"Big, Bag, Of, Dicks...I do not think I have ever heard that one before baby brother"

Gabriel did not need to turn around to know he was standing behind him. He would remember that power, the warmth it gave, that essence anywhere he went. He know that calm but strong voice no matter where he was.

And so he simply stood there, staring at the spot that his clone had been lying. His brother had stabbed him. His big brother, the one who had taught him almost all he knows. Lucifer had actually thought he'd killed him. If that hadn't even been the worst thing he had ever known his brother to do then he would have never thought him capable, but then again he didn't really know this thing that his beloved brother had turned into.

Neither of them.

And it killed him.

"And you would, how did you put it, shiv my ass too?"

Gabriel groaned, something unnatural for him, and the action caused his elder brother to raise an eyebrow from behind him.

"What do you want Michael? To punish me for my sins? To take me back and make me fight for you?"

"No, brother, that is not why I am here"

Gabriel's voice no longer held that spark of happiness that it once held. And it pained Michael to see the sunshine of his existence loose its shine. Lucifer may be the Morning Star, but Gabriel had always shined the brightest.

"Then why are you here Brother? Are you here to tell me to blow my horn? To announce the beginning of the fight that will take one of my brothers from me? Is that why your here?"

Least to say that, Gabriel was surprised when warm gentle arms wrapped around his waist and he was pulled back into his brothers chest, which in itself was not hard to accomplish considering that his big brother was still at least two heads taller then him. His brother was warm, inviting, but he would not allow himself this comfort. He would not allow himself to get close only to have it snatched from him again.

"No, Baby Brother, that is not why I am here either. I am here for you"

"For me?"

He felt more then saw his Brother rest his chin on his shoulder.

"For You. I am here to hold you, to hug you, to protect you from all I can. I am here for you"

Gabriel was silent for a moment. This was the brother he loved and remembered. The one that had held him as a small hatchling, the one who had shown him how to fly and to fight, the one who had taught him that one was never to old to laugh. It was the brother that he had missed for the longest time.

And, so, it was Michael's turn to be surprised as his baby brother spun around in his arms. Buried himself in his chest, latched onto the front of his jacket as tightly as he could, and sobbed. He did not hesitate in wrapping his baby brother into a warm embrace, cupping the back of his head to him with his hand. Gabriel's sharp sobs made their way to his ear and his heart broke in half. He softly pressed a kiss to his brother soft brunette locks. They had never stopped to see what the fighting had been doing, how it had been affecting their brothers and sisters.

"Shhh, hush now, its alright, shhh"

Gabriel shook his head, still buried in his chest, his sobs still heaving his body. Michael slowly looked around and walked them to one of the many chairs littered around the room. Sitting down in the chair he gently pulled his baby brother down into his lap, cradling the back of his head with his hand while he gently rocked them back and forth, much like he had when Gabriel had been a mere fledgling.

"I-I...I just can't...Can't take it anymore! I just want it to be over, but then I don't! Be-Bec..Because then o-one of you ha...have to die"

Michael kissed the top of his baby brothers head gently. Maybe he could talk to Lucifer, maybe there was another way.

"Come now, its alright, shhh don't cry now"

But Gabriel was too far gone and it broke him. Gabriel was always smiling, always laughing, always playing. But never had he seen him this down before, this fragile, and to know that it was because of their fighting, it broke him. He held him tighter, vowing to make it better, to fix this, because he could not be a good son, not at the expense of his siblings.

Not at their expense.

Michael pressed a kiss to Gabriel's golden locks. Slowly his sobs died down into simpers, his breathing evening out slowly. Michael tightened his hold as he looked down at his dear baby brother. Gabriel's golden eyes slowly flickered as his eyes fluttered shut, clearly exhausted.

"That's it Little One, rest now, you need it, that's it."

Meanwhile, in the shadows, Lucifer watched as his older brother rocked their baby brother until his body shaking sobs calmed into slumber, worn out from his emotional break. Tears streamed down the elders face at the sweet baby brother they had caused such pain to.

There had to be another way.