Blessed is His Child (4/10)
Title: Blessed is His Child (4/10)
Parts: Previous Parts
Authors: ameonna1 and kijikun
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Castiel/Dean, Gabriel/Sam
Betas: sweetsyren
Word Count: 6,941
Warnings: Minor language, sexual situations, Baby fic, no m-preg
Spoilers: Up to 5x10
A/N: Super extra more thanks to sweetsyren for making Barachiel actually British sounding. XD
Summary: While Dean and Castiel deal with their newest addition; Gabriel learns that the first lesson was the easiest, while Sam clings to lessons learned in fear.
His face when he repeats his verses hath its ancient glory, an Archangel a little damaged.” -Charlie Lamb
Sam takes a step back as Gabriel is in front of the newcomer in record time.
"What the hell do you want, Barachiel?"
The man tosses his hands up like the cops are on him, though he's grinning. "Whoa, easy mate. Just lookin' into a rumor that’s all."
"What rumor?"
"Well..." He starts. "A friend of a friend of a friend told me Zachariah got his arse booted halfway across the continent and aint been seen since. So I go lookin', cos frankly that’s bloody hilarious, and I start hearing whispers that low an' behold, the Archangel Gabriel is back and kickin' the shit out of people! And I’m thinking ‘No chance!’ cos Gabriel aint been seen in a scrap since, what, the first war? Second?"
He scratches his head, knocking his hat slightly off kilter. Sam waits for a moment, he's expecting Gabriel to say something, but Gabriel doesn't, and it suddenly hits Sam that there's a Archangel standing on the other side of Bobby's gate. There's a freakin' Archangel on the other side of the gate -- and okay Gabriel's an Archangel too but it doesn't feel the same in Sam's head. And this guy doesn't look like an Archangel -- but neither does Gabriel -- and okay this isn't helping. Maybe, Barachiel isn't an Archangel, Cas keeps saying the bibles wrong about stuff....
The Archangel in question keeps talking, "Anyway, I ask around and end up chatting to a couple of pagan birds who told me you'd gone Trickster - nice move by the way; fun job, nice perks,” he said nodding approvingly, “They were goin’ on about how one of their lot hit the bottle a bit hard one night and went and made a little angel sprog, and gave it her rescuers as some sorta reward which is what Zachariah was so pissed off about. I put two an' two together and worked out it was you who gave Zach a kicking. Only logical conclusion, innit?"
Barachiel grins widely as if pleased with himself, and slides his hat into his hand almost absently. He spins the hat between his fingers, and rocks forward onto his toes again.
"Cos the only thing that's gonna get you outta whatever hole you buried your good self in, is another little’un running about the place. So I start keeping an ear out for chat regarding your little’un and there weren’t much bein’ said to be honest, but I kept hearing about these Winchester lads and how much of a pain in the arse they were bein’," he says giving Sam a look that Sam really can't interrupt. Gabriel sighs in annoyance but he's ignored. "Turns out these same lads had an angel on side. Bein’ the clever bloke I am, I recalled that, last thing I heard, Castiel was kicking about with a couple of humans. Not exactly a stretch to think one was related to the other and of course wherever he went, you wouldn’t be far behind, especially seen as there’s a fledglin’ involved. So now we got Castiel, we got you, them human lads, and another little’un, mix that all together and I figured something was…well, up."
"Dude, breathe," Sam says, without thinking, because he's out of breath just listening to the guy. Then it dawns on him, he just told an angel -- wait an Archangel -- to breathe. He's really glad the angel is on the other side of the wards and that Gabriel seems to like him better than he had.
"Angels don't need to breathe," Gabriel mutters, "Somethings up? Barachiel, how did you find us?"
"Yeah that. Well somethin’ over here keeps lighting up like a bloody roman candle. Somethin' angelic. So I just sorta circled around 'til I found this place all covered in wards and here you are, just loungin’ about."
"Elle," Sam says under his breath. It has to be. Even he can feel it when she shifts so God only knows what it must look like to the angels. Crap. That had to be how Zachariah found them.
"Elle?" Barachiel's eyes light up. "That’s her name, is it? Very nice. Very human. Like it."
Gabriel huffs out a breath and glares at Barachiel like he's deciding whether to let him in or kick him across the yard. The archangel grins, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet with his hands in his pockets.
"Come on, Gabriel, don't be a bastard. S’why I'm here, innit? If there's a new little’un kicking around, I wanna take a look at her. We’ve not had one since Castiel, and you know I’d never lay a finger on her, so I don't know why you’re eyein' me like that."
Sam crosses his arms and narrows his eyes. "Yeah, because Zachariah wasn't trying to kill her, and all those other angels haven't been trying to kill Castiel. Angels are totally trustworthy," he says probably more harshly than one should speak to an angel. "And why the hell do you have a British accent?"
Barachiel blinks at Sam and for a second he thinks he might get smote but Gabriel is right there next to him.
"Been in London the last hundred years or so. After the first decade you find yourself goin’ a bit native,” he turns back to Gabriel and frowns, “So why are them buggers tryin’ to kill Castiel?"
"He defied heavens orders to save Dean Winchester." Gabriel says quickly.
Sam swallows hard, that's not the real reason. Not anywhere close to it, and why is Gabriel practically lying? "Actually Castiel defied heavens orders to give Dean a chance to keep me from starting the Apocalypse. And that didn't go so well," he says, and rubs the back of his neck, his eyes firmly on the ground.
"You?" Barachiel looks Sam up and down, his expression turning amused. "Sorry mate, but you don't look like you could start a piss-up in a brewery."
"Barachiel..." Gabriel warns and Barachiel puts up his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright. So, Goliath here’s the one that cocked it all up then? What’s that got to do with your fledgling?"
"I told you, Castiel defied heaven's orders to..."
"Hang on, when you say Heavens orders you mean Michael's orders, yeah? Dunno if you got the memo, what with you being all Trickster-like, but when Dad buggered off he put Michael in charge upstairs."
"Then how come Zachariah’s calling all the shots?" Sam steps forward so that he's even with Gabriel.
Barachiel blinks. "Who's callin' what now? Zachariah’s in charge of watching Earth. Middle management type. He ain't supposed to be mucking up anything in Heaven. He aint supposed to be mucking up anything on Earth! What the hells goin’ on, Gabriel!?"
"You don't know anything about this? About Lucifer?" Gabriel demands. "How could you miss the mess he's been making!?"
"Raphael's had me watching an angel and a demon prance around in a bloody bookshop for the last soddin’ century! I've not had any new orders in decades, mate!"
"Look," Gabriel steps forward, "Raphael turned Castiel into spam a couple of months back, he's listening to Zachariah."
Barachiel goes a rather sickly shade of pale and Sam is starting to feel sorry for him. He doesn't look like he's lying. He looks... shocked.
Suddenly Barachiel straightens and slips into that lilting chiming tongue, his expression serious, and Gabriel answers him back. Sam swallows as the conversation flies back and forth with Barachiel getting more and more agitated.
Until the angel just sits down in the dirt in a heap.
"Lucifer’s been outta hell how long?"
"Six months, and he's raised two horsemen."
"Hang on, he ain't supposed to be doin’ that. Not his job if it's the proper apocalypse."
"Well, tell him that," Gabriel snaps and Barachiel shivers.
He looks miserable. He's taken his hat off and is twisting the brim in his hands while gritting his teeth.
"Archangels...we don't...we don't listen to that bloody prophet! It isn't done!" Barachiel looks up and his eyes are glittering. "Why would Raphael do that?"
Sam blinks. Barachiel's accent had faded for a moment and his voice cracked on those last words.
Gabriel sighs; the suspicion is gone from his face, now he just looks tired. "I don't know, Barach."
Barachiel is shaking his head, eyes fixed on the horizon. "You don't do that. Castiel's the youngest; you don't do a thing like that to the youngest."
A moment passes while Sam fidgets and then Gabriel steps across the wards and hauls Barachiel to his feet. "Come on, get up."
Sam...Sam isn't sure about this, but he trusts Gabriel. He trusts Gabriel not to endanger Elle or Cas, because Sam's seen him with them. Sam knows Gabriel loves them. "I, uhm, think I should go give Cas and Dean the heads up." He looks over at Barachiel. "I apologize in advance if my brother tries to kill you. He's kinda protective of his kid."
Barachiel shrugs. "Fair enough."
***
Dean holds Elle protectively to his chest as he glares at the newcomer, whose speaking to Castiel and Gabriel in that odd lilting tongue. Elle seems to be listening to them and she's calm in Dean's arms. Calm and quiet, watching the Barachiel curiously as she chews on her lions ear (Dean figures she's going to have a few new teeth coming in soon).
"Gabriel trusts him," Sam says softly. "He wouldn't let someone in that was going to hurt Cas or Elle."
Dean snorts. "And you and Gabriel are best buddies now, huh?"
