Dean was in Bobby's living room with Sam's laptop and about a dozen books sprawled out in front of him. He'd woken up just after his 'visit' with Sam and immediately started researching things that appeared as tricksters to find out what that SOB really was.
Dean still wasn't a hundred percent sure that his dream wasn't just a dream. It seemed impossible for Sam to be in his dreams. But that dream was more vivid than any he'd ever had. It just seemed real. And frankly, why would he dream that Sam was visiting his dreams?
Dean soon heard someone come in. He turned to see Bobby in the doorway. "Morning, Bobby."
"How long have you been up?" Bobby asked.
"Since two this morning. I didn't get a lot of sleep, but it was all I needed. I know what has Sammy. Sort of," Dean said.
"Don't keep me in suspense, boy," Bobby said as he started pushing his chair towards the younger man.
"It's the trickster," Dean said.
"What? That doesn't make sense. A trickster isn't gonna kidnap someone in the middle of the night without leaving any trace of himself. They don't come and go quietly," Bobby said.
"Well, if it helps, he's not really a trickster," Dean said.
"How do you know that?" Bobby asked.
"Sam told me," Dean stated before taking a sip from his fourth cup of coffee of the day.
"What? Sam called you?" Bobby asked surprised.
"Not exactly. I suppose you could say he dropped by. By that I mean my subconsciousness. He took a walk through my dream last night," Dean said. He didn't understand how that happened. Dream walking shouldn't be possible for a normal human. How in the hell had Sammy gotten into his head.
"What? Are you telling me this is all due to a dream you had?" Bobby asked exasperated.
"It wasn't a dream, Bobby. Well, okay, it was, but this part I think was real. It felt real. Sam was there," Dean said.
"And how the hell would he have managed that?" Bobby asked skeptically.
Before Dean could answer, he saw Cas appear right behind Bobby. "Where have you been? I called you hours ago."
Bobby turned around to see what the hell Dean was talking about and found the angel directly behind him. "Damn, can't you at least were a bell."
"Why would I do that. I have no need for bells," Castiel said before turning to Dean. "I'm sorry, Dean, but I knew you'd called about Sam and I have nothing to report." Actually, the real reason was that he was looking for Gabriel. Of course, he was not very effective in that regard, unsurprisingly. Gabriel did not want to be found and had the means to hide himself. He only came now because it occurred to him that maybe Dean knew something at this point.
"Well, I do. I saw him last night," Dean said.
"Sam returned?" Castiel asked surprised.
Dean shook his head. "No, he came into my dream."
Castiel looked at him confused. "I don't understand. You dreamed of your brother?"
"No. Well, yes, I did and it was a really crappy one, but then Sam showed up for real in my dream, like Lucifer did with him," Dean said.
"That is impossible. Lucifer is an angel. That's why he could appear in Sam's dreams, but Sam is human. Humans don't have the ability to go into another's dream," Castiel said.
"Yeah, I know. As he was telling me what he was doing, I thought it was just a dream, but it felt real. I think he was there. Maybe it was the demon blood. Maybe some of it is still in his system," Dean speculated. It wasn't the best theory, but it was all he had.
Castiel shook his head. "No, I could sense the demon blood when it was there. It's a taint that angels know. It's gone now. There is now nothing unclean about your brother's body."
"Okay, well, I'll figure out how he did it later. Look, he gave me information about what took him. It was this trickster we've come across a couple of times, but Sam said he's not really a trickster," Dean explained. Honestly, he was worried about how Sam had managed it, but there were more important things to deal with now. He'd worry about it more when he had his brother back.
"Okay, let's assume Sam came into your dreams. Did he tell you what this thing really was?" Bobby asked.
Dean shook his head. "He didn't have a chance. He got pulled out," Dean said.
"He got pulled out? He didn't leave on his own?" Castiel asked.
"No, he stated clearly 'he's pulling me out,' Dean relayed.
"I don't suppose he mentioned his name," Bobby said.
"I think he did, but I didn't catch it. Towards the end, he muttered something under his breath that I couldn't quite hear," Dean said.
"Explain the entire encounter, Dean," Castiel instructed.
"Well, he told me he was in my dream. I argued the fact that it was just a dream, a lot like you two did. I asked him how he could be in my dream. He knew the answer, but he didn't wanna tell me. He said he didn't know if he had the time. Actually, he did tell me something. He said it meant something bad for him," Dean said. After remembering that, Dean became worried again. What the hell had happened to his brother? Had that asshole trickster, or whatever he was, done this?
Bobby could see that Dean was upset by this, hell, so was he, but now wasn't the time. Like you said, we can figure out what's going on with him later. Keep going, Dean."
"Yeah. Well, actually there was something weird. When I asked him who took him, he wouldn't answer until I promised never to let Michael in," Dean said.
"Why would Sam assume you'd say yes to Michael?" Castiel asked.
"I don't think he did. I think he just wanted to make sure. After I promised, he told me it was the trickster, except that he wasn't really a trickster. That's when the Son of a bitch started pulling him out. Sam muttered something, probably talking to whatever this guy is and then he looked at me and told me he was okay. He said he wouldn't hurt him," Dean finished explaining.
"So Sam doesn't think the trickster means him any harm," Bobby deduced. He was going to keep calling him the trickster until he had something else to call him.
