Superman Tonight (15/?)
Title: Superman Tonight (15/?)
Author: lonelyphoenix85
Rating: R overall, mainly for the odd swear-word
Genre: Pre-slash, angst, hurt/comfort
Pairing: Sam/Gabriel pre-slash, Dean/Cas pre-slash, Aziraphale/Crowley slash
Spoilers: through to Changing Channels (5x08)
Warnings: None
Word Count: 2294 (this part, 32059 total so far)
Disclaimer: It only belongs to me when I'm dreaming! Bon Jovi owns the song, and the rest is property of the almighty Kripke!
Author's Note: Just wanted to say thanks to my awesome beta for this story, of_red_clouds - you're awesome!
Previous Chapters: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14
And now:
Previously:
“Dearest…”
“Yeah, Angel?”
“I’ve had just about enough of the upper management causing trouble, haven’t you?”
“Bloody right I have Angel.”
Gabriel grinned as the duo turned to face the group, stating in unison
“We’re in.”
And now:
“Well that’s just peachy - who the hell are you?”
It had been a long day.
Bobby glanced at the clock on the far wall.
It had been a long day and it was barely past noon.
It was days like this that made Bobby almost wish he’d never met John Winchester.
Life before the Winchesters had been simple - find the monster, kill the monster, have a beer (or whiskey if it was a particularly nasty sonuvabitch).
His home hadn’t been subject to invasions by various strange and unnervingly powerful creatures, and he generally knew what was going on.
Right now, Bobby really wanted to know what was going on, and if people didn’t start talking rock salt was gonna start flying.
“Oy, Angel - look…he’s going all red…”
“Really, dearest - must you antagonize everyone you meet? I do apologise for my companion - I’m Aziraphale, and that’s Crowley, Mr…?”
“Singer.”
“Lovely to meet you Mr. Singer! You wouldn’t happen to have any tea, would you? Tiring business, healing…”
Bobby had to jump back out of the way as Crowley - the demon, he recalled from their earlier comments with a frown - practically leapt from the bed as the Angel began to sway slightly.
“For Someone’s sake, Angel!” Crowley hissed chidingly. “Would it kill you to be careful for once? You’ll miracle yourself right back upstairs if you’re not careful - and then where’ll we be, aye? Wouldn’t put it past your lot to send word downstairs about me once they got hold of you, ‘specially now we’ve gotten involved in shit again…”
“Of course dear - how thoughtless of me, putting you at risk like that,” Aziraphale muttered softly, the indulgent smile on his face missed by no-one.
Bobby rolled his eyes before taking charge of things. The adrenaline that had been keeping Sam on his feet had quite obviously fled, the only reason he was still standing being the wall behind him and Dean’s steadying hand on his shoulder. The older Winchester looked worn down - the worry of the last few hours on top of the months - hell, the years - of shit he’d been through leaving him ragged and tired. Dean’s angel was still out for the count, and even the Trickster - Gabriel he reminded himself - sat relatively still, healed but not the usual ball of sugar-fuelled energy as he reclined in Bobby’s wheelchair.
And Bobby was pretty sure he still hadn’t fully processed that bit yet either - he was standing on his own two feet for the first time in months! At eye-level with others instead of trying not to feel small, vulnerable…
Those months in that chair had been…well, not hell, but hopefully as close as he’d ever get to it at any rate.
He wasn’t quite sure what he thought of having a demon in his house, but given the circumstances he’d hold off on the exorcising unless it became absolutely necessary…after all, he seemed to be with the new angel, and that guy had saved the guy that had saved him, so didn’t that sort of put them on the same side by default? Bobby’s head was starting to hurt from trying to sort it all out.
“Right, everyone currently conscious, in the kitchen now - Sam, get your ass in a chair before you fall over. Dean, get some coffee on.”
“Hey Sammy, heads up…”
Bobby glanced up to see the archangel with hand raised, fingers snapping before anyone could say anything.
The next instant Sam was in the wheelchair, looking a little confused before slouching down gratefully. Gabriel stood behind the chair, hands locked around the handles on the back in a death-grip, face white and covered in a faint sheen of sweat.
