(By Deyse Magalhães)

Tidal waves crashed against their boat while a violent storm hit the ocean. What they thought would be an easy assignment, turned out into a desperate fight for survival.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prologue

“... no! Please, help us! Help! Andrew! I can’t see you! I’m here... I... I can’t breathe... Please, help...”

Monica rolled in her bed, shouting words that were a result of a terrible nightmare. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she moved her head from one side to another, trying to free herself from the darkness and the agony that took control of her heart. She was also trembling and breathing hard, as if lost in an ocean of sorrow and despair.

“... please, somebody... help... help...”

Her pleading soon woke Andrew up and he rushed to her bedroom. Frowning with worry, he pushed the door open and walked over up to the bed, sitting on its edge, “Monica? Angel, you’re having a nightmare!”

She kept on begging for help and the blond angel had no other choice but to gently shake her shoulders as he cupped her face, “Monica, wake up! You’re dreaming!”

It broke his heart to see how badly she was trembling, terrified with the images in her nightmare. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly against his heart, “Angel... it’s just a dream... shh... it’s just a dream...”

Andrew continued to whisper loving words into her ear and to caress her auburn hair until her eyes finally flickered open. “Andrew?” she said, confusion all over her meek scared face.

“I’m here, angel. We’re at the beach house, remember?”

Panting heavily, she sat down on her bed and looked at her surroundings, which were now involved in a shadowy atmosphere as the bedside lamp was the only source of light in that room. “I-I had... I had a terrible dream...”

“I know... One of the things I don’t like about being in human form is to see you having these nightmares. Come here.” He wrapped his arms around her small shoulders and she gratefully held him tightly, her heart still pounding loudly in her chest.

“We were in the ocean and it was all dark... There was a storm and... and I couldn’t see you anymore... I was drowning and couldn’t breathe...”

“Shh... don’t think about it anymore, angel. You had this dream because we're about to set off to a new assignment and it involves being in the ocean.” He spoke, running his fingers through her hair and resting his cheek on the top of her head.

“It was so... terrifying, Andrew... it seemed that... that I was dying...”

He held her a bit tighter at those words, dreading even to hear something like that. “Come with me. I’ll make you some hot tea...”

Half hour later, they were both sitting at the kitchen table and the Irish angel grabbed the cup of hot tea with both hands, it was warm enough to bring her some comfort and help her forget the terrible dream.

“Thank you, Andrew.”

“Sorry it’s not coffee but well... I guess tea will make you feel better this time.” He said, taking a seat right next to her.

“Tea is perfect. And it does make me feel better.” She said, taking his hand and squeezing it. Then she frowned, confusion and worry still visible on her face.

“Don’t think about it anymore, angel. Remember that we have an assignment that starts tomorrow and you have to take care of your human form.”

“I know...” Monica drank some more of her tea and sighed, “Have you ever had a bad feeling about an assignment, Andrew?”

“Well, yes, but then I found out lately that this ‘bad feeling’ came from something that was in my mind before the assignment started... You see, a pre-judgement about something I didn’t know well.”

“Like me being afraid of water for many years?”

He brushed his thumb against the back of her hand, “Yes... I know you improved a lot on it, but maybe a memory from the past, combined with the fact that our new assignment will involve staying in the ocean for some time, has triggered the nightmare you just had.”

Monica turned her hand up and entangled her fingers with his, “I’m so glad you’re here...”

“And I am always grateful to be next to you...”

They returned to their bedrooms some time later and before the little angel entered her room, Andrew lay both hands against her cheeks and tenderly caressed her temples, “I’ll pray for you to have only sweet dreams.”

“You are such a wonderful friend... I love you very much, ya know?”

Smiling, he nodded his head, “Let’s say I suspected that!”

“And I’m glad I love you, otherwise I wouldn’t know what a great friend you are!”

Chuckling at her remark, he brushed a tender kiss on her forehead, “I love you very, very much too. Sleep well, angel.”

“You too, Andrew...” she spoke, as he stood there waiting for her to enter her bedroom. But when she stopped in front of the door she turned around and looked at him again. Suddenly, she gave two steps and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tightly, feeling an unexplained need to do so. A mix of fear and sadness she didn’t know exactly the reason for.

Sighing deeply, he held her for a long time, praying that by the morning all that fear and distress coming from her heart would go away.

That night at the beach house was the last memory that came to Monica’s mind at the moment of the tragedy: in a matter of seconds, the boat where she and Andrew were working at was parted into two and the angels, as well as the researchers in it, were thrown into the violent ocean. The tidal waves brought by the thunderstorm combined with the strong wind made it difficult to breathe. The water was terribly cold and the fact that it was a dark, terrifying night only made things worse. The little angel shouted for Andrew, trying hard not to be swallowed by the troubled waters and, much to his despair, the blond angel couldn’t manage to swim until where she was. Her cries were barely audible to him, as the thunders echoing throughout the dark skies almost made him deaf. The last thing Andrew remembered was to pray – for him, for the people on the boat (a group of scientists he and Monica were helping) and especially for his dearest friend, who he loved so much.

CHAPTER 1

When Andrew opened his green eyes the bright sun rays nearly hurt his iris, and he had to shut them quickly. It took him a while to get used to the intensity of the light and also to figure out what had happened in the previous hours. All that he could remember was that he was in a boat, with a group of four researchers and when they were miles away from the coast the weather changed abruptly.

He could still hear the noise of the waves crashing and the sea smell brought by the wind. Drowsily, he moved his head and looked at his surroundings: a long path of white sand lay before him and then he felt the water of the ocean on his feet. That light contact was enough to trig a terrible flashback – all of a sudden, all the memories of the previous night came back to his mind: the giant waves, the thunders and lightning, the boat crashing and turning, all the passengers being thrown in the water and Monica’s desperate cries for help.

“Monica!” he spoke, now fully conscious and quickly sitting up straight on the sandy ground. The abrupt movement caused him to wince with pain, as probably he had collided with some rocks when the ocean stream brought him there. Quickly looking around, searching desperately for his dearest friend, the blond angel noticed that he was on a beach. Some dense vegetation grew not far from the sand and there wasn’t anybody around, the place seemed completely deserted.

“Monica! Monica!” he shouted, standing on his feet with some difficulties. His head was spinning and he was injured in the arm and on the head. Having no answer, he started to walk along the sand; his eyes scanning the surroundings in a desperate search for Monica, wondering if the ocean had brought her there, or if it'd put them apart.

"Monica! Angel! Please, answer to me!" he called, desperately. She was so fragile, so vulnerable the night before, and the violence of the waves stopped him from going to her. Her voice calling for him was echoing on his mind during the several minutes he spent walking along the beach; anguish filling his heart.

Finally, the blond angel could spot someone lying in the sand, close to the rocks to where waves collided; the white foam from breaking waves bathing her legs softly.

Andrew's heart was racing and his mind spinning at the vision of an unconscious Monica lying lifeless in the middle of nowhere. Her clothes - a pair of blue jeans and a white blouse, where a bit tore and soaked, and she had no shoes. He ran to her as fast as he could, ignoring his own pain, and knelt right beside, carefully holding her in his arms.

"Sweetie... it's alright... it's okay, now, the worst is gone... please, talk to me..." he spoke, caressing her hair and placing some wet strands behind her ear. Panic crept over him when he noticed there was blood in the side of her head, coming from a nasty gash on her temple. Her human form was badly hurt, and for a moment he thought he would throw up.

"Baby... angel, please, answer to me!" he called her, cradling her against his chest and placing his finger against her neck. Her human heart was beating, but weakly, as well as her breathing. Desperate, and without knowing what to do, Andrew raised Monica in his arms and carried her away from the sand.

Dense vegetation was growing not far from the beach and there were no other constructions or boats nearby. Andrew carefully lay his dearest friend down on the ground again, but now under the shadow of the tall trees, and gently patted her cheek; his own hand trembling with nervousness.

"Monica? Angel, please, talk to me... please..." having no reply, the blond angel turned his eyes up to the sky, and prayed, "Father... please, help her... help me! she's hurt and... I don't know what to do... She needs me..." With green pools filled with sadness, he looked at his surroundings, searching for any sign of the boat where they were or of the crew that was travelling with them.

All he could see, however, was the immense blue ocean ahead of him.

With tear-filled eyes, he turned to Monica and kissed her forehead lovingly, "Angel... I don't want to leave you but... I need to find help... Please, hold on a little, okay? I need you to hold on for me, baby..."

Andrew kissed her forehead and with infinite care, he lay her down on the ground. He rushed to the beach again, running along the sand and scanning the area, praying to find something or someone who could help them on that difficult moment. His prayers ceased some minutes later, when, climbing on the rocks ahead of him, he saw the remains of a boat brought by the waves - their boat. Some suitcases and objects were mixed with pieces of wood. There was no sign of life, though. If anyone had survived that tragedy, they had been sent somewhere else, and the blond angel was quick to go and pick up the few suitcases floating in the water and lay them in the sand.

He needed so many things! From dry clothes to food, from blankets to a knife and other kitchen utensils. But most importantly, he needed first aid material. And as a miracle happening in an hour of despair, Andrew found his suitcase. Right before he and Monica set off to the tragic trip, he had remembered to include a kit with first aid material inside his bag. He knew there would be another on board, but his protective instincts would always be greater once he had his dearest friend by his side.

And there it was. The hermetic way he had closed it prevented the water to spoil the bandages and medicines inside, and once he found it, the blond angel rushed back to where he had left Monica. Carefully, he knelt next to her and started to prepare gauze, alcohol and bandages to clean and protect her wounds, especially the one she had in her temple. With infinite care, he started to treat her, aware that she was hurting and that the alcohol was hurting her even more.

"I know... I know it hurts, baby... I'm so sorry... Please, forgive me..." he spoke, watching as the expression on her face turned into a painful one, and hearing her soft moaning every time he placed the cotton embedded in alcohol against her skin.

Once he was finished, Andrew cradled her in his arms again and rested his forehead against hers. "Monica... angel, please, answer to me... try to resist... wake up for me, angel..." he whispered, with tear filled eyes. To his despair, she had hit hear head stronger than he thought and the concussion on her temple made her unconscious. All he could do now was to wait and pray for his dear friend to heal.

"Father... I don't know what it happened to us... but I know You have a plan in Your mind... but, please, make her heal... She's suffering... she's deeply hurt, Father, and right now I cannot do anything to stop it... I wish I could take her pain away and feel it myself, but... all I can do is hold her..."

Chapter 2

For long hours, ignoring his own pain, thirst and hunger, Andrew remained at the deserted beach, cradling Monica in his arms, praying for help, and begging God not to send an angel of death like him to take her Home, and thus, far from him. The constant wind that kept on blowing from the ocean to the small island dried their clothes, and realising that the sun would set in the horizon in a few hours, Andrew understood he had to do something to protect them from the cold night that was about to come.

With his angelic heart filled with pain, he brushed a gentle kiss on Monica's forehead and slowly lay her on the ground one more time. Then, removing some strands of hair from her pretty face, he looked at her for some moments, wishing nothing but to see those sweet doe-like eyes open for him and to hear her soothing voice calling his name in a way that nobody did.

"I'll be right back, okay, angel? I promise."

Kissing the back of her hand, which had also small cuts probably caused by the rocks on the beach, he stood up and headed to the same spot where the remains of their boat were. His body ached terribly, and he wondered if he had some broken ribs. Gathering all his efforts, he started to pick up the suitcases and small objects from the beach. There were clothes inside two of the three bags he had found, one of them women's clothes, possibly of one of the two female researchers who were on board. They would suit Monica perfectly. There was also the third bag, with two blankets and a towel. Although they were all wet, Andrew heaved a sigh of relief. Now all he had to do was to hang them on the tree branches and wait for the wind to dry them.

And that's what he did once he was back at Monica's side. With his eyes permanently set on the little angel fallen on the ground, he took the first aid kit again and started to take care of his own wounds. Bearing the pain caused by the cleaning properties of the alcohol, he treated the nasty cuts in his arm and head, careful to use just the minimal amount of that material, as Monica would have her bandages replaced later.

Using some logs that had fallen from the trees around them, Andrew lit up a fire and once the blankets and a few clothes were dry, he dressed Monica in one of his sweatshirts and involved a quilt around her small form. Wincing with pain, he also dressed a coat, as he knew that the night would be long and he would spend it taking care of the little angel.

And he frowned noticing how cold the wind became once the sun set in the horizon. They definitely couldn't spend the days and nights standing there on the beach and exposed to the weather condition. Fortunately for them that was a clear night, with the sky filled with stars and a shining moon. But what would he do when another storm hit the island in full force? Finding a shelter was a priority for the following day, and he also worried about the island itself. Was it inhabited? What if there were dangerous animals such as snakes or spiders living in it?

His head was spinning and the blond angel sighed deeply, trying to put his thoughts in order. All those worries had to wait for now, as his greatest priority was Monica. She remained unconscious for the rest of the day, and when the night fell, Andrew held her tightly and close to the fireplace. At least she was warm and her wounds were being treated.

Andrew continued to watch as the Irish angel slept in his arms, searching in her face for any sign that she was regaining her consciousness. Once in a while, he would speak softly in her ear, hoping that somehow his words reached her very heart and let her know he was standing there by her side. Hours passed slowly and at a certain moment, he closed his eyes briefly, permanently praying for her recovery.

All of a sudden, however, a whisper interrupted his prayers, and his green eyes were wide open, staring at the hurt angel that was limp in his arms.

"Andrew..."

"Monica? Monica? I'm here, angel! Talk to me! Please, talk to me!"

"Andrew..."

"Monica? Angel, please, tell me, what hurts?" he desperately asked, grasping her trembling hand in his; aware that her entire body was shivering. "Please, angel... please, tell me!"

But the Irish angel could only manage to say one word. "...cold..."

"Cold? You're cold? I..."

Concern written all over his face, Andrew tightened his hold on Monica's hand as with the other one, felt her entire face and gasped at how hot it was. Not only was her forehead burning up, but so was her entire being. The fever was consuming her and it broke his heart to know that there wasn't much he could do for her right now. There was some medicine in the first aid kit and he administered it to her without food or water, and he frowned even more thinking about how dehydrated she might be.

"Sweetie... please, hold on until tomorrow... please... I'll go and get you some water and some food, I promise..." he spoke, tenderly caressing her face, "... can you hear what I say, Monica? Please, angel, answer to me..."

"...cold..." was all she repeated, in between soft moaning - she was deeply hurt and her entire body ached with pain from her several bruises.

The Irish angel spent the rest of the night in his arms, whispering confusing words, begging for help, calling Andrew's name, saying she was cold and afraid. While the terrible flashbacks of the accident kept on playing on her mind, Andrew elected to go on and speak softly in her ear; loving words and happy memories he knew were etched in her heart forever.

Somehow, he hoped they would put her soul at ease. Somehow, he hoped to make her heal.

Chapter 3

Bearing the pain caused by his wounds, Andrew spent the entire night awake, holding Monica tightly and protecting her from the cold and the wind. The little Irish angel was burning with fever and trembling with cold. She was also in shock and kept on crying softly, with memories of the accident permanently playing on her mind like an endless nightmare. Andrew's voice seemed to calm her a little, and his loving words would cease the sequence of terrible flashbacks for some moments. But they would always start all over again, making both of them physically and emotionally exhausted.

The blond angel was a bit more relieved when the sun rose in the horizon. The temperature would soon rise and the day light would allow him to go and search for a shelter and food. He brushed a kiss on Monica's forehead and gently stroked her face, frowning with concern as now it was possible to see how pale she was.

"I'm here, angel... God is watching over us both, but I want you to know that I'm always here by your side, baby... And I'll do everything I can to make you heal..." he whispered, attentively studying the expression on her face, which was a mix of pain and fear, "I'll take care of you, Monica... I promise..."

