DISCLAIMER: DO NOT OWN SUPERNATURAL!
TITLE: Passing the Torch
SUMMARY: When Lucifer kills Gabriel, one angel will finally emerge from the shadows to enter the playfield.
TIMELINE: Set at the end of "Hammer of Gods" after Gabriel dies and Lucifer leaves the hotel.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My loyal reviewers, I thank you for your dedication! Now more exciting things are abound in this chapter so less of me rambling and let's get started! Once again if there are flashbacks, they will be in italics and please keep on reviewing!
CHAPTER THREE: You Are Not Alone
Warmth. Love. Safe.
Those were the first thoughts Castiel managed as he found himself fighting back to consciousness, he could feel himself being bathed in this warm white light, being protected.
He opened his eyes and the figure of Dean Winchester came into view, and for one moment he feared it was Michael, his older brother here to pronounce judgement upon him. But then he began to hear the words being spoken around him. Soft gentle words that spoke of a dreaded tragedy, and an ending that Castiel, Angel of the Lord, could not find himself comprehending.
He wanted answers, he needed to know, so he spoke.
"Gabriel is dead?"
The voice barely sounded like anything he had remembered from before, but it was loud enough to cause all the occupants in the room to turn to him. He could see Dean's eyes, not Michael's, watch him with a careful gaze, almost trying to hold something back.
"Cas, don't…"
"Tell me…" Castiel insisted, cutting Dean off.
Dean didn't speak, he simply nodded,
"How?" Castiel thought for one second this voice could not belong to him, because he could not sound this desperate, this lost.
"Lucifer."
His blue eyes gazed around the silent room before landing on the figure of the young boy who had spoken. Castiel may not have recognized the figure before, but now as he became more aware and coherent, he immediately knew that brightly shining light of warmth and love. He would know the spark of Elijah's grace from anywhere. Elijah who always loved with all he had, who always loved all life no matter what they are. Heaven's youngest angel had always been special, been different, been loved.
For the first time in a long time, two angelic brothers locked gazes. Blue eyes that held hidden strength and power were drawn to one another, one seeking answers, the other reluctant to give.
"Show me." Castiel tried to put on his best commanding voice.
Immediately objections rained down from all sides.
"No Cas, you're still healing!"
"Cas, don't!"
"I don't think that's wise."
Castiel did not turn at their objections, instead he focused on Elijah, "I want to know."
He was adamant, he was insistent, he knew he had to. He had to see, he had to know, he had to remember. The two of them still locked in what seemed to be an eternal angelic battle of wills before he saw Elijah drop his gaze in resignation, disappeared from his position, reappeared next to Castiel's bed, and touched a finger to his forehead, and suddenly he was thrown into a maze of memories.
And then he saw him, Gabriel. He saw his older brother finally taking a stand against Lucifer, finally choosing a side to fight for. He saw the trick he tried to pull and its devastating end. And pain. As the burst of white angelic light erupted from Gabriel, there was nothing but pain, a pain that rattled Castiel's very soul. He felt himself reeling from the shock, from the pain, but he needed that, he needed to see, he needed to remember his brother, he needed to know Gabriel cared like he had once when Castiel was just a young angel. He needed to know Gabriel didn't abandon him too.
Just as suddenly he was in, he was back to reality once more, breathing heavily as he could hear Dean's voice trying to calm him down.
"Easy Cas, just take deep breaths." Dean was at his side, hands on his shoulder holding him in place.
A strange sensation was building up inside him, a feeling that he could only identify as grief. It struck him how much it hurt, how much he wanted to curl up in a corner and cry his heart out. It was new to him. He had never felt like this before, not even when Uriel had passed or even Anna, and he knew them better than he ever knew Gabriel. Perhaps it was simply the grief of losing the only family he had thought would be on his side, and now he was alone once more.
At the thought of his lonely existence, he felt a nudge at his mind. Eyes looked up and found himself gazing into the sapphire orbs of Elijah, Castiel and the younger angel shared a look between them, a look of understanding, a look of shared grief, and in that moment, Castiel realized something. He wasn't alone as he thought, there was Elijah. The baby brother of the family had too taken that leap of faith for humanity.
With a gentle smile, Elijah leaned close and placed a kiss on his forehead. It wasn't something that angels did, but Elijah had always been the affectionate one. And in that moment, Castiel needed it. He wasn't one for physical contact or talking about feelings, but the abiding love of his younger brother was different, it simply felt right, and it warmed his soul.
"I'll go check the perimeters." And then Elijah disappeared on the spot, leaving Castiel with the three humans.
