Title: Rebuild
Author: TeeJay
Genre: Gen (with slight het undertones)
Characters/Pairings: Michael, Alex Lannon, Noma Banks, Gabriel, Uriel, Claire Riesen (a little bit of Alex/Claire)
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Contains spoilers for all of season 1, especially 1x08 "Beware Those Closest To You". There's a good portion of Alex whump, but nothing triggery.
Summary: With Michael adrift after the events at House Thorn, he finds himself in Gabriel's aerie—face-to-face with his siblings in a face-off with Alex Lannon. My version of wrapping up some of the loose ends from the season finale.
Author's Note: Originally, I started writing this story as a continuation to my previous Michael-centric one-shot called "Bridges Burned". But then inspiration struck like fire on high, and it turned from just a little extension piece to a full-blown mind movie that started playing in front of my mind's eye faster than I could write it down. It all made perfect sense when I was seeing it in my head. I hope it does on paper, too.
And just to say, you don't need to read "Bridges Burned" to understand this story, but it will probably give you a bit more background information and insight. FFN won't let me insert a link, but you should be able to find the story if you look at my author profile.
Massive thanks go out to the lovely Alipeeps for the beta.
Disclaimer: None of this is mine except for my vivid imagination. Copyright to characters and situations belongs to the wonderfully imaginative Vaun Wilmott, SyFy and whoever else might wish to claim ownership. I'm just borrowing for a little escapism and a lot of fun.

Chapter 1

Something was off. Michael could feel it, like a rush of adrenaline that swoops in and heightens your senses.

He wasn't sure what he had expected when he entered Gabriel's lair but it wasn't silence. The stone entrance hall was quiet. Too quiet. Where were all the Eight-balls?

Coming here hadn't been an easy decision. After the lab, after Alex had made him snap out of his blind rage, he'd sought shelter by the sea. It was entirely possible that he was beyond repentance but he had shed silent tears for the unnecessary lives he'd taken and had asked for forgiveness.

It had come in the form of Lucifer—and the archangel had taken something precious from him, the loss of which he was still trying to come to terms with. It had blindsided him and knocked him off balance. Enough to disorient him on his way here, so that darkness had fallen by the time he reached the high, black basalt formations that Gabriel had chosen as his new place of residence.

Crossing the entrance hall, he tried to reach out with his mind. It took a mere second to sense that both Gabriel and Uriel were here. He briefly closed his eyes and held his breath, then marched with determined steps to enter a narrow passageway to his right.

The silence ceased abruptly when the chasm he had followed opened onto a ledge that hung over a steep drop. High basalt pillars stretched upwards into blackness on all sides. The overhang he stood on overlooked a large cave from perhaps fifteen yards above its ground. Three figures stood below and Michael was taken aback to recognize that Alex was one of them.

Derisive laughter echoed off the barren walls. Michael could clearly make out to whom the voice belonged.

Gabriel's tone overflowed with snide arrogance. "Oh, so the Chosen One crawls all the way up here to tell us that we're demented, power-hungry snobs, does he? Is that not what you heard, Uriel?"

Michael saw Uriel take a few steps closer to where Alex stood his ground, facing the two archangels. It seemed none of them had noticed Michael's arrival. Uriel's subtly accented voice cut in teasingly, "I don't know, brother. Does he?"

The condescension vanished from Gabriel's voice when he addressed the human. "Come now, Alex Lannon. I find it hard to believe that you would be here of your own free will if you didn't think there was something to accomplish from seeking out the one humanity believes to be their greatest enemy. Chosen One or not, even you would not be delusional enough to believe you could face me single-handedly in battle and live to tell the tale.

"If I had to make a wild guess—and you'll see that I don't ever make wild guesses—I would venture to say that my dear brother killing all those people despite your best efforts to stop him, including the woman he claimed to have feelings for, has planted a seed of doubt in your mind.

"You've now witnessed with your own eyes just what he is capable of. I think what you saw has more than proven that Michael isn't quite the protector of humanity that you made him out to be."

"And what do you know about humanity?" spat Alex.

"More than you'll ever know, my dear boy. I've studied your kind for thousands of years. It's been…" Gabriel made a dismissive gesture with one hand, "mildly entertaining, to say the least. You really have a way with corruption and violence. Perhaps if I just wait a few more decades, waging a war against you won't even be necessary. But, ah, there is a time for patience and after 25 years of waiting, I'm afraid mine is wearing thin."

There was no fear in Alex's voice when he asked, "So why do you think I'm here?"

"I was hoping you'd come here to ask for my help."

"Your help with what?"

"A truce."

"A truce?" Alex repeated incredulously.

"Yes, yes," Gabriel said impatiently, "isn't that what you want? For the fighting to stop, to prevent another war, to live happily ever after?"

Alex let out a hollow chuckle, "There is no place on earth I can imagine where we would live happily ever after if it involved brokering some sort of deal with you. Because, and if I may just borrow your words, even I wouldn't be delusional enough to think you'd agree to any kind of truce without an ulterior motive that would benefit your desire for power. So how exactly would you envision that truce you're thinking of?"