"You know I have more reason to hate him than you, and I've gotten over it, mostly," Sam mutters. "I kinda understand the guy."
"Understand!? Are you gonna have sleepovers and braid each others hair now?"
Sam probably makes a bitch face but Dean is too busy watching Cas, watching his body language. Which is kind of like watching the body language of a statue, but he's had his hands all over that body, he knows Cas. His angel had gone all silent fury when Sam had come in and told them Gabriel had let an angel in -- an Archangel in. He'd been sure Cas was going to storm out of the house and confront the others but instead he'd picked Elle off the floor where she was playing, handed her to Dean, and said "Gabriel would not bring danger on us purposefully, Dean." But Cas had still looked tense and wary, even for a few minutes after Gabriel had brought Barachiel inside.
Which in Dean's opinion was a very bad idea. Which is why he has his gun, not that it would do much good, but he ain't going down without a fight.
"I did warn him you might try to kill him," Sam mentions.
Dean shoots him a glance and Sam is smirking. "So if I shoot him, I'll just be living up to expectations then, huh?"
"Yeah, but Bobby might get pissed about archangel blood all over the floor." Sam grins.
Elle suddenly says something bright and happy in that other language, and waves her lion in the air. As if she had just come to a decision about Barachiel.
Castiel turns and smiles, it's happy and full of pride, and damn if that smile doesn't make something twist in Dean's chest. It makes him more determined not to lose this. Ever.
"Now isn't she a little bit of something," Barachiel laughs. "An' not as shy around people as her Dad was, I see."
Sam makes a sound that sounds very much like a snicker.
Cas flushes slightly. "Barachiel, this is my -- this is Dean and our daughter Ellen."
Barachiel takes off his hat and does a half bow. "My pleasure. Heard enough about you, Winchester, you're the highlight of heavenly gossip you know."
Dean rolls his eyes. "Great. I'd say it was a pleasure but I'd be lying. We've got no reason to trust you."
Gabriel narrows his eyes. "Because I said so."
"That makes me feel so much better," Dean snaps.
Barachiel holds his hands up.
Elle makes grumpy sound as if she realized that Dean wasn't going to get closer to the new person. She waves her lion in the air again and squirms in Dean's arms in that restless way that means she wants to get down. But Dean's not chancing her anywhere near Barachiel.
Castiel moves over to Dean. "Dean," he says softly, placing his hand on Elle's back. "I believe Barachiel when he says he does not mean us harm. He has not been fully aware of what has been occurring."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Dean demands. Elle latches on to Castiel's shirt collar, the trench coat was laying across the back of the sofa, and makes a demanding sound, then says a word Dean is quickly figuring out means Cas. Reluctantly he lets Castiel take her. "He's an angel."
Cas mouth curves downwards. He runs his fingers over Elle's head. "As am I, Dean. As is our daughter." There's a hint of anger and disappointment there. "Gabriel is my brother. Barachiel is my brother. I trust them."
Dean swallows hard. Most of Cas' brothers want him dead, and he'd killed at least two for Dean. Maybe more. He brushes his fingers against Cas' hands. "Alright," he finally mutters. "But I don't like it."
"If Barachiel was a danger do you think Elle would be so calm?" Cas asks, detaching Elle's hand from his tie as he speaks.
Elle makes a small "huff" sound, then leans over Cas' shoulder, moving her lion around through the air like it was flying.
Dean watches her for a moment. "She cried like she was dying before Zachariah showed up."
"Barachiel circled the house a few times before he landed. Elle's been happy all morning," Cas reminds him.
Dean sighs. "Fine, okay, take her to meet her other Uncle," Dean tells him. "I should check on Bobby. Let him know he's got two Archangel's under his roof."
Cas' lips part, and Dean's sure Cas is going to ask him to stay. But he can't, he can't. Angels are assholes and Dean doesn't trust any of them but Cas. Okay, maybe Gabriel a little, after he healed Bobby for no reason other than Cas asked. But he can't stand here and watch an Archangel near her, not when he's still coming to grips with Elle and everything she means, and that she's here to stay.
But Cas doesn't ask. Instead he says, "I hope he doesn't find it a imposition."
Dean laughs. "He probably will but don't worry about it. He'll be more interested in how two Archangels got past his wards."
Cas nods, and brushes his finger tips against Dean's, and it feels as intimate as any kiss. Then he moves away back towards where Barachiel and Gabriel, and Sam are talking. Gabriel says something with that snide grin of his that makes Sam laugh, traitor, and Barachiel grin.
Dean stays long enough to see Barachiel smile at Elle, and speak to her in their language. Elle says something back, then waves her lion at him.
He's almost out of the room when he hears Barachiel laugh and say, "Of course she would like the bloody lion, was always your favorite as well. Never saw why."
He stops for a moment, thinks about turning around and just asking about the lion but he shakes his head and leaves the room. There are a bunch of little things that are adding up now, but he wants to talk to Cas about it. Because if what he's thinks is true, Gabriel isn't really just a brother to Cas.
***
Gabriel is standing on the porch watching Barachiel stalk the edges of Bobby's property, frowning here and there. Bobby had taken a good long look at Barachiel and then promptly kicked both the archangels out. Apparently if they kept breaking his wards they could damn well fix them when they were done. Gabriel had brought up the very good point that they didn't actually "break" anything, just sort of moved in between. It had been less then effective. Plus, he knew it was Bobby's way of protecting Elle, and Cas, and Sam, and Dean who still had that stick-up-his-ass look and hadn't said much the whole time Barach was in the house, at least to anyone that wasn't Sam or Cas. Honestly, it was like Cas had married some wide eyed housewife who hid from company, which was hysterical because Dean was loud, brash, and had no problem getting into peoples faces -- he'd decked Zachariah for crying out loud. Gabriel was smiling at the thought when Barachiel broke the quiet.
"Oi? You gonna give me a bloody hand here or you gonna just faff about?"
"Faff? Seriously?" Gabriel stepped off the porch and crossed the yard. "You've been on Earth too long, Barach."
Barachiel rolled his eyes. "You're one to talk. You're a blooming pagan god. How's that workin' out for you anyhow?"
Gabriel shrugged. "Fun while it lasted."
"Aw, you're not going to get all thoughtful on me again? You were like that after all the wars. Had to get you pissed to shut you up." Barachiel stands back and sighs.
They stand there for a moment side by side, putting away memories that neither wanted.
"You really think Zachariah is doing this? That he's gone off his nut?" Barachiel frowns, scuffing his foot in the dirt.
"I think that something was bound to happen sooner or later. Then the Winchesters slotted into that prophecy of his too well to ignore. As it is in heaven so shall it be on Earth." Gabriel rolls his shoulders, thinks about his words to Dean and Sam in the warehouse and regrets them.
"You know that's a load of shit, Gabriel. Those humans, they're brothers, yeah, but they aren't what Michael and the Morningstar were to each other. Castiel's a sure sign of that. He's mated, I did notice how that word wasn't brought up at all, and that boy is absolutely loyal. If those Winchesters were to fulfill that prophecy your fledgling sure has gone and mucked it all up."
"That's why Zachariah wants him dead." And Gabriel wishes he could fully blame Dean for that.
"Well, Zachariah can go fuck himself. Ordering the Archangels about and trying to kill your fledgling... He was always a pissy little tosser." Barachiel frowns and digs through his pockets until he pulls out a crumpled cigarette, which he frowns harder at.
Gabriel fists clench at his sides. "He hasn't just been trying to kill, Castiel," he says in a harsh whisper. If Zachariah hadn't managed to escape, Gabriel would have killed him. He would have willingly torn out his wings and ripped away his grace.
"He didn't," Barachiel voice is rough as he looks back towards the house, his true voice leaking in just slightly.
"Called her a monstrosity," Gabriel growls. "I think he would have killed her even if she hadn't been another glitch in his prophecy. If I hadn't gotten there..."
Barachiel rests a hand on Gabriel's shoulder, and Gabriel is quietly grateful for his brother. He had missed having the support of his brothers. He'd missed his family, and he hadn't remembered how much until he was faced with Castiel. He didn't think he'd ever forget the betrayed look in Castiel's eyes, even if his fledgling had forgiven him.
"You got there, brother," Barachiel says in their own tongue. "And he can fuck right off, thinking he has the right to judge Castiel's fledgling. Jumped up little wanker. What does he think he's playin' at?"
"We don't know, Barachiel. He might be getting orders from Michael." It pains him to say it but he needs to be said.
Barachiel snorts. "Not bleeding likely. You remember the last time you saw Michael?"
That wasn't something Gabriel could forget. The shadows of fiery wings dragging on the ground as the spear dropped out of Michael's hand. There was rejoicing every where but where Lucifer had been sealed. Gabriel thought that he saw Michael weeping, but it could have been anything, the air was so thick with smoke and blood.
"Last battle of the Second war," Gabriel breathes. "Right after he'd sealed Lucifer away for good."