“Woah…not my best idea ever…” he mumbled woozily.
Bobby rolled his eyes and stepped forward, clipping Gabriel round the head lightly with a muttered “Idjit!” before catching his elbow to help him balance and grabbing the handle on the chair with his spare hand as he herded them from the room. The lack of protest told him everything he needed to know about exactly how badly the angel was still feeling.
“Uh…I’ll stay with Cas, make sure he doesn’t freak when he wakes up - he was saying some shit earlier, think he might’ve got the wrong end of the stick with the whole Sammy and Gabe deal…”
Bobby just waved him off in agreement as he left the room.
That he barely blinked on finding his kitchen table covered with pots of tea and coffee and plates of cream cakes, one of which was being hand fed to a grinning angel by a demon, said a lot about his life these days Bobby thought with a resigned grin.
Ah, who needed simple hunts anyway? They were boring.
SPNSPNSPN
Dean watched as Bobby led a protest-free and freakily docile Gabriel from the room as they pushed Sam between them. He wanted to run after his brother, wanted to watch him and fuss over him and make sure he was okay, but for now he’d have to trust to Bobby to do that because until he was awake and up to date, Cas was a potential problem.
What he’d said when he’d woken up briefly earlier - it had made Dean’s heart stop. His breath had frozen in his chest and he hadn’t been able to think past the terrifying words his friend had uttered. It had taken everything he had left - every ounce of trust in his brother, every drop of hope - to listen to Gabriel, and to believe that Castiel was wrong.
Now though - his friend would be waking up soon, and he believed that Sam was Lucifer and therefore a threat. Cas was healthy again, an angel again, thanks to Gabriel, and thanks to the demon (whose presence Dean was tolerating only because he seemed to have the approval of at least two angels…) Cas was probably going to wake up at full power.
So now Dean would have to be there waiting, ready to talk his angel out of trying to kill his brother the second he regained consciousness.
If he wasn’t living it, he wouldn’t believe his life some days - you really couldn’t make this shit up!
Dean nodded his thanks to Bobby when he brought him a mug of coffee.
“How’s Sammy?”
“Your idjit brother’s asleep finally,” Bobby said with a fond grin. “He really who he says?”
“Gabriel…? Yeah - shocked the hell outta us too, but yeah. I think maybe…he might actually be on our side here Bobby…”
Because, yeah, Gabriel seemed to be helping them, but a tiny part of Dean just couldn’t shake the instinct that screamed at him to keep his guard up. Not even the broken and bleeding archangel nearly killing himself to save Dean’s angel had managed to fully suppress it.
“Boy…” Bobby broke off with a sigh, frustration clear on his face. “I know your daddy raised you to be suspicious of everyone and everything, and I know it’s probably saved your lives more times than you can count…hell, if you weren’t wary I’d think you were a damned idjit…but what he did for you today, what he did for your angel, your brother, for me…I think he’s earned our trust here son, so just…just try, okay? I know it’ll go against what your daddy taught you, but one thing John never quite got was that there’re exceptions - every rule has ‘em, and your angel, Gabriel, Aziraphale…hell, even that demon out there…I think they’re the exceptions here. Not everything supernatural is out to get you and your brother.”
Dean watched in shocked silence as Bobby walked out of the room, obviously not expecting a response from the flummoxed younger hunter.
He sipped quietly at his coffee as he thought over what Bobby had said.
The older hunter was right, of course. He usually was, but even as Dean had listened he’d found himself agreeing - slightly reluctantly, he had to admit, but agreeing none the less - with what Bobby was saying.
He still didn’t know what had happened before he’d arrived with Sam and Cas, but from the state of the house, and the state of both Bobby and Gabriel, he had little doubt at all that the archangel was the only reason his father figure was still alive. And as if that wasn’t enough, Gabriel had damn near killed himself to save Cas right after.
He still wasn’t sure about the new guys - an angel and a demon hanging out was all sorts of weird - but they got the benefit of the doubt since they’d saved Gabe after his uncharacteristically heroic attempt at self-sacrifice.
