Okay people, well, I was going to write my S9 AU sequel to Never Give Up, Never Give In, but then 29Pieces decided to come up with this plot bunny which I promptly adopted and had to write-so you can blame her lol :P But I did really want to write a S11 fic, so here it is, and there's also Gabriel who I have also been wanting to write, and there is literally so much fix-it in this fic, it's ridiculous. I am fixing the entire show, essentially. I really hope you all enjoy it, and since we will probably not get the resolution we want this season, I hope this speculative AU helps ;)

A special thanks to 29Pieces and Aini NuFire for brainstorming with me on this one, and reading the first chapter or so and helping me try to figure out Gabe's voice (tougher than you think!) If you really like slash free fix-it, family feel riddled fics featuring Cas and the Winchesters and even Gabriel/Cas brother feels, check their stories out now!

Disclaimer: Obviously don't own Supernatural, or it would be more like this...

When All is Said and Done

A Supernatural Fanfic

Chapter One

It had been one of the most desperate battles the Winchesters had faced to date, and that was saying something since they had gone up against the Leviathans and the Mother of all Monsters and even won the freaking Apocalypse. But Amara was a whole new level, and there had been times they were certain they weren't going to make it out alive, and probably wouldn't have, if they hadn't had Gabriel step up as a Hail Mary, resurrected by Lucifer—though reluctantly—to help in the final battle. Even then, they had all been busted up pretty bad though they had finally prevailed, and locked Amara back up where she belonged.

But that was hardly the end of their troubles, for after Amara was defeated, and the four of them were standing, barely keeping their feet, and trying to comprehend that it was actually over, Lucifer had tried to make a move.

Sam and Dean were standing to one side, Dean's hand on Sam's shoulder to steady him, or maybe to keep himself from collapsing. He didn't want to admit to the loss he felt now that Amara was gone, his freaky bond with her having done a number on him, but he also felt pure relief, making him light-headed. He felt free.

"It's over, Dean," Sam panted, turning to his brother, relief reflected in his eyes as well, a hand gripping Dean's arm. "It's over."

A cold chuckle sounded then, and they looked up at Lucifer still wearing Cas' body, and grinning like a madman.

"Oh, no, this isn't over yet, Sammy-boy. This isn't over until you two are obliterated. Now, I would obviously love to keep you as my personal pets, but I could never relax with you two alive—I'd always have to be watching my back, and I don't have the patience for that. So I guess this is goodbye."

"No!" Dean and Gabriel yelled at the same time as Lucifer raised a hand to smite the Winchesters. But before he could do anything, his face suddenly scrunched up and he fell to his knees.

"Down, Castiel," he growled, his eyes blazing in fury. "Big brother's working."

He grunted and slumped with his hands against the ground as Sam and Dean and Gabriel watched with horror, wondering what to do. Not sure what they could do without endangering Cas.

Finally Lucifer raised his head, but Dean could tell instantly it wasn't Lucifer.

"Cas?" he asked.

"Sam, Dean, run," Cas gritted out. "I'm going to… try to expel him—agh!." He screamed in pain and crumpled to the ground before his body rose with a dark laugh, obviously Lucifer again. He got to his feet and dusted off his coat with an air of overconfidence.

"Cute, Castiel, but you don't have enough power for that. Forgot to take your vitamins before fighting the Darkness."

Gabriel advanced, his blade held at the ready. "Get out of him, Lucifer."

"What are you going to do, little brother? Carve me out of him? You know I can't leave unless I want out or he does, and if you start carving, he'll die first, that's a promise."

Gabriel grit his teeth, knowing it was true. "Hey, Castiel, you fight him, you hear me, little brother? Don't let that douche-nozzle win!"

"Come on, Cas!" Sam added. "You can do it!"

"Throw his ass out!" Dean shouted too, wishing he could do something to help.

"What's with the peanut gallery? I've had enough of you two," Lucifer said and advanced on the Winchesters, raising a hand, only to be stopped mid-stride, his back arching in agony and his eyes glowing blue. He fell on his knees again and Cas' voice gritted out, "Get out, Lucifer. You are no longer allowed inside this body." He groaned and crumpled to the ground before screaming. "Do you hear me? I no longer give my consent! Now get. The hell. Out!"

The Winchesters had to cover their eyes against the blinding light that surrounded Castiel, but it looked like he had finally succeeded in ejecting Lucifer. Dean was startled as he felt a hand on his shoulder, Gabriel leaning close to his and Sam's ears and yelling against the deafening shriek that was filling the air and getting louder by the minute.

