A/N: Hello and thank you for giving my story a shot. I wrote this primarily because I was dissatisfied with Gabriel's send off right as his character was becoming developed. That, and I have such a soft spot for the oddly mismatched couple of Sam and Gabriel. I hope you enjoy my work, please note that I took some liberties with Gabriel so if you think he sounds a little off, you're probably right. I will work harder on that in future chapters. In any case, enjoy!

**Once Awakened**

Sam was running. His feet pounded against pavement as he pushed himself, half blindly, down the road. It was dark and the cool chill of the night was biting at his skin but he paid it no attention, much like he didn't to his brother's shouts and protests.

"SAM! Stop! You freaking idiot! STOP! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Dean all but screamed at him, toppling out of the car and trying in vain to catch up. Sam just picked up speed. He was taller, sure, bigger, yes but if he wanted to he could outrun his brother.

How had he gotten out of the car in the first place? Oh right. He had calmly, wits not really about him, told Dean to stop the car. Which of course, Dean ignored. So he insisted, voice picking up, that Dean needed to stop the car. Stop the car, NOW. When his brother still refused, Sam had opened the door and flung himself out, rolling precariously on the ground for more than a couple minutes before coming to a stop. Every muscle in his body screamed at him for making the stupid move and he had a few cuts that he was sure would take a while to heal but he was smart enough to at least tuck into himself before diving out. He carefully got on one knee, grunting with effort, as the car came to a screeching halt. He could see Dean's angry face before he took even one step out of the vehicle. Before Sam knew it he was on his feet and running in the direction from which they came, back towards the claws of the devil.

Sam could tell even without the sounds of ragged breathing and harsh foot falls that Dean was right behind him.

"Sam! Slow the fuck down! What are you trying to do! Fist fight Satan to death?! C'mon Sam! Get real here!"

"Shut up Dean, get Kali out of here if you're so afraid."

They had barely escaped after all. Gabriel had given them just enough time to get out. Sam blinked rapidly and took a deep breath, as deep as he could possibly manage while running, and tried with all his might to sprint faster. They had left him alone to fight the devil. Alone. Gabriel was alone. Sam felt like he couldn't breathe, his lungs were rippling with a need for oxygen. He slowed slightly and took deep gasps of air, glancing behind him. Satisfied that Dean was a good distance away, he slowed again to a jog. The motel couldn't be that far off. Panic and fear began to worm its way into his veins, causing his blood to run cold.

What can you possibly do to help Sam? He though.

Lights began to shine dimly in front of him. Ignoring the subtle stiffness in his legs, Sam picked up the pace and jogged towards it, towards the motel. He peered at it cautiously as he drew nearer, trying to gauge whether or not it posed an immediate threat. He quickly patted his body down, reaching around his side and pulling out Ruby's knife from his back pocket. Well... at least he had something. Sam hesitated briefly before sighing and taking a step towards the entrance. Nothing seemed entirely foreboding. But he had been caught off guard before. It wasn't just demons they were dealing with.

Sam pulled open the heavy wooden door and cautiously took a step in, careful to monitor not only his surroundings but his body. He trusted it would alert him, that his hairs would start prickling against his arm if something was amiss. He crept past the front desk, face contorting with disgust at the mutilated body just behind it. Surely Lucifer's work. He urged his legs to move on, to carry him towards the hallway they had been sprinting down just an hour before. To get away. Now he was moving forward, back towards what they had been so desperate to put distance between. Sam felt his heart rate pick up. Everything was so quiet... he gripped the handle of the knife tightly in his fist. Vaguely he wondered if Dean had caught up to him, if he too stared at the entrance of the motel with dread. Sam hoped his brother had given up and was running back towards the Impala to arm himself. Carefully he poked his head around a corner of the hallway, expecting to see something. There was nothing but the blood stained walls and the eerie silence to greet him.

Sam blinked and shifted the knife uneasily between his fingers. He could feel it. He was getting closer to the room where they thought they were going to meet a quick demise at the Devil's hand. He fought back the dread that began lacing itself through his very veins. Everything was too quiet. Surely if the Devil were still here... he would feel something, right? Sam saw it. The doorway to the room. He felt his stomach drop unexpectedly as he inched his way towards it. There was nothing. No heaviness in the air, no sparks or flashes of light. There was only the stench of blood hanging heavy in the atmosphere and the occasional body laying mauled on the floor. He stepped over them gingerly, focusing all his attention on that room. Something deeply unsettling began worming its way through his thoughts but he frantically pushed it away. Gabriel could fend for himself. He wouldn't let himself be killed by Lucifer, he was quick witted, sly. He faked his death so many times before, surely he would do it again to make a quick escape. Sam swallowed the oncoming fear and stepped through the doorway, knife at the ready.

He should have been prepared for what he saw. He lived the life of a hunter after all; nothing they saw should be startling or new. The pain that gripped him as he took in what could only be described as the final stand both took him by surprise and ripped him open. Before him lay an angel, the dark shadow of its wings imprinted on the ground around it. Sam stepped forward and felt more than heard the disbelieving grunt that slipped past his lips. He bent down before he knew what he was doing and gently gripped the shoulders of the angel. His face seemed so peaceful as if in sleep; his eyelashes were pointed downward on the gentle curve of his cheekbone and his mouth was slightly parted. Sam could almost picture the slight rise and fall of his chest if it weren't for the gaping hole just below his breast bone. Gabriel. He wasn't moving. He wasn't breathing.

