A 'Touched by an Angel' story

By: Yvette Jessen

© 2002 not intended to infringe on any previously held copyrights.

Please Note: This story is the twentieth in a sequence of stories, which I have written, which are centered on my character, Christina, her family and friends. The first one is entitled ‘The Innocence of a Child’, the second ‘A Little Girl’s Wish’, the third ‘The Senior Prom’, the fourth 'Stealing Second', the fifth 'Another Halloween Night', the sixth 'An Overdue Appointment', the seventh 'Homecoming', the eighth 'Solitary Without Hope', the ninth 'Making the Grade', the tenth 'Till Death Do Us Part', the eleventh 'Olivia's Battle', the twelfth 'In the Father's Arms', the thirteenth 'The Healing Spirit', the fourteenth 'Fulfilled Promises', the fifteenth 'Pennies From Heaven', the sixteenth, 'The Father's Little Ones', the seventeenth, 'In the Heart of a Dreamer', the eighteenth, 'Letting Go', and the nineteenth, 'Sealed With a Kiss'.

*****

Jeremy Lowery was smiling like the cat that ate the canary once his daughter Laura and her fiancé Sebastian had made the announcement, thus setting the date for their eventual marriage. Ironically, he could vividly remember the day he had heard they were planning to marry; it had been over a year since Laura and Sebastian had announced their engagement and it was getting to the point that Jeremy had started to ponder whether or not the two of them were actually intending on getting married at all. Everyone was clapping as Sebastian wound his arms around Laura's neck and they shared a kiss right in the middle of the living room.

A quick glance around the house, and he could see that a number of their guests had not expected this announcement at all, but now that it had been made, a number of them were clapping him on the shoulder as though he had run the Boston Marathon to completion. He glanced around the room and could see that his two younger daughters were engrossed in watching television. He had set it up so that they could watch '101 Dalmatians' for the fiftieth time. He smiled as one of his special friends, a fourteen-year-old girl named Erina Parker came over and sat down next to him.

"Hi, I brought you some ice cream," Erina offered, her eyes shining brightly as she sat down next to him. Over the course of the past year, Jeremy had become a sort of mentor for the teenager and she had spent a number of days in his company after school when he was recovering from the gunshot he had sustained the year before.

"Thanks, banana split, my favorite," Jeremy said as he accepted the bowl from her and glanced over towards the television where his two adopted daughters were sitting and watching television. "Your aunt and uncle still here?"

"Yes, Uncle Jessup is in the kitchen with Christina learning how not to make banana splits. Aunt Phyllis decided to go for a walk," Erina said shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, why don't you go and get to know some of the young people here, instead of hanging around a grouchy old person like me?" Jeremy asked, his eyes twinkling and he could feel Erina wrap her arms around him, hug him and then get up off the sofa and go over and watch television with Dawn and Denise.

Taking a deep breath, he stretched his hands over his head and looked around the room his thoughts coming back to the announcement that he had had heard. Bringing the spoonful of ice cream to his lips, he sighed with the utmost contentment. Laura was now nearly 20-years-old, she had grown into a beautiful and charismatic young woman, and he was so proud of her. No matter how you sliced it, he thought with a smile, it's wonderful that they are finally going to get married.

Still, he knew that this was very hard for Sebastian; the young German man was alone here, except for Laura and her family. Jeremy had watched as Sebastian had spent the last year sometimes working two jobs to provide him and Laura an apartment for after they had gotten married. Jeremy had offered to help Sebastian more often than not, but the young man was bound and determined to do this all on his own, and for that Jeremy held him in high regard.

He watched as Sebastian sat down on the other side of the room, his hazel eyes filled with joy as he looked up and made eye contact with him. Jeremy slowly got up off the sofa and made his way over to where his future son-in-law was sitting.

"Don't tell me all the crazies in my family are making you clam up," Jeremy said as he sat down across from Sebastian.

"No, I sometimes spend a little time alone, just watching," Sebastian said smiling shyly. "I have always liked to watch people. It gives me a sense of what they are like."

"Nothing wrong with that," Jeremy said smiling. "I wasn't sure if you were feeling a little left out here. It must be hard to be so far away from home."

"No, actually, home is here," Sebastian said smiling weakly as he glanced across the room and could see that Laura was walking around tending to the guests and their needs. "You know, I think that Laura is a very special person, but not because of what she's been through, but because of the influence you and Christina have had on her life. She told me about when she was little, and she met you, and Christina."

"And Andrew, you can't forget him," Jeremy said smiling.

"How often do you see the angels?" Sebastian asked. "I haven't seen them in well over a year."

"We only see them off and on," Jeremy said smiling slightly.

"You ever miss them?"

"Christina does, she misses Andrew sometimes, especially when things are going well. It's hard to explain, but she told me once that when things go bad, she can always look forward to seeing Andrew again, and that would make all the heartache and trouble worth it," Jeremy said softly. "I guess now that things are going well, the angels are off helping people who need them more than we do."

Sebastian nodded as he glanced around the room. "I think about Adam sometimes, too."

"And he thinks about you too, baby," Upon hearing the familiar alto voice, both Jeremy and Sebastian turned around to see Tess was standing behind them.

"Still not using the door, huh?" Jeremy quipped.

"Oh Honey, you know that around here the door is always open," Tess said and looked at Sebastian. "You're looking good there, Sebastian, how are you doing?"

"Great," the young man said smiling. "It's wonderful to see you again."

Tess smiled. "Jeremy, we're going to be here awhile, but Andrew wanted to stop by and see all of you and there's a few things I need to discuss with you if that's OK?"

"Sure, there's nobody in my den, why don't we go in there?" He suggested and Tess nodded as they got up and left Sebastian alone.

*****

On the other side of the room, Donna Thomas was standing and watching all the events that were taking place there. Most of the people were happy about Laura and Sebastian's announcement, but she could not force herself to be happy. She was happy for her granddaughter and the young man whom Laura had professed her love to, but the concerned look that she carried on her face was not for Laura, but rather for someone else who was attending the small gathering at her daughter and son-in-law's house. After spending some time mingling with the guests, she excused herself and went outside onto the terrace. All the while she carried a tired expression on her face, but eventually she sat down on a chair and looked out across the nearby field.

"Donna, is everything OK?" A slightly accented voice emerged and she turned around to see that Monica was standing next to the door. She knew the angels pretty well, but not as well as her daughter Christina, and their presence, instead of making her feel better, somehow managed to unsettle her all the more.

"Oh, Monica, I didn't even know that you were even here," she smiled somewhat embarrassed. "I guess I haven't been paying the best of attention these days, and I figured that since everything was going relatively well that I didn't expect to see you today." She paused and when she saw the earnest look on the face of the angel, her smile vanished. "I take it you aren't here to visit and bring glad tidings. There's a reason why, isn't there?"

Monica shook her head. "I don't really know specifically why we are here." Instead of elaborating, she looked at Donna, concern shadowing her sympathetic brown eyes. "What is it?"

"I don't really know, I guess, I haven't really been myself lately. I know this sounds somewhat pessimistic, but the way things have been going, I guess, I sometimes think that something else is about to happen, but then when I stop to think about it, I realize in some ways, that maybe everything that could possibly happen, already has. Does that make even a small amount of sense to you or am I just getting wayward in my old age?"

Monica smiled and shook her head. "You're not wayward, Donna, but time brings changes and maybe hearing that your granddaughter and her fiancé have set a date to get married is a bit overwhelming for you."

"Yes, well it's no secret, Daniel and I aren't spring chickens anymore, Daniel's just retired, I'm getting ready to and well, we start to think about this kind of thing rather often. In a few years, Brendan may be getting married and then what? Two old people set out to pasture, just collecting dust until we die? What kind of life is that, and what are we going to do once we're set out to pasture."

"You know, I heard that the community center is looking for some people to come and do workshops for them. After Erin Hudson stopped teaching dancing there, she and Billy moved to Seattle, maybe there's something you and Daniel can do there to help out. I have heard of people teaching art classes or languages, maybe you two can do something there," Monica offered.

Donna smiled weakly. "You know, come to think of it, maybe that's not such a bad idea, Laura started working out there part time right after Patrick died and now she's working full time and is on the permanent staff. She even managed to get Sebastian lined up to teach art classes, and Rachel still teaches sign language classes there." The woman smiled and nodded. "Maybe that's just we both need."

Monica smiled when she saw the almost obvious light once again appear in Donna's face. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"Still addicted, huh? I think your little coffee fetish is something I find so cute, Monica, it makes you almost seem like one of us," Donna began to laugh as she watched through the window and back into the house.

"Just don't tell Tess that, she's still getting onto me about trying to make Gloria addicted to it," Monica smiled, but her eyes followed those of Donna and soon both the angel and the woman were both watching through the sliding glass door into Christina and Jeremy's living room.

