AN: Firstly, thanks to babyreaper for your reviews. I love to hear what you think of my story.
Also, I have some important exams coming up next week during which my computer privelages will be banned. So, I'll probably not be updating for the next 2-3 weeks. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but these are important exams and I need to focus on them. Wish me luck!
Moving on to the story, I hope you enjoy the twist this chapter brings. And there are more surprises in the coming chapters as well. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
Bobby glanced at the slumbering figure of the boys as they caught up on some well deserved rest. His boys…he thought, a fond expression gracing his usually gruff features. His mind inadvertently brought up memories of Sam and Dean as toddlers, running about his house like whirlwinds, their laughter and mischief brightening his otherwise lonely house.
As Bobby now gazed at the tired faces of his boys, worn by the dangers and hardships of the life they had willingly condemned themselves to, his heart surged with pity and he wished that they could have a happy and safe life that they both deserved.
His gaze finally returned to the other, rather unexpected occupant of his room. The runaway archangel…the Trickster…Gabriel, who was standing against the further wall, his arms crossed tightly in front of his chest. Gabriel's stoic expression was a far cry from the mischievously playful smirk that Sam had warned him about when they had discovered the true identity of the infamous trickster. He recalled with apprehension the disruptive events that had occurred in this very room just a few hours earlier.
Bobby had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Winchesters. They were expected to have arrived hours ago and had sent him no message as to their whereabouts. In an act of desperation he had prayed to Castiel, or more accurately demanded that he get his feathered behind to his house. His concern had only increased exponentially when no angel had appeared.
And then,suddenly, the room had exploded in a flurry of sound and lightening and Gabriel had materialized in the room. However, even more shocking than the appearance of the ex-archangel was the bloody form of none other than Castiel himself, being supported by an anxious Gabriel.
"Where are Sam and Dean?" Gabriel had demanded, preempting Bobby's demand for explanations. Reluctantly, Bobby had revealed their MIA status. Then Gabriel had vanished just as abruptly as he had arrived.
While Bobby had busied himself in taking care of the unconscious Cass's injuries, Gabriel had emerged yet again, this time with a comatose Sam and Dean. His heart had nearly leaped out of his throat as he took in the battered form of the boys, especially Dean who was bleeding a river of blood on his threadbare carpet.
He had fixed up the injured and ofcoarse having an archangel with healing abilities had been particularly helpful. Now that everyone was sufficiently taken care of, he was ready to get some answers.
"You wanna explain what just happened?" he asked.
The former archangel rolled his eyes and then conceded to his demand with a sigh of defeat.
" I received word from one of my…sources…that my idiotic little brother had let himself get captured by one of Alistair's minions. I convinced a demon to reveal his location to me." Well, 'convinced' might be putting it too lightly, but Bobby needn't know about the agonising havoc he had wreaked upon the poor demon that could have put even Lucifer's sadistic nature to shame.
"Anyway, I went to rescue said little brother but even in his injured state he wouldn't stop blabbering about those damned Winchesters. So, at Cass's desperate pleas, I generously agreed to waste my precious time and energy to save those worthless idiotic humans that Cassie is so fond of." Gabriel punctuated his speech with an irritable sigh.
"Hey! Who're you calling worthless and idiotic?" As always, Bobby's long buried protective instincts flared into life to ward off any threats or insults directed towards his boys.
"Apparently, these boys are devoid of any sense of self preservation and they're dragging Castiel into a fight they can't possibly win. They're going to get him killed!"
Bobby's equally loud and explosive retort was interrupted by a soft moan as Sam regained his hold on consciousness. Immediately, the old hunter appeared by his side and helped him sit up against the headboard.
"B..Bobby? W…What?...How?" In his current state, Sam managed about as much eloquence as a drunk monkey.
His eyes grew more and more incredulous as Bobby narrated Gabriel's rescue. All the while, however, the hero of the narrative remained silent, standing stoically in the corner. As Bobby finished his tale, Sam finally looked at the Trickster/Archangel. A lenghthy pause ensued.
"Why did you help us?" Sam's voice was saturated with distrust and suspicion. His mind invariably going back to the Mystery Spot where he had watched his brother die a hundred times over while he stood on the sidelines helpless to prevent it.
"I didn't do it for you. I did it for Cass." Gabriel answered. His apathetic tone had an edge of derision in it. 'Speaking of Cass, where was he?' Sam thought and then proceeded to run his sight over the room in search of the angel. His gaze rested on the figure of the aforementioned angel huddled on Bobby's couch.
Following his gaze, Gabriel answered his unspoken question. "He'll be alright, no thanks to you or your brother. He just needs to rest."
The snide tone of Gabriel's voice coupled with the stress of their recent trauma was strong enough to break Sam's usual calm demeanor and caused him to lash out as well. "We had no idea he was captured or we would have helped him. At least we've been there for him through this whole apocalypse mess unlike his own brothers who abandoned him!"
"Don't you dare, Winchester. You know nothing. You're just an insignificant, measly human whom I can crush with my little finger. So don't even pretend that you know me or have any right to judge me. You are nothing but a helpless,worthless, bug that I will not hesitate to crush beneath my feet." With these heated words Gabriel disappeared once again in the echo of fluttering wings.
