JUNE 14, 1840

I watched in wonderment the little soul that was cupped in my hands as it seemed to shimmer in joy and sheer mischievousness.  He was aware and he was very interested in what was taking place in front of us, and I had to keep a firm hold on him to keep him from checking out everything they were doing.  It was like the soul was taking notes for later reference.  No, that wasn't right; it was almost like he was agitated because the young man wasn't doing something right.

Him?

How did I know it was a him? 

A soul didn't have a female or male aura until placed in the body, but this was definitely a male soul.

Then a voice full of disapproval said, "Angel child, what are you doing here?"  Turning around I saw Tess...and she didn't look too pleased.

Uh oh!  Her hands were on her hips and she looked mad.  I figured I'd better tell her fast before she dragged me out by the ear.  Holding out the little soul, I said. "Tess, I'd like you to meet my third charge.  I'm just waiting to place him in his body."

As she got nearer, my little soul twitched to place himself directly in front of me as if he was trying to protect me from her; Tess' eyes widened in surprise as the little soul tried to wiggle out of my hands to stop her from coming any closer.  I watched with wide eyes as he faced off with Tess, who could scare Michael and Raphael with that same look she was giving me.  My third change twitched again and turned a deep blue, and I brought the little soul to my breast to cuddle him and tell him that everything was all right and that she was a friend.  He calmed down, but he seemed to still be keeping an eye on her while at the same time keeping track of what was happening in the room. 

Looking over to the couple, I realized it was almost time to release my little soul.  As I slipped him into place he seemed to hug me for a moment before merging with his little body.  I smiled at the new little life and told him I would be back to keep him safe.  I then turned back to Tess to apologize for his behavior, but was stopped by the look on her face.

I raced to her side, for it looked like she was about to pass out - which I knew was possible, but with Tess I could be wrong.  Directing her to the single chair in the room to sit I was about to go for Monica or Andrew, someone to help her, when she grasped my hand.  "Angel child, are all your charges like that?"

"Like what, Tess?" I didn't really understand the question.

She pulled me down so that I was kneeling. "Are they always so aware?" she asked.

Thinking back to my other two charges, I remember what it felt like to hold my children's souls.  Josiah had a calm peacefulness about him while Chris was...what was he?  Chris' awareness was fierce, full of courage and protectiveness, a leader and a fighter.  Now looking back I could see what she meant.  "Yes, Josiah is my child of faith, Chris my child of courage, and this little one is my child of mischief."  I sighed as I realized I would have to be on my toes with my child of fun.

Tess decided to try another tack and asked, "Ezra, where did you get those souls from?"

I was confused.  Why did she want to know?  Surely she must know, but I decided to answer anyway. "Tess, God gave them to me. Why?"

Tess looked at her baby angel, who was watching her with enormous green eyes, and realized that he didn't really understand.  Tess could not believe anyone hadn't told this child that only special souls are given out by God...and Ezra was the Guardian Angel to three of those special souls. 

Ezra had to be told the truth about his charges, but before she could she felt the touch of God.  He asked her not to tell his Angel Child.  Tess was even more confused, fearing for this little one before her, but God told her that Ezra had a very special destiny ahead of him.

Tess promised herself that whenever Ezra needed her she would be there for him, but for now she had to follow God's plan.  

Unknown to the little guardian angel, Megan had awakened from her sleep at the touch of that gentle, healing kiss and watched in wonder as a glorious heavenly visitor greeted her son with such joy and love.  To see her own son's face lit from within as the angel's beautiful face was touched her soul and heart, for this was a sign that her son's destiny would be magnificent.

FEBRUARY 13, 1841

My little mischief-maker was born today, surrounded by women who goo-ed and gaa-ed at him.  His fierce yell as he gave thanks for his life brought a smile to my face.  This little one was so filled with the pure joy of being alive that it was infectious and it reached out to everyone in the room, including me.

His mother was tired from the delivery but there was as inner light that was very much like her son's.  For my little one was very much like his mother, who was a remarkable woman.  A woman that had a generous and loving heart that reached out to people and brought them joy.  She watched with a tired but loving smile as her friends cuddled and held her son. 

One of the women asked, "Darla, what are you going to name him?"

