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When Violet finished, the entire congregation was on their feet clapping and cheering and Henry was brought to tears. “Who knew Henry’s little angel had the voice of one?” the parishioners all whispered amongst themselves. Henry certainly didn’t.  Neither did Jeremy, who sat watching in the front row in disbelief of what he just witnessed….Vivian singing. Jeremy wondered what was going on with her. Watching her take the stage like that made him feel as if he never really knew her at all. He left before mass was over, sad and confused about everything.

Church service had ended and the parishioner’s couldn’t stop praising Violet for her “angelic performance” as they referred to it.  Violet thanked them all and asked Henry if he was ready to go. Henry looked at Violet proudly and said, “Any other amazing hidden talents up your sleeve I should be aware of?”

“I don’t think so, but if I notice any I’ll be sure to email you in advance!” She grinned and winked back at Henry. Henry didn’t care where her new talent came from, he was just glad to have his little girl back, healthy and happy. “Come on sweetheart. Let’s get out of here!” Henry put his arm around Violet and the two of them left for home.

They arrived minutes later and Violet went inside to change her clothes. She couldn’t help but notice what a gorgeous day it was in Newcastle. The sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. She decided she needed to get out of the house and told Henry she was going out for a while. Henry threw the keys to the car and reminded her that school started tomorrow and not to be late. Violet looked at the keys in her hand and then to the driveway where Vivian’s little white Volkswagen Beetle convertible sat waiting for her. Violet couldn’t help but think, from all she knew about Vivian, that this would be her vehicle of choice.  She thought about it for a moment and then threw the keys back to Henry and said she preferred to walk. Henry was concerned, knowing how much his daughter loved to drive her little car with the top down on beautiful summer days like this, but he knew that things were changing with her and he needed to just go with it.

Violet headed out not having a destination in mind. They lived in a quaint modest home on the edge of town near the church where Henry worked. There were many large horse and cattle ranches surrounding them with acres of open meadows and gorgeous hillside valleys. Violet
started walking down the road away from Newcastle and toward the open plains. When she got out of Henry’s view she began to jog, picking up her pace to a full blown run, feeling the wind almost burning her face. Violet forgot just how wonderful it felt to run fast and free with no one watching over her. She passed the ranches and meadows at the speed of light until she had reached the Black Hills Forest.  She had traveled twenty th
ree miles in a matter of seconds
.

Violet found herself on a trail in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by an outdoor paradise that almost felt like home. It was a magically serene place where the air smelled like pine from all of the trees that seemed to reach up to the sky. Since school was starting tomorrow, the forest was desolate and free of vacationers, hikers, and campers that often frequented the hills in the summer. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Violet sat for a moment on a giant boulder just off the path to take it all in.  She had just run twenty three miles without breaking a sweat and had begun to feel like herself, like a Guardian instead of a recovering cancer patient. It felt good!

Violet saw something flittering in the sky as she peered through the tall
ponderosa
pine trees surrounding her. The sun was in her eyes, hindering her from seeing the image above.  Suddenly, Violet could see something coming at her as it moved speedily into the sunlight’s path. Swooning faster and faster now right in her direction, she prepared for the attack. Violet quickly darted behind the boulder she was sitting on and ducked out of sight. The unknown creature flew past her so forcibly it left behind a trail of its feathers all around her. She picked up a feather and looked around to see where the creature had landed. Suddenly it clicked.  “That was no evil creature,” she thought to herself. Violet smiled as she held the feather in her hand knowing exactly where it came from.

“Hello Gabriel!” she shouted happily.

Gabriel unexpectedly appeared behind, her grabbing the feather from her hand.

“I believe this is mine,” he said as he yanked the feather from her hand.

Violet turned around, happy to see her friend, but angered by the alarming surprise visit. Gabriel really liked keeping Violet on her toes. He took every opportunity he had to teach Violet how to react under surprise attacks, but she always passed his little tests and today was no exception. He told Violet she always needed to be prepared to defend herself and that their enemies could appear at any time in any form. The eagle was signature for Gabriel, formerly an Arc Angel.  He was a messenger that always appeared as an eagle to deliver his messages before he was chosen to be a Guardian.  She felt silly hiding behind the rock, telling him if she weren’t blinded by the sun she would have seen him coming. His response was like always, “Sure you would have Vie!”

As they walked through the trees, Violet could hear the sound of the wind softly sifting through the stately ponderosa pines. They came to a clearing at the edge of a gorge with a roaring creek below. A log footbridge crossed the creek above the cascading water below.

“Beautiful performance you gave today by the way,” he said with his providential smile.

“Glad you approved!” she replied back to him sharply.

“It really is beautiful here isn’t it Gabe?” she said.

“Yes,” Gabriel said. “There is much beauty to admire here.” Gabriel was looking at Violet, not at the scenery before them. The two of them were closer than any two guardians had ever been before.  They had a special unbreakable bond that started from the very first moment she landed at the Gates.  Gabriel was a fully matured Guardian, which put him at the human age of 21, but Violet was still young, a teen, she had not yet reached full maturity. Violet was unique. She had already developed abilities that only the most mature and experienced Guardians possess. Gabriel and the others were anxious to see what potential powers she had left to develop with full maturation. She was indeed an enigma.

