Remembrance (Of Things Past) - Below: Part Four
Events had been pretty full on the last couple of days, finding out that the Trickster was actually the Archangel Gabriel, enduring the torture of being stuck in TV land, and of course, that whole “Nutcracker” business. Sam had wondered for a while if he would ever be able to stand up straight again.
But now it was over and Sam slept. He woke to find himself sprawled across one of the biggest beds he had ever slept in. Had they really splashed out for this high-end hotel? Sam's memory was a bit blurry on the actual facts, but man, it was nice to be able to arch his back and flex his toes without feeling bits of him fall of the bed.
Sam felt sore muscles ache, nothing new there. But if he remembered right, he had seen one of those enormous multi-headed shower things through in the bathroom. He rolled slowly over pushing himself up to sit on the edge of the bed. His eyes fell on the room-service menu.
“Breakfast Included” it trumpeted, before going on to list the various delights that the hotel's guests could have brought to their room. Sam phoned down, ordering coffee, eggs, toast and fruit.
“Could I get that in about 20 minutes please?” Sam asked, thinking that this would give him plenty of time to enjoy the delights of that shower.
“Of course, Sir. We aim to please.”
Sam's mind tried waving to get his attention, something about that voice was familiar, but it was shot down for once. Sam and Dean didn't often get to enjoy this kind of luxury, in fact Sam wasn't even really sure why they had it just now, but he wasn't knocking it. Fifteen minutes later and Sam was wrapped in one of the biggest, fluffiest towels he had ever seen, muscles loose and relaxed. He gave another long, cat-like stretch, padding through into the main room, fingers absently rubbing the faint scars that chased his ribs.
Sam was just reaching for his duffel, looking strangely out of place against the plush carpet, when there was a discreet knock at the door. “Room service,” came the faint voice. Sam's mind tried jumping up and down to get his attention but lost out to the growl from Sam's stomach. Sam pulled the door open, moving back to get his money clip, wondering what kind of tip the staff expected in a place like this.
He finally found it buried under his button-down and turned around to thank the waiter. The words froze in his throat, as he met golden eyes that were sparkling merrily. Hazel eyes jerked down, taking in the Trickster's, no, the Archangel's, body clad in the hotel's uniform, rushing back up to watch as the angel proffered a platter of fruit.
“Cherry? Or perhaps a strawberry? I hear they're extremely juicy.” As if to prove his point, Gabriel brought one to his mouth, sucking it slowly between parted lips, before baring sharp teeth and biting into the ripe fruit. Gabriel let his eyes roll up and gave a soft moan. Sam blinked hard, not realising he had been backing up until his shoulders collided with the cool plaster of a wall.
“Gabriel? What the...? Why?” Sam's mouth opened and closed a few more times, but his brain wasn't supplying the words.
“Yes, it's me. No nothing is urgently wrong with anyone. And why not? You're hungry, I'm hungry. Here, you really should try these.” Gabriel stalked slowly forward, pausing to select a strawberry, before bringing it up to Sam's mouth. He rubbed the soft fruit gently across Sam's mouth, dragging it against Sam's lower lip. Sam let his tongue flicker out, the tip tasting the sweetness of the fruit, chasing it. His eyes focusing on the soft fruit, Sam wrapped his fingers around the archangel's wrist, holding his hand steady as he sank his teeth into the yielding flesh.
“Mmmm, so is everything you brought as sweet?” Sam blinked as the flirtatious comment left his mouth. Since when did he have a thing for Gabriel? His thought process was derailed again as Gabriel held up a cherry, before sinking his teeth into the deep red fruit, sucking the flesh from around the hard stone.
“Why don't you try it and see?” Sam was expecting a cherry but instead he got cherry-flavoured lips, brushing softly over his. He licked at them gently, tongue flicking over Gabriel's soft lips. Hazel eyes opened warily, meeting Gabriel's steady amber gaze. Sam's gaze flickered over Gabriel's face, lips curving gently upwards as he realised the angel's vessel had a soft smattering of freckles traced across his nose and cheekbones. He watched one of the expressive brows raise and Sam realised he still had one hand wrapped firmly around Gabriel's wrist, the other having slid up to spread over Gabriel's hip.
“I dunno...” Sam let the small smile curve the sides of his mouth further. “Maybe I need to try something else.” He wandered over to the breakfast cart, eyebrows raising at the three different kinds of syrup. Man, Gabriel really did have a sweet tooth. Sam drizzled maple syrup over one of the triangles of French toast and raised it slowly to his mouth. He smirked as some of the syrup dripped, making a darker golden smear against the tan skin of his stomach.
