Author's note: Thanks so much to Larkafree, Maknatuna, Treeni, Keefer, Maddy Love Castiel, CherylB1964, Tel nok shock, RachelPhobia, The weasel is MINE XP, FireChildSlytherin5, random yet loveable, The WhoLockian's Journal, keacdragon, XxZessxX and Riceball-1989 for last chapter's reviews!

Special thanks to Treeni for beat-reading.

5

It was truly impressive how much the two Winchesters could eat, if they were told to just get whatever they wanted. Granted, they were at an age where they were still growing – Sam was overdue for a serious growth spurt, in Gabriel's opinion – but the archangel had had enough time to go and find an empty apartment, make the owner believe that he had rented the thing years ago, furnish it and then go and find Castiel and the two boys and they were still eating!

Dean was at his second helping of eggs and bacon while his younger brother had ordered a few waffles and after finding out that they came with some fresh fruit topping had asked, if it was possible to just get the fruit. Sometimes the older Winchester really wondered how it was possible that the two of them were related.

Gabriel sat down in the booth next to Sam, trying to decide if there was still enough food left on the children's plates to give him enough time to order some sweet treat. However, he didn't want to delay them from checking out the apartment any longer than necessary and decided that waiting until they had changed locations was the better choice. Not to mention that he had had a cupcake and a Popsicle while working. That didn't keep him from producing a strawberry flavored lollipop from his pocket, though.

"We can go as soon as you're ready," Gabriel announced cheerily, unwrapping the lollipop as he spoke, "I hid my Playboy and Casa Erotica collection so Dean-o will have the hell of a time finding it."

Dean huffed in annoyance, though it wasn't completely clear if he thought that he was being unfairly accused of something or if he was disappointed. Then again, he was only twelve years old and had gotten red ears from seeing the Sports Illustrated swimwear edition in his duffle bag yesterday, so chances were that he was only at the start of figuring out what his dick was actually for.

"Whatever," Dean muttered, glaring at the archangel when Gabriel nudged Sam's shoulder with his elbow amicably as his younger brother – the traitor – chuckled. He really wished he had chosen to sit next to Sammy that very moment, but Castiel had chosen to sit facing the door and Dean had slid into the booth next to him so he could watch both his brother and the door. Not that sitting next to Cas wasn't nice. The adult was mostly quiet and showed interest in everything he had to say, what was not to love about that?

"How long are we going to stay with you?" Sam wanted to know, pushing his now empty plate away as a sign that he at least was ready to leave. To be honest, he felt a little torn on the matter of what he wanted the answer to his question to be. On the one hand, Gabriel saying that they were going to stay with him for a longer time meant that they wouldn't have to move again so soon, but on the other hand it would also mean that their father would be gone for a long time. It didn't help that the younger Winchester was really sick of getting attached to new people just to have to leave them behind later, so Sam thought having very little time to bond with the adult might be better, after all.

"However long it takes," Gabriel shrugged casually, "I've got space, I've got time, we're going to have fun."

At least the archangel hoped that they were going to have fun. Oh, he didn't doubt that he had the abilities needed to entertain two children for a longer period of time, but he had already learned that the two Winchesters had issues he hadn't even dreamed of before and that would surely continue to complicate matters. At this point it wasn't even worth mentioning anymore that he had gotten into this entire damned thing because he had assumed that he was going to get nothing but amusement out of it. That train had left the station from platform 'You're screwed' and was well on its way to 'Forget it, Sucker!' land.

"What about dad?" Dean asked, before his younger brother had the chance to voice his obvious displeasure over the evasive answer he had gotten. The older Winchester was sure that however long all this was going to take wasn't as important as the fact that their father had no idea where they were going to be, as far as he knew.

"Castiel will tell John where you are, won't you Cassy?" Gabriel replied, putting the sweet treat into his mouth finally. He couldn't help wondering if Castiel was going to take this as a command to go and find John Winchester's soul, wherever it had disappeared to after getting out of hell, just to tell him what his sons were having a long sleepover with the archangel, or if his younger brother could take a hint and would lie as he was meant to.

"Of course," Castiel agreed seriously, meeting Dean's gaze when the twelve year old was looking at him, trying to determine whether the adults were telling the truth. Oh, the older Winchester trusted the dark-haired man completely; it was Gabriel he still wasn't sure about. He also couldn't shake the feeling that something fishy was going on, but Cas apparently was completely sure that them staying with the other man was a good idea. That alone was enough to make Dean begrudgingly accept the short adult, he would keep a close eye on him however.

"And what about the Impala?" Dean asked suspiciously. They could hardly leave the Impala in the motel parking lot, that just didn't seem right and he wouldn't stand for it!

"Don't worry, Dean-o, I'll drive her over to my place," Gabriel assured the pre-teen, waving his lollipop around as he spoke, "Too bad that you're too much of a Weechester to do it yourself."

It was also too bad that he would have to give the Impala some sort of strange engine noise to make sure that the lie he had told the two boys the other day would hold up. Even Gabriel had to admit that messing with a classic beauty like that was a bit tragic. Dean was probably going to want to kill him for ever touching his baby, as soon as he was all grown up again, but that was a risk the archangel would have to take. In fact, he'd gladly take it just to be able to remind the older Winchester of the fact that Gabriel had at one point driven his precious Impala whenever their ways were going to cross in the future.

Dean immediately huffed and puffed because of the nickname he had just been given. He couldn't come up with a good retort to save his life however, so he settled for narrowing his eyes at the annoying adult and eating the last of his bacon.

