Hello my darlings. I would like to thank jjeess001 for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So this chapter is a major one. It's kind of the whole reason I started this story. It's also rather disjointed as it takes in everyone's points of view, so I hope it makes sense.
Anyway I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Sam pulled up outside Dean's house early in the afternoon, wondering if his brother and his guests were even up yet. He knew what Dean was like after he had drunk too much the night before, which was in fact one of the reasons he had decided to come by as late as possible. He did not want to have to deal with hungover Dean. He'd leave that to Castiel and Gabriel. With that happy thought in mind he climbed out of his car, expecting to be approaching a house still shrouded in sleep. But instead as he approached the door he could hear sounds coming from the livingroom. Making his way there he was greeted by a sight which he never expected to see. First there was Gabriel, lounging across a chair he was sure he had never seen before, it certainty didn't belong to Dean. And speaking of his brother, he found him curled up beside Castiel, his head on the other man's shoulder as they both watched TV. Cas had his arm wrapped around Dean, as if he trying to physically get him closer. It was not a position he ever thought he would see his brother in.
But as he looked at the scene he felt his heart constrict, in a good way. Because it was one of such peace, and it was something that had been missing from this house for so long. Something that had been missing from Dean for so long. Seeing his brother like that, with his guard completely down, obviously having complete trust in those around him… it made a smile appear on his face as he truly believed for the first time that Dean would get better. If he could let Cas and Gabriel in, then he would come back, he would again be the brother Sam once knew. He was broken from his thoughts by a voice.
"Well hello there Sammy." Gabriel said, not moving his eyes from the TV. He had been enjoying the peace of being with his brother and Dean now he couldn't hear the human's thoughts, but it had been shattered by Sam Winchester's arrival. At least he knew it wasn't his powers that had disappeared. Not that that thought had actually ever crossed his mind when he hadn't heard Dean. Hmm, maybe it should have? But it didn't matter. He could here Sammy-boy loud and clear.
At Gabriel's words Dean sat up quickly and turned in his seat to see his brother standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. Oh he was so going to remind him of how he had been sitting wrapped up in Cas' arms for the rest of his life. He was gonna have to kill him, it was the only solution.
"Hey everyone. How you feeling Dean?" Sam asked his soft smile turning to a smirk when his brother jumped away from Cas. God, Dean was so predictable sometimes. Though Sam did feel a bit of a twinge in his heart at the fact that Dean had happily sat cuddled with the other man while his brother was there, but it seemed didn't want to sit that way while he was in the room. Why was he more comfortable around Gabriel than him?
Gabriel rolled his eyes at that thought from Sam before turning a glare on Dean for upsetting his brother. Not that Sam was his charge or anything, but his relationship with Dean was a founding part of both men. That at least he had learnt the previous evening. Dean needed to stop trying to be the big brother and just be a brother. He needed to let Sammy in.
"Yeah okay. So here to clear out the spare room?" Dean answered rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment at being caught cuddling with Cas. It didn't even cross his mind that Sam would be hurt that he had been happy to cuddle his angel in front of Gabriel. Mainly because in his mind Gabriel was so completely alien, had so much power as an archangel, that he didn't fit into any definition he had. Therefore he had no problem pretending he wasn't there, at least when he quiet at any rate.
"Yep." Sam agreed with nod, waiting for Dean to stand and lead the way before he followed. Of course he knew the way to spare room, but this was Dean's house now. Only fitting he led.
"Hello Sam, I want to thank you for the invitation to your barbeque last evening. It was most… enlightening." Castiel said as he greeted the younger man and walked up the stairs next to him, all the while silently telling Gabriel to follow.
"You're welcome Cas, glad you had fun." Sam replied smiling at the man who had in such a short amount of time become so important to his brother. He hoped that today he would get to know him better, him and Gabriel who was still an enigma to him. Speaking which. "Hey Dean, you get a new chair?" He called up to his brother who just turned and gave him a puzzled look as if he had no idea what he was talking about.
"I brought it yesterday, because the ones Dean-o has are far too uncomfortable for my liking." Gabriel replied before Dean could say a word. Though he did smirk at the older Winchester when he turned his puzzled look on him.
It took Dean a few seconds to work out what Sam and Gabriel were talking about, then he remembered Gabriel's perchance for creating furniture for himself and he couldn't stop himself glaring at the archangel. Couldn't he just sit in a normal chair like anyone else? No of course not, cos he was the archangel freakin' Gabriel. Now he was gonna be stuck with that damn monstrosity downstairs. Son of a bitch. But designing not to say anything out loud Dean carried on his way upstairs, entering the spare room that was full of books and disused furniture. He hadn't been in here since his first day back, and he wasn't sure he really wanted to be there now. But it needed to be done. He had been putting Sam off for ages, always finding some else for them to do instead, but now Gabriel was there he had known his brother would not take no for an answer. So he hadn't even tried. Didn't mean he wanted to be in here, but hopefully they could get this done quickly, without any issues.
