Sam glanced up from his laptop at the sound of bickering to watch Dean and Gabriel arguing. Again. It wasn't as intense and loud as it had been almost two months ago when they'd moved in to the bunker together, but it was still distracting.
The only reason Dean was letting Gabriel help him with the inventory was because Gabe could read ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs, thereby saving him time and any real effort. Though it hadn't stopped them opening every crate to nose though.
Of course Sam had known it would only be a matter of time before they were at each other's throats again, so he'd stayed close, ready to step in if necessary. And by necessary he meant if things turned physical. He'd stopped getting in the middle of their snipping weeks ago, it was just two tiring and frankly Gabriel started the arguments more often than not, so Sam figured he could just damn well end them himself.
The strange thing about stepping back though was that it somehow defused the tension. Sam had come to the conclusion he'd been acting more as a tug rope than the Berlin wall since day one.
He dropped his gaze back to the screen of his computer and the curious newspaper reports from across the country. Same MO, different towns and states, something mostly definitely felt off, and frankly he could use a case. As much as he was enjoying his little slice of normal with Claire and Gabriel, he was getting itchy feet again and knew that if they didn't hunt something soon, there would be fireworks between him and Gabriel, and not in a good way.
The sound of coughing caught his attention and he raised his eyes again to see Gabriel fighting against yet another coughing fit. He'd been having them a lot lately, more often than the ex-angel cared to admit. - Not that he admitted to anything. Gabriel always brushed them off, said it was nothing. That it was probably just the dust, except Sam knew better. Firstly because the bunker was almost spotless, at least the parts they used most often, and secondly, Sam had seen the bloody tissues in the trash.
He never said anything though. What was the point? Gabriel simply denies anything was wrong, and it wasn't as if they could do anything to stop it. IT was blatantly clear to them all it had to be down to the trials and the only way they were fixing whatever was wrong with the ex-archangel was t finished what they'd started.
"You okay there Doc Holiday?" Dean snorted as Gabriel walked away from the boxes. Gabriel flipped him off over his shoulder, and hurried out of the library, but not before shooting Sam a reassuring fake smile on his way.
"He'll be fine." Dean insisted, but it was clear in his tone he didn't believe that any more than Sam did. "It's probably just the flu."
Sam stared at his brother like he had two head before inhaling slowly, nodding. "Yeah, probably." Denial, a Winchester speciality. Just pretend it's not happening. Pretend everything is fine right up until it isn't. Dean was a master, while Sam...Was learning.
"So you found us a case?" Dean asked, pulling up a chair at the war table and flicking open a six decade old skin mag.
Sam rolled his eyes then looked towards the corridor as he replied. "Yeah. Dead bodies showing up all over the Midwest last week. Benton, Indiana; Dawners Grover, Illinois; Novi, Michigan, and then again last night in Lincoln Springs, Missouri."
"How's this us?" Dean frowned, briefly looking up from the magazine.
"Because each of the victims had severe burns around their eyes, hands and feet, punctures wounds through the backs of their hands, eyes and internal organs liquefied."
"That sounds like us." Dean agreed, nodding while gazing at the centrefold.
"Yeah. Also, no link between any of the victims. Un...one was a real estate agent, one was a local historian. The woman killed last night was a teacher."
"So Chupacarbre?" Dean huffed.
Sam laughed, his eyes once again flickering anxiously to the corridor.
"What we got, power tools gone rogue? Wait..." Dean smirked. "Are we talking a maximum overdrive situation here?"
Sam rolled his eyes, slowly getting to his feet. "I don't know, worth a shot though."
Dean inhaled slowly, flipping the page.
"I...grab my gear and...We should probably leave in ten..."
"Hm hmm." Dean nodded, attention focused on the pages.
"Unless of course you need some more time with Miss October?" Sam added, staring down at his brother.
"What? Oh, uh...yeah." Dean smirked. "Make it twenty."
"Sick" Sam laughed, his feet already quickly leading him away from the crow's nest in search of Gabriel.
HE found his lover stretched out on the couch in the rec-room, his head resting back against a pillow, eyes closed. Sam watched him from the door for a few minutes, his chest tightening painfully, as fear ate away at his gut. If this was how he was after just one trail, almost two months ago, then Sam was terrified to think how he was going to be by the end."
