Raphael's eyes met his, startling in their honest emotion: a lucid mix of fear and anger, glittering, feral. Caged.

Gabriel rose when the other had turned from him, wondering how best to go about this. His words had obviously made some impression, or Raphael would not have reacted so, but some sordid reason still had hold in the other's thoughts. He realized there was little more progress to me made here; but though he'd made no explicit promises, he wondered if he shouldn't keep Raphael's secret, give the other a chance to seek his own forgiveness first. Although Gabriel didn't know how he would face Michael, knowing this twisted truth.

"I never said I wanted it to happen, Raphael." Since neither angel would meet the other's gaze, he spoke quietly, for all intensive purposes, to the floor at the foot of the other's bed. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't care. But I'm not so sure of your plan, and from the fear in your voice, I'd say neither are you. Just think about what you're doing; really think about it, and I think you'll come to a very different conclusion."

And then Gabriel turned away from his fellow, hanging hesitantly in the doorway for only a moment before closing it behind him.