Chapter 5
Unlike how he typically awoke, Sam didn't jerk awake. Instead, he woke slowly. It was one sensation after another, gradually coming to him. Like the heat from the sun on his side which he was turned away from, the murmurs from beyond the room of two male voices talking in hushed tones. Sam could smell the faint musty air of the room, could feel the scratchy blanket against his chest. Looking at the place; it wasn't much better than the motel rooms they stayed in, but something was comforting at being in Bobby's home. The slow way he returned to consciousness made the hunter aware of another sensation that should have put the hunter on edge.
He wasn't alone.
There wasn't anything he could put his finger on which gave the being away, and though his eyes were closed, Sam knew when he opened them he would not be able to see anyone in the room. Still, there was a presence, an aura, inside the room the hunter couldn't shake off. It should have had him reaching under his pillow for the .45 he kept hidden ever since he was eight and afraid of the monster in the closet. As much as he hated his father for his parenting skills, Sam had to admit he always slept better armed.
Something told him his gun wouldn't do anything against whatever or whoever was with him now. He could call out for help, from the sounds of it, Dean and Bobby were talking in the living room, just barely keeping their voices down as not to wake him. It would only take a shout, and the two would come bounding up the stairs, guns blazing.
Sam didn't so much as make a whimper. Instead, he waited while whatever it was continued to observe at him. There wasn't any sense of danger, no lingering presence of malice. If Sam could pinpoint what the creature was feeling without he would have to say curious, and perhaps there was something else there, whatever it was, it was not there to harm him. Opening his mouth, the hunter decided to take a chance, his left hand which had been on his stomach moving to his chest to grasp the feather he wore around his neck.
"Angel?"
Silence. Still, Sam didn't let that stop him. If it was something other than his guardian, something evil, perhaps knowing Sam had the feather of an angel would be enough to ward it away. There was still the possibility of this being the same angel who had given him its feather, who had purified him in a way he knew no baptism could. Clearing his throat, Sam kept his eyes closed while he spoke, his voice lowered so the other men in the house wouldn't know he was awake.
"If it's you I want to say thank you. I know… I know you purified me, took away what the demon left in me. Dean and Bobby, they want to believe, I know deep down they do, but life as a hunter means you can't run on faith alone. They're planning on using the feather you left me and my blood to summon you. If you don't… if you want to stay away…"
Sam paused and licked his lips; he could still sense the presence in the room, it felt closer now as if he reached out just the slightest bit, he would be able to make contact. Carefully, the hunter pulled the string of the pendant up over his head, being careful not to open his eyes no matter how tempting it was. Holding out the feather, Sam made his movements slow so the one watching him understood what he was saying.
"It's the only thing I can think of, if you take it back they can't use it to summon you. I don't know what else I can do. Thank you so much for what you did for me… but you shouldn't be forced to play twenty questions to a group of hunters just because you helped me out."
Instead of the feather being taken from his grasp, Sam heard the soft sound of a footstep on the hardwood floor. It would be enough they wouldn't have much time before Dean was up, having expected Sam to have made the sound. Still, the brunet didn't retract his hand as he felt the gentle tug on the feather. Letting go, he instantly felt a sense of loss as the feather left his grasp, up until a warm palm was placed on his bare chest. The feather was between a small palm and his heaving chest. The angel wasn't taking his plume back but was silently telling Sam to keep it.
Tentatively, Sam placed his hand over the smaller one on his torso. It was masculine, more substantial in the fingers than a woman's would be. When the hand didn't leave, Sam grew bolder. Slowly, ever so slowly the hunter trailed his fingers along the soft skin of a wrist attached. Checking for a moment, the hunter didn't feel a pulse however the second the thought crossed his mind one gently thrummed against his fingers.
Keeping his movements slow, Sam moved farther until rough denim hindered his exploration. Hearing the distinct sound of heavy boots making their way closer to the stairwell, Sam figured he had a minute before Dean burst in to see what was taking him so long. Feeling the wrist he had been holding tug slightly, Sam spoke in a rush.
"Did you protect my dreams last night? I haven't slept like that since before… since before Jess." Instead of a verbal reply, Sam felt a touch of the same power which had purified him before sweep over him. It was so warm and welcoming the hunter couldn't help but moan softly at the sensation. As the feeling passed, Sam noticed the wrist he had been grasping was no longer in his hold, though the feather rested against his heaving chest.
