Disclaimer: I own nothing! Just this crazy idea and the longing for Dominion to be renewed for another season! Well that and a love of angels anyway...

Summary: Let's just say Gabriel brings Michael a present...and like so far in this war...it's not a good thing...or is it? This idea got the most votes when I asked my readers in my other story (The End of The Angels) so here it is! Read and Review Please!

To Eziliveve, Firebird08x, Red Dragon 1818, Luna082881gmailcom, Fire and Ash, society-of-the-spectacle, Sire-wehn, angel de acuario, Nofsky8, Danira85, : Thank you for the faves and follows!

To Mina: I promise it's coming! Working on two stories at once in the middle of big homework projects...The End and this one will go back and forth as to which gets updated. Fear not! Thank you!

To guest: Thank you so much! I'm trying so hard to give this a different spin than my other one (besides the obvious part...)

To Azure: Thank you!

To Sophik: Tada! Not a oneshot! lol This is completely separate from The End, entirely different time line and plot. Yeah, Trouble for sure, and Gabriel locked up is for everyone's benefit, not just Michael's sleeping schedule...here's more! PS Thank you! PPS random but I agree!

To GuestM: That one is still slowly in the works, this one just got ahead of me...that's going to be reveal soon, Michael's definitely not in the best of shape. Definitely going to be interesting huh? Thank you!

To T: Aww thank you!

***This chapter is a partial prologue, partial insert to fit for later***


Chapter Two

James 1:17

Xxx

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

Xxx

September 27, 2039

11:47pm

Xxx

As much as he knew there was absolutely no lingering damage from Furiad's blade having stabbed him, and then his miraculous recovery...he would need to discover just who in the blazes had managed that one...he agreed to ease Becca's mind, and Alex's for that matter, he consented to allowing the physician who had initially seen him upon his arrival five days ago to complete another exam.

AKA Michael was now heading back into the hospital to meet with Dr. Elizabeth Marci for an MRI, well for the archangel it was his second in under a week, but seeing as Michael didn't remember being admitted to the ER or being moved from ICU by Becca two days later, it was his first in a long time.

Dr. Marci was quick and professional, passing the archangel the dye for the MRI machine and leaving Michael to drink it without her hovering, making a round of her other patients on the ICU floor while he drank the glass down.

To be honest it was disgusting and he almost threw it back up, somehow managing to keep it down once the glass was empty. The doctor lead him back to the machine, instructing the archangel to lay out on the gurney with his arms stretched out above his head, in order to get a clear image of his abdomen.

The exam itself wasn't that interesting, Michael let himself slide into a partial meditative state, letting his thoughts catch up and settle down after the last couple of days. He somewhat noticed the handful of times he had was told to hold his breath for certain images, complying without truly reacting.

It wasn't until Dr. Marci cleared him completely, offhandedly mentioning to be careful with the scar tissue for the next few days but doubted it would affect him, that Michael really realized why he was in the hospital.

Bed after bed in the ICU ward was either occupied by a patient, or an exhausted loved one catching some desperate rest while they had the chance, unwilling to leave the sick or injured person's side.

One bed drew Michael's attention, and not because the almost white blonde little girl had been seen with Alex Lannon multiple times, it was the visitor standing over her bed.

Within the five seconds it took Michael to walk from the doorway to Bixby's bed, Consul Whele had already done something to the little girl's IV tubing, turning to the sleeping child and making to tug her blankets up better like a concerned parent would. Instead David had Michael's hand on his throat while the archangel's other hand tore the needle from Bixby's hand before the Morphine could get into her veins.

"An overdose? Really David must you be so shallow as to blame others for your murders? At least kill her outright like the computer technicians." Michael's voice was low and dangerous, tight grip keeping David from thrashing or speaking, but not hard enough to seriously harm him. The Consul tried to glare, only succeeding in a weak grunt as Michael's eyes narrowed.

"You will leave the hospital immediately, and you will not speak of this. And if you ever come near this child again you will wish you had shown the others you have killed in the last few days mercy for what I shall bring upon you. Do you understand me?"

David tried to jerk his head in a nod, but Michael only released him when the human was legitimately choking. Consul Whele hunched over for a minute, coughing into his sleeve before limping away as the archangel growled at him.

"Wish you had just snapped his neck."

Dr. Marci suddenly at his side made Michael turn, internally he was raging, to the doctor he was still calm and impassive as an eyebrow rose in question at her whispering.

