Author's Note:
Okay, so admittedly I'm using Supernatural fan fiction to pull me out of my single-minded obsessive fixation on Doctor Who today, because if I don't do something I'll never shut up about it. That being said, HOLY CRAP THE 50TH WAS AMAZING. Ahem, back to Supernatural.
Thank you to oscarthegrouch1812, iloveanime9251, FamousNoOne, hpfreak1993, ToxicTenshi, rationalbookworm, MorbidApocalypse, SnarryMoreidLover, better-in-black-since-1234, Vloom, FireChildSlytherin5, aLoggedInReader, lipstick lulluby, Annie, Niamh, Turtle Kid the Woolgatherer, yuffb, an l1 for their reviews on chapter 19!
Chapter 20 - Questions And Answer
Dean ran through about a dozen different responses in his head, not finding anything to be suitable. Eventually he settled on, "Nice to meet you, I guess. Now I know how I got topside, at least."
Castiel nodded in agreement with that statement. "Indeed. I had attempted to contact you before, but you seemed unable to hear my true voice."
"Which, to be fair, is something pretty much no human is actually capable of," Gabriel chimed in. "I've met all of two humans in my existence who had that ability."
Dean frowned. "What, so all that breaking glass and that high pitched noise, that was you?"
Sam raised an eyebrow, confused. "When was that?"
"When I first dug my way out of my grave, I went to a gas station," Dean explained. "There was this awful noise and all the windows shattered. Couldn't figure out why."
"I apologize," Castiel offered, his entire demeanor stiff. "It was not my intent to frighten you."
"Dude, you didn't scare me," Dean scoffed. "It was just weird. Also, turn the volume down next time, okay?"
Castiel opened his mouth like he was going to respond to that, then closed it, a small furrow in his brow indicating his confusion.
"So, Sam and I are going to go hang out, since I still have to make up for ditching him this morning. Dean, you and Castiel here should get to know each other. We'll be back tonight." Gabriel glanced at Sam, waiting for the hunter to nod his acquiescence before snapping his fingers, transporting them out of the room.
Bobby shifted awkwardly, then strode out of the room. "I'll be with my books," he announced gruffly.
Dean was suddenly keenly aware of the fact that he'd been left alone in a room with probably the most powerful being he'd ever encountered. He still wasn't sure how he was supposed to act. "So who are you, exactly?" He finally asked.
"I am an angel," Castiel informed him gravely.
"So I gathered," Dean snarked. "I meant more specifically."
"I am the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition," Castiel replied after a moment's consideration.
Dean thought about that for half a second before his eyes flashed with understanding. He turned slightly and rolled up his sleeve, baring the only scar his fresh body bore. "I guess that explains this?"
Castiel eyed the handprint and nodded. "Yes, that is a physical sign of the effort I went through to restore you."
"Well, thanks, I guess," Dean offered, rolling his sleeve back down.
They both shifted awkwardly, Dean because he had no idea what to say, and Castiel because he was still unfamiliar with humanity in general, and was unsure of how to hold himself, let alone communicate with the man he had saved.
"Gabriel informs me that I was sent to save you under false pretenses," Castiel offered, partly to break the silence and partly out of a desire to actually exchange information.
"He hasn't really explained what's going on," Dean griped. "As far as I know, Heaven and Hell both want an apocalypse, and somehow saving me is a part of it, and corrupting Sam is a different part of it, but Gabriel saved Sam and went to find you to try and stop whatever plans are in progress. I feel like someone gave me a coloring sheet with half the lines missing." Dean made an irritated noise and took a swig of the beer he'd nearly forgotten he was still holding.
Castiel's expression revealed that he wasn't completely sure what that meant, but he nodded regardless. "Based on the information provided to me by my superiors," he began, "You were meant to be tasked with stopping the demon Lilith from opening the sixty-six required seals to free Lucifer from his cage."
"Which sounds like a good thing," Dean prompted. "I'm guessing not so much?"
"There is nothing inherently wrong with the mission," Castiel allowed. "Although, as Gabriel indicated to me, it is largely a fool's errand. There's is virtually no way for you to stop Lilith in time."
Dean rolled his eyes. "So Heaven told you to pull me out of Hell so I could chase around a demon and accomplish nothing?" He said sarcastically.
"So it would seem," Castiel murmured, looking troubled.
Castiel's expression sobered Dean, and he examined the angel curiously. "What exactly did Gabriel say when he came to find you?" He asked.
"That Heaven was misleading me with orders not from our Father," Castiel admitted reluctantly, "and that the man I had rescued would need my help."
Part of Dean wanted to bristle in response to that, but part of him was warmed by the idea, and he wasn't sure what to do with that, so he just nodded. "Well, here's hoping Gabriel calls a team meeting or something. I for one would like to know what's going on."
It was clear that Castiel did not fully understand Dean's use of idioms, but he understood enough to nod his agreement. "Indeed," he replied softly, expression distant once more.
Sam wasn't really surprised to find himself back at the villa, and he took up his normal seat on the couch, pulling Gabriel down with him. "All right, I've got questions."
"I figured. Shoot, kiddo." Gabriel relaxed against the arm of the couch, throwing his legs over Sam's lap with a smirk.
Sam rolled his eyes and began to pick at the fabric of Gabriel's jeans absently. "So, who is Castiel, exactly?"
