Oh, yeah, everything is unbeta'd. All my mistakes are my own. Also, didn't do quite as many re-reads and edits so there will probably be more mistakes than usual.
Disclaimer: Kripke owns all Supernatural characters. I'm only borrowing them.
Pairing: Dean/Castiel - very graphic. This is my first attempt at something like this because this muse wouldn't leave me alone. Please let me know what you think, constructively.
Overall Warnings: Rated M for swearing, graphic sexual content with S and M undertones, implied forced sexual torture and other adult subject matter.
- SPN - SPN -
And now back to regularly scheduled story . . .
Chapter 36 – The Gathering
"Okay, lovebirds. Time's up," Gabriel announced loudly as he appeared in the room with his eyes closed, just in case. "So get some clothes on and make yourselves decent. The natives are getting restless." Gabriel peeked out carefully and saw two fully clothed, extremely solemn men. But what really got him was the desolate look on his brother's face.
"Watch him," Castiel ordered abruptly then flew away faster than the speed of light, needing a moment alone to collect his chaotic thoughts.
"Cass!" Dean argued instantly, only to hear the flutter of wings fade away in the distance. "Damn it!" Dean cursed loudly and turned to stalk off but found Gabriel directly in front of him which was the last thing he needed right now. He was torn up enough as it was. Rehashing with a protective older brother wasn't going to help anything.
"What did you do?" Gabriel demanded harshly.
"Nothing!" Dean growled out irately, acknowledging the evasion for what it was, even if it was the truth. He did nothing to counter Castiel's conclusion. He did nothing as far as telling Castiel the truth about the baby. He did nothing to save their relationship.
"Bull!" Gabriel hissed out angrily. "He is devastated, which means . . ."
"He's still alive," Dean bit out abruptly then warned menacingly. "Now take me to Bobby's or get the hell out of my way. Where the hell am I anyway?" Gabriel glared at him for a long moment, knowing from past experiences that he wouldn't get anything else out of Dean in his current frame of mind, so he snapped his fingers angrily.
They appeared in Bobby's kitchen and Dean's quick scan of the room revealed Sam, Bobby and Missouri at the table eating while Balthazar leaned negligently against the kitchen cabinet. Dean started to move toward the table where all kinds of breakfast foods awaited him, especially the crispy thick sliced bacon. His mouth watered just thinking about it.
It wasn't that Dean didn't care about his mate's current distress that he could still feel faintly through their bond. It was the five days with minimal substance, in spite of extremely rigorous activity. It was also the fact that his baby needed food as well.
Good, healthy food, he qualified mentally as memories of pie and cool whip being used in inappropriate ways filled his mind. He felt groin come to life and his dick twitch with interest in response to those memories. That was so not the way his thoughts should be going right now. He mentally chastised himself while he plopped down in an empty chair at the table.
"Watch him," Gabriel commanded Balthazar harshly, interrupting Dean's internal dialog.
Instantly he was even more irritated over being treated like a friggin' child. Dean bit out irately, "'Him' is right here and doesn't need a damn babysitter."
"That remains to be seen," Balthazar snarked snidely.
Gabriel, however, had a more extreme reaction since he was the one to view his brother's broken countenance earlier. He instantly narrowed his eyes at Dean and warned menacingly as he crowded into Dean's personal space, "What you need right now I cannot give you because of your current condition, Deano? But, if you want me to be inventive, I will definitely oblige you. Now behave and eat or I will lock you away in a place I guarantee you will not get out of anytime soon."
Dean tensed instantly but refused to back down from the angel, even after Gabriel's face was within inches of his. He knew Gabriel wasn't lying or bluffing. Unfortunately, he couldn't fault the archangel for his ire, either, knowing he would react the same way if their positions were reversed.
Gabriel continued to stare meaningfully at Dean while he snapped out angrily, "Balthazar?"
"I will watch him," Balthazar responded with acknowledgement of his superior's order. With that, Gabriel instantly flew away, leaving the kitchen in total silence. Balthazar stared hard at Dean and wondered idly, "What have you done now, you moronic, clueless, hairless ape? What Cassie ever saw in you, I'll never know."
Dean cast a glare at him but mostly ignored the angel as he filled his plate so that he could eat. His stomach rumbled loudly, causing him to flush with embarrassment over the fact that everyone was looking at him. He glanced at them each in turn, noticing that they all looked a lot better rested than he felt. Sam opened his mouth to say something when he was cut off by new arrivals.
