Chapter Thirty-Nine

Piece by Piece

TW/CW: Mentions of death by abuse, no details.

Bobby's House: July 26, 2010

Sam looked up as Gabriel entered the small bunker library. The archangel was alone, and seemed deep in thought. Rowena was upstairs helping Dean make lunch, leaving Sam alone for the first time in a few days. With how busy the house was it was rare that anyone was alone for an extended period of time these days.

"Whatcha doing down here?" Sam asked, shutting his book.

"Well, was hoping to talk with you Samsquatch," Gabriel joked. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes though, which worried Sam.

"What about?" Sam asked.

"It's about the battle," Gabriel said. "I know your brother's plan, but haven't heard anything about you. I'd bet my candy supply you've been plotting to be there too."

Sam didn't bother to deny it. What the hell was the point, anyway? There was a reason he and Castiel had hit the roof when Azrial agreed to let Dean come along if he found a way. They'd both follow Dean to Hell and back again, and this battle was no different.

"I have been, not that I've told Dean." Sam paused, eyeing Gabriel. "Why do you ask?"

"What have you come up with so far?"

"I'll have to rely on my magic," Sam said. "That's why I'm spending so much time with Rowena. She's trying to get me to the point where I can hold my own, at least against lesser angels."

"That could take years," Gabriel pointed out. "We don't have that kind of time."

"Don't you think I know that?" Sam snapped, worry laced through his voice. "But it's the best option I have."

"It's not the best option," Gabriel quietly, but firmly, objected. "Not anymore."

Sam frowned, but didn't say anything. Gabriel wouldn't meet his eyes, and was drumming his fingers against the table. Damnit, he wished Rowena was down here. Gabriel was so hard to get a read on. He wasn't sure if the archangel was annoyed or nervous, and it worried him.

"I can offer you an option that would work, but I need you to promise not to jump down my throat."

"That's it?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, for now anyway. If you think it could work, then we'll talk further."

Sam raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide his skepticism. "Fine, what's your idea?"

Gabriel sighed and leaned back in the chair. "This golem I'm using isn't ideal for battle," Gabriel admitted. "I can use my powers, sure, but not to the extent I could with a proper vessel."

"What does that have to do with me?" Sam asked drily.

"It has everything to do with you," Gabriel said. "I need to be at my best for this battle, which leaves me two options. One, I can go in my true form. The downside is that could kill you at worst and blind you at best."

"Joyful."

Gabriel snorted at his sarcasm and smiled briefly. It made his honey eyes shine a bit brighter, and Sam wished it would last. Since Gabriel had shown up, it was clear the news of death in his flock hit him hard. He was quiet, reserved, and didn't smile much. It was the exact opposite of everything he'd previously seen of the archangel, even when he was pissed.

"How much do you know about angel vessels?" Gabriel asked.

"Not much," Sam said. "Mostly second hand information from angels."

"I see." Gabriel sighed. "So I guess no one explained to you that vessels are actually interchangeable* then?"

Sam froze, staring at Gabriel. "I know a bit. Why?"

"Well." Gabriel snorted. "It makes you wonder what Michael and Lucifer are on, right? You and your brother may be cute, but you ain't that cute."

Sam glared, but the shock of Gabriel's words was still swimming through his mind. "Are you going to explain?"

"Duh," Gabriel said. "Look, archangel vessels are fucking rare, as I'm sure you've noticed. The fact there are three in this damn house is weird."

Sam laughed dryly. "It's weird for us too, trust me."

"Anyway," Gabriel continued. "The family line for my quote on quote perfect vessel died out long ago because it wasn't maintained. The same way Azrial's would have when Bobby passed."

"Makes sense," Sam said after a moment. "I mean, you both had golems so there wasn't a point in extending the family line past its normal length."

"Exactly!" Gabriel agreed. "Michael and Lucifer did that with your family line for the apocalypses because they're drama queens." Sam chuckled at that, but Gabriel quickly continued. "Look, I wanted you to know all this for a reason."

"And what's the reason?" Sam asked in amusement.

"If push came to cosmic shove, I could use you or your brother as a vessel."

Sam stared at Gabriel, trying to absorb his words. He didn't want to jump to conclusions though.

