Well hello my little darlings. How are we all? I would like to thank Mummabro and Hllo-Beastie for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here we are. Next chapter. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Gabriel was standing at his window when he saw the sun lighten the horizon. He had come straight home after he had left Kali's in the hope that he would be able to think of a way to get her back. But so far all he had done was pour himself a drink and stand looking at it. He had come up with nothing. He needed a plan, god damn it. After seeing her again Gabriel couldn't get her off his mind. (Oh Gabriel.)
And then of course there was his brother. Castiel had been calling him none stop for about 3 hours that night. He guessed he had given up when he and Dean-o went to bed. But he wasn't ready to talk to Cassie. He knew what he would want to know. And he didn't want to tell him the truth. It was gone, it was past. Castiel did not need to know how close Gabriel had come to fulfilling his dreams. (Don't think you can stop him. Sorry.)
It was all too much. There was too much going on in his head. He needed to clear it all out so he could think. It was then that the answer came to him.
With that he turned and left his apartment. There was only one thing that might work to get his mind off of Kali and Castiel and help him think of a plan. He entered the kitchen of The Bakery and pulled things out the cupboards. Working completely on instinct, not paying any attention to what it was he was making. Hell it could have been anything for all he cared he just needed his hands to be busy. And while his hands worked his mind went thankfully blank, lulled into a false sense of security by the methodical actions. Cooking had always done that to him.
He worked for hours and once he had finished he took a step back and looked at the end result, his eyes going wide. He hadn't created anything like that in, well, 15 years.
Castiel left Dean/Kali's apartment in a daze. His brother was that good. Of course he knew he was good at cooking and baking. As far back as he could remember Gabriel had spent more time in the kitchen with their cook than he did with any of his brothers. Of course Castiel had often joined him so he could sit and read in peace. But yes it was true Gabriel loved cooking. But he had thought he had just dabbled. Something to pass the time. And the stock the bakery sold was nothing special. Not really. Oh yes Dean said the pie was the best in the world and many of the townsfolk praised Gabriel's skill, but from what Kali had said he got the feeling that the stuff he produced here was a mere shadow of what he could do. If he wished to at any rate. So why wasn't he? Why was he still here? He could have left years ago, but he didn't. It was with these thoughts that Castiel looked up to discover he was outside Gabriel's store. He was outside The Bakery, and there was a light on in the kitchen. Which could only mean one thing. Gabriel was in there. With that he pulled out his keys which included a spare for Gabriel's place and let himself in.
Gabriel was still staring at his creation when he heard the door go behind but he didn't turn round. He didn't need to. Only one person he knew would be here this early. And also had a key. It was Cassie. But he didn't move. He didn't try and hide what he had made. He was done hiding. It was time to come out of the shadows. (So very, very true my love.)
Castiel made his way into the kitchen to see Gabriel leaning against the counter. He was about to start questioning when his eyes caught what was in front of him. It was a master piece. It was a three tiered cake, perfectly iced to look like a tower with ivy grown around it. Each leaf had been separately made and positioned. And each stone of the tower looked like it was an individual block. And on top woven out of sugar was a representation of a couple in an embrace. It was without doubt the most exquisite cake Castiel had ever seen. And it was then that it truly hit him. That he knew. His brother was made for so much more than he had settled for in his life. This is what his brother was. The person who could create such a thing did not belong in some back water town, baking for the locals. Even the wedding cakes Gabriel had made over the years where nothing in comparison to this. This was a level beyond any Castiel could understand.
"Well that certainly answers one of my questions." He finally said stepping into the room and walking round the cake looking at it from every angle.
Gabriel just watched him until he returned to his original position opposite him.
"What question would that be Cassie?" He asked cautiously. He had thought that Castiel would be confused but instead he seemed to have a look of realisation on his face.
"I wanted to know if Kali had exaggerated. It seems she has not." Castiel replied calmly not taking his eyes from the cake.
"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked his eyes going wide. Kali hadn't told Castiel anything. So how… had he seen her since last night? (Yes.) Where? (Her place.) When? (Just now.) What was going on? (Good question.)
