It happened every night after Dean came back from the dead. It wasn't related to Castiel, he had figured that out quickly. No, this wasn't related to anybody else but him. Sam Winchester would wake up at 3am every morning, covered in a thin sheet of sweat. He would sit up, gasping for air in the dim light of the moon, motel room just as he left it before going to bed. Every dream was the same, each detail vivid and highly unpleasant. In the dream, Sam would be running from something with Dean when they would come to the edge of a cliff. Dean would stop in time and Sam would fall in before drowning but when he hit the water, it wasn't water anymore. It was flames, flames painlessly engulfing him and stealing the oxygen out of his lungs. Drowning in the flames alone.

Sam sat up once again, trying to breathe. Dean was in a different hotel room, the one over and by the sound of it, he wasn't quite done with the girl he had picked up at the bar. Sam stood, fingers ghosting over the sweat soaked sheets. He sighed and stood, going to take a cold shower before getting dressed. He curled up in a ball on the chair that sat in the corner, chewing his bottom lip. He was exhausted, hours and hours of sleep deprivation hitting him in waves of headache inducing stress. When Sam heard a snap, he looked at where it could come from but there was nobody there. The once disheveled bed was now made, fresh sheets on it.

Sighing and sitting there in hesitation, Sam finally stood after debating on whether he should try to lie down. It could be a trap but it was a risk he was willing to take for a few hours of sleep. He swallowed hard, slowly placing his head on the pillow and closing his heavy eyes. Those eyes shot back open once more as he felt fingers run through his hair. He had leaned into the touch at first but was now standing and digging through his bag.

"Oh come on, kiddo. You don't need that old thing…just come back to bed."

Sam froze at those words and turned to look at him, eyes wide.

"You really are a moose in headlights sometimes…come on." Gabriel said, shifting on the bed and patting the spot next to him.

"How do I know you won't do anything...like, kill me?" Sam asked, curiosity taking over.

"You don't. I could kill you in your sleep, make you regret your existence, make you live the same day over and over again, just as I have before. Or you could just trust me and in return I could give you the best night's sleep you've had in a really long time. Up to you, Sammy." Gabriel shrugged

Sam sighed. What reason did he have to trust this trickster? This archangel. He had killed Dean time and time again, he hurt people. Evil bastards that deserved it, but he still hurt and even killed people. Gabriel seemed harmless right now though, arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the pillows. The usual smile-smirk on his lips, something innocent hidden in those sad eyes. With a deep sigh, Sam laid back down next to him. Gabriel went back to running his fingers through his hair, "Just close your eyes and sleep…"

At first, Sam struggled with this but eventually, he did get to sleep. Upon waking up in the morning, it was just him alone, sleeping in the bed. Maybe it was all a dream…but when Sam went to brush his teeth and slash cold water on his face, he found a note on the mirror.

Give me a call if you can't sleep again. ~G.

Dean had teased Sam about that note forever, thinking it was from a girl. But Dean didn't know who it really was and Sam was determined to hide it from him. Although, Dean did eventually find out and had stormed out that very night to go be angry at someone else. Gabriel's visits became more frequent, Sam getting used to having him around. Maybe too used to it but still used to it all the same. The same night that Dean ran out on him, Gabriel hadn't shown up. Sam drowned again in the flames but this time, Gabriel burned with him. He woke up, tears streaming down his face and sweat covering his body. There wasn't enough to get to the sheets, Sam rolling over and hugging his pillow in fear. He was crying softly into it when two arms wrapped around him from behind, "Sam?"

Sam turned around in his arms, snuggling close as he continued to cry softly. Gabriel just held him, not asking anymore questions as he ran his fingers through his hair. It seemed to soothe him slightly but he was still shaking.

"Gabe?"

"Yeah, Sammy?"

"Never leave me…"

Gabriel frowned slightly, swallowing hard. Maybe, just maybe, he had become attached to the younger Winchester. Not that he would ever admit it, despite uttering the one word that would change everything forever.

"Never."