Author's Note:

I'm so glad you all enjoyed the last chapter! I was pleased with how it turned out, so I'm glad you all were too! To the reviewers who are enjoying the story even though they don't like Sabriel, I'm taking that as a compliment, so I'm glad you're here!

Thanks to hpfreak1993, FireChildSlytherin5, aLoggedInReader, Annie, and one guest for their reviews on chapter 11!


Chapter 12 - Give A Moose A Library

The thing about giving any intensely curious and insatiable hunter a magical bookshelf that will give him whatever he wants to read is that he'll take advantage of it. Sam was already reading a lot before the conversation he'd had with Loki, but he dove into mythological works and lore about the trickster after, determined to find out more. Something about Loki's story sounded sort of familiar, but Sam wasn't sure why, and he was planning to research until he figured it out.

After exhausting every single resource on Loki, mythology, and tricksters that existed, Sam moved on to other supernatural legends that fit the bill. He kept it a secret from Loki, because he was afraid that his curiosity would be perceived as a lack of trust. He did trust Loki, more than really made sense, but Loki was keeping a secret from him, and Sam wanted to know what it was.

It was about two weeks before Sam finally found what he was looking for. Loki's version of events was a little different, but Sam hadn't been imagining things when he'd thought certain elements of the story sounded familiar.

That night, Loki returned home to find Sam in front of the television with the Trickster Channel on, like normal, and a large leather-bound book in his hands. "What are you reading this time, Samsquatch?" Loki asked casually, peeking over the hunter's shoulder.

"The Bible," Sam replied distractedly, turning another page and resuming reading.

There was a pause, before Loki asked in what sounded like forced calm, "Any particular reason?"

"It's been awhile," Sam replied with a shrug. "I had to study it when I was younger, but I figured it was time I brushed up on my Biblical history. I kind of went through every mythological book I could get the bookshelf to give me."

Loki snorted, amused, and seemed to relax a little. "Well, don't strain yourself. What do you want for dinner?"

"Anything with potatoes," Sam suggested.

"Steak and potatoes it is," Loki confirmed, heading towards the kitchen. "Any special requests for desert!"

"Angel food cake with strawberries," Sam called after him, his tone purposefully casual. If he hadn't been listening for it, he probably wouldn't have even noticed the sudden stop and re-start in Loki's walk.

"Your wish is my command, kiddo," Loki hollered back.

Sam grinned at that, and returned to his reading. He was fully expecting to enjoy himself with this plan.

Step one of the plan was throwing out subtle hints, like reading the Bible and wanting angel food cake.

Step two of the plan was put into effect after dinner, when Sam turned on Touched By An Angel and let seven episodes play while he continued to read the Bible and let Loki play absentmindedly with his hair. That continued over to the next day, with Loki returning home to find Sam watching Angels In The Infield.

Step three of the plan was to ask more leading questions. Sam successfully started three different debates on the nature of morality and good versus evil with Loki, emphasizing the role of demons in the world, and how there ought to be a flip side to the coin. If humanity had to deal with demons, why didn't they also have God and His angels?

Sam could probably have drawn it out longer, but he was ravenously curious, and losing his ability to be subtle about it.

It was a week after Sam had started his plan that he gave up on anything remotely approaching subtlety and let Loki come home to find him finishing up with the movie Legion, and about to start on Constantine.

"All right, Samsquatch, spill," Loki demanded with a heavy sigh, dropping onto the couch and shifting Sam until they were facing, pausing the television with a wave of his hand.

"Spill what?" Sam asked, doing his best impression of a confused cocker spaniel.

"Don't give me the puppy face, Sammy," Loki warned. "I want to know what your sudden obsession with Heaven and everything is about."

Sam gave him a withering look and crossed his arms. "Really, Loki?"

Loki held up his hands in surrender. "What did I do?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Sam asked, leaving the venom out of the question. "I mean, did you think I wouldn't guess?"

It was silent for a moment, then Loki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No, I thought about it."

Thrilled at the admission, Sam immediately leaned forward. "So, I'm right?"

"Depends," Loki hedged. "What's your theory?"

"Well, you're not a trickster," Sam pointed out. "I always thought you were a little too powerful to be a trickster, even before I had reason to believe you were anything else."

Loki looked chagrined. "I'm kind of a sucker for showing off," he admitted.

"But it was your story about your family," Sam said gently. "It just sounded familiar, at least parts of it did, and so I started reading."

"Ah. Of course you did." Loki sighed again, relaxing against the back of the couch. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"No," Sam agreed, "You really shouldn't."

"So, how far did you get with this theory?" Loki prompted. "I want to see where you are before I start forking over sensitive information."

Sam made a face at him. "How about I tell you what I've guessed, and you tell me if I'm right or wrong."

"Sounds fair," Loki nodded. "Go ahead."

"You're an angel," Sam blurted.

Loki nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"And...you're in hiding?" Sam hazarded a guess.

"Two for two, kiddo," Loki smiled softly.

"So, what, you decided to go undercover as a god?" Sam asked, puzzled. "Isn't that a little...flamboyant?"

Loki made a face at him. "It's witness protection!" He defended. "Besides, the Host doesn't really bother with the pagan gods unless something big is happening, so it was a good place for me to be able to hide, but not go insane with boredom."

"Uh-huh." Sam was staring at him with equal parts fascination and disbelief.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Loki asked, squirming slightly under the attention.

"I think I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm dating an angel," Sam muttered, unable to move his eyes.

Startled, Loki had to laugh at that. "Well, to be completely honest with you, you're actually dating an archangel. It's a much bigger deal." He said the words in jest, but there was an undercurrent of seriousness to them.

Sam's jaw dropped in response. "Okay, so in your story, the older brothers are Michael and Lucifer, right?"

Loki nodded slowly. "I see you gleaned a few things from that Bible, then."

"So, does that make you...? I mean, are you...? Gah, how do I even ask this?" Sam started off attempting to address Loki, but ended up muttering to himself.

"Sammy," Loki called softly. When Sam looked up and their eyes met, he paused to take a deep breath, then offered quietly, "My name is Gabriel."

Sam was admirably attempting not to stare dumbfounded at the archangel, and failing miserably. "The Gabriel."

"Yes."

"Messenger of God?"

"Yes."

"Heralded the birth of Christ?"

"Yes."

"Holy crap."

Loki watched Sam process the new information with amusement, and leaned forward to lay a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm also the guy that happens to be head over heels for a certain hunter," he pointed out gently. "I take more pride in that than I do my former status in Heaven."

The magnitude of that statement seemed to rock Sam back on his heels, but he managed to bring himself back enough to ask, "Why me?"

Loki's eyes flashed at that. "Because you have the purest heart of just about any human I've ever laid eyes on," he said firmly. "You are what gives me any semblance of faith in humanity, and manage to surprise me all the time. You're amazing, Sam Winchester, and you had better not forget it."

Wisely, Sam decided not to argue that, and merely nodded in response. "So. Do I call you Gabriel or Loki?"

"What do you want to call me?" Loki offered, hesitant.

Sam paused, then said tentatively, "I think I'd like to call you Gabriel."

Pleased, the archangel nodded in assent. "I think I'd like that as well."