A/N: Back to your regularly scheduled programming.
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Advent - December 17th
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Something weird is going on.
That's Dean's first thought. And, as a first thought, it's a pretty good one, he thinks. Because it's true. Something weird is going on.
And he's not talking about dying, selling his soul, dying again and being brought back to life.
No.
He's talking about Sam.
Sam, who, since getting back, has refused to look him in the eye.
It's the same kind of avoidance tactic he's used since he was a kid and hid the broccoli in his mashed potatoes. It's also accompanied by the guilty flush. Well, a guilty flush at least, because this one is new and Dean hasn't categorised it yet.
He just hopes it's not related to anything sexual.
It's going to be related to something sexual. Because that's apparently how these thing work and Dean does not need to know about any weird kinks his brother has discovered while he was dead thank you very much.
Dean wonders if they'll finally need separate bedrooms.
Currently they're sitting back in the kitchen of their apartment.
Dean had offered to give up the place and get a motel room somewhere because he wasn't a Dark Hunter anymore and it didn't feel right using their stuff when he wasn't helping out.
Ash had pretty much vetoed the idea before he'd finished speaking, citing them as friends and morons and just take it will you?
Yes, Dean had maybe kept at the offering until Ash had snapped and Dean had heard exasperation. And if he'd also heard fondness in there as well? Well, Ash did think of them as friends after all.
Or maybe that was just Sam.
Which brings him back to his original thought.
Something weird is going on.
Sam is sitting opposite him, worrying the bottom of his shirt between his fingers without even realising.
Holy shit. This thing is serious.
Dean has to do something.
"So…" He says, and watches as Sam squirms.
"So." Sam repeats and still doesn't look Dean in the eye.
Dean decides he's going to go the big brother route and ask in the most obviously obnoxious and embarrassing way possible.
"You sleep with Ash and that Thorn dude?"
Dean's kind of proud at how badly Sam chokes on air. He only gets a little bit worried when Sam is still coughing five minutes later. But it's kind of worth it for the look Sam shoots him. Half offended, half guilt and Sam totally did.
"Dude," Dean says, "when I said you gave yourself to him, I didn't think you actually did."
"I didn't!" Sam wheezes, rubbing the back of his hand over his cheek.
Liar.
"Liar." Dean says and Sam flushes.
"It was only a kiss." Sam says, uncomfortable squirming racketing up a notch.
Dean raises an eyebrow. He doesn't even need to say anything. He's perfected this technique over the years taking care of Sammy. Sam's practically got a Pavlovian response to it now.
Which is why, after only a few moments of being stared down, Sam lets out a little huff and his shoulders slump. "I thought he was a crossroads demon."
"Ash?"
Sam rolls his eyes, "No, Thorn." The you idiot goes unsaid but not unheard.
"Hmm."
Dean doesn't say anything else. He just watches as Sam increasingly redder.
Eventually Sam snaps out a "What?"
Dean tries to hide his grin and fails miserably. "Nothing." He says, holding his hands up placating, "I just never thought you'd have it in you, that's all."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Two guys on the go at once." Dean sounds impressed, "You're finally following in my footsteps."
Sam's speechless, his mouth working and eyes wide. Dean stands and walks around the table, clapping a hand on Sam's shoulder when he gets to him.
"I'm proud of you man," He says and keeps walking, not giving Sam any time to find his feet because where's the fun in that.
Dean can't resist one last dig and leans back until he can see Sam through the open doorway. "If you're gonna bang them then could you put a sock on the door? I don't need that kind of visual."
###
Bobby, quite rightly, is both confused and impressed by Dean's Jesus moment.
At least, that's what Dean thinks.
It's hard to judge though, because they're phoning him and Bobby is mostly just staying silent and letting Dean talk. Which Dean is doing a lot of. Even though he was dead for most of it.
The news of his new human status gets a huff.
Of fondness.
Not annoyance.
"So you're back to yourself then? No fangs? No weird aversion to silver or salt?"
"No Bobby," Dean sighs, mentally making a note to run through all the tests he can think of. It'd be just his luck that something had gone wrong and he turned out to be not as human as he thought.
There's another huff and then Bobby asks the most important question. "So what you two boys doing then?"
Dean shifts, thankful that he's on the phone and Bobby can't see.
