Chapter 1

Shocking Reunion

This was turning out to be a very sucky birthday, Gabriel thought as he drove away from the bar, he had arrived at less than a 2 hours ago. His friends were still there, having fun on his 21st birthday, while he was here playing babysitter to his used to be next door neighbor. Gabriel glanced at his passenger seat that was currently occupied by a mountain of lanky teenager. He had a feeling that the Winchester parents fed their youngest son a growth supplement, a fifteen year old shouldn't be that freakin' huge. 'Was he really fifteen?' Gabriel wondered in awe, sparing the kid another glance before turning on a familiar route. When Gabriel was sixteen, his parents decided to move to Florida, something about his father's company, he really didn't know and could care less. It was a shock to everyone, especially Gabriel, he didn't want to leave the only life he knew. His parents, as usual, didn't care what he wanted, their work came first; nothing new there. Gabriel loved his town, it was big but not complicated big, and the Winchesters lived here. He remembered the day of the move; fourteen year old Dean punched him in the shoulder and told him how he better not forget about him, his eyes slightly misty. Dean was never one to show his emotions, not out right. Sam, on the other hand...

Ten year old Sam clung to Gabriel's side, with his eyes over flowing with tears.

"I don't want you to go!" He wailed out, as Dean tried to pull him away with no luck.

"Hey now Samtastic, what is with that messy face, you're never going to get any girls looking like that." Gabriel tried to lighten the mood, but Sam only clung tighter. He sighed, prying Sam's arms off of him to squat down to his level.

"Sammy, you know I'd love to stay but-"

"Then stay!" Sam interrupted. "Y-you can have my room, and my favorite toys!" He pleaded. "I'll bring you your favorite sweets every day!" It nearly broke Gabriel's heart, the kid was so desperate to keep him around that he'd give up everything he owned. He shouldn't have been that surprised though. It was how Sam had always been, family first; and there was no doubt he saw Gabriel as his family.

"Sam, I can't...I need you to understand that, okay?" The boy shook his head vigorously. "No! You can't go!" Gabriel found himself in another hug, this time Sam's arms were circling his neck. Gabe did the only thing he could, hugged back. He looked up to Dean, who looked like he was struggling not to join Sam.

"Alright Sam, that's enough now." John's deep voice cut through the soft moment. He reached down and pried Sam, who protested the whole time, off of Gabriel. Mary quickly came to her husband's side, picking Sam up and comforting him quietly. Gabriel's eyes left Sam as soon as he felt John's large hand gripping his shoulder. He looked up at the older man he admired so much. John wore a smile, but his eyes were sad. "You take care of yourself, ya hear me?" Gabriel nodded then held back a gasp as he was pulled into a bear hug. "You are going to make us proud son, I know it." John spoke gently. Gabriel thought he was going to break down right there, but he swallowed the lump in his throat and squeezed out, "You bet."

John released him, smile still on his face, turned and walked back to the house. Mary walked closer, with Sam now at her side. He was still crying, but he wasn't launching himself at him. "Gabriel?" Mary's voice was that of an angel. She had sung him through more nightmares than his actual mother even spoke to him.

"Ma'am?"

Mary shook her head. "You know you don't have to call me that." She took a deep breath, then her mask broke as a tear escaped her eye. She wrapped him in a hug, which almost made him laugh at how similar it was to Sam's, and said, "I am going to miss you so much!" Gabriel wasn't sure how much more of this he could take, as he wrapped her in a tight hug. That was all permission Sam needed to go back to clinging to Gabe's side.

Mary pulled away slowly, and looked down to see Sam and gave Gabriel an apologetic look. She reached for her son, but Grabriel stopped her. "Hey Sammy?" Sam looked up at him, but didn't let go. "I need you to do me a huge favor, bigger than any favor. Ever." Sam stopped sniffling to pay closer attention. "Ever?" Gabriel grinned, knowing he was hooked.

"Oh definitely."

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"You have to let go, so I can show you."

Sam tightened his grip for a moment then slowly let go, wiping the snot from his nose with his arm. Nice. Gabe chuckled softly, and reached up to pull off his necklace. Sam's eyes grew wide, he never took that necklace off. It was a stupid trinket his grandmother, the only decent person Gabe knew in his family, gave to him. It was a sigil of Gabriel, the messenger of God; or something like that...He really doesn't remember much about it, except for his grandmother giving it to him on her death bed.

