Ah, his smile. Something she had secretly cherished before. Never would she have admitted to wishing, hoping to catch a glimpse of his smile, just for one moment. The joy that he brought to her chased away the blistering cold of the snowy night and filled her with a feeling of peace and warmth unlike anything she had ever known before. Not even the glory of her own precious fire, that she held so dear, could even begin to hold a flame to the splendor of his love.

As he moved, the feathery-soft lull that had enveloped her began to fade away. Replacing it was the harsh sting of reality. Thankfully his words brought her a bit of comfort, but her overly vulnerable state did not help matters.

She clung to him now, her refuge, her rock. Oddly he held her fast, not only physically but emotionally as well. He was the cool refreshing water that kept the roaring blaze at bay. Within, she could feel it, welling up inside her like a powder-keg ready to explode! A moment’s weakness and it would consume her, along with all around her. She could not allow this, would not allow this. Such power was increasingly hard to cage, but it must be done! Only when she had complete control could it be tapped into and used properly. Tis why his presence calmed her so. If anything were to go awry, -he- would be the one capable of standing against it.

What was this? Worry? For her? Ah, but was that not part of love? She owed him something, something vaguely resembling a response. Words came so hard at this point, gathering at the back of her throat, but never escaping. Finally she spoke, soft raspy whispers, barely audible. “You worry too much, my Love. I am.. Fine.. Honestly.” Such a blatant lie, but it was not all falsehood. There was no pain by this point, the cold saw to that. “You need not apologies to me, dearest one. Never for the truth. We are...both not quite ourselves, and yet more so than ever before. Honesty flows forth from both our lips, and I feel these are things which should have been said years ago.”

At the corner of her mind she felt a tugging. More souls had gathered at the Seven Roses than she had anticipated. A slight panic flashed in her core, and her piercing gaze peered into the distance, now barely making out the shape of the bar through the trees.

Fearing what they might find ahead, the Lady began to blurt out a stream of flowing monolog, pouring out her heart to the man who held her safe in his arms. “This feeling...this love, it is consuming. Since the day we parted ways, you have been all I can think of. The thought of seeing you again kept me going these past six years. I knew you were alive...and well. I could feel you within my heart. There is a bond between us that I cannot explain or even begin to comprehend, but I thank the Gods above for this gift.” A burning sensation, a knot in her heart, and finally the tears began to trickle down her ivory cheeks as the emotions overtook her. “I love you, Keovari Seriph. I shall cherish you all of my life, and all the lives here after.”

Instinctively she hid her face from view against the bend of his neck. To her, crying was a sign of weakness, but in this case it showed her overwhelming bliss. The worry of the newcomers became a minor nuisance. She could feel that Faye was stabilizing and that was reassuring. Anything else that came their way, they would take on together from here on out.

Rosiel stared at Katan blankly while all of the information was sinking in, slowly. As it did, his lower jaw began to tremble, but he composed himself and answered,

"Rosiel. I'm Rosiel."

"I... I don't know who you are."

"That's... heh... that's... not possible, you see. We've known each other for many millions of years... Such a long time..."

"I... I'm sorry. I don't remember you. I think... my head, I hit my head."

"I see... well.. your head... you're hurt? You ought... to... rest here. Yes.... rest. Perhaps I can find a doctor to look at your injury. You..." Rosiel said quietly, turning to the Demon crew. "You are all welcome here, as well. Don't worry about paying me. You brought back Katan... but first... let me sort out what's going on inside..."

Katan's facial expression now changed; he looked sorry that he had pushed this smaller man away from him. He stretched out his hand a little, but Rosiel backed away from him with an odd expression on his face. He shook his head and held up his hand, but didn't say anything. He silently turned his back on the four and made his way to the door of the inn.

"Are you... are you my brother?" Katan asked meekly.

Rosiel stopped. He took a deep breath and the feathers on his wings puffed as if a wind blew through them. He was visibly shaking though he was trying to stop.

