still make you feel real good, too." Theo coaxed, eyeing Kat, and reaching toward her.

"Fats!" Kat exclaimed, shaking off his influence, and shoving at the evil angel. "You weren't my friend in life, and you're not my friend now! Be gone!" With one last glare at Theo, Kat turned her attention to Clara.

She pushed past Vince.

"Clara. Listen to me. He's not your friend. He's not your friend anymore now than he was before. If you could see him as he truly is, you would be repulsed. God looketh not on the outer appearance, but on that of the inner being. He knows the nature of the beings about you. Listen to the impressions He sends to your heart. Judge for yourself who's worthy to be your friend."

Clara let out a breath that she'd been holding.

"There's evil about me." she said quietly. "I know what you've done to me all my life! You're not welcome here, and never have been! Be gone! You're not my friends!" Her knuckles were white as she gripped the edge of the sink.

Martin coughed. "She's free to choose, and has chosen. Are you going to walk, or do you need incentive?"

Clara inhaled. It was as if a fresh breeze had blown into the room, a less crowded room.

"There are angels about you, Clara. Can you picture that?" Kat saw a smile start to curve Clara's lips. "Whenever you need help, bring that image to mind. You're free to choose good or evil. Choose that which is good, and angels will protect you."

"Baby, I'm so proud of you!" Tess said with a big grin, putting an arm around her angel baby.

"Tess! How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to see you tell evil where to go. Not once, but twice!"

"Oh, Tess," Kat said, not wanting to, but needing to say it, "I used that name that came from evil..."

"I know, Baby. You've turned it on itself, and one day, it will be gone."

All three looked up at a sound at the window.

Clara gently opened the window and extended a hand. The beautiful white dove hopped onto her finger. She gently stroked its head, gave it a small kiss, then sent it on its way.

"Things are starting to look a little better!" Tess said, giving Kat a squeeze.

Clara looked up from the mail she'd gotten from her mailbox moments ago. She'd gone around the parked cars without looking up, and generally didn't look at anyone passing by while she was going through her mail. For some reason, she felt she should look up.

Mr Kamon, a 70 year old neighbor who lived a block away and who didn't come around to this side of the block very often, if at all, was walking along with hardly any of the stiffness typically in his joints. He was tapping a baseball bat in his palm like he was ready to club someone.

The hair on the back of Clara's neck stood on end.

"I was the one that got him to come out for a walk." Vince said proudly, a broad grin on his face.

"In a way." Irene said. Her tone alone said how despicable she thought Vince was. "He was influencing a man who was attempting the rape of a visitor to a neighbor of Mr Kamon's. He didn't succeed."

"I will next time!" Vince declared.

Irene ignored him. "She's shaken, but she'll recover...in time. Fortunately, I wasn't needed."

"...was a great day." Clara was saying to herself. "I'm not going to let you ruin it. Get lost! Better yet, go to...home." She smiled to herself. "I know where your kind lives." With that, she tuned out the evil influences around her, and pictured a quiet mountain, a lake at its base, surrounded by trees. She could almost hear the gentle waves.

Vince grimaced, yet he remained put.

Quiet strains of Amazing Grace drifted through the angels of Light and the angels of Darkness.

"Thanks, Ethan." Kat whispered.

"That wasn't entirely my doing."

Kat looked over her shoulder, and saw Clara turning up the volume a bit on her stereo. She looked back and saw archangels pushing evil away. 'They're really getting a workout protecting Clara.' she thought as she saw one of them pull an arm out of evil's clawing reach just in time.

"The same old thing's just not good enough anymore."

"Andrew!"

The Angel of Death had his arm protectively around his auburn haired friend.

Andrew caught the glare from one of the angels of evil, and turned his gaze back to Kat. "Monica's needed here. If they can't get Clara directly, they're going to get to her by any means necessary."

Clara slipped into the campus café. She was a bit surprised it was so quiet this close to dinner time. She dropped her back pack on a booth seat and slipped in beside it. She had about a half hour before class, and arrived early so she could be on campus before the sun set.

"It's a bit nippy out there, is it?"

Clara looked up at the woman with long auburn hair, and pulled her scarf from her neck.

"You must be new here." she said, dropping her scarf on her back pack.

"I just started today. My name's Monica."

"Clara Zeiggler."

"If you don't mind my saying, a nice hot cup of mocca-latté goes nicely with letters from home."

"Oh, these are mostly bills, and a letter from a friend. I don't drink coffee anyway." she said, grabbing the knife out of the place setting and slitting open the envelopes. "A hot cup of chocolate would be good, though. Double chocolate." She gave Monica a smile.

"Double chocolate it is." Monica returned the smile and went back to the kitchen.

"How's it going, Baby?" Tess asked, closing the door on the oven.

"One hot chocolate, double chocolate."

Tess looked out the pass-through, saw Kat sitting across the table from Clara. Clara remained unaware of her company. Returning back to her task, she asked again: "How are you, Angel Girl?"

"The Father gives strength to those about His work." Monica replied. She faltered.

Andrew appeared just in time to catch her. He hooded a foot around the leg of a stool and pulled it closer to where he could gently seat Monica on it.

"Are you okay?" he asked, searching her eyes.

"I'm just a bit tired."

"You'd better rest a moment, Baby. I'll take this out to our customer." Tess grabbed the hot chocolate and a plate of eggs and hash browns.

"Hot chocolate, double chocolate." Tess said, setting the cup and plate in front of Clara.

"Thanks. Uh, I didn't order this food."

"It's on the house. You can't learn on an empty stomach."

Clara caught Tess' smile, and it brought a smile to her own face.

"Thanks." She grabbed the fork and scooped up a helping of the best hash browns under heaven.

Clara walked out of her class an hour later, and paused, looking out the window. It was completely dark, except for the street lights, in which snow drifted lightly downwards.

She zipped up her coat and stood just outside the door for a moment.

'This is normally a safe walk, and I don't live that far away.' Clara thought.

"But then there was Mr Kamon out for a walk last week." Theo taunted.

Images of their neighbor's visitor, fighting off her attacker, clothes being torn, flashed through Clara's mind.

"Get out of my mind!" Clara grumbled under her breath, and stepped out into the snow.

The silence of the night was beautiful, broken only by the sound of her feet crunching through the snow, stirring up the underlaying autumn leaves. A large snowflake landed on her eyelashes.

She came to a corner, and hesitated. Normally, she'd cross over to the other side of the street and continue down the sidewalk in front of a dark, secluded alley.

"It was there, just beyond that short wall, or under that big spruce tree." Theo said, leaning close to his assignment, thoroughly enjoying what he was doing.

"Stay on this side of the road, Clara."

Clara stepped over the pile of snow scraped off the road and crossed to the side opposite the alley.

A motion sensitive light on a house flashed on, and Clara breathed a quiet thank you.

Kat looked back from where they'd come and saw that archangels had kept evil from following. As she turned back, she caught sight of dark forms at the mouth of the alley across the street. She recognized one of them. Her evil namesake watched them confidently, arms folded. The other smiled a jeering smile that revealed teeth as filthy as the rest of him.

Kat shivered, but it wasn't due to the cold.

"It's not the physical cold that has you chilled, Baby." Tess said, slipping a warm blanket over the young angel's shoulders as Clara turned up the heat in her apartment. "Evil definitely has something up it's sleeve."

Both angels had a feeling they knew what it was.

Clara grinned, and a quiet chuckle escaped as she paused over the prints. The expression on the boys's face was full of mischief.

"Who's the cute little monster?" Monica asked, looking at the pictures from behind and beside Clara.

Monica's description couldn't have been more accurate.

"That's Peter, one of my nephews. He turned seven on the date this picture was taken."

"A Halloween boy."

"His mom always sais he's been a little terrorist his whole life."

"One of those trouble makers, huh?" Monica said with a wink.

"He's basically a good boy. This is his little sister, Kathryn."

"The cutest little black Kat I've ever seen."

Clara groaned at Monica's pun.

Monica set a tall cup down in front of her, and poured in the hot chocolate. "Double chocolate. You sure I can't get you anything else?"

"I could use a plate of those hash browns."

"Coming right up."

"What are you doing here, Baby?" Tess asked, gripping her turner firmly, meeting Monica's eyes and holding them.

"Clara would like some hash browns."

"What she needs is company. These are for Clara, and these are for you." She handed Monica the two plates.

Monica looked questioningly at Tess.

"Go on, Angel Girl." Tess urged. She looked up towards the ceiling, asking for patience, as Monica left the kitchen.

Tess watched, along with Monica, Andrew, and Celeste, from across the street from a house with a big old spruce right next to the dark alley. The motion sensitive light on the house just behind them hadn't been activated by their presence, yet a soft, warm glow surrounded each angel.

Tess looked about her as three other angels appeared with them. "Aren't you suppose to be with Clara, Babies?" she asked, incredulous that they were here.

"God is with her." Ethan said. "She just needs to ask."

Their attention was drawn away by the sound of fallen, frozen leaves crunching under foot as Clara crossed the street. Kat was with her, but so was evil, and they were out-numbered.

Tess saw the form in the three trees on the corner, hidden from human sight. With the man in the trees was a dark form, whispering.

"Oh, Baby..." Tess murmured.

Clara had her head down, keeping an eye on the icy sidewalk in front of her. She heard the crunching of ice under her feet, and the same sound about half a house length behind her. It was a possibility that someone else could be headed home, too.

Kat felt a subtle warmth fill her heart, and she searched Clara's profile intently.

"Look behind you, Clara, and do a good job of looking."

Clara had turned almost the moment she first heard the voice in her head, continuing on her route and slipping one hand under the strap of the heavy backpack on her shoulder.

She looked the person behind her over from head to toe, noting details.

He wore a trench coat, insufficient warmth for the season and time of the night. There were no pant legs under the length of the trench coat, and he didn't have socks on. She slipped the opposite hand under the backpack strap.

Judging from the looseness of the trench coat, she doubted he wore even a shirt.

She pictured herself going for his eyes, his nose, and/or his groin, picturing the heavy backpack flung strategically at him as she did a quick circle to put it in motion. She met his eyes and let him know by her look exactly what she was thinking, for a brief moment.

'Father...' she prayed quietly, at almost the same moment, picturing the man's route down the alley, any possible place, the closet house she would go to, and walk right in as if she lived there, as well as ordering this man to go down the alley, not just at it's opening, but cutting across the lawn. She turned around and continued on her way.

All of it happened in the space of the distance of a half house length.

Irene had disappeared the moment Clara had asked for help.

A split instant later, angels were around her, behind her and keeping evil from its intent.

Irene ignored the tears in her eyes, God's love glowing about her bright enough to burn.

