Sam noticed when Gabriel left the apartment. The archangel had spent a couple of minutes talking with Castiel, Inias and Samandriel once Balthazar had taken off - and as much as he wanted to talk to his grandfather, Henry, Sam found himself distracted at the thought of the archangel leaving.
"So what was that box you were holding?" Adam asked, breaking the silence that had reigned since the three men had decided to sit down.
Henry Winchester took the box out of his pocket again and showed it to them. "I have no idea. My friend - my best friend - Larry Ganem, handed this to me over fifty years ago, and I don't know what it is. All I know is that he told me to protect it with my life, and I protected it…" He looked at Sam and Adam. "Whatever it is, it's the reason I've lost my family and my friends."
There was nothing that Sam and Adam could say to that, and Henry silently put it back in his pocket.
"So," Henry said after another long silence, "Gabriel tells me that you're hunters."
"I am," Sam replied. "Adam is pre-med…"
"I was," Adam interrupted. "I was until I died."
Henry nodded. "Gabriel told me that the archangels resurrected you. That you're the Archangel Michael's alternate vessel…"
"Did he mention that Sam is Lucifer's vessel, too? And that Dean's possessed by Michael?" Adam asked.
Sam shot Adam a look. Adam ignored him.
"He did indeed," Henry said, looking at them both. "Don't worry; we'll find a way to stop all this. Gabriel says he has a plan…"
"Yeah, well he hasn't shared it with the rest of us," Adam snapped, "and I'm getting a little tired of being yanked around by freaking angels."
"Adam, Gabriel is trying to help," Sam said.
Adam said nothing, but sat back in his seat with a huff.
Henry let out a sigh. "Believe me, it's better than being knocked out of your own time by a demon. And I believe Gabriel is sincere…"
"Why?" Adam asked. "Because he's angel?"
"Well, yes…"
"Then you haven't met very many angels," Adam said.
"Adam, Gabriel saved us both when those angels wanted to kill us, " Sam replied.
"Of course you're defending Gabriel," Adam shot back. "He's your own personal guardian angel."
Sam and Adam glared at each other.
"Maybe we should stop fighting each other and try to figure out a way to stop the Apocalypse?" Henry asked,
"Sounds like a good idea," Sam said, looking at Adam.
"Whatever," Adam replied. "I'm getting a beer."
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Samandriel had been watching the exchange from the kitchen, and although it was not considered polite among humans to listen in on conversations, he couldn't help but overhear Adam's conversation with his family.
When Adam got to the refrigerator, Samandriel said to him, "Gabriel does have plan, Adam…"
Adam turned to him. "You heard that?"
"I did not mean to listen to your conversation…"
"So what's the plan? Has he bothered to tell you?"
"That I do not know… But Inias believes him. I believe him. And I thought that you believed me…"
"I do," Adam said. He leaned on the refrigerator door and sighed. "You've been nothing but straight with me. It's just that he's an archangel. You said Michael deceived you and Inias; how can you trust Gabriel…"
"Gabriel has done things wrong, Adam. But he's trying to do the right thing now. I know you don't trust us freaking angels, but…"
"I trust you, Samandriel. If you say I should believe him, then I'll believe him."
Samandriel gave a little smile.
Adam gave a little smile back at him, and got off the refrigerator door and opened it. "Hey, I'm hungry. I could go for turkey and swiss and a beer."
Samandriel took a quick look inside the refrigerator. "There only appears to be soda at the moment."
"Freaking archangels," Adam muttered, taking out a package of sliced turkey and one of swiss cheese.
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Gabriel was loathe to leave Sam with Lucifer hot on their trail, but there was no way that he was going to risk taking Sam to visit the rest of the Principalities until he was sure who he could trust.
Gabriel trusted his adopted family among the Aesir - well, most of them. Gabriel loved Thor like another older brother; the same with Freyr and Tyr. Magni, Modi, and Thrud were as niece and nephews to Gabriel - and he trusted the younger gods with his life.
He had always been grateful to Odin and Frigga for taking him in and protecting him, but to say that they were close would be pushing it. He did trust them however, since they had kept the secret of his true nature from the rest of the Principalities.
Sif and Freya were like sisters to him, and even though Gabriel teased them mercilessly (Sif had been furious with him when he had cut her golden hair, but forgave him when it grew back black), and he loved them with all his heart.
However, he disliked Baldr - and the feeling was mutual. Gabriel didn't understand why, but there was just something about Baldr that just irked him. Maybe it was the way he was always trying to appear more "civilized" than the rest of the Aesir - or that he's just plain full of his own righteousness like Michael, Gabriel thought.
No, I wouldn't go that far, Gabriel thought. He would never callously sacrifice his family just to score points off his brother. I don't like the prick, but he's got integrity. I'd like him better if I didn't have to hear about his integrity all the time.
