"Is this really necessary?" Gabriel sighed, dropping yet another pile of shirts into the large black duffle.
Sam looked up from his own packing. "Yes." was his only reply.
Gabriel rolled his eyes, heading back to the closet. "I'm feeling fine." he lied.
"I don't care, we're leaving."
It had been more moments after Gabriel had completed the first trial that Sam had announced they were leaving, surprisingly to no argument from Claire. Gabriel however had spent the last how arguing headed even as he'd pulled out the bags and boxes, and began to thrown their belongings into them.
Dean had gone off to 'deal' with Rita's remains. Gabriel had insisted that his late friend be fund in a few days. He didn't want Annabella to spend years anxiously waiting for news. She deserved closer, if not answers. At least he was confident that the finger of suspicion wouldn't be panted at him, at least not by local PD. Her body was too...damaged, nothing human could inflict the wounds he'd seen on her before the brothers had covered her. It'll be chalked up to an animal attack, as they always were. A hunter or too many come sniffing around but they'd figure out the truth.
Of course they'd probably be speculation, people loved to gossip, especially in small towns. Him, Claire and Sam all vanishing into the night at the same time of the death, people would put two and two together and come up with 22. He just hoped Annabella wouldn't be one of those suspicious little voices. He hated to think of his friend thinking the worst of him.
Gabriel moved around the room in silence, his feet dragging. He was in the bathroom. When the coughing started, an unforgiving tickle at the back of his throat.
"You okay?" Sam asked worriedly, handing Gabriel a glass of tap water.
"Fire." the ex-angel choked, gulping down the cool water. "Just a tickly throat. - I'm probably coming down with something. I did spend the whole day sat out in my cruiser.
Sam didn't look convinced but didn't press the issue, nodding instead. Taking a breath he stepped around the shorter man, wrapping his arms around him from behind, his chin resting on top of Gabriel's head, meeting his blood shot eyes in the mirror. "I'm sorry." he whispered. "About Rita. I tried to get here as soon as possible."
Gabriel exhaled sadly, his smile weak and broken. "I know. I...I just wish she'd told us. - I wish I could have saved her."
Sam tilted his head forward, pressing a kiss to the fine golden brown hair. "I know."
"So where exactly are we going to go now?" Gabriel asked quietly, relaxing into the taller man's embrace.
"I don't know." Sam murmured. "I just know I'm not letting you out of my sigh until these trails are done."
"That's going to get old fast." Gabriel commented, unimpressed.
"I don't care."
Gabriel shook his head, sighing warily. "So we're gonna spend the next...few months, driving around in that can? All of us?" he scoffed.
Sam groaned, wincing at the truth in his lovers words. "What else can we do?"
"Stay here."
Sam released Gabriel, stepping away. "No."
Gabriel grunted frustratingly, turning to follow after the younger men, loosening his shoulder against the door frame. "You're such a stubborn ass. Seriously. There's nothing to stop us from..."
"You really want to face Annabelle every day?" Sam snapped angrily. "You have any idea how hard that's going to be? Do you? - You already feel guilty for not saving her, you wanna stand at her grave, look her sister in the eye knowing you'd failed?"
Gabriel inhaled sharply, his chest tightening.
"You think you can handle that, because believe me, it'll damn near kill you. - I'm talking from experience."
"And your answer is to run away?" he replied coldly.
Sam met his gaze icily. "You're hardly one to be passing judgement. I'm not the only one that runs when things gets hard!"
Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "And what about Claire?" he snapped furiously, ignoring Sam's truthful words. "What happened to wanting her to have a normal life? School, college?"
"She..." Sam deflated slightly. "Gabe, I... I just want you both safe. With me. - Crowley's gonna come looking for his mutt, you know that. I don't want him finding you both instead."
Gabriel shifted, pressing his back against the frame, his head handing. He pressed his fingers into his eye sockets. "Fine." he whispered, surrendering to the inevitable. "But I'm not spending the rest of my life, riding around in that car." he snapped, pushing himself away from the wall.
