A/N: Wow, I just want to thank you guys for the amazing response to the last chapter, I wasn't expecting that at all and it was really inspiring so thank you so much! I hope you all like this chapter and if you have time let me know what you think! I'm finding this fic so much fun to write and flesh out in front of me!

At last, they arrived back at the Winchesters and Gabriel let out a breath of relief. Cutting off the engine Sam awoke at the loss of the familiar buzz of the Impala. He sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily giving Gabriel a quick sheepish smile which somehow affected Gabe's ability to stand momentarily, to his confusion.

"Well, uh, end of the line, buddy," Gabriel smiled briefly, ready to ship out. However the younger boy shifted in his seat uncomfortably, biting his lip with a frown as he seemed to be fighting some internal turmoil.

"Sam?" Gabe prompted and Sam looked to him, seemingly gauging his temperament. When he still said nothing Gabriel began to feel uneasy.

"Yo, Earth to Samsquatch!" He chuckled nervously.

"Gabe, I need to tell you something, like, something big," Sam replied causing Gabriel's stomach to drop as he attempted to interpret Sam's train of thought, coming up blank.

"Er, sure, shoot, gigantor," He said as casually as he could. Sam took a deep breath, steeling himself with a nod.

"Okay, so I want to tell you because you're kinda one of the only people who I've ever felt guilty for not telling and I… I don't wanna lie to you." He glanced up, reading Gabriel's fixed poker face as best he could before taking his silence as a prompt to continue.

"So, well… This is gonna' sound crazy, I mean really crazy, like," He tried to think of how Dean would word it.

"Like, Dino-ate-my-baby crazy," He finished. Gabriel at least snorted at this and nodded, looking almost curious as he waited for the big reveal.

"So me and Dean and our Dad, we, uh," He raked another hand through his hair and began worrying his lip, all the while not taking his eyes from Gabriel.

"Come on, Sammy, what could be so bad? You gonna' tell me you're a serial killer?" He tried with an unhelpful laugh as all the colour drained from Sam's face.

"We hunt monsters. We find evil things, ghosts, werewolves, demons, find them and kill them to stop them from hurting anybody else and it's supposed to be this big secret and I really shouldn't have told you but I wanted to and you're the first person who I've actually needed to tell and I know you probably think I'm totally crazy but I'm not a murderer or anything," Sam babbled on, feeling more sick by the second as a horrified look crossed over Gabriel's face.

"Shit," He breathed as he fumbled for the door handle and nearly fell out of the car. Sam was on him in an instant, rounding the car in seconds, he was a hunter after all and stood in front of him, hands raised in surrender as Gabe's back was against the car.

Gabriel was having too many thoughts, feelings, fears, instincts, all fleeting and terrifying and dizzying as he tried to do something, anything. Sam was a killer? He couldn't believe it, the kid was all heart. Surely he wasn't a mindless murderer…

"How could you kill all those things?" He croaked out.

"I don't- I mean, wait, you don't think I'm insane?" Sam did a double take, eyes bugging as he stared at Gabriel with no such look of a hunter eyeing its prey such as Michael had described on countless occasions. He merely shook his head frantically. Sam suddenly seemed to take in that Gabriel must've had some encounter in the past and at least that was one hurdle jumped that he didn't have to tackle.

"It's not like I want to hunt, I hate hunting. I mean, I get that innocent people need to be protected but, but I don't always see the evil in things the way my Dad seems to. He thinks different means evil but what if, what if sometimes they just wanted to be normal. I mean, angels, how could they be evil? Didn't they all once come from heaven or descend from there or something? I've never killed one either. I've never really killed anything, Dean or Dad always finished the kills, Dean made sure of that." Gabriel stared; the rain that had started pelting them went unnoticed by both parties. Sam had never killed anything, he believed angels could be good.

"So," He gulped to save his throat being ripped apart.

"So, you don't think angels are evil? You don't want to, like, murder them all in some evil vengeance thing?"

"No! I just, I don't see how could they all be bad? I mean, some people are killers, that doesn't make us all killers, right?" He looked to Gabriel and seemed to be legitimately asking the question. Gabriel sucked in a breath, bracing himself.

