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It happens like this.
Sam knows something's off the minute they step into the hotel. There's no way a hotel this nice just happens to be in the middle of nowhere when there's a giant storm outside. He suspects Gabriel's involvement at first, what with the blatant disregard for believable reality, but he reconsiders when they find the pot of blood and eyeballs. This isn't Gabriel. He never kills without reason and something this gruesome just isn't his style, especially in light of his recent conversation with Sam. Where he'd just been intrigued before, he's definitely worried now. What the hell is going on?
Worry doesn't begin to cover it when they get dragged into the room full of angry gods arguing about how to stop the apocalypse. He finds himself wishing like nobody's business that this had been Gabriel. Then, because apparently the universe likes him now or something, the angel himself appears, and Sam tries not to look too absurdly relieved. He figures he's not successful judging by the confused look Dean is giving him and the "what the hell?" that comes out of his mouth after Gabriel transports them both to the hotel room. He figures he might as well try to calm his brother down.
"I dunno, man. Maybe Gabriel knows what he's doing."
Dean looks at him like he's been transformed into a neon pink giraffe and failed to notice it.
"Can you hear yourself? This is Gabriel we're talking about. Since when do you trust him?"
Sam can't do much more than look helplessly at Dean. What is he supposed to say? I got drunk and called my archangel-trickster-asshole soulmate and he told me he wants to fight for humanity now and I believe him because of the way he looked at me? Thankfully he's saved from having to figure it out by the appearance of said soulmate.
He lets Dean talk, not quite sure what he wants to say to Gabriel after their last meeting. He does, however, give Dean an "I told you so" face when Gabriel says he's there to help. Dean looks less than impressed and turns to confront Gabriel about his previous stance on the whole apocalypse thing. The archangel steals one of those all-seeing looks at Sam before he responds with some bullshit about being sentimental about Kali. At least, Sam thinks it's bullshit. Not the Kali part, necessarily; he can totally see that happening and he's pretty aware at this point that Gabriel does have actual feelings in his own weird way. But he can't make himself believe that the thing about fighting for humanity, for "people who actually deserve it," was a lie. He also can't believe that Gabriel doesn't know him well enough to know that he won't leave the hotel without rescuing every other human there. So he keeps quiet while Dean makes threats Sam wouldn't follow through on; he knows the angel will agree.
He's right, of course, but that doesn't stop all three of them being dragged back into the room full of deities. It doesn't stop Kali from driving an angel blade through Gabriel's heart.
Sam blinks, stares at Gabriel's body. He should feel something, right? His soulmate just died. He should be experiencing more than numb disbelief at the scene in front of him. But he doesn't, just keeps staring as Dean talks the gods into some half baked plan to stop Lucifer, just nodding when Dean tells him to go round up the people he just saved from being dinner. He snaps out of it enough to get them out, but he's still hazy until he hears his name in a familiar voice.
"Sam! Over here! Act natural!"
He's never been more conflicted about whether he should grin or roll his eyes. Of course it was a trick. He slides into the back of the Impala next to Gabriel, opting for giving him a look instead of peppering him with questions about what the hell just happened. Gabriel explains about the fake blade and tells Sam they should get out of there before the trouble starts. Sam just looks at him for a few seconds before responding in a low, earnest voice.
"What happened to not running away?"
Gabriel looks at him like he's committed some kind of horrible betrayal.
"They just stabbed me, Sam! Why would I go back in there and help them?"
"Because you care about them."
"Again, the stabbing."
"I've stabbed you a lot more than they have. Doesn't seemed to have stopped you."
He's getting the betrayal look again, but this time it fades into something like defeat and grim seriousness.
"It's a bad idea, Sam."
Sam smiles at him.
"Well, you're pretty good at those."
He gets a small smile in return. And then Gabriel's kissing him, quick and earnest, before disappearing from the car. Sam barely has time to register the feeling before he's gone, who knows where.
Shaking his head to clear it, he gets out of the impala and goes back inside to find Dean, only to feel a chill go through his body at the sight of Lucifer not a minute later. His heart pounds as they duck behind the table while Lucifer annihilates Balder.
And then there's an angel beside him, saying something inane about being better late than never before Sam grabs him by the lapels and kisses him before he can leave again. After they break apart, Gabriel blinks at him like a pleasantly confused owl before dashing away to rescue Kali. Sam watches him go, sees Lucifer hit the wall, and stands up when Gabriel calls to them and asks them to get Kali out of there. He knows there's no point in staying, but can't help looking at Gabriel as he walks away.
Don't.
Gabriel looks back, determined.
I have to.
With a wave of his hand, the doors are shut and Sam can't see him anymore.
He tears his eyes away and follows Dean, trying not to think about what's happening behind them.
They get to the car. A few minutes pass as Dean drives. Then he feels it: white hot pain on his forearm, like he's holding it to an open flame. He doubles over and Dean looks at him in alarm.
"Sammy? You okay?"
Sam doesn't answer, just unbuttons his sleeve, already knowing what he'll find there. Gabriel's name is lighting up like burning coals, letter by letter, scorching his skin until the whole name is illuminated. And then it goes dark, the letters like faded scars instead of the golden calligraphy they were before. He doesn't look at Dean. He doesn't need to explain what happened.
They both know Gabriel is dead.