A/N: This will be the first part of a two story arch. This first half is strictly Sabriel.

WARNING: WILL contain spelling/grammar errors, so if that's going to be a problem, turn back now. - If you're still there. ENJOY.

This story takes place directly after the end of season 7 and covers some of the time between 7 & 8.

Chapter 1:

Sam was still staring into the empty space Crowley had just been standing. He was in shock, he knew that. After all, he'd just lost his brother, again. And Cas, again. He was all alone with no back-up behind enemy lines, who the hell wouldn't be in shock. He had no idea what the hell he was going to do. He knew he needed to find out what had happened to Dean and Cas. He knew deep down that they weren't dead. - Or maybe he just couldn't bring himself to believe that.

He was so caught up in his shock that he wasn't on his guards, which meant he wasn't paying attention. So when three burly leviathan's burst throw the doors he was completely caught by surprise. Spinning around he back himself into a corner. Another sign that he wasn't thinking. Thankfully he still had the machete. When one of the leviathan's rushed him, he swung with all his force taking the creatures head clean off his shoulders. He stood there breathlessly waiting for the next only they didn't move. Instead before Sam's eyes their heads seemed to topple off their shoulders, colliding with the titled floor with a rather unpleasant plop sound. Sam stared down at the head for a few second before looking up. The bodies of the two leviathan crumbled and behind them stood an all too familiar face. One Sam thought never to see again.

"Well, that was fun."

"Gabriel?" Sam gapped open mouthed.

"Nah, it's the Easter Bunny."

Sam was stunned silent, which amused Gabriel immensely. "So….are we getting the hell out of here?" he smirked, lifting his foot and cringing at the thick black oil that coated it.

"What are you….?"

"Jeez. Priorities, Sasquatch." he raised his fingers and snapped.

Suddenly they were outside, a few feet from the Impala. Sam stumbling as he got his balance. He hated angel-air as much as Dean did.

"Nice to see Dean's driving hasn't improved." the archangel laughed staring at the shiny black car that was presently balancing halfway through a large glass sign.

"It wasn't Dean?" Sam corrected.

"Oh…?" Gabriel glanced up at the giant beside him, a smirk stretched over his face.

"Or me."

Gabriel looked back at the car. "Don't tell me Deano let Cas drive?" he snorted. "No wonder it ended up through a window."

"Can you just fix it already? We need to get out of here before others show up."

Gabriel's brows rose to his hair line as he folded his arms. "I'm sorry, when exactly did I become your on-call mechanic?"

"Gabriel!" Sam snapped.

Rolling his eyes, Gabriel brought the tips of his fingers together, creating a soft sound. Suddenly Dean precious Impala was back on four wheels, rusty as new with the Sasquatch implanted in the front seat.

"You coming?" Sam asked with frustration.

Gabriel looked around him, before pointing at himself. "With you? Huh, don't think so buddy, last time I went anywhere with you, I ended up dead. Not making that mistake again. I'm out and I'm staying out. Catch you la…."

"Gabriel get the hell in the car, now!"

The archangel strolled over the Impala and lent into the window, pushing his face into Sam's. "Watch who you're talking to, kiddo. I've still got enough mojo left to zap you into next Thursdays and leave you there. - Forever."

Sam swallowed, taking a breath. "Gabriel. - I….I need your help."

The pair stared at each other. Gabriel weighing up his options. Sam worrying over where his brother was and how he was going to get him back.

"Fine." Sam's head shot around to find Gabriel in the seat next to him. "Where we going?"

"I…don't have a clue."

Gabriel rolled his eyes and slouched down into the seat that was usually Sam's. "Well this is going to be a blast."

The tires screamed as Sam turned the Impala back onto the road, just as a group of Leviathan guards came running.

_What Doesn't Kill You_

"So, you going to tell me what happened?" Sam asked as the Impala cruised down the highway.

Gabriel shrugged. "Lucifer killed me, while saving your ungrateful ass."

"I'm not ungrateful, Gabriel."

