Chapter 7: FUBAR
The wind was blowing wildly as Gabriel sat ontop of the building downtown. He hadn't meant to practically conjour up a hurricane, but after a hour, panic was setting in and beginning to get the best of him. And he didn't care enough to control his abilities that were currently tail-spinning with his emotions around him.
It shouldn't have even taken ten minutes to find Sam. Even with the enochian scribes on his ribs he had a seventh sense right next to his sixth prayer sense that told him where his Sam was. A bond had formed between them, almost like a contract to always be able to find him, the first time they kissed. A link that was testemony to the arch angel's love and protection.
And the fact that he couldn't hear Sam praying to him was worrying as well. The only thing that could prevent that was if Sam was uncontious or something was blocking his thoughts.
Something was blocking Sam's aura from him. Something, more specifically, Dubbiel. He could practically taste the fallen angel's power on the tip of his tounge. The feeling of being helpless washed over him for the first time in a millenia and the thought made him want to rip his hair out.
He stood up and started pacing, taking his bright orange cell phone out of his pocket for the billionth time to check for missed calls. He snorted, shoving it back into his pocket. Oh the days where an arch angel had to carry a cell phone around. Most of the time, it was the only way he could keep in touch with the Winchester brothers, Bobby, and even Castiel sometimes though. So he kept it. Even changed the ringtone to Life is a Highway which seemed appropriate at the time, considering how much time he was spending in the backseat of the Impala lately.
Sam's ringtone was special, Dance Magic Dance by David Bowie since it held a not-so- forgotten-anymore meaning to Gabriel's alias Gabe Norsen back when Sam had been in high school. It reminded him of better days. Before his brother's apocalypse to claim the Earth, before revealed identities, before all this mess that kept blowing around them where ever they went.
But now his phone was silent and he had the urge to chuck it off the roof. What was the point of the peice of plastic if it wasn't helping him find Sam at this second? He swore he was going to impant a tracking device in Sam like they put on wild animals when he found that kid.
Something wandering the streets below caught his eye and he stopped pacing, taking a minute to vanish and re-appear in an ally below with his back pressed against a filthy brick wall.
Across the street he could see the hunter that he'd encountered not even a week ago in North Carolina. But what was he doing all the way up here? His eyes were narrowed and darting back and forth as if they were looking for something. Surely he couldn't have tracked him all the way here. No hunter he'd ever met was that good, not even Bobby Singer and he seemed to have a spidey-sense when it came to Gabriel's mischeif.
The only hunter that ever tracked him down was Sam. And that was only with Gabriel's nudging in the right direction because over the months he couldn't take watching Sam spiral downhill after the loss of his brother. He'd only wanted to help, to prepare him for what it'd be like when Dean went to hell but he'd almost destroyed the soul of the man he loved in the process and had to put a quick end to it after six months. His desperate tears had been the final straw.
On the wind he caught the scent of something that made him groan out loud and banged his head back against the wall. Dammit. Dubbiel. The human reeked of his aura the same way Sam probably had Gabriel's lingering scent on him as well, just, not as strongly because he very seriously doubted Phil or Dubbiel had any sort of sexual affairs with each other.
The peices clicked together. Dean was going to kill him for getting his little brother into this kind of a mess.
He re-appeared behind the haggard and worn looking hunter.
"Long way from home Philly."
Phil spun around, not looking in the least bit surprised at the supernatural beings sudden apperance behind him. He could see the buldge of a stake beneath his jacket and rolled his golden olive eyes.
"I could say the same for you. Gabriel." He spat out his name with defiance and bravery in his voice but his eyes betrayed the human, unable to meet the angel's green and instead, continuing to dart around the street.
Gabriel crossed his arms and leaned against a lamp post. "Tch, tch, tch. So you know what I really am. Congrat-u-freakin-lations. That makes you special. However, don't get too excited because i'm betting you had help with that from a douche named Dubbiel."
"How do you know about Dubbiel?"
He raised both eyebrows. "Really? Are you seriously asking me that? Me and Dubbiel go way back. Much much longer than whatever escapade you two have been having. What I want to know, is what part you're playing in all this. I don't seem to recall you in Dubbiel's fanclub last Sunday."
