Sam almost couldn't take the awkward silence and extreme discomfort of the hallway. The chill of the hotel's air conditioning was making goosebumps rise on his exposed skin; which consisted of most of his body, given that he was still standing in nothing but Gabriel's ridiculously tiny underwear. It was honestly a miracle, that the shrink-wrap fabric hadn't ripped yet. But as bizarre and uncomfortable as it was to be wearing the archangel's clothing in the middle of an open hallway, none of it compared to the terror growing in Sam's gut at the sight of Dean's seething rage.

The older Winchester's fiery eyes were darting from Sam to Gabe; glowing with absolute anger and confusion. Sam tried his best to hold onto courage, but he had to admit it was difficult. He didn't exactly want to disappoint or upset Dean. The guy was his brother, after all; practically the only family Sam had ever known. How was he supposed to calm Dean down, while still addressing the fact that he liked Gabriel? The dream Sam had the night before was still fresh in his mind; haunting him with the image of Dean getting ready to stab Gabriel in the back...

"Wh – what the hell is going on?!" Dean wheezed suddenly, sounding almost too shocked to speak clearly.

Sam struggled to come up with an answer, as he eyed his brother's tense face. How exactly was he supposed to admit that he and Gabriel were sort of a couple? Should he say it with precaution, or just blurt it out? A small second passed by, before someone replied. But it wasn't Sam. It was Gabriel.

"You took the words right outta my mouth,"

Sam's eyes fell to glance down at the archangel beside him. Gabe was, of course, still covered in Sam's baggy shirt. And, despite the awkward tension, Sam noticed the archangel still looked beautiful in the morning light shining in from the window at the end of the hall. Gabriel's golden eyes were flickering between Dean and Cas, and Sam could see a small bit of surprise and humor hinted in his expression. Was he actually happy, that Dean and Cas were together?

"Cassie? You're riding the Winchester Bandwagon, too?" Gabe asked, appearing amused, "For once, it looks like you've beaten me to the punch! Props, lil' bro. Didn't think you had it in you."

Sam glanced forward to see a red hint appearing on Dean's face. Behind him, Cas was narrowing his eyes at Gabriel; looking like a little brother who was done dealing with his older sibling's shit. Sam was a little surprised, that Gabriel wasn't at least a slightly angry. After all, Cas was technically Gabe's brother, wasn't he? The trickster had every right to be just as pissed as Dean was, in this situation. But maybe he just wasn't that type of guy. And, somehow, Gabriel's cool composure made Sam admire him even more.

Though Gabe's lighthearted words had attempted to break the tension, Dean's unwavering sight was back on Sam. The younger Winchester actually felt a little relieved, that Dean was directing his anger at him. Dean could be pissed at Sam all he wanted; just as long as he didn't try to harm the archangel Sam had grown overwhelmingly fond of. Even though he was the trickster, Gabriel was truly innocent when it came to this strange cluster of lies. Sam wanted all the blame. It was his choice to keep it a secret from Dean, anyway.

For what felt like a century, Sam and Dean just stared at each other; standing next to their respective angels without saying a word. It was only after seeming to find his voice, that Dean reached out toward the younger brother.

"Sam," he growled, clutching his little brother's bicep, "we need to talk."

Sam agreed with that suggestion. Yes, they certainly did need to talk; to clear the air and make it breathable again. And Sam had no choice but to follow along behind his brother, because Dean suddenly started off down the hall; pulling Sam along as if he were a giant child.

As he was being carted away, Sam took the time to look back at Gabriel. The distance was steadily growing between them, making a twinge of worry manifest in Sam's gut. Should he try to say something to Gabe, before he was led to what would surely be a painful conversation? Should he attempt to apologize for the trouble? Or warn Gabe that Dean still might come after him? The look on Sam's face must have been making Gabriel uncomfortable, because his golden eyes were clouding with equal worry.

"Hey, I'm gonna need that peach back when you're done," the archangel called, with subtle warning, "and it better be in perfect condition, too!"

