Transmission from the Trickster

Chapter 21

"Gone?" Sam says incredulously. "What do you mean, gone?"

"They're gone. They never came back," Ketch says. "I think now is time for the rescue mission."

"You think?" Sam rolls his eyes and gestures for him to follow. "Alright, let's go."

"Just, small problem," Ketch says. "Dean used all the grace in the spell the first time. We're gonna need a little more."

Sam and Ketch look at Gabriel expectantly, but his immediate reaction is, "Nope. No way. I said once. You had your once. The grace machine is out of stock."

"Gabriel, please," Sam begs. "Just a little bit. Last time, I promise. We just need to get Dean and Cas back."

"Well, good luck with that," Gabriel says flippantly.

"You're joking," Ketch says. "You can't just leave the boys in the apocalypse world."

"Yeah? Watch me." Gabriel crosses his arms across his chest stubbornly.

"Gabriel —" Sam begins, but he's cut off.

"Look, Sam, I feel for you," Gabriel tells him. "Really, I do. But this isn't my fight. It's yours."

"Unfortunately for you, that's not how this works," Ketch tells him, earning a confused look from both of them. "As long as you're living here, you're part of the team, and that means going along with whatever halfass plans these three come up with."

"Funny," Gabriel deadpans. "No one briefed me on the rules when you dragged me out of Hell."

"He's right," Sam says. It's not an actual rule, but for now, if it convinces Gabriel to go along with it, it works. "As long as you're here, this is how it works."

"Fine." Gabriel swings his legs of the table and stands up. "Thanks for freeing me from Hell and for the movie marathon and all that. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Wait, what are you doing?" Sam asks.

"Leaving," Gabriel replies. "Duh. Come on, Sam. Try to keep up."

"What? You can't just leave," he protests.

"If I have to choose between staying here and continuing my career as a grace cow or leaving and hooking up with some porn stars, I'd pick the latter any day. See ya later. Only hopefully not."

"Gabriel —" Sam reaches out to grab the angel's arm, grounding him here.

"Don't —" Gabriel pulls his arm free and takes a deep breath, like he's trying to calm himself down, but he doesn't look like he's worked up at all. "Alright, let's try this again. Thanks for the rescue. If you need me, sucks to be you. Ciao."

"Gabriel! You're not leaving," Sam says firmly, grabbing his arm again.

This time, instead of just freeing his arm, Gabriel flings Sam across the room, more forcefully than any time before, and the wall crumbles around him.

"Ah, crap," Gabriel mutters. With the flap of his wings, he's next to the hunter, and he offers him a hand.

Sam eyes him skeptically, then takes it, and Gabriel pulls him to his feet. Sam had forgotten how strong he was. Someone that short should not be that helpful.

"Sorry," he mumbles.

"You know what would make it okay?" Sam asks. When Gabriel just looks confused, he finishes, "If you let us have some of your grace to get Dean and Cas back."

"Dammit, Sam, you're not taking any more of my grace!" Gabriel snaps, almost yelling it. Sam hasn't seen him that worked up since he pushed Dean into the wall of their weird live studio audience hotel room.

"Why not?" Sam demands. "My family's lives are at stake, and you're going to let them all die because you don't want to give up a little bit of grace?"

"Yes, yes I am," Gabriel tells him, regaining his composure, which is more than Sam can say for himself.

"You know, I was really starting to think you were more than just a selfish prick," Sam says. "Looks like I was wrong."

Gabriel scoffs. "You really are no better than Asmodeus." And with that, he disappears.

Sam groans in frustration and slams his foot into the wall. "God dammit!"

"Sam —" Ketch begins.

"Don't 'Sam' me," he snaps. "My mom and Jack are gone, and now Dean and Cas are gone with them, and our only chance to save them just flew away." He presses his back against the wall and slides down to the floor. "We were so close."

"We'll get them back," Ketch assures him. "All of them."

"How?" Sam challenges. "How could we possibly get them back?"

"I don't know," he admits. "But we will."

~~

Sam lies down for a long time, trying to sleep, but it just doesn't happen. His mind is too preoccupied with worrying to just shut down. He's not just worried about his family in the apocalypse world — he's also worried about Gabriel. Being an archangel, he's got a huge target on his back. He's going to get himself killed, or worse.

Eventually, Sam sits up, abandoning the idea of sleep entirely, and clasps his hands together. It's not the first time he's prayed, but it's the first time it's really mattered that he does it right, and he almost feels nervous. He doesn't want to screw this up more than he has already.

Hey, Gabriel. It's me. Sam. Winchester.

Does he already know that? It stands to reason that he would have to know who's praying to him, just by default, or he couldn't do much with it.

I'm sorry for snapping at you. I didn't mean to scare you away. This has just been a really frustrating couple months, and I guess I just took it out on you when I shouldn't have, and I'm sorry. Just, please, come back.

He waits for a few minutes, but when nothing happens, he gives up. He screwed up, big time. He might have just lost his entire family permanently, just because he couldn't keep his temper. Talk about a stupid mistake.