12

Snow was in a panic. She had no idea where her husband was and neither did David. No calls to his cell were being picked up, no prayers were being answered and no one had seen him in town all day. Snow felt her sanity cracking as she paced her living room wondering what had happened to the archangel. Nothing could hurt him surely? So where was he?

There was a knock on the door and Snow raced to answer it. She expected it to be the police or some supernatural creature bringing news of Gabriel but instead she found the man himself at her door. And looking like he had just went ten rounds with a yeti.

"Gabe, what happened?" she asked as he sank into her arms. His head was bloody and covered in mud as was the rest of his body. But he was smiling.

"Did it Snow…finally did it." he mumbled as she helped him to the sofa. David came racing down the stairs at the voice of his father and went to get some clean water when Snow asked him to.

"What? What did you do Gabriel? Did someone attack you?" she asked looking over his injuries. Some were deep, some shallow, but all were bleeding and tender looking.

"Nope." he shook his head and lay back with his eyes closed.

"Why aren't you healing yourself?" David asked sitting on the other side of the angel.

"Can't." he said.

"Gabriel, what is going on?" Snow demanded and he cracked an eye to look at her.

"I fell Snow." he grinned.

"I…" Snow struggled to understand what her husband was saying.

"You gave up being an angel?!" David said quicker then Snow caught on. Gabriel nodded and shut his eye again.

"WHAT?! Why would you do something like that Gabriel? What could possibly make you give up your grace?" Snow demanded.

"You baby, its only ever been about you." he opened his eyes to look at his wife and smiled. His split lip started to bleed again but he didn't notice at all.

"You gave up your wings for me?" she whispered unable to believe it.

"I want to grow old with you Snow. I want to die with you." he tried to explain reaching out to take her hands in his. She looked at him, looked past the dirt and blood and saw the same golden hair, same golden eyes, the same golden skin. And now he was human.

"I…oh Gabriel!" she said as tears burst from her and she threw her arms around him. David watched them cry against each other as he tried to come to terms with the fact that his angel mentor was now just human. Did that mean he was on his own now? He felt like he still had so much to learn about his angelic side.

"Oh, before I forget." Gabriel reached into his pocket and pulled out one single golden feather. Snow and David looked at it in shock.

"This is for you kid, so you'll always remember what I taught you. Be good, no matter what happens in life just remember to be good." Gabriel handed the feather to his son. David lifted the golden feather and watched as the sunlight glowed off of it. It was magnificent. Little did any of them know that the shining golden feather was the key to David changing the world.