CHAPTER 11

Monica's small fists balled at her sides and pressed into her thighs in order to try to control the grief she was feeling. In no more than a heartbeat, she had felt such relief and hope that finally Andrew would be helped; that perhaps his human form would have a chance and on the following moment, all that hope had been dashed with the appearance of Kathleen and the Devil himself emerging from the car. Words for that second escaped her as she feared she may burst into tears of frustration and fear, but her dark eyes held his firmly.

"Seems you have quite a situation here, Monica," He surmised softly, his eyes showing great concern that only an angel of the most high God would know was deceiving, "Such a snake bite is fatal, you know, unless treated very quickly. How is your friend doing?"

Swallowing hard, Monica held his gaze, "Please don't pretend that Andrew's condition matters to you when you know it does not. He will be fine as God is taking care of him."

Kathleen snorted and rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, Monica. Do you see Him anywhere? How long have you and Andrew been out here in the middle of the desert? Three days? Four? Oh yes, God is taking amazing care of you."

"Angel…" Andrew's weak voice broke through the tension. He feared greatly for her as he could sense her desperation wrapping itself around his own heart, "You know that is not the truth…you…know He is watching over…us."

Andrew's weak voice and broken sentences caused the little angel to whirl around, her fear doubling. He somehow looked even more pale now though she tried to tell herself she had to be imagining it. She longed to return to his side, but yet felt as if she needed to be standing between him and the evil that was confronting them in order to best protect him.

"I...know," Monica tried to sound convincing as she turned back to Kathleen, "My heart grieves for you, Kathleen and over the company you now choose to keep. You once knew the greatest love in all the universe and you walked away from it."

"Ah," the Devil interjected, his hand rubbing his jaw thoughtfully, "Much like your friends who supposedly love both of you have walked away from you, Monica. Andrew is dying in his human form and they are nowhere to be found."

"Don't you believe it, baby," Tess murmured under her breath as the angels watched the scene unfold before them.

"She's afraid, Tess," Adam stated softly, "She's so afraid for Andrew. I can see it in her eyes…"

"She will not listen to the lies," Rafael insisted, though his own heart was beating frantically.

Monica frantically blinked back tears as his words resonated deep within her soul. She was trying to refuse to believe that their friends would allow death to come to Andrew's human form, yet the reality was that they were not here, "I don't know where they are or why they are not here but I do know that they would never turn a blind eye to Andrew's plight. My timing is not God's timing and I have to trust him that he is caring for Andrew."

"Your complete trust is touching," He replied kindly, leaning back against the car, "And maybe what you say is indeed true, and I sincerely hope that it is, but my dear, look at him," He gestured to Andrew, who was struggling to remain coherent. The Devil waited patiently as Monica whirled around once more to face her love, "He will not last much longer out here without medical help. Monica, he is indeed perishing."

Her tormented eyes searched Andrew's, "Andrew, please…just hold on…"

"I will, Angel," His attempt to reassure her was weak at best as his breathing became more labored due to his racing heart at what she was facing. He wanted to be the one to face this horrible evil; not his dear angel. He knew how she feared for him and he prayed that would not allow her to make a terrible decision. He trusted her completely but he also knew her selfless nature and it was that thing that he loved so much about her that caused him great concern now.

"He is noble to try to resist, Monica, but he cannot win this fight," As she turned back to face him, his eyes took on great sympathy, "I can see in your face how much you love him. It must be so difficult to watch someone you love so deeply suffer so terribly and you have been so strong for him while constantly praying for help to come. It has been heart breaking for you, hasn't it? He is everything to you."

A lonely tear made its way down the little angel's cheek though she made no indication to agree nor disagree with him. She did not want to be vulnerable to his concern.

"Yes," His voice was nearly tender as he watched her tear-filled eyes, "Monica, listen to me. Off the record, please, let me help you. You are both so close to the next town. It is merely a few miles down the road and I will take you directly to the hospital. No strings attached. You have my word."

Suddenly, the only sound the little angel could hear was her own heart pounding in her ears. All she wanted was help for Andrew, for his pain to be alleviated, for him to be all right, and now the words she had been so desperate to hear from someone were being spoken to her. The hot sun, the lack of food and water, the venom coursing through his body, it was all nearly too much to take.

"I promise, Monica. I promise."

His voice was a soft caress and for a moment, she buried her face in her hands as an anguished sob escaped her.