"This is as far as you go." Ethan said, standing shoulder to shoulder with his fellow archangels. "You are ordered away and to come here no more. You are just a man, but that order applies to both you and the evil beings under whose influence you are. If you want to ruin your life, fine, but don't ruin hers. Be gone!"

As Clara turned the nearest corner, she felt as if her brother, four years older than her, was here, protecting his sister.

More than five hours journey away, Clara's brother suddenly felt more tired than he'd ever felt before, and retired to bed, where he normally would stay up till midnight, even with work the next day.

Behind her, Clara felt, unmistakably, that evil had just cut across the lawn and headed down the alley.

Nevertheless, she remained alert.

Irene sank into the snow along the wall Clara had just passed, covering her face in her hands.

Tess had never seen the Angel of Death so moved. She stopped by Irene's side, watching Clara with her angel escorts for a moment. She sat down, ignoring the wet snow softening under her.

"What is it, Baby? Evil has been diverted, Angel Girl."

"I just took a four year old girl Home, Tess. Her father and his girlfriend have been abusing her. They hit her, bit her, beat her, shook her, he assaulted her...She choked to death on her own blood, Tess. Then I get called here with more evil whispering lies and all kinds of other depravities..."

Tess hugged Irene close.

"Clara's okay, Irene, and so is that little girl."

"Charity."

"Charity's where she won't feel any more pain. She's Home with a Father that will heal her and love her in ways her earthly father never could."

"I know, Tess. I'm just so tired."

Tess looked up as an open door cast light into the darkness, then closed.

"Irene?"

The Angel of Death looked up at the voice of a young girl, and saw Charity.

"Charity!"

"Celeste said I could come find you. I found the prettiest meadow with daisies all over! Come on, you've got to see it!"

Tess grinned.

Irene took the young girl's hand.

"Only thing is, I'm not really sure of how to get back there."

Irene managed a smile. "I think I know the way."

Tess and Celeste watch the two go.

"Was this your idea?" Tess asked.

"Not entirely. The majority of that was Charity's idea. I was merely asked to escort her." She excused herself and vanished a moment later.

Tess was still watching where Irene and Charity had disappeared.

"A little child shall lead them..."

Andrew found Monica curled into a small ball, shivering in the cold, snowy night. He sighed with a sad, quiet determination. That determination was one of love for his friend, manifested by the love of God glowing about him.

"Monica." There was a gentleness in his voice that reflected the love that Monica would see, if only she would look up.

"Monica." He took one more step forward, slowly squatting down in front of her so as to not frighten her. "Clara is safe. She wasn't harmed. She's encircled in the love of God right now. She is loved, as are you." He reached out, as if to lift her chin, stopping just short.

Monica felt the warmth just a mere inch below her chin, and followed the hand to meet Andrew's eyes. He wore a pale beige suit, and a warm light glowed about him. She put her hand in his.

Taking her other hand, he helped her to her feet.

He smiled at the change.

She, too, was surrounded by Light, her white dress sparkling.

"Andrew...Thank you."

He put her arm through his, and the two angels walked on through the snow.

"Hello, Kat." Monica greeted her angel friend.

"Monica." Kat acknowledged, as she and Clara came up to the corner.

Clara stopped, eyeing the trio of trees on the corner diagonally opposite.

"The Devil is as real as the evil you've known all your life." Monica said. "You knew him before you were born, and you saw that his nature hasn't changed. Keep walking on God's side, Clara, and He will help you put this behind you."

Clara made her decision, encouraged by Monica's words, which she'd only been aware of on an unconscious level. She felt more sure of herself as she crossed the street. The motion sensitive light illuminated he path.

Kat was with Clara as she went out to get her mail. She hardly noticed Andrew standing on the sidewalk between them and the mail boxes.

Clara stopped, indecisive about where to go.

Kat looked up, meeting Andrew's eyes.

Her hesitation was only a moment, and Clara moved around the unseen form of the Angel of Death. She opened her mail box and got out the mail. As she looked through it, Andrew moved to the stairs, put one foot up on the second stair, and leaned on the knee.

"You know what you need to do, Baby." Tess said. "Do you think you were chosen to be with Monica just for Monica? The reason that was your assignment was so that you'd know the distrust that Clara has been conditioned to live with. That distrust has been deeply ingrained in her life now."

The two angels looked up as Clara headed back across the parking lot to her apartment.

Kat paused beside her friends. "I believe #A49 is vacant."

Tess turned a broad smile to Andrew. "A49 has a new tenant."

"Tess, I don't think having Andrew living next door is what Clara needs right now."

"Are you questioning the Father, Baby?"

Kat turned to hide a smile.

"In time, Andrew can help her to trust again."

"Her distrust of men has gotten stronger every day, Tess." Andrew said, doubt manifesting itself in his voice, even though he tried to restrain it.

Tess sighed. She didn't want to admit she'd had the same thoughts when she'd learned where Clara's distrust would be places at a future time.

"Have faith in the Father who created both Angels and Clara, Babies. Have faith."

'Have faith, Tess.' the gentle voice echoed her own thoughts.

Clara sat beside her front door, looking through a magazine she'd gotten the previous day. She'd taken the day off from work and didn't feel like studying for her classes.

She'd flipped past a couple pages of ads really quickly, but something caught her eye, and she had to turn back to see what it was.

A big, yellow smily face with puffy cheeks smiled at her from the page. In a curly script underneath, were the words: "Smile. God loves you!"

"I'm going to decorate the apartment." Andrew said, stressing that he was the one that would be doing that task. He remembered the time he'd let Tess and Monica decorate an apartment for him.

"But you've got to admit I provide a nice touch when making a place a home."

"Monica?"

"Oh. Hello, Clara." Monica said, as she disappeared with her end of the bookshelf into #A49.

"Right here."

The two set down the self and Monica went back out onto the walkway, wiping her hands lightly on her jeans.

"So this is where you live, Clara. They look like nice apartments."

"So, are you moving in?"

"No, just helping my friend, Andrew, move in. If you ever need anything, Andrew would be happy to help."

'He is kind of cute.' Clara thought. She felt thoughts enter her mind, getting close to him... Her stomach started churning.

"Evil twists things of God to it's own purpose." Kat said.

Monica saw the grimace on Clara's face. "Are you feeling okay?"

Clara shoved the thoughts from her mind, and looked up at Monica, saw the concern there.

"Just a little upset stomach. I think I'll go in for a while." She excused herself.

"It's more than an upset stomach." Kat said. "Much more."

All three angels watched the angels of evil, returning their gaze.

Andrew sat lost in thought on his couch. He was remembering evil whispering that death was the only way out. And it was whispering it to him.

'Angels can't die!' he'd insisted.

Angels in Angel form can't die, but Angels stuck in human form can.

Andrew shivered and shook off the morbid musings.

A knock on the door moments later brought him back to the moment.

He opened the door slowly, and was pleased when he saw "Tess."

"Have you got something on your mind, Baby?"

"Hm? What?"

"You haven't invited me in yet."

"I'm sorry. Come on in. Have a seat." He opened his fridge and looked at the bare shelves. "Can I get you a glass of water?" he asked, closing the door.

"I'm a bit thirsty."

She took the glass he offered her, and drank from it. She watched her Angel Boy as he sat again on the couch, immediately getting lost in thought again.

'Death.'

'He will let you know when he's ready, Tess.'

Tess sighed, hiding it in another swallow of water.

"I have to go, Tess." Andrew excused himself, leaving the door open behind him.

Clara, in the apartment next door, looked out her window as Andrew passed by. She didn't see the soft glow that settled about him.

Clara heard the door next to hers being unlocked.

"Don't go out there. You know what a man's capable of doing." The evil being said, leaning closer to her as he verbally toyed with her.

Clara gritted her teeth and peeked out her door.

"Back again? Andrew, is it?" she asked, managing to sound friendly. She'd seen him coming and going all day, walking off around the corner of the complex.

Andrew heeded the gentle whisperings not to be to forward with Clara. Evil was trying to alienate her from all that was good. God had sent His angels to tell her of His love, and set her on a path that would bring her Home. Andrew pulled his eyes away from the evil beings just beyond Clara, beings doing everything to make sure that wouldn't happen.

He smiled. "Andrew." he confirmed.

"I've seen you coming and going all day. Just what is it that you do?"

"I work for my Father." he said, and closed the door softly behind him.

"You can't keep it in forever, Clara." Kat said. She knew Clara couldn't see her, and was only vaguely, only occasionally, aware of the angel's presence.

Unlike Kat, the evil beings made sure their presence was known, either directly or indirectly.

After class, a group of fellow students had assembled, parting to let Clara through. As she'd been about to leave the building, one of them had come up to her.

"Clara."

"Ya?"

"We've decided we don't want you talking to us anymore."

She could tell his gentleness was just a front. She swallowed. "All of them?"

"Everyone."

"It's not like I've ever talked to any of them. But...why?"

He paused for just a moment, then shrugged. A moment later he walked off, back to the group.

Clara couldn't remember leaving the building, or coming here. She looked over her shoulder at her car parked in the distance through the trees.

She turned back around and continued walking.

"It's a good thing it's Friday." Andrew said, a bit preoccupied as he, Tess, Monica, and Kat followed Clara.

"What does it matter what day it is, Angel Boy?"

Andrew didn't hear her.

Clara stopped at the edge of a bluff just beyond the trees, mists rising from the waterfall's base below.

Andrew felt the warmth of God's love even before it was manifested by a soft glow about him. He moved forward, stopping just to the front and side of Clara.

Tess frowned, moving her head in a slight sideways motion that said: `No!'

"The thought has been in her mind several times." Andrew said, his brows furrowed slightly, saddened. "But it's different now."

"That's right, Angel Boy." Kathleen taunted, approaching.

Tess delivered a look that stopped the angel of evil in her tracks.

Vince hadn't noticed. He was working on Clara.

"You don't have to keep being hurt. You could stop it right now. Just keep walking. The river will eventually carry your body to the sea, and no one will ever miss you."

Clara took a step forward.

"No! Stop, Clara. Please. You will be missed, Clara. God will miss you. Suicide is self-murder. Murderers cannot live with God. He loves you, Clara!"

She stopped, shaking.

Kat moved forward. She wanted so much to put an arm around her friend. "You can't keep it in forever, Clara."

She sank to the ground and sobbed.

Andrew squatted down in front of Clara and Kat. The smile had returned to his face.

"Clara," he said, God's love still glowing about him, "You will never be tried above that which you are able to bear. God has sent you angels all your life to bear you up. You are being tried that you might be prepared for the glory He has for you. You are worthy." He paused. Though her sobs hadn't lessened significantly, he could tell that her soul had heard.

