Hello my dear readers! It's good to be posting. I've been kind of in a writing slump over the last month and a half, but I'm getting back into the swing of things. I hope you enjoy this story in celebration of the holiday of romantic love. I hope to start getting some of my other stories updated in the coming weeks.

I'm shooting for a three chapter story and finish posting by Valentine's Day. This story takes place after 'Who are My Brothers?' without really any spoilers to that story.

Also, Happy Birthday to Abraham Lincoln.

Of Valentines Yet to Come
By OneHorseShay

Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue. For God sakes, don't sue.
Paring: Jade West/Freddie Benson
Rating: T Language/Adult Content
Summary: Valentine's Day has rolled around again and Freddie doesn't have a clue what to get Jade to show his love for her. Fortunately, he has some help with a being associated with the holiday and he can always count on help from his family… even if they haven't been born yet.

Chapter 1

Green Meadow Mall
Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, February 12, 2015

Freddie Benson's face looked worn as he stood in the middle of the mall and glanced over the various stores decorated with the various colors of red, pink and white for the rapidly approaching holiday for lovers of all forms. Despite it being a Thursday afternoon, there were plenty of shoppers going about to the various stores to find a gift for that special someone in their life—the men of course spending far more than the women would spend on the holiday, but that was just a little statistic that the news would report on later that no one cared about.

The college junior of course was among the crowd with the same intention of finding a gift for his beautiful fiancée, Jade West, but he faced the unexpected dilemma of not having a clue in what to get her for the holiday. He hoped browsing around the mall would inspire him or perhaps he could run across something that would practically 'yell' out at him that Jade would love.

He casually walked around the front of each of the store fronts, eyeing the various displays and sales screaming that they had the perfect gift for one's lover. However, everything just seemed so hollow to him with it being a forced emotion.

He made his way past the jewelry store and thought that jewelry was always a good token of his affection and the expected fallback gift in these circumstances. The idea of having to get something as a fallback gift mildly irritated him in that it seemed to be a chore to find Jade a gift instead of something that she would love and let him see that lovely smile when he gave it to her.

The former Seattleite walked into the jewelry store and started casually browsing with the other patrons, feeling kind of lost in his search. He stopped in front of one counter looking at various rings. Jade liked her rings, but about two and a half years after giving her an engagement ring, it didn't seem as meaningful to give her them. They would all pale in comparison to the ring on her left ring finger.

"Finding anything you like sir?" an eerily familiar voice called out in front of him on the other side of the counter.

He looked to see a young man that bared a strikingly similar appearance and build to himself with his hair neatly parted and combed down with a five o'clock shadow on his face and wearing a sharp black suit and tie. He wasn't an exact doppelganger as the one he had met before during a layover of one of Jade's tours. He was some prince in some small country that he would have trouble finding on a map if it wasn't for the internet.

"Is there a problem sir?" the young sales clerk asked in a similar voice to Freddie.

"No, it's just… you just look familiar."

The similar looking young man grinned and answered in a carefree manner, "Oh, I've been told that I look like the gentleman dating that famous musician, Jade West."

Freddie held back a smirk and answered after taking an expected moment to examine his features. "Yeah, I can see the resemblance."

The salesman casually remarked back, "You look like you could be mistaken for him too sir."

The former tech-producer laughed off, hoping to deflect the recognition, "I've had the comparison made about me a time or two."

The resembling sales clerk politely laughed then asked, "Is there anything I can help you with sir?"

Freddie politely smiled. "I'm still browsing. I'm trying to find the perfect gift for my fiancée."

"Ah, do you have something particular in mind?"

"Not really. I'm still trying to figure out what that gift could be and I thought perhaps she would like some jewelry."

"It sounds like you're just falling back on that."

Freddie regretfully grinned, not expecting to verbally hear his own nagging thoughts and answered in a tired voice, "I kind of am. We've shared so many birthdays, Christmases and other Valentine's Days that I think I'm running out of gift ideas for her that I know she would love."

