"Sorry… I'm sorry…"
Michael couldn't apologize enough. A stream of 'sorry's had already left his lips, and he hadn't shown any sign of stopping for a long time. But his apologies weren't directed to the man on the couch - the now-unconscious man, with blood dripping from his nose and mouth - but they were directed to Dean, who busying himself with washing the blood off his knuckles. The hunter had long given up trying to console the archangel that he was fine - the reassurances fell on deaf ears, the guilt not stifled a bit. So he only laughed, short and quiet, as he shut the water off and reached over for a rag, rubbing it over his hand in silence. Michael watched silently, frowning.
"Michael," Lucifer's voice made Michael jump - and Dean whirled around at once, still wary of the Devil, despite his words earlier. The archangel couldn't really say he blamed the hunter - it was the Devil, after all, and Dean had killed him. Michael would be wary, too. Lucifer was grinning as he entered the room, blue eyes bright and sparkling with an emotion Michael couldn't place, but one that made his heart stop. "That was awesome."
He recognized it, that tone, that look. That was awe, respect, pride. And it broke something in the archangel, despite the fact that it should have had the opposite effect. Because he genuinely couldn't remember the last time Lucifer had looked at him like that, with such amazement and admiration, and, in response, Michael's chest tightened. Through all of that, though, he managed a somewhat shaky smile in response, looking down as Dean continued to dry off his hands. "Yeah," was all he could mumble, trying to force back the pain.
Lucifer's eyebrows furrowed, clearly not understanding, but he said nothing else on the subject. His eyes darted down to Dean's hand, and he paused for a second before moving forward, reaching a hand out. In response, the hunter pulled back, just a little bit - but he stayed still after that, going completely still, long enough for Lucifer to pass his hand over Dean's, easily healing the bruises that were beginning to form. Dean said nothing, just watched, eyes narrowing.
"So, it looks like we're gonna have to speed up the process…" Lucifer paused, flicking his eyes over Dean's face, and he suddenly looked a little more cautious than before. Michael blinked a little, tilting his head slightly. He hadn't retreated, hadn't retracted the power he had since he had taken over to approach Chuck. Dean hadn't protested to it, and they were sharing control easily enough, but the hunter still seemed a little startled whenever his own body would move without him moving it - so Michael was trying to keep his movements to a minimum.
"The Cage…" Michael mumbled a little uncomfortable. His eyes darted to the doorway when someone else walked into the kitchen - it was Gabriel, looking just as pissed as he had when they had entered the house. The archangel frowned, watching his younger brother make his way straight to Lucifer's side. Michael just watched him, hesitating, concerned, but ultimately he decided against asking, recalling their last conversation.
Dean's eyebrows knitted together, but he was silent.
"Yeah." Lucifer shoved his hands into his pockets, looking mildly frustrated. His gaze darted toward Gabriel, then away again, while the youngest archangel just sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "I mean, this whole thing kinda threw a wrench in. Jack and Billie are stressing themselves out trying to figure out how the Cage works, and Amara…" He trailed off for a second, mouth twisting. Michael paused a bit at that, looking back at the Devil. He wasn't a big fan of their dear old Aunt, and he never had been, but the look on his brother's face was nothing short of unsettling - and he didn't like what it implied, at all.
"Is she…?"
"She's okay," Gabriel chose that moment to cut in, looking just a little more relaxed - Michael guessed it had something to do with the fact that he wasn't near Chuck anymore. Unconscious or not, the man seemed to piss Gabriel off in a way he'd never seen before. "A little hurt. Chuck figured out that she was only trying to distract him, caught her by surprise, and…" The youngest archangel shrugged a little bit, and so did Lucifer, though he looked much more frustrated. "She was already there by the time I got the Cage to the Empty. Jack was trying to heal her."
"So we're down two players." The Devil's eyes narrowed slightly, looking away. Michael hesitated a little bit at that, looking away for a second. Lucifer studied him silently, a glimmer of recognition flickering through his eyes as he nodded. "Yeah. Adam, and Amara." Lucifer grimaced slightly and shook his head, huffing out a frustrated sigh. "I've been working on tracking him, but - so far, I can't get anything. It's like Chuck warded him against us." His mouth twisted slightly, eyes narrowing. "Probably to distract us."
