Chapter 8

They were back in Bobby's cellar. Gabriel had left it to Sam to walk over to where his real vessel lay. It had taken the hunter a moment to notice that he himself was in control of his body again, because the difference was hard to recognize. The only indication was that they weren't moving anymore. It was an awkward feeling to have control handed over without as much as a warning.

Sam walked the few meters carefully, always expecting the angel to take over once again, but that didn't happen. Only as they stood directly in front of the camp bed, did Gabriel speak at all.

Time to say goodbye, Sammy.

Wait! You are not going to disappear right away, when you are back in your old vessel, are you?

No. Sam could tell that the trickster doubted he could, even if he would want to.

The hunter nudged the angel's soul one final time, just because he could.

I'll take care of you, okay? He didn't even know why he said it, but Gabriel radiated an aura of tiredness, that made him want to protect the angel... his angel.

See you soon. The trickster said and Sam had barely enough time to shut his eyes, as the blinding white light once again filled his vision.

The next thing Sam knew was a feeling of loneliness, that blocked every other emotion. There seemed to be an empty space inside of his head, where the angel had previously been. It was strange, because Lucifer had not filled that gap up, but Gabriel had, like he was the missing puzzle piece.

„Gabriel?" Sam asked, suspiciously eying the trickster's vessel. His eyes were closed, but the shorter man was breathing.

„Come on! I know you're awake." It was a guess, but there were next to no other possibilities. The trickster had to be playing a trick on him!

So Sam waited a few minutes, until the angel would get bored and quit fooling around. But Gabriel's eyes stayed closed. It made Sam worry, because he had not considered it possible for an angel to be unconscious.

Not sure what was the right thing to do, Sam carefully touched the trickster's shoulder, attempting to wake him, but it was of no use. So the hunter started a few more earnest attempts to wake the angel, without any success, though.

What else was left for him to do? … Well Sam decided, that he needed to move, to get his body back under his own control. Right now, it felt like he was a puppeteer. Sam started pacing through the cellar. He didn't want to leave the room just yet, not until Gabriel would wake up. Leaving the angel behind so that he would wake up alone, felt just plainly cruel.

„Sam," he heard a muffled voice say. Instantly he spun around.

The trickster still lay on the camp bed, but his eyes were now open and vague directed at the hunter. A wave of relief washed over Sam, as he saw that.

„Hey," he said warmly and walked over to Gabriel. „Are you alright?"

„Yeah, just a bit tired and... well, … only tired, I guess." Gabriel answered slurred.

The trickster tried to sit up, but it turned out to be more effort than he was currently capable of. Reacting quickly, Sam grabbed the angel's shoulder and steadied him. Only as he was sure that Gabriel could hold himself upright, the hunter let go of him.

Carefully Sam sat down next to Gabriel. „That was a hell of a trick you played on your brothers," the hunter said approvingly.

„Thanks, but you know, without you I couldn't have done it," Gabriel mumbled, not looking at Sam.

„I was merely the vessel," the hunter answered, trying to understand what the angel meant, because the trickster surely wasn't one to be modest.

„That's not what I meant," this time Gabriel looked at Sam and there was something in his eyes, that the hunter had never seen in them before. It took Sam a while to understand what it was. Affection. How strange to see such a tender feeling in those eyes, which usually displayed nothing but mockery and angry sadness.

Before he knew it, Sam leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the angel's lips. If someone had asked him why, he wouldn't have been able to explain it. It simply felt so very right to do it. He had felt the trickster's soul and it had been nothing like what Sam had expected it to be.

As Sam withdrew, they were both breathless. The hunter felt a blush rise up to his face and turned his head away. God, he was acting like a schoolgirl! It was embarrassing!

Luckily the awkward silence was broken by Gabriel suddenly turning his head towards the ceiling.

„Maybe you should go upstairs, Castiel, your brother and that old guy have arrived," the trickster said, regaining his usual composure.

Sam nodded hurriedly. „Yeah, there's probably a lot of explaining to be done."

„Shall I accompany you?" Gabriel asked, sounding a bit concerned.

„No, I doubt that would end well. Dean is probably not in the mood for listening to explanations, so I think it's better if I prepare him for the big bang, don't you think?"

„Sure. I'll just stay here, then. Until I don't feel like I've walked through hell and back, anymore." Gabriel said tiredly. Sam nodded once again.

„Alright, I'll check on you, as soon as I can, okay?"

„Yeah, sounds good," Gabriel answered, lying down again.


Sam made his way up the stairs, hurrying so that he could return to the trickster sooner. He was still worried about the angel, but if he didn't go upstairs to face the others, they might come down and the hunter didn't want to cause a confrontation between them and the trickster.

Dean's voice was to be heard from the living room. Apparently the three of them were arguing about what had happened on the graveyard.

Sam hesitated in the doorway, just outside of the others' vision. He took a deep breath to calm himself down and to prepare himself for what would come next. The thunderstorm of questions that was about to hit him was already unnerving him.

The younger Winchester brother cleared his throat to catch the general attention and continued on his way. Sam stepped into the living room, smiling at the startled group that sat around the table.

„What the hell...?" Dean asked and jumped to his feet. For a moment Sam thought Dean would run over to him and beat the angel out of him, but Castiel put a hand on the older brother's shoulder, preventing him from attacking the younger Winchester.

„Hello, Sam," Castiel said neutrally. The angel surely could tell, that Sam was no vessel anymore.

„Are you sure?" Bobby asked Castiel, giving Sam a suspicious look.

„Yes. My brother is here, but that is definitely just Sam."

„We should make sure this isn't just another trick," Dean interfered, still far from convinced.

„You want to waste holy oil on it?" Sam asked. „Dean, it's just me, honestly."

„Yeah, last time I thought it was just you, I was dealing with the devil," Dean argued.

„It's Sam, Dean, trust me," Castiel interfered. It looked as if Dean wanted to question the angel's statement, but he was cut off before he could even utter a single word.

„So, does anyone want to tell me what the hell has been going on?" Bobby asked, fed up with the unorganized quarreling.

„That would be me," The trickster appeared directly behind Bobby.