Dean chuckled out loud at that last thought. Not the thought itself - it wasn’t particularly amusing - but what it implied…well, what it implied was hilarious and so perfectly Winchester.
Potentially dangerous people got the benefit of the doubt from Dean in one situation and one situation only these days, what with so much being at risk if he screwed up.
They got it if they helped save family.
Apparently while he’d been thinking his subconscious had decided to skip ahead and label Gabe family, leaving the rest of his brain to catch up to the fact now.
He was pulled suddenly from his thoughts by a soft groan from the bed.
“Cas?”
“Dean? Why aren’t I dead?”
*It’s bad form to punch the recently dying…it’s very bad form to punch the recently dying…*
Dean swallowed around the lump Cas’ question brought to his throat, before taking a breath to answer.
“Because you’re a lucky sonuvabitch is why! Damnit Cas! Why the hell’d you do it? You couldn’t have told me how badly off you were? We could’ve tried to help before it got so bad for G…fucks sake!”
Ranting at the top of his voice was better than punching, Dean reasoned silently. Cas was healthy, if confused…he could deal with a little shouting.
“There was nothing you could have done to help, I did not wish to worry you and Sam…”
An odd look passed over Castiel’s face as he trailed off, and Dean tensed when the angel moved to sit up.
“Dean, your brother…”
“Sammy’s fine Cas - it’s not…I mean, what you thought, when you woke up earlier, it’s wrong…Sammy’s still himself…”
Dean spoke slowly, as if the wrong word might break the calm that felt so wrong on Castiel’s face right now - it wasn’t his usual serene calm, it was brittle, false, as though he were trying figure something out about Dean too…
“I’m sorry Dean, I should have been here, I should have protected you from my brother’s influence, even after I could not help Sam…”
And no, this was bad…influence? His angel thought he was under some sort of influence?
“Cas, I swear, it’s all good - I’m not under Lucifer’s influence - Lucifer’s still fuck knows where causing trouble for some poor schlub or other…”
Dean watched as Cas moved to swing his legs over the edge of the bed, and realised that he needed to talk fast or they were going to have a situation on their hands.
“Sam didn’t say yes Cas!”
“I know what I saw Dean - Lucifer’s grace was spilling out through the whole room…I’m so sorry I could not keep him safe for you, but now I must keep you safe from him - please stay out of the way Dean.”
*Shit.*
Dean grabbed quickly for Castiel’s arm, surprising the angel enough that he was able to jerk him back around to face Dean even as he rose from the bed.
“Gabriel!”
Dean wasn’t sure if he was explaining or calling for help, but the name shocked Cas into stillness - which was just as well, since the probably still-exhausted archangel didn’t appear to have heard him.
“What does my brother have to do with any of this?”
“It was his grace you saw in Sam, not Lucifer’s…”
“Sam is not Gabriel’s vessel - and Gabriel did not appear to have any wish to change vessels even if your brother would have been willing.”
The angel turned slightly as if to leave again, and Dean tightened his grip on Castiel’s sleeve as he spoke quickly.
“It’s a long story, but Gabriel turned up and got his ass angel-married to my brother and apparently the grace thing is a side-effect, but I swear Cas, it’s nothing to do with Lucifer…”
“Angel-married…?” Castiel asked, head tilted slightly in confusion.
“He called it a bond or some shit.”
“You are saying that Gabriel, who only two weeks ago tried to get both yourself and your brother to say yes, bonded with Sam? Dean, are you even aware of what that would mean, if it were true?”
“They said something about strong connections, and forever may have come into it…”
Dean hedged, realising suddenly that he still hadn’t mentioned how they’d saved Cas. What if Cas didn’t want to be stuck with him forever? What if…
“Gabriel bonded with Sam.”
The second time he said it, Castiel sounded less incredulous, more thoughtful, and Dean felt himself relax slightly as he realised that the angel was no longer likely to be a threat to his brother.
“Apparently it wasn’t on purpose…not sure I believe that shit, but that’s what they’re claiming. I think it’s a good thing though…I mean, Sammy - you’ll see what I mean, when you see him Cas…but he’s Sammy again…”
“I think perhaps you should tell me all that I have missed Dean, before I speak with either of our brothers.”