"Honey, we're home!" Lucifer announced cheerfully when he and Michael appeared in the kitchen. Both of them appeared worn out and slightly bruised but remarkably alert. Lucifer rubbed his hands together and observed hungrily, "Ooh, food. Perfect."
"Where are Castiel and Gabriel?" Michael questioned Balthazar, immediately noticing the missing members of their group.
Balthazar snapped irritably, totally ignoring the question, mainly because he didn't actually have an answer for them, "Watch him." Then he disappeared as well.
"Watch who?" Lucifer paused on his bee-line to the table. He glanced around and saw that Balthazar had already left so he checked to see if Michael knew.
Michael shrugged slightly then guessed accurately, "I'm going assume Dean because he's the main one that pisses everyone off like that."
Dean cast a smoldering glare at the arrogantly smug archangel who smirked mockingly back at him. Lucifer, on the other hand, clapped his hands together and asked with enthusiastic cheer, "Alright! Is he doing an encore performance for us? Awesome! Where's the popcorn? Oh, and a video camera? Definitely a video camera."
Everyone stared at him nonplussed for a moment, only to have him ask another series of questions when he spied Missouri at the table, "Oh, I say, should she really be present for this? I thought it was kinda an exclusive thing. You know, more of a gentlemen's S & M club kinda thing but . . . different. You know, like for gay men only."
"Oooh, Robert, I can so hook you up with Crowley," Lucifer offered enthusiastically. "Apparently, he really loved that tongue thing and would like to explore some things in more . . . details . . . depth, or something. Anyhoo, you just say the word and Crowley will be so into you . . ." The sounds of several palms slapping foreheads and mouths spewing food were the only other things heard in the stunned-to-silence quiet room.
- SPN - SPN -
Castiel stood on top of the snow covered mountain, looking off into the distance without really seeing anything, as he tried to reason through his stupid, human-like, super charged emotions. He could easily see the benefit to being emotionless as he was before he met Dean. He wished that he could regret all his interactions with his charge, his human, his mate, but he honestly couldn't. He also couldn't imagine his life without Dean, no matter how angry he was with him at the moment.
His thoughts went back to the young girl in Dean's dream. Their little girl, and their boy, remembering that Dean had said he picked them out. He had picked out children that looked like both of them, Castiel remembered, thinking of the children's eyes.
He also remembered the look deep within Dean's eyes as well as the emotions that ran through his mate at their meeting. He realized then that their bond hadn't been broken in the dream. He had still felt his mate deep inside of him the whole time Dean was telling him to leave. He felt Dean's pain as much as he felt Dean's iron-clad resolve. But what did that mean? Why would Dean . . .
Gabriel appeared right beside him, observing teasingly, "Wow, Cassie, you really are 'on top of the world, looking down on creation', aren't you?"
"Hardly," Castiel snapped irritably then prodded harshly, "I told you to watch him."
"I did. 'Til I couldn't stand to look at the little maggot anymore," Gabriel replied honestly. "So, I dropped him off at the babysitters, just like we always do with the disrespectful rug rats. Besides it was Balthy's day to watch the little nimrod. Now, what the hell happened, Cassie?"
Castiel stared at him solemnly then stalled, having learned the tactic very well from Dean, "What do you mean?"
Gabriel gave him a knowing glare but played along, "Ok, fine. You want to play it that way. How's this? I pop in this morning and you are both very worn out snuggle bunnies with so much contentment rolling off over you that I almost puked. Not thirty minutes later, you look like Death mangled your favorite puppy in front of you and Dean's not talking Iron Man. So what the hell happened because I know it definitely wasn't a quickie?"
Castiel eyed his brother, debating on what to say, so he was relieved when he heard the next voice, "Oh, I say, was there yet another fam meet that you didn't tell me about? Did my girl lose the memo again? I so have to fire her. Or am I back out of the loop before I ever really got in?"
Castiel growled threateningly while he took a threatening step towards his brother, "Why did you try to stab Dean in the back? How can we trust you after that?"
"Well, for one," Balthazar answered easily, "I haven't told our other big bros about Dean's love baby's parentage and, yes, I am pretty positive about that one because I haven't assumed anything, unlike some. Two, I knew the baby would protect them both, which is why I loosened Dean's collar enough for the baby to have access to the power and gave it enough warning beforehand. Three, I had to do it to prove to our elders that I was on their side. After all, if you will remember, they are still after both yours and Dean's hide. And they will get it any way they can. The more pieces, the better."
"Speaking of," Gabriel drawled out speculatively, "I assume that's who you left the boy toy with, right?"
