A/N: No Beta. Will contain mistakes. Please, feel free to point any out, just don't be a dick about it.
Sorry this story seems to be going on forever, also that I'm not posting regularly but my brain is just being a douche right now and seems to be refusing to cooperate. Hopefully there should only be a few more chapters of this fic. Fingers crossed.

Chapter 29

It had been a hard three days fighting off not one but two Djinn single handed while Dean rooted around in Charlie's head. He was drained and desperate for his bed. All he wanted now was to curl up beside Gabriel and just sleep. While Dean parked up the Impala in the garage, Sam grabbed his bag and hurriedly headed for the stairs.

Dragging a hand through his hair, Sam marched through the corridors. He wanted to head straight for his bed, but he needed to let Claire and Kevin know they were back. As he stepped into the Crow's Nest, he heard a familiar voice and his heart leapt. Quickening his pace, he turned the corner to the library and stopped as he found Castiel and Claire sat across from one another at the table. Noticing his arrival, the pairs heads snapped around and Castiel hurriedly clambered to his feet. "Hello, Sam."

"Cas?" He frowned, looking between the pair as he dropped his duffle on the map table beside him. "What are you doing here? How…?"

"I summoned him." Claire announced proudly. "I used the blood to blood spell your grandpa used to bring him here from the past."

Sam stared at her, dumbfounded. "And that's why you wanted me on the hunt."

Claire's posture softened as her shoulders slumped. "I thought he'd be able to help Dad, okay." She said defensively. "And I knew neither you nor Dean would let me do it. – For different reasons."

Sam sighed. He couldn't blame her; he'd thought the same thing. He'd even tried praying to Cas, but it hadn't worked. And he'd considered the blood to blood spell too, but it meant tapping into Claire's soul, and like hell was he going to do that. Turning his irritation on Cas, he stared at the angel angrily. "I prayed to you."

Castiel lowered his head guilty. "I'm sorry. I – I…"

"He switched off angel radio so Naomi couldn't track him." Claire hurried to defend, and Sam exhaled.

"Oh. Well, that makes sense." He nodded understandingly. "So, Gabriel's…"

The pair shared a regretful look, and Sam felt his stomach drop. Before anything more could be said though, the sound of footsteps and low voices echoed through from the corridor. Sam turned his head to as Dean and Charlie appeared.

"Sammy?" Dean frowned, "What's…" he turned his head, his eyes meeting Castiel's. The tension of the room increased, sucking all the air out of the room. "What are you doing here?" Dean demanded furiously.

Castiel cleared his throat, "I was summoned." Cas replied flatly, more so then usual.

Dean glanced around, "Kevin!" he yelled.

"It wasn't Kevin." Sam sighed, "Where is Kevin, anyway."

"Sleeping." Claire informed them.

The room fell silent again, and Sam felt himself shuffle on his feet anxiously. "About Gabriel." Sam said, bring the conversation back to why Castiel was summoned in the first place.

"There's nothing I can do." Castiel said, eyes never leaving Dean. "He's damaged in ways I can't heal."

"What?" Sam snapped. "What the fuck is that meant to mean?"

Finally, Cas turned to meet Sam's confused, angry and terrified gaze. The angel's features softened. "It's difficult to say. It's something on a subatomic level and his electromagnetic field."

"It is…" Sam swallowed thickly at the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat, his heart hammering painfully. "Is he – dying?"

"I don't know." Castiel muttered, meeting the younger Winchester's watery gaze.

Shaking his head, Sam turned on his heels and rushed down the corridor. He burst into his room to find, predictably, all the lights off and Gabriel sleeping restlessly half naked. Tossing his jacket on the couch and toeing off his shoes, Sam climbed on the bed and lowered himself down beside Gabriel. "I'm sorry." He whispered brokenly; his lips pressed to the man's damp temple.

"Sammy? Hey kiddo."

"Hey yourself."

_(*o*)_

Dean watched Sam sprint from the room, a regretful knot twisting his gut. He'd seen that look on his brother's face before, with Madison. It was the look he got when he knew he had no chance of saving someone he cared about. For the first time, Dean wished he hadn't forced Gabriel into starting the trials, but he hadn't believed his brother could really care for the ex-archangel, let alone love him.

The truth was, seeing them together had left a bitterness inside him, it still did. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, turning to glare at the angel who'd abandoned him. Not once, but twice.

Castiel frowned down at him from the library steps, "I already…"

"I mean why are you still here?" Dean added furiously, "If you can't help him."

"Dean." Claire practically growled at him, stepping closer to the angel's side.

He looked between them and swallowed thickly, his heart racing. Of course, Claire would want him around, the was all she had left of her father, after all. "He's not your father." Dean spat without really thinking.

Claire stepped forward, eyes narrowing furiously, "Don't take your guilt out on us, Dean." She snapped back.

"Guilt? For what?" He said defensively.

Claire narrowed her eyes at him, "I think you know, Dean."

