Possessing Dean felt… wrong.

Now, keep in mind, this was the man that was supposed to be Michael's perfect vessel. His Sword. But being in him, possessing him, his Grace intertwined with Dean's soul the way it used to be with Adam's, Michael felt absolutely, positively sick. Like this was some grand act of betrayal toward the demon, like he was somehow abandoning Adam by doing this. He hated it, he hated every damn second of it, and Dean didn't seem to like it all that much either. It took a long time of reminding himself that this was for Adam, and this was a good thing, for him to be able to settle down. It just didn't feel natural, buzzing around in Dean's head.

He flinched, another rush of that hot, burning pain splitting through his body. This time, Dean doubled over with it, as well, clearly feeling the effects himself now that they were connected - in an instant, and in a moment of panic, Michael rushed to heal him, even though he wasn't sure what he was healing him from. The pain confused him - until he remembered that he and Adam were still somehow connected, despite being split apart. And then it just hurt worse.

The thought of Adam being in pain. Of his Father hurting Adam. The archangel whined a little as he retreated, surrendering control back to the hunter almost immediately. Dean straightened up, the pain fizzling out, and Michael just stayed still, trying to see if he could see anything else from Adam's end, see where he was, if he was okay - but there was nothing else. The anxiety curling in his chest intensified further, straining slightly to see now, holding onto that last little bit of lingering pain as if it were the only thing connecting him to Adam. Which, to be completely honest, it nearly was. Jeez, it was taking everything he had not to retreat completely.

Dean was silent now, gripping onto the edge of the table to keep them steady. They were sitting, as the hunter had never really stood up, only in his own head. The fear radiating from the hunter was probably doing nothing but intensifying Michael's own anxiety, but he said nothing. Dean had every right to be terrified, even though the archangel had no plans on giving him any more of a reason to be. He stayed silent, concerned, while the hunter pulled himself together.

Finally, taking in a deep breath, Dean straightened up and cleared his throat. Michael didn't say a word as the hunter pushed the chair back and stood, a little unsteady on his feet at first, but gradually regaining his balance as he stepped out from around the table, hands lifted slightly as he took a look around the room, before lowering his gaze to the floor. "So, uh…"

I'm here, Michael murmured quietly, careful not to take control again. He didn't want to make the hunter any more uncomfortable than he already was - but beyond that, it still felt wrong as hell, to share control with anybody except Adam. And, since this was Dean's body, he should have absolute, full control, anyway. Once they found the demon, everything could go back to normal and the universe would no longer be thrown completely off balance and he'd be whole again. Just watching. Are you okay? It was hard to focus on anything except Adam, but he was still concerned for the oldest Winchester. It was a big step. A big decision. Michael just hoped he didn't end up regretting it - and that he didn't give the hunter a reason to.

"'Bout as okay as I can be," Dean grunted, holding his head. Michael stayed silent, not wanting to irritate him too much. The hunter was already stressed, and the archangel didn't want to add to that. Finally, with a groan, the oldest Winchester looked up, blinked a few times, and turned slightly, taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly. "Okay… Sammy," he muttered, receiving nothing more than a hum of agreement from Michael as he headed off to the other hunter's room, stumbling slightly in the process. Michael reluctantly took some control back, just enough to steady them. It was no easier to keep himself calm, but the distraction was welcome.

Dean was silent, anxiety radiating off of him in waves. Michael didn't know how to console him, how to convince him that he really meant no harm. Truthfully enough, just the fact that the hunter was uncomfortable with him was making him want to leave. It was so different, so unnatural, nothing like the bond he shared with Adam. They really were one, and now Michael was experiencing what it was like to be two again. And he despised it. He wanted Adam back. He wanted his real true vessel back.

"We'll get him back," Dean muttered quietly, raising his fist to knock on Sam's door - Michael couldn't help but flinch slightly - before sinking back against the wall. He seemed to relax, if only slightly, comforted for the moment by the reminder that Michael really did care more about Adam than anything else. The archangel just stayed silent. Every part of him was itching to pace, let off some steam, but he didn't want to retreat completely just yet - so he stayed exactly where he was, kind of sharing control with Dean, while the hunter waited for his brother.

