God willing, I'll see you on the other side

[hunter_returns]

Sam had been driving most of the night, energized by a combination of caffeine and elation. He knew how to do it. After two, nearly three years, he finally knew how to repay a very old debt. Dean was taking care of things with Benny and frankly, the less Sam thought about that, the happier he was going to be. At least this time it was an amicable

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[hesnoangel]

Maybe it was because Sam had dragged him out of limbo or because this was something his lovely brothers had messed up, but Gabriel found himself worrying about the human. The notion wasn't completely new. After all, many of his trickster episodes had also been inspired by a fleeting, but honest pity with the victims of his future playthings. If he'd not cared about the damage they did, there would have been no reason to punish. Still, this got a bit deeper under his skin

[hesnoangel]

"I should spank you, you human infant." So this is Sam on the job. The way he looked so lively and focused right now, Gabriel could almost fathom why he'd still go out and search for evils, even when he had been appointed a destiny that already included enough horror for ten human lifetimes, all of which were more than happy to come and kick down his front door. Gabriel wondered what he liked about the hunt. The adventure? Doing something worthwhile to help others? The Killing

[hunter_returns]

Easy banter in the Impala on a hunt. So it was with a recently revived archangel, that didn’t stop Sam from grinning back unapologetically. “Get a steplader, shorty.” He’d give as good as he got for as long as he could. That was half the fun. The answering smiles were just an added bonus.

Saving people, hunting things, family business. As much as Sam had wanted to fight that, it was what he did, what he was good at. There were days when the horrors far outweighed the good, but there were also days like this, friendly teasing in the car on a job. Feeling useful.

There was also that warm twinge in his chest when Gabriel grinned at him but Sam wasn’t thinking about that. Really.

“Sounds like she’s our tie to the ghost. Hey, can you make out that license plate? I can hack the records over breakfast, get a little more background on her, see if there are some ties we can figure out.”

[hesnoangel]

"I'm fairly sure you crossed the line to blasphemy just there," Gabriel informed Sam, keeping an eye on the other car as he did so. "But go on. Tall as you are, my angelic minions will have an easier time aiming at your ridiculous puffy hair from their spots on the clouds."

Gabriel sat up slightly. "I got the number when I came back, it's-"

The radio exploded with a fizzling noise and a small wisp of smoke. A second later, the car in front of them did a sharp, uncontrolled turn and veered towards the roadside, where it flew on high speed down the decline on the side of the road into the wide ditch.

"I'm no expert, but that wasn't good, right?"

[hunter_returns]

The explosion of the radio made Sam jump, and the car ahead of them plowing off into the ditch cut off whatever retort he might have had for Gabriel. Sam swung the car onto the shoulder near where the car went over, reaching into the back for the sawed off loaded with rock salt shells.

He really, really hated jumping headfirst into a hunt without knowing exactly what they were up against. But sometimes, they didn’t have that luxury and at least he had backup.

“It’s got to be centered on the car if it’s following her like that. Get her out, get her clear.”

And without waiting for Gabriel to even agree, Sam barreled out of the car, gun in hand. It was an unconscious show of trust, that he trusted the angel to have his back on the hunt and to get the civilian free and clear until they knew what (and who) they were dealing with.

[hesnoangel]

"Whatever you say, big boss."

Given the fact that there was apparently a pissed-off kid ghost about to commit bloody murder, he kept in the more lengthy banter for now. Gabriel followed on his heel, making straight for the woman who sat in the grass, whimpering a prayer. He reached out to touch her shoulder.

A wave of electricity hit Gabriel with such force that he was knocked clean off his feet. It was probably good luck it transported him right against the woman and they ended in a tangle of limbs on the lawn - the spot where she'd sat before Gabriel barelled into her was the next target of the electric lash.

"Mommy? John?"

The kid stood only a step or two away, flickering like a projected image. Its dark eyes laid in deep shadow. There where burn marks on its jaw. Gabriel didn't stay much longer to contemplate its looks. He slung the crying woman over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and ran, trying to give Sam a clean shot.

[hunter_returns]

“Gabriel!”

He might be an archangel with gradually returning powers but that didn’t stop Sam’s heart from leaping somewhere around his throat when he saw the angel get flung headlong into the nearly hysterical woman. Sam skidded down the embankment and brought the shotgun to bear on the flickering image.

Poltergeist. It had to be. Crap.

Before he could pull the trigger, a surge of power slammed him hard against the trunk of the car and for a moment, Sam saw stars. The ghost wasn’t after him and the moment he was down the attack stopped. With a grunt, Sam threw himself forward, hand on the shotgun as he staggered up and towards the pair making for the safety of the Impala.

