Baby Brother

Name

            Dean was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice when Gabriel reentered the room.

            “Well isn’t this cute?” he said, causing Dean to jump.

            “Dammit Gabriel,” he cursed, “How long have you been there?”

            “Long enough to see you holding my little brother’s hand,” Gabriel smirked.

            “Shut up,” Dean said, turning away so Gabriel wouldn’t see the blush on his cheeks, “What did you want anyway? Where’s Sam?”

            “Outside helping the old guy bring in firewood,” he said.

            “The ‘old guy’,” Dean ground out, “Is named Bobby, and if you want to keep staying here you’ll start remembering that.” Gabriel held up his hands in defense and sat next to Cas in a chair that had just appeared.

            “So, what did you want to tell him?” Gabriel asked.

            “When he wakes up I’ll let him know,” Dean stated, not looking at the archangel. They sat in silence for a while, both worrying for the same reason.

            “What was he like?” Dean asked suddenly.

            “What?” Gabriel blinked in surprise.

            “Cas, what was he like?” Dean asked again, “When he was younger.” Gabriel paused for a moment, smiling slightly.

            “He was tiny,” Gabriel finally said, a far off look in his eyes, “Smallest fledgling in all of Heaven, with black wings that were so tiny and yet seemed too big.”

            “Gabriel looked down at the baby fledgling in the basket.

            “What’s his name?” little Balthazar asked.

            “He doesn’t have one yet,” Michael said, looking down at the young angel.

            “You have to give him one,” Gabriel said, putting his hands on the boy’s shoulders.

            “Me?’ Balthazar asked, tipping his head back to look at Gabriel with wide eyes.

            “Yup, you’re the youngest, well, aside from this little guy,” Gabriel said, “And because of that you get to name him.”
            “Hmm,” Balthazar hummed, “Cas.”

            “Cas?” Michael asked.

            “Yeah,” Balthazar said, “Short for Castiel.”

            “Castiel huh?” Michael asked as he reached down and picked up the baby fledgling, “What do you think huh? Is your name Castiel?” The baby cooed and waved his arms, his little wings twitched uselessly.

            “I think he likes it buddy,” Gabriel said proudly, smiling down at the boy. Balthazar beamed up at him, pleased that he did so well and gave his baby brother a good name…

            “Wait, Balthazar named Cas?” Dean asked in shock.

            “Yup,” Gabriel said, “He was quite pleased with himself too.”

            “Huh,” Dean said,” Who named you?” Gabriel’s eyes darkened and the look of caring that had been there a moment ago disappeared.

            “Lucifer,” he responded coldly.

            “Oh, sorry,” Dean said awkwardly.

            “Me too,” Gabriel said. They sat awkwardly in silence for a moment before Dean spoke up.

            “So Cas was tiny?” he asked.

            “Oh yeah,” Gabriel said, the smile back on his face, “Smallest angel in Heaven with tiny black wings and big blue eyes. He only ever calmed down for me or Balthazar. If Michael held him, or Raphael especially, he would scream until he was put down or I held him.”

            “Sam was the same,” Dean said, getting a far off look in his eyes just as Gabriel had before, “He was okay around Bobby or Pastor Jim, but he never cried when I held him. Whenever he got hurt or had a bad dream he would cry until I held him.” Gabriel chuckled quietly and Dean looked at him.

            “What?” he asked.

            “I never thought I’d see the day when you and I were bonding over baby brothers,” Gabriel replied, smirking. Dean chuckled too.

            “There’s a lot of surprised this week.”