Je cours - Kyo

(I run)

Dean shut the phone and turned to his brother, fresh out of shower, hair still dripping, a towel in hand.

_ How did I teach you Sammy. The right order is to dry your head before you put the shirt on. You catch a cold, don't count on me to make you spiced soup.

Sam smiled warmly at the admonition; he knew Dean would grumble all the way but do it anyway. They both knew.

_ It was Bobby?

Dean nodded and put the phone back in his jacket pocket. Then summarized his conversation with the old man: Bobby had somehow managed to get together a team of Hunters and some of Dean's geeks to raid the labs working for Pestilence. The plan was to go stealth: the Hunters first to make sure there were no creatures / demons in the building and get the civilians out of the way. Then the geeks would find and destroy everything that needed to be, material and data.

_ Good plan." Sam approved. "Do we know the Hunters he picked?

_ Himself and Rufus of course, and a few guys he knows, Garth and Wilkins.

Dean threw the names with a "don't ask I don't know them" pout.

Sam nodded. The main point was the Croat was being dealt with, by people they could trust. So they could focus on getting Gabriel back.

_ You said you had an idea to find Michael? One a bit less desperate than go through the veil, bully our way into Heaven and make a nuisance of ourselves until he comes out?

Sam would have to trade carefully; he didn't exactly want Dean to ask him about his own plans. Dean smirked at his lame attempt at humor. That was the point.

_ Not by far. And it mostly depends on how bad is Cass' mojo. Or if we can get a hold on Balthazar.

Sam made a face.

_ Yeah, highly unlikely." Dean scoffed. He fussed a bit, organizing his thoughts, offered Sam a drink then went to sit down next to him.

Sam was more than happy to wait for his brother to get ready. They would go nowhere anytime soon; resurrection, plus sex-exertion did a number on Jo. It was about eleven and she was still out cold. Dean had been worried at first, but her vitals were good and she did respond when probed. She was simply not waking up yet.

So Dean went to fetch them food and Sam payed for one more night at the motel. Then they decided to step outside to phone and talk, let Jo rest in quiet.

_ It really is barely less reckless than your idea, but... you know Cass got me back in time once. It was supposed to be to prevent mom from making that deal. And I still wonder if it wasn't what triggered the whole thing.

Sam doubted Dean wanted to go back to try and fix that. After all, the point had been that nothing could change the past. He had no idea where his brother was going.

_ Just before dying, Alistair said something. He said dad was supposed to be the one to topple the first domino. They grabbed me because he fled before that.

_ So you think dad was also Michael's original vessel?

_ Not sure. Maybe not 'The One', but probably one suitable enough to hold for a little while at least. It just has to last enough for us to convince Douche n°1.

_ So you want to go back to a time when he was still around and..." Sam was still a bit at loss there.

_ Go back when him and mom were still there and we weren't. So... either we kill them and we were never born to wake up this whole mess...

_ Or Michael will show up to prevent it from happening." Sam finished darkly.

_ It's a win-win. Somehow." Dean concluded gloomily.

It was almost a suicide mission. Sam was ok with it. If it meant Jess would live, Pastor Jim, Caleb, and so many others would live in a world free of demons. Ash and the Roadhouse would still stand. Gabriel wouldn't have been stabbed to death by his brother.

_ It will be worth it." Sam whispered softly. Gabriel would still be lonely and bitter; Lucifer would still be trapped in the cage and might never have a chance of redemption. But, he meant it.

_ It will be worth it." he said again, this time with all the conviction he felt, looking straight at his brother. He knew now why Dean had been stalling: he was feeling bad that he was basically asking his little brother, whom he had made his one job to protect, to die for the cause. More: to accept never being born.

Except for the fact that Sam was already almost as good as dead. Not that he would let Dean know. Or let Dean die.

_ Sleip' take Father and go!" Fenrir growled darkly, menacing.

The woods were never ending down there; spreading in every direction onto soft slopes. If there were some lakes, or rivers that weren't small streams of water barely good enough to squash the thirst of a family of bears, somewhere; they had yet to cross one.

Gabriel wanted to stay, to fight back. He was barely able to stand. And two Leviathans were closing on them.

_ Dad', we need to get going." Jynx urged him, taking his arm and all but hauling him toward the tall horse waiting nervously for them.

Their little campground was smashed down, the few belongings they had, scattered away in their rush: few of them readying to battle, the others to flee. It had already happened a few times before, and every single one, a little less of the already few of Gabriel's children who sided to help and protect him came back alive from their encounter with the Leviathans.

And Gabriel could only shudder at what it meant to loose against the beasts: eternal suffering, digested forever by the vilest Things out of Universe. Well, not exactly eternal, but so long that even for some hundreds years old beings, it would feel like several lifetimes. He wouldn't wish it for anyone. It was breaking his heart to let his own children risk, and suffer that.

Jynx climbed onto Sleipnir's broad back behind Gabriel just in time to catch him before he slipped down. Their last encounter with a bunch of vampires gunning for Eve, and pissed at the ruckus an Angel's presence brought into the usually peaceful place, had worsen Gabriel's wound. Try to use his grace to fend off the buggers and heal his children in his already poor state truly hadn't been his brightest idea.

