The two figures silently slipped though the dark halls. They moved with such urgency their shadows struggled to keep up. They were on a time limit after all. The U.S doesn't negotiate with terrorist. That's the big rule. So with thirty hostages trapped in a building about to blow, the two agents had been sent out.

The voice of one's current communicator sounded through his ear making him jump slightly. "Two minutes." He held up two fingers to his partner and received a determined nod in response. Then, they set off once more.

Footsteps echoed down the hall to their left, a warning of the fight to come. "One minute thirty seconds." Echoed through his mind and his partner gave him a shove. "Get the hostages. I got this." His mouth opened to protest but then he was pushed hard in the opposite direction.

They had no time to argue and Gabriel Noviak ran through the halls at full pace, leaving his partner with only the thought of the mission on his mind. All doubts and fears held at bay by a mental wall. Slowing crumbling as the seconds ticked by.

No one knows how fast they can run and how hard they can push themselves until their life depends on it . Gabriel flew through the halls at a faster pace than he had ever archived before. After what seemed like an eternity he arrived at the cells.

"One minute."

Gabriel wasted no time. He put a small explosive on the lock and yelled, "Get back unless you want to look like human BBQ!" He ran around the corner and after hearing the blast, went back to the hostages. "Wow! That actually worked. Learn something everyday." The hostages looked at him like he'd lost his lives Gabriel rolled his eyes. "You can thank me later."

"Thirty seconds."

Gabriel nodded. "Roger that." He took off down the hallway yelling to the newly freed hostages, "Come on slow pokes! Last one out is a human torch!" That seemed to be a great motivator as they all picked up their pace considerably. Their feet pounded against the floors and the sound echoed like claps of thunder. So much for silence.

"Fifth-teen seconds."

The exit beckoned to them as it invited them to survive another day.

"Ten seconds."

Gabriel flew though the door and his eyes flashed with adrenalin as he searched for his partner. "Trevor!" He yelled.

"Four seconds. Are you out?"

Gabriel turned to run back into the building.

"Gabriel answer me!"

The doorway was in his sight and then to world turned into noise, burning and bright yellows and oranges as the building exploded outward sending him flying. Falling, falling.

...

Gabriel sat up and gasped. His hands gripped the bankets like a life line, holding him to the present. Just a dream. He thought but it wasn't. It had happened. Trevor at age 20 had died and it would never change.

It had been four years now and guilt still followed him like an unpleasant chill. Gabriel laid back down, closed his eyes, and waited for his breathing to even out.

After a few minutes of fighting the battle for calm, Gabriel opened his eyes and admitted defeat. He rolled out of bed and walked through the long hallways of the base, his home.

Sam was working on his last assignment before graduation. He really had tried to sleep but, every time he closed his eyes he saw Gabriel's lit up with excitement. So he decided to do what he always did to clear his mind. He researched. Sam hacked into Dean's file and smiled. His brother's communicator, Lisa, had left to give her son, Ben, a normal life.

As a result Dean was on leave until the new tecs graduated. Sam had one week to go. Just one week before he would graduate, be assigned an agent, and be thrown into the real world.

Sam looked up as the sound of rapid footsteps reached him. He saw Gabriel blow past him so fast that Sam was left to wonder if it had happened at all. Sam sat for a moment before curiosity pulled him to his feet and shoved him after Gabriel.

By the time Sam reached the track, Gabriel was already running. Sam watched as Gabriel ran around the track and wondered when he would stop or notice he was being watched.

Gabriel ran until he couldn't anymore. It felt so good to think nothing but, DON'T STOP! and to leave the memory in the dust. Even though he wanted to keep going his legs weren't in agreement. All to soon he couldn't go on anymore and Gabriel found himself lying on the track. He sighed as his thoughts caught up to him once again.

Dead. All your fault. You ran. Coward. Your fault. Your fault. Your-. Gabriel let his head fall to the side and stiffened as Sam was finally noticed. "Were you watching me?!" Sam walked up to Gabriel's side. "Yes...Are you okay?" Gabriel rolled his eyes. "I'm fine." He made a shooing motion with his hands.