"Thank you," Sam whispered into the room, secure in the knowledge his angel would be invisible to everyone. For the first time that morning, Sam opened his eyes, the sun was beaming in through a gap in the drapes, letting Sam know it was late into the morning. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table he could hardly believe it was already past nine. Typically, they were up at the crack of dawn, and even when they had the chance to sleep in Sam was usually up long before Dean.
Placing his hand on the feather, Sam slipped the string over his head quickly just as Dean opened the door. From the smirk on the others face, Sam figured he was about to be teased for sleeping so late; Sam could already hear the sleeping beauty and princess jokes. Letting his eyes sweep the room, the hunter didn't see anything out of place, though the feeling of being watched remained until he started to dress.
Perhaps summoning his angel wouldn't be the disaster Sam feared.
Watching Sam sleep through the night had not been his intention. While Gabriel had planned to help the hunter through his nightmares, to banish the thoughts away before they could even touch him, the archangel had expected to flee at the first sign of Sam waking. A sign he ignored as a very awake hunter traced the skin of his wrist. Gabriel had the perfect opportunity to take the feather; Sam had even offered him the golden plume. However, the archangel hadn't hesitated in placing it on the human's chest.
Their moment was far more intimate then Gabriel had anticipated. However, he had allowed the human to trace his wrist and hand until the sounds of someone being near the door were no longer avoidable. Gabriel had been surprised when Sam hadn't tried to open his eyes, that he had been content with Gabriel's mere presence and soft touch instead of trying to gaze on what Sam knew to be an angel. Most would have tried to sneak a peek, to see what the archangel looked like, but Sam hadn't.
There was something remarkable about Sam.
Gabriel watched, keeping to the shadows and remaining invisible while the older Winchester came into the room, teasing about the late hour. Sam didn't mention how someone was with him a moment ago, didn't even do more than visually scan the room for a moment before he continued with his day. The archangel left to give Sam privacy while he changed, no matter how tempted he was to watch as the man's skin was revealed. Not wanting to give into temptation, the archangel made his way to a house he called his own.
The sunny paradise of his home was self-made, back when he was experimenting with Dad and his brothers on creating Earth. Gabriel had carved out his little haven. He had been younger then, back when it was only the five of them before everything went wrong. There were a few things Gabriel had made which still existed, animals and places that were formed with his Father's guiding hand and his imagination. The other archangels had their creations as well, trying to outmatch each other but Gabriel had chosen to remain with lighter concepts.
What was better than a platypus? They were one of his favorite creations which survived through the ages, adapting and forming into what they were today. The island Gabriel had called his since he left Heaven was one of the other structures which survived, hidden away in the tropics where all Gabriel had to worry about was not getting sand in his drink. Being what he was; the animals both on land and at sea were non-threatening, most using the calm area as a place to nurse and breed.
No humans had ever stepped foot on his island. It was sheltered with his grace and magic; somewhere sacred. His children were able to visit when they wished, however even they stayed away from the area, respecting his need for a place to call his own. It was a wonder then why Gabriel hoped he could show it to Sam. He had only known the man for a few short days; the archangel had studied Sam and watched him but had just spoken to him for a few minutes while undercover. This shouldn't be happening.
Wanting to own the human was one thing, wanting to share even his most treasured of places was another. Gabriel's grace hummed under his skin at the thought of bringing Sam to his nest, of letting Sam see how the archangel could provide for him. He wanted his human safe, protected and entirely out of harm's way, and there was no better place for that than here. Shaking the thought from his mind, Gabriel walked to the sound of excited barks from Spot who was running around inside. Not needing to remain at the college, Gabriel had taken his dog back home until he could find a new area to work.
Bending at the knee, Gabriel reached down as Spot jumped, so his front paws were braced on Gabriel's thighs as the archangel reached down to pet the dog. Spot's tail was wagging happily behind him, shaking the small animal who was enjoying the short petting session. Absently Gabriel wondered if Sam was a dog person or not and if Spot would like his mate.
Gabriel barely had time to suck in a breath at the thought before he felt a tugging on his grace. Snapping his fingers, so Spot's bowls were filled, Gabriel stepped back which caused the dog to lower himself on all fours. It didn't seem like the hunters were going to waste any time. With a sigh, Gabriel looked at his dog before he left.
"I'll be back soon boy; I have an interrogation to get to."