He stared at it for a moment before holding it out to Sam. Mary smiled as she watched the two from a distance. "Do you think you can keep this safe for me, until I come back?" he asked seriously. Sam carefully took the necklace and perked up. "You- You are gonna come back?" He sounded so hopeful and excited Gabriel couldn't hide his amusement.

"Of course SamSam, you didn't think I was going to leave forever, did you?" He pointed to Dean, who had been standing there silently observing this whole time. "Do you think I can leave this guy on his own? He'd be lost without me." Dean would normally have some snarky come back, but this time he just smiled and shook his head. Sam looked at the necklace, as if contemplating what he wanted to say. He pulled the necklace over his cute, bobble head then nodded. "Okay, but you have to promise you are coming back!" He grabbed Gabriel's hand and squeezed. Placing his free hand in the air, Gabe spoke clearly.

"I promise you Sammich, Dean-" He glanced at the older brother, who still looked like he was trying to keep his emotions in place."...that I will be back as soon as I can." As he finished that sentence Sam let go of his hand and smiled through his tear stained face. "Okay! I'll make sure your necklace is safe, you can count on me." The kid looked so relieved, as he hugged Gabriel again, but only for a few seconds.

"Mom, look what Gabby gave me!" He bounced over to his mother who looked at his new prize. Gabe's heart hurt at the scene...He hoped he didn't just lie to his closest friend and family.

"Gabriel, it is time to leave, the truck is loaded." His mother's cold, business-like voice cut through his moment with the Winchesters. "Coming mother." Was his short reply. Gabe looked back at Dean, who seemed to realize as well that this was it. This was the last time they would see each other for who knew how long. "D-don't go making out with every hot guy you see walking down the street, you might catch something..." Dean tried to sound up-beat, but it came off mournful. Gabe smiled anyway. "And you watch out for those cheerleaders, they are gold-diggers in training, I tell you..." Dean let out air that could have been a deflated laugh.

"I'm going to miss you Gabe..." Dean whispered. Gabrial walked over and pulled him into a quick, but tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you too Dean-o..."

The last time he saw the Winchesters was from the car's back window as it pulled away for the last time. The whole clan waved goodbye from their porch, Sammy holding tightly to Dean and trying his best to hold back his tears.

A honking car brought Gabriel back to the present, he mumbled an 'alright already' and hit the gas, wondering how long that light had been green. It had been five years since he last saw a Winchester and he could feel the guilt rising at not keeping his promise. A moan from beside him snapped him out of his thoughts once more.

"Hey Sammy?" Gabe called out. Sam shifted, and mumbled something under his breath, but didn't seem to stir from his alcohol induced coma. That's right, the kid was smashed. When Gabriel decided he wanted to go back to his hometown to celebrate his new found legal status, and maybe make good on that promise, he didn't expect to find Sam at the local bar; and already beyond 3 sheets to the wind. Gabe didn't recognize the 6 foot something Sasquatch instantly. He had a preference for tall men, and he thought he was about to have some entertainment that night, imagine his utter shock to find out it was Shrimp Sam...

What gave him away was his smile. Sure, he had dimples now but that childlike 'I want to be your best friend forever and tell you all my secrets' smile was the same; and his eyes, he had his mother's eyes, soft and inviting pools of milk chocolate. When Sam realized it was Gabriel calling his name and gawking at him, he tripped over himself, and two poor women that had crowded into Sam's personal space, to get to by the older man's side.

He was worse off than Gabriel originally thought. As soon as Sam stumbled to him, yelling 'Gabby!' the whole way, he lurched forward collapsing right onto his 5'5" frame. Obviously there was no way he was going to keep the giant on two feet, both of them fell to the floor. Gabriel's friends spent what felt like a good five minutes laughing before helping remove Sam from on top of him. The kid was out cold. That is how he ended up in his pick-up truck, leaving his party in the past.

After ten minutes of silence, Gabriel tried to wake him again. "Hey Kiddo, you hear me over there?" He reached over to pat his knee. Sam groaned, and his eyes fluttered open. He stared, unfocused at Gabriel for a few moments, as if trying to register who he was looking at. A lazy smile spread across his face as it clicked.

