Oppressive and overwhelming became the very nature of the atmosphere surrounding Castiel and Sam Winchester in the advent of the Archangel Michael's arrival. Lucifer's rise from hell shared a similar sensation but not nearly as sufficating to the hunter. Needless to say the whole situation was jarring for the younger Winchester. He was gazing upon his elder brother's form but the individual residing within his meat suit wasn't Dean. Adjusting to that arrangement was going to take some time but it wasn't the first time he had to deal with Dean not truly being Dean before. Devistated didn't even begin to describe the state of mind of Castiel. If he was being completely honest the angel was terrified now that he was face to face with his eldest brother. Neither angel was within the boundaries of heaven but that didn't change their respected positions. Michael remained the commander of heaven's forces and Castiel was still a rebellious soldier who was responsible for the deaths of a number of their comrades. Without consequence or resistance the archangel could snuff out his existance with a snap of his fingers. The fact he hadn't already spoke to the personal nature of the mighty angel. Despite the vast effects of Lucifer's fall from heaven it appeared as though Michael remained the honorable brother Castiel had known.
Neither Sam or Castiel heard Michael personally agree to the conditions laid out by Dean but it appeared as though the Archangel was willing to allow the relationship between them to be ruled by them to some extent. To this point Dean had not resurfaced to assure his loved ones that he was unharmed by the unification process. From Castiel's earliest memories of the stoic angel he admitted Michael was never the most approachable of the archangels. Simply finding the starting point of a conversation would prove rather difficult. The fledging angels never witnessed a geniune smile appear on his features and they were never forunate enough to hear a burst of laughter. For a long period of time many wondered if Michael truly felt anything. With patience the fledgings including Castiel found their answer. Michael wasn't a heartless stone cold archangel. He was simply a private individual who only revealed his light hearted side when in the presence of his closest brothers particularly Lucifer. Needless to say the process to get the archangel to understand humanity was going to be like pulling teeth. Assuming of course Michael would be willing to persue the line of knowledge exploration in the first place.
Silence persisted within the motel room as the archangel took the opportunity to get accustomed to his new vessel. Unlike most angels who choose to walk among humans for any period of time Michael seemed unphased by the surroundings. That fact should have been unsurprising considering Michael had been around since the beginning and was present when God carried out his process of creation. Before the archangel could move to continue his exploration he noticed something amiss out of the corner of his eye. Slowly Michael shifted his glance from Castiel and Sam to the discarded vessel that once held Zachariah. Castiel observed his brother's response to the stimulus and saw what he expected; nothing. Regardless of the vast age difference between the celestial beings both had been raised to be soliders and death was a natural result of conflict. Understanding that was vital to maintaining ones sanity given the unnumerous holy battles over the course of existance. Although they were blood Michael didn't shed a single tear for the fallen Seraph. However for a moment Michael remained unmoving with his eyes closed as though he was offering up a silent prayer.
Even though Zachariah's grace had long since removed itself from physical existance Michael's thoughts remained unwavering. 'Your mission has been completed and now it's time for your essence to return to the unyielding flow of creation.' Without delay or hesistation Michael snapped open his eyes and with a snap of his fingers the body disappeared from sight only leaving behind the charred residue of his wings. For Castiel the actions of the archangel were within expectations but for Sam the whole thing seemed overly callous. Where was the respect for the dead? Sure to the angels the vessel was simply a tool but in the hunter's mind that body once belonged to a fellow human being who was ultimately someone's loved one. Although his soul had most likely been moved to heaven upon Zachariah's death Sam felt his body deserved more respect than an used paper towel.
Without any further distractions to avert Michael's attention he returned his focus on his rebellious younger brother and Sam Winchester. The commander of heaven gazed over the hunter and instantly took notice of the stiffness of his form. Unlike his elder brother Sam never had the opportunity to interact with Michael prior to these events. He hadn't known what to expect. Like with all living things angels also appeared to have their own unique personalities. Castiel was compassionate yet naive. Zachariah had been condescending, sharp witted, and sometimes cheerful. Oddly enough the heavenly manager responded to things in a very human way despite his clear dislike of them. Lucifer appeared the most dynamic switching between pure wrath and cruelty to humorous and remorseful. Michael understood the hunter's position and calmly approached the interaction which was bound to get confrontational. "What's troubling you, Sam Winchester?"
An almost indecteable twitch manifested momentarily when Michael's voice registered with the hunter's mind. The archangel hadn't adjusted the tone of Dean's voice all that much and to those who weren't close to the brothers wouldn't have been able to detect the difference. Hearing his full name come out of Dean's mouth didn't particularly cultivate an environment promoting unhidered speech. Castiel could clearly see the unease in Sam's being and being the guardian he was he extended his calm over the younger hunter through a simple touch. Instantly the supportive gesture registered with the younger male and he placed his own hand over Cas' to thank him before taking a deep breath to address Michael. "My brother, what have you done with Dean?"
