Subj: Where Are the Angels chapter 36
Date: 7/8/01 3:22:05 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Melissa Stocker

Angèlique stood in front of the red office door, this was to her last visit. She was returning to Collinwood tonight. The Devil had told her that she would need to know some things before she returned.

"Come in," the Devil called. The door opened and Angèlique walked inside. The Devil sat at the desk, this time the Devil was dressed in black robes, still looking like Josette. "You are ready to go back?"

"I believe so," Angèlique said.

"Before you go there are some things I must tell you. First of all time as you know it does not apply here. Things have been going on up there, Josette is pregnant with Barnabas' child."

"How can that be?" Angèlique asked.

"A miracle?" the Devil replied with a look on her face that Angèlique couldn't quite interpret.

The rest of conversation Angèlique only half heard, her mind was racing. Josette still had Barnabas, why hadn't he made her like him?

"Joshua knows what his son is," the Devil said breaking through her thoughts. "He found them together, after she found out she was pregnant. Things have gotten quite complicated haven't they," the Devil said with mirth in her voice. "You must go now."

Angèlique found herself being walked out of the room, and back to her quarters, where she watched the men in black packing her things.

Things had grown very complicated, but she was stronger now. The spirits she had met had shown her many things, and nothing would be able to stop her now.

She had met a kindred spirit, she wished she could say goodbye. He had told her how he had become a warlock, their stories echoing each other's.

He was waiting for his love to return, he hoped she would be reborn soon.

Perhaps we shall see each other again sometime Nicholas, Angèlique thought.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Josette looked at herself in the two-way mirror. She had to get new clothes; the baby had grown a lot over the last couple months.

"Let me see how you look," Peyton said knocking on the dressing room door. Josette opened the door and struck a pose. "That looks great. Here try this," she said handing her a dress. Josette turned and took the shirt off and slipped the dress over her head. She took off the pants and smoothed the dress.

"I like it, what do you think?" she asked.

"It's cute," Peyton said. "When are the girls coming out?"

"Next month," Josette said turning in the mirror.

"So soon?"

"Well maybe, but Therésè is moving in with Peter. Louisa and Virginie are coming to help her settle in."

"What happened to Paul?" Peyton asked. "I thought Therésè was engaged."

"They were, but they drifted apart while she was here, when she returned they found out that they were looking for different things in life."

"At least she's happy," Peyton said.

"Aren't you happy with Andrew?" Josette asked looking at her friend.

"I thought that I would be but I don't think we were meant to be together as a couple. I love him, and he loves me, but it isn't a romantic love. I've been talking to Sebastian he wants to get back together."

"I think you should he was a great guy, he seemed to like you a lot."

"He is great. I don't know why I ever broke it off with him. Wait I do, Andrew wanted to try to work things out."

"Give Sebastian a chance, you deserve to be happy," Josette said.

"So do you," Peyton said.

"I'm doing much better," Josette said, she hated that she had to lie to her friend, she just wished that she could tell everyone about Barnabas.

After Josette picked all the clothes that she wanted, they walked back to the hotel.

"Doesn't this remind you of our college days, weekends in Paris, shopping going to clubs," Peyton asked.

"Yes, shopping for maternity clothing the memory is so fresh in my mind," Josette said smiling at her friend.

Peyton rolled her eyes, "I'm glad you decided to come up to New York, you needed to get away from that place for a while."

"I'm fine, I've got friends, Peter and I have become very close, and Therésè will be there soon. And Joshua and Naomi have been so supportive. They've been so wonderful, and they been through so much."

"Well I still think that this trip will do you some good. Now what do you want to drink?" Peyton asked as they sat at the table in the hotel restaurant. "I'll have a Cosmopolitan."

"I'll have an iced tea," Josette told the waiter.

"Make sure it's a regular iced tea," Peyton told him, the waiter smiled and nodded walking to the bar.

"You know I almost wish I didn't decide to have a naming party, I've come across so many names that I love," Josette said as the waiter gave them their drinks.

"You don't have to pick any of the names that you get from the party," Peyton told her.

"I know but I feel that I should."

"Is Noah seeing anyone?" Peyton asked.

"I thought you were going to give Sebastian a chance."

"I am, Louisa called, she seemed really interested in him, I guess since she's coming out to help Therésè move she and Noah could get together, I guess."

"It seems that everyone but me had a happy ending after that party," Josette said.

"Hey, don't talk like that, look what you got, your going to have a beautiful daughter. I know that it would be better if Barnabas were still here to help you, but you'll make it and who knows maybe you'll find someone."

"I don't want to think about that now," Josette said sighing.

"Come on let's talk about something else, you're leaving tomorrow, and I won't see you till the party."

"Okay, what do you want to do?"

"How about we go see a movie?"

"That sounds good but which one?"

"Hold on a second," Peyton said, "Excuse me," she said to the waiter, "Do you have today's paper?"

"I think there's one up front," he said.

"Thanks," she said.

Peyton took the paper and looked over the movie section, "Here have a look," she said.

Josette looked it over, "Let's go see Bridget Jones's Diary. I loved that movie."

"Okay, great we have time for something to eat, I'm starved."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Josette waved to Peyton from her seat in the car the Joshua had sent for her, when her friend was out of sight she leaned back into the seat. She began to think about the dreams she had been having lately.

Her mother had been in them; it was odd that she was dreaming of her mother now. It had been years since she dreamt of her. Before it was always her mother coming home, alive. But now she was actually talking to her. Telling her how proud she was of her little girl, then she began to warn her daughter of the danger that was still present.

She couldn't get these dreams out of her head, she couldn't remember what the danger her mother warned her was, she wished she could remembered more, but she could only recall bits and pieces of these dreams.

Now she being driven back to Collinsport, to Noah's office where Noah and Joshua would plan how they are going to cover up the truth of baby's conception. She tried not to let it bother her, she knew that this was the only way it could be, no one else could no about Barnabas, and there was no way she would say that this child was anyone else's, but his.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Noah smiled as Josette entered the office, "You look beautiful," he said.

She smiled, "I just can't believe it when people tell me that, I feel so strange. One minute I feel wonderful then the next I think I could rip the head off the first person I see."

Noah laughed, "So how are you feeling now?"

"Good, I feel good," she said sitting down in the chair that Noah moved for her. "Where's Joshua?" she asked.

"He'll be here soon, he called and said that he was leaving his office," as Noah finished the door to his office opened and Joshua stepped inside.

"Sorry I'm late, Josette how are you?"

"I'm doing very well Joshua," she said.

"Excellent, Noah and I have been talking for a while and we decided that it was time that we all got together and discussed when the baby is to be born. Now as you know we cannot wait till you're actual due date, since that would be too much time for the baby to be late. So we will have to induce the labor."

Josette nodded, "I know."

Noah moved to her side, "If there was any other way I wouldn't do this but we both know. . . " he paused.

"Noah I know, I will not say that this is anyone's child but Barnabas, and if this is the only way that I can do this then so be it."

Noah went to his desk and pulled out a calendar, "Josette you're actual due date is December 20. The best scenario I could come up with is that I have to induce the labor because the baby is late, to everyone's knowledge. So the day I came up with is November 21."

"How does that sound to you?" Joshua asked.

"I don't know? Will it be safe for the child?"

"The will be small, but that can be explained away easily, we'll keep it in the hospital so everything will be fine," Noah said reassuringly.