Saying goodbye was never an easy thing for Spencer. He hated doing it. Most especially when he had no way of knowing when or if he was ever going to see any of them again. This time, it was made so much harder by the fact that he was taking one of them with him. Not only was it his goodbyes happening – it was Derek's as well. Spencer had to deal with rounds of hugs and well wishes as well as Penelope's heartbreaking whisper in his ear of "Take care of him, please."

"I'll do my best." He promised her. It was the best promise that he could give. There were no guarantees for them and Spencer knew that.

Eventually, after he'd been hugged more than he could ever remember being hugged by his friends before, he and Derek stood in the living room with the Winchesters and their angels. Spencer had already snapped, packing a bag for Derek – much to his friend's amusement – and now there was nothing left holding them here. Nothing left to keep them from going. Spencer and Derek stood on either side of Anna and they took one last look at their friends. "You guys be safe." Spencer told them. Emotion clogged his throat, making his voice just a bit thicker than normal, and he had to fight back the moisture building in his eyes. "Call us if you need us."

"If you're in trouble, send up a prayer to Anael. That's my angelic name. Use that in your prayer and I'll hear you and come help however I can." Anna offered.

Spencer looked back at her and smiled gratefully. The next second, she closed a hand over his shoulder and one over Derek's and the world spun around them in that familiar rush of angelic flight.

No sooner had Spencer landed and opened his eyes once more than he found himself grabbed and wrapped up in a hug that was both familiar and comforting. Spencer didn't even hesitate to melt down into it. Grace pushed up to meet his and he accepted the touch eagerly. In it was everything he'd spent the whole night trying to tell himself that he didn't need. The tears he'd been fighting back before were burning their way forward now and Spencer sucked in a breath before burying his face in against Gabriel's neck in an effort to hide them.

"I got you, little bird." Gabriel's voice was a low murmur against his hair. One of his hands came up to run through the hair on the back of Spencer's head in soothing strokes. "You're all right. I got you."

Not trusting his words yet, Spencer let his grace speak for him, offering the apology he knew he needed to say.

Immediately Gabriel's grace sent waves of love and reassurance to him. "It's all right. You're here and you're all right – that's all that matters. You hear me?"

"Yeah." Spencer said hoarsely. He drew in a few shaky breaths before he forced himself to draw his head up. Gabriel's hand slid off the back of his head to cup his cheek and hold him there so the two could look at one another. In moments like these the height difference between them seemed to fade away. Spencer looked down into the amber eyes that were watching him with open love and he found he could only smile. "Thanks." He put as much as he could into that one word. Thanks for being there, for understanding, for supporting him, for loving him. It was just a thank you for – everything.

Gabriel's smile grew. "Anytime, Sparrow."

The sound of someone clearing their throat reminded the duo that they weren't alone. Spencer turned to find Dean and Sam watching them both with looks that seemed torn between affection and amusement. Dean even rolled his eyes. But it was the man beside them that really drew Spencer's eye. Derek was looking at him with a bit of affection as well, but also confusion. It reminded Spencer that the man was probably still reeling from his first angelic flight and that he also had absolutely no idea who the guy was that Spencer was wrapped all up in.

Heat flooded Spencer's cheeks and he pulled himself back a little from Gabriel. Not completely – the fledgling had long come to accept his need to touch and be touched with his guardian. It was a habit now that not even Derek's presence could change. But he pulled back enough to be able to twist himself and bring Gabriel up to his side. "My apologies, Morgan. I didn't mean to just ignore you."

Derek offered him an understanding smile. "You're fine, kid."

"You brought a friend!" Gabriel said cheerfully. He pressed himself up against Spencer's side and curled his wings around him. Then he stepped away. Though his body moved forward so he could extend a hand to Derek, his wings stayed around Spencer as if he couldn't quite bring himself to let go. Honestly, Spencer was grateful. He really didn't want to move either. "It's good to meet a friend of Spencer's." Holding out his hand, Gabriel let his grin change, shifting into the smirk that always made Spencer think of the Trickster he knew his guardian was. "I'm Loki – but you might know me better as Gabriel."

The first name didn't make Derek react, really – he didn't know enough to know that Gabriel meant the actual Loki – but the second name actually made him jump a little. He stared down at their joined hands with something akin to awe on his face. "Gabriel? Like… the Gabriel?"

"The one and only." Gabriel said happily.

Another voice joined them then and Spencer jumped, not having paid attention to who else was in the room. "Please, don't encourage him. My brother's head is already swollen enough as it is."

Gabriel turned his head to toss a grin over his shoulder. "Jealous, Luci?"

