A New Day (2/?)
Title: A New Day (2/?)
Author: lonelyphoenix85
Rating: R to be safe, but probably still PG13
Genre: Angst
Pairing: Dean/Cas slash, Sam/Gabe pre-slash
Spoilers: Season 5 through to Hammer of the Gods.
Warnings: ummm....none that I can think of :-D
Word Count:3536 (6152 total so far)
Disclaimer: It only belongs to me when I'm dreaming - property of the almighty Kripke!
Author's Note: The series so far: Last Night, followed by Their Darkest Hour. This story picks up mid-'Their Darkest Hour', but from Lucifer's point of view - it may help to re-read it quickly (it's only 2800-ish words) first to make this easier to follow at the start *grins*
Also, thanks go to my awesome beta loveinstars - you're fab hun!
Previous Chapters:
Chapter One
Gabriel let his eyes fall closed for a few minutes - he could afford it until he called Lucifer.
It was selfish, he knew, but he couldn’t watch what was happening right now.
He couldn’t watch what he was doing to the hunter - hearing it was hard enough.
The man believed they’d lost - believed he’d lost everything - because that’s what Gabriel needed him to believe.
He’d had to mask Dean’s memories back as far as the previous evening to ensure there would be nothing for Lucifer to pick up that could endanger the plan.
He figured the best way to create believable memories would be to use Dean’s real memories as a template as far as possible - it’d make things less confusing when he took the mask away if…when…they survived this. So he’d taken a quick gander through the hunter’s mind, creating new memories and editing copies of existing ones, and stringing them all together.
When he got to the bit after Dean and Castiel had left the bar - - - well, he’d been expecting about half of what he’d found, and now knew far more about his baby brother than he’d ever wanted to.
The wings though…
He hadn’t been expecting to see Castiel’s wings. They were beautiful - really, truly glorious. And that was seeing them second-hand - a mere human’s perception of them. To see them himself…he doubted he would ever be given the opportunity, but it would’ve been a sight indeed, he was sure.
That Castiel had been so willing to show them to Dean, to let Dean touch them - - - Gabriel was pretty sure the hunter had no idea exactly how big of a deal that was, and he thought maybe his brother should have explained it to the oblivious human, although he could certainly understand why he hadn’t.
Pulling himself back to the present he anchored the mask of fake memories, separate above Dean’s true memories, and blocked out the hunter’s cries and tears and prayers for death as he waited to check it would hold.
Reaching out slightly with his Grace, he called to Castiel.
*Castiel.*
*Brother?*
*I need you to check the memory-graft on Dean - try to penetrate it, tell me if it feels real.*
A moment of silence followed in which he felt faint tugs and prods on the portion of his Grace sustaining the mask, then:
*It is sound, and if I did not know it for a lie, I would believe it as he does.*
Gabriel didn’t miss the quiver in Castiel’s ‘voice’, and had to remind himself why they were doing this.
*Thanks bro!*
He tried to inject some of his usual good humour into the comment, but suspected that it came out a mere echo.
Gabriel quickly moved onto his next task - hiding his and Castiel’s Grace signatures so that they’d appear as dead as the rest of the illusion. It was the work of a moment, and they were ready.
Reaching out towards Sam, he slipped through the cloak cast up by the sigils - sigils improved and perfected by Castiel and written in Gabriel’s blood - and paused.
*Sammy…?*
*Yeah?*
He’d thought Castiel sounded distressed - Sam sounded devastated. So much hurt and pain suffused that one word…
*It’s time. I need something from you - a memory.*
*Memory?*
*From when you died. I need to see the memory from when you were stabbed.*
*Why? I mean, okay, of course, but…why?*
*Your soul’s reaction to it is what I need to mimic to get Luci’s attention,* he started searching as he spoke, and finding it quickly he began to examine it for what he needed. *I should be able to get what I need from the memory easily enough - definitely beats killing your ass and having to bring you back kiddo.*
*Yeah - yeah, I definitely prefer this plan.*
Gabriel bit back a chuckle. He grabbed an image of what he needed, and returned the memory.
*Thought you might. Shit’s about to hit the fan Sammy, get ready…and remember, trust me - I’ve got things under control, even if it doesn’t look like it.*
*Just…be careful Gabe. Dean was right, there are too many ways this could go wrong…*
*I’m always careful Sasquatch! See you on the flip-side.*
With that, Gabriel withdrew into himself and paused. Checking Cas’ illusion quickly he counted seventeen dead angels - eighteen including himself.
Nineteen deaths to fake, the last of which - Sam’s - should bring his brother running.
With one last quick prayer that everything would go to plan, he braced himself and ripped a chunk of Grace free.
The pain was indescribable.
In all his years he’d never felt anything so agonising, and he hoped to God he never would again.
