Let's light the kerosene tonight

Spark up like fireworks exploding in the sky

Kick down the New Year and the future

We can't get closer here, the walls are falling down

'Cos you, a feeling I can't deny

We are only here for one more night

Scream it like you mean it one more time

Stay young

The moment Gabriel sensed Dean was awake the following morning, he carefully vanished from the bed beside Sam and re-appeared fully clothed in the walkway outside the room. He knew he had to be sneaky, because the talk he was about to have with the elder hunter wasn't a part of what he and Sam had planned the previous evening. In fact, Sam had specifically asked him to stay out of Dean's way to avoid him already being in a horrible mood before they even started.

But after his talk with Castiel, Gabriel had been reminded just how poorly he'd witnessed his brother being treated, and he was personally sick of how underappreciated Castiel was. Castiel had done something Gabriel had never been able to before the Elysian, and had stood up to his older brothers alongside two human beings. And now he was fighting a civil war against Raphael, all by himself.

Because of that, and the fact that he and Castiel shared very similar views in regards to humanity, Gabriel couldn't help but feel his protective older brother sense kick in. And seeing as Dean was the main cause of Castiel's misery, it was he that Gabriel would be having a little chat with. So whether Sam approved of it or not, and Gabriel highly doubted he would like it, Dean Winchester was going to hear what Gabriel had to say.

In order to give Dean a chance to wake himself up, Gabriel walked the short distance between their doors rather than fly there, before rapping his knuckles on the door. There was a muffled groan from behind the wood, and shortly afterwards it was wrenched open. Dean stood in the doorway, hair mussed up, clad in a pair of boxers and the shirt he had been wearing yesterday. Upon seeing his visitor, he groaned again.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Charming welcome, as always." Gabriel replied sharply, and Dean raised his eyebrows. "I want to talk to you about something."

"Come back later then when I'm more awake." Dean snapped, and made to shut the door.

Without raising his arm, Gabriel forced the door to stop, before glaring up at Dean. "No, we're going to talk now. You can either back up and let me in, or I'll make you back up and let me in. I'll leave the choice to you."

Wisely, Dean seemed to sense that Gabriel wasn't in a joking mood, because he retreated into the room without another word. The archangel followed him, heeling the door closed and then turning to face the hunter. Dean was glaring back at him, matching the malice in Gabriel's gaze, stood in a similar stance with his arms folded tightly over his chest.

"What do you want, Gabriel? Make this quick."

"I'm going to cut right to the chase, because shockingly, I don't enjoy your company all that much. So, from one big brother to another, get your act together." Gabriel spoke the last part in a voice that seemed to hum with barely suppressed anger.

"What? The hell are you talking about?"

"I think it's quite clear, even for you. Stop messing about, and get your act together."

"Gabriel, it's nine in the fucking morning. Tell me what you're going on about or -"

"Or what, boy?" Gabriel snarled, and the light on the wall began to flicker. "I tolerate you Dean, for Sam and for Castiel. But don't forget, I could send you somewhere that makes Hell seem like a five star resort."

Dean didn't let his glare waver any, but he struggled to suppress the shiver of fear that passed through him at that prospect. He liked to believe he didn't scare easily, that was part of his job description after all, but the simple fact was that Hell still filled him with horror and revulsion. And he knew perfectly well that Gabriel could follow through on that threat easier than blinking.

"So you came here to stop messing about?"

"I came here to say that, and to give you a warning." Gabriel replied in a much calmer tone, and the lights flickered into darkness once more.

"What warning? That you'll drop me in a place worse than Hell if I don't meet your expectations?"

"That I will personally rip you to pieces if you continue to treat Castiel in the way you have thus far." The archangel snarled, keeping his eyes locked on Dean's at all times so the hunter understood just how serious he was.

There was a moment of utter silence between Dean and Gabriel. The hunter was gaping at the archangel before him, utterly unable to comprehend just where the hell that had come from. Gabriel continued to meet Dean's now stunned eye, his own expression cold and expectant. After a second or two, Dean shook his head and threw his arms wide for emphasis.

