Shock horror, I'm writing another fic but unlike the majority of the rest of my writing this one has nothing to do with Dean and Castiel at all (although there will be one shots and the like between times). Frankly I was disappointed that they killed Gabriel off when they did, a little piece of me may have died that day, especially since they had just presented us with this utterly wonderful character that had this marvellous backstory that I couldn't wait to explore. So I took matters into my own hands slightly and began planning this fic about six months ago. I've got little bits of paper all over the place with scenes from this on. I've got character lists and I'm researching time periods that I want to play with.

The title is a line from Hurricane by 30 Seconds To Mars and I actually love the version of this song with Kanye West, which may have been the soundtrack for this chapter so I recommend at least looking it up on youtube. I'll also probably take liberties with just about every myth, legend and religion I come across in the course of this. I don't do it to offend, I do it because Supernatural does and if I wanted to get everything exactly right I would have to spend years in study. I'm dedicated, but I wouldn't go quite that far.

Disclaimer: Lets face it, if they were mine things would be very different. Cas would be screwing Dean ten ways from Sunday, Gabriel would be eating chocolate and tormenting Sam with eyeball searing mental image of said action and I would be quietly imploding with joy. None of these things are happening so I have to mournfully inform you all that they are not mine and I'm merely borrowing Gabriel until Kripke and co. make me give him back. I remind them that they killed Gabriel and thus that no matter what I may put him through he is still better off with me anyway.

A Path To Explode In Flames.

In the beginning the angels were happy, their songs echoed through the heavens as they served their Father in ways that humanity is ill equipped to comprehend. They were the chosen and the favoured of the Lord and their love for Him knew no boundaries. Then came the news that He was to create a new life.

Then came mankind.

Of all the angels the closest bonds with others exists between Michael and Lucifer, a bond supported and nurtured by another with two of their fellow archangels, Raphael and Gabriel. Of the four Gabriel is the youngest, although years and time mean little to beings of grace and light, and over his time in the heavens he has followed his brothers and learnt from them in all ways that have ever been possible. His love for them has only ever been bested by his love for his Father and he basks in their returned adoration.

The fond indulgence of Michael, the general.

The deep esteem of Raphael, the healer.

The warm affection of Lucifer, the brightest and most beautiful of them all.

As the messenger it has always been Gabriel's duty to carry to words of their Father to those who might aid in his great works. He has been through all of Heaven taking the word of his Father to even the lowliest of angels that His word be done. It means that he is present at the announcement his Father makes to them about the creation of the humans, he is present to witness the stoic silence that befalls Michael and Raphael, and he is as witness when the light of Lucifer dims at the discovery that they will no longer be favoured above all others.

Michael waits until they are out of their Father's hearing before breaking his silence and turning to them all. He tells them that the ranks of the Host will be confused by this, that it is down to them to show unwavering support for their Father in the face of this so that the others may take comfort in knowing that the four who have seen His face bear no resentment for this sudden change.

Gabriel wonders how Michael can be so blind, but their leader does not see the agitated quiver of Lucifer's wings and the tremble of his being as their general speaks of the task that lies before them. The messenger sees it and he knows, a flash of foresight that he suspects is not entirely his own, that the Morning Star is going to do something foolish. He briefly entertains the thought that his dearest brother will disobey and as rapidly as it comes the thought is dismissed. Lucifer would surely not be so stupid.

As it turns out, Gabriel is wrong.

The Host are prepared for the announcement, having long suspected that their Father was creating something wonderful for the Earth, but they express no sense of adoration for humanity beyond that love which their Father commands them to give. It comes as no surprise to find Lucifer walking through their ranks searching for support in his distaste for mankind.

The youngest of the quartet is saddened to realise that fully a third of the Host agree with Lucifer. They agree that mankind is not to be trusted, they agree that the humans should not be loved more than the Father who gave life to all. They believe that this so called perfect creation with it's own will and freedom to chose will turn from their Father. In the depths of himself Gabriel knows that this could conceivably come to pass, but he cannot bring himself to disobey, he cannot side with his brother.

"Do you not see, Gabriel?" Lucifer hisses to him as they move alone through the great gardens of Heaven. "Can you not understand the deceit which lies in them?"

"I won't turn against our Father, brother," Gabriel tries to placate this brother who has taught him so much. "You're speaking of disobedience."

"I'm talking about protecting Him," there is a fire to Lucifer's being, a brightness that is not simply the brilliance of his grace and glory. "He is blind to it, but I know they will betray Him. I love our Father, little brother, and I will not devote that love to this other creature."

"Those are his orders," Gabriel has never been beyond enjoying his time with his family, has always enjoyed a joke and a prank, but he would never go so far as this. He would never go so far as to disobey orders in this way. "We all love Him, Lucifer, and we obey Him because we love Him. Don't tear our family apart." Lucifer stares at him for a long moment, his thoughts unfathomable. "Please, Lucifer."

