Unexpected Destinies Chapter 54
Title: Unexpected Destinies
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 2,163
Summary: Raphael argues his points for why Dean should say yes.
PAST
"Way to make that sound dirty," Dean said and Michael frowned, unsure of what his vessel meant.
All that he had done was make it clear exactly what the book said, just as Dean had requested. Michael had noticed the human penchant for denying truths they either didn't like or didn't want to acknowledge and thus could understand why his vessel would want to be completely sure that he was understanding them correctly. What he failed to understand himself, though, was how that made what he'd said 'dirty.'
Humans were such odd creatures at times and he had yet to learn how their minds worked. It was frustrating that he could see their very souls and yet fail to understand them on such a fundamental level.
He hadn't failed to notice his vessel's reaction to the truth and it hurt Michael inexplicably to know that Dean felt that strongly against saying yes. He'd always thought it was more about what would happen should Dean have given in before, about all of the humans that would have died, then about genuinely feeling this adversely about becoming a vessel. Well, once Dean knew that he wouldn't be turned into a drooling mess as a result of saying yes anyway. Perhaps this was another part of his punishment for all that he had said and done before? He felt distinctly uncomfortable as he recalled telling his vessel he was small and unimportant during their first meeting. His Father had taught him otherwise since then, not that He should have had to, not with a soul like the one Dean had. He should have been able to see it for himself right away.
"I think you should leave," Castiel stated.
"No," Raphael replied before Michael could answer.
His vessel's eyes narrowed at his brother and Michael wished Raphael wouldn't seek to antagonize Dean so often. Though, to be fair, he didn't think that was his brother's goal just now. He could well understand Raphael's frustration at having an opportunity like this dismissed outright without any real consideration, but he had learned not to try and force his way on his vessel and Castiel. He, at least, did not make the same mistakes twice, no matter how much it might seem like circumstances dictated that it was the right course of action.
"You cannot seriously be thinking of just outright dismissing the Rite of Contressa?" Raphael demanded.
"I think Father has made it clear that He does not wish for Dean to become a vessel," Castiel retorted.
"He has done no such thing. He has merely proven that He does not wish to see the Apocalypse ended in such a manner that would destroy Earth and all of His human children."
Castiel's Grace flickered with anger, but it was still restrained enough that Michael felt no alarm. His little brother had never been one to strike out recklessly when not necessary and though he might feel that his mate was being threatened, it was not an immediate enough threat yet to push him towards the desperate actions that had so stunned the Host, himself included. He didn't think he'd ever forget his shock at hearing that Castiel, of all angels, had defied Heaven.
Besides, Michael had come to realize that Castiel was not one prone to self-delusions and thus his brother would realize the truth in Raphael's words much as he might wish it weren't so. He himself was also struggling with it. If he ignored all else, what Raphael said was true, their Father hadn't specifically indicated that he didn't wish his Righteous Man to become a vessel as his bloodline dictated even if he felt that it was strongly implied. Dean's soul was far too bright for that of a mere vessel and Father had come down on Dean and Castiel's side when they'd resisted Heaven and his and Raphael's plans.
It was just all so confusing! Michael wished for a simple answer, something to indicate what his Father wished him to do. He was used to obeying clear orders that told him precisely what was required of him. This uncertainty was something new that he didn't like in the slightest as it made it so unclear what his Father wanted. He also felt that the signals were mixed. Some told him in no uncertain means that his vessel was meant for more then merely housing him to face Lucifer. Yet others, like the Rite of Contressa, told him that he was supposed to claim his intended vessel. Why else would this Rite have been created if he wasn't meant to use it while Dean was his vessel?
"Why are you so determined for me to give in?" Dean demanded.
"The Apocalypse has begun," Raphael replied. "With every day that passes, Lucifer's cage grows weaker and it is only a matter of time until he is free once more."
"Yeah, and who's fault is that?"
"Raphael," Michael warned as he sensed his brother's growing anger.
Raphael's gaze turned to him. "Do not pretend that you do not feel annoyed as well, Brother."
