Sam woke up with Gabriel curled up to his chest. It was ten and he didn't want to lie around anymore, but Gabriel looked so peaceful. He lazily ran a hand through Gabriel's hair before throwing the covers off of himself. His feet hit the cold wooden floors as he got up. All of the rooms had bathrooms off of them, so after Sam grabbed a change of clothing, he went into it to take a shower.
Gabriel woke up a little later to the sound of running water. He debated whether he should go downstairs or take a shower first. Deciding that Sam wouldn't miss him, he went downstairs. He threw off the covers to revel his plaid pajama pants and one of Sam's Winchester's bar shirts. Walking down the hall he saw that it snowed even more. The one thing that Gabriel didn't miss in California was the snow.
In the kitchen, Cas and Samandriel were sitting at the island and Balthazar was cooking pancakes. Cas was already dressed, but his hair was still sticking up in all directions. Gabriel laughed when he noticed that he was also holding a book.
"What?"
"A book? It's the only time that we see the family and you're reading?"
"We aren't doing anything. Where's Sam?"
"Showering."
Balthazar turned so he was facing Gabriel. "And you didn't join him?"
Samandriel laughed before Gabriel flipped him off. "And where is your date, huh?"
Blushing, Samandriel hung his head.
"Gabriel, leave Samandriel alone." Cas didn't even look up from his book as he said that.
"Speaking of dates, who's this crush that you have?" Balthazar added more pancakes to the stack that was already on the counter.
Cas ignored the question as he continued reading.
Sam came down the stairs with slightly damp hair and smiled when he saw Gabriel. "Hey."
Balthazar rolled his eyes before pointing to a cabinet, "Plates are in there. Silverware is in the drawer by Samandriel. Can someone get stuff out?"
Sam went to the cabinet, "Who needs a plate?"
"Could you just get four down? I don't know where Michael or Luce are." Samandriel said as he pulled out forks and knives,
Sam grabbed plates and placed them on the island before sitting next to Gabriel. Balthazar placed the last pancakes on the stack before he looked at the pan sitting on the stove.
"Michael can do it. That's what he gets for not hanging out with his cool younger siblings." He threw the spatula on top of it before grabbing a seat at the island.
They all grabbed some pancakes and began eating in silence. Lucifer came into the kitchen wearing his boxers and a matching wife beater shirt. He ran a hand through his bedhead as he yawned.
"Who made these?" He gestured to the food siting on the counter.
Balthazar grinned, "Me."
"Oh. I hope they're not poisonous."
Lucifer grabbed a plate for the cabinet and took a silver wear before sitting on the seat at the end of the island. After studying the men sitting with him he asked, "Where's Michael?"
"He went down to the church." Cas answered.
Balthazar looked offended, "I asked you where he was. Why didn't you answer?"
"It is not of import."
"What's he doing down there?" Gabriel said between bites of his pancake.
"Something about Christmas Mass I think." Samandriel shrugged as he grabbed another pancake.
"Damn I hope that he doesn't make us go." Balthazar said bitterly.
Sam looked between the Novak family as he tried to figure out why they all looked uncomfortable. "I don't get it."
"He claims that it's tradition that we go to his sermons every year. The church is always stuffy and there is at least one child crying." Lucifer grinned as he looked at Cas. "But we've made it down the line that it's little Cas's turn to be brought up in the sermon. I hope that it's almost as good as last year."
Balthazar looked at Lucifer and if looks could kill, he would be dead. Samandriel tried to stifle a giggle and failed terribly. Cas, Gabriel, and Sam just exchanged confused glances.
Balthazar stood up, "Well. I'm sure that the majority of people still like me there, Lucifer. Tell me, how many won't even make eye contact with you all these years after Michael brought you up in a sermon."
Lucifer grinned, "At least my story made a lasting impression on them then."
Balthazar left the kitchen as Samandriel began laughing again.
"Why does he bring up you guys in a sermon?" Sam looked between the rest of the family before Lucifer answered, cutting off Gabriel.
