Crowley stared at the angel that was standing across from him. Though the angel was much shorter then him he still couldn't help but feel like the angel was twice his size. He blamed it on the six massive golden wings that were folded behind him. He offered the angel a drink but the angel turned it down and instead offered him a milk shake. Seeing no harm in it he took the offered milk shake, surprised to find that it was a vodka cream shake.

"So what can I do for you?" Crowley asked, taking another sip. "This is very good."

"Would you expect anything else from a Trickster?" The blonde asked.

"You aren't a Trickster. You're an angel."

"You might know me better as Loki. But before that I was known as Gabriel."

Crowley choked on his drink. "The archangel? I heard you died right after our Father was cast down. That you couldn't take it and offed yourself."

Gabriel smiled. "I'm sure you of all people understand the need to fake one's death."

"Of course. So can I ask why you've come to me?" Crowley asked moving to sit. "I doubt you want to make any deals."

"I actually came to tell you that I would be crossing your territory. It seems only polite to let the King of Hell know if someone is crossing his borders." Gabriel said taking another sip of his milk shake.

"Don't you mean you came to ask?"

Those golden eyes flicked up to lock with his brown. "Just be thankful that I didn't decide to fight my way in here. I would hate to have to destroy everything in my way."

"Right. Might I ask where you're heading then? Just so I can make sure to keep your path clear?" Crowley asked, deciding it was better to go along with the angel then go against him.

"I'm heading for the Cage."

That brought the King of Hell up short. "The Cage? Going to our Father then?"

"I'm not here for Lucifer." Gabriel said. "I'm actually going to see Michael."

"I take it that this has to do with that little message he had me deliver topside to you then?" Crowley asked, receiving a nod in return. "Alright. I only ask you not disturb my guests. You are free to come and go as you wish. Just make sure to inform one of my guards so I cover my own rear in case one of your Winchesters decide to try and bathe me in Holy Water."

There was a rustling and suddenly Crowley found himself alone.

"Just another reason to hate bloodly angels."

Gabriel landed several feet away from the Cage in a dark shadow. Lucifer was nowhere in sight which was a good thing. He didn't feel up to confronting more then one of his demons right now. Michael was holding what looked like a small mirror in his hands and his lips were moving. He was talking to the soul of his vessel; Adam if he remembered right from what Sam had told him. Plastering a smile on his face he let his wings disappear and slowly stepped out of the shadows.

"They say that talking to yourself if the first sign of insanity."

Michael's head snapped up and his blade appeared in his hand before he even realized who was speaking to him. Gabriel stepped further into the light and was a bit shocked by the emotions he could see flitting across the face of his older brother. Anger at being disturbed, shock at seeing him, relief at realizing that he was whole again, and then worry. He wasn't sure why Michael the Warrior would be worried but it was still nice to see.

"Hello Michael. I got your message." Gabriel said. "I was wondering if maybe you'd like to talk face to face instead of sending messages."

Michael was staring at him with a look of awe, almost as if he had never seen him before and it was making Gabriel uncomfortable. He moved closer to the Cage and his brother came closer as well. They were close enough that they could touch but neither made a move to do so, and truthfully, the youngest was becoming unnerved by his oldest brother's silence.

"Aren't you going to say anything to me Michael?" Gabriel asked softly.

Michael reached out and fisted a hand into Gabriel's jacket and pulled the archangel against the bars of the Cage. Gabriel flinched, expecting to be struck, but instead found himself pulled into a rather awkward embrace due to the bars of the Cage, and Michael's fluffy eggshell white wings were suddenly enveloping him despite the bars. Kisses rained down on his face as Michael's other hand went into his hair holding him tight.

"Dear Father I never thought I'd ever see you again Gabriel." Michael whispered. "I can't believe you're actually here. I don't care if you've just come to tell me how much you hate me for what I did but please just give me this. Let me hold my Baby Brother just one more time."

Gabriel buried his face in one of the First Born's wings and he clung tightly to the jacket under his fingers. They both needed this, Michael even more so, having to bury the brother that he was supposed to protect and had let down. The eldest archangel clung tightly to his youngest brother, his grip bordering on near painful, but Gabriel said nothing. It wasn't until Michael tried pulling away from him that he realized that, Dear Father, Gabriel was clinging to him just as tightly and his wings were out and wrapped around him too.

"I never expected you to come down here Gabriel. I never even expected you to listen to my message. I didn't think you'd be willing to listen." The First Born whispered.

