The following story contains characters owned by CBS. It is written as a fanfic parody story, not intended to make any use of actual story lines in programs.
The story is purely for fun, with no profit to be made by the author. My thanks to SteveZ for his editing.
Robert was about to die. He didn't know this of course, but his time on Earth was running out. Robert was a good man, he always made time to help his out fellow man, and woman, if he could. Many times he had put his own life in danger to help someone else.
Once he had seen a vagrant about to be run down. He had somehow managed to dash across the street and fling the both of them to safety. Many people who saw this would have let the old man be hit and die, rather than touch the filthy clothes he wore. Not Robert. Not only did he save the man's life, he even gave him some money to get cleaned up. Of course, the vagrant simply spent it on alcohol, but that was his choice, not Robert's.
People who knew Robert fell into two camps. The first accepted him for what he was, a well-meaning do-gooder who would help anyone out. The others, well, to them, he was just a sucker who fell for any hard luck story with more money than sense.
The day Robert was due to die dawned like any other January morning, bright, cold and frosty. The weather forecast gave snow later, but the sun shone brightly to start the day. He got up, dressed, had his breakfast and got his papers ready for work. Just a normal day.
He worked as a stockist in a department store in town, and was popular at work, not just because he could be talked into lending a workmate some money, and often never asking for it back, but also because he was a good listener. Robert's workmates, especially the female workers, often found themselves talking to him about their fears and worries, feeling so much better afterwards.
Robert left his house and decided to walk to work that day, it was such a fine, if frosty morning. He set off, hardly noticing the cold or the pretty lady who stood on the corner, watching him go. She also did not seem bothered by the cold.
As Robert got nearer to the center of town, he heard noises coming from down an alley. They sounded like a woman sobbing. He could not help himself; he had to go find out what was happening, to see if he could help.
As he went deeper into the alley, he realized that there were two men standing over a woman who every now and then, whimpered as one or other of the men kicked her, not too gently for that matter.
"Hey, leave her alone!" Robert shouted, as he swung his briefcase at the nearest man. It connected and stunned the man, but the other ducked as Robert tried to do the same to him, and the knife he held went deep into Robert's stomach.
The pain drove every thought from Robert's mind. He dropped his case, which the man picked up before he and his fellow thug ran out of the alley. Robert's hands clasped his stomach, in a vain attempt to staunch the flow of blood, sinking to his knees, collapsing against the wall of the alley. Every breath he took was like another knife in his side.
He looked over at the woman who the two had been beating. She was black and blue, but was managing to stagger to her feet. "Help me," he whispered, stretching one blood stained hand out toward her. She backed away.
"I cannot, I am an illegal. They would deport me. I am sorry." With that, she turned and ran as best she could, out of the alley, leaving Robert alone in the alley.
"Oh God, someone, please help me," Robert whispered; he had no strength to even shout, let alone crawl out of the alley to find help. To make things worse, it had started to snow and the temperature was plummeting.
If Robert didn't bleed to death first, he would surely freeze to death. His mind started to wander, back over all the things he had done to help others, his vision blurring as the cold set into his body.
Then, there was a light, the pain eased and as his vision cleared. He could see, standing before him, a very pretty woman with long auburn hair, dressed in white, apparently glowing with a wondrous light. He couldn't tell in his present state where the light came from, only that it somehow eased his pain and made it possible for him to talk to her.
"Help me, please," he said.
"I'm sorry, Robert, but although I am here to help you, it is not to get help," she said.
"What...do you mean, please go get help, call a doctor, the police, someone!" he said, as his body shuddered once more.
"I'm not here for that Robert, I am here for you. I am an Angel, sent by God to bring you to Heaven. Your life has been spent doing many good deeds, and God knows this. He is going to give you the chance to continue your good deeds, after your death, for I am your Angel of Death, here to ease your passing," she replied.
"What, Angel, you're my Angel of DEATH!? But, I'm not dead, am I? Don't I know you?" he breathed, for his time was almost finished.
"Yes, I have taken the form of the Angel you know of as 'Monica' from that Touched By An Angel TV program that you like to watch. God likes it too, that's why it has lasted so long." She paused a moment. "And yes, you are dead, welcome to the kingdom of God, He has plans for you, Robert."
Robert felt strange, his Earthly body slipping down the wall, yet he felt no pain and now stood facing, well, 'Monica'.
He looked down at his old body, just laying there, slowly being covered by the snow, then realized that he was now dressed all in white, just as 'Monica' was. Just as she was, he also now glowed with a soft golden light. A light which showed off his curvaceous body, his FEMALE body, at that. His body was gorgeous, like 'Monica's' but different.
"What?" Roberta asked of 'Monica', totally stunned by all that was happening to him, err, her. Strange how easily she was accepting this change, and even the situation. He was dead, he was a woman, and she was an Angel! God existed and had plans for HER, now that HE was dead. Oh, wow!
"Let me explain, Roberta. God has plans for you, just like He has in the show for that 'Monica'. You will become a trainee Angel; now, you don't get your wings for a few cent...err, years yet. You start off in Search and Rescue, just like all Angels, then, well, it's best if you wait and see. It is a wondrous time ahead for you."
"Okay, but why am I female? I was a man when I was alive," Roberta, or Bobbie as she was beginning to think of herself, asked.
"Well, people, humans think of Angels as female, though usually the Angel of Death is visible as a male figure. Also, God knows who, and what, you really are. You have always related best to women, haven't you? You've always wondered what it would be like to be female, and occasionally you have tried women's clothing on. Don't worry, God knows your true nature, and He loves you for yourself."
"Wow, and God still loves me? Well, I never. Err, 'Monica', can I ask? What do I look like? What happens next?" Bobbie asked.
"Yes, God will always love you, He loves everyone and everything. As for what you look like, let us go to the street and you can look in the mirror in the clothes shop over there. Next? Well, I am here to take you to Heaven, there you will get your first assignment," 'Monica' replied, leading the way to the street.
Bobbie, following along, realized that neither she nor 'Monica' left any footprints in the snow which now completely covered his old body. They arrived at the store, and looking into the mirror on display, she realized that she knew this body, also.
"Oh my...err, goodness. I'm Callisto out of Xena!"
She stood a moment, admiring her new angelic body, running her hands down over a sizable pair of breasts, down to a very slim waist, covered in semi-opaque gauze and gilt, floating in a wind that she could not even feel.
"Monica, I'm... Monica?" She thought she was alone, but no, 'Monica' was just down the street, whispering in the ear of a beat cop.
Bobbie went over to 'Monica' as the cop left her, heading for the alley.
"Monica, I'm beautiful! What's with the policeman?" she said, quietly.
"Yes, you are, human's expect Angels to be beautiful, so we are. As for your look, this is how you are in the eyes of God. Now, it is time to go," 'Monica' replied.
"Err, right, but the policeman?"
"Well, you wouldn't want your body to be left there 'til the spring thaw, would you? I just suggested where he might find a murder victim. He will make sure you get a decent burial. Now, it really is time to go, to move on. There are people to save, and you have just begun your new career."
So saying, 'Monica' took Bobbie by the arm and started walking away from the alley. As the twosome walked, their bodies started to fade away until there was nothing left.
The end (so far)
