Lower Tadfield Safehouse

After dropping the unconscious being off in his room he was about to settle into a chair so he could watch but there was still that part of him, that small section in the corner of his subconscious, that, even though all the nightmares had been illusions he still needed to see Gabriel. Alive.

Careful not to wake the poor sleeping creature he padded out of the room and quietly shut the door. He would return. Yes, he would be right back, once he was certain that... that...

He searched every floor, quick pacing becoming a run as the aftermath filled his senses. Blood. Fear... So much of both it was thick in the air... He had to find Gabriel. He had to find Gabriel. Raphael was no Messenger; he could not simply know where someone was. But the tiny flickering presence seemed to reach for other celestial beings and soon he stumbled to a stop before a room that was not Gabriel's but the Warrior's.

Gabriel was asleep, watching over him, and Raphael could not help but smile. He quietly padded in, memories of how the Messenger had come to his room and found him in a bloody, mangled shape softly touched at his mind. The red-head wasn't in much different shape now, thanks to the nightmare's effects, but Raphael still allowed the affectionate smile to stay on his face. Well, his own healing powers were now completely gone, but now he knew... he didn't need them, did he?

Raphael pulled a fresh blanket from the closet and draped it over the sleeping Archangel. Then he got a bowl and filled it with water. Using a clean washcloth he sat on the edge of the bed and began to gently clean the blood from the unconscious Warrior.

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Gabriel stirred slightly.

He could sense another Presence in the room, as he slowly regained wakefulness. Sleepily, he opened his eyes.

"... Raphael?" he murmured, blinking, before sitting straight. "You're safe! Thank goodness." He leaned forward to pull the Healer into a gentle hug.

Edited Date: Friday, 2 July 2010 14:14 (UTC)

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Oh! The bowl, now slightly pink, nearly upset onto the sheets but he managed to settle it before turning to gather up his dear friend into his best I'm-so-glad-you're-alive-and-you-look-so-much-better-without-all-the-rats! hug. The infernal blade still hung at his hip, but as he held his friend close, the soft thrum of Holy, Holy, Holy... echoing against his own aura, he was careful to make sure it didn't touch the Archangel.

"You're alive... Oh, Gabriel... Thank Father you're alive..."

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It was the strangest feeling. His mind was now conscious - he had felt torn flesh knitting itself together - but all that blood loss and he was tired. He wished he could open his eyes, but all he could manage was a fluttering of his eyelids before he contented himself with just lying there and listening.

What had happened? Why did they both sound so shocked to know the other was alive? And why was tap water so cold?

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Gabriel held Raphael close for a few moments more before pulling back. "I saw your corpse outside," he whispered. "Yours and Uriel's and Aziraphael's, and others, and Lucifer killed Michael and I could hear him... I'm not making sense, am I? Raphael, there's something called Primoris loose in the Manor. He's the first nightmare, he's been bringing our nightmares to life. And..."

He blinked. The Manor felt different. Normal. "Did I miss something?"

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Hey! Michael said in his head, hoping his unable-to-move face looked affronted. Lucifer did not kill me! Otherwise I'd be dead. Yeah. Yeah, if anything, I killed him, even though he's not dead.

Yeah. That makes sense. Nice try, Gabriel.

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"It's over, dear brother,..." he whispered against his forhead, brushing back matted dark waves from Gabriel's cheek. He decided not to tell him about his own nightmare, there was enough exhaustion and turmoil in the Archangel's aura right now.

He shifted suddenly, sensing...

"Michael?" He pulled away, still keeping an arm around Gabriel's shoulder (and noting with pain in his chest the condition of his wings, oh Gabriel...) He moved closer to the bed, placing a hand touched with dried blood on the Warrior's forhead.

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Gabriel could sense it too. "Michael? Can you hear me?"

He hesitated for a moment, then hugged the Warrior, being careful of his wounds. "You idiot," he murmured. "I was so worried."

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Michael's eyebrow twitched. I was not an idiot. I was awesome.

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"I know what you're thinking," Gabriel smiled. "You're predictable. And for once I'll agree."

He was supposed to avoid Michael, he knew, but he couldn't right now. Not when Michael was in this state.

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Michael's eyebrow relaxed and the corners of his mouth just barely turned up in a smile.

Most tellingly, however, his halo started to gently glow. He was with Gabriel and Raphael, and they were all right, and he was happy.

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Raphael let out a happy purr, a sign of how genuinely happy he was. Picking up the bowl he got back to cleaning the Warrior's face. "I'll be doing you next," he informed Gabriel with a motion for him to please sit back down.