When Spencer turned to look, he found Michael and Raphael both standing stiffly on the other end of the room, neither one looking too pleased as they glanced at Derek. But it wasn't them that held Spencer's gaze.

It was Lucifer.

Apparently Gabriel had given Lucifer a vessel upgrade while Spencer was gone. The first look Spencer got at the new vessel was enough to have him stopping in his tracks. Well now. Taller than his last vessel, this one was also a bit more slender, though not as thin as Spencer. The fledgling wondered just how deliberate it had been that Gabriel had made this vessel just an inch or two taller than the one he'd made for Michael. Whereas Michael was brown haired with brown eyes, Lucifer had blond hair that was a few inches long and slicked back, and sharp blue eyes. His face was more angles and sharp lines that somehow worked for him. Instead of making him look severe, it gave him a sort of dangerous air. The rest of him helped that image. He was in dark jeans that fit pretty well and a button up shirt that was a deep red. Over it all, he'd tossed a leather jacket. He looked long and lean and dangerous as he lounged in one of Gabriel's wing-backed chairs.

All in all, the vessel Gabriel had made for him was… Spencer fought to keep his thoughts under control. Now was not the time for thinking like that. Not now, not ever.

Raphael's voice broke through Spencer's thoughts. "You brought a human back with you?"

The words were directed to Spencer and it took him just a second to realize that. It helped when Gabriel elbowed him and broke his concentration. Spencer's eyes went wide as he realized he'd been staring at Lucifer. They went wider and a flush filled his cheeks when he found Lucifer watching him with a cocked eyebrow and a twist to his lips that was blatantly amused.

Clearing his throat, Spencer turned himself a little more, putting his friends behind him, so that he could look over to Raphael and Michael. "I brought my friend." He corrected him. "He wants to help."

It looked like Raphael was about to say something else, something that was most likely not going to be all that flattering, only someone else spoke first. "Either way, we are glad to have you back. Though I wish you would've checked with us before bringing anyone." Michael said, cutting off whatever else Raphael might've had to say. He shot Raphael a look and then turned towards Spencer, smiling at him. "I'm glad you've realized where you belong. Any hope we have of winning comes from having you on our side. I'm glad you've decided to fight with us."

Well, that had come quicker than Spencer had anticipated. When he'd thought about this he'd known that there were going to be certain things that happened when he came back. Things that he couldn't allow to happen. It meant that Spencer was going to have to do something that he usually didn't do – he was going to have to take a stand.

Someone behind Spencer drew in a breath as if to speak and the fledgling quickly held out a hand behind him. He wasn't sure which one of them it was but he had the feeling that none of them would really have anything good to say to that. The last thing he needed right now was a fight breaking out. However, that didn't mean that he didn't have his own words to say.

Everyone watched in silence as Spencer broke away from Gabriel. He stepped out into the open space of the room and moved right up to the halfway point between Michael and the rest of them. Once there, Spencer drew in a deep breath. Then he lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. His eyes were calm when they met Michael's and none of his inner fears showed through. "I'm not here because destiny decrees it so." His voice was steady and pitched perfectly to carry around the room for them all to hear, without him ever having to raise it. "I'm choosing to be in this fight because it's the right thing to do. Because I can't stand idly by while I know that there's something coming for us. Not because some prophet once said that I would."

"Whatever the reasons…"

Spencer held his hand up once more – this time, towards Michael. The gesture surprised the archangel enough that he actually listened to it and fell silent. Spencer lowered his hand but he never lowered his gaze. He drew strength from the people behind him; the ones he knew would stand by him here. The ones that he knew would support him in this no matter what he chose to do. "I'm here to fight with you, Michael." Spencer said calmly. "But I'm not here to fight for you. Ours won't be a dictatorship. It's going to be a democracy. This isn't Heaven and we…" He took a small step back, turning just enough to be able to spread out his right hand and gesture to his friends and family behind him. "…are not your personal army." He turned back towards Michael and spread his hands out on either side of him in a gesture of peace. This was a speech he'd thought long and hard about and one that he felt deep down inside of his grace was good and right. "I will proudly fight at your side, brother, and I will accept your council on matters of Heaven. But this coming war takes place on Earth and I can't trust someone to lead that was once so willing to sacrifice the planet for the sake of a personal grudge. You've set your sights on protecting yourself and Heaven. My goals are to protect it all."

"How dare you speak to me this way." Michael breathed out. He took a step forward, wings bristling behind him, drawing himself up to his rather impressive height. "Who do you think you are, child?"