He spent some more time there, waiting for the sun to rise higher and not really wanting to go away from her.

But the little Irish angel needed all his care and attention, and he had to make that deserted place somewhat inhabitable for both of them. Monica's fragile human form depended on this to survive.

Heartbroken, he kissed her cheek and carefully deposited her on the ground. Andrew was grateful that he'd found the blankets and some clothes on the beach not far from where they were, as if they had spent the night exposed to the cold howling wind, her condition would be even worse now.

He walked along the sand, studying his surroundings, observing the tall trees and dense vegetation that grew in the forest not far from where the waves crashed. He also kept his eyes in the horizon, hoping to spot a boat, an airplane or helicopter searching for the survivors of the accident with "Madeleine," their boat. Besides the crew, there were five scientists on board, two women and three man, and two of them were his and Monica's assignment. He wondered if they had survived, and lifted a prayer for their life.

The blond angel also noticed that there were no birds on that island and the forest was extremely silent. Possibly, there were no animals living on it, and it partially let him a bit relieved. The chances of being bitten by a snake or a spider were reduced to zero if the place was really deserted.

Going a bit further towards the forest, Andrew noticed that it was filled with exotic plants and strange-looking tall trees, which resembled a cross between pines and palm trees. Beautiful coloured flowers, with sweet perfume, bloomed here and there, covering the forest floor with traces of blue, red, yellow and lilac. He was sure that those would enchant Monica once she saw them.

In some places, the ground was mossy and damp, and the trees were close together, somewhat blocking the path and hiding the possible secrets that the island could keep. Not far from them, there was a stream with water and to his relief it was fresh, drinkable water. Extremely thirsty, Andrew knelt on the ground and drank it eagerly, almost desperately.

"Oh, Father... thank you... thank you so much..." he spoke, feeling an inch of guilt for not having Monica by his side right now - she was certainly as thirsty and as hungry as he was.

He also found a plant that grew berries on it, which resembled raspberries. But the blond angel elected to check on it later, not really sure if those berries were safe to eat.

But Andrew's greatest discover was very close to the beach - a small cave, with an interior measuring about 7 to 10 feet and a dry stone floor. Some bushes covered its entrance and it was far enough for the ocean water not to reach it. With quick steps, almost running, he returned to the spot where he'd left Monica. His heart broke all over again at the image of her small form, trembling with cold and fear.

"I'm here, honey... I've found a place for you to stay..." he held her in his arms and carried her along the way back to the cave. There, he deposited her on the ground and returned once again to pick up the clothes and small utensils he had found on the day before. The clothes and blankets were all dry by now and he wondered where he could get a bottle or a bowl in order to catch some water for Monica.

The blond angel went back to the place where he had found the objects and suitcases on the day before and, to his surprise, the sea had delivered some more things on the beach during the night. Amongst them were several cans of beans and peas, and some plastic utensils, such as a bowl and some cups.

Moved with emotion, he raised his eyes up to the sky; his faith renewed with that proof that they were definitely not alone. "Thank you, Father... I know you're watching over us... Thank you so much..."

Soon, he was standing by Monica's side, carefully holding the sick angel again and speaking softly to her. She was still feeling the effects of the high fever; her entire body trembled and she cried in a low voice, speaking confused words that made no sense at all.

When he settled her in his arms again, she winced with pain, and her hoarse voice was even louder.

The blond angel felt a terrible sensation of guilt, as he knew that, even unintentionally, every time he took her in his arms he would hurt her a little. "I'm sorry, angel... Please, forgive me..."

"... please help..." she whispered, not able to understand what he was saying, but somewhat hearing his voice inside her heart.

"I found food and water for you... Here, drink this..."

He carefully approached the plastic cup to her lips and watched as she eagerly drank its content. She was so thirsty that for many times, she coughed as the water went down her throat. "Shh... calm down, sweetie... calm down..." Andrew gently admonished, kissing her temple lovingly. She drank some more and then fell unconscious once again, thought this time, apparently a bit calmer.

The blond angel held her close to him for some more time, relieved that he'd found a shelter. By the middle of the day, the sun was extremely hot and the wind blew stronger now, and he dreaded to imagine what it would be like for Monica to be exposed to this kind of weather.

"Rest now, my angel... I'll take care of you, baby... I'll take care of you..." he whispered, resting his chin on the top of her head; arms protectively wrapped around her small form.

Chapter 4

Andrew covered the stone ground of the cave with one blanket, whereas the other one was kept around Monica's body. The suitcases with their clothes, the first aid kit and all the objects he had found on the beach were also arranged inside their new home. Taking advantage from the sunrays that were lightening up the cave interior, he carefully removed Monica's quilt and the sweatsuit he had dressed her with on the day before. Then, he started to replace the bandages on Monica's arms and especially the one in her head.

He tried to do it as fast as he could, because the mere contact with the cold air made her shiver and her lower lips tremble. Once he was over, the blond angel put her sweatshirt on and covered her with the blanket again. Although he was doing the best to treat her wounds, some of them would certainly require some stitches to heal faster. Infection was also a great concern, and with his heart filled with sadness, he had to ignore the sharp pain he caused her whenever the cotton embedded in alcohol touched her injured skin.

By the entrance of the cave, Andrew lit up a fire and started to prepare some beans and peas, found on the previous day. As much as he wanted to save all the canned food for Monica, Andrew needed to eat too. She depended on him and he had to be strong in order to take care of her. He also wanted to cook them some fish but it demanded time and he would have to stay away from her far too long. It had to wait for a while.

The blond angel put the food in two small plastic bowls and kept the cans. They would be useful to store water later on. His dearest friend was sleeping more peacefully now than the last hours, maybe due to the fact that at least her thirst had been quenched, so he ate first. His green eyes, however, were permanently on her sleeping form, and worry was etched on his face as he knew her temperature was high.

Once he finished eating, Andrew put some of soup in another bowl and walked over up to his friend. He knelt on the ground and caressed her cheek, putting away some strands of hair of her face. "Sweetie... angel, it's time for you to eat a little, baby..." Carefully, he settled her in his arms, "C'mon..."

Her nightmares were soon back, and patiently Andrew fed her little by little, approaching the bowl to her lips and giving her small sips. She didn't eat much, though. Her exhaustion was too much now and with great concern, Andrew left the bowl with food aside and lay his hand on her face: the fever was getting higher, and she started to tremble with cold.

"Monica... angel... I'm so sorry... please, forgive me... I'd give up my own existence to see you healing, baby..."

There was medicine in the first aid kit and he administered it to her a second time. But aspirin and painkillers were not enough; she needed medical care and antibiotics. She needed to be taken to a hospital. As the night fell, the only source of light was the fire that kept on permanently burning in the entrance of the cave. Andrew sat down and leaned against the stone wall, with Monica lying limp in his arms, her head resting against his chest.

Her nightmares were more frequent right now, and she kept on crying and trembling, and fighting against something invisible, possibly the giant waves that swallowed her small form on the night of the accident. She constantly called his name, sometimes asking for help and sometimes fearing for his own safety. She also begged God to save them, and asked to keep the scientists' life safe. Fear and confusion were written all over her face, pale and covered with sweat due to the fever that consumed her and burned her entire body.

Devastated and feeling like he was losing a battle, the blond angel kissed her forehead and started to pray.

"Father... She's suffering so much... I... I don't know what to do anymore... If there's something else I can do to help her, please show me..." he spoke, with hopes completely shattered, "Please, take care of her... all this time, I've been begging You to make her heal so that I could have her by my side, like I always did... But this angel of Yours has taught me many lessons, and one of them is not to be egoistic, as she herself is the most selfless soul I've ever met... I still have to work on it, but I love her so much that... right now, all I ask You is that You take care of her, as I failed this assignment..." With tear-filled eyes, he watched as she debated in his arms, feeling in his own heart the uneasiness that emanated from her very soul, "I'm putting her in Your hands, Father, and I know she couldn't be in a better place... I know that You'll do what's best for her..." he concluded, shedding a silent tear; his voice hoarse with emotion.

The blond angel spent the night talking into Monica's ear, trying everything he could to put her heart at ease, wishing nothing else but to bring some comfort to her troubled little heart. He spoke of Tess and Joy, the little puppy dog that Monica had kindly "adopted" after a very successful assignment. He reminded her of their last vacation and how happy she was to be back at her beloved Ireland. Observing that, despite the accident in the ocean, she was still wearing the gold chain around her neck, with two delicate small pendants on it: a little angel and a Celtic knot, all of them, his presents.

"Maybe someday I'll take you to visit the south... We could walk around Richmond and visit the 'Sign of the Dove,' did you know that Ben and Rebecca had a baby?" he spoke, setting his index finger over the small piece of jewellery. The blond angel kept on talking, in a last attempt to make her realise she was not alone, but she never replied to him. Instead, she continued to cry and moan softly, voicing words of pain and fear.

As much as he resisted, Andrew was little by little beaten by exhaustion and the pain that he felt all over his body. His human form couldn't hold it any longer and after almost two days awake, he drifted off to a restless sleep.

When Andrew opened his arms again, the sunrays were already shining inside the cave. Blinking with a slightly confused expression on his face, the blond angel mentally scolded himself for falling asleep. He turned to look at Monica and to his surprise, the nightmares had ceased. She was quietly sleeping in his arms and he was quick to feel her face.

Andrew was expecting the worst, but a wave of relief filled his very soul when he noticed that the fever had finally broken.

"Oh, God... Monica? Angel, you're... you're healing, baby!" he exclaimed, smiling broadly for the first time since he'd arrived at the island. "Angel, you're healing! Oh, Father, thank You! Thank you so much! I promise I'll take care of her! I promise!"

He kissed Monica's face and his heart started to beat faster and faster as, slowly, the Irish angel opened those sweet doe-like eyes and looked at him; she was confused and extremely tired, but for the first time, the little angel was conscious after three days of agony and suffering.

"Monica? Angel?" he spoke, trembling with nervousness, afraid that it could be nothing but a dream.

"Andrew..." her soothing voice was tired and hoarse, but it was the best sound he'd ever heard.

Chapter 5

"I'm here, angel..." Andrew spoke, gently brushing his thumb against her temple, studying every feature of her meek face. After two days of agony and pain, the little Irish angel finally regained consciousness and the fever that consumed her human body ceased. "I'm here... please, talk to me... What are you feeling? What hurts, baby?"

"Andrew... where... are we?" she asked, a bit drowsy and still very confused.

"We're in an island. I found this small cave we're using as a shelter, and we also have food and water." He quickly picked the a bowl containing water, "Here, drink some, angel. You need it..."

With his help, Monica drank some of the water and then gazed at him with questioning eyes. "An island?"

"Yes, we're safe here."

"What... what happened, Andrew?"

He frowned, not wanting to talk about the tragedy with their boat right now. "There was an accident, and the next morning the sea waves brought us to this island." He said, briefly.

"What... about the others?" some tears were quickly forming in the corner of her eyes, but he was determined to spare her from any distress during the healing process.

"I don't know, angel. There was a radio on board and I know that the captain was able to contact the coast... God, I was so worried about you, baby... You were so ill..." he said, caressing her face, moved with emotion hearing her talking to him again.

Monica reached out and covered his hand with hers, leaning on his touch, feeling the comfort he would always bring her. "I... I guess I felt you... your presence... you were with me..."

"All the time, baby... all the time..."

Frowning a little, she averted her eyes from his for the first time and checked their surroundings, "How long have we been here, Andrew?"

"Three days."

Surprise made her look at him once again, "All that?"

"It seemed centuries to me as you were unconscious and ill. But now... now that you're awake, angel... I just feel so grateful... It's as if the day had started right now..."

She tentatively raised her hand and touched his handsome face, not missing the bruises on his skin and the bandages on his temple. "You're hurt..."

The little angel had a clear hint of concern on her face as she observed his injuries. But with a slight smile, Andrew shook his head and took her hand in his. "Let's not worry about me. You're the one who needs all the attention." Kissing her palm, he continued to speak, "Now tell me, what hurts? How are you feeling? Dizzy? In pain?"

She was not only very confused about what had happened in the last few days, but also about her own condition. It took her a little to answer, and before she voiced her thoughts, Monica looked at him with apprehension: she was feeling pain all over her body, and her head still hurt. Besides this, she was extremely tired. But she also knew that finding help and proper care at that very moment would be impossible, and she would never ask this from him - even when she was unconscious, Monica knew he had done everything he could for her.

"Monica?" his questioning voice, however, interrupted her confused thoughts.

"I'm... a bit tired..."

Andrew narrowed his eyes, staring at her sceptically. "Angel... Please, talk to me... I need you to tell me exactly how you're feeling. Please, don't hide anything."

"My body... it hurts a little, Andrew... My head too..."

"How bad, Monica?"

When she bit her lower lip and averted her eyes from his, Andrew only confirmed that she was in great pain, although she was trying to hide this from him. "It's alright, baby... it's alright..." he said, kissing her forehead. "God made you conscious again because He trusts that I'll take care of you, and I promised Him I will."

"You always do..." she replied, her eyes shining with gratitude.

"I prepared some peas and beans, and you drank only the soup yesterday. I'll make you some more, okay?"

Despite her lack of appetite, Monica nodded her head, not wanting to contradict him.

"I want you to rest while I cook."

With infinite care, he moved to lay her on the ground but before he did so, she spoke again, "Andrew?"

"Yes, angel?" The crying tone in her voice scared him but she moved her arms in a pleading way. "Please, hold me..."

On the following second, she was in his arms again, in a warm embrace that wasn't as tightly as he wanted due to her condition. "Monica... angel... You're so precious to me, baby... so precious..."

"I'm so grateful you're here with me... When... when I opened my eyes and saw your face I... I felt at peace because no matter where I was... I was with you..." she sobbed on his shoulder, not wanting to release the hold on him.

Overwhelmed with emotion, he pulled away just an inch and kissed her cheek. "I'll always be with you... always..."

The two angels remained in that long loving embrace for several minutes; words could not express what they were feeling inside but there was no need to voice them anyway.

Andrew filled a bowl with the cooked beans and peas, and also a cup with more water. Then, he helped his dearest friend to sit up straight and once she was leaning against the stone wall, he held a spoonful with food and took it to her lips.

Slowly, Monica chewed the beans and observed the small kitchen utensils around them. "Do we have a spoon?" she asked, somewhat jokingly despite her weakness.

He smiled, overwhelmed with joy to hearing that. "Yeah, but it's only one! We'll have to share it!"

With a slight smile, she nodded in the most selfless way, "I won't mind a bit..."

"We also have a penknife, some cups and bowls. The sea brought them to the beach, along with the food and the clothes." He explained, as she had another spoonful, "I found my suitcase and I'm glad I'd put a small first aid kit inside it. I couldn't find your luggage, angel, but there are women clothes inside that bag and I think they'll suit you."

"It's all perfect..." she spoke, and then he watched as her curious brown eyes scanned the interior of the cave. Then, she looked back at him with the little girl demureness that would always enchant him. "Will you tell me you found coffee pots too?"

That one question made his smile grow wider and he shook his head with amusement.

Once she finished, he sat down by her side and started to replace the bandages around her arms, temple and in the back of her head, and he could notice how terribly it hurt her every time he cleaned the injuries. But she held on bravely, biting her lower lip and stifling every cry of pain. He was aware of her great effort not to show how hurt she was. Monica was truly an amazing creature; always teaching him a lesson, always making him love her a bit more than the last second.

He kissed her temple lovingly. "It's over for today, angel."

"Thank you, Andrew." He always felt a hint of guilt for hurting her during that process, but the look of gratitude in her eyes spoke volumes and left him deeply moved. He helped her to dress up the sweatshirt and then put the first aid material back in the kit.

