Chapter Twenty-four

Patrick took turns in pacing outside or sitting silently at the other side of the room with a dark expression on his face, but Gabriel didn't move an inch from Dean's side as the demigod was drifting in and out of awareness, it's not like the angel needed sleep or rest. Puck was mostly there and Gabriel felt that even some of the spirits gathered around the house and Dean... was not healing... at all, his wounds didn't seem to seal and the bleeding didn't seem to stop completely. The archangel sat by his side but could only watch as the life was slowly slipping away from him. It was like watching the grains fall in a sand-glass, and it hurt, every moment that passed without a sign of Dean gathering some strength or getting even slightly better was agonizing in its way how Gabriel's own uselessness carved him up from the inside like yeth-hounds were tearing on his very grace.

This time Patrick was outside again so Gabriel was left to listen to Dean's shallow breathing in the complete silence of the house as he held his hand in between his own. His skin was still too hot, too pale and even if hours passed he knew that Dean was only getting worse. His body was fighting, Dean was fighting, there was just not enough strength left in him and it made Gabriel want to find wherever Puck whisked Morrígan away in his hurry to get rid of her and tear her apart. Destroy her piece by piece, to make her suffer, to make her bleed and scream in agony, punish all that she has done and he would make that happen, but his worry and his slowly dying hope of Dean getting better made him stay instead of hunting down the one who hurt the demigod so badly over and over again, but he would make her suffer that he vowed without hesitation.

'I wish there was something I could do' Gabriel spoke without meaning to let the words out. 'You were right, I was arrogant... prideful even, confident that I am stronger than anything that may want to harm me in this world... but the way I'm sitting here... I might as well be human as how completely useless I am' and did he feel useless. Gabriel, the Strength of God, not being able to save the one being he truly wanted to save and there was no amount of power on Heaven or Earth that could've saved him from the deep ache he felt within himself because of it.

Dean didn't stir in his sleep, if Gabriel could call it sleep at all. His brows were deeply furrowed as he breathed shortly and shallowly, and the light tremble in his body never stopped for a moment. Unconscious was a better word for it, and maybe he wasn't in so much pain this way, or Gabriel hoped to believe that.

'I think I would still be sitting on the top of that hill, licking my wounds and mourning the family I left behind if it wasn't for you showing up to annoy me, it doesn't matter why you came to me, I'm just glad you did... I would probably be going mad by the silence that is still the worst in all this, but it's not as terrible as it was... I listen to the world instead, to the spirits, the humans... the way the wind blows outside within the trees and the rain washed away the dust, I listen and know there are thousand things left for me to see and hear and learn, Dean- you-' the words stuck in his throat as he buried his face into the sheets next to Dean's hand. 'I want you to show me, teach me all there is left for me to learn... don't leave me alone... I cannot be alone... not now...'

Not with the image of his brother's grace tearing apart, burning up in front of his eyes still so freshly seared into his mind, not like he had the luxury of ever forgetting anything, but more than before he wanted to wrap himself around Dean's body and rest, enjoy his closeness, inhale his scent, let his presence sooth his troubled grace... instead he sat and watched him fading away. He wondered if leaving behind Heaven angered his Father enough to punish him so soon and so fiercely... if he paid attention at all. He had no way of knowing as his prayers were left unanswered.

Then he felt the presence in the room as the temperature dropped slightly lower and all his words, all his thoughts fled away in a heartbeat, pain gripped his chest so tightly that it was hard to breath, even thought he knew there was nothing wrong with his vessel, that he should've been able to take normal breaths, he just couldn't.

'No' he breathed out after a moment.

'You hold no power over this' came the answer, female voice. Not that it mattered.

'You can try get past me' Gabriel answered.

'That doesn't matter, it is time. His body won't hold out any longer just because you're hindering me, you are surely aware of that.'

Gabriel didn't let his eyes leave Dean's face not even for a moment and he didn't move from his spot either.

'I'm aware' he said quietly after a longer pause.

'Let me then.'

'Don't even think about taking another step closer' Gabriel warned darkly. There was an audible sigh from behind in reaction to his threat.

'The rules don't change just because you became attached, don't intervene angel. I am not his death, but his guide. Stopping me won't stop any of this, let me do my work.'

'You take another step closer and I will destroy you' the archangel replied as he glanced back at last, he knew his voice and his power radiated his intent perfectly. The reaper was a dark-haired woman with fair skin and she stopped again at the angel's words.

'You know what will happen if you chase me away' she said. 'Is that what you want? For him to be an aimless wandering shadow, or a vengeful spirit thirsting for blood? It is time, let it happen the way it's meant to be, he has to move on now.'

'No' Gabriel answered without a second thought.

'You cannot do this!' the reaper insisted with sudden vehemence. 'You cannot interfere like this!'

Gabriel would've smiled maybe on her indignation, how she lost her dispassionate coolness, maybe... in any other situation, not now. And also because she was wrong, maybe he was not supposed to, but that didn't mean that he couldn't.

'I can and I will' he replied. 'And he won't be a spirit, I will make sure of that.'

'This... no, you can't do this... there is a natural order of-'

'I don't care about the natural order!' Gabriel thundered, his grace flared up in anger and that made the reaper take one step back as the walls shook lightly from the angel's voice.

'This is not supposed to happen' she insisted. Gabriel only ever intervened on Earth when his Father ordered him to do so, but his prayers were not answered this time, his Father was gone and gave him no guidance, gave him no permission nor refusal, so he had to decide on his own... it was a terrifying prospect still.

'Well, who will stop me?' Gabriel challenged her and she fell silent as expected. He was hidden from his older brothers and his Father obviously didn't intend to get involved, he could do whatever he wanted and there was no one to stop him from doing so.

'Whatever it is you're planning to do... it won't end well' she said slowly. 'You are not supposed to interfere, because if you do... there will be consequences, you know that.'

That he knew well, because Fate was not something to play around with, yet he still didn't care. His plan was forming in his mind and it was clearer with every passing second.

'Well fortunately angels are not just the instruments of destiny... it can be the other way around too.'

'No, you could start a chain of events you cannot even comprehend yet... there is order in this world, Heaven only supposed to intervene when it is meant to happen, this is not meant to happen!'

'Heaven has nothing to do with this' Gabriel said. 'Leave now.'

'You don't know what you're doing.'

'Oh I do, believe me... leave, I won't warn you again.'

The reaper was gone in the next blink, not daring to challenge an archangel, but even if he was alone with Dean again there was nothing left to do, he leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss to the demigod's lips, lingering for a few moments to sear the feel of it into his memories.

'I wish we had more time' he whispered as he pulled back a little, he left his forehead pressed to Dean's and just listened quietly as his breathing slowed down... then stopped.

x~x~x

Patrick stared at the sky and every bone in his body resisted even the thought of going back into the house. It was his m... his house and he was Dean's family, he had a lot more reasons to be on his side even if he wasn't sure if he could get Gabriel to move even an inch away from him, but that was not why he couldn't go back again. He just couldn't see him being this weak and he certainly didn't want to see him die.

Puck was around and Patrick could barely resist the urge to tell him that he was no longer welcome. He got his mother killed, and he won't forgive him that, but Puck was still there because of Dean and the young witch couldn't bring himself to send the faun away, no matter how angry he was at him.

His head spun around when he heard the door opening as Gabriel stepped out. He didn't need to ask, it was written all over the angel's face loud and clearly, he turned away again almost immediately.

'Bloody damn it...' he cursed as he took a shuddering breath and let his head rest on his hands as he propped his elbows up on his knees. He always hated to cry in front of others, especially in front of Dean, but he was not there to see it now dammit... so he just didn't give a damn and let it happen.

'What's in the chest?' he heard Puck ask.

'Something important' Gabriel answered. 'I'll be back soon' the angel added and a flutter of wings signaled his departure.

There was silence for a long while, only disturbed by Patrick's loud breathing as he tried to get himself under control.

'How are you holding up kid?' Puck asked and the young witch just had to laugh bitterly at the question, it hurt to laugh, hurt in every possible way to simply exist at this very moment.

'Ye know how I am?' he asked. 'Worse than I have ever been in my life Puck, that's how I am... and I really bloody need you not to be here, because one more empty look of sympathy from ye and I swear I will try and kill ye.'

'Fair enough, kid' Puck answered and it was easy to recognize the sound of the portal opening and closing as the sprite left, just like that. Typical. He sat outside for a very long time, his feet not willing to take him back inside. The spirits were gathering, the news either traveled fast or they could feel that the guardian of the valley was no longer among them.

x~x~x

'Are you really going to leave?' Gabriel asked. Patrick kept staring at the high flames as all spirits were swirling, dancing with the smoke and fire.

'I can't stay' the witch answered. 'I grew up here and wherever I look I see a memory of either of them and... better to go.'

'You could come with me' the angel offered, but Patrick shook his head.

'I'll be fine on my own, ye don't need to watch out for me just because Dean did.'

'Well if you do find yourself in grave trouble...' Gabriel started.

'I can pray to ye... won't forget it' the witch finally tore his eyes away from the high pyre and glanced up at the mountains. 'I told the spirits to leave the gates of the citadel up. They tore everything else down, now only the gate remains. I carved my mother's name into the stone... that's the only trace she leaves behind.'

'And you' Gabriel added. 'You're here too.'

'Yes, I suppose.'

'What about Dean?' the archangel asked as he too looked into the yellow-orange flames flickering up into the dark-blue sky. 'No memorial for him?'

'No need' Patrick answered. 'This whole valley... is Deandalon, the spirits will remember him as long as even one of them is around.'

'Yes, you're right' Gabriel agreed with a light nod.

'We're are ye going?' Patrick asked.

'Wherever my wings take me' the angel answered. 'I can be wherever I want to be in a blink, so it's not like I need to make choices like that.'

'Maybe ye should try walking then' Patrick offered. 'Or get a horse, I heard the road is sometimes more important than the destination.'

'Yes, maybe I'll do that' Gabriel said after a moment.

They stood in silence for a very long time after that. The flames didn't falter for a second as the hours passed by. The wolves howled at the moon and all spirits sang to the stars and they urged the fire to burn and light up the night around them, their voice filled up everything, the woods and the fields, the streams and the hills and if a traveler ever passed through the valley again they would hear the song for Deandalon whispered in the wind.

TBC...

I made some Fanarts for the fanfiction please take a look...

Gabriel-Dean: .com/gallery/#/d3ef3hd

Gabriel-Dean 2: .com/gallery/#/d3g5ps9

Patrick-Creide: .com/gallery/#/d3ef3p2

Leomas-Morrígan-Puck: .com/gallery/#/d3fydxp