Chapter 21: Wrath of an Archangel

Gabriel was so stunned by what happened that it took him a few minutes to register the words being spoken to him; too long because Dean snapped again.

"Gabriel are you alright?!"

He tried to speak and let out a hacking cough. "Y-yeah…"

"Drop the barrier Crowley! Let them in!" Dean said, his voice cold as ice. "And get off him!"

"Now Dean I'm sure we can—"

"NOW!"

The whole building lit up for a moment before it vanished. There was a rustling and there were suddenly hands on Gabriel and he tensed, ready to fight. Crowley smirked and clenched his legs on the angel's chest making Gabriel gasp in pain and Dean shoved his gun hard into the back of the demon's head and he let go. Those hands yanked Gabriel out from under Crowley and the demon smirked as he watched the angel cling to his savor.

Gabriel was shaking at his near death and rape experience. Those hands rubbed at his bare shoulders before pulling away and something warm was draped over him. Gabriel managed to calm himself enough to look up to find that it was Sam holding him close. Gabriel buried his face in Sam's chest and the hunter held him close, pulling his jacket tighter around the blonde's exposed body.

"Okay Crowley. Here's the deal…" Dean said. "You are going to take that fucking cuff off of Gabriel or I will blow your brains out!"

"Kill me and he's stuck with that cuff until he dies." Crowley said, sounding confident. "You need me alive."

"Guess again." Sam said. "Don't forget that Dean is mated to an angel and Adam is mated to two archangels. We know that if we kill the one who put the Cuff on Gabriel is killed then the power transfers. We kill you and we'll be able to take it off ourselves. So what's it going to be Crowley?"

The demon fell silent, obviously weighting his options.

Dean smiled and the gun dug deeper. "Just give me a reason. I've been itching to kill you since you started this whole grand scheme."

"Fine!" The Scotsman said. "Am I allowed to move?"

"Give him your arm Gabriel." Dean said.

Gabriel made a terrified noise and Sam was quick to calm and reassure him. "You don't have to look at him Gabe. Just hold out your arm and I'll make sure he won't touch you other then to get the cuff off. I promise."

Dean let out a growl. "If he knows what's good for him all he better do is remove that cuff with as little touching as possible or else I'll blow his head right off."

Gabriel held out his arm and Crowley slowly leaned forward and gingerly removed the cuff, making sure to not touch the angel more then he needed to. As soon as the cuff was off Dean yanked the demon to his feet just as the others appeared. The other three angels seemed relieved at seeing Gabriel safe. Adam let out a breath of relief at seeing his big brothers safe. Kali seemed relieved that they had gotten to the blonde in time while Loki looked bored.

Crowley looked around looking quite sheepish. "No hard feelings right? So then I'll just be on my merry way. So long."

Michael grabbed the demon by the shoulder tight making the Scotsman wince in pain. "I don't think so. Not after all the shit you just put Gabby through! Dean may not have killed you but that doesn't mean I won't!"

Crowley made a funny noise. "I didn't really hurt him! No lasting damage done! His Pagan Magic is healing him so he won't have a mark on him!"

"Looks like I'm about to get my throne back Crowley." Lucifer said with a smirk. "Michael is going to make sure that this is the last mistake you'll ever make."

"You want your throne back? Done! All yours!" Crowley said. "For you and your pet—MATE! Mate Adam. See? I can be nice."

"That sounds more like something flushed in a sewer under a bull farm." Loki spat. "And it stinks just as bad. Not to mention I owe him for interfering with the Pagan Gods. I think having him castrated will work just fine."

The demon paled. "Is this really necessary?"

"Gabe?!"

The group turned to see that Gabriel had pulled away from Sam and was holding one of the hunter's pocket knives. The angel's eyes looked blank as he flipped open the knife. With a shaking hand he dug the point into his wrist and dragged it down, bright red blood spewing forth and drawing shocked gasps from the others.

"Gabriel what are you doing?" Lucifer snapped. "You could kill yourself like that!"

Adam started forward when Michael suddenly stopped him. "DON'T! Gabriel is dangerous right now! Everyone get back!"