Sam didn't let them wait too long; The hunter looked a little disheveled as he opened the door, still exhausted, rubbing his shoulder slightly as he stepped out of his room. His hair was a mess, eyes drifting absently for a moment before they came to rest on Dean, eyebrows furrowing faintly. "Hey," he mumbled, voice still rough with sleep. "What's up?"

The fondness that rose up in Dean's chest took Michael by surprise for a second. Well, the fondness, the affection, the love - that didn't, really. But the amount that the oldest Winchester held for his brother certainly did. He didn't love him like a brother, or even like a friend - no, he loved him the way someone would adore their child. The kind of love a parent would feel, holding their baby for the first time, watching them grow and learn to love, themselves. And yet, that kind of love, that didn't come from just watching someone grow. No, it came from helping them grow. It came from teaching them, and loving them unconditionally, picking them up when they fell and holding them close when they needed it. It didn't come from growing up with someone; It came from raising someone. It was something akin to what Michael felt for Lucifer.

He shut those thoughts down quick.

Dean didn't do much, though - if anything, he seemed to soften toward the archangel even further, as if that revelation had led him to one of his own. But, he did nothing more than gesture for Sam to follow him down the hall, heading back to the main room. "C'mon, we gotta talk."

A soft sigh from Sam and the still half-asleep stumbling from behind them was all Michael needed to hear to know he was following.

Dean was quiet enough - surprisingly so, and even in his own head, he was as quiet as ever. To be completely honest, it was the last thing Michael had been expecting. He had expected to be shoved right down as soon as the hunter could do so, and he would have complied just as easily, but the oldest Winchester was doing better than the archangel thought he would. He was still slightly tense, yes, but he was sharing control easily enough. Michael wondered if his compliance had something to do with the fact that he had most of the control, and then made a mental note to keep it that way, just to keep the hunter comfortable.

He dismissed his own thoughts easily enough when Dean abruptly spoke up - well, less spoke and more thought, but it was practically the same when you were sharing a body with someone. Well, don't you get too comfy, the hunter warned, remember, this is temporary.

Michael definitely didn't need to be reminded of that - he would choose Adam over Dean any day, for certain, but he knew that the hunter was only looking for confirmation, reassurance. Of course, Dean, the archangel murmured, meaning every word. Once we get Adam back, everything can go right back to normal. He struggled past the uncertainty pulsing in his chest, the kind of uncertainty that came from not really knowing if that would happen. Not because he didn't believe his own words, but because he didn't know, for sure, if they would find Adam. Michael exhaled slowly and forced himself to focus, frowning now.

"Dean, man," Sam spoke up from behind them, and Dean stilled at once, turning to face his younger brother immediately. "What's goin' on?" The younger hunter leaned against one of the chairs, shifting his weight to one side and staring at his older brother through exhausted, vulnerable eyes. Vulnerable - something Michael had never really seen from him before. He must only express this part of him when he was around his brother - which the archangel found extremely sweet, to be completely honest. It reminded him of Adam… the vulnerabilities he displayed, every so often, short and sweet, during the times they spent alone in their head.

His chest ached with longing, pain, confusion. He missed Adam. He missed him like all hell. Every little thing made him think back to the demon, every little reminder stung. It was stupid, too, because Adam was still alive, right? So why was he already thinking of him like he wasn't? Michael retreated a little, chest still aching, painful and wistful and almost unbearable. In response, Dean reached over, gripping onto the back of a chair, knuckles turning white. The archangel offered an unspoken apology, struggling to pull away enough, just enough, so that the hunter couldn't feel the force of the pain that he was feeling right then.

Dean cleared his throat, shifting his eyes back to Sam, who looked mildly concerned now, eyes glazed over with sleep as he looked at his older brother. "Chuck has Adam," the hunter finally said, simple and blunt, and Sam visibly stiffened, exhaustion evaporating rapidly as he stared.