"Without Dean's permission, there is nothing we can do."
"So what will it take?" Raphael demanded, turning back to Dean and Castiel. "How many chances must you have before you finally act?"
"Excuse me?" Dean thundered and Michael wondered if either of them would ever be able to remain calm around the other after today.
"How long have you spent looking for a way to end this war without Michael killing Lucifer?"
Dean's face and soul twisted in anger, but he remained silent and Michael wished that he could say something to soothe him but could come up with nothing.
"How many resources remain unplundered in our attempts to find an alternative solution?" Raphael continued to push.
"There has to be another way," Dean finally replied, though his voice wasn't nearly as confident as it could be.
"Yes, there was, locking Lucifer back in his cage, but your brother ruined it."
"Hey, how were we to know that it couldn't hold more then one of you guys?"
"And now there is this," Raphael continued on, ignoring the question. "How many options do you think that there will be? This is the Apocalypse, you should be pleased that an alternative even exists. There is nothing to say that another one may present itself at all, much less in the time it will take Lucifer to break free."
"Then why bother with the Rite at all?" Dean questioned. "If you're not even sure we can finish this without destroying everything?"
"Because it will give us more time!"
When it became clear that his brother would push further, Michael stepped forwards and raised a hand, stalling Raphael though he was clearly unhappy about it. That was too bad for him, but he felt that his brother had already presented his argument well and worried that it would all be lost if Raphael said something to enrage Dean. Then he turned towards his vessel and moved closer to assure him that he wouldn't force him.
Dean, however, flinched back a step as he approached and Michael stopped, frowning. "Dean," he rebuked.
His tactic had the desired result and made his vessel's chin came up defiantly and a determined glare was sent his way. That was more like it. Michael found that he greatly disliked seeing Dean afraid of him, much as it would have pleased him before. He'd become strangely attached to the human during the time they'd spent together. Some of it he knew was due to the fact that vessels, and particularly archangel vessels, had a certain affinity with the angel for whom they were intended. It was something that he had never understood the need for before but which was starting to make more and more sense the longer he spent with Castiel and Dean. The rest of it, though, was a mystery to him and he could only attribute it to his growing admiration and respect for the hunter.
"Mikey."
Michael's eyes flashed. "Do not take your anger out on me, Dean Winchester, I have done nothing to deserve it."
Dean seemed to consider that for a moment, his jaw clenching before he nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, alright."
"You are getting better at reading him," Castiel observed.
"He called me Mikey," Michael replied. "If he is not angry or baiting me, then it is either Michael or Mike."
The response made his vessel blink in surprise before a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of Dean's mouth. The confirmation of his observation made Michael feel pleased with himself. It had taken him a long time to determine why the moniker Mike hadn't bothered him nearly as much as Mikey and why, at times, it had almost pleased him to hear his vessel say it. He still failed to understand the human- or was it just Dean's?- need for monikers, but it was clearly something he would just have to accept. He'd paid close attention to the way his vessel used it with Castiel and the obvious affection he managed to infuse into the single syllable 'Cas.' That had made him notice the difference in the way Dean said 'Mike' and 'Mikey.'
Humans were such odd creatures.
"I understand that you have never considered saying yes," Michael began but paused as Castiel seemed to flinch and his vessel looked guilty as he caught the action. "What?"
Dean's lips twisted into a grimace and various emotions Michael couldn't identify flashed in his eyes and weighed down his words. "I did, consider it that is."
"You did?" Raphael demanded, startled.
"Yeah," Dean admitted, eyes flickering between the two of them before they settled on Michael. "After I was able to kill the Whore of Babylon, I thought... Well, I figured more people were dying then we were able to save and... it just seemed so pointless."
"He'd lost faith in himself," Castiel stated bluntly.
This time Dean flinched as if struck and now Michael recognized pain in his eyes, but he continued on regardless. "Yeah, anyway, I seriously considered it and then decided to do it."
"So why did you not?" Michael asked, marveling at this revelation.
