Title: The Scenic Route
Author: BlueRidgeBeauty
Rating: Mature
Pairings: Sam/Gabriel, Dean/Castiel, Chuck/Becky
Summary: Sam and Gabriel take the scenic route when it comes to acting on their feeling for one another.
Disclaimer: Once again I broke into his backyard, climbed into his sandbox, and started playing with all of Kripke's pretty toys. Sadly I own nothing.
Notes: quidditive requested this for the Spn Gabriel Sam Fic Exchange - Gabriel/Sam: Post!Apocalypse. After trapping Lucifer and Michael in hell, Sam and Dean take it upon themselves to clean up the mess. Castiel and Gabriel help out. Gabriel keeps hinting to Sam that he wants their relationship to progress into something more but Sam always pushes him away, believing he doesn't have time for that no matter what he might feel for him, but Gabriel is patient. Eventually, Dean and/or Bobby give Sam a clue-by-four and Sam, realizing that he has no more excuses, gives in. Bonus points for background Dean/Castiel. This chapter is all Gabriel and Chuck who in the fic is God. It's basically the conversation Gabriel and God have after God brings him back. It's also the set up for the rest of the fic, because God gives Gabriel a very important mission.
Chapter 1
Just after the events of Swan Song
It should have been the end Lucifer stabbing him with his own sword, but it wasn't. One minute he was dead no longer in existence, the atoms that made up his grace spread across the universe in the explosion that had been his death, the next he was sitting in an unfamiliar living room. He looked around taking in his surroundings there were several discarded bottles of liquor laying around as well as stacks and stacks of paper.
"Where the hell am I he thought?" followed closely by "How the hell am I anywhere?"
"Hello Gabriel" the voice he'd recognize anywhere said.
"Father" he gasped.
"Hey son, long time no see.," his Father said, and Gabriel looked up into the smiling form of the disguise his Father had been using.
"You've been Chuck Shirley this whole time?" he asked.
His father nodded still smiling
Well at least has hasn't smote me yet of course he could be planning on tossing me in Lucy's old pad now that there's a vacancy. Thought Gabriel.
"Actually it's not vacant anymore, in fact it's rather crowded at the moment.," his father answered.
"Huh…" Gabriel asked still a bit too preoccupied with the fact that he was no longer dead to grasp what may have happened since he died.
"Michael is with Lucifer in the pit now."
Finally catching up with the conversation Gabriel asked "How?"
"Sam Winchester pulled him in when he took control of his body back from Lucifer."
"Sam said yes?" Gabriel asked his heart sinking.
"Only when it became clear there was no way other way of tricking Lucifer back into the cage."
The cage, Gabriel had told them about the cage, but he never meant for it to end this way. Gabriel felt his vessel's heart clinch at the very idea of his Sam in that horrible place, trapped between his eternally bickering brothers.
His father just looked at him kindly placing a hand on each of his shoulders, "and that is why I brought you back. Gabriel you did some very bad things after you ran away, but son I understand why you did it."
"Father I'm so sorry, please forgive me!" Gabriel interrupted.
"Gabriel you're forgiven, for everything, how can I possible punish you for something I did myself."
"You left because.."
"No Gabriel, not because I stopped caring, but because I cared too much, and it hurt to see my children behaving in such a way fighting amongst each other, forgetting that they were a family."
"So we're okay?"
"Oh Gabriel, we are more than okay.," his Father said shaking his head, "you always were the sensitive one, more like me than any of them in that respect."
"But.."
"But nothing, Gabriel you're just as precious to me a either of your older brothers." His Father says, finally pulling Gabriel into a comforting hug and suddenly he was home for the first time in so very long his grace flared brightly with the sheer joy of being in his Father's presence.
"Gabriel you did the right thing when it really counted, and for that you deserved a second chance, and you can start on that by going and getting your beloved from hell. While you're at it fish the youngest Winchester out too, Adam definitely does not deserve to be confined to hell simply for saying yes to Michael."
"What about Michael?" Gabriel asked. Michael was their leader, his Father's most faithful, surely father would want him to rescue Michael.
"No Gabriel not Michael, just Sam Winchester and Adam Milligan."
"Father why are you forgiving me, and not Michael he was loyal? Gabriel began to ask.
"Michael has renounced me since he was pulled into the pit. I think he needs a time out anyways, what with this whole premature apocalypse business being at least half his idea."
"And Raphael?" Gabriel asked.
'He's in heaven, but I doubt it will be for long." his father says with a weary sigh. "He's not happy with the new chain of command I put in place."
"New chain of command?" Gabriel asked.
"Castiel." his Father answered.
"What about Castiel?" Gabriel asked, suddenly very concerned for his fallen little brother.
"Castiel is no longer cut of from heaven Gabriel, and his may still be younger than you, but he is no longer your subordinate."
"You're demoting me?" Gabriel asked knowing he deserved far worse, but still not being able to keep the shock and hurt out of his voice.
"Of course not Gabriel you'll remain as I created you, but I did make Castiel an archangel he's running heaven now in my absence. I had to put someone in charge, and he proved to be very sensible, Raphael however, is not fit to lead."
"Let me guess, Raph's not taking all these changes too well."
"No he's not, and that's another reason I brought you back, Castiel is going to need your help and guidance."
Gabriel just nodded solemnly. "There's going to be another rebellion isn't there?"
His father just nodded sadly before reaching out to cup Gabriel's chin. "I do want you to know one thing Gabriel I am very proud of you.," he said before disappearing.