Chapter 11

Dean had to admit that he didn't expect Kali to take him up on his offer of helping them get the devil and icing him. That was his and Sam's plan but they had tried it and it was an epic fail. And he was still carrying that one. That was on him and not anyone else. At least now he could start to make things right and get the innocent people put of the way.

He marched to the kitchen and demanded the key to open the freezer. He gave a firm look even though his insides were quivering like jelly. It helped a little when Xander and Moira came out of their hiding spots looking bigger than before. They weren't growling but their posture made it clear that they weren't in the mood to be screwed with and he knew that at least the runt would be going all hell on them if anything went wrong.

The key was given up without a fuss and he had the civilians out of the freezer and was ushering them to the doors and to their cars. Xander and Moira barked more as a means of herding the people while Dean was signaling them, "Let's go. Let's go. Go. Go. Go! Get out of here!"

Dean stood outside and watched as the last of the cars were started and heading out towards the road. As much as he would like to put this place in the rearview mirror, there was still the problem of having a bunch of gods on their asses. He stood there watching and looked down when Moira pawed his pant leg.

Looking down he said, "What? They're gone. What more do we need to do?"

Moira pawed at his leg again and trotted over to the Impala. She sat by the car and looked at him. Dean looked at her and then at Xander who was merely sitting and looking in the direction the last car had taken. Fine time to be getting hit with contrariness or something.

"Psst! Dean!"

Dean had been about to go back in and leave the mutts there when he heard his name. He turned to find Gabriel sitting in the backseat of the Impala. He blinked since he wasn't sure if his mind was playing tricks on him. After all he did see the archangel get ganked. He stood there and looked at Gabriel.

"Don't look at me," Gabriel hissed at Dean. He glanced at the windows that were visible as he continued, "Act natural. Get in."

Dean looked at the pups as they sat there looking at him like he was being an idiot for not getting a move on. Rolling his eyes slightly, he walked over to the driver's side to get in. After all he could grab a few dog biscuits stashed in the car right? He got in and looked over at Gabriel, "Man, there is nothing natural about this at all. I thought you were dead."

"You're dumber than I thought," Gabriel retorted as he sat in the car. "I would have thought that someone who is like a big brother to Cat would have noticed her reaction."

"You mean Angie knew?"

"Who gave her the tip to get down there?" Gabriel huffed a bit as he rolled his eyes. "Golly I tried with the mutts but the only one receptive had half a brain but a good sniffer. Figures it was you." He deadpanned a look at Dean. "And if I really were dead, Cat would have reacted way differently and Morri's words really would have come true."

Dean shot a look at Gabriel. He still couldn't believe that the archangel wasn't dead. "So you had Zep go and find Angie after she decided to have three gods chase her?"

"Figured she would do that. Even when a mission is on the line she'd always stop to help if she could." Gabriel gave a wry smile that twisted into a proud one that Dean didn't miss. "At least you got to see the sexy moving through the shadows thing. And the fact that she can stand there and you not see it. Shows ya how powerful she is. Besides to you think I'd give Kali my real sword? That think could kill me and Cat has the other two things."

Dean stared at the angel in the backseat. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Angela knew that Gabriel wasn't dead. She really was a good actress. It did occur to him that she and Gabriel had done something like this before. Focusing on the issue at hand he asked, "Then what do they have in there?"

"A fake. Made it out of a can of diet orange slice. Though with a little bit of work Cat can have it deliver a nasty sting to me and maybe kill me."

Dean felt his jaw open. "You mean Angie can make an angel blade?"

"Oh not just angel blades," Gabriel replied, not resisting the chance to show off what he got to make out of her. "Just about any weapon she can make capable of maiming or killing an angel." At Dean's look he explained, "Had to learn blacksmithing at some point. Not very many people know how to take care of a soul blade you know." Gabriel grinned as he looked out the window and sucked in his breath. He looked back at Dean and asked, "So… go snag our blood, would ya?"

"What?"

"I heard you in there. Kali likes you. You can get close," Gabriel explained, "Before Cat does something that could end up bloody. Lift the plasma and then we vamoose."

Dean looked out the passenger window and thought about it. There was some truth to what Gabriel was saying. The fact that Angela demanded his and Sam's blood was good enough cause for concern.

Gabriel looked at Dean and noted the look. He sighed, "Look, with any luck, Cat has yours and Sam's blood and had broken the spell. And would have made a point that she won't tolerate tricks if Kali tried to take her blood. You guys are covered and then some but I'd rather avoid I getting her dander up and once she does… It'll make the first time with Sam look like a picnic."