It was something that he was stunned to learn about. After a while, Michael had come to believe that his vessel was completely adamant in his refusal and had thought that there was no way to persuade him. It was why he had agreed to Zachariah's plan to raise and use Adam Milligan instead.
"Oh, I tried," Dean stated. "But I was stopped."
"Sam realized what his brother was planning and we captured him before he could do it," Castiel picked up the tale. "We took him somewhere safe where we could keep him contained. Or at least we thought we could."
Once again, Dean flinched and this time he closed his eyes, swallowing. He looked like he was in pain or was expecting an attack and Michael frowned as he tried to figure out what was going on. Castiel seemed to have noticed his mate's distress as well as he stepped close to him and reached up to turn Dean's face towards himself.
"Cas, I'm so sorry, I should never ha-"
"Hush, Dean, hush," Castiel said, his Grace reaching out to soothe his mate's soul and Michael wondered if his vessel was aware of that or not. "You are forgiven, please stop punishing yourself for it."
"What did he do?" Raphael inquired when the tension had faded a little.
"Banishing sigil," Castiel told them and Michael winced in sympathy.
"He did this to try and find me?" Michael asked.
"He had found one of Zachariah's human puppets when I caught up with him. The man had just started praying for you."
"I never heard it."
"Cas didn't exactly waste any time putting the whammy on him," Dean explained wryly. "Nor did he fail to make just how pissed he was with me crystal clear."
This time it was Castiel who seemed uncomfortable and his brother tried to draw back, but his vessel wasn't allowing it. Michael wasn't sure what happened next as the two of them were just staring at each other without speaking, though they clearly must have been communicating in some manner as they both seemed calmer a minute later. He found that he wished he could understand what had just transpired
"So, anyway," Dean finally said, stepping back. "I considered it, once."
Michael wasn't sure what to say to that and allowed Raphael to step forwards when he could sense that his brother had calmed down somewhat.
"I still think we should perform the Rite of Contressa," Raphael stated. "If we do not, then Lucifer will be free shortly and we will be unable to do more then to try and mitigate any damage he wishes to cause. If we cannot outright kill him, then there is no other viable option available to us at present."
Chapter 55
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 2,163
Summary: Raphael argues his points for why Dean should say yes.
PAST
"Way to make that sound dirty," Dean said and Michael frowned, unsure of what his vessel meant.
All that he had done was make it clear exactly what the book said, just as Dean had requested. Michael had noticed the human penchant for denying truths they either didn't like or didn't want to acknowledge and thus could understand why his vessel would want to be completely sure that he was understanding them correctly. What he failed to understand himself, though, was how that made what he'd said 'dirty.'
Humans were such odd creatures at times and he had yet to learn how their minds worked. It was frustrating that he could see their very souls and yet fail to understand them on such a fundamental level.
He hadn't failed to notice his vessel's reaction to the truth and it hurt Michael inexplicably to know that Dean felt that strongly against saying yes. He'd always thought it was more about what would happen should Dean have given in before, about all of the humans that would have died, then about genuinely feeling this adversely about becoming a vessel. Well, once Dean knew that he wouldn't be turned into a drooling mess as a result of saying yes anyway. Perhaps this was another part of his punishment for all that he had said and done before? He felt distinctly uncomfortable as he recalled telling his vessel he was small and unimportant during their first meeting. His Father had taught him otherwise since then, not that He should have had to, not with a soul like the one Dean had. He should have been able to see it for himself right away.
"I think you should leave," Castiel stated.
"No," Raphael replied before Michael could answer.
His vessel's eyes narrowed at his brother and Michael wished Raphael wouldn't seek to antagonize Dean so often. Though, to be fair, he didn't think that was his brother's goal just now. He could well understand Raphael's frustration at having an opportunity like this dismissed outright without any real consideration, but he had learned not to try and force his way on his vessel and Castiel. He, at least, did not make the same mistakes twice, no matter how much it might seem like circumstances dictated that it was the right course of action.
"You cannot seriously be thinking of just outright dismissing the Rite of Contressa?" Raphael demanded.
"I think Father has made it clear that He does not wish for Dean to become a vessel," Castiel retorted.
