Supernatural 1. Arrival

Hi! Welcome to _After The Fall_, my first story that I'll be posting here. I'm Hello, HB, or Berkeley- whatever you'd like, really. I've been writing for years, but I've never actually posted on this site. I started this story in August- it was just an idea that I got in my head when I didn't have furniture or internet for the first two weeks after I moved, and I've been working on it ever since. I haven't seen any of Season 10 yet (meaning as of Jan. 3. I started a job last month and I haven't had any time to sit down and pay attention to anything longer than an episode of Jeopardy), so my story currently somewhat follows events in Season 9. I wouldn't call it AU. Just what Castiel is up to when the Winchesters aren't around. Also, I realize that angels are supposedly "siblings" but I don't exactly see it that way, and it's explained down the road.

I made it my New Year's Resolution to finally post something on here, and this is what I've chosen. I have a lot of fun writing for myself, but sharing it with others is generally a good experience. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. I write this in Notepad, so the way the paragraphs are laid out is definitely different than on this site. I usually read stories on here at the 3/4 view rather than the full width of the screen. I'm still trying to figure out the uploader/formatting system here, so if anything is off or doesn't look right feel free to message me. If you want to comment, go ahead and do so. If not, that's totally okay too. I've been a silent reader/follower here for a long time so I have no issues with that.

Just a quick disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters. I suppose I own Amriel and any other OCs that pop up along the way.

And if you were wondering, I envision Amriel's vessel as Gabriella Wilde, even though she has a middle part.

**Chapter One: Arrival**

For the first month she was on Earth, she had been running. Running from her family, who wanted her to help seek revenge for what had been done to them, and running from her pain. Amriel was exhausted, hungry, and in desperate need to find somewhere safe. After she and every other angel fell from Heaven, thanks to Metatron, Amriel had taken the vessel of a 24-year-old art student that was going through an existential crisis and searching for a higher power. The girl was pretty; Amriel had realized this during her first few days on Earth. Men gawked at her fair skin, blonde hair, and big, gray eyes and they did anything she asked, whether it was buy her a meal or just give her money outright. Her vessel was small and petite, which was easy for Amriel to maintain and stay out of trouble. She had taken a vessel twice before and had no issues, but this time around Amriel found that she was weakened by her descent from Heaven. She needed to eat and sleep on a regular basis in order to keep her vessel functioning normally.

After taking a vessel, Amriel wandered, figuring out the many limitations that a human body had and becoming accustomed to being confined in such a small space constantly. She remembered the screams of her siblings as they all fell from Heaven, watching as they hurtled towards Earth at a speed that tore some to shreds. She could only imagine what some had suffered once they landed- if they had landed at all. She had been injured- her wings were damaged and so was her grace, but she was healing slowly just by being in the vessel she had found shortly after hitting the ground, so Amriel was doing her best to keep the girl's body safe while she was kept in a dream within her own mind.

The fallen angel had been sleeping alleys, women's shelters, and abandoned homes if she could, but nothing felt safe enough so she never stayed for long. She had gone from New York to Pennsylvania, where she stayed for a few days before making her way into Ohio and then Illinois. Whatever money Amriel could get her hands on went to the purchase of food and oxycodone, which she had first tried at a homeless shelter she had been residing in. Since she landed on Earth, she had started experiencing human emotions and the drugs helped her shut them out. After feeling the hopelessness and sorrow of being locked out of her home paired with the confinement of her vessel, Amriel wanted to do whatever she could to never feel that way. She had fled from the previous town she had been in because she couldn't pay the man that had been providing her pills. The man had brandished a knife and tried to scare her into finding some other type of payment, but Amriel used her own angelic blade to frighten him and she took all of the pills he had in his possession. Since they had met at his apartment, he was well stocked and she pilfered all of his drugs, which ended up being in the hundreds of pills.

After leaving his home she immediately headed for the nearest bus station. Amriel had made her way onto the first bus she saw, blending in with the crowd of people as they filed on, since she didn't have a ticket. Once she was tucked away in a seat at the back, the blonde swallowed about a dozen pills before dozing off for the duration of the ride. As an angel, it took a larger quantity for her to feel their effects, but it was worth it for her to not feel the anguish of being cut off from Heaven. She dozed in and out of consciousness, memories of her first encounter with fellow angels not long after they all fell filling her mind.

* * *

_She had just left her vessel's apartment, a backpack full of things that she would need to survive- money, food, and a few pairs of clothes. These were all things Amriel discovered to be main necessities as she dug through her vessel's thoughts and memories, and once she had what she needed, the angel left the small apartment and wandered out into the busy streets of New York City._

_Amriel walked around what she recognized as Central Park, taking in the sights and sounds of people walking dogs, jogging, and talking to one another on benches. She was so enthralled by everything that was going on- the smell of the grass, the rustle of leaves as the wind blew. The angel was looking around in awe when she saw the familiar glow of a grace, and as she grew closer and closer, she noticed that there was more than one. She found four of her siblings, all shouting at each other and arguing about what they should do._

_"I have heard that others are joining Bartholomew. He will show us the way!" Hamael spoke, glaring at Daniel and Urim as he stood beside Sybil. His vessel was that of an older man, with graying hair and and a pair of black framed glasses sitting on the bridge of his straight nose. Sybil was a petite brunette that was pulled up into a tight bun, with piercing eyes and a scowl on her face. They all wore suits, and Amriel felt out of place standing so close to them all as they bickered._

_"Bartholomew knows nothing," Daniel told them, shaking his head and frowning. "He wants us to live among the _humans_ until we can organize ourselves. We need to find someone who will reopen Heaven. We need someone who will do whatever it takes to make sure we can return to the home we were taken from. Metatron and Castiel need to be punished for what they did."_

_Urim saw Amriel out of the corner of his eye and called her name, stopping her from leaving the grassy area they had been arguing in. The blonde froze, wanting to say something but unsure of what. Although they were her family, Amriel didn't know these angels very well. If they meant to cause her harm, she didn't think she could take on all four of them at once._

_"Amriel, it's good to see you have found a vessel," Daniel greeted her with a nod. His vessel was a man in his mid-thirties, with thinning, brown hair and dark eyes, wearing a bright green tie. "We're about to leave to find others that wish to unlock the gates of Heaven. You should join us."_

_"Don't listen to him, sister. Come with us and join Bartholomew." Sybil implored the girl, who was now starting to regret approaching them to begin with._

_"I- I do not want to fight anymore," she told them all, watching them gape at her for not wanting to seek out revenge. She had fought in the civil war between Raphael and Castiel, and she knew what it was like to kill fellow angels. Amriel never wanted to do that again unless it was her only option. _

_"You're making a grave mistake, Amriel. If you aren't with us, then you're with that __**traitor**__, Castiel," Urim hissed, drawing his blade. As soon as the blade caught the sunlight and flashed, Hamael and Sybil drew their blades as well and were advancing on the opposing two angels, completely forgetting about the blonde. She saw this as her chance to get away, so Amriel backed away slowly before turning and sprinting through the park to get as far away from them as possible. Their graces faded away as she continued to run, and once she felt like they weren't coming after her, Amriel slowed down her pace and realized __she __was alone again._

* * *

Amriel woke up hours later once the bus had stopped, and she briefly wondered where she was. When she quietly left the bus with her backpack in tow, Amriel immediately tried to figure out what town she was in. The sign at the station read _Rexford, Idaho_ and she sighed in relief. She was nearly five states away now and she felt much safer than she had before. Of course, she had her blade with her, but so did her siblings. Amriel was not a soldier- her duties in Heaven were to watch over the humans that were born during the month of May. Thankfully she hadn't run into any of them since her run in with those four after taking her vessel- she didn't want to kill anyone, but she knew how to fight well enough to defend herself and she would if she had to._  
_

The angel sat on a bench at the bus station and looked inside of her backpack, inspecting her provisions. She did get hungry and thirsty, but not as often as humans did from what she had observed. In her backpack she had an unopened water bottle and a few bags of chips, nothing substantial. She had a few dollars, ten at most. Amriel was still figuring out how currency worked now, but she knew that it wouldn't get her much. She would need sustenance soon, so Amriel began to walk towards town, where she knew she could find food and some sort of shelter. In other towns, she had frequented things called food banks and women's shelters, where she had been given food and a place to sleep. Amriel had come up with a story about being abandoned by her family as her reason for being homeless, and she was given the basic things she needed to survive at the places where she sought out help.

While she knew that humans did something called "hitch hiking", where people sought out car rides from strangers, Amriel was weary of participating in this custom. She didn't know where her siblings were or if they had access to automobiles, so she decided to stay safe and use public transportation and bus lines. So she walked for what felt like miles until she ended up at what she recognized was a type of Main Street, typical of the small towns she traveled to, where she saw the familiar sign of a Gas-N-Sip on the corner of an intersection. She had seen these stores before and knew that this place was filled with food and drinks, and Amriel had both purchased and taken goods from stores in several other towns.

Amriel walked into the store, ignoring the gust of autumn wind that followed her and keeping her eyes in front of her, making her way through the aisles and towards the pre-packaged sandwiches. Her vessel seemed to enjoy ham and cheese, so she looked for those first. The angel briefly considered purchasing the items, but she only had so much money and she didn't know if she would come by any more in the near future. She glanced around to see if anyone was watching before shoving a few sandwiches into her backpack, along with anything else she could get her hands on. Amriel knew that if she was caught and apprehended that she would be punished- stealing was a crime both in Heaven and on Earth, but she was usually able to either sneak out unnoticed, use her vessel's attractive appearance to distract the cashier, or brandish her blade to escape.

Zipping up her backpack as quietly as she could, she continued to look around the store as if she couldn't find what she wanted, and then she made her way toward the doors. She was almost to the exit and she felt her vessel's heart beating rapidly in her chest, something she recognized as adrenaline and she was busy thinking about the strange sensation when someone called to her from behind the counter she had been desperately trying to get past without being noticed.

"Excuse me, but I believe it is customary to pay for items at a store instead of taking them," a deep voice stopped Amriel dead in her tracks. That voice was so familiar- and when she turned to face the person that had caught her, her eyes widened and she tensed up when she realized just who that voice belonged to.

"Castiel?"


	2. Help

Hello again! I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to update. Still working on that work/life balance, but I'll figure it out soon enough. Thanks for sticking with it/reading and if you think things are starting off slowly, don't worry.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters. I own Amriel and any other OCs that pop up along the way.

**Chapter Two: Help**

Amriel approached the counter that separated her from the former Seraph, taking is attire. He was wearing a button-up shirt and jeans, with a blue vest that brandished a name tag that read _Steve_. Amriel thought that he was already dead- hunted down by angels like Sybil or Urim as retribution for his part in the fall.

She could see that he was barely glowing; the remnants of his grace still giving him a slight aura that was different than most humans. She squinted, hoping to see more of it, but the faint light was all that was left. He had once been the most powerful being in the universe, and here he stood, staring at her just as she watched him, and his gaze lasted a few seconds before he knew exactly who she was.

"Amriel, what are you doing in this town?" he replied quietly, even though they were the only two in the store.

"I didn't want to side with Bartholomew's followers or Urim and Daniel, so I became a target, and I ran. I've been going from town to town, never staying anywhere for too long. I didn't know you were here and don't want to hurt you, I promise."

She had fought for Castiel's army when he was leading a war against Raphael. Amriel had believed that free will was something angels deserved after their eons of blindly following orders with no reasoning or explanations behind them, and she fought for their freedom fervently, though she wasn't sure if she even made a difference.

"How much money do you have?" he asked, fully aware of how worn she looked. Amriel was wearing a pair of jeans that were a little too loose, a dark green coat with a fur-lined hood, and a t-shirt that had four men with similar haircuts on it and the words _The Beatles_ underneath them.

Castiel stared at her, taking in her long, light blonde hair and watching her pink lips move but he didn't hear her response. Her vessel was beautiful- just as her true form had been in Heaven. He remembered her clearly, and at that moment he wished he could see her as the celestial being she really was.

"Castiel?" she asked, drawing him out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" His mouth was suddenly dry and the collar of his shirt felt like it was too tight. He wondered when it had gotten so hot in the store… he would have to check the thermostat when he got the chance.

"I _said_," her tone changed, signifying her annoyance. "I have ten dollars. But I do not believe it to be very much."

He shook his head, telling her that it wasn't. Castiel wanted to help her any way he could, but he was sleeping in the back room of the gas station, so he couldn't offer her a place to stay. Suddenly he was hit with the realization that she wasn't here to attack him, like Hael had when he came across her after they first fell.

"Wait, why aren't you angry with me? It was my grace that completed the spell that locked everybody out of Heaven…" He was confused to say the very least- Amriel should be trying to kill him, not staring at him with a look he couldn't decipher.

"Castiel," she said, surging forward and taking his hand, squeezing it tightly and trying to ignore the warmth that ran through her vessel. "I fought for your cause in the civil war. Why would I want to harm you here? I know that things were not right in Heaven, and I believe you participated in Metatron's deceitful plans unknowingly, and it could have been any of us. He chose you because of how much you care for us all."

Amriel glanced at the magazines lining the rack beside the counter and realized that Castiel resembled the men on the covers. He was incredibly handsome by human standards; tan, with dark hair that was a little messy and stubble along his strong jaw. Castiel had been a beautiful angel, and as his bright blue eyes seared into hers and she found herself forgetting what she was going to say to him.

"I suppose I could give you the money that I have. I am sorry if it isn't enough," she said, her free fingers fumbling in her pocket as she tried to find the green bill that was wadded up in there.

Castiel shook his head as he released her hand and she felt the loss of warmth he provided.

"I will not take your money, Amriel. In fact, if you'll allow it, I would like to help you."

The fallen angel was stunned. Here stood Castiel, who had gone from the most powerful being in the universe, aside from God himself, to a human in a matter of months, offering to help her like it was nothing while he was most likely struggling as well. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was serious about this, and she found herself nodding.

"That would be wonderful, Castiel… However, I have no idea how I will be able to repay you," she frowned, knowing that she had nothing to offer him in return.

"Repaying me is unnecessary," he said, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. "I will talk to the manager of this store and ask if she'll hire you. We can work together, keep each other safe. But you must find your own refuge outside of here."

Amriel nodded in understanding. Perhaps she would see if she could find a shelter, and if that didn't work out she would sleep in the safest place she could find.

"Why does your placard say Steve?" she asked curiously, pointing to his vest. "Are you embarrassed of your given name? I do not understand- out of all of Heaven and creation, God gifted such a beautiful name to you."

"I am not embarrassed, Amriel," he answered with a gentle tone, knowing that she didn't quite understand. "It is a way to hide myself from angels that might be hunting me. We should probably come up with a name for you to go by as well."

"My vessel's name was Amy. I suppose that could work?" Amriel suggested, and Castiel nodded, saying that it could also be a nickname for her. When she asked what a nickname was, Castiel smiled at her.

"It is a shortened version of your name, or something that people call you aside from your name- a moniker, if you will. Sam and Dean Winchester call me Cas… You can as well, if you'd like." He saw her eyes light up at the offer, and she nodded quickly.

"Cas… I like that. Not as much as Castiel, but still. Amy will be sufficient, then. Should I call you Steve when others are around?" When he nodded, Amriel asked, "How is Sam Winchester? I watched over him from Heaven when I could, since he is a child of May."

Castiel tilted his head to the side, realizing that Sam's birthday was in fact May 2nd, so he fell under Amriel's care.

"He has been… surviving," he answered finally. "I am sure you know about everything he has gone through."

"Oh I know! I wanted to help him so badly, but I was told not to intervene… We all were." Amriel was upset, Cas could tell, so he reached out and took her hand again in an attempt to comfort her, like he had seen on television.

"I understand completely, _Amy_," he said, testing out her new name and finding that it didn't suit her the way Amriel did. It merely fell off of his tongue blandly, whereas he enjoyed saying her given name. "Why don't you eat something and stay here until my manager gets back. Then I could speak to her about employing you as well."

Amriel nodded in acceptance and pulled one of the sandwiches out of her backpack, opening it up and eating while she and Castiel talked. She hadn't seen him since his war against Raphael, and before that she only saw him in passing in Heaven. Castiel was far older than she was, created for a purpose far different than hers.

While all angels called each other brother or sister, only angels that were created at the same time were truly "related" by human terms. She knew little about Castiel other than his curiosity when it came to humanity, his defiance of orders, and his fervent protection of the Winchesters. Amriel felt a similar way regarding Sam, but Dean was not under her guard so she was not to deal with him.

* * *

Nora, the manager of the Gas-N-Sip, returned after the two had been talking for nearly an hour. She was surprised to see Steve talking to a pretty blonde girl that looked far too young for him, and she was even more surprised when he introduced her as his friend.

"This is Amy. She's new to town and looking for a job," Castiel said, "She is a hard worker and I would train her, if you'd like me to."

The older woman gazed at the small girl, taking in her loose clothes and the ratty backpack she was holding on to. It reminded her a lot of how Steve had appeared out of nowhere. Maybe she was having a tough time and needed to run away, who knew. Nora wasn't one to judge, and Steve had turned out to be an excellent employee so far. Plus now she could cut back on a few of her own hours to spend time at home.

"That's fine with me, Steve. I can always use an extra set of hands around here. Amy, I'll have a vest and a name tag for you tomorrow. Today you can watch Steve around the store just to get a feel for things. I've gotta run, though, so I'll see you both in the morning," Nora smiled at the two, noticing how Steve stared at Amy when she wasn't looking. She figured he had a crush on the girl, and what man wouldn't? After saying goodbye, Nora left the store and the two former angels looked at one another.

"That was surprisingly easy," Amriel said and Castiel shrugged, telling her that Nora was a good person.

"Do you have any other clothing?" he asked, not surprised when she shook her head. Cas rifled through his pockets and pulled out a handful of cash, giving it to her. "Take this money and go to one of the stores on Main Street- it's two blocks away. Buy shirts, pants, and undergarments. Then come back here and I'll show you how things work around the store."

"Castiel, you do not have to do this for me," Amriel started, but he held up his hand.

"I'm doing this because I want to. You didn't deserve to fall and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something horrible happened to you because of what I did-"

She quickly cut him off, saying that he didn't _do_ anything, that it wasn't his fault. He wanted to know how she could believe that he wasn't to blame when it was his grace that completed the spell.

"I told you! I believe you did not know Metatron's true desires when you were helping him! Cas, you are good too, do not ever believe otherwise."

Castiel could see the fierce look in her eyes that showed an emotion he knew was passion. She firmly believed that he had meant no harm to his fellow angels, and despite that being the truth, he still felt angry with himself for not figuring out Metatron's trick sooner. Amriel quickly straightened her posture and nodded briefly, telling Castiel that she would go to the clothing store and return as soon as she could.

"Do you have your weapon?" Cas asked her and Amriel nodded, pulling her shirt up briefly so he could see the hilt of her blade. He caught a glimpse of creamy skin and he imagined himself running his hands along her body- Castiel stiffened, shaking his head and wondering where that thought had come from.

"Are you all right, Cas?" she said, her voice full of concern, which surprised Castiel greatly. Then again, Amriel was not a soldier and was not as hardened by years of battle as he had been, so she was more prone to emotion than he had been as a soldier.

"I'm fine," he reassured her. "I'll see you once you return."

Amriel nodded and walked out the door, making her way toward the stores Castiel had told her about.


	3. Marissa

Hello everyone! I got a review asking to update, so here I am! I've been pretty busy, but I'm still determined to stick with this story. Thanks for the follows and favorites, and thanks for reading the story! If you think things are starting off slowly, don't worry.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters. I own Amriel and any other OCs that pop up along the way.

**Chapter Three: Marissa**

Purchasing clothing was extremely difficult for a fallen angel. Amriel was overwhelmed by the seemingly endless amount of clothes- there were racks of pants, shirts, and items she could not identify. She should have asked Castiel to come with her, but she didn't want to seem more weak and helpless than she already did.

Amriel wandered around the store, picking up anything that seemed interesting and putting it back in its respective place. She finally gave up trying to figure things out on her own and approached the employee that worked there, a young woman with unnatural, red hair and dark pink lips that looked painted on.

"Hello… I was wondering if you could assist me?" Amriel started, and the girl looked up from her magazine. "I am looking to purchase clothing, but I do not know what to buy."

The girl stared at her as if she was an alien, and Amriel might as well have been one. After looking over her once or twice, the red head nodded and got up from her stool.

"Sure, come on. You're cute so I'm sure I can find you some stuff," her voice seemed bored, but the employee had been reading a fashion magazine and said she had a few ideas.

The girl, whose name tag said _Marissa_ told Amriel that she was an aspiring fashion student and longed to get out of Idaho and move to New York, which was incidentally where Amriel had taken her vessel. The two talked, well, Marissa mostly talked about clothes and Amriel tried to commit all of the intricate rules of fashion to memory.

"Don't wear white after Labor Day, unless it's a winter white."

The blonde had no idea that winter was even a color.

"Don't wear denim on denim on denim. Canadian tuxedo's aren't cute, and be careful how you wear stripes- it might make you look like an inmate," Marissa kept listing off rules as she held up different shirts before shaking her head and putting them back.

Amriel's mind was running a mile a minute as she managed to hold back the majority of her questions. After pulling what seemed like far too many pieces off of racks, Marissa pushed the blonde into a dressing room and told her which things went with which.

"Are you sure this is not too revealing?" Amriel asked, emerging from the small room wearing a pair of jeans that were skin tight and a shirt that was shorter in the front than it was in the back.

"Oh no, girl. Plus you have a rockin' bod! Why wouldn't you want to show it off? It might be cold out but that doesn't mean you have to dress like a nun." Marissa grinned, giving the girl a thumbs up for the outfit. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Amriel shook her head, saying that she had no time for one. The former angel had been constantly moving across the country, and her vessel truly had no room in her schedule for a romantic interest while in school.

"Well wear any of what I picked out for you and you'll definitely find one soon," the red head told her with a smile.

Marissa had decided that Amriel, or Amy as she had introduced herself as, would be leaving with a few pairs of leggings and the jeans, as well as a few plain t-shirts and a couple of cuter tops, sweaters, a thick, knitted scarf, and a soft, warm garment called a hoodie.

They had found her everything she needed, and Amriel was pleased with what she was purchasing. Marissa even gave her something called a discount- the redhead said she _"tacked on"_ as many discounts as she could, and now she had money left over to return to Castiel.

"I have one more question, Marissa," Amriel said quietly, unsure of how to go about it. She shifted her new duffel bag on her shoulder so that it sat comfortably, wondering why she felt so strange. "Do you know if there are any women's shelters in town? I am.. new here and looking for somewhere to sleep until I can find something more permanent."

The cashier eyed the girl sadly, having already figured that she was running from something. Probably a bad boyfriend or family, Marissa had imagined. Amy seemed like a nice girl, but she was a little clueless about everything apparently.

"Yeah, actually. It's just up the road from here, so not too far," Marissa told her. "Um, I spent some time there. Mrs. Haverbrook runs the place and she's really great. She'll make sure you're taken care of."

"Thank you very much, Marissa," Amriel nodded, feeling a little disappointed that she was not born in May. She would like to watch over her once Heaven was restored… if it was restored at all.

* * *

The former angel left the store and walked to the shelter, where she saw a few women milling about, speaking with each other or reading books. It wasn't too different from others she had been to, and Amriel found the place warm and inviting.

The walls were painted a warm gold tone and the couches looked plush and comfortable. Amriel wouldn't mind being able to curl up on something like that, rather than outside in a wooded area or a hidden alcove down an alley.

She finally found who she was looking for and she found Mrs. Regina Haverbrook. The woman was well into her fifties, with dark brown hair that was starting to gray, and she had kind, brown eyes.

Amriel introduced herself as Amy and asked if she had any room for her at the shelter.

"Oh, I am so sorry Amy, but we don't have any beds available right now- with winter coming, we're gonna be pretty much full for the next few months. I really hate to do this," Regina said with a frown on her worn face. "But you'll have to check back in a few days. There's another shelter across town if you'd like to see if they have anything for tonight."

"I understand," Amriel told her, nodding her head firmly and feeling a panic coursing through her body. What was this? Why did she feel it when things weren't going according to how she planned?

"Please, come back at the end of the week. I know we have a few people moving into permanent housing then. I'll put your name on the list- I just need your last name."

"Grant. My name is Amy Grant," Amriel said, using a name she had seen on a magazine cover at the gas station. "I will return in a few days. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Haverbrook."

* * *

Amriel walked back to the Gas-N-Sip, her backpack and duffel bag in tow. She felt somewhat accomplished- perhaps Castiel would be able to suggest a place she could go to rest. When she entered the store Castiel was helping a customer check out, so Amriel waited until the human left to approach him.

"I have acquired clothing for the coming season. The woman working at the store was very kind and told me that there is a women's shelter nearby. However, they have no room for me," she told him, watching a frown cross his face. "I will find something, though. Do not be concerned."

"Why wouldn't I worry, Amriel?" he blurted out, unable to keep himself from saying it. "I would let you stay with me, but I've been sleeping in the store room without Nora's knowledge."

A frown found its way onto Amriel's lips now, too, at the thought of him sleeping inside the gas station. She had seen a few 'For Sale' signs on houses as she walked into town, so she told Castiel about them.

"That's always an idea… I'll go with you tonight after we close the store," Cas said with a finality in his voice.

He had overheard several customers over the past few weeks talking about abandoned houses and foreclosures, so he knew that there were vacant homes for Amriel to stay in. He didn't want her to be alone, though, so he hoped she would allow him to stay with her.

"I appreciate that, Cas. It will be good having someone to talk to," she smiled, "Now. Where can I put these so they are not in the way while I watch you tend to the store?"

Castiel showed Amriel how to stock shelves, refill the ice in the soda machine, and even how to check out customers at the register. She was a fast learner and seemed intrigued by every little thing that went into running the store. Cas was the same way, too, he realized as he watched her dispense Dr. Pepper into a foam cup.

He had spent more time on Earth, though, and had more time to adjust to the world around him. She seemed to be doing a good job interacting with people, Cas thought, since she had managed to buy clothes by herself.

"What are these?" Amriel asked as she picked up a pair of lime green sunglasses from the rack. She put them on her face, like she had seen the humans that came into the gas station doing. "Is this correct?"

She looked up at Cas, who actually _laughed_ and said, "I believe they are upside down."

"Oh…" she quickly corrected them before asking if she was wearing them properly now.

"I would say so. They're sunglasses," he told her. "People wear them to protect their eyes from the sun."

"Why do they come in so many colors if they all do the same thing?" Amriel tried on a different pair with wire frames, making sure they were the correct way first.

"I think it has something to do with individuality or style," Cas shrugged before saying, "Those look much better than the previous pair."

"Are you saying that these are visually pleasing?" she asked, trying to understand the many meanings and nuances that came with humans.

Castiel's face reddened, and for a moment Amriel thought that something was wrong with him. She quickly approached him and took his chin with her thumb and forefinger, staring at his face with what he knew was a look of worry. When she didn't find anything immediately wrong, she released him and let her hand fall to her side.

"You appear to be fine, but your vessel is such an unusual color-" Amriel trailed off, taking in the pink color in his cheeks.

"This isn't a vessel anymore, Amriel. It's my body," he reminded her. "Yes, those sunglasses are visually pleasing on you. It's a compliment."

"Oh, I apologize for my mistake," she said quietly, taking them off and putting them back on the rack. "Thank you for the compliment, though. What other duties do you have here that I can help you with?"

Cas shook his head, trying to get rid of the feeling of her touch as he grabbed a clipboard from behind the counter and together they started going over a checklist Nora had given him.


	4. Safe

Hi everyone! It's been a while, but I found some time to update. I got a couple of reviews asking to update, so here I am! Also, I wanted to speak to Cassie-D1's review about liking the fact that Cas isn't being portrayed as the clueless human, even though he still can be at times. That's actually why I started writing this story! I wanted to explore what it would be like if Castiel had to be responsible for helping someone else adjust to life on Earth, and here we are!

There will be a small time jump in the next chapter and throughout the story from now on, but they'll be clearly written so there shouldn't be any confusion! Thanks for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing! I'm glad people are liking the story so far.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

**Chapter Four: Safe**

Once the gas station was closed for the night, Castiel gathered his belongings that he had hidden in the back room as well as a few items for Amriel, like a hair brush, dental floss and other things he thought would be useful, and as soon as he locked the doors to the store they were on their way to find an abandoned house.

Amriel led the way back towards the bus station, and after about fifteen minutes they came upon a small neighborhood full for for-sale signs. They peered into windows and checked doors to see if there were any residents or if they were locked, until the two finally found a tiny house at the end of a cul-de-sac that was completely abandoned.

The front door was unlocked, so Amriel walked inside first, since she was the one that could still heal at a rapid rate. There were no lights, so they had no idea if the power worked, but Castiel had taken flashlights and a camping lantern he had been using at the gas station, so Amriel took one and flicked it on, telling Cas to wait outside.

With her blade drawn, Amriel walked through the two-bedroom house, inspecting each room, followed by the bathroom and the kitchen before allowing Castiel to come inside. He immediately shut the door and locked it behind him, laying a line of salt along the threshold and on the window sills.

He took a look around the house, noticing that the previous owners had left it in a disheveled state. Moonlight was shining through the sheer curtains, and some windows had blinds that were twisted and bent. There was a wobbly table in what seemed to be the dining area, but there were no chairs. There was a bare mattress on the floor of one of the bedrooms, which he would offer to Amriel when the time came. A frame hung unevenly on one of the living room walls, the phrase "Home Sweet Home" staring back at them in red lettering.

The entire place seemed so run down and _sad_, Castiel decided.

"It'd be best if you drew some sigils," Cas said, but Amriel was already busy slicing her forearm open and drawing on the walls.

"I have been doing this since I took my vessel, Cas. I will keep us safe," she told him confidently, continuing to put up wardings until she was certain they would be protected from angels and demons alike. She drew a few banishing sigils around the small house too, just in case they needed to get rid of any angel that found them.

Cas went into the kitchen and turned on the faucet, surprised and relieved to find that there was still running water. He knew that he could certainly use a long shower, and he wondered if Amriel knew about the intricacies of faucets yet.

"Amriel, I was wondering if you have learned how to use human appliances yet," he said, unsure of how to ask about the strange topic.

She looked at him blankly before furrowing her eyebrows in thought, biting her bottom lip as she shrugged, something she had seen Castiel and countless other humans do.

"Yes, I know how to use things based off of what my vessel has done- I tap into her memories if I need to figure something out," she answered with a nod.

He was relieved, now knowing that he wouldn't need to explain how to shower or do anything to maintain her vessel. Cas could see that she was tired, and he was as well. He told her that he was going to take a shower, and that they would talk once he was done. Amriel merely nodded and told him that she would double check her wardings, just to make sure that everything was correct.

* * *

Cas rested his head against the cool wall of the shower, reveling in the feel of the scalding water pouring over him. It had been a long time since he had been able to take an actual shower, and it felt amazing now that he was actually doing it.

Coming with Amriel had been a good choice so far- he wouldn't have to sleep at the gas station and he could rest easier with all of the wardings she had put up. At the Gas-N-Sip, he couldn't draw any without drawing suspicion, and he would have to clean them up each morning, which would have been redundant.

He thought of Amriel as he washed his hair with the shampoo he had brought, wondering what she had been doing during her time on Earth. She was on the move, hiding from vengeful angels, and he knew that he should ask why she didn't side with any of them.

Amriel, he mused, closing his eyes and ducking his head under the spray of water. She was an interesting creation. In Heaven, her wings were a striking emerald color towards the tips that faded down into a bright white, inspiring the stone that represented the month she guarded. She was a kind and gentle angel, but fierce and unrelenting when she fought for him against Raphael. It was strange to only see her vessel when he clearly recognized her by the way she carried herself.

He knew that her vessel was visually stunning, and Dean would probably say she was _hot_, but Cas didn't know what to say or how to act around someone that was so breath taking. He had spent time watching Dean when he was still with the Winchesters, and noticed that he radiated self esteem and something he couldn't place, and women flocked to him.

Castiel spent much of his time at the gas station watching how humans interacted with one another, and he hoped that would help his interactions with Amriel.

Perhaps he could use what he learned from the pizza man, back when Sam was soulless and he was still an angel. Cas sighed and shook his head, realizing that he was taking far too long and turned off the water. He had purchased a few towels from another store and kept them for when he needed them, and he figured he would let Amriel use the other one if she wanted to shower as well.

When he was dressed, Castiel hung up the wet towel and returned to the living room, only to find it empty. His heart jumped up into his throat and his eyes widened, trying to look around in the dark house for any signs of Amriel. All of her sigils were up and still completed, and the salt lines were still intact. He hadn't heard anything unusual when he was in the shower, but he couldn't find her anywhere.

He called out her name, his voice sounding strangled and foreign to him as he frantically looked for his phone. He had given her one of the pre-paid phones that the gas station sold, telling her to keep it with her in case they were separated and needed to get in contact with one another.

He quickly found her name at the top of his short list of contacts and pressed send, only to hear it ringing from the small table near the kitchen. Cas hung up and heaved a sigh, trying to calm himself down so he could think rationally. That was one of the most difficult things about being human, he found. He couldn't think rationally all the time, and it was hard to adjust to that.

"Amriel?" he said again, his voice louder this time, and he listened carefully as he walked into the bedroom with the mattress, noticing that the closet door was ajar. Castiel approached the door and opened it, looking inside to find Amriel huddled in the corner, her head between her knees that were pulled up to her chest. Her blonde hair was covering her face, but he could see that she was breathing, although it seemed rather slow to him.

Cas knelt down and gently pushed her hair out of her face, causing the girl to stir. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, but not really focusing on him.

"Are you okay? Why are you in a closet?" he asked her, noticing how far away she seemed to be. Her eyes weren't focused and something seemed different about her.

"I can't handle feeling so much, Castiel," Amriel mumbled quietly, and Cas wasn't sure he quite heard her. "I just want it to stop."

"What did you do?" he gaped, wondering if he even wanted to hear her answer.

"Someone in Philadelphia let me try these," she told him, holding up a clear bag that contained what looked like a few hundred pills.

"What are they, Amriel?" Cas took the bag, eyeing its contents and trying to figure out what they were based on the markings etched into them. What did these numbers even _mean?_

"Oxycodone? Percocet? I don't quite know- they go by different names," she said lazily, "I like them because I don't have to feel anything."

Castiel's heart stopped momentarily and he felt bad for her. He dropped the bag beside him and wrapped his arms around Amriel, trying to comfort his fallen friend. She stiffened as much as she could- he had no idea how many pills she had taken, but he was sure that she required a good amount due to her grace.

Once she realized what he was doing, her body loosened and she returned his hug, tightening her arms around him. Cas felt tears falling down her cheeks and onto his shirt, and he was surprised. As an angel walking on Earth he did not cry, but when he had been powerless and in the hospital he had certainly wanted to due to the physical pain he had been in.

"I- what is this?" she asked, using one of her hands to wipe them away so she could see what they were. "Is my vessel leaking?"

