Lucifer walked into the infirmary and found Gabriel still sitting by Sam's side, not that he expected his brother to be anywhere else. "Hey."
Gabriel turned towards his brother. "Hey."
"How is he?" Lucifer asked.
"He's doing okay. He's been asleep most of the night. He's exhausted," Gabriel said.
"He used a lot of Grace," Lucifer said as he came closer. He noticed that Sam's wing had been healed some since the last time he'd seen him. "Mike healed him again, I see."
"Yeah. He should be back soon to finish up," Gabriel said.
"Listen, I said this to you already, but I swear these bastards are going to pay for this," Lucifer promised.
"I wanna know who they were," Gabriel said.
"Well, aside from Vashti, there was Thaddeus, Bartholomew, Asher, Jabez, and Nathaniel," Lucifer told him.
Gabriel nodded. "Aside from Thaddeus, who would torture anyone that crossed his path, each one of them is a Michael supporter."
"Michael didn't sanction this, Gabriel."
"I know that, but they did it for him," Gabriel said.
"Then they miscalculated. Michael in no way supported what happened. Gabriel, when he saw Sam on the ground with his wing torn, everything changed. He saw what you, Castiel, and I see. He saw someone he cared for. I know that's hard to believe, but he did," Lucifer said
"It might be if I hadn't seen it myself. He was here, and he was very kind and patient. It was very unlike Michael, at least of late," Gabriel said.
"Gabriel, that's why I let the training sessions continue after I found out. I watched them, and I could see the affect Sam was having on Michael. I thought it was best for that to continue," Lucifer explained.
Gabriel sighed. "I'm sorry, Lucifer. I shouldn't have said what I did to you the other day. I know you would never put Sam at risk just to keep Michael off your back."
"It's okay. I know you were just angry," Lucifer said.
"Honestly, Lucifer, I'm still pretty angry about it. You crossed a line," Gabriel said in a hard tone.
"I know," Lucifer said apologetically. He knew when he did it that he was crossing a line. He should've told Gabriel right away what was going on. But at the same time, he didn't regret what he did. Those training sessions helped Michael.
"You know, I don't expect you to come to me every time Sam confides in you. He should be able to count on you to keep his secrets, as long as they're small. This wasn't small. My son was being trained by someone who worked to kill him not too long ago. I had the right to know," Gabriel said.
Lucifer nodded.
"And I really, really resent having to find out from Metatron," Gabriel said.
"Metatron told you? How the hell did he find out?" Lucifer wondered.
"We ran into him that day," a new voice said.
They both looked over to see Michael several feet away.
Michael walked closer. "Metatron cornered Sam when he was on his way to see me. I didn't hear what he said to him, but I could take a guess. I sent Sam on his way and warned Metatron to stay away from him. I can only guess I gave something away while I was speaking to him."
"What led to you training my kid?" Gabriel asked.
Michael hesitated. "I think Sam should be the one to tell you. Just know that I didn't mean him any harm. I was trying to help him. At least towards the end I was."
Gabriel nodded after a minute.
"I'd need to finish healing him. Then, if you'll allow it, I'd like to speak to the both of you," Michael said.
"Give him a chance," Lucifer urged.
Gabriel thought about it for second. "We'll hear what you have to say, but that's all I can promise you."
Michael nodded. "Thank you."
Gabriel gently shook Sam's shoulder. "Sam? I need you to wake up for me, kiddo."
Sam groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Dad?"
"Hey. Michael's here to finish healing you," Gabriel said.
"Already?" Sam whined.
Gabriel chuckled. "its been six hours, kiddo."
"This is the last time, Sam, I promise," Michael said as he walked over.
"Alright, just do it quick please," Sam said.
Gabriel grabbed his son's hand and nodded to Michael.
Michael placed his hand on Sam's wing and began healing it.
Sam cried out a bit from the pain, but not like before. It didn't hurt as bad this time.
Michael watched as the rest of Sam's feathers reattached to the rest of his wing. He then removed the Grace bindings that had been put on to keep it from moving. 'There, it's all healed."
"It still aches a little," Sam said.
"Yes, it will for a day or two, but it'll go away. Do you wanna try folding it in with the rest of your wings. It might hurt a little, but after it might feel more comfortable," Michael said.
