I'll Come Back To You

Chapter 24: Six Hours Later

Gabriel hadn't been joking about how long it took to explain his and Sam's complicated relationship. 

It wasn't just a long story; it was a saga.

Of them going back and forth between loving each other, dating, Gabe screwing up, them hating each other, unwillingly loving each other, dating and then Gabe screwing it up or faking his death.

There were plenty of sore spots in the relationship too. Gabriel's time spent in Monte Carlo with pornstars, Sam's various girlfriends over the years, the small fact that Gabriel had killed Dean over 100 times in one day and driven his moose completely insane.

"He still cringes every time Asia comes on the radio," Cas commented. "Winces every Tuesday." Gabriel made a face, like the mention of that hurt his heart.

"I messed up," The trickster admitted. "Messed up bad, and if I could take it back, I would."

"Would you?" Cas deadpanned.

"....I would try to teach him the lesson I had in mind a different way, okay?"

"Well at least that's something."

"So you faked your death and moved away," Jack supplied. "But then you came back, after Asmodeus had hurt you. And Sam took care of you, even though you said he hated you."

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would he take care of you if he hated you?" Gabriel smiled softly.

"Because somehow, he still loved me. I've got that moose wrapped around my finger and I've got him good. I don't think he's really forgiven me for everything I've done, but he's still willing to keep me around. I'll take what I can get."

"Did he tell you he loved you? Before you died, I mean." 

"Uhhhh," Gabriel looked at him sheepishly. "It was more like he nursed me back to health, we fought, refused to have angry sex, fought again, had angry sex, made up for a little while, fought again, more angry sex, then I screwed Rowena, we fought again, then we went to the Apocalypse world and I died." 

Balthazar, Anna, Jack and Cas stared at him.

"....I understand why he punched you now," Jack concluded. 

"Me too," Balthazar agreed. "Good luck with that one, Gabe."

"I'll figure it out," Gabriel declared. "My moosie can't avoid me forever."

****

Shortly after, they pulled into a playground, stopping. Balthazar and Anna looked confused at the spot of choice, but watched as Cas dragged Lucifer out of the trunk, and Jack headed over to a sandbox.

"You remember the symbol?" Cas asked. 

"I think so," Jack grabbed a stick off the ground and started drawing a symbol in the sandbox.

"Metatron's cube," Anna said, recognizing it.

"Whatever happened to that old geezer?" Balthazar asked. Cas gave out another death glare.

"He used and manipulated me into closing the gates of heaven, stole my grace, make the angels fall, turned me human, and chummed it up with God for a little while. In return, I stole his grace, threatened him, Sam shot him, and eventually he was killed by the Darkness, and will not be missed by anyone."

"Except maybe Gadreel," Gabriel piped up. "But oh, wait, he's dead too. He possessed my moose and I'm still pissed at him too."

"Gabriel, who AREN'T you pissed at?" Anna questioned. Gabriel thought for a moment.

"Well..... Jack's pretty cool," He pointed at the Nephilim, who smiled innocently and stepped back from the sandbox.

"You know, sometimes I can really believe he's my son," Lucifer started. "But then he does that, and I just don't see it."

"Your son is a cinnamon roll, Luci, deal with it." Gabriel shot back.

They turned back to the sandbox, watching as the symbol in it glowed blue, and the door to heaven opened up.

"Home sweet home," Balthazar sighed. Cas glanced back at Jack.

"Wait here," He instructed, passing the kid an angel blade. "Look out for any trouble." You could never be sure who would come out of the shadows when the door to heaven was open. Jack nodded, and Balthazar, Anna, Gabriel, Lucifer, and Cas stepped back into heaven.