Next Chapter
Author: lonelyphoenix85
Rating: R overall, mainly for the odd swear-word
Genre: Pre-slash, angst, hurt/comfort
Pairing: Sam/Gabriel pre-slash, Dean/Cas pre-slash, Aziraphale/Crowley slash
Spoilers: through to Changing Channels (5x08)
Warnings: None
Word Count: 2294 (this part, 32059 total so far)
Disclaimer: It only belongs to me when I'm dreaming! Bon Jovi owns the song, and the rest is property of the almighty Kripke!
Author's Note: Just wanted to say thanks to my awesome beta for this story, of_red_clouds - you're awesome!
Previous Chapters: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14
And now:
Previously:
“Dearest…”
“Yeah, Angel?”
“I’ve had just about enough of the upper management causing trouble, haven’t you?”
“Bloody right I have Angel.”
Gabriel grinned as the duo turned to face the group, stating in unison
“We’re in.”
And now:
“Well that’s just peachy - who the hell are you?”
It had been a long day.
Bobby glanced at the clock on the far wall.
It had been a long day and it was barely past noon.
It was days like this that made Bobby almost wish he’d never met John Winchester.
Life before the Winchesters had been simple - find the monster, kill the monster, have a beer (or whiskey if it was a particularly nasty sonuvabitch).
His home hadn’t been subject to invasions by various strange and unnervingly powerful creatures, and he generally knew what was going on.
Right now, Bobby really wanted to know what was going on, and if people didn’t start talking rock salt was gonna start flying.
“Oy, Angel - look…he’s going all red…”
“Really, dearest - must you antagonize everyone you meet? I do apologise for my companion - I’m Aziraphale, and that’s Crowley, Mr…?”
“Singer.”
“Lovely to meet you Mr. Singer! You wouldn’t happen to have any tea, would you? Tiring business, healing…”
Bobby had to jump back out of the way as Crowley - the demon, he recalled from their earlier comments with a frown - practically leapt from the bed as the Angel began to sway slightly.
“For Someone’s sake, Angel!” Crowley hissed chidingly. “Would it kill you to be careful for once? You’ll miracle yourself right back upstairs if you’re not careful - and then where’ll we be, aye? Wouldn’t put it past your lot to send word downstairs about me once they got hold of you, ‘specially now we’ve gotten involved in shit again…”
“Of course dear - how thoughtless of me, putting you at risk like that,” Aziraphale muttered softly, the indulgent smile on his face missed by no-one.
Bobby rolled his eyes before taking charge of things. The adrenaline that had been keeping Sam on his feet had quite obviously fled, the only reason he was still standing being the wall behind him and Dean’s steadying hand on his shoulder. The older Winchester looked worn down - the worry of the last few hours on top of the months - hell, the years - of shit he’d been through leaving him ragged and tired. Dean’s angel was still out for the count, and even the Trickster - Gabriel he reminded himself - sat relatively still, healed but not the usual ball of sugar-fuelled energy as he reclined in Bobby’s wheelchair.
And Bobby was pretty sure he still hadn’t fully processed that bit yet either - he was standing on his own two feet for the first time in months! At eye-level with others instead of trying not to feel small, vulnerable…
Those months in that chair had been…well, not hell, but hopefully as close as he’d ever get to it at any rate.
He wasn’t quite sure what he thought of having a demon in his house, but given the circumstances he’d hold off on the exorcising unless it became absolutely necessary…after all, he seemed to be with the new angel, and that guy had saved the guy that had saved him, so didn’t that sort of put them on the same side by default? Bobby’s head was starting to hurt from trying to sort it all out.
“Right, everyone currently conscious, in the kitchen now - Sam, get your ass in a chair before you fall over. Dean, get some coffee on.”
“Hey Sammy, heads up…”
Bobby glanced up to see the archangel with hand raised, fingers snapping before anyone could say anything.
The next instant Sam was in the wheelchair, looking a little confused before slouching down gratefully. Gabriel stood behind the chair, hands locked around the handles on the back in a death-grip, face white and covered in a faint sheen of sweat.
