Sam hadn't meant to get attached; but being pinned in a cage with two archangels and his brother, it didn't do wonders for sanity. Sam guessed he was a bit insane; after all, he trusted Lucifer to protect him. There weren't limits for the cage but at the same time it was very compact, everyone pinned together, yet you could wander for days on end in the bleak expanse.

Sam and Adam usually rested their backs on a rock and watched the brothers fight. Every so often they'd exchange a few words about what they missed from Earth, but that was it. They were brothers by blood, not by family. Every so often Michael and Lucifer's fight moved closer to them. In the early days they moved away, but they'd since learned that Michael and Lucifer had no interest in them; the only danger was in getting hit by a stray punch. Adam had learned that the hard way.

Lucifer and Michael got the fight they wanted. Every day. Sam lost track of exactly how many of those there were. He didn't sleep; weather a side effect of the preparation for being a vessel or a fact of being in the cage, he was not sure. The battle was a daily and continuous thing yet it never really ended. In the beginning everything was Michael and Lucifer at each other with punches and insults, until one day Michael's blows were misplaced and hit Sam instead. Michael was stunned for a moment and Lucifer had the opportunity to stab him in the back and finally end this; but he didn't. That day was the one day the fighting paused; for a good ten seconds Michael and Lucifer were united in concern over this weak little human. Michael turned to face his brother.

"You care about him?" He asked. "A human?"

"He is my vessel," Lucifer replied tautly.

"The humans, you fell because you didn't care." Michael's expression remained stony but something warmed in his eyes.

"I know what happened. Every bloody detail. You let it." Lucifer spat.

"And after all that, the atonement you seek, you would care for one life?"

"He is my vessel; I care for him under no other pretense." Lucifer crossed his arms.

"I almost thought you were learning. I should have known better." Michaels eyes went cold again and his face became grim.

"You should have." And with that being said, the fighting began again.

Sam rubbed his jaw; pulled from his fascination in the exchange between brothers by a twinging pain. Michael got a punch in on Lucifer and Sam almost swore it was like Lucifer was distracted by Sam's pain. The fighting inevitably moved closer to Sam and Adam again; this time Michael purposely struck Sam. Through the blood pooling over his eye he could see that Lucifer went ballistic. He pinned Michael down and set fire to Adam; Sam sat helpless as he heard his half-brother's screams.

"You would do this out of spite? Release him!" Michael commanded.

"If my vessel is to be made hurt yours shall be as well." Adam cried out as the flames increased.

"Enough of this," Exclaimed Sam. "Why can't you just admit you're wrong, yes, both of you, and get over it." Michael shoved Sam to the ground where his head connect to a rock.

"This is before your time, boy," Michael sneered, "do not presume to have any input in a matter that is not yours." Sam spat out some blood. He was faintly aware the flames on Adam had dimmed significantly.

"The problem is you're too proud to admit you're wrong, either of you. All you know is how to destroy." Sam's head was throbbing but his speech was thankfully still coherent.

"My brother was correct, Sam, this really is none of your business." Lucifer stared down at him condescendingly.

"I was born to be a vessel so it damn well is my business." Sam pushed himself into a sitting position. "I'm a human; my species started this brawl. My species suffered because you two won't get your heads out of your asses long enough to see that your pride ruined your love." This struck a cord and Sam was sure he was going to be beaten to a pulp.

"We are above you!" Lucifer ground out.

"Have you forgotten what you fell for?! Father told us we are no better than them!"

"But we are! Look at these petty creatures groveling for their lives, a timeframe, which, for us, is no greater than a blink of the eye. We're the ones dad should love, his firstborns, not these flawed creatures!"

"No, you're not," Sam was still sore but this was the closest to resolving this conflict they'd ever gotten to. "You call us flawed? Look at you, fighting your brother to the death! You're supposed to love your family!"

"I did. I loved them more than humans and they cast me out!"

"We were created to do as Father asked! But you didn't love him enough to get over yourself and complete his request. He left us because you broke his heart!"

Lucifer tackled Michael and the fighting resumed.

AN: Started as a "what if Lucifer protected Sam in the cage?" and turned into general family angst talking about their feelings. Reviews mean a ton, possible updates if anyone's interested.