"He has done no such thing. He has merely proven that He does not wish to see the Apocalypse ended in such a manner that would destroy Earth and all of His human children."
Castiel's Grace flickered with anger, but it was still restrained enough that Michael felt no alarm. His little brother had never been one to strike out recklessly when not necessary and though he might feel that his mate was being threatened, it was not an immediate enough threat yet to push him towards the desperate actions that had so stunned the Host, himself included. He didn't think he'd ever forget his shock at hearing that Castiel, of all angels, had defied Heaven.
Besides, Michael had come to realize that Castiel was not one prone to self-delusions and thus his brother would realize the truth in Raphael's words much as he might wish it weren't so. He himself was also struggling with it. If he ignored all else, what Raphael said was true, their Father hadn't specifically indicated that he didn't wish his Righteous Man to become a vessel as his bloodline dictated even if he felt that it was strongly implied. Dean's soul was far too bright for that of a mere vessel and Father had come down on Dean and Castiel's side when they'd resisted Heaven and his and Raphael's plans.
It was just all so confusing! Michael wished for a simple answer, something to indicate what his Father wished him to do. He was used to obeying clear orders that told him precisely what was required of him. This uncertainty was something new that he didn't like in the slightest as it made it so unclear what his Father wanted. He also felt that the signals were mixed. Some told him in no uncertain means that his vessel was meant for more then merely housing him to face Lucifer. Yet others, like the Rite of Contressa, told him that he was supposed to claim his intended vessel. Why else would this Rite have been created if he wasn't meant to use it while Dean was his vessel?
"Why are you so determined for me to give in?" Dean demanded.
"The Apocalypse has begun," Raphael replied. "With every day that passes, Lucifer's cage grows weaker and it is only a matter of time until he is free once more."
"Yeah, and who's fault is that?"
"Raphael," Michael warned as he sensed his brother's growing anger.
Raphael's gaze turned to him. "Do not pretend that you do not feel annoyed as well, Brother."
"Without Dean's permission, there is nothing we can do."
"So what will it take?" Raphael demanded, turning back to Dean and Castiel. "How many chances must you have before you finally act?"
"Excuse me?" Dean thundered and Michael wondered if either of them would ever be able to remain calm around the other after today.
"How long have you spent looking for a way to end this war without Michael killing Lucifer?"
Dean's face and soul twisted in anger, but he remained silent and Michael wished that he could say something to soothe him but could come up with nothing.
"How many resources remain unplundered in our attempts to find an alternative solution?" Raphael continued to push.
"There has to be another way," Dean finally replied, though his voice wasn't nearly as confident as it could be.
"Yes, there was, locking Lucifer back in his cage, but your brother ruined it."
"Hey, how were we to know that it couldn't hold more then one of you guys?"
"And now there is this," Raphael continued on, ignoring the question. "How many options do you think that there will be? This is the Apocalypse, you should be pleased that an alternative even exists. There is nothing to say that another one may present itself at all, much less in the time it will take Lucifer to break free."
"Then why bother with the Rite at all?" Dean questioned. "If you're not even sure we can finish this without destroying everything?"
"Because it will give us more time!"
When it became clear that his brother would push further, Michael stepped forwards and raised a hand, stalling Raphael though he was clearly unhappy about it. That was too bad for him, but he felt that his brother had already presented his argument well and worried that it would all be lost if Raphael said something to enrage Dean. Then he turned towards his vessel and moved closer to assure him that he wouldn't force him.
Dean, however, flinched back a step as he approached and Michael stopped, frowning. "Dean," he rebuked.
His tactic had the desired result and made his vessel's chin came up defiantly and a determined glare was sent his way. That was more like it. Michael found that he greatly disliked seeing Dean afraid of him, much as it would have pleased him before. He'd become strangely attached to the human during the time they'd spent together. Some of it he knew was due to the fact that vessels, and particularly archangel vessels, had a certain affinity with the angel for whom they were intended. It was something that he had never understood the need for before but which was starting to make more and more sense the longer he spent with Castiel and Dean. The rest of it, though, was a mystery to him and he could only attribute it to his growing admiration and respect for the hunter.