The young man casually remarked, "They say you can never really go wrong with jewelry, flowers and candy, but perhaps you're looking at your gift shopping in the wrong direction?"

Freddie's brow knotted up quickly, not expecting such an answer, "What do you mean?"

"You're shopping because it's Valentine's Day, but why are you getting her a gift for it?"

Freddie slightly turned his head to the side and studied the fellow young man. He slowly answered, "Because it's Valentine's Day and you give a gift for the person you're with."

"So you're doing it because the commercialized holiday, not because you genuinely want to give her a gift?"

The college student felt mildly offended with the question, but not too much since the salesman simply put to words the nagging feeling he had felt for the last couple of days as the day approached. "You're a salesman and you're complaining about commercialism?"

"I like to think I'm just pointing out that you're just conforming to the holiday instead of wanting to express your love for this woman on your terms. The gift should reflect your intangible feelings, a physical gesture that symbolizes your love to her. You figure out what you want to tell her then go looking for the gift that will convey those feelings."

"I've already done that with jewelry with the engagement ring. What more can I do than tell her that I want to spend the rest of my life with her?"

The sales clerk gently laughed, "Then could I interest you in some wedding bands?"

Freddie let out a tension relieving laugh then answered with a small grin still on his face, "Not today."

"Then perhaps you should be looking elsewhere to find something that expresses your love for this woman in your life with a smaller gesture? Something to let her know that your love for her hasn't waned since your engagement until your wedding?"

Freddie thought the sharply dressed sales clerk had a very insightful. The point really was to show that he loved her and thought about her. "She knows every day that I love her. She has no doubt about that."

"Perhaps you shouldn't get her anything at all and tell her that: you don't want anything to do with the holiday other letting her know how much you love her and what she means to you."

He cocked his head to the side and asked half-jokingly, "Do you realize that you're trying to talk me out of a sale and trying to talk me into the dog house?"

"Maybe, but… this is actually my favorite time of year and I just root for genuine love. I believe that is more important than any commission I could make on a sale."

Freddie smirked and softly snorted out, "So you're a hopeless romantic?"

The young man with the very similar face knowingly smiled as if he had a deeper understanding to the situation than perhaps even Freddie. "Hopeless? Never. It's people like you and Jade that have overcome everything that's been thrown at you that proves that love is never hopeless."

The former tech-producer gave the sales clerk a curious expression, but was interrupted by having any deeper thoughts with a song starting playing from his pocket, one of Jade's recent hits from her second album used as a ring tone signaling that she was calling him.

The similar appearing young man grinned and suggested, "Perhaps you could ask whoever is calling for a suggestion?"

Freddie threw a half-hearted smile and brought the rectangular phone to his ear and answered, "Hey."

Jade happily questioned, "What'cha doing? You're out of class right?"

"Yeah I am. I'm ah… Valentine's Day shopping," he decided to admit.

Jade teased, "Oh, picking me out something nice?"

He looked to the sales clerk with a bit of mortification. "Yeah, just… getting you the perfect gift, but it's a surprise. It wasn't easy to fine."

"I know I'll love it, but I kind of have a surprise for you and that's why I'm calling. Could you meet me right now though?"

"Yeah, sure. I can wrap up the rest of shopping later. Where do you want to meet?"

"Let me text you the address."

He raised a curious eyebrow, clearly wondering why she was sending an address instead of just telling him the location. "Okay." He heard the ping of receiving the text message then continued, "Okay, I got it. I'll be right there."

"I'll see you soon. Love you."

"I love you too."

The call ended and Freddie slipped the phone back into his pocket.

The salesman smiled and needlessly questioned, "I take it that was your sweetheart?"

"Yeah, she wants me to meet up with her right now."

"You look like it's a bit of a surprise."

He hesitated in answer, but he didn't see any harm in being vague, "Oh, it was just unexpected. She said she would be busy this afternoon, but it looks like plans have changed."