He was certain he had won until an exhausted, tear-streaked face looked back up at him and despite the tears and the way her slight body trembled, he had never seen such determination from an angel is such dire circumstances before.

"No. I will never accept your help, not for myself and not for Andrew, who I love with all my heart and soul. Your offer is not a gift and though I have indeed prayed for help to come down this road, I know that you are not the help I have prayed for. Accepting help from you would mean giving up my soul, because there are always strings with evil. It always comes at a price," Another sob escaped her at the knowledge that she was quite possibly giving up Andrew's only chance of survival in his vulnerable human form, "To give up my soul to you would be to give up Andrew for all eternity and that is just a possibility too painful to bear. I would do anything for him, anything but this. I have not only been praying for help but also praying to be able to trade places with him so that I can suffer in his place. I would do it in a heartbeat, hoping that in the end God will reunite us, but with you, there is no hope-only darkness and despair. You are wasting your time here because my answer has always been and will always be no."

Evil regarded her in silence for a moment before he spoke, "You are a stronger angel than I anticipated, Monica. I'm sure our paths will cross again…when you are grieving for the loss of one you love so much."

Monica and Kathleen were both quiet as he got back into his car. The dark angel had been quiet during the exchange but now she looked at Monica with something akin to awe, "Two angels in love," She stated softly, looking at her former friend with almost tenderness in her eyes, "I hope you get your miracle." Without another word, she was back in the car and the vehicle accelerated down the road until it disappeared completely.

Wasting not another moment, Monica returned to Andrew's side on the hot desert sand once more. Words escaped her, the grief in her heart so great and she lowered her head to hide the tears until a weak, trembling hand touched her face.

"I am so proud of you…" Andrew whispered, the pain in his green eyes momentarily replaced by a love so great, it caused another cry to escape her lips.

"I know it was the right thing to do, but…they could have been your only chance, Andrew…"

"No. They are never our chance, Angel. Everything you said was the truth. You were the strong angel…but I think you always have been."

She shook her head tearfully, "No, I'm not. I'm so afraid…you are suffering."

"I would never want it to be you in my place," Andrew stated gently, "But I know you have been praying for just that. That is who you are and who you have always been. It is one of the reasons I love you so much." He drew in a shaky breath and steeled himself against the conversation he knew he had to have with her, "Angel, I need for you to listen to me."

Immediately, she was shaking her head and her tears returned with a vengeance, "No. Don't say it, Andrew….please." Her trembling hand stroked his blond hair back from his face.

"You have to listen. I don't know how much longer I can hang on…the venom…and when the time comes, I need for you to go and find help…"

"There's no need…you are going to be fine. I can feel it in my heart."

"Never lose your trust in the Father, baby. No matter what happens," His greatest fear was that Evil would return at the worst possible time and she would be vulnerable to it.

Unable to wrap her mind around what he was suggesting could happen to him, the little angel laid down on the sand next him, cradling him in her arms, "Shh. Save your strength. The Father will take care of us. The same way he has all along."

Resigned, Andrew allowed himself to rest her arms, even as he felt her hot tears fall against his face, "Yes, Angel. He has…"

Ruth was quiet during the entire exchange with the Devil, listening to Monica's passionate speech as she resisted and stated her prayers to be able to change places with the Angel of Death. As the angelic couple fell silent, Sam's voice broke the quiet though it was far from loud.

"Ruth, we are being called Home."

"Yes," She replied softly and it was obvious to see she was deeply moved by what they had just witnessed.

"What does that mean?" Tess demanded through the tears she had been shedding for her dear babies.

"It means we were wrong." Sam replied, regret eminent in his voice, "Their love was not up to us to question. The Father is requesting to speak with us."

"Wait," Raphael's dark eyes were ridden with concern, "Andrew and Monica…"

"We can go to them," Tess heard the words spoken to her heart and she nearly wept with relief, "We can help them." As Sam and Ruth vanished, the three angels turned their eyes to the scene that had been playing out in front of them and great fear filled them when they realized that Andrew had lost consciousness and the little angel was desperately calling his name, her voice pleading for him to answer.

"Baby, we're coming…" The supervisor whispered.

Monica raised her exhausted tear-streaked face, her eyes squinting against the sun, "Tess?" She was sure she had heard her, no more than a whisper on the desert wind.

"That's right, Angel Girl, we have not left you." Though she knew Monica could not actually hear her, she knew the weakened angel could sense their presence, "Let's go, boys. Those angels need our help."