“Gabe?” Violet called to him but he did not answer. She turned around scouring the area for her friend that seemed to have disappeared into thin air. “Another game Gabriel?” she yelled.

“Vivian? Is that you?” she heard a velvety smooth voice call out from below. She looked down and saw HIM, Carter Stone, the boy that brought her here to this world to fulfill her destiny. She thought he was even more beautiful than he appeared in her dreams. Her heart stopped for a moment and then began to beat faster and faster. It was exhilarating for Violet just to be looking at him.  Add that voice to his height, sexy broad build, and rugged good looks and there was reason for Violet to swoon.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Oh, just enjoying the beautiful day.”

“God did that sound lame,” she thought to herself.

“Who are you here with?” he called up to her again.

“
Myself…
and you?” she returned the question.

“Same here,” he said

“Do you come here often?” Carter began the hike up the cliff as he spoke to her.

“Yes, no, I mean I don’t know?” she added.

“Oh yes, that’s right I’ve heard about…” he was interrupted mid-sentence by Violet.

“My amnesia?” she finished his sentence.

“Actually I was going to say I’ve heard about women changing their minds but I didn’t think it would be 3 times in one sentence as you just did,” Carter noted for the record.

“
Hmmmm
…,” Violet noticed the mischievous smile now painted on his face.

Carter arrived at the top of the cliff on the opposite side of the log footbridge. He had been fly fishing in the stream below, which explained Gabriel’s sudden exit. He looked amazingly beautiful again standing across the footbridge wearing only a pair of tan cargo shorts and his sun kissed rippled bare chest. He looked at Violet on the other side standing at the edge of the cliff with the tall pines cascaded behind her and thought something seemed different.  She looked casual and free instead of the well put together coy girl he knew as Vivian. She was wearing a pair of fitted navy athletic shorts with a tight white spandex tank top and a pair of sneakers. Her long hair was loosely tied in a low side ponytail that coiled down the front of her shoulder and rested on her chest. She was exquisite standing there with nothing but the sunlight glistening on her skin. Carter felt drawn to her, even captivated by her beauty and wasn’t sure why he hadn’t felt this way before today.

“So, since you obviously have a hard time making decisions, how about I make one for you?” he said.

“I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions thank you,” she sputtered back to him.

“Like the one you’re making right now?” Carter smiled at her again mischievously.

“And what decision
am
I making right now that concerns you?” Violet questioned him curiously.

“The one to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Carter twirled his index finger around and around motioning her to look behind her. Violet turned and saw a huge brown bear heading straight for her. She was a bit alarmed, not knowing if he were friend or foe and figured it would be a little too early in the mission to bust some moves in front of the subject. She had to proceed with caution remembering that a normal female response should be to panic. That was not really the route Violet intended to take with Carter’s eyes watching over her. She remained calm and then turned the tables on him.

“So, wouldn’t a strong, brave, decisive, male such as yourself save the damsel in distress or didn’t you read that story as a boy?” Violet did not move an inch nor show any fear of the giant bear approaching.

“Well you don’t strike me as the Cinderella type, standing there all calm, as Mr. Grizzly over there gets ready to dig into his lunch,” Carter said.

“Maybe not, but are you a Prince Charming
? ”she
taunted him back. Carter was intrigued by her bravery, but quickly realized her stubbornness was going to get her killed. So he acted.

“How about we meet half way?” he bargained with her. The bear was steps away from Violet now and Carter just watched her cool calm demeanor as she pondered her choices.

“So A, I stay here and let this beautiful ferocious bear have me for lunch or B, I meet you half way across this footbridge and save myself.

“That’s right Pocahontas…you choose!” he shouted beginning to worry now.

Violet took off her shoes and socks and quickly tied her laces together and swung the sneakers over her shoulder. Carter watched adoringly at how naturally resourceful she was. He couldn’t understand how something so delicate, as she, could be so fierce.  It was alluring to Carter and he relished every second of it.

“Come on Prince Charming, let’s see what you got!” Violet headed out across the log barefooted with ease and grace as did her counterpart. They both gazed intently into each other’s eyes, neither breaking hold nor looking down. Violet felt like she was headed straight to her destiny when walking to Carter. There was a light within him that suddenly became visible externally and poured into Violets soul. It was a gripping and strong connection she felt to this person at the other end of the footbridge.

The bear watched and waited as the two of them met in the middle of the log. A long minute had gone by with neither of them saying a word. They just stood perfectly still, smiling, and gazing at each other.

“Well here we are,” Violet said.

The bear moved toward the edge of the cliff and began to push at the log with his giant paw, throwing them off balance.  They both wavered in balance as the log shifted but fought to remain sturdy like they were competing against each other. They were about to lose that battle because the brown bear lifted his paw ready to strike down the log. Violet looked at Carter and said, “Now what?”