Direct lines pulled from 11x21 transcript

.-~*~-.

A month and a half later Gabriel was nosing through the books in the library while the boys were out on a hunt that he didn't particularly care for. The Men of Letters' library was extensive, the most fascinating archive of spells and information he'd ever come across and he knew part of it was because of him.

After all, he'd found that the Men of Letters were capable of housing some of the most dangerous secrets that the planet held. Ones he didn't feel safe letting anyone else find. Unfortunately, none of them consisted of another Hand of God or a way to drag Lucifer out of Amara's grasp. It was just problem after problem and he had a funny feeling it wasn't going to be solved easily. Especially if they couldn't find another Hand.

But that wasn't the point. There was an option. A hail Mary if he were honest, but it was something. Despite his initial thoughts the smiting that the angels had performed on Amara had worked- to an extent. It had definitely weakened her from what he'd pieced together. She'd been weakened by it, maybe not killed, but weakened. Theoretically all of the angels in Heaven could match the strength of one of the archangels. Probably Raphael at the most, but it was a start. It was possible that something could be done to increase their strength. Add to that power to equate Michael?

That left Lucifer and Raphael. Oh, and God. But if they had a Hand they had a solution to that too. Just a power boost for the angels and another archangel equivalent. Sounded flawless. What could possibly go wrong?

Then something pierced the warding.

It was a flash of power that initially made him panic, until he recognized the source. What the hell was He doing there?

"-crazy spell or manifest...ation." Dean was in the middle of a sentence when Gabriel came out of the library in a rush, staring in complete shock at the sight of Chuck standing the in the middle of the room with Kevin's ghost standing behind him like some damned ace.

"Kevin?" Sam asked with astonishment.

"Guys! You're looking stressed. Especially you." Kevin acknowledged Dean, throwing a bit of a curious look in Gabriel's direction before returning his attention to the brothers again. "I- It's cool. Trust Chuck. Whatever it is he needs you to do, he must think you can handle it. I always trusted you."

"Yeah, that ended well."

"How did you- Are you okay, or- uh?"

"Um... Yeah, I mean, you know, given the circumstances." Dead. Both of the primordial beings in the room could resurrect him too, except neither of them had the heart to do it. It was vindictive.

Again, though. What the hell was Chuck doing there?

"Yeah, I don't mean to interrupt. Kind of a plateful here. And, Kevin... you've been in the Veil long enough. It's time you had an upgrade." A wave of his hands and Kevin's soul was floating up and into the ceiling, disappearing into Heaven.

"Holy crap."

"Gabriel?" Sam drew the focus to him and he jumped slightly, looking away from his Father to focus on the hunters.

"It's uh- yeah, it's him." He turned a glare on his Father who kept his expression carefully neutral as they all took uncomfortable seats. It took a second but Gabriel surrendered to his curiosity to join the brothers at the table, his gaze never leaving his Father.

"Okay. So, wow, um, Chuck-" Sam laughed, a nervous chuckle, "Well, I guess we don't call you that, huh?"

"I prefer it." Of course he did. Because Chuck wasn't God. Chuck was the damned persona he'd taken after he jumped ship and ditched them.

"Okay, uh, "Chuck" it is. I'm sorry. You're gonna have to, uh, give Dean and me a moment to start to process. We kinda knew you were around… sort of… Gabriel mentioned you tried to make him help and- I- I mean, we knew about Chuck, but we just didn't know about... Chuck. I mean, I- I- I was hoping you were around. I- I- I prayed and I- but I don't know if they got, uh, lost in the spam or if-"

"You're blubbering like a damned fangirl, Sam." Gabriel snapped a bit rudely earning a stern look from Chuck in response.

"I'm getting that not everyone's totally on board."

"Here's the thing, um... Chuck... And I mean no disrespect. Um... I'm guessing you came back to help with the Darkness, and that's great. That's, you know- It's fantastic. Um, but you've been gone a- a... long, long time. And there's so much crap that has gone down on the Earth for thousands of years. I mean, plagues and wars, slaughters. And you were, I don't know, writing books, going to fan conventions. Were you even aware, o- or did you just tune it out?" Wow. Gabriel couldn't have said that better himself. Ironically, the hunters had a lot more reasons to be pissed than he did.

"I was aware, Dean."

"But you did nothing. And, again, I-I'm not trying to piss you off. You know, I don't want to turn into a pillar of salt."

"I actually… didn't do that." He responded unnecessarily.

