A/N: Guys, we're already nearing the finish line! One more chapter after this... Things are about to happen fast! Thanks everyone who's been following this story! ^_^


Chapter 7 - Once More Unto the Breach

There was a lot for Castiel and Mary to catch up on in this world, and they spent the next few days getting debriefs on life in the middle of a war-torn Apocalypse. There was also the matter of figuring out just how they might integrate into Gabriel's cohort. Castiel was more than willing to participate in missions, but without his wings, he was more of a burden than valued soldier. He'd need to depend on someone for transportation to and from battles, and that could make him a liability if a hasty exit was needed and someone had to take the time to find and retrieve him.

And then there was Mary, who despite her skill and prowess in a fight, was even more vulnerable.

"Have you ever tried allying with some of the human hunters?" she asked Balthazar as he showed them their maps of enemy strongholds and human settlements.

The angel snorted. "Hunters are a shoot first, don't bother asking questions type of breed."

Mary pursed her mouth. "Well then maybe they need a fellow hunter to build that bridge."

"What would be the point?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "Alliances in a war can make all the difference, and it doesn't matter who they're with. Besides, didn't you say you guys try to protect humans? Might help if they didn't try to shoot you for it."

Balthazar shrugged, but Castiel certainly thought the idea had merit. It might be how he could contribute, as well, if he accompanied Mary to a settlement to make first contact. He could show the humans in this reality that not all angels were the celestial terrors they'd come to see duking it out in the night sky.

The front door banged open as Gabriel strode in like a crackling storm. There was a roiling darkness in his eyes, a tempest of staunchness trying to mask flickers of disturbed agitation.

"Listen up, people," he said loudly. "I just got a report that Mirror Lucifer took out Raphael."

A collective hush fell over the room for a stunned moment.

"What?" someone asked fearfully.

"Does that mean…?"

"Raph was barely an agent of Heaven," Gabriel was quick to reply. "It was not the prize fight." He paused, something haunted flitting across his face. "But apparently Lucifer cut out Raphael's grace and took it."

Castiel furrowed his brow in confusion. Why would Lucifer do that? He had no need to steal another's grace with his own intact.

Horrified outrage erupted from the other angels.

"He wouldn't."

"Is that even possible?"

Gabriel shook his head. "This Luci is apparently more bold than the original." He turned to Castiel. "You know him best; why would he take another archangel's grace?"

Castiel shifted as all eyes turned on him expectantly. "The…only thing I can guess is he's trying to gain enough power to reopen the rift between realities."

"Can he do that?" Mary asked, and Castiel didn't miss the tremulous thread of hope in her voice. If Lucifer were to succeed, they might be able to go home themselves.

But then all of their effort and sacrifice—on both sides—would be for naught if Lucifer was freed yet again.

"We can't allow him to get far enough to try," Castiel said gravely.

The light in Mary's eyes dimmed with the pronouncement, but she nodded solemnly in agreement.

"Why not?" Balthazar spoke up sharply. "Why not let the Devil go back? This world is doomed enough without him mucking things up even worse."

Castiel internally winced. He had played a crucial part in condemning this world, all to save his own. He could understand Balthazar's stance here.

"No," Gabriel said with grim firmness. "I know why Castiel gave his life to bring Lucifer here, and I intend to see his plan through."

Balthazar shot him a dubious look. "Which was what, exactly?"

"To give us a second chance."

Balthazar narrowed his gaze, but then his expression slackened in realization. "You can't be thinking of fighting Lucifer? Michael did and was destroyed!"

"I know," Gabriel said soberly. "But I won't let Castiel's sacrifice be for nothing. He died that we might have a second chance at ending the war. So I am going to finish what he started. For all of you." Gabriel paused, eyes shining. "For him."

The other angels bowed their heads, no whispers of discord or doubt, just solemn mourning and silent fealty.

Castiel suddenly wished he were not here to witness this. This depth of love and devotion these angels held for his counterpart. It was a love he had never experienced in his own world. Oh, Castiel had led, and there had been many who followed. But their allegiance had always been…fickle at best. As far as he knew, he had never been mourned so deeply after his many deaths. Castiel found it difficult to mourn for a version of himself he didn't know personally, but he did mourn what he in his reality never had.

Except…he did have something this other Castiel didn't—Sam and Dean. They cared about him with the fervency and fierceness that these angels held for their lost brother. Sam and Dean called him family. They would mourn him. Were mourning him.

