(Note, Castiel doesn't have angel powers, thus he could not get Adam from Heaven's grasp, thus Zachariah is still alive. Thus episode 5.18 basically didn't happen with Team Free Will in it.)
(5.17, Hammer Of The Gods, after everyone escaped the Elysian Fields Hotel)
Kali got off at the first gas station stop. Like the deity she was, she was off, gone in a poof of fire and smoke. Dean was out of the Impala first, cursing at the Hindu Goddess for doing it in the Impala and the smoke drove everyone out of the car.
"Damn it, she could have at least gotten out first," Dean muttered, checking the back seat for scorch marks as Nemamiah and Castiel were watching him. All of the doors were open, airing out the Impala interior while it was dark out and the only light they had was a street light that flickered. Sam was less worried about the Impala. Sam's mind was focused on the last few moments of Gabriel ushering everyone out of the building; his angel blade out and pointed at Lucifer. They hadn't driven far; maybe 5 or 10 minutes before Kali got discontent with being escorted. Then Dean told her if she didn't like it she could leave. So, it was partly Dean's fault for giving the goddess of destruction a reason to get fired up.
"Everything alright?" Castiel asked finally and Dean stood up, leaning an arm against the door.
"Yeah," Dean said and Nemamiah gave a brief cough to clear the smoke she'd inhaled. It hadn't been pleasant for anyone. "Hey squirt, you alright?"
"Yeah, Dad," she confirmed and Sam finally gave into checking his phone. How long could a battle between two archangels last? Sam always thought there would be gigantic blasts off in the distance, so the silence really bothered him. Gabriel would have called him if the fight had gone well. If Lucifer had been defeated, it would be cause for celebration. Apocalypse averted.
But when was anything that simple part of Sam and Dean's life?
"We should keep going," Dean suggested finally, looking at Sam, who was leaning against the car hood. "Put some distance between us and Lucifer." Sam looked up, passing his phone between his hands.
"Maybe we should go back and check?" Sam said. Dean and Castiel both gave him wide eyed 'Do you have a death wish?' look in their eyes. It was very similar and it may have been funny if Sam wasn't feeling so grave. Sam had a bad feeling in his gut, and it had started since Gabriel last made eye contact with him, making sure he was out with Dean and Kali.
"You want to GO BACK to where Lucifer was last seen?" Dean asked incredulously. "Should I remind you that Gabriel helped us get the hell out of there?"
"Gabriel still being there is the part that bothers me," Sam said and Dean sighed.
"Look, we'll give it til morning and then if we don't hear from him, we'll watch his... movie." Dean looked at the DVD that sat on the front seat. The one that read Casa Erotica. Sam fiddled with his phone again but nodded. He could call Gabriel's cell on the road, maybe find out if Gabriel decided to hide again.
Everyone piled in and Nemamiah was growing sleepy in the back. They hadn't exactly had time to sleep at the Hotel and it was nearly 2am. Little nephilim needed a lot of shut eye. Castiel wrapped an arm around her so she could have a comfortable position leaning against him and Dean drove. Sam sat shotgun again and opened his phone as they pulled back out onto the road.
Sam tried Gabriel's number and felt the heat drain out of him when he got the automated teller telling him his number was no longer in service. Dean gave him a sympathetic look that said that Dean was assuming the worst and Sam didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think of a possibility where Lucifer won and Gabriel lost.
"He might have it off," Sam said meekly. "For hiding or can't answer..." Maybe it was just easier to think of Gabriel running away from the fight, like Gabriel had run away from Heaven and his brothers before. The archangel was just such a good actor. He'd hidden for millenia from Heaven in a witness protection. Hid himself and created a new identity with a whole mythology gathered behind it. Gabriel was a trickster at heart after all.
"How about you call Bobby and tell him about our close encounter with the Devil?" Dean suggested. Sam nodded grimly and dialed Bobby's number. It took a few rings, but Bobby picked up.
"Hey Bobby," Sam greeted. "Sorry if I woke you."
"Well ya weren't the first one tonight." Bobby's rough voice was not as tired as Sam expected. "Something just crash landed upstairs and I've been having a hell of a time trying to find out what it is." Sam frowned, not sure exactly what had happened.
"What do you mean crash landed?" Sam asked slowly, gaining curious looks from around the car.
"I mean something sounded like it crashed through a wall a few minutes ago and it's been eerie quiet ever since." Bobby there was a pause before he grumbled, "And I might... need some assistance checking it out."
"Nothing's come down?" Sam asked and Dean was already making the turns for Bobby's direction, taking the nearly vacant highway towards South Dakota. It wasn't like Bobby could just run upstairs and check, and the older hunter sounded agitated for it.
"Nothin's moved." Bobby sounded weary. "And I ain't gonna get any sleep til I know what it is."
Sam nodded. "We're on our way. Maybe 5 hours away."
"4 if there are no cops," Dean put in.
"Keep us updated," Sam continued.
"Gonna be a long damn night," Bobby said.
"Yeah, it is." Sam sighed and they said brief good-byes.
Nemamiah was sleeping and so was Sam by the time hey arrived at Bobby's. Dean nudged Sam's shoulder and Sam groaned, shaking his head to wake himself better. Castiel was on the verge of nodding off but shook his head awake. Morning sun lit up the lot and Castiel slid out of the car after the Winchester brothers did.
