Chapter 134

Michael tries to put that conversation with Jo out of his mind, but it keeps nagging at him. He just can't figure out what game Lucifer's playing with them. He has to have some ulterior motive. He just can't figure out what it could be. What does he stand to gain from telling Jo what Chuck said? Did Chuck even say it?

He has far too many questions and nowhere near enough answers, but he's not going to let that fly -- no pun intended. He slips out of Jo's bed as quietly as he can, doing his best not to disturb her. She mumbles softly, but she doesn't wake up so it looks like he's in the clear.

With the flap of his wings, he's on the roof. No one here. Less than a second later, he's in the war room. Nothing. Next he checks the library, and again, it's empty. He continues in the same pattern, looking in every room and coming up blank every time.

He does find someone in the kitchen, though. It's just not who he wanted. It's not who he would expect, either. It's...

"Castiel?"

Castiel is standing at the sink, filling up a glass of water. He glances over his shoulder at the sound of Michael's voice, but if he's startled, he does a good job hiding it. "Michael."

He sounds... weary isn't the right word, but... cautious, perhaps. Uncomfortable. Michael wouldn't have expected any less of him in ordinary circumstances, but after being trapped in the bunker together for so long, he would have hoped the angel would have warmed up to him. If Michael can forgive him for Molotaving him and his vessel all those years ago, Castiel can forgive him for whatever it is he needs forgiveness for.

"Why are you getting water?" Michael asks. "You don't have to drink."

"Oh, no, this --" Castiel pauses to turn the faucet off, then pivots to face the archangel. "It's for Dean. his throat hurts but he didn't want to get out of bed."

Michael fights down a laugh. was supposed to be his vessel? Maybe the similarities that the prophecies foretold weren't as strong as he had thought.

"What are doing?" Castiel asks.

"Oh, I'm looking for Lucifer," Michael says.

Castiel cocks an eyebrow, his head tilted slightly to the side. "Why?"

"I have a question for him," Michael says vaguely. Castiel doesn't need to know the details. "You don't happen to know where I can find him, do you?"

"Unfortunately not," Castiel says. "After everything he's done in the last few years, I've done my best to stay away from him, for both our sakes."

Michael feels like he should take that at face value and continue his one-sided game of hide-and-seek, but curiosity gets the better of him, and he asks, "What exactly Lucifer done while I was in the cage?"

"That would be a very long list," Castiel replies. "But after sharing a vessel with him for a few months while he tore up Heaven, Hell, and Earth at the same time, I've decided to keep my distance."

"He 'tore up' Heaven?" Michael repeats. "I hadn't heard about this."

"Oh, no, you wouldn't have, would you," Castiel says quietly, and Michael can't help but wonder if he was supposed to hear it. "Heaven is not doing well right now. Consider yourself lucky that you don't have to see it."

Michael cocks his head to the side, but he doesn't know how to respond to that so he doesn't. Castiel evidently decides that's enough conversing for him, so he takes Dean's glass of water and walks away. Michael just watches him go, the wheels in his head turning once again.

What's happening in Heaven right now? He knew he was the most influential figure up there, but he had been sure they could handle themselves without him. There were numerous angels he knew could take charge. He'd heard of Raphael's death, of course, but up there should have...

He has to hope his home is okay. Even if he's now going to stay on earth for at least the next few decades with Jo, he'll have to return to Heaven eventually. Will it survive until then? Is it even surviving now? Maybe checking on the angels will be his first order of business if and when the bunker opens again.

But for now, he has a brother to find, so with a flap of his wings, he's out of the kitchen and back to exploring the bunker once more.