Summary: The Annunciation was nowhere near as formal as the gospels made it out. And 'Full of Grace' is literal.
Historical/Biblical Note: Despite what some would have you believe, Mary and Joseph were actually officially married when Gabriel showed up, they didn't have a house of their own, yet, nor had they officially consummated, but the two were married, and it would not have been a shock for the community for Mary to be pregnant- the consummation could happen at any time after the wedding ceremony. How the wedding worked- they pledged themselves, there was a party, then the new couple went into a tent or room to spend their wedding night (consummation optional) and then the husband got a house for them to move into- or built it, either way- where they started their family. (This note is continued in the next chapter: Knocking Sense into Joseph.)
A Happy Announcement
Gabriel had obeyed his father and gone to some random young woman named Mary to deliver the oddest message he had ever had to give. He'd known from his creation he was meant to be her protector, as well as protector of most of the prophets that came along (a couple Raphael and Michael were supposed to help- Michael and Moses had practically been best friends, well, as much as Michael befriended anyone). But while he didn't question his Father, he wasn't sure about any of this. Humans, he had seen, were awfully fragile creatures, and not always interested in doing what his Father wanted them to do.
"Hail-" He started, and was met by a shriek and a cushion in his face, which was followed by a wooden bowl full of water.
Once he'd gotten the poor girl calmed down, he had the awkward pleasure of telling her what his father wanted.
"So, um, God wants to be human for a bit, and wants you to give birth to Him- you are more than welcome to say no, of course, and I wouldn't blame you, I don't know what He's thinking with this." Gabriel explained.
"Um, Joseph and I haven't had sex yet, despite having our wedding, he's waiting to get our house built first." Mary looked as embarrassed as Gabriel felt.
"Uh, according to Him, you don't have to have Sex with anyone, He'll, uh, yeah, be there." Gabriel tilted his head. "You don't feel like a normal human, you know?" In fact, Gabriel would have thought she was another Archangel, if he didn't know Lucifer was grounded, and Michael and Raphael had decided to stay in Heaven.
"I don't think I am. I mean, I can tell when people are lying, and I fixed Joseph's arm by touching it the other day." Mary tilted her head. "I know things before they happen, sometimes."
"Right … I need to check on something real quick, so, uh, think it over?" Gabriel vanished to where his Father was putting something on tablets. "Dad, what did you do to her?"
"Hmm, oh, She's the Morning Star of the Human Race. It would be too dangerous for a regular human to be my Mother, so I gave her an Archangel's Grace when I made her." His Father tapped a tablet, making it vanish. "Did she give you an answer?"
"Dad, you know I left before she did." Gabriel didn't like this. "Can she do things like, you know, I can?" He'd always known that he'd one day protect Mary from trouble, that she'd be something special, but he hadn't expected her to be a human with Archangel type Grace.
"Possibly, I made the two of you to protect each other." Father tapped another Tablet, sending it off. "Now, go get her answer please, oh, and tell her about her cousin."
This time when he appeared, it was to a broom. Thankfully, it stopped before she hit him.
"Could you give me some sort of warning?" Mary asked, annoyed.
"I'll work on that." Gabriel held up his hands. "So, Yes or No, and I would not blame you if you told God to take a hike."
"Yes."
"Huh?" Gabriel wasn't sure if she meant Yes, she wanted his Father to take a hike, or Yes, she'd give birth.
"I'll do it." Mary looked amused. "My mother's been hinting at grandchildren before she dies, anyway."