Disclaimer: I don't own SN.
Chapter 1: The Opening Silence
Gabriel scrambled as he grabbed his angel blade from the floor. He pressed a hand to his bloody shoulder and glanced around frantically looking for the werewolf that he was hunting. He internally cursed as he lost sight of the fleabag once more. The Trickster had been tracking the wolf for a week and now when he finally thought he had the thing cornered it turned out to be a trap. A trap he had walked right into.
A noise behind him had him whirling, blade at ready. The wolf darted at him and it caught high in the opposite shoulder sending him spinning to the floor once more. He managed to keep a hold on his blade this time. It was a good thing too. The wolf lunged at his throat and the only thing that saved him was his blade which was now the only thing separating those teeth from his jugular. He wished he could reach his pistol but his grip on his angel blade was the only thing keeping him alive at this point.
A gunshot rang out and the wolf jerked. It was followed by five more shots, two from one gun and three from a different gun. The wolf collapsed on top of him, dead as a doornail. With a shove and a soundless cry of pain he pushed the dead beast off him and managed to get to his feet, his blade held in a defensive position. Two figures came forward, both holding pistols and flashlights, blinding him. He reached up and put pressure on his wound, already feeling dizzy and trying not to panic.
"Son-of-a-bitch. Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
"If you mean you're see an injured archangel then yeah I see it too."
If Gabriel wasn't panicking before he was now. He took two steps backwards and bolted. He ducked between the shipping containers trying to stay ahead of whoever was chasing him. His blade had most likely given away the fact he was an angel but no one should have known he was an archangel. He slid around a corner and collided with something warm and unyielding. He fell back, hit the floor hard, jarring his shoulder and dropping his blade once more. The footsteps and voices caught up to him and he slowly crawled his way to his blade.
"Did you get him?!"
"Yes. He is badly injured. He is losing a lot of blood." Said a new voice.
Someone came forward and picked up his blade before he could reach it. Using his free hand he reached behind him and grabbed his pistol from his pants only to have his wrist captured and the gun pulled from his limp grip. He tried to crawl away but the grip on his wrist held him in place. Two sets of hands patted him down and he was disarmed. It was only then that he was released and as soon as he was free he began trying to crawl away.
"Would you stop that? We aren't going to hurt you. If we wanted you hurt or dead we would have let the wolf kill you. Let me see your shoulder."
Gentle hands touched his and carefully pried his hand away from his wound. They carefully poked at the wound and were soon pulling back, allowing him to put pressure on it again. He laid there to tired to care and too afraid to move. He heard them discussing his wound finally he felt the hands return. They carefully began pulling him, trying to get him to stand.
"Come on. We need to leave. You're hurt and we need to get you patched up. Think you can make it?"
He nodded and was helped to his feet. He stared at the floor, not bothering to pay attention to where he was going. He was more concerned with the blood that was dripping down his arm. It was only when they made it outside that it became to much for him. Gabriel felt himself sway and he stumbled. Three sets of hands grabbed him as his knees gave out and they slowly lowered him to the ground.
"Shit why isn't he healing? You guys heal like super quick right?"
"I do not understand it. His wound should already be in a state of healing. It shows no signs of this. He may require my intervention."
"Then intervene already! We don't need a dead archangel."
Gabriel felt two fingers press against his brow and a warmth filled him. He recognized that warmth. It was angelic healing. He was with another angel. He struggled to open his eyes but as he did his vision blurred. He could see three blurry faces staring down at him before his vision began to go dark and he slipped into oblivion.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Yellow and purple wallpaper with lime green flowers. Frowning he couldn't remember why he had chosen a place with such gaudy decor. He liked to think he still had some class in him. His last motel room had been done in blue and silvers with a winter theme. He had picked it because it was in the epicenter of the recent werewolf attacks.
Gabriel's brain finally caught up to him and he jack knifed into a sitting position. He was out hunting a werewolf and had been injured and was saved by some hunters. Reaching up to check the wound he was surprised to find that it had been fully healed despite the fact it should have taken days. Glancing around he realized that he was laying on a bed fully clothed in a crappy motel with no taste. On the table lay his weapons.
Getting to his feet he found that he was a bit shaky and chalked it up to blood loss but it was nothing that would impede his escape. He made his way over to the table and began replacing his weapons on his person, pleased to see that everything was still there, including both his normal angel blade and his spiraled archangel blade. Making sure he had everything he glanced around the room one last time before sneaking out the back window of the motel instead of using the door.