"I want you to rest now, okay? I'll be here by your side all the time, but you have to sleep as much as possible to save your energy. You're still to weak."

"What about you? Aren't you taking care of yourself? You're hurt too, and-"

He raised his hand and gently interrupted her, "I'll be fine, Monica. I'll take care of these cuts and injuries later on..."

"You promise?" The power of her gaze and all the concern written on those brown pools gave him no choice. As much as he wanted to spare the material for her, she making a request and there was no way he could deny it to her.

Defeated, he nodded his head in agreement. "I promise."

The Irish angel spent the rest of the day sleeping, and only woke up a few times to eat something or drink some water. Andrew, on the other hand, never left her side and kept permanent green eyes focused on her. When the night fell, the cave and the fire he'd lit up by its entrance protected them from the cold and the wind. Right after "dinner," Andrew put some more logs to burn and checked the surroundings. Then, he arranged the remaining food over a small flat stone, which served as a table, and lay down next to Monica, who watched him quietly, with tired brown eyes.

He covered himself with one blanket and straightened the other around her small form. And as soon as he lay down, the little angel inched closer to him so as to rest her head over his chest. Gently, and very carefully, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled even closer to him.

"How much food do we have, Andrew?" she wanted to know, listening to his steady heartbeats.

"Enough for tomorrow, angel," he said, covering her hand with his.

Worried, she turned her face to look at him, "And then?"

Andrew leaned in and kissed her forehead lightly, "And then I'll look for more. There are some berries in the forest, and fishes not far from here."

"I'll help you!" she said, with determination.

Chuckling, he nodded his head and started to caress her hair, "You're already helping me, Monica. A lot more than you could ever imagine."

Frowning at his words, she eyed him sceptically, "It doesn't look like that..."

"Today, when I woke up and noticed your fever was gone, and then when you opened your eyes for me... It... It was one of the best moments of my existence."

She returned his loving gaze with a slight smile. "Despite all that's happened... the accident with the boat... I was happy when I woke up and knew that you were with me..."

They were quiet for some more minutes, and then a flash of uneasiness passed through her angelic heart. "Do you think they'll find us?"

"Of course they will, angel!" He was quick to reassure her, squeezing her hand and placing it above his heart. "I have no doubt that, at this very moment, they're checking on maps and tracing the possible routes that the ocean streams might have taken us."

"Tess must be so worried..."

Andrew took her hand to his lips and turned to look at her again. "I'm sure that by now, Tess has already received a message from her loving Father saying that we're both together and that He's watching over us." He told her, hoping to put her heart at ease, "This cave, this food and the water stream I found... the whole island is a proof that He's taking care of us. Besides, you're recovering, angel, and this fact alone is enough to make me sure that He has a plan in His mind."

Sighing deeply, she nodded and settled her head over his chest again. "You're right."

"I am. And now I want you to close your eyes and only have good dreams, okay? No more nightmares around here, it's an order."

Happy to see her sleepy smile, he kissed the top of her head. "Have a good night, angel."

"Good night, Andrew. I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

Both angels kept on listening to the noise of the waves breaking on the beach sand and feeling the salty smell of the ocean. They were tired and still aching from the injuries and the shock of the accident, but their hearts were lighter now that Monica was finally recovering. Someone was certainly taking care of them, and their faith warmed their souls in such a way that they fell into a peaceful sleep some time later.

Chapter 6

When Monica opened her eyes on the following day, the sunrays were shining through the cave and illuminating its interior. This was a sign that the weather there seemed to be good and they wouldn't have to worry about a thunderstorm for a while. But a worried expression soon clouded over the Irish angel's face once she noticed that Andrew wasn't by her side. She had a clear memory of his arms around her and his voice telling her to have good dreams on the previous night but suddenly it seemed he had never been there.

Rubbing her eyes, she moved to sit up straight but let out an immediate cry of pain: her entire body ached terribly. Breathing hard, she stood still for some seconds and then, very slowly, managed to lean against the stone wall. Her dearest friend wasn't anywhere around and she couldn't hear any noise nearby the cave.

"Andrew?" she called, but there was no reply. "Andrew, are you there?"

Her heart started to beat faster: what if the previous night had been nothing but a dream? What if the tragedy with the boat had put them apart and she was completely alone in that island?

Scared, Monica found support on the cave wall and stood on her feet. "Andrew?"

Very slowly, she managed to give her first steps towards the entrance of the cave, and as she got there, the sun rays stung her eyes as the breeze of the ocean made her entire body shiver with the sudden cold. A profusion of blue - up in the sky and in the ocean just before her, along with the exuberant green forest, made her feel dizzy. After four days staying inside of a cave, under the soft light of a fireplace or feeling just a few sunrays that momentarily reached its interior, that scenario seemed to swallow her. Monica felt her legs grow weaker and was about to fall when a dear voice reached her ears.

"Monica!"

Andrew was coming back from the forest carrying logs to feed the fireplace later on, but he let all of them fall on the ground when he saw his dearest friend standing there and about to faint. On the following second, his arms were around her waist, giving her support and interrupting her fall.

"Angel?" His concern was reflected in his eyes, and he cupped her cheek and made her look at him.

Still very confused, and quite scared, she reached out to touch his face, checking if the image before her was real. "Andrew..."

"Angel, what is it? What happened?"

"I... I woke up and you were not there... I was... I was confused... I thought..." Monica finally looked straight into his eyes, "I thought that you were gone..."

Guilt tore over him as he heard that. How could he leave her alone like this? Why didn't he wait until she was awake so he could go and grab some silly logs for the fire? Mentally scolding himself, he shook his head and took her hands in his own. "I'm so sorry, angel... I went to pick up wood for the fireplace and I didn't think you'd wake up before I was back."

"This place... the ocean... I... I suddenly felt so... small..."

Noticing how scared and confused she was, Andrew gently guided her back to the cave. "You're still too weak and shouldn't be exposed to the weather like this, angel... Come with me, let's go back inside..."

Once she was once again settled inside their temporary "home," Andrew covered her with the blanket she had left behind and felt her face: fortunately, her fever had gone for good and the mere fact that she had managed to stand on her feet was a sign that her energies were coming back.

"I'm sorry, angel, I didn't mean to scare you." He said, sitting right in front of her and taking her hand again.

She didn't miss the worry and the slight guilt in his green eyes. Sighing deeply, she looked at their conjoined hands. "I'm the one who's sorry... I should have waited for you here..."

"How are you feeling today?" he changed the subject, surveying the bandages over her forehead and arm.

"Guess not ready to go outside yet..." she replied, somewhat jokingly, even though her face remained serious.

He was quick to reassure her. "Well, not yet because you need to eat, and right before I left I prepared your breakfast!"

She watched as he stood up and gathered her food and some water. It broke her heart to see how hard he was trying to protect and take care of her, ignoring his own pain and injuries. His loving words and the tenderness with which Andrew would always treat her made her so deeply moved that it brought sudden tears to her eyes.

"Monica? Angel, is there something wrong? Are you in pain?" The blond angel rushed to her side once again, cupping her cheek and holding her hand, frowning with great worry.

"Oh, no... no... I'm... I guess I'm still processing everything that's happened to us, you know?" Noticing that he was still not sure about her words, she squeezed his hand, "I was looking at you and wondering if I deserve such a wonderful friend..."

Relieved to hearing that, he shook his head and smiled lightly, "Monica... for many times, I catch myself wondering if I deserve such a wonderful friend like you, baby."

"You mean we're even then?"

His smile grew wider noticing that she was joking again. After brushing away the few tears that fell from her eyes, the blond angel leaned over and kissed her forehead. "We're even then!"

On the days that followed, Monica's condition started to improve gradually, and she was once again the talkative and inquisitive little angel that would always endear Andrew's heart. Nevertheless, her dearest friend was permanently watching over her, his protective eyes following her every little step like a loyal guardian. Even when she was fast asleep in his arms, Andrew would keep on observing the expression on her face, attentive to any whispered word she spoke during her dreams, ready to chase away any nightmare.

He was always the first one to wake up and when Monica opened up her eyes, breakfast was already made. That morning, however, he decided to remain in the cave a bit more. Andrew had woken up suddenly, during the night, having dreamt that he was still fighting the waves and trying to save Monica. Once he realised he was safe, and that Monica was sleeping peacefully in his arms, he relaxed. The blond angel still looked around them, still unable to lose the instinct to watch for strangers, even though the impression that the island was deserted grew stronger each and every day.

Little by little, daylight started to colour the sky and he now decided to focus on the little angel sleeping next to him. With a smile playing on his lips, he watched the gentle rise and fall of Monica’s chest, delighting in the meek Gaelic features on her pretty face both when she was awake and now, during her sleep.

Monica stirred then, and woke up. He couldn't hide his amusement at the sight of her eyes opening slowly and her confusion at where she was. Watching his friend as she yawned and stretched like a kitten, slowly coming to full alertness, made her even more adorable to him - if that was ever possible.

"Andrew?" Her soothing voice took him out of his thoughts and he looked down to see her gazing up at him, eyes still slightly glassy from sleep.

"Good morning, angel." He greeted her with a smile; fingers tenderly stroking her dishevelled auburn hair.

"Good morning..." she replied, frowning a little to see him still lying there at that time of the day. "... is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is just fine. I just felt like staying 'in bed' a little longer."

The tiny smile on her sleepy face was by far the best image he could see at that time of the morning. Andrew checked the healing injuries in her temple and arms. "How are you feeling today?"

"I guess I'm getting a wee bit better every day..."

"That's the best answer I could ever get, angel!" he said, relief filling his soul. "Can I bring your breakfast now?"

With a permanent smile, she nodded her head - secretly feeling her stomach churning with hunger. The blond angel gently helped her to sit down and seconds later, brought her food: fish, carefully inspected not to contain any fish bone.

After they had breakfast, Andrew stood on his feet and offered her his hand. "Now I want you to come with me!"

Monica gladly accepted his proffered hand and with his help stood on her feet. Little by little, Andrew was making her get used to the island. Always in his company, she would give short walks along the cave surroundings and into the forest, up to the water stream. He had found out its origin was not far and a small waterfall fell from a cliff straight into a small pond, like a natural shower where they could bath and wash their clothes and other utensils.

But that morning, he decided to make her walk on the beach, with the sunrays enhancing her natural angelic glow.

"A stroll around the beach under the morning sun is gonna make you feel even better, angel. And today we'll walk until there..." he said, pointing to a distant spot, somewhere she'd never been before.

"That far today, huh?" The Irish angel spoke, while they walked, her arm permanently wrapped around his own.

"Yep! I haven't told you but we'll catch today's lunch!" he announced, highly amused with her surprised and very anxious expression.

By the end of the day, the memory of the two of them standing knee-deep in the water as he tried to teach Monica to catch a fish caused them to laugh. She succeeded only in falling over a few times, eventually leaving the fishing to him.

Once the worry about their physical condition was gone, and their injuries healed, the two angels started to grow used to this daily routine; living one day after the other, always wondering when they would be rescued and why they were there at that very island.

Chapter 7

Now fully recovered from her injuries, Monica was determined to help her dearest friend with the daily tasks. Fishing, cooking and getting wood for the fire were definitely left to Andrew, and the Irish angel busied herself with taking care of their "home". She washed their clothes and blankets and kept the cave free from sand thanks to a broom she and Andrew made with dry leaves and a twig. She was also the one to get water for drinking and cooking, and once in a while, went berry picking in the bushes not far from the pond.

Initially, Andrew was reluctant about eating the roundish small fruits, fearing they were poisonous. But carefully having a small amount once in a while, and then increasing the quantity showed no side effects, so they came to the conclusion that the berries were safe to eat. The angels in human form knew how poor a diet consisting of fish, berries and water was, but now it was all that they had. In their daily prayers, they asked to be found before the consequences of the scarce food took its effects.

That afternoon, both angels went into opposite directions: Andrew said the tide was high at that time of the day and it would give him the opportunity to catch more fishes than the usual. Monica, on herself, informed him she'd go to the pond to do some "laundry" so that their clothes would all be dry on the following day.

The little Irish angel soon finished her task and hung their clothes on the nearby tree branches. She surveyed her job and smiled, and then looked around her. The forest was exuberant and certainly raised her natural curiosity. It was hot and sunny on that day and there were almost no clouds in the sky. She pondered about the time and concluded that Andrew wouldn't be back from fishing so soon; a walk in the forest wouldn't take too long.

With her hair tied up in a ponytail due to the hot afternoon sun, she walked further into the forest, amazed at the different kinds of plants and trees that grew there. The coloured flowers spread along her completed the beautiful scenario, and Monica was so enchanted with so much beauty that she didn't realise where she was heading until an abrupt change in the surroundings caused her to stop.

The spot where Monica was standing now set the end of the forest and the beginning of a rocky area of the island. Instead of trees and plants, now all she could see were rocks and ragged cliffs. The drastic contrast from what she was used to see was so shocking that her heart started to beat faster, with a fear she herself didn't know how to explain.

She observed the grey landscape in front of her for some minutes, and then slowly approached the area, leaving the forest behind her. It was as if she had been automatically transported to a different place. Eyes filled with curiosity, the little Irish angel started to climb the hill that would take her to the top of the highest cliff, from where she could have a complete view of the island and its surroundings. The slope wasn't too inclined but as she started to climb it, Monica immediately remembered Tess's scolds about her old habit: walking around barefoot. The rock soil was hot due to the sun that, only now, started to disappear in between some clouds. But the little angel was determined to reach the top of the cliff and, even though her feet hurt a little, she finally made it.

The view was breathtaking. Monica could see the entire island, and was surprised at how far she had gone in the last hour. The forest seemed a green carpet that covered most part of it. She couldn't wait to tell Andrew about her new discovery. A flash of light caught her eye and she turned around, now facing the north. The horizon was turning into grey and lightning and rays were also crossing the sky. A storm was beginning to form and the angel frowned with concern, wondering if it could reach the island.

But something else caused her to hold her breath as her heart started to race: a white spot in the horizon was moving slowly and from where she was Monica could perfectly see it was a ship.

"Oh, Father! Father, please, make them find us! Make them see this island!" she prayed, breathing hard.

Quickly, she started an accelerated climb down the hill, nearly losing her balance due to the trembling in her legs. She had to go to Andrew and tell him about the ship, maybe they could light up fires along the beach so that they saw them. Monica was so eager to reach the bottom that she didn't realise that the small rock where she set her foot was loose. The Irish angel slipped and stumbled on the ground.

Monica winced with pain. She felt her ankle hurt immediately, and her knees and palms were scratched and bleeding with the fall. But she couldn't stop there and, with some effort, she raised to her feet again and started to walk; her heart beating faster and faster.

When Andrew returned from a successful fishing, he was already frowning with concern due to the abrupt change in the weather. The wind started to pick up faster and dark clouds heavy with rain were quickly covering the blue sky. He lifted a silent prayer thanking God for providing them a shelter, where they would certainly be safe from the storm. But when the blond angel arrived at the cave, his concern grew even more as there was no sign of Monica.

He arranged the fishes in a bowl, and covered them with a cloth, and then went outside, calling out her name. Andrew walked until the pond where she did the washing but, although the clothes were clean and hung on the tree branches, his dearest friend was nowhere around.

"Monica? Monica? Can you hear me?" he called, but silence was his reply. "Father, where did she go?"

And then he felt the terrible sensation that something was definitely wrong. A warning that went straight into his angelic heart telling him the little angel he loved so much needed him. Andrew went further through the forest, in search for Monica at the same time the first raindrops started to fall from the sky.