Sleipnir took off as deep, angry growls came out Fenrir and Vali's throats. Soon Gabriel could feel his heart get torn hearing the wails and barks of his kids fighting the Leviathans.

The tall horse he had mothered was fast. It didn't take long before they were so far he couldn't hear anything beside the ruffle of leaves and the stomping of his son's hooves against the hard soil.

I should have never let Odin take you. You're far too good a mount for a brute like him.

The tall horse was almost literally flying above ground, smooth and swift. Despite Gabriel's state and Jynx's tired arms, he was careful not to jolt his charge. Gabriel leaned forward on his neck, warm, smelling of long lost frosted grassland. Sleipnir chuckled in his head.

I do have to admit he was a terrible rider. With all his armor pieces and heavy weaponry, having him on my back was quite painful. But having him on his back was quite pleasant.

Gabriel spluttered in surprise; he sure hadn't seen that coming. His son and Odin? They did keep that pretty shushed. On the other hand, it was understandable; Freya was quite frightening, and possessive.

How is he now?

_ I haven't seen that old geezer in a century. Last time I heard of him, he was good. For a Pagan God with little to none followers by now. They are... desperate and angry. Probably even more so since Luci came back from Hell. They changed, direly.

I can sense your sorrow. If it's as bad as you make it sound, I am grateful I found this place before turning like them.

Gabriel had no idea what to answer to that. So he didn't and, instead, started worrying for the two boys they left behind, fighting to death a fight that could have been avoided had he man up, grown up, sooner.

Way sooner.

_ Sam please.

Sam had promised. Gabriel just wished he would remember soon.

They were about four hours away from the campground they fled in a hurry when Sleipnir made a jolting stop. A veiled figure was standing before them, Gabriel's two lupine sons by their side.

The angel could feel his daughter inhale sharply as she murmured the name of the newcomer: Mithra. And indeed it was the God (Goddess? there had always been some uncertainties about that) of Mysteries and Secrets standing before them.

_ I didn't know you were down there too. And surprised that someone got to get a shot at you." Jynx added loudly this time.

_ No one did, I came down there on my own when I found out that you were still alive.

Mithra's ambiguous voice was low and equal. They were softly petting the two, surprisingly compliant, wolves' enormous heads. Jynx had been the one to talk first, but the enigmatic God(ess?) was addressing directly to Gabriel.

_ How?" Gabriel wasn't entirely sure 'how what', there were so many: how did they know about Gabriel being murdered? How did they know it didn't take? How did a Pagan who hardly mitigated with its peers felt concerned enough to kill themselves to access him?

So he kept it at this and let Mithra choose which one they would answer.

_ Earth itself wept at your demise Archangel Gabriel. I had to see this for myself. So I followed the lead. When I came to that cave, there was only one straggler still there. They flew off as soon as they saw me. It took me more time than I care to admit before I finally made out its pattern, catch the little brat and squeeze its secrets out of it." The slightest hint of annoyance colored its voice there. "Cheeky blond. Apparently you know them.

_ Wild guess: Balthazar?" Gabriel falsely mused, his brain turning wild to find the last 'how's answer.

_ I did not come to seek revenge on you, but to help." The Pagan eventually took their hands out of its two guardian's rough fur and their veils off, layer after layer, unwrapping layers of deflection and deception at the same time. Until they fell on the dirt.

This time it was Gabriel who gasped.

_ Ende...

_ Hello Mother. It's been a while.

It was somewhere around noon. But noon in February in the middle North wasn't very warm. And they had been outside for a while now.

Sam was coming back with two Styrofoam cup of hot coffee when Dean flipped his phone shut. Castiel said he would arrive as soon as he got grab of Meg. She was doing the flying. It was a bit slower than angel's transportation but would help him save him strength.

Well... slower... like the difference between a one second flight and a two second flight.

_ Hello Dean." Castiel said, despite having had Dean on the phone seconds ago.

_ Re-hello Cass. You're blond now Meg?" Dean deadpanned, the sarcasm flying high above the angel's vessel's head.

_ You like it?" The demon female preened a bit.

_ Cass. Meg. So nice of you to swing by." Sam stepped in, since no one greeted him.

Meg made a flirty comment, Castiel tiled his head. Clueless as ever. Sam refrained to shake his head only because he related to the angel being so bent in keeping Dean as safe as possible.

Dean did give him a sharp look; Sam shrugged and urged his brother to move forward. So he did, explaining their, his, suicidal idea to his guardian angel. Sam barely paid attention to it, he already knew the plan, the angel's reservations about it (they were the same as his after all) and that he would eventually give in regardless.

Castiel was attuned to Dean's emotions and needs. He would cave in everything Dean would pull, not matter his thoughts on the matter. Not that he wouldn't try to bend his bossy brother's will, nor voice his concerns. Eventually, Castiel would always cave in.

That's what a guardian angel was. And the reason why there were so few: if their human was being unreasonable, there was not much to stop them. Especially when they had Winchester's stubbornness.

_ I can't assure you how far I will be able to bring us. If we end up after the 2nd of November 1983, it will be a 'wet shot' as I believe you put it.

Dean smiled, then pat Cass' shoulder, almost there.

Wasn't too inspired last week.

Got more this one.

Enjoy.