"I make no promises, Gabriel," there is a genuine grief about the archangel as he speaks. "I'm sorry."

Though time has no meaning in Heaven, it is not long until the first repercussions of Lucifer's subversion of the angels are being felt. It is not long until their Father orders Michael to put an end to the Morning Star's disobedience, and it is not long until Heaven is torn apart by War. He is forced to watch, to participate, in the fighting, to harden his soul against a brother whose grace is so dear and familiar.

All around him his brethren are killing each other, for the first time angels are dying and it cracks and chips away at him. He hates to see this, hates to watch as their grace flares bright before death, as the brilliance of his home is scorched by the blackened ash of the wings of brothers. He has little choice but to fight, to add to the numbers of other angels who fall on the battle field, but he allows himself to hope that he will not be the one to challenge Lucifer.

That, as it turns out, is Michael's duty and Gabriel knows that he is not ready for this. For all that Michael has stood above all of them in the battles, for all that Michael has slain the most among Lucifer's supporters, Gabriel knows that he will not be able to turn his sword upon the Morning Star. Michael is not ready for this and the messenger appeals to his Father for aid. He begs his Father to end this even though he knows that this has all gone too far, that it can only end in the death of one or other of his brothers.

The trap is simple, so simple that he wonders and marvels at how his Father thought of it because he knows that it is not something that Lucifer would ever consider. Four horsemen, one older than even God himself, four rings, the gate to a hell unknown and a prison to hold Lucifer until Michael and the others are ready to do what needs to be done. Gabriel suspects that he will never be ready.

The battle rages for days, years, as mankind slowly grows untended by the very creatures that are fighting because of them. Michael is exhausted, Lucifer is all but defeated and both are defiant in the utter belief that their stance is the correct one. Gabriel takes a moment to tell Michael of the plan, a moment when both brothers are allowing a brief period of rest to tell Michael that there is another way out of this.

"We will have to kill each other one day, you know that, little brother," Michael says as he reclaims his sword, grace pulsing steadily with his confidence that now they can find a way to stop this, that once he can harden himself to it Lucifer's death will bring a true paradise for them. Gabriel knows it, understands it in a way, because neither can make their peace with the other now, too much has passed between them and too many blows have been traded. The youngest of the quartet steels himself against the pain that ripples through him at the thought of losing this brother and begins the spell that will open the gateway to this hellish place.

Hell, as it turns out, is not purely a place that his Father has created. There are others there, he can see them in the brief glimpse he gains as the path to the cage cuts through, beings who glow with a power that strings and ripples around them almost as brightly as the grace of angels shines. His curiosity is tempered only by the battle that continues between his dearest brothers. It is extinguished altogether when Lucifer screams as Michael gains the upper hand for long enough to cast him down and Gabriel weeps as the cage is sealed.

Centuries pass and mankind finds it's feet. Gabriel plays his part as the messenger well, but it feels hollow. There is little joy in Heaven now, the angels toe the line for fear of meeting the same fate that Lucifer, and later the Grigori, met. He does not like to think of the Grigori and their children, does not like to think about the fact that he was sent to kill them because they sought to chose one woman above all others and that they took vessels to do so.

He does not like to think about it because for a very long while he was tempted to do the same.

This time wandering the Earth and carrying the word of his Father has not simply brought him into contact with man, however, it has also brought him into contact with other creatures filled with darkness and Gabriel does not understand the reasoning behind their creation. He wonders if everything on this world is truly his Father's work as he has always believed.

Certainly he knows that the creatures who call themselves 'gods' were not intended in this place. He knows that they fill some dark and desperate place in the souls of mankind, a void left when God ceased to walk among them, and on more than one occasion has found himself threatened by them. Their power, however, is not something to be ignored and he finds that he almost respects their resourcefulness in the face of such fierce competition for the affections of the ever changing and fickle hearts of humanity.

He finds these powerful creatures fascinating and he sees in them a measure of potential that he knows his brethren do not see, that they are incapable of seeing. Instead his brothers, and occasionally sisters, kill those that they come across in their travels and more than once Gabriel has been forced to do the same. It is something that gradually hardens him to that horror and where the thought of death once terrified and sickened him it is now merely a measure of the natural course of things.

When he watches mankind slaughter the greatest gift that his Father could have given them, Gabriel knows that it is only a matter of time before Lucifer is freed from his cage. He has hardened himself to the taking of life, both human and inhuman, but when he thinks back on that first war, when he thinks about the Grigori and their children, he feels sickened. He cannot watch that again, cannot live through that again and he cannot fall.

He turns his attention to the Earth instead. He turns his thoughts to the powerful creatures that call themselves gods and wonders if there is a way that they can help him to hide from his family. He wonders if there is a way that he will be able to escape the horror of watching his brothers tear everything that he loves apart.

Artemis