And for a weak moment, Castiel wanted to let Lucifer try to open that rift, because it might give Castiel the chance to go home, to apologize to the Winchesters for running off with Kelly, to return Mary to them as his first offering of penance. He wanted to go home where he was loved, where maybe his failures didn't matter, just like these brothers and sisters didn't blame or hate their Castiel for bringing the Devil down on their heads. Instead, they would fight in his memory.

But Castiel could not be selfish, could not dishonor all the sacrifices that Sam and Dean had already gone through by letting Lucifer threaten them again. And…he would not dishonor his alternate's memory by denying this dying world the chance to save itself. He and Mary would find another way. Or Sam and Dean would. But it would not be through Lucifer.

Balthazar drew his shoulders back. "Then what do we do?"

Gabriel was silent in a moment of contemplation. "We'll have to move quickly. Find Lucifer before he's able to tear a hole in space and time."

"He will probably return to the location of the original rift," Castiel finally spoke up. "That's where his son was last seen, and that's what he wants to get back to more than anything."

Gabriel nodded. "Then that's where we'll go. Suit up, everyone." He started to turn away, but paused and swept his gaze over them again. "No matter what happens, it was an honor serving with you all."

With that, he turned and walked out the door, and Castiel couldn't help but feel the finality in the air. But despite the fact that this wasn't his world, and these weren't the brothers he knew, Castiel did not want to see any of them hurt or killed. He did not want Gabriel to sacrifice himself.

And so Castiel resolved in that moment to do what he could to ensure Gabriel's success in this endeavor. It would not be the first time Castiel had confronted the Devil, and history had taught him that it usually didn't end well for himself. But he refused to let his brother face Lucifer alone. Refused to let him fall.

It was what he would do—in any universe.

SPN SPN SPN

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, too used to the flashing red lightning to be much affected by its constant presence in the darkness. The heated electric streaks arched across the dome of Earth's sky. Though the lightning helped illuminate the barren landscape, neither Gabriel nor his warriors needed it to help them see.

At any rate, it wasn't the only source of light in the wastelands tonight. Even before Gabriel had landed, he could see the other glowing, amorphous blob, and the archangel who held it.

With barely a rustle of his wings, Gabriel touched down directly behind the other Lucifer, followed swiftly by his soldiers. Behind him, he felt the others fanning out to establish a perimeter in case sounds of the fight drew a crowd of either demons or angels. There could be no interference, especially with the rift between worlds.

And speaking of the rift… He studied the shimmering orb Lucifer held; it was grace, and it must have been Raphael's, but it looked… spoiled. It had a blue-green tinge of rancid meat, putrid and festering not unlike the archangel's mind, in the end.

Lovely.

Lucifer's other hand was aglow with power, white-hot and dazzlingly brilliant. He always had shone the brightest in this world, too.

It wasn't enough though, Gabriel realized before he could start to worry they might have been too late. His eyes narrowed, watching without comment as Raphael's grace slowly snaked upwards, revealing a glowing crack of the rift between worlds—but it wasn't opening.

Looked like they'd be having that fight, after all.

Lucifer straightened, head cocking back for a second as though registering that he had an audience. When he turned around, his eyebrows were lifted and his gaze penetrating.

"Gabriel. Well, isn't this a surprise."

All smugness and conceit. Just like the Lucifer that Gabriel had known, just like the Lucifer who had helped ruin everything. Gabriel crossed his arms, feeling the reassuring weight of his pistol at his hip. The bullets wouldn't kill Lucifer, but the urge to empty a magazine into the bastard just on principle was overwhelming. Just to wipe that conceited smirk off his face.

Lucifer's gaze slid to the right and a fraction over his shoulder, taking in the squad positioned all around them. Even Castiel and Mary were there, though currently out of sight. Honestly, this was no place for them, but there'd been no talking the two out of it. And in the end, why not? Death was a reality. It would come for all of them in the end. Might as well let them go out in the manner of their own choosing, and they had brought Lucifer there in the first place.

Lucifer didn't attack, though, merely cast a scornful look at the cadre and shook his head. "Really?" he asked Gabriel. "You a company man now? That's… disappointing."

"I am the company."

The older archangel's sneer twisted all the more as he caught Gabriel's eyes. "You always were full of surprises. You know, in my world, I actually hated having to kill you. You're not like the rest of the panty-waisted whiners in Heaven. Never were. You have something different, Gabriel. Something special."

He gestured at the unforgiving terrain, shaking his head. "Brother, you're wasted here!" Lucifer protested. He took a step towards Gabriel, who didn't budge. "I mean, what are you even doing? A couple of hit and runs on some loser demons, whenever you find some? Is that really what you've been reduced to? It's shameful, Gabriel. You're worthy of so much more."

