Fic: A History of Heaven (Gabriel/Various Angels, PG-13 for this chapter) 46/59
For full notes and other chapters, please see the Masterpost.
Notes: Sammael = Lucifer
Chapter Rating: PG-13
Chapter word count: 2,524
Chapter Summary: Jesus is tempted in the desert by the devil, but with Lucifer incarcerated, another demon has to step up and fill his shoes.
CHAPTER 46:
FINALLY Jesus
He had been on Earth for thirty years. Thirty unbearably long years. Gabriel dragged his wings through the dust as he trudged after Jesus, two paces behind the man. “That was nice of Dad, wasn’t it? That show with the light and the bird and the voice? Nice to know He’s actually still around. Could’ve done without the dunking in the water, but hey, that’s just me. You seemed to like it. John really got off on it too. I’m not even going to pretend to understand the reasoning behind baptism, but the symbolism makes sense, I suppose. Purification, washing away your sins, giving you a fresh start… it doesn’t actually mean anything, but if it makes you feel better, I say, go for it. Speaking of going, where are we going?”
Jesus didn’t answer. Jesus never answered. Jesus was as observant as a box of rocks when it came to the invisible celestial being who had hounded his every step from the moment he was born into the world.
That wasn’t entirely fair. Jesus did seem to know Gabriel was there. There were times, especially when he were a boy, that Jesus would pray, and when he finished, he’d turn his head just so and open his eyes so he was staring right at Gabriel, no matter where Gabriel was. Sometimes, when lost in thought, Jesus’ unfocused gaze would track toward Gabriel, drawn to the immense well of power he could probably feel. In thirty years, he had never spoken to Gabriel though, never indicated that he could actually see the angel.
For a human, Jesus was fairly exceptional. He was a bright, curious boy, always wanting to learn everything. He had all of the teachings of the elders memorized, and when he was six, Gabriel had witnessed him resurrecting a dead lizard entirely with his own power, no help from an angel.
Gabriel had eventually rescued the lizard, because Jesus’ younger brothers weren’t exactly the type to play nicely with pets who couldn’t stay dead to save their lives. They weren’t bad kids, they were just… kids.
Cariel visited every time the moon was full, with news from Heaven such as about how insufferable Raphael was being (He always questions me, every time I leave, as if I’m going to do something other than visit you. As if I’m coming to Earth ‘too frequently.’ He seems to think I’m plotting the second war in Heaven.), how Michael continued to creep everyone out (Several of Raphael’s Seraphim crossed his path the other day and respectfully asked if he could spar with some of their Cherubim, to help them hone their swordsmanship. Michael agreed and let the thirty Cherubim surround him. In just a blink, they were all on their backs and Michael hadn’t even appeared to have moved. Another blink, and he was gone entirely.), and how Barachiel’s wings were actually returning (We call them winglets, because they’re far too delicate for him to fly with, but he definitely has a full set of wings again, and they grow fuller with each passing day! He hopes he can fly again before you return to us, so he can come visit you himself.).
Once or twice a month wasn’t nearly frequently enough for Gabriel, though he knew it was very frequent for a busy angel measuring time by Heaven’s standards. The other angels of his choir did pause whenever they were passing through, but very few of them were irreverent enough to offer Gabriel any sort of genuine conversation.
Gabriel sighed as Jesus led them out into the desert. He could see the piece of his Father’s spirit burning brightly within Jesus’ soul. This man really was chosen by God for great things. Gabriel pitied him. He rather reminded him of Castiel, singled out for something, but with no idea what and no guarantee that it would work. “You do realize that there’s no food in the desert, right? I mean, manna, sure, I can snap my fingers and whip you up some, but I’m not very good with water. And the desert’s even more boring than the town. Can’t even people-watch in the desert.”
Jesus continued to ignore Gabriel for weeks, fasting, praying, and sitting in the hot sun with no protection. That last one was the final straw. Gabriel flung his arms up in frustration at his charge. “Of course you’re going to sit out here, no shade, no water, no food! You’re going to bake yourself, you idiot!”
Silence.
Gabriel groaned and snapped his fingers, bending the sun’s rays around the man so he didn’t cook. He wouldn’t even overheat like this. He had already saved Jesus from dehydration six times, and filled his stomach to keep him from starving to death twice. “I am too old to be a baby-sitter for morons,” the Archangel grumbled.