Sam fought back the hysteria that threatened to overwhelm him. He pulled the body in his grasp closer to his chest protectively. Sam gazed at the feathery outline of Gabriel's wings; he blinked as he ran a finger through the coal textured soot that covered the floor, that marked where Gabriel's wings had fallen.

None of this... was this real?

Sam took a deep breath and against his better judgment, shifted his weight to the back of his heels and rose to his feet, dragging the body with him. Gabriel was small, compact enough to fit snugly against his chest. He just had to ignore the fact that the angel in his arms was... Sam swallowed his train of thought and began making his way towards the door. Back towards the exit. He couldn't even muster up the energy to be alarmed when he heard heavy footsteps making their way down the hallway just beyond the door. Where had Ruby's knife fallen? He glanced down at Gabriel and thought: Even if what was rushing towards him were a threat, he couldn't just drop the body cradled in his arms. He couldn't just leave Gabriel...

Dean's shocked but flushed face popped into view. He was panting harshly, a long rifle gripped tightly in his hand. So he had gone back to thecar... The elder Winchester looked to be on the verge of a verbal smackdown when he saw the small frame huddled against his younger brother. His face softened slightly as his breathing began to even out. He took a hesitant step towards the two.

"Is he..?"

Sam frowned deeply and shifted Gabriel's weight in his arms. He began making long strides towards the exit of the motel. The sooner they put distance between themselves and this place, the better. There were bodies everywhere and the heavy cling of the supernatural hung over every space the small motel provided. Dean cursed behind him but gathered enough sense to trail along beside his younger counterpart. Sam caught him staring at the angel in his hands.

"Sam," Dean began when they pushed open the front door of the motel. Sam saw the Impala parked hazardously near the parking lot. At least they didn't have to walk far. "Sam, what are you planning on doing... with that?"

Sam grimaced at the choice of words. He snorted lightly as he opened the door to the Impala with a loud creak and pushed the front seat forward. With as much gentleness as possible, he lay the body of the angel in the backseat, careful to arrange his arms neatly by his sides. Sam frowned at Dean when he pulled back and looked his brother in the face. Dean looked about as eager to have Gabriel along for the ride as he would if the angel were a blood sucking zombie vamp.

"We're taking Gabriel with us," Sam said with ease, as if it was obviously the only option, "Or have you forgotten his name already?"

Dean gave him an incredulous look.

"You're fucking with me, right?" he asked, running a hand through his short, dirty blonde hair.

Sam mustered up the best bitchface he could and shot it at his brother. Dean winced slightly.

"No man, Gabriel's riding shotgun," he said with an air of finality. There was no room for argument. Dean groaned.

"Sam, dude's dead. In case you didn't notice," he stated drily, leaning against the car and peering in at the angel with what appeared to be distaste.

Sam snorted again and pushed the front seat back, settling himself easily against the upholstery.

"Someone brought back Cas," he noted quietly, leaning back to catch the sight of Gabriel's body in his peripheral, "Who knows? Maybe it's God. And maybe he'll bring back Gabriel. All I know is this.."

Sam set his gaze fiercely on his older brother.

"If he comes back, he'll need a body."

Dean rolled his eyes but sullenly moved around the car towards the driver's seat. He plopped down angrily and shoved the keys in the ignition.

"Whatever dude, but the second he starts decomposing and stinking up my baby, I'm tossing him to the curb. I mean it, Sam," he griped, turning up the volume of his music to drown out any argument Sam would surely start, "Now let's get the hell out of this place. It's giving me the chills."

Sam smiled slightly and nodded, glancing in the rearview mirror. Gabriel just looked to be asleep. Sam blinked a couple times as the unsettling feeling returned to his body. He pushed it away and clung to the much smaller feeling fighting to make itself known. He glanced back towards the open road.

Hope, after all, was a dangerous feeling to cling to.

88888

By their third day of driving, the duo nearly forgot they were essentially hauling a corpse across country. Occasionally Dean would joke about it, asking if they should bring Gabriel into the diners they frequented. Or if, perhaps, they should just get him a happy meal from MacDonald's along the way. It always caused Sam to roll his eyes and fuss. It unnerved him enough to think that the angel could have just as easily passed out in their backseat as if he had been drinking alcohol stores dry. Most of the time, Gabriel didn't look dead at all. Just... entirely too peaceful for his rather obnoxious personality. Half the time, Sam kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror. Eventually they had buckled up Gabriel's body, to keep him from sliding all around. Now he just looked like a small hitchhiker. Not an all powerful archangel.

"So, have you thought about what we're going to do when he doesn't just wake up?" Dean asked casually one day. His fingers tapped along to the music playing on the radio. Sam noticed their anxiousness immediately. He shrugged then sighed as he settled back into his seat.

"I dunno, maybe try to find him a prince charming to wake him from his eternal slumber," he joked, somewhat scornfully. He would venomously protest disposing of Gabriel's body, he was ready to fight tooth and nail. Dean just laughed easily, keeping his amused look on the road.

"Right, pucker up buddy 'cause I'll be damned if I'm kissing him," he replied snootily.

The two sat in awkward silence for a moment. Sam chose to willfully ignore what would happen if Gabriel did not wake up. He opted to wonder what would happen when Gabriel woke up. The silence was broken by a wail of a siren. Sam jumped and immediately shifted his attention to the back of the car. Sure enough, a police cruiser was hot on their heels, flashing its lights in their direction.

"Shit," he swore immediately, turning to look at Dean, "Shit. Shitshitshit, were you going above the speed limit?!"

Dean huffed irritably.

"Of course I was, no one goes fifty five miles on the highway!" he whined, slowing the car to a halt.

Sam groaned and rubbed a hand down his face.

