It took almost a week before Sam finally started to feel normal. He kept waking up each morning expecting to be back in that room again with Heat of the Moment playing. He'd done the same thing during those six months that no longer existed. Then, when the realization hit that it wasn't playing, the grief would come in and swamp him until something clued him in to his brother's presence. Either a snore, his breathing, or turning his head and seeing him there.

For the most part, he was doing okay. He kept himself together and tried not to let Dean see how he was feeling. The last thing his brother needed was to be dealing with Sam's problems. That didn't mean that Dean didn't notice, though. It didn't escape Sam's attention that Dean didn't go anywhere without either bringing Sam along with him, and he made sure to always be there when Sam woke up. The one morning that he woke up before Sam, he didn't even leave to go get coffee or breakfast until Sam was awake and able to go with him. Dean may not have known about the six months that Sam spent without him, but he was smart enough to know there were things that Sam wasn't telling him, and that the only real thing he could do to help was be there.

It helped quite a bit. By the time a week had passed, Sam felt semi normal again. He felt like he might be able to let Dean out of his sight without the fear that he was going to die while Sam wasn't there.

Dean must've noticed the change, because that night he dragged Sam out to a bar with him "Just for some fun, Sammy. You remember fun, right?"

That was how Sam came to find himself sitting at a table in a bar while his brother tried to hustle a bit of money off some of the idiots playing pool.

As always, it was a bit amusing to watch Dean hustle. He was way too good at making himself look like an idiot to other people. They took one look at that easy grin, the slight swagger to his step, and they heard that low drawl he could get when he was lazy or drunk – or in the mood to play a part – and they just assumed that's all there was to him. A pretty face and pretty word. No one ever seemed to look deeper than that. If they had, they might've learned what Sam had always known. That his big brother was one of the best, kindest, smartest people he'd ever known. Dean was a good man – one of the best. He didn't deserve the fate coming towards him.

Caught up in observing his brother, and watching for threats, Sam didn't really register the pretty blond that was making her way towards him. She didn't ping on his 'danger' radar. Stupid mistake. A pretty face didn't make someone less dangerous. That was a lesson he really needed to remember

It wasn't until she was right by his table and had bumped into him that he looked up. "Well now, what's a handsome man like you doing all alone over here?" She asked him.

Sam took one look at her face and felt his whole body clench tight in immediate response. It wasn't that she was pretty – though she most definitely was, with a short curvy body and those waves of blondish gold hair – it was that he knew that face. Those golden eyes, that half smirk. It looked different but it was the same exact face he'd just spent six months hunting. "Trickster." Sam snarled out. His hand reflexively twitched as if to reach for a weapon at the same time that his eyes sought out his brother, making sure that he was still there.

The woman caught Sam's wrist in a grip that was a lot stronger than it seemed. "It's Loki, actually. Though like this you can just call me Lo." She winked at him while sliding closer to his table and then slipping down into the seat right next to him. "You're getting better at this! You recognized me in no time at all!"

Sam tried very hard not to think about the way her fingers moved over his wrist, one delicately tracing his pulse point. Obviously she could feel his heart hammering away. Humor lit her golden eyes and she gave him that smirk he'd recognize anywhere, on a male or female vessel. "Calm down, sweetheart. I'm just here to chat." She patted Sam's wrist and then drew her – his? – hand back. "I figured it'd be easier like this. Less chance of big bro over there recognizing me. He's not as observant as you are." Somehow, she seemed a bit proud of that, grinning right at him.

"What're you doing here?" Sam hissed at her. Better yet, why was he just sitting here talking to her? Him? Whatever! The Trickster – Loki – was in a female body and Sam didn't care, he was sticking to the pronouns that made sense.

She grinned broadly at him and sat back in the chair, one long leg crossing over the other in a way that put them perfectly on display, showcased nicely by the short skirt she wore. "Humans." She gave an exasperated roll of her eyes. "Weren't you listening? I said I was here to chat, that's all. Just a nice talk between friends."

"We are not friends!"

Lifting one hand, Loki laid it over her heart. "Sammy! You wound me with that, you truly do."

Sam growled under his breath and fought back the urge to threaten to do more than just wound her.

