Unexpected Destinies Chapter 59
Title: Unexpected Destinies
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 2,651
Summary: Michael takes his true vessel.
PAST
As Dean clearly didn't want to prolong the inevitable, Michael acted the moment his little brother moved out of the way despite his own wish to calm his vessel some more first. The initial stage of their connection was instantaneous as he reached out with his Grace towards Dean. It had never been that easy before, not once, not even with the most eager of his previous vessels. He knew something about what the difference between a true vessel and another, ill suited one could feel like as his brothers had spoken of it, but he had never imagined that it could be like this.
So amazing. So right.
For the first time, Michael allowed himself to truly think about what it might feel like to be inside his true vessel. To be able to use his complete power without risking power decay or to be able to have his Grace move freely without being squeezed into a too small receptacle. It was almost too heady of a thought and even now, with his Grace rising to the surface easily and skating across the surface of his true vessel, slowly seeping in after forging that first all important connection, he could hardly believe that it was happening.
The almost immediate way that Dean slammed his eyes shut as his Grace broke free from Deirdre was very telling of his human's experience with angels and it made Michael smile a little. It would be the first time one of his vessels truly knew what he was beyond mere folklore knowledge, most of which was inaccurate anyway.
"Shh, relax, Dean, I won't harm you," Michael soothed, his true voice leaking out as he was so close to the surface. "You can look if you want to."
He left it as an option, open for Dean to decide whether he wanted to or not, though Michael really wished that he would do so. Although his vessel wouldn't be able to see his true form just now- not while his Grace was so fluid in the transition from one vessel to another- Dean would be able to see his Grace and it was a connection he wished to share with his vessel. The fact that Dean went along with it, opening his eyes almost instantly was expected, but he'd wanted to give him that choice. He had already learned what taking away his vessel's choices in an attempt to force him led to and it now shamed him to think of his previous behavior. Besides, it was infinitely more rewarding to know that his vessel had made the choice to do what he did of his own free will.
To know that there had been no coercion involved and that Dean did it because he wanted to see him.
Those green eyes latched onto his own and Michael held the gaze even as his connection with his current vessel faded and he saw less and less through her eyes and more directly with his Grace. If he'd thought that he already knew what Dean's soul looked like, it was absolutely nothing compared to what he saw now. Human eyes were limited in a lot of ways, even those of a vessel enhanced with angelic power and abilities, and this was no exception. Souls were special and non-physical, his Father's creation at its very best and they were best viewed with as little interference as possible. Even now, with his vessel's soul brighter then he'd ever thought a human soul could get, he knew that he was still not seeing it as it truly was, not with Dean's body in the way, distorting and dimming it to a certain extent.
The sheer desire Michael felt to reach out and touch that soul and cradle it within his Grace took him by surprise. He had always known that he would feel a particular affinity for the soul of his true vessel, but he had never expected it to feel so strong. Either his brothers had been downplaying the connection they had felt with the souls of their true vessels, or this was different from what they had experienced. Although he would normally dismiss the latter option, not seeing why he should be any different from his brothers and sisters, he paused before doing so now. While he couldn't see why his Father would make his experience any different, He had already more then clearly demonstrated that Dean didn't follow the normal rules. So perhaps this was a deviation from normal?
The one thing that Michael was sure of was that the temptation to reach out and claim his vessel was nearly irresistible and, luckily, he didn't need to resist that impulse. The terror that washed over him as he sunk into his new vessel wasn't entirely unexpected, but he hated it nonetheless. He'd never had such an unwilling vessel before, all of the others had been either honored to be of use to him or had been too desperate for other reasons to truly fear it other then the human instinctive fear of the unknown. To have this happen now, with his first true vessel, the one especially intended for him, was not something he'd ever expected.
Michael really hated it. He had come to like Dean during the time he had spent with him and even grown to admire him, not an easy feat for a human as he had seen them at their worst and they could go quite low. To have that strong, spirited soul so desperately afraid of him now was very nearly horrifying and he wished to soothe him.
Then the struggling began.
It caught Michael off-guard a little as Dean had given his consent, but he understood it as well. Castiel had once explained his vessel's tendency to resort to anger and offensive tactics when afraid to both himself and Raphael when Raphael had questioned how the hunter could stand so fearlessly in the face of such impossible odds. He had also come to understand that his vessel didn't like feeling cornered and knew that his Grace entering him would likely make him feel trapped, especially when Dean had been so reluctant to let him in to begin with.
