Chapter 16: Return of the Messenger
Gabriel snickered and bit hard into his fist trying to contain his laughter. Sam walked over to Lucifer and passed the devil a small pillow, who immediately shoved it under him so he could sit comfortably. His hiss of pain sent the youngest archangel into snorts of laughter and drew a glare from his older brother. Dean came into the room and paused taking in the sight of Gabriel doubled over in laughter, Michael looking very smug, Sam looking torn between amused and disapproving, and Lucifer looked pissed.
"Did I miss something?" Dean asked.
Lucifer looked up at him. "I'm not taking your advice again. It was horrible."
Dean frowned and gave the Devil a once over. Lucifer's button up shirt was filthy and surprisingly buttoned up. Taking a better look Dean realized that his other shirt, while still on, seemed to be ripped right down the front and was being hidden with the button up. There were even dark marks scattered across the Devil's neck and they disappeared under the collar of his shirt. Lucifer turned back to his book and shifted uncomfortably and the hunter suddenly realized exactly what the problem was.
"Nice! You got laid!"
Lucifer glared at him. "The drink was pleasant. I didn't anticipate my partner being so excited."
"No shit." Dean said. "You look like you got mauled. Was she hot?"
Gabriel burst into loud laughter and had to duck out of the room, trying to control himself. "It wasn't a girl!" He called between his fits of laughter as he headed outside followed closely by Castiel.
Dean blinked then turned back to the blonde. "Was he hot then? Looks like you had fun. I hope you got his number."
Sam let out a little cough and nodded to Michael, who was sitting on the couch and watching Lucifer with a very smug smile.
"Dude! That's our brother's body." Dean said.
Michael turned to look at Dean. "Adam is the one who encouraged me. He gave me permission."
Dean shook his head as Bobby came in and passed Lucifer a shirt. "Here. This should fit you. You can keep it okay?"
Lucifer nodded and quickly stripped out of his button up revealing the remains of his shirt and still healing scratches. He quickly stripped out of the shirt and threw the remains behind him into the fireplace and as he did revealed the still healing scratches that decorated both his chest and back. Dean even spotted a few dark marks near the Devil's waistband. Smiling Dean let out a low whistle and watched as Lucifer yanked the shirt on and quickly adjusted it.
"You're an animal Michael."
The archangel blushed. "I was excited."
"I can tell." Dean said. "So how is the research going?"
"Slow." Lucifer admitted. "There are so many spells here that it's taking longer then I would like to find the spell Gabby used. Them being in multiple languages is also slowing the process down."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Sam asked. "We'd like to help if we can."
"Michael! Lucifer! Sam!" Castiel called, his voice strained as he appeared holding an unconscious Gabriel, who was once more sporting a nose bleed.
"What happened Castiel?" Michael asked coming over and helping get the younger archangel to the couch.
"We were talking. He asked about one of my favorite memories and I told him." Castiel said. "It was of him telling me not to step on the fish. He just turned and looked at me for a moment and then said a number and passed out."
Lucifer came over and cast a quick spell to settle his younger brother's mind. "He'll be fine. He's just sleeping now."
"Luc these blackouts are becoming more and more frequent." Michael said watching as Sam knelt down next to the couch to be closer to his boyfriend. "What happens when it gets to the point where the overloads don't stop?"
Lucifer sighed. "You don't want to know."
Castiel turned away from Gabriel and went over to Bobby's desk. Thinking over what had happened a few days ago he began wondering if maybe Gabriel was trying to help them help him again. The dark haired angel marked his older brother's page and began flipping through the book. Coming to rest on the right page he began looking over the spell. It was in the oldest forms of Enochian but he was able to understand enough to know that the spell on the page was a resurrection spell of some type.
"Lucifer I think this was the spell Gabriel used." Castiel said.
Lucifer was at his side in a flash. "What spell is it?"
"I'm not sure. I can only make out some of it." The younger admitted.
Lucifer read over the spell before his eyes went wide and flicked over to Gabriel. "You can never do things the easy way can you? You are such a reckless fucking bastard!"
