Hello my dears! I hope you enjoyed the previous chapter, and the rest of the story if you are just joining/getting caught up! This chapter is all I have pre-planned, so I will be taking a bit of a break, hopefully no more than a week to plan out more. (I'm a bit weird like that, I like to pre-plan so i can figure out how best to write the chapters) Anyway...please review! xoxo
Michael took a small step forward, hands raised "Brothers, it is I, Michael. Please, remove your head covers and better look upon my face."
The wind whipped across the rooftop, whistling in the silence of the night, making Gabriella's bones ache. She watched with anticipation as one by one, the silent figures reached up and pulled their scarves down to reveal their faces.
Her heart leapt with joy, it was the remaining four archangels, just as she had hoped!
"Raphael, Raguel, Remiel and Saraqael" she spoke each man's name softly as she stepped closer. The archangels focused on her, cold eyes assessing.
After an interminable silence Raphael stepped forward, his eyes locked on Gabriella. "Dynameis, we have long awaited your return. Now we can return this chaotic world back to order." Gabriella smiled at him, "With your help brothers, we will be able to. I can track Gabriel down anytime I want to, but for now, we weaken his army. The power of the four of you, Alex, Michael and me will be enough to send en masse the dogs of heaven back home."
Raphael raised a brow, surprise written across his finely chiseled face. "And how is this possible?"
Gabriella smiled softly, "Because, only the Chosen One can exorcise the 8balls, but with my ability to access Heaven, I can direct them back. You will use your powers to keep them compliant as the return and heal the humans we set free."
Raphael stood silently, absorbing her words, small frown lines appearing between his strong brows. Finally he nodded, "We know of a large gathering of 8balls nearby that have been kept at bay by our presence in the Camp. We should start there."
"That's great; can you show us how to get there?" Gabriella asked softly. Though she could have found the enclave of 8balls herself quite easily, she wanted the archangels to trust her, Michael and Alex. She wanted them to work together as a team, and foster friendship if possible.
Raphael glanced over his shoulder at the other angels, then back to Gabriella. "Very well, we will fly above you and lead you there." He turned away and spoke softly to the other three; Gabriella caught vague words, and was surprised to hear him speaking angelic.
The three archangels covered their faces and launched themselves into the sky and then came to a rest in a triangle formation around the hummer. Raphael turned back to Gabriella and Michael, "I will lead, and the other three will fly in a rotating formation around the car."
Gabriella nodded and then in a split second decision darted forward and wrapped her arms around Raphael, hugging him tightly. She could feel his resistance and surprise, and then smiled when he relaxed, his arm tightening around her shoulder.
"It is good to feel the love of family again" he whispered in her ear. She pulled back and smiled, "It's good to have family." He nodded, a half solemn smile playing at his lips before he chucked her under the chin and pulled his scarf up over his face.
"Come, we must go" he said, and Gabriella could smile lines around his eyes.
She watched as he took flight and landed in front of the hummer. Michael moved up beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Come on, we should go." She nodded and stepped to the edge of the ruined building, spreading her wings before dropping down the hummer.
Michael dropped down next to her with a light quirk of his lips, the barest of smiles. "I'll drive. You've done a lot these past few days." Gabriella smiled brilliantly at him, and as usual, it took his breath away.
Gabriella slid into the passenger seat, sighing with pleasure at the warmth inside the vehicle. She looked back at Alex and smiled, "Hey, how you doing Alex?"
He smiled back, "Good. So what's going on? Are those the archangels we've been waiting for?" He gestured out the windows, to the shadowy figures that surrounded the vehicle.
Gabriella nodded, "They are joining us. We are going to a large gathering of 8balls nearby and we are going to send the dogs back to heaven."
Alex paled, "I-I'm not sure I'm ready for that." Gabriella turned in her seat, concern written on her face, and held out her hand, waiting for Alex to take it.
He reached out and grasped it tightly, fear making his fingers tremble in hers. Gabriella looked into his eyes, her expression serious, "Now you listen to me Alex, you can do this. The dogs of Heaven were never supposed to be here on Earth for this long. Heaven is disordered and empty, and it wants them back. Raphael and the others will lend their power to this process, commanding all the 8balls to leave the bodies and return to Heaven. Combined with your abilities as the Chosen One, we can return them. I will keep the gates of Heaven open just long enough to put them back and force them back to their kennels. Then the gates of Heaven will close."
She watched as the fear seeped out of Alex's eyes, and felt his grip loosen on hers. She smiled softly at him, "It's going to be ok. You are strong, stronger than anybody I have ever known."
Alex laughed, "Yea, right."
Gabriella squeezed his hand, "Yes that is right. You are my friend and my family. I wouldn't lie to you. You have the ability and the strength to do this, and Michael and I will be there every step of the way for you. I love you bro."
Alex looked down, his throat clenching; he didn't know what he would do without Gabby and Michael.
"I love you too sis" he whispered around the lump in his throat.
Michael slid into the vehicle, raising a brow at Gabriella and Alex's hunched together figures. "Everybody ready to go?" he asked, his voice low and rough.
Gabriella turned and nodded and smiled at him, though he could see it was less bright than normal and there were unshed tears in her eyes.
She sat back in her seat, releasing Alex's hand with one last squeeze. The archangels lifted into the sky and began to fly, leading them off into the night.
They sat in silence for a long time as they drove, until Alex spoke again from the back seat, "You know Gabby, you're different than you used to be."
She half turned in her seat to look back at him, grinning, "Oh yea punk?" He laughed, "Yea!" She reached back and punched him in the knee, "Remind me not to save your ass the next time you get hurt."
Alex laughed again, that was the wise-cracking Gabriella he knew. He had worried she would always be this serious, angelic figure and not the person he had come to consider his sister.
He was nervous as hell about trying to exorcise all these 8balls, but he tried to have the same faith in himself that Gabby did. He looked out the window into the pitch black and did something he hadn't done in a very long time; prayed.
Also, please be on the lookout for the Winter Soldier spinoff and short. I have a nice chunk of that prewritten/planned so I am hoping to get it on here soon. xoxo