The Angels Fall (On Hold Indefinitely)

Chapter One| Perfection

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, only the plot. The characters and setting belong to James Patterson.

Third person POV~

Tandy Angel stood at the top of the Eiffel Tower. The sight of the city of Paris below was fantastic. She exhaled and smiled. This had been a good choice. New York was in the past now; Paris is the present and future. And somewhere... Somehow James Rampling was waiting for this girl. She just didn't know it. What she did know, is that her life was changing, for better or for worse she couldn't tell.

Tandy Angel's POV~

My brief moments of reverie was broken by the sound of Hugo shouting: "I'm on top of the world!!"

Hugo, my strong brother who has suffered so much already at the age of 10, seemed so happy and free in that moment.

My thoughts turned toward my parents. Malcolm and Maud, loving- but not in an outward way, strict- to the highest extent, expecting- our very best all the time, our parents- who committed suicide. I remember the Big Chops that they gave out when their expectations were not reached. But I remember their Grande Gongo's too. My older sister Katherine had received a Grande Gongo Asterisk which was the highest form of praise to be received from Malcolm and Maud.

Another memory clouded by mind and that was the one when Hugo got the biggest Big Chop of them all. He was went to Hawaii to a boot camp. This thought caused me to think of Malcolm and Maud with hate. But the angel on my shoulder suddenly spoke up and softly reminded me that our parents really did love us.

"Tandy? Tandy!" Harry was standing next to my shoulder. I glanced at my twin, the one who inherited all of the artistic genes. The one who was the most musical of all Angels and who had almost never been praised by my parents. They found his emotions annoying, defective even. They thought they had messed up, he wasn't the perfect Angel they had hoped for. Why couldn't they have seen his genius earlier? "Tandy, Uncle Jacob says it's time to go," Harry smiled at me and then turned away to join Matty, Hugo, and Uncle Jacob.

I cast one more glance at the city below and slowly started to walk to my remaining family. It was time to go home.

James Rampling POV~

I saw her. The sunset cast it's beautiful ray on Tandy. Oh God, Tandy. I haven't lived a day without thinking about her. And now she's here. I know what hardships she's faced and I was determined to help her.

But- did I want to help her? She never replied to my letters. Once her mother got to her about the Ramplings she probably wouldn't want to see me again. So wouldn't she have replied? Even just to say go away?

An evil plan began to form itself in my mind. I'll find out if Tandy still likes me... And if she does... I'll break her in my own way.

Tandy Angel's POV~

When we got back to Grandma Hilda's house which was now ours we set about preparing dinner.

I started chopping the potatoes for the beef stew and Harry prepared the meat by chopping it into neat little cubes.

Hugo pulled put the silverware and set the table for five. A glass of water graced each placemat as did a red silk napkin.

The stew was now producing a smell that smelled like comfort and home. We all laughed a bit, talked a bit, joked freely- things that Malcolm and Maud would find preposterous.

While sipping the stew we talked about how wonderful Paris was. It seemed all too perfect and when Uncle Jacob dropped the bomb on us, I, for once, was not surprised. After all, a perfect life cannot exist while the Angel's are perfect.

"I've enrolled you in a school," Jacob announced.

The effect of his words caused Harry to start choking on his stew, Matty spewed his water out, and Hugo dropped his spoon in his bowl which effectively spilled quite a bit of it on the table. And me? I sat there in mute silence staring at Jacob. School? For us? Has he forgotten our IQ? We don't need school. We don't need teachers who think we're not smart. These thoughts were racing through my head when Jacob offered the good part of this announcement.

"The school is very small, only for the elite and smart kids around this area." Jacob sat back with a smile of satisfaction on his face. He seemed happy he found a school where at least there weren't idiots around every corner.

"What's our schedule like?" I asked testily. I folded my arms across my chest, no way am I going to sit in a desk for eight hours for five days a week. Not now and certainly not in Paris.

"You all have somewhat matching schedules... Except Matty. You'll be going to a college just down the street which has the same concept as the other school. School begins promptly at eight- thirty and gets out at 2:15, happy?" Jacob raised his eyebrows as he faced each of us one at a time.

"Yeah, but what's this schools name?" Harry blurted out. When we looked at him he added defiantly, "that's an important part, knowing this school's name."

"Right you are Harry," Jacob replied, smiling. "This school is called the Academy of Angell. Angell with two L's not one," he added. "There is a dress code and there are severe consequences if they are not adhered to. And I would like to establish some rules and facts now."

"Wait... Explain the dress code first," Hugo challenged him.

"No ripped clothing, no inappropriate themes or words and girls must be adequately covered at all times," Jacob said.

I rolled my eyes. Dressing appropriately is a breeze, not that I wear anything inappropriate.

"A few new rules," Jacob started. "Your cell phones must be on at all times with vibrate and or on loud. Curfew is 12 and if you want to have friends over you need to tell me first. I want you to be on your best behaviour at all times within that school. I don't need to give them a reason to expel you, apparently you are pretty well known around here because of the deaths of your parents. And lastly... I know you know, stranger danger. Avoid strangers at all costs please."

"We will do all of that," we chorused monotonously. Jacob nodded his head and then dismissed us from dinner.

Harry flew to the black grand piano in the living room, Hugo retreated to his bedroom, Matty went down into the basement to watch football, and I went upstairs to my room.

Looking out over the beautiful streets of Paris had made me feel free just a few hours ago. But with this news of school it seems so confined. I'll put up with it to prove to Jacob I can, but he can't make me enjoy it.