Gabriel's Charge

chapter 17

Here is the next chapter. I won't be able to upload for this whole weekend. Sorry about that. Enjoy this one!
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Chapter 17:
Gabriel

After leaving Katherine alone in the garage he went back out into the forest.

The sunlight shone softly through the trees, birds were chirping while small creatures scurried around in the undergrowth.

Gabriel, despite the pain he suddenly felt in his chest, had to smile at the peacefulness that nature brought to the world. A world that was mostly based off of chaos.

His father had done well. He must’ve known that his greatest creation would destroy his world; with this in mind he had chosen to put peace in the world and let the people have a place to be happy.

Kicking at a piece of grass, he sat down and leaned against one of the trees. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. Listening to the sounds of the forest and waiting to disappear into a world of silence that no one else would find him in.

“Hello Gabriel.”

Damn.

He opened his eyes to see Castiel and Lauriel standing in front of him.

He grinned “Well, isn’t this a surprise. You two working together then are you?”

They looked at each other, neither of them were smiling. Both had extremely serious expressions on their faces. “Yes, in fact we are.”

Gabriel shook his head, “I should’ve guessed.”

Castiel looked confused but said nothing. Lauriel smiled knowingly but also kept her mouth shut. Castiel stepped forward and squatted in front of him. “We need to talk Gabriel.”

“So talk.”

The angel looked around nervously “Okay, fine.”

The two of them walked over and sat on either side of Gabriel. Castiel spoke first “You realize the situation you have come to find yourself in is very grave. The girl’s parents are dead and now your task is greater than ever. Gabriel, if you fail...”

“I know, I won’t ever see her again.” Gabriel replied bitterly.

Castiel nodded gravely, “You need to get her out of this town. It isn’t safe here!”

“Is it safe anywhere?” He asked looking at his brother with a pained expression.

His brother looked down at his hands and shook his head “It would be harder for him to find her, if she were not in the exact place he expects her to be. Still, he would find her.”

Gabriel sighed “Her whole life is here. She has school and friends, I can’t isolate her like that!”

“It’s for her protection.” Lauriel said, trying to reason with the angel.

Gabriel simply gave a snort; he stood up and walked across to the other side of the path. Sure maybe it was for her protection but she would hate him for it. She would be so angry! That was the last thing he wanted, for her to hate him. He would rather be watching her 24/7 than have her angry.

“No, I won’t take her away.”

“As you wish. Just be careful Gabriel. Lucifer is getting more and more efficient. He knows this is his last chance as well.” Castiel warned and then he left with Lauriel leaving him alone once again.

Gabriel stood in the forest for a little bit longer before he finally decided to leave. It was maybe close to the end of school for Katherine and he was debating going home to meet her, or staying away for a little bit longer. She had said she didn’t need him and he believed it. She was more than capable of taking care of herself no doubt about that at all.

He sighed and continued down the path. He would walk back to the house. That would kill some more time. This way he wouldn’t have to worry about running into Katherine and reopening the wound of their earlier fight too soon.

Trudging along on the outskirts of the town, he intended to reflect on what he was going to say to his charge when he saw her. However, the universe had another idea for him.

“Hello brother.”

Another one? What the hell! Gabriel thought angrily. Except this one really did have a lot to do with death and Hell.

He spun around to see his brother Lucifer standing there; he was leaning against a fence post casually with a knowing smirk on his face. Gabriel wanted nothing more than to walk about to his brother and smack that smile off his face. It was his fault that he was in this situation that he now had to choose between the safety of the one he loved and her love in general. By the look on his face, Gabriel could see his brother knew all this and was taking great joy in it.

“What do you want Lucifer?” Gabriel spat out angrily.

Lucifer walked toward him, still smiling. He stopped in front of his brother and shrugged his shoulders “I didn’t know it was a crime to want to talk to my little brother!” He reached out and tried to pat Gabriel’s shoulder.

Gabriel flinched back, an expression of disgust clear on his face. “It isn’t a crime. We just haven’t been on good terms since that incident in Eden.”

“You can’t still be mad about that! Look Gabe, she made her choice then as she has every time. I am just the more sought after brother. There is nothing I can do about that! It isn’t like I made her come to me every, single, time.”

Gabriel was ready to tackle him to the ground. He knew what his brother was trying to do and forced himself not to react. That was exactly what Lucifer wanted; for him to freak and try to kill him. Gabriel knew if he did, he would just end up dead again. In that dark void of nothing. No sound, no light. Nothing at all.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow at his brother and grinned “My dear brother, have I not upset you then? You admit that I am correct that our dear Katherine wants me more than you.”

“If she wants you so bad, why hasn’t she gone to you then?” Gabriel asked with a cheeky grin.

His brother’s face went dark and he walked close to Gabriel’s face. He stared down into Gabriel’s eyes and unlike his brother’s which showed the light and golden glow of his true form, all Gabriel saw in his brother’s eyes was darkness. A black void of emptiness. His brother’s true form was tainted beyond repair now.