"What?"
"Me and Dean will end up killing each other in a matter of days, we need somewhere where we can keep out of one another's way as much as humanly possible."
"Meaning?" Sam frowned, watching Gabriel intensely as he marched past him back into the bedroom.
"We're going to Kansas. I know just the place."
_What Doesn't Kill You_
It was almost dawn when Dean slammed the truck closed and violently yanked the driver's side door open, shooting a death glare at the backseat, aimed mostly at the dog stretched half on Claire's lap and half on the leather. Claire herself had her head against the dew covered window, her eyes closed. If it weren't for the movement of her hand over the fur, they could easily believe she was asleep.
Sam glanced over at them, smiling reassuringly at Gabriel before turning to shoot his brother a hard look. Dean continued to grumble under his breath about hating dogs as he pulled away from the house and onto the dirt road beyond. He'd already filled Dean in on the plan, and while Dean had argued he'd also agreed. - Though that probably had move to do with Sam panting out that it was his idea for Gabriel to take on the trials. Which meant keeping the ex-archangel close. It had left Sam with a satisfied warmth in his stomach.
The multi drive was mostly carried out in tense silence. Dean had attempted to put the music on, only for Sam to turn it off again because Claire was sleeping. They stepped only once around noon to grab something to eat at a truck stop and use the bathrooms. Then it was back on the road for more hours of tension, though thankfully not as silent, the radio blasting out classic rock.
It was early dusk when they pulled up to a rusty gate that displayed a red sign informing the world that trespassers will be punished. Sam glanced into the back. "You sure this is the right place?"
Gabriel nodded Dean climbed out, marching up to the gate where he forced it aside, watching his baby roll past before closing it again. He quickly climbed back inside and Sam drove up the shallow incline. After a few feet the Impala pulled to a halt outside a large building that resembled a factory or power station.
They all climbed out of the car, Dean and Sam exchanging curious looks. Claire's fingers tightened around Riot's lead while stepping closer to Gabriel, who instinctively put his arm around the girl's shoulders.
"Okay, when was the last time someone was in this place?" Dean asked, reaching into his jacket pocket for the small wooden box his grandfather had given them only a few days ago.
"Sixty-five, seventy year ago." Sam replied, looking back to Gabriel for confirmation. The man gave him a small nodded. "You guys wait here." Sam insisted.
"You might wanna take a couple of flashlights with y'boys." Gabriel said warmly. "I doubt they left the lights on for you."
Sam and Dean exchanged looks then Sam rushed back to the car, rooting around in the truck. Beneath all the bags and box. By the time he gets back to Dean, smiling at Gabriel on the way, the door was unlocked, a tunnel stretching out in front of them. Sam looked back at Gabriel and Claire before following his brother inside.
It was only a few feet before they reached a secondary door, pulling it open they stepped inside, coming to a hall on an iron balcony overlooking a large room. The place was stale with age and Sam waved the flashlight, illuminating the room below. A large table with a map of the world printed on the surface, radio equipment. It resembled a war room.
"Son of a bitch." Dean murmured beside him.
"Look at this." Sam said, stepping over to the stairs and looking down at the desk below. "Ham radio, telegraph, and switchboard. This was there nerve center." he said in awe.
"Henry did say that they ran dispatch on their own team of hunters."
Sam headed down the stairs.
"Looks like whoever was manning the hub left quickly!" Dean called down from above.
"Oh the alarm call that ended the men of letters." Sam mumbled, looking at his abandoned legacy. He squinted as the room suddenly filled with light, looking up to see Dean flipped another switch, turning back when yet more lights came on. His mouth fell open at the sight before him. "Son of a bitch."
"Sammy, I think we found the bat cave." Dean said, appearing suddenly beside him.