Was this Lucifer actually trying to charm him? Gabriel stared at the archangel, not saying a word. Lucifer didn't even seem to notice the lack of response, drawing himself up like the puffed up pigeon he'd always been, and extending a hand.

"Come back with me, Gabriel. This place is a dump. In my world, everything—everything—is still ripe for the taking. Trust me, it'll be much more fun on the other side."

"From what I understand," Gabriel retorted coolly, "you pretty much want to replicate this piece of real estate over there."

Lucifer huffed, half turning away before spinning back around. "Seriously?" he demanded. "You're still harping on protecting humanity?"

A thousand and one waspish retorts zinged through Gabriel's mind, but he didn't bother. At least this Lucifer was making it easy for him to remember why he'd never taken sides between the two eldest archangels. Gabriel still hadn't budged, nor had the wary squadron at his back. He could feel the waves of animosity rolling off of Lucifer, though, and could easily pick out the tell-tale signs that he was about to attack.

Raising one shoulder in a lazy shrug, Gabriel replied simply, "Sorta seems like the thing to do, don't it?"

Lucifer shook his head. "Fine," he snarled. "Just as well… looks like I need another archangel's grace to open the portal anyway. Yours will do."

The Devil flung himself at Gabriel, the two archangels colliding with a blast like thunder. Gabriel rolled with the attack, neither of the two bothering with weapons as they threw fists and furious bellows instead.

Damn, the son of a bitch was strong. Gabriel reeled back as the older archangel landed a solid punch to his cheek, sending another crack like thunder rolling unobstructed across the dusty basin. He stumbled, then dropped to the ground and lashed out with a foot instead. Lucifer's legs were swept out from under him. Immediately, Gabriel launched himself on top of the Devil, both fists swinging in rapid succession.

Blood dripped from Lucifer's mouth, but his eyes lit in an eerie red glow. He shouted, a wordless roar of rage. He was too fast, and Gabriel couldn't stop him as the Devil slithered out from under his grasp. Nor could he dodge in time to avoid the brutal kick to the side of his head.

Stars exploded in scintillating sparks, blinding the archangel. Gabriel hit the ground hard and tried to roll up to his feet.

Again… too slow. A hand grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, dragging him backwards a few feet before throwing him with the strength only an archangel could possess. Gabriel slammed into something hard—one of the pillars, he thought—hard enough that stone cracked and crumbled, and he slid down, stunned.

"Gabriel!" one of his troops shouted from close by. "No!"

Gabriel blinked slowly, trying to clear his spotty vision. Through the haze, he saw movement: leather jackets and the flash of guns… heard the crack of gunshots and the echo off the other monoliths… a soft grunt from Lucifer as the useless bullets riddled his body.

His eyes re-focused just in time to see the older archangel whirl on two members of the squad, who were still shooting at will, and raise his hand.

"No…" Gabriel tried to yell; winded as he was, no sound emerged, only his horrified gasp as Lucifer snapped his fingers, wiping out the two angel warriors who had come running in to help. The few remaining soldiers began to scramble for cover while fighting to maintain the perimeter they'd set.

"As for you," Lucifer snarled, spinning back to Gabriel. An angel blade dropped from his sleeve, and his free hand lashed out to grab a handful of Gabriel's hair. The archangel grimaced and struggled to get loose as Lucifer forced his head back to expose his throat.

Shit. Heavily, Gabriel thanked his lucky stars that at least Anna was still out in the field with her small contingent… she could carry on the mission… at least, for whatever amount of time they had left.

Gabriel didn't close his eyes or look away from Lucifer as the Devil triumphantly thrust the blade towards his throat to slice out his grace. Neither of them noticed Castiel running in from behind. Before Lucifer could ever make the cut, the angel had grabbed him around the middle and tackled him to the ground.

"You putrescent little slug!" Lucifer hissed. He shoved Castiel away from him—who had, again, attacked without any actual weapon that would do a damn thing against an archangel. He couldn't hope to match Lucifer's strength or his rage, could do nothing to defend himself as Lucifer grabbed him and pulled him up to his knees.

Blow after blow rained down on the younger angel, each cruel punch leaving more and more splotches of Castiel's own blood coating his face from Lucifer's knuckles.

But all Gabriel could see was his Castiel, at the end of Lucifer's blade in a strange world. This Castiel's clothes were odd and his eyes had seen a different life, but it was his face Gabriel saw. He needed no other catalyst to surge to his feet and charge.

