Hello my darlings. I would like to thank rainystv for the lovely review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update. You guy's are awesome.
So here we are, next chapter. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
"Cassie I'm home." Gabriel shouted as he swans through the door of Angel Books at exactly 11 o'clock the next day.
Castiel who was behind the counter just raised his head at his brothers entrance before returning his eyes to the papers in front of him without saying a word.
"So what ya doing?" Gabriel asked as he came to lean on the counter opposite him.
"Nothing interesting." Castiel replied as he tided up his work and turned to call into the back.
"Charlie I'm leaving now." before turning back to Gabriel. "Shall we?"
"You bet kiddo." Gabriel responded as he grabbed his brothers arm and dragged him out of the store and in the direction of the only jewellers in town. He was looking forward to this, helping Cassie chose a ring (I bet you are). He was so glad his brother had asked him for help, and however much he would love to get Castiel to buy Dean something vulgar he knew he wouldn't.
Arriving at the jewellers Gabriel was like a kid in a candy store he was so excited (why does this not surprise me? Oh yes, probably because I'm the one writing this). He dragged Castiel round all the display cases in quick succession not giving him a real chance to look at anything, that was until the owner came over to them to see how he could be of assistance.
"Hello names Crowley, what can I do for you two today?" He said in a British accent with a smile on his face for both Castiel and Gabriel.
"Um, yes, um..." Castiel tried to say something, he wasn't sure what but Gabriel just rolled his eyes and spoke for him.
"What my brother is trying to say is he is looking for an engagement ring for his partner." Gabriel said returning the smile to the salesman.
"Of course we have a large range over here, do you know her ring size?" Crowley asked, his eyes lighting up at the thought of a sale of an engagement ring. They were always so profitable. (It's Crowley need I say more?)
"His." Gabriel corrected smugly making Castiel glare at him.
"Ah then these would probably be better for you." Crowley replied not batting an eyelid at the gender and directing them to a case that was filled with men's rings. A sale was a sale after all.
Castiel had become embarrassed by his brothers behaviour correcting Crowley, but what had he expected from his brother, really? (Good question) So putting it out of his mind he bent over the case to examine all the rings within.
Gabriel on the other hand got bored with looking at men's rings and as such had wandered off, looking at everything else that was on display. He found a perfect ring in his mind, it was gold with a massive emerald in it. He was tempted to show it to Cassie and claim it matched Dean-o's eyes but a quick look at his brother told him that that probably wouldn't go down too well. Not that that normally stopped him but he got distracted from his pursuit of finding things Dean would dislike by the most beautiful and unique pair of vintage hair combs. They were worked in gold and were a simple style so that they could slide into the hair, but what caught his eye was the pattern they depicted. They were intricately crafted images of two wings. And he could just see them siting in Kali's hair, but before he could call Crowley over his brother spoke.
Castiel had been examining the trays of rings intently. They were made from different metals, some gold, some sliver, but none of them truly caught his eye. That was until his eyes travelled to the tray filled with platinum rings. There he saw what he was looking for.
"Gabriel what do you think of this one?" He asked turning to where he thought his brother was only to find that he was on the other side of the store looking at something completely unrelated to what they had come here to buy. Or at least he hoped it was unrelated, he wouldn't put it past Gabriel to find something Dean would hate and try to persuade him to buy it (sounds like Gabriel). Not that he would, but Gabriel would enjoy doing it. At his words his brother turned to him with a smile and joined him at the case.
"Which one Cassie?" Gabriel asked looking down at the rings. They all looked pretty much the same to him, boring plain bands in various metals.
"That one." Castiel replied pointing to the ring making Crowley move to get it out for them to have a closer look.
It was a simple band just like all the rest but rather than being plain it was made up of two ridged strips, making it look like two bands had been fused together. It was without doubt completely Dean in Castiel's mind. Gabriel on the other hand didn't really have a clue what Dean-o would like, unless it was pie of course. (Of course. Gotta love some pie.)
"If you think he'll like it Cassie I'm sure he will." Gabriel said when he had had a closer look at it.
"Do you really think so?" Castiel asked picking up the ring and looking at it closer.
