p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"It took almost a month for the youngest archangel to make his move. He wanted to say most of it was just rehearsing, finding the right way to say his piece. To himself though, he could admit that he was afraid. Dean had been right, he was scared to stand up to his family, frightened of facing his past mistakes. And his first task tackled both, it was a lot for the messenger./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The one-time messenger finds Castiel holed up with the Winchester brothers in a slummy motel in the middle of nowhere. Before he can run again, the archangel appears in the room. No one notices him at first, engaged in conversation with each other and Gabriel takes the minute to study the rag-tag group./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"One alcoholic hunter with no hope, just guts. One hunter stalked by Satan himself. And the youngest angel, losing power and still fighting so hard for the humans. A heavy weight hangs in the room, literally the weight of the world./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Before he can chicken out, the small man announces his presence with a cheerful "What's up, sluts?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The three men startle, reaching for their weapons. Sam and Dean both whipping out their guns, and an angel blade dropping into Castiel's hand./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""The fuck?!" curses the elder brother/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Sluts?" mutters the younger sibling, confused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Gabriel?" the younger angel queries, also confused. "Why are you here?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I am the messenger," snarks the archangel, "I have a message. Except this one is just from me."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Are you going to help us?" questions Sam, a spark of hope in his eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Sorry bucko, not much even I can do against Michael and Lucifer," admits Gabriel. He takes a steadying breath before turning to Castiel, "But I have something I need to make right by you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Me?" Castiel cocks his head, confused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Gabriel conjures up two comfortable chairs. "Sit down Cassie."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The young angel obeys, sitting ramrod straight in the other chair./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""You need to know your own history," Gabriel continues./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I know my past," Castiel shakes his head slightly, as confused as before./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""No," corrects the archangel, switching to enochian. The story should be Castiel's alone to share, if he so wished. He also sends the Winchester's to sleep, both to keep them quiet and because they really could use it. "You only know the story Michael wanted you know. Please, just listen to what I have to say."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The youngest angel inclines his head in agreement./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""There's probably very few who know the truth now. Michael intended to clear it from everyone," starts Gabriel. "They know you were created from the grace of two angels. You're the only one born, not created by dad. But Mica didn't want your heritage known, it would be a black mark for him. So he wipes everyone's memory of it, especially yours."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I am… was close with your mother you know," Gabriel back tracks to the start. "I watched you quite often when you were a fledgling, you were adorable."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"That was something Castiel had not known, and he wondered why he could not remember Gabriel if they had been so close./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""She was always closer to Lucifer though. Your mother, her brother, Luci, and me. We were always together," Gabriel smiles sadly at the memories of better times. "When dad invented the whole bond-mate thing for us, it's like the whole soul mate thing for humans. We didn't really choose our partner's, not truly. But it was always angels who were compatible, so it didn't matter."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Well. It was not much of a surprise when we realized they were bond-mates."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel draws back, the gears turning in his head as he tried to figure it out./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""You're getting there Cassie. Yeah, your mother and my brother are, were, are, bond-mates. Your father is Lucifer."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""No," states Castiel, lowly. "No, my father died fighting Lucifer."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Sorry kid, that's just the party line Michael came up with."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""No," the younger angel shakes his head in denial and attempts to fly away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Gabriel just snaps him back and locks him in place in the chair. The archangel stands and walks over to the younger angel, gently he touches Castiel's head. "I'm going to share my memories, of you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"With a pulse of grace, Gabriel sends many memories cascading over into Castiel's mind./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"emCastiel sees himself, as a baby, as a juvenile in all the memories. In some Gabriel is there, playing with him and Lucifer. In others there is another angel holding him gingerly, as if afraid of doing something wrong with the infant as Lucifer teases the other angel over his uncertainty./em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"emIt is Lucifer is teaching him how to fly in one memory. In the next it is Lucifer teaching him to fight, playfully over-reacting when he allows the juvenile Castiel to make a strike. Another memory, Castiel has hurt himself and it is Lucifer gently tending the small injury. /em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"emThe memories continue coming, and it is Lucifer caring for Castiel in all of them. Sometimes there are other angels, such as his mother and Gabriel, but the clear connecting thread is Lucifer. /em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Soon it becomes undeniable for the young angel, that Gabriel is speaking the truth. Gabriel gives the youngest angel some time to calm down from the memory transfer before he continues./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""When Luci first started getting upset about humans, we all figured it would pass. That this was just another spat between brothers – Mica and Luci were always arguing and fighting with each other. But things didn't blow over this time. They just got worse."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Several of us tried to smooth things over. We attempted to reconcile the two, to convince Luci to just ignore the humans, to convince Mica to just stand down and let Luci blow it off this time. But neither of them would give."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""And after the civil war was over, and my brother was locked in the cage? Michael did not want any ties left to Lucifer, he cleared almost everyone's memories of his being your father. Even your own memories. And your mother, by the way? Her wings weren't injured in the fight, she was too busy protecting you, she did not participate. Michael himself grounded her, he cut her wings to prevent flying."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Why do you think you were always guarded? He couldn't clear your mother's mind, so you had a guard to make sure she stuck to the story, or else."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I couldn't do anything. We couldn't stop the fight then. I couldn't stop Michael from taking it out on you, on your mother, on anyone else involved. I can't stop the fight now," the archangels eyes are deep with emotion, although he speaks evenly. "All I can do now is tell you the truth."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel can do nothing but stare into the distance, and Gabriel does not pressure him – it's a lot to take in. As they sit in silence, the brothers begin to wake up from their imposed naptime./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Dean is quick to notice something is off with their angel friend, and asks without tact what was wrong./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The young angel stares wide-eyed at the human he has grown fond of, before he flies away without saying anything./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Ok, what'd you do to him?" Dean is quick to blame the way-ward archangel./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""All I did was share some important information with him. What he does with it will have to be Cassie's own choice," Gabriel defends, not overly concerned by Dean's aggressive attitude./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""What was so important you had to share with Cass, that we couldn't hear?" questions Sam./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""See, you're the smart brother," the archangel winks at the younger brother. "What I can share with you is that Cassie is very… unique amongst angels."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Can we know how?" Sam asks, ignoring the flirt./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Gabriel thinks for a moment, before revealing, "Angels are created by dad, they're not born. Except one. Little Castiel was created from the grace-bonding of two angels."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Grace-bonding?" asks Dean./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""When the grace of two bond-mated angels entwines and temporarily becomes one," explains the archangel./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""So, angel sex," Dean clarifies crudely./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""That's probably the closest thing a human can understand that is similar," admits Gabriel./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""What's 'bond-mated'? Like, marriage?" Sam asks for clarification./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Sort of, but much deeper. It's more like your idea of soulmates," the original trickster allows./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""What was with that 'deer-in-headlights' look Cass had? Why'd he run away?" Dean gets back to his original concern./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I could tell Cassie. But now, that story is no longer mine to share. If he wishes for you to know, he'll tell you," Gabriel remains firm on not sharing again and unusually serious./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Have you chosen a side yet?" Dean demands./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Deciding he's done answering questions, Gabriel simply does his eyebrow wiggle and disappears. Leaving glitter all over the boys room for fun, and changing their wardrobes to something less lumber-jack looking. Hey, if he had to get all touchy-feely in the emotional sense, he was also going to annoy someone. In fact, it might be a good way to blow off some emotions by taking it out on some assholes./p