An: Hey! Very important note! There is one more chapter after this, with the high probability of a sequel. It all depends on you guys. If you want a sequel leave a comment, if not, also leave a comment.
Something to know, though. This story takes place roughly about two years before season 1 begins, and if I do make a sequel I can skip that time and go straight to season 1 or Book 2 could also be a fluff. I'm leaning more towards skipping, but I haven't made up my mind yet.
As for how it shall end... You shall see in the next chapter!
Also, thank you to the reviewers, you guys are awesome. And all those who've followed the story, thank you!
Disclaimer: I do not own. Otherwise this would have really happened.
"Do you wanna go with me to church tomorrow?" Sam asked suddenly during dinner at the Loft, spooning a large portion of steamed broccoli onto his plate. His partner paused in at the stove, his knife hovering above the steak he was in the process of cutting. He looked at Sam with very clear confusion, obviously not expecting the sudden question.
"It's Wednesday, isn't it?" The shorter man verified, attempting to get over the sudden subject change. "And aren't you supposed to go to church on Sunday? Or is that just a myth to fool the silly non-Christians into taking the weekend off?"
Sam chuckled at him and shook his head. "You are supposed to go to church every Sunday, yeah, but I wanted to go to confession in the morning before class."
"Got a lot to confess do ya, Sammy?" The other man asked slowly and seductively, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Why don't you confess to me?"
Sam rolled his eyes but smiled indulgently at him. "Not that kind of confession, you dork. Do you wanna go?"
"Hmm… Maybe. How early would we have to wake up, exactly?" The other man's nose scrunched at the thought of having to wake up at anytime earlier than eight.
"At about 8:30. Mass ends at 9:30, so we'll have enough time to eat breakfast, get dressed, and drive to the church."
"Alright. But!" He replied finally, waving his fork for emphasis. "I do have an evening shift tonight, so I'm taking a nap afterwards. And I'm not wearing a tie."
Sam smiled brightly at him. "You don't have to wear a tie, just no graphic tees."
"You ask so much of me."
As Sam and his partner rolled up infront of the church, St. Mathew's, the morning service was beginning to file out in orderly chaos. The crowd was mostly elderly women, and the two men received borderline leering looks as they filed passed them and into the church hall.
There, the choir was assisting the four ushers in collecting all the mass booklets from the pews. Few people besides them had stayed behind, sitting or kneeling calmly in their respective pews, mostly near the front.
Sam secured them seating near the middle, away from most everyone else, and knelt on the red-padded kneeler. His companinion sat back comfortably in the pew, peering into the psalm book and then the hymn book, humming a few of the songs he recognized. Sam let his focus drift to the colorful stained windows, covered in images of saints and angels. Each one beautifully, if unusually, stylized.
As if to specifically oppose the more typical iteration of the heavenly beings, these depictions were more ferocious and battle ready than normal.
The stained glass closest to them showed a blonde archangel with a beautiful set of shiny, golden wings behind him. Clad in a set of resplendent silver armor with his head surrounded by a translucent halo, it was a decidedly unusual image, but devastatingly beautiful none the less.
The other windows displayed a version of the image, but Sam found his attentions drawn to that one in particular.
Smiling up at the window and then at his pewmate, Sam stood and strode evenly over to the now-empty confessional. He shut the door behind him and sat down.
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned." He began. "It has been six months since my last confession."
"Welcome, my child. What sins have you committed in these six months." The mesh screen between Sam and the priest muffled voices somewhat.
"I haven't gone to mass every Sunday like I should, I haven't called my family," Sam hesitated, "…and I haven't told my brother that I love him. For these and all sins that I have committed during my life, I am deeply sorry."
"Thank you, my son, for your honesty." The priest replied sagely from behind the mesh partition. "The Lord Father forgives you of your sins. As penance, you are asked to say seven Hail Mary's and to call your brother tonight and tell him that you love him."
Sam bowed his head in contrition and began reciting the prayer. "O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because they offend You, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen."
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
"Amen."
"Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good."
"For His mercy endures, forever."
Sam stood quietly, contemplatively, and left the confessional, walking ponderously back to the pew his companion sat meditating in, the confession taking little more then ten minutes. Kneeling down once more, he began his prayers.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Once more, Sam found his eyes drawn to the stained glass nearest them. The morning sun was shining through it in such a way, that it seemed alive, moving. The grim-faced angelic warrior standing above them, seemed to look straight at him, observing him.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
His partner next to him had his head tilted up slightly, basking in the early morning sunlight glow from the window and swaying to the calming piano music playing through the speakers. Sam smiled at him and turned back to his prayers.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
He found for the first time, he was almost completely content with his life. The only thing that would make it better, of course, would be his brother and father accepting his path, and maybe those bridges would be rebuilt in time, maybe they would not, but either way, he was happy.
He was with a man who he loved, who listened to him, sympathized with him. He was comfortable saying they were both content. His partner, boyfriend, lover, whatever you wanted to call him, always looked at Sam with shining eyes and a soft look, like he was the most important, special, thing in the world.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
The window called his attention once more, as the light shifted to shine down on their pew. The head resting atop his partner's. Sam's eyes lit upon the name on the window, of the angel.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
What were the names of his brothers, again? Mike, Raph, and Luke? Michael, Raphael, and Luke, maybe? Biblical names.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Luke was a profit. And what were the archangels' names? Michael, Raphael, and…
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
"Gabriel." Sam turned to face his pewmate, who had started at the sudden sound in the quiet ambience. Sam repeated the name. "Gabriel. Your name is Gabriel, isn't it?"
Gabriel's startled and confused eyes followed Sam's own to the colorful stained glass shadow that fell over them. He let out a rueful chuckle and smiled at the ceiling of the church.
He turned back to Sam. "Call me Gabe."
Sam's eyes crinkled as he beamed.
Gabe smiled back and shifted forward onto the kneeler, bending his head ad he twined his hands together. Sam sat back in the pew in turn, smiling at the effigy at the front of the hall of the man nailed to the cross.
Thank you.