“Children and mothers never truly part--Bound in the beating of each other's hearts.”

“How many times could a mother's heart break? An infinite number of times. Each time her children were hurt. She'd long ago accepted the pain of it, as well as the stoicism to never let it show. It was a mother's lot in life.”

“The beauty of each heart beat is the fact that the heart knows another heart beats for it.”

“Why are old lovers able to become friends? Two reasons. They never truly loved each other, or they love each other still.”

“Each memory, good and bad, was another invisible thread that bound them together...It was as simple and complicated as that. Love after children, after you've hurt each other and forgiven each other, bored each other and surprised each other, after you've seen the worst and the best...-well, that sort of love is ineffable. It deserves its own word.”

“When were were cast out of Paradise, we lost part of our soul forever. As part of our punishment, we were cursed never to learn to love again. Instead, we were bound to a destiny that was set from the beginning. Azrael and I never chose each other; the choice was made for us. We never knew anything else.The ring you hold is part of my soul that your mother helped me recover. It was she who saved us from the Dark and led us back to the Light. As her daughter, you too are an Angel of Light. The fire does not harm you. I lost the ring during the crisis in Rome. But now it has been returned to me.This ring has been blessed by Gabrielle herself.I have never given this ring, my soul, to anyone. Azrael has never had any part in this.This is the only part of myself that is truly mine, and now it is yours.”