Chapter 3

Reunions

"Brap?" Gabriel stared at the Angel in front of him in disbelief. He looked the same as he did when he last saw him. Short, tousled brown hair with blue eyes and was flipping a gold coin up and down while leaning against the nearest dumpster. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Brap grinned at him, still flipping the coin. "Is that anyway to greet your best friend?" he asked, his British accent bugging the Archangel slightly. But then Gabriel grinned back at him. Brap had been his best friend for Dad knows how long. He was the only Angel who actually understood why Gabriel left home in the first place. He recalled times when they would pull pranks together, not giving a crap about Heaven or there brothers. He was the only one who knew his true identity on Earth besides his father. But things changed when Brap had been called to work from somewhere high up in Heaven.

"How long has it been?" Gabriel asked, staring at his gold coin.

Brap thought for a moment before answering, "Hundred years, give or take a few."

Gabriel sighed. It had been too long. "So, having fun locating special types of metals for Heaven with your 'metal detector sense'?"

Brap let out a small laugh. "Oh old friend, you know I can do much more then locating metals." He stopped flipping the coin as it started to float above his hand.

"Show off." Gabriel said and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "So, why are you following me around anyway?"

"I have a feeling that you like that girl differently than other girls." Brap said, the coin dropping into his hand.

Gabriel let out a breath, watching as the cold air made it visible. "You always were the smart one."

Brap stood up straight, leaning away from the dumpster. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, along with the coin, and now had a more serious look on his face. "You shouldn't be with her."

Gabriel shot him a quizzical look. It was odd; he was the one who always encouraged him when it came to girls. "Why?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.

Brap stepped closer to him. "Do you really want to drag her into your crazy life? You have no idea what could come after her. You're endangering her life."

Gabriel gaped at his friend. "What? No one even knows who I am! Sure, I'm passing of as a Trickster for now but you know that already! She'll be fine, I assure you."

"You don't know that. There are…Angels who may be…" Brap started but didn't finish his sentence.

"Be what?" Gabriel asked, growing worried.

"…May be aware of who you really are." Brap finished and avoided eye contact with the Archangel.

"What!" Gabriel yelled, not believe what Brap had just said to him. "How?" he asked, but it was more of a demand then a question.

Brap shrugged and kicked at the snow. "I-I'm not sure. But if they know what you are then there most likely are going to find out where you are. And dragging a human into the mix won't end well."

"Great." Gabriel said sarcastically and ran a hand through his hair. "Wait, how do you know?"

"I work up in a high level upstairs. You hear things." Brap explained and looked at him with sympathetic eyes. "I'm not trying to be mean or anything, I'm just trying to look out for you and the human. You should-." He started but was cut off by Gabriel.

"Carrie. Her name is Carrie not 'human'." Gabriel said with a touch of annoyance in his tone.

Brap sighed. "You really do like her, don't you?"

Gabriel just nodded, unsure of what else to say. "I-I can't leave now. There has to be something I could do so that our dick brothers don't come after me and try to drag me back upstairs."

"There might be a way, actually." Brap said and Gabriel looked at him with hope.

"Really? What is it?"

"A metal I know of. It could possibly keep you under the radar. But I would have need to find it though; I do not have it under my possession at the moment." Brap explained.

"Could you please? I don't want to be dragged back upstairs and I want Carrie do stay safe." Gabriel said.

Brap nodded but didn't look him in the eyes. "I will try." He said then turned his blue eyes back to him. "I have missed you, Gabriel."

"Ditto. It gets lonely by yourself sometimes." Gabriel said and ginned slightly. "Just let me know when you have the metal. And don't be a stranger, seriously! I've been itching to pull a good prank and I remember the ones we used to pull back in the day."

A smile slowly grew on Brap's face. "You haven't changed."

"I wish I could say the same thing to you. What happened to that happy-go-lucky, living on the edge kinda attitude you always had?" Gabriel asked. He knew his best friend well enough to know when something's up with him.

Brap sighed. "The job has changed me." He said.

"Finding metals has changed you?" Gabriel said with a little bit of a joking tone.

"It's very constricting." He said then added a smile. "I'll help you, don't worry. What are friends for?"

"Thanks buddy." He said then Brap vanished.

Gabriel sighed and kicked the wall. "Dammit!" he yelled. Angels knew now that an Archangel was now running around impersonating a Trickster. That sucked ass. And now Carrie could be in possible danger? No, he couldn't leave her. She was different from other girls and it just pained the Angel when she was gone for a few short minutes. What would happen if he had to leave her for good? He really needed a beer…