"Really?" the archangel turned a raised brow to him. "I haven't heard any magic words."

Sam huffed. "Thank you. Okay."

The archangel snorted and turned to look out the window.

They were silence for a few second before Sam spoke again.

"I meant how you ended up back here."

Gabriel shrugged and kept his eyes locked on the landscape that sped by.

"You don't know anything?"

"I know I was dead." he snapped angrily.

Sam watched him out of the corner of his eye. Something seemed different about him, something he couldn't place. "Are you alright?"

"No. I'm trapped in this tin can with an idiot asking me pointless questions."

"Well, leave then." Sam snapped back.

"I thought you wanted my help?" Gabriel glared, his jaw twitching.

"Not if you're going to be a dick about it, I don't."

The pair glared at each other, completely forgetting anything was happening around them, until the load blast of a horn shook them loose. Sam swerved the Impala out of the way, sending Gabriel into the passenger-side window with a thump and a groan of pain. With the car under control, Sam looked over at the angel. "You okay?"

"Been better. - But at least we're not dead."

"Again." Sam smiled, releasing a breath.

The two men continued on in silence, Gabriel once more settled low into the seat. When Sam looked over to find the angel asleep and frowned. Angel's didn't sleep, that much he knew from years with Cas. - They didn't sleep unless….he looked closer at the smaller man, he seemed…..like himself.

Turning his attention back to the road, he let his mind wonder. He had no idea where Dean and Cas were, or how the hell Gabriel had wound up alive in the lab just in time to save his life. And then there was Crowley. He knew he hadn't seen the last of him. - And a small little part of him was actually worried about Meg. Kinda. All in all, he was alone with more questions than answers and a world still over run with Leviathans. "Same shit…."

"New day." Gabriel murmured. "You finished thinking, cause I'm trying to sleep."

"Then keep the fuck out of my head!" Sam yelled, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel. He'd had enough of Angel's screwing with his mind.

"But it's so entertaining."

"Terrifying more like." Sam sighed. He wouldn't call anything in his head entertaining. Not after spending almost a year with Lucifer scrambling around in there making his life a living nightmare.

"Yeah, he likes doing that." Gabriel remarked.

"Jesus, get out of my….oouch." Sam snapped, glaring at the angel who'd just punched him in the arm.

"Don't take the lords name in vain." the archangel scolded.

Gabriel burst into laugh at the look on the young Winchesters face. "I'm neither confirming nor denying." he winked. "But on the off chance, I'd keep the cursing to a minimum." he laughed.

"You're a dick."

"Yep. I have the whole package actually…."

Sam looked at him nervously. "What's that mean?"

"Two arms, two legs, head, shoulders, knees and toes. - knees and toe." he began to hum along with the nursery rhyme in his head.

Sam released a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong, Sammy. Did you think I was coming onto you? - Sorry to burst you're bubble, sweetheart, but Cas has the rainbow wings."

Sam's head snapped around, only to be forced back by Gabriel's hand on his jaw.

"I take it, they haven't sorted themselves out yet?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, that's sweet." Gabriel cooed.

Sam shot him a bitch face. "What the hell…."

"Seriously, I know you're not that dumb."

Sam shifted in his seat.

"Nope, there it is, right at the back…" Gabriel tapped his finger to Sam's temple. "….come on Sammy…."

"Don't call me Sammy!" he snapped, shoving the archangel's hand from his head. "And get the hell off me."

"Oh, you really don't want to face that do you? Huh…" Gabriel frowned, leaning back into his seat. "Why is that?"

"I don't know what you're…."

"Yes you do. Dean, Cas, unrequited love. It's like a bloody Shakespeare play, for God's sake…ooch. - what the hell?"

"Lord's name, remember." Sam smirked, replacing his hand to the wheel.

"Dick."

"Midget."

"Listen buddy, your bro is totally hot for mine, deal with it. - Everyone else has."

_What Doesn't Kill You_

"Oh, gas station!" Yelled Gabriel, pointing into the distance. "I'm starving."

