AN: So we're taking another trip to the past in my imaginary time machine. Judging by your response to the last one it won't be very popular. Alas, it's central to the story.

Eight or so years ago.

"Lisa, I don't like doing this," Dean grumbled as he parked outside the seedy motel.

"I know but please Dean," she pouted and gave him a puppy dog look similar to the one Sam does and apparently just as effective.

"Fine but this is the last time," he got out of the Impala as she exited from the passenger side. They checked into the hotel and asked for a king sized bed.

"Here," she gave him about two dozen quarters, "You never have change."

"This might not be half bad," he pocketed them and went inside the room they had just rented. Lisa ducked around the corner and went to be with the real object of her... well it wasn't exactly affection.

"Hey there pretty lady," Azazel welcomed her with a smile. They had met online in a raunchy fantasy site. They shared a common interest in bedding strangers. Their first meeting went so well they scheduled another and another. Neither brought any ID or credit card or anything that could give away their identity and ruin the fun of it all until the organised crime boss was indicted, that is. Of course she couldn't disclose that she was sleeping with a complete stranger and Dean hadn't come out about his relationship with Death's youngest, not for lack of trying on his part. It seemed a perfect arrangement that they pretend to be dating and indeed it was.

Dean would take Lisa to a place, sometimes something cheap, like now, sometimes something fancy he could barely afford. He was always reimbursed for his trouble so he wasn't concerned as much about money as he was about the time he wasted when he could have been... but wait a second, he pulled his cell out of his pocket and dialled.

"Michael Richings," the man on the other side of the line answered. He was serious about his newly acquired managerial position in his father's business.

"I love it when you use your business voice," Dean replied, "Free for lunch?"

"I'm eating at my desk I'm afraid," Michael sighed.

"And by lunch I mean sex on a bed that vibrates," Dean explained.

"Text me the address," Michael got up and put on his jacket.

"Sure," Dean ended the call with a smile and quickly went about writing the text. Michael told his assistant he'd be back in an hour and to tell anyone who asked he was eating out alone and did not want to be disturbed. He took a cab to the motel and ignored the rise of the receptionist's eyebrows as she gave him the room number. Michael walked into the unlocked room to find Dean in his boxers, stroking his cock to the cool tune of pornography.

"Starting without me?" Michael hung his jacket toed off his shoes.

"Hey, you wasted fifteen minutes driving out here and you need another fifteen to drive back to that desk you like to chain yourself to, leaving us a little under half an hour," he removed his boxers and threw them in Michael's direction. The dark haired man took off his clothes quickly and hung them on the back of a chair. "I used to enjoy ripping your clothes off," Dean sighed, "I want to be able to do that," he started his usual 'let's come out together campaign'. Michael climbed on top of him naked and shut him up with a deep kiss.

The lube Dean always carried around was on the bedside table. Michael reached for it and smeared some onto his fingers. He ground his growing erection into Dean's as he opened himself up. When he felt ready he placed Dean's impressive length at his entrance and pushed down on it. The older man let out a feral growl as he was enveloped by his lover. "Fuck," Michael cursed at the feeling of being filled. The vibrations of the magic fingers making the hardness rub against his walls, intensifying it.

"You like that?" Dean grabbed his hips, changing the angle so he could go deeper, pleasure rolling through him.

"Yes," his partner started to grind down harder and faster.

"Slow down," Dean's fingers dug into Michael's thighs but it just made him more determined. "Michael," Dean groaned as he came. He was going to warn him but it just didn't pan out that way.

"You're joking," Michael said as he felt Dean go soft inside him.

"We haven't had sex in two months," Dean said flatly, "Thought I could rub one out before you got here but that didn't work out so..." he shrugged. Michael dismounted with a groan and then whined when Dean took his cock in hand. A firm hand went around the back of his head as he started stroking the young man to completion. They kissed feverishly as the young heir thrust erratically into Dean's hand, spilling his seed.

"Are you planning to keep me your dirty little secret for the rest of our lives?" Dean asked.

"No," Michael skipped to the the bathroom with a kiss to Dean's cheek and returned with a warm towel a few minutes later.

"Are you planning on telling anyone about us?" Dean's brow furrowed.

"Not just yet," Michael said as soothingly as he could.

"You know what? You're right," Dean got up and started dressing without bothering to wipe off the drying semen on his dick and abdomen, "You're not planning to keep me your dirty little secret for the rest of our lives. That's the kind of thing that doesn't need to be planned. It's gonna happen because you're not planning to tell anyone about me either. And waiting for that to just happen would be is being naïve of us both."

"I have a plan," Michael protested, "Just please wait till I'm in a position where my being gay won't be the most important thing about me."

"I used to think you were afraid you father would reject you but that was a just a projection of my fears," Dean got angrier, "Your brother is out and proud and Death accepts him. You just don't want to loose your position as the favourite son. What? Afraid of being downgraded to court jester like Gabriel? I can't believe you," he shook his head.

