Bobby paced his kitchen while on the phone trying to get a hold of Dean. The kid had completely disappeared while they were in the middle of a conversation, and Bobby hadn't heard from him since. Bobby was pretty sure angels grabbed him, but that by no means meant he wasn't worried.
Bobby got Dean's voicemail for about the tenth time. "Damn it, boy, pick up the phone! What the hell is going on?! You just disappeared!"
"You can put the phone down old man," a voice from behind said.
Bobby turned around, and to his shock, he saw the Trickster standing with Sam, who looked absolutely miserable. "What the Hell? Sam?"
Gabriel looked at Sam and gestured to one of the chairs by the kitchen table.
Sam was surprised when the urge to obey didn't hit him. It must only work if the Trickster gave him a verbal command. Still, he walked over and sat down. He knew if he didn't, he would be forced.
Gabriel smiled at him in praise.
"Sam, what the hell's going on? Are you okay?" Bobby asked.
Sam shook his head vigorously. It was the only thing he could do. He still hadn't been given permission to talk.
"Oh, that's not true, sweetheart. You're just fine," Gabriel assured him as he walked over and stood beside him.
Bobby glared at the Trickster and pulled out his knife. "What did you do to my boy?"
"Put that away. It won't do anything to me," Gabriel said with a mocking chuckle.
"Maybe not, but I have no problem finding himself a stake," Bobby said.
"I have no doubt, but that won't help you either," Gabriel said.
"What did you do to him?! Sam, what happened? Dean said you'd left with Ruby," Bobby said.
"You may speak," Gabriel told Sam.
Sam didn't need to be told twice. "Bobby, you have to help me! He's controlling me! He did some kind of spell to tie me to him. I have to do everything he tells me!"
"Not a spell, Sammy. Spells are much easier to break. I'd call this a ritual, a very old, and very permanent one. Well, unless, I, or God himself, decide to end it. I don't suggest holding out hope for that," Gabriel said.
Bobby looked at them both in horror, but before he could respond, he heard more voices as they entered the room.
"Cas, what the hell did Chuck mean that things have changed."
"I told you, Dean, I don't…" Castiel trailed off as they both entered the room and saw who was there.
"What the hell?" Dean asked as he found his brother there with the Trickster.
"Hello, Dean. How have you been? This must be your angel friend," Gabriel said as he smirked at his youngest brother. He was rewarded by the astonished and slightly fearful look he received from the angel.
Dean ignored him and glared at his brother. "Are you kidding me, Sam? First a demon and now the damned Trickster?"
"Do I look like I want this?" Sam asked.
"Then get the hell away from him!" Dean yelled.
"You're not to move," Gabriel told Sam.
"He's controlling him. He used some kind of ritual to compel Sam to do what he wants," Bobby stated.
Fire ignited in Dean's eyes and he went to attack him.
Castiel grabbed Dean by the coat and pulled him back. He knew what would happen if Dean antagonized this being. "No, Dean!"
"Let go of me, Cas!" Dean demanded as he tried and failed to get away from the angel's iron grip.
"You don't know what he can do to you! He could kill you with no effort at all!" Castiel warned.
Sam's eyes widened in fear. Was that true. Well, yes, he knew it was. The Trickster had killed Dean many times before, but would he now? Was that why the Trickster brought him here? He'd said he wanted to prove to Sam that Dean couldn't help him. Did he mean to do that by killing Dean?"
"No, that's not what I meant," Gabriel answered Sam's thoughts. "Your brother will be just fine, so long as he behaves."
"What the hell? Did you just read his thoughts?" Dean asked. He figured he must have been. Sam hadn't said anything, but the Trickster had answered him like he had.
"Uh huh. Every aspect of your brother belongs to me now, including his mind. He can't have even one single thought that I won't immediately hear," Gabriel said with a smirk.
"Whatever you did to him, you better damn well stop now. I swear to God I'll kill you for this!" Dean snarled.
"Dean, stop antagonizing him. You don't know what you're dealing with," Castiel said.