She shrugged, moving to check Bixby over carefully, sighing in relief, "She's doped out pretty good, I doubt she'll wake up until maybe tomorrow night, but other than that the extra Morphine won't hurt her. I'd love to know why Consul Whele suddenly wants her dead though."

Michael didn't miss how she said that, having likely heard the majority of Michael's threat when she'd come to investigate, he didn't answer her, letting the doctor work undisturbed as he picked up Bixby's chart and read through the details.

"Is she safe to move?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can she be moved?" Michael repeated, watching Dr. Marci's face carefully.

The woman shrugged, "To a private room, no problem, I can even have guards here to protect her if you so choose, though you would have to bring it up with General Riesen seeing as she's listed under his House's protection."

Michael's jaw tightened, yes Claire had claimed guardianship over the little girl who knew one of Vega's biggest secrets, that didn't mean it was a wise move.

"Can she be moved from the hospital entirely, into private care somewhere else?"

That earned a soft sigh, but at least the doctor wasn't going to argue over stupid semantics with Vega's archangel.

"Technically yes, and considering she is sedated heavily for at least twenty-four hours, tonight wouldn't be a bad time to move her. Her incision is healing nicely and shouldn't tear as long as she's moved with caution. To where are you suggesting Archangel? I'm assuming you are meaning to relocate her after Consul Whele's 'visit'?"

With a nod, Michael risked raising his voice just enough to portray how serious he was, still remaining quiet enough those sleeping around them remained oblivious. "The child is not safe here, what would it take to relocate her to the Stratosphere?"

"You are to take her under your protection?"

"Seeing as House Riesen is not sufficient, and House Whele is a threat, there are not many other options considering her circumstances, nor with the necessary haste."

With that Dr. Marci stiffened, jaw twitching in anger and for reasons Michael couldn't immediately discern, partially from what the archangel wasn't telling her, and partially because the doctor was concerned for her patient, especially a little girl...a V-1 orphan at that.

She did however nod after taking a moment to think things through, moving quickly and silently to gather what she needed. While the doctor was busy, Michael gently pulled the blankets off Bixby, removing his own coat and carefully tucking her in it. Whele would keep his mouth shut, he wasn't stupid, for all intents and purposes Bixby would just be another faceless V-1 who had left the hospital, leaving the blankets would ensure the morning staff changed the sheets for the next patient and were none the wiser.

A low noise slid from the little girl's throat as Michael slowly picked her up, it was more her complaint at moving than being in pain, but she instinctively curled closer to his chest as Dr. Marci returned with a loaded backpack and bag, glaring a little at Michael's methods of transporting her patient. Then again a missing gurney would draw more attention to the empty bed in a few hours.

Xxx

September 28th

05:00pm

Xxx

Alex let himself take five minutes to himself, closing his eyes and letting the last two weeks catch up with him, he only had five minutes because that's how long it took the elevator to travel from the basement of the Stratosphere to the penthouse level where Michael lived. At least he had been on bunker detail today, assigned to go over the tunnels and safe zones beneath Vega before begin summoned literally the minute he was off duty to report to the Archangel. Meaning Alex got to slip through the tunnels and make it to the tower unnoticed by everyone else, made things easier all around if no one knew he was meeting with the AAC Commander on an almost daily basis now.

Man Alex's life sucked…within the last two weeks alone:

September 15th...snuck out of Vega to deposit more supplies in jeep, found three eight balls, retreated to Vega, and got sent straight to Michael, ended up with three new scars on back from whip, grand total now…27...

September 17th...Morning before Jubilee, report to House Riesen for shift, get pulled from duty by Michael. Find out Jeep has returned to Vega for the first time in almost fifteen years. Refuse to hang around long enough to hear any explanations. Disaster of a Jubilee...attack on Vega...losing his dad...getting the tattoos...being forced to talk with Michael about it…"Beware those closest to you"…

September 18th...Avoid Jeep's funeral, get drunk instead and go to see Claire...that ends in a disaster…

September 19th...Normal day minus refusing to report to Michael when summoned, get confronted in Market and then dragged via flying to Stratosphere for argument. End day with tryst with Claire...and then attacked by hidden higher angel. Resulting in Bixby being hospitalized…

September 20th...snuck out of Vega again, heading solo to New Delphi

September 21st...During drive, meet up with Michael for "One stop." Horrible reliving of memories at old home...ambush leads to Michael being stabbed by Furiad, twelve and half hour drive of doom to get Michael back to Vega while the archangel is bleeding to death in the passenger seat