"We go fifty five miles on the highway because we happen to have a dead body in the backseat, Dean!" he hissed, anxiety already winding its way through his body as they threw the car in park, "Shit!"

Dean grimaced as the police officer exited the car. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"Shit is right," he grumbled, "We might have to take this guy out."

Sam stared openly at his brother.

"Right, cause bringing more attention to ourselves is exactly what we need. We're supposed to be dead in the eyes of the law, Dean!" he whispered viciously as the officer rounded on their car, peering curiously at the three passengers.

His eyes lingered on Gabriel, who was currently slumped against the backseat. At least he looked asleep... not dead.

"Hello there, son," the officer began when Dean rolled down his window, "How are you doing this evening?"

"Peachy," Dean grumbled, already reaching for his fake driver's license and the car's registration. Also conveniently faked to ensure the safety of the car.

The officer hummed in approval when he was handed the items.

"Any idea why I pulled you over today?" he asked casually, flipping the driver's license over in his hand.

Dean grumbled a response that sounded a lot like 'driving around dead bodies' before Sam slapped a hand on his shoulder and smiled brightly at the officer.

"I'm afraid my brother has a lead foot, sir," he chirped as Dean scowled darkly at him, "Nasty habit he picked up from our dad."

The officer nodded along to the story but much to the Winchesters' dismay, his eyes were glued to Gabriel, who sat motionlessly in the back.

The cop pointed with the tip of a pen he seemed to have drawn out of nowhere.

"Your buddy there alright?" he questioned. Sam held back a groan, he could hear the suspicion in that voice.

"He's sleeping off a rough night," Dean immediately jumped in, giving the officer his most charming smile.

It wasn't to be bought.

"I'm going to need you three to step out of the car for a moment," he said slowly, eyes clearly reflecting his suspicion.

As the officer walked back to his car to document Dean's license and registration, the Winchesters panicked slightly. Dean slammed his hands down against the steering wheel.

"Shit," he hissed, sighing as he opened the door to the driver's seat.

Sam felt something itching beneath the surface of his skin. Quickly and without alarming the officer, he reached over the backseat and bodily hauled Gabriel into the front with him. Trying to quell the panic rising within him, he opened his door and stepped out, trying vainly to make Gabriel stand straight. The angel just slumped pathetically against Sam's larger frame like a drunk. Sam fought the urge to smile. This wasn't funny. The officer returned and slowly handed back Dean's license. He eyed how closely Sam was standing to Gabriel. Sam could only hope the officer was stupid enough not to notice how Gabriel's knees were bent and that the only thing holding him up was Sam's hand fisted in the back of his shirt.

"We have a small drug problem along these here parts," the officer began, eyes never leaving Gabriel; Sam counted his blessings because Gabriel's head was in such a way that his eyes were hidden from the officer's gaze, "Usually run by a couple guys down this highway."

"That's unfortunate," Dean muttered.

Sam swallowed thickly, recognizing the fight-or-flight cues flowing out of his brother's body. They needed to do something. Something quick. The officer took a step towards Gabriel.

"You feeling alright there, son? You're leaning awful heavily against your partner there."

Sam felt it necessary to panic. The officer was addressing Gabriel. Gabriel. Dead Gabriel. Fuck, they were screwed. The officer frowned and arched an eyebrow expectantly. Just as Sam was contemplating the best way to kick the feet out from underneath the officer and make a quick getaway, he heard a startled gasp come from beside him and a murmured "Lucifer". The younger Winchester shifted his gaze to his side and saw Gabriel, eyes wide and shining gold, standing, on his own two feet, looking completely out of his element. Before he could even muster an ounce of relief or happiness or both, Sam found the air being shoved maliciously from his chest as an elbow came into contact with his ribs and bodily knocked him to the ground. He cried out, the pain immense and sudden, and barely gathered he was no longer standing when he heard Dean shout and collapse beside him, hissing in anger or in pain.

Everything was a surreal blur. Sam briefly saw a gun and heard a shot fire but there was a bright, ungodly flash of light that blocked out everything. He had to shield his eyes and even then, the shock was too bright. Eventually it died down and Sam could see somewhat. The officer was at least fifty feet away on his back, hopefully breathing. The police car had been flipped. Luckily for Dean, the Impala was blown at least several yards back but otherwise looked unaffected. Sam sighed in relief. A irritated, hurt Dean did not make the best travel companion. His relief was short-lived as he felt hands grip him from the front of his jacket and haul him upward. His breath caught in his throat as shining, malicious golden eyes bore holes into his eye sockets. Gabriel was scowling ominously, looking as close to archangel as he's ever had.

"Where's Lucifer?" he growled, eyes never wavering for a second. Sam swallowed drily. A pissed off Gabriel was significantly different from the Trickster the Winchesters had come to know. Sam swallowed again then wet his lips, trying to find his voice.

"I don't know," he said shallowly, voice sounding meager and frightened, even to himself, "He flew off I guess.. after he... uh…"

Gabriel stared at the younger Winchester, nothing but sheer intensity flashing in his eyes. Sam grappled for words.

"Gabriel..." he managed, a hand coming up to grasp desperately at the hands literally holding him up, "Gabriel..."

The angel seemed to wince at his name. Slowly, and with great reluctance, the hands gripping him tightly by the front of his shirt began to ease. Sam felt like he could breathe again. He sucked in hungry gasps of air, blinking rapidly as Gabriel's front began to crumble. The angel quickly hauled Sam to his feet, releasing him. He took a step back and gingerly folded his arms across his chest, giving the younger Winchester a quick smirk.

