Chapter 3

"You who has smiled when you're in pain, you who has soldiered through the profane." – Alanis Morisette (Guardian)

Gabriel breathed heavily. The pain almost too much to bear, he grasped his side and whined. He knew somehow in his heart that this would happen. His eyes were almost glassy, but his wings, his wings shone a bright orange almost. He stared into the mirror, the big home all of the angels lived in seemed smaller somehow, or maybe that was his shortness of breath.

"If Raphael or Zachariah finds out about this," Balthazar leaned against the doorframe; he had been comforting his sickly brother for the past hour. "You're dead, you do realize this, and they won't hesitate to kill you or your mate?"

"They WILL leave Sammy out of this," Gabriel arched his wings and ruffled the feathers, clearly annoyed and in a protective state, he clutched his stomach protectively and looked down at it. "He doesn't even know yet…I'm not sure if I should even tell him."

"He has a right to know Gabriel," Balthazar sighed. "They are his after all…"

Gabriel sighed as well, turning to face the mirror, his face drooped into a slight frown, he the trickster however, would never admit to being fearful.

Not by a long shot…

SPN – SPN – SPN – SPN – SPN

"Wake up Dean," Sam hit Dean's head with a pillow and chuckled. "It's almost noon!"

"Bitch." Dean groaned and stretched.

"Jerk." Sam replied with a grin.

"So," Dean cracked his neck and knuckles, hoping to relieve some tension in his muscles from earlier. "Any news?"

"Not much," Sam replied, sipping his coffee and typing away. "I sent the rest of the crime scene photos to Bobby; he said he'd look over them in detail later on, by the way speaking of the crime scene, are you ok Dean?"

"Dude no chick flick moments," Dean groaned as he sat down at the table across from Sam. "Too early."

Dean smelled Sam's coffee with force. The smell causing his stomach to flip over itself. Before Sam could respond Dean was up and running to the bathroom, the elder brother hunched over the toilet and dry heaved before letting himself go. Bile and phlegm rose up Dean's throat and released themselves into the porcelain bowl below. Sam, confused, watched from the doorway.

"Bad food Dean?" Sam asked.

"N-not sure," Dean shakily replied. "Hope so."

Dean heaved again and Sam figured it was best to leave his brother alone. He turned to leave, but just as he was about to sit down at the table again he looked up to see Cas and Gabriel. Gabriel looked pale and sickly like Dean and Cas was practically holding him upright, he was clutching his stomach in a protective manner.

"Cas," Sam looked alarmed at the sight before him. "Wha…?"

"Sam," Cas' face was one of grave importance. "We need to talk…"

SPN – SPN – SPN – SPN – SPN

Zachariah had walked the halls numerous times, but this time they felt more constricting. Not that it mattered how he felt, he served heaven, and there was no time for emotions in heaven. He walked up to Raphael who sat on his chair, perched like a raven ready to devour its prey.

"I trust you have pinpointed the problem." Raphael stared at Zachariah, expecting an immediate answer.

"Yes my brother," Zachariah's smile was a bit unnerving. "I have, Dean and Samuel Winchester have committed an extreme crime, and they will be punished accordingly."

"Punished," Anna exclaimed. "For what, for having maybe just a shred of happiness to possibly come into their lives?!"

"Happiness is not to be felt by angels," Zachariah explained. "It is practically a sin, we serve heaven, no one else, our needs and desires don't matter."

"But they should," Anna inched close to her older brother, their eyes meeting a fiery stone gaze. "These men have suffered greatly their entire lives, don't they deserve something, something good…"

"What they have created is not good," Zachariah growled, his wings arching big so as to intimidate Anna. "This has been proven, the first ones of their kind were destroyed for a reason, they are nothing but bad, I know this…you know this!"

Anna couldn't argue. They had been destroyed for a good reason the first time around. She knew somehow though, these would be different. Sam and Dean may have done horrible things, but they were good men with pure souls. Surely this time the outcome would be different.

SPN – SPN – SPN – SPN – SPN – SPN

"Wait," Sam was pale, he stammered, shocked. "Gabriel is what…?"

"With child," Cas explained once again. "Children actually, they are yours Sam, they look like you."

"How is this possible," Sam muttered. "It's not possible he is a guy!"

"It is very possible with angels Sammy," Gabriel hoarsely replied from the bed. "When we mated my wings were out, you…impregnated my grace, my soul, thus resulting in…nephilim."

