Hey guys! Finally got another multi-chapter story done ^_^ This is one I have been meaning to finish for months now and went through a couple different interpretations before I even started writing it. I was originally going to do just a gladiator/Roman AU but decided to tie it into Supernatural canon instead, so then it became pocket dimensions and a Season 5 AU I hope you guys enjoy it all the same.

Some lines in this chapter are taken directly from 5x19 Hammer of the Gods

Thanks to Aini NuFire for beta reading this one because I don't think it would have ever been finished otherwise :P

For Those About to Die

A Supernatural Fanfic

5X19 AU When Lucifer shows up at the Elysian Fields Hotel, Gabriel forms a plan for him and the Winchesters to escape into one of his pocket dimensions. Unfortunately, when Lucifer hijacks it, they find themselves embroiled in the dangerous world of Roman emperors and gladiatorial fights, just hoping to survive long enough to make it out alive.

Chapter One

Dean ushered the prisoners out of the hotel, though they needed little coaxing, running for their vehicles and getting the hell out of this hellhole. Dean was sure they didn't truly understand what had been going on there, but they knew that they were glad to be getting away from it, and he wasn't going to trust Team Pagan in there not to go back on their word at any second and run after their appetizers.

"Come on, get out of here, let's go!" Dean waved at them, holding the door open as the last of them rushed out into the night.

He was about to go back inside, half worried that his whole plan would have crumbled by now, and he and Sam would be next on the menu, but he caught sight of the Impala's headlights flashing and he glanced over with a frown.

"Pssst," a voice hissed from the back.

Dean started over and was shocked to see Gabriel. Gabriel, who he had just watched Kali stab to death.

"Don't look at me!" Gabriel warned, ducking slightly. "Just act natural! Get in."

Dean hurried around toward the driver's side and slipped inside the car, spinning around to stare at the archangel.

"Man, there is nothing natural about this at all, I thought you were dead!" Dean said.

"You think I'd give Kali my real sword?" Gabriel demanded. "That thing can kill me!"

"What do they have in there?"

"A fake. Made it out of a can of diet Orange Slice." And boy if he didn't look proud about that.

Dean was still getting over the fact that Gabriel was still alive, and better yet, why he was hiding out here, instead of trying to do something to help their plan to stop Lucifer.

"So, uh…" Gabriel began. "Go snag our blood, would ya?"

Dean glanced back at him. "What?"

"I heard you in there. Kali likes you. You can get close, lift the plasma, then we vamoose."

"No," Dean said decidedly. "Give me the real blade. Better yet, why don't you sack up and help us take down Lucifer?"

Gabriel sat up straighter. "You can't be serious."

"Deadly." And he was. He was currently a thousand percent done with this crap and he just wanted it to be over. He certainly didn't want to be hanging out with some archangel turned trickster while his brother could be in there with his bones licked clean for all Dean knew.

"Since when are you butt-buddies with a bunch of monsters?" Gabriel demanded. "That's all they are to you, aren't they?"

"You know, Sam was right. It's nuts, but it's the best idea I've heard. So unless you have a better one…"

Gabriel pulled a wry look, hands clenching on the back of the seat. "Well, good luck with that. Me? I'm blowing Jonestown. Those lemmings want to run off a cliff, that's their business."

"I can see right through you, you know that?" Dean demanded, narrowing his eyes at the archangel. "The smart-ass shell, the whole I-could-give-a-crap thing, believe me, it takes one to know one."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Dean insisted. "And maybe those freaks in there aren't your blood, but they are your family." He saw that now. The way Gabriel interacted with them, there was a lot of history there, and maybe not all of it good, but that's what family was about, after all. And there was a reason the archangel had actually given a crap to show up at all even though he probably figured something like him getting found out was a high possibility.

"They just stabbed me in the friggin' heart!" Gabriel protested.

"Maybe," Dean shrugged. "But you still give a crap about them, don't you?"

"Dean…"

"And they're gonna die in there without you."

Gabriel shook his head. "I can't kill my brother," he said quietly.

Dean stopped, meeting the archangel's eyes for a long second before he asked, "Can't or won't?"

Gabriel didn't reply, but eventually, he turned his eyes down. Dean gave a small nod. "That's what I thought." He got out of the car and headed back toward the Hotel.

He supposed he couldn't really blame Gabriel for that though. After all, he was doing this so he didn't have to kill his brother. Of course, Sam wasn't exactly a narcissistic genocidal maniac bent on destroying the world and everyone in it. But Gabriel had admitted he was sentimental. And maybe, once upon a time, Lucifer hadn't been so bad.

He was almost back inside the hotel when he heard the door of the Impala open and close and then footsteps behind him.

"Dean, wait."

Dean tuned around, hand on the door handle and saw Gabriel standing there, looking almost self-conscious, something that looked extremely out of place on the Trickster, but was oddly reassuring at that moment, as if Dean had just wanted to see behind the mask and Gabriel had finally let him.