He tried to be gentle, to not let his Grace surge in as it wanted to, drawn by both the light of Dean's soul and the call of his true vessel, but it was difficult. Only the knowledge that it could be not only traumatic, but damaging for his vessel for him to rush in so recklessly when the inhabiting soul was fighting kept him in control.
"Dean, please do not fight me," Michael requested, struggling not to hurt his vessel. "Please do not resist. Just let me in, Little One."
In addition to disliking the chaotic emotions lashing at him from his vessel, Michael could easily feel how much Dean's terror was affecting his little brother. Castiel's distress was quite clear to him and he was surprised by the strength of the desire to soothe him that he felt. It hadn't taken him long to see what his Father had approved of so much in his little brother even if the reward that He had chosen to bestow still stunned him. It was just so far beyond anything that He had ever done before. But Castiel's steadfast refusal to be turned from his chosen path was admirable, as was his courage to do what was right. He could only wish that he'd been able to do the same.
As he sank deeper into his vessel, Michael became more and more aware of Dean and realized that the hunter was trying to control himself though his deep-seated fear and instincts were proving difficult to overcome. He did his best to be as gentle as possible, but continued to push forwards until a sudden thrill went through him as his Grace finally- finally!- brushed up against Dean's soul. He'd been correct, it was even more stunning then he'd been able to see before and both the strength and frailty of it rushed over him, sparking with a purity of purpose and yet a hardened resolve built upon all of the darkness that he had witnessed and performed. He could sense both Heaven and Hell on it, the pain and the horror, as well as traces of various individuals who'd touched his vessel deeply enough to make an impression on his soul.
Michael was vaguely aware of the sounds escaping Dean's throat as a strange wave of possessive anger washed over him when he recognized one of those individuals as clearly demonic. The impressions left behind by it were tinged with a foreign darkness that he didn't like at all. He could tell that much of the darkness had already been removed by his brother, but Castiel had clearly not been either powerful or knowledgeable enough at the time to remove it all, so he did so now with a sense of immense satisfaction. The other impressions were more benign and he left them, feeling a deep-rooted sense of sorrow spark within him as he recognized traces of Gabriel's presence. He was a bit surprised to find evidence that his brother had been so deeply involved with his vessel, but ignored it for now.
The one presence that Michael couldn't simply push aside in favor of taking full control of his vessel was Castiel's. Although many of the impressions were passing in nature, the result of brief touches to Dean's soul over their time together, there were several that ran far deeper. Some of them were to be expected given how his little brother had rescued the human from Hell and healed both his body and soul, while others were most likely the result of their relationship now, but there was one that trumped all of the others and was something that he could not simply ignore. It was a connection so deep as to have seared its mark on his vessel's body as well as his soul. It pulsed with Castiel's Grace as he came into contact with it and was forced to move around it.
If he'd so desired, Michael could have broken the bond. Snapping the connection would have been the easiest solution to the issue and would have allowed him to complete his own connection with Dean far more efficiently. He discarded the option with hardly a thought, though, not wanting to inflict that pain on either his vessel or his brother and knowing that Dean would never forgive him the trespass. Instead, he coiled himself around the bond, forcing his vessel's soul down as he sank further into him.
"Relax, Little One, hush," Michael soothed as he sensed Dean's desperate struggle to remain conscious.
That he was still able to do so, surprised Michael greatly. Normally the vessel's soul would already have buckled under the strain, settling into a dormant state in which they would remain for the majority of the time, only stirring awake for brief, sporadic moments. He'd thought that he'd accepted Dean's uniqueness already, but his human continued to surprise him and made him all the more eager to discover what his Father had intended when creating this soul.
The feel of that soul within his Grace as he curled around it, cradling it within him, was every bit as amazing as Michael had thought it would be and he was starting to truly understand what had fascinated his little brother about his vessel. He had never experienced anything like it and he'd possessed many a pious and pure vessel. Another spike of hard panic flashed through him from Dean just as he sank fully into his vessel and assumed complete control. Before he could attempt to soothe him, however, he felt the soul connect with his Grace for a brief, wonderful moment before Dean was overcome and lost awareness.
Michael immediately found himself mourning the loss, especially after the brief instance of total connection unlike anything he'd ever been able to imagine before, even though he'd known it was inevitable. For a few short moments there he'd almost dared to believe that Dean would be able to manage that which no vessel had ever been able to; to remain conscious and aware without an extreme effort on his part. It was unheard of for a vessel to achieve that and normally the mere possibility would never have even occurred to him, but Dean had already proven that the normal rules didn't apply to him and he'd managed to remain aware for so long on his own that he'd been unable to not speculate about it.
