It was seven weeks before Gabriel opened his eyes and looked around at his surroundings. He wasn't alone either, which made him feel warm and cared for, as he looked at the two people sitting at his bedside.
Sam and Castiel jumped from their seats and made their way towards the angel with their hearts hammering in their chests. "You're awake." Sam said, looking relieved to see those eyes focused back at him. Gabriel nodded, not wanting to trust his voice quite yet, knowing what had befallen him.
Castiel looked sullen as he bent down and placed a small kiss to the top of Gabriel's head, hoping to relay how he felt through that one gesture, before turning and walking from the room.
"He's upset, give him time." Gabriel nodded and sighed happily, knowing he was cared for, only to be sorely mistaken as the door burst open and Dean walked in, looking like he could give the hell hounds a run for their money.
Dean stood at Gabriel's bed side, fuming down at the angel before balling up his fist and punching the recently recovering angel, square in the nose and being in his weakened state, Gabriel felt the punch completely, groaning in pain.
Dean, shaking his hand, continued to fume for a good minute, looking at the angel holding his hurting nose, and couldn't bring himself to say anything. He just glared at the angel, hoping to get his point across to the stupid bastard.
Sam stood gaping at Dean. He had known his brother was angry at the angel, but to have him punch Gabriel, well Sam didn't see that coming. He continued to watch his brother, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, as Dean turned and left the room.
"I…uh, I have no idea Gabriel. He was mad, but…I didn't know." Gabriel sniffed through his nose, making sure nothing was broken, before shaking away Sam's explanation. It wouldn't matter anyway, Dean had still punched him and an explanation wouldn't make the pain of that go away.
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"Dean, what did you do?" Castiel asked looking at the infuriated hunter.
"Nothing he didn't deserve." Dean answered, still shaking the ache out of his hand. "He didn't see what he did to you when you thought he'd died. He wasn't here to make it better, to say he was sorry for being such a fuck. So I punched him."
Castiel sighed, knowing this misplaced anger was Dean's way of coping with how badly he'd taken Gabriel's injury, but that didn't excuse the hunter's behavior. "You will apologize."
"Make me." Dean said, turning his back and walking towards the kitchen. He needed a beer.
Castiel sighed before standing and following the hunter towards the kitchen. "Dean, I will not be asking you again. Go up to Gabriel and apologize for what you did." Dean took a long drink of his beer and looked at Castiel. "No!" There was no arguing with that tone of voice.
"Then you will have the company of the dog tonight." And with a whoosh Castiel was gone. Dean looked panicked as he ran around the house screaming for Castiel. "DAMN IT CAS, GET BACK HERE." But no response came. Cas didn't just whoosh back, and Dean's panic didn't ease up.
Sam came running from the room, looking at a panicking Dean, eyes wide with worry, unshed tears brimming at the edge. "I…the…FUCK!" Dean was hysterical with worry, so much so that it took Gabriel putting him to sleep to get him to shut up.
"Gabriel you're weak." Gabriel shook his head. "But you were…" Gabriel nodded. Yes, he was hurt, his throat was killing him, but his grace was perfectly fine, and that's all that mattered, and from what Sam had told him, he was dead to the world for seven weeks, which was plenty of time to get back on his feet.
"I'll put Dean to bed; I'm assuming you're going to find Castiel?" Sam asked, half dragging Dean towards the now unoccupied bed. Gabriel nodded and disappeared.
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"You should not have followed me." Was the response Gabriel got once he found Castiel. Turning to face his parent, Castiel had tear tracks down his face, which prompted Gabriel to hug his son.
Castiel basked in the warmth Gabriel provided and cried harder. "I thought you had died." Gabriel laughed, noticing the distinct lack of pain and gave talking a shot. "It'll take more than that to kill me." Castiel nodded, smiling through his tears. "I was so worried, guilty even, knowing I had prompted your need to say my name." Gabriel wiped the tears from his son's eyes and shook his head. "I wanted to say your name, you are my son and I wanted to say your name…I needed to say it…do you understand?" And to be honest, Castiel did understand.
"Want to go back to Bobby's?" Castiel laughed at that. "That poor man has been locked in his study for so long, half the time it's as though he doesn't exist. I feel bad…I wish for Dean and I to own a home in order to raise our children properly." Gabriel understood and smiled. "I will make you one."
"I will allow you to make us one, if you and Sam move in as well." Gabriel laughed. "And why the two of us?" Castiel raised an eyebrow.
"For one, he is my brother-in-law, and for another, you are in love with him." Gabriel scoffed. "Am not. I have better taste than that." Castiel rolled his eyes.
"Admit it father, you are a sucker for a man with green eyes." Gabriel scoffed, yet again. "HAH! His eyes are brown." Castiel laughed. "hah, thank you for proving my point valid."
Gabriel admitted defeat and sighed. "Are you up to going back to Bobby's while I make this house that you want?" Castiel nodded before looking over at Gabriel seriously.
"I want a house that is big enough for the four of us, and our future children. I also want it to have a rather big kitchen, as we all seem to adjourn there when we wish to conversate. I wish to have a yard big enough for my children. I wish the rooms to be close together and the living room large enough for all of us. I wish for the kitchen to be close to the living room and the living room to be the access point of the house. I wish the yard decorated in many flowers, so there is bloom throughout the seasons, I also wish it to be two stories, the rooms to be on the second floor. I also wish for furnishings and decorations that look similar to Bobby's house, since I have become accustomed to such an abode. Leave the nursery blank, I wish to decorate it with my husband." And Castiel was gone.
