Heaven was a vast, endless place used to file human souls into their own personal brand of paradise. Every soul has an inner sanctuary, buried deep into the conscious of every single tiny, insignificant life that God has given them. Heaven was a timeless place where the beautiful, glowing soul can thrive and relax. To bask and enjoy the rest of eternity.
As a fledgling, this had always wondered Gabriel. Even now, after centuries upon centuries of existing, the idea and craft of Heaven itself still managed to leave him in awe. Angels were given the ability to visit each and every personal paradise assembled in the unfathomable site of Heaven. This ability is used to speak to those souls with valuable information, or even those who played a crucial role on Earth. Someone who's life shouldn't have been cut short, and needed to be brought back to continue living on Earth. To continue building. Swiping the dust away to pick up where they'd left off. Every soul is connected in some way, shape, or form. An individual puzzle piece, so to speak. They each have their own place in this world. Their own part to play. And when that last piece clicks into place, the meaning of it all, the purpose- their purpose, will be united to make one massive, harmonic masterpiece.
As beautiful and enigmatic as it all sounds, it was also rather cheesy. And infatuating. It leaves you with a chilling, exposing feeling. To know that your life is fixed, that destiny had decided to make it's own mind up without you, that you can never change it..
Then there's the Winchesters. Michael and Lucifer's vessels. The one's who had punched destiny right in the face. They've taken the life they were given, taken it and made it theirs. Showed God, showed the world- showed Gabriel himself, that destiny doesn't control them. That with enough determination, with enough cause, that destiny can just shove it.
Dean Winchester, all brawn and complicated. So full of dote and pride in his younger brother. Mossy green eyes that's seen the worst of it all, but still beholds the ability to gleam with hope and happiness. The witty, sarcastic, hard exterior- Gabriel's seen it all before. Lived it, even. Deep inside, buried beneath the pain, the suffering, the Hell- was just a boy. A scared, frightened boy who had responsibilities piled into his shoulders. Responsibilities that no child should have to take on. Dean Winchester was also a warrior. An immovable object that destiny itself could not touch.
Then there was Sam Winchester. A sophisticated man, a controlled man. The admiration he had felt for the elder brother who ultimately raised him was endless and powerful. Bright, wonderful orbs of hazel that work compellingly to cover up the darkness, the crippling, white-hot anger brought on by a terrible curse. A curse that God himself had put there. A curse that can corrupt even the brightest of souls. There was, in fact, darkness lacing Sam's soul. Darkness that should have consumed him ages ago, but has yet to do so. Sam Winchester is a rebel. The rebel. A force that none should want to reckon with.
Fate had chosen these two brothers. Dealt them a twisted, broken existence intermingled with the fate Gabriel's own brothers have suffered. A fate that would bring these two souls to betray, and ultimately destroy one another. Dean was to go against nature, go against the brother he's held so close. Sam was to be struck down by the one who raised and taught him. Michael had been quick to follow orders. Quick to strike down the little brother he's cared for with his own two hands. Lucifer had tried, had fought to reason with Michael. But Michael was a warrior, a soldier.
This fate- this twisted, horrifying fate- had loomed over the Winchester's head since birth. It was them. It had to be them. There was only one problem with Heaven's plan that is quite laughable in a sense. Dean Winchester was not Michael, and Sam not Lucifer. Their love, their bond- it was unstoppable. Incurable. Powerful. And if the angels weren't so deprived of human emotion, they'd have seen it long before Lucifer set free. Dean was a warrior, but he was also a brother. Sam's brother. A brother he's cherished, and will continue to cherish until his existence flickered away.
Gabriel hadn't stood against Lucifer for any particular reason other than this. Other than knowing that these two brothers, much like his own, were willing to give a stand for one another, despite knowing the odds were tipped considerably. These two brothers, who fought for nothing but each other.
In the beginning, Gabriel was trying to teach Dean and Sam Winchester a lesson.
When in return, it was them who taught himself a lesson.
Nobody makes us do anything.
The choice was ours, the reins, ours for the taking. One could choose to follow destiny, even with knowledge of it's outcome. Or, one may choose freedom. They can grab a hold of the life they were given and make it into something beautiful. Something that's their's.
To Hell with the big picture, the puzzle, the plan-
Why not color outside of the lines? Why live a life that destiny's chosen, mapped out, written down in an open book?
Tightly hold onto the gift of life, and never let go. Don't let anyone else grab a hold of it. It isn't anybody else's to control.
Take a hold of free will. Never let it go.