Chapter 17: Same old song
Castiel could see just how tired everyone was. So when he suggested they return to the bunker, surprisingly they all agreed. Even Sam and Jack, who were running on different kinds of energy then the rest of the humans, seemed to be exhausted and in a desperate need of sleep and rest.
The whole entourage, Ketch and Mick in tow, arrived at the bunker only to find it littered with party balloons, confetti, glitter, jello and syrup. There was a tiki bar to the side and a lemur with a crown made of coconut and big leaves on his head; it was dancing on the war table singing "I like to move it, move it…" Castiel was 99.89% sure it was King Julien.
Next to him, Sam sighed heavily. "Gabriel…"
"Why don't you guys go on, get settled and rest. I'll handle this." Castiel offered. It was a strange feeling to be buzzing with so much energy, to have his grace at full power and to know just how to use it to maximize the effect and minimize it's consumption for the most efficient result, and to have so much extra left. It was a strange feeling not to need sleep anymore, not like he used to. He did miss it though.
Everyone headed towards the doors, Dean showing Mick and Ketch to an empty room while Sam and Jack just headed straight for the bed. Castiel snapped the music off, instantly muting King Julien who did not appreciate it, but he couldn't do anything about it. Just when Castiel thought he would have to clean up the entire mess by himself, he heard more music coming from the kitchen.
The room was a circus. An actual circus with Marty singing "Circus afro…" overlapping the "I like to move it, move it…" song, and with lion Alex dancing along with Melman the giraffe and Gloria, the hippo, while the penguins ran around trying to determine if they were in a World War 2 bunker and if they could make it into their new leir.
Rowena was dressed like a queen, complete with a crown on her head and a martini in her hand, laughing so hard at Gabriel who was clowning around, trying to look his best charming self while still being somewhat egotistical, a trait of all archangels.
"Cassie!!! So good you could join us! Here, have a drink!" Gabriel exclaimed and some sort of a deep sea blue cocktail appeared in Castiel's hand. Castiel was not amused. He drowned the cocktail, surprisingly tasting the sharp edge of alcohol, vodka and Curacao, cut with the bitterness of lime, then turned a glare at his big brother who did seem impressed.
"Gabriel. You are going to have to clean this up." Castiel said, and Gabriel pff-ed at him, then laughed.
"Oh, come on, Cassie, loosen up, have some fun…"
"My definition of fun is not a room full of animals dancing for my entertainment. Send them back." Castiel said and Gabriel squinted his eyes at him.
"Yeah, you know what? I don't think so. We are having so much fun here and I…" Gabriel trailed off as Castiel leaned in to whisper to him.
"Get rid of all this now, or I will tell Rowena about your girlfriend Kali." The appalled and confused and astounded look on Gabriel's face when Castiel pulled back to look at him was priceless and if Castiel was less of an angel, he would have smirked. But he remained deadly serious and just knew that would solidify his threat.
"Wow. You grew some balls." Gabriel commented and snapped his fingers making the room spotless again.
"That I have. The War room, too." Castiel said and Gabriel rolled his eyes before he snapped his fingers again. Rowena sighed in the back and stood up, the moment they shared clearly ruined. "You really don't need to do all these extravagant things to impress her, even if she does seem to like it." Castiel told him, and Gabriel glanced up at him astounded again. "She just needs to know you care." To that, Gabriel smiled and shook his head.
"I am proud of you, kiddo."
"I am not a child, Gabriel."
"You'll always be my little brother." Castiel couldn't help his small smile at those words. Gabriel patted him on the shoulder, then ducked out of the kitchen, going after Rowena. Castiel watched him go, feeling oddly content until suddenly, he felt… Well, for the lack of a better comparison, he felt goosebumps rise on the surface of his grace, itchy and irritable. And suddenly, he felt it, a presence in the room; he quickly turned around only to spot a figure almost hiding in the shadows.
"What do you want?" Castiel said through clenched teeth. He could feel him there, he could feel just who it was, but it made no sense, because Michael was never the type to hide, to linger in the dark and observe, which Cas was pretty sure he had been doing for a while - watching from the distance.
Micheal stepped into the light, and surprise, surprise, he wore a very familiar vessel. Castiel guessed some things from the past nobody could ever change. At least he knew now that Michael treated Adam fairly in the other timeline and he might do the same again.