"Okay. People- People pray to you. People build churches for you. They fight wars in your name, and you did… nothing."

"You're frustrated. I get it. Believe me, I was hands-on- Real hands-on for, wow, ages. I was so sure if I kept stepping in, teaching, punishing, that these beautiful creatures that I created... would grow up. But it only stayed the same. And I saw that I needed to step away and let my baby find its way. Being overinvolved is no longer parenting." It's abandonment. It was abandoning. God had abandoned them all. "It's enabling."

"But it didn't get better."

"Well, I've been mulling it over. And from where I sit, I think it has."

"Well, from where I sit, it feels like you left us and you're trying to justify it."

"I know you had a complicated upbringing, Dean, but don't confuse me with your dad."

"Oh yeah. John Winchester is the good father that He will never be." Gabriel snapped, glaring at Chuck whose eyes widened before narrowing into slits.

"Gabriel-"

"No, you know what? Fuck you. You told me to come deal with their drama because you couldn't be bothered. Don't you dare pretend you're justifying it! I don't know what the hell it was that changed your mind but you showing up now? It's not because you're doing the right thing. It's because someone- only you know who- guilt tripped your ego into it! You aren't here to protect us, you were hiding!" Gabriel shoved out of his seat, sending it flying back into the wall. "You can fuck right off, Chuck. I'm not going to have anything to do with your bullshit until you give me a reason to do so."

"Gabriel, don't-" Ignoring Chuck, he turned and stormed from the main room. There was something that didn't add up.

'Gabriel. Hey, bro. If you can hear me. I was out of line. I'll help. Just get me the fuck out of-' With a scream Lucifer's words died out and he cut the connection as quick as he could. He wasn't going to help Lucifer. Not unless he had to.

.-~-.

"Hey, Gabe?" Dean's voice came from the other side of the door before it was pushed open rather rudely. He had half a mind to snap his clothes away but considering the… prayer he'd received he decided it wouldn't have the effect he wanted. Well… Maybe it could have one- no, it was a bad idea.

"No."

"You mentioned before- you'd seen him."

"Yeah, I had. Something's changed, and I don't know what but I don't really care."

"Look, it's been two weeks. I've been asking you, but now I'm telling you. We need your help."

"Call Rowena or Crowley- or, you know. You've got God. Make him get off his ass and help."

"Yeah, he's uh…" Dean shifted uncomfortably and Gabriel snorted.

"Not helping? Big surprise."

"It seems to be going around." Dean responded bitterly.

"Know what? No. I've offered to help. I told you when you talked to me last week that if you had something that only I could do-"

"Metatron called us."

"Oh, joy." Gabriel scowled. "What'd the worm have to say?"

"Chuck… He's on a suicide mission. He's decided Amara's gonna kill him and he's just going to let it happen."

Well then. Like father like son he supposed. "So what's his last will and testament? Doesn't seem like the porno type."

"A book."

"Of course. With probably another crappy ending." Dean sighed heavily and tugged a backpack off his back that Gabriel hadn't noticed.

"Here." Gabriel caught the bag easily, unzipping it and frowning at the contents. "Bible 2.0. Didn't think God would be so bad at spelling. But it's there. He's given up."

"So, what? I learned my tricks from Him and Luci. I'm sure he's got more backup plans than I could ever dream of." Except Gabriel didn't think that was exactly accurate. Whatever was in those pages? They'd been enough to drag Him off the sidelines, which meant it was Metatron that had managed to drag him out of his stupor. If God was joining the party? There was a reason. If Dean was calling it a suicide mission…

"We've got an ex-atheist prophet down the hall and your dad isn't listening to reason. Least you could do is come help us find some other way."

"As much as I hate to say it… We need her."

"Her?"

"Er, him. Lucifer."

"You've done that a couple times now. You're not telling me Lucifer's a chick, are you?"

"A few hundred millennia ago gender didn't really exist but Lucifer always veered towards the femininity- well until males dominated the human race and he became a he because of an ego to match Dad's. Anyways, Aunt Amara? She wasn't his aunt. Lucifer was created to be beautiful, to draw her into a trap. And she was. Lucifer was so beautiful. Lucifer made Amara love her, and then they turned on her. That was how God caged her. We took advantage of the weakness, and it made the fight easier."

"So… you guys are like ken dolls."

"No, ken dolls have the little lump. We're literally manifestations of light. There is no lump, there's nothing."

"Right." Dean responded slowly, half staring at him.