"What?"

"It's not a difficult concept to grasp, Deano. You expect so much from him, but when he asks something of you; it's a totally different story. He will never ask you to cut him some slack, because he'll just keep accepting it and taking it, Dad knows why. I, however, won't. I'm sick of how he's been treated, and either it changes or you'll find yourself spiralling down a wormhole."

And with that, Gabriel's index finger shot out and jabbed Dean on the forehead. A moment later, the hunter fell backwards, fast asleep again. With a second snap, Dean was lifted into the air and hovered across the room like a creepy rag doll, before being dropped in his bed. That done, Gabriel zapped himself back into his and Sam's motel room, where the younger Winchester was still curled up, sleeping peacefully. Gabriel stood and watched him for a moment, wondering just how someone as caring and loveable as Sam could share DNA with the moody alcoholic four doors down. He supposed that was just another sick twist of his Father's humour. Rolling his eyes, Gabriel slid himself back into the covers and snuggled up against the hunter as if nothing had happened.

A couple of hours later saw Dean and Sam both up and about, and packing their belongings into the Impala, ready to move on to the next hunt. Gabriel flitted between the two of them, offering to take things from Sam and trying to trip Dean up as he walked along, arms full. Sam had noticed his brother was acting a little strangely, snapping at Gabriel even more than usual, but when asked would only grumble that he'd had a 'weird-ass dream'. He had then flicked Gabriel a glance, who had responded by sticking out his tongue. When Dean went off to return their keys, Sam seized the chance.

"Alright, what part of 'Leave Dean alone' didn't register in that head of yours?" He strode over to Gabriel, who was leaning against the door of the Impala.

"What?" The archangel replied, giving Sam the best puppy eyes he could manage.

"You can cut that out now, because it's not going to work on me. What did you do?"

Gabriel pouted. "Why is it always me you blame when something's up with your brother?"

"Because Gabe, let's be honest, he's in a bad mood almost always because you've done something to him. I'm going to ask you one more time, and if you lie again, I'm withholding sex."

Gabriel's mouth fell open. "Sammy, that's not fair!"

"Spill. What did you do to Dean that was so vital, you saw it necessary to ignore my very specific instructions?"

"I just talked to him, geez."

"You expect me to believe he's shooting you those weird looks every few minutes because the two of you had a conversation? Sorry Gabe, not buying it."

"Okay, I might have threatened him. A teeny, little bit. And then I made him think it was all a dream so he wouldn't tell you." Gabriel grumbled, folding his arms over his chest and behaving every inch the toddler he looked like. "You're not allowed to use that sex-ban against me for at least a month."

"I agree to no such thing; it's the only thing I can use on you to get you to tell me the truth." Sam said with a grin, before he sighed. "Why did you threaten him, can I ask?"

"Because if we're going to be setting him up with Castiel, I want to make sure he treats my brother properly. No more using him as a doormat, you know? I'm sick of it. And now I'm back in the picture that is going to change."

Sam felt his grin grow a little wider, and he wound his arm around Gabriel's shoulders. "You're an old romantic at heart, aren't you?"

"I think you'll find I'm full of surprises," Gabriel said, sliding both arms around Sam's waist and melding their bodies together. "Want me to show you?"

Sam had just opened his mouth to reply positively when they heard an irritated-sounding voice snap, "You can quit that now, or I'm putting you in a ring of Holy fire."

"Dean." Sam began, turning around to stare at his approaching brother in part-exasperation, part-annoyance for cutting his flirting short.

Subconsciously, he had already reached out to hold Gabriel back, but was shocked to discover the archangel hadn't actually budged an inch. After glancing down at him Sam discovered that he was in fact grinning widely; the sort of grin that Sam knew could only end in trouble. It was the exact same look Gabriel got every time he was planning a particularly evil prank. The last time Sam had seen Gabriel looking at Dean the way he currently was, the archangel had dyed everything the hunter owned a bright, gaudy pink. Before he could ask what Gabriel was thinking, however, there was a snap and his hand was touching thin air.