From there, Donna could see that her and Daniel's adopted son Brendan was playing cards with Christina's teenage nephew, Adam Joshua. Today, he was 15 and went by AJ. The boy now had the build of a linebacker and the appetite of a ravenous tiger. As she continued to watch, she looked back at Monica. "You ever notice how kids grow up so fast?"

Monica smiled, "yes, I have, but I still remember when Christina was a little girl, and now she's a grown woman."

"She's going to be OK; isn't she, Monica?" Donna asked. "I may be out of line for saying so, but I did notice how she was behaving the last time you and your friends were here, specifically whenever she was around Andrew. She looked just a little more than smitten by him."

"Yes, she went through a little bit, but I think she's OK now. I don't think you've met Sam; he's Tess' supervisor and a pretty tough customer. Anyway, he showed up and talked to her about it, so I think things are going to be getting back to normal for her. I think it would have been a different story had Jeremy not survived."

Donna nodded and her attention diverted to where Erina was seated on the sofa talking to her son-in-law. "Looks like there's another little girl who gets stars in her eyes when she talks to an older man. Did you ever notice that the older you get, your circle of family and friends just keeps growing and growing?"

Monica smiled and nodded. "I noticed that."

"You going to be staying for awhile?" Donna asked.

"Yes, she is," Tess' voice emerged and they turned around to see the eldest of the angels. "Our next assignment is at the community center."

"Who is it, Tess?" Monica asked.

"There's a little girl there who claims to see angels, and she's gotten into quite a bit of trouble with her family as a result of it," Tess said shaking her head.

"Can she?" Donna asked.

"Yes, and no," came the answer.

"I don't understand," Monica interjected before Donna could say the same thing.

"Well, Angel Girl, she can, but her parents are similar to the parents of Scott Reinhardt. Do you remember him?"

"Wasn't he at Simon Davies' funeral?" Donna asked. "He was an attractive young man."

"Yes, Scott has been working on community awareness with regards to hate crimes. He has been working with Brittany Bowen on this, but the reason Scott is important is because of how it was with his parents wanting him to be a scientific type of person," Tess explained.

"Wait a minute, I think I understand," Donna interrupted. "Christina told me about this kind of situation, Scott wanted to do things other kids do, and his father was pushing Quantum Physics on him. His mother was there when Olivia…" her voice trailed off as she released a pent up sigh.

Olivia had been her and Daniel's adopted daughter, she was Brendan's birth mother, but had died during childbirth to her son and though her name was not often brought up, whenever Donna would remember Olivia, she would become somewhat saddened. Olivia had requested that the child bear the name of his father as well as the greatest influence in her life, Andrew.

Self-consciously, Donna glanced back into the house and could see that Brendan was now sitting at the table with a large bowl of ice cream in front of him, the boy only knew that he was named after Andrew, but he was not sure as to why. Since Andrew had not been in and out of Brendan's life extensively, they had opted to not tell him about the angels at all, at least not until the boy was older.

Now that he was approaching his teenage years and Donna started to wonder if she should have told him that there were angels in their lives. It was hard enough that Brendan had started to ask questions about his birth parents, and she could not offer him too much information about his father.

My plate is full, she thought sadly as she tried to refocus her attention back on the two angels who were now talking about the case they had at the community center. Taking a deep breath, Donna stood up, excused herself and went back into the house. Once she was gone, Monica looked at Tess, a question looming.

"Donna is not looking very good these days, is she, Tess?" Monica finally asked.

"She's got a lot going on in her life, baby," Tess said. "Andrew is going to be working with Brendan, but he does not yet know how he will help the boy, or what it will entail. I have already told Jeremy about it, so he will know what is going to be happening and will be able to offer his support not only to Andrew, but to Brendan."

"Olivia's son?" Monica asked. "But why?"

"He's getting to the age where he is going to be asking a lot of questions about his past, and these questions will not be easy for Donna or Daniel to answer, especially Daniel since he's still saddened whenever he thinks about Olivia, and now he and Christina have something very prolific in common."

"They both know the feeling of loosing a child." Monica said softly.

"That's right," Tess replied. "Without any knowledge of his past means that Brendan will be needing someone who understands him. That's why Andrew is going to have an experience that very few angels experience. You did once, and now Andrew will have to."

"What?" Monica asked, but the look on her pretty face was shadowed with confusion.

"Do you remember an assignment you had some years ago when you hit your head?" Tess asked.

"I suffered temporary amnesia," Monica said softly.

"That's right, baby, Gloria, you, and me will be leaving very soon, we have an assignment over at the community center, but Andrew is going to stay here, and he's going to have to deal with more than just an lapsing memory."

"I guess there is still so much happening in all of their lives, isn't there? I mean, Tess, this is a wee bit confusing. You mentioned Scott Reinhardt earlier, and then we talked about Brendan, then about Laura and Sebastian getting married, and Andrew loosing his memory. I must admit that this is getting very confusing."

The eldest of the angels nodded. "It's going to get more complicating before it gets less and Miss Wings, you can bet the farm on that."

*****

In the house, Brendan Thomas was still seated behind the coffee table and was watching the movie 101 Dalmatians behind where his two cousins were seated and staring at the screen in wide-eyed captivation. He continued to watch the twin girls, Dawn and Denise shifted their weight in order to made themselves comfortable in front of the television, both giggling at the movie and the boy found himself getting annoyed with watching them.

He continued to listlessly stir the ice cream in the bowl as he halfway watched the movie and halfway sunk into his contemplations. He really didn't know why he had even been brought here. He knew Christina and Jeremy pretty well, but he didn't like being around all these strange people, he didn't know. He stared down at the glob of chocolate ice cream as it started to melt, his eyes literally bearing down into the gooey substance.

"Hi," a friendly sounding voice emerged, thus causing him to look up to see that Andrew was now standing over him, his tall frame practically towering over the boy. He nodded as he glanced back up and continued to watch the movie, but after a few seconds he turned and noticed that Andrew had lowered himself onto the sofa and began to brush his hand through his short blondish-brown hair.

"Hey," Brendan said listlessly.

"What are you eating there, it looks good?" Andrew asked, but noticed that the boy just kept stirring the ice cream that was left in the bowl.

"Christina is in the kitchen making banana splits, and she said that it's a good way to get potassium without even knowing it," Brendan stabbed at the banana that was now lodged against the side of the bowl but Andrew noticed that he didn't eat any of it. Instead he pushed the bowl away all the while trying to divert his attention back onto the television.

"Well, you'll only get the potassium if you eat that," Andrew said smiling, but when the boy didn't return the gesture, his smile eventually vanished and a look of concern crossed the angel's face. "Is everything OK?"

"No, I'm just not in the mood for this stupid movie, and I don't like bananas," Brendan said sharply.

Andrew could sense the hostility in the young boy's mannerisms and instead of react to that, he smiled gently at him. "Brendan, what's wrong?"

"What makes you think that something's wrong?" The sharp question emerged.

Before Andrew could say anything, Daniel's voice emerged and the boy released a pent up sigh as his adoptive father words emerged and he snapped his head up defiantly. "Brendan Andrew, you know better than to talk to people that way."

The boy, instead of speaking to his adopted father, stood up, and walked out of the room. Once he disappeared outside, Daniel came over and sat down next to Andrew, his hand resting on the angel's arm. "Don't take it too hard, Andrew, he's going through a period where he is pushing everyone away. I think all boys go through this kind of thing at one time or another."

Andrew nodded. "I understand."

"You feel connected to him, don't you?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, I suppose I do," Andrew said softly. "He's Olivia's son and I remember so much about her."

"Me too, she was so strong, but independent," Daniel said sadly. "I miss her even today. I know that might sounds weird to you but it's true. I just can't believe she's gone." He looked at the angel. "When Patrick died, I could not help but remember her."

Andrew rested a gentle hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I'm sorry that my being here reminds you of the painful times, Daniel."

"No, Andrew, it's not you, but I have to tell you something, and seeing that you do feel connected to Brendan, you have to know that Donna and I didn't tell him about you. I mean; he knows that he's named after you, but he doesn't know…" his voice trailed.

"He doesn't know that I'm an angel?"

Daniel shook his head. "No, and I suppose we should have told him the truth, but we didn't see you or your friends for so long after his birth, that we just opted to not say anything to him. He thinks you're a traveling businessman of sorts. I mean; the last time he saw you was when he was three, and I don't think he really remembers everything."

Andrew nodded. "It's OK, it may be something that I need to tell him, but it will have to be when I get to know him a little bit better."

At that moment, a crashing sound was heard, and Daniel turned towards the door leading out onto the patio. He could see the remnants of a flowerpot and he stood up, but could feel Andrew's hand reaching up to touch his arm. "Let me, Daniel, it may make things worse if you go out there."

