Disclaimer:

I don't own Monica, Tess, or Andrew. They belong to Martha Williamson & CBS. I also don't own the song To Love You More. That belongs to Celine Dion.

Claimer:

I do, however, own the characters of Katie & Erin. Also the last names of real people have been changed for privacy.

This is semi-based on a true story.

ETC:

Katie & Erin are in the seventh grade.

Dedication:

To my friend Cassie and her two children – thank you for the courage to write this. To my friend Jamie – I love you, babe. Stick around for a while.

Part 2

January 14th, 1998

4:16 am

Erin looked at the clock. As usual, she had gone to bed early to avoid dinner, but now she was restless. She sighed, got out of bed, and walked over to her closet. On the top shelf was a black journal. Don't Touch! was on the cover in masking tape. She walked over to her desk, flipped on the desk lamp, and began to write.

Behind her, unseen, was Raphael. He looked as Erin wrote down the words that were in her heart. The angel had to close his eyes from the pure hatred and sadness that poured from the girl.

1st period

Erin caught up with Katie in the hall, and the two walked to class. It was the beginning of the fourth quarter at school so everyone's schedules had shifted, so now Tess had the two girls for first period chorus.

She watched wistfully as the two entered the class a few minutes late, and took their seats. Erin in the alto section and Katie in the soprano section – if only they would sing. Tess knew they had beautiful voices – she had heard them jut the year before, when they were giggling eleven year olds. Tess had come to the school to watch the children in the place where she had worked during the civil war, and two voices had drawn her to the auditorium. Katie and Erin ran around the huge wooden stage singing Prince of Peace. Their two innocent voices intertwined and Tess delighted in the sound – as did the Father.

Tess broke out of her reverie, as the room became rowdy.

"Class! Class!" She shouted, and the children became louder.

"Everybody – shut up!" Two voices yelled. The room became dead silent.

Tess' eyes passed between the two girls, as she shook her head, and then began class, "Today, we'll be singing 'To Love You More'"

Tess watched the girls – and the three angels standing behind their charges.

4th period

Monica watched Katie and Erin settle into their chairs. The two were being fairly quiet, and they both appeared that they had never cried that morning.

"Good morning, class. I know that the change over in classes was a wee bit confusing, so today will be a study hall." Monica said.

The class broke into small groups, and they began to chat amongst themselves. Katie and Erin sat back against their chairs, and looked at the ceiling. Each was unaware of the other's thoughts – suicide.

Unknown to the kids, but seen by Monica, was Andrew. Dressed in an ivory suit and a white button down shirt, He glowed with God's love. But his expression was that of sadness, and he looked between the two girls wistfully. He knew what they were thinking. He didn't need them to say it.

Monica walked out into the hall and Andrew followed behind her.

"Please tell me that they aren't going to…"
"Yes. Or at least they are going to try."

"Together?" Monica asked, glowing.

"No. Erin doesn't know Katie is going to try, and Katie doesn't know Erin is going to try." Andrew said, peeking into the room. He stole a glance at the girls.

Monica willed her tears not to shed – didn't anyone notice them? Monica looked up, and began to speak, "Please Father! Don't let them die!" She cried, and Andrew hugged her to him. Monica had watched over Katie, even when she was asleep, and she was attached to her – even if Katie didn't feel that way too.

7th period

Cafeteria

Monica looked around the room for Katie and Erin. When the quarter had changed, Erin & Katie were placed in the same lunch period. Monica was in charge of attendance and the two girls were missing.

Andrew stood up, and, as two tears slipped down his face, walked past Monica. After he was past the cafeteria door, he lit up and headed towards where Katie was. He was aware of Monica chasing him, and she caught up with him a few seconds later.

"Please, Andrew! It can't be time yet!" Monica begged in her Irish accent. Her eyes were wide in fear.

"I have to, Monica. He told me I had to." Andrew said, continuing to walk toward the room where Katie was sitting on a desk and holding a knife to her wrist.

Monica looked at her friend, but knew it was useless. He was under the orders of the Father and he wouldn't deter – not in a millennia. She looked solemnly at Andrew, and began to pray. 'Father, I know you have a plan. And I know not to question it, but why them? How could their deaths be connected to the Plan? Please spare them, Father. Please, let them live. Let them experience life before they lose it. Amen.'