Even before he'd started taking his true vessel, Michael had already decided that he'd bring Dean's soul out of its hibernation-like slumber on occasion, but it was something even he couldn't maintain easily or indefinitely. He'd felt Lucifer doing it during their confrontation in Lawrence and had felt the strain it had put on his power. He had also borne the consequences of that arrogant and foolish choice when it had weakened his brother enough to allow Sam Winchester to briefly wrest control away from Lucifer. As ever, it was his brother's insufferable pride and arrogance that had led to his downfall. It was sad to see that Lucifer had learned nothing despite his millennia of torment. He now knew no punishment would be able to teach him the errors of his ways and it pained him.
Even unconscious and suppressed, his vessel's soul was still an incomparable treasure and Michael took care to wrap it securely in his Grace so that no harm would come to it during their time together. He also wound his essence carefully around the bond with Castiel, taking care not to dampen it while still ensuring that it did not become a path in that could harm Dean while he slumbered.
His most important task achieved, Michael turned his attention towards his new body. Unlike Deirdre and every single other vessel he had ever possessed before, he didn't feel like this one would burst at the seams at any moment. It was still confining in a way he didn't enjoy, but it was like a gentle resistance that seemed to stretch and shift with him rather than being the harsh, unforgiving restraints of before. He took a few moments to just let himself feel the bones, muscles and nerves, manipulating them experimentally and marveling at how readily and easily they responded to his commands. He was starting to discover the real difference between a true vessel and those who merely came from the correct bloodline in a way he'd never known before.
His explorations uncovered a few minor injuries around Dean's throat, upper chest and anus, all of which Michael healed before he shifted his attention to his back and stretched each of his wings in turn. Even this, something so inherently part of his true form, felt different now, the movements far easier to achieve as the connection between his vessel and Grace was so strong and easily transmitted signals from one to the other. That done, he turned his attention to Deirdre Winchester's body that now lay slumped ungracefully on the bed in a heap. Carefully, he reached out and shifted her onto her back, much like he'd found her when Raphael had brought him to her after pulling him free from the cage. When that was taken care of, he got to his feet, briefly cataloguing the differences he noted in the room with his greater height, before he finally turned his attention to his little brother. He had purposefully given Castiel some time to himself, but he knew that they had to deal with this now.
"Castiel, Brother," Michael said, noting the flinch his words caused being spoke in the voice of his brother's mate. "Please look at me."
Chapter 60
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 2,651
Summary: Michael takes his true vessel.
PAST
As Dean clearly didn't want to prolong the inevitable, Michael acted the moment his little brother moved out of the way despite his own wish to calm his vessel some more first. The initial stage of their connection was instantaneous as he reached out with his Grace towards Dean. It had never been that easy before, not once, not even with the most eager of his previous vessels. He knew something about what the difference between a true vessel and another, ill suited one could feel like as his brothers had spoken of it, but he had never imagined that it could be like this.
So amazing. So right.
For the first time, Michael allowed himself to truly think about what it might feel like to be inside his true vessel. To be able to use his complete power without risking power decay or to be able to have his Grace move freely without being squeezed into a too small receptacle. It was almost too heady of a thought and even now, with his Grace rising to the surface easily and skating across the surface of his true vessel, slowly seeping in after forging that first all important connection, he could hardly believe that it was happening.
The almost immediate way that Dean slammed his eyes shut as his Grace broke free from Deirdre was very telling of his human's experience with angels and it made Michael smile a little. It would be the first time one of his vessels truly knew what he was beyond mere folklore knowledge, most of which was inaccurate anyway.
"Shh, relax, Dean, I won't harm you," Michael soothed, his true voice leaking out as he was so close to the surface. "You can look if you want to."
He left it as an option, open for Dean to decide whether he wanted to or not, though Michael really wished that he would do so. Although his vessel wouldn't be able to see his true form just now- not while his Grace was so fluid in the transition from one vessel to another- Dean would be able to see his Grace and it was a connection he wished to share with his vessel. The fact that Dean went along with it, opening his eyes almost instantly was expected, but he'd wanted to give him that choice. He had already learned what taking away his vessel's choices in an attempt to force him led to and it now shamed him to think of his previous behavior. Besides, it was infinitely more rewarding to know that his vessel had made the choice to do what he did of his own free will.
To know that there had been no coercion involved and that Dean did it because he wanted to see him.