I don't need my powers to help you... I can help by just being me...

He started humming a tune in reflection to his mood and at the sight of Michael's bright halo Raphael's gentle smile broadened to a grin and he let out a laugh.

Oh how he loved his brothers.

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"I'll be doing you next?" Michael quoted in his head. Bom chicka bom chicka bom chicka bow-ooowwww!

He outright grinned. He struggled to make his eyes open and they did, just tiny little slits. Which meant, of course, that he couldn't see anything yet.

Sigh.

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At the sight of Michael's halo and grin, Gabriel's own halo began glowing slightly. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly. "I tried to heal you as much as I could, but I'm not the Healer. I think I passed out, actually."

He grimaced embarrassedly.

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There is no Healer anymore, he thought to himself. Still, the smile remained as he cleaned the last of the blood from the Warrior. He rose to rise out the bowl and fill it with fresh water. Getting a clean washcloth he sat on the arm of the chair Gabriel was in and began the clean the Messenger, trying not to look at the nearly-bare wings.

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Gabriel shifted uncomfortably as the ice-cold water trickled down his skin. "Er. I put my shirt on over the blood, actually. And I'm not that seriously injured." Apart from the wings, but those could only grow back with time.

For a moment he was caught between modesty and sensibility, before he finally pulled off his shirt.

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"'m f'ne," Michael murmured, eyes opening a little bit more so he could actually see a bit. "Y' not. Y' wings. Wh' h'pp'd?"

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Gabriel unconsciously wrapped his arms around himself again, biting his lip. His voice was barely audible. "The nightmare. I - I thought I'd Fallen. My wings were dark, and I - " he shivered at the memory. "I couldn't feel Him."

He arched the denuded wings around himself slightly. They still ached, but he barely noticed it by now. "I pulled out the feathers myself."

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Raphael wordlessly ran the soft washcloth over bloody skin, carefully cleaning off the dirt and grime and crusted blood. Moving around his shoulder he stopped abruptly when he realized he was coming too close to the wings.

"I promise not to touch your wings, but would you mind if I cleaned your back? Where the skin between them is?"

He felt his chest clench. Raphael had tried to hack off his wing but Gabriel's looked as if he had managed to nearly yank out all the beautiful feathers. The pink skin was raw and dotted with blood clots that he ached to touch and heal in the only way he could.

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Michael sighed and let himself relax again. He wanted to ~~give Gabriel a hug~~ comfort him somehow, but that would involve moving.

One of his wings twitched just enough to brush Gabriel's skin, just to let him know he cared.

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After a moment, Gabriel spread his wings and turned his back to Raphael.

"Just the back. Thank you."

He smiled a little, only the barest curve of his lips, as he reached out to touch Michael's hand. "Thank you, too."

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Raphael was very careful to make sure he didn't touch any part of the wing, gently humming as the dirt cleaned away like a layer of skin. He cleaned below the wings too before setting the dirty washcloth in the bowl. Gabriel could get the rest himself.

Rising to his feet he moved to drain the dirty water and clean the bowl and cloth. When he returned his heart melted at the sight of the Warrior just barely touching the Messenger with his wing while Gabriel responded by lightly touching his hand.

The smile still on his lips he quietly padded out and closed the door silently behind him. He stood for a moment, enjoying the feel of both their auras on the other side of the door. Everything is okay now... Everything... is okay...

He bowed his head in gratitude, thanking his Father for his brothers, his mentee, his new friends and the blessings that had come his way since arriving at the manor. The crimson wings softly ruffled.

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Gabriel turned as the door closed, before turning back to Michael. His head still felt heavy, and he shifted uncomfortably in the chair before stifling a yawn. Despite the couple of hours of sleep, he still felt drained.

"Do you mind if I sleep here?" he asked. "I'm sorry, it's just - I still feel weak." He frowned slightly. "And... and I think I still need someone around."

Gabriel hated having to admit that - he felt so weak, so vulnerable, and it was embarrassing - but it was true; the sheer loneliness of having been without the Divine Presence, even briefly, had shaken him too much. Michael's Presence, meanwhile, soothed him.

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Michael did not mind if Gabriel stayed the night - how could he? - but how to portray that?

"G... g' head," he said, then yawned. He was getting stronger, finally.

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"Thank you," Gabriel squeezed his hand lightly before curling up, catlike, in the chair. "I apologise for imposing. Wake me if you need anything. Healing, water, anything."

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Michael nodded, gave a non-commital hum, and fell back asleep, completely content.

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Gabriel watched him through half-closed eyes for a few moments, the smile a little stronger, before he too drifted off to sleep.

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