"I think I might be the wrong person to be asking." He managed before raising a hand, clicking his fingers and watching Sam's expression as the rain instantly turned to snow. Sam started so violently he tripped over backwards landing harshly on the ground but he didn't make any further move away, maybe frozen in fear.

"Sam, I'm not going to hurt you, I've never hurt anyone, shit, I barely get into real fights in school. I couldn't tell you because we have to hide what we are in case.." He trailed off and gave Sam a pained look.

"In case a hunter finds you." Sam finished quietly and Gabriel nodded, uncomfortably solemn for Sam.

"Why did you tell me if it could put you in danger?" Sam asked shakily, climbing to his feet, sounding almost annoyed at his friend's stupidity and his own heart clenched at the thought of any harm coming to him.

"I dunno', you told me, I guess." He grimaced at his own reasoning.

"You said you don't think all angels are evil, right? You sticking to that statement?" Gabriel questioned, frightened of the answer.

"Gabe, the only thing evil about you is your sense of humour, I don't believe you'd ever hurt anybody." Sam said, seeming almost confused as if it was obvious that he had faith in Gabe.

Gabriel shuddered out a breath of pure, unadulterated relief. However, all too soon it was tainted with something else. Sam had moved a little closer now that he'd felt the tension of the situation diffuse a little and was standing a couple of foot away but it felt much too far for some reason as Gabriel tried to word his question.

"Sam, do I," He cleared his throat.

"Are you scared of me?" He dreaded the answer but needed to know it. Sam stared some more and opened his mouth and closed it again, seemingly contemplating his answer. The more he thought the more unnerved he appeared. However, after a couple of minutes passed his expression cleared and he shook his head lightly in response to his friend's question.

"I… You're still just Gabe to me. I know what angels can do, believe me," His voice cracked and Gabriel's stomach dropped as he heard the unspoken words behind that sentence.

"But, I don't know, I trust you." Sam continued and Gabe couldn't help but grant a small smile at this statement.

"Dean's gonna' blow a fuse.." Sam muttered, more to himself.

"What? No, Sam, you can't tell your brother! He'd skin me alive, not to mention-"

"Cas," Sam finished, wide-eyed. He wasn't a fool, he'd seen the way his brother looked at Castiel in the passing weeks and had been overjoyed for him but now he could almost predict the emotional car crash. Sam and Gabriel exchanged one painful moment of mutual clarity before what felt like a minor earthquake threw them both from their feet. Gabriel jumped up at once as winds began to chase his hair and he looked around wildly, he knew his brother's cry in a heartbeat, a cry of pain. A flash of lightning sparked in the distance and Gabriel took off, sprinting down the road, his familial instincts taking president.

Sam blinked, head spinning. He looked up to see Gabriel racing away and clambered to his feet as he chased after him.

"Gabe, wait!" He tried to keep up but Gabriel was near flying with speed as he ran. They turned two blocks and then somehow were going down some trail and then straight into the thick wood that was near Dean's friend's house. Sam was finding it increasingly difficult to keep track of Gabriel as he tore through the woodland, dodging trees and jumping ditches and then he slammed into another form with a shout. Both were on their feet in seconds.

"Dean?" Sam said, stunned at the look on his brother's face.

"Sammy." Dean grabbed his brother's arm and tried to drag him along. Sam stuck his heels into the ground.

"Dean, what the hell's happening?"

"They're angels, Sammy. They're freaking angels." He spat as his eyes searched around him madly.

"I know, Dean. Gabe just told me, but they're not bad, they've never hurt anyone, they're innocent!" Sam instantly defended and Dean's eyes narrowed.

"Don't let him fill your head with crap, Sam. You're a hunter." He said sternly and Sam growled, snatching his arm away.

"No, Dean. I'm a hunter's kid. They're innocent, Dean. They've just been trying to live a normal life!"

"Sam, they're angels! They're monsters! They're exactly the same as the son of a bitch that killed Mom." He shouted and Sam matched his volume when he replied.

"Jesus, Dean, would you even listen to yourself! You know Cas. You honestly think he's ever hurt anyone, killed anyone?" Dean faltered and Sam knew he had him, not missing a beat as he continued.

"He'd never hurt a fly! Plus he's completely crazy about you." Dean looked ready to interrupt but Sam stopped him.