He waited with clenched fists for it to recede, quietly grateful for Castiel’s suggestion that he anchor the memories and cloaks before starting this part - he wasn’t sure he could have held them otherwise.
After a few moments he could think clearly again, and he tore-up the piece of Grace into eighteen smaller pieces - one slightly larger than the others (*After-all,* he thought, *Archangel…of course I’d go out with a bigger bang than the rest!*). He scattered the pieces across the illusion - taking care that they would be unnoticeable to Dean - and took a deep breath.
Reaching out, he flattened the pieces, one or two or three at a time - snuffing them out with only a faint trace left behind, just enough to convince Lucifer that the bodies had been vessels when they died.
He resolutely ignored the growing ache in his remaining Grace - he could deal with the damage later. It wouldn’t matter if they lost, after all.
Once they were all gone, Gabriel took the memory he’d copied from Sam, infused it with energy - pure, life-giving energy - and pushed, dragging the energy away at the last second and killing the image of Sam as completely as the knife had originally killed the hunter.
He almost grinned when he felt the approaching presence - Grace, dark and twisted and rotting…a pitiful mockery of past glory.
So far, so good.
SPNSPNSPN
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen…”
Lucifer’s voice was soft - a strange mixture of scorn and sadness.
Dean didn’t flinch. Didn’t even appear to hear him.
Gabriel took a moment to consider how completely he’d managed to destroy the hunter, and his blood ran cold. This was why they’d always turned to him in the past, his brothers.
He wasn’t the most feared and respected, that was Michael.
He didn’t have the skill that Raphael could boast.
Lucifer had always been the most beautiful.
But Gabriel…Gabriel was sneaky. Gabriel could plan, he was cunning and could be cruel and merciless when he had to be. He had whispered in the ears of the Nephilim until they fell to their own fury; he’d ignored the cries of fear and pain as he rained fire upon Sodom; and now…
Now he was torturing Dean Winchester in a bid to defeat his fallen brother. Torturing Sam and Castiel through Dean.
He briefly wondered if they would be able to forgive him when it was over. If the fragile bonds he’d started to form with them would be broken by this. ‘For a good cause’ and their naïve agreement to the plan were all well and good in theory, but in reality emotion ruled logic and the scars this left could destroy everything.
A burst of anger from Dean drew Gabriel back into the present, and he focused on the hunter just in time to hear him telling Lucifer to go to hell.
He had to choke back the bark of laughter that bubbled up, because even with everything stripped bare, Dean was still Dean - cocky and brash and reckless to the last.
Lucifer’s reply sent a chill down Gabriel’s spine; his cool, flat tone as he thanked Dean for killing their brothers made Gabriel feel sick, made him ache for the big brother he’d lost when Lucifer fell.
The cold indifference when Lucifer’s eyes came to rest on him…the almost disinterested way he asked Dean who had killed the youngest of the original Archangels…
A fresh burst of pain, of horror and disgust, from Dean tore Gabriel’s focus from his brother, and he suddenly wished he could see the hunter, could find out what had caused the sudden emotion, where before there had been only anger and emptiness.
“Why do you weep for my brother, Dean?”
“Because he was better than you, and Michael, and Ra… and Raphael all put together, you asshole!”
“Gabriel fought alongside you?”
“He did what was right.”
Gabriel’s Grace swelled with gratitude at this defence, at the realisation that the pain had been for him. That even with Sam and Cas lying ‘dead’ around him, there was still room for Gabriel, consideration for the archangel who’d been a thorn in the man’s side over the last four years…
A harsh tug on the memory-graft drew Gabriel’s attention, and he found himself watching along with Lucifer as Dean remembered his ‘last stand’ against Raphael - that had been one hell of a speech, if he did say so himself (and he totally did!), it was almost a pity he wouldn’t get to use it for real…not that he wanted to die of course, but as final words went, they were kind of kick-ass.
Gabriel listened as Lucifer tried to tempt Dean. He could hear Sam mentally screaming at Dean to say no, and spared a second to be glad he’d remembered to block the hidden hunter’s thoughts from Lucifer’s perception.
His brother’s offer to the elder Winchester surprised Gabriel. He hadn’t considered this - hadn’t thought Lucifer would be willing to settle for anything less than Sam. Confused, Gabriel cautiously reached out with a tiny sliver of Grace, just enough to get a better read on things without drawing attention to himself.
Understanding dawned at the realisation that Lucifer was in far worse shape than he’d been letting on. His vessel was dead - his Grace barely contained within the crumbling husk. Resurrecting Sam would take time, energy, concentration that Lucifer would be pressed to spare at the moment - Dean was a much easier option. The thrill of stealing Michael’s vessel was no doubt an additional lure, and Gabriel did not doubt his promise of keeping Sam safe from their older brother - keeping Michael without a vessel would give Lucifer free reign on Earth.