"Oh, this can't be good." Sam muttered under his breath.

Gabriel reappeared about an hour later in the backseats of the Impala with a bang like a firework and several accompanying explosions of multi-coloured light. Dean and Sam both swore ferociously, and Dean swung the steering wheel sharply to the side, causing them to veer off the road to the tune of several car horns and screech to a halt. Dean then hunched up in his seat, hands fixed on the wheel, muttering a string of insults and threats to Gabriel, and apologies to his precious car. Sam, meanwhile, turned and glared at the archangel.

"Not. Funny." He growled menacingly, clearly showing Gabriel he wasn't kidding around.

"Au contraire." Gabriel replied with a look of blissful ecstasy. "It's hilarious. I'm storing the faces you two just pulled into my memory bank forever."

"Sam, let me kill him." Dean spat out through gritted teeth, still hunkered down.

"I'd like to see you try, Deano." Gabriel said in a sing-song tone.

"Gabriel." Sam interrupted loudly, effectively stopping the new potential argument before it even started. "Do you mind telling us exactly why you just tried to scare us to death?"

"A distraction."

"Distraction?" Dean had finally sat up straight and had swivelled in his seat to watch Gabriel too. The archangel was staring at a spot above Sam's head, and didn't reply.

"A distraction from what, Gabriel?" Sam tried, shooting a nervous glance to the car's roof above him and back.

At that moment, a gentle hum began to reverberate around the car from the very spot Gabriel was yet to take his eyes off. Both Sam and Dean faced it too, feeling apprehensive about just what was going to happen. Gabriel was unpredictable at the best of times, Sam knew that from personal experience, and after seeing the archangel's grin that morning, God only knew what he had in store. The humming was getting progressively louder with every passing second, and Sam was just reaching for his door handle when he felt Gabriel's grip on his upper arm.

"A distraction from this!" He called brightly before both he and Sam vanished.

Dean only just had time to mutter "Son of a -" before the insides of the car exploded with blinding light. Thanks to his quick hunter reflexes, Dean was able to shield his eyes before his retinas could be burned out. He only knew of one type of creature that could produce a light like that, and it wasn't exactly friendly to human eyes. He then heard the thump of something landing in Sam's seat, before a voice he could pinpoint anywhere spoke.

"Dean?"

"Cas?!"

The light had already faded enough for Dean to open his eyes without fear of going blind, and he did so. Looking distinctly dishevelled and confused just across from him, was Castiel. The angel's hair was messier than normal and he looked more worn down than he had the last time they had seen one another. News on the civil war didn't seem to be good, Dean realised with a pang.

"Did you summon me here?" Castiel asked suddenly.

"What?" Dean was shocked out of his reverie, and shook his head. "No. I was just driving with Sam, and -" He trailed off, and when he next spoke, his tone was much darker. "Gabriel."

As if in answer, the radio suddenly crackled and came to life, broadcasting nothing but static. Dean only had time to glance at it in concern before the aforementioned archangel's voice rang out.

"Testing, one, two, testing! Earth to Deano and Cassie! Can you two chuckleheads hear me?"

"Gabriel?" Castiel asked hesitantly, eyeing the radio suspiciously as if suspecting the archangel was hiding somewhere inside. Despite how irritated he felt, the corner of Dean's mouth twitched in a hint of a smile at that thought.

"Ah, thank Dad! Sammy, I got the right radio frequency this time! What? Oh, stop looking at me like that; it was an honest mistake. I'm sure that other guy is totally fine!"

"Gabriel, what the hell are you doing?" Dean hissed, feeling ridiculous for addressing the radio, but seeing no alternative.

"Well, you see Dean, I was bored waiting for Sammy to arrive where you told me you were both headed to, so I came and fetched him myself. He's not a total crybaby when it comes to flying, unlike someone else I could mention. Anyway, out of the goodness of my heart, I just couldn't leave you all alone for such a long drive, so I went out and found you some company!"

"I'm not a fucking child, Gabriel!"

