Holy Moly, you guys are so nice! Keep reviewing, but no flames, please. They make me so sad. What do you guys think of this one? I'm trying to start the actual main plotline as quickly as possible, so I don't bore you with fluffy, sappy, meaningless angst-fest. :)

I own nothing.

Warning: This chapter is a bit graphic for just a few sentences. Letting you know.

The bloody water trickled back into the basin in a series of tiny drops that filled the silence between Sam and Gabriel as the hunter gently smoothed away the dried blood and stitched the gashes. Castiel had left awhile ago, asking to be told when they had finished with the bodily injured. Sam didn't really know what that meant, but figured he would know soon. Gabriel insisted on keeping him close, but he seldom let Sam touch him for more than a few moments at a time. He would definitely still be near when Cas came back. After he finished cleaning and stitching his archangel's torso, he cleared his throat uncomfortably. He knew it had to be done, at clinic it was one of the first things they did, but Sam had never been the one to complete physical examinations...

"Gabe?"

"hmm?" he sounded almost at peace, just lying there. Sam hated this, but he had to do it so Gabe wouldn't get sick...

"Gabe, I'm so sorry, but I have to check and clean e-everywhere... Could you... pull down the blankets, and- and spread your legs a little...?"

"No."

"Gabriel, I have to, please-"

"No. No, no, no, please don't. I can't- I-"

"I just want to keep you safe, okay?" he stared at Gabriel, his wide golden eyes and set jaw. He looked terrified. "Please, Gabriel. I will never hurt you, you know that. It's just me, okay? It's Sam, and I just want to keep you safe."

They looked at each other for a long moment, and Gabriel's lip trembled as he finally pushed back the covers and lay back a little more, staying up on his elbows. His legs shook as he spread them just enough for Sam to see, and both took a deep breath before Sam gently reached forward, warm washcloth in hand.

He was red and puffy and dried blood caked over his inner thighs from his entrance. Sam tenderly dabbed the washcloth, the blood sliding away into the terrycloth until Sam could see the violent red tearing around his edges. Gabriel was shaking all over by the time he smeared a cream across the torn skin and carefully replaced the blankets.

"Thank you, Gabriel. I'm- I'm so sorry, I had to." I'm sorry this happened to you, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, I'm so so sorry he placed the washcloth back in the red tinted water, turning around at the breathy gasp from the archangel. His eyes were squeezed shut and tears were leaking out of the creases and silently slipping down his cheeks. His entire body was trembling and his head fell back against the pillows. Sam moved forward on the bed, carefully brushing the tears away with his fingers, shushing Gabriel's shuddering gasp as his fingers smoothed across his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Baby, I had to do it." Sam brushed away the tangles of hair that fell into his eyes. "It's over now, okay? It's just Sam, and I will never hurt you." He had a feeling that he'd be saying that a lot, at least until Gabriel got a handle on the flashbacks. He took the sweatpants off the end of the bed, and handed them gingerly to the slowly calming angel. "Do you wanna put these on before I grab Cas?"

He gave a watery nod and took the pants, pushing himself up to sitting before choking in pain and falling back against the pillows. A determined look took over his face, screwing into a concentrated grimace as he forced himself up. He tried to bring his legs around the bed, but was stopped when Sam took his arm at the elbow and legs at the knee, tenderly turning him and wrapping his arm around his collar- bound waist. Sam pulled him up to standing, but didn't let go of his waist. Gabriel whimpered and pressed his face into Sam's available shoulder for a moment.

"Are you okay?" What a stupid question, Sam.

"It's- It's been a long time since I stood on my own two feet, Sammy." Sam ran his fingertips over the part of Gabriel's back that wasn't covered in metal bindings, and carefully helped him into the pants.

They were huge. A good 6 or 7 inches of fabric pooled at the angel's feet, and, with the string pulled as tight as it would go, the waist still hung low around Gabriel's hips. Sam almost had to laugh: Gabe looked so sweet and endearing, wearing his clothes. The shivering and metal torso covered in stitches and bruises did take away from it a bit, though. He helped Gabe situate himself back on the bed, stopping at every wince and gasp until he was lying on his stomach (apparently the only comfortable position). Sam placed the covers back over his angel's shoulders and stood back.

"Well, I'm gonna grab Cas. I'll be right back-"

"Do you love me?" Well, if that doesn't stop you in your tracks...

"What?" Gabriel blushed and watched his fingers pick at the sheets like he hadn't said anything for a moment.

"Uhm, when- when everyone was in here, when I was... nevermind, just get Cas."

"No. I love you, Gabe. I have for a long time." he blushed, but ignored it and met Gabriel's gaze. His eyes looked a little more golden than usual. At least, the brightest since they found him. Sam gave him a nervous smile and kneeled in front of the bed. "I didn't even realize I said it when I did, all that mattered was you, and keeping you calm. I-I was going to tell you when all this was getting better, but- but I guess it just slipped out-"

"I love you too."