"God loves you, Clara. He has sent you a gift. One of comfort. Look up."

For some reason she wasn't sure of, she looked up, and saw.

"You've lost friends before, and it will happen again." Kat whispered. She shivered.

Clara wiped her eyes again, and looked at the clear form of the woman before her eyes.

The corners of Tess' mouth turned up as she saw the miracle happening for Clara. She could feel the comfort this miracle was bringing. "The faith of a child..." she murmured.

"But, Tess, Clara is a grown woman." Monica said.

"Sh-h, Baby." Tess said, not at all sternly.

Clara looked the woman before her over, noticing details without much effort to remember them. The woman's hair was a dark black, shoulder length, she stood about 5 foot 10 inches tall, and wore black.

"Her favorite color." Kat said.

Her shape was, well, round. Clara guessed she might be about 500 pounds.

"If she eats anything, she might explode."

Kat cringed at the familiar taunts and jeers of the evil angels.

Martin stepped between the evil beings and Clara, pushing evil from his human charge.

Clara hadn't seemed to notice that the evil beings were going about business as usual.

Andrew squatted down again beside Kat and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a gentle, strengthening squeeze.

Kat managed a smile and a silent thank you. She ran a hand through her short, colored hair, wondering if she'd ever get use to it.

'They're brown.'

Kat blinked and looked at Clara as the familiar voice touched her soul. She knew it had also touched Clara's. She looked at the female form in front of them. That woman's eyes were brown, dark brown. She knew it, though she couldn't tell at this distance.

'She has the faith...'

"...of a child." Tess finished Kat's thought for her.

Kat noticed that the un-named human form had gone.

"Her faith is what made this whole miracle possible." Tess said. "Although I suppose you could call it a revelation." She noticed that Clara wasn't the only one sitting quietly in thought, and her smug smile relaxed with concern.

"Are you alright, Baby?"

Kat looked about her, seeing only her four angel friends and Clara.

"With friends like these, I will be."

A dove flew through the mists rising from the river below and landed lightly by her knee.

Andrew looked up from what he was doing in his own apartment, staring vacantly at the back section of the wall that was between his place and Clara's. He could feel the cold chill of evil through the wall.

'They're back.' he thought.

A soft glow surrounded him the same moment he appeared in Clara's bedroom.

She lay on her bed, asleep, a look of pure vulnerability and helplessness on her face. He could see the images evil was forcing into her mind, images that forced a reaction in the rest of her body.

The repulsion he felt here was even stronger. What evil was doing was no less than violation without consent.

Andrew placed a hand lightly on Kat's shoulder, as she sat beside Clara, holding her hand.

Kat dropped Clara's hand, surprised at Andrew's touch. She recovered quickly.

"Andrew, I can't reach her. She's getting very cold. She's giving up."

"I know."

Kat saw the saddened look on his face, and relinquished her place on the edge of Clara's bed.

"Could she really just...let go and go Home?"

Andrew hardly heard Kat's question as he sat on the edge of Clara's bed and took her cold hand in his.

"Clara. My name's Andrew."

Clara's eyes opened slightly for a moment, then softly closed.

"He's not only trying to steal her mind and body, he's also trying to steal her soul." Andrew answered Kat's unasked question.

Kat's next question was answered almost before she could form it: Only a Demon would be capable of such a thing.

Ethan appeared, followed by hosts of his fellow archangels.

"You wouldn't want to see a Demon in such an act." he said, as the archangels surrounded the human in their midst. "Kat, you remember the Simon and Garfunkle song Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water?"

Recognition crossed her face, along with confusion. "That doesn't seem really appropriate."

Ethan smiled. Music was his specialty. "Think of the Lord and Redeemer of this world."

Music filled the room, coming from a place beyond time.

One phrase caught in Kat's mind: "Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down..."

'He has, He will, He did.'

A warmth filled her soul. She went and sat beside Clara on the other side of the bed from Andrew.

"I know you can hear me, Clara. God wants you to hear me. He has a message for you. He wants you to know He loves you so much. He loves you enough to send His only Begotten Son to suffer, bleed and die for you. For you, Clara. If there were only one person in the whole world the Redeemer could save by feeling every pain and trial, He would have done it all just for you. He knows what you're going through right now. God knows what you're going through right now. There's no trial or suffering that He hasn't felt already. You are loved more than you can know. Hold on!"

The chill in the room began to lessen, ever so gradually. Andrew felt warmth returning to Clara.

Martin grabbed at what seemed to be empty air, but gripped an arm firmly, though the Demon remained out of sight in the thick darkness that surrounded him.

"You will not have Clara Zieggler. She is one of God's Valiant Ones."

The Demon howled at the mention of the very Being he fought against.

As the Demon was removed, Andrew sighed a relieved sigh, and got up from Clara's side. He remained in the room.

"If you fight against God, you only do harm to yourself." The angel who'd spoken stepped forward from the hosts.

"There you are, Baby. We could have used you here earlier." Tess said to the angel whose gifts were healing and comfort.

"I was here the whole time, Tess. In one hand, I was holding onto the hand of Clara's soul, and with the other, I was holding onto the hand of God. Healing may be one of my strengths, but even I know when the best way is to be a channel for the Healer of Healers to work through." Celeste lovingly touched Clara's head with a gentle love beyond her own. "Rest, Valiant daughter. Evil has been removed from this place."

The room was filled with the warmth and Light surrounding the hosts of angels sent from heaven as an Archangel cradled a rescued human soul in her loving, healing embrace. Softly, she sang for Clara:

"Come unto Jesus, ye heavy laden, Care worn and fainting, by sin oppressed. He'll safely guide you unto that haven Where all who trust him may rest. Come unto Jesus, He'll ever heed you, Though in the darkness you've gone astray. His love will find you and gently lead you From darkest night into day. Come unto Jesus, He'll surely hear you, If you in meekness plead for his love. Oh, know you not that angels are near you From brightest mansions above."

Andrew smiled as he turned and left the room.

Monica looked up from her spot on a stool in the campus café, just in time to see Clara walk in.

"Good afternoon, Clara. What brings you on campus on such a lovely Saturday?"

Clara yawned, struggling to keep her eyes open. "Is it afternoon already?"

"It's one-thirty." Monica responded. Her gentle tone seemed to say that she knew Clara hadn't checked the clock. "What can I get you?"

"I'll let you know when I wake up."

"Good afternoon." A cheerful voice greeted. "Clara, Monica."

"Andrew. What are you doing here?" Monica asked, glad to see her friend.

"I happened to be crossing the campus, so I thought I'd come see how the Saturday mid-day rush was going." He looked around him. "Not much of a crowd, is it?" His eye caught Kat's, who was unseen by the few humans in the room.

A woman at one of the tables came over to where Monica stood behind the bar. "Hey, can I get another cup of coffee?"

"Sure." Monica said, taking the cup.

The woman took the cup when it was returned to her and went back to her table. She took a sip, and turned back to the three others in the café.

"Don't I know you?" she asked.

Andrew and Monica turned. Clara was to tired to care. Kat, her presence unknown, smiled, barely restraining a chuckle. The woman was obviously looking at Andrew.

Andrew gave Monica a look that said: 'If she's my assignment, I wasn't told.' He excused himself.

"I don't believe so. I'm Andrew."

"Kelli."

"You invited her over, Angel Boy? What were you thinking?"

Andrew shrugged his best innocent angel shrug.

"The Father wants Kelli to meet and get acquainted with Clara, so I invited Kelli over."

"What are you going to do when she knocks on your door?"

Andrew didn't need to look to know the expression on Tess' face.

"I have to go." he simply replied, and vanished before reaching the landing.

Clara looked out the window at the persistent knocking on the door next to hers. For a moment, fear gripped her at the thought that this was the person she'd been warned about.

"She'll pretend to be your friend," evil nagged, "until she finds something she can twist beyond truth. She'll make up a story and say you're the one doing it to her, when she'll be doing it to you the whole time."

"That's not her, Clara." Kat countered with a quiet, gentle voice, God's love for Clara in every word.

Clara swallowed and opened the door. "He's probably not home. He comes and goes at all hours."

"This is where Andrew lives, right?"

"That's his place."

"He told me to meet him at his place, at this time. Why wouldn't he be here?"

"He told me he works for his father, and, from what I can tell, his father keeps very odd hours."

Monica, standing unseen with Tess, couldn't help a smile and a comment. "The Father keeps all hours."

"If you'd like to wait a while, you can wait in here. He'll probably be right back. My name's Clara."

"Thanks. Kelli Azyler."

Andrew appeared, unseen, with his angel friends.

"Where did you disappear to so suddenly, Angel Boy?"

"I had another assignment to check in on."

The door in front of the three angels was closing.

'Evil not only lies,' Clara thought, 'Evil must also be blind!' she smiled at the jab at evil as she closed the door.

Already, Clara could tell why Andrew liked this woman. Kelli was confident, self-assured, and she had an inviting presence about her. Clara found herself relaxing around Kelli like she'd not been able to for several months, since that night someone had been following her.

"What is it?"

"Hm?"

"You seemed to be somewhere else for a moment." Kelli observed.

"Nothing. I was just lost in thought. You sure I can't get you anything?"

"Well, maybe a glass of water."

Clara looked over at Kelli sitting on the couch as the cup filled, then ran over. She startled at the cold water running over her hand. "I guess I ought to be watching what I'm doing." She dumped out some of the water, and dried the outside of the cup and her hand.

"Have we ever met before?" Clara asked, handing the cup to her guest.

"I don't believe so, but it's funny. I was just thinking the same thing."

Kelli looked at her watch. "I can't believe it. Some guys...!" She rolled her eyes.

"His father's probably just kept him a bit busy."

"Ya. Maybe so. Still. It sais something. If you see him, tell him I came by."

"Before you go, can I ask you something?" she paused, then assumed Kelli was giving her the okay. "Do you believe in angels?"

Kelli blinked, momentarily surprised by the question that seemed totally out of context.

"Ya. I believe someone's watching over us. Maybe it's a good thing Andrew couldn't be here. I really enjoyed this evening. Maybe I'll stop by again sometime."

"I'd like that."

Clara stepped out on the walk and waved again as Kelli got into her car. She hummed a tune to herself as she went back in and turned off the light in the main room. She clicked on her stereo just as a new song started: Simon and Garfunkle's Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Kat leaned against the railing of Clara's back porch. She knew she should be happy. For the time being, evil was minding it's own business--elsewhere.

"What is it, Baby?" Tess asked, stepping through the open doorway onto the patio.