Gabriel could feel as Dean began to waver - Lucifer’s offer was beyond tempting, he knew. The hunter had spent almost his entire life keeping his baby brother safe, and now…now he was being offered the chance to make Sammy safe, once and for all. Of course he was wavering.
Carefully - oh so very carefully - Gabriel reached for Dean, sifting unnoticed through the memories of the previous night, until he found what he needed.
As he pulled the memories into focus for the hunter one by one, he prayed the hunter would understand, would realise…
He prayed that the memories of a night filled with hope and love and family would give Dean the strength to hold out.
Gabriel felt Dean’s pain. Felt love and anger and sadness. And finally…
Finally he felt determination.
Even as Dean began to speak Gabriel felt the knot in his stomach loosen, and he reached out on instinct to mute Sam’s sigh of relief at the words, knowing the hunter would not be able to keep silent at Dean’s declaration.
Gabriel wondered if Dean realised exactly how much of a slap in the face his choice of words was for Lucifer - he hoped so, the hunter deserved the satisfaction of a blow well-struck.
‘Go to Hell.’
A command echoing the fallen Archangel’s original punishment.
He was distracted once more from his thoughts at a rush of air above him followed by the resounding thud of flesh against concrete.
A quick check showed that Dean, whilst injured and immobilised against one of the warehouse’s many concrete support struts, was still breathing and conscious. A fact that was quickly confirmed as the hunter began to shout and curse himself coarse in a vain attempt to keep Lucifer away from Sam’s body.
A spark of blackened Grace brushed against his own as Lucifer began to pour energy into the dead vessel, and Gabriel bit back a smirk of triumph as they drew one step nearer to success.
*Hang in there Dean-o, Sammy’s safe. I swear I’ll keep him safe,* Gabriel promised, careful not to broadcast the thought to the despairing hunter.
There was still a lot that could go wrong, but Gabriel felt confident. Confident that they could pull it off, that his back-up plan wouldn’t be needed.
Only Cas knew about the back-up plan. He hadn’t felt it worth worrying the brothers.
If things went south then it was up to Castiel to get Dean and Sam somewhere safe while he dealt with their brother. And by dealt with, he meant took out with extreme prejudice in a kamikaze run. He might not have mentioned the ‘kamikaze’ bit to Cas, but he had a feeling the younger archangel - and how weird was that? Not being the youngest archangel anymore… - knew anyway.
He watched as life flooded the body in front of Lucifer, and quickly made the connection between it and the hidden hunter.
*You’re up Sammy - knock ‘em dead kiddo!*
SPNSPNSPN
*You’re up Sammy - knock ‘em dead kiddo!*
*If only!* He shot back with a hint of wistfulness.
*Clever,* came the archangel’s snarky come-back, followed by, *now, focus Sasquatch - don’t screw-up. If I tell you to do something, you do it. And don’t panic, for Dad’s sake!*
Sam bit back a chuckle at the last statement.
*Got it, Gabe - we’ve been over this how many times? I know the plan.*
Sam was very carefully ignoring his brother’s shouts and curses, he couldn’t afford to split his focus on this.
Shit. He hoped Dean would be able to forgive them for this. He’d agreed to the plan, but it had been Sam and Gabriel’s idea to put him out there, alone against the Devil, alone against everything…
*Okay Sammy, he’s nearly done, on three start gasping like you’ve spent the last hour holding your breath…one, two, three!*
Sam gasped and spluttered and breathed deeply, taking a good fifteen heaving breaths - and becoming quite light-headed in the process - before slowing to a more normal rate.
Standing from the stool, Sam watched as the copy scrabbled from its spot on the floor to mimic him and rise to its feet.
It was…disconcerting, to say the least. He turned his head slowly, looking first to his brother, then across the warehouse slowly, making sure to pause on first Cas and then Gabe. Finally he looked back to his brother, grief and pain filling his eyes - *making it more convincing,* he thought a little bitterly - as he tried to imagine what Dean must be going through.
*Focus Sammy!*
Gabe’s voice echoed through his head, and he realised that Lucifer had spoken while he’d been distracted.
*He said hi…your turn…*
If there was a nervous edge to Gabriel’s thoughts - well, it was probably best to ignore that for now.
“Lucifer.”
To speak and hear his voice come not from his mouth, but from across the room, was a strange experience.
He angled his body towards the fallen archangel, his eyes leaving his brother to follow, and the copy spun on the spot to face Lucifer.
“Let Dean go.”
