Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ordinary people had read of Hunters and the Supernatural back when Chuck still wrote his books. A few found the idea romantic even. The constant war between the Natural and Supernatural worlds, with only a handful of lone gunmen defending those caught in the crossfire, excited the imagination.

Sam Winchester, however, believed one shouldn’t sign on just for ‘the dream’–to rescue the damsel and/or for justice. It required giving up everything in one’s life and getting in the line of fire without so much as receiving a thanks. Sure, it was gratifying to save people. But sometimes, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t save everyone. You just claimed your victories, big or small, wherever you got them; and today wasn’t an exception. With the Corrupted and everything else thrown their way, there weren’t enough moments when one could just sip their coffee in peace without the war map making a sound.

With that said, it didn’t hurt to check on other hunters, especially after losing Ennis and Ricky because of Kokabiel. So, Sam picked up his phone and speed-dialed Garth’s number.

“That’s a surprise,” the familiar voice sounded from the other end of the line. “How are you doing, Sam?”

“Hey, Garth, I was just about to ask you the same thing. I’m guessing things are going well on your end?”

“Good for now. There are those hunters who feel a bit out of their depth. Nothing that I can’t treat by addressing the root of the problem and removing it, though. Get it?”

Sam smiled. “Yeah, Garth, I get it.” Everyone was entitled to their Dad jokes. “What about the Ruiz siblings and Noah Ayers? Did they contact you?”

“Sure did. I’ve got them stationed at the Ocooch Mountains, at the Western Upland area,” Garth replied. “No worries, I’ve got my eye on them. Bonus, it seems they have fitted right in with the others. Then again, they’ve earned their place.”

“They have.” All three young hunters were bright, and had been excellent students in the four weeks they had stayed in the Bunker. Leo and Nina had even got their proverbial baptism of fire in Cappadocia, so they were more than ready to handle any challenge in their way. “What about you, Garth? Bess with you?”

“No. She and her father decided it was time to go through with their own plan in mind.”

“So they’re reaching out to the other packs?” Sam said, almost in wonder. Although he and Garth had talked about it before, Sam wasn’t sure they’d actually go through with it.

“Yeah. There are those who figure two hundred pissed off Corrupted is bad and they might as well get the chance to do something about it.”

“You’re on your own, then?”

“For now. It’s fine. It gives me the chance for some quality time with the little tykes.”

Sam supposed it made sense. “Well, tell your wife I said ‘good luck’. I hope they’ll pull this off.” If there were werewolves or other ‘monsters’ willing to help (the younger Winchester didn’t want to label them as such when they showed such a good grasp of the situation), they wouldn’t turn them away. “Just give us and the rest of the Hunters a heads up if any of them come our way. They shouldn’t get a bullet for their trouble.”

“Will do,” Garth said, his smile audible. “Whoops, got to go. The twins have discovered the joys of walking and have become quite the escape artists.”

Sam couldn’t help but smile at that. “Then I’ll leave you to it, Garth. Talk to you soon.”

“Sure thing! Tell the others I said ‘Hi’… No, Cas! Sam! That’s not a chew toy!”

Sam decided he’d rather not know what the twins had just sunk their werewolf's teeth into and hung up instead. It looked like Garth really had his job cut out for him. Still, it was a good life for him and he wouldn’t change it for the world–Sam could tell that much from the tone in his voice alone. And, honestly? Sam would be more than happy to have something like that with Eileen soon. Preferably once they had dealt with the Corrupted.

His train of thought was cut short when Dean walked in, and he was not alone. The kitties followed him close as if they were his personal entourage.

“Heya, Sammy,” he said, ruffling his brother’s hair as he passed by and made his way to the kitchen counter.

“Yeah, morning to you too,” Sam replied as he swatted the hand away in feigned annoyance. Somebody was in a cheery mood, which was unusual-Dean needed coffee first in order to get him talking. And that wasn’t the only thing unusual, come to think of it. “Cas not with you?”

“Took Miracle for his morning walk, so I can make us some breakfast,” Dean replied, even as he maneuvered to avoid Maizie and Charlie – the two were now practically doing figure-eights between his legs. “Yeah, yeah, yours, too. Pipe down, ya munchkins,” he added gruffly.

Sam’s lips tugged into a lopsided smirk. “Play the ‘not a cat person’ card all you want, Dean. I saw you the other day, dangling that toy mouse for them.”

“I was helping them train!”

“Sure,” Sam said, sipping his coffee. And no, he didn’t believe that for a second.

Dean graced that response with a big roll of his eyes and continued preparing the kitties’ bowls. “What about Eileen? I figured she’d be with you.”

“She was. But I’ll go join Rowena and Twardorwski in a few, so she’s gone to the library,” Sam said.

Dean frowned. “Looking for anything specific?”

“You could say that. When Rowena told her about the Ring of Solomon, it got her thinking. The Men of Letters kept a lot of artifacts around here. If any of them can give us an advantage, it’s worth finding it.”

“I don’t know, Sam. We’ve been researching for all kinds of stuff related to them for weeks. If there was something that could have killed them, I think the previous tenants would have written it in big fat letters,” Dean said thoughtfully.

“It doesn’t have to be a weapon; even something that might help us defend ourselves against them will do,” Sam reasoned. “We’ve got angels, demons, gods, demigods, spirits, you name it, joining the fight and we’re only human. I’d rather I didn’t feel we’ll be firing slingshots when the time comes.”

“We seem to have done pretty okay so far.”

“Sure, but it took team effort, and we only had to deal with one Corrupted at a time. The moment they break out en mass, though…”

“Yeah, I get it,” Dean conceded with a soft sigh. He placed the bowls down for Charlie and Maizie, and the kitties started chowing down, their purrs quite audible. Dean couldn’t help but smile at the sight before turning his attention to Sam. “Which kinda brings me to what I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

“Yeah?” Sam asked, intrigued.

Dean didn’t reply at once. He first poured some coffee into his mug and then settled next to his brother. Whatever he wanted to say, he wanted to say it in confidence.

“You said it yourself. The moment the Corrupted get out, it’s all gonna come down to how pissed off they are and how well we’ve prepared ourselves against them. We’re talking about full-blown war, and we’re gonna be at the centre.”

“Okay,” Sam said, listening on. This was one of the few times his brother didn’t put on a brave front and simply stated everything as it was with no punches pulled. “We’re still gonna give it our best shot, Dean.”

“Hell, yeah, we are,” Dean agreed. “But we owe a lot of beers to plenty of people and I don’t want to have any unfinished business over my head, you know?”

Sam understood. He and Dean had talked about taking their closest friends and allies out as thanks for everything, but neither of them was sure when the best time was. Now it looked like Dean didn’t want to postpone it any more.

“We can always go for it after we win,” Sam suggested. They had to stay positive, after all.

“Can we? We might lose a lot of good friends when it hits the fan, and I doubt there’s gonna be a do-over this time,” Dean countered gently. “Besides, we’ve been working our ass off these past few months and the world could end soon. We should have the chance to cut loose for one night.”

Sam pondered on it. His brother was right. The Corrupted threat had been hanging over their heads like the proverbial Damocles’ sword these past few months, filling the air with tension which needed easing. Although there had been some brief moments of reprieve before, the constant threat prevented them from actually relaxing.

“Guess things are slow enough for now,” he said thoughtfully. “What did you have in mind?”

Dean grinned. “Glad you asked. Got some time?”

Sam smiled as he saw the spark in his brother’s eyes. “Sure.”

--------------

After deciding to make their relationship work despite their duties on Heaven and Earth, Gabriel and Israel ensured they always had time for one another. It was easy enough for the grigori to spend a few hours with the archangel in Heaven. Time flowed differently in that plane, so Israel was back at the Bunker before being missed. For Gabriel, it was a different matter. Israel’s off-duty hours were early in the morning and the archangel needed to be sure that, one, he didn’t put any urgent business on hold and, two, his absence in Heaven wouldn’t cause a problem.

Naomi was accommodating, thankfully. As his second in command, she promised to cover for him on the condition she’d have a few hours to see to her own matters. It was a fair request, as Naomi and Crowley had the right to make things work for themselves, too; so Gabriel agreed. Thus, this past week, Gabriel teleported to the Bunker on those early hours of the day, during which he and Israel spent their time together, either talking or having their fun. In fact, Israel’s room became a bit of a haven for the archangel. A place where he felt comfortable and safe. After Asmodeus, he hadn’t really felt that till now. Something always gnawed at him at the back of his mind, making him wary even when there was no real danger in sight.

Not in here. Here, it was just the two of them, their bodies tangled together as they held each other close and shared their body warmth. Israel’s calm breathing meant the grigori was fast asleep, while Gabriel rested his head against his lover’s chest, the soft heartbeat lulling him.

It was in that semi-aware state that his mind drifted off to memories from a time long ago.

He caught sight of his brothers sitting on a rock and flew in their direction; then landed gracefully, tucking his wings behind his back. Michael gave him a small, polite smile, but Raphael didn’t even bother to hide the fact that he was annoyed.

“And just where were you?” he asked, regarding Gabriel with a raised eyebrow.

“Greetings to you both,” Gabriel deadpanned, used to his brother’s jabs. “Miss me?”

“You were supposed to be here hours ago,” Michael pointed out.

“I’m here now,” Gabriel said with a shrug. “Do you want my report or not?”

Michael probably decided it wasn’t the time to antagonize his baby brother, as he didn’t push matters further. “Go ahead then.”

“The grigori have confirmed it. Lucifer is creating a demon army, and the moment he has enough forces, he will act against us.”

“Curse it all,” Raphael said. “How far has that fool fallen?”

“It is a matter of pride, brother,” Michael said. “Lucifer has already suffered a defeat, so he wants to prove to us how dangerous he truly is.”