I was just as anxious to know as the women in the room.  Darla smiled and held out her arms so that she could hold her son for the first time.  Cradling my precious child so that the women could see him she replied, "Ladies, I would like you to meet my son, William Dave Wilmington."

I sat by her, gently soothing her brow, as the women left so that Darla could rest.  When she was fast asleep I made my way to my new little one and materialized.  His beautiful blue eyes opened to look at me and I saw the same spark in them that his soul had had.  Gathering the little babe in my arms I sat down in the rocking chair, just enjoying the feel and smell of him. 

His eyes sparkled as he looked up at me and a joyful angelic spirit touched mine as he reached up to grab my finger.  It was like he was welcoming me with love and support as a brother.  It felt perfect to me and I whispered to him, "Hello William..."

I stopped because his little face scrunched up in distaste. 

"You don't like William do you?"  It seemed that he didn't care for it, so I decided to see what he like to be called. 

"How about Will?"  I swear that child lifted one eyebrow and looked at me as if I was crazy.  He definitely didn't like that either.

"How about Bill?"  He snorted at that.  This child had definite likes and dislikes.

"Well my little buck ...", he wiggled and cooed at me in delight. 

What did I say?

"Buck.  Would you like to be called Buck?" The feeling of delight washed over me from the child in my arms.  Well if my child wanted to be called Buck, then that's what I would do.

"Well, since we've got your name figured out I should introduce myself to you.  My name is Ezra and I will be your guardian angel."  Another flash of delight flashed over me when I made my introduction.  My little Buck grabbed onto my finger and cuddled it against his little face in joy.  Never have I felt so welcomed as I did with this little one.  

JUNE 8, 1844

I watched the shadows fleetingly touching his face as my little Buck slept peacefully and I had to smile seeing that he had kicked off the covers again, exposing his little feet to the cool summer air.  I gently tucked the covers back around him and settled down beside him, just enjoying watching his sweet face as he dreamed.  The peace of the room was broken when the door to Buck's room opened, the light casting in the shadow of the man standing drunkenly in the doorway. 

I turned to see what he wanted as he stood watching the sleeping child with an intensity I didn't care for.  He licked his lips and a sickening, lustful flame lit his eyes as he observed my babe.  My fear for my charge ran rampant, for Buck could not defend himself from this Animal and no one would be able to stop what he had planned for this child.

I watched as he checked the hall before entering and closing the door to Buck's room.  An evil, sick grin broke his face as he started across the room to the sleeping child. He stood still for a moment as if in anticipation of what he would do to my innocent child.

Rage flashed through me as he reached out to touch what was mine! 

How dare he!

Before I realized it, I had materialized in all my angelic fury and thrown the animal against the wall.  The noise of the animal hitting the wall awakened my Buck, who started to yelling for his mother at the top of his lungs.  I stood between him and the man who sat dazed on the floor.  A look of overwhelming fear was on his face as I hissed at him, "You stay away from him! You stay away from all of them!  I will be watching and you can't hide from me!"

I heard the commotion of people running up the stairs, coming to Buck's rescue.  The door slammed open and Darla stood there; she took in what had almost happened and cold, raging fury descended on her face as she turned ice-cold eyes to the man collapsed on the floor.   I gave her my strength to deal with this animal that would have hurt Buck and destroyed his innocence.  She attacked him like a mother cougar, raking him with her nails, then like a mother grizzly she threw him against the wall and struck with fists and feet of iron.

The other people of the house ran in and pulled her off.  The protector picked up the animal and forcefully took him from all our sights while Darla turned to comfort our little babe.  Once Buck was calm he told Darla as much as he could about the man who'd saved him from the bad man.  Darla gathered our child to her bosom, eyes looked looking right into my eyes and said, "Thank you! Thank you and thank God!"

Darla stayed with Buck until he fell back to sleep and told him that his guardian angel would always be there to protect him.  She was then forced to return to work, but this time she locked Buck's door so that no one would bother him again.  I stayed and looked after my sweet babe and thanked God he was all right.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up into the kind gaze of Archangel Michael.  "You did good, Ezra, and we are all proud of you."

It was at this moment my little charge awoke gasping in terror from a nightmare.  Tears started to fall and I forgot all about Michael as I appeared to comfort my little one from his nightmare.  He wrapped his shaking little arms around me and buried his crying face in my neck.  All I could do was comfort him, so I gathered my little child in my arms and sat in the rocking chair by the bed.