"What?" The younger Winchester mumbled, slowly straightening up. Dean just nodded, short and steady, and Sam took in a deep, shaky breath before letting it out slowly, a deep fury beginning to glitter through his eyes. A dark, protective kind of fury, one that Michael could feel all the way to his bones, himself. Sam's mouth twisted slightly, jaw setting, as he raised his head and straightened up, his vulnerabilities fading at once, standing strong once again. "What about Michael?" He asked, and Dean opened his mouth, then paused, and stopped.

Taking the invitation, Michael took just enough control to respond. "Here," he mumbled, somewhat nervously. He knew Sam trusted him, but he didn't know how the hunter would react to him possessing his brother. The younger Winchester stared at him, confused, and Michael took in a deep breath and clarified, "I, uh- I am currently possessing Dean."

Sam opened his mouth at once as if to respond, then froze. He stiffened, his muscles rippling under his shirt as every line in his body was pulled taut with barely-restrained shock, eyes going wide for just that small, split second before he suddenly masked it, for whatever reason, struggling to keep his own surprise at bay as he stared at them - as if he was actually seeing them for the first time, like there was something else to see. Dean almost rolled their eyes, but he didn't, and Michael simply ended up retreating again. "... Oh," Sam finally spoke, still sounding stunned despite his efforts to hide it. "I- wow. You…? … Wow."

"Yeah, I know," Dean replied dryly, crossing his arms over his chest. Michael was silent, just watching the two now. "But he needed a vessel, and we need to work together to save Adam, so here we are." The hunter shrugged and turned away, picking a beer bottle up off of the table and popping the top off with a sigh. "Now, look, you can be surprised later, but we gotta focus on getting to Adam before Chuck…" He didn't finish that sentence, much to Michael's relief.

"I… yeah. Right," Sam agreed quick enough, but he continued to gawk at them for a good few seconds before he shook himself, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, clearing his throat. "Okay, uh… do we know… where he is, or…?" He stared at them quizzically, and Dean paused a little bit at that, lifting the bottle to his lips to take a small sip.

Do we? He asked Michael silently, and the archangel startled a little.

Right, the connection… Michael trailed off a little, frowning. He hadn't been able to connect to Adam again, so his best bet was trying to recall what he had seen before. He hesitated, then retreated completely into his own memories, carefully avoiding Dean's. He dodged a select few - particularly, ones about Lucifer and the Empty, because he still had a few things he didn't want to reveal right then, things that might make the hunter lose whatever trust he had in the archangel. He didn't have to go too far back to find the memory of the vision he'd gotten of Chuck sitting behind the desk with the glass in his hand. But he looked it over a little more carefully this time, noting things he hadn't before - the darkness, for one, the only light being what shone in the windows behind Chuck, as far as Michael could see.

He didn't recognize the house, but Dean seemed to, as Michael looked it over. Recognition stirred up in the hunter's chest, and Michael tore his attention away from the memory, rising back up beside the hunter as Dean nodded slowly and inhaled through his teeth. "He's in Chuck's old house," he told Sam grimly, and the archangel watched the younger Winchester's expression shift at once, eyebrows raising slightly in surprise. "Chuck's holding him. As bait, we're pretty sure. That's the only reason I can think of as to why he'd be keeping Adam alive."

Sam's jaw tensed at that, clearly not liking the idea of Adam being used as bait. Michael didn't like it any more than the hunter did. "That son of a bitch…"

"I know," Dean murmured, rubbing a hand over his mouth. "Listen, I'm gonna call Cas, tell him what's up. I don't know what we're gonna do here man, but- we gotta get Adam back, that's our biggest priority here. We'll figure everything out with Chuck after…" He gestured slightly, and Sam nodded in agreement, his hazel eyes cold and dangerous. "Just when we think we're free…" The hunter trailed off, mouth twisting.

"Nothing in our lives has ever been that simple," Sam muttered, closing his eyes for a moment and heaving out a soft sigh. After a moment, he cleared his throat and blinked his eyes open again, nodding slightly to Dean. "You call Cas, I'm gonna call Rowena. There might be something she can do to help - protection, something like that. And Crowley, too. We'll need all the help we can get." Dean just nodded in agreement, and Sam pulled back a little, turning to leave, but paused. Michael watched him silently, and it seemed that the hunter was about to say something else - but, at the last moment, he stopped, shook his head, and headed off.