"You're starting again. It's creepy." Gabriel laughed, twisting his head to meet Sam's gaze in the dim light.
"Are you okay?" Sam asked, pushing away from the door frame and making his way slowly over to the other man.
Gabriel inhaled deeply, rolling his eyes. "I'm fine." he insisted tiredly, but Sam could tell he was fighting the desire to couch again, and like every other time, he let it drop.
He lifted Gabriel's legs and took the seat. "We've got a case." he informed casually.
"Oh, that's good, Dean's getting cranky. - And so are you."
The pair fell silent, Sam's hand massaging his lover's ankle. Gabriel lying back against the pillow, his eyes growling heavy. Just as Sam thought he'd fallen asleep the man spoke.
"So where are you going?"
"Lincoln Springs, Missouri." Sam replied softly. "There's been a bizarre death. A teacher was killed, her eyes and internal organs liquefied. - There's been three others across the Midwest."
"Hmm." Gabriel moaned. "You should get going then." he murmured sleepily, lifting his feet and using them to force Sam off the couch.
Sam smiled, shaking his head as he crouch down to press a kiss to the man's head. "Call if you need anything." he ordered. "Gabriel?"
"Yeah, yeah. Call blah blah blah." he lifted his head, cradling Sam's to pull him into a brief yet passionate kiss before pushing him away. "Go."
Sam took a slow deep breath as warmth spread through his chest while he clambered to his feet. He opened his mouth to speak only to slam it shut again. After a few seconds of tense silence he muttered. "I'll call you later." then turned to stroll out of the door.
As he headed back along the corridor towards his room he noted Dean had disappeared from the Crow's Nest as he passed though, and know with a grimace just where his brother was. Tugging his phone out of his pocket he messaged Claire, informing her that they were heading out on a case and asking her to keep an eye on Gabriel. He didn't need to explain why, she'd been just as worried as him lately. With that done, he threw this things into the duffle and hurled it over his shoulder. He strolled down to Dean's room, banging on the door and telling Dean he was ready and to meet him at the Impala.
On his way to the garage, Sam couldn't help but pop his head in to check on Gabriel one last time. The ex-angel was snoring peacefully on the couch.
"Are you coming?" Dean called from the end of the corridor, startling Sam.
"Yeah." he nodded, stepping away from the rec-room and rushing to catch up.
_What Doesn't Kill You_
"Somebody's killing demons. Well that is awesome. I feel like we should send a card or flowers. What kind of flowers says thanks for killing demons?"
Sam paused to meet his brother enthusiastic gaze over the top of the Impala. "Yeah, but who's killing demons and why? And by the way, since when does a demon possess someone and go all Beautiful Mind and start digging in the dirt? Does any of this seem right to you?"
Dean shrugged. "I like the part about killing demons. That seems right." he cheerfully claimed into the car.
Sam took a breath, glancing back at the house before getting in too. He didn't like it, there was something going on and his instincts were telling him it wasn't good, despite the dead demons. He felt like he should know what was happening and yet couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Making himself comfortable he pulled out his phone.
"Seriously man, he's fine." Dean grunted, starting the engine.
"I'm calling the families of the other victims." Sam corrected. "To find out if they witnessed anything...odd in their behaviour."
"Oh, well, that's good." Dean nodded, avoiding Sam's gaze with embarrassment.
Sam focused on the phone calls, ignoring the itch to call home. Dean's assumption wasn't misguided, he had been calling Gabriel every few hours just checking he was alright. Something Dean and Gabriel were getting frustrated about, but he couldn't help but worry. And he knew that if the situation was different, if he'd been the one to start the trails, Dean in particular would be a billion times worse.
Sam finished the last of his calls just as they pulled up in front of another house. "So, real estate guys wife said he was acting weird, historian's hubby said the same. Just got all obsessive then weird, no one saw any black eyes but you know, where there's smoke. I wonder what they're all looking for?"
Sam watched as Dean raised his hand to know only to pause, as Sam's phone went off. Fishing it out of his pocket, he looked at the caller ID and his gut fell. "Gabriel?" he said in a panic, stepping away from the door. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, breathe dammit." Gabriel ordered.
Sam forced air into his lungs and braced himself against the porch post, his legs weaken slightly. "So why are you calling?"
"I'm calling about the case." Gabriel informed him casually.
"We're not..."
"I've looked at the stuff you left and I think I know what's going on. I should have realised sooner but..."
"What?" Sam looked across at his intrigued brother. "Gabriel has something on the case."
"I was staring at those towns, something was familiar about them but it took a while to click. Sorry."
"It's fine. What is it?"
"They're the locations to Lucifer's crypts."
"What? - Lucifer's crypts?" Sam stepped further away from the house and switched the call to loud speaker.
"Lucifer had crypts?" Dean frowned, moving closer.
"Back in the hey-day, when he was first starting to manipulate demons, he had Azazel build crypts."
"How do you know?" Sam asked cautiously.
"I kept an eye on my brother over the years. Anyway there's one in all the towns on this list and the victims'..."
"They're demons, we already figured that out."
"Oh, then you've figured out what's killing them." the smile was clear in his tone and the brothers exchanged frustrated looks. "Huh, seriously it's obvious. The wounds, only one thing could be responsible for them. - An angel."
Dean straightened instantly, his eyes flickering around the front yard. "Cas?"
"Maybe. More likely though it's someone working for upstairs."
Sam took a breath, looking at his brother curiously. "Okay, so...what's with the storage wars? What are they looking for?"
"Could be anything. Luci pilfered more than a few items over the years. You're just going to have to get your hands on one of those demons to find out."
"I don't suppose you can give us an actual address for this vault, and save us the time?" Dean sighed warily.
"I said I knew about them, I haven't actually been there."
Dean huffed. "Of course not, that would be too easy."
Gabriel chuckled down the line. "Just be careful, okay. Whatever they're looking for its important enough for upstairs to send out a retrieval squad."
Dean looked at the house. "I guess we'll just have to see what Wendy Rice has to say." moving back up the porch to knock.
"Thanks Gabe, I call when we have something."
"You better. - Oh, and Sammy?"
"Yeah?"
"Whoever has been sent by heaven, don't mention me, will you?"
Sam inhaled sharply at the nervous fear in his lover's voice. "Of course not."
"Good. - Go do your job. I'll talk to you later." he signed off with a kissy noise that left a smile on Sam's face, just as the door open to reveal a middle-aged woman in curlers.
While Dean introduced them, Sam put away his phone and retrieved his ID, smiling reassuringly at the woman.
"Of course, please come in. - Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you, Ms Rice, just tell us what you know about Mrs Morton. - How did you know her?"
Wendy led them into the living room, waving for them to take a seat. "I had never met her before she called the other night." the woman said, eager to help, taking the armchair.
For the next few minutes Ms Rice, told them about the phone calls she'd received late the night before Mrs Morton's death. How Morton wanted to know about the researched Wendy was doing on the Underground Railroad, and the town. Wendy showed them a map she'd been painstakingly recreating for years as part of her research, pointing out the Old Javoich Orchard that had really peeked Morton's interest."
"Then I read about her in the paper. Just tragic." Wendy shook her head regretfully. "Ann's assistant called this morning though, asked if I still had the map."
"Assistant?" Sam frowned. Mr Morton hadn't mentioned an assistant.
Wendy was stopped from answering by a knock at the door. "Oh, that must be him. Maybe he can help." she smiled, getting up to answer the door.
Sam watched her walk away then pulled the map closer to examine it more closely. When Wendy screamed he was on his feet in an instantly, but they were too slow. The demons burst into the house, throwing Wendy across the room to crash into the coffee table.
Sam quickly found himself pinned to the floor, his knife skittering across the room when the demon knocked it free of his hand. The demon's fist connected over and over but for every punch that bastard landed, Sam bit back. He could hear the tussle in the other room, Dean's angry grunts as he fought.
Then it was over. Sam's eyes squinted closed tightly as his vision filled with light. When it cleared, but for the white dots, he stared up in surprise to see Cass looking down at him. "Cas?"
"Sam." the angel nodded, turning to drag the possessed Wendy with him into the kitchen.
Sam struggled to his feet, meeting Dean's equally confused gaze. A sharp pain shot through his back, shoulder and head, and rolled his jaw as he hobbled back to the couch. He had just taken a seat when Dean disappeared for a few minutes, returning with an ice pack.
"Here, put this on your shoulder." Dean ordered, tossing the pack at him.
"I'm fine." Sam replied harshly, catching it and throwing it aside. Just as he opened his mouth to voice his anger and confusion, the door opened and Cas waltzed back into the room. They hadn't heard a word from him in months and now here he was, swooping in to save the day? Something was off.
"Whoever has been sent by heaven, don't mention me, will you?" Gabriel's voice whispered in his mind. Had Gabriel suspected it was Cas, but hadn't wanted to say? He'd have to wait until he got home to find out.
"I bound the demon I caught in a devil's trap, I'm going to interrogate it now." Cas informed them matter-of-factly.
"Wait a second, Cas. How about you answer some questions first?" Sam demanded, frustrated. "Like where the hell have you been?" he watched the angel closely, trying to find something to explain the man's strange behaviour.
"You heard me, didn't you?" Dean asked beside him, his voice thick with tension, and maybe even a hint of hurt.
Sam looked at his brother, his brows pinched tightly together. "You prayed to him?" he asked surprised. "When?"
"Yes, I heard you, but that's not why I'm here." Cas replied coldly, taking a seat in the armchair.
Sam didn't miss the pained look that passed over Dean's face at the angel's dismissal, and he looked between them as the atmosphere grew fragile in a way it had never done before. Like the slightest movement could break it.
"I've been hunting demons." Cas exhaled after a long spaced out moment of silence.
"So this was you?" Sam stared at his friend while Gabriel's warning screamed in his ear. Whatever they're looking for its important enough for upstairs to send out a retrieval squad. Was Castiel working for heaven?
"I've been searching for the other half of the demon tablet." Castiel insisted flatly, but his gaze was almost angry as he glowered across at them.
Sam frowned.
"Without us?" Dean snapped, that echo of hurt ringing loud and clear in his tone.
"I've been trying to help Dean." Cas replied harshly. "And in my search I discovered Crowley had sent out demons to look for Lucifer's crypts."
Sam's gut tightened, his eyes flickering to Dean, praying his brother wouldn't mention the fact that they already knew about the crypts, or how.
"Lucifer has crypts?" Dean asked, sounding utterly ignorant of them. Sam clenched his jaw to stop from sighing in relief.
"Dozens of them apparently."
Sam watched Cas as he sat, seeming bored with the conversation. "What are they looking for?" he asked cautiously.
"They're looking of uh..." he trailed off, staring into space as if trying to think of something to say. A lie to tell. "Parchment that would allow them to decipher Crowley's half of the tablet without a prophet."
"A demonic decode ring, in Crowley's hands? Awesome." Dean replied coldly, not looking at the angel.
"The crypts were lost over time, only those closest to Lucifer knew there were about." as informed them.
And Gabriel, Sam though. "Then how did Crowley find them?"
"His demons have been possessing locals who may have some special knowledge."
"That explains the crazy room in Anne's house." Sam muttered. "But how did they know where to start looking in the first place?" he frowned.
"I don't know." Cas announced, getting to his feet. "I'm hoping the strange haired demon in the kitchen is more knowledgeable than the others I've interrogated."
Interrogated? Killed you mean. Sam thought, his jaw tight as he watched Cas leave the room.
"Well, he puts the ass in Cass, uh?" Dean grumbled, leaning heavily on his knees and staring at the door.
"He's definitely off." Sam replied in a whisper, glancing towards the kitchen once more.
"Off? He hasn't been right since he got back from purgatory and we still don't know how he got out of there."
Sam nodded thoughtfully, eyes never leaving his brother's face. "Then why were you praying to him?" he asked carefully.
Dean met his eyes for only a second before getting quickly to his feet.
"You know I can hear you both!" Cas called from the other room, startling them. "I am a celestial being."
Sam swallowed thickly, relieved neither he nor Dean had mentioned Gabriel. Getting to his feet he reluctantly followed Dean into the kitchen, snatching the knife off the carpet on his way.
_What Doesn't Kill You_
"Angel tablet?" Gabriel hummed down the line. "So that's what happened to it."