Sam thought his face might split with his grin. He wanted to kiss him, more than anything, but he knew he shouldn't, just squeezing Gabriel's chapped, bandaged hand instead. Gabe smiled back. Not a half-assed smirk, or a forced grimace, a real genuine smile. Sam felt his heart expand. It didn't last terribly long, but it was enough. Gabriel was always enough for Sam.

"You should probably get Cas now."

"I'll be right back." he said, pressing a dry kiss to his forehead as he went to the door.

"You sayin' this ain't worth it, Kid?"

"Bobby, you know what I'm sayin'. We didn't just save the world so it could go break itself again!"

"Guys?" Bother Bobby and Dean snapped their heads to the doorway. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Sammy. How's the patient?" Dean tried to cover. Sam raised an eyebrow. Seriously?

"Weak and injured and scared, though he'd never admit it with words.: There was a tense pause "So, what's wrong? And, don't say nothing, and don't say it's none of my business, because if it has anything to do with 'the patient', then it's all my business." Dean promptly deflated and poured himself a whiskey.

"I don't like this, Sammy. If this is anything like what it looks like, then this is much bigger than just Gabriel."

"And, what exactly, does it look like-"

"A holocaust. What was going on in that damn barn was an act of genocide, and, seeing as that sicko was writing letters and 'comparing data' with some other crazy angel farms, he's not the only one!" They were interrupted by the distinct sound of wings as Cas appeared appeared next to Dean, making him jump out of skin. It would've been funny, but it wasn't.

"Hello. Did you tend to Gabriel, Sam?" Sam looked at his brother for a minute, with a clear 'we'll discuss this later' look, before nodding and following Cas down the hallway.

Genocide. Systematic killing of a race. Images of emaciated war prisoners and people being dragged from their homes and killed in the streets filled his mind. Rwanda. The Holocaust. Cambodia. Gabriel was a survivor of a massacre of his kind. When he reached the bed, he gently placed his hand over Gabriel's, stroking it and speaking softly until he opened his eyes with relative calm. Sam smiled a little. He didn't know if it was for Gabriel's benefit or his.

"Gabriel, I must ask you to manifest your wings." Castiel said quietly. Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut again, trying to curl in on himself. "Please. I am so sorry, Brother, but it is the only way to ensure your healing."

"How about getting these damn things off me, so I'm not a prisoner in my own body. I'm not the Tin Man, Cas." Gabriel teased sharply. At least he still had some of his bite.

"I told you, I can't remove them. If I could, none of this would be necessary." Cas tilted his head in his puppy like way, genuinely confused.

"Gabriel, Gabe. Look at me." Sam gently took his face in his hands, cupping his cheeks until the muscles relaxed and he opened his eyes. He sounded so brave, but he looked absolutely petrified. His mask was so shattered; was he always this scared and insecure behind that smirk? "Hey, I know it hurts, but, while your grace is drained, we're gonna need to do things the human way. If your wings are broken, we'll need to set and splint them now, or they'll never heal right."

"Please, Sam..." Shit, he felt awful.

"I'll be right here." Sam stroked away the one tear that escaped with his big thumb and tried giving a reassuring smile. God, he hoped he was doing the right thing. After a moment, Sam let go of his angel and backed away from the bed slightly, only for Gabriel to grab his hand tightly.

"Please don't leave me." With a pang, Sam realized that Gab wasn't just asking him to stay. He was asking him to stay; to still love him, no matter what he saw, or what he had ever done or had done to him. He was asking for Sam to stay no matter how broken he was. Even if he couldn't be fixed. Please don't leave me. Gabriel was utterly abandoned in the remains of his shattered bravado and snark. His mischievous little angel might never be the same.

"Okay." What a stupid thing to say, Sam. Gabriel didn't seem to mind, laying back on his stomach and closing his eyes, trying to relax. Slowly but surely, a shimmering, golden light got more and more tangible as it spread out from Gabriel's shoulder blades. Three sets of massive wings curled gingerly against the angel's back, filling the room with a warm glow.

They were hanging at peculiar angles, and jagged pieces of bones jutted out in places. Red marred the feathers, with dried blood caked over the gashes and torn feathers leaving angry welts. Gabriel whimpered quietly when they had fully manifested, and squeezed Sam's hand until the knuckles grinded together. The tips of the wings were blackened and burned, and his entire body shook with the weight and pain. If he was in this much pain now...

"Do- do we have to?" Sam all but whispered, hating to be the one that hurt his angel. Cas just nodded gravely.

"My grace is not strong enough to mend even Gabriel's minor scrapes right now, let alone his wings. Wings are a physical manifestation of grace. TO put it in human terms, Gabriel is literally 'bearing his soul' to us. When the wings are injured, it also hurts the emotional state and will cause permanent psychological damage, if they heal incorrectly." Sam nodded resolutely. The pain now would be worth the stability later. Now he just had to repeat that til he believed it.

"Let's just do it."