"Why wouldn't I listen to my Big Brother?" Gabriel asked. "You always did know what was best for me even if I didn't agree."

"It was always a struggle to make you do anything." Michael said with a weak chuckle. "You never did want to listen to anyone, least of all me."

"I may not have but in the end you were always right Michael. About everything." Came the equally weak reply. "I think I missed that most of all after I left."

Michael's grip tightened. "You...You missed me?"

Gabriel nodded. "I missed having you around. I missed you telling me off, telling me stories, teaching me to fight, wrapping me in your wings. But you know what I think I missed most off all?"

"My sense of humor?"

"Your singing. I sing the songs you taught me to my family now." Gabriel said with a chuckle. "They never fail to send Dean into a deep sleep."

"Dean? My true vessel?"

"Yeah. He's Castiel's mate. You remember Cassie right? He was the one I took in after Razael. And Dean's brother Sam? Luci's vessel? He's my mate. And we have Balthazar with us too. And Razael. Then there's Bobby and-"

Michael smiled, his heart filling with joy. It seemed like Gabriel had found true happiness again. He hadn't seen his little brother this happy since before Lucifer began his Fall. He listened to the stories Gabriel told him about food fights, dinner times with movies, trips to the beach, and the things they hunted together. He could only find the strength in him to nod as his brother rambled on about things he had done and places he had seen, never once letting go of Gabriel despite how uncomfortable it must have been with the Cage's bars between them. It was like all the bad things between them had never happened and Michael could read between th lines enough to know that he had been forgiven.

"So what do you think?"

"I think I've missed seeing you this happy Gabriel." Michael admitted. "I haven't seen you this happy since before."

"I know. I like to think I've become a better angel since then. Father knows that Sam works hard to keep me on the straight and narrow." He said with a smile.

Michael wished that he could talk to Gabriel more but he could feel the atmosphere in the Cage begin to change. The air was growing heavy. Lucifer was coming. Michael would rather destroy himself then let Lucifer near Gabriel ever again. He pulled back from his younger brother and checked behind him to see how much time he had before turning back.

Gabriel looked up at him with a worried expression. "What's wrong Michael?"

"Gabriel I need a favor. I know I don't have the right to ask one but this is important. Please." Michael said softly. "I need you to take someone topside for me. My mate."

"Your what?" Gabriel asked, shocked.

"My mate. Adam. My vessel. His soul is still with me. I need you to take him topside and get him back to his brothers." The First Born said. "Please."

Gabriel nodded. Michael reached into himself and slowly pulled out the struggling soul of Adam Milligan. Michael passed the squirming and fighting soul to Gabriel, shocked when his brother rested the uneasy and resisting soul in his own vessel. Remembering what he had been told it made sense, Gabriel had died and been resurrected, so his vessel's soul was gone. He gave Gabriel a smile and pulled him close and kissed his cheek before shoving him away hard, pulling out one of his brother's golden pin feathers as he did.

Gabriel stumbled and caught himself, a look of hurt and pain on his face. "Michael?"

Michael's blade appeared in his hand. "I am only going to say this once Gabriel. Leave. Leave and never come back here. I don't want you anywhere near Lucifer. He's on his way."

Those golden eyes went wide and he looked past him trying to see deeper into the Cage. He knew that all Gabriel would be able to see was a black mist and maybe a few spurts of flames. Lucifer would not be able to be seen unless the Morningstar choose to reveal himself. Something he did not like doing until he was close enough to strike. Michael could see the fear in Gabriel's eyes, fear the youngest archangel was trying to suppress just to stay with him.

"Stop trying to be brave for me Little Brother. Leave. Go now."

"But Michael I-"

"Run Gabriel! I mean it!"

"But-"

"That's an order Gabriel!"

Gabriel hesitated, looking torn.

"RUN!"

Gabriel spread his wings and with a strong flap he was gone. Michael's heart soared with his brother, grateful Gabriel had listened to him. Just in time too. Lucifer appeared with a glare on is face.

"Talking to someone Michael?" Lucifer asked sweetly.

Knowing that it would spite his younger brother Michael smiled and twirled the long, golden pin feather between his fingers. "Yes I was. You just missed Gabriel. We had a nice talk and I made him swear on his Grace to never return here. This feather is all you are ever going to see of him ever again."

Michael was just quick enough to shove the feather into a pocket dimension before Lucifer attacked him. That feather would be his ray of hope.

