Angel || h.s.

Chapter 1

***Anastasia's POV***

"I know you're there." Ruby said. She was staring right at me but I decided to wait and not give myself away just yet.

I watched Ruby as she took off her helmet and propped herself up against it with slow, heavy movements. I felt bad for her. I knew this was gonna be her last battle, that she would die. But as her guardian, I'm also her friend and as her friend it hurt watching her in such pain. I watched Ruby helplessly as she gasped for air soaked in her own blood and covered in mud.

"I know I'm gonna die. And I have-" Again she gasped for air, and with every second that passed i could tell holding on became harder. Ruby shut her eyes and bent over coughing and wheezing. She recovered herself and with her eyes still shut she rested her head back against her helmet as if it were a pillow.

She knows that I'm here. And I know that. She has known about me for a while now.

"I have a request," Ruby said weakly. I stepped forward and without touching her or saying a word I made herself visible.

"My family-" Ruby croaked. "My family will need help." Ruby slowly opened her stormy blue eyes and smiled. She wasn't scared of death. She wasn't sad that she was going to die young or that she didn't have her family with her. Ruby was strong. Being in the army had made her that way. She will make such a wonderful guardian angel. Those who suffer hardships in life always do.

Blood started to drip over Ruby's chapped lips.

"Watch over them. Help them." Ruby wheezed again.

It was obvious that she was struggling to keep death back long enough for her to finish. But I couldn't do anything about it.

Even though she has been in the army for only a year, she has been through a lot and learned a lot. It taught her how to be strong. To have courage and be brave. To never give up. And all of it, every little thing she had learned, every single once of strength she had, she was using now. During her last moments.

I bent down next to her and took her hand. Her family may not be here but I was. Belle was right. I did do a good job with Ruby. She was doing very well. For someone who was dying.

Ruby shut her eyes again and when she opened them I could see the light in her eyes was fading away. "Remind them to keep going. To keep strong." The color faded from Ruby's face. "Give them hope." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Give them strength." Her voice wasn't even a whisper, it was much quieter then that. It was more like a loud thought.

And just for the record, no, angels can't read minds. Not unless the one they're guarding lets them.

"Make sure they know that I love them. And guard them." Ruby hadn't even reached the word 'them' when the last of life seeped out of her body. She still said it, but it was only an echo on the last of her breathe.

For a moment all I did was sit there. Even I, an official guardian angel, couldn't believe Ruby had died. She was so strong, both physically and mentally, and she was clever, smart, and kind hearted too. Her family and friends always came first and no matter how little she had, she would always give.

I leaned forward and closed her eyes. She looked more peaceful that way. Aside from the fact that she was wearing a bulky green camouflage outfit that was covered in drying mud, dust, and glistening bright red blood. It was gross but I ignored it.

"You did well, Ruby. You did very very well." I told her.

I kissed my pointer finger and drew a star on her forehead. It appeared and started to glow. A few moments later the five pointed star stopped glowing. This little ritual was a sign of respect that confirms death and is known as The Angels Kiss. When the star stops glowing it means that the lessons of an angel have transferred without any problems and that they have opened their wings.