"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" Sister Kate bellowed at the three. "Joshua… I am very disappointed in you. How could you ever do such a thing as to put yourself in danger?" Joshua's head was bowed to the floor, his eyes trying to suppress the tears that were forming.

"Not to mention Sister Azmaria and Sister Naomi's life as well… they cannot afford to watch someone while handling a situation such as that." Ewan said, his arms crossed looking down at the floor.

Joshua's head snapped up, his face still a little red from embarrassment and shame. "I don't need anyone to look after me! I'm not a child any more! I understand I make act like it some times, but I look in the mirror and I see someone older! I'm never going to be grown up if you never give me a chance!" Tears began to slide down his cheeks from the anger and frustration. "I saved them both…I…I…." Joshua was interrupted when a strange feeling of air perhaps getting caught in his throat, or like a burning sensation in his chest, as if running a mile in the cold. Joshua began to cough and gasp for air. The more he tried to inhale, the worse it became.

Naomi rushed over to Joshua, just as he sank to the floor on his knees. Ewan grabbed a glass of water off Sister Kate's desk and gave it to Joshua, telling him to drink it. After a few frightening moments, Naomi helped Joshua up, his breathing becoming a little steadier.

"Naomi, take Joshua to the hospital wing and have him lie down a bit….and have that wound taken care of…" Sister Kate said looking at the bloody bandages.

"Huh…? Oh….um…right…" Naomi responded.

"But…" Joshua choked out

"No buts, Joshua." Ewan replied. "Azmaria will tell us the story…you rest."

As the two arrived at the hospital wing, Naomi signed them both in, and helped Joshua over to a bed. As he layed down, she sat at the edge, rubbing her stomach, thinking about how Joshua definitely healed her.

"Joshua… can I ask you something?" Naomi started, turning toward him. Joshua looked up at her.

"Sure sister."

"You seemed to know exactly how to react to that bird that flew around you…you even told us to get back in the car… you know that bird…"

"I dunno Sister…that doesn't really seem like a question to me…" Joshua said with sarcasm, rubbing his head. He was trying to avoid the subject.

"Joshua you know what I mean." She replied. Joshua sat up.

"Alright…I know the bird… it was well… i9 didn't think it would be that important so I never told anyone. I saw it in a dream… when I had that fever remember?"

"Oh…right….what was the dream about?" Naomi asked.

"Well…I cant really remember everything….but it talked about …killing two apostles…and I think I was one of them…and something about…another…The bird…It called me…Lord Joshua… Sister Naomi…I knew this bird from my past didn't I?"

"Yes…" Sister Naomi answered. Joshua looked at in her in shock, not believing that she had just told him something about his past. "I think…Sister Kate and Remington should be in here for this…" Sister Naomi stated. She stood up and walked over to a telephone, and paged for them to come down to the hospital wing. When Sister Kate, Ewan Remington, and Sister Azmaria arrived, Joshua had repeated the same story he had told Sister Naomi.

"Who is the other Aion could have been talking about?" Sister Kate pondered.

"Right now it is not clear sister…but it is in fact clear that Sister Azmaria and Joshua are in great danger… and if they are in danger along with one other, the whole world is in danger." Remington stated.

"So me and Azmaria are both apostles…" Joshua repeated. Ewan looked at Joshua. Everyone in the room could tell that Ewan didn't like the fact that Joshua knew as much as that.

All this…it must explain why I got my power back…I was able to restore life to everyone after that demon had destroyed that part of town…" Azmaria stated. "There must be something going on with the astral line…"

"Sister Kate…" Naomi started. "…I have no wound on my stomach…I mean I did…but….I was laying down in the car…Joshua had placed his hand over my stomach…by the time we had arrived back…it was…" Naomi unwrapped the bandages to reveal pink flesh. "…Gone…"

"That is why Joshua is sick." Sister Kate said aloud."

"That's enough Sister Kate." Ewan said.

"What's enough?" Joshua asked.

