Author's Note: And here's why I wrote the story. There is a certain event that will not happen in my SPN universe. After this, the story will follow the majority of the Season 13 canon with some tweaks, but Season 14 is AU. Welcome to Chapter 9.

Chapter 9

Gabriel

Everything's going to hell. About half of the refugees make it through the wavering rift before a bomb, that turns out to be the explosive entrance of Michael, crashes to Earth and kills five men in fatigues. Otherworld Michael is tall and handsome. He unfurls black wings as he steps toward us. I tighten my grip on my blade and feel Sam and Dean tense near me. The rift shimmers behind us, its dulling energy hums as more refugees hurry through one at a time. I won't leave this place until they're all through, even Sam and Dean.

"Gentleman," the alternate version of my brother greets us.

Lucifer strides forward to meet him, and I shudder, standing back with Sam and Dean.

Michael's smile is twisted, smug, in a way my brother would never look. My Michael was never smug, didn't really smile much; he was dutiful and diligent. He didn't take pleasure in casualties, though he also didn't mourn them.

"Lu. You don't really want to try this again, do you?" Michael's voice is deep and raspy.

"Um," Lucifer drawls, "yeah."

I feel a hot wave of raw energy build inside Lucifer. He channels it in his hands, hurling it at Michael. It strikes Michael dead in the chest, but he barely flinches. He dusts himself off, raising his brows at Lucifer as if to ask, 'That the best you got?'

Holy shit. That ball of raw energy Lucifer just threw should have at least knocked him off his feet. He should be down, hurt. But he's shaking it off like a minor jab from a fist. Oh no. There's no way we can win this. Both Lucifer and I would have to be at full power. Our Michael and Lucifer were evenly matched, I don't think this guy would have been even. He's stronger than my Michael, and corrupt, and wrong, and evil.

He's Lucifer had he been stronger. This could have been our world.

Michael hurls two energy blasts at Lucifer that have him on the ground, bleeding from the mouth and nose. Lucifer rolls onto his back, groaning in pain and obviously not getting up any time soon. I stare at him in horror. He's not dead. I… I shouldn't want to check on him. I shouldn't care if he's hurt.

But if he's down, that leaves me.

"Can it be?" the Other Michael says, sounding mockingly wondrous. "Gabriel?"

I stiffen, swallowing and looking at him to find him grinning. He looks faintly surprised, but his smile doesn't fade. He's calling me out. I take a deep breath and glance at Sam and Dean who have 'oh shit' clearly stamped across their foreheads as they stare at Michael.

"Go," I urge them. "I-I can buy some time."

"Gabriel, don't!" Sam says, about to reach for me, but I shake my head.

"All I did on Earth was run," I say firmly, more firmly than I feel—Good God what am I doing? "I'm not running anymore." Oh God. I want to own up to those words—I also want to throw up. But—but I'm doing this. "Go!" I bark at them, then make my way to where Michael's waiting for me to take my turn.

He slides out his archangel blade, practically licking his lips. My skin crawls. He's a bastardization of my brother. I should want to kill him for being an insult to Michael. I bring my blade up in challenge. Here we go.

I stab out and he blocks me with a vicious down-swing that has the bones in my hand ringing. Crap. I give ground, then swing out again—and he blocks, catching me in the face with his elbow. My head pounds and my eyes blur for a moment as I'm whirled around. I suck in a breath and spin back, catching an approaching Michael with a right cross to the face. He jerks back from the force of my blow.

Okay. I scored a hit. That's one.

Michael straightens, rubbing at his swollen lip and smirking at me. We trade more punches, I dodge a few, land a couple more, but I'm getting tired, and he's still smiling. His blade flashes out again, and I catch it with mine.

I think it's coming.

Am I ready to die?

No.

But it's coming.

He catches me in the face with his fist, hits me in the neck with the pommel of the blade, then grabs me, holding me in place—oh God, it's coming. And where will I go? The Empty? Who will be there for me?

I hear Sam and Dean screaming my name. I told them to go! Don't let this be for nothing! I brace myself, ready to feel the blade enter my flesh—and feel air. I'm flying then skidding in the dirt on my ass.

I sit up with a moan, staring at Lucifer, who's back on his feet in front of Michael, with my blade in his hands. Did I drop it?

Lucifer and Michael tango with the flashing blades, meeting each other blow for blow. Lucifer was always superb with his blade, as was Michael. They'd trained for hours, they'd thought it was fun.

A few times, the blade comes too close to Lucifer. I can't…

I drag myself to my feet, stumbling back toward the fight.

"Gabriel, let's go!" Sam shouts at me. I turn to see the humans still here, the rift behind them fading. Foolish creatures.

"Get out of here and close the portal!" I snarl at them. "Don't let this be for nothing!"

Sam looks ready to argue but Dean grabs him, throwing him through. The oldest Winchester looks at me, long and hard, before he nods, respect in his eyes, and passes through the portal.

Good. I stagger to Lucifer and Michael, readying a blast of angel fire. It hits Michael in the throat and he roars, glaring at me and preparing a blast of his own—that Lucifer intercepts.

"Get the Hell outta here!" Lucifer bellows at me.

"You can't beat him alone!"

"Or with you!" Lucifer shouts. He hits Michael with a second dose of angel fire, ignoring the pain from Michael's last blast that had been meant for me. Michael goes down on one knee and Lucifer charges at him with my blade. Michael rolls onto his back and kicks up, dodging Lucifer's swipe, but Lucifer punches him in the face and gut, knocking Michael down.

Without looking back at me, Lucifer yells, "I loved you, Gabriel."

I open my mouth as a blast of energy hits me in the middle, knocking me off my feet and blowing me straight back—through the closing rift.

I skitter across a smooth linoleum floor and lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling of Sam and Dean's Men of Letters Bunker. My body throbs and aches, my muscles weary, my grace sputters as it almost winks out of existence. I'm alive.

I'm alive because…

Hands help me sit up. Sam and Castiel kneel on either side of me, both asking questions I can't hear. It's all noise to me. I can't focus. I drop my head into shaking hands, gasping as fear catches up to me, fear…and grief. I'm alive because Lucifer saved me from what should have been my fate. And now, he's gone. That monster Michael will kill him.

I have no brothers left.

Tears flow as sobs wrack through me. A hand rubs my back, but doesn't bring me comfort.

My brothers are all gone. Dad is gone. And I'm alone for real.

I cry until I'm too tired to keep on, and then I lie on the floor because no one stops me, and I go to sleep, because there's nothing else I can do for anyone.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading. I'm going to chill on posting so much for a bit. Feel free to leave some feedback to let me know if you'd like to see where I go with this story. If you all aren't interested, maybe it's something that should just be for me. I had fun writing it. Take care!