"Mikey."
Michael's eyes flashed. "Do not take your anger out on me, Dean Winchester, I have done nothing to deserve it."
Dean seemed to consider that for a moment, his jaw clenching before he nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, alright."
"You are getting better at reading him," Castiel observed.
"He called me Mikey," Michael replied. "If he is not angry or baiting me, then it is either Michael or Mike."
The response made his vessel blink in surprise before a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of Dean's mouth. The confirmation of his observation made Michael feel pleased with himself. It had taken him a long time to determine why the moniker Mike hadn't bothered him nearly as much as Mikey and why, at times, it had almost pleased him to hear his vessel say it. He still failed to understand the human- or was it just Dean's?- need for monikers, but it was clearly something he would just have to accept. He'd paid close attention to the way his vessel used it with Castiel and the obvious affection he managed to infuse into the single syllable 'Cas.' That had made him notice the difference in the way Dean said 'Mike' and 'Mikey.'
Humans were such odd creatures.
"I understand that you have never considered saying yes," Michael began but paused as Castiel seemed to flinch and his vessel looked guilty as he caught the action. "What?"
Dean's lips twisted into a grimace and various emotions Michael couldn't identify flashed in his eyes and weighed down his words. "I did, consider it that is."
"You did?" Raphael demanded, startled.
"Yeah," Dean admitted, eyes flickering between the two of them before they settled on Michael. "After I was able to kill the Whore of Babylon, I thought... Well, I figured more people were dying then we were able to save and... it just seemed so pointless."
"He'd lost faith in himself," Castiel stated bluntly.
This time Dean flinched as if struck and now Michael recognized pain in his eyes, but he continued on regardless. "Yeah, anyway, I seriously considered it and then decided to do it."
"So why did you not?" Michael asked, marveling at this revelation.
It was something that he was stunned to learn about. After a while, Michael had come to believe that his vessel was completely adamant in his refusal and had thought that there was no way to persuade him. It was why he had agreed to Zachariah's plan to raise and use Adam Milligan instead.
"Oh, I tried," Dean stated. "But I was stopped."
"Sam realized what his brother was planning and we captured him before he could do it," Castiel picked up the tale. "We took him somewhere safe where we could keep him contained. Or at least we thought we could."
Once again, Dean flinched and this time he closed his eyes, swallowing. He looked like he was in pain or was expecting an attack and Michael frowned as he tried to figure out what was going on. Castiel seemed to have noticed his mate's distress as well as he stepped close to him and reached up to turn Dean's face towards himself.
"Cas, I'm so sorry, I should never ha-"
"Hush, Dean, hush," Castiel said, his Grace reaching out to soothe his mate's soul and Michael wondered if his vessel was aware of that or not. "You are forgiven, please stop punishing yourself for it."
"What did he do?" Raphael inquired when the tension had faded a little.
"Banishing sigil," Castiel told them and Michael winced in sympathy.
"He did this to try and find me?" Michael asked.
"He had found one of Zachariah's human puppets when I caught up with him. The man had just started praying for you."
"I never heard it."
"Cas didn't exactly waste any time putting the whammy on him," Dean explained wryly. "Nor did he fail to make just how pissed he was with me crystal clear."
This time it was Castiel who seemed uncomfortable and his brother tried to draw back, but his vessel wasn't allowing it. Michael wasn't sure what happened next as the two of them were just staring at each other without speaking, though they clearly must have been communicating in some manner as they both seemed calmer a minute later. He found that he wished he could understand what had just transpired
"So, anyway," Dean finally said, stepping back. "I considered it, once."
Michael wasn't sure what to say to that and allowed Raphael to step forwards when he could sense that his brother had calmed down somewhat.
"I still think we should perform the Rite of Contressa," Raphael stated. "If we do not, then Lucifer will be free shortly and we will be unable to do more then to try and mitigate any damage he wishes to cause. If we cannot outright kill him, then there is no other viable option available to us at present."
Chapter 55