Chapter Text
A day after the Battle of Antietam September 1862 in Virginia
Michael Grace watched watch as the dragged the struggling boy into camp sitting by his buckskin mustang Lucifer. It was sad he could be older then 19, though Michael himself was only 22.
“Hold still,” a photographer who’d been travelling the confederates said.
“Sure I call this one Blue Steel,” the boy said making a stupid looking face, Michael rolled his eyes.
“Grace,” Sergeant Lafitte, he was a nice man; from Louisiana as far as commanders went he was pretty easy going.
“Yes, Sir” Michael said standing.
“It’s your job to watch this boy tonight until we get orders about what to do with him,” Benny said.
“Yes sir,” Michael nodded.
Later that night after must everyone had gone to sleep Michael and the Union boy where sitting in the light of the full moon. Michael was writing a letter to his father about the war. And the boy tied to a hitching post was just making bored noises with his mouth unable to do much else.
“Would you knock that off?” Michael asked looking up from his writing.
*pop*
“You’re not cute you know,” Michael said putting the pen down glaring at the Yank.
“I think I’m Adorable,” the Yankee smirked, “My name is Dean Winchester by the way.”
“Michael Grace.”
“Tell me about yourself Mikie. Where you what’s your story,” Dean inquired.
“Why would I tell you?”
“Humor me,” The cocky young man said.
“Fine. But only if you tell me yours next,” Michael finally broke.
“Deal.”
“My name is Michael I come from a large cotton plantation in Alabama. I’m here right now because my father wanted me to fight for our families honor, and I am a good son.” Michael told.
“Come on there’s got to be more to you than that.” Dean pressed.
“Fine, I guess I can tell you about my mother. She was a beautiful women always saw the good in people. She was a good Christian woman, read the bible to me every night, and could always make me smile. She loved the sunset and horse. My horse Lucifer other there was once I rebels horse bond for the slaughter house but she saved him, she could save anyone,” As he talked there was a quiver in his voice. He didn’t know why he was doing this; he never talked about his mother. Maybe it was because now he could talk about her. He didn’t know.
“Then one night while my father was away some man broke in shot her both anyone could do a damned thing about it. Even as she was dying in my arms she still made me smile and she gave me her St. Michael charm,” he held up the silver charm on the necklace he wore, “He’s the Archangel I’m named for and she promised me he’d keep me safe.”
“Well now, that’s somethin’,” Dean said.
“Now your turn.”
“Well my name Dean, I’m come from a small town on the coast of New York. I joined the army so I could get enough money to move west, California I think. I just don’t want to go home anymore. My parents both died there. My mom was killed in a fire when I was young and it left just me and my dad. He died last year, hunting accident, so if I ever make it out of this war I’m heading west. I know I can do it,” Dean told as well and then de thought for a minute before grabbing at the leather string around his neck to pull a golden amulet “Oh and this is the luck amulet I got from m mom too.”
“Very nice,” Michael said smiling looking at the amulet on the leather string.
They kept talking and before they knew it they talked the night away.
——
December 10th 1862
It had just under three month sense the confederate unit had caught Dean and almost every night Michael would guard him and they talked, telling stories about their childhoods, like how Dean would run shores of New York, finding shell and fishing with father. Or Michael would talk about his father young slave Raphael, who his mother had taught to read alongside Michael, even if his father didn’t know, and how the pair on slow days would fish for catfish in the nearby river.
Until the one afternoon when the orders had came that the small unit needed to get rid of the boy that he was worth keeping and they needed to get rid of him.
“Walker, take him out and bullet in his head,” Sergeant Lafitte ordered.
“I can’t Sir that’s just murder,” Gordon replied, to which Michael almost snorted. Gordon was a slave here under his master’s orders, and Michael had seen it on the battleground, the man loved to watch life drain out of the enemies eyes despite what he said now.
“I’ll do it,” Michael said getting up dusting himself off.
“You sure, Michael?” Benny asked.
“Yes I’m sure,” Michael replies, grabbing his gun and Dean, leading them off aways from the confederate camp.
“Why are you doing this, Michael,” Dean said starting to struggle once they were a distance away from the camp. He thought they were becoming friends.
“Because I don’t want to see you dead,” Michael said stopping and removing the ropes from Dean’s wrists, “You are young and have faith in your dream which I hope you can accomplish.”
“Thank you for doing this, Michael,” Dean said after a minute of surprise of being let go, “wish me luck.”