"Lucifer!" Michael snapped.
Lucifer picked up the book and held it out the First Born. "Look at it Michael! Look at it and tell me that Gabriel was thinking properly!"
Michael took the book and began reading. "'I have been though many hardships in this life of mine. I wish for my pains and sorrows, angers and frustrations, fears and uncertainties, to be changed into something newer and stronger. I wish to grow from my past mistakes and misfortunes, not to be held back by them. I wish to hurt from them no more; for them to do me no harm. I wish for them to transform me into someone wiser, stronger, calmer, and more self-aware.' Lucifer this isn't a resurrection spell."
"If it's not a resurrection spell then what is it?" Sam asked.
"It's a spell of rebirth." Castiel said. "The worst type of spell to cast. The risks are numerous and the amount of power needed is immense. It can take up to two months for the spell to be completed provided it's done correctly. In this case while it was done correctly the seal wasn't."
"So in other words the seal reacted to the rebirth spell?" Sam asked.
"No. The rebirth spell took the seal to be an added element." Lucifer said. "The spell re-wrote itself to erase the bad things that happened to Gabriel. Crowley raping him, what we did to him, his past abusive relationship, the rebirth spell took it all. It took away everything and dumped Gabriel's consciousness to when he was the happiest. For him it was some time after the First War but before we got together."
"Okay so how do we fix it?" Dean asked. "There's got to be a way. Every spell has a counter and if not a counter for it then a way to go around it."
"I'm not sure yet. Knowing the spell he used gives me a starting point. From here it won't take me very long to find out what we need to fix him." Lucifer said. "Things are-"
"Don't jinx us!" Dean said sharply. "That's how bad shit happens."
"Gabe please stop." Came a barely heard whisper from near the couch.
"Sam?" Castiel asked. "What's wrong?"
Sam refused to look away from the youngest archangel. Moving closer it was easy to see why. Gabriel was awake, his gold eyes were open and they were half lidded and pain filled. A small smile was one his face and he was watching Sam, unwilling to take his eyes off him. Blood was trickling down his face and it was also beginning to come from his ears. Lucifer bit out a curse and leaned down and touched two fingers to is younger brother's brow sending the younger into a deep sleep.
"Is he okay?"
"He was fighting it for you Sam." Lucifer said. "He's willing to risk permanent injury just to be there for you."
Tears filled the hunter's eyes and shook his head trying not to sob. "I don't want that. This is all my fault."
"It is not your fault Sam." Dean said. "It's Crowley's."
Sam stood glaring at Dean. "Gabriel broke his wing because he was protecting me Dean. If I hadn't tripped then he wouldn't have tried to protect me. Him protecting me is why his wing was broken. That was how Crowley got his feathers! Because of me! If I had just talked to him none of this would have happened."
"Tell me something Sam. Did you trip on purpose?" Michael asked, his blue eyes flashing.
Sam shook is head. "No."
"Did you plan for this to happen?"
"No! I would never hurt Gabe!"
Michael suddenly grabbed Sam by the front of his shirt and slammed him again the wall, making everyone else jump. "Now I want you to listen to me, Sam Winchester. What Gabriel did? Protecting you and dying? He did that because he loves you. If he didn't love you then he never would have done it. Protecting the one we love is something that is hardwired into everyone, be they angel or human. My brother is not one who easily gives his love away and once that love is lost I have seen him destroy those who have broken his heart.
"Gabriel would never have taken such a risk if you were not worth it Sam. I know he won't say it so I'll say it for him; Nothing in Heaven, Hell, or Earth is more important to him then you. You have become his everything. He risked his life by going to hell to talk to both Lucifer and myself know full well that one or both of us might have tried to end his life. He was so desperate to make things right between the two of you that he was willing to risk his life to see it happen. If that doesn't tell you that he loves you then nothing else will. Do you understand?"
Sam nodded. "I do. I would die for him too. You have no idea how hard it was for me to end is life that night. Even if it was what he wanted I will never forgive myself for what I did. It went against everything I stood for."
"Michael? What are you doing?"