"I've got to get Luci back into his vacation home while he's still vulnerable and weakened. Meet you back at the ranch!"

And with that he was gone and the shrieking stopped. Sam and Dean cautiously uncovered their eyes and looked to where Castiel was slumped on the ground, panting heavily.

"Cas!" Sam cried, the first to run over and help the angel into a sitting position. Castiel groaned as he sat up, submitting to Sam's examination of his injuries. He looked very much worse for wear, there were several bloody rents in his clothes from the fight with Amara, but Dean couldn't see if they had healed yet or not, though they looked like they were still bleeding, and there was some other wear, where his body had started to corrode in the past week or so, not being equipped to contain an archangel. He looked like he shouldn't even be conscious.

Dean crouched on his other side and put a hand under his arm. "You good to stand, Cas?" he asked.

"I-think I can manage," the angel said wearily.

Sam shot Dean a look, but the elder Winchester ignored him and started to pull Cas to his feet. The angel swayed and both brothers gripped him tighter, keeping him upright.

"You're good," Dean said, patting him on the back as Cas winced. "We need to get back to the bunker."

It wasn't a long drive, only an hour from the setting of their final showdown with the Darkness, but it was silent. Everyone with their own thoughts, Dean's in turmoil as he gripped the wheel, and Sam watching him out of the corner of his eye, wondering when things were going to explode. And then there was Cas, that brave idiot, who had won the war for them, sitting in the back seat, looking like he wanted to fall over, only clinging to consciousness through pure stubbornness, and Dean couldn't understand why he was so angry with him.

Thinking back, Dean would have given anything to say something different to the angel, his friend, his brother, when he had finally opened his big stupid mouth. Because now he was sitting by Cas' bed, watching the angel struggle to breathe as his body fought to heal itself from the horrible damage that had been done. The fight alone was bad enough, but Lucifer had taken so much of his power to fuel his own that he was left without the ability to heal himself and it was beyond even Gabriel's ability to do so. And as Dean watched his friend's struggles, practically felt Cas slipping away from him, he just wished he could take it all back. Because if that was the last thing Cas remembered, if he never recovered, Dean wasn't sure what he was going to do.

They pulled into the garage and got out, all three of them barely able to keep their feet, but Cas, the worst off of them all, was trying to get out of the backseat of the Impala. Sam hurried to help him, but Dean came around the car and grabbed the angel's elbow before he could. "I got him, Sam, go get the first aid stuff ready. We're all gonna need it." Sam gave him a hesitant look, but swallowed back whatever he might have said and turned for the door. Dean pulled on Cas to get him started, and the angel noticed the impersonal touch for what it was and finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Dean, I know what you're going to say…"

"Do you really, Cas?" Dean snapped, finally feeling the anger that had been roiling inside of him since he found out about Cas' deal with Lucifer bubbling over. "Because I've got a hell of a lot to say about recent events, and the first thing is why you would pull a stupid move like that?"

Cas sagged against him with a sigh even though he tried to keep himself upright. "I just wanted to pull my weight, Dean. It was the only way to defeat Amara; you know that. And it worked, so I don't see why you're so upset."

Dean stopped and yanked Castiel around by his arm, causing the angel to grit his teeth as he looked into Dean's angry green eyes. "You don't? Well, then let me explain it to you, Cas. Not only was it an utterly stupid, suicidal plan on your part, but you let an enemy into our group, our home. Do you have any idea how badly that could have gone? Who knows what Lucifer could have done with the stuff he found in here. And not only that, but you allowed that creature within close proximity of my little brother, who he spent years torturing in hell and went on to make him go nearly crazy when he was riding around in Sammy's skull after you busted his wall!"

Cas pulled himself up, wrenching his arm from Dean's grip, his eyes growing hard. "I knew the risks. Believe me, I knew them, but I couldn't stand by and let Amara destroy the world when I had a chance to stop her. You of all people should understand that, Dean. I did it, I said yes, so you or Sam wouldn't have to make that call. It was my turn to pull the weight."

"We could have found another way! We always do!" Dean shouted back.

Cas shook his head. "No, you knew this was the only solution, but you couldn't do it, you or Sam, and that's okay. That's why I was here. I was finally able to repay my penance. I found my purpose, Dean. Why I've stayed around for so long."

"What are you talking about?" Dean demanded.