"When you didn't answer your phone I went and asked her the questions I wanted to ask you. Well some of them at least." Castiel replied finally, giving his brother a sheepish look. He knew he shouldn't have but he needed answers. He just hoped that Gabriel wasn't too mad with him.
"Which ones?" Gabriel asked through gritted teeth. Just what did Cassie know? And how much did he know? (Not all of it. At least not yet.)
"What it was you did in New York." Castiel replied.
At that Gabriel let out the breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. So Cassie didn't know just how together he and Kali had been. Good. "What did she say?" he asked intrigued now he wasn't scared of what his brother had found out.
"She told me you were her father's protégé." At that Castiel paused, giving Gabriel the chance to say something. When his brother remained silent he continued. "And who her father is." Castiel finished crossing his arms and looking at his brother with sorrow in his eyes.
"Oh." Was all Gabriel could think to say. He really wasn't sure how he felt about Castiel knowing that.
"Yes oh. Why did you never tell me Gabriel?" Castiel asked as calmly as he could, he didn't want to get into a fight with Gabriel but he was confused by his brother's behaviour.
"Truthfully? Cos I didn't want to see the look of guilt and sorrow on your face that you're wearing right now." Gabriel replied with a shrug. It was time and past that he and Castiel had a truthful conversation about this he supposed. And he was so tired being someone who wasn't completely who he was. He was fed up with just being Gabriel the trickster, Gabriel the loving big brother. He wanted to be more. (You are honey, you are.)
"Why did you never go back?" Castiel asked quietly. Surely once he had settled here Gabriel could have returned to his life in the big apple. He would have been fine here alone. Yes he would have missed Gabriel, but he never wanted his brother to give up everything for him. He had thought that Gabriel liked it here. He had never realised that he had just settled. (He does like it.)
"Didn't see much reason to." Gabriel replied with a shrug and when Castiel gave him a look of disbelief he found himself saying the one thing he had told no one. Ever. Not even Pamela knew this bit. "The one time I considered it I found out she was getting married."
"You truly loved her didn't you?" Castiel said somewhat wistfully and with a sad smile on his face making Gabriel roll his eyes.
"Not loved Cassie. Love. I love her still." He corrected with absolute certainty in his voice making Castiel frown. Just what had Gabriel and Kali's relationship been? He would have to find out but first things first. (Oh you will. Fun times.)
"Then you need to win her back." He said with confidence. If Gabriel loved Kali as much he loved Dean then he would be able to get her back. He was sure of it. (Umm, you do realise love is a two-way street right Cas?)
"How?" Gabriel asked with a humourless laugh. He still hadn't come up with a damn plan.
"You're asking me?" Castiel asked in astonishment. He was the last person he would ever think anyone should take romantic advice from.
"Yeah Cassie. I'm asking you. I'm sure that you've read a few romance novels in your time so how?" Gabriel demanded rolling his eyes at his brother.
"Woe her? Shower her with gifts? I don't truly know." Castiel answered panicking at Gabriel's demand. He wasn't the person to talk to about this. Dean maybe, Charlie definitely. But him? No way.
"You Castiel are a genius." Gabriel suddenly said his eyes taking on that gleam that Castiel had learnt years ago to be weary of. Oh god what was his brother going to do now? (That is a question isn't it?)
"Well yes but-" Castiel started, hoping to get Gabriel to tell him his plan but before he could finish his sentence Gabriel was heading out the door. "Where are you going?" he squeaked. Suddenly worried that Gabriel was going to go round to Kali's or do something stupid. (Shouldn't that be and do something stupid? Or something stupider?)
"To bed. I've got an early morning delivery to make tomorrow morning." Gabriel replied with a smirk on his lips and that mischievous gleam very firmly in his eyes.
"What about this cake?" Castiel asked desperate to find something to keep Gabriel there so he could try and get him to talk to him.
"You take it. I'm sure Dean-o will love it." And with that Gabriel disappeared with a spring in his step, leaving Castiel starring after him with wide worried eyes wondering just what he had done. It never even crossed his mind to wonder why Gabriel was going to bed at lunch time.