"You were right," the archangel said. "I do give a crap. Despite everything, they are my family. But so is Lucifer. I remember him before he turned into…what he is now. I know you, of all people, understand why I can't do it, and why I'm glad that's Michael's duty and not mine."

Dean nodded slightly.

"So, I have a plan," Gabriel sighed, rolling his eyes. "It's not a permanent fix, but it might get us out of the line of fire long enough to think of a better one."

Dean cocked his head to one side. "I'm listening."

"We're doing what?" demanded Odin as the other gods and goddesses in the room raised their own protests.

Dean glanced at Sam—thankfully not turned into an hors d'oeuvre—as Gabriel finished relating his plan. This was going over about as well as he suspected.

"I am not going to fall prey to one of your jokes again, Loki, er, Gabriel," Baldur huffed, folding his arms over his chest.

"Even I'll admit, this wouldn't exactly be my first choice of plan," Kali said and glanced reluctantly over at Gabriel. "But it may be our only choice right now."

"Like hell," Odin snapped and strode for the door. "I am not running away like a frightened rabbit! Those actions do not get you into Valhalla."

"Well, then you're going to be going to the big party in the sky a lot sooner than planned," Gabriel said. "Because when Lucifer gets here he's gonna tear you apart."

"You think that all of us together don't have even a small chance of winning against one archangel?" Ganesh scoffed.

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow at him. "You saw how great my death stuck."

"Because you tricked us with the wrong blade," Kali said and still seemed a little pissed, Dean noticed. "With the right one, we could do some damage."

Gabriel smirked at her. "Yeah, but aren't you glad I'm back? I'm willing to mark that off as a lover's quarrel. Wait 'til we get to our vacation destination and you and me can have a grand old time."

Kali rolled her eyes with a disgusted noise.

Dean and Sam stayed to one side of the room, trying to keep out of the way as much as possible. Gabriel was doing weird motions and drawing sigils on a door as the gods reminded him about how bad an idea this was. Dean wasn't so sure it would work, nor was he sure that he really wanted to be stuck in another one of Gabriel's fun houses, but they really didn't have a better option at the moment. Not if Lucifer was on his way right now.

Dean glanced around the room, and frowned as his gaze moved between all the gods. He nudged Sam. "Hey, what happened to the douchey little guy with the bowtie?"

Sam frowned as well. "Mercury? I don't know."

It was then that a choked off scream was heard down the hallway outside. Dean and Sam hurried toward the door as the rest of the gods looked up. Dean peeked out, watching the lights in the hotel flicker and this time it was definitely not from the storm.

Sam's breath caught in his throat and he gripped the back of Dean's jacket. "He's here. Dean, he's here, I can…I can feel him."

At just that moment a figure turned down the long hallway and Dean only needed a second to recognize the Devil. He shoved Sam backwards and slammed the door.

"Okay, change of plans, Lucifer is here now!" Dean snapped.

Gabriel looked up, eyes wide. "What? Already?"

"Yeah, so let's get the hell out of here," Dean said. "How's your door to Narnia going?"

"It's not finished yet—you wanna be stuck in a two-star pocket dimension?" Gabriel demanded.

"Right now I kinda just want to live," Dean snapped.

"This is ridiculous, we will have a better chance if we go out to fight," Odin said and strode toward the door, most of the other gods followed.

"Hey!" Gabriel called. "He will kill you bastards! Don't say I didn't warn you!"

"Shut up, Loki," Odin snarled and threw the door open.

The gods went out, only Kali and Baldur staying behind, looking unsure of what they planned to do in this situation. It wasn't long before screams and the thunks of bodies—and probably body parts—sounded outside the door.

"Oh crap, crap, crap," Gabriel muttered as he frantically made traced sigils in the air.

Dean had his angel blade out for what good that would do. He knew neither that nor the demon blade would do a thing against Lucifer.

"Gabriel," Sam hissed.

"You wanna try? Be my guest!" the archangel snapped but it was already too late. The door to the room slammed open and everyone spun around to see Lucifer standing there covered in blood from head to toe. Dean had a feeling the other gods wouldn't be joining them on this trip after all.

"Okay, plan b," Dean turned toward Kali and Baldur. "Can't you like, shazam us out of here or something?"

Baldur sighed heavily. "We can't."

"Of course you can't," Lucifer said as he strode into the room. "You didn't say mother may I. Sam, Dean, good to see you again." He glanced around the room and then finally caught sight of Gabriel in one corner, having ceased his work for the moment, seeming frozen. "Oh, hello brother. Fancy seeing you here."

"Lucifer," Gabriel said, no inflection in his voice, he just stood stiffly.

Lucifer looked from him to the others. "Well, Gabriel, I knew you were slumming it, but, really?" he pulled a face. "I hope you didn't….catch anything."