"I knew it was a suicide mission. That's why I said, yes. So I could finally do some good again, because I'm…expendable." The last word was spoken wearily and Cas' shoulders sagged.

Dean's eyes narrowed, struggling to come up with something to say before he came out with, "So what, you think your sacrifice, the fulfillment of your 'penance' was worth putting us all in danger? Worth nearly letting freaking Lucifer get his hands on Sammy again? I'm happy you have a clean slate and all now, but that's a hell of a price to pay for self gratification."

Cas opened his mouth as if to say something and then seemed to decide against it, sagging even more and propping a hand on the doorjamb, affecting a steely, detached gaze at the elder Winchester. "I'm sorry for the grief I caused you, Dean, but it seems likely you won't have to worry about that much longer."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dean demanded as Cas began to make his way into the bunker unaided. "Cas, don't you dare walk away from me, I'm not done with this talk!"

He stormed through the door that was shutting behind Cas and caught sight of Sam hurrying from the other room, obviously brought there by the shouting. Cas was slumped with his hands braced on the map table in the war room and Dean caught Sam's look, obviously indicative of chewing his older brother out, but they were interrupted by a sudden choking sound. Cas' shoulders spasmed and he folded over, a hand clutched to his chest.

"Cas!" Sam cried, reaching him first and gripping his shoulder. "Cas, you all right?"

Dean, forgetting his anger for a minute as fear surged through him, ran forward as well, just as Cas collapsed, blood oozing from his mouth. Sam barely caught him before his head hit the floor and by the time Dean got there, the angel was completely unconscious; pale, bloody and looking like he was on Death's doorstep. He and Sam shared a look that was more telling than any words could be, but Dean already felt the pit settling into his stomach, and in the back of his head, he knew this had been his fault…

Dean ran a hand down his face tiredly, squeezing his eyes shut as the scene played itself over and over again in his head. There was a swollen tightness on the left side of his face where bruises were blossoming. Not from the battle but from Gabriel's fist, and yeah, Dean knew he had pulled the punch because otherwise his brains would have been all over the floor, but boy could the archangel lay it on, even when he wasn't trying. He was lucky he hadn't suffered a broken jaw. But he didn't blame Gabriel either. It was all he deserved for what he had said to Cas. The truth was that, sure, he was pissed, of course he was, that was just his natural reaction to Sammy being put in danger, but he was also pissed because he was scared. Scared of losing his other brother, the best friend he had ever had besides Sam. Because Cas had made a stupid call saying yes to Lucifer, but even worse, because he hadn't planned on getting out of it alive. And that wasn't okay, because they didn't get the luxery of just giving up. And he may still not make it out of this one, thanks to Dean and what he had said; pretty much sealing the idea into the angel's head that he wished the result had been more final. Because Cas was, in his own words, expendable.

And where the hell did he come up with that? Dean wondered to himself. Surely that hadn't been his fault. Had it?

But maybe it had. He closed his eyes as more memories assaulted him.

He and Sam had still been crouching on the floor with Cas' limp form between them, trying to figure out the manner of his injuries, when Gabriel came back, throwing open the door to the bunker and clanging down the metal stairs.

"What happened?" he demanded as he caught sight of Castiel.

"He collapsed," Sam supplied as the archangel shoved Dean aside none-too-gently to get at Cas, slipping an arm under his shoulders and pulling him onto his knee. "He doesn't seem to be healing either."

"He gave too damn much to this," Gabriel growled, patting Cas' face. "Hey, Cassie, you wake up, kiddo, don't make me pinch you. And I'm not above slapping or freezing water, either just FYI."

As the angel made no indication of waking, Gabriel simply bent and slipped his arms under Cas' body, lifting the taller angel effortlessly. "Where's his room?" he asked.

"He doesn't—" Dean began but Gabriel obviously wasn't taking that for an answer.

"Where is his room?" he demanded.

"He sometimes stays in this one—I'll show you," Sam said and hurried off deeper into the bunker, opening a door for Gabriel to carry Cas inside. Dean followed, sharing a look with Sam as they stood in the doorway to the plain room that didn't even have extra blankets on the bed at the moment, and was without any personal effects. Gabriel laid Cas down on the bed as gently as a child and put a hand to his forehead. Gabriel closed his eyes in concentration and Sam and Dean expected to see the glow of healing but nothing happened. Gabriel cursed and began to pull Cas' filthy, bloodstained clothes off. "Dammit, Castiel, don't do this to me," he muttered pulling the sheet over him, then turning to the Winchesters and startling them as he snapped, "Hey, dimwits! Don't just stand there and look pretty. Blankets and first aid kit, now!"