“I will have her Gabriel. Make no mistake of assuming otherwise.” He went to walk away, but Gabriel being the angel he was simply called back.

“No you won’t. I won’t let you.”

His brother turned back and stood over him, “You think you can stop me?”

“I know I can.”

“Let’s test that shall we?”

Gabriel felt strong arms lift him and toss him down the street. Standing up, a little wobbly he gave a nasty grin and waited for his brother to come at him.

He wasn’t disappointed. Lucifer ran at him, arms outstretched. Gabriel could tell he meant to strangle him. Without thinking too much about it, he grabbed his arms and twisted them behind Lucifer’s back, holding him there tightly. Lucifer squirmed and tried to escape Gabriel’s grip.

Gabriel felt Lucifer’s black wings unfold and try to encompass him in them. Gabriel sprung out his golden ones and pressed them against the dark ones. Pressing them away from him and tightening his grip on Lucifer’s arms. Twisting them so that he could hear a satisfying crunch as each bone broke individually and then healed, only to be broken again.

It was satisfying and yet, it didn’t seem to matter even. This fighting was pointless; it didn’t bring him any closer to protecting Katherine. It was just Gabriel letting out his anger on his brother.

With this in mind he released him and pushed him away. “I think you can see now, that I can take you.”

Lucifer’s eyes glinted dangerously, “Maybe this time. Next time though, there will be more at stake. I can promise you that much.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Gabriel stated dangerously, the hint of a growl in his voice.  

Another nasty grin from his brother and then Lucifer walked away. He could have flown but he chose not to. He walked down the street. Gabriel watched him until he turned a corner and disappeared from view.

Heaving a huge sigh Gabriel felt himself collapse onto the side of the sidewalk. Strangely, there was no one around and so no one had seen the struggle that had just happened. He supposed that was for the best. Really lucky too... Almost too lucky.

Shaking off his unease, he stood back up and made to continue is way back to Katherine’s house. By this point she should be home. Alone, he might add. He was really failing in his duties right now.

Which brought him to his next point; he had to stop getting so emotional over everything she said! It was affecting how he acted. It was affecting her safety. It had to stop.

From now on their relationship would be professional. Nothing more. It couldn’t be anything else anyway; she obviously didn’t feel the same way.

Turning down onto the now familiar street, he flew right to her house.

Standing in front of the towering structure, he couldn’t help but suddenly feel very small.  As if he had no great power in the world. He wondered if this was how humans felt all the time, so powerless to the forces that surrounded them.

Glancing quickly around the neighbourhood he flew himself inside.

Katherine was already home, he could hear her talking with someone in the living room. Listening closely he depicted that the voice belonged to that girl Emilie, the one who knew about Katherine’s secret life.

He backed away, not wanting to intrude on their conversation. But when he heard his name he stepped forward again.

He knew it was rude to listen in, but he wanted to hear what she was saying about him.

“You know, Gabriel was just trying to help.” Emilie stated.

He heard Katherine heave a huge sigh “Can we just drop the subject already? I already told you that I was going to apologize when and if he comes back!”

“Fine, no need to get so defensive!”

Gabriel smirked and flew up the stairs so the girls didn’t see him. He walked into Katherine’s parents’ room and sighed. It was completely neat and had pictures of Katherine with her family all over. He could actually her progression through the years from a baby to the age she was now at seventeen.

He smiled as he looked through her life, her with her mother in the hospital and a man who he presumed was her father. They all looked so happy. Continuing on he found her at the age of what looked to be four. She already had the dark auburn hair, except then it was little straighter then. It fell around her shoulders as she blew out her birthday candles. He saw her first day of school, her hair done in two braid pigtails; she was holding a pink backpack and grinning broadly with a blonde haired girl beside her. That must’ve been Emilie.

Walking along the wall, going through the big moments in her life bit by bit was interesting. She had always had the auburn hair but as a younger child her eyes had been darker. Almost black, it hadn’t been until she turned what looked to be fourteen when they finally lightened up and went the puppy dog brown that they were today.

It made him wonder if remnants from Hell had stuck to her soul a little while longer this time. Tainting her eyes and showing the places her soul had been. He wondered if anyone had ever wondered how this innocent child had come to have those dark, dark eyes.

“You know, most people don’t appreciate when you snoop.” A voice said from the door.

He spun around to see Emilie standing there with a cheeky smirk on her face.

Gabriel grinned “Yeah well... I didn’t want to disturb you guys and I was bored.”

“I’m sure Katherine would love to talk with you anyway.” Emilie replied with a suggestive smile.

Suddenly he felt a little uncomfortable standing there with this girl; this normal girl who posed no threat at all. And yet, in her eyes she seemed to be hiding a secret. Something that he ought to know and didn’t. Then again, what could she possibly know that he didn’t?

Shrugging he looked back at the photos and frowned. There were two different men in the photos. The first was significantly younger than the second. The first’s hair was brown and the second’s was blonde, the first’s eyes were grey and the second’s were brown. No one could change that much or that significantly. The first was the one with her when she was a baby and then...and then the new fellow suddenly arrived.

