Chapter Text
Castiel, Angel of the Lord, Angel of Thursday, looked down upon his self appointed charges and felt overwhelmed. More so than after Metatron took his grace to lock the angels out of Heaven, effectively turning him human. Or before or since during several of his “adventures” with the Winchesters. Being around his two human friends was a lesson in being overwhelmed. Even for an angel. Maybe especially for an angel.
Castiel looked down at the Winchester brothers where they were...napping on the floor in the center of some sort of spell casting circle? Sam and Dean were curled into fetal positions, facing toward each other, and sucking on their thumbs. As Castiel watched on Dean reached out with one hand blindly for his brother. Sam, as if sensing his brother's need wiggled closer. All of this without either male waking.
The angel had no clue as to what had happened. Nor one on how to deal with the sleeping adults? Toddlers? Their minds felt like a combination of both. So Castiel did the only thing he could. He prayed.
Father, I need help. I can't do this alone.
It was simple and short. There was no need for more words than that. The angel's Father was an omniscient being. Like most beings sometimes all you need to do is ask.
Castiel asked. In his own way. God didn't reply. But He did answer.
There was a sound of someone stumbling and catching their balance and the movement to go with it, seen just out of the corner of Castiel's eye.
In a fluid motion the angel turned, summoned his blade, and took a protective stance over the Winchesters. When it registered who he faced Castiel's shoulders eased with relief and he straightened up. A smile broke across his face. Then between one step and another Castiel put the blade away. One more step had the angel opening his arms to embrace his brother.
“Gabriel!” Castiel hugged the archangel firmly.
The hug thoroughly confused Gabriel. Getting his hands on the other angel's shoulders he pulled Castiel away till he was arm's length away. “Whoa, whoa, bucko! I'm truly happy to see you, too, but the last time I saw you we weren't exactly on hugging terms.” Thin lips frowned. “Besides, since when were you the hugging type?”
Castiel gave his brother a rueful smile. “I spent some time as a human.” He shrugged one shoulder, still gripped by the other's hands. “I think you would say that some of it rubbed off.”
Gabriel truly looked at Castiel, frown still in place. “You look like crap, but I don't think that has any thing to do with humanity.”
The smile slipped from Castiel's lips. “You have missed much, Gabriel. Very very much.”
There was a sadness in the archangel's eyes. “Maybe later you can fill me in. Right now I think I need to know why I've been brought back to the land of the living.”
It was Castiel's turn to frown. But the frown wasn't for the archangel. “You're right. Those matters can wait.”
Castiel turned and Gabriel's hands fell back to his sides.
Three steps back the way Castiel came had the angel brother's looking down at the sleeping humans lying on the floor.
“Huh.” There was a lot of...something...in the exclamation.
Whatever it was Castiel agreed. It seemed to perfectly sum up what the younger angel was thinking. “Exactly,” he nodded.
The archangel turn to look at Castiel. In a soft voice he asked, “Do you know what happened? I can't make heads or tails of it.”
Before the first question was fully uttered Castiel was already shaking his head. He spoke as softly. “No. Dean called me, but the connection was bad. All I could hear was something about a spell.”
“So we have no information.” Gabriel huffed. “I'm getting mixed readings from those two,” he gestured to the brothers on the floor.
Castiel nodded. “They feel both adult and child-like.”
Gabriel scoffed. Close enough. “I guess we're going to have to wait till they wake up.” The archangel moved forward and scooped up the taller brother. He made it look like it wasn't nearly as awkward as it would have been for anyone else. At least it would have been awkward, if not outright difficult, for a human with the same height differences.
“Least we can do now is get them lying on something softer.” Gabriel caught his brother giving him a strange look. “What?”
Castiel shook hi head. “Nothing.” Following suit he bent and lifted Dean into his arms. “Their bedrooms are this way,” he told his brother as he took lead.
Gabriel followed the younger angel with a soft look in his eyes as he looked down at Sam, who was still sucking his thumb. The archangel still wasn't sure what his roll was going to be in the coming events, or why he was clearly brought back by his Father, or why now, but he thought that just maybe he'd get to make up for some of what he had done. Though he hoped that dying for the Winchester had at least earned him something towards getting in their good graces.... Or things could get hairy.
Gabriel sighed softly and held his new charge a little more securely. When Sam sighed sleepily and turned his head toward the archangel Gabriel smiled.