"You're crying, Amriel… Humans do it when they are under great physical or emotional strain," he explained to her as he stood, lifting her up as well. She was a full four or five inches shorter than he was, and he he noticed that he could easily rest his chin on top of her head.

Amriel continued to cry, burying her face into Castiel's chest and squeezing her arms around his waist. She mumbled about how she didn't like being trapped on Earth and that she just wanted to return to Heaven.

"I'm so sorry, but you know that's not possible right now," Cas said as gently as he could, moving his fingers up and down her back like had seen in movies. "You can do this. If I can somehow manage to stay alive as a human, you can do it with your grace. We'll stick together, and you won't be alone anymore."

She pressed herself into him further, finding that the warmth he radiated made her feel better and calmed her down until she stopped crying. Amriel let out a small sigh when she realized that she was no longer feeling the numbing effects of the pills she had taken.

"What?" Cas asked, setting his hands on her shoulders and holding her back at arm's length. "What's wrong?"

"I feel things again," she groaned, her eyes searching the floor for the pills. "Please, Cas, let me take a few more, just so I can fall asleep. I need them!"

"No, Amriel," he said as he shook his head, a frown on his face. He quickly leaned down and pocketed the pills before looking down at her tear stained face. "From this moment on, no pills. I will help you through this, I promise."

She knew that a promise from Castiel meant something, and surprisingly Amriel felt a little better.

"Why don't you shower and then we can go to sleep," Cas suggested, gently leading her towards the bathroom, glad that she followed him without any resistance.

"I will be in the living room if you need anything," he told her once she was standing in the bathroom, and once she nodded in understanding he closed the door and went to look over her wardings and consider calling Dean.

Nearly twenty minutes later the bathroom door cracked open and Castiel turned to see Amriel peeking out at him.

"Castiel… I seem to have forgotten my clothes to change into. Would you please bring me some?" She sounded embarrassed, but Cas wasn't sure she even knew what that was, so he said that he would only be a few seconds.

He found her duffel bag quickly and he rifled through it carefully, looking for something appropriate for her to sleep in. Cas saw pants that weren't jeans and seemed comfortable, and something Dean had once called a tank top. He also found undergarments that were, to his understanding, rather provocative, but they would have to do.

Cas knocked on the bathroom door and waited for it to open before he handed Amriel the clothes, which she took from him and said a quiet thank you before shutting it again. At least she had the mind to close the door, perhaps she knew to do so from her vessel.

Amriel emerged from the bathroom, her blonde hair a few shades darker because it was still wet, and Cas worried that she would get sick if she slept with it like that. Fortunately he had yet to contract an illness, but he still had plenty of opportunity now that he was human.

"I believe the wardings are sufficient and then some, are they not?" Amriel asked as she saw Castiel looking over her work. She caught the impressed look on his face and a surge of happiness spread through her.

"Extremely, Amriel," he agreed, and she realized that she enjoyed the way her name sounded coming from him. "You have used sigils I have not seen in years."

The two moved from the living room to the bedroom with the mattress, and Castiel began to roll out his sleeping bag, telling Amriel that she could take the bed.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly, Cas. You are the human- you require far more comfort than I do!"

He stared at her, surprised that she would think to offer. Amriel was beginning to reveal more and more of her newfound humanity with each passing minute, and he was glad for that.

"There is plenty of room," Castiel pointed out. "We can share."

Cas moved his sleeping bag so it was unfolded and laid it out on top of the bed as a blanket. The mattress didn't look too terrible, so he wasn't concerned about sleeping on it. He noticed that Amriel hadn't moved an inch, and he sent her a concerned glance.

"Amriel, is everything all right?"

"It's a sin to lie with a man before marriage," she squeaked, her eyes moving from Cas to the bed and then back to him again.

"We will be sleeping, not fornicating," Cas told her with a small smile. "You must realize that you _will_ sin while you're here, it's natural for humans."

"I suppose that is acceptable then," Amriel nodded after a few moments of thinking, motioning for Castiel to get settled in before her. She wanted to see how he did it before she embarrassed herself- since she fell, she had been sleeping in small spaces and had no idea how to treat this large mattress.

Cas grabbed his jacket and balled it up for a pillow and set it on the side closest to the wall before lifting up the sleeping bag and sitting on the bed. He motioned for Amriel to join him, and he watched her carefully mimic his movements, taking her new sweatshirt for a pillow and sitting beside him. Once the sleeping bag was over their legs, Cas laid down and Amriel did the same, laying on her back while he shifted onto his side.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Castiel," she said quietly, turning her head so she could look at him, his bright blue eyes shining in the moonlight. "You have always cared about us all. If only everyone else reciprocated your devotion."

Her statement caught him off guard and Cas didn't know what to say, so he sent her a small smile and said "you're welcome."

"Good night, Cas. Sleep well," Amriel told him as he began to doze off, completely exhausted from the day's events.


	5. Suck it Up

Hey everyone! It's been a while, but here I am with chapter five. I've been busy with work and having a friend in town so I couldn't sit down and edit until now. I like to read these over a few times and tweak things here and there before I post. I have over a dozen chapters written, but I keep changing things until the story is going the way I want it to. In regards to Nicole1024's review asking for a few mature chapters, I have one or two written, but I've never been the best at writing explicit scenes, so it's still in progress.

This chapter is a little fluffy, but I'm really excited for what's coming! Thanks for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing! I really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any other OCs that pop up along the way.

**Chapter Five: Suck it Up**

Amriel had been in town for two weeks now. She was working at the Gas-N-Sip with Cas, who had trained her wonderfully according to Nora. The manager of the gas station was impressed with her employees and made herself scarce around the store now that she knew she had trustworthy workers.

She did not return to the women's shelter, partially because she didn't want to be around _strangers_ as she learned they were called, and because she didn't want to leave Castiel either.

Cas was showing Amriel the more positive things about being human, or as close to human as the angel now was. He took her to a diner and made her try milkshakes and pie. They went to see a movie and she particularly enjoyed the popcorn the theater sold. Castiel took her to a park where they would sit and watch humans interact with one another, and he would try to explain their actions the best he could.

She was grateful, if that was the word for what she was feeling, for what Castiel was doing for her. At night when they slept beside each other in the abandoned house, Cas would toss and turn, his eyes squeezed tight and his brow furrowed. Sometimes he would speak, and Amriel, who only slept a few hours a night, would hear him pleading for forgiveness, begging for someone to understand. Amriel felt something in her chest, possibly her heart, ache because of this.

This night was the same as nearly every other. It was 4 a.m. and Castiel was murmuring softly about Metatron and how it was all his fault- how he should have known he was being tricked. Amriel knew he was having another nightmare. She had experienced one the other night and had asked Cas if there was any way to make them stop, and unfortunately there wasn't.

"Elasa bolape sapah emna" she whispered to him in Enochian as she placed her hand on his cheek, feeling the coarse stubble lining his jaw. Amriel would tell him that he was safe whenever he would stir like this, and she found that he would usually calm down and rest peacefully when she spoke in their native tongue.

Tonight was different, however.

Castiel's breathing became erratic and he was sweating- Amriel had no idea what to do, so she sat up and gently shook his shoulder.

"Cas- Castiel," she said loudly, trying to wake him. When he didn't respond, she shook him a bit harder and his eyes snapped open, and he looked around, taking in the room as he sat up. His eyes finally settled on Amriel, who was sitting still and watching him quietly, unsure of what he would do if she moved an inch.

"Amriel?" he asked, sounding like he hand't seen her in years. "Was- was I having a nightmare?"

She nodded, reaching out and moving the hair that was sticking to his forehead so she could see him better.

"It started like it normally does when you have one… I tried to soothe you, but it did not work," Amriel frowned.

In the weeks she had been with Castiel, she had learned how to let more of her emotions through, and she found that it helped when she didn't keep them locked away inside herself. She still took pills when Castiel wasn't around, and she hid it as best she could.

"Soothe me?" Cas said, shaking his head. "I don't understand."

"When you are restless or unsettled, I speak to you," she told him. "I've found that Enochian works best."

He seemed to be in deep thought, and Amriel assumed that he was no longer speaking to her, so she started to lay back down when he set a hand on her arm, stopping her movements.

"You are the voice I hear before I'm pulled from my nightmares? How do you do it?" Castiel's eyes were wide now as he stared at her, and she couldn't help but notice how they shimmered with emotions she had yet to understand.

"I do not mean to access your dreams… I didn't think I could," she told him honestly, setting her hand back on his cheek. "I lay my hand here and I speak to you. I have seen lovers do that when I watched the television."

They had gone to a laundromat and Castiel had explained that like movies, television was filled with complex, fictional stories that depicted human fantasies and dramas. Needless to say, Amriel was enthralled.

"I believe you have been able to, in some form. Thank you for that- your voice has saved me from reliving many horrible memories," Cas managed a small smile. "It sounds just like I remember it."

Amriel raised an eyebrow, something she had seen many humans do when they were confused. He could hear her in his dreams, and it was her true voice? Perhaps even though he was human, Castiel could still perceive angels' true forms. She wasn't going to test that, though, in case he couldn't.

"It's the least I can do, Cas," she answered in a soft voice, contrasting his deep, raspy one. "Now, would you like to go back to sleep?"

Cas nodded and asked if she could do him a favor. He liked the warmth that she radiated beside him, and he wanted some of that warmth to maybe ward off his bad dreams, like how her voice did.

"Could I lie with you, possibly?"

She stared at him curiously, her head tilted to the right slightly and she said that he already was. Cas shook his head, trying to explain it to her. When he couldn't, he motioned for her to lay down on her side and she complied, the apprehensive glint still in her eyes.

"Like this," he said as he moved closer to her so his chest was pressed against her back and his arm was carefully placed around her waist like he had seen in films. He laid his head on her pillow and breathed deeply, inhaling the smell of her hair, finding that he felt better now that he was in contact with someone. Amriel was tense, but he felt her begin to loosen up and place her hand on top of the one that was resting on her stomach.

"This is pleasant," she murmured, realizing that she could feel his chest rising and falling with his breath and soon enough she was breathing in sync with him. It was an odd sensation, but she liked it, none the less, and she began to speak to him in Enochian again.

Every once in a while he would respond, and Amriel's heart would beat a little faster at his deep voice and how it resonated in his chest and against her back. Their native language sounded so different when it came from human mouths, less musical and harsher sounding, but it still reminded her of Heaven and how much she missed it.

Castiel fell silent after a while and Amriel glanced behind her to see that he was fast asleep, not a trace of anguish on his face and she smiled. He deserved to be happy and free of the nightmares that haunted him, especially considering everything he had done for Heaven.

* * *

A few more weeks had past and Castiel was at the Gas-N-Sip while Amriel was out wandering around the small town. She worked all morning, so when Cas came in for the evening shift they spoke quietly before she left. He had told her to be careful and stay alert, and she promised to keep her blade within reach. Cas watched her walk out the door, unaware that he was blatantly staring at the way she looked in the leggings she was wearing.

"Steve, when are you gonna suck it up and ask her out?" One of the regular customers, Christine, had seen Amriel leave, and the woman knew he had it bad.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Cas said quickly, turning abruptly to face Christine only to see that the she was wearing a huge grin on her face.

"You clearly like her. Anyone with _eyes_ can see the way you look at Amy, and I think it's sweet," Christine said as she set her usual purchases on the counter- a bottle of Coca-Cola, a turkey sandwich, and a small salad, and Castiel began ringing up the items. "I ask her about you when you aren't here. She says you spend a lot of time together."

Cas' eyebrows are well in his hairline by now, and Christine laughs, pulling out her debit card.

"Yes, we go to the park and spend a lot of time talking," he told the woman, watching her swipe her card and enter in her pin number.

"Wanna know what I think?" Christine asked, leaning against the counter as he bagged her items. "You should ask her on a date."

"I- I couldn't possibly," he stammered, plucking her receipt off of the printer and handing it to Christine. "I will keep your suggestion in mind, though."

"You better act fast, Steve-o, or else someone else will snatch her up!" the brunette laughed, her eyes wrinkling at the corners, "I'll see you on Monday."

Castiel watched as Christine left and he was once again alone in the store. He then remembered that he didn't have to work tomorrow- he had Sundays off, which he thought was humorous. His phone vibrated from in his pocket and Castiel pulled it out, highly aware that he was not supposed to be using his mobile device while he was working, but there were no customers so he felt that it was an appropriate time.

He opened the phone and found a text message from Amriel. Cas had been learning more and more about technology, so he imparted some of his knowledge with her so they could communicate if there was an emergency or weren't together.

**1 Unread Message:**

**Amriel:**  
**I believe I have attached a photograph. Marissa told me this is called a selfie. I have no idea what that means, but I think you are meant to send me one in return.**

Cas opened the picture to see a grainy image of Amriel standing in front of what he figured were clothing racks. She must have been at the store she visited when she first came to town. It appeared as if she was wearing cosmetics- perhaps this Marissa girl had been teaching her things Castiel couldn't. Her gray eyes were lined with black and her lids were covered by dark blue pigments, from what he could tell in the picture. While he thought that she looked stunning without anything on her face, the cosmetics only enhanced her beauty and he was amazed.

Unsure of what he should do, Cas thought about calling Dean. He realized that he couldn't call the Winchester when he had questions about every little thing about being human, so he decided that he would figure it out himself.

* * *

Marissa had been playing dress-up with Amriel for nearly an hour now. While working on her eye for fashion, the girl had the former angel trying on all sorts of clothes that the store had just gotten in.

Fall was in full swing and winter was well on its way, so most of the merchandise consisted of things Marissa called 'leggings', sweaters, and boots. Amriel was gracious and tried on everything, ultimately ending up with a few loose sweaters and dark colored leggings. Marissa had even insisted that she get something she referred to as the little black dress, which was apparently an item that every woman needed.

As Amriel tried on dress after dress, Marissa asked questions about her hair and skin routines, which completely dumbfounded her.

"I don't use anything except shampoo and conditioner from the Gas-N-Sip," Amriel said as she emerged from the dressing room in a dress that wasn't too short and was fitted in the bust and flowing the rest of the way. She liked the way it felt and enjoyed how it moved when she watched herself in the mirror.

"That's all? No hairspray? No blowdryer? Do you use any makeup or anything?" Marissa sounded confused and Amriel shrugged, just as she had seen Castiel do, and she said that she didn't use any products like that.

Amriel had noticed that many women and girls used what looked like writing utensils and paint brushes to apply colors to their faces to make themselves more visually appealing or make themselves feel more confident. Digging into her vessel's memories, she realized that Amy had used a very simple cosmetics routine that Amriel would definitely not be able to replicate.

"You have to let me do your face! Please? I love doing my friends' makeup, I promise it won't look bad," Marissa asked before telling her that the dress she had on was definitely the one.

So Amriel allowed Marissa to "do her makeup" and she learned things from her that Castiel could never teach her, like the art of the selfie and how to apply mascara. She felt guilty for enjoying all of the time she was spending with this human girl, learning intricate things that went into being one of them, but she also knew that Castiel had no idea how women functioned and it wasn't his fault for that.

"My device has vibrated, does that mean I have a message?" Amriel asked Marissa nearly twenty minutes after she sent a picture of herself to Cas.

"Oh yeah, just open your phone and check the inbox like I showed you," Marissa had been surprisingly patient with her, figuring that she was from a sheltered home that was probably extremely religious. She wouldn't have been surprised if Amy was an ex-Amish, really, with how she reacted to technology.

Amriel navigated to the messages and saw a response from Castiel. He was the only contact in the phone and she hadn't figured out how to put his name in, so for now it was merely a bunch of numbers and his message.

**1 Unread Message:**  
**+1-410-345-5267**  
**I received your picture. You look very lovely, judging by what you sent. I attached a selfie of my own. I will see you when my shift is over.**

Pressing the little button to open the picture, Amriel heard a sound escape her mouth that surprised her. Was that _laughter_ she heard? Was she laughing?

The photo was of Castiel just as she had seen him earlier, in his blue vest and behind the counter. His head was tilted and a confused look was on his face and she could see his arms outstretched to try and fit his entire body into the picture.

"Let me see!" Marissa peeked over Amriel's shoulder and she gasped. "That's the guy that works at the gas station! He's like 35, Amy!"

"What? He is a coworker and a friend," she said quickly, realizing that she sounded defensive and tried to soften her tone by finishing with, "He's very kind."

"To each her own. Get that hot older dude if that's what you're into, girl. Some girls need a daddy, I guess," Marissa winked and Amriel's eyes widened.

"What does my Father have to do with this?"

"I'll tell you next time. Now, take your new clothes and get out of here! Put on that dress and pay Steve a visit," she laughed, handing Amriel the bag with her new clothes inside, and the former angel nodded, only because she had no idea what the girl had meant.

"Okay, I'll do that. Thank you again for today, Marissa. You are far too generous. I will see you soon," Amriel told her and Marissa shrugged, saying that it was nothing.


	6. You're Dead

Hi! Welcome to chapter six! Just wanted to say thanks for all the favorites, follows and reviews! I've really wanted to post this chapter for a while and I'm glad I finally found some time to do it! Stay tuned for an author's note at the end and enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: In no way to I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

**Chapter Six: You're Dead**

Amriel walked into the abandoned house as the sun was beginning to set and she knew she had a few hours before Castiel would be back.

Whenever he would work later than her, he would bring back something to eat and she was sure tonight was no exception, so Amriel didn't trouble herself to eat anything just yet. She turned on the small lanterns that they used for light, just so Cas wouldn't have to come back to complete darkness.

She had a different craving all together, and there was only one way to satisfy it. Castiel had taken all of her pills, but she knew where he kept them hidden. For some reason he didn't throw them away- Amriel believed it had something to do with him possibly needing them in the future if he was injured.

Cas had them hidden away in one of the cabinets in the dilapidated kitchen, so Amriel went through them to find the bag residing on the top shelf of a cabinet.

The former angel had been taking pills when her shift differed from Castiel's. She would come straight back from work, leading him to believe she was out exploring the area, and she would swallow a dozen or more of the small tablets and be out of it until about an hour before he got back.

Of course, she was worried that he would find out and reprimand her or even make her leave, but she risked it anyways.

Counting out about 35 pills, Amriel briefly thought to herself that she shouldn't be doing this. Castiel had asked her to stop and she had made no effort to. All she had done was be more secretive about it to keep him from suspecting something.

Amriel still felt lonely without the constant buzz of her fellow angels in the back of her mind. She disliked feeling so isolated, despite having Castiel right beside her most of the time. He helped her greatly, and she knew that, but Amriel couldn't tolerate feeling so many emotions all of the time.

She had been on Earth for a couple of months now and even though she was adjusting little by little, it was still difficult for her to cope.

Once she swallowed all of the pills with the help of the bottle of water she had brought from the gas station, Amriel moved into the bedroom and laid down on the mattress, kicking off her shoes and sprawling out on the sleeping bag. She closed her eyes and felt her muscles relax as she began to drift off, into sleep or something else she wasn't sure, but she was numb all the same.

Even though she knew that Cas would be upset with her if he found out and she knew she was betraying his trust, it didn't matter when she couldn't feel anything. His feelings would have to come behind her temporary escape from being practically human.

* * *

_Amriel was in the middle of a forest when she heard her name being called from somewhere in the distance, but she paid it no mind and continued wandering through the woods. She wasn't sure for what, but she kept walking. Something was calling to her, so she walked for what felt like hours until she came upon a clearing._

_Standing in the clearing was a disheveled looking man, his dark hair was unruly and his jaw was covered in stubble, like he hadn't shaved in a few weeks. Amriel noticed that they were nearly the same height as she approached him, and she saw that he was wearing jeans and a suit jacket with a t-shirt underneath. His features were angled and he seemed familiar yet strange at the same time._

_"Amriel," he spoke, a smile on his face as she came closer. "It's good to finally see you again."_

_"I don't believe we've met," she answered, looking him up and down as she felt for her blade. Of course since this was some sort of dream, she didn't have it. "Who are you?"_

_"Actually we have," the man told her as he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, something she recognized as a thing people did when they were nervous. "It was a very long time ago, when you were very young. Some people know me as Chuck now, but you know me by another name."_

_The more she stared at him the more she realized that she did know who he was, and when she went to open her mouth and address him by name, he held up his hand to silence her._

_"I know, Amriel. It's been a while, huh?"_

_She nodded and remained silent, watching him and wondering why he had come to her._

_"I wanted to talk to you about Castiel," he finally said and she frowned. "He's human now, because of what Metatron has done."_

_"Yes- Metatron deceived him and now he is being hunted by our siblings," Amriel said bitterly. "I am doing my best to protect him, and he is helping me adjust to humanity."_

_Chuck shook his head slightly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sighed and said that she wasn't adjusting very well._

_"What do you mean? I have employment and I have formed a relationship with a girl around my vessel's age… I would say that I have been successful so far." Amriel was growing nervous- she didn't want to displease him, but it was evident that he was not happy._

_"This pill thing needs to stop," Chuck said suddenly, taking a straightforward route with her. "You might think that they're helping, but they're destroying you. Amriel, you may still have your grace but you aren't indestructible. It was weakened when you fell and it needs time to heal."_

_"Wait- is she dead? Please, I have to know."_

_Chuck looked at Amriel with sad eyes and he shook his head._

_"Amy is no longer with you. Taking twenty Vicodin on a regular basis is a lot for a human to handle, so she couldn't survive much longer. This body is yours now." He gestured to Amriel, who glanced down at herself and frowned._

_"I didn't mean to harm her. I never wanted her to die," she said quietly, thinking about how careless she had been._

_"Well maybe you can make the best of a bad thing. Amy is at peace now and is no longer trapped inside herself. Just because Heaven is off limits to angels doesn't mean souls can't find their paradise. Your home will be restored in time, I'm sure of that. Now, there's something I need you to do."_

_"Anything, Chuck," she said immediately, her posture straightening as she prepared to receive orders._

_"Woah there," he held up his hands, "I'm not gonna order you around or whatever. Look, I really just want you to watch out for Cas. If he wants to stop Metatron, help him as best you can. If he wants to live a quiet human life, be there as long as he needs you. But you gotta stop with the drugs."_

_"I will do my best with Castiel. He has been nothing but kind and supportive to me. I have tried to stop on my own, but I can't. I feel lost and alone…"_

_Chuck stepped closer to the former angel and set his hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. Amriel looked up at him and he gave her a sad smile._

_"You might not be in Heaven, but you are never alone," he said and then shrugged. "You have the freedom to choose your own path, so once you accept that, things will get easier. There's a reason you found Cas out of every other angel, Amriel. You both had doubts and disobeyed orders and you both want what's best, even if it means going against Heaven. I might've created you at different times, but you're definitely two peas in a pod."_

_Amriel was confused by the phrase, but she thanked Chuck for coming to her in her dream anyways, and the smile dropped off of his face instantly._

_"I- I don't really know how to tell you this," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You're kinda dead and that's how I could find you to have this little meeting, but don't worry! You'll be just as you were before I came to you."_

_Chuck gave her a tight hug and she was instantly overwhelmed with warmth, love, and light, and she heard her name being called somewhere in the distance._

_"How are we supposed to open the gates to Heaven? What do we do?" She didn't want to go back without answers, but instead he shook his head and smiled knowingly._

_"Answers will come with time, don't worry about that. Just remember what I told you. Goodbye, Amriel," he said before pressing two fingers against her forehead, and then her vision was filled with a bright, white light._

Amriel's eyes opened and she inhaled sharply, her gaze focusing on the figure that was hovering above her. She recognized it as Castiel, and she felt a little better as she locked eyes with him and said one word. Chuck.

* * *

Cas left the Gas-N-Sip after he locked the doors for the night, a grocery bag full of snacks and sandwiches for himself and Amriel to eat tonight and tomorrow. He was excited to be able to sleep for a bit longer, since he didn't have to work tomorrow. It seemed like he couldn't get enough rest after being on the run and never really getting a good night of sleep.

He walked into the house and locked the door behind him, laying a salt line once more. Cas wasn't about to take any chances when it came to safety. He felt protected in this abandoned house and he wondered why the previous tenants had left as he set the bag of food on the wobbly table. Realizing that it was oddly quiet, he glanced around for Amriel.

Calling out her name, he was suddenly hit with the memory of finding her in the closet, so he took off for the bedroom. Cas froze when he saw her lying lifelessly on the mattress in the glow of the lantern, and his stomach dropped. He was at her side in a split second, moving faster than he ever had as a human and he checked for any signs that she was alive, only to find none.

He didn't know what to do. She wasn't breathing and he couldn't feel a pulse, so he grabbed his phone from his pocket and called Dean.

_"This is Dean's other, other phone. You know what to do."_

It was his voicemail. Of course when he needed Dean the most, he wouldn't be there. How typical. So Cas hung up and tossed the phone to the side, sitting beside Amriel's body and praying that she would be wake up. He couldn't help but feel the irony of praying to a higher being, with Heaven's entire host walking on Earth and trying to kill him.

Half an hour passed before Castiel considered calling Dean again, or maybe even Sam. He turned to look down at Amriel once more, taking in her vessel's soft features and smiling sadly. She had truly chosen a vessel that adequately represented only a fraction of her actual beauty, and he only wanted to see her smile at him one more time.

Amriel's fingers twitched and Cas jumped, leaning over her to see if she was breathing when she opened her eyes and gasped. Castiel flinched, her sudden movement scaring him and he heard her say the name _Chuck_.

It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and Cas moved a few pieces of hair out of Amriel's face so he could make better eye contact with her.

"What happened?" he asked, realizing that he sounded angry when in fact he was more relieved than anything.

She stared up at him blankly for a few seconds, trying to steady her breathing before her gaze seemed to focus in and realize where she was and whom she was with.

"I was dead," she said as she tried to sit up. He was quick to act and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to sit upright and lean against him as she spoke. "I took too many pills and I _died_."

"How do you know that?" he asked, feeling her take shaky breaths as she buried her face in his neck. "What did you see when you were dead?"

Pulling back a bit so she could see his face, Amriel shook her head and tried to process everything she had been told.

"He said his name was Chuck."

"Chuck? As in the _prophet_?" Cas was confused. Neither he nor the Winchesters had heard anything from Chuck since Lucifer and Michael were put in the cage, and since Kevin Tran was a prophet, he assumed that meant the man was dead.

"He isn't a prophet, Cas. He didn't say outright, but I knew who he really was."

"Amriel, if it wasn't Chuck, who was it?" Castiel asked, sending her a look that said he wanted answers and he wanted them immediately.

"It was Chuck as you know him, but said he goes by other names," Amriel said and Cas stared at her with wide eyes, like he had just figured it out. "I spoke with God, Castiel."

His mouth dropped and he backed away, getting off of the bed and standing in the center of the room. He stared up at the ceiling, like he would see God if he looked hard enough, and he let out a loud sigh of frustration.

Amriel had no idea what to do in this situation, so she quietly watched as his neck began to turn a dark shade of red and he glared at the roof.

"You son of a bitch! I **died** protecting you from archangels and you couldn't even tell me that you were God? I looked everywhere-" he stopped himself suddenly and murmured a quiet, "_fuck it_."

Her eyes widened at the swear, and she saw that even Cas was surprised by the words that had come out of his mouth.

"He had so many opportunities to reveal himself to me, but he didn't," Castiel said quietly, sitting on the edge of the mattress and letting his head hang between his knees. Amriel remained silent and hesitated before finally setting her hand on his back, gently rubbing circles in an attempt to comfort him. "I don't understand."

"Cas, he told me to look out for you no matter what you choose to do as a human," she told him, thinking that he would calm down. "He also asked that I seek your help for my dependence on oxycodone."

"Yeah, we need to discuss that," he said, turning to face Amriel with a serious look. "I'm going to dispose of those pills. I don't care if I may need them if something happens to me- I don't want the temptation here for you."

Amriel nodded in understanding. She knew that she was out of control and after speaking with her Father, she knew that it had to stop.

"Amy is gone, Castiel." Her tone was soft and she seemed emotional, which was probably the first time he had heard that from her. "She couldn't handle the frequency and amount of pills I was ingesting and my grace wasn't enough to keep us both alive. Chuck said that she is in Heaven now."

Cas was confused- how were souls reaching Heaven when angels were locked out? She went on to explain what Chuck had told her, and he was glad that the souls were being allowed in rather than having to stick around on Earth and become vengeful spirits.

"I feel awful for being the reason she died. I promised that I would return her home to her family once Heaven was opened again and I promised that she would be safe." Amriel noticed that she was having difficulty speaking, but she continued anyways, ignoring the way her voice cracked. "I failed her, and now an innocent human is dead and I'm in her body."

Without saying a word, Castiel stood up and took her hand, pulling her off of the mattress and out into the kitchen. He motioned for her sit on the counter and she did without asking any questions.

"Where are the pills?" he asked, watching Amriel as she straightened her posture and nodded towards the cabinet he had hidden them in.

Castiel grabbed the bag and dumped them in the sink, running the water so they ran down the drain, and he tossed the baggie aside once it was empty.

"There. Now you cannot harm Amy's memory by ruining her body with drugs."

Amriel thanked him, smiling slightly and realizing that she felt different now that Amy wasn't inside the vessel with her.

"I'm going to have to figure out everything on my own now, aren't I?" she asked. "I can't refer to her memories when I come across strange human inventions or need to know how to interact with someone."

Cas shook his head, saying he had gone through the same thing when Jimmy Novak passed away. If Castiel could handle being inside of an empty vessel, Amriel knew that she could too, especially since she had him there with her to assure her that things would be all right.

"Everything will be okay, Amriel, I promise," he told her, a resolute look on his face and she nodded, hoping that he was right.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Okay so I know that not everyone agrees that Chuck is God, but I've talked with my friends that watch Supernatural and even my brother, and that's what we've all pretty much come to terms with it in our own minds. That being said, this story obviously isn't totally canon so I'm taking some creative liberties and all that good stuff.

Stay tuned for some romantic development between Cas and Amriel and thanks again for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following! I'm really surprised that the story is being received well and I'm glad you all like it so far.


	7. Acting Different

Hey there, long time no see! Welcome to chapter seven. Sorry it's been a while! I took on a lot of new responsibilities at my job and I've been really busy. While that's awesome for my career, it leaves me little time to write and edit, which sucks. But I'm committed to Cas and Amriel, so here I am with another chapter!

Thank you so much for sticking with me and favoriting, following, reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any other OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Acting Different**

Nearly a month had gone by and Amriel was humming some song she had heard on the radio as she stocked the shelves of the gas station. The past few weeks had been difficult for her as she dealt with the effects of withdrawal from her oxycodone habit. Cas had been helping her deal with her insomnia, aches and pains, and even some minor anxiety, and he took it all in stride, thankful that the symptoms weren't too severe since she was still an angel.

She and Castiel were on the same shift, which happened more often than not now. It was the middle of November and the Gas-N-Sip was bustling with families passing through town on their holiday travels. Cas was behind the counter, checking out a customer, and Amriel was glancing at him every once in a while as she hung up sour gummy worms and peach rings.

Cas had been acting different around her during the past week and a half. He had trouble finding things to say to Amriel that weren't related to Heaven or their tasks at the gas station, and when they did speak he felt awkward, but of course she didn't realize that.

Whenever they would walk to work or to the park together and their fingers would accidentally brush, Castiel would flinch away and his face would turn red. Amriel wondered if something was wrong with him. Maybe he was ill and just wasn't telling her.

One thing she did know was that the night she had spoken to Chuck, Cas had tried to call Dean Winchester to ask for help, and Dean never called back. She wondered if he was angry about that.

In regards to anger, she also noticed that whenever a male customer would speak to her, Castiel would include himself if he could, or just look at the man with a stone-like gaze that made Amriel feel uneasy. She had no idea what was going on and didn't know whether she should confront him or if it was just something humans did.

Cas watched as she went back into the store room to retrieve more things to stock, mesmerized, and he found that he was unable to take his eyes off of her. She was dressed in a pair of tight jeans, a simple black shirt, and the blue Gas-N-Sip vest, and she was stunning. He briefly wondered why he was watching her, realizing that he had been doing it more often. Cas could only image what Dean would say, but he hadn't heard from the Winchester since he had left the bunker, and that didn't sit well with him.

He stared down at the counter, wondering why he was so anxious around her all of a sudden. Castiel could barely even sleep with her so close to him at night. Every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire and he didn't know how to put it out. His hands were always sweaty and he thought that he might have some sort of human illness, but it only happened around Amriel.

Cas enjoyed her company and liked being around her, and of course he found her to be one of the most attractive beings he had gazed upon in Heaven or on Earth, but when he was an angel he never thought anything of it. All angels were beautiful and none were created to be better than another.

As he was contemplating, a loud crash came from the store room that was followed by a shriek that sounded like Amriel. Cas dropped a new receipt roll he had been installing and ran, filled with some unknown adrenalin and he didn't stop until he was in the small room.

Amriel stood with her blade drawn, breathing heavily as if she had just fought off an attacker. Her gray eyes were scanning the floor where items had fallen from a shelf, and Cas was relieved to see that she wasn't harmed and that no one else was in there with her.

"What's going on?" he asked, forcing Amriel to break her concentration on the floor to look up at him.

"Some sort of _rodent_ was in the box I opened!" she told him in a serious voice, and Castiel let out a laugh. Amriel stared at him in confusion. "Don't rodents carry diseases?"

"I don't think people are too worried about that anymore," Cas said, watching her stance go from one of defense to something more normal. "It was probably a mouse- they find their way in here every once in a while."

A scurrying sound caught Castiel's attention and he saw a blur of brown fur in the corner of his eye. He leaned down and scooped up the small creature, cupping it in his hands and looking up at Amriel with a smile.

"Here, take a look," he insisted as he closed the small distance between them, watching as she gripped her blade tightly and sent him an apprehensive glance. "It won't hurt you, I promise."

"I know it won't," Amriel snapped defensively. "Now show me before it bites your hand."

Cas opened his hands slightly so Amriel could see the tiny mouse, its brown fur and big, dark eyes staring up at them as it breathed quickly. It was such a tiny creature and Amriel stared at it in wonder, still amazed by God's creations after all this time.

"Is it okay?" she asked, her tone softening as she watched it.

"It's just frightened. Let's go release it outside," Cas told her, and the two of them walked through the store and out into the parking lot towards a grassy spot nearby. He looked around for any imminent dangers before setting the mouse down and watching it sniff around before running away.

"There, now it can go back to its home," he smiled, noticing how quiet Amriel was and he turned to face her. The blonde was staring out in the direction the mouse had run, and Castiel said her name, bringing her attention back to him.

"I think I empathize with the mouse, lost and looking for its family and friends," she said sadly before a smile crossed her lips, her eyes lighting up as she gazed at the man before her. "I'm glad that I found you, Castiel."

Amriel turned and walked back into the gas station to clean up the mess in the store room, leaving Cas standing in the small field trying to sort out his feelings.

* * *

"Can I tell you something?" Amriel asked as she stared out the window of the coffee shop they were visiting. She and Castiel were seated at a table near the windows, watching normal humans go about their day, questioning their actions and wondering why they did the things they were doing.