Dean stiffened, meeting her eyes. Claire didn't so much as blink, staring him down until he was forced to clear throat and turn away, "What. Just stay out of my way." With that he flung the bag over his shoulder, "Come on Charlie, I'll show you to a room." With that he turned and marched away.

"Uh…" Charlie stammered, suddenly she sprang forward, wrapping her arms around Castiel. "It's awesome to finally meet you." She said before stepping, "And don't worry about him, he was just hurt that you skipped out on him, but he'll totally get over it." She grinned, "You just have to…"

"Charlie, you comin' or what!" Dean yelled back from the corridor.

Charlie rolled her eyes dramatically at the pair, "Winchesters." She laughed, spinning on her heels and rushing off after the hunter.

"Why would Dean feel guilty?" Castiel asked quietly as he stared at the corridor, as if he expected Dean to return. "I'm the one that left."

"Yeah, you did." Claire sighed wearily, turning to return to her seat, her anger seemingly dissipating.

_(*o*)_

Gabriel had had many dreams since becoming human, but they'd usually been chaotic and filled with a mix of his nightmarish past and his overly active imagination. – Not to mention a tall sexy hunter. He'd certainly never dreamt of anything so normal and…quiet.

He glanced around the almost empty bar. It didn't look at all familiar, with its bare brick walls and cherry wood. The neon lights decorated the space in a variety of colours, reminding him of a Christmas tree.

"It's not a dream." Announced a voice from the bar, and Gabe turned his attention to the men. The bartender looked at him briefly before turning to grab a bottle from the shelf. When he turned back, he began to pour a drink. "Join me?" The other man said, turning to look at Gabriel.

"What?" Gabe frowned , looking between the two men. There was something about the one on the stool, a niggling feeling in the back of his brain. "I know you?"

The seated man huffed an amused laugh and patted the stool beside him.

With another look at his surroundings, Gabriel took a caution step forward. Wincing from the aches that had been haunting him for weeks now, Gabriel slid onto the spare stool. The man at his side pushed the tumbler closer, "Drink. It'll help."

Gabriel looked at the amber liquor and felt his stomach twist painful. He pushed it away, shaking his head. As he did so, he caught sight of the flyer on the bar. Reaching for it, he exhaled, "Carver Edlund?" He muttered, looking from the paper to the man at his side.

"That's just my pen name." The man smiled.

Gabriel's head snapped around, eyes searching, "Chuck Shurley." He stated, his heart racing . "The prophet."

Chuck didn't reply, instead he smirked at the ex-archangel and lifting his hand. There was a snap of fingers and Gabriel gasped as bright ethereal light filled the room, reaching into him and warming him from the inside out. It wrapped around him in a comforting way he hadn't felt in centuries. A feeling he'd missed on a level he couldn't even explain. He felt a tear slip down his cheek and craved the ability to reach out and wide his whole self around that pure light. If he'd had his grace, that's exactly what he would do.

And then just like that, it was gone.

Gabriel stared at the man, his mouth hanging open with confused shock, Chuck silently watched him back. Then Gabriel leapt off the bar stool and, marching towards the double doors at the end of the bar.

"Gabriel." Chuck called, hurriedly following the ex-archangel. "Stop, we need to talk."

"Too late." Gabriel spat back.

"Gabriel!" The voice had Gabriel freezing on the spot. "I know your angry, but... "

"Angry?" Gabriel seethed, turning to face his father. "You have no idea." His tone filled with fury and bitterness.

The man tilted his head, brow raised, and Gabriel's shoulders slumped. "What do you want?"

"Well, firstly I want you to stop behaving like a child and sit down." He twisted, grabbing the two glasses from the bar and carrying them over to an empty booth.

The muscle twitched in his jaw, every instinct wanting to tell his father to go screw himself and just leave. Instead through, he found himself dragging his feet back to the table. He dropped down into the seat opposite the man and folded his arms, staring down at his glass.

Chuck stared at his son, shoving the glass forward. "Drink." He ordered. "Trust me."

Gabriel scoffed petulantly. "What do you want?" Chuck raised an impatient brow, and Gabe gave a deep sigh, reaching for the glass and throwing back the alcohol. Instantly he was filled with warmrh and the aches and pains seemed to ease.

Chuck smiled softly, and slouched into his seat. "You've changed."

Gabe scoffed, " I'm human. "

"That's not it. You're not the same kid I raised."

Gabriel rolled his eyes and looked over at the bar, "You didn't raise me. My brothers raised me. You were too busy with your grand plan."

Chuck exhaled, fidgeting with the glass in front pf him. "That's no..."

"The only time you had for me was when i was doing your dirty work. " Gabriel snapped, leaning forward and fixing his father with a cold hard look. "When i was slaughtering your grandchildren. Remember?" At Chucks angry look , Gabriel added. "Of course you do. Just like you remember sending me to tell your girlfriend she was pregnant." He shook his head bitterly. "Speaking of which, Cas is fine. I mean your little education team did a job on his noggin, " Gabe tapped angrily at his temple, "Fucked him up nice and good. Had him betraying the only people that weren't programmed to love him."

"You weren't. " Chuck pointed out.

