It was after closing and the hunters and their angel were still at 24 Wings. It was surprising, how quickly they got along with Baby doll and the archangels. Well Sam stayed as far from Lucifer as possible and Cass was the same with Raphael but otherwise it was nice.
Then, when Baby doll got up to lock the front door, Sam asked a question they were all probably thinking… "When are you guys going back? To heaven I mean."
Baby doll stopped and stiffened. The angels stiffened as well.
"We didn't really think about that," Gabriel prodded the thickness of the air with his vessel's voice. "We just wanted to relax for awhile."
"While entire garrisons are being destroyed?" The archangels stared at them in horror.
"What?" Michael asked. A moment of silence passed.
"Maybe it is time y'all hightailed it up there for a look," Baby doll suggested cautiously.
"No. Not until we figure out how to keep you safe," Lucifer snapped.
"The head hunters are gone Lu. I'll be fine!"
"Head hunters?" Sam asked.
Baby doll sighed, "Some hunters out to destroy any pagan possible, be they human or trickster or human eating creature. I'm a trickster."
"She was on Gabriel's side during the Apocalypse," Raphael commented. "He felt he owed her. Now we all feel like we owe her. She's family now."
"Why don't you just take her back to heaven?" Sam suggested.
"Impossible."
"Have you tried?"
"They did," Baby doll nodded. "I have no soul, nor anything of a similar wavelength. I can't enter. But they do need to go back." She locked the door in a wave of magic.
"Maybe if we go back we'll find a-" Michael started.
"No Michael, it's impossible. We tried. It's better if you all just give up on me," she pleaded. Michael crossed over to her and enveloped her in his arms, causing the trio to realize just how tiny she was.
"I'm never giving up on you."
"You need to go back." There were tears in her voice.
Dean was ready to say no chick-flick moments until he realized an actual chick was involved. And crying.
"What if some of you stay here?" he finally suggested. "They aren't expecting Gabriel and Raphael back anyway, even if Michael and Lucifer go back." Lucifer nodded in agreement, while still looking worriedly back at the couple.
"Are they going to be okay?" Dean asked Gabriel quietly.
"I don't know," Gabriel whispered back.
The trio stayed the night at the bar that night, falling asleep to the light sobs echoing through the upper story of the bar. Gabriel, despite being one staying, curled up to Dean more innocent and quiet than Dean had ever seen him. Castiel, as if sharing the grief, mirrored the action to curl up with Sam. It was a somber air in the apartment, all caused by one question.
One question Sam wished he could take back for good, despite heaven's need for leadership from the archangels.