Chapter 7

Watching Sam struggle for words wasn't as amusing as Gabriel thought it would be. On the one hand, he loved shocking people speechless; it was something he typically excelled at. In this case, however, Gabriel wanted Sam to speak, to know what was going on in his human's head. Gabriel had assumed he would be revealing himself the moment he came into the warded barn, secure in the knowledge nobody would be able to hear outside the area. While the archangel was willing to tell Sam who he was, he wasn't ready to let the other gods know. They wouldn't take his preserved betrayal well.

The older hunter, Bobby, appeared to take his words to heart as he lowered his shotgun. Sam's brother, on the other hand, kept his gun firm in his grasp. Gabriel didn't know how it got twisted enough where the Righteous Man was the one without faith, but he knew a non-believer when he saw one. Thankfully, Gabriel didn't feel like he had to convince Dean, Sam would try to do it for him. Stepping forward, so he was in arms reach of the taller hunter, Gabriel looked up at the shocked man. The taller man was barely breathing, his eyes wide while he watched the archangel approach.

"I know I'm awesome and all, but you're gonna catch flies."

Sam snapped his mouth shut from where it had been gaping at Gabriel's previous comment, a flush rising on his cheeks. Gabriel took another step toward the hunter, invading his personal space which made Sam flush even deeper. Chuckling, the blond reached up and placed his hand over the feather Sam was still gripping against his chest.

"Whatever reason I chose you no longer matters Sam. This feather? It binds us together. I'll be able to sense when you are in danger and locate you, I will know when you need of me, and I will hear your prayers. Angels… we're not the cherubs people believe us to be. We are soldiers, we are fighters, and you better believe archangels are even more powerful. We are Heaven's deadliest weapon, created to serve Father. I was His Messenger and Father's Word was not always kind. I've wiped out entire species and caused civilizations to weep."

The air became charged while Gabriel spoke, he allowed a small bit of grace to echo with his words. While it had been a long while since he was last called upon, should Father wish it of him, Gabriel would be His Wrath once again. "I am also one of His firstborns and had a hand at creating this world." the archangel lowered his grace then, a smile on his face while he kept his hand on Sam's firm chest. It would be so easy to begin his courtship now. He could pull the taller man down into a kiss, and Gabriel knew Sam wouldn't resist.

"For example, the platypus? All mine. We each had our hand in creating this world; I mean did you think the continental drift just happened? That was Luci and Mike fighting on Earth and their power splitting the land. I have to tell you, the face they made when they thought they broke Earth? Priceless." Gabriel let his voice linger on the last word, eyes locked with Sam's while he spoke. While Gabriel wouldn't take what wasn't offered, he had no intentions of walking away without Sam at least getting the idea he belonged to the archangel now. Gabriel wouldn't possess him, wouldn't harm him, but his very grace called out to bond while his pagan side screamed to claim.

It was only a matter of time.

"Well, I guess you three have some talking to do, and I have a dog I've been neglecting. I'll be in touch." Leaning up, Gabriel placed his hand on the back of Sam's head to pull him down, ignoring the outburst from the older Winchester. Bringing his mouth to Sam's ear, Gabriel whispered to the taller man, their bodies pressed together and Sam now holding onto his hips.

"My feather is a mark of protection, but what I did with my grace? It was a display of intent, Sam. Take your time to figure out what you want and then pray to me. Until then, I'll be watching over you. Try to keep your perky ass out of the fire, yeah?"

With a quick nip to Sam's earlobe, so the other had no confusion about what he meant, Gabriel was gone with a rustle of feathers. He would leave Sam to think and to reflect on what the archangel wanted. Hopefully, the hunter wouldn't take too long, one taste of the man and his very being was eager for more.

