James came out of Henry's room and slid right next to Dean, who had his head in his hand and his other around a beer. "How's he looking?" Dean asked, taking another sip of beer. James covered his face and Dean awkwardly decided to put his arm around his shoulder for a quick squeeze. It was hard for him to let himself get close to people, but at least he was making an effort.

"Hey, look. Cas is going to find Gabe, okay? Henry's going to be fine." Dean said, and James slid his elbows to rest on the table, and he slowly folded his eyes open to look at Dean. His eyes weren't a bright blue like Cas's, but a deep, indigo blue that reminded Dean of the Hope Diamond. Dean felt almost a little jolt as he looked into his eyes, in seeing that they were blue, it reminded him of Cas. And he looked sad and worried as hell, an expression he often saw on the angel.

Dean felt like he suddenly had a million questions that he needed to ask him, all bubbling up and competing for which one got to be said aloud. "So, uh, what's...it like in the future?" He felt extremely lame right after he'd said it. James shrugged and grabbed Dean's beer that he'd set down and took a sip. "I dunno. It's normal, I guess." Dean glared at him as James gave him a sly sidelong glance and proceeded to drink most of the rest of his beer.

"I guess I can't say I didn't expect you to be an asshole." Dean chuckled and studied James' face again. "In fact, I didn't expect...you." He was finally wanting to really be able to talk to James one on one since he'd dropped into his life, and now seemed like the perfect time.

James pressed his lips together and set Dean's bottle down on the table. "Yeah, well. I guess you weren't expecting Grampa to come back and start rearranging stuff either, huh?" He gave Dean one of those sidelong glances again and ran his hand through his hair.

"You've said before that you see that nothing else would have worked, human kids just aren't right for you, dad. It's hard to kill me or Henry, and the last thing you need in the family is more dead."

Dean looked like he couldn't agree more. "But how...how did it work? And.." He looked a little freaked out all the sudden. "And nothing's going to happen to you like what Henry's going through, right? You'll be fine."

James nodded, his eyes clouding with worry for his cousin again. "As for how...Cas doesn't talk much about it. We've only had a conversation once. All I know is that I'm the result of a sort of mix of souls." He looked like he was contemplating on what to say next. "And the only other thing I know is that it was difficult."

Dean knit his eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Cas says it was difficult. Everything. He said he was taking care of Henry too, not that Sam wasn't, he was helping with his angel-side, which was a full-time job. And there were some things that made it complicated. I don't think either of you thought it was possible." James smiled just a little and looked away shyly. "Cas says it was a miracle." A little bit of pink flushed on his cheeks. "Never mind. I guess you'll find out."

Dean's chest suddenly began to rise a little. So, it was really...some time in the future, he'd get to see him grow up. "And me in Cas..?" He asked, not quite sure where he was going with that question. What was going to happen with him and Cas? What Henry had said made it seem like was that Gabe paired with Sam to prevent Lucifer from having a kid, and that Gabriel wasn't around for Henry. But what about Cas?

James broke into a huge smile. "Happy. That's all I'm going to tell you." He smiled mysteriously and Dean snorted and picked up his beer again.

"So much for getting straight answers."

"Pun intended?" James mumbled, laughing a little to himself.

"Huh?"

"Nothing." James answered, stretching his back on the chair. Oh, Dean.

It had been pretty uncomfortable having to sit in that position for so long, not wanting to disturb Henry by moving and possibly hurting him. It was only when Fenris had arrived that James had stiffly gotten up and helped to tuck Henry to cradle in his half-brother's wolfy embrace.

"Just be careful with him, okay? Don't, like, eat him or something." James said with a little laugh, helping to position the limp body so he'd be comfortable. The dark wolf let out a sort of snort and snuffled.

Maybe I'll consider not eating him, but only if you ask nicely. He obviously wasn't able to talk in this form, but James could hear him clear in his head like when he and Henry communicated silently.

"You're just as much of an ass as him." James chuckled and felt Henry's forehead, he was still burning up. James' mind had been reeling over trying to grasp the concept of time travel ever since he'd been here, and he thought it would be the best idea to ask another half-angel and see if he knew some answers.

"So, this is the first time you're meeting Henry, right?" James asked quietly as he sat down in front of Henry and kept his eyes on his sleeping face for just for a little while. "So, when you meet him when he's ten, is that going to be changed?"

I think so. Fenris replied, and he flicked his eyes up to look at Henry again. You told me I was the one who found him after this happened last time, correct?

"Yeah. And this didn't happen to him last time, but he did the exact same thing. Pushed out and ripped people's insides to shreds." James gulped and almost felt a little overwhelmed at the things he'd seen his cousin do while he watched. He wasn't...scared of him, per se, but he was afraid that if he wasn't there to support him and give him someone to lean on...people have turned sides for much less. He just hoped that would never become a reality. He didn't even like to think about it.

I think...Fernis started, and while James watched the shadow finally began to pull back into Henry's body. Pops showed me how one time when I was little. Maybe...in meeting him now, I prevented it then.