"Maybe we should get another pie," the older Winchester pondered out loud a minute later when they passed the pastry display by on their way outside. "Just in case."

To be honest, after eating nearly an entire cherry pie by himself the other day, he didn't have the intense craving for his favorite sweet treat he sometimes had. He could always do with another slice of pie however. Besides, as he understood it, it was his and Sammy's duty as the ones being babysat, to thoroughly test how much they could get away with.

"I like your style, Dean-o, but not today," Gabriel replied with a chuckle, refraining from ruffling his hair. He didn't put it past the older Winchester to bite him for something like that, "I've got one at home. It's not a home without pie!"

Dean's enthusiastic nod of agreement caused his younger brother to roll his eyes. The two boys were trying to find out which one of them could shove the other one harder, soon afterward. Honestly, looking at how protective the older Winchester could get over his baby brother within the blink of an eye, it was nearly good to see that he was all too willing to put Sam into his place just as quickly. That at least showed that they were capable of normal brotherly behavior.

"Cas, you're coming too, right?" the older Winchester wanted to know as soon as they had left the diner. Somehow, he had the feeling that it would be better if the dark-haired adult came with them, but Castiel had given no indication that he would before. It had never been said that he wouldn't either, however.

"I have to return to my duties," Castiel stated, regret evident in his tone. At least, he had been able to determine that both brothers seemed happy enough with the way Gabriel was watching over them. Sam apparently was fonder of the archangel's ways, but Dean had had no overly worrying complaints, either. The seraph was simply grateful to have found a possibility to keep the brothers safe in their vulnerable state, while he worked on getting them back to normal.

"I will try to come back as quickly as I can," the angel promised a moment later. He had some hopes that he would come back quickly and with a solution to their problem, but even if finding a cure for the Winchesters' condition took longer, he had every intention to keep in contact.

"Whatever," Dean muttered, trying to cover his disappointment. He turned around to march off toward the Impala with pride, but couldn't hide the frown that came over his face the moment he turned from the angel. He assumed they were going back to the motel, because they still had to get their stuff and Gabriel had said he intended to move the car, anyway. Nobody was even trying to stop him, which also spoke for the theory.

"Dad always says he'll try to come back quickly, too," Sam whispered to the archangel as an explanation for his brother's behavior. He had grabbed the adult's hand instinctively when his brother had stormed off. The younger Winchester knew all too well that there was no talking to Dean when he was like that and he didn't want to be yelled at for whatever reason just for running after him when he wanted to cool off on his own.

Gabriel nodded, squeezing the little boy's hand reassuringly. He was starting to understand more and more about the brothers, and it still made him feel uncomfortable, but Sam was just a kid who needed someone to hold on to as things were. The archangel could at least do that.

"Alright, Cassy, see you later then," Gabriel stated in a casual tone, patting his brother's shoulder with his free hand for a moment before he grabbed his upper arm and pulled him closer, "Remember your promise. I'm holding you responsible, if Dean-o gets all cranky when you don't show your face!"

Sam looked from one adult to the other with big eyes. There had been similar scenes between their father and Uncle Bobby, but they usually ended with John getting mad and then not coming back for a long time, anyway. Castiel only nodded without saying anything. He looked like he was taking his own promise and Gabriel's command very seriously, however. How were those two connected to each other anyway? The younger Winchester didn't believe for a second that Castiel had found Gabriel over some babysitter service or something.

"C'mon Samunchkin, we've got your things and your grouchy brother to collect," the archangel suggested more or less dragging the kid back toward the motel, effectively ending his overthinking of the situation that way.

"B-Bye Cas!" Sam called back over his shoulder, but the dark-haired man had disappeared already. Of course, the younger Winchester didn't know where he had meant to go to, so he thought maybe he had just had to cross the closest corner. Though Castiel had still disappeared pretty quickly, even if that was the case. Sam had more important matters to deal with, however. Like the fact that his brother had just stormed off and the stupid nickname he had just been given.

"Don't call me that!" Sam pouted, still holding on to the archangel's hand firmly, though. It was bad enough that he was a tiny kid – smaller than most boys his age – they didn't have to draw even more attention to that! Especially since he and Gabriel had agreed that he was going to grow up to be taller than Dean just the other day!

"How about Sampact instead?" the archangel asked in an amused voice, noticing that the boy pulled a face again immediately. So, Sam's famous bitch-face was something he had been practicing at least since he had been eight years old? It was too good to resist. Teasing the kid was all fun and games and he had every intention to stop before any tears got involved. "No? What about Samini?"

"Sambo was sort of okay," Sam admitted with a deep sigh. He figured that he might be able to get out of this stupid discussion by giving the adult an acceptable nickname to call him. He hoped that Gabriel was going to honor his preferences, anyway. "I guess sometimes Sammy is, too."

"Alright, kiddo, I'll try to remember that," Gabriel promised, ruffling the younger Winchester's hair which immediately made him pout again. The archangel just had to annoy the boy a little. Giving in where the nicknames were concerned meant that he had to mess with his hair to even things out. Nobody should ever be able to accuse Gabriel of being too reasonable!

As it turned out Dean had calmed down considerably in the time they had needed to catch up with him. The older Winchester settled for the minimal amount of sulking necessary to get the average pre-teen through the day. He was pretty quiet though, until they had packed their things and even cheered up a little once they got into the Impala.

The place they were going to could hardly be any more rundown than the one they were leaving and there had been the promise of pie. All in all, the day looked more promising than most.