Reading Between The Lines (Sabriel)

Chapter 22

Gabriel let himself "die." He does that every time he needs an easy out. He learned the hard way when he fell from Heaven that unless you're dead, people are never going to stop looking for you. Letting someone murder you makes them happy, and it gives you the chance to change your face and move on.

He just hadn't considered that Sam would be the one to kill him.

He was never down in that world; watching from the safety of his secret hideout is preferable in every way. He never had to take the stake to the heart. But knowing that Sam would kill him without hesitation if he really did have the chance... that hurts more than any slab of wood ever could.

But nevermind that.

He's leaving the Winchesters alone for a reason. He wants to give them a chance to relax, to think everything is fine, and then to realize they really can't escape him. There's no way to stop the Trickster from tricking, just like there's no way to stop the archangels from fighting. Giving them their false hope might be the only way to prove that.

So, while they're learning to deal with this, Gabriel does the thing he's been dreading. He steps out to visit Castiel.

The last time Gabriel locked him up, Castiel had free range of his padded room. That has to be how he got hurt because there wasn't really anything that could hurt him. Gabriel was fairly careful of that. It must have just been his dedication to the boys, his strong urge to get the hell out.

This time, Gabriel decided to keep him safe. He has the angel cuffed to a chair — obviously using cuffs designed to hold an angel because he's not a complete idiot. He's the only one that can get this guy out of here and he has no plans to do that, at least until the apocalypse is over. Once he knows Castiel can no longer get in the way, he'll let him walk free.

He teleports into the room, standing with his back just inches from the wall. He's a little wary showing up here, but he feels like he owes Castiel an explanation. Gabriel may have laid his claim on Sam, but Castiel's been by their side far more fairly consistently for almost as long. He's given up a lot for them. He deserves to know why Gabriel's doing this.

"Hello, Gabriel," Castiel says, his voice laced with venom. He tries not to take it personally.

"Hi, Castiel," Gabriel says, and he doesn't even try to fake a smile. Right now, there's no point in it. It's the end of the world as they know it. He doesn't need to keep that carefree facade up anymore.

"What do you want?" Castiel demands.

Gabriel sighs. "What I want doesn't matter, Castiel. You know that as well as I do."

Castiel narrows his eyes.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this," Gabriel says. "I never wanted to get involved, but they kept dancing around this —"

"You mean the apocalypse?" Castiel asks. "You thought they were going to hear that they'd been lied to and cheated and they were just tools to the end of the world, and that they would just go with it?"

"There's not much of an alternative," Gabriel says.

"Yes, there is," Castiel says. "Fighting. This apocalypse won't happen if they don't say yes —"

"They don't have a choice!" Gabriel interrupts. "You know that! Hasn't it been drilled into your head since the moment Lucifer fell? That if he rose from Hell, he and Michael would have their showdown, and no one could stop it?"

"That's what they want us to think," Castiel says. "But —"

"But nothing, Castiel," Gabriel says. "The longer they put this off, the more of our own that are going to die."