A Graceful Combination 5/5
Title: A Graceful Combiniation
Author: candylovinangel
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Gabriel, Richard, Jared, Jensen, Misha, Mark (In this part)
Spoilers: up until 6x11
Warnings: Fictional Characters + Actors = Crack from me,
Disclaimer: I don't own anything - Also the Actors here ARE NOT the real deal. I try and make their personalities somewhat close, and they still have their respective partners though RSJ here is single
Summary:Richard is devastated and locked in a panic room, everyone scared for what he might do to himself if he was let to wander around on his own...That and for his own safety, they don't want Lucifer getting to him after all.
Word Count: 4,794
Note: I got inspired by morganoconner 's fics Entangled and These Scattered Shards of a Broken Mirror (Piece Me Back Together). I had recently been suffering from some writer's block and this was just what I needed to inspire me and get me back on my feet.. Seriously Guys go check those out on her journal they are awesome.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Epilouge
They’d had to lock Richard into a room Misha had, a panic room, which frankly none of them had been surprised to find he had, seeing how crazy Misha could be. It had been a horrible sight to have to drag Richard away from Gabriel’s body after the first few hours. Sam, Dean and Jensen had needed to help Misha move him in there, where Cas had warded the panic room and the entirety of the house in general so he had been waiting when they’d dragged Richard into the room and it was Castiel who had restrained him to the bed and the whole time those wings of Richard’s had been out of sight after the first hour after Gabriel’s death.
Cas had apologized several times after he’d chained Richard to a bed with chains that had symbols carved into them. They didn’t know what to do with Gabriel’s body since clearly it was his now as he’d made a new one for Richard…so what now?
Cas had taken a hold of the body and left silently and when he came back he smelled of honey and he refused to talk of where he’d gone.
“What are we going to do?” Dean asked now in the front room of Misha’s home, “We’re sitting ducks, Richard is…well basically useless right now and Jared’s possessed by Lucifer…” He says as Mark looks to them quietly not really sure what to do, but Dean and Sam had been nicer to him since they realized he’d never really been Lucifer. They all had drinks in front of them; Viki was listening quietly whereas Cas was sitting outside the door to the panic room, hearing the yells for Gabriel, the angry yells at a God that didn’t seem to care.
Misha glanced back to Cas and then to them, “Well one thing’s clear…we have to snap Richard out of it, we need to talk to him…and well…I hate to say this but with Gabriel gone Richard and Jared are the only real people we have to fight Lucifer with, and I’m pretty sure Jensen doesn’t want Jared stabbed…” Misha said and Jensen nodded quietly from his spot, where Sam was sitting next to him and wrapping an arm around him and muttered something to Jensen, who looked up to him and said something back softly.
Richard suddenly let out a gut wrenching scream that seemed to make everyone’s stomachs clench. Cas was immediately in the panic room and at Richard’s side.
--
Cas wasn’t sure what he was seeing. He could see Richard’s soul, so bright and…pure compared to the other souls he saw and then he could see the grace twisting and churning inside of him and trying to find a way to…for lack of a better word, join with Richard’s soul…but Cas saw something else there and he went up to Richard and put a hand over his mouth and silenced him and Richard’s eyes flew open in shock and he looked to Cas and Cas looked back calmly and Richard slowly started to calm down, not looking away from Cas’ eyes for even a second as he seemed to calm down and only then did Cas take his hand away.
“Now, calmly tell me what’s wrong,” Cas said as Richard took in a shuddering breath.
“I…I want to accept Gabriel’s…grace but…I..I can’t it hurts too much…” He said in a soft whisper but Cas only smiled faintly.
“That’s because you feel too guilty to accept it. I know you want to…but you have to stop blaming yourself. It’s no-one’s fault but Lucifer’s,” Cas said quietly as Richard looked over Cas as if trying to read the angel who reached out a hand and put it to Richard’s shoulder and squeezed it.
“I’m sorry Richard, I am. It’s clear you were close to my brother and I wish I could help you in a better way than this,” He says even as he made the chains fall away, “But I can make your confinement in here more comfortable,” He says as he suddenly gets pulled into a hug from Richard. Cas was startled, but he patted Richard’s back. Richard thanked him in a whisper and Cas smiled at him faintly and turned and started to leave.
“Cas?” He said as Cas opened the door, he paused and looked back.
“Yes, Richard?” He said with a raised brow,
“Can…can you bring chocolate mousse in please?” He asked. Cas nodded and left the room and looked to those gathered who were watching him expectantly before Cas asked the question, “What’s chocolate mousse?”
Misha can’t help but laugh and gets up and gets some of the mousse from the freezer.
“You have chocolate mousse here?” Jensen asked with a raised brow and Misha shrugged.
“Why not? It’s good,” He said with a shrug before handing the container over to Cas with a spoon, “I’m guessing he’s gonna eat all of this at some point or another,” Misha said with a shrug and Cas nodded and went in to Richard and put the chocolate mousse on the table and Richard looked up and thanked Cas who nodded and then left Richard alone.
--
3 days later
“Damn it we need to leave! Haven’t you seen the news? There’s people dying and all cause that man in there can’t get over a dick’s death!” Dean growled and out of nowhere, Misha had tackled him and delivered quite the punch to Dean’s nose and glared at the stunned thirty one year old.
“We’re waiting until he’s ready, you hear me? And from the way Cas explained it Richard would be unable to use the power Gabriel left him until he stops blaming himself for his death! So you WILL wait. We’ll all wait.” Misha growled before getting up and going to his room….
--
Richard sat there on the bed. He knew they were waiting on him…but…He didn’t want to have to do anything right now…He’s already gone through the chocolate mousse and several sandwiches. Cas had told him it wasn’t his fault…so why did he feel so horrible?