"You have changed. Drastically. I mean, not like I knew you well before, but I do now. I see you." Michael said, sounding a lot more curious than threatening, not what Castiel expected. It was as if Michael was just now starting to see angels as individuals and not as obedient uniform soldiers, one indistinguishable from the other.
"I don't have time for this." Castiel commented dismissively and turned to walk away.
"I saw what happened. I saw what he did." Michael said, his voice so low, almost a whisper, uncertain and fearful.
"What are you talking about?" Even if he did recognize the emotions in Michael's voice, this Castiel was so done with his family's shit, the question came out a bit harsh, showing just how irritated he was by Michael and his presence and his uselessness.
"I saw what… I saw what Father did." That made Cas pause and give Michael his full attention. "After all that fighting, after centuries of us trying to contain the darkness, he just… Set her free. He set Amara free. And then he… Then he killed her and he… He took her power. He took on the dark." Michael said, and Castiel just stared at him, completely baffled, because… That couldn't be… That was not possible. Was it?
"Are you… Are you saying Chuck… When you say he took on the dark, are you saying he became the darkness?"
"Yes."
"But what about his light?" That was the very first question that popped in his mind, because, how could it be? How could light and darkness just mix like that, it was absurd to even think it. It simply could not be.
"I don't think he had much light left, anyway." And that was it, wasn't it? Sam was syphoning God's power, taking on more and more of it, and it must be buried deep, because Castiel hadn't seen it, he hadn't sensed it, but how could that…
"Lucifer." The name slipped from his lips as he realized there was only one person that could possibly keep the light hidden, being a presence in Sam's body. But Jack assured them Lucifer meant no harm, or could do no harm, that he was trapped there. And the kid wouldn't be fooled twice.
"What about him?" Michael asked curiously, as if he didn't know, as if he thought that Lucifer was…
"You don't know, do you?"
"Know what?"
"The devil walks the Earth." Castiel said, feeling kind of poetic.
"Impossible!" Michael exclaimed. "No, you're lying. It simply isn't possible, we would have known, Heaven would have known. The seals… They haven't been broken. Not the first one, not the last one, and none in between." Michael ranted. "If it was so, then the four horsemen would have been summoned, the antichrist would have been born, the whore of Babylon, the weather, natural disasters, the… the… No, no, I would have known. I would have been made aware, I would have…" Castiel was frowning at the hyperventilating archangel, confused by his rant and the sudden swirl of emotions that the angels should not possess. But a lot of things shouldn't be possible, yet here they were.
"Michael. Breathe." Castiel suggested, setting a comforting hand on the archangel's shoulders even if it felt strange to do so. Strangely, Michael complied, even if technically he didn't need to breathe, and Castiel had a fleeting thought that perhaps Adam was suggesting the same course of action as it normally helps with panic attacks and anxiety.
"First I learned that Father was simply using us for the sake of his… For something so trivial and insignificant, and then… I see that this entire time, Gabriel was in fact alive and… Hiding from us? And now… Lucifer is out of the cage and nobody bothered to tell me? Am I really… Am I really that bad of a…" Suddenly, Michael straightened and his eyes flashed that familiar blue and then his body relaxed while his eyes glanced at Castiel almost shyly.
"Hello." Adam said with a forced smile.
"Adam. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I am. He's not, though. Hasn't been in a while…" Adam said, triling off, looking at Castiel strangely. Almost as if he feared him, or feared that…
"Oh." Castiel said and watched as Adam's face fell. He sighed deeply and gave Castiel a look filled with uncertainty and concern. "You are from our timeline, aren't you?"
"I… I am. I just… After we sent you to Purgatory, we went… He was letting me revisit some places, and enjoy the things I had before the cage… Food, movies, ice-cream, music… I was also showing him those things, sharing… Those experiences. That day, we… We went to the park. Just… Sitting there, eating a corndog and watching people… Play with their kids and dogs and laughing and enjoying, it was… It was a really nice experience for him…" Adam trailed off, his face morphing in sadness.
"I… I must have passed out or something, because, next thing I know, it's night, and I am lying on that bench, and I am… Alone. For the first time in… in forever, I am alone. He was just… Gone."
"So I looked for him, I…" Adam huffed an ironic smile. "I started looking around the park, trying to find him as if… As if he was a real person. As if I could reach out and touch him, as if I could… See him. You know? And when I realized what I was doing, I turned to prayer. Because that's one sure way I could reach him, you know… But he just… He didn't show."
