'You look dreadful.' The tip of Gabriel's shoe touched Castiel's leg where it lay outstretched on the ground. Castiel himself leaned half-slumped, half-sprawled against the nearest wall, clutching his open shirt together.

'What do you want Gabriel?' He asked gruffly.

'I happened to be around.' Gabriel shrugged: 'So, your knight in shining armour is to appear here any minute to rescue you I take?'

'I doubt it.' Castiel answered. Gabriel looked at Castiel again and frowned:

'Is that your blood?'

'Go away.'

'I said is that your blood?' Gabriel repeated angrily and kneeled down next to Castiel to open his shirt. He actually gasped in horror:

'Who did this to you?'

'I did it myself.'

'And why isn't Dean here to help you?' Gabriel demanded to know.

'Dean's too busy saying yes to Michael.'

Gabriel disappeared and reappeared within seconds.

'No, he didn't say yes.' He told Castiel while picking him up from the ground.

'Come on, Cas, I believe there are some ways that I haven't used to kill your boyfriend yet.' He muttered before he took flight with his brother in his arms.

'What the hell-' Dean cursed but Gabriel ignored him. He rolled his eyes at the gun Bobby had cocked at his head:

'As if that would work.' He said exasperatedly: 'Sam, you can help me.'

Together they laid Castiel on the cot. Sam gasped when he saw the wound on Castiel's stomach.

'Cas!' Dean reached out for Castiel but Gabriel grabbed him and threw him out of the next window.

'Don't kill him.' Castiel choked out from the cot.

'It's not like he wouldn't deserve it.' Gabriel yelled.

'Gabriel, we had no idea what would happen.' Sam said carefully.

'It's an angel-banishing sigil! On an angel!' What did you expect to happen?' Gabriel glared at Sam: 'You and your idiot brother shouldn't have dragged Cas into your mess in the first place.'

Gabriel turned away from Sam and laid a hand Castiel's stomach. The wounds closed and the blood vanished but Cas didn't look better. Gabriel put his hand over Castiel's eyes:

'Sleep, little brother.' He whispered.

'What the hell did you do to him?' Dean had reappeared and glared angrily at Gabriel.

'What I did to him?' Gabriel grabbed Dean again: 'I healed him after he nearly tore himself apart for you! And you weren't even looking for him.'

'I didn't know where he was.' Dean protested.

'It doesn't look like you made any serious efforts to find him.' Gabriel yelled angrily: 'You and your stupid, self-righteous suicide.'

'Oh yeah? I thought you were all for that idea.' Dean spat back at him.

'Not at the expense of my brother.' Gabriel growled: 'You better start showing some respect to him or nothing will prevent me from casting you back down into the pit.'

Gabriel let go of Dean who looked afraid at the same threat that Cas had given him back then.

'One more time, Winchester, and you're demon-fodder.' Gabriel threatened before he flew away.