Sam frowned over at him. "Seriously?"

"What? I eat."

"Cas never did." Sam remarked, cringing at the use of the past tense, even though he should be used to it by now. Though usually he didn't take his brother with him.

"Well, I'm not my brother. - Besides, I've been on earth a long time, I picked up a lot of bad habits."

Sam raised a questioning brow at him. "Like killing people?"

Gabriel heaved a heavy sigh. "They deserved everything they got. - Beside I didn't kill everyone, I just taught them a lesson. - You survived."

"Whatever. You still killed innocent people."

"Innocence is relative." Gabriel shrugged. "Now can we stop talking and start getting food."

"Can't you just snap your fingers and….poof?"

Gabriel shifted in his seat. "I could but I'd rather spend your money."

"Tuff. You want to eat, mojo it up, my money's too important to waist on filling your stomach."

Gabriel grumbled as he slid down in the seat. Suddenly the Impala began rumbling. Sam's head snapped around to glare at the archangel. "Gabriel!"

"What? I didn't do anything."

Sam scoffed. "Sure. - Well, I'm still not buying you anything to eat."

The car pulled into the gas station just as the Impala gave out. Complaining Sam climbed out and walked around to the engine, He found a shard of glass had piecing one of the pipes. Lowering the hood, he glared at Gabriel, demanding his attention. The archangel groaned at he opened the car door. Strolling miserable to Sam's side he looked down at the glass.

"I thought you fix it?" Sam snapped.

"I guess I missed a bit."

"Well, fix it now."

"For what?" Gabriel challenged, meeting the taller man's demanding gaze.

"I'm not in the mood for this Gabriel. Just fix the damn engine."

The archangel turned his back on the machine and folded his arms, resting his ass on the open hood.

Sam watched him. He'd happily hit him if he thought it would help, but Dean had warned him against taking on an angel in a fist fight. So he just stood there glaring a bitch face of epic purposing at the uncooperative angel. He didn't know what was with this guy. He could snap his fingers and instantly summon up a chainsaw wielding manic, but god forbid he use his powers for candy. What a dick.

"Fine!" Sam snapped finally. "I'll get your candy, you fix the car."

"I need more than candy."

"Huh. I thought that was all you ate?"

"I fancy a change okay."

"Fine…." he huffed growing more frustrated by the second. "…..what does his majesty want?"

"Tacos."

"Really?" Sam looked over at the small gas station. "I'm not sure this place…."

"Anything that's actual food, okay." Gabriel interrupted harshly. "And candy."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Fine. Fix it." he demanded pointing at the engine.

"Oh, don't forget the soda. - Grape."

Sam flipped him the bird as he vanished into the building.

Gabriel looked down at the engine with a sigh. His eyes closed, he braced himself on the edge of the car. How had he ended up in this mess? When he'd fought to get out of Purgatory, he hadn't expected to land right slap bang in the middle of another Winchester battle royal. It was just his luck really. And now he couldn't even snap up a candy bar. He'd never felt so drained. He was clinging on to the last of his power and here was Sam 'I'm-going-to-not-learn-my-lesson-and-get-mixed-up-with-a-demon-bitch-and-break-the-final-seal-then-expect-the-archangel-to-clean-up-my-mess' Winchester demanding he mojo the engine. "Typical bloody Winchesters. Take, take, take."

Taking a breath, he yanked the long sharp piece of glass from the pipe and sighed. Maybe he'd get his powers back after a bit of a rest. Yeah, and then he'd make Sammy pay. Lifting his hand he clicked his fingers. The hole in the pipe sealed and Gabriel's legs shook. He braced his hands on the side of the car and he hung his head, forcing breath into his lungs.

By the time Sam returned with the bag full of goodies, Gabriel was back in his seat, lazing dozily against the window.

"Here!" Sam sighed, flinging the bag at the angel.

"Mmmm."

Sam stared at the man with a slight shadow of concern on his face.