It was Vili and Ve, Odin's brothers, that Gabriel deeply distrusted - conniving, greedy little bastards, Gabriel thought.
Thor and Modi had come back from patrolling the neighborhood, and Modi agreed to stay and watch the house, while Thor accompanied Gabriel.
When they reached the street level from the elevator, Thor said, "We need to make a stop first."
"What?" Gabriel asked. "Why? Where?"
Thor grinned at Gabriel. "Stop being so impatient. Just a slight detour to pick up something that I'll need, and then we can be on our way."
"I'm not impatient; just curious."
"That's the same thing with you, little brother."
Gabriel couldn't help it, but his heart warmed as it usually did when Thor called him "little brother" - even when he's knocking the snot out of me playing Knattleikr, he thought.
"So what's this thing that you need so badly?" Gabriel asked.
"Mjolnir," Thor said.
"What?!" Gabriel shrieked. "Don't you keep that thing on you? In -I don't know! - Hammerspace or something?"
"It usually never leaves my side, but these are unusual times." The grin left Thor's face. "Odin felt it would be wise to store our weapons somewhere where Lucifer would not look for them."
"Did he have a vision?" Gabriel asked.
Thor nodded. "He said he saw Mjolnir in the hands of Plutus, being bid on by demons. Of course, I told him that Mjolnir would only leave my cold, dead hands, and he said, yes."
"Bastard," Gabriel said.
"It's no worse than what you told me," Thor said. "And when you and Odin agree on a thing, I tend to listen."
"Fine," Gabriel said. "So where's the super secret lair this thing is hidden in? And what kind of quest do we have to go on to get it?"
"It's at the bank," Thor said.
Again Gabriel stood, nonplussed, then he said, "The bank? That's the big hiding place Odin suggested?" He let out a whistle. "Well, it does have the virtue of being original."
"Lucifer would never look there,"Thor said.
"Touche."
"We should get going," Thor said. "They close at three."
"Bankers' hours," Gabriel said. "Gotta love them."
"There's a coffee shop next door. They have those cinnamon rolls that you like so much."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Are you bribing me. Thor?"
"Just thought I'd mention it."
Gabriel let out a laugh. "Odin's right - I am a bad influence on you!"
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They reached the bank with time to spare before 3pm, and the angels were led into the bank by the manager.
"Always happy to do business with you, Mr. Thorson," the manager said as she escorted them into the vault.
Once they were left alone, Thor opened the safe deposit box.
Gabriel peered in. "I didn't know you were into jewelry," he said.
Thor took out the hammer shaped amulet and regarded it with reverence.
"Matches your eyes," Gabriel said.
"For that, you buy your own coffee," Thor replied.
The door of the bank vault was suddenly thrown open, and the frightened bank manager was pushed back inside. With her was an older, nattily dressed gentleman with a hat, who held her by the neck.
"Now, you really wouldn't want me to hurt this lovely lady, would you?" the man asked.
Thor sneered at the intruder. "Vili, what are you doing here?"
"Taking something that I've always wanted. Hand over Mjolnir, and this lovely lady gets to go home to her family tonight."
"I don't think so," Gabriel said, letting his angelic blade fall from his sleeve, and throwing it, hitting Vili in the shoulder.
Vili screamed, pushing the woman aside and pulling the blade from his shoulder.
Thor manifested Mjolnir as Gabriel got the woman behind the metal table in the vault.
Vili threw himself towards the vault door as Thor threw Mjolnir at him. The hammer hit the door, knocking it off its hinges and falling with a crash into the interior of the bank.
People started screaming and running for the exits.
"So much for getting coffee," Gabriel said, rising to his feet.
He would have moved, but he felt something odd about the woman. He looked at her, she smiled at him, and clamped golden bracelet around his wrist that made him immediately go weak at the knees.
Gabriel tried to grab her, but she spun away from his grasp.
"It's been a while, Gabriel," she said, in a familiar, masculine voice.
Her eyes glowed red
"Crowley," Gabriel said. "Release me before I tear you apart."
"I don't think so, luv," Crowley said. "I have it on good authority that those Enochian symbols will keep even the most recalcitrant archangel's power bound." He smiled at Gabriel and smoothed out the bank manager's dress. "Now let's talk business."
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A/N: Knattleikr is a Viking game that's kind of a mix of lacrosse and rugby, where they basically beat the crap out of each other with sticks and balls. (Thanks, Wikipedia!)
Hammerspace is the fan-wank of how cartoon characters are able to pull mallets, and hammers (hence the name) out of thin air. Of course, Gabriel is being funny when he uses the term!
Cinnamon buns are very popular for the Scandinavian fika, or coffee break!
Crowley! What can I say? He does know how to make an entrance! He wouldn't leave me alone until I found some way for him to get into this story!
Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or followed this story!