Trouble With The Trickster || Gabriel - Supernatural

-41-

I wept for hours and hours after Gabe and Luci had finally managed to pry me away from Dad's cold, dead body. While Dad had been taking his last breaths, Luci had stabbed Darwena in the neck and she had died on the spot. A small part of me wished she hadn't, wished she'd felt every bit of pain that Dad had endured in those last few minutes, wished she'd been able to feel the life leaving her body as she died in agony...

But, I assured myself as my thoughts got more malicious, she was dead and she couldn't cause any more suffering to anyone. If only she'd been killed before she reached Dad...

We buried his body at my request, laying him to rest in a small piece of land out in the woods behind the bunker. Sam kindly conducted a makeshift funeral; a solemn affair where no one spoke a word but our thoughts were enough to fill a novel cover to cover. Afterwards, we drank together around the grave, none of us really feeling the happiness that the booze was supposed to bring but it was in memory of Balthazar so of course there had to be alcohol...

"Dad woulda liked dis..." I slurred, looking up at Gabe who held me close against his side as he carefully pulled the fifth beer bottle away from my hands. He didn't look at me, just kept his gaze on the headstone Lucifer had created which read, 'Here lies Balthazar. A father, brother and great friend to all who had the misfortune of meeting him. Also a drunk.' I knew I was supposed to laugh at the last bit but my mouth refused to release the sound as Gabe picked me up bridal style and carried my drunken form to my bedroom, laying me on the bed and leaving.

Even though Dad was gone, he barely stepped foot inside...

Michael had been freed amidst all the chaos by some demon too loyal for its own good but hadn't gotten far before coming face to face with a certain Jody Mills. In her account of what had happened, he'd attempted to zap out of there but she'd been quicker and quickly used Gabe's discarded archangel blade against him, plunging it into his heart seconds before he'd disappeared. His location was now unknown but wherever he was, we doubted he would be coming after me again anytime soon - if he was even alive.

A knock on my door the next morning woke me up from the frequent nightmare I'd been having for the entire five days since Dad had died. It was just his death, on repeat like a broken record, replaying and replaying before my eyes as I watched on helplessly, unable to prevent it as Darwena stabbed him in the back with Death's scythe again and again and again.

"Can I come in?" Sam called quietly from the other side of the door. I must have made some noise of approval as he walked in and placed a tray of breakfast on my bed in front of me. I looked down at the plate and burst into tears once again - of course, he'd made pancakes...

Sam looked up in shock as I began to bawl my eyes out, rushing over to sit beside me and envelope me in a hug as I heard footsteps quickly approaching outside. "What did you do to her?" Gabe demanded from the doorway, deliberating whether to come in or not before shrugging and looking up somewhat apologetically as he hurried to my side, taking Sam's spot and ushering the Winchester out of the room, "Hey... shhh..."

"E-everything reminds me of him, Gabe..." I spluttered as I wept into his shoulder, feeling him bring his legs up and curl up with me under the comforter, "Everything I see... Everything I smell..." I looked down at the pancakes again and cried even harder.

He picked up the tray with his free hand and carefully moved it out of my eye line before pulling my tightly into his chest and shushing my sobs as our legs tangled together. "I know, baby... I know how you feel... Luci and I feel exactly the same - we loved him, too..."

"Luci hardly shows it..." I muttered, swiping at my tears with paw-like hands.

"Believe me, he's a wreck on the inside. Not only because of Balt but because it's hit you so hard..." his voice lowered to barely a whisper, "I don't think you realise how much we all care for you..."

"He cares about me?" I raised an eyebrow but he didn't see, "I thought he only wanted to use me against Michael?"

"Originally," Gabe admitted, "but you seem to have become friends and I get the feeling he doesn't want to ruin the first friendship he's ever had outside of his own brothers."

"Oh..." I looked up at him at that point, "You know, I never realised how lonely it must be being the Devil-"

"Probably more that you think." I turned my head and found Luce stood in the doorway, "I'm not going to intrude on whatever you have going on here," he gestured at our cuddled position, "Just wanted to let you know the Winchesters have gone out on a hunt and Bobby took Jody back to wherever they both live..."

"And Cas?" I asked.

"Searching for Michael. He's going to check back in if he finds anything," Luci replied, crossing his ankles and leaning against the doorframe, "I'll go now..."

"Wait!" I called after him as he turned to leave. I don't know why, I think it was the saddened look in his eyes that made me soften, "You can come in... I mean, if you'd like... It's better to face this with others than alone..."

Lucifer turned back on his heel, looking over at me as if checking to see if I was kidding or just being harsh. I sent a small smile his way and snapped my fingers, conjuring up three beanbags on the floor which I'd been intending to put there earlier. "You sure? I can go-"

"I'm sure, Luce," I confirmed, getting up and going over to him. Abruptly, I pulled him into a hug and he tensed up at the show of affection before relaxing slightly and hugging me back. "We're friends, right?"

I swore I saw him smile a genuine smile as he squeezed me slightly, almost picking me up due to his height, "Yeah, we're friends..." He smirked at the foreign word on his lips, resting his arms comfortably around my torso.

"And you call me soppy?" An amused cough from Gabe interrupted our hug and I turned to find him sprawled in one of beanbags, "Come on... are we having a heart to heart here or not?"

I couldn't help laughing as I pulled back from Luci and out of the corner of my eye I saw Gabe smile at the sound. My laugh - the echoing happiness he hadn't heard for over a week. Perhaps this was a sign of things looking up...

Perhaps...