Sam stood in silent wonder for another few moments, then startled, remembering Gabriel and Claire were waiting for them without another word, Sam stun on his heels, rushing back up the stairs and outside.
The sky had begun to turn that warm shade of orange as the sunset. He looked around slightly fearful when he exited to find no one waiting, but quickly shook it off as he caught sight of Riot lying beside the car, the back door and Claire's legs hanging out. He rushed over to them, smiling. "It's clear."
Claire smiled weakly, grabbing Riot's lead and marching off towards the entrance, her backpack on one shoulder. Sam watched her go with a regretful sigh, then turned to face Gabriel.
"She'll be okay." Gabriel reassured.
Sam nodded, the corner of his mouth turning up a little. "How about you?"
Gabriel shrugged. "Just tired."
Wrapping his arm around the smaller men's shoulder, Sam smiled. "Let's go find you a bed."
"Only if you promise to join me." he said seductively. "After hours in that things I'm all stiff. I could use a workout."
Sam snorted, putting the man along towards the stairs. "This place is so big, it probably has a gym." he replied matter-of-factly.
Gabriel scoffed derisively. "I prefer team workouts, you know that." he slapped Sam's ass as they entered the bunker.
_What Doesn't Kill You_
It didn't take them long to find a room, there were a good few just waiting to be taken even by the group. Claire had taken the one directly opposite there room, insisting she wanted more than a wall between them. Dean had glared irritably at them before marching off down the corridor, putting as much space between them that was probably necessary. The slam of his door echoed back to them and Sam sighed, closing his eyes for a long moment till he felt Gabriel's hand on his arm.
"He'll get over it." the man whispered.
Sam shook his head. "I don't' think he will."
"Well he'll have to just suck it up and deal because I'm not going anywhere soon. - Besides, he needs me." Gabriel grinned.
Sam turned, looking down at him with sad fearful eyes. "You're not going anywhere ever." he whispered, leaning down to capture the man's lips, causing Gabriel to stumble under the hot onslaught. Sam wrapped his arm around Gabriel's waist and forced him back into the room they'd claimed as their own, kicking the door shut behind them.
Gabriel's hurried hands shoved Sam's jacket off his shoulders and down his arms, the hunter having to let go of his lover when he became tangled. He angrily shook off the jacket, tossing it aside then going back to touching Gabriel. While the ex-archangel tore at Sam's shirt and fumbled with his belt and zipper. Sam's breath caught the instant Gabriel's slim fingers wrapping around his dick, stroking and squeezing him gentle.
Sam hooked his fingers around the hem of Gabriel's t-shirt, dragging it up his chest. The older man refusing to stop his ministrations as Sam freed him practically from the fabric. Their mouths connecting the second he was free, his own shirt and tee tossed casually aside. Tongues moving around one another in a desperate hungry dance.
Gabriel's legs hit the bed, causing them both to tumble back against the decade's old mattress, the pair moaning from pain rather than pleasure. It was fleeting through, their mouths seeking one another within moments of landing. There kiss deep and dirty. Sam's hips jerked forward to rub his hardened cock against Gabriel's thigh, the man's hand having been dislodged from his pants by their fall. Now both sets of fingers carded through Sam's hair, tugging every few seconds.
They moaned as they moved against each other, breathing heavily as lust flooded both their bodies. Sam reluctantly pulled away, his hands fumbling with Gabriel's jeans, yanking both the denim and his underwear down the smaller man's legs, growling frustratingly as they tangled with his shoes. Gabriel laughed breathlessly, leaning up on his elbows to watching joyously as Sam angrily dealt with the troublesome clothing.
When he finally had the clothing free of Gabriel's legs, leaving the ex-archangel naked and very obviously aroused. Sam got to his feet and quickly stripped himself down, then swiftly moved back to join his lover. Stretching himself over the smaller man like a blanket, recapturing. Gabriel's hips, his hand skimming over his flanks. Moaning as their cock met, stroking deliciously. The please and desire it sparked in Sam never failed to surprise him. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to it, and part of him never wanted to.
