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14

March 19th, 2014

I guess it was inevitable. Being among a bunch of kids as often as we are lately, one of us was bound to catch something. Obviously, you couldn't be the one to come down with the flu…

"Who's at the door?" Sam rasped, looking at his son inquisitively. He had figured out that the archangel always knew who was visiting them as soon as they announced their presence in any way – if he already knew the people, anyway – and now that simply getting out of bed was a strenuous task the younger Winchester thought he had the right justification to use his son's powers for his own benefit just a little.

"Jody!" Gabriel replied happily. The little boy stood up from the carpet he had been sitting on and walked out of his father's bedroom to open the front door for the sheriff with a blink of his eyes. He understood that he was not meant to do this for anyone who wasn't family, but he really enjoyed the slightly tingly feeling doing things like that gave him. He liked the good feeling his father's joy about him being a good boy gave him more, though. Of course, he sometimes forgot or simply ignored that in favor of doing whatever the hell came to his mind that very moment, but that was what little boys did.

To tell the truth, the younger Winchester was nearly relieved to see that his son was just like any other kid his age at times, even if it meant temper tantrums and doing forbidden things.

"Thanks buddy," Sam sighed and leaned back into the pillows. This stupid virus really had him in its grip and it didn't look like it would go away anytime soon. At least, Gabriel made sure that he didn't have to get out of bed all too often and the little boy kept him company nearly the entire time, too.

Bobby had offered to babysit the archangel for a couple of days until the younger Winchester was feeling better, but they hadn't even been through the front door of the older hunter's house before Gabriel had zapped himself back to his father. Apparently, he didn't dream of leaving as long as Sam wasn't feeling well.

"Jody, Jody!" the archangel yelled excitedly, nearly dancing around the woman as she walked toward the bedroom with a tray in her hands, "I'm helping!"

Sheriff Mills gave the boy a nice smile and nodded dutifully as he told her about the things he had done for his father, including making sure that he had enough tissues and that the tea stayed warm and that there was tea to begin with. Of course, he didn't go anywhere near boiling water, but he knew how to make the drink appear exactly like his daddy liked it, too.

"You're an angel," Jody commented appreciatively after she put the tray on the bedside table. Sure, Gabriel could have conjured soup and crackers up for Sam to eat, but the sheriff wanted to check on the younger Winchester ever so often and bringing over food was giving her a good excuse to do so.

"Yes!" the archangel nodded and hopped onto the bed to take a look at the things Jody had brought with her, too, "I am like Spiderman!"

His daddy had sat him down a while ago and had explained to him that he could do all these things that nobody else could and that that was great and very exciting, but Gabriel had to be like Spiderman and keep it a secret. Obviously, the family was allowed to know and when one of them gave the okay then he could do whatever he wanted. The archangel was content enough with that for now. He was too little to be a full-fledged Spiderman, anyway.

"Thanks Jody," Sam coughed. Sheriff Mills had brought vegetable soup, crackers and chocolate muffins for him and Gabriel that day and the younger Winchester felt honestly touched by the gesture. It was the third day Jody had brought them lunch and had checked on them, after all.

"Exactly like Spiderman, secret identity and all," the sheriff nodded seriously, stroking the little boy's cheek for a moment.

They had all been able to agree that the analogy with the superhero might work best to explain to Gabriel that he wasn't a completely normal kid, but that that was a good thing. Of course, Dean had to point out that Spiderman was a wuss and a bad choice for a Superhero. He was willing to go along with it anyway, though.

Jody stayed until the two youngest Winchesters had eaten their food, making small talk about the weather and the things the little boy got up to while he was stuck inside with his daddy. She left with the promise of a hamburger and pie for Gabriel for the next day.

Sam awoke from his afternoon nap with a start when Cookie abruptly sat up at the foot of the bed he had been sleeping at and growled.

"Crowley," the younger Winchester groaned more out of annoyance than anything else. He still wasn't scared of the king of hell and he didn't think that the demon had popped in to cause trouble, but that didn't mean that the visit was welcome.

Gabriel rubbed his eyes sleepily and snuggled closer to his father's side before he was fully awake and looked at the cause of the disturbance curiously. Cookie was still growling silently but threateningly and only stopped when the littlest Winchester gave him a few signs. The dog still glared at Crowley when he jumped off the bed and went over to where the little boy was sitting to get his head scratched.

"My invitation to the house warming party must have been lost in the mail," the king of hell commented dryly, looking around himself critically. He had to say that the house was probably nice enough for someone used to living in a car and at Bobby Singer's place. Crowley himself could never settle for something like this, however.

"That complaint comes a little late," Sam shot back as sarcastically as he could with his sore throat and his stuffed nose. Gabriel was still sitting next to him, petting Cookie. The little boy was starting to get really interested in the conversation the two adults were having, though.

"A sore throat has to be a real hassle for a giraffe," Crowley stated casually, "I could help with that."

The demon's offer sounded innocent enough and it was highly doubtful that he would even dare to make a contract of any sort with any member of their family, but the comment still hit too close to home and Sam didn't have that much patience in his state, anyway.

"Fuck off," the younger Winchester replied acidly. He really wasn't in the mood for an argument or for the demon's stupid sense of humor and the king of hell might as well know it.