He let out a sigh and looked to the ground. He’d owed a lot to Gabriel…Gabriel had saved him from certain death so…He could at least accept his dying gift…
And finally…finally it happened… He wasn’t sure what he’d expect when the grace would finally wash over him but damn it HURT like a bitch!
He couldn’t help screaming at the pain that ripped through is very being. He knew the wings were visible even as something else stirred when the grace finally joined with Richard’s soul… He hadn’t realized that the warmth of Gabriel’s very grace, his being, hadn’t left Richard at all, his grief had just blinded him to that fact…but the warmth was severely diminished… There was barely anything there..barely a speck, but the grace seemed to strengthen it a bit even as the door to the panic room opened and he saw Misha and Cas and Richard was unaware of the flickering of white and blue light coming from his eyes as he curled in on himself and even as Misha was trying to talk to him…
I am bound to your soul…I’m not going to be going anywhere. Richard remembered those words and he found it an odd time to be remembering it even as Misha kept shaking him.
The pain finally died down and when he uncurled from his position and blinked when it felt like a constant fire was trying to escape from him, he looked at his hands curiously for a moment cause it seemed a lot of this fire was there and he didn’t understand it…Was this really how the grace had felt for Gabriel? The warmth he’d taken for granted seemed to pulse a bit and Richard grabbed at his head as that too felt like it was on fire and he heard Misha asking Cas what was going on and Cas’ answer was actually simple for once.
“His body is adjusting to the grace being his now…It’s painful at first…but then it gets used to it and he won’t be in pain anymore…” Richard wasn’t sure how he managed it but he pushed past the two and was out in the kitchen, his head still feeling like it’s on fire and being pounded on by something like a hammer.
“Richard!” Came Misha’s voice even as Richard somehow found himself on the patio overlooking the sea, heard the waves against the cliff…
“What’s he doing?” Came Mark’s voice as several pairs of footsteps came running behind him as he fumbled to grip the railing. He…he had to get out of there…He had to get to Him…to..to talk to Him…get advise…to do something Gabriel had been far too scared to do. Instinct told him what to do, instinct that was both his and not his as his wings stretched out to their full extent even as he willed them not to be seen… as he looked to the sky. He wanted to see him…
“No!” Came Dean or maybe Jensen’s voice… Either was he was on the railing and someone was grabbing his hand and he wrenched it out of his grip as he lost his balance and fell towards the rocks below and the wings flared out and he found himself gliding out over the water, the wings flapping on occasion as the thermals lifted him up and he vanished as he let himself go to where he knew He was…
He didn’t know how long it took, but soon he was on a high mountain he knew was in the middle east and something told him this was where Moses had talked with God even as Richard landed and he fell to his knees panting. His wings shivered in exhaustion and he started in surprise at the hand on his shoulder and he looked back and saw…Gabriel? What? He felt anguish go through him but Gabriel knelt down next to him and hushed him gently. It was then that Richard knew it wasn’t him even as he was brought into a hug.
“You have been through so much Richard..” Gabriel’s…voice was warm and filled with love and understanding and wisdom.
“you’re…you’re not Gabriel,” He said in a quiet voice.
“No, I’m his father, your father, everyone’s father…I’m just using a form I knew you’d trust and recognize,” God said softly as Richard trembled in the hold, but not out of fear, but of exhaustion. He felt a hand on the wings and God ran his hands along them and the trembling wings became still as a warmth went through them and strength came back to Richard’s tired wing muscles.
“I…I miss him…” Richard said quietly and God gave a soft chuckle.
“You don’t feel him there Richard? Gabriel’s still here he’s just too weak to say anything to you right now. He told you your soul was bound to him right?” God asked, his voice warm and it comforted Richard and he didn’t know why…
“Yes…he told me that,” He said in a whisper.
“Well, you also remember his presence is quite clear to you right? That warmth by your soul is his being can’t you feel how weak it is? Even Gabriel couldn’t have anticipated that it would save him from being banished from another dimension,” God said with a soft laugh, “He is wounded and hurting and he’s hiding right now, trying to get his strength back, he lost a lot of his grace back there before he gave what he could to you. He always was sentimental..but for now you will have to take his place to stop Lucifer, or to try and get your friend Jared to fight him. Lucifer has his ways of intimidating his vessels into saying yes, I’m sure you can get through to him. Just think, he would have threatened to hurt his loved ones…” God smiled at him and he put a hand to Richard’s chest and Richard blinked as the burning of the grace got stronger and hotter and he was struggling not to yell in agony as the wings spread again and they actually seemed to get bigger.
“Wh-what are you d-doing?” He asked in a strained voice, but God didn’t say anything, seeming focused on this task and when he heard tones loud and piercing and understood them and his ears weren’t bleeding…he realized he could hear the angels and he looked to God in surprise.
“I know that with the right boost you can save Jared from Lucifer before Jared is forced to do more horrors. You will win, but you have to trust me and the new instincts you have Richard. Give yourself time to figure out what you can do. After all, archangels can do a lot especially if they are connected with the host.” God then brought his hand away and stood.
“You…you made me a…a archangel?” He asked in soft awe. God smiled at him and then he was gone. And Richard was alone…He wasn’t sure why he was still here but he could sense the lingering presence of God and it…it comforted him so…he supposed that’s why he stayed before he got up and decided he’d let the people at Misha’s place freak out long enough, and with a flutter of feathers he was gone.
--
“Okay okay! I shouldn’t have tried to grab him but he was already out of it!” Dean growled as he got yelled at by both Misha and Sam. They didn’t know where Richard had gone or even if he was okay until Cas was blinking and looking up at the ceiling.
“Holy crap,” Cas said and everyone looked to him.
“What? What is it?” Dean asked, standing as Cas’ mouth actually opened in an O.