Nodding, Daniel sat back down on the sofa as Laura came over to them. "What is he doing? Mom's going to have a fit when she sees what has happened to her violets."

"I'll take care of it," Andrew said gently, "you stay here."

"Andrew, be careful," Laura said. She knew that the angel couldn't get hurt, but she loved him so much that she didn't want to think about him being hurt by the boy she had come to know as her cousin.

Daniel patted her hand as Andrew went outside. "Don't worry sweetheart, I think he knows what he's doing."

Laura shook her head as Sebastian came over, his hazel eyes filled with concern when he saw his fiancé's concerned face. Without saying anything, he wound his arm around her and held her as Andrew opened the sliding glass doors and stepped outside.

*****

At the same time, Christina was standing in the kitchen putting melon balls on some plates to take out into the dining room when Monica came in to retrieve a cup of coffee for herself and Donna. The angels went unobserved as Christina continued to work diligently with the food.

"What's going on out there, it sounds like someone's playing baseball with a bunch of porcelain?" Christina looked at Monica and then Gloria, all the while shaking her head.

"I'm going to check and see what's happening." she said softly and put the spoon down on the counter, and before Monica could respond to her words, she had stepped out into the living room, and looked outside only to see her pot plants outside being smashed to pieces by a young boy who appeared to be on the edge. Without thinking, she slid open the door with the intention of going outside.

"Christina, don't go out there," a voice emerged and she turned for a brief second to see Andrew coming towards her from the other direction. She stopped for a few moments and turned to see him coming over to her.

"Andrew, what are you doing here?" She smiled when she saw him, but as they both stood in the doorway, neither of them expected or saw a large piece of wood coming towards their heads until it was too late and upon feeling the brunt of the impact, Christina slid to the ground and Andrew immediately responded by reaching up and resting his hand against his head.

As he looked up, his eyes locked with those of Brendan who was holding the piece of wood, but had, by this time, dropped the offending object and was staring at both of them with profound shock registering on his face. Seconds later, he glanced down to see that Christina had crumpled to the ground in a heap and he got down on the ground next to her. He reached over and took her hand in his, his head all the while hurting from the small amount of impact his head sustained somehow not viewed as important when compared to that which his longtime friend had received. "Call an ambulance," he managed to shout into the house, as he picked up his friend's body in his arms and pulled her gently onto his lap.

Brendan continued to stand there staring at them and watching, his eyes wide as Daniel came outside and could see that his adopted son was staring at Christina and Andrew, the shock registering on his face as the realization hit him as to what he had done.

"Get in the house right now," Daniel growled at him and he looked down at Andrew and his daughter once the boy had disappeared inside. "Is she…" his voice trailed and he looked at Andrew, with tears in his eyes.

"No, but I think she's got a concussion," Andrew said softly. "I don't know how severe, though."

Daniel nodded as he looked at Andrew. "I don't know what's happened with Brendan, he used to be such a nice boy."

"Maybe he's just got something going on that we don't understand yet," Andrew said softly as Tess came out of the house and put her arms around Daniel's slumped shoulders.

"Where's Jeremy, he should be here with her?" Daniel said softly.

"He went upstairs to take a nap. He said that he was needing some rest," Tess said gently. "I'll tell Gloria to stay with him, and we'll get Christina to the hospital. I don't think there's anything to worry about, though, she's going to pull through, of that I'm almost certain."

Andrew nodded, all the while not certain where these words were coming from, simply that he felt the need to say them. "She will, it's probably nothing more than just a little bump on the head."

Daniel looked at the two angels. "What compelled her to come out here when he was doing all of that?"

"The violets are her favorite flowers, and these were from Patrick's funeral," Tess said softly. "She wanted to plant them in the garden, when the weather got warmer."

The older man nodded as the sounds of the ambulance could be heard in the distance. Once the paramedics came through the house and began to tend to Christina, Andrew stood up. If the angel had not yet recognized that he was trapped in human form, then now was the time when the realization would dawn on him. He looked over at Daniel once the paramedics had left with Christina.

As all these events were happening and the ten minutes passed and Andrew had not moved from where he was standing, Daniel looked at him, confusion shadowing his face "Shouldn't you go with them?"

Andrew shook his head as though shadowed with a sensation of disillusionment. He could suddenly not remember anything. A wave of dizziness as well as overwhelming fright suddenly encased the angel's consciousness. He could remember only vaguely who he was, but the memories suddenly became a mixture of ideas, emotions and sensations. Eventually, he reached up and rested his hand up against his forehead. "I can't," he finally managed to speak, and Daniel could suddenly see that Andrew had changed somehow. It seemed almost eerie to the human what had happened to the angel, and he wondered why it was that this would come about so soon after Christina had been injured. Somehow, Daniel was somewhat taken aback by the angel's now strange, almost bizarre behavior.

"I thought you were her friend," Daniel said finally, all the while trying to piece this together.

"I-I am her friend, at least I think so, but I can't explain it. For some reason, I'm human, I can't do anything," he said weakly.

"Excuse me?"

"The Father made me human," Andrew could literally feel his memories fading, and suddenly, his cognitive sense of who he was and where he came from was completely gone, worse still, he could not even remember the name of the man who was standing next to him. "I don't remember anything." Andrew took a deep breath and released it slowly his eyes filled with a new sense of fright, something that Daniel had never seem before when he would look at the angel. Something was dreadfully wrong.

He put his arm around Andrew's now slumped shoulders. "I know this may sound superficial, but God probably has a reason, come on, we need to get to the hospital."

Andrew nodded and when they came into the house, he immediately felt encased with loneliness and Daniel guessed that it was because he could not even sense Monica, Gloria, or Tess' presence anywhere. It was as if all his angelic friends had all disappeared leaving Andrew in this state, a man without a past, a man stuck in the middle of an uncertain future. "W-what's happening to me?" He managed to ask, his voice weak.

"I don't know, let's get to the hospital, though and see if we can find out how Christina is doing. Christina is my daughter, you're Andrew, and one of her best friends," Daniel's voice was filled with his assurances as they walked slowly through the house.

Within seconds, Laura and Sebastian joined them once they had come inside the house. In one corner, they could see Brendan seated and staring down at his lap, Donna was nearby, her hand sternly on his shoulder. Laura's gaze left Brendan and now came to rest on her father and Andrew.

"Andrew, are you OK?" Laura asked immediately noticing his pale face and the despondent look in his eyes.

"I'm scared," the human angel managed to speak, but he didn't ask about her name, and Daniel looked at his granddaughter with empathy in his eyes.

The young woman glanced towards Sebastian as her father led Andrew to the door. Once they were out of earshot, she looked at her fiancé. "Sebastian, I don't understand any of this, Andrew's never been scared and he looked at me as though he didn't even know me," she looked up at him with a question looming. "You don't suppose…"

The young German man nodded numbly. "Go with them. I know how much Andrew means to you, but I also know how close you are to your mom. Don't worry, Liebling, I'll take care of the guests, and you take care of yourself," Sebastian gave her a gentle kiss and continued. "Call me the minute you find out anything, whether it be about Andrew or Christina."

Laura nodded and she glanced towards the front door and watched as it closed, indicating the departure of her dearest friend, as well as her grandfather.

*****

Once she stepped outside into the bright sunlight, Laura ran to her mother's car. With trembling hands she managed to unlock the door and slide behind the wheel. "Father, please let me get there safely," she spoke softly, her prayer showing the extent of her concern. "Please, let my mom and Andrew be OK."

"They will be fine, Laura. The Father has heard your prayers," She turned around and could see that Adam was now visible and was seated in the backseat.

"Oh God, this does not help," she muttered under her breath as she stared at the Angel of Death. Without starting the motor, she reached for the key, this time pulling it completely out of the ignition. "OK, I'm calm, but you're driving." Without another word, she threw the keys at the angel and slid over to the passenger side and buckled her seatbelt.

"I can't," Adam said once he held the keys in his hand.

"Look, you know that if I drive, I'll probably get us both into an accident, and that's the last thing my family really needs right now. So are you going to help me out, or are you going to just sit there and shoot off your mouth?" Laura snapped, her words succeeding in not only shocking him, but also herself.

Adam looked at her with a trace of sadness shadowing his handsome face. Taking a deep breath and saying nothing, he nodded as he got out of the car, and went to get in behind the wheel. Once he was comfortable, he finally spoke, his voice filled with worry, but also his own brand of sternness. "We'll talk about what you just said a little bit later." He said, and she could immediately tell that her words had hurt his feelings.

"Adam," she finally managed to find her voice and he looked at her as a silent indication that she ought to continue. "I-I'm sorry, I'm just scared, I mean, you didn't see Andrew in there, he looked positively spooked, and worse than that, he didn't seem to even know who I was," Laura said trying to defend the words she had used when she spoke to him.

"He doesn't, at least not right now," Adam said softly.

"I don't understand."

