Snowmen and Snowangels
Word Count: 4,762
Pairing: Gabriel/Sam
Rated: T
Spoilers: Uh, end of Season Five, and AU after that.
Disclaimer: You know what that means.
Author notes: Written as a pinch-hit for the fixexchange community over on LJ. This was the prompt:#2 Post-apocalypse (AU Season 6?), Gabriel and Sam get stuck in a blizzard and for some reason Gabriel can't snap them free.
Sam would have thought that once the Apocalypse had been properly adverted, they would be passed having these things happen to him.
Apparently he was quite mistaken and really, he realizes that he should have known better.
Just because the cosmic balance had been restored didn't mean the world was put to rights, Sam knew that and accepted it as yet another fault of his own. The release of Lucifer had freed more then just one fallen angel. The resulting wave of evil energy had acted as some kind of signal to all the darkest, nastiest monsters that lurked in the night and drew them out of their hiding places. It bolstered the fury and strength of even the most run-of-the-mill supernatural creatures and while the Apocalypse was busy being foiled, hunters across the country struggled to fight them. The actual event of a not-Apocalypse mattered little to the rest of the creatures and hunters continued their desperate attempts to keep ahead of the numbers.
Sam wasn't there for the aftermath, not at first and neither was Dean given his life with Lisa. Bobby though, had been quick to fill him in once he'd made the decision to keep hunting. Not that it was much of a decision. Sam hadn't really given much thought before to what he'd do if they had succeeded in saving the world but now that he had a life to make that choice with, he's not surprised to realize there is no real choice. A normal life is no longer a possibility and hasn't been for longer then he'd expected. Sam is a hunter, and that's all he is, he gets that now. Bobby hadn't been surprised either and Sam thinks to himself that the older man has always known things about them that they themselves never even realized.
Bobby tells him that the hunting world has been thrown into chaos since the release of Lucifer and that they're seeing the rise of creatures never before fought. These things are stronger, faster, smarter and nastier. More dangerous then anything. He thinks they're called Alphas, the original beast of each supernatural bloodline and now that they've been awakened and unleashed, everything is more dangerous.
Yet another tick under the column of 'Things Sam Caused'.
In an effort to make up for that Sam sets all his concentration on research and hunting these things down. It's hard without a partner but Sam refuses to drag Dean out of the life he's made for himself with Lisa and Ben. Bobby blatantly calls him an 'idjit' but the older hunter's arguments can't sway his certainty. He has to do this alone. Mainly because there is no one else he can trust as a partner but also because this is his responsibility. And he's fine with that, really. But to be fair, he thought he was done fighting demons too.
As it turns out though, the demons weren't done with him quite yet and at the next blow Sam felt one of his ribs crack. He's too busy jerking back and retaliating with his demon killing knife(it hasn't been Ruby's in a long time) to feel the pain. With a sizzling crackle that demon goes down and stays down but now he's beset on by four more and Sam catches sight of several more demons guarding all the exits.
He's screwed and he knows it but the realization doesn't bother him as much as it once would've.
Sam ducks a fist and whirls to throw the last of his holy water in the face of a cute black eyed brunette. She falls back screaming and his moment of satisfaction is cut short by a searing pain in his side where a demon sliced him with a jagged piece of a broken beer bottle. He yelps and shifts into defensive mode, backing himself into a wall by accident.
The demons back off slightly, all of them grinning gleefully at him as Sam sets his feet and stares back defiantly.
"You've put up a good fight, Sam. No less then what we expected from Lucifer's former vessel." This demon is nearly as tall as Sam and in excellent shape which combined with his crew cut suggest the host used to be military until he was body-jacked. He casts an amused, black eyed look around at the floor of the bar where many dead demons(humans, now) lay. "I haven't had this much fun in a while."
"Happy to help." Sam said, free hand pressed to his side and the other still brandishing his knife.
"This is a better form of 'help' then what you gave our Father."
