Fred blinked. Her head pounded gently, as her vision gradually swam into place. She was lying on a bed in the infirmary, soft sheets rustling beneath her. All around, the faces of her friends gazed down at her.

She blinked again, and coughed weakly. "Who... who am I?"

The Battlefront reeled back in horror.

Fred snorted. "You morons," she chuckled, sitting up. "What happened? How'd it go?"

Harry sighed heavily. "It was close. The shadows kept coming. Near the end we were totally circled. Then, they all just fell apart. Crumbled. "He nodded at the figure beside him. "At the same moment, Luke started coming back."

Luke fidgeted with his hands and nodded.

"So, what happened in there?" queried Emmanuel, leaning forward. "What was that room? When we got up there, all we found was you, knocked out and surrounded by a bunch of broken computers. Who the heck was that Osiris creep?"

Fred was silent for a moment. "Don't worry. He's gone."

"Who was he?" Mike asked silently, sitting in a chair at Fred's side.

Fred rubbed her temples. "Just some punk. Apparently there was some crazy programming chick who was here before us. She made Osiris, and this computer system that caused all the anomalies. I took out the system."

The others were silent for a moment as this sunk in.

"So… God wasn't behind it after all," Harry sighed.

Riche crossed his arms. "I suppose he isn't always were you'd expect."

Fred swung her feet out of bed. "Hey, could everyone get out for a moment, please? I need to get changed."

"Except," she interrupted as her friends began to hastily file out. "Emily, could you please stay for a bit? There are some things I want to talk to you about."

At the back of the room, a small voice said, "All right."

"Did you guys hear that?" one of the guys whispered as they mobbed out the door. "I'm pretty sure I heard Fred say please! Twice!"

Once the door slapped shut, Fred regarded Angel. Fred's mouth opened, and then closed. Then it opened again. Then it closed again.

"Hey, come sit over here," she finally spoke, patting the chair beside her. Emily stepped over, and plopped down.

Fred examined her old enemy's face. Emily had a small nose that curved up at the end, buttoned between two hazel eyes that were currently staring back at her peacefully. Her pale hair hung low, framing her face. I actually really like her hair, Fred though. Perhaps, if we put it back with some nice clips-

`Ah! Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the heck was that?

"So, are you the one who put me in this nightdress?" Fred asked to break the silence. It had been starting to stretch on, but Emily had not appeared to notice.

Emily gave a firm nod. "Yep. You looked like you could use some sleep."

Fred looked down at her feet as she began to change. "So, Emily. I'm sorry, for, well, you know. All the times we attacked you, and for treating you like less than human."

"It is all right," Emily replied simply. "I understand that you all had the wrong impression. It would seem that both of us have our difficulties in communicating with others."

Fred found herself chuckling. There certainly was truth in that. As she finished pulling on her alternate uniform, long the symbol of the Battlefront's separation, she turned back to Emily.

"Hey, Emily? Is it really true about this world? That the point was to help us find peace?"

The Student Body President nodded. "It took me a long time to realize that fact. I can see why you would think that it was participating in school that caused obliteration," Emily said. "I suppose that when the souls of this world are calm enough to attend classes, then they are indeed close to peace.

"But Mr. Lecher was able to participate in school activities for months, in a far from tranquil state. And your band's singer, she was able to leave without attending a class."

Fred sighed heavily. "Ugh. He confuses me so much. Why would he even bother making all this? Just what the heck is God up to? "

Fred glanced over at the other mortal in the room. Emily was lightly humming to herself. Beneath her seat, her feet swung back and forth.

"That is one thing I never could understand about the Battlefront," Emily finally replied. "I do not understand why you hate him. All my life, God has been my friend."

₪"When I was on earth, I was an invalid. My health was terrible, from the moment I was born. My parents were very worried, and I was sheltered and concealed from the world behind their walls."

Emily blinked at Fred. "That is why I have such difficulties talking to people. I… well; I'm still not used to it. When I was alive, I could talk to no one. I could only learn through books.

"But all through my time alone, I never felt alone. I found a friend. Always, I could talk to God; share my fears, my worries, and my hopes. I never heard a mysterious voice giving a response. All I found was that I received the strength to go one, once I asked for it.

"I had a lot of time to think in that house. I grew to love my parents, and to adore the one who could make the weak strong. I wanted to love him.

"When I was eleven, my health took a terrible turn. I thought I would die without being able to find a way to love my Lord. But through an incredible stroke of fortune, I was given more time.

"After months of begging, my parents gave me an inch of freedom. I could sit in our garden, and talk to people passing by, perhaps get to know a few. Finally, I was free to love the Lord in the way that I had found. By bringing his joy to his children.

"When I arrived here, I was confused. I had never been to a school, but I have read that the leader of the students could be helpful. I am very clumsy… and I am afraid that I made a mess of things. But, I still wanted to bring others the peace that I had found.

"My life was short, Fred. But it was a gift, and I love it."

Fred held her hands behind her back, and then moved to cross them in front of her. Giving up, she let them fall to her side. Every bloody hour, she thought. Every bloody hour it seems, something new shows up to shake my world.

"Come on, chica," Fred sighed, pushing the infirmary door open. "Let's get something to eat. I'm starving."

"Yes," Emily said eagerly, her eyes lighting up. "I am glad you are hungry. Because I have planned a feast!"