"Good soldier, excellent strategist, very little up-close-and-personal knowledge of humanity, seasoned veteran, and unfortunately too trusting." Gabriel huffed after the last trait. "That's why he was supposed to get Dean out. He could be someone Dean would trust, and Heaven would be able to manipulate Castiel because my younger brother believes a little too strongly in our Father's plan and the holiness of Heaven's actions."
Considering that, Sam's expression grew serious and he looked at Gabriel closely. "So, Castiel is just a regular angel?"
"Yeah...?" Gabriel prompted, raising an eyebrow.
"You're an archangel," Sam pointed out.
"Yeah...?" Gabriel repeated, eyebrow still raised.
"You told me you couldn't save Dean," Sam said quietly, harking back to a time he'd almost forgotten by now, before Gabriel had saved him from himself, when he had demanded a way to rescue his brother.
"Ah." Gabriel understood now, and he looked regretful. "It wasn't a lie, Sammy. I couldn't save Dean. It wasn't because I didn't have the power though."
It was clear that Sam was trying hard not to react negatively to that statement, but he couldn't quite manage it. What he ended up doing was giving Gabriel a disbelieving stare that was faltering somewhere between anger and confusion.
"Okay, look," Gabriel started, sighing heavily. "Technically, I had the power to pull your brother out of Hell as soon as he went in, no problem." At Sam's crestfallen expression, he held up a hand. "Hang on, let me finish! The reason I couldn't do just that was because I literally couldn't."
"That doesn't make any sense," Sam retorted with a scowl. "What kind of explanation is 'I can't because I can't'?"
"Remember when I said there were some things meant to happen that I wanted to stop, and others I couldn't interfere with?" Gabriel replied, ignoring the comment.
"Yeah," Sam nodded. "Where's this going?"
"The apocalypse is a fluid event, meaning we can stop it from coming around," Gabriel explained. "However, there was a completely concrete event I couldn't mess with, and that was Castiel saving Dean."
Sam looked immediately bewildered. "Why?"
"It's complicated," Gabriel admitted. "Sometimes, there are people who are destined to meet because of the sanctity of the bond they will share, or something equally crappy sounding. I don't know, but those two meeting had to happen, and it was a fixed event I couldn't change. Ergo, no saving deceased hunters from the pit of despair."
Sam was having trouble processing that concept. "So, what, Dean and Castiel are soul mates and were fated to meet?" He demanded skeptically, doubt palpable in his voice.
"Not exactly." Gabriel shrugged. "Honestly, that kind of bond could be anything from the purest of soulmates to an intensely close friendship. It's kind of up to them. The fate part was just them meeting. What they do with their bond is up to them."
"Do..." Sam trailed off and shook his head. "No, never mind. Look, I'm not saying I'm completely okay with you not telling me earlier, but at least it seems like things are working out. What do we do about the apocalypse?"
Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "What were you going to ask me?"
"Nothing. Apocalypse, remember? How do we stop that from happening?" Sam attempted to bring the conversation back around, but the archangel was having none of it.
"Not so fast, Sammy. What was the question?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him curiously.
Sam gnawed on his lip for a moment before muttering, "Nothing, I was just wondering if maybe you and I..."
Understanding cleared Gabriel's expression. "Had a bond? Like our brothers?"
Sam fidgeted slightly and nodded. "Yeah."
"It's not the same," Gabriel admitted. "We've got something just as special though."
"Meaning what?" Sam asked.
"Meaning that the powers that be decided that the bond Castiel would create by saving Dean was strong enough that them meeting couldn't be altered. You and I weren't brought together because we had to be, Sammy, we came together because we wanted to be. I could infuse you with my grace and create a bond like what Castiel and Dean now have, but it would be because we both wanted it, not because fate dictated it happen. So yeah, the universe might have decided to put Dean and Castiel together, but you and I decided to come together on our own, and I think that's pretty damn special." Gabriel looked passionate now, and had swung his legs off Sam's lap so he was more on eye-level with the hunter.
Sam processed that, smiling at Gabriel's passion. "Gabe, what do you mean by a bond?"
"Castiel had to give up some of his grace in order to salvage Dean when he pulled him from Hell, so basically my brother is the glue holding your brother together," Gabriel clarified. "He's basically got an imprint of Castiel on him, only it's in his soul. There's probably a physical mark too, but I didn't see one at first glance."
"So you could, what, infuse my soul with your grace?" Sam asked curiously.
"That would bond us, yeah," Gabriel agreed. "It's kind of a big deal, in case you didn't pick up on that."
"Is this you proposing?" Sam teased, his lips twitching.
Gabriel gaped at him for a second. "It's not exactly the same thing," he finally huffed. "Realistically, it's more important."
"Gabriel," Sam called softly, using the archangel's full name. As soon as he met his gaze, Sam said, "I would be honored if you would bond with me."
The archangel's answering smile was blinding, and Sam couldn't help but grin back. "Well, then it sounds like I have some planning to do for a special occasion." He wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously, and Sam blushed.
"Can't wait," He finally replied, eyeing the pleased archangel with wary amusement.
Gabriel leaned forward to place a kiss on Sam's lips. "Don't worry about a thing, Sammy. It'll be perfect, I promise."
As he had for a long time now, Sam believed him wholeheartedly.