When I Think About Angels
by Katie
Disclaimer: Joshua and company belong to Tribune *hiss* and Kara belongs to herself. When I Think About Angels' belongs to the WONDERFUL Jamie O'Neal. To Kath, for stroking my ego and begging for this! :D
* * *
Volunteer Kara Burns jogged down the near-empty street, delighting in the pre-dawn chill. Washington, D.C. was not a city inclined to sleep anymore than New York was, but the night has a way of subduing everything, leaving the impression of quiet. Kara had her headphones on, blasting her favorite country station. She started singing along to Chris Cagle's Laredo. He was hot!! Not as hot as Keith Urban, of course, but still...
Thinking of Keith Urban's dark blond hair and baby blue eyes reminded her of a completely different, yet similiar looking young man that made her heart skip a beat. Kara allowed her mind to linger a moment on the image of Joshua Doors before shoving the thought aside. Thoughts of Joshua, however pleasant, always tempted trouble. And Kara had enough trouble just being who she was.
Kara managed to stop thinking about Joshua, and had lost herself in When She Couldn't Change Me'. The beat of Montgomery Gentrys newest song was perfect for running. She passed a quiet park, and the sight of the green grass reminded her of the tales Joshua told her of his early childhood, when his mother was still alive, and his father the perfect dad. Jonathan Doors, the perfect dad? Kara snorted at the thought. Hardly seems possible.
Next to the park was the Doors International building. Kara unconciously slowed down as she passed. She could hear Joshua's voice, telling her stories about things that had happened in there, some funny, some not. One of those stories was how he ended up in a Taelon cell.
Thump! Kara suddenly collided with another body, and both fell to the ground. She looked up to apologize to whoever she had bumped into, and gasped as Renee Palmer's disheveled face grinned at her ruefully.
Oh my... Kara stammered. Miss Palmer! I'm so sorry! She stood, and helped Renee up. Kara couldn't stop babbling her apologizes. This is so embarressing!
Hey...hey! Renee managed to get in. Once Kara quieted, she continued. Don't worry about it. I wasn't looking either. There's plenty of room in the circle of blame for both of us.
Kara grinned in reply. Renee nodded at her, still smiling, and continued on her way. A few minutes later, Kara resumed her run. Her mind recalled everything Joshua had told her about Renee-from sweet-talking people into her business deals, to decking a boyfriend she caught cheating on her. The affection in his voice was obvious, and Kara felt a little surge of jealousy, which she quickly surpressed. She was already on the Taelons' sh*t list. Falling in love with one of their most important prisoners could get her fired-or worse. She resolved to stop thinking about him.
It wasn't until she stopped by at the Starbuck's, and found herself reminded of Joshua's eyes by her hot chocolate that she realized how futile her resolve was. Sipping irritibly at her drink, she cranked up her music, and started to laugh.
It just had to be Jamie O'Neal's When I Think About Angels.
Why does the color of my coffee match your eyes
Why do I see you when a stranger passes by
I swear I hear you in the whisper of the wind
I feel you when the sun is dancin' on my skin
And when it's raining
You won't find me complainin' cause
When I think about rain
I think about singing
When I think about singing
It's a heavenly tune
When I think about heaven then
I think about angels
When I think about angels
I think about you
Unfortunantly, only too true, Kara muttered to herself.
The taste of sugar sure reminds me of your kiss.
I like the way that they
Both linger on my lips. In my fantasies, at least.
Kisses remind me of a field of butterflies
Must be the way the heart is fluttering inside
Beauitful distraction
You make every thought a chain reaction
That's for sure!
When I think about rain
I think about singing
When I think about singing
It's a heavenly tune
When I think about heaven then
I think about angels
When I think about angels
I think about you
Anywhere I go
Anything I do
Everything around me baby
Makes me think of you
When I think about rain
I think about singing
When I think about singing
It's a heavenly tune
When I think about heaven then
I think about angels
When I think about angels
I think about you.
Kara sat quietly in her booth, inwardly debating her next course of action. She didn't really like her job, anyway. What did she care if they fired her? If she played her cards right, she might get a new job at the Flat Planet. And if not, well, as a good friend of her said too often, c'est la vie. By the time the last chord in Angels in Waiting' had finished, Kara had made up her mind.