Gabriel dropped the bloody knife to the ground and dug his fingers deep into the wound. He pulled bag with something between his fingers. He stared at it for a minute before dropping it to the ground, the sound of ringing metal filling the building. Gabriel raised his head, his eyes going from hazel to gold before burning with the blue of his Grace. A shadow of six enormous wings appeared behind him before they fully manifested in their brilliant golden glory, spreading out to cover the back wall in shadow. They slowly folded up behind the angel as his wounds began to heal.

"Crowley…I think it's time I fulfilled my promise. I'm going to rip out your throat with my teeth." Gabriel said before he vanished from sight.

Crowley pulled away from Michael and took off. Gabriel reappeared in front of the demon, slamming his head into the Scotsman's nose and breaking it, blood gushing out like a fountain. Crowley gripped his nose and took off again. The Hell King pressed his luck and headed for the closest door and he made it almost to the door when the blonde appeared again. This time Crowley was thrown back with a well placed kick to the stomach. Instead of running this time the former crossroads demon began backing away across the floor, fearful of the enraged archangel stalking after him.

"You poisoned me!"

"Now Gabriel I know that I messed up—"

"You kidnapped me!"

"I know that was crossing a line—"

"You tired to choke me to death twice!"

"I wouldn't have really—"

"You tried to force me into a marriage to take my power and turn me into slave to help you keep your position of power by turning me against my family!"

"I admit that I may have gone a bit too far with that but it's not like—"

"You raped me!" Came the slightly ringing voice; Gabriel was just shy of losing control.

Crowley was silent this time, his face pale as he stopped to stare up at the angel. "I know what I did was wrong and I will spend every waking minute making it up to you if you let me live."

"What makes you think I'm going to kill you?" The blonde snapped his voice now low but still ringing with the angelic power.

"You're an angel." The demon said meekly. "Angel's kill those that have wronged them."

Gabriel crouched down in front of the demon, his gold wings flaring out so that they were just brushing the dirty concrete floor and his eyes glowing blue still. "See… That's the thing about me Crowley… I was never like my brothers and sisters. I never wanted to be a warrior like Michael. I never wanted to be a Spell Weaver like Lucifer. I didn't even care to become a Loreist like Raphael. Instead I decided to become a Healer. I was seen as weak and foolish for wanting to take that path. Yes it does seen like a cowards was out but it led me to greater things. It made me realize that there are things that can happen to you that are far worse then the merciful death you think I'm going to give you.

"Let me explain. Being a healer came with a unique bonus for me that many people don't tend to think about. I know bodies inside and out. All of them. I helped my Dad create some of them and he showed me how the others work. I know everything about every body inside and out. I can kill you with pleasure and revive you with pain, I can take away your senses and I make them so strong that you can't handle them. Your body is nothing more then an instrument and I am the master of it. I can turn your body into my play thing and there won't be a single damn thing that you can do to stop me."

Gabriel paused and Crowley looked like he was about to be sick. "W-What are you g-going to do to m-me?"

The laugh that came from Gabriel was enough to chill the very soul. "I guess that depends on you doesn't it Crowley?"

The demon stared before flinging an angel blade right at the blonde's face. Gabriel brought his hand up just in time and the blade went right through his hand. The curse that the blonde let out shook the building. Crowley took his chance and ran once more. Gabriel slowly stood staring at his hand. He didn't even flinch as he pulled the blade from his hand. As soon as the metal was free of his skin, the archangel whirled and threw the blade.

Crowley screamed as the blade went into his hand, pinning him to the wall next to the door he was trying to leave through. Gabriel appeared behind the demon and yanked the blade from his hand, flipped him over, and slammed the blade back in making him scream again. Gabriel snarled at his scream.

"Doesn't feel too good does it asshole?!" He yelled.

"Take it out!" The demon screamed.

"You deserve it and so much more! How many others have suffered under you like I did? Ten? Twenty? Or can't you count that high?!"

Crowley struggled to get lose. "You're insane!"

"YOU MADE ME THIS WAY! YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD PLAY GAMES WITH A TRICKSTER AND THIS IS THE RESULT!" Gabriel yelled, making part of the building collapse as the others, who were watching fearfully ducked for cover.

