Gabriel stood outside a motel in a decent little town in Maryland, leaning against the worn decorative fencing separating him from the parking lot. His . . . friends, he toyed with the word . . . had taken refuge where they were unlikely to be noticed. After Hanover, they needed rest.
He turned to the sound of Castiel slipping out of the motel room. He wore only his suit pants and unbuttoned dress shirt against the frosting temperatures of a bitter cold snap. The chill passed its hand by both of them, unable to touch.
"You called?" Gabriel asked lightly.
His brother nodded vaguely, watching him, and he bore the scrutiny with interest.
"You know, you could have come inside," Castiel said at last.
With a small smile, the archangel turned and sent his gaze back out over the parking lot. He could have.
"Dean . . . knows about—" Cas started, uncertainly.
Oh, Castiel. Gabriel laughed lightly at his brother's concern and gave him a sympathetic glance. "I'm not being modest, brother." Careful, maybe. But it wasn't Dean's opinions that weighed on his mind, regardless.
"Oh," the other answered, then moved to stand closer at his side. "I . . . wanted to thank you. For healing Dean."
Gabriel looked over at him briefly and nodded. There was no real need for thanks between them, but the lesser angel's soul radiated with gratitude and love all the same, and these things felt like home. "So . . . Azgrathan is really gone, then?"
"Yes." Castiel stared out into the parking lot along with him.
Gabriel nodded silently, remembering. Then, "He's been missed for a long time."
Castiel blinked at the passing cars. "I remember him as heat. Not fire, just . . ."
"Warmth." Gabriel nodded, sighed.
They lapsed into silence. Castiel looked back at the motel room, then out at the empty night.
"What do you want to ask?" Gabriel said at the small sound of his brother's sigh, a human trait he wondered if he'd noticed yet.
Castiel hesitated and leaned more heavily against the fence. "Is it wise what you're doing with Sam?"
Wise? Gabriel shot him a surprised look, at first imperious, indignant, then curious. "What do you want to know, Castiel."
Cas set his jaw, still not looking over. "Why do you trust him?"
Gabriel shifted his weight, rolling his shoulders. "He means well."
"He set Lucifer free!" Castiel's anger flared in his expression and his soul. He turned with clenched fists.
Gabriel gazed back with a smothering calm. "His mistakes are a child's mistakes."
"They are big mistakes," came the growled reply.
"They are children's, nonetheless." Gabriel chuckled at himself, shaking his head, and gave Castiel a fond smile. "I think I can handle one human, I raised angels, for God's sake."
Castiel's face pinched in annoyance and he turned to the parking lot again, gripping the metal fence in too strong hands. "So . . . you think he'll learn." His tone was a little flatter than usual.
Gabriel kicked the ground and peered out at the Impala parked in the lot. "He's not stupid, Castiel."
"Just reckless."
The archangel slanted his brother a narrow-eyed look. "So are you," he said, though it lacked the real heat of argument.
Castiel bristled and fell silent. Gabriel sensed the turmoil in his soul, the anger, despair, and reluctant acquiescence. He loosened the tight control over his powers and essence, touching briefly the glow of his grace. Almost imperceptibly, Castiel turned toward it and relaxed, eventually saying quietly, "I thought you were going to die."
"I know." The archangel dropped his gaze to his feet. "I'm sorry. And thank you for not listening to me."
They both knew he meant the Scourging. "It was a stupid idea, and you were delirious."
Gabriel shrugged. "I thought it was the right thing."
"You were delirious."
Gabriel found his brother smiling faintly at him, and he considered the matter settled. They resumed studying the stationery cars with sacred silence.
"You took quite a gamble on the fountain," Gabriel eventually murmured.
"It was a calculated risk."
"We both would've died if you were wrong."
"I wasn't reckless."
"No." Gabriel smirked. "Just frightened."
The motel room door suddenly opened, and Sam stuck his head out, mop of hair a mess. "Hey, guys, you know we can actually see you through the window, right?"
The angels both turned to stare at him.
"I mean, you don't have to stand out here. You could come in."
"Sam!" Dean's voice bellowed from the room's interior. "Close the frickin' door!"
Castiel gave his brother a small, self-righteous smile that was promptly ignored and slipped around Sam, briefly opening the door even wider, letting in an arctic blast.
"Sam!"
The man hovered in the doorway, rolling his eyes, and grinning with a secretive kind of glee. Gabriel gave him an unsure look. "Perhaps I'll go," he said.
The childlike expression lighting Sam's face instantly fell, dragging Gabriel's heart with it. Sam tried to cover with a nod. "Yeah. Sure. If you want. Prolly got big angel things to do." He shrugged sympathetically.
"Sam!"
"Shut up, Dean!" Sam turned back, trying not to look ashamed of his idiot brother.
Truth was, Gabriel didn't have anything pressing. "You don't have to feel obligated—"
Sam rolled his eyes. "Dude. I don't feel 'obligated.' I'm asking if you want to come inside." He opened the door a little wider, and there was an annoyed shout from beyond where Gabriel could see.
The angel smiled and stepped closer, warmed by the offer. "You're sure?"
Sam grinned easily, despite the fact that his teeth had started to rattle because of the cold. "I want you to." And he slipped back into the warmth of the room.
Smiling to himself, Gabriel followed.