“I’d be inclined to agree.”
The voice came from a being who hadn’t been standing behind Gabriel just a moment ago. Rotten life grated against Gabriel’s grace, a discordant chord in the song of the desert. Demon. Not just any demon, oh no. Gabriel knew that voice, that cool lilt to the vowels, the words curling around an ever-present smile.
Sure enough, when the Archangel turned, the man behind him was smirking, his eyes glazed over with a sickly mustard yellow. “It’s been a long time, Gabriel.”
“Azazel. Here I thought I’d seen the last of you.” It had been nearly forty years since the traitors were thrown to Earth. Plenty of time for Lilith’s crew to corrupt them and reap their souls, and with the temporal disconnect between Earth and the underworld, Azazel could have spent centuries recovering.
“I’m harder to kill than that, but I do have to commend your effort. I needed Alastair’s help to fit all the pieces of my mind back together. That was an unexpected delay.”
“You shouldn’t have gone after Cariel.”
“He was too much of a threat. Ultimately, he did lead to the discovery of my true loyalty, but really, he was suspicious from the start. You have a good lieutenant.”
“He said he should have known you’d bring down Heaven to be with Lucifer again, that any of you original lieutenants would.
Azazel tapped the side of his nose with one finger, looking pointedly at Gabriel. “This is true. Perhaps then you should ask yourself why Marmoniel said nothing.”
Gabriel growled at Azazel, letting his sword slide into his hand. His fingers curled around the hilt, but he didn’t raise the blade yet. “I won’t listen to your attempts to spread more suspicion through Heaven.”
“Ah ah ah!” Azazel wagged his finger at Gabriel, drawing out a folded slip of paper with his other hand. “You don’t want to do that. I’m here on invitation from above, actually.” He held up the paper, letting Gabriel see the slit seal that had held it shut-Metatron’s seal. “I was a bit disappointed the message wasn’t delivered by the Messenger, but I realize now that you were busy with other things.”
“I do want to do that, very much,” Gabriel snapped, but instead of stabbing Azazel with his sword, he simply snatched the note from the demon’s fingers. “Why were you invited?”
“I’m supposed to tempt your charge, see if he’s as godly as he’s meant to be.” Azazel shrugged as Gabriel read the note that agreed with his words. “Shouldn’t be too hard. He looks like an idiot.”
“Good luck,” Gabriel answered, clenching his hand around his sword for a moment before banishing it. “This should be fun to watch.”
Azazel rolled his head on his shoulders before manifesting fully, letting Jesus become aware of him. “Hello, boy. Enjoying the sun? Feeling hungry yet?”
Jesus opened his eyes and craned his head back, looking up at the demon. He said nothing. Gabriel smirked. “It’s not just me he ignores!”
Azazel shot the angel a dark look before scooping up some heavy stones from the ground, holding them as easily as if they were pumice. “If you are the Son of God, you can command these stones to become loaves of bread, and you’ll have food to eat.”
Jesus licked his dry lips before answering, his voice raspy and cracked, “It is written, one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Azazel’s smile soured, and he vanished from Jesus’ sight, letting the rocks fall to his feet. Gabriel folded his arms and smirked at the demon. “He may be an idiot, but he’s not weak.”
“And you’ve been keeping his belly full.”
Gabriel shrugged. “I’ve been keeping him alive, but I haven’t made him feel full in three days now. He’s bound to be hungry, but food won’t tempt him.”
“He knows you won’t let him starve.” Azazel rubbed his hand over his mouth and nodded. “Power, then.” He reached out to grab Jesus’ shoulder. Gabriel spread his grace, folding himself through the universe as Azazel teleported Jesus to the highest pinnacle of the roof of the temple in Jerusalem. He landed beside the pair with a scowl.
“Bit of warning next time?”
“You kept up,” Azazel shot back, before turning his attention to Jesus, visible to the man again. Jesus looked a bit unsteady on his feet, spreading his arms for balance. “If you are the Son of God, fall. It is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’“ The demon smirked back at Gabriel over Jesus’ shoulder. Gabriel pulled a face right back at him. If Jesus fell, Gabriel would catch him. Like a prophet, Jesus was not to die before God said it was time. “Fall, and make the angels save you.”