It had been a couple of weeks since they set the mouse free, and Amriel was still learning about the nuances of human life. She knew that she would never totally master it, but part of humanity was realizing that she wouldn't be able to do everything.

Amriel wanted to experience more human things, so she begged Castiel to do them with her, and he couldn't say no to her big eyes and bright smile, so they participated in frivolous activities like bowling, reading at the library, and taking part in their first Thanksgiving, which consisted of turkey sandwiches, apple cider, and a pumpkin pie.

"You can tell me anything," Cas said, looking at her from his seat beside her at the small, round table and noticing how _human_ she seemed in this environment. Her posture was a little more relaxed than it had originally been and she had one leg crossed over the other, her delicate fingers wrapped around her cup of hot chocolate. She was even wearing makeup, though not as much as the first time.

"In Heaven," she began, tilting her head up and smiling briefly at the thought of her home before her lips formed a line, "I saw you being punished for disobeying orders and helping the Winchesters."

Castiel tensed up across from her, not wanting to remember that day. He had been severely beaten to the point that he was near death, and it hadn't stopped until he vowed to obey the orders given to him in Heaven.

Of course his punishment had drawn a crowd; nearly all of Heaven's host had been there. His superiors wanted them to see what could happen to them if they didn't follow orders as well.

"When I saw what happened to you for wanting to help humans, especially with stopping the Apocalypse, something changed. I was curious… _doubtful_ even, of what we were commanded to do." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to picture that day. "After that, I spent more time watching over my charges, intervening more. I took a vessel for a few days. My superiors found out and told me to stop, but I didn't, and so I was punished. They told me that I was _broken_, imperfect, unworthy of my duties. I thought I was going to be cast out."

His eyes widened and his stomach dropped at the thought of her being beaten the way he was. Amriel was _good_ and she was helping people. Castiel had been punished for helping the Winchesters, who were seen as nuisances by some in Heaven.

"You were influenced by my actions?"

Amriel glanced up at him, curious as to why he sounded so upset by that. She watched his defeated expression, and she shook her head, not understanding why he looked like that. She would have disobeyed eventually, even without his influence. Like Chuck had said, they were similar in more ways than one.

"Seeing them rip out so many of your feathers made me realize that they were fearful that others would learn of their deceit- how they were giving false orders for their own gain," she frowned, clearly remembering his magnificent black feathers falling from Zachariah's fists as he pulled them from Castiel's back, and she remembered how Cas had remained silent through everything until that. She still remembered the _awful_ sounds he had made, and she knew she would never forget. "I'm happy that your feathers came back in to match the ones they didn't remove."

"Yeah, well, I certainly miss them now," he told her, and taking one of her hands with his. "I'm just surprised that another angel broke ranks after what happened to me."

"Cas-" Amriel leaned forward slightly, something she saw other people do often when they tried to get a point across. "You were revered by some for what you did. Others began to question orders, but none acted. When war broke out, many were eager to side with you."

"And look how that turned out," he sighed. "I'm human and being hunted down."

"Yes, but now you have a choice to make. You can either live out the rest of your days as a human and die in forty or fifty years, or you can try to reclaim your grace and open the gates of Heaven." Amriel paused and took a sip of her drink, hoping that it had cooled down. "But do know that whatever you choose to do, I promise I will be right beside you."

Castiel stopped breathing and removed his hand from her grasp. He watched her shoot him the confused look that he had grown to like, and his lips formed a line on his face as he stared at her. In all of his existence, no one had truly stood beside him through everything.

His siblings hadn't, and when he needed him the most, Dean sent him packing as a defenseless human. Now Amriel was offering, no, promising to stand with him no matter what. He could trust her, he knew that for sure, and he realized that he needed her around.

"I appreciate that greatly, Amriel." His eyes finally met hers, taking in their brilliance and wondering how bright her grace was at that moment. He glanced down at her lips and felt himself drifting towards her. "I- would it be appropriate if I kissed you?"

He watched her entire body shift so she was facing him, her knees brushed against his and their feet touched. Her head was tilted in what must've been a signature "angel that doesn't understand" pose, one that Cas knew very well.

"Kiss? I've never kissed anyone before," Amriel felt a strange churning in her stomach and she wasn't sure what was happening. She thought it was called 'being nervous' but she couldn't be positive without Amy's memories to reassure her.

"I understand if you don't want to. I've done it before, so I could guide you…"

Castiel was certain this wasn't how it was supposed to go. He probably should've just done it instead of asking. _"It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission,"_ he had heard somewhere before.

"I've seen it in movies, and I've seen people do it at the gas station and in town. Could you explain the steps?"

"Um.. First, you close your eyes, then you have your lips like this," he showed her without realizing how foolish he looked. He was trying to think of the steps he had gone through when kissing Meg and the reaper. How sad- he had only ever kissed monsters. "Then you lean in and press your lips against the other person's, and go from there. It's a lot of-"

Before he could finish, Amriel leaned in and pressed her lips to his, quickly pulling away and opening her eyes.

"Like that?" she asked with a grin when she saw Castiel's face turn bright red.

"That's one way," he smiled before tangling his fingers in the hair at the back of her neck and pulling her close, kissing her the way he had seen the pizza man kiss the babysitter. It took a few seconds for Amriel to respond to what he was doing, and she began to move her lips with his, one of her hands moving to rest on top of his thigh while the other grabbed onto the collar of his shirt, keeping him from backing away.

Cas had to let up for air, and he finally parted from Amriel to see that her lips were dark pink and swollen. She smiled at him, dazed by what had just happened. He had done this to her, and he felt proud of himself. _He_ made her smile like that, and Cas knew that he was probably wearing a similar expression. At that moment he was grateful that the coffee shop was practically empty, otherwise they would have been chastised for such public displays.

"I would like to take you on a date," he finally said after what felt like forever, and Amriel tilted her head curiously again.

"What exactly is a date?" Amriel asked, and Castiel explained that dates were activities done by two people who were interested in each other.

"To my understanding, a date can be many things. Humans go to dinner together or they see a movie or something else that is just between the two of them," he really was doing his best to describe a phenomenon he had only ever witnessed and never participated in.

"But we go to dinner and do things together all the time. Were those dates too?" She was confused, that much was obvious, and Cas shook his head and looked out the window and into the restaurant across the street.

"See the man and woman sitting at the table with the bottle of wine?" he pointed out a couple, watching as Amriel scanned the windows until her eyes locked onto them and she nodded. "They're probably on a date, I think. Actually I'm not sure. I have no idea how to do this."

Amriel looked from the couple to Castiel, noticing a defeated look on his face and she felt bad for him. He was doing his best with the knowledge he had and he looked disappointed with himself for not being able to describe the intricacies of a human ritual. Ever since Amy had died, Amriel experienced more emotions and she could process them better than she had before. It was strange, but the girl was having a much easier time feeling things like empathy.

"It's all right, Cas. Am I to understand that you are interested in dating me?" Amriel asked, watching his cheeks turn red for a reason she still didn't grasp.

"I- yes. While I value our friendship, I think that I'm attracted to you romantically. I don't know what to say to you or how to act and it's hard to concentrate on anything when you're around," Cas admitted and avoided all eye contact with Amriel as he spoke. "It took me a while to figure out- I'm new to this being human thing."

She looked at Castiel carefully as he faced forward and gazed out at the street before them. Amriel took in his profile and dark hair, knowing that he was attractive. She tried to remember Amy's memories of her relationships, because she had watched her entire life while on bus rides from town to town. Amy had several long-term boyfriends during her time, and Amriel vaguely remembered how Amy felt during those relationships. She realized that was probably how Cas felt around her.

"Let's go on a date then," she smiled, standing up from the table and pulling him with her, watching his face and neck turn red again. "Why does your face change colors whenever I touch you?"

"I'm not sure," Cas said as they began to walk towards the exit and out onto the town's Main Street, where most of the dining and shopping was. "I'll let you know when I figure it out though."


	8. Self Defense

Hi again! Welcome to another chapter. I'm about to start my binge of season ten so I thought I'd update before I begin! Once I finish the season I'll be able to start incorporating it into the material I have, or I'll decide if I want to go in a different direction- it really all depends on how things go.

Thanks so much for the reviews, follows, favorites and reads! I'm so glad that you like the story so far! Now, please enjoy Cas and Amriel's first date.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Self Defense**

The two sat across from one another and looked over the Mexican restaurant's menu as the waitress brought them their drinks. They had both ordered frozen margaritas, Amriel choosing a mango flavored one and Cas picking one that was mixed berry.

"I drank the contents of an entire liquor store once," Castiel told her as they waited for their beverages. He wanted to be the one that Amriel had her first alcoholic drink with, and the memory popped into his head.

"Seriously? How are you still alive?" she asked, her eyes wide. Amriel had been inside of a liquor store once to buy snacks, thinking it had been a convenience store. It was filled with thousands of bottles of alcohol. How had he managed to drink all of it?

"I was an angel at the time- searching for God had taken a toll on me and when I couldn't find him, I found the nearest liquor store and drank everything in sight. I got pretty drunk," Cas laughed, realizing that it had been stupid of him to drink so much.

When the waitress returned with the drinks, Amriel ordered something called enchiladas, which seemed interesting enough, while Cas chose flautas. He had never tried Mexican food before, and he had no idea what to expect when his order arrived. Cas had only ever had burgers when he went places with Sam and Dean, and he figured it was time to branch out.

"So this is an alcoholic drink?" Amriel stared down at her glass, inspecting the orange slush with a curious gaze.

"It has alcohol in it. Tequila, I believe. You can either drink alcohol alone or mixed with something else to make it taste better. It really doesn't have the greatest flavor by itself," he mused before taking a sip of his drink and enjoying the way it tasted.

Amriel mimicked his action and sipped through her straw, her eyes widening at the texture of her margarita. It was freezing cold and tasted sweet, and as she continued to drink she felt a sharp pain in her head. She groaned and pulled away from the glass, frowning at it as she rubbed her forehead.

"I think they call that _brain freeze_," Castiel told her, a smile on his face as he watched her glare at him. "Don't worry, it's totally normal."

"Is the drink defending itself?" she asked, and Cas burst out laughing, unable to stop himself s his face turned bright red.

"Am- Amriel," he let out between gasps for air, trying to catch his breath. "Inanimate objects don't act in self defense."

Crossing her arms over her chest Amriel felt uncomfortable with Castiel laughing at her, even though she liked the way it sounded. She knew that she didn't understand everything that came with being human, but she knew she didn't like being laughed at. Amriel sent him a nasty look and he suddenly straightened up, tugging at the collar of his shirt.

"I'm sorry for laughing at you- it was incredibly rude of me." He nervously glanced down at his own drink and played with the napkin in his lap, totally unaware that he was participating in a completely human motion.

"It's okay, Cas. Let's talk about something else," Amriel smiled and she asked, "So do I get to kiss you at the end of this date?"

Caught off guard, Castiel choked as he tried to swallow his drink. She wasn't angry at him? Normally whenever Dean was upset he brooded for days or weeks. He wasn't used to such a quick turnaround, but he was pleased.

"You can kiss me whenever you want," he said with a smile on his face, unaware that he was beaming at her. "I definitely won't stop you."

Amriel shook her head as she picked at the things called tortilla chips that sat in a basket on the table, saying that they might have to practice later.

They spent the rest of their time at the restaurant eating their strange meals, deciding that they in fact did like Mexican food. Cas paid the bill, tossing his crumpled cash into the checkbook along with a few extra dollars for a tip. He remembered the Winchesters doing so on several occasions, and the two left just as the sun started to set.

"Is there a liquor store nearby?" Amriel asked, wrapping her scarf around her neck as they walked side by side. It had snowed earlier, and the ground was covered in slushy white powder. "I think I'd like to try different kinds of alcohol."

Cas thought about it for a few seconds, realizing that he hadn't seen one in all the time he had been in Rexford. He _did_ know that they sold liquor at a convenience store a few blocks away. They sold it at the Gas-N-Sip as well, but he didn't want to buy it at his place of work.

"There's a mini mart down the street," he finally responded. "Are you sure about this?"

"I want to experience everything there is when it comes to being human, inebriation included," Amriel looked up at him as she leaned into his shoulder. "It seems fun, from what I've seen on television."

Castiel suddenly stopped and turned to face her, his bright eyes filled with a look she couldn't figure out and before she could open her mouth to ask what was going on, Cas leaned in and kissed her. When he went to pull away, Amriel grabbed the collar of his jacket and deepened their kiss, unaware that it wasn't completely acceptable to make out in the middle of a sidewalk.

An older woman that was passing by broke the pair apart with a loud cough. She sent a glare at Castiel, whom she had assumed was old enough to be her father. Cas stood up straight and took Amriel's hand, leading her down the street after sending a polite nod to the gray-haired woman.

He realized that yes, he actually was older than Amriel as an angel, but Jimmy Novak was 34 when Castiel had taken him as a vessel. Amriel had mentioned that Amy was 24 and could pass as a teenager, but as an angel she wouldn't age. Cas was going to grow older, and that both excited and frightened him.

On their way to the convenience store, Cas pulled Amriel down a narrow alley in order to cut through the block, and he thought nothing of his decision until he heard a pair of footsteps crunching through the snow, following them. Castiel stopped and Amriel ran into his back, not watching where she was going.

_"Give me your cash and no one gets hurt,"_ a rough voice came from behind them, and Amriel whipped around to see a man wearing a stained, tattered coat, jeans, and scuffed up boots wielding a knife. His dark, brown eyes were staring at the purse she had resting against her hip- it was a cross-body bag, according to Marissa, and Amriel felt that this man meant them harm.

"Get behind me," Cas whispered to her, moving to stand between Amriel and the man. "We don't want any trouble."

"Then give me the money! It'd be a shame if I had to cut up you or your little girlfriend," he sent a yellow-toothed grin towards Amriel, who was trying to hold in all of her rage towards this insignificant human being.

Cas pushed up his sleeves and dug through his pockets, fumbling to pull out the few single bills he had and he handed them over to the man, who quickly counted them.

"Eight dollars? Are you kidding me?" He glared at Castiel before looking over his shoulder to make eye contact with Amriel. "It's your turn, sweetie. Hand it over."

"She will do no such thing," Cas growled, moving towards the man to stop him from getting closer to the blonde. The man reacted quickly, slashing at Castiel's forearm with his small knife and eliciting a groan from the fallen angel.

The man pushed the stunned Cas aside easily now, and closed the small space between Amriel and himself, unaware that she had one of her hands behind her back.

"Now are you gonna give me whatever you got in your purse or are you gonna make me take it from you?" he asked, and she could smell the liquor on his breath as he stared down at her, his lifeless eyes unnerving her. He wasn't a demon, but he might as well have been.

"Neither," she hissed, revealing her angel blade and thrusting it up into his stomach, careful to miss any major organs. Amriel didn't want to kill him, after all, and she watched him fall to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain as he cried out, "You _bitch!_"

"Come on, let's go," Amriel took Castiel's hand, leading him out of the alley and down a few blocks as fast as they could go without drawing attention to themselves.

Once she felt like there was a safe distance between them and their attacker, Amriel pulled Cas into the back parking lot of a small motel not far from where they had eaten dinner. She pushed him against the wall gently and took his right arm, inspecting his wound with a frown. It was deep and trailed the length of his forearm. The cut was gushing blood at an alarming rate, Amriel could see that the color was draining from his face and his breath was coming out in quick puffs, creating small white mists of air, and she knew that she had to act.

"It's nothing, Amriel. We just have to stop the bleeding- it'll heal with time," he told her sadly, wishing he could just heal himself like he had always done.

"That human had ill intentions- he would've done much worse if he had the chance. Who knows what diseases that knife carried."

Amriel set her palm against his arm, as close to the wound as she could get without actually touching it, and she focused her grace and healed him. When she saw that his skin was smooth and perfect once more, Amriel smiled and she wavered, her head falling forward as she sagged against Castiel.

He could tell that she was unconscious, but that didn't stop Cas from calling her name and trying to wake her up. Healing him had drained her- why did she do that when the injury he sustained wasn't that serious?

Cas had no idea what to do besides wrap his arms around the unconscious Amriel and hold her against him. They were at a motel, so he could rent a room there- he had enough money on him. Of course he hadn't given that mugger all of the money he had, he learned from Dean to keep his cash in a safer place, like his sock. Castiel knew he couldn't carry her back to the abandoned house in this weather, so he decided that the motel would be the best choice at the moment.

Carrying Amriel in his arms like she was a sleeping child worked to his advantage. He cradled her against his chest as he walked into the motel lobby, making up an excuse of her being entirely too drunk to drive, and the woman at the front desk sped up the check-in process. The price per night was inexpensive, so Castiel paid for a few nights in advance and took the key, signing _Steve Moscone_ in the ledger.

Once he opened the door to room 6, he flipped the light on and staggered inside, using his foot to shut the door with a loud thud. The room had one queen sized bed, an old, box set television, and a couch, among other typical motel furniture. He gently laid Amriel on the bed and sat down beside her after shedding his coat and tossing it on the couch. Cas pushed a few strands of hair out of her face, frowning deeply as he realized that this was the first time he had ever been healed by an angel.

"You shouldn't have done that," he mumbled bitterly, even though he knew he would have done the same thing in a heartbeat if she had been the one injured. Cas didn't know what to do with himself until she woke up, so he turned on the small TV and flipped through channels until he found something that seemed interesting enough.

Castiel positioned himself so he was sitting up against the pillows and headboard, wanting to stay awake until he was certain Amriel was okay. His eyes moved from the television to the blonde beside him, her hair fanned out across the pillow he had set underneath her head to keep her comfortable, and he noticed how serene she looked. There wasn't a trace of sadness or loneliness on her face and he never wanted her to feel that way again, especially since she had done so much for him.

Before Amriel showed up, Cas felt exactly how she did. Lost, alone, and hopeless. Maybe it was the presence of another fallen angel, or just Amriel herself, but he didn't feel that emptiness anymore. He was more inclined to think that it was Amriel's doing, because when he had come across Hael he felt nervous and on edge, and she ended up trying to steal his vessel. No, he knew it was definitely because of Amriel.

In Heaven she had been known throughout the angels as kind and generous. Amriel would fulfill other's duties when they could not, and she never asked anything in return. She watched over her charges as well as those born in late April or early June that were on the cusp of Asmodel and Muriel's guard.

He had heard whispers of her small rebellion but he was still surprised when she had told him. Castiel suddenly gasped, realizing that they were unprotected in this motel room and he jumped up, looking around for something to write with. He found a ball point pen, but that wouldn't be sufficient for what he needed, so he took a look at Amriel and when he was certain she wouldn't wake while he was gone, he slipped out the door and into the cold, heading to the convenience store to buy salt and chalk.


	9. Cold

Hello! I'm home from work sick today and I decided to go through and edit a few chapters I've been working on and post one while I was at it. I binged season 10 a few weeks ago and let's just say I wasn't pleased with it. I will probably incorporate some of the events from season 10 into this story, but I'm not quite sure how yet. I'm excited for what's to come though!

Thank you all so much for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing! It really means a lot to me. I've got some pretty cool things in the works, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Nine: Cold

Amriel woke up with a start, realizing that she was in a strange place on a bed that wasn't the one she had been sleeping on for the past two months. The room is dim and she can hear the low murmur of voices along with something she couldn't place. She sat up and glanced around, first spotting a TV that was playing some show where women were yelling at each other, and then she saw Castiel in the corner of the room, facing the wall as he drew Enochian sigils with some white writing utensil.

"Cas?" she called out, watching him whirl around and a seeing look of relief cross his face. He set down the chalk and made his way over to the bed, where he sat on the edge of the mattress and looked her over. He set one of his hands on the side of her face, his thumb tracing her cheek gently as he smiled down at her, glad she was finally awake.

"You were unconscious for three hours, Amriel. I couldn't carry you back to the house, so I checked us into this motel," he explained, unable to take his eyes off of hers. "You didn't have to use your powers to heal me- I would've been fine."

The blonde looked almost offended at the thought of just letting him heal on his own when she had the power to fix him. Amriel took the hand that was on her face and held it between both of hers, feeling how warm and rough it was as she shook her head.

"I couldn't let you suffer any pain, no matter how trivial you think it is. As long as I have the ability to heal you, I will," she told him in a firm voice, and he knew it was no use arguing with her.

"Then thank you. I wasn't sure of what powers the fallen angels could use." He reluctantly moved out of her grasp and went back to drawing sigils. "I'll have to keep it in mind if we come across any of our siblings."

"I try not to use them unless I need to," Amriel said as she looked around the motel room more carefully now. "I haven't done it in so long that I guess I over exerted myself. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Just don't do it again," he said with a laugh, letting her know that he was joking with her, but also serious at the same time. "While you were asleep, I thought about something that I'd like to discuss with you. I believe it's time for us to leave that abandoned house. It's far too cold outside for us to stay much longer. The electricity doesn't work and I have no idea when the water will be shut off- truthfully, it's been on for far too long. Would you like to stay here indefinitely? I think we have enough money, and it's pretty inexpensive."

Amriel looked around the room and noticed the couch, small desk and chair, and the kitchenette with a refrigerator, stove, and oven. Maybe she and Castiel could figure out how to cook something other than what they made in the microwave at the gas station. She assumed that combined they would have enough money to stay here, and so she decided that it would be a good idea.

"Let's do that then. Can we return to the house and get our things, though?" She watched Cas glance at the alarm clock beside the bed and furrow his eyebrows before he nodded.

"Yes, we can get them tonight. The snow has stopped for now, are you well enough to go?"

Once Amriel nodded, Castiel said that they would leave as soon as he finished a few more sigils. While he did that, the blonde looked over the ones he had already completed and was pleased to see some she had used at the house that he had complimented.

"Okay, let's get going then," Cas said when he finished, grabbing the motel key and his cell phone. Amriel followed him out of the room and they went to the lobby, where Castiel talked to the woman behind the desk and told her that they would be checking in indefinitely.

* * *

Amriel liked living in this motel. It had been two weeks and at first she had found it strange and confining, much like her vessel, but she liked having working heat, electricity, and even a television so she could learn more about humans through their media.

She and Cas would cook things on the stove and so far they had only set off the fire alarm once, and they watched game shows like _Jeopardy!_ whenever they weren't working the night shift. Amriel found that they were quite good at the history questions, but they did horribly at any category pertaining to culture. She liked having the television on all the time- the constant sounds and chattering reminded her of Heaven, and it was comforting.

Cas was currently asleep in bed and Amriel had showered and gotten ready for her morning shift as quietly as she could so she wouldn't wake him. He had been lethargic lately and he seemed to be coughing a lot for the past two days. Amriel was worried about him, but of course Cas waved it off like it was nothing.

He had walked back from the gas station in a snow storm, having forgotten to bring gloves or a hat with him, and after that he had been less than healthy and Amriel didn't know what to do about it. Maybe she would ask Nora about illnesses when she was at work.

Slipping on her shoes and picking up her phone, Amriel sat on the edge of the bed beside Castiel and shook his shoulder gently.

"Cas," she said softly, watching as he began to stir. He rolled onto his back and rubbed his face, but his eyes were still closed. Amriel frowned and said in a firm voice, "Castiel."

"Hm?" he asked, blinking a few times until she came into focus. Cas stared up at her, wondering if he was still dreaming. She was wearing a dark purple shirt that complimented her hair and the blue gas station vest, and she looked absolutely ethereal.

"Are you okay?" Amriel looked at him curiously and pressed her hand against his forehead like she had seen on medical shows. He seemed warmer than he normally was, and his face was flushed as he yawned.

"I'm fine, Elle, just tired…" his groggy voice trailed off and Amriel's breath caught in her throat. What did he just call her? Was this a nickname, like how she called him Cas?

"You are ill- I'll see if I can get you medicine before I leave work. Text me if you need anything and I will return as soon as I can."

Amriel pressed a kiss to his forehead and she saw a brief smile cross his lips before his eyes closed again and she knew it was time to leave.

* * *

"Hello Nora," the angel smiled four hours into her shift, when her manager walked in through the front doors appearing for the first time that day. Amriel had been refilling the ice in the soda machine, so she had a good vantage point over the store from the top of a step stool.

"Hi Amy. You haven't heard from Steve today have you? I tried calling him but he didn't pick up," Nora said as she walked over to her employee, taking the empty bucket from her hands so she could get down safely.

"Oh, yeah actually. He told me that he's sick, so I offered to take his shift tonight and tomorrow. I told him I'd bring over some cold medicine during my break since he shouldn't be leaving his house."

Nora didn't know that her employees were actually staying together, but she was glad to hear that he had a place of his own. She had been worried about him for a while, and once Amy showed up it seemed like he was doing better. Nora could tell that there was something going on between Steve and Amy, though. She saw the way he looked at her, entranced by every move she made, though she wasn't sure if Amy felt the same way. Nora shook her head- she was thinking into it way too much.

"Why don't you go now? I'm sure you could use a break anyways," Nora moved down the aisle containing medicine and grabbed a box of strong cold meds, then she took a few of those microwaveable soup cups too and put them in a bag for Amy. "Take these for him and tell Steve I said to feel better."

Amriel took the bag and thanked Nora for letting her go, and the older woman said it was nothing. Nora watched the girl grab her coat and shrug it on over her vest, wrapping her scarf around her neck a few times and zipping her jacket so she was bundled up.

"Come back in like an hour. Have some lunch while you're gone. I'll watch the store."

The former angel nodded and left the gas station, trudging through the slush for about ten minutes until she got to the motel. She walked into the room and closed the door behind her gently, looking up to see that Cas wasn't in bed where she had left him.

"Castiel?" she called out, her gray eyes frantically searching the small room for any trace of him. She noticed that light poured out from underneath the closed bathroom door and the water was running from the shower, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Tossing the bag onto the bed and kicking off her shoes, Amriel knocked on the bathroom door and cracked it open just barely, making sure she didn't invade his privacy, something they had talked about extensively after she walked in while he was showering once before.

"Cas, are you okay in there?"

The man peeked out from behind the blue shower curtain, his hair soaked and skin red from the hot water, and he stared at Amriel for a split second before nodding.

"I'm fine," he rasped, his throat aching as he spoke. "Give me a minute?"

Amriel did just that and shut the door, deciding that she was going to heat up the soup Nora had given her. Reading directions seemed easy enough, so Amriel followed the instructions and removed the plastic film underneath the lid, replaced the lid, and stuck it in the microwave for a designated amount of time. She figured that it would be ready to eat by the time Castiel got out of the shower and dressed, so she looked around for the plastic spoon she made sure to bring for him.

The microwave dinged and Amriel knew better than to grab something immediately after it finished in the device. She had burned her fingers several times in the past two weeks and she wasn't going to again.

When Cas finally appeared from the steamy bathroom, he emerged wearing a pair of plaid pajama pants and nothing else. Amriel glanced up to look at him and her eyes widened slightly at the sight of his exposed upper body- she noticed there was an Enochian protection sigil on his lower stomach in black ink and squinted at it briefly, realizing that was why she hadn't been able to locate him when they had been separated in a grocery store once.

She quickly looked down at the floor, feeling a warmth spread through her for some reason. Cas walked over to the dresser that the TV sat on, which was right in front of where Amriel was sitting, and went into his designated drawer, grabbing a shirt and pulling it on.

"How are you feeling?" Amriel asked, busying herself with the box of medicine and reading the instructions on that as well, trying to get the image of his damp skin and toned body out of her mind.

"Like I'm in a fog. I can't breathe and my throat hurts, but the shower helped a bit," he shrugged, turning and leaning against the dresser. "What's that?"

"Cold medicine. Nora sent me here to make sure you take some and get better soon, which reminds me…" Amriel got up and opened the microwave, hesitantly touching the side of the container before picking it up. "She told me that you need to eat soup. Apparently it's comforting?"

Once she took the lid off she handed him the cup along with a spoon, then she went about opening the package of medicine and popping two pills out of the foil.

"You need to take two every four hours," she told him in a firm voice as she handed him the capsules. Amriel made sure he took them, watching carefully as he swallowed the pills with a swig of water.

"Amriel, you didn't have to do this," Cas said tiredly, taking his first spoonful of soup and bringing it to his lips, sipping at it carefully. The blonde rolled her eyes, knowing it was something she had seen both Castiel and characters on television doing constantly.

"I want to help you, especially after everything you've done for me. Just eat your soup and go back to sleep. I told Nora that I have taken your shift today and tomorrow."

Cas opened his mouth to argue, but once he realized that it would only make his throat ache even more, he nodded. The room was silent save for the sounds of what was called a "soap opera" playing on the TV, and Amriel watched Castiel carefully as he ate, making sure he was going to be okay. She wondered if she could heal him of something like a common cold, but she was sure he wouldn't let her after what happened the last time.

"Maybe if you're better by the weekend, we can go buy liquor and see how much it takes to get me drunk," Amriel offered as an incentive, wondering if it would encourage him to take the medicine and get rest.

They hadn't had any alcohol since their first date, despite having been on two more since then. She enjoyed these dates, especially since they made her feel closer to Castiel for some reason. Was that the point of them? She wasn't exactly sure, but it seemed like that was their purpose.

Castiel made an "mm" sound, agreeing with her as he continued to wolf down the soup. He had no idea chicken and noodles in salty broth could taste so amazing, and it made his throat feel much better than it had before. He wondered how food could make his entire body feel warm from the inside out, and he filed that question away for the next time he saw Dean. If he ever did see Dean again, that was.

They sat together until Amriel had to leave, and as she tied the laces of her shoes, she realized that she really didn't want to go and leave Cas here all by himself. She knew that he would probably just sleep the entire time, but she wanted to watch over him in case he needed her.

"I'll be back late tonight. I'm closing the store," she told him once he was back in bed, "Please let me know if you need anything."

He nodded in response and Amriel kissed his forehead before pressing a quick kiss to his lips and smiling when his eyes widened and a small grin spread across his face.

"Bye, Cas," she whispered softly, brushing his damp hair out of his face and returning to her full height, grabbing her things and walking out the door.


	10. Gifts

Hey there! So I've been editing, changing things, and re-editing this chapter, as well as the next two or three. I ended up combining the next two chapters into one because I didn't think they could stand on their own. Plus I really want to get to chapter twelve, which I really enjoyed writing and can't wait to share. I feel okay about this update. It could be better, but I'm one of those people that will read, reread, and edit as many times as I can and never actually be totally satisfied.

Thanks so much for the favorites, follows, and reviews! I know I've been MIA for a while- things have been keeping me busy with work and some travel, and I apologize!  
Enjoy chapter ten!

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Ten: Gifts

The next time Castiel woke up, it was because he heard his cell phone ringing from somewhere nearby. He sat up and blinked, his eyes adjusting to the fact that the sun had set hours ago, and he looked for his phone. Cas finally found it and saw that Dean was calling. His eyes widened as he wondered what he should do. If he answered it, he would have to talk for a lengthy period of time and it would hurt his already aching throat, but what would happen if he didn't?

Cas decided to let it ring until it went to voicemail, and he took another dose of medicine before getting back into bed and finding a TV show that could hold his attention while he waited for Amriel to return from work.

His phone beeped, letting him know that he had a message, so he held the phone up to his ear and frowned as Dean's voice filtered through the tiny speaker.

_"Hey Cas, it's me. I know that you called a while ago and I probably shoulda called back as soon as I could, but I was busy. Anyways, I wanted to check up on ya- see how things are going with you being all human and crap. Don't make me come find you."_

Shaking his head, Cas hung up the phone and tossed it onto the bedside table. Typical Dean. Apologizing and threatening him in the matter of two sentences. He was in no condition to be dealing with the Winchester, so Castiel pushed the message to the back of his mind as he focused on the show he was watching.

He didn't want to think about what would happen if Dean suddenly showed up. Of course, the Winchester would probably only come if he needed help, and that would most likely entail Castiel leaving town and going on the road. He didn't want to leave, though. Cas liked it here- he liked the people he met while working at the gas station, he liked his menial job and that he had a roof over his head.

Most of all, Cas liked the fact that he spent all of his time with Amriel. Dean wouldn't take kindly to her, Cas knew that much. After everything the Winchesters had gone through when it came to angels, Dean would try to kill her before he even got a chance to explain that he cared for her and that she was not to be harmed.

Not like Dean would respect his wishes- not after what had happened with opening Purgatory and everything after that. Dean might have told him that he was over it and that he forgave him for his lies and treachery, but Cas knew that deep down Dean would never let it go, no matter how he tried to fix it and make things better.

Castiel sighed, finding that he could breathe a bit easier thanks to the pills he had been taking- modern medicine truly was a wonderful thing. He glanced to the door and the salt line he had laid hours ago, wondering when Amriel would return from the gas station.

* * *

Two days later, Castiel woke up feeling much better. He had slept most of the time, only waking to take medicine and eat soup, when he felt like it or if Amriel pushed it on him. She was rather persistent and believed that it would really help, so Cas indulged her.

Amriel had taken over his shifts at the Gas-n-Sip and he was more than thankful for that. He didn't know how she did it- he had worked all day and night before and it left him exhausted. But he could tell that she had been a little worn down when she left that morning. Her motions were less fluid and she had dropped her hairbrush in the bathroom, which woke Castiel up and prompted him to take another dose of medicine.

It was bright out, so he figured it was late morning or early afternoon. The sound of a key scraping in the lock and the door opening meant that she was back, and Castiel felt excitement building up in his chest. He thought she was going to be working late today.

"You're awake," she mused, laying a fresh line of salt before setting the motel key on the desk and taking off her coat. "I figured you'd be out for at least a few more days."

Cas shrugged, staring up at her from his position laying in bed, tucked beneath the covers. "I've been known to exceed expectations."

Amriel laughed and told him that Nora had sent her home for the day.

"I think she felt _guilty_ that I had been working from open to close for the past three days," she said as she pulled off her blue vest, putting it in her dresser drawer. "That's the word, right? Guilty?"

Once he confirmed her word choice, she continued. "Anyways, Nora told me to take the next two days off. We both have to be back on Monday though."

"That's nice of her," Cas muttered as he sat up, watching Amriel run her fingers through her long hair. Suddenly everything he had been thinking about vanished and all he could see was her reflection in the mirror that sat on the wall above the desk she was standing in front of.

She said something, though he didn't quite catch it. He was too busy admiring his view, as she was wearing a pair of dark gray leggings and a black, form fitting top that revealed a little more of her chest than he was used to seeing. He felt embarrassed by his appearance, knowing that he must've looked like such a mess. Was he feeling unworthy? He had no idea, but Amriel had turned around and was staring at him expectantly.

"Uh, what?" he asked, blinking a few times and she rolled her eyes.

"I asked if you were feeling better. I guess not, though, judging by how distant you seem."

"No, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something else. I feel much better," he sent her a smile and she crossed the room in a few long strides, pressing her hand against his forehead.

"You are no longer above normal temperature, so I think that's good," Amriel flashed him a pleased look, telling him that he appeared much better physically as well. "Marissa came by the gas station and asked if I'd go see her once I was off work. Would you like to come?"

Castiel knew that this Marissa girl worked at a store called _The Grove_, and he had seen her when she would frequent the gas station looking for Amriel. The girl seemed nice enough and he didn't think she had any ulterior motives, so he nodded, saying that it'd be good to get out of the stuffy motel room and out into the frigid air.