"Don't, Dean. I'm not an idiot, a blind guy could see they way you two look at each other. Point is he'd never hurt you especially!"

"Sam, you can't logic this shit out, they're angels, they're programmed to kill!"

"That's bullshit, Dean, and you know it. I get it, okay, I do. An angel killed Mom. Believe me I hate that thing as much as you but that was one sick angel. These guys are different, you know they are. Think about it, how did you find out Cas was an angel?"

"I… I don't know, I guess he kind of told me."

"See, he at least wants you to know the truth about him! And did he try to hurt you, or even get angry when you found out?"

"…No, he, he looked… scared." The word sounded foreign to his own ears. Really thinking back his mind helpfully supplied him with Castiel's look of terror and the whine of fear in his tone when he'd spoken.

"Don't you think that means he's not some evil killer? Please, Dean, don't tell Dad." Dean looked back at his brother at this and gulped.

"I wasn't gonna' tell Dad. He'd-" His throat clenched.

"He'd kill them." Sam nodded, face flushed and relieved.

"Doesn't mean they aren't evil. Or maybe they aren't but… I just don't trust them, we need to get home, like right now."

XXXXXXX

Gabriel found his brother wandering, clearly having previously been crying, but now he was ripping trees from the ground or punching them with the force that made them snap and with every crack of wooden spines crying out, a crash of thunder and lightning spilled from the clouds in a dangerous pool of electricity.

"Castiel!" He shouted and Cas didn't turn to look at him, merely continued his assault on the woodland. Gabriel approached him warily, very aware of the power his brother possessed, much more than he did. He finally reached his brothers side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Cassie, stop." He said quietly and his baby brother instantly crumpled into a defeated heap. Gabriel helped him up and immediately flew them home, not caring about the rules, they were broken enough tonight as it was.

When they arrived home and landed in the middle of the living room Anna screamed and rushed to them. Castiel seemed to be physically drained as he fell to the floor yet again like a discarded piece of paper. Gabriel was at a loss of what to do and felt his phone vibrate against his leg. Knowing it would be Sam he hurriedly got it out. A simple text put him at least a little more at ease.

Dean won't tell anyone. Stay away.

"What happened, oh God, what happened?" Anna shrieked, trying desperately to bring some semblance of consciousness to Castiel, pushing her power down her fingertips and to his temples to no avail. Uriel, Lucifer and Raphael were downstairs in a split second, all shouting and raging as to what had happened and who was going to get ripped to shreds. The noise erupting within that room was enough to give Gabriel the beginnings of a migraine. Shouting and threats and demands and questions and Anna's sobs filled the room for what felt like a lifetime.

"Enough." The room seemed to darken as it fell silent, all but Anna's quiet sobs ceased as everyone turned to see Michael, holding himself up in the door frame but looking as intimidating as ever as he glared into the room.

"Calm yourselves, all of you. Leave us, but you will not leave this house, am I understood?" His voice was like steel as he dared anyone to object, his authority, though regularly challenged, was undeniable. Even Lucifer nodded in obedient silence. Everyone left the room, Gabriel last, sparing another look to his brother but walked out as well from a reassuring nod from Michael.

Anna stayed cradling her brother, crying softly. Michael slowly made his way to her side and she didn't take her eyes off of Castiel.

"Pl-Please, Michael. He's used to much power, tell me you can help him." She whispered, desperate and pleading as she wiped her thumb across Castiel's worryingly pale cheek as tears raced down her own, forgotten and unimportant. Michael took Castiel from her unwilling arms and lifted him carefully, placing him down on the sofa, frowning sadly down at his youngest brother. His eyes flashed with grace as he placed a kiss into his hair, allowing his own grace to flow into his brother.

Turning back to Anna he smiled calmly at her and she sank into his arms, clinging to him as she cried.

"He's so young, he's so young, I'm so scared, Michael," She kept choking on her own words and Michael just held his sister, allowing her to give way to her emotions, controlling her own flourishing grace where she couldn't.

"I know, Anna. He will repair himself, just as I am repairing myself, it will simply take time. He hasn't discovered his true power nor his ability to harness it. He overpowered himself, his internal system is just protecting itself. He'll be alright." He stressed the last sentence, lingering a little to make it perfectly clear to his distraught sister who seemed to calm down slightly.