Jesus did not fall. He found a place to hold on to, curling his fingers around the sun-warmed stone of the temple and looking back at Azazel. “Again, it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’“
Gabriel laughed as Azazel whisked them away again, folding himself after them to keep within fifty feet of Jesus. They ended up on a mountain this time. With a flourish, Azazel summoned visions of all the major cities of the world into view, most of which Jesus could not even know existed. “All of these I will give you, if you will bow down to me. Give praise to Lucifer, and you will rule this world of humans.”
Jesus glared at Azazel, scrubbing the back of his hand over his mouth. “Away with you, Satan!” he spat at the demon. “For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him!’“
Azazel rolled his eyes and vanished from Jesus’ sight again. He clapped his hands slowly to Gabriel. “Well done. Three tests, three points to your boy. My job here is done.”
“Now I can smite you?” Gabriel asked, rolling his wrist to summon his sword into his hand.
“If you can catch me.” Azazel smirked and vanished, gone like smoke on the wind.
Gabriel growled after him, silently cursing the man he was tied to. He couldn’t hunt Azazel down if he couldn’t leave Jesus’ side. He’d have to report this to Raphael and hope his twin would finally accept the danger from the fallen angels.
“You’re an angel.”
Jesus was looking at him. Jesus was actually looking at him! His eyes were focused and alert, and Gabriel was the full subject of the man’s attention. “Are you Gabriel, the one who spoke with my mother?”
Gabriel looked to his left, then to his right. No other angels were around. Slowly, he sheathed his sword and turned to face Jesus fully. “Yeeeees… you can see me?” And Jesus’ eyes weren’t burning out? He wasn’t cringing at the angelic voice, not meant for human ears?
“You are beautiful“ Jesus reached out to touch Gabriel, his fingers brushing through the light of the angel’s wings. Gabriel jumped at the touch, jerking his wings back. Not since Vindonnus, his very first vessel, had a human touched his wings. Jesus didn’t seem to notice the rejection, or just didn’t care. He stepped closer, reaching for Gabriel’s wing again. Gabriel shivered as the man’s fingers passed through his feathers, streaking trails of pure divinity across his spirit. “Truly, you are a creation of my Father.”
“Could you stop that?” Gabriel asked, pulling his wings back as far as he could and still not able to escape Jesus’ touch. His grace was trying to stick to Jesus, getting pulled by the man’s hand like cobwebs, threatening to unravel from the gentle touch. “Please?” The word was tight in his throat, drawn out by the same force that was calling to his grace.
“Sorry.” Jesus let his hand drop, and Gabriel could relax again. The man tilted his head back to stare directly at the sun. “I really am the Son of God? I feel… different. I’m talking to an angel.”
“You are a direct creation of my Father, God, the Lord of all,” Gabriel answered carefully. “You have no human father. I can only presume this means my Father is your Father.”
“Does that make us brothers?” Jesus asked, looking at Gabriel with a little smile.
“No,” Gabriel answered immediately. “You are… you are not an angel,” he clarified. “You are human and… something else. I do not know if this makes you a god like God, but you are not like me, and I am not like you. I am your guardian. It is my duty to protect you.”
“Starting now?”
“Starting when you were born. I have walked beside you your entire life.”
“I’ve never seen you before.”
“You shouldn’t see me now,” Gabriel spread his arms. “I am invisible to the human eye. You have sensed me, I think, but I’m not doing anything different than I was five minutes ago.”
Jesus turned away for a moment, pressing his hand to his head. “This is… this is a lot to take in. How long was I in the wilderness?”
“Forty days,” Gabriel answered. “Roughly.”
“You kept me alive.”
“Yes.”
“Forty days,” Jesus repeated, then sighed. “That is a good number. And I was tested by the devil himself.”
You were tested by a demon, Gabriel thought. Lucifer didn’t come anywhere near you. He didn’t say this to Jesus. The man seemed overwhelmed enough by everything. “Why don’t we go back to civilization,” he suggested, stepping forward to touch Jesus’ arm. “I’ll carry you to Galilee. You can rest there, eat, drink, and bathe, and then we can figure out where to go next.”
“That sounds good,” Jesus said. As Gabriel gathered the man into his arms, he smiled at the angel. “Thank you.”
Jesus was asleep almost as soon as Gabriel stepped into the sky. Gabriel held the man close against his chest, a spark of protectiveness flickering to life. If Father tasked him to care for this prophet, then he would care for this prophet without complaint.
