I'll Come Back To You

Chapter 3: Not Alone

Cas would know that voice anywhere. He bolted towards the sound of it.

"Hey, why is it so dark?" The voice asked.

"GABRIEL!!!!!" Castiel screamed, barreling towards and tackling his brother. He desperately needed to see another person.

"Great Gobstoppers, what the f- CASSIE!" Gabriel exclaimed.

"Gabriel!" Cas repeated, hugging his brother.

"Well aren't you clingy. Where are we?" Cas let him go, and the archangel ruffled his hair.

"We're in the Empty." Cas explained. Gabriel blinked.

"What's that?"

"It's where angels go when they die." Gabriel frowned.

"Really? But wait, that means-" He stopped, remembering.

The Apocalypse world. The fight with Michael. Him urging the Winchesters to go, not wanting-

Not wanting Sam to watch him die.

"I died." Gabriel whispered.

"Yes, you.... you did." Castiel agreed. 

"But- you weren't- how are you dead?" Gabriel asked, suddenly worried. "You can't be dead. Sam and Dean-"

"I made a deal." Castiel explained. "I traded myself so that Jack would get to live. Sam and Dean will be alright without me."

"No they won't! Dammit, Cassie, the only reason I went into that death trap was because I thought you'd be there to protect Sam!"

"And I was. But I'm not anymore, and besides, the Winchesters can take care of themselves."

"No they can't! Have you seen them try?? THE WORLD ALWAYS ENDS!!!"

But they fix it."

"With your help! And sometimes mine! And like twenty other people! On their own, they're screwed!"

"Well thanks for lessening my concern," Cas commented.

"We gotta get back to them." Gabriel declared. "Those idiots need us. Deano's probably dead already without you, and my moose needs adult supervision."

"While I sincerely hope Dean is still alive," Cas began. "I agree. We have to get out of here."

"Great! How do we do that?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? I thought you were the Empty expert!"

"I'm not an expert, I've just been here before."

"Then how did you get out last time?"

"I annoyed a Cosmic Entity."

"So being annoying gets us out? Well, in that case, we'll be out of here before you can say Mele Kalikimaka."

"It's not that simple, Gabe."

"Why not?"

"The Entity said that being annoying wasn't going to get me out of here this time. It's too stubborn to let me escape again."

"Well then we search for a door."

"I tried that."

"And?"

"There's nothing for six million feet in any direction."

"Well....maybe there's something that's exactly SEVEN million steps away." Cas facepalmed.

"You're an archangel. Shouldn't you know things about the Empty?"

"I probably should, but then again, I didn't take notes like Uriel and Raphael did."

"Then what? Did you sleep through archangel class?"

"No, I plotted and killed Selaphiel and promoted you to angel of Thursdays while Michael and Lucifer made out in the back of the class."

"That sounds so wrong."

"Well that's what happened."

"ExCUSE ME," A new voice declared. "We did not MAKE OUT." 

Castiel and Gabriel slowly turned to see Lucifer staring at them, looking annoyed.

"We passionately made love," He corrected.

"Somehow that's worse." Gabriel offered. "How's it hanging, Luci?"

"Like a noose. Where the hell are we?"

"Not hell." Cas corrected. "The Empty."

"No way."

"Wait a sec-" Gabriel realized. "LUCI'S DEAD??? HOW'D YOU KILL SATAN??"

"With alternate universe Michael and an archangel blade." Cas explained, wincing as he remembered how awful it had been when Michael had been possessing Dean.

"So the same dude killed both of us," Gabriel commented. "Sweet."

"How'd Castiel get here?" Lucifer asked, looking confused and sitting down next to them. "You were well alive and heartbroken when I kicked the bucket."

"I made a deal with the Empty," Cas offered.

"Really? For what? Dean to give into his homosexual emotions?" Castiel glared at him.

"Actually, I gave myself up so that your son could come back to life." Lucifer stopped smiling.

"Jack died?" He asked, slightly concerned.

"Yes. Apparently, when you stole his grace, it sent his whole system off balance. He shut down and died, and the Empty tried to rip him out of heaven and take him because he's half angel. I convinced it to take me instead."

"That's..." Lucifer paused. He didn't really have words for that.

"How are the Winchesters doing anyways?" Gabriel asked. "How's my moosie?"

"Sam is fine." Cas offered. "He's learning how to be more of a leader then a follower." Gabriel smiled proudly.

"That's my boy."

"Dude, he was my vessel," Lucifer commented.

"Shut up, Satan, the moose is mine." Gabriel retorted. Lucifer threw up his hands.

"What is this? Michael and I were promised vessels, and instead I get screwed with some doofus named Nick, and Mikey's left with the half Winchester nobody even cares about!"

"Is he still in the cage?" Gabriel asked.

"Who, Losechester or Michael?"

"Both."

"Yep," Lucifer smirked. "Mikey's not getting out anytime soon."

"Poor Adam." Cas insisted.

"Who?" Gabe questioned. Cas facepalmed.

"So," Lucifer began. "You guys said something about getting out of here?"