"You know about it?" Sam asked harshly.
"Of course I know, but it went missing centuries ago. Probably should have known my brother stole it." he scoffed.
"What is it?" Sam asked, his fingers tapping against the dashboard, looking cautiously over at the house.
Dean and Cas had helped Meg into the house, leaving Sam to call Gabriel and see what he knew. Hopefully, Dean could keep Cas distracted long enough that he doesn't listening in on Sam's private call.
"Gee, the recipe for Red Velvet Cake, what do you think, genius. Seriously Sammy, it's time like this I wonder what I see in you."
"That's easy, my killer body and my huge..."
"Hey, you coming." Dean snapped angrily, startling Sam. He turned to see his brother glowering down at him through the window.
Gabriel chuckled down the line as Sam held up a finger at him. "Look, I can't say what's on the tablet, only a prophet an read the thing, but considering the demon tablet can close the gates of hell, it's even money on the angel tablet being able to put heaven on lock down. No wonder they want it." he hummed thoughtfully.
"Do you think Cas is working for heaven?" Sam asked cautiously, hoping the angel was too distracted to listen into their conversation.
"Probably." Gabriel muttered, his tone regretful.
"Got it." Sam nodded, looking up at Dean.
"Don't give it to him." Gabriel warned.
Sam rolled his eyes, shoving open the car door.
"Are you finished? I don't think I can take Megstiel in there." he grunted, nodding at the house. "What's he say?"
"That we can't trust Cas." Sam replied quietly, giving his brother an apologetic smile.
"Great, so how are we meant to get this damn tablet?"
"Ditch him and go alone." Gabriel remarked down the lie. "And did Dean just say Megstiel?"
"Yes." Sam sighed. "And we don't know what's going to be down there, we might need some angelic assistance, and Cas is the only ace we have." Sam winched almost as soon as he'd finished speaking, the long silence confirming his error. "I didn't... Ga..."
"If at all possible, don't let Cas take the tablet back to heaven. We have no idea what's on it. - Oh and y'might not want to let him know you're on to him, I don't know what he'll do."
"Sure." Sam agreed, closing the car door with a heavy slam. "Oh, and Gabe?"
"Yeah?"
Sam swallowed thickly, the words catching in his throat yet again, despite his desperate desire to voice them. "I'll call when we have it."
"Be careful, both of you."
Sam smiled as he lowered the phone, ending the call.
"What?" Dean frowned nervously, eyes narrowing.
"Gabe told you to be careful." he grinned brightly.
Dean rolled his eyes. "Likes stating the bloody obvious, doesn't he?"
_What Doesn't Kill You_
It didn't take them long to reach the abandoned building. Thankfully there was no sign of Crowley. He was bound to find them eventually however, so they were running on borrowed time. According to Meg, the ones they'd toasted weren't the only team in town, which meant Crowley wouldn't be alone either.
"So this is it." Meg announced confidently. "The basement."
"Alright, Cas and I will head in, get our Indiana Jones on. Sam you stay here outside with Meg."
"What?" Sam snapped, looking at the angel and demon before glaring questioningly at Dean.
"We've got this." Dean insisted.
"What are you talking about Dean, I'm not letting you go in there alone." he insisted firmly.
"He won't be alone." Cas reminded him harshly.
Sam turned sharp concerned eyes on Cas, his lips pressed into a thin line. Don't let him know you suspect. "That's not what I mean." Sam fixed eyes with Dean, silently reminding him of what Gabriel had said. Did he really expect him to let them go in there alone, when Cas couldn't be trusted? "Meg can hang here, watch our backs?"
"Oh what, now you trust Meg?" Dean scoffed.
"Hey, I got you this far." Meg argued, insulted.
"Shut up Meg, Dean..."
"Sam, we'll be fine." Dean snapped firmly. "Stay with Meg." he warned, already marching away with Cas.
Sam inhaled slowly, watching them leave with a heavy weight in his chest.
"It's not nice being ditched at the prom, is it Sam." Meg chuckled. "Oh, I forgot..." she smirked knowingly.
"Shut up, Meg." Sam growled furiously, marching back to the car for the spray cans. He tossed one to Meg and stomped towards the building.