"Well good luck sir in finding that gift."

Freddie grinned and genuinely thanked, "Thank you… Mister…"

"Nathanael, the name's Nathanael."

"Thank you Nathanael," Freddie returned with a smile and nod of his head. He turned and headed out of the jewelry shop with a mixture of curiosity and doubt, mild hopefulness that he would figure something out for Jade.

Beverly Park
Los Angeles, CA

The black '69 Charger pulled up to the security gate of the gated community where a number of high profile stars lived. He rolled down his window to speak with one of the security guards and introduced himself, "Hello. I'm Freddie Benson—"

The security guard pressed a button and politely waved him inside as the gate parted for him without a second thought.

Freddie looked at the security guard for a few seconds, wondering why he was just being allowed through, but let it go as he started his drive into the exclusive community.

The classic muscle car leisurely drove down the road as Freddie looked out for the house Jade mentioned in her text among the high end homes built really for the rich and famous. Though the smart phone was telling him the exact location of the house, the most reliable instrument could still be the Mark 1 Eyeball.

As he drove down the street, he did a double take in seeing Shawn Combs walking down the side of the street walking his dog.

"Nice wheels!" the rapper shouted with a wave as he spotted the car.

Freddie politely waved back, mildly stunned and continued on his way until he spotted Jade's black Mercedes-Benz before the phone could tell him that the house was to his right: 'You have arrived at One-Three-Nine-Eight-One Aubrey Road, Beverly Hills'. He pulled the Charger into the driveway next to the luxury vehicle in front of the garage that was at least one level below the main level of the home with a singular and double door then stepped out of his car once he parked it.

He glanced around to the clearly multimillion dollar homes and was a little in awe of them. He had accompanied Jade to a number of celebrities' homes for after award parties and been impressed with them, but there were still times he was in awe of them. The homes were well separated with plenty of trees and other high greens that reached at least a dozen feet and more up in the air, so privacy was maintained. He looked back to the home that he and Jade's vehicles were parked and it looked just as impressive with its Normandy design scheme.

The college student jotted up the half spiral white brick staircase up to the front door and knocked. A few seconds later a lovely blonde woman in her mid-thirties wearing a female blazer jacket and mid-thigh skirt opened the door. She graciously smiled at him, apparently recognizing him.

Freddie cautiously asked, "Hello, I'm looking for Jade West?"

"She's right inside. You're Mister Benson I take it?"

"Yes."

"Come in," she offered with a motion of her hand.

He accepted the invitation, still curious about why he was here, and looked around the expansive home.

Standing off to the side in the foyer was Jade's chafer and bodyguard, a tall and muscular fellow that was a former US Army Sergeant with a very clandestine service record then a military security contractor. The rise to fame came with it the increase need for security for the starlet to the point that now that every time she went out, she had a shadow. It was an inconvenient development where she couldn't go out on a spare of the moment unless she was with Freddie.

The bodyguard politely nodded and greeted him, "Mister Benson."

"Charles."

The dark brunette noticed her love and eagerly strolled to him then looped her arm around his arm and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She turned to look at the house and asked with a smile almost big enough to break her face, "What do you think?"

"It's big and nice," he cracked a boyish grin as he continued to take in the splendor of the home with the white tile floor and a view all the way to the back of the home that seemed to stretch on forever. If he wasn't mistaken, he could see through the windows of the door to a pool.

"But do you like it?"

"I guess I would have to take a tour before I could give you a fair opinion, but why? Why did you want to me to meet you here?"

Jade looked practically gleeful and that was a rare face even for the one time queen mean girl at Hollywood Arts that had 'mellowed' over the last few years. She licked her gloss covered lip and answered with hope lacing her voice, "I was hoping to buy it."

Freddie's jaw nearly dropped as he uttered, "What?"

She leaned closer to whisper into his ear, "I want to buy it. I want this to be our home… I want to spend the rest of our lives here and raise our children here."

