1.1

1.2 Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic are mine.

Warning: This fic contains, sexuality, incest, violence, may contain some yuri.

Pairing: Sara/Setsuna and Gabriel/Alexiel.

1.3

1.4

1.5 Sanctuary of Angels

2 Chapter One

A picture, a perfect picture… a testament, to something divine. It shined above, around, surrounding, the small figure. The images were spilled across, painted with the color from the light of God himself, given form by human hands. It was the likeness of Angels, in glory, in sadness, in battle. The particular vision, that caught the girl's attention was, a large portion of a wall.

This vision, had unlike all the others surrounding it, only one angelic figure, and none other in choir with its movements or expression. It was lone, and stood tall, perfectly straight on the outside of golden gates, that shimmered slightly with the aura of none other then the Divine. There were various sparkling gemstones imbedded within it, all soft colors, blues, purples, greens, and all gentle and ethereal quality. Clouds, and light, such as the exact nature of Heaven too beautiful and awe-inspiring to be revealed to the human eye, obscured the contents behind it. Her focus was not on that, The Paradise, but instead at the angel, herself. She stood, with both legs slightly parted, golden sandals adorning flawless feet, and the customary white robe adorned her form, with gold lining. The robes, were fashioned more into a gown, the arms of the gown falling full to the ground, the dip of the bodice and high positioning mimicked that of ancient Greece; which was also odd for this type of religious picture, the pale pearl-like flesh went uncovered in the area of the bosom, revealing the slight curve of the breasts, the collar bone, and the long graceful neck. The girl's eyes paused at the curve of the neck, instead straying to delicate hand, one, which held, a small golden cross in that hand. She switched her gaze to the other hand, white held an oddly shaped sword, not straight steel, but with geometric spasms, almost diamond shaped, before returning to the long rectangle of the sword, the point, had a strange aura around it. This blade was held to the face of the angel, the hilt coming tip of her chin, the glint of cool metal splitting the view of her oval face in half. Her features were of course beautiful, ethereal, but there was sharp edge hidden within her brown eyes, giving her beauty something fierce strength lithe prowess. A ghost of a smile touches the corner of her lips, high cheekbones giving her, an air of nobility, the highest of the ruling class, her delicate brows arch slightly. Soft wisps of brown curls touch her forehead, soft honeyed brown, with streams of red and golden highlights, interlocked within it, the dark earthy brown, the dominant color, a thin gold circlet around her head, overlaid partially by the brown waves which cascade down her shoulders, and her back. The opulent curls, running partially free, and yet so seamless a sign of sensuality that was never shown in pictured inspired by the Divine. As with all of the pictures, light poured fourth from it, it after all was stained glass.

Perhaps it would have been the case, that the girl would have continued to stare at that particular picture of the angel, but as it were, there was a soft sound echoing from the back of the sanctuary towards, the large oak doors, opening. A brief recognition of the sound, the girl broken from her dreamy daze, scrambled to a pew, and sat down as quite the proper thing to do in the church. Sara carefully folds her hands in her lap, and stares at the cross in front of the Sanctuary. With a small hand she adjusts her light brown curls tucking a particularly unruly one behind her hair, how was it possible that her hair was in rebellion as well? It annoyed her, for a moment, before she could here soft footsteps approaching her. Oh, yes she was suppose to be praying, without delay Sara, kneels down, and puts both of her hands together palm to palm closing her eyes tight, as though in deep concentration.

Really, she was just wishing that the other person would go away, and she could be left in peace. Wasn't that what was suppose to happen, she was suppose to be left in peace, with God, God was suppose to give her peace. It did not help her heart any, it raced just as it had, when she had ran away from her mother, who was going on and on about Bob the boy she had in mind for her to marry. She had mumbled something about going to find Solace in God, for disobeying her mother, or something along those lines. She remembered her saying that, " I go to Church every day to pray to God that, I may love Bob, and do what is right by you and Him." Her mother accepted that reason, and thus she was saved, daily from her house. It was the only place where she was not watched keenly. Where, she could be alone, and though it was not exactly a lie, she did pray to do right by God, and her mother, loving Bob never came into it. After all, Bob seemed to love himself, more then enough without Sara loving him as well.

A small gasp escapes her lips, a small pause, she chews on her bottom lip, that was not a good thought, only good thoughts here, her hazel eyes open, they widen slightly at seeing two black shoes stopped right beside her. The girl blinked, before glancing up, still kneeling on the ground, she swallows slightly.

" S-Sara…"

A slight pause, a brief moment of shock, before, her small feet hit the ground, and she is standing, a few steps forward, her footsteps echo in the short silence. Then, it is simple; she runs to him, wrapping her small arms around him, her words a soft whisper,

"Onii-chan…"

Setsuna, surprisingly enough does not hug her back, but stand there as if frozen by her touch, a small smile touches his lips however, his hazel eye widen slightly at her touch. He runs his tongue across his lips, as though to wet his throat, it seemed so dry, he was so cold, but now he was burning.

It was not exactly the reaction Sara had been looking for, if ever she saw her brother again, but it was enough that he was there. For a moment, a flash of something akin to shame passes over her eyes, and she drops her hand putting them at her side, she swallows taking a small step back. It was not necessary for her to hold on to him for so long, she was his sister, not his- and besides they were in a House of God.

