When the clock struck midnight, Gabriel knew Dean's year was up. He knew what would happen next, and he couldn't help but turn his gaze to Sam. From his spot on the sand in Costa Rica, Gabriel could see and hear everything going on in that house in New Harmony, Indiana.
The clock finished tolling as the first of Sam's tears fell. Gabriel could barely stand to watch. It was admirable that they tried to run from the hellhound, but there was no stopping this. Sam had to know this. Somewhere in that big head of his, Sam had to know this was inevitable. That's when Gabriel saw it. Lilith was hiding with them. Gabriel's skin crawled knowing that Sam was so close to the first demon ever made. When Lilith kissed Sam, Gabriel had half a mind to smite that bitch himself. Of course, there was a reason she was still alive after all this time. Killing her would be the end of everything. Gabriel still kind of wanted to watch the life burn from her eyes regardless.
A loud cry grabbed Gabriel's attention.
Sam was shouting. "No, stop!" he shouted.
Dean was being ripped to shreds. Sam threw his head back and prayed for help. Gabriel could feel the prayer, and hell if he wouldn't have given anything to answer it. But he couldn't. Dean had to die.
"No, stop it! No!" Sam yelled.
Gabriel wanted to look away, he did, but he couldn't just ignore the situation when Lilith was so close to Sam. He couldn't just leave the kid entirely defenseless. As Lilith raised her hand, emanating with power, Gabriel was ready to end her right then and there. But something happened. Or rather, something didn't happen. Sam was fine. Lilith's power had no effect. It wasn't surprising really that the vessel that would end the world wouldn't be susceptible to Lilith's energy. He was more demon than any of them knew anyway.
Sam turned into a creature of blind rage then. He was going to kill Lilith, there was no doubt about that. Gabriel couldn't get involved. He couldn't. Lilith smoked out of Ruby's meat suit before he could've done anything anyway.
Then, Sam's rage was gone. It was just sadness and despair and loss.
"No," Sam sobbed, holding Dean's bloody, lifeless corpse, "No, Dean."
Gabriel tried so hard to return to the beach he was sitting on. He tried, he really did. He shouldn't care about a human, much less the most doomed human to ever walk the earth.
But Gabriel felt Sam's soul screaming. He felt it to his very core. It was a helpless, pained, strangled sound that had the archangel flying faster than light straight to Sam Winchester's side. Dean's body was torn to ribbons as his body lie dead in Sam's shaking arms. Ruby's empty vessel was strewn on the floor, also dead.
"Sam," Gabriel said softly.
Sam simply stared at Dean through tear filled eyes.
Gabriel knelt next to Sam and said, "Sam, talk to me."
Sam looked up at Gabriel slowly, and Gabriel saw the same jagged brokenness in his eyes that had been present every time Dean died at the Mystery Spot. He couldn't give Dean back this time, and that killed Gabriel.
Sam opened his mouth as if to say something, but it only came out as a choked sob. He closed his eyes and held onto Dean's body tighter as he started crying again.
Gabriel couldn't stand seeing Sam like this. He slowly removed Sam's arms from around Dean, rubbing Sam's arms, trying to help him calm down. Gabriel took Dean's body and laid Sam's brother on the ground.
"Come here," Gabriel said, pulling a shaking Sam into his arms. At first, Sam stiffened at the touch, to the point that Gabriel wondered if he should pull away, but Sam returned the hug and held onto Gabriel tightly as he sobbed into the archangel's shoulder. Gabriel rubbed Sam's back gently and carded his fingers through Sam's hair, wondering how the hell Sam would ever be okay. He knew he'd do whatever he could to help Sam, but he also knew Sam would not do well without his brother.
Unfortunately, even an archangel could not defy the will of Heaven. Until Dean Winchester broke the first seal, if he broke it, there was no way to rescue his soul from the pit.
Someone was coming down the hall, and Gabriel reluctantly pushed away from Sam lightly. "Bobby's coming. He probably won't appreciate finding me here," Gabriel said, "It's gonna be okay, Sam."
Sam looked up at Gabriel just as he disappeared to the Impala. He didn't intend to let Sam be alone after what just happened.
About twenty minutes later, Bobby and Sam came out, hauling Dean's dead body with them. They put his corpse in Bobby's car, and Sam hugged Bobby before heading to the Impala.
Bobby drove away as Sam tried to open the driver's side door. When the door wouldn't budge, Sam felt his pockets, and Gabriel leaned over in the driver's seat. "I'm driving, Samsquatch. Get in," he said.
Sam sighed and said quietly, "Dean wouldn't be okay with this."
Gabriel said, "I think he'd be less okay with you wrapping this car around a tree. You're in no shape to drive, kiddo."
Sam looked at Gabriel with his sad hazel eyes, but without further protest, he got in the passenger seat.
Gabriel turned the key in the ignition and headed in the direction Bobby drove off in. He turned on the radio with a snap of his fingers, and much to his delight, Bon Jovi was playing. Sam quickly turned off the radio and stared out the windshield, unblinking.
"No music," Gabriel said, "Different."
"That was the last song that-" Sam started before cutting himself off and staring at his hands.
