Lucifer Novak is a lot of things. He's strong, terrifying, the family "godfather," and never shows his face if he can help it. Cas hasn't seen his father in months, the only updates coming from the rare times Michael or Balthazar were granted access into the man's secret room upstairs, a place Cas himself has never encountered. Occasionally Lucifer will pop down to say a quick hello to his sons, but it is never long and it is always attached with a task for one of them.
It is for that reason Cas is caught offguard when he encounters his father in the doorway, a gun pointed directly at Dean's forehead. They both freeze as they take in the man before them, a guy whose whole being screams 'dangerous'. He stands poised to kill, the gun unwavering in his tough grip, his gleaming, brown eyes unnerving as they take in the two boys before him, clearly unhesitant to shoot if need be. Cas even notes that he dressed up for the occasion; he's decked out in his best suit that Cas only sees at two occasions: when they're at parties or when his father is about to make a kill. And since there is no balloons or music in sight, Cas' body tenses up for a fight.
"Castiel, what is the meaning of this?" Lucifer says calmly, coldly, and slowly.
Cas only backs up into the room as his father advances, pushing Dean backwards with the barrel of his gun. He doesn't even have to think twice before he shoves Dean behind him, acting as a human shield if need be. He promised his lover that he'd never let him get hurt, and he plans on keeping that vow.
"I'm leaving, father," Cas replies with a harsh glare. "I have no ties to your kind."
"Your kind? Do you not have Novak blood running through your veins, Castiel? We are one and the same, and there are always ties, son-,"
"Don't call me that," Cas growls, advancing forwards towards his father, his hand instinctively twitching to the gun in his pocket. "You are hardly my father and I'm hardly your son. I haven't seen your face in months, and you would throw me to the dogs if need be. Fathers don't do that to their children."
"I'm not looking for technicalities right now," Lucifer says with a harsh smile. It looks startlingly alike to Cas' own that his stomach clenches in disgust. "You're my son if you like it or not, and as my own I command you to move aside so I can shoot this sonovabitch you're screwing in the head!"
"You can't command me, not anymore. If you want to get to him, then you're going to have to go through me." As if to prove his point, Cas stands directly in front of Dean, grabbing the gun from his jacket to point it directly at his father. "Do you wish to test who is faster with a trigger, or will you let us leave in peace?"
Lucifer laughs menacingly, pushing the barrel right into Cas' chest. "Try me, son. Michael taught you everything you know, and I taught him. You don't stand a chance against me. I don't want to kill you, Castiel, but I will if I have to. The Winchesters are poison, and it will only be a matter of time before they leave you broken by the wayside. Stay with us and I can give you everything you desire."
"No, you really can't." Cas steps back and wraps an arm around the Winchester's waist, drawing him into his side. "Because the only thing I want is Dean."
"Cas," Dean whispers softly, "Be careful-."
"Screw being careful now, Dean," Cas replies quickly. "This is going down one way or another, and it looks like we're about to fight. You ready for this?"
Dean huffs out a breath. "So what? I'm Thelma and you're Louise and we're just gonna hold hands and sail off this cliff together?"
"Looks like it."
Cas sees that wolfish grin slide across Dean's face. "Then bring it on."
Everything happens in a flash then. Dean reaches in his back pocket and pulls out the gun he has stashed there, and without hesitation shoots a bullet into Lucifer's foot. The man howls in pain but keeps a hold on his weapon, firing blinding into the air. Cas drops his gun, ducks to the ground, and barely misses his father's shot, the bullet grazing his shoulder. The pain rocks through Cas' body, so much that the only thing he can make out in the chaos is Dean's voice screaming his name, Dean's hands coming to inspect the wound, Dean by his side even in this time of absolute danger. However that leaves Dean totally distracted, and Cas doesn't see his father crawling across the floor until it is too late.
"DEAN. LOOK OUT!" Cas screams, but the click of the gun has already reverberated through the air. The bullet flies through the atmosphere and is going right at Dean's heart. Cas cringes as he anticipates the shot that will break his vow, will kill the only good thing in his life.
But then something amazing happens. Something even Cas couldn't have expected. A body dives in front of Dean and takes the hit, the bullet finding purchase in the man's shoulder. Cas doesn't get a good look at who took the shot until the person rolls over, and even then Cas has to blink a thousand times to make sure he's not hallucinating.
Gabriel.
…Gabriel? His brother, Gabriel, who seemingly hates any and all Winchesters, just took a bullet for one?
"Well, that's going to sting," Gabriel grunts in pain.
"Gabriel, what on earth do you think you're doing?" Lucifer groans from across the room, throwing an absolutely lethal look in his direction.
Cas watches as his brother gets up from the floor in a struggle, moving to separate Cas and Dean from Lucifer's gaze. "I'm here to defend these two schmoes because they clearly can't do it themselves."
"Why? When did you find out about us?" Dean growls, his eyes still transfixed on the bullet wound in Cas' shoulder.
"From the first time I saw you two in that bar, genius," Gabriel says grandly, clearly ignoring the fact that a piece of metal is lodged in his body. "You two were so obvious a common caveman probably could have figured it out! I didn't mention it because I had too much fun watching two yahoos trying to cover it up. Brought me quite the entertainment these past few months."
Cas doesn't know what to say. Did everyone know about his relationship with Dean? And here they thought they were being so careful…
"But why defend us? I thought you hated me," Dean replies harshly, getting up from the floor to push Gabriel against the wall. "Why should I trust you? How do I know you're not working with him?" Dean shoves his finger in Lucifer's direction, one hand coming up to grab Gabe's collar. "Novaks don't take bullets for Winchesters."
"You really are damn stupid sometimes, you know that?," Gabe says sarcastically, throwing Dean a look of pure mocking. "A guy takes a bullet for you and then you question his loyalties? If it isn't obvious, I'm choosing sides here. It's not Novak vs. Winchester anymore; its what is right vs. what is wrong, and killing you seems wrong, okay? And by the way, that bullet still really hurts so if you would let me go, that would be stellar."
Dean drops Gabe who falls to the ground, groaning and clutching his shoulder.
"Gabriel, think about what you're doing here," Lucifer says menacingly, getting from the floor to hobble over to Gabriel, poising the gun right at his forehead. "You choose them then you're choosing the side of Winchester, and I didn't raise my son to be a traitor."
Gabe laughs and Cas watches in horror as his brother leans forward, closing the distance between him and the barrel, acting like the cold metal is going to shoot confetti and not a bullet. And then he says the words Cas would never dare say but always thought. "Lucifer, you're my father and I love you, but you really are a great big bag of dicks."
Lucifer automatically recoils like he's been slapped and throws Gabriel the darkest look Cas has ever seen. He reels backs and removes the barrel of the gun from Gabe's forehead, deciding that a harsh punch to the face would do better instead. Cas can't help himself; he jumps when the sound of bone hitting bone reverberates through the air and his brother cries out in pain, Cas fuming that he's too injured himself to go and defend the only family member he actually cares about.
"You dare speak like that to me? I made you who you are! How dare you choose the side of Winchester filth! Those flawed, insolent-"
"Damn right they're flawed!" Gabriel calls back, jumping up despite the shoulder wound to look his father in the eye. "But you know what? These Winchester schmoes are better than either of us. They see a better life and they're taking it. Would I ever be that brave to look you in the eye and say I'm walking away? Hell no! Now say what you want about our Castiel, but he's the strongest one in this entire family, and because of that I'm not on your side or the Winchesters; I'm on theirs."
For the tiniest second the world is still. Cas sees his father looking at Gabriel with absolute hatred brewing in his gaze, but no moves are made. Gabe is leaning against the wall now, clutching his injured shoulder that is now bleeding onto his hand, throwing Lucifer a quietly pained look, one that does not construe hatred but instead is one full of sadness. The sight makes Cas feel sick and brings up the urge to fight his father, to punch that face until it is bruised and battered, but he's injured and stuck on the floor with no weapons or way of fighting, his only support being Dean at his side smoothing out the pain with his hand. But seeing Gabe this way is heartbreaking. A guy like Gabe whose joy radiates like the sun should not be able to give a look that broken.
But then the next thing he knows the silence breaks with an explosion and Cas is screaming.
It happens so quickly neither Cas nor Dean even registers the movement until the shot rings through the air. They don't see Lucifer turn away for the slightest second, just long enough for Gabriel to put his guard down. They don't see the Novak turn back in a moment of Gabe's weakness and pull the trigger; they don't see the bullet leave the gun and hit Gabriel straight in the chest. They only hear the shot that shatters the silence and only see Gabe's body slump over against the wall, his eyes still stuck in that shocked and saddened gaze.
"Gabe!" Cas screams, not even caring that he's bleeding himself at this point. He practically runs to the place where his brother is slowly fading, his bright and cheerful gaze dulling as his shirt slowly turns crimson.
"I'm calling 911," Dean says from across the room in a panicky voice, and Cas hears his footsteps retreat out the door.
"…Cas," Gabriel manages to moan, bringing Cas' attention back. Gabe is cringing when he tries to move. "…he missed the heart, but I need you to call 911 and run. This is your chance. Get out of here, please. In case I don't make it-"
"Don't talk like that," Cas says desperately, his hands clutching Gabe's knee for support. "You're not dying on me, Gabe. I won't let you."
"You can't play God, Castiel. He's dying and you're next."
No. Not now. Cas' vision is slowly turning red as that monster's voice assaults his ears. It takes everything in Cas to turn away from his brother and meet his father's mocking sneer, that sickening weapon still poised in Lucifer's hand like it is a toy. He doesn't cringe as his father raises the machine to meet his gaze, aiming it right at Cas' forehead, because he will not be afraid of his father anymore.
"No, you're next," Cas growls through gritted teeth, pushing up from the floor. "Police will be here in a matter of minutes. Whose body are they going to find on the floor, mine or yours?"
Lucifer's look clouds with his son's words, and Cas uses that moment of distraction to expertly rip the gun out of his father's hand and shoot three quick bullets into the man's abdomen. He doesn't flinch as the Novak curls over on himself and slides to the cold ground, moaning and clutching his blood soaked clothes.
"CAS!"
Dean's voice rings out through the hallway as he skids to a stop inside the entrance, a look of pure fear in his eyes. When their gazes meet Dean automatically runs over and pulls Cas into an embrace.
"I thought he shot you!" Dean cries out, his grip tight on Cas' back. It takes all of Cas' being not to scream out from the pain throbbing in his shoulder, but he doesn't want to ruin this little moment with Dean.
"No…," Cas says uneasily, "I shot him."
Cas sees the relief fade from those emerald eyes when Dean turns and finds Lucifer's body sprawled on the ground, eyes open in surprise, the red seeping into his shoes.
"Cas…what did you do?"
"I know, I can't believe it either."
Dean leans down and puts two fingers against Lucifer's neck.
"Believe it or not, he's still got a faint pulse. He may survive yet even though I'm not wishing for it. But we've got to go, Cas. Police are coming fast and they're going to have lots of questions if they find us at a crime scene."
He knows Dean is right, but everything seems surreal at the moment. It is like Cas is trying to move through mud, wanting to run but not being able to get past this spot. However when he hears the sirens wailing down the highway, he automatically kicks into action.
"You're right, but what about Gabe?" Cas asks in a shaky voice. He isn't about to leave his brother here fighting for his life alone.
"Brother…" Gabe whispers from across the way, his eyes hooded with the pain racking his system. "…Don't worry…about…me. They'll find me…and I'll be…fine."
Cas turns away from Dean to walk over to his brother, taking in that weary look Gabe is giving him. He crouches down to the floor and gently lays a hand on his brother's forehead, wishing with all of his might that for one shining moment he could be like one of the angels his mother always talked about when he was a kid, the ones who could heal a man with a single touch. But of course he's not; he's just a lovestuck man with too much heart and a violent nature, a man with stars in his heart but blood on his hands, a man who is totally incapable of healing this innocent soul in front of him.
"…Gabe," Cas gets out in broken cries, the tears running down his cheeks in rivulet rivers. "You don't deserve this."
"Doesn't matter now, does it?" Gabe mumbles quietly, his hands getting redder by the second, the sirens approaching faster than before.
Cas knows that if he wants freedom he will have to leave his brother behind, but he doesn't know if he can do that.
"I'll be fine, brother," Gabriel says loudly, a sliver of strength rushing over him. "And even if I die, I want it to be worth something. Run for me, please. Don't let me die in vain."
Cas isn't trying to hide the sobs anymore. With a gaze blurred with tears he puts a firm hand on his brother's uninjured shoulder, taking in those honey colored eyes for possibly the last time. "I know I've never said it before, but I love you, Gabe. And I'll see you soon, okay?"
Gabriel nods. "Or if not, I'll see you on the other side."
"Cas…" Dean says quietly, appearing behind his shoulder, "We've got to go now."
Even though it feels wrong to leave him, Cas can't ignore his brother's wishes. He leans forward and wraps a light hug around his brother, trying not to cry when Gabe grabs him back with more strength than Cas thought he had in him. And when they break the embrace and Cas turns to walk away, he's filled with a new strength, a new reason to get out of here alive and life that life he deserves.
"You better take good care of my baby brother, Dean," Gabe calls out when they're exiting.
Cas only grins when Dean takes his hand and turns around to look at Gabriel. "Of course I will. And Gabe? Thank you. For everything."
Gabriel smirks back and motions for them to leave. The last thing Cas sees is his brother's eyes closing as the pain takes over and the red seeps through his hands.
"Good luck, Gabe," Cas whispers as he leaves his brother and his old life behind.