I know they would never do this, but hey, they could have saved a whole lot of trouble in getting what they needed to get to the other world if they went to someones father and was all like 'hey uhh we foofed up and your baby is stuck in the other crazy world with your other crazy brother' and Gabriel was not such a douche canoe.

It was all a part of the plan, every fine detail had to be perfect, and it was all a part of the plan.

Their thinking had been, with having Gabriel in their pocket and him owing them one, technically, they would get his grace to mix with the ingrediants to open the rift between the two worlds and get their mom and Jack back.

But the thing they hadn't counted on, was just how weak the Messenger was, an Archangels grace could replenish, unlike the grace of a normal angel, theres was tied to the universe, powered by the worlds themselves. By the elements. And belief of course. That helped big time too. Gabriel was well known, there was some sects and believers who prayed to his Saintly side, and thus gave him strength, but not nearly enough to spare them what they needed. Dean had been for sucking him dry, taking what little grace he had to offer adn using it for their own, but Sam had talked him out of it.

As of right then there had only been one strong enough, who could be strong enough, to stand up to their other problem.

Though Lucifer had been quiet for some time now, staying under the radar where ever he had managed to hide himself, he was still a problem to be dealt with. Something that they had made the mistake of allowing to happen and now needed to clean up after and right again.

They had finished filling Gabriel in on what had transpired since his grand exit to stage right, and he went silent, as if to digest it all, but as they had learned rather quickly, Gabriel didn't go silent for much. It was a dead give away that when he did it was either because he was thinking something over, angry over something, and the third possibility of it being both.

"So.", he held up a hand to silence them, "Let me see if I get what you're throwin down here."

The two hunters exchanged glances.

"You two broke the world, again, and thought dear old Dad was talking to you, when it was really Luci. You went down to see him, went for his help, and you got it?"

Sam side glanced to his brother again, his chin dipping, "Yes?"

Gabriel nodded, "So he helped you. Went to bat for you two yahoos. And got his butt kicked by dear Auntie Amara. And none of you thought to go looking for him? To see if he was okay? You just went right back to him being the bad guy and finding a way to lock his ass back in his cage."

"He-"

"Helped you. He stood up for you. I'm not saying I'm on his team here boys, far from it, but come on."

Dean grumbled, leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. He glared defiantly at the Messenger across from them, he was not going to feel sympathy for the devil, Lucifer was bad and that was that.

"He said he could defeat her."

"So you used him."

"No", Sam shook his head again, "He agreed-"

"And he took Cas."

"Castiel", Gabriel spared the seraph a glance, "Agreed to be his vessel. Another story for another time, another mark the his list of stupid decisions, he agreed to be his vessel and Lucifer helped you. He fought Amara. And then you guys went right back to treating him like enemy number one."

"He killed-"

"Oh would you stuff it!", Gabriel's tone had the older hunter quieting down begrudgingly, "I would have killed him too! You guys claim to be the good guys, and in most situations you are, but this, this does not paint you in a good light! Lucifer actually helped you and you treated him like shit in the after? You turn the son, he's never actually met mind you, against him. You let Crowley take him prisoner."

"He got mom stuck-"

"Dean you say one more thing", he held up a finger, "One more thing," his glare held a certain amount of heat to it, "And it will be the last thing you say. Your mother got herself stuck in that other world. She didn't have to attack him. If you think about it, none of this would have really happened had you guys not used him.", Gabriel sucked in a deep breath and shook his head, "Boys. That spell takes the grace of an archangel to power up. The way I see it, there is only one person who can do that, and it's not me, I barely have enough power to light up a light bulb, let alone open the rift. With me out for the count who else does that leave?"

Sam sucked in a breath, turning to look at his brother quickly, his neck snapping it twisted so fast. Dean met his gaze, and though neither had wanted to admit it, Gabriel was right. The only one who had the power they needed to fuel the spell to open that rift was the one they had betrayed.

"You two better know how to apologize damn good", Gabriel looked between them, leaning forward on his elbows, giving them each a look, "Because one can only take so much before they decide they've had enough and as it is now if Lucifer decides he's done batting for the wrong team then your momma and my nephew are as good as trapped over there."

...

As it was, Lucifer wasn't the forgiving type, his greatest sin, among many, was his ability to hold grudges. He hadn't forgotten their abandoning him after fighting Amara, and his treatment from their dear departed friend and his hag mother, and he sure hadn't forgotten Castiel's little rant about his son.

The son he hadn't even gotten to meet yet.

His first answer, when they'd finally gotten him into the corner, had been 'no'.

Gabriel had been a shock, seeing his dearest baby brother alive and somewhat well, he was not so blind to see how he held himself differently then before and knew something had happened but didn't want to pry. He vowed to destroy whatever or who ever had dared touch him though. It had been the Messenger who had calmed his anger down enough that they could talk like adults. He apologized, though he was the last one who owed Lucifer an apology, for what had transpired after his fighting Amara and their betraying him like they had. Dean had grumbled about it but went ignored.

"Luce, I'm not gonna lie to you", Gabriel stood before him on the outside of the circle of fire, "You're not exactly a good guy.", he was quick to continue when Lucifer made a face and stepped back a step, "But you're not a bad guy either.", again Dean went ignored, "You're lost. Misguided. Whatever you want to call it and you need something to get you back on the straight and narrow again. Honestly I think having a little guy would do you some good. I mean, you care about him right, not his power, but him?"

Lucifer opened his mouth, eyes darting from one hunter to the next and then their pet angel, and back to Gabriel, "I-" "Don't Lie Lucifer.", he swallowed and nodded, "Yes. I do care for him. Even if he doesn't care for me back."

Gabriel smiled at him from behind the flames, "Then help us get him back."

"So they can send me back to my cage? Little brother, I love you, but not enough to fall for that trick again."

The Messenger flinched, so his brother did know about his part in that plan, Lucifer bobbed his head once as if to answer his unspoken question.

"They won't." "Gabr-" "I won't let them. Though I have a few conditions that are nonnegotiable. You won't go back."

Lucifer did not trust easy, and certainly not the Winchesters, but he trusted his brother. Gabriel was an archangel of his word and didn't make it a habit to say things he had no intention of following through on.

So he believed him.

"But you have to help us."

He thought it over a moment, eyes never leaving the eyes of his brother, and he nodded his agreement.

...