"I waited. I sat on that bench for a whole day, waiting. I didn't move, I was worried that if I left, he wouldn't be able to find me. So I waited and waited… I must have fallen asleep, I could tell it was a dream. And Michael came. He came. But he didn't recognize me. He didn't know me."
"He was so confused as to why I chose for him to look like me, why was it that that's how I saw him…" Adam huffed, but then smiled. His eyes shone again, the entire figure straightening up.
"Michael." Cas said, sounding like a welcome-back greeting.
"Can I… I wish to talk to him." The archangel still needed to learn how to properly ask for things, but it was a start.
"Lucifer isn't in control of his vessel. And I am not sure Sam would be willing to let him come out, or let you in to talk to him. But, I suppose we could ask." Castiel said and Michael nodded. "It will have to wait until morning, though. They need their rest."
"Could you please assist me?" Castiel asked, trying simultaneously to grill some bacon, fry some eggs, chop some vegetables and add the cheese to the third pan.
"I… I am not sure…" Michael said, taking a tentative set forward eyeing everything Castiel had laid on the counter.
"Just pass me the salt." Was all Castiel asked for, then dove right back into making a substantial breakfast for everyone in the bunker. Well, everyone who needed to eat, anyway. He could feel Michael's eyes on him, curious and maybe a little astounded, but the archangel didn't say a word.
"Good mor ough…" Dean trailed off mid greeting as he entered the kitchen, clearly following the delicious scent and seeing Adam/Michael just standing there to the side.
"Good morough." Michael greeted back.
"Um… Cas?"
"This timeline Michael, old timeline Adam. Don't ask." Castiel said and Dean just blinked at him a few times before nodding.
"Okay then. Anything I can help?"
"Yes, please. I need another dozen eggs mixed, there are some peppers there that need chopping, take your pick." Castiel replied and Dean just jumped in, the two of them working in sync. Just as the food was done, Sam and Jack wandered into the kitchen, pausing when their eyes fell on Michael.
"Good morough." Michael greeted and Dean snorted and started laughing.
"Good… morning?" Sam tried while Jack just kept growing at him. He must have been able to sense the archangel within, and considering his previous encounters with a version of Michael, he was being really collected so far.
Cas set a plate before Sam and Jack, while Dean brought one for himself and one for Michael. The archangel frowned in confusion when Dean set the plate with bacon and eggs before him, then looked up at Dean questioningly.
"I don't…"
"Adam does." Dean simply said and Michael paused, then looked back down on his meal. Cas fixed himself his favourite, PBJ, thrilled that he learned how to push his powers away enough to taste the actual combination of the flavours; and he set next to Michael, picking up his sandwich and taking a big bite.
Michael tried the food, clearly having an internal monologue with Adam as his first reaction was a disgusted frown, but his second was a much better reaction, with a tentative smile, even. Once the breakfast was had and the coffee drank, it became clear that both Sam and Dean, Jack even, were curious about Michael being there.
"Samuel. I would… Ppp… Please… Like the chance to speak to my brother." Michael said and Sam and Dean's brows shot up. Even Cas was surprised by the politeness of his tone and his words. Adam must have helped.
"I… I'm not sure…" Sam tried
"I realize that it might not be the best idea for you to allow him control, so perhaps it would be best if you would allow me to… well to… To come to him."
"You want to get inside Sammy's head? Not happening." Dean countered.
"I can have Castiel come with me, if that would make you feel better, if it would show I mean no harm." Michael said.
"I don't…" Dean clearly disliked the idea, while Sam seemed to be thinking it through.
"Why do you want to talk to him?"
"I need to… I need to see for myself. I need to see him and see if… If I was… If all this time Father was lying about him. Please." Cas saw the boys exchange a look, and even glanced his way, he so easily picked up on the silent conversation and even gave his input. While Dean clearly didn't like it, he knew he couldn't stop Sam from allowing Michael this. Cas was of the opinion that Michael could be swayed to side with them and Sam seemed to understand that it would also draw the entire Heavenly Host to side with them, too.
"If you let him in, I should be the one to go with him." Jack said, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"Why you, kid? Cas can…"
"Even with his powers back, Cas is still just an angel and Michael is above him. But he's not above me. I have killed him once, I could do it again." Jack seemed so much older as he spoke those words, it physically ached Cas to see it. Dean seemed to take pride in this, if the expression he had was anything to go by and Sam just seemed a little disturbed.