He already knew the answer, but he had to ask, had to let Lucifer believe he was desperate enough to be that hopeful, to ask for something he couldn’t possibly believe he’d get.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that just yet Sam. I need something from you first. I just need one tiny little word, Sam, and Dean can leave. I’ll even wipe his memory, set him up safe and happy somewhere. He’ll never know what happened. He won’t even remember Hell.”
Out of the corner of his eye - he didn’t dare turn his head, didn’t dare make the copy take its eyes off the Devil - he saw as Dean struggled silently against the force pinning him to the concrete.
“No.”
“I won’t ask nicely again Sam...”
The threat was clear in Lucifer’s voice, and Sam kept his face carefully blank. After a few seconds of silence, Lucifer let out a sigh.
“As you wish.”
Sam heard Dean gasp faintly, and he itched to check on his brother, but he kept his eyes resolutely on the fallen archangel.
“His death will not be quick. It also won’t be the end.”
At this Sam twisted to stare at his brother.
*Not again,* he thought in horror. He knew what Lucifer was hinting at, and he wasn’t sure he could watch it again…
*You won’t have to kid,* came Gabriel’s voice suddenly, thick with an old guilt. *Just go with me here…start thinking nothing but ‘not again’ - just those two words on a continuous loop; nothing else, understood? I’m going to let your thoughts broadcast for just long enough for my bro to realise he’s hit a sore point. After a few repeats, lock it down - think of empty space, a black wall of nothing, whatever works. I’ll shut it off then so you’ll only need to hold that for a fraction of a second Sammy. Ready?*
*Yeah.*
“I will kill him, again and again Sam, until you say yes. Can you watch him die over and over? All because you’re too selfish to give one single right answer…”
He let his horror show on his face, bowing his head slightly, eyes wide as he watched his brother gasp for air.
*Go.*
He was terrified of screwing it up, but he focussed, even managing to channel his fear into the thought.
*Not again. Not again. Not again.*
Over and over he chanted, until he saw Lucifer’s triumphant smirk. One more second to be safe, and then he let his eyes fall closed and remembered what dying had felt like - remembered the encroaching blackness and his mind-numbing until there was nothing.
*Good job Sammy,* he heard faintly, and he allowed himself to focus again, keeping his eyes closed, careful not to move as he listened. *Now, I’m gonna ask you a question in a sec, and I need you to answer it out loud, ‘kay kiddo? But first I need you to open your eyes, look at my brother, and then nod - but if the copy nods along, then for Dad’s sake keep your mouth shut!*
*Okay.*
Sam raised his head slowly and opened his eyes, turning his head back to face Lucifer. Just before he nodded he felt a faint tug in his chest.
He watched his copy out of the corner of his eye, and was relieved to see its head remain stationary as he nodded.
*Are you ready for this to be over Sammy?*
Another faint tug in his chest followed, and he half-whispered, half-choked out his reply.
“Yes.”
He heard the copy speak, heard the faint thump as Dean collapsed to the floor.
He watched Lucifer’s vessel crumble to dust as he left it, and felt a moment’s sympathy for the man it had once been.
Sam felt a final tug as Lucifer’s push broke his connection to the copy for the last time, and at last he let himself smile.
*It worked…* he thought in amazement.
He watched the look of shock and anger that formed on Lucifer’s face, watched as he tried to turn on Dean as he realised something had gone wrong.
Watched as he froze in place mid-step as first Gabriel, then Cas rose from their places on the ground, all traces of injury disappearing along with the battle-scene as Castiel finally relaxed his hold on the illusion.
*Yeah Sammy, it worked. Come over and say hi…I’ve got him - he’s not going anywhere.*
He walked forward, leaving the warded area to join his brother - who looked hurt and tired, and seriously confused.
“Dean…?”
“Oh right! Sorry Dean-o,” Gabriel said with a shrug, “was a bit distracted by my big bro over here…”
He snapped his fingers lazily, and Sam watched as comprehension dawned on Dean’s face. He still looked tired, but now there was disbelief and an almost wary joy there too.
“We did it…?”
“We were successful,” came Castiel’s reply as he moved to place his hand softly on Dean’s shoulder.
“Now we just need to hide him and hope Mikey’ll go home to sulk for a century or so…”
Sam shot his best bitch-face at Gabriel and laughed as the archangel disappeared to reappear behind him as Dean’s hand swatted the empty air where his head had been only a moment ago.
“Dammit! Hold still! - - - you deserve more than a slap - you just jinxed us! Damned candy-loving, snarky, smart-assed archangel!”
“You worry too much, Winchester!”
SPNSPNSPN
If anyone noticed the confused and extremely freaked-out look in the frozen fallen archangel’s eyes - well, they couldn’t be blamed for ignoring him for a bit, could they? They’d all earned a few minutes of relaxation before they got back to work, hadn’t they?
Lucifer shouted and screamed uselessly from within his cage of flesh and bone.