Those green eyes latched onto his own and Michael held the gaze even as his connection with his current vessel faded and he saw less and less through her eyes and more directly with his Grace. If he'd thought that he already knew what Dean's soul looked like, it was absolutely nothing compared to what he saw now. Human eyes were limited in a lot of ways, even those of a vessel enhanced with angelic power and abilities, and this was no exception. Souls were special and non-physical, his Father's creation at its very best and they were best viewed with as little interference as possible. Even now, with his vessel's soul brighter then he'd ever thought a human soul could get, he knew that he was still not seeing it as it truly was, not with Dean's body in the way, distorting and dimming it to a certain extent.
The sheer desire Michael felt to reach out and touch that soul and cradle it within his Grace took him by surprise. He had always known that he would feel a particular affinity for the soul of his true vessel, but he had never expected it to feel so strong. Either his brothers had been downplaying the connection they had felt with the souls of their true vessels, or this was different from what they had experienced. Although he would normally dismiss the latter option, not seeing why he should be any different from his brothers and sisters, he paused before doing so now. While he couldn't see why his Father would make his experience any different, He had already more then clearly demonstrated that Dean didn't follow the normal rules. So perhaps this was a deviation from normal?
The one thing that Michael was sure of was that the temptation to reach out and claim his vessel was nearly irresistible and, luckily, he didn't need to resist that impulse. The terror that washed over him as he sunk into his new vessel wasn't entirely unexpected, but he hated it nonetheless. He'd never had such an unwilling vessel before, all of the others had been either honored to be of use to him or had been too desperate for other reasons to truly fear it other then the human instinctive fear of the unknown. To have this happen now, with his first true vessel, the one especially intended for him, was not something he'd ever expected.
Michael really hated it. He had come to like Dean during the time he had spent with him and even grown to admire him, not an easy feat for a human as he had seen them at their worst and they could go quite low. To have that strong, spirited soul so desperately afraid of him now was very nearly horrifying and he wished to soothe him.
Then the struggling began.
It caught Michael off-guard a little as Dean had given his consent, but he understood it as well. Castiel had once explained his vessel's tendency to resort to anger and offensive tactics when afraid to both himself and Raphael when Raphael had questioned how the hunter could stand so fearlessly in the face of such impossible odds. He had also come to understand that his vessel didn't like feeling cornered and knew that his Grace entering him would likely make him feel trapped, especially when Dean had been so reluctant to let him in to begin with.
He tried to be gentle, to not let his Grace surge in as it wanted to, drawn by both the light of Dean's soul and the call of his true vessel, but it was difficult. Only the knowledge that it could be not only traumatic, but damaging for his vessel for him to rush in so recklessly when the inhabiting soul was fighting kept him in control.
"Dean, please do not fight me," Michael requested, struggling not to hurt his vessel. "Please do not resist. Just let me in, Little One."
In addition to disliking the chaotic emotions lashing at him from his vessel, Michael could easily feel how much Dean's terror was affecting his little brother. Castiel's distress was quite clear to him and he was surprised by the strength of the desire to soothe him that he felt. It hadn't taken him long to see what his Father had approved of so much in his little brother even if the reward that He had chosen to bestow still stunned him. It was just so far beyond anything that He had ever done before. But Castiel's steadfast refusal to be turned from his chosen path was admirable, as was his courage to do what was right. He could only wish that he'd been able to do the same.
As he sank deeper into his vessel, Michael became more and more aware of Dean and realized that the hunter was trying to control himself though his deep-seated fear and instincts were proving difficult to overcome. He did his best to be as gentle as possible, but continued to push forwards until a sudden thrill went through him as his Grace finally- finally!- brushed up against Dean's soul. He'd been correct, it was even more stunning then he'd been able to see before and both the strength and frailty of it rushed over him, sparking with a purity of purpose and yet a hardened resolve built upon all of the darkness that he had witnessed and performed. He could sense both Heaven and Hell on it, the pain and the horror, as well as traces of various individuals who'd touched his vessel deeply enough to make an impression on his soul.
Michael was vaguely aware of the sounds escaping Dean's throat as a strange wave of possessive anger washed over him when he recognized one of those individuals as clearly demonic. The impressions left behind by it were tinged with a foreign darkness that he didn't like at all. He could tell that much of the darkness had already been removed by his brother, but Castiel had clearly not been either powerful or knowledgeable enough at the time to remove it all, so he did so now with a sense of immense satisfaction. The other impressions were more benign and he left them, feeling a deep-rooted sense of sorrow spark within him as he recognized traces of Gabriel's presence. He was a bit surprised to find evidence that his brother had been so deeply involved with his vessel, but ignored it for now.
