The Bucket List >> Sabriel ✔️

43: Reunite With A Loved One

Adam stood in shock, his eyes glued to his first love in his own brother's arms.

The world faded out around him as his tunnel-vision focused on Gabriel Novak, his face pale and golden eyes shut, on Sam Winchester, his eyes narrowed and full of suspicion.

They told me they wouldn't hurt them! They told me they would escort them out of the building as soon as shit got too serious!

Adam swallowed hard. Everyone was looking at him. His old friends were gazing at him like they were seeing a ghost.

Though, I suppose, I did fake my own death.

"You..." Emma started, trailing off softly.

Adam ripped his gaze away from Sam and Gabe and focused on her, his eyes wide.

"You ASSHOLE!" Emma screamed, throwing herself at Adam. She crashed into him, sending them both to the ground. His old friend sent punch after punch into his face, before Lucifer and Balthazar pulled her off him.

Adam lay on the ground, spluttering and stuttering, feeling the blood running down his face and his nose throbbing.

"You committed suicide!" Emma was screaming at Adam, looking nearly hysterical. "You killed yourself!"

Michael was looking down at his feet. He raised his eyes to Adam's, then spoke to the group. "When the doctors saw the amount of blood Adam had apparently lost, they assumed he was dead and didn't investigate: they thought they didn't need to. So when they brought him down to the morgue, he escaped and the police thought someone had stolen the body. Right?"

Adam nodded.

"I knew about the 'stolen body' thing as the police told me, but I decided to keep it from you guys because I didn't want to distress you all, thinking about someone using Adam's body for... things." Michael said apologetically to Emma, Lucifer, and Balthazar.

"Why?" Lucifer turned to Adam with sad eyes. The latter willed his heart not to break, but he was unsuccessful.

"This is a conversation we should have when Gabe is awake." Adam said awkwardly. Lucifer and Michael nodded, not looking him in the eye. Emma was being comforted by Charlie, and Balthazar was still looking at the younger boy with an accusing glare.

Dean and Cas, Cas Adam recognised as being Gabe's brother, had escorted his colleagues down the stairs, Dean pointing a gun at them. As Adam glanced out the window, he saw the police handcuffing them and shoving them into their cars.

"Guys..." An awkward, nervous boy that Adam did not recognise stuck his head out of a room down the corridor. "Crowley's still here." Everyone whipped around, on edge. "He's unconscious though, don't jump like that, geez."

"Dean and Cas'll send someone up in a minute, probably." Sam spoke for the first time.

"We'd better move to the Banter Room for our little meeting then, so we're out of the way." Balthazar spoke coldly, eyes still focused on Adam, who shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "You still remember that room, Adam? It's where you signed your name on the wall. Beside all of ours."

Adam twiddled his thumbs inside his hoodie pocket nervously as Balthazar lead the way into the all-too-familiar room.

Sam laid his fiancé on a row of seats attached to the wall, and Balthazar snatched the first aid kit off the wall to tend to Gabe's leg.

After about five minutes of sitting in awkward silence, Gabe stirred and made a small, indistinguishable sound. Everyone immediately turned to the trickster as his eyes fluttered open, groaning.

"Fuckin' hell." Gabe sat up, his hand to his head, then flying to his bandaged-up leg. "Ouch."

Adam cringed, biting his lip so hard that he drew blood. Fear was pounding through his veins and he could feel Gabe's head turning -

"What. The fuck."

Adam looked up at his old love. Gabe was staring at him with a pure white face, eyes misted over but wide.

"Is this some kind of cruel joke?" The trickster looked around the group desperately. "Tell me this is a prank. Please."

Adam shook his head. "Gabe... it's me."

"No." Gabe stood up, then crumpled back down to the seat as he gave a yelp of pain. "You're - you're dead. Y-you killed yourself."

"I faked my death." Adam told him, twisting his hands together. "I - I..."

Gabe's head drooped. When he brought it back up again, his eyes were unfogged and clear.

"Why?"

Adam cleared his throat nervously. Everyone was staring at him.

"I faked my suicide because... because I knew you wouldn't let me go if you knew where I was going." Adam began, pressing his thumb into his palm. "I knew the pain of me leaving you - willingly - never to return, would hurt you much more than my death would. I knew that from the hurt you told me about when your dad left you.

"I knew it took you a long time to love me back like I loved you - or for you to actually realise that you loved me more than just as a mere friend - and for that I'm sorry, 'cause I should've known that would make my alleged death harder on you.

"I wanted to go away to join the mafia because I... I..." Adam broke off, then stared straight into Gabe's eyes. "Gabe, your father is dead."

Gabe blinked. "What."

"I joined the mafia so the mafia could kill your father. After I heard what he did to you," Adam clenched his fists as he looked at Gabe sincerely, his eyes burning with a passionate fury, "I couldn't just let scum like that walk the earth. I know now that - that maybe I shouldn't have done it - but we managed to track him down and -"

Adam was cut off by Gabe launching himself into his arms. Gabe squeezed his old friend to him, ignoring the pain in his leg. Sam was staring jealously across the room at them, and Adam turned to him.

"Don't worry, Sam, I am over Gabester and I am in a committed relationship with my boyfriend Steve." The younger boy grinned.

"And we're engaged." Gabe said in response, reaching over to Sam and holding up his hand, showing off his ring.

"How did you know my name?" Sam narrowed his eyes at Adam.

"Well..." Adam hesitated. "You're... you're kind of my long-lost brother."

Gabe stared at him. "Wow. So I've been involved romantically with two out of three brothers. Now only Dean's left -" He broke off, giggling, as Sam smacked him on the arm.

"What?" Sam asked Adam, his eyebrows raised so far up his face that they nearly disappeared into his very long hair.

"I'm your half brother. Your dad never told you guys about me because well, I wasn't exactly planned..."

Sam reached over and patted Adam's shoulder.

"You have no idea how - how happy I am -" Gabe was quietly crying, the tears dribbling down his face. "I'm so happy I have my - my best friend back - to come to my wedding -"

Adam smiled as he bounced Gabe in his lap jokingly, squeezing his hand as the others all gossiped around them, the two packed in their own safe bubble.

"Me too."