Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

Justin stepped off the plane, looking around cautiously. "Justin!" he heard a voice call out. He walked towards it, and his mother and stepfather were close behind. He saw a man with brown hair and brown eyes.

"You must be Chris," he reasoned.

"That's me," Chris said.

"Chris, this is my Mom, and my stepfather Paul."

"Hi, I'm Chris Kirkpatrick," he said, shaking their hands. "Mrs..."

"Harless, but call me Lynn," she said.

He grinned. "Lynn it is. And you're Mr. Harless then?"

"You got it, but you can call me Paul," Paul said, shaking his hand.

"That works for me!" Chris grinned. "So, I'll drop you off, then bring Justin over to my apartment, is that okay with you?"

"All right," Lynn said doubtfully. She still wasn't sure about this whole thing.

"We'll probably go over to the studios and see Lou, too, he wanted to meet Justin," Chris said. "If that's okay with you, of course," he added quickly but politely.

"That's fine," Paul said as they got into Chris' car.

"Great," Chris smiled. He was already beginning to feel like an older brother to Justin.

Lance appeared and sat down in the front seat. But just then, Justin sat down -- on top of him. "Ah!" he yelled, jumping up. "That's a bit uncomfortable," he said. The feeling of someone sitting on him -- rather, through him, because he wasn't exactly solid -- always made him shudder. Justin shuddered too. He got a cold feeling there. Usually, when Lance made contact with someone, they felt a warmth. But when it was sudden, like passing through him, it was cold. Lance didn't always understand it. He shrugged and listened in on the conversation for the rest of the ride.

"James!" he heard when they were at Chris's.

"Uh oh..." he thought, then let out his wings and flew upwards. "Yes, sir? Is this about the s..." he trailed off when he saw Nikolas's curious gaze. "Um...nevermind," he said.

"No, tell me, what was it?"

"Nothing!" Lance said brightly. "Nothing at all! What makes you think I would do anything wrong?" He flashed an angelic smile.

Nikolas narrowed his eyes, but finally smiled. "Of course not. You're perfect. Now anyways, you're not in trouble," he assured him. Lance sighed in relief. Nikolas grinned.

"There's been an update. I wanted to let you know that you'll be coming along in two weeks, or so," he said. "So after they bring in Joey, you'll be there within a few days." Lance nodded. "Oh, and one more thing?" Lance looked at him quizzically. "Please keep your troublesome side to a minimum down there? The practical jokes and the sarcasm?"

Lance pouted. "But why?"

"Because you wreak so much havoc up here, we don't know how they'll be able to handle it," Nikolas said.

Lance gave him and impish smile. "Me?"

Nikolas grinned. "Yes you. Stay out of trouble down there, okay?"

"Yes sir!" Lance saluted.

Nikolas watched Lance fly down. They all loved him up here, despite the practical jokes. He knew another angel had been pranked, but he didn't know who. Lance had let something slip, but Nikolas figured he'd find out soon enough. Lance was the youngest guardian, not only in the age he died, but for the length of time he'd been dead. He'd died a horrible death, but didn't seem bitter in the least. He was always around to make the others forget how serious they should be and they were all glad for it. Everyone knew who he was. He could always be serious though, even when joking around a little bit. He knew when it was time to be serious, and he guarded Joseph fiercely.

There had always been the little accidents that Joseph had when he was young, going to emergency room so many times that the nurses all knew him by name. But that wasn't all James' fault, Nikolas knew. Most of the time, the little accidents had been a result of James stopping something far more serious. There was the time that Joseph had been contemplating suicide. James did everything he could, and eventually, he had to resort to showing himself, just a reflection, because that was the rule. And it had worked. Joseph had realized the implications of suicide, and never thought about it again. As a matter of fact, Joey had completely turned around from that day, and was always around to cheer anybody up. He carried the white feather around with him everywhere. Nothing fazed him anymore, because he knew nothing was so bad that he'd have to kill himself. Nikolas had James to thank for that.

And he knew that every time Joseph got hurt, James got angry at himself for letting anything happen. And that was the sign of a good guardian. Nikolas knew that he'd be able to handle taking care of the other three as well, even in human form. He also knew how much James wanted to go back to earth. He'd seen all of the different things that went on down there now, as opposed to when he'd been living. Especially since he'd lived in Mississippi for all of his short life, and there hadn't been much there in the 1860s and '70's. Well, there wasn't much there now either, he reasoned, but that was all right, he'd be spending much of his time traveling. He watched the angel skip back and fourth between the houses of his new charges, spending most of the time at Joseph's, his original charge. When Joseph had been born, they knew James was perfect for the job. He'd been a little sad at another charge's passing, and they knew he'd need a little relief. Nikolas smiled. Yes, everyone loved and appreciated James up in Heaven. No matter what the job of the other was, higher or lower in stature, he treated them all respectfully.

Except for Benjamin. Benjamin and James, Nikolas thought, shaking his head. They hadn't gotten along when James was alive, and now, when they were both dead, they still couldn't get along. They were rivals, of sorts. Benjamin had been involved in James' death, though he wasn't the main cause of it. The main causes were all down in Hell. Benjamin was the only one out of them that had made it to Heaven, and that was because he'd risked his life to save many people one day. He'd saved almost a hundred, all at the risk of his own life. It had been a test, and he passed with flying colors. He died a natural death, but once in Heaven, chose to look like he did at age twenty-one. The same age as James, but James didn't have the luxury of choosing, because he'd never made it past age twenty-one.

