"Why are you here? I was waiting for Dean."

"We need to talk, Sammy. Come on."

Sam closes the door of his house and follows Gabriel to the car, mumbling something about agreeing to go to Gabriel's just because Dean wanted to stay there and not wanting to ruin his plans. It doesn't make a lot of sense in Gabriel's opinion, but he doesn't point it out, too afraid that Sam might change his mind.

"So you have a family."

"And a sad story I'm sure you already heard when I told your brother."

Sam chews on his lower lip, "Gabriel, I told you everything about me; you know about my drunk father, you even know how I lost my virginity and, news flash Gabriel, even Dean doesn't know I'm not a virgin anymore. I thought I deserved your trust."

"I'm sorry, okay. I'm not trying to justify myself, I'm just asking for you to forget what I did and start all over again. Can you do that?"

Sam shrugs, looking out of the window as the lights of the sunset flash in front of his eyes sparkling between treetops, "I'll think about it. And I'm sorry if I didn't answer your calls. I couldn't talk around Dean or mom."

"And you couldn't talk in school, either?" he asks, eyeing him and curling his lips. He doesn't want to make him feel guilty, but he didn't like being ignored so much, not knowing if he and Sam were still seeing each other, if they were still friends even.

"I want to tell Dean," Sam points out, "I don't like lying to him and I don't like that I can't kiss you when he is around. He is always around, Gabe!"

Gabriel smiles, "Yeah, I don't like that I can't slap your ass too, but we might have a problem."

"Another one?"

"I think my brother likes you, really likes you. Like I do like you and I don't want to tell him I basically stole you from him."

"Your brother doesn't even know me!" Sam points out, thinking that Gabriel is just trying to find an excuse and not wanting to give in.

But Gabriel knows what he is talking about, "Oh, he does. Math Olympics last year. I didn't even know you went to Olympics!"

"It's not a big deal and I don't want to always be the nerdy guy who spends his life on his books," Sam defends himself, "I don't remember your brother by the way."

"Yeah, don't tell him that," Gabriel mumbles, stroking his hand on Sam's thigh, "Might kill his pride to know he is so insignificant to you."

Sam gives him a look, but in the end he agrees. So that means that their secret will still be a secret, at least for a while. At least until Castiel has a chance to meet Sam and decide that he doesn't like him.

"What if he does like me in the end? I think I'm… likable, I guess."

"Well, he won't. Cassie likes the macho man style. He likes someone who is a badass, just like his big brother, someone who is less nerdy-"

"Geez, thanks."

"What? I like your nerdy-ness, my brother doesn't, which is good because I'm jealous. And he likes someone who is obviously funnier than you, who does great jocks and with a total different style. Like mine, maybe. Someone who is into sports and-"

"Oh, you mean like Dean."

"Don't say that," Gabriel stops him, half disgusted and half irritated from the insinuation, so Sam tries to explain that he was kidding, "I just-"

"Cassie is too little to be with Dean."

"I wasn't-"

"End of story."

Sam rolls his eyes, "As you wish, big brother of my ass," he says, getting out of the car and waiting for Gabriel to let him inside, with one last warning about acting normal.

"Guys, we are home! Everything fine?" Gabriel yells and Dean and Castiel quickly approaches them, both smiling, "So, Castiel this is Sam and Sam, Castiel," he announces almost laughing when his brother's cheeks turn deep red as Sam shakes his hand.

They eat pizza and then go into Castiel's room to watch a film.

As soon as Castiel puts his glasses on, it's like an epiphany for Sam, who almost jumps out of his chair, "Wait, now I remember you!" he almost yells, gaining a weird look from Dean and a compliant one from Gabriel, "You beat me in the last math Olympics."

"He said you won," Dean points out and Castiel agrees.

"Just because he didn't finish the last test," Sam explains and then he turns to Cas, "You were a lot further than me. And I looked for you later, wanted to know why you didn't show up," he says, recalling everything as if it had happened yesterday.

"I didn't feel good."

Now Gabriel remembers too. It had been one of the many times he had been pulled out of school by Michael when they had to go to the hospital for Cassie. He had had a seizure and the teachers didn't want for him to do the test, even if he said he was fine. He also remembers that Castiel had asked him to look up for the winner and was pretty happy when Gabriel told him the name, he just didn't remember that the nerdy guy with braces and dorky glasses was indeed Sam Winchester.

