Perseverantia et Fide in Deo
(Perseverance and Faith in God)
Summary: In the beginning there was God, then there was angels, and finally man. The Winchester brothers are more than just human and all it takes is a little grace and a lot of faith. AKA the one where Dean and Sam aren't just vessels. Angel!Winchesters
In the beginning there was nothing but God and a void. Then God made His Sword and Throne, He named him Michael. In the beginning there was nothing but a void, Michael, and God. Then He made His other archangels. He created Lucifer, His Light Bringer, Raphael, His Healer, and finally the youngest- Gabriel, His Messenger. In the beginning there was nothing but a void filled with God, and His four archangels. But God was still lonely so he created a Heavenly Host of angels that sung His praise and all was good.
But the void was big and it saddened God. His angels were wonderful, but He wanted more. So God made the Earth, His terra firma. The Earth remained empty for not long, as God filled it with all His creations. He placed all the plants and animals with great care and love and all were good. The last to be made was Man. Man would have Free Will. A concept that confused even his most loyal angels. They would not understand until they witnessed free will being wielded by man.
Then it wasn't the beginning anymore and the void was filled by God, the Heavenly Host, and the cosmos with Earth as His crowning glory. His sister may have tried to trash all His hard work, but she was put away before damage could be done and she was forever more known as the Darkness, the nightmare that they would tell young angels to make them behave.
His humans grew and populated the Earth, making the void feel less empty.
Fighting amongst the Host rages across Heaven because of Man. Lucifer is infuriated with his Father for wanting him to bow to the ants that walked the Earth. Michael tries to be a good son. God's command remains firm- for the angels to love Man as much as He did. Gabriel leaves, just as God knew he would. He would return when the time demanded it. For He knows all. Raphael and Michael stay to help keep order in the Host.
Then Lucifer fell. God wept for his lost son. As Michael went to throw Lucifer in the Pit, God commanded that only his grace be thrown in and that Lucifer would be subject to centuries- thousands of years- of reincarnation as human to learn humility so that he might not destroy the Earth when the foretold Winchesters would open the Pit and release Lucifer's grace. For God knows all. But yet He doubts that His son will learn. He weeps for all the other angels who fall after Lucifer.
Years pass and one day Raphael and Michael are surveying the seraphim. "Anael is destined to fall. She will grow impatient and lose hope." Michael tells his brother, "She will fall and become a human that will play her part in God's plan."
"God knows all." Raphael replies dutifully. "Who will take Anael's place as commander?"
Michael smiles as he points towards the youngest seraph. Raphael scrutinizes him, "I have doubts."
"He has many years before he will take over his unit." Michael assures, "He is loyal and his wings will be large, perfect for what our Father has planned."
"And what is that, Michael?"
"I cannot tell you yet, but you will know when the time is right."
Raphael sighs, "You are always too cryptic."
Michael gives a half-smile, "I try." He quips before fluttering off.
A week later, Raphael spies Michael lounging in the Garden with the young seraph that Raphael doubts. Both are smiling and their wings are curved towards each other, brushing every now and again. Raphael leaves the intimate scene behind and deters any angels from bothering them; Michael deserved some peace, he decides. Raphael also decides to keep quiet and never confront his brother about the nature of his relationship with the young seraph.
More years pass and God disappears from Heaven. "What are we to do?" Raphael asks.
"Our Father's bidding." Michael replies. Raphael simply keeps any doubt that he may to himself and allows his trust of his older brother to prevail.
More years pass and the time has come. First Anael falls from Heaven and then God appears before Michael and tells him he must rip out his grace and fall to be born again a human. Michael is a good son and does not question the Father, no matter how painful it may be to leave the young seraph behind. And then the Host only has one archangel.
"Where is Michael?" The same young seraph that Michael was so fond of asks Raphael.
"He has gone to do our Father's bidding, Castiel." Raphael replies, kind. "And you too will soon have a task of your own from the Father. When God commands it, you will raise the Righteous Man from Perdition."
"God knows all." Castiel replies, humble and trusting of Raphael.
Raphael smiles, "Indeed."
Almost too soon, Castiel descends into hell where he fights his way through demons, wings blackening and grace unwavering. Castiel stares in awe at the soul of Dean Winchester, just as God had determined he would. When Castiel raises Dean from Perdition, singing the song of the Righteous Man, Raphael finds Gabriel and summons him. "You have a task from the Father." Raphael tells him.
Gabriel sneers, bitter and jaded. "What could Father possibly ask of me?"
"Michael fell." Raphael simply says, "Father commands that you deliver his grace back to him once the time is right."
"And how will I know?"
"You will know."
Gabriel finally concedes and sarcastically drawls, "Father knows all."
"I will ignore your sarcasm." Raphael replies before retreating back to Heaven, leaving Gabriel to his task on Earth.
God hardly knows who is more surprised when Gabriel appears before the Sam and Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer, and Castiel with a bottle full of swirling blue grace. "Hello little seraph, Winchesters, Robert." Gabriel greets the group.
"Gabriel." Castiel growls. "What are you doing here?"
"And here I thought I would be greeted with enthusiasm considering whose grace I carry in my hands." Gabriel easily replies.
"Michael." Castiel stares transfixed at the whorling grace and then towards Dean, eyes wide.
At this, Gabriel smiles indulgently towards the younger angel. "Yes."