As I started to rock, I started to sing to him:

Hush now don't cry

Wipe away the teardrop from your eye

You're lying safe in bed

It was all a bad dream

Spinning in your head

Your mind tricked you to feel the pain

Of someone close to you leaving the game of life

So here it is, another chance

Wide awake you face the day

Your dream is over...or has it just begun?

I softly wiped away his tears as he continued to cry against my chest, using the comfort of the melody and words to try to wipe away the nightmare this night had become for him.  I also tried to give him some of my courage to face the days and nights to come.

There's a place I like to hide

A doorway that I run to in the night

Relax child, you were there

But only didn't realize it and you were scared

It's a place where you will learn

To face your fears, retrace the tears

And ride the whims of your mind

Commanding in another world

Suddenly, you hear and see

This magic new dimension

I sang to him of worlds unknown to him that he could visit in his dreams and let go of his fears.  His crying and shaking seemed to have lessened a little as he started to listen to the words.  I could see him fight and gather his courage and I wanted to make a promise to him.  So I sang:

I will be watching over you

I am gonna help you see it through

I will protect you in the night

I am smiling next to you...in silent lucidity

My child of love turned and watched me out of his tear streaked face.  His little hand reached up to cup my cheek as he stared into my eyes and accepted this promise I made to him.

If you open your mind for me

You won't rely on open eyes to see

The walls you built within

Come tumblng down, and a new world will begin

Living twice at once you learn

You're safe from pain in the dream domain

A soul set free to fly

A round trip journey in your head

Master of illusion, can you realize

Your dream's alive, you can be the guide but...

I told him that he just had to ask for me and I would be there to hold him when he was hurt or scared.  That I would always be there to give him love and comfort.  I told him he had to conquer those fears or he would miss out on seeing the wonders of the world that God had created for him to explore.  I told him to dream of worlds free of fear and pain, dreams where only love existed and where everything was possible if you just believed.

I will be watching over you

I am gonna help you see it through

I will protect you in the night

I am smiling next to you...in silent lucidity

As I sang our sacred promise his little eyes started to close and he fell to sleep.  I stayed holding him until his mother returned to take over for me.

JULY 16, 1855

I was so proud of my little protector and what he did to guard his mother and the other women of the house.  He had become a knight in shining armor to his mother, the other women of the house and to me.

It all started when McCray arrived early this morning to try to take over his aunt's business.  I could tell he had a mean streak a mile wide and he had been lost to God for quite some time.  It made me uneasy to have someone that was the Devil's so close to my charge.

Madame McCray had died during the spring and left the house to be shared equally between the women; to achieve this end she had written it in her Will.  At the same time that Madame McCray died the house protector had left, leaving the woman defenseless.  Mr. McCray was angry when he found out what his aunt had done and wanted her Will destroyed by any means possible, even murder. 

Darla was the spokesperson for the women and she was standing up to him and was putting up a good fight when McCray decided to use Darla as an example and he hit her.  That's when I knew that Buck was the only one that could help them and I went to fetch him.

My Buck was with Angela Davidson helping her to do her schoolwork.  I appeared to them as child telling him that a very bad man was hurting his mother.  He took one look at me and ran toward the house and his mother with a righteous wrath burning in his eyes.

He arrived just in time to see Darla being hit by Mr. McCray with a belt.  My little Buck, already the size of many men, snarled and jumped McCray.  It was a short fight broken up the sheriff, who was fetched by one of the other women.  McCray was escorted from the town by both the sheriff and my knight Buck.

The women made Buck their Knight Protector.

APRIL 28, 1857

Both his mother and I comforted our child as he cried out his heart over a girl, that was a fool for rejecting him.  In Darla's eyes I'd seen the flash of rage at what the girl's foolish behavior had done to her child and her need to see that the girl and her family paid for hurting him.  Darla told him that she loved him and there would be a girl out there who would love Buck with all her heart and soul, he just had to find her.

My Buck met Angela Davidson the first day of school and had become her shining knight, protecting her from harm.  Angela was a shy little girl who unfortunately didn't have a strong personality and loud noises frightened the poor thing.  Buck protected her and helped her with her schoolwork, trying to give the frail child some of his strength.  A very gentle friendship was born.  During the last year they had become close and he'd asked her father's permission to court Miss Davidson.  Her father laughed at my Buck, which made me want to wipe that sneer right off his face.  He then had the audacity to ask Buck how much would it cost for the bastard son of a whore to leave his daughter alone.

