All You Did was Save my Life

You Promised

            Cas flipped through the pages of one of the large books Balthazar had helped him find. His brother was currently off listening for other angels to see if they knew anything about Sam's condition.

            "Ah!" Cas looked down at the baby in his lap.

            "What's all that noise for?" he asked and Jamie looked up at him. "I guess you're missing your father huh? Yeah, I miss him too." Cas fell silent for a moment, thinking hard.

            "Ah!" Jamie was still staring up at him with his big, wide eyes.

            "How about instead of making noises you help me research what's wrong with you uncle Sam?"

            "I don't think he's quite old enough to be doing much research yet," Balthazar said as he walked into the room, several large books i his hands. He set them down on the table and plucked his nephew from Cas's lap.

            "You know, there's this magical new device called  computer that would be  lot faster than you going through all those," he said, making faces at Jamie, causing the baby to giggle.

            "I don't like the computer," Cas said, "dean tried to explain it to me, but it didn't make any sense." Balthazar hmm'd, but said nothing.

            "Did you find out anything?" Cas went on, "Was it an angel that pulled Sam out of Hell?"

            "They seem to think so," Balthazar nodded, "No one seems to know for sure, but the angels don't seem to think there would've been another way for him to get out."

            Cas nodded, looking thoughtful, "Then we must find the angel who pulled Sam from hell. Perhaps then we can find out why he behaving so strangely." He paused his actions and looked solemnly at his brother. "How is Gabriel?'

            "He's in his room," Balthazar said.

            "He's been in his room since we arrived," Cas said, "And I did not ask where he is, I asked how-"

            "How do you think he is Castiel?" Balthazar said testily, "He's miserable. He's been raising two kids on his own for a year because Sam bloody Winchester chose to go hunting instead."

            "He wasn't alone," Cas said quietly.

            "You know what I mean Cas," Balthazar said, "He wasn't physically alone, but for everything that mattered? Henry's first year? He was alone." Castiel looked at Balthazar had thought of those things.

            "Don't look so surprised Cassie," Balthazar chuckled, "I helped raise you, remember? I know how important those baby milestones re. That's probably the one thing angels and humans have in common: children are the most important thing." Cas nodded and looked t his son seated in his brother's lap and knew Balthazar was right. But that didn't make him worry for Gabriel any less.

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            Gabriel laid on the bed on his side, facing the wall. He wasn't sure what time it was or how long he'd been laying there. He'd gone up to the room and closed the door almost as soon as they arrived. He'd only stayed downstairs long enough to thank his brothers and make sure Jesse was okay. After that he'd only really got up to take care of Henry. A small part of him knew he needed to get up. After all, it wasn't fair on his brothers to leave them to take care of Jesse; it wasn't fair on Jesse either. But he just couldn't. He couldn't look at his brothers and see them pity him. I mean come on, he was the Trickster! No one pitied him cause he did what he wanted when he wanted. Except when it came to Sam. And Jesse, but Gabriel couldn't face him right now either. He'd promised the little boy he would keep safe... that he'd give him a family... and he'd failed. Now they were in some random place and the home the child had known for over a year now had been ripped away.

            A gurgle from the end of the bed tore Gabriel from his thoughts. Henry. The baby had been the only one he'd been able to face since they'd arrived here. Which was kind of strange since Henry had so much of Sam in him. But then, Henry hadn't known Sam. And while the others had been there to help out, Gabriel had been Henry's sole provider for the past year. He had carried the boy and kept him safe; had held him all those nights he cried and cried and cried until Gabriel had cried too. Both out of frustration at not knowing what his son wanted and his desperate need to have Sam back. Now Sam was back and Gabriel didn't know what to do with himself.

            He sighed heavily when someone suddenly knocked on his door. At fist he thought it was Balthazar or Cas, but then they knocked again and he realized it was much too quiet to be either of his brothers.

            "Come in," he said and, after a moment, the door was pushed open and Jesse padded in.

            "You okay bud?" Gabriel asked hoarsely, but Jesse just stared at him. "Listen, if you're hungry or something I'm sure Uncle Cas or Uncle Balth-"

            "You promised," Jesse interrupted.

            "I promised what?" Gabriel asked.

            "You promised you wouldn't leave me again." With that, Jesse turned and left the room, leaving Gabriel to stare at the spot where his son had stood only a moment before.

One of the hinges on my laptop snapped. I have to send it off to get fixed which means I may not update again until I get back. I'm going to try, if I can get access to a computer to type it on. If not I will update as soon as I can once I have my laptop back.