“Woah…not my best idea ever…” he mumbled woozily.
Bobby rolled his eyes and stepped forward, clipping Gabriel round the head lightly with a muttered “Idjit!” before catching his elbow to help him balance and grabbing the handle on the chair with his spare hand as he herded them from the room. The lack of protest told him everything he needed to know about exactly how badly the angel was still feeling.
“Uh…I’ll stay with Cas, make sure he doesn’t freak when he wakes up - he was saying some shit earlier, think he might’ve got the wrong end of the stick with the whole Sammy and Gabe deal…”
Bobby just waved him off in agreement as he left the room.
That he barely blinked on finding his kitchen table covered with pots of tea and coffee and plates of cream cakes, one of which was being hand fed to a grinning angel by a demon, said a lot about his life these days Bobby thought with a resigned grin.
Ah, who needed simple hunts anyway? They were boring.
SPNSPNSPN
Dean watched as Bobby led a protest-free and freakily docile Gabriel from the room as they pushed Sam between them. He wanted to run after his brother, wanted to watch him and fuss over him and make sure he was okay, but for now he’d have to trust to Bobby to do that because until he was awake and up to date, Cas was a potential problem.
What he’d said when he’d woken up briefly earlier - it had made Dean’s heart stop. His breath had frozen in his chest and he hadn’t been able to think past the terrifying words his friend had uttered. It had taken everything he had left - every ounce of trust in his brother, every drop of hope - to listen to Gabriel, and to believe that Castiel was wrong.
Now though - his friend would be waking up soon, and he believed that Sam was Lucifer and therefore a threat. Cas was healthy again, an angel again, thanks to Gabriel, and thanks to the demon (whose presence Dean was tolerating only because he seemed to have the approval of at least two angels…) Cas was probably going to wake up at full power.
So now Dean would have to be there waiting, ready to talk his angel out of trying to kill his brother the second he regained consciousness.
If he wasn’t living it, he wouldn’t believe his life some days - you really couldn’t make this shit up!
Dean nodded his thanks to Bobby when he brought him a mug of coffee.
“How’s Sammy?”
“Your idjit brother’s asleep finally,” Bobby said with a fond grin. “He really who he says?”
“Gabriel…? Yeah - shocked the hell outta us too, but yeah. I think maybe…he might actually be on our side here Bobby…”
Because, yeah, Gabriel seemed to be helping them, but a tiny part of Dean just couldn’t shake the instinct that screamed at him to keep his guard up. Not even the broken and bleeding archangel nearly killing himself to save Dean’s angel had managed to fully suppress it.
“Boy…” Bobby broke off with a sigh, frustration clear on his face. “I know your daddy raised you to be suspicious of everyone and everything, and I know it’s probably saved your lives more times than you can count…hell, if you weren’t wary I’d think you were a damned idjit…but what he did for you today, what he did for your angel, your brother, for me…I think he’s earned our trust here son, so just…just try, okay? I know it’ll go against what your daddy taught you, but one thing John never quite got was that there’re exceptions - every rule has ‘em, and your angel, Gabriel, Aziraphale…hell, even that demon out there…I think they’re the exceptions here. Not everything supernatural is out to get you and your brother.”
Dean watched in shocked silence as Bobby walked out of the room, obviously not expecting a response from the flummoxed younger hunter.
He sipped quietly at his coffee as he thought over what Bobby had said.
The older hunter was right, of course. He usually was, but even as Dean had listened he’d found himself agreeing - slightly reluctantly, he had to admit, but agreeing none the less - with what Bobby was saying.
He still didn’t know what had happened before he’d arrived with Sam and Cas, but from the state of the house, and the state of both Bobby and Gabriel, he had little doubt at all that the archangel was the only reason his father figure was still alive. And as if that wasn’t enough, Gabriel had damn near killed himself to save Cas right after.
He still wasn’t sure about the new guys - an angel and a demon hanging out was all sorts of weird - but they got the benefit of the doubt since they’d saved Gabe after his uncharacteristically heroic attempt at self-sacrifice.
Dean chuckled out loud at that last thought. Not the thought itself - it wasn’t particularly amusing - but what it implied…well, what it implied was hilarious and so perfectly Winchester.
