Changing Channels

Sam, Dean and Castiel had been missing for weeks now.

I had looked everywhere.

Even Bobby had no idea where they were.

I had managed to find the last place they had been, feeling the magic all around, stepping into what seemed like an alternate universe, only it looked like a sunlit motel room with Sam and Dean inside.

"Octavia?" Sam asked.

"Where's Castiel?" I asked.

"Was here, got kicked out by the Trickster," Dean answered.

I shook my head. "No. Cas is nowhere out in the real world. He's in here somewhere. You said this was a Trickster?" Dean nodded. I shook my head. "This thing is much more powerful than it should be."

"What thing?" Dean asked. "The Trickster?"

"If it is a Trickster," I told them.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

The door opened, and in walked a human vessel with an Angel that I hadn't seen in ages. "Hello!" There was applause and cheering. I looked at 'The Trickster' in shock. "Thank you. Thank you, ladies." He turned to face me happily. "Hi, Octavia." I opened my mouth to speak. He pulled me into a kiss to make sure that I didn't give away his real identity, turning, pushing me against the wall, startling Sam and Dean. He pulled away. "Long time. I'm sorry, Tavia, but our reunion is gonna have to be cut short. Perhaps next time it can be done right."

'The Trickster' slid a hand down my cheek, smiling, waving bye, making me disappear in a burst of static.

"The Trickster" was really the Archangel Gabriel.

*

Gabriel had sent me to a place that had about a hundred more versions of him.

And then he released Castiel and me from where he had put us, bringing us to a warehouse where Sam and Dean had him trapped in a circle of holy fire.

"Guys, you okay?" Dean asked.

"We're fine," Castiel answered.

I ignored them. "Hello, Gabriel."

"Hey, Octo," Gabriel told me. "Did I send you to your happy place?" I raised my eyebrows, but didn't answer. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. The things I can think of with that scenario."

Sam looked at Gabriel, but spoke to me. "Is he your Angel?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"The one, the only," Gabriel answered.

"Gloat all you want," I told him. "It's over."

"Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart," Gabriel told me.

"I thought you were dead," I told him.

Gabriel shrugged. "Obviously I'm not. So, heard the rumors on Angel Radio, now I see that they're true. You really are close to falling. But I've known it would happen for a while now. The Angels don't know about your whole Bond girl switcharoo, but I do. Tell me. How hard is it to look for Daddy, prove your obedience, and yet try to help these idiots stop the Apocalypse? Let me guess. Very."

"Okay, we're out of here," Dean told us. "Come on, Sam."

Dean turned around, walking toward the door.

"Uh..." Gabriel trailed off. "Okay. Guys?" Sam followed Dean. "So? So, what? Huh?" Castiel followed Sam and Dean. "You're just gonna—you're gonna leave me here forever?"

I raised a hand toward the flames, using magic to put out the flames. "No. I'm not."

Gabriel stepped closer. "So I guess you don't hate me as much as you wish you did."

"This isn't about the Apocalypse, or the prize fight between our brothers or some destiny that can't be stopped," I told him. "This is about you being too afraid to stand up to the family. I was afraid for a long time. Now I'm not, but I'm not stupid enough to get myself killed."

"Keep hanging around that crowd, they'll get you feeling so many feelings that you will be that stupid," Gabriel told me.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. I don't see that happening any time soon, and to tell you the truth, I don't see you exposing me to the Angels, either. Whether it's because you still care about me, or because you're still too afraid, I don't know. But it's up to you." I hesitated, leaning closer to kiss him goodbye, pulling away. "Bye, Gabriel."

I disappeared, leaving him alone.

I knew that he wouldn't expose us.

If there was any other Angel that I was safe with other than Metatron, it was Gabriel.