"Good! I'm sure you want to shower and change, so take your medicine and get to it. She's quite impatient," Amriel laughed as she sat on the bed, laying against her pillows and closing her eyes. "I'll be here, resting my eyes."

She seemed to like colloquial phrases, and was constantly trying them out when she spoke with Castiel, who could only laugh and shake his head when she used them incorrectly. Not that he was much better, but he still enjoyed seeing her cheeks flush a soft pink when he corrected her.

When Cas was done in the shower and dressed for their outing, Amriel was still in the same spot she had been when he left the room. He gently shook her shoulder and her eyes shot open, glancing around for any sign of trouble. Amriel got up and grabbed her scarf off of the table before digging into her purse and holding something behind her back, out of Castiel's sight.

"So I got you a present today," she told him, unable to keep a smile off of her face.

"You did?" Castiel had never been given a present before. Actually, no one had ever given him anything without a reason. Bobby Singer gave him a shotgun when he was powerless, and that was so he wouldn't be completely useless.

"Yeah! Now, I believe you're supposed to close your eyes and hold out your hands in order to receive said gift." Amriel watched him and once she was certain his eyes were closed, she set the small item in his outstretched palms. "It's not much, but I thought it could be useful to you. You may open your eyes."

Castiel peeked down to see that she had given him a pair of sunglasses that weren't all that different from the ones she had bought for herself from the gas station. They were wire framed and the lenses were practically mirrors- he could see himself staring down at them and he looked enthused.

"I remember you said that people wear them to protect their eyes from the sun. Snow is highly reflective and I worry about you," she said, watching him try them on and Amriel was pleased. "They look good!"

She moved out of the way so he could see himself in the mirror, and he actually didn't mind his appearance. Not that he really cared how he looked, but if Amriel was happy, so was he. He hadn't seen many people wearing sunglasses out around town, just a few at the gas station, so he figured he wouldn't be too out of place if he wore them.

"Thank you for being so thoughtful," Cas said, taking them off and hanging them from the collar of his t-shirt before he put on his sweatshirt and jacket. Amriel smiled, leaning up and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, feeling the slight stubble that resided there. He hadn't shaved in a few days, but she certainly didn't mind.

"C'mon, let's go before Marissa sends me a dozen texts." Amriel grabbed his hand and slung her purse over her shoulder, pulling him out of their motel room and locking the door behind them.

* * *

Amriel and Cas walked into the warm store and found Marissa sitting at the register, filing her long nails and chewing a piece of gum, snapping it loudly. The redhead looked up as the pair entered and her jaw dropped, the gum nearly falling out of her mouth at the sight of the blonde girl holding hands with the older man. But Marissa couldn't lie, Steve was hot. Like, if she was into older guys she would hit him up in a heartbeat. But alas, she had a thing for bad boys.

"Amy, you brought your boyfriend! It's nice to finally see you two together," Marissa laughed, taking in his blue jacket with a zipped up red hoodie underneath, jeans, and boots, wondering why men lacked a sense of style. "Hi Steve."

"Hello Marissa," he nodded, looking around the store and taking in the vast amount of clothing that filled the small space.

"So, you asked me to come here once I got off work. Steve has been sick for the past few days, so I thought he could use some fresh air. I hope it's okay that he came with me…"

Marissa shrugged and said it was fine with her. "A lot of dudes think shopping is boring, so more power to you if you found one that likes tagging along. Anyways- we got this dress in today for spring and it has your name all over it."

Amriel watched as the girl grabbed a hanger from a nearby rack and held up a coral colored dress that looked way too small to be a dress for her frame.

"That? Are you sure?" she took the hanger and inspected it closely, not noticing that Castiel had disappeared from her side to look through the racks of men's clothes the store had available.

"Positive. I'm sure Steve will love it on you just as much as he'll love taking it off," Marissa winked, and Amriel realized that she was suggesting something sexual.

"Oh, no- Marissa- We haven't- _I_ haven't-" Amriel was stuttering and she felt her entire body heat up. She felt what she realized was embarrassment, and she was almost certain that her face was bright red.

Marissa's eyes widened and she grinned. "Oh my God! You've never had sex?"

Amriel covered her face with her free hand, unhappy with how this conversation was going.

"Amy, don't be embarrassed! C'mon. Let's get you into this dress and have some girl talk." Marissa took Amriel's hand and dragged her back to the dressing rooms, all but pushing her in and closing the curtain behind her.

The fallen angel carefully pulled on the dress, unsure if she would rip the fabric. When it didn't tear and she thought that it was in place, Amriel looked in the mirror and shook her head. She wasn't going to wear this _anywhere_.

It was far too tight and didn't even reach her fingertips when her hands were at her sides, something Marissa had told her to be aware of. Instead of having sleeves it had finger-width straps that showed too much of her shoulders. It was made of a fabric that was soft and flexible, and it formed to her body well. The neckline was also something Amriel took offense to- it was a u-shape that revealed more than she would like, and she had told Marissa this before.

"Are you done in there? I have a pair of shoes that I think will go with it," Marissa's voice came from right outside, startling Amriel, who pulled back the curtain and frowned.

"This isn't appropriate whatsoever!" Amriel hissed, setting her hands on her hips to convey her annoyance, much like she had seen characters on TV do.

"You look _hot_, Amy! Here, put these on. Turquoise stilettos aren't something we get in the store very often," the human handed her a pair of shoes that had a heel that looked like a weapon. Amriel took them with a look of distaste, but put them on regardless.

The shoes added almost four inches to Amriel's height, and now the girl realized that she had a higher vantage point. _This might not be too bad_, she thought to herself before she took a step and nearly fell over, but Marissa quickly reacted and set both hands on her shoulders, steadying her.

"It takes a little practice, but you get used to it," she laughed. "I knew anything body con would look great on you… It's way sexier than that black dress you have."

"This isn't something I should be wearing! It's immodest," Amriel whined moving a couple more steps and getting a feel for the shoes. "Can I please change back into my clothes now?"

"No!" Marissa snapped. "C'mon, this dress looks great on you, and in a second you can go see how Steve likes it. But first, I wanna ask you something."

Amriel eyed her curiously, taking in her serious tone and realizing that she was trying to be a good friend.

"So, you've never had sex. But you like Steve, don't you?"

The blonde nodded, "Yeah. I like him a lot-."

"He seems like a good guy, Amy, but he also seems clueless and way too nice. If you wanna take things to the next level, wear this and you'll have him doing whatever you want, like a siren luring men to their deaths at sea."

"I- I'm not a siren. They haven't existed for centuries," Amriel said, making Marissa laugh, her green eyes lighting up with mirth.

"You definitely are when it comes to him, I can tell. Now, go on out there and ask what he thinks."

Amriel shrugged and slowly walked out into the store, seeing that Castiel was turned away from her, looking through a rack of dress shirts.

"Hey Steve," she called out, aware that her voice sounded unsure and cautious.

Cas turned around immediately, finding Amriel standing fifteen feet away, wearing a pinkish-red dress that looked absolutely amazing on her. She appeared to be a little taller, and a glance down to her feet confirmed that she was wearing shoes with a higher heel. He put the shirt he had been holding back on the rack and approached her, unaware that Marissa was watching the entire time.

"You look stunning," he told her, unable to take his eyes off of the dress and how it complimented every part of her it touched. "How can a simple piece of fabric make you look more beautiful than you already are?"

"I always thought clothes were meant to keep people covered and decent," Amriel mumbled, smoothing out a non-existent wrinkle. She was almost Castiel's height now, but she was still just a bit shorter and she wondered if there were shoes that were higher than the ones she was wearing now.

"Are you going to purchase it?" Cas asked and she shook her head.

"It's too provocative. Marissa thinks it's a good fit but I don't think it's appropriate."

At this point, Marissa interrupted and asked, "Steve, did you see anything you liked?"

She smirked when she saw his blue eyes dart to her friend before replying that he didn't find anything for himself.

"I'd like to buy the dress and shoes for Amy, though. She's taken care of me while I've been sick, and what better way to is there show my appreciation than to buy her a gift."

Marissa smiled at his sentiment, kinda angry that she thought he was only after a younger girl for the sake of being able to say he had a younger girlfriend. Steve wasn't your average guy, she could tell.

"Cool! I'll ring you up while Amy changes, how does that sound?"

Amriel suppressed a groan as she trudged back into the fitting room and slipped out of the dress and shoes, pulling on her leggings and various layers of clothes. She zipped up her boots and exited the small room to find Marissa staring Castiel down with a hard look.

"Don't mess things up with Amy," she threatened the man. "And make sure you use protection! She's a good girl and doesn't need to be _tainted_ by someone that doesn't appreciate her."

Cas handed Marissa the cash for the purchase, slightly confused, and said, "I appreciate her more than anyone could ever understand."

"Good," she nodded before looking over his shoulder to Amriel. "I'll see you in a few days. Pedicures?"

"Pedicures," Amriel repeated, a hint of uncertainty in her voice but she agreed regardless.

The pair left the store and Amriel shot him a glare as she put on her sunglasses, telling him that she didn't want him to buy the dress for her. He saw that her cheeks were flushed and he knew it wasn't because of the cold- she was angry with him.

"Humans wear clothing like that even if they don't look good in it- you've seen those fashion shows. But it looks magnificent on you, Amriel, so why not buy it? Take pride in yourself," he said, not realizing that he was telling an angel to be prideful of her appearance, something that was frowned upon in Heaven.

"Just shut up, Castiel," she snapped, tossing the bag to him and walking down the street towards the small convenience store she had been wanting to visit.

"What are we doing in here?" Cas asked as they walked up and down aisles, Amriel's gray eyes scanning the shelves, looking for something. "Are you trying to buy alcohol?"

"Yeah. I thought that if you were feeling better tomorrow, we could see how much it takes for me to become intoxicated. I've been wanting to for a while, but you got sick…" She found it hard to be upset with him when he was standing so close to her and looking at her the way he was.

Cas sighed and led her toward the back of the store, where an entire wall was stocked with different types of liquor.

"What do you suggest?" Amriel looked over her shoulder to Castiel, who was busy taking in the contents of the shelves. He stepped forward and picked up a large, clear bottle with a blue label that read _Nikolai_, and he showed it to her.

"This. Sam once told me this is the vodka college students drink and while it's strong, it apparently tastes like rubbing alcohol." He spotted a bottle of whiskey and picked that up as well. "This is what Sam and Dean drink. It's very potent. We should buy these."

Amriel nodded, still glancing over the shelves until she saw a bottle that caught her eye. She picked up some Bacardi 151 and read over its label as well as the Nikolai, realizing that it was actually stronger.

"We'll get the three of these. You mentioned that you can mix these with other drinks?"

Cas nodded, but he knew that she would probably end up just drinking it straight. He, on the other hand, would need something to dilute it, so they grabbed a carton of orange juice and a six-pack of beer, just in case he didn't want to drink liquor, before heading to the checkout counter.

He realized that at the gas station, he was supposed to ask young looking people for identification to confirm their age when buying alcohol or cigarettes, and he wondered if they would ask here. As Amriel purchased the liquor, the woman running the register looked from her to Castiel and nodded, accepting her money and giving her the shopping bags.

Relieved because he would have felt inappropriate using Jimmy Novak's driver's license, Cas followed Amriel out of the store and back to the motel, where she hung up the dress in the closet and put the shoes on the floor beneath them, beside Castiel's sneakers.

"Sorry for how I acted after you bought me these things," she said quietly, avoiding his gaze and sitting on the small sofa. Amriel hadn't meant to snap, but she did, and now she felt bad. "I was being irrational and I apologize."

"It's fine, everyone does it. It's a part of being human," he shrugged, sitting beside her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "But, when we drink tomorrow, you should wear the dress and what were they called? Eels? You can practice for when the weather is warmer and you can wear them out to dinner."

"High _heels_, Cas," Amriel laughed, leaning into him and moving her legs so they rested on top of his. "I think that's a fair trade."

"Good. Now, what would you like to do now? We've been on our grand adventure today, so I imagine you'd want to stay here."

Cas knew Amriel all too well. She did love to explore their surroundings, but she either liked to go out for long periods of time or not go out at all. She didn't see the point of leaving for a few minutes, returning to the motel, and then leaving again, especially with how cold it had been outside. Amriel hated removing her coat constantly, and Cas couldn't blame her. It _was_ tedious to deal with winter clothing. Spring was almost here, though, and then they wouldn't have to worry about it.

"Oh, I don't know… I think I want to sit here kissing you. I could use the practice," she flashed him a smile he identified as coy, and Castiel stifled a laugh.

"That's something I can spend hours doing," he barely had time to finish his sentence before he felt Amriel's soft lips on his, and then their conversation was put on hold.


	11. Together

Hey everyone! Welcome to the next chapter. I always feel like I'm apologizing for taking so long to post. My mom had a major surgery so I've been taking care of her along with going to work, so I've been pretty busy.

This chapter was originally two separate chapters, but I decided that I wanted to combine them into one mega-chapter. A lot is going on, but hopefully you enjoy. Also, this chapter includes the first "smut scene" that I've ever published, so I'm really just hoping to get more comfortable with writing them/better at it with time.

I hope you all enjoy, and hold on to your hats, because things are going to kick into gear pretty fast! Thanks for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing! And feel free to PM me any time!

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Together

"Okay, so, I just keep drinking until I feel something?" Amriel asked, now wearing her new dress and the high heels that put her at a closer height to Castiel's lips, so it was easier for her to kiss him.

"Yeah," he said, pulling out a couple of small glasses that the motel supplied and the cold orange juice for himself, watching her open the bottle of 151. "We'll keep track on a pad of paper."

Amriel was excited to say the very least. She had wanted to do this since Cas told her he drank an entire liquor store. But that was when he had been a full angel. She wasn't nearly as powerful, so she didn't think it would take anywhere that much.

Cas opened a cold beer and took a swig- they had just eaten dinner, so he knew that he wouldn't become inebriated as quickly as he would on an empty stomach. Amriel, on the other hand, poured herself a generous glass of the rum and held her drink out in a toast, like she had seen in movies.

"Cheers?" she asked, unsure if that was the proper term, and Castiel nodded, tapping his beer against her cup. "Cheers."

Cas sipped at his drink slowly, watching Amriel as she practically chugged hers, setting the glass down when it was empty and letting out a quiet hiss.

"That certainly… burns?" She glanced up to him as she rubbed her chest to try and make the feeling stop. She wondered if she was explaining it correctly and when Cas shrugged and refilled her glass, she figured she was.

"It certainly has a distinct taste. That's one," Cas marked down a tally on the tiny pad of motel paper using the pen that came with it as well. He had written her name at the top of it in messy handwriting, realizing it was one of the first things he had penned in English in a very long time.

Half of the bottle of 151 was now gone, and Amriel was still speaking coherently. While Castiel had only consumed two beers before he started to feel dizzy, Amriel was busy pouring her seventh drink and quickly downing it.

"I don't think this is working. Maybe I need to try drinking more at a faster rate…" She downed another two drinks quickly, and Cas marked down another two tallies.

"Alcohol takes some time to hit you, Elle, maybe you should slow down," Cas mumbled, watching her take a long swig straight out of the bottle. Should he count that in his total?

"There it is again," she said as she set the bottle down. "You've been calling me Elle. Is that a nickname?"

"Yeah," he nodded, watching as she emptied the bottle into her glass. "It suits you better than Amy. Do you not like it?"

She furrowed her brows in thought and Castiel suddenly found himself worried. What if he had been calling her that and she didn't want him to?

"I like it more than Amy," she told him with a smile. Amriel honestly preferred it when Cas called her by her actual name, but for some reason she liked that he made up a moniker for her. It was meant for her and her alone, which was something she had never experienced in Heaven.

Amriel had finished off the bottle of rum and opened up the plastic Nikolai bottle. She took a sip and coughed, her eyes screwing shut and a burning sensation worse than the rum spread through her chest.

"This is absolutely _foul_. Where's that orange juice?" She got up from her seat on the couch, setting the bottle back on the table and heading towards the refrigerator, swaying slightly as she walked.

"Are you sure you don't feel anything yet? You seem to be walking differently." Castiel watched as she leaned over and peered into the fridge- he found himself staring at her small figure and he wanted nothing more than to feel her body against his. That dress hugged her form, leaving little to the imagination and her legs were long and lean, and he wondered what it'd be like to have them entangled with his. Cas had only had sex once, but he had been imagining it with Amriel more and more lately and he wasn't sure why.

"I think it's these shoes- they're not very stable on carpet," Amriel said as she pulled out of the fridge with the carton of juice. "I should probably just take them off."

Amriel lifted one foot while trying to balance on the other, and with the juice in her left hand she tried to take off one of her shoes. Stumbling, she clattered to the floor and Cas was up and at her side in a matter of seconds.

"I think you're a little drunk," Cas said with a laugh, picking up the orange juice and setting it on top of the fridge before leaning down and helping Amriel up off of the ground. He picked her up and deposited her on the small kitchen counter, removing both of her shoes and letting them fall to the floor with a thud.

"Maybe just a little," she nodded, noticing that she was now eye level with him as she sat on the counter. "Come here, Castiel."

Cas had been busy returning the orange juice to the fridge when she called for him, and he was quickly in front of her, admiring the way her hair fell over her shoulders and nearly touched her elbows. He reached out and picked up a strand, wondering how it was so soft. He mumbled to himself in Enochian without even realizing it, but Amriel heard him loud and clear. _"How are you so awe-inspiring?"_

Amriel shook her head and smiled before grabbing a handful of his shirt and pulling him close enough to press a kiss to his soft lips. Cas groaned in response and moved so that he was standing in between her legs, her dress riding up her thighs. One of his hands went to rest on her hip while the other tangled itself in her hair, and he deepened their kiss. Amriel was running on instinct and what she had seen in movies, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, moving to kiss the corner of his mouth before leaning her forehead against his.

"Cas, do you want to-" she couldn't even form the question, knowing that she shouldn't have to ask something like that. She wasn't even sure what to say.

He knew what she was asking, and a quiet _yes_ flew out of his mouth before he could even think about it. He wanted nothing more than to be as close as humanly possible to her- in fact, he had dreamt about it more than he'd like to admit. Cas pulled back, holding her at arm's length and asking if she was sure.

"I want to experience all facets of being human, and I want to experience them with you," Amriel answered as she reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it behind him somewhere near the bed.

Cas lifted her off of the counter and Amriel wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms tightening around his neck until he laid her on the bed, keeling over her and pressing wet kisses all over her neck and collarbone, feeling his heart skip a beat when she let out a quiet moan.

"You're wearing too much," he told her, his voice somehow a little deeper than it normally was, and he had her lift her hips so he could get the tight dress off of her body. It took a little work since he didn't know there was a zipper, but Cas was determined and once Amriel was rid of the garment he sat back and stared down at her exposed skin, realizing he had never seen her in her underwear before.

Amriel ran her fingers over his chest and neck, amazed by how soft his skin was. Textures were fascinating now that she was in a human body, and she could have spent an eternity touching Cas.

Arching her back, Amriel reached beneath herself and undid her bra, tossing it to the side. She had no knowledge of what she was supposed to do other than what she had seen on television, so she let her fingers follow the lines of his body, all the way down to the hem of his checkered boxers.

Cas bit his lip as he felt her hand slip into his underwear and he let out a quiet groan when her fingers grazed over his manhood, igniting a fire in the pit of his stomach that he had never felt before. Amriel wrapped her hand around him and Cas gasped, startling the girl and making her fumble and withdraw her hand.

"I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?" She asked and Castiel shook his head, wanting nothing more than for her to do it again.

"No, quite the opposite, actually." He murmured as he ground his hips against hers, watching her eyes widen as she felt his hard member against her.

"Oh... I think I understand now," she nodded and then she asked, "Can I do it again?"

Cas shook his head, telling her that he had something else in mind. Pressing a searing kiss to her lips, Castiel sent her a smile before he started to kiss down her neck and chest until he found her soft, pink nipple and swirled his tongue around it, making her elicit a moan that made his chest tighten. While he busied his mouth, his right hand ran up along her stomach and found her other nipple, and he rolled the hard nub between his fingers.

"Th- that feels wonderful, Castiel," she moaned, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and pulling him closer to her, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Suddenly Cas lifted his head and stared straight at Amriel, "Say my name again."

"_Castiel,_" she rasped, "I want you to make love to me."

She saw him pause for a moment and she wondered if she had done something wrong. A girl had said that in a movie she saw, so she thought it was appropriate... But she didn't have much time to dwell on it when Cas sat up and tugged off her panties as well as his boxers before tossing them aside and settling above her, their chests barely grazing as their breaths mingled together between them.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and trailing his thumb along the soft skin underneath her breast.

"I want nothing more," Amriel nodded, and with that confirmation, Cas slid one finger, then two into her opening and heard her let out a small sigh. She was tight and warm, which only turned him on more than he thought possible. He could only imagine what it would feel like once he was actually inside of her, but he wouldn't have to wait long for that.

Once he felt her grip on his fingers relax after a few moments, Cas withdrew his fingers and Amriel groaned in annoyance, making him laugh.

"Patience is a virtue, Elle," he smiled, lining himself with her opening, teasing her slick outer lips with the tip of his member before gently sinking into her inch by inch, giving her time to adjust.

The air was thick with their arousal and Castiel could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he gazed down at the girl beneath him, her eyes closed for a moment until she opened them suddenly, gray meeting blue as she nodded, giving him a sweet smile that he took as a sign to continue.

Cas began to withdraw himself from her and slowly but surely he found his rhythm, but what surprised him the most was when Amriel threw one of her arms around his neck, digging her fingers into his skin and meeting him thrust for thrust.

There was no space between them now, his face was buried in her neck, his lips brushing against her skin as he listened to her soft gasps and moans, and Cas knew he couldn't hold out much longer.

Amriel was overwhelmed by everything that was happening. From Castiel's hand gripping her hip to the way his hot breath fell across her neck paired with the way he was rolling his hips in time with hers- she had never experienced anything like this in her entire existence.

"Cas, I-" she cut herself off, her vision filled with nothing but white light as her body suddenly tensed and she felt like she was falling from Heaven all over again.

When Castiel heard her call out his name, he was momentarily worried before he felt her muscles pulsing around his member, and he too fell into his own abyss of pleasure, his vision fading in and out as he thrust into her a few more times before letting out the breath he had been holding and lying his head against her shoulder, exhausted.

* * *

As they laid together, both completely worn out from their exploration of each other, Castiel realized that this was something completely different than the sex he had with that reaper. It was fueled by something greater than lust, and he was trying to figure out exactly what it was. He didn't notice that he had been staring her until she spoke up.

"What?" Amriel asked, sending him a confused look as she laid against her pillow. "Is there something wrong?"

Castiel shook his head and opened his mouth to say something but he found that it was dry. Clearing his throat with a small cough, he answered, "No, you're just the most beautiful thing I've seen in all of creation."

He watched her flush, the pink spreading from her cheeks down to her neck and chest and she took his hands with hers, lacing their fingers together.

"You're referring to my vessel, aren't you?" Amriel wondered if Cas would still feel that way if she was in a different body, but he assured her that he was attracted to her as a being, not her vessel.

"It's hard to explain in human terms," he said, leaning down and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. "I knew you to be beautiful in Heaven and that beauty has manifested here on Earth in everything that you do."

Amriel realized that she felt similarly, and she smiled up at him as she said, "I feel the same way. I think I love you, Cas."

That was it. He was feeling an exorbitant amount of love, but he couldn't put his finger on it until now. Castiel smiled, his blue eyes lighting up as he felt a warmth spread through his chest.

"And I love you too," he answered, running his fingers along her cheek and admiring how soft her skin was. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and frowned. "Did you unplug the clock?"

"No, why?" Amriel asked, yawning as she spoke. She looked over her shoulder and saw that the clock was flashing, its red numbers reading 12:00 every time and she shrugged. "I'll figure out how to set it later."

There was a full moon out, so the small gap in between the curtains was all they needed to see in the motel room. Amriel could clearly see the stubble on Castiel's face and remembered how good it felt against her skin when they kissed. They laid in bed talking, their conversations shifting between English and Enochian, when the topic was about a memory of Heaven or a joke another angel had told.

"And they didn't get it?" Amriel asked, completely baffled by Castiel's recounting of their run-in with the Whore of Babylon.

"No," he shook his head, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "They assumed it was an exorcism. Sam and Dean aren't exactly the brightest."

"Well of course not. Then again, they don't speak Enochian so they wouldn't know." Amriel felt like she had to defend Sam for some reason, but she left it at that. "You said that's at the same time you drank the liquor store?"

"Yeah- a poor choice on my part, but it seemed like a good idea at the time." Cas shrugged and she nodded in understanding. It had been after he received word from Joshua that God wanted him to back off, of course he was going to be upset.

"I'm sure you had a terrible- um, what's it called? Hangedover?" Amriel tried to think of the word, but Cas corrected her gently, knowing that these distinctly human phrases weren't the easiest to understand.

"A _hangover_, and yes. I had a terrible headache that lasted for what felt like years. Speaking of that, how are you feeling?"

It had been hours since either of them drank any alcohol, and Cas was completely sober, so he wondered if Amriel was as well. She blinked a few times and bit her lip, like she was waiting for a sign or something.

"I think I'm fine. I'm not dizzy or feeling ill, so I don't think I'll have a hangover," she beamed, "I don't ever wish to have one of those."

"Trust me, if you kept drinking that vodka you would've been in for a bad one in the morning. What would you like to do tomorrow?" Cas rolled so he was on his back, and Amriel sat up and grabbed his t-shirt from off the ground, slipping it on and enjoying how soft it felt. She found the remote for the television on the bedside table and turned it on, finding a channel that was playing a late night talk show.

"I think Marissa wants to get something called a pedicure in the morning. Maybe after that we could go to the park if it's nice out?" She glanced to her right to see Cas nod slightly, his eyes barely open as he began to drift off to sleep. Amriel lay back down and moved closer to him, smiling when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and had her rest her head against his chest. She liked being able to hear his heart beating. With a yawn, Amriel told him goodnight, receiving a "_g'night_" in return.

* * *

Leaving Cas to sleep in, Amriel met up with Marissa at a nail salon, a place the former angel had never been before. The girls chose nail polish and soaked their feet, while Amriel thumbed through a gossip magazine that she had seen on a rack at the gas station. Marissa was busy checking gossip news on her phone, showing Amriel photos of dresses and outfits on celebrities that she liked.

"Who exactly is Miley Cyrus and why does she have her tongue out all the time?" Amriel asked, holding up the magazine for Marissa to see, and the redhead's eyes widened as she set down her phone.

"You don't know who Miley Cyrus is? Amy, do you live under a rock?"

Amriel frowned, laying the magazine down in her lap and blinking a few times, unsure of how to respond. She felt strange, like she had been insulted, and she quickly shrugged and said that she didn't get out much.

"I don't pay close enough attention to popular culture, I guess," she answered quietly, turning to watch the man that was scrubbing her feet and massaging them. She thought she had been doing a good job when it came to watching television and movies, but apparently it wasn't enough.

A few quiet moments passed before Marissa said, "I'm sorry, it was just a joke.. You seem different, though. Happier, almost like you-" Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened before her pale pink lips formed a wide smile on her face. "You and Steve finally hooked up."

"Uh- yes, several times last night," she nodded, "It was much different than movies depict."

Marissa laughed and nodded, glad that her friend had a good first time. Hers on the other hand had taken place at a frat party and she barely remembered it the morning after. Plus she had classes with the guy and it was pretty awkward. Instead of thinking about past mistakes though, Marissa asked more about Steve. She had only interacted with the guy a few times and he had been stiff and awkward, kinda like Amy was when she first met her.

"What's Steve like outside of the good old Gas-N-Sip? Does he like.. do puzzles and watch the news all the time?" Marissa didn't know what 35-year-old men did in their spare time, so she threw out something that sounded like it made sense.

"No, not puzzles. He likes card games, actually," Amriel thought about how he taught her how to play poker and _Go Fish_. "Steve is really… family oriented. He'd do anything for them, and I'm the same way. He's been through a lot in the past few years, but he's stronger because of it."

Marissa noticed the look in her friend's eyes and clearly identified it as a girl that was clearly in love. To each her own, she guessed, smiling at the blonde before looking down to see that her toes were nearly done being painted a navy blue.

"So that's why he's working at the gas station? He's doing some soul searching?"

"You could say that, I guess," Amriel nodded. "I'm um, in a similar situation. My Father left, and my siblings and I were kicked out of our home after a fight. We don't get along very well, and so we went our separate ways. This has been the longest I've stayed in a town since I left home, and Steve has really helped me. You have, too, Marissa."

They moved from the massage chairs to sit with their feet beneath a bright, UV light, and Marissa thought about how something that seemed as easy and simple as a friendship could help someone in ways she didn't even realize. She knew that Amy was a little strange, but Marissa thought it was endearing and she liked teaching her about fashion and makeup.

"You're like a sister to me, Amy. I hope you know that. What are you doing after this? We should grab a smoothie or something," she suggested, watching the blonde's smile fall.

"I'm going out with Steve, otherwise I would. But we can go together and I can get a smoothie for him too before I have to meet him," Amriel offered, not wanting to disappoint her only friend. It was the first nice day the town was experiencing in months- the sun was shining and a heavy coat wasn't necessary, which was a welcomed reprieve for Amriel, who was sick of winter.

Marissa nodded before checking their toes and saying they were ready to head out. The girls paid- well, Marissa insisted on paying for the both of them, much to Amriel's annoyance. On their way to the smoothie shop, Amriel decided that she was going to buy Marissa's drink- it was the least she could do.

* * *

Cas was brushing his teeth when he heard Amriel come in the door to the motel room. He heard the clatter of the key hitting the desk, along with her footsteps as she approached the bathroom he was standing in. Glancing in the mirror, Cas saw that she was carrying two styrofoam cups with bright orange straws, and she was wearing an excited look on her face.

"I brought you a smoothie!" she announced, setting it on the bathroom counter and returning to the main room. "It's peach mango. Mine is passion fruit, if you want to taste it when you're done. Oh, and there was a note on the door from the hotel management apologizing for a power outage last night… Did I do that to you?"

Amriel saw that his bare back was covered in red, thin lines and she looked down at her nails with a frown. He turned around and checked in the mirror, shrugging as he finished brushing his teeth.

Once he pulled on a shirt, he glanced over his appearance in the mirror once more, determining that he looked presentable before picking up his drink and walking out into the room as well.

"You didn't have to get me one, I appreciate it," he said, taking a sip from the straw. "And the scratches aren't a big deal. I didn't even notice until you said something. Now, you wanted to go to the park?"

Amriel nodded, saying that lots of people would be out because it was a Sunday and the weather was finally good enough to spend the day outside. She loved people watching, and she knew Cas did too. There was something calming about sitting and watching everything around them, trying to understand human nuances and figuring out what they meant.

"Let's go then," Cas held out his hand and pulled Amriel from the bed so she was standing beside him. He pressed a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth, watching her smile up at him before she drank some of her smoothie and dragged him out the door, leaving him just enough time to grab his sunglasses off of the table before they were off to the park.

* * *

Seated on their usual bench, the pair of celestial beings, well, one former celestial being and an angel locked out of Heaven, watched mothers doting on children, kids playing games, and a family taking their dog for a walk.

"Do you think they realize that we're different?" Amriel asked suddenly. They had been sitting in silence for about ten minutes, observing and drinking their beverages. "_We_ know that we're out of place, but do humans?"

Castiel thought about her question, wondering if it was true. Sure, people must have thought they were strange, not understanding jokes or cultural references. He was what humans considered awkward at times, and he knew that Amriel was the same way.

"I honestly don't know. I doubt that they think we- you're an angel, or that I was at one time. Humans are ignorant to that sort of thing. They probably think we don't get out very often."

"Marissa asked me if I _live under a rock_ today," Amriel sighed, setting her cup beside her. "It hurt a little- I try my best to fit in."

She didn't want to sound as upset as she was, but Amriel really was trying, and Cas knew it. He saw the way she sat glued to the TV, watching how characters interacted and how they spoke to each other. She was the same way at the park, too, and she took what she saw and practiced, much like he did around the Winchesters. It was like deja vu seeing Amriel adjusting to her life on Earth. He could see it in the way she carried herself- no longer stiff like an angel within a vessel.

"You're doing a good job, Elle," he told her. "Much better than our siblings, I'm sure."

Amriel laughed at his understatement. The last time she had seen her brothers and sisters they were trying to fight each other while still figuring out what they could and couldn't do in their vessels. While they had been busy arguing, Amriel saw it as her chance to disappear without a struggle, and she had taken off. She had no desire to deal with their pettiness or their bickering.

All Amriel had wanted to do was restore Heaven and return home. Now that she had spent time with Cas, she wasn't so sure of what she wanted anymore.

"That's comforting," Amriel mumbled, leaning back against the bench and squinting. Even though she was wearing sunglasses, it was still extremely bright outside. "Spring is here, Cas. I can't wait to do away with all of these confining clothes and wear _shorts_. I think I recall that Amy greatly preferred those over pants."

"I'm aware. It will be nice to finally be able to go somewhere without being drenched in snow. We'll get to spend more time outside without worrying about freezing." Cas realized that in two weeks, it would be six months since he had become human. Six months since the angels fell, and about five months since Amriel had arrived. Time passed so quickly now that he was human, and he knew that he didn't want to waste any of it.

"Let's go sit on those swings," he said suddenly, standing up and taking Amriel's hand as a confused look crossed her face. She looked from Cas to the open swing set and stood, following him across the park where they sat side by side on the hanging seats.

"I don't know how to do this, Cas," her voice wavered as she swayed, thinking that she was going to fall at any second.

"Neither do I, but it seems like everyone else enjoys it. I want to start doing more than just working all the time."

Amriel could see that he was enjoying this new experience, so she nodded, "Okay. Let's start now."

* * *

A/N: Well, there you have it! I really imagined their first time being awkward and careful, but I didn't want to draw it out more than it needed to be. Stay tuned for more (and most likely better) scenes in future chapters! And again, thanks for reading! -HB


	12. Visit

Hello! Welcome to chapter twelve! Work has been busy, but my mom is doing a lot better after her surgery and I've had time to go through and reread/edit some stuff, and now here we are. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks so much for reading, commenting, favoriting and subscribing! I really appreciate it. :)

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Visit

Dean walked into the Rexford, Idaho Gas-N-Sip about ten minutes before closing. He had tapped into Cas' GPS on his phone and tracked him down to this spot, so he knew he was gonna find his friend here. What he didn't expect to find, though, was a blonde little number standing behind the counter in a pair of denim shorts, a white Beatles shirt, and a hideous blue vest that had a name tag pinned to it.

Upon glancing around the store, he realized that they were the only two people in the gas station, and he squinted, wondering where Cas was. The blonde girl greeted him, her sweet voice ringing out, _"Good evening, can I help you find anything?"_

"Not yet, thanks," was Dean's reply as he scanned the aisles for any trace of Castiel. His gun was a mere inches away from his fingertips, just in case, but so far he hadn't seen anything suspicious except for the fact that a hot girl was working at this dump.