But he couldn't.

"No," he mumbled hoarsely and went inside.

Inside he could see Stefan, Gabriel, and Faye. Stefan was standing by the door, staring at the floor. Something was bothering him, but Rosiel wasn't in any condition to help his brother. Faye and Gabriel seemed to be at terms with each other. He could feel a confused sort of happiness coming from both of them, radiating and blooming. He was glad that they had at least found some kind of peace.

But he couldn't even bring himself to smile anymore.

The fact that his Katan didn't remember who he was anymore had started to sink in.

Even though he was there, alive... unless there was a way for Katan to regain his memory, which might not be possible at all, he was basically gone.

Gone.

Rosiel could feel tears begin to well up in his eyes.

"You all... it's safe. You can come in... get some food... something to drink... beds are up--stairs," Rosiel called, almost choking on the last word. His throat was beginning to tighten, making it impossible to talk. He bit his lip as he felt the tears start falling down his cheeks. He didn't want Faye and Gabriel to see him. He didn't want to ruin it.

He touched Stefan lightly and walked passed him quickly. He had gotten to the bar, but couldn't hold out any longer. The Angel fell to his knees behind the bar, then rolled to the ground, hiding his head behind his arms and trembling as he finally let the tears fall freely.

He didn't know if anyone saw him. He bit his lip harder but still couldn't help the little whines that escaped from his throat. He could only hope that they hadn't seen him and
wouldn't hear him. He didn't want them to see him crying like this, especially not Katan.

---

Katan didn't quite understand what had just happened. He looked at the Demons around him and they were looking back at him.

"Edeline," Samael said, "We're not going to ask for payment for this Angel."

"Of course," she replied softly. "Who is that, Sam?"

"Rosiel Leonhardt. The Angel Lord. The highest ranking Angel. Sort of... like their King."

"What is he doing here? Shouldn't he be in Heaven?"

"I don't know why he's here. I know he does actually go up there once in a while, but when I was still an Angel, I remember that some pretty bad things went down with him and another Demon Noble."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you when he's not in an earshot," Samael said, lowering his voice. "Let's go inside right now, and you..." he said, turning to Katan. "I would leave him alone for a little bit. I'll talk to you later when we're up in our rooms. I need to tell you about him."

Katan nodded, feeling confused and miserable. He didn't know who Rosiel was, but he hadn't meant to hurt him, as he clearly did. He wished he knew who he once was, but he doubted that anyone could tell him, unless he spoke to Rosiel and asked.

How would that feel?

How would it feel to go up to someone who clearly had some form of feelings for you and ask, "Can you tell me who I was?"

He couldn't imagine. But perhaps Samael would be able to help him.

They went inside as a group, and saw a man and a woman standing there, two vampires they were. A sudden rage filled him upon seeing the vampires but he didn't show it. He didn't know why this rage filled him. It had done the same upon first meeting Samael and his crew, and it had gone away just as quickly as it came.

As did this one.

Not knowing what to do, they stood, waiting.

Faye looked on compassionately, distressed.
She kept quiet, letting him speak, letting his voice and presence wash over her slowly. Each moment felt more fragile. Alyria pawed at this chance of instability, grasping at her moment. Faye felt as if a screeching siren were blaring directly into her ears, echoing off the corners of her memories, shattering her stability. Faye fought the evil in herself fiercely, determined to have her reunion with Gabriel be good. She would enjoy it, she would absolutely enjoy every moment she had with him, she would not be denied by this curse of a second self. She would not be the reason for the deaths of these people around her. She would not succumb to the exhaustion of mind, body, and spirit. She would stay strong. Just this once, be strong enough to win alone.

"...Faye."

The siren stopped. Her mind felt momentarily, beautifully calm. For now, Faye had won.
She stepped forward, a slight movement. Faye's eyes blurred blue with her tears, a weight pushing painfully against her heart. One small hand lifted, paused, hesitantly rested against his cheek, calling the tears out, hammering the weight in.
Her heart seemed to burst. All a blur now. White, searing, flashing feelings. The strange, long unfelt, warmth of laying in his arms. Bubbling memories and loves. A slight sense of his scent. A fear, worry of what lay between them. The soft silk of his hair between her fingers. A need to be cared for. A need to care for. Powerful surging of emotions long laid to rest. A rushing in her ears. Her cheeks flushed red.
She stroked her thumb lightly across his cheek, moving in to close the gap between them, nodding, encouraging, begging him to feel and remember all that was between them.
Steady her eyes on his, memorizing them again. The beautiful heart which drew her always to him. The comfort of his presence. The knowledge of his touch, his reality in her existence.
Steady, her eyes on his.
Slip silently against him, arms pulled up before her, hands skimming over his chest, to his shoulders, gripping them tightly, with all her love.
Steady her eyes, on his.
Stepping up on her toes, trusting him to balance her, eyes still open and focused in, press her forehead against his. Sob softly. Breath deeply, slowly.

"Gabriel."

The tumult calmed.

---

Keovari smiled silently, eyes closed, reveling in the joy. He slipped a hand up to stroke her hair gently, living these few moments in a beautiful daze.
"My love." He said simply, carefully stressing his claim.
He pressed his cool cheek against hers, feeling slowly sobered by the strange comfort of familiarity. He could not place why this felt so familiar to him, he had never dared be so forward with Mystical before. Yet, it felt incredibly right and he felt as if he had held her thus a thousand times before... As if never once had passion of the first been unfelt when he had.
He smiled and kissed her soft cheek, trying to delay the return of his sense.
But it would not stay away. He felt the momentary insanity fleeting, losing his ability to focus on only the joy. Worry. She was injured. Badly, and he must return her to safety. He lifted her steadily and wordlessly began to move, following the faint trails of Faye's spirit.

Suddenly he realized he owed her words. He owed her his total truth.

"My dear, my love. I am truly sorry for my nonsensical actions tonight... I hope you may understand, I have been distraught. I am confused as to why I have done what I have. But one thing does not confuse me, and this you must believe. I am not confused as to my feelings as I announced them to you," He paused and settled his eyes on hers, their ice blues sliding into her comforting gaze, "I love you. I have loved you. I will. You are in my heart, my dreams. My Lady, you have invaded my every thought."

As he spoke, he continued moving, picking up pace as his words finished flowing from his mouth. They confused him even as he spoke them. They were deliberate, but at the same time, out of his control. Blatant truth.
He walked on, feeling Faye's presence growing stronger. He began to notice others as well and slowed down. He did not feel Alyria, so for now he could afford to allow himself and the lovely Mystical a few precious moments

He kissed her!

Immediately her eyes went wide in shock from his actions. Her pale frosty cheeks took on a bright crimson hue which rivaled the splendid color of her hair. As his lips lingered on her, she began to melt into the sweet kiss. Vivid eyes closing, she gave into his embrace and lingered on his lips, savoring their sweet taste.

By this time she was completely lost in him and the moment. Her head spun, and the snowy world around them simply melted away leaving only the couple. So much she wanted to say, needed to say, yet she chose to express herself best with her actions.

Slender arms lightly draped over his shoulders, and a small hand moved timidly to the back of his head. Long slender fingers mingled with his hair, toying with the light strands as if they were some new-found treasure. Heart body and spirit swam with a flood of emotions, till her heart felt like it would explode from the pressure.

Their kiss was sweet and pure, filled with years of unstated love. How could she have been so foolish? So blind? She was a master of emotions and yet something as beautifully simple as love slipped right through her fingertips. Now that she had it, now that she realized, she would never let it go.

Finally pulling back from his soft lips she began to whisper in a breathy tone. Slowly she brought her cheek to rest against his with her lips lingering inches away from his ear.

“Keovari... my darling.... my love...”

Stefan was very taken aback at being pushed aside by Faye. She looked more different than she did when he had first seen her at the inn. He still found her beautiful, as he had before, although her beauty was different. Before, she had seemed dull, like something pretty that had been tarnished. Now, she was more fresh; her beauty was cold, noble, and brilliant. Stefan could now see that, yes, before him was a Vampire.

A creature of the night. Something that he and his brother were supposed to hunt until none existed. But how could he attack something of such splendor? Gabriel, too, had struck him as unnaturally handsome at first, but he hadn't really thought on it until now. Both of the Vampires ignored him for each other. He looked from Gabriel to Faye and noticed that Gabriel had taken one of his cooking knives and now held it to her.

She looked slightly stricken at seeing the knife. Stefan was suddenly very sorry. It was he who told Gabriel to wield a weapon. Of course, he understood that there was no way of him knowing that it would be her... but he felt awful all the same. He wanted to apologize to her, but it would be pretty useless; she wouldn't understand what for.

He then noticed that Gabriel then put the knife down. Was it because he no longer felt threatened anymore? "What a stupid question!" he thought. Of course he's not threatened anymore; she's a friend.

Stefan didn't know why Rosiel had been lying to Gabriel about "Josephine", since his brother hadn't truly explained to him the situation with the two. But he didn't need Rosiel's explanations. Gabriel spoke to her first; Stefan stood frozen in the corner where he was shoved aside, not knowing what to do.

After his brief monologue, the Vampire slowly made his way to Faye. It seemed to Stefan that Gabriel had actually touched Faye, but he wasn't sure. And, in a few moments, it didn't really matter. The Vampire gave a short howl before his body stiffened. Concerned, Stefan steadily made his way toward toward Gabriel. He stood almost directly behind Faye, not sure if he should even interfere at all.

Before he even had time to react, the Vampire dropped to his knees, clutching his head, as if it were going to explode. Getting rather frightened, he moved past Faye and was reaching for Gabriel when the Vampire suddenly called, "ENOUGH!" and Stefan, in turn, stiffened.

Then Faye spoke.

"Gabriel."

Her voice was begging, praying. It almost brought the Angel to tears. The tears came because he was an Angel, and he could feel Faye's grief, as his brother had before, though he did not know, and because he just now realized how terribly lonely he was. This was a love shared by them.

He didn't know how he knew, but he knew it was. And it wasn't his. He had nothing to do with this. He was just a stranger... and probably would be, forever. He withdrew; he was not needed here... and the others. What happened to the others? Where was Rosiel? Keovari? The Lady Mystical?

---

Samael looked back on Leonard and Edeline, who both stared blankly at him. The Angel was looking over his shoulder in the direction of the forest.

"There's someone else there," he mumbled.

Leonard had backed away from the door, after being pushed aside by the Vampiress. Edeline had drawn hear longsword; A loud yell emitted from inside the bar. A fight perhaps?

"What the Hell just happened?"

"I don't know," Samael replied. "I can feel something holy in there, so that must be one of the owners. There might be trouble, though, so let's wait here until it's sorted out. No sense getting mixed up in things that aren't our business."

"But he said there was someone else there," Leonard said quietly, pointing at the Angel.

"You, there!" Samael called out to where the Angel was staring intently. "We mean no harm. Please, come out with your weapons sheathed, if you are a friend."

---

Rosiel had reached out for Faye when she ran toward and hissed as the hem of her dress slipped through his fingers. He had stood to go after her, but didn't know what was going on. He didn't know who the intruders were, and furthermore, he didn't know what was happening inside. The Angel swore that he had heard a yell come from the inside, but wasn't sure. He knew Stefan would have ran out instead of attempting to fight in such close quarters if it came down to that, so it calmed him a little.

But now, the intruders were calling out to him. He was pretty sure that they weren't going to hurt him; they probably just wanted rooms. Slowly, the Angel emerged from his hiding place and walked toward the inn, brushing past his beloved Blue Tree. He was greeted by two Demons, a human woman, and...