“Taken this,” Michael said pulling off the necklace with his mothers St. Michael charm on it and handed it to Dean, “St. Michael will watch over you and protect you.”
Dean stared at it for a minute from what the confederacy soldier had told him this was very important to the man, so Dean would care for it greatly.
“Here,” Dean said quickly pulling off his own necklace, “My Amulet will watch over you as well.”
Michael took it.
"You’re gonna hear a gunshot don’t look back just keep going until you reach the union camp," Michael said point north, "it’s that way."
"Hey thanks," Dean said the sun sparkling off his eyes, "if you’re ever out west look me up."
"I’ll do that," Michael replied after a minute. He still couldn’t believe that anyone eyes cold be as green his looked, "Now go."
Dean looked back into Michael’s eyes seeing the sun reflect off those green-gray eyes like the sunsets near his ocean home. He turned to run but hesitated for a minute clutching the charm Michael had given him and whispered, “thank you Michael.”
Michael watch Dean start to run, he looked back down at the golden amulet that Dean had given him, sighed putting it into his pocket and whispered to himself, “how can you be in love with a another man?”
Michael then picked up his gun aimed it to the sky and fired. As the shot rang out birds flew from the trees. Michael lowered his weapon before walking back to his fellow Confederate soldiers.
——
1865
The Civil War came and went; Michael had never forgotten Dean the Union boy with the dream of moving out west, he’d had so much hope, so much faith. Michael wished he’d he still had that much hope and faith. But after the things he’d seen he just couldn’t muster it.
The war ended in May but it was June before Michael made it back to his home in Alabama. When he arrived there the once rich fields of cotton were dead, the house from the front looked abandoned. He hitched Lucifer to a post and walked inside. The walls that had once been covered in pictures and paintings were bare, the shelves that were once filled with books ware empty. It looked like no one had been here for years.
"Father!?" Michael called hoping someone would reply. When his father did not he called his father’s house slaves, "Raphael? Uriel? Naomi? Rufus?"
He found Raphael sitting on the back porch of the withered house.
"Sir," Raphael said as he stood.
"Why are you still here Raphael you are free now," Michael said with a slight smile happy for a man he’d considered a friend, "where is father?"
"Sir… Your father left, two years ago, to England," Raphael said almost sadly, "so did everyone else, but I stayed. I knew you’d be back someday. Here"
Raphael held out a small bible that had once been Michael’s mother. Michael took it from Raphael’s hand. The bible had been very important to her, as important as the charm he’d given Dean.
"What are you going to do now Raphael?" He questioned wonder what he himself was going to do. There was nothing left here for him now, "Where are you going to go?"
"I have nowhere to go," Raphael said sitting back down looking to the setting sun, "What about you?"
Michael sighed looking up at the setting sun. He remembered Dean those bright green eyes illuminated by the same sun light.
He kept looking, looking…west. His hand reached into his pocket he pulled out the amulet and look at it.
"Let’s go west," Michael said putting the chain of the amulet in the bible and put both in his pocket. He’d found something to have faith in again, he hoped.
——
1866
It had taken them time to gather money. They sold anything they’d found in the house which wasn’t much, along with some hard work for a women whose husband died in the war had got them enough money to buy supplies.
Michael sold his saber which had got them enough money to get Raphael a mustang, Gabriel was the things name. Raphael swore Gabriel was messing with him and laughing about it. They’d also gotten an old mule dubbed Joshua.
They’d made it to north Missouri before winter stopped them. They’d gotten a little more work until the spring; it had gotten them a little extra money and a few more supplies.
So now it was June again and they’d made it the Northern Nevada. They’d stopped for the night to setup camp.
Raphael unsaddled the horses and unpacked Joshua as Michael started the fire.
"Raphael, where is the rabbit meat we shot yesterday?" Michael asked digging throw their things back turned to Raphael.
"Umm… Michael," Raphael said nervousness in his voice.
"Yes Raphael?" Michael said turning around and felt a revolver pressure against his temple he could see out of the corner of his eye an evil looking woman holding it. And he could see a man whose eyes he could swear where yellow, likely from a hard life on his liver, pressing a rifle to Raphael’s head. And another snake like man with another rifle aimed at them standing just behind where Raphael hitch the horses.
"Look at what we have here, Azazel,” the blonde woman hissed, “a couple of rich travels.”
"Tonight seems to be our lucky night, Lilith,” the yellow eyed man replied, “What do you think we should do with ‘em Alistair?”
