HEY-O! Yet another daily chapter update. I am oh so proud of myself, you guys. And it's only been possible from all the help and support from NikaJ and all you wonderful people who review and let me know that they want more. So thank you :)

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing

Once he was certain the little Familiar was fast asleep, Gabriel eased himself out of bed. Closing the bedroom door behind him, he pulled out his cell phone and sent his address in a quick text. Instead of a reply, he got an angry knock on his front door. Throwing up warding around his bedroom door, he opened to door to find a fuming Crowley.

"If this is some sort of joke," he growled, holding out a silver knife that Gabriel casually grabbed, proving he wasn't a shape shifter.

"Nope, no trick."

"So you've been alive all this time and decided to not to call, write, nothing?" the demon sneered. "One would think you were hiding from me, darling."

"In my defense, I was dead for about a year."

"Ho- Purgatory." It wasn't a question.

"Right on the dot, Smokey," Gabriel said cheerfully. He unwrapped a sucker and stuck it in his mouth, offering one to Crowley. "Want one?"

"You know damn well I don't. Why did you contact me? Why now?"

Gabe sighed, snapping his fingers, and Crowley's angel blade was in his hand. He put it away with where his was currently stashed.

"You're here because we need to talk."

"Doubtful, darling. If you wanted to talk, you would've let me know you were alive when you crawled your feathery ass out of Purgatory. Now why the BLOODY HELL AM I HERE?" he bellowed.

"Rhia."

"Is that name supposed to mean something to me?"

"Don't play coy. You know exactly who she is. Itty bitty thing like yea tall, gold eyes. Your wolfie little Familiar? Ringing bells now?"

Crowley glared at the angel, his power rolling off him in waves and trashing the room. "How d'you know about her?"

"Because she's asleep in my bed, right through there. Uh uh uh," Gabriel tsked, forcing Crowley into an armchair when he'd started towards the bedroom. "You're gonna sit right there and listen for once in your damn life. She came to the bar I was working at, being moody and not having any fun at all until I stepped in and did something about it. Brought her home and guess what? Nothing happened. She's seriously messed up over you, demon."

"So why is she asleep in your bed if nothing happened," Crowley snapped.

"Because she groomed my feathers and needed a good cuddle. From how hard she's sleeping, I'm willing to bet she's had a hard time of it for a while now. You wouldn't happen to know why, would you?" Gabriel gave him a knowing, disappointed look.

Crowley looked away, hating how the angel could manipulate what few emotions he had. "I may have lashed out a bit during one of my snits," he shrugged.

"A bit," Gabriel repeated, his eyes hard. "The girl nearly tore my head off for not telling you I was still alive after you strapped her to your damn table and tortured her! You don't deserve that kind of loyalty."

"You think I don't know that?" Crowley yelled. "You think I don't realize how much I screwed up this entire thing? Why do you think I let her leave?"

"Hope you're ready to get on your knees and kiss ass," Gabriel said, suddenly calm again.

Crowley scoffed at that but still dropped his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. Taking pity on him, Gabe snapped up a glass of scotch that the demon took gratefully. Another wave of his hand cleaned up the disaster left by the demon's temper tantrum.

"Ok, so you might not have to kiss ass. She's too damn forgiving when it comes to you, but you better make it up to her," the angel threatened.

"Yes, yes, I know. I just… I don't know how," Crowley admitted.

"Wow, you actually want to make things right? Without being threatened first?" Gabriel started laughing. "You like her!"

"Don't be daft," Crowley grumbled.

"You can't fool me. I know all your tells, demon. You care for the little wolf, as more than just an investment. Dare I say you've actually caught feelings for her? Oh this is great."

"Shut up, Feathers," Crowley snapped, his face displaying his discomfort.

"You should tell her."

"No."

"Oh c'mon! She likes you back. What's there to lose?"

"No and you won't say a word either. Last time she realized I knew of her feelings, she had a panic attack and nearly ran deep enough into Hell to find the Cage. I had to bury it in her subconscious."

"Oh. Yeah, never mind. That sounds awful."

"Indeed."

"So what now?"

Crowley scrubbed a hand across his face. "I honestly don't know. I don't know where to even begin to make this up to her. This is the second time I've betrayed her trust like this."

"Saying you're sorry is a good way to start," came a quiet voice from behind them.

They looked over to see Rhia standing in the doorway of Gabriel's bedroom, arms wrapped defensively around her middle.

"What's he doing here?"

"Sitting in my armchair, drinking scotch."

"Stop being such a smartass," she snapped. "Why's he here, Gabe?"

"Had a bit of catching up to do, Cupcake."

"You had to do it while I was sleeping? You couldn't just wait until I was gone?"

It was rather obvious that she was trying to cover up her fear with anger, but it was failing miserably. She seemed even smaller than normal, her head ducked down as she peeked through her lashes at them. It broke the angel's heart a little.

"C'mere Cupcake," Gabriel said gently, holding out his arms. She hesitated in the doorway, shooting a fearful glance at her Master. "He won't bite. Just come here."

She climbed into his lap and buried her face in his shoulder, her shoulders visibly tense. Gabriel stroked her back, allowing a hint of his Grace to wash over her and help her relax.

"You should be asleep, Cupcake."

"Got cold. You weren't there," she mumbled, still not looking at Crowley. If she had, she would have seen the cracks in his stoic mask.

"Sorry, kiddo."

She yawned. "Glad you told him. Was a dick move."

Both men chuckled quietly. "So you've told me, Cupcake. Now get some rest." He ran a hand through her curls, forcing her to sleep.

