A/N:
So close to reaching that famous happy end
Almost believing this was not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far we are so close
Disclaimer: No I don't, and Krpike probably breathes easier knowing that.
So Close
Gabriel felt a sour taste in his mouth as he realized that fate had at long last played on joke on him. He looked over his shoulder at the scene playing out at the pool table. Gabriel turned back to his empty scotch glass and frowned. The alcohol did not affect him, but he still felt light headed every time he glanced back.
Dean, who was leaning of so causally against the pool table polishing a cue, did not see him. This was exactly what Gabriel wanted. He wanted to stay out of sight, out of reach of the mortal that he was endlessly fascinated with. Gabriel lied to himself (again and again) that he was satisfied to just watch. But now, there was a change coming into his line of sight. Some underserving blonde girl in a dress to tight was tripping over what should be, by all rights, Gabriel's. Gabriel felt a something register inside himself; watching would not satisfy him for much longer.
With a flick of his finger, Gabriel coaxed the chair to inch just slightly to the left. Whatever-her-name was crashed to the floor. He smiled a little at that. No matter what ever hold it was that Dean had on him Gabriel was still a powerful being in his own right. He just wasn't powerful enough to resist the temptation he saw in Dean's green eyes and freckles.
The blonde ran off to the bathroom to clean off her spilled drink. Gabriel took one long drink of Dean and left. It hurt too much to stay.
Two nights later his curiosity grew too strong. He allowed himself to hover over Dean when he slept. He could be inches away from Dean and he still felt like he was miles away. He spent one week hovering over Dean while he slept before he got braver. He leaned closer one night and kissed Dean lightly on his cheek. To Gabriel's enormous relief, Dean remained asleep.
Human emotions were not so foreign to the angel, with one exception. One very large exception. He and Kali had been together for a few centuries but now, looking back on it, he wondered if it qualified as anything more than physical. After years of mockery, he still hadn't mastered love. He could manipulate any foolish being into believing they were rich, poor, starved, drowning, in love, and even heart broken. But Gabriel had never actually experienced it.
This addiction that was growing inside him, this irrevocable attraction, was growing into love. He enjoyed the thrill of stealing kisses at night, and of watching Dean sleep. The sandy blonde had no idea. At some point, Gabriel knew, he would have to tell Dean.
It was not hard to wait for Sam to leave. He was already half way out the door anyway, going on midnight jaunts. With the apocalypse looming though, everyone had to rearrange their priorities. Gabriel knew that he could work uninterrupted. It was now merely about timing. He wanted that moment where Dean would express his undying love to be perfect.
Gabriel had grown accustomed to lying next to Dean; even running his fingers through his hair. With a soft smile, Gabriel allowed Dean to wake up. Dean gasped, taking a deep lungful of air, as he bolted awake. He jerked away from Gabriel instantly, and backed against the wall. "What are you doing!"
That's a natural reaction, Gabriel allowed. He leaned forward and touched Dean's arm. "I came for you."
Dean's eyes went wide in shock. He was probably still upset after he had thrown him TV land. But Gabriel had thought Dean would know that was just playing. He took a deep breath and did not let his ire show. Love is patience.
"Dean, don't you understand? I want to be with you."
"I must be fucking dreaming." Dean cursed and rubbed his eyes.
Gabriel frowned a little. This was not what he had envisioned at all. He reached out and grabbed Dean by the shoulders, forcefully pulling him forward. Surprised registered in Dean's eyes. Fear, too, as Gabriel leaned closer. Gabriel kissed him, as fiercely as he could. Instead of kissing him back though, Dean beat his fists against Gabriel's chest. Gabriel felt his temper rise beyond his control. "I wish you would understand." He sighed. "I'll just have to make you understand."
Dean started to yell at him, curse at him, tried to push him away. Gabriel knew that this outburst was a sign of love. He drowned out all the noise as he stared into those beautiful green eyes that fascinated him so much. They were beyond gorgeous. He knew for a fact that his Father had created them to be windows. Inside Dean Gabriel could see a storm of anger, distrust, loyalty, and passion- each emotion fighting against each other.