"Wow," he answered, still looking astonished by her revelation.

Jade knew she was dropping a bombshell on him since they hadn't discussed getting a place on their own other than in the abstract. She did feel a little guilty on just ambushing him this way, but as she had just stated, she wanted the house. While Freddie was still processing why Jade asked him to meet her here, Jade looked to the realtor and suggested with her charming smile, "Would you mind giving a second tour for us?"

The lovely, and quite eager, realtor smiled and began to go through a second tour without a second thought since the musical star was simply that, had the money and was quite interested in purchasing the house.

They were led through the five bedrooms, six and a half bath home with the realtor taking great pleasure in pointing out the large and formal foyer he had entered, a living room with a ceiling that looked like it went up for forever, several fireplaces, a family room with glass doors to the backyard that led to the pool and patio, and a kitchen for a professional chef. The features Freddie particularly liked were the gym connected to the master bedroom and balcony to the room. Jade mentioned how she liked the yoga room off to the kitchen. The security cameras and the elevator were nice added touches.

After about twenty minutes, the realtor led them back to the foyer and pleasantly offered the couple, "I'll give you two a chance to talk." She parted from them to walk to the kitchen and immediately got onto her phone.

Jade confidently asked with a smirk, "So, what do you think about it now?"

Freddie looked to his future wife and humbly stated, "I like it. It's nice… really nice."

The musician raised her eyebrow, mildly concern that he could be placating her, "Is that it?"

He sighed out, "It's just… are you sure?"

"Sure?"

"Yeah, that this is the one you want? That we're ready to buy a house? We haven't talked at all about getting a house."

She glanced down to the white tile floor and muttered, "I didn't think of that."

He asked in concern, trying to understand her reasoning in a gentle way as he obviously busted her bubble, "Then why all of the sudden did you go house shopping and ready to drop almost eight million dollars?"

"I have the money—"

He waved her off while answering, "I'm not worried about the money. It's your money to spend and the money mangers will—"

"It's our money."

He gently rested his hands on her shoulders and sweetly smiled to her. "Jade, it's your money that you earned through sweat and tears, hours upon hours in the studio and practices and our months apart at times. It's your money."

She reached up and rested a hand over his left one and countered, "But I wouldn't have been able to have done any of that without you and we're… you know. Yours will be mine and mine… will still be mine." She finished the last part with a wicked grin, knowing Freddie would appreciate the joke.

Freddie broke with that charming smile that drove his internet fans wild. "As it should be."

Jade sighed, seeing that discussion would only go around in circles for right now, "So, you don't want the house?"

"I didn't say that. I'm just wondering why you want it right now without even mentioning it to me before hand."

She bowed her head and whispered, "This was the house in my… trip to the future. I may not have liked how I turned out, but I liked the house and I wanted us to spend our lives here. I saw that it was on the market and I want to get it while I have the chance. I want to raise our family here, but only if you want to live here too."

He saw the conviction in her eyes that she was right that this was the house for them even passed the lingering worry that he wouldn't be happy with it. If he disagreed with her and actually fought her on the issue, it may have broken her heart. He only had one choice in the end. "Okay, if you really want this house, then you get the house. Let's call your lawyers and your money manager and make this happen.

"Really?"

"I like the house and it's a good neighborhood and most important, you want this, more than I think you even know." He finished rhetorically, "Are we really going to find a better one?"

She threw her arms around him and crashed her lips against his lips. Before he could even register the kiss, she pulled away and her face nearly broke in smiling. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he answered with a pleased tone, but unfortunately it he still had to worry about some of the more practical ramifications of them buying the house. He pointed out, "But, it means we have to set a date sooner than we thought… unless you want me to pay rent to you?"

Jade took several seconds to get his point then uttered, "Oh?" She glanced down, letting that sink into her mind… the living together part. He paying rent to her mother had been the easiest workaround to his religious consideration. She nervously swallowed then commented, "We said that we'd probably wait until after you graduated—"

"Which is just a year, year and a half at most. I could pick up an extra class or two during the summer and maybe graduate in December and we could have a spring wedding."

