A/N: Mixed reviews are okay. :) Just to let everyone know, I don't bite! (Hard) Thanks, as always!
Sam stared blankly at his hands that rested in his lap, for the first time in a long time feeling peace. The anger that had fueled him for so long was sated; the memories were quiet though they were still there. It took the touch of his brother, a comforting hand on his shoulder, to settle him back in reality. Blissful, he looked over at his brother, his eyes free and clear of the pain that had plagued him since Jessica's death.
"How ya feelin', Sammy?" Dean asked gruffly, having watched the exchange between Chuck and his brother closely.
"Completely...okay," he murmured, a slight smile touching his face, showing the relief from his torment.
"The memories are still there," Chuck provided, "I can't take that away from you. You need to remember...to move forward."
"Whatever you've done," Sam breathed, leveling a thankful gaze at the familiar figure sitting at the head of the table, "whatever it was, thank you. It doesn't seem like enough."
Chuck returned Sam's smile, sitting forward against the table again, looking each of them in the eye. "I know that my decision to bring back these three seems a little odd, so please, allow me to explain." He waved a hand toward Gabriel. "Despite his disappearance from Heaven and his mingling with the pagan gods, Gabriel stood up to his brother for the good of mankind. With most of the other arch angels following their own agenda and trying to claim my throne for themselves, Gabriel is the only one I feel I can trust."
The appointed angel smiled, for once, a completely sarcasm-free smile that reached his eyes. In the presence of his Father, he was contented.
"Anna has an insight into you two that I find invaluable. Though her ambitions were misplaced in her efforts to kill Sam here, she was, after all, attempting to do away with the evil that would play a heavy role in the Apocalypse." He offered Anna a small smile and nod before focusing on the angel at the furthest end of the table. "And Balthazar, of course."
"Do be gentle," the angel said, grimacing slightly.
"While completely selfish and looking out for no one but himself, he is the most resourceful of my sons. I do have use for such resourcefulness." Chuck clasped his hands on the table top before him. "We have a lot of rebuilding to do."
"What about Cas?" Dean finally demanded, his jaw working as if he'd been chewing on the question since Chuck had started speaking. "He wasn't plannin' on givin' up those souls anytime soon. Personally, I'm not gonna be able to handle killin' Cas."
Chuck raised a hand, quieting the older Winchester. "I have no intention of killing Castiel." He frowned. "I should have answered his call, but I wanted...I needed to see if he'd make the right decision. My sons have always...always questioned why I gave mankind the free will to choose to follow me. They have always been told what to do."
"Why did you give us free will?" Dean asked. "There would be none of this...religious nonsense if you'd just said 'worship me.'"
"Dean, Dean, Dean." Chuck sighed, shaking his head. "I figured you, of all people, would have understood the importance. What is more rewarding: being loved or being feared? I could have demanded worship, but I didn't. I would rather be loved. Man was created...for fellowship. You see?"
Silent, Dean simply nodded, looking away from the table, his eyes focusing somewhere above Anna's head.
"What are we gonna do about Cas?" Bobby ventured, his arms crossed across his chest.
Another silence overtook the table, and it was a long while before Chuck ventured to speak, his eyes narrowed slightly as he carefully chose his words. "A lot has been asked of you three, and I'm about to ask for more." He cleared his throat. "It is time for the angels to retire. All of them. Back to Heaven to get things in order here. It's time to get back to the basics."
"Where does that leave us?" Sam inquired quietly.
"That leaves us," Dean answered instead, "with stopping Castiel."
Chuck stood, moving to stand behind Dean's chair. "Yes, it does." He placed his hands on Dean's shoulders. "But not without a little help."
tbc...
ADDITIONAL A/N: Again, shortness intended. I blame the set-up.