In a run-down apartment complex, eleven-year-old Tim endures being teased by his older brother Steven as they try to sleep on a fold-out couch. Uncle Frank, the boys’ reluctant guardian, threatens to beat them if they leave the house while he is gone for the night. As he does every night, Frank takes the vicious pit-bull he keeps chained outside the door with him and leaves. Monica, Tess, Andrew, and Rafael are on hand for this assignment, but Rafael notes they may need someone else’s help, someone who, unlike themselves, actually knows what it is like to be a child and have to fight to survive.

The next morning, Frank returns with the dog and prepares to sleep on the same couch as the boys go to school, demanding them to come home late so he can sleep longer. After school, Steven taunts and punches Tim and won’t let him hang out with his gang of friends. Instead, Tim wanders into Tess’ gym, where Rafael and Tess train boxers. Tim, wanting to be able to beat up Steven, begins to train. Later, Tim makes friends with Andrew, the new handyman at the complex. That night Steven complains of a headache and then collapses while trying to get out of bed. Tim panics. At the hospital, Tim learns from Monica that Steven has meningitis, a disease affecting his brain, and that he will be in the hospital for quite some time.

Tim, tired of being pushed around, is glad to get a vacation from his brother. Tim gets a hooded sweatshirt from Goodwill, but a bully named Jimmy recognizes the sweatshirt as his own and forcefully removes it from Tim. This only gives Tim more incentive to train with Rafael, and he does, becoming stronger everyday. At the gym, he sees a poster of Muhammad Ali, who Tim really admires because he always won his fights. Andrew tells Tim the story of Muhammad Ali’s greatest fight: how Ali refused to fight in a war because he believed God didn’t want him to kill another man, and how, because of this, he was made to give up his boxing title.

Later, Tim sees Jimmy and, using his new skills, forces him to return the shirt. Tim learns that his brother is returning from the hospital and plans to bully Steven the way he used to bully Tim, but is surprised to find Steven in a wheelchair with constant need of Tim’s assistance. Later, Jimmy’s brother challenges Tim to a fight, and they agree to meet at Tess’ gym. Tim fights the older, bigger boy and wins, collapsing into Andrew’s arms, sobbing. Andrew tells him that God loves him, and reveals Muhammad Ali standing in the ring. Tess speaks for Ali, telling Tim that he must fight for his family. Steven and Frank love him, but they are unable to show it and don’t know how to care for each other. Tess reads Tim a poem about fighting for love, and Ali hugs Tim, telling him not to forget this. Tim returns home and confronts Frank, telling him that he loves him, but that Frank must take better care of them. Touched and wanting to change, Frank begins to cook breakfast for his family. Andrew assures Frank that guardian angels will be watching over them.

Nick Stratton, owner of Stratton Apparel, hires Vietnamese women to work in his sweatshop because they are willing to work for little pay. Monica’s assignment is to help Nick, a “good man with a bad attitude.” Nick hires Monica as his accountant the same day that Am-Nhac Nguyen starts at the factory, pressing pants on a faulty steam press. Am-Nhac and the other women are willing to work for Nick because he will pay for citizenship classes if they meet their rigorous daily quotas. Tess, who teaches the class, tells Am-Nhac that her father, Cadao, can attend as well.

The next day Nick, under pressure from his clients, raises the quotas, and Am-Nhac, in a hurry to meet hers, severely burns her arm. Nick fires Am-Nhac because her injury will slow her down. Monica asks Nick why he is so hard on his workers, and Nick tells her his story. As a soldier, Nick helped a captured Vietnamese boy escape. Nick knew the boy was not Viet Cong because he had a peace symbol, an American fad, tattooed on his shoulder. Nick was court-martialed for aiding the enemy and returned to the U.S. a war criminal. His uncle left the factory to him when he died. Monica convinces Nick to let Am-Nhac keep her job. Am-Nhac, with Tess’ help, works through the night to meet her quota.