"Well it started out, I just wanted to figure out a way to kill you. For good." Phil grinned but the smile didn't meet his eyes and was for mere show without a hint of joy whatsoever in it. "And then a little birdy told me about the apocalypse and your little boyfriend's demon blood abilities."
"I wouldn't call him little, he's much taller than either of us. And not to mention, built like a rhino."
"So me and Dubbiel made a deal. He helps me get Sam, and I help him get you."
"Well that's real cute and all, but me and Sammy, we don't share well and we don't do four-somes so why don't you and Dubbi just go get a different hotel room." He cracked another joke to try and hide the unease that was bubbling in his stomach.
"Let me ask you something, Gabriel." He didn't wait for a response and stepped closer to the dark ginger-haired angel. "Are you afraid to die? After two-thousand years of playing hide-and-seek with death and ring-around-the-rosey with hunters, how does it feel to know that you'll soon be staring non-existance in the face?"
"Well, if i'm dead how am I going to stare at anything? I hear Death is a real swell guy though. I'm not a huge fan of pizza but-"
"Is everything just a huge joke to you?" Phil snapped, cutting him off. "You toy with people's lives like it's nothing but a game to you! And now, we've got your precious half-demon captive and you're just standing here joking around-"
It was Phil's turn to be cut off as he found himself suddenly airbourne and slammed against a blue luxury sedan. People around gasped and hurried out of the way of the two men as metal groaned under the impact.
"First of all, Sam is NOT half-demon. He's not even a quarter, not even a milligram, demon. You got that? That bag of dicks you're working with right now is more of a demon than he'll ever be- don't let the wings fool you. He's fallen for a reason."
"You're fallen."
"No. I ran-away. There's a difference. And second, I don't toy with people because i'm bored, I do it because they deserve it and if I don't, other innocent people will get hurt. I save more people in a week than you've saved in your entire life."
"You've also killed more."
"True. But let me tell you something else, I've never killed a hunter before. All your stakes and traps and hunting me down and i've never seriously tried to hurt any of you."
"You set giant wolves on me!"
Gabriel shrugged. "Consider that a training test. I. Don't. Hurt. Hunters. You know why? Because under all your self-rigitous arrogance, I know you're not actually bad people and you've got the same goals as me. We're just doing it differently. But I promise you Phil – I swear...if Sam gets even a scratch because of whatever half-assed scheme you're trying to cook up, you'll be the first hunter I kill."
"Do it then." Phil raised his chin. "I'm not afraid to die. At least my life would have meant something. At least I'll die knowing you and Sam will follow close behind."
Gabriel grabbed the collar of his jacket and roughly shoved him up against the car again, taking a sort of pleasure in the pain he saw reflected in the man's eyes and felt his body wince against the abuse.
"Is that what you think? You'll die for nothing Phil. Nothing. Can't you see that Dubbiel is just using you? He's counting on me killing you and if I don't, he will." He loosened his grip. "Once he gets what he wants do you really think he'll just thank you and leave?"
"If I help him, i'll get a heavenly reward..."
Gabriel actually laughed out loud. "Are you mental? You can't get a heavenly reward from a fallen angel Phil! They're not heavenly anymore!"
"No. Once he kills you, God will give him your place in Heaven again. And THEN I'll get your reward."
"Oh for crying out loud-" Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Is that what this is still all about? He can HAVE my place up there. I don't care. But let me tell ya, neither does God. This apocalypse around you, God knows about it. He knows about Lucifer, he knows about Sam, he knows about me, and guess what chucklehead? He doesn't care. Not even in the slightest. So let's cut the chase and you just tell me where Sam is so this whole thing can be over with."
SPN SPN SPN
"You might as well stop praying, he can't hear you."
The foreign voice snapped Sam out of his thoughts. He had awoken what felt like hours ago tied to what felt like an uncomforble wooden chair with splinters that were stabbing into his forearms around the tight ropes that bound his wrists behind him. The blindfold prevented him from seeing anything but the darkness of the cloth around his eyes but he could tell the voice came from his right. What alarmed him the most though, was the fact that the voice implied that it not only knew he was praying, but who he was praying too.