“Ooops.” Sam watched as Gabriel dropped his gaze, before raising it back up to watch Sam slowly lick the remains of the syrup from his fingers.
“Sam, didn't your daddy ever warn you not to play with your food?”
Sam smirked again, “You want me to stop?”
Gabriel ignored the question. He stalked over to Sam, all silent grace, amber eyes darkening, focusing intensely on that smear of syrup. Sam's abdominal muscles fluttered as Gabriel trailed his fingers through the syrup and raised them to his mouth. Sam reached for Gabriel's shirt, suddenly needing to know if those freckles were to be found anywhere else. In the back of his mind, he wondered why everything seemed to be going so fast, how this had all happened, but then Gabriel's hand was in his hair, pulling his head down and Gabriel's syrup-sticky tongue was licking at his mouth, demanding entry and coherent thought went out the window.
A soft moan rumbled out of Sam as he heard a 'click' and the feel of cotton was replaced by the warmth of Gabriel's bare skin under his hands. He pulled back slowly from the kiss, licking softly at Gabriel's mouth, placing almost chaste kisses at the corners of his mouth, on some of those golden freckles. He looked down at the archangel, needing to see him, to see what his fingers were feeling.
Gabriel watched Sam's hazel eyes widen as he spotted the upper curve of wing that curved over the top of his shoulder, continued watching him as he moved round behind, fingers trailing up Gabriel's arm and then down his back, following the curve of feather. He shivered as Sam's fingers hit the sensitive skin at his waist, before moaning as they tucked just under the waistband of his trousers.
“Do your...is this...what they look like?” Sam's voice was soft with awe and wonder, his long fingers tracing each line and curve.
“Pretty much, except...you know...bigger...” Gabriel had meant it to come out as a joke but the feel of Sam's warm fingers against his skin, against the image of his wings, caused his voice to deepen, a low moan escaping. Sam blinked as Gabriel spun around, hands wrapping around his wrists. Suddenly Sam found himself pinned against the wall, Gabriel's body flush against his, their chests pressing closer with each breath dragged in. Gabriel's hand tangled into soft brown hair, the tug just on the right side of painful as he dragged Sam's mouth back down to his. Lips slid together, Sam's parting to allow Gabriel inside, his tongue running softly over the roof of his mouth, before twining with Sam's, then sliding back. Sam sucked and nibbled at Gabriel's lower lip, chasing those faint traces of syrup, before his head rolled back against the wall when Gabriel's fingers traced up over the ridges of his stomach, finding a small male nipple and circling round it. Gabriel's mouth worked its way downwards to join his fingers, tormenting, sucking at the skin, bringing blood flushing to the surface.
Sam ran his hands down over firm shoulders, tracing the line of Gabriel's spine, settling over his hips, pulling Gabriel firmly against him. Another moan escaped as Sam felt the hard line of Gabriel's cock, straining against his thigh. Sam arched his back, pushing his hips against Gabriel, seeking pressure, friction, anything. Gabriel's mouth continued its wicked journey, sharp teeth nipping here, hot open mouth kisses there. Sam mind filled with wantneedpleasenow. Hips thrust, grinding against his angel's stomach and Sam's eyes rolled back as Gabriel started to make the strangest noise, not quite a purr, almost a vibration.
Sam could feel it, pulsing against him, the noise getting louder. Then of all things, his brother's voice.
“Sam. Sam! Dammit Sammy, answer that goddamn phone will you? And, dude, I so do not need to know what you are dreaming about right now!”
Sam jerked awake, tangled in sheets, his phone vibrating in his pocket, cock pressed hard against the denim of the jeans he hadn't had the energy to remove the night before. He pulled out his phone, shifting awkwardly, trying to hide his arousal from his brother's all too perceptive eyes.
“Morning Sammy. Nice dream?” A chuckle trickled down the line, before the caller hung up. Sam glared at the phone, and then untangled himself and staggered into the bathroom, slamming the door.
“Dude! What the hell, Sammy?” Sam ignored his brother, pulling the collar of his t-shirt away from his neck to reveal a perfect, strawberry shaped hickey.
“Oh shit! What the...What the hell is wrong with you angels? Are we covered in goddamn angel catnip or something?” Sam let his head drop, half confused, half angry and completely frustrated.
---II---
Things had started to speed up. Lucifer was on the move, almost constantly, trying to wear the Winchester's down. Gabriel watched as his brother's and sisters battled, watched those trying to bring the apocalypse to a head, on his big brother's side if only they'd known it, and the others, fighting, dying to save his father's creation. And the other gods began to get involved. Gabriel realised that he needed to get his ass off the fence.
