It started with a phone call.

Sam and Gabriel were preparing dinner in their kitchen when the phone suddenly rang.

Sam wiped his hands on a dishcloth "Hello?"

Gabriel continued to chop the mushrooms in comfortable silence, until Sam's voice broke.

"What? No. No, please. Please, please. Tell me you're lying. YOU'RE LYING!"

Gabriel turned in time to see Sam's knee's buckling.

"Whoa, whoa." He quickly caught a sinking Sam. They sat against their fridge.

"Sam. Sam, baby. What happened?"

"De-De-Dean." Sam choked out between tears. "Gabriel, my brother died." He curled into Gabriel's shoulder, violently shaking and sobbing, tears soaking Gabriel's shirt.

"Hey, Deano's gonna be fine. He always finds a way back, right? What was it? Demon? Vamp?"

"Can-cancer."

Gabriel's heart sank. There was nothing angel's could do against natural killers, even an archangel like Gabriel.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I am so sorry." He softly kissed Sam's head, rocking him back and forth on the kitchen floor until the morning.

3 days later.

Gabriel knocked on the bathroom door's Cas and Dean's house "Sam? We have to go."

Sam emerged from the room, eyes red, in his mournful wear.

"I talked to Cas yesterday." Sam said, Gabriel turned "He told me that Dean died of liver failure. They detected the cancer too late. After everything we've been through, after everything we've seen. The drinking was the thing that killed him." He gave a small chuckle "Never would've called it. Cas said he put up a hell of a fight, though."

Gabriel laced his fingers in Sam's "That sounds like Deano."

"Dean didn't tell me because he didn't want me to worry. Cas tried everything, but couldn't do much except keep the pain away for a couple of more months. Dean was a dead man walking."

A car honked outside.

"C'mon, Sam. It's time for your brave face."

Sam nodded and gave a small smile.

Cas, Sam, and Gabriel finally arrived at the cemetery. Sam and Gabe missed the actual burial, so Cas decided to stay in the car to give him privacy.

Dean wrote in his will that he wanted to be buried alongside his mother in Lawrence.

Sam tried his hardest not to breakdown when he saw Dean's headstone, but he couldn't.

"Dean Ross Winchester.

January 24th, 1979 – October 9th, 2012.

Loving husband and brother.

Carry on our wayward son; they'll be peace when you are done.

Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more."

"Cas added the quote at the bottom" Gabriel said "Thought it right."

"Dean would've loved it."

Gabriel suddenly started to shake.

"Gabriel! Gabriel!" Sam grabbed him

The shaking stopped and Gabriel looked up at Sam. His irises glowed a brilliant gold. "He's here." Gabriel's voice sounded unearthly, as he pressed two fingers to Sam's forehead.

Sam screamed at the pain, a burning sensation that spread like wild-fire.

When he finally opened his eyes, he was in Bobby's living room.

"Hello? Gabriel?!" Sam called out.

"Thankfully, no." Dean stepped out of the shadows.

Sam's stomach dropped "Dean?"

Dean grinned and embraced his brother.

"I knew you were alive! I knew you were gonna come back." Sam exclaimed when they broke apart.

Dean's grin vanished "No, Sammy. I really am dead. This…" He gestured around the room "This is just my pit stop. I asked Gabriel to help me contact you. But we only have a little while, alright?"

Tears started flowing, once again, down Sam's face.

"Hey, now. Don't cry, Sammy. I'm okay, I mean it." Dean wiped away one of this younger brother's tears "I just wanted to let you know that I love you, I didn't say it as often as I should've. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about what was happening. That's my only regret." Dean pulled Sam into a final fierce hug. He cradled Sam's head the way he used to when a baby Sam had a nightmare.

"Dean. It's time, honey." An ethereal voice called. A brilliant golden light appeared and a figured stepped through, their mother Mary.

She smiled up at Sam "Don't fret, baby. We'll be right here waiting for you when it's your time. Be strong, my boy." Mary stroked his cheek and took hold of Dean's hand.

"Tell Cas I love him too! And care of my baby, bitch!" Dean hollered before disappearing in a flash of light so bright that Sam had to shield his eyes.

"Sam?" Gabriel nudged him, concern in his voice. "You alright?"

Sam gave him a small smile "Yeah, Gabe. Thank you." He bent down and kissed Gabriel tenderly.

Gabriel smiled back "I'm gonna head back. I'll give you a couple of minutes."

Once Gabriel started walking, Sam turned back to the headstones in front of him.

He laid down a single white rose on Dean's headstone and well as his mother's.

"I love you too, jerk."