Sam gave an apologetic smile, as Dean led the way into room 69b. Leave it to Gabriel, to say "you better not hurt my boyfriend," in such a sweet, smart-ass tone. Cas and Gabriel were still watching the Winchesters, when Dean yanked Sam the rest of the way into the hotel room and slammed the door shut.

The taller man stumbled up against the wall and couldn't help but glance around. This was the room that Dean and Cas had shared the night before – and, boy, there was no denying that it was theirs. The prominent smell of sex was heavy in the air, nightstands were turned over, the lamp was broken, the window was shattered, and there was a giant hole punched out of the headboard. Not to mention the massive cart full of pie that sat cornered against the bed, or the sand that coated the white sheets. Sam's eyebrows drew together at the sight. Why the hell was there sand in Dean and Cas's bed? Were they literally trying to build sandcastles in the sky, or something?

While the state of Dean and Cas's hotel room grossed-out and confused Sam, he knew he needed to focus on the event at hand. Dean was standing against the wall opposite Sam. The man was still raw; huffing distraught breaths, as his shoulders squared. Sam couldn't help but feel a touch of fear. This was the way Dean glared at a monster on a case, not his own brother. After a moment, the elder Winchester's hands simply fell open.

"What the hell, Sam?" he asked, sounding absolutely lost.

Sam gulped, still pressing back against the wall. This was not the way he wanted Dean to find out about him and Gabriel. Of course, Sam knew there would never be an ideal scenario, in which Dean would be totally fine with it. But Dean could at least try be a little understanding. Because Sam wasn't the first Winchester to bang an angel.

"Dean," Sam began, hoping to explain his side of the story, "I know this looks bad -"

"Looks bad?!" Dean interrupted, his mouth falling open, "Sam, you're wearing polka-dot midget boxers! Forget 'bad!' This looks freakin' horrifying!"

Sam glanced down at Gabriel's underwear, and could feel his cheeks flushing. The outline of his dick was as clear as day; looking like a giant sausage and meatballs stuffed inside a tiny pillowcase. But so what, if Sam looked ridiculous? Dean was being just as inconsiderate! Sam met his brother's eyes again, angered at how unfair he was being.

"Well, it's no worse than you standing naked inside Cas's trench coat, is it?" Sam spat, feeling defensive.

Dean patted his thighs instantly, like he'd forgotten that he was wearing Cas's clothes. Sam hoped that it would make him realize that he was being unfair; by reminding him that Sam wasn't the only one doing dirty deeds with an angel, here. But, apparently, it didn't make a difference.

"Don't try to turn this around," Dean growled, "That filthy liar out there has done something to you, and I wanna know what the hell it is. Tell me the truth, Sam, dammit. Look me in the eye and tell me what is going on!"

"Okay!" Sam shouted, shocked by the fact that Dean had referred to Gabe as 'that filthy liar.'

The younger brother took a few easing breaths, as he prepared himself for confessing. This was it. This was the moment Dean was really going to find out...

"I – I'm – I'm with Gabriel, alright?" Sam stuttered, having to force the words out.

Dean blinked a few times, seeming unable to comprehend the statement. Sam, on the other hand, actually felt loads better. Saying it out loud, especially in front of Dean, made it all feel real. Yes, Sam was with Gabriel. Now that he thought about it, Sam had been with Gabriel for a while; chasing down candy thieves and laughing about childish things. They had been calling each other by sappy names, and stealing kisses,... and making love. The whole of it made Sam feel lighter than a feather; happy to the point of exploding with joy. But Dean didn't share his enthusiasm.

"No," Dean said, shaking his head, "There's no way."

"It's true, Dean," Sam urged, wishing he could some how make Dean see how happy Gabriel made him, "I – I know it's crazy, but we've been together -"

"For how long?" Dean blurted.

Sam swallowed harshly. How long had he and Gabriel been seeing each other? It felt like they'd been together for years, as much as they had gotten to know each other. Sam knew, however, the exact night he'd first developed feelings for the pesky little trickster. That insane adventure was going to be engrained in Sam's mind forever, as the craziest and most amazing night of his life. Just remembering it – the drinking contest, the bull-riding competition, the strip tease, their first kiss – made Sam want to smile.