September 22nd...just after midnight reached Vega and got Michael into the hospital, got arrested

September 24th...Senator Frost locked down the Agri-Towers and Alex was released from prison to help deal with the mess after visiting Bixby, apparently Michael had been moved from the hospital the day before and was now missing…

September 25th...dealing with aftermath of Frost, his death, AAC Captain debriefings, disciplinary actions for going AWOL, and then General Riesen lecturing him on secrecy...met up with Claire in the Savior's Gardens, spoke briefly with Michael about "Family emergencies" and lessons, was sent back to the barracks to sleep

September 26th...reported for regular duties and training in the Corps, was then pulled from afternoon break time for training with Michael in the desert that ended with bad tempers on both sides. Michael changed his mind and sent Alex back to the barracks for the night instead of a meditation lesson.

September 27th...got roped into replacing two people on shifts, and was stuck in House Whele from five in the morning until ten at night. Michael didn't answer hails to ask about lesson…

September 28th...currently heading up to see the archangel and hopefully leave soon enough to see Bixby before visiting hours ended…

Needless to say Alex just wanted to sleep...truly, deeply sleep and be able to get his head on straight. Now that the barracks had settled down again after the lockdown, and the soldier and Michael had worked out a very rough schedule for his extra training, Alex was hoping to get some time off somewhere so he could physically feel better...mentally...that was still questionable.

With a soft ding and louder metallic groan, the elevator jarred itself to a stop at the penthouse level, the doors opening silently even if the rest of the arrival hadn't been. Michael's door was already open for him to enter, stepping just inside to see the archangel in the middle of paperwork at a table adjacent to the door. The archangel barely nodded at his arrival, motioning for Alex to come in further and shut the door without a word.

Complying, the soldier pulled his automatic gun strap over his head, checking the safety and setting weapon aside on the table that usually held a bowl of fruit and some wine or water, today it also held a medical file and a drug chart.

Ok that was weird…

Michael didn't turn around at Alex's soft grunt, nor did he seem inclined to stop working at the moment even though fifteen minutes ago he'd been the one to radio for Alex to report to him immediately. The soldier didn't care, letting himself relax a touch as he pulled his shirt off after removing his vest, glad for the chance to cool down without the hot uniform on, his black undershirt kept him decently covered as he snatched up an apple and started to eat it.

Halfway through his snack, Michael let out a soft huff, having finally noticed just what the Chosen One was doing, that or had gotten annoyed by the crunching and was meaning to put an end to it. Instead of reprimanding the soldier though, or even looking up from the paperwork, the archangel gestured over his shoulder to his bed, giving no further directions than that.

Alex sighed a little, taking another bite as he complied, figuring he was fetching Michael's swords or something and they'd be heading out into the desert soon, not that he was looking forward to that…

Instead he found the reason behind the medical paperwork on the other table, attached to an IV mounted on the headboard, someone was laying on Michael's bed, sleeping peacefully under one of the sleek blankets.

"What the...Bixby?"

The little girl didn't answer, she didn't even stir as Alex crouched down next to the bed closest to the side she'd been laid on, blonde hair spread out gently on the soft pillow she was using. Alex's hand was shaking as he reached out and gently brushed a wisp from her face, inhaling roughly to keep it together.

A hand on his shoulder nearly made him jump, but the strong grip was familiar enough Alex was able to remain relatively calm.

"What...what is she doing here?"

"There was an attempt on her life last night...Consul Whele was, I believe, intending on eliminating her to remove all who know of your identity; all the computer and security technicians who were in the bunker after the Jubilee have either gone missing or turned up dead within the last week. According to records, Senator Frost had been checked out in the hospital half an hour before the senate session where he made his claims to find you, the claims that lead to the Agri-tower lockdown."

Ah so that was why Michael was focusing more on paperwork than Alex…

"It is highly probable Bixby let something slip unintentionally while drugged, she is safer here where her words cannot get out to others."

Alex nodded, dropping to sit on the floor as he leaned his forehead on the bed in relief, hand blindly reaching up and finding Bixby's, giving the slightly chilled fingers a squeeze before looking up enough to tuck them under the blanket gently.

Michael watched all of this with polite silence, letting Alex fuss over the little girl undisturbed. When the soldier finally stood up completely and turned around, the archangel was waiting quietly, hands behind his back casually.

"Michael...I...thanks...thank you, I honestly don't know what I'd do if something happened to her."

