A/N: So I thought you all hated me after that last chapter because I posted it and waited for someone to do SOMETHING and I never got a notification for some form of activity, so I was really worried. It turns out though, that my gmail account thinks my notifications from Fanfiction are spam, so it filters them into my spam box. Too bad it doesn't do that for my Facebook notifications -_-

Anyway, I've since checked my spam box and looked at all your wonderful reviews and reactions and favorites and alerts and whatnots that I enjoy so much and here is another chapter.

ALSO REGARDING A PLOT HOLE THAT IS NOT A PLOT HOLE, BUT WON'T REALLY BE EXPLAINED: I believe that at least two of my lovely readers mentioned that Raphael and Michael overheard God's order to send Castiel to earth in chapter one. This won't really be explained (well it will kind of, but not really) So I want to make it clear that the reason they didn't do anything initially is that God was still there and His word is more important to them than their own personal desires. However, with God gone, Michael is in charge and Michael wants the apocalypse on track. (His reasoning for this will be explained in chapter 30 or 31, I can't remember which one it is right now) God also did not leave any additional orders when He left, so Michael feels like he has free reign. Sorry if this kind of spoils some stuff for you (and if it's still confusing I'll try to clarify further) but I didn't want to lose any readers to an apparent plot hole. There's probably about 40,000 of them already since my plot is based off a piece of notebook paper listing what's supposed to happen in each chapter that I wrote out two years ago, but I don't believe that the plot hole discussed above is actually a plot hole.

The 48 Hour Film Festival for October is coming up tomorrow and I'm going to try and get this in before that happens. If it does not happen, then I am sorry for making you wait.

Gosh this is a long author's note...

Please enjoy!


John wouldn't stop driving. As soon as they got on the highway and out of that accursed town, he gunned the gas, shooting the Impala down the road at well above the speed limit. He'd shoot worried glances back at Dean and Cas, but found relief when after an hour of them driving, they finally stirred. Since then, John hadn't stopped, and it had been well over five hours. The car was completely silent, save for Sammy's discontented fussing. Dean did his best to shush him, but didn't have much luck.

John never asked what happened after he and Bobby went upstairs. He could guess, Raphael must have appeared in that unsettling way angels did, demanded Cas and then forced Dean and Castiel into unconsciousness when they didn't comply. John grit his teeth. This was disastrous. They had both Heaven and Hell on their tails and their only ally was a possibly dead archangel.

"John, you need to pull over." Bobby said, watching the signs. "We're way out of dodge and the kids need to rest."

"They can rest while I drive." John insisted, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"We're gonna run out of gas." Bobby reasoned, trying to get John to think rationally. "What happens then? We'll be stranded on the side of the road."

"Mr. Winchester, Gabriel will take care of Raphael. I do not sense anyone following us. We can stop." Castiel bargained, trying to get the distressed man to pull over.

"No, Castiel. You didn't since Balthazar or Raphael coming. I'm sorry, but we can't trust your 'senses' anymore." John said, looking at the fledgling in the rearview mirror.

Castiel sighed and leaned his head up against the seat. "If you insist." He said sadly.

He didn't mean it like that, Castiel. Jimmy told him. He began stirring from the earlier excitement and hadn't been able to rest sense. Castiel could sense that he was equally as stressed.

"I should have told them." Castiel muttered quietly. "Regardless of their stubbornness."

Bobby looked back at him, a concerned frown on his face. "Who do you keep talking to?" He asked, more curiosity in his voice than malice.

"James Novak." Castiel said simply. At Bobby's bewildered look he added. "My vessel's soul."

"You are going to have to help me write a book on you angels." Bobby commented. Castiel looked at him curiously. "There isn't any hunter literature on angels and if your kind is going to be a problem, we need to know as much about you as possible."

Castiel buried his face in his hands, suppressing a sigh. "We are supposed to be the watchers. We only interfere when invoked with prayer." He turned his head towards the window and watched the scenery rush by for a few seconds, the blurring of colors making him dizzy. "Why have we strayed so far from that?"

Bobby didn't say anything to that, but returned to watching the road rush under them as John abused the gas pedal.

Meanwhile Gabriel stood among the burnt remains of the, sadly deceased, psychic's home. He had an angel blade in one hand, the tip spattered with blood and grace, and the other held his aching side. Blood dribbled out between his fingers in a steady stream. Gabriel was sure Raphael had managed to puncture down to his grace. He smiled wryly, at least Raphael looked worse. After Gabriel had managed to wound one of his wings, Raphael fled. At that point, Gabriel had two options, follow Raphael's trail of blood and grace to who knows where, or track down the Winchesters. Either way it was going to hurt.