“He…He…” It was rare to see Cas so stunned and speechless even as all the lights went out in a burst of sparks and everyone yelped as Richard appeared in the room and Cas yelped and started away from him and Richard blinked and looked to Cas with confusion.
“Really? Now you’re going to be scared around me hm? Wonderful,” Richard growled as he rolled his shoulders in annoyance as the wings seemed to appear without his wanting them to and the all blinked at how much bigger the wings had gotten and how they weren’t an off-shade of white anymore, they were pure white with Gold along the arc of the wings and at the ends of the feathers at the base of the wings.
“What? Why are you guys looking at me like that?” He asked, even as Cas muttered something to him and motioned to his back and Richard looked back and blinked, visibly shocked.
“Huh. So that’s one sign of what he did then,” He said as he reached out and felt the feathers where they were gold and he actually smiled slightly before making them vanish and he looked to them.
He then smirked and pulled out a long and elegant blade from the inside of his jacket and he looked it over. Cas backed away from Richard slowly.
“That’s an archangel’s blade…” He muttered as Richard put it away and nodded, looking to all of them and he sighed.
“Well…I’ll see you guys later…just wanted to let you know…I’m alive for now…” He looked to Cas and then went to Misha and pulled him into a warm hug they could all see the weight of what it was he had to do on his shoulders…
He looked to Cas now and put his hands on both shoulders and they stared at each other for a long moment.
“Take care of these guys, we can’t lose them too,” He said as he clapped Cas on the shoulder and he put his sword away and he went into the panic room and looked around before leaving the room and went out onto the patio and closed his eyes and left, but he felt a tug on his jacket and when he next appeared somewhere Misha was there panting and pale.
“Misha! What are you doing?” He says with shock as he can feel Lucifer nearby here, since Jared hadn’t been marked like Sam was.
“Helping you…Just bring everyone here. Me, you, Jensen hell even Sam Dean and Cas should be able to get through to Jared. You don’t have to do this alone Richard,” Misha says softly, and Richard looks up at him and sighs.
“But…what if you guys get killed? And then I do? No-one will bring you back…” He said, looking at Misha who rolled his eyes.
“The big guy beefed you up, and if he wants us back then well, he’ll bring us back,” Misha said with a smile and Richard just shakes his head even as he claps his hands together once and the others appeared.
“Blame Misha,” He says before he looks to cas and the thought occurred to him…”Hey Cas, think some of your angel buddies would agree to protect the human members of our rag tag group?” He asked and Cas tilted his head.
“I believe so,” He said before he closed his eyes and Richard could hear Cas calling out to Heaven and he heard the various voices respond and then in a few seconds there were other angels all around and Richard smiled faintly before he silently lead the way. They came across a park where Lucifer stood alone, arms crossed and wearing Jared still, and Jared in the same clothes from that night.
He saw two things there in Jared… He saw the bright soul that is Jared’s so full of puppy like innocence…And then the dark twisting Grace of Lucifer that was smothering Jared’s soul and it pissed Richard off to no end even as he told the others to wait.
He went forward and into close range of Lucifer and he saw the confusion flash across Lucifer/Jared’s face.
“You’re not my brother and yet…You have the power he should have…” He growled and Richard can sense the anger.
“Yeah, sucks huh?” He said as he saw Lucifer take out Gabriel’s sword and Richard tensed even as he stared into those now cold eyes.
“Jared. I know you’re in there and I know you can hear me,” He said calmly as he pulled out his own sword, he’d only use it in self defense… He saw Lucifer pause, as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Look around, Jared! Everyone is here; no matter what I did they wanted to come. Your family, friends, and even the characters you guys play,” He said even as Genevieve appeared in the crowd with but a thought from Richard…
“And look at them! They’re protected! Those angels there, they won’t let the fallen angel in you kill the-“ He yelped when Lucfer lunged, yet he somehow managed to parry the thrust as Lucfer smirked at him and Richard knew that he wasn’t going to get any sort of hesitance, not with Gabriel basically gone, dead more or less. He was as good as dead right now even as Richard’s wings flared out and helped him balance even as he saw Lucifer’s, pure black with red at the arcs and the ends. The red was deep and crimson like blood.. The wings he realized were visible for everyone to see and Richard was vastly overwhelmed by the attacks, and somehow he was pulling his reactions from instincts he’d been told to follow by God himself.
“Jared!” Richard yelped after a particularly hard block that jarred his arm, and when he thought he got a flare from the soul he could see in response he furrowed his brow and this time he lunged and made an initiating attack, wings flared out in anger as he found Lucifer blocked him and then they were struggling to move the swords, they were locked together and Richard let out a growl and tackled the taller man. Lucifer looked startled by this.
“Listen to them, Jared! Can’t you hear them?” He growled, he was panting and yet he could hear the others calling out to Jared, pleading for him to stop, to fight Lucifer. Jared’s soul flared brightly but it was Lucifer who sent Richard flying back hard with a burst of power and Richard landed hard on the grass, even as Lucifer stood Jared up.
“You really think that this pathetic and weak human will be able to fight me?” He said with a chuckle as he pinned Richard down and Richard only smiled as the sword point was put to his throat.
“I’m counting on it,” He said with a smile, his voice slipping into the one he used for Gabriel, “Because well, you see, Jared isn’t Sam. He isn’t tainted by demon blood, he isn’t self hating and he doesn’t brood. He’s full of life, love, happiness and joy. Everything you hate isn’t it?” He could fell the tip there. “Face it, you’re jealous of what Jared has and you know if you hadn’t threatened his loved ones, he would never have said yes.” Oh boy that really pissed Lucifer off and he felt the sword starting to dig in when he flung Lucifer off with the powers and he got up.