The room fell silent once more, Castiel wasn't sure if he should say anything or that he even wants to talk. He still had not forgotten what had happened in the days before his big confrontation against his brothers and sisters inside that warehouse. Part of him still feels betrayed.
The open display of affection surprised Dean, he didn't think angels were capable of that. One can hardly fault him for that thought seeing as how he hadn't met any angels that were exactly huggable or touchy feely, well unless you count Gabriel, but then again, the archangel probably wanted to hug everyone. Dean just wrote it off as Elijah being a kid, maybe having a kid meat-suit had him taking on kid-like mannerisms or something to that effect.
He looked over to Cas who just laid there on the bed with his eyes very pensive, deep in thought. He knew he had to talk with the angel, but honestly, Dean really didn't know how to breach that conversation. It's not like there's a book for how to apologize to angels, these things just didn't come with handbooks.
As he sat on the bed, eyes still focused on Cas, and trying to decide the best way to talk, Sam's voice filled the silence.
"I think I'm gonna go get more research done on finding the Horsemen."
Traitor, Dean knew what Sammy was trying to do.
"Yeah, I think I'll go help."
Oh great, now Bobby's ran off too.
Dean watched very unhappily as Sam and Bobby shuffled out of the room, leaving Dean with Cas. Fat a lot of help those two were.
As Dean thought about what to say, Cas spoke up first, his voice flat, emotionless, "You did not say yes."
The statement almost sounded apathetic, and it scared Dean, if Cas lost hope. No, he had once promised himself that the Cas of the future he had seen would not come to pass. He was not going to be responsible for shattering Cas's spirit.
"Well, what I can I say, had a change of mind…" Dean tried to sound casual with a joking tone, "Figured I didn't really want feathery wings."
Cas didn't reply, he was simply quiet. Dean would have given anything for a response, he would take even anger or rage, just not this, not this hurtful silence. He couldn't have Cas give up, he owed the angel that much.
"Cas…" Dean began, he needed Cas to understand this, "You know that even if I said yes, I would have made sure you were okay, right?"
Slowly, relief filled Dean as he saw Cas's gaze finally rest on him with a look of slight confusion. Yes that was better than before, at least now there was a reaction.
"I mean, Michael was not gonna get anything unless people I cared about were out of harm's way. I wouldn't have left you out."
He needed Cas to know that, he needed Cas to know that he did care, that he did think of him, that he wasn't going to just leave Cas out in the cold.
"Your dick brothers may have shoved you out of the family, you may have a deadbeat Dad, but we're here Cas, we're gonna stand by you, we're gonna look after you. I know it felt like I didn't give a damn about what you've done for us, but I do Cas, I really do. I just couldn't stand watching everyone suffer when I could have done something about it. I didn't mean to make you feel unappreciated. Believe me I know, I know how much you gave up for us."
Dean watched Cas carefully, and slowly but surely, he felt the icy tension that had blanketed the room fade away. And then it was like a miracle when Cas's eyes and Dean's met for the first time since conversation began. Dean was just glad to see some light back into Cas's eyes.
"I…" Cas finally spoke up, Dean was more than relieved to actually hear something, "I am sorry for the fight."
Cas looked ashamed and Dean immediately thought to rectify that feeling, "Cas, don't." No way, he wasn't going to let Cas beat himself up over pulling a few deserved punches. "Look, I didn't like being beat up, but someone needed to knock some sense into me, and it might as well be you. Although I gotta say, you are tough for a little nerdy guy with wings."
Dean almost laughed at the look Cas gave him, it was a cross between puppy dog and grumpy with a slight touch of confusion added in. At least some things were turning back to normal.
With the tension behind them, Dean found himself starting to become more curious about the mysterious little angel that had appeared to them.
"So…Elijah…" Dean began, "He's not as dickish as the rest of your brothers."
"Elijah loves humans." Cas's voice still sounded weak, but he continued on the tale, "God made him to be like humans, to love and protect mankind. Out of all the angels in existence, no one knows or understands humanity better than Elijah. He was the last angel that God made, the youngest, before God created men. Therefore, he's always felt closest with humanity than the rest of us."
"And he and Gabriel?" Dean was curious about that, from the way the tiny angel had spoken of Gabriel, he could tell there was love.
Dean could almost see sadness in Cas's features again, "All the archangels loved Elijah, even Lucifer, because Elijah was the youngest, he needed to be loved and protected. But he was always closest to Gabriel, the only archangel who actually gave us lower angels the time of day." Taking in a deep breath, Cas paused for a second and carried on, "In fact…Gabriel was the one who taught me how to fly. He taught all the angels how to fly."