The look on my child's face made me want to take Mr. Davidson and put the fear of God into him. 

How dare he Judge!

My Buck wasn't about to let him get away with that and laid into him.  Buck had always had to fight the prejudice that he faced from both children and adults as he was growing up.  He'd learned to be both charming and good natured, but it was only to hide the fierceness of his warrior soul.  If and when he was pushed, he allowed that ferocity to come to the fore and defeat many a foe larger and stronger than himself.

The final nail in the coffin of Buck's love was when Davidson told Buck that he had arranged a marriage for his daughter to the son of a wealthy friend in Washington, where she could live in luxury and have every whim satisfied - unlike a marriage to a poor boy of a whore.

Buck couldn't believe it and had told Davidson that he had sold his daughter into slavery for money.  He'd then gone to try and talk Angela into running away with him, but she'd refused.  She was too scared to do anything and told him that she could never see him again.

He'd come back to his room in tears with his heart broken into tiny pieces.  His mother could do nothing to help with his pain and I didn't know what to do other than just comfort him.  He'd told his mother that he was all right and he would be fine, he just needed to be alone awhile.

By the look on Darla's face she hadn't believed him, but she'd also known he needed time by himself.  He lay there not moving, his face turned into the pillow, and I felt the tiny shakes as he started to cry softly.  I could do nothing to soften this terrible blow to his heart, but I could comfort him by whispering our special song to help him.

Hush now don't cry

Wipe away the teardrop from your eye

You're lying safe in bed

It was all a bad dream

Spinning in your head

Your mind tricked you to feel the pain

Of someone close to you leaving the game of life

So here it is, another chance

Wide awake you face the day

Your dream is over...or has it just begun?

He rolled over as if he'd heard the song, his beautiful blue eyes reflecting the pain of his heart.  In the song I tried to tell him that his pain would lessen as life goes on and that his dream of finding someone to love and be loved by was out there, he had to keep on dreaming.

He shook his head, breaking off my song, and cried, "No! No one will ever hurt me again."

My heart was saddened by his words, but I hoped with time and both Darla's and my help his heart would once more be open.

NOVEMBER 8, 1857

Darla and I stood with Buck as he allowed the rain to mix with the tears of sorrow and rage he was shedding over his mother's grave.  Rage over the fact that his mother had died during a bank robbery and that the killers were still free.  I looked over at the woman who'd sacrificed herself to protect the life of a pregnant young woman.  The robbers were using the two women as shields to allow them to escape with their ill-gotten gains.  Once they'd made it to their horses they pushed the women away.  The leader, figuring to give the gang some lead-time, turned in the saddle and took aim at the pregnant woman; Darla had seen what he was planning and had placed herself between the robber and the young woman.

It had taken a couple of hours for Darla to die and the townsfolk were awed by the sacrifice that she'd made without hesitation.   People who had turned their noses up at her before now tried everything to help her to live, but the bullet had still claimed her life.  Then at the funeral the whole town had shown up - except for the young woman, who had gone into labor and given birth to a little girl.  To honor the woman who had given her life for her and her baby, she named her daughter Darla.

Buck leaned down and, placing a kiss on his finger tips, reverently placed his hand on his mother's grave.  Then in a voice choked with pain and sorrow he said, "Mother, I know that you are near me and I hope my Guardian Angel is looking after you.  I will find the bastard that stole you from me and make him pay.  I love you and to me you will always be my patron saint."  He'd stood, placing his hat on his head, and said, "Goodbye, Mother."  He then turned away and rode to catch up with the posse who'd gone after the killers.

I could feel and see the black threads of the evil wrapping around my child, making me fear that I would lose my precious mischief.  

NOVEMBER 15, 1857

The posse had tracked the robbers and pinned them down in a small canyon in New Mexico.  I watched as Buck ignored the other robbers and went after the man who'd shot and killed his mother.  As I got a good look at the man that had robbed my child of his mother, I realized who he was.

Andrew McCray.  The same man that had beaten Darla two years previously.