A bare trace of a grin made Michael's lips twitch, and Alex relaxed a bit more, "Your father once told me the same thing about you."

"Yeah?"

The archangel nodded, moving back to his work table and picking up several files, passing them to Alex when he followed.

"She will not be able to reside here permanently, I trust you can read through these and eliminate those unsuitable to take her for protection?"

Alex nodded, quickly scanning the names on the files and realizing he'd just been handed sensitive information for about half of the senate. Riesen and Whele were not included.

Michael was right...Bixby couldn't remain in the Stratosphere, not once she was healed and would need something to do during the day other than sleep. Alex figured she had to be drugged pretty well to be sleeping right now, the girl was honestly terrified of Michael...with good reason, she'd seen the archangel in action, wings and all. That and being a V-1 she wasn't one usually allowed near Vega's protector, Alex would have to fix that...and soon…

For now though, he made the presumptuous decision to pick his own place to work, snagging a pen and some paper from Michael's "desk" before moving back to the archangel's bed and stretching out on the soft sheets. If Michael had a problem with this, he didn't show it, returning to work once Alex settled in to read and watch over the unconscious child beside him.

Xxx

11:00pm

Xxx

"Try and center your conscience in the moment, do not force yourself to relax as you will only remain tense, but do not let your thoughts add tension."

"That's not helping."

Michael continued on as if Alex hadn't interrupted, tone calm and even. "Breathe deeply and slowly, center your thoughts on that if you must, let your body settle itself in the present and your mind to follow its own path."

Alex let his shoulders drop, wrists loose on his knees as he sat cross-legged in front of Michael, almost mirroring his position except the archangel kept his hands clasped in front of him. The blonde shut his eyes, trying to get his breathing under control, vaguely he heard Michael do the same thing he was trying, the ease of the archangel doing so making Alex a touch jealous.

His mind wandered and he squirmed, "Yeah this isn't working…"

"Try stop talking."

Ok, now Michael was irritated, Alex huffed out a breath, but settled down, focusing on his breathing and nothing else, even tuning out Bixby's slightly louder exhales.

It took him only two minutes to lose himself to the tattoos…

Xxx

Dark…

Light? Where was it...oh, shining down on him directly...that was bright...huh, that kinda hurt…

Focus Alex...focus…

The tattoos burned, as if trying to sear through his skin and ingrain whatever they hid into his very soul.

...Alex

His arms were weighed down, not wanting to respond as he tried to pull them up to examine the black markings that he just knew were swirling over his skin.

...Alex

He finally looked down, blinking at the adjustment to the light now behind and above him.

Bixby…

...Alex...

She was curled in his arms, ice blue eyes locked on his navy ones, she looked so peaceful...and scared at the same time.

Bixby was also bleeding...the wound on her stomach no longer bandaged up neatly, but flowing into her dress without stopping, she was dying…

"Bixby…" His voice sounded so far away…

"Alex...help me…"

Wherever the hell he was...it wasn't the Stratosphere, their voices were echoing too oddly to be in the tower.

"...Alex...help me…."

"Bixby...what's wrong? What...Bixby!"

She gasped for air, eyes losing the light Alex had fallen in love with since he'd first met her, such strength in someone so small, and it was fading away.

"...Alex…"

"No...no-no-no...Bix...come on...Bixby...no…"

"...help...me…"

With that she was gone, dead in his arms as he yelled her name in pain.

...ALEX!...

Xxx

Someone grabbed his shoulder just as Alex "woke up", gasping for air as he flinched under their touch. Michael held firm, keeping Alex from jumping to his feet like he so obviously wanted to.

"Alex."

He worked on catching his breath, nodding that he'd heard the archangel as Michael backed off a step but didn't move away entirely, watching the soldier start to shake before calming himself down.

"Where did I go?"

"No where," Michael answered softly, his tone measured and low as if to keep from startling Alex, "You have been here for several hours."

That made the blonde look around, seeing how Vega's lights had finally dimmed like normal right around five in the morning, just before dawn.

"What the hell…" Alex moaned, dropping his head to his hands and rubbing at his eyes, trying to will life back into his stiff limbs...thought meditation was supposed to help him relax...

Michael's voice broke his thoughts after a few moments, at least he'd allowed Alex a chance to recover.

"What did you see?"

Alex grunted, turning to look over his shoulder just enough to glance at the archangel, "What makes you think I saw anything?"

