Hello, dear readers! Exams are a bitch, ISU's were hell and the homework load was absolute torture. Even my guitar class gave me homework. But here I am, so please, don't kill me!

Chapter Twenty Three: Because of a Dove

Today was a special day. Not only because he was actually alive and not bleeding, bruised or otherwise incapacitated but because of his brother. Gabriel had thought it was a special day until he actually thought about what it brought about. Every ten thousand years, an archangel had what humans would call a birthday. Gifts would be given and you could spend time with the siblings closest to you. It was also the day their Father would leave his garden and sit for just a little while, taking time out of his busy day to stroke their hair and praise them for what they had done. Unfortunately, Raphael's birthday fell on the exact date when He had left. Gabriel, himself, had left on Michael's 'birthday'.

Then again, Gabriel also had the worst birthday of all. His was the anniversary of the Fall.

This was Raphael's day, though. The day when Father was supposed to be there and give a gift both beautiful and purposeful. The day supposed to be spent with family, two of whom were quarrelling almost as bad as before the Fall and the third having run away from it all. Meanwhile, a civil war was going on in Heaven since the resistance of before hadn't been entirely crushed by his words. Young angels were eager to prove themselves to this new power, who was actually an old power just come back from 'beyond the grave'. Oh, how he hated when this happened! To top it all off, this latest incident had reawakened the insane part of his brother craving the heads of two certain Winchester boys.

After all that he had seen and done, it was shaping up to be a whole new Hell. Therefore, he was incredibly subdued as he sat up in a withered old oak tree just watching the stars twinkle and shine. A tear dropped to the bark when a purple tinged comet raced across the sky. So this was how it would start. Rocking himself slowly, he stroked the head of the last present he had received before everything changed. A silvery dove with a long-feathered tail sat cooing in his lap. She was loyal to him and only him. Síochána had been with him for the long centuries of separation and heartache without uttering a peep or flying away without him. Her song was quiet, like tiny crystal bells that soothed him enough to stop from breaking down entirely. She was singing to him now. Tucked close to his body like a child's stuffed toy.

Síochána didn't sing alone. Gabriel was mouthing the words to a song he'd heard in passing, simply humming along. The thunderstorm made sure nobody could hear. Unfortunately, it also allowed Balthazar to sneak up on him and scare him out of the tree. His dove went away without being seen, which also allowed him to chase Balthazar around until he cried 'uncle'. Or at least, he would have if the old tart hadn't hissed, "There isn't any time for this, Gabe. Raphael is falling apart at the seams and the only two who would be able to stop him other than you are fighting to the death inside the Pantheon." Well, shit. "I'm getting the boys out of here."

It was entirely possible that there wasn't a word he could say that would make things right. Ever since Legion, Lucifer had been distant from them. Michael blamed himself and Raphael was driving himself insane trying to fix everything. Gabriel? Well, he was doing what he did best. Running. Stunned, he allowed Balthazar to get past him and make a ton of Godfather references in order to explain what was happening. Numbly, he supplied the lamb's blood needed and slumped to the floor with his head in his hands. Technically, he could do what the fledgling was doing without the mess but where was the fun in that? More importantly, he didn't really think he could send them to an alternate dimension without things like piranhas and man-eating sloth-crocodiles. It's even more likely that they would simply cease to exist entirely.

With Balthazar crushing the vertebrae, he looked at the gawking Winchesters tiredly and explained, "He's putting you somewhere safe."

"Where's Cas?" Of course that would pop in somewhere.

"He is deep, deep underground. So, good old Raffy put out a hit list on every last samaritan who helped our dear Cass - Including both of you. And so much more importantly, me. See, he wants to draw Cass out in the open." Balthazar tried not to show it, but he was scared. He sent Gabriel a slightly pleading look and stated, "You'll go after him."

