Well... best laid plans. Unfortunately, I've been dealing
with a case of the flu since the 30th and, thus, my plans for
JABB among other things haven't really come together. I'm
doing better than I was last week but wear out really easily and
am struggling to concentrate. I was finally able to finish
the Christmas story yesterday... albeit a rushed version.
So there definitely wasn't any time to work on the story that I
hoped to send the start of today. So, instead, I'm sending
this piece that I wrote after Our Flag Means Death
finished its second season. Without getting too spoilery,
something happened with the character whose parallel is Iggy in
"The Lost Sheep." So, after that, I wanted to give old
Iggy some closure. Eventually, you'll see how JenniAnn
comes to play her part in the demon redemption scheme described
in the story. But, for now, here's a glimpse into it about
five years in. I am sorry that Andrew doesn't appear in
this. I usually don't put stories in the newsletters if
Andrew doesn't appear. I thought about writing a coda that
included him but, frankly, I'm just too tired. That being
said... I did find a scene I wrote back when the demon
redemption plot was supposed to be part of "The Advocate."
And Andrew's in that so I'll go ahead and include that, too.
Anyway, I hope everyone is staying well and enjoying 2024 thus
far!
God bless,
Jenni
The Spark of
Creation
Circa 2028
"Sorry... sorry! I know I'm late." JenniAnn chugged
some coffee as she ran to St. G's dressing room. "Belle is
having quite the day... Gotta love the teen years!"
Crowley chuckled.
"Wouldn't know. Never been a teenager. Never raised
one."
JenniAnn peeked around the curtain and grinned.
"You're a perpetual teenager, Crowley. Ugh... Should I
go with purple today? Yes, I'm feeling purple."
After another few moments, JenniAnn stepped out from the curtain
adorned in a crushed velvet purple robe.
"Circlet," Crowley reminded.
JenniAnn sighed as she put it on.
"After all these years, is all this pomp and circumstance really
necessary?"
"Yes. They're used to a strict hierarchy. So... you
need to look regal. And it's for your own safety. It
makes you look at least a little intimidating."
Crowley straightened the circlet.
"All right... Am I good?"
"You're good."
The two hurried to the lobby where Aziraphale was waiting.
"Oh good! I was starting to worry. Sit, sit."
JenniAnn obediently sat in her appointed chair with Aziraphale to
her left and Crowley to her right.
And they waited.
And waited.
"All right, 'office hours' are nearly over," JenniAnn declared
after fifty five minutes. "I don't think anyone is..."
She was interrupted by an eerie blue light forming in the center
of the lobby.
"Here we go..." Crowley whispered.
JenniAnn stared at the short and thin but still intimidating "man"
who had just materialized. He had a hard but handsome face
beneath thick graying hair. As so many of the demons were,
he was clad from head to toe in black... save a brightly colored
bracelet around one wrist. JenniAnn recognized it...
Little Anahera had given her a very similar one.
"I... have come seeking the Fair One," the man announced.
JenniAnn remained transfixed by the bracelet until Crowley elbowed
her. She startled and peered at her visitor.
"I am the Fair One."
The man... demon... shuffled uncomfortably under her gaze.
"Your name," Crowley demanded.
"My name is Iggy."
"Iggy..." JenniAnn repeated. "Why does Iggy..." She
grimaced. "Iggy!" She jumped onto her feet and tore
towards the demon.
Crowley was quick to follow and grabbed her, pulling her away.
"He hurt my Ed!" JenniAnn bellowed.
"Your Ed? I... Well, I thought he was gay now," Iggy
pondered aloud.
"He is gay!" JenniAnn shot back. "And what's it to you?"
Iggy took a few steps back.
"It's nothing. I was only confused is all. You said
'your Ed' like..."
"He's my dear friend Ed. And... I suppose I'm pretty
protective of him is all."
Iggy remained confused. Everything he'd heard had told him
to expect an ice queen. This woman still looked like she
wanted to beat him up and was only being kept from it by the
former Serpent.