"Let cut ‘em up and leave ‘em for the coyotes,” the one called Alistair hissed.
"Lucifer," Michael said getting his horse attention, "Exorcizamus!”
With that the dun stallion kick back catching Alistair in the ribs. This had been a trick Michael taught the horse had they ever need to get away during the war. In the confusion Raphael grabbed Azazel’s gun knocking the yellow eyed man to the ground and Michael grabbed Lilith and they wrestled for it.
At the same time Alistair, holding his ribs tried to slink away only to come face to face with a Colt revolver himself.
"Hands up, down on the ground," a gruff voice ordered.
Having gotten the gun off Lilith, both her and Michael dropped to their knees, as did Raphael Azazel put his hands in view for he was already on the ground.
"Look at who we got here sheriff," Another man’s voice cut in, "three of the Hell’s Knights."
"Why yes we do Finch," the sheriff replied, as he stepped into view.
In a second Michael knew who he was, he was older a little worn from war and a western life style but those green eyes in the setting sun Michael knew it was that union soldier boy, Dean Winchester, the one Michael had come out here to chase. Faith it seemed had brought them together again.
"You two can get up," Dean said to Michael and Raphael, "from your struggle I’m guessing you aren’t with them."
Michael and Raphael stood as Dean and Finch secured the outlaws.
It took only a second for Dean to realize who Michael was before wrapping him in a hug, “Grace, Michael Grace. Long time no see. Guess you decided to come follow me west after all.”
“You could say that,” Michael said leaning into the hug ever so slightly, and wrapping arm around the younger man, before they pull apart.
“Michael, this is my deputy, Elias Finch,” Dean told pointed, “I’m the sheriff of a small town just south of here called Devil’s Gate. And those three other there are part of a gang called the Hell’s Knights.”
“Howdy,” Finch said tipping his hat, “You can call me Elias.”
“This is Raphael my friend,” Michael introduced, “Raphael this is Dean Winchester, the Union soldier I told you about.”
“Nice to meet you,” Dean said offering a hand to shake, “Michael told me good things about you.”
“And I you, Dean Winchester,” Raphael said shaking the offered hand.
“We best get a move on,” Finch stated, “The moon may be bright tonight but this is when the snakes come out.”
“Hey if you guys need a place to stay the town of Devil’s Gate isn’t that far,” Dean suggested, “it’d be better then sleeping out here.”
“That would be great,” Michael replied. The horses and mule where quickly packed and they were on their way, guided by the full moon and Dean and Finch’s knowledge of the area.
“So how does, a union soldier boy become sheriff in four short years?” Michael asked Dean as they rode side by side back to the town of Devil’s Gate. Elias if the three Hell’s Knights tied to his saddle by lead ropes around their necks and Raphael with Joshua bring up the rear.
“Well after that night I found my way back to a Union camp nine days later we got into the middle of the Battle of Jackson, Tennessee, which you confederates won. But I got away with a bullet to the thigh; Doc said if it were an inch to the left I could bleed out. After that I got to leave. I tried going home but there was nothing for me there so I bough Sam here and we moved West. I was going to California but much like yourself, got caught by Hell’s Knights after getting way found my way to Devil’s Gate. Where the head Bitch herself Abaddon had killed the last sheriff. The major offered me the job and well as Finch back there would put it, ‘You’re the only dumb or crazy enough to go through with this’ ever since though the town has been fight back and I think we’re winning,” Dean told, “Oh, I still have that St. Michael charm you gave me I swear it is my lucky charm.”
“I still have yours as well,” Michael remarked “And that sounds like quite an adventure.”
“It was,” Dean stated thoughtfully.
The group made it back to the town jail where the prisoners were locked up to tried and hanged another day.
“Winchester, I gotta go head back home to my wife,” Elias yelled walking out, “Say you tomorrow.”
“See yeah, Finch,” Dean replied, then turning his attention to the other two men, “So since you two are staying the night in this here town I’ll get you boy set up at the local hotel.”
“That would be very kind, thank you” Michael said with a slight nod of his head.
“And look guys,” Dean said sitting at his desk, “I don’t know if you are just planning on pasting though, but if you want to stick around I could always use a couple more deputies. So what do you say?”
“I think we can stick around for awhile,” Michael said with a smile.
