fromfryingpantofire | All I need is a miracle/All I need is you

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All I need is a miracle/All I need is you

Things had been going well lately. Hunts just seemed to fall into their laps, the book Sam needed at the library had just been handed in or just been reshelved, the sheriff or local law looking the other direction when they needed to get to a cemetery for a salt and burn. It had been going really, really well.

It should have occurred to Sam that things were going a little TOO well, honestly. But he didn't even think about it until a knife that should have had his name on it simply ricocheted off his chest, as though he had some forcefield up around him.

Later that night, Sam pulled his overshirt off at the hotel, looking at the spot where the knife had definitely started to pierce the fabric. "Okay. There's definitely something weird going on here."

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"They underestimated all humans. Didn't expect that you guys would look at something as immutable as the Plan and say 'no thanks'. Free will never even occurred to them. So you fought back and skewed their entire world view, which I have to say, was pretty awesome."

It's nice, how well he fits beside Sam. "Check out the batcave? I'd like that sometime."

He slides his free arm across Gabriel's shoulders, stroking his upper arm. "There aren't a lot of people who know about it, of course. But we have a few friends who have found us there. And Cas knows about it, of course." He pauses a moment, then, "But I'd like you to see it. And be able to find us, if you want to."

"That might just break little brother's brain seeing me up and about." Or not really, considering Cas had turned death and resurrection into something of a hat trick.

He smiles up at Sam, something warm and maybe a little relieved. "I'd like that Sammy. Who knows, maybe you'll need something ridiculously obscure translated some day?"

"Or I could just stop in to see you." Because that would be nice too.

"It might, but...I think he wouldn't mind it, either. Considering the fact that you might be the only member of the family not mad at him these days." If Gabriel had only recently lost his Grace, then he knew enough about the shit that had happened to know why. "Even if he might not entirely believe it at first."

He laughs softly, rubbing his hand over Gabriel's upper arm. "I'd like you to just come by and see me. But if we ever have anything really obscure to be translated...can you still do that even without your Grace?"

"Well, I think I can count on one hand the number of angels who've willingly let go of their grace. Add in archangel to that and yeah, wouldn't be surprised if he cocks his head like a confused puppy for a week or two."

Gabriel hums pleasantly at the touch. "I'd like that too."

"So far, translation hasn't been an issue without the ol mojo. Everything I've seen, everything I've known hasn't faded. Yet. But that's why I'm writing it all down. Just in case."

"Well, yeah, but that's just Cas." In that it was pretty normal for him to look like a confused puppy.

It's the yet that bothers him, but Sam doesn't say anything. Because he's pretty sure it's going to bother Gabriel, too. "Well, there's all sorts of books at the bunker you could sink your teeth into, if you liked. Nothing that needs immediate translating, of course, but there's a lot of old texts there that could be up your alley."

"True."

It bothered Gabriel, but not enough to regret what he'd done. So every day for at least two to three hours, he wrote. Everything he'd seen, done, learned. Nothing had faded so far, but he was pretty much blazing new territory. There were no rule books to check to see how he'd adapt to his new form over the years.

"Sounds like you're going to have all kinds of ways to keep me amused there. Tell me you at least have a little fun too."

Because if he didn't? Gabriel was going to have to change that.

Sam lifts a shoulder and lets it drop. "I'm pretty sure hustling pool and poker doesn't quite count as 'fun'." Even if Sam did enjoy it more these days. "But there's time to watch movies and TV, too. Dean's found out he's a pretty good cook, actually."

“Dean’s a good cook?” His eyebrows loft. “Well well. Wonders never cease.” Oh he was absolutely sending Dean an apron and pearls. He couldn’t make them appear on the older Winchester, but there was no way he was going to pass up an opportunity like that.

“And I was referring to actual fun. Not just hustling to make a few extra bucks before you go out after the next monster du jour.” Clearly Sam needed some help in that area.

"Well, he did the cooking for us both when we were kids. Most of that was pretty simple, really, but you give him a proper kitchen and he's great." Sam had never really mastered much in the kitchen, but Dean was a hell of a lot better. "And don't tease him too much about it. He really enjoys cooking and there's been little enough of that these past few years."

It was something that they both had, though. Not enough things to enjoy, not enough enjoyment, period. "And no, probably not. Though I think you wouldn't agree with me that research is fun."

"Okay. I'll behave and try not to poke at him too much." But he has to. Just a little. Dean's too easy not to needle once in a while.

Gabriel grins at him. "So clearly I need to start sending you better books if reading is your thing. Because you can read for fun you know. Not just work."

Books for Sam, cooking stuff for Dean. Soon as he had an address, he had himself a little side project.

And he won't ask Gabriel not to needle just a little. Because it's Gabriel and that's how Gabriel does things. Especially when it comes to things like affection, which Sam is pretty certain he has for both Winchesters. Even if Sam's the one he's in love with.

He laughs, though, shaking his head. "I do read other stuff! And we have a pretty decent theater system in the bunker. Which is good, because I don't think Kevin would forgive us if there wasn't."

He's always liked both brothers, even if he'd never come right out and admit it. Dean was a good guy, which meant he was going to get his fair share of poking at. It was just how he did things.

"Good. Now tell me you watch more than documentaries." Head tilt. "Kevin? Picking up more hunters as you go?"

