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I am still on holiday, so as I said before updates may be a little bit sporadic, but I am doing my best :)

Chapter 4

Sam, Dean, Gabriel and Cas were all sitting on the sofa, Cas snuggled up against Sam whilst Dean had Gabriel on his lap. The eldest Winchester was bouncing Gabriel up and down with his knees, making the angel giggle as he watched the cartoons playing on the motel television.

The screen was blurry and the volume was low, but the kid was amazed by the technology and was perfectly happy watching a sponge and starfish going on underwater adventures revolving around Crabby Patties.

Meantime, Sam and Dean were researching, Sam on the laptop set down on the armrest and Dean paging through fat books. They were still searching for a way to send the angels back home, but somewhat reluctantly. They had grown attached to the baby angels – but still, it was unfair to keep them away from their flock and the little guys clearly missed home.

Although Gabriel no longer voiced any complaints he sometimes paused his mischief making, looking forlorn and staring up at the sky through the window.

It was hard seeing the little boy miserable, so Sam had re-doubled his research attempts and even Dean had agreed to opening some books.

"Saaaaaaam!"

"Yeah, Gabe?"

"M'bored."

"Well go play with something, what about those new toy cars that we bought for you."

"Ok." Gabriel bounced down from Dean's lap, picking up his new toy cars and racing them around the floor, laughing when Cas wriggled free from Sam's grip and toddled over to his older brother, gripping one of the toys and beginning to race Gabe around the room with his cars.

Dean and Sam half watched them in amusement, egging the brothers on as they continued their research.

It had been hours and they still hadn't gotten anywhere.

It was useless.

This sort of thing didn't exactly come with a handbook; no hunter had ever bothered to write 'How to Send an Angel Back to Heaven, For Dummies.'

It was a shame really, because a book going by that title would have really come in handy right about yesterday.

However, at one o clock the brothers gave up and went out for lunch, Sam and Dean tucking into a burger whilst Cas and Gabe shared an adult's portion of mac n' cheese. It was really good and Gabriel let out a squeal of excitement when the Winchesters bought him a huge chocolate sundae for dessert.

When they returned home the little angel entertained himself and Cas by creating bubbles with his grace and making them float around the room. Cas stared up at them in delight, popping each one with his pudgy hands and grinning when they released different scents such as vanilla, mango, strawberry or apple depending on the color. There were red bubbles, yellow ones, blue, green, purple, silver, pink and orange and Cas was completely amazed by them, his eyes were wide with pleasure and he giggled when Sam and Dean eventually gave up on their research and decided to join in with their game.

However, Gabriel had other ideas.

When Dean reached out to pop the blue bubble in front of him it kept moving away, scooting just out of reach so that Dean was practically chasing it round the room like a lunatic. Then, when he finally did grab the bubble it wouldn't pop. No matter how hard he prodded, pressed, pinched or squeezed it the bubble didn't break as it is for Cas.

Sam burst out laughing at the look of frustration on his older brother's face and snorted when the bubble finally burst, causing Dean to jump back like a startled kitten.

"Having fun there, Dean?"

"Shut up, you try it!"

Sam took up the challenge, grabbing the nearest bubble, this time purple and pressing his nails into the smooth surface. The bubble burst immediately. However, this was not a victory for Sam – inside the bubble had been a load of glitter which was now ingrained in his hair.

Everyone burst out laughing, especially Cas who started to scoop up glitter from the floor to play with. In no time at all, all four were covered in glitter and Sam and Dean ended up showering with an angel each. It took ages to get the glitter out of their hair and wings, but they were all laughing and joking by the end of it.

They finally settled down to watch a western film before Gabriel and Cas eventually fell asleep. Sam tucked them both into the nest in their wardrobe, kissing each angel on the forehead before settling back down next to Dean.

"What are we going to do if we can't find a way to send them home? We can't keep them here forever, I mean, they're angels…I don't think we can exactly send them into daycare. The authorities might notice the fluffy angel wings and the random lollipops that keep materializing out of thin air."