Baldur strode forward with determination, squaring up to the devil. "You think you own the planet?" he demanded of Lucifer.

"Baldur, don't," Kali warned.

"What gives you the right?" Baldur cried as he moved forward, obviously planning to attack Lucifer, but the fallen archangel simply waited for him to get within reach and then slammed a fist through his chest.

Dean and Sam flinched and watched in horror as Lucifer yanked his hand back and the god crumpled and fell to the ground. Dead.

"No one gives us the right; we take it," Lucifer said then glanced over at the others, blood dripping from his fingers onto the floor.

Kali was breathing heavily and she stepped forward, raising one hand.

"Kali, no," Gabriel said quickly, leaping forward finally and grabbing her arm, pulling her back with him, his blade held out at the ready.

"Let me go," she snarled, but Gabriel held her firmly, backing away toward his door.

"Over a girl? Really?" Lucifer shook his head in disgust. "Gabriel."

"Lucifer, you're my brother and I love you. But you are a great big bag of dicks," Gabriel said.

"Dude," Dean hissed, thinking insulting the guy who had just taken out a bunch of pagan gods like they were a b-movie stunt team wasn't the best idea.

Lucifer snorted slightly. "What did you say to me?"

"You heard me," Gabriel said, still edging backwards slightly. "Look at yourself! Boo hoo, Daddy was mean to me so I'm gonna smash up all his toys!"

"Watch your tone, little brother," Lucifer said.

Gabriel snorted. "Sure, keep playing the victim. But—news flash—today is not the day you win." He leapt back the last couple feet and swung the door open, emitting a blinding light.

Sam and Dean were already moving, racing for the doorway and whatever it led to. But Lucifer was moving too, seeming to realize what was going on, and he grabbed Gabriel by the front of his jacket before he could leap in. Sam and Dean halted with Kali just inside the door.

"Oh, Gabriel, always with the tricks," Lucifer tsked. "Do you remember who you learned all of them from?"

Gabriel's breath caught in his throat as Lucifer grinned. "Now, how about you play my game for a change."

Gabriel shouted as Lucifer leapt through the door and dragged him along. Dean felt the pull of whatever the hell portal they were going through and grabbed Sam in some poor attempt to keep his brother near him, but it did little good because in another second everything began to spin violently and they were thrown into a vortex of darkness.

Dean came to with a start, sitting up from where he had been lying on the hard ground. Loud voices were talking around him accompanied by a cacophony of sounds, clanking, and feet tramping here and there.

"Dean?" Sam's voice came to one side of him but Dean barely heard. He was too busy taking in their surroundings.

They were dimly lit, torches lining the walls, but he could see men bustling around, carrying weapons, and wearing leather armor that looked like something out of Gladiator. Come to think of it…they kind of did look like gladiators.

"Hey, boys, get off your arses! You're in the next bout!"

Dean jolted as an angry man in a dress stood over him. Dean scrambled to his feet and Sam did the same beside him. Another man came along and unloaded a pile of metal and leather into Dean's arms.

"Get this on!"

"The hell?" Dean demanded, turning around, wide-eyed, to look at Sam who had also been given similar equipment. Dean noticed for the first time that Sam was wearing a rough-looking tunic, and…so was he for that matter. Now that he noticed the tunic that ended just above his knees, he felt uncomfortably exposed. "Oh hell no," he said. "What is this?"

"Not exactly what I had in mind."

They both turned to see Gabriel striding up to them, coming from a room off to one side. He glanced around with a put out expression.

Dean dumped the equipment on the ground and turned to him. "Gabriel, what the hell is this?"

"Hey, don't look at me, I was aiming for a nice little spot on the Italian Riviera. Culture, wine…nude beaches."

"Then what happened?" Sam demanded. "This looks like you're a few centuries off."

"Yeah, and nice dress," Dean quipped.

"It's a tunic, and right back at you, big boy," Gabriel snarked, folding his arms over his chest. "Lucifer must have messed with it when we went through. This is what happens when you rush a pocket dimension. It's left malleable for anyone with enough power to play with."

"And on that subject, where is Lucifer?" Dean asked, looking around, half expecting to see the devil round the corner at any minute.

It was a flustered dude in a toga instead. "There you are, Gabriel, the Emperor is looking for you! The show is about to start and he'll be looking for his refreshments!"

"Wait, what? Emperor?" Gabriel demanded as the toga guy grabbed him by the arm. "Hold on there, bucko…"

Sam and Dean hurried after them as Gabriel was hauled into an antechamber. There were bustling servants, and in the center of the room stood a tall man in a toga, and the red cloak and laurel headdress of a Roman emperor. Sam and Dean stopped at the doorway, mouths open as the figure turned around.

"Lucifer," Gabriel said.

"That's Emperor Lucifer to you," the devil said, raising a hand with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Hail me."