Dean sat in Bobby's kitchen with him and Cas. After drinking himself nearly to the point of alcohol poisoning and drowning in his own misery for a couple of days, Dean figured it was time to end things once and for all. He'd been on his way to Bobby's to explain things when he got a call from Cas, who was in the hospital and apparently human. He immediately went to get him and then they went on to Bobby's.
"What the hell did you just say?" Bobby asked after Dean explained what happened with Sam. He felt like he must be hearing things because even in his most desperate moment, Dean would not allow someone to turn his little brother into a pint sized version of himself and then disappear with him.
"Yeah, I know, it's a little freaky," Dean said before taking a sip of his beer.
"Try a lot! Didn't even think it was possible," Bobby said. It was worse than that though. Dean had agreed to let this happen. Why the hell would he do that?
"Almost anything is possible for an archangel," Castiel said.
"It was actually a Pagan ritual, and Gabriel said it's permanent," Dean said.
"I am unsure what Gabriel was trying to accomplish. How does this help anything?" Castiel asked confused.
"What do you mean? Gabriel said children can't consent to angel possession? Shouldn't you know that?" Dean asked.
"Well, yes, I did. Although, I don't know if it's just the body that needs to be young or the mind too. I suppose Gabriel would know," Castiel said.
"His mind will be young soon enough. Gabriel said that his mind will regress within a couple of weeks," Dean said.
"I still do not see how this is helpful. Yes, Lucifer cannot take his vessel, but how does that prevent the apocalypse?" Castiel wondered.
"It doesn't. It just keeps my brother out of it," Dean said. He honestly really didn't care about the apocalypse anymore. The second this war cost him his brother, he stopped caring about it. He'd still say yes to Michael, but not really to save whatever he could of the world. No, he'd do it to pay those bastards back for what they took from him. That and to make sure it was over and there was no reason whatsoever for either Michael or Lucifer, whoever was left standing, to go after his brother. Sam would be safe.
"Why would you do this? Sam wasn't even going to consent. You told me the plan was to shove Lucifer back in the cage," Bobby said.
"Yeah, he was, Bobby. Gabriel told me Sam was going to take Lucifer in so that he could overpower him and jump in. That way they'd both be in the cage," Dean explained.
"That's impossible. Sam would never be able to gain enough control to do that," Castiel said.
"Gabriel says he did. He looked into the future and saw what would happen," Dean said.
"And you believed him? How do you know he wasn't screwing with you?" Bobby asked. Why had Dean put so much trust into the trickster/archangel? The bastard had tricked him and Sam enough times that they should know not to trust him.
"What would be the point of that? To get me to agree? He didn't need me to agree. He wasn't even asking me to. He was going to do what he wanted no matter what I said. He made that clear. Besides, I know he was telling the truth because Sam admitted he planned to say yes to Lucifer. Making sure he couldn't was the only way to protect him," Dean explained.
"Alright, fine, even if de-aging him was the only way, why would you hand him over to some bastard angel, especially one that killed you hundreds of times, which tortured the hell out of Sam? What were you thinking there?" Bobby asked.
"It was the only way. I had to get Sam away from where Michael and Lucifer could get to him, and where he wouldn't be affected by whatever happens to this planet," Dean said.
That last statement earned Dean a look from Castiel. Castiel didn't like his friend's last statement. It sounded like he was giving up, just as he had not to long ago. It sounded like he was ready to say yes and let the fight happen.
"But you left him with another archangel, and he can't even protect himself against him now," Bobby said. Truthfully, Sam would find it hard to protect himself against an archangel even as an adult, but he'd have no chance now.
"Sam does not need to protect himself against Gabriel. Gabriel would never harm a child," Castiel said confidently. He remembered Gabriel just a little from when he was a fledgling. He was a very good older brother. He played with them and taught then, and of course he disciplined them when it was necessary. He could be strict, but he was also very loving. He was very good with children.
"I agree with Cas. Look, Bobby, I was kind of worried before. Even as I prepared to let Gabriel do what he had to do, I didn't really trust him, simply because I barely trusted anyone with Sam. But I saw how he was with Sam right after he changed him. Sam was angry and freaked out. Gabriel handled him like a pro. He tried to comfort and reassure him. It didn't work, but he was very gentle," Dean said.
Castiel nodded. "Gabriel can be very gentle, though I wouldn't envy Sam if he pushes him too far, as Gabriel is very firm."
"Sam probably needs both of those things. While we had plenty of firmness from our dad, it was mostly him screaming at us and barking orders at us. It wasn't exactly the most effective. A lot of things he'd yell, especially to Sam, were pretty cruel," Dean said. He loved his dad, but he'd realized in the last few years that he had to let the hero worship go and see the man for who he really was. He had a lot of faults.