When Cadao picks her up, Nick sees the tattoo on his shoulder, a peace symbol. Nick realizes that Cadao is the boy he helped escape, and the person, Nick believes, who is responsible for ruining his life. Meanwhile, Tess teaches her students about how the early Americans protested against British rule, and Am-Nhac decides to protest the dangerous working conditions at the factory. The plan backfires, however, when Nick fires everyone. When Andrew, posing as an I.R.S. agent, explains that Nick owes the government several thousand dollars in back taxes, Nick plants a time bomb in the factory. Before he can leave, however, one of the rickety shelves collapses, trapping Nick. Seconds before the bomb is to detonate, the timer stops ticking and Monica appears to Nick. She tells him that God loves him and is proud of him for saving the young man’s life.

Nick asks God to forgive him for the hatred he has lived with for so long. The clock begins ticking again and when Nick screams for help, Am-Nhac arrives with Cadao, who diffuses the bomb. Nick asks Am-Nhac for forgiveness and reveals that he is the soldier who helped Cadao in Vietnam. Am-Nhac and Cadao are happy to finally be able to thank him for his act of kindness. Later, Nick attends the swearing-in ceremony for Am-Nhac and her Cadao, finally United States citizens.

Monica meets her next assignment, Melina Richardson at her latest temp job, a telemarketing agency. When the usually meek Melina is fired for yelling at a potential customer, she decides to attend a seminar of the Golden Path Institute hoping to find meaning in her life. After an impassioned speech by the Golden Path’s Jacob, Melina shares her life’s story with the crowd, describing how her parents deserted her, and her fiance left her at the altar. The culmination of the seminar is the introduction of the Golden Path’s leader, the charismatic Brother David, who persuades the attendees who “feel called” to board a bus bound for the institute. Melina, captivated by Brother David, gets on the bus. Tess tells Monica to stay close to her assignment.

At the institute, Monica and Melina are stripped of their possessions because Brother David feels it is important to leave the past behind. Melina, however, secretly keeps a picture of her ex-fiance under her bed. When David finds the picture, he summons a meeting of the whole group and exposes Melina’s transgression forcing her to destroy the picture. Meanwhile, a mail truck arrives at the institute with letters for everyone, but Brother David collects them before they can be distributed. Later he asks Melina to destroy a package for him. Melina, unaware that it contains the mail, begins to burn the package. At the same time, Andrew, acting as a Child Services officer, asks to inspect the camp. David angrily refuses. Andrew warns David that he will have to return with the authorities. In private, Monica shows Melina and Rebecca the letters she rescued from the fire, and Rebecca explains Brother David’s plan: On September 9, 1999 all of the world’s computers will crash causing an extinction-level event. Brother David will save his faithful followers before this happens by taking them to heaven in a suicide pact.

In an effort to prove to the group that Brother David has been lying to them, Monica gives the people their letters. When David finds out, he is furious but persuades the people that this is the outside world’s attempt to divide them. Softening, he asks Melina to be his bride and, spellbound, she agrees. David insists that the plan go into action right away because the police are already approaching the camp. Trained for this moment, the people spring into action, barricade the doors, and prepare the poisoned juice. But as they are about to drink, Monica proclaims herself to be an angel, and tells the people that God doesn’t want them to die.

David tells the people that she is the devil trying to mislead them, but the people believe Monica and led by Melina, they try to escape. David sets fire to the building. Monica breaks the doors open and the people pour out of the smoke-filled room. Monica tries to persuade Brother David to leave the burning building, but still believing his own claims of divinity, he will not. He perishes in the fire. Later the angels help the shaken cult members reacquaint themselves using their real names and identities.

Andrew helps an older man, Doug, clean out his garage, searching for a box he wants to give to his daughter, Natalie. Doug has a heart attack, and as he is dying, Andrew assures him that God’s angels will be on hand to deliver the box to Natalie. When Natalie, a stand-up comic, hears of Doug’s death, she returns home with her infant daughter Lily to organize her father’s things. Natalie begins to have flashbacks about her deceased mother, and how when Natalie was young, she would play the piano incessantly. Andrew tries to persuade Natalie to help him clean the garage and find the box, but she is unwilling to go into the garage. To get a break from her intense memories, Natalie goes to a comedy club to perform.

Meanwhile, at a local hospital, Monica and Tess talk about how Natalie will react to learning her father’s secret — that Amanda, her mother, is not dead, but has been institutionalized for many years. Natalie, indeed, is shocked to learn this and that Amanda, after a slow recovery from mental illness, is almost ready to return home. Natalie goes to the hospital to meet Amanda, who convinced herself Natalie was dead, and, though she doesn’t realize Natalie is her daughter, the visit makes her very nervous and she begins to play the piano feverishly. This frightens Natalie and she quickly leaves the hospital. Back at the garage, Natalie discovers the box, which contains a metronome. As the metronome begins to tick, Natalie accidentally closes the garage door, triggering a horrifying memory about how, when she was seven, Amanda locked Natalie and herself in the garage with the motor running. By the time Andrew arrives Natalie fully recollects that her mother tried to kill her.

Monica explains Amanda’s illness — how after she lost a baby Amanda blamed herself to the point of illness, and how she wanted to die, but didn’t want to leave Natalie behind. Natalie returns to the hospital and with the angels’ help, convinces Amanda that she is still alive. Overjoyed, Amanda moves to hug Natalie, but Natalie, unable to handle the emotion, flees to the comedy club. While onstage, though, Natalie has a nervous breakdown. Monica reveals herself to be an angel, and comforts Natalie, telling her that God loves her, and that she must break down the fake life she has created to protect herself, before God can help her build a new life. Natalie admits her fear — that she inherited her mother’s illness. She was scared to love her own baby — now she knows why. Later, Natalie, recuperating at the hospital from the breakdown, performs her stand-up routine for the other patients while Amanda watches proudly. Natalie introduces Amanda to her granddaughter and tells her mother that she inherited something very important from her — her sense of humor.

On their 35th wedding anniversary, Ben and Sylvia Mangione, owners of a car dealership, host a huge sale. Monica and Tess are on hand to help the Mangione family, and Phil, the angel of reconciliation, will assist them, if the perennially late angel ever arrives. Mangione Auto World is a family business, with daughters Ellen and Dee Dee and Ellen’s husband Frankie all working there. But one of the children, Buddy, moved to California several years ago, refusing to take over the family business, much to Ben’s chagrin.

During the sale, Buddy calls to say he is returning for the anniversary with a big announcement to make. Frank is upset that Buddy is returning because he thinks it may spoil his chances for taking over the dealership. Indeed, Ben hopes Buddy is returning to take over the dealership. At the anniversary party Tess plays with the band, filling in for the still tardy Phil, while Monica caters the event. Soon, however, the police show up to let the family know that Buddy has been killed in a car crash. Ben and Frank are called to identify Buddy’s remains but, since the corpse has been badly burned, they identify his personal effects. Rather than grieve, the family argues over Buddy’s funeral arrangements.Ben insists on returning to work, where he meets Sharon, a young woman claiming to be Buddy’s wife. The family thinks this must be Buddy’s big surprise, but is upset when Sharon wants to have the body cremated. Monica helps them strike a bargain — Buddy will be buried if Sharon performs the eulogy at the service.

Meanwhile, Andrew finds Phil and offers to give him a lift into town. They are further detained when the car overheats, but are offered help by a hitchhiker who is eagerly trying to get to town. They offer him a lift. At the funeral, Sharon delivers the eulogy, recalling a touching memory about how Buddy saved the life of a beached whale. Before she can finish, though, the hitchhiker arrives. It’s Buddy! The family is shocked to see him alive and he explains how his car was stolen and he had to hitchhike into town. Rather than rejoice that his son is alive, Ben wants to know if Buddy is ready to take over the business. Buddy says ‘no,’ and a furious Ben returns to the dealership where Monica is waiting for him.

Monica reveals that she is an angel and takes him back to the funeral parlor where she finishes the eulogy. The eulogy reveals the big surprise, that Buddy has cancer and will soon die. Phil finally arrives to tell a shocked Ben that God wants him to stop keeping such a tight hold on his family. Phil points out that many fathers wish they could have the gift that Ben has: the chance to spend one more hour with his son, to tell him all of the things he wished he had said when he was alive. Buddy arrives at the funeral parlor, and Ben embraces his son, asking for forgiveness and expressing his love.

When Dewey Burton dies of a heart attack while running for help after finding a young girl trapped in a deep drain pipe, Tess tells Monica that his body is the key to saving the young girl and she only has four hours to do so. When Dewey’s body arrives at the coroner’s office, Monica arrives as the assistant to the skeptical pathologist, Ivar. Ivar believes that everything about a man’s life can be determined from an autopsy. While Tess remains with the little girl, Jamie, Monica begins trying to change the heart of Ivar by telling the story of Dewey’s life from the details of his body.

Monica begins by looking at the man’s hands, deducing that he worked in construction, building homes which he could never afford himself. Tess continues to comfort Jamie as Dewey’s wife, Faye, begins to search for her missing husband. As the autopsy continues, Monica learns more about Ivar, that he believes, “In the end, we are helpless and what we do doesn’t change anything,” and that he used to practice medicine but changed to pathology. Jamie’s mother alerts the authorities as to her missing daughter and a search begins, but Ivar turns off the radio as news of Jamie’s disappearance is broadcast. Ivar’s young daughter calls, telling her father that she wants to have a funeral for her goldfish, which has just died, but Ivar is unsympathetic.

Meanwhile, Jamie is unconscious but Tess refuses to pull her out due to instructions from God. Monica continues recounting John Doe’s life by telling how he fell in love, was married and lost a child. Ivar is no longer tolerant of Monica’s story telling. He breaks down, telling her how he had a son die of leukemia and that there was nothing he could do to save his son. Monica then reveals herself to be an angel, telling Ivar how she also was there to comfort Dewey when he lost his child. She tells Ivar that his child is happy in heaven and that he still has work to do.

Ivar then looks closely at Dewey’s body and begins to piece together where he might have been when he died. As the radio announces that the missing Jamie was wearing red gloves, Ivar realizes Dewey’s connection to Jamie, and where to find her. Rushing to the drain pipe, Dewey rescues and resuscitates Jamie. When Faye arrives at the scene, Ivar must tell her about the death of her Dewey. He tells her of his daring attempt to rescue Jamie. His faith now fully restored, he comforts her. “He was a good man… I could see it in his face.”

Gus Zimmerman, an insurance salesman, arrives in Las Vegas to call on his largest account, the Paradise Grand Casino. Tess tells Monica that behind Gus’ smile is a desperate man. Monica meets Gus at the bar where he explains that he is there to call on the casino manager, Mac, and earn the commission that will pay for his wife, Esther’s care in a nursing home. As he guzzles ginger ale, Gus explains that neither he nor Esther drink or gamble. When Gus learns that Mac is no longer the general manager and the new management is not willing to see him, he orders another drink, this time with vodka.

Gus goes to the cashier, withdraws a five-thousand dollar credit limit and loses it all on one roll of roulette. When Gus pleads with the croupier, “I’ll sign anything,” the phone mysteriously rings and the new manager is ready to see him. Gus enters the office to find the new manager’s name is Monique and she looks exactly like Monica. It becomes apparent that Monique is evil as she toys with Gus, reminding him of Esther’s problems and letting him win a game of poker for the entire five-thousand dollars which he just lost. Confident after his rigged victory, Gus agrees to gamble again: a signed insurance policy for his soul, something he doesn’t believe in, anyway. He loses. Dejected, Gus finds Monica at the bar and explains the situation. Monica, concerned about Gus’ huge loss, plots to beat Monique at a game of poker. Tess scolds her for entertaining the thought. Gus goes to Monique who suggests that he “have an accident,” thereby helping his wife who is the beneficiary of his insurance policy.

