Michael knew Angelique said she would be there to relieve him in the morning it was now nine-thirty and he was getting worried. He had picked up the phone to call her when he heard Alice talking to someone in the outer office.

"I'm sorry sir, but she's not in."

"Look, I appreciate your loyalty, but I know she wouldn't be somewhere else. She'd never leave this place unattended. So, if you don't mind telling her I wish to speak with her, I would be eternally grateful."

Alice was normally a very patient person, but something about the man's attitude just set her off this morning.

"I don't care what you think. I am telling you, she is not here. Outside of creating a miracle, I cannot make her materialize for you."

"I really don't have time to play games with you this morning. I am a very busy man."

Something about the man's voice sounded very familiar to Michael. Just as he was about to place the voice, the door of the office swung open and both parties seemed surprised to see the other. John recovered first. "Well, hello brother."

Alice pushed past the intruder to get herself inside. "I'm sorry Deacon. He wanted to see Ms. Angel. I told him she wasn't here but ..." looking over to John with a look of disgust, "he wouldn't listen."

Michael stood up from behind the desk. "That's not surprising."

Although younger, Michael was the taller of the two. However, where Michael was timid, tall, and lanky, his brother was bold, powerful, and determined.

Alice looked from one man to the other, feeling the noticeable tension in the room. Michael walked around to the other side of the desk and put his arm around her. "Not to worry, Alice. It's alright. I got this. Could you do me a favor and make sure the older ones are up? It's about time to get breakfast started."

"Yeah, sure Deacon."

Michael had guided her to the door, shutting it tightly behind her. As he turned to face his brother, he had noticed he had taken up position on the corner of the desk, sitting there, casually smirking at him.

"So, big brother, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Lifting one eyebrow, John looked his younger brother over from head to foot. Michael felt the disappointment radiate from John as if it were a tangible thing and immediately felt annoyed at being looked down upon as if he were inferior.

John let out a short laugh. "I didn't come to see you."

"Didn't expect you did but I'm the one you have to deal with." Michael felt totally unprepared, as he did most times around his brother.

"Where is she?" John asked.

"Hiding under the desk from you. Where do you think she is? At home," Michael said his frustration levels rising. Michael had a temper but since his brother had disowned him for going into the seminary, he had learned that no one could bring him to that level of anger, no one besides John.

Annoyed, Michael asked again, "What do you want? I know you're not here to make a donation."

"Is that sarcasm, little brother? Are you allowed to act, in such ways, in your line of business?"

Michael ignored his question. "Obviously you're encouraged to act like a jerk in yours," he said instead, folding his arms over his chest, still waiting patiently for John to say why he was here.

John just shrugged, not even denying Michael's statement. "I came to see our sweet little Angel but as you tell me she isn't here..."

"No, she isn't. She had an emergency to take care of."

"So, she's suckered you into her save the world scam, while she's off doing some other good deed for the day?"

Michael closed the distance between them. "Watch it, John!"

"My, my, we are touchy when it comes to her. I wish I knew what power that woman holds over men. Hell, she even had me believing the world could be a better place for a short time."

"It could be if bastards like you didn't pretend as if you owned it," Michael shot back.

"Michael, that hurts coming from you. So, are you sweet on Angel now? Is that how she gets you to do her dirty work while she's out trying to salvage humankind?"

It took everything in Michael's power to keep from hitting John square across the jaw. He knew John would never expect it or that he was a first-class boxer in the seminary. Just the thought of it made him feel a little better. Instead, he tried a different approach, one he knew would get under his brother's skin far faster.

"What if we were an item, John? What if I'm thinking about marrying her? What's it to you? You left her. Remember? She's fair game now for not just me but for any man with half a brain cell to know that to love Angelique is the most incredible feeling in this world and if you were lucky enough to have her love in return, you'd have to be an IDIOT ever to let her go."

John leveled his gaze at his brother, trying to discern the truth of what he was saying. Were they an item? Suddenly the very idea that there may be some truth to his words made John lose his cool. Abruptly, John stood up to face his brother and shoved him hard.

"I loved her and gave her all that I had to give, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough. She wanted complete control over my life and she would not be happy until I was as poor as she is, living in the worst of neighborhoods, taking care of a bunch of punk kids, none of which were mine. I lived in poverty for most of my life and spent it taking care of you after Dad died. I don't want to go back there again. I will NEVER go back there again, and if you were smart, you'd get off this ship because I'm telling you, right now, not even your God can save Angel or her precious St. Gabriel's."

John wanted to laugh. The look on Michael's face seemed almost comical.

"What's with the confused look, little brother? Now don't tell me your new love interest failed to mention that the shelter owes some major back mortgage payments? Or that my law firm is to close her down? It's only a matter of time. Soon this place will be closed and Angel will be out of work. Unless, of course, she was smart enough not to tie up that little religious shop of hers in with this place."