"Gabriel won't do that, but he will make sure Sam leans from his mistakes," Castiel said.
"And how's that," Bobby asked with narrowed eyes. He swore if that bastard did anything to his boy, archangel and unknown dimension be damned, he would kill the SOB.
"The same as any human parent, I suppose, by punishing him," Castiel said. He didn't elaborate further than that. He knew that some humans no longer believed in the practice of physical punishments, mainly because a lot of humans took it too far. Gabriel didn't though. He knew the line between punishment and Abuse. He wouldn't cross it. However, Castiel was unsure of how Bobby or Dean would take Gabriel's parenting style, so he chose not to mention it. "He will keep Sam in line, but make sure he knows he's loved as well."
"He's gonna have his work cut out for him with Sammy. The kid was defiant and stubborn as hell. It won't be any different this time around, especially at first," Dean said before taking a swig of his beer.
"You really trust him with Sam?" Bobby asked.
Dean nodded. "I saw him, Bobby. I know he was sincere. He will take care of Sammy. Hell, I almost wish I could've believed he'd be bad to Sam so I could justify trying to fight him."
Bobby sighed. He really hated this. His boy was gone and they were forced to trust a being they barely knew, and what they did know about him was nothing but cruel tricks. But if Dean trusted him, he must have proven himself. Dean didn't trust at the drop of a hat, especially not with Sam. It took a lot for the hunter to trust someone with his baby brother. "Alright, I get it. I just can't believe we won't see him again."
Dean let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I know."
"Dean, what do you plan to do now?" Castiel asked carefully.
"You're not gonna like my answer, Cas," Dean said as he downed the rest of his beer.
"You cannot let Michael in. I thought we got that through to you. You cannot give up!" Castiel said.
"Oh, this isn't giving up. This is making those assholes pay!" Dean growled.
"What do you mean?" Castiel asked.
Dean got up and went to the fridge, pulling himself out another beer. Then he used the bottle opener on the counter to open it. "They took my brother away from me. I had to send him with an archangel to some other dimension. I will never see him again because they couldn't leave us alone. I'm going to make them pay for that."
"By giving them what they want?" Bobby asked as if it was ludicrous.
"Yes," Dean said matter-of-factly. "Lucifer's going to die by my hands and Big Brother Michael is going to be the reason. He's going to have to live with that for eternity." Dean had to say, that was what he wanted the most. He would take pleasure in Lucifer's Death, but was Michael he really wanted to suffer. Lucifer had sent his demons after Sam to get himself free, but on some level, Dean could almost understand that. Lucifer was the Devil. He was supposed to be an evil SOB. It was Michael and the rest of his dickhead brothers that really pissed Dean off. They were supposed to be the good guys, and instead, they played Dean and Sam like fiddles to start the apocalypse. If there had been any decency in them at all, they would've tried to stop Lucifer from getting out of his cage. Instead, they helped it along. They were the reason Dean had lost his brother, and while Dean couldn't make them all pay, he could make Michael."
"First of all, you're assuming Michael will be the winner. What happens if the Devil wins?" Bobby asked. There were many more flaws in Dean's revenge plan, but he'd start there.
"He won't," Castiel said. "Michael is more powerful than Lucifer when they are on equal footing. Without Sam, Lucifer would be at a severe disadvantage. It would be impossible for him to win against Michael in his true vessel. I still do not understand your revenge plan for Michael, Dean. You wish for Michael to kill his own brother. I can only assume you think that somehow this will hurt Michael, but why would it. It is what he wants."
"No, it's not. He told me himself when you sent us back in time to stop Anna that he doesn't want this. He said he loves Lucifer. The problem is, he thinks his brother's life is worth making Daddy happy, that he'll be able to live with anything as long as he can keep being the good son. He'll find out that he's wrong, and I intend to be there when he does," Dean said. He wanted Michael's pain. He intended to relish in it. It might be the last thing he ever felt, but it would be worth it.
"Dean, do you understand what you're saying. You're willing to sacrifice half the world for revenge?" Bobby asked. That wasn't the boy he knew. Then again, without Sam, Dean didn't seem much left to fight for. He might care about the world, but it didn't mean much to him without his baby brother.
"And it'll be better if I let things play out the way they are? We're just giving Lucifer more time to destroy mankind. This way at least maybe some will life. But frankly, I don't really care about the world. It's not my responsibility anymore. I didn't start this, they did. All I care about now is making them pay," Dean said before walking out of the room.
Castiel shuddered as he stared at the spot Dean had left. He knew there was no stopping him this time. Losing Sam was the last straw for Dean. He was no longer the Righteous Man. He no longer a man who was willing to sacrifice everything to save the world because he had nothing left to sacrifice. Now, all Dean was was a man who was hell bent on making those who took everything from him pay.