"I have a feeling that it's revenge for everything that we ever did to him when we were younger."
Cas rolled his eyes, "So what does he have against me?"
"Maybe he's incredibly jealous of your sense of humor."
After Gabriel finished eating he put his plate in the sink. It added to the pile that was starting to take over it. Gabriel grinned as he thought about how pissed that Michael was going to be when he got home.
"Hey Gabe, throw this in." Samandriel smiled before he handed the plate to Gabriel. After he added more dishes to the sink he turned to Sam.
"I'm gonna go shower, I'll be back." Gabriel didn't make eye contact with Sam as he said that.
As soon as Gabriel was out of eyesight, Lucifer turned to Sam. "So, Anna and Raphael aren't coming until three and I just got a new game. I haven't played it yet, so you wanna go?"
"I think that I might actually, go upstairs with Gabriel."
"Don't worry about him. He's always a bit cranky in the morning."
After some thought, he replied. "Yea. Let me just put this in the sink." Sam got up to put the plate away, but Lucifer blocked his path.
"I'll get it. Go and set up the game." Lucifer grinned and then added, "Take Samandriel. I don't know if you know how to turn on the system."
After Sam and Samandriel left, Cas went up to Lucifer. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Nothing. What got your panties in a knot?"
"Don't touch Sam. Don't even think about it." Cas was practically standing toe-to-toe with Lucifer now.
"What makes you think that I'm scared of you Castiel? I could even help you if you leave me alone."
"What could I possibly want your help with?"
"Two words. Dean Winchester. Lucifer continued when he noticed the confused look on Cas's face. "I have people in high places Cas, I can find out things."
Cas snorted, "No. What do you even want Sam for? He's not your type."
"Remember when Gabriel told Marcy that I was only using her and she didn't even want to talk to me anymore?"
"But that was the truth, you were only using her to get at Michael."
Lucifer shrugged, "Well, it didn't work, so this is revenge. And if you try and do anything, I will make sure that Sam in there never can get a job anywhere near California. We wouldn't want that right?"
"You wouldn't do that."
"Tell me what I would and wouldn't do Cas."
Cas stared at Lucifer's retreating back. Why couldn't the family just get along?
Dean was sitting with Benny on the balcony of his apartment. Benny lived about thirty minutes away from Dean's place, but in a very nice neighborhood. The surrounding area was made of apartment buildings and some shops. Benny's apartment had carpeting running throughout the open floor plan. It had one bedroom and a small bathroom off of it.
Benny was telling Dean some ideas that he had for the bar as they drank beer. The bar was having a special 'New Year's' party on New Year's eve into the next year. Benny and Dean decided that they would be serving meals until eleven. Benny thought that Sam and Dean should serve specials, but as he was telling Dean, he noticed that he had a distant look on his face. Deciding that it would be better to stop talking and figure out what he was thinking about, Benny spoke up.
"So Dean, what's up?"
Dean shrugged, "Nothing much."
"Well, you seemed to have zoned out on me there."
"Sorry, just a lot of things on my mind."
Benny stared at Dean before asking, "Does it have to do with family?"
They sat in silence before Dean nodded, "Yea. John called this morning. I haven't even heard from him in years. I don't know how the hell he got my number either."
There was a pregnant pause before Benny asked, "Any idea what he wanted?"
"No, all he left as a message was that he wanted to make things better between me and Sam."
Benny stared at Dean. He figured that it had to do with family. Dean had a special 'concentrated' face for when he and Sam were fighting, and he was wearing it right now. Benny knew that Sam and Dean were on good terms as of now, so it wasn't him. But John, he was something. Dean rarely told anyone about his family but what Benny had heard was enough to hate the man. There were times that he would accidently say something about how they were raised then he wouldn't say anything about it when Jo or he pushed it.
Dean continued to watch the cars drive by until Benny interrupted him, "You don't need to answer him."
"I don't plan on it. He was a selfish bastard that didn't care about his family. I don't care why he wants contact now."
"Are you going to tell Sam that he called?"