Michael's eyes hardened slightly at that, his fury rising once again. It sounded just like Chuck to do something like that, and it pissed him off. He wanted to go back in there and give his so-called Father a piece of his mind again, but he couldn't do that. Well - he could, by all means, but there were bigger things to worry about than Chuck.
"What about your connection thing?" Dean spoke up after a good few seconds - and Michael startled, then relaxed. Lucifer looked confused for a second, and Gabriel just looked bewildered - but the Devil realized it rather quickly, head tilting slightly, curiosity replacing the confusion. "Probably our best shot at finding Adam," Dean added, glancing away. Michael furrowed his eyebrows slightly; The hunter had a point, but he couldn't seem to strengthen the connection any further than he already had. He wasn't sure how, to be completely honest.
"Connection?" Lucifer raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly.
"Adam and I… we're still connected, I think," Michael mumbled, still a little unsure whether it was a connection or whether it was just his own insanity coming into play again. "I've been feeling things - things from… well, from him, I'm pretty sure."
"And you saw him here, with Chuck," Dean reminded him, and Michael's eyes widened slightly. In the chaos of it all, he had actually forgotten that particular fact - but it certainly strengthened his hope that maybe there was a way he could connect with Adam, maybe even figure out how to communicate with him. Lucifer tipped his head to the side, looking thoughtful now, the gears in his head already turning. And Gabriel's confusion finally fizzled out to understanding, and then the same thoughtfulness that was written across his brother's face appeared, lips pursing.
"You might be onto something, Winchester," Lucifer finally spoke up, and Dean quirked an eyebrow at him in response. The Devil's lips twitched slightly, looking toward Gabriel. The youngest archangel returned the look, crossing his arms over his chest and puffing his cheeks out slightly. Then, abruptly, he went rigid, his head turning toward the living room once again.
"Yeah." Gabriel turned to face the doorway, eyes darkening faintly. Michael blinked, confused, but before the youngest archangel could get any further, before the oldest could ask what was wrong, Lucifer moved forward, placing a hand lightly over his younger brother's shoulder, directing his attention back to them quickly.
"Take a moment to calm down," Lucifer advised, and held up a hand, silencing Gabriel's protests before they even began. "Really, G. I'll take care of him, 'kay? You just relax. Your anger isn't hurting anybody but yourself." Without waiting for a response, he turned and left the kitchen. Michael watched him go, and Dean's eyebrows rose slightly, almost seeming impressed. A little bewildered, and kind of shocked, but definitely impressed. Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly, looking away.
Michael watched him carefully, still wanting to ask, but not having the courage yet. Dean, however, was a different story. Flicking his gaze back and forth between the youngest archangel and the doorway, the hunter leaned back on his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. "You okay?" Gabriel's head turned slightly in his direction, but he didn't reply for a moment.
"Yeah. I guess." The archangel rolled his shoulders back and shook his head a little, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. Dean raised an eyebrow, unconvinced but silent.
"You don't seem-" Michael started, stopped, and bit his tongue.
Gabriel glanced over at him, no clear emotion written across his face. It was almost blank, just for a good few seconds - before, suddenly, it fizzled out, dissolving, cracking into something a little more vulnerable. Just a little. The youngest archangel turned his head to look back toward the living room, then closed his eyes and ducked his head a little, bringing his hands up to the sides of his head and brushing his hair back with a low, hissing sigh. "I just want it to be over."
Something flickered through Dean's mind, a glimmer of recognition. I want it to be over! I have to sit back and watch my own brothers kill each other, thanks to you two! Heaven, Hell- I don't care who wins! I just want it to be over! His voice was so pained, so hurt, so angry, desperate…
Michael couldn't help but soften, staring at his youngest brother. Of course, Gabriel wasn't okay; It probably felt like the Big Fight was happening all over again. Like the rebellion, Lucifer's betrayal, the archangels turning against each other was happening all over again. Gabriel never did well during the fights - even the smaller arguments, disagreements, he despised. Even when they'd had to seal away Amara, he had been reluctant. It was part of the reason he had adopted such a light, teasing personality in the first place, his way of attempting to diffuse the tension, and pretend it didn't hurt. And then when things had escalated, he had just left.
