A hand reached out and pushed the oak door open slowly. Whiskey eyes peered inside the dimly lit room at the lithe figure bent over the large table in the center, maps and other papers scattered around in a cluttered mess. The muscles under the pale skin were well defined, a warrior through and through. Dark hair crowned his head, like a halo of sorts, surrounding his face. The distinct shine of golden circlet adorned his hair. He wore nothing but the fine white skirt around his waist, the top half of his robes having been discarded at some point, put away with his leather armored tunic.

Even in leisure clothing such as this his strength was evident, his strength and power, and he was still a force to be reckoned with.

His hands were clasped around the edge of the old looking table as he leaned over it gently, examining something that they were not privy to.

The golden arm bands made the muscles on his arms stand out.

Gabriel took a silent step into the room trying his hardest not to disturb the person leaning over the table in case he got cold feet and bailed. In all reality he did not know why he was here, maybe it was his other brother 'stabbing' him or what that monkey had said to him when he and his brother had gotten the drop on him. It was all too surreal and no matter how hard he tried it just wouldn't go away any more.

And, sure, maybe he was getting to old to run to big brother every time he couldn't sleep, but he'd promised to listen when he asked him to, to be there when he needed him.

He needed him now.

Stepping closer, nervous butterflies filling his stomach as he did, Gabriel softly spoke out into the silent room. His almost silent voice like an air horn in the stillness of the night. It cracked and shook in a way he did not like.

"Michael"

The muscles in the back tensed, rippling under the skin as the one before him moved slightly. He wasn't sure what it was or what his face had looked like, but the sigh from the other was something he was not expecting. It was not a sigh of anger nor hatred but a sigh of relief. The hands let go of the table and the muscles moved again as he stood up straight, shoulders squaring out perfectly. Turning slowly, Michael took in the sight of his baby brother.

He took in the pale face. The dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. The trails leading from his eyes down his face. His red nose and raspy almost silent call. The fake blood covering his front and the bloody blade he grasped in his hand, that clattered to the floor as his face fell once more and screwed up as fresh tears gathered in his whiskey eyes.

Those eyes were meant to be shining with happiness and light, not sadness and tears.

The elder archangel was strong and steady as he stepped forward, his hands gentle as they grasped the back of his younger brothers neck, and the arms were strong when they pulled him into his chest.

A harsh sob tore from the messengers throat as he sank into his eldest brothers bare chest, slowly but surely his own arms came up to wrap around his brother the best he could, his finger nails border-lining on painful as he dug into the flesh on his back. Michael did not mind the pain, it made it true that he was really here with him, that Gabriel was not really as dead as Lucifer believed him to be.

As he believed him to be.

Michael said nothing, not yet, just stood there and held his brother as he fell to pieces in a place he deemed safe enough to do so. Silently standing guard and at the ready to put him back together when the time came. Gabriel sobbed once more when warm lips pressed tenderly against his forehead.

"Gabriel"

It did not need to be said in words on what had happened, it was almost as if it was unspoken common knowledge. Michael cradled the back of his brother head, bending forward to bury his nose in the golden brown hair of his baby brother, the locks hiding his own tears as they fell. His precious brothers sobs were not of agony of pain, not of hatred, they were agony of betrayal.

Lucifer had made to stab him, honestly believed he had done the deed, and undoubtedly Gabriel had been there to watch the entire thing. Not being strong enough to escape after having created such an elaborate illusion. He'd been forced to watch as the one whom he had always adored committed such a deep betrayal on his copy, the being that was meant to be him. And that was something that Michael, no matter how hard he could try, would be able to make him forget.

All he could do was wrap him in tighter and watch as his baby brother slowly broke into nothingness. Gabriel's sobs died down after a long long moment, resting his forehead against his big brothers chest, he heaved a breath before speaking once more.

"I...I'm sorry"

It was Michael's turn to be confused into a shocked silence as he brothers words finally registered in his mind. Pulling away only slightly, the elder archangel rested his forehead against his little brothers, blue eyes peering into amber whiskey.

"What ever have you got to be sorry for?"

Gabriel took another breath, his voice hoarse and crackly.

"Fo..For..interrupting you.."

Gabriel was all of a sudden feeling rather self conscious, but his brothers hands on the back of his neck kept him in place.

"I..I should...I should go.."

The hands on the back of his neck tightened just a fraction, along with the warm arms wrapped around him acting as a security blanket against the world.

"You will do no such thing"

His brothers voice was strong, firm, and left no room for argument. He was pulled back into his big brothers chest once more, tucked under his chin like he'd been when he was merely a small fledgling.

"And you have nothing to apologize for"

Michael let him go once more, leading him to the side of the room towards his wash room, walking carefully side by side.

"Lets get you cleaned up Little Brother"

Gabriel said nothing. Physically and mentally on the verge of clocking out. Michael sat him down on the stole in the washroom and turned slightly to grab the silver basin bowl on the counter, to fill it with warm water, and reach for a spare rag. He dipped it gently in the warm water and tenderly dabbed at the 'blood' on his brothers face. Gabriel looked straight ahead with dulling whiskey eyes as he gently washed the substance from his brothers cheeks and hands.