Nikolas shook his head sadly, as he remembered hearing about James' death. It truly had been horrible, and no one deserved to die like that. Nikolas sighed, and watched the blonde angel continue to skip from house to house.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 4 Justin stepped off the plane, looking around cautiously. "Justin!" he heard a voice call out. He walked towards it, and his mother and stepfather were close behind. He saw a man with brown hair and brown eyes. "You must be Chris," he reasoned. "That's me," Chris said. "Chris, this is my Mom, and my stepfather Paul." "Hi, I'm Chris Kirkpatrick," he said, shaking their hands. "Mrs..." "Harless, but call me Lynn," she said. He grinned. "Lynn it is. And you're Mr. Harless then?" "You got it, but you can call me Paul," Paul said, shaking his hand. "That works for me!" Chris grinned. "So, I'll drop you off, then bring Justin over to my apartment, is that okay with you?" "All right," Lynn said doubtfully. She still wasn't sure about this whole thing. "We'll probably go over to the studios and see Lou, too, he wanted to meet Justin," Chris said. "If that's okay with you, of course," he added quickly but politely. "That's fine," Paul said as they got into Chris' car. "Great," Chris smiled. He was already beginning to feel like an older brother to Justin. Lance appeared and sat down in the front seat. But just then, Justin sat down -- on top of him. "Ah!" he yelled, jumping up. "That's a bit uncomfortable," he said. The feeling of someone sitting on him -- rather, through him, because he wasn't exactly solid -- always made him shudder. Justin shuddered too. He got a cold feeling there. Usually, when Lance made contact with someone, they felt a warmth. But when it was sudden, like passing through him, it was cold. Lance didn't always understand it. He shrugged and listened in on the conversation for the rest of the ride. "James!" he heard when they were at Chris's. "Uh oh..." he thought, then let out his wings and flew upwards. "Yes, sir? Is this about the s..." he trailed off when he saw Nikolas's curious gaze. "Um...nevermind," he said. "No, tell me, what was it?" "Nothing!" Lance said brightly. "Nothing at all! What makes you think I would do anything wrong?" He flashed an angelic smile. Nikolas narrowed his eyes, but finally smiled. "Of course not. You're perfect. Now anyways, you're not in trouble," he assured him. Lance sighed in relief. Nikolas grinned. "There's been an update. I wanted to let you know that you'll be coming along in two weeks, or so," he said. "So after they bring in Joey, you'll be there within a few days." Lance nodded. "Oh, and one more thing?" Lance looked at him quizzically. "Please keep your troublesome side to a minimum down there? The practical jokes and the sarcasm?" Lance pouted. "But why?" "Because you wreak so much havoc up here, we don't know how they'll be able to handle it," Nikolas said. Lance gave him and impish smile. "Me?" Nikolas grinned. "Yes you. Stay out of trouble down there, okay?" "Yes sir!" Lance saluted. Nikolas watched Lance fly down. They all loved him up here, despite the practical jokes. He knew another angel had been pranked, but he didn't know who. Lance had let something slip, but Nikolas figured he'd find out soon enough. Lance was the youngest guardian, not only in the age he died, but for the length of time he'd been dead. He'd died a horrible death, but didn't seem bitter in the least. He was always around to make the others forget how serious they should be and they were all glad for it. Everyone knew who he was. He could always be serious though, even when joking around a little bit. He knew when it was time to be serious, and he guarded Joseph fiercely. There had always been the little accidents that Joseph had when he was young, going to emergency room so many times that the nurses all knew him by name. But that wasn't all James' fault, Nikolas knew. Most of the time, the little accidents had been a result of James stopping something far more serious. There was the time that Joseph had been contemplating suicide. James did everything he could, and eventually, he had to resort to showing himself, just a reflection, because that was the rule. And it had worked. Joseph had realized the implications of suicide, and never thought about it again. As a matter of fact, Joey had completely turned around from that day, and was always around to cheer anybody up. He carried the white feather around with him everywhere. Nothing fazed him anymore, because he knew nothing was so bad that he'd have to kill himself. Nikolas had James to thank for that. And he knew that every time Joseph got hurt, James got angry at himself for letting anything happen. And that was the sign of a good guardian. Nikolas knew that he'd be able to handle taking care of the other three as well, even in human form. He also knew how much James wanted to go back to earth. He'd seen all of the different things that went on down there now, as opposed to when he'd been living. Especially since he'd lived in Mississippi for all of his short life, and there hadn't been much there in the 1860s and '70's. Well, there wasn't much there now either, he reasoned, but that was all right, he'd be spending much of his time traveling. He watched the angel skip back and fourth between the houses of his new charges, spending most of the time at Joseph's, his original charge. When Joseph had been born, they knew James was perfect for the job. He'd been a little sad at another charge's passing, and they knew he'd need a little relief. Nikolas smiled. Yes, everyone loved and appreciated James up in Heaven. No matter what the job of the other was, higher or lower in stature, he treated them all respectfully. Except for Benjamin. Benjamin and James, Nikolas thought, shaking his head. They hadn't gotten along when James was alive, and now, when they were both dead, they still couldn't get along. They were rivals, of sorts. Benjamin had been involved in James' death, though he wasn't the main cause of it. The main causes were all down in Hell. Benjamin was the only one out of them that had made it to Heaven, and that was because he'd risked his life to save many people one day. He'd saved almost a hundred, all at the risk of his own life. It had been a test, and he passed with flying colors. He died a natural death, but once in Heaven, chose to look like he did at age twenty-one. The same age as James, but James didn't have the luxury of choosing, because he'd never made it past age twenty-one. Nikolas shook his head sadly, as he remembered hearing about James' death. It truly had been horrible, and no one deserved to die like that. Nikolas sighed, and watched the blonde angel continue to skip from house to house.