“He’s succeeding,” Raphael replied. “Our brother is going to ruin everything that we’ve wrought, and for what? A caprice?”

“He’s made his choice.” Michael stood up and placed a hand on Raphael’s shoulder. “Go on ahead and gather everyone so I can debrief them.”

Raphael nodded and flew away without so much as looking back. Gabriel watched him go and then turned to Michael.

“Got work for me too, I take it?”

“Not quite. Can we have a word?”

That was intriguing. “Alright. Tell me.”

Michael regarded Gabriel thoughtfully for a few moments, clearly pondering how he should broach the subject in mind. “You have been spending a lot of time on Earth lately.”

Gabriel frowned, wary. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”

“Very well, I’ll have to be blunt then. The Grigori and the other angels? They’re not our friends, and you’re certainly not supposed to share ale and merriment with them.”

“They asked me to join them. Was I supposed to say ‘No’?” Gabriel said defensively.

“Yes, you were,” came the pragmatic reply. “Our father created them as soldiers to serve Him and us. You are their commanding officer. Muddying those boundaries will only get you disrespected when it’s time to lead them into battle, and then what will you do?”

The younger archangel waved his hand. “I know what I’m doing, Michael.”

“I beg to differ.” Michael’s expression softened, though. “I’ve given my advice. Do with it what you will.” With that, he stretched his wings and flew away too, leaving his brother alone with his thoughts.

Fingertips that brushed lightly along his back coaxed him away from his reverie and he looked up, his eyes meeting Israel’s.

“Hey,” he murmured.

“Hey, yourself,” the grigori murmured back. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah. Just got lost in thought, I guess.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Of course Rae would offer a listening ear. Smiling a bit, Gabriel propped himself on his elbow in order to have a better look at his lover, and stroked the curly hair affectionately. “You make me happy, you know that?”

Israel smirked. “I got an inkling when I did that thing with my tongue…”

Gabriel snorted before he could help it and placed a soft peck on Rae’s lips. “I’m serious, smart ass. You’re the best thing that happened to me in a long time. I wanted you to know that.”

“I already do. And I feel the same way.” Israel reached out at the next moment, cupping the archangel’s face. “Which makes me wonder what this is really about.”

Gabriel leaned to the touch, closing his eyes for a few brief moments. “It’s just ironic. Michael, Raphael, even Lucifer, probably deserved a moment like this more than I. They were the bravest, the most diligent... By all rights, they were the most worthy of leading Heaven, because they had the strength of their beliefs. Whereas I? I was always the thoughtless, carefree one.”

A sigh flowed out of his lips, and he rested his head against the pillow, looking up at the ceiling as if hoping the answers he was looking for were there.

“And now I’m the winner. The only living archangel, but, hey… I’m the winner,” he added in a quieter tone.

He felt Israel moving, and, sure enough, the grigori came into his view. “Do you want to hear my opinion?”

Gabriel blinked, surprised at the question. “Always.”

The grigori nodded and complied. “Your brothers were powerful commanders. But when you offered to listen to what I had to say when I needed someone to talk to, I knew I could only be loyal to you.”

“How come?” Israel had never told him of this before, and Gabriel couldn’t help but feel curious now.

“Because you made me see it doesn’t take an iron hand to lead. Your brothers never understood us other angels. Sure, they could order us to fight the enemy or even give up our lives if need be; and we would have. But it would have been their choice, not our will.”

“I’m not sure I follow.”

Israel smiled gently. “When the Wild Hunt threatened the world, there was no reason to believe you’d find Jack on time. We stood our ground and bought you time anyway, trusting you’d make it. It was suicide to fight Jormungandr, but we stood by you. Forging alliances with the Pagan Gods and having everyone working together could have easily gone sideways; but we were there every step of the way, proud to help your cause.” He smiled weakly. “I think Jack understands it, too. That’s why he brought you back; because Heaven needed someone to believe in. Someone with both integrity and empathy.”

Gabriel usually found words easy and was ready to fire away a witty remark or clever comeback. This time, however, he wasn’t sure what to say, so he settled for action instead. He sealed their lips together in a deep kiss into which he breathed his love; then pulled back with a big smile. It felt good. And it definitely felt good for Israel too, the way his cheeks flushed.

“Consider this my promise not to let you down.”

Israel shook his head. “You couldn’t let me down even if you tried.”

The archangel raised an eyebrow, amused. “Did you just steal my line, ace?”

“Guilty. In my defense, it’s a good line.” Israel’s fingers shyly drew light patterns on Gabriel’s chest. “Think you’ve got time to stay for breakfast?”

Gabriel smiled. “Sure. But, as much as I like that look on you, a hint of clothing would be nice.”

“Then let’s get dressed,” Israel said, stealing one more kiss while at it before getting out of bed.

Gabriel admired the grigori’s naked form for a few brief moments and got up as well. Once they made themselves presentable once more, they entered the kitchen and smiled at Dean and Cas. Both angel and hunter were talking quietly over some coffee and waffles, while Miracle was munching his kibble after building quite the appetite during his walk.

“Hey, you two. Plenty more where that came from if you’re interested,” Dean said and nodded toward the counter. Sure enough, there was a dish with several more waffles in it, and the coffeepot was full.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Gabriel sat down and waved his hand once, making a plate with a couple of waffles teleport in front of him.

“Show off,” Castiel said in a half smile.

“I’m just working smart,” Gabriel said with a wink. “So what’s up?”

“Nothing much. I was just telling Cas the idea Sam and I had,” Dean said.

Israel instantly looked up from his task of pouring coffee. “Something wrong with our defenses?”

“Nah, man, nothing to do with the Corrupted,” the hunter said. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and beckoned Israel to come sit down. “We were thinking of throwing a party here at the Bunker. Nothing fancy. Just have a beer, sit around and bull; that sort of thing. What do you say?”

Israel thought about it. “Sure, if we can pull it off.”

The hunter grinned. “Awesome. Gabriel?”

“Why not?” the archangel said, smiling. “Just say the word and I can have everything ready in a jiffy.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” Dean said.

“Any idea who else is joining us?” Israel asked.

“Well, I was to talk to you guys. Sam will see what he can do from his end, and when we have an idea on a number, Operation Blowout will be a go.”

“I’m sorry. Operation Blowout?”

“Hey, my idea; I get to name it.”

Cas smiled reassuringly. “Of course, Dean.”

“Operation Blowout it is,” Gabriel said, conceding.

Dean grinned and had another bite from his waffle. He was already looking forward to this.

Chapter Text

One thing Rowena had taught Sam was to never eat or drink while experimenting with magic, because there was the risk of contamination. The last thing a witch needed was an experiment to fail because a piece of lettuce fell into the concoction. So, Sam headed to the workshop only after he had finished his coffee. He reached the closed door and knocked, waiting for Rowena’s reply.

“Come in.”

Sam complied and entered the workshop, catching sight of her. As expected, she was perusing one of her books and jotting down notes, deep in thought. Still, she looked up at him with a soft smile.

“Ah, it’s ye.”

Sam frowned and looked around, noticing that Rowena was alone. “Pan Twardowski?”

“He’s declared ‘at I hev remarkably little on modern day healing magic an’ far too many books on how to mek people spew frogs out o’ their mouths. Something which I wis aboot tae put tae good use, I should add. So, he’s gone tae fetch some books from his own collection.”

Sam nodded. The workshop was warded under normal circumstances, but the three of them needed to perform their magic, so Sam had temporarily deactivated it. That meant Rowena and Twardowski could come and go as they pleased, which was convenient when they needed to refer to the Grand Coven. Or, in this case, escape a hot-blooded witch’s ire.

“I’m sure he meant well,” he said.

Rowena sighed. “Aye. He doesn’t hev tae be insufferable about it, though. Don’t let his charm fool ye.”

“Got it,” Sam said with a weak smile, and he went over to Caladrius to change its water and food, something which the bird accepted with a happy coo.

Yes, Sam still remembered when Twardowski arrived at the Bunker almost a week ago, making the hunter feel nervous. For one thing, Sam hadn’t expected one of the Grand Witches to take a personal interest in the angel cure he and Rowena had been working on. Worse, he had felt unsophisticated next to the impeccably dressed man. In fact, Twardowski looked like he best belonged at Prince Charming’s ball, and Sam was sure that the nobleman was used to certain protocol when addressed.

However, the warlock had been more approachable than his appearance had let on. He had stepped into the bunker, commented, “Rather provincial, but I can work with it”, and then turned around and stretched his hand to Sam’s direction and said, “And you must be Sam Winchester. A pleasure.”

Sam hadn’t expected someone of Twardowski’s stature to know him by name. He hadn’t expected the warlock to add, “Anyone Rowena goes out of her way for is worth knowing,” as they completed their handshake, either; but it made him feel at ease.

Rowena, though, only gave Twardowski a wary look before heading out of the lobby without a word. Luckily, they had kept things professional while working, even if there had been times Sam could have cut the tension between them with a knife. The hunter was sure those two had a history together, a complicated one at that, but he decided against asking Rowena about it. It was probably a touchy subject, and he preferred not to upset her.

A portal opened, and Twardowski appeared with three heavy-looking books close to his chest, smiling in a friendly manner. “Good, you’re both here. Sam, help me with these, would you?”

“Sure.” Sam placed Caladrius back onto its perch; then took a book out of Twardowski’s hands.

Rowena watched the two men with a raised eyebrow as they carried the tomes to the counter. “Just three books, Jan? I’m surprised at yer restrain.”

Twardowski shrugged. “I figured we don’t have the time to go through my entire library, so these three will do.”

She smirked. “I bet it hurt having tae choose.”

He breathed out a melodramatic sigh. “If only you knew.”

“Oh, I think I dae.”