Gabriel had practically drilled it into his head. 'Just call my name and i'll be there.' He even sang the song frquently to make sure Sam wouldn't forget. Runaway angel or not, he still had his wings and therefore he could still hear prayers directed at him and locate where and who they were coming from. It was a nice little loophole to the enochian sigils that they'd taken advantage of whenever Sam needed Gabriel.
But usually Gabriel responded to him within the seconds, with a friendly joke and an affectionate hair ruffle or hug around the shoulders. Sometime's he'd lick his face which reminded Sam of a dog he'd once had named Bones and caused the angel to complain for hours about how Sam tasted too salty and following threats to turn his skin into sugar.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked, tugging at his restraints.
Gentle hands untied the cloth from around his eyes to reveal a tall dark-skinned man with rugged facial hair and dark curls hanging around his face.
"I mean, your precious little angel on a leash can't hear you. I've put a spell on this building and blocked both of our auras."
Sam futilly tugged at his bound limbs again. "Auras?"
The man smirked. "If Gabriel didn't explain how angels can sense auras, i'm not going to waste my time doing it either. No point in educating something that's going to die anyways."
A spike of panic started crawling up Sam's spine. "What is that supposed to mean? What're you going to do to me?"
"Oh nothing, don't flatter yourself. Quite frankly I don't give a damn about you. It's Gabriel i'm after. However, Phil is another story."
"Who is Phil?"
"You'll find out soon enough. Stop asking pointless questions." The man walked in circles around Sam, observing him. "So what makes you so special anyways?"
Sam sighed. "You know, if you stopped asking such cryptic questions I might be able to answer them." He was getting tired of asking this guy 'what do you mean' already and the current situation wasn't improving his mood for asking or answering questions anyways. This guy knew what Gabriel was, and that they were together and now he was tied up in some building that Gabe wouldn't be able to find by an apparent lunatic. None of that spelled out anything good.
"What's so special about you, that an angel would tie itself down to you?"
He swallowed hard. Gabriel. This was about Gabriel. He supposed it was only fair that after all the times he'd gotten Gabriel staked through the heart or thrown into the middle of demon battles because of his past and destiny, that it was now working the other way around. After all, it wasn't like he doubted Gabriel had made a number of enemies over the years. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened.
"Ah, I dunno. My charming charisma?"
The man snorted. "Doubtful."
To be honest though, Sam couldn't give this strange man an answer to that question. He was mortal and flawed more than most humans on account of the demon blood that had been rushing through his veins since he was six months old. He had anger issues, a rabid jealous streak, and trust impairments galore. Not to mention ninety percent of all of Gabriel's troubles these days revolved around things that were Sam's fault.
He couldn't think of one single reason why Gabriel would want to be with him. He didn't doubt that the angel loved him, he just didn't know why. He wasn't blind to the way he looked into his eyes with unhidden affection, but he saw the worry and distress that often followed. Or worse, the hurt or irritation when Sam would shove him away to work on something for a hunt instead of cuddling or because Dean was in the room.
And yet he's stuck around. He could create something perfect to bow to his every whim and for some reason he was still poking and prodding at Sam's walls trying to squeeze his way through the cracks.
The man broke him out of his thoughts by leaning on his shoulder and breathing into his ear.
"Have you ever read the Bible Samuel?"
"Of course." He muttered. When he had been younger and stayed with Pastor Jim Murphy while John was out on hunts, Jim used to read it to him all the time.
"What all do you remember about Gabriel."
Ah geez. Gabriel had always been one of Sam's favorite angels. Of course, back when he was younger he'd never imagined he'd ever meet the arch angel much less be in a relationship with him, but it was a strange life.
"He was the one that told all the unborn babies about heaven, and then made them forget by pressing his finger to their lips. And he's supposed to sound the trumpet to end to apocalypse." Although no where in the Bible did it mention that he was going to be fighting in the apocalypse as well.