Sam was silent for a moment before stating. "No you're not." "And how would you know sasquash?" Gabriel asked in a clearly fed up tone. Sam sighed not sure if he should say anything. "Because if you were okay you would've made some remark about me watching you or me being a stalker." Gabriel closed his eyes and told Sam to, "Go stalk someone else." Sam with true Winchester stubbornness ignored Gabriel's request and sat down next to the agent.

"Can I help?" He asked and waited for an answer, wishing for Gabriel to say yes. Sam felt like he had to do something. Sam had never once seen Gabriel look anything but confident, strong ,and happy. Right now lying on the track, Gabriel seemed small and lost. Sam couldn't bring himself to leave and it took some restraint not to hug the small agent who could possibly rip him apart.

Gabriel laughed but it wasn't light hearted like usual and said, "Can you raise the dead or turn back time. Cause that would be just great." Sam tilted his head and asked, "Who died?"

Gabriel opened his mouth to tell Sam to go screw himself but stopped because Sam was looking at him with genuine...Concern? Gabriel sighed and answered, "Four years ago, fifth mission, June 4th, I was partnered with Trevor for a mission. In a building about to become a firework show from hell to save thirty hostages. I ran and got them out. Trevor became a human torch. Any more questions?"

The question at the end came out harshly and Sam flinched. Gabriel sat up and glared at Sam then, he closed his eyes again. He just felt spent. Gabriel was positive that he had conveyed his message of, Leave or I will snap you like Azazel's femur. (That was a good sparring match.)

Needless to say, he was surprised when he felt strong arms pull him into a snug embrace. Gabriel had a childish noise of protest but didn't pull away. he didn't even open his eyes. Sam was comfy and warm and he was tired. So tired the he fell asleep the second he rested his head on Sam's chest.

Sam was almost positive that adorable wasn't the right word to describe someone that was a trained killer. A person that could (and had) taken people out like annoying bugs, was a legend at The Agency and could fight like he had come out of the Matrix.

Despite this Sam couldn't help thinking the the small agent curled up in his arms like a child was adorable. Even after Sam joined Gabriel in sleep, he didn't let go. Gabriel slept in a warm comforting embrace. No more nightmares.

...

Dean Winchester was starting to worry. He had woken up and went for breakfast before noticing that his little brother was nowhere in sight. He check the computer lab, Sam's room, Sam's friends' rooms, the halls, and he found nothing.

On his way to check Sam's room once more, he ran into Mike and Castiel who were looking for there brother but weren't as worried because, "Gabriel has found every place to sleep in this whole base but his bed." The two Novaks went to check the gym and Dean went as well thinking it couldn't hurt.

Michael Novak would love to say that it was unusual to find Gabriel sleeping on the floor somewhere in the building but he would be lying. Gabriel had given his older brother enough heat attacks to last him a lifetime before Michael just accepted that his little brother was either a sleep walker or and insomniac and stopped freaking out.

But, this time was unusual even for Gabriel. Michael's little brother was curled up against Sam Winchester who held him in a protective embrace. They both looked content and Michael quietly called to Dean and Castiel. "Found them." Castiel tilted his head when he saw his brother and Dean's expression caused Michael to laugh.

Gabriel mumbled something and woke up he looked around owlishly for a second before smiling up at his brothers and Dean. "Morning Deano!" He said cheerfully.

Dean frowned and nudged Sam who woke up and blushed a shade of red causing Gabriel to chuckle. "Samsquash you're the color of a twizzler." He pointed out earning him a shove from Sam. Gabriel held out his hand to his older brother who pulled him to his feet. The Novaks were half way out the door before Gabriel called back, "Thanks Sam!" Sam waved and called back. "Anytime."

In the week before Sam graduated Sam and Gabriel were inseparable. It wasn't a shock to anyone when Sam graduated and became Gabriel's new permanent communicator.

Just a bit of fluff for you all. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The action starts in the next one and reviews make me write faster. *wink wink* Here's a preview for the next chapter,

The man aimed the gun at Gabriel's head and gave him a smile, "Goodbye gold demon." Gabriel closed his eyes and waited for the trigger to be pulled but they shot open in surprise when a voice from a distant memory cried, "Stop!" Gabriel stared up at his brother the traitor for the first time since he was ten. "Luci?"