This wasn't much different. It didn't matter who was in the wrong. It was a fight, it was a betrayal, and it would end with them having to put away somebody they had once loved. Even if that somebody had never really loved them; It was hard for Gabriel to turn away from family, it always would be. But it was even harder for him to forgive them when they wronged him. Because he built them all up, put them on a pedestal, and when it crumbled, so did he.
And this was their Father, one who, despite everything, they had all trusted. Michael had been disappointed, confused, scared, and hurt - but Gabriel was turning all of that into fury. He wasn't allowing himself to feel the pain of it all, and that was more worrying than anything else.
"I'm sorry, Gabriel," Michael muttered, and Gabriel paused slightly, looking back over at him. He didn't say anything, just shook his head and dropped his arms to his sides, looking away. He didn't really know what to say, what to do to console his brother. I mean, what could anyone say to make this situation better, to make it seem a little easier? Nothing about this was easy, for any of them. Even Lucifer, Michael could tell, was reaching the edge. No, this was going to be hard for everyone involved, because this wasn't just their Father - this was God. Weak as he may be, he knew things about them they might not even know, he knew how to get to each of them, he knew what would get under their skin and what could crack them, break them. He wasn't just a manipulator - he was the manipulator, and possibly the biggest foe all of them had ever faced. What could you say to make any of that okay?
The archangel shook his head a little bit and looked away, flicking his gaze around the room. He sank back a little against the counter behind them, and Dean moved his arms back, gripping the edge of the counter. The hunter was silent, odd emotions flickering in his chest. He seemed to be realizing, for the first time, that the humans definitely weren't the only ones affected by everything going on. If anything, the angels likely had it even worse. At least the ones who felt like it was their job to pick up the pieces of the mess Chuck had made, or the ones determined to fix it to prove they really aren't what they seem, or the ones who step in, albeit reluctantly, seeking justice and vengeance, but also closure. Those were the ones who suffered, because they were the ones that would be left to pick up the pieces yet again when Chuck was gone.
They were the ones who knew it would never really be over.
Dean ran his tongue over his lips and looked down, silent but understanding.
Michael furrowed his eyebrows slightly and closed his eyes, letting out a soft sigh. It almost wasn't fair, the lives they led. The things they had to do, the shattered pieces they had to pick up, and the wounds they'd have to heal. No, it wasn't fair - yet, at the same time, with that thought in mind, it might just be what they all needed. Yes, it hurt like hell - it was going to, and there was no stopping that. But it didn't hurt as much for Michael - at least, the idea of Chuck not really being who he said he was, who he thought he was, it had set in already, and he was accepting it. Furthermore, he was accepting that he had no control over that. He couldn't change who is Father was - that wasn't his responsibility. When he was gone, Michael would be left to fix things, but he wouldn't be doing so alone, would he?
There was Lucifer, who, after everything, was doing this for the greater good. Not out of revenge, but out of justice. Struggling to prove that he was never the villain Chuck had painted him into, and that it wasn't his fault. He had as much to make up for as Michael did. Things that weren't really his own doing. After all of this, Michael had to wonder if he would keep moving on like that even after they sealed Chuck away. Maybe this was his turning point.
He'd have Adam, and he'd make sure of that. The demon had been by his side for years, and he wasn't ready for that to change. And he didn't think Adam was ready for it, either.
This entire mess brought on a lot of bad, but he couldn't help but think of the good it had brought, too. He and Adam had been released from the Cage, reunited with their brothers, reconciling with them, mending the broken pieces they had left behind. Of course, Chuck probably hadn't meant for that to happen. For Lucifer and Michael to team up against him, and for Gabriel to join in the fray. But it had happened, and it was good - it was so good, and it felt like a light at the end of the dark tunnel they were treading through. Despite himself, a smile tugged at the archangel's lips, blinking his eyes open and staring at the floor.
"What is it?" Gabriel shifted over to stand beside him, leaning forward against the counter and folding his arms over it. Michael looked over at him, his smile softening slightly, not fading.
"I'm just thinking," the archangel mumbled, looking up at the ceiling and exhaling softly through his teeth. His eyebrows furrowed faintly, and Gabriel's head tilted a little, silent but inquiring. "It's just - all of this is so- it's so horrible, isn't it? It's awful, what he's doing, what he's done…" Michael blinked a few times, looking back over at his younger brother. "But even then, with all the bad - there's still some good that came out of it, isn't there?"