Sam didn’t pay attention to the banter, checking the titles and the authors’ names curiously. He frowned, unsure what to make of the names engraved on the thick leather covers. “I haven’t heard of them before.”

“Naturally. You haven’t delved too deep into the world of magic yet, lad,” Twardowski said. “Felkin had some fascinating ideas on combining medicinal science and spells, and Zittle was an expert on healing magically induced wounds. Their ideas and theories could prove useful.”

Rowena walked over to the counter and glimpsed at the third book. “I’m surprised ye’d hev this one. Chemistry isn’t yer field o’ expertise.”

“No, but the author who gifted me the book was. I haven’t read it, personally, but since we’re working with quite the potent ingredients, we might as well consult the expert.”

“Well, they’ve got quite th’ pen-name tae show fir it.”

Sam looked at the author’s name. “Fulcanelli.” He thought about it. “It’s a wordplay, isn’t it? They combined the words ‘Vulcan’ and ‘El’. God of Flame and Sacred Fire.”

She smiled at him proudly. “Indeed. Quite apt, since we’re working on th’ Phoenix’s Ashes.”

“So it’s worth a look?” Twardowski asked, regarding her closely.

Rowena didn’t intend to make things easy for him, though. “Perhaps. I’ll see if my notes coincide with th’ theories in here tae see how close we are tae an actual answer.”

“What if they don’t?” Sam asked apprehensively.

She gave him a lopsided smile. “Then one of us is wrong, an’ I’m never wrong. Ye already know that, Samuel.”

Sam nodded, smiling back. The hunter always liked her confidence, and, if the look in his eyes was anything to go by, Twardowski thought the same thing. Sam was no expert in matters of the heart, but it looked like the warlock wanted to move on from whatever had transpired between him and Rowena, and have a fresh start with her. And perhaps the two needed to clear the air in a relaxed atmosphere first.

“I do,” he said. “Now, before we continue working, can I say something real quick?”

Rowena and Twardowski looked at him curiously.

“Dean and I figure it won’t be long before we’ll all be fighting for our lives. That’s why we want to throw a party here in the Bunker.”

Rowena smiled knowingly. “A last roundup before th’ end o’ the world?”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Sam said. “And you’re both welcome to join us if you want to.”

She thought about it, then nodded. “Beats bunkering down an’ waiting.”

“So I can count you in?”

“O’ course.”

“Great,” Sam said. “And you, Pan Twardowski?”

“Let’s see… Hunch over books? Or give the enemy the finger by making merry in the face of danger?” Twardowski said, keeping his palms up as if weighing his options. He still looked in Rowena’s direction, not wanting to push any boundaries.

If Rowena had any objections, she didn’t voice them. She simply nodded at him graciously. “Keep us updated on th’ details, Samuel.”

“Will do,” Sam promised.

“Good. With ‘at settled, how aboot we grab a book each an’ start studying? I’d rather we earned our break.”

The two men couldn’t agree more.

-----------------

Although Crowley honored the Heaven and Hell alliance and aided the Winchesters every time, his duties as King of Hell couldn’t wait. The paperwork only kept piling up in his absence and his dear mother was currently too busy with the angel cure to share any of the load. That meant extra hours of work in order to catch up with all the bureaucratic pencil-pushing.

Fortunately, he still had help. The imps weren’t only excellent spies, but capable personal assistants, too. They had even established quite the effective system. Skitter handed Crowley the reports, then Crowley gave the report a careful read before signing and handing it over to Trix, who either handed it over to the one of the other imps, who’d see to their orders right away; or handed it over to Snap, who tore it to shreds like a Tasmanian Devil.

They had already made a lot of progress when Crowley felt a familiar mental tap, and he opened communication channels.

“Hello, Cassie boy.” The mental connection created the illusion Castiel was currently sitting across from him as if he had dropped in on a social call. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“An invitation,” Cas replied. “Sam and Dean are organizing a social gathering, and you’re welcome to attend.”

That was quite the pleasant surprise. “Am I now?”

“Yes. This party is in honor of all those who helped them along the way, and you’ve been an invaluable ally, as well as a friend.”

“Stop, all this sappiness is making my blood sugar level rise.”

Castiel’s lips tugged at a soft smirk. “And we don’t want that.”

“We most certainly don’t.” Still, Crowley had to admit that he felt touched. All his life, he had strove to reach a position so his subordinates would respect him. It turned out neither the Winchesters nor the rest of the Bunker team had cared about that, though. In fact, they had become friends despite his position. It was… nice. “I assume Naomi is going to be there. What about my dear mother?”

“I believe so. And Twardowski.” Castiel knew what that meant to Crowley.

“I see. Count me in then.” It would be good to see his darling angel, and he supposed it was quite the opportunity to see what Twardowski was like in a relaxed atmosphere. Curiosity had been gnawing at the back of his mind after finding out that the warlock was his father.

A tug on his sleeve made him look down at the imps. All twelve of them were looking at him with big puppy-like eyes, or as puppy-like as a dozen imps could pull off.

It worked. “Actually, Cassie, is there room for twelve more?”

Castiel smiled as he caught on. “I suppose they can come along so long as they behave.”

“I can promise they’ll try.”

The seraph shook his head, amused. “Good enough. Talk to you soon.”

“Don’t be a stranger now, kitten,” Crowley said, grinning.

------------------------

Cas ended communications and turned in Dean and Iz’s direction, smiling at the sight. The two of them were sitting on the sofa, and Dean was talking about all the ideas he had about the Bunker’s party décor, while the grigori was listening on patiently and sketching said ideas in his pad. And there were a lot of them.

“The bar will be by the eastern wall, and we can have the karaoke set on the other side.” Dean looked around, then pointed to a corner. “The game area will be there. Maybe a billiard pool or a riding bull.”

“Maybe both?” Israel said with a knowing smile.

Dean thought about it. “Both is good. Oh, and a dartboard!”

Israel chuckled and added everything in his sketch.

“I hope you’ve saved some space for the guests, Dean,” Cas said.

“Please, I know what I’m doing,” Dean replied. “Speaking of which, what did Crowley say?”

“He’s accepted, and he’s bringing company.”

“Wait. What company?”

Castiel explained everything in a few words, and Dean nodded approvingly.

“The more the merrier,” he said. “That leaves Gabriel talking to Jack and Naomi, and I should check with April and see if she can make it.”

Castiel nodded. “It will be good to see her again. It’s just a shame Jody and Donna, or Claire and the other girls, can’t come over.”

“No worries, Sunshine, I’ve got it covered,” Dean said with a wink. He turned back to Israel. “Where were we?”

The grigori just held up the sketch so both Dean and Cas could see. It was a beautiful drawing, visualizing Dean’s ideas to a tee. A group of friends chilling in the center of a bar while the barkeep saw to their drinks, the soft shading adding to the warm and friendly atmosphere depicted.

Dean smiled, his eyes lighting up. “Awesome.”

They didn’t have time to go much further because Dean’s phone rang at the next moment. Surprised, the hunter screened the number and answered the video call.

Castiel frowned, recognizing the woman at the other end of the line. “Asli?”

Dean looked up at the seraph. “As in the archaeologist over at Cappadocia?”

“That’s me and I can hear you both,” Asli said. “Well, I should say we. Ingrid is with me, too.” She turned the camera around, and Ingrid appeared on the screen, seeming skeptical.

“I insist mental communication is more efficient,” the angel said. Still, she bowed her head slightly in greeting. “Castiel.”

“Ingrid.”

“So what’s this about?” Dean said, bringing the conversation back on track. “Cas said you were doing some research on the Corrupted in… what was the place again?”

“Gaziantep,” Asli said. “I studied here and I know the library like the back of my hand, so it was the best place to look up any info on them.”

“And? Did you find anything?”

“I think so.”

Dean exchanged glances with Cas and Iz. “Okay. What have you got?”

“The writings of a Babylonian priest in the service of Marduk, concerning the creation of the world,” Asli replied. “The focus of the tale is to praise Marduk as patron god of Babylon, but the story talks first about two primordial entities co-existing in abyssal darkness before proceeding to create more gods, human-like with variants of wings.”

“That sounds familiar,” Dean said.

Castiel nodded. Two entities existing in darkness and creating winged beings sounded a lot like Chuck and Amara’s story and how angels came to be. He looked in Israel’s direction, and the grigori nodded in agreement, thinking the same thing.

“The similarities don’t stop there,” Ingrid said. “The story continues, telling how the two entities clashed and only one survived. That surviving entity established natural laws, night and day; even divided the gods in ‘above and below’ before creating humans.”

Dean frowned. “Above and below, as in Heaven and Hell?”

“Heaven and Earth, more like,” Castiel said. “If this story follows our history as closely as Asli and Ingrid imply, Hell was created much later.”

“Exactly,” Asli said. “The story continues on, telling about the fight between Marduk and Tiamat, who conjured monsters with, and I quote, ‘poison instead of blood’. Except we already know that Marduk and the other pagan gods came into the picture much later. So it’s got to be two other entities.”

“… Michael and Lucifer,” Castiel said, understanding. “Lucifer created his demon army, and Michael cast him out.”

“Yes. After that, the story follows the basic narrative you see in every religion out there. That humans overpopulate the Earth, and a great deluge changes Earth’s landscape forever.”

Dean looked back at Castiel and Iz. “Okay, is it me, or is this the same story we found in the Codex we were trying to translate?”

“What Codex?” Asli asked.

“The Bunker had in its possession a Codex, in which an Ethiopian scribe retold the creation of the world based on old Sumerian myths. As the introduction said, he did it ‘lest the secrets buried in the sand are forgotten.’” Cas explained.

Ingrid pursed her lips in thought. “That sounds like a warning.”

“Do you have this Codex?” Asli asked.

Dean shook his head. “We gave it to a friend to finish the translation. He’ll let us know when he has news.”