"Nephilim," Sam gasped. "Wait you mean like, half human half angel?"

"That is correct," Cas said, nodding and taking his brother's hand in his. "They will be essentially half human half angel hybrids; I have foreseen their appearances and their personalities."

There was a pregnant pause. Sam felt a heavy feeling of happiness mixed with dread and fear. He'd read of nephilim and what had happened to them the first time around when they existed. He doubted heaven could even be remotely okay with this new development.

Dean stumbled out of the bathroom, his head spinning once again. His thoughts reeled and shrieked within his brain. He saw more visions, one of Cas holding what looked like a small child, one of wings once again, and one of Dean himself screaming. Dean shook the thoughts away and walked out to where Sam had been before. He was greeted by more than he had anticipated.

"Cas," Dean asked, still holding his queasy stomach. "What are you doing here?"

"I have come bearing news Dean," Cas came closer to the hunter and cocked his head at him. "You are ill like Gabriel is, same symptoms, I wonder…"

Cas reached out his hand to Dean's forehead, Dean flinched but let Cas do what he so desired. He, instead of being transported somewhere, was shocked to see that Cas was merely checking Dean for a fever. Dean opened his eyes and looked into the crystal blue ones of Cas before finally letting his hitched breath go free.

"You are not ill with any human disease," Cas seemed determined. "Dean do you trust me?"

"Well that's a stupid ass question Cas," Dean replied. "Of course I do, I just need to know what this is all abou-"

Dean's voice was cut in half when Cas suddenly reached into his soul. Dean winched and cried out in extreme pain. Sam leapt forward but was stopped by Gabriel who held his arm to keep him back. Dean's face contorted in such a way it put torture to shame. Cas pulled his arm out and pushed his sleeve back down his arm.

"Just as I feared…" Cas sighed.

"What's just as you feared," Dean panted, almost out of breath, Cas refused to answer him. "Cas answer me dammit!"

"How is this possible," Cas contemplated. "We've never mated; we've never done anything for this to happen…"

"FOR WHAT TO HAPPEN CAS?!" Dean practically growled, Cas turned to face the hunter who held onto the wall for support, his body a trembling mass, his eyes filled with rage mixed with fear, a sight Cas knew all too well.

"Dean," Cas said, eyes staring into what seemed to be Dean's soul almost. "You are by no knowledge of mine…bearing my children…"

Dean chuckled.

"Good one Cas," Dean's laughter grew. "Really good there, if I didn't know better I'd say you were developing a sense of humor."

"Dean," Cas said. "I'm not trying to be humorous."

"He's not lying Dean-o," Gabriel smirked then chuckled before it turned into a slight cough. "Join the club."

"I'm afraid it's true Dean," Sam gulped. "As much as I can't believe it either…"

"Oh c'mon," Dean growled. "You can't expect me to believe this silly joke can you, seriously Sammy I expected more from you, first of all I'm a man, it's physically impossible!"

"It is said," Cas explained. "That angels can impregnate humans without copulating if the bond between the angel and human is strong enough, most angels don't even realize they've done it until the human gives birth."

"Ok first of all can you NOT say copulating," Dean shuddered. "It's called sex, and second, what kind of bond are we talking about here like friendship?"

"It is said it must be a deeply profound…" Cas began.

"Oh no don't pull that "more profound bond" bullshit with me," Dean seemed to grow angrier by the moment. "This is all a bad joke at my expense because the angels are trying to be funny now, I ate a bad burger and this is food poisoning."

"Dean," Cas cocked his head again, giving Dean the same confused look that he gave him the day they met. "Why do you not believe me when I say you're carrying our children?"

"Your children Cas," Dean spat. "They're yours, you made them inside me without my consent, that is if they really exist, I had no part in this nor do I want any part in this…"

Dean marched over towards his coat and pulled it around his body. He readjusted his necklace and sighed, before looking over at the trio across from him.

"What?!" he glared and walked towards the door.

The gaze that fell upon Dean's from Sam, Dean could handle. Gabriel's too. But the heartbroken, hurt, gaze that came from and radiating from Castiel was one Dean couldn't handle. He looked into Cas' eyes and saw nothing but confusion, hurt, and possibly anger. Dean's face lightened for a mere second as he flashed and equally hurt stare Cas' way, but the angel only looked away.

Dean angrily grunted and walked out the door into the cool night air without a word.

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