“You think I couldn’t really fight your power Lucifer? Please, I wanted you to get that close,” He says as his doppel ganger appeared behind Lucifer who stabbed it in the heart and it only smirked at him.
Richard tackled Jared from behind and that’s when something happened that he’d been hoping for…
Richard…? It was Gabriel he finally seemed to have figured out where he was and what was going on.
Hey Gabe, nice timing…uh is there a spell that can send Lucifer back to hell? He said as he struggled to keep Lucifer pinned and the weird thing is…something happened there too, something about his eyes changed and he stopped struggling and he let his head fall back as he panted hard. Richard saw Jared’s soul shining brighter than ever and it looked like he’d trapped Lucifer.
Yes, but it takes a lot of power, I can’t do it…
But I can, just tell and I’ll repeat it as you say it.
“R..Richard…I..I got him…But not for long…hurry…” Jared’s voice was strained and Richard nodded and started repeating the words Gabriel was telling him and Jared let out a yell and started to thrash under him in pain, but he knew it wasn’t Jared now, as the wings started twitching and the light of Lucifer’s twisted and warped grace was coming from Jared’s mouth and eyes and everyone there was cheering for Jared and Richard.
Gabriel finished reciting the spell and Richard finished saying the last word and the wings under Jared glowed a fierce blue and light seemed to explode from him as if he had been stabbed. Richard watched as Lucifer’s grace was forced out of Jared and a hole opened up nearby and he watched as Lucifer’s grace was forced into it, into a cage he knew was there before it seemed to clang all the way closed and the hole was gone… Richard was panting hard and he felt so…so drained…He looked to Jared, who groaned and looked to Richard.
--
Jared couldn’t believe it…He didn’t know how but Richard had gotten supercharged in the time between Lucifer killing Gabriel and now… Jared ached all over from the fight and he saw Richard look back from a hole in the ground and then he smiled at Jared as Jared saw the wings shift and vanish and he saw Richard pale before he collapsed against him and Jared blinked at that. Jared sat up and shifted Richard and felt for a pulse, he felt it and it was weak. He saw the others running towards them and he saw Cas kneel down and feel for a pulse as well.
“Good he’s alive, but barely…and drained of power…seems like that’s how my father planned it; give him enough power to banish Lucifer back to hell…” And Cas lifted Richard up and he stirred and blinked open his eyes and looked at Cas and then smiled.
“Hey bro…it’s been a few days,” He said in a weak voice and Misha, Jared, Jensen, Mark, and well everyone but Genevieve looked to Richard and Cas nearly dropped him.
“Whoa! That how you’re gonna treat me after I told Richard the spell needed to get our asshole of a brother out of Jared?” Gabriel, as it was clear that it was Gabriel talking now, said and Cas shook his head and smiled faintly.
“I should have known that was you there, that bit of Richard I couldn’t identify…it’s weird Gabriel, I don’t think you’ve realized this but your very essence it is…part of Richard’s soul now…If one of you dies, the other will bring him back, but only if the other…--Oh…so you did know didn’t you?” Cas says looking to Gabriel who was grinning.
“No, I didn’t it was just a happy accident. I didn’t want Richard dying with me so I made him this body...I had no clue it was what would keep me here in this dimension, and alive too…but right now I’m drained he’s drained and now powerless as he should be. Dad was only giving him powers to last for this fight...since you know…I’ve been out of commission..” Gabriel muttered, he was beyond exhausted it seemed.
“Can we just…go back to the trailer please?” Jared said as he stood up with a grimace and Cas nodded but first he addressed the other angels and they nodded and left and soon they were back in Richard’s trailer where they put Gabriel on the bed and watched as he got under the covers and tossed off the jacket and kicked off the shoes onto the floor.
“Cas…Dean, Sam, stay here real quick…everyone else please wait in the front room," they reluctantly followed what Gabriel asked and Jared went into the room and sat on the couch with Genevieve and put his head on her shoulder, falling asleep like that…He was so tired…
---
Gabriel looked to the three still left there.
“So…Sam’s got his soul back congrats Sam,” He says as the icebreaker, his smile genuine as Dean and Sam blinked, surprised that Gabriel knew.
“Oh, it’s in the script here in this dimension…Richard here and the other two mooks are actors and they play you guys and me for that matter…Scares me how well Richard can play me…” He shivers.
“So uh…what point are you at now?” He asks as Cas and Dean exchange looks.
“Well, we just killed a dragon…or whatever. It was doing some really freaky stuff to virgins,” Dean said with a smile and Gabriel hid a secret smile. So. They were a few months behind… Maybe…just maybe he actually would be able to find a way back to them. According to the script that was apparently the time that ‘he’ was supposed to have come back battered and bloody…
He took a deep breath and sat up and then got out of the bed and went over to both boys. He had just enough power to pull off this stunt, not to mention he had his connection to the host to be able to do this… He wiped Sam and Dean’s memories of this and then he sent them back to the right dimension, to their hotel room, sprawled out asleep on the beds. He then looked to Cas and smiled, pulling him into a hug.
“Take care bro, I wiped those mooks’ memories…they don’t need to know about any of this… Take care bro and keep an eye on them hm?”
He said with a smile before with a smile he pressed his own fingers to Cas’ head and he was forced to make Cas’ own memories of all this be wiped. It was harder than with the boys as Cas actually fought his efforts but after Gabriel glared at him he submitted and then he sent Cas back. When his bedroom was free of the mooks from the dimension he was most familiar with, he got out to the living room and spent the rest of the hour talking with the others before sending Genevieve back to where she had been before and then he looked to the boys.