Taking the side alley he was pleased to note that he wasn't that far from his own hotel. It took him less then ten minutes to walk there, be careful not to be seen due to his bloody clothes. Making it to his hotel room he took a shower first and discarded his bloody clothes into a bag to toss into a dumpster as he left. The blonde packed his duffle, carefully storing away his weapons, and changing into something clean, making a note to grab a new jacket on the way out of town. Happy that he was leaving no trace he checked out and headed to the center of town.
He stopped into a thrift store and managed to find a nice jacket and a few more shirts to replace what he'd lost. The Trickster paid and went on his happy way. Stopping at intersection in the dead center of town he pulled out a small crystal and watched as a small glow lit up one side. Looks like he was heading out west again. Shifting his duffle so that the strap rested across his chest he began walking heading out of town using a small side road.
As the angel was walking he began to think that maybe he should invest in a car. Or maybe a motorcycle. Picturing himself on one he scrapped the idea. It wasn't his style but it was a nice idea. Besides he liked walking. It gave him a chance to see the sights and most of the people who decided to give him a ride were relatively nice. Those that weren't changed their tune real quick. It made for some fun times. The best he could get.
The archangel was only about five miles out of town when he heard the roar of an engine behind him. Sounded like someone was in a hurry, so he moved a bit further onto the dirt shoulder. Three seconds later he was glad he did. The roaring black car slid to a halt in front of him, kicking up a cloud of dust. The doors opened and out jumped two very familiar faces. Body tense and nerves twitching he grabbed his pistol from his waistband and his archangel blade slid down into his other hand.
"Seriously? The hell is wrong with you? Do you know the panic you sent us into with your little stunt?" Dean asked glaring at him. "I didn't even think you'd stoop that low to sneak out on us!"
Sam didn't say anything but watched him with cautious green eyes.
The eldest Winchester didn't seem to care about the blade or gun that was pointed at him as he came closer. "Gimme the duffle and get your feathered ass in the car!"
Gabriel backed away, cocking his gun.
Dean stared at him in confusion. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Gabriel's gold eyes flicked between the brothers trying to decide if the eldest was actually mad at him or was just being his normal self. Just because he had sided with them didn't mean they were friends. They just had a common enemy in his big brother was all. Now that Lucifer and Michael were in the Cage it was a safe bet to say that he was back to being a Winchester enemy.
"Dean. Let me handle this." Sam said coming around to car.
The shorter hunter threw his hands up with a frustrated huff. "Whatever Sam. You deal with him. My patience is shot."
The youngest Winchester came towards him with his hands held up in a placating fashion. "It's okay Gabriel. Don't you remember last night? You were being attacked by the wolf and someone shot it? That was Dean and I. We saved you and Cas healed you. We brought you back to our motel when you passed out. Do you remember any of this?"
Gabriel frowned and tried to piece together last night. Things were blurry but he did remember the feeling of angelic healing. It would make sense that it had been the Winchesters who saved him. As far as he knew they were the only hunters who actively had an angel in their corner. He slowly began to lower his gun and the relief was clear on Sam's face. The hunter held out a hand silently asking for his bag. With a sigh Gabriel took off the duffle and handed it over, a grin spreading over the taller's face.
Dean moved and opened the trunk and the duffle was thrown in before it was closed. Gabriel lowered the hammer on the gun and flicked the safety on. He replaced it in the back of his pants under his jacket and replaced his blade to it's sleeve. Dean opened the back door and motioned him in. Gold eyes warily took in the sight but he got in anyway and the door was shut behind him. Ten minutes later found him right back where he started in the same crappy motel room that he woke in.
Dean shut the door behind him and locked it, drawing a wince from the archangel. "You know a thank you would have been nice since we saved your ass and all." He said going over to the food, which was thankfully still warm.
Gabriel threw him a glare.
"Just be grateful we showed up when we did or your ass would be dog chow." Dean said throwing a bag at the angel, who caught it with a confused look. "Since when do you hunt anyway? Or did you just feel like trying your hand at doing some good for a change?"
The angel opened the bag and looked into it and made a face at the contents. He closed it and sat it aside drawing a worried look from both hunters. The Trickster was turning down a bag full of candy. The two exchanged glances and Sam decided to be nice. He passed the angel his bag, which held a burger and some fries, not his normal meal but he had gotten it at Dean's insistence. The angel glanced into it and took the fries but passed the burger back.
Sam took it. "You feeling okay Gabriel? Did Cas miss an injury or something?"
The blonde shook his head and began munching on the fries, taking a seat on one of the beds.
"I'm only asking because you've been acting strange." Sam said.
This drew a confused look from the archangel.
"First we find you getting your ass handed to you by a werewolf, then you run from us, Cas had to heal you, you passed out, you run again, you were walking, and had a bag full of stuff and now you've just turned down candy." Sam said. "That doesn't seem much like the Gabriel we know."