Sam and Bobby sat silently, each with a glass of hunter's helper in their hands that Bobby had generously supplied. An awkward silence hung about the room following Gabriel's impromptu departure. Both were lost in their own thoughts.
Bobby finally grew impatient and scrambled to break the ice and end the awkward silence in his usual subtle way.
"What the hell did you idgits get yourself into this time?"
Sam flinched at Bobby's voice and remained silent for several moments.
"We were jumped." Sam answered in a strangely detached voice.
Well that just explained everything. Not.
"And…?" Bobby questioned, unable to keep the impatience from his voice. Sam refused to answer for several seconds and resolutely did not meet Bobby's curious eyes. Finally, after a long, excruciating second, Sam's carefully constructed façade shattered and Sam surrendered to the torrent of warm tears that ran down his cheeks in riverettes.
"I…It.. wa…was a…demon..f..from..Dean's..ti..ime in..h..hell." Sam managed to choke out."Oh God…Bobby…he…he….."
Bobby could only watch helplessly as the youngest Winchester sobbed his heart out. He couldn't fathom what his boys had been through in the last few hours that had succeeded in completely breaking Sam. Whatever it was, it had clearly been strong enough to overpower Dean and Sam and to subject them to unimaginable horrors.
Realising that Sam was too distraught and exhausted to reveal anything else, Bobby decided that the matter could wait a while. And so, Bobby did something he had never imagined a tough and hardened hunter like himself was capable of. He patted Sam's shoulder and attempted to offer some shred of comfort.
"It's alright now, Sam. It's alright. You're safe now."
"Goddamn, stupid, stubborn Winchesters." Bobby muttered to himself as he glanced at Sam's form yet again, which was considerably difficult as the avid researcher had built himself a fort of ancient books and texts.
Studying the hard set of Sam's facial features, Bobby attempted yet again something he knew would be useless and somewhat redundant. And that was getting a hard-headed, obstinate Winchester to listen to reason.
"Sam, listen to me. Atleast think this through. I know that you're…angry, but this is suicidal. Atleast think of your brother, you idgit!"
"I am thinking of Dean, Bobby. Alistair won't rest until he has Dean again. The only logical solution is to kill him before he kills Dean." Sam was obviously determined to extract revenge for his brother. His body was tense and anger and downright terrifying rage rolled off his person in waves. The righteous fury was almost tangible.
Judging by what Sam had told him after recovering from his breakdown, Bobby honestly couldn't blame him. He was enraged himself at the thought of some demon hurting is boys. Yet he also knew that ganking this particular demon would be no easy task. And he was not ready to lose either of the boys to recklessness.
"Sam, this is not some lowly demon that you can exorcise by uttering a few latin words. He was strong enough to capture you and your brother. He won't hesitate to kill you, or worse, drag you both to hell. We need to think this through."
Sam was silent for several seconds and Bobby wondered if his words had managed to make the boy see some sense.
"I need to destroy the demon, Bobby. I have to make him pay for what he did to Dean. I have to."
Or maybe not, Bobby thought with a sigh. "Goddamn, stupid, stubborn Winchesters."
Sam abruptly closed the thick, dusty, ancient book he had been going through and slumped in his chair. A tired sigh escaped his chapped lips and he rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration.
Dean was still unconscious, taking his own sweet time to recover from his ordeal. As was Castiel.
And he was still no closer to killing his brother's tormenter than before.
"Damnit" He muttered and decided that some fresh air would be helpful in restarting his tired, overworked brain.
He walked out to the porch grabbing a beer from the kitchen on his way and sat down on the worn, wooden steps.
Taking a swig of the beer he let his thoughts run wild. He knew from the training he had received from his dad that it was important to remain calm and composed under duress. "You are no good to anyone if you can't keep your head in the game. Stay calm, think, plan, and then take action. You're no good to anyone if you're dead." John's words echoed in his brain.
His dad had trained him to be a cold, calculating hunter when the situation demanded and he had learned well. But for some inexplicable reason, all that training went out of the window when it came to Dean…his big brother…his saviour…his protector.
Losing Dean to hell had been bad enough the first time. He had surrendered himself to alcohol and self-neglect then. He didn't think he could survive that again. His world had been torn apart into a million pieces. And it had only been put back together with Dean's return. Now Dean was about to be ripped away from him again.
"No. Damnit. This is not the time to be panicking. Calm down. Think." Sam ordered himself. He had spent days scouring Bobby's old books but kept coming up empty. They had no plan, no safety net. They rarely ever did. But maybe…maybe…
He hadn't found any way to kill Alistair. But there was someone who might know. He knew Dean wouldn't appreciate the extra help. But he could deal with an angry Dean. It was infinitely better than dealing with a dead one.
He fished out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the number. Oh well, desperate times called for desperate measures.
A lone figure stood in a decrepit alley. The dark shadow of the cul-de-sac loomed over the figure, disguising it's features and hiding it's identity. A sharp buzz from a cell phone rudely interrupts the silence of the night.
"What?" The voice seems almost harsh as it slices through the deadly silent atmosphere.
"You can't be serious….it's impossible…..No…I don't know…no way….I'm telling you….it's impossible…fine…..…just so you know, this is suicide…." A sigh.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do, Sam"
AN: Please review to let me know what you think. I'd like to know if you're enjoying my story. Constructive criticism is welcome.