Balthazar nodded while Castiel rolled his eyes slightly and sighed heavily, "I'd better get back then."
"True," Balthazar acknowledged wryly. "But why? Who exactly is it that you don't trust there? Our psychotic delusional elders? Or your sarcastic, smart mouthed, snarky little boy toy? Who, by the by, did what exactly to you this time?"
Castiel mentally rolled his eyes at his brothers' noisiness. He began to see why Dean hadn't wanted anyone to know about them. But there really was no way to hide something like this for long, especially angelically.
That thought lead to a memory that sparked a thought and he realized that he might be able to get at least one of the answers he needed from his brother. He glanced at Balthazar and asked, "Balthazar, could you go make sure they are behaving? We will be there in a moment. I have to ask Gabriel a quick question."
Balthazar arched an eyebrow but agreed with reservations, "Of course, as long as I am caught up soon." Once Castiel nodded in acquiesce, Balthazar disappeared.
Gabriel eyed Castiel suspiciously and wondered aloud, "Now, what kind of question can't be asked in front of Balthazar? Must be something about the boy toy."
Castiel stared at him a moment then admitted reluctantly, "I need to know what happened with Dean after the demon's first attack, when I went up for judgment."
"What do you mean? What happened?" Gabriel asked for clarification.
"After I sent him back to Bobby's, what happened to him?" Castiel enunciated slowly. "Or with him?"
Gabriel watched his brother carefully trying to figure out what Castiel was looking for. He answered slowly, "Well, I fixed Sam's wall like I was ordered. Dean asked about you and I told him I would let him know what happened as soon as I knew. There was some taunting back and forth before he got all prissy then he tried to drink himself to sleep."
Castiel frowned heavily at that but Gabriel quickly reassured him, "I stopped him before he even had a sip and put him down for the count. Too hard, apparently, because he slept for the next three days straight. I had to shock him awake."
Gabriel paused a moment thoughtfully before musing to himself aloud in remembrance, "Couldn't believe how much of your scent still covered him. Made me think . . ." He trailed off with a shrug, only to add a few minutes later, "You did have him take a shower before he left. Right?"
"Of course," Castiel responded automatically. But Castiel had to know the rest of that earlier sentence because this definitely sounded a lot like the answer that he was searching for so he pried firmly, "It made you think what?"
"Well, that he . . . uh, caught, of course," Gabriel answered easily and cocked his head to the side. "Figured the only way that he could have smelled so strongly of your scent was if he still had some . . . well, you know, some of you, inside him. Honestly still don't understand why you let him top all the time. We are obviously so not related. I mean, you're an angel, for Father's sake, and he's only a human. Plus, based on the other night, he obviously would so enjoy it, catching, I mean . . ."
Castiel had only half paid attention during the rest of Gabriel's rant. Mentally, he thought of the implications of what Gabriel was telling him and how Dean never answered his question about the plug. If what he suspected was true, the baby was definitely his, even if they had been under Trini's influence at the time of conception. He wondered how that would affect their baby's genetics then he remembered the orange ring around their son's eyes when he used his power to through Castiel out of the dream. This could get ugly.
"Uh, Castiel," Gabriel started hesitantly. "Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?"
Castiel stared him directly in the eyes and replied vaguely without any emotion, "I do not know. Why are you?"
Gabriel blinked in surprise at Castiel's evasiveness and demanded point blank, "Um, Cassie, you would tell me if I was going to be an uncle, now wouldn't you?"
Castiel didn't break eye contact as he mentally ran through the implications in his mind, having only now started to do it where it is actually his baby inside of Dean. Their baby, he mused distractedly, almost unable to believe it, before forcing his mind to refocus on the more immediate problem at hand. He had already seen the automatic conclusion that Balthazar had drawn and knew deep down that Michael and Lucifer would do the same. Gabriel, he wasn't sure about but, either way, he couldn't tell him, which he knew was absolutely the completely wrong answer to say aloud in response to the question. He found himself, lying easily, "Of course."
"Uh huh," Gabriel intoned sarcastically, having noticed his little brother's hesitation, so he prodded firmly. "Now why don't I believe you, little brother?" Castiel only stared back at him stoically. "Could it be because you don't know? Or because you are trying to do something very, very stupid, human, and Dean-like? Like attempting to protect me by lying to my face? I warned you that he was a horrible influence on you."
"So is this what has you two snapping at each other like an old married couple? Because, my guess is that Dean is probably doing the exact same thing to you right now. Knowing that and how it made you feel, how it made you run off and seek solace out here in the middle of nowhere, do you still think it's wise to turn that on me, your older brother and an archangel?"