Needless to say knowing Dean was safe was the upmost important thing for Sam to learn before pursuing the matter further. Witnessing that unwavering loyality Sam possessed in regards to Dean brought a sight warmth to Michael's being. The similarities of Winchester's bond and the one he once shared with Lucifer were unmistakable. No matter how dire the situation was or the extend of his own injuries Lucifer had a tendency of placing his concerns for Michael above anything else and visa versa. Michael also understood that the brothers had been burned before by angels and trusting another wouldn't come without time. "Nothing, Sam. Your beloved brother is right here." Innocently he raised his hand and gently tapped his left temple to emphasize his statement.
Quickly Michael's gaze shifted to Castiel as he could sense him coming up with his own retort. The archangel wasn't use to being questioned by anyone so it required a good deal of will power to keep himself from shouting. "A monster I am not, Castiel. Existing within such an orthodox state is overwhelming for him. Honestly brother, you should have done him the kindness of warning him properly about how intense absorbing all that knowledge would be."
Hearing the threatening talk of the archangel placed the hunter on alert. Instictfully Sam clinched a fist at his side as the emotions ran through his body. Before addressing the being before him he sent a slight puzzled expression back in Castiel's direction. Learning that Dean was forced to undergo another ordeal after being tortured in hell for over 30 years struck his companions hard. As that knowledge registered with Sam Michael could instantly see another wave of concern cross the hunter's gaze. "Will he..." Sam began to say before Michael rose his hand innocently.
Without shifting his glance away from Sam Michael could sense that Castiel hadn't particularly taken his accusation in stride. Clearly the emotional bond Dean and Castiel possessed went far beyond that of a guardian and a human charge. When Michael first noticed the changes within the younger angel he had wondered what exactly was different about the brothers that caused his rebellion. Now the answer was clear. Castiel loved Dean as strongly as Lucifer loved their Father. Devotion, loyality and connectivity were the glue that held Team Free Will together. All of these concepts proved interesting to the archangel but he knew exploring them would have to wait. A small but heavy sigh escaped Michael's throat as he once again tried to ease Sam's conscience. "Perfectly fine, Sam... better than he ever was before. You've my word." The hunter evaluated Michael's words for a brief moment and couldn't sense any falsehoods in his claim.
Taking someone at face value was only part of the equation and Michael could see it would ultimately take more before they'd willingly to trust him wholeheartedly. Over his existance Michael learned one important thing: patience is a virtune. He had waited thousands of years to aquire his true vessel and he'd wait however long it would took to achieve the end game. Sam no longer hesistated but Michael could see Castiel's wheels turning. Given their history Michael couldn't blame Castiel for reserving his support. All the archangels with the exception of Gabriel seemed to be gunning for things to end with the apocalypse. Having all that end now that Michael had his vessel seemed fishy to say the least. "Castiel, have I ever...ever lied to you?"
The prompt sparked Castiel's supressed feelings and memories from when he was a fledgling. Long before paradise had been lost to the angels everyday was filled with elation. Castiel had always been a curious youngester and on one of these occassions Castiel pulled himself away from Balthazar to observe his elder brothers; the archangels. He followed the feel of their collective grace to the garden where the eldest of God's children spent their time when they weren't consumed with their respective responsiblities. The young boy grinned with excitement as he sat back against the cool grass below him and simply watched. Deep down he couldn't wait until his own wings were fully developed so he could join his siblings in the air.
Effortlessly the archangels ruled the sky with their six massive wings. Although the process seemed trivial in their eyes Castiel was utterly impresses as he watched Lucifer show off some of his latest aerial maneuvers. Needless to say the whole thing became another contest since Gabriel hated to be shown up by his elder brother. Michael choose to remain neutral throughout the contest while Raphael was dragged into the middle of it like always. Castiel continued to grin from ear to ear as he remained silent throughout his entire vigil. Hours quickly passed and soon Castiel decided he should head back before his favorite siblings grew worried and began searching for him. As he was prepared to get to his feet he felt something hard strike his left wing. Quickly the young angel looked for the source and instantly found a palm size stone which hadn't previously been there. He blinked a few times and then turned around to see more of his siblings standing there with an expression Castiel didn't reconize until he was an adult. A look of contempt.
Efram and Jonah stood several feet away from Castiel gazing upon him with expressions he'd never witnessed before. Castiel hadn't interacted with the two much. At first he thought they had come to blame him for some cruel prank Balthazar had carried out. A good deal of the time it was Castiel who took the fall for his brother's tricks, which needless to say sucked when Gabriel wasn't around to defend him. Jonah gazed up at the sky and took a quick look at the archangels as they once again returned to their flight patterns. "You'll never be like our elder brothers, Castiel."
On various occassions Raphael had made similar remarks after he took the time to heal Castiel's injuries. Hearing it from someone closer to his age stung and it made him rather depressed to be reminded of that belief. No matter what he did or how hard he'd train he'd never be able to match the brilliance of any of the archangels. "What's more... your wings are hideous. I mean come on, black wings?! They are a sign of a monster, Castiel." To strengthen his point Efram threw another rock, this time striking Castiel's right wing.
A small whimper escaped his throat as he felt the impact on his developing wings. A few of his feathers were damaged by the collision which made Castiel lower his gaze in shame. Castiel had strived to take extra special care of his feathers after Gabriel himself had told him how much he liked them. Instead of crying, Castiel built up the will and forced back his tears. "They aren't..." He insisted. "Gabriel said so."