"So we can change the future?" James asked, his eyes lighting up just a little bit. Maybe, just maybe, he could make things different. "And, now we just wait for what he has right now to develop, right? No new additions?"

Exactly. The huge wolf pushed his head onto Henry and pulled him a little closer, giving him a little lick on the cheek as he groaned softly. Good thing, too. This looks like it sucks.

"Dammit, he's going to be pissed off later about this. I think he's just too tired right now to do anything." James stood up, and the wolf's gaze followed him as he'd exited the room. I'll try my best not to eat him. But if the hunger strikes... Fenris huffed out a few breaths again like he was laughing.

"Oh, shuddup." James had called back.

"How's Uncle Sammy holding up with all of this?" James asked Dean, still stretching like a cat as he let out a big yawn. Dean thought about how Sam was dealing with Henry being back here; a hell of a lot better than he was doing. "Ah, I think seeing Fenris is kind of freaking him out. And I think he's worried about seeing Gabe for the first time since this happened." Dean answered James, who nodded a little and went right back to worrying. Dean just had to tell someone, and get it off his chest.

"I, uh, got in a fight with Cas." Dean admitted in a sigh. "I was angry that you had to be a Hunter. That he chose me." He frowned just a little remembering it.

"You weren't the one who made me and Henry Hunters, dad. We kind of always were. Half-dicks, remember?"

Dean smiled just a little at the nickname.

Dean felt a little relieved at hearing that. And Cas had been right; a kid that was hard to kill was just what he needed. He kind of felt like "that kid" who got the plastic sippy cup while the other kids got glass cups when it came to childcare, but right now he was really more glad for that. "I'm still not over that nickname." He answered, chuckling.

Then, there was a bright and quick flash of light, like a camera flash, and Dean and James exchanged a glance. Light meant time travel. And if Cas had set out to find Gabe...had he brought the one from the future back here?

Henry slowly opened his eyes as he felt a hand on his shoulder. It took a second for his vision to focus, but he finally saw him. Gabriel, looking down at him with his eyebrows knit together. He could tell right away that it wasn't the one from this time just by the aching way he was looking at him.

Henry felt the word, ready to surge up his throat and spill out in astonishment, that signature "Dad?" he always asked. But this time he bit it back just in time as he clenched his jaw, and narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, how wonderful of you to show up. I wonder what Cas had to say to even convince you to see me for once, you bastard." The pain was heightening his emotions, acting as a catalyst toward his rage and anger already. "Since when have you even cared, you piece of shit?!" He wiped his wet eye anngrily with the back of his hand. Gabe tried to come closer, but Fenris growled loudly and pulled Henry closer with his tail, the low rumble could be felt behind Henry's back.

"Stay out of this, Fenrisulfr. This is not of your concern. And you don't know the whole story." Gabe said in a tired voice, coming closer again and gently taking Henry's face in his hands, this time the wolf permitted him to with just a somewhat peeved glance.

"No! Get your hands off of me!" Henry sobbed, shaking his head from side to side and twisting away, tears streaming from his eyes. "You're just my father, not my dad! Cas and Dean were even better dads to me than you were! You were never there for me! Ever." He seemed to have burned himself out, and he sat panting, shying away into the wolf's flank, tears dripping from his eyes.

"That's not true." Gabriel replied, and he cupped Henry's frowning face in one of his palms, and Henry let him with no resistance this time as he hiccuped and a tear slid down his face. "Let me help you remember."

Memories from a long time ago, long pushed down by childhood amnesia, began to surface, being tugged upward to be viewed after they'd been seemingly erased for twenty-three years. Henry watched as almost every single memory from his first year of life had been in Gabriel's arms, full of golden feathers and rattles and crawling toward outstretched arms and spinning mobiles and bottles. He'd barely even let him out of his arms until his first birthday.

"Why did you leave me, then? Why did you leave us?" Henry pleaded, and when Gabriel opened his arms he easily fell into them, burying his face his in neck and he was shaking from the pain squeezing through his veins.

"I didn't want to." Gabriel replied, wrapping his arm around him and finally chuckling a little. "Aw, buddy. You weren't supposed to be taller than me."

Henry sniffled and a laugh forced its way out of his throat, bubbling wetly. "Well, sorry. I did that on purpose to spite you." Gabriel held him tightly and sighed. "I see Fenris already helped you retract your influence, huh?" Henry nodded a little and closed his eyes.

"Well, I'll stay with you. Just for now." Gabriel tucked the young man into his arms, and his shoulders were unfamiliar, but the aura of his grace was so achingly familiar. "This'll be over soon, sweetheart." Henry sighed and nodded, clinging tightly to him and breathing deeply, hissing out a breath. Gabriel hesitated, but he finally spoke up and smoothed down his hair. "Daddy's here."

He let his mind wander as Henry began to fall asleep in his arms, he remembered the first time he heard the news, the day that all his plans changed.

He'd dropped back into the room on light feet, he swayed a little, which was extremely uncommon for him. He felt numb despite the warmth coursing through his body. He couldn't believe what he'd just been told. No, not told. Ordered.

