home is a fire

chapter seven

"Gabriel" Castiel's voice is filled with wonder, and Dean has to agree.

Of all the angels, this is probably the only one who won't screw them over.

"Hey, little brother. So, taking a stroll into small towns, making deals with shady witches. Living the good life, huh?" he looks around the room, and his whole face seems to grow into a smile, "My, my, werewolves, and witches in training, and sparks and the Winchesters! Now, that's what I call a welcome back committee. But I have to ask, why are you summoning me for?"

"How are you alive?" Sam blurts out, and Gabriel just stares at him as if pitying him.

"Cas can come back, you and your brother can play yoyo with being dead, but I can't come back? I'm an Archangel, Sammy boy. I can come back just as much as anyone in this room can" he smiles at them at large, and then focus on the veterinarian again, "So, why did you call me?"

"We need a favor" Dean asks, before Deaton can start making things go badly by trying to blackmail Gabriel. This is also the one angel who won't abide to being blackmailed into anything, "We need you to hide someone, like Cas did with me and Sam. Hide him from angels."

"Okaaaaay, and who would that be and why? Does it have to do with the fact that my brothers and sisters are knock knock knocking on Heaven's door and getting no answer? I should know you two would be all over that" he finishes sarcastically.

"So, you're not mad at that?" Stiles asks, and Gabriel turns to him, eyeing the kid speculatively.

"I tend to hide among humans. It's more fun that way, anyway, and I really don't like the squabbling siblings all over me. Big family, you know? I prefer my own privacy."

"Can you do it?" Dean insists, and Gabriel turns to him again.

"Who would I have to hide?"

Dean takes in a deep breath.

"My son" he says, and looks at Stiles, who waves at the angel trapped in the holy fire.

Gabriel actually looks gob smacked at that, and then he laughs.

Loudly.

"Well, well, well, you and Cas decided to adopt? Can't say I'm surprised, really, Cas would make a great mom."

"It's… it's not like that" Dean starts, as Cas looks at Gabriel, frowning.

"Two male parents can be just fathers. There's no need to label one of them as a female figure."

"Cas, shut up."

"I believe that's spouse abuse. You shouldn't stand for it, little brother."

"Can we get back to the point here?!" Stiles asks, sounding a bit freaked out, "I mean nothing against those two facing the music and getting it on, but I am so not ready to know about their lives that way, okay? Can you hide me or not?"

Gabriel smirks slowly, and stares directly at Stiles.

"Let me out of the fire, and I'll do it."

Everyone on the room trades looks, and Dean lets out a deep breath.

"Do it" he says to Deaton, who looks at Stiles and then Derek before putting the fire out.

Gabriel steps out of the circle on the floor, and, smiling all the way, walks up to Stiles, putting both his hands over the kid's ribcage. A clear light seems to emanate from him, and Stiles screams loudly, Isaac and Scott having to hold Derek back.

It's all over in thirty seconds, and then Gabriel steps away, and Stiles breaths in deeply.

"That's it?" he gasps, and Gabriel nods.

"That's it. You're hidden. No angel can find you, and if they do, they won't know who you really are. You're safe."

"How do you know he was at risk like that?" Dean asks, and Gabriel turns to him, looking very serious.

"I know all about this mess Metatron put us all in. I was team Free Will last time, and I'm not changing that now. Did you really think a half assed witch doctor could summon me if I didn't want to? Your son is safe, Dean. And now we are ready to get out there and fight back."

Dean swallows hard right then.

He's right though, isn't he? There's no reason for him to stay here anymore, Stiles is safe and sound.

No more hiding. He has a war to fight.

X

"It seems a bit anticlimactic, doesn't it?" Stiles says as Dean throws his duffle bag into the trunk of his car. The others are giving them space, he suspects, by the way that is just the two of them out here right now.

Dean sighs and shrugs a bit, leaning against the car when he closes the trunk, and Stiles is by his side, both of them facing the crappy motel the hunters were staying in.

"Yeah, it was easy, but I guess it's just because it was the right thing to do. The next part will be a bit trickier."

"Sending the angels back home" the kid says, and Dean nods.

"Yeah. That and trying to understand what to do with the King of Hell, because we kind of broke him, and things are pretty shady on that front too."

Stiles is silent for a long moment, and then he turns and stares at Dean for a bit before talking.

"Don't you ever get tired? Of always fighting, always going after stuff that is trying to kill you? I mean, Beacon Hills isn't exactly the safest place ever, but I've got plans, you know. With Derek. It involves more than hunting stuff and being in danger."

"It's good that you do, kid" he says, turning to look at him too, "Don't…" he starts, and then takes a deep breath, "Don't let these things be your life, okay? I know your boyfriend is an Alpha and all, and all your friends are weird in some way, but don't let it be just that."

"I won't" he answers, and Dean smiles at him.

"Good" he says, and Stiles seems to stop for a moment, gathering courage for something.

He steps away from the car, takes a deep breath, and pulls Dean in for a hug.

"Don't get killed. I was mad at first, but I really don't want you to die before I can get to know you, okay?"

"I'll do my best" Dean says, and if his voice breaks a little no one needs to know.

He steps away and calls for the others, getting in and waving one last time at his… son.

It's weird, but just knowing that the kid would be safe and waiting for him makes him a bit calmer.

As if he has a home to get back to.

And maybe now he does.

X

Five years later

"It's freaking GRADUATION, it's not the most important day of my life, it's not even the most important day of this year, oh my God, why is everyone making such a big deal out of this?!" Stiles exasperated voice echoes in the house, and The Sheriff and Dean trade a look.

"It's a big deal for us, now can you just… be here already? We just want you to enjoy this day, and be happy you're graduating alive and well. Can you do that for both your fathers' sake?" Derek says, and Stiles shows up at the top of the stairs, wearing a cap and gown.

"Look, I know you're all really proud and everything, but it's not like it's going to change anything, okay?"

"You're the first Winchester to graduate college in a very, very long time. So please just… be happy about it, okay? If you don't, Dean might actually explode or something" Sam says, and Dean thinks about answering back, but he doesn't, because his brother is kind of right.

He's freaking proud of his son, and all the way they have come to be here on this day.

Stiles doesn't call him dad or anything, but he does acknowledge him as his father every once in a while. Derek talked to him and the Sheriff both before proposing to Stiles a month ago, and they talk pretty much every day ever since his son helped them with the angels thing five years before.

He is not on the line of fire, but he's not living the most peaceful life either. Beacon Hills gets its fair share of trouble to keep him entertained enough that he doesn't think about leaving, and Derek and the pack keep him safe enough that Dean or the Sheriff don't try to take him away.

It's a weird life they lead, but it seems to be easier now, simpler, happier.

Even when things get bad and they seem to be at the end of their rope, there's always the notion that he has a place he can call home now. A son, friends, Castiel and Sammy, and the Sheriff, even Derek.

He has something to live for.

And it makes all the difference in the world.

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