Gabriel moaned into the frantic kiss, his leg rising to wrap around Sam's hip, the hunger's fingers curling into the thigh, his nails biting into the flesh as he rocked forward, soliciting another moan. This time from them both.
Sam broke the kiss to breathe, then let his lips slide down the curve of Gabriel's throat, biting and sucking. His grip on the man tightening, as if terrified of letting go. As if doing so would mean losing him. Gabriel's head rolled back against the mattress, his hips thrusting up instinctively.
Gabriel pried Sam's hand from his leg, lifting it to his mouth. He looked at the hunter's fingers for a moment before opening his mouth wide and slipping them inside, swirling his tongue around them. Sam knew what he was doing. The bags were still in the car, which meant so too was the lube.
With his fingers generously coated in Gabriel's salvia, Sam extracted them with a wet pop and shifted, lowing them to Gabriel's ass, circling the tight ring of muscle for a few long seconds before pushing first one then the other inside. He loved the way his heart and dick jumped at the whimper Gabriel released. He took his time, working him open, loosening him up. Taunting and teasing his lover until Gabriel squirmed, demanding he get a fucking move on. "I'm ready!" he panted, frustrated, moaning when Sam's fingers disappeared along with his warm body.
Sam rushed over to his discarded jacket that had landed awkwardly on the desk in the corner. Lifting it he hurriedly rummaged through the pockets, yanking out is wallet to retrieve the small foil wrapper inside, tossing the leather aside and turning back to his lover. Gabriel lay watching him, bracing his upper body on his elbows, frowning.
"I don't know how I feel about y'havin' that thing in your wallet." he murmured.
Sam smiled at him cheekily, ripping the foil and rolling the condom on as he made his way back to the bed, his eyes never leaving Gabriel. "I have it for two reasons." he said huskily, pausing to spit in his hand and slick up the rubber before reclaiming his place between his lovers legs, lifting them high. Positioning his eager cock against the man's asshole. "Firstly." he groaned pushing forward slowly, allowing Gabriel's body to adjust and accept him, bit by bit. "I have...it...be-because you have t-the libido of an ally-cat a-and the p-patients of a...t-ten dollar hookaaaah." he moaned, sinking a little deeper.
Gabriel huffed indignantly, but his lips stretched into a mischievous proud grin, gasping deep in his throat as Sam claimed a little more room in his body. "And...s-second?"
Sam smiled down at him, moving closer. He blanketed his body over Gabriel's completely, his fingers combing through the ex-archangel's hair. S-secondly, if I didn't k-keep my wallet stocked, god only k-knows what k-kind of s-shit Dean would get. His dick w-would probably have fallen o-off by now."
Gabriel let out a loud joyous laugh that quickly turned into a deep moan of pleasure.
Finally fully seated, Sam paused, relaxing against Gabriel and allowing them both the movement of connection. Gabriel brushed Sam's long dampening hair from his face, combing his fingers through it slowly and pulling his head down into a leisurely kiss.
Then Sam was moving, withdrawing almost all the way free before sweeping back in, his mouth never leaving Gabriel's.
As the pace grew, the kiss was forgotten and the pair found themselves just breathing into one another's mouths. When Sam's rhythm become frantic and desperate, Gabriel's head rolled back against the mattress, babbling nonsense. Panting and clawing at Sam's arms and back, his legs tight around his young lover. Sam hung his head, watching as the smaller man's body swallowed him, breathing heavily. His muscles straining as he held his upper body aloft while sharply snapping his pelvis. He watched transfixed when Gabriel slid his hand between them and began to pump his own swollen cock frantically.
It didn't take much longer before Gabriel was spilling between them, his semen coating both their abdomen. The man's orgasm quickened Sam's, and with only three more deep thrusts, Sam's whole body tensed and he came with a loud primal yell of ecstasy.