The archaeologist nodded her understanding. “Well, I guess we can still reach one conclusion, at least. Mesopotamia is important, and not just because of Shamsiel.”

“No, indeed. It’s also the place where we grigori gathered in order to plan our rebellion. And there’s one other thing,” Israel said at that moment.

Everyone looked in his direction.

“Iz?” Cas asked.

Israel turned to the seraph. “I think I remember you saying Shamsiel just shot up in the sky when his seal broke. Correct?”

“Yes.”

Israel nodded slowly.

“What’s this about, man?” Dean asked.

“We wondered why Lamashtu and Hanbi wanted Shamsiel out. My question is: when Shamsiel got out, why didn’t he try to kill everyone before that? Why risk someone going after him?”

Castiel thought about it. “At a guess, he sensed Jack’s power and didn’t want to engage.”

“Maybe, but it didn’t stop him from trying to scorch everything. That tells me something more than revenge was driving his actions. A purpose, more like. So, what was he trying to do?”

Asli’s eyes widened. “I think I know. In my circle, an urban legend tells of angels trapped under the Euphrates. In fact, it’s become a bit of a joke that they’re going to break free soon because of climate change drying up the river.”

“Except none of Heaven’s records mention this,” Castiel said.

“Just like there wasn’t any mention of the Five Instigators’ whereabouts,” Israel pointed out.

“There’s definitely writing on the wall there,” Dean said.

Cas had to agree. “Iz, contact Gabriel. It’s best Heaven is aware.”

Iz nodded, his eyes shining blue as he opened communications. Meanwhile, Dean turned his attention back to the video call.

“Do you think you can dig up more on those angels from your end?”

“We can try,” Asli said.

“Do it. Not sure how much time we’ve got before it hits the fan.”

“Understood. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Appreciate it. Good luck and watch yourselves.” With that, Dean ended the call and ran his hand through his hair.

“Looking forward to that break?” Castiel asked with a soft, knowing smile.

“You bet. Let’s hope the Corrupted will let us have one.”

Israel blinked back into focus. “If it’s any consolation, Gabriel is going to send a team to Euphrates.”

“Good enough,” the hunter said. “Right, back to more pleasant things. Who else is coming?”

-------------------------

Sam entered the library and found Eileen still working on the computer. Smiling gently, he approached her and touched her gently on the shoulder.

She looked up at him with a smile. “Hi. How did it go?”

“Better than I thought. Everyone said ‘yes’.”

“Great. So when are we throwing the party?”

“Tomorrow at 8,” Sam signed back. “It’s a short notice, but we’re trying to take advantage of the calm while it lasts.”

“Makes sense. You know... I’m actually looking forward to it.”

Sam nodded. Honestly, he did too. “What about you? Have you had any luck?”

“Maybe.” She clicked on one image on the screen to enhance it.

Sam frowned. “Looks like a mail-shirt?”

“Not just any mail-shirt. According to the Database, it’s Beowulf’s armor, created by a legendary blacksmith by the name of Wayland.”

That was surprising. “We have it here?”

Eileen shook her head. “That’s the bad news. But we’ve got a lot of allied Pagan Gods at our disposal. Maybe we could call in a favor from a god of smithing?”

Sam thought about it. “Can’t hurt to try. I’ll run it with Jack and see if he can point me to one.”

Eileen nodded. “I know it’s not much; our heads will still be exposed.”

“Better than nothing,” Sam said and kissed her gently on the cheek before signing his next few words. ‘Ready to call it a night?’

She blinked. ‘Why call it a night? It’s only….’ Her eyes caught sight of the time and she winced.

Sam nodded with an amused smile on his lips and then took her by the hand to guide her back to their room. They had a party to attend to the following night, after all.

Chapter Text

8:59

When Dean was in hunting mode, he was a light sleeper and could march on just four hours of sleep; whereas he enjoyed sleeping in when not. It was the reason he hated being woken up (and alarm clocks) with a passion. This morning, however, he didn’t mind waking up to the sound of a soft voice calling his name, or the light sensation of Cas’ lips planting a kiss on his shoulder.

“Dean. Time to get up.”

Dean kept his eyes closed. “Give me a minute. Not literally.”

“You told me to wake you up at 9.”

“Kinda regretting it now.” He liked how Cas’ arms wrapped around his waist, holding him close.

Cas’ soft chuckle reverberated through him. “Sorry . ”

Dean sighed. Still, it was a big day, so he opened his eyes and turned around to face the seraph with a soft smile.

“Morning, Sunshine.”

“Hello, Dean,” Cas said, their lips meeting in a light kiss. “How about I go make coffee to sweeten the pot?”

“Sam should be in the kitchen. But I could fetch you and Iz some.” The two angels were going to take up most of the duties today, after all.

Cas smiled. “We’ll be fine. You and your brother focus on making preparations for the party, alright?”

Dean smiled back. “Okay. See you later?”

“Of course.” They kissed to seal the agreement, then Dean dressed, grabbed a small notepad and headed for the kitchen, where Sam was working on the laptop and sipping his coffee - just like Dean had suspected.

“Morning. All yours.” Sam handed his brother the second mug next to him.

“Thanks, man.” Dean sat across from his brother, having his first sip.

“Those are the names?” Sam asked, noticing the notepad.

“Yup. Got the checklist?”

Sam turned the laptop around. “See for yourself.”

Dean looked at the screen. Everything looked in order, so it was time to share the load. “Who’s gonna be in charge of food and drinks?”

“Eileen and I can do that, and get the decorations too,” Sam said.

“Guess that leaves me the playlist. I already got the games covered.”

Sam’s lips tugged at a smirk. “Riding bull and dartboard?”

Dean wasn’t about to admit that. “Maybe.”

“Right,” Sam said, his smirk still there. “Is Gabriel going to set up the venue?”

“That’s what he said. He’s gonna drop in later to take care of that,” Dean said.

“Okay. What else?”

They finished ironing out the rest of the details while having their coffee, deciding to meet again at lunchtime for a debriefing and to determine what remained before the guests arrived. Yes, the brothers acted as if planning a hunting trip rather than a friendly gathering; but Operation Blowout was serious business for them, too.

Dean wished his brother good luck, then grabbed his laptop to work on party playlists. So many choices, so little time…

-----------------

13:45

Sam parked Toto, his trusted SUV, in the Bunker garage, and he and Eileen stepped out to grab the bags from the trunk. Sam couldn’t help but exhale as he looked at the sheer amount of them.

‘What is it?’ Eileen asked, using sign language.

‘I didn’t think I’d ever buy so many things in my life,’ Sam signed back. ‘Thanks for the help, by the way.’

She smiled. ‘We make a good team. Besides, this is good practice.’

Sam frowned subtly. ‘Practice for what?’

‘Birthdays, for starters. We’ll also have family gatherings and neighbors calling in when we retire and have our normal life.’

Sam caught on. ‘Hadn’t thought of that.’ Then again, his and Dean’s lives had been anything but normal. For one thing, they didn’t buy groceries, they bought ammunition, and they certainly didn’t prepare parties, but rituals and banishing spells. Even talking about such ‘mundane’ things as parties didn’t sound real.

‘Good thing you’ve got me, then.’ She kissed him playfully on the lips and grabbed the first couple of bags to carry them to the kitchen.

Sam did the same thing, following her upstairs and greeting Dean as he walked in. His brother was wearing an apron and keeping a towel over his shoulder as he prepared lunch.

“Hey, you two. Just in time, I’ll have everything set by the time you put everything away,” the older Winchester said.

“Uh... You know I don’t really eat meat anymore, dude,” Sam pointed out.

“Who said anything about meat?” Proving his point, Dean placed a large bowl of salad in the center of the table, along with three pastas in creamy mushroom sauce. “Finish up and come dig in while it’s still hot.”

Sam had to admit it was a pleasant surprise. Even more so when he and Eileen sat down, and he had his first bite.

Dean watched him expectantly. “Good?”

Sam nodded and had another mouthful. “Careful. We might get used to this.”

Eileen giggled. “That’s his plan, Sam. Have us come over to his place after retirement to enjoy his cooking.”

Dean grinned, and Sam couldn’t help but smile too. Dean’s plan would work at that rate, admittedly.

“Well, we got everything from our end. What about you? Playlists ready?”

“Sure are. And I’m real proud of them.” With that, he held up his phone and presented Sam the song playlists, explaining why he chose this or that song and why in that order, resembling an exuberant kid who was making a list of all the things Santa wanted to bring him for Christmas. Sam indulged him, however, nodding in all the right places and humming his agreement as he had lunch. His brother had earned it.

-----------------

17:34

Iz had figured Gabriel should have a Bunker Key of his own in order to come and go without worrying about the security wards. That was why Dean wasn’t in the least surprised when the archangel appeared on the doorstep. Or that he had a small self-assured smile on his face and striking quite the dramatic pose for some imaginary camera or other.

“Ladies and gentlemen, your personal interior designer has arrived,” Gabriel said, stepping inside and holding up his hand at the very next moment. “Please, hold your applause. I simply help those in need.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, you’ve got my thanks and all that. You ready?”

“Born ready,” the archangel said. “What do you need me to do?”

“Think you can change the living room to a bar? Iz drew a reference if that helps.” With that, Dean dug out a folded piece of paper and handed it over. Gabriel took the sketch and unfolded it almost reverently to have a good look at it, then nodded.

“Easy enough.” The archangel snapped his fingers and the living room transformed into a cozy-looking bar right before Dean’s eyes. In fact, if Dean didn’t know any better, he’d think he was twenty-seven all over again and back at Ellen’s Roadhouse. Sure, there was also the huge TV hanging on the wall that the Roadhouse didn’t have, but Dean’s point stood.

