Since the Beginning

The Truth That Needed to be Told

"Okay, Gabriel. How does an archangel become a trickster?" Dean asks, well, more like demands.

"My own private witness protection. I skipped out of heaven, had a face transplant, carved out my own little corner of the world," I point at them, "'till you two screwed it all up."

"What did Daddy say when you ran off and joined the pagans?" It's been thirty seconds and I'm already tired of his attitude. He's so much like Michael with his "I'm better than you" attitude and his all-around aggressiveness.

"Daddy doesn't say anything about anything."

"Then what happened? Why'd you ditch?" then there's Sam, he's more tender. I see so much of Lucifer in him. Don't think that's a bad thing, Lucifer and I were close. He was way different than everyone depicts him.

"Do you blame him? I mean, his brothers are heavyweight douchenozzles," if I wasn't in this holy fire I'd rip this kid a new one.

"Shut your cakehole. You don't know anything about my family. I love my father, my brothers. Love them. But watching them turn on each other? Tear at each other's throats? I couldn't bear it! Okay? So I left. And now it's happening all over again."

"Then help us stop it," Sam is so optimistic.

"It can't be stopped."

"You wanna see the end of the world?"

"I want it to be over! I have to sit back and watch my own brothers kill each other thanks to you two! Heaven, hell, I don't care who wins, I just want it to be over."

"It doesn't have to be like that. There has to be some way to, to pull the plug," Sa always has inextinguishable hope. It's almost sickening.

I laugh, "You do not know my family. What you guys call the apocalypse, I used to call Sunday dinner. That's why there's no stopping this, because this isn't about a war. It's about two brothers that loved each other and betrayed each other. You'd think you'd be able to relate."

"What are you talking about?"

"You sorry sons of bitches. Why do you think you two are the vessels? Think about it. Michael, the big brother, loyal to an absent father, and Lucifer, the little brother, rebellious of Daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny! It was always you! As it is in heaven, so it must be on earth. One brother has to kill the other."

"What the hell are you saying?" Dean is much more abrasive.

"Why do you think I've always taken such an interest in you? Because from the moment Dad flipped on the lights around here, we knew it was all gonna end with you. Always."

After a long moment, Dean breaks the silence.

"No. That's not gonna happen."

"I'm sorry. But it is," I sigh, "Guys. I wish this were a TV show. Easy answers, endings wrapped up in a bow...but this is real, and it's gonna end bloody for all of us. That's just how it's gotta be."

There's a moment of awkward silence as the boys look at me and then at each other.

"So. Boys. Now what? We stare at each other for the rest of eternity?"

"Well, first of all, you're gonna bring Cas back from wherever you stashed him."

"Oh am I?"

"Yeah. Or we're going to dunk you in some holy oil and deep-fry ourselves an archangel."

I snap my fingers, making Castiel appear.

"Cas, you okay?" Dean asks him.

"I'm fine. Hello, Gabriel."

"Hey, bro. How's the search for Daddy going? Let me guess. Awful."

Castiel glares at me, it's clear I struck a sensitive nerve.

"Okay, we're out of here. Come on, Sam."

"Uh. Okay. Guys?"

They all start to walk out the door.

"So, so what? Huh? You're just gonna, you're gonna leave me here forever?" Holy oil fires don't go out on their own. I could literally stuck here forever.

Dean stops at the door and looks back at me.

"No. We're not, 'cause we don't screw with people the way you do. And for the record? This isn't about some prize fight between your brothers or some destiny that can't be stopped. This is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family."

Dean pulls the fire alarm and it goes off, I look up as it starts raining down on top of me.

"Don't say I never did anything for you."

I glare at Dean as he leaves, Sam following close behind. Castiel stays for a moment, staring at me almost longingly. He looks down and away from me as he walks out of the door. That look hurt more than anything I've felt in thousands of years.