The room was think with sexual heat and a fog of musk, the only sound the heavy breathing of the two men. Sam extracted himself from his lover and collapsed beside him, his eyes closed as he came down from the high, a hoarse laugh breaking the long silence. "Never gets old." he grinned.
"Hmm." Gabriel agreed, his own body relaxed and boneless.
They were silent again for another few minutes, until Sam broke it. "I bet the men of letters are spinning in their graves."
Gabriel cracked open an eye and turned to look at the flushed hunter. "Huh?"
"After that little demonstration."
Gabriel rolled his eyes dramatically, turning onto his side with a wince. "Sammy, Sammy, Sammy." he tutted. "Really? Believe me no one knows how to cover up a same-sex affair like a secret society." he smirked.
Sam turned to meet Gabriel's warm amber gaze, disturbed by the thought.
"I don't mean your grandfather." Gabriel snorted. "But the guys that was in charge of this place." he winked. "James and Peter." he added thoughtfully. "Nice guys."
"How you know?" Sam asked disbelievingly.
Gabriel raised a brow. "I've been around." he shrugged. "Met a lot of people."
Sam narrowed his eyes at the ex-archangel. "Meaning?"
"We may have crossed paths."
Sam shifted, lifting himself up on his elbow to stare at the man. "How exactly, did you cross paths?"
Gabriel chuckled. "Are you...jealous?"
"No!" Sam quickly denied. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm just curious as to how you know they were having an affair."
Gabriel narrowed his eyes, the corner of his mouth turning up. "So if I said that I know from personal experience, that'll mean nothing to you."
"Personal? How personal?" Sam demanded, ton hardening.
Gabriel laughed, moving closer so as to run his hand up and down the hunter's chest. "About as personal as it can get."
Sam dragged air in through his nose, jaw ticking an irritated beat.
Gabriel laughed, rolling away onto his back. "Calm down Sammy-kins, don't burst a blood vessel. I didn't fuck them." he shot the younger man a side long look. "Come on Sam, it makes logical sense, doesn't it. Two viral men locked up in this place all hours of the day and night, nothing to do but...read. It's not like you can bring girls back. - It was just James and Peter, all alone, hour after hour, day after day." he turned back to the hunter, voice low and seductive. "You know what can happen."
Hadn't that been how they'd started, Sam thought. Close quarters, nothing much else to do but find comfort and distraction in are another.
_What Doesn't Kill You_
Dean exited the room he'd claimed with a weary sigh. He'd taken a few minutes to down a couple of Tyrol, hoping to dispel the pounding in his head. It had been haunting him since the previous afternoon, between his disagreements with Sam, the revelation of the trails and now with Gabriel taking a more permanent place in his life, his head just couldn't deal with it all.
Once upon a time he'd have called Cas to talk, now...well, now things were stained between them too. He contemplated calling Benny instead, he even tugged his phone from his pocket and pulled up the contact info, but for some reason he couldn't make the call. Not now.
He turned to make his way towards Sam's room. They had a car to unload and if his kid brother thought he was going to haul that shit in on his own, he had another thing coming. Dean reached for the door handle out of instinct and habit, privacy had never been an issue for either of them.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Dean startled, turning to see Claire, shoulder pressed to the door frame, arms folded and with a bright mischievous smirk on her face. "Huh?"
"Sam's been gone for a week, they had a fight and Da...Gabe almost died, believe me, they'll be at it like rabbits for hours."
Dean snatched his hand back as if burnt, grimacing at the thought of what was going on behind the closed door.
A loud moan had him quickly retreating from the space, deciding that hauling their shit in from the car was better than listening to...that. He turned sharply and marched almost furiously away. He could hear footsteps behind him and knew they belonged to Claire, but he didn't acknowledge her or slow down for her.
"You know I get you're pissed at him."