Jade answered in concern for him, "I don't want you to rush your classes just to move up the date."

He tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her close. He sweetly smiled while answering, "Jade, if you want to go to the courthouse right now and get married, I would do it. We can call everyone up and have them meet us there as witness. The only concern I have for the date is that there would be enough time to plan it and make it special for you."

She raised her pierced eyebrow and playfully challenged, "It wouldn't be special for you?"

He could have easily came back with a pun-ny remark, but the truth was far too serious to make any light of it with a joke. He answered her with a solemn tone, "In my mind and heart, I've been your husband since… what happened to you during our senior year. As heart gripping as what happened and just having to watch and wait and make an oath that you may not have heard, the moment you came back was all the 'specialness' I needed, so when we have our wedding, it will be all about you and what you want to make it."

The dark haired musician tightened her arms behind his neck and whispered in return, "You know… I've kind of thought the same way about us all this time; that the wedding was just an elaborate formality, but… I would like a nice and maybe an 'elaborate' wedding. Something Cat would think would be a fairy tale wedding that really celebrates us getting married."

Freddie ran his tongue on the inside of his bottom lip to fight a grin that was threatening to break his face. He kept as much of his laugh out of his voice, "Then we'll have the fanciest wedding you want."

A hint of blush formed on her cheeks. "I didn't say a 'fancy' wedding."

"We will have whatever wedding you want. Whether it is a fairy tale one where I'm riding in like prince charming or we have it at night and you can wear your dress from the Scissoring or we all can dress in black. Whatever kind of wedding you want and when. You pick a date and I will make it happen. I just want you to be happy with it."

Jade fought back the tears that were threatening to form. She cleared her throat to try to regain her composer and dropped her arms from his shoulders to rest her hands on his arms then kissed his cheek. "Thank you. We don't have to rush the wedding, but I do want to buy the house now. I don't want it to slip through my fingers."

"We'll worry about the living arrangements later. Right now, get the house. Get the house."

Freddie's support just filled her excitement and reassurance and pulled him into another hug. She breathed into his ear, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Jade loosened her grip on him and pulled back, but not far enough for Freddie's hands to be moved from her hips. He replied with an upbeat tone, "Okay, now that is settled, you're getting a house, how do I top this with a Valentine's present?"

"This is not a competition on gifts and this really isn't a Valentine's Day present."

"It's not? We've found the house we're going to probably spend the rest of lives in and raise a family. It's a pretty big gift to both of us two days away from Valentine's Day. The pressure is on for me to find the perfect matching gift."

Jade noisily exhale a soft laugh, "Okay, okay, I won't talk you out of it. You can get just as stubborn as me."

"Thank you. I'll meet you back home. I still have some shopping to you."

Jade lulled her head to the side and teased, "I thought you had found my gift. You didn't pick it up?"

Freddie slightly tilted his head to the opposite way to Jade and lips parted to an awkward expression with perhaps a bit of blush forming on his cheeks. He cleared his throat several times then almost sputtered, "I… I was… I was in the middle of getting you the gift when you called, but now I have to find something else too."

She gave him a close, nearly penetrating look to see how honest he was in his statement.

Freddie maintained his awkward grin, thinking she was going to look right through him and see he didn't have a clue what to find her.

Jade gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Like I said, I'm sure whatever you find, I'll love it. You go finish your shopping and I'll meet you at home—well, home for right now."

The dark haired musician turned to head for the realtor and began as she pulled out her phone to call her lawyer and money manager, "So, how about I buy this house…"

Freddie smiled, happy that his girl was happy, before starting out of their future home. He just hoped he wouldn't disappoint her already exultant mood with a lousy gift.