Dean grabbed a slice of blueberry pie and a cup of coffee before heading to the counter, his eyes flashing up to the girl's name tag before scanning her gray eyes and wondering if she had a number he could call once she got off work.

"Hey, Amy," Dean started casually as she rang up his items and grabbed him a plastic fork. "You wouldn't be able to tell me if you've seen someone around here, would you?"

"I see a lot of people come through, so possibly. Who are you looking for?" the girl asked, and Dean figured she couldn't have been over 25. Something about her seemed off, though. Her movements seemed a bit awkward and not as fluid as he would expect of a girl as pretty as she was. She was small enough, Dean could probably snap her tiny frame like a twig, but there was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on.

"Just a friend. I haven't seen him in a while and I thought I'd try and find him," he shrugged. "He's about my height, dark hair, blue eyes, usually has 5 o'clock shadow. _Really_ awkward- doesn't get a lot of jokes."

The girl looked like she was thinking about it and she read off his total. Dean handed her a bill and she quickly made change, bagging his items and tossing the receipt inside, along with a few napkins.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I've seen anyone matching that description. I could take down your name and number and call you if I do, though?"

Dean shook his head, trying to hide his annoyance. The GPS said that Cas was _here_, at this shitty gas station, _right now_, and either this girl was lying or he was wrong, and he was rarely ever wrong.

"That's okay, sweetheart. I'll just take my pie and be on my way," Dean leaned forward to take the bag from Amy and caught a glimpse of something familiar beside the register.

Drawing his gun, Dean knew he was probably on security cameras, but he didn't care at this point. Amy stared at the weapon, confused almost, but there was no fear on her face as she glanced from the gun to him.

"Where'd you get that phone from?" he asked, pointing the gun down towards the cash register. That was Cas' phone, he knew it.

"Excuse me?" she replied, unsure of what he meant. "I accidentally took my boyfriend's phone instead of my own. I'm using it until I'm done with my shift."

"Yeah, sure. Save it, Blondie. Where's my friend?"

Dean watched her eyes widen slightly and she hesitated to say, "I don't know who you're talking about."

"You know damn well who I'm talking about!" Dean shouted, but she didn't flinch. "Where's Castiel?"

He saw something in her eyes change- her gaze narrowed and her stance shifted so she wasn't just standing there passively. This _Amy_ girl looked like she was getting ready to fight him.

"Castiel isn't here," was her reply, and Dean almost laughed. "Now, you should probably leave before I call the authorities."

Dean raised an eyebrow- he knew that tone. He recognized that speech pattern and associated it with those dickbag angels he had been dealing with for what seemed like forever. He saw her eyeing the gun with an unimpressed look, so he returned it to its spot in the waistband of his jeans, tucked beneath his jacket, and his mind began racing. _He didn't have an angel blade with him._

"Which one are you? Sneezy, Sleepy, Sexy?" Dean asked with a sneer, referring to the angel's vessel, insulting and complimenting her at the same time. He vaguely remembered asking Gabriel a similar question.

"I don't understand your question," she answered, shaking her head and her long, golden hair flowed all the way down her back, making Dean pause for a second as he stared at her.

"What's your God-given name?" he clarified, and _Amy_ rolled her eyes, surprising Dean. Since when did angels besides Cas do that?

"My name is Amriel," she said with a small smile on her pale face, raising her chin slightly. "I am the angel of May. Now, who are you to come into this store and point a weapon at me?"

"I'm the guy that's gonna kill you if you don't tell me where Cas is."

The front door opened and Dean wanted to keep his eyes on this Amriel girl, but he had to see if this was a civilian and if he had to act normal. He quickly averted his gaze and saw his friend standing in the doorway, his eyes wide and his mouth stuck open in some bad attempt to say something.

"Cas?" Dean asked, watching his friend shoot him a glance before looking over to the blonde.

"Amriel, are you all right?"

Those were the first words of of Castiel's mouth, and Dean deflated. He _knew_ her? Judging by the way Cas gawked at her, Dean could tell that he knew her pretty fucking well.

"I'm fine," she said softly and Cas walked past Dean and behind the counter, standing beside Amriel and looking her over to make sure she was telling the truth.

"What the hell is going on here, Cas?" Dean asked, trying to get his friend's attention, and once he did, he could finally get a good look at him.

Cas looked good, to say the very least. He looked healthy and like he had been eating- probably had a decent sleep schedule, too, judging by the lack of bags under his eyes. He was just so _human_, and it still caught Dean off guard. Cas was wearing a pair of jeans, a dark jacket over a green t-shirt, and boots, and Dean suddenly wondered where his trench coat was.

"Why don't you wait outside until Amriel and I have talked. We still have to close the store and then we can catch up," Cas told him rather than asked, and Dean grumbled something about going out to eat his pie in the car before walking out of the gas station with a huff.

* * *

"_That_ was Dean Winchester? I didn't even recognize him," Amriel said quietly, leaning her back against the counter, glad that Cas had shown up when he did. "He pointed his gun at me… But once he realized what I am, he knew that he couldn't do anything with it. Did you tell him where you were?"

Castiel nodded, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. It was early April now and though it was warm during the day, it was still chilly at night.

"I did a few days ago. I told him about the people that spontaneously combusted… That there could be a case here. But I didn't give him this address. He must've located me using my phone, which you took with you this afternoon."

"What are we going to do?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"We'll see what he has to say. I'll do what I can to help solve this case, but if he needs me to go with him after… I don't think I'll go," Cas gazed out the windows to see Dean eating his pie with a scowl. "I won't be useful as a hunter."

Amriel could see the disappointment all over his face. In the past weeks, they had been making an effort to do more _human_ things, but nothing that would ever have to do with hunting, and she knew that Castiel liked their life as it was.

"It'll be fine, Cas. We'll talk to him and see what happens. You don't have to do anything you don't want to," she said, hoping that she could reassure him.

Cas shifted his weight from one foot to another, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck and letting out a sigh. Shooting him a confused look, Amriel asked him what was wrong, and he frowned.

"Nora asked me to come over to her house tomorrow night. She said that I was a nice guy, and at first I thought it was a date," he saw Amriel tense up and glance to her feet, aware that she was displaying signs of jealousy. "But she told me to invite you as well. Would you like to go?"

"Certainly. I wonder what she wants us to go to her house for…" Amriel mused, a weight lifted from her chest that she had been unaware of. "Should we close up here and go talk to Dean?"

The two quickly went through their regular closing routine and Amriel grabbed her sweatshirt and slipped it on before they left the building and she locked the front doors, following Castiel towards the Impala before realizing that Dean wasn't there.

"Dean?" Cas called out, looking around and peering into the car, wondering where he had gone. He heard a few quick footsteps, and Amriel gasp suddenly, calling out, "_Castiel._"

He turned around to see that Dean had one arm around Amriel's shoulders, holding her arms against her body, and the other held her own angel blade to her throat. Castiel tensed and held up his hands, "Dean, what are you doing?"

"Who is this, Cas? What the _hell_ is an angel doing here with you?" Dean hissed, pressing the blade against the girl's neck. He could feel the power swimming beneath her skin and he knew that she could kick his ass into next week if she wanted. But he was disgusted that she had played dumb in the gas station, so he kept his grip tight. "Did you know she had this on her?"

"Of course I knew. I insisted that she keep it with her at all times." Castiel's eyes flickered from Dean's to Amriel's, and he could clearly see the fear in her stormy eyes. "Let Amriel go, Dean. I called you about those people, not for you to hurt her."

The hunter sighed and dropped his arms, handing the blade back to the small girl, who quickly took it and tucked it back in its place before practically sprinting to Cas, who opened his arms and embraced her warmly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Dean raised an eyebrow, wondering what Cas had been up to since he had left the bunker.

"Now that you've successfully threatened my girlfriend, would you like to come back to where we've been staying and discuss the deaths I told you about?"

_Girlfriend?_ Dean was floored. The Cas he knew was a straight up weirdo. How did he land a- oh, that's right. The chick's an angel. She's just as strange as Cas. He watched the way they gravitated towards each other- the blonde's shoulder brushing against Cas' arm, and he immediately noticed the contact and took her hand. Dean raised an eyebrow; a lot had changed in the last six months, hadn't it?

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll drive," Dean pulled himself from his stupor and grabbed his keys from his front pocket. He saw Cas glance down to Amriel, who looked worried for some reason. "What, never been in a car before?"

Cas shot him a glare, but the blonde shook her head, biting her lip. "No, I actually haven't."

"Well…" Dean wanted to say something snarky, but he knew that it wouldn't be smart to piss off an angel that had been homeless for the last six months. So instead, he flashed her a smile as he opened the back door for her. "It'll be fine, I promise."


	13. Confrontation

Hey there and welcome to chapter thirteen! I've rewritten bits and pieces of it a few times, and I'm finally ready to post it for you all to read. Thanks so much for sticking with it, and for favoriting, following, and reviewing. I really appreciate it! I hope everyone had a good Halloween and that everyone in the U.S. participating in Daylight Saving Time enjoys their extra hour of sleep.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Confrontation

While Dean checked in to a room a few doors down, Cas sat on the bed with his hands in his lap as he watched Amriel pacing the space in front of the couch. She had shed her blue vest, and now she was chewing on her bottom lip and glancing at each sigil that was within her line of sight.

"What are you doing, Elle?" Cas asked, drawing her out of her thoughts. She turned to face him, fear clearly written all over her face and he was worried about her. Dean had held her own blade against her throat- of course she would be on edge.

"Is this truly what you want?" she asked in response. "Do you want to help Dean? He's used you to meet his own ends in the past and never thought to help you when you needed it. He turned you away when you lost your grace! I don't think this is wise."

Castiel understood what she was saying, and he had never seen Amriel so impassioned about her opinion before, except when she had tried eating tuna and vowed to never touch the foul food ever again. But he knew that he had to help the oldest Winchester, no matter what. Sure, it had hurt every time Sam and Dean ignored his wishes or refused to stand by him, but he knew that to be a true friend, he had to help however he could.

"I have caused complete chaos over the past few years. I ruined our home. I have to do whatever it takes to atone for my misdeeds, and if that means helping Dean on this case or anything else he needs, I'll do it."

Nodding, Amriel took a few steps until she was standing in front of Castiel. She stared down at him, admiring just how _blue_ his eyes were, and she smiled briefly as she moved his hair out of his face. Cas took her hand and she squeezed his fingers, breathing in deeply before she made up her mind.

"Just remember- whatever you choose to do, I'll be right beside you."

Before she could react, Cas wrapped both of his arms around her waist and pulled her down so she was sitting in his lap. He pressed a heated kiss to her lips, wanting to thank her for believing in him in more ways than one. Cas knew that he didn't deserve her love or her devotion, but she gave it to him without expecting anything in return except to be loved too, and he did. _God_, did he love her.

The sound of Dean knocking on the door interrupted them before things could get too far, and Cas waited for Amriel to stand before getting up to let him in. While he answered the door, Amriel smoothed out her hair and checked her sigils one more time.

The hunter walked into the room and his eyes widened immediately, scanning all of the sigils that lined the walls. Amriel couldn't really tell, but it looked like he was impressed.

"So this is where you've been staying this whole time, huh Cas?" he asked, taking a seat on the couch and refusing to meet Amriel's eyes.

"No- I've stayed at homeless encampments, the store room at the Gas-N-Sip, and Amriel and I stayed in an abandoned house before we came here," Castiel told him like he was stating the weather, and Dean gaped at him.

"Are you joking? No, of course you're not." Dean's gaze suddenly moved from Cas to Amriel, "How could you let him stay in a shitty abandoned house? Not like this place is much better…"

Amriel was stunned. _She_ was at fault? Well, she had suggested the abandoned house, but it had been a better choice than separating and leaving Cas in the gas station while she slept on the street.

"Dean, you can't blame her for our circumstances. It isn't like we have the means to live in a house or an apartment right now. With time, yes, but not at the moment," Castiel tried to move his attention away from the blonde and onto himself, and it seemed to be working.

"Why didn't you call me? I would've dropped everything if you needed money or anything."

While she knew that was a lie, Amriel decided to figuratively bite her tongue and withhold any comments she could be making at that moment. After learning that it hurt to actually do it, Amriel figured out that some phrases are better when just spoken instead of acted out.

"That isn't true, Dean, and you know it," Cas sighed. "I did call you once, when Amriel first arrived. She was _dead_, and I didn't know what to do so I called and you didn't answer."

Dean looked visibly shaken, and his glare melted away as soon as his eyes hit the angel sitting on the corner of the bed. Did he feel sorry for her? Or was he still trying to figure out a way to kill her. She couldn't tell.

"You died?" he asked, almost tasting the word on his lips. "How did you come back?"

"I spoke with God, and he had plans for me here on Earth, so I was sent back," Amriel said simply, knowing that she wasn't supposed to reveal their Father's current identity to anyone, angel or otherwise.

"It was that easy? Cas here searched high and low for the guy and couldn't find squat. How did you get a meeting with the big guy?" Dean asked and Castiel fought the urge to roll his eyes. This wasn't the time to be discussing anything other than the issue at hand.

"He found me- I have no idea what to tell you other than that. No one speaks to God unless He wills it. He wishes for Heaven to be restored and for the angels to return home before we cause any more damage on Earth."

"Yeah well we have bigger things to worry about," Dean snapped, and Amriel leapt to her feet, approaching the hunter with a fire in her eyes.

"There is _nothing_ more important than my family and my home, and it's broken. I was not created to fight, but I killed my brothers and sisters when we were in a civil war. We _all_ fell to Earth and since then, I've been hiding from them because I'm done seeing my siblings die." She was toe to toe with him now, staring up at him, totally unafraid of his imposing posture or the way his fingers hovered over his hunting knife. He couldn't do anything to her, and they both knew it.

Castiel didn't realize that he was now standing, watching Amriel tell Dean off for trivializing her discussion with God. He didn't want to intervene, but he would if he had to. Cas saw that Amriel was shaking with rage, and he held his breath. The lights flickered in the motel room and Castiel knew that if her wings hadn't been damaged in the fall, he would've seen their shadow in that moment.

"You're pathetic, Dean Winchester. What kind of man are you to ignore your friend when he calls and expect everything in return? Who are _you_ to ignore the word of God? You're deplorable," she hissed, taking a step back and looking him up and down with critical eyes, assessing him as something that wasn't a threat. "Castiel speaks so highly of you- he defended you whenever I questioned your actions. I gave you the benefit of the doubt. But now that I've met you, I see that my questions were merited. I don't care about you, but I do care for Cas-"

"And why is that, Blondie?" Dean cut her off, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring down at the tiny girl. He knew she could kill him in a flash, but he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate if she made a move. "Last I checked, Cas had angels gunning for him left and right. Why aren't you?"

That thought had never even crossed Amriel's mind. She was disgusted that other angels held so much hatred towards one of their own. Castiel might not have a grace, but he was still one of them. He had existed for eons just as they all had, but the others all seemed to forget that, which was why she took her vessel and ran as soon as she could- to get away from all of the fighting and those that were plotting to seek out revenge on Cas. She wanted nothing to do with it.

"We're very similar," Amriel finally said as she glanced to Cas quickly before returning her gaze to Dean. "God said so himself. His defiance of Heaven's orders sparked my own rebellion. I did what I could and fought for Cas against Raphael because I believed in his cause. I believe in free will, and I will help you with whatever you need. But in return, you have to stop looking at me like you want to rip me apart."

Dean wasn't sure what to say. Every bone in his body was screaming to gank her, but he couldn't do it. He didn't know if it was the way he saw Cas looking at her, or the way he had held her after Dean had nearly slit her throat. Cas trusted her, and Dean knew that he should probably do the same. It'd be good to have an angel on their side besides Ezekiel, who was only useful if Sam was pushed inside his own mind.

"Fine," he muttered, his hard gaze melting into something less intense, and he turned to face Cas, who looked surprised and relieved at the same time.

"I'm going to go get a soda from the machine.. Do either of you want anything?" Amriel asked, feeling like she should get out of the room for a few moments to let the air clear. She was still shaking as she rifled through her purse, pulling out a handful of quarters and counting them silently.

"No, thank you though," Cas said, and Dean shook his head in refusal before Amriel nodded and left the room, leaving the door open a crack so she would be able to get back in.

* * *

As soon as she was gone, Dean turned to Cas and motioned for him to sit on the couch. The hunter pulled up the desk chair, turning it backwards and sitting, leaning against the back and raising an eyebrow.

"So are you screwing her or what?" His voice was so casual and judgmental at the same time. Castiel had no idea how someone could do that with their tone. "Isn't that like, incest or something?"

"Do you mean to ask if we're having sex?" Cas asked, his head tilted to the side slightly and Dean nodded. "Then yes, we partake in the act on a regular basis."

"Aren't you brother and sister? Being angels and all that?" Dean wasn't getting his answers fast enough- the girl could be back at any second.

"It doesn't work like that in Heaven. Angels cannot reproduce in their true form. So no, it is nothing humans would consider incestuous. Regardless, I am no longer an angel. If Amriel were to conceive now with the state her grace is in, the child would most likely be a nephilim."

Dean rolled his eyes at his friend's answer, and asked how he had been holding up. "It looks like you got a pretty sweet setup here. Running water, TV, the works."

"It's a whole lot more than I had when I started," Cas replied, with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Amriel's presence has been a great help. I don't want you to disrespect her, Dean. After how you acted at the gas station, holding her own blade against her? I'm surprised she didn't kill you on the spot."

"And why didn't she?" Dean glanced to the door, narrowing his eyes and listening for any sign that she was coming back.

"Because you're my friend. I told you about these deaths because I think there's a case here. Let's discuss that."

Nodding, Dean decided to hold his questions about Amriel until another time, and he leaned forward, picking up the newspaper that sat on the coffee table. He told Cas that he had gone to the first two crime scenes and that the only thing the victims had in common was the fact that they were sad.

"Look, I'm sure this is the last thing you want, but I need you to help me out with this," Dean said after they went over the details, and Cas' attention shifted back to the hunter after staring at the door for a few seconds.

"I'm not fit for your life, Dean. I don't know how to handle a weapon, I get hurt. I'm _human_, and I can't help you." He went back to looking at the door, standing and heading towards it, mumbling, "She isn't back yet. Something's wrong."

Dean followed as Castiel walked out of the motel room and out into the fluorescent lighting, switching into gear and double checking to make sure his gun was still in his waistband. Cas looked around, assessing the empty parking lot before heading towards the vending machine around the corner. When they didn't see Amriel, Cas called her name and Dean could see the panic clearly in his his blue eyes. The hunter surveyed the area, trying to find any trace of the angel, but it seemed too quiet.

"Dude, did she disappear into thin air or something?"

"Don't be stupid- when the angels fell their wings were compromised in the process. She had to go somewhere on foot," Cas said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but Dean didn't hear the second half of his sentence. Instead, he had zeroed in on a pair of footprints that started in the dirt once the parking lot stopped and ending when the hit the pavement that led towards the street.

Dean pointed them out and Cas took off, following them to the sidewalk. The motel was located on a street that was populated by shops, restaurants, and bars, and Castiel would go into every one of those establishments until he found Amriel. He stood under a streetlamp, squinting down the street until he felt Dean's hand grip his shoulder. He turned, looking at the man to see him nod in the opposite direction, where he saw a tiny figure sitting on a bench a few hundred yards away.

When Cas approached the bench, Dean stayed back a good ten feet, watching the situation unfold before him. Castiel stood in front of the girl, whose sweatshirt hood was pulled up, hiding the majority of her hair, save for a few strands that fell out near her chin. She looked up at him, her gray eyes shining and her face stained with tears, and Castiel felt something inside him ache.

"Amriel, what are you doing here?" he asked softly, sitting beside her and taking her hand. "I thought you were going to the vending machine?"

"I- I did, but I saw something- someone, I don't know, but I followed. The person was in a vehicle, I couldn't continue further." Amriel sighed, wiping at her damp cheeks with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. "I swear I saw an angel, Cas."

An _angel_? Castiel went rigid and Amriel looked over to him, wondering what was going through his mind at that moment, so she kept talking.

"I couldn't get a good look- it's a little foggy out, but I'm almost positive it was one of our siblings. After I lost sight of the vehicle, I sat here and I don't know, I just felt so _sad_. I miss the host."

"I know, and I do too, Elle," he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and saw a small smile reach her lips. "Come on, I think it's time to go to bed."

Cas stood up and Amriel followed suit, letting him walk her back to the motel room, Dean not far behind. Once they had returned, Amriel sent Dean a nod before disappearing into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Dean's mind was racing, trying to sort through everything he had seen so far tonight.

"You love her, don't you?" he finally decided on a question, and knew at soon as he saw the look on Castiel's face.

"I do, Dean," the man nodded, looking over his shoulder to make sure he could hear the shower running before he turned back to face his friend. "If she saw an angel, we need to find what's causing these deaths."


	14. Ephraim

Hey everyone! This is my first time using more than just a sentence or two of show dialogue, so I thought I'd see how it works out. I'm getting into more of the show's storyline, so here we go!

Like always, thanks for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting! I really appreciate it.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Ephraim

Cas and Amriel had opened the store the next morning, and Dean came in around mid-afternoon. Amriel was busy restocking sodas in the refrigerators against the back wall, and she chose to stay here when she saw the Winchester walk through the front doors. Dean approached Cas at the counter, asking for beef jerky and a pack of menthols.

"I mean, I knew you had to lay low from the angel threat, but, uh... Wow. This is some cover," he said, taking in his friend's blue vest and nametag. "Steve?"

"My grace is gone. What did you expect? Do you have any idea how hard it was? When I fell to earth, I didn't just lose my powers. I- I had nothing," Cas told him before a flash of pride crossed his face. "Now, I'm a sales associate."

Dean raised an eyebrow, "A sales associate?"

A man dropping off a delivery approached the register and smiled at Castiel, "Hey, Steve. Can you sign here?"

"I'm responsible for inventory, sales, customer service. I keep this place - thank you - clean and presentable, and Amy does the same. And when our manager's busy, I even prepare the food." Cas was busy signing the papers on the clipboard as he spoke, and Dean was amazed.

"So, you went from fighting heavenly battles to nuking taquitos."

Cas nodded, a proud smile on his face, "Nachos too."

"Look, _Steve_, I need you to come with me. There's been another death," he said the last part of his sentence quietly, glancing around to make sure that no one else could hear him. "At a school."

"My shift will be over in a minute or two. Amy will stay here until we return, okay? I don't want to involve her in this unless I have to," Cas told him clearly, glancing towards the back to see her finishing the task she was working on.

"You should probably tell her that we're heading out soon," Dean said, paying for a coffee and heading out to fill up the Impala.

Castiel shook his head slightly, still amazed that Dean was actually here. He walked over to Amriel, feeling his mood lighten when she turned around to face him, a smile on her face at their close proximity. Usually they did their own duties at the gas station and didn't interact much because they didn't want to give off how familiar they really were with one another.

"Dean needs me to go to a crime scene now. Someone else has died," Cas told her in a hushed tone, watching the smile fall right off of her face. "It shouldn't take long, but when we're done there, we'll come back and get you- I asked Dean to take us to Nora's."

"Oh, okay," she nodded, wondering why she couldn't go with them. "I guess I'll just wait here then."

"Good. Like I said, we shouldn't be long. I'll text you if anything comes up or when we're on our way back."

Cas wanted nothing more than to pull her against him and kiss her, but there were a few customers in the store and he knew that he needed to act appropriately at work. They would have time later, he would make sure of it. Instead, he offered a reassuring smile before he said a quick goodbye and walked through the gas station and out the front door. He spotted Dean in the Impala, and as soon as Cas was in the car, they were off.

* * *

The duo arrived at the scene and it didn't take Castiel long to recognize the pink residue that the victims had been reduced to. He knew exactly what was going on, and he was worried. He explained to Dean that they were dealing with a Rit Zein, or a "Hands of Mercy" angel. They were healer-types who would painlessly smite angels on the battlefield when they were in too much pain to be saved. This one must have been confused by human emotions and was taking their small pains far too seriously.

"Amriel was right when she thought she saw an angel last night," Cas said as they drove back to the gas station. "We have to be careful. Any small pain might draw the angel out. Now we have to figure out where he is."

Dean pulled into the parking lot of the gas station and turned off the engine, resting his hands against the steering wheel and glancing to Cas before taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly.

"Look, about Blondie. How do you know that she's not gonna deliver you to one of the douchebags that are trying to find you?" He knew that she seemed nice enough, but he also knew that angels were a bunch of liars. Castiel almost looked offended at the question, but Dean had to know.

"Why would she spend five months here if she was just going to hand me over to someone? I don't think you comprehend how difficult it is to adjust to being human, or in Amriel's case, almost human. When she walked into the gas station for the first time, I knew I had to help her," Cas tried to explain to Dean, but he didn't think he was doing a very good job. "She was so broken, Dean, and she was taking large amounts of prescription pills so she wouldn't feel anything. Emotions are _hard_ to deal with if you've spent your entire existence without them."

Castiel shot Dean a look that begged him to understand. To realize that he, along with the other fallen angels, had never dealt with this before and that it wasn't easy to suddenly walk on Earth after being in Heaven for thousands of years.

"I know you don't understand it, but Amriel does love me to the best of her ability. Actually, she's like a sponge when it comes to media and culture. Our relationship might not be conventional, but it's still love. Please, don't treat her like some monster."

Dean didn't like it, but he would listen for the sake of his friend. But if the girl did anything to make him distrust her or hurt Cas, he wouldn't hesitate when he ended her. In the meantime, Dean would let Cas continue to live in this somewhat normal life he had built for himself with his little angel girlfriend.

"Are you being safe? Remember what I told you after you had sex with that reaper?" The last thing Dean wanted to do was have another sex talk with Castiel. It had been awful and embarrassing enough the first time- he didn't need a repeat.

"I do remember, Dean. And yes, aside from the very first time we had intercourse, I have been using the prophylactics you provided for me. Though I don't know what difference it makes- she's still an angel."

"We don't need any mini-Cas' running around right now, okay?" Dean asked, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing. "Just- whatever, don't call it _intercourse._ Jesus… I'm not talking about this anymore. Let's go get her."

"I'll go," Castiel blurted out quickly. "I think you make her anxious."

He was out of the Impala before Dean could even say anything, closing the door and heading into the Gas-N-Sip to find Amriel behind the register helping a customer. Cas took the time to watch her interact with the woman, her eyes were lit up with a smile and her hair was falling into her face as she said something to the customer, who he now realized was Christine. He watched the way her soft, pink lips moved and wondered what she was saying.

Amriel scanned the diet Coke and turkey sandwich, her slender fingers were manicured- something Marissa had turned into a frequent ritual, and Cas realized that he liked the color of the turquoise polish. He didn't even notice that she had spotted him, he was so busy staring. Cas saw Christine turn around, a knowing smirk all over her face as she waved at him.

"Hi there Steve, Amy was just telling me that you have a friend visiting," Christine said as he walked towards them, awkwardly standing beside the woman and sending a glance to Amriel.

"Yes, he's working on a job. He's a Federal agent," Cas said, biting back a smile, and Christine asked if he was cute.

"He's handsome, I guess," Amriel said with a shrug, earning a dumbfounded look from Castiel.

"You better keep an eye on your friend, Steve," Christine winked, obviously joking as she swiped her card and entered her pin number.

Before Castiel could even say anything, Amriel laughed and replied, "He's not my type. I think you'd like him a lot, Christine."

The older woman shook her head, saying that she didn't have time for a new man. "You've got a good girl here," she said, turning to look at Castiel. "I'll see you two next time!"

Once Christine was gone, the pair quickly closed the store and Amriel followed Cas to the Impala and got in the back seat, still feeling confined in the small space of the vehicle. She didn't like being in the back by herself, but it was certainly better than when she was rode the bus she took to get here. It felt like so long ago, when really five months were nothing in Heaven. Loud music filled the car and Amriel tried to tune it out, not liking the way it sounded. Cas had told her that Dean enjoyed what modern humans called "classic rock" or something like that.

"Do you guys know why your boss wants you over there tonight?" Dean asked after a few minutes of silence, and he glanced into the rearview mirror to see Amriel shake her head. He wondered for a split second if her vessel had been a model or something before invasion of the body snatchers happened.

"At first I believed it was to be a date," Cas answered, "But Nora invited Amriel too.. Maybe she knows that we're together and wants to reprimand us?"

"Hey, maybe it's gonna be a three-way," the hunter laughed, and both passengers tilted their heads to the side in confusion. Heaving a sigh, Dean muttered out, "Never mind."

* * *

"Thank you both so much for coming. I really didn't know who else to ask to do this, since my usual sitter, so I thought you and Amy could," Nora said, a smile on her face. "You two are really great employees, and since I trust you with my store, I think I can trust you with Tanya."

"_Tanya?_" Amriel sent Cas a confused look as Nora nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm going on a date tonight. I figured this could be like a dry run for you two, seeing as you're so close," Nora winked, and Cas quickly tried to come up with an excuse, his mouth opening and closing a few times before the woman laughed. "Relax, it's fine. You're pretty professional about it at the store."

Nora told them that she really just needed them to be there in case Tanya woke up crying.

"My little angel never cries, I promise," The woman assured them, then she was gone, leaving two completely clueless angels to take care of her child.

As soon as Nora had closed the front door behind her, loud cries came from somewhere in the house, and Cas went to find the child and calm her down.

Amriel stared at the baby, who was now cradled in Castiel's arms, red faced and screaming.

"Please don't," Cas mumbled, rocking her slightly as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to do. He looked from the baby to Amriel and asked, "What do I do?"

Amriel was just as clueless as he was, and she shrugged. How did humans soothe a crying baby? She had never even seen a new human up close like this, and she certainly didn't know what to do when it came to handling one that was acting abnormally.

"Does she need to eat? Or perhaps she's tired? Why can't she just tell us what she wants?"

"Well she hasn't developed enough to speak yet. How 'bout a lullaby? Um… Okay, shh!" Castiel said before he began to sing something Amriel didn't recognize as he held the baby against his chest. "She feels unusually warm."

Amriel felt the baby's forehead, like she had with Cas when he was sick, and she realized that she was in fact hot. "What do we do? I could heal her, but I've never done it to a baby… What if I end up doing more harm than good?"

"You hold Tanya. I'm going to call Nora," Cas gently laid the baby in Amriel's arms, watching her carefully to make sure she had her before pulling his phone out of his pocket and finding his boss' number in his phone. When he reached her voicemail, he left a message. "Nora, she's hot. Really hot. Just please call me… Call- call me back. If I don't hear back, we're taking her to the hospital."

While Cas rifled through the bathroom and kitchen for some sort of medicine, Amriel stared down at the tiny being in her arms and wondered which angel had been tasked to watch over her. She knew the girl wasn't under her care- the name of every child of May was seared into her's mind, but she didn't know if it'd continue happening now that she was on Earth. It saddened her, actually, to think that these children were all missing their protectors due to Metatron's actions.

Tanya was still crying, and Amriel held the baby stiffly, not quite knowing what to do or how to act. Castiel returned to the living room and told her that once the baby calmed down, they should put her back in her crib. Tanya didn't settle down though; instead, she screamed as if her life depended on it and Amriel felt her forehead again.

"She's still exceptionally hot, Castiel. We may have to seek medical attention."

Nodding, Cas quickly pulled out his phone to see if their boss had responded. He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and looked at the fussing baby with a frown on his face, "Okay, Tanya, we're taking a little walk."

Castiel opened the door, ready to walk as far as it took to get to the hospital, when he saw someone standing outside.

"Hello, Castiel," the man said, walking into the house, and Amriel froze at the sight of the same angel she had seen the night before. "Squalid little dump. No wonder she cries," the angel said.

"It's a fever, it'll pass," Amriel said in a firm voice.

"What are you doing here, Ephraim?" Cas asked as Amriel put Tanya in her crib, willing the baby to be silent for the time being.

"I'm surprised you remember my name. I was just a nobody when we met, but you? You were a legend. You've been here before. This is my first time and it's… Intense." Ephraim turned his attention to Amriel, a smile briefly crossing his lips at the sight of her. "Ah, Amriel. How have you adjusted to life on Earth?"

"Much better than you have, apparently," she sneered, glancing from Castiel to the Rit Zein with cautious eyes.

"When Amriel found me, she was just as new to humanity as you were, Ephraim, and she's doing fine now. If you would just stop-"

"Stop? I won't stop. These humans feel so much pain, and I relieve them of their suffering," the angel said as if it was clearly obvious, and he turned to look at Cas. "And imagine who I would find. The _almighty_ Castiel is now a human. You know, I admired you so much, brother. And you too, Amriel. Both of you rebelled- made your own choices. Only now, your choices will only end with your deaths. Castiel, you are so full of pain and sorrow. How do you deal with it? Sister, why are you in pain too? I know it's difficult now that you aren't in Heaven, but please be still and I will end it all for the both of you."

Tanya became fussy again and Ephraim stepped towards the crib, surprised when Cas moved in front of him. Amriel just watched, her fingers brushing against the handle of her blade that was tucked into the back of her shorts, ready if anything happened.

"Don't touch her," Castiel said in a firm voice, glaring at Ephraim, who merely laughed.

"You think I came for her? No, Castiel. I came for you."

Ephraim pressed two fingers to Tanya's forehead and silenced the baby, and Amriel breathed a sigh of relief. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about her fussing.

They moved back into the living room, Amriel staying near Castiel and a safe distance from Ephraim.

"Being human is full of pain and suffering," Cas tried to explain, and Ephraim cut him off.

"But I can feel the pain radiating off both of you!" Ephraim sighed, "There's so much pain and despair, so many voices begging out for relief."

"How'd you find us?" Castiel asked, grabbing a pair of scissors and running his finger over the sharp edge, watching Ephraim look around the house.

"Because you're warded? _She_ isn't. But I really just followed the sound of your pain," Ephraim shrugged. "You have no idea how loud it is… I could hear it for miles."

"Amriel, please check on the baby," Cas said, a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite make out, but she did what he asked and disappeared into Tanya's room.

The former angel turned to look at Ephraim and asked, "Do you really think you're doing Heaven's work down here?"

"I know I am," Ephraim answered firmly.

"Well you're wrong. Earth can be a hard place, yes. But these humans- they can get better. They're all just doing the best they can."

"Is that what you're doing, Castiel? The best you can? I'm sorry, but if this is the best that the _famed_ Castiel can do, you're a more urgent case than I thought. I used to admire you," he reiterated, "You failed more than you succeeded. But at least you played big. Amriel was merely following your example when she strayed from her path."

It was then he realized that Castiel was drawing a sigil on the door in blood, the pair of open scissors discarded on the table beside him. Ephraim lashed out and grabbed his hand before it could be completed, bending his wrist until it snapped, and Cas yelled in pain. Amriel ran back into the living room and watched Ephraim shove him away from the door, forcing him to his knees. The angel threw out his hand towards Amriel, forcing her back and against the wall, not even sparing her a glance when she fell to the floor and groaned in pain.