Yeah, when does that ever work? Bobby seems to have a sixth sense for this kind of thing. But before Bobby can say anything Dean sighs.
"We've still got the apartment here." His lips quirk, "Ash was very insistent. And there are things here to hunt. People who have no idea what these daimons are and what they're capable.
"And even if we can't take those on anymore, this place is practically a ghost city." He shrugs, "Me and Sam can always go do some ghost hunting."
Bobby grumbles too low for Dean to hear, but he can tell it's not a disparaging sound.
Eventually Bobby says, "Well, you know that if you ever need to take a break, you can still head on over."
It's ridiculous at the amount of warmth that curls through Dean's chest at that. The knowledge that he can go home.
Even though he knows that Bobby's was always open to him. It's nice to hear the invitation.
"Yeah Bobby, I'm sure we'll visit soon."
Dean's glad that Bobby doesn't say anything about how cracked his voice sounds.
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Uriel appears in front of his brother in the cause without warning.
Zachariah doesn't jump. In fact he doesn't even turn to look at the other angel. Uriel is not offended. He knows that Zachariah is busy.
They are currently in an in-between space. It is where Zachariah can work on the cause without alerting the other angels to what he is doing.
The walls are blank and white, giving it a curiously detached and sterile feel to it, but the eye is immediately drawn to the big desk in the middle of the floor made from a dark wood. Behind it stand rows of pristine filing cabinets.
Uriel waits patiently for Zachariah to finish whatever he's doing. He's content. He knows patience.
It is a long ten minutes later when Zachariah finally turns to face him and the words he speaks make something cold lodge in Uriel's stomach.
"Dean is out of Hell."
His first thought is impossible. There is no way that the soul could have escaped. The second is that he's jumping to the wrong conclusion and Zachariah had decided against sending in the garrison to save him and had instead planned something more covert.
It's not the first time a garrison has been used as a cover for a more clandestine reason.
Zachariah's next words ruin that belief.
"The first seal hasn't been broken."
Uriel gives into temptation and closes his eyes for a moment and reruns the words over in his mind.
The first seal hasn't been broken.
Which means that Dean being out of Hell has ruined any and all plans for paradise on earth.
"Can we not get him to sell his soul again?"
Zachariah shoots him a poisonous look. "No. It won't work. They're protected by…something."
The admission does not improve the situation and Uriel wonders just who pulled Dean Winchester's soul out of Hell.
Zachariah paces away from him so that he's standing facing away, his arms held behind his back.
"I trust you understand what this means, Uriel. Without the seal being broken we cannot proceed with our plans. We needed Dean to break the seal." He turns, "Do you know how difficult it was to prevent the alarm being rung? I delayed as long as I could.
"Luckily this means that the others still don't know about the cause just yet. But now…" he trails off and Uriel gets the uncomfortable feeling that he's getting the blame for this.
"Fortunately," Zachariah says, before Uriel can do something stupid like grovel…or die, "there is another plan in the works. A back-up plan."
Uriel does not feel surprised at this. Zachariah is meticulous on the best of days. That he would have a fall back for something as big as this is not strange.
Neither is it strange that he has not heard of it before now.
Zachariah taps crosses his arms and starts to tap his fingers. It's a curiously human gesture and it makes Uriel weirdly apprehensive.
"There is much to do. Now that the chance of Dean breaking the seal is practically zero, we must carry on. I am putting you in charge of finding the one responsible for all this whilst I arrange the rest of our brothers to move so that plan B is successful.
"I will not wait any longer for this to take place. The others may be content to wait but the humans are a problem that needs dealing with now.
"The fact that they recognise this too is the only thing I admire about the demons."
Uriel bows to hide his shiver. "Yes, my brother."
"Uriel," Zachariah says slowly, enunciating the words so that it's finally clear how angry he is, "the name of the angel who pulled Dean's soul from perdition. And I want it now.
"We will make an example out of them."
"And Dean Winchester?" Uriel asks.
Zachariah stares Uriel straight in the eye. "Dean Winchester is no longer needed as the vessel. He does not need to be guarded any more. Do with him what you will."
Uriel nods and disappears away. Thoughts running through his head.