"So, I'm surprised it took you so long to find me." Meg said casually spraying the warning on the concrete.
"Sam gritted his teeth and ignored the demon's eyes on him.
"You did look for me? - I took how many bullets for you guys and you didn't even look for me?" Meg gapped at him, eyes wide. "Like once?"
Sam gave her an almost apologetic look and shrugged.
"Huh, my hero." she murmured sarcastically.
"No disrespect but you haven't been the most...trustworthy person in our lives Meg. I just figured you'd split."
Meg huffed, "Wow. - Okay, so what have you two been doing while I was being tortured?"
Sam glanced at her briefly before moving on another wall.
"Seriously, you're not going to tell me?"
Sam took a breath. He didn't see the point in keeping most of it a secret, so he talked. He filled her in on what happened to Dick Roman, to Dean and Cas, before he even realised it he was spilling everything about the past couple of years to her. He didn't mention Gabriel by name but he told her about their relationship from beginning to their separation. He stopped before the reunion, she didn't need to know they were together now. That he was happy. - Like e's said, she wasn't the most trustworthy person.
"Okay, there's just one part I don't understand. You hit a dog and you stopped, why?" Meg frowned.
"That whole story," Sam frowned, turning to stare at the woman. "And that's what you take away?"
Meg shrugged dismissively. "I heard the rest, you fell in love with a unicorn, and it was beautiful, then sad, then sadder. I laughed, I cried, I puked in my mouth a little. - And honestly I kinda get it."
Sam frowned down at her. "Really."
Meg sighed, her gaze flickering over Sam's shoulder. "We've got company." she murdered, turning slowly to face Crowley.
"Love what you've done with the place." Crowley greeted. "You really think all that was going to keep me out forever."
"At least long enough for Dean and Cas to get the tablet and get out." Sam replied.
"Castiel, so that's who's been poking y boys, and not in the sexy way. - I've got a bone to pick with you moose, for what you did to my poor dog."
Sam straightened, so Crowley didn't know it was Gabriel, which was at least a small weight lifted.
"Are you going to talk us to death or get down to it already?" Meg asked, bored.
"There's my whore. I'm not here for my dearly departed though, I'm here for the stone with the funny scribbles on it."
"Well that's not gonna happen." Sam said, his fingers tightening around the demon knife.
"I love it when you get all tough, touches me right were my bathing suit goes."
Sam winced at the mental image, before catching Meg's eyes.
"Go." she ordered. "Save your brother and my...my unicorn." she smiled sadly.
Sam frowned at her for only a moment before pushing it all aside and taking off towards the entrance. When he found the vault, Dean was alone. "Where's Cas?"
"He's gone." Dean grunted. "Meg?"
"We've got to go. Now!"
_What Doesn't Kill You_
They arrived back at the bunker a little before midnight. The drive home had been mostly carried out in silence, the only conversation being the twenty odd minutes in which Dean had explained what had happened with Cas. After that though not a word had passed either of their lips.
Sam climbed out of the Impala at the front entrance and the pair slowly made their way inside. It wasn't a surprise to find all the lights off, but for the corridors, which was why Sam startled at the sound of Gabriel's voice. Turning he watched the man walk towards them with a streaming mug cradled in his hands.
"You're home." he remarked, looking between them. "Where's Cas?"
Sam inhaled slowly as Dean marched angrily passed him, not so much as a word of good night, Sam turned back to Gabriel with a sigh, shaking his head.
"I didn't say anything." he snapped defensively, his free hand raised. "I was just asking about my brother, I didn't mean anything?"
Sam sighed once again, flinging his arm around his lover's shoulders. "I know, it wasn't you, it's just been a hard night. I'll tell you everything in bed." he muttered.
He herded Gabriel down the corridor and into their room where he dropped his bag and fell tiredly on the couch with a heavy weary sigh, his head falling back and his eyes closing.
"Okay, what happened? Where's my brother?" Gabriel asked warily, settling his mug down on the night stand.
"Gone." Sam replied, his eyes remaining closed. "He split with the angel tablet."
"What? Dammit Sam, I told you not to let him talk it!"
"I didn't let him do anything. I wasn't even in the room. If I had been I'd be bringing him back to you in pieces." Sam growled, sitting up straight, his furious hazel eyes fixed on his lover.