"I have been attempting to pull you out of the trance since the first hour."

"Oh…" Alex winced, watching Michael's eyebrow rise ever so slightly in expectation. "I...a dark room...and…"

If Michael was going to ask Alex to continue, he didn't get the chance, because the same thing Alex saw in his dream or vision or whatever, interrupted them a moment later.

Bixby moaned as she woke up, tensing on the bed once she realized it wasn't the hospital blankets covering her, and Alex moved to her side instantly when she whimpered in fear.

Michael luckily stayed backed off, leaning on a pillar just out of the girl's line of sight to observe silently.

"Hey-hey...Bix...it's ok...it's ok, just calm down, you're alright…"

"Alex…"

"Yeah Bix, it's ok…"

"Where...where am I...the hospital…"

Alex sighed, but smiled for Bixby's benefit, brushing her hair away from her face almost lovingly, he didn't care that Michael was watching.

"You're in the Stratosphere, for your protection."

"What...I...Alex-"

The soldier shushed her gently, "Hey, it's ok, you just focus on getting better, you're safe here alright?"

Bixby whined softly, but nodded, letting her still weak body drift back into sleep, soothed by Alex combing her hair with his fingers as she leaned into his touch. Yet not without adding one last thing…

"...She's still more a man than you…"

Alex snorted loudly, chuckling as she fell back into painless unconsciousness as Michael silently added a dose of painkiller to her IV of liquid nutrients.

"She will sleep the rest of the night." Michael said softly, pulling a second blanket from the far side of the bed and passing it to the soldier to spread out.

The blonde nodded, making sure the little girl was tucked in properly before he stood up, stretching numb limbs that still tingled with the meditation.

"Could….Michael could you-"

"Watch her?"

"Yeah...I gotta go talk to somebody…"

The archangel crossed his arms over his chest, eyebrow raising slightly in question.

"I…" Alex sighed, rubbing at his neck to work out the stiffness, "May have found someone to take Bixby, but I gotta go talk to them."

Instead of asking who Alex meant, Michael simply nodded, letting Alex leave after gathering his belongings.

Xxx

"Josh...gotta favor to ask."

Joshua Blake's eyebrow rose in question as Alex dropped onto the bench across from him in the mess hall, the V-6 continued eating as if nothing had happened, but did stare at the blonde in wait.

Alex sighed, "I...I need you to take someone in, under your House's protection."

"And who would that be?" Blake asked before taking another bite of his breakfast, his stoic calm rattling Alex's already on edge nerves, why did one of his good friends always set him off like this, Joshua either made Alex's day a helluva lot easier, or drove him nuts within seconds...anyway…

"Bixby."

Blake straightened up, setting his fork down entirely, "That little girl whose always in the barracks with you? Isn't she in the hospital?"

"Yeah...she was, Michael pulled her from there two nights ago, she was almost killed."

"In the hospital?"

Nodding, Alex leaned over a little more, doing everything he could to ensure no one would overhear them even in the loud mess hall where nobody paid attention anyway, "David Whele tried to kill her, like he's been doing to those technicians the captains won't admit didn't 'go missing', Michael moved her to the Stratosphere for now, but she can't stay there."

"Got that right, "Blake muttered, eyes going distant as he thought things over.

Most of the Corps was aware of the sudden disappearances of the bunker staff and guards, the fact that it not only followed an angel attack in Vega but also the disaster of the Jubilee, made it even more suspicious, not that they could really question it without getting in trouble…

Blake sighed, picking up his fork again, "Yeah, I'll take her, will give my sis some company since my dad's being such an ass in the senate right now with Frost's death. Talk to the Archangel, see when she can be moved again, I'll get the staff to fix her up a room by tomorrow night."

Alex was so relieved, he just gave up, arms sliding forward as his head hit the table, exhaustion finally catching up with him.

The V-6 chuckled, "Go get some sleep Alex, I bet you didn't get any last night since you never came back yesterday. I'll go shove Connors out of bed to take your next shift, can't have you going down, not with Michael riding your ass lately."

Not having any decent, or safe, reply, Alex just huffed, finally standing up when the Master Sergeant did to turn his now empty tray into the dish room.

"Blake...seriously though, thank you."

He smirked, "No problem Lannon, not like me taking her in is going to start a war or something…"


Dun dun duuuun!

Tada!

Review please!

I have not abandoned "The End", just had to get this idea out before it drove me nuts...and now have about a dozen more in my head too...