Gabriel stared at him, not understanding.
"Think about it," Michael pressed, eyebrows pinching together. "I mean, look - look at what Lucifer's doing. Look at what we're doing. All of us, together. I mean, the circumstances could definitely be a lot better, but…" The archangel heaved out a sigh and looked back toward the living room for a moment. "But it feels like maybe this isn't so bad after all."
For a moment, Gabriel looked at him like he was insane. But as the words really began to sink in, and the meaning behind them, and how true they were, began to register, the bewildered expression on his face softened, just a little. And then it dissolved completely, and that vulnerability was back. This time, it was different, though. This time, he was letting it. "Yeah." His younger brother closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, turning his head away and staring down at his hands. He brought them together over the counter, lacing his fingers together and biting down on his lip as he struggled to think of what to say, how to say it. Michael stayed silent until he had. "... Are we real?"
Michael paused, looking over at him. For the first time, he was catching a glimpse of the younger brother he had known so long ago, the one who had looked to him for answers the way all the others used to. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him like that, begging for answers he didn't know he could give. Adam didn't look at him so helplessly like that; They figured things out together. This was all on Michael to answer, and he didn't know how to begin.
The archangel looked down, slowly pushing himself away from the counter. He turned to face it instead, leaning forward beside his brother and crossing his arms over the top of the counter, fingers digging into the sleeves of Dean's jacket. He lifted his head, looking through the window - it was dark, the stars glittering dimly in the sky. Even they seemed a little duller. Michael's mouth twisted slightly, breathing in slowly and letting out a soft, silent sigh. It was an accurate question to ask in this situation, but so, so hard to answer. When he had consoled Castiel on the fact that his feelings for the Winchesters, and their feelings for him, were real - he had been going off of the belief that Chuck had really been gone. Now, with the knowledge that he wasn't, how was he supposed to reassure Gabriel of the same thing?
He looked down, rubbing his thumb over the fabric of the jacket, hesitating for a long time before he managed to force himself to speak. "I don't know." He looked up toward the sky again, ducking his head a little bit to get a better look at the stars up above. "I feel real."
Gabriel glanced over at him, then looked down again. "So do I."
"Maybe we're not real to him," Michael mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment. "But I think we're real." He hesitated for a moment, biting his tongue. It was true, he felt real. His siblings felt real. The anger felt real, the confusion and pain, it all felt real. The archangel blinked his eyes open and looked over at his younger brother. Gabriel was staring down now, rubbing his hands together silently, but he looked up when Michael spoke again. "You're real to me."
Gabriel paused for a moment, eyes flickering as he held the older archangel's gaze. But he seemed to relax, the tension draining from him once again, whether temporarily or not. His shoulders dropped, sinking his weight forward against the counter, and he exhaled, slow and steady, looking away again with a short, hesitant nod. It was a little while before he spoke again, somewhat uncertainly. "... You too."
Michael managed a tiny, hesitant smile in response, watching as Gabriel turned away again. He propped his elbows up on the counter, putting his chin in his hands, and Michael looked down for a moment. Dean was running his hand along the sleeve of his jacket, silent now, just watching and listening as the archangels interacted. Michael paused for a moment, feeling guilty again, wondering if the hunter would rather him retract his control again - but Dean protested before he could, gaze flicking up slightly, head shaking a little bit. He was fine. Just thinking.
The archangel sighed, then winced, his jaws forcing themselves apart in a yawn as he tilted his head back. He was… exhausted, after everything. And it was a little surprising, considering Dean wasn't tired at all - if anything, he seemed rather energized. Michael knew what it was, of course, the stress, the fact that he wasn't at full power.
Watching him, Gabriel let out a few snickers, the tension gone, a teasing smile playing at the youngest archangel's lips now as he grinned over at his oldest brother. "Sounds like someone's a little sleepy," he hummed, pushing himself backwards away from the counter. Michael stepped back a little with him, but he let Dean take control to turn them around, once again keeping movements to a minimum - more or less so he didn't exhaust himself to the point of passing out now, though, since Dean didn't seem particularly uncomfortable with him anymore anyway. "Lemme guess - biggest bro needs a nappy-bye?"