"Man. This sucks." Gabriel said, gingerly pulling his hand away from the wound Raphael had inflicted. It bled freely, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that it also glowed a soft blue and emitted an almost inaudible ringing noise, Gabriel's true and injured form peeking out from beneath the layers of his human vessel.

He placed his hand back on the wound and thought over his predicament. He could go after Raphael and possibly kill himself, or he could go after the Winchesters and reveal that he was injured. He could also go back into hiding, but he'd already let Cas down enough times, and if he disappeared, then the Winchesters had no ally. Decision made, he took off, disappearing with a puff of ash and the sound of spattering blood.

John pulled over after he had almost fallen asleep at the wheel. The only thing that kept him from completely dropping off was both Bobby's and Castiel's distressed, simultaneous shout when he swerved into the lane for oncoming traffic. No one was there, thankfully, but it was enough that Bobby glared at him until he pulled into the parking lot of some generic motel. Bobby kept giving him that disapproving glare until they had their rooms and were unpacked. John wasn't sure if he was entertained or scared by how easily Bobby scared the motel clerk into making sure their rooms were side by side. He eventually settled on being too tired to care.

"I drive tomorrow." Bobby said firmly, turning the key in his room's door. John just nodded, carrying Sammy's carrier and letting go of Dean's hand to unlock the door. When they opened the door, they were greeted by a sudden and very loud crashing sound, followed by a thump and a moan. John had his knife out of his pocket almost immediately, pointing it in the direction of the noise. He dropped Sammy's carrier by the door and cautiously stalked into the room. Behind one of the beds, tangled with a now broken lamp, lay Gabriel.

"Just me." Gabriel said reassuringly, trying to pick himself up from his own mess. When he was half-way up off the floor, John gasped in alarm. There was a growing puddle of blood underneath the archangel. Gabriel had his hands clamped over a spot on his left side, teeth clenched. "I… Uh… Raphael was a bit more skilled with his blade than I remember." He said sheepishly, when he noticed John's gaze glued to his side.

"Do you need help?" John asked. He belatedly noticed Castiel making his way over to Gabriel's position worriedly.

"Gabriel, you are bleeding!" Castiel stated in alarm making his way over to his older brother. Dean stayed back with Sammy, watching all of them with a worried look.

"Is Gabriel gonna be okay?" Dean called, rocking on his heels, concern for Gabriel not quite outweighing his protectiveness for Sammy.

"I'll be fine, Dean-o!" Gabriel said, laughing, and then wincing as it pulled his side. Castiel kneeled next to him, open palms hovering over the wounded area. "Stop it, Cas, you can't heal this." And then at Castiel's shocked and worried look, he said "Don't worry! I'll be fine. I just need a night or two to heal!"

Castiel didn't seem by any means consoled by this. "Let me see." He insisted, trying to peel Gabriel's hands away from the wound. "I want to see." He looked at Gabriel with a pleading expression when he found that, despite his injuries, Gabriel's strength far outweighed his own.

"I'll go grab the first aid kit." John said, realizing his presence wasn't really doing anyone any good. He headed out the back door, stopping to instruct Dean to keep Sammy by the door.

After the door shut, Castiel began to question Gabriel in hurried Enochian. Gabriel stubbornly pressed against his chest when Castiel forced his way into the archangel's space. It only seemed to make Castiel more frantic when he left a hand print of faintly glowing blood and grace on Castiel's hoody. He pushed more frantically at Gabriel's other hand, shouting questions and exclamations.

"Dean, when your dad comes in, tell him I did this because Castiel wouldn't calm down!" Gabriel shouted over Castiel's frantic voice. Dean looked at him in confusion, as did Castiel, until Gabriel placed two bloodied fingers on Castiel's temple. The younger angel gave him a somewhat betrayed look before going limp, his head landing in Gabriel's lap.

"Hey!" Dean shouted at him in protective anger, getting ready to run at Gabriel and batter him with his fists. He was stopped by John opening the door, followed by Bobby.

"What happened?" Bobby demanded, before he even saw Gabriel on the floor.

"Where's Castiel?" John demanded, glancing around the room frantically.

