Chapter 17

Suddenly feeling Monica grip his hand as though it were her only lifeline to the world around her, Andrew's emotions flared up once more as what Tess had just said tumbled around in his mind like a horrible stone heavy with dread. No! He wouldn't let that happen! He couldn't! Never! And he felt it his responsibility to say so.

"No Tess." He told her firmly but calmly as he reached around with his free hand and took Monica's other hand in it, as though now being linked more securely, they thought they could never be torn apart. But Tess only flashed Andrew that authoritive glance she had given on so many occasions before, telling him with power to match his own that she knew best and he would do whatever she said, whenever she said it. "That was not an option Mr. Halo Boy." She reminded him harshly as her voice deepened even more than usual with aggravation and she positioned her hands crossly on both hips.

But Andrew didn't seem to care whether it was an option or not. He wasn't taking it for an answer, and Monica could only stand by and watch helplessly as her two dearest friends verbally battled it out…over her. "I don't care!" Andrew's voice began to skyrocket to a volume Monica was sure she had never heard before from such a gentle, peaceful angel. "I don't care what you do to us anymore! I have listened to you order us around for the better part of ten years and maybe before we listened, because we knew we had something to learn from such a wise old supervisor, but times are different now Tess. The old days are over and both Monica and I have become a great deal more experienced. We're not novices anymore and we know exactly what we're doing. And Tess, please, you have to believe me when I say I love her. Because I do. More than my own life. And if you take that away from me now then," he paused as he considered deeply what thought was currently rolling around in his thoughts, "then you are taking my life away with her."

It was then that Monica finally shifted her gaze from her supervisor to her dear friend, obvious protest and concern written in her soft, teary eyes. "Andrew." She whispered, not quite positive she wanted to understand just what he meant. But she thought she did. And she didn't like it. But still, Andrew didn't let her say a word as he continued to protest against Tess' ever-growing skeptics. "Tess, please, I'm begging you. I just got her back and I won't lose her again. I can't." He then drew in one, long, cleansing breath to keep his heart from pounding straight out of his chest.

Tess still glanced rapidly from Andrew to Monica and back again, her eyes unblinking, her expression unreadable. She said nothing, which was usually either a really good or a really bad sign with Tess. It was never anywhere in between. Monica then made the conscious decision that she had no further option as to what to do next. She knew exactly what had to be done, for Tess deserved to know all the facts. Stepping forward, Monica took over once more, as Andrew allowed her to do so, clearly predicting what was coming next.

And so, after gathering her thoughts as quickly as she could manage, Monica took a deep breath…and began. "Tess, I'm so sorry, but it's true. I love him too, so much more than I ever thought I could love anything in my life. And there's another reason why it is so important Andrew stay with me." She then studied the floor as she spoke, obviously too ashamed to look her supervisor straight in the eye. Still, Tess said nothing, only listened. "Tess…Andrew and I…we're going to have a baby." A single tear rolled over her cheek as she forced the last words from her lips. She was both horrified and relieved that she had finally told the one who loved her like a daughter about the baby. How she had even waited this long to say anything was beyond her.

But now Tess' blazing eyes suddenly softened and glazed over with an entirely new and different set of tears. Her hands dropped back to her sides and she finally broke eye contact with her babies, as though suddenly feeling something else besides anger and disappointment toward them. Her heart felt as though it might burst with so many emotions at once, that she almost couldn't bear it as she raised her eyes once more to meet Monica's gentle gaze.

"Oh baby…I…I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I…I can't even…I think I can see how you love each other. I think it was just so unfamiliar to me that I…" but she couldn't seem to quite find the words. After all, it wasn't quite one of Tess' strengths to apologize, but even so, she simply didn't seem know how to take back such things as the words she had said only moments before. Fortunately for her, her former charges were more forgiving and loving than anyone she knew next to the Father. As they then both stepped forward to wrap their old supervisor in their warm embrace. "I know Tess. I know. It's okay." Andrew whispered into his old friend's ear, both of his strong arms encircling her shoulders, criss-crossing with Monica's as they did so.

They stayed like that, as though glued together for a long moment before Tess finally drew back, swiping her tears in something of an embarrassed manner from her dark, angelic features. "Well angel babies, I can't promise anything is the Father wants something different, but it seems for now you two are safe together." She forced a broad smile despite herself and watched as both of her younger trainees exchanged ecstatic glances filled with such love that Tess didn't know how she could've ever doubted them.

But then something else occurred. Something no one had expected to happen at this very moment. It only took mere seconds for them to notice that Gloria had strayed from their sides and she was now standing at Eliza's bedside, an expression of pure joy and glory etched across her teary features as she stared down at her friend's beautiful daughter.

All Monica, Andrew and Tess turned to glance in her direction once they noted her odd behavior. "Gloria?" Monica murmured in a quiet voice barely above a whisper, as she clearly hadn't a clue as to what her young pupil could be marveling at, but it was then that the young angel directed their attention to the bed. "Look." She whispered in a voice so full of astonishment that it caused everyone in the room to do as she said, glancing down at the small body in the hospital bed. There was a sight that brought Monica to delightful tears as she raced over to the bedside, where her daughter was suddenly stirring, as though awakening from a deep, lengthy sleep…