"I can't stand it anymore, Tess. I've watched evil working on Clara her whole life. She's given up several times, she almost died a few days ago. When is this going to end?"

"Baby, her battle with evil began long before she was born, and it will continue. We're just in the heat of the battle. The battle may seem impossible right now, but with God, all things are possible. Have faith, Baby. God's love will triumph over evil's hate."

Before the angel's eyes, time advanced rapidly, and Clara walked into a classroom setting in a small church building.

She paused in the doorway, looking for a seat. Her gaze indicated she'd chosen a seat to the front and side. As she moved to take her place, another angel followed her in.

Raphael met the gazes of the other two angels.

Clara looked up and back towards the door she'd just come through. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt fear grip tightly deep inside.

The woman who'd just come in was the one she'd been warned about up on the mountain cliff.

"They're going to need more chairs. She's going to need two." evil whispered with a sneering grimace, adding: "She's a fat Latino..."

'Go away!!!' Clara ordered, eyes closed, as well as mind closed against the evil influence. Nevertheless, her stomach churned quietly. The woman was large, and she didn't find all that fat attractive. She managed to keep her expression neutral, and looked up to see the woman asking if she could sit here.

"Everyone else will have to move to the other side of the room before the foundations sink to the bedrock." the evil being commented. "Don't let her get close to you. Course, I don't think you could avoid it."

Raphael sighed. He knew the prejudice evil was trying to instill wasn't just size related, but racial oriented. As he looked to Kat and Tess, he saw the older angel raising her gaze to heaven.

"Father, we could use some help here."

The pianist, about to put her hymn book away, paused, then decided to play one more hymn. The music came from more than just the piano. Angels sang.

Our Savior's love shines like the sun with perfect light, As from above it breaks through clouds of strife. Lighting our way, it leads us back into his sight, Where we may stay to share eternal life. The Spirit, voice of goodness whispers to our hearts, A better choice than evil's anguished cries. Loud may the sound of hope ring till all doubt departs And we are bound to him by loving ties. Our Father, God of all creations, hear us pray, In rev'rence, awed, by thy Son's sacrifice. Praises we sing. We love thy law, we will obey. Our heavenly king, In thee our hearts rejoice.

Tess was grinning, evil having left. "God's love will triumph, Baby!"

"Why did I give Valerie my phone number?!" Clara groaned out loud to herself. "Sure, it shut up that pushy fat snob for the moment, but I have a bad feeling about this! I knew I shouldn't let her get close to me, but here I have her my phone number! Urrrgh!" She through up her hands, and plopped herself on the floor. She didn't feel like acting her age. "I'm in a lousy mood, and I'm going to enjoy it!"

"That can't be good." Kat commented to the other angel in the room.

Tess would have smiled at Kat's response, but she'd seen that Clara's mood had infected another occupant in the room.

The subtle glow that always surrounded an angel had faded from around Monica, and Tess frowned as Monica disappeared from the room.

'Both my Angel Girls are having problems, Father! I thought Monica had become stronger since she'd come here. How can I help Clara if even my Angel Girls are falling apart?'

'An Angel's time is not My time, Tess.' a gentle, loving voice spoke softly to her soul.

"Where's Monica?" Andrew asked Tess' back. She was in the campus cafè's kitchen, and the only being Andrew had seen in the cafè.

Tess turned, and Andrew saw her worried expression. "She's gone, Baby, and the Father wants me to keep out of it."

"Tess...if Monica is to be found, I'll find her. Raphael is with Kat, so you don't need to worry."

"Don't you fall apart on me, too, Angel Boy."

A small smile of reassurance curved the corners of his mouth. "God watches over me as much as He watches over you, or Raphael, or Kat, or Monica. Don't you fall apart on me, Tess." He gave his friend's arm a squeeze before turning and leaving the kitchen.

Andrew had searched places he'd felt Monica would have gone, but he was still unable to find her, and he'd as yet not received an answer from the one Being who knew all.

When the last place he searched turned up no Monica, he simply stopped, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and waited. `God's time isn't an angels time.' he reminded himself.

So he waited.

Kat sighed, a bit disappointed. She had seen Clara's hand pause ever so briefly on the composition book on her bookshelf in which her own poems were written, and then move on.

"She doesn't write much poetry any more. I can't even remember the last time she wrote anything. Her talent comes from God, and using her talent would keep evil at bay. At least for a while."

Tess' expression said she understood, but she was waiting for the right words. They came at just the right moment.

"Right now, it's all she can do to hold onto her faith, Baby. Sometimes that hold on her faith has been severely tested, and the testing's not over yet."

Clara decided she just couldn't choose a book at the moment, and headed for her bedroom.

Kat lightly, so lightly as to be almost imperceptible, touched Clara's head lovingly and whispered: "Pray always lest that wicked one have power in you, and remove you out of your place."

"Now there's an idea." the evil being sneered.

Tess turned her full attention on the dark being and, hands on hips, glared full force at him. Only when the evil being fled, did Tess relax her guard.

"Keep a prayer in your heart, Baby." she said, smiling at their human charge, though she remained unseen. She put an arm around Kat, the other around Raphael. "And I mean all my Babies."

Andrew checked his pocket watch. He knew a phone would soon be ringing in Clara Zieggler's apartment. 'It's all pretense, Clara. Be careful.' he thought as he put the pocket watch away.

'Father, where is Monica? Clara needs her.' he asked again.

The moment he began his question, Andrew found himself in the presence of a glorious Being,

surrounded by Light and Love.

Andrew felt, as he looked at the grassy hill before him, that he needed to go over the hill. There, he would see her. The moment he started up the hill, he felt as if he were trudging through a thick, mucky quicksand. He paused, and turned to the evil being watching him with grim, triumphal satisfaction.

"I'm just doing what I was created to do." he justified himself, looking smugly down on Andrew.

"You were not created for this purpose, Vince. You use to be one of my close friends. I will not let you keep me from doing what God wants me to do."

"Some friend you were! You turned your back on me!"

"I didn't turn away from you. You turned your back on God. I would have welcomed you, and I still would welcome you back, and so would God. I just learned that I had to let you go, as He has. He will force no man, or Angel, to heaven, Vince. No matter how hard you try, Clara will learn that, too. Sometimes you have to let friends go."

Andrew took a few more steps up the hill, each step bringing him closer to Vince, and getting easier to take, though each left him almost breathless.

"If you wish to come back, I'm sure God would welcome you, as will I. The choice is yours." With that, he turned from his old friend and continued up the hill.

Monica looked up and saw a familiar figure come over the crest of the hill in the distance.

'No, not Andrew!' She hugged herself tightly. 'I can't let anyone get to close to me!'

Andrew felt a familiar presence touch deep into his soul, gently telling him to stop. He obeyed, watching the distant figure, auburn hair blowing gently in the spring breeze.

This place had no residence in time, so perhaps Monica would be okay here. Still, he worried about her. He could almost feel the wall going up around her.

'I will be with her, Andrew. I've always been with her.'

He saw his archangel friend, Martin, look up at him, and give an ever so slight nod. With an internal sigh, Andrew smiled. 'Just wanted me to know that she was okay?'

A familiar loving warmth touched him, and he turned back to the point of the hill and vanished.

Clara opened her door again. As she was closing it when she caught sight of the figure coming her way.

"Clara." Andrew greeted his neighbor, fumbling one-handedly with his keys.

"Andrew. You're back late." she said, covering a yawn.

"My Father wanted me to check on a friend of the family."

"That was nice of you. Good night."

"Night."

"A friend of the family?" Tess asked, appearing on Andrew's couch as he closed the door.

"Aren't angels, who help His children, therefore friends of the family?" Andrew asked in return.

"Pretty sneaky, Andrew." Carl responded.

"I thought you were suppose to be on an assignment, Angel Boy." Tess addressed the strawberry blonde angel of death on the other end of the couch.

"I took my assignment Home, now I'm enjoying the company of friends." He gestured to include all occupants of the room, seen and unseen.

"Speaking of friends..." Tess got up, and walked right through the wall between Andrew's apartment and Clara's.

Clara's phone rang just as Tess said: "You need a break, Baby." her concern for Kat evident in her eyes as well as her voice.

"Tess, we went back in time so we could get acquainted with Clara. Are we in the now yet?"

"Every moment, past, present, or future is now with God, Baby. But, yes, it's now."

Clara sighed. Right no time. It would be Valerie. She'd been calling at this time every day for 2½ or more weeks.

"Hello?...Oh, hi, Val."

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Valerie asked after a moment of silence.

"What do you me an what did I want to talk about? You're the one that's been calling me every day, rather late. I mean, if I wanted to talk about something, I'd call you, but I don't have to, 'cause I know you're going to call me. I do a fairly good job coming up with something to talk about, seeing as you call me every night. You should be taking care of that boy of yours. Shouldn't you be reading him a book and putting him to bed?"

"Tess! She's never, never reacted like that before!"

"Everyone loses their patience occasionally, Baby."

Andrew was trying to hide his smile. He knew a certain angel whose patience had been a little short on more than a few occasions.

The converseation on the phone continued, amicably enough, about minuscule things for the next fifteen minutes or so, then Clara hung up the phone.

"Val is going to go talk to their ecclesiastical leader tomorrow. As far as Val knows, Clara has denied ever calling her all these days.

"Clara hasn't called Val even once!" Kat said.

"Someone has been calling Val, and then hanging up before the caller could be identified. Val has the belief firmly set in her mind that the person was Clara, and she wants these calls to stop."

"And the accusations begin." Andrew said with heavy gravity. "For the want of a nail, the war was lost."

"This is more than a lost shoe on a horse's hoof, Angel Boy. Clara's loving soul, and she'll have a little love for Val for still a little while, will be sorely tried. Val's accusations may even push Clara away from God."

Clara settled into a booth at the campus cafè, and waited quietly for the new waitress, Monica, to come over with a hot chocolate, double chocolate.

"Hi, I'm Celeste. I'm filling in for Monica for a while." Celeste looked fondly on Clara, this woman whom she'd cradled in her arms many times during her lifetime, bringing healing from the Father.

"Where's Monica?"

"Oh...she had some things she needed to do." She'd grown to love Clara. "Chocolate, double chocolate, right?"

"How'd you know?"

"Just a feeling." Celeste said with a smile.

Kat was smiling, too. Celeste made everyone feel loved and safe by merely being there. 'Celeste's an angel of average age.' Kat thought. 'Probably a good word to describer her would be: mother.' Her brow furrowed a moment. The word mother still wasn't quite right, as was the case with the word age.'

'But I know what you mean, Kathleen.' the warm love in the Father's voice touched Kat's soul. Kat's positive views for another being were appreciated.