As if she could read his thoughts, and it disturbed him to realize that she very well might be able to, she flashed him yet another of her grins. "You really should work on those anger issues of yours, big boy. They're gonna get you in trouble one day."

"Pardon me if I'm not feeling kind." Sam spat back. "You murdered my brother over a hundred times. That tends to make me a bit cranky."

Instead of bothering her, his snark just made her let out a low, melodic laugh. "See, this is why I like you. You're not like most hunters I've met, Sammy."

He grit his teeth and growled again. "It's Sam."

She continued on as if he hadn't interrupted her. "Most of them just hunt down monsters and that's it. They wouldn't talk to me. They'd just go for the nearest weapon. They see black and white. But you – you see black, white, grey, and all the colors of the rainbow. That's rare."

"Thanks, so glad to know monsters like me. I'll be sure to share that with Dean right after he stakes you."

Loki's grin grew a bit wider and just a bit dangerous in a way that very much did not make Sam's heart beat faster. It was just fear, he told himself. That was why he was reacting like that. It was fear that made his heart beat faster.

"You try it all you want, sweetheart." Loki snapped herself up a fruity looking red drink and took a small sip off it, eyes twinkling merrily overtop the glass. "It hasn't worked so far, but who knows maybe you'll get lucky." The way she wiggled her eyebrows made the meaning of those words clear.

Sam clenched his hand down on his beer and fought to contain his temper. Blowing up at her in the middle of a bar wasn't the way to go. There were too many civilians in here. Too many people who could get caught in the crossfire if things went south. He held on to his temper with an iron control and settled for glaring at her instead of punching her. "What. Do. You. Want." He bit off each word like it was something foul.

"Just wanted to check in on my favorite hunter, see how you were doing, all that jazz."

"How I'm doing? How I'm doing?" Leaning forward, Sam glared even harder, his whole body almost vibrating. "I just had to watch my brother die over a hundred times, live six months without him, and now I'm back here trying not to finch every time he gets out of my sight or go into a panic when I wake up and don't see him right away. All the while, I'm still scrambling to find a way to get him out of his deal after all the time I wasted in your little time loop. And you want to know how I'm doing?"

To his surprise, Loki actually grimaced a little, her smile faltering just the slightest bit. "About that." Holding her glass in one hand, she lifted a finger and ran the tip of it around the rim of her glass. "I'm not sorry for trying to teach you a lesson, because you need to learn to let your brother go. You're not going to be able to save him and you need to come to terms with that before he dies and you end up right back where you were when I killed him. However," She held up a hand when she saw he was about to protest. "I am sorry that I had to hurt you so much. I didn't want to, but it seemed like the only way to make you understand."

"Trust me, I understood. It just doesn't change anything." Sam said bluntly. "What I don't understand is why you even care." It was something that had been bugging Sam for a while now and he couldn't figure it out. "Why the hell do you care so much if I try and save my brother's life? What are the lives of two humans to you?"

Sam didn't really expect any sort of answer. Loki just didn't seem the type to give out answers without getting something in return. So it surprised Sam completely when the being looked at him without any sign of her previous smile and said "There's something big in the works, something I can't tell you about right now. Dean's death is just the first step. I can't stop that, not anymore. Not once he made that deal. But if I could get you to let go of your brother without all the fuss and homicidal rage, there's a chance I could stop the second part of it."

Something hard settled in the pit of Sam's stomach. Suddenly, his beer didn't taste all that good. He didn't know why it was that he believed the creature in front of him. Loki had done nothing to inspire any sort of trust in him. Yet for some reason, Sam found that he did believe her. That was scary all on its own. What was even scarier was the implication behind Loki's words. "Why can't you tell me?"

"It's a long story." Loki said. "One better suited for a later time."

As If to prove that point, the crowd around them parted a bit and Dean came mock-stumbling up to the table, still obviously playing a bit of a part for the guys he'd left behind. Guys, Sam noted, who were watching Dean carefully.

It sort of startled Sam and worried him a bit that he'd stopped paying attention to Dean while talking with Loki.

