Chapter 2

"We were working on an assignment, a long one. We had been there for six months, trying to get through to John Gaines. He was ruining his life with drugs, both selling and using. He was selling people too, Andrew. Monica…" Tess's voice broke at the name. She closed her eyes for just a moment, thinking of her young mentee lying all alone in her lifeless room. Tess could feel Andrew watching her every movement, his senses heightened because hers were numb. Her heart filled with pride and overwhelming love for the angel of death, his patience and kindness during this crisis was just another example of how brightly his virtues shined. She knew he was hurting, his heart longing to be with Monica, and his head trying to understand this unusual situation. Yet, he did not leave her. He was sitting beside her, gently rubbing her back and watching her with concern. Tess scolded herself for making him wait so long in silence, but was grateful that he was allowing her the time she needed to continue.

"Monica was running a rehabilitation center. They took in anyone in need, call girls, addicts, runaways, and anyone else that needed a warm bed, a meal, medical attention, and safety. In the months we were there, Monica managed to get all his girls off the street." Tess took a deep breath.

"John was furious and blamed Monica for his sudden loss of revenue. He started harassing the center, calling in threats, following people to and from the doors. There were multiple occasions where Monica and he were one on one. She tried to get through to him, but it only made that man angrier."

"Is that when he attacked her?" Andrew tentatively asked. Tess shook her head.

"I was the officer that kept arresting him. First it was for drugs, then for the girls, then he progressed to violence. First, he got into fights, then he was hitting the women. Nobody would press charges though so he always walked free. I even arrested him a few times while he was terrorizing the center. Every time I tried to break through to him, he went further into the darkness. After his last arrest, he stopped harassing the center. We thought he had finally begun to listen, but we were very wrong." Tess turned tear filled eyes to Andrew. She was searching for the strength to continue and hoped she would find it in him. Wordlessly he took her hands in his and just sat there with her. Her hands protecting the earrings, his hands protecting hers. Support seemed to flow from him into her through their contact, it was what she had hoped for.

"John and one of his infamous associates, a man named Peter Stevens grabbed Monica while she was out walking, looking for anyone that needed the rehabilitation center. She struggled, so Peter knocked her out. When she came to, they were at John's house and she was bound to a chair. They ridiculed her, cursed her, threatened her, and the abuse didn't stop there. They began taking their rage out on that little angel." Tess was crying, the images that she had to describe were tearing at her heart. "She was so strong, Andrew." She was looking at him pleadingly, as if needing reassurance about what she was saying.

"I know, Tess. I know." His heart was breaking with every word she spoke. He may not understand why this happened, but Monica being strong while facing even the worst horror did not surprise him. Tess stared into his eyes, knowing his words were not just for her. She reminded herself that the story was almost over, then she could cry all she wanted.

"Well, the Father surrounded her with his love, and she was free of her restraints and healed of all her wounds. Peter collapsed at the sight of her, begging forgiveness. She started to give John his message from God when he attacked her." Andrew was completely flabbergasted. John had not only attacked an angel but, an angel that was relaying a message from God himself. "Something happened that time, Andrew. She got scared. He beat her and beat her. She tried crawling away, and he only beat her more. He hit her head really hard and she started to bleed everywhere. The pain and blood loss caused her to pass out. He thought that he had killed her, so you know what he did? He went into the other room and started watching TV. TV, Andrew! While that baby was lying on the floor battered and bleeding, he went and watched a television program. He hadn't realized that Peter had called 911 while he was beating Monica. The ambulance brought her here and he was arrested for attempted murder." Tess leaned into him worn out, tears openly streamed down her face. She felt the changes in Andrew's body as he surrendered to his heartache. His breath quickened, the tension he had acquired listening to her story, began to force him to collapse into her while it was released by his tears. They held each other and cried. When they began to calm down, Andrew cleared his throat. He was trying to make sure his voice would work properly so that he could ask Tess one more question.

"Where is she?"

"Room 342, baby."

Andrew nodded and pulled himself from the uncomfortable chair. He tried to stretch out his aching back while mentally preparing himself for what he would see when he got to Monica's room.

"Andrew," Tess's voice was soft. He turned to see her worriedly looking at him. "I don't think you'll recognize her." His heart fell into his stomach. How could he not recognize his dearest friend? He knew the answer, but wanted so badly for it to be a lie. Tess was just trying to warn him, he knew that, yet now he had a sense of dread surrounding him. He loved Monica and he wanted to see her, but he couldn't imagine her looking any other way than how he knew her. Andrew wanted to see her dark auburn hair cascading over her shoulders, the corners of her lips drawn up in an endless smile, her creamy skin painted pink with a blush, and those dark sparkling eyes looking at him with love. Hearing that she was unrecognizable meant all of that was stripped from him. His beautiful image of Monica would be torn away from him and replaced by an image of violence. It was overwhelming, but his need to be with her won over his fears and he walked into her room.