"Chocolate, double chocolate." Celeste said as she stopped at Clara's table, placing the cup down.

"Do you have a moment?" Clara asked.

"Sure."

Clara gestured to the spot Kat was siting in, for Celeste to sit, and Kat scooted over.

"For some reason, I feel really comfortable around you, Celeste."

"Thank you."

"Clara! I thought it was you!"

She looked up and saw Kelli Azyler standing at the table.

"Kelli! Have a seat." Clara said, scooting over and patting the spot where she'd been. "This is Celeste. Kelli Azyler. I've only known her for a little longer than...I've just met Celeste." she finished, turning to Kelli, then addressed them both, "It's strange, but I feel like I've known you both my whole life."

"I've had that feeling myself." Kelli admitted, setting her sketch book on the table.

"A little calm in the storm." Rafael commented. He moved a little closer to Tess, who was sitting on a bar stool.

"These moments are very few, Baby. She needs to talk about it, whether or not she knows it, she has friends, even when a so-called friend is tearing her down. She's lost a lot of friends, but this one's the straw that might break the camel's back."

"Valerie would push her away from God?"

"It's a very strong possibility that her actions will have that effect."

Tess turned back to the two humans and two angels, and watched Clara talking to the two beings whose presence she was aware of. Tess sent a prayer heavenward with a sigh: 'Father, help her.'

"I need to get away from here!" Clara exclaimed, fed up after hanging up following another conversation of small talk with Valerie. "'Friends don't treat each other like this.' she sais. What exactly, in her opinion, is 'this'? And what's all this about 'each other'? She's doing all the calling, every night, same time." Clara was directing her attitude at the T.V. "I admit, I'm getting tired of talking about the weather. I can't believe I said I agree! I don't even understand fully what she's talking about!" The last she finished while grabbing her keys. "She's probably accusing me of what she's doing to me!"

Clara shut the door tightly behind her and hurried past the unseen angels on the balcony.

Tess and Raphael looked down and saw Andrew beside Clara's car.

Andrew returned their look with one that delivered it's content in one quick glance: 'I've been on many a close call with Clara before. This might be the one that's more than a close call.' He got in behind Kat on the passenger side.

"There you are, Angel Girl."

Monica turned at the sound of the affectionate, loving voice. She wasn't ready to see Tess again, and was set to tell her so, but had to pause when it wasn't Tess she saw.

"Celeste? What are you doing here? Isn't there someone that needs your healing gift?"

"Yes, there is, Monica." Celeste paused for only a moment, feeling the love the Father had for this auburn haired angel before her. "The Father is very much aware that you're in need of His healing every bit as much as Clara is. You have a unique burden, Monica. You've been asked to carry a great deal of the pain and trials of one of the Valiant daughters of God. In some ways, you're on the front of the War begun in Heaven, right along with Clara. But you're not alone, Monica. God has not forgotten you." Celeste held both hands out towards Monica, palms up. She'd been given a special healing for Monica.

Monica took Celeste's hands, and closed her eyes at the undescribable sensation that flowed into her.

"He loves you very much, Monica. Right now, we can't go to Him, but He can come to us."

"Father..." Monica whispered...

"Sh-h..." Celeste, too, whispered. "Be still and know that He is God."

Clara sat by the edge of the cliff, just beyond the trees, hearing the waterfall and the river below, but not really paying attention to the sound of the water or the birds in the trees.

Her mind was to full to hear the music of nature all around her. She'd been to this place before, the last time someone had pushed her to far. At that time, she'd been shown...

"That's right, Clara." Kat said, looking her assignment, her friend, in those beautiful, deep blue eyes. "God opened your eyes to the future. He didn't do it to discourage you, but to let you know He loves you and to give you strength to make it through. He does love you."

Clara looked up. She'd seen one form before. Maybe this time, she'd see a messenger. But the ground before her was vacant.

"You're alone, all alone." evil taunted, a smile on his face.

"You're not alone, Clara. There's evil here, but there's also Light." Kat wanted desperately to let Clara see her. 'Father, please!'

But, almost before she could get the plea out, a gentle, sympathetic, and loving voice whispered: 'The time is not yet, my sweet Kathleen.'

Kat looked down in her lap, quietly reminding herself to be patient. She'd felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at a glowing form.

"My name is Peter."

Kat watched the angel squat down and put his hands on Clara's.

"God loves you Clara. He has sent me with a measure of healing for you, and a message. Though it seems impossible now, there will be a time when you will need to let go and forgive Valerie. It will take time, but full healing cannot happen until you can forgive her. Trust God. He loves you, and He will help you heal." Peter put his hands on his knees and was pushing himself up when he vanished.

Kat looked over to where she'd seen Andrew before, and the angel of death was still there. She sighed.

No one had appeared to her last night up above the waterfall, and she'd stayed there till it was getting late. Still, when she pulled away, she'd felt like just maybe she could go on. She slept in the next morning, jumping out of bed with a start.

"I've missed half of craft day!" she grumbled to herself as she hurried into the shower.

As she got out of the shower, she looked at herself in the mirror as little as possible, only for what was necessary.

"You sure have an ugly body." the evil being observed.

Clara frowned. "Oh yeah? You don't have a body at all."

Kat's brows furrowed. She could see the human form of the being clearly.

"Every being that sided with the Devil in the Battle in Heaven lost the opportunity to have a body when God cast the Devil and his hosts out, Baby." Tess said. She turned her attention to Andrew. "I'm glad you weren't needed last night, Angel Boy. There's still a possibility we can keep her out of evil's grip. If she quits this battle now, I'm afraid evil's grip will be to strong."

"What do you think my friends and I are aiming for?" Vince said, standing with the other evil beings.

Andrew hadn't missed his subtle emphasis on the word friends.

Tess folded her arms, set in her determination.

"We'll take care of this, Tess." An archangel stepped forward.

Kat looked back over her shoulder as she followed Clara out the door, and smiled. 'Choose you this day...' If only Clara could see the hosts that were fighting for her!

"Is she going to be okay, Andrew?" Kat asked. "Things have been pretty good lately, the last week or so."

Andrew thought for a moment about how to put it.

Clara's phone answered for him. She looked at her watch. "Right on time." she said to herself. "I could just not be here." She picked up the receiver. "Hello."

"But you're a kind and loving soul, Clara."

"And that's not going to be easy where Valerie is concerned, Babies."

"They're using Valerie to take away Clara's God given love..." Kat said in almost a whisper.

"I'm talking to the Bishop about us." Valerie suddenly said, abandoning the small talk.

Clara removed her gaze from the speaker phone's indicator light flashing on-off-on-off-on...

"It's not like you need his permission to be my friend."

"Baby, you know what she's talking about with the Bishop, and permission isn't it." Tess said. "Hold tight, Babies. If you thought it was a rough ride before, we're about to see new lows."

Clara got back in her car after meeting with the Bishop and Valerie the following Sunday night. He had taken Val's side, not even really listening to her own experiences or point of view, hardly even giving her a chance to speak.

"I wouldn't live near that Latino..." Clara muttered.

"I believe there's an opening for a roommate." Tess said, looking at her two angel boys as Clara started up the car.

"I have an extra bed." Andrew volunteered.

The three angels watched the car leave the parking lot of the church with it's two occupants.

Kat felt a hand on her shoulder, and stopped to see who it was. "Monica!"

"I'll walk with her for a while." There was a peace in Monica's smile that soothed the younger angel.

At the corner, Clara saw the Bishop up ahead with Val. Clara turned the corner so their paths wouldn't cross.

"Clara, be warned." Monica said, having caught up to her assignment. "Fear not them which kill the body with guns and knives, but them which kill the soul with the weapons of word and deed."

"She calls once a week now." Kat was telling Raphael. The two angels watched from the corner. "It's not any easier than when she called every day."

Tess was, totally incongruously, grinning from ear to ear. "My Baby's back."

Andrew smiled, put an arm around Tess' shoulders. "With God, all things are possible."

Clara and Val met at the corner, the Bishop having departed, and the eyes of the two women locked for a moment, ever so briefly.

Clara turned her back on Valerie and walked off.

"That could have been worse." Raphael commented.

Kat let out the breath she'd held, then winced a moment later at a familiar nickname Clara muttered:

"Fats!"

"Weapons of words..." Tess said.

"Are you sure, Baby?" Tess asked. She wasn't one to ask questions, but she was concerned about Monica. "Tending the Campus Café isn't the most important thing. What matters is that you be there to help Clara through her trials. I want you to take it easy, Baby."

"I'll be careful, Tess." Monica responded, hardly paying attention to her supervisor. She was looking fondly on Clara, feeling God's love for the woman filling her own soul, and smiling. She hardly noticed the other woman enter the café.

Kelli Azyler paused just inside the café, a smile turning up the corners of her lips. She always seemed to be where she was needed when she was needed.

Clara about bumped into her on the way out.

"Looks like I'm just a bit late." Kelli observed. "I was hoping I could have dinner with you."

"You still can. Come over to my place?"

"But I thought..." Kelli said, gesturing in the direction Clara had come from.

"Oh, I just came by to pick up a book I'd left behind at lunch. Come on, my car's just out here." She held the door open for her friend. "Hope you don't mind if I get a few things at the store first."

"Not at all."

Kelli looked up for a moment, at Andrew sitting on a bar stool.

Suspicion flickered in Andrew's eyes as the two women left. He had the funny feeling that Kelli had seen him, and glanced at Raphael on the stool next to him, then back at the door.

He'd know if Kelli were his assignment. His brows raised in a quick movement of dismissal and turned back to the two angels behind the bar.

In the car, Kelli smiled to herself.

Clara smiled as she caught sight of the simple gold band on the little finger of her left hand. Kelli had given it to her as a gift of friendship from one Christian friend to another. It had seemed a little strange at first.

"Wear it on the pinky finger of the hand that's not your dominant hand."

Kelli had gotten a peculiar look at that tone of insistence.

"A ring is endless, it's eternal. There's no beginning and no end. Think of this ring as God's love for you. The ring encircles the weakest finger of your weakest hand; we're all weak and incomplete without God's love ever encircling us. Let that ring remind you that you're always encircled in God's love."

The phone rang, interrupting Clara's thoughts, and evil smiled.

"Thought you had her, huh?"

"It's not over yet." Tess said, looking opposition in the eyes.

Clara set the phone down.

"Lest I repeat myself," Clara murmured, "I don't want another Bishop meeting." She nervously drummed a pen against the phone table. "He's not going to listen to my side anyway."

"But maybe he will this time." Vince said.

"But maybe this time he will." She grabbed her keys.

Andrew stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed her, walking right through the closed door.