"Are we going or what?" Gabriel murmured, his eyes closed as his hand fished blindly around in the bag.

"Yeah."

The impala pulled onto the road with both men sitting in silence.

_What Doesn't Kill You_

They'd been on the road for at least an hour and Sam didn't really have much of a plan as to where he was going. He supposed he should head back to the cabin, but part of him couldn't face going back there alone. He had to find a way to get Dean and Cas back from wherever they were.

Glancing over he saw that Gabriel was fast asleep, a soft snore emulating from him. He looked paler than Sam remembered, like deathly pale, which was concerning enough but there was also the fact that he seemed to be shivering. Which was weird, because the last time he checked angels didn't feel the cold. Frowning deeply, Sam looked hard, always keeping a watchful eye on the road.

Where those dark circles under his eyes? What had stared out as mild confusion was swiftly become real concern. The last time he'd seen an angel looking this bad, Cas was being overrun with Leviathans. Suddenly a terrifying thought hit him and he slammed down on the breaks, halting the car and sending an unconscious Gabriel into the dashboard.

"What the hell!" he yelled, straightening up in the seat.

Sam didn't reply, he simply got out of the car and headed for the trunk. Gabriel watching him through the back window. The car rattled as Sam slammed the trunk, and Gabriel watched with confusion as the giant Winchester walked around the car to his door. Suddenly yanking it open. The archangel looked up at him with a raised brow.

"Yes?"

"Get out?" Sam demanded harshly.

Clearly the look on the hunters face said he wasn't messing, because Gabriel got out swiftly and stood watching the much taller man.

He almost leapt back into the car when he saw the machete in Sam's hand, but the hunter gripped his jacket, holding him still and raising the sharp blade to his throat.

"You can't fool me again." Sam growled.

"What!" Gabriel yelled. "I ain't fooling you, idiot." the blade pressed into the flesh of his neck. "Sorry, okay. I take it back." Gabriel said in a rush. "You ain't an idiot."

"And you ain't Gabriel." Sam growled.

"What? Of course I'm Gabriel." the angel said with wide eyes.

"Oh, yeah, then why are you so nervous?"

"Huh, probably cause you've got a knife to my neck." he glanced down at the sharp blade.

"So, you're an angel, it's not like it'll kill you."

"No, but it'll do some damage to this body, and I happen to like this body, it's been good to me. Why do you think I kept it?"

Sam narrowed his eyes at the man. "Where's Dean and Cas?" he demanded, not letting go of the man or moving the blade. "Bring them back."

"I can't. I don't know how."

"Where are they?"

Gabriel shrugged. "My guess, purgatory - I came out, they went in."

"You came out?" Sam repeated in a low dangerous voice, pressing the blade harder.

"Ahhh, what the fuck!"

"I cut your head off, you can't come back."

"Well, yeah." Gabriel yelled, trying to pull away from the blade currently cutting into him. "That's usually how it works. - But come on Sammy, you don't really want to do this, I mean okay, I've jerked you around in the past, but I came though when you needed me, surely that's worth something?"

"I'm not falling for it. So you have his memories, that don't mean…."

"What?" Gabriel's mind worked quickly and if he hadn't been standing there with a machete to his throat he would have laughed. "You think I'm one of them, a leviathan? Seriously? Ahhh, okay, dude listen, I'm not a leviathan, alright. I'm one hundred percent Gabriel."

"That's what Cas said, then he went evil and tried to kill Dean and Bobby."

"Yeah, well… look there's got to be some way to prove it that doesn't involve cutting my head off. Come on, Sammy, give me a chance."

Sam stared at him weighting up whether or not to trust the possible leviathan. Finally he lowered the blade, utterly ignoring the trail of red blood seeping from the wound. "Fine." he snapped, his hazel eyes burning into the creature. "Boot."

"What?" Gabriel gapped.

"Move." Sam snapped, gesturing with his machete.

"You can't put me in the trunk, Sam, that…."

"Boot now!" the hunter demanded.

