Title: Always Too Late
Author : Miya Morana
Fandom: Supernatural
Character/Genre: Gabriel, Angst
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Set in the timeline of 5.04 The End. Where was Gabriel? Did he even try to help?
Disclaimer: I own nothing, blah, blah, blah, you know the rest.
Word Count: 530
Once the Croatoan virus starts spreading, there doesn't seem to be enough people left to play tricks on. Gabriel tries to find some though, he searches the survivor camps for dishonest men or women that would deserve just desserts. But in time of apocalyptic crises, even douchebags are less douche-y, and after a few months the Trickster gives up.
He's bored now, so he just watches. He watches the Winchester brothers fighting for survival, watches as, even several hundreds of miles apart, they are both acting the same, fierce and stubborn and reckless, trying to save as many as possible.
There are people around Dean, people depending on him, reminding him there's still hope. Dean accepts the responsibility of leading them, of protecting them, even as it puts more wait on his shoulders. Gabriel thinks it makes him stronger somehow.
Sam, on the other hand, is alone. He saves people, gets them to safety, but then he goes back to the front, keeps fighting, alone, desperately alone. Gabriel shakes his head, this is exactly like after he'd killed Dean one last time at the Mystery Spot. When Sam doesn't have anyone to turn to he becomes obsessed, dark and silent. Fearless, but hopeless.
Gabriel feels it when the angels start leaving. He can't quite believe it at first, but yes, they are giving up. Michael's giving up. Gabriel disguises himself as someone else and goes check on Castiel, because his brother had already been falling and now, now he's afraid of what he'll find.
Castiel doesn't even feel what Gabriel is when the archangel touches him. He doesn't react when Gabriel tries to share some of his own grace with him. It's too late. Castiel is human now, human and broken.
For the first time in centuries, Gabriel feels guilt. It's too much, he can't stand it, can't stand that hole in his chest each time he sees Castiel. He leaves then, goes to some deserted place, he isn't even sure where, and watches the sun rise and set as days, weeks, months pass. He tries to think of nothing, tries to ignore the guilt and shame eating him inside.
One morning, on a day that starts like all the other days have, he gets up and takes flight. He goes looking for Sam, because he knows the youngest Winchester is the most fragile one, and he hopes he can still do something good, still try to save his Father's world. Maybe if he does then this hole will stop devouring parts of him.
He catches up with Sam in Detroit. The hunter is kneeling in the middle of the street, surrounded by dead Croats, clutching the broken body of a child in his arms. He doesn't see Gabriel, can't see anything through his tears. Sam looks up to the sky.
"YES!" he shouts, and his voice is all wrong, rough and broken, full of rage and despair.
Gabriel watches, helpless, as his brother's soul burns Sam Winchester's. When Lucifer stands up, dropping the child to the ground, he smiles at the other archangel, and it's sweet and calm and so familiar.
Gabriel has to look away.