"Andrew's memories have been temporarily taken away, for a reason…a reason I don't yet know, but the Father knows," Adam said softly.

"All I know that I'm not fit to drive, and if you don't, then I would probably have no choice but to go back inside and stay at home while my mom is dealing with this stuff alone. Am I forgiven, though?" She asked weakly.

He nodded. "It's OK, Laura, but there are a few things I need to tell you, and I understand that you really aren't in the state to be driving." He started the car and pulled it out of the driveway and followed behind where Daniel and Andrew had gone in. As he drove, he would periodically take his eyes off the road and look at her. "Laura, I'm not angry with you, and I know that you have a lot going on right now."

"Why do you think I was praying before I even stuck the key in the ignition?" She whispered softly, her voice instead of emerging defensive as it had done before; it emerged filled with sadness and worry. "You know, Sebastian told me that he would take care of the guests, but I didn't manage to catch up with my grandpa or Andrew before they left, and you know my dad needs his rest, he's still recovering from the gunshot and he's going to be laid up for at least three more weeks." She took a deep breath before she was able to look at him, the tears now streaming from beneath her eyes. "I'm really sorry that I hurt your feelings, Adam, it's just that I'm so afraid right now."

"It's OK, Laura," Adam said gently. "I know that this was supposed to be a happy day for you, and I'm only sorry that it turned out like this."

"Yeah," Laura sniffed as her one word answer emerged. After a few moments, she took another staggering breath and continued. "You know, I don't think anyone wants us to have anymore happy days."

"You don't mean that," Adam looked at her.

"I didn't want to believe it, Adam, but anymore I really have no choice but to believe it," Laura said weakly. "I know that God isn't at fault for it, andand I don't blame Him, but why all this? Patrick, then Simon, and then my dad, and now…" Her voice trailed off and she looked down at her lap all the while shaking her head.

"Your mother's going to be just fine, sweetheart, you know, she doesn't even have an Angel of Death with her," Adam said smiling reassuringly at his young friend. "You know, when she was fifteen, she made Andrew promise her something very important, and later Andrew told me about it."

Flashback

As Andrew came inside and noticed that the room was empty, he got down on his knees, closed his eyes, and began to pray. “Father, I know I may have changed what happens here by bringing her here, but she asked that of me, and she sees me as her friend. If I had not brought her, then I would have betrayed the trust she has honored me with. Please forgive me, Father, if I did something that is not a part of your plan, but I was the only one who could help her.”

His prayer spoken, he was now invisible to human eyes, he left the chapel and appeared directly beside Christina seconds later.

She was lying on a large hospital bed in the emergency room, an IV had been beside her and she was being given antibiotics to fight the infection. Andrew, are you there?

Yes, of course I am. You’re not alone, Christina.

I’m afraid, her thoughts were a rush, but in her mind’s eye, she could see him. He was dressed in a beige suit and tie, and looked more handsome than she had ever seen him when she would look at him.

I know you are.

Am I going to die? She asked weakly.

I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you that if you want to survive all that has happened to you, then you have to fight Christina, and put your struggles in God’s hands. He will never leave you alone. Ask Him for the strength you lack, sweetheart, and He will give it willingly to you, he paused and took a deep breath. I am also here for you no matter what happens today. It is just as I promised you when we were in the chapel five years ago. Do you remember this time when we talked about all of this?

You said that if I were to become very sick or in a coma, that you would be there to help me to not be afraid. You’re here, just as you promised, her words emerged slowly. I love you, Andrew.

He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. I love you too, Christina, you’re a brave young woman, and you make God proud.

I do?

Of course you do, he smiled down at her as two nurses entered the room. Andrew could see them beginning to move her to a gurney and neither of them could see him seated by the bed.

“So we get this little lady upstairs to her own room, and then what?” one of the nurses was speaking to the other.

“My guess is she’ll sleep through the night,” the second one said. “Her parents have been asking about her so it will be good to inform them that she’s at least been stabilized.”

“True, but did you even hear what happened to her? I mean how she got so sick.”

“I don’t know, but that guy that brought her in told the doctor that last night she may have been raped by her date, and they wanted us to run all the necessary checks on her to make sure she’s not been infected with something.” The first nurse ran her hand gently across Christina’s cheek. “Poor kid, it’s really a pity that someone like her would have to endure this.”

The second nodded in concurrence. “What about that guy that brought her in, have you seen him around here?”

“Not at all. Maybe he went back to the chapel or went to grab a bite to eat in the cafeteria,” the nurse said.

“Here’s hoping that he stays away from the chili. I had a bowl of that glop and it gave me heartburn,” the other woman said.

“Well at any rate, with such friends as him, she’s very lucky. If I wouldn’t have known better, I’d say he’s an angel, because he saved her life.”

The second nurse nodded as she wheeled the gurney with Christina out of the small emergency room and through the hall. The other nurse wheeled the IV right beside the gurney. Andrew got up and followed them down the hall.

Are you still there? Christina’s thoughts called out to him.

I told you that I would be here with you for as long as it takes.

I know, but did you hear what they said?

Yes, I heard them, his words emerged slowly and it was obvious that he was somewhat embarrassed by the words of the two nurses.

Andrew, please talk to me, her words indicative of her fear as they wheeled her into an elevator.

What would you like to talk about, Christina? He asked. Even if we don’t speak, I’m still here with you.

I know, but please tell me something. Tell me about Heaven. What’s it like?

It’s wonderful, Christina, he began. Not easy to describe, but the most beautiful place you can imagine.

And my grandma, she’s there?

Yes.

She’s not ready to see me yet, is she? She asked weakly as the elevator reached the fourth floor, and the nurses wheeled her out into the hallway.

No, I don’t think she is, came his simple answer.

Would God be offended if I said I wasn’t ready to meet Him yet? She asked.

He smiled down at her and followed the two nurses into a second room. No, in fact, I am certain that He understands.

Once they had moved her to the bed, they wheeled the gurney out of the room and she was left alone and asleep in the room.

I’m glad, her thoughts stopped for a few moments, and after the time appeared to lapse, her thoughts began once again. Andrew, would you promise me something? It’s very important.

He could sense the urgency in her words, and his voice emerged gentle as he addressed her. If I am able, you know I would.

Can you promise me that when I one day die that you will be with me? When my time one day comes, I hope that you would take me home. Would you be able to promise me that?

Her question caught him off guard, but he looked down at her and attempted to offer her an answer. Any Angel of Death that comes to you would do his or her best to make sure you will have a wonderful journey Home to the Father, Christina.

I know that, but Andrew, you are so special to me, like a part of my family. Please, can you not promise me this? If I know that it would be you who would take me Home, I would try not to be afraid of it.

He squeezed her hand gently. He smiled when he realized the words she was saying meant that she was affirming that she would live, and that it was not yet her time. His eyes were bright when he spoke once more to her. Christina, when your time one day comes, I will be the angel who will take you home to the Father.

Promise? She asked

I promise, my little angel, he said smiling.

Flashback End

"So, anyway, God isn't going to call her Home without letting Andrew fulfill that promise that he made to her when she was fifteen," Adam concluded.

Laura nodded. "So that means that she's going to be OK?"

Adam nodded as they pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. He cut the motor, but neither of them got out of the car and he turned and looked at her, his gray eyes earnest.

"Adam, how can Andrew lose his memory?" Laura finally asked when no words emerged from him.

"He's been made human, completely, that is, he has human emotion, and can be hurt physically, and he can even die," Adam said softly. "But, there's something else that is going to make this experience very, very difficult for him."

"What?" Laura looked at him, her eyes pleading with him to tell her.

"Andrew has forgotten what he is, and the more time goes by in this state, it will be harder for him to come back to being what he is," Adam said softly.

"You mean he's forgotten that he's an Angel of Death and that he's friends with me, and my mom?" Laura said softly.

Adam nodded. "Yes, and the only way he will remember what he is, will be through his own will and desire to remember."

"You mean; he'll have to remember his faith?" Laura asked.

The Angel of Death nodded. "Yes."

"Why is God taking all of this away from him?" Laura asked looking at her friend. "He was so lost back at the house, I thought he was going to have a nervous breakdown."

"I don't know why, and from what I understand, the other angels don't know why either. The hardest thing is, Andrew will not be able to remember us. Sure, he's going to know us from somewhere, but he won't know specifically from where."

"Like a sort of familiarity, kind of like déjà vu," Laura said and once he nodded, she continued. "What can I do, Adam?"

"Just be his friend, Laura, be there for both your mother and Andrew, because they're going to need you," Adam said softly.

"Are you going to stay?" She asked.

Adam shook his head.

"I don't know if I can do this alone, though. Please, can't you ask?" she pleaded softly with him all the while feeling the tears beginning to stream from beneath her eyes.