"Gabby? I wasn't dreaming?" His words were badly slurred, and it sounded like it took way too much effort to force out. Gabriel didn't have too much time to ponder on how many shots the kid took because he was suddenly very close to him. Sam was attempting to crawl across the seat and give Gabe a bear hug, but to avoid a wreck he was swatted back into his own space.

Gabriel laughed out. "Easy there bean-pole, If I am going to die tonight, it is going to be for more than a hug." He winked towards the intoxicated teen, then realized he was flirting with Sam; curse his weakness to tall men, it was like his mouth went to auto pilot, and his brain stayed in the gutter around anyone taller than 5'9". Trying to cover up his indecency, he changed the subject with an awkward cough.

"Gabby, huh? I haven't heard that since we were kids."

Sam only shrugged, "Would've heard it more, if you ever bothered coming around..." he muttered, turning his head to look out the window.

Ouch. Gabriel really should have seen that coming, but it probably would have stung all the same…Before he could begin to come up with a valid excuse, Sam half spoke, half slurred.

"Not like you liked it anyway."

When Sam was a toddler 'Gabriel' was beyond his language capacity, so the times Gabriel came over to play with Dean, Sam would run to him screaming, 'Gabby! Gabby!' causing Dean to torture him with it all through middle school. Gabe shook off the fond memory as a stoplight changed to green, now was not the time to keep getting lost in memories.

"Well, I never hated it either." Gabe offered, at a loss as to what to say.

He turned onto Sam's street, assuming he still lived with his parents. He parked out front of the very familiar, two story house. Even though his old house was only feet away, the one he called 'home' was also the one Sam lived at. He spent days at a time running around with the Winchesters, since his parents were always working.

"What the hell were you doing in a bar Samantha?" Gabriel turned his attention back to the dozing man/child. Sam gave a grunt of disapproval at the 'nickname' opening his eyes, with some effort.

"Getting shit faced," Was the answer Gabriel got from the teen trying to hold back a drunken laugh. "I think I accomplished my mission."

Gabriel stared at him with no expression, was this brat getting snarky with him?

"Last I checked kiddo, it was illegal for teenagers to do that." He paused, then added. "Insanely tall or not."

"I know, isn't it great, all the girls love me." Sam said smugly as he looked around slowly, Gabriel just gave an eye-roll at the very Dean-like impersonation. Sam's smile faltered when he saw where they were.

"Besides, my fake I.D. says otherwise." He notices Sam's voice sounded off all of the sudden, but Gabe didn't put too much thought into it deciding the liquor was to blame.

Gabriel figured that had to be how he got in, but to hear it was still shocking. Sam was always so...straight forward.

Honest.

It was a very prominent characteristic even at such a young age.

"Well, shit, didn't know you had so much of your brother in you." Gabe meant it as a joke, but Sam obviously didn't take it that way.

"Why are we here?" Sam's voice was short and cold.

Confused by the question, and Sam's mood swing, Gabriel looked out his window to the Winchester home. "What? Didn't think I'd bring you home to face the music? Well, I hate to break it to you Sammy boy, but-"

"That isn't my home." Sam said above a whisper. "..Not anymore."

Gabriel could see the pain etched in Sam's face. Actually looking at the distressed teen for the first time he could tell something was really, really off. He was wearing a stained, wrinkled flannel shirt, an old pair of jeans that needed a wash, and a pair of shoes that were at least two sizes too big. Sam's hair, that Gabe thought was stylishly messy, was just plain messy. The kid also looked like he hadn't had a decent meal in a week. He also remembered, thanks to their collision, that the kid could use a bath.

There was a sinking feeling forming in Gabriel's gut.

"Oh, sorry kiddo...I just figured your parents weren't the moving type?" Gabriel said hopefully.

Sam looked pale, as he shook his head. "They didn't move."

Gabriel could hear his heartbeat pulsing in his ears as he waited for Sam to take a ragged breath.

"My parents are dead Gabriel, can we get away from here, please?" Sam's voice cracked as he spoke the last couple words. Gabriel sat there for a moment, completely shocked.

It was official, this birthday sucked.