"Gabriel-"

"Gabe," Gabriel cut over him. "My...friends...call me Gabe."

Sam took a deep breath. "Gabe," he began again. "I need you to be very clear with me right now. Are you offering to help me be on that battlefield with my brother?"

"Yes," Gabriel said. "I know what it's like, watching your siblings go off to fight. Especially when the battle looks hopeless. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

Sam shut his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm his mind. This was the answer he'd been looking for, but did he want it? More importantly, did he trust Gabriel inside him?

"You don't need to decide now," Gabriel said. "Just...think about it, okay?"

Before Sam could open his eyes, the sound of feathers filled the room and everything was silent. Gabriel was gone, and Sam was left with his thoughts.

Line Break

"Fucking humidity," Bobby huffed.

"It's a swamp," Rufus said. "The hell were you expecting?"

Bobby growled but didn't respond, and Rufus chuckled quietly. It was good to be out on a hunt with Bobby again. He was used to running solo these days, so this was a nice change of pace. Castiel had dropped them in the swamp with rather strict instructions to call for help if needed. Bobby took it all in stride, but Rufus found it amusing. Now they were stuck trudging through the muck and underbrush in search of the body of their local ghost.

"I can't wait to get out of here," Bobby said. "Never thought I'd miss the cold this much."

"You're doin' a lot of whining back there," Rufus said.

"Shut up," Bobby muttered. "I had Azrial in my body for days and she's fucking frigid. I haven't been able to handle super hot temperatures since."

"Weird side effect from getting pegged."

Rufus laughed when Bobby sputtered, trying to tell him what actually happened. The sound of something moving cut off their conversation, and Rufus quickly pulled his gun. Bobby turned so they were back to back, and Rufus found himself relaxing despite the situation. There was a comfort in knowing he was covered by Bobby, especially in a situation like this. It was bad enough when you were fighting supernatural nasties alone. Add in the normal day to day shit that could kill you, and it was a wonder anyone wanted to do this damn job.

"This better be a damn ghost," Bobby said. "I swear if it turns out to be something else, I'm just walkin' away."

"You and me both. Should almost be at the spot."

They walked a few more minutes in silence, listening carefully to their soundings. It wasn't even like the ghost was doing anything too bad. The only bodies were of some men who couldn't take no for an answer or hit their wives. The world was better off with them dead, but there was no telling if the ghost could actually maintain that track. All it took was one bad day, and some innocent bastard would turn up dead.

"I doubt it's something other than a ghost," Rufus said. "I was more surprised it was a guy, honestly. Normally you get women who stick around to protect others."

"Yeah, but this is the deep south," Bobby said quietly. "May have had his own turn with an abusive guy and couldn't say anything."

"Probably. Guess we'll never know."

"Or you could simply ask."

Rufus spun around at the deep baritone voice, leveling his gun. Bobby wasn't far behind with his shotgun. The man in front of them didn't seem bothered. His charcoal colored hair hung down his back in a braid, and he was dressed in a loose fitting cream robe that exposed his chest. There was a whip at his side, but the man didn't go to grab it despite being at the barrel of two guns. His skin had a soft blue tinge to it, making it look an unhealthy gray. The only real color on him was his eyes, which were almost iridescent green.

"Who the hell are you?" Bobby demanded. "You don't look like the ghost that was seen."

"Of course not, little Valerius." Bobby stiffened at his side and Rufus quickly took over. He'd heard enough from Bobby about the Valerius insanity to know the thing in front of them was likely a god, and they damn well weren't prepared for that.

"So who the hell are you then?" Rufus demanded.

"My name is Alecto," the man responded. "Why have two hunters sought me out?"

"Alecto, as in the goddamn Erinyes?" Bobby demanded. "The hell are you doing out here?"

Alecto chuckled. "You know me, good. This shall make things easier." Alecto paused, glancing around in thought. "We must hurry though. My siblings will only stay away so long."

"You mean Tisiphone and Megaera are here too?" Bobby hissed.

"Yes, and it is Tisiphone that the two of you must worry about. She struggles to be around your kind, and while it has been many years since a mistake was made, I would rather not tempt the Fates."