Adam took her hand in his, uncurled her fingers, and there he dropped the car keys. Once his hand was free, he reached over and wiped the tears from her cheek. "You will be OK, just remember, you're not alone, Laura, you're never alone."

She nodded, and once he disappeared, she opened the car door, got out, closed and locked it before walking towards the glass doors that would lead her into the hospital.

*****

When she came into the waiting room, her grandfather was nowhere to be seen and she guessed that he had gotten up to inquire about Christina. Taking a deep breath, she walked slowly over to Andrew, who was still slumped in a chair, his expression literally empty, and she down next to him. "Andrew, my name is Laura, I'm Christina's daughter."

The human angel looked up when he heard his name as well as the explanation and he smiled briefly, but then looked back down at his lap.

As she sat down next to him, she reached for his now trembling hand. "Are you OK?" She finally asked him, her voice soft.

"Laura," he shook his head. "I…"

"It's OK, I know you don't remember me, but you're not alone, if that helps," she said and reached over to touch his cheek.

The human angel nodded, but she could see that he was not convinced of this.

Laura wrapped her arms around him at this moment, her head coming to rest against his shoulder. Deep inside, she knew that she could not tell Andrew what Adam had said, all she could actually do was just be there for her friend. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with her own brand of love. "Andrew, what do you remember about me?"

"Remember?" He looked at her.

"You know now who I am, but do you remember when we first met?"

Andrew shook his head all the while trying with everything in him to remember who she is and where he had first met her. "You were a little girl, I think, you were so sweet, but scared."

"Yes, and you used to tell me stories, you were the one who told me about God," Laura smiled weakly at him. "You always told me, 'Laura, you're not alone, you're never alone'."

Laura's Flashback

"Laura, can I tell you a secret?" Andrew asked the little girl.

The little girl numbly nodded, her eyes wide.

"Do you know who God is?" he asked gently.

"You?"

Andrew smiled, but shook his head. "No, I'm not God, God is our creator, he made everything and is all of our Heavenly Father, and He loves you very much."

"Nobody loves me," Laura sniffed and looked down at her lap.

Andrew took her face in his hands and made her look into his eyes. "God loves you very much, Laura, and I love you, and Christina and Tess love you as well. We all know that this is hard for you, but we're not going to let anyone else hurt you. But, that means you're going to have to be a very brave little girl. Laura, do you know what an angel is?" Andrew asked her softly.

The little girl shook her head, and she looked down at her lap as though she had said something wrong. Andrew brushed his hand gently through her matted hair. As she felt the gentle hand of the angel on her hair, she reached a trembling hand out and touched Andrew's soft hair. "I wish you were my daddy," she whispered.

Andrew smiled gently at her, but when the doctor came into the room some seconds later, she tensed up and all that the angel could do was hold her hand tightly.

"My name is Doctor Harold Simms," he introduced himself to Christina and Andrew. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"Laura has been physically abused by her parents, Dr. Simms," Andrew said softly. "My friends and I found her today in the park and we thought we should bring her here."

"You probably should have brought her to the hospital, but let me take a look at her and see what I can do to help," he came closer and Laura closed her eyes and buried her face against Andrew's shoulder.

The doctor reached over to take the sweatshirt off the child and she released another scream. He moved his hands away and looked at Christina and shook his head. "It's too painful for her," Christina said sadly, her heart going out to the child.

Andrew ran his fingertips against the side of Laura's face, his action causing the child to once again fall asleep against his chest. He laid her back down on the bed.

Laura's Flashback End

"I told you all that? But, how could you have remembered, it was just a story?"

"I don't know, I just do. It's like how people remember their first kiss, or the first time they fell in love," Laura smiled weakly. "It's just something that remains even after a person grows up."

"Kiss, I never experienced that," Andrew said softly, his voice filled with a sort of melancholy sense and Laura could not determine what this meant and she pondered whether she might have made a mistake in saying this particular thing to him.

Laura leaned over and kissed his cheek. When she drew back away from him, she continued. "That was a kiss."

Andrew smiled when he felt her lips against his cheek. "Laura, when we were at your house, I told you I was afraid."

"I remember," she said softly as the doctor came into the room, followed by Daniel and whatever response he may have offered went ignored when she and Andrew stood up and went over to greet the doctor.

"My name is Dr. Steven Lane," the man with salt and pepper hair and friendly brown eyes said.

"I'm Laura Lowery, Christina's daughter," Laura began, her eyes seeking those of the doctor. "My mom's OK, isn't she?"

"Well, not entirely," the doctor said.

"Laura, your mother's got amnesia, she didn't even recognize me when I saw her just now," Daniel said softly. "That blow to the head somehow jarred her cognitive memories, and now she doesn't even know her own name."

"You're telling me that she doesn't remember anything?" Laura said softly and she looked at Andrew, the depiction of utter hopelessness on her face.

The doctor shook his head. "She can go home, but the best thing to do for her, is show her pictures and try to coerce the memories back." He shrugged his shoulders. "Some Amnesia cases last for weeks, while others last over the course of months, and sometimes, rarely, the patient simply has to start over."

Daniel nodded and looked at her. "We'll do whatever we can to help your mother regain her memory, Laura."

"I know, Grandpa," she whispered. "But, what about the wedding? We wanted to have it in about two months." She looked at Andrew, the tears now streaming from beneath her eyes and his plight momentarily forgotten. "Andrew, what do I do?"

"I don't know," he said softly and when he looked at her, the realization dawned on the young woman that he was just as lost as she felt.

*****

Christina was awake when Daniel returned to the room with Laura and Andrew. Laura walked over to the bed where her mother was sitting. "Mom?"

The woman in the bed looked at Laura with bewilderment in her eyes, but instead of speaking, she shook her head, leaving the obvious response to the rest of them; Christina had amnesia and she could not even remember her own daughter.

Laura waited until her mother had crawled out of bed until she was able to speak again. "We're going to help you remember. Andrew's here, and he is going to help, too." She turned and faced the now trapped human angel. "Aren't you?"

Andrew nodded. "If I can," he whispered softly.

Christina looked up at him when she heard his voice, but instead of seeing one of her dearest friends in the world, she looked into the eyes of a stranger.

"Come on Chrissie, let's get you home," Daniel said using the shortened form of her name, which he hadn't used in well over thirty years when he would address his daughter. Sighing deeply, he realized just how fitting this particular nickname was for her at that precise moment.

Christina nodded numbly and allowed her father to help her off the bed. Once she stepped out into the hallway, she looked back over at Andrew, her eyes filled with curious innocence and she spoke. "Are you my husband?"

Andrew looked at her, but shook his head. As ironic as this entire scenario was, the human angel could only remember that although this woman was not his wife, she was someone he cared very deeply for, but where he had known her from remained a mystery; he simply could not recall.

Laura hung back with Daniel and she looked at him. "Oh, Grandpa, this is terrible; they've both lost their memories."

"Is that what happened? Andrew is like this too?" Daniel asked.

"I talked to Adam earlier in the car, he was the one who drove me here, and he said that Andrew has forgotten that he's an angel, and…" she watched as Andrew and Christina walked towards the elevator and after a few moments, she looked at her grandfather all the while shaking her head dejectedly.

"Look, God knows what He's doing, it's time for both of us to take a step back and trust Him. The doctor prepared us the best way he knew how about your mother, but with Andrew, it's going to be hard, simply because as himself, he could have helped Christina remember, but now, he's in the same boat." He took a deep breath and looked at her. "Just remember, whatever happens, don't get angry with your mother about it, she doesn't know anything about who she is, if she's married, much less that there are angels in and out of her life since her childhood. So, just keep in mind that she may be responding in ways that the Christina we know, wouldn't." He took a deep staggering breath. "Laura, she's going to need our unconditional love and support if she is going to get through this, and Jeremy will have to know what specifically is happening."

Laura nodded as she and Daniel picked up their pace to catch up with Christina and Andrew. "Grandpa, are you mad at Brendan?"

"Yes, I am," Daniel said softly. "I don't want to be, but I am."

Laura said nothing, she was angry with him too, but instead of speak out about this, she took a deep breath and once they reached the elevator and got on with Andrew and Christina, no more words were spoken.

*****

"Amnesia?" Jeremy asked when he woke up some two hours later. He sat up in bed and looked at Daniel as his father-in-law explained to him what had happened. "Are you sure?"

Daniel nodded numbly. "Jeremy, Christina took a massive blow to the head when Brendan flew off the handle. I don't think he meant to hurt anyone, but she went outside to see what was happening there and he hit her with a two-by-four. She suffered a concussion and now doesn't remember anything."

"Oh God, what next?" Jeremy asked weakly.

"Jeremy?" Denise came into the room at that moment and Dawn was right behind her.

"What is it, sweetie?" Jeremy patted the blanket on the bed and the two girls climbed up onto the bed and he reached over to brush the strawberry blonde locks out from in front of her face.