Next...
Notes: Sammael = Lucifer
Chapter Rating: PG-13
Chapter word count: 2,524
Chapter Summary: Jesus is tempted in the desert by the devil, but with Lucifer incarcerated, another demon has to step up and fill his shoes.
CHAPTER 46:
FINALLY Jesus
He had been on Earth for thirty years. Thirty unbearably long years. Gabriel dragged his wings through the dust as he trudged after Jesus, two paces behind the man. “That was nice of Dad, wasn’t it? That show with the light and the bird and the voice? Nice to know He’s actually still around. Could’ve done without the dunking in the water, but hey, that’s just me. You seemed to like it. John really got off on it too. I’m not even going to pretend to understand the reasoning behind baptism, but the symbolism makes sense, I suppose. Purification, washing away your sins, giving you a fresh start… it doesn’t actually mean anything, but if it makes you feel better, I say, go for it. Speaking of going, where are we going?”
Jesus didn’t answer. Jesus never answered. Jesus was as observant as a box of rocks when it came to the invisible celestial being who had hounded his every step from the moment he was born into the world.
That wasn’t entirely fair. Jesus did seem to know Gabriel was there. There were times, especially when he were a boy, that Jesus would pray, and when he finished, he’d turn his head just so and open his eyes so he was staring right at Gabriel, no matter where Gabriel was. Sometimes, when lost in thought, Jesus’ unfocused gaze would track toward Gabriel, drawn to the immense well of power he could probably feel. In thirty years, he had never spoken to Gabriel though, never indicated that he could actually see the angel.
For a human, Jesus was fairly exceptional. He was a bright, curious boy, always wanting to learn everything. He had all of the teachings of the elders memorized, and when he was six, Gabriel had witnessed him resurrecting a dead lizard entirely with his own power, no help from an angel.
Gabriel had eventually rescued the lizard, because Jesus’ younger brothers weren’t exactly the type to play nicely with pets who couldn’t stay dead to save their lives. They weren’t bad kids, they were just… kids.
Cariel visited every time the moon was full, with news from Heaven such as about how insufferable Raphael was being (He always questions me, every time I leave, as if I’m going to do something other than visit you. As if I’m coming to Earth ‘too frequently.’ He seems to think I’m plotting the second war in Heaven.), how Michael continued to creep everyone out (Several of Raphael’s Seraphim crossed his path the other day and respectfully asked if he could spar with some of their Cherubim, to help them hone their swordsmanship. Michael agreed and let the thirty Cherubim surround him. In just a blink, they were all on their backs and Michael hadn’t even appeared to have moved. Another blink, and he was gone entirely.), and how Barachiel’s wings were actually returning (We call them winglets, because they’re far too delicate for him to fly with, but he definitely has a full set of wings again, and they grow fuller with each passing day! He hopes he can fly again before you return to us, so he can come visit you himself.).
Once or twice a month wasn’t nearly frequently enough for Gabriel, though he knew it was very frequent for a busy angel measuring time by Heaven’s standards. The other angels of his choir did pause whenever they were passing through, but very few of them were irreverent enough to offer Gabriel any sort of genuine conversation.
Gabriel sighed as Jesus led them out into the desert. He could see the piece of his Father’s spirit burning brightly within Jesus’ soul. This man really was chosen by God for great things. Gabriel pitied him. He rather reminded him of Castiel, singled out for something, but with no idea what and no guarantee that it would work. “You do realize that there’s no food in the desert, right? I mean, manna, sure, I can snap my fingers and whip you up some, but I’m not very good with water. And the desert’s even more boring than the town. Can’t even people-watch in the desert.”
Jesus continued to ignore Gabriel for weeks, fasting, praying, and sitting in the hot sun with no protection. That last one was the final straw. Gabriel flung his arms up in frustration at his charge. “Of course you’re going to sit out here, no shade, no water, no food! You’re going to bake yourself, you idiot!”
Silence.
Gabriel groaned and snapped his fingers, bending the sun’s rays around the man so he didn’t cook. He wouldn’t even overheat like this. He had already saved Jesus from dehydration six times, and filled his stomach to keep him from starving to death twice. “I am too old to be a baby-sitter for morons,” the Archangel grumbled.
“I’d be inclined to agree.”