Dean didn't reply, just kept on walking.
"I mean, I know what he did. The deaths he's caused. Trapping Sam in that Groundhog Day parody where he killed you over and over and over. TV land."
They were outside finally and Dean yanked open the truck, breathing deeply as the teenager brought up the past.
"Coming to save you when those Gods where ready to hand you over as a bargaining chip. - You know, dying for you. For us."
Dean turned his head sharply to glare at the girl. "He didn't do that for us, he did it for his girlfriend. To save her."
Claire stared at him, her arms folded. "OMG seriously?"
"Yes, seriously." Dean huffed, satisfied to dissuade her from her delusion that Gabriel was actually a good guy.
"No, I mean are you serious? You seriously believe that?"
Dean looked at her, brows creased in a frown.
Claire shook her head, laughing coldly. "So going through all those Tuesday's was for Kali's benefit?"
Dean just watched her, confused.
"Please. I've heard that story from both sides now, I've read...well everything." she blushed, dropping her gaze. "And I've watched them together, he did all that for Sam - Just like Cas..." she swallowed thickly, her voice breaking for a moment, "D-did for you." she finished quietly.
Dean growled. "Listen Kid, you don't have a goddamn clue what you're talking about! I get it, you're all for team Gabriel. He's all you've got now, but don't think you know anything!"
Claire straightened angrily, her blue eyes turning to steel as they met Dean's unflinchingly. She stepped forward into Dean's personal space and he fought the urge to step back. Dean held his breath, waiting for the come back, but it never came. Instead Claire gave him a shove and reached into the truck, snagging a large duffle bag, her muscles straining. Then she turned and walked away from him.
Dean had to admit he was impressed. Turning he grabbed the last two bags and a box of books, she'd insisted on bring. Glancing down at the box Dean caught the supernatural novel peeking out beneath a large bible, he frowned and exhaled. Shaking his head, he balanced the box on his knee while he slammed the truck closed. Jostling the box in his arms, Dean headed back into the bunker.
He was half way down the iron stars when Claire rushed up to meet him, taking the box from his arms, still not a word passing her lips. She led the way into the library section, where she placed the box on the table and waited. Dean dropped both bags on the end of another table and leant back against it, waiting the teenager riffle through the books, tugging them free and setting them aside in separate piles.
Sensing his watchful gaze, she twisted her head and shot him a hard look. "What?"
"Nothing." Dean grunted, shrugging a shoulder and pushing himself off the table top. He marched around the room, looking at the shelves. He tugged at a couple of dust covered books and sneezed.
"Bless you." Claire grunted, another book hitting the pile with a loud bang.
"Thanks." he sniffled, rubbing his sleeve beneath his nose.
They feel silent for a long few seconds before Claire exhaled a long aggravated breath. "You know what I don't get?" she announced.
Dean turned to find her watching him intensely, her lips a thin line. There was something in that look that was eerily familiar. It reminding him far too much of Cas, the old Cas. The Cas that never took his shit, and it made his chest ache. "What?" he replied thickly.
"How you can spend all those years wanting Sam to be happy, and now he is, all you do is try to ruin it."
Dean stiffened, inhaling sharply. "Happy?" he scoffed.
Claire narrowed her eyes, the blue seeming to glow. "Yes, Dean. Happy."
Dean couldn't stop the unamused laugh escaping him, disbelieving. "It's a phase."
"A phase?" she growled, stepping closer. "Is that what you think? You think it's a phase."
Dean swallowed, discomforted by the way her eyes seemed to look straight through him. As if she was reading his mind.
"It's not a phase, Dean. - Not for either of you." she snapped, voice lowering.
Clearing his throat, Dean snagged one of the duffle bags and marched quickly away from the teenager.
"And maybe if you didn't keep running away, you'd see that!" Claire yelled angrily after him.
A/N: James and Peter are the men of letters from season 9, who face off against the Wicked Witch.