They went to fetch the items instantly and when they returned, Gabriel silently started to work on Cas, cleaning and bandaging the wounds that refused to heal, and then tucked the blanket around him, one hand carding through Cas' hair a few times before he straightened. He turned back to the door and the Winchesters still standing there and stared at them for a minute with a steely gaze before he pulled back and swung.

Dean was on his backside before he knew what hit him, clutching the side of his face that was now numb. "What the hell, man?" he demanded.

"Please," Gabriel scoffed. "That's only a smidgeon of what you deserve. You watch out for him until I get back. I'm gonna take a walk before I decide to kill you."

And then he was gone, and Sam was helping Dean to his feet and the elder brother only felt worse.

Dean remembered Gabriel's face when he had informed the archangel that Cas didn't have a room at the bunker. The way Gabriel had asked it, he had been so sure, and why the hell didn't Cas have a room? Dean had never thought about offering one. Even when the angel had been convalescing after Rowena's curse he had camped out in Sam's room watching Netflix when they weren't there and had mostly spent his time on their couch in the library when they were. Cas didn't exactly need to sleep, but still, it probably would have been courteous to allow him to pick out a bedroom when he wanted to crash and relax. A space of his own. Dean had never thought it mattered to the angel, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe he had been wrong about a lot of things. Maybe—probably—that was why Cas had called himself expendable. Maybe…maybe he thought he actually was because that's how the Winchesters had treated him.

"Damn it, Cas," Dean groaned, rubbing his hand over his face again. "You know that's not true, right?"

The door opened and Sam looked in, his face pinched with worry. "Hey, how is he?"

"The same," Dean said.

Sam's mouth twitched as if he wanted to say something then changed his mind. "Um, I made something for dinner. You should probably eat. And you need to get those wounds cleaned up."

Dean realized then he hadn't even changed or washed the blood off of himself from the fight. The pain from his injuries, though mostly superficial, came back in a rush, along with a ravenous hunger and also the need to make sure Sam was all right. He stood up. "Yeah, I kind of forgot. How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Sore, but I already cleaned up. I'll stay with him for a while."

Dean nodded and left the room as Sam took up the vigil by Cas' side. He cleaned up first, taking a quick shower and bandaging the wounds that were still bleeding, then went to the kitchen and poured some of the soup Sam had heated up. He was just going to put the first spoonful to his lips when a breeze ruffled his hair and he looked up, seeing Gabriel standing there, a dark glower on his face.

"What?" Dean demanded, annoyance building up inside of him. "Are you going to beat me up some more? Hm? Make me feel worse about myself than I already do?"

"As much as I'd love to kick your sorry ass into next week, I just don't think it would make the point I'm looking for," Gabriel told him as Dean looked at him incredulously. "You know why Cas isn't healing, don't you?" he added, snapping.

"Because Lucifer depleted his mojo," Dean said.

"Partly. But it's mostly because he doesn't want to get better; he's blocking me too. He thinks his sacrifice for you and your brother is a noble one, that he was meant to die in this battle—a brave idiotic death for the greater good like he's Spock or something—and I doubt he's even seen that one."

"Yeah, he told me that," Dean gritted out, his hand tightening around his spoon.

"You don't get it, do you?" Gabriel demanded. "You have no idea! You have no idea how messed up that kid's head is, and it's all because of you!"

Dean stood up, fury rushing through him. "Cas is my friend, he's like a brother to me, how dare you—"

"How dare I what? Mention how little you've done for him in the last few years, which were probably the hardest of his life? How you ignored him or threw him out when he needed you the most? Or, even better, how you don't think of him until you need something? Oh I dare, Dean-o, I dare to say all of that, so what are you going to do to me now, you gutless dick?"

Dean might have swung at him if Sam hadn't shown up.

"Woah, guys, what's going on?" he demanded.

Gabriel turned to him with a smile that was all danger. "Oh good, Gigantor is here too. Now that we have both Dumb and Dumber, how about we take a little trip down memory lane. Hit some of the highlights and play a little game of 'what would you do'?"

"What are you talking about?" Dean demanded.

"You'll see soon enough," Gabriel told him and raised a hand to snap his fingers. Dean didn't have time to open his mouth again before everything was suddenly black.

Uh-oh, the boys are in for a ride now. Let me know what you think!