The voice came from a being who hadn’t been standing behind Gabriel just a moment ago. Rotten life grated against Gabriel’s grace, a discordant chord in the song of the desert. Demon. Not just any demon, oh no. Gabriel knew that voice, that cool lilt to the vowels, the words curling around an ever-present smile.
Sure enough, when the Archangel turned, the man behind him was smirking, his eyes glazed over with a sickly mustard yellow. “It’s been a long time, Gabriel.”
“Azazel. Here I thought I’d seen the last of you.” It had been nearly forty years since the traitors were thrown to Earth. Plenty of time for Lilith’s crew to corrupt them and reap their souls, and with the temporal disconnect between Earth and the underworld, Azazel could have spent centuries recovering.
“I’m harder to kill than that, but I do have to commend your effort. I needed Alastair’s help to fit all the pieces of my mind back together. That was an unexpected delay.”
“You shouldn’t have gone after Cariel.”
“He was too much of a threat. Ultimately, he did lead to the discovery of my true loyalty, but really, he was suspicious from the start. You have a good lieutenant.”
“He said he should have known you’d bring down Heaven to be with Lucifer again, that any of you original lieutenants would.
Azazel tapped the side of his nose with one finger, looking pointedly at Gabriel. “This is true. Perhaps then you should ask yourself why Marmoniel said nothing.”
Gabriel growled at Azazel, letting his sword slide into his hand. His fingers curled around the hilt, but he didn’t raise the blade yet. “I won’t listen to your attempts to spread more suspicion through Heaven.”
“Ah ah ah!” Azazel wagged his finger at Gabriel, drawing out a folded slip of paper with his other hand. “You don’t want to do that. I’m here on invitation from above, actually.” He held up the paper, letting Gabriel see the slit seal that had held it shut-Metatron’s seal. “I was a bit disappointed the message wasn’t delivered by the Messenger, but I realize now that you were busy with other things.”
“I do want to do that, very much,” Gabriel snapped, but instead of stabbing Azazel with his sword, he simply snatched the note from the demon’s fingers. “Why were you invited?”
“I’m supposed to tempt your charge, see if he’s as godly as he’s meant to be.” Azazel shrugged as Gabriel read the note that agreed with his words. “Shouldn’t be too hard. He looks like an idiot.”
“Good luck,” Gabriel answered, clenching his hand around his sword for a moment before banishing it. “This should be fun to watch.”
Azazel rolled his head on his shoulders before manifesting fully, letting Jesus become aware of him. “Hello, boy. Enjoying the sun? Feeling hungry yet?”
Jesus opened his eyes and craned his head back, looking up at the demon. He said nothing. Gabriel smirked. “It’s not just me he ignores!”
Azazel shot the angel a dark look before scooping up some heavy stones from the ground, holding them as easily as if they were pumice. “If you are the Son of God, you can command these stones to become loaves of bread, and you’ll have food to eat.”
Jesus licked his dry lips before answering, his voice raspy and cracked, “It is written, one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Azazel’s smile soured, and he vanished from Jesus’ sight, letting the rocks fall to his feet. Gabriel folded his arms and smirked at the demon. “He may be an idiot, but he’s not weak.”
“And you’ve been keeping his belly full.”
Gabriel shrugged. “I’ve been keeping him alive, but I haven’t made him feel full in three days now. He’s bound to be hungry, but food won’t tempt him.”
“He knows you won’t let him starve.” Azazel rubbed his hand over his mouth and nodded. “Power, then.” He reached out to grab Jesus’ shoulder. Gabriel spread his grace, folding himself through the universe as Azazel teleported Jesus to the highest pinnacle of the roof of the temple in Jerusalem. He landed beside the pair with a scowl.
“Bit of warning next time?”
“You kept up,” Azazel shot back, before turning his attention to Jesus, visible to the man again. Jesus looked a bit unsteady on his feet, spreading his arms for balance. “If you are the Son of God, fall. It is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’“ The demon smirked back at Gabriel over Jesus’ shoulder. Gabriel pulled a face right back at him. If Jesus fell, Gabriel would catch him. Like a prophet, Jesus was not to die before God said it was time. “Fall, and make the angels save you.”
