Gabriel's eyes fluttered open, greeted by the harsh fluorescent lights of a hospital room. The steady beep of a heart monitor filled his ears, a constant reminder of his new mortal state. He tried to sit up, wincing as pain shot through his abdomen. Looking down, he saw clean white bandages wrapped around his midsection.

As his mind cleared, panic set in. Gabriel's hands frantically reached behind his back, searching for his wings. Nothing. No feathers, no leathery membranes, not even stumps where they should have been. His wings were gone.

"No, no, no," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "What have they done to me?"

Meanwhile, several floors below, Sarah was assisting with another patient. After bringing Gabriel to the hospital, she had been called in to support a different case. As she finished changing an IV bag, a commotion in the hallway caught her attention.

"There's a patient on the roof!" one nurse exclaimed, rushing past. "He's threatening to jump!"

Another nurse shook her head. "Poor guy. He's gorgeous, but clearly out of his mind. Keeps screaming about missing wings."

Sarah's heart dropped. She knew instantly who they were talking about. Without a word, she sprinted towards the stairs, taking them two at a time as she raced to the roof.

When she burst through the roof access door, she saw a crowd of hospital staff trying to calm a wild-eyed Gabriel, who stood precariously close to the edge.

"Please, sir, step away from the ledge," a security guard pleaded.

"You don't understand!" Gabriel shouted, his voice raw with anger and fear. "You mortals have stolen my wings! How dare you!"

Sarah pushed her way through the crowd. "Let me handle this," she said firmly. "He's... he's my cousin. I can talk to him."

The staff exchanged skeptical glances but stepped back, allowing Sarah to approach Gabriel.

"Hey," she called out softly.

Gabriel whirled around, his eyes widening in recognition. "You!" he snarled. "You ungrateful mortal! I saved your life, and this is how you repay me? By cutting off my wings?"

Sarah felt her own temper flare. "Now you listen here," she snapped, surprising herself with her boldness. "Stop acting like a child. Do you really think jumping off this roof is going to make a new pair sprout? Because I've got news for you, buddy – that's not how it works."

Gabriel blinked, taken aback by her outburst.

Sarah softened her tone slightly. "I know about your wings. We didn't cut them off. I know how to bring them back, but you need to calm down and come back inside. Can you do that?"

For a long moment, Gabriel stared at her, conflict clear in his eyes. Finally, he gave a curt nod. "Fine," he grunted.

Back in Gabriel's room, Sarah checked his vitals and examined his wound. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "This is... incredible," she murmured. "Your wound is already showing signs of new skin formation. I've never seen anything heal this fast."

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Gabriel remained silent, his eyes fixed on her every move. There was a wariness in his gaze, as if he was still trying to decide whether to trust this mortal who seemed to have some inexplicable power over his wings.

Sarah took a deep breath. "I'm Sarah, by the way. Sarah Dawnson. And you are...?"

"Gabriel," he replied gruffly, his voice carrying a hint of challenge, as if daring her to question him.

Sarah's eyes widened. "Like the angel?" The moment the words left her mouth, everything clicked into place. The wings, the supernatural healing, the name... "Oh my God," she breathed. "You're... you're actually..."

Gabriel's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "An angel? Not anymore. Now I'm just a pathetic, wingless mortal, thanks to dear old Dad."

Sarah's mind raced, trying to process this impossible revelation. "But... how? Why?"

Gabriel's face darkened. "It's none of your business, mortal. My reasons are my own."

Sarah squared her shoulders. "Well, 'mortal' or not, I saved your life last night. I hid your wings from the paramedics, and I just talked you off a ledge. I think I've earned some answers."

Gabriel's eyes flashed with anger. "You've earned nothing," he snapped. "I owe you no explanations." Then, his expression shifted, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. "But... my wings. You said you hid them. How? Where are they now?"

Sarah shook her head, equally confused. "I don't know exactly. Last night, in the alley, they were just... there. Huge and black. When the paramedics were coming, I panicked. I told them to go away, and they just... disappeared into your back."

Gabriel's eyes widened, a mix of disbelief and hope crossing his face. "You commanded them to withdraw, and they obeyed you?" He paused, then asked urgently, "Can you make them appear again?"

Sarah hesitated, then nodded. "I can try." She moved behind Gabriel, placing a hand gently on his back. "Wings, appear," she commanded firmly.

For a moment, nothing happened. Sarah furrowed her brow, concentrating harder. "Come on," she muttered. "We know they're in there somewhere."

Gabriel's frustration was palpable. "It's not working," he growled.

"Just... give me a minute," Sarah replied, trying to recall exactly what she'd done in the alley. She took a deep breath, centering herself. "Wings," she said firmly, "I command you to appear. Now."

Suddenly, Sarah felt something shift beneath her palm. With a whoosh, Gabriel's wings burst into existence, knocking over a nearby tray table. The massive, dark appendages unfurled, filling the small hospital room.

Gabriel let out a gasp that was part relief, part pain. He twisted, trying to get a better look at them. "They're... different," he murmured, a note of despair in his voice. "Black. Damaged."

Sarah examined the wings carefully. "They seem to be healing, just like your other wounds. Maybe with time..."

Gabriel cut her off with a sharp gesture. "Time is something I don't have. I need to find a way back to Heaven, to regain my place."

Sarah frowned. "Is that even possible? I mean, if you've fallen..."

"I don't know," Gabriel admitted reluctantly. "But I have to try. I can't remain... this." He gestured to himself in disgust.

Before Sarah could respond, a nurse poked her head into the room. "Miss Dawnson? The doctor's releasing your cousin. You're free to take him home."

As the nurse left, Sarah and Gabriel exchanged a look. "Cousin?" Gabriel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sarah shrugged. "It was the first thing I could think of to explain why I knew you. Look, you can't stay here. Do you have anywhere to go?"

Gabriel's face darkened. "In case you missed it, I'm not exactly from around here."

Sarah sighed, knowing she was probably going to regret what she was about to say. "Alright. You can stay with me, at least until we figure this out. But we're going to need some ground rules."

Gabriel looked like he was about to argue, but then his shoulders sagged slightly. "Fine," he grunted. "It's not like I have many options."

As they prepared to leave the hospital, Sarah couldn't help but wonder what she was getting herself into. An ex-archangel with a chip on his shoulder and wings that only she could control – it sounded like the beginning of a bad joke. But as she looked at Gabriel, she saw beyond the bravado to the lost and hurting being underneath.

"Ready to go... cousin?" Sarah asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Gabriel grunted in response, his face a mask of irritation. As they walked out of the hospital room together, both of them knew that this was just the beginning of a journey that would change their lives forever. Sarah had a feeling that unraveling the mystery of Gabriel's fall and her own unexpected abilities was going to be a long and challenging process.