Go to Chapter Three
Author: lonelyphoenix85
Rating: R to be safe, but probably still PG13
Genre: Angst
Pairing: Dean/Cas slash, Sam/Gabe pre-slash
Spoilers: Season 5 through to Hammer of the Gods.
Warnings: ummm....none that I can think of :-D
Word Count:3536 (6152 total so far)
Disclaimer: It only belongs to me when I'm dreaming - property of the almighty Kripke!
Author's Note: The series so far: Last Night, followed by Their Darkest Hour. This story picks up mid-'Their Darkest Hour', but from Lucifer's point of view - it may help to re-read it quickly (it's only 2800-ish words) first to make this easier to follow at the start *grins*
Also, thanks go to my awesome beta loveinstars - you're fab hun!
Previous Chapters:
Chapter One
Gabriel let his eyes fall closed for a few minutes - he could afford it until he called Lucifer.
It was selfish, he knew, but he couldn’t watch what was happening right now.
He couldn’t watch what he was doing to the hunter - hearing it was hard enough.
The man believed they’d lost - believed he’d lost everything - because that’s what Gabriel needed him to believe.
He’d had to mask Dean’s memories back as far as the previous evening to ensure there would be nothing for Lucifer to pick up that could endanger the plan.
He figured the best way to create believable memories would be to use Dean’s real memories as a template as far as possible - it’d make things less confusing when he took the mask away if…when…they survived this. So he’d taken a quick gander through the hunter’s mind, creating new memories and editing copies of existing ones, and stringing them all together.
When he got to the bit after Dean and Castiel had left the bar - - - well, he’d been expecting about half of what he’d found, and now knew far more about his baby brother than he’d ever wanted to.
The wings though…
He hadn’t been expecting to see Castiel’s wings. They were beautiful - really, truly glorious. And that was seeing them second-hand - a mere human’s perception of them. To see them himself…he doubted he would ever be given the opportunity, but it would’ve been a sight indeed, he was sure.
That Castiel had been so willing to show them to Dean, to let Dean touch them - - - Gabriel was pretty sure the hunter had no idea exactly how big of a deal that was, and he thought maybe his brother should have explained it to the oblivious human, although he could certainly understand why he hadn’t.
Pulling himself back to the present he anchored the mask of fake memories, separate above Dean’s true memories, and blocked out the hunter’s cries and tears and prayers for death as he waited to check it would hold.
Reaching out slightly with his Grace, he called to Castiel.
*Castiel.*
*Brother?*
*I need you to check the memory-graft on Dean - try to penetrate it, tell me if it feels real.*
A moment of silence followed in which he felt faint tugs and prods on the portion of his Grace sustaining the mask, then:
*It is sound, and if I did not know it for a lie, I would believe it as he does.*
Gabriel didn’t miss the quiver in Castiel’s ‘voice’, and had to remind himself why they were doing this.
*Thanks bro!*
He tried to inject some of his usual good humour into the comment, but suspected that it came out a mere echo.
Gabriel quickly moved onto his next task - hiding his and Castiel’s Grace signatures so that they’d appear as dead as the rest of the illusion. It was the work of a moment, and they were ready.
Reaching out towards Sam, he slipped through the cloak cast up by the sigils - sigils improved and perfected by Castiel and written in Gabriel’s blood - and paused.
*Sammy…?*
*Yeah?*
He’d thought Castiel sounded distressed - Sam sounded devastated. So much hurt and pain suffused that one word…
*It’s time. I need something from you - a memory.*
*Memory?*
*From when you died. I need to see the memory from when you were stabbed.*
*Why? I mean, okay, of course, but…why?*
*Your soul’s reaction to it is what I need to mimic to get Luci’s attention,* he started searching as he spoke, and finding it quickly he began to examine it for what he needed. *I should be able to get what I need from the memory easily enough - definitely beats killing your ass and having to bring you back kiddo.*
*Yeah - yeah, I definitely prefer this plan.*
Gabriel bit back a chuckle. He grabbed an image of what he needed, and returned the memory.
*Thought you might. Shit’s about to hit the fan Sammy, get ready…and remember, trust me - I’ve got things under control, even if it doesn’t look like it.*
*Just…be careful Gabe. Dean was right, there are too many ways this could go wrong…*
*I’m always careful Sasquatch! See you on the flip-side.*
With that, Gabriel withdrew into himself and paused. Checking Cas’ illusion quickly he counted seventeen dead angels - eighteen including himself.
Nineteen deaths to fake, the last of which - Sam’s - should bring his brother running.
With one last quick prayer that everything would go to plan, he braced himself and ripped a chunk of Grace free.
The pain was indescribable.
In all his years he’d never felt anything so agonising, and he hoped to God he never would again.
