A different sort of hunt

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel was used to being odd man out, the only Omega born to his small, powerful pack. But with two older brothers who were both Alphas, they were usually more concerned with their own power plays than Gabriel and his search for a mate.

Because heat when you were unmated? Sucked.

Michael would probably prefer to chain him up once a year and let him sweat it out, which is probably why he left home as his heat started to near.

If he was going to find a mate, it was going to be on his terms.

What he didn't expect was to catch a tantalizing scent at the local bookstore. Something that called up images of sunlight and pine trees and cool shade.

Comments

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam nodded, holding out his arm to Gabriel. Letting him be close if he wanted to, despite the adrenaline that was probably burning off through his pores. "He's...well, I'm no sure how happy he is about the whole thing. But he's more angry with Michael about it than you." He reached into his pocket, pulling out the phone. "I want Dean to have a look at this, but...he left this for you. If you ever wanted to talk to him. I'm assuming it's because Michael doesn't know anything about it."

[low_key_angel]

If they hadn’t been mated, Gabriel might have hesitated at the offer. An Alpha with that much tension bleeding off him was usually a dangerous thing. But this was Sam, his bonded mate, so he tucked himself in close without a thought, raising up to nose at his jaw in an attempt to soothe him as the stress wore off.

A phone from Lucifer. Gabriel picked it up, turning it over slowly in his hand. One day he’d pick up that phone and call him. See if they could really be brothers again. “Maybe. If he could just walk away from Michael.. I think that’d be good for him too.”

Lucifer would never walk. He’d fight or he’d die, he was too stubborn to do otherwise.

[fromfryingpantofire]

Because they were mated, having Gabriel close helped to alleviate some of the tension, letting himself be soothed by Gabriel's closeness. He raised his chin a bit, giving Gabriel more room to press against his neck.

"I think...I think it probably would be," he admitted after a moment. "I hope he's not going to do anything stupid, but I suppose it's possible he will." He wrapped his arm around Gabriel's shoulders. "Though we need to have a talk about you keeping things from me, baby. Like the fact that Michael would have killed you if Dean hadn't been there."

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel huffed against his neck, leaning in closer. "It's Lu. Doing something stupid is kind of what he does." The scent of his mate helped to ratchet down his own tension, something the doctor had already advised against. But he didn't know his pack, his brothers. Tension and family sort of went hand in hand.

Busted. He snaked an arm around his waist. "That was my idea, don't get mad at Dean. He showed up in time and kicked the crap outta Michael. When I got to the hospital and found out that I was.. that we were.." he sighed. "I didn't want that to taint it. I wanted to tell you the good news without leading off with 'so my dick brother nearly killed me in my own store today'."

[fromfryingpantofire]

"Baby. Nothing could have tainted that," Sam replied, rubbing Gabriel's shoulder. "Though, I'll admit, it might have ended with me heading straight back home to challenge him instead." Because there was no way that Sam would have let it stand, normally. "Though I probably would have calmed down enough not to have done that by the time I got there."

[low_key_angel]

"I know you would have. And you might have calmed down and not gone after him, but there's a pretty good bet he would have gone after you or Dean. I know challenges are part of being an Alpha, but I didn't want that to happen."

He relaxed a little more into him, at the reassurance that he wouldn't have gone off and done something rash. Because if he hadn't been so torn up, Dean probably would have gutted Michael on the spot.

"We both came out of it okay. That's what matters."

[fromfryingpantofire]

"So, getting you out of town and keeping us both away from town gives Michael time to get over himself. Probably a good idea." Sam sighed, shifting so that he could kiss Gabriel's forehead. "And I'm glad. I'm more than glad that everybody came out of it okay." The next few months would be worrying enough without that hanging over their heads.

He turned with Gabriel toward the bedroom. "Let's check in with Dean. Let him have a look at the phone, then see about grabbing an actual nap." One that wouldn't be interrupted by Lucifer.

[low_key_angel]

"I have my moments." Gabriel grinned up at him, leaning into the kiss. "Hopefully a few days away will smooth things over with everyone."

He nods and let Sam guide them back towards the bedroom where Dean was just getting off the phone. Shoving it into his pocket, he cocked his head at his brother. "That was.. unexpectedly civil. The hell did he want if it wasn't to haul Gabe back?"

[fromfryingpantofire]

"Believe it or not, he wants Gabriel safe. And far away from Michael, though he didn't say it in so many words." Different words, maybe, but not exactly that. "He apparently thinks that Michael will do his best to kill Gabriel and the baby if he has another chance. So when we get back, we're going to have to make sure Gabriel's not alone at the bakery." Since that was pretty much the only time Gabriel was alone and off pack property.

He holds out his other hand, the one with the burner phone. "I'd like you to take a look at that, though. Just to make sure there's nothing hiding there that could make life difficult."

[a_righteousman]

He took the phone with a thoughtful grunt, turning it over in his hands. "Gimme a few. Basic phone, shouldn't be hard to check it out." Pushing a few things on Sam's desk aside, Dean flicked on the lamp and gently snapped the case of the burner phone open.

"Doesn't surprise me much. Dad and Grampa are out trying to talk to him now, set up some kind of meeting on neutral ground. Dad might have to call in Crowley to set the meet and you know he doesn't like messing with him one damn bit."

But whatever needed to be done, they were going to do it. Gabriel needed to be protected while he was vulnerable and the Winchester pack took care of their own.