"Why would a trickster even be interested in Sam," Castiel wondered.
"Well, he seems to like messing with us, or at least Sam. I could kill the dick for what he did to him last time," Dean said angrily.
"What has he done. Explain your encounters with him. Perhaps I can figure out what he could be," Castiel said.
Dean quickly explained the two encounters they'd have with the 'trickster'. He of course went more into detail with the the last incident, as that one had him the most pissed off. "He killed me about a thousand times just to screw with Sammy's head. He told him he was teaching him a lesson about trying to save me."
"He started a time loop. Sam's right, he's not a trickster. No trickster could do that," Castiel said.
"Well, what can?" Bobby asked.
"I don't know of any being other than God and angels who can manipulate time. Demons aren't even capable of that. And a time loop, not even regular angels can do that," Castiel said.
"What can create a time loop?" Dean asked.
"Well, God clearly can. His power is infinite," Castiel said.
"I refuse to believe this douchebag is God," Dean said.
"No, I don't think so either. The only other thing that I can even think of that can do it is an archangel. There power is almost limitless as well," Castiel said.
Dean remembered Cas telling him about the fourth archangel who'd left after Lucifer was sent to hell. Gabriel. It could be him. In fact, when he thought about it, that could be the name Sam had said last night. Dean couldn't quite hear him, but he heard the 'G' in the beginning and the 'L' at the end. "That SOB has been an angel the whole damn time! It's Gabriel."
"Who the hell is Gabriel?" Bobby asked.
Dean ignored Bobby's question and focused on the angel. Cas didn't seem at all surprised to hear that his brother had kidnapped Sam. "Did you know it was him, Cas?"
"Of course not. But I received some information that suggested that Gabriel might play a part in what is happening," Castiel said.
"Who is Gabriel?" Bobby asked again.
"Cowardly archangel who ran away from home when his asshat brother got sent to hell," Dean said without even looking away from Castiel. "What information are you talking about, Cas. Why is your brother messing with mine. He wanna hand him to Lucifer."
"I doubt it. Gabriel left Heaven because he didn't want to take a side against either Lucifer or Michael. He didn't want to be around the fighting. I don't see him choosing," Castiel said.
"So what's going on then?" Dean asked.
Castiel decided he needed to tell Dean what he knew. He hadn't wanted to risk it before, but now that Dean knew Gabriel had Sam, it was necessary. He needed to know before he proceeded. "I went to see a brother of mine that I trust. I'd hoped that he knew where Sam was. He didn't, but I knew he knew something regarding Sam."
"What?" Dean asked.
"He would not tell me. He said he wouldn't tell anyone about this, that includes Zachariah and Michael. He's afraid that if anyone found out, it could be worse than what we're dealing with now," Castiel said.
"Worse than the freaking apocalypse?" Dean asked skeptically. He found it hard to believe that anything could be worse than the world ending.
"Yes. He believes if this gets out that it will lead to war between all four archangels, instead of just two. That is something that would likely destroy both Earth and Heaven," Castiel said grimly. He couldn't allow that to happen. He needed to do anything he could to prevent such carnage.
"Wait, I thought you said Gabriel wasn't a fighter," Dean said.
"He's not. That has me the most worried. I cannot imagine something so huge that would have Gabriel taking on his own brothers, especially the archangels. As the first of God's angels, they were the closest. Imagining something that big isn't a pleasant for me. It also makes me believe that the fight begins with Gabriel, especially since he's now kidnapped Sam," Castiel said.
"And what's it have to do with Sam?" Dean asked.
"He's in the middle of it. I don't know how, but he must be. And now I'm thinking it must have something to do with his ability to dream walk," Castiel said. He didn't know how Sam had managed to get such an ability, but he believed it had to be involved with this somehow.
"Well, get your dick brother here and make him explain this crap!" Dean demanded.
"I have tried to call for Jedidiah again, but it doesn't work. He's ignoring me. I've been looking for Gabriel, but I have no idea how to find him," Castiel said.
"Do what you did with the last archangel!" said a frustrated Dean. He wanted this bastard found so he could tear him apart and then get his brother back.
"That was different, Dean. Raphael didn't even try to hide his presence here. He didn't care to. That is how we were able to get to his vessel and make the call. Gabriel is hiding. He doesn't want to be found, and that was even before he kidnapped Sam. He's not even gonna appear as a trickster now. He won't allow us to find him," Castiel said.
"I'm finding that piece of crap and then I'm gonna kill him!" Dean vowed before standing up.
"Dean, I have explained this. You cannot kill an archangel. Their power is almost absolute. He could kill you without even touching you and leave little evidence that you ever existed. Jedidiah is afraid he will take on the other archangels. Do you really think he won't kill you if you come after him?" Castiel said as a warning.
"What happened to me being untouchable?" Dean asked. Cas had told him once that no angel would ever kill him because he was Michael's vessel.
"I believe humans use this expression. The game has changed. It's not about Michael and Lucifer anymore, even if they don't realize it yet," Castiel said. He still had no idea what it had changed to, but it was clear that it had. Now the threat was a much bigger one.
"I don't give a damn what you say, Cas. I'm getting my brother back," Dean swore before leaving the room.