“Who’s this?” He asked motioning to the new guy.

“That was her stepdad. He was...nice I suppose. I didn’t know him all that well. Katie complained about him quite a bit though.” Emilie said thoughtfully.

Gabriel nodded, so that was the infamous stepdad. Who, of course, was now dead along with the lovely woman in the photos. Katherine did look an awful lot like her mom. The same hair and facial structure, the eyes were the only difference though. Where Katherine’s were the sweet brown, her mother’s were a fierce almost cold blue.

“Do you think so misses them?” He asked skeptically and then turned to look back at Emilie.

Emilie gave him a look “Of course she does. They were her parents!”

“They didn’t seem to be around much.”

“You and I both know why that was.”

Gabriel sighed, he turned fully away from the wall of memories. Emilie was watching him with a curious expression. He raised an eyebrow at her, but said nothing.

After a few moments Emilie shook her head and said to Gabriel “You should go down and see Katherine. I know she wants to speak with you.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know everything. That’s why.” And with that she skipped off down the hall.

He watched her go and couldn’t help but think she looked like a little pixie skipping away. Mischief surrounding her everywhere she went. Yes, if this girl were a creature she would be part of the faerie.

Shaking his head he followed her down the hall and met her at the bottom of the stairs in the living room. Katherine looked up as he came in, but he wasn’t looking at her. Instead he was grinning at Emilie who had a small smile on her lips.

“Katherine said you were a bit of a show off.”

Gabriel grinned “She wasn’t lying.”

Emilie laughed “No I guess not.” She glanced over at her friend “I don’t know how you two have fights. I think you’re delightful.”

“Glad someone does.”

“I like your company...” Katherine’s small voice came from the couch.

He looked quickly over at his charge and shrugged “I would never have guessed Kat.”

Katherine stood up, her arms folded across her chest. She gave Gabriel an almost hurt look, brushing past him up the stairs. She gave her best friend a quick glare before disappearing around the corner.

Gabriel looked at Emilie and shrugged, “I guess I should go apologize.”

She nodded “I should head out too. Be nice to her okay? She’s been through a lot recently.”

“Still going through a lot too.” He muttered as Emilie walked past him down the stairs and called goodbye to Katherine. She walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Looking after her curiously, he then made his way up the stairs and into Katherine’s room.

She was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest, her head rested lightly on them and there was an almost distant look on her face. He stood in the doorway watching her, not wanting to intrude on any private thoughts she might be having.

Right then she had the same vacant, innocent air that Eve always had. The new to this world kind of expression. He just wanted to take her in his arms and keep her from anything that might bring her harm. There was so much bad in the world now and here she was fighting it somehow still able to look as naive as she had when he first saw her.

“I see you Gabriel.” She said softly from her bed, not moving a muscle.

“I didn’t want to disturb you.” He replied walking in.

Katherine sighed, a huge puff of air. She turned her face over to him and shook her head “You don’t disturb me Gabriel. You are now my friend and I need you here. I really do, I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”

He came in further and sat beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry too. I know how hard it must be to lose and gain so much in such a small amount of time.”

His charge shrugged “Yeah but I’m a hunter. I guess I am used to all this.”

“You shouldn’t have to be.” He replied sadly.

Katherine’s hand reached out and took his “But I do, don’t worry I’m fine with it.” She paused and then said “Is all forgiven then?”

Gabriel nodded “Yes, of course it is.”

She nodded with a small smile on her lips. Moving her body closer she leaned against him; they both turned their heads out to the window.

The sun had left and now there was the start of rain. It pattered softly onto the roof and against the window. The sky was dark now with thick black clouds in it. Gabriel looked at it sadly and then wrapped his arm around Katherine’s shoulders.

He felt her lean in closer and smiled.

“So guess who I ran into today.” Gabriel said after a few minutes of silence.

“Someone good I hope.” She replied with a laugh.

Gabriel shrugged “Not in the general sense no. Lucifer found me and let’s just say the situation might be worse now.”

Katherine pulled away and looked up at him “Worse how?”

“Oh I definitely pissed him off.”

“You are such an idiot.” She whispered turning back around.

“Thanks Kat.”

She laughed “It’s true.” Katherine face him again “But you know what? I appreciate the fact that you would piss off your brother for me.”

“What makes you think it was for you?”
 Katherine blinked “Oh um well... I guess I just assumed uh...”

Gabriel laughed “You’re cute when you’re flustered. Yes it was for you. Right now everything he does is about you.”

“And yet I don’t feel flattered by this at all.”

“I should hope not.” He murmured into her hair.

She giggled and curled up into his lap.

“What are you doing?” He asked with a grin.

“Sleeping.” She replied with a small yawn.

Katherine closed her eyes and Gabriel grinned. Small locks of her hair fell into her eyes and her small frame was curled in a tight ball of small frail looking limbs.

“Sleep well Kat,” He whispered “Your angel is watching over you.”

And even though she said nothing he noticed a small smile form on her face. 

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