"Sam, Gabriel why don't you take that side, Cas and I'll do this one." Dean said once they were all there. He had given Sam the side with the most boxes of books. After all it was his brother who would know if any of them were any good or worth anything, or if he wanted any of them. Dean didn't really care about them. He just wanted to make sure he kept his brother away from wardrobe in the corner of the room which even now seemed to be mocking him. Or more to the point, what he had placed inside it on his first day back was.
With that the four went to work, Castiel constantly asking Dean if he wanted to keep everything he picked up, wanting to make sure he didn't throw away anything that was important to the man he loved. And Dean was happy to answer him with a yes or no, it didn't even cross his mind to get annoyed with the interruptions from his angel. Though when Gabriel started shouting the same questions in his most annoying voice from across the room Dean was pissed within five minutes. Therefore he decided Sammy could deal with him. And he couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face at the bitch face his brother gave him when he voiced that suggestion.
Gabriel for his part was having great fun. He could read Sam's mind with ease and therefore knew exactly what it was he should keep and what he should discard, but it was much more fun to ask him every five seconds and then listen to him ranting about Dean in his head. Oh yes this was a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Who knew Winchesters could be so much fun?
It took hours, and not few frayed tempers on the human's side, before the room was cleared. A pile of books Sam wanted by the door and another he thought Dean should keep stacked against the wall. The rubbish had been loaded into bags and was now sitting outside ready for them to dispose of later. The furniture that Dean and Cas had been going through was now arranged so that it at least looked like someone could stay there, and Dean was breathing a sigh of relief that no one had gone near the wardrobe. Of course as soon as that thought crossed his mind Sam turned towards it.
"Dean, did you go through that?" He pointed to the piece of furniture, wanting to make sure they had done everything they needed to do. But rather than his brother relying it was Castiel who spoke.
"No." He said.
As soon as the word was out of the angels mouth Dean felt as if everything was moving in slow motion. He watched as his brother moved towards the wardrobe. He wanted to stop him, but he knew he wouldn't get to him in time to do so. He wanted to call out but it seemed his voice no longer worked. So he instead stood and watched as the door opened on its creaking hinges oh so slowly. He watched as Sam let out a surprised "Ohh" and bent down to pick up the thing Dean didn't want to see. The thing he couldn't cope with seeing. But it seemed he had no choice.
Sam opened the door, not expecting to find anymore more than some old clothes. So he was extremely surprised when he discovered the hard black leather case which he knew contained his brother guitar. The guitar he had thought had been lost during his brother recovery and return home. The guitar that he had never seen Dean without until recently.
"Dean, whys this in here?" He asked pulling it out and turning towards his brother holding it instrument case up for all to see.
And Gabriel saw. But he saw what the others didn't. The object in Sam's hand practically glowed with the destiny it radiated. It screamed at him. Called, begged and yelled to be in its rightful home, in its owner's hands once more. It was overwhelming and it wasn't something he had expected to feel while cleaning out the spare room in Dean-o's house. Damn it dad. What the hell? He quickly turned to look at Dean, his head moving at a speed only an angel could, but luckily no one noticed. Sam was still staring at his brother with a puzzled frown.
Castiel looked at the case wondering what it was. He had never seen anything like it, but it obviously meant something to Sam, and therefore to Dean. Turning his eyes to the man he loved to ask, he found them widening as he watched Dean's face drain of all colour. He knew what was coming, he didn't know why, but he knew. Whatever that case was, it triggered something in Dean's mind, and it wasn't good. He wanted to reach out to him, wrap him in his arms and his wings and take him away from it, but he could not do that with Sam in the room. He could do nothing but stand at his side and watch as Deans eyes started to move as if he was seeing things that were not there.
"Dean." Castiel said softly, hoping his voice would do what he could not. He reached out to lay a hand on the man's shoulder, but before he could make contact someone else did it for him.
Sam watched Dean's face change, and he moved. He didn't even think to be cautious, his brother was hurting and he needed to be there for him. So within seconds he was at his side and placing a gentle hand on his should to let him know he wasn't alone, that he was there for him. Would always be there for him. He kept his hand there when Dean dropped to his knees, applying more pressure as his worry increased.
