At the O'Hare Airport, a man searched frantically through the crates marked for the Field Museum. He was careful not to break anything, but nerves were causing his hands to shake. His partner had lied to him. There wasn't a crate of bones among the fifty or so that had just flown in from Peru. How was he going to find those emeralds?

After he searched all the crates, he casually asked one of the guards standing outside the hangar, "Are these all the boxes that go to the museum?"

The guard checked his sheet. "No, one crate went to the museum right after it was inspected."

"Do you know what was in it?" He hoped the guard didn't get suspicious.

"Just some bones from what I heard."

"Thank you," he said when all he really wanted was to scream in anger.

Damn, how was he supposed to get the package when it was secured behind the doors of the museum? If he ever got his hands on his partner, he'd kill him.

He left the airport in a rush. He would have to regroup and figure out a new plan to get into the museum and find those bones.

Grant Carson stopped at the bottom of the staircase in front of the Field Museum in Chicago. He stared up at the grand façade and felt a sense of contentment. He was home.

"It's good to be home," he said out loud.

"Welcome back, Dr. Carson," an accented voice said from behind him.

He turned to see Danielle Weston standing on the step below him. Her usually impassive face held a small smile. He never had much contact with her except when the administrators wanted authentication of his artifacts. She often managed to make him feel incompetent and useless.

"Miss Weston." He tried to sound as if he was happy to see her.

She laughed. "I didn't come to the museum to look at any of the artifacts you've brought back. Though I heard you found some wonderful items. I've always believed the mountains in Peru held some very interesting civilizations just waiting for the rest of us to discover."

He thought of the most important artifact he brought back with him. He had managed to keep its discovery a secret and he wasn't about to give it away. "It was a good field season. I didn't think you worked at the museum on Tuesdays."

"I'm not working. Normally I wouldn't be here, but something is calling me. So I've come to spend the day." She lifted the sketchpad and pencils she carried. "I'll sketch some of the artifacts and make up stories about the original people who owned them."

"Calling?" He couldn't help but sound skeptical.

Her musical laugh sent a rush of heat through his body. "You're a scientist. You only believe in what you can see and touch." She looked out towards the lake. "I've lived long enough to realize there is more happening in our world then we will ever know."

"Yes, well, I should really be getting to my lab. Have a good day sketching." He turned and headed up the stairs.

Danielle laughed. The head archaeologist had a great ass. She ogled him as he ran up the steps. His faded jeans cupped his tight butt with nothing left to the imagination. She often wasted her time wondering what the rest of his impressive body looked like. His dark hair brushed the collar of his shirt drawing her eyes to his broad shoulders, and his brown eyes drew her gaze every time she was in the room with him, even though he was usually glaring at her. Unfortunately, she had the feeling Grant didn't spend time thinking about her unless he was annoyed about her touching his artifacts.

A strange pull came from the museum. She wondered if another fallen had come that day. Having no interest in joining the Enforcers or the unrepentant, she tried to avoid both. She thought about the vague sense of unease she had felt coming from Grant. Could it have something to do with the pull she was feeling or was it his basic dislike of her?

She made her way into the museum, flashing her name badge as she walked past the security desk. Making her way towards the back of the first floor, she glanced up at the two large elephants placed in the lobby. Smiling, she said a silent hello to them as she went by.

Wandering around the museum, she tried to get an idea of where the pull was coming from, but it wasn't from the public areas. She went down into the employee only area and soon found herself standing outside the archaeology labs. She had to laugh. Maybe her fascination with Grant was screwing up her fallen 'radar,' since she knew for a fact the man wasn't one of her brethren. Shaking her head, she turned and walked away. There was no way she was going to bother him again today.

She decided to leave. Obviously knowing Grant was coming back today had made her think something was happening at the museum. She stood on the steps and stared out at Soldier Field. Pulling on her jacket, she took a deep breath and felt a sense of coming home. New Orleans was nice, but the problems she'd gotten involved in down there made her happy to get back to Chicago. Flagging down a cab, she decided to go home for a while. She knew her cat would ignore her out of anger and spite. Princess didn't like her human being gone any longer than a day. She settled back into the seat and brushed her hair out of her eyes. New Orleans had been a learning experience for her.

When she was an angel, she had done all the right things and tried her best to stay out of trouble. In one foolish moment, she went against her normal cautious nature and she fell with the rest of them. Had she ever thought God would forgive them? Maybe He would some day, but she wasn't going to wait around for Him to make up His mind. She also wasn't going to become a hunter for Him. There was no way she would prey on her fellow fallen. Pity welled in her heart every time she thought about the unrepentant. They had never found happiness or contentment in the world. They would always long for Heaven and their wings.

She watched the buildings speed past and thought about those fallen who hunted the unrepentant. Dominic had been the first Enforcer she had spent any time with and she wondered if he was typical of the kind. She had thought Enforcers were as crazy as the unrepentant. Both sides were trying to find a way to end their exile. Enforcers did clean up so Mika'il, the Father's archangel, could do his usual work.

A smirk graced her face. She wasn't sure what Mika'il's usual work was. He seemed to spend more time bothering the Enforcers than helping mortals. He didn't visit her very often because she chose to stay out of the way, and she tended to irritate him when he did talk to her. She didn't hold the archangel in awe. She knew he had a hard time of it, keeping mortals in line and trying to keep the fallen from killing everyone. Hard way to make a living, she thought.