"Aight, will one of you bastards explain what's going on?" Rufus asked.

"Ever heard of the Furies in Greek Mythology?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, three scary chicks who punished wrong doers." Rufus narrowed his eyes at the man in front of them. "You ain't what I pictured."

"I hardly ever am." Alecto chuckled, the sound echoing around the area. "The three of us will be moving on shortly. I simply could not allow the suffering that occurred here to pass without punishment."

Rufus slowly lowered his gun, frowning at Alecto. "But you weren't seen, a male ghost was."

"An illusion," Alecto admitted. "A trick I seldom use."

"So you're leavin' the area, and from the sounds of it the three of ya have no intention of harming innocents."

Alecto looked offended at Bobby's dry statement. "We would never! We were made to punish those who have done wrong. The only reason Tisiphone struggles around hunters is the amount of bloodshed you surround yourselves with."

"That's good enough for me." Bobby lowered his gun. "You serve Death, don't ya?"

Alecto tilted his head. "Yes, we do. Normally we stay in Hell to aid in punishments, but..." he trailed off, a dark look passing over his face.

"Lucifer?" Bobby asked. Alecto nodded tightly. "I'm really starting to understand why Crowley is making a bid for the throne."

Alecto perked up, curiosity shining in his overly bright eyes. "Crowley is still vying for the throne?"

Bobby winced. "Yeah, probably shouldn't have mentioned that."

"That is good news," Alecto said. "Hell is...well, a mess seems too kind. Many have been pushed out to make room for soldiers. Others, like my siblings and I, serve a purpose but are being turned into weapons."

"Mind if I pass that on?" Bobby asked, shouldering his rifle.

"To my cousin?" Alecto asked, amusement dripping off his voice. "Feel free to mention it to Azrial. I am surprised Thanatos has not already done so."

Bobby winced, looking away. "Last we saw him, things were too chaotic to talk."

"I see." Alecto glanced between them thoughtfully. "Well, that is a shame. Are we done here?"

Rufus snorted. "Seems so. This shit is way above my pay grade, and if Bobby believes ya so do I."

"Yeah, we're good," Bobby said. "I will check your story with Azrial though."

Alecto chuckled. "Fair. Then I will be on my way, and make sure Tisiphone does not come through here."

Alecto turned away, and Rufus noted he didn't make a sound as he walked through the thick underbrush. Once Alecto was out of sight, he turned to Bobby.

"Can't be normal, can ya?"

"Shut it," Bobby said. "Ain't my fault all these damn death deities are on the move."

"Nah, but it is your fault that your girlfriend knows them all."

Bobby chuckled. "Bite me."

"That may get me killed," Rufus pointed out. "I thought ya liked me."

Bobby rolled his eyes and turned around. "Come on. Let's get outta here so we can call Castiel."

Rufus hummed in agreement and followed his friend back the way they came. At least the hunt hadn't turned into a disaster, even if it had gotten weird.

Line Break

"You're kidding me, right?" Gabriel asked.

"Is it so hard to believe?" Rowena asked primly. "We simply want your thoughts on the matter."

"You're asking me if I want to jump in bed with you both," Gabriel said flatly. "Not that I ain't flattered, I'm just confused."

Sam snorted, watching the two curiously. Rowena had cornered Gabriel the moment they were able to. He was happy to let the witch take the lead on this situation, especially since it had been her idea.

"What's confusing?" Rowena asked. "Samuel and I want you as a bedmate. It's rather simple."

"If you say so." Gabriel snorted and turned toward Sam. "I'm surprised you're thinking about this."

"You're the one that wanted to kiss me during Christmas," Sam pointed out.

"I didn't think you'd take me up on it," Gabriel said. "Still, if you're really both game I'm fine with it. Could use the stress relief."

"Lovely," Rowena said. "As far as emotions go, I think it best we simply see where things go. Any objections?"

Sam shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "None from me."

"None at all," Gabriel said. "I think we need a lot more trust between the three of us before we go getting all lovey-dovey."

