Why am I always left to do the research? Sam sighed, pulling his laptop across the desk and opening it up. The screen brightened, displaying a series of open tabs on lore and legends. Of course, Dean had taken himself off elsewhere - a bar, more than likely - which left Sam with the work. Nothing he wasn't used to. Yet he would have appreciated the help from his brother that probably wouldn't be provided until the morning.
Raising a beer bottle to his lips, he took a swig, his eyes resting on the screen. Sam scowled quietly, proceeding to flick through pages of John's journal to see if he could come up with something that made more sense and could slot the pieces together.
Nothing.
Sam buried his face in his hands with a frustrated groan. When he raised his head, his brows knotted together in a frown. The laptop screen had gone grey, much like a static television screen. From atop the beside table, the radio began playing, switching from one station to the next. Sam pushed back from the desk and stood, grabbing his revolver and positioning himself in the corner beside the curtains. He fished his mobile from his pocket and dialled Dean, impatiently awaiting an answer. C'mon, pick up, pick up.
"You're being ridiculous," he retorted, rolling his eyes at his brother. The archangel received a glare and a mildly irritated shove. "I'm his favourite." He boasted.
Lucifer let out a laugh of disbelief. "His favourite?" he repeated with a raised brow. His expression hinted at amusement. "Gabe, don't flatter yourself. If you were his favourite, don't you think he wouldn't have tried to kill you?"
"That's funny, coming from the very same person he also attempted to rid earth of." Gabriel argued.
Lucifer tutted, "Don't get so hotheaded, little brother; I think you're forgetting that he let me out of my cage in the first place."
"By accident," Gabriel reminded him. "Besides, he prefers tricksters. I'm much more entertaining."
"Please," scoffed the other archangel. "The real trick is to worm your way inside his head. My company is more than satisfying, I've heard. Unlike yours. You put him through hell with your games."
Gabriel was dumbfounded. "Did you just say that?"
"Say what?" Lucifer smirked, one that told Gabriel his brother was well aware of what had just come out of his mouth.
The trickster scowled. "Shut up, Luci."
"All right, Sammy, just calm down and tell me what's wrong."
For someone not experiencing it, Dean was not of much help. His words were not comforting in the slightest, and he sounded as though Sam had interrupted him. The motel lights had blown, but it appeared as though this was the only room they had done so in.
"Can't you just get over here?" Sam snapped down the phone. Someone was speaking in the background to Dean, but he could not quite make out the words. "I don't know what it is. Might be a ghost." He had already enclosed himself in a circle of salt.
"I've known him longer, mind you," Lucifer insisted. Gabriel only glowered at him. "Ooh, cat got your tongue?" He stuck his own snakelike one out.
"At least I did not deprive him of sleep." That certainly got the archangel to shut up. But only for a moment.
"I could tell you anything and everything about him."
"It's not as though he wanted you there in the first place. Now who's flattering himself?" retaliated Gabriel with a somewhat smug expression.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lucifer replied sarcastically, "I can't seem to hear you over the sound of Sam Winchester being my vessel."
"Too bad he refused you, hm... let me see," Gabriel pretended to be lost in thought. "Oh, that's right, about half a dozen times."
In the bathroom, Sam could hear the faint buzzing of the razor Dean had left plugged into the wall. "Now would be a great time to assist me, Dean." He was losing his patience. The man was starting to believe it was not a ghost, otherwise the room would have grown cold by now.
There was a shrill sound of glass breaking as the windows beside him shattered, shards of glass spilling onto the carpet. Sam stepped away from the billowing curtains, cursing under his breath. Dean could be heard rummaging about on the other end. "Dean," Sam tried to get his attention. "Dean!"
"Sonofabitch," Dean muttered before he could be heard again. "What happened?"
"Window broke," he informed. A noise distracted him. Whether he was hearing things or not, a ringing had begun in his ear and was gradually growing louder. "There's a weird buzzing."
He received a reply, but Sam did not hear it clearly. Then the mobile went dead. He tried ringing Dean again, but found that the service was unavailable. No signal.
"I see how it is," Lucifer mocked, "you're jealous." The amusement was evident in his tone. Gabriel chose not to argue back and turned his head, knowing Lucifer could not stand being ignored.
The archangel noticed and frowned at his brother. "Don't be a spoilsport. But if you have given up, that means I win." He laughed bitterly, yet no response was given. Lucifer grew agitated. "Listen to mee!" He whined.
Dean's arrival was a relief. Accompanying him was Castiel, having been transported to the motel room. The shorter man glanced around the room, surprised by the mess. Then he grimaced and doubled over, hands covering his ears as a loud piercing screech rang through them. "Sam?" He yelled over the noise. Furniture was shaking violently, as though an earthquake had hit.
Castiel was the only one of the three who were not affected. He disappeared for a second, reappearing just as the noise stopped. "My brothers." He announced. Both Dean and Sam looked up, uncovering their ears.
"What was that?" Sam asked, bewildered.
"Angels." Dean answered him, turning to Cas for an explanation.
"It would seem my brothers were arguing," the angel informed with a frown. He moved to Dean's side and whispered something. The hunter glanced at his brother and guffawed. Sam's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What? What's so funny?" He demanded, but the other man only roared with laughter. Castiel managed a small smile.
When Dean finally calmed down from his mirth, he smirked, "Looks like you've become someone's new chew toy, Sammy."