Somehow it was her unspoken concern that doused him with metaphorical cold water. She was willing to beat on someone to take revenge, to make it right. His chest tightened. The Archangel breathing hard, the urge to laugh passed, and Gabriel's humourless grin faded.

"You can't put this right," he said, and his voice wavered a little. "I tried to do something in a way that, as far as I knew, was right and it blew up in my face." He laughed again and lifted a hand to gesture, and this time the sound was bitter, but under control. "Literally."