"Why are you here?" JenniAnn demanded.
"I..." Iggy's voice faltered. "Perhaps I was
mistaken. I heard you help demons find their way back.
I had hoped..."
In spite of her anger, the way the demon's face had fallen touched
JenniAnn.
"I'll go now." A resigned Iggy turned away.
"No!" JenniAnn called. "No... I... I'm sorry. I do do
that. Help demons find their way back. It's
just... It doesn't often happen that they're demons that
have any history with anyone I know and I was thrown. And
with Ed having recently been sick..."
Iggy, who had been nervously twisting his bracelet, looked up in
surprise.
"Sick? How was he sick?"
It was JenniAnn's turn to speak with a faltering voice.
"He, umm..." She shook her head, trying to drive away the
memories. Adam carving the turkey-like substance... passing
around the dinner rolls... and then Ed suddenly falling off his
chair, clutching at his heart... Steve crying and holding him
while Anahera screamed bloody murder.
Aziraphale rested a hand on JenniAnn's back.
"JenniAnn, dear, would you like me to answer Mr. Iggy?"
JenniAnn forced a smile and blinked back tears.
"No, uh, I'm fine... I'm fine..." She focused on Iggy who
had gone pale. "He had a heart attack a few months
ago. He's doing much better now. It... it was just
scary."
"A heart attack..." Iggy repeated. "But he looked so healthy
when... when I last saw him."
"Yeah... It... it really came out of no where. They
sometimes do." JenniAnn drew in a calming breath. "So
you're trying to find your way back to God?"
Iggy nodded.
JenniAnn removed her circlet. She felt exhausted now and
didn't have the energy to play act.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I... I miss him."
"God?"
"Yes. But also... Ed. I miss Ed."
"But... he never mentioned any particular closeness. Your
were his supervisor but..."
"Listen, down there supervisors aren't the warm and fuzzy
types. But... that doesn't mean I didn't pay
attention. He... In the beginning, he'd draw.
People he knew. Animals. And it reminded me... of
Him. Of the beginning. Of the plans. Even
there..." Iggy tapped the floor. "That... spark of creation
never fully extinguished in Ed. I miss that spark."
JenniAnn hummed quietly as she thought of a song by that name and
tried to clear her head.
To her surprise, Iggy began to sing.
"'Let there be... The spark of creation burning bright
within me. The spark of creation won't let me rest at
all... Until I discover or build or uncover, a thing that I
can call my celebration of the spark of creation...'"
JenniAnn's eyes began to fill.
"How do you know that?"
Iggy shrugged.
"I take in a little theatre when I can."
"Okay, well, from one Stephen Schwartz fan to another...
This is all just a charade, Iggy. I don't do anything.
I'm here because you all got it in your heads that God doesn't
want to hear from you any more... that you need an advocate.
So I say the magic words: 'Hear ye, oh Lord, our prayer and grant
unto Insert Name your mercy. Welcome them back to their
heavenly Home.' And then He does. But it was never
about me. You could do that yourself at any time.
Just... try it. Please. Doesn't even have to be those
words. He... he misses you, too. God does."
Iggy looked doubtfully at her then looked to Crowley.
"She's not lying," he assured.
"All right then." Iggy peered up at the ceiling. "I,
umm, I'm here. And I'm sorry and I miss You and I want to
come back Ho..."
And, in a flash of light, Iggy was gone.
A small bell that rested on the table beside Aziraphale chimed.
JenniAnn smiled and wiped at a tear. It was goofy and
kitschy... but Joshua knew she loved It's a Wonderful Life
so he always rang the bell to assure her when another angel made
their way back Home.
"Good for him," JenniAnn murmured. "Good for him."
The End
Credit: "Spark of Creation" by Stephen Schwartz from Children
of Eden
It's a Wonderful Life
And now that excerpt from the as-yet-unnamed
origin story for the redemption plot. It's set shortly
after the events of "The Advocate."