The second Gabriel was gone, Dean went off on a tangent. Sam did little more than stand there marveling at the fact he had just held an archangel in his arms. His body seemed frozen; whether it was in shock or amazement Sam didn't know, Bobby remained suspiciously silent while Sam stood there. Eventually, Dean slowly noticed his brother wasn't paying attention to a word he was saying. Still, Sam continued to look where the angel-archangel had been standing. His last words to Sam seemingly haunting him. Could Gabriel have been serious? Was he genuinely intending to be with Sam, and what if it was something he didn't want? Did he have a choice?

Remembering their moment that morning, Sam had known the angel watching over him was male; it hadn't bothered him then. Having spent his morning wanting to explore the skin of the other, Sam couldn't say it was the male form that was holding him back. He had a type, one which varied drastically between men and women. For women he liked them smaller, with enough curve they could mold against his side, Sam loved feeling like a protector to them, his massive body easily covering theirs.

While Gabriel was smaller, he was also solid, unlike the thinner women Sam preferred. Gabriel's body was precisely how Sam liked his men. Still shorter than him -it was hard for him to find someone who wasn't- but with an undertone of muscle. Women, Sam liked feeling like he could protect them, while with men he preferred someone physically equal. There was no doubt in Sam's mind the archangel could give as good as he got, powers or no. And those eyes, those honey-whiskey eyes which spoke of power and mischief, they caused the hunter to feel desire running down his spine.

No, it wouldn't take much for Sam to willingly explore the archangel, what was worrying was Dean's reaction. Having waited until the green-eyed man started yelling directly at him instead of in general, Sam slipped the feather under his shirt, wanting to feel it against his skin before turning to face his fuming brother. Dean had put away his gun. However his fists were clenched, and Sam had a feeling his older brother was waiting for the chance to land a punch. The way Dean was looking at him, Sam could only sigh.

This was not going to end well.

When Dean had that look on his face he wasn't open to listening to anyone; Sam was confident it was why Bobby hadn't said anything. They would talk later when Dean wasn't around, and Sam was sure the older hunter would at the very least be open to Sam's choice whatever it may be. Dean, on the other hand, seemed to think everything needed to be run by him first before the younger brother committed to his own choices like Sam couldn't be trusted to make his own decisions.

"What the hell was that!?" shouted Dean, his green eyes glaring at Sam in both frustration and disappointment, an exact combination Sam had only ever seen on his brother's face. Knowing this was going to get worse before it got better, Sam shrugged his shoulders and decided if he was going to fight, it was better to get it out now.

"I told you before we even tried, he's an angel. I didn't know which one, and him being Gabriel is throwing me, but I don't understand why you're so surprised Dean. Even Bobby told you it was a possibility! So why are you so pissed?"

While he had asked the question, Sam knew before Dean opened his mouth what his problem was. Someone was getting close to Sam. It didn't matter if Gabriel was an archangel or if he had turned out to be a demon, the result was the same. Something was getting close to Sam, was trying to wiggle their way into their tight-knit family and Dean never accepted outsiders well. It took a lot of blood sweat and tears before Dean would admit someone as family, as evidenced by how long it had taken before Dean was comfortable relying on Bobby.

Sam didn't think Gabriel had a chance to earn his place inside their group with Dean, not unless he risked his life for them. That wasn't something Sam never wanted to happen. He had no doubt it would cause a threat they had never seen before to even think about injuring the archangel. Chances were it would take nothing less than a miracle for Dean to accept Gabriel. Sam merely hoped they could pull one off, because the more he let the thought linger, the more Sam wanted what Gabriel was offering. It had been too long since he last enjoyed the touch of a lover, and while Sam would have to ask what all the archangel meant by 'intended' the attraction was there lingering in his veins.

"I'm pissed because this so-called archangel has you so wrapped around his little finger you don't even see him as a threat! Even if he is who he's claiming to be, do you remember what Father Reynolds said? 'An angel of the Lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone down upon them, and they were terrified.' Luke, right? What would something with that kind of firepower be doing answering the prayers of a random hunter? Even if he was at the right time and place, that still doesn't explain what he was doing there. You heard him, Sam! He admitted to pushing the professor out of his window. Are you seriously going to overlook him killing a man just because he claims to be the Gabriel, or are you going to man up and see this for what it is?"