Sam hummed in agreement, and Rowena looked pleased with herself. Her green eyes pinned him with a heated look and Sam raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

He didn't get an answer. Instead his arms were suddenly full of a rather pleased witch kissing him. His higher reasoning flew out the window and he happily gave in, a comfortable warmth settling in his chest. It may not be the love that Dean and Bobby seemed to have found, but he couldn't deny the happiness that pooled in his chest at Rowena's actions. He felt lips on his neck and let out a pleased sigh, giving into the moment. It wasn't like anyone else ever came into the downstairs library anyway

.

Line Break

Bobby barely dropped his bag before Crowley grabbed him. He had to shake his head before the world stopped spinning, and once things settled he glared at the demon.

"What's with the kidnapping? I didn't even get to unpack."

"We have a problem," Crowley said.

"What now?" Bobby sighed, leaning against the table. He turned toward Marcus with a frown. "And what are you still doing here? Thought you wanted to head back once you were done fixin' the bracelet."

"That is the problem," Marcus said. "Crowley tried to send me back and was unable to."

Bobby raised an eyebrow and turned back to Crowley. "Really?"

"I stabbed him with a damn angel blade," Crowley said. "It didn't do shite."

"Is it possible a reaper needs to release him?" Bobby asked.

Crowley frowned. "If that's the case, we're screwed. None have answered me."

"You think they're ignoring you?" Bobby asked in surprise.

"Look, I've never had an issue getting a hold of them before. Now no one is answering. This feels like a bloody set up."

Silence fell over the room, and Bobby shut his eyes. What the hell were they supposed to do now? Marcus had made it clear he wanted to go back to Heaven, and now it seemed he was stuck here.

"Tch, too bad there aren't more of him." Crowley sounded annoyed, not that Bobby blamed him. "Would make for one hell of an army."

Bobby's eyes snapped open, and he shot to his feet drawing the attention of both men.

"Something wrong, pet?" Crowley asked.

"Repeat what you just said," Bobby ordered.

Crowley raised an eyebrow. "Too bad there aren't more of him?"

"No, about the army!"

"Well, it would make one hell of an army," Crowley defended. "I mean, look at him! He's in his bloody prime and apparently needs a reaper to personally pick his arse up."

"Exactly!" Marcus and Crowley looked at him strangely and Bobby huffed. "Look, what did Death say to Azrial? He said not to forget her roots, and remember how damn cagey he was when she brought up her flock?"

"Of course, but now we know why. It's likely Raphael killed them all or trapped them somewhere." Crowley paused. "I doubt he wanted to be the one to tell her."

"But what if he never intended for her to find them?" Bobby asked. "If you ask Azrial about impactful moments in her life, what would she say?"

"Well, getting kicked out of Heaven." Crowley scoffed. "Ripping out her grace. Probably all the bullshit with Alistair..."

"Crowley, who the fuck is standing next to you?" Bobby asked drily.

It was like hitting a light switch. Crowley's eyes widened before he let out a stream of curses. Bobby ignored him and turned toward Marcus, who seemed just as shocked.

"She took to Roman ways like a duck to water," Marcus admitted. "I know from my descendants that she has always nurtured her connection to the culture, even after being gone for several generations."

"What if the army we're looking for isn't angelic?" Bobby asked. "I mean, I saw her memories of you and your men. They seemed to adore her."

"They did," Marcus said firmly. "They respected her greatly, and her fighting prowess just added to that."

"Would they follow her into battle?" Crowley demanded.

Marcus seemed to consider the question before nodding. "Many would. Perhaps not the last generation I trained, but certainly those who came before."

"That's an army," Bobby whispered. "That's a fully fucking trained army, right there."

"Even if we do manage to find her flock, we knew it wouldn't be enough," Crowley added. "Death seemed so damn sure of himself though."

"Then we need to tell her," Marcus said. "Azrial will know for sure if I can not be sent back."

Bobby glanced at Crowley. "So who's gonna tell her?"

"I volunteer the pretty Roman," Crowley said flatly. "She won't be mad at him."

Bobby snorted, and it quickly turned into laughter at Marcus's offended look. If this worked, they may actually have a fucking chance at winning. If it turned out to be a dead end, at least Azrial had her bracelet back. This had to be the craziest shit ever done to fix a piece of jewelry, and Bobby hoped there wouldn't be any more surprises.