"I think that you could give Dean-o a jelly ring and he would love it. It's not the accessory kiddo, it's the question and the meaning. So yes I think he'll love it, just as he loves you." Gabriel replied shoulder bumping his brother who broke into a massive smile.
"Thank you Gabriel. I'm glad you came with me, I'm not sure what I would do without you." Castiel said with complete sincerity in his voice making Gabriel go uncomfortable, because soon Castiel wouldn't have him around any more. He would be gone. He needed to talk to his brother. With that resolution in his mind he turned to Castiel with his cheeky grin and spoke.
"Yeah okay. I know I'm amazing. Lets buy this thing then go for a coffee yeah?"
"Okay." Castiel replied, not really paying any attention to his brother as he handed the ring to Crowley and pulled out his card to pay. And as the transaction went through Gabriel turned and looked at the case which contained the hair combs, but he didn't move to buy them of say anything. He would come back later, this was Castiel's shopping trip, not his.
Gabriel dragged his brother to the first coffee shop that wasn't his and got them both a table after collecting there drinks, boring old coffee for Castiel, hot chocolate for him. He then just sat there in silence trying to think of how to address the subject he knew they had to discuss.
Castiel sat there in his own world, trying to work out when and how would be the best time to ask Dean to marry him. It therefore took him some time to realise his brother was also silent, and that was not like Gabriel.
"What is wrong?" He asked coming out of his head and back into the real world and noticing his brother frowning.
"There's something we need to discuss." Gabriel replied. But rather than continuing he took a sip of his drink instead and then just looked down at his cup, fiddling with it. He still hadn't found the right words to say what he wanted to.
"What about?" Castiel asked. He was getting worried now. What was wrong with his brother?
"Kali's returning to New York in four months." Gabriel said making Castiel's eyes widen, were Kali and Gabriel spliting up? He hoped not, it was obvious to him that they were made for each other. Gabriel on the other hand was gaining the courage to finish his sentence, taking a deep breath he looked up at his brother as he spoke again. "And I'm going with her."
At that Castiel sat back. Of course his brother would leave with her. That made sense.
"Shiva offered me the job of running his empire." Gabriel continued when Castiel didn't speak, he was watching his brother face like a hawk but he saw nothing on it except it seemed he was processing the information he had given him.
"Well that is good. I imagine you would do that well." Castiel finally replied smiling at his brother. He was happy for Gabriel, he was glad that he had found his way in the world. He would have a good job he was made to do and the woman he loved at his side. What could go wrong? (Really? You're asking that? Never tempt faith like that Castiel.)
"Thanks." Gabriel replied, a relieved smile appearing on his face at his brothers words.
"I will miss having you just a block away though." Castiel said with a smile of his own for his brother letting him know that while he words were true, he would never want to stop Gabriel from pursuing his dreams.
"Well you can always come to New York and visit. I'm sure Dean-o would love the big apple." Gabriel replied his smile growing wider at the thought of Dean, the typical small town boy, trying to find his way round New York.
" We'll see." Was all Castiel replied, and this time it was him who wouldn't met his brothers eyes making Gabriel frown. Just what was up with his brother now? From what he remembered Castiel had always loved New York.
"What's that mean Cassie?" He asked gently.
"There's a reason you got me to leave Gabriel. I'm not sure if returning even for a visit would be a good plan." Castiel finally answered making Gabriel's eyes go hard, not at the brother in front of him, but the one in New York. He would not let Michael dictate any more of his family's life. But how to resolve it? (Good question. I think you need to get your thinking cap on Gabe.)
"I know." Was all he said in reply. He had to think of a way to deal with this, but he wouldn't tell Cassie that. No he wouldn't tell him anything until it was all sorted. And it would be sorted. That was not in doubt, not in Gabriel's mind.
With that Gabriel changed the subject to Castiel's plan of proposing to Dean, wanting to know all the details. And once Castiel had left to return to his store Gabriel went back to the jewellers and brought the hair combs. He would have to find a special time to give them to the woman he loved. He just hoped she liked them, to him they were more than just pretty hair accessories, to him they where his promise to never leave her again. I mean how could he when he had given her his wings?