Transmission from the Trickster

Chapter 14

Gabriel does seem to get used to it. It's not long before he's back to sassing the hunter, just like old times. It's surprisingly comforting, listening to his annoying comments. Gabriel's basically back to normal. 

That is, until Dean shows up.

Gabriel cuts himself off mid-sentence — which is disappointing, because Sam's enjoying his retelling of his favorite tricks — and watches the older Winchester, distrust clear in his eyes.

"Ketch is here," Dean says simply.

"What? Why?" Sam asks.

"Beats me," Dean replies. "But by the looks of it, it's not good. Figured I'd give you the heads up, but if you wanna continue your little tea party instead, be my guest."

Sam rolls his eyes and looks to Gabriel. "I'll be right back," he says. "Just hang tight."

Gabriel just nods once.

Sam follows his brother through the bunker, and it's not until they're far from the archangel that Dean says, "Well, you two are looking comfy."

"Yeah, actually," Sam says. "He really seems to relax when it's just us. I think he's making some progress already."

Dean just nods. After a brief pause, he adds, "You know you're not his friend, right?"

"I'm actually not so sure about that," Sam replies. He just can't forget that one line, somehow both comforting and disheartening at the same time.

I guess the closest thing I have to a friend is you.

"No, you're not," Dean repeats. "You're not friends. You don't want to be friends."

"But —"

"I'm all for keeping him alive," Dean continues. "Helping him out, letting him recover, the whole nine yards. But we aren't going to be friends with him. Not friends, not partners, none of it."

"Even if it will help open the portal to Mom and Jack?" Sam challenges.

Dean just looks at him for a moment. Finally, he just says, "Once we have them back, Gabriel's out of here. That's the plan, right?"

Sam hesitates. He's not sure he could pick either way, so instead, he just says, "We can talk once we've got Mom and Jack."

It's then that they find themselves in the war room, when Cas is sitting across from a bloody and bruised Ketch.

"What happened to you?" Sam asks.

"Asmodeus happened," Ketch deadpans.

"Did you get the archangel blade or not?" Dean asks, cutting straight to business.

Ketch pulls it out of his jacket and drops it on the table. "Barely. He was not happy to find that someone had taken his pet, so he was barely taking his eye off the blade."

"How does he even know that?" Dean asks. "He literally just left the door unlocked. The guy could've just up an walked away. Hell, I'm surprised he didn't."

"Gabriel was not a flight risk," Ketch says with a sense of finality that leaves Sam wondering just what they did to him down there to make sure of this. "Asmodeus knows that."

"Well, does he know it was us?" Dean asks.

"I don't know," Ketch replies. "He didn't do a lot of talking, but I wouldn't be surprised. Even he knows you like to get in the way."

"Hell, he might've set the whole thing up," Dean adds. "He practically handed Gabriel over to us. Doesn't that strike anyone as a bit suspicious?"

"What? No!" Sam says immediately. "That's stupid. He wouldn't gain anything from that."

"That we know of," Dean corrects him. "But come on. He left an archangel — possibly the most powerful thing on the planet at the moment — alone, unguarded, in an unlocked cell. He's either a complete idiot, or he's planning something, and he wants Gabriel here."

"You mean you think they're working together?" Ketch asks.

"I think it's possible," Dean replies.

"That's stupid," Sam says again. "Gabriel's not working with Asmodeus, and Asmodeus would never give him up willingly. You're overthinking this."

"We can't rule out the possibility," Castiel tells him. "Didn't this all feel too easy to you?"

"Think about it," Dean adds. "Asmodeus left him out in the open an practically cleared a path for us to get to him, and there's no way he would have accidentally let Ketch slip off with the blade. He has to be up to something, and Gabriel seems to be playing along wonderfully. He told you where he was, right? He conveniently told you about Ketch while the dude was here, and Asmodeus easily could have known where he was. The second he saw you, he clung to you like you're his long lost mom, and who here would be most likely to get attached and decide to let him stay? Oh, right, you are. I'm not saying we've been played, but when you look at it like that..."

As much as Sam wants to say he's wrong, things definitely aren't looking good right now. They could be right, as much as he hates to admit it.

"Or," a familiar voice says from the hallway, "Maybe I picked Sam because I like him more than you muttonheads." Gabriel reaches an arm out in front of him, and his blade flies off the table and into his hand. "Thanks, buckos. I've been looking for this."

"Well, nice of you to finally join us," Dean says sarcastically.

Gabriel just rolls his eyes and walks away.

"Hey!" Dean calls after him. When Gabriel doesn't look back, Dean marches after him. "We're not done with you yet."

Sam barely has time to shout a warning before Dean grabs Gabriel's arm, about to drag him back. Instantly, he's flung back into the war room, but this time, when Gabriel looks back, he doesn't look shocked or scared or guilty. He barely bats an eye before continuing to walk away.

Dean sits up with a groan. "Because that doesn't make him look guilty at all."

Sam glances down the hall where Gabriel used to stand. That can't be it, can it? They have to be wrong.

"Hold that thought," Sam mutters, then runs after him.