"Gabe?" Sam asked when he saw him, immediately looking concerned as he rushed forward and looked into his face, trying to guess on what went wrong. "Where did you go?"

He met Sam's eyes, and spread his palm over his chest and looked down at his hand. "Sam." He choked out, closing his eyes slowly. Sam gripped his shoulders and kneeled down, looking deep into his face. "Hey, tell me what's wrong. Is he okay? Is he hurting you?" Gabriel shook his head and a tear slipped from his eye.

"He..he gave me a year, Sam." He spoke up again, pressing harder onto the patch of hot skin as if he could hold him closer. Sam looked extremely confused, shaking his head a little as he searched his face. "A year..a year for what? Until what?"

"I can't...my father won't let me stay. He says I have work to do. It would be dangerous, and...I can't bring Henry into it. He's giving me a year until I have to join him. " Wordlessly, he rushed foward and wrapped himself in Sam's chest. Sam gently folded his arms around him, he was pale-faced from the news himself. "But..how..what am I supposed to do? I hardly know anything about angels, much less archangels, and I don't know if I could do it by myself, Gabe."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The angel whispered into his clothes. "I never wanted this to happen. I wanted to stay." Sam felt little spots of water leak into his clothes. "I know." Sam shut his own eyes and hugged him closer.

That night they'd lay down and Gabriel had talked for hours and hours about what Sam would need to do to take care of Henry. More than anything he wanted to do what he'd done before, go off the map, get under the radar, so he could stick with his family.

He'd just been outlining needs for around when he'd be around five when Gabriel suddenly stopped and peered up at Sam. "What if...what if I fell, Sam?" He asked, breathing deeply and feeling the nodule of grace in his chest as well as his own substance swirling and living inside the vessel he occupied. "It wouldn't be so bad. It would be worth it."

Sam's eyes went wide and his breath caught in his throat. "Gabe, you can't do that. You can't do that for me. And if God really does need your help..."

"I know." He sighed and ran a hand through Sam's hair. "I guess it's just nice to pretend." Sam looked down and Gabriel gently tipped his chin up. Gabriel's eyes were shining as he narrowed his eyes. "Listen to me very carefully. You have to make sure that he has complete and total indifference towards me. Understand?"

Sam pressed his lips together. "I...I'll try. I just wish.."

"I know." He pulled slowly forward and gave Sam a slow kiss on the lips, pulling away and smiling as Sam just looked like a little puppy out at him with wide eyes. "Hey, no case of the red-face today, huh?" He tried to joke light-heartedly.

"I just can't believe this is happening." Sam replied sadly.

"Me neither, kiddo."

Gabriel gently rubbed Henry between the shoulder blades on his broad back as the lanky kid wrapped around him gave a small snore. Fenris let out a huff and spoke up.

He's sad, pops. He said quietly into his mind. You shouldn't have left him like that. I can see his mind..he has a bitter spot, that's one dark stain that's not going to go away.

"I wanted him to be indifferent." He replied in a futile attempt to explain himself. He looked down and swept some of the long hair from his sleeping face. "And I'll have to leave soon again. My work still isn't done, son."

But what if we could change all this? Everything? Fenris spoke up. We could.

"You could." Gabriel answered. "Balthazar has done it before." He looked at Henry again, shuddering and hurting, he saw that bitter stain of dark anger that Fenris had described. He realized with a jolt where he'd seen that kind of thing before; on his brother Lucifer. He concentrated and looked deeper.

It was Lucifer's. A strange, foreign light that had no business being in his grace, and Gabriel had no idea how it got there or why.

"I realize now, why they had to come back." Gabriel spoke up aloud in astonishment. "They have to change this. They need to change everything."

He saw everything, and all the horrible potentials. Nephilim had been outlawed because of their strength and because they were caught in the middle of two species, no fixed alligences. They were dangerous. And now he saw that if things stayed the same, it wouldn't have mattered that Gabriel had prevented Lucifer from reproducing, because Henry would wind up the same result. But only if the foreign grace, implanted in him, was allowed to fester.

He saw now. His own son was the snake egg that everyone had tried to prevent from outlawing Lucifer to have offspring.

"Fenris. Fenris!" Gabriel whispered loudly, cradling the tall young man's head in his palm. "You have to tell them, when I leave. That demon wasn't the only reason they're here."

Fenris melted back into his human form, frowning. "What am I supposed to tell them, dad?"

"Tell them...that Lucifer will have a son, and that they have to stop that. Do not tell them that Henry has this..thing inside, and that he's the potential one. Do that for me, okay? I will have to leave soon." Gabriel felt a dark emotion in his chest and swallowed down the lump in his throat.

"Poor Henry." Fenris frowned. "I'll tell them, dad. But I won't tell them about li'l bro and that devil's shard he's carrying."

"Good." Gabriel said curtly back. "Take care of him when I leave, alright?"

"Duh." Fenris laughed and curled around the two of them as a dark wolf once again. Gabriel loved and hated all this sass simultaneously.