The man nodded. "Go on."
"He sat beside God. Judged souls."
"Go on." He repeated and Sam glared up at him.
"Is there something specific i'm supposed to be mentioning?"
"You're supposed to be mentioning the angel that Gabriel conspired to get thrown out of Heaven."
Sam suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Dubbiel. Dammit, he was staring face to face with Dubbiel. Even before he knew Gabriel, and knew his motives, he'd never liked that story. He didn't consider Gabriel back-stabbing or coniving but the conflict the two angels had resulted in Dubbiel being kicked out of Heaven so he didn't hesitate for a second to believe that this angel wanted revenge.
"You're a long way from Israel."
"Yeah, well this is more important."
A door opened and slammed shut above them and caught both of their attention as heavy boots stepped down the wooden stairs to where they were. Dubbiel tightened his grip around his shoulders and for a second Sam felt fury ignite within him that an angel that wasn't Gabriel was touching him.
And speak of the devil- well, in this case angel. Gabriel entered the room behind a man that Sam could only assume was Phil and reconized him from the hotel they had been staying at and as the man that had grabbed him in the woods.
"Gabriel no! It's a trap!" Sam managed to shout before Dubbiel covered his mouth with his hand.
Gabriel simply looked at him. "You think I don't know that? Give me some credit Sammy." He averted his olive green gaze from Sam to Dubbiel. "And would you mind not draping yourself all over him like that? It's going to take forever to wash your scent off him." He tilted his ginger head to the side for a second. "Actually, go right ahead. It'll give me a good excuse to trap him in a shower again."
"You say that like you're getting out of here alive."
Sam tensed as Gabriel held his hands up in surrender. "Let's just talk about this Dubbi. Sam's got nothing to do with this, his great-great-grandparents weren't even alive back when-"
"Back when you got me thrown out of heaven?"
"Mmmm I was going to say back when you went power-crazy and abused your position to the point where dad didn't consider you an angel anymore...but that works too. But hey, I didn't actually have anything to do with that. That was all your own fault. I was just the messenger. And do you really think all of this is going to get you a cozy place in Heaven back? 'Cause i've got news for you bro, dad's not up there anymore. He went AWOL. He doesn't even care about any of us anymore."
"Oh I know."
Phil spoke up. "But if that's true, if you know then...then why are you doing this?"
Gabriel tried to shush the human with a look.
"Phil, Phil, Phil. You poor, stupid sack of meat. I don't need you anymore." Dubbiel flicked his wrist and Phil's head snapped to the side, causing his body to drop lifeless to the ground and Gabriel winced, not bothering to turn and check if he was alive. He knew he wasn't and he narrowed his eyes and Dubbiel.
"I tried to warn him you were using him."
"Yes, well, he wasn't the brightest of humans. He just thought he was."
"Oh I wouldn't be so sure. You may have fooled him at first. But in the end he saw through you and decided to trust me instead." He snapped his fingers and the remains of Phil blew away like wisps of smoke. "The real Phil is getting the hell out of dodge. And he told me all about the ring of holy oil that's three steps to my left that you're waiting for me to walk into so you can set it on fire and trap me. That's not going to happen so you might as well just let Sam go."
"Well that's not going to happen either." Dubbiel tightened his grip painfully around Sam, cutting off his air for a second. "Screw God, i'm done playing for his team and trying to beg for his acceptance. Lucifer however, Lucifer will be the new God for a world risen from the ashes of this apocalypse. And I plan to help him obtain that goal. If Sam won't say yes, i'll just have to make him an offer he can't refuse."
"And what offer might that be? Nothing's going to make me say yes to that sonovabitch." Sam choked out.
"Oh I don't know about that. If you want to come back to life, you'll say yes. Otherwise he won't heal you." Dubbiel stepped back, producing a large, silver, curved blade and Sam vaugly heard Gabriel's voice, the sound of an angel, shouting as the metal slashed across his throat and caused his warm blood to bubble up into his lungs, gagging and choking him as spilled out of his mouth and his heart slowed to a stop.
End of Chapter 7