"Um, I guess... ever since the morning I had that candy necklace," Sam uttered, his eyes unfocused on the floor.

Sam had to pull himself from the lovely memory to bring his sight back to Dean. The guy's face was skewed with repulsion; like he couldn't believe his own ears. What was so strange about Sam's answer? Did it shock Dean, to find out that he and Gabe had been dating for so long?

"I can't believe this," Dean replied, sounding completely baffled, "you're a lady's man, Sam! And now you're deciding to go on an all-archangel diet?! What about that girl at the diner yesterday? She was practically offering herself to you on a golden plate, man. Were you not going to give her a chance?"

Horror filled Sam up instantly; making his eyes widen and his back shrink against the wall. Oh, God. Dean still didn't know about the whole 'diner' thing! He was still totally unaware of who the waitress really was, and why she was being so mean to him. Sam had totally forgotten all about it. Dean's fierce green eyes were darting all over Sam; able to see his sudden distress.

"What?" Dean barked.

Sam sighed. As terrible as it was, he couldn't just let Dean go on believing that waitress was just some random rude bitch. Now was the time to fess up, and get it all out of the way. After heaving a large sigh, Sam finally let Dean in on the secret.

"Gabriel was the waitress," he admitted, finding it difficult to meet his brother's eyes.

For a brief moment, Dean looked unable – or unwilling – to make sense of Sam's words. He just blinked without expression.

"Come again?" Dean asked, his tone gruff and flat.

"The waitress at the diner," Sam repeated, feeling bad about saying it, "It was Gabriel. He disguised himself."

Sam watched as Dean's face slowly morphed into a tight, skewed expression. He was definitely putting two and two together, now; probably recalling all the names the waitress had called him, and how hard she'd flirted with Sam. Gabriel had done quite the job of fooling everyone. Then again, he'd always had a talent for tricking people.

"Oh my God," Dean uttered, sounding repulsed, "that was – he – I was sitting right there!"

Sam gave a slow nod. Yep, Dean had been sitting right there. In a way, he'd already seen Sam and Gabriel together; heard their nicknames and saw their flirty body language. And maybe now, Dean could understand why the waitress had made Sam so damn uncomfortable. Sam watched the anger slowly growing on Dean's face. His breathing was picking up, as if he'd turned into a lit fuse about to blow. And Sam knew he needed to try to get his side of the story in, before the bomb went off.

"Dean," Sam began, holding out a reassuring hand, "I like Gabriel, okay? I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true. He's grown on me, man. And I can't -"

"You aren't seeing this clearly, Sam!" Dean yelled, the loud noise causing Sam to flinch, "Gabriel is a liar, and a cheat! How do you know he isn't poisoning you? Or tricking you into getting naked? Ugh! Please tell me you didn't have sex with him."

Sam swallowed harshly; his mind instantly filling with glimpses of Gabriel's naked body. Dean was just one night too late, for receiving the answer he wanted to hear.

"Dean, -"

"You did?!" Dean gasped, his eyes widening with shock,"Holy shit, Sammy! What the hell is the matter with you?! Do you know where that dick has been?! God only knows how many people the trickster has screwed!"

"Dean," Sam tried to interrupt, able to hear the prejudice in his brother's voice, "I already asked -"

"No, stop!" Dean snarled, his shoulders tensing again, "Stop defending him, Sam! He's not your friend. He's not a good guy. He kills people for fun. You've seen it with your own eyes. Who's to say he wouldn't turn right around and gank you a couple hundred times, like he did to me, huh? How do you know he wouldn't find it funny to stuff your ass in hell again, just to watch you burn?!"

Sam had reached the end of his amenity. He couldn't stand hearing Dean bash Gabriel like this. The guy didn't even know him! He didn't have the right to say any of this shit about Gabe. Why wouldn't Dean just hear Sam out, before judging the trickster so harshly?!