"Now what are you doing? Burying your head in the sand, right when your kind needs you the most," Ephraim twisted Castiel's wrist, making him gasp. "Shh, it'll be over soon. I'll take your pain away."

"I want to live," Cas said firmly, his eyes meeting Amriel's making a silent promise that they would get out of this.

"But as what, Castiel? As an angel, or a man?"

That was when Amriel finally found her voice, rolling over and hoisting herself off of the ground as she spoke.

"Enough!" she told him, "Let him go, Ephraim. He's a _human_! If you're gonna fight someone, you'll fight me."

Ephraim released Castiel from his grip, ignoring him as he cradled his wrist against his chest and looked over to the blonde, who wore a look of disgust on her face.

"You have no right ending the lives of innocent humans. Your _job_ is to heal those in Heaven. Since you won't comply, it's my duty to end you."

The Rit Zein laughed. "You? Little Amriel, the guardian of May. Over eager and zealous. Overlooked by your fellow guardians, unless they needed something from you. I'll take away your pain too, sister. All in due time."

Shaking her head, Amriel pulled her blade out and gave him one final warning, "I won't tell you again. _Leave_, and don't come back."

When it became clear that Ephraim wasn't going to comply, Amriel lunged for the angel, catching him off guard and punching him in the face. He quickly retaliated and slammed her head against the wall, catching the back of her thigh with his blade, drawing blood and making her hiss.

"You need to be put out of your misery, Amriel."

"Brother, please," Amriel, now dazed, tried to reason with him one final time. "Part of being human, or in a vessel, is experiencing a multitude of emotions- pain, happiness, and love. I have felt all of these things and more!"

Ephraim shoved Amriel into the wall again and watched her fall to the floor, breathing heavily as she tried to get up. He turned his attention to Castiel and stood over the man, prepared to end him then and there. He grabbed Cas by the collar of his shirt and shoved him so he was sitting on his knees before him.

"I am doing you a favor, Castiel."

It was then that Dean came running through the front door and he saw Cas about to be blown up by this Rit Zein, and he heard Amriel call out his name. He turned to see her on her hands and knees, her blade in one hand, and she tossed it across the room, and she watched Dean as he shoved it into Ephraim's back, and finally a white light filled the room as the angel died.

* * *

The three sat on the couch after Dean had dealt with the body, promising he would bury it later, and they tried to get a handle on what had just happened. Amriel had her blade back- Dean had given it to her without hesitating like he had in the parking lot of the gas station. He trusted her now, seeing as she had so willingly given up her weapon without a second thought. Dean told the two that he was going to be out in the car, ready to give them a ride to the motel whenever their boss got back.

Nora arrived a few minutes later, telling the two that her date was a total bust.

"I got your message, Steve. I'll give her some medicine and hopefully the fever will go down," she smiled at her employee. "You're both really great people, I hope you know that. I'm sure you want to spend some quiet time together instead of watching my fussy baby, so go on, get out of here!"

"Have a good night, Nora. And don't worry about your date- there are plenty of better guys out there," Amriel told her boss with a smile, taking Castiel's hand and walking out of the house and to the mailbox before turning and facing him, unaware that Dean was watching them from behind the steering wheel of the Impala.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't stop Ephraim from almost killing you, Cas," she apologized quietly, "He was surprisingly strong for a Rit Zein."

Castiel sent her a small smile, telling her not to worry. "I saw him cut you- are you all right?" He looked down at her leg to see dried blood, but there was no open wound or anything to signify that she had been hurt at all.

"I'm fine," she promised before glancing his hand and eyeing the way he held it against him protectively, trying to hide the pain. She reached out and touched him gently, "You, however, aren't."

He knew what she was going to do and tried to pull his hand away, but she healed him before he could do it. Cas felt the familiar warmth of her grace reaching out and touching him, and a smile crossed his lips. Amriel swayed for a second before shaking her head and grinning up at him in return, her fingers tracing his smooth skin.

"There, much better. And, I didn't lose consciousness, so that's good too." Castiel saw her eyes light up as she laughed and he felt just as warm as he had when she had healed him. Suddenly he realized that's what love felt like- being touched by a grace. It was soothing and made you feel safe and good all at the same time. It was overwhelming, actually.

Amriel was looking up at him, clearly waiting for him to respond to what she thought was a joke, but instead he curled one of his hands around the back of her head and pulled her into him as he kissed her with everything he could. It took a second or two before her soft lips began to move against his, and he felt he small hands move up his abdomen to rest at his sides, her fingertips pressing into him gently. Cas pulled away only to breathe out a quick, "I love you" before kissing her once more, probing her mouth with his tongue and feeling excitement pool in his lower stomach.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Dean's voice cut through the crisp air, and Cas jumped, pulling Amriel flush against his chest and resting his head on top of hers. Casting a glare in the Impala's general direction, he heard Amriel laughing into the fabric of his jacket, her warm breath tickling his neck and he shivered. She pulled out of his arms and took his hand once more, telling him that she loved him too before they walked over to the car.

* * *

"You two were like teenagers back there, you know that right?" Dean told Castiel as they sat in the motel room, taking a swig of beer and glancing to Amriel. "Hey, do you mind if me and Blondie here talk alone for a minute, Cas?"

"Only if Elle is okay with it," he replied, turning his gaze to the blonde who had perched herself on the desk with a beer of her own. When she nodded, Cas stood and excused himself, but not before pressing a quick kiss to Amriel's forehead as he left the room and went to walk around the parking lot.

"He calls you Elle?" Dean asked, testing the nickname out and wondering if he liked it better than _Blondie_. "It's not too bad for his first attempt at a nickname. I've heard him come up with worse. Like _assbutt_."

"What do you want to talk about?" Amriel didn't know where this was going, but she knew that she could most likely hold him off if he attacked her while Cas was outside.

Dean saw the skeptical look on her face and wondered if she even knew what skepticism was. He sighed and took a long swig of beer, setting the bottle down on the worn coffee table- he had to say something or else she'd keep staring at him with those stormy eyes of hers.

"You really helped me out back there, giving me your blade and everything. I shouldn't have done what I did yesterday. I don't do this often, but I'm sorry," Dean spit out the words even though he really didn't want to. She was an angel, for fuck's sake. "Just, take care of Cas, okay? I can't stick around to keep him outta trouble, so it's up to you."

"I know it is," she told him with a nod. "My Father gave me a very similar task. Even if he hadn't, I would still do whatever it takes to keep him safe. I'm not like Zachariah or Uriel, you know. I don't have ulterior motives and I have nothing to gain from hurting Castiel. I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to him…"

Amriel found herself frowning at the thought, and realized that something could have happened tonight at Nora's house. She was thankful that Dean had arrived when he did, otherwise she wasn't sure they would've been able to handle Ephraim. The blonde noticed the way Dean had watched her like a predator up until now- he had a look of understanding on his face. Did that mean he no longer saw her as a threat?

"Yeah, well I know that now," Dean nodded, unable to keep his eyes off of her small figure and the way she gripped her beer at the neck of the bottle, like she had seen him doing earlier. She really was a sponge, just like Cas had said. "Here, give me your phone. I'll put my number in it and if you _ever_ need me, if something happens to you or Cas, call me and leave a message if I don't pick up. I'll be there as soon as I can."

His offer surprised Amriel, who found herself nodding and standing from the desk she had been sitting on. She handed him her phone and watched everything he did as he added himself to her contacts. Dean felt weird having her staring down over his shoulder, and when he handed it back to her, she merely smiled and said, "So _that's_ how you do it… Thanks, Dean."

There were a few seconds of silence before Dean asked how Cas was doing. He wanted to know how his friend was holding up, and he knew that he wasn't gonna get a straight answer from him, so he decided to go to the person spending all of her time with him.

"Castiel is… doing as best he can," Amriel said, searching for the right words to use, and saw how Dean was watching her and listening intently. Little did she know that he actually preferred hearing the angel's full name out of her mouth, rather than just Cas. "He still has nightmares sometimes, but I think he's faring as well as the situation allows."

"That's not surprising, after everything Naomi did to him and what's happened in the past few years. Hell, I'm amazed he's done as much as he has and landed a _girlfriend_ in the process. I didn't even know he could have a stable relationship- he sure as hell doesn't have one with me and Sam."

Dean said that last sentence more to himself than to Amriel, but she still heard him and frowned, wondering about the depth of their friendship. Instead of asking about it, she steered the topic away from Castiel as he knocked twice and walked back into the motel room.

"How is Sam? I'm one of his guardians in a way, seeing as I watch after all humans born in May." Amriel stood from the coffee table she had been sitting on when she watched Dean enter his information in her phone, and moved over to Cas and took his hand. The blonde pulled him to the bed and they sat down, facing Dean and waiting for him to reply.

"Sam is.. good. He's dealing with stuff at the bunker, so he couldn't come, but I'm sure he'd love to meet you at some point, Amriel," he told her, addressing the girl by her given name for the first time. "But listen, Cas… Speaking of the bunker. I, uh… Sorry I told you to go. I know it's been hard on you to be on your own. Well, you're adapting, and you've got _Elle_ here. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Dean," Cas said with a small smile before he sighed. "But there's something Ephraim said. The angels— they need help. Can I really sit this out? Shouldn't I be searching for a way to get them home?"

"You two have a lot going for you here. Sam and I will figure out how to deal with these angels, so you guys just keep doing what you're doing. I'm gonna hit the road, though. People to save, things to kill, you know the drill."

Dean stood and hugged Cas before looking down at Amriel and pulled her into a tight hug too, now considering her a trusted member of their small group. He felt her hesitate for a second before wrapping her arms around him in return, and when he pulled away, Dean nodded to the two before finishing his beer and taking off.

Once Dean was gone, Cas switched on the TV as Amriel busied herself with getting ready for bed. He sat on the edge of the mattress and watched the news anchor in a gray suit speaking.

_"It's been months since the massive meteor storm, yet Idaho Falls astronomers still have unanswered questions. NASA and Washington are both continuing to study the phenomenon."_

Castiel grabbed the remote and turned the TV off, glancing to the right and catching Amriel's gaze in the bathroom mirror. He sent her a small smile and received a bright grin in return, and he knew he was right where he was supposed to be.


	15. Perception

I can't believe it's been a little over a year since I first published this story! Thank you all so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

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Chapter Fifteen: Perception

It had been a few weeks since Dean had left, and Amriel couldn't get what he had said about Naomi out of her head. It was all she could think about when she wasn't busy with work or doing things with Marissa.

The human had taken Amriel to a bar and they didn't have to pay for a single drink thanks to the generosity of a few men that had taken interest in them. When Cas showed up after his shift, however, the men shifted their focus onto a game of pool, unhappy with the presence of _competition_, as Marissa had explained to her.

But nothing she did could change the fact that Naomi had done something to Castiel. Amriel had heard whispers about the angel that was a part of Intelligence in Heaven, and how she had been tampering with the minds of several angels. Naomi was supposedly debriefing them after traumatic missions or something along those lines, but she should have known better.

Now Amriel was laying wide-awake at 3 a.m., staring up at the ceiling with a sleeping Cas to her left. She really didn't want to ask him about it, but she had to know. His nightmares had been happening more often since Dean had been there, and Amriel did what she could to calm him down either in the dream or once he woke up.

She heard him mumble something and the girl turned her head to see that his face was pinched and he had started to sweat- a sign that he was deep within his own subconscious, she recognized. Amriel rolled onto her side and set a cool hand against his cheek, wondering how restless he would get.

Castiel let out a low groan and moved so he was on his back, one of his feet kicking out from underneath the blankets as he shook the entire bed. If Amriel didn't wake him up, he was only going to continue thrashing for the rest of the night. She sat up and yawned before crossing her legs beneath herself and turning so she could face Cas as she gently shook his shoulder.

"Hey," she said in a soft voice, watching him roll over and move closer to her. "Cas, wake up." She shook him again and his eyes flew open, frantically looking around until they settled on Amriel. A relieved look flooded his features and he relaxed, taking a deep breath and rubbing his face.

"Was I having another nightmare?" He was exhausted still- whatever had been going on in his dream had been wearing him down and keeping him from having a restful sleep. When she nodded, he asked, "Did I wake you up?"

"No, I was already awake. I'm having trouble falling asleep," Amriel shrugged before deciding she was going to confront him with what had been keeping her up. "What did Naomi do to you?"

Cas froze and he felt like his heart was in his throat- that's what his nightmare had been about. How did she know? In his dream he had been strapped to the chair in her bright, white office and the brunette angel was standing above her, berating him for corrupting Amriel and drilling into his head as she spoke. He had tried his hardest to free himself when Naomi told him that she would be working on Amriel once she was done with him, and panic had filled him completely when he woke up.

"Wh-why do you ask?" he stammered, sitting up and leaning back against the headboard. Squinting at the alarm clock that sat beside the TV, he saw that it was nearly 3:30 in the morning and he was suddenly thankful they didn't have to work until the afternoon.

"Dean said that she did something to you, but he didn't explain. I just- I heard rumors of what she had been doing to others. Did she tamper with your mind?"

Amriel watched a flash of fear cross his face and she knew he was going to say yes. She had been learning to read body language and she liked to think that she could read Castiel's pretty well- he looked like he was going to be sick, so she set her hand on one of his, offering whatever comfort she could.

"Naomi went through my memories- she changed things, took moments from me, and twisted my thoughts so I would do what she wanted. I hurt people- I hurt Dean in the process, and turned to Metatron thinking I could make up for my mistakes," he said, avoiding eye contact as he took a deep, shaky breath. "I dreamt I was back in her office, being drilled into. I know that she's dead, but Naomi was telling me that I ruined you, and that she was going to have to _fix_ you once she was done with me."

When he finally looked at her, Amriel could see that his eyes were glistening with unshed tears, and she did what she had seen in countless movies- she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly, saying that it was only a dream. Cas rested his face in the crook of her neck, taking deep breaths as he tried to calm down.

He heard Amriel's steady heartbeat and it soothed him more than he realized something as simple as that could. Wrapping his arms around her waist, Cas pulled Amriel closer and squeezed her tightly, worried she would disappear if he let go.

"Please don't leave me, Amriel-" all he could hear was Naomi's voice in his head, _"You've ruined her, Castiel! She's been tainted by humanity and some sick version of love. Such a shame, little Amriel has such a bright grace… Just as bright as yours was."_

It seemed like a memory, his dream had been so vivid. What if it had been real? What if Naomi was still alive and messing with him? Castiel let out a low groan, feeling his head begin to ache, and then he heard Amriel's voice. He hadn't even heard her mumbling things to him as he remembered his dream.

"Cas, I promise I'm not going anywhere. God himself couldn't take me from you," she told him firmly, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, smiling at the feel of his soft hair and the way his shampoo smelled. "Now, would you like to go back to sleep?"

He loosened his grip a bit and sat up straight, staring down at Amriel with a look she had come to recognize as lust. Castiel brushed his lips against hers softly before kissing her cheek and breathing against her neck, sending chills down her spine. He spoke in a low voice, deeper than his usual tone, "I think there's something I'd rather do."

* * *

Amriel stared at the television, carefully watching the commercial that was promoting something called a Summer Fair, that would be held that evening and through the rest of the weekend. Cas was in the shower, so she would have to wait to tell him about it once he emerged from the bathroom.

The advertisement had shown families eating strange looking foods, many covered in a white powder, throwing balls at targets, and being strapped into seats and riding something that the voice had called a _roller coaster_. As the commercial ended and one selling a skincare regimen began, Amriel knew she had to go to this event. It seemed like such an important part of being human and fitting in. The people in the ad looked so happy and Amriel wanted to feel that way, too.

When Cas finally came out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark blue t-shirt, Amriel immediately turned to look at him, a smile crossing her lips as she saw that his hair was still wet. She was struck by how blue his eyes were, brought out by the dark hue of his shirt. They still amazed her and Amriel wondered if she would ever grow tired of looking at him.

"Cas, I saw a commercial for something called a fair. It starts tonight, and I thought we could go. It has food, games, and rides. I'm curious about the tilt-a-whirl," she said excitedly and Castiel could clearly see the anticipation in her eyes. He asked if she had gotten the address and she nodded, holding up the motel-provided pad of paper.

Sitting beside her, Cas took the pad and looked down at the writing, noticing how neat her print was. It always fascinated him that humans' handwriting could vary so much- no two were the same, despite the fact that the majority of languages use the same letters. His writing was sketchy and seemed rushed, but Amriel's looked like it had been done by an artist. Perhaps it was her vessel rubbing off on her- she said that the girl had been an art student

"I don't think it's too far away, so we shouldn't have a problem getting there. I've heard that fairs are fun," Cas said and Amriel nodded, telling him that many movies and tv shows portrayed them as such. "We'll go tonight."

The two spent the rest of the afternoon playing card games and watching television, before leaving the motel and arrived at the fairgrounds as the sun began to set.

Amriel was instantly enthralled with all of the bright lights and noises. She was overwhelmed by the music and laughter coming from every direction, and she grabbed Castiel's hand before they made their way into the crowd to see everything that the fair had to offer.

"This is amazing," Amriel mumbled through a mouth full of funnel cake, and Cas laughed at her powder-covered face. Of course the first thing she had wanted to do was eat. He watched the glow of the carnival lights reflecting in her eyes and he was entranced, having never seen them lit that way before. The blonde was holding out her plastic fork, a piece of the sugary dessert waving in front of him as she said, "Want a piece?"

Castiel tentatively took the bite, realizing how intimate feeding another person was in this culture. He didn't say anything though, knowing that Amriel most likely wasn't aware of it. The food was interesting, but he was content with the bag of popcorn he had in his hand. Cas found that he liked saltier foods and the funnel cake was way too sweet for him. He watched Amriel's attention turn to something behind him and her eyes widened, so he turned to see the tilt-a-whirl she had been talking about earlier.

"Want to ride it once we're done with our food?" he asked and she nodded, finishing off the rest of her funnel cake quickly and shooting him an expectant look. Cas merely laughed and ate a handful of popcorn, offering some to her as they made their way to the tilt-a-whirl.

They stood in a long line for the ride, behind a family of three and in front of a group of teenagers, so they were well entertained. Castiel was watching the way couples around them were interacting, wondering if that's how people saw Amriel and himself, while she was busy watching the faces of the people getting off of the ride.

Some looked exhilarated, while others appeared worn and pale. She was pulled back to her surroundings by a tug on her fingers, and she looked to see a little girl with dark blonde pigtails standing before her. She belonged to the woman ahead of them in line, and Amriel glanced to Castiel before looking back down at the girl.

"You're really pretty," the girl said, and Amriel opened her mouth to thank her but the girl kept going, "Your light is beautiful… But what happened to your wings?"

Amriel froze and she felt Cas tense up beside her, and she stared at the child before crouching down and offering her a sad smile.

"I fell to Earth and they were hurt in the process," Amriel told her before asking her name. The girl, whose eyes were a brilliant maple color, said that her name was Paige Summers.

"Paige? Your birthday is May 14th. It was my job to watch over everyone born during that month."

"Are you my guardian angel?" Paige asked, her wide eyes flitting over to Castiel and narrowing slightly. "Are you an angel too?'

"I'm one of your guardians, yes," Amriel nodded and she looked up to Cas, seeking his nod of approval before telling Paige, "He was, until recently-"

"Paige, leave this young woman alone," her mother interrupted, catching her daughter's attention before looking to Amriel. "I'm so sorry if she bothered you."

"Don't worry, she's fine," Amriel smiled at the woman, realizing that she needed to be pleasant. "You have a lovely daughter."

The line continued to move and once Paige and her family got to the front, the girl allowing people onto the ride stopped them, saying that the little blonde wasn't tall enough. The boy, obviously Paige's older brother, stomped his foot and said he wasn't going to miss going on the ride because Paige couldn't go. Their mother looked conflicted, not wanting to disappoint either child, so Amriel tapped her shoulder and offered to wait with Paige while she and her son went on the ride. She and Cas would be the first ones on once this run ended, so it wouldn't be a problem.

"Oh, thank you so much," the woman said gratefully, letting her son drag her away and onto the ride. Paige stared up at the two, a huge smile on her tiny face and Amriel couldn't help but grin too.

"You really _are_ an angel," Paige gaped up at her, tugging on Amriel's fingers until she was kneeling in front of her again. "Will you answer my prayers when you get the time? Davey's sick and mom can't make him feel better…"

"I'm always listening. My name is Amriel, and this is Castiel. Whenever you want to pray to me, say my name and I'll hear you wherever I am. That's all you need to do," Amriel said quietly, making sure that no one else could hear them over the loud noises of the fair.

Cas watched as Amriel continued talking with Paige, noticing how kind and attentive she was with the girl. He knew that she went above and beyond when it came to her duties in Heaven and he wasn't surprised to see that she was still fulfilling them on Earth. What was even more surprising was the fact that this child could perceive Amriel's grace. Not many people could, and even if they did many never actually saw an angel in their lifetime.

They talked until the ride was over and Paige's mother and brother came towards them. The woman thanked Amriel once more and the angel briefly set her hand on the boy she now knew was Davey's shoulder, identifying the problem and healing him quickly and Paige's eyes widened as she watched a bright light pass from the blonde to her brother. Amriel flashed the girl a smile before telling the family to enjoy the rest of their night, and she took Castiel's hand, leading him onto the ride.

"You healed that boy earlier, didn't you?" Cas asked as they walked around the fairgrounds, stopping at booths to play games they thought looked interesting.

"He had a tumor… I felt it as soon as I touched him. The next time he goes to the doctor he'll be given a clean bill of health and Paige will be happy. That's my job- making their lives better."

It shouldn't have surprised Castiel to hear that she just wanted to help the people she had been tasked to look after. But after dealing with so many other angels that had nothing but ulterior motives and a thirst for power, Cas welcomed the change. He heard her saying that she didn't even feel drained from healing the boy and he shot her a smile.

Castiel wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled the girl closer, pressing a kiss to her temple, enjoying the time he was spending with Amriel. He liked this small town and he liked waking up beside the blonde angel he loved like he never had before.

It was such a change from constantly being told what to do by superiors or worrying about fighting a war or dealing with Sam and Dean's requests. It was a simple life but he wouldn't want it any other way. Amriel glanced up at him and grinned, pressing a quick kiss to his lips and asking if he wanted to go on another ride.

* * *

While Amriel was working her shift at the gas station, Cas used the opportunity to go see Marissa at The Grove. He walked into the store with an uncertain look on his face, finding the redhead seated behind the register like she usually was. The girl looked up for a second before returning to her magazine, but then she seemed to realize just who had walked in and she immediately focused her attention on him.

"Hey Steve-o, what're you doing here all by yourself?" Marissa smiled as she snapped her gum, setting her magazine down and giving him an expectant look.

"Uh… I was wondering if you sold suits or knew where I could get one."

Now that wasn't what she had been expecting him to say. Marissa raised an expertly shaped brow at him and wanted to know what was going on. Why would he suddenly need a suit?

"Are you and Amy planning on eloping or something?" she asked curiously, biting back a laugh when his eyes went wide and his cheeks flushed a deep pink. He fumbled through his words, muttering something that sounded like he wasn't intending to and he didn't know that eloping required a suit.

Before he could work himself into a nervous mess, Marissa told him she was only teasing. "We have a few suits I guess… C'mon, let's see if any are your size."

Marissa took his measurements and was surprised to find that she had a black suit and a white button-up that fit him nicely. She watched as he slowly knotted a tie around his neck, noticing that it was a little off, but it seemed to work on him for some reason. Smiling, the girl nodded and asked what he needed it for.

"I want to take Amy somewhere nice, but I don't have any appropriate clothing." Castiel was only partially lying. He had been following some leads and found out about some crimes that may have been angel-related, and he figured he would need a suit if he wanted to question people at some point, like Sam and Dean did. He did want to take Amriel somewhere nicer than a diner, too, especially with that coral dress she had.

"That's actually really sweet," Marissa nodded, admiring how thoughtful he was. Steve was a really good guy, she had realized over the past few months, and she was glad Amy had someone like him in her life.

They were a good pair- both of them were similarly odd and didn't always get her jokes, but that's what made them endearing. She had noticed that they were way too into each other to really see how people around town watched them.

Marissa had gone out to bars with the couple a few times and Amy didn't even notice the horde of guys trying to get her attention. Their relationship kinda made her sick, to be honest, but that's because she was more used to the 'hit it and quit it' method when it came to guys.

"I just want to make her happy," he said with a shrug. "Do you think this is acceptable?"

The girl smiled at him, saying that Amy was gonna freak when she saw him in his new suit. He shot her a curious look, his head tilted to the side and asked, "Is that a good thing?"

"Oh yeah, it's definitely a good thing," she winked. "I'm sure you'll be getting some if you take her to a nice dinner wearing that. Maybe comb your hair though. You get changed and I'll ring up the suit. Friends and family discount and all that good shit."

Castiel would never understand Marissa Davis or the things she said, but she was extremely helpful and for that he was thankful. He changed back into his t-shirt and jeans, tying his shoes and taking the clothes to the register, where Marissa was waiting with a garment bag.

"So where you gonna take her?" Marissa provided the conversation, knowing that Steve wasn't one to start it up himself.

"Um, I actually hadn't thought about it. Do you have anywhere you could recommend?" He watched her eyes light up and she immediately began naming a few places off the top of her head.

"My favorite is this place like two stores down from here. It's French, and it opened almost a year ago. Good wine, great food. Le Sirene, it's called. I'm sure Amy will love it."

She handed him the suit, now hanging and protected in a garment bag, telling him good luck and that he should probably stop in to make a reservation before they filled up, which would probably happen if he didn't get a move on.

"Okay, I will. And thank you, Marissa… I really appreciate your help. You've been a great friend to Amy and you have helped make her feel at home in an unfamiliar place." Before the girl could reply with a sarcastic comment to cover the warm feeling spreading through her chest, Castiel left the store and made his way to the restaurant to make a reservation.


	16. Making Plans

I wrote this chapter a few times, and it's kind of a filler, but it's paving the way for some important things that'll be happening in the next few chapters, and I'm pretty excited for what's to come.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, liking, and following! Also, this chapter contains some minor, _minor_ smut, if you can call it that.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

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Chapter Sixteen: Making Plans

Castiel had been dreading this moment. A week after his nice date with Amriel, he was working and overheard about a mass murder that had taken place in Caribou, Wyoming. A glee club had gotten off their bus at a bar, gone in and killed a group of bikers, then left.

He _knew_ that it was angel on angel violence, but he couldn't believe it. Cas knew that he had to do something. That's why he was waiting for Amriel outside of the gas station for her to get off of her shift, just like he did every night she closed the store. He hated the idea of her walking alone at night, even though he knew she could protect herself better than he could.

Peering through the window, he watched as she counted the money from the register, her pink lips moving along in sync with her hands. She paused, pushing her curtain of golden hair out of her face and laying it all over her right shoulder, exposing her neck as she went back to counting. His heart swelled at the thought that she was _his_. She loved him, despite everything he had done and stuck by him and been there when he needed her the most.

Castiel knew that he didn't deserve it, though. He didn't deserve her gentle touch or her soothing words after he woke up from nightmares that were just memories of his recent past. The way she looked at him with utter adoration that made him weak in the knees, something he had never felt as an angel. Maybe he shouldn't investigate the murders. He should just stay here with Amriel and let the other angels fight each other.

When he finally came out of his thoughts, he realized that Amriel had spotted him and was motioning for him to come inside. He walked into the gas station and stood on the customer's side of the counter, asking how her night had gone.

"It was fine, Cas," she said with a small smile, leaning against the counter as she spoke. "What did you do today?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. But it can wait until we leave here- it's something better discussed in private." He didn't want to alarm her, but he could already see the worried look working its way onto her face as she bit her lip anxiously. Cas couldn't help but notice how _human_ she came off as. He supposed that with more time watching television shows and observing people here she would fit in seamlessly.

Amriel paper clipped the money together before she put it in the designated bag and zipped it up, going through the standard procedures when it came to closing for the night. She liked mundane tasks like these. Count the money, store it in the safe.

She had already restocked the shelves, and now all she had to do was turn off the lights and lock the doors. Castiel enjoyed these tasks too, she could tell. It was much easier than any of their duties in Heaven. Things here were simple. But she had a feeling that whatever Cas was going to tell her would disrupt their happiness in this small town.

It had started raining by the time everything was done and the doors to the gas station were locked. Neither of them had an umbrella or any sort of cover, but they didn't care. The pair walked back to the motel in the pouring rain hand in hand, Amriel telling Cas about a little boy that had spilled his slushy all over the floor and cried for a solid ten minutes before she could talk him down.

"Children are the most frightening creatures sometimes," Amriel told him. "His face turned bright red and let out this high pitched scream… It was terrible! Cas, his parents didn't even know what to do. I gave him a larger drink and that's when he finally calmed down."

Castiel smiled down at her, knowing that he had seen many kids throw tantrums at the gas station and it had taken him a while to figure out what it took to pacify them. He wasn't surprised that it took Amriel one try. When they were under the overhang of the motel, they stopped outside of their room and looked out into the rain.

"It doesn't feel the same in Heaven," she said from beside him, leaning against the wall and smiling. "The rain, I mean."

Turning to stand in front of her, Cas nodded in agreement. "Many things feel different here, Elle. But not the way I feel about you. In Heaven or on Earth, I will love you with my entire being."

"What did you want to tell me earlier?" She didn't notice the way he was staring at her, taking in her drenched figure and smiling at the way her hair had begun to curl at the ends. Castiel reached out and tucked a strand behind her ear, leaving his palm against her cheek and he said, "It can wait."

He pressed his body against hers and kissed her roughly, feeling her hands reach up to tangle her fingers in his wet hair, and he groaned when she pulled at the dark strands. His hands had a firm grip on her waist as he deepened their kiss, needing more of her than he could have outside against the side of the motel.

Amriel took one of her hands from Castiel's hair and dug into the back pocket of her jeans, feeling for her room key and only breaking their kiss so she could turn her head to look down and unlock the door.

She pulled Cas inside and shut the door behind them, laying a line of salt while his warm fingers roamed under the hem of her shirt. When the line was finished, Amriel turned around and flashed Castiel a bright smile before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again.

The next thing she knew, her shirt was gone and Cas was kissing her neck, his warm lips making her skin tingle. She ran her fingers through his hair before moving her hands down to the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head in one quick motion and tossing it aside.

She unbuttoned his jeans and while he stepped out of them, Amriel discarded the rest of her clothing and moved further into the room, pulling Cas along with her. With a small smile on her lips, the girl jumped up and wrapped her legs around Castiel's waist, her hands gripping his shoulders as he caught his balance and his hands went to her rear to support her.

When Amriel rolled her hips, Cas closed his eyes tightly and groaned, and a rush of excitement ran through her. When she did it a second time, he moved until they were in the small kitchenette and he sat her on the countertop, his hands moving to her waist as he pressed a sloppy kiss to her lips.

Amriel's fingers raked through his soft, dark hair as Cas moved from her lips to her neck, trailing open kisses along her skin before she pulled him back up to kiss him again. She felt his fingers trail up her thighs and between her legs, and she drew in a sharp breath when he slipped a digit into her slick folds.

"Don't tease me, Castiel," she groaned, leaning her forehead against his shoulder and trying to catch her breath.

As he slid another finger into her and continued working her with a steady rhythm, Amriel wrapped her legs around Cas, pulling him as close as she possibly could. She kissed his neck and shoulder, smiling to herself when she scraped her teeth against his skin and he moaned. After all of their sexual exploration, Amriel found that she loved the noises he made, so she tried to get him to make as much as possible.

Amriel felt a familiar tension building up inside of her, and she knew she wasn't far from her release. But Cas seemed to be taking his time, which annoyed her to no end.

"Faster, please- I'm almost there," she was panting now, tangling her fingers in his hair and kissing him roughly.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Cas froze completely before he withdrew his fingers from Amriel, making her frown in annoyance. She leaned her head back against the cabinets, watching him scramble to pull on his pants so he could answer the door.

"Yes?" His voice was thick, and Amriel heard him clear his throat before continuing, "Can I help you?"

_"I- I'm sorry to come by so late, but a young lady stopped by earlier and asked if I would drop off more towels…"_ A nervous voice filled the room and Amriel was suddenly glad there was a divider between the kitchenette and the door to the room.

"Oh, well, thank you," Cas said awkwardly, and soon enough the door was closed and he came into view with a stack of white towels in his arms. "You asked for these earlier?"

"I totally forgot…" she sighed, "Sorry."

Amriel jumped off of the counter and went to find her underwear, slipping them on along with her shirt that had landed not too far from the bed.

When she turned to face Cas, she jumped when she saw that he was right in front of her, a confused look on his face.

"Are you no longer, um, _in the mood?_" he asked carefully as she pulled her hair out of the collar of her shirt.

"I think I'm just gonna get ready for bed," she shrugged, and with that, Amriel fled to the bathroom and shut the door behind her, leaving Cas alone.

He had no idea what he had done to earn that kind of reaction from her, but he frowned anyways and ran a hand through his hair before getting ready for bed too.

When Amriel emerged from the bathroom, Cas was already in bed and watching a cooking competition show on TV. She climbed into bed and turned off the light on her night stand, laying on her side and looking at Castiel as he focused his attention on the television.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she finally said. "We've never been interrupted like that and the thought of getting caught scared me. I didn't know what to do…"

Cas finally looked over at her as she trailed off, an understanding gleam in his eyes and he patted the space on the mattress next to him, inviting Amriel to come closer.

Now that she was curled up against Castiel's side, her head resting on his chest and one of her arms was draped across his stomach, and as he started to play with her hair, she realized that this was what it was like to be human. She heard him sigh quietly and she looked up, asking what he was thinking about.

"I need to tell you something," he said in a serious tone, and Amriel shifted so she could see him as he spoke. "I need to go to Caribou, Wyoming. There was a mass murder of angels, done by another group of angels. I have to find out more information… Why it happened, who these angels were-"

"I'm going with you, Cas," she cut him off, lacing her fingers with his and squeezing his hand. "I don't want you handling angels by yourself."

Castiel shook his head, telling her that he was fully capable of doing it on his own.

"It will be fine. I'll only be questioning witnesses and see if I can find a lead, much like Sam and Dean do when they go on hunts."

"This isn't a hunt for demons or ghost," she reminded him. "These are _angels_. You know what they're capable of, and you can't go alone."

"You're not going to let me go alone, are you?" Cas asked and she frowned, saying she wouldn't know what to do if something happened to him.

"How could I when you're the only thing that makes living on Earth bearable?"

Cas knew that she wasn't going to change her mind, so he took it and said that they would have to leave soon. He mentally went over what they would need: bus tickets, clothes, their weapons. It seemed simple enough. While stuck in his thoughts, he hadn't heard Amriel mulling over how they would quit their jobs or what she would tell Marissa until she asked what he thought.

"I- uh, I hadn't thought of that. We don't have to quit at the Gas-N-Sip, and we don't have to tell Marissa that we're leaving. People take vacations. We can go on one of those."

"I've never been on a _vacation_. Aren't they supposed to be fun?" Amriel was pretty sure every depiction she had seen of a vacation had been enjoyable.