"Right here." Gabriel answered, motioning towards his lap. "Help me with him. I've only got one hand right now." He said as John anxiously rushed over to where Castiel lay sleeping in Gabriel's lap.

"What happened?" John demanded. Gabriel rolled his eyes and explained Castiel's behavior as John picked up the angel with one hand and deposited him on one of the beds. Dean dragged Sammy's carrier over to his spot and plopped himself on the bed. When he looked over to see Gabriel, he blanched when he saw the amount of blood and hurriedly turned his attention to Castiel.

"Why is your blood glowing?" Bobby asked in curiosity. He pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket and wiped Gabriel's bloody finger prints from Cas' face. The younger and smaller angel didn't move, breathing evenly in Gabriel's induced sleep.

"Grace is in the mix. You're lucky there's not a lot of it, or you'd be blind." Gabriel said, almost with pride. He winced when John pried his hands away from the wound and pressed a white bathroom towel to it. "Hey! That hurts!" He tried wiggling away, but found John Winchester to be persistent. "Stop it!" He demanded, pushing at John's hands and scooting backwards.

"Be still! I'm trying to stop the bleeding." John scolded. Gabriel frowned at him disapprovingly.

"I don't need your help!" He said petulantly. Bobby huffed.

"Then why are you here?" Bobby demanded, folding his arms. "Just wanted to show off your battle scars?" He asked sarcastically. Gabriel pouted at him, still fighting with John's persistent hands. He sighed. "Sit still and tell us what to do to get you to stop whistling and oozing light." He kneeled down next to Gabriel, opening up the first aid kit.

"You don't need to do anything! I just came here because I didn't want Cas to worry." Gabriel explained desperately. He managed to slap John's hands away, but soon John was back, pressing the end of the towel not soaked with blood back on the wound with a wordless scowl. "Oooooow!" Gabriel whined and slammed his hand on the ground, either in pain or frustration. "You're pressing too hard!" He accused, shooting John a childish glare.

"I have to press hard to stop the bleeding." John replied with false innocence. Gabriel looked unconvinced, but refrained from pushing at John's hands anymore.

"What do we need to do, Gabriel?" Bobby prodded again. "Because if you don't tell us, I'm going to stitch it up." He held up a needle and some dental floss as an example. Gabriel went white.

"N-no, don't stitch it up!" Gabriel pleaded, renewing his struggles to get away from John. "That's so…" He stopped himself from saying 'barbaric', as to not incur the human's wrath. "I'll heal on my own." He said firmly. Despite that statement and his greatest efforts to get John to leave him alone, the towel still remained pressed to his side. He huffed out a sigh. "Fine! Go get me some candy! Something with a lot of sugar!" Gabriel demanded through clenched teeth.

"But you aren't a trickster." Bobby said with a raised eyebrow. "Why would the shortest archangel need candy to heal?"

Gabriel glared at Bobby when he said the word 'short'."Don't question me! Just go get some!" Gabriel commanded, his voice was rather high pitched, with pain or exasperation, Bobby couldn't tell. "Coffee too, with lots of sugar. Or soda!" Gabriel added, looking somewhat thoughtful. Bobby remained in the room, arms crossed and eyebrow raised, awaiting an explanation. "Fine… Fine! I need extra energy. Sugar and caffeine are the best sources. Plus they taste good…" He said, trailing off. When Bobby didn't move he huffed angrily. "I'll heal faster and you won't have to come at me with that stupid needle!" He reasoned desperately. Bobby nodded, seemingly satisfied and left the room.

"Don't like needles?" John asked, regarding the archangel with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Shut up. Don't forget that I can turn you purple with a snap of my fingers." Gabriel threatened half-heartedly. At the moment, the archangel in question didn't look like he could do much of anything. His skin was white and warm to the touch, and it seemed to hum with barely contained grace.

After a few minutes, Castiel began to stir, yet more evidence that Gabriel was weaker than he was eight hours previous. Castiel came to with a sigh and a yawn. He gave Dean a confused look when he opened his eyes to find Dean's nose pressed to his own.

"Gabriel put you to sleep." Dean said, without having to be asked. Castiel nodded, and sat up, looking over at his brother. Dean moved with him, but kept his gaze away from Gabriel.

"Gabriel, I was merely trying to help." He said, miffed at the archangel. However, his annoyance turned to concern as he examined Gabriel. "Gabriel, perhaps we should call Michael…" He trailed off, looking at him expectantly.

