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A/N: And here comes chapter 17, short-ish but ready and posted in time!

Chapter 17:

Archangelic Awakening

Gabriel lay beside Raphael, doing little else except for petting the other archangel's coppery hair. His thoughts wandered aimlessly from one topic to another. More than anything, though, they returned to Aziraphale and Crowley, and just what he should make of their relationship.

He was having a hard time wholeheartedly trusting Crowley. Sure, he did trust Aziraphale's judgement, and as long as his brother was happy, he was happy as well. However, even though he trusted the demon with his brother's happiness and even life at the moment, he wasn't sure whether he could always do that.

As far as he was concerned, Gabriel didn't think there was any reason to fear that Crowley might hurt Aziraphale through their relationship. He'd certainly had many opportunities to do so during the last six millennia, and he had often done so, too. (Gabriel remembered all too well the several times his brother had been discorporated in his first couple of millennia on Earth.) However, those attacks had become few and far between, and finally they had disappeared completely. Whenever Aziraphale had been hurt in the last three millennia or so, it had been because of some other demon, never because of Crowley. If the demon hadn't tried to harm Aziraphale far before their relationship, why would he do it now?

However, another problem did concern him. Sooner or later there was going to be a war between Heaven and Hell, that Gabriel knew. Aziraphale, despite being rather cynical, obviously trusted Crowley absolutely. Even in war, he would just turn his back to the demon. What if Crowley betrayed him again?

Firmly shaking his head, Gabriel banished such thoughts from his mind. Aziraphale was going to be fine, as were all of them. There was no war going on between Above and Below, and if there was going to be one in the future, he could do nothing to stop it. And besides, Aziraphale could take care of himself.

Glancing at Raphael, Gabriel smiled at that thought. Raphael still obviously thought of Aziraphale as just a little child. As far the healer was concerned, Aziraphale hadn't even drawn his sword yet -- or figured out how to do such a thing in the first place -- and was instead concentrating on counting just how many toes and fingers he had. Gabriel, who had witnessed Aziraphale lighting up Michael's sword before he could even fly or walk, found this fact rather amusing.

For a moment, Gabriel closed his eyes as well. Nobody was going to notice if he used a moment to sleep as well. It wasn't like anybody would enter an archangel's apartment anyway, and, being an angel and not really needing to sleep, he would be awake well in time for the two to head down to Earth.

However, this plan never came to be. This was ensured as the door to the apartment was slammed shut. Then hasty steps approached, the intruder seemingly deciding that whatever message he had qualified as a proper reason for breaking into an archangel's apartment and rushing inside.

And just then, Michael looked into the bedroom around the corner. Seemingly unfazed by the entire scene displayed in front of him -- at the moment Gabriel was still petting Raphael's hair -- he said, "Get Raphael awake, Gabriel. I'm afraid we'll need his services all too soon."

Now, Gabriel frowned. "Can't somebody else do that healing?" he asked. "Raphael is absolutely exhausted. He needs his sleep every once in a while, like you should know."

"Look, Gabriel, I do know it, and would never do something like that. However, this isn't just a usual healing job -- Raphael truly has too many of those; why he doesn't just make somebody else do all that work is beyond me. However, this kind of concerns you both."

"What is it about?" asked Gabriel, frowning. Then, he grimaced as realization hit him. "It's about Aziraphale again, isn't it?" he asked, sitting up on the bed. "What has happened to my brother now?"

"Nothing yet," Michael said gloomily, "but soon, something might." At Gabriel's still questioning expression, he continued, "After the incident with the Hellbeast, I set an angel to watch over London to make sure Aziraphale's not in danger anymore. He just reported a sighting of several demons in the city."

Now, this certainly startled Gabriel. At the same time, it made him angry. How did these demons dare to try to kill his brother all the time? That would not be tolerated.

"...Aziraphale's in danger?" muttered Raphael quietly. Blinking a couple of times, he focused his eyes on Gabriel. "And don't you start preaching on me," he said sharply. "I was awake anyway. There's no way I could rest peacefully knowing that your brother is under threat and I'm not doing anything about it!"

Now, Gabriel sighed. This didn't surprise him at all; rather, it was quite typical of Raphael. And, as much as he loved the gentle healer, at times he would have just wanted to tie him onto bed -- to sleep. However, it seemed like Raphael was intent on coming along, no matter whether Gabriel approved. Better just let him.

Next chapter:

Crowley finally gets to give Aziraphale the sword.