Sure it is, but I would rather be doing this, the archangel's voice echoed in her head.

She laughed. Why? There have to be other things you can waste your time on. We've always been difficult to handle.

Difficult tends to be the definition of fallen. Mika'il was amused. Thank you for the help with Dominic. I want you to know he and Teresa are doing well.

Thank you. They're good people.

Yes, they are, and so are you.

The cab stopped outside her townhouse and she paid the driver. Walking in the door, she was greeted by the pitiful meow of the small black cat waiting in the hallway. She knelt down and brushed her hand over its head. Its little bobbed tail wagged in joy to see her. It cried out again.

"I know, Princess. I'm sorry I haven't been around lately." She dropped her purse and bag on the Queen Anne table in the hall as she made her way into the kitchen.

Princess wrapped her body around Danielle's ankles. Danielle laughed and opened the cabinet to grab a can of tuna. She always treated the cat to something special each time she came home. Grabbing the cat's dish, she dumped the fish into it and set it back down. She made a sandwich for herself and went into the living room. Standing there, she looked at the furniture she had amassed over her lifetime. Her love of antiques explained why she was an antiquities consultant. She had several museums as clients, plus private collectors. The older the stuff was, the better she liked it. Maybe it was because she was an antique herself. She wondered vaguely how much she would be worth if her true age were known. The phone rang.

Picking it up, she curled up on the couch. "Yes?"

"Hey, girl. How are things going?" Janet asked.

"As well as can be expected. What's up with you?"

"Just calling to make sure you haven't forgotten about your birthday dinner tonight at Geja's." Janet laughed. "Did you stop by the museum to see your hunky archaeologist? I remember you said he would be back today."

She grimaced. "I did stop by, but not to see him. Unfortunately, he saw me. I don't think he was as thrilled to see me as I was to see him."

"What is it about that man? I've never seen you lust after one without doing something about it."

"I don't know. There's just something about him. Maybe it's his ass. The way that man fills out a pair of jeans could make a woman weep."

"I'll have to stop by the museum so you can introduce us. I'm always looking for a new man." Janet laughed again.

"I don't think he's your type, girlfriend."

"What's my type exactly?"

"He's a lot smarter than your normal date. You tend to like them muscle-bound, young and rich. He's got muscle, but he's not rich." He's far younger than you, Danielle, she thought.

"I'm willing to overlook him not being rich as long as he's good looking. I might take a chance."

"He's drop dead gorgeous, but I don't think I'll introduce you." Danielle pictured his well-muscled body and how it would feel held tight against her.

"You want him for yourself." Janet sighed. "All right. I'll let you have him as a birthday present. Just remember I gave him to you."

She laughed. "Thanks for the present, Janet. Now if I can only get him to see me."

"You will. It's only a matter of time." She heard a voice in the background. "I've got to go. I'll see you tonight."

"I'll be there." She hung up.

Princess jumped up on the cushion next to her and meowed. She rubbed her hand over the cat's head and smiled. There was something soothing about hearing a cat purr. Relaxing, she finished her lunch. When she was done, she took the plate back to the kitchen and decided to go take a nap. She was still tired from participating in the Vodou ceremony down in New Orleans.

When Danielle's alarm went off, she woke up slowly. She had dreamed of a white room and Mika'il standing there welcoming her home. Shaking off the strange feelings created by the odd dream, she headed to the bathroom and started the shower. The steam filled the room. Undressing, she watched herself in the mirror. Her body was perfect as befitted an angel. Her breasts were firm and her legs well muscled. She ignored the scars on her shoulder blades and the butterfly tattoo inked into her left shoulder.

She climbed into the shower. The hot water beat down on her tired muscles. She wished she could stay home and rest, but it was her birthday dinner and her friends would expect her to be there. While she washed her hair, she thought about Dominic and Teresa. The week she stayed with them had been the most eventful time she'd ever spent. She rarely had anything to do with her brethren. She found it hard to deal with the self-pity and self-righteousness of them. Yet Dominic had his act together for the most part and she couldn't help but think she might have been hasty about pushing them away.

Watch it, Danielle. You might even come to care for your fellow fallen. Mika'il's voice laughed in her mind.

"I don't know if that's possible." She spoke out loud.

Why not?

"We tend to be a selfish egotistical lot. I'm not sure I'd be able to spend a lot of time with them." She turned off the shower and dried off.

Checking the clock, she realized she needed to hurry if she wanted to get to the restaurant on time. Waving a hand, she dressed herself. She pulled her brunette hair up, allowing curls to hang down and caress her neck and cheeks. A little blush and mascara and she was ready to go.

Happy birthday, Danielle, Mika'il offered.

"Thanks. It's probably silly to celebrate when I don't actually have a birthday. Mortals get nervous when you tell them you don't know when your birthday is. So I made it up and told them I'll be thirty-two this year." She laughed as she grabbed her purse and keys.

The archangel's laughter joined hers. Darling, you're thousands of years older than thirty-two, but I'm not sure your friends are ready to celebrate your true age.

"You're right. Besides it would have to be a huge cake to hold all those candles." She leaned down to pet her cat, but the black feline ignored her as expected.