Chapter Text
"Is this a joke?" Sam was almost laughing, breathless with an edge of bitter. "You think I'm that stupid? That after Ruby I'd just..."
His knuckles went white around the shotgun.
"Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to fall for the same trick? That you could just waltz in, save my life a few times, throw us some clues and I'd just what? Fall all over myself to trust you? Or is this just some new trick? Some sick game for your own amusement?" Smiling tight and absolutely bitter now. "What's the matter Gabriel? Apocalypse ruining your fun? Had to find a new game to play? Or did you finally realise that the end is really the end and Lucifer is going to destroy everything! All your little play things gone, no more bullies to murder."
Gabriel's eyes flashed, a spark of fury. The air was suddenly heavier, lightning crashing outside.
"Oh I'm sorry. Bring to justice." Sam's voice was snide.
"Don't even pretend they didn't deserve it." Gabriel actually looked angry, like he believed in what he was doing even as he enjoyed every twisted moment of it.
"Didn't fall very far did you." Sam mocked. "Angel of Justice."
Gabriel looked away and there was a moment where he shifted and Sam could see him thinking...
"Don't you dare leave me here." Sam's voice was dropping. "You have something to say, so say it."
Silence. Rain finding its way through the broken windows of the warehouse. Dripping down into puddles on the bare concrete floor. Fractured light skittering over the surface with every drop.
"Are you sure Sam?" Gabriel looked overly pensive, arms crossed. Leaning casually to the side, lounging on an invisible pillar. "You seem to be enjoying your lengthy monologue." Half smile curling into a smirk.
Sam's shoulders tensed.
"If you have nothing important to say take me back to Dean."
"So Dean can ram another stake through my chest? Please." Eyes rolling as his arms unfolded and he stood upright again, no longer lounging on nothing but air.
"If you remember it was me that staked you last time." Sam's eyes narrowed as Gabriel wandered closer, circling round but keeping his distance. "And I'd be happy to do it again."
"Pfft. Barely even hurts." Dismissing the idea.
"But it does hurt and I will happily..."
"Oh please." Eyes rolling at Sam to drive home just how pathetic he thought the threat was. "Your shotgun's empty and it's not like you can fetch more rounds unless I let you. And I'm not exactly going to let you if you're just going to..."
"So, what?" Sam demanded. "You're just going to keep me here?"
"No."Another eye roll as he stopped in front of Sam again. "If you'd quit your whining maybe I could get back to my point."
"Right." Sam smiled tightly. "You want to help. But you see Gabriel, I'm never going to believe you. I'm never going to trust a single word you say. Not only did you kill my brother..."
"And brought him back." Smiling broadly.
"Yes." Sam drawled, nodding slightly. "But you also want me to say yes to Lucifer."
"And I told you, I've changed my mind."
"And why would I believe you?" Sam demanded.
"What?" Grinning. "A guy can't change his mind?"
"Exactly. This is your problem Gabriel. Everything's just a game to you."
The angel's mouth dropped open, eyes narrowing.
"Yeah, I've heard it all before. What we call the Apocalypse, you call a family dinner. So what? Your family sucks so you ran away? Cas says you've been gone over a thousand years. Now you've suddenly changed your mind. You're suddenly willing to fight against your family."
Gabriel's eyes dropped.
"Give me a reason, one good reason why you'd do that?" Sam asked.
Thunder rolled overhead, then lightning.
"Do you even have a reason for saving me?" He wanted to know.
"You're Lucifer's Vessel." Hazel eyes blank but staring up at Sam again.
Sam flinched but kept his expression neutral.
"So, what? You're just keeping me safe for him to ride around in later? Is that it?" Frowning. "Just trying to keep big brother happy for when he's ruling the world?"
"And Heaven." Gabriel's voice was low but clear to Sam despite the storm.
"What?"
"Do you really think he'd just stop here? That his plan begins and ends with this? Wow and you think I'm conceited. What do you think he's going to do when he's finished with earth Sam? Sit around and admire the scenery?" Mocking disbelief.
Sam swallowed.
"So you'll help him now so..."
Thunder and lightning crashed in a blinding wave of sound and white light.
"I have no intention of..." A quick pause, eyes flicking away then back again to stare at Sam, struggling for flippant. "Of helping my 'brother.'"
Sam watched Gabriel closely, mind racing.
"You mean serve him." Sam was certain of it.
Gabriel flinched.
"You mean you have no intention of serving him. You know he's planning on taking over and you know you don't stand a chance. That you won't be able to hide from him once it's all over."
Disgust mixed with desperation washed over Gabriel's face.
"If Dean would say yes then..."
"But Dean won't say yes." Realisation was dawning. "You had a look into the future, didn't you? And Dean didn't say yes." A moment of blinding relief before he stopped to watch Gabriel's face.
Gabriel's eyes widen slightly in surprise before his face slid over into impressed.
"Nicely done Sam but you do realise what that means, don't you?" Slowly stepping forward, moving much closer.
Sam was frozen with the dawning horror of it all.
"I said yes." His voice was hollow.
Gabriel nodded.
"You said yes." Sing song voice mocking but his hazel eyes were staring right into Sam's.
Sam licked his bottom lip but refused to look away. He hadn't done anything yet, he had nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing accept drinking demon blood, killing Lilith, letting Lucifer free and starting the Apocalypse.
The rain was getting heavier, more water dripping down the walls now, more drops shattering the light across the puddles.
"What if I could stop you?" Gabriel's voice was low.
Sam's heart flipped then began to race, hands suddenly slick with sweat.
"What if I could find a way so that you never say yes to dear big brother Lucy? "
Sam swallowed hard.
"Can you?" Breathless. Voice squeezing out from his suddenly tight throat.
Gabriel blinked slow, or maybe time was getting slower. Sam didn't know. He could only hope Gabriel wasn't fucking with him. God he hoped Gabriel wasn't lying to him.
Gabriel's eyes were boring into his.
"I don't know." Honesty at last.