Potentially dangerous people got the benefit of the doubt from Dean in one situation and one situation only these days, what with so much being at risk if he screwed up.
They got it if they helped save family.
Apparently while he’d been thinking his subconscious had decided to skip ahead and label Gabe family, leaving the rest of his brain to catch up to the fact now.
He was pulled suddenly from his thoughts by a soft groan from the bed.
“Cas?”
“Dean? Why aren’t I dead?”
*It’s bad form to punch the recently dying…it’s very bad form to punch the recently dying…*
Dean swallowed around the lump Cas’ question brought to his throat, before taking a breath to answer.
“Because you’re a lucky sonuvabitch is why! Damnit Cas! Why the hell’d you do it? You couldn’t have told me how badly off you were? We could’ve tried to help before it got so bad for G…fucks sake!”
Ranting at the top of his voice was better than punching, Dean reasoned silently. Cas was healthy, if confused…he could deal with a little shouting.
“There was nothing you could have done to help, I did not wish to worry you and Sam…”
An odd look passed over Castiel’s face as he trailed off, and Dean tensed when the angel moved to sit up.
“Dean, your brother…”
“Sammy’s fine Cas - it’s not…I mean, what you thought, when you woke up earlier, it’s wrong…Sammy’s still himself…”
Dean spoke slowly, as if the wrong word might break the calm that felt so wrong on Castiel’s face right now - it wasn’t his usual serene calm, it was brittle, false, as though he were trying figure something out about Dean too…
“I’m sorry Dean, I should have been here, I should have protected you from my brother’s influence, even after I could not help Sam…”
And no, this was bad…influence? His angel thought he was under some sort of influence?
“Cas, I swear, it’s all good - I’m not under Lucifer’s influence - Lucifer’s still fuck knows where causing trouble for some poor schlub or other…”
Dean watched as Cas moved to swing his legs over the edge of the bed, and realised that he needed to talk fast or they were going to have a situation on their hands.
“Sam didn’t say yes Cas!”
“I know what I saw Dean - Lucifer’s grace was spilling out through the whole room…I’m so sorry I could not keep him safe for you, but now I must keep you safe from him - please stay out of the way Dean.”
*Shit.*
Dean grabbed quickly for Castiel’s arm, surprising the angel enough that he was able to jerk him back around to face Dean even as he rose from the bed.
“Gabriel!”
Dean wasn’t sure if he was explaining or calling for help, but the name shocked Cas into stillness - which was just as well, since the probably still-exhausted archangel didn’t appear to have heard him.
“What does my brother have to do with any of this?”
“It was his grace you saw in Sam, not Lucifer’s…”
“Sam is not Gabriel’s vessel - and Gabriel did not appear to have any wish to change vessels even if your brother would have been willing.”
The angel turned slightly as if to leave again, and Dean tightened his grip on Castiel’s sleeve as he spoke quickly.
“It’s a long story, but Gabriel turned up and got his ass angel-married to my brother and apparently the grace thing is a side-effect, but I swear Cas, it’s nothing to do with Lucifer…”
“Angel-married…?” Castiel asked, head tilted slightly in confusion.
“He called it a bond or some shit.”
“You are saying that Gabriel, who only two weeks ago tried to get both yourself and your brother to say yes, bonded with Sam? Dean, are you even aware of what that would mean, if it were true?”
“They said something about strong connections, and forever may have come into it…”
Dean hedged, realising suddenly that he still hadn’t mentioned how they’d saved Cas. What if Cas didn’t want to be stuck with him forever? What if…
“Gabriel bonded with Sam.”
The second time he said it, Castiel sounded less incredulous, more thoughtful, and Dean felt himself relax slightly as he realised that the angel was no longer likely to be a threat to his brother.
“Apparently it wasn’t on purpose…not sure I believe that shit, but that’s what they’re claiming. I think it’s a good thing though…I mean, Sammy - you’ll see what I mean, when you see him Cas…but he’s Sammy again…”
“I think perhaps you should tell me all that I have missed Dean, before I speak with either of our brothers.”
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