Castiel remained motionless, taking care to not react in any way to the very accurate digs, but it didn't matter because Gabriel was on a roll. He continued ruminatively, "You and I both know that Luci and Mikey won't stand down from this and any possible bond won't help you there, other than to get you out of the box. They will form a united front on this and they both will still come after Dean, the baby and you, and . . . Hell, he's not going to tell them, is he? Cassie? Is Dean planning on telling his family, any of his family, any of this, at all?"
Castiel glared finally then huffed out slowly, "I do not know. I do not know any of it. Not for sure."
"Because he won't answer any of your questions," Gabriel concluded easily then rolled his eyes and demanded firmly, "He really is the dominant in your relationship, isn't he?" Castiel glared balefully at him but Gabriel refused to back down and prodded harshly, "What? It's so freakin' obvious! After all, if you were the dominant one, you would be able to force the answers out of the snarky little sub, correct?"
Castiel growled slightly but then heard his brother, Balthazar, call out in warning for him and he opened his link to Dean, only to be overpowered by the blinding rage inside his mate. He glanced at Gabriel and saw that he heard their brother's warning as well. They both vanished instantly.
- SPN - SPN -
Balthazar appeared in Bobby's kitchen to catch Lucifer's taunting Dean, "Aw, come on, big boy. You know you love it. We all saw it. In fact, it hit YouPorn within hour, thanks to Balthy here. Got so many hits, you crashed the site. In fact, you're the most wanted sub out there right now."
"Hardly," Balthazar argued disdainfully, "I would have to watch it in order to film it and I absolutely refused to do either." He suddenly lifted his head and sniffed faintly before zeroing his focus on Dean.
"Come on, Dean," Lucifer whined in a very loud voice. "I'm bored!"
"Then shut your friggin' cakehole and eat, you stupid overpowered brat," Dean growled through clenched teeth as he sat hunched over the table with both hands below it. He wanted nothing more than to eat in silence but the irritating devil just wouldn't leave well enough alone.
The moment that Bobby or anyone else at the table objected, or tried to shut Lucifer up, they were frozen. He could see their eyes moving but nothing else could. He felt like his head was about to explode from holding in all the anger at Lucifer's incessant teasing. Luckily he managed to get hold of a knife and had already cut one hand to draw a sigil under the table. Unfortunately, before he could finish draw it without giving anything away like looking at what he was drawing, Balthazar flew to his side and touched his shoulder healing him, thereby nixing his only idea to end his torment.
"Stop that," Balthazar warned firmly, not realizing how mad Dean actually was.
Dean pushed back hard and stood up, snapping irately, "Thanks for nothing, asshat." He turned to storm out of the room but he only got a few feet before he was frozen by one of the winged idiots. He felt his body turn against his will to face the two archangels.
Michael pointed out speculatively, "You know, Dean, she isn't the only creature who can make you do things. Even things that you don't want to do." Lucifer let out a laugh as Dean's clothes suddenly disappeared, only to reappear almost instantly.
"Enough," Balthazar warned uneasily as both archangels glared at him. "You both know what will happen if Cassie appears suddenly to find this happening. He's really not the best of moods as it is."
"He's not?" Lucifer questioned with surprise then snarked wickedly, "Well, I guess you're not as good as you looked then, Deano. At least, not in bed, anyways." Then he complained with a sudden whine, "Why can't we look?" Michael shot him a meaningful glare. "Fine," Lucifer huffed sullenly.
The flutter of wings filled the room as both Castiel and Gabriel flew in. Castiel took one look at Dean's stiff figure and commanded harshly, "Let him go."
Michael bargained resentfully, "Now, Castiel, you have forgotten your manners. After all, you didn't say, 'Please.'"
Castiel stilled and stared at him with narrowed eyes before he gritted out harshly, "Please. Let him go." Lucifer smirked mockingly at the scene before him, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Michael smirked smugly then flicked his hand and Dean flew toward the wall. Castiel darted in between the wall and his mate, catching Dean in his arms. Castiel growled menacingly in response to the potential danger to his mate and felt Dean shiver faintly in his arms.
When Dean felt arms stop him from being slammed into the wall, he sighed in relief. His weary body was sore enough as it was. Then his body relaxed as he recognized the scent of the person holding him, knowing that Castiel had save him again. As irritated as he was at constantly being the 'damsel in distress' as of late, he couldn't help but be relieved that as mad as Castiel might be at him, he would still protect him. Which, of course, was their entire problem.