It wasn't as if there was any questioning it. Of course he was going after the fledgling. Only Castiel could be up shit creek without a paddle and then find a body post-mortem to wade through it with. In simple terms, he was going to have to fight his brother on the one day in ten thousand years that they're supposed to be a family. But it was either that or feel his former fledgling die a second time, feel that connection crackle and hiss in agony before cutting off completely. He would also have to protect the others. There were at least fifteen other angels that he just knew would be on Raph's shit-list, if not already eliminated.

"Like hell, he'll go after him. Why should we believe you?"

"You don't have a choice, boys. You'll go wherever Gabriel and I throw you."

That was when he knew something was wrong. Balthazar knew the spell like the blade of his sword and he had enough power to use it. Unless he had- "Sprung a leak, Balthy?"

"Well, Raffy did send one of his nastiest henchmen to kill me. I might actually be flattered, if I wasn't pretty sure I was missing a lung." Opening his coat, he revealed a gash that glowed a faint blue. Gabriel hissed in sympathy for the pain he must be feeling before snatching the keys from the blinking angel's inner coat pocket. "Easy, Gabe! Anyways, take them and run. Fast and as far as you can. Gabriel and I will try to hold them off."

A flutter of wings was all that announced Virgil's presence. That, and Balthazar being flung across the room. Gabriel snatched one of his blades and made an attempt not to kill his brother while simultaneously keeping him away from the Winchesters. It wasn't as if the blade could kill him. It would sting like hell when it struck but no, it would never kill him. Balthazar staggered to his feet and pushed them towards the blood symbol he had made, the one for 'travel'. And travel they did. "Hey, looks like we got the last laugh, huh?"

Virgil was now Grace-bound but they had another problem. Fifteen, actually. It looked as though Raphael had sent bits and pieces of his garrison after Balthazar, not intending to ever find Gabriel. Which was a true shame, for them. Half an hour later, he and Balthazar were walking out of Singer's house(what was left of it) in mostly one piece covered in blood and feathers. Okay, so he had bound their wings too. Big deal. He had a fledgling to find. The major problem was that Raphael knew him much too well. Quite literally inside and out. He must have known that if Castiel went missing, Gabriel would travel the earth for the next four million years to find him and rip the imposer limb from limb. Unless…

That was what he wanted. This entire situation was so screwed up, Gabriel couldn't tell left from right anymore. If Raphael was going after the Winchesters, it would mean one of two things. That he had lost his mind and decided to pull a Lucifer or that he needed them out of the way for something ridiculously stupid that involved blood, guts and a shit-load of Grace. Someone in Heaven was a traitor, that much was obvious. Whoever was being hunted down had nothing to do with them but since he liked to think positive, he was going to go with option number two. Unless there was a third option that completely screwed over everyone involved, as was so often the case. In that event, there was a fourth option. Something from the pit had escaped, probably something with the power to terrorize angels. Definitely not an…It. But still up there.

So now the only question was why Gabriel himself hadn't been told. Why couldn't he feel what was going on in Heaven? The only answer crushed him. They were breaking apart again, just like before the Fall. Taking sides in that stupid argument that for all he knew, involved Swiss cheese instead of cream on top of a bagel. It was ridiculous how easy it was to set them off again after a few millennia of hating each other. Back to the point, however. If there was a traitor, chances were that he or she was searching for the Winchesters and that Raphael knew exactly who it was.

And Michael said he could never be a detective…

There was no room for tears anymore. After all that had happened, there was only space left for anger and a deep, soul-sucking pain. Balthazar was giving him funny looks and he knew that his expression was sure as Hell about to make him piss himself. That was what he wanted. Turning around sharply, he stalked back into the house and grabbed one of his subordinates by the wings. The shrill screams were cut off with a heavy right-hook to the stomach, accompanied by the sickly sound of snapping ribs. Gabriel didn't listen to his little brother trying to reason with him. Instead, he got up close and personal with the bound angel and hissed, "Where the fuck is he, Joliel?"

She spat in his face.