"Hey kiddo," he said in a clipped tone, as if all the walls he had suddenly built around himself were slowly, ever so slowly beginning to shrink.

Sam stared, trying little by little to get a grasp on what just happened.

"You..." not taking his gaze from the angel, he threw out an arm and waved it around the destruction zone Gabriel had caused, "What was all that?!"

Gabriel snorted quietly, careful to hold his arms under or away from the hole pierced through his chest. Sam could sense the angel's curiosity with it. Like Gabriel wanted to, before anything else, touch the wound and inspect it. Of course he would not while he was warily eyeing up the gigantic Winchester before him. He took a step towards Sam. The younger Winchester noticed immediately that it was wobbly, barely keeping the angel on his feet. Gabriel blinked several times. The wariness in his eyes seemed to subside slightly, being replaced by a sudden lethargy. Sam reached a hand out to steady the angel, only to have it smacked away lightly. Gabriel sneered harmlessly at him.

"I'm not the damsel in distress here, you great lug," he whined, sounding more or less like his old self.

For this, Sam was extremely grateful. He even felt the corners of his mouth turn upward slightly.

"Kind of looks that way from here, Gabriel," he said quietly, smirking at the ugly face the angel shot at him.

Gabriel staggered for a moment longer before sighing and resigning himself to lean against Sam. He looked up at the younger Winchester with a frown.

"Sorry if I broke your ribs," he muttered, seeming more sheepish than apologetic.

Sam took what he could get.

"You only bruised them, which I got to say is pretty good for a dead guy," he responded, smiling when he heard Dean groan and roll over onto his back.

"God damn angels, all of them. I liked you better when you were a corpse we were just hauling around for shits and giggles," he all but snarled, though given his position it seemed a lot less intimidating. Gabriel acknowledged it as such.

"Explains why I'm about to pass the fuck out," the angel mused, trying desperately not to cling to Sam's side at this point, "I just expelled all my grace at once."

He cocked an eyebrow and threw a smirk Dean's way.

"Thought you were Luci for a second there Deano," he teased.

"Cause me and the goddamn Devil are twins," he groused, finally sitting up and stretching out the sores of his body. He made a nasty face as he gripped his tail bone.

Sam blinked in surprise when Gabriel finally collapsed against him. He held the angel by his shoulders, much like the first day he found him... dead. Sam shivered. It did not go unnoticed by Gabriel. The angel again snorted and reached his hands out to cling to Sam's jacket.

"Hey, focus on getting me somewhere to lie down before you go into crisis mode, ok? This whole, coming back to life gig isn't like walking through the gates of heaven," he fussed, laughing at the situation when Sam finally hauled him from his feet and carried him towards the Impala, "Oh Sam, my knight in shining armor!"

Sam grumbled uselessly.

"Don't get used to it," he muttered, gently kicking under Dean's bottom to get him to rise, "C'mon Dean, before that cop wakes up."

Dean scurried to his feet, groaning loudly as his body protested.

"Got to keep a lid on that anger, Gabriel," he warned, fishing around for the nearly forgotten set of car keys.

"I can't understand anything you're saying, half-wit, I'm shutting down. Keep me somewhere safe boys. Goodnight," Gabriel said promptly before passing out in Sam's arms.

The younger Winchester could feel a bitchface forming and he now had no one to direct it to. Just his luck. The angel comes back to the land of the living only to return to the land of the dead twenty minutes later. As he plopped in the front seat, not bothering to toss Gabriel into the back, he played with the soft, short hairs at the base of the angel's neck. He smiled to himself.

Well at least they weren't going to jail tonight.

88888

It took a week for Gabriel to show signs of life again. The Winchesters had kept it low key, driving many hours during the day and squatting in run down motels during the night. Nobody asked any questions as Sam hauled the angel around like a rag doll. It didn't seem to make any difference if Gabriel were a passed out drunk or if he were an actual body, the managers of the motel just passed a judging glance over the two of them and slid them the card key to the room. Sam was careful in dropping Gabriel on a bed as soon as they made it into a room. The angel in standby mode. Dean laughed when Sam called him that.

As Dean ordered take out, for what seemed like the fifth time in the row, Sam sighed and sat on the edge of the bed holding Gabriel's loose body. He stared down at the angel. It was great, really it was, that Gabriel was alive. Somewhere in the pit of Sam's stomach he had known... God or whoever it was couldn't just leave the archangel with a death so unworthy of his actions. Sam's eyes focused when he heard a small groan come from somewhere in front of him. He smiled tightly when Gabriel began blinking wide, owlish eyes up at him. Within a second, recognition flashed before those golden orbs and Gabriel settled back into a pillow with a small huff. He eyed the younger Winchester with mild interest before dramatically grabbing his stomach.

"Ugh, I'm starving," he whined, attempting to align his middle finger and thumb. Clumsily he snapped the fingers and frowned when nothing happened. He tried again with the same disappointing results.

"Dean's getting take out now," Sam said quietly as Gabriel again attempted to snap his fingers. An irritated pout formed on the angel's lips.

"Bloody awesome," he sighed, resting a hand under his head as he leaned back on the bed, "I got nothing. Zip. And I thought after sleeping it off, I'd be fully charged again."

Sam blinked in confusion as Gabriel nonchalantly gazed at his nail beds.

"You're grounded," he stated, hinting it in the form of a question.

Gabriel turned his attention to the younger man, not quite glowering but looking none too pleased all the same.

"Seems that way, Kid," he said, groaning as he rolled over onto his stomach.

Sam tried not to stare at the obvious display of vulnerability. At least Gabriel was feeling comfortable enough around the Winchesters.