The one presence that Michael couldn't simply push aside in favor of taking full control of his vessel was Castiel's. Although many of the impressions were passing in nature, the result of brief touches to Dean's soul over their time together, there were several that ran far deeper. Some of them were to be expected given how his little brother had rescued the human from Hell and healed both his body and soul, while others were most likely the result of their relationship now, but there was one that trumped all of the others and was something that he could not simply ignore. It was a connection so deep as to have seared its mark on his vessel's body as well as his soul. It pulsed with Castiel's Grace as he came into contact with it and was forced to move around it.
If he'd so desired, Michael could have broken the bond. Snapping the connection would have been the easiest solution to the issue and would have allowed him to complete his own connection with Dean far more efficiently. He discarded the option with hardly a thought, though, not wanting to inflict that pain on either his vessel or his brother and knowing that Dean would never forgive him the trespass. Instead, he coiled himself around the bond, forcing his vessel's soul down as he sank further into him.
"Relax, Little One, hush," Michael soothed as he sensed Dean's desperate struggle to remain conscious.
That he was still able to do so, surprised Michael greatly. Normally the vessel's soul would already have buckled under the strain, settling into a dormant state in which they would remain for the majority of the time, only stirring awake for brief, sporadic moments. He'd thought that he'd accepted Dean's uniqueness already, but his human continued to surprise him and made him all the more eager to discover what his Father had intended when creating this soul.
The feel of that soul within his Grace as he curled around it, cradling it within him, was every bit as amazing as Michael had thought it would be and he was starting to truly understand what had fascinated his little brother about his vessel. He had never experienced anything like it and he'd possessed many a pious and pure vessel. Another spike of hard panic flashed through him from Dean just as he sank fully into his vessel and assumed complete control. Before he could attempt to soothe him, however, he felt the soul connect with his Grace for a brief, wonderful moment before Dean was overcome and lost awareness.
Michael immediately found himself mourning the loss, especially after the brief instance of total connection unlike anything he'd ever been able to imagine before, even though he'd known it was inevitable. For a few short moments there he'd almost dared to believe that Dean would be able to manage that which no vessel had ever been able to; to remain conscious and aware without an extreme effort on his part. It was unheard of for a vessel to achieve that and normally the mere possibility would never have even occurred to him, but Dean had already proven that the normal rules didn't apply to him and he'd managed to remain aware for so long on his own that he'd been unable to not speculate about it.
Even before he'd started taking his true vessel, Michael had already decided that he'd bring Dean's soul out of its hibernation-like slumber on occasion, but it was something even he couldn't maintain easily or indefinitely. He'd felt Lucifer doing it during their confrontation in Lawrence and had felt the strain it had put on his power. He had also borne the consequences of that arrogant and foolish choice when it had weakened his brother enough to allow Sam Winchester to briefly wrest control away from Lucifer. As ever, it was his brother's insufferable pride and arrogance that had led to his downfall. It was sad to see that Lucifer had learned nothing despite his millennia of torment. He now knew no punishment would be able to teach him the errors of his ways and it pained him.
Even unconscious and suppressed, his vessel's soul was still an incomparable treasure and Michael took care to wrap it securely in his Grace so that no harm would come to it during their time together. He also wound his essence carefully around the bond with Castiel, taking care not to dampen it while still ensuring that it did not become a path in that could harm Dean while he slumbered.
His most important task achieved, Michael turned his attention towards his new body. Unlike Deirdre and every single other vessel he had ever possessed before, he didn't feel like this one would burst at the seams at any moment. It was still confining in a way he didn't enjoy, but it was like a gentle resistance that seemed to stretch and shift with him rather than being the harsh, unforgiving restraints of before. He took a few moments to just let himself feel the bones, muscles and nerves, manipulating them experimentally and marveling at how readily and easily they responded to his commands. He was starting to discover the real difference between a true vessel and those who merely came from the correct bloodline in a way he'd never known before.
His explorations uncovered a few minor injuries around Dean's throat, upper chest and anus, all of which Michael healed before he shifted his attention to his back and stretched each of his wings in turn. Even this, something so inherently part of his true form, felt different now, the movements far easier to achieve as the connection between his vessel and Grace was so strong and easily transmitted signals from one to the other. That done, he turned his attention to Deirdre Winchester's body that now lay slumped ungracefully on the bed in a heap. Carefully, he reached out and shifted her onto her back, much like he'd found her when Raphael had brought him to her after pulling him free from the cage. When that was taken care of, he got to his feet, briefly cataloguing the differences he noted in the room with his greater height, before he finally turned his attention to his little brother. He had purposefully given Castiel some time to himself, but he knew that they had to deal with this now.
"Castiel, Brother," Michael said, noting the flinch his words caused being spoke in the voice of his brother's mate. "Please look at me."
Chapter 60