"Katan! Where have you been? What are you doing here?" Rosiel called as he recognized his lover and broke into a run.

The woman and one of the Demons exchanged glances. However, the other older-looking Demon seemed to freeze once he saw Rosiel. He turned to the woman slowly, and said in a soft voice, "Edeline, put the sword away..."

She did as he asked, looking extremely confused, as did the other Demon. Katan, however, didn't seem to react. He didn't seem to notice Rosiel. "Perhaps he's just shocked to see me," Rosiel thought.

"I wouldn't count on it, boss." the voice said, sounding amused again.

"Angel Lord Rosiel," said the older Demon, bowing in the cold snow. Rosiel felt his face go red.

"You don't have to... stop, really. It's ok... at ease."

"Sir, we've found an injured Angel and we heard that the owners of this Seven Roses were also Angels - we thought we could take him here and also get some rest."

"Katan is injured...? But... oh... did you see a woman run by here, too? Faye?"

"Yes, sir... she's inside. We didn't want to go in..."

"I'm sure everything's ok..." mumbled Rosiel. "But Katan... he's hurt...? I don't see anything wrong with him."

Rosiel thought he heard the woman named Edeline say, "Oh, no..." The older Demon and the other said nothing to him. Neither did Katan. He was still staring at Rosiel curiously. Which was completely unlike the Angel.

"Katan...?" Rosiel said, as he stepped close to the other Angel, wanting to hug and kiss him as they hadn't seen each other in such a long time...

The Angel wrapped his arms around Katan and leaned forward to kiss on the lips, but Katan backed away from him and gently pushed him away. Rosiel let his arms drop to his sides, confused. He noticed that the two Demons and Edeline looked very uncomfortable; they kept shifting about where they stood.

Katan looked surprised that Rosiel had touched him, and even more surprised when Rosiel tried to kiss him.

"Who are you?" he asked loudly, a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Oh, my," mused the voice. "This was unexpected."

Gabriel was taken aback by this woman, this Josephine, bursting in and crying to him. They had been introduced only briefly before Gabriel had retired for the night, and yet she did have a certain familiarity to him. Was he about to do something he would regret? Was this Fate's warning, a message from the ether?

Or was there more to it? As he gazed into her eyes, there was more in this woman's heart than he first realised. A loneliness...an age as old as time...the knowledge of years, the emptiness of death... Gabriel's eyes widened and he took a step back as realisation hit him. She's a vampire too! Mister Rosiel had deceived him. He left the knife on the bar, not taking his eyes from the small woman in front of him. The realisation that she was like himself seemed to make so much more of her apparent; the power that seemed to exude from her like flame from a wick, the sheer weight of the centuries she'd lived almost crushing down upon everything she looked at, everything she touched. The ageless beauty of a face caught somewhere in time, a body that would never wither.

Gabriel slowly advanced upon Josephine. "I see...you're like me, aren't you? You're a vampire too." He stood almost face-to-face with her, almost wincing in the glow of the bubbling turmoil which spilled over from within her, scorching all it touched. Blinking in empathy, he asked softly, "You're in pain, aren't you? I can feel it...you're at war with yourself..." The aura of the small woman in front of him seemed to flare up around him, trapping him in a wall of psychic struggle. Fighting the temptation to break free with his own force, Gabriel allowed Josephine to envelop him. "You're very powerful..." he whispered, stepping closer to her and reaching out a hand very gingerly to touch her. Gabriel's fingers brushed Josephine's, and all at once he felt as if an icepick had been driven between his eyes. Letting out a short yell, he froze and trembled as something seemed to shoot through his brain, creating an entire life as it went.

Flashes of a past unknown ran screaming past Gabriel's eyes like one remembers a drunken night; the woman whose hand he held was present in all of them. Lying on a bed reciting poetry, walking through enchanted forests and watching the full moon call the wolves out to howl from the tops of trees; catching fireflies at dusk and setting them free as the sun disappeared, running through endless halls in a never-ending game of tag.

