Chapter Nine

Gabriel was confused.

In the past few days, he'd been feeling flares of Lucifer's grace, or at least something similar to Lucifer's grace.

It was colder than his brothers, younger and more potent that anything he'd ever felt baring his Father's power, but fearful. It had led to him checking the Cage to make sure Lucifer was still there, which is what he was doing.

Lucifer was there, still behind bars, but his lips were curled into a soft smile, crimson eyes glowing in the darkness. His voice, still the most beautiful Gabriel had ever heard, echoed in the air around them as he sang.

He knows I am Lost

My world is long gone

So very long gone

He paused and leaned forward.

"Can you feel it?" He rumbled and Gabriel swallowed.

"What have you done, Lucifer?"

His elder brother smirked, pale lips curling in amusement.

"Not me. Even I am not that powerful. All the same, it's beautiful, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"His soul. It's beautiful, so torn, so broken, so mine. My grace flows through it like it was made to do so," He chuckled, eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

"He can feel me, can hear me. He is mine."

Dread pooled in Gabriel's gut, and he took a step back at the fallen angel's ramblings, the possession and glee in his voice sickening. Still he forced himself to ask the question that had been bugging him, dreading the answer he suspected was true.

"Who? Who is it?"

Lucifer smiled, and ignored the question. Instead, he opened his mouth and started singing the same song all over again.

Shuddering, the archangel left the cage, Lucifer's song ringing in his ears.

And so I ask forgiveness

In a world that wasn't mine…

There was only one soul connected to Lucifer's, only one that would put his brother in such a good mood.

He had to find Samuel Winchester.

*/*

"He knows. He knows we're here."

John's brow furrowed at the softly spoken statement that left his middle child's lips.

They'd been on the road for three days, having just hit Indiana that night, and had just managed to secure a Motel room for the night. Unfortunately, the motel they were staying at had only had one room left, so they were all bunking, thanking god that the room also had one of those sofa beds that the boys used to fight over as children. In that time, the boys had taken teaching Adam seriously, getting him started on sigils and exorcisms, while also teaching him what weapons killed what. When they'd set up the room for the night, he'd been pleasantly surprised at how well the teen had memorized the knowledge.

They'd been getting ready for bed when Sam spoke, and he felt himself freezing at the thought that Azazel knew they were there. He saw Dean freeze as well, green eyes flashing.

"Azazel?" He asked, and Sam shook his head, causing Adam to pale.

"Who?" John asked and Sam swallowed.

"Lucifer."

He blinked. "The devil? What the hell would the devil want with us, boy? Have you lost your damn mind?!" He yelled, thinking it was a joke.

Demons he could believe, but the devil? Really?

Except, Dean wasn't laughing and Adam had paled so much his skin matched the white of the curtains in their room.

Sam was only staring at him, eyes unerringly blank, yet so accusing at the same time.

"Y-you're not kidding."

Dean barked a harsh laugh, rougher and darker than any sound he'd ever heard leave the man.

"I wish we were," He replied, sending him a bitter smile. "Welcome to the big leagues, dad."

John heaved a heavy sigh. "Son, I think it's time you tell me what the hell is going on. The truth."

Another voice piped up drawing everyone's attention.

"I agree."

*/*

Gabriel.

His grace was bright behind the bonds of pagan magic he shrouded it in, brushing against the stolen grace within him in gentle caresses, yet he shrank away.

Grace was bad.

Grace meant pain and pleas for it to stop. Begging and screaming even as his mind rebelled against him and pain left him breathless. Grace meant falling walls and seizures, being trapped inside his own head and forced to kill facets of himself to wake up.

Grace was fear and betrayal and please don't do this, moss green eyes staring at him in fear and admiration, a bright soul cowering against his own, so close they seemed to be one.

He shuddered locking down Lucifer's grace deep within his own soul, his gaze seeking out Adam, who seemed to have felt Gabriel's grace as well. The boy was trembling in fear, staring back at him and he forced himself to glare at the archangel, subtly shifting until he was between the two.

He'd forgiven Gabriel for a lot, and had mourned his death, especially knowing it was his and Dean's fault the angel got involved…but he would kill him again if he trapped him another time loop or fucked with Adam.

And he wouldn't allow himself to regret it.

Playing ignorant, he tilted his head. "What are you? What do you want?"

Mischievous hazel eyes stared back him, sharp despite the mirth in them.

"Now, now," he taunted. "I just came to talk."

John cocked his gun. "Then talk. Who are you?"

"Loki." He lied and Dean smirked.

"Are you sure, Gabriel?"

All mirth left the archangel immediately, topaz hues narrowing into a glare that would've left Sam terrified had he not once been on the receiving end of both Michael's and Lucifer's.

"How do you know that name, Dean Winchester?" He growled, and the hunter heaved a heavy sigh.

"Because, we planned on looking for you. We were hoping to get your help with the coming events."

Gabriel stared at him, then at Sam and Adam, then a slow smile crossed his lips.

"Interesting. How did this happen?"

"We don't know." Sam replied and John frowned, hating the confusion rushing through his body.

Since being reunited with his sons nothing had been making sense and he was sick of it.

"Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?!"
His boys shared a look then looked over at Gabriel who smiled at him, although it seemed more like a smirk than a smile.

"Your sons aren't who you think they are."

"What?"

Sam turned to him with a sad glance. "Dad, me, Adam, and Dean are from the future."

*/*

He waited.

And waited.

And waited.

No one laughed.

What. The. Fuck.

Dean gave him a pitying look and he sighed, feeling older than his forty-six years not for the first time.

"Explain everything."

They nodded and looked at Gabriel.

"You might want to take a seat too."

Snapping his fingers, the man did as bid, plopping down into a bean bag chair as it appeared. Sam glanced at something over their shoulder then hunched in on himself, yet John couldn't help but notice that he never moved from his protective stance in front of Adam.

His heart sank and he knew that after hearing what his boys had to say his views of the world would change forever.

Gabriel had no idea that his were gonna change as well.

TBC…