JenniAnn squeezed Andrew's hands then brought them to her lips.
"It'll be all right. I'll never, ever be alone with
them. But... I want to do this, Andrew. I just...
you... you are my heart, Andrew. You... our family... they
mean everything to me and... and I wouldn't change a thing.
I really wouldn't. But... every job I've ever had... even
here... I've had it because of a family member. I teach
because Vincent asked me to. When I worked at the Phoenix,
that was Catherine. So was the little stint at Joe's
office. And here at St. G's... it was your assignment,
Andrew. I just glommed onto it."
"Laja..."
"That doesn't mean it was bad or wrong or that I regret it or I
want to stop doing it. I really, really don't. I mean
someone has to untangle Crowley's hair and I... I love my time
with Joshua."
"You have your group with Aziraphale, Laja. That's all your
own."
JenniAnn nodded.
"It is. That's true. But I sit there and hear about
Azrael in intensive care units the world over and Takoda helping
on reservations across the continent and now Kelly's helping
people who have lost children to gun violence and you... you're
all over the world doing amazing things and... my life, wonderful
as it is, starts to seem so... insular. This... this would
be a chance to make a difference well beyond our circle. And
I... I want that. Maybe... maybe I need that. Avi...
he grew up so, so quickly. Our four-year-old can read,
Andrew! He... he doesn't need me during the day like he used
to even a year ago and... and on the days I don't teach and don't
have group... I've been feeling restless and..."
"You're human, Laja. You shouldn't compare yourself to
angels when..."
"But how can I not when... when I'm surrounded by you?" JenniAnn
exclaimed. She caressed Andrew's cheek when she saw she'd
hurt him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound
like that. I don't regret that. I don't. I
really don't, my love. I... I want to be surrounded by
you. You collectively... I love you all. But... you
especially." She wrapped her arms around him and smiled when
he did the same. "When we're like this... I'm content...
blissful even."
Andrew sighed when she planted a kiss on his neck.
"I love you so much that I think, sometimes, my heart will burst
with it. But when you're not at home... when I think of all
you must be doing... all the lives you're touching... I want that,
too. And to think of all the lives that could change by
bringing even a few demons around. Andrew... it would be
immense."
Andrew nodded against her hair.
"It would... but it scares me. If... if any were
deceitful..."
"Then Crowley or Ed or whomever was there would protect me.
Maybe... maybe we could ask Joshua to let you be there. At
least the first few times. Please?"
"You've never needed permission from me for anything, Laja.
You know that."
"No. But I'd like my anam cara's blessing. I... I need
that, Andrew."
Andrew sighed again and pulled JenniAnn closer and nuzzled her
hair.
"You have it, Laja. My blessing. But... yes, I would
like to ask Joshua about that and if... if anything did happen..."
"Then we end the program right there. I won't gamble with
our life together, my love. I promise."
Andrew nodded then cupped JenniAnn's chin and kissed her.
"I love you so much, Laja. And... and I'm proud of
you. So proud."
JenniAnn beamed up at him.
"Thank you. And I've always been proud of you.
Always."
Andrew's arms wrapped around JenniAnn's waist as she leaned up for
another kiss.
When JenniAnn stepped back, she squeezed Andrew's hands tightly.
"So shall we go speak to Joshua?"
Andrew nodded.
"Yeah. Let's do that."
JenniAnn gave him one last peck on the cheek then the two went in
search of Joshua.
To be continued... eventually!
This newsletter is dedicated to John Dye for playing such a
lovely angel of death. While it's sometimes fun to explore
demons in these stories, Andrew will always be my favorite angel
to write about.
JABB
Portal
JABB TOC
JABB
667
(Photo Credits: The photograph used on this page
is from Touched by an Angel and owned by CBS
Productions, Caroline Productions, and Moon Water
Productions. It is not being used to seek profit.)