Stairway to Heaven softly played throughout the room. Castiel didn't recognize the room he was in. A lone messy desk sat in the room with a bottle of vodka sitting atop it. A voice said, "It's good to see you again, Castiel."
Castiel's trench coat swished as he turned around. Standing calmly behind him appeared to be Chuck Shurley dressed in white, but Castiel found himself able to see past the human form. The righteousness and light, the primordial grace, supreme and all powerful, the absolute, the creator of everything, the lord glory be thy name. God was standing right in front of him, and that douchebag had the nerve to smile.
Castiel yelled, "You Bastard!"
Chuck, as he preferred to be called in informal circles, stopped smiling immediately. He tried to make a quick run to the vodka before the yelling started. He wasn't all that fond of yelling, "Now why don't we just sit down and talk about this. How bout a drink? I can explain a little but um well you know ah..."
"Do not attempt to sell me that 'lord works in mysterious ways' bullshit!"
"I know you're angry Castiel, but I'm not really supposed to interfere! Free will and all! I wanted you, all of you humans and angels, to choose; to choose your own salvation. I did not order anything, and yet with those Winchesters I haven't intervened with much with humanity in a long time!
Castiel was fuming, "Dean has said you are 'just another deadbeat dad with a bunch of excuses' I do not understand!"
Chuck mumbled, "Of course, take the word of Dean Winchester over mine."
Chuck downed another shot of vodka and poured one for Castiel. Castiel didn't seem to be in the drinking mood with his crossed arms and huffing. Maybe a time out would calm him down, but then again that went so well with Lucifer.
He mused, "Castiel, I understand your anger. You wonder why I did not assist all those times you and the Winchesters needed it. Lest you forget I resurrected you not one, not two, but three times. I generally prefer to work behind the scenes. It's just what I do. I admit at times I could be selfish, apathetic, self-important, childish..."
"Why did you leave us? Why did all this have to come to pass? Why have you returned now? What will become of me? What of the Winchesters? I have to know if Dean is alive! I still do not fully understand!"
Chuck sighed, "Well after Lucifer and Gadreel and everything well...I guess um...I was kind of lonely...My child, I do not need to explain myself to you. Things happen, Castiel. Remember free will? You had been so enraptured in it once. I only wish to preserve free will. I planned to return eventually, and now seemed the best time."
"Why?" Castiel asked, "Why did you return now?"
"Metatron" Chuck replied, "Not all the angels were absolutely devastated in the fall, but many were. On the other hand many other angels found lives among the humans. They adapted and thrived. Many got a new perspective at the humans they hadn't before, and it was for the better. Then again, What is an angel without their wings? I gave my children their wings back. I opened the gates.
I resurrected a select few that would assist in rebuilding heaven. It was you Castiel who abolished Metatron's plan, but a power struggle is not needed, not again. I make my presence known and that should keep them content for a few millenniums. I shall stay for a while, but I won't be giving any orders. I will merely observe as the angels work to rebuild. I have found a good candidate for leading the angels. I only hope he has matured a little."
Castiel did not know who Chuck might have chosen but he really did not care, "What about me? What shall become of me after everything I have done...will I need to return or..."
Chuck patted Castiel's shoulder, "That is your decision to make. Although before you do, there is something you must know. Neither of the Winchester brothers will ever again see hell. They deserve that much, but I had to pull a few strings to ensure it with Death getting a little annoyed and all. Dean Winchester is still Dean Winchester, but there are some changes. I have my best man looking after him, but I need you to be prepared for what you will find when you return to them."
Castiel couldn't help but smile, "Whatever it is, Father it will not matter. So long as Dean is alive and with Sam, I can handle it."
Chuck poured Castiel a shot of vodka, "Perhaps it would be best if you see for yourself, but on another note thank you. You believed in Gadreel. He asked for a chance and you gave it to him. For so long he has desired redemption. He made mistakes as we all do, but he made the right choice in assisting you and the Winchester brothers.
It was painful to see him back in that cell, so lost, desperate, and done. He deserves to see his redemption. He deserves a chance to keep fighting for the one thing he wants most, and never letting it go. He as you have believed he was doing the right thing. It will take time to reforge the bonds all the heavenly siblings once had, but Gadreel believes he won't be accepted so he is now on earth. He is an angel, but I only ask you accept him. Time heals all wounds Castiel. Will you accept your elder brother?"
"I understand. I will, Father. Now I must go to Dean."
When Castiel left Chuck breathed a sigh of relief. He loosened his tie and kicked off his shoes with the Vodka bottle in hand. He really did not want to be the one to break the news to Castiel. He was already ready to punch him and yell some more if Chuck hadn't pulled the whole omniscience shtick out of his ass. Gabriel would do a fine job of it. Chuck just needed to relax and drink a little before he went to deal with all the other little angels. There was so much work to do, and he wasn't nearly drunk enough to deal with any of that praising of the lord shit.
Sam woke with a start when he heard the rapping of knuckles coming from the front door. His head ached, his face hurt, his back ached, and his mouth tasted awful. The knocking sounded like hammers due to his hangover induced headache. He tried to put the pieces of together of what had happened the night before, but the realization made him sick to his stomach.
The liquor hadn't made him forget it. After Crowley had been a no show and Cas was MIA, he did what Winchester's did; he drank booze until he passed out. Sam felt a little lucky he had passed out at the main area table rather than in a pool of his own vomit, and then he remembered Dean.
The knocking didn't cease. He figured it was Garth or hopefully Cas, but he didn't really care. Dean was dead. He had sobered up enough to realize that much. It was a surprise when he opened the door to a Hindi woman with gentle eyes, but stern features.
She wasn't at all fazed by his red rimmed eyes and unkempt appearance
The woman asked, "You are Sam Winchester correct? I am Ambriel. I am here to inform you of certain circumstances involving your elder brother Dean Winchester. May I come in?"
Sam demanded, "What about my brother? Are you an angel?"
Ambriel slyly made her way past Sam's large frame into the bunker, "You're brother is going through something right now, but he will be alright. I am indeed an angel, and you are still slightly inebriated." Her finger poked Sam's head, and he was completely sober and free of the ailments of his hangover.
"That should make things easier. Now then Gabriel should be assisting your brother in adjusting and he has the three young ones with him, but you will not be able to see him just yet. Diniel will have to adjust before you two can be reunited to ensure no harm comes to you. I suggest you consume something to curb your hunger, and drink something other than alcohol. Perhaps grilled cheese. I've heard pleasant things about it."
Sam wasn't sure if he could take in all the things this 'Ambriel' was telling him.
"Hold on, Dean's alive?"
"Yes, and he shall be just fine" she replied.
"Gabriel's alive and the angels are back in heaven at full mojo?"
Ambriel smiled softly, "Yes, it's a wondrous event. Gabriel had returned as has Father. The angels are joyously flying in celebration. I myself am very happy I have my wings once again."
Sam asked, "Who's this Diniel, and why can't I see my brother? Why does Gabe have to assist him or something?"
Ambriel furrowed her brow, "Dean?"
"No, Diniel."
"Diniel is Dean. Dean is Diniel."
Sam shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about, but what's happening to Dean?"
Ambriel grabbed Sam's arm and started to pull him towards the kitchen, "I am to ensure you're wellbeing as it takes place, so you must eat. A glorious thing is what is happening to Dean, but you must be patient. Your brother shall be better than ever. Now then do you enjoy grilled cheese?"
Sam bit his lip to keep the tears at bay. Dean was alright. His brother was going to live. Seemed to be God finally got his ass in gear, but Sam didn't even care about that. All he cared about was the fact Dean was alive. He wanted to run to Dean's room to go see for him, but Ambriel had told him to wait. He could wait, so long as it meant he could throw his arms around his brother and tell him all the things he hadn't been able to say. He hadn't been able to tell Dean the whole truth of why he lied. He needed to. He needed to see color in his brother's face, and that stupid toothy grin he hadn't seen for some time.
Ambriel asked, "I am not knowledgeable in the preferences of cheeses, but which do you prefer. American or Sharp Cheddar? It seems odd since cheeses have no nationality nor are they sharp as in intelligent or sharp as in finely edged."
Sam chuckled, "Cheddar's fine, Ambriel. Thank you."
Dean was alive. His brother was alive. Dean was alive. His brother was alive.
He just had no idea what the hell Ambriel had meant by Diniel.
Gabriel said, "It seems Ambriel is here. She'll make sure Sam doesn't cause too much of a ruckus!"
Dean gurgled, "Sa'i?"
Gabriel gently caressed Dean's hair, "You're not dead, Dean. As Crowley said it's a 'new kind of life' but things are different. It's why everything seemed so weird when you woke up. You're alive, but different. You guys won. The angels, that want to, are returning to heaven. We have our wings. All of us."
"Ca?"
"Yeah, Castiel is probably talking to the big man as we speak. Don't fret alright he'll probably show his mug at some point. You'd be crazy to think he would just return to heaven just like that! In order to see Sam you'll need to be able to create a constant control. Have control over yourself, over the power you feel welling inside you, embrace the warmth of the heavenly host."
Dean felt like he had cotton balls stuffed in his mouth, "Wha?"
Gabriel sighed, "What do you feel, Dean."
He assumed he'd feel the pain of his wounds, an aching in his belly from hunger, maybe a little blood lust, and the need to piss like a racehorse, but that wasn't it, any of it.
He felt an odd weight on his back, he felt a resonating heat underneath his skin, he felt like his body was a snake and his body was a rat too large for the snake to digest (weird analogy but that's what it felt like), he felt a power deep within him that felt...it felt like it was pure light.
The girl came into his line of sight. A young woman with big eyes and an amber pixie cut. She would have resembled a fairy, but fairies were little slips of things while this girl was sporting some mean biceps. She smiled, "It must all be a little overwhelming, Diniel. It must all feel strange, but we are all here to help you. I am Rhemiel."
Dean tried to do as Gabriel asked. He tried to make all the jumble of things constant. In his mind he imagined the power as boiling water. He had to calm it. Dean felt he was able to do that, but he was confused at what Gabriel meant by the heavenly host.
He asked, "U an'el?"
Gabriel thanked the heavens he did not laugh. He did not tease. It sounded like Dean said anal, but he was going to lead he was going to be mature!
Rhemiel nodded, "Yes, I am an angel. You are aware Gabriel is I know." She gestured to her two male companions, "Nisroc and Liwet are also angels. As are you."
Dean knew he hadn't heard her wrong. He whined not able to form words. The power he felt inside him was bubbling a little too uncomfortably. It felt like he was being contained, so he let go.
Gabriel yelled as holy white light began to engulf the room, "Damn it, Dean!"