Dean took one look at the girl beside Sam and startled before quickly recovering and flashing one of his best smiles. "Oh hey there. My bad – I didn't realize you had company, Sammy." It was obvious by the look on his face that he hadn't noticed her before, which threw Sam a little. How had he not? Dean usually has a good eye for anyone that came near his brother, especially a pretty girl. It was like some big brother/hunter radar that had never failed. Unless...unless Loki had been making sure no one saw them. A grin from her showed that he was right on that. Get out of my head, Sam thought, knowing now that she could hear him.

You wish, gorgeous. Her voice was sweet and full of laughter inside his head.

"It's fine, I was just leaving." Loki said before Sam could come up with anything to say. She was flashing a smile of her own and it was sultry and full of promise in a way that made Sam shiver. She winked at him as she leaned forward – her arms pushing together just enough to give him a clear view of cleavage in her low cut top – to set her cup down on the table. She pushed up to her feet then, just about Sam's height with him still sitting down. Much to his surprise, she lifted a hand and trailed her nails over his cheek until she could catch his chin and hold him in place for a quick kiss that left him too stunned to even respond. When she pulled back, she winked. "I'll see you around, big boy."

As soon as she was gone, Dean was grinning broadly at Sam and taking her empty seat. "Way to go, Sammy! I knew you had it in you."

Sam didn't say anything to ruin the proud look on his brother's face. He didn't know why he didn't tell Dean that that had been the trickster.

As he listened absently to his brother talk, Sam wondered what the hell Loki was playing at here, and what was this big thing that he was talking out? Better yet, why had Sam sat here and listened instead of trying to stake him or calling out to Dean?


If Sam thought that was going to be his only contact with the trickster, he was quickly proven wrong.

They were at Bela's apartment, which was disturbingly empty of both her and the Colt, when Sam's phone buzzed in his pocket at almost the same time the room phone started to ring. While Dean answered that, Sam pulled his phone out, wondering who the hell would be contacting him. No one ever text him.

He was surprised to see the name Lo on his screen.

Lo: You might wanna clear on out of there, pronto

Sam: What're you talking about?

Sam stopped paying attention to his phone as he focused on the call Dean was on, which sounded like it was with Bela. "Take the only weapon we have against an army of demons and sell it to the highest bidder." Dean was saying. Yeah, it was Bela he was talking to.

Something about this whole thing felt odd to Sam. Odd and wrong. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, though.

"I know I'm gonna stop you." Dean said. There was a pause and then Dean's face took on that slightly harder look, one that Sam knew spelled danger for the one who had pissed him off. "Oh, I'll find you, sweetheart. You know why? Because I have absolutely nothing better to do than to track you down."

Whatever she had to say to that made Dean uncomfortable. His eyes shot to Sam, who gave him a curious look.

The next second everything went to hell. The door burst open and the room was filled with cops, all of whom had their weapons pointed at Sam and Dean. Sam found himself on the ground, hands being cuffed behind him, and Dean lying down beside him. Somewhere above them, one of the officers started to read them their rights. "Sam and Dean Winchester, you have the right to remain silent…"

Son of a bitch. Sam thought of Loki's text and growled a little to himself. Would it hurt you to be a little clearer? He thought, hoping that, if the god was close enough to watch he was also close enough to hear him. It would've taken just a few more seconds to type out that cops were coming.

Not just any cops, either. Sam and Dean both looked up as the officer was reciting their rights to them, only to find the very last person either one of them wanted to see. Victor Henriksen stood over them with a smug smile on his face. "Hi guys." He said far too cheerfully. "It's been a while."

Sam and Dean looked at one another again. They were screwed. At almost the same time, they closed their eyes and laid their heads back down, each one of them cursing someone different in their minds. Sam wasn't quite sure, but he thought he heard the echo of laughter in the back of his mind.


Watching the Winchesters was proving to be a test in strength for Gabriel. Now that he'd gotten that glimpse inside of Sam and he knew who he was, who he truly was, the biggest part of Gabriel wanted nothing more than to just be right there at his side. To be with him and never leave. He wanted to stand there and protect Sam from any more harm. When he looked at him, he saw both parts. The angel he'd once been and the man that he was. They were both the same and yet Gabriel knew very well that they weren't. He couldn't go in and treat Sam the way he would've treated Raziel. Sam didn't remember being Raziel – he didn't remember Gabriel.