"I've dealt with the Trickster before."
"He's not a trickster, he's an archangel," Castiel told him. Then he looked at Gabriel in fear, realizing what the archangel might do to him for revealing his secret.
"Relax, bro. If I didn't want him to know, I wouldn't have let you sense my Grace," Gabriel said.
"An… An archangel?" Sam asked in a shaky voice. If that was the case, how was he going to get out of this?" The Trickster, they might be able to eventually defeat, but how could they take on an archangel? Sam knew enough about them to know, they were one of the most powerful creatures in the world.
"That's right, sweetheart. My name is Gabriel. And I'm glad you're starting to understand the situation a little better. You need to accept your fate," Gabriel said.
"An archangel?! This whole time he's been a freaking archangel?" Dean asked in disbelief.
Gabriel smirked. "It kind of makes you feel a bit stupid for that whole stake scene the first time we crossed paths, doesn't it? You never stood a chance. And you don't now, so don't bother trying."
"He's right, Dean," Castiel said.
"Do you know what he did to my brother?" Dean asked his friend.
"I think so. There is talk that there is a ritual that archangels can use to claim a human. It binds the human to the archangel for eternity," Castiel said.
"E…Eternity?" Sam cried out. He really started to lose it then. He struggled against the order to stay seated. He had to get out of there. He wanted to run as far away from his archangel captor as he could.
"Be still," Gabriel ordered as he placed a hand on the hunter's shoulder. He then snapped his fingers and produced a bottle of water, which he held out to Sam. "Drink that."
Sam took the bottle. He didn't even need the order this time. He felt his throat go incredibly dry. He needed the water.
"It's going to be okay, Sam. You'll be around forever. It's a good thing."
"Not tied to you it's not," Sam said miserably.
"You'll change your mind. Once you get used to the way things are, it won't seem so bad," Gabriel assured him.
"What do you want? What's it going to take for you to let Sam go?" Bobby asked. He figured the bastard wanted something. Otherwise, he would've just disappeared with Sam.
"Nothing. He's mine now," Gabriel said simply.
"Like hell?! Tell us what you want. You wouldn't come here if you didn't want something in return for Sam. What, do you want us to start up the damn apocalypse, like your dick siblings?" Dean asked.
"Oh, no, coming here was for Sam. See, he's under the impression that you can save him from this. He needs to learn that that won't happen," Gabriel said as he pat Sam on shoulder.
"Why are you doing this?" Sam asked in cracked voice.
"I told you why, sweetheart."
"Stop calling him that!" Dean said through gritted teeth.
"He belongs to me. I'll call him whatever I want," Gabriel said before returning his gaze to Sam. "As I was saying, I'm doing this because you nearly started the apocalypse. You nearly let my brother out of his cage. I promise you, your fate would've been much worse then than it is now," Gabriel said. He then explained what would happen after that with both Winchesters, and Michael and Lucifer.
Everyone in the room was shocked, including Castiel. "They are Michael and Lucifer's vessels."
"They would've been had Sam broken the last seal," Gabriel said.
"No, I was trying to stop it. I was trying to kill Lilith so she couldn't let him out," Sam said.
"Lilith was the final seal. You almost broke it," Dean said to his brother with a glare.
"Coming from the man who broke the first one, that's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?" Gabriel asked.
"And that coming from the guy who hooked a supernatural leash to my brother because of what he did," Dean retorted.
"Like I said, he's mine. It's my prerogative," Gabriel said.
"He's not yours!" Dean yelled.
"Dean, stop," Castiel warned. So far, it didn't appear Gabriel wanted to hurt them, but if Dean kept provoking him, that could change.
"Damn it, Cas, he's turned my brother into his bitch!"
Sam flinched at his brother's choice of words.
"Well, there's nothing you can do about it. Sam's fate is sealed," Castiel said.
"Like hell! I'm not leaving him like this," Dean said firmly. He was pissed as hell at his brother, but he was not going to leave him at the mercy of an archangel for the rest of his life.
