Chapter Text
"Alright, you dragged me out of London and into the middle of nowhere, Gabe, wanna explain why? It seems even Aziraphale knew, considering he didn't try to come along, and told me he wouldn't when I asked him to," Crowley remarked.
"Aziraphale just knows that I asked him if he minded if I stole my sister away for a few hours for some sibling bonding time. But I suppose I could tell you why we're here, however Michael and Uriel might be upset if I tell you before they get here," Gabriel replied.
"Sounds like Zira to just agree without asking questions." Crowley stuffed her hands into the pockets of her let's-fuck-shit-up jacket, what could she say, she had a favour to run for her older brother after this meeting, and blew a stray strand of red hair out of her face.
She had, finally, grown it out again, which didn't take much effort when physical appearance could be altered with a quick miracle, partially because she did like having long hair, and partially because she had suspected it would make her siblings smile, to have her resemble what she had looked like in heaven just a little bit more. Since there was precious little she would do to arrange being closer to that being, she was happy as a demon and would rather remain unredeemed, even if it became an option, it didn't hurt to pander a little to her family where it didn't affect her.
It was, however, frustrating at times like this, when the gentle wind blew it into her face and turned the slight curls into tangles.
Maybe she shouldn't have teased Gabriel about braiding it back before the fall, then she would be able to get him to do it again. Sure, she could do it herself, but it didn't mean as much.
"So when are Micha and Uriel showing up?" She asked, leaning against the hood of the Bentley. Absently, she noticed a smudge on the paint and took a second to scrape it away with a glossy black fingernail, the idea of using a miracle never even occuring to her.
"They just had a few things to finish upstairs, they said they would meet us here and that I should go get you."
"They knew I would want to drive."
"They know you adore this car, Crowley, and often forget that you can miracle yourself places, so it was better to come early. None of us have ever miracled a demon before, don't know how it would go."
The hitch in his throat at the word 'demon' had gotten considerably less noticeable with time. Crowley knew her brother would still rather avoid it entirely, pretend as though she were still the archangel she had once been, but it was meaningful progress for him to have come this far. "Works fine."
"Of course you two have reason to know that," Gabriel laughed, "Aziraphale and his frivolous miracles."
"He almost got discorporated over that note you sent him, you realize? Thought you would consider it frivolous if he snapped himself out of the bastille in Paris. Or he was just hoping I would arrive and help."
"The first thing he did when you freed him was miraculously swap clothes with the guard. I doubt he was worried about the type of miracles he performed. How did you manage to excuse that downstairs, sister?"
"I didn't. Beelzebub had a jolly good time making me suffer for that one. Aziraphale would know, if I told him, that not getting away with it happens to be why I slept through most of the subsequent century."
It took Crowley a moment to notice that Gabriel was staring at her, violet eyes wide with shock. "Something wrong, brother?"
"They hurt you down there?" He gasped. "Actually, physically hurt you? I know you've lectured me that there are other ways to hurt and that heaven hurts plenty of people, but actually physically hurt you?"
Crowley laughed, not her normal laugh when something actually funny happened, but one she used almost like a scoff. "Of course they did, Gabe, it's Hell! Only reason I got away with the blitz bombing was because I blew up a church and only saved some books they couldn't tie back to an angel. Surprised you let Aziraphale save me, though."
"We didn't actually notice it was you he saved. Figured he was just protecting human life. Unnecessary at the time, but not harmful, and we had certainly seen worse. Crowley, what does Hell do to demons who help angels?"
"I don't want to get into it."
The manner in which Crowley said it had Gabriel wishing he had never asked it of her in the first place. This was meant to be a pleasant outing with siblings, not time to drag up old and painful memories.
Thankfully, Michael and Uriel picked that moment to arrive, and Gabriel was mercifully spared the consequences of his question.
"You look different, sister, did you get a new coat?" Uriel asked, looking puzzled.
"Nope, had this since the 70s, only wear it for special occasions."
That was close enough to the truth.
"And what special occasion could my lovesick demonic little sister be celebrating? It's certainly not dressed up enough for it to be an anniversary…"
"Oh, someone save me, I've turned Michael into a gossip and now I'm going to pay for it. No, it's not an anniversary. I wore this coat to remap the M25, if you insist on knowing. One of my most noted achievements downstairs, at least of the ones I didn't lie about doing."
