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Anael gasped for reassurance as she began her trek to the pearly gates. The gates were a good quarter mile away from her favorite cloud. She jumped down from the cloud and onto the sidewalks as she hurried along. Each sidewalk was a dazzling gold color, crafted out of the finest golden bricks. As she passed each person, they smiled and greeted her. Anael smiled back, offering her hellos and gentle nods.

However, she quickly picked up her pace. Gabriel held no patience for wasting time. He was a busy angel, always buzzing about Heaven with wings of fury. Anael was practically envied when Gabriel offered to spend some time with her. He held a special place in his kindred heart for Anael. They would have made the perfect team if it weren't for their vastly different personalities. Anael was a calm and well-oriented person -- always enjoying the small things of life. Gabriel absolutely loathed her decisions of spending days lying within the soft clouds.

"WHOA!" a voice called out as Anael smacked into a large form. It felt like a brick wall. She gasped, hoping it wasn't one of God's high-up-the-list men. She knew how much trouble she would be in for hurting a man of authority. She peeled herself away from the form and came face to face with a familiar face. Anael hid her disapproval -- it was Christian. His light blue eyes were hinting with humor. Anael groaned -- Christian had a passion for her. She tried to steer away of him, but all things were inevitable in God's house.

"Hello, Christian." Anael offered a small smile.

"Hello, Wind Angel."

"That's getting a little tiring, Christian."

"It's your God given name," Christian protested, "and I happen to think it suits you well, my dear. You are a gift of loveliness."

Anael blushed as Christian raked his eyes over her body. She wore a pair of white flares that clung perfectly to her shapely tan legs. Her tank top fit her body tightly too, and ended near her bellybutton. Her well-toned stomach peeked out against the sparkling jewels of paradise. She wore a silver cowboy hat atop her light golden curls. Her sapphire eyes were always sparkling with warmth. Christian flattered her way too much.

"Stop, Christian!" Anael moaned.

"But I have to compliment you."

"No, you don't."

"Yes I do, you're so beautiful--"

"Christian, I'm sorry! But I don't have time to sit here and argue." Anael made the move to get around Christian. However, Christian wouldn't see to such a thing. He extended his silver wings, making it impossible for Anael to get by him. She looked up at him with frustration. It was obvious that Gabriel would kill her again for the delay. Anael curled her fists as she dropped her hands to her sides.

He grabbed her wrist. "Please just speak with me."

"Christian! I am late!" Anael protested loudly, uncurling his fingers from her wrist. She rubbed her temples with impatience. She couldn't believe that one man could make her life in Heaven impossibly wretched. She took a deep breath, knowing that at any given point Gabriel would become furious with her.

"For what?"

"I don't know, that's why I have to go see Gabe!"

"You're fooling," Christian answered with a smile.

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"ANAEL LOURDES WHERE ON HEAVENS DOORSTEP ARE YOU?!" Gabriel's voice trembled. Anael jumped with fear. She knew what it was like to get Gabriel mad at her. She had done it once before, but only to the point where she had spilled some of the Holy Water. Gabriel eventually cooled down...after a year.

"Man! Gabe's going to kill me!" Anael squealed as she ducked under Christian's massive wing span. Christian frowned as he watched her run down the sidewalk with speeding fury. She waved goodbye to him, picking up her pace. If she had wings it would be so much easier to get there, but for now, she had to rely on her legs.

*~*~*

"I'm here! Don't kill me again!" Anael squealed as she burst into the courtroom. She saw Gabriel, head of the council, sitting at the head of the large table. Surrounding him were Mark, Paul, John, Christopher, and Thomas. Each of these men was one of God's Highest Angels. They took the task of delivering God's messages and orders for the Guardian Angels. Anael winced as she gazed upon Gabriel's tired face. His light blue eyes were toiled with fury and pity. Anael prayed that God would spare her from Gabriel's wrath.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I started running here when you yelled for me, Gabe. Brea can even tell you that much! She was laughing at me, and I told her I had to come see you! However, then I bumped into this huge wall, and I realized it was Christian. He started talking to me -- oh boy! Christian wouldn't let me go and I tried to get away, but he wouldn't listen. I'm really sorry!" Anael rambled as her hands flew to produce a more efficient effect to her story.

"It's okay, Anael," Mark chuckled, holding his hands up for her to stop. Anael closed her mouth quickly. Mark laughed again and pointed to the seat at the end of the table. "We know all your troubles, we were watching. Christian really does need a talk with us, but we'll worry about that later. Today, you are here."

"If it's about the Holy Water, I swear I didn't drop any more!" Anael whispered as she sunk into her leather chair. It felt so nice and comfortable as her body slipped down farther. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She began to wonder if she could possibly shrink into the size of a pea and escape their wraths. Paul, John, Christopher, and Thomas exchanged wry grins. "Okay! Okay! So I spilled one little drop onto the Bible, but it blessed it again, right?"

"That's not why you're here, Anael," Thomas laughed.

"Oh, it's not?" Anael breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now that you're finally here," Gabriel answered. He gave her a stern glare. He was the only man on the council that didn't seem to have a sense of humor. Anael always wondered what could make him so uptight. Then she figured that if she were helping God to run the entire Heavens, she would be a little cranky too. Gabriel loathed lateness and thought patience was the most important virtue in an angel. She held her breath as he settled into his large chair. "Do you have any idea to as why we asked you here?"

"Not at all," Anael answered.

"It's far better than the Holy Water incident, I assure you," Mark teased.

"I already apologized about that!" Anael moaned.

"We know, Anael. You're here for a grand purpose today! We're going to be discussing your first mission," Gabriel replied.

"My what?" Anael's sapphire eyes lit up like Heaven's skies.

John laughed and repeated, "Your mission."

"Really? You mean it!" Anael felt the excitement rush to her body. One thing about Heaven that was the greatest -- God allowed those in Heaven to still feel and live with the senses of the world. The only sense Anael hardly felt was pain, though. No pain was allowed in Heaven. Tears were to be left at the Pearly Gates' entrance.

"Yes, dear." Paul nodded enthusiastically. "You are to be our new Guardian Angel. Not everyone is suited for these jobs, but Anael, you absolutely glow. There's something about you. The reason we didn't use you earlier is because you had just arrived. We might have done severe damage to your soul if we had thrown you right into your destined work."

"I understand." Anael nodded, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"But it has been a year since your death," Gabriel continued, pulling out a file from his side of the desk. "So, God feels your stay is complete and you are ready to begin. He really wanted you to be a part of His group. If you work out, you'll be seeing more than just God's brightest stars." Gabriel offered a small smile. "I'm very proud to say that God has specifically chosen you for this particular assignment."

"Really?"

"It's a very high honor," Thomas agreed.

"Do I get details?"

"Everything is in this folder. You leave within the morning. Gabriel will fill you in on the nitty-gritty before he sends you back to Earth. There you will be supplied with a new identity and everything you need to survive," Paul explained as Gabriel handed her the folder.

"Thank you!" Anael gushed.

"I suppose Brea Martinez will be here to wish you off?" Thomas suspected.

"Yes!" Anael laughed. Brea was her best friend after all.

"Then we'll appoint her as your advisor. If you need her help, we'll give you a way to contact her. It'll be safer since it's your first time out. Congratulations, Anael, and give Brea the information on the case," Mark applauded.

"Thank you so much!"