Chapter 5: The City of Gold

Gabriel led me through the city, pushing me into small shops and dragging me across the handmade bridges that led over the clear rivers filled with large fish and giant turtles that made even me look like a mouse. It was a beautiful city and I sort of hated himself for not exploring it sooner. Gabriel pulled me into a small village across the river and my gaze fell on the red angel Dean and I had saved from execution earlier. I walked over to her, waving until I caught her attention. When she looked up her eyes widened in fear and she jumped to her feet.

"Hey, it's alright. I –" She unclipped the gold feather clips from her wings and the studded earrings, pushing them into my hands and then bowing. "You don't understand. I don't want these. I just –"before I could get any farther in explaining myself she bolted like a frightened deer, tipping over a cart and causing several items to shatter to the gold bricked road. A sad frown fell upon my face and Gabriel squeezed my shoulder, shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it, Sammy. You're a God. The people are just scared." I shook my head, kneeling down next to the broken objects now on the ground.

"That's just it, Gabe. They shouldn't be scared." I started wondering what crap Lucifer filled these people's heads with day and night. The more I thought the more I understood why Gabriel and Castiel were so desperate to get the hell out of dodge. Sighing, I glanced at the junk that had fallen off one of the carts when the angel had run off. An idea popped into my head then and I gathered the pieces up, ignoring Gabriel's questions. After threading everything together I was left with a handmade guitar. Gabe raised a brow at me as I started tuning it.

"Pretty talented for a con-artist," the angel whispered. I shrugged my shoulders, playing a few random notes.

"Yeah, but being talented only helps when you've got an education. If I go to school I can give Dean and I a life off the streets." Gabe nodded, staring out into the distance.

"I can relate," Gabe sighed, earning my full attention. "Castiel and I have always been fed-up with Lucifer's rules. We rebelled in every way possible until Lucifer had enough of us and plotted to have us executed." My eyes widened and Gabe nodded at the temple Dean and Cas were still at. "We stole from the temple what we could carry and ran. We didn't care where, we just wanted free will."

"And then you both bumped into us?" Sam questioned, remembering when they all first met at the rock. Gabriel nodded.

"If it wasn't for you and your brother Lucifer would have had us executed as soon as we entered the city." Shivers ran down my spine. Visions of Lucifer and his thugs ripping the two angels apart clouding my mind. He suddenly felt even more grateful for being mistaken for a God. Finally, Gabriel shook himself from his thoughts and jabbed a finger into my ribs. "Play me a song, will ya?" I nodded, running my fingers along the tight cords and strings of my homemade instrument. A soft noise filled the air and I slowly picked up the tempo. Gabe clapped his hands together as I played and Bobby with few children on his back peaked out from around the corners of the streets.

"Bobby! There you are!" I shout, continuing to play. The children on his back, slide off of him and hide behind his legs. I noticed them, waving them over. They looked hesitant at first, but then Gabriel got up from his spot next to me and started dancing. The children's eyes brightened and they ran from their hiding spot to join along with Gabriel. Their tiny wings glinted as the sun hit them while they danced. I played a little faster and Gabriel lifted the smallest of the children into his arms, swaying back and forth with the little girl. She giggled and the other children all cheered for a turn to dance with the angel. A few older angels stepped out of the shadows and joined in on the dancing. A few were hesitant at first, but as I picked up the tempo and the children's laughter grew, they eventually joined in. My hand was starting to go a little numb after a while, but I tried not to show it. Gods don't get tired after all. My eyes flicked around the happy angels, falling on the red-haired girl from before. She slowly made her way towards me, nervous and cautious. I smiled at her when she sat down next to me and pushed the guitar into her hands. She stared at me with wide eyes, but I encouraged her, taking her hand and showing her where to strum. She learned quickly and soon music danced around the city. Gabriel rushed over to me, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the crowd onto Bobby's back. We galloped into a quiet square, bumping into a little boy with light grey wings and blond hair. Two other little angels ran forward, smiling at us widely. The grey winged angel held up a ball and Gabriel and I shared a look before snatching the ball and kicking it around. The boys laughed, chasing after the ball and kicking it back and forth. The ball was just coming for me when I slammed into a hard body from behind. The ball smacked me in the head and I turned to see Dean and Castiel. Dean glanced at Gabriel and the little boys now cowering behind the larger angel's wings and then at the ball sitting on the ground.

"What do you think you're doing?" Dean hissed under his breath, eyes blazing into me. I try to hide my annoyance, laughing at my older brother.

"Um…laying low?" I offer. Dean let out a frustrated groan and grabbed me by my shoulders.

"Look, change of plan: we are grabbing everything we can carry, and getting out. Now!" I stared at my brother in surprise.

"What? Why?" I questioned. Michael was almost finished with our boat. If we waited we'd be able to take all of the gold. Dean rubbed a hand over his face, sharing a look with Castiel.

"Because the high priest is nuts!" Dean shouted. Gabriel rose a brow at Dean, smirking.

"Anybody could've told ya that, Dean-o." Dean glared at Gabriel, jabbing a finger into the angel's test.

"You and your bad influences stay away from my brother. We're getting out of here before –"

"There you are!" Dean swore under his breath, pulling away from Gabriel and turning to greet Lucifer as he and Michael walked into view. Lucifer looked around, glaring at the little boys and Gabriel. Castiel rushed over to his brother, lifting one of the small children into his arms protectively and shielding them from Lucifer's hateful gaze. Lucifer glared at the ball by my feet, picking it up.

"This is unacceptable!" Lucifer shouted.

"Yeah, what he said!" Dean agreed, glaring at me. Lucifer ignored me and held the ball up for the now gathering crowd to see.

"The Gods should not be playing ball like this!" Lucifer stated. Dean once again agreed with the high priest, glaring in my direction every chance he got. Lucifer snapped his fingers and the world moved from under us, carrying us to a giant arena. "This is how you play ball!" People cheered from their seats and I tried to ignore Dean's dagger like eyes boring into me, but there was no escape. I turned to face him, flinching at how angry he was.

"Hey, don't blame me!" I shouted.

"Oh, I blame you!" he growled, pointing his finger at me accusingly. The crowd continued cheering and I looked over at Lucifer in time to see the priest smiling cunningly. This wasn't going to go well.