A/N: As this is pretty much an episode rewrite, it contains episode dialogue, which obviously I do not own. I've combined the episodes Pac-M#an Fever and The Great Escapist so that they're happening at the same time.

Gabriel stumbled breathlessly through the portal, his whole-body trembling. He'd been so terrified at the thought of getting stuck in Purgatory again, that he couldn't keep tears from his eyes. He inhaled deeply at the cool frigid air and leant heavily against the nearest tree. He stared at the glistening gateway, a knot forming in his gut as he fearfully waited for Sam to follow. His heart began to race as the time stretched out. Seconds turning into minutes. Shaking, Gabriel pushed himself off the tree and took a step towards the portal. "Sam! Sam!" he yelled pointlessly; his voice filled with desperation.

The breath he was holding burst out of him in a rush as his lover staggered through, his hair flying crazily around his head. The second he had his footing, Gabriel grabbed him, fingers curling tightly into the fabric of Sam's jacket, and yanked him forward, his lips finding the younger man's in a hard-desperate kiss, before shoving the hunter angrily away. "Don't fucking scare me like that! Jackass!" he spat furiously.

Sam smiled softly down at him, "Okay. – You alright?"

Gabriel neither confirmed nor denied how he was feeling, mostly because he didn't know what he felt in the wake of his misadventure. Thankfully, Sam was distracted from pressing the subject by the sound of rushing feet crashing through the thatch of branches.

Gabriel turned just in time to see Dean and Claire emerge from the darkness, and barely had time to smile before he had an armful of teenager.

"You're back. It worked." Claire said shakily, her face buried against the ex-angel's shoulder.

Gabriel tightened his arms around the girl and pressed a kiss to her temple, "It's alright. We're alright." He whispered, his eyes flickering over to the brothers. Taking another deep breath, Gabriel savored the feeling of being home with his family. Safe.

Of course, the moment was soon ruined when Dean insisted that they send Bobby to the heaven's where he should have been all along. Gabriel wasn't at all eager to complete the second trial, but he had little choice in the matter. He couldn't carry the old man around with him for the rest of his life. – Though for Sam's sake he wished he could. The pair needed a firm hand guiding them, especially Dean.

Gabriel didn't need to be an angel to see that Dean Winchester was on the verge of a full breakdown, and without Cas to pull him back from the brink, he feared where it would lead. After all, it had already led him to a vampire's bed. Not that Gabriel was judging.

"You ready?" Sam asked softly, one hand on Gabriel's shoulder while the other held out the knife.

With a reluctant nod, Gabriel racked up his sleeve and reached or the blade, drawing it slowly across his still tender flesh, mumbling the incantation.

A sharp burning pain ignited beneath his skin as the bright glow of Bobby Singer's soul slipped from his body. It didn't take form on earth, with no body for it to inhabit and no ethereal magic to give him form. With watery eyes, Gabriel watched the unearthly cloud hover for a second, almost as if trying to bid fair well to the brothers, before completing its journey to heaven.

Suddenly, a dark net of magic curled around the soul, trapping it. Gabriel's eyes widened with shock. He ground his teeth and looked around, anger flooding through him at the sight of the demon. He lifted his hands to snap his fingers, only to remember at the last second that he was powerless. In that same instant, he felt his body hurtling back. Pain blossomed in his head when he hit the tree.

Crowley's eyes fluttered between the small group, finally settling on Gabriel, "So, who are you?" he demanded, looking curiously at the ex-archangel. It wasn't a surprise the demon didn't recognize him, without his grace. "You got yourselves a new friend?"

"I'm an old friend, actually." Gabriel snipped. So old in fact, that he knew a thing or two. Before Crowley could say anything more, Gabriel started chanting ancient Enochian. The demon's eyes widened with shock, then panic. They watched as a bright reddish glow slowly started to spread beneath the demon's meat-suit, and fear filled his eyes.

As the demon's power fade, the net keeping Bobby tethered to the world, broke and the soul shimmered. Turning his attention back to the demon, Gabriel kept chanting, watching with dark pleasure as Crowley began to smolder.

As Crowley's power weakened, so too did his hold on them, and without warning, Gabriel found himself plummeting to the ground, along with the others. He probably should have expected it, really. It was obvious, and yet it had surprised him so much that he stopped chanting. His momentary pause as he hit the dirt, was all Crowley needed, and before Gabriel was able to finish, the demon was gone. Vanishing in a blink of an eye.

"Dammit." Both he and Dean said in unison, glowering at the now empty space.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked worriedly, "Claire."

"I'm fine." The teenager reassured, rubbing at her head.

"Let's just get this trial done and get out of here before he sends his minions after us." Dean grumbled.

Sam nodded with a sigh and reached into his pocket for the small square of paper. Gabriel stared at it for a long few seconds, almost as if it were coated in holy oil. "Gabe?" Sam pressed quietly, the concern ringing clear as a bell in his tone. "Are you…?"

Before he could finish the question, Gabriel was already reciting the ancient Enochian spell, the effect instantaneous the moment the last word rolled off the ex-archangel's tongue. Gabriel dropped to his knees breathless and shaking, his arm on fire. He squeezed his eyes closed against the pain and forced his lungs to continue working.

"Sam?" Dean frowned, genuine concern in his tone.

"Dad?" Claire's voice shook as she dropped down beside Gabe, eyes wide with panic and fear, tears already rolling down her cheeks.

"I-It's okay. – It's o-okay." Gabriel breathlessly tried to reassure, his heart hammering out of control. "I'm f-fine. It's d-done." He inhaled deeply through his nose, blinking back his own tears, "It's done." Gabe repeated softly, voice trembling. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turned to look at his daughter with a clumsy smile.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, leaning down to help him back to his feet.

With his gaze never leaving the terrified features of Claire's face, Gabriel nodded. "Let's get o-out of h-here. – It's been a h-hell of a day." He smiled. Back on his feet, he reached for the teenager, sighing when she hurriedly slipped her arm around his waist. She buried her face in his shoulder for a second, then turned to begin guiding him back through the woodland.

Sam watched as the pair began their trek back to the Impala, leaving him in the dark with his brother, worry etched across his face.

_(x-x-x)_

Sam glanced over his shoulder to the backseat, a large knot wound tight in his chest. Gabriel looked alright for the most part, with his head pressed to the window, eyes closed. His breathing was steady and even once again, but he was pale in the dark of the car, and Sam could see the tension in his body, even as he slept. He feared what was to come. The last trial had left his lover drained for weeks. Something told Sam this was going to be worse. Swallowing thickly, he turned back to face the road.

"He gonna be okay?" Dean asked quietly, his gaze flickering to the mirror.

Sam cleared his throat and shrugged, "He'll live." He grumbled unconvincingly.

A thick silence settled between them for a few minutes before Dean cut through it, "I'll bury Benny when we get back."

Sam's head turned quickly; his eyes wide. He'd completely forgotten about the vampire. Licking his lips awkwardly, his gaze hurriedly returned to the road.

"I won't burn his bones." Dean continued, to himself more than Sam, "After he said he'd try to get you out of there, it's just didn't seem right. I know you got no use for him but…" he trailed off, voice cracking slightly.

Sam shifted in his seat, glancing back over his shoulder. Noting that Claire was asleep, he exhaled a tired breath and twisted back. "You know, I get it." he whispered uncomfortably.

"Get what?" Dean frowned; eyes fixed ahead.

"You and Benny. I – Why you…"

Dean shifted in his seat. "He was a friend. He helped me…"

"He's different from what I thought." Sam admitted, side-eyeing his brother. "I was wrong about him. – And it's not like I'm in any position to judge who you sleep with."

Dean head snapped around to glare at his brother, "What…?"

With a sigh, Sam rolled his eyes, "I know Dean. We all know." He jerked his head towards the backseat. "And we get it. Well, at least me and Gabe do. After everything that's happened with Cas…"

"You don't know what you're talking about." Dean stated furiously. "I'm not… - I don't – with – guys." He wrinkled his nose.

Sam sighed. This wasn't exactly the time or place for this conversation, but if they didn't talk about it now, they never would. It would continue being this unspoken thing between them. "Neither did I, until…" he waved his hand back to Gabriel.

"That's – different."

Sam raised a confused brow, "How exactly?"

"You're a girl." Dean said, attempting to deflect with humor, as he was always did when they were approaching a serious conversation.

"Dean, I'm serious."

"And he's an angel."

"No?" Sam snapped, glaring at his brother. "He's not. Hasn't been in a long time."

Dean stared silently out at the road; his jaw so tight the muscle pulsed. Sam watched him, waiting for him to say something. Eventually Dean sighed, "It's complicated and I – I don't want to talk about it. Let's just focus on getting your boyfriend home. Okay."

Sam continued to stare for a few more seconds before exhaling. He gave a curt nod, "Okay, Dean."

"Bitch."

Sam smiled almost sadly, "Jerk."

_(x-x-x)_

Sam rolled over and flung his arm around Gabriel's trembling body, drawing him back against his bare chest. It had been almost two weeks since they'd completed the second trial and Gabriel was still suffering the aftereffects. Each choking cough and wheezy breath left Sam cold. And it wasn't the first morning he'd woken to find Gabriel shivering with the blankets tossed aside. His body wasn't hot, there was no sign of fever, no sweat pebbled on the man's forehead. To the touch, he seemed perfectly alright, but clearly inside, Gabriel was suffering, and there was nothing Sam could do. – And it was killing him. He closed his eyes against the tears.

"I t-told you, d-don't f-fuss." Gabriel stammered.

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat and pressed his face into the other man's hair, "And I'm ignoring you." He whispered, fearing for his voice if he spoke any louder. He reached for Gabriel's hand and laced their fingers, before holding it to Gabriel's chest.

"I really wish you'd let me take you to the doctor." Sam said a few seconds later.

"And t-tell them w-what? T-that I per-formed a…." He trailed off as a harsh wrenched cough took hold. He rolled away from Sam, to hang his head over the side of the bed.

Looking over his shoulder, Sam saw the flecks of blood and felt his heart stop. He'd known Gabriel was coughing up blood for days now, but they'd both been pretending it wasn't happening. Now however, with the proof right in front of him, he couldn't deny it any longer. "There's got to be someone we can call?" he said, suddenly panicked.

Gabriel rolled onto his back, chest rising and falling as he fought to recapture his breath. He shook his head and close his eyes. "N-no one."

Sam didn't believe that. Or perhaps he couldn't believe that. Settling back against the pillow, Sam stared up at the ceiling, one hand resting against Gabriel's, their fingers linked together once more, while his other hand lay beneath his head, and his mind whirling with fearful thoughts. He had to find a way to help heal Gabriel. He couldn't lose him. Not now. Not ever.

_(x-x-x)_

Sam jumped as a duffle landed on the table in front of him, and he exhaled a long sigh. "I told you Dean, I'm not…." He trailed off as he looked up and saw that it wasn't his brother, "Claire."

"You're going with Charlie and Dean."

"Did Dean put you…?"

"No. – But he's right. You need to get out of here. It's been almost three weeks. You've left the heavy lifting to Dean for long enough, and you need air, so you're going hunting." Claire informed her adoptive father firmly.

Sam frowned up at her for a second before shaking his head and getting out of his seat, breakfast bowl in hand. "No. I'm not leav…"

"Dad's going to be fine. He sleeps most of the time anyway, and I'm here. I can look after him for a few days." She said frustratedly. "I'll make sure he eats, and I'll even promise not to kill Kevin while you're gone."

Dropping the bowl into the sink, Sam turned and fixed the teenager with a tired gaze. She was right of course, he really did need to get out of the bunker, but the idea of leaving Gabriel when he was still suffering the aftereffects of the trials left him cold. What if he went and something happened? What if….

The image of Jessica trapped and burning on his ceiling filled his thoughts and he closed his eyes, turning away from the girl. "I'm not leaving. Not again." He muttered determinedly.

There was a long silence and Sam wondered, hoped that Claire had taken his answer and left. But deep down he knew that was unlikely. She may not be a Winchester by blood, but she was certainly as stubborn as one.

"I know you're scared, Pops. I'm scared. We're all scared." Sam sincerely doubted his brother was fearing the loss of the ex-archangel. "But we can't just sit around here and wait for him to die." Claire snapped angrily, "You know he doesn't want that. He wants you to do your damn job, just like he wants me to go to school. – And we're not going to find a damn solution to whatever this is, suck in here!"

Sam inhaled deeply, "And if something…?" His voiced cracked before the question was fully out of his mouth.

"I'll call if there's any change." Claire said softly. "Or I could go tell Dad you're being a moody goose and we can see what he's got to say." She threatened.

When Sam turned, he found Claire stood with her arms crossed, brow raised impatiently, and a determined look in her eyes that said she was a hundred percent willing to get Gabriel involved. Sam exhaled a defeated breath and his shoulders slumped, eyes flickering between his bag and his daughter. "Sometimes its scary how like him you've become."

Claire puffed up her chest, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Sam smiled warmly at her, shaking his head, and headed for his duffle. "I'm going to call every hour."

Claire rolled her eyes, "Make it every three."

There was a moment of challenge as the pair silently argued, but eventually Sam sighed, "Two." He then turned and headed back through the bunker, pausing in the crow's nest to tell Dean and Charlie he'd changed his mind, before hurrying along to his room.

The ex-archangel was passed out, face down on the bed, just as Sam had known he would be. Claire was right about him sleeping all the time. Quietly, Sam made his way over to the bedside and crouched down. Reaching out, he carded his fingers through the man's fine hair and just stared at the pale features pressed into the pillow.

Sam's heart and stomach clenched painfully, tears burning behind his eyes. He cleared the thick lump in his throat with a muffled cough and forced a tight but encouraging smile when Gabriel's eyelids fluttered open. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Gabriel smiled weakly back at him, "Sorry Sammy, not really up to messing around right now." He rolled onto his back with a groan, eyes closed, "But feel free to enjoy yourself without me. I don't mind watching." He tried to chuckle, but it only managed to lead to a coughing fit.

Sam reached for the glass of water on the nightstand and scrambled on the bed, scooping up Gabriel's head and pressing the glass to his lips. "That's it, I'm not going anywhere."

After a couple of sips, Gabriel pushed the glass away and looked up at Sam, "What?" he said weakly.

"Nothing, it's not important."

As Gabriel settled back against the pillow, he stared at Sam, "You w-were going o-on a h-hunt."

"It's not important, Dean can handle it."

"Go." Gabriel ordered. "I'm fine. Go do your job."

"No." Sam argued, shaking his head.

Fixing his boyfriend with a hard stare, Gabriel lifted his arm and pressed his fingers together, "Don't make me…"

Sam rolled his eyes, "I can't leave you like this."

"You can, and you will. I'm fine. Claire's here, and I'm feeling better." Gabriel lied, "I'll be back on my feet before you get back."

Shaking his head, Sam set the glass back on the nightstand. "And if something happens while I'm not here?"

Gabriel exhaled a shaky breath and reached for his boyfriend's hand, "Sammy. If something is going to happen, it ain't going to change a thing you being here or not." He informed him profoundly. "Dean needs you more than I do right now." Gabriel said softly, giving Sam's hand a squeeze. "You're needed out there more than in here."

Tears filled Sam's eyes, blurring the image of Gabriel's face, "I just…"

"I know." Gabriel said, "But you couldn't have saved her, and you can't save me. So go."

_(x-x-x)_

Clare stood in the driveway of the bunker; arms wrapped around herself to fight off the slight spring chill in the air, as she watched the taillights of the Impala fade off into the distance. Only once they'd vanished completely did she relax. She'd been beginning to thing she was never going to get rid of the pair, but thankfully her prayers were answered in the form of Charlie. Now she was free of the brothers, which meant she could finally put her plan into action.

Turning on her heels, Claire hurried back into the bunker, listening to the heavy slam of metal doors behind her. As she raced past the library, she was aware of Kevin Tran, still bent over the demon tablet, but he didn't concern her. The man was a wreck most of the time, barely there, and certainly wasn't a threat to her plan.

Running through the corridors, Claire headed for the lab where she'd spent the last few weeks. She had everything set. Most of the ingredients were already in jars on the shelves, and what wasn't there, she picked up on her way back from school.