Michael turned to see Gabriel sitting up, his hazel eyes confused as he took in the sight of his brother holding his boyfriend against the wall. Michael let Sam go and fixed the hunter's clothes before he straightened his own. Taking a deep breath he calmed himself hoping Gabriel wouldn't read more into it then what there was.
"Sam and I were talking." Michael said. "I making a point."
"Please don't hurt him." Gabriel said softly. "I love him."
Michael nodded and moved away from Sam, feeling a bit queasy. "I would never hurt you like that. I swear on my Grace."
Gabriel stood and walked over to Michael and wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tight. "You don't have to protect me anymore Michael. I'm over a thousand now."
It was hard to miss the tears that welled up in Michael's eyes as he hugged his brother back. "No matter how old you get you are still going to be my Baby Brother. I'm always-" Michael voice cracked and he visibly struggled to compose himself. "I'm always going to be here to protect you Little One."
"I know. I love you Mike."
"And I you." Michael said.
"I'm hungry."
Michael looked up and Lucifer nodded at him. "Then how about we go find you something to eat. We can even take Castiel and Sam."
Sam shook his head, a smile on his lips. "No you guys go ahead. We'll come on the next trip."
Michael nodded and he vanished, with Castiel in tow. Lucifer sighed sat down carefully on is pillow with a small hiss. He pulled his book closer and began to read the spell over in it's entirety. As he went over it he became more and more excited. The book also had a way to undo the spell from various interactions. Finding the right page he read over how to undo the spell and he felt his heart sink.
"Damn it all!" Lucifer said shoving the book away and sending it to the floor along with half the things that covered the top of the desk.
Sam and Dean jumped and the eldest hunter glared at the Devil. "What the hell man?!"
Lucifer ran his hands through short hair and sighed. "I found out how to undo the complications from the rebirth spell and seal."
"Well that's good right?" Sam asked, as he began picking up the fallen objects. "We have a way to fix Gabe."
"No. We don't." Lucifer said, his voice cracking.
"Why the hell not?" Dean asked, helping his brother.
"Because we don't have what need to fix it." Lucifer said.
"So then we go and get it!" Dean snapped.
"I wish that were possible."
"It can't be that hard!" Dean said. "We didn't come this far just to give up!"
Lucifer looked up at Dean and let out a half laugh. "You sound so much like I did when I was your age. Young and so certain of myself."
"Yeah well at least I'm not giving up! I never gave up on Sammy when he was on the demon blood kick or when we found out that he was your vessel. A big brother never gives up on his younger brother! Ever!"
Lucifer's eyes closed. "You're...You're right Dean. You're absolutely right. I just don't know how this will be possible to fix."
"Well what does the spell need?" Sam asked. "Maybe we can find a way around it."
"I guess I need to explain how this works first." Lucifer said. "This spell of rebirth...when Gabriel died his Grace left his previous form. We burned his body just like I did after he and I fought. Unlike with most resurrection spells, which require the body to remain unharmed, the rebirth spell doesn't. Once cast it makes a copy of the body and begins to form it once the spell is activated."
"So that explains why he had a new body." Sam said. "Even if his hair was a bit shorter it was still him."
"Exactly. Even if his body is destroyed it won't matter because the spell rebuilds it." Lucifer said. "That's the beauty of rebirth spells, but also the downside. While it protects the body and connects the soul, or in this case his Grace, it does nothing to protect the mind which is why the sealing spell went wrong. There was no direction, hence no control."
"Okay so we need something to jog his memory then." Dean said.
"Close. We need something from his previous body." Lucifer said. "That would trigger his memories and reset his brain back to the way he was before he died."
"And we burned the body." Dean muttered. "Damn it! We just can't win for losing."
"Does it matter what it is?" Sam asked suddenly, a contemplative look on his face.
"What do you mean?" Lucifer asked, confused by his vessel's sudden rush of excitement.
"Does it matter what came from his previous body? Like a lock of hair or something like that?" Sam asked, he was getting more excited. "Or does it all work the same?"
