Title: Tongues of Men and Angels
Rating: TA for implied?romance.
Summary: Glimpses of grace: the story of one brother and two sisters. Through the grace of God, all things are made new.A series of drabbles. Ish. Gabriel/OC. Ish.
Disclaimer: *obligatory insert*
Chapter XXXVI: Saint Peter at the Gates
And he who sits on the throne said,
"Behold! I make all things new."
Revelation 21: 5
He had expected to meet Michael at the Gates—had prepared his heart for it, in fact. He knew the bittersweet compassion in his brother's eyes would be harder to bear than his condemnation.
But the form that awaited him, silhouetted against Heaven's radiance, was far smaller and sprightlier, wingless.
"Gabriel," she laughed, unrestrained, and the dark gold of her eyes was so full of wild glory, so utterly free of sorrow, that he did not recognize her at first. She was still the same girl, but death—and heaven, and God—had drawn the darkness out of her eyes and let something loose in her, something wilder and stronger and glowing.
Sometimes you have to tear a thing apart in order to rebuild it the way it was meant to be.
She rushed at him.
He retreated quickly, inexplicably frightened—that this was a fantasy, that this moment was not real, that she wasn't here and strong and full of light. She moved in again and he flinched backward once more, his heart achingly full: of hope, and yearning—and fear.
Then she leapt upon him, and his tears spilled over before he even knew they were there. He crushed her against his armor, lifting her feet off the stones, pressing her into his chest and breathing her in, murmuring breathless prayers of gratitude into her hair and weeping at this new yet familiar creature in his arms.
"Oh, welcome home," Joy breathed against him quaveringly. "Big brother, welcome home."
Word Count: 251
Completed: June 5th
One of my shortest and most favorite chapters.
I am sure all of you would like a longer glimpse at this reunion, but that's not the purpose of this chapter. The purpose was instead to pinpoint one moment, which not only shows a glimpse of the love between these two adopted siblings, but –hopefully—shows why Joy died.
XXXVII: Prodigal. God speaks.
XXXVIII: Joseph, Reuben. Another reunion.
XXXIX: The Stone is Rolled Away. Gabriel comes home.
Epilogue: Seventh Day. A couple enjoys each others' company in a Garden.
****This title refers to the traditional assertion that St Peter sits at the Gates of Heaven with a Book of Judgement, and when you arrive, he finds your name in the Book and decides whether or not you are worthy to enter.