"Joshua…get some rest…Sister Azmaria…fill out the paper work on this case, and Sister Naomi, get me the latest report on the astral line behavior." Sister Kate ordered. Sister Naomi watched as the three had left the room alone once again to Joshua and herself.

"…I wish I was dead…"

"Joshua Christopher!" Naomi screech in shock. She truly was appalled. "How could you ever wish such a thing?"

"What's the use living if you don't even know why your living or who you are?"

Naomi sighed. "Joshua…..ever since you were little you were always very sick…it was because God chose you to be an apostle…you are one of 7. You power is to heal people…your body couldn't handle it so you were constantly sick. After you had lost your power, you became well again. Now you're starting to gain your power back for some strange reason…and with that you are becoming sick all over again."

Joshua blinked a couple of times trying to take all that in. "I have a power?" He repeated in a question. Naomi nodded…Am I going to get even more sick?" He asked. Naomi nodded. "I am afraid so…you will have your good days…but mostly…really bad…"

Joshua looked down. Naomi could register the fear on his face. "Now do you see why no one will tell you anything….its because you wont be able to handle any of it."

"Who said I wont be able to handle any of it?" Joshua asked.

"Joshua…I wasn't supposed to tell you any of that…don't say anything ok…?" Naomi asked. Joshua nodded, thanking her for giving him that much.

"Sister Naomi…I have been meaning to ask you a question…" Joshua said adjusting himself on the bed a little more.

"Sure Joshua." Naomi said.

"You have stigmata…don't you?"

Naomi's heart dropped into her stomach. She was truly speechless.

"I see you always rubbing your wrists and adjusting the bandages so no one can see them under your gloves…"

"How do you…know about that?"

"You can be surprised of what I know…all I do is go to the restricted section of the library…so if I don't tell people you told me about my power….you don't tell anyone I sneak into the restricted section and read." Joshua said with a smile.

"Joshua Christopher you sly devil… are you blackmailing me?" Naomi asked. Joshua shrugged. "You know we all know you sneak down there, you are caught there all the time." Naomi added.

"Half the time." Joshua corrected. Naomi smiled. "So… have you ever tried to cure it?" Joshua asked looking at her wrists.

"No…I don't think anything can cure it."

"Maybe I can…" Joshua said. "I mean….i have no idea how to use this power but you said I healed you in the car right? Maybe I can do it now…" Joshua said.

Naomi removed the bandages slowly to reveal the wounds on her wrists. They weren't bleeding, but the wounds were opened, and shimmering a wet look in the glare of the light in the room.

Joshua gently placed his hand on her wrists and concentrated. A few minutes went by and nothing happened. Just when Joshua was about to give up, something happened. Naomi gasped and pulled her arms toward her.

"What's wrong?" Joshua asked. "Did I do it?"

Naomi held her arms out in front of her, her stigmata that was calm was now bleeding heavily. Joshua gasped and jumped out of bed, scurrying around for more bandages. After obtaining quite a bit, he ran back over and helped wrap them. "Oh Jeeze! I'm so sorry Sister Naomi! I didn't mean for this to happen! I was only trying to help!" Joshua shrieked in panic. Naomi shook her head.

"It was the thought that counts Joshua…besides I didn't really expect this to work…stigmata isn't something that goes away…." Joshua sighed. "You know…there was another person here with stigmata…shortly before I arrived…"

"Really?" Joshua asked. "Did you know her?"

"Unfortunately no, she died before I arrived here."

"That's so sad…"

"Yeah…she left behind a lot of friends, and a brother she loved dearly."

Joshua walked over to the sink and washed his hands.

"Sister Naomi, maybe I can take care of you now."

Hey everybody, it's Joshua. Sorry, but I'm not feeling to well…luckily Sister Kate and Ewan decided it was best if I stay here now that this guy wants to kill me and Azmaria… I will admit I am scared. But I won't let them know. I want to fight. Now's my chance to show them. Join us next time! Chores Can Be A Good Thing