Gabriel noticed the pleased look on the hunter’s face and smiled. “You approve, I take it?”

“Yeah,” Dean said. He walked to the center of the room, checking his surroundings. There was the bar, the comfortable seats, the warm lights, the games section and-

Hold on.

“There’s a set of drums there,” Dean said. Sure enough, there was a small stage gracing the bar, with quite the impressive sound system and musical instruments on it.

“Yup.”

“And guitars. And a keyboard.”

“Yup.”

Dean blinked, confused. “Okay, I don’t mind the embellishment, but who’s gonna play?”

Gabriel didn’t reply in words, his lips simply tugging at an enigmatic smile as he wiggled his eyebrows, and then headed towards the war room in search of a certain grigori.

“Gee, helpful.” Dean supposed it could be a pleasant surprise or go so sideways they wouldn’t be able to tell which side was up. He hoped it would be the former.

---------------

18:30

Sam went over to the war room and knocked on the door to make his presence known.

The three angels sitting around the war map looked up from their Terry Pratchett books, regarding him curiously.

“Yes, Sam?” Castiel asked.

“Everything okay in here?”

“Yes.”

“No sightings?”

“None,” Israel replied.

“Alarms?”

“Not a peep,” Gabriel said.

Sam breathed out, relaxing. “If anything changes, let me or Dean know.”

“Of course,” Castiel said.

Sam nodded his understanding and left them to it with a brief smile. He never noticed Gabriel turning to Cas and Iz, looking at them curiously.

“Which time was this? The fourth or the fifth?”

“Fifth,” Cas said.

“Which means the score is now…” Israel grabbed his pen and updated the score on a small piece of paper tucked between the pages of his book. “Sam: 5. Dean: 4.”

“Kinda surprised they haven’t bumped into each other yet. Any idea what’s eating them?” Gabriel asked.

“I’m pretty sure they fear something will happen at the last minute, putting a damper on their party plans. I believe they refer to it as ‘Murphy’s law’,” Castiel said in a sage tone.

“It’s not like it hasn’t happened before,” Iz said.

Gabriel thought about it. “You know, I could conjure a couple of pixies for them to hunt if it will make them feel better.”

Cas and Iz exchanged a look, but they ultimately shook their heads. Gabriel shrugged.

“Well, I offered.”

No sooner had the three of them settled back to their reading, when they sensed another familiar form at the door. They looked up knowingly, seeing Dean standing there.

“You guys doing okay here?”

“Yes,” all three angels said at once.

“Just checking!” Dean headed out, even as Israel updated his scoreboard.

-----------------------

19:45

Murphy’s law was relentless more often than not, but today it turned out to be an exception. Fifteen minutes before the guests started arriving, everyone was more or less ready. Sam sported a jeans and shirts casual-smart look, and he beamed when he saw how pretty Eileen looked in a pair of well-fitted trousers and a blouse. Dean opted for the same black trousers and olive green shirt he had got from Oregon, while Cas removed his trench-coat and remained in his tailored trousers and shirt, as strange as that felt. He was about to remove his tie too, but Dean stopped him.

“Looking good,” he said in a gentle tone, placing a soft kiss on his angel’s lips.

Castiel smiled at that. “Thank you.”

Meanwhile, Gabriel changed his outfit to more country style with a snap of his fingers, putting on a cowboy belt and a western shirt. Iz gave him a once over with an approving look in his eyes, which made the archangel practically preen.

“You don’t look half bad yourself, ace.” Iz’s total black look was simple, but it toned the grigori’s athletic body nicely.

The sound of the doorbell rang through the air, and all three angels tilted their heads briefly. They could tell who it was.

“I’ll get it,” Cas said, heading to the door and opening it. He smiled when he saw Jack standing at the doorstep, and he pulled him into a tight hug.

“Hey, dad. Are we early?” Jack said as he reciprocated. Indeed, the young god wasn’t alone. Naomi was with him, a small, albeit friendly, smile on her lips.

“You’re just in time,” the seraph replied. He beckoned them both further inside, showing them to the bar.

“This looks great,” Jack said he checked their surroundings.

“Thank you. I like to think I outdid myself,” Gabriel said.

“You have,” Jack said.

“Don’t encourage him. He’s already cocky enough as is,” Dean teased. At the next moment, he approached Jack and hugged him tightly. “Thanks for coming, kiddo.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

The doorbell sounded again, and this time, Sam headed to the door. “Hey, April.”

“Hey, Sam!” April hugged him in an embrace resembling a bear’s (he had forgotten how strong the petite-looking woman was), and she stepped further in to greet everyone else. Sam watched the scene with a smile, relieved his ribs stayed intact, and then got ready to close the door.

“Hold it right there, Moose.”

Sure enough, Crowley had appeared at the doorstep in the blink of an eye, along with his twelve-imp entourage.

“Uh… hi,” Sam said, staring at them.

The imps made a small noise in greeting and hurried inside.

“This is where I should thank you for letting me bring them over. They were itching for a chance to paint the town red,” Crowley said

“No problem.” Yes, the imps would more likely want to paint the town red literally, but Sam supposed a little chaos in the name of good fun couldn’t hurt, and Crowley was a friend.

Crowley smiled and stepped inside, too, removing his coat. Sam obliged and took it out of the demon’s hand in order to place it on the coat hanger.

“My thanks.”

“Sure. Rowena not with you?” Sam had expected mother and son would come to the gathering together.

“My dear mother is of the ‘fashionably late’ notion. In fact, knowing her, I’m sure she’ll be the last to show.”

Twardowski was the next one to arrive and, to Sam’s surprise, he wasn’t in his usual regal clothing. In fact, the nobleman fitted right in with the rest of the guests in his dark blue pair of trousers, white shirt, and blazer. Even as the warlock blended in, however, Sam noticed him keeping an eye for someone specific.

Of course he did. It became quite obvious when Rowena arrived, looking beautiful in her high-waist flared trousers and linen top. And she knew what she was doing as she approached the rest of the guests with a charming smile, making sure that Twardowski was watching her.

Dean leaned close to Sam. “Okay, is it me, or is something going on between those two?”

“And then some,” Sam said wryly.

Dean grinned. “Good for her. She knows what she wants.”

“Let’s see if it works out first.”

“It will. I’ve got a good feeling about it,” Dean said, and patted his brother on the back. “Now let’s get the show on the road.”

Sam nodded and followed his brother. True, most guests were familiar with one another, but April especially was at a disadvantage. That was the reason Sam and Dean’s first order of business was to help her with introductions. Naomi regarded the young woman almost curiously before shaking her by the hand politely; whereas April was quite excited to make another angel’s acquaintance. And then it was Crowley’s turn.

“Crowley? You remember April, right?” Dean said.

Crowley smiled and took her hand. “Of course. It’s good to see you again, Ms Johnston.”

“Likewise,” April said.

An imp, Squeak, appeared on Crowley’s shoulder, seeming quite eager as it said something to his ear. Crowley listened on and then looked up at Dean.

“I believe they want to check out the riding bull.”

“Oh.” Dean thought about it. “Okay.”

Crowley turned to the imp. “You heard the man. Go.”

Squeak made a small sound like a ‘yay’ and hurried back to the others. April watched with a smile as four imps, the more curious ones, climbed onto the contraption. The first one making it to the top even struck a pose like a conqueror reaching a mountain peak.

“It looks like you and the imps are getting along nicely,” she said.

“Indeed. I can’t thank you enough for handing them over to me. They’ve been invaluable helpers.”

“No problem,” April said. “So what’s the story? I didn’t realize you knew Sam and Dean.”

“We go a long way back, actually. In fact, I should apologize for my little deception. The last thing I wanted was to frighten you by accident.”

April frowned in confusion.

“Crowley is the King of Hell,” Sam said.

Someone unfamiliar with the Supernatural world would have probably been overwhelmed by now. April, however, took the information in a stride.

“Definitely like the book, then.”

“Almost. No Bentley,” Crowley said with a tease. “How about I introduce you to my mother? I’m sure she’ll be delighted to meet you.”

Sure enough, Rowena was happy to meet Daisy’s daughter. And April was nigh ecstatic to not only meet a respected member of the Grand Coven who knew her mother personally, but also a Grand Witch in the face of Twardowski. She shook them both by the hand, and all three engaged in deep conversation slash gossip concerning the other members of the Grand Coven and even theories of magic. In fact, in a matter of moments, whatever awkwardness was between the guests quickly dissipated and got replaced by a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

Sam and Dean exchanged a glance, smiling. Things were off to a good start. The older Winchester clapped his hands once in order to get everyone’s attention.

“Okay, guys, how about we have a seat?”

Chapter Text

Once everyone settled around the table, Sam and Dean set to work. Dean prepared the drinks, whereas Sam took care of the platter with the delicacies, ranging from crusted bread and crackers to grapes.

“Don’t forget the nuts,” Dean instructed, watching Sam from the corner of his eye.

Sam looked up. “Keep at it, and I’ll think we’re back in your subconscious.”

Dean smirked. True, his memory from the time Michael possessed him was fuzzy. But if Sam said his subconscious had created a world in which he was a happy barkeep, he took his brother’s word for it.

Crowley walked up to them and leaned against the counter. “Why you boys insist on doing everything the hard way, I’ll never know. Grand Feathers could have snapped his fingers and you would have been all set.”

Dean shook his head. “This isn’t about doing things easily. It’s about two hosts going that extra mile for their friends.”

“Or this is about the first time the boys had to do something like this, and they want to go through the whole shebang. Am I right?” Gabriel said then, grabbing a grape and popping it into his mouth. Sam narrowed his eyes at the archangel, but Gabriel just grinned.

“Put something out for the imps, too. They’ll need the energy,” Crowley said.

Sam was skeptical, though.

“Looks like they’re doing okay,” he said, and pointed at Scamper and Trix. They had found a laser pointer, teasing Charlie and Maizie with it. Meanwhile, more imps were on the billiard table, each tossing a billiard ball toward the cue ball across.

Dean frowned. “I’ll bite. What are they doing?”

“At a guess, playing pétanque,” Crowley said.

“Must be the French in them,” Gabriel said. He was about to grab another grape from the platter, but Sam stopped him.

“Save some for the others.”

Gabriel looked behind Sam. “Snap didn’t get the memo.”

Sam turned around, but it was too late. Snap was already making a speedy escape after having snatched a piece of salami.

“Damn it.”

Gabriel shrugged, his lips tugging at a teasing smile. “Giving those treats seems like a good idea right about now.”

“He’s got a point, man. If I get cranky when hungry, you can guess how they’ll get,” Dean said.

“Besides, they’ll earn it,” Crowley said.

Sam frowned, confused. “Earn it how?”

“Ah ah ah… you’ll find out. Now excuse me, it’s rude to keep a lady waiting. Coming, Grand Feathers?”

“Yup.” He snatched one last grape and followed Crowley to the table, settling next to Israel; while Crowley sat down next to Naomi with a big smile.

Dean and Sam exchanged a glance and shrugged, figuring they should just roll with it. Sam placed a plate with extra treats for the imps in case they felt peckish, and then took their trays to the table.

“Right, show hands when I call your drink!” Dean said, even as Sam put the platter in the center of the table.

A few minutes later, the drinks were given out, and the brothers joined everyone at the table. Sam took a seat next to Eileen, taking her hand in his; and Dean sat down next to Cas.

“Hey, there, Sunshine. Miss me?”

Castiel tilted his head. “You had only gone to the bar.”

Dean rolled his eyes at that and pulled him into a one-armed hug to kiss him on the cheek. “Don’t change. Ever.”

“Alright,” Cas said with a small, albeit warm, smile.

Dean smiled back and sat back, his gaze drifting to everyone at the table. Everyone was sipping their drink in a relaxed manner, talking to each other pretty much about anything. It was strange, being surrounded by so much joy and love, especially when neither he nor Sam had felt that as kids. Or even through the biggest part of their lives, for that matter.

Sam must have noticed the look in his brother’s eyes as he leaned close. “You alright, Dean?”

“Yeah, fine. You ready?”

Sam understood and nodded; so Dean grabbed a small fork, chiming it against the glass.

Silence reigned in the room as everyone turned to him, a curious look in their eyes. Dean stood up, his glass in hand.

“Sorry, I’ll let you get back to it. There’s just something I wanted to say, and I’m sure Sam will agree with me.”

Sam caught on. He grabbed the remote and activated the TV, starting a video call. At the next moment, familiar faces appeared on the screen, smiling and waving. Jody and Donna were with Claire and the girls, while Garth had his children with him. Even the Rookies joined the call, holding beers in their hands.

“Hey, guys! Looks like you’ve got quite the party rolling,” Jody said.

“Still kinda wish you were here, too,” Dean said.

“Careful what you wish for. Gertie and the twins would have sunk their teeth into everything,” Garth said in a wry tone.

“We’d take the chance,” Dean said with a grin; but remembered himself and cleared his throat.

“Sam and I wanted all of you to hear what we had to say. These past fifteen years have been one hell of a ride. It wasn’t always a fun one. Hell, it brought us pain, and suffering, and loss. But we don’t have as many regrets as one would think.”

Sam nodded. “Fifteen years ago, it was just me and Dean against the world. Now we’re all here as warriors, allies, even friends and family, making this world a better place. Without you, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”

“A good friend of ours always said, ‘Family don’t end in blood’. I bet he’s up there, happy to see the bond tying us now,” Dean said. “’Cause it’s more powerful than any weapon, stronger than any spell. No one can destroy it.”

Sam smiled. “The point we’re trying to make is: Thank you. All of you.”

He raised his glass in cheers, and Dean and everyone else followed suit, a big smile on their faces. Jody, Donna and the girls raised their own glasses, even as the Rookies held their beers. Garth, however, kept things PG-rated as he and Gertie raised their glasses of milk. Jody, however, wanted to say more.

“Okay, my turn now. I think we can all agree that you boys have been through hell these past few years. And, yes, I recall you two batting heads and got close to giving up on everything, even on each other.”

Sam rubbed the back of his neck while Dean flushed. They remembered their fights all too well.

“Hey, you had a lot on your plate,” Jody said kindly. “And, despite it, you are still the immovable center that is holding us together. So, cheers to you.”

Everyone raised their drinks and drank.

“Damn it, Jody, way to make a dude misty-eyed,” Dean said, trying to make light of the situation and failing. The warm and fuzzy feeling had settled in his core and it was to stay there.

“Wait, hang on!” Sam grabbed his phone and activated the camera, making sure everyone was in the frame. “Everybody, say ‘Cheese!”

A unanimous ‘Cheese’ filled the air and, one flash later, the selfie was ready.

“Hey, Sam, send the pic later, okay?” Jody said.

“I’ll send it to all of you. Take care, guys,” Sam said.

“Enjoy the rest of the evening! Say bye-bye, kids!” Garth said.

The video call ended, and the brothers settled back in their seats. Crowley, however, noticed Naomi losing herself in thought.

“Something troubling you, darling angel?”

“It is just strange. I always believed it counter-intuitive to indulge oneself in the eve of war,” she said. “Yet here we are, enjoying ourselves, and it feels good.”

“Stick around. We humans can have good ideas,” Dean said, overhearing her.

Rowena sipped her own drink. “Thir’s an idea. Why hev a good time only when th’ world’s ending?”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked.

“Ye boys can hev this every year, if ye like.”

Sam and Dean exchanged a glance, the suggestion catching them by surprise.

“With your leave,” Twardowski said then. “I may be the newest addition to the party and my opinions do not hold the gravitas others’ do, but you should do just that. We’ll all pursue our own goals after the Corrupted threat is over. An annual meeting will serve as a reminder that this bond will stay strong in the passing of time.”

It was a good point.

“Sure,” Sam said.

There were several cheers all around.

“Can we play games, too?” Jack asked

“As many as you like,” Dean said with a wink. “In fact, how about we all play one now?”

Jack beamed. “Okay. Charades? Limbo?”

“Just don’t involve huge amounts of alcohol,” Sam warned Dean in a half-teasing, half-serious tone.

Dean waved his hand dismissively. “No alcohol involved this time. Who knows ‘Never have I ever’? Can I have a show of hands?”

Five people raised their hands, while the rest of the guests sat up, looking quite intrigued. Dean nodded his understanding.

“Okay, quick rundown. We hold up five fingers and we each take turns saying something that we haven’t done. If someone has done it, they respond by putting down a finger.”

“Good thing we’re going with the non-alcohol version. No one came out looking pretty last time I played,” Eileen said wryly.

“Do I want to know?” Sam asked.

She smiled. “No.”

“Okay, let’s get started and I’ll go first,” Dean said. “Never have I ever had a packet of sweets in one sitting.”

Gabriel and Jack put a finger down.

“Why am I not surprised?” Israel said.

“In my defense, I had the munchies,” the archangel said.

“You always have the munchies,” Castiel said.

“Whose side are you on?” Gabriel said, feigning annoyance.

Meanwhile, Sam looked at Jack. “Let me guess. You ate my Froot Loops?”

Jack flushed.

“I knew it,” Sam said. “Okay, my turn. Never have I ever flirted my way out of trouble.”

Several people lowered a finger. Namely, Dean, Gabriel, Rowena, Twadorwski, even Eileen and April.

Crowley turned to Rowena and Twardowski. “Care to share?”

Rowena shrugged. “Nothing dramatic. It was th’ late 1700s. Some poor idiot saw me in a town square, gasped an’ pointed, crying ‘Witch’. I batted my lashes tae th’ guard an’ they took the idiot away.”

“Flirting and flattery were a necessity in my courtier days,” Twardorski said. “Knowing who to lean on while holding a knife behind your back in case you had to show teeth was part of the Grand Game, you see.”

“Was it always a game?” Crowley asked.

“Not always.”

If Rowena picked any kind of implication, she didn’t show it. “Well, I can imagine why Dean and Gabriel would try to flirt their way out of trouble, especially if it meant not receiving a slap instead.” She winked at them both. “What about you, ladies?”

“I didn’t want to get a ticket for speeding,” Eileen said..

“Me too. Worked well enough. I married him a year later,” April said with a giggle.

Dean smiled and patted Cas on the back. “Your turn.”

The seraph tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say.”

“You don’t have to overthink it. Say the first thing that comes to mind.”

Cas pursed his lips in contemplation, then bit the proverbial bullet. “Never have I ever broken a bone.”

Dean and Sam sighed and lowered a finger. The rest nodded, hardly surprised. The life of a hunter was tough like that.

“My turn?” Eileen asked.

“Yup, go ahead,” Sam said.

She smiled. “Never have I ever been arrested.”

Sam, Dean and Israel lowered a finger.

“Let me guess,” Gabriel said. “The officers caught on with all the killing you did and labelled you serial killers.”

“Yup, ended up having to fake our own deaths,” Sam said. Still, the question remained. “What’s your story, Iz?”

Iz smiled weakly. “I’ll keep it brief. I was in a small village just outside of Castile, hunting. There were a lot of creatures that needed to be dealt with, and the villagers were grateful for my services. The local bishop, however, wasn’t as enthused and accused me of sorcery. Brought in the Spanish Inquisition and everything.”

“That sounds pleasant,” Dean said in a deadpan tone.

Israel nodded. “They tried everything to get me to confess, and then some. They only came around when a dragon started eating everyone and everything in sight and they needed someone to fight it. And that was it.”

“Priests,” Crowley said with a curl of his lip, even as Rowena and Twardowski pulled the same face.

“Yeah, I wasn’t particularly fond of them after that, either,” Israel said. “Now… I believe we have a game going, so whose turn is it?”

“Gabriel, want to do the honours?” Dean asked.

“Sure, why not? Never have I ever set something accidentally on fire. Keyword, accidentally.”

April lowered a finger, as did Sam; and Dean patted his brother on the back. There were no explanations needed. He still remembered the side effects of the rabbit’s foot, and April always said she wasn’t great at magic, especially on her early attempts at it.

“Okay, who’s next? Crowley?”

Crowley grinned. “Easy enough. Never have I ever kept a secret for ten years or longer.”

There was no reaction, momentarily; then Naomi and Rowena lowered their fingers.

“This is the point I should remind everyone I was in the Intelligence section, so secrets were my thing,” Naomi said.

“We all have secrets,” was all Rowena said with a shrug.

Everyone nodded, as that statement made perfect sense.

“Can I have a go now?” Jack asked then.

“Sure, kiddo, go ahead,” Dean said.

“Never have I ever got seasick!”

Sam smiled. “Yeah, I don’t think anyone has--”

Israel lowered his finger, earning several stares. He shrugged.

“I had to travel by ship on more than one occasion. Regretted it each time.”

Cas couldn’t help but frown. “I never would have thought we could get seasick.”

All the angels in the group clearly thought the same thing as they nodded their agreement.

“Be glad you didn’t find out the hard way, then,” Israel said with a wry smile. “Okay, who’s next?”

“You, actually,” Dean said.

“Oh. Alright then.” The grigori thought about it, then his lips tugged at a lopsided grin. “Never have I ever died.”

“Cheap shot,” Gabriel teased, even as he lowered his finger. In fact, the only ones who didn’t lower their fingers were Twardowski, April and Naomi.

“What about you, Rowena? Want to give it a shot?” Sam asked.

“O’ course,” she said. “Never hev I ever got back together with ma ex.”

Crowley, Naomi, and Dean sighed and lowered their fingers.

“Well, that’s it, I’m out,” the hunter said wryly. Sure enough, he had lowered all fingers. “Good game, y’all.”

Crowley grinned as he saw his chance. “Then it’s time for some music.”

He let out a loud whistle and the imps on the billiard table abandoned the game, even as Scamper and Trix dropped the laser pointer. Snap, however, made the most dramatic entrance of all, riding Miracle and dangling the piece of salami in front of the friendly dog to direct him.

In moments, all twelve imps hurried on stage and set to work. Skitter and Trix settled on the keyboard; Scamper and three more imps appointed themselves in charge of the sound system; four more stood by the lights, testing them. And Snap and Squeak placed the music sheets on the stands before giving Crowley the thumbs-up. Everything was ready.

Crowley nodded and, to everyone’s surprise, he went on stage too and sat down at the drums, and Gabriel joined him, picking up a guitar.

“Since when dae ye play th’ drums?” Rowena said, voicing everyone’s thought.

“I can’t have other hobbies because I’m the King of Hell?” Crowley said. “I’ll have you know drums are great stress-relief.”

Cas turned to Gabriel. “Should I ask?”

“Hey, I got to pick up a thing or two after so many Pagan banquets,” the archangel said, grinning.

“You’re still one bassist short,” Sam said.

“Oh! That would be me, sorry!” April hurried on stage and picked up the other guitar.

“What, really?” Dean said.

“Shush, I had very rebellious teenage years,” she said teasingly.

Dean dug out his phone. “That’s it. I’m so keeping evidence.”

Gabriel grinned and turned to the imps, April and Crowley. “You guys ready?”

“Yes,” Crowley and April said, while the imps made a thumbs-up.

“Alright, here we go.”

The first notes filled the air, and Dean’s eyes widened. “Hey, Cas?”

“Yes, Dean?”

“Pop Quiz. You know this song?”

Cas thought about it. “Rolling Stones, ‘Paint it Black’.”

“You got it.” Not only that, Dean had to admit that Gabriel’s singing voice wasn’t bad at all. Scratch that, it was good . In fact, the whole band was great, livening up the atmosphere to the max.

The song ended, but the show had just started. ‘Mrs Robinson’ came up next. Then ‘Another Brick in the Wall’. ‘Sympathy for the Devil’. In fact, Dean realized that the impromptu band was playing his playlist.

“Awesome,” he said with a big smile. He kept filming, positively beaming when he heard the first notes of ‘Ramble On’. What he didn’t expect was Gabriel to beckon him on stage.

“Uh… What?”

“Come on, brother-in-law. It’s your favorite song, right?”

Dean blinked before turning in Castiel’s direction. “Did you tell him?”

“Actually, that was Sam,” Cas said. “I only told him you love singing, especially in the shower.”

Dean stared at him incredulously, then felt Sam nudging him towards the stage.

“Sam, don’t you dare!”

Sam dared, however, and Dean was on stage at the next moment. Squeak even carried over an extra mic and everything, grinning at him toothily.

“Just imagine you’re in the shower and the radio is blasting the song. What do you do?” Gabriel said, winking.

Although uncertain, Dean closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the rhythm. The music traveled down to his very core and the lyrics practically begged to flow out. So he let them flow.

“Leaves are falling all around/ It’s time I was on my way/ Thanks to you I’m much obliged/ for such a pleasant stay…”

He opened his eyes, and Cas was watching him with an adoring smile, even as Sam mouthed ‘You’ve got this’. And he couldn’t help but feel warm and fuzzy as everyone else clapped in rhythm, encouraging him. His awkwardness ebbing away, he and Gabriel kept singing and, by the end, he felt exhilarated.

In fact…

“Hey, since you guys dragged me into this, I’m returning the favor. Don’t worry, the lyrics are easy enough.” He turned to the band with a grin. “Let’s go with ‘Wagon Wheel’”

“I like the way you think,” Gabriel said. The music filled the air once more, and as Dean sang the first few verses, he beckoned everyone to sing along, their voices carrying the chorus line.

“So, rock me mama like a wagon wheel/ Rock me mama any way you feel/ Hey… Mama rock me...”

It practically made Dean’s heart sing, too.

Chapter Text

The music ended, and the rest of the party carried on with lots of lighthearted stories and quiet talk, barely registering the passage of time. Finally, though, Sam leaned close to his brother.

“Dean, we should probably call it a night now.”

Dean checked his watch and sighed softly. They had been lucky enough to have their much-needed break, but they also knew they shouldn’t push their luck.

“Alright, listen, y’all. Hate to break it to you, but it’s time we get some shut-eye. Thanks for coming and let’s do this next year, yeah?”

“It won’t do much good if we try to tackle the challenges of the next day heavy-eyed, admittedly,” Twardowski said. “Going my way, Rowena?”

“Thank you, but I believe this lady is walking home on her own tonight. I need tae be here first thing in th’ morning,” Rowena said.

“Shall I escort you to the door, at least?”

“Ye can do that,” she said.

Twardowski smiled and offered his arm so she would hold it in a lady-like manner as they headed towards the exit.

“We should head back upstairs. I’m pretty sure there are several jenga-sized reports waiting for us on our desks,” Gabriel said.

“I can go on ahead with Naomi if you prefer to stay, Uncle,” Jack said.

“Nah, it’s fine. Just give me a minute.” With that, Gabriel snapped his fingers once more, and everything was back to normal. No large table, no bar, no billiard pool. Not even dishes and glasses.

“Wouldn’t want you guys to spend the rest of the night doing the washing up.”

“Thanks, Gabriel,” Sam said.

“No problem. I only do what I do best.” He turned to Israel and winked at him. “See you later, handsome.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” the grigori said. “What about you, April? How are you getting home?”

“I’ve got the car parked just outside, so I’ll just go get it and head home.” She turned around and hugged Dean and Sam tightly. “Thanks for a great evening.”

Dean smiled as he reciprocated. “No problem. Take care, April.”

They all said their goodnights and, when all the guests were gone, Dean placed an arm across his angel’s shoulders.

“Ready to hit the hay, Cas?”

Cas’ lips tugged at a soft smile. “I believe so.”

“I think we all are,” Sam said, holding Eileen by the hand. “Talk to you in the morning, Iz.”

“Sure thing. I’ll have breakfast ready for you.”

The team headed back to their quarters to, and the grigori went about doing his own thing. He prepared himself some coffee and headed to the war room. He smiled when he saw Miracle, Maizie and Charlie were already in there and sleeping heavily. It had clearly been quite the exciting night for them, too.

“Goodnight,” he said in a soft tone, then sat down as quietly as possible and materialized his sketchbook. It was time to catch up with some light drawing.

-------------

Crowley, Rowena, and the imps teleported into the empty throne room, disrupting the silence of the place.

“And we’re back,” the King of Hell said. He turned to the imps, who looked up at him curiously. “How about you boys take a nap? You’ve had enough excitement for tonight.”

The imps made a small noise and obediently teleported into the crystal ball. Meanwhile, Rowena held back a yawn.

“Weel, thank ye fir th’ ride an’ everything. Sorry fir no’ staying fir a chat, but I’m sure we’ll both hev our hands full tomorrow.”

She got ready to head to her own quarters, but Crowley stopped her.

“Actually, mother dear, if I could have a moment? There’s something we need to talk about.”

Rowena frowned. “Whit is it?”

“I noticed what was going on between you and Twardowski.”

“I hev no idea whit ye mean.”

She wouldn’t do this the easy way then. “I’ll rephrase. I know everything.”

She stared at him for many long moments, as if trying to decipher what he was telling her, or if she had the chance to deny it. In the end, however, she sighed.