She knew it was dangerous, that it could go wrong, which was exactly why she had no intention of telling Sam and Dean about it. It wasn't that she thought they'd stop her, per se, but rather that – well, Sam was all jumping about her doing anything even remotely magical, and Dean, well he'd have a whole different set of issues. But it was a good plan, and honestly, it was the only hope Gabriel had.

Closing the door securely behind her, Claire quickly pulled out everything she'd need and set about spraying a devil's trap, as well as pouring a ring of holy oil on the floor. She wasn't stupid, she knew to take precautions. Lord only knew the billion ways this could go wrong. She would have done it before, in preparation, but she couldn't risk Dean or Sam finding it. Once she was done with that, she set the stone bowl, filled with the sand of time, tears of a dragon and an angel feather, along with a knife in the middle of the ring and fished the matches out of her pocket.

With everything set, Claire took a deep breath and knelt in front of the bowl and lifted the knife, watching the overhead light bounce of the sharp blade for a few seconds. Licking her lips, she pressed it into her palm and cut. Blood pooled instantly and she winced at the pain, but proceeded until there was enough to drip into the bowl with the rest of her ingredients.

She hadn't been looking for the spell, she'd been searching for something to help heal Gabriel when she'd stumbled across the mention of the Sanguinem sigil, and was reminded of Sam and Dean's grandfather and how he'd used a blood to blood spell. An idea instantly ignited in her mind. There was one person who might be able to help them save Gabriel. One angel who could be trusted.

With the bowl filled, Claire quickly pulled out a bandage and wrapped her hand, then dipped her fingers in the bowl and calmly began to draw the sigil. Claire's voice echoed around the empty room as she said the Enochian invocation. It had taken her a lot of research and, much to her chagrin, a conversation with Kevin Tran, to figure out how to rewrite the spell to bring Castiel to her, rather than the other way around.

As she finished the sigil, a warmth began to spread through her body, and it started to glow. Swallowing thickly, she hurriedly stumbled back, careful not to break the holy oil ring, and watched as the sigil got brighter and brighter. Her heart racing while the warmth in her chest began to burn.

Then there was a burst of light and Claire crumpled to the floor, knocking one of the candles as she fell.

_(x-x-x)_

Castiel blinked, disorientated and breathless. Through his blurry vision, he could see the dancing flames a few feet away, the blazing heat caressed his face. He could sense as well as smell the holy oil and sighed. But he didn't understand where he was, or how he'd gotten there. Was it a trap? Was Naomi messing with his mind, luring him into a dream as she'd done before, in hopes that he'd reveal the whereabouts of the Angel Tablet? Pushing himself up from the floor, he winced. Her torture had been ineffective but honestly, he didn't think she'd done it for answers, but rather as punishment. When soft words hadn't worked, violence followed. The way of his kin, Castiel supposed. – And once upon a time, he'd been the same. Hadn't he?

Castiel hated that he could not be sure of himself anymore, or of anything around him. She'd done that to him, made him…scared. So scared, he'd run away. Away from Dean. His chest tightened at the memory of what he'd done to his friend.

A soft moan from the other side of the flames had him turning, and his eyes widened with surprise as James Novak's daughter staggered to her feet, pale even in the golden glow of the flames. "Claire Novak?"

She turned, features almost a mirror image of his own, "Da…" She cut herself off and shook her head. "Castiel." She corrected herself, voice cracking slightly.

He could see the tears appearing in her eyes, shimmering in the firelight. "What are you doing here? Where am I?"

Claire straightened her spine and stepped closer to the flames. "Is it you? Like, really you?" she tapped the side of her head, indicating his mind.

Castiel sighed, "Yes. Naomi has lost all power over me. – I think." He added uncertainly, eyes scanning the room.

"That's not exactly reassuring, Cass. - What happened to you?" she nodded at his disheveled and blooded appearance.

Looking down at his bloodied torn shirt, he exhaled a tired breath, "Naomi. She wants the Angel Tablet."

"You have it?" Claire asked eagerly, stepped an inch closer. Castiel narrowed his gaze cautiously at her, "No. It's somewhere safe."

Claire's shoulder's slumped slightly, "Oh."

"You haven't answered my question. Where am I?"