… what was that about? Michael questioned after a moment of silence, as Dean turned away, himself, and pulled out his phone. Sam had something he wanted to say, but he silenced himself. Michael didn't know why, but he'd silenced himself. And he didn't understand, because it was Dean that he was talking to. And as close as those two were, why would there be any pause, any hesitation, any censoring between them? Was it because Michael was there?

"I don't know, man. The kid's weird," Dean muttered simply, brushing Michael's concerns aside easily enough and searching through his phone for Castiel's number, presumably. He hesitated, a little bit, before he pressed a button on the phone and lifted it to his ear, leaning back. Michael just frowned, but he took that answer easily enough.

Castiel answered on the third ring. "Hello, Dean," the angel sounded puzzled; Michael paused, immediately snapping back to attention, as the hunter paused and straightened up. A myriad of emotions flickered through his chest. An odd sense of betrayal, one that the archangel couldn't quite place - but also an immense amount of… grief. The grief that came with losing somebody. But regardless, those emotions were shoved down the second they came, as if it were some kind of instinct, before Dean had even really thought about it. "Is everything alright?"

"Depends on your definition of alright," Dean replied simply enough, his tone controlled and masked, bearing nothing of the pain-filled hurt that had been swirling through his chest moments before. It left Michael reeling, honestly enough, but he couldn't find the courage to say a word about it. "Some stuff's going on - it'd be better to explain in person. It ain't good, at all." There was a moment of silence on the other end, the uncertainty palpable even through the phone. From both ends. "... I know you're busy, on the hunt for Belphegor, but this - like I said, Cas, it's bad. Adam's in trouble, and we could really use your help here."

There was a quiet, almost defeated sigh from Castiel. Not enough for human ears to pick up, but Michael heard it, and the resignation that came with it. "Of course, Dean. I'll be right there."

In that moment, everyone hesitated.

Castiel's words echoed through Michael's head. Sometimes, you have to ask yourself if a battle is worth fighting, his brother had told him, sorrowful, quiet. And I have… I continue to bleed, and sweat, and cry for the Winchesters. And I will always love them - I will always see them as my family. But lately, I've been doubting that those feelings are returned. That they've ever been.

Dean's mouth went dry, and Michael paused for a moment, drawn out of his thoughts. The hunter twitched, head tilting downwards for a second, confusion and guilt mixing together, clouding his senses - and, for a moment, Michael let it surround him, too, even though it wasn't his own. In all honesty, right then, it was easier to feel Dean's emotions than it was to feel his own. The hunter didn't react, not for a long time, simply holding the phone to his ear. Fingers curled around it, breathing slightly stifled, listening to nothing but static. Castiel hadn't hung up. But he hadn't spoken another word, seemingly waiting for Dean to either continue or hang up.

"... Hey, Cas-"

"Dean, I…"

They had started at the same time, but they both stopped when they realized the other was speaking. It was such an iconic moment, so bittersweet, but it seemed to melt the tension, just for a few seconds. Dean's tense shoulders seemed to relax, and Castiel sighed again from the other end of the line, this one carrying a hint of amusement instead of defeat. "I apologize," the angel murmured. "Please, continue."

Dean ran his tongue over his lips, hesitating, before clearing his throat and continuing. "I, uh- I know we haven't been on the same page recently. Hell- probably been in different books altogether…" A few nervous laughs escaped his lips, yet they sounded calm, controlled on the outside. Michael frowned a little, genuinely wondering how he managed to do that, to keep up such a mask when he was such a wreck inside. "And it hasn't exactly been easy on either of us. Even now, we're…" He trailed off, tilting his head back, and closed his eyes with a soft sigh. "Look, I just… I want you to know, man. You need anything- the search with Belphegor, or…"

"... I know," Castiel responded hesitantly, once Dean proved unable to continue any further. He didn't exactly sound like he had known, though, a mixture of dazed and confused as he replied. "It's been hard on everyone, Dean, I don't blame you for…" He trailed off, voice faltering. "But, yes, I know. You don't have to remind me-"