For a second, Dean wondered just how wrong was he about Gabriel. He had thought the angel as evil, he was good. He had thought him as coward, but he stood up when the moment it counted. He thought him as simply unfeeling, yet he actually took time and patience to teach young angels. Could Dean's impression of Gabriel really have been that far off?
"Don't feel bad…" Cas seemed to read his mind, "You are not the first one to be wrong about who Gabriel really is, even I have forgotten."
Dean could feel the sadness rolling off Cas in waves, clearly the archangel's death had touched a nerve. He could only wish that he could help Cas feel better, at least the angel can find some comfort.
But before another word could be spoken, a loud bang erupted inside the house, and next thing before either of the room's two occupants could react, Sam and Bobby flew through the air and landed hard on the ground. Through the smoke and mist, five demons arrived.
Dean barely had a chance a move before he too was thrown harshly against the wall and crumpled to the ground. He panicked, Bobby had protections, there was no way demons could just walk in. And he panicked for Cas, the angel still had no healed, Dean had to protect him. But his attempt was effortlessly thwarted as he could only watch helplessly as the only female demon grabbed Cas by the throat and had him pinned agains the wall. He saw Cas trying to struggle, but clearly the angel had no strength to fight back. They were outnumbered. They were screwed.
"Leave him alone you bastard!" Dean shouted.
"Cas!" Sam's voice joined the fray.
Seconds later a blinding light filled the room, and Dean could hear the demons screaming. The light faded to reveal all the demons shaking with agony on their hands and knees.
"No one touches my brother."
Five words spoken calmly yet exuded so much power.
Dean watched in awe as Elijah stepped into the room, blue eyes blazing with fury, and right hand outstretched as what seemed like light particles from his surroundings were being sucked into his palm that was faced outward towards the demons, whom suddenly looked afraid, clearly seeing that this was no ordinary child.
But before they could even think of an attack plan, Elijah's eyes turned to an unnatural shade of blue and released the energy from his palm where five separate beams formed and struck the chest of each of the demons who screamed and then turned to dust.
Dean, Sam, and Bobby exchanged gobsmacked expressions of shock, none of them had thought about what Elijah was really capable of, but thankfully the small angel is on their side.
As the battle ended, Elijah went straight to Cas and helped him on the bed again as Dean and Sam did their job to help Bobby back into his wheelchair.
"What the hell was that?" Dean was really confused, he knew Bobby always was paranoid about demon proofing, surely the man had all the protections put on the house.
"Higher level demons no doubt given a power boost by Lucifer." Elijah informed them as he touched his hand against a nearby wall, "Lucifer must have given them the power to get past all the usual protections, you need something more powerful.
The hand he had placed on the wall now glowed blue and a pulse of blue wave burst throughout the house, seeing the confused expressions of Dean and the others, Cas not included, Elijah explained, "Old Enochian magic that I used to guard the Tree of Life in Heaven, it will protect this house and make sure demons can't touch it or they die."
"Wouldn't Lucifer know that you did it then?" Sam questioned, "I thought Gabriel said you needed to stay out of sight?"
"He did." Dean watched as the kid's gaze travelled between Sam and Cas, "But this house is a target, demons will continue to come after it, I have to take the risks. Besides, there are still people who knows Old Enochian, so it doesn't necessarily mean me."
Exchanging a look with Sam, Dean was startled when Cas spoke up, "Could I have a moment alone with Elijah?"
Unsure of why, Dean nodded, "Okay, sure."
With that Dean left the room with Sam and Bobby on his tail. He took one more look at Cas, clearly something was on the angel's mind.
Elijah's display of power had reminded Castiel once again why the young angel had been a protector of men. Despite being the youngest, being a lower level angel, Elijah's ability to tap into nature and the strength of humanity to draw his powers was something that other angels had never been able to quite reach, even the archangels.
"You should not be here, Elijah." Castiel spoke grimly, he worried about the safety of the younger angel, Heaven could not loose its brightest angel, "Lucifer has already killed Gabriel, he has shown that nothing will stand in his way. If you go up against him, he will surely destroy you."
"I'm not afraid of Lucifer." A simple statement that Castiel wondered if it was made in bravery or naivety.
"What about Michael?" Castiel knew that with God gone, Michael must be the ones leading the angels on the mission, and he knew that Elijah looked up to Michael. He blinked in surprise as Elijah snorted bitterly at his mention of Michael's name.
"It's not like he cares." Elijah rolled his eyes, "Michael's so stuck in his way, he's forgotten what compassion is even like. Dad's not home so he thinks he can play boss. Besides, he's lousy at keeping promises."