When Monica realised it was the third time she passed by the huge tree trunk fallen on the ground she stopped and tried to control her breath. Biting her lower lip, the Irish angel was aware of her poor sense of direction, but was hoping to find the way back to their "home" once she'd seen the whole island from above. Yet, her nervousness and the heavy rain that pelted from the dark sky, along with the loud thunders that echoed through the oceans, prevented her from thinking straight. Besides this, she was hurt, and her ankle even more swollen.

Tears and the rain water stung her eyes as she looked around her, frustrated and extremely confused. Which way should she follow now? The storm had also brought night earlier that day, and soon, it would all be dark. Walking along that vast green area at night, and in the middle of a thunderstorm was too dangerous. She also remembered her dear friend, who she knew would be desperate looking for her right now.

"Oh, Andrew... I'm so sorry... I'm so terribly sorry..." she murmured, sitting on the ground, knees drawn up to her chest like a little girl who had got lost from her parents.

Chapter 8

"Monica! Monica! Can you hear me? Monica, are you there?"

Andrew's shouted voice was stifled by the deafening thunders that could be heard miles away from the island. The heavy thunderstorm was hitting the region in full force, and lightning and rays crossed the dark skies, causing fear and amazement at how powerful and destructive nature could be.

The blond angel's heart was racing with the many possibilities for what had happened to her. He knew better than anyone how Monica could get easily lost due to her poor sense of direction, especially in a unexplored forest like that. He frowned a bit more imagining that she could have stumbled into a rock hidden amongst the vegetation during a short walk, or even got confused by the many trees that surrounded the area. But a sudden thought crossed his mind and it was so scary that he stopped walking, wanting desperately that he was wrong. Was the island really deserted? So far, they hadn't noticed any sign of human beings in there, but what did they know about that place? Remaining at the beach all that time didn't give them full knowledge of the island's surroundings, and its dense forest could easily hide many secrets. Monica was washing their clothes at the pond and a sudden attack would prevent any reaction from her.

Anguish tore Andrew's heart and he ran a hand through his wet hair, shaking his head. "No... that can't be! Monica! Monica, can you hear me?"

The only sound that met his ears were the rambling of the thunders and the howl of the wind.

"Where are you, angel?" he spoke under his breath as he paced beneath a tree and surveyed the clearing, trying to decide which direction to take. She had finished to wash their clothes and that might have been at least two hours before he started looking for her. Her short legs could have placed quite a distance between them in that amount of time.

The slight amount of light soon faded away, leaving him in the most complete darkness, which was only broken by the lightning and the scary rays that crossed the sky. He nearly panicked thinking that the tall trees that covered the entire forest could attract some of these rays.

The blond angel knew that finding Monica was something he couldn't do all by himself and stopped his accelerated walk to close his eyes for a moment. "Father, please... guide my steps..."

The deafening sound of thunderclouds caused Monica's entire body to shake from fear. She even tried to walk a bit more, hoping to have finally found the right direction. There weren't any paths, however, and every time she thought she had seen a familiar tree or rock, she glanced around and saw another one leading off in a completely different direction. She passed though trees and bushes, twigs rubbing and scratching the delicate skin of her arms and legs, and then stumbled on a root, falling down once again. Now both feet were marked with scratches and her hands and knees looked even worse.

Biting her lower lip, she remained at that exact spot. Her possibly sprained ankle and the total darkness ahead stopped her from going on. She knew that God was always with her, but that didn't make her feel better about the idea of wandering through the forest without any source of light to guide her.

Her heart was racing and she was afraid she would only end up even more lost. Besides, her hurt foot was aching badly now. The angel clenched her hands, wincing at the pain and blinking the tears that stung her sad eyes. Right now, all she could do was to sit on the muddy ground and pray.

"Father... please," she whispered, covering her ears to avoid the frightening sound of the thunders, "stay close to me. I shouldn't be afraid, I know. But I can't help it..."

She also closed her eyes, trying to focus on her dearest friend's image and on the rising sun that she knew would come out eventually; tears permanently falling from her eyes.

But another sound, apart from the howling wind and roaring thunders, called her attention. It was a slight impression - maybe the darkness and the forest were playing tricks on her mind. But after another thunder, she heard it again and this time she had no doubt: it was Andrew's voice calling out her name.

"Andrew? Andrew? I'm here! Andrew? Where are you?" with some difficulty, she rose to her feet and shouted as loudly as she could.

Relief filled her very soul when she heard the reply she wanted so much. "Monica?"

"Andrew! I'm here!"

"Stay where you are! I'll come to you," he said, and a minute later the lightning allowed her to see him walking towards her.

"Andrew..." she said, in a small voice, as he lay both hands over her shoulders, as if checking if her image was real, "I got lost..."

"It's alright; it's over now." He wrapped her in his arms around her small form, and the feeling was such that she closed her eyes, ignoring the rain, the thunders and the darkness that surrounded them. She was safe now.

"Please, forgive me, Andrew..."

"Shh... it's okay, angel... it's alright..." he admonished; any kind of discussion could wait right now. "C'mon, let's get out of here..."

But as he motioned for her to follow him, she winced with pain and grabbed his tee-shirt not to fall. "I hurt my foot..." she quickly informed, picturing his questioning look that the darkness didn't allow her to see.

Not thinking twice, he gathered her in his arms and walked forward; lightning was guiding him - God was guiding them. Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and lift a prayer for them to return to the beach in safety. Fortunately, Andrew's ability and the heavenly help that he certainly had, allowed them to reach the cave half hour later. The rain had put out the fire the wind spread the wood gathered by the cave entrance. All that was left them was the stony shelter to protect them from the storm.

Slowly, the wind reduced and the rain finally stopped. The dark clouds up in the sky started to fade, giving place to a night filled with the few stars that could still shine, as the morning sun was already colouring the horizon with shades of yellow and orange. Since they arrived in the cave, Andrew and Monica remained sitting on the ground, in a silent embrace, both in shock with what had happened and grateful that everything turned out fine in the end.

It was Andrew who broke the silence, noticing that his dearest friend was dozing off into a light sleep in his arms. "Monica?" He waited until she was alert and spoke again, "The wind blew lots of tree branches and twigs to the beach, I'll get them to light up a fire."

"Okay..." she replied, quietly. He rose to his feet and Monica noticed how he never used any term of endearment or had any other loving gesture with her. Instead, he just walked away without looking back at her.

Some time later, a warm fire was lit up by the entrance of the cave, and while Monica changed into dry clothes, Andrew stood by the beach, watching as the sun chased away the few grey clouds that insisted on marking the sky. Now, more than ever, the angel of death could realise how fragile a life could be, and the uncountable dangers that it was exposed to. Finding Monica under a thunderstorm in a complete dark forest was certainly a miracle but he wondered how many other miracles would take to keep their human form alive.

Like Monica, he too trusted that God was taking care of them. But at the same time, he debated about what His plan would be.

Chapter 9

Andrew remained by the beach for some time; his heart filled with worry about their situation and the many risks they were exposed to on that remote island. And, even though he didn't show it in the first place, the blond angel was also upset. The island was unexplored, and they didn't know what secrets and dangers it could hide. Monica shouldn't have walked away from their "camping site," it was an imprudence that could have cost her a lot more than just a few scratches and a sprained ankle.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't realise the Irish angel approaching him, walking with difficulty due to her injured foot. She could easily see the distress on his face, and that fact alone caused her to feel terrible.

With some apprehension, she raised her hand and touched his shoulder lightly. "Andrew..."

Her light touch and soothing voice took him out of his reverie, and he turned around to face her. "Monica, you should have waited in the cave, your foot is hurt..."

"I'm so sorry..." she started, ignoring the pain all over her body, "... please, forgive me..."

Looking inside those sad doe-like eyes, Andrew sighed deeply. He knew how genuinely true her words were; yet, his panic and fear due to her absence were still vivid in his heart.

"What happened, Monica? Why did you go so far without telling me first?"

"I didn't mean to. I was walking around the forest and... before I knew it I had arrived at the other side of the island..."

"Well, when I noticed you were missing I panicked! I started to imagine all sorts of things, such as you being seriously hurt after a sudden fall and even the possibility of your being kidnapped!" he said, and judging by the tone of his voice she could notice he was not pleased with her.

"You're perfectly right." Monica's heart was beating faster, as disappointing her dearest friend made her feel the worst of the angels. "I guess... in a way, I was expecting to find something that could help us..." she frowned and lowered her head in shame, "...but then, I couldn't find the way back and the storm started... I ended up putting us both in danger..."

"If you were looking for something to help us you could have told me. We're both stuck in this island, Monica, and in case you get lost or need help there isn't anybody else to go and look for you but me! You could have thought about me before entering the forest all by yourself! You could-"

Monica was trying hard to hold a sob as he spoke, but her guilty was such that she suddenly burst into tears. Andrew felt his anger diminish immediately, as on that very moment he realised her fears were exactly the same fears he was keeping inside his own heart. And his harsh words only caused her to cry and increase her guilty.

Feeling terrible, Andrew didn't waste another moment in pulling her into his arms, in a tight, warm embrace. "I'm sorry, angel," he said, pressing her head against his chest and caressing her hair. Even though she had scared him deeply, he should have known that she never meant to. He should have known that there certainly was an explanation to her actions but he didn't even give her the chance to speak.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," her pleading voice only made him feel worse than he already did.

"I know, angel... I'm sorry too..." He kissed the top of her head, "The last thing I wanted was to make you cry."

They remained in that silent embrace for a few minutes, and her sobs slowly started to subside. Then, he pulled away just enough to look at her - guilty filling his heart once again at the image of her reddened crying face, wet with tears. "Let's go back to the cave, baby. I'll take care of these scratches and take a look at your foot." He said, brushing away her tears.

She nodded quietly, and with his help, returned to their shelter. There was some first aid material left such as a little alcohol and the last strap of gauze. With the help of tweezers he sat down in front of her, "Let me see your hands, angel."

Bravely, she bit her lower lip as he picked the tiny pieces of gravel from her palms and then cleaned her reddened knees. He also examined her ankle and although it was a bit swollen, it wasn't something too serious. "That will be better tomorrow," he assured her, looking up and surprised to see tears in her eyes, "Angel? What is it? Does something else hurt?"

She shook her head, aware he was talking about a possible physical pain, and not the ache that tore her angelic heart.

Sighing deeply, he put the first aid material back into its case and held her both hands, "Talk to me, angel... Please, let me know what's troubling you."

"I know what you're afraid, Andrew... I'm afraid too..." she spoke, almost in a whisper. "I admit that what made me enter the forest yesterday was partially curiosity... But it was also the hope to find... something... anything that could help us..."

"I know that, angel, I do understand it. And that's why I have to apologise with you. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that, I didn't even give you the chance to explain yourself..." he kissed her both hands, "Please, forgive me."

"I have nothing to forgive you, Andrew... I'm the one to ask for your forgiveness, I-"

He reached out and cupped her cheek, gently interrupting her, "What if we both say we're sorry and that we forgive each other, huh?"

Happy to see a tiny, almost non-existent smile in the corner of her lips, he moved and sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing her temple lovingly.

"And about my fears, angel... I want you to know that they're not greater than my faith in God. A dear friend, who I happen to love very much, once told me that. We're supposed to go through this now for some reason. God knows exactly where we are and where we're supposed to be, even if we cannot begin to understand the reason. Even when despair and misery seem to be surrounding us, it's nice to be reminded that we're so not alone... that even though I don't get what's wrong with me, God knows. It's when we are far from Heaven that we have to stay close to God."

Looking at an invisible point right ahead of her, Monica kept on speaking. "I guess was guided by my hopes to find a way out of this place... and... in a way... I left this hope go away..."

"What do you mean, angel?"

Monica finally turned to look at him - a look of defeat as if she had let the only chance of escaping from that island slip through her fingers. "I saw a ship..."

Andrew's green eyes grew wide with surprise, "A ship?"

"Yes... From the cliff in the other part of the island..."

She proceeded in telling him about her little adventure on the previous day and once she was finished, instead of disappointment, she saw the spark of hope shining in his green pools.

"Monica! They're looking for us! They're coming closer to this island!"

"But I let it go away... I... I didn't manage to talk to you in time, and-"

"Angel, there was nothing you could have done on the top of the cliff that could've called their attention!"

"I could have lit up a fire..." she insisted.

"And how in the world could you light up a fire on the top of a rock, with no logs around?"

"If I hadn't got lost I could have told you about it and you could have lit up the fire on the beach..."

"And the thunderstorm would sure have put it out ten minutes later..." he replied, determined to chase her guilt away.

That argument seemed to have convinced her. Quietly, she lowered her head. "I... I didn't think about it..."

Kissing her temple, he tightened his hold on her and sighed, "God, angel... You're so precious to me... I just wish and pray I'll never ever forget that..."

She looked at him questioningly, "You're always telling me this... You never forget it..."

Smiling, Andrew caressed her face, "Do you know how important this information is? I'll light up fires along this beach; thanks to the thunderstorm we have plenty of wood spread along the coast and in the forest, all we have to do is gather it all."

The angels spent the rest of the day working on turning "their" beach into a giant beacon, where about ten fires would be lit up by night.

"Orion, Andromeda... They're so beautiful tonight, aren't they, Andrew?"

The night had fallen nearly two hours before, and after a delicious dinner by one of the many fires burning on the beach, Monica and Andrew had lain down over a towel and spent some time watching the night sky. It was a warm night and the wind that was blowing from the ocean was nothing but a gentle breeze now. Besides, there were no clouds in the sky, which was beautifully decorated with a shining full moon and hundreds of twinkling stars.

Monica had pillowed her head over Andrew's arm and once she looked at him, she saw him smiling and nodding, "That's because of this time of the year. In the summer, it's very common to have starry and warm nights like this one."

"And I also remember that a while ago, you, Tess, wee Joy and I went camping and watched the stars on a beautiful night exactly like this..." she said, hands resting over her stomach.

"I never forgot it, angel." He replied, tenderly caressing her hair.

Monica's smile grew wider, "And that constellation over there... It's the angels constellation, remember? The biggest one is Tess; the tiny wee one is Joy, that is Andrew, and the other one standing next to Andrew, is Monica just because you named it this way!"

The blond angel turned his eyes away from the sky and gazed at his friend lying next to him. He could notice there was a mix of joy and sorrow in those sweet brown pools; the melancholy flowing from her heart was such that he could feel it too.

"I know, angel... I miss them too... I miss Home." He finally admitted, pulling her closer to him, in a way that she was now resting her head over his chest; seeking comfort in his steady heartbeats.

"I wish I could at least... know why we're here... if this is some kind of assignment, you know..."

"He'll show us in His own good time, Monica. Look at the sky... We're angels and we don't need to believe in God because we know that He's watching over us, we've witnessed His power. But even the most humble of the mortals would know that there's a greater power out there just by looking at this sky."

Monica searched for his hand and squeezed it. "I know..."

Andrew kissed her temple lovingly as she snuggled even closer to him. The night was warm and he had a feeling they would spend it "outdoors" this time. He hoped and secretly prayed that the boat that Monica had seen would come back and that someone could detect the several spots of fire spread in line along the beach. His thoughts were interrupted when his dearest friend stirred slowly, and as he turned to look at her, he couldn't help but smiling; heart filled with tenderness at the image of an asleep Monica.

"Sleep, my little angel... May you have only good dreams; dream about Tess and little Joy... dream about our Home. And never forget how much I love you."

Chapter 10

The weather remained hot and sunny on the following days, and the two angels turned into human form were particularly grateful for that. Monica and Andrew had now fallen into a routine that consisted in looking for food, cooking, washing clothes at the pond and lighting up fires along the beach at the beginning of the night. After that day on which a thunderstorm hit the island, no other ship or boat was seen, and sometimes they wondered if they had given up looking for them.