Smiling gently, as he fixated on Dean's eyes, he used his power to will the human to unconsciousness. Dean fell against him.
And wasn't that just the way things were meant to be?
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Dean woke up under very soft sheets, with a rather comfortable pillow under his head. He yawned, stretching out his tired limbs. As he reached under his pillow to check for his knife he noticed it was gone. Dean snapped to alertness instantly. He sat up and looked around. There was no tacky motel decoration, no sign of his weapons, no duffel, or newspaper clippings… He was somewhere else entirely.
The events of the night before washed over him. Dean looked down at himself, taking everything into stock. There were bruises on his bare shoulders, but for the most part he was unharmed. He was still wearing the jeans he had slept in, and he wasn't injured anywhere. Dean felt a little relief at that, he looked up to evaluate the next issue: where he was.
He was in some sort of attic. The slanted ceiling made it hard for Dean to stand up completely straight. There was a breeze coming in from the floor boards and a naked light bulb hanging from the ceiling that didn't provide heat or even enough light. There was no window for him to look out and gauge the time day. Dean looked over to the end of the bed and smiled a little when he saw three of his shirts, and a spare pair of jeans. He threw on a dark blue shirt and began to inspect the floorboards for any hint of a door.
"You won't find anything."
Dean turned around quickly to look at the voice behind him. Gabriel was smiling warmly at him, wearing lazy jeans and loose red shirt. "I think we need to talk about our relationship." He took three steps forward.
"Gabriel, I have no idea what you think this is but—"
Gabriel laid one hand softly on Dean's cheek, using a little bit of grace to keep the man paralyzed. "Dean, shush. You are going to stay here with me now. Because I love you, and I know that deep down you love me too."
Dean's eyebrows rose up in surprise, but even that was a forced effort.
Gabriel nodded. "I know- I was surprised too. But you can't deny you feel it." He leaned close to Dean, and whispered in his ear. "I will have you, Dean. I just want to say you feel the same first." He kissed Dean on the cheek and then disappeared.
Dean, released from the hold, fell to his knees breathing heavily. Even such a brief contact with Gabriel's grace he had felt endlessly overwhelmed by the emotions the angel had been feeling; desire mixed with anger. On his bed had appeared a cheeseburger on a silver platter. The meal was hot, and smelled unbelievably good. Dean threw it against the wall angrily. He beat his fists against the wooden walls and cursed.
When he couldn't scream curses, or beat the wall anymore, Dean fell back down on the bed and began to plot. He considered all the ways he could trick the trickster, how to fight him, and how to fend off his advances. They all seemed like perfectly good ideas, until Dean realized he was up against an archangel. Exhausted and overwhelmed, he finally let sleep over come in.
Gabriel watched him sleep peacefully and smiled. It was only a matter of time before Dean would understand.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Sam must have been desperate to call Castiel. Castiel knew he wouldn't have done it until that he had run out of ideas. He still could not believe Sam had taken this long to call him. Then again, he couldn't believe it had taken him so long to notice Dean's missing presence.
"The trail has almost certainly run cold by now." He warned Sam not to have false hope.
"But you have to try!" Sam pleaded. "I can't find any trace of what took him and I've been searching nonstop for the past two weeks…"
Castiel shoved his hands into his trench coat pockets. "I will try, Sam. I will let you know if I find anything."
"Thank you."
Castiel regarded him curiously. "Don't thank me yet."
Castiel took flight before Sam could finish a breath. He couldn't stand to be in a motel that smelled like demon blood any longer. Sam Winchester worried him. But losing his charge worried him even more. When he arrived at the sight where Dean had first disappeared, his blood ran cold.
There was a lingering smell in the air. Not like the way demons left the smell of sulfur. No, down, and feathers had been here. At first he wondered if it had been another angel trying to force a yes out of Dean. The sigils Dean had would have protected him, but… There was something else here.
It was a sticky sweet smell. Nauseating, almost. Only one angel left that scent behind.
Cursing, Castiel took flight.
..to be continued...