"No. He doesn't need to know."
"Look Dean, you might-"
Dean cut him off, "No! He doesn't need to know. John wasn't there for Sam. Ever. I don't care why he wants to come into our lives now. He fucked up too damn much for me to ever let Sam near him again! I promised myself that! He closed that door years ago when Sam wanted to go to Stanford! You know what he said?"
Benny continued to watch Dean as he continued.
"He told Sam that if he left to never come back! When I left with him, I was told to lose his number! John didn't want us to come back, and now all of the sudden he wants to be friends again!"
Benny stared at Dean. He never told the exact way that he and Sam ended up leaving Kansas. Dean only said Sam wanted to go to Stanford and that they weren't on very good terms with their father.
"Sam wanted a normal life. He didn't want to worry about John when he had too much to drink." Dean flinched when he thought about that memory.
"Dean calm down buddy." Benny turned so he was looking Dean in the eyes. "I get it. You don't need to tell Sam."
Sighing, Dean ran a hand down his face, "I just don't know. I thought that I made it clear enough that I didn't want to see him again."
Benny looked sadly at Dean. "Do you know what he called from?"
"It was a phone box. I don't know where though."
"And he called you?"
Dean nodded.
"Landline?" Benny asked earing a small nod from Dean. "He must have looked you up in the phone book. Just don't worry about it. If he shows up, give Jo and me a call."
"Sure." Dean finished the rest of the bottle in one drink before he stood up. "Do you have anymore?"
"You know where it is." Benny watched as Dean made his way into the apartment's kitchen.
Benny sighed after Dean was out of eyesight. When they first met each other, Benny had been sure that Dean served in something. Not because of the fighting technic that he had when someone had too much to drink at the bar, or the way that he held himself. No, it was the empty look in his eyes. Benny had seen enough men and women leave to serve overseas to come back with that look in their eyes. He always wondered what put that terrible look into his eyes, but now that he knows, he isn't sure if he really wanted to know.
Lucifer, Sam, Gabriel, Samandriel, Balthazar, Anna, Raphael, and Cas were dressed for the mass that Michael was dragging them to and sitting in the living room as Michael was pacing back and forth.
"Who moved my books?"
Anna blew a bubble in her gum before looking up from her phone. "Where were they last?"
"In my study."
"Who'd you piss off today?"
"No one! I came here the same time you two did."
He glared at Lucifer before he continued pacing.
"I didn't do anything today. I was playing on the PlayStation with Sam and Samandriel."
Both Cas and Gabriel glared at Lucifer after he finished talking. Lucifer just shot Cas a smile before he went back to watching Michael. Truthfully, it was pissing him off that someone else managed to get Michael this worked up.
"Guys we need to go. Where are they?"
Raphael rolled his eyes before he went back to tapping his fingers on the armrest. "Who did you manage to piss off in the last year?"
Michael looked at Balthazar's strangely too innocent face before practically running back up the stairs.
Lucifer stood up and stood in front of the television. "Who the fuck did it?"
Balthazer looked up from the magazine that he was reading, "Me."
"No one is a dick to Michael but me Balthazar."
"What gives you the right to that?" Raphael asked.
"No one gives me the right, I take it."
Gabriel raised his eyebrows at Lucifer, "I remember you saying that we weren't living by those rules anymore."
"Don't get involved in things that are much bigger than you, Gabriel. They might come back around and bite you in the ass." Lucifer shot back.
Cas knew that he was talking about him slowly slithering into Sam's life and pushing Gabriel away. He didn't say anything to Gabriel because he knew that Lucifer would go through with his threat. Sam did start to grow on him, and if he didn't pick the hints up of what was happening any faster, Gabriel wouldn't have a boyfriend anymore. He just hoped that he would be able to keep Lucifer away from him for the next day and a half.
Michael came stomping down the stairs with an armful of books. "Let's go. I swear if anyone tries to bring booze to this again I will make it so you sleep in the snow tonight."
