Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
A/N: Hey I'm not dead! I feel like all my chapters have suddenly gotten super short compared to 'Facing Death'. I really don't like it. Also, I updated AO3 so there's that if you want to head over there.
un-beta'd
Gabriel can still see it.
He tries not to close his eyes, tries not to think about it anymore. He can't hold it and lunges forward and empties his stomach. He's gasping and shuddering not able to stop the tears. He tries to scream but his stomach roils.
He can picture the charred black flesh and smoking empty eyes staring back at him. He can still smell the smoke from Kevin's liquified organs and the thought of everything makes his stomach lurch. He heaves against the porcelain again trying not to vomit.
It's a curse. He knows it's a curse because his dreams happen a lot more than he cares to admit. Before there were only glimpses of possibilities, different outcomes, nothing certain. Nothing.
But Kevin died over and over and over...
He sits back against the tub, away from the toilet, taking deep breaths.
'Kevin isn't dead.'
'Kevin is alive.'
'Kevin will be fine.'
He whispers it over and over willing himself to believe it. He has to believe it if he's going to face Kevin without flinching.
KNOCK KNOCK
He ignores the knocking, instead he focuses on calming his nerves. He squeezes his eyes shut when the bathroom door opens not wanting to see who enters.
He hopes it isn't Serrure.
"So, are you going to tell me or should I get Sam?"
Gabriel glares because he wants to blame someone for what he's going through. Who better than the man who took him and his brother away from their home? The residue that fog his eyes after those dreams stink of the magic used by the Winchesters.
He growls, "Hey, dad, how was the hunt? Bring back any souvenirs?"
Dean sighs, exhaustion clear on his face, and leans against the doorway to wait. As the minutes pass the hunter thinks over the information Kevin gave him. The dream had been more powerful than the others they'd witnessed and knowing Gabriel's past made them very uneasy. Predicting the death of one of their own is never a good thing.
"Kevin already told you what happened so leave me alone."
"Gabe-"
"Go away and bother someone else!"
The Winchester kneels down next to the brunet, "You're one of us and I will do everything in my power to get whatever this is under control. You know I worry about you, right? "
The boy hesitates.
He knows Dean cares for Serrure and himself, sees it in the hunter's eyes and movements when they're in the same room. Even when the hunter lies about being their older brother or father to the public he feels a bond and it extends to Sam.
"Yeah," he nods before continuing, "yeah, I-I know. Kevin- Uncle Kevin was waiting for you in the library..."
~~0O0~~
Serrure mutters something as he and Gabriel sit in a waiting room for what feels like an eternity. Dean had removed them from their previous school after the principal refused to punish the other boys involved in the fight. Lack of evidence or something. Sam had deemed it a better option than throwing the teachers into a wormhole. So, now the boys suffer sitting in uncomfortable chairs waiting for the older hunter to finish speaking with the new principle.
"Hey, let's play a game," whispers Gabriel, "What's the story this time?"
The raven haired boy grins, "Ex-girlfriend, sent to live with dad. He didn't know about us until after mom died."
"Hmm," Gabriel looks thoughtful, "mom and dad died, sent to live with our uncle."
"Loser buys ice-cream."
"Loser buys ice-cream and does all the chores this week."
Serrure laughs, "Deal!"
The sound of a door opening causes them to look over. The boys perk up when they see Dean and the principle headed their way. They quickly look away, pretending not to notice them while keeping an ear out for any clues.
The principle smiles, "Oh, believe me dear I know how difficult boys are at this age. I know it's hard to be widowed with two children so if you ever need anything here's a number to a group-"
The boys groan unhappily realizing they both lost. Their grumbling comes to a stop when they're told they'll be escorted around the school for the day by a fellow student. Aliana, their class president, smiles at them before going into a speech welcoming them both. Gabriel tries to cover his laughter with coughs when he sees Serrure blush at the girl's direction.
School is a welcoming distraction from everything. Gabriel sighs in relief because nothing weird happens. No flashbacks of his nightmare or strange happenings -if you don't count the mystery meat at lunch- make him believe things might be normal in a new place.
That is until Serrure stops by the exit to ask, "Who's uncle Sam talking to?"
When Gabriel looks all he sees is a strange blur.
~~0O0~~
Sam waits patiently as noisy children rush past him to escape the confines of the school. Kevin had asked him to pick up the boys for him. Gabriel still couldn't face him without looking miserable.
The air next to him shifts, growing blisteringly hot and then cold. Sam doesn't need to look over to know Mayhem is beside him.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I don't follow you Winchesters." Sam can almost hear the laughter in his voice. "You can't order me around."
"It's not about ordering it's about doing what's right."
Mayhem draws close, "Is that a tone I hear?"
"No," Sam grimaces.
"You can't keep them away from me. News flash, Meat, they were mine before you met them and they'll be mine again. You can't keep us apart."
The Winchester can only glare not wanting to invoke Mayhem's fury while so many children are present.
"The longer you keep them from their true selves the worse it's going to get. Besides, what if Kali finds out or Asgard? The gods will be so angry."
Sam walks away when he spots Serrure but not before whispering low enough to not be heard by anyone else.
"We're not afraid of gods."
TBC
