Warning: Mentions of self harm and depression

New Home, New Family

Not too long ago, Vali would have laughed at the thought of even considering the word family as something filled with hope and happiness. Back in Asgard he had felt alienated from the other pagans. His powers were nothing like his other brothers and sisters. They couldn't make things magically appear with a click of a finger, create an alternate universe, or smite an entire army with the flick of a wrist. Though, they could control their powers easier. On first discovering his powers, Vali had been proud. He was strong and powerful just like his father. However, instead of encouraging him or congratulating him on his strengths his siblings and other family members in Asgard treated him as a freak. When he'd walk past, they'd whisper behind their hands or snicker behind his back. Some were braver though and chose to tell Vali outright that he was the freak of Asgard. They called him abomination, black sheep, and even monster. Anger had bubbled beneath Vali's skin at their cruelty and one day, he lost control, grace striking down those who made him feel like nothing. When the dust cleared and Vali opened his eyes, he realized that he'd made a terrible mistake. His siblings stared at him with disgust and fear. In the distance, Loki stood watching passively. Vali had expected a scolding for endangering his siblings, but his father had only turned away and walked back into the castle.

That had been the start of the worse. The bullying became worse and as time passed, Vali's heart grew heavier and heavier. Some days it would get so bad that Vali would find himself running through the castle with tears in his eyes until he made it to his father's chamber. He'd stand outside the door, hand hovering over the door handle shakily. He would never go in and when he would see his father roaming Asgard's streets or the halls of their home, Vali would remain silent, secretly hoping that his father would come to him. He never did. Loki kept his distance and a sinking feeling dragged Vali even lower. It killed Vali to watch his father talk and laugh with the others like a father and son should. What's wrong with me? My own father won't even speak to me. I'm a freak. They were the thoughts that ran through his head every second in Asgard and they were also the words that berated his mind the day he left his home. Asgard was all he knew, but he couldn't stay in a place where he didn't fit in. He ran, going to Earth in search of the peace he yearned for. He didn't find it. Even in a place as diverse as Earth, Vali still ran into those who hated those different than them. They threw their cruel words at him just like his siblings had and Vali felt himself snapping all over again. He lost control of his power again, eyes seeing nothing but red as his powers erupted from within. His powers cut through the humans taunting him, but his powers also hit the innocents in range of the terrible blast of raw power. When the smoke cleared Vali's bullies lay dead at his feet and the innocent civilians who had been too close lay dead as well.

In the dark alley of some rundown city, Vali had knelt in the rain with his hands held out before him. Rain water splattered against them, but it wasn't water that Vali saw. No, it was the blood of the humans he had killed. It ran over his hands, his face, everything. He couldn't escape it.

Vali screamed into the rain. He screamed himself hoarse and rubbed at his skin in attempt to clear away the blood that seemed to cover every inch of his flesh. He scratched and pulled, tearing into his skin with his own fingers and when that wasn't enough he struck at himself with his own powers, ripping the skin even further. His blood mixed with the rainwater turned blood and Vali's life began its downward spiral.

As time passed, Vali walked among humanity, hiding in the slums and surviving off of the food humans threw away. He cut at his skin with his powers, littering his arms with scars as a silent reminder of the freak and monster he was. Vali believed that he would never find the love of a family he longed for, but that belief crumbled the day a golden winged angel came into his life.

To say he was shocked on seeing his father again was and understatement. He had always known his father as Loki—the God of trickery. When the God he had once called father turned out to be the pint sized angel Gabriel, Vali didn't know what to think. He wanted to hate the archangel for the pain that burned through his veins every day, but after hearing his father out, Vali had found himself falling into his father's arms again. Well, his father's and a whole new family. He had run into his father that day and was instantly pulled into a family even bigger and crazier than the one he had back in Asgard. Vali didn't know what to think at first. He thought his life with the Winchester's would end up just like his Asgardian family. In the end, they had proved him wrong. In the few days Vali's spent with them, the Winchesters and Mills treated him like a true member of their household. They included him in their daily routines and made it their duty to make him laugh every day. With them, he wasn't a freak. In their warm embrace, Vali felt like family.

Vali packed the last of his things into a box labeled with his name. Like the others, Vali was packing. In a few hours, Vali would be crammed into Dean's Impala with his uncles and father for the long drive to the state that held his future home. Vali was both nervous and excited about the move to Minnesota. He'd just started getting used to Jody and Alex and to suddenly go to a whole new place felt frightening. However, the realization that he was going to be living in a house he could call his own with a room and everything filled his mind with wonder. He never had a real home before.

With a yawn, Vali stretched his arms above his head, sleeves slipping down to reveal his scarred arms. Vali lowered them and stared at the white scars marring his skin.

"I could heal them, but I don't. They're a reminder of what I am; a freak."

"NO! No you're not a freak!" Gabriel screamed at last, trembling as he grabbed at Vali's shirt. Vali stared at him wide eyed, watching as Gabriel broke completely. The concentration on hiding his wings snapped and the golden appendages poofed into reality. Vali only had a moment to stare though because Gabriel was shaking him and speaking again. "You're different from your brothers and sisters, but that was never your fault, Vali. The others were mostly adopted and all that, but you…you were special." Gabriel pulled down his sleeve, revealing his wrist. He waved his opposite hand over it and a long white scar appeared. "You are a part of my grace, my very essence," Gabriel admitted. "You were different from the others because you weren't a pagan like them, Vali. My son, you were born an angel. Just like me."

With a steady hand, Vali pressed against the white scars and watched as they suddenly pulsed with grace.

"Vali?"

The teen in question looked up, finding his wide eyed father standing by the bedroom door.

"What…what are you doing?"

Vali looked down at his still glowing arms. "Honestly? I'm not really sure I…" He smiled. "I don't need…I don't want them dragging me down anymore," Vali revealed. He held up his now scarless arms, grinning. "I'm starting anew, Dad. I'm tired of feeling like crap all the time. I want to be as special as you claim I am. And…maybe with the scars gone, I'll be able to move on from the past?"

"Oh, Vali," Gabriel whispered, a proud smile gracing his lips. "You already are special and you've come so far." He walked over to his son and leapt onto his lap, wrapping his arms around his son. They hugged each other tightly. When they pulled away, there were unshed tears clinging to the corners of Gabriel's eyes. "Okay, like Dean says, enough with the chick flick moments," Gabriel sniffled, wiping at his eyes with a small fist. "The guys are almost done packing. How about you?"

Vali nodded at his box of stuff. " I'm good. What else need's packing?"

"Well…" Gabriel hummed. "I think the stuff for our wings and a few stray bundles of clothing is all that's left."

"Awesome," Vali chimed, clapping his hands together and Gabriel raised a brow at his son.

"You've been hanging out with, Dean, I see."

Vali shrugged. "Well, I have been cramped in the same house as him for the past few days so…"

"Okay, okay," Gabriel huffed. He nodded at the bedroom door. "I got it. Come on. Let's help finish packing so we can get this show on the road."

"Sounds like a plan, Dad."

Vali stood with Gabriel tucked in his arms. They walked, disappearing through the bedroom door to hunt down the others and finish packing for the long trip ahead.

One more chapter at Jody's left and then the guys are on their way back home. Well, at least I'm planning for only one more chapter, but you know how that goes.