“I’ll see you guys later, now vamoose I’m not the only exhausted one, I’m sure,” He said, looking to Jared, who had just woken up and they all said their goodbyes before Gabriel closed and locked the door and went and collapsed onto Richard’s bed…
Author: candylovinangel
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Gabriel, Richard, Jared, Jensen, Misha, Mark (In this part)
Spoilers: up until 6x11
Warnings: Fictional Characters + Actors = Crack from me,
Disclaimer: I don't own anything - Also the Actors here ARE NOT the real deal. I try and make their personalities somewhat close, and they still have their respective partners though RSJ here is single
Summary:Richard is devastated and locked in a panic room, everyone scared for what he might do to himself if he was let to wander around on his own...That and for his own safety, they don't want Lucifer getting to him after all.
Word Count: 4,794
Note: I got inspired by morganoconner 's fics Entangled and These Scattered Shards of a Broken Mirror (Piece Me Back Together). I had recently been suffering from some writer's block and this was just what I needed to inspire me and get me back on my feet.. Seriously Guys go check those out on her journal they are awesome.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Epilouge
They’d had to lock Richard into a room Misha had, a panic room, which frankly none of them had been surprised to find he had, seeing how crazy Misha could be. It had been a horrible sight to have to drag Richard away from Gabriel’s body after the first few hours. Sam, Dean and Jensen had needed to help Misha move him in there, where Cas had warded the panic room and the entirety of the house in general so he had been waiting when they’d dragged Richard into the room and it was Castiel who had restrained him to the bed and the whole time those wings of Richard’s had been out of sight after the first hour after Gabriel’s death.
Cas had apologized several times after he’d chained Richard to a bed with chains that had symbols carved into them. They didn’t know what to do with Gabriel’s body since clearly it was his now as he’d made a new one for Richard…so what now?
Cas had taken a hold of the body and left silently and when he came back he smelled of honey and he refused to talk of where he’d gone.
“What are we going to do?” Dean asked now in the front room of Misha’s home, “We’re sitting ducks, Richard is…well basically useless right now and Jared’s possessed by Lucifer…” He says as Mark looks to them quietly not really sure what to do, but Dean and Sam had been nicer to him since they realized he’d never really been Lucifer. They all had drinks in front of them; Viki was listening quietly whereas Cas was sitting outside the door to the panic room, hearing the yells for Gabriel, the angry yells at a God that didn’t seem to care.
Misha glanced back to Cas and then to them, “Well one thing’s clear…we have to snap Richard out of it, we need to talk to him…and well…I hate to say this but with Gabriel gone Richard and Jared are the only real people we have to fight Lucifer with, and I’m pretty sure Jensen doesn’t want Jared stabbed…” Misha said and Jensen nodded quietly from his spot, where Sam was sitting next to him and wrapping an arm around him and muttered something to Jensen, who looked up to him and said something back softly.
Richard suddenly let out a gut wrenching scream that seemed to make everyone’s stomachs clench. Cas was immediately in the panic room and at Richard’s side.
--
Cas wasn’t sure what he was seeing. He could see Richard’s soul, so bright and…pure compared to the other souls he saw and then he could see the grace twisting and churning inside of him and trying to find a way to…for lack of a better word, join with Richard’s soul…but Cas saw something else there and he went up to Richard and put a hand over his mouth and silenced him and Richard’s eyes flew open in shock and he looked to Cas and Cas looked back calmly and Richard slowly started to calm down, not looking away from Cas’ eyes for even a second as he seemed to calm down and only then did Cas take his hand away.
“Now, calmly tell me what’s wrong,” Cas said as Richard took in a shuddering breath.
“I…I want to accept Gabriel’s…grace but…I..I can’t it hurts too much…” He said in a soft whisper but Cas only smiled faintly.
“That’s because you feel too guilty to accept it. I know you want to…but you have to stop blaming yourself. It’s no-one’s fault but Lucifer’s,” Cas said quietly as Richard looked over Cas as if trying to read the angel who reached out a hand and put it to Richard’s shoulder and squeezed it.
“I’m sorry Richard, I am. It’s clear you were close to my brother and I wish I could help you in a better way than this,” He says even as he made the chains fall away, “But I can make your confinement in here more comfortable,” He says as he suddenly gets pulled into a hug from Richard. Cas was startled, but he patted Richard’s back. Richard thanked him in a whisper and Cas smiled at him faintly and turned and started to leave.
“Cas?” He said as Cas opened the door, he paused and looked back.
“Yes, Richard?” He said with a raised brow,
“Can…can you bring chocolate mousse in please?” He asked. Cas nodded and left the room and looked to those gathered who were watching him expectantly before Cas asked the question, “What’s chocolate mousse?”
Misha can’t help but laugh and gets up and gets some of the mousse from the freezer.
“You have chocolate mousse here?” Jensen asked with a raised brow and Misha shrugged.
“Why not? It’s good,” He said with a shrug before handing the container over to Cas with a spoon, “I’m guessing he’s gonna eat all of this at some point or another,” Misha said with a shrug and Cas nodded and went in to Richard and put the chocolate mousse on the table and Richard looked up and thanked Cas who nodded and then left Richard alone.
--
3 days later
“Damn it we need to leave! Haven’t you seen the news? There’s people dying and all cause that man in there can’t get over a dick’s death!” Dean growled and out of nowhere, Misha had tackled him and delivered quite the punch to Dean’s nose and glared at the stunned thirty one year old.
“We’re waiting until he’s ready, you hear me? And from the way Cas explained it Richard would be unable to use the power Gabriel left him until he stops blaming himself for his death! So you WILL wait. We’ll all wait.” Misha growled before getting up and going to his room….
--
Richard sat there on the bed. He knew they were waiting on him…but…He didn’t want to have to do anything right now…He’s already gone through the chocolate mousse and several sandwiches. Cas had told him it wasn’t his fault…so why did he feel so horrible?