Gabriel stood gaping at where Castiel had just stood and laughed at the demands of his son, but whatever his son wanted, his son would get, and with one last look behind him, he whooshed away.
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Castiel appeared next to Dean, who was still asleep on the bed, and bent down to kiss him soundly, which caused Dean to stir.
Opening his eyes, Dean groaned and looked at Castiel, sitting up immediately. "Where the hell were you?" Castiel shrugged. "I was about, thinking." Dean glared. "And what do you think you would have done if Ezekiel found you? You're six months pregnant Cas, how would you have fought him off? I was scared SHITLESS." Castiel winced, knowing Dean spoke the truth. "I'm sorry Dean. I was not thinking, I was angry at you, I just wanted to get away."
Dean sighed, placing a hand on Castiel's stomach, rubbing it gently. "I was out of line, I know…but I was mad too. That douchebag…" Castiel glared and Dean relented. "Gabriel…"
"Is in love with your brother and making us a home." Dean looked at Castiel and laughed. "Gabriel and Sam? I don't see it." Castiel nodded. "He is also building us a home, much like this one, only with slight alterations, and bigger. I assumed it was about time we got out of Bobby's hair. That man has barely exited his study, trying to give us privacy and…"
Castiel was interrupted by the sound of running feet coming at them fast. "Sam where are Dean and Castiel?" It was clearly Bobby's voice. "Dean's in the room and Cas and Gabriel aren't here. Last I checked Castiel left in a huff and Gabriel followed." Bobby could be heard huffing.
"We are in here Bobby." Castiel said and soon after the door burst open, revealing a very VERY tired looking Bobby. "I found it. I know how you can summon Ezekiel." Castiel looked happy and a little scared at the news. There was really not much they could do at the moment. "How?" Dean asked, sitting up and looking at Bobby seriously.
"Like this." Was the response, but not from Bobby, it was from somewhere behind Castiel. "Dean, Sam, CASSY, it's so nice to see you all." The voice said, draping a hand around Castiel's neck. "Ezekiel…please." Cas sounded desperate, and scared. "Please what my little sheriff?" Ezekiel asked, raising his other hand, which held the silver blade, close to Castiel's protruding stomach, when he noticed the three hunters moving to help Castiel. "I am not the sheriff, nor do I wish to be. Please do not harm my daughter."
"Tsk, tsk, hunters. Don't even think about it. One step and no more baby." Castiel turned pleading eyes to Dean, knowing he'd be the first to act. Dean, who had jumped out of bed immediately, took a step back, sneering at the newcomer with hatred. Sam and Bobby looked helpless, standing just outside the door, hoping to be able to help.
"Say goodbye Castiel." Ezekiel whispered and Castiel turned his tearful eyes towards Dean. "Goodbye Dean." And with a whoosh the angels disappeared.
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"GABRIEL!" Dean shouted, running around the house and gathering any kind of weapon he could get a hold of. "GABRIEL!" He shouted again, when he didn't get an immediate response.
A whoosh later and Gabriel was standing in the house, looking at the activity. Bobby and Sam were catching weapons that seemed to be flying at their heads at an alarming rate, and putting them in a duffle bag, and Dean was running around, grabbing salt and knives and guns and holy water? And throwing them at Sam and Bobby.
"What the hell is going on here?" Gabriel asked looking at the frantic hunters with trepidation.
"What the hell took you so long? Ezekiel's taken Cas." Dean yelled, shoving Gabriel towards the door. "Take us to him." Gabriel spun around and held Dean's hands. "None of the weapons you have will work against an angel Dean." Gabriel rationalized, fear clawing at his chest as he spoke.
"THEN WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? SIT HERE WITH MY FUCKING THUMB UP MY ASS?" Dean pushed away from Gabriel and tried to push the angel aside in order to be able to leave the house. Gabriel refused to move, trying to grab a hold of the hunter and calm him down. "Goddamn it, MOVE!" Gabriel still refused to budge, moving his arms frantically, trying to bring the hunter close to him. "Dean, stop it." Dean punched the angel repeatedly, tears running down his face. "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!" He was desperate and would probably get himself killed, but he didn't care, Castiel needed him and Gabriel was in the FUCKING way.
Sam and Bobby stopped packing useless items and watched Dean break down into hysterical sobbing. "I couldn't do anything." Dean finally melted against Gabriel, allowing the angel to wrap his arms around him and hug him close. "I will get him back Dean. I swear I will get him back." And with that Gabriel placed Dean in a deep sleep, moving him towards the couch. "He'll sleep until I wake him up, leave him be. I will bring him back."
Gabriel turned to leave when Sam yelled for him to stop. "Yes?" Gabriel asked, turning to face the young hunter. Sam ran towards Gabriel, but stopped about a foot away to look at the angel. "Please be safe." Sam said before grabbing the angel and kissing him hungrily. "Please come back to me." Sam said, breaking the kiss. Gabriel nodded and with a snap of his fingers the faithful were standing behind him.
"You summoned us Gabriel?" One of them asked. Gabriel nodded and turned to face them. "Ezekiel has taken someone close to me. Search high and low. No one is to rest until he has been located." With a chorus of "Yes sir" the faithful vanished, leaving Gabriel to say his farewells. "I'll be back for you Sam, I swear it." Gabriel said, before vanishing as well.