"Okay, no music. Who needs music? The stuff's overrated anyway," Gabriel said, casting a glance at Sam. Sam looked over at Gabriel like he appreciated the effort, but the poor kid didn't even attempt a smile.
Gabriel had seen that helpless look before. He didn't know what to do to fix that look, so he settled on distraction. "So, Sam, where are we headed?" he asked.
Sam said, "Bobby's place. It's umm...it's gonna be a long drive. Just follow the highway west."
"What would you prefer? Long road trip or a good night's sleep in a warm bed?" Gabriel asked.
Sam shrugged half-heartedly. "Bed's always better than sleeping in the car, but I don't see how-" he said.
Gabriel snapped his fingers and parked the car in the Singer Salvage Yard.
"How did-" Sam started, looking around, bewildered.
"I am the Trickster," Gabriel said with a smile, "The job comes with perks."
Sam got out of the car and started inspecting the Impala.
"Not a scratch on her, I promise," Gabriel said.
"How am I going to explain to Bobby how I got here so fast?" Sam asked.
Gabriel said, "Well, you could say you must've passed him up somewhere along the way. Or I could go through the trouble to send you and the Impala down the road a ways so you can pull up in the morning."
Sam sighed and said, "You could probably just give Bobby a false memory of watching me drive up, couldn't you?"
"I could do that, but I have this crazy feeling that you don't really approve of me messing with Bobby's noggin," Gabriel said. Sam shook his head and walked towards the house.
As Sam sat down on the couch, Gabriel appeared next to him, making the hunter jump.
"You know, I might not be able to sleep much tonight, but I was going to try," Sam said.
"Couldn't hurt," Gabriel said, "You look exhausted."
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Sam asked.
Gabriel looked at Sam and said with mock offense, "I'm starting to get the feeling you don't want me here." Sam gave Gabriel an attempted bitchface, and Gabriel said, "Look, Sam, I have no intention of leaving you alone tonight."
"Why?" Sam asked, "Why are you even here?" As if Gabriel hadn't been asking himself that same question since he'd arrived.
"Yeah, okay. I can tell when I'm not wanted," Gabriel said. He turned himself invisible on the couch in an easy disappearing act.
"No, that's not what I-" Sam said to the seemingly empty room. He let out a frustrated sigh, and Gabriel reappeared.
"I'm here if you want me," Gabriel said.
Sam looked at him with apologetic eyes. Gabriel didn't know how he did that with his eyes. He was a grown man not a damn puppy. Still, Gabriel found himself staring into Sam's soulful, hazel eyes.
"I'm sorry," Sam said, "I just don't get why a Trickster God would want to keep me company. I'm nobody special."
Gabriel thanked his father for his poker face, because nobody special? The true vessel of Lucifer the Fallen Archangel thought he was nobody special? That was ridiculous. It made Gabriel want to laugh hysterically and cry a little at the same time. Not only was he the vessel, but he was also the only human to ever make Gabriel care. He didn't have to be sitting here with Sam, but leaving was in no way an option. He wanted to be there, and it scared Gabriel to the bone. He should not care so much. But there was nothing he could do. Nobody special? Sam did not know how wrong he was.
Gabriel kept his smiling mask in place as he said, "Don't worry. I don't make a habit of hanging out with humans. But you're a particularly broken human, and I want to be here."
"Well, thank you, I guess," Sam said slowly.
Gabriel patted Sam's leg and said, "You should get some sleep, Sam." He snapped his fingers and transported Sam to the upstairs bedroom.
Gabriel shifted his weight on the bed as Sam said with clear irritation, "Warn me before you do that. Jesus."
Gabriel smiled innocently. Despite Sam's ruffled feathers, it didn't take long for him to lie down on the bed and fall asleep. Sam looked peaceful, but Gabriel knew the hunter's mind was restless. That was to be expected given the circumstances, but Sam's dreams were especially dark. Gabriel tried his best to soothe him, but when Sam suddenly woke up with a gasp and tears, Gabriel was completely unsurprised. He just wished there was something he could do.
Slowly, Gabriel wrapped his arms around the distressed hunter and guided him to rest his head on Gabriel's chest. He ran his fingers through Sam's hair as Sam cried. Gabriel's heart wept for the broken man. He was much more concerned for Sam than he was about how attached he was getting.
When Sam calmed himself, he said, "You should've kept me at the Mystery Spot longer. Maybe it would've helped with all this."
Gabriel was so shocked by the comment that he barely had the wherewithal to say, "I think you underestimate how stubborn you are."
Sam grew quiet. He didn't go back to sleep, but he stayed with his head resting on Gabriel's chest. Gabriel didn't know what to make of it. It was kind of nice. Gabriel dropped his hand to Sam's back, rubbing the hunter slowly. What the hell was he doing? Why was he being so affectionate? Why did he care so much? This wasn't- but Sam didn't move, he didn't shy away or flinch at the touch.
Sam broke the silence by saying, "I don't know why you're here, but I'm glad you are."
Something warm grew in Gabriel's chest. He continued rubbing Sam's back and whispered, "Anytime, kiddo."
Eventually, Sam fell asleep cuddled up with the archangel.
Gabriel stayed and watched over him until Bobby got home in the morning.