Clara parked in the quiet parking lot at the church. There was only one other car here, and she didn't recognize it.

"Someone must have a meeting." Her fingers drummed the steering wheel, undecided.

Finally deciding she might as well wait inside, she got out of her car. Once inside, she felt a strong urge to leave. "I don't want to be here!"

The building was dark, and she looked all around her as she headed towards the bishop's office. More than anything, she didn't want to be here, didn't want to hear Val's complaints, didn't want to hear her convincing lies, didn't want to hear the Bishop siding with Valerie.

The Bishop's door was shut, and she could hear no voiced in the office. Fists balled tightly, she walked away from the Bishop's office, towards the other end of the building. She went into a quiet room, and just stood. Her knuckles where white as she squeezed her fists. "I don't want to be here!" she murmured. "What am I going to do?!"

She walked around to the Bishop's office and back. Then again, and again. Twice she stopped in the mother's lounge by the Bishop's office, the next time, she went into the room on the other side of the mother's lounge. The feeling remained strong, and she kept saying to herself that she didn't want to be here. But, at the same time, she couldn't leave. She was about ready to leave, and, wiping back tears forced out by tension and the battle warring inside, she noticed a picture on the wall, a picture of the Lord.

"What am I going to do?! I need your help! I really, really need your help!"

Kat stepped forward.

Tess grabbed the young angel's arm. "Not yet, Baby."

Kat looked questioningly at Tess. She saw Monica nearby, hugging herself tightly, supported by another angel who embraced the auburn haired angel.

"No matter how much we want to, Baby, the time isn't yet. Not yet, Baby."

Clara got in her car, put her keys in the ignition, but didn't start the car. For the moment, she'd forgotten how, and she stared blankly at the window in the church wall in front of her. Did it have to hurt so much?

'...not coming back...not coming back...' the unspoken oath repeated itself over and over.

Did it have to hurt so much?

Andrew felt the warmth of God's love fill him to overflowing, felt the warmth of His love glow about him.

Clara gasped at the sharp pain in her chest, pushing her fist hard against her chest, where her clavicle and sternum bones met. She saw someone moving towards her and forced herself to look at him.

"Andrew? What..."

She gasped again at the stabbing pain.

Andrew moved around the open car door, and squatted down. "I'm going about my Father's business. I'm an angel, Clara."

Monica lovingly stroked the hair of the unconscious woman. "May you have enough clouds to make a beautiful sunset."

"She's got so many clouds in her life, she's going to have a really beautiful sunset; when it's her time." Tess said, looking pointedly at Andrew.

"She's lost so many friends in her life, each of them taking a piece of her heart with them..." Andrew said, "Valerie has caused real damage. A medical professional couldn't see the damage by examining her physical heart, but the emotional, mental, and spiritual damage has caused her to have these heart attacks."

Tess could see the shared pain in her Angel Boy's eyes. They were all getting close to Clara Zieggler.

"I held her hand in mine, ready to take her Home, before her heart attacks stopped..."

"You two Babies need some rest. I'll watch over Clara."

Monica nodded.

"Go on!" Tess urged, practically shoeing the two out the door.

"Will she recover, Tess?" Kat asked, looking at the worn features of a woman to young to have suffered heart attacks.

"It's possible, eventually. She needs to forgive Valerie, but that'll take time, a long time. Her heart has been damaged, Baby. We need to get her on the road to forgiveness, and forgiveness won't be easy, that's why it'll take time." She looked up at the beings surrounded by darkness, and turned away from them, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of her attention.

"Clouds are what make the most beautiful sunsets, Baby."

"Then Clara's life will have a really beautiful sunset." Kat said.

"Let's hope so, Baby."

Clara felt like she was trying to swim up through quick sand. Something was beeping, and she wanted to swat at it like an annoying insect.

'Fats!' the name burst into her mind.

The beeping was still there.

"Listen to it, Clara. Come to it, and you'll find your way back." Kat said.

The beeping...yes. It was getting clearer now.

Kat looked at the moving eyes below closed lids, ignoring the tubes in Clara's nostrils, wires leading down the neck of her hospital gown that were feeding information back to the beeping heart monitors.

The Resident came into the room, studying Clara's charts. A small smile turned up the corners of her mouth as she saw Kat beside Clara's bed. She knew Kat was there, and Tess and Monica as well. But that was her little secret.

Clara struggled to lift heavy eyelids.

"Good morning, Clara. Wake up. It's time to wake up."

Though her eyelids weren't all the way open yet, Clara saw the brightly colored smock, then, as her eyes opened, she looked, and saw the familiar face of Kelli Azyler. She tried to talk, groaning instead at the ache in her chest.

"Don't try to talk. Just take it easy. You got pretty stressed the other night, I understand. You had a series of heart attacks. Andrew got you here in time, though. It's pretty unusual for someone as young as you to experience a heart attack. It's possible, but it usually occurs in men. I'd like to check your family history, if that's okay."

Clara struggled to talk, her voice muffled with the feeding tube down her throat.

"Two blinks yes, one blink no."

Two slow blinks.

Kelli smiled. "I'll take that as a go ahead." She turned to leave the room, stopping at Andrew's side. "You've already been more than a good neighbor, but if you'd like to stay..."

"About that time I asked you over..."

"Clara explained it. You were going about your father's business." With that, Kelli left the room.

'And so am I, Andrew. And so am I.' she thought with a smile.

Monica poked her head around the door into Clara's hospital room. "Could you use a visitor?"

"Sure." Clara said, or tried to. Though the feeding tube had been removed, her throat was dry and irritated. Whenever she tried to speak, it came out as a whisper.

Monica saw the person in the chair.

"I have to get back to work anyway." Kelli said. "Let Monica do the talking." she advised her patient. "Tess let you off?"

Business is slow in the cafè during the summer."

Kelli left with a sh-h gesture to Clara.

"Have you seen Andrew?" Clara whispered.

"Can't say I have." Monica responded. "You're looking well."

"Thanks to Andrew!" The emphasis put a strain on Clara's hushed voice. "I don't know why he was drawn to my church...that man's an angel!"

Monica smiled. Apparently she didn't remember Andrew saying he was an angel, taking her hand, and almost getting out of the her car.

Clara was lost in thought.

"What?" Monica asked.

"I didn't want to be here."

Monica searched Clara's eyes, eyes looking at what had happened in the car, at the church. "I wanted to go Home so bad, Monica, but somehow...I just knew...if I left in the middle of the battle, I would have lost my part of the war." She exhaled a resigned sigh, not having the right words to express it.

Monica sat quietly beside Clara's bedside for a few more hours, just being there so Clara wouldn't have to be alone. Eventually, Clara dozed off.

She could almost hear Tess, a little later on in the night: "Now, Baby."

A soft glow was already surrounding her, and she rose from her seat.

"I know this feels like a dream, Clara, but I assure you I'm very, very real. I'm an angel, sent by God to one of His Valiant daughters. You've been on the forefront of the War in Heaven against evil ever since it began. That war continues to this very moment, Clara. You're such a strong warrior for all that is of God. There are many valiant warriors of God, and evil comes after them relentlessly. You are stronger than most of the valiant. You were given a normal, healthy body because your spirit can withstand whatever evil may throw at you. Most of the valiant sons and daughters of God were given developmentally challenged physical bodies so evil can not touch them. If this weren't the case, Lucifer would have those precious souls in an instant." Monica's hand snatched at the air, her hand in a fist now. She quietly released that grip, and settled on the edge of Clara's bed.

"God never does things half way. He loves you, Clara, and He loves you wholeheartedly. He wants you to win not just the battle, but the war as well." Monica looked upwards for a moment, then smiled. "Your life has had many clouds, but it takes clouds to make a beautiful sunset. The sunset of your life isn't yet, but remain valiant, and you'll have a very beautiful sunset."

The glow dimmed from around her as she faded from view, and found Clara smiling in her sleep.

Kelli sat in a chair beside the wheelchair Clara sat in. She'd taken her patient out for some air, and Clara had wanted to come watch the children at the school near the hospital, and asked if it'd be okay.

Kelli had managed to pull a few strings, and now the two sat watching several developmentally challenged children and young adults of all ages, playing and interacting. One young lady had just come and given Kelli a hug just moments ago.

"They're very loving, aren't they? We could all learn something by their example." Kelli said.

Clara only nodded. She was thinking about the dream she'd had last night.

Tess, standing with Monica, put an arm around the younger angel and gave her a squeeze. "She remembers, Baby!" Her broad smile infected the other angels around her.

Her smile changed to concern when she looked over to where Kat was standing, arms folded, and pouting. The dark cloud constantly hovering over Clara had lifted somewhat and settled over Kat. Tess could see the reason for that dark cloud immediately behind her newest Angel Baby: evil beings were whispering lies.

'Father, one of your newest angels needs your help.' With that little prayer, Tess' expression set in one of determination, and her aim was right behind Kat.

"That's enough of that!" Tess said.

Another pair of hands, surrounded by Light, grabbed the evil being by the shoulders and turned her around. There was nothing about being nice to women in the angel's manner.

Tess ease herself down on to the floor beside Kat, who'd ducked down at the forceful attitude of those around her.

Tess' attitude had changed to one of love, and she pulled the young angel into a hug.

"You're still new at being an angel, Baby. You let jealousy get in your way. Of course I know, Baby. You're jealous of Monica because you've come to love Clara. God loves Clara, too. He loves Monica, and He loves you, too." She couldn't help but smile, feeling the love and peace flowing from the God of Love. "Tess loves you, too, Baby."

Monica helped Clara sit up before Kelli gave the okay for the group to come in.

"They're probably from my ward. My congregation." Clara explained for Monica. "There's on person I hope won't be here."

The door opened and Clara put on a smile.

Valerie was one of the first people through the door.

Kat shivered at the sudden chill she felt when Clara's mental walls slammed up. The thunk was almost audible as her walls reached their heights.

Evil was sneering. "Well, if Valerie can manage to fit through a three foot wide door, she could make it through the wider hospital doors."

'Fats!' Clara thought, and shivered inwardly.

"God loves Valerie, too." Raphael commented as Tess cleared her throat, eyes locked on the evil presence.

"If you won't leave, be quiet."

Kat was already feeling warmer, even though Clara's sturdy walled defenses remained firmly locked in place. Seeing a light out of the corner of her eye, she turned and saw Andrew sitting beside her.

"God wants His love to be felt in this room." Andrew said with a smile.

She felt the familiar warmth settle about her, and noticed the same about the other angels, even Monica, who stood, unseen, beside Tess. Kat shifted her gaze, and saw the evil beings fade away.

"Darkness cannot abide the light." Tess said with a satisfied smile.