Dean had watched Sam pull out the case, and he couldn't stop the memories as they crowded into his mind. Snap shots of his life through the guitar in Sam's hand. The day he had brought at the tender age of fourteen, bringing it home with joy. When he had shipped out, the case had come with him. Sitting in the desert playing and singing for Benny and Garth. But soon enough their faces changed from the happy smiling ones he remembered, and became the dead eyed ones he had dragged back to base. And then the shots came, two shots sending him to his knees. Then the enemy had their hand on his shoulder. He didn't think, didn't do anything but react. He was back there, not in his spare room with Cas, Gabriel and Sam. No he was in enemy territory having been shot while trying to get his unit, his friends, his brothers home. No one would stop him on his mission. Therefore he jumped up and swung, not even noticing that he could not feel any pain from the supposed bullet wounds. Instead he lashed out at the one who had a hold of him, kicking and punching, using every inch of his training to defend those he needed to return home. Because you never left a man behind.
Sam wished didn't understand what was happening. But he did. One minute Dean was on the floor and the next he was up and fighting him. This had happened quite a few times early on in Dean's return, the flashbacks to when he was injured, but it had been a long time since then. He hoped he was getting better, but now he could see he wasn't. So Sam did what he always did, he protected himself the best he could without causing Dean any pain. He knew his brother would be devastated when he came to himself again and realised what he had done. But all Sam could do was hope that that happened soon and neither of them were too hurt when it ended. He had forgotten about the other two people in the room with them, his entire concertation on his brother. Therefore he was rather surprised when suddenly there was someone standing in front of him. Someone not just taking the blows but deflecting them with ease. He blinked from where he had ended up curled into himself and watched with mounting horror in his eyes as Dean and Cas fought. But before he could do or say anything Gabriel was at his side pulling him up.
"Come on kiddo, we need to go. Grab the case." The archangel said wanting to get the guitar away from Dean as it was obviously that which had triggered his episode. He also wanted a chance to inspect it, to find out its history, find out what it meant. What it was supposed to do.
"But Dean-" Sam protested, though he was finding the shorter man was surprisingly strong and it seemed could pull him without any real effort.
"Leave Dean-o to Cassie. Trust me. He's the only one who can help your brother right now." Gabriel muttered quietly, not wanting to distract either of their brothers. He knew as soon as Sam was gone Castiel would be able to do so much more for Dean than he currently was. At present all his brother could do was deflect Dean's blows, and try to infuse some of his grace into him whenever they touched.
Sam finally nodded as he noticed that Castiel wasn't going down. He was fighting Dean blow for blow, yet never hurting him. It was obvious then and there that Cas had been a solider, if he had ever doubted Dean's words when he told him that, he certainly didn't now. Because he could see that Cas knew how to keep Dean at arm's length until he came back to himself. Therefore grabbing the guitar Sam followed Gabriel out of the room and down the stairs.
Castiel watched out of the corner of his eye as Gabriel dragged Sam out of the room. As soon as they were gone he stopped fight Dean and grabbed him, holding him to him as he wrapped his arms and wings around him, protecting him from himself. And then he infused his body with his grace and love, hoping it would help protect Dean from his own mind. Hoping it would bring the man he loved back to the here and now.
Dean was fighting for his life. The enemy against him was stronger, faster than him, and not just that, Dean knew he was toying with him. Waiting for him to weaken before he took him out. Dean refused to give him that pleasure. But just as he was about to try a crazy stunt of kick and punch he found himself wrapped in warmth. He couldn't move, but he felt no malice towards that fact. Instead he felt peace slipping into his very soul. He blinked and the images of enemies disappeared to be replaced by blackness. But it was not an empty black, nor was it the black of night. It was a warm black that shimmered with hints of blue. It was a black he had found himself fascinated with all day. It was Cas' wings. As soon as that registered in his mind he sagged against the angel who he now knew was holding. He couldn't stand, it had been too much in his mind, the fight too hard, to try and support himself. But he knew Cas was there, he would look after him, support him, make everything right. Because he was Cas, he was his angel. And that was what he did.
And Castiel feeling Dean return and lose the ability to stand held him tighter. Holding him up without thought as he gently whispered soothing words in enochian to him. Soothing words that resonated with Dean's soul and pulled the pieces that had once again been ripped apart back together. Repairing him and making he feel whole once more. And as soon as the last piece was back in place Dean let the tears come. Let himself cry into the shoulder of his angel, releasing the last of pain he had been feeling only moments before. Let himself be comforted and cared for by the one being whom he knew he could let do it. The one being he loved who was there to help him and protect him, not the other way round. The one being he did not have to be strong for.