Chapter 6

"I'm sorry," Percy says after almost an entire minute. "Could you repeat that?"

"Kronos," Dean says slowly, "is an Archangel."

"And that means?" Percy prompts.

"It means that he is the true brother of Michael, Lucifer, Raphael and Gabriel. He is the Fifth creation of God and over thirteen-point-eight billion years old," Castiel explains. "And, if he so wished, he could destroy this entire galaxy."

"Damn," Percy breathes.

"That's not the worst of it," Dean growls, spinning to face Kronos and tugging the gag off, before promptly punching him in the face.

Kronos smiles. "Was that really necessary?"

"What did you do that caused your name to be forbidden in Heaven?" Dean demands.

Kronos grimaces. "Why?" he demands.

"Why? Because Lucifer and Michael are going to duke it out and you're just sitting back and watching as your brothers destroy the world!"

"What about Luke?" Annabeth questions.

Kronos turns to face her. "Luke said yes," he says bluntly, uncaringly.

"I'm sorry," Sam says quietly, "but for an angel to possess someone, they need clear consent. Luke had to have believed he was doing the right thing."

"He's still here," Kronos says with a sharp smile.

"That's not important," Dean snaps. He takes a deep breath and pulls a chair over, resting his arms on the back as he straddles it. "What did you do?"

Thunder cracks overhead as Kronos' eyes narrow. "I made a mistake," he says finally.

"It must have been a pretty big mistake," Sam says quietly.

Kronos lets out a long sigh and leans back, his shoulders falling slightly. He tugs briefly at the restraints before scowling. "I joined Lucifer."

Dean blinks. "What?"

"In the Fall," Kronos elaborates. "I made a mistake… helped him get into the Garden and left with him." He swallows, his gaze suddenly far away from Manhattan. "It was after I killed another angel that I realised what was happening… I didn't want to kill my brothers." He took a deep breath, looking back at Dean and Sam. "So I went to Father. I begged for forgiveness, for something to atone with."

"And?" Sam prompts.

"He directed me to Gaea and Ouranos," Kronos says simply. "To the Titans. Rhea had just been born then. And Gaea was all too eager to accept me – an Archangel – into the family." He smiles wryly. "Even if it was only because no other Primordials would dare refuse her, knowing that I was around."

"Why did Father direct you to the pagans?" Castiel asks curiously.

Kronos glances at him. "Ouranos… he wasn't as happy as Gaea to see me suddenly join the family. He knew that it meant that God knew what he was doing. He couldn't be sure, but he suspected that I was there for him. He was right." His mouth curls up into a satisfied smile. "I waited until I caught him red-handed – gold-handed, if you wish to be specific – and then I killed him, as God wished me to."

"Why would God want you to kill Ouranos?" Zeus demands, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because he was beating his kids," Kronos says simply. "Hence why I caught him gold-handed. It's why God sent me down here, with instructions to become a pagan deity." He leans forwards, then realises that his bound arms stop him from doing so and leans back again with a quiet growl. "The Five of us – the Archangels – we each have our own titles."

"The Soldier," Castiel states quietly, "the Devil, the Healer, the Trickster, and the Shield."

Kronos nods. "Exactly," he agrees.

Realisation dawns in Castiel's eyes. "That's why you're down here. The Shield. The Protector of Mankind."

Kronos inclines his head.

"Just… help me understand something here," Dean says finally. "In what way does protecting mankind have anything to do with allowing Armageddon to happen? You've been sitting back and letting Lucifer and his demons kill humans, when you're supposed to protect them? No offense, asshole, but you're a shit protector."

"I cannot defend all of mankind-"

"So you try to take down Olympus instead?" Sam asks. "Faultless logic there."

Thunder cracks overhead, lightning illuminating the snarl on Kronos' face. "I swore to the Titans I would assist them with taking back their thrones. From there, I will have an entire army to fight off Lucifer's demons, and I will have half-breeds and the gods."

"You expected us to help you?" Zeus demands. "Why would we ever do that?"

"Because if I had wanted to kill the six of you after your births, you would have died," he says flatly.

"So you're saying we should be thanking you for eating us?" Hades snarls.

"He did you a favour," Castiel says finally.

"In which way?" Hera snaps. "He ate us!"

"And in doing so, his grace was able to mix with your immortal souls to hide away the grace that you were born with," Castiel explains. "You were all – the six of you – born as Nephilim. Nephilim… they are considered abominations by Heaven, a horrid mix of angel and human. The pagan gods are all more human than angel, so you were born as a twisted Nephilim. Kronos was able to hide your grace away – in doing so, locking away a vast amount of your abilities and powers – and so stop any angel from killing you. He protected you in the only way he could."

Kronos' mouth twitches up. "Zeus, Rhea had to keep you away. So I slipped some of my grace into most of your drinks, whenever I could. I knew you were that cupbearer, it was all too obvious with your grace singing in your ichor. The Titans who posed as my siblings knew that too, since they'd been around me long enough to know what grace felt like. Hyperion suggested getting rid of you, I told him no, because some things must happen."

Zeus stares at Kronos, before shaking his head and storming off. Kronos lets out a long sigh and tilts his head back against the backrest of the chair. "Is there anything else you want me to spit out? Or is that it?"

"Yeah, actually," Dean says. "There is. Why are you and Gabriel just sitting back and watching the Apocalypse happen around you? You two could actually do something good to help! Lucifer and Michael are gonna make the world their battlefield. Two super-powered dicks butting heads? The world's gonna be destroyed. You're supposed to protect it. So why are you just sitting back?"

Kronos' eyes narrow at him. "The same reason Gabriel is. We cannot win if we face Lucifer or Michael. Armageddon will happen whether humans wish it to or not – we just want it to be over." He grits his teeth. "So, as the True Vessels of Michael and Lucifer it is your—"

"Oh, save it," Dean grumbles, taking the gag and putting it back on the Archangel. "I've had enough of that from the other winged dicks."

"Are we going to let him go?" Castiel asks.

"You're joking, right?" Dean demands.

"We can't, Cas," Sam says. "I'm not saying that he's not trying to help, because he is. But the thing is, he's not actually willing to face Lucifer."

"He's a coward," Dean adds. "Too scared of his brothers to stand up to them. Just like Gabriel. I'd bet a million dollars that if we let him go, he'd run off somewhere and lay low until Armageddon is done with."

"What do we do about the Titans?" Annabeth asks finally.

"From what Kronos said, I don't think they'll back off," Sam mutters. "Even when we have the Archangel up their sleeve."

"Dean, Sam," Cas says finally, "if we are not letting him go, I must take him to Heaven. Michael and Raphael have been searching for him."

Kronos' eyes widen.

"Sure," Dean says, "but you gotta make sure he comes back here after."

I'm just posting the 8 chapters that I have... no point dragging this out like I do normally.

Lucifer: The gods (Kronos' kids) would be Nephilim (sorta similar to Jack I guess). Kronos is about Gabriel level, so don't worry - he's weaker than Luci and Mikey (as shown in chapter 8).

thegoldraven: Nice. Yeah, the fic takes place in season 5 (or at least it starts there). I love the show, though I'm only halfway through the last season.