Invalid (Supernatural)

19. Wayward Son

Barachiel returned to Metatron's study fuming. However, his anger was put on hold when he discovered Gadreel and another angel he hadn't seen before tinkering with some large screen device. Metatron watched them excitedly as they set the machine down directly in front of him on his desk.

"Is it ready?" Metatron asked the unkown angel.

"Yep," the glasses-bearing angel replied. "You just have to press this button."

The angel pointed to a spot on the screen. Metatron pointed inquiringly at the same spot and the angel nodded.

"Well, alright then." Metatron smiled and waved the angel away.

The small looking angel nodded and quickly scampered out of the room. Gadreel walked over to one of the armchairs and slumped down, still not totally healed from the bomber.

"Barachiel, you're back," Metatron exclaimed. "And just in time too. I think now would be a good time to talk to our dear friend, Castiel, don't you?"

Barachiel furrowed his brow. "How?"

"The magic of technology, my friend." Metatron's grin widened as he motioned to the device sitting in front of him. "A video conference."

Barachiel nodded, still not entirely sure what he meant. Regardless, he took a seat next to Gadreel and they waited together as Metatron pressed his finger to the screen.

"Hello? This is Metatron," Metatron told the screen.

He seemed to be looking at something Barachiel couldn't see. The screen was turned away from him.

"I must talk to Castiel," Metatron finished.

"I will check if he is available," a female voice called out from the machine.

Metatron frowned a little at that, but waited nonetheless. A couple minutes later, Metatron's face brightened back up.

"Castiel," Metatron exclaimed. "Bet you're not happy to see me."

"Is anyone, ever?" Barachiel heard Dean Winchester's voice ask.

"Dean, always with the B-grade '80s-action-movie wit."

"What do you want, Metatron?" Sam's voice cut in.

"Just to tell ass-tiel, there, that I'm still alive," Metatron replied unhappily. "His bomber failed."

"My bomber?" Castiel's voice asked.

"The crazy guy. Big knife. Kablooey," Metatron explained. "I'm fine, thanks for asking, but Gadreel is wounded, and Tyrus...R.I.P. His followers are not your biggest fans, by the way. They've all come over to my team.

"I didn't send anyone to kill you."

"Oh stop lying, Castiel."

"Who are you to lecture me on lying?" Castiel asked, his voice rising in anger. "Your deception lead to the fall."

"I did what I had to do," Metatron replied gravely. "I have always done what I had to do, for God and for the angels."

"Yeah, sure," Dean interrupted. "You're mother Teresa."

"What I did was neither good nor bad. It was necessary. A small hardship to make us all stronger, to make us a family again."

"Except for the angels you had Gadreel and Tabbris kill, right?" Sam responded accusingly.

"Okay, yes. Maybe I got a little carried away at first," Metatron agreed, "but those days are over. A near-death experience makes you re-evaluate. So, one time only, I'm offering amnesty. Every angel, no matter what their sin, may join me and return to Heaven. I will be their God and they can be my heavenly host."