"Right, yeah. You're at the bunker."

"Bunker?" Castiel frowned, looking at her curiously.

"Right, I forgot, you split before they found this place." She reminded him with a strange bitterness to her tone that Castiel couldn't quiet understand. "Apparently Dean and Sam are a legacy. Their grandpa was a Man of Letters, and well…"

"Uh." Castiel exclaimed, looking around, "I thought they'd all been killed."

"They have, Dean and Sam are the last. But their grandpa did a bit of time travel, it's how I know about the blood to blood spell."

Castiel's eyes snapped back to Claire with surprise, "Blood to – blood?"

"Yeah, that's how you got here." She grinned proudly. "I figured, you're not my – dad but you've got his blood in there, right?" she waved a dismissive hand at him, "and well, I've got mine. I thought it might bring you here, you know, considering you've been ignoring our prayers for months." That bitterness was back.

This time Castiel dropped his gaze shamefully. "I – I stopped listening."

"Obviously." She spat.

"I mean, I – I turned off the radio, as Dean would say." The name merely leaving his lips had his heart beating faster. "Is Dean?"

"Alright?" Claire asked, brow raised, "Well, that depends on your definition of alright, and whether you mean physically or emotionally. – The answer though is no, he's not alright."

Panic filled Castiel and he hurried forward, stopping just short of the flames, "What happened? Where is he?"

Claire stared back at him for a long moment, before sighing. "He's alive, and in one piece. He's out hunting with Sam and their friend Charlie. He'll be back in a few days. – But don't expect a warm reception, Cass. He's pissed and hurt."

Castiel's shoulders slumped, "I – Yes."

"Seriously, you two are killing me." Claire muttered, shaking her head and turning away, marching over to the table where a bottle of water sat. "I didn't bring you here for him, anyhow. We have a more important problem than you and Dean's tragic love story. Namely, your brother is dying, and I need you to heal him." She began to douse the flames around him.

"My – brother?" Castiel frowned.

"Gabriel. He's sick and dying, and you need to heal him." She said in a panicked frantic tone.

"I – I don't understand. Gabriel is dead."

Claire exhaled a frustrated sigh and tossed the now empty bottle aside, "It's a long story that we'll fully explain, once you'd healed him." With that, she grabbed the sleeve of his trench coat and dragged him off.

Castiel was dragged through a maze of corridors filled with doors, each one numbered, until he reached room 21. "That's my room," Claire said, indicating the door behind them, "This is Sam and Gabriel's." She twisted the handle and shoved the door open.

"Sam and Gabriel's?" He frowned, confused. "They share?" The door swung open and he found himself faced with a single large bed in a dimly lit room, with a body spread out across it. Claire rushed in, leaving him to follow at a slower pace. He watched her perch herself on the edge of the bed.

"Dad? Dad, I brought help."

"Dad?" Castiel frowned, looking between the clear profile of his brother and Claire.

"They adopted me. Kinda. It's not official, well actually it kinda is, thanks to Charlie who hacked into the government files and made it all legit, but… yeah, Gabriel and Sam are my parents now."

"What happened to your mother?"

Claire bleached and turned her head away, "Demons killed her." She answered flatly. "Look, can you heal him or not?"

"Can't he heal himself?"

"He's not an angel anymore." Claire snapped, "He died, remember, only he didn't die, he got sent to purgatory. But he got out and now he's human and dying, so…" she waved impatiently at him. "Heal him."

Despite his confusion and the billion questions whirling around in his mind, Castiel stepped closer and leant over his brother. He was deathly pale, and his flesh was peppered with beads of sweat. Castiel pressed his fingers to the angel, no, the man's forehead and closed his eyes, challenging his grace through him.

There was something there, something buzzing beneath the service. Something fighting him off, repelling his attempts to heal his brother. Gritting his teeth, Castiel pushed forward, forced his grace past the barrier.

Suddenly the bulbs around them exploded, a loud screeching alarm blasted through the corridors of the bunker and Castiel lay crumpled at the base of the wall, the tiles cracked from his impact.

A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. I'm trying to do better and keep to schedule, but life has been pretty crappy lately. Anyway, I hope this chapter isn't too bad.