Gabriel snarled and put her through a wall. Grabbing her wings in a firmer grip, he pulled slightly. The hitch in her breath was like music to his ears. Putting his mouth closer to her ear, he murmured sweetly, "I'll give you one last chance, sister. Where is Raphael? Where is he?!"

After a couple of minutes and no answer in sight, his grip became unbearable. She screamed as her wings were pulled straight from their bases, nothing but flesh connecting them to her body. Joliel's Grace was flooding the area, trying desperately to mend the dislocations, but even as she screamed Gabriel didn't stop. His hands were coated liberally in blue blood as they worked tirelessly, twisting the feathered appendages until they grinded and popped against the joints. There was a thick haze around his vision that somehow made everything much clearer to him. Tossing aside the wings, Gabriel tossed her limp body as far away from himself as he could. Balthazar was shouting at him and he finally took the time to listen. "Stop! Just…" Trailing off, he looked at him with some strange emotion surfacing in his eyes. They quickly hardened and soon, there was a sword headed straight for his heart.

Gabriel snarled slightly and flung him into the space-time continuum. Grieving for what he had just lost, he swept himself away to the realm of knuckleheaded wonderment. There was no time to explain what he had figured out to Balthazar, especially when the kid had his hands on a blade. His blade. After the whole Lucifer debacle, you would have thought he'd keep it in a better hiding place. One would have thought he'd stop carrying the damned thing all together.

But no. Balthazar was holding an archangel's blade, pursuing an archangel who had wanted nothing more than to find his brothers and make things right again. At all costs. He could regret what was done to Joliel after everything was back to normal because right now, there wasn't enough room in his heart to do any more. This was proved wrong when he made it just in time for 'Jensen's' makeup mishap. Choking on a snicker, he waited for the hunter to whip around so he could point and laugh. Eye twitching, he hissed out of hearing range of the woman, "You think this is funny? Dude, this is fricking scarring enough as it is! I-I'm like, a painted whore!"

That did it. What little composure he had managed to maintain was gone in an instant, falling to the floor gasping for air. "Oh, Father. C-can't…can't breath!" This was so much better than he thought it would be. And to think, Balthazar wanted to send them to Antarctica and turn them into penguins. Entertainment factor goes to his reality, though. Plus, Raphael couldn't break through it. Wiping tears from his eyes, Gabriel asked, "Where'd Sammy go? He really needs to see this."

"Uh, some hot chick took him."

"…for what, exactly?"

"Dunno. Private interview?"

Well, shit. This is going to be even better than Dean wearing makeup. And he was right. It was. The sheer awkwardness of 'Jared's' answers were like music to his ears. Very discordant music that was enough to laugh at but got extremely painful to the ears after long periods of time. Yes, he had sent them to TV land again but this time would be less painful. This was their own show in an alternate reality with just enough surprises to keep himself amused. Gabriel did, after all, come through here to torment the actors who looked like pain-in-the-ass one and two whenever they pissed him off. They were now paranoid and slightly off kilter but that was even better.

It took the chuckleheads a while to get their act together and realize that they were on a TV show. Maybe because it wasn't like the one he'd shoved them into before Castiel discovered his name. "-and I'm something called a 'Jared Padalacki'."

"What, so now you're Polish?"

Wow. Gabriel might be able to see the future but even he couldn't have seen that level of pure idiocy. "First of all, Sam. That would be your name, not an it. Get used to it because you could be here for a while. Maybe a week if I get lucky. But I haven't so you might want to adapt. Quickly. Second. Really? Does It matter? Dude, your name is Jensen Ackles and you're making fun of him?" Dean didn't have anything further to say.

Of course, then they walked through the door of the studio and the first thing Dean saw? The Impala. s. Plural. He was pretty sure there wasn't a name for the color the poor kid turned but he was 99% sure it wasn't to be found on any color wheel. Nor was it a healthy shade or a flattering look as an Olay foundation any time soon. Frankly, Gabriel didn't understand the attachment to the car. It smelled permanently of fast food, blood and other bodily fluids best not mentioned in polite company. There were a few dints that Dean had yet to hammer out after the last incident, a few loose springs in the seats, etc. Although he had to admit, it was a smooth ride otherwise. Perhaps he had even grown fond of it.