* * *
The footsteps were coming for him. Joshua curled up into a ball, knowing that it would do him no good, but his animal instinct told him that if he couldn't see them, they couldn't see him. Funny what a year or so of constant torture does to people.
Rough hands grabbed him, and he was dragged unceremoniously down the hall towards Sandoval's Hell. Joshua suddenly remembered a line from the movie Bless the Child. The Devil's greatest achievement is that nobody believes he exists. All they'd have to do is take a look at Sandoval, Joshua thought bitterly. If that doesn't prove the fallen angel's existance beyond a reasonable doubt, I don't know what would!
Joshua was strapped to the table, as usual, and straight in his line of sight was a glass of water. Joshua looked at the glass longingly. He hadn't had a drink in ages. Not long enough to kill him, but close enough.
Joshua's periphreal vision watched Sandoval walk towards him, and he shuddered involuntarily. Sandoval just smiled. Sadist.
The agent followed Joshua's gaze to the glass of water, and, if it was even possible, his smiled widened. He walked over and picked up the glass.
Thirsty, Mr. Doors?
Joshua just glared at his tormentor. He knew what would happen next. His eyes dancing with the closet he could come to merriment, Sandoval took a sip of the water. Joshua groaned with jealousy, and Sandoval took another sip. Joshua closed his eyes, and so was startled by the large thump that sounded moments later. Opening his eyes again, he saw Sandoval collapsed on the floor, unconcious. Someone was undoing his bonds, and twisting around, Joshua saw it was Kara.
Shhh, she whispered. Don't you dare make a sound, cowboy. Hopefully we'll be gone before anyone suspects anything. Sandoval's torture usually takes a couple hours, so we have that in our favor.
Joshua's bonds undone, he began to slowly move his stiff limbs.
C'mon Josh. I know you're sore, but get that cute little butt of yours moving, or we're both dead!
The thought of death wasn't unappealing to Joshua, but the thought of Kara being at the mercy of the Taelons sufficiently motivated him to greater speed. Silently they stole through the Mothership, and reached the Portal. Joshua moved as if in a trance into the Portal, and Kara keyed the code that would take them to Earth.
* * *
North American Companion Protector Liam Kincaid knocked on Renee's door hesitantly.
Hey Renee, he said. It's me.
The door opened, and he stepped inside. He was momentarily surprised to find Renee sitting on the other side of the room, sipping a hot drink, until he remembered that her door opened automatically. Renee was staring out her window, and didn't acknowladge his presence.
I was worried bout you when you called in sick today, Liam said carefully. You seemed fine last night. Anything wrong?
Renee finally turned to face him, and he noted with concern her red and puffy eyes. The smile she gave him, however, was surprisingly bright.
He's out, she said simply.
Joshua?
She nodded. Liam was floored.
How? he asked, and Renee laughed.
He and a Volunteer fell in love, she said. She got sick of patching up Sandoval's personal punching bag, and helped him escape. She turned back out to the window. They came to me last night, round midnight. Joshua wanted to let me know he was free, and they needed my help. You know, money, i.d.s, the usual.
Where'd they go? Liam asked quietly.
Renee shrugged.
No idea, she answered honestly. We decided that once his escape was discover, I'd be the first outside questioned, because of our relationship. We figured the less I know, the less I could tell. She took another sip of her drink. Their online wedding's in a couple months. I'm maid of honor. You mind being best man?
Online wedding? Liam asked incredulously.
Liam, Renee's voice was full of dry humor, after she saved his butt at the cost of her job and her life as she knew it, how can you find matrimony that astounding?
Why online? he asked.
Well, not only does it fit their new computer nerd personaes, Renee grinned again, it's the only way I'll get to have a part in it. They'll be sending pictures too. No cake, though. Anyway, what do you say?'
One look at Renee's face and Liam knew his answer.
Sure.
Renee's face brightened.
Great! she said. I'll be sure to email Josh your answer.
Liam paused before posing his next question.
You're going to miss him, aren't you?
Renee took it better than Liam thought she would.
At least now I know he's not at Sandoval's mercy, she said. That knowladge is worth all the pain in the world.
Liam saw her crystalline blue eyes start to shimmer, and he went off to make himself a cup of hot chocolate. When he returned she smiled at him gratefully, and the two friends sat in a comfortable silence. Tomorrow they would go on with their lives as if nothing had changed.
Thousands of miles away, two lives began anew.
* * *
Finis