"Doesn't matter," Gabriel says, "It was a long time ago. Now, can we please watch 'The Maze Runner'?"

"Actually it's getting late, we should go," Sam points out, glancing at the clock on the wall. It's almost midnight and they really should be home by now, what if Mary calls and they don't answer? He doesn't want to be in trouble, even if he wishes he could stay with Gabriel forever.

"You could stay here tonight? If your mom agrees. It's just the two of us, Michael will come home tomorrow morning, so…"

"I call her," Dean jumps out of the couch, even before Sam has given his okay and when Dean excuses himself to do the call, Sam looks at his secret boyfriend, mouthing the word 'Sleepover?' and making him laugh.

"Bring some water, please!" Gabriel yells to Dean, mouthing back to Sam 'Maybe,' just when he is sure that Castiel isn't paying attention.

So Dean heads downstairs, leaving a message with his mom's secretary service.

"Dean, hi!" Michael's voice surprises him, "I didn't know you would still be here. Where are my brothers?"

"Upstairs, I was just going back to them. Uhm, Michael? Gabriel invited me and my brother for a sleepover, is it okay for you?"

Michael seems surprised, it's obvious that they don't have guests that often, but at the same time pleased, "Sure, why not? So there is your brother too? I guess I'll meet him tomorrow morning."

There is something off with him, Dean can read it on his face, but he pretends not to notice, smiling at him and politely mumbling, "Sounds good. Thanks, Michael!" as he heads upstairs.

"What took so long?" is Gabriel's first question, to which Dean answers telling him that Michael is already home. And that he forgot the water in the end.

This time it's Gabriel's turn to go back downstairs, first of all because he really needs to drink, those damn chips were salty and secondly because Michael never comes back earlier than the time he decided, so something must have happened and he braces himself for the worst.

"Mickey? Why are you here?" he asks, following the light in the kitchen and guessing his brother must be there.

Michael is sitting on the wooden chair in the kitchen, a bottle of whiskey next to his right hand, a glass half filled with a golden liquid in his left. Gabriel sits in front of him, putting his elbows on the table, "What happened?"

"Ehy, Gabe. No need to worry, go back to your friends," Michael replies, "It has been a while since you last invited someone for a sleepover. The Winchesters must be really good guys."

"It was Cas' idea," are the first words that escapes his lips, it doesn't need to be the truth. "Now, what happened?"

At this point Luce enters the room, his chest bare a clear sign that he is going to stay too.

"What are you doing here?" Gabriel asks, already defensive, "What is he doing here, Michael? What happened?" he didn't mean to sound so worried, but he is already starting to panic now. The fact that the four of them are under the same roof and all of them are fine is good, but Luce never stays home when Gabriel is there, so something bad must be going on.

"Are you sure you want to know right now? We can wait till tomorrow and tell you when your friends are gone."

"Now."

Michael nods, agreeing to tell him and in the meanwhile Luce approaches them, looking at Gabriel like he was a wounded animal, "Can I stay?"

"Whatever. Talk."

Luce takes a seat next to them and Michael starts, "So, we need to ask you something."

Michael's 'asking something' always implies borrowing money that would never come back, but if that's it there was no need to be so mysterious, "How much? Well, except if it's for your weed," he says, addressing Luce, "I won't be involved into that."

"He doesn't smoke anymore," Michael answers quickly with a scolding tone, as if offended that Gabriel thought something like that. Well, that wouldn't have been the first time that Luce spends all his money on weed and they need to ask Gabriel and Castiel, so it was his due to ask. At the same time as Michael says that, Luce clarifies that they don't need his money and Gabriel doesn't know if it makes him feel better or worse.

"So, what?"

"Ezekiel is flying to London in a week."

"Good."

"He is going to stay there, Gabe," Luce sends the bomb without sugar coating it, "You need to come back home."

Gabriel stares at the whiskey bottle between his two brothers, unable to speak. They aren't asking, they are imposing.