His mate's low warning growl sparked something that all of Lucifer's graphic taunts had not. He felt his blood begin to warm faintly in response. The resulting shiver of anticipation was a purely instinctual response.
He glanced back over his shoulder at Castiel's face and their eyes met. He felt some underlying anger inside his angel but the deep blue eyes were only filled with concern at the moment. He gave a slight smirk then his stomach growled noisily.
"You have not eaten yet," Castiel observed quietly with a frown. "Why?"
"You have to ask?" Dean demanded incredulously.
"Oh, my Father," Gabriel exclaimed with delight in the background. "I can't believe you two eloped. What will Father say?" Gabriel tsked playfully at them then rolled his eyes and commented ruefully, "There's another wedding gift that I have to buy."
"Another one?" Bobby questioned dubiously, surprising Dean who last remembered Lucifer silencing and pining everyone to their chairs for the show. Either Lucifer released his hold or Gabriel made him. It didn't matter to Dean which one of those two happened as long as this was the end result and now everyone was free, and scarred for life. Probably.
"Wait," Sam argued cautiously, "Those two got married?" He verified incredulously. "Michael and Lucifer? Seriously?"
"Yeppers," Gabriel answered with a huge smile. "Can see the bright, glowing bands and everything. Just so I don't do anything incorrect, which of you is the blushing bride? 'Cuz this can definitely get confusing. Not that I'm kissing either of your mugs, like ever..."
"Where is it written that there has to be a bride?" Lucifer countered disdainfully.
"Luci, it is," Gabriel concluded automatically with irritating cheerfulness. "Fitting considering you were bottoming last time I checked. Oh, yeah, and Luci is such a girl's name. You even sulk like a girl. Bet you would put all those Bridezillas to shame . . . so it's probably best that you did elope." Lucifer growled at Gabriel's taunt and charged the archangel, only to be stopped abruptly.
"Take it outside, you idjits," Bobby snarled angrily from the table. "You've destroyed enough of my house as it is."
"Let go, Mikey," Lucifer hissed irately, fighting the power hold him.
"Well, one, I'm not the only one holding you, Luce," Michael commented logically. "And, two, don't you think it would be more productive to finish what we came here to do? That way we can all go back to our own lives."
Lucifer turned to glare at Michael but he couldn't dispute the logic in his older brother's statement. He huffed sullenly, "Fine. Have it your way, just like you always do. It's always Michael, Michael, Michael . . ."
"Oh, shut up!" Rang out in a chorus from Dean, Balthazar, Gabriel and, of course, Michael.
Lucifer glared at the room at large and crossed his arms huffily then went on to mutter loudly under his breath, "I am so breaking this crap as soon as we done here. Figures you would use the opportunity to cheat so that things are in your favor. Again."
Michael smirked smugly and taunted cockily, "Yeah, right. Like I'd let you out of my sight long enough for to pull that off. Should have done this eons ago and saved us all the nauseating migraines." Lucifer just continued to decimate Michael with his completely pissed off gaze.
"Okay, Kim Kardashian Mikey's not," Dean muttered wryly to Castiel who, of course, didn't get it but Balthazar and Gabriel let out a short shout of laughter.
"Maybe not, but Luci's definitely Kris," Gabriel rejoined quickly.
Dean couldn't help a smile at the truth of that statement and allowed a brief, "Touche."
"If you two are through wasting our time," Bobby grumbled irritably from his spot at the table. "Then maybe you could tell me if all the crap from the past few days were worth it. Did we get anything accomplished besides the speed JayDating?"
"Okay," Dean drawled out then wondered uneasily, "How do you know about JayDate?"
"Ooooh, I'm so calling Crowley," Lucifer squeed enthusiastically, pulling out his cell phone and punching in his speed dial.
"Knock it off, Butthead," Bobby growled menacingly.
Lucifer stamped his foot in a huff and insisted demandingly, "I told you already! I'm Beavis. Mikey's Butthead."
They all rolled their eyes at him then proceeded to ignore him when Michael asked Gabriel, "Did Asmo call the creature what I think he did?"
Gabriel nodded and recounted, "Yeah. He called her, Trini, but we don't know for sure that it's short for Trinity."
"Oh, please," Lucifer dismissed with a wave. "We all know that's just a . . . fairy tale," he snickered then shook his head. "A fable . . . no, no . . . a myth without the mister." Castiel and the other angels rolled their eyes at their ADD brother who thought he was, oh, so funny.
Castiel glanced down at Dean who still stood in his arms then he heard Dean's stomach growl angrily again. He let his arms fall away abruptly and ordered Dean quietly, "Go eat, Dean."