For an instant Setsuna seemed confused at this abrupt action, though he had not embraced her in return, he was glad, for her warmth, the warmth she only seemed to have. His expression darkened for a moment, a small tick in his cheek before, it hit him, she had been too near him for it to be…normal. Sighing inwardly he glanced down at his sister. Who, looked away when he looked at her, her expression, which had been alight with joy, seemed to have lost it, and acquired something much darker, guilt. Once again, he had questioned the idea of a God, who would have been so cruel and sadistic as to make him and Sara siblings. He was positive it would have been very funny to watch, watch them try to, do what they could not do, or at least what he had tried so hard not to do, love her, in all the ways, which were forbidden. How he had convinced himself otherwise, it was a lie. And why rack up the sins? he shrugged inwardly, he was going to Hell anyway…a house of love is ass, not the kind of love he wanted, what he wanted was- Sara was talking to him softly, he had been lost, her words slowly came into focus. He could hear it, but no thoughts were forming on its subject, he was not listening anyway. She had been praying, praying for peace, praying for salvation, maybe he should do it too; a small smile touches the corner of his lips. No, he was already damned, and all the prayers of saving Sara from himself, had never worked, no, all he got for it, was shamed and guilt, he had to lie in the end. No, God had never listened to him, had God listened to anyone, was He even there? He did not seem to help Sara any, she had still hugged him like…like-that, and to not help someone so pure and innocent, who need to be protected from him, what good was he then?

" Onii-chan! Onii-chan have you been listening to a word I have been saying?"

" Mmmhm?"

After all what use was a God, that watched you suffer, that would not watch you at all, who would not help? He had not been helped, he had asked.

" I said, where are you staying?"

Perhaps, it was not a sin, perhaps, his love was not a sin at all, perhaps, man has made it a sin, and said it in the name of God. Wouldn't that be nice? That would explain the lack of help, but then, why did everyone think it was? Why had he just stand here, and find no peace? He would believe, he would believe, if there had ever been any peace, but there was no Sanctuary from this love. And wasn't Love, God? If so, how could any part of God be wrong?

"Onii-chan! Listen to me!"

His brown eyes snapped into focus with his mind, the smile on his lips deepens slightly. He arches a brow at his own name on her lips. She must be pretty upset.

" Mother, will not let me stay with you two, if that is what you are thinking…"

Sara narrowed her eyes, at him; let her deal with her mother. At least he was not standing there anymore like a zombie, staring at her, with those eyes, that were not focused, he had looked so sad, and yet not even here. Maybe, it was because he was with her, she shook the thought from her head. He must have brushed the thoughts from his head, after all he had not hugged her back and, and besides he had never had them, it had been a lie…

" I am engaged, mother thinks that nothing can hurt me now that I am engaged-"

"Engaged? But you are not even out of school yet!"

His voice has gotten a bit louder, then how he had intended, the heat was now searing, pulsing in his veins, it was anger, it was disgust, at the plights of his mother, at her little schemes. Sara, married?

Sara could not help it, but she winced at his tone, it was obvious he was upset; she did not exactly like Bob either. But, Setsuna did not need to know that, he had to think she was happy, she would be happy, she had to be happy, or at least look like it…

Sara nodded, " Yes to Robert Alexander Winslow the third."

Setsuna let out a small laugh, he tried to infuse it with humor but it sounded more like an odd sounding bleat or sob, then a laugh. So Sara was moving on already, maybe this place had helped her, maybe he had been wrong, that look in her eyes, maybe he had imagined it. He had interrupted her life her peace.

" I hope you a very happy Sara, I am sorry for interrupting your praying." He said his tone clipped, almost painful.

With that Setsuna turned on his heel, his footsteps fast, towards the door of the Sanctuary. His hand was about to push the door open, when out came Sara coming to a small halt in front of him, her brown eyes stormy. Her bottom lip trembled slightly before she said,

" Setsuna, I-I…"

" It is okay Sara, I-I do not know what I was thinking coming here talking to you-"

" I…I…"

" I will be sure to buy a wedding present for you two…but please do not send me an invitation-"

" I…. I…" Sara swallowed before saying loudly, " I was not praying! And I don't want a wedding gift from you or anyone else!"

Setsuna paused, knowing that he should not, knowing that if he had any sense, he would turn and do the right thing, and walk out these double doors and send her a wedding present anyway. But, she had said his name and he could not go. He stood there, in silence until she continued.

" I-I do not see how you expect me to be happy when you are always walking away from me-"

" Sara…"

" I mean, why can't you be here? Are your feet on fire? Or…or do you want to leave me that badly?"

That cut deep into Setsuna, his brown eyes flashed for a moment, it has hurt too deeply, he only wanted to protect her, he had missed her flight, he had gotten to the airport too late. She had left him first. It had been the right thing to do, why why was he still here? Why was he bothering her, she was happy now, with Bob. Just, then his brown eyes caught a glint of something, a ring on her hand, probably a gift from Bob. Without thinking much of it, his hand whipped out to wrap around her wrist, gently but strong.

" Onii-chan…Onii-chan what are you doing?"

His brown eyes narrowed at the ring, upon closer inspection he wanted to drop her hand, but despite himself he held it. The gold ring was not a ring Bob had possibly given her, it was red, made of glass, he had given it to her, red glass stone, it still fit. Though it was on her left hand, on her delicate ring finger, where her fiancé's engagement ring should have been. Setsuna glanced at her face, she was so close, she looked so confused, so innocent.

" It still fits…" he murmured

A small gasp, she blushed at his words, glancing away from his gaze, as though perhaps her silence would make her wearing it less suspicious. She had kept it after all of these years; she wore it now when he was gone. It has been a reminder, of him, something beautiful. Surely, no one could fault her a ring.

" Onii-chan, you are staying…we have plenty of room."

Setsuna, blinked at her words, he should probably let her hand go, but his hand did not want to, and he was in not mood to argue with his hand, it seemed to be winning today anyway.

" We shall see…Sara."