He remembers the first days after the accident, when their cousin Hanna flew from London to stay with them for a while and Ezekiel offered for Gabriel to stay with him. That time Hanna said it wouldn't have been good. "The sooner, the better," she said, "You won't be able to come back if you let time pass." She was probably right, because the idea of going back sounds frightening right now and it's irrational because Luce is doing better and nothing can happen. He is here right now, with Luce in the same room and he feels fine. But the idea of having somewhere else to go if things get rough is comforting. He can't live here, he is not ready.

"Please, don't do this to me," he begs, his eyes burning with tears he refuses to let fall.

"Actually we have a backup plan," Michael explains, while his little brother wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, pathetically nodding, "If you want to hear us."

Gabriel barely glances at his other brother, who is looking at him with a sympathetic expression, wishing to be anywhere else but here and Gabriel wishes he were strong enough to tell him that there is no need to worry, that he will be fine.

"Ezekiel is going to live in London with Hanna and Rachel, so he is selling the house. And we were already talking about Castiel changing school," Luce begins and Michael ends, "We could sell this house and buy Ezekiel's. Would it be okay with you?"

Gabriel considers it. It doesn't change things, he will still live under the same roof as Luce, but it wouldn't be in the same house where his brother's head was smashed against a table, it wouldn't be in the same place where he had been kicked by his older brother. And it's not like he has a real choice.

"You don't have to say yes just because I'm here, Gabe," Luce clarifies, "We can find another way, I can go somewhere else," he says.

Gabriel knows his brother well enough to know he means it and it actually sounds a good plan, to find another place for Luce to live. But that would mean more money which they don't have and Michael still wants to keep an eye on Luce, what if he starts with drugs again? Gabriel wouldn't forgive himself if something happens to Luce just because he is too weak to face his fears. Too selfish to even try.

There is something else too.

No matter how bad things are, no matter how hard he fought to forget it, and no matter how much he will always deny the truth, Gabriel still loves Luce; it's a brotherly love of course, but it's love. He shouldn't say he has a favorite brother, so he won't, he loves all of his brothers. But he and Luce? They have always had this special bond and the last years, even before Cas' accident, have been killing him. Maybe this is their chance to make up with each other?

In the end he nods, barely mumbling that it's okay for him and excusing himself from the room, before breaking down.

"What's holding him so long?" Dean asks at some point, wondering what has happened to his friend.

Castiel is already dozing off, side effect of the cocktail of medicines in his system and Sam is getting worried. "Dean, I need to use the bathroom." It's so old as an excuse that Dean probably believes it's true.

Instead Sam silently walks down, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, hearing muffled voices from the kitchen. He tries to get what they are saying, but he doesn't catch anything at all, all he knows is that at some point, Gabriel is coming back and Sam can't hide anywhere, so he just stands there, watching him cry and opening his arms for Gabriel to crawl in the warmth of his embrace when he approaches. "Ehy. Ehy, what happened?" he asks worried, stroking his hair, trying to move Gabriel's head from his chest, so he can see him.

"They want me to live with them. Sammy I'm scared."

"What do you mean?"

"Ezekiel is moving out. Michael wants me home and I'm scared. But then I feel bad because it looks like I don't want to be with Luce, which is true, but I still feel bad about it. And I feel bad that I'm not strong enough."

"Ehy, you are strong. Look at me, Gabe. You are here tonight and I'm pretty sure if I were in your shoes I wouldn't be able to stay, you know?"

Gabriel sniffles, pulling back to finally look at Sam, "Sammy, my brother lives here every day, and he is the one who spots the scars of that evening."

Sam doesn't know how to answer. He wants to tell Gabriel that what happened had probably been scarier for Gabriel than for Castiel. He is pretty sure that Castiel doesn't remember anything at all and yes, it must be pretty tough to live with the consequences of his crazy brother's actions, facing him every day and not hating him, but that doesn't mean Gabriel is less tough. He is the one who feels the weight of what happened on his shoulders, he feels guilty, but especially, he will never forget what happened that evening. It must be horrible for him.

"It's okay. Look, I can't say there is a way to fix this. But if you ever feel like you can't stay home, you can always come to mine. And I don't mean just because you and I are together, you are Dean's friend and you know my mom loves you. Our home is always open for you, even if you probably won't need to come to us. Okay?"

"What would I do without you, Sammy?" Gabriel says and Sam kisses his wet lips, tasting the salt of his tears.