"You're not gonna stay with Miah?" Dean whispered a hushed breath over the car hood to Castiel and Castiel shook his head.
"She's still sleeping and you're not leaving me at the car while you go hunt something," Castiel reasoned.
"It might not even be something," Dean whisper-argued and Sam rubbed his eyes, shutting his door quietly and heading up to Bobby's porch, where Bobby had his shotgun and bullets. Bobby had been extra cautious about ammo since the horde of zombies broke into his house.
"Nothing's moved?" Sam asked while Dean and Castiel were discussing whether or not in was dangerous enough for 2 or 3 able bodied hunters to go check it out.
"No, and I'd rather it come down and fight than take up residence," Bobby told him and Sam took up one of Bobby's spare shotguns.
Sam looked back to the arguing couple and he could feel how long of a night it had been. Nearly getting killed by a bunch of angry demi-gods. Nearly getting caught by Lucifer. If Dean hadn't had quick thinking, they wouldn't have gotten everyone out, including Castiel and Nemamiah. And then Gabriel barged in to save the day... Sam had been hoping Gabriel would contact him, but there had been nothing and Sam really didn't want to see what was on that DVD.
"I got it, guys," Sam told them both and Dean and Castiel looked at him. "If it was something vicious, it would have come after Bobby already. Might be nothing." Sam headed inside, but his senses were still peeled as though they were hunting a spirit. He walked up the stairs as quietly as possible, knowingly stepping over the stairs that creaked the most. He first checked the hall, finding nothing out of the ordinary, but once he checked the spare bedroom, Sam mouth opened in surprise.
First of all, there was a great big gaping hole in the ceiling and roof debris decorated the floor. The cot had collapsed under the amount of force and junk from the attic had fallen in with the crash. There was a lamp half fallen in from the attic but caught by its cord on something. Second, in the middle of the mess was Gabriel. He was the stillest that Sam had ever seen him. Sam had never seen Gabriel sleep, or even pretend to sleep. Gabriel was movement, always doing something, even when it was as simple as breathing. But now he just lay on his back, half sprawled in the mess.
"Shit..." Sam muttered and put the gun aside. He cleared some of the sharper splintering wood away as he moved closer and he checked for vitals. He took Gabriel's wrist in his hand and held his breath. He sighed in relief when he got a slow pulse. Gabriel was covered in dust and house bits and Sam dusted off his face and leaned over him. "Gabriel, come on. Sleep time is over." Gabriel didn't react though. Sam's heart raced and thought back to when Castiel had zapped himself back from the past. Castiel had gone into some sort of comatose state and hadn't woken up for a good 15 hours. Dean had been silently freaking out during that time; Especially since Castiel had still been in severance. But Castiel woke up almost as quickly as he'd passed out. Not like now, where Castiel was sleeping and had grown to enjoy coffee runs with Dean.
Sam took a deep breath, told himself that Gabriel too might have an angel comatose state to go into when he's nearly out of grace. Sam did a quick check for injuries and found one. There was a hole in Gabriel's shirt by his heart. It surprised Sam to find it was glowing the type of light that Anna's grace had. It wasn't exactly bleeding. It was surprisingly bright, like the moon decided to shine as bright as the sun. Sam took up a towel and laid it over the wound and brushed away a bunch of the debris. He then scooped up Gabriel under his knees and shoulders. Gabriel was dead weight but Sam managed and Bobby's bed was the only vacant spot that came to mind. Sam laid the archangel there, hoping that Gabriel would wake up soon.
"Any luck up there?" Dean spoke loud enough for Sam to hear him from the bottom of the stairs and Sam cleared his throat, staring at Gabriel without even realizing it.
"It... it's Gabriel," Sam managed and there were a few thumping steps closer and Dean popped into the bedroom with Sam.
Dean took one look at Gabriel and said, "Looks like he got ran over with a Lucifer sized truck."
"Yeah." Sam sat on the edge of the bed, staring and trying to stay in a state of clinical mind. Because all the What ifs were starting to edge in as soon as he determined all he could do was wait. What if Gabriel didn't wake up? What if Gabriel's heart gave out? Or grace gave out; how ever it worked. What if Gabriel was mortally wounded and he had to watch him die? "His heart beat is stable." Dean nodded sympathetically.
"Yeah... but why's he here?" Dean asked. Sam shrugged.
"I... don't know." Sam admitted helplessly. "He'll have to tell us when he wakes up." 'When' was a hope word, because Sam really didn't want to say the alternative. Dean was quiet a moment and Gabriel didn't even stir. He was still covered in dirt and Sam started brushing it away with his hand.
"Well, Bobby won't be happy harboring him." Dean shrugged and then thumbed out the door. "I'm going to let them know what's happening."
"Okay. I'm going to stay here." Sam nodded, and as an after thought looked to Dean. "The guest room... I don't think Bobby will like what Gabe did." Dean looked confused and exited the room to go check on 'what Gabe did'.
"Holy shit." Dean could be heard from the room Sam was in and that had Bobby asking what the hell was going on. Sam breathed a quiet laugh and looked back to Gabriel. He brushed off the dust from Gabriel's lips and gave him a soft kiss.
"You better wake up." Sam told him, feeling his eyes get wet. "I can't lose you again."