Form up. Come on. Where are you?

The moment the ghost coalesced into a recognizable shape again Sam fired. Once, twice, enough to banish the ghost for a time. Long enough for them to get clear. “Get in the car!” The woman was the target. They had to get her clear before going back to take care of whatever had attacked.

[hesnoangel]

Gabriel's head whipped around to see if Sam was following them. He was still getting used to the fact that he couldn't casually reshape reality if he so pleased, but even as an archangel with full grace battery, he didn't know how good his grip on lost souls would have been.

While Gabriel all but threw the women into the backseat of the car (she was making an impressive struggle for someone who couldn't weigh more than 100 pounds and Gabriel had to slide in with her to make sure she wouldn't jump out of the door on the other side), he still found himself looking for the squishy human. Yeah, Sam was a pro at this, but this ghostie thing seemed to be able to do a lot more than photobomb Days of Our Lives and he didn't exactly want him toasted.

"Who the hell are you?!" The woman managed, her first actual sentence.

[hunter_returns]

"Are you okay?" The question is barked out as Sam throws himself into the front and peels away from the wrecked car. "Gabriel?"

His head was going to be sporting a hell of a welt by that evening, along with a few bruises, but god knows he's had worse. "Just calm down okay? Why is that ghost chasing you?"

Sam slowed down as he turned into a gas station parking lot. "We're here to help. But you have to tell us everything."

[hesnoangel]

"Yeah, well, I'll live, unless the thing happens to hang around specifically to shiv cherubs. Looks like you might have cracked your blockhead, though."

He stared at the back of his head for a second, but was interrupted by disturbingly well-placed heel to the shoulder.

"Ma'am," he grabbed her ankle, decisively putting it on the seat, "please, manners."

"Who the fuck are you?!Gabriel dodged another swatting hand adorned with long pink claws. Looking at her screaming herself red with panic, however, he noticed that something had slipped from her shirt - a silver necklace with a cross

[hunter_returns]

"My head's fine," and before he can even glance back, Sam ducked another wild swing that nearly caught him in the temple.

"Ga--" Angel of the Lord. Brilliant. Ok, so he nearly caught a wing in the face when Gabriel revealed them, but it calmed her down and it sounded like she trusted him immediately.
Although the 'Brother Samuel' earned a face while he drove and Gabriel talked. He was good with her, earning her trust almost immediately. Just like any other hunter.

Sam had to admit, Gabriel was good.

"Just.. just take a deep breath. You were only trying to help. What happened? What did you do?"

[hesnoangel]

Gabriel gave him a grin over Sam's head at 'Brother Samuel', shrugging slightly. Alright, so this might have just made the hysterics worse, but it wasn't the first time he dealt with a hyperventilating human. Turned out the message of the lord was usually sort of an unexpected delivery and most people didn't react to well to strangers suddenly levitating in their bedroom, so he'd learned his way around that

[hunter_returns]

Sam ticked off the criteria in his head. Vengeful spirit, probably not laid to rest correctly or at all, and something suddenly stirred it up. It would also explain the blast of electricity that had sent Gabriel flying earlier.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. You were just a kid too." His hands tighten marginally on the wheel. He knows a little something about stolen childhoods.

"What happened? Why is he awake now? Or has he always been around? Gabriel, he.. he's here to help. We'll make sure he gets his rest but you have to tell Gabriel everything."

Hey, if Gabriel can work that angle, so can he.

[hesnoangel]

Gabriel made a mental note to tease Sam about his obvious Dr. Phil qualities later on, but for now, his steady voice seemed to do quite a bit to convince the woman that she had indeed not been abducted. Giving a shaky look between reverence and confusion at Gabriel's wings (probably, she was trying to ascertain if she was indeed surrounded by the supernatural or if she'd just snapped), the woman straighthened herself with a subdued, "Yes, Father

[hunter_returns]

The gentle brush of a feather startled Sam but he recovered just as quickly, catching Gabriel's eye and flicking his attention towards the rear view mirror.

Fuck.

A half-wrecked car was following them. Yeah, this wasn't going to be a simple salt and burn. Not by a long shot. It was a vengeful spirit, but why was it tying itself to her? She had just been a child when it happened?

"Right. Just.. tell Gabriel everything. What happened when you went back? Did you take him somewhere?" Like the trunk of your car?

There was another moment of shared eye contact with Gabriel as Sam turned off the interstate. They were going to have to get away from the general population with a haunted car on their tail.