Prologue
Giggles cascaded out of the lips of a raven haired little girl as she ran through the field of wildflowers trying to get away from her daddy, the tickle monster. Her mother hadn't joined in on the fun. Instead she stood watching with a gentle yet sad smile on her face. She sent the occasional shaky glance to the woods that surrounded their little haven. Wishing for more time with her child but as every minute slipped by so did her time with her baby. She wanted to cry but for her daughters sake she would be strong.
"Kensi, Gabriel," she called "Time to go in."
Kensi looked at her daddy and whined in protest as he picked her up interrupting her play, then looked at her mommy with a defiant little pout. "But mommy I want to play more."
"No butts, McKenzie Rose it's time for lunch." Aishling laughed at her daughters pout and shook her head, "You can play after lunch maybe we will even go to the lake."
Kensi's little head perked up as she squealed "You pwomise?"
"Yes," Aishling laughed, "You, daddy, and I will go swimming if you promise to eat all your vegetables."
Kensi grimaced, "Yuck veg' ble's nasty," she slurred and stumbled through not yet able to pronounce such a big word.
Aishling sighed in frustration then smacked Gabriel over the back of the head as he let slip a tiny snort of laughter. "She gets this type of behavior from you just so you know."
Gabriel just laughed, "Yes but you love us anyway."
Aishling rolled her eyes and leaned in to kiss her mate, then smiled gently down at her beautiful little girl who was clapping and squealing.
Kensi smiled and said, "Momma and Daddy cute. Momma and Daddy stay with Kensi forever, always happy." Then looking up at them with such innocence Kensi asked. "Pwomise?"
Gabriel and Aishling had to look away for second and bite back the tears. Before Gabriel finally answered, "We will never leave you little one, even though you may not be able to see us we will never ever ever ever stop loving you and watching over you. Understand?"
Kensi looked at her daddy and mommy not understanding why they were so sad then said, "Yes Daddy I forever and ever and ever love you and mommy too." Then she kissed both her mommy and daddy on the cheek whispering, "a thousand kisses."
Gabriel smiled as a single tear slid down his cheek, "A thousand kisses to you to baby and to mommy."
Kensi smiled pleased that her mommy and daddy were happy again. She could sense the tension in the air, but paid it no mind. Mommy and Daddy were there and they always made things better. After Lunch, the little family went through the day having fun together. They went on little adventures swam in the lake did crafts and took numerous pictures together. Both parents desperately trying to make this day a memory their child would always treasure. But no matter what they did, they knew it would never be enough.
Soon night fell and both parents went up to their child's room having had their last dance with her and tucked her into bed. They kissed her on the cheek one last time, and Aishling played the tape she recorded for her little one several nights before. Then followed her mate to the weapons cabinet and silently grabbed her bow and quiver along with a lighter, while he grabbed his sword and dagger. They turned and looked at each other one last time; he pulled her to him and kissed her with all his strength and passion letting his love course into her very soul. They pulled back eyes misting with sadness and looked back towards their little girl's room nodded and walked out the door. They were ready all that mattered was that their daughter was safe.
The trek through the woods was filled with fear and regret. Fear that they might just fail and regret that they would be leaving their little one all alone in the world. But they knew if there was any chance for her they had to fight. And give all they could to win so that she and many others could live.
Once they reached their battle ground, they moved to take their positions. Aishling climbed to her perch in one of the nearby Oak trees, while Gabriel stood at the center of the field and waited. He didn't have to wait long. With a flash of light Lucifer appeared at one end of the field and Michael shortly after at the opposite end. If they were both stunned at the other's presence they didn't let it show. They instead turned and looked at Gabriel and growled realizing they had been set up.
"You have made a mistake in doing this brother," Lucifer growled and slowly stalked forward to end his worm of a brother.
If Gabriel was intimidated he didn't let it show instead he glanced back at his eldest brother. Who only glared.
"You are foolish in doing this brother," Michael snarled, "There is no hope in stopping this. The apocalypse will proceed."
Gabriel just shook his head, "Not if I can help it brother," He flipped his sword in his hand and pointed it at him. "The apocalypse will not proceed it will end here with you either dead or in the cage with our ass of a brother."
Michael and Lucifer both growled at his words and charged, Gabriel swung his sword up in defense and forced them back. The three of them circled each other probing for weaknesses when Gabriel saw one he took his chance to seriously injure Michael, but miss calculated and ended up with a gash down his side. Knowing he was slowly bleeding to death he used his powers to surround him and his unsuspecting brothers with Holy oil then yelled. "AISHLING DO IT NOW!" Then looked into the general direction of his mate, and watched as she shot a single blazing arrow down into the field. "No matter what happens brothers this ends now!" He charged at them determined to keep them distracted as his mate jumped down from her perch and began to chant the spell needed to send his brothers to Hell. He fought with everything in him, but as more injuries were inflicted upon him by his brothers' blades he slowly began to fall to his knees and was forced watch as Lucifer turned his attention on to his beloved and crushed her heart with his power. Gabriel cried a silent tear and finished the spell with his last breath. He didn't see the portal suck in his still fighting brothers, didn't hear their last screams he just died watching his mate hoping that what they had done was enough.
As the night went on the bodies of the two lovers laid in the field undisturbed. While a storm started and put out the flames and somewhere their girl was running around the house looking for them.
Kensi had just woken up startled from her little dream by all the loud thunder outside. She ran to her mommy and Daddy's room wanting hugs and kisses. But they weren't there, she ran around the house desperately calling out for them but they never answered. She looked to the front door knowing that she wasn't supposed to go out into the woods alone, but maybe that was where mommy and daddy were. So she picked up her wolfy which she named Knight, because her daddy always told her a story of a wolf knight that would love her and protect her when he could not. She squeezed Knight to her and opened the door slowly then stuck her little head out into the night and looked left then right. Seeing no scary animals or monsters she took off at a run into the woods calling for her mommy and daddy. She knew they would be mad, but it wouldn't be for forever. She would get a scolding and a timeout but her mommy and daddy would always love her. She ran the trail that she knew too well into the field where she found her mommy and daddy laying down. They appeared to be sleeping.
"Mommy, Daddy…" Kensi called. Running and falling to her knees beside them. "Mommy, Daddy," she called again shaking them. There was still no response. She looked closely at them and didn't see their chests moving, and Mommy had blood coming out of her mouth. "Mommy …Daddy," She called a third time crying. "Please wake up, please." They still didn't respond. So she climbed up onto her daddy's chest and started hitting and shaking him. "DADDY PLEASE!" Still no response she carried on well into the night til exhaustion took over and she fell asleep where she lay on her father's cold chest.
The following morning she got up knowing that for some reason her mommy and daddy would never get up. She clutched knight to her chest and looked out into surrounding woods scared and sad. She knelt over her mommy and daddy kissed them each on the cheek and left in hopes of finding someone who could wake her mommy and daddy and make things all better again…
TBC
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