Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: Post 5x19 season five ending AU, starts in 5x22. The Winchesters are angry at Gabriel-for leaving them when he died-giving them a bare scrap of hope-and for just being himself, Gabriel is angry at them, and himself, and Heaven and Hell won't leave things well alone. Demons run when a good man goes to war...

Chapter Two

Xxx

The shower was already running when Dean woke up the next morning. Cas was still sound asleep beside him as he sat up, Sam was out on a food run with Bobby if his text was any indication, so that left Gabriel as the one in the bathroom.

The blanket Dean had dropped over him the night before was folded up on the end of the couch, as well as the Trickster's green jacket hanging on the bathroom door knob were the only signs that he was there besides the running water. What caught Dean's attention was the dark stain on the inside of the jacket that he wouldn't have seen if it hadn't fallen off when he'd gone to brush his teeth. The blood was still wet when Dean picked up the jacket, tossing it into the sink with a sigh before he headed out to the Impala.

Gabriel stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes after he got back in, hair damp, but redressed in the same clothes from before. The ragged clothing only emphasized the blood staining the shirt.

"Sit."

With a sigh, Gabriel did as told, pulling his shirt over his head without being prompted and bracing his arms against the edge of the bed. The stab wound wasn't bad, more like messy and painful, Dean had to hand it the guy to remain silent as the hunter had to use just about half a bottle of peroxide to clean the wound before stitching it shut. Neither spoke about the fact that it should have been healed by now, something just wasn't right.

They didn't get the chance to start the obviously coming conversation as Sam and Bobby entered the room with bags of food as Gabriel slid his t-shirt back over his head.

No one spoke after the boxes were passed out, everyone getting their separate box of food and mug of coffee and letting the silence hang. Even the dazed and just waking up Cas knew to remain silent as he sat next to his brother

Gabriel ate little of the powdered sugar and syrup coated waffles, barely touching his coffee that was just about white with the amount of sugar and creamer in it.

Bobby had just opened his mouth to address the obvious elephant in the room when Gabriel choked on a sip of coffee, jumping to his feet as he dropped the foam box of half eaten waffles and cup of coffee. Dean swore at the mess but stood up as the trickster sprinted to the bathroom, heaving into the toilet like his life depended on it.

Sam and Dean followed, the younger Winchester holding back Gabriel's hair as he retched, the sound was almost enough to turn their stomachs. Cas had thrown up the night they were all recovering from Pestilence. This was completely different, Castiel had puked because his vessel had been affected and it was a reaction to something...the desperate, almost pained heaves Gabriel was emitting were like he was physically unable to stop.

It only took a few minutes for Dean to step in, and that was when Gabriel had leaned back, braced against Sam's legs behind him before coughing and bringing up blood as he started heaving again. Dean grabbed a cloth and wiped the shorter man's face down, pulling him back when all he managed to do was dry heave to the point he was almost convulsing with the force.

"Breathe...slow down…."

Gabriel groaned, but managed to do as told, once his breathing relaxed so did everything else, leaving him gasping for air and shaking in Sam's arms as he helped him up.

Bobby was watching with mild irritation as Sam helped Gabriel back to the couch, the trickster slumped against one side, groaning as he rubbed at his face. Gabriel coughed heavily, snatching a napkin from the table before settling down.

"Aw damn…"

The napkin was spotted with blood, and Dean narrowed his eyes as Gabriel slumped forward to lean on his legs as he dropped his head to his hands, the napkin balled in one fist.

"Mind tellin' us what the hell's going on?"

"Besides the apocalypse?"

"Gabriel."

Cas' worn, gravelly tone made his older brother look up, catching the seriousness in the weaker angel's eyes, now was not the time for jokes.

Gabriel sighed heavily, wincing at the pain flashing through his torso, "Luci managed to gank me back at the Elysian, must have nicked my stomach and lungs apparently when he stabbed my heart-grace...whatever...woke up outside of Muncie, Indiana a couple days ago and started heading towards the eye of the storm, figured you two would be heading to Detroit to find my brother."

"How the hell are you alive then? Not like anybody's topside to bring you back." Dean's tone left little room to argue, only making Gabriel's blank shrug that more frustrating.

"You think I know? I've been walking towards hell on Earth for two days and just now am getting some idea what's going on. The best I've got is Daddy dearest thought big bro was a little too harsh."

Sam snorted, "A little? He stabbed you."

Gabriel shrugged, "Stabbed-schmabbed...not like the pagans didn't do it a few times...oh and then you two chuckle-heads try to kill me...like every time you see me, so nothing like getting a stake through the chest to wake up in the morning 'ey boys? Nothing new to me to have someone breathing down my neck asking for death, but Hello! Trickster? And-"

Gabriel's voice had gotten louder and more sarcastic as he'd continued, standing up and starting in on a serious rant before suddenly buckling, clutching his chest in pain as he hit the ground with a thud. Dean almost didn't move to help him when Sam and Castiel lunged forward, finally moving when Cas' eyes glared at him with just a faint trace of the former angel in them.

If Cas could make himself help his brother who hadn't given a rat's ass about him, then Dean could suck it up for a few minutes.

Gabriel was writhing on the ground, fighting their hold on him as he thrashed in pain, the soft noises sliding from his throat were not ones they wanted to hear, soft whines of pain as he gasped for air. Bobby was by them a minute later, tipping a glass of whiskey down Gabriel's throat, making him cough as he swallowed.

"What the-"

"Shut up ya idgit."

Gabriel groaned before going limp, eye lids fluttering shut. Within a minute he was out like a light.

"Valerian...supposed to be a sedative, not the best side effects...had a colleague suggest tryin' it against angels...apparently it works."

Castiel shook his head as he helped Sam pick up his unconscious brother to move to the younger Winchester's bed.

"It should not affect Gabriel...not as an archangel...the dosage required for effect is almost too great to consume…"

Sam winced as he pulled Gabriel's shoes of his feet, draping the spare blanket over the pale and slightly shaking form.

"What's that mean Cas?"

"Nothing good."