"We'll find a way, Dean. We always do."

"But these books are useless. We have no footholds at all, nowhere to start. We might as well be looking for a quarter of a needle in twelve haystacks."

"Well, that wouldn't be impossible, just time consuming."

"Yeah, great!" Dean's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Sam chortled softly but sank further into the sofa, picking up a beer and a book. It wasn't exactly light reading, another hunter journal, but it would have to do for now.

Just as he reached the fifth page, there was a blinding white flash of light and a boy, around eight years old, appeared between the twin beds in the motel room.

Another angel.

Dammit.

Sam and Dean jumped up as the eldest angel looked around the room with a curious expression, running a hand along the bedside table and then around the rim of the lampshade.

"This is real." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Dean was confused that this was the angel's first words, but then again he wasn't exactly an expert on angel brain-function or anything.

"Yeah. Um, who are you?"

"I'm Balthazar, you're a human."

"Yep, guilty as charged." Dean gave a lop sided grin that Balthazar did not return.

"Humans are sinful beings; I wish to return home promptly, if you don't mind."

"Um, we don't know how to send angels home. We've got a couple hauled up here already, Castiel and Gabriel. I'm Dean by the way, and this is Sammy. Maybe you can help us; we're at a bit of a dead end."

"Gabriel!" Balthazar shot away from the bedside table in an instant, looking around the room wildly before hurrying to the wardrobe.

"GABE!" The young boy threw open the doors and was bundled over by a mess of golden feathers.

"Balthy! Is you you?"

"I sure am! What happened here?"

"D'know. M'scared Balth. Wanna go home."

"There's no need to be scared kiddo, I'm here now. I'll take care of you and little Cassie here."

"Love you."

"Love you too kid, but you should get some sleep. You look exhausted."

"M'not tired."

"Sure you aren't."

Balthazar scooped Gabriel into his arms, Gabriel holding Cas in turn and he carried the other two angels to the sofa where he began to groom their wings and hum like Gabriel did. His voice was lower, but it still had the same effect on Sam and Dean, as well as his younger brothers.

In no time at all the two younger angels were asleep and Balthazar lifted them and laid them back down in their nest.

"Sleep tight, brothers."

Once he was done, Balthazar settled down to talk to Sam and Dean.

"Are you saying that my brothers just appeared here like I did?"

"Yeah, have you ever heard of anything like this happening before?"

"No." Balthazar pouted a little, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Don't cry, Balthazar, just try and relax."

Balthazar nodded but failed to keep his tears under control and in no time he was sobbing into Dean's arm, shaking violently as he whimpered and kept saying that he wanted to go home.

"Hush now, you're safe, we'll look after you until we find a way to send you back."

"B-b-but you said you w-were a-a-at a dead e-end."

"Not quite."

Dean looked at Sam in surprise.

"Dean, think. Who has an answer to everything?"

…SN…SN…SN…SN…SN…

"Thanks Bobby, we'll be there in four or five hours. Can you kid-proof the house a bit, I don't want to have to deal with three angels, let alone three injured angels."

"What do ya think I am, an idjit?!"

"Just checking that you aint going senile. Anyway, seya later. We're gonna stop and buy some stuff first though."

"Bye, and don't get yourself killed on the way here."

"We won't."

Dean hung up the phone before rounding up the angels and his little brother, who was still drying his overly-long hair after a shower. Why he didn't just cut it to reduce maintenance time, Dean would never understand.

When they reached the Impala Dean looked ready to cry.

Sam had installed car seats in the back of the Impala…car seats! In his baby! And they had needed to buy a pink one for Cas as it was the only one in stock for children his size.

"I can't believe I'm fucking doing this." Dean muttered as he belted Cas and Gabriel into their seats..