"Andrew just asked us who we were," Dawn said softly.

"We wanted to give him a hug and he pushed us away," Denise practically finished the words her sister had said.

"How can both Christina and Andrew have amnesia at the same time?" Jeremy asked.

Daniel shook his head. "I wish I had the answers to that one, because I've been asking myself the same question since Chrissie was taken to the hospital." He paused and looked at Jeremy, his expression earnest. "Laura is going to try and help her remember who she is, but the doctor said it's like starting over. Jeremy, Christina doesn't even remember that Andrew's an angel, and now Andrew himself has forgotten that he is. Laura said that Adam told her that Andrew is trapped in human form, and that the longer he is there, the more difficult it will be for him to return to his angelic state. I don't know why it is that this has happened, but that's the situation as we see it right now."

Dawn and Denise looked at Daniel. "Are they ever going to remember us, Jeremy?" Dawn asked.

"I think they eventually will, but I don't know for certain when," Jeremy said softly. "The best thing you can do is to remind them of times that are special to you. Things that they did, and maybe that will jar a memory or two."

The twins crawled off the bed and left the room. Once they were alone, Jeremy looked at Daniel and shrugged his shoulders. Seconds later, someone tapped on the door, and Daniel went to open it.

Standing outside, Sebastian smiled weakly. "Most of the guests left about an hour ago when Laura called and said that Christina was OK."

Jeremy nodded as his future son-in-law came over with a bowl of soup and placed it on the nightstand. "Thanks, Sebastian, I was getting kind of hungry," he said softly.

"No problem," Sebastian said as he came over to the bed. "I suppose we should move the wedding day a little, considering."

"Maybe by that time, they will both have their memories back," Daniel said smiling at the young man. "Just keep the faith, OK?"

Sebastian nodded and smiled weakly. "I don't know so much about this kind of thing, but I do remember how Christina was always so strong."

Sebastian's Flashback

Christina and Tess hesitantly approached and Christina watched as one of the boys grabbed her daughter's arms and started to push her up against the wall. "Tess, what do we do?" Christina muttered, but before the angel could answer, they had both looked up and could see that Adam was now standing next to Laura and when she looked at him, her eyes widened.

"No," Laura whispered under her breath as she struggled against the boys who had her cornered against the wall.

Within seconds, she could hear some commotion and she looked up to see that Sebastian had approached them and he began to shout at the three boys.

"Leave her alone," he called out as he came closer and pushed one of the boys away from his friend. "I mean it, you guys, let her go, she's done nothing to you!" The boys turned around and could see him standing there about three feet from them, his hands on his hips and the expression in his eyes was filled with contempt.

In response to this, the boys backed away, and Laura sank to the ground, her body trembling, and her eyes filling with tears as soon as she was safe. Sebastian came over to where she was now on the ground and crouched down so he would be eye level with her. He rested his hands on her shoulders, thus causing her to look up.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked softly as he took her hands gently pulled her to her feet. Once she was on her feet, he could feel that she had thrown her arms around him, and he concluded that if he did not hold tightly to her, that she would once again sink to the ground. He put his arms around her and held her as she cried in his arms.

"I-I was l-looking for you," she stammered, once she had managed to raise her head for a moment, but as soon as the words were out, she buried her face against his shoulder and allowed the tears to fall, her body trembling slightly from beneath his touch.

"You ladies really shouldn't be out here after dark, it can be dangerous, there are street gangs, and drug pushers all over the place," Sebastian said and looked at Christina and then at Tess. He continued to hold Laura in his arms, as he brushed his dirty hands through her soft hair.

"Sebastian, Laura wanted to find you, honey," Tess began. "Now that she has, we can all get out of here. They have already discussed it, you have found a family that wants to help you."

"I have nothing," Sebastian began.

Tess looked around where they were standing. "Now, you listen to me, honey, we aren't going to get anything accomplished here standing around flapping our jaws, so let's go back, I think you and Laura need to have a little chat, and Christina and I would really like to have a piece of cake and a cup of coffee."

Christina nodded. "My daughter cares about you, Sebastian, and please, believe me, we wouldn't judge you, but you probably realize that it would be best that we get out of this area before those guys do come back. From my experience, gangs see power in numbers."

Sebastian nodded as Laura looked up at him. "Please don't go."

He looked at her and nodded as Adam's words reentered his conscience. "I won't," he finally managed to say.

Sebastian's Flashback End

"I guess it reminded me that I had met a family where people looked beyond appearances, but when Christina said that she wouldn't judge me, I knew that there was something really special about her, and her family. When I got here, I wondered if people here would accept me, or see me as those boys did." He shook his head. "But, she didn't. I haven't been here very long, and I haven't known you as long as some may have, but I do know that Christina is really a remarkable person and she will get through this, just as she overcame everything else."

Jeremy smiled. "I know, and she will surprise us all."

*****

Downstairs, Christina was walking through the house as though she had come inside for the first time. She walked into the living room and hesitantly sat down on the sofa. Donna was still at the house and she came over and sat down next to her daughter and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Christina?"

She looked up and into the eyes of her mother; in the other corner Brendan was watching them with fear in his dark eyes. Rather than approach them, he remained where he had been seated and watched as Donna hesitantly tried to regain the trust of her daughter, who was now regarding everyone with a mixture of puzzlement and uncanny strangeness.

"I'm your mother, honey," Donna said softly hoping all the while to see her daughter recognize her. When she didn't, the older woman nearly burst into tears. She looked over and could see that Andrew had come out of the kitchen and the angel carried the same bewildered look on his face that Christina had.

"My mother?" The words emerged and Christina shook her head as though she was trying to remember and as she tried, the tears escaped from beneath her eyes. "I don't remember anything."

"It's OK, in time you will, honey," Donna said gently.

Andrew sat on the chair opposite the sofa and watched as Donna tried to console her daughter. When he saw the pain that was enveloping his friend, he swallowed the unconscious lump that had formed in his throat. It was natural for Christina's family to be concerned with her, but the odd sense of closeness that he shared with her family was probably the only thing he could consciously remember.

The human angel felt lost; maybe this was the one thing he now shared with Christina. He knew more about himself than she did about herself, but aside from being a good friend to her, and his name being Andrew, it was as if his memories were somehow blocked. As he watched Donna and Christina seated on the sofa, he could feel a wave of loneliness envelope him. He could see that Brendan was seated in the corner of the room and instead of speaking to the two women; he stood up and went over to the boy.

"Hello," he said softly, his voice filled with despondency, thus causing the boy to look up.

"You're not mad at me?" The boy asked all the while remembering what he had overheard the twins saying, Andrew had lost his memory too, and the strange thing was, the boy was not about to ask why, simply because perhaps in all of this, maybe this man actually was the only person in this house who would relate to him.

"No, why would I be?" Andrew asked.

"No reason," Brendan said. "Did you know that I'm named after you?"

Andrew shook his head, his memory blocked. "I don't remember, I'm sorry."

"My middle name is Andrew," the boy said softly as he shook his head despondently.

"I have the feeling that you don't know me very well," Andrew said softly as he sat down next to the boy.

"No, I don't know anyone, that's the trouble, I don't know where I fit in," Brendan said softly. "I was rude to you earlier, I figured you remembered that with the ice cream and that stupid movie."

"I don't remember much of anything about anyone, maybe that's why I can relate to you a little," Andrew said.

"Why would you say that?" Brendan looked at him.

"I don't know why, but it seems like the right thing to say. I mean; as odd as it may sound to you, I think I do understand you," he said.

"You understand me? How, especially if you can't even remember your own name, much less where you came from or who you are?" As he spoke, the boy somehow started to understand, Andrew didn't know who he was anymore than he, himself could remember his birth mother or father. After a few moments, he looked at Andrew hoping that he would say something that might help him understand what was happening.

"I can't really explain it, it's just a feeling. I have no memory of my past, and I don't know where I belong or if I have a family, or what I do for a living. I mean; there are things about me that people like Christina may remember, but I can't."

"A lot of help she's going to be to help you, she can't even remember how to write her own name," the boy said sarcastically.

"And whose fault is that?" Donna looked up from where she was seated on the sofa, and the boy's face flushed with shame when her stern eyes met his own.

"I-I'm sorry," Brendan said meekly, but instead of remaining on the floor, he got up and ran outside. Andrew was left in the room and he looked at Donna all the while wishing that he could understand what was happening.

"I guess I shouldn't have yelled at him," Donna mused softly to herself, "but this whole thing makes me so upset."

Andrew took a deep breath. "Maybe I should go outside and try and talk to him again."

"With your Swiss cheese memory?" She asked gently. "I think you need to stay right here and take it easy," Donna went over to the human angel, she could see so much fear and isolation hidden in his emotional green eyes and she could completely empathize with him. "It's OK, Andrew, we haven't forgotten you. Daniel told me about what happened, and I'm going to do everything I can to help you remember who you are. OK?"