Gabriel's shoulders stiffened. "What did he do?"
"What did he do?" Sam scoffed coldly. "He only beat the living hell out of Dean. He almost killed him."
Gabriel took a slow breath, lowering himself down on the end of the bed, his head dropping into his hands. "He's okay though?" he looked up suddenly. "He looks fine, which means Cas healed him."
Sam dragged his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, according to Dean he was pretty close to killing him and then he just stopped. He thinks the tablet cut the connection between Cas and Naomi
"Naomi?" Gabriel frowned.
"The angel that's been controlling him. He told Dean she'd gotten him out of Purgatory and has been messing with his head. All that shit he's been pulling, being distant, killing Samandriel, it was all her."
Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Dammit." he grunted furiously. "I can't believe they're still pulling that shit."
"You know her?"
Gabriel shrugged. "The name doesn't ring a bell. - Don't look at me like that, do you know how many angels there are in heaven? I can't be expected to remember all of them."
"You remembered Cas?"
Gabriel smiled warmly, his eyes sad. "Castiel is different." he took a breath and got to his feet, pacing the room slowly.
Sam watched him for a few minutes before getting to his feet and shrugging out of his jacket and shirt. "So how are you feeling?"
"Fine." Gabriel murmured absently.
Sam let him wallow in his thoughts and began to strip, padding over to the bed in his underpants.
"So Cas stopped?" Gabriel asked suddenly, turning to look at Sam, while the hunter made himself comfortable beneath the sheets. "Was that before or after he touched the tablet."
"What does it matter?"
"Call it curiosity." Gabriel shrugged.
Sam frowned thoughtfully, replaying Dean's retelling of the event. "Before, I think. Why? - It had to have been before." he nodded more confidently.
Gabriel's face broke out into a wide grin as he headed for the bed, tossing his robe across the room.
"What are you grinning about?" Sam watched him suspiciously.
"I just love being right, you know that." Gabriel chuckled, climbing to straddle Sam's lap.
"Right?" Sam frowned, his hands resting on the man's hips. "About what?"
"Cas." Gabriel whispered, leaning forward to brush his lips against Gabriel's.
Sam stared at him bemused and Gabriel rolled his eyes. "The tablet didn't save Cas from killing Dean, Cas stopped himself." he spelt out slowly.
"Huh?"
Gabriel shifted closer till their chest were flush against one another, his knees bend up against Sam's ribs and his dick trapped between their stomachs, while Sam's pressed against the seam of his ass. He stroked his fingers through Sam's long lush hair. "As cliché as it sounds, Sammy-kins, the only think strong enough to override heaven's brain washing like that is free will. - And nothing says free will like love." he grinned.
Sam stared for a moment before rolling his eyes, scoffing.
"It's true. Cas couldn't kill Dean, he'd die first."
"You're serious." Sam frowned.
"Deadly." the ex-archangel smirked triumphantly, leaning forward to press a kiss to Sam's lips.
Sam pulled away, meeting the man's amber eyes. "Then why'd he split? Why'd he tell Dean he didn't trust him with the tablet?"
Gabriel stared at the hunter like he'd grown a second head. "Seriously? Sam you're currently trying to close the gates of hell, and as a consequence Crowley has every demon on earth out for your head. What do you think heaven will do if they know you have the ability to shut down heaven too? You think they were working together before," he shook his head.
Sam stared at him thoughtfully. "He split to protect us. - Protect Dean."
Gabriel grinned smugly, only to sober a second later. "He's drawing the fire. - He's a dead man walking, and he knows it." his fingers brushing thoughtful circles into Sam's shoulders.
"We'll just have to find him before they do, then."
"If Cas doesn't want to be found, he won't be. - At least not by you. We'll just have to hope he comes home."
A/N: I'm not sure this chapter worked out as well as I'd hoped. I found myself using more episode dialogue than I originally intended. I would be nice to know what you thin. - Also, if you find any spelling/grammar mistakes, please feel free to drop me a line, but actually correct me don't just say I have spelling mistakes, because obviously I can't see them or they wouldn't be there in the first place. Thank you for reading, hope to hear from you.
Until next time, toodles.