Andrew and Monica came to a stop in front of the Social Studies room that Monica had been teaching in. There was nobody in there this period, leaving Katie to do what she felt she had to do. The two stood unseen, as Katie watched the metal of the knife glint in the dim sunlight.

Katie snorted, "This is all that stands between me and death." She said to herself, looking at the skin on her wrist. She looked at her right wrist and contorted it in front of her eyes. "A few centimeters of skin."

Monica held herself back, as Katie put the cold metal to her skin. She looked at Andrew. He shook his head – He hated suicides, and he hated them even more in children. However, they weren't allowed to interfere. Monica racked her brain for a way to stop this with out disobeying the Lord. She wasn't in time.

Katie pulled the knife along her skin, and the knife tore it wide open. She watched in horror at what she had done. Crimson blood oozed out from her flesh, and Katie felt herself start to fall backward. But someone caught her.

Katie looked around this couldn't be Heaven, but this wasn't hell either. A field of flowers and gentle hills is what lay before her. She had never seen this place before.

"This is the place between Heaven and Earth, Kate." A voice from behind her said.

Cautiously, Katie turned around. Her twin sister stood before her. "Emilie?" Katie said, holding back her tears.

"Hi, Kate." Emilie said, looking at her sister. Both had aged to twelve, but there was an obvious difference.

Emilie's waist length golden-brown hair was half-up and half-down, and her hazel eyes glistened a rich brown. She wore an ankle-length, lavender sundress with no sleeves. It had strings to tie in the back, and they hung down to make the dress look elegant. Around her neck was a gold chain with a gold cross and a gold baby ring on it, and around her wrist was a name bracelet, which had the name 'Emilie Margaret Julia' engraved on it in cursive lettering. To top off her ensemble, she wore no shoes on her small feet, which Monica delighted in – someone else had a thing against shoes too.

Katie, on the other hand, was wearing what she had gone to school in that day – a skintight, long-sleeved, black shirt, with billowy black windbreaker pants. Her hair was pulled back, as usual, and her eyes were dull. The shirt, which clung to every curve of her body, revealed how thin she truly was and she covered her stomach with her arms.

"Oh, sis." Emilie said, walking to her sister and placing a hand on Katie's cheek, "Do you know why people have come here?" Emilie asked, as Monica and Andrew appeared behind Katie.

Katie shook her head, unaware of the two angels behind her.

"I call it the Elysian Fields, but Andrew could explain this place far better then I." Emilie said, looking at the Angel of Death.

Katie flipped around, looked at Andrew, and then hung her head.

Andrew knelt down to get Katie's gaze, and spoke, "This is the place for those who have things to resolve, before they go Home. Katie, you shouldn't be here yet. You're supposed to be sitting in lunch laughing with friends."

Katie shook her head, "I have no friends. All I have is Erin."

"Katie, Look at me." Andrew looked into the pools of brown; "I was supposed to take you Home tonight. But prayers from a friend made it possible for us to end up here and not Home."

Katie was silent.

"You will live. God doesn't want you home yet. He doesn't want Erin either." Andrew said.

"But I don't want to live." Katie cried.

"Why?" Monica asked, gently, kneeling next to the child.

Katie looked at Monica, searching the Irish angel's face. After a moment, Katie opened her mouth, "It's a lot of things."

"Like what, brown-hair?" Emilie asked her sister. Emilie knew what the things were – she'd been watching Katie from Heaven, and she knew what had hurt her sister. Katie, however, never said these things aloud – she never wanted to, but saying it would save her.

Katie was silent for a moment and then began, "Danny's gone, I have no friends, Mom and Dad hate me, Christopher's a jerk, God hates me, and you're dead." Katie said, looking at Emilie as she said the last thing. She looked down, "Why me?"

The two angels looked at each other. She truly did believe God hated her.

"God doesn't hate you, Katie Gabrielle Anna Elizebehe. He loves you very much. That's why he sent us to you." Monica said with her accent – the accent Katie was comforted by. "If he hated you, he wouldn't cry for how much you hurt. If he hated you, he wouldn't have given you Erin to be friends with."

Katie looked at Monica. Erin was her friend, but that didn't matter. "If he loved me, why did he take Emilie away from me? Why? She's my sister – my twin. You don't know what it's been like the last five years. You don't know what it's like to know that you will wake up and your double won't be there to pick out clothes with, or do homework with, or to gossip with." Katie said, her voice harsh and detached.