Dean thought about Gabriel's words. He knew that there was a point and he got it. He remembered that scream from when Sam first died and then what happened afterwards. But still… "No. Give me the blade. Or better yet, why don't you sack up and help us take down Lucifer?" He turned to look at Gabriel with a hard look and drove the knife in, "Instead of leaving Angie to mop up?"

Gabriel sat there and looked at Dean and took a couple of breaths. He disliked that Dean pushed the knife in. "I can't."

"I'm deadly serious here," Dean countered as he looked at the angel. He didn't get why this archangel who was just as overprotective as Sam and would do anything to keep anything bad happening from Angela wasn't going to do anything.

"Apart from Cat, since when are you butt-buddies with a bunch of monsters? That's all they are to you aren't they?" Gabriel narrowed his eyes and continued, "You think Sam is right and that while nuts it's the best idea… Well it's the wrong one."

"Then tell me why you won't interfere and help Angie. You know she'll stand up to Lucifer and it's because she cares."

Gabriel pursed his lips. He beat a tattoo on the back of the front seat. "I know and I can't change that and wouldn't want to." He looked at Dean, "The problem is I know my brother which is why I am telling you to tuck tail and run. She's not ready for it. Not now and even if she were… Dean there are things about Cat that she doesn't know yet and I get the feeling that if she were to find out… I can't let her."

"It's inevitable. She's persistent."

"I know but I'd rather her be like this for as long as she can. She just discovered something wonderful so…"

"And that's why you're not going to help her? She needs you."

"She doesn't need me," Gabriel snarked back. "She has you two chowderheads. So if you wanna go be buddies with them, good luck with that. Me? I'm blowing Jonestown. Those lemmings want to run off a cliff and be set on fire by her, that's their business."

Dean narrowed his eyes at the archangel, "I see right through you. You know that? The smart-ass shell, though Angie calls you an ass anyway, the whole 'I could give a crap' thing… Believe me, it takes one to know one."

"That so?"

"Yes." Dean looked at the archangel. He still couldn't get what was up with the archangel except that he knew things that he didn't want to have talked about but the fact that it had something to do with Angela… It was something to worry about later when it came up. "And maybe those freaks in there aren't your blood, but they are your family. And if you want to know, the same is with Angie. She's not blood but she is family."

"And unlike Cat, they just stabbed me in the frigging heart!" Gabriel glared at Dean and hating the fact that the elder Winchester knew how to lay it down. He was almost as good as his Cat. "And believe me, I've done things that should have had her stab me in the heart but she didn't. I know the why on some things but not everything."

"And you still give a crap about them, don't you?" Dean raised his brow at Gabriel as if to challenge the archangel to say otherwise. He knew he hit a sensitive spot with him. "Now they're gonna die in there without you. Angie could get hurt because even though she is pissed with them, she won't leave them high and dry if they are in trouble. I know that and you know that. She will stand up to Lucifer whether you think she is ready or not."

Gabriel hissed slightly between his teeth. He looked down and pursed his lips. "I know and I've warned her about it. Time and time again but I can't change that snow leopard's spots and I wouldn't want to anyway. But I can't kill my brother." He looked up at the elder Winchester.

"Can't or won't?"

Gabriel couldn't say anything. He didn't know how to tell that he couldn't kill the brother that he helped condemn. He helped his Cat from the shadows, getting her out of deep trouble so as not to draw too much attention. He looked at Dean silently.

Dean stared at the archangel. "That's what I thought." He shook his head in disappointment as he got out of the Impala and left the angel in there. "I'll tell Angie that you won't be back to help her."

"She doesn't need me Dean. She needs you. And Sam. It was always you too," Gabriel muttered softly as Dean walked away. He looked out into the bleak landscape and thought about everything. Everything he had done had been a calculated move to find and protect his Cat with minimal interference.

No one knew that when he skipped out of heaven, he had a goal and that was to find the one that his father would name as champion of the people. It took centuries but he found her and once he did… he didn't want to let anything bad happen to her but he couldn't give himself away. So he taught her how to protect herself and taught her what he knew as an angel and taught her not to be afraid but that gentle, giving nature… that was all hers and it never went away.

Not even when she died and came back did it disappear but grew stronger despite the fact that she had been in pain from loss. He did wrong by her in what he did when it was finally revealed as to what she would mean and when the blade chose her. It was why he left. He had hurt her but he couldn't let go. He checked up on her and made sure she was all right. He rescued her from hell and brought her to Karnak.