Gus continues to drink more and rejects Monica when she tries to convince him not to listen to Monique. Monica takes Gus back to the chapel where he and Esther were married. Gus remembers how Tess was the witness of their vows and Monica reveals that they are both angels, sent by God, to help him fight for his soul. Gus, however, only becomes more depressed, feeling that his soul is gone forever, and he climbs to the top of the casino intending to kill himself. Monique encourages him, showing him a copy of the same “soul contract” signed by Esther.

Monica pleads with Gus to ask God for His help. Gus then begins to shine a flashlight, singing “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,” and begs God to help him. Powerless against Gus’ reliance on God, Monique disappears. Gus returns to find that Mac had only been late for their meeting. Mac signs the insurance contract, Esther’s care is guaranteed and Gus breathes a sigh of relief as he realizes how close he came to losing his soul.

Tess and Monica are introduced to their next assignment when the Cadillac by Bart and Hayley Ewing, a father and daughter con team.  The angels follow Bart and Hayley to Salt Lake City where Bart has promised Hayley she will be able to indulge her favorite hobby, ice skating.  Monica works as an employee of the skating rink and is short-changed by Bart as he pays for Hayley’s entry.  When Hayley falls down, Andrew, the acting D.J., introduces her to an Olympic hopeful skater, Alex Thorpe and she agrees to help Hayley learn to skate.

Meanwhile, Bart pretends to find some lost money in order to win the trust of Alex’s father, Carl, who is the owner of the rink.  Carl tells Bart of an upcoming fundraiser to benefit the Silver Blades Skate Team.  Bart notices the cash drop bag that Carl is carrying and begins to hatch an idea for a scam.  Later that night, Hayley tells her father she wants to do something other than con people–something she can be recognized for.  At the rink the next day, Hayley tells Andrew that she is torn because she wants to skate but doesn’t want to hurt her father.  Andrew tells her to follow her conscience.  Hayley works with Alex, improves dramatically and begins to demand a more normal life from her father.  Bart promises to stay in town long enough for Hayley to try out for the Silver Blades and she is temporarily appeased.

Bart then begins the con of Carl by asking if Hayley might be able to practice at the rink after it closes.  When Carl agrees, Bart pretends to drop Hayley off, packs up their belongings from the hotel, then returns to the rink and turns off the lights.  While Carl searches for the fuse box, Bart then takes the bank drop.  When the lights have been restored, Bart arrives at the rink to retrieve Hayley.  As Bart and Hayley make their getaway, Hayley realizes that her father has left the snow globe which belonged to her mother at the hotel room and refuses to leave town without it.  Bart and Hayley return to the hotel room to find the globe.  As they leave the cops arrive and Bart is arrested. Knowing that it will be easier for him to get her out of jail then vice versa, Hayley confesses to the crime.  Bart tries to convince Carl to drop the charges but he refuses, forcing a court case.

Monica reveals herself to Bart, convincing him to trust God and listen to his conscience. Bart interrupts Hayley’s trial, confesses to the crime and asks his daughter to forgive him for not teaching her right from wrong.  The judge recommends that Hayley be remanded to a foster home.  Instead Carl decides to be her foster parent enabling her to live and train with Alex.

Tess and Monica arrive in Park City, Utah as the World Cup Qualifier Ski race is about to begin.  As Tess and Monica watch over two of the contestants, Jett Rudin and Will Heller, Tess explains that the two boys have been friends for their entire life but that their friendship is about to change. Although both boys are competitive, Will has never beaten Jett.  Jett is the center of attention, even to Will’s father who taught both of them to ski.  Monica approaches Jett for an interview, the angle of which would be the friendship of Jett and Will.

Meanwhile, Will’s father, Howard is more interested in securing an endorsement deal for Jett than in his own son. When Monica interviews Will, his jealousy rises and he tells her there will be a new “top dog” on the mountain the following day.  At the qualifying round the next day, Jett sets a new record and warns Will about a dangerous curve on the course.  Fueled by his desire to finally beat Jett, Will ignores Jett’s advice, skids around the curve and loses his place on the World Cup first team.