Buck silently crept up on the man and placed his revolver against the back of the outlaw's head.  "Get up you scum!"

McCray got up slowly, hands up in the air. 

Quiet descended on the two men.

I saw Buck starting to tighten his finger against the trigger and I could feel the Devil laugh as I tried to stop Buck.  Then Marshal Didion appeared and told him very quietly. "Buck, you don't want to do this, son."

Buck snarled, "This bastard killed my mother and now I'm going to kill him."

Still in a calm voice Didion replied, "Your mother wouldn't want you to break the law.  She raised you better than that."

I thanked God for sending Marshal Didion and I whispered to my babe, "Listen to him Buck.  He's right and you know it."

Didion and I watched as Buck's finger relaxed, both of us sighing in relief.  Buck removed McCray's gun and shoved him at the Marshal to take him into custody.

I heard the Devil scream his frustration as I laughed and embraced my Buck.

MAY 25, 1860

I stood with Buck as we paid our last respects to a man who'd become a father to my babe.  Marshal David Didion was a man who'd lived his life with honor, loyalty, and compassion.  David had taught Buck everything he knew about being a good and just lawman, as well as a loyal and compassionate man.

In those short three years I saw my Buck being shaped into a man that I was proud of, though there was one aspect that I wished David had never taught Buck:  how to seduce women!  Married or single didn't matter to the two Romeos and I despaired of ever breaking Buck of the habit he had formed.  They had traveled all over the Southwest rounding up criminals and sweeping the fairer sex off their feet, but never leaving a woman heartbroken over the two rouges.

Of someone close to you leaving the game of life

So here it is, another chance

Wide awake you face the day

Your dream is over...or has it just begun?

Both Buck and myself fumed over how David had met his end, how he was betrayed by a fellow lawman.  Not only did David and Buck's fellow Marshal kill David, he tried to ruin his reputation as well.   When my child found out about David he'd quickly put two and two together and found proof that David's betrayer had taken a huge bribe to let the outlaw they were escorting to prison escape. 

Today David's killer was sentenced to death by hanging.  Justice had been served and that's why Buck was here; to say goodbye to a friend and father as well as telling David that he had turned in his badge.  Buck could not remain a Marshal after David's betrayal, because now how could he trust his fellow Marshals?

Now another dream could replace the one he'd had with David.

AUGUST 2, 1861

My fellow angels and I wept over the dead and dying on the various Civil War battlefields.  Four of my six charges were in the heart of this war and I thanked God that my youngest, JD, was in Boston and that Josiah was in Florida - both of them were safe.

I will be watching over you

I am gonna help you see it through

I will protect you in the night

I am smiling next to you...in silent lucidity

I had to watch my little Vin carefully so that he would not be captured or be in danger by any of my other charges.  So I spent my time changing my little charges' orders around to protect them from hurting one another.

Even though my little boys were on different sides of this war none of them ever took pleasure or glorified themselves in killing their fellow man.  They never lost their compassion or gentleness, especially my little Buck.  He had comforted many of his fellow soldiers both Blue and Grey as they lay dying and, if beyond help and they wished it, he had helped them to die.  That was the hardest for my child of protectiveness, for many who asked were little more than children.

JULY 22, 1861

I gently wiped the sweat and tears from my little babe's forehead and cheeks as he lay feverish from a wound he received during battle.  No one noticed me as I attended to my charge, whispering words of comfort to calm him from his delirious dreams.

There's a place I like to hide

A doorway that I run to in the night

Relax child, you were there

But only didn't realize it and you were scared

It's a place where you will learn

To face your fears, retrace the tears

And ride the whims of your mind

Commanding in another world

Suddenly, you hear and see

This magic new dimension

Suddenly he opened his eyes to look at me with such intensity that it made me freeze, lost in the blue eyes of my sweet charge, and I watched as in wonder he looked at me.  He didn't see the little old man that sat beside his bed tending him but my true angelic self.  It was as if the fever had opened his mind to truly see beyond the veil of mortal life.  His eyes swept the tent, taking in the other angels as they carried out their duties of healing or escorting home those who had departed their mortal lives.

The tent had become quiet when the feelings of wonder and joy rolled over both mortal and angelic forms from my child.  The wounded grew quiet and many relaxed into a healing sleep while my angelic siblings looked towards the mortal who seemed to greet them as family.  But before any of my fellow angels could move Buck's eyes closed and he sighed as his fever finally broke.