Lucifer smirked as he followed Michael into the garage, leaving everyone to follow behind. He opened the door to revel three cars.
"Anna and Raphael, if you want to take your cars, you should. I think that they are in the way of us pulling out anyway." Michael said as he went to the furthest car.
Anna and Raphael nodded before slipping out the front door to their cars. Balthazar and Samandriel climbed in the back of the car with Michael and Lucifer, leaving Cas, Gabriel, and Sam to take another one. After they were sitting comfortably with Gabriel driving and Sam next to him and Cas in the back, Sam spoke up.
"Do either of you know how to get there?"
Gabriel shrugged, "Well, if we get lost we can go to a club."
"Clubs aren't even open on Christmas eve." Cas pointed out from the backseat.
Michael opened the garage doors and the two cars backed out. Michael's car led the way followed by Gabriel and Raphael's. The houses were decorated for Christmas with lights in every window and some had snowmen with the small amount of snow on the ground. Sam watched the houses fly by as they drove.
After a five minute drive, they pulled up to a stone church.
"Is everything here huge?" Sam asked as he climbed out of the car.
Cas pushed past Sam and Gabriel so he was leading the way in. He wanted to make sure Lucifer wasn't anywhere near the doors.
The rest of the group followed him so they were standing in a huge entryway that had many people milling about, even though church didn't start for the next hour. Anna was busy typing on her phone with Raphael and Lucifer standing next to them. Samandriel and Balthazar were talking with Michael and three other people toward the doors. Cas, Gabriel, and Sam walked over to Balthazar.
"Hey Castiel. Cool coat." A women came up to Cas.
"Hello Maggie. It's actually quite warm."
Maggie rolled her eyes, "I haven't seen you in years! How's it going?"
"Good. I got a job at Stanford, so I haven't been around."
"Stanford? Wow Cas. That's impressive!"
Lucifer decided to come up and pat a hand on Cas's shoulder, "Being a nerd really paid off."
"Hello Luce." Maggie greeted.
"Hello."
"Nice catching up with you Cas. See ya." Maggie turned on her heal before heading back to the group that Sam assumed was her family.
Lucifer squeezed Cas's shoulder. "If we want the back pew, I suggest that we move now. I'm not sitting in front of Michael."
"I won't let you." Michael turned so he was facing Lucifer.
Balthazar grinned, "I want to watch that."
The giant group made their way to the pew and sat down. Sam sat between Gabriel and Cas before everyone else filled in. The room was huge with wood walls and chandeliers hanging from the celling over the pews. Fans were over the isle to help move air around and the windows were open.
"God damn it it's going to be hot in here." Balthazar commented as he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.
"You're in a church you can't swear." Samandriel warned him.
"I'm so fucking sorry. Christ."
"Did anyone bring booze if this is how the sermon's going to go, I need some." Cas commented as he wiped a hand down his face.
"Yea, it's gonna be hell." Lucifer grinned.
A/N- Big thank you to everyone who followed/favorited this story!
more-profound-bond- I'm really excited for Destiel to start too, so don't think that I'm putting it off! I'm so glad that you loved the chapter!
Castassticbutt- Wow! I am so glad that you love everything that's going on! I think that I love these characters more than I should, so just keep that in mind when you're reading this!
Sedgersholmes- I really wish that I could write these chapters so they were really long, but I thought then it might take away from the story. I'm so glad that it's keeping you hooked! Thanks for the luck, I hope that I don't disappoint!
HawkeyeFan1311- Don't we all want to hug him? I bet that he smells wonderful!
Guest- (Annie)- Thank you so much! I do love writing a jealous Gabriel so all of you readers out there that said you wanted it, he's here thanks to you! With the Jo/Benny thing, I would say however you see it. I don't know if I'm going into detail with it, or I might just keep the relationship to the side. If you have a preference, leave a review!
Thank you to everyone who is reading this! If you have an idea that you want to be thrown in or you want to see something happen, leave a review! I'll try my best to get it in! I will continue to update on Mondays, but because of school, it may be later in the day. Thank you!