"It's a business vacation? I'm not sure, I've never been on one of these either. We can call Nora from the road tomorrow and tell her that we had a family emergency, and you can text Marissa if she asks where you went. I don't believe this will take longer than a few days."

"Then it's settled. Tomorrow we'll go to the bus station and get to Wyoming to investigate these killings." She confirmed their plan. "When we come back, maybe we can go on a real vacation."

"I'd like that, Elle. Where would you want to go?" Cas asked, glancing down at her to find that she was staring up at him with a small smile.

"I'm not really sure… Maybe somewhere with a beach. I'd love to see the ocean through the eyes of a human."

Castiel realized that he really had taken his time on Earth for granted. As an angel, he had been so concerned with his cause that he didn't stop to take in the true beauty of the planet he watched over.

"The beach it is, then," he reaffirmed their plans, "Is there anything else you'd like to do? I'm not sure how long it'll take to open Heaven, so it could be years before you can go back."

He knew that he probably wasn't going to get his grace back, so there was no use in hoping he would ever be able to return to the place he had existed in for eons.

Amriel was quiet for a few moments, her brows furrowed in thought before her face lit up and she rolled over to her nightstand, where her phone was plugged into its charger. She retrieved the phone and sat up, navigating through the device's menu until she found her photos. Cas watched in awe at the way she went through it with such ease- like she had been using it for years, not a few months.

"One day, I really want to get a dog. I've seen them at the park, playing with their owners and running around without a care in the world. I… I did some research online, and I've read articles and watched videos, and I want a golden retriever."

She handed him her phone, a photo of dog she had found online sitting next to a sofa on the screen.

"I'd love to take her for walks, play fetch, and give her baths… She would be very well taken care of," Amriel beamed as Cas looked through the photos she had saved to her phone, and he could imagine her doing all of those things with one of them.

"You'd be a very good owner, Elle. But I don't think the motel is pet friendly…"

Amriel sighed, saying that she knew. "That's why we'd have to get a place of our own. Once we have that, _then_ we could get a dog."

"You have certainly thought things through, haven't you?" Cas said with a smile, and he saw her cheeks flush in what he assumed was embarrassment.

"Yeah, I guess I got carried away," she shrugged, tucking her hair behind her ear. "When the gas station is empty, I don't have much to keep me busy, so I think about our future."

Cas had never really thought about the future. Honestly, he tried not to. It had been so uncertain since he became human, but a future with Amriel would definitely be one worth thinking about.

"What other things do you envision for our future?"

With that simple question, Amriel began to tell him about all of the things she had thought of, from the small things like what they were going to do for their next date, to the kind of home they would eventually live in when they had the money.

As she talked, Cas found himself starting to think about what he wanted, too, and they stayed up late into the early morning planning their future several times over.


	17. Sam

Thanks so much for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Sam

Once they were checked in at a small motel in Caribou, Castiel changed into his suit and made sure he had his fake FBI badge that Dean had given him long ago. Amriel sat on the bed, watching as he did his tie and admiring the way he looked in the suit.

"You look quite handsome, Cas. Very official. I'd believe you were a federal agent if I didn't know any better," she told him honestly, and he sent her a smile.

"Elle, you probably _wouldn't_ know any better," he laughed, "But then again, neither would I. If Sam and Dean can get away with it all the time, I can do it too."

"What should I do while you're at the scene? I've already warded the room," she gestured to the sigils on the walls as she yawned.

"Perhaps you should rest. You were awake the whole ride here," Cas said, a hint of concern in his voice. He couldn't help but remember how fidgety and nervous she had been the entire time they were on the bus.

"I suppose," Amriel nodded, trying not to think about how anxious the confined space of the bus had made her feel. "I'll look online and watch the news for information about the murders, too."

"As long as you get some sleep," he told her in a gentle tone now, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. "I worry about you, Elle. How's your grace? You haven't spoken of it much…"

His question had caught her off guard completely. Since Paige had seen her true form, Amriel had been paying close attention to her grace and how it had healed over the months. It was much brighter than it had been when she fell, and her wings… She flashed Cas a bright smile before she started to tell him.

"Oh, I wish you could see. It's far brighter than what it was when I found you. It doesn't dim when I'm tired, and I really think I could move objects or people like Ephraim did. My wings— the feathers have been coming in slowly. That's why Paige was so concerned, I think. There's a lot of new growth, but it's patchy," she shrugged, an idea suddenly popping into her head as she grinned. "I want to try something. Stand up, please."

Amriel hopped off of the bed and told Cas to stay where he was. She walked a few feet away so they were standing across from each other, and she looked him straight in the eyes, telling him to stick with her.

Holding up her hand, Amriel spread her fingers before pulling them back and towards herself, like she was trying to grab something out of thin air. She tried this a few times before taking a deep breath and nodding. This time, Castiel flew the few feet and collided into her, toppling them to the ground, a shriek of laughter escaping Amriel as she fell into a fit of giggles. Her laughter was infectious, and Cas found himself chuckling too, holding himself so he wasn't crushing her against the carpet.

"Well, now we know that I can move people," Amriel grinned up at him, a light in her eyes that Cas hadn't seen since she first healed him without incident.

* * *

"Hello officer, I'm Agent Steve Moscone, FBI," Castiel flashed his fake badge and glanced around the scene of the crime with critical eyes. "I've been sent to assist in the investigation. Tell me what happened here."

Cas followed the officer through the bar, going through what had happened until he saw Sam and Dean come in through the front door.

"Ah, my colleagues," he said to the cop, excusing himself.

Approaching the hunters, Cas sent them a small smile as Sam slapped him on the arm.

"Agent," Sam greeted.

"Agent," Castiel answered in a faux official voice, and Dean cut their fun short.

"Cas. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Um, I still have that badge you gave me."

"Oh yeah? So, what the hell are you doing here?" Dean asked again.

"The murders were all over the news… I thought I might be of help."

"Yeah, but Cas, you know this is an angel situation, right?" Sam asked, "I mean, you left that night because angels were on your ass."

An uncomfortable look crossed Dean's face and he interrupted, "Yeah, and you were living the life, you know? Early retirement, working your way up the Gas-n-Sip ladder. Where's your girlfriend at?"

"_Girlfriend?_" Sam echoed, but neither his brother nor Cas explained.

"If angels are slaughtering one another, I have to do what I can to help. It's a risk we should be willing, don't you think?" He looked to Sam, who shrugged in agreement, and he continued, "Hey. Cas is back in town."

"Seriously? Did you-" Dean looked at Sam, amazed, "Did he just say that?"

"These angels— they were butchered. Much more violence than was required." Castiel glanced over his shoulder back at the scene and frowned. It must've been horrific.

"Definitely took more than one or two killers to pull this off," Sam nodded.

"Hit squad? Bartholomew's people?" Dean thought aloud, and Sam continued his train of thought. "Well, Bartholomew has a faction we know about, but this could be somebody else entirely… We don't know."

"Well, whoever it is, we'll find him," Cas said, his voice filled with determination that Sam hadn't heard in a long time.

"_We'll_ find him. That's great," Dean groaned as Cas walked off to continue looking around.

"What did you mean when you asked Cas about his girlfriend? Does he seriously have one?" Sam asked with an eyebrow raised, his gaze moving from his brother to the former angel in a familiar suit as he assessed the scene.

"It's a long story," Dean sighed. "Let's just focus on the job."

* * *

"She should be here shortly," Cas said after checking his phone for probably the fifteenth time in the past ten minutes. It was driving Dean nuts. "I gave her the address, and this bar isn't far from the motel…"

"I'm sure she won't be much longer. We just got here, Cas," Sam smiled, not realizing how much he had actually missed his friend until earlier today. "So, how did you meet this girl?"

Cas was going to answer, but the door of the bar opened and Amriel walked in, her golden hair falling in waves around her shoulders and her gray eyes searching the crowd until she saw who she was looking for, a bright smile lighting up her face. She made her way over to the bar to get a beer before joining them, and Cas noticed that she was underdressed compared to the three men in suits, wearing a pair of denim shorts, a white v-neck and an unbuttoned plaid with the sleeves rolled up. Sam followed Castiel's gaze, and he was floored when he saw a small, blonde girl coming towards them. The younger Winchester shot his brother a look, clearly asking what was up with this, but Dean merely shrugged.

"There she is! Took ya long enough." Dean smiled at Amriel as she approached the table, pulling her in for a small hug before looking back at his brother and gesturing to the girl. "Hey Sammy, here's someone that you'll be very interested in meeting." He nodded to her, indicating that she should introduce herself.

Staring up at the enormous man with long, dark hair and kind eyes, she felt extremely nervous for some reason. She glanced to Castiel, who nodded before taking a sip of his beer. When she looked back to Sam, she saw that he was full of curiosity and even apprehension as he watched her play with the ends of her over shirt.

"I'm Amriel. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sam Winchester. I've been waiting a long time for this, actually," she said, her voice trailing off quietly and she saw his eyes narrow before they widened in realization.

"_You're_ the angel of May? You're beautiful…"

"Isn't she?" Castiel interrupted, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing her temple in a display of affection that was strange to the Winchesters. He was clearly drunk- they all knew it, and Amriel gave Sam a soft smile.

"Thank you, but this is just a vessel. I'm one of your guardians. I watched when I could, but we were told to take a more hands-off approach. I bent the rules when I thought it was necessary, though," she told him, and a grateful look passed over his face. "When you were twelve and that abnormally large child was chasing you after school…"

"You're the reason he tripped?" His jaw had dropped, as had Castiel's, and Amriel saw a look of pride in his bright blue eyes.

"It's hard to do much when you're merely a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent," she shrugged unknowingly echoing words Cas had said once before, "But I did what I could to ensure you weren't harmed."

"Well, thank you. I really didn't want to get the crap beaten out of me by _Jason Thompson_," Sam smiled, holding out his hand. His small grin widened once her tiny hand slipped into his giant one, and he tugged her from Castiel's grasp and into a hug of his own, saying to her quietly, "If Dean hugged you, then I know you're one of the good ones."

In his embrace, Amriel felt something familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. It was warm and comforting, and when she pulled away she squinted and saw the glow of a grace that she didn't recognize.

_"Sam must not know he's being possessed by an angel. But who is it?"_ She thought to herself. Once Amriel was in her own chair, Dean picked up the conversation.

"Hey Cas, are you sure you're ready jump back into all this? I mean, it seemed to me like you'd actually found some peace," Dean shot him a look and glanced not so subtly to Amriel.

"You once told me that you don't choose what you do. It chooses you," Castiel answered, and Dean stared at him in confusion.

"Huh?"

"I'm part of this," Cas continued, clinking his bottle against Dean's, "Like it or not. Amriel is, too. Right, Elle?"

"That's right," she nodded, taking a swig of her beer and finding that she didn't like the taste as much as other beers she'd tried.

"All right, well, then, in that case, we have to figure out, uh, who we're up against, what they want, and how do we stop them," Sam stuttered out, drawing a glare from Dean.

"Well, Bartholomew wants to reverse Metatron's spell. Presumably to take Heaven for himself once his following is large enough. That's according to April."

Amriel's eyes widened at the mention of April, remembering that Cas mentioned her once before.

"The reaper you banged," Dean clarified, and Amriel stiffened, staring down at her beer with a sudden interest.

"Yeah, and you stabbed," Castiel shot back.

"Yeah…" Dean muttered. "She was hot."

"_So_ hot. And very nice," Cas nodded and Dean hummed in agreement as his friend continued. "Up until the point she started torturing me."

"Well, not every hookup's perfect." The hunter patted his friend's arm.

Sam couldn't believe the exchange that was going on before him, especially with Amriel sitting right there with them.

"Really?" Sam finally spoke up, "You're gonna talk about some reaper Cas banged right in front of his _girlfriend_?"

Castiel paled, turning to face an obviously uncomfortable Amriel, and Sam offered to get another round of beers.

"Nah, I'll get it. C'mon, Elle," Cas hopped off of his bar stool and held his hand out to Amriel, who took it without hesitating and together they walked over to the bar, where they ordered four more beers.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't aware that it's forbidden to discuss prior relationships, well, it wasn't even a relationship," Castiel fumbled over his words, and Amriel shook her head, telling him not to worry about it.

"I'm so glad I finally got to meet Sam. But there's something you should know. I think there's an angel residing in him.. I could barely see a grace-"

"Yes, an angel helped him heal after the trials. I'm sure there's some residual grace running through Sam," Cas explained away her concerns. "I doubt it's anything to worry about."

The couple took the beers back to the table, and Cas smiled, "Here we go, four brewskis."

Sam cleared his throat and excused himself, saying that he needed something out of the car. "It was really great to meet you, Amriel."

They watched him walk out of the bar, before Dean turned to face the two lovebirds in front of him. Cas was clearly wasted after only a couple of beers, his focus on nothing but Amriel for the time being. It was nice seeing him like this- as relaxed as an ex-angel could be, staring at his girlfriend with bedroom eyes. Dean was surprised he wasn't trying to grope her right now.

Castiel cleared his throat and looked at Dean, finding the courage to say what had been on his mind all night.

"I, um, I noticed you look kind of… uncomfortable whenever Sam mentions my leaving. Doesn't he know that you told me to leave?"

"Here's the deal," Dean answered, "When Sam was doing the trials to seal up Hell, it messed him up, okay? The third one nearly killed him, and if I'd let him finish, it would have. He's still messed up, bad."

Amriel looked alarmed at this point. Why hadn't she known that Sam had been doing the trials?

"You said the angel, Ezekiel, helped heal him," Cas said, his head tilting to the side and Dean looked down, avoiding his gaze.

"Look, I gotta do everything I can to get him back. Now, if that means we keep our distance from you for a little while, then… Then I don't have a choice. I don't feel good about it, but I don't have a choice. It's great to have your help, Cas, and yous too, Amriel. Okay, but we just can't work together."

"Well, that's just fine then," Amriel spoke up, sending the hunter a harsh glare. "Send away the _angel_ and former angel who could offer a lot of help in solving this case. We'll be going now."

She really wanted to discuss more with Dean, but it appeared that he wanted nothing to do with Cas, and that hurt her.

"Don't maul her until you're back at the motel, Cas," Dean smirked, trying to save face, and he took a long swig of beer.

"Call us if you need anything. I'm sure you will at some point," she shot, unsure of why she was being so short with the Winchester. Something about the way he had acted towards Castiel really left a bad taste in her mouth, and she was trying to dish it back to him. A taste of his own medicine, she thought it was called.

"Sure thing, Elle," the Winchester winked and watched as she took Castiel's hand, telling him to _c'mon_, and she led him out of the bar. Dean watched them leave, thinking to himself that they could actually be mistaken for a real, human couple.

He couldn't help but notice how in-tune they were with each other, communicating with looks, occupying almost the same personal space, but not looking like they were all over one another. He had also noticed how most of the guys in the bar had stared at the blonde girl, but she hadn't noticed anyone other than his former angel of a friend. It was weird to Dean that Cas was the one that had found happiness with a girl. Things with Lisa hadn't worked, and neither did the situation between Sam and that Amelia chick.

Dean had noticed that Amriel seemed like she was doing a lot better in terms of blending in and not coming off all angel-y. It was a major change from when he had seen her mimicking him after they had taken down that Rit Zein. He decided that he was happy for Cas, and he really hoped that he and Amriel returned to that tiny town and settled down for good.


	18. Lost

Hi everyone! It's been a while, but I've been working on this story, as well as tinkering around with a few others. I've been writing an Elijah/OC Vampire Diaries/Originals story as well as something in the Deadpool realm, but nothing that is really ready to be published online. So instead of solely focusing on this, I work on whatever has my attention at the moment and I've been watching VD/The Originals a lot lately.

Anyways, thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! I really appreciate it. :)

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Lost

Cas and Amriel returned to their motel without much incident. The blonde had driven, since Castiel was drunk, and she was surprised she had been able to drive without crashing. They had rented a car when they got to town and Cas had let her drive around the parking lot once to let her get the hang of things, and so she had little trouble driving the few blocks from the bar to where they were staying.

"See! I told you that you could do it," he grinned, throwing his arm around her shoulders as they walked to their room. "You're the best, Elle."

"Shut up, Cas-" she started, but his laughter cut her off.

"That's the most human thing you've said to me! Congrats."

"You're drunk. I think it's time we went to bed." Amriel slipped off her shoes and set them underneath the desk, a habit she had formed since they first started living in the motel in Idaho. "I'm going to brush my teeth and change. Are you going to do the same?"

Castiel had already collapsed on the bed and was shaking his head at the ceiling, making Amriel laugh as she grabbed some of her things from her bag.

"I won't be long, then. At least take your shoes and pants off before you fall asleep," she told him, remembering when he had once come back to the motel room drunk and tracked mud all through the room and ultimately into their bed.

She heard Cas mumble something in response, but she wasn't quite sure what he had said. So she shook her head and slipped into the bathroom with a plain white shirt and pajama shorts to change into.

When she was finished in the bathroom, she emerged with her hair piled on top of her head in a bun and she noticed that Cas hadn't moved an inch since she left, and she heaved a sigh, moving to stand in front of him.

"Cas, come on," she chided him, leaning down and grabbing one of his feet, pulling off the shiny black shoe and setting it down before taking off the other one. "You're acting like a child."

"And how do you know that this is how a child acts?" he asked, wondering how she knew all of these things.

"I watched a show called _Supernanny_, about children who were unable to behave and a 'nanny' who taught them how to act properly through punishments and rewards. This is one of the ways they acted." She started down at him and an idea suddenly hit her. "If you don't get ready for bed, there will be repercussions, Castiel."

Cas opened his eyes and leaned up against his elbows, watching her curiously as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"If you're going to act like a child, you will be treated as such. Go get ready for bed, or else you'll be sleeping on the sofa."

She had his full attention now, and Castiel groaned as he sat up fully, rubbing his face tiredly and nodding in defeat. Amriel smiled, a triumphant feeling spreading through her as she watched him get up and head into the bathroom, shrugging off his suit jacket as he went and hanging it up in the closet. She was surprised her idea had worked; she'd have to use it again in the future.

By the time Cas was done getting ready for bed, Amriel was already under the covers and the TV was turned on to some late-night movie that was absolutely awful. There was a glass of water and two ibuprofen on the nightstand on Castiel's side of the bed, and she nodded to it when he came into the room.

"You had a lot to drink tonight," she mused. "I don't want you to have a hangover in the morning."

Cas took the pills and swallowed them quickly before settling into bed beside Amriel and asked what his reward was going to be.

"What?" she replied, rolling onto her side to face him fully.

"Earlier you said that children are either punished or rewarded. I did as you asked, so I should be rewarded, correct?"

"Oh… Well, I suppose you're right. What would you like?"

Cas wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him, pressing a kiss to her forehead and smiling.

"This is all I need," he said quietly and Amriel beamed at him, pecking his lips quickly and saying that she loved him.

"I love you too, Elle. Let's get some sleep. We have much to do in the coming days."

* * *

Amriel was in the shower the next morning. Cas had already gotten ready for the day, dressed in the same suit he had worn the previous night. He was milling around the motel room, feeling restless for some reason as he did so.

Something just wasn't sitting right with him, and when Amriel emerged from the bathroom dressed in a pair of shorts and a black t-shirt he noticed that the feeling in his stomach didn't go away, and he began to worry. Normally her presence put him at ease.

"I was thinking that I could go around town and do some research. I've been reading the local newspaper and thought I could pose as a journalist from the neighboring town…" She noticed that he hadn't really been paying attention, staring off out the window as he sat on the couch. "Cas? Are you alright?"

He shrugged, saying that he wasn't sure. "You should go research if you'd like. I think I'll stay here, though. I'm not feeling too well."

Amriel stared at him for a moment, trying to assess him for any sort of injury or ailment before asking if he wanted her to bring anything back for him.

"No, thank you. I'll be fine. Let me know if you discover anything that could be of use, though."

Nodding, Amriel finished getting ready and grabbed her purse. She pressed a kiss to the top of Castiel's head and mumbled, "I love you," before leaving the motel and heading out to see if she could find anything more that could be of use to them.

Cas watched her leave, and once Amriel was out of sight he took a deep breath and shrugged off his trench coat before sitting on the bed.

He sat for a while, thinking about everything that had happened to him over the past few months. While he was living a somewhat quiet, human life, Sam and Dean were still hunting monsters. While he was struggling to figure out how to be a human, the Winchesters were risking their lives and dealing with the aftermath of the fall.

Should he have been doing more to help this entire time? Should he have fought Dean when he told him to leave the bunker? Cas shook his head- no. Dean wanted him gone for a reason, but he wondered why. The hunter wasn't always open with him, but Cas had hoped for some sort of explanation, only to be disappointed when Dean didn't give one.

Castiel had done _everything_ for the Winchesters, but Dean couldn't give him a simple explanation, and now he was saying that they couldn't work together to figure out why this group of angels murdered another group.

It was infuriating, and probably the only thing keeping Cas from going off on Dean was the fact that Amriel was there and he didn't want her to get involved, even though she had gone off in her own way.

No one had ever really stood up for him before, honestly, so it had surprised him when she basically told Dean off for denying their help, but now that he thought about it, Amriel was an angel who cared deeply and didn't like seeing others being put down.

Being human was stressful, and Cas had no idea how seven billion people managed to do it on a daily basis. He needed answers- to what, he wasn't sure, but he knew what he needed to do to hopefully get them.

Cas got up and kneeled beside the bed, then he closed his eyes and folded his hands, and let out a deep exhale.

"I'm… unfamiliar with this end of the process. Of course, no one may be listening, but um, I- I do need assistance."

Cas waited a few moments before opening his eyes and looking around. When he realized that nothing had happened, he frowned and sat on the bed with his legs folded, arms extended and his thumb and forefinger touching. He knew this as something called _lotus position_\- he had seen it in one of the yoga videos Amriel had watched online.

"I have questions, and there seem to be no answers."

He changed positions again, kneeling on the floor now.

"I wouldn't presume to ask for help if I weren't desperate, but I need help."

Castiel was standing now, his eyes closed and his arms extended with his palms facing upwards.

"I'm _lost_."

* * *

Amriel left the motel and decided to leave the car in case Cas wanted to go somewhere, so she walked all the way to the bar. She was surprised to find that it was open despite the mass murder that had happened there not too long ago. Posing as a student journalist, Amriel asked the bartender and a few of the patrons questions about the bikers, whether they were regulars or new to the area.

It turned out that the bikers had in fact been part of a group that frequented the bar, but it had been a while since they last stopped in. The woman behind the bar, Paula, had explained that she hadn't seen them since the _"crazy meteor shower"_, and the night of the murders, they had stopped in on their way across the country.

"They seemed a little off. Howie didn't get his normal bourbon- he ordered a damn lemonade," Pam had told Amriel, who wrote it all down on the small hotel pad of paper she had brought with her. "Didn't want to play pool, didn't talk about their ride in. Then that _church group_ or whatever came in and everything went to hell."

She had stuck around for another few hours, talking to other patrons and trying to get more details about that night. When she felt like she had learned all that she could, she thanked Paula and left the bar, pulling her phone out of her pocket and frowning when she saw that she didn't have any messages from Cas.

When she got closer to the motel, Amriel stopped a mini mart and browsed the aisles, looking for something for Castiel to help him feel better.

He had seemed off when she left the motel. Something about the way he was gazing out the window, a far away look in his eyes worried her, so she had found a few of his favorite foods and candies to purchase for him.

She was putting her change in her wallet when she heard a familiar voice in the back of her mind.

_"I'm_ lost_… I need your guidance. Please, hear my prayer…"_ Castiel's voice filled her head.

Filled with a sudden dread, Amriel grabbed the bag from the counter and rushed out of the store, taking off into a sprint towards the motel. Why had he done that? Cas had to know how dangerous it was to pray to angels… Anyone could find them now.

When she got to their motel room, Amriel slid her key into the lock and fumbled for a moment before opening the door and stumbling inside, slamming the door behind her, her eyes widening at the scene before her.

Castiel was now staring at her, awestruck for some reason, and a woman wearing a park ranger uniform stood closer to the couch, and turned to face Amriel with a confused look.

"Amriel? What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing, _Muriel_. I have been traveling with Castiel for months. I heard your prayer, Cas. What were you doing?"

Cas didn't have an answer for her. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, unsure of what to say or even do. So he just shrugged, and Amriel sent him a glare before turning to Muriel and asked why she was there.

"I heard a prayer. I thought it was just a normal human, and it turned out to be Castiel. I tried to leave, but he had questions, so I answered the best I could."

"What's that supposed to mean? You sought out another angel for answers?"

Amriel didn't want to show her disappointment and how hurt she was, so she masked her pain with anger and annoyance.

"Muriel has information about Bartholomew, who we already knew about, and Malachi, the anarchist, and how each side wants to crush the other."

"He's become equals with Bartholomew. In some ways, worse," Muriel interrupted.

"But there's still those like you who want to stay out of it… Like us," Cas said, nodding to Amriel, who was still eyeing the other angel wearily.

"Fewer and fewer. Each side is rounding up those who try and stay neutral," Muriel explained. "Angels are being tortured and killed if they don't pledge loyalty."

Castiel heaved a sigh, "It's worse than I thought, then."

"Each side wants to crush the other, overthrow Metatron, and rule Heaven… and Heaven under either of them would be…"

"Hell," Cas finished Muriel's thought, and the three stood there in silence, unsure of what to do or really say next when the door was kicked in.

Amriel jumped, turning to watch as an angel she knew as Theo, Urim, and another angel burst in. The three stared in horror, not knowing what to do now that they were under attack.

Finally realizing what she had to do, Amriel went to pull her blade from the back of her shorts when one of the angels grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head into the desk, disorienting her and making her vision go fuzzy. She vaguely saw them disarm Muriel and render Cas unconscious, and she heard herself shouting his name before her head came into contact with the desk again she was knocked out.


	19. Captive

Thanks so much for reading! Be sure to follow, favorite, and review! I really appreciate it. :)

Just a heads up, this chapter does contain torture.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: Captive

Amriel had been alone for the past few hours. Urim, who had been had been torturing her, had grown tired of her screaming and the lack of information he was getting from her, so he decided to take a break. Before he left he had promised that he would be back, expecting her to think long and hard about telling him what he wanted to know.

She was too busy looking for a way to escape. A weakness in her bonds, a loose leg of the chair- anything, but Amriel couldn't find a way out. If she was stronger, maybe, but she had been in this same dark, tiny room for hours on end enduring the abuse from someone who was supposed to be a being of Heaven.

Angels weren't supposed to do this to each other, and the more Amriel thought about this, the angrier she became. Where was God in all of this? Where was _Chuck_? She wanted to shout at him- to ask how he could let the angels go this far? It was disgusting how far they had fallen.

Urim kept asking about Metatron's plans. He thought she and Castiel were helping him with whatever he was doing on Earth, and no matter how many times she told him otherwise, Urim didn't believe it.

Her injuries were healing slowly, if at all. She was bruised and torn apart, her skin stung and she was having trouble breathing. Had he broken her ribs? That would explain the searing pain she felt with every inhale and subsequent exhale. Urim had been slow and meticulous at first, tearing strips of flesh from her thighs and back and laying them out like meat. Once he got bored of that, he became more careless, cutting jagged lines across her chest with his blade, laughing when her grace shined through the deeper cuts.

_"You're going to wish you had told me when you had the chance,"_ he had told her before he left, and that's when Amriel had started to cry. She knew that crying was seen as a sign of weakness and refused to do it in front of him.

That had been hours ago, though. She strained to hear what was going on in the other room, where she knew Castiel was being held. And what had they done to Muriel? They were dealing with a similar treatment, she knew that much. Amriel wondered how Cas was holding up. Being human certainly meant that he wasn't healing immediately afterwards. She had _promised_ to protect him and she had failed. Amriel heard footsteps from outside and the doorknob turned, signaling that Urim was back.

She took a deep breath and held her head up high, staring down the angel she would end as soon as she got the chance. He sent her a sneer, asking if she was ready to talk. When she didn't respond, Urim loosened his tie and picked up the blade every angel carried with them.

"Tell us what his plans are! Where is Metatron?" Urim hissed, his face a mere inch and a half away from Amriel's. Her eyes were shut tightly as she tried to recoil, but she was stuck where she was.

He picked up one of the many tools he had been using and dragged the sharp knife over her tear stained cheek and down her neck before jabbing it into her chest, twisting as he pulled it out slowly. Amriel was groaning, her voice long gone after hours of screaming.

All she could think about were the nights she spent with Cas, watching television or being intimate. She couldn't handle much more of Urim's torture, so her mind conjured a safe haven to try and dull the pain. It had been working so far, so Amriel focused on more specific memories to occupy her thoughts.

She remembered how they spent their first Christmas, and Marissa had forced them to kiss under mistletoe at the bar the three frequented. She thought of how they watched holiday movies and listened to Jingle Bells and the Twelve Days of Christmas, and when they exchanged gifts on Christmas morning. She had given him a watch, since he never knew the time or date, and he had gotten her a beautiful piece of jewelry— eight tiny, raw emeralds strung together on a thin silver chain that she had promised to never take off.

In the back of her mind she could hear Castiel's voice- he was praying to her, letting her know that they would be okay.

_"Amriel, I'm not sure if you can hear me, but I'm going to try this anyways. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get us out of here. Please hold on for a little bit longer… I love you,"_ his voice cut off and she realized that he must have been interrupted.

A sob escaped her and Urim laughed, "Come on, you've been so much fun. Tell me, what is Castiel planning with the Scribe? He _is_ your lover, isn't he? None of us are surprised that rebellious little Amriel would turn out to be the traitor's whore. Do you know how _bright_ your graces glowed when you were within twenty miles of one another in Heaven? Too bad the almighty Castiel is a human now- you two were destined to do great things together."

"Please, stop," she breathed, shaking as she felt her grace working overtime to heal all of the damage Urim had been doing to her. She had no idea how long she had been here for, but she _had_ heard Castiel shouting in pain earlier. She pushed what he had revealed to her in the back of her mind and glared at him. "What are you doing to him? He isn't planning anything!"

"How could you choose _him_ over everyone else? Over Heaven?" he was yelling now, screaming in her face as he thrust the blade into her stomach, and she realized that she would probably be dead by now if he had used his angel sword. "You're disgusting. Tainted. There will be no place for you in Malachi's kingdom."

Suddenly Urim's name was called from someone in the other room and he slowly backed away, turning to face the door as he set the knife down. "I'll be back for you later. We're nowhere near finished."

"I won't tell you anything," she told him, her eyes hard as she stared him down. "I love him, and nothing on Heaven or Earth will stop that."

Tensing, he took three, long steps across the small room and stood right in front of Amriel, taking a hold of her face and squeezing her cheeks roughly, making sure to leave bruises beneath the dirt and blood that covered her skin. "I remember when you were punished for rebelling. If you thought that was painful, you haven't seen anything yet."

* * *

"This is a bonus, Castiel. We were tracking Muriel, cowardly holdout that she is," Malachi motioned to Muriel, who was tied to a chair, and her face was just as bloody and bruised as Castiel's, "and wonder of wonders, she led us to you."

"Not knowingly," Muriel shot in defense, and Malachi rolled his eyes.

"I stand corrected. Not knowingly. _Stupidly._ And I was pleasantly surprised to find Amriel with you as well. We had been looking for her…"

"I've explained in detail," Castiel sighed. "I don't know how Metatron's spell worked. Therefore, I can't assist in reversing it. I was an unwitting accomplice."

Malachi let out a chuckle, "Ohhh, a dupe! The great Castiel. _Valued_ and _trusted_ Castiel!" He walked over to a tray of metal devices that sat near his hostage. "Top-of-the-Christmas-tree Castiel! No more than a dupe… Well, dupe or mastermind, you were inside the circle. You know where Metatron's weakness lies."

"No, I don't," Cas shook his head adamantly, trying to keep himself together despite being beaten not too long ago.

Sighing, Malachi called for Theo, who advanced on Castiel with an angel blade. Theo grabbed the former angel's hair and pulled his head back, earning a groan of protest as he dragged the blade down Castiel's chest.

"You'd suffer, even die, for your beliefs. I get it," Malachi said as he watched Theo work. "But is Metatron, whose poll numbers have totally tanked, worth your life? More importantly, is Metatron worth _Muriel's_ life?"

"No, no. She's innocent! You leave her alone," Cas rasped before taking a deep breath and trying to will away the pain he felt.

Malachi hummed, saying that he had no intention of touching her. He looked to Theo, who nodded.

"Virtue is it's own punishment," Malachi told Castiel, who could only beg for them to stop.

Theo stabbed Muriel in the chest with the angel blade, and Castiel shut his eyes tightly to keep the bright, white light from burning them. In that quiet moment, Cas took the time to offer a silent prayer to Amriel, and he hoped that she could hear him despite what was being done to her.

"Amriel is next if you continue to lie to me, Castiel. I can tell you've become fond of her, and I know Urim is having fun with her right now."

"Leave Amriel out of this," Cas wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to her. "She has nothing to do with Metatron. Angels butchering angels. Is this what we've become?"

"Just following your example, Castiel. How many did you kill in Heaven? How many in the Fall?" Malachi saw a confused look cross his bruised face. "Oh, you didn't know? A _host_ of angels died when they fell— Azrael, Sophia, Ezekiel… 'Died' doesn't even begin to describe it. Devastation. Wings shredded, unspeakable agony at _your_ hands. So, I think you would want to provide any information you have, considering.."

When Castiel didn't reply, he shrugged. "All right. I leave you in the hands of an artist."

Malachi turned to Theo and said, "I don't care what's left" before calling for Urim. When the angel finally appeared from behind the closed door, the two disappeared, but not before Castiel could see that Urim was covered in blood that clearly wasn't his own.

Cas hoped that Amriel had heard his prayers to her. It was all he could do to let her know that he was alive and that he hadn't given up.

Theo stood in front of Cas and grabbed a drill from the tray, turning it on to make sure it worked.

"I'll give you one last chance for this to end," Theo told him, and Cas shook his head, closing his eyes and tilting his face up.

"Give me a quick death," was all he said, and then he waited for his life to end. He would never see Amriel again. He would never hear her laughter, or feel her skin against his. His life was going to end, and then Malachi would most likely kill her too-

"I need you to speak to Metatron. Everyone knows you have influence."

Castiel's eyes shot open and he stared up at Theo, amazed by his statement. This could be his chance to escape- to get Amriel and run.

"He'll listen to you. Ask him to raise me to Heaven. You can do this, Castiel. I'll be a soldier for Metatron, do anything he wants." Theo seemed convinced that this was the right decision for Cas to make, when really it was probably the worst thing imaginable.

"You- you serve Malachi," Cas tried to understand why he had defected.

"I thought he was the answer, but he's crazy."

Castiel stared at his brother, someone he had fought beside in countless battles over the centuries, wondering where everything had gone wrong. "You're just noticing this now? You were more than willing to do his dirty work."

"I did what I had to do," Theo told him, and Cas shook his head sadly and said, "When you were sure he would beat Bartholomew."