He let out a sigh and looked to the ground. He’d owed a lot to Gabriel…Gabriel had saved him from certain death so…He could at least accept his dying gift…
And finally…finally it happened… He wasn’t sure what he’d expect when the grace would finally wash over him but damn it HURT like a bitch!
He couldn’t help screaming at the pain that ripped through is very being. He knew the wings were visible even as something else stirred when the grace finally joined with Richard’s soul… He hadn’t realized that the warmth of Gabriel’s very grace, his being, hadn’t left Richard at all, his grief had just blinded him to that fact…but the warmth was severely diminished… There was barely anything there..barely a speck, but the grace seemed to strengthen it a bit even as the door to the panic room opened and he saw Misha and Cas and Richard was unaware of the flickering of white and blue light coming from his eyes as he curled in on himself and even as Misha was trying to talk to him…
I am bound to your soul…I’m not going to be going anywhere. Richard remembered those words and he found it an odd time to be remembering it even as Misha kept shaking him.
The pain finally died down and when he uncurled from his position and blinked when it felt like a constant fire was trying to escape from him, he looked at his hands curiously for a moment cause it seemed a lot of this fire was there and he didn’t understand it…Was this really how the grace had felt for Gabriel? The warmth he’d taken for granted seemed to pulse a bit and Richard grabbed at his head as that too felt like it was on fire and he heard Misha asking Cas what was going on and Cas’ answer was actually simple for once.
“His body is adjusting to the grace being his now…It’s painful at first…but then it gets used to it and he won’t be in pain anymore…” Richard wasn’t sure how he managed it but he pushed past the two and was out in the kitchen, his head still feeling like it’s on fire and being pounded on by something like a hammer.
“Richard!” Came Misha’s voice even as Richard somehow found himself on the patio overlooking the sea, heard the waves against the cliff…
“What’s he doing?” Came Mark’s voice as several pairs of footsteps came running behind him as he fumbled to grip the railing. He…he had to get out of there…He had to get to Him…to..to talk to Him…get advise…to do something Gabriel had been far too scared to do. Instinct told him what to do, instinct that was both his and not his as his wings stretched out to their full extent even as he willed them not to be seen… as he looked to the sky. He wanted to see him…
“No!” Came Dean or maybe Jensen’s voice… Either was he was on the railing and someone was grabbing his hand and he wrenched it out of his grip as he lost his balance and fell towards the rocks below and the wings flared out and he found himself gliding out over the water, the wings flapping on occasion as the thermals lifted him up and he vanished as he let himself go to where he knew He was…
He didn’t know how long it took, but soon he was on a high mountain he knew was in the middle east and something told him this was where Moses had talked with God even as Richard landed and he fell to his knees panting. His wings shivered in exhaustion and he started in surprise at the hand on his shoulder and he looked back and saw…Gabriel? What? He felt anguish go through him but Gabriel knelt down next to him and hushed him gently. It was then that Richard knew it wasn’t him even as he was brought into a hug.
“You have been through so much Richard..” Gabriel’s…voice was warm and filled with love and understanding and wisdom.
“you’re…you’re not Gabriel,” He said in a quiet voice.
“No, I’m his father, your father, everyone’s father…I’m just using a form I knew you’d trust and recognize,” God said softly as Richard trembled in the hold, but not out of fear, but of exhaustion. He felt a hand on the wings and God ran his hands along them and the trembling wings became still as a warmth went through them and strength came back to Richard’s tired wing muscles.
“I…I miss him…” Richard said quietly and God gave a soft chuckle.
“You don’t feel him there Richard? Gabriel’s still here he’s just too weak to say anything to you right now. He told you your soul was bound to him right?” God asked, his voice warm and it comforted Richard and he didn’t know why…
“Yes…he told me that,” He said in a whisper.
“Well, you also remember his presence is quite clear to you right? That warmth by your soul is his being can’t you feel how weak it is? Even Gabriel couldn’t have anticipated that it would save him from being banished from another dimension,” God said with a soft laugh, “He is wounded and hurting and he’s hiding right now, trying to get his strength back, he lost a lot of his grace back there before he gave what he could to you. He always was sentimental..but for now you will have to take his place to stop Lucifer, or to try and get your friend Jared to fight him. Lucifer has his ways of intimidating his vessels into saying yes, I’m sure you can get through to him. Just think, he would have threatened to hurt his loved ones…” God smiled at him and he put a hand to Richard’s chest and Richard blinked as the burning of the grace got stronger and hotter and he was struggling not to yell in agony as the wings spread again and they actually seemed to get bigger.
“Wh-what are you d-doing?” He asked in a strained voice, but God didn’t say anything, seeming focused on this task and when he heard tones loud and piercing and understood them and his ears weren’t bleeding…he realized he could hear the angels and he looked to God in surprise.
“I know that with the right boost you can save Jared from Lucifer before Jared is forced to do more horrors. You will win, but you have to trust me and the new instincts you have Richard. Give yourself time to figure out what you can do. After all, archangels can do a lot especially if they are connected with the host.” God then brought his hand away and stood.
“You…you made me a…a archangel?” He asked in soft awe. God smiled at him and then he was gone. And Richard was alone…He wasn’t sure why he was still here but he could sense the lingering presence of God and it…it comforted him so…he supposed that’s why he stayed before he got up and decided he’d let the people at Misha’s place freak out long enough, and with a flutter of feathers he was gone.
--
“Okay okay! I shouldn’t have tried to grab him but he was already out of it!” Dean growled as he got yelled at by both Misha and Sam. They didn’t know where Richard had gone or even if he was okay until Cas was blinking and looking up at the ceiling.
“Holy crap,” Cas said and everyone looked to him.
“What? What is it?” Dean asked, standing as Cas’ mouth actually opened in an O.