"Now I'm hungry, sexually frustrated and I think I need to use the bathroom. Oh how the mighty have fallen," the angel grumbled into a pillow, smacking at it relentlessly in a mini tantrum.

Sam tried not to laugh.

"Wait, you have to be kidding me. You're grounded AND you're acting human? This is a little above me, man."

Gabriel turned his scowl to Sam, debating on whether or not to toss his pillow in the younger man's face in a trivial display of his frustration.

"Feed me," he ordered. Then on a second thought, the angel rolled one more time so that he was on his back again, legs spread a little provocatively. He raised an eyebrow at Sam and smirked. "Or you could fuck me, I'd take that too."

Sam felt his cheeks heat up. He scoffed then stood, putting some distance between himself and the bed. Gabriel just watched him with a cat-like intensity, his smirk never leaving his face.

"Let's take care of one need at a time," Sam suggested, pointing towards the bathroom, "For example, go relieve yourself or whatever. You know how to use a bathroom right?"

Gabriel frowned and slowly rolled towards the edge of the bed, pushing himself up onto his feet. He wandered listlessly towards the bathroom, careful to throw Sam a mischievous grin over his shoulder.

"If I fall in, you'll rescue me, right Sasquatch?" he teased, slamming the bathroom door before Sam had the opportunity to reply.

Dean chose this moment to wander back into the room, smiling easily.

"Chinese will be here in 15 minutes," he stated, throwing himself onto the opposite bed and staring up strangely at his younger brother, "You alright? You got that... face."

Sam shrugged and uncomfortably crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Dean, we might have one more stomach to feed for a while," he said slowly, trying his best to look calm as his brother caught on and groaned obnoxiously.

Dean covered his face with his hands and silently muttered a string of 'nonononononono'.

"He's awake? Wait-the guy's just running on low, right? He'll be flying off in no time to go bother some other unfortunate dud, right Sam?" Dean shot him a look fit to kill, "Right?"

Sam shrugged his response.

"Oh SAMSAQUATCH. I believe I need assistance," Gabriel sing songed from the bathroom.

Both Dean and Sam looked towards the door. Slowly, Dean began to smirk while Sam huffed in irritation and forced himself to move closer.

"What did you do Gabriel?" he asked patiently, waiting to hear some atrocious noise just beyond the dividing layer of wood. It didn't come. Knowing he would probably regret it highly afterwards, Sam gripped the handle of the door and swung it open. Immediately he was stumbling backwards, falling painfully on his ass as a heavy weight pressed itself against his chest. Before he knew it, Gabriel had wound his arms around Sam's neck and was not so urgently grinding his hips against Sam's stomach where he straddled the taller man. Sam felt his face flush in surprise. Gabriel just bit his lower lip, humming in contentment as he rocked his lower body against the younger Winchester's solid frame. Sam gasped, in what he hoped was a manly way, and debated on pushing the angel out of his lap. Gabriel would have none of it. The angel leaned forward, mouth ghosting over the shell of Sam's ear.

"Fuck it must be annoying to be this horny all the time, eh Kiddo?" he breathed, tentatively nipping the skin of Sam's neck where it met his earlobe, "To want to get off every five minutes, how do you humans stand it?"

Sam sputtered and quickly shifted Gabriel in his lap, putting some distance between them. Not enough, it seemed, to alleviate the pressure Gabriel was pushing against him.

"Good lord, put a muzzle on your dog Sam!" Dean barked, covering his face with a rolled up newspaper article.

Gabriel just smirked and tossed Dean a look.

"You could join us if you wanted, the more the merrier," he said teasingly, breathing a soft moan as he gave a particularly rough thrust against Sam's body.

The younger Winchester couldn't deny that he felt the firm bulge between Gabriel's legs as the angel continued rutting against him. In what he hoped was disgust, he shoved Gabriel, with much difficulty, onto the floor beside him. It was then he realized, to his utter dismay, that he was breathing hard and a little more than flustered. He tried to cover it up with a dark scowl. The angel was glaring, equally as dark, from his spot on the floor.

"Gabriel, you'll have to take care of that in a different way," the younger hunter huffed, steadily maintaining eye contact with the angel, "Dean and I aren't your fuck toys."

Gabriel sighed and eyed Sam with a keen interest.

"You would deny me, an angel?" he began in a steady tone, propping himself up on one elbow to better look at the body before him.

Sam snorted at his attempt to look powerful, in control. Gabriel looked more like a petulant child to him. Sam leapt to his feet when there was a knock at their door.

"As you are now, Gabriel? Yeah, not really in the position to threaten. Sorry," he said, pulling the door open and graciously accepting a great big bag of food.

He closed the door and smiled when the angel cocked his head to one side and breathed deeply through his nose. He marveled at how quick those golden eyes went from lustful to hungry. Gabriel was on his feet and poking at the bag curiously before Sam could even set it down on the table. Sam couldn't help but chuckle as he lifted out his chicken lo mein and held it in front of Gabriel. The angel stared at it warily.

"What will you eat?" he questioned, not really hesitating in putting his fingers in the noodles and drag them up to his mouth.

Sam made a face. Disgusting. Of course angels wouldn't have table manners. He sighed and handed Gabriel a fork.

"I've gone longer days without food," he responded as Dean slurped noisily at his own noodles.

"If Sam's giving you his food, just accept it," the older Winchester noted, flopping down into a nearby chair and hoisting his feet up onto the table. He settled himself in a comfortable position before attacking his food again.