"Please... you really think Gabriel, the Archangel Gabriel gives a damn about your wings? He lied to you... took pity on you for heaven's sake." Jonah stated before he too threw a second rock.
Castiel flinched away as his brothers continued to hurl insults and rocks at him. Soon the racket below got the attention of the Archangels who were flying above the youngsters. Gabriel wanted to swoop down first but Michael simply eyed him before gracefully landing between Castiel and his attackers. Castiel blinked a few times as he found himself staring at Michael's six pure white wings. All the archangel had to do was narrow his eyes and Efram and Jonah took off in a hurry. Castiel wasn't sure what his eldest brother did but he could feel the fury in his grace. Before he turned around Michael calmed his grace just as quickly as he had escalated it's wrath. A slight sympathy appeared within his orbs as he saw the damaged plummage. "You're safe now, little one."
Without warning Castiel's will broke and he slowly started to sob in front of the mighty angel. He couldn't help but feel more pathetic. Instead of berate him for his weakness Michael lightly stroked the arch of Castiel's growing wings to offer up some kind of comfort. Quickly Castiel snapped his head up to meet Michael's gaze and was all the more confused. "You aren't repulsed by them?"
"Your wings? No of course not. They suit you Castiel." Michael stated in a calm voice.
"...because I'm a monster..." Castiel sobbed in reply.
A heavy sigh escaped Michael's throat when he heard the harsh words come out of the child's mouth. Kids could be cruel to each other and he hated that any of his siblings were that way. Slowly he bent down to Castiel's level and placed his hands on each of his shoulders. "No, Castiel. Your black wings are a sign of strength. When you're grown you'll understand. Believe not what others say. You are destined for great things, little brother."
That time in the garden seemed like eons ago but the words Michael spoke that day were the truth. Castiel started out as a lowly soldier but over time grew stronger. In a short period of time he took the reigns of his own garrison. Even after all his work with the Winchesters, God Himself thought Castiel was suited to be promoted to Seraph class. All this fortune was delivered upon a young angel with black wings. The more he pondered the question of the valinity of Michael's claims the more he began to think he was in fact telling the truth. What would his elder brother gain by lying to him now? Even though they weren't the closest of brothers Michael always seemed to want to do what was best for Castiel. "No, you've always spoken the truth."
All the while Michael and Castiel were feeling each other out Sam couldn't help but feel left out. That must be how Castiel felt when he and Dean would start laughing about some inside joke or discussed a case that was long before Castiel's time on Earth. Despite his unsure stance on their relationship Sam was determine to solidify the interconnected relationship he had with the archangel. In an attempt to not be rude, Sam cleared his throat to get the angel's attention. Like a charm both had dropped their conversation and turned their attention on him. "So, we good? No going off starting the apocalypse with Lucifer and all that?"
The calm atmosphere had once again grew somewhat more intense when Michael was reminded of his holy mission. At the end of the day Michael was responsible for stopping Lucifer from destroying humanity. That was his Father's will and the eldest angel wasn't going to forgo that task to satisfy the desires of one human. "Unless my hand is forced, I shall not begin the final battle. I cannot guarentee that Lucifer will play along when he learns I'm on Earth."
Sam had gotten that impression when they had their first run in with the Devil and when Gabriel discussed the situation between his elder brothers. The fighting had to stop one way or another. The younger hunter hoped that a non-violent apporach with short out the flames of conflict and once again restore peace between them. If worst came to worse he had no objection of trapping them both a ring of holy oil until they surrendered. "You agreed to try." Sam repeated.
"Sam." Michael forcibly spoke. Instantly the younger hunter felt a shiver go through his being sensing the superior position Michael was in. The archangel never liked to repeat himself and that message came across loud and clear. A rather pleased expression appeared on his features when he saw the slightly submissive appearance of his vessel's brother. The conversation ended with an non-verbal confirmation that Michael would indeed play the little game the Winchesters developed. The archangel would try to learn the value of humanity and in the process attempt to repair the rift the rebellion caused between himself and Lucifer.
Silence once again erupted between the three beings and before they knew what was happening a semi-bright blue light filled the room. Sam shielded his eyes and blinked when the light disappated. Castiel looked somewhat relieved when he realized that Michael had returned Dean to his full consciousness and was once again in control of his body. Dean took a few breaths and then exhaled still recovering from everything he had experienced. All could say was; "Holy crap."
To be continued...
Hello again my fellow SPN Fans! Sorry about the wait for this chapter. I had been slightly stuck about how to proceed with things after last chapter. It appears as though Michael is going to play along with Sam's plan but will that remain the case? You'll have to wait and see about that. I love the little flashback I included in this chapter. It shows a lighter side of Michael which we established isn't something he normally reveals to others. Hope you all enjoyed. Dean returns in our next chapter and I think I'll have the boys go on another hunt as well. As always suggestions for things are welcome. I love hearing your thoughts so keep those reviews coming. Thanks again for the support. See ya in chapter 4.