Pairing: Gabriel/Sam
Table: #1-Elemental
Prompt #14: Memory
Word Count: 1,097
Spoilers: Takes place soon after 'Changing Channels'
Warnings: None.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Castiel tracks down Gabriel and gives him a reason to help them.

Notes: Sort of Castiel's pov and contains no Sammy except in name. Written because I'm a terrible person who does this instead of end of semester work.

It was difficult and it took a long time but he had finally done it. He found Gabriel. His brother was good, had to be to remain unnoticed from Heaven for so long, but Castiel was smart and determined. He may not be able to find God but he would find Gabriel, no matter what.

Too much depended on his success.

The building Castiel had tracked his brother down to was somehow typical of what he had expected. It was a quaint and small chocolate cafe in Finland. The atmosphere was warm and calm, a little quieter then Castiel might have expected but then, it has been a long time since he's seen Gabriel. His memories of the brother he had are not like the Gabriel he met again recently. His brother had changed, just like he himself has. And now Castiel can understand why Gabriel was this way.

The archangel was alone in a back corner, seated at a small square table with a mug of hot chocolate between his hands. When Castiel approached, Gabriel didn't look in the least bit surprised and pointed a finger at the chair opposite him.

"Sit."

It was an invitation so Castiel sat and Gabriel pushed the mug across to him.

"Try it. I don't know what those idiots have introduced you to but I doubt it's anything of real taste."

Castiel copied Gabriel's earlier pose and was pleasantly surprised by the warmth seeping into his palms. "Dean bought me burgers."

Gabriel snorted, looking less then impressed. "Like I said, nothing of real taste."

"Sam made me pancakes with, I believe he called them, chocolate chips." Castiel said primly, a subtle dig.

Gabriel blinked, brief emotion clouding his eyes before he grinned humorlessly. "I always knew you'd have a sweet tooth."

He hummed and sipped from the liquified chocolate. It was good, a thick sweet flavor that tingled pleasantly in his mouth.

"Why did you come here, Castiel?" Gabriel looked at him with guarded eyes, knowing what he wanted and knowing he still intended to refuse.

"There is a reason to fight that you have not considered."

Gabriel rolled his eyes and leaned back in the chair, arms crossed over his chest. "Save it, Bro. The idiots already gave me this spiel, remember? You were there." Bitterness laces his voice.

Castiel shook his head and looked his brother in the eyes. "They have not."

The older angel quirked a brow, curious despite himself. "So what is it we have overlooked?"

"Sam."

"What does the boy have to do with this?" Gabriel's eyes narrow and the air grew heavy with power, with warning.

He ignored it. "Samuel will say yes."

Gabriel's eyes widened in shock; pain and panic washed through the amber.

"Dean will not." Castiel continued, "He never will, I've ensured that."

"How can you possibly be positive of that?" Gabriel demanded resentfully.

Castiel gave him no answer, he didn't need to. Gabriel could see it himself.

"Whatever happened to both of them never saying yes, no matter what?"

"Sam does not wish to give in to Lucifer but you know as well as I how our brother can be. He will play on Sam's weaknesses, and they are many."

Gabriel's eyes flash but Castiel pushed on, not giving him the chance to interrupt. "It would be different if Sam were not so alone. He has no support and no one to offer aid. The brother's relationship has grown too damaged to help. I can not offer the support he needs and do not have the right to."

Once again, Gabriel closed himself off. "What does this have to do with me?"

"When Sam says yes to Lucifer and Michael cannot get to his Vessel, Lucifer will take his ire out on Sam. The damage he will do to Sam's soul is something I'm sure you can imagine."

And finally, Castiel got the response he was looking for. Gabriel flinched, subtle but there.

"Even if Sam does manage to resist Lucifer for much longer, I fear he still will not survive."

"What do you mean?" Gabriel was trying to sound neutral but it's too late for that now.

"The simple truth. Alone, Sam is vulnerable and self-destructive. Even if Lucifer does not get to him, it is likely that Samuel will take drastic measure to escape him."

Instantly, Gabriel picked up on what he meant. There are ways to kill oneself that will also obliterate the physical body beyond resurrection. And Sam, better then anyone, will be able to find them.

That was the last straw for Gabriel, the very idea causing a swirl of mixed emotions in his amber eyes. "Enough, Castiel." he said quietly. "What do you want from me?"

"Sam needs you, he needs someone who can be his strength and give him a reason not to hate himself and everything he is."

"And what makes you think I can do that?"

"Because you care for him." Castiel said bluntly and Gabriel stared for a long moment but didn't disagree.

"After everything I've done to him, how could he possibly accept my help now?" The archangel sounded subdued and wistful.

"Because he still holds some degree of hope that angels are not all like the examples he has seen."

Gabriel looked searchingly at him but nothing Castiel had said was a lie and then Gabriel nodded. "I won't fight." he said firmly. "That has not changed. I won't fight my brothers."

"Sam will not ask you to."

And that is true as well but Castiel suspected Gabriel already knows. That was a warning for him. It's a condition Castiel is willing to accept. He doesn't want to hurt his brothers either and maybe now with Gabriel's assistance, he won't have to.

"Go back to them, Castiel."

He blinked, slowly and Gabriel rolled his eyes. "I'll find you. I have something to do before crashing whatever dump those two are staying in."

Castiel nodded and held his brother's eyes for a long minute then he was gone. He achieved what he had wanted, hoped, and now Dean was waiting.

Telling the hunter about what he had done was not something Castiel looked forward to. Dean's expletives were quite unpleasant. However, he was of the mind that Dean would forgive him, once he saw just what Gabriel could do for Sam.