Gabriel crash landed hard in the living room of their safe house, his wings giving out at the last second. He heard a shocked exclamation and four pairs of hands were suddenly pulling him to his feet and checking him over. He didn't know who he was resting against but he did know he was tired. He had pushed himself hard to get out of hell and then upon finding out how long he'd been gone, sent himself back in time so as not to have been gone more then a few hours at most.

A gentle hand slid into his hair and the arms around him tightened. It was only then that he realized that his knees were giving out. He must have been more tired then he thought. He felt a small twitch from inside himself followed by a burst of curiosity. That would be the reason he was so tired. The soul of Adam. It was wrapped in a couple layers of his Grace for protection.

He felt someone pick him up and carry him somewhere. It was only after he was laid down that he realized that someone had taken him to the room that held their Californian King bed. He wanted to tell them that he was fine, that he wasn't injured just tired. He felt someone remove his clothes and a warmth settled beside him. He could tell it was Sam without needing to open his eyes.

"I found no injuries." That was Castiel.

"You sure? What about his Grace?" And there was Balthazar.

"I don't think it's his Grace." Came Sam's voice. "His Grace feels fine to me. I can tell through our bond. I think he's just tired."

"Never seen him hit the snooze like this before. Last time he crash landed like that was because his wing was still healing from where asshole broke it." Of course Dean would make a comment like that. "Are his wings okay?"

"They appear to be fine as well in fact I see no reason-" Gabriel could almost see Castiel's head tilt in confusion.

"What's wrong mate? Something wonky?"

"Gabriel...His vessel contains a human soul within it."

"He lost his vessel's soul. He said that after we saved him. He said it didn't get brought back because of Lucifer."

"And you are right Dean. The soul in Gabriel is not the soul of his vessel. It's another soul. He has it bound tightly in his Grace and is protecting it."

"Will it hurt him?"

"No Sam. It won't hurt him at all. Do not forget that Gabriel is an archangel."

Gabriel was getting tired of being talked over. He struggled, willing himself to open his eyes. He was a bit surprised to feel Adam trying to help him. He brushed over the boy's soul and felt him shiver in response, most likely from the difference between his Grace and Michael's. Adam's little push did the trick though. He managed to find the strength to open his eyes, looking up at the worried face of his mate. Sam smiled at seeing him awake and leaned down to kiss him but Gabriel turned away.

"Gabriel?" Sam asked, hurt flashing across his face and the bond.

"Normally I would love to kiss you Sammich but right now it would be a bit weird considering that I'm not exactly alone in here at the moment." Gabriel said weakly. "I'm not hurt. Just really tired. Let me sleep for a while and then I'll tell you everything."

"You weren't gone that long." Dean remarked.

"Sleep first." Gabriel said, closing his eyes and cuddling into Sam.

Sam nodded. "I'll stay with him. You guys go get some dinner or sex on the beach or something."

"Is there a beach we haven't had sex on yet?" Balthazar asked.

"It was a joke!" Sam moaned out. "Just go find something to do."

"You heard your brother Dean." The Brit said.

"He said something not someone."

"Same difference isn't?" Balthazar asked as he began pulling Dean and Castiel from the room.

Early the next morning found Gabriel nursing a cup of hot chocolate with Raphael, who was having a coffee. The two were talking softly and looking over a list that was between them. Raphael greeted them while a nod and Gabriel a smile. Sam was looking a bit put out when the youngest archangel didn't greet him with his customary kiss. Of course the angel noticed his mate's pout.

"Sam believe me when I say that I would love to kiss you but my company would be very upset with me if I did." Gabriel said.

"Who are you containing Gabriel?" Castiel asked coming over to look at the list his two older brothers held. "This is to make a body. A vesseled body."

"Well yeah. The soul I have is the soul of a vessel. I have to make the right body for him." Gabriel said with a smile. "I promised Michael I'd take good care of him."

That had Dean wide awake in a heartbeat. "You have Adam?"

The blonde nodded and small smile playing on his lips. "Turns out the Winchester family attracts angels as mates. Adam is Michael's mate. Michael's been protecting him since they went in."

"So what? He's just going to stay with you?" Sam asked. "I hope the answer is no because I don't want to go kissing my brother."

"We will be build young Milligan a vessel as soon as Balthazar returns." Raphael said. "Your brother will be with you soon."

Gabriel noticed Dean smiling. "What's got you so happy?"

"My family keeps getting bigger." Dean said happily.

"That is does Dean-o." Gabriel said happily. "That is does."