He knows only one angel that has questioned the validity of delaying Dean's rescue. Only one angel that would feel it is his duty to save Dean from Hell. And only one angel that is still influenced enough by his vessel that he would ignore sense and act in a manner totally inappropriate.
He is paying Castiel a visit.
###
When Uriel reappears again it is right in front of the very angel he wants to see.
However, unlike Zachariah who barely acknowledged his abrupt appearance, Castiel jumps and then looks guilty.
It is another mark on how he is failing to control his vessel's impulses.
It is another mark against his name.
Castiel does manage to get the body under control and wipe his expression. Uriel would have been fooled if he hadn't have been looking for it in the first place.
He is not even impressed by how quickly Castiel is learning. There is a reason that Uriel forbade Castiel to take his vessel long before Dean was to be pulled out of hell. It was so Castiel would be so distracted by getting control that he would not question the time delay.
But his plan obviously backfired.
Instead of fighting to regain control, Castiel seems to be embracing it.
Disgusting.
And now, because of him, their plans have been ruined.
"Uriel," Castiel says. His voice toneless.
"Castiel. Dean Winchester's soul is out of Hell."
Castiel blinks and looks clueless, but Uriel sees the pleased relief passing through his eyes. There is confusion too but Uriel ignores that.
"That is…good." Castiel says, but he must have picked up on the mood Uriel is in because he hesitates and shoots a searching glance at him.
Uriel narrows his eyes and does not give him any indication as to what he is feeling. Castiel will fall on his own sword when he accidentally reveals his guilt.
"Shall I…" Castiel says hesitantly, "continue on with my duty?"
Uriel straightens his spine and stares down at the angel under his leadership. "Angel." He watches as Castiel flinches just slightly at the forgoing of his name, "You have gone against my orders."
Castiel's breathing picks up. "Uriel, I-"
"Do not think you can talk your way out of this, angel." Uriel cuts over him. "You know, I had high hopes for you. But now…"
"I," Castiel says hurriedly, "I do not know what you mean. I have not gone against orders."
Uriel scoffs and restrains himself from going for his sword.
"I ordered you to wait to rescue Dean and you didn't."
"Wait," Castiel says, and this time doesn't even try to control his vessel's reactions, "wait, you think I…?"
Uriel stares him down and Castiel bristles.
"I would never! Brother Uriel, I have not and will not go against orders. Why would you even...it is good that an innocent man is free but I did not…
"I did not go against orders. Surely you must believe me. I would not be able to battle the forces of Hell alone…"
Castiel's confusion is very believable.
And Uriel would believe it, if he didn't know that Castiel is working under the influence of human emotions and experience.
Disgusting, lying little creatures that try to blame others for their failings.
Uriel will be pleased when they are cleansed from this earth. His own vessel is starting to become restrictive as this farce gets dragged out.
But he is walking a thin line. He cannot just kill Castiel for his transgressions as others will start to question. And he will not draw any attention to the cause just yet.
Not whilst it is in such a delicate stage.
Their numbers are too few for it to be so accepted if it came to light now.
No, they will have to wait for more to join. Convince their brethren that this is God's Plan and Will.
Killing an angel for doing what they should have done will not go unnoticed and others will start to question. They may even begin to suspect.
That is why Uriel mimes relenting.
He will not forget this, though. And once they are free to act without fear of banishment from those that are too small-minded to see the truth in their actions, he will bring Castiel up to Zachariah himself.
For now though…
"I see."
Castiel is still looking confused and defensive, but he is slowly relaxing. He is probably thinking that this is all some sort of test designed to prove the depth of his loyalty.
"Are…my orders…?" He eventually asks.
Uriel lets the moment drag out, and then says "Your orders are the same."
And if his voice is colder than normal? Well, he'll let Castiel make of that what he will.
Besides, this will keep Castiel both distracted and out of the way of their new plans. He will not allow Castiel to ruin this again.
Uriel gives Castiel one last once-over before he leaves. It is pathetic how far an angel of his garrison has fallen.
He will draw out Castiel's punishment for this mark against him and his leadership.
Zachariah is not expecting results straight away. He does not know that Uriel had already figured out who had betrayed them, so he will not expect Uriel to drag the angel responsible to him for some time.
That gives him enough time to plan.
But first…he's going to pay a little hunter a visit to work off some frustration.