He nodded and she took his hand and helped him to get back on his feet. Once she led him over to the sofa, he sat down next to Christina and Donna went outside to talk with her adopted son.

Once she was gone, Andrew looked over at Christina. She looks so small and frightened, he thought to himself, and without thinking he put his arm around her shoulder and drew her into his arms. Something about helping this woman just felt right, and Andrew had every intention of being there for her. He could not explain why it was important, but he knew that he if she were to find out the truth about herself, then maybe she would be able to help him remember.

Enfolded in his arms, Christina looked up at him. "You don't remember me any more than I remember you," she whispered sadly.

Andrew nodded. "I wish I could remember, Christina."

She closed her eyes for a moment; her memories hazy and she reached up and touched the bandage that was covering the side of her head. "It hurts."

"I was going to ask you about it," Andrew said softly as he took her hand away from the bandage. "Maybe you shouldn't touch it, that needs some time to heal."

"You're very kind, but you have the same problem as I do," she offered weakly.

Andrew could do nothing; he merely shrugged his shoulders.

*****

Christina and Andrew's conditions didn't change and after three days of trying, Laura was ready to give up. She had tried everything to make her mother and best friend remember who they were, and with Denise and Dawn to help her, she didn't seem willing to stop trying.

The fourth afternoon, Laura took Andrew with her to work, she figured that maybe he would remember some of the kids from a few years ago when the friends of the twins were hanging around the community center. "Andrew, do you remember you were sitting over there with Jo, Claudia, and Tiffany? It was about three years ago. Today the girls are getting ready to start high school." As she spoke, someone called her name and she looked up to see Jo Peterson waving like an overburdened windmill for them to come over and join her.

Andrew and Laura came over to where Jo was sitting, she had not changed much, she was still in a wheelchair, but this one was covered with stickers and other things. "Hey, long time no see, Andrew. You're still as cute as ever."

"She knows me?" Andrew looked at Laura for some sort of recognition and when Laura saw the bewildered expression on the face of the other girl, she quickly explained, in the hopes that Jo wouldn't be offended by Andrew's overwhelming confusion.

"Andrew has amnesia," Laura offered. "I thought I'd bring him here and he could talk to some of the folks here who know him, maybe you as well as some of the others here who know him, might be able to jar his memory."

Jo nodded, but when her mother called her, she turned and saw a brunette woman coming over to them. "Jo, do you want to stay here and look after Katie while I do some shopping?"

"You already know the answer to that Mom," the teenager laughed, but looked at Laura. "Hey, when your shift is over, could you give Katie and me a ride back home?"

"It's no trouble," Laura smiled at the teenager's mother. "Mrs. Peterson, I get done at eight and can get the girls home if that's not a problem."

"Great, I'll see you tonight, sweetie," Jennifer Peterson said smiling. "Oh and, maybe you can get her to knock it off with those crazy angel stories."

Laura's eyes widened when she heard the words of Jo's mother, but she looked almost shocked when she turned around and could see that Tess was standing in the room and she seemed to be the only person who could see the eldest of the angels.

Once Jo's mother walked away, Laura looked at the girl in the wheelchair. "Listen Jo, could you take Andrew into the hobby room and maybe see if you can help jog his memory, I have some things I need to take care of?"

"Sure, come on handsome, you can give me a little bit of a break," Jo said slyly.

"Excuse me?" Andrew looked bewildered.

"Well, it's like this, you take one of nicely manicured hands of yours and affix it around the handle of this chair, the other hand you put on the other handle, and you push me slowly through that door into the hobby room, or have you also forgotten that you're a man of brute strength?" Jo's smile was crooked as she looked at Laura and the young woman laughed out loud.

"Cute Jo, I'll be coming back through in a few minutes," Laura said as Andrew hesitantly wheeled the teenager off.

Once they were gone, Laura walked with determined steps over to the angel still in the room and motioned for her to follow her into a conference room. Once they had come into the room, Laura closed the door and turned around to face Tess. "I had this feeling that you were not visible to Andrew, or to anyone else but me. Right?"

Tess nodded. "Yes."

"Adam told me why it was that Andrew has amnesia, but I still don't understand," Laura began.

"Well, baby, the truth is, we're not here for Andrew. Do you know Katie Peterson?"

"Yes, she's the little girl who can see angels," Laura said. "You know as funny as it sounds, I believe her."

"You should, because she's telling the truth."

Laura nodded. "Tess, why does Andrew have amnesia?"

The wise angel shook her head. "I really have no idea, Laura."

"Isn't there anything else I can do for him?"

"Nothing more than what you're already doing," Tess said softly.

"What about my mom?" Laura sighed sadly as she looked over in the direction Andrew and Jo had gone in. "Sebastian and I are supposed to have our wedding in three weeks, and now with them this way, I don't know if I could go through with it." She shook her head, but when she looked back over at Tess, all she got was a look of uncertainty.

*****

Jo and Andrew were seated in the hobby room at that moment. "Do you even remember me, Andrew?"

The human angel shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jo, but I don't. Tell me about when we met, maybe that will help."

The girl nodded. "OK."

Jo's Flashback

"Hey guys, this is my friend, Andrew," Laura said as they reached the table and sat down.

"Your boyfriend?" Jo asked and the other two girls began to snicker.

"No, he's just a friend. Don't you girls have any friends who are guys?" Laura asked, but almost started giggling herself when Andrew's face flushed.

"Eeeew, that's really gross," Tiffany said as she opened the container with the blue paint inside. "Everyone knows that boys have cooties."

"Let me see," Monica began. "Boys have cooties, and boys can't be angels. What else can boys not do?"

Tiffany shot a fleeting glance towards Andrew, and instead of speaking, the girl looked down at her painting, her gaze never leaving her work.

"Should I go?" Andrew asked softly, seeing the embarrassment evident in the little girl as well as in her actions.

"No," Tiffany said softly.

Jo looked at her friend after some time had passed. "You going to tell us why you don't like boys, Tiff or do we just have to guess?"

"Yeah," Claudia said.

Monica looked at her, "you know, Tiffany, it's perfectly normal for a girl your age to not like boys. In fact, when Laura was your age, she thought boys were gross too, didn't you?"

Laura smiled and nodded. "Yes that's true, then I met Billy, and he became a good friend of mine. But, my best friend in the whole world is Andrew. I mean boys are just as capable of being a good friend, or being an angel, as girls."

"That's where I know you," Jo practically squealed looking at Andrew.

"You know me?" Andrew asked still not sure where this was going.

"Yeah, it was about five years ago, I was six, and was staying with my grandma upstate. That was before my parents and I moved here. See, my grandma was really sick at the time, and we thought she was going to die. I mean, for some reason, she didn't, but we were really scared for a while there and even had to call a priest to come in and perform last rites. But, I remember coming into the room one afternoon after school, I was six, and there was someone seated by my grandma's bed, it was Andrew."

"Are you kidding, Jo?" Claudia asked.

"No, I'm not," Jo said softly. "Do I look like I'm kidding? I mean, as I came into the room, I could hear him, he had leaned over towards my grandma and was whispering to her." She paused taking a deep breath and she looked at Andrew. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Andrew nodded, "yes, Jo, it was."

"What happened next?" Denise asked.

"Well, he looked up at me, and smiled."

"Green eyes and dimples," Laura nodded making the connection to what the little girl had said a few days ago.

"Yeah, and I looked at you and do you remember what I said?" Jo looked at Andrew.

"Yes, you said 'my grandma doesn't need an Angel of Death, she's going to be just fine'," Andrew said softly and smiled at the little girl who nodded adamantly.

"Angel of Death?" Claudia whispered. "You're an Angel of Death?"

"Yes, I am," Andrew said.

Tiffany looked at Laura. "Your best friend is an Angel of Death?"

"Yes," Laura said softly.

"OK, so I want to know why it is that an Angel of Death has to show up here and nobody dies," Claudia said softly.

"Just because an Angel of Death shows up somewhere doesn’t mean someone is going to die," Monica said softly. "The possibility does exist, like with Jo's grandma, but Andrew also helps people deal with life, and that's why he's here now."

"Like with us," Denise said softly and she looked at him. "I guess I really did hurt you when I got scared of you."

"It's OK, Denise, I truly do understand," Andrew said gently.

Jo looked at Andrew and then at her friends. "My grandma is healthy today, they say she'll probably live to be at least 80, she didn't die when Andrew was there, but she and I talk about what happened that day sometimes and she always tells me that she had the most handsome of angels watching over her."

"That's why you're so boy-crazy," Claudia said nodding, but she began to giggle when she saw Andrew blush.

"Did it help?" Tiffany asked, her voice small.

"Help?" Jo looked up.

"Yeah, did it help your grandma to know that he was there?" Tiffany asked.