Sam's mouth twists slightly into a frown. "Kevin Tran. Not exactly a hunter, he...well, he's a prophet. Able to translate some stuff that God apparently left sitting around. Starting with the one that explained how you send a Leviathan back to Purgatory."

Not that Sam likes thinking overmuch about Purgatory or how badly he'd messed that up. To this day, he's still not entirely certain what happened with Amelia. "Anyway, yeah. Of course we watch more than documentaries. Do you have any idea how many movies we haven't really had a chance to watch over the years?"

A low whistle. "Thought I felt one get tapped not too long ago. Sucky job, being a prophet." And he should know, having been the one usually sent down to do all the talking. Some were able to handle the 'gift', some went insane, and most of them died early. Gabriel had stood beside one too many human graves before walking away from Heaven. Even after the fact, he still visited them.

Mention of Leviathans gets a startle out of him. "Leviathans? Holy Jesusfuck who was dumb enough to let them get out?"

"Yeah. Being a prophet who gets tossed in with us." Being connected to the Winchesters was never an easy thing. Kevin had, in a lot of ways, gotten it worse than others. "He seems to be handling it okay. Most of his prophet mojo seems to be in reading the Word of God and there aren't that many tablets."

Just the three they knew about, at least.

Sam frowned, looking away a bit. "To be fair, I don't think he knew that would happen. The longer I've had to think about it, the more I can see it from his side, but...Cas."

"He was more of a talker than one who liked to give dictation," Gabriel offers after a moment. "So there were never that many to begin with. And without me to whisper in his ear, he's doing the lion's share of reading."

Not that he'd spoken to many prophets in the last few hundred years.

A few choice Enochian curses slip free. "Cas. Cas cracked the door to Purgatory and let those fuckers out. Of course he did, he was too young to remember how hard it was to stuff them back in there in the first place."

It had been the last battle all four archangels had fought together. Shoulder to shoulder, taking on the creatures until Purgatory had been created to hold them. Not a good memory really, but not terrible either.

Sam isn't surprised by that, really. Castiel had always struck him as a bit young in some ways. "He was desperate," Sam finally says. "Raphael was trying to find a way to reopen the Cage and start things up all over again. And Cas wasn't strong enough to really oppose him. It was civil war and he was looking for any way to finish things fairly safely."

Not that it had gone well. Maybe, had Castiel shared the souls as he'd first intended, it wouldn't have overwhelmed him as much. But Sam can't be certain of that.

"And I wasn't in any damn shape to help him," Gabriel frowns, his expression distant. He didn't feel quite the same sense of relief when he learned about Raphael's death as he did about Lucifer and Michael falling into the cage.

"Safely and Purgatory don't exactly go hand in hand. So 'm guessing you two couldn't talk him out of this completely cracked scheme of his?"

"We didn't even know about it until close to the end." Which is embarrassing to admit. They'd always trusted Castiel, hadn't had a reason to believe otherwise. "Cas...he was trying to follow my last wishes, trying to keep Dean out of hunting, letting him lead a normal life. Which was why he didn't go to Dean when he was having trouble to start with. Heck, he even tried to pull me out of the Cage. Didn't work, but he tried and I can't imagine it was easy at all."

Sam leans against Gabriel, trying his best not to let his memories turn back to that point. "I'm pretty sure the original idea wasn't his. Pretty sure that one came from Crowley. He was having trouble keeping a handle on Hell, too, trying to keep those who wanted Lucifer back in charge at bay. But...I think we at least talked Cas into not trusting Crowley, because he tried to take all the souls of Purgatory himself and...it ended badly."

It ended in the deaths of a lot of people. "He realized he couldn't hold them all and tried to send the souls back to Purgatory, but the Leviathans were too strong. They held on, then tried to drown Cas in a reservoir and got into the water."

Gabriel looped his arm around Sam, listening to just how badly things had gotten with a distant frown. Sweet merciful fuck had they gone wrong.

"'m sorry kiddo. I wish I could have talked Lu into standing down, backing off or something. But it sounds like things just went from bad to worse to holy shit after I kicked it."

He smoothed a hand down Sam's arm absently. At least he was safe now. Small comfort against what had already gone down, but Sam would be okay. Safe.

Sam let out a breath and nodded. "Interesting side effect of the spell you did? I'm not getting nightmares any more. It's like the shield is doing its best to keep me from mental harm as well as physical."

If only he could give that sort of peace to his brother, too. But there were limits to everything.

"Kinda meant for that to happen," Gabriel leaned to brush the hair back from Sam's forehead. "Because you need all the protection I could possibly put together for you."

He can't give it to Dean, as much as he really did like the older Winchester. All he could do is wrap Sam in as much protection as possible for both of them.

And being able to sleep without dreams meant that at least one of them was always rested. It could make a hell of a difference in their lives.

Sam turns his head, following instinct and kissing Gabriel's wrist. Since it's there. "Thank you. I think I'd still rather have had you, but the protection is good."

The affectionate gesture is met with a pleased smile and Gabriel shrugs, "And who said you don't have me, kiddo?"

Hell, Sam had always had him really. Just this time it was a slightly less powered-up version. But the feelings were still there.

"I'm glad it worked. That you can sleep a little closer to normal."

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