"She wouldn't even look at me," Crowley sighed.

"Can you blame her? She was terrified of your reaction. If she can't see you, she can pretend you're not there. Here, take her."

"What, no!"

Gabriel sighed before standing up and literally dumping the sleeping young woman in Crowley's lap. The demon scrambled to get a proper hold on her, glaring at the angel. Rhia just sighed quietly in her sleep and snuggled closer to his warmth and familiar scent, a small smile on her lips.

"See? She snuggles you in her sleep. She's just got too many thoughts running through her head when she's awake."

"It's just the warmth," he argued.

"Try putting her in bed then."

Crowley huffed, carefully standing up and make his way to Gabriel's bedroom with Rhia securely in his arms. He tried laying her down but she let out a whimper and pressed her face into his suit jacket. Gabriel smirked at him from his spot on the bed.

"Told you. Might as well join us."

"I'm not getting in bed with you, you lying ball of feathers."

"Not with me. With her. You know you wanna and obviously she does too, whether she realizes it or not."

"Fine," Crowley growled. "But you're dealing with her panic attack in the morning."

"Easy enough. Here, I'll take her so you can at least strip down a bit."

Gabriel wrapped an arm around Rhia's shoulders and rolled her towards him. She protested a bit but settled down, snuggling into his warmth. Crowley reluctantly kicked off his shoes and laid his jacket across a nearby chair, along with his tie. He laid out on his back and Rhia instinctively rolled back to him. He let his arm curl around her shoulders as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, tossing her leg over his.

"She wasn't this cuddly with me," Gabriel snickered.

"Oh do shut up, before you wake her up and she has a heart attack."

He felt a hesitant flutter against his consciousness. She hadn't brushed minds with his in a while. Little late for that. I didn't think you'd let me cuddle you like this.

If the angel knew you were awake, I wouldn't. I do have an image to maintain.

...And if we weren't with Gabriel?

Then we wouldn't be in this situation, now would we?

...oh…

He felt her pulling away. Before she put up the up once again, he asked, Does the cuddling mean I'm forgiven then? Because I haven't managed even a piss poor apology yet.

Oh no. The cuddling is just the beginning of your apology. I hadn't realize just how warm you are.

Demon. Of course I'm warm. Feathers over there is warm as well, so why me?

She snuggled closer in response, breathing his scent in deeply. He let his hand drift down her side to rest against her hip. You smell better. Gabriel is too sugary and I don't like how his Grace burns my nose.

Crowley had to suppress the urge to laugh aloud. Now that he was calm, he couldn't fathom how he had been angry enough to hurt his little Familiar. It was painfully obvious how loyal she was to him, how could she have betrayed him? He really needed to work on his temper to avoid hurting her again. She was too valuable to lose. She had begun to mean too much to him.

Crowley? He could once again feel her hesitation. He didn't like that. Not from her.

Yes, pet?

Are you still mad at me?

He rubbed his thumb along her hipbone. No, pet, I'm not mad. Not at you. I… shouldn't have taken my temper out on you. You didn't deserve it. Bollocks, I'm no good at this apologizing thing.

I think you were doing a pretty decent job. Can I still stay here with Jake? I like spending time with his family. It's something I never really had.

You can stay, pet, as long as Feathers here keeps his hands off you. I don't share.

She gave him light squeeze, easily passed off as something she would do in her sleep. Gabriel rolled, tucking his wings around him as he laid facing away from the cuddling pair.

Only with Jake because you like watching us dance.

I do. But at the end of it all, you're mine, pet.

I know. And I'm sorry about Gabriel.

You wanted to go have fun, pet, and trust me, I understand the allure of an angel.

I still feel awful though.

I thought nothing happened? He felt his jealousy start to rear its ugly head. Had the angel lied to him? Wouldn't be the first time.

We didn't have sex if that's what you mean. I… couldn't. She was embarrassed again. We just- ugh. Here, it's easier to show you.

She sent him flashes of memories from earlier that night. The dancing and flirting, the body shot, and her failed effort to bed the angel. She finished off with the memory of grooming Gabriel's wings, including the peacefulness she had felt.

It's a shame demons can't do body shots like that. It seems more our M.O. than angels.

I'm sure it's still fun without the salt.

Care to help me test that theory, love? He teased her, wanting to know that they would be okay. That things could go back to the way they were before.

Sure. Hey Crowley?

Yes, pet? His thumb began caressing the bare skin along her hip. She shivered slightly.

She was quiet for a moment, and then he felt embarrassment flowing from her end of the Bond. I like being yours, Crowley. A lot.

That's flattering, love. The angel was right, however. I don't deserve such loyalty from you after everything I've put you through.

Her embarrassment turned into irritation. You're not understanding what I'm trying to say.

You'd be surprised, duckie. He dug a little further into her mind and brought back the memory to the surface. You're not the only one.

The Bond was practically humming with her pleasure. Now I'm really glad Gabriel called you. So where do we go from here?

His thumb never stopped caressing her hipbone. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, just be glad we have those irritating misconceptions behind us. Get some sleep, darling.

He felt her consciousness start to fade out. Just before she fell asleep, he heard one last thought. He wasn't quite sure if it was meant for him to hear or not, but nevertheless, he was glad for it. Mine.

Yes, pet. And you're mine. Heaven help anyone who tries to take you from me.

WOO! Feelings have been admitted and conflict resolved. Been trying to work out a way for this to happen for a while now. Let me know what you think by pressing that little button right down there. ~WK