MAY 13, 1862

My plan of bringing my two sometime foolish children together had worked.  Buck had rescued Chris, who was trapped under a fallen tree during a minor skirmish, which resulted in both men bonding as brothers as I'd known they would.  Now both of them had someone to guard their back as they went into battle.

At least now I could keep an eye on both of them at the same time so that I could keep them out of trouble - which they had no trouble finding.  

JUNE 2, 1862

I was starting to regret putting my two little troublemakers together, for they had gotten in more trouble now than before they met.  This time they were lost behind enemy lines and I had to come to their rescue.  They were currently hiding in an abandoned root cellar and would soon be found by a troop of Rebel soldiers.  I decided that a child would not frighten them nor make them suspicious so I approached them openly.

I will be watching over you

I am gonna help you see it through

I will protect you in the night

I am smiling next to you...in silent lucidity

I stopped far enough away so that they could see me and I could whisper to them. "Misters, you better follow me if you want to get away from those Rebs."

Buck emerged from the opening to check to see if it was a trap, but found nothing out of the ordinary except for a child of about eight years old warning them of danger.  He came out and squatted down before me and asked, "Well, little pard, you shouldn't be wandering these woods by yourself.  Where are you parents?"

I had to smile at how Buck took me under his wing, just like David had taught him.  I answered him quietly, "They don't live far from here, but don't worry about me - we have to get you both out of here.  There is a Yankee camp about a day's walk from here, but we have to hurry or you're not going anywhere."

Both Buck and Chris hurriedly packed their things and covered up the evidence that they were there, but I added a little angelic power to ensure that the Confederates wouldn't find anything.  It took us a day and half to get there with both of my charges trying to protect me and I had to smile at the compassion both men felt toward a small boy.  At noon as we rested I used a whispered command for them to sleep.   With gentleness I wiped their memories clear of the little boy's features and the only thing I left them was my green eyes to remember me by.  Then I planted in a memory of the little boy leaving them to return home and I simply disappeared.

They awoke shortly afterwards, panicking when they couldn't find me, but the planted memory came to mind and they hurriedly cleaned up behind themselves and made good time to the Union camp.  

SEPTEMBER 17, 1864

Buck helped me get Chris away from Ella Gaines, whose soul was owned by the Devil.  She'd used everything she knew to try to turn Chris from the light to follow a darker path, to make Chris her Dark King which would have allowed her to be his Dark Queen.  She was totally insane and obsessed with Chris, but with the help of Buck her spell was broken.  

MAY 11, 1872

If you open your mind for me

You won't rely on open eyes to see

The walls you built within

Come tumbling down, and a new world will begin

Living twice at once you learn

You're safe from pain in the dream domain

A soul set free to fly

A round trip journey in your head

Master of illusion, can you realize

Your dream's alive, you can be the guide but...

My two charges were lost in sorrow and rage at having Sarah and Adam ripped from their lives, and I hoped that the years spent as best friends would help them both fight the pull of the evil that was encircling them in its web.

Sarah and Adam along with myself tried to comfort the two men who stood by their graves.  Chris had withdrawn from the world, lost in his pain and despair, unknowing that Buck was feeling the same.  But my little Buck thought with his heart and stood by Chris as he sunk into the pain and suffering of losing the two most important people in the world.

How could I tell them both that Ella Gaines had hired men to kill Chris' family to finally claim her Dark King?

How could I tell them that the Devil's web of evil was encircling both men, to claim them both as his warriors?

I couldn't...but I would do everything in my power to prevent the Devil from winning.  Even if I had to fight him face to face for my babes.

SEPTEMBER 15, 1875

I had finally brought my little mischief-maker to Four Corners to meet up with my other five charges.  Nathan and Josiah had been here quite some time while Vin had only arrived a couple of days before.  Chris would arrive two days from now and JD shortly after that.

My little innocent, JD, would find the big brother he'd always wanted and Buck would find a little brother he could teach and mold to become a good protector, and the others would find a brother that would watch their backs and add fun and mischief to their lives.

I don't know why the Lord asked me to bring my charges together, but with Buck in the mix all I know is that a Magnificent dream awaits them.