He knew where they were meeting up, pretty hard to hide stuff from an archangel, especially one nearly full to the brim of power. The Elysian Fields in Indiana, could they have been more obvious? He could feel them gathered there, his Norse brother Baldur, and Odin, the stupid old goat. Ganesh, Mercury - the only one of that Pantheon swift enough to escape the massacre of the old Greek and Roman pantheons, Baron Samedi, Kali. All there, all talking, all getting nowhere fast. He feels Kali stretch out her power, feels Sam's surprise, slightly tinged with worry, and it's time to make his entrance.
“Can't we all just get along?” Gabriel strides in, silencing Sam's surprised murmur. First things first, he needs to get the humans out of here. After sending the two boys as far away as he could, which considering the blood spell they were under, was just down the hall, Gabriel did his best to placate the angry deities. He really needed to get on with things and he didn't have time for babysitting.
It was always fun, listening in on Sam and Dean, in a strange (or maybe not) way it reminded him of watching his brothers. He smirked as they discussed getting the other humans out.
“And when are you ever lucky?” Gabriel smirked at Sam's flustered face, biting back a laugh as Dean retorted “You know what, bite me, Gabriel!”
“Maybe later, big boy.” It was so easy to get a rise out of Dean, and it was now Gabriel's new favourite thing to see how flustered he could make Sam. He couldn't help flicking wary glances at Sam as he admitted to his liaison with Kali. It was safer to admit to that in front of Dean, rather than to admit to the fact that all he wanted to do right now was push Sam over on to that plush bed, sink his fingers into those soft brown waves and plunder that delectable mouth..
Gabriel wondered whether he would ever have a chance to do that. He could feel his brother drawing near, knew that they were rapidly running out of time and there were so many things he had to do. His attempt at seducing Kali was doomed from the start and he knew it; his heart wasn't in it and Kali knew that too. But since his plan was actually to get everyone together, that was fine. He still had some tricks hidden up his sleeve. Although, to be honest, he was getting really sick of watching himself get stabbed.
It did, however, get the humans out of there. He watched them flee before quietly attracting Dean's attention, letting him know that things were not over. It was almost too late, he could feel his brother's presence, so close yet always just out of reach. He ran into the building, feeling the release of power as so many gods died, felt the shockwave as Baldur was killed. He felt Kali pulling on that power but knew that none of it would be enough.
He popped in next to Dean, next to Sam, giving them his last will and testament. And then Lucifer was there. All Gabriel could see was the shining glory that used to be his big brother, dimmed by his absence from their Father, confined in the vessel that was disintegrating around him.
And it made him furious. His father had not asked for much, Lucifer could not have stood down, have given up his pride for his brothers? It was time that Lucifer heard a few home truths and since Michael wasn't here to do the big brother thing, Gabriel was more than willing to step up.
“Lucifer, you're my brother and I love you, but you are a great big bag of dicks.”
Gabriel watched as Dean and Sam hustled Kali out, felt them drive away.
Gabriel tried reminding Lucifer of how loved he had been but he despaired as he realised that Lucifer would never forgive their Father, never forgive his brothers for choosing humanity over him.
“They are broken. Flawed! Abortions!” Gabriel knew that Lucifer would not rest until he made his point, until he had managed to get their Father's attention. Gabriel watched his brother as Lucifer pleaded with him, begged him to relent, to back down. He saw the hurt blossom in his brother's eyes, watched as his brother stared at his double.
“I know you think you are doing the right thing Gabriel. But I know where your heart truly lies.” And his big brother turned and slid his own sword up inside him, holding Gabriel close, and Gabriel had yearned for this embrace for so long and now it was all wrong. All he could think of was never holding Sam, and the loss in his brother's eyes, and then the world spinning around him and all was dark.
---II---
Gabriel hung in the void, wrapped in nothingness, and then, like warm blankets and cool pillows, soft feathers and the firmness of a strong embrace, he felt his Father surrounding him. He heard His voice.
- Do you understand yet?
Gabriel thought back, thought about his brothers, his wife and mistress, his girls, each time the same, one dark, and one fair. Two sets of eyes, one set cerulean, the other coffee dark. And then he pictured soft hair, curls the colour of melted chocolate, eyes that shifted colour as the light in the forest shifted, sometimes shimmering with green and gold, sometimes dark and warm with promise.
He felt his Father smile.
- I created each of you to love. I wished for my children to have what I do not, a bond that will last through out time. I wanted every angel, each soul to have A COUNTERPART, A BALANCE. tO GIVE a WAY FOR THE FALLEN TO BE redeemed, for them to find hope and love, to find their way back to me.
Gabriel’s thoughts spun, as the import of his Father’s words sank in. “So do…do I get to go back?” Gabriel’s voice hitched with hope.