Michael lightly hit the youngest archangel's foot with his own, only so Gabriel's laughter would double; And it did, so the archangel just smiled tiredly, taking the win. "Shut up."
Gabriel tilted his head, his grin not faltering for a second. Dean rolled his eyes a little, seeming amused. "I don't know whether to be offended or proud that I made the big softy Michael tell me to 'shut up'," he taunted further, only getting a grin out of his oldest brother as the archangel looked down, still shaking his head a little and heaving out a soft sigh. "Nah, but for real - if you're tired, sleep. Trust me, I know what it's like being all depowered like that, and exhaustion is only one step away from unconsciousness." An odd look crossed his brother's face, glancing away. "And, yeah… s'not fun. For the record though, we're trying to figure out a way to strengthen you up. Amara thinks she could help, but she's kind of…"
"I'm okay," Michael protested softly, rubbing a hand over his mouth and fighting back another yawn, blinking a few times and looking away. He didn't know how true that was anymore - he'd been hoping that maybe he'd just be able to wait it out, and he'd get stronger on his own, but that didn't seem to be working. The archangel sighed, dropping his hand with a shrug.
"Sure you are, sleeping beauty."
"He's right," Dean cut in before Michael could respond to his brother, and the archangel paused to listen as the hunter continued, "you oughta rest while you can. Gonna have to be as strong as possible right now if you're gonna find Adam, right?"
Damn. Winchester knew him good. Judging by the grin on Gabriel's face, he was thinking the same thing. The youngest archangel just turned, looking amused, and left the room. Michael heaved out a sigh and gave in, but he stayed slightly in control as Dean followed after his younger brother. He just wanted to see if Lucifer and the others were going to be okay with Chuck - and, at first glance, it certainly seemed that day. In fact, they all seemed to have everything under control. Lucifer and Sam were busy tying Chuck down into a chair; Sam was securing the binds around his ankles and Lucifer was pulling his arms taut behind the chair, spreading his fingers apart so he couldn't snap them - a good idea on the Devil's part, both Michael and Dean noted.
He was also relieved to see them working together. Of course, Sam was tense, notably so; He continued shooting uncertain glances toward Lucifer every now and again as he worked, but the Devil wasn't even paying any attention to him at all, completely focused on the task at hand. Chuck just looked frustrated, and pissed, alternating his glare between the two of them, but he wasn't struggling. A new bruise forming on the side of his face, and the blood on Lucifer's knuckles, told Michael all he needed to know to understand why that was.
"This isn't gonna hold me," their Father was grumbling, but he paused, eyes flickering up, as Dean entered the room. "Oh-" A sharp, sarcastic smile formed on his face, sneering slightly at them - but a swift left hook from Lucifer knocked whatever he was about to say right out of him. Chuck turned his head to the side, spitting out blood, and spared his son a vicious death glare. Lucifer didn't even hold his gaze, ducking around the back of the chair and continuing what he was doing without another word. Dean snickered.
"Fine…" Chuck licked his lips, spitting out a little more blood, and flicked his eyes away from them, toward his desk. "Can I at least have my-"
"No," Sam and Lucifer snapped at the same time, cutting him off. They were both equally pissed, equally irritated - the Devil snorted a little bit, and Sam's lips twitched slightly, tightening the binds one last time and straighten it up. Chains, it looked like - and, upon closer inspection, they had the same markings as the one around the Cage. Michael couldn't help a small smile.
"... laptop…" Chuck rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. Michael studied him for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly. For all his frustration, he could see it clearly; His Father was terrified. And, of course he was, he couldn't do anything. He was trapped by all these people who were so unbelievably pissed off at him, and he couldn't do anything. Damn right, he was scared - and damn right, he should be, because nobody here was going to go easy on him.
That point was proven when Castiel picked up the laptop in question, looking it over. "This one?" He asked Chuck, and every head turned toward him, everyone paused - and then Chuck nodded, a grin slowly appearing on his face - only to vanish when Castiel held the laptop up with one hand, raised his other, curled it into a fist, and slammed it straight through.