“Who told ye?”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

Her cheeks reddened. “Whit would ye hev me say? That he took off th’ moment th’ Hellhounds were on his heels? An’ donnae try tae justify him. That’s whit I did th’ first five years until I realized the Hounds had only been an excuse.”

“Were they?”

“Think aboot it. He could hev tried tae look fir either o’ us these past four hundred years, an’ he didnae even bother once. If anything, th’ only reason he’s here now is to serve either the Coven’s interests or his own.”

Crowley took a deep breath. “Mother. I should remind you that you left me when I was eight.”

“Whit does that hev tae dae wi’ yer father?”

“I’m saying I get why you hide behind all this anger and all these reasons you’re telling yourself to distance yourself from him.”

“An’ that is?” she said in a challenging tone.

“You’re afraid of what he’ll say when you confront him. Because you don’t know what is scarier: That he was a bastard who played you, or that he loved you and those four hundred years of resentment were because of a misunderstanding.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Ye confronted me. Did ye lek th’ answer?”

“Honestly? No. Despite that, we’re still on talking terms.”

“Is that whit ye’re hoping fir, Fergus? A happy family?”

Now that was a name she hadn’t used in a while. He shook his head. “A friend told me I can’t wonder about ‘what ifs’ forever. I just think that neither should you.”

Rowena sighed, nodded and headed out, leaving Crowley alone with his thoughts. He talked to his mother, so that was one step done. However, he also needed to find the courage to move on with the next step.

----------------

The next few days, everyone simply followed their duty roster. Sam, Rowena and Twardowski continued studying their books and working on the cure, while the rest of the team kept a proverbial ear on the ground. Fortunately, everything remained uneventful. Peaceful, even.

The particular September morning seemed to be off to a promising start too, even if there were some slight changes. Iz would have to go to Oregon to attend Kristen’s wedding, and it was up to the rest of the team to keep things in order. So, as Dean was out with Miracle on their walk, Cas headed to the kitchen to prepare some coffee and feed the kitties. Not surprisingly, Eileen was already there and preparing breakfast, and he greeted her with a gentle smile.

“Good morning.”

“Morning. Making some waffles. Would you like some?”

“Thank you, that would be nice.”

She smiled. “Coming right up.”

Meanwhile, Cas opened the cupboard to put the kitties’ kibble in two bowls. “I assume Sam pulled another all-nighter?”

“I’m afraid so. In the good news, they’ve made a breakthrough. In fact, they might even have the spell ready sooner than they thought.”

“That’s good to hear.” He placed both bowls down, and the kitties started munching with many a purr. “Speaking of good news, have you talked to Sam?”

“About what?” Eileen asked.

“I see…” Cas said, feeling quite self-conscious now. “Apologies. I thought you were aware.”

“Aware of what?” She frowned, unsure. “Cas, what’s going on?”

Nothing for it, then. “I’m sensing your pregnancy.”

“My…?” She stared at him in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

Castiel nodded. “Quite positive. No pun intended.”

She blinked, trying to wrap her head around the information. “Wow.”

“Are you alright?” Castiel asked in a gentle tone.

“Yeah, just… This is big, Cas. With the Corrupted and everything, this isn’t the best time to be pregnant.”

“And yet you don’t regret it,” Cas said, understanding.

“No,” she admitted, only to remember herself. “I’ve got to tell Sam!”

“Tell me what?” Sam said. The man was rubbing his eyes as he entered the kitchen, still sleepy.

Castiel cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you to it.”

“No, it’s fine,” she said. She approached her husband and placed both hands on his arms. “Sam… Those kids we were talking about having?”

Sam blinked, looking at her in confusion. “Yeah?”

“The first one is on its way.”

That woke Sam up. He first looked at Eileen, then at Castiel, and then back at the woman.

“You sure?”

“I’m not known to make mistakes like that, Sam,” the seraph pointed out.

“Wow…” Despite the initial shock, though, the smile was already tugging at his lips. “We’re gonna have a baby!”

She nodded, beaming, and Sam swooped down to kiss her, while Castiel averted his eyes to give them a modicum of privacy.

“Okay, that’s Miracle taken care of. What’s for breakfast? I’m starving!” Dean’s voice sounded then from the living room and, sure enough, the man himself appeared at the doorway, the friendly pooch in tow. He stopped in his tracks, looking at everyone uncertainly. “What?”

Let it be said that the kitchen got a lot busier after that, as the particular news called for a celebratory sort of breakfast, one to which Gabriel and Israel were welcomed to join, too.

The archangel nudged Sam. “You know, I may be the youngest of four archangels, but I’m still pretty old. I think I can safely say you’ve got the biggest ‘I’m gonna be a dad’ smile to grace the Earth ever.”

“Thanks, I’m flattered,” Sam said in a tease of his own.

Israel smiled. “It’s quite the news to wake up to. Congratulations to you both.”

“Thanks, Iz. I hope you’ll get similar news from your end, too,” Eileen said.

“I kinda hope so. Let’s get through the wedding first, though.” Israel looked at his watch. “Speaking of which, we had better be underway, Gabriel.”

“Roger that.” Gabriel finished his waffle in a few very impressive mouthfuls and then stood up.

Israel smiled and gave a little wave to everyone. “Take care. We’ll be back before you know it.”

“Just enjoy yourselves. We’re holding the fort here,” Dean said.

“Say ‘Hi’ to Kristen and Scott from us. And sorry we can’t be there,” Cas said.

Israel squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “No worries. She understands.” With that, he stood next to Gabriel, and they both vanished the moment the archangel snapped his fingers.

-------------------

The afternoon found Dean and Cas in the war room, and the hunter had to admit the two of them were making quite a sight. The seraph was reading his book with Charlie settled on his lap, while Dean was working on his laptop, with Miracle leaning against his thigh and Maizie staring at the screen curiously. It was homely, calm even, and he enjoyed it. A far cry from those early hunting years.

Cas’ phone pinged at that moment and Cas looked at the screen. He smiled.

“Iz sent a photo.” The seraph held up the phone for Dean to see a cute selfie of Kristen in her wedding dress and hugging her father, both of them as happy as they could be. It was nice.

Cas tilted his head. “What are you thinking about right now?”

“Really? You’re not just going to read my mind?” Dean asked in a tease.

“I could, but I’d rather you told me. If you want to, of course.”

Dean said it before and he was going to say it again. Cas was adorable.

“Just thinking about how our lives changed these past few months. Probably more than they’ve changed these past fifteen years. Two weddings and a baby on the way? Wouldn’t have even dreamed of it before.”

“I understand. It feels gratifying,” Cas said.

“You bet. I would have said that it couldn’t get better than this, but I’m hoping we’re done with the Corrupted, too.”

“And then it’s riding off to the sunset?”

Dean grinned. “Yeah, exactly.”

It was then that Cas sat up, very much like a hound that had picked up a scent.

“Cas?”

“Halldora and Kevin are outside,” the seraph said.

Dean frowned and headed to the door, with Cas following close behind. The Valkyrie and Kevin were indeed standing at the entrance, but, judging by the look on their faces alone, the hunter was sure the news was bad.

“I’m guessing you finished translating the Codex?”

Kevin nodded. “Can we come in? I’d rather we didn’t talk about it out here.”

“Sure.” Dean opened the door farther and beckoned them inside. Meanwhile, Castiel watched the scene in thought.

“I’ll fetch Sam and Eileen,” he said.

------------------

Five minutes later, everyone was in the living room. Kevin wasn’t sure from where to begin his story at first but, when Halldora gave him an encouraging look, he took a deep breath and let the words pour out.

“You guys were off to a good start. This Sumerian myth talks about the history of the world, but it goes beyond that, too. It finishes with the fate of the Grigori and when they’ll break free.”

Eileen frowned. “We already know that. We’ve been living on borrowed time from the moment Jack deposed Chuck.”

“Not exactly. Although some Corrupted tried to escape, the truth is the bulk are waiting for the rallying signal.”

“Which is?” Sam asked.

Kevin unfolded a piece of paper to read it. “The angel will blow the trumpet, so the hearts of those in Heaven and Earth will know fear. And at the second blow, they will rise again.”

“I doubt an angel will start blowing horns, so what does that mean?” Dean asked.

“They are allegories, talking about two events intricately connected to this angel,” Halldora said.

“What you are saying is that those two events will be the trigger to start the Corrupted attack,” Sam said.

“Exactly.”

Cas pursed his lips in thought. “Do we know which angel that is?”

“That part was pretty faded, but I think I got it. Is there an angel by the name of Israfel? Or Israfil?” Kevin asked.

The seraph tensed visibly. “He’s dead.”

Halldora raised an eyebrow. “You seem sure.”

“Because I am. I killed him.”

“Cas?” Dean placed a hand on his angel’s arm.

Cas took a deep breath. “Israfil is a transliteration. You knew him by a different name.”

--------------------

Chuck got out of the bus station, backpack still slung over his shoulder, then headed towards a quiet alley, keeping his step brisk. The last thing he needed were witnesses.

It was ironic. Dean and Sam had been sure of his downfall, that he was nothing without his powers. Humans didn’t have powers either, and yet their ingenuity knew no bounds. He should know, he created them in his own image. And those two boys expected him to just accept defeat?

He got the chalk out of his backpack and drew the sigil on the ground, then placed both hands on it, speaking in Enochian. The ring on his hand gleamed, and light emanated from the sigil, even as the sound of tearing filled the air.

When everything grew quiet again, there was a neatly dressed man standing in the center of the sigil. A man who frowned at the sight of the ring. Chuck, however, smiled and held it up so the man would have a better look.

“I knew you’d recognize it. I gave it to you, ordering you to hand it to Solomon. As you can see, it’s returned to its rightful owner.”

“...Father.”

Chuck’s smile broadened. “Hello, Raphael. We have work to do.”