-You must wait for the call. You know that angels can be summoned. You must wait for his call.
His father's voice was gone, the universe coalescing around Gabriel once again, but he was bound, his Father’s Will holding him in his incorporeal form. Gabriel tried to wait, but waiting sucked and Gabriel really wasn't big on the whole patience thing. He had to be called, sure, but no-one had said that he couldn't pass out some hints.
---II---
Sam was finding it hard, hard to concentrate, to worry about the next bad guy on the list, sometimes it was even hard to breathe, to get up and to get on with each day. Ever since that motel, The Elysian Fields, (there was a misnomer if there was one). The thought of Gabriel’s body, the wide spread of wings traced in shadow across the floor meant nothing was right.
But then something caught Sam's attention. Sam and Dean would walk into a diner or a shop, and the Christina Aguilera song Candyman would be playing. It wasn’t strange enough to catch Sam’s attention at first, but then soon, every time the radio went on, every shop that played music, every bar - Candyman, I Want Candy, My Boy Lollipop. Sam even tried alt radio to get away from it and got Some Candy Talking by the Jesus and Mary Chain.
The final straw was when Dean found that all his beloved Metallica tapes now contained Sammy Davis Jr. singing The Candyman Can.
“Goddamn it Sam! Who the hell did we piss off enough to torture us with this…this...” Dean sputtered to a halt, unable to find the words to describe his aural torture.
“If I have to gank ever supernatural bitch between here and the Mississippi, my tapes had better get fixed!”
“I don’t think it’s a curse Dean.”
“Then what the hell is it dude? And fix it! There should be no crooning about sunrises or dew during Ride the Lightning!”
Sam had been starting to get this odd hopeful feeling and didn’t want to jinx it but he trusted his brother to back him if his feeling was right.
“So, look, who do we know that can, no, loves to, play around with radio and TV, loves candy to the point of obsession and has a real thing for screwing with our lives?”
“Gabriel?”
“Gabriel!”
“But dude, Lucifer killed him. You saw the DVD, which, by the way, my eyes may never recover from.”
“But Dean, maybe it’s another one of his double bluffs, allowing him to hide out, to recover, to find some way of helping us…”
Sam’s words tripped over themselves, the stupid hope filling his chest.
“Sammy, c’mon, we’re up to our necks in it. Even if Gabriel did manage to pull a fast one on his brother, do you really think he's gonna have enough time to be messing around with the radio?”
“Well, what other explanation is there?”
“Look it’s only another couple of miles to the hotel. I’ll call Bobby; see if he’s heard anything. You can hit the laptop. Maybe something’s up.”
Once they had reached the motel, Sam had retired early. It had just all been too much, the constant battles, the loss of so many friends and then the rising hope that maybe Gabriel had returned. Or maybe Sam was just going mad. Dean had gone out to hustle pool or darts, their funds beginning to run low again. Out of habit Sam popped on the TV, Dean couldn’t seem to live without some kind of background noise and over time Sam had gotten used to it as well. For some reason this TV hated him too, flicking straight on to MTV and that damn Candyman song…again! He flicked through the channels, finding an old movie that he had enjoyed when he was younger. Sam wondered whether it was David Bowie’s tight pants that had first sparked a vague interest in men. Although who didn’t love a quest story with a pretty girl, and a handsome but evil King.
Sam pottered around, taking a quick shower, pleased and slightly amazed to find the towels were huge and softly fluffy. He wrapped one around his waist and rubbed at his hair with another. As he wandered out into the room the music tailed off and Sam realized the movie was coming towards its end. He sat himself down on the edge of the bed to watch the climatic scene.
“Everything! Everything you have wanted I have done.” Sam leant towards the small screen, resting his elbows on his thighs, hands dropping loose between his knees.
“You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you!” For one moment Sam thought he heard Gabriel talking instead of the Goblin King. The thought dawned on him that Gabriel had done all of these things for Sam. He had altered time, had created an alternative reality, had defied gods - all for them. Sam felt tears pool in his eyes, the end of the film shimmering.
“So, I don’t know if you can hear me Gabe, but if you are around it would be nice to see you.” Sam felt a tear trickle slowly down, plopping softly on to the skin of his arm.
Gabriel cursed unheard. “Dammit Sam, just say the words. The right words. That lot doesn’t even start with ‘I wish…’ C’mon, use that great big brain of yours; I can’t give you anymore hints. I’m pushing my luck here as it is.”
Sam stared down at his arms, watched as a second tear joined the first.
“Dammit! I wish Gabriel was here… right now!”
Sam felt the bed dip behind him, two hands coming forwards to cover his eyes. He blinked, feeling his lashes stroke softly against the fingers.
“Guess Who, Sammy?”