"That larger-sized lady, the Hispanic/Latino or whatever one, that was Valerie." Clara told Kelli one night when her friend stopped by before going home.

"The same one that's been calling all the time, pretending to be friendly, making up lies about you, then getting pushy?"

"Not to mention harassing me, like she's accusing me of harassing her. She's doing everything she accuses me of. Now she's ordering me to not talk to her. I've turned the other cheek one to many times, letting her always take the first action."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Watch out Babies. Stubbing your toe on a boulder may hurt, but not so much as the pebbles in your shoes."

"I don't know," Clara was saying, "but I may completely loose it one of these times."

"It's one little thing after another, building up over time..." Tess said.

"...that led up to Clara's heart attacks." Andrew added. "It almost killed her."

"Just before this happened," Clara said, pointing to the heart monitors, "I swore I'd never go back to church."

Kelli placed a hand on Clara's arm, met her friend's eyes intently. "You can't let her push you away from God, Clara."

"I had a dream about this the other night."

"Tell me about it." Kelli said, settling back into her chair.

Tess could tell her Angel Boy was preoccupied. "Baby?"

"Kelli saw me. She shouldn't have been able to see me. Then yesterday, when she locked eyes with Clara, I could tell there's more to her than we know."

"If Kelli's an angel, we'll know when it's time to know."

"She's not an angel. At least I don't think so."

Tess gave her Angel Boy one of her so-you-think-you're-Mr-Know-It-All looks. "Well, she certainly hasn't been acting like one of the Devil's angels."

"The Devil can imitate an angel of Light, Tess."

"Babies, the one thing evil cannot imitate is the feeling of peace. I've felt nothing but peace when Kelli's around."

"At least we know she's not an agent of evil." Monica said.

"What matters here is Clara. The Father has assigned us to Clara, not to Kelli."

"Yes, Ma'am." Monica said.

Kelli puller her PALM out of her white jacket and called up the data on Clara Zieggler.

"The hospital's using PALM's now?"

"This is the second week that the staff, in general's been using them. We were trained on them beginning two weeks before that. Current patient data was the first made accessible by PALM, and continues to be so. Other information is being added continuously. I can tap into the hospital's computers with my PALM. This one is mine, not the hospital's. I've had it for at least a year and a half. Took a minute to set it up to access the hospital's records, but that was a piece of cake. Enough about that. I've looked into your family's medical records. I could find no reason other than stress to explain your heart attacks. I see no reason why you can't be released. Tomorrow."

"Any medications I should be taking?"

"An aspirin a day has been proven to reduce the chances of another heart attack."

"Okay." Clara said with a nod of acceptance.

Kelli was hesitant. She pursed her lips a moment. "Normally, I advise my patients to avoid stressful situations. You need to resolve the situation with Valerie. Don't stop going to church. Some friends you have to let go. Let her go, but keep God."

"I thought practicing religion and medicine never mixed."

"That's what the world's always thought, but they're learning. God is everywhere. He'll be in medicine whether doctors acknowledge Him or not. Doctor's don't heal. God does."

A small chuckle escaped past Clara's smile. "Just what kind of person are you, Kelli?"

"I do what needs done. Get some rest. I'll see you before you check out in the morning."

A soft knock on the door caused Clara to look up from her breakfast.

"The door's open."

A man poked his head in the door and fear flashed through her mind, the memory of a man that had followed her towards the mouth of a dark alley, a quiet voice urgently commanding her to look behind her, and do a good job of it, the man heading down the alley alone...then the next instant she recognized her neighbor and smiled. "Andrew! I was wondering if you'd find some time to come by."

"My Father's kept me pretty busy." he replied, catching sight of Monica and Tess out of the corner of his eye. "I hear you're going home today. I have a friend's car, so I can give you a ride."

"Kelli'd probably prefer that. I can't wait to get away from this hospital food!"

"Some people actually like the food." Kelli responded, coming into the room. "You're all set. Everything's signed, so as soon as you're dressed, you can go."

"I'll be right out here, Andrew said, and excused himself.

"Take good care of her, Baby. More storm's coming." Tess said, looking at the closed hospital room door.

The phone rang several times before Clara checked her bedside clock. "Kelli said rest, but Valerie isn't about to let that happen. I shouldn't answer."

"But that wouldn't be polite. I've known you most of your life, Clara, and you're going to be polite."

"Hello?"

"Small talk, then Valerie orders Clara not to call her again." Kat said. "If this happened only once or twice, Clara would probably excuse it, and we'd never have needed to be here for her."

"But Clara made a choice. She knew who Valerie was before they met, and she knew step by step what Valerie would do, which she has."

The phone landed heavily in it's base, as the angels knew it would.

"Then why did she choose this association?"

"Because Clara is childlike, Babies." she held up a hand. "Not childish, childlike."

"Doesn't this Baby do anything but pace the halls of the church?" Tess asked.

"She's on guard, Tess." Monica informed her supervisor. "Every Sunday she's been here for the last month or two, she's watched for Valerie to arrive, walls locked up and firmly in place."

Suddenly, Clara stopped her pacing. She'd seen Valerie get out of her car, and Tess gave thanks for the chance to stand still a moment.

Clara waited till Valerie was watching, then turned her back on the other woman.

"That message was loud and clear." Tess said, her expression saying she'd understood it.

"But Valerie only understands words, and even then, only if you're direct."

"A storm is brewing, Babies."

Tess didn't move from her seat after the services.

For a while, neither did Clara.

Andrew saw Valerie turn from the door at the back of the chapel and look up to see Clara waiting to talk to the Bishop. She left the chapel, and Andrew saw her wait just outside the door.

Clara looked around her and saw that only the Bishop and herself remained in the chapel. Her eyes lingered on the door.

"She knows Valerie's just outside the door." Kat whispered.

"But that won't effect what's about to happen, Baby."

"Can I talk to you for moment, Bishop?"

"Certainly." he said, and leaned forward, against the railing between them.

"Valerie's to pushy! Oh, she pretends to be your friend until she finds out something about you she can twist beyond all recognition, make up stories, and that you're doing it to her, then do it to you! She finds someone she can gripe to about it all, someone who has authority over both of us, harasses me every day! She's so brainless! She's only doing it weekly now, but she doesn't even think! She's doing it all! I've been turning the other cheek, letting her take the first step, but she wants to go public? Sure, I can go public! I said something once, then immediately knew I shouldn't have, but she kept pressing me to explain it every time I said no! She's brainless! She's expecting me to ask what part of no she doesn't understand, and when she picks a letter, I would've told her to go figure it out, then she would've felt stupid! I knew this was all going to happen! I saw her, her size, height, hair length, hair color, her favorite color, even her eye color! She's done everything I was warned she'd do! Right down the line! I only gave her my phone number to shut her up, and she hasn't shut up since! She's got a boy to take care of, but does she? No! She's to busy harassing me! I could take her to court on charges of harassment, and probably child neglect as well! She's so brainless! I should probably hook up with her exhusband: Survivors of Valerie!" Finished, Clara let out an exasperated, spent breath.

In the hall, a door swung shut loudly. Kat looked over at Andrew, who was leaning his hands on the back of the bench by the chapel door. Valerie had left, in a hurry.

"I don't want her to talk to me ever again, by any means, for any reason!" Clara added, emphasizing her point.

"You didn't expect that, did you, Baby?" Tess said, looking at the Bishop.

After a moment, the Bishop had collected his thoughts. He straightened up for what must have been the third or fourth time.

"Let's go for a walk." he said after a moment.

The Bishop and Clara walked along quietly for a while. Clara tried to be patient while the Bishop was thinking. She wanted to apologize for her outburst, wanted to apologize for Valerie ever pulling him into this mess, wanted to apologize for not heeding the warning about Valerie and for so much more.

"Clara." his voice was hushed and thoughtful, "you're such a childlike person. Not childish, childlike. There's a difference. Others have seen it, I've seen it. You have the faith of a child, you love unconditionally, as a child. That's hard for others to deal with. You've lost a lot of friends, and only just now reached a breaking point."

"Bishop, I'm sorry..."

"If you hadn't let it out, the stress probably would have killed you."

"It almost did. The last time the three of us met. Heart attacks. I didn't want to come back."

"I'm glad you did come back."

They fell into silence for a while.

"Keep listening, Baby." Tess said, walking on the Bishop's other side for a moment. "Now that you're listening to what God wants you to say, keep listening, and you'll know the message He has for Clara."

Tess stopped, letting the two walk on ahead. "If people would listen, really listen, He'll work through them." Tess said as Monica and Kat came up to her.

They stopped a few steps ahead, where the canal ran along a vacant field and on to farm land up ahead.

"You're one of God's valiant children, Clara. Hold strong and never quit in the middle of the battle lest you loose your part of the war." He searched her eyes a moment, then walked on. When Clara didn't follow, he stopped and came back. He saw the tears in her eyes.

"Clara, I'm sorry. I only said what I felt impressed to say."

"No apologies necessary, Bishop. I will heal...eventually."

"I'll talk to Valerie." He turned, and, assuring himself that Clara would be okay, walked off.

Clara turned away from the buildings across the street from the canal and vacant lot. She hugged herself tightly, and the tears flowed.

Kat put an arm around the shaking shoulders and whispered: "God loves you. He will help you heal."

Kat sat on the edge of Clara's bed as she slept.

"Clara, you've got angels around you, angels of Light. You've got evil around you. It's not just black and white, Clara. There's all kind of shades of grey where evil pulls you in one inconsequential bit at a time." Kat looked over at Tess, tears glistening in her eyes. She had personal experience in what she was about to say, it had led to bulimia and anorexia nervosa in her life, and Andrew had come...

"Go on, Baby." Tess encouraged.

"They're working on you, teaching you to hate fat people, they have you using ugly names. They're even trying to teach you racial prejudice. Don't listen to them, Clara. You can order them away. You have a body, they don't, and that gives you power! Use it! Pray, Clara and God will send His angels to bear you up."

"Come here, Baby. I'm so proud of you."

Kat let herself be embraced by the older angel, feeling warm and safe in Tess' loving embrace. It was an embrace she'd pulled away from more than once, but she was healing, and Tess never once gave up.

"You didn't think Andrew was your only angel?"

"She returned to Clara's bedside, remembering a nurse that had tended her night and day before she'd come Home, and she smiled. Tess. She leaned close to Clara and whispered: "God loves you!"

Clara parked her car in her spot at her apartment and went to get her mail.

Kat got out of the car and waited.

"You look like you've had a long day." Andrew observed, remaining unseen as he worked his way through a couple other tenants out to get their mail.

"She's to busy during the days for evil to work on her as hard. They're there, though."