Jesus did not fall. He found a place to hold on to, curling his fingers around the sun-warmed stone of the temple and looking back at Azazel. “Again, it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’“
Gabriel laughed as Azazel whisked them away again, folding himself after them to keep within fifty feet of Jesus. They ended up on a mountain this time. With a flourish, Azazel summoned visions of all the major cities of the world into view, most of which Jesus could not even know existed. “All of these I will give you, if you will bow down to me. Give praise to Lucifer, and you will rule this world of humans.”
Jesus glared at Azazel, scrubbing the back of his hand over his mouth. “Away with you, Satan!” he spat at the demon. “For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him!’“
Azazel rolled his eyes and vanished from Jesus’ sight again. He clapped his hands slowly to Gabriel. “Well done. Three tests, three points to your boy. My job here is done.”
“Now I can smite you?” Gabriel asked, rolling his wrist to summon his sword into his hand.
“If you can catch me.” Azazel smirked and vanished, gone like smoke on the wind.
Gabriel growled after him, silently cursing the man he was tied to. He couldn’t hunt Azazel down if he couldn’t leave Jesus’ side. He’d have to report this to Raphael and hope his twin would finally accept the danger from the fallen angels.
“You’re an angel.”
Jesus was looking at him. Jesus was actually looking at him! His eyes were focused and alert, and Gabriel was the full subject of the man’s attention. “Are you Gabriel, the one who spoke with my mother?”
Gabriel looked to his left, then to his right. No other angels were around. Slowly, he sheathed his sword and turned to face Jesus fully. “Yeeeees… you can see me?” And Jesus’ eyes weren’t burning out? He wasn’t cringing at the angelic voice, not meant for human ears?
“You are beautiful“ Jesus reached out to touch Gabriel, his fingers brushing through the light of the angel’s wings. Gabriel jumped at the touch, jerking his wings back. Not since Vindonnus, his very first vessel, had a human touched his wings. Jesus didn’t seem to notice the rejection, or just didn’t care. He stepped closer, reaching for Gabriel’s wing again. Gabriel shivered as the man’s fingers passed through his feathers, streaking trails of pure divinity across his spirit. “Truly, you are a creation of my Father.”
“Could you stop that?” Gabriel asked, pulling his wings back as far as he could and still not able to escape Jesus’ touch. His grace was trying to stick to Jesus, getting pulled by the man’s hand like cobwebs, threatening to unravel from the gentle touch. “Please?” The word was tight in his throat, drawn out by the same force that was calling to his grace.
“Sorry.” Jesus let his hand drop, and Gabriel could relax again. The man tilted his head back to stare directly at the sun. “I really am the Son of God? I feel… different. I’m talking to an angel.”
“You are a direct creation of my Father, God, the Lord of all,” Gabriel answered carefully. “You have no human father. I can only presume this means my Father is your Father.”
“Does that make us brothers?” Jesus asked, looking at Gabriel with a little smile.
“No,” Gabriel answered immediately. “You are… you are not an angel,” he clarified. “You are human and… something else. I do not know if this makes you a god like God, but you are not like me, and I am not like you. I am your guardian. It is my duty to protect you.”
“Starting now?”
“Starting when you were born. I have walked beside you your entire life.”
“I’ve never seen you before.”
“You shouldn’t see me now,” Gabriel spread his arms. “I am invisible to the human eye. You have sensed me, I think, but I’m not doing anything different than I was five minutes ago.”
Jesus turned away for a moment, pressing his hand to his head. “This is… this is a lot to take in. How long was I in the wilderness?”
“Forty days,” Gabriel answered. “Roughly.”
“You kept me alive.”
“Yes.”
“Forty days,” Jesus repeated, then sighed. “That is a good number. And I was tested by the devil himself.”
You were tested by a demon, Gabriel thought. Lucifer didn’t come anywhere near you. He didn’t say this to Jesus. The man seemed overwhelmed enough by everything. “Why don’t we go back to civilization,” he suggested, stepping forward to touch Jesus’ arm. “I’ll carry you to Galilee. You can rest there, eat, drink, and bathe, and then we can figure out where to go next.”
“That sounds good,” Jesus said. As Gabriel gathered the man into his arms, he smiled at the angel. “Thank you.”
Jesus was asleep almost as soon as Gabriel stepped into the sky. Gabriel held the man close against his chest, a spark of protectiveness flickering to life. If Father tasked him to care for this prophet, then he would care for this prophet without complaint.
Next...