“He…He…” It was rare to see Cas so stunned and speechless even as all the lights went out in a burst of sparks and everyone yelped as Richard appeared in the room and Cas yelped and started away from him and Richard blinked and looked to Cas with confusion.
“Really? Now you’re going to be scared around me hm? Wonderful,” Richard growled as he rolled his shoulders in annoyance as the wings seemed to appear without his wanting them to and the all blinked at how much bigger the wings had gotten and how they weren’t an off-shade of white anymore, they were pure white with Gold along the arc of the wings and at the ends of the feathers at the base of the wings.
“What? Why are you guys looking at me like that?” He asked, even as Cas muttered something to him and motioned to his back and Richard looked back and blinked, visibly shocked.
“Huh. So that’s one sign of what he did then,” He said as he reached out and felt the feathers where they were gold and he actually smiled slightly before making them vanish and he looked to them.
He then smirked and pulled out a long and elegant blade from the inside of his jacket and he looked it over. Cas backed away from Richard slowly.
“That’s an archangel’s blade…” He muttered as Richard put it away and nodded, looking to all of them and he sighed.
“Well…I’ll see you guys later…just wanted to let you know…I’m alive for now…” He looked to Cas and then went to Misha and pulled him into a warm hug they could all see the weight of what it was he had to do on his shoulders…
He looked to Cas now and put his hands on both shoulders and they stared at each other for a long moment.
“Take care of these guys, we can’t lose them too,” He said as he clapped Cas on the shoulder and he put his sword away and he went into the panic room and looked around before leaving the room and went out onto the patio and closed his eyes and left, but he felt a tug on his jacket and when he next appeared somewhere Misha was there panting and pale.
“Misha! What are you doing?” He says with shock as he can feel Lucifer nearby here, since Jared hadn’t been marked like Sam was.
“Helping you…Just bring everyone here. Me, you, Jensen hell even Sam Dean and Cas should be able to get through to Jared. You don’t have to do this alone Richard,” Misha says softly, and Richard looks up at him and sighs.
“But…what if you guys get killed? And then I do? No-one will bring you back…” He said, looking at Misha who rolled his eyes.
“The big guy beefed you up, and if he wants us back then well, he’ll bring us back,” Misha said with a smile and Richard just shakes his head even as he claps his hands together once and the others appeared.
“Blame Misha,” He says before he looks to cas and the thought occurred to him…”Hey Cas, think some of your angel buddies would agree to protect the human members of our rag tag group?” He asked and Cas tilted his head.
“I believe so,” He said before he closed his eyes and Richard could hear Cas calling out to Heaven and he heard the various voices respond and then in a few seconds there were other angels all around and Richard smiled faintly before he silently lead the way. They came across a park where Lucifer stood alone, arms crossed and wearing Jared still, and Jared in the same clothes from that night.
He saw two things there in Jared… He saw the bright soul that is Jared’s so full of puppy like innocence…And then the dark twisting Grace of Lucifer that was smothering Jared’s soul and it pissed Richard off to no end even as he told the others to wait.
He went forward and into close range of Lucifer and he saw the confusion flash across Lucifer/Jared’s face.
“You’re not my brother and yet…You have the power he should have…” He growled and Richard can sense the anger.
“Yeah, sucks huh?” He said as he saw Lucifer take out Gabriel’s sword and Richard tensed even as he stared into those now cold eyes.
“Jared. I know you’re in there and I know you can hear me,” He said calmly as he pulled out his own sword, he’d only use it in self defense… He saw Lucifer pause, as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Look around, Jared! Everyone is here; no matter what I did they wanted to come. Your family, friends, and even the characters you guys play,” He said even as Genevieve appeared in the crowd with but a thought from Richard…
“And look at them! They’re protected! Those angels there, they won’t let the fallen angel in you kill the-“ He yelped when Lucfer lunged, yet he somehow managed to parry the thrust as Lucfer smirked at him and Richard knew that he wasn’t going to get any sort of hesitance, not with Gabriel basically gone, dead more or less. He was as good as dead right now even as Richard’s wings flared out and helped him balance even as he saw Lucifer’s, pure black with red at the arcs and the ends. The red was deep and crimson like blood.. The wings he realized were visible for everyone to see and Richard was vastly overwhelmed by the attacks, and somehow he was pulling his reactions from instincts he’d been told to follow by God himself.
“Jared!” Richard yelped after a particularly hard block that jarred his arm, and when he thought he got a flare from the soul he could see in response he furrowed his brow and this time he lunged and made an initiating attack, wings flared out in anger as he found Lucifer blocked him and then they were struggling to move the swords, they were locked together and Richard let out a growl and tackled the taller man. Lucifer looked startled by this.
“Listen to them, Jared! Can’t you hear them?” He growled, he was panting and yet he could hear the others calling out to Jared, pleading for him to stop, to fight Lucifer. Jared’s soul flared brightly but it was Lucifer who sent Richard flying back hard with a burst of power and Richard landed hard on the grass, even as Lucifer stood Jared up.
“You really think that this pathetic and weak human will be able to fight me?” He said with a chuckle as he pinned Richard down and Richard only smiled as the sword point was put to his throat.
“I’m counting on it,” He said with a smile, his voice slipping into the one he used for Gabriel, “Because well, you see, Jared isn’t Sam. He isn’t tainted by demon blood, he isn’t self hating and he doesn’t brood. He’s full of life, love, happiness and joy. Everything you hate isn’t it?” He could fell the tip there. “Face it, you’re jealous of what Jared has and you know if you hadn’t threatened his loved ones, he would never have said yes.” Oh boy that really pissed Lucifer off and he felt the sword starting to dig in when he flung Lucifer off with the powers and he got up.
