Michael smiled up at Angelique and soaked up her tears with his bandaged hands. "You are going to see your dad in a minute so we can't allow for any more of these," Michael said as he wiped the tears from her face and his own.

Angelique smiled.

God, he loved seeing her smile.

"You know..." Angelique began, "I don't know if I have any brothers or sisters, but if I had a choice, I'd pray for a sibling like you."

"Ditto for me, Angelgirl. In fact, can I trade you in for the sibling I do have?"

Angelique smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

"What?" Michael asked with feigned innocence.

"John isn't all that bad," Angelique replied.

"Who you trying to convince yourself or me?" Michael asked. "Because if it's me, you're going to have to try a lot harder than that."

Angelique wasn't sure. "I know it sounds strange, especially coming from me, but the past few times I've been with him, he's been different somehow. Like today, for example. He was there for me. In fact, he brought me here. I would have never made it here in one piece in my state of mind. As soon as Mrs. Duncan called, we were on our way."

"Wait a minute, John was with you?"

"Is with me," Angelique corrected him. He came as soon as he heard.

"But you said John warned you last night that something might happen."

"That's right," she said.

"So, what happened between last night and the phone call if John was still in your apartment to answer it?" Michael asked with that smug smile both brothers shared, and it provoked the same response no matter which brother displayed it. The sudden urge to knock it right off his face.

Angelique wasn't about to answer that question. "None of your business, but because I don't want your mind to wander... nothing happened."

"Uh, huh," Michael said, still smirking.

Angelique was about to defend her virtue to Michael, but the doctors had finished with Rev. O'Bryan. Appearing from behind the curtain, the heart specialist had approached.

"How is he doing?" Angelique asked.

"You are?" he asked.

"I'm his adopted daughter, Angelique O'Bryan," she said, holding up her ID badge.

"Well, as you may have already learned, your Father's heart attack was massive. I've been after him for some time now to lose weight, get his cholesterol levels under control to ease up on his heart but well...as I'm sure you know he can be a very stubborn man."

"I'm sorry Doctor...," Angelique began, "but are you trying to tell me he would have had this attack, anyway?"

"Well," he began carefully, "we can't say that for sure. The excited state he must have been in at seeing the church catch fire. His heart having to labor to help his lungs breathe in all that smoke had definitely aided it to come quicker."

"What now?" Angelique asked.

"Now we wait. The next twenty-four hours being the most critical in accessing the damage done to his heart. Another concern is we've found a blood clot. It is imperative it doesn't travel or it may cause a stroke."

The doctor rested a hand on Angelique's shoulder in comfort before explaining, "The body can cause clots because the heart needs to develop scar tissue to heal. They are fairly common. He can be treated with blood thinners. We will keep a close watch over him, I assure you. Your father has always been generous with his time visiting with patients and staff here at St. Vincent's you can rest easy, he is in the best of hands."

Angelique nodded. "Will surgery be necessary?"

"That remains to be seen, but if there are any new developments we will notify you at home or we will reach you on your cell. Just be certain the nurse's station has all your information."

"So, why is he still unconscious?"

"He needs time to heal, Ms. O'Bryan. His body needs this time to recover. He isn't in a coma if that's your concern but when will he awaken? That will be up to him."

"Thank you, Doctor. Can I see him, now?"

"Sure, let him hear your voice. The nurses tell me you're his pride and joy. Whenever I've seen him, he's always talking about his angel. Until now I had always wondered if you were really an angel or a person the way he talks about you."

Angelique smiled a sad smile. She was supposedly both, but she was powerless to help this man she loves so much.

Angelique took a deep breath and stepped behind the divider. She gingerly picked up his hand and pressed it against her cheek, nuzzling against it.

"You sure know how to get yourself into trouble, don't you? I bet you didn't even tell Mrs. Duncan that you needed to change your diet."

Sighing, she desperately tried to stop the tears that threatened to surface again. He looked so lifeless and pale as she ran the back of her hand against his roughened cheek. "You must get better, do you hear me? I can't handle this crazy world without you. You're the only one who really knows me and accepted me with no questions asked. Please, come back to me. I need you in my life."