Crowley began to sob, blood coming from his ears and eyes. "I AM SORRY OKAY! I SAID I'M SORRY! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME YOU PSYCHOTIC SIX-WINGED FREAK!?"

"I want you to suffer endlessly." Gabriel said, his voice deathly quite.

The blonde pulled back and the demon started to relax but Gabriel was quick to yank the blade from his hand and throw the demon to the floor. The demon screamed and caught fire, his body burning but it quickly went out only to start up again. Gabriel watched with disinterest as Crowley repeatedly caught fire and healed. With a snap the demon vanished, his screams still echoing and Gabriel stood there, almost panting, his wings puffed in agitation.

Kali moved forward, wanting to check on Gabriel but Michael was quick to grab her, not wanting her to get hurt before explaining his actions. "Gabriel is still agitated. He could attack. You could get hurt. He's an archangel."

Kali shook him off and made her way over to Gabriel slowly. She had never been truly afraid of him but right now she was terrified. It didn't matter; she had to check on him and make sure he was going to be okay. The goddess felt that she owed him that much after everything she had help put him through.

"Gabriel? Are you okay?" She asked softly.

The archangel's gaze shifted to her and it only took a few seconds before his gaze shifted back to blue. Kali didn't even have a chance to scream as she was flung across the room, slamming into the wall. Gabriel was on her before she even knew what was happening. She looked into his eyes as she dangled off the floor, held up by one of his hands while the other was clenching his blade once more.

"Gabriel please! It's me!" She said softly, trying not to cry. "It's Kali! I'm your friend!"

"Friends don't do what you did to me! You betrayed me! You helped that bastard get his claws into me! You almost got me killed and you got me raped! All because you were scorned by what I did!" Gabriel snapped. "I died for you! I thought that would mean something for you Black One!"

Kali flinched as he called her by one of her many titles instead of her name. "Gabriel I really am sorry! That's why I stayed with you and tried to protect and take care of you! I was trying to make up for my mistakes!"

Gabriel scoffed. "Looks like the Black One doesn't have a heart at all. Or maybe you did and you wasted it on Baldur and your petty squabbles among the other Pagans gods? Such a petty people that doesn't give a damn about anyone but themselves!"

"I cared about you once." The deity sobbed. "We were going to be mated!"

"Until you betrayed me for BALDUR!" Gabriel yelled throwing her across the room once more before stalking towards her, his blade held tight.

Loki rushed forward and covered her body with his own while staring down Gabriel. He tried to use his Pagan magic to calm the enraged archangel but Gabriel was far too powerful for him. This was going to end very badly.

"Gabe stop it!"

Gabriel froze, staring at Sam, who was now firmly between the angel and the gods. Loki, seeing the gesture for what it was, picked up Kali and fled for the safety of the other archangels, hoping the human knew what he was doing. Gabriel growled as he watched the two leave but his glowing blue gaze turned back to the weaponless hunter that was standing before him with pleading green eyes.

"Why?! I deserve my revenge!" The archangel yelled, making the hunter flinch.

"I know you do Gabe but this isn't the way to go about it." Sam said softly. "And Kali did try to protect you. She doesn't deserve whatever you are planning. Crowley did but she doesn't."

"She… She is the reason this happened!"

"You and I both know that isn't the truth. She helped but she isn't the real reason why this happened." Sam said, moving closer, reaching for Gabriel's blade. "This isn't going to make it better."

Gabriel stood still as Sam's gently pried his blade from his limp fingers and tossed it towards the others. "You don't understand Sam! It hurts! What they did to me was—"

"I do understand. It was cruel and inhumane what they put you through but revenge solves nothing. I've learned that the hard way. So has Dean. So have the other countless hunters I've met. Please. There are better ways for us to help you get over this okay?" Sam coaxed, moving closer as the blue faded leaving behind pained gold eyes. "Let us help you. Let me help you Gabe. I love you."

Gabriel let out a harsh sob and collapsed, with Sam rushing to catch him. He held the blonde close, letting him cry into his shirt. Looking up he could see the relief on everyone's faces. Sam had just saved Gabriel from himself.