Castiel was sitting in the passenger seat of the Impala as Dean drove. They'd been on the road for a few hours. Castiel hadn't said much. He was thinking about how he was going to get Dean to stop antagonizing everyone. He'd honestly believed that was necessary even before Lucifer threatened to leave and take Jack with him. Now it was essential.
Dean looked over at his friend. "What's up with you, man? You've been quiet since we left the bunker, and you look like there's a lot on your mind."
"There is? I am contemplating how to tell you you're acting like an assbutt," Castiel said bluntly.
Dean looked at him irritably. "Okay, first off, it's asshole, not assbutt. If you're going to insult me, at least get it right! Second, what the hell is everyone's problem? I treat the Devil like he deserves, and everyone acts like I'm the dick."
"Perhaps it is the way you do it. No one is asking you to like Lucifer. I doubt even he cares if you have a problem with it. But is it really necessary to mention it every second? We know how you feel. Why do you have to keep pointing it out? Why do you have to frighten Gabriel or upset Jack? Why must you take your anger out on your brother?" Castiel asked.
"Because the asshole is snowing everyone!" Dean screamed. "He's got everyone thinking he's a good guy! How does the damn Devil have so many people under his thumb?!"
"No one is under his thumb, Dean, but the fact that he isn't what we thought he was has to be taken under consideration. He isn't evil, Dean. He isn't what we thought," Castiel said. Honestly, a large part of him wished Lucifer was evil because that would mean he could justify trying to stop him from taking Jack when he left.
"The hell he's not! He's responsible for the freaking apocalypse. Not to mention that he's screwing around with my brother!" Dean said.
"The apocalypse didn't start because of Lucifer. It started because it was foretold, and because Michael and Raphael made sure it did," Castiel said.
"It wouldn't have happened if he hadn't literally created a monster," Dean said.
"What would possibly make you think that? That monster was going to exist in one form or another. It is literally the Mark of Cain infused with archangel Grace, and its former host was Lucifer. You of all people know what the Mark can do. If Lucifer had allowed it to destroy him, he would be that monster, and he would have gladly fought Michael. In fact, it probably would've happened much sooner since he wasn't actually locked up," Castiel said.
"Then he should've found another way!" Dean fumed.
"Like we did? We didn't exactly handle your Mark any better. Perhaps that's why you're so angry. Because Lucifer managed to find a way to free himself from the Mark before it got completely out of hand," Castiel said.
"No, I'm pissed because he's the Devil, and he's sinking his claws into my little brother!"
"Sam and Lucifer are not together, Dean. It is ridiculous that you'd think that," Castiel said.
"I know what I see!" Dean yelled.
"You are seeing something that is not there. Sam isn't interested in Lucifer. His interests lie with Gabriel," Castiel said. He felt a little bad violating Sam's privacy, but he had to get Dean to see how ridiculous he was being. It was the only way to get him to stop what he was doing.
Dean looked at him in surprise. "Did he tell you that?"
"No, he didn't have to. I can see it. Everyone but you can see it. Well, with the exceptions of perhaps Jack and Gabriel," Castiel said.
"Even if you're right, that's not any better, not everything that dick's done. So, either way, my brother is falling for something he should never think of touching," Dean said.
"This is about Ruby? You believe your brother will go dark again? Is that why you were so angry about the prospect of him being with Lucifer?" Castiel asked.
Dean didn't reply, which was an answer in itself.
"Dean, have you ever forgiven Sam for the apocalypse?" Castiel asked.
"Of course, I have. Why would you even ask that?!" Dean asked angrily.
"The fact that you're questioning him now makes it seem like you haven't. If you haven't forgiven him after eight years, its unlikely you ever will. I think you owe it to him to tell him," Castiel said. Sam deserved to know if Dean couldn't forgive him. He could stop bending over backwards in an effort to make things better between them.
"It's not about forgiveness! He has a bad track record with relationships. Either one of those dicks could manipulate him into God knows what!" Dean said angrily.
"So, you distrust him? That's no better. You can't let go of what happened eight years ago. I dont understand. You hold a grudge against your brother for a mistake he made years ago, even though he's hardly the only one to make mistakes. You allowed an angel to possess him and then you accepted the Mark of Cain without any thought," Castiel said. It seemed quite hypocritical of Dean to hold Sam's mistakes against him when he's made mistakes as well, and Sam had forgiven him.
"I had no choice, either time," Dean argued.
"You did. You just didn't like the other choices. And what about me? I tore down your brother's wall in order to keep you from stopping me from swallowing the creatures of Purgatory. You forgave me almost immediately. How must your brother feel about that? To know that you could forgive me so easily, but you'll never forgive him?" Castiel asked.
"D...did he tell you that's what he thinks?" Dean asked. For the first time, there was no anger in his voice. Instead, he was worried. He never even considered that his brother would think something like that. He didn't want him thinking that.
"No, but I imagine he's thought it. How can he not? He's your brother, and you've held his mistakes against him, but you forgave someone you'd known just a couple of years instantly. Why do you judge your brother more than anyone else?" Castiel asked.
"I don't know," Dean said honestly. Hearing the way Cas put it, he knew it wasn't fair. He had forgiven Cas rather easily, and Sam had done the same for him, yet Dean still held Sam's mistakes against him.
"He's not gonna put up with it forever, Dean," Castiel warned.
"That's what Lucifer said. He said I was judging Sam the way Michael judged him. He said Sam would hate me one day, just like he hates Michael. I didn't listen to him. I though he was just trying to get under my skin," Dean said.
"I'm certain he was trying to get under your skin, but he was also being truthful. It is said that Michael and Lucifer were once very close. That is obviously not the case anymore," Castiel said.
"I don't want my brother to hate me," Dean said.
"Then you have to fix it. You're hurting him, Dean," Castiel said.
"But I can't pretend that I'm okay with him having a relationship with either Lucifer or Gabriel. Lucifer's the Devil and Gabriel tortured him," Dean said.
"That's between Sam and Gabriel, isn't it? Trust Sam to know what he's doing. And you need to stop being so hostile. Lucifer has threatened to leave if it doesn't stop. It's causing too much damage to Gabriel and Jack," Castiel said.
Dean snorted. "Like that's a bad thing. I want the son of a bitch to leave!"
"He will take Gabriel, which will hurt Sam, and he will take Jack," Castiel said.
"The hell he will! That kid's not going anywhere with him!" Dean said in a strong tone.
"You can't stop him. Lucifer is Jack's father. None of us can stop him from taking him. I'm not certain Jack would want us to stop him. They become closer every day. Jack loves him," Castiel said.
"I'm not letting him have control over that kid," Dean said.
"You can't stop him. Even low on Grace, he's still an archangel, plus he has another archangel in his corner. Jack will go with Lucifer when the time comes, but I would like to prolong that as long as possible. Plus, we could use all the help we can get when we search for your mother. I am asking you to stop for everyone's sake," Castiel said.
"Fine," Dean said. At the very least, it would buy time to stop Lucifer from taking Jack.
"Thank you," Castiel said.
"Do you think I should turn around and make things right with Sam?" Dean asked. He didn't want to wait to fix things with his brother. He didn't want to take the chance of making things worse.
"No. I think you should give him some space. It will also give you a chance to figure out what you want to say to him," Castiel said.
Dean reluctantly nodded and continued driving.