——-
1869
The next few years were good ones Michael and Raphael had fit right in with the town. It seemed to be a town of misfits from the young sheriff Dean to the owners of the local saloon, “The Roadhouse” Ellen and her daughter Jo to their live in friend Ash the town’s banker Garth. It seemed as if everything and everyone should be out of place but somehow they worked.
And like Dean had said Devil’s Gate was winning against the Hell’s Knights.
Michael was still working for Dean as a deputy alongside Finch. But Raphael had taken advantage of what Michael’s mother had taught him when he was young and growing up alongside Michael. He used his reading skills to learn the law and when the opening can up him was appointed judge of the town. But in this town of misfits a black man as judge wasn’t so strange.
They’d both become friends with Dean’s good friend Father Castiel. He was nice man and would often help the sheriff and the deputies when they needed it, but he seemed to be a man with a questionable past which no one here questioned.
Even Lucifer and Gabriel seemed to like it here. Getting to go on long rides with their owners and getting to come back to Dean’s appaloosa colt Sam, Elias’ pretty mare quarter horse Kali and Father Castiel’s beautiful mustang Meg.
And since they were no longer going anywhere, Joshua was able to retire from his life as an old pack mule into a much quieter life in Bobby Singer’s, the owner of the general store, garden. Bobby’s wife had really taken to the old mule.
But for Michael his heart was still heavy from his love of Dean. A love it seemed would never be fulfilled, because in this town Dean was the man who got around with all the women. Plus it was wrong, it was a sin, what would his mother think of him now. Michael’s faith was fading again.
Which lead him here, sitting in the small western church looking at small stain glass window in the back of the church.
“Forgive me Father for I have sinned,” Michael said, to no one.
“Michael, my boy,” Father Castiel’s voice cut in making Michael jump a little, thinking he was alone in the church, “You are a good an honorable man how have you sinned?”
Michael turned back to look at the window of the angel as Father Castiel sat down next to him. And with a heavy sigh he answered, “Father I have falling in love with another man. I’ve been in love with him for seven long years now,” he knew it was a sin to love another man, and that he could easily be run out of town for speaking it out loud but at this point his faith had run out again so it didn’t matter.
“Dean Winchester,” it was a statement not a question. Because for the 39 years he’d been living Castiel had seen very few people look as lovingly as Michael did at Dean, and the way Dean did Michael.
“Yes Father,” Michael replied.
“If you truly love him good to him son,” the preacher told him, “Just be careful not many people will like it but I believe you two were meant to be.”
Michael smiled and spoke softly, “Thank you Father,” Before he got up to head to the sheriff’s.
Castiel looked up at the stain glass angel and smiled.
——-
Michael walked into the jail house and looked around Dean wasn’t there but Elias and Raphael were.
“Have y’all seen Dean around?” Michael asked the deputy and the judge.
“Think his Rider’s Hill,” Finch answered not looking up from the news print he was reading, “he likes to go up there sometimes to watch the sunset.”
“Thanks,” Michael said quickly leaving and mounting Lucifer outside.
“So ya think they’re finally gonna kiss already,” Finch asked Raphael as he laid the paper down.
Raphael smiled and replied, “I hope so.”
——-
As Elias promised Dean sat on Rider’s Hill feet hanging over edge looking at the sunset over the Nevada basin. Michael sat down next to him.
“Lovely sunset,” Michael commented after a minute of silence.
“I like come here and watch it sometimes,” Dean answer not looking away, “I still miss it reflecting off the ocean though.”
They sat in silence for the next ten minutes watching the sun continue to disappear.
“I never asked; why’d you come all the way out here?” Dean asked.
“I was chasing something,” Michael replied.
“Was? You find it?” Dean questioned taking his eyes off the horizon to look at Michael. He still loved then way the last bit sun reflected off the others eyes, like the sun off the sea.
“I hope so,” Michael said turning to look Dean in those emerald green eyes.
Michael hesitated for a minute, but before he could stop himself pressed his lips to Dean’s, He half expected Dean to push him back or just off their perch on the cliff. But instead Dean started kissing him back. They keep on for a minute or so before stopping to breathe.
“I’ve been wishing you’d done that ever since that last moment we saw each other during the war.” Dean panted, “But it was worth the wait.”
For once, since he’d last seen his mother, Michael smiled a real smile, before Dean pressed their lips together once again. As they kissed the two necklaces they still wore got tangled together. The St. Michael Charm hugged the amulet closely.
And that sunset for them didn’t mark the ending of something like most sunsets do. For them it was just the beginning.