"Didn't remapping the M25 end terribly for you, Crowley? Most would agree that the dread sigil odegra is not one you want to drive on," Gabriel remarked.
"The Bentley didn't seem to enjoy driving through it, I'll give you that."
“The Bentley that you drove here?” Uriel asked.
“Adam set it back when he set the world back. Before that, Zira’s bookshop and the Bentley were burnt to a nice crisp. So, what are we doing out here? You guys can tell me now that everyone is here," Crowley said.
"I suppose we can. We're going flying," Gabriel declared. At the same time he spoke, his wings unfurled. Huge, topaz wings. Only one set, that would have to be voluntary, archangels had three pairs of wings.
"So, I know what colour Michael's are, what about you?" Crowley immediately changed the subject, turned to Uriel.
She smiled and unfolded her own.
They seemed white and normal, but the sun shone and reflected with a rainbow sheen. "Opal, I see."
And all of the sudden she was slightly embarrassed.
Once upon a time, she would have matched the jewel tones. Michael and Lucifer had both had ruby red, Gabriel had topaz, Uriel opal and six thousand years ago, she'd had sapphire.
But not anymore. Now they were jet black.
"Come on, Crowley, it's been ages since we all went flying! You were supposed to get to teach Uriel!" Michael cried.
"I know, I just… it's been a while," she lied.
Gabriel considered her for half a second before speaking up. "Michael? Uriel? Can I talk to Crowley for a second?" He asked.
Her sisters looked surprised. "Go ahead," Michael said.
Gabriel grabbed Crowley by the wide sleeve of her high vis jacket and pulled her backwards, behind the Bentley.
"Are you okay?"
"What makes you think I'm not?"
"I fairly thought you would love to go flying again, but you seem reluctant."
Crowley sighed. "Just a little tired, that's all, didn't sleep very well."
"You don't need to sleep, Crowley."
"Well, I-"
"You don't want to fly because it reminds you that things have changed, Crowley. And that's okay."
"How do you know?"
"You got all awkward when we decided to go flying. So what is it, sister? The idea of flying again? The Almighty isn't going to smite you from the air for daring to take to it again, you know."
"I'm aware of that, I've needed to fly before."
"Then- it's the wings isn't it."
Crowley didn't say a word.
She didn't need to. She didn't need to say anything for Gabriel to get it. "They separate you from us. One pair, black. But we don't need to use all the pairs, and black is a jewel tone, too, if you think about it."
"I know it's ridiculous, Gabriel, it's just never occurred to me before to miss the old ones…"
"Why would you, these ones are splendid!"
"Gabriel."
"Alright, alright, the blue was nice too, but honest. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Come on, it'll be fine. Uriel doesn't even know what colour they used to be, and Michael and I are well aware of the change. I've gotten a mouthful of black feathers more times than I've deserved," Gabriel reasoned. He tucked his wings back away for a moment. "Think of it as renewing the old tradition to the new changes. Things are different, and that's okay."
Crowley sighed. "Alright, alright, you've convinced me I'm being dumb. Now let's go."
She tried to walk away, Gabriel stopped her.
Slipped something into her palm.
Something soft and small.
She looked down. "Is that? My-"
"I found it on the ground after you fell. The Metatron would have just left it to be trampled and ground into the floor, but I kept it. I thought maybe you might like to have it back now."
It was a small blue covert. "You kept it all this time?"
"Of course I did. And now you can have it back."
Crowley smiled and tucked it into her pocket. "Thank you."
"Anything for my sister. Now come on, let's go join the others."
Crowley nodded and stepped out from behind the Bentley, summoning her black wings as she did. Swallowed down the little bit of doubt that crawled up her throat.
"Are you two okay?" Michael asked.
"Just fine," Crowley promised, looking over at Gabriel with a small smile. "We should get going, Zira will get worried if I'm gone all night,"
"Worried or lonely?"
"Or cold?"
"Oh, hush," Crowley laughed, spread her black wings, pushed down, and took to the sky.
There was something special about her siblings following her. Something she hadn't known she'd been missing.