XD Yes, I did just post yesterday, but hey! What can I say? I'm just too excited to come back? Let's go with that! XD Yesterday I re-read the Revolutionary War strips (After I posted, too) and thought it'd be nice to write a fic with an element being rain. See the end if you're confused who she is… PS, about the title, just read it and you'll understand ^^ In other words… read it.

Disclaimer: I do not own APH characters, those are strictly Hidekaz Himaruya's, and he doesn't own the countries, nor do I own Gibraltar, but I do own the OC that represents Gibraltar… Kay?

Little Gifts Are Falling From The Sky

"You get presents for your birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day... but it's rare when you get one from Heaven."

When Ariana was younger and still called Adela by Antonio-nii there was one day in particular she remembered now…

She had been young and sprightly, impatient to get out of the house and in to the sun and gardens… but it was raining, "Antonio-nii! When's it going to stop?" she had whined in a begging, whiny voice only kids can pull off.

He had smiled in response and knelt down besides her at the window and said, "Adela-chan, do you want the rain to go away?" without a second's hesitation she had nodded enthusiastically and burst, "Yes! I can't play outside if it's raining!" He had smiled kindly, ever-patient with the younger girl, "But Adela-chan, rain is a blessing."

That had done it. In all of her years of life, rain was not a good thing to her, not once in her eyes was it seen as good, the very suggestion was incomprehensible, "No, it isn't!" she had retorted and stood taller, pointing accusingly at the water falling from the sky in sheets, "Rain makes the grass muddy and makes puddles, so you can't run or you'll slip or dirty your clothes! You can't play outside, because you'll catch a cold! And it makes your hair all matted, your clothes wet, cold and heavy and is the cause of new-moan-e-a!"

Antonio-nii had simply smiled in response and stood up, leaning down to kiss her forehead he muttered, "It's getting late now, anyway, you couldn't have played outside. Go to sleep and by the time your nap is over, I'll tell you why the rain is a blessing."

She had slept well, the rain usually made her groggy. Another reason why she hated it – it confined her to the indoors and made her too tired to do anything else. When she woke, the rain had gone and it was bright and sunny, halfway through the afternoon. Rushing to the door, she almost made it out when Antonio-nii caught her.

"Hey, there, you woke up… now, where are you going?" he chuckled at her eagerness, squirming in his arms to be let go.

"Antonio-nii! Let me go! I wanna go play outside!" she had demanded and he lifted her up and into his arms.

"Oh, no! I told you when you wake up I'm telling you why the rain is a blessing! And you're going to be patient and listen or else you're not going outside today or tomorrow!" he cheered with a giddy smile.

That was absolutely unfair, "Wha! You can't do that!" she had complained, stopping her struggling.

"Yes I can! I'll lock the doors and you can't reach the knob!" he was smiling, teasing her and she relented. A couple of hours were torture… two days was insane.

"Fine…" he carried her outside, anyway and sat on the porch, perching her on his knee he began his story.

"Do you know why the rain is a blessing?" he started, looking down at her, she shook her head furiously, earning chuckles, he smiled kindly at her and answered, "Because it is a gift from the Heavens for us down here on Earth," he gestured around, "Rain gives water to our rivers and our plants, it gives us something refreshing to drink and all the fish and water animals something to live in. It allows us to grow all sorts of foods, even tomatoes!"

She went speechless, gazing up at him in wonder, as he went on he pointed at a beautiful rose bush, "Do you see those roses? Come look," he lifted her up and over to them so she could see the glistening drops of water on each petal, "Without the rain they would never bloom, but with it," he pointed to the moist, dark brown, rich soil, "It gives it water and these little buds," he touched one, "Turn in to these beautiful flowers of love, that's what roses represent, Adela-chan, they represent love." He smiled, "Rain are just little gifts wrapped in water!"

She stared at the vivid red flowers until he lifted her onto his shoulders in surprise and pointed straight in to the sky, she raised her head and her eyes met with a beautiful sight, "Antonio-nii, Antonio-nii! Someone painted the sky!" she had exclaimed.

He laughed, "No, silly! That's a rainbow!"

"Rain… bow?" she asked with a curious look, still in awe.

"Yes, a rainbow… every time, after it rains, there's a rainbow. Do you know why there's a rainbow?" he asked with a bright smile.

"Why?" she squealed excitedly and then suggested, "Is it because there are little nymphs that paint the sky while it rains, so when the sun comes out, it'll dry, but because they did it while it rained, the paint is washing off… or… or"

"No, no!" he exclaimed, not letting her get too carried away he exclaimed, "Cuando llueve y hace sol, sale el arco del Señor!"

She looked up at him and asked, "Antonio-nii! What are you saying?"

He chuckled and smiled, "When it rains and there's sun, the ark of the Lord comes out. That's what I said. God tends rainbows as an ark over cities all over the world every time after it rains!"

That had done it and she exclaimed, "Antonio-nii! I love the rain and the rainbows!" and she gave him a tight hug and gazed with sparkling eyes up at the rainbow.

How long ago had that been? She wondered, looking back on the memory... it was when she was still living with Antonio, that much she knew... it just seemed so long ago since she'd shared such moments. Since she'd seen him in that light... as her big brother... as her Antonio-nii...

"Damn it... What happened to those days?" They seemed so far away now... out of her reach, out of her mind... it just bought her a one way ticket down memory lane...

*Pokes-pokes* So? How'd you like it? Was it good? Was it sweet? Do you love Spain any more than you did before? Who was she? It's Gibraltar! She was supposed to be a boy, but… boys don't care about keeping their clothes clean, now, do they? Since no historical necessities are in this story, just be patient… it shall all be explained… XD… it's terrible I'm posting the after-stories before the actual ones! Will you review? Will you favorite? Will you do anything at all? *Pokes-pokes* Tell me… in a review! *Poke*

Oh, and I know it was short… the second part is as long as my Northern Lights one… I revised this, in case you're wondering, because I didn't like the ending.