[fromfryingpantofire]

"Dad never did like cats much." The sorts of shifters that turned into cats were even worse, as far as John Winchester was concerned. Still, Crowley had his uses. Being outside of the pack structure and technically neutral at a time like this was definitely one of them.

On the other hand, Sam knew that Crowley had no love of Michael, either.

"He did tell me that Michael came a lot closer to killing Gabriel at the bakery than I'd been told," Sam replied, then glanced down at Gabriel at his side. "I think he was kinda hoping I'd lose my temper enough to go tearing after Michael and do his job for him." Though Sam wasn't certain he could take Michael. Not entirely.

[low_key_angel]

Dean grunted again, peering at the wiring of the phone. “Cat or not, I wouldn’t trust him any further than I could drop kick him and his fancy tailor.” He might be useful, but everything about the cat rankled him right down to his core and Crowley knew it. Exploited it when he could. “But if he can shut Michael down or at least get him to stand the hell down, then good.”

He looked up long enough to eye Gabriel. “I told you that was gonna happen.”

“Bite me, Dean.” Gabriel swallowed hard. “Lucifer may not be able to take him. I think if he was sure of that, he would have done it a long time ago.” Which means before it’s all over, Gabriel is going to lose a brother. “Michael will talk through Crowley, but there’s no way he’s going to let this go. Not unless Lucifer takes him down.”

[fromfryingpantofire]

"I'm sure Dad or Bobby have already let Sheriff Mills know what's going on." She was a friend of Bobby's and therefore of the Winchester pack for years. But if there was going to be a pack war in her town, she had better know about it.

He looked between the two of them, then rubbed his hand over Gabriel's shoulder. "Lucifer might decide to cut his losses and leave. You're in a safe place now, once we deal with things with Michael. He'd be better off without Michael at all right now."

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel nodded at the reassurance, even though he wasn't quite as sure as Sam was. If Lucifer wanted to cut his losses, he would have done it years ago, or even when he'd finally left the pack with Sam. But no, Lucifer was too stubborn. Taking the phone back from Dean, he fired off a text.

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

"I'll double check with her on my way in, swing by the station." Dean clapped his brother on the shoulder. "The phone's clean."

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam sighed, looking down at Dean. "I don't suppose you'd actually try laying down and trying to get some sleep again, huh?" Because after driving all night, Dean really did need to get some sleep.

He glanced over at Gabriel, but as he promised Lucifer, he didn't try to stop him.

[low_key_angel]

There wasn't an immediate reply to the text, but it had been sent. A slow start to maybe being able to speak to his brother again. Gabriel pocketed the phone and slid out of Sam's arm long enough to snap off the lamp. "Sure he will. Because if he doesn't, I'm gonna sit on his chest and sing Lady Gaga."

The crack is enough to break up the last of the tension in Dean's shoulders and he huffed out a laugh. "You're a dick, Gabriel."

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam smiled, glad to see the lack of tension in his brother's shoulders. "But he's a dick with a point," Sam replied. "Come on. Get some sleep. I'll make sure you're up in a few hours so you can start driving."

[low_key_angel]

Dean went, but there was still some token grumbling on the way before he flopped back onto the couch, yanking the blanket up and over his shoulders. He needed a clear head before driving back home, as much as he wanted to take off and give Gabriel and Sammy some time to themselves.

With Dean settled, Gabriel set the burner phone next to his cell on the dresser before moving to join Sam back in bed. "You think John will be able to talk Michael into standing down?"

[fromfryingpantofire]

He stretched out, laying down again so that Gabriel could settle against him. "I don't know. He'll do his absolute best. I'm more worried about Michael saying he'll step down and then not doing so."

He turned his head, nuzzling Gabriel's hair. "We'll manage, no matter what."

[low_key_angel]

“Worried about it? Hell, I’d take the under on the odds of that happening. Michael won’t step down. He’s been raised his entire life for this – I don’t think he knows any other way.”

But there’s nothing he can do about it, not without risking both his life and the life of the cub he was carrying. So for now, he put the thoughts aside and settled in against Sam’s side, rubbing his cheek against his chest.

“I know we will. Anna and Cas can help keep an eye on the shop while we wait for this little guy to make his appearance.”

[fromfryingpantofire]

"Don't tell me. Nobody other than Lucifer and you has ever told Michael no." No wonder the guy's boundaries were shit. "Worst comes to worst, Samuel may make Michael and his pack leave the area with leave to return only if invited." The entire area is, after all, Campbell territory. The Winchester pack is blood, thanks to John's bond with Mary and his two eldest sons. The Novak pack could have been, too, if Michael were able to put his pride aside.

He reaches up, stroking his fingers through Gabriel's hair. "Well, that's a bit in the future. Though somebody should definitely be there to do any of the heavy lifting that you might need."

[low_key_angel]

"He can ban Michael and Raphael forever right now as far as I'm concerned." Lucifer was quickly becoming a different story, but that was going to take some time and a few phone calls for them to work things out. At least he hoped there would be time.

Gabriel hums into the touch. "Works for me. So long as doc doesn't do something like stick me on bedrest. I'll go bananas." And probably drive everyone else around him crazy as well.

[fromfryingpantofire]

Yeah, Sam notices the omission. And while he isn't entirely certain he agrees as yet, he's willing to give Lucifer a chance. As long as he doesn't hurt Gabriel. "I think we're going to try for diplomatic first while being careful with you." Because Michael was not getting close to Gabriel again.

Sam laughs softly, shaking his head. "I think the doctors will do their best to avoid that until closer to the end of the pregnancy. And even then, only if it's really necessary."