Jo smiled. "Yeah, and it helped me too, because she said that Andrew told her about Heaven, so she knows what she has to look forward to."

Jo's Flashback End

"I told you that I was an angel?" Andrew asked all the while shaking his head.

"Well, you are," she whispered more to herself than to him, but when she saw the blank look on Andrew's handsome face, she flushed crimson and stared down at her lap. Maybe he just wasn't ready to know what he is yet, she thought sadly to herself and when she looked at him, she realized that the angel who had given her and her grandmother so much hope had all but vanished. When a small voice emerged some moments later, Jo had to accept that maybe it was true, maybe the angel she had known had only been a figment of her overactive imagination.

"No he's not an angel Jo, he's just a guy," Katie's voice brought her older sister out of her reverie and Jo glanced over to see that she was now standing in the doorway and looking at the two of them with a shy smile on her innocent face.

Jo took a deep breath, and when she looked at Andrew, she nodded as though she understood something that neither of them could comprehend. "Maybe she's right and it's all just a bunch of baloney," she whispered, but when Andrew reached over and rested his hand on her shoulder, she shrugged it off. "I'm OK, maybe I shouldn't have told you any of that, some things are just too precious to share and I guess that is one of those cases."

Instead of remaining in the hobby room, she wheeled herself out and once she had disappeared through the doorway, Katie looked at Andrew. "I heard all of it," the little girl said softly. "Jo doesn't know that I know, but she's really sick, and I guess she wants to believe that angels are here, but they really are."

Andrew shook his head. "I hurt her, and I really didn't mean to."

Katie nodded. "Laura will help her, she always has been there for people."

Andrew looked at Katie, "What do you know about Laura?"

"She's really nice, and her boyfriend is really cute, but he talks weird," Katie said.

"He's from Germany, isn't he?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah," Katie said. "Laura was working with us with art classes, she even brought in her daddy to help."

Andrew nodded as the little girl continue to rattle off information to him, but he could remember any of it, and he was becoming more and more depressed as the afternoon wore on.

*****

Across town, Christina was faring even worse with her memory loss than Andrew was. After Jeremy had gone to work, she had found herself sitting in the living room literally staring at four walls. She had been trying with all her might to remember who she was; yet every time she turned around, she was left with a horrible feeling that Jeremy was angry with her, instead of the condition that robbed her of knowing who her husband and children were.

For his part, Jeremy had felt absolutely horrible for leaving her alone in this state, but he knew that they needed to have some money in the house with the upcoming wedding of his eldest child as well as all of the expenses that entailed.

Sighing deeply, she realized that the twins had gone swimming with a couple of their friends and the house was completely empty. Instead of getting depressed about being alone, she decided that she would look through some of the photos and souvenirs she had collected over the years.

As she reached for the photo album that was on the top of the shelf, she could see that the year was marked and Europe was drawn below it in bubble like letters. Silently, she began to go through the pictures and keepsakes, all the while hoping that something there would remind her of the times passed. She knew that many of them had her in them, but who all these other people were, remained a mystery.

Her hand brushed across the face of her son, and she sighed deeply all the while not even recognizing his face, but all the while seeing a handsome young boy smiling back at her. As she continued looking at the photos, she realized that she didn't know who the people were. Tess, Monica and Andrew were in some of the pictures, but Christina, in this state could not even recognize the angels for what they were. She ran her hand over the texture of the plastic pages covering the photos, as she felt tears in her eyes. Who were these people, she would ask herself almost constantly, and when she felt the tears streaming down over her face, she could not block the pain at simply not knowing. She took a deep breath, her gaze still on the picture of Patrick, whom she thought a year ago that she would never ever get over his death, now she could not even remember him.

As she turned the page, she could see that she and Andrew were in a picture together and they were holding each other in a warm embrace at the portals leading into Disneyland. She ran her hand over the picture and she realized that she really liked Andrew, even though she didn't know why. It was just the thought of him that somehow made the color rush to her cheeks, and she discovered that she felt giddy when she thought about him.

Although she could not remember who he was specifically, she knew that he must have been a wonderful friend to her, simply because he had come over and tried to help her the day they had both lost their memories. Andrew, she thought as she shook her head, there was something about him that she liked, but yet the thoughts about Halloween costumes and a little girl running through the park seemed to be playing out over and over in her mind, even though she was not sure as to why.

Something about Andrew made her feel the most comforted feeling in the world, his green eyes that sparkled when he looked at her and how that particular feeling seemed to overwhelm her whenever she thought about him.

As she stared down at the photographs, she did not see that Adam was in the room and he carried a look on his face that was shadowed with sadness. Christina, of all the people he had known, was one of the strongest, and yet, right now, she was completely vulnerable. He took a deep breath as he continued to watch her movements, all the knowing that Tess and Monica wanted to make sure that they were all going to be OK since they were not supposed to come into contact with Christina just yet. Shaking his head, he continued to watch her until the doorbell rang and as she got up to answer it.

As she made her way towards it, he disappeared.

When she saw a man on the opposite side, she looked at him expecting to know him, but her eyes were sad when she did not recognize him at all.

"Chrissie, is everything OK?" The man asked and he looked at her with confusion shadowing his expression.

"I'm sorry, but should I know you?" She asked weakly.

"Mom and Dad told me that Brendan hit you on the head, but I must admit, I thought they were kidding," he began, the confusion turning into concern when he looked down at her. "Chrissie, my name is Bryan, I'm your brother."

"I'm sorry," she whispered as the fresh tears stung her eyes and she backed away from the door allowing him to come into the house.

Once inside, she looked up at him. "I feel so lost," she began. "I have been looking at pictures all afternoon and I don't remember anything."

"It's OK, in time you will," Bryan said gently.

"All I think about is Halloween and a little girl in some sort of costume," Christina said softly.

"That was when you first met Andrew," Bryan said softly.

"How old was I?"

"You were seven," Bryan said.

"How old was he?"

Bryan shook his head, "you know, I really don't know. I just remember when we went out trick or treating, you ran off and I didn't see you until later when you had come home. You said that you had met an angel that night, nobody really thought much of it until three years later."

"Who am I?" She looked despondently at her brother. "I don't know who I am anymore. I'm so scared that I'll never be able to remember again."

"You will remember, Christina," he said gently as he wrapped her in his arms. "Come on, let's get some old pictures out, and I'll tell you something about them."

Christina did as he said and within moments, the two of them were sitting on the floor with pictures scattered around them. Christina picked up a photo that had been taken in Paris of the young boy. "Who's this, Bryan?"

"That's Patrick, he was your son," Bryan said softly.

"Was?"

"He died, Chrissie, about a year and half ago. He was a wonderful young man," Bryan said softly. "The twins are his sisters, Denise and Dawn, I guess you could tell, they all have reddish hair."

"How did he die?" Christina asked.

"He had AIDS, Chrissie, he got the virus when he was ten or eleven after getting a blood transfusion," Bryan said softly. "My son, A.J., is about the same age as Patrick, and the two of them were pretty close, not real close, but they got along."

Bryan reached over and picked up another picture, this one of Olivia. "This is our adopted sister, she died about twelve years ago while giving birth to Brendan."

"All this loss," Christina said softly. "Is my family happy, I mean; with all these young people who have died?"

Bryan smiled weakly, "yes, we're happy, but like all families, we have our ups and downs." He picked up another photograph, this one of Laura and Sebastian. "You know these two, right?"

Christina nodded. "They're supposed to get married, aren't they?"

"Yes, they will be in about three weeks." Bryan said softly. "Maybe we should look at some pictures from your wedding, maybe that will help jog your memory. Do you know where they are?"

Christina shook her head. "Bryan, what is going to happen if I can't remember who I am by the time the wedding happens?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, but I will tell you this, we've always stuck together through thick and thin, I'll will do whatever I can to help, I think you know that."

She shook her head as they spent the remainder of the afternoon going through the pictures, but instead of making this easier for her to recall things, she grew all the more confused.

*****

By the time Bryan left to go home, Christina was sitting on the sofa once again, trying to figure out which pictures belonged in which books.

Shaking her head slowly, she stared down at the coffee table as the front door opened and Andrew came in, the expression on his face a depiction of hopelessness which seemed to match her own. "Andrew, but what are you doing here? I thought you were with Laura." She whispered as he closed the door and came over to the sofa.

"Laura brought me back here during her break," he began and motioned towards the pictures. "I guess she thought looking at some pictures could help me remember. She told me that she would be back here after she made sure the other girls from her class had been picked up to go home."

Christina nodded. "Bryan was here."

"Who?"

"I'm sorry, he's my brother, and at least that's what he told me. He tried to help me figure out who all these people were on the pictures, but I can't remember anything. Oh God, what if I don't ever get my memory back? I wouldn't even know how to start over again." Christina's face was a depiction of agony and Andrew immediat