He waited with clenched fists for it to recede, quietly grateful for Castiel’s suggestion that he anchor the memories and cloaks before starting this part - he wasn’t sure he could have held them otherwise.
After a few moments he could think clearly again, and he tore-up the piece of Grace into eighteen smaller pieces - one slightly larger than the others (*After-all,* he thought, *Archangel…of course I’d go out with a bigger bang than the rest!*). He scattered the pieces across the illusion - taking care that they would be unnoticeable to Dean - and took a deep breath.
Reaching out, he flattened the pieces, one or two or three at a time - snuffing them out with only a faint trace left behind, just enough to convince Lucifer that the bodies had been vessels when they died.
He resolutely ignored the growing ache in his remaining Grace - he could deal with the damage later. It wouldn’t matter if they lost, after all.
Once they were all gone, Gabriel took the memory he’d copied from Sam, infused it with energy - pure, life-giving energy - and pushed, dragging the energy away at the last second and killing the image of Sam as completely as the knife had originally killed the hunter.
He almost grinned when he felt the approaching presence - Grace, dark and twisted and rotting…a pitiful mockery of past glory.
So far, so good.
SPNSPNSPN
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen…”
Lucifer’s voice was soft - a strange mixture of scorn and sadness.
Dean didn’t flinch. Didn’t even appear to hear him.
Gabriel took a moment to consider how completely he’d managed to destroy the hunter, and his blood ran cold. This was why they’d always turned to him in the past, his brothers.
He wasn’t the most feared and respected, that was Michael.
He didn’t have the skill that Raphael could boast.
Lucifer had always been the most beautiful.
But Gabriel…Gabriel was sneaky. Gabriel could plan, he was cunning and could be cruel and merciless when he had to be. He had whispered in the ears of the Nephilim until they fell to their own fury; he’d ignored the cries of fear and pain as he rained fire upon Sodom; and now…
Now he was torturing Dean Winchester in a bid to defeat his fallen brother. Torturing Sam and Castiel through Dean.
He briefly wondered if they would be able to forgive him when it was over. If the fragile bonds he’d started to form with them would be broken by this. ‘For a good cause’ and their naïve agreement to the plan were all well and good in theory, but in reality emotion ruled logic and the scars this left could destroy everything.
A burst of anger from Dean drew Gabriel back into the present, and he focused on the hunter just in time to hear him telling Lucifer to go to hell.
He had to choke back the bark of laughter that bubbled up, because even with everything stripped bare, Dean was still Dean - cocky and brash and reckless to the last.
Lucifer’s reply sent a chill down Gabriel’s spine; his cool, flat tone as he thanked Dean for killing their brothers made Gabriel feel sick, made him ache for the big brother he’d lost when Lucifer fell.
The cold indifference when Lucifer’s eyes came to rest on him…the almost disinterested way he asked Dean who had killed the youngest of the original Archangels…
A fresh burst of pain, of horror and disgust, from Dean tore Gabriel’s focus from his brother, and he suddenly wished he could see the hunter, could find out what had caused the sudden emotion, where before there had been only anger and emptiness.
“Why do you weep for my brother, Dean?”
“Because he was better than you, and Michael, and Ra… and Raphael all put together, you asshole!”
“Gabriel fought alongside you?”
“He did what was right.”
Gabriel’s Grace swelled with gratitude at this defence, at the realisation that the pain had been for him. That even with Sam and Cas lying ‘dead’ around him, there was still room for Gabriel, consideration for the archangel who’d been a thorn in the man’s side over the last four years…
A harsh tug on the memory-graft drew Gabriel’s attention, and he found himself watching along with Lucifer as Dean remembered his ‘last stand’ against Raphael - that had been one hell of a speech, if he did say so himself (and he totally did!), it was almost a pity he wouldn’t get to use it for real…not that he wanted to die of course, but as final words went, they were kind of kick-ass.
Gabriel listened as Lucifer tried to tempt Dean. He could hear Sam mentally screaming at Dean to say no, and spared a second to be glad he’d remembered to block the hidden hunter’s thoughts from Lucifer’s perception.
His brother’s offer to the elder Winchester surprised Gabriel. He hadn’t considered this - hadn’t thought Lucifer would be willing to settle for anything less than Sam. Confused, Gabriel cautiously reached out with a tiny sliver of Grace, just enough to get a better read on things without drawing attention to himself.
Understanding dawned at the realisation that Lucifer was in far worse shape than he’d been letting on. His vessel was dead - his Grace barely contained within the crumbling husk. Resurrecting Sam would take time, energy, concentration that Lucifer would be pressed to spare at the moment - Dean was a much easier option. The thrill of stealing Michael’s vessel was no doubt an additional lure, and Gabriel did not doubt his promise of keeping Sam safe from their older brother - keeping Michael without a vessel would give Lucifer free reign on Earth.
