It was dark, and cold, and Gabriel was sneezing dust.

She shot up from the floor of the conference room and looked around wildly. Her gamble paid off, it seemed. No one but her was present in the conference room, or, she suspected, in the entire hotel.

And she was still in a male vessel. This. Sucked.

How had her life led her here? She knew the answer of course. It was repressed anger and hurt over Lucifer and Michael and Father being unable to resolve their differences that drove her this far. And now? Now her cover as Loki was blown. Maybe she'd traveled long enough.

She pulled the fake angel blade from her stomach and vacated the body of Abram, son of Abner, for the first time in millennia.

It was time to go home.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The Silver City never changed, Gabriel mused as she flew towards her Father's palace. Angels below her watched her fly by in astonishment. She didn't blame them. She hadn't been around in forever. She took notice of the fact that Silver City fashion had advanced - to Medieval styles. Fun. She touched down in front of the massive silver and gold palace of her Father and walked inside with a confidence she definitely did not feel.

The shocked looks on the faces of her Father and siblings was well worth it. As expected, her brother Amenadiel stepped forward to defend the Family.

"Who are you, and how did you get in?" he roared at her.

Gabriel smirked. "I'm hurt, Meny. don't you recognize your baby sister?"

Azrael stepped up and laid a hand on Amenadiel's arm. "How dare you come in here and pretend to be Gabriel? You know as well as we that Gabriel has been dead for months."

Gabriel's eyes hardened. "You don't believe me, eh?" She flared her wings, all 14 fourteen feet of golden feathers. She slipped her blade into her hands and continued. "I am the Messenger of Heaven, Speaker of Truth, Bender of Reality. I am the Angel of the Moon. I am the Divine Judge. I am the Archangel Gabriel."

This time, it was her Father who stood. "Welcome home, Daughter."

Gabriel smiled softly. "Thank you, my Lord."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Later that evening, Azrael came to Gabriel's rooms.

"It is time for dinner, sister." Gabriel just looked at her. "I've been asked to escort and ensure that you are properly attired."

Gabriel groaned. "Can't I just wear this?" She gestured to her jeans and plaid shirt, which she'd taken from the shorter Winchester.

"No!" Azrael cried, looking aghast. She crossed to the closet and pulled out a long white dress, that didn't have a back.

"What! Why? And why white?" Azrael shoved the dress at the protesting Gabriel and pulled out a tiara.

"You are the youngest Princess of Heaven. You will be properly attired for your first royal dinner in millennia."

Gabriel reluctantly began to put the dress on. She heard Azrael gasp from behind her. She turned. "What? Does it not fit or something?"

Azrael had covered her mouth with both hands, and now she lowered them, pointing at Gabriel's torso. "Where'd you get that scar?"

"Oh," Gabriel looked down at the circular scar. "That's where Luci stabbed me."

"I-I knew you'd died, we all felt it, but it was Lucifer who stabbed you?" Azrael breathed. "How are you still here?"

Gabrie grinned in spite of herself. "Fake blade. A really, really good one, apparently."

Azrael came behind her and placed the tiara gently on her head. They both looked in the mirror.

"Azzy," Gabriel started in a small voice, "how long has it been, since Lucifer stabbed me, I mean?"

Azrael didn't answer for a moment, preoccupied with Gabriel's hair. "11 months."

"What did I miss?"

"The Apocalypse was averted by the Vessels Winchester, and Michael fell into the Cage. But enough of that. I've missed you, sister." Azrael whispered. "Let's go to dinner."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Dinner was a silent affair. After they'd finished, God looked to Gabriel and asked the question.

"So, tell me, Daughter. Where have you been?"

Gabriel stood and walked to the window. "I left."

"We know that. Where did you go?"

"Oh, you know. Here and there." She smirked. "Went pagan for awhile, played Trickster, screwed with the Winchesters, and then faked my own death via Lucifer in an ill-fated attempt to help the brothers delay Apocalypse Now, and here I am!" She spread her hands and spun around to face her horrified Family.

Raphael spoke first. "You worshipped the pagan gods?!"

Gabriel shook her head. "No, Raphy, I was the pagan god. Loki Silvertongue, God of Chaos, Magic, and Trickery." She cocked her head. "I guess it's goddess now, isn't it? Or, rather it would be, if Kali hadn't blown my cover." She scowled. "Damn you, Kali."

"Lucifer stabbed you?" Uriel asked. Gabriel nodded. "Why?"

"Well, I mean, I dunno, but probably because I took the humans' side in the whole thing." Blank looks. "Look, he wanted to kill Kali, and I actually liked Kali, so I intervened. Told him he was a great big bag of dicks and that if Michael were there, I'd shiv his ass too. Said I was on the side of the humans, and then told him they were better. Conjured a fake blade, Lucifer stabbed me and I woke up a good time later. In hindsight, I think my fake blade was a little too good, if had that effect."

Gabriel looked around. "Where is Michael, anyway? Thought you'd have pulled his sorry ass out of the cage as soon as he fell in."

"We did. He's out in the barracks." Amenadiel replied. "He'll be in shortly."

The five archangels stared Gabriel, who straightened with a shit-eating grin. "What, did you think I'd be perfect, innocent, little Gabriel? After all these years?" Her face hardened. "Sorry to disappoint. I haven't been that girl since you declared war on my favorite brother."

And then she walked out.