"Not to mention the fact that normally we can't seem to shut you up and now we haven't heard a peep out of you." Dean said. "Just let me know who found your off button. I want to thank them."
Gabriel flinched so hard his whole body jerked. He looked down at the fries and sighed. He got up and sat them on the table and headed for the door. It took both hunters a few seconds to realize that the angel was leaving before Dean jumped up and grabbed the blonde's arm as he began to unlock the door.
"Whoa! Where are you going?"
Gabriel motioned towards the door with a glare.
"You aren't leaving. Not until Sam and I get some answers out of you." Dean said. "Now are you going to start talking?"
The archangel looked down, suddenly very interested in the ugly, moss green carpet.
"Figures. So what? Do we have to play games with you now?" Dean snapped.
The blonde reached for the door again and Dean yanked him back. The silver spiral blade was at the hunter's throat before he could blink. He carefully released the angel's wrist and the blade was pulled away. Gabriel backed away and blindly reached for the door behind him. Instead of grasping metal his searching fingers met with clothe. The angel spun, prepared to defend himself and was thrown back and landed hard on the floor, his breath knocked out of him and his blade sent spinning from his hand.
Struggling to get his breath back he was surprised when he felt a pair of hands grab his arms and lift them over his head, allowing him to take in several deeps breaths. Gabriel laid there just breathing. He hadn't realized that being able to breathe had felt so good until now. Opening his eyes that he didn't realize he had closed, he looked up into concerned green ones. Sam slid his hands under him and slowly helped pull Gabriel into a sitting position, gently rubbing the angel's back.
"Don't you think that was a bit much Cas?" Sam asked, looking up at the dark haired angel who had appeared when Dean was in danger.
To everyone's surprise the stoic angel actually flushed. "I was not meaning to use my strength to such an extent. I was expecting Gabriel to counter me."
Gabriel sent a glare at Castiel and turned to look for his blade, which was closer then he thought it'd be. He reached for it but Sam snatched it up before the angel had a chance. The blonde let out a soundless snarl and reached for it again only to have Castiel grab him tightly around the wrist.
"That is enough Gabriel. We do not mean you any harm. Be at peace."
Gabriel twisted trying to pull out of his brother's grip. Castiel released him and he was shocked to see the large bruise blooming along the archangel's wrist. Frowning he reached out but his brother roughly yanked his arm away, glaring at him. Castiel decided another tactic was in order instead of trying to grab him he simply held out his hand and waited. It didn't take long for the archangel to hold out the injured limb and the younger angel was shocked by what he found.
"I broke it." Castiel said, his voice marred with confusion. "Gabriel are you alright?"
The blonde nodded.
"Then why is this happening? Last night you weren't healing and now I have easily injured you." Castiel said as he healed the broken bones. "I do not understand."
Gabriel let out a sigh and began doing a series of hand movements. Castiel watched him with wide eyes, emotions flickering across his face. The longer Gabriel moved his hands around the more frustrated the actions got until tears began flowing down the angel's face. The younger angel caught his now shaking hands and it was like a trigger.
Gabriel began flailing. He punched and kicked at his brother and Castiel let him. The angel ranted and raved his mouth moving as if he was screaming things and yet the angel didn't make a sound. The fit of anger only last five minutes but by the time Gabriel was done he was red in the face and tears were flowing non stop down his face. Castiel pulled the archangel close to his chest and let him silently sob into his coat. Only a few minutes later found the dark haired angel rising from the floor and placing his now sleeping brother on the bed.
"What the hell just happened?" Dean demanded.
"It appears that Lucifer was not very merciful to him." Castiel said. "Gabriel did die but he was brought back by Lucifer. The Devil took Gabriel and bound his Grace inside him. He is still an angel but he can no longer use his Grace. Gabriel's only means of defense is his limited Pagan magic."
"So what does that mean?" Dean asked.
"It means that though Gabriel is still an angel because he still has is Grace, he is no different from a normal person like you or Sam. His healing is still greater than a human's but much slower than an angel's. He may also still retain some of his strength but how much I am not sure." Castiel said.
"So he's human with a few extra powers." Sam said. "So then why was he out hunting and why was he speaking to you in sign language?"
"He did not reveal why he was out hunting but he did reveal why he was not speaking." Castiel admitted. "Lucifer was not kind to him at all."
"Don't keep us hanging Cas! What did he do?" Dean asked.
Castiel turned sad blue eyes to his hunter. "Lucifer not only bound Gabriel's Grace, but he also bound his voice. Gabriel can no longer speak."
Three pairs of eyes turned to look at the sleeping archangel and wondered just what to do now.