On that morning, Monica had taken a bowl and offered to go berry picking in the forest. By now, she knew that area well enough to go and come back without getting lost, and Andrew had full control of the time she left and the time she would return. If Monica took a bit more than the usual to return, he was ready to go after her.

Always barefoot, and now with her long hair tied up in a haphazard ponytail, the Irish angel started to collect the small roundish fruits from small bushes spread around the forest. The gentle sunrays that managed to shine through the vegetation were like natural spotlights illuminating her auburn locks and her fair complexion, and, wearing that white loose dress that went a bit bellow her knees, Monica certainly looked like an angel. Sometimes, life in the island reminded her of the early days of her existence, when she would walk along the green fields of Ireland and through its evergreen woods, admiring the exuberant Nature that surrounded her.

The only difference was that now she was permanently stuck to a human body and fighting not to let it perish.

Sighing deeply, the angel bit her lower lip and, after placing some more berries inside the bowl, she looked at herself. She had lost weight, and sometimes she was too tired to do the daily tasks that she had volunteered to do. Aware of Andrew's worry once he noticed that, Monica elected to hide her exhaustion from him as much as she could. He too was tired and thinner, and if he found out the truth about her, he would certainly overload himself with a lot more work. It wasn't fair.

Monica was almost finishing to pick the berries when a sudden noise startled her. It was the lowest of the sounds, yet, she was sure she'd heard something or someone moving not far from her. With her heart beating faster, the little angel looked around her, trying to see through the dense vegetation that grew everywhere.

"Andrew? Is that you?" she said, not really sure of where to look. Some seconds later, the little noise repeated itself, and caused her a sensation of fear that she hadn't felt since the day she got lost in the forest. "Hullo?"

The slight wind that was blowing against the island slowly made the trees canopies move, making a sound similar to the one she'd heard before. Scared and unsure of what was really going on, Monica stepped back and quickly left the clearing.

When she returned to the beach, Andrew was already preparing the fire to cook lunch, but seeing the expression on her face, he stopped what he was doing to give her full attention. "Angel?"

"Andrew..."

"Is everything alright?" he wanted to know, approaching her and gently touching her shoulder, not missing the haunted look in her eyes.

Monica didn't know what to say, as she herself was still confused about the incident in the forest. "I... I think so... but I'm not sure..." she replied, looking back at where she'd come from and then at him.

Patiently as always when it came about listening to that complex and adorable angel of God, he picked the bowl full with berries from her hand and placed it together with the other food. Then, he took her hand and guided her to sit down on a fallen tree trunk, which they had been using as a bench.

"I can see something is bothering you..." he said, sitting down next to her, permanently holding her hand.

A small sigh escaped her and she turned her eyes to the ocean. Andrew knew she was trying to organise the many thoughts that were crossing her mind at that very moment and, even though it made him more anxious, he elected to wait. She would voice them to him. She always did.

A minute later, the little angel looked back at him. "Are you sure we're alone in this island, Andrew?"

That was certainly an unexpected question, and it made him frown with concern. "Why are you asking me this, Monica? Have you seen anything, have you-"

"No... I..." she averted her eyes from his again and shook her head, loathing the fact that she was causing him to worry about something that she herself wasn't sure of, "... I was berry picking just now and... well, I suddenly was under the impression that I was being watched..."

His eyes grew wider immediately, "Watched? But what caused you this impression, did you see something different, did you-"

"N-no..." she interrupted him again, confusion clouding over her face, "...I heard a noise... a small noise..."

"A noise?"

"Yes..." Monica looked back at him regretfully, "...when I heard it again, I saw that the wind was making the trees canopies move slowly... some leaves even fell on the ground..."

"I see... And did you see or notice anything else? Any other sound..."

"No..." Sighing again, and visibly ashamed, she lowered her head, "I guess deep inside I was afraid of the forest itself... It scares me sometimes, I keep on remembering the day I got lost and..."

As Monica's voice trailed off, her dearest friend wrapped his arms around her shoulders, in a warm embrace. Gratefully, she leaned on him, searching for a shelter from her fears and comfort to her troubled heart.

"It's alright, angel. I understand. Everyone needs a break sometimes, even angels."

"Do you think I might be starting to imagine things, Andrew?" she suddenly raised her head and looked up at him, with extra worry.

With a reassuring smile, he shook his head in disagreement, "No, angel, of course not..." Rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand, he kept on talking, "... a bad memory trigged your fears, and the fact that we've been isolated here for almost a month made things even worse." The blond angel said, even though he made a mental note to investigate it further; his protectiveness had been already alerted.

"I believe you're right. And... I'm sorry I made you worry..."

With his heart filled with tenderness, Andrew caressed her face, never tiring to admire the meekness of her Gaelic features. "You don't have to apologise, angel. And I do want you to tell me everything. All that you think and feel... Even the smallest details. Promise me that?"

Biting her lower lip, in a way the he found particularly endearing, she nodded her head. "I promise."

"Okay. Then what do you say about helping me out with lunch, huh?"

Now she looked at him sceptically, "Do you want me to help you to prepare it?"

Laughing, he kissed her hand, "Yes, and when we get back I want you to show Tess that you learned some seafood dishes!"

Happy to see a slight smile in the corner of her lips, he helped her on her feet, and both angels started to work on lunch. Andrew also invented a jelly made with the berries that Monica had picked up earlier, and they had their first desert in a very long time.

Chapter 11

Morning had been busy for both angels, especially for Monica, but Andrew knew that keeping her engaged in an activity was the best way to make her worries disappear. Patiently, he explained how to clean and prepare a fish, and how he would make the berries desert. Usually, the blond angel would have taken a lot less time to prepare it all by himself, but listening to his beloved friend's chattering and watching as she little by little returned to her own self was worth all the time in the world.

After lunch, they lay down on a towel under the gentle shadow of a tree, and as Andrew had predicted, the little Irish angel soon fell into a deep sleep, lulled by the gentle breeze that blew from the ocean and by his soft caresses in her hair. He held her for some time, not missing how thin her human form was turning into. Help was becoming more and more urgent as the days went by, and even if she hadn't mentioned anything about her recent tiredness he had a plan to reduce her daily tasks. The Irish angel's human form was already small and fragile and she had to save energies if they were to stay in the island for a longer time.

Slowly, he disentangled from her loving embrace and rose to his feet. After certifying she would be alright, Andrew headed to the forest, planning to inspect the surroundings carefully. He was almost sure that the island was uninhabited, being nothing but a tiny spot in the middle of the vast ocean. What Monica felt was probably the effect of terrible flashbacks from the night she got lost in there, in the middle of a thunderstorm. Yet, just for precaution, the blond angel entered the forest and walked along the dense vegetation, attentively scanning the area.

With his long legs and strong form, he soon reached the end of the forest and the rocky part of the island. Like Monica had described to him, it was like jumping into another place - another planet, due to the peculiar landscape of grey stony floor that expanded to the horizon. A series of ragged cliffs soon called his attention. Remembering his friend's words about the ship she had seen, Andrew couldn't help but to climb the highest of those cliffs, hoping that he could have the same view. Expecting that help finally arrived.

Once he reached the top, he was tired and breathing hard, and wondered how Monica had managed to climb up in there. Maybe because it'd been a few weeks earlier, and she was stronger than now. He carefully surveyed the area and the horizon searching for anything that could resemble a boat. Andrew also observed the blue sky, hoping that an airplane or helicopter was flying around the region.

But after a while, he let out a frustrated sigh and decided to return to the beach before Monica woke up. The island - and everything else within miles away, were absolutely deserted.

When the blond angel returned, his dearest friend wasn't lying on the same place he'd left her, but he didn't have to look for her for more than a few seconds. Monica was standing at the beach, gazing at the ocean as the waves licked her small feet. With her arms crossed in front of her chest and a crocheted scarf tossed over her shoulders and arms, the little angel seemed to be lost in thoughts. But his loving presence was something she would never be indifferent to.

"You didn't find anything, did you?" she said, as he approached her.

A slight smile appeared on Andrew's lips: she could be weak, but was still able to feel his presence. "No, angel. I didn't." He said, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Deep inside, I had a feeling you wouldn't." She finally turned to look at him and smiled, "And I'm glad that it was just my impression."

"Well, so am I. If I am to spend some time in a deserted island, then I guess I already have the best company!" he joked, and then showed her the small bouquet with delicate wild flowers he'd picked for her on his way back.

Smiling, she took the small but meaningful gift from his hands and smelled their sweet perfume. Andrew watched as she ran her delicate fingertips on the coloured petals, and it amazed him the fact that she would always treasure any gift as if it was unique, even the simplest ones like that small bouquet. Andrew's heart was full - even in a deserted island, away from the rest of the world and unsure about their future, she was able to bring out the tenderness and compassion deep inside his very soul.

"You're certainly the most beautiful of God's creations, angel..." he suddenly said, gently stroking her face and causing her to turn her eyes from the flowers and back at him.

"And you're being far too kind, you know... Though we shouldn't cultivate vanity, I don't think I'm as beautiful as you're saying right now!"

There was no sadness in her words; in fact, she was joking about her appearance. Andrew shook his head in disagreement, his smile growing wider. "There's something I've noticed about you a long time ago... You're the best image of an angel..."

"Tess wouldn't be all too happy hearing you say that..."

"She would agree with me that you have the power to make all the ones around you feel so special." He said, cupping her cheek with his hand.

Slightly blushed, she leaned on his touch and covered his hand with hers, "You're the one who has the power to soothe my heart and put my soul at ease, Andrew. You have the patience to hear my secrets, and... even though God is watching over me, He sent me an angel to protect me while I'm on earth doing His work."

"Well... now you're right... I'll always be by your side, doing all these things you said... You're very precious, angel. To everyone, and specially to me."

They stood quiet for a few moments, just gazing at each other as if time had frozen. The island, the sinking of their boat, the long wait for rescue... all these things were forgotten now, and both angels felt their hearts flooded by a sudden joy that neither of them could explain where it was coming from, but which had become quite familiar to them whenever they were in each other's company. A bond that was as natural as breathing.

With a tear threatening to fall from her eye at any moment, Monica reached over and touched his face, which was now covered by a slight blond beard.

"And talking about appearance..." he joked, taking her hand and kissing her palm.

"As long as I can see your eyes and all the trust that you're able to transmit with them, I'm fine..."

She suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly; head resting against his chest and the tear finally falling from her closed eyes. The blond angel returned that loving embrace and kissed the top of her head repeatedly, debating between worrying about their current situation and enjoying to have the little angel he loved so much in his arms, where no harm would ever threaten her.

Chapter 12

Andrew remained awake for long hours that night; a turmoil of different thoughts and feelings going on his mind. The fire lit up at the entrance of the cave softly illuminated its interior and he could see Monica's fast asleep face right next to him, head pillowed over his chest as always. Carefully not to wake her up, he reached out and caressed her long auburn hair. Reflected on his face was all his worry about their condition. The blond angel wondered if they would ever be found, as no ship had been seen crossing the horizon line, even though he would always light up fires along the beach at night. Secretly, he also wondered if Monica had really seen a ship a while ago or if that had been just her imagination; the result of their confines in that place.

Sighing deeply, he looked down at her small form and his heart ached with sadness at how thin she was. He had reduced her daily tasks gradually, without her realising it - she was becoming weak and he couldn't risk her getting ill again. A boat sinking, a deserted island, isolation and inhospitable conditions... Andrew would bear anything, except losing his dearest friend.

"I love you so much, angel..." he whispered, fingertip tracing an invisible line along her jaw, "...More than you'll never know... More... than I myself knew it..." he secretly confessed; a secret that he was slowly beginning to come to terms with. Maybe the same confines that had kept them trapped in the middle of the ocean had helped him to see that something had changed, that the immense love he felt for the little angel asleep in his arms had created deeper roots. It was angelic love. It was friendship love.

But it was also romantic love.

Andrew didn't know if one day he would have the courage to tell her about it, as he feared she might not feel the same, and then their relationship would be ruined forever. If he had to exist keeping those feelings just to himself, so be it.

Silent tears filled his eyes when he thought about the worst. What if Monica didn't resist until help arrived? What would happen to them on the following weeks?

He kissed the top of her head and whispered one more time. "I promise I'll make your days here brighter than I've already done, angel. You have my word." He smiled briefly before gazing at her asleep face, drinking in her meek features. "And my world."

When Monica opened her eyes on the following day the sun was already shining through the interior of the cave. Sometimes she was under the impression she had been sleeping more than the usual, and therefore waking up later. That fact caused her to feel slightly ashamed, as Andrew was always up and with breakfast ready for her. Yet, there was no way she could avoid it, as she knew she was more and more tired as the days passed by.

Slowly, and still rubbing her eyes, she rose to her feet and went outside, where Andrew had been waiting for her for some time. There was fish and raspberry cream waiting for her on a "table," which made of a small flat rock.

"Hey, good morning, angel!"

"Andrew!" she exclaimed, surprised to see so much food at that time of the day.

"You arrived right on time! C'mon, have a seat, your breakfast is waiting!"

"But... do we have all this so early in the morning? I mean... this is what we eat for lunch..."

"Well, I decided that today we'll have an 'angels' day off'!" he joked, offering her a beautiful orange flower.

"Ah... An angels' day off, huh?" she said, sitting next to him and gladly accepting the flower.

"Yep! No laundry, no fishing, no sweeping the floor... I got enough food for two days and now we'll just relax and enjoy the day!"

"Isn't it wonderful to have friends who know exactly what we like?"

Her cheerful expression and her Irish lilt filling his ears early in the morning brought him so much joy that for some moments he left his worries aside and just enjoyed the time they spent together.

After they finished breakfast, Andrew offered his hand and they started a pleasant stroll along the beach, leaving two pairs of footprints on the sand. Once they reached a certain distance, the couple of angels sat down underneath the shadow of a tall tree and remained gazing at the ocean as their conversation flowed. Listening to her eternal chattering, Andrew took the flower he'd given her and placed it on her ear, and then admired the beauty on her meek face.

"There... the best view of the island!" he said, and despite the joking tone on his voice, she knew he really meant it.

"You're always telling me the most beautiful things, Andrew... I wish I could return everything that you do to me..."

"And who said you don't, angel?"

With a permanent sweet smile, she lay her head over his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his own. The little Irish angel fell silent for the next minutes, something that was not common to her. But on her lips there was a smile as she contemplated the blue ocean ahead of them. She could have faced a terrible accident in the ocean. She could have almost died both drowned and then ill. She could even be lost in a deserted island, isolated from the rest of the world.

But she would always have Andrew by her side. And that made all the difference.

Chapter 13

Two angels stood silently contemplating the vastness of the blue waters before their eyes. Lately, Andrew was having to cope with feelings that he didn't understand, but which were not new to him; just remained dormant somewhere inside his heart. Isolation and closeness on that island had made him realise how much he loved that sweet little angel who would always be by his side.

But at that very moment, sitting on the sand, Andrew had put his concern aside and decided to enjoy his dearest friend's company. Lately, there wasn't a time he didn't worry about hiding his feelings away, fearing that she might not correspond to them; or wonder how long they would stay on that island and, most importantly, about how much their human form would resist to this.

Monica slowly lifted her head from his shoulder and gazed at him with a childish smile and pensive expression on her face. The blond angel looked back at her with a questioning and an amused expression on his face, causing her to blush slightly.

"I have to confess something..." she finally said.

"And what is it, Monica?" He returned her gaze with the same intensity and tenderness, and the fact that she would always inspire the most loving feelings didn't amaze him anymore. Andrew reached out and caressed her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I prepared you a surprise too!" She finally spoke, gently nudging him in the rib.

Laughing, and finding her manners completely adorable, he looked around them. "And where is that surprise, may I know?"