Lucifer frowned and motioned for the book Sam was holding. He quickly looked it over, not sure what he would find. Looking back up he was greeted by his vessel's green eyes shining with hope. The hunter must have known something he didn't.
"Well?" Sam asked.
"It just says that it has to be something from his previous vessel so that means that no matter what it is it will all work the same." The Devil said. "But we don't have anything."
"Yes we do." Sam said brightly before running from the room and up the stairs.
"We do?" The blonde asked looking at Dean.
The eldest Winchester shrugged. "Beats me. Sammy sure seems to think so."
There was a loud bang followed by a smashing sound before Sam returned downstairs clutching a leather bound book in his hand.
"Sammy?"
Sam came to a stop before Lucifer with a huge smile and opened the book and tilted it toward the Fallen revealing what was inside. "Would this work?"
Lucifer's jaw dropped and he reached forward nearly touching the object in the book. "Sam where did you get this?"
"It was his courting gift to me. He gave it to me over a year ago." Sam said softly.
Sitting inside Sam's journal was a single golden feather.
SSSSSSSSSSSSS
"You're sure about this?" Gabriel asked, looking nervously at the oils his elder brother was rubbing onto the back of his hand.
"You're safe. I won't let any harm come to you. I promise. You want your memories back so you can be with Sam, right?" Lucifer asked.
Gabriel nodded. "I do but I'm scared."
Lucifer finished what he was doing and grabbed Gabriel by the shoulders. "I know you're scared but you are going to have to trust me. I won't lie because this will hurt but we are going to be right here okay? Everything will be fine. I promise."
Gabriel nodded and turned to look at Sam. "You won't leave right?"
Sam smiled at him, not being able to cross the lines that Michael and Castiel had helped set up. "I am not going anywhere. I promise."
Gabriel gave him a weak smile. "Okay. I'm ready."
Lucifer nodded and waited until everyone else had stepped back. He carefully held out the feather. Gabriel hesitated, slowly reaching out until he took the feather. Lucifer stepped back and made sure he was behind the lines. Picking up the book Lucifer recited the spell before setting it aside in case something went wrong.
Gabriel frowned and stared at the gold feather he was holding. He was about to drop it when it burst into flames in his hand. Pain shot through his head like fire. He clutched at his head, tears filling his eyes at the sheer agony; it felt like someone was trying to split his head open with a hammer and chisel. The pain grew and he couldn't help but scream, falling to his knees, struggling to breath and hoping, praying that this pain wouldn't kill him.
Sam took a step and Dean put a hand on his arm to stop him. It hurt to see the archangel in such pain but they all knew it was necessary. Gabriel fell to the floor, rolling onto his back before falling silent. It was an eerie scene that painfully reminded them of the night the angel died. Gabriel was unmoving and his eyes were blank and fixed on the ceiling. The longer he laid there the more worried they were becoming.
Gabriel startled everyone when he took in a huge, shuddering breath. The angel shakily began to move, dragging himself towards the kitchen before sitting up, pressing back again the wall. His eyes were wide and frantic as he looked around and his breathing had escalated into short gulps of air. Lucifer realized that Gabriel was having trouble and quickly moved forward. He gently shifted his brother until they were sitting with Gabriel's back pressed again Lucifer's chest.
"It's okay Gabby. Just breath. Focus on my breathing and try to match it okay?" Lucifer said, rubbing gently at Gabriel's chest.
The archangel tried but it was apparent that it wasn't working. Sam moved forward and knelt down in front of his boyfriend and took one of his hands as the other was fisted tight in the material of Lucifer's jeans. Gabriel's eyes were fixed on Sam and his breathing began to slow. It was only after a few more heart stopping minutes that the archangel's breathing finally slowed to an acceptable level. Sam watched as those gold eyes seemed to light up more the longer they looked at him. The blonde gave the hunter a smile and Sam's heart fluttered in his chest. He knew that smile. It had been months but he knew that smile.
"Hiya Sammich. Did you miss me?" Gabriel asked softly.
Sam didn't answer but flung himself at the angel and kissed him hard, not caring who was watching. The only thing that mattered was right now. He finally had his angel back.