Ah, now he understands why they've been hunting him down, which is an uncomfortable switch from his role as hunter. Sam let a slow, satisfied sneer form. "Aww, what's wrong? Don't tell me you really miss Daddy? Funny, he told me you were nothing more then pawns to him, completely expendable."
The demons become unnaturally still and their leader, the ex-military, drops his smile for a snarl. "You lie." He hisses, eyes flashing dangerously.
"Why the Hell would I lie?" Sam says with a snort. "Lucifer made it abundantly clear to me that his plans to cleanse the world included wiping out all of you."
"We are his children!"
Sam laughed and allowed his stance to relax marginally, arrogance bleeding into his voice. "That's retarded. You demons are nothing more then human souls that have been twisted into monstrosity, Lucifer was never human and therefore you are in no way his 'children'."
The demons are getting pissed and the time for talking is almost over. He carefully pulls his hand away from his side but his blood continues to flow, the slice was deep and Sam knows he'll probably bleed to death before the demons even get to kill him. Still, it doesn't matter and Sam wipes the blood off his hand and onto his jeans.
One of the demons on the edge of his vision waves a hand and Sam feels wind rush over him, a sensation of demonic energy that no longer has any hold over him. He smirks and tilts his head to send that demon a condescending glare. "Don't even bother, you don't have enough power to sway me. After experiencing the might of Lucifer first hand, I'm literally immune to the influence of any demon's power."
There's an unsettled murmuring amongst the ranks and their leader snarls to quiet them. "Given your close relation with our Lord, this is no surprise. And it hardly matters anyway, you're still going to die here."
Sam wrinkles his nose into an expression of disgust at calling it a 'relation' and gave an amiable nod. "That seems likely so what do you say we get started then, yeah?" He gave a daredevil's grin and launched himself at the leader.
The demon was taken by surprise and his knife burrowed neatly into the host's heart, burning the demon away instantly. The others recovered quickly and swarmed, leaving Sam overwhelmed and he only managed to take out two more before a starburst of pain in the back of his head sent him to his knees. His hands felt nerveless and a well aimed kick sent his knife spinning away. The world spun and tilted crazily, nausea causing his stomach to churn. A demon yanked his head back by the hair and pain spiked, rushing hot and quick all over as his body began to tremble under the strain being inflicted on it.
"How did you escape? Why are you free and our Master trapped forever? Tell us how you did it!" The demon snarls, face twisted into something far from human.
Sam just wants to laugh and so he does, even though it makes the world darken around him and he senses his blood spilling faster then before. He laughs because he's just as clueless and desperate to know that same answer as the demons that hold him down while he bleeds out.
The demon thinks he's mocking them(in a way he is, but he's mocking himself too) and grabs a tight hold of his neck, squeezing. "Answer!"
"I have no fucking idea." Sam manages to get out, tasting his own blood on his tongue.
"You're lying again!"
Sam snorts and flinches at the jolt of pain that causes. "Would you shut up about that? I'm not lying, I have no idea how I'm here." He knows the demons won't believe him but it hardly matters because he doesn't know and nothing they do to him can change that. He's going to die anyway, soon by the feel of it, and then he'll never know and neither will they. But hey! At least he'll get to meet the new ruler of Hell because believe it or not, Sam has really been wondering about that.
The demon raises a fist and Sam steels himself for the hit but everything freezes as a thundering crack of sound rips through the air. The demons are wide eyed and on the close edge of panic but all Sam feels is frustration. What now! Jesus Christ! He screams at himself as something that feels like hysteria crowds closer.
There is an amused voice in his head now and it whispers something along the lines of 'Guess again, kiddo'. Before he can properly puzzle that out(or freak out about hearing voices being a sign of insanity) the bar lights up with the force of a thousand flood lights and it's so intense that Sam can't fully block it out. The pain of it sends him off to unconsciousness before he can realize that there is no longer a hand around his throat.
Sam wakes up in bits and pieces. His mind is heavy with fog as he moans and stretches out, reveling in the feeling of all those muscles tightening then relaxing. He doesn't bother opening his eyes, not right away because he feels really good right now. Calm and relaxed and…safe. Which is odd because he never feels safe anymore. Slowly the fog begins to recede and Sam tries to figure out what he last remembers. After some methodical retracing of his steps, the trap in the bar comes rushing back and he finally opens his eyes.
To find that he's laying on a lush couch of black leather that is so comfortable he doesn't think he ever wants to get up. The couch is placed a few feet away from an empty fireplace in what appears to be an old cabin, that is still somehow opulently decorated. The overall effect is quite homey and Sam fights with the couch to sit up and turn around, looking for doors or a way out. There is an open doorway behind him and there appears to be a kitchen beyond it
Sam finds that he likes this place, really likes it but the pleasure is diminished by the fact he still has no idea where he is or how he's here. Or still alive for that matter. He suddenly remembers his injuries and twists to look at his side but as far as Sam can tell he's completely healed, even his clothes are clean.
Is this my Heaven? He wonders because he likes it too much to be Hell but at the same time he's disappointed. It's selfish but he wants his brother to be in his Heaven, it's all he ever wants lately.
"Ah, so the Sasquatch awakens! About time, too."
Sam goes absolutely still at the voice from behind him, he knows that voice, will never forget it. Impossible… And yet when Sam turns to look it really is him.
Gabriel. The Archangel turned Trickster. The very angel who sacrificed his life(or is it existence, for angels?) to hold Lucifer at bay while the brothers escaped that Motel from Hell.
Gabriel. The relief Sam feels at seeing the Archangel's face is startling in it's intensity but his mind quickly shies from it to focus on the confusion. He wants to say that this isn't possible but after everything that's happened Sam has to admit that the impossible is usually completely possible.
Gabriel is leaning against the fireplace with a smirk, watching Sam reach this conclusion with evident amusement. It takes Sam another minute to realize that they've merely been staring at each other for the passed several minutes.
"What happened?" Sam finds himself asking.
"I just saved your ass, that's what. Again."
That's not what Sam was asking, since he thinks it's pretty obvious that if Gabriel is here then he must be the one who saved him, but there is an odd emotion in the Archangel's eyes and Sam decides against pressing him. "Where are we?" He says instead and Gabriel grins widely.
"You like? My own personal place on the mountain."
"Which mountain?"
"Whatever one you want it to be." Gabriel says vaguely and Sam figures that's as close to the truth as he'll ever get. He turns again, not even thinking about how he's turning his back on someone who had once been the enemy, and looks toward the kitchen. "Is there a way out though there?"
Gabriel rolls his eyes, though Sam doesn't see and snaps a door onto the adjoining wall. "Go on then, have a look around."
Sam throws him an unreadable look and climbs out of the couch, curiosity driving him toward the door. He opens it, completely clueless as to what he'll find and is struck by a blast of frigid air that nearly takes his breath away. Beyond the door is a sea of pure white snow and a few darkly green pine trees dot the landscape. It's the perfect winter wonderland image and Sam doesn't dare actually step out of the doorway. He doesn't want to ruin that look of perfection(not when it's something he's so good at) and instead lets the door close to block out the cold. The cabin seems to get a few degrees warmer to combat that brief exposure and when Sam turns back he sees Gabriel flop down on the sofa, looking utterly relaxed.
"Pretty isn't it?" Gabriel commented off-handedly, raising an eyebrow and gesturing for Sam to take a seat beside him. Sam remembers how comfortable it was and almost gives in but instead stays where he is.
"What are you doing?" He demands point-blank.
Gabriel frowns and it looks uncomfortably like a pout. "I was going to offer you some hot chocolate but not if you keep sounding so ungrateful."
Sam feels a twinge of familiar guilt and sighs because Gabriel's right, he's done a lot for them and the least Sam can do is sit down. So he does, walking over and sinking down into the couch with another sign, though this one is more of satisfaction. He lets his eyes fall closed, leaning back and Gabriel watches him with an expression of pleased surprise.
The Archangel's eyes travel the length of Sam's body before skipping over to the fireplace. With a snap he summons a fire within it and the comforting crackle of burning wood draws Sam's attention back. He looks at Gabriel, who shrugs, and manages a small grin that's close to thankful.
"So how'd you find me?" Sam wonders aloud. As far as he knows, Castiel's angel protection sigils were still in effect.
Gabriel gave a one shoulder shrug. "I've been keeping an eye on you."
"Really? Why?" Sam thinks he should be surprised or maybe upset but he's more curious then anything.
"One thing you Winchesters are not is boring." Is all Gabriel says and Sam has to admit he has a point, but that doesn't answer his question. He shifts in his seat, turning more towards Gabriel, intending to ask again when the angel hands him a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Sam is unreasonably stunned and can only accept it wordlessly.
"Why aren't you more upset?" Gabriel blurts, then looked immediately disgruntled as if he hadn't meant to ask.
The question takes Sam off guard too and he pauses a moment to think about that. He's not upset, at all. A little hungry but calm. He thinks back to that moment when he first woke up and had felt safe, thought about how much he'd liked the feeling. Realized that he still kind of feels like that, even with Gabriel sitting right next to him. No, that's not right. It's because Gabriel's so close. Now Sam's starting to feel uneasy and he fidgets nervously. This isn't right. He shouldn't be feeling this way. This isn't his place, it can't be, he has too much to make right before he should be allowed to feel so…content.
Gabriel must sense his shifting emotions because the angel is tense and wary, watching him. Sam carefully gets up and backs away, not looking at Gabriel as he quietly panics.
"Can you take me back now?" He asks(pleads), while staring down into the mug of hot chocolate still held tightly in his hands.
"No."
Sam nods jerkily, he'd expected as much and instead he heads for the door even though he doubts it'd really be that easy. Sure enough, the moment he opens the door he's attacked by powerful gusts of wind and snow and cold and he can't see anything beyond the white of the blizzard that's roaring right outside. Frustration and dread roll his stomach as Sam fights to close the door and leans his forehead against the smooth wood once he succeeds.
"What have you been doing, Sam?" Gabriel asks quietly from the sofa.
"Shouldn't you know, if you've been following me?" Sam grits out, it sounds bitter and he realizes that it's the most the emotion his voice has had since he locked himself away.
"I know but do you?"
And what the fuck is that supposed to mean? Sam growls to himself and finally spins away from the door. "What the Hell do you want, Gabriel?"
The archangel's eye flash and he stands up, obviously just as angry as Sam. "I want you to stop trying to get yourself killed!"
And for a moment all Sam can do is stare at him in disbelief. "I'm not!"
"Oh, really? Then why do you keep running head first into danger like the idiot I know you're not?"
"I'm hunting! Danger is part of the job!"
"There's the job and then there's a complete lack of regard for your own safety. Do you have any idea how many times I've had to step in to keep you alive!" Just like that Gabriel deflates and backs down, glaring sullenly at Sam.
The familiar anger that had filled Sam's veins dissipates slowly into bafflement. "You…you've been helping me?"
"Somebody had to!" Gabriel snapped. "Since you refused to do the smart thing and go back to your brother. I was the unfortunate one chosen to be your babysitter."
"Dean has a life now, I won't take that from him!"
"It's not the life he wants, you know that but your too damn selfish to get him out of it!"
Sam bristles in rage at the accusation and snarls. "This is not his responsibility!"
"It's not your's either!"
"Yes it is! All this is my fault! Mine. No one else's and certainly not Dean's!"
"How are you so full of yourself?"
"Excuse me?" And the bitchface Sam gave Gabriel then was the darkest one in his arsenal.
Gabriel was unaffected and instead marched straight up to Sam, his smaller stature having no effect on his level of intimidation. "You stupid idiot! You stopped the Apocalypse! You're part in all this is over, the clean up is not your responsibility! All this is to be expected and it'll take care of itself but it'll take time, time you're too busy running yourself into an early grave for! Again!"
Sam refused to be cowed, not this time. "This wouldn't be necessary if not for me, so now I need to make up for what I've done."
"You already have, Sam. You don't seem to realize the importance of what've done. You stopped the Apocalypse in its tracks and locked away the two main players forever. You did the impossible all at your own expense." Gabriel's voice had softened by the end and his golden eyes were intense. "God gave you this second chance to live your life now as the way you did before, with your brother honoring the 'family business'."
Sam inhaled sharply and stared down at Gabriel, feeling utterly lost. "God?" He whispered, eyes wide and terrified.
"Yeah, Sammy. My father pulled you from the cage and gave you this opportunity and instead of taking advantage of it you keep trying to off yourself."
"That's not…I just didn't think it would matter." Sam tore his gaze from Gabriel's and bowed his head, hair covering his eyes.
"To who, Sam? I think the only person it doesn't matter to is you. Why is that?"
"Why did He bring me back, Gabriel?" Sam demanded in return, lifting his head and allowing the angel to see the depths of his pain.
"Because you deserve this; another shot at life." Gabriel said confidently, "It's not something you should feel guilty over, Sam. Stop thinking of your life as a punishment and starting believing it's a gift."
"But it hurts. It hurts just as much to be here then back down there." He admits, voice pitched low with grief and desperation.
"That's because you keep torturing yourself. It would stop if you could just move on and go to your brother."
"I can't, not while I'm still so…broken and it's not his responsibility to fix me."
Gabriel gave a world heavy sigh and lifted both hands to frame Sam's face, ignoring the flinch that issued, to look him in the eyes. "Listen to me, Sam. You are not broken. A little ragged around the edges, sure but anyone would be. You need to see that."
Staring at the angel the way he was, Sam found himself starting to believe him and he lifted his own hands to hold them over Gabriel's. "What happened to you?" He whispered.
Gabriel's gaze turned somewhat sad and he smiled slightly, "I died, just like everyone else."
"You died for us." Sam corrected. "I never did get to thank you for that."
"I did what I should have ages ago, that's all."
"God brought you back, right? Like He did me?"
"Yeah." Gabriel gently freed his hands but stayed close. "He wanted me to watch over you."
That made Sam smile. "So you were demoted from Messenger to my Guardian Angel?"
"Not demoted, just re-assigned. Besides, I haven't been His Messenger in a very long time." Gabriel grumbled good naturedly, not denying the Guardian Angel status.
"Thank you, Gabriel." Sam said suddenly, feeling abruptly happier then he has in longer then he can properly remember. "Not just for what you did before but for now too, for being here."
"You mean for being willing to yell at you until you see reason?" Gabriel asked, grinning and Sam couldn't help but laugh at the very accurate description of the yelling match they'd just had.
"Yeah. That."
"Don't worry about it. I'm just surprised you were willing to listen to me."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I kinda worried what Dad had been thinking in sending me here to talk sense into you. I'm hardly the most logical choice given the bucket load of shit I've put you through." Gabriel said with a self-depreciating and rueful grin.
Sam sighed and grabbed Gabriel's hand to tug him over back to the couch. "I think we need to talk about that." He said, sitting and pulling the archangel down next to him. He looked around and just now noticed that his mug of hot chocolate was gone. "Hey, can I get more of that hot chocolate?"
Looking surprised Gabriel gave a mute nod and snapped his fingers, watching with a bemused smile as Sam grinned widely and sipped, looking all for the world like a kid again. Then Sam set the mug down and turned toward the angel.
"You, Gabriel, acted like an asshole of epic proportions."
Gabriel sighed and gave a nod, looking disgruntled and slightly ashamed.
"And you could have handled both the Mystery Spot and that whole T.V. Land incident way better." Sam continued, watching with amusement as Gabriel almost rolled his eyes but restrained because that would have been 'asshole' like.
"However, I get why you did it."
"What? Really?" The way Gabriel perked up at that, looking at once both hopeful and skeptical made Sam's heart skip a beat.
"Yeah. In your own, slightly screwy, way you were trying to help me. You wanted me to realize that I couldn't save Dean and that to keep trying would turn me into something I didn't want to be. You were absolutely right about that and now I know it, a little late but still."
"You were acting exceptionally hard headed." Gabriel pointed out teasingly.
Sam rolled his eyes and shrugged, "I learned the wrong lesson from all that. As for your other misadventure about 'playing our roles', I did and still do understand but I just didn't agree with you."
"I just wanted the fighting to stop and the path you two had chosen was going to be so much more painful then giving in." Gabriel muttered. "I was so sick of everything."
Sam smiled gently and gave a nod. "I know that, I do and it's okay, Gabriel."
"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked carefully, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"I mean, that I forgive you."
"You…really?"
"Of course."
Gabriel gaped, for once speechless, before shaking his head with an amazed chuckle. "You never cease to be a surprise to me."
"Thanks." Sam muttered shyly, smiling with a brightness Gabriel hadn't yet had the pleasure of witnessing. "I mean really. Thank you, Gabe, for everything."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow at the nickname but shrugged. "You're welcome kiddo." He said, trying to brush off Sam's gratitude.
"No, I mean it. If not for you…well…I think you know what would've happened." Sam said softly.
"Sam…"
The youngest Winchester looked into Gabriel's eyes and gathered all his courage to lean forward and quickly press a kiss to the other's mouth. "Thank you."
Gabriel's mouth fell open and his eyes grew very wide. "Did you…just…kiss me?"
Sam grinned nervously and ducked his head. "I…yeah…I'm sorry."
The Archangel slowly grinned and reached out to lift Sam's chin. "Don't be." he purred before crushing their mouths together. The kiss was all heat and teeth and tongue. Gabriel didn't back off until he knew Sam needed to breathe and even then he didn't go far, loving the hazy gleam of lust in Sam's eyes.
"Gabriel." Sam panted against his mouth and blinked owlishly.
Gabriel wanted so badly to just press Sam back into the couch and take them both to a whole new level of 'feel good' but it was too soon. Even if Sam looked all too willing to let Gabriel do whatever he wanted. No, for now they'll spend some time relaxing here then go rescue the eldest Winchester. "Hey Sam?"
"Y-yeah?" Sam answered breathlessly, eyes wide and wondering.
"You wanna go make a snowman with me?"
Sam blinked, staring blankly for moment before giving the angel a wide, beaming smile. "Sure."
"Great!" Gabriel snapped and suddenly Sam was decked out in a thick winter coat, boots, scarf and gloves. "Let's get out there then!"
"What about the storm?" Sam asked, his voice muffled behind the scarf.
"What storm?" Gabriel countered with a sly grin, pulling Sam up off the couch and leading him toward the door. Sam raised an eyebrow and pulled the door open to reveal that same winter wonderland scene from before.
Sam laughed lightly and let Gabriel drag him out into the clean white snow and sunlight. "Can we make snow angels?"
Gabriel paused to throw a look back at him. "Why would you wanna make snow angels when you've got a perfectly real angel right here?"
"Yeah, you're right." Sam grinned. "What was I thinking?"
"It's okay, I forgive you." Gabriel teased.
Sam smiled and pulled Gabriel back by the hand to plant another kiss. "I bet my snowman will look better then yours." He challenged.
Gabriel smirked. "You're on Sammy!"
"And no using your angel powers!"
"What? But how am I supposed to make the snow roll then!"
"You'll figure it out."
"Sammy!"
A/N: Interested to hear what you guys think so drop me a thought, yeah?