"Brother, I am very busy -"

"Deano, to me, you're not even a glint in your daddy's eye. And Cassie, don't sweat it! We're only an hour away."

"Dean, I apologise, but I must leave." Castiel spoke rather sharply, staring at the radio hard, before sitting back in his seat. Dean waited for him to vanish with a flap of his wings, but nothing happened. After a moment or two, they both heard Gabriel chuckling.

"Ah, ah, ah, Castiel. No leaving until I say so. That goes for you too, Deano."

"Gabriel, have you been messing with my car again?!"

"Let us out, Gabriel."

"I'll let you out when I'm satisfied there's been some improvement. Now, rather than sitting at the edge of the road, maybe you should get going. Might look a tad suspicious, two men just sitting in a car, waiting.."

"When I get out of here, I swear, I'm going to rip your fucking head off." Dean spat.

"I look forward to seeing you attempt it. Bye!" And with that, the radio crackled once before the interior of the car was plunged into silence. This was broken by Dean slamming his hands on the steering wheel.

"Son of a bitch! What the fuck is wrong with him?!"

"He will release us when we reach him and Sam. We should therefore arrive as quickly as possible."

"Amen to that." Dean muttered, starting the engine up again.

He pulled the Impala back into the steady flow of cars, and once more became immersed with watching the road ahead. Castiel was sitting stiffly in his seat, and although his facial expression didn't portray it, his eyes were burning with irritation. He just couldn't fathom why Gabriel had dragged him from his business in Heaven to spend a car journey with Dean Winchester. Unless..

He felt an unfamiliar stab of pain in his chest and a sudden wave of cold slipped down his spine as he remembered the conversation he'd shared with Gabriel just the other day. It seemed too much of a coincidence that he had admitted to loving Dean Winchester only to find himself trapped in a confined space with that very same human the next day.

The radio suddenly crackled again, and Gabriel's voice rang out once again. "Geez, not a lot of conversation going on here. Alright, guess I'll just have to spark up this talk."

Dean had just opened his mouth to protest when Blink 182's rendition of 'I Miss You' suddenly began to blare from the radio. Dean cringed at what he considered to be an assault on his hearing, and desperately tried to ignore Gabriel's crap choice of music. It was difficult however, especially when the archangel turned the volume up to emphasise certain lyrics; 'Hello there, the ANGEL FROM MY NIGHTMARE', 'Like indecision to call you, and heard your voice of treason, WILL YOU COME HOME AND STOP THIS PAIN TONIGHT?' and 'Don't waste your time on me; YOU'RE ALREADY THE VOICE INSIDE MY HEAD; I MISS YOU'.

For the next forty-five minutes, Dean and Castiel were subjected to Gabriel's increasingly poor choice of songs. Dean, especially, was suffering. He was certain Sam had had some input into what Gabriel was picking, because there was absolutely no way Gabriel knew which songs really grated on his nerves as badly as these were. They were forced to endure Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You', Bette Midler's 'Wind Beneath My Wings', The Cab's 'Angel With A Shotgun', Elton John's 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight?' and Maria McKee's 'Show Me Heaven' to name but a few. He had, of course, tried just turning the radio off. All that had happened though was he had been given an electric shock and Gabriel played the next cheesy love song on maximum volume.

"Gabriel," Dean managed to choke out through clenched teeth as the last notes of Bryan Adams' 'Everything I Do I Do It For You' finally faded away. "Stop this now or I'm going to set fire to all of your sugar stash."

There was a pause, and the hunter thought that finally, Sam had put a stop to Gabriel's antics, and he and Castiel could enjoy the last few minutes of the painful journey in silence. But he was wrong. A moment later, another song started up and Dean very nearly head-butted the steering wheel in agonised frustration. Gabriel had discovered Christina Perri's 'A Thousand Years' about a month ago, and had seemingly fallen in love with it. The archangel listened to it non-stop, hummed it constantly and insisted on playing it daily. Dean, on principle, loathed the damn song and made no efforts to appear subtle in his hatred of it. Which, true to form, meant Gabriel only played it all the more.