Gabriel could feel as Dean began to waver - Lucifer’s offer was beyond tempting, he knew. The hunter had spent almost his entire life keeping his baby brother safe, and now…now he was being offered the chance to make Sammy safe, once and for all. Of course he was wavering.
Carefully - oh so very carefully - Gabriel reached for Dean, sifting unnoticed through the memories of the previous night, until he found what he needed.
As he pulled the memories into focus for the hunter one by one, he prayed the hunter would understand, would realise…
He prayed that the memories of a night filled with hope and love and family would give Dean the strength to hold out.
Gabriel felt Dean’s pain. Felt love and anger and sadness. And finally…
Finally he felt determination.
Even as Dean began to speak Gabriel felt the knot in his stomach loosen, and he reached out on instinct to mute Sam’s sigh of relief at the words, knowing the hunter would not be able to keep silent at Dean’s declaration.
Gabriel wondered if Dean realised exactly how much of a slap in the face his choice of words was for Lucifer - he hoped so, the hunter deserved the satisfaction of a blow well-struck.
‘Go to Hell.’
A command echoing the fallen Archangel’s original punishment.
He was distracted once more from his thoughts at a rush of air above him followed by the resounding thud of flesh against concrete.
A quick check showed that Dean, whilst injured and immobilised against one of the warehouse’s many concrete support struts, was still breathing and conscious. A fact that was quickly confirmed as the hunter began to shout and curse himself coarse in a vain attempt to keep Lucifer away from Sam’s body.
A spark of blackened Grace brushed against his own as Lucifer began to pour energy into the dead vessel, and Gabriel bit back a smirk of triumph as they drew one step nearer to success.
*Hang in there Dean-o, Sammy’s safe. I swear I’ll keep him safe,* Gabriel promised, careful not to broadcast the thought to the despairing hunter.
There was still a lot that could go wrong, but Gabriel felt confident. Confident that they could pull it off, that his back-up plan wouldn’t be needed.
Only Cas knew about the back-up plan. He hadn’t felt it worth worrying the brothers.
If things went south then it was up to Castiel to get Dean and Sam somewhere safe while he dealt with their brother. And by dealt with, he meant took out with extreme prejudice in a kamikaze run. He might not have mentioned the ‘kamikaze’ bit to Cas, but he had a feeling the younger archangel - and how weird was that? Not being the youngest archangel anymore… - knew anyway.
He watched as life flooded the body in front of Lucifer, and quickly made the connection between it and the hidden hunter.
*You’re up Sammy - knock ‘em dead kiddo!*
SPNSPNSPN
*You’re up Sammy - knock ‘em dead kiddo!*
*If only!* He shot back with a hint of wistfulness.
*Clever,* came the archangel’s snarky come-back, followed by, *now, focus Sasquatch - don’t screw-up. If I tell you to do something, you do it. And don’t panic, for Dad’s sake!*
Sam bit back a chuckle at the last statement.
*Got it, Gabe - we’ve been over this how many times? I know the plan.*
Sam was very carefully ignoring his brother’s shouts and curses, he couldn’t afford to split his focus on this.
Shit. He hoped Dean would be able to forgive them for this. He’d agreed to the plan, but it had been Sam and Gabriel’s idea to put him out there, alone against the Devil, alone against everything…
*Okay Sammy, he’s nearly done, on three start gasping like you’ve spent the last hour holding your breath…one, two, three!*
Sam gasped and spluttered and breathed deeply, taking a good fifteen heaving breaths - and becoming quite light-headed in the process - before slowing to a more normal rate.
Standing from the stool, Sam watched as the copy scrabbled from its spot on the floor to mimic him and rise to its feet.
It was…disconcerting, to say the least. He turned his head slowly, looking first to his brother, then across the warehouse slowly, making sure to pause on first Cas and then Gabe. Finally he looked back to his brother, grief and pain filling his eyes - *making it more convincing,* he thought a little bitterly - as he tried to imagine what Dean must be going through.
*Focus Sammy!*
Gabe’s voice echoed through his head, and he realised that Lucifer had spoken while he’d been distracted.
*He said hi…your turn…*
If there was a nervous edge to Gabriel’s thoughts - well, it was probably best to ignore that for now.
“Lucifer.”
To speak and hear his voice come not from his mouth, but from across the room, was a strange experience.
He angled his body towards the fallen archangel, his eyes leaving his brother to follow, and the copy spun on the spot to face Lucifer.
“Let Dean go.”
He already knew the answer, but he had to ask, had to let Lucifer believe he was desperate enough to be that hopeful, to ask for something he couldn’t possibly believe he’d get.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that just yet Sam. I need something from you first. I just need one tiny little word, Sam, and Dean can leave. I’ll even wipe his memory, set him up safe and happy somewhere. He’ll never know what happened. He won’t even remember Hell.”