Sitting there Gabriel knew what he had to do. He could do a lot of things but… This was definitely going to be like one of those true tests of faith that his father once talked about. He recalled the last serious conversation that he and his Cat had and she explained why she forgave him so readily for his actions.

Sometimes you have to stand up to your family because they are hurting you. They need to know that. Whether or not that changes things is up to them… their choice.

You certainly have a way with words, Cat, Gabriel thought to himself. He took a breath and focused his gaze on the hotel. Okay.

Sam was nervous about this whole idea about finding Lucifer. He knew that it was a bad idea but he wasn't in a position to negotiate things. He looked at Kali and Baldur and the other gods that were there. He then glanced at Angela as she stood there next to him with her arms crossed over her chest.

"This is a bad idea," Angela murmured.

"I know but…" Sam cleared his throat slightly. He stopped when Kali advanced towards them.

"So you're going to summon Lucifer," Kali said more as a matter of fact, like it was an order and there was no room to disobey. He didn't miss how she glanced at Angela who was staring back with that bland look but her eyes conveyed her intent to kill if it came to that. And not doubt she could without drawing her blade.

Sam looked at the pair and replied, "Sort of." He gestured towards himself, "I just need you to squeegee some stud from my ribs and he'll come running."

"Breaking them would be easier," Kali countered.

The blade was out quicker than Sam had ever seen. It was at Baldur's neck and drawing a little bit of blood. Kali turned to look at Angela who was holding her blade on Baldur and her left was held at a position that was made very clear what she could and would do if pushed. She simpered at the dark goddess, "And you know that I would have a bad day if you did that. Baldur here would end up with an equally bad day."

Kali glanced at Baldur and noted the blood that was dripping from the cut she made. "And you are out of line."

"Am I really?" Angela gave a taunting grin at the goddess. "I told you, that blade will be a prick. Only way to really defeat Lucifer, is by taking off his head. If you can get in."

Kali looked at Angela as she held the blade still, almost statue like. To Sam the whole thing reminded him of the last time they encountered Lucifer and how close Angela got her blade to nearly decapitating the angel. Granted the devil had a trap to keep his head, Angela had gotten pretty close so she had a point there.

At that moment Dean came back in with Xander and Moira on his heels where they joined Zeppelin. He looked at them before looking up and saying, "Show's over. Sword's a fake and Gabriel… he's still kicking." He looked at Angela holding her blade to Baldur's neck and figured someone said something to piss her off. Great on that point. "I hate to break it to you sister, but you've been tricked."

The silence was stifling. Kali didn't know how to react and if she did and it went in the wrong direction, the penalty would come on Baldur. She saw how the blade cut him and it was painful. She could see the redness that had nothing to do with blood but with burns. She took a breath as she thought about what to do next.

"Doesn't matter."

Sam and Dean turned to see that Angela had pulled her blade away from Baldur's neck. She twirled it and put it back in its sheath. She repeated, "Doesn't matter. If you want to kill him, we can still summon him."

"And what do you suggest?" Kali looked at Angela with a narrowed look, wondering if this one was going to trick them.

Angela made a slight face as she grinned and clicked her tongue. She had started pacing and looked at the pair. "You really don't remember your stories do you?"

"Get to the point or…"

"Or you'll what Kali?" Angela turned with a firm look. She quickly turned her head to warn another god back before looking back at Kali. She advanced towards the goddess. "What do you intend to do?"

"I'll rip your throat out."

"You can try."

The two women stared at each other as if to dare them to make the first move. Dean wasn't going to let it get out of hand. "Alright. What do you have in mind?" He looked at Angela asking her silently to stand down long enough to give a plan before it became ugly.

Angela looked at Dean and then glanced at Sam. The situation was dire and why she opened her mouth? Well it was a night for bad ideas but it was better than her summoning Lucifer and saying yes. She looked at Dean before saying, "We can still summon Lucifer and it won't require removing the stuff from your ribs. And I will let you use Absolution. It is one of the few things that can kill most everything in existence."

"It can kill anything?" Kali looked at Angela with a wide eyed expression.

"Yes." Angela turned to look for an open area. She paused and looked back at Kali, "And before you get any funny ideas, the blade is a soul blade meaning that it chooses its wielder and it doesn't react well to someone it doesn't like." She grinned as she said that as she looked at the area. She put her hands on her hips and continued, "That is what I have if you want to follow through on the insane idea of icing the devil."

"Why are you helping?"

Angela turned to look at Kali. She saw the expression and thought about how she was going to say what she wanted to say. "Oh don't mistake this as a sudden dose of charity. In reality, I really don't care what the hell happens to you lot but unfortunately your idiotic idea affects more than yourself…" She made a sound like she was bored and made a gesture.