At the lodge later that night, Monica questions Will off the record.  Will then tells her the story of how Jett’s parents were killed in a fire when they were ten years old.  The two had been having a cigarette smoking competition in the basement of Jett’s house before they fled when his parents arrived home.  When Jett woke up the next morning after spending the night with Will, his parents were dead.  Will then gave Jett a red bandana he had wanted for winning the smoking competition and resigned himself to never beat Jett at anything again.  Jett enters, having overheard the story, and denies that Will ever let him win anything.  The two argue and decide to settle the issue by racing down the mountain as the sun comes up.  As the boys race, Jett loses control and tumbles down the mountain.  When Jett regains consciousness, it is apparent that his spinal cord has been damaged and that he may never walk again.

Howard scolds Will when he learns they were racing. “You have never beaten Jett at anything… Why would you start now?”  Will then goes back to the mountain, finds the red bandana that Jett lost during his accident and returns it to Jett. Jett now remembers the argument and asks Will to help kill himself.  Will says he’ll have to think about it, but as he exits, he takes pills off of an unguarded tray and ducks into another hospital room where Monica is waiting for him.  Monica reveals herself to be an angel, and asks Will to pray… and to not hold back any longer, not from his gift of skiing nor from his friendship with Jett.  Will then goes to his father and tells him how he had let Jett win until he thought he was losing his father.  Howard tells him he’s proud of him and that he could never lose him.

Will then returns to Jett, refuses to help him die and tells him about Monica being an angel. When Jett rebukes him, Will tells him he loves him and leaves the room.  Andrew then reveals to Jett, telling him that he has a death wish because he feels responsible for his parents’ death.  When Andrew tells him he should protect his friendship with Will, Jett gives him the red bandana and asks him to give it to Will.  Will puts on his friend’s bandana and wins the World Cup Giant Slalom as Jett watches proudly from his hospital bed.

Tess and Monica arrive at the offices of NNT Television to pay a visit to T.K. McKenna, a network executive who once dreamed of “being the best” and now only wants “to be first.” As T.K. is bragging about the ratings on a show featuring a hijacked bus which explodes, Monica arrives in T.K.’s office. But T.K. is not surprised, telling Monica that people drop in to tell him things all the time and that he has no idea who they are. Monica then tries to sell him on the idea of a show about angels in which the angels are sent by God who loves us all. McKenna wants to know more and Monica tells him that like some of his visitors, angels are often undercover.

We then see a series of clips from previous episodes where the angels play a variety of roles. T.K. then dismisses Monica and the idea. As Monica leaves, T.K. is told by another executive that 76% of people believe in angels. Outside, Tess tells Monica to change the heart of the man in order to change the network. T.K. finds Monica outside of the building and convinces her to “pitch” her idea to another group of executives who immediately start to tear apart her angel premise. When they say they need a more “edgy” show, we see clips of previous episodes where Monica experiences shootings, bombings, car crashes and assassination attempts. Monica then tells them about how the angel of death, Andrew, takes people home to Heaven rather than killing them. The executives don’t seem to understand and Monica leaves the room in disgust. Monica runs into Irene, T.K. ‘s secretary as she is leaving to catch a bus. Irene tells her that T.K. once dreamed of being a writer and wrote a very good script.

Later, as Monica ruminates on how to approach T.K., Tess tells her to comfort him, that a bus was hi-jacked and blown up. T.K. responds to the tragedy by trying to cover his responsibility to the Board of Directors. Hoping to change the image of the network, he asks Monica to pitch him the angel show again. When he says the angels don’t have enough attitude, we see clips of Tess in action. When T.K. begins to complain about the whereabouts of Irene, Monica informs him that she was on the bus that was blown up. Crushed, T.K. throws everyone out of his office. Andrew hands Monica T.K. ‘s original script and tells her that Irene wanted T.K. to have it. When T.K. asks where the angels were for Irene, Monica tells him there are angels for everyone. We then see a series of guest angels. Monica tells T.K. that God exists, hands him his script and asks him to take a leap of faith and follow his dream of writing. T.K. then pitches his simple show about a family trying to live well to his fellow executives, refusing to take no for an answer.