After leaving their future home and about a half hour drive, Freddie returned to the Green Meadow Mall to find Jade's gift with the backup plan that if he didn't find anything, he would swing by the Northridge Mall.

He spent about an hour browsing the stores, but nothing seemed to catch his attention nor could he figure out how he could express his love for Jade. He decided to take a break and stop at the food court between the spoke of two of the wings of the mall. He picked himself up a drink and a cookie, needing the boost of sugar, before taking a seat at a free table to try to gather his thoughts and try to come up with a new game plan.

He let the events of the last hour replay in his head while he sipped on his drink. They were buying a house. Jade was buying a house for them. He had accepted with surprisingly relative ease each of step in their relationship, perhaps because the struggling to the next step—initially letting go of the people in Seattle, struggling against his own morality to balance what was right with devotion to Jade, and her nearly dying to show how much she means to him—allowed him to psychologically and emotionally come to peace with each step, but this step just took him by surprise.

The plan to be on their own—though they really were on their own even under her mother's roof—wasn't in of itself shocking or unexpected, but the time was certainly throwing him off since in their, actually Jade's, hectic lives they still had a rough plan of how their lives were going to play out in the next few years. As Jade had brought up, the actually marriage would take place after he graduated then they would get their own place to begin their lives as a married couple.

Her buying the house certainly threw those plans out and moved everything up: marriage, living together by themselves, children…

…children, the very idea of raising children with Jade brought reassuring and warming feelings, which of course led his thoughts to a daughter existing only in their imagination: Sapphire. Their unborn daughter had crossed his mind on numerous occasions over the years, something to hold on to hope in their darkest times with Dusty certainly teasing him that they could always have a son first or may not have a daughter at all. It wasn't meant to be cruel, but a friendly reminder not to repeat his mother's mistake of wanting a daughter and never coming to terms that she had a son instead.

He wouldn't make that same mistake as they hoped for a daughter and a son, figuring they weren't going to stop at only one and could possibly have three before they were done. They would love them all without reservation or condition.

Freddie grinned and muttered to himself, "A child certainly would be some gesture of love…"

As he sipped his drink, he heard the fluttering of what he thought was the wind, which was odd since he was sitting inside the mall even if it was a well opened space.

"A child can be the ultimate expression of love between two people… or it should be," spoke a voice he had heard a few hours ago.

Freddie turned his head and looked to see Nathanael standing just a few feet away off to his left, but he had changed from his business suit to a black leather biker jacket, grey shirt and blue jeans. He smiled and offered as a friendly chat, "Oh hey, you just got off?"

Nathanael slightly lifted his chin and answered with a somewhat bashful tone, "Ah, yes."

Freddie waited for the young man to speak, but Nathanael remained silent and an odd silence fell between them. The college student felt mildly uncomfortable as the sales clerk looked like he was trapped and confused, similar to when Cat was caught up in a situation she didn't understand. He thumbed over his shoulder and asked, "So… you're stopping by to grab something to eat before you headed out?"

"Yeah, food, that's what I was getting," he answered as if he had made some kind of grand revelation. He turned and walked to one of the many food establishments and curiously gazed at some of the menus before settling on a simple drink and a Valentine's Day cupcake.

Nathanael walked back to have a seat next to Freddie, all the while the former Seattleite watched him with mild curiosity as something was off about his actions as if he was a tourist unsure of his surroundings. Once the jewelry clerk took his seat, he casually asked, "So you're still caught in trying to figure a gift for your fiancée?"

Freddie sighed deeply, "Yeah. I just seem to be literally walking in circles and couldn't find anything that I wanted to get her."

Nathanael sympathetically nodded. "My suggestion didn't help?"

"I do appreciate the suggestion, but I think that is just complicating it. I'm not sure what facet of my love for her I want to show.

"Understandable. You do have a number to choose from with what you've had to through together: you've bore many things, you have believed when you had no reason to believe, you have hoped when things looked hopeless and you've endured. How one little word can sum up so many things for you? How do you find one little token of affection to express all of that?"