"Oh, but that's an easy one. All humans would unconditionally surrender their strongholds and give over power to me and my acolytes. There would be no governments or organized forces. I would be the sole leader of mankind and humans would obey me without resistance. We'd start with Vega and the people of Vega would spread the word of this new peace that the Chosen One is bringing. And of course you'd agree to be loyal to me so that the markings can lead us to our destiny that will bring our Father back."

Michael could hear every word and a red-hot, fiery wrath threatened to overwhelm him. Gabriel's audacity was second to none. But what disconcerted Michael more was that he had no idea what Alex's intentions were. After today's events, it was entirely possible that Alex would put altruism over opposition in the hopes of saving humanity.

Alex's voice remained carefully neutral. "And what would mankind get out of it?"

"Oh, but I'd let you live, of course."

"No more killing?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die. Well, not in the literal sense, you understand. As you know, immortality is one of the many gifts that our kind has been graced with." He stole a cursory glance at Uriel standing a few feet beside him.

"Sounds like a pretty shitty deal to me," Alex told Gabriel.

It made the smallest of smiles play at Michael's lips. Perhaps not all was lost.

"Well, well," Gabriel said in a mocking tone, "so that means no?"

"That means no way in hell."

"Such a shame. It'll be a terrible waste of human lives. Not to forget poor Noma. And it's all going to be on you, my dear boy. What will the people think when they hear that their precious Chosen One brought on their extermination?"

Alex stood a little straighter. "You sound awfully sure of yourself. You shouldn't forget we defeated you once already."

"Yes, and you had an archangel on your side then and a whole lot more strength in numbers. My combined forces outnumber yours four to one and that might be a conservative estimate."

"I'd still take our chances."

"Then why are you here? Clearly you see that we can't just let you leave."

"And clearly you never saw this coming."

With what seemed like lightning speed, Alex drew the fragment of Furiad's blade that Michael had let drop so carelessly to the ground in Becca's lab. It took even Gabriel by surprise and he let out a grunt of pain as the blade entered his abdomen in almost the exact same place it had Michael's.

As Gabriel dropped defenseless to his knees, Uriel advanced on Alex with a cry of rage. Michael was already in the air before his mind registered it.

Uriel's blade whipped through the air and her shouts mixed with Alex's. Metal on metal rang through the cave. Michael landed harder than he wanted to and could only witness as Uriel grabbed Alex by the throat and flung him into the air. Michael thought he could hear bones snap as the stone wall broke Alex's momentum with a forceful thud.

Alex crumpled to the ground and Michael stepped between him and Uriel. "That's enough," his voice boomed menacingly.

"Get out of my way," she snarled.

"You already did enough damage. The markings. You need him alive."

"He attacked our brother," she sneered, fury written all over her face. She raised her arm, aiming her blade at Alex.

Michael caught her wrist and held it firmly. "Yes, and he'll be punished for that, but this is not the time."

Uriel finally relented and Michael let go of her. She threw a last, contemptuous look at Alex before she turned around and hurried to kneel beside Gabriel. Michael took a close look at Alex, determining that he was unconscious but not in immediate danger. He joined Uriel by his brother's side.

Crimson blood was oozing freely from the wound in Gabriel's abdomen; this time there was no blade holding the damaged blood vessels in place. Uriel pressed a piece of cloth against the wound.

Michael made a quick decision. "He needs… you know what he needs. Take him. It's his only chance."

Uriel looked at him uncomprehendingly at first, then understood. "Yes, brother."

She scooped Gabriel up in her arms and hoisted both of them up in the air with powerful wing beats, vanishing through the opening up ahead that Michael had entered through earlier.

Michael turned his attention back to Alex, crouching down by the young man's side. He gingerly lifted Alex's head, touching the side of his neck with one hand. He felt a strong pulse beneath his fingertips and breathed a small sigh of relief.

Alex let out a low groan and slowly opened his eyes as he came to. Disorientation gave way to realization on his face. As Alex tried to push himself into a sitting position, Michael clasped Alex's upper arm to help him up.

There was sudden repulsion in Alex's eyes as he spat, "Get away from me."

Michael let go and retreated, surprised how much the words stung despite the fact that a rebuff had not been entirely unexpected.

"Alex," he said in a voice filled with regret.

Another low moan escaped Alex when he managed to sit up and lean his back against the wall behind him. "Leave me alone. I have nothing to say to you."

Michael silently inclined his head in acknowledgment but didn't move from the spot where he stood.

He watched Alex silently as the young man inspected the deep cut Uriel's sword had left in his bicep, his face contorting in pain. Michael continued watching silently as Alex drew a bandana from a side pocket of his cargo pants and awkwardly tried to tie it around his arm. He watched just as wordlessly as Alex let out a frustrated growl because he wasn't succeeding.

"Let me help," Michael said in a low, gentle voice.

Their gazes met and Michael could read reluctant assent in his eyes.

He could feel Alex's muscles tense as he tightened the knot of the bandana around Alex's arm, staunching the blood flow as best as he could. He studied the eyes that were screwed shut, the deep furrows on his forehead from the pain he was trying to hold in. He wished he could take some of it on and had to suppress the urge to touch Alex's forehead in a soothing gesture.