"Yeah, well, that's the last anyone really saw of him. No more Michael on the battlefields, or in the garrisons. He did what Father ordered him to do but only that. He just sort of curled up and stayed away, if you get my meaning? Dad left, left him in charge and that's when all the orders sorta dried up."
Gabriel swallowed. "He stopped caring."
"He weren't the same after the First war, it just got worse after that. You'd stay away for ages before you left for good, you didn't see all of it." Barachiel rolled the unlit cigarette around in his hand. "You didn't see how bad he got."
"How bad?" Gabriel whispered, not wanting to think of it.
"Bad enough that I'm calling this whole "apocalypse" a load of bollocks." Barachiel flicked the cigarette into the grass, "There isn't a thing in heaven or earth that would make Michael fight his Morningstar again. He'd die first."
Gabriel presses his lips together, watching the wards glimmer and shift around the perimeter of the salvage yard. He thinks of Sam begging and threatening to have his brother back; of Dean willing to go to hell in trade of his little brother's life. "Dean Winchester would die before fighting or killing Sam."
Silence for a moment before Barachiel crouched down and flipped his hat off, toying with it. "Even if that's true, Dean Winchester has a lot more to worry about than just his brother now."
This was exactly what Gabriel had not wanted to get involved with, but if the whole world burned then what happened to Elle? To Cas?
"Speaking of his brother... You climbed that mountain of a man yet?" Barachiel's smile is sly and insinuating.
Anything Gabriel had been thinking came to a messy and crashing halt. "What!?"
"The Goliath, he keeps making eyes at you. I figured you were courting him with the amount you've been touching him."
"I do not touch him!" Shit, maybe he did. It wasn't his fault Sam was all elbows and bulk and the living room was kind of small... "We're... friends." Shit. It had been years since anything that he didn't make himself could be called that.
"Yeah, I saw and I remember what you do with your friends, Gabriel."
"This is different!" Gabriel hissed, starting to seriously consider kicking Barachiel out now. Before this became a thing.
"Oh? Different is it?" Barachiel stood and slipped his hat back onto his head, nodding solemnly. "I didn't know it was different. That's a whole new mess then, innit? Might need some help with that."
"Barach, I swear..."
Barachiel is grinning now and backing up slowly towards the house. "Oh, come on Gabriel. What would I do? What could I possibly tell the boy?"
The scuffle on the front porch only lasts as long as it took for Bobby to come downstairs and chew out the two "ijdit" angels that can't seem to get a simple task done.
***
Castiel hears Elle's laugh as he climbs the stairs.
Robert is outside checking the wards and grilling Castiel's brothers on how they'd tightened them up before he turns in for the night. And Castiel would be lying if he didn't admit that the idea of the two Archangels being ordered around by Robert is amusing. Sam is pouring over several old books so that as Sam puts it Robert's home will not be redecorated in chrome. Elle hasn't shifted since morning, but if her shifts allowed Barachiel and by that logic Zachariah to find them...
He pushes the thought away as he follows the sound of Elle's high bright laugh and Dean's deeper one. He finds Dean and their fledgling in the room he shares with Dean. Castiel smiles fondly watching Dean play with Elle on the bed.
"I think Mr. Lion wants a kiss to make his poor chewed on ears feels better," Dean is telling Elle. He's laying on his stomach, holding the lion, making it walk across the bed to Elle, much to the squealing delight of the baby.
"Kiss?" Elle asks, reaching out to pat the lion. Her hair is still damp from her bath, and for some reason so is Dean's hair. His flannel shirt is draped across a chair, damp spots slowly drying. Castiel wonders if that's a side effect from the bath. He had allowed Sam to bath Elle alone that morning.
Dean nods. "He'll give you a kiss first," Dean says, and makes the lion 'kiss' her nose.
Elle giggles happily. "Elle kiss lion," she declares and catches the lion in her hands. She kisses the lions head, then drops it to the bed, and pats Dean's face. "Kiss daddy?"
"I'll always take a kiss from you, baby girl," Dean tells her. Castiel can hear the slight hiccup in Dean's voice, and wonders if Dean is feeling the same terrifying joy he had the first time Elle named him. He's so good with her, just like he must have been his brother.
She gives Dean a sloppy baby kiss on the side of his face, and Dean leans up and kisses her forehead.
Castiel feels his human chest tighten, and his grace flare brighter than it had in what seemed ages. Please, he whispers in his mind. Please do not take this. Damn my soul, take my grace, but do not take this.
"Elle, you know what time Mr. Lion says it is?" Dean's asking the baby. "Tickle time."
Elle shrieks with laughter as Dean tickles her and blows on her stomach. Castiel see her form shimmer slightly, just before she catches sight of him. "Ol Gaha Ol," she calls.
Dean turns his head and sits up slightly when he see's Cas. His cheeks go pink in a way that Castiel finds endearing. "Hey, Cas. Come to join playtime?"
Castiel moves forward and cannot resist trailing his fingers along Dean's spine, and touching just briefly his mark on Dean's shoulder. "I believe Elle is about to shift. I wish to take her to my brothers. They might have an idea one how to control it."
Dean sits up completely. Elle is still giggling and is babbling to her lion, making it hop across the bed. "And you want them to see her "angel" form." There's no judgment behind the words.
"I know you don't trust Barachiel, Dean," Castiel starts, but Dean catches him by the tie and tugs him down. He barely has time to adjust his balance before Dean kisses him briefly, but fiercely.
"I trust you," Dean tells him, then lets Castiel go. He scoops up Elle and blows on her stomach again. It makes their fledgling squeal and laugh. "Go show off your wings, baby girl."
Dean puts Elle in Cas' arms. Elle wraps her fingers around Castiel tie, holding her lion with the other. She babbles a mix between his language and English that really isn't understandable. "Thank you," Castiel says, but Dean shrugs him off.
"Go on before she shifts and gets chrome everywhere," Dean tells him, as Elle shimmers again.
Castiel nods and carries Elle downstairs and out into the yard, passing Robert on the way out. Robert pats his shoulder as he passes. "Thanks, son," is all he says, but Castiel is warmed by it.
Across the yard, Castiel sees Gabriel grin at the sight of him and Elle. She makes an excited sound, and waves her lion about. "Stars," she calls in delight. "Uncles!"
Then there's a chiming sound as she shifts, becoming light and shadow and tiny wings of liquid metal that makes Castiel think of Dean's car.
"She's beautiful," Barachiel says, voice full of awe.
Castiel smiles, pride blooming in his chest to hear Barachiel praise his child so.
"Of course she is," Gabriel snorts, his tone implying that it was impossible for Elle to be anything but beautiful. But there's a sadness to his voice Castiel doesn't understand.
Elle's tiny wings unfurl, leaving spots of chrome on Castiel shirt.
"May I?" Barachiel asks holding out his hands.
Castiel nods, and allows his brother to take her. Elle goes without a fuss, and grabs for Barachiel hat as she allows herself to be looked over by her Uncle.
"Friendly little madam, isn't she?" Barachiel comments with a laugh.
Gabriel snorts again. "Good thing, too. I don't think the humans could take the shrieking. I don't think there's anyone she doesn't like. "
Castiel frowns at that, watching Elle as she attempts to launch herself at Gabriel who simply laughs and catches her. He lifts her up in the air and Elle squeals happy, her tiny wings moving in the breeze.
"She did not like Zachariah," Castiel says softly.
Gabriel brings her down and gives her over to Castiel again. Castiel runs his hands over her shadows, remembering too clearly the sound of her cry and the sickening realization that he couldn't protect her.
"No one likes Zachariah," Gabriel growls, his wings flicking into the physical plane for a moment. "It shows she has good sense."
Barachiel's eyes go cold for a moment, then he shakes his head and slides a finger over the rim of his hat. "We'll talk about it later, hey?" He flips the hat off his head and spins it in his fingers making Elle laugh.
Gabriel shakes his head. "You always did have to have something on your head, Barach. The hat is better than all those laurels and flowers you'd have in your hair when you came home from a trip down to earth."
"Oi, I earned those," Barachiel snaps before turning to Castiel. "Have you taken her flying yet?" He grins, smoothing Elle's shadows affectionately.
Castiel's wings dip slightly. "I haven't had the chance. Things happened rather quickly. I did not think it would be safe."
Gabriel steps up and bumps Castiel's shoulder. "We could take her tonight, it should be safe now that the wards have been tightened. Besides, Barach and I are here." he suggests. "Unless you think your mate would have a fit."
Castiel's eyes flicker to the darkened bedroom window where he'd left Dean and smiles, remembering his mate playing with Elle. "I do not think it would be a problem."
***
The kitchen is dark, and Dean leans over the sink with a cup of cooling coffee in his hands. He's not thinking so much as...being. He's watching the half-moon, and the brightness of the stars. The house is well warded. His family, all of it, is safe for the moment.
