"In Time, In Tense"

Adam, Andrew and Monica...mangled motorcylces and Henry...tempted????

TBAA real, Marvel AU.

Disclaimer: Martha has hers, Stan has his and me...I'm just borrowing.

PG-13 for accident scene violence.

In Time, In Tense

Chapter Three

Andrew appeared at he and Monica's meeting place. He had just finished looking around when Adam arrived.

"Andrew. There's been an accident."

Looking perplexed the blonde angel replied, "I wasn't called on it."

"It wasn't your call to take."

Adam's seriousness caused Andrew's radar to ping.

"Adam."

"It's Monica and Logan."

-----

Henry watched as Logan began to stir. Groaning, he sat up slowly, feeling his bones begin to knit together and his skin begin to regenerate itself. He raised his hand to his head feeling sticky blood from cuts and scrapes.

'Where is my helmet,' he thought and then he remembered. "Monica!"

He realized that she was nowhere near him. He spotted her and saw that she was very still. 'Crap.' Logan gingerly made his way over to her, pausing from the pain and trying to avoid the shrapnel of his bike.

Unseen, Henry knelt next Monica and spoke to her. "Hang on, girl, we're here with you. Just hang on."

Logan reached the prone Monica, his fingers searching for a pulse. 'Weak and thready--not much time.' Tenderly, he checked for broken bones. "Oh, darlin'." He hesitated only a moment before deciding to remove her helmet.

Monica awoke to the sounds of horrible groaning. She tried to look around, to see who needed help but in doing so realized the sounds were coming from her. She felt more than saw the form kneeling next to her.

"Andrew?" Her voice was raspy and weak.

"No, it's me, Logan."

"What happened?" She was understandably confused. "I'm hurt."

"Yeah, darlin', ya are."

She tried to shift, to ease the pain spreading though her body. Logan cringed as she screamed. It was an all too familiar sound. He took off his jacket and tucked it around her trying to make her comfortable as possible. Monica started to cry softly.

"Hold on, darlin'."

"Why am I hurt?" She whispered to herself. Henry still knelt silently beside her, unseen, quietly praying.

Andrew and Adam appeared near the mangled Harley. As Andrew turned, taking in the wreckage, he saw Logan keeping vigil over Monica and started to rush over to them only to be restrained by a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait, my friend. You must wait."

Chapter Four

Unaware of the invisible onlookers, Logan assessed the situation. He had seen injuries like this before and knew they were fatal. He could practically smell death all around him. A slight movement by Monica interrupted his reverie.

"There was a car. It hit us. It ran the light and hit us."

Logan bowed his head. "I'm sorry, darlin'."

"Why? You didn't do it."

"People tend to get hurt when they are around me."

A soft breeze blew across the pair and Monica tried to focus. It seemed to be telling her something. A message perhaps.

"Andrew?"

Across the way, Adam stayed the green-eyed angel with a slight shake of his head.

"That yer friend?"

Monica managed a weak nod before she faded out.

Henry stood from his vigil over the pair and approached his fellow angels of death.

"I have to go now. I've received another call."

Adam nodded as Henry left. He could feel the tension in Andrew as they waited. Monica gasped and cried out. Adam grabbed his friend and forced him to look at his face. Eternal gray eyes met eternal green ones.

"It has to be this way. If she can remember who she is despite the circumstances then he can remember who he is."

Monica awoke again as the breeze flew softly across her skin. She moaned as she tried to remember something...something important. Seeing her movement, Logan framed her face with his hands.

"Monica, darlin', you're hurt pretty bad. I need ta try and get ya some help."

"No...don't leave me. There is something I need to tell you."

He took her hand as the now increasing pain threatened to overwhelm her.

The mysterious breeze swirled around the death angels and as one they approached the pair. Still unseen, Adam and Andrew listened to their fallen friend.

"I—I was sent to help you, Logan. To help you remember that you are a man. But not just a man," she paused to catch her breath. "A man that God created."

He shook his head. "Monica, ya don't know what I am. Even I don't know."

"In those dark nights, when your soul cries out, Logan, God is there. He hears you in those times when you don't know which way is up."