"Dammit, Dean," Sam spat, "would you just listen -"

"I'm not gonna let him hurt you, Sam!" Dean shouted, "You're my brother and I care about you! And I am not gonna stand by and watch you fall into another one of Gabriel's psychotic traps. I'm not gonna let him molest you against your will -"

"He's not molesting - "

" - or trick you into giving him what he wants! That bastard's got another thing coming, if he thinks he's gonna mess with you and not have me to answer to! I'm gonna end this, Sam, for your own good. I'm not gonna let you be manipulated like this anymore, understand?"

Sam glared at the floor, unable to even look at Dean any more. Dean was acting like a total asshole; by not giving Sam a chance to voice his opinion, and picking apart the bad traits of Gabriel's character. Dean wasn't even letting his brother talk. He was speaking over Sam; too busy listening to his own voice to hear anyone else's. And that was something that their father did; always speaking without listening, and not seeing the picture from anyone else's point of view. Now that Sam thought about it, Dean was acting exactly like John, by barking orders without consideration.

Sam slowly returned his glare to Dean, feeling bitterness and betrayal swelling inside him. If Dean was going to act like their father, then he might as well be treated like him, too.

"Yes, sir," Sam spat.

The instant the words left his tongue, Sam regretted saying them. Dean's face seemed to go as white as the sandy sheets across the room; his mouth falling open in utter horror. The younger Winchester might as well have sucker punched Dean in the gut with an iron glove, because it looked like the wind had been knocked out of him. Sam's hardened face fell, as he watched Dean wobble backward to brace his back against the wall. Maybe Sam shouldn't have said that. Maybe it was a little too much.

Looking at Dean's ghost-white face made Sam feel like shit. Sammy loved his brother; loved him more than anyone else in the world. He just wanted his voice to be heard, that's all. Not to upset Dean to the point of breaking the poor guy's heart. Sam had forgotten that Dean had a recent struggle with their father – one in which he sought comfort from Bobby – and couldn't help but think he'd just poured salt into the open wound. Remorse was already flooding Sam's veins; he could practically taste an apology at the back of his tongue. Even though it looked like it might not be fixable, Sam was gonna try anyway.

"Dean," he said softly.

Dean's sunken eyes steadily returned to Sam's; oozing with pain. An ache grew in Sam's chest, as he took a small step forward. There was only one thing he could say, and he truly hoped it would be enough.

"I – I'm sorry," Sam stated, feeling like an asshole.

Dean seemed to flinch slightly, like he'd been stung by something.

"No," the older brother breathed, shaking his head, "I'm sorry, Sammy. I didn't mean to upset you. I just... I want you to be alright."

Sam felt a little better, hearing those words. Dean wasn't being John, anymore. He was back to being Dean again.

"I know," Sam replied, curling his hair behind his ear as he nodded, "and I am alright. Actually, Dean, I'm better than alright. Gabe really makes me happy."

Dean's weary eyes narrowed. Sam could understand how difficult it must be for Dean; coming to terms with the fact that Sam was in love with someone who had, in some ways, hurt him in the past. But Dean also didn't know the real Gabriel; the one who gave healing candy to sick children, and went out of his way to prove how much he cared about Sam. And that was the person Sam wanted Dean to get to know.

"Just give it a chance," Sam offered, "If you just sat down and talked to him, you'd change your mind about him. Trust me, I would know. I had go through it myself."

It was unclear, for a moment, whether Dean was going to agree or not. His worn green eyes just gave Sam an unimpressed stare. But, to Sam's overwhelming delight, Dean finally gave in.

"Fine," the older brother grumbled, "I'll give the prick a chance. But I want you to remember that I'm dong it for you, Sam. Not him."

Sam exhaled the breath he'd been holding. So, it was true? Dean was actually going to give Gabriel a chance? Never, in a million years, did Sam think Dean would say those words with such meaning. With joy bubbling up through him like a shaken bottle of soda, Sam lurched forward and wrapped his long arms around his brother. He didn't care if Dean would bitch about it being a chick-flick moment. Sam needed to express his gratitude somehow.