Dean felt the sudden bereft when Castiel's arms fell away. He also felt his mate draw away from him emotionally. He sensed it both through their bond and physically and it hurt him just as bad both ways. His eyes burned at the seeming abruptness of it all, and then remembered that this was the way it was supposed to be. He drew in a deep, steadying breath and willed his eyes to dry up as he moved toward the table automatically. All the while, he repeated to himself that it was for the best, wishing desperately that he could make himself fully believe it. Dean sat down and ate mechanically while he listened to the conversation around him, unable to do much else at this point.
Castiel noticed the change in Dean's demeanor instantly and sensed his upset through their bond, which reinforced what he already suspected. He had to figure out how to handle this based on all the new information he had because he sure wasn't going to allow Dean to make the decisions if this, and Dean's dream, was any indication of their future. At the same time, he kept his attention riveted to the conversation at hand, after making sure that his mate started eating.
"Okay," Gabriel drawled out slowly then suggested sarcastically, "since our, oh, so not 'Beautiful Mind' brother has gone off 'Good Will Hunting', and who thought I'd ever be saying that about Luce . . . Mikey, are you suggesting that Trini is . . .?"
"The myth, yes," Michael answered confidently.
"But it was a myth," Balthazar argued irritably. "Which means it didn't happen."
"We do not know that," Castiel added, entering the argument. "As far as I know, no one ever questioned Him, did they? Anyone?"
Gabriel scoffed humorlessly, "Sh, yeah, right. And how were we supposed to do that? Hey, Dad, heard . . ."
"That's not the point," Michael argued defensively.
"It is so the point," Gabriel countered hotly. "And you're the one who brought it up so, if you wanted to keep your rose colored blinders on, you should have."
"What the hell point are you talking about?" Sam snapped irritably, not at all following the conversation. Both archs stared at him with irritated surprise, like they forgot that they had an audience.
"Sam's right," Bobby agreed solemnly. "We are all in this together for the moment and I, for one, don't like being left out of the loop on the creature that is after us."
"It's not like it matters," Lucifer commented airily from the side of the table by Dean where he picked at the food on Dean's plate, causing Dean to once again stop eating.
Castiel growled threateningly and took a step forward before he bit out tightly, "Michael. Control. Your. Bitch. Or. I. Will."
Dean's eyes grew huge at the sudden vicious threat snarled out from his mate and, damn, if he wasn't instantly aroused both over the protectiveness and total dominance of his mate. He wasn't fully aroused but his jeans had definitely tightened in the groin area. He closed his eyes and tried calm himself down. Unfortunately, he realized that he was either still slightly infected or really hormonal right now. Or, worse, both.
"Lucifer," Michael commanded with a reluctant sigh, not liking that Castiel had snapped at him that way but, at the same time, seeing his point. Lucifer glared at them both then brushed by Dean, deliberately pushing him into the table as he left the area.
Dean clenched his fists to keep from turning and breaking his hand on the Devil's face. He closed his eyes slightly, to control the pain from the aches in his body that had been set off from the movement. His eyes flew open at the sudden crash through the window, and smirked slightly at Castiel, who was glaring at the man sized hole in the kitchen window.
Bobby opened his mouth to gripe, only to see the window remade before he could voice his complaint. He shrugged then refocused on Gabriel and questioned clinically, "What myth are we talking about here?"
Lucifer reappeared and growled menacingly, "Dean, control your . . ." He paused briefly before smiling widely and taunting knowingly, "Oh, that's right. You're the b . . . ack!" Lucifer squawked in surprise as he flew back again but stopped just shy of the window this time.
"Castiel," Michael cautioned with some amusement. "I will take care of him, if you quit tossing him out the window."
"Very well," Castiel acknowledged firmly before adding the firm warning, "Then control him." Castiel released his hold on the impudent archangel then turned back to the conversation, ignoring Dean's thankful look which was quickly followed by a slight pout.
Gabriel's brow furrowed slightly over the body language being displayed by the two couples in the room. Neither couple showed much promise but that would have to wait as he answered Bobby, "I'm not sure that it matters."
"What do you mean by that?" Bobby growled irately.
"What he means," Lucifer piped in to alleviate his boredom now that he couldn't torment Dean, "is that none of this is can be found anywhere because it happened before your time, before the dinos and oil, before Hell, before Purgatory and Leviathans even. Man, talk about pansies. Those suckers were so easy to kill back in the day. All you had to do was . . ." He trailed off when he saw Dean flinch at that name and wondered why. As far as he knew, no humans knew about the Leviathans so why was the little hairless ape flinching? This could be another way to get at him.