"Fuck off!" Gabriel repeated and started to giggle as soon as the bad words left his mouth. He knew exactly what bad words were, he just enjoyed taking every chance he got to say them. The moment his daddy used them was the perfect opportunity, of course. The adult could barely lecture him about keeping the swearing to a minimum when he himself didn't do it, after all. Toshio would be so delighted to hear that new curse, too! His mother not so much.

"Look at the little monkey, isn't he precious?" Crowley asked with a smirk.

"Monkeys are awesome!" Gabriel insisted, giving the demon a stern look just in case he had dared to insult monkeys. It was bad enough that Cookie kept telling the archangel that the visitor was bad news and that he should be commanded to leave immediately. The little boy was placated when the king of hell raised his hands in defeat, however.

Sam rubbed his temples, feeling the headache that he had because of the fever he was running spike to before unknown heights. Damned demon and his damned surprise visit and his damned bad timing!

Gabriel looked at his daddy worriedly for a moment before he leaned in to press a quick kiss to Sam's forehead and jumped off the bed, running toward his own room with Cookie at his heels. The dog was more than happy to leave the room with the weird and creepy guy, even if he felt a little bad about leaving their sick pack leader behind. Then again, Cookie's main concern always was looking out for the little boy and Sam usually encouraged that line of thinking, too.

"You teach him all the important things in life, don't you?" Crowley snarked as soon as the little boy and the dog had left. Monkeys were awesome and curse words. Winchesters had a strange sense of things children should learn. If the demon had anything to say then Gabriel would already know how to use his powers to enslave the entire world, of course.

"Go on criticizing my parenting and I'll teach him to smite all demons on sight," Sam muttered. It was a completely empty threat, though. He wouldn't have shed a tear if Crowley had spontaneously combusted, but the damage done to Gabriel's very innocent mind would be something to mourn over.

"I think you underestimate how much the little bugger likes me," Crowley pointed out smugly.

If looks could have killed, the demon would have dropped dead. It was quite possible that Sam was overreacting, but he had a headache, he felt damn sore all over and he hadn't slept properly in days, because of this freaking flu, so excuse him for being very touchy and easily annoyed by a being that generally annoyed him, even on a good day!

"Daddy needs peace and quiet!" Gabriel suddenly pointed out with all the seriousness he had learned from his dark-haired brother, aiming a water pistol at the demon.

The little boy had run to his room to retrieve the gun, made a little detour over the bathroom to fill it and then come back to the bedroom to tell the king of hell that he had to behave and not make Sam upset, if he wanted to stay longer. Sure, he could have just said those things without his water pistol, but where was the fun in that? Besides, the people in uncle Dean's movies often used a gun to let others see that they were super serious about something!

"Now I'm really scared," Crowley couldn't help replying in a mocking tone, holding his hands up. The archangel had just proven his point, however. The kid didn't want to actually hurt him, or he wouldn't have gone to get a toy, he would have just done it. There was proof that he knew all too well how to do it, if he just set his mind on it.

"You better are," Gabriel grinned widely, satisfied with the reaction he had gotten, but he hadn't made the effort to retrieve the gun not to use it.

It was hard to say if the demon, the angel or the human were more surprised by what happened when the little boy took a shot at Crowley. To the demon's credit it had to be said that he didn't make a sound even as his face burned and smoked, though.

Gabriel dropped the gun like he had been burned, as well. His eyes were already watering before he managed to jump onto the bed and huddle against his father in search of comfort. He was full on crying when Sam wrapped his arms around him and tried to calm him down.

"Gabe, look at me," the younger Winchester demanded in a gentle tone, rubbing his son's back as the boy was sobbing, "You didn't mean it, right? And Crowley isn't really hurt and I'm sure he'll forgive you, if you tell him you're sorry."

If the damned king of hell thought that he didn't have to at least pay lip service and make the archangel feel better with it then Sam would have to get out of bed and get his hands on the hunter's equipment he kept under the floorboards downstairs! Even if the demon was technically the victim here, the younger Winchester wouldn't allow him to be an ass about it and give Gabriel a bad conscience, especially when the little boy tried his best to voice how very sorry he was and that Crowley should please forgive him. Of course, the words were nearly unintelligible, because he was still crying and choked up, but it was easy enough to tell what he was trying to say.

The demon groaned quietly. Oh, the things you had to do to make sure that an archangel had fond memories of you!

"It's all good," Crowley confirmed, looking back at the two Winchesters with the best impression of a benign smile he could give, "I forgive you."

Wasn't that a strange thing to say for a demon? He really hoped that word of this wouldn't get back to anyone in hell!

Gabriel sniffled and looked at the king of hell like he was trying to figure out, if he could trust him in this. He had to be happy with what he saw, because it was only a moment later that he jumped up and threw himself at Crowley, hugging the hell out of him, metaphorically spoken.

"Sorry Cowley!" the archangel mumbled against the suit the king of hell was wearing.

"No, no, no. Crow-ley, Crow," the demon corrected, glaring at the younger Winchester when he dared to look amused. This was what you got for paying those stupid Winchesters a goodwill visit!

"Did you get that, kid?" Crowley asked after he had allowed Gabriel to hug him some more.

"Yes Cowley," the little boy replied with a serious nod. There was a definite spark of mischievousness in his eyes, though. Obviously, he had gotten over the shock of accidentally hurting someone very quickly.

Sam couldn't help laughing out loud this time, even though his headache became even worse because of it.

Things we learned today? Crowley is a bit of a pushover and an archangel handling water equals holy water.