"Thank you," Sam smiled, hugging his brother tight, "it – it means a lot to me, Dean."

Actually, it meant everything to Sam. Gabriel was quickly becoming one of Sam's favorite people, and to have Dean's acceptance made it all complete. Sam felt Dean patting his bare back, as a high pitched noise came from his mouth.

"Our lives could be a freakin' sitcom," he mumbled against Sam's bare shoulder, "These are the kind of antics that belong on TV."

Sam chuckled, finally releasing Dean and standing up straight to look down at their bodies. Trench coats and polka-dot underwear? Oh, yeah. They could make tons of money, if they had their own show. Sammy stretched Gabriel's tight underwear down his thighs, once again feeling uncomfortable.

"No shit," Sam replied, grinning, "So – so, are we good, now? You're not gonna kill Gabe, right?"

Sam's dream was still lingering in the back of his mind. Watching Dean creep up behind Gabriel like that had planted a fear in his chest that wouldn't go away.

"As long as he doesn't give me a reason to," Dean answered, trying his best to sound stern, "and he better not ever give me a damn reason. I want to talk to him, too. But, I think we all need to change clothes first."

Sam nodded, glancing down at his own nearly-naked body. The four of them couldn't possibly take each other seriously, if they were wearing each others' clothes.

"Okay. Let's meet downstairs in twenty minutes," Sam suggested.

That would give him enough time to talk to Gabriel – and perhaps give Dickie a swift kick in the furry behind. That dog had made a gigantic freakin' mess, this morning. As Sam edged toward the door, he noticed that Dean was still slightly hunched over, like he was nursing a stomach ache. Guilt was swarming Sam's conscious, as Dean's green eyes blinked toward him.

"Hey," he called, voice on the verge of cracking, "send Cas back in here, would you?"

Sam smirked apologetically. If anyone could fix Dean better than Sam could, it was Cas.

"Sure," the younger brother replied, stepping the rest of the way out of the suite.

Sam made sure to leave the door cracked open, as he turned his sights down the hall. The two angels were both standing in the same spot the Winchesters had left them; in the midst of the morning sunshine cascading through the window at the end of the open corridor. Gabe and Cas both looked toward Sam, as he started making his way across the soft, cool carpet. It made him sort of uneasy; feeling the eyes on him, while he walked around in a ridiculous pair of underwear.

But, apparently, Gabriel found it amusing.

The archangel gave a sexy whistle in Sam's direction, bouncing his eyebrows. Sam narrowed his eyes at the trickster's golden stare, but couldn't help but smile and turn red. Really? After all the embarrassing shit that had just happened, Gabe was still going to flirt with him?

"You are working those boxers, sweetheart," Gabriel grinned, shifting Dickie in his arms.

Sammy had to fight the urge to grin. Even after all the drama and heavy emotion Sam had just gone through with Dean – only moments earlier – Gabriel was still able to tickle his insides. How did he do it? When Sam stopped in front of the angels, Cas was staring almost forcefully at him, probably wondering where Dean was. Sam took the time to meet the angel's blue eyes.

"Dean wants to see you," he said simply.

The words were barely out of Sam's mouth, when Cas disappeared into thin air. It left Sam and Gabriel to face each other in the hallway, alone; still wearing each others' clothes. Dickie was wiggling in the archangel's arms, trying desperately to get Sam's attention with tiny noises and his wagging tail. Although he looked as cute as a button, Sam glared down at him. All of this grief could have been spared, if Dickie wasn't such a freakin' pervert; sneaking into hotel rooms and stealing people's underwear...

"Hmm,"

Gabriel reached out to lift Sam's arm. His golden eyes were inspecting the man's body, as he forced Sam to turn to the side.

"No marks," he mumbled, shrugging, "I guess I can spare the pit-bull's life this time. What did he say to you, kid? Did he play nice, or do I have to give him a time-out?"

