Down Time Part One

Disclaimer: Martha-angels, Stan-Logan, Michael-God, idea-me. They all played nicely in my sandbox and then they went home.

Rating: PG

Pay attention to the passage of time--part two fits inbetween but is a different POV

Down Time Part One

1:14 p.m.

The yellow stripes on the highway flashed as one as the Harley sailed along on the gray sea of asphalt. Logan was heading out of town. He needed to get away from the Professor and the students at the school. Lately it seemed as if everyone questioned every move he made or tried to read more into what he said. He wanted out and where better to be free than on the road.
As he sped along, he thought about the past year. Finding acceptance at the school, getting a grip on his shattered memories. For a man who had spent most of his life moving and keeping to the shadows, he felt at peace for the first time in a long while.
Afternoon turned to evening and he pulled into the parking lot of some small roadside dive. Inside he ordered his food and sat back in the booth sipping his beer.
His thoughts returned to his family. Closing his eyes, he could see his father. A man of medium build, solidly muscled with wild dark hair and bushy mutton chops. He remembered how his father's gray eyes would flash with humor or glint with anger, how they would focus intently when he was giving instruction or telling a story. 'I believe in you, Son.' Logan could even recall the timbre and cadence of his father's voice.

7:52p.m.

"My Father believes in you as well."
Logan cracked his eyes open to see Monica sitting across from him, two plates of hot steaming food between them.
"Where'd ya come from?"
"Now, Logan, you know the answer to that. Eat."

The pair ate in companionable silence. After the plates had been cleared and the coffee served, Monica spoke.
"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere particular. Just goin'."
"Would you like some company?"
Logan laughed out loud at her query. "Brave, ain't'cha? Last time ya traveled with me..." He paused before changing directions. "Where's Heckle and Jeckle?"
Monica looked blankly at him.
Again, Logan had to laugh. "Adam and Andrew?"
"Oh!" Now, Monica smiled. "Well, Adam is on assignment and Andrew is with my supervisor, Tess."

With a grunt and a nod, the man stood, tossed down a twenty and escorted Monica out to the bike. He made to hand her his helmet but discovered she already had one.
"Don't ask," she grinned at his look of surprise.
He shook his head and took a deep breath of the evening air. It was cool and crisp, a starry night. Logan gave Monica his jacket to wear and pulled a flannel shirt out of his saddle bag.
They started back on the road. Monica settled in behind Logan and rested her head on his back. He, in turn, smiled, a feeling of contentment covering him. Under the stars, they traveled, the occasional streak of light flashing across the sky. Eventually the petite angel fell asleep and awoke only when Logan pulled over to stop.
"Hey, darlin', ya wakin' up back there?"

"Oh my. I'm sorry, Logan. I don't usually just fall asleep."
"S'okay."
They were parked at a highway observation point. He got off the bike and helped her off as well. There was a picnic table nearby so they sat there.
"It's almost sun up. Thought ya'd want ta see it." His voice held a strange note, a wistfulness she'd not heard in him before.
"Logan, are you all right?" She searched the rough man's face for a clue, a hint to what could be troubling him.
But he looked back at her with perfect clarity in his eyes. "My mother'd wake me up so we could greet the sunrise. Hadn't thought of that 'til tonight." He stopped, not knowing what to say.
"Greeting the sun seems like the best way to honor your mother," Monica replied giving him a hug.
As the darkness deepened, heralding the sun's imminent arrival, she smiled at him. The peace in his returned smile was illuminated by the sun's multicolored rays stretching over the horizon. In that instant, Monica saw Logan as he truly was: the little lost boy, the old man who had seen too much, the man whose heart had been beaten and broken but had never given up hope.
A breeze stirred the morning and Monica smiled.
"Logan, your mother was right about greeting the day. It sets the course for you."
He nodded and then yawned. With a start, the angel realized that he had ridden all night while she slept rather comfortably against his broad back.
Logan looked sleepily at her as she removed his jacket and folded it for him to use as a pillow. He laid back on the table, rolling onto his side to face her.
"Monica, I know ya gotta go in a while. Would ya stay here 'til then?"
She nodded and held his hand until he was sound asleep. The sun climbed steadily overhead, the shade of the nearby tree barely adequate.
A small breeze played across the leaves and Monica was joined by a fellow angel.
"Tess is waiting for you. I'll keep him safe," said the tall man with the dark brown hair.
Smiling, the petite angel brushed her hand against Logan's cheek before she vanished with a last whisper. "Thank you, Michael." 6:21a.m.

Split Second Interlude

"Well, Miss Wings, did you have a good night sleep?"
"Oh, Tess, I was so embarrassed when I realized he'd ridden all night."
"It's okay, baby. There were plenty of angels on stand-by..."
"Tess!!"
Laughing, the mahogany angel replied, "You know I love you, Angel- girl. You did good. The Father wanted Logan to be relaxed and content for a time. A respite, if you will."
"Is there trouble to come?"
"Oh, baby, you know that we know what we need to know when we need to know it."
Monica hugged her supervisor tightly. "Did you miss me? Where is Andrew?"
"Of course I missed you. And Andrew is on assignment."
"Anything serious?"

"I don't know, Angel-girl."

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Questions, comments, observations from Mars?