Hey guys, sorry it's been awhile, what with moving into my new place, getting situated and working a ton of overtime this week, I've been a little busy. But, I am really excited to be living in a place with no mold, to have a great roomie, and to have free time to write this weekend. I'll try to get another chapter out this weekend! Thank you all for your lovely reviews, and for reading. xoxo
They entered the house, moving cautiously, ensuring that there were no other people in it, and then began to search each room. They tore each room apart, searching for the book in Alex's vision. They found at least half a dozen books, none of them eliciting a response from Alex or his tattoos. Gabriella found a set of stairs leading up to an attic, and called down to Michael and Alex, "Hey guys, come check this out!"
She had found a large leather steamer trunk, and was examining it while she waited for the men to come upstairs. By the time they had come upstairs she had broken off the lock and was pulling old pictures, books, and clothing out of the trunk. Michael and Alex examined each of the items closely, but still Alex had no reaction to the items.
Michael stood, frustrated, "Are you sure this is the right house Alex?"
Alex stood as well, "Yes I'm sure! Michael, I know how to read my tattoos and understand a vision that is plain as day!" Gabriella sighed and stood, pacing, as she waited for the men to quit their bickering.
"Michael we need to search the house again, it has to be here!"
Michael shook his head, "We tore this place apart Alex, your vision was wrong!" Gabriella sighed deeply and continued pacing. She came to a halt when she felt one of the floorboards squeak beneath her foot. She knelt and examined the board, the sound of the men arguing fading away as she concentrated. She pulled out her bowie knife and pried at the loose board, popping it up.
She peered in and saw a dark hole with a cloth covered object inside. She reached inside pulled out the object, able to feel that it was a book. She began to unwind the wrappings and when her skin touched the soft leather of the binding, her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed to the ground.
Michael ran to Gabriella's side, panic making his throat tight. He gathered her into his arms and tried to take the book out of her hands, but found he couldn't. Alex knelt beside them, "Look, the pages are glowing" he pointed. Michael didn't even notice, all he could see was Gabriella, unconscious in his arms.
Alex laid a hand on his arm, "We shouldn't move her, we don't want to hurt her." Michael nodded, and stroked her hair softly, waiting for her beautiful blue eyes to open.
Gabriella walked through the forest; the cool air touching her skin as she looked around at the tall trees, moss covered rocks and heard the sound of water in the distance. She walked into a clearing and beside a small creek she saw a man dressed in white pants and a white shirt sitting on a rock outcropping.
He turned to her and smiled, "Gabriella, hello, it's so nice to see you again!" Gabriella was instantly wary; she had no memory of ever meeting the man.
"Who are you?" she asked. He held out a hand, and some strange force compelled her forward to take it, allowing him to help her sit.
"The last time I saw you, I was holding your soul in my hands before sending you to your parents, and I knew you were very special." He smiled at her, encouraging her to understand. Gabriella stared at him in shock, there was no way this could be God….except…his face was more beautiful than any human, his clothing was perfectly white and glowing softly, and she felt a sense of peace just sitting by him.
He nodded when he saw the acceptance in her face, "So, you are helping the Chosen One and my son to find out where the other Chosen One is?"
Gabriella nodded, "Well, you are all closer than you know to finding the savior of Heaven, and have been for some time."
She stared at him, not understanding, "How? We don't know where to look half the time, and the books in angel are barely helpful!"
He smiled at her, "Because my dear, the savior has been with you all along" he waited a moment, and when he saw her incomprehension, smiled, "It's you my dear Gabriella."
Gabriella stared at him in shock and then shook her head no, "Not a chance. There's no way I'm that important. Besides I would have no idea how to save Heaven!"
He smiled, "You will soon enough." He laid a hand on her wrist, "Please tell Michael something for me?" Gabriella nodded. "Tell him that his love does not make him weak, it makes him stronger, and that it will be his redemption."
Gabriella wondered at his words, but readily promised to relay them. He looked to the sky and saw dark clouds moving in, "It's almost time for you to go."
She panicked, "Wait, may I ask you a question?"
He smiled, "You have time for three." Gabriella nodded and asked her first question, "Will I ever have someone in my life that loves me the way that my father loved my mother?"
He smiled and nodded, "You already do, you only need the eyes and the heart to see him." She was confused, how could it be Ben? They had said their goodbyes and she had thought it was final.
Shaking her head, she asked her next question, "Will I die saving Heaven?"
He smiled at her sadly, "I don't know. I did not create this prophecy, the scribe did, and his word on this has been lost to Heaven. I truly hope not."
Gabriella felt some apprehension at his words, but asked her last question. "Can you find or see my parents here?" He nodded again, "Will you tell them that I love them and miss them?"
He nodded again, "Of course, now it is time for you to go. Tell the Chosen One and Michael what you have learned here." He hesitated a moment, "Please tell Gabriel that I love him still, and that he may come home someday, if only he ends this war."
With that he lay a finger to her forehead, and with a rushing noise, Gabriella woke up in Michael's arms in the attic. She felt his arms tighten around her and saw Alex's face in her periphery.
She smiled weakly up at Michael, "Hey, I met your dad."
His brow furrowed, "What?!" Gabriella grimaced, a wave of pain unlike anything she had felt before rippled up her arm from where God had touched her wrist.
She gasped at the pain and managed to whisper, "He told me to tell you that your love does not make you weak, it makes you strong, and that it will be your redemption." Gabriella arched in Michael's arms as another, stronger wave of pain rolled over her body. She looked down at her wrist and saw tattoos similar to Alex's appearing.
She held her wrist up weakly, showing both men, "Oh yea and I'm the savior of Heaven." Her eyes rolled back into her head as the pain overwhelmed her.