"So you're only doing it…" Baldur raised a brow at her in a quizzical manner.

"For those I protect," Angela replied in a low and firm tone. She gave a smirk as she shifted on her feet. "Meaning those souls you let loose and those two." She gestured at Sam and Dean. "But not you."

That was laying down the point and a bit poignantly and probably guaranteed to have the wrath of a god but Angela merely stared at Kali and Baldur. Her expression was almost nonchalant as she stared at the pair with her arms crossed. The calm was maddening to someone who was nervous about their fate but Sam and Dean kept calm as she maintained her posture.

"And what's to stop you from going back on your word?"

It was a legitimate question to ask but no one that didn't have the advantage of abilities would think to ask it since it did run the risk of a fight that could end up with more than a bump or a bruise. Dismemberment was a high possibility. And yet that was the real that the Winchesters operated in when they got involved in something like this.

Angela looked at Kali and Baldur, taking in their stance together. They had every right to ask since it was a rather tense situation. She gave a grin and chuckled, "Unlike you, I keep my word."

"It's true," Sam interjected. He had no idea what he was doing but he figured out that having a conversation tended to delay the inevitable of things. "You can trust her word."

"Really?" Baldur raised his brow at that.

"She didn't kill you yet. She only reacted when you tested her warning."

Angela raised her brow only a fraction of an inch but didn't change her posture. She was watching Kali and Baldur for any signs of foul play. It was a risk to stand there like that but sometimes element of surprise worked. If an opponent thought your guard was down… it could reveal things at you never thought about getting. It was something she learned and experimented with over the centuries and it was a tense time with the two people she cared about the most in the same room.

Kali looked at Angela and her posture. What Sam had said was right. So far the only reaction was to honor what she said she would do. "Alright."

"Kali."

"The Malachi has held her word. The name be abhorrent in its association with them but…" Kali looked at Angela who was staring at her. She could attempt another blood spell but she decided then and there that it wasn't worth the effort. Not after the fact that she demonstrated that she could take off Baldur's head. "What do you need?"

"For one, don't mess with the ribs. Don't need to worry about it." Angela held up a finger in warning. She moved deliberately to the other side of the cleared area that she had scoped out while she was mocking the gods. She looked at the two gods. "All you need, is the right summoning circle."

"A summoning circle?"

"How else do you bring the mountain to Mohammed?" Angela pulled out her UV pen. She opened it and then wrote on the wall in the hieratic that she used on motel rooms. "And a few binding sigils to prevent any unpleasantness." She wrote on the wall like it was nothing but cast a glance at Sam and Dean and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"And how big do you intend to draw a summoning circle?"

Angela didn't answer right away but finished drawing her sigils after holding up a finger. She knew she was being annoying on purpose but she had to let them know that she was not going to be pushed around. She capped her pen and turned towards the pair. "Okay that will prevent unpleasantness like reducing powers maybe a few rebound effects. I never really tested them on an angel that I really wanted to hurt."

"You've done this before?" Kali raised her brow.

"Takes one to teach someone," Angela offered as she looked over at Morrighan. She walked over and stood near Sam and Dean. "And you'd be surprised at how many of those winged dicks respond to honey rather than vinegar." She grinned at the pair of gods.

"Fine," Kali said, "Do it."

Angela nodded but paused. She looked up at nothing and her eyes flared. At that moment the light fixtures started flickering. She knew exactly what that meant. She couldn't believe she missed it and now…

"What's happening?" Baldur was demanding the answer. He looked at Angela and narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing, wretch?"

"It's not her," Dean shouted.

"It's him," Angela replied as her eyes continued to flare. She looked around the room and her eyes lighted on the pair of gods. She heard the pained cries of the other gods being killed. She hear the bellow and knew what happened to Ganesh.

"How?" Kali looked around at the others as asking the question.

"Can't you shazaam us out?" Dean looked at Baldur and then at Angela. He could ask her but the whole thing about getting out of the church… to this day they didn't have a clue except the logical one of God interfering.

"No," Baldur said as he stepped forward. "We can't."

"Baldur, don't," Angela stepped next to the god and put her hand on his shoulder. Her eyes were still glittering as she looked at the god and shook her head slightly. She knew though he wouldn't listen and he didn't. "We can't…"

"Of course you can't. You didn't say 'Mother, may I'."

A/N: Looks like Gabe is still alive and Dean gives a talking to. Uh-oh... Luci's baaack. Stay tuned for next time on Twilight of the Gods...