Only a few hours later in the early hours of the morning, Castiel awoke to the eyes of his eldest brother and he shrank into himself a little. His head hurt to no end and he felt instantly sick as all thoughts returned to him.

"Michael, I-"

"You told Dean."

"..Yes. I'm sorry, I just-"

"It was incredibly dangerous, Castiel. They're hunters." Michael said darkly and Castiel shrank further into sofa before looking up in confusion.

"You knew?" Michael looked as if this information was nothing surprising.

"Of course. They are the same hunters who attacked me when I was weeping, Dean gave me this wound." He said gesturing to himself and Castiel's eyes bugged as they filled with tears and his tongue stung with betrayal.

"Dean did that?" He whispered and Michael nodded, calm as ever.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Castiel said, anger now bubbling within him. Michael sensed it and frowned at his brother.

"Castiel, Dean was protecting his brother, I struck him in a panic. Would you not do the same for one of your brothers?" He said logically and Castiel stopped short before nodding thoughtfully.

"I do not believe Dean Winchester is a killer. His Father is blinded with grief and has dragged his son into his warped turmoil but those boys are not bad people."

"But you've always said-"

"Traditional hunters don't let their prey get away, not for anything. However, thankfully, here you are and for that I will always be grateful to Dean Winchester." Castiel thought back to Dean's look of torn agony when he'd been about to punch him, no doubt ready to rip him apart, but Michael was right, Dean had let him go when he could've killed him. Castiel would've never put up a fight.

"Gabriel has assured me that neither one of them have any intention to reveal our secret to their Father, a courageous thing to do, but you must also not go near them anymore. I've said the same to Gabriel. You're both to stay away, regardless of how you feel." He fixed Castiel with a knowing look and Castiel bit his cheek, willing himself not to cry, for different reasons this time. Michael's expression seemed to turn weary as he ran a hand through his brother's hair, his face adorned with a sad smile.

"Unfortunately your actions have repercussions. People aren't oblivious to the crazed weather and freak lightning storms and blizzards. Uncle Zachariah is on his way for… damage control. You and Gabriel are henceforth to be homeschooled by him and he's going to teach you the importance of keeping your powers in check as it appears I am incapable of doing so." The last sentence rang of disappointment in himself as Michael thought to all he could've done to be a better brother and Father figure.

Castiel filled to the brim with guilt as his brother looked crestfallen, he was also terrified of what his Uncle Zachariah could have in store for him. He couldn't go back to school, Dean, his other friends. His new life was shattered and it was undeniably his fault.

"I'm sorry, Michael." He said sincerely, devastated. Michael nodded.

"I know. I am sorry, Castiel." He looked properly at his brother and Castiel could tell he was referring to Dean. He dropped his eyes to the floor and got to his feet.

"Go and get some sleep, your Uncle will be here by morning and you'll need to be alert." Michael advised, leaving the room with a limp.

Castiel sank down onto his bed, dreading the morning, dreading everything, unable to sleep, unable to stop his thoughts, unable to rid himself of the memory of Dean's face contorted into betrayal and pain. He gathered himself to make one more, probably foolish, decision and took his phone out. Scrolling down to Dean's number he sent him one text message. He neither expected nor received any reply but felt it important to let Dean know he was still the same person. To let him know what was most important. Maybe one day Dean might see that.

XXXXXXX

Dean lay on his bed in torment, his mind ached from being ransacked over and over. Everything was foggy and unclear but the only thing that was clear was Castiel's eyes, wide and familiar and innocent as Dean had raised a hand to him. He stared at his phone, his eyes strangled from having no relief of blinking.

I'm still just your Cas. Forgive me.

A/N: I'm sorry about the waiting between chapters for this and other fics but a lot has been going on, I had to quit my job after a sexual assault issue, my sister is in hospital and I had my sixth form induction day. I'm trying my best not to neglect anything and hope to update again soon! Please let me know what you thought, what you liked/disliked/would like to see. Ideas are always welcome and I love to hear from you guys. Thank you for all the follows and favourites, it's so exciting to have anyone interested in my writing! Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading!