Dean sighed looking back at the impala where Sam was sitting in the passenger seat going over the notes Gabriel had given them. There was a crease in between his eyes that Dean was sure would stick if he didn't stop frowning for a while soon. "Got you a coffee, what's up? You look like those notes are going to vanish or something." He said and Sam jumped a little before thanking him and taking a sip of the coffee.
"Dean... I know I haven't told you anything about Deanna's mother but... This guy's handwriting looks exactly the same as her's! I remember because I used to tease her about having perfect handwriting and taking calligraphy classes but there's no way that he could mimic the loops and swirls that she did like this... I... I'm lost. I can't even think straight and now I'm freaking out over handwriting!" He said closing the file as angrily as he could. Dean wanted to laugh at the display of irritation but held it back.
"Look, maybe this Gabriel guy knew her? Maybe she was a hunter too and gave him the notes? Maybe you're tired and will be able to handle things better when we get back to Bobby's? I know you're worried about Deanna and still grieving but give it some time." He told him with a smile as he started the car so they could move on. They were still three hours away from Bobby's and he didn't want to waste time Sam could be spending with his daughter. She needed her daddy right now more then anything. "Tell me about your lady Sammy. I wanna know where Deanna gets her good humor and sweet tooth from because it definitely isn't you." He teased hoping to learn more about the woman his brother had loved before and had given birth to his niece at the cost of her life.
"She was... Amazing. I met her my first day at college. I had gotten lost and we ran into each other like one of those cheesy romance films. Turned out we both had the same class so we went together and got to talking. Her name was Gabby. She had the stupidest sense of humor and was really moral about certain things. She was happy and carefree compared to me being the mature adult. She always dragged me along with her to the parties going on and one night we got a little too drunk. Deanna was the result of that though I'd never trade her for anything. I remember Gabby cried the night we went to the hospital for the first time. She seemed so scared and I had no idea what to do for her. But she finally told me she was just so happy to have a family of our own and... God I miss her so much. I loved Jessica, I really did, but I don't think I'll ever love someone the same way as Gabby." Sam finally admitted looking out the window and Dean nodded taking that all in. It was good to have Sam talking about it. He knew his little brother was the type that needed to talk about things to heal.
"I'm sorry for everything Sammy. Let's get home to your runt and get some grub huh? Everything's better after a slice of pie." He teased trying to lighten the mood from the somber tone it was currently in. Sam nodded and put the folder aside instead just resting his head against the window anxious to get back to his little girl.
"Daddy! Daddy daddy daddy!" Deanna yelled as soon as Sam walked through the door and he laughed catching her as she launched herself into his arms hugging him tightly.
"I missed you too princess. Did you and Uncle Bobby get along okay?" He asked her as Bobby walked in the room.
"She's a very well behaved little girl Sam. Nothing like you idjits. Didn't cause me a lick of trouble at all, and she helped me make dinner for tonight so eat up." He told him with a smile. Deanna need nodded excitedly pulling on Sam's hand to drag him to the kitchen and show him what they had made.
Watching her as she ate her beef stew Sam caught sight of the necklace Gabriel had given her and suddenly he was able to place where he had seen it before. But... It was impossible. There was no way that Gabriel could have had that necklace because he had buried it with Gabby and he had checked her grave every year. No one had ever messed with it or anything. He was sure.
"Daddy? Are you okay? You look upset." Deanna asked him breaking him from his thoughts and he realized he had been staring. He shook his head smiling at her and started to eat his own stew helping wash everything after he was done. He had to find Gabriel again. Whoever he was, he was keeping secrets that related to Deanna's mother and Sam wasn't going to let that go.
"Deanna, I wanna talk with you about something okay? I need you to be completely honest with me. What did you and Gabriel talk about before he left?" He asked her as he tucked her into bed after her bath. She frowned not sure what to do. She had never lied to her daddy before but she had promised not to tell anyone Gabriel's secret.
"I promised not to tell you..." She said looking everywhere except for Sam and he sighed moving so they were at eye level.
"Deanna... It's very very important that I know. I'm worried Gabriel may be in danger and I need to know everything I can." He told her in a half lie. Gabriel would be in danger from Sam if he didn't have a damn good reason for having Gabby's necklace.
"He's... He'll... He's an angel! He's an angel that is my mommy and I love him and I don't wanna loose him again! Don't let him get hurt daddy! Please!" She blurted out and started to cry making Sam feel bad for forcing her to tell him.
"Shh... Shh... Don't worry. I'll make sure he's okay but... How is he your mommy? He's a guy. Guys can't have babies." He said confused why she would think that.
"Gabriel us an angel, they aren't boys or girls, and so he can change the way he looks to be a boy or a girl. He told me. I remembered him holding he when I was just a little baby and singing to me..." She told him sniffling afraid her mommy would hate her for not keeping her secret. But she was scared that her mommy would get hurt like her mommy Jessica and she had to break her promise to protect him.
"It's okay princess. I'll make sure he's okay... I promise I will." Sam promised more confused then before. An angel? What were the chances? More likely a high level demon, maybe even higher then yellow eyes... He'd have to do research. He stayed with Deanna until she was asleep then walked downstairs to talk to Dean and Bobby to see what they thought.
"Well, Angels have more lore then most other things we hunt, it's possible... But we'd have to find him and ask really. Angels are god's warriors they have to be extremely powerful." Bobby said but Dean was more against the idea.
"Angels? Bobby do you even hear yourself? Deanna's saying that the MAN we spoke with is her MOTHER! A woman she's never met! I mean it's like unicorns being real!" He shouted throwing his hands up. Sam turned and gave him a sad look.
"Unicorns aren't real?" He teased before loosing the act. "Seriously Dean listen, in most passages describing Angels it portrays them as gender less. The archangel Gabriel is one of the Angels that is most often written about walking among humans. Maybe... Maybe... I mean Gabby, Gabriel, big difference in name, their handwriting is exactly the same, that necklace he gave Deanna was Gabby's! What else can we believe? He have to find him." Sam decided though he wasn't sure why he wanted it to be true so bad. There was no way things could be the same between them knowing that he had left Sam to raise Deanna alone all this time and that he had broken Sam's heart so throughly.
"Okay okay, so say he is your girlfriend and Deanna's mom... That would make her one of those evil angel spawn things that it talks about." Dean argued and Bobby rolled his eyes.
"You mean a nephilim? They were said to be giants that had abilities ten times that of their parents. God had yo send that flood to wipe them out in the end because they were corrupting humans or whatnot." Bobby clarified and Sam rubbed his face. Deanna was just a normal little girl... Well except those dreams she spoke about. But... She wasn't evil. There was no way.
"What do we do? Is there a way to summon an angel?" Sam finally asked and Bobby shook his head.
"Just good old prayer. You pray using the Angels name and they should be able to hear you." He told him but suddenly Gabriel walked out of the kitchen with a chocolate bar.
"Or maybe I was upstairs calming down Deanna because Sam freaked her out making her think I was going to die and she was having a panic attack? I mean that was a low move Sammy. Way to help your kid get over the fact her mother died a week ago." Gabriel said sarcastically glaring at them. Dean and Bobby immediately pointed guns at him and Gabriel snorted snapping his fingers turning the guns into water guns.
"Can't we talk civilly? There are children in this house and Sam praised not to let me die again so..." He said and Sam couldn't take not knowing anymore.
"So... You are Gabby? You just... And it meant nothing? You just up and left us?" He asked feeling hurt. Gabriel's expression softened and he shook his head.
"No, never... You and Deanna are the best things that have ever happened to me. Honestly it was like ripping out my wings leaving you both but... My brothers, the other Angels, we're not heavenly guardians or even really good. They obey orders and anyone who gets in their way is dead. Now what you said about nephilim isn't true, I know, I was there the first time, but they still are against the heavenly code. Both me and Deanna would have been killed. So I made a choice and I faked my death to protect my daughter. It's not something I did lightly or without knowing the consequences. I lost my daughter and the man I loved in one go, but just knowing you were both alive was enough for me." Gabriel admitted looking down at his shoes.
Sam nodded understanding for the most part. "And Jessica? If you're a big bad archangel then why would you... Deanna was there! She could have... I..." Sam said choking up at the end. Gabriel wanted to comfort him but he couldn't. They were nothing to each other now.
"I couldn't Sam... I wanted to, but I couldn't. The truth is complicated and hard to explain but... My brothers have a plan for you and Dean. If I interfere with their plan then it's put a huge spotlight on me and Deanna and it'd get us killed. If it were just me I would have saved her but I'm not going to loose my baby, ever. I told you, I tried to take Deanna to my place but she woke up and ran before I could explain. By the time I got there if was too late and all I could do is carry her out while Dean dragged you out." He admitted his voice breaking half way through.
Dean looked between the two of them and then looked at Bobby who nodded knowing they needed to be alone for a moment. They both left and Sam waited until they were gone before walking over to Gabriel and taking his hand looking at the ring that he had given him, well her at the time, before Deanna was born. "Gabriel, I... I honestly can't decided whether to kiss you or shoot you. You hurt me. I thought that I had lost the one happiness in my life. I loved Jessica but nothing felt as right as it did with you. I can't just let the years that we lost together go... But, I can forgive you, and we can... We can try again, no lies or half truths this time. If you are willing?" Sam asked and Gabriel met his eyes surprised to see there was still love in those hazel eyes that he could so easily get lost in.
"I'd like that Sammy... But I'm a dude now, doesn't that bother you?" He asked and Sam smiled kissing him deeply feeling the new sessions but easily able to feel the same practiced movements in it.
"Does it bother you? Because as long as you're happy, so am I. Just... Don't leave me again okay?" He said resting their foreheads together and Gabriel nodded.
"I'll be here forever. I promise..." He said feeling light headed. Everything was perfect in that moment. He had Sam and their daughter back, and he wasn't going to let them go away his time.