Dean breathed a sigh of relief when the torturous song ended, but felt dread pooling in his stomach over what Gabriel would choose next. Whatever it was, it couldn't be worse than what they'd just endured, surely. However, when the same piano notes started up again, Dean swore furiously. When he heard the seat beside him shift, he glanced sideways, and felt a whole new level of horror pulsate around him. Castiel had inclined forwards slightly so that he was closer to the radio, and he appeared to actually be listening to the song.

"This can't get any worse." He muttered under his breath, doing his best to tune out the dreadful music as he drove.

Gabriel kept 'A Thousand Years' on a constant loop for the remainder of their journey, and by the time they rolled into the car park of the new motel, Dean looked ready to have a mental breakdown. What didn't help was how after the fifth or sixth time of hearing it, Castiel began to tap his finger along to the piano, and continued to do so every other time it came on. As he switched off the engine again, at long last, the radio crackled into silence. He sat rigidly in his seat, staring straight ahead, breathing hard through his nose. It was official; the archangel was going to lose his lungs.

"Dean? Is everything alright?"

"Oh yeah, Cas, it's fan-fucking-tastic." He snapped in a tone dripping sarcasm. "My brother's fucking an archangel who seems hell-bent on driving me insane, everything's going to Hell in a hand-basket, and you tell me things are heading for a second Apocalypse. Yeah, everything's just fucking peachy."

He knew it was a low blow to mention that Castiel was failing in his attempts to stop Raphael, but at that moment he was too angry to care. Still staring dead ahead, he missed the blatant flash of pain that crossed the angel's eyes. He also missed the way Castiel was fiddling with the sleeves of his trench coat, and flicking his gaze from Dean to the floor and back again. The hunter, completely oblivious, was still ranting.

"And just what the fuck is Gabriel's problem? I get I'm the butt of most of his 'jokes', and I can ignore it for a while, but I'm getting fucking sick of it!

"I apologise that my presence was troublesome for you." Castiel replied, but Dean was in too much of a rage to notice the subtle hint of pain hidden within the angel's voice.

"I just don't get what he's doing! If I need you, I call you and more often than not, you come! It's almost like he's trying to fucking set us up, or something!"

"Is that likely?"

"Cas, he trapped us together and blasted the cheesiest barrage of sappy shit music I've ever heard before at us!"

"But why would he do such a thing?"

"Beats the hell out me. Probably got it fixed in his head that I like you, which is the biggest pile of bullshit going." Dean snapped with a shrug, before shouting to thin air, "Gabriel, let us the fuck out, dammit!"

The sound of flapping wings made Dean jump, and he turned in his seat to face Castiel, except the angel was no longer there. And it was then, as he sat there staring at thin air, that everything he'd just said came back to him, thudding in his head. A wave of guilt immediately followed, and he leant forwards, covering his face with his hands. He always engaged his mouth before his brain had a chance to join the discussion, and it always ended with him saying something he regretted. And it seemed to happen more to Castiel than to anyone else.

Watching the scene from a motel, meanwhile, were Sam and Gabriel. The archangel was staring at the Impala hard, his mouth curled into a scowl. Beside him, Sam kept flicking his gaze from Dean, who was still hunched over in his seat, to Gabriel who looked ready to kill. He wasn't sure who he was more concerned about, although as Gabriel's rage seemed to be focused on Dean, Sam supposed he should be more worried for his brother.

"He's a colossal moron, you know." Gabriel said suddenly, not taking his eyes away from the car.

"Why? What did he do?"

"What he usually does. Create yet another 'open-mouth-insert-foot' moment." Gabriel said coldly with a roll of his eyes. "Which basically puts us three steps back in our plan."

Sam groaned. "What do we do now, then?"

"See, one of the many problems Dean has is that he takes Cassie for granted. If we take that away, he'll learn to appreciate my bro much more. And maybe, if we're lucky, spending time away from Castiel will show Deano just how much he means."

"So what are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is; Sammy, we have to up the ante."