Sam did as Michael suggested. It did hurt to move it, but after it felt better. He immediately shifted on the bed, so he was on his back.
"You doing okay?" Gabriel asked his son.
Sam nodded. He was much better now. Like he said, his wing still ached some, but it was much better.
"Do you think you can stay up for a little while. Michael would like to speak with us. But if you're too tired, you can go back to sleep. He can wait," Gabriel said.
"Absolutely," Michael agreed with Gabriel.
"No, I'm okay," Sam said.
"I'll leave you guys alone," Lucifer said as he started to leave.
Michael reached out and grabbed his brother by the arm. "No, don't. I have things I have to say to you too." He needed to do this all now. He needed to make it right with everyone he loved.
Lucifer nodded and gave his older brother his attention.
Michael decided to start with Lucifer. That was how it actually had started, so it made sense. "I didn't like humans anymore than you did. I saw them as flawed and lower than us. I still do. They're beneath us."
Sam opened his mouth to protest Michael's point, but then felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He looked up in time to see his father shake his head.
"But I couldn't do what you did. I couldn't rebel. I wanted to though, especially after Father ordered me to cast you into Hell. I didn't want to do it, Lucifer. I didn't!" Michael insisted.
"Then why did you?" Lucifer asked. He was trying very hard to sound bitter and angry, but he knew he was failing.
"It was Father's orders."
Lucifer rolled his eyes.
"No, please, let me finish. His will was going to be carried out one way or another," Michael said.
"Not by you. Not by my big brother," Lucifer said with hurt and anger laced in his voice.
"I…I was scared," Michael said. That was extremely hard for him to admit, even to himself. He'd spent centuries denying it. It worked out pretty well for him too. He could just blame Lucifer. He could tell himself that his brother was a monster who deserved to cast into Hell. He'd told himself that so much that he believed it in the end. But everything that happened with Sam forced him to accept the truth, about everything
"Of what?" he asked.
"Receiving your fate," Michael said quietly.
"What?" Gabriel asked in shock.
Michael turned towards the youngest archangel. "He was the favorite. You know that. We never said it out loud, but we all knew he was the favorite. If he could receive such a harsh punishment, what would happen to the rest of us?" Michael asked
Gabriel looked at Michael and then shook his head. He didn't have an answer for that.
"Michael, are you serious? All this 'Father says' crap was because you were afraid?" Lucifer asked in disbelief.
"Not exactly. I did want to be a good son. I wanted Father's approval, and I wanted him to come home. I thought if I did what he wanted, he would. But, yes, I was afraid. I didn't like that feeling, so I pushed it away. I told myself that you were just evil. That you deserved what you got. It wasn't exactly hard because I did blame you. I thought to myself, if you just pretended like the rest of us, everything would've been fine. Our family wouldn't have been broken," Michael explained
"Oh, Dad. I don't even know what to say, Michael," Lucifer said. He hadn't expected this. He never imagined that Michael had been hurt by everything that happened.
"I don't either. All I can really say is that I'm sorry. You know, I couldn't really face the way it really was until our last conversation. You told me I had to stop seeing things the way Father wanted them, and you were right. I had to find another way to go on than for him, and to do that, I had to face it all. "I don't expect you to forgive me, Lucifer, but I needed you to know that I'm sorry."
"Well, whether you expect it or not, you're going to take forgiveness, because I want my brother back," Lucifer said before throwing his arms around his older brother.
Michael was shocked to find himself engulfed in his brother's arms, but he recovered quickly and hugged Lucifer back. "I want that too."
Lucifer pulled away after a minute. "Alright, I'm gonna leave the three of you alone now. I have some things I need to take care of."
Michael nodded. He knew the truth. Lucifer hated looking vulnerable. He wanted to return to his office, so he could adequately lose himself.
Lucifer looked over at Sam. "Sam, I'm glad you're feeling better. I'll come by your place later to check on you."
"Thanks," Sam said before watching his uncle leave.
Michael turned to his younger brother and nephew. "I wronged the two of you more than I ever could Lucifer. Gabriel, I missed you so much. When I heard you'd left, I was devastated. I wasn't sure if you were alive or dead."
"Don't expect an apology there," Gabriel said harshly.
"I don't. I'm trying to give you one. I can't deny that I was angry with you for leaving. I felt that you'd abandoned us. I couldn't let myself see that I'd pushed you away. You left because of me," Michael said somberly.