Probably because he was about to agree to have not one archangel in his head, but two and a nephilim as well.
To Jack, the garden seemed a little darker than before, though the sun still shone brightly, the birds still chirped happily and the flowers smell amazingly just the same. One side showed a beautiful sunset, another a peaceful starry night, but on the furthest side, there was a storm brooding.
Jack glanced at Michael who seemed to be looking around curiously, searching for his brother. They walked past a few red berry bushes and some moss covered stones, there was a meadow behind them and a few trees up ahead.
Perhaps, like Jack, Michael could sense him, because he was headed for the big oak tree that seemed to be the heart of the garden. Behind the tree, sitting in it's shade, there was Lucifer.
He seemed paler, shrunken even, with bags under his eyes, but he smiled when he saw Jack and it was as if the sun shone brighter. "Hello, Jack."
"Hello, Lucifer." Jack greeted back. It was just so confusing, to be looking at that face and remembering what he had done when the fact was, he hadn't done it yet and he would never get a chance to. This Lucifer never did and never would betray them to the Michael of the apocalypse world, he never did and never would get a chance to kill Meggie or take Jack's grace.
It took him a moment, but Lucifer eventually moved to look at their company, his smile faltering and disappearing when he realized who it was. And then he drew into himself, curled up and cast his eyes down. He brought his knees to his chest and hugged them as if he was trying to hide.
Slowly, Michael came closer and sat beside him.
"Hello, brother."
"What are you doing here, Michael?" Lucifer said dismissively, but he still wouldn't meet Michael's gaze.
"I came to see you."
"Well, here I am, you've seen me, now you can go." Lucifer said and Michael flinched, staring at him for a few moments before he let out a deep sigh. It was clear he wanted to say more, but the words seemed to slide him, so much like a fish, his mouth opened and closed a few times, but no sound came. Michael sighed again, then looked around for something to help him.
"This place looks so much like the garden." He commented. "It's been such a long time since I've seen it, so I couldn't be sure, but…"
"Why haven't you seen it?" Lucifer finally looked up, confused by Michael's statement.
"Father removed it a long time ago. It has been millennia since we feasted our eyes upon its beauty, drew calm from it's tranquility. I have missed it."
"I've missed it too." Lucifer's voice was so small when he said it, his eyes casting downward again.
"It's beautiful, Lucifer." Michael said with a small smile, but quickly drew serious and glanced at the roaring storm in the distance. "You're holding it back, aren't you?" Michael asked, and Lucifer swallowed, but didn't reply.
"We have to get you out of here." Michael suddenly said as he jumped back to his feet. He reached for Lucifer and yanked his arm, but Lucifer wouldn't budge.
"No. No, I can't leave. You know I can't."
"But if the storm…"
"I can't, Michael."
Michael sighed again in defeat, sitting back down next to Lucifer.
"I should have listened to you." He said. Lucifer gasped and cast his wide eyes at his brother. "When you said… Everything you said. It's all true. And I should have listened to you. I… I am sorry." Lucifer just stared at him for a few moments before looking back down on the ground, tucking his chin between his knees.
"It's… It's not important anymore. I agreed to this because I knew they were going against him and I thought that I would finally get a chance to show him that…" He shook his head. "It's not important, not anymore. I know what I have to do."
"No. No, Lucifer, no, you'll…"
"I didn't get any choice when He created the Earth, the people, anything. I didn't get a choice when He cast me down. This? This I can choose."
"I won't let you."
"You can't stop it."
They stared at one another, both stubborn and spiteful until suddenly Michael rose to his feet.
"Watch me!"
Mick and Rowena stood to the side, watching the somewhat absurd scene. Michael had his hand sent on Jack's shoulder and Jack's arm was extended towards Sam's chest, all three had their eyes shut and a look of concentration (or constipation, Gabriel commented) on their faces.
Ketch tried to come closer, but one little squint from Cas scared him away, while Dean just stared at the three, creases of deep concern caressing his face.
Jack gasped, as well as Sam, startling Dean, while Michael simply opened his eyes. The archangel glanced over the room, a look of determination cemented on his face.
"We have to extract the Light." He said. "And we have to do it now, otherwise… Both Lucifer and Sam will die."