Castiel was surprised by this change in attitude. He had remembered how much Elijah looked up to Michael, sure the small angel was closest to Gabriel, but Elijah still thought of his oldest brother as a big role model.
"He broke promises?" Castiel did not know what Michael promised Elijah, but apparently it was the cause of Elijah's sour attitude.
The younger angel didn't answer for a while as he shuffled his feet on the ground where he stood, finally he sat down on the edge of Castiel's bed, "Michael promised that he'd help me protect humanity. That they were Dad's creation's, that he would love them. But it's all a big lie now. All Michael cares about is ending the Apolcalypse and get his true vessel, people are dying and he doesn't care."
Castiel could see tears starting to form in the young angel's eyes, "I thought he'd come and help save Gabriel, I call out for him you know…" Blue eyes gazed at Castiel with sadness, "I shouted for Michael to come, he didn't. He doesn't care anymore than Lucifer does."
A surge of protectiveness coursed through Castiel upon seeing the sad face of Elijah, no matter how wise Elijah may be, he was still Castiel's little brother, someone that Castiel had a duty to protect. Especially now that Gabriel has passed, he owed it to his older brother to watch out for Elijah since Gabriel could not. They may not have seen eye to eye for the last thousands of years since Gabriel ran away to the last time they had come face to face in that abandoned warehouse, but Castiel now knew his older brother's true nature. Gabriel did care, he did love, the memories of those happy times spent together were not all for nothing, and Castiel felt proud to have him as a brother. He could not bring Gabriel back, but he could carry on in his brother's name, and protecting little Elijah would be a duty that he would take seriously.
Putting his hand on Elijah's small hand, Castiel gave the younger angel the tiniest of smiles in comfort, knowing just how much it had hurt for Elijah to loose Gabriel too. Then a flash of a memory passed in his mind's eye, a memory that wasn't his, but his vessel Jimmy's. Castiel knew what it meant, what Jimmy was trying to communicate.
Edging closer to the window so that there would be space on the bed, Castiel gave Elijah a look to which caused the young angel's smile to brighten.
Elijah laid down on the bed gently, his head nearly snuggled against Castiel's chest. Castiel himself laid on his side, and drapped one of his arms over Elijah as if to protect him from any harm and to comfort, the same way Jimmy had done many times for his daughter Claire. Strangely Castiel did not find position to be awkward, somehow it seemed right that he was here, protecting and watching over his younger brother. Together they could survive through this dark moment, this grief of losing a brother, that was what mattered.
For the first time in a long time, Castiel felt more hope. He was not alone. Gabriel and Elijah had stood up to join him. And then there was Sam, Bobby Singer, and Dean. The same Dean who did not say yes, who may have at one point turned his back but stopped himself in time. The same Dean who still remained stubborn and righteous as the day they had first met. Maybe Castiel didn't have as much hope and belief in Dean as he once had before their fight, but he would still lay his life down for Dean, because he knew Dean would do the same for him. Maybe it was better this way, now he has no illusions, Dean wasn't perfect, he wasn't the unbreakable man who will endure every obstacle, but Castiel will be there to help as much as he can, and he will stand by Dean just as Dean would stand by him.
With that final thought, Castiel closed his eyes and found himself drifting to sleep. After all, his body was still healing.
When room had become quiet, Dean worried that something had happened, but as he went to check it out, he had to resist the urge to say "Awww" as he spotted the two figures sleeping on the bed.
"Maybe we should take a picture…"
Dean nearly jumped a foot in the air at Sam's sudden appearance with Bobby.
"Geesh! What'd you two do…take teleporting lessons from angels!?"
It really was getting annoying that people kept on sneaking up on him, maybe he really needs to stop being distracted. But back to the issue at hand.
"I'd advise against it, Cas would probably kill you. And God knows what the little one's gonna do."
Sam gave Dean one of his puppy dog looks again, Dean just continued to shake his head, "Not gonna work this time." Looking back to the sleeping figures again, snuggled close and clearly both in peaceful slumber that brought a smile to Dean's face, "At least something good's come out of all this…"
"What's that?" Sam gave him a questioning look this time.
"Finally, Cas's got one brother who isn't a dick."
YAY! Cas/Dean reunion, did you like it? Hate it? Thought I did it completely wrong? So we learned more about Elijah and his angelic relationships, what's next for our littlest angel? Could a fight with Lucifer be in the near future? And it's soon gonna be time for our brave Team Free-Will heroes to hit the road and find the Horsemen! Just what more things could come next?
Please please review and all shall be revealed!
