"I'm gonna punch him," Dean groaned, grabbing his head as he did. He sat up, fighting off the insane headache he was getting as he did. "I'm gonna punch that winged dick as many times as I can and then I'm gonna punch him again."

"Dean?" Sam wandered into the kitchen, rubbing his head. "Did what I think just happened really just happen?"

Dean grunted in affirmation. "Next time we see your boyfriend, I'm gonna punch him."

"He's not my boyfriend," the taller Winchester said immediately, though Dean gave him a disbelieving look. After a moment, Sam let out a snort. "And the next time we see your's, you guys need to dispense the tension and finally kiss." Dean gave Sam a sour look but didn't try to dispute his brother's statement. After all, Sam had basically had to watch as Dean and Cas practically eye-fucked each other in the middle of a bookstore in a pocket reality which probably no longer existed.

"I'm not doing it where you of all people could watch," Dean said, shuddering dramatically. Sam grinned a little, pleased that Dean didn't outright deny that Cas was at least a tiny bit his boyfriend. "And what makes you think I'd tell you if we did kiss anyway?" Now, Sam's grin took up his entire face, his brother's admission making it all the better.

"Hey, guys?" Sam's glee grew, if that was possible, when he saw the absolute relief on Dean's face at the sound of Chuck's voice. "You guys okay?"

"Dean wants to punch Gabriel, so I think we're good, Chuck." Sam turned around to look at Chuck, the shorter man's concerned look not having disappeared from his face. "Speaking of Gabriel, where is he? And how is he not dead?"

Chuck waved a hand. "The details aren't really important as to how he's still alive. The important part is that he is still alive and, if I'm right, should be arriving with Castiel any second now." A quiet fluttering of wings a few moments later confirmed Chuck's statement.

Castiel and Gabriel stumbled into the room, Castiel's eyes wide as he looked between Chuck to Dean to Sam. "I'm not entirely sure I'm understanding what just happened." Chuck grinned at Castiel. Dean coughed a little, a faint blush covering his cheeks. In order to save at least a shred of his dignity, he did the unwise thing and looked at Gabriel.

But, instead of the archangel grinning cheekily at him, the ex-Trickster was looking at Sam solemnly, as if he was afraid of what the taller Winchester would say to him. Chuck quickly realized that he was the fifth wheel in the room, or the third wheel to two couples as it were. He cleared his throat, suddenly aware of the sexual tension in the room. "Yeah, so, if you guys want to catch up, I'm gonna be going. Holler if you guys want to talk. Y'know, after you guys are all done making out with each other," Chuck continued, backing out of the room as quickly as he could.

Chuck's comment about making out seemed to snap everyone out of their funk. "Uh, you guys can have the kitchen," Sam said, shoving his hands into his pockets. He glanced at Gabriel once before leaving the kitchen, the archangel following a few cautious steps behind.

Castiel and Dean glanced at each other nervously before looking away again. "So," Dean began, shifting on his feet. "What just happened?"

"I'm…not sure," Castiel said, cocking his head to the side and squinting after his brother. Dean scoffed, Castiel clearly having missed Dean's change in conversational topics, and moved to sit at the kitchen table. Castiel followed shortly afterwards, still confused by Chuck's comment and Gabriel's strange behavior.

"Look, Cas," Dean began, really wishing he had a beer even though it was way too early in the morning to even be considering alcohol. "I'm pretty sure you know exactly what I'm talking about, so please, don't bullshit me." Castiel's cheeks colored suddenly, and he avoided Dean's eyes. "I'm not a demon anymore, for one. And two, I think this is a conversation that's a long time coming for both of us." Dean sighed, running a hand over his face. "Listen, Cas. I like you, a lot. And, if I'm remembering right, you really like me. So, what do you say?"

Castiel sits up straighter, meeting Dean's eyes as he throws his shoulders back. "Chuck found a way to give me back my grace, so I'm not longer in danger of dying from the influence of a grace that isn't my own." Dean looked like he really wanted to ask (which would make sense, because Dean didn't know Cas was dying) but he refrained and let Castiel continue. "If this is you suggesting you want to try to pursue a romantic, possibly sexual, relationship with me, then I agree."


Chuck was on his way back to the kitchen, having left Gabriel and Sam to their own devices, and stopped dead in his tracks at the sounds of several pots and pans clanging together. Maybe it'd be for the best if he just waited…outside the bunker. Far, far away.


Gabriel really wished that Chuck hadn't found him dying in his own little corner of the universe and brought him back to do this favor for Castiel because literally anything would be better than being stuck in a room with an awkward Sam Winchester. Okay, so the awkward part was mostly Gabriel's fault because he kinda, y'know, mentally tortured Sam and really only stopped being a dick towards the guy about five minutes ago, so Sam had good reason to not like Gabriel. But the thing was, Gabriel really liked Sam.

For some terrible reason or another, Gabriel actually liked the stupidly tall human who was supposed to be the vessel for his brother, the Devil, who actually won in a mental battle against said brother, the Devil, and overall avoided the Apocalypse. So Gabriel had a few reasons to like the kid.

But Sam hadn't punched Gabriel yet, so Gabriel took that as a good sign.

Sam flopped into an armchair in what Gabriel was assuming was the library. "Dean's right. I should want you dead for everything you've put me through." Gabriel flinched at Sam's words, but he couldn't exactly hold a grudge against the younger Winchester. He did have good reason. "But I don't," Sam continued, resting his elbows against his knees and rubbing his face with his hands.

"Don't suppose it'd help if I said I was sorry for, like, 95 percent of those things," Gabriel said flatly. His face lit up when Sam let out a laugh.

"Only 95 percent?" Sam looked up at Gabriel - and wasn't that a concept, Gabriel being taller than Sam Winchester in any situation. "What about the other 5 percent?"

Gabriel shot Sam a quick grin. "Can't say I'm sorry about the fact that it let me hang around you a little more than I was supposed to. Especially as that janitor," he added with a wink for good measure. Sam laughed again, and a little warm ball of good feelings lit up in Gabriel's chest. "Look, if you wanna take a stab at me, Sammich, go right ahead. I'm not gonna stop you, even if you are aiming to kill. Daddy knows you've got enough reason to want to maim me, just a little."

Sam rolled his eyes. "I told you, Gabriel, I don't want you dead, and I don't want you injured either. You wanna lend a helping hand? Great, fantastic. I think you've got a ways to go if you wanna learn why Jess really liked me." As soon as he finished talking, Sam's face went red, and Gabriel couldn't stop himself from grinning like a madman.

"You coming onto me, Samalam? Cause I gotta admit, I've always had a soft spot for the fiery types. You remember Kali, don't you? Man, what a woman." Gabriel went dreamy eyed for a second before looking at Sam again, worried he'd crossed a line.

But Sam was smiling and shaking his head like he was fond of Gabriel, for Dad's sake. Maybe Gabriel had a shot with Sam after all.

Now if they could just convince Dean and Cassie to get out of the kitchen. (Gabriel had seen that pantry. He wanted sweets like four hours ago.)


In the end, it was really thanks to Jess that all of this even happened.