"And why not?" Michael growled, "How can you of all people not understand that I want my father to be proud of me before I drop a bombshell like that on him?"

"Because I was willing to give up my father's pride," Dean walked out and shut the door. Michael wanted to follow him but he was still naked. By the time he was dressed Lisa was done with her business and the Impala was pulling away.

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

If Michael could see into the future he would have told Dean exactly what he wanted to hear in that no-tell motel or maybe he wouldn't have screwed up his big brother's relationship with the only girl who seemed perfect for him. In his rage over losing Meg Lucifer outed Michael at a press conference.

"What are you doing?" Lucifer asked as his little brother stomped around packing.

"Packing a bag that will fit on the back of a motorcycle," Gabriel continued to shove random articles into the small duffel.

"Where are you going?" Lucifer seemed more amused than alarmed.

"Away from you," his brother answered.

"Why so furious? Is it because I told the world who our little brother really is?" he continued without pause, "Stop acting like I'm a monster. I simply knocked him off the trophy case. Now he's a mere mortal like the rest of us."

"He is your kid brother and he was scared," Gabriel hissed, "Instead of protecting him and supporting him like you should have, you exploited that."

"He ruined my life," Lucifer showed the first signs of genuine emotion.

"I'm done with both of you," Gabriel slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out the door. Lucifer let him because he thought he would be back in a weak or so with his usual cheer. I only he could see the future.

Gabriel stopped by Sam's apartment and knocked. There was no answer. Just as he turned to leave he bumped into the very person he was looking for. "Gabriel, hi," Sam smiled, "Come in," he opened the door and went inside.

"Take a drive with me," Gabriel stood outside and pointed behind his back to his bike.

"Come inside," Sam insisted. He knew this routine. Gabriel did it whenever there was trouble at home. "Come on," he grabbed Gabriel's hand and pulled him inside.

"I just wanna get away for the weekend, granted it's a day early but you can get someone to take your notes," Gabriel stood by the door.

"I can't just take off when the mood strikes," Sam turned on the light, "I'm not you." I'm not irresponsible, he doesn't say out loud but they both know it's floating around in the air.

"Cookies," Gabriel sought relief from the tension.

"Jess must have brought them by," Sam blurted.

"Whose Jess?" Gabriel asked, "Are you fucking her?" he growled when he saw the little hand written 'I miss you' next to them.

"I'm not," Sam said in a way that made Gabriel not quite believe him.

"Do you want to?" he asked. Sam hesitated for a second. He liked Jess, she made him feel good. He hadn't even considered that till Gabriel brought it up. "What?" Gabriel pushed Sam into a wall.

"She's sweet," he answered, "And she hasn't slept with half of the Las Vegas population."

"Samuel, when you decide to give me the time of day I drop whatever it is I'm doing," Gabriel pushed off of Sam, "As for the other two to three quarters of any given year, a guy has needs but fine. I'm happy for you. Make pretty little green-eyed babies with Jess."

"It would be nice to think I'm not so easily replaced," Sam ignored the last part of Gabriel's rant.

"You think I'd have let you jerk me around for the past seven years if you were?" Gabriel's volume went up, "You think I'd be here right now if you were?" it dropped.

"I can't come with you," Sam folded his arms and averted his gaze, "Call me when you get back in town."

Gabriel just nodded and took off. Even he didn't know he would stay away as long as he would end up staying. With his brother's tearing each other's lives apart and Sam seemingly wanting to move on from whatever it was they had he just couldn't find any reason to go back.

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

Michael didn't get to tell anyone about his relationship with Dean because Dean didn't want to be his consolation prize and ended their relationship. Meg wasn't talking Lucifer's calls. They had nothing left but fighting each other. And for a month their father stood by thinking they would wise up and realise no good could come of this. They'd been raised right, hadn't they? Not really.

When he realised just how futile it was to wait for two boys having a fight to come to their senses he devised a plan. He invited each one to a house he owned in Texas and brought them down to the basement. "What is this?" Michael asked.

"A reminder of how popular slavery was in the south," Lucifer smirked.

"It's a prison," Death took a step out of them room and locked it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lucifer growled.

"Father?" Michael injected his confused into that word.

"This is where slaves were punished when other methods failed. It's free of all devices of torture but it will do fine as a prison cell. You two are going to live down here together. The only people you will talk to is each other. You will do all your work together etcetera. I think maybe if you two can learn to understand each other you can stop trying to hurt each other," he said in his usual stoic demeanor. Then he turned and walked away, ignoring their shouts. They concluded their stay in the former torture dungeon would amount to a slap on the wrist. Sadly, they too would were mistaken. Next time Michael saw Dean he was married to Lisa and they had a bright-eyed baby boy. Sure, the marriage was a sham and the DNA test had been falsified to keep little Benjamin from being claimed by his lowlife father (or his lowlife father's enemies, and there were many) but only three people knew that, and one of them had falsified the certificate.

Feedback is appreciated.