This hadn't been what Kristen was told to expect from Heaven. Austere gray walls, no sense of direction, and an angry man glaring over his glasses at her; none of this had been in the religion drummed into her brain.

The man in glasses spoke. "Normally I wouldn't even give you the courtesy of a trial, because the things you've done in your life, and the way in which you did them, would ordinarily condemn you for all eternity. But your guardian angel insisted that we at least give you a trial before making our decision."

Hell hadn't been in Kristen's calculations. She'd served God and her country for half her life, so how could she be sent to hell? As she opened her mouth to ask the question, another voice cut into the conversation. "Minos, what I *said* is that I'd take the flat of my sword to you and beat you within an inch of your afterlife if you sent her to hell, period, end of sentence."

The speaker came into Kristen's view. She was blindingly bright, wearing pure white robes, her wings the color of sunlight; her fair skin seemed to radiate light. The aforementioned sword was out and in her hands. Brown hair, just long enough to gather into a hasty excuse for a ponytail, was tied back, and as she turned to smile at Kristen, her blue eyes sparkled. Kristen gasped. "You! But you're- I-"

"Shot me to death, after taking one shot just to torture me and make me scream, even though the worst thing I ever did to you was hide that silly Cabbage Patch Kid of yours on a West Coast road trip. I was kinda there, remember?"

"How'd you end up as my guardian angel, then?"

"Oh, that's 'cause your original guardian angel threw up her hands at disgust and went to take on a new charge. I volunteered for the job. Someone had to keep you out of trouble, because you'd demonstrated that you didn't have the common sense yourself."

"I didn't deserve that."

"Hey, if this is about you being dead now, I couldn't save you again. You only get so many chances-"

"I mean the support. You should have left me to my own devices."

"Look, if you're just going to stand around and mope because you killed me, give it up. I forgave you then and I forgive you now. Think I didn't notice what they did to you? They were trying to do the same things to me, remember? I still don't know how I was blessed with such immunity."

"But I've done-"

"I love you like a sister, but this is the part where you shut up." The guardian angel quelled Kristen with one powerful glare, then turned to the judge, who seemed unamused by the airy persiflage. "This woman doesn't deserve to be damned, plain and simple. I know her- the real her, not the brainwashed killing robot. There's a power down there on earth that can twist someone's mind to whatever ends they desire, without affecting the person's soul. You can't damn her or any of them for things they had no choice in doing, not unless you look into their souls and see if they would have done the same thing freely. You and everyone else in power up here are detached from earth, you don't know what's going on. I do. I was down there, right in the middle of it, and I watched this woman and people like her resist as hard as they physically could. She helped me save a friend's life- she gave up some of her clothes and blood for this. If you want her to burn, fine. But you'll have to send me with her, because I swore to protect her, and you had better believe I will."

The judge sighed. "Do you repent of the wrongs you've done and the sins you've committed?" he asked Kristen in a bored voice.

"Yes! God, yes!"

"Oh, that's not God. He's upstairs a bit."

"I don't remember you being this flip when we were teammates."

"I've been training under a master since I died. Well, except for those times I had to go save your life."

"If we can perhaps focus on her state of grace, not your state of sarcasm..." the judge commented acidly.

"Okay, okay, you can get with the purifying. I'll be right here if you inflict any unnecessary pain, and my sword is gonna be ready." She winked at Kristen. "It doesn't really hurt all that much."

"Uh-uh. I don't want anyone anywhere near my head. I've been mind-blown once already, I think I'll pass on the second opportunity."

"That's not what it is."

"It doesn't matter. I'd rather do penance than get the get out of Purgatory free card you're offering me. It's only fair."

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you. I can't come claim you once you've made your decision."

"So be it," the judge intoned. "Follow me." Kristen trailed the judge out of the chamber, ready to do penance for the mistakes she had made.