"An idle mind opens the door to all kinds of evil, Babies. But, at the same time, Clara doesn't have classes during the summer, and that gives her time to fight her battles. You heard her prayer this morning, Baby. Aren't you suppose to be turning some pages?"

Thunder rumbled in the cloudless sky.

"Already done, Tess." Kat showed them that she had a finger marking a place in Clara's scriptures.

"Make evil howl!" Tess said with a broad grin.

As if on cue, thunder rumbled again and a sudden wind blew at the angels, who held their ground, while apartment tenants stumbled in the wild wind.

Clara sat on the floor after finishing her prayers that night, feeling as if her prayers had gone to the ceiling and no further.

"Search the scriptures, Clara. Your soul will find the verse marked for it to find."

Clara grabbed her scriptures, searching and reading a vers here, and a verse there. Nothing felt right.

She closed the book, but still held it.

Evil laughed. "You can't search scripture when you hate your persecutor!"

"She still has a little love in her heart, no mater what you do." Tess said.

"How can you be so sure?" the evil being hissed.

"Because she's found it." Kat said. "She knows she needs love, even if it takes time."

Clara was reading, or trying to, as tears flowed down her cheeks. She'd read it once, and she knew...

"God wanted you to read the message He has for you. He really does know your heart, Clara." She didn't have to look at the book Clara had set aside. "I know thy heart and have heard thy prayers concerning thy brothren. Be not partial towards them in love above many others, but let thy love be for them as for thyself; and let thy love abound unto all men, and unto all who love my name." Kat felt a tear run down her own cheek. "He knows you want to love Valerie, and He's well pleased."

She stayed by her charge till, after awhile, Clara curled up in bed and drifted off to sleep.

It had been a good week. Kat was sure they must be done here, and, though she didn't want to leave Clara, she wanted to do whatever God wanted her to do.

"And right now, He wants us to remain here, Baby."

"Things have settled down, Tess. She's on the road to healing..."

"There's one more dip in that road that she's going to need an angel for. She knows she needs to love all men, but she's about to find out how hard it is to forgive. It'll take time, and it's a weakness that's a heave burden for her. This weekend will be a hard one for her, Baby."

Clara had written the checks for the bills that had come earlier that day. As she finished reading through the rest of Friday's mail, she checked her watch.

"This is when Fats calls and acts all buddy-buddy!" evil jeered. "Then she tears you apart!"

Clara held her breath, and mouthed: "Go away! You're not welcome here!"

"You wouldn't do that to your old buddy, would you?"

"You're not my friend! Leave me!" she ordered under her breath.

"You're a puny human, and you can't order me around."

"Father, I need your help!" Clara said, and left the room.

Kat had uttered almost the exact same prayer at the same moment.

"Ask in faith, and it shall be given..." Tess said as archangels came and began to cast evil aside.

It seemed like she'd been holding her breath all Friday evening, and falling asleep not daring to breathe. As she showered the next morning, she couldn't recall the phone ringing even once.

"Now that's got to be a miracle!" Clara said, and squeezed the water out of her hair.

"Lucky break, ugly." evil sneered.

"Go away." she ordered, then tuned out the evil beings, and raised her mental walls against them.

"Block them at every turn, Clara. Never get anywhere near the line between good and evil, because evil's always there waiting to pull you to their side. It's not worth falling into their power. Valerie would push you across the line. Tomorrow's going to be hard for you, but this may be the best way for you to let her go, and for her to let go." Kat sighed. "Just remember: God loves you!"

Tess put a hand on the young angel's shoulder. "You're doing the best you can do, Baby. Look how far she's made it." Tess paused. "No one can be perfect in mortality, it's the trying to become perfect that's important."

"And these are trying times?"

More than one angel moaned at Kat's play on words. Somewhere in Heaven another Being smiled.

Part 24

"You know, Tess." Kat said as they sat in the chapel a few benches behind Clara, waiting for the meetings to begin, "I gave myself plenty of time to get use to my short, colored hair, but it's just not going to work."

"Why did you get it cut and colored then, Baby?"

"I don't know. I just felt like a change." She ran her hands through her short hair. Gradually, the dark color vanished, and her blonde locks dangled over the back of the bench.

"Now that's you." Tess said with a grin.

"It's good to be back, Kat said with a sigh.

"The services are starting. Monica said quietly, not wanting to interrupt, but thinking it should be pointed out.

"I know that, Baby."

The Bishop got up in front of his congregation following the usual preliminaries, and waited for everyone to get settled. "As you all know, we've been looking for another building to meet in. All other chapels in the area are operating at capacity. And, in another month, this building will be overloaded if our small ward continues to met here. I've talked with higher authorities." the Bishop tried to look at no one in particular, but Tess noticed that his eyes had met Valerie's and Clara's each at one point. The two women sat far apart.

The Bishop set the glass of water he'd taken a sip out of back down.

"It has been decided that this ward will no longer be a functioning unit of the church as of today. We would normally take care of all related matters at a later date, but it was decided that it should be taken care of on the day announced."

Tess had been watching Clara, and the darkness around Clara Zieggler had become so thick, it would take time for even God's light to reach her. "Hang on, Baby, hang on!"

Clara headed out of the chapel as quickly as she could, without running. Valerie was just a bit quicker, and Clara paused.

'It's all her fault!' Clara thought, glaring at the feeling form. 'This would still be a functioning ward if that fat, ugly, Latino... Fats!' She resumed her hurry to leave. 'It's all her fault!!!'

Valerie stopped, key in the lock of her car and watched.

Clara ignored the other woman, and got in her car.

"Go on, Babies. She needs angels with her. I'll follow in my car."

Clara backed out and pulled out of the church parking lot, not seeing anyone in her full car.

"Somebody ask for help?"

Tess glanced to her right and saw the archangel sitting on the passenger side. "It's about time you showed up."

"We've been battling evil all along, Tess." Martin said. "It's just that I'm the first archangel you've seen today."

"Then why is she heading up to that cliff again?" Tess asked defiantly.

"Because it's a sacred place for her, Tess. She goes there when she's got a lot on her mind, when she needs to think, and to pray."

"She can pray at home."

"Tess, you know what I mean."

"She almost walked off that cliff the first time." She remembered the hurt Clara had been feeling then.

"It's crossed her mind a few times since then, too, but she hasn't walked off the edge yet."

"You're not helping."

"Other people, having evil around them constantly, would have developed multiple personalities by now. Why do you think the call it possession?"

Tess glared at her companion.

"She's not going to walk off the edge tonight, Tess."

"How do you know?"

Martin's eyes would've locked with hers, had she not needed to keep her eyes on the road. "I know."

That was explanation enough.

Clara paused before going into the clearing beyond which the land dropped off. She closed her eyes a moment and pictured any distractions falling off her shoulders and to the ground where they would be left, and eventually vanish away altogether.

"It's never that easy."

She ignored the dark whisper and opened her eyes as she walked forward. She didn't see the archangel she passed between.

Clara sat, huddled safe in her walls where nothing could touch her-nothing would hurt, unaware of how much time had gone by.

"It's all her fault. All her fault." she mumbled.

"Those walls of hers! They're keeping evil out, but they're not letting love in!" Kat said, feeling frustrated.

"It's a delicate balance, Baby, but she'll learn it. It's as if someone close to her has died. She needs to cry. She's hurt, and some of that hurt needs to come out so the love can get in."

Clara wiped at a practically dry eye.

Kat settled down beside her again. "Let it out, Clara. I know you don't want to show your emotions, but you need to cry, to mourn your loss. I know it hurts."

Slowly, a tear rolled down Clara's cheek.

"God knows how you feel. Your Brother, Jesus Christ, knows how you feel. He is the Son of God, you are a daughter of God. You are His through his atonement for you. Oh, Clara! He would have done it all for you, and you alone! He loves you that much! He's felt every pain you've felt, every pain you feel, every pain you will yet feel! You are loved!"

Kat pushed herself up and turned to Tess, suddenly finding herself standing beside the older angel.

Tess grinned as a familiar glow surrounded her young angel. "Now, Baby. She's asked if she has any friends, and God has sent you."

"Hello." Kat said, stopping just a few steps in front of Clara.

Clara looked up, not at all surprised to find the blonde woman there. She looked familiar.

"Peace is the only emotion, the only thing evil cannot imitate. You know who I am." She could see Clara knew. At the same time, she felt a little strange: she wanted to be here, but didn't, she knew what to day, but didn't...

Clara stood up, and Kat stepped back so as not to be bumped.

"Easy, Baby." Tess said.

"She can't hear you, Tess." Andrew said. "She can only hear what the Father wants her to hear."

Something about this woman made Clara feel comfortable, and gradually, she told all that had happened.

Kat listened, genuinely interested, asking questions now and then.

"It feels as if someone has died, but they're still alive. He knows how to carry your burdens." Kat checked the pocket of the dress she wore, and pulled out a small picture. It was a picture of Christ and Mary by the tomb. She pointed to the nail print in His hand and looked at Clara, searching her eyes.

While Clara saw with her eyes the picture held for her to see, in her mind, she saw a hand extending towards her, willing to take anything placed into it, a nail print in the palm. A loving voice soothed the ache: 'I love you this much.'

Kat didn't need to say it again: He knows how to carry your burdens.

She felt healing begin in her heart as she wiped at a tear.

Kat gave her the picture, the hugged her close.

Clara felt the solidity, and knew this other being was real.

Kat slowly faded from view as Clara studied the picture.

Moments later, as Clara was about to start up her car, she saw her scriptures open on the other seat, with a verse marked in red. She closed her door and turned on the cabin light. Picking up her scriptures, she red: "If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, though hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even to the sitting down in...the mansions of my Father."

"He knows it's hard for you to forgive, but he knows you're trying."

"And that weakness will one day be turned to strength, Babies. It will be a strength one day when she can forgive and love all men."

"And it will take time." Kat said as she joined her friends.

As Clara pulled away, Kat reached into her pocket and pulled her hand out again. When she opened her hand, a dove flew out over Clara's car.

Epilogue

Clara walked into the hospital for her follow-up two days later. Kelli had wanted to see how her heart was doing.

"We don't have a Doctor Kelli Azyler on staff." the medical receptionist was saying.

"That's her office right over there." Clara replied.

"That's Doctor Gordon Otterby's office."

Clara was puzzled.

"I had an appointment with Doctor Azyler today, in that office."

"Hm." the receptionist said, skeptical. She checked her computer.

"You're Clara Zieggler?"

"Yes."

"Apparently you have an appointment with Doctor Otterby in half an hour."

"Hm." With that, Clara pushed the conversation aside. "I'll be waiting over there."