"Stay here..." Monica rose to her feet and shook off the sand from her long skirt. With amusement, Andrew watched all her following actions with eyes filled with love. She walked along the beach up to a huge rock, not far from where they were. There, she knelt on the ground and looked for something, and it didn't take her more than a few seconds to find it. The Irish angel returned carrying a small fabric bag in her hands and he stood up from the ground.

"Monica, did you find a treasure and were hiding it from me?" Andrew joked, once she was standing front of him. With a permanent smile, she looked at the small bag for some moments. "Well... my treasure is the angel God sent me when I most needed..." Then she looked at him and handed him the small bag. "This is for you..."

He took the small bundle, but before opening it, he also took her hand in his and squeezed it, "He gave me a treasure too... a beautiful, amazing one..."

They gazed at each other once again, and with an excited smile, she urged him. "Please, open it up, Andrew!"

He gladly obliged her and on the following second, was surprised and moved with what he saw, "Monica... angel..." Andrew knelt down and spread its content on the sand so he could see it better: a collection of small stones, each one had a different shape and was made of a different material. Perfectly polished by the water, or rough, or with infinite shining spots; all of them had different colours and patterns, and a professional would probably reveal that some of them could be semi-precious. They certainly looked like a treasure in any child's eyes, and he wasn't surprised with the fact that they had enchanted Monica so much.

"Angel... I... I don't know what to say..." he said, lost for words with that loving attitude.

"I started to collect them a while ago, while I was walking along the forest... I found them so pretty..." she explained, and then her face turned a little bit anxious, "Did you like them?"

"Like them? They're so beautiful, Monica! And it means so much I..." he turned his eyes from the stones and searched for her hand, pulling her to a long, loving embrace. "I wish I could do more than just saying thank you..."

Andrew sucked in a deep breath; raw pain filling his eyes. As much as he liked the small gift, his heart ached, both with immense love and with guilt. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her; and he had promised to make her existence there a happy one. Yet, she surprised him again, with gentleness and affection, and was the one to bring joy to his heart and make that one a happy day.

"If you say you like them, then I'm already happy!" she replied, a broad smile back on her meek face as she wrapped her arms around his neck; her heart filled with a lot more joy than she could ever express.

"I love them, baby. They're just amazing." He said, equally overjoyed to having her in his arms, treasuring each second of that loving embrace.

When they regretfully pulled away, he stroked her face with tenderness. "I saw you picking some of them the other day but I thought they were for you..."

"What would be the fun in keeping all of them just for me? You see, as soon as I started to notice those pretty little stones, I thought they deserved a greater purpose. Then I kept on trying to find out what could be done and it didn't take me too long to find the answer: they would bring you a little joy, and now that you have them they look even more beautiful!"

"You make my soul look beautiful, did you know that? And of all the blessings God gave me, you'll always be the greatest one."

Reflected in his green pools, she saw all his love and affection, and it almost made her want to cry with emotion. Before she could say anything else, they were once again locked up in each other's gaze, and before their thoughts were in order again, there was a moment when their connection felt stronger than never; and loving feelings could be transmitted to each other's hearts.

Smiling softly at her, Andrew gently lay both hands on each side of her face and inched closer, brushing a loving kiss on her forehead. Monica suddenly felt a lump forming on her throat with that soft contact. It was almost as if she treasured that loving caress and wanted to remain in his arms but at the same time, felt suddenly nervous about it. Feeling an emotion she didn't know where was coming from, the little angel smiled at him; her words ceasing as if they were not necessary.

The rest of their day was mostly silent. Some tasks such as doing the washing and cleaning the interior of the cave had been left aside, and both angels remained lost in deep thought most of the time. That silence, however, hid the turmoil of feelings and thoughts that was going on their minds. Something had changed, they thought. Or worse: something that had been lain dormant inside their hearts for such a long time was finally starting to show itself.

At night, the sparkling fire set at the entrance of the cave illuminated its interior and allowed Monica to see Andrew's asleep face. Frowning with great concern, she wondered why she was feeling that way, and was even more amazed to realise that that sensation was not new to her - that all that joy and tenderness had always been present when Andrew was present.

A silent tear escaped from her eye as she touched his face - a feather light touch that didn't even make him stir. She spent most of the night in anxious turmoil, watching him sleeping, her emotions welling up in her throat as she forced them back, afraid to voice them to the one who was always there to listen to her and put her heart at ease. But how would she if what was going on in her heart was directly related to him, even though she couldn't understand all those emotions - she only knew that they caused her great joy, bringing tears to her eyes.

It was only when day light was starting to shine across the sky that the Irish angel managed to fall asleep; exhaustion finally winning the battle.

Chapter 14

A few days had passed and the long wait for salvation was making the two angels in human form weaker and more tired. And as if that wasn't enough, now they had to cope with feelings that they were not prepared to face. Feelings of deep love and great worry that were tearing up their hearts and putting their own essence to check.

This secret inner battle caused Monica and Andrew to be more and more silent, afraid to say too much, or to do something that would reveal what they really felt.

When Monica woke up that morning, the sun was already shining high up in the sky. But this time it wasn't a surprise for her: she had slept badly and just for a few hours during the night, as confused thoughts kept on playing on her mind and haunting her very soul. Unanswered questions that she feared to voice to the very one who was always there to listen to her.

And, strangely, she was also afraid to talk to God. Afraid of what she could hear in reply. Fearing to hear that all those feelings she had just found out hidden in the bottom of her heart were wrong.

Slowly, as now her weakness was more evident than never, she rose to her feet and walked out of the cave. Andrew was not around and she knew that he was probably fishing at that time. It was better this way. He had always been a wonderful friend and eternal protector to her, she could easily see his worry and also his devotion in those dark green pools. It was not fair to shut him out.

The blond angel had left breakfast ready for her but she didn't feel very hungry. Monica ate very little, and decided to keep the rest for later. She had noticed that although Andrew's human form was much stronger than hers, he too was losing weight quickly and soon would be feeling the effects of their restrained diet.

Sighing deeply, the Irish angel decided to walk up to the pond in the forest. With slow steps, she walked through the bushes and trees, lost in a turmoil of different thoughts and feelings that strangely had two opposite effects: anguish and sheer joy.

Monica stood by the pond, sitting on a fallen tree trunk and watching its still crystalline waters in the most complete silence. A cool breeze ruffled some strands of her auburn hair as she raised her head up and observed how the tree canopies moved slowly. From where she was it was still possible to hear the noise of the waves crashing and to feel the crisp smell of the ocean. But despite the beautiful scenery, her heart felt heavy in her chest.

Her mind wandered as she thought back to how she’d met Andrew at that wedding ceremony, all those years ago. And then a tear fell from her eye when she remembered it wasn't the first time they'd been together. In the very first time their paths crossed, he had saved her. And since then he kept on being her protector, watching over her as the years passed; a bond of deep and sincere friendship that could never be broken, she thought.

But then, why was she feeling that something had changed? Where were those new feelings coming from? Or had they always been there and the confines of the island brought them out? The Irish angel sighed and moved her slender fingers through her hair, pulling it away from her face.

Then a twig cracked and she immediately got up and scanned the area. Up ahead, she saw the familiar silhouette of someone standing close to the water’s edge.

"Angel?"

Andrew's voice was enough to accelerate her heartbeats, and the conflict between two different sensations started all over again: joy and confusion flooding her angelic heart.

"Hi... I woke up but you had already left..." she said, as he stepped towards her; a questioning expression on his face.

"Yes, I was fishing our meal..." he searched deep inside her sweet brown eyes for the answers to his unspoken question. She had been lost in thoughts and far too quiet since the previous morning, and even if they hadn't known each other for such a long time, it would still be possible to see that something was certainly bothering her.

They were so close and he was so aware of the admiration she felt for him. He admired her too but recently the blond angel had found out that his feelings for her were even deeper than he had never imagined. He loved her. He loved that sweet gentle angel of God with all the powers within him. But along with the promise to make her days at the island happy ones, Andrew had also decided keep his feelings buried deep inside his heart. And there were good reasons for that: even though there was something different in the air, he was not sure of what she really felt for him. She was so quiet and shy, and right now, he did not know how to deal with her feelings. Besides this, the blond angel wondered the implications of those same feelings.

With his usual tenderness, he lay a gentle hand over her shoulder. "Angel... is there something wrong?"

He could notice as she nervously fidget with her fingers and avoided his gaze by staring at the ground. "I just came here to think..." came the simple answer, which was an honest one. "I figured I could do some laundry too but found out you've been spoiling me since the clothes have already been washed in secret..." She forced a small smile.

Sighing deeply, and aware that she would find out his plan anytime soon, he reached out and his fingertips touched her cheek in a soft caress, but which caused a rush of electricity to run through her fragile body. "Yes, I confess I have... You should rest as much as you can now, Monica. I want to spare us both from some chores, especially you, as I can see you've been quite tired lately."

Her heartbeats accelerated as she looked up again and stared at him. She observed his masculine features. Now covered by a slight blond beard, his cheekbones pushed and pulled into smooth but strong shapes. The spots of sunrays that managed to break through the vegetation were shining on his hair and gave it a soft gentle light that accentuated his emerald eyes. Monica suddenly felt a surge of emotions flooding her heart once again, and this time there was no room for doubt.

Her heart and soul ached for him. She didn't need to wonder why she loved him. She just did.

Andrew returned her gaze, noticing how her long auburn hair sheltered the curve of her ears. The meekness of her Gaelic features and the sparkling dark eyes would always fill his heart with tenderness and much love. Hiding his true feelings was so difficult now.

Two long tears fell from those pretty doe-like eyes, and his heart ached to see them; to feel the great sadness and anguish that was flowing from her soul.

Frowning deeply, he gently cupped her cheek with both hands. "Angel? What is it?"

Chapter 15

Monica continued to look at Andrew, confused by the multitude of different thoughts and feelings that were running inside her very soul. Like a scared child, she was trembling and her heart in accelerated beating.

"Andrew... What's happening to me?" she asked, unsuccessfully trying to stifle a sob.

"Talk to me, baby... what's troubling you? Why are you crying like this? Have I done something wrong? Have I-"

She shook her head as more tears rolled down her cheeks, face reddened both from shame and crying, "No, you didn't do anything wrong, Andrew... I did! I guess I did a terrible thing..."

"That is not possible, angel... Please, tell me what's going on..." he pleaded, trying to get through to her and chase away so much sorrow.

"I-I don't know how it started... I'm just so ashamed..." she confessed, searching deep inside his green pools, as if accepting defeat. "I feel different..."

As he continued to look at her rather confused about what was going on, she took in a deep breath and gathered all her courage. Monica needed to voice her thoughts to him, Andrew was always the one she would run to whenever her heart was troubled and confused.

"...I feel as if I-I love you, Andrew... As if... if I was in love with you..."

His breath caught in his throat and for a moment, the blond angel doubted what he had just heard. He knew something was different - she had been strangely quiet lately, but during all that time, he kept on torturing himself thinking that somehow he had hurt her feelings. Yet, that beautiful little angel had been fighting back the same loving emotions that were in his heart. She loved him. Andrew felt the greatest joy of his entire existence, and his heart was so full that he thought it would burst with so much happiness.

But the amazed and somewhat shocked expression on his face had an immediate effect on her.

"Please... please, forgive me, Andrew! I- I didn't mean to..." she pleaded, her crying voice filled with guilt as she stared at the ground once again, ashamed to face him. "...I'm terribly sorry!"

"N-no, baby..." gently, and with trembling hands, he cupped her chin and sought for her doe-like eyes, so filled with sadness that it caused his heart to ache. "Angel... look at me... please..."

"I can't... I'm so ashamed... so..."

"I love you!" he spoke, wanting nothing but to put an end to her suffering, "I love you so much, angel!"

"But not the way I feel! What I feel is different, I..." she replied, not fully understanding the extension of his words.

Andrew caressed her cheek and spoke again; their faces just a few inches away from each other. "I love you in all the possible ways a living creature can love another... I love you with my heart and my soul, and it's been a while since I found out that there's no such thing as human love and angelic love... There is love, and that's what I feel for you, angel!"

The Irish angel stared at him in shock - she had expected nothing but his rejection; she had expected him to think that she was losing her senses by being on that island for such a long time. But his words had caught her off-guard now, and for a split second, all she wanted was to hold on to the sheer joy that flooded her heart with his loving words.

"Andrew? But..." her eyes fell to his chest as her mind searched for an answer, and when she found none, they reached his eyes again, so deep, so green and full of love. "But how?"

The warm smile that played on his lips was a confirmation of what he had said before. "I don't know... somehow, some way I came to realise that my love for you, angel, is much deeper than I ever thought it was..."

Watching as her expression softened and her anguish diminished, he ran his fingers through her soft dark hair, a gesture that would always bring them both great peace. "Maybe the time we've been isolated here helped to show me the truth that had been here for years..."

"Years?" tears sprang into her eyes, and her haunted look seemed just like a little girl's.

"Yes... I guess I've been loving you forever, angel."

Once again, they were locked in each other's eyes, and much to Andrew's joy, he could see a spark of happiness glowing in those sweet brown pools. He could see his face mirrored in her eyes, and knew that their hearts were beating in the same rhythm.

Andrew stepped forward and slowly, one of his arms enfolded her, fingertips pressed even so lightly on her back, leaving her still and loose in his supportive grip. It had been only a few hours since they last held each other, in the simplicity of their sleep. Yet, it seemed far longer than that.

But now more than never, time had no meaning and clocks had stopped, for the only pace they were aware of was their accelerated heartbeats. Gently, he pulled her even closer. Monica felt his breath nearer, his fingers moving her hair like a gentle breeze.

He could see her soul through her eyes and moved his head closer. Slowly, she closed her eyes, and felt, even so lightly, as his lips touched hers, in a careful delicate way. Their lips not moving, but barely touching. She felt a rush of electricity in the kiss, thinking how it was possible that so powerful the feeling was, with so light a touch.

As she tilted her head and surrendered to that caress he thought that this was Heaven expressed, romantic and soft. She smelled like fresh jasmines and his heart was bursting with joy. With eyes closed and lips now pressed more firmly against each other, the kiss was sweet, souls touching, ever lasting.

The guilt and fear that had been lingering in their hearts seemed to vanish at that very moment, being quickly replaced by the happiness that they had been denying themselves.

At least for a few moments.

Monica still had her eyes closed when he pulled away, so slowly that she felt his breath in her mouth. When he pulled his lips away to look at her, the dark of night reflecting in her glowing eyes, he saw the light, the love, and the confusion in their soft brown depths.

Committing to memory every little of her meek face, he relaxed his hold on her head and slipped his hands back to her shoulders. Aware that that magical moment would be etched in their hearts forever, the little Irish angel felt the touch again and again, throughout. Then her dearest friend spoke.

"Angel... I... I just love you so much..."

His whispered voice and the impact of those loving words brought fresh tears to her eyes, and she felt anguish filling her very soul once again.

Worry and brief terror flashed across his face, as if he'd realised he might have done something terribly wrong. "Angel? Please, talk to me..." he gently caressed her crying face.

"We're angels, Andrew..." she finally whispered back, her voice heavy with guilt.

"Yes. And I guess this is one more reason to believe that these feelings are as true and as pure as our own nature..."

Shaking her head, Monica stepped away from him, escaping from his tender touch, and Andrew felt like a precious treasure had been ripped away from him.

"No! What... What just happened here... was not supposed to happen!"

"What happened here, angel, was the happiest moment of my existence! The sweetest and most precious moment I've have ever experienced."

"But this is wrong... we're angels, Andrew!" she replied, and she tried to fight against the joy to hearing those words, her crying voice was heartbreaking, "Angels... they do not feel like this... they do not experience this... this kind of love..."