Freddie slightly squinted, focusing on studying his eating companion and wondering if the sales clerk had figured out his identity.

Nathanael continued on, not missing a beat even with a change in topic, "Do you mind satisfying my curiosity as to why it was so urgent for you to meet up with your sweetheart?"

The college junior took a quick sip of his drink then lazily answered, not really seeing any harm in telling him the truth, "You're probably are going to see it online or hear it in the news… my fiancée is buying a house."

"Oh, so you two are quite serious and she has that kind of money?"

"We are engaged and yes, she is that financially well-off to buy a house."

"I would think that many men would consider themselves fortunate to be a marrying up."

Freddie sternly looked at the jewelry salesman, clearly offended by the vague implication that he was marrying Jade for her money. "I am not marrying her for her money. We got together before she made her fortune and became famous."

Nathanael tilted his head to the side by maybe less than an inch and gave such a look of innocent confusion that Freddie was reminded of Cat. The gaze threw Freddie off a moment, a moment that Nathanael replied, "I thought my statement about all that you've been through for love illustrated my position on the matter."

Freddie was going to ask how he knew that, but he was interrupted again, "What do you think about the house? It seems like a pretty unilateral decision."

The former tech-producer thought about answering at all, but the similar expression to Cat lulled him into not wanting to spoil the conversation by pushing the point. "Yes, but there are… 'unique' reasons behind her sudden desire to buy a home. Don't get me wrong, I do like the house, it is just a surprise."

"Good or bad?"

"Good with emphasis on the surprise than the good," Freddie licked his lips and grinned.

"Have you thought about how you are going to compete with that as a Valentine's Day gift?"

Freddie raised his cup and answered, "Right?" He lowered the cup back to the table and continued, "She said it wasn't a competition, but… she just made the gesture of getting the home we may spend the rest of our lives in. I don't know how I can say or give anything to match that level of commitment. I've already proposed to her and she's accepted."

"So what made you start thinking about children with her?"

"Well that's the next step after marriage and getting our own place. We were always planning to have children, but getting the house she wants to raise our children in has gotten her on my mind."

"That's expected, but do you mind me asking what you mean by 'her'?"

"Yeah… our little girl, Sapphire."

"You already named your unborn child—I'm sorry to pry, but is she expecting?"

"No, my fiancée is not pregnant. We're waiting until marriage to have any children, enjoyed the married life for a bit and stable in both our careers then enjoy the family life."

"It's a shame that you have to wait years to meet her."

Freddie chuckled dismissively, "Too bad I don't have a Delorean."

The similar looking young man half-grinned and casually remarked, "I'm not a Delorean, but I think I could swing it for you to meet her."

"Excuse me?"

"If you want to see her, I think I could swing that for you. It's the perfect Valentine's Day present: you get to see her and come back with the story."

Freddie laughed, going along with the joke, "Oh, you could do that?"

Nathanael cracked a knowing smile yet his words were spoken with reverence, "Honestly? I'm an angel of the Lord."

The Seattle immigrant waited for him to say the punchline to the joke, but when Nathanael's smirk didn't fade and showed that he was being serious, Freddie got up from his seat. He looked to who he thought was a simple jewelry clerk. "What?"

"I'm Nathanael and I'm an angel of the Lord."

Freddie gave him a torn look. People had faith about angels, but he certainly didn't need faith in believing their existence with his experiences with them, so he only had his doubts whether the young man was telling the truth, not of their existence.

Seeing the doubtful expression on Freddie's face, a familiar high pitch hum started sounding from Nathanael and his eyes shined blue, giving away his celestial being.

Freddie looked cautiously to the young man that wasn't really a man. He softly sighed, "Another one?"

The humming stopped and his eyes went back to the normal color. "I know you've had your share of encounters with my brothers and sisters, but they've been positive for the most part."