Placing a kiss on his fingers, she bowed her head and prayed harder than she had ever prayed before.

- - - - - - - - -

John felt like a caged panther. Pacing the waiting lounge for Angelique to return. Mrs. Duncan looked at him with consideration as she sipped her tea. "John, come sit beside me." John looked at the chair but couldn't quite convince himself to stay still.

She knew he went to see his brother, but obviously, it must not have been a warm reception, for he returned as quickly as he left.

"John, Michael loves you, you know. I know you have had your differences in the past, but surely you need to put an end to this feud between the two of you?"

"Mrs. Duncan, Michael is a grown man and whatever he so does with his life is up to him, but there is more than his vocation that keeps us apart." John's thoughts drifted to Angelique, and he thought bitterly that now he had one more thing to envy Michael for.

Agnes couldn't quite read the thoughts that crossed his mind, but she knew by his look that they weren't pleasant. "Care to share?"

John stared down at the mothering look she gave him and was almost undone. It has been so long since he allowed someone else to share his burden. Only Angelique had penetrated his defenses. His burden was substantial. He knew to protect himself and her; he had to keep her locked out, but it was becoming harder to bear. With a deep sigh, he sank down onto the couch next to Mrs. Duncan, suddenly too tired to continue pacing.

She smiled at him and he thought, why couldn't my father have married someone like her. She obviously had a lot of love to spare instead he lived a life of poverty and loneliness that was until he took his own life. How could he explain to this woman the terror of finding Michael standing, weeping over his father's dead body, an insurance policy in hand with a letter asking for the money to be used to complete Michael's education?

He cared so little for himself that his father gave his life to better his brother's and, as irony would have it, his brother opted for a life of poverty by joining the church. What angered him more was the fact that his father did not come to him with his financial difficulties. He could have saved him. At the time he had little, but he had enough.

Money caused his father's death. So money was never to be a problem again for him or for his brother. John worked even harder to make it so and then there is Angelique. Someone who does not believe that money can save a man but can only bring him to ruin. Thinking of how miserable his life has been... perhaps she wasn't wrong.

He had failed her. He wanted Angelique to accept something he knew she would never agree to. Letting her go was the hardest thing he's ever done, but he wanted her to have the freedom to live in her world of wonders and miracles. He did not want to taint her idealism with his harsh reality.

Fate is cruel, however, and has placed her directly in his path again. He knew now he'd do anything to have her in his life. He loved her so much it hurt. He just couldn't bear to lose her again. Then he thought of her in Michael's arms. The knife's edge dug a little deeper. He was already too late.

Mrs. Duncan sat in silence with John at her side. She turned to look at him and saw the tear slid down his cheek. Wiping it away in a motherly fashion, she soothed, "It will be all right, John. You'll see."

------------------

Angelique had said her farewell to both her Father and Michael, stopping briefly by the nurse's station to give them the information they would need to contact her. Then she sought the man who brought her here. It surprised her he did not see Michael, especially after the way he had reacted to her wanting to see them alone first. Maybe he was just trying to give her the time she needed for her visit, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Angelique prayed for her Father, Michael, the parishioners of St. Joe's who were now without a church, Mrs. Duncan, and even John. She prayed that he and Michael may one day put their differences aside and become actual brothers again. She knew it was something Michael desperately wanted, despite all his jibes about exchanging siblings.

She found as she prayed a sense of restlessness growing within her. She had to leave because she felt the anger welling up inside at the people who caused this pain. She should have been able to make it stop. What good was being an angel, if that's what she really is if she couldn't even help those in need? Or protect the people she loves, her Father whose life is in danger, Michael who hides his pain behind his wit, the children of St. Gabriel's, even John from himself.

"Gabriel," she thought, and her anger found a target. Where the hell was he? Didn't he realize how much she needed him? Someone has to put a stop to this madness. As she entered the waiting lounge, she held in check, barely controlled rage at her situation. She wanted justice, and she wanted it now.