Gabriel fixed his father with a hash judgemental look, "No. But then, I'm the only fucker who knows who he truly is. - And what a hypocrite you are."

Chuck inhaled sharply. "What, truth too much for you? You sent me to kill your grandchildren because you didn't want heaven tainting man and vice versa, but at the first chance you got, bam, baby"

"Castiel was different." Chuck snapped, "He was...important."

"Yeah yeah…your grand experiment. " he rolled his eyes and lifted his glass, waving it at the bartender. "You forget I know the truth." Before his father could protest, he continued, "You know what they did to him up there? What they had him do? " Gabriel scoffed, "Of course you don't. Cause despite what you like everyone to think, your not actually omnipotent." Chuck suffered, "That's why you're such a control freak," Gabriel continued, leaning forward and holding his father's gaze. "You just tell everyone its part of some big grand plan, when really your just trudging through like everyone else." He scoffed, slouching while waving his glass at the bartender.

Chuck stared at him thoughtfully, his fingers tapping against the side of his glass, "You've changed." he eventually said, as thr the bartender arrived with a fresh drink for Gabriel.

Gabe paused, holding his father's gaze, "I'm human."

Shaking his head, Chuck leant forward on the table, "Its more than that. The Gabriel I left behind was..."

"Pathetic. " Gabriel grumbled, "Too eager to please. Too willing to take everyone's crap." His gaze burned into that of his father, the accusation loud and very clear. "What can I say," he shrugged with a laugh, "Running away from forced me to grow up."

Chuck lifted a brow, "I may not be omnipotent, but I'm still powerful enough to know that's bullshit. You did what every runaway does, you got in with the wrong crowd and caused trouble."

Gabriel fixed him with a hard furious glare, "Those people treated me better than my so -called family ever did."

"That's because they didn't know who you really were. What happened the moment they discovered the truth? "

Gabriel winced as the memory flooded his mind, no doubt care of his father. "Like my brother was any different!" He snapped back, clicking his fingers and then grunting when nothing happe happened. He dropped his hand, cheeks warming with embarrassment.

They fell silent for few minutes, Gabriel staring over to where a couple strolled in, bright besotted looks on their faces, hand in hand. He felt his heart clench and instantly his mind went to Sam. He felt tears begin to pool in his eyes. The happiness of the love sick couple a stark contrast to his own disastrous relationship.

And it was a disaster, for him at least. Being in love with a man who didn't love him back. How did that not constitute a disaster? But he'd be dead soon anyway, then Sam could get on and find someone more suited for him. Someone Dean didn't disapprove of.

A sound from the other side of the table had Gabriel tearing his gaze, and thoughts away. He found his father watching him, and he shifted awkwardly, fully aware the man could read his mind. "Why am I hear?" He demanded , hoping to distract them both.

Chuck exhaled a long breath, "Because I know what you and the Winchesters are doing, and I wanted to make sure you understand exactly what the consequences are? "

"The consequences? No, more demons allowed on earth. No more dead innocence."

"No more heaven. " Chuck said.

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, "What?"

"You shut one gate, you shut both. No demons, no angels. Just humanity. All alone. You think they're ready?"

Gabriel considered the question for all of three seconds before replying in a scornful tone. "Ready? They've pretty much been looking out for themselves the the past thousand years, because all heaven has cared about is your stupid big plan, and their own selfish wants. " He reminded him.

Chuck stared at him, lips in a thin line. " That's... " he cleared his throat, "That's not all. the final trial, it'll kill you, Gabriel. Do you understand?"

Gabriel sighed; gaze fixed on fhe glass in his hand. "I figured that."

"And you're still willing to go through with it? "

Lifting his gaze, Gabe glared at his father and threw back the last of his scotch, before answering. "Yes." He lowered the glass with a loud bang.

"Why? Because of the Winchesters? "

"There are worst people to sacrifice yourself for." Gabe shot back meaningfully. "But no. Its not about the Winchesters. Not for me, and not for Cas. It's about humanity. You remember, those awkard creatures you insisted we love and protect? Well, that's exactly what were doing. It's what we will always do. "

Gabriel slid out of the booth and stretched out his back, "Now, it's been great seeing you Pops," he lied, "But I have stuff that needs to be doing, so... See you on the flipside. " he smiled tightly, looking around at the bar, then sighed, "want to send me home?"

Chuck got up and stood before Gabe with a thoughtful look etched into his face, "There's no talking you out of this?"

Gabriel straightened defensively, causing Chuck release a breath, "Fine. If that's the way you want it, son." He raised his fingers, "You need to cure a demon." And with that, there was a loud snap and Gabriel found himself standing in the middle of his room.

A/N: Yes, this is a kind of Chuck fix-it. I used to love Chuck and I hate that they made him a manipulative arsehole. I didn't mind him being god, I just hate that they made God a bastard. Also, yes Castiel is Jesus. Its been my personal head canon for a while now and i finally have a story to use it in.

And finally to everyone, I hope this finds you well. Stay home if you can, and if you can't, please stay safe. Wash your hands and keep your distance. We're all in this together. 3