"But no one will survive this war. Perhaps if you ask Metatron, he will restore your grace."

Those words hit him harder than any punch he had received while being tortured. He knew exactly what he had to do in order to protect himself and Amriel, and he only hoped he could get through to Theo and get out of this place.

"Okay, it's true. I still have a working relationship with Metatron, and he could use a skilled soldier like yourself. Oh, but I don't know…"

"I-I'm a team player, Castiel," Theo offered eagerly, and Cas sent him a fake smile.

"All right. Well?" He gestured to his handcuffs, and Theo undid them quickly. "We have to get Amriel. I won't go anywhere without her."

"Of course. And then what?"

"I'll need a moment to make contact with Metatron, and you have something that I'll need."

Theo nodded as he walked towards the door where Amriel was being held, "Anything, brother."

Cas grabbed a scalpel off of the tray that held all of the weapons they had been using on him, and he latched onto the back of his jacket and swung him around, holding the blade to his throat.

"I'm sorry, brother, but I have to do this." Castiel sliced into his throat and breathed in the grace that flowed out of the wound. Once the grace had transferred, Cas pressed his hand against Theo's forehead and watched as bright light flooded from his eyes and Theo fell to the floor, dead.


	20. Overwhelmed

I finally binged all of Season 11 a few weekends ago... It was _interesting_ to say the very least.

Thanks for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! I really appreciate it.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

Chapter Twenty: Overwhelmed

Castiel, now more alert and hyper-aware of his surroundings thanks to his newly acquired grace, headed through the door he had heard Amriel's screams emanating from not too long ago. He wasn't sure what he was going to find once he walked into the room, so he took a deep breath and entered quickly, keeping his eyes on the floor until the door had closed behind him.

His heart stopped and he felt the strange sensation of bile rising in his throat. Was he going to vomit for the first time in his existence?

Amriel was tied to a chair in the center of the room, a metallic tray wheeled up to the side of it and he saw that many of the tools were covered with blood. Her long hair was no longer the blonde it usually was- instead, it was matted with dark blood and she was covered in it too. Her clothes were torn and her entire body was slack against her bonds- she was unconscious. Castiel could clearly hear her screams resonating in his mind and he shuddered, fighting the anger that was quickly consuming his entire being.

Her outward appearance wasn't what horrified him the most, though. Cas could see her grace for the first time since the angels fell, and instead of the bright, glowing, lively light he remembered it as in Heaven, the grace was dull and reminded him nothing of Amriel.

Every time he had seen her in Heaven flashed through his mind and he knew it must've taken a lot to get her to this state. He could only imagine what they had done to her and while he knew that he could heal her injuries, he hoped that he could do something to restore her grace to its original state with what little power he had now. With time and rest, it would heal and regenerate, but Cas knew that with everything that was going on Amriel wouldn't sit back while he went after Metatron.

The girl began to stir, her face tightening in pain before her eyes fluttered open and she let out a low hiss, trying to sit up only to find that she was still bound. Castiel watched her eyes widen as a choked sob escaped from the back of her throat and his heart broke as he saw her panic, so he quickly moved forward and began to untie her.

"Please- no more. I can't help you! I don't know _anything_" she yelped, her eyes unfocused and unaware that it was Cas that had come to her aid. All she could see was the bright light of a strange grace and that was all she needed to know she was going to be hurt again.

"Hey, it's me. I'm here now, and we're going to get out of here, I promise," Cas told her, remembering his words to her only a few days ago when they had first been brought to this place. When she didn't say anything, Cas stepped back once she was totally freed from the chains and saw that she was staring up at him with her mouth hanging open, so he asked if she was all right.

"Th-that's not your grace," she managed to sputter, her voice dry and hoarse from all the screaming she had done. Amriel was horrified and relieved at the same time and she had no idea how that was possible.

He had a grace that wasn't his- she could see it clearly, pulsing and glowing and full of heavenly intent, but it didn't give off the same light he once did. Castiel had _stolen_ a grace, something that had never been done before, and she needed to know why he had done it.

Cas heaved a sigh and nodded, "I know. I only took it because I had to. I needed to get to you before they came back and I wouldn't have been able to if I was human. I didn't want to, Amriel, I swear. Do you think you can stand? I don't know how many there are guarding the exit."

The girl attempted to rise from the chair, only to stumble forward into Castiel's waiting arms. He hugged her tightly before pressing a kiss to her chapped lips, wondering how long it had been since he had last kissed her. Cas kept one of his hands on her waist and moved the other to her cheek, focusing his new grace and healing whatever he could and he felt Amriel flinch under his touch.

As soon as he was done, she backed away and stared up at him, pushing her hair out of her face and frowning. Castiel tilted his head to the side, confused by her sudden distance and he opened his mouth to ask for an explanation, but she cut him off.

"I- in the words of Marissa, I'm _freaking out_ right now, Cas. I'm not sure what to feel- whose was it?" she asked quietly, moving back when he tried to take a step towards her. "Don't! Whose grace did you steal?"

"It was Theo's," he answered gently as he carefully approached Amriel, who was now backed against the wall. "I'm going to get my grace back, Elle. But we have to leave this place now. Can you walk?"

Amriel couldn't handle this. She looked at Cas and all she could see was Theo's bright grace staring back at her. It looked angry, almost. Upset by its current host. How was she supposed to look at him now? She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thoughts that were racing through her mind and the disgust that she felt towards the grace that resided inside Castiel.

He was still just Cas and that's what mattered. She just had to push aside everything her weak grace was doing to get her to run away from him. When he wrapped an arm around her waist she felt her grace surge just barely, almost like it was trying to fight him off. Amriel repressed the feeling and returned the gesture, leaning against his side and letting him support her weight.

They walked out the door and Amriel gasped when she saw Theo and Muriel's bodies on the floor. Cas tightened his grip on her momentarily before letting go, "Others are coming. Please, stay back."

Amriel watched as three angels, including Urim, entered the room, and all she could do was stare in horror as Castiel killed them all. Urim had been last, and Cas had made sure it was a painful death. He had deserved nothing less for what he had done to Amriel, and Cas enjoyed watching the white light disappear from Urim's host.

"Come, Elle. We have to leave now," Cas said in a rushed tone, like he hadn't just killed three of their own. He took her hand and led her out of the building they had been held captive in.

"I have to call Dean and tell him that Ezekiel isn't the angel possessing Sam. He was killed in the Fall," Cas said as they walked through the parking lot. "We'll steal one of these cars and drive until we're a few towns away, then figure out what to do from there."

Where did this confident Castiel come from? He spoke with such an authority that Amriel wondered if she even really knew him.

"I'm sorry I didn't know it wasn't him," she apologized quietly. "I'd never met Ezekiel, so I wouldn't recognize him either way."

"It isn't your fault, Elle. We just need to figure out who's inside Sam and why he lied about his name."

* * *

Once they were on the road, Cas drove until they found a gas station with a payphone.

"Please stay here while I call Dean. Will you be all right alone for a few minutes?"

Amriel nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest and leaning her head against them. She watched Cas walk away, wondering if she truly was okay.

Cas dug through his pockets and found enough change to place a call, and he dialed Dean's number before holding the phone up to his ear. Once he picked up, the angel immediately spoke, "Dean, I don't have a lot of time, so listen. The leader of the opposition is an angel called Malachi."

_"How do you know that?"_ Dean asked, an impressed tone coloring his voice.

"He had us. Amriel and I were tortured, but we got away."

_"How?" _There was that word again. How?

"I… I did what I had to do. I became what they've become- A barbarian."

_"Is Amriel okay? Is she with you? Where are you?"_

Castiel glanced through the open door of the phone booth and saw the blonde staring into space blankly, and he felt a wave of concern wash over him.

"Yes. She'll be okay. It's better if we stay away, though. They're gonna want me even more now. But we'll be all right. I… I got my grace back. Well, not mine per se, but it'll do," he rambled on, before realizing that he only had a limited amount of time on the phone.

_"Wait, you're— you're _back? _You got your mojo?"_

"I'm not sure. But I am an angel." Cas couldn't get the look in Amriel's eyes when she first saw him with a grace out of his head. She had been afraid of him, he knew it…

_"And you're okay with that?"_

"If we're going to war, I need to be ready."

The Winchester paused for a split second before heaving a sigh, _"Cas…"_

"Dean, there's something else."

_"What?"_ Dean asked impatiently and Castiel almost rolled his eyes.

"Didn't you say Sam was healed by an angel named Ezekiel?"

_"Uh, yeah. Why?"_

"Ezekiel is dead."

_"What?"_

"He died when the angels fell…"

Dean said a quick thanks and hung up after telling Cas to be safe.

Cas placed the phone on the receiver and walked back to the car, and the two angels continued their drive in silence until Amriel turned on the radio and fiddled with the dial.

The sounds of the Top 40 hits floated through the speakers of the gold Lincoln Continental they had taken, and Cas focused on the open road ahead of him while the blonde played with the hem of her torn shirt.

"I want to go home, Castiel," she said quietly, unable to take her eyes off of his hands as they grasped the steering wheel. He turned and looked her over, taking in her small demeanor and frowning at the sight of her grace. He ached knowing that it was _his_ fault and all he wanted to do was fix her.

"I know… We'll find Metatron and reverse the spell so we can unlock Heaven, I promise you that." He saw that she was shaking her head and he raised a dark eyebrow, confused by her reaction.

"Not Heaven. The motel. _Our_ motel, where we've been safe from all of this. If _that_ is how angels act now, I want nothing to do with it. Heaven will never be the same after what's happened."

Cas understood what she meant, and he felt a similar way. If Heaven was restored, would he even be welcomed back? Would he even _want_ to go? Now that she mentioned it, though, Amriel's idea seemed like a good one. It'd be easy to just drop everything and return to Idaho- to the Gas-N-Sip and Marissa. But he had to do whatever he could to deal with Metatron first. Then he would figure out what to do after that.

"We shouldn't have left in the first place. If I had known we would be abducted and they would torture you-" his usually deep voice cracked, unable to look at her knowing he'd have to see her dull grace and the blank look on her face. She was more upset than she was letting on, and he could tell. "I should've gotten to you sooner."

He heard Amriel gasp and that's when he spared her the smallest glance. She was staring at him with an open mouth, her eyes wide with confusion as she shook her head.

"I'm the one that was supposed to protect you. It's my _duty_\- God himself told me to watch you and I let Malachi torture you." Amriel was starting to fall apart. Her heart was racing and her breath was coming in short, shallow rasps. Her stomach was churning and she felt bile rising in her throat.

She had _failed_, and that's not something angels did.

Theo's grace was overwhelming her, the thought of Castiel taking what wasn't his.

"Pull over, please. I ca-can't breathe."

Amriel was out the door as soon as the car had pulled to a stop, then she hurtled towards the grass where she landed on her hands and knees before she threw up, choking and gasping as she dry heaved. She didn't even realize that Cas had followed her until she felt him moving her hair out of her face and rubbing her back soothingly. It felt better to be out in the open air, especially after being trapped for days and the confinement of the car. When she finally sat back on her shins, she saw that he was kneeling beside her, a look of concern written all over his face and he asked, "Are you okay?"

Was she okay? She had no idea. All she knew was that she had failed and as a result Castiel had stolen another angel's grace. So many things were running through her mind and she still felt a little sick, but she nodded anyways.

"I think I'm the first angel to ever vomit," she said, managing the send him a small smile and it only widened when she saw the way his eyes lit up as he rose from the ground. Amriel made an attempt to stand, but she faltered and Cas was quick to catch her. He held her tightly against his chest and pressed a kiss to the top of her head like he always did. Standing there on the side of the highway, Amriel could hear his heart beating in his chest and she closed her eyes to block out the grace emanating from him. Maybe that was contributing to her upset stomach, but she wasn't positive. They stood like that, wrapped in each other's arms for a few minutes before Cas squeezed her shoulders and held her at arm's length, asking if she was ready to go.

"I'm ready," she said with a nod, letting him take her hand and walk her back to the car. Cas made sure she was comfortably seated and buckled before he shut the door and getting in the driver's side. They were back on the road, heading for the bunker Castiel had mentioned earlier when they were searching for a car to steal. He knew that's where Sam and Dean would be, and Cas felt like he had to go and see if he could offer any help to the Winchesters, but they had to pick up a few things first.

* * *

They returned to the motel they had been abducted from and retrieved their belongings before driving to a different one a few hours away, just to put some distance between them and Malachi. Cas wanted to keep driving through the night, but Amriel was growing restless in the car and he didn't want her to get sick again. So here they were, a small room with a king sized bed and a fuzzy tv, but it was all they needed.

Castiel wasn't tired whatsoever, and he found himself missing the sensation. It surprised him because Amriel was exhausted. He figured that it was just her grace trying to regenerate, but that didn't explain the past months they had been together. He felt no hunger or fatigue, but she slept and ate on a somewhat regular basis. Perhaps it was because she was a different level of angel, or the fact that her grace had been so damaged during the fall, or maybe she just wanted to fit in and appear human- he couldn't be totally sure though.

Regardless of the fact that he didn't need to shower, he all but dragged Amriel into the bathroom and turned the water on, watching the steam fill the small room as he helped the sluggish girl undress before he disrobed as well. Ushering her into the shower, Cas had her stand under the stream of hot water as he poured shampoo into his palm.

"Turn around, please," his voice was soft and she did what he asked. Once her back was facing him, Castiel began to wash her long hair with more care than he had ever shown before as an angel. He watched the tiny bubbles begin to foam and he massaged her scalp, trying to ignore the dullness of her grace. Cas couldn't believe what Urim had done to her, and all he wanted to do now was take care of her. How could somebody hurt _his_ Amriel? He was glad he had killed him, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

"Cas?"

He noticed that she sounded tired, but he heard a quiet moan escape from the back of her throat so he knew he was doing something right.

"Yes, Elle?" he replied, turning her around and tilting her head back into the stream to rinse her hair. She stared at him, but Castiel could tell that she wasn't really looking at _him_. "It's this grace, isn't it?"

Amriel was silent, her gray eyes searching his as she tried to figure out what to say. Was she supposed to be honest with him or should she lie? She thought about all of the movies she had seen where someone lies about what they're feeling, and how the lie is always found out in the end and the person that was lied to gets hurt. She didn't want to hurt Cas, so she knew she had to tell the truth.

"Yeah," she nodded, keeping her eyes on his the entire time she spoke. "I don't know how to see past it. Every time I look at you I see _Theo's_ grace and I just don't know what to do because I can see it trying to reach out to mine or something. I have to keep it away because it isn't _yours!_" Her outburst caught Castiel off guard. That wasn't what he was expecting to hear whatsoever… He had no idea that the grace had been seeking hers out. Cas would have to keep himself in line from now on.

When angels' graces touched, it was powerful. Something that could destroy mountains. When it was an intimate touch, amazing things could happen. It was told that thousands of years ago two angels that loved each other more than God himself took vessels and met on Earth in South America. When their graces melded together momentarily during the throes of passion, the Amazon rainforest was created. One of the angels was killed during a battle and the other fled to Earth to be in solitude for the rest of eternity. They both knew this story well; it had served as a lesson against love during their formative years.

"Are you insinuating that if it were my own grace, you wouldn't mind?" He didn't want to read too much into it, but he knew the stories of angels being in love. They were taught that it never ended well, but he had never seen it for himself.

"I wouldn't mind at all," she shook her head and set both of her hands on his biceps. "I love you, Castiel. I want to be as close to you as possible, but only you. Not you with some other angel's grace. When we get it back, maybe we can re-plant the Amazon. But for now, I'll just settle for _human_ intimacy." Amriel leaned forward and began trailing kisses along his neck and collarbone, eventually making her way up to his lips.


	21. The Bunker

Hey there! I just wanted to say that I'm really amazed that this story has over 20,000 views. I know it might not seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it really means a lot to me that people are reading.

Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. This chapter raises some questions and sets things in motion for what's to come.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

**Twenty One: The Bunker**

As they laid together the next morning, a tangle of limbs and bed sheets, Amriel trailed her fingers up and down Castiel's chest, admiring his smooth skin.

"Urim told me something interesting while he was torturing me," she said softly, glancing up at him briefly, gray meeting blue. "Whenever we were within a relatively close distance- twenty miles he said, in Heaven, our graces became brighter. He might've been lying, but I thought it was something worth looking into. Chuck told me that we're kindred spirits of a sort… There might be a connection."

"Are you sure that's what he said?" When she nodded, his mind began to race and his eyes narrowed as he thought about it. It truly was interesting, as Amriel had stated. If it was true, then her arrival at the gas station made sense. "Why did you keep moving from town to town after the fall? What kept you running?"

Amriel shrugged, "I didn't feel safe. But as soon as I got to Rexford I felt such a relief, like I could stop running." She wasn't sure if she was explaining it as well as she should, but Cas seemed to get what she meant and he smiled. He felt safe with her too, but he had put her in danger and couldn't forgive himself for it. He couldn't forget the sounds of her screams or the way she looked when he found her, covered in her own blood and limp like a rag doll. The night before, he had a nightmare that he had found her just like that, only she was dead, her grace no longer illuminating the space she filled. In his nightmare, Naomi had appeared behind her body, a twisted smirk plastered all over her face.

_"You did this to her, Castiel. Her infinite life, snuffed out because you involved her in all of this! This never should have happened. She trusted you and this is what happened. This is what always happens when people trust you."_ Naomi had said this and more demoralizing, hurtful things in his dream and he had woken up in the middle of the night. Once he realized that he had been sleeping, Cas decided that he wouldn't be doing that anymore. At least he didn't have to sleep now that he was an angel again.

"Cas, do I have to go back to Heaven if we open the gates?" Amriel brought him out of his thoughts and he stared down at her. "I don't want to if it isn't necessary."

"What do you mean, you don't want to return to Heaven?" Cas asked, shooting her a confused look. That's all any angel wanted- that was all he had wanted when he was trying to prevent the Apocalypse with the Winchesters. But he wasn't sure if that's what he wanted now.

"It's going to be a mess. I don't want to be a part of their petty fighting, so I won't go back. It's not like I can, anyways," she frowned. Amriel knew her wings weren't in any state to be used. Every time she looked in a mirror she could see that her feathers had slowly started to grow back, but she had no idea if she could ever actually be able to use her wings again. Castiel must've known that she was thinking about them, because his fingers brushed along her soft feathers and she shivered at his gentle touch.

"They're still beautiful, Elle," he said softly and the blonde froze. She knew they _weren't_ beautiful. He must just be saying that- like the men on TV. Amriel had learned in her months on Earth that humans lied _constantly_ and usually over the most trivial things. Even Castiel lied to her every once in a while, but only about how he wasn't tired when he was really exhausted. She saw the way he looked at her, affection clear in his bright blue eyes and she knew he was being honest. How did he find them beautiful while she was disgusted by the very sight of her wings?

"They're offensive," she huffed, trying to ignore the way his fingers trailed along her newly grown feathers. "I had to pull some of them out myself after I took my vessel… It was awful."

Castiel was hit with visions of a frightened Amriel, huddled up somewhere pulling out emerald feathers that would do more harm than good if they remained attached to their host.

"I guess I'm lucky, though. Many angels suffered much worse than I did in the Fall."

He had seen it all from Earth, but he didn't know the extent of the damage until he heard that Ezekiel had actually died. Cas wondered just how weakened Amriel's grace had been when she fell and how long it took for it to heal- then he thought about how all of that recovery had been wiped away by Urim. Without a connection to the Heavenly host, it could take months, even years to regenerate properly. The idea of her being in pain for so long made him sick - metaphorically, though, since he no longer felt any human illness or pains. He had expected his emotions would be affected as well, but he glanced down at Amriel and felt a surge of love and complete devotion rush through him.

Castiel's phone began to ring, and with a groan he answered, listening to Dean's short command to get to the bunker _now._ He hung up and placed his phone back on the night stand before rolling over to face Amriel, who was watching him with a confused look on her face.

"Is there anything you'd like to do before we go to the bunker? Dean needs us."

Amriel nodded, saying she wanted to have breakfast. Keeping her vessel nourished would make things easier on her grace, but it would still be a long process.

They went to a diner and once Amriel had gorged herself with pancakes and bacon, they paid the bill and left the diner. Cas had sipped on a cup of coffee while she ate, wanting to blend in at the busy restaurant, but he found that it wasn't as satisfying as it had been when he was human. They left the diner and Castiel helped the blonde into the car before getting into the driver's seat and they were off.

They had been on the road for nearly an hour, listening to the radio and chatting idly in Enochian and English, before Cas decided to bring up their destination.

"You should be rather comfortable at the bunker. It's a truly interesting place."

"I just don't want to be a burden to them… or to you," Amriel mumbled, looking over and taking in his profile. He was wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and a loosely done blue tie and a tan trench coat over that, and she remembered that was what he had worn when he first took the vessel of Jimmy Novak. Everyone knew how strong the Novak man was and Cas had told her that Hael had wanted to take the body because Jimmy was no longer there to give consent. She liked these clothes on him- they seemed to suit him. Wait, did she just make a pun?

"You're not a burden, trust me. Dean likes you a lot and Sam seemed enthralled. They don't trust people easily, that's for certain. You've earned Dean's after what happened with Ephraim, so believe me when I say that there will be no problems when we arrive at the bunker."

* * *

When they got to the bunker they found the door unlocked and Castiel didn't take that as a good sign. He knew that it was always secured.

Amriel looked around the bunker in shock- this wasn't what she had expected at all. The enormous, almost regal space was a disaster. Chairs were upturned, a broken lamp and papers littered the floor, and it was eerily quiet.

"What happened here?" she asked, and Cas shook his head, unable to come up with an explanation.

The blonde knelt down and began picking up the papers, noticing that many of them were about angels- Metatron, to be more specific. She was straightening them out to put on the large table in the center of the room when she spotted her name at the top of one of the sheets.

Setting the rest down, Amriel glanced at the page with her name written on it and she saw an artist's painting of a blonde angel, dressed in a billowing white gown with bright emerald wings that faded into a pastel and then to white, ascending into Heaven with her arms outstretched towards another angel with sandy hair and blue eyes. She noticed that both figures were glowing brightly that all of the other angels in the background lacked, and she squinted at the caption.

_"Amriel's ascent is received by her eternal partner."_

Why hadn't she seen this painting before? She knew of every piece of art that dealt with Heavenly beings. This painting was done by the High Renaissance artist Raphael, so it wasn't like it was an obscure piece. She noticed that someone had annotated the page, drawing circles around _eternal partner_ and had written _Cas?_ next to it. Amriel frowned. She would know if she had an eternal partner, whatever that was, wouldn't she?

The page went on to talk about her duties and how she was well liked in Heaven.

"Well that's an exaggeration," she thought out loud. Few angels knew of her or even acknowledged her before she had been punished for disobeying direct orders. "They researched me."

She handed the paper over to Castiel, who didn't look surprised whatsoever.

"It was most likely Sam. Dean isn't too fond of doing research," he told her, eyeing the picture curiously. "I've never seen that before. It must've been discovered somewhat recently- in the last ten years, I'd say."

"Where was this painter getting his information from? Why haven't I seen this before?"

Amriel was cut off when Dean entered the main room and dropped a bag full of weapons on the table.

"Dean," Cas greeted, glad to see his friend, but concerned at the same time.

"Cas. Now, look at you, all suited up and back in the game. Hey Blondie," he nodded to Amriel, who nodded back.

"I, um, we came as soon as you called. What happened here? What's wrong?"

Dean stopped rearranging the weapons in the bag and he stared up at Cas, telling him that they should sit down.

"Is there somewhere I can rest?" Amriel asked Dean suddenly, realizing that this was probably a conversation she should let them have alone. Cas turned to look at her, concern written all over, from his posture to his furrowed brows.

At first all he could see was her grace, the dim light trying to heal itself while keeping her vessel going. Then he looked with his human vision and saw that she was exhausted, and if he could see that then Dean could too.

"I'll take her to the room I used the last time I was here," Cas answered for the hunter, taking Amriel's hand and leading her down a long hallway to the third door on the left.

"Will you be okay here while I talk to Dean?" he asked once she had removed her shoes and laid down on the bed.

"Yes, Castiel, I'll be fine," she said, giving him a small, reassuring nod that didn't do much to calm his nerves.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, promising that he would be back in no time, and then he left the room, closing the door behind him. Cas returned to the main room to find Dean looking over the papers Amriel had been holding and he cleared his throat.

"There's some stuff I gotta tell you, Cas… Kevin is dead."

And then it went from there. Dean told Castiel everything. How he had let 'Ezekiel' possess Sam, and how it had ultimately gotten Kevin Tran killed.

"Sammy was dying. What was I supposed to do?" Dean asked, running a hand over his face and trying to hold himself together.

"You let an angel possess him?"

"He said it was the only way, and I believed him. Now Sam's gone. Kevin's…"

"Dean, I'm sorry." Cas wasn't sure what else to say. There was nothing _to_ say.

"Yeah, well… Sorry don't pay the bills, does it? It sure as hell ain't gonna bring Kevin back. We gotta find that son of a bitch."

"If the angel possessing Sam isn't Ezekiel, then who is it?"

"A dead man walking," Dean said with a determined voice. He was going to do whatever it took to get Sam back.

"What, you're gonna destroy him?"

"Damn right." Dean's answer didn't surprise Cas, but he still shook his head and sighed.

"You kill an angel, its vessel dies, too. Amriel won't let you kill Sam, you know. He was apparently doing some research on her. Do you have any idea what it means?"

"Not a clue. You'll have to ask Sammy when we find him. We gotta find him, Cas. But I'm sure you wanna get some sleep or something first, huh?"

"I'm an angel again," he said, watching the Winchester's eyebrows raise. "I did something I'm not proud of, but I did it to save Amriel and myself. You couldn't imagine the things they did to the both of us, especially her- I can still hear her screams."

"Is she gonna be okay?" Dean asked, looking from Cas to the hallway that led to the room Amriel was in, worry written all over his face.

"Her grace couldn't keep up with everything Urim did to her… I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to extinguish it all together. It'll take time for her to recover," Castiel sighed. "Amriel told me her feathers had been growing back, but handfuls have been pulled out. I wish I could've made him feel what she must have felt before I ended him."

Dean could tell Cas was getting worked up, so he held up a hand and told him to calm down. He asked if there was anything they could do to speed up her healing process. They would need another angel in their corner if they wanted to find Sam.

"She would have to touch a soul, but even then I'm not sure how much help it would be." The angel shook his head and sighed, "Truthfully, the only way she could heal quickly and completely is if Amriel was in contact with the Heavenly host."

"What's up with all the angel on angel violence though? She has nothing to do with Malachi, Bartholomew, or Metatron."

"She was with _me_, that's why. They thought we had information about Metatron's whereabouts, and they were ready to do whatever it took to get that information. I did what I had to do to protect Amriel."

Dean nodded, knowing he would've done the same thing if Sam's life was on the line.

"We need to come up with a plan to deal with this angel. Any ideas?"

Castiel heard footsteps coming from down the hall and he looked up and felt a familiar warmth spread through his chest.

Amriel's hair was mussed, so he figured she had been tossing and turning as she slept. Her grace seemed a little brighter than it had been before, but it could've just been him hoping she was healing.

"Hey, Blondie, what do you think we should do to get this angel out of Sam? Could we stab him with that blade of yours?" Dean nodded for her to take a seat and she stared at him for a few seconds before realizing what he wanted her to do.

Pulling out the chair beside Castiel, she sat down and shook her head in response, saying that it was a terrible idea.

"If you try to kill the angel, you would kill Sam too. He's one of my charges- I can't let you do anything to harm him." Amriel rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms, trying to figure out how to get an angel out of a host without harming the human.

"Listen, Sam is strong. If he knew an angel was possessing him, he could fight. He could cast the angel out." Cas suggested and Dean thought about it for a second and nodded.

Cas took Amriel's hand and Dean saw her flinched in a tiny, almost unnoticeable way and he raised an eyebrow. Was he missing something?

"What's up with you, Amriel?" Dean asked, looking from her to Cas, then back to the blonde and trying to figure out what was off.

"I'm just drained," she answered, keeping her gaze on the table and yawning.

Dean shook his head, saying that it was something else.

"Does Sam know that there's an angel possessing him?" Amriel tried to change the subject, but the Winchester wasn't having it.

"As far as I know, he's in the dark. I don't know how we're supposed to clue him in. But answer my question. You look like you're gonna hurl," Dean turned to Cas, "Is she gonna hurl?"

"She did after we escaped Malachi's imprisonment, so I'm not sure. Her grace is reacting adversely to the one that I took. I'm going to figure out a way to get mine back. But we need to deal with Sam first. Do you remember Alfie?"

"The kid angel? Yeah. Why?" Dean tried to figure out why _Alfie_ was relevant to this situation, but he couldn't.

"Before he died, he told me the demons were able to dig into his mind— access his coding. We might be able to do that here, to bypass the angel and talk directly to Sam."

"And you think that would work?" Dean looked from Cas to Amriel, and the latter shrugged.

"I don't know, but I think we should try," Castiel answered for the both of them, and Dean nodded.

"Why don't we go pay Crowley a visit then," Dean said, pushing his chair back and standing up. "We've got him locked up in the storage room."

Cas stood too, glancing down at Amriel and taking in the tired look on her face. He knew that he should feel more empathy like he had before, and he almost could. Her skin was pale and all he wanted to do was make her feel better, but there wasn't much he could do right now.

"Would you like to join us?" Cas asked, holding out his hand and feeling a familiar warmth when she took it.


	22. The King of Hell

Hey! Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I'm in the process of moving and it's been keeping me pretty busy. I definitely haven't forgotten about Cas and Amriel! Once I'm in my new place and settled in I'll have more time to write and edit, which means I'll be able to post more often.

Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! It means a lot to me. :)

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two: The King of Hell**

Amriel glanced around the large room as Dean pushed some shelves out of the way, revealing an enormous devil's trap painted on the floor. A chair was in the center of the trap, and in that chair was a man dressed in a black suit, his arms and legs shackled and a dark cloth bag draped over his head.

Dean removed the cloth and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest as the former King of Hell cleared his throat and looked around the room.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Hello boys…" His brown eyes finally settled on Amriel and he perked up. "And just who might you be, love?"

The blonde didn't respond- instead, she moved closer to Castiel, trying to shrink behind his trench coat covered frame.

Crowley squinted before his eyes widened, "You're Amriel. I almost couldn't tell with how dim that grace of yours is! I've heard _so_ much about you over the years. But let me introduce myself, I'm Crowley, King of Hell."

"Ex-King," Dean scoffed and Crowley shot him a dirty scowl.

"Well, I'm sure you didn't come in here to introduce me to the shiny, new member of your little gang," Crowley heaved a dramatic sigh. "So, what is it that you want from me?"

"Here's the deal. You're gonna tell us how to hack an angel, and I'm gonna give you some of the good stuff," Dean held up a syringe of blood, "Human blood, fresh from the tap. Word is you're jonesing for it."

"Please. I'll pass," Crowley said with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"What do you want, then?" Cas asked, trying to ignore Amriel's closeness and focus on the task at hand.

"Well, for starters… A massage. Between the sitting and the shackles, a body gets a little stiff."

"Yeah… I ain't rubbing you," Dean shot back and Crowley's eyes widened.

"God, no. Get Kevin. His tiny fists can really work wonder-"

"Kevin is dead," Cas interrupted, and Crowley gave is condolences. "Don't pretend you care. You tried to kill him."

"I told him this was gonna happen. I was the only person who tried to warn him- I told him to run."

"From what?" Dean snapped, and Amriel could almost feel the tension in the air.

"You, of course. How many times am I gonna have to say this? People in your general vicinity don't have much in the way of a life-span," Crowley told him. "Now, I can't teach you how to crack open an angel. It's more.. art, than science. But I _can_ do it for you. All I ask in return is a little field trip. I'm dying for some fresh air. Chains on, naturally."

Dean's immediate response was a firm _no_, and Cas nodded in agreement.

"No? Of course not. Because if I'm plan 'A' I'm sure you have a much better plan 'B.'"

Castiel pulled Dean aside and Amriel stood in her place, watching Crowley with a curious gaze as the two spoke.

"What are you looking at, girlie?" Crowley snapped, and Amriel shrugged in response.

"You're not really what I expected the _King of Hell_ to look like, is all."

"I'm far more handsome, right?" he laughed, earning a small smile from Amriel. "I didn't expect the angel of May to be as adorable as you. Now I see why you and my old pal Cas were made for each other."

Before Amriel had the chance to press him to explain what he meant, Dean and Cas came back towards the center of the room where the demon was seated.

"So boys, it looks like we need a tiebreaker. But I already know who Angel Barbie is going to side with. Go get Moose, Squirrel."

Guilt crossed Dean's face and Crowley's eyes lit up with mirth.

"Unless, of course, you can't. That's why you're here, isn't it? The poor giant baby's in trouble again, isn't he?"

"Are you done?" Dean asked with a groan, rubbing his temple.

"Depends. Do we have a deal?"

Dean said yes, and Crowley asked when they were going to leave.

"As soon as I can scrounge up a ride," Dean sighed, turning to look at Cas and Amriel, who had already sent each other a quick glance.

"Well, we have a vehicle. It stopped a few miles from here, inexplicably," Cas offered, pulling a set of keys out of his coat pocket.

"I bet you're out of gas. C'mon, let's go."

* * *

The four walked the two miles to the car, Crowley between Dean and Cas, his hands shackled in the demon cuffs and his jacket carefully folded over his hands to conceal them. Amriel stayed close to Cas, keeping a careful eye on the demon as they approached the car.

"Really? What are you, a pimp? Crowley asked Cas with a raised eyebrow, and Cas shrugged, saying that he liked it.

Dean was busy trying to start the car, and when he saw the "E" on the dashboard, he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, it's out of gas," he got out of the driver's seat, mumbling something about angels working at a gas station but not knowing when a car needed gas, and he went to fill the tank with the gas can he had brought.

"Riddle me this, boy wonder and girlfriend. Why do you need the wheels?" Crowley asked, looking from one angel to the other, wondering which would answer first. Amriel looked at the demon and frowned, surprised when Castiel spoke from beside her, and what came out of his mouth surprised her.

"When you betray us, I'll be the one to carve out your heart.

Crowley chuckled, "Oh Cas, such a flirt."

"All right, you two. Knock it off. Let's go," Dean cut them off, twirling the keys on his finger as he addressed them.

"Shotgun!" Crowley called, and Dean frowned.

"Uh, wrong. You're in the back," he pointed to the door behind the driver's, and Cas smirked, stepping over to the other front seat. "Hey, you too. Keep an eye on him. Ladies sit shotgun."

Crowley shot Cas a smirk and got in the back, and Amriel watched Cas roll his eyes and get in too. She quickly followed suit, listening to the two bicker in the back as she buckled her seat belt.

"Hey, hey hey! Stop it back there! I _will_ turn this car around!" Dean had finally had enough of their arguing and put an end to it.

"Fine," Crowley huffed, turning his attention to the blonde in the front seat. "So, Barbie. Tell me. Just how good is our Cas here in bed?"

Amriel's head turned so fast Dean thought she gave herself whiplash. She