When Michael remained silent, John shrugged. "Oh well, I guess not you can build every relationship on trust."

It took Michael a moment to digest the information that John had given up on him. He knew John was bitter over Angel, but he never thought he would attack her outright by taking the shelter away from her.

Why hadn't she told him? The torment she must be going through.

Of course, that must have been the true reason for her visit to St. Joe's the other day. Knowing Angelique, he knew already why she had kept the truth from him. It was his own flesh and blood, his very own brother, that was going to cause hundreds of kids to remain homeless. His brother is going to ruin Angelique's life. He couldn't let that happen, but what could he do?

John broke into Michael's train of thought. "I can see I am just wasting my time here. I'm sure I'll be seeing you Michael but now I'm off to spread a little more good cheer."

Before Michael could say anything further, John had walked out the door, slamming it closed behind him.

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

Angelique still couldn't believe what Gabriel had told her.

"Angel, I know that this is hard for you, but you must believe. If you don't, I'm afraid there will be little I can do to help you."

"Not that I don't appreciate what you are trying to do here, Gabriel, but there is a big difference between believing that angels like yourself exist and believing I am an angel."

"Is it really so hard to believe? You've devoted your entire life to God's work. Your faith has been unshakable. You're forever looking after those who are close to you. People made fun of you because you were different, made fun of you because you cared. You've never concerned yourself with acquiring worldly possessions. Look where you live, how you dress, there is nothing vain about you. You've done nothing but devote yourself to others, like the children and families at your shelter."

"But what does that prove? I wasn't the only person who cared or volunteer my time," Angelique countered.

Gabriel continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You see things. You know things that are happening or about to happen. You feel things. People's pain, their joys, their sorrows. The things you see are your charges. You catch a glimpse when they need you most, but you haven't been there. You've been here."

Angelique squirmed under the scrutiny of Gabriel's piercing gaze. He continued.

"You are still a virgin at age 28. You've had plenty of opportunities, but you were holding out for something more. True Love, a Love that transcends time and space. Love is our ruling force, it is what we base all that we do upon, and we can not betray it. Everything you do is done out of Love."

"My God, I'd ask you how you know that about me, but it seems a little absurd considering who you are." Angelique felt shaken to her very core.

"Angel, think has there ever been a time when you have contacted someone physically and could feel their emotions? Sometimes it overwhelms you to the point you realize that although you feel strongly for that person, those feelings couldn't possibly be your own. As an angel you are empathic. You could feel it for someone you just met."

Angelique immediately thought of Rebecca, the terror she felt emanating from her, her pain, her fear of being discovered. She'd know Rebecca for less than twelve hours.

"But if what you are saying is true... wait a minute, of course, it's true, you're an Archangel, you can't lie ... right?" Angelique felt more confused and overwhelmed than ever.

"Angel, there is more I need to tell you about why you are here, but now is not the time. You're going to have to face some of the toughest challenges you have ever encountered. Things you won't understand why they need to happen but then God's plan is not always clear but all will be revealed at the proper time."

Angelique's gaze narrowed in on Gabriel. "You were the one, weren't you? The one that I spoke to time and time again when I was first found in the woods? It was you, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Angel it was me, but you stopped listening."

"I was afraid," Angelique said, playing with the cross around her neck again.

"What were you afraid of?" Gabriel asked, although he already knew the answer.

"That what the kids said in school was true. That I was different. That my parents must have been crazy people who left me in the woods to die. That I must be crazy, too. There were so many rumors about me. Where I came from." Laughing at the absurdity of it all, she said, "No one ever mentioned heaven. Outer space maybe, but never heaven."

There was a knock at the door. Angelique didn't want to take her eyes off of Gabriel. Afraid that the moment she did, she would be alone again. He held the key to so many questions.

"Get the door, Angel. I will never leave you."

"You can read minds." Nodding her head smiling to herself, Angelique said, "I will have to remember that."

Gabriel smiled a heartwarming smile and for the first time in months, maybe even years, Angelique felt truly happy.

"It won't do you any good," Gabriel teased. "Now answer the door before they wake up Rebecca."

"Right," Angelique said, jumping up to answer the door.

She didn't give a second thought to who may be on the other side. It was probably Mrs. Dolton returning Saint, but seeing that she has to return to the shelter this morning, maybe she'll ask her to hold on to him until tonight.

The knock came a second time, this time more insistent than the first. Angelique unlocked the deadbolt, but out of habit left the chain lock in place. She looked up, smiling cheerily at her visitor, who was scowling down at her.

John. Oh, God. That fast the joy that was in her heart was replaced with a sinking hollow feeling.