Reluctantly Gabriel did as ordered, wishing he had enough power to turn the tall Winchester into a figging trunk.

_What Doesn't Kill You_

Sam knew he was probably over-reacting but he couldn't help it. He wasn't making the same mistake again. He'd prove whether Gabriel was Gabriel and then if his suspicion turned out to be true and the guys was a leviathan, he'd cut his damn head off and bury it in the middle of nowhere. Then he'd hit the road to try and figure out how the hell he was going to get Dean and Cas out of Purgatory. Assuming Gabriel - or whoever he was, was telling the truth.

An hour later Sam pulled into another gas station. He climbed out of the car quickly and walking around to the trunk, yanking it open to find Gabriel asleep. Sam stared at him uncertainly for a few moments, before reaching out and shaking him awake.

Gabriel opened his eyes slowly, blinking at the fading light.

"Out." Sam snapped, waving his hand.

With a groan the supposed archangel climbed out of the trunk and stood on unsteady legs, heightening Sam's mistrust.

"Where are we?" Gabriel asked warily.

"It doesn't matter. We're going to prove you're a leviathan. Move." he nudged him towards the small store.

"You're going to feel like a real idiot when whatever you're planning doesn't work." Gabriel smirked.

"I'll live. - But if I'm right, you won't."

Gabriel rolled his eyes, stretching out his back as he walked.

They strolled into store and Sam steered the shorter man into one of the aisle. Gabriel looked confusingly at the row of detergent then up to Sam. The taller man reached out and pulled a bright yellow bottle of the shelf.

"Arm." he demanded.

"Huh?"

Sam glared at Gabriel until he relented and stretched out his arm.

"Sleeve."

"Seriously? Are you just going…?"

"Sleeve." Sam repeated, glancing around them for a moment before opening the bottle. Once it was open he turned to Gabriel and his bare outstretched forearm. Looking up at him cautiously for a few moments before pouring the liquid on the flesh and holding his breath.

Nothing happened. Sam stood there wait but there was no scream of pain, no burning, no damp pungent skin. He poured a little more to be sure and looked up to find Gabriel stared at him with a smirk.

"Were you expecting something to happen?" he asked innocently.

"I don't get it." Sam frowned, putting the bottle back on the shelf. "If you're not a leviathan, what are you?"

Gabriel smirk died. "Meaning?"

"You're not fooling me Gabriel, there's something wrong with you. You think I can't tell."

Gabriel's back straightened defensively. "I'm just fine." he snapped.

Sam raised a brow at the shorter man. "Oh really? Okay, vanish. - Or snap-up some hot chick. - Or how about zap us back to the Impala." he challenged and waited.

Gabriel stared up at him furiously. "I didn't ask to come with you Sasquatch! You dragged me alone. I don't have to prove myself…."

"What's going on Gabriel?" Sam interrupted.

The archangel tried to stand his ground, tired not to show the hunter any sign of weakness but felt too tired. Sighing, his shoulders slumped. "I don't know, alright. I don't have a damn clue what's wrong with me, I'm just….not firing on all cylinders. Happy."

Sam frowned. "You sorted the car out?"

"Yeah, and it felt like being dragged back to heaven. I used what feels like my last bit to fix the engine. I'm tired and hungry and all I feel like doing is sleeping."

Sam just stared at him, unsure whether to believe him or if this was one of his tricks.

"Are you just going to stare at me like I'm a playgirl centre-fold or are planning on throwing more shit at me?"

Sam shook his head, he didn't have much choice than to believe the archangel. And frankly as long as he wasn't a Leviathan that's all that mattered to him. "Fine, let's go. We'll find a motel, but I want answers."

Gabriel followed after the retreating giant. "Fine, but I ain't getting back in the trunk." he said loud enough for the clerk to hear him.

Sam glared over his shoulder at the shorter man and smiled tightly at the teenager behind the counter. "Asshole." he grumbled.

A/N: Thank you for reading. - Feedback would be greatly appreciated.