That still didn't stop him from laughing at the over dramatization of the scene. They weren't even on set but this? This was pure comedy gold. Choking a bit, he guided Dean over to a chair and sat down in front of him. "Dean-o, this is an alternate reality. One where you don't give a damn about the car because it isn't yours. One where it doesn't have to be repaired every week because a poltergeist threw the Samsquatch through the roof. Hell, one where there isn't real blood stains in the ba-"

"Bloodstains? There's stains in my baby? Dude, not cool."

"There may also be a half-eaten enchilada that I dropped while praying for my life after that car chase in Kentucky. What of it?"

"…"

"…"

"…Gabriel."

"Yeah. I'll get right on that. You know, on the off-chance it didn't go through the broken window. Well, anyways, I should probably get back. If you see Balthazar for some reason, tell him I know what I'm doing and if he would stop trying to kill me, that would be awesome. Ttyl!" Here's to hoping he didn't just pop out right in the middle of an ambush or something.

And, two seconds later, he was peering around the corner in a surprisingly safe warehouse trying to get a lock on Castiel's Grace. Lucifer would be great at the moment, too, but Michael probably had him under lock and key. His own Grace was tucked so tightly inside his vessel it was starting to get painful but at this point, it was either that or have angel squad on his ass. He could definitely out-fly them all yet there was still the preference of staying lazy and just walking around laughing at the look on their faces. Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, smites like an Archangel. And evidentially, doubles as an answering machine.

"Dear Castiel, who art…maybe, running his ass away from Heaven, we pray that you have your ears on. So, breaker, breaker…"

That. Was the saddest prayer he had ever heard in his life. Pace-palming, Gabriel sighed and felt like bashing his head against the wall. Answering the prayer with sarcasm oozing from every word, he shot back, "Alpha-Charlie-Tango, we hear you. Would you like me to put you on hold? What part of WE CAN'T REACH CASTIEL didn't you knuckleheads get? Yes, Raphael locks him up so you don't have a hope of finding him and one prayer later, he's suddenly there like fricking Mary Poppins! So congratulations. You just broadcasted your location to every angel earth-side and a few powerful ones in Heaven. I'm giving you a day before I bust your asses out and toss you into TV land. So hurry the he- are you even listening to me?…no. Why do I bother?"

"Cass is right there!"

"That isn't Castiel. It's an alternate reality version of Jimmy. Alternate reality equals no angels. No angels means no Castiel. Get it?"

"…shit."

"Good. Now shut up and let me work."

Element of surprise? Gone. Cover? Blown. Chances of survival after facing a platoon of twenty heavily armed soldiers who were staring at you with the bright-eyed look of the criminally insane? Slim to none. Chances of running away like a pansy screaming like Tarzan? Well. No one would hear him anyways. Opening up his wings, he gave a quick smirk as he saw them flinch away from the blinding gold before quickly taking flight. Through the prairies with wheat somehow getting in his mouth, over the Swiss alps in a suddenly awake and complaining vessel and through the oceans, discovering that there really was one of his monstrous dolphins left (AN: See the Village Idiot. Leave the rest to the imagination. Seriously. It isn't pretty.)after it thoughtfully took a bite out of half of the platoon. While they regrouped, he braved the odds to go up to it and scratch it's chin, cooing, "Daddy's little girl!"

Surprisingly enough, it liked it and didn't try to eat him. And apparently, it was female. Patting it quickly on the head, he continued his journey as the others finally regained their limbs-er, wits. Yeah. Getting to the point, the chase lasted for a while until he lost them somewhere around Venus. A whole two minutes long, actually. They moved fast for a heavily-armed platoon. He hummed 'You Are My Sunshine" under his breath as he passed by the… well, the sun.