Sam had a feeling he was going to regret asking before he did, but the question came out nonetheless. "And what is this Dean?" There was a slight change in Dean's stance when he next spoke; his legs spreading slightly like he was expecting an attack, his shoulders pulled back to straighten his posture and Sam could see his father looking at him through his brother's eyes.

"A hunt, Sam. This is nothing more than a hunt. First, we have Yellow-Eyes playing special treatment to our family and now this Gabriel guy. For some reason, our family has been targeted again. We need to find a way to take this sucker out before he does something more threatening than giving you a feather."

Shaking his head, Sam took a step back from Dean. Logically he could understand where Dean was coming from; the shorter man was trying to do what he always did and protect Sam. That wasn't the case here though, for once he didn't need or want his big brother's protection. There was something building; Sam could still feel a trace of Gabriel's grace inside him through the feather against his skin. It wasn't unwelcomed, it caused no pain or desire to be freed of it. If anything, Sam wanted more.

"I'm sorry Dean, but I'm not hunting an archangel. You may not have faith, but I do, and I'm not going to help you try to keep away what could be the best thing to ever happen to me. I don't know all the answers yet, but I bet if I ask Gabriel will answer. He didn't seem opposed to answering our questions a few minutes ago, and that was with your snarling in the background."

"Sammy you don't know what you're saying," began Dean, but Sam cut him off with a glare while he stared into green eyes. "I know exactly what I'm saying, but you're not listening. Maybe we should take some time apart until you're ready to listen to me without jumping down my throat." While he hated the idea, Sam tried to play it off while glancing at Bobby to see his reaction. Bobby nodded his head slightly, only just enough to let Sam know the gruff man would support him.

"Take some time - you can't be serious Sam," answered Dean, his voice raising slightly.

Sam squared his shoulders before nodding his head in response. "I am, take some time to think it over. I'll stay here with Bobby, and once you're ready to listen, you'll know where to find me."

Dean didn't answer but turned to Bobby for confirmation before leaving the barn and slamming the door behind him. It would only take a few minutes for Dean to grab his things from the house before hightailing it out of the salvage yard. True to form, not three minutes later Sam could hear the engine of the Impala. She idled for a moment, Dean giving Sam time to change his mind before the sound started to grow faint. Once they could no longer hear the roar of the Impala, Bobby spoke his voice carrying through the barn.

"Well let's hit the books until your archangel shows up. Boy, you really stepped in it this time."

Eyes widening as he had thought Bobby agreed with him, Sam spoke. "I'm not going to try and take out an archangel, Bobby. I thought-" Sam was cut off as Bobby shot him a glare. "Of course not, you idjit. What? Did you think having a halo around would solve all your trouble? Last I checked you still had a Prince of Hell on your ass. Thought you would want to see what I managed to dig up about your demon while you were hunting."

Easily following behind Bobby, Sam couldn't help but feel relief the other man had seemingly believed Gabriel. While he doubted Bobby wouldn't investigate his claims, Sam had to wonder about one thing Dean had said which had rung true. "Aren't you bothered by Gabriel killing the professor?" It was one thing for Sam; he could feel the purifying grace even now. It wouldn't be possible for something so pure to commit an act of true evil, but Bobby hadn't felt Gabriel's grace, and it was strange the older man was accepting of human death.

With a drawn-out sigh, Bobby answered. "Tell you what, while we're going over what I found out about your demon I'll tell you about a hunt I was on while still wet behind the ears. You ever hear of the Trickster Anansi?"

Shaking his head, Sam walked alongside Bobby while the other began his tale. While listening to Bobby speak about his case, Sam couldn't help but think back on the offer Gabriel had given him. At least Dean wasn't going to be there when he said his nightly prayer.