Heart and Soul of the Rose

It was that time of year and it had been a long time since he felt the debate in whether to act upon the feeling or not. There really was nothing special about the day but because of that day it always made it more special. Most of the time, he used to find any excuse to give them. And they had to be a special kind. Gabriel knew this as he stood in the middle of the forest looking at the splendor of the white against green.

It had been nearly a century, maybe more since he had last given them to her. Gabriel smiled as he watched the delicate white skirt dance in the breeze and breathed in the scent. He could swear that she was standing right there with him. The scent was so strong that it was tangible and it made him miss her all the more as he recalled fondly the first time he gave one to her.

A rose?

"Not just any rose. A white one," Gabriel replied from memory.

You think of me as a flower?

"You're hardly delicate," Gabriel replied giving a slight smirk, "But it is you. Beautiful and prickly." He reached out to finger gently one of the delicate skirts. It was velvety and soft as always. "It is you."

Why a white one?

Gabriel contemplated that question. She had asked the same thing every time. At first he thought it was a ritual joke before they parted ways. He always said something different and some of them were funny and made her laugh. Now thinking about it, he wondered if she wanted what he really thought.

The first time he saw her, outsiders would have said he was smitten. Maybe he did look like he had been hit over the head with a blunt object and probably now it would be considered pervert like since he was way older than she was. Plus the first time he saw her, she was nine. She had just finished besting some little boy that was a head taller than she was and the evidence was the mud covering both of them.

If you weren't a girl, I'd beat your face off.

He watched her grow up. The closest he ever got to her was when she came to buy something from him and he had a slightly different look then. He knew when the change occurred and watched from afar until her father came and took her away. He followed and watched.

She was like a wild yet gentle creature. Gabriel remembered how she took any challenge with the brashness of youth. When they formally met, he gave her the first one. It was the first of many and they came from the same source. He spent time and energy looking for them since they were so rare like she was.

The wild white roses were rare. They grew in very specific places that were nigh impossible for normal humans to reach. Gabriel thought it was worth the effort because like the wild rose, she was rare and beautiful. He wasn't talking about physical beauty.

Gabriel paused in his musings. Maybe that was the answer she was seeking every time she asked him the question. He looked at the delicate yet hardy white rose that bloomed amidst the cold deadness around them. His feet crunched in the snow as he reveled in his epiphany though he supposed the answer was right in front of him all along. As he was fond of saying, he was an ass and she knows it.

Was it love that he felt for her? Thinking about it, Gabriel could say that it was. He loved her to the point of willing to risk his own safety to take out anyone who hurt her. Sammy would and did do the same thing but it was much more hilarious. So yeah it was love but it was nothing like what he saw from Sammy and the dumbass didn't even see it yet. She didn't either for a long time so that was a moot point.

It was love that Gabriel felt. Unrequited love? Please. She loved him too and it was like what he felt for her. It was not one of those guy-girl things. That was just plain gross. She was his but more like the little sister he had to protect from the mean world. That was the kind of love he felt for her.

"Heart and soul," he had said to her. That was what made her beautiful. It was… well he had a hard time putting it into words but he knew what he felt and it didn't anything to do with the happy accident he discovered along the way. Most people thought that pure of heart and soul meant the kind of people that didn't kill at all; the epitome of goodness. Certainly that was what a few of his dick brothers thought when they recited certain passages. Like they knew anything.

Like the wild rose, her heart and soul were spirited. They looked delicate but they were strong and in spite of all the crap going on in the world, they still retained that spirit. They understood life and death and kept looking forward with hope. That's why she was like the wild rose. She looked delicate but within she had the strength to withstand much. He had seen it as the centuries went by and she had been faced with disappointment, victories and failures. She persevered in spite of it all and in the process, she finally opened her heart.

Looking at the delicate looking little rose, Gabriel came to a decision. She deserved something even though he thought that he was not worthy enough to give it to her. At the same time he could finally answer the question he had never been able to answer before.

It was probably stupid to do this but he knew her companions well. They were probably still pissed at the Mystery Spot thing and of course Cassy wasn't making things easier with all the events leading to the big dance number. It made him feel bad that he had to do it this way but it was for the best. The bonus was actually seeing the look on Sammy's face. Gabriel gave a slight smile at the thought as he rang the doorbell.

Gabriel had to really do his best not to react like he usually would when going to see her. It had been hard when he watched from behind the scenes as she took care of Hibah. The expression he did give was one someone would give when they met someone that was as beautiful as she. Gabriel was aware that if she were as ugly as an old hag, she would still be beautiful.

Straightening up, he asked, "Singer residence?"

"Yeah."

"I have a delivery for an Angela Singer." The last name was his personal touch since he knew that the old grizzled hunter treated her like a daughter.

It was fun to watch her reaction as she signed for it. He was pleased that she was surprised when he took off the covering to reveal a dozen of her roses. He could even see Sammy and Deano lurking in the background trying not to be nosy. Gabriel handed the roses over and said, "And I have a message for you. The sender requested it so bear with me as I try to get it right." He took in her nod of assent and then switched to Enochian and said, "For the most beautiful heart and soul that is as white as her wild rose."

Gabriel watched her face. He had given his answer in the simplest form and turned to walk away to the van that he borrowed for the even. She knew he was thinking about her and he was still watching out for her. Since this business with seals had started, she was going to need it. I love you Cat.

A/N: A special Valentine's day treat for you folks. A peek at the relationship between Gabriel and his Cat aka Angie. Happy Valentine's Day.