Castiel's grace practically explodes in happiness, "May I?" Castiel reaches out towards the grace and Gabriel passes it over without fuss. Castiel cradles the grace with the utmost care before turning deliberately towards Dean and staring at the man with a hopeful expression.
Everyone stares at Dean while he stares at the grace. Feeling dumb with anticipation, Dean reaches out towards it, deaf to the rukkus that Sam and Bobby put out, and Castiel allows the grace to be plucked from his grasp. Dean pulls the stopper and the grace rushes out all at once in a bright burst of white light that causes Bobby and Sam to look away. Castiel shivers.
When the light finally fades, Gabriel is vanished and Dean and Castiel are embracing, unseen wings slotted together as tightly as they are able to bring themselves. Sam and Bobby look on in confusion for only a few seconds before they start demanding answers.
Dean laughs and pulls a smiling Castiel close to his side. "I am Michael."
"Boy, what do you mean you're Michael?" Bobby growls, voice hitting an almost comically low register.
Dean is not offended, "Father asked that I rip out my grace and be born a human- be born Dean Winchester, the Righteous Man. It was my task. Lucifer was not completely thrown into the Pit, as only his grace and memories of Heaven were put there. He has been reincarnating as a human since practically the dawn of time. Zachariah and Uriel will see to it that the other seals are broken and we will see that the last seal is broken. Once Lilith is killed, Lucifer's grace and memories will surge forth and return to their owner."
"And you don't think this is a bad idea?" Bobby snaps.
Dean once again tolerates Bobby's irritation. He smiles at Sam as his brother as understanding starts to dawn, "It's me, isn't is?" Sam whispers.
"Yes." Dean replies, "I have all faith that you will not want to take over the world."
"Do we have to regain my grace?"
"God has forgiven your transgressions." Castiel replies, thinking about something Michael had told him eons ago. "He would not allow this chance otherwise."
Dean reaches out and pulls Sam into a hug, "The Father knows all. He knows that now is your time to regain your memories. The fact that you are worried you will take over the world is hope enough."
Bobby snorts, "If you had told me that the Winchester brothers were really Satan and Michael in disguise, I would have pegged Dean to be Satan since I always told John that you've got the Devil in you. I ain't too worried about you Sam."
Sam laughs and nudges Dean good naturedly. Castiel smiles at the wing Dean throws around his brother's shoulder. "It'll be alright, Sammy." Dean tells him and Sam finally nods in agreement.
"I have faith in you, Dean."
The next few months pass by in an almost dreamlike state as seal after seal is broken. Zachariah and Uriel waste time and breath every time they appear and demand that Dean says yes to Michael. Castiel and Dean share secretive smiles every time the other angel disappears once more.
During some down time one day at Bobby's house, Bobby looks at Dean and Castiel who are curled up together on the ratty couch and asks, "How does that work if you're all brothers?"
"It's very common to find a companion. There is no better translation from Enochian than brother or sister to express what angels are to each other. We are brothers in the same way that humans are brothers to each other in our Father's eyes." Bobby accepts the explanation with little trouble and goes back to the thick tome in front of him. Sam settles further into the witch lore book in his lap.
Besides the all too easy hunts, the boys remain largely unconcerned by the havoc that the demons and angels leave as they fight each other and the seals continue to fall open. Bobby gives them scathing looks whenever they hear about another crop of dead humans, but the three ignore him. "God knows all." Dean replies when Bobby asks, "I wish all the death does not have to happen, but there is no other way. Even if we were to save them, they would simply be dead of some other means within the week. If you are destined to die, then you die. It would be like trying to save the Titanic from sinking, eventually Fate would catch up."
"And those who come back?" Bobby sarcastically throws his barb.
Castiel pops his head around the corner to the kitchen and replies in turn, "Then that was their destiny- to die and rise again."
"Well isn't that just a sweet way to excuse ourselves from not stopping demons and angels from dicking around all over the place."
Dean huffs out a breath and Sam, sensing that his brother was about to throw a hissy fit if Bobby didn't leave him alone, sidetracked the older man into a conversation with him. Later that evening Sam confronted Dean and Castiel. The three had a nice long chat that lasted well into the early hours of the next day.
When Lilith is killed at the hands of the Winchesters, Sam stares in tense anticipation at the dark, inky blue grace that slinks out of the gaping mouth to the Pit. Seconds later bright light takes over the space and Bobby shields his eyes as Dean looks hopefully at his brother.
Sam emerges panting and slightly singed black from Hellfire and giving off the faint aroma of sulfur. Sam looks up and grins at the three, "So get this," he ironically states, "I don't think I'm going to be taking over the Earth today."
"Well I guess God does know all." Bobby grumbles before beating a hasty retreat out of the old church towards his beat up car, "Idjits."
Dean approaches Sam and gets pulled into a warm hug, "It's nice having my baby brother back in all forms." Dean tells him.
"Big brother." Sam replies happily.
Castiel pretends he isn't just as emotional as the two brothers. God makes no effort to hide his happy tears as he watches his sons reunite.
Several days later the Heavenly Host and Hell gets a nasty shock when they find out that the Apocalypse has been canceled indefinitely and that they can all go home. If Zachariah and Uriel are put on Cupid duty for the foreseeable future, the other angels do not cackle merrily, despite what anyone might try to assert.
And if Crowley gleefully takes over as King of Hell, well who is to know?