"Luce!" Michael snapped then redirected, "Focus."
Gabriel shook his head then redirected abruptly, "Anyhoo, the rumor was that Dad was bored one day and decided to actually take Oberon . . ."
"Oberon," Dean verified intently after his head snapped up abruptly at the name. "As in king of the Fairies, Oberon."
"Yep, that's the one," Gabriel answered uneasily at the sudden reaction
"Oooo . . . Somebody's been marked," Lucifer taunted mockingly, causing Dean another slight flinch before Dean gave him a stone cold stare. "So . . . you've been the bitch . . . ack." Lucifer flew out the window again which was immediately remade and Gabriel busted out laughing while Sam snicker slightly.
"Father," Balthazar prayed slightly but with obvious amusement over his brothers' interactions. "I need a good drink . . . make that the whole bottle." Gabriel snapped his fingers and Balthazar thanked him then proceeded to pour everyone who wanted one a drink.
Gabriel eyed Dean warily, wondering how that marking might have affect or been affected by all of Trini's venom, but continued easily, "So Dad took Oberon up on an invitation to game night with a few other more powerful . . . beings. It's pretty vague on what all happened there but there apparently was some festive drinking or something and soon wagers were being placed on various things . . ."
"Long story shortened," Michael interrupted briskly. "There was a competition of creatures that could be made. The first of many. Where did you think the platypus came from?"
He paused then commented aloud, "Where's Luce? Oh, crap." Michael disappeared instantly.
"During that first one," Gabriel continued unaffected, "one of the creatures made was a combination of three different . . . powers, if you will. Because it was made of the three, it was called Trinity."
"Which three?" Sam questioned tersely.
"Fairy," Dean guessed accurately. "Right?"
"Yes," Gabriel allowed then added, "And angelic."
"And the last one?" Bobby prodded again.
"That's the problem," Balthazar commented dryly. "We are not sure. We think it was pagan in origin but mutated somehow."
"No," Dean argued solemnly. "She told me that Eve was her mother so that would be the third part." All eyes turned toward him in surprise.
"Anything else?" Castiel prodded slightly. Dean gave him a meaningful look which reminded Castiel of her bargain for the baby. Castiel stiffened and his countenance darkened in memory of both his idiotic, initial reaction and how it feels now that it is his. Yeah, Dean was totally right to get so mad at him for it.
Dean answered thoughtfully, "Nothing that would help in anything but summoning her again which I will not ever be around for again."
"Aw, come on, Deano," Lucifer taunted mockingly as he reappeared with Michael. Michael wore a scowl on his face but, otherwise, seemed unaffected until Lucifer continued, "We so will be set up for it . . ." Michael glared and Lucifer voice disappeared, even though his mouth kept moving.
Castiel tensed, prepared to silence Lucifer again, and then relaxed when Michael actually shut Lucifer up himself. He turned back to Dean and saw his mate's flushed face then sighed heavily. He wished he could wipe that particular memory out of everyone present's memory. No one should have that memory, except him. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible.
"Uh . . . are . . . are we planning on summoning her again?" Sam asked hesitantly, not anxious to repeat that either.
Bobby made a face and admitted reluctantly, "I really, really hope not. I'm all out of brain bleach."
Dean glanced at Castiel who only met his gaze for the briefest of seconds before looking away quickly. He sighed heavily then stated firmly, "I got no reason to see the bitch again, at least, until we learn how to gank her."
"Don't we still need to figure out to fix you?" Bobby questioned harshly.
"What do you mean, 'fix' me?" Dean snapped irately. "I'm fine."
"Yeah, for a fa -," Lucifer started snarkily, only to be cut off by Michael again.
"You're pregnant, Dean," Sam stated harshly. "You are a human male and you are pregnant. That baby inside you is sucking your soul and life away. It was most likely implanted by that thing which makes it a thing. Don't you think you should give it back to her? Or I don't know, maybe . . . get rid of it? Before it kills you."
Luckily, Dean had stopped eating by then and only glared at his brother. He mentally checked Sam off the 'need-to-know' list, not that he had actually put Sam on it. Castiel had been it for a little while but now . . .
He really tried not to let it bother him that Castiel was falling in line with his plan, especially now that Sam was falling in line as well. With Sam out of it, Castiel distant, all that left was Bobby and Missouri who had been observing everything from a distance. Then as if thinking about her had called out to her, she turned and pinned him with a combined irritated and disgusted look. It was as if she knew exactly what he was plotting and didn't approve of it one bit. Luckily, though, she kept whatever it was she was thinking quiet.
"Yes," Balthazar agreed quickly with Sam. "Of course, Dean. Why don't you just kill it? It sounds like it's so easy."
"Yeah, right," Lucifer snarked disgustedly. "Like he doesn't know about the little monster's force field.
"Force field?" Sam repeated with confused dread. "What force field?"
Gabriel eyed Sam angrily and with a hint of disgust while he explained stiffly, "The force field that destroyed the table when Dean was attacked during the summoning. The same one that probably threw him through the wall of that dive and into the arms of the lake nymph a few months ago."
"The one that threw you across my study when you charged at him the other day, I'm guessing," Bobby added with reservations.
"Did you know about this?" Sam demanded hotly, trying to see the truth passed his brother's shocked face.
Dean stuttered slightly, dazed by this knowledge but he knew that it made sense on some level, "I . . . uh . . . she . . . she said that . . . that I broke the, um, circle. Freed her but it . . . I . . . aw, hell." He finished, pushed his plate away and laid his head down on the table. He so needed much more sleep than he'd been getting before he dealt with any of this crap.
With a very full stomach, his weariness became more pronounced while his body shut down slightly to digest all the food in his belly. His baby kicked him then fluttered around, apparently energized by the added energy the food gave it. He smiled softly, safe with the knowledge that no one could see him do it.
"Oh, my," Lucifer tsked with fake concern. "He's broken again. You sure you want to keep him, Castiel. Seems awfully delicate and apparently isn't that good, either, from your mood earlier."
Castiel sent him a smoldering glare before turning concerned eyes to his overwhelmed mate. He stated firmly, "He needs sleep as he was given three times the venom we were. I also see no sense in summoning the creature at this time. We do need more information on this subject before we encounter her again."
"What about the other side effects?" Bobby prodded. "Like the visions?"
Dean popped his head up briefly to look at Bobby and related unsatisfactorily, "She seemed surprised over it. Said she didn't see that happening but it was interesting to her. Admitted that she probably should have known, or something like that. Also . . ." He trailed off, trying to remember what else she had said in that regard.
"Also what, Dean?" Sam pried insistently.
Dean glanced at him then quickly returned his eyes to Bobby, not really wanting to look at Sam right now, and answered vaguely, "She mentioned that 'they' had told her about me and that they were right. She never said who 'they' were, though."
"So what?" Gabriel questioned curiously. "You think it was a hit and not her?"
"Oh, no," Dean argued firmly. "It was definitely her. Said she owed me, and Cass, for what happened to Eve. But she also implied . . ."
"That others are in on it," Gabriel quickly finished, catching on to the situation. He shook his head wryly and commented earnestly, "I have to hand it to you, Deano. You definitely have a way with people." Dean rolled his eyes slightly before he laid his head back down to rest.
"What visions?" Michael wondered curiously. He turned to Lucifer and demanded, "Have you had any visions?"
"No," Lucifer answered easily, "they are just drama queens. Or channeling the Ghost Whisperer, or something. Oooh, oooh, I know. We're in Final Destination so Cassie and Dean are next! We're safe, though. Awesome! Where's the popcorn?"
Dean popped his head up and muttered, "You really are an idiot, aren't you?"
"At least, it's not My Bloody Valentine," Lucifer taunted back snidely. "Wouldn't be caught alive, or dead, in that glorified gory, porn fest."
"Death by pick axe is always gory," Dean countered easily then winced uncomfortably at one of the baby's movements. He felt insistent pressure build and stood up quickly then headed to the bathroom. He had a feeling that this was only the beginning.
"Dean," Castiel called out in warning.
"Just taking a leak. Don't panic, Mother," Dean snarked back irritably, knowing he'd received a glare for the snark but he didn't care.
Sam stood then followed his brother into the other room while Lucifer and Michael soaked up the pain emanating from Dean and Castiel like it was candy. They smirked slightly and did their own little happy dances inside their brains. Their eyes met in a silent high five moment.
"Honestly, Cassie," Balthazar prodded incredulously. "How do you put up with that hairless ape? He cannot be that good."
Gabriel cringed, expecting a comment like the last time they'd had this conversation. He stared at Castiel who only stared back at the room in general in his normal, old school, soldier expression. Gabriel frowned with worry over the blatant difference in the two episodes. Unfortunately, whatever the hell Dean had done, he had done it a little too well this time.
- SPN - SPN -
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review and let me know what you think.