He stepped closer and took her hand in both of his, "Baby, I want you to search deep inside your heart. What does it say?"

She cried even more because she already knew the answer to that question. It was for Andrew that her heart beat.

"My heart can be mistaken... it can be confused due to the time we've been here..." she avoided his powerful gaze, where she could see all his love. "What if we go out of this island someday and then realise we were both wrong?"

"The time we've been here made me realise how I really feel about you... I guess there hasn't a time I didn't love you... And there will never be."

He reached out and stroked her cheek once again, but she backed away from him, shaking her head and covering her mouth, tears permanently falling from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Andrew... I'm so sorry..."

She rushed away from him, from that spot in the forest, searching for a shelter to her anguish and fears, fighting against the turmoil of feelings inside her troubled heart.

"Monica!" Andrew called, but gave up going after her a moment later. His presence would only make things worse and, as much as he hated it, she needed to be alone for a while. She was right about one thing: they were both angels, and dealing with those unexpected feelings, and especially, with their consequences, wouldn't be easy, and she needed some time to sort out things on her mind.

As for the blond angel, he had no doubt: he loved her deeply, and was ready to face anything for her.

Chapter 16

Monica walked along the sand with her arms crossed in front of her and permanent tears falling from her eyes. Lost in thoughts, the little Irish angel was not paying attention to were her feet were taking her until she saw a series of rocky formations on the beach. They now replaced the soft sand and she immediately felt difficulties in walking around such a rough ground. But Monica didn't care. All she wanted was to stay away from Andrew and, thus, away from those feelings that had been haunting her heart.

But they kept on chasing her wherever she would go.

She insisted on crossing those rocky boundaries and realised she had never been to that part of the island before. Some weeks ago, she had crossed the island through the forest, and now it seemed she had walked around it along the beach. The waves there crashed into the rocks and horror filled her face when she realised that there were remains of a boat stuck to the white sand, hidden by the constant crashing waves.

Initially, the little angel thought it was their boat, and flashbacks of that terrible night immediately started to play on her mind, causing her to tremble both with panic and deep sadness. Monica knelt on the ground and covered her face with both hands, sobbing miserably. All the latest events playing on her mind like a turmoil, leaving her to wonder when all that would end.

And then she had to admit to herself that right at that very moment, all she wanted was to be in Andrew's loving embrace. He was the one to soothe her soul and chase her fears away, he was the very friend that could bring joy and peace to her angelic heart, like a gift sent by God Himself.

With tear filled eyes, she looked up to the sky and spoke for the first time. "Father... Please, show me what to do... I'm so confused... So afraid to disappoint You... and I think I've already disappointed You enough..."

The loving kiss she and Andrew had shared a while ago was still so vivid in her mind and in her heart that she was afraid to close her eyes, as she knew she would relive it again and again. She was afraid of the surge of joy and tenderness that would fill in her heart at the moment she remembered that sweet caress. And Monica would never forget the look in Andrew's eyes when he confessed his love. There was so much affection, so much tenderness and fierce protectiveness, that she couldn't doubt what he felt.

For his feelings were exactly like hers. Love in its pure essence.

A silence she couldn't understand was the reply to her plea, and she thought the worst: what she and Andrew had done was terribly wrong. Her eyes fell slowly and were soon were facing the ground, as silent tears kept on rolling down her cheeks. She had never felt so lost.

Andrew stood by the pond for long minutes. Sitting on a fallen tree trunk, he held his head in both hands as the flashback of their conversation and of their loving kiss continued to play on his mind. The blond angel had never felt so happy. At least for a few moments. What would happen to them now? He didn't mind the consequences of those feelings as he was sure that the love he felt for her could never be wrong. But Andrew didn't know what being in love could mean for angels, and the last thing he wanted was to see Monica suffering.

And then he remembered the moments after the kiss. Monica ran away from him with a terrified expression on her face, as if what they had done was something terribly wrong. He had tried to reach her and make her stop walking and listen to him. He shouted her name out loud in the forest for many times, the wind carrying the echo of his anguished voice amongst the trees and bushes. But the Irish angel didn't stop; much on the contrary - she tried to escape from him and disappear from his view, and that fact alone hurt too much.

Sighing deeply, he raised his eyes up to the sky. "Father... Please, don't deny us both this feeling... I love her so much... So much more than I could ever imagine..." he prayed, with tears in the corner of his green eyes. "... I know she's Your angel, but I cannot help thinking and feeling as if she was a bit my angel too... the most beautiful little angel I've ever met... I would give up my own existence for her, Father. I could spend my whole existence loving her and it still wouldn't be enough..."

Like Monica, he too had silence as a reply to his prayers. Running a hand through his hair, Andrew rose to his feet and started a walk amongst the forest. There were so many things going on right now that he felt he too needed some time alone, to think about a way to deal with those feelings and specially to deal with Monica. He could easily feel the conflict in her little heart and longed to hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be alright, like he always did.

With strong steps, he walked for some time along the forest. When Monica ran away from him she followed a path amongst bushes and trees and once she didn't reply to his callings, he gave up chasing her. Due to this, the blond angel didn't know she had returned to the beach. His fear of her getting lost again was great and he decided it was time to go after her even if she didn't want to face him. Monica was too weak now and demanded all the protection he could give her.

"Monica! Monica, can you hear me?" he shouted, loud and clear, and there was much tension in his voice. "Monica, we have to go back to the beach! If you can listen to me say something!"

The blond angel was so determined to find his friend that he was pulling away the bushes and tree branches that would appear in his way with roughness and some impatience. He had to find Monica urgently before she managed to go too far. And it was exactly after he shoved away another tree branch from his way that he saw something that caused him to stop walking. His eyes in shock and surprise stared at a spot right in front of him, and before he had the chance to speak, a gun shot broke the silence of the island.

Andrew fell on the ground completely unconscious.

Monica remained on the beach for a long time, staring at the remains of the boat and wondering why she and Andrew had been sent to that deserted island. But some small details of the shipwreck that was right in front of her caught her eyes and she frowned.

The "Madeleine," where she and Andrew had initially started to fulfil their assignment was different from that one. It was completely white and had been recently painted. Besides, it was bigger and had modern equipment that did not bear any resemblance to the objects scattered around her.

Monica approached the remains and examined them further, and a minute later a disturbing thought crossed her mind: that was another boat. Some other boat had collided with the coast of that small island a while ago, before she and Andrew arrived there.

Worry and confusion clouded her face and her first impulse was to go and tell Andrew.

Andrew.

The sharp pain she suddenly felt inside her heart was so strong that she failed breathing. Her legs and hands started shaking and all she knew was that had to go to Andrew as fast as she could.

Monica rushed back to the beach, and then to the cave, but there was no sign of her dearest friend. With her heart racing, and the strange panic sensation taking over her soul, the little angel still looked for him around the cave surroundings, up to the place where he used to fish, but she didn't manage to find him. The food he had gathered early in the morning was still there, untouched, and she assumed he hadn't returned from the forest. And that fact alone only made her panic even more: hours had passed since the last time they had spoken, so what could keep him away from the cave?

"Andrew... please, come back..." she murmured, feeling the presence of tears in her eyes once again. Except that now those were tears of fear.

"Andrew! Andrew, are you there?" she shouted out loud, despair filling her voice. But no reply was heard, and the little angel ran to the forest, hoping to find him there.

"Andrew! Andrew, please, answer to me!"

Her desperate cries echoed through the forest while she stepped fast among the vegetation. Long minutes passed by and despite her insistent calling, silence was her only reply. Tired, the Irish angel stopped at a clearing and placed both hands on her knees, breathing hard for air. She was already very weak and the events of the day only contributed to increase her exhaustion.

"Oh, Father, please, have mercy on us... please, I beg you!" she prayed, but before she could make another movement, she heard the gun shot not far from where she was, and then her colour disappeared from her face.

With her heart in erratic beating, Monica looked around her, panic filling her eyes. "Andrew! Andrew, where are you? Please, say something! Andrew!"

Her desperate cries lasted for some terrifying moments while she walked along the forest, in a frantic search for her dearest friend. Her search didn't last for long, though. A small noise behind her made her turn around and, with terror-filled eyes, she saw Andrew's aggressor.

Chapter 17

Monica's body was trembling entirely as she faced the one who was probably the responsible for the terrifying gunshot that had echoed across the island. A tall woman, probably in her late forties, with scruffy torn clothes and dishevelled hair, was staring back at Monica. She was holding a small revolver and had an hostile expression on her face.

"W-who are you?" Monica finally asked, her heart beating erratically in her chest.

"I heard voices... I saw the tall man coming closer..." she said, her voice rough and unfriendly. It seemed that she hadn't spoken to anyone for a long time.

"Did you see Andrew? Where is he?" Monica was pleading, and even though the woman seemed a very unkind creature, somewhere deep inside she felt sorry for that young lady. "And who are you?" the Irish angel also wanted to know, afraid of that strange image standing before her eyes.

"I was under the impression that there was somebody in the island... The noises in the forest... the voices I could swear I heard... I saw you in the forest one day and I thought I was going crazy thinking that I'd seen some sort of ghost or even an angel!" she said, and Monica's memory immediately flew back some weeks before, when she had a strange sensation to be observed while she was picking berries.

"We never knew there was someone in here. You've never been to the beach... Why did you hide away from us?" she wanted to know, her eyes turning from the gun in the woman's hand and her unfriendly face.

"I didn't know about your existence since early this morning. As I said, when I saw you I thought the forest was playing tricks in my eyes... And I never come to the beach... Far too many sad memories..." her voice trailed off for a moment but then she stared back at Monica, the hostile expression back to her face. "But today I heard voices! And I saw you and that man arguing! I heard the way he spoke to you!"

"Andrew... but..." her voice trailed off as she remembered her running away from Andrew and his voice calling out her name and insisting that she should come back. His anguished voice due to the seriousness of what had happened minutes earlier could easily be interpreted as anger. But that one angel would never ever direct anger towards her.

"He entered the forest and was about to find me. I thought he would attack me and then I... I shot him!" the woman continued to speak.

Hearing that, Monica's heart skipped a beat and she covered her mouth to stifle a sob. "What?"

"I saw the angry way he talked to you! I started to imagine what kind of man he is and what he had already done to you while you were here!"

"Oh, no! No! Andrew is my friend! He would never hurt anybody!" she searched her surroundings desperately, looking for her dearest friend. The woman's face softened a little: definitely that blond man meant a lot to that young lady.

"Where is he? Where is Andrew?"

"He... He's over there, I'll take you to him." She said, starting to realise she had made a terrible mistake.

Both woman and angel ran in between the trees and bushes, and finally Monica saw her beloved Andrew's body lying unconscious on the ground. Her breath caught in her throat at that image, and she immediately knelt next to him and caressed his hair. There was blood in his shirt as he had been hit near the ribs.

"Andrew... Please, talk to me... Please! I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry for what I said..."

"I saw him walking towards me and I was... in panic," the woman said, feeling extremely guilty. "I thought he would attack me..."

"Andrew is... the most loving soul I've ever met..." the Irish angel spoke, tears falling from her eyes. Carefully, and with some difficulty, she lifted his shoulders and lay his head on her chest, gently caressing his face, "Oh, Andrew! I was so unfair... so terribly unfair with you... The truth is that I love you... I love you so much... Please, don't ever doubt of my feelings..."

"I'm so terribly sorry, young lady!" the woman begged, "I know there's nothing I can say that can make you feel better... I guess ghosts from the past were started to haunt me at the moment I saw him..."

"He needs help... please, help us..."

"Yes, but... how are we going to take him away from here? And do you have any first aid material?"

"No..." Monica shook her head in despair, as all the first aid material had been spent with her.

"How in the world did you two end up here?"

"There was an accident with our boat," she said, with trembling voice, "Andrew and I were brought here by the ocean... We've been here for over a month..."

"My God... The story repeats itself..." the woman exclaimed.

"What do you mean?"

"There was an accident with my boat... I've been here for... three months... I guess... I've lost track of the time..."

Surprised, Monica frowned and stared at her, "Who are you?"

"My name is Madeleine Peterson."

The look on Monica's face was one of shock, "Madeleine Peterson? You're... Captain Peterson's wife..."

"Yes... Do you know the story?"

"Yes... he lost his wife a while ago, in an accident like ours. You're a marine researcher and was on an expedition when a thunderstorm stroke... The boat Andrew and I were was named in honour to you..." Monica said, and now everything became clear to her. Their assignment was standing right before her eyes. But now her dear Andrew was hurt, and she had no way to treat him there.

Crying with emotion, the woman nodded her head, "Yes... I should have never left without him... I told Joseph he should stay home resting and that I'd take another boat..." she remembered, "I thought... I'd never get out of this island..."

"Captain Peterson has lost his hopes... Andrew and I met him briefly before we left... He refuses to step into a boat again and his soul is in much pain, I could say..."

All of a sudden, a noise was brought by the wind and as it reached their ears, and they stared at each other: a helicopter was flying close to the island.

"Oh, my God! It's a miracle!" Madeleine exclaimed, and rushed to the beach.

Chapter 18

Sitting on the hospital bed, looking at the cloudy sky through the window, Monica sighed. Her soft brown eyes were filled with worry and deep sadness, as she remembered the events of the latest hours. The helicopter landing on the island, their rescue, and finally their arrival at the city hospital. The first exams proved that she and Madeleine Peterson were extremely weak, with anaemia, and needed medical attention for the next days, but their condition would improve with time. There at the same hospital, she was informed that the other passengers of the boat had all been rescued on the day after the accident and that piece of information at least brought some comfort to the Irish angel's heart.

Andrew, on the other hand, remained unconscious all the time due to the wounding caused by the bullet and to the weakness of his human body. He had lost blood and his human form was already too debilitated, and doctors were doing everything they could to make him recover.

A silent tear rolled down her cheek as she thought about her dearest friend and about the last time they spoke. She had pushed away the love he was offering her, she had run away from him refusing to see the truth that was evident in her own heart: that she too loved him dearly, and much deeper than she could ever imagine. But only when the possibility to lose him was real, did she acknowledge those loving feelings, aware that she could never deny them for a long time.

And now all she wanted was to see him recovering, to see his eyes open for her so that she could smile at him and tell him about her love. She needed his forgiveness and his love.

The door suddenly flung open and her sad doe-like eyes lit up a bit at the image of a dear friend. "Tess!"

"Oh, baby, you're finally here! Let me hold you!"

The dark-skinned angel rushed up to the bed and held her dearest friend tightly, like a mother who hadn't seen her daughter for a long painful time.

"Oh, Tess! I missed you so much... so much..." Monica sobbed on her shoulder; fear, anguish and sorrow taking over her very soul.

The supervisor returned the embrace, equally moved. "Angel girl! I was so afraid for you and angel boy! I prayed so much for you two, baby!"

"All we could think of was you and wee Joy... and the cabin... all those moments we spent together... For a moment I thought we wouldn't see you again..."

Gently, Tess pulled away and watched her dear charge with tear-filled eyes, "Oh, I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for you to stay on that island for such a long time... you've lost weight, baby! I'll take good care of you, I promise!"

"Tess, Andrew... he is..."

"I know, baby, I know. But we have to pray now. Don't forget Who is in charge here, watching over us all. As much as I couldn't understand why you and Andrew had to stay away from me, I trusted the Father had a greater plan, and He never ceases to amaze me! Who could ever imagine that you two would end up in the same island of that woman? The searches for Madeleine Peterson had finished and if you two hadn't got lost, she would have never been found!"

"I know, and I was so glad to hear that everyone on our boat had been saved too."

"Yes, they were saved and do you know why they kept on searching for you and Andrew?" watching as she shook her head, the supervisor kept on talking, "Your bag appeared floating not far from the coast and collided with a small fishing boat. The fishermen took it out of the water and delivered to the police. Inside, you had a small agenda and drew a few stars on a piece of paper..."