"Yeah, you could say that," Freddie rolled his eyes as he reluctantly agreed other than Anna's hesitation in answering his prayers after Jade's assault on the very poorly thought out game show and fallout with the 'Nora incident'. "What do you want?"

"I don't particularly want anything. I'm here to help you."

"Really? Out of all the things you could be doing, you're here to help me with my relationship? My relationship is fine. Ever heard of the Middle East? They could us your help there."

Nathanael shook his head and sadly remarked, "I've been a soldier long enough and I'd like to have my old job back."

The computer science major's skepticism and mild annoyance turned into curiosity when he saw the haunted look in the cupid's eyes; it was the same look he had caught in Colonel Shay's eyes in quiet moments. "Your old job? What was—is your job?"

"My job was to help get people with their relationships. I'm what you would call a 'cupid'."

"You're a cupid?"

"Yes."

Freddie snorted out a laugh and slightly turned his head away to try to suppress a deeper laugh threatening to spill out.

The young man claiming to be a cupid asked, "What?"

The college student retook his seat, still trying to suppress a laugh, and asked, "Shouldn't you be a baby in a diaper and a bow and arrow?"

"Humans have vivid imaginations and some of my siblings don't have the concept of dressing appropriately—the more innocent ones, but I do have my bow and arrow, but I'm not going to use it. I'm here to help you express your love for Jade, not make you hop in the bed with her. You don't need any help in that department."

Freddie frowned and smacked his lips. They certainly didn't need help on that front since it was personal choice on their parts to abstain from that certain activity until they were married. Not to dwell on his remarked, Freddie asked, "How exactly are you going to do in helping me?"

"You made a great suggestion: Sapphire is the ultimate expression of your love for her. By sending you to the future—the most likely future for you and Jade and get to see your child—I think the story of that alone to tell her would be quite a gift. It certainly would compete with buying a house."

Freddie thought on the offer. If it was true, how could he pass up the chance to meet his child? He looked back to the angel and asked, "How can I trust you?"

"You do have a quite powerful nephil as a friend who can take on full blown seraphs in a fight and his mom is an archangel that has a soft spot for you, so… if this is some elaborate plan to hurt you then I've signed my own death warrant as you humans would say and they would always bring you back."

Freddie nodded his head to the side, dryly remarking, "Point… and, if you really are a cupid, Dusty said that your kind are the decent ones, not… how did he put it? 'Monsters with good PR'?"

Nathanael regretfully agreed, "We cupids are the ones down here the most and the ones that… have the most attachment to humanity and yes… 'monsters' would be an accurate description for that part of my family. You do call them devils and demons for a reason."

"I wasn't necessarily talking about them and neither was Dusty."

The cupid's smile tightened and clarified in a struggling voice, "There were—some still are—traditionalists… traditionalists that had to be stopped… no matter the personal cost."

Freddie looked to the cupid with sympathy. It was one thing to get into disagreements with family members, it was an entirely different thing in having to fight and kill them. He apparently this cupid had to become a fighter from a lover and had emotional scars on his spirit. He questioned, hoping to turn the conversation back to the angel's original proposition, "So, you're going to give me the chance to meet my daughter?"

"It's just another trip like you had and Jade's had twice."

"Why not send the both of us? It is our child after all."

"Point, but this is about your love for her. It's your gift to her, not mine. It's up to you in how to make it into a gift for Jade."

The former web-producer thought about the offer. The offer seemed too good to be true, but the angel did make a point that there was plenty of incentive for him not to trick him. "Fine. I'll take this little trip, knowing that if anything does happen to me… you'll be…"

"Either a piece of charcoal or a husk with fried insides," the cupid finished for him with a laugh.

Nathanael raised his pointer and middle finger to Freddie's forehead, but before he touched him, the angel commented, "You should take some pictures." The cupid touched Freddie's forehead then the former tech-producer vanished.

Author's Note: I hoped I hooked you with the first chapter and you'll come back for the second and third chapters when I have them posted. Take care, OneHorseShay