Both Mrs. Duncan and John stood as she rounded the corner, startled by her presence. John was about to ask if she was ready to go home, but didn't get the opportunity. Suddenly coming around the other bend was Gabriel St. Claire, who had the same expression of retribution reflected in his face that Angelique had on hers. Angelique spun on her heel and stormed right up to him, her frame dwarfed by Gabriel's towering figure.

So angry, she saw red and now she had her sights set on him. "Where the hell have you been?!" she yelled, throwing her hands up in the air in an exasperated fashion.

"Now is not the time for this, Angel," Gabriel ground out through his teeth.

"No! Of course not! It's never the time, is it Gabriel?! Tell me when will it be the time? When my father, Michael, or myself are killed? Then will it be the time? Is that it, Gabriel? Do I have to die first, in order to get some results around here? Is that what your boss is waiting for?"

"You forget your place, Angel! It is time you remember. You're coming with me." Gabriel went to reach for Angelique, but John took a defensive position between them.

"The lady is not going anywhere. She has had enough for one day, I think."

This is what he wanted. Gabriel needed John to believe, to protect, to care. Only John's timing, as usual, in dealing with most human cases sucked.

"This is between Angel and me. Stand aside, John." Gabriel would not be waylaid. Angelique was falling fast. He had to reach her. To save her. There has been too much at one time not to shake her faith. At the moment she was more human than an angel and that left her susceptible to those that wished her harm. If she lost all faith, she would become out of his reach for good.

Gabriel leveled John with a look. "I said, 'Stand aside.' "

John refused to move.

It was infuriating being an angel in a human's world. Gabriel did not enjoy playing by human rules. Free will made everything harder. "I get that you're vested, but I have an agenda to fulfill. Don't make me tell her? Back off!"

John looked at Gabriel confused, "Tell her what?"

Gabriel raised his eyes heavenward, sending up a silent prayer. He received his answer. His gaze locked with John's.

"Okay, if that's how it needs to be, so be it." He looked past John to set his sights on Angelique. "We have evidence that connects his law firm directly with those that set fire to St. Joe's. In fact, they hired the boys, isn't that right, John?" Gabriel asked, looking back to John.

John's face was set like granite, giving away none of the emotions he felt. No matter what he replied, he would incriminate himself and therefore damning himself in Angelique's eyes. He now understood Gabriel had tried to give him an out, but like the fool he was, he didn't take it. It was only a matter of time before something like this would turn up. It was the exact reason he came to Angelique last night, fearing these people might try to harm her. He knew what they could do.

Angelique came to stand between the two of them, looking first to Gabriel and then back to John. All energy fading fast from her form. "John?"

Within his name lied her question to him. The look in her eyes pleaded for the statement to be denied. Surely he wouldn't have associations with people who try to injure or worse, kill a witness to make a case. The group of teens were working on their own to screw up the case to free one of their gang. Yet no matter how intently she stared at him the denial never came, never passed his lips. The only thing that passed between them was time.

Enraged again, she lunged for him. "You bastard! It was your brother they were trying to kill!" Tears flowed freely down her face. "Do you know that?! My father was an innocent victim. Their target was Michael!" she screamed, as she pounded her fists against his chest.

John just stood there, taking it.

Gabriel needed to put an end to her tirade. He reached out to her. His hand touched her shoulder in the appearance of comfort, but she collapsed. Knowing what was coming, Gabriel had caught her before she fell to the floor. Sweeping up her limp form into his arms with ease, he said, "She's fainted. I'm taking her to the emergency ward downstairs."

As he moved away from John, John took a step towards them.

Gabriel stopped in his tracks and whirled on John. "Haven't you done enough? You are not what she needs right now," and with that said, he turned his back on John, with Angelique in his arms, storming off toward the elevators.

John was so angry he punched the nearest wall and stormed off in the other direction, leaving Mrs. Duncan, who was now sitting on the couch, bewildered about what exactly just took place.