Gabriel gave one last thoughtful glance to Sam before taking the noodles to the floor with him as he sat down. He hungrily shoveled the greasy meal with his fingers into his mouth, smirking as he licked his bottom lip. Sam looked positively scandalized.

"Last time I had to eat, I was a God and could do so however I wanted," he remarked, waving the noodles tauntingly in front of Sam's face, "Wanna share, Hot Stuff?"

Sam made a gagging noise before settling himself back against the headboard of the bed, smiling softly at the childish antics of both his brother and the juvenile angel. What on earth was he going to do now? He sent a silent prayer up to Castiel, hoping that the other angel would receive it in a timely manner. Surely their third musketeer would know what to do with his slightly less powerful but still completely bitchy brother. A few minutes and large handfuls of noodles later, Gabriel laid himself on the floor and groaned loudly.

"I just ate a child," he grumbled, holding his arms out to Sam, "C'mere and rub my belly."

San frowned playfully.

"Rub your own stomach," he retorted, chuckling quietly as Gabriel attempted to do just that but gave up after a couple tries with a whine.

"It's not the same!" he griped, sitting up suddenly and tilting his head in a bemused way, "You been calling my brothers behind my back, Sammy? I'm hurt. I thought what we had was special."

Sam was about to question Gabriel's words when a sudden spark in the air and a familiar flap of wings made itself known. Even Dean stopped chewing when Castiel presented himself, looking a little worn for wear. The angel's solemn gaze circled the room before falling on Gabriel, who sat cross legged in the middle of the floor. Completely covered in grease from his Chinese food. Gabriel just wiped the residue on his jeans before giving a small wave in Castiel's direction.

"Hey bro, how's it going?" he asked in his teasing voice.

One of Castiel's eyebrows rose but no further indication of surprise was given. Dean coughed, making himself known once more.

"Hey Cas, we kinda picked up a stray," he said, rising to his feet and setting a hand on the angel's shoulder.

Castiel nodded and gave Dean a tight smile.

"I came as soon as I heard your prayer," he said in his serious tone.

Sam fought back the urge to scowl. Of course Castiel came running the second Dean tossed up a prayer. He would need to have a talk about that later. In the meanwhile, Castiel had bent down and was studying Gabriel with a grim expression. Gabriel stared back defiantly, though his eyes flashed uneasily under the other angel's scrutiny. Castiel sighed and reached a hand out, aiming to lay it on the gaping hole in Gabriel's chest. The very hole that, despite careful doctoring and attention, did not seem to be healing or closing up in any way. Gabriel stopped him by grabbing his thin wrist and pushing it away.

"Leave it," he hissed, cautiously palming the wound to keep something between it and Castiel's determined hand.

Castiel glanced up at the Winchesters then. Dean frowned.

"What is it, Cas?" he asked.

Castiel sighed deeply.

"It would appear that Gabriel's grace is…. leaking, I believe you may call it," he announced, turning his attention back on his wounded brother,"What happened?"

Gabriel snorted and poked several time around the hole, seeming anxious.

"Just what everyone else knows. I stood up to Luci, which, by the way, went over about as well as a turd in a fishbowl. Then I died," Gabriel choked slightly on the words before pressing on, "Woke up curled against this giant ape (an indication towards Sam) so needless to say, I was a little jumbled up. Might have poured some of my grace out on the pavement."

Castiel frowned deeply, taking one of Gabriel's hands in his.

"You don't have enough to afford such wastes," he advised, gripping his brother's hand tightly, "Especially now."

Dean seemed to pick up on something implied that nobody but him could catch.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked cautiously, tossing his forgotten food on a nearby table.

Castiel gave Dean a long suffering look.

"Gabriel is alive now but gravely wounded. I'm assuming you have already had difficulty managing what little grace remains," he said, taking in Gabriel's suddenly sheepish expression.

"Yeah, it's unbelievable Castiel, humans have to go to the bathroom all the time. And they're all sexually constipated," the archangel moaned, casting a peeved look in Sam's direction, "And apparently they don't take to well to being propositioned."

At this, Castiel smiled lightly.

"Perhaps you are going about it the wrong way, Gabriel," he chided softly, dropping his brother's hands to again reach out and attempt to touch the hole in his chest, "I can try to stop the leak. It will be painful, I will have to lace some of my grace with yours..."

Dean frowned and grabbed Castiel by the shoulder, whirling him around.

"I don't think so, Cas. Take a look at what this could do to you," he warned, his voice clearly shrouded in worry, "You're barely angel yourself."

He didn't mean for it to come out as harshly as it had but Castiel flinched nevertheless. His eyes darkened as he pushed gently away from Dean.

"And Gabriel needs my assistance. Otherwise he will be, as you so fondly call it, a "sitting duck"," Castiel snapped.

Dean blinked stupidly down at him.

"What?"

Gabriel sighed obnoxiously.

"I'm basically a vesseled archangel with no powers. Try telling me some demons wouldn't find that just the perfect present for Daddy," he muttered angrily, arranging Castiel's hand over his chest, "At least sigil me, Cas. We'll keep some of the monsters at bay until I get pumped full of my vitamins."

Sam, who had stood in quiet contemplation of the situation, gasped when Castiel pushed his hand flat against Gabriel's chest and began emitting a soft blue light. Gentle power thrummed around the space of the room, electrifying but dimmed, probably to keep their activities a secret from whoever could be watching. Gabriel winced but held steady through the process, sighing when Castiel pulled his hand away.

"Thanks," he murmured, snapping his fingers lazily to see if it did anything.

He was pleasantly surprised to find a jolly rancher in his palm. The angel grinned.