"Nope! I'm fine." Gabriel's response came out strained as John replaced his now blood soaked towel with another clean, white one. "No problem." He said, giving Castiel a thumbs up.

Castiel didn't seem convinced. He had seen angel blade wounds, albeit not often. Angel blade wounds were most often a result of carelessness during one's training. Most of the time, Raphael was called to tend to them, since he was the archangel of healing, but in severe cases, they would call Michael.

He regarded the blood soaked towel on the floor and the hand print on his hoody, nervously deciding on an answer. "Then please allow me to assist you." Castiel said pleadingly. He was not about to pretend his meager powers could completely heal Gabriel, but perhaps he could help some.

"No, Castiel. I'm good." Gabriel said, his tone held barely contained annoyance, and Castiel took the hint to shut up. He retreated farther onto the bed with Dean, looking dejected. Dean pat him on the back and gently urged him to remove his hoody.

Bobby returned not long after Castiel had discovered Gabriel's blood had soaked through to his shirt, though it no longer glowed. Dean turned white again and looked away, hiding his face. The kid wasn't exactly squeamish, it's hard to be when you've seen your mother burn to death, but seeing his best friend covered in blood was not something he could handle at that moment.

After handing the small container of coffee, two packets of skittles and a Hershey's milk chocolate bar to Gabriel, Bobby ushered Cas into the bathroom to help him change his shirt. While in the bathroom with him, he took the chance to question Castiel on Gabriel's condition.

"Do you angels heal fast?" Was his first question. He had no qualms taking care of Gabriel, since the archangel gone trickster gone archangel had fought for them, but he needed to know how long they'd be vulnerable for.

"Ordinarily." Castiel answered, rubbing a small wet wash cloth over the remnants of a bloody handprint on his chest. "But in Gabriel's case, I don't know."

"Why?" Bobby prompted. It wasn't a necessary question, but he was curious.

"Angel blades are different. They can inflict damage on the grace of an angel." Castiel explained. "I do not know how long they take to heal naturally. They are treated as very serious in Heaven and are healed immediately." He continued, setting the distinctly pinker wash cloth on the counter and grabbing the shirt Bobby had grabbed for him. "I gave myself a shallow cut on accident with one during training and they took me directly to Raphael." He said as an example. "My injury was not even comparable to Gabriel's and they rushed me to one of the highest ranking angels." He looked down, gripping his shirt tightly. "I am so worried for Gabriel."

"He says he'll be good." Bobby said reassuringly. "My guess is that this isn't his first injury." He said.

Castiel nodded at him and requested help with his shirt. Bobby had to help him navigate all his limps into the proper spots. It was a rather frustrating task, and Bobby couldn't remember the last time he felt as satisfied as when Castiel popped his head through a hole that wasn't also occupied by his arm. When they finally returned to the main room of the motel room, they were greeted by John shaking Gabriel by the shoulders anxiously.

"Come on, Gabriel! Wake up!" They heard John shouting. Castiel rushed over to where they were seated, still between the two motel beds. Dean was watching the whole situation nervously as Sammy slept on obliviously in his carrier.

The archangel in question, was slumped over on the floor, empty coffee cup in one hand and half of a chocolate bar in the other. Obviously, he was eating while John tended to his wound and passed out somehow. John looked over to Bobby and Cas desperately.

"Please tell me one of you knows how to check if he's still alive." He begged, towel still pressed to Gabriel's side. To Bobby's and Castiel's immense relief, the wound was no longer bleeding profusely, but had slowed. When John took the towel away, it looked as if it had even started to scab over.

"He isn't dead." Castiel replied after surveying his unconscious brother. "He is just sleeping." He walked over and moved Gabriel's tattered shirt aside to better see the wound, taking advantage of the archangel's lack of awareness to get a better look. "It looks as if Gabriel has figured out how to metabolize energy from sugar and caffeine to boost his grace." He pointed to the closing wound as an example. "Sleeping further speeds the process, since he doesn't have to devote energy to staying awake."

"That's… Cool." John said lamely, both mesmerized and disgusted as he watched the hole in Gabriel's side close itself up.

"That's really gross." Dean finally piped up from his spot on the bed. Castiel looked at him in confusion and he pointed to Gabriel's side as an explanation. "I don't like it." He turned away with a shudder. Castiel got up on the bed next to him, spouting apologies to the child. John took the opportunity to cover Gabriel's wound with the towel again, saving Dean from having to watch the accelerated healing process. Gabriel was going to need a new shirt.


TBC