"Dean, come here," Cas said as he pulled him to the corner of the room. He knew Gabriel would still be able to hear him, but Sam wouldn't. That was what mattered.
Bobby followed him, but kept a good eye on Sam and Gabriel.
Gabriel looked at Sam, who was really starting to lose it. Tears began to flow from his eyes. Gabriel ran a hand through the kid's hair. "Shh. It's gonna be okay. It won't be as bad as you think."
"Please, I'm sorry. I swear, I didn't know Lilith was the final seal," Sam cried.
"I know you didn't, sweetheart, but you knew it was wrong to drink demon blood deep down, and you knew it wasn't wise to trust a demon. You let your anger at your brother's death destroy you. I tried to keep that from happening during Mystery Spot, but you didn't want to listen to me. Well, now I'm afraid you'll have to listen to me," Gabriel said.
"But you stopped it. It won't happen now," Sam argued.
"Ah, but you're still capable of making bad decisions. I can't allow that."
"I won't. Please, just…"
"No more begging, Sam. You will not change my mind," Gabriel said firmly.
Sam looked down in defeat.
Meanwhile, Cas was trying to get Dean and Bobby to face reality. "Listen to me, there is no way to break this ritual. Gabriel's Grace is wrapped around Sam like a chain. You can't undo it."
"I'm not giving up on my brother!" Dean snarled quietly.
"Your brother's fate is sealed, and perhaps it's not as terrible as you believe," Castiel said.
"What the hell does that mean?" Bobby asked in a gruff voice.
"Gabriel stopped the apocalypse," Castiel said simply.
"By turning Sam into his personal property," Bobby said in disgust.
"And I'm saying that perhaps it's a fair trade," he responded.
"Cas, if you say that again, I will kill you right along with your dickhead brother!" Dean threatened.
"Fine, it doesn't matter either way. You cannot save Sam. All you can do now is help Sam face how life will be for him now," Castiel said.
"What do you mean? You want us to tell him he's screwed?" Bobby asked.
"Yes. It just might be the best thing you can do for him. Gabriel's right about one thing. Clinging to a hope that will never come to fruition is not in Sam's best interest," Castiel said.
"No. I'm not giving up on my brother! I will never give up on him," Dean said. True, he almost had when Sam went off with Ruby, but that was mainly his anger talking. He wouldn't really have left Sam to fend for himself.
"If you want to believe something that will never happen, go ahead, but if your concern is really for your brother, you won't allow him to do the same. If you want what's best for him, allow him to start accepting life with Gabriel," Castiel advised.
"We should tell him we're giving up on him? How is it helpful to make him think he has no one?" Bobby asked.
"Once he realizes he has no options, he will start to come to terms with his new reality. It will be better for him," Castiel said.
Dean shook his head. "No. I won't do it."
"I will then," Castiel said. He didn't particularly like the boy who had nearly unleashed Lucifer, but it would cruel to allow him to cling to hope of help that wouldn't come. He wouldn't do it.
Castiel moved to his brother and Sam. "Sam, I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do to help you. We can't break the ritual."
"No," Sam cried.
"It is in your best interest, to accept the reality that has been thrusted upon you," Castiel told him.
"Dean," Sam said while looking at his brother with pleading eyes.
"I'll find a way, Sammy, I swear," Dean promised.
"Very disappointing, Dean. I thought you might be able to put your brother's needs first," Gabriel said before taking ahold of Sam's arm. "Stand up. Time to go home."
"No," Sam said, even as the order forced him to his feet.
"I swear, I'll save you, Sammy," Dean said again. He wanted to rush over and grab his brother, but he knew he couldn't. He didn't have a prayer against an archangel, at least not now.
"We love you, kid," Bobby said.
Sam tried to fight against the archangel gripping his arm, but he soon felt himself being pulled away.
Once Sam was gone, Dean turned to Cas. "I wanna talk to your boss."
"You wish to speak with Zachariah?" Castiel asked surprised.
"No, your big boss. I wanna talk to Michael."