"Yes, I could go back to looking like the hot as hell body I chose for our meeting with Crowley and it wouldn't matter. We're getting distracted, though. This isn't about angelic anatomy."

"Right… uh, so what you're saying is that we need Lucifer."

"Dad's not going to try, he's scared. I know you both have thought about it. Lucifer's probably the key to ending this."

"If he's not?"

"Well, we need archangels. Or at least our strength equivalent. Figure out how to get Lucifer, and I'll come out. Until then I'm going to go back to binging Dr. Sexy."

"How to get him, or just get him?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means Sam's already convinced me we need Lucifer. We've got a plan- crappy one, but it's a plan."

"I'm sure it'll work out." Gabriel sighed, getting to his feet and stretching out meticulously, smirking slightly when he caught the hunter eyeing him. "See something you like?"

"No." Dean responded with a scowl, though Gabriel didn't miss the reddening of his cheeks. "So, you're in?"

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Dean gave him an annoyed look before turning and making his way out of the room, following he hallway and pausing at one of the eighty rooms lining the place to grab a case of beers. "You want one?"

"I only drink daiquiris." Gabriel responded, snagging one of the beers from the case the moment the hunter's back was turned. "So, what's up, Dean-o? How're you handling all this?"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Fine's for the fairy tales. But fine. We'll do fine."

"I forgot how much I liked when you were quiet."

"Nah, Dean. You love hearing me talk. It's why you kept me talking so much when we met the first times. You know. Before I sacrificed myself for you."

There was no response from Dean to that as they stepped through the doorway into the main room again, Dean offering the prophet one of the beers like the good man he truly was, "I got you a beer. I don't know if you drink."

Oh poor Donatello. If only he knew what was in store for his ass- assuming the world didn't blow up.

"I do now." Donatello sighed as Gabriel smiled broadly at him. "Is that-"

"Archangel Gabriel, at your service." Smiling cheekily, he bowed dramatically. "You know, once upon a time it was my duty to come to the good little boys like yourself and chat with them while they spat out inarticulate ramblings of human history onto paper and warp them to fit their own views."

"I… have never read the Bible."

"Neither have I." Gabriel grinned as he plopped down into a seat, snapping up a sucker and shoving it in his mouth.

"Well..." Suddenly Dean was uncomfortable again, slouching back into that uneasy stance from before. "I don't know... if Chuck is leaning our way."

"Screw Chuck."

"If we do get Lucifer for the added muscle, then... maybe he'll play ball." Yeah, that was going to go smooth. Probably worse than his own interactions with his Father.

"I thought they hated each other." Donatello chimed uncomfortably.

"Yeah, they do." Dean huffed.

"Hate's the nice word. I hate my Father. Luci? He'd love to kill Him." He was also terrified, so hope wasn't completely gone. Just mostly.

"Wow. I so miss being an atheist." Donatello grumbled as the bunker door opened, a familiar brush of hollowed out grace breaking into the room and drawing Gabriel from his seat in an instant.

"You-"

"What is he doing here!" Metatron yelped as Gabriel appeared in front of him, shadows of his wings cascading onto the walls behind him in a dramatic flare of power. Behind him he heard the sparking of electricity, the breaking of bulbs. A distant laugh- pitying maybe- that he couldn't place.

"You little worm- I should smite you. Do you have any idea- what is he doing here, Sam?" Gabriel demanded angrily as Metatron cowered into the corner, Sam's hands wrapping around his shoulders and trying to pull him back.

"Gabriel- you can't. We need him."

"Tell them what you did to me." Gabriel ordered the ex-Scribe, forcing the fallen to his feet with a brush of power. Metatron stared back at him with wide, fearful eyes.

"I didn't- Gabriel."

"Tell them." Every single instinct was screaming at him to kill the damned angel. All of his willpower went into resisting it- because for some unknown reason Metatron was here. Why hadn't Dean had the decency to warn him?

"I-" Shaking violently, Gabriel transported them both off the stairwell. With a flick of his wrist Metatron fell back into one of the seats. "The Norse… I had the Norse pantheon destroyed."

"Why- what in the hell is wrong with you, Metatron!" Dean barked out, Gabriel laughing sharply.

"Tell them why."

"Gabriel, please."

"Tell them why you had them slaughtered. Not just a bunch of pagans, my family. I want to know too. I want to know why you thought you had any right to do that."

"I did it because- because I wanted to be God. I did it because I needed to break you. I was- I thought if you were around… As long as you had them, you had something to protect."