"Don't swear in front of the angels, Dean," Sam murmered as he read through the first of his shopiing lists. Lists. Yep, he had written more tham one. In fact, he had gone as far as writing three! One for each angel…it was ridiculous and Dean was forced to give his little brother a full on lok of despair.

Sam promply ignored the look in favor of insisting that Balthazar had to belt himself in as well as his brothers.

"But I'm older!"

"We'll I'm an adult and what I say goes." Balthazar pouted and began to wriggle away from Sam's gargatuan hands, scowling and squirming.

"Sit still, Balthazar. I have to strap you in and if you don't behave, you won't get any toys."

Eventually Balthazar too was strapped in and Dean pulled out of the motel carpark. He turned up the music and sung along with AC/DC as Sam read another book, Cas played with loose thread on his sleeve, Gabe sat cuddling his teddy and Balthazar tried to distract Cas from his shirt sleeve with his toy elephant.

Thank God at least Cas behaved perfectly. What with Gabe's pranks and Balthazar's sulks, the Winchesters had their work cut out.

When they finally reached the toy store Gabe was green and looked close to throwing up again. While Dean rubbed his back, Sam went off with Cas to get a shopping trolley, which he quickly slotted Cas into. When he stepped in a piece of disguarded chewing gum he swore, dragging his shoe along the floor in an attempt to remove the sticky substance.

"What crawled up your ass and died?"

Dean was scowling, Gabriel had just turned his steering wheel fluffy and pink and the radio was playing Hannah Montanna instead of Metallica. He had just told Gabe and Balthy to get out of the car and they had sulked – despite the shopping trip being on their behalf!

God, Sam even had the audacity to look put-upon, like he's the one with the really exhausting responsibilities due to the gum on his shoe whilst Dean was wrestiling with two stroppy angels. Jeez, he couldn't cope with this much longer.

"Boys, I swear if you don't stop complaining and being a pain in my ass I swear to god I will pluck your wings."

Gabriel and Balthazar both stopped what they were doing immeidatley. The pink fluff and music in the Impala immediately dissapeared and Balthazar stopped whining, throwing himself in front of Gabriel, who was wide-eyed with fright.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!"

"What? Kid, I didn't mean it. That was an empty threat, I swear I would never do anything to hurt you. I promise, look at me, come on. I'm not gonna hurt you, you're safe. I've got you, shhhh. Balth, just relax, Gabe, calm down or you'll make yourself sick."

Balthazar moved back a little, turning his back to Dean before cuddling his little brother close and trying to comfort him. Dean could see the angel's wings ruffling and squirming with fright beneath his top.

Just like Dean, Balth put his baby brother first though, despite his fear he managed to stop Gabriel's wailing and soothed his ruffled feathers until the boy finally left the car.

Both angel's faces were blotchy and red with tears, but they held hands and walked over to Sam, Dean and Cas, walking dejectedly towards the store.

Sam shot Dean a look as if to say, 'you absolute idiot,' before scooping Gabriel into his arms and hodling Balthazar's hand.

"Why don't you boys find something to play with in the car on the way to Bobby's, some coloring books or puzzle books would probably good. Oh and Balth, Cas and Gabe have a soft toy each, so you can get one too."

Balthazar nodded, finally looking sated and went down one of the aisles, selecting a toy dragon whilst Cas whined to be let out of the shopping cart. Eventually the little boy toddled over to his brother's, selecting two colouring books whilst Gabe selected three books of crosswords, puzzles, dot to dots and simple sudokos.

"Is that all you guys want?" Sam asked, gently scooping Gabriel into one arm and Cas into the other when all three angels nodded happily. This left Balthazar standing alone and after a few awkward moments Dean scooped up the eight year old into his own arms, running a hand over his cloth-covered feathers before kissing the eldest angel on the forehead.

"Don't worry kiddo, we're gonna get this sorted, just you wait and see."

TBC…

Don't forget to feed the plot kitties on the way out, they are mewling at you and pawing at your feet.