Gabriel was the first one to start laughing. Doubling over, the youngest archangel wrapped his arms around himself and simply started wheezing, choking on his laughter. Lucifer had followed along not too long after, and at that point, Sam had cracked a grin and a few chuckles, himself. Dean was the next to follow, and Michael only grinned, genuinely proud of his younger brother. That was definitely one of the most satisfying things he'd ever seen. That, accompanied by the half-horrified, half-pissed off look on Chuck's face.
Castiel tossed the laptop at Chuck's feet, eyes narrowed. "Yeah. You can have it." Chuck didn't respond, just stared down at the broken laptop, eyes flickering with fury. His gaze flickered back up to Castiel, then darted back down. He didn't say a word. Castiel looked about as satisfied as Michael felt, shaking his hand clean of the pieces of glass and broken parts from the laptop that had stuck to his skin, calm and collected as ever - and Michael just continued to grin.
"Well, he's not going anywhere," Lucifer finally spoke up after a moment, a shit-eating grin written across his face as he patted the side of his Father's face, almost tauntingly; Chuck jerked his head away with a scowl, but he seemed to know better than to try to speak again. Sam hummed slightly in agreement, and Lucifer glanced over at him. Then, clearing his throat, Lucifer turned and promptly slammed his fist into Chuck's face again; Their Father's head rolled back against the back of the chair, and he didn't move after that. Lucifer turned back to them, satisfied. "I'm gonna head back to the Empty, see if Billie and Jack have anything on the Cage."
Castiel's head whirled in his direction at once, and nobody failed to notice. Definitely not Lucifer, who offered the other angel a short, amused-looking smile. "If you want, Cassie, you can tag along," he told him innocently, crossing his arms. "Sure he'd be happy to see you."
The angel didn't respond immediately, but the gratitude that flickered across his face spoke volumes. Gabriel glanced over at Lucifer, a faint smile appearing on his face - but it was gone before anyone but Michael and Dean could notice it. "Tell him hi for us, Cas," Dean murmured, glancing over at Castiel, and while looking mildly surprised, he nodded.
Sam exhaled slowly, eyebrows furrowing. "Yeah. Tell him- tell him…" He trailed off and swallowed, seeming unable to finish that sentence.
"Okay, don't get all emotional," Lucifer sighed, raising his hands. "It's not like you'll never see him again, okay? Billie's working on restoring his soul-" At this, Dean went rigid, but he didn't say a word. A mixture of feelings rose up in his chest, though, and uncertainty and relief were only two of many. "-which, I mean, he's good enough to come back already, but he's just been staying behind to help with the Cage." The Devil shrugged. "He's fine."
Sam glanced at Dean, almost the exact same myriad of emotions crossing his face. Neither hunter said a word, just looked back at Lucifer, silent as ever.
"Anywho…" Lucifer paused, glancing between them, then looked over at Castiel. "I'll get Billie to send you through." With that, the bright, sparkling blue eyes went blank, and Jack's body crumpled; Gabriel caught him with a seemingly practiced ease, moving him over to the couch. Then, turning, he headed over to Castiel - and, then, with the same ease, he caught the angel as he, too, began to fall, completely lifeless for the time being. Michael watched as Gabriel dragged him over to the couch, gently pushing him down beside Lucifer, and leaned back.
"... Well," Dean muttered, staring at the two limp bodies. "That happened."
Sam raised his eyebrows and snorted a little, but he was silent, turning to check on Chuck. Well, checking to make sure he was unconscious, Michael presumed, because he turned back to them after only a few seconds, and Chuck hadn't moved an inch. "... Now what?"
Gabriel crossed his arms, looking thoughtful, then pursed his lips. "Porn."
Michael decided that was as good a time as any to retreat - and Dean seemed to want to do the same thing, completely exasperated as he tried to explain to Gabriel that 'you don't watch porn in a room full of dudes' while Sam just started chuckling again. Michael simply retreated, growing more and more tired the further he ventured into the darkness. By the time he found the memory he was looking for, he could barely keep his eyes open. Hell, he could barely walk.
He fell forward into the mulch, letting the scent surround him, letting it throw him back. He buried his face into his arms and heaved out a soft, quiet sigh, listening to the sound of the swings creaking, the leaves on the trees rustling. And he listened until the sounds faded, until the darkness finally pulled him under. He wasn't quite content, but for the moment, he relaxed.