Andrew answered, "He took her Home because it was her time. Katie, He loves Emilie as much as you do, and it's the driver who killed Emilie – not you. You can't blame yourself anymore." Andrew paused, and motioned for Emilie to come kneel beside him, "Look at her, Katie. She's happy. She doesn't blame you – right Emilie?"

Emilie nodded her head, "Kate, It wasn't you. It was my choice to spend the day at Jamie's, and it was his choice to drive drunk. It was just a bad combination – and it wasn't your fault."

"It isn't?"

"Nope." Emilie smiled – One burden was gone from her sister. Emilie looked toward the skies of the 'Elysian Fields'. "You know what, brown-hair? I think it's time for you to go back, and go on living." Emilie leaned closer to her sister and began to whisper, "And there'll be a surprise for you when you wake up."

Katie looked at her sister, "Erin. Whatta 'bout Erin?"

Andrew smiled at her, "That's already taken care of."

Raphael looked at the girl before him. Flanked by Tess, he approached Erin, who'd been hiding in a janitor's closet on the first floor. He knew she'd seen him – she was supposed to, and his luminescence placed her in a state of awe.

"Who are you? What are you?" Erin asked, softly. She put down the bottle of ammonia, and looked at the two angels.

"We are angels sent by God to tell you He loves you, Erin Elizabeth Connelley. He loves you and He loves Katie."

Erin looked at the two, "If you're angels, then you know what He did. He took away my friend and Kate's twin. He hates us."

"That's not true and you know it, Baby." Tess said, starting to walk closer to the girl, but Erin backed away. "Don't be afraid."

"He doesn't hate you," Raphael began, "And you know it. You just don't want to believe anymore. You know it isn't His fault that Emilie died – it was because the driver was drunk." Pausing, Raphael threw a look to Tess, "Katie knows it wasn't her fault. She will get better over time. So will you."

Erin just stared in disbelief.

"Baby, you need to find Katie. You need to find her fast." Tess said.

Erin looked at them – what are they talking about? First, She's getting better and then they say to go find her.

Raphael noticed to the quizzical look on the girl's face, "She came to school with the same intent as you. But she can leave with hope – if you find her."

It hit Erin and she ran past the two angels. She ran out the door and began looking to classrooms and yelling Katie's name.
A few doors away, Monica, Andrew, and a semi-conscious and hopeful Katie heard and each smiled.

Katie opened her eyes. She knew where she was – the hospital. She sat up to look around and saw Erin lying in a bed near the window. She was asleep, and her eyes were red. Her parents were in asleep in chairs.

Katie's parents and her brother were asleep on the floor. Andrew, Monica, Tess, and Raphael were standing near the door, watching the two girls and Katie delighted in that. She thought they would have left her – as most people had after sampling her negative personality. Yet they were here, and Andrew walked over to her. He hugged her close to him, letting her feel that he was here – he hadn't abandoned her or Erin.

Monica, Tess, and Raphael followed behind him. Each hugged her the same as Andrew, and then stepped back to look at her.

Katie smiled, and her face lit up.

"See. Is that so bad?" Andrew teased.

"Nope." Katie said, and then looked at Erin, "She's okay, right? I'm not going to lose her too?"

Raphael looked at her, "She's going to be around for a long time."

A feeling of peace finally settled within her and she sat back. She held on to Andrew's hand, ignored the black stitches that stood out defiantly, and fell back asleep with a smile on her lips. The angels smiled at her act and Andrew gently put her hand down.

Monica leaned over to her ear and began to whisper, "He loves you, Katie. He always has and He always will." She stood back up and looked at Erin. Erin's green eyes stared back and she smiled, then rolled over to face Raphael.

"You remember that, too. Promise me you'll never forget it again." He said, his hand on her cheek.

"I promise." Erin said, softly. She smiled, sat up, and wrapped her arms around him. She kissed his cheek, and laid back down.

Taking Tess' hand, Raphael joined the other two and walked out of the room. They walked down the hall and disappeared at the end of it in a blaze of light.

From nowhere, a single white dove flew across, cooing softly at the happiness displayed by all.

Cassie Jamie

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