If he thought to intimidate, he failed. Because Spencer knew now what he was to them. He knew what they all believed. Michael thought that Spencer was the child of this great prophecy – their only hope. No matter how angry he got he wasn't going to do anything to destroy that hope. He wouldn't kill Spencer. Knowing that gave the fledgling the courage to lift his own wings and not back down. "I think I'm the one your prophecies claim will end this. And if you want my help in doing so, you'll do it on my terms or not at all."

"You think you can dictate to me? You think that you – a mere child – can lead this war?"

"Not alone." Spencer admitted. He wasn't ashamed to admit that.

"He's right." Gabriel said, breaking into the conversation. Without hesitation the archangel moved to stand up at Spencer's side. He didn't cuddle up to him now – this wasn't the time for it. He stood proud and tall beside him while he met the gazes of his brothers. "You know he's right, Mikey. Your concern, it's for the angels and it's for Heaven. The Earth, maybe, because Dad told you to protect them. But your first priority is going to be Heaven. These humans back here?" With his thumb he gestured over to shoulder to the Winchesters and to Derek. "Their priority is Earth."

"Mine is everything." Spencer said. "And if we work together, as a team, all of us stand a better chance of surviving this. We stand a better chance at winning, and with fewer casualties. This isn't a war on one front, Michael. It's a war on all fronts. We have to be prepared to treat it as such."

Raphael let out a low laugh that held almost no hints of amusement to it. "You think anyone would follow a fledgling in this? A child?"

Spencer was getting so sick of being called a child. Before he got the chance to protest it, or to try and argue his point more, a voice spoke up from behind him. "I will."

Turning, he watched as Castiel came forward to join him, moving to his free side. Almost immediately after him came Dean and then Sam. "We will." Dean said, taking up his place at Castiel's side. Right after them came Derek, who grinned right at Spencer. "You know I will, Reid. Always."

"And I as well." Anna said, moving to stand by Gabriel.

The archangel at Spencer's side smirked at him and bumped their wings together. "Every step of the way, kiddo."

Spencer was stunned by this open display of support. He hadn't expected this. He'd expected everyone to be on his side for a democracy. Supporting the whole 'team' idea that he'd been trying to preach here. Despite how Michael and Raphael were taking it, Spencer didn't want to lead. He wanted them to all work together. Michael, representing Heaven. The Winchesters representing Earth. Gabriel could represent the pagans. Lucifer, well, Hell. But he'd in no way expected them all to gather behind him like this.

His shock grew even more when another voice added to the mix. "And I."

Everyone looked on with surprise when Lucifer spoke. The fallen archangel was looking right at Spencer as he said it, a tiny smile on his lips.

"Lucifer?" Michael's voice was incredulous and his wings were openly displaying his shock. "You'd follow him? Bow to a child – one that carries a hint of human to him?"

The way he said it didn't make the word 'human' insulting as it might've been with someone else. Spencer realized that none of Michael's words sounded insulting. They all just sounded stunned and… was that curiosity as well?

Lucifer's smile grew a little, just a small curve to his lips. "I bow to no one. But," He pushed up off his chair in slow, lazy movements, pushing himself up to his full height. His eyes never once left Spencer. "I'm willing to work beside someone who wants to treat us as equals."

"That's what I want." Spencer said softly.

Nodding, Lucifer moved over and joined them, taking up a place on the end by the Winchesters, who – to their credit – didn't move away from him.

With everyone standing there waiting and watching, Spencer knew he'd have to make the next move. He straightened his spine and drew strength from the open support that was being displayed here. He tilted his chin up and drew his wings in close to his back. "I'm not trying to fight against you, Michael. I'm not trying to lead. I want us to work together. Like I said – a democracy. We need you with us. There's no one that understand Heaven better than you."

There was a long moment where silence fell over the room. It was a charged silence, one that left Spencer on edge and had him fighting to keep his wings from twitching and giving him away. He met Michael stare for stare and left himself open so that the archangel would be able to see whatever it was he sought with that sharp gaze.

After minutes that felt like hours, Michael nodded. It was small, barely there, but Spencer saw it and some of his tension drained away. The tension in those around him faded as well.

Sam was the one to break the silence that had fallen over them. "If we're going to all work together, we'll need a bigger place." he said, looking around him. "Somewhere for us to gather and plan. Somewhere secure."

A twist of emotions from Gabriel had Spencer looking at him. His guardian was smiling, his smile growing bigger by the second. "I might have an idea about that. Tell me – what do you guys know about the Men of Letters?"

So ends this section :) I'll try and have the next story (The next chapter, here) up as quickly as possible! I hope I'm not losing you guys with this. It's getting insanely long, I know! But thank you so much for all your amazing reviews! They help me keep on going on with this :)