Kneeling down, his hands resting softly on his brothers knees, Michael gazed imploringly into his dull sad eyes.

"Gabby, please do not shut me out. I am here for you, we are all here for you, but please do not shut us out this time."

Gabriel licked his lips once, twice, before his eyes traveled down to meet his brothers. Tears once again making them shine in a way that was just so wrong.

"He..He actually stabbed me...Well not me, but...It was intended...He was really going to stab me Mikey...Oh my Dad, he was going to kill me"

The elder frowned in sorrow for his younger brother. Setting the rag aside and reaching out to draw him into another embrace.

"Oh Gabby...Oh oh Gabby...I am so sorry, Love"

Michael did not say anything more for another moment as he did not know what to say. Because what does one say when it is the one whom they trusted with their entire being, the one whom had practically raised them, what do you say when it is them who commit the horrid act against you. Instead he helped him back to his feet, swiftly lifting him clear off the floor (proving in the same moment that one was never to big to be carried like the small fledgling that they had once been, not according to Michael) cradling him to his chest once more as he moved from the wash room back out to his bedroom, right passed the forgotten table of maps and such, straight to his bed on the other wall.

Gently he lowered his younger brother down onto the softness of the silken cloud like blankets. Caressing his cheek in one hand, Michael was soft but firm as he spoke next.

"Stay"

The messenger nodded numbly as he watched his brother stand back up to his full height and turn back towards his wardrobe. He opened the closet portion and rummaged through it for a long moment. After a short minute he found whatever it was he had been searching for and turned back around, shutting the thin door in his wake. Resting over his arm was another robe, the thing made his eyes water in familiarity.

It was one of Lucifer's old robes.

"Put this on"

His order was just as soft and firm as it had been the last time and Gabriel found himself numbly nodding along once again as he reached for the soft fabric and his brother turned to give him some form of privacy. It only took a moment to get the robe on, and the sleeves were so long that they fell passed his hands, to which he pulled to his nose and soaked in the smell of what his older brother used to be. Michael was gentle as he guided the younger archangel under the covers and slid in beside him.

Gabriel did not wait for the invitation this time as he crawled closer snuggled into his biggest brother's side, resting his head on his chest. Michael wrapped an arm securely around his shoulders, pulling him closer, if that was possible at this point.

"Brother, I am so, so sorry"

Gabriel hummed but did not respond. Michael was not sure if he was happy about that or not, but it was clear to see that his precious baby brother was losing himself, was breaking. And it pained him to know that he had had a part to play in the tragic act.

The messenger nuzzled his head under his brothers chin, resting calmly, peacefully, on his strong chest. He felt more the saw the elders hand slide up to rub at his scalp. They were silent for a long moment, so long in fact that Michael had begun to think that Gabriel had fallen to sleep (Father knew he needed it) but his thoughts were disproved when his brothers soft resigned voice sounded from below him.

"Michael, can you tell me a story"

The elder archangel smiled sadly as he bent forward to press another kiss to the younger's temple. He recognized the question for what it was and if anything it broke his heart even more. However, not wanting to upset the messenger anymore then he already was, The Prince was more then happy to oblige.

"It had been a bright day, sunny and warm, Father was in the clouds once more and we knew that something big was happening"

He gazed down at his younger brother, smiling softly when he noticed his eyes fluttering already.

"We had been playing a rousing game of hide and seek, I was hiding in the trees, when Father had finally come down from the clouds, in His arms He cradled a small bundle of white. It was so small, tiny hands and even tinier fingers. The cutest little button nose and the biggest roundest golden eyes I'd ever seen"

Gabriel nuzzled closer, the only indication that he was still listening was his continuously fluttering eye lids. Michael smiled tenderly and warm lips brushed the messengers brow once more.

"Father looked at me and handed the small bundle over. I held it in my arms as if it would break should I move an inch, from the moment I gazed into those huge golden eyes I knew that the small angel would have me wrapped around his finger. They yawned a big yawn and reached up for me and I sat on the ground completely forgetting the game I had been playing and simply held this new baby angel in my arms and looked down at him with his three tiny golden wings, and he giggled so when I reached up and ran my fingers through his feathers"

Gabriel hummed, Michael rested his chin on the golden locks.

"I just remember looking at him, all tiny and down, and knowing that I would do everything in my power to make sure that he was always happy, that he was always loved."

Gabriel was gone, fast asleep, breath shallow and even as it hit the side of his neck lightly. After everything that had happened that day Michael couldn't much blame him, in fact he was relieved that he was able to get some well deserved rest. Bending down low to press one more kiss to his forehead, he whispered into the skin.

"And I will always love you Baby Brother, always."

So? this is one of my older docs that I had and just got around to posting it! Hope y'all liked the feels!