"I left because of both of you. You and Lucifer were both dumbasses," Gabriel said.
"Maybe, but I'm the one that cost you the most. Sam told me not too long ago that I cost him you. He was right. You gave up your son because you thought I'd hurt him. You weren't wrong. I probably would have," Michael said.
"Probably? You attempted to kill my son!" Gabriel snarled.
"And there's nothing that I will ever regret more," Michael said sincerely.
"Seriously?" Sam asked in disbelief. He never thought he'd ever hear those words from Michael. The archangel hadn't been shy about what he thought of him. Then again, now that Sam thought back, Michael had been strangely nice to him since he was got hurt. When he was on the ground in that room, he even recalled Michael calling him 'little one'. When had Michael changed his mind about him.
"Yes, Sam. I am so sorry for how I treated you. I'm sorry for my role in what happened to you. If I had been a proper uncle, it wouldn't have happened. I couldn't see you for you really are before. All I saw was what I was taught about Nephilims. I couldn't see my baby brother's son. I couldn't see the kind little fledgling that you are," Michael said with a sad smile.
Sam crossed his arms and grumbled. "I hate that word."
Michael chuckled a little. "It's what you are, Sam. And because it is, I should've protected you, not tried to hurt you. I'm so sorry for that. I don't expect it right now, but I hope one day you can forgive me."
"Well, if you've changed your mind, does that mean we can go home?" Sam asked hopefully. He wanted to go back to Earth. He wanted to be with Dean again.
"Son…" Gabriel started.
"May I, Gabriel?" Michael interrupted.
Gabriel nodded.
Michael pulled a chair over and sat on the other side of nephew. "Sam, I'd hope that you'd come to see this place as your home, but I can see why that would be difficult, especially after last night."
"You're gonna say 'no', aren't you?" Sam asked in a devastated voice.
"Yes, but I need you to understand why. I know you think I made my deal with Lucifer out of spite. That's not true. I honestly did it because I was afraid of the danger you would pose to mankind," Michael explained.
"But you said you changed your mind," Sam argued.
"Yes, I did. I no longer believe you'd purposely hurt anyone. I've seen for myself that you wouldn't. You've showed concern for those who hurt you. You even refused to fight back when they came after you," Michael said.
"What?" Gabriel asked with an edge to his voice.
Michael cringed. He hadn't meant to inform on his nephew. He hadn't even considered that Gabriel didn't know that part.
Sam looked up at his father guiltily.
"We will be discussing this later," Gabriel said sternly.
"Sam, while I know you wouldn't hurt anyone intentionally, you could be accident, and that would destroy you. I can't allow that. I swore I would not allow you to be hurt again. That includes terrible guilt that would destroy you. You would hate yourself if you hurt someone, especially if it was someone you cared about," Michael said.
"But I could be trained," Sam said.
"Yes, and you need to be."
"So after that, I could see Dean, right?"
"Son, by the time you're fully trained, Dean's life will have ended, and he'll be here," Gabriel said.
"It… It'll take that long?" Sam asked wide-eyed.
Michael nodded. "You're very young, and your power is great. Already, you have more power in one finger than a dozen seraphs, and that power will only continue to grow."
"He's right," Gabriel said gently. He'd seen proof of how powerful his boy was when that Earthquake hit. As much as he hated to do this to his son, he couldn't deny that it was best that Sam not be on Earth. It would kill the boy if he accidently hurt someone.
Sam looked down in defeat and nodded.
"Alright, I'm going to go. Thank you both for listening to me," Michael said before standing up and heading out of the room.
Gabriel followed his brother out. "Michael?"
Michael turned to face his brother.
"I appreciate everything you said in there, and what you've done for my son since he was hurt, but I can't forgive you right now," Gabriel said.
"I understand," Michael said.
"You tried to kill my son. You don't just get to say sorry and it goes away," Gabriel said in a hard tone.
"I know. I just hope that one day you won't hate me for it anymore," Michael said.
"Michael, I don't hate you. It would be so much easier if I did. I couldn't be so hurt by you if I hated you. But I can't forgive you, not now. But unlike humans, we have all the time in the world, so that will probably change one day," Gabriel said. It was the best he could offer his brother right now.
Michael nodded and walked away. He knew it was the best he'd get right now.