"Oh sweet merciful gods, candy," he crowed, unwrapping the candy and popping it into his mouth with a noise closely resembling an orgasmic moan.

Castiel shifted away from him uncomfortably.

"You have the sigils branded on your ribs," he said, slowly rising to his feet, "I transferred a small dose of my grace into yours. Use it wisely, not just for sweet confections."

"Roger, captain," Gabriel saluted, "Peace out, bro."

Dean's frown deepened.

"You're leaving us," he said in a blatantly accusatory tone, standing himself tall in front of the other angel, "You're leaving us with a broken angel."

"Gabriel is capable," Castiel noted, though hesitantly, "I have faith that with the remedy of his chest, this problem will become little more than a slight burden. I will search for a way to seal the hole Lucifer created. Until then..."

He glanced wistfully at Gabriel who just smirked back.

"I would advise that you behave yourself, Gabriel. The Winchesters have very little tolerance for those with... your personality type."

Gabriel laughed outright.

"Leave it to Castiel, the bluntest angel in the Host, to lecture little 'ol me. Yes mom, I'll be on my best behavior," he chuckled, waggling his eyebrows at Sam, "Can't guarantee I will keep my hands to myself though."

Sam snorted but ignored the comment in favor of voicing a few questions.

"So we just keep moving him?"

Castiel nodded briefly.

"That would be best."

He glanced down at Gabriel with something akin to fondness.

"Keep him safe."

With that, Castiel departed in a flutter of wings. Gabriel grinned cheekily at Dean's obviously upset attitude before settling himself next to Sam, the younger Winchester claiming a spot on the edge of the bed. He reached a hand out and let it fall comfortably against Sam's cheek. The angel's thumb gently traced a small pattern on the skin beneath it, pausing just above Sam's upper lip. Sam took the opportunity to gaze warily down at Gabriel, whose eyes danced mischievously in the dim light of the hotel room. He didn't pull away as Gabriel leaned forward towards him. He just sighed weakly when he felt Gabriel's soft mouth meet his, not urgent or burning. Just curious. The angel pressed barely there kisses to Sam's lips, breathing in the same breath as the younger hunter. He hummed quietly, wetting his lips with a small pink tongue before Sam felt himself drawn back in. He kissed the angel a little more soundly, trying to figure out if he liked the added pressure or if he was so accustomed to kissing that deepening the kiss only seemed natural. Their lips met time and again, firm and unyielding as they moved against each other in a warm slide. Gabriel's forgotten hand slowly trailed up the side of Sam's face to wrap loosely in the hair on the side of his head. He gently tugged, causing Sam to gasp against the angel's lips. Gabriel smirked then carefully slipped his tongue in Sam's startled mouth, interested and exploring. Sam pushed his own tongue against the invasion, only shocking himself further when he felt sparks of warm pleasure surge through him. Gabriel, skilled kisser extraordinaire, was careful to switch between soft gentle kisses sucking on Sam's bottom lip to sliding his tongue against Sam's and claiming his mouth. Sam was completely unaware that they had been kissing for more than a couple minutes when Dean cleared his throat, clearly angered at being forgotten all together. Sam pulled away from Gabriel's mouth with a notable smack, flushing a bright red.

"Uh he..." Sam groaned and shot Gabriel a disapproving glare, "You just made me compliant with Castiel's grace!"

Gabriel just licked his lips, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

"I did no such thing, I'm sure it was just my charming good looks and wit that left you absolutely stunned," he replied with a laugh, rolling away from Sam as the younger Winchester wildly swung a fist in his direction.

Dean just rolled his eyes.

"Don't make me separate you two," he groaned, crossing his arms over his chest and making a face that damn near rivaled a pout, "And stop wasting Cas' grace, you dumbass."

Gabriel held up his hands in mock surrender, laughing as he stared unabashedly at Sam.

"You'll be in my pants by week's end," he challenged, leaning back on his elbows to give Sam full view of his body.

The younger Winchester rolled his eyes and stood to join his brother at the table. They had research to do, surely someone knew somewhere of a holy grace plug. The sooner they got Gabriel up and running full strength, the better. Sam could feel Gabriel's heated stare on the back of his head. It unnerved him. He picked up his cellphone and made a few calls.

He would make it past week's end. Without touching the angel once.

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Gabriel proved to be a stubborn, whiney bitch. They were on their fifth day of driving, somewhere near the Carolinas, when Dean finally lost his shit and pulled off to the side of the road. He yanked Gabriel out of the car by the front of his shirt and tossed him like a sack of potatoes on the ground. Sam had to leap out of the car and put himself in front of the angel, who of course was pouting and whining about being bullied while he was a harmless little creature. That seemed to fuel Dean's rage all the more; Sam, naturally, ended up in a fist fight with his brother on the side of a slightly busy highway. By the time things had settled down, Dean had a black eye and Sam's lip was split right open. Gabriel was a smug, self-concerned bastard in the back seat, kicking Dean's seat and pulling Sam's pigtails until they were both driven to some sort ofmadness.

Sam eventually broke down and bought Gabriel an mp3 player in the next little town they pulled up to. It even came with thick, over the ears headphones. They could easily drown out external noises and keep Gabriel locked in his own magical world for a little while. Sam downloaded song after song of every genre to entertain the angel. Soon, it became apparent that the angel was drawn towards the unnatural, heavy beats of dubstep. Sam scowled darkly and cursed the artist named Skrillex for the hundredth time in their long journey to nowhere. Gabriel's music was turned up high so often that Sam dreamed in dubstep. And frequently accompanying those dreams of surreal, not-quite-music music was the image of a small, compact body, wriggling and dancing to the shrill sounds bouncing off his noggin. Awake or asleep, Gabriel haunted the younger hunter. Even when he was being quiet in the backseat, slouched into himself, bobbing his head to his music.