Biting her lower lip, she nodded, remembering one night before the accident, when they were already in the ocean. "Andrew and I were watching the stars... It was such a beautiful night, Tess... Andrew started teaching me the locations and the constellations... I wrote down what he was telling me..." She would never forget Andrew's arms wrapped around her shoulders, his patience in answering to all her questions, the affectionate look in his green eyes. She couldn't believe it she had thrown it all away.

"It was thanks to these notes that the police managed to get the exact location where you were. Even unaware, you made a map of the place where your boat crashed, and it was a bit far from the place where the other researchers were found."

They remained there for a while, but Monica's heart was set someplace else. The little angel longed to hear what was going on with Andrew, and for two times Tess went to check if there were any news of him. She returned after hearing he was being taken care of and that, so far, there hadn't been any change in his condition.

When the night fell, the supervisor left Monica for a moment. Like her two dear friends she too was in human form and needed to eat in order to face the long night ahead. The Irish angel, for herself, watched as the nurse came to replace the IV tube inserted in her vein, and once the task was accomplished, she looked at the woman with pleading eyes.

"I was wondering if... if I could go out of the bedroom for a moment..."

"Out of the bedroom? But you're still too weak..."

"I'm not planning to go for a long time, just up to the fifth floor... My friend Andrew is there and I..." she bit her lower lip and she soon felt the presence of tears. "I need to see him..."

There was no way the young nurse could have said no to that request. Visibly not happy to do that, as she feared for her patient's condition, she sighed and finally nodded in agreement. "It's alright... I can see how much you love him. I guess you can go for a moment, but I'll take you there."

A tearful smile played on the angel's lips, "Thank you!"

Carefully, the woman helped Monica to get on her feet and the Irish angel put on a robe over the hospital gown. Carrying the IV tube, she followed the nurse up to the elevators and watched as she pressed the button for the fifth floor. The short time it took were like long hours to her. She needed to see Andrew badly, and if staying away from each other would always cause her great pain, now his absence was nearly unbearable to her.

After a few moments, which seemed an eternity, the elevator chimed and the doors slid open. Monica was now standing at a long corridor with many doors and her dark eyes searched desperately for the right path that would take her to Andrew.

"Follow me, please..."

The nurse took her to room number 502, and as she opened up the door, Monica's breath was caught in her throat. Andrew was lying in bed, his face pale and eyes closed. Underneath the hospital gown, she could see there was a bandage around his torso and it broke her heart to think on how much he was suffering.

With tears rolling down her cheeks, she stepped closer and finally took his hand. He was cold and if it wasn't for the monitor counting his steady heartbeats, she would have thought the worst.

"I've never told you how much you mean to me, have I? When I should be there to tell you this, I turned my back on you..." she said, gently taking his hand and placing it against her heart. The young nurse felt sorry for the couple and silently left the room, allowing them some privacy.

"If I could turn back time I would never do that, Andrew... I promise I wouldn't... You're so much part of me now... I wish you could open your eyes and see me but then I keep on thinking that I won't have the right words to tell you what I feel for you..." a small sob escaped her, "You told me to search inside my heart for the answer to my feelings... And then I found out that the words 'I love you' are too little to express what my heart is telling me..."

The monitor that counted Andrew's heartbeats was the only sound inside the room. The Irish angel sat down at the edge of his bed and, never releasing his hand, she bent her head and brushed a tender kiss on his face, still covered by the slight beard that hid his warm smile.

"I'll stay here with you, okay? I won't go, even if the nurse comes back to take me to my room."

A slight knock on the door interrupted that silent monologue.

"Angel girl?"

Tess had been told that she was there, and decided to go and stay with her two "babies" meanwhile; she and Monica constantly praying for his recovery.

Chapter 19

Monica spent the night standing by Andrew's side, and no one, nor Tess or a doctor or a nurse, succeeded in convincing her to return to her room. Once in a while she dozed into a light sleep, result of her exhaustion and weak condition. But then she would wake up all of a sudden, as her sleep turned into the beginning of a nightmare.

When the first sunrays shone through the window, Monica stood up from the chair she had been sitting on. The last IV tube that been removed from her arm an hour before and now she at least could have more freedom in her movements. She was now holding his hand in both of hers, and with her eyes closed, she prayed for his recovery. Tess had gone for a while, insisting that when she returned she would bring her breakfast either she wanted it or not.

Monica didn't feel like eating. She had never felt so sad in her whole existence. Running away from Andrew when he confessed his feelings for her was like throwing away a precious treasure once she had it in her hands. She would never forgive herself for doing it, but somehow, she hoped he could forgive him.

Andrew was lying down still unconscious. His colour looked better, but his face and the rest of his human body were still wounded. Monica remained standing next to him, holding his hand, rubbing his fingers and praying. But the little angel was tired. All that time she coped with the possibility of him being taken away from her. Andrew could be permanently assigned to a far away place, or even abandon his human form to go back Home and stay there for good. If that happened, and they couldn't see each other again, the best part of her would certainly die.

But then, all of a sudden, his steady hand twitched, and the little angel's heart nearly jumped. She immediately rose to her feet and stared at him with her eyes wide open, watching as his head moved slightly.

"Andrew..." she whispered, as he slowly opened his eyes and looked over at her. Monica was on the verge of tears or laughter, or maybe both. Her lips quivered as she searched for the right word to say.

And when his green eyes focused on her, a small smile appeared on his face, his eyes immediately warm by the presence of his beloved angel. "Monica..."

Reaching out to caress his dishevelled blond hair, Monica sobbed in relief, tears streaming down her face. "You're awake... You're finally awake!"

"Where... are we?" he said, looking around him for a brief moment, and then back at her.

"We're at the hospital. We've been rescued, Andrew! But you got yourself hurt... A woman who lived in the island, our assignment, she shot you..." she explained, never letting go of his hand, pressing it up against her heart. "You were so badly hurt, Andrew... I was so desperate... I thought... that the Father would send some other angel of death to take you away from me..."

Tears fell freely from her eyes as she sobbed, breaking Andrew's heart. He wanted nothing but to hold her tightly and tell her that everything would be fine from that moment on. Despite her brief description on what had happened to him, their kiss was the first memory that came to his mind. The sweetest of all the memories in centuries of existence. But then he was uncertain, wondering if she would insist on staying away from him once he recovered.

A split second later, though, she was speaking to him again, and his doubts and fears were replaced by great joy at her words.

"I was so afraid... Afraid that you'd go away from me and I would never have the chance to ask for your forgiveness..." her eyes were filled not only with tears but also with immense love as she pressed his hand against her heart, "...I thought I'd never have the chance to tell you how much I love you... to tell you that... that I don't want to be away from you... never... because you're my world, Andrew..."

His head and his entire body hurt terribly and he felt extremely weak, but listening to those words brought so much happiness to his soul that the pain was immediately gone. "Angel..." he squeezed her hand, with a warm look in his eyes. "Do you have any idea of how happy you're making me by telling me this?"

"Will you forgive me?" she asked, still insecure.

"Forgive you? Baby, you have no idea..." he took her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips, "... I love you... I love you Monica, for the rest of my existence... I could spend a whole eternity telling you this... loving you, even if you didn't want me to..."

"Oh, but I do!" She spoke, tears streaming down her face. "I do, Andrew..." She stroked his hair and then rested her face against his chest and held him carefully. Andrew bent down and kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes again, resting his head near Monica's, cherishing that contact after their brief separation.

The little angel closed her eyes too, her head tucked underneath Andrew's chin, enjoying that familiar feeling of having him so close, wanting nothing but to stay in his arms forever.

A while later, Tess returned from the cafeteria, and slightly opened the door. What she saw filled her heart with tenderness and deep emotion: Monica was lying next to him and the two angels had fallen asleep, wrapped up in each other's arms. "Oh, dear Father..." she murmured, and the nurse arrived right after her and broke the good news.

"He finally woke up, madam." She announced, in a low voice not to disturb the young couple.

"Really? When?" the supervisor's eyes lit up with joy.

"A few minutes ago. He even spoke a little and the doctor and I examined him. Everything will be alright now, you see. He's conscious and the bleeding caused by the bullet is controlled." She looked at the two angels together and smiled, "They're both going to be alright."

Deeply moved, Tess walked over up to the bed and gently caressed their heads, tears rolling down her face. "Oh, Father... thank You... I knew Your plan was perfect... I knew You'd return my babies to me when this was over."

Epilogue

Monica was staying at a green field, protected from the sunrays under the shadow of a huge tree. Her long auburn hair was flying up with the wind, as it gently disarrayed some of its strands. She was wearing a sleeveless lilac dress and her sandals had been left somewhere around. She certainly would have trouble remembering where exactly. Little Joy, the cocker spaniel puppy that she and her dearest friends had adopted a few years earlier, was with her, and the angel giggled as the cute animal rushed clumsily to fetch a yellow ball she had thrown up not far from where they were. She and the little dog were alone in that secluded part of the country, where the green hills could be seen at the distance, touching the bluest of the skies in the horizon, and the smell of flowers filled in the air.

"Very good, wee one!" she said, clapping her hands as Joy brought the small yellow ball in her mouth and deposited it on her hands. The Irish angel ruffled he puppy's soft fur and gave her a dog biscuit as a reward.

The little animal barked at her as if thanking for the prize. But a second later, she barked again, and now Monica noticed the animal wasn't looking at her. The angel followed her gaze and looked over her shoulder, and the familiar silhouette that was coming towards her made her heart skip a beat.

With a broad smile, she rose to her feet and started an accelerated walk towards him, extremely happy with the fact that he was now fully recovered and the beard that was covering his face was gone. He was smiling back at her, green eyes filled with love and the usual tenderness she would always make him feel.

A moment later, Monica threw herself in his strong arms, which were immediately wrapped around her small form and lifting her off the ground.

"Andrew... I didn't know you'd be... that you... I..." she stammered, searching for the right words to explain how surprised she was.

Chuckling at her childlike excitement, just one of the million things he loved about her, Andrew dared to tighten the hold around her a bit more, treasuring to have her in his arms and treasuring more her reaction at his presence. His secret dream, which he didn't have the courage to voice not even to God, had finally come true: she accepted his love, and returned it with the same intensity.

"Angel! It feels so hold to be able to hold you again!" he spoke against her shoulder, intoxicated with her sweet perfume.

"When did you leave hospital? Are you really feeling alright now? The doctor said it would take some more time for you to heal totally, and I was about to go and see you there..." came the avalanche of questions, and he carefully placed her on the ground, pulling away just a few inches so he could delight in the beauty of her meek face.

"I'm perfectly fine, baby." He assured her, gently cupping her cheek. "Let's say that I healed a bit "faster" because a beautiful angel who I happen to love very much has just revealed to Madeleine Peterson," he winked at her, "And then this same angel took the lady to meet her husband, and now they're together again. In other words, our assignment is over!"

"Yes... I never thought it would end up this way, you know, Andrew? When we were there at the island there were moments I doubted... I doubted even of myself..." she made a short pause, "...and of what I felt..."

He shook his head with a permanent smile on his face, "I guess the island made us both doubt... and then it made us be sure of our feelings... It made us realise what was already here..." he said, taking her hand and placing it against his heart.

Her smile softened a little and she gazed at him with eyes sparkling with love. "You were perfectly right... all the time. But what made me realise what I really felt was the thought of losing you forever, Andrew... I... I don't think I'd bear it, I guess-"

"Shh..." The blond angel gently pressed his index finger against her lips. "None of this, okay? I just want to be able to love you and take care of you like I always did, and nothing will stop me from doing so."

Frowning a little, Monica looked up at him with questioning eyes. "But... what will happen now... now that we..."

He knew what was worrying her: were angels allowed to have that kind of love? The "romantic love" as their co-workers used to say?

"Monica, there's one thing I can tell you for sure: I won't give up on you or on our love. This is my promise to you."

A slight smile appeared on her face, even though her worry still remained. She reached out and touched his handsome face, admiring his strong features now that the beard had gone. "I won't give up on you either, Andrew. My heart is already yours..." blushing a little, her smile grew a bit, "... I guess it's always been yours." Then, watching as those loving words went straight to his own heart, she kept on talking. "But can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything, angel." He said, tracing an invisible line along her jaw with his fingertip.

"Could we wait a little before telling the others about us? I... I'm afraid of their reaction... I'm afraid of God's reaction... Although He already knows, so far I didn't have the courage to... to open my heart to Him... Not yet."

Shaking his head, he looked deep inside her brown eyes, his own eyes filled with trust. "Baby, I love you. I love you with my heart and soul. And if this is love, true love as I know it is, it could never be wrong. And even if it's not allowed to angels, I would give up my whole eternity for you."

That confession brought tears to her eyes, and she bit her lips again, unsuccessfully trying to stifle a sob. "I love you so much, Andrew... I don't think I could ever live a whole eternity if I didn't have you by my side..."

His smile was wider once he heard that. He brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead and tenderly stroked her cheek. "Then soothe your heart, angel, because I'll always be by your side. Always." Happy to see her smiling at him once again, he kept on talking. "We'll keep our love between us for a while. God already knows about it but Tess, Sam and the others don't, and they'll be told at the right time."

"Thank you." She said, with eyes beaming with tears, gratitude and much love.

The blond angel studied her face carefully, admiring those meek Gaelic features, and then cupped her chin up. "May I ask you something too?"

"Yes..." her tearful voice contrasted with the smile that was playing on her lips.

"May I kiss you?"

The sensation of butterflies in her stomach whenever she was with Andrew was becoming frequent to her, and she wondered how that mix of anxiety and nervousness could be so amazingly pleasant to feel. Slightly blushed, she nodded her head, never taking her eyes away from his. "Yes..."

Andrew delighted in her sparkling eyes, her blushing cheeks and lovely face, framed with auburn locks that were gently flying with the soft breeze. She was a vision of true Heaven and for a moment he even felt undeserving of such a beautiful creature. Then, he turned his attention to her rosy lips and bent his head. Slowly, his face inched closer and Monica felt her heart racing with anticipation. Their eyes closed slowly. When his lips finally met, the world around them had stopped just to allow them that precious moment. Andrew was holding her gently, as for him, she was a precious treasure, so delicate, so sweet that he was afraid to let her go once that loving caress was over.

With one arm permanently wrapped around her waist, he reached out and entangled his fingers through her perfumed hair. Settling his hand in the back of her head, he waited until her hands travelled from his chest to his shoulders, as if she was putting herself in his arms, trusting him with every bit of her being. Andrew, then, pressed his lips more firmly onto hers, deepening that loving kiss, which she welcomed with the same intensity, the same love. He was certain that there couldn't be anything sweeter in the whole universe.

There were no other angels or humans on that open green field, and just the sound of the gentle wind moving the tree canopies was heard. Even little Joy was quietly resting under the shadow of a tree, as if the little animal could understand they deserved the moment just for themselves.

"I love you, Monica..." the Irish angel heard him whisper into her ear, once their loving kiss had ended.

"I love you too, Andrew... forever..." she spoke back, and they exchanged an affectionate gaze before he captured her lips once again, and moments later, that sweet caress turned into smaller but never less loving sweet kisses. The two angels spent the rest of the day lying in each other's arms, either chatting happily, with Andrew permanently chuckling at Monica's remarks about the world, or silently enjoying that tranquil atmosphere. It resembled Heaven, not only because of its surroundings, but also due to the amazing sensation of peace that invaded their hearts whenever they were together.

Yes, they were angels, and had witnessed what paradise was like. But right now, Heaven was what they were feeling inside.

To be continued

Deyse's stories

Far from Heaven

Prologue