"My kids. I only had four left, you know. Four beautiful children, one of which was my own flesh, my own grace. If things had been different. If Hela hadn't begged me? Oh, Metatron. You narcissistic, sadistic, self-absorbed dick. I never would have stopped."

"I'm sorry, Gabriel. I'm-"

"Don't pretend you care. I just want it to be clear." Gabriel drew his blade, eyes narrowed into slits. "The only reason you're alive is because you're useful-"

"When I stop being useful you'll kill me. I get the message."

"No." Gabriel laughed, shaking his head and driving his blade into the chair behind him causing the Scribe to squawk and fumble to the side, staring at the archangel blade sticking out of the seat behind him. "You've read the Gospels. Killing you is the least you need to worry about. You screwed with my family, you murdered five of my kids. Don't bother denying her either. Castiel only killed her because you had him do it."

"Wait- that nephillim… she was yours?"

"Of course she was." Gabriel responded, turning away from the Scribe.

"Gabriel, I know you're angry with me. But- have you…"

"No. I haven't. You did, though."

"Yeah. Did they tell you what He's doing?"

"Yes." Gabriel responded with a sigh. "So, let's get through this."

'I wouldn't blame you for smiting his ass.' The prayer was sudden and Gabriel stiffened for a second before forcing himself to relax. No, Dean. That wasn't the right choice. They would need him. Later, though. Later, he would have his fun with the Scribe.

"Fine. Uh… Thanks for inviting me." The words were forced, shaky, and Gabriel crossed the room to slump into a recliner he summoned as the wary brothers looked between each other before taking seats. The atmosphere was tangibly uncomfortable and Donatello looked like he was ten seconds from bolting for the door. Poor guy. When all of this was over, he'd send him on a cruise. Prophets never got it easy.

"Inviting you?" Dean grunted, hostility in his gaze. "You've been circling the building all night. You sent me two hundred text messages with dumbass emojis. You got three minutes before I feed you to Loki. Start talking. Besides world-class douchery, what do you have to offer?"

"Oh, nothing." Metatron responded snarkily. "I just transcribed the angel tablet and know all the spells. And I know what makes Amara tick. And I had a relationship with the big guy for eons. Shall I keep going?"

"You're not the only one here that knew God." Dean responded as Metatron made to grab a beer, Sam snatching it up before he could.

"Ah! That's mine!" Sam's gaze flicked to Gabriel then Dean. "As much as I hate to admit this... he kind of has a point."

"I don't know. I think I'd rather see Gabe kill him a hundred and fifty thousand times."

"You need all the help you can get-" Metatron responded, eyeing Gabriel warily, "Even douche help."

"And since when did you jump on the God wagon? You never used to give a damn."

"Well, I didn't- at one time. Now that he's gone all kamikaze, leaving us with the Darkness, I..." Sighing, Metatron shifted uncomfortably, averting his gaze from everyone present. "I was by his side since the creation. He believed in me. If there's something I can do to help save him and his creation, then... uh, it seems like I should." There he went, sounding like a better guy than Gabriel was- which was bullshit.

"The plan is to rescue Lucifer from Amara. Then he teleports us out of Amara's hideout and we convince Chuck to use him to fight her- and Gabriel not to kill him. Or vice versa."

"That's your plan? Do you even know where Amara is?" Metatron scoffed, shaking his head.

"Um, I think I might know where she is. I've been getting this vibe. Uh, it's like a ping in my cerebral cortex." Flicking his gaze over to Donatello, Gabriel raised an eyebrow. Though unlikely- it was possible that the prophet could track her… in theory.

"Oh, so either Amara or a stroke. And how are we supposed to keep Amara busy while we're... liberating Lucifer?" Metatron gave him a look, almost a plea that he had some better plan. In response he smirked, shrugging.

"Seems fair."

"I'll distract her. You go in, grab Lucifer, then jump ship."

"Winchesters as bait. You up for that one, Sammy?" Gabriel asked, rising to his feet and rubbing his hands together. "I can probably track my brother if Dean-o can keep auntie away."

'You aren't worried she'll kill Dean?' Sam asked him silently in prayer, Gabriel responding with a subtle shake of his head. Amara wouldn't kill Dean. If she planned on it, she would have done it a while back. So, Dean was safe- hopefully.

If not, he didn't doubt for a second that Sam would kill him. If any human could do it, it would be a Winchester.

"Let's do this, boys." A snap of his fingers and his blade was in hand. "Let's save my dick brother."

~-.-~