Sam's in the living room, still pouring over books, and Dean is grateful for him. So damn grateful that he has a brother that he trusts even when he doesn't trust him. It didn't make sense but it wasn't something Dean could put in words.
Something in the sky shimmers, then blooms with colors. A cluster of blue and purple flares up and feathers out across the stars, followed by a stripe of pale green then a rippling ribbon of silvery white slips out around the edges before weaving itself with the group again. It's beautiful. It makes Dean think of the Northern Lights, but they're too far south...
Dean's breath catches in his throat. It's Cas.
It's Cas, and it's Elle, and maybe even the two Archangels. Dancing in the sky.
And Dean stares, mouth hanging slightly open, at the colors playing across the sky. Angels true forms burned peoples eyes from their skulls. Dean knows this from experience. He never thought that light could be...beautiful.
He doesn't want to think about how high up they must be or that he's never ever going to be able to be part of that. He doesn't want to think about the closed door of humanity that separates him from Castiel and their daughter.
Dean will never know Cas like this. His fingers tremble around the coffee cup. He hadn't forgotten -- he knew what Cas was. But it was -- it is --
He puts the cup in the sink and wraps his fingers around the edge of the counter. The colors shimmer and move in the night sky, and he wonders how many people have gone out into their yards to watch. How many will believe the news channels the next morning that will talk about fronts and flares and the reasonable way to explain it away.
He grins suddenly, joy as sharp as the despair a moment before. That's Cas up there, and Cas is his. He has the love of a being that can be that. He's the father of someone that can dance in the sky.
He laughs softly, and watches.
"Wow," Sam's voice comes from behind him. "Is that the angels?"
Dean nods, unable to stop grinning like an idiot.
He hears Sam walk across the room, before he comes to stand beside him. Sam's still holding one of the books he was looking at, and it occurs to Dean that Sam must have seen some of the lights from the living room window.
"That's...that's awesome," Sam says his voice hushed and awe filled. Sammy's always been the more religious one. "Gabriel's up there too?"
There are sharp things Dean could say, that he wants to say, but instead he nods. "Yeah, I think it's all three of them and Elle."
"It's like the Aurora Borealis," Sam comments, and Dean can hear the smile in his voice.
"It's better," Dean tells him, not looking away from the lights.
"Yeah," Sam agrees. "It is better. You know in the Middle ages they thought auroras were signs from God."
Dean makes a noise that might be agreement.
They stand there together in the dark watching the lights and colors dance and shimmer across the sky.
***
Sam wakes up, except he doesn't. He knows right away that while he fell asleep in the living room he didn't wake up in the same one. For example, all the books are gone and the floor is missing the telltale scuff marks. The mark on the wall from where he and Dean crashed into it while rough housing when he was nine is gone as well as the blankets and smells. It all looks far too clean, too unlived in... Too fake.
"Curious and curiouser."
Fuck. Of course, of course it's Lucifer. He's not even dressed up as someone else this time. He's... Nick. He's in flannel and jeans, looking innocent, looking comfortable and he's... Sam suddenly feels his heart jump into his throat. All the furniture in the room is the same. All of it, down to the wooden crib that Lucifer is frowning into; running his fingers along the railing.
"Get away from that," Sam is hissing before he even knows it, anger and fear rising like a flame as he scrambles off the couch.
Lucifer doesn't move, though his hand stills and his head tilts just slightly to look at Sam.
"New developments, Samuel?" Lucifer looks almost amused. "Don't tell me you've gone and gotten some pretty thing in the family way. I didn't even know you were seeing someone."
Perfect, wonderful, let him think that. "Well, you'll forgive me if I don't tell you everything."
"I will," Lucifer grins, coming around the couch. "Although I did expect better of you. Honestly, your world is coming to an end and this is what you choose to do?"
"Yeah, well, why not?" Sam is backing up in a circle as Lucifer casually steps up to him. He needs to wake up. He needs to wake up right now.
"I think you're quite aware of the myriad of reasons to not bring some helpless mewling thing into existence at this time. Which is why I'm so surprised, Sam." Lucifer hands are folded behind his back and he shakes his head at Sam like a disappointed preacher. And that comparison is a little sick.
"I didn't think much could surprise you," Sam tries to sound calm but knows he's failing.
"Oh, it's you Sam. You're full of surprises. Are you going to barter for both them or just the child? Because I'll listen, you know I'll listen."
They've gone in a circle while they spoke and Sam feels his back hit the edge of the crib. "I'm not asking you for anything. I'm not saying yes. I'm not..."
Lucifer has frozen. The easy smile is gone from his face and he's staring into the crib as if he's seen a ghost. Sam swallows and chances a look down, he can barely make out a golden shine, a tail and back legs peeking out from beneath the blankets.
Oh shit.
"Clever boy. This isn't yours at all is it? Yet, you're still so scared." Lucifer takes a step forward and Sam holds his ground.
Lucifer doesn't stop, he presses close, too close, and reaches past Sam into the crib. The lion glints in the light as Lucifer slides his fingers around it carefully, almost reverently. Sam can't read his expression, it's like seeing Gabriel in the circle of holy oil, seeing him standing behind Zachariah, this is an old look. Power, shaking and terrifying. Sam reaches slowly behind him and wraps his hands around the crib railing, desperately trying to remember the brush of fingers and the sound of a smile in silence. Anything, think about anything but...
"What has the fledgling gone and done?"
"None of your fucking business," Sam snarls and Lucifer grins, something bright and mad and wild.
"It would be a half angel. Something..." He trails off his eyes gazing past Sam. "Something beautiful. Something cherished..."
"Sam!"
Sam blinks and turns suddenly, Gabriel is on the other side of the crib, reaching out for him and Lucifer is laughing.
"Wake up! Now!" It's a order, a command, one that Sam so wishes to follow.
He almost flails off the couch, books hitting the floor in a tumble of flapping pages, but someone grabs him and holds him by the shoulders as he gasps and shakes. Sam's got his hands fisted in something soft and then there are hands in his hair, smoothing down his neck; over his back. He can't understand for a moment what they're saying but then he recognizes the soft chiming tongue that the angels use and sags forward as familiar sounds and scents finally return. He's back, he's home.
"Sam, you idiot," Gabriel sounds resigned, tired. "What did you think you were doing?"
"I didn't... Oh God... Elle... He knows..." Sam is shaking, panicked, he couldn't even do this one thing -- protect this one thing for his brother.
"He was going to know sooner or later. Calm down," Gabriel lifts Sam's chin up and brushes his hair out of his face. "It wasn't your fault. How long has this been happening?"
Something in Sam's head is telling him that this is strange. Gabriel's hands are on him, but it's the look of concern on the Archangel's face that makes Sam stop. Gabriel isn't worried about Elle or Cas or... Gabriel is worried about him.
"I... A while," Sam manages and feels guilty when Gabriel closes his eyes.
"And you didn't think to bring this up? Even with Cas cut off, he could still ward your dreams." The words are sharp, and Sam cringes.
"I didn't want him to waste..."
"Protecting you is not something I'd call a waste," Gabriel snaps.
Gabriel is angry, he's humming with power and Sam is still hanging onto it as hard as he can. He hates the dreams, he hates Lucifer's words, the feeling of helplessness, the lack of control. No one's ever pulled him out before.
"I didn't want to bother anyone. It was fine. I..." Sam trails offs, because they both know it's a lie.
"Sam," Gabriel sighs his name and opens his eyes, hazel meeting green. "Sam, just fucking be a bother, alright?"
He can't help it, he laughs. He laughs until it chokes out into something desperate and sobbing. He lets Gabriel wrap his arms around his shoulders because he's knows the Archangel won't tell a soul.
"Dean's gonna be pissed," Sam mumbles when he's done, letting Gabriel wipe his face with his shirtsleeves like he's five and has fallen off a junker in the yard.
"We'll deal with that diplomatically," Gabriel says, expression softening.
"We won't tell him?" Sam frowns.
"We'll have Castiel tell him. Preferably while he's distracted. You buy some beer and I'll get a pie."
Sam grins and nods before his eyes flicker to Gabriel. "Cas?"
"He took Elle upstairs to your brother, he hasn't been flying for the joy of it in a long time. He's... happy." Gabriel breathes the last word.
"Then let's leave him happy for now," Sam says, untangling his hands from Gabriel's shirt.
He's a bit embarrassed now. He hasn't freaked out like that since... Well... It's been a long time and he was usually alone or Dean was there and that was still sort of awkward. But Gabriel just nods and tugs him to his feet.
"Come on, it's late. I've sent Barach out on some errands and I'm on watch. You should try to actually sleep."
Sam rolls his shoulder and decides, for once, to be honest with himself. "I'm not sure I can."
He waits a beat, thinking that Gabriel will insist. He knows he's right too, it would be for the best but...
"Okay," Gabriel says, and the look in his eyes is warm. Safe. "Keep me company?"
"Sure."
Chapter Five: Wearing and Tearing
Parts: Previous Parts
Authors: ameonna1 and kijikun
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Castiel/Dean, Gabriel/Sam
Betas: sweetsyren
Word Count: 6,941
Warnings: Minor language, sexual situations, Baby fic, no m-preg
Spoilers: Up to 5x10
A/N: Super extra more thanks to sweetsyren for making Barachiel actually British sounding. XD
Summary: While Dean and Castiel deal with their newest addition; Gabriel learns that the first lesson was the easiest, while Sam clings to lessons learned in fear.
His face when he repeats his verses hath its ancient glory, an Archangel a little damaged.” -Charlie Lamb
Sam takes a step back as Gabriel is in front of the newcomer in record time.
"What the hell do you want, Barachiel?"
The man tosses his hands up like the cops are on him, though he's grinning. "Whoa, easy mate. Just lookin' into a rumor that’s all."
"What rumor?"
"Well..." He starts. "A friend of a friend of a friend told me Zachariah got his arse booted halfway across the continent and aint been seen since. So I go lookin', cos frankly that’s bloody hilarious, and I start hearing whispers that low an' behold, the Archangel Gabriel is back and kickin' the shit out of people! And I’m thinking ‘No chance!’ cos Gabriel aint been seen in a scrap since, what, the first war? Second?"
He scratches his head, knocking his hat slightly off kilter. Sam waits for a moment, he's expecting Gabriel to say something, but Gabriel doesn't, and it suddenly hits Sam that there's a Archangel standing on the other side of Bobby's gate. There's a freakin' Archangel on the other side of the gate -- and okay Gabriel's an Archangel too but it doesn't feel the same in Sam's head. And this guy doesn't look like an Archangel -- but neither does Gabriel -- and okay this isn't helping. Maybe, Barachiel isn't an Archangel, Cas keeps saying the bibles wrong about stuff....
The Archangel in question keeps talking, "Anyway, I ask around and end up chatting to a couple of pagan birds who told me you'd gone Trickster - nice move by the way; fun job, nice perks,” he said nodding approvingly, “They were goin’ on about how one of their lot hit the bottle a bit hard one night and went and made a little angel sprog, and gave it her rescuers as some sorta reward which is what Zachariah was so pissed off about. I put two an' two together and worked out it was you who gave Zach a kicking. Only logical conclusion, innit?"
Barachiel grins widely as if pleased with himself, and slides his hat into his hand almost absently. He spins the hat between his fingers, and rocks forward onto his toes again.
"Cos the only thing that's gonna get you outta whatever hole you buried your good self in, is another little’un running about the place. So I start keeping an ear out for chat regarding your little’un and there weren’t much bein’ said to be honest, but I kept hearing about these Winchester lads and how much of a pain in the arse they were bein’," he says giving Sam a look that Sam really can't interrupt. Gabriel sighs in annoyance but he's ignored. "Turns out these same lads had an angel on side. Bein’ the clever bloke I am, I recalled that, last thing I heard, Castiel was kicking about with a couple of humans. Not exactly a stretch to think one was related to the other and of course wherever he went, you wouldn’t be far behind, especially seen as there’s a fledglin’ involved. So now we got Castiel, we got you, them human lads, and another little’un, mix that all together and I figured something was…well, up."
"Dude, breathe," Sam says, without thinking, because he's out of breath just listening to the guy. Then it dawns on him, he just told an angel -- wait an Archangel -- to breathe. He's really glad the angel is on the other side of the wards and that Gabriel seems to like him better than he had.
"Angels don't need to breathe," Gabriel mutters, "Somethings up? Barachiel, how did you find us?"
"Yeah that. Well somethin’ over here keeps lighting up like a bloody roman candle. Somethin' angelic. So I just sorta circled around 'til I found this place all covered in wards and here you are, just loungin’ about."
"Elle," Sam says under his breath. It has to be. Even he can feel it when she shifts so God only knows what it must look like to the angels. Crap. That had to be how Zachariah found them.
"Elle?" Barachiel's eyes light up. "That’s her name, is it? Very nice. Very human. Like it."
Gabriel huffs out a breath and glares at Barachiel like he's deciding whether to let him in or kick him across the yard. The archangel grins, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet with his hands in his pockets.
"Come on, Gabriel, don't be a bastard. S’why I'm here, innit? If there's a new little’un kicking around, I wanna take a look at her. We’ve not had one since Castiel, and you know I’d never lay a finger on her, so I don't know why you’re eyein' me like that."
Sam crosses his arms and narrows his eyes. "Yeah, because Zachariah wasn't trying to kill her, and all those other angels haven't been trying to kill Castiel. Angels are totally trustworthy," he says probably more harshly than one should speak to an angel. "And why the hell do you have a British accent?"
Barachiel blinks at Sam and for a second he thinks he might get smote but Gabriel is right there next to him.
"Been in London the last hundred years or so. After the first decade you find yourself goin’ a bit native,” he turns back to Gabriel and frowns, “So why are them buggers tryin’ to kill Castiel?"
"He defied heavens orders to save Dean Winchester." Gabriel says quickly.
Sam swallows hard, that's not the real reason. Not anywhere close to it, and why is Gabriel practically lying? "Actually Castiel defied heavens orders to give Dean a chance to keep me from starting the Apocalypse. And that didn't go so well," he says, and rubs the back of his neck, his eyes firmly on the ground.
"You?" Barachiel looks Sam up and down, his expression turning amused. "Sorry mate, but you don't look like you could start a piss-up in a brewery."
"Barachiel..." Gabriel warns and Barachiel puts up his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright. So, Goliath here’s the one that cocked it all up then? What’s that got to do with your fledgling?"
"I told you, Castiel defied heaven's orders to..."
"Hang on, when you say Heavens orders you mean Michael's orders, yeah? Dunno if you got the memo, what with you being all Trickster-like, but when Dad buggered off he put Michael in charge upstairs."
"Then how come Zachariah’s calling all the shots?" Sam steps forward so that he's even with Gabriel.
Barachiel blinks. "Who's callin' what now? Zachariah’s in charge of watching Earth. Middle management type. He ain't supposed to be mucking up anything in Heaven. He aint supposed to be mucking up anything on Earth! What the hells goin’ on, Gabriel!?"
"You don't know anything about this? About Lucifer?" Gabriel demands. "How could you miss the mess he's been making!?"
"Raphael's had me watching an angel and a demon prance around in a bloody bookshop for the last soddin’ century! I've not had any new orders in decades, mate!"
"Look," Gabriel steps forward, "Raphael turned Castiel into spam a couple of months back, he's listening to Zachariah."
Barachiel goes a rather sickly shade of pale and Sam is starting to feel sorry for him. He doesn't look like he's lying. He looks... shocked.
Suddenly Barachiel straightens and slips into that lilting chiming tongue, his expression serious, and Gabriel answers him back. Sam swallows as the conversation flies back and forth with Barachiel getting more and more agitated.
Until the angel just sits down in the dirt in a heap.
"Lucifer’s been outta hell how long?"
"Six months, and he's raised two horsemen."
"Hang on, he ain't supposed to be doin’ that. Not his job if it's the proper apocalypse."
"Well, tell him that," Gabriel snaps and Barachiel shivers.
He looks miserable. He's taken his hat off and is twisting the brim in his hands while gritting his teeth.
"Archangels...we don't...we don't listen to that bloody prophet! It isn't done!" Barachiel looks up and his eyes are glittering. "Why would Raphael do that?"
Sam blinks. Barachiel's accent had faded for a moment and his voice cracked on those last words.
Gabriel sighs; the suspicion is gone from his face, now he just looks tired. "I don't know, Barach."
Barachiel is shaking his head, eyes fixed on the horizon. "You don't do that. Castiel's the youngest; you don't do a thing like that to the youngest."
A moment passes while Sam fidgets and then Gabriel steps across the wards and hauls Barachiel to his feet. "Come on, get up."
Sam...Sam isn't sure about this, but he trusts Gabriel. He trusts Gabriel not to endanger Elle or Cas, because Sam's seen him with them. Sam knows Gabriel loves them. "I, uhm, think I should go give Cas and Dean the heads up." He looks over at Barachiel. "I apologize in advance if my brother tries to kill you. He's kinda protective of his kid."
Barachiel shrugs. "Fair enough."
***
Dean holds Elle protectively to his chest as he glares at the newcomer, whose speaking to Castiel and Gabriel in that odd lilting tongue. Elle seems to be listening to them and she's calm in Dean's arms. Calm and quiet, watching the Barachiel curiously as she chews on her lions ear (Dean figures she's going to have a few new teeth coming in soon).
"Gabriel trusts him," Sam says softly. "He wouldn't let someone in that was going to hurt Cas or Elle."
Dean snorts. "And you and Gabriel are best buddies now, huh?"
"You know I have more reason to hate him than you, and I've gotten over it, mostly," Sam mutters. "I kinda understand the guy."
"Understand!? Are you gonna have sleepovers and braid each others hair now?"
Sam probably makes a bitch face but Dean is too busy watching Cas, watching his body language. Which is kind of like watching the body language of a statue, but he's had his hands all over that body, he knows Cas. His angel had gone all silent fury when Sam had come in and told them Gabriel had let an angel in -- an Archangel in. He'd been sure Cas was going to storm out of the house and confront the others but instead he'd picked Elle off the floor where she was playing, handed her to Dean, and said "Gabriel would not bring danger on us purposefully, Dean." But Cas had still looked tense and wary, even for a few minutes after Gabriel had brought Barachiel inside.
Which in Dean's opinion was a very bad idea. Which is why he has his gun, not that it would do much good, but he ain't going down without a fight.
"I did warn him you might try to kill him," Sam mentions.
Dean shoots him a glance and Sam is smirking. "So if I shoot him, I'll just be living up to expectations then, huh?"
"Yeah, but Bobby might get pissed about archangel blood all over the floor." Sam grins.
Elle suddenly says something bright and happy in that other language, and waves her lion in the air. As if she had just come to a decision about Barachiel.
Castiel turns and smiles, it's happy and full of pride, and damn if that smile doesn't make something twist in Dean's chest. It makes him more determined not to lose this. Ever.
"Now isn't she a little bit of something," Barachiel laughs. "An' not as shy around people as her Dad was, I see."
Sam makes a sound that sounds very much like a snicker.
Cas flushes slightly. "Barachiel, this is my -- this is Dean and our daughter Ellen."
Barachiel takes off his hat and does a half bow. "My pleasure. Heard enough about you, Winchester, you're the highlight of heavenly gossip you know."
Dean rolls his eyes. "Great. I'd say it was a pleasure but I'd be lying. We've got no reason to trust you."
Gabriel narrows his eyes. "Because I said so."
"That makes me feel so much better," Dean snaps.
Barachiel holds his hands up.
Elle makes grumpy sound as if she realized that Dean wasn't going to get closer to the new person. She waves her lion in the air again and squirms in Dean's arms in that restless way that means she wants to get down. But Dean's not chancing her anywhere near Barachiel.
Castiel moves over to Dean. "Dean," he says softly, placing his hand on Elle's back. "I believe Barachiel when he says he does not mean us harm. He has not been fully aware of what has been occurring."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Dean demands. Elle latches on to Castiel's shirt collar, the trench coat was laying across the back of the sofa, and makes a demanding sound, then says a word Dean is quickly figuring out means Cas. Reluctantly he lets Castiel take her. "He's an angel."
Cas mouth curves downwards. He runs his fingers over Elle's head. "As am I, Dean. As is our daughter." There's a hint of anger and disappointment there. "Gabriel is my brother. Barachiel is my brother. I trust them."
Dean swallows hard. Most of Cas' brothers want him dead, and he'd killed at least two for Dean. Maybe more. He brushes his fingers against Cas' hands. "Alright," he finally mutters. "But I don't like it."
"If Barachiel was a danger do you think Elle would be so calm?" Cas asks, detaching Elle's hand from his tie as he speaks.
Elle makes a small "huff" sound, then leans over Cas' shoulder, moving her lion around through the air like it was flying.
Dean watches her for a moment. "She cried like she was dying before Zachariah showed up."
"Barachiel circled the house a few times before he landed. Elle's been happy all morning," Cas reminds him.
Dean sighs. "Fine, okay, take her to meet her other Uncle," Dean tells him. "I should check on Bobby. Let him know he's got two Archangel's under his roof."
Cas' lips part, and Dean's sure Cas is going to ask him to stay. But he can't, he can't. Angels are assholes and Dean doesn't trust any of them but Cas. Okay, maybe Gabriel a little, after he healed Bobby for no reason other than Cas asked. But he can't stand here and watch an Archangel near her, not when he's still coming to grips with Elle and everything she means, and that she's here to stay.
But Cas doesn't ask. Instead he says, "I hope he doesn't find it a imposition."
Dean laughs. "He probably will but don't worry about it. He'll be more interested in how two Archangels got past his wards."
Cas nods, and brushes his finger tips against Dean's, and it feels as intimate as any kiss. Then he moves away back towards where Barachiel and Gabriel, and Sam are talking. Gabriel says something with that snide grin of his that makes Sam laugh, traitor, and Barachiel grin.
Dean stays long enough to see Barachiel smile at Elle, and speak to her in their language. Elle says something back, then waves her lion at him.
He's almost out of the room when he hears Barachiel laugh and say, "Of course she would like the bloody lion, was always your favorite as well. Never saw why."
He stops for a moment, thinks about turning around and just asking about the lion but he shakes his head and leaves the room. There are a bunch of little things that are adding up now, but he wants to talk to Cas about it. Because if what he's thinks is true, Gabriel isn't really just a brother to Cas.
***
Gabriel is standing on the porch watching Barachiel stalk the edges of Bobby's property, frowning here and there. Bobby had taken a good long look at Barachiel and then promptly kicked both the archangels out. Apparently if they kept breaking his wards they could damn well fix them when they were done. Gabriel had brought up the very good point that they didn't actually "break" anything, just sort of moved in between. It had been less then effective. Plus, he knew it was Bobby's way of protecting Elle, and Cas, and Sam, and Dean who still had that stick-up-his-ass look and hadn't said much the whole time Barach was in the house, at least to anyone that wasn't Sam or Cas. Honestly, it was like Cas had married some wide eyed housewife who hid from company, which was hysterical because Dean was loud, brash, and had no problem getting into peoples faces -- he'd decked Zachariah for crying out loud. Gabriel was smiling at the thought when Barachiel broke the quiet.
"Oi? You gonna give me a bloody hand here or you gonna just faff about?"
"Faff? Seriously?" Gabriel stepped off the porch and crossed the yard. "You've been on Earth too long, Barach."
Barachiel rolled his eyes. "You're one to talk. You're a blooming pagan god. How's that workin' out for you anyhow?"
Gabriel shrugged. "Fun while it lasted."
"Aw, you're not going to get all thoughtful on me again? You were like that after all the wars. Had to get you pissed to shut you up." Barachiel stands back and sighs.
They stand there for a moment side by side, putting away memories that neither wanted.
"You really think Zachariah is doing this? That he's gone off his nut?" Barachiel frowns, scuffing his foot in the dirt.
"I think that something was bound to happen sooner or later. Then the Winchesters slotted into that prophecy of his too well to ignore. As it is in heaven so shall it be on Earth." Gabriel rolls his shoulders, thinks about his words to Dean and Sam in the warehouse and regrets them.
"You know that's a load of shit, Gabriel. Those humans, they're brothers, yeah, but they aren't what Michael and the Morningstar were to each other. Castiel's a sure sign of that. He's mated, I did notice how that word wasn't brought up at all, and that boy is absolutely loyal. If those Winchesters were to fulfill that prophecy your fledgling sure has gone and mucked it all up."
"That's why Zachariah wants him dead." And Gabriel wishes he could fully blame Dean for that.
"Well, Zachariah can go fuck himself. Ordering the Archangels about and trying to kill your fledgling... He was always a pissy little tosser." Barachiel frowns and digs through his pockets until he pulls out a crumpled cigarette, which he frowns harder at.
Gabriel fists clench at his sides. "He hasn't just been trying to kill, Castiel," he says in a harsh whisper. If Zachariah hadn't managed to escape, Gabriel would have killed him. He would have willingly torn out his wings and ripped away his grace.
"He didn't," Barachiel voice is rough as he looks back towards the house, his true voice leaking in just slightly.
"Called her a monstrosity," Gabriel growls. "I think he would have killed her even if she hadn't been another glitch in his prophecy. If I hadn't gotten there..."
Barachiel rests a hand on Gabriel's shoulder, and Gabriel is quietly grateful for his brother. He had missed having the support of his brothers. He'd missed his family, and he hadn't remembered how much until he was faced with Castiel. He didn't think he'd ever forget the betrayed look in Castiel's eyes, even if his fledgling had forgiven him.
"You got there, brother," Barachiel says in their own tongue. "And he can fuck right off, thinking he has the right to judge Castiel's fledgling. Jumped up little wanker. What does he think he's playin' at?"
"We don't know, Barachiel. He might be getting orders from Michael." It pains him to say it but he needs to be said.
Barachiel snorts. "Not bleeding likely. You remember the last time you saw Michael?"
That wasn't something Gabriel could forget. The shadows of fiery wings dragging on the ground as the spear dropped out of Michael's hand. There was rejoicing every where but where Lucifer had been sealed. Gabriel thought that he saw Michael weeping, but it could have been anything, the air was so thick with smoke and blood.
"Last battle of the Second war," Gabriel breathes. "Right after he'd sealed Lucifer away for good."
"Yeah, well, that's the last anyone really saw of him. No more Michael on the battlefields, or in the garrisons. He did what Father ordered him to do but only that. He just sort of curled up and stayed away, if you get my meaning? Dad left, left him in charge and that's when all the orders sorta dried up."
Gabriel swallowed. "He stopped caring."
"He weren't the same after the First war, it just got worse after that. You'd stay away for ages before you left for good, you didn't see all of it." Barachiel rolled the unlit cigarette around in his hand. "You didn't see how bad he got."
"How bad?" Gabriel whispered, not wanting to think of it.
"Bad enough that I'm calling this whole "apocalypse" a load of bollocks." Barachiel flicked the cigarette into the grass, "There isn't a thing in heaven or earth that would make Michael fight his Morningstar again. He'd die first."
Gabriel presses his lips together, watching the wards glimmer and shift around the perimeter of the salvage yard. He thinks of Sam begging and threatening to have his brother back; of Dean willing to go to hell in trade of his little brother's life. "Dean Winchester would die before fighting or killing Sam."
Silence for a moment before Barachiel crouched down and flipped his hat off, toying with it. "Even if that's true, Dean Winchester has a lot more to worry about than just his brother now."
This was exactly what Gabriel had not wanted to get involved with, but if the whole world burned then what happened to Elle? To Cas?
"Speaking of his brother... You climbed that mountain of a man yet?" Barachiel's smile is sly and insinuating.
Anything Gabriel had been thinking came to a messy and crashing halt. "What!?"
"The Goliath, he keeps making eyes at you. I figured you were courting him with the amount you've been touching him."
"I do not touch him!" Shit, maybe he did. It wasn't his fault Sam was all elbows and bulk and the living room was kind of small... "We're... friends." Shit. It had been years since anything that he didn't make himself could be called that.
"Yeah, I saw and I remember what you do with your friends, Gabriel."
"This is different!" Gabriel hissed, starting to seriously consider kicking Barachiel out now. Before this became a thing.
"Oh? Different is it?" Barachiel stood and slipped his hat back onto his head, nodding solemnly. "I didn't know it was different. That's a whole new mess then, innit? Might need some help with that."
"Barach, I swear..."
Barachiel is grinning now and backing up slowly towards the house. "Oh, come on Gabriel. What would I do? What could I possibly tell the boy?"
The scuffle on the front porch only lasts as long as it took for Bobby to come downstairs and chew out the two "ijdit" angels that can't seem to get a simple task done.
***
Castiel hears Elle's laugh as he climbs the stairs.
Robert is outside checking the wards and grilling Castiel's brothers on how they'd tightened them up before he turns in for the night. And Castiel would be lying if he didn't admit that the idea of the two Archangels being ordered around by Robert is amusing. Sam is pouring over several old books so that as Sam puts it Robert's home will not be redecorated in chrome. Elle hasn't shifted since morning, but if her shifts allowed Barachiel and by that logic Zachariah to find them...
He pushes the thought away as he follows the sound of Elle's high bright laugh and Dean's deeper one. He finds Dean and their fledgling in the room he shares with Dean. Castiel smiles fondly watching Dean play with Elle on the bed.
"I think Mr. Lion wants a kiss to make his poor chewed on ears feels better," Dean is telling Elle. He's laying on his stomach, holding the lion, making it walk across the bed to Elle, much to the squealing delight of the baby.
"Kiss?" Elle asks, reaching out to pat the lion. Her hair is still damp from her bath, and for some reason so is Dean's hair. His flannel shirt is draped across a chair, damp spots slowly drying. Castiel wonders if that's a side effect from the bath. He had allowed Sam to bath Elle alone that morning.
Dean nods. "He'll give you a kiss first," Dean says, and makes the lion 'kiss' her nose.
Elle giggles happily. "Elle kiss lion," she declares and catches the lion in her hands. She kisses the lions head, then drops it to the bed, and pats Dean's face. "Kiss daddy?"
"I'll always take a kiss from you, baby girl," Dean tells her. Castiel can hear the slight hiccup in Dean's voice, and wonders if Dean is feeling the same terrifying joy he had the first time Elle named him. He's so good with her, just like he must have been his brother.
She gives Dean a sloppy baby kiss on the side of his face, and Dean leans up and kisses her forehead.
Castiel feels his human chest tighten, and his grace flare brighter than it had in what seemed ages. Please, he whispers in his mind. Please do not take this. Damn my soul, take my grace, but do not take this.
"Elle, you know what time Mr. Lion says it is?" Dean's asking the baby. "Tickle time."
Elle shrieks with laughter as Dean tickles her and blows on her stomach. Castiel see her form shimmer slightly, just before she catches sight of him. "Ol Gaha Ol," she calls.
Dean turns his head and sits up slightly when he see's Cas. His cheeks go pink in a way that Castiel finds endearing. "Hey, Cas. Come to join playtime?"
Castiel moves forward and cannot resist trailing his fingers along Dean's spine, and touching just briefly his mark on Dean's shoulder. "I believe Elle is about to shift. I wish to take her to my brothers. They might have an idea one how to control it."
Dean sits up completely. Elle is still giggling and is babbling to her lion, making it hop across the bed. "And you want them to see her "angel" form." There's no judgment behind the words.
"I know you don't trust Barachiel, Dean," Castiel starts, but Dean catches him by the tie and tugs him down. He barely has time to adjust his balance before Dean kisses him briefly, but fiercely.
"I trust you," Dean tells him, then lets Castiel go. He scoops up Elle and blows on her stomach again. It makes their fledgling squeal and laugh. "Go show off your wings, baby girl."
Dean puts Elle in Cas' arms. Elle wraps her fingers around Castiel tie, holding her lion with the other. She babbles a mix between his language and English that really isn't understandable. "Thank you," Castiel says, but Dean shrugs him off.
"Go on before she shifts and gets chrome everywhere," Dean tells him, as Elle shimmers again.
Castiel nods and carries Elle downstairs and out into the yard, passing Robert on the way out. Robert pats his shoulder as he passes. "Thanks, son," is all he says, but Castiel is warmed by it.
Across the yard, Castiel sees Gabriel grin at the sight of him and Elle. She makes an excited sound, and waves her lion about. "Stars," she calls in delight. "Uncles!"
Then there's a chiming sound as she shifts, becoming light and shadow and tiny wings of liquid metal that makes Castiel think of Dean's car.
"She's beautiful," Barachiel says, voice full of awe.
Castiel smiles, pride blooming in his chest to hear Barachiel praise his child so.
"Of course she is," Gabriel snorts, his tone implying that it was impossible for Elle to be anything but beautiful. But there's a sadness to his voice Castiel doesn't understand.
Elle's tiny wings unfurl, leaving spots of chrome on Castiel shirt.
"May I?" Barachiel asks holding out his hands.
Castiel nods, and allows his brother to take her. Elle goes without a fuss, and grabs for Barachiel hat as she allows herself to be looked over by her Uncle.
"Friendly little madam, isn't she?" Barachiel comments with a laugh.
Gabriel snorts again. "Good thing, too. I don't think the humans could take the shrieking. I don't think there's anyone she doesn't like. "
Castiel frowns at that, watching Elle as she attempts to launch herself at Gabriel who simply laughs and catches her. He lifts her up in the air and Elle squeals happy, her tiny wings moving in the breeze.
"She did not like Zachariah," Castiel says softly.
Gabriel brings her down and gives her over to Castiel again. Castiel runs his hands over her shadows, remembering too clearly the sound of her cry and the sickening realization that he couldn't protect her.
"No one likes Zachariah," Gabriel growls, his wings flicking into the physical plane for a moment. "It shows she has good sense."
Barachiel's eyes go cold for a moment, then he shakes his head and slides a finger over the rim of his hat. "We'll talk about it later, hey?" He flips the hat off his head and spins it in his fingers making Elle laugh.
Gabriel shakes his head. "You always did have to have something on your head, Barach. The hat is better than all those laurels and flowers you'd have in your hair when you came home from a trip down to earth."
"Oi, I earned those," Barachiel snaps before turning to Castiel. "Have you taken her flying yet?" He grins, smoothing Elle's shadows affectionately.
Castiel's wings dip slightly. "I haven't had the chance. Things happened rather quickly. I did not think it would be safe."
Gabriel steps up and bumps Castiel's shoulder. "We could take her tonight, it should be safe now that the wards have been tightened. Besides, Barach and I are here." he suggests. "Unless you think your mate would have a fit."
Castiel's eyes flicker to the darkened bedroom window where he'd left Dean and smiles, remembering his mate playing with Elle. "I do not think it would be a problem."
***
The kitchen is dark, and Dean leans over the sink with a cup of cooling coffee in his hands. He's not thinking so much as...being. He's watching the half-moon, and the brightness of the stars. The house is well warded. His family, all of it, is safe for the moment.
Sam's in the living room, still pouring over books, and Dean is grateful for him. So damn grateful that he has a brother that he trusts even when he doesn't trust him. It didn't make sense but it wasn't something Dean could put in words.
Something in the sky shimmers, then blooms with colors. A cluster of blue and purple flares up and feathers out across the stars, followed by a stripe of pale green then a rippling ribbon of silvery white slips out around the edges before weaving itself with the group again. It's beautiful. It makes Dean think of the Northern Lights, but they're too far south...
Dean's breath catches in his throat. It's Cas.
It's Cas, and it's Elle, and maybe even the two Archangels. Dancing in the sky.
And Dean stares, mouth hanging slightly open, at the colors playing across the sky. Angels true forms burned peoples eyes from their skulls. Dean knows this from experience. He never thought that light could be...beautiful.
He doesn't want to think about how high up they must be or that he's never ever going to be able to be part of that. He doesn't want to think about the closed door of humanity that separates him from Castiel and their daughter.
Dean will never know Cas like this. His fingers tremble around the coffee cup. He hadn't forgotten -- he knew what Cas was. But it was -- it is --
He puts the cup in the sink and wraps his fingers around the edge of the counter. The colors shimmer and move in the night sky, and he wonders how many people have gone out into their yards to watch. How many will believe the news channels the next morning that will talk about fronts and flares and the reasonable way to explain it away.
He grins suddenly, joy as sharp as the despair a moment before. That's Cas up there, and Cas is his. He has the love of a being that can be that. He's the father of someone that can dance in the sky.
He laughs softly, and watches.
"Wow," Sam's voice comes from behind him. "Is that the angels?"
Dean nods, unable to stop grinning like an idiot.
He hears Sam walk across the room, before he comes to stand beside him. Sam's still holding one of the books he was looking at, and it occurs to Dean that Sam must have seen some of the lights from the living room window.
"That's...that's awesome," Sam says his voice hushed and awe filled. Sammy's always been the more religious one. "Gabriel's up there too?"
There are sharp things Dean could say, that he wants to say, but instead he nods. "Yeah, I think it's all three of them and Elle."
"It's like the Aurora Borealis," Sam comments, and Dean can hear the smile in his voice.
"It's better," Dean tells him, not looking away from the lights.
"Yeah," Sam agrees. "It is better. You know in the Middle ages they thought auroras were signs from God."
Dean makes a noise that might be agreement.
They stand there together in the dark watching the lights and colors dance and shimmer across the sky.
***
Sam wakes up, except he doesn't. He knows right away that while he fell asleep in the living room he didn't wake up in the same one. For example, all the books are gone and the floor is missing the telltale scuff marks. The mark on the wall from where he and Dean crashed into it while rough housing when he was nine is gone as well as the blankets and smells. It all looks far too clean, too unlived in... Too fake.
"Curious and curiouser."
Fuck. Of course, of course it's Lucifer. He's not even dressed up as someone else this time. He's... Nick. He's in flannel and jeans, looking innocent, looking comfortable and he's... Sam suddenly feels his heart jump into his throat. All the furniture in the room is the same. All of it, down to the wooden crib that Lucifer is frowning into; running his fingers along the railing.
"Get away from that," Sam is hissing before he even knows it, anger and fear rising like a flame as he scrambles off the couch.
Lucifer doesn't move, though his hand stills and his head tilts just slightly to look at Sam.
"New developments, Samuel?" Lucifer looks almost amused. "Don't tell me you've gone and gotten some pretty thing in the family way. I didn't even know you were seeing someone."
Perfect, wonderful, let him think that. "Well, you'll forgive me if I don't tell you everything."
"I will," Lucifer grins, coming around the couch. "Although I did expect better of you. Honestly, your world is coming to an end and this is what you choose to do?"
"Yeah, well, why not?" Sam is backing up in a circle as Lucifer casually steps up to him. He needs to wake up. He needs to wake up right now.
"I think you're quite aware of the myriad of reasons to not bring some helpless mewling thing into existence at this time. Which is why I'm so surprised, Sam." Lucifer hands are folded behind his back and he shakes his head at Sam like a disappointed preacher. And that comparison is a little sick.
"I didn't think much could surprise you," Sam tries to sound calm but knows he's failing.
"Oh, it's you Sam. You're full of surprises. Are you going to barter for both them or just the child? Because I'll listen, you know I'll listen."
They've gone in a circle while they spoke and Sam feels his back hit the edge of the crib. "I'm not asking you for anything. I'm not saying yes. I'm not..."
Lucifer has frozen. The easy smile is gone from his face and he's staring into the crib as if he's seen a ghost. Sam swallows and chances a look down, he can barely make out a golden shine, a tail and back legs peeking out from beneath the blankets.
Oh shit.
"Clever boy. This isn't yours at all is it? Yet, you're still so scared." Lucifer takes a step forward and Sam holds his ground.
Lucifer doesn't stop, he presses close, too close, and reaches past Sam into the crib. The lion glints in the light as Lucifer slides his fingers around it carefully, almost reverently. Sam can't read his expression, it's like seeing Gabriel in the circle of holy oil, seeing him standing behind Zachariah, this is an old look. Power, shaking and terrifying. Sam reaches slowly behind him and wraps his hands around the crib railing, desperately trying to remember the brush of fingers and the sound of a smile in silence. Anything, think about anything but...
"What has the fledgling gone and done?"
"None of your fucking business," Sam snarls and Lucifer grins, something bright and mad and wild.
"It would be a half angel. Something..." He trails off his eyes gazing past Sam. "Something beautiful. Something cherished..."
"Sam!"
Sam blinks and turns suddenly, Gabriel is on the other side of the crib, reaching out for him and Lucifer is laughing.
"Wake up! Now!" It's a order, a command, one that Sam so wishes to follow.
He almost flails off the couch, books hitting the floor in a tumble of flapping pages, but someone grabs him and holds him by the shoulders as he gasps and shakes. Sam's got his hands fisted in something soft and then there are hands in his hair, smoothing down his neck; over his back. He can't understand for a moment what they're saying but then he recognizes the soft chiming tongue that the angels use and sags forward as familiar sounds and scents finally return. He's back, he's home.
"Sam, you idiot," Gabriel sounds resigned, tired. "What did you think you were doing?"
"I didn't... Oh God... Elle... He knows..." Sam is shaking, panicked, he couldn't even do this one thing -- protect this one thing for his brother.
"He was going to know sooner or later. Calm down," Gabriel lifts Sam's chin up and brushes his hair out of his face. "It wasn't your fault. How long has this been happening?"
Something in Sam's head is telling him that this is strange. Gabriel's hands are on him, but it's the look of concern on the Archangel's face that makes Sam stop. Gabriel isn't worried about Elle or Cas or... Gabriel is worried about him.
"I... A while," Sam manages and feels guilty when Gabriel closes his eyes.
"And you didn't think to bring this up? Even with Cas cut off, he could still ward your dreams." The words are sharp, and Sam cringes.
"I didn't want him to waste..."
"Protecting you is not something I'd call a waste," Gabriel snaps.
Gabriel is angry, he's humming with power and Sam is still hanging onto it as hard as he can. He hates the dreams, he hates Lucifer's words, the feeling of helplessness, the lack of control. No one's ever pulled him out before.
"I didn't want to bother anyone. It was fine. I..." Sam trails offs, because they both know it's a lie.
"Sam," Gabriel sighs his name and opens his eyes, hazel meeting green. "Sam, just fucking be a bother, alright?"
He can't help it, he laughs. He laughs until it chokes out into something desperate and sobbing. He lets Gabriel wrap his arms around his shoulders because he's knows the Archangel won't tell a soul.
"Dean's gonna be pissed," Sam mumbles when he's done, letting Gabriel wipe his face with his shirtsleeves like he's five and has fallen off a junker in the yard.
"We'll deal with that diplomatically," Gabriel says, expression softening.
"We won't tell him?" Sam frowns.
"We'll have Castiel tell him. Preferably while he's distracted. You buy some beer and I'll get a pie."
Sam grins and nods before his eyes flicker to Gabriel. "Cas?"
"He took Elle upstairs to your brother, he hasn't been flying for the joy of it in a long time. He's... happy." Gabriel breathes the last word.
"Then let's leave him happy for now," Sam says, untangling his hands from Gabriel's shirt.
He's a bit embarrassed now. He hasn't freaked out like that since... Well... It's been a long time and he was usually alone or Dean was there and that was still sort of awkward. But Gabriel just nods and tugs him to his feet.
"Come on, it's late. I've sent Barach out on some errands and I'm on watch. You should try to actually sleep."
Sam rolls his shoulder and decides, for once, to be honest with himself. "I'm not sure I can."
He waits a beat, thinking that Gabriel will insist. He knows he's right too, it would be for the best but...
"Okay," Gabriel says, and the look in his eyes is warm. Safe. "Keep me company?"
"Sure."
Chapter Five: Wearing and Tearing