A/N: Following on from Chimes At Midnight. This story covers the time period from Abandon All Hope to Hammer of the Gods. You do need to read Chimes At Midnight before this, or you're going to be completely confused. [It was removed from because of adult content and I can't really edit it out as it's pretty important. So sadly you'll have to find it on either A3O or on my live journal. Links to both are in my profile.]

Yes, my insane head-canon is that Samandriel is the son of Sam and Gabriel. Notes: Gabriel thinks of Samandriel by his angel name, but calls him Alfie because that's the name he and Katherine agreed on.

This beginning part was inspired by a book I'm reading called Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil by Elizabeth Clare Prophet. It's a very interesting book and has inspired a few of my stories.

Prologue

The screams and cried echoed in his ears. Louder than he thought possible. He stared past the weeping wives and mothers as they pleaded for the abominations lives. When he began, when his father had set him this task, he hadn't heard their words. Why would he heed the daughters of men who dare seduce the purity of heaven's host? But the more soiled his hands became, the clearer those cries were. It was almost over though. They were almost free of the tainted humanity. Just a single child. One last wailing babe in his mother's arms. Gabriel towered over them both, his determined dark eyes, steel like in their coldness, flickering over the pair. His fingers tightened around his blade, sticky and uncomfortably warm beneath the fingers of his vessel. His eyes met the woman's as she pulled her child closer as if wanting to return him to her body where he'd be safe.

"Why do you hesitate brother?" a voice asked from the ether. Gabriel turned slightly, frowning. He didn't know. His hands were already stained with so much blood, what was one more? One last abomination. Gabriel raised his blade, his intent focused. With one last look at the pair he brought this hand down, the dying firelight gleaming off the blade.

Gabriel flew up straight in the bed, panting. Sweat clinging to his blazing flesh. This was why he preferred not to sleep. Too much history. Too many lives. - Too much blood on his hands. Throwing back the covers, he swung his legs free and padded out of the room, walking almost impossibly slowly down the corridor.

He tugged on the string and winced at the sudden brightness of the bathroom light. Padding over to the basin, he glanced up into the mirror, looking at his reflection with disgust. He'd pushed that time out of his mind for so long. So far back that he'd almost forgotten it. When it did rear its ugly head it was more like a dream trying to be remembered. But over the past few days, since Samandriel's birth, it had been clear. A phantom haunting his every waking and sleeping moment. Whenever he looked at his son he saw the countless sons and daughters he'd wiped from the face of the earth without a moments pause. - Well, almost.

Bending Gabriel turned on the cold faucet, throwing the icy coldness of the water into his face while forcing himself to breath and forget once more. But a voice echoed in the back of his head. Not Dylan. One older and further away. In the past. The voice of a long disowned brother.

"This is not right. You know it is not right brother. He demanded we love them and now punishes us for it. If you must have my life, then take it but spare my son. He's innocent. Pure. Please brother, spare my son."

Gabriel clenched his eyes closed as the echoed of screaming mothers and silenced children ring in his ears. His heart pounding desperately in his chest. Despite being coated in cold water his hands felt warm and tacky. He couldn't open his eyes, fearful of seeing the blood there once more.

Inhaling slowly and groaning at the pain in his chest and head he straightened, turning away from the mirror and allowing his feet to carry him to his son's bedside. He knelt down beside the crib, the soft glow of the nightlight bringing out the blond in Samandriel's hair. It wouldn't be like that for ever, Gabriel could already see it beginning to darken. Eventually it would matched that of his fathers. Reaching thought the bars he ran his fingers throw the cotton softness. "I won't let you pay for my sins, Sammy." Gabriel whispered. "They'll never find you."

Samandriel made a soft wet noise, his lips pressing together gently in his sleep. Sighing softly, Gabriel got back to his feet, leaning over the side of the crib to press a kiss to the baby's head. "Night, Jelly Bean."

Samandriel made a gentle sniffle before falling quiet and Gabriel turned away from the crib, heading for the door. He paused on the threshold for another few moments, watching his son sleep, before heading back down the corridor to his room.

Retrieving the covers he'd thrown free of his heated body in his rush to be out of the bed, Gabriel crawled back in, settling back against the cold sheets. For a moment he stared up at the ceiling, watching the lights from the streetlamps create terrifying shadows that looked uncomfortably like wings. Inhaling sharply Gabriel closed his eyes and turning onto his side. When he opened them once again, it was to stare forlornly at the empty place beside him.

He'd considered summon ring up a warm solid body to curl into and hide from the nightmare, but it wouldn't help. It wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be the real thing. Just a fantasy. An illusion. Smoke and mirrors that would only wind up making him feel worse than he already did. He'd come to the conclusion the previous night that the worst punishment for his sins was not the ghost that haunting him, but the irony of the whole thing. Here he was, the angel who'd punished his brothers for falling in love with mortal women by slaying their sons and daughters, in love with a mortal man, fighting to protect their child from the same fate.

A/N: Hope you liked this opening gambit. I'll have the rest of this short story soon.