Gabriel ripped Lucifer away from the angel. He had the advantage now, distracted as the Devil was with his vengeance on Castiel. Pressing that advantage, Gabriel struck with everything he had, punches and gouges and short, sharp jabs. Every trick he'd ever learned as an archangel warrior, plus a few moves he'd stumbled on along the way. It was enough to drive Lucifer away from Castiel and the flickering line of grace that hovered in the air, until finally Gabriel thrust the heel of his boot straight into Lucifer's chest.

The dark archangel stumbled back and landed on his knees, gasping. The angel blade he carried shot up to ward Gabriel off, and Lucifer's free hand twisted in the air to craft a crackling, lethal ball of grace.

"You know," Lucifer snapped as he climbed slowly back to his feet. "I'm surprised at you. But it's no use fighting me, Gabriel. You tried that once… you lost in my world, and you'll lose here, too. And you want to know why?"

"I'm betting you're gonna tell me."

From the corner of his eye, Gabriel saw Mary rush in to kneel at Castiel's side, trying to pull the angel back up to his feet. He couldn't worry about them at the moment though, as he and Lucifer started to circle each other.

"Because I know where your heart truly lies," hissed Lucifer. "Where it's always lied. Because I know what you are: a coward. You ran away, too afraid to stand up to your brothers. You play all big and bad, but you don't have it in you to win this fight."

Oh, was that so? Gabriel's eyes narrowed, sinking deeper into his fighting stance. "Well, I don't know about the other me," he snapped. "But I stand by my family."

"Really?" Lucifer shot back as his smile widened but the red glow refused to diminish. "Well, in that case, you should be jumping at the opportunity to join up. After all-" The crimson fire in his eyes flared brighter. "-I am your family. And with Raphael dead, I'm all there is left. I'm your brother."

Gabriel stared at Lucifer, trying to judge if the Devil was just trying to trick him or if some part of the archangel actually believed this delusion. Not that it mattered either way. Snorting, Gabriel shook his head, voice dropping ten degrees as he snapped,

"No. You're not." His eyes flicked to Castiel, then returned to Lucifer. "You killed my brother."

Nothing could ever redeem Lucifer from that. If they were the only two beings left in all creation, Gabriel would still put a bullet through the Devil's heart and call it a damn good day. Lucifer had murdered Castiel, the fiercest warrior with the truest, most hopeful heart of them all. If anyone had deserved to survive this war and find some kind of paradise, it had been Castiel.

….And how dare Lucifer think he could just take Castiel from them and get away with it?

Gabriel's unseen wings rippled with power and sudden decisiveness. Turning his back on Lucifer, the archangel shot his hand out towards the portal where Raphael's grace was still simmering, still activated through Lucifer's own grace. If a third source was what it needed, a third source was what it could have.

The glowing orb of molten gold streamed into the crack between the worlds. With a low whoosh, the portal opened, sending a blast of wind over the company.

"Castiel, you and Mary go!" Gabriel shouted, looking down at the blood-stained face of his brother.

Castiel hesitated, expression anxious. Still more worried about Lucifer than saving himself. Damn, that was just like him. Gabriel gave him a nod, measured and calm.

"Go," he commanded, softer. Maybe it wasn't his Castiel… but he still wanted the angel to have the life he deserved, the life his Castiel couldn't have. And that wasn't here.

Gabriel couldn't replace his Castiel; he could only avenge him.

"No!" Lucifer snarled, surging forward, only to be met with Gabriel's powerful form blocking his way, holding him bodily back from the portal. "NO!"

From the corner of his eye, Gabriel saw Balthazar rush in to help Castiel back up to his feet and push him and Mary towards the rift.

"Go!" Balthazar urged, herding the two along.

Lucifer was shouting again, straining against Gabriel as Castiel and Mary stepped through the portal and disappeared to the other side. He couldn't break free though, couldn't fight through to stop the two, or to prevent Balthazar from closing the rift behind them and destroying what remained of Raphael's grace.

Without the power source, the crack in space and time sputtered, then died. Even if Lucifer killed Gabriel now, it would do no good; there wasn't enough grace to re-open the rift. Lucifer was trapped, forever.

How was that for a little poetic justice?

Releasing Lucifer, letting the archangel fly back to where the rift had been moments before, Gabriel flexed his wings. His brother had bought this chance for them with his life, and that opportunity would not be thrown away. It was time to end this.

For Castiel.

Lucifer turned on the spot, murderous, uncontrolled madness in his features. Gabriel smiled, grim and cold, as he prepared for battle. Let the Devil come; he was ready.

"Let's dance."