"Can you turn that down," Sam muttered, feeling his patience begin to fray as the end of the day drew near.

Gabriel grunted as he shifted his position to hover over the side of the front seat, getting very close to Sam's cheek. Sam could feel his irritation build as the shrieking noises of dubstep poured into his left ear.

"You say something, Sam?" the angel questioned loudly, smirking when Sam turned and gave him the biggest bitchface to date.

"Can you turn that down?!" he rose his voice, already loathing Dean who was singing off-key to the radio. It was reasonable to ask for a little silence. Right?

Gabriel just chuckled darkly and changed artists on his mp3 player instead of complying with the younger man's request. Sam groaned when he recognized who the singer was. Gabriel flopped back into his seat, opened his mouth and belted out at the top of his lungs:

"WEEE ARE NEVER EVER EVER, GETTING BACK TOGETHER. WEEE ARE NEVER EVER EVER, GETTING BACK TOGETHER. You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to meeee but weeeee are never ever ever everrrr, getting back together…..."

It seemed that apart from dubstep, the angel had a taste for Taylor Swift. Sam groaned miserably as the car swerved and Dean cursed overtop the deep voice of Gabriel singing. He walked away from that one with a badly bruised ribcage and a limp. Dean was obviously holding onto some pent up anger.

That week they settled in a nice motel room for once, one that didn't accept pay by the hour and that had fully functioning bathrooms. It was sweet relief. Sam climbed slowly out of the Impala and stretched his long legs. The sun was just beginning to set over the horizon, casting a soft glow on the trees and across the sky. Sam stared for a moment, allowing the peace to settle deep in his bones. That is, until the car door slammed shut and Gabriel came up beside him, pausing his mp3 player.

"Well you sure are sentimental, Sasquatch, I'll give you that," he said teasingly, turning to smirk up at the Winchester, "Staring off at the sunset, next I'll be waiting for you to get down on one knee and propose to me."

Sam snorted lightly and pointedly ignored the angel as he turned on his heel and sought his dufflebag in the backseat of the car. He froze when he felt a hand creep down the length of his body and rest at the small of his back.

"Gabriel," he growled, warning tone evident in the name.

The angel popped into his line of vision, smiling wickedly.

"Sam," he greeted, slowly rubbing his hand in a circle along the hunter's back, "You're so tense all the time, Kiddo. Don't you ever relax?"

Sam fought the urge to laugh as he reeled around to face Gabriel. The angel's expression held genuine curiosity, mingled with the ever present mirth and unspoken taunts.

"I can't relax, Gabriel. Not while I'm babysitting you," he said in a clipped tone, wanting nothing more than to sink himself into warm sheets and forget about today, everyday that has been plaguing him relentlessly.

Gabriel scoffed.

"Babysitting me? Babysitting?" Gabriel rolled the word over on his tongue in disgust, making a face that clear reflected it, "Let me make myself clear, Sam. I hang around with you chuckleheads because I want to."

Sam couldn't help but laugh. It shook his whole body, made him clutch desperately at his sides. Maybe he was being melodramatic but honestly.

"Gabriel, you're 'hanging around' with us because you have to," he stated through gasps of air, smiling bitterly down at the angel, "Otherwise Lucifer will use you as his puppet."

Gabriel's eyes went from a brilliant, easy going shade of brown to fiercely golden in the span of a few seconds. It was clear from his sudden change in demeanor that he did not take too kindly to being called powerless. He shoved Sam into the Impala with a certain strength the hunter thought he no longer possessed. His mouth was turned downward in a scowl while his eyebrows furrowed just above his piercing, spiteful eyes.

"I am no one's puppet," he hissed in a dangerous voice, pressing Sam hard against the unforgiving metal of the car. Surely it would leave bruises. "I may be diminished but I am still an angel, Sam. I am so great your pathetic human brain would liquefy before it even managed to grasp any of my finer aspects."

Sam frowned but held his ground, pushing roughly against the arm holding him in place. Gabriel stumbled a bit, shocked by the force used against him.

"You give yourself a lot of credit," Sam snapped, feeling remotely confident next to the near-human angel, "You're really not an enigma, Gabriel. Slap some porn and a few candy bars in front of you and I'm sure you'll be content for ages."

The second the words flew from his lips, Sam wished he could swallow them back up and keep them locked away for all of eternity. Gabriel was still pissed, to be sure, but the second those words pierced through his self-built armor, the angel managed to look sad. Deeply sad. And a bit lonely. As if he were so misinterpreted that he felt only he himself knew himself. Sam sighed and ran his hand through his slightly mussed hair.

"Gabriel, look I-"

"Stow it," the angel spat, recovering quick enough to mask any emotion that might have accidently slipped.

He slid the headphones off his neck and casually tossed them and his mp3 player to the ground beside him. Sam couldn't help but feel a little grateful that Gabriel didn't just stomp the pieces into the ground to be malicious. The hunter made a pained face when he saw light begin to glimmer just beyond the irises of Gabriel's eyes.

"Don't-"

Too late. Gabriel quickly raised a hand and snapped two fingers together, disappearing into thin air. Sam gasped and lunged forward, glancing all around in desperation. Nothing but the empty hotel parking lot and the Impala, safely parked between the white lines. Sam fought back the panic that sharply rose within him. He tried to get his head on straight as he marched into the hotel lobby, looking for any signs of his brother. It looked like they would not be getting any shut eye after all.

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