Fledge

Fledge - Prologue

A being currently known as Chuck Shurley was sitting in his living room, calmly waiting. He tilted his head as he listened to an argument that was happening far away. At the right moment, he reached out with something other and pulled.

Dust drifted in the sunbeams from the nearest window, and then swirled suddenly, disturbed.

The being that now stood before Chuck was short, and his blonde hair just brushed his shoulders. His eyes were like molten gold, and his mouth had a certain quirk to it. He stood there for a moment, confused, looking around, before one hand went to his chest and with a soft groan, his knees gave out.

Chuck caught him. "Oh, Gabriel." He stroked Gabriel's hair as he looked up in confusion. Chuck put one hand on the stab wound, and willed the pain away. "You're safe here." He reassured him.

Gabriel blinked. He was very tired, but the hole in his torso wasn't hurting nearly as much. He also couldn't sense Lucifer anywhere near him. "What'd you do?" He mumbled, as Chuck sat down and lowered him onto the floor, his head in Chuck's lap. "Who are you? Prophets can't do that-"

"Gabriel, look at me." Chuck said firmly.

Gabriel looked properly, at the soul beneath, and recognised the intent even though he couldn't see the power. He froze for a moment. Then he started crying, scrabbling his hands at Chuck's shirt to hold onto him. "Dad?"

Chuck stroked Gabriel's hair gently. "It's okay, son." He said quietly, a little seed of annoyance rising in him for his children's willingness to kill each other. "I'm here."

"I've - what about the Trickster? How can you just-" Gabriel rubbed his face. "Sit there like nothing's happened?"

"You redeemed yourself in the end, did you not?" Chuck asked, running fingers through Gabriel's hair and stroking his forehead. "Besides, punishing the wicked isn't so very different to your job in the first place. Do you remember the last thing I said to you four before I left?"

Gabriel smiled quickly, "Pfft. What do you take me for, Dad? Of course I do." A shadow crossed his face for a moment at the memory at Raph's face when they realised He wasn't coming back. "'These humans are precious. I only ask that you love them as you do me.'" He quoted softly. "I tried, Dad, but who can love people who don't love people themselves?"

Chuck laughed, and ran a hand over Gabriel's face, the other sliding under his back. "As always, you found the best way to interpret your orders, Gabriel. Come on, let's get you on the sofa-no snapping!" He added as Gabriel readied his fingers. "You have a hole in your Grace too, so no magic." Gabriel's disappointed face would've melted Simon Cowell.

With a lot of swearing, and a bit of crying, they got Gabriel on the sofa. He was paler than before, and a sheen of sweat covered his skin.

Chuck sat down next to him. "What do you say to staying with me for now?"

Gabriel leaned tiredly on his father's shoulder. "Will there be chocolate cake?" He mumbled quietly, contentedly basking in the Presence that he could feel under the prophet's skin.

"There can be chocolate cake." Chuck agreed, smiling.

"And movie nights?"

"Movie nights can definitely be arranged."

"Then yes, I'm staying."Gabriel confirmed. "You know, Dad, you're cooler than I remember."

And Chuck Shurley laughed.