He leaned back when he was done, prepared for Alex to indicate the next move. He knew he had everything to lose if he didn't do this right.

Alex's eyes opened as he fought to get his breathing under control; heavy breaths that must be aggravatingly painful with a set of undoubtedly broken ribs. It took him a few, long moments before he was able to speak.

"So you're just gonna stand there, not saying anything?" he accused Michael.

"There is little I can say that would be of consolation to you."

Alex let out a disdainful breath through his nose. "So you're not even sorry?"

Michael closed his eyes, a wave of remorse roiling in his stomach, stifling his breath. He had to fight hard to overcome the shakiness in his voice. "The regret I feel is more profound than I can put into words."

"Yeah," Alex dismissed sarcastically, "that really means a lot."

Michael remained silent. Alex was very much proving his point. Alex's gaze bore into him, an anger in his eyes that was hard to ignore. "How could you?!" he said sharply. "After everything?"

Michael didn't know how to answer that question, because he was still searching for the answer himself. When he didn't respond, Alex pressed on. "Don't you dare just stand there! Tell me, Michael. How?!"

Michael's voice was meek. "I don't know."

Alex shook his head. "How can you not know? You killed three guards in cold blood, soldiers from your own Archangel Corps, loyal people I worked with every day. You killed Becca. How can you not know?!"

"It was not something I did willfully. It will be hard for you to understand the forces at work. I failed to exert self-control and that is not something that I could ever expect for you to comprehend or forgive me for."

Alex raised his voice. "So what, we're just going to have to agree to disagree? I trusted you! Dammit, I trusted that you'd—" Anger bubbled up and got caught in his throat, sending him into a coughing spasm that he tried to ride out.

Michael winced at the way Alex's face contorted in discomfort, his good arm wrapping protectively around his injured torso, the other hand balled up and pressing against his mouth. When he finally regained control over his protesting body, Alex's fist came away with fresh blood on it. Michael took a step closer to him.

"You need medical care. You have multiple broken ribs and what looks like a punctured lung."

"Stay away from me. I don't need your help," Alex said through clenched teeth, trying to get up—and failing halfway.

Michael was quickly by his side, trying to help him into a standing position. Alex let him but not without a disdainful expression. Michael's wary eye on him never wavered and he broke the physical contact as soon as Alex had found his footing.

Alex's eyes traveled upward to what seemed the only way in and out of the cave. "Shit," he hissed.

"You know I can get us out of here," Michael stated matter-of-factly.

"Screw you," Alex spat at him. "I don't ever want to see you again!"

Michael took it on the chin, his grave expression not betraying how much it hurt to hear these words from the child he'd protected with his life for a quarter of a decade. He also knew he deserved every bit of it, but that didn't attenuate the accusation in any perceptible way.

He allowed himself to give in to the unfamiliar emotion that threatened to overwhelm him, quickly blinking away the tears that welled up in his eyes. Casting a last look at Alex, he made up his mind and lifted off the ground to disappear through the narrow crevice up above.

If Alex wouldn't accept his help, there was someone else here who could do what he could not. He reached out with his mind and tried to locate his trusted lieutenant.

He found her in a dark corner of Gabriel's makeshift throne room, mounted on a cross and chained in place with Empyrean steel. The fallen angel imagery was not lost on Michael but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

The handful of Eight-balls guarding the room were disposed of easily enough but not without leaving marks of their resistance on Michael's body.

He hesitated before killing the last of the lower angels, grabbing her face with both his hands. He squeezed hard, snarling in her face through clenched teeth, "Where is it?"

The Eight-ball emitted a screeching whimper, and Michael dropped her to the ground when he had obtained the information he needed. He crossed the room in fast strides to return with a set of keys.

"Michael," Noma said in relief when she recognized him.

He swiftly freed her from her chains. "There's a cave through the narrow passage on the east side of the entrance hall. Find Alex and get him back to Vega. I will meet you at the back entrance of the infirmary."

"What about Gabriel?" she asked.

"Not of concern right now. I will explain later. Now hurry, Alex is in need of medical attention."

She inclined her head and quickly left the room.

Michael followed her but made for the aerie's entrance and soared from the rock structure high into the night sky.

One thing they had to consider was that whatever medical personnel were to treat Alex, they would see his markings. Without higher angels left in Vega to lean on, it was difficult to know who was an ally and who a spy, but Michael also knew that he wouldn't have come this far without placing his trust in a chosen few.

Arriving in Vega, he summoned the two nurses and young doctor to the unguarded back entrance of the infirmary and made sure that Alex would be treated in private. He hoped it would be enough to prevent the word from getting out.

It didn't take long for Michael's keen senses to hear the approach of flapping wings, Noma's familiar figure weaving downwards to meet them. She gingerly placed a barely conscious Alex on the gurney that they had waiting for him.

Worry furrowed Michael's brow as he watched a deathly pale Alex being wheeled inside. Noma went with him but hesitated in the doorway. "Are you not coming?"

"No," he simply said.

He could clearly see the confusion on her face but she knew not to question the archangel's decision. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he's okay."

"I know you will," he told her and then they were out of sight.