Logan tried to pull away, to turn in frustration. "But I have these memories. Horrible ones, that I don't remember doing. And I can't remember ma own life sometimes."

"You are still God's creation regardless of what you remember." She paused.

To Logan's keen eyesight, she seemed paler that before. Quietly, she continued.

"The truth Will come. God has promised this: You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

Still holding her hand, he pondered her words for a moment before he looked her in the eye.
"Does God see me when I'm angry, Monica? It ain't pretty."

She smiled weakly. "God sees you, Logan, always." She paused, listened. "He knows the rages in your heart but He sees the depth of your love as well."

Logan absorbed this but when Monica inhaled, grimacing, he became anxious. Time for the petite woman was slipping away.

"Why is God concerned with an ol' canuck like me? Where is He now?"

"God loves you very much, Logan, and He is here. I know you may not believe it, but I am an angel."

The rough man tenderly brushed the side of her face. "Darlin', no angel I know had been hurt like you are." He spoke softly, barely above a whisper. "I've been around along time and I've seen things that most people wouldn't believe either."

Logan became aware of Andrew and Adam a split second before they appeared in their dim-light haze. He breathed deeply, the scents of sandalwood and silver triggering a fast flood of memories. Sights, sounds, smells of a lifetime passed quickly. He opened his eyes, recognition flowing through his features.

He spoke again to Monica in an even softer, sadder voice. "Monica, these," he indicated the two death angels, "Are very old 'friends' of mine. They can help me take care of you. They are real angels."

Monica seemed unaware of the activity around her. It wasn't until Andrew knelt beside her that she opened her eyes.

"Andrew?" She repeated herself, concentrating furiously. "My Andrew?"

It wasn't until the angel took Monica's hand that Logan realized who she had been asking for all along.

"Wait a minute...she's been askin' fer you...which means..."

He was interrupted as Monica grabbed his hand, great joy showing on her face.

"Oh, Logan, I am an angel, sent to remind you that you are His creation, no matter what the circumstances tell you. Just as these circumstances here and now," there was a pulse of light, "reminded me."

Logan sat stunned for a moment as Monica stood before him whole and unbroken and bathed in the same golden light as Adam and Andrew.

"People make choices, Logan, and the person who ran the light made one, too. But even damage to my human form didn't change who or what I was. I am a servant of God, just as you are God's beloved creation and NOTHING that man does can change that."

"If God has seen what I've done..."

Andrew touched Logan's shoulder. "Logan, look at me. God loves you for who you are. Sometimes, He doesn't like what you do but the love He has for you, it is so strong. Remember that."

Logan looked up at Adam. "You were at the bar, too..."

"God wanted you to remember that your loyalty, compassion and love come from Him."

Adam touched Logan's head and immediately he was overwhelmed with memories of his childhood. Of his father laughing, telling stories. Of his mother reading to him. Of love, family and home. The angelic trio watched in awe as their Creator revealed to His creation a piece of himself he had lost. As Logan sat silently absorbing the torrent, Monica knelt beside him and place a gentle hand on the rough man's face. Tears were gliding down his cheeks.

"I can see them. My father and mother," he whispered. "It's been so long."

Monica smiled. "God has not forgotten you."

Logan nodded and looked up at Adam. "And the rest?"

"In time, old friend. You of all people have the time," Adam smirked, "but not the patience."

Andrew spoke. "God wants to help you rebuild your memories by starting with the ones that are strongest. With your family as a foundation of truth, you can learn to tell which memories are true. Your family is nearby. Find them so you can start anew."

Logan bowed his head in grief and relief for what he'd lost and found. When he looked up, they were gone and there was his Harley, good as new. He took a deep breath, got on the bike and disappeared into the night.

The following day, he found the family he had lost. Flowers in hand, the man stood in front of the headstone and read the inscription, a single tear on his cheek.

L R LOGAN BELOVED HUSBAND
K M LOGAN BELOVED WIFE
INTO THE ARMS OF OUR FATHER
PLEASE PROTECT OUR SON

To be continued-

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