Out of the corner of his eye - he didn’t dare turn his head, didn’t dare make the copy take its eyes off the Devil - he saw as Dean struggled silently against the force pinning him to the concrete.
“No.”
“I won’t ask nicely again Sam...”
The threat was clear in Lucifer’s voice, and Sam kept his face carefully blank. After a few seconds of silence, Lucifer let out a sigh.
“As you wish.”
Sam heard Dean gasp faintly, and he itched to check on his brother, but he kept his eyes resolutely on the fallen archangel.
“His death will not be quick. It also won’t be the end.”
At this Sam twisted to stare at his brother.
*Not again,* he thought in horror. He knew what Lucifer was hinting at, and he wasn’t sure he could watch it again…
*You won’t have to kid,* came Gabriel’s voice suddenly, thick with an old guilt. *Just go with me here…start thinking nothing but ‘not again’ - just those two words on a continuous loop; nothing else, understood? I’m going to let your thoughts broadcast for just long enough for my bro to realise he’s hit a sore point. After a few repeats, lock it down - think of empty space, a black wall of nothing, whatever works. I’ll shut it off then so you’ll only need to hold that for a fraction of a second Sammy. Ready?*
*Yeah.*
“I will kill him, again and again Sam, until you say yes. Can you watch him die over and over? All because you’re too selfish to give one single right answer…”
He let his horror show on his face, bowing his head slightly, eyes wide as he watched his brother gasp for air.
*Go.*
He was terrified of screwing it up, but he focussed, even managing to channel his fear into the thought.
*Not again. Not again. Not again.*
Over and over he chanted, until he saw Lucifer’s triumphant smirk. One more second to be safe, and then he let his eyes fall closed and remembered what dying had felt like - remembered the encroaching blackness and his mind-numbing until there was nothing.
*Good job Sammy,* he heard faintly, and he allowed himself to focus again, keeping his eyes closed, careful not to move as he listened. *Now, I’m gonna ask you a question in a sec, and I need you to answer it out loud, ‘kay kiddo? But first I need you to open your eyes, look at my brother, and then nod - but if the copy nods along, then for Dad’s sake keep your mouth shut!*
*Okay.*
Sam raised his head slowly and opened his eyes, turning his head back to face Lucifer. Just before he nodded he felt a faint tug in his chest.
He watched his copy out of the corner of his eye, and was relieved to see its head remain stationary as he nodded.
*Are you ready for this to be over Sammy?*
Another faint tug in his chest followed, and he half-whispered, half-choked out his reply.
“Yes.”
He heard the copy speak, heard the faint thump as Dean collapsed to the floor.
He watched Lucifer’s vessel crumble to dust as he left it, and felt a moment’s sympathy for the man it had once been.
Sam felt a final tug as Lucifer’s push broke his connection to the copy for the last time, and at last he let himself smile.
*It worked…* he thought in amazement.
He watched the look of shock and anger that formed on Lucifer’s face, watched as he tried to turn on Dean as he realised something had gone wrong.
Watched as he froze in place mid-step as first Gabriel, then Cas rose from their places on the ground, all traces of injury disappearing along with the battle-scene as Castiel finally relaxed his hold on the illusion.
*Yeah Sammy, it worked. Come over and say hi…I’ve got him - he’s not going anywhere.*
He walked forward, leaving the warded area to join his brother - who looked hurt and tired, and seriously confused.
“Dean…?”
“Oh right! Sorry Dean-o,” Gabriel said with a shrug, “was a bit distracted by my big bro over here…”
He snapped his fingers lazily, and Sam watched as comprehension dawned on Dean’s face. He still looked tired, but now there was disbelief and an almost wary joy there too.
“We did it…?”
“We were successful,” came Castiel’s reply as he moved to place his hand softly on Dean’s shoulder.
“Now we just need to hide him and hope Mikey’ll go home to sulk for a century or so…”
Sam shot his best bitch-face at Gabriel and laughed as the archangel disappeared to reappear behind him as Dean’s hand swatted the empty air where his head had been only a moment ago.
“Dammit! Hold still! - - - you deserve more than a slap - you just jinxed us! Damned candy-loving, snarky, smart-assed archangel!”
“You worry too much, Winchester!”
SPNSPNSPN
If anyone noticed the confused and extremely freaked-out look in the frozen fallen archangel’s eyes - well, they couldn’t be blamed for ignoring him for a bit, could they? They’d all earned a few minutes of relaxation before they got back to work, hadn’t they?
Lucifer shouted and screamed uselessly from within his cage of flesh and bone.
Go to Chapter Three