Gabriel fell to his knees, withdrawing his hand and clutching it to his head as the visions continued. She was still there, still with him. What horrible false images was she creating? Why would this woman...this vampire taunt and torture him so? The worst was yet to come; visions of battle, of a woman he loved screaming in grief, of his death...of the most horrendous enemy one could imagine, exacting the worst revenge on the world. "ENOUGH!" Gabriel screamed, his eyes welling with tears, his body shaking. Still, the images flashed on, and Gabriel struggled to his feet, stooped over with the effort of keeping his mind from imploding.

In a blaze of light the images stopped, and a word filled his mind. Like a bell rung in his head, louder than the voice of God in his ear, terrible and painful as it was beautiful and final; everything was explained, everything apparent. The images made sense. They were not false; they were memories, long-forgotten occurences. Shuffling to straighten up, the word drifted out of Gabriel's head, melting away as smoke dissipates into nothingness. As the world became so much more bright, the infinite dreams of his memory falling into place in his head, he seized the word before it left his mind altogether and forced it from between his lips:

"...Faye."

Faye ignored Rosiel completely. She did not respond as he tried to pull her behind the tree with him. She stood steady, staring at the now visible inn. She felt the other presences, but ignored them. Unimportant. They were all unimportant. If Alyria came free, they would all be completely unimportant. That is... if they could even 'be' any longer.
She closed her eyes for a moment, pleading desperately with some unknown forces. Begging.
Please, let this work. Let me not cause pain. Let me enjoy the company of Gabriel again, without worry, without strain. Let me not lose my sanity in Alyria's anger.
When she opened them again, her blue eyes were shining with tears. Her view of the Seven Roses was obscured, twisting dreamily. A seconds pause, "I am sorry for anything regrettable I may do, Rosiel."
She ran.

Dashing for the front of the building, her quickest way to what she was praying was safety, she fell into a sort of gentle dreamy rhythm. Her footsteps crunched the frozen ground and snow in a beat, beat, beat. She swiftly lifted her skirts and her pace quickened.
She stopped as she reached the front. Staring at the group at the door, quite the scene in her wet clothes, flying hair and burning eyes. She looked steadily at each, returning every look with daggers from her own. She stepped slowly up to the door and placed her hand on the door, sensing the warmth of life leaning to it's other side. She closed her eyes and began to push slowly, focusing all the strength of the vampire into her arm.
"Whoever is there, please move away. I will not stop for you, if I do I believe you will regret the greater pain doing so would cause."
She pressed slowly, preferring not to damage the door or cause harm to anyone inside by using too much force, but steadily used more pressure. Rosiel and the group behind her were now outside her realm of consciousness. As the door began to give way easily behind her strength, she stepped in, making her way through at the first chance. The warmth hit her first, enjoying the slight tingling behind her eyes, wishing only that she could feel that sweet sensation as humans would. She neglected the door behind her, stepping further in.
"Gabriel." She said softly, before examining the state of the room, the name slipping of her lips in a rush of the fear, joy, and the simple pangs of love.
Finally her eyes found him, taking him in as she had not allowed them to when she first saw him those fleeting moments. It all came back in torrents, the strange ache in her chest, the bitter tears, the anger and loneliness. Alyria flitted at the edges of Faye's consciousness. In Faye's ears, Alyria's soft laughter. In her mind, the vague grin of lips like Faye's but somehow emanating evil.
More fearful, feeling her sanity being strained away, she took a step forward. Her eyes still fixed on his face.

"Gabriel," her voice now pleading as she had pleaded with the gods moments ago. She wanted to run to him that moment. To enjoy again the safety and comfort he had always given. But her fear of his reaction, as well as her growing fear of what would happen with Alyria, kept her still. The knife he held reminding her that things were not right, that even if Alyria was held back and they were reunited, things may not be well.
But she could not turn back now.
She would not.