"Bullshit," Dean interrupted, clearing his throat as if that could loosen the lump that had risen up. Michael didn't say anything, despite longing to encourage the hunter, to support him. But he couldn't do that - he couldn't be to Dean what he was to Adam, he didn't know where to begin being that kind of… that kind of anchor, that level of support, to anyone else. "Everybody needs a little reminder every now and again, Cas, and it's not like it's been easy to tell with me lately. Everything we've been through- it's just… it shouldn't be so easy to disregard when…"

Castiel was silent. Dean licked his lips again and looked down, while Michael hesitated a little bit, desperately wanting to help but torn, knowing it wasn't his place. Finally though, the hesitation lingered, and the archangel couldn't take it anymore. So he spoke, and only to Dean, sending a rush of encouragement to the hunter, as much as he was brave enough to muster.

You know it's okay to apologize first. Just open up the gates, let the walls down. I find it makes relationships a little bit stronger when you're not just honest with each other - but open, too. Dean didn't respond, but he blinked, lifting his gaze. It's- it's okay to be vulnerable toward the people you care about, Dean, Michael added nervously. You might realize it makes you a lot stronger than you think, too. He thought back to Adam, his own pain rising to the surface.

Dean inhaled shakily, staying quiet for a good few seconds. Then, finally, he spoke, and his voice was a little shakier than before, but much more confident. "You're family, Cas. Somewhere along the line, I may have forgotten that, and I am sorry- I am. But you're family. We don't just need you, we- we…" The hunter breathed in sharply, then spit the words out. "We love you, man. And I hate this- this rift we've got between us now."

Castiel finally spoke up after a few seconds, a mixture of relieved and grateful. "You… you have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that, Dean." The angel exhaled slowly, and Michael listened carefully as he continued. "But we've both made the mistakes, here. What happened with Jack, and with-" He stopped himself short before he went on. "I'm sorry, I sho-"

"No- no," Dean interrupted him, firmly this time, and Castiel fell silent at once. "Just- no more apologies, okay? Not now. I- you know, I get it. It- it was Jack, and the kid…" The hunter faltered, glancing down, and Michael struggled not to let his thoughts drift in the direction of the Empty again. "Hell, I get it. You had good intentions, I know that, and I'm…" Dean paused, closing his eyes, and cleared his throat. "It doesn't matter. I don't want to lose you, too. Not over this. I- we- we've all lost enough already, and it's just not worth- it's not worth losing you over."

There it was, right there. The walls were tumbling. Slowly, but surely.

When Castiel spoke again, his voice was much softer, quiet and understanding and loving, and forgiving, and Michael knew everything would be okay between them at once. If nothing else, they were working things out. And for a moment, just a moment, it was enough to take his mind off of Adam, off of the pain and fear that had been swirling around inside of him. "I understand. And I feel the same," the angel murmured, then sighed. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay," Dean sighed, a soft, barely-noticeable smile grazing his lips for a second, relieved. Like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders - and Michael felt a rush of pride and relief, himself, for the hunter. He wasn't really even sure why, but that had felt… good. Really good. Dean and Castiel were reconciling - they were making things right, and there was nothing better than that. "I'll see you soon." The angel offered nothing more than a hum of agreement, and Dean lowered the phone from his ear to hang up, a rush of satisfaction flooding through him.

Michael wanted to say something, but he didn't know what. So he settled for turning his attention back to his connection with Adam - for a moment, he felt guilty for getting distracted, while the demon was out there, suffering. He shuddered a little bit at the thought of what he might be going through now, about the pain he must be in. If Chuck was torturing him. But even then, the idea of him being even slightly afraid, where he was, lost and alone and without Michael… the archangel honestly couldn't bear it.

Leaving Dean to follow after Sam, Michael retreated, retracting the little bit of control he had taken. He had to work on this connection between him and Adam. Even if they knew where he might be already, Michael couldn't help but feel like something was still off. Still, he was left with a newfound sense of determination, after that. Hard to describe as it was, and as anxious and scared for the demon as he was, he couldn't help but feel like everything might end up okay after all.

It was like Adam had said - hope is what had kept them together. So maybe hope is what could bring them back to each other, too.