“You think I couldn’t really fight your power Lucifer? Please, I wanted you to get that close,” He says as his doppel ganger appeared behind Lucifer who stabbed it in the heart and it only smirked at him.
Richard tackled Jared from behind and that’s when something happened that he’d been hoping for…
Richard…? It was Gabriel he finally seemed to have figured out where he was and what was going on.
Hey Gabe, nice timing…uh is there a spell that can send Lucifer back to hell? He said as he struggled to keep Lucifer pinned and the weird thing is…something happened there too, something about his eyes changed and he stopped struggling and he let his head fall back as he panted hard. Richard saw Jared’s soul shining brighter than ever and it looked like he’d trapped Lucifer.
Yes, but it takes a lot of power, I can’t do it…
But I can, just tell and I’ll repeat it as you say it.
“R..Richard…I..I got him…But not for long…hurry…” Jared’s voice was strained and Richard nodded and started repeating the words Gabriel was telling him and Jared let out a yell and started to thrash under him in pain, but he knew it wasn’t Jared now, as the wings started twitching and the light of Lucifer’s twisted and warped grace was coming from Jared’s mouth and eyes and everyone there was cheering for Jared and Richard.
Gabriel finished reciting the spell and Richard finished saying the last word and the wings under Jared glowed a fierce blue and light seemed to explode from him as if he had been stabbed. Richard watched as Lucifer’s grace was forced out of Jared and a hole opened up nearby and he watched as Lucifer’s grace was forced into it, into a cage he knew was there before it seemed to clang all the way closed and the hole was gone… Richard was panting hard and he felt so…so drained…He looked to Jared, who groaned and looked to Richard.
--
Jared couldn’t believe it…He didn’t know how but Richard had gotten supercharged in the time between Lucifer killing Gabriel and now… Jared ached all over from the fight and he saw Richard look back from a hole in the ground and then he smiled at Jared as Jared saw the wings shift and vanish and he saw Richard pale before he collapsed against him and Jared blinked at that. Jared sat up and shifted Richard and felt for a pulse, he felt it and it was weak. He saw the others running towards them and he saw Cas kneel down and feel for a pulse as well.
“Good he’s alive, but barely…and drained of power…seems like that’s how my father planned it; give him enough power to banish Lucifer back to hell…” And Cas lifted Richard up and he stirred and blinked open his eyes and looked at Cas and then smiled.
“Hey bro…it’s been a few days,” He said in a weak voice and Misha, Jared, Jensen, Mark, and well everyone but Genevieve looked to Richard and Cas nearly dropped him.
“Whoa! That how you’re gonna treat me after I told Richard the spell needed to get our asshole of a brother out of Jared?” Gabriel, as it was clear that it was Gabriel talking now, said and Cas shook his head and smiled faintly.
“I should have known that was you there, that bit of Richard I couldn’t identify…it’s weird Gabriel, I don’t think you’ve realized this but your very essence it is…part of Richard’s soul now…If one of you dies, the other will bring him back, but only if the other…--Oh…so you did know didn’t you?” Cas says looking to Gabriel who was grinning.
“No, I didn’t it was just a happy accident. I didn’t want Richard dying with me so I made him this body...I had no clue it was what would keep me here in this dimension, and alive too…but right now I’m drained he’s drained and now powerless as he should be. Dad was only giving him powers to last for this fight...since you know…I’ve been out of commission..” Gabriel muttered, he was beyond exhausted it seemed.
“Can we just…go back to the trailer please?” Jared said as he stood up with a grimace and Cas nodded but first he addressed the other angels and they nodded and left and soon they were back in Richard’s trailer where they put Gabriel on the bed and watched as he got under the covers and tossed off the jacket and kicked off the shoes onto the floor.
“Cas…Dean, Sam, stay here real quick…everyone else please wait in the front room," they reluctantly followed what Gabriel asked and Jared went into the room and sat on the couch with Genevieve and put his head on her shoulder, falling asleep like that…He was so tired…
---
Gabriel looked to the three still left there.
“So…Sam’s got his soul back congrats Sam,” He says as the icebreaker, his smile genuine as Dean and Sam blinked, surprised that Gabriel knew.
“Oh, it’s in the script here in this dimension…Richard here and the other two mooks are actors and they play you guys and me for that matter…Scares me how well Richard can play me…” He shivers.
“So uh…what point are you at now?” He asks as Cas and Dean exchange looks.
“Well, we just killed a dragon…or whatever. It was doing some really freaky stuff to virgins,” Dean said with a smile and Gabriel hid a secret smile. So. They were a few months behind… Maybe…just maybe he actually would be able to find a way back to them. According to the script that was apparently the time that ‘he’ was supposed to have come back battered and bloody…
He took a deep breath and sat up and then got out of the bed and went over to both boys. He had just enough power to pull off this stunt, not to mention he had his connection to the host to be able to do this… He wiped Sam and Dean’s memories of this and then he sent them back to the right dimension, to their hotel room, sprawled out asleep on the beds. He then looked to Cas and smiled, pulling him into a hug.
“Take care bro, I wiped those mooks’ memories…they don’t need to know about any of this… Take care bro and keep an eye on them hm?”
He said with a smile before with a smile he pressed his own fingers to Cas’ head and he was forced to make Cas’ own memories of all this be wiped. It was harder than with the boys as Cas actually fought his efforts but after Gabriel glared at him he submitted and then he sent Cas back. When his bedroom was free of the mooks from the dimension he was most familiar with, he got out to the living room and spent the rest of the hour talking with the others before sending Genevieve back to where she had been before and then he looked to the boys.
“I’ll see you guys later, now vamoose I’m not the only exhausted one, I’m sure,” He said, looking to Jared, who had just woken up and they all said their goodbyes before Gabriel closed and locked the door and went and collapsed onto Richard’s bed…