In some ways, Sam was different than the archangel that Gabriel had known, and yet at the same time it seemed like he was still the same, just... more. More like the being Raziel could've been without the restrictions of Heaven. He was amazing. Gabriel had been drawn to him when he'd just known him as Sam Winchester. It was why he'd tried so hard to help him, trying to teach him a lesson that would save not only the world but himself as well. That draw was only stronger now that he knew the truth.

Seeing the person that Sam was, seeing the person that Heaven and Hell were trying to make him into, made Gabriel's grace ache with the need to play the part of protector. He wanted to yank Sam away from all of them and keep anyone from hurting him ever again. But he couldn't.

Raziel's letter had warned him that he would have to wait to tell Sam the truth. He'd charged Gabriel with protecting him in a sense. That was something that Gabriel took very seriously. He wasn't going to let his brother down. But he couldn't just charge in there wings blazing. He had to do this right. There was a whole hell of a lot at stake here and he and Sam didn't have the trust between them that Raziel and Gabriel did.

Especially after what Gabriel had just put him through. Granted, he'd thought that it would be the best way to help him, but he hadn't enjoyed it. Even before he'd known who Sam really was, he hadn't enjoyed it. It wasn't fun for him to hurt good people. Normally his tricks were saved for the douchebags of the world. Even with his rampaging anger problems, Sam didn't fit that description. If anything, he was too damn good underneath it all.

Gabriel gave a sigh and slouched down into his couch. He was hiding out in one of his little safe havens, keeping an eye on his Winchester without having to actually be there by him. Less risk of getting caught this way. It wasn't hard to snap up a TV that was specially made to watch over Sam. Kind of like his own personal television show revolving around the Winchesters.

He'd had to fight earlier today to keep from going to them when they got trapped in that police station and were surrounded by demons. That urge only got stronger when that bitch Ruby showed up. Gabriel had actually snarled at his TV and felt his wings ruffling up behind him with the urge to go completely archangel on her ass.

But they were out of there now. Out of there and mostly safe at their motel. Gabriel ached for what he knew Sam had to be feeling as he watched Ruby tell them about what had happened once they were gone.

He waited until Ruby left before he picked up the phone he'd made for himself earlier. A few keystrokes later and he watched as the Sam on screen looked down at his hip where his cell phone was vibrating.

Lo: U shouldn't trust her. She's bad news

He watched as Sam scowled down at his phone. The kid typed and then Gabriel's phone was buzzing in his hand.

Sam: As opposed to trusting you?

Lo: Least I'm not setting u up

He watched as Sam snorted down at his phone. The younger Winchester lay back on his bed, ignoring his brother, who was gathering up things like he was going to go shower. There was a tension there that was palpable even through a TV screen. Both men were upset by what had happened and by the things that had come to light.

Gabriel debated a second before he sent his next message.

Lo: Even when I hurt u it was only 2 help u

Lo: shes not helping u shes using u

Sam: You don't know what you're talking about

Sam: Why didn't you help?

Gabriel rolled his eyes.

Lo: Going up against Lilith? Not smart.

Sam: Someone has to

Lo: Doesnt mean it needs 2 b me

Lo: Or u

A low growl erupted from Gabriel as he watched Sam toss the phone down the bed with a determined look on his face. The kid wasn't going to listen to him. He was too caught up in all this; too wrapped up in everything just the way they wanted him to be. He wasn't going to listen to a trickster that had killed his brother and that he probably wasn't sure he shouldn't still be trying to kill. Nothing Gabriel said was going to sink in.

Fine. Never let it be said that Gabriel couldn't handle a challenge.

Whether Sam liked it or not, Gabriel was going to protect the hunter. He'd made a promise. And if that meant getting his hands a bit dirty here, well, it wouldn't be the first time.

It was time for Gabriel to do a little hunting of his own. He'd see what kind of information he could draw out of the demon bitch before he obliterated her. He knew the general idea of what was going on, he just wasn't sure on all the details. It'd been too long since he'd been back home. There were things here that he understood, things he knew, and some things that weren't exactly making all that much sense. Finding this Ruby and having a bit of a chat might help clear some of that up.

Gabriel snapped off his TV and stood up from his couch. It was time to go hunting.