Sam groaned aloud. Ugh, why did Gabriel and Dean feel the need to want to kill each other all the time? Were they trying to drive Sam insane? Why couldn't they just get along, like two normal people?

"Gabe," Sam began, reaching down to clutch the trickster's shoulders and look him in the eye, "I don't know why you have this thing against Dean, but he's my brother, okay? And he's is being very generous, by giving you a chance to prove yourself -"

"Prove myself?" Gabe repeated, his amber eyes glowing with offense, "Why the hell do I need to prove myself to anyone? You think I'm pretty cool, don't you, Peach? That's all I care about."

"Yes, I do," Sam nodded, "But I want Dean to see it, too. Both of you mean so much to me, and I don't want to have one of you and without the other, Gabe. Please, just,... Please talk to him. Let him get to know you, like I do. You might find that you have more in common than you think."

Gabriel's golden eyes were narrowing, and his lips were forming a hard line. Dickie was glancing between Sam and the archangel, his puppy eyes large with confusion. Sam truly hoped Gabe would take his words seriously. It was the honest truth, that Sam wanted Dean and the trickster to get along; even if it was just to tolerate one another's presence. Life would be so much easier, if Sam didn't have to improvise time with Gabriel, behind Dean's back.

"Is this something you really want, kid?" the archangel asked, his voice low and sincere.

"Yes," Sam breathed, wanting it more than anything.

A smile inched slowly back across Gabriel's moist lips. His eyes were powerfully searching Sam's; strong enough to make the man feel it in his soul. The trickster's tiny shoulders shrugged a bit under Sam's hands.

"Then break out the Kleenex, 'cause its about to get all 'Lifetime' up in here," Gabriel hummed.

Sam gave a chuckle, as he leaned down to wrap the archangel into a hug. At last, he didn't have to worry about Dean and Gabriel trying to tear each other apart. They were actually gonna play nice, for once, and give each other a chance. Sam couldn't have been any happier in that moment; holding Gabe close while the morning light warmed his back. For the first time in Sammy's life, things were looking up.

"Although, I do have one condition,"

Sam's eyes flew wide. Oh, God. Not a condition, from the trickster! The man eased back up to look down at Gabriel's face. His expression was still playful, but it didn't ease Sam in the least.

"What?" Sam blurted, fearing the worst.

Gabriel eyed the man's mouth for a moment, letting his tongue draw a moist line across his bottom lip. The honey eyes crawled their way back up to meet Sam's stare, before he finally spoke.

"You let me kiss that big mouth of yours anytime I want," he uttered, sounding hazily lustful.

Sam's smile carefully returned. Really? That was it? Gabriel just wanted to steal kisses all the time? The man leaned down at once; planting his lips to the archangel's, right in the middle of the hallway. Hell yes, Gabe could kiss him whenever he wanted. This was one condition Sam was more than willing to agree with. Their tongues swirled together in the morning sun for a moment, before Sam pulled away to whisper.

"You've got it," he mumbled.

(Author's Note: Phew! At least Sammy doesn't have to sneak around anymore, I guess. :) I know there was a ton of dialogue in this chapter, but I hope it was still pretty enjoyable. Can I just say, that you guys are awesome? :) It never fails to amaze me, how much you guys love this story. Thank you all so very, very much for all the sweet reviews! I would thank each of you by name, but out of fear of accidentally leaving someone out, I'm gonna refrain from doing so. But please know that I love you – yes, you – for reading this fic. :) And, yes, Dean and Gabe are gonna be bickering a lot in his story. There will be pranks, jokes, and hot-as-hell sex coming up in later chapters. I hope you stick around to read them! Chapter two will be coming out soon.

By the way, if this is your first taste of this story, and you would like to know what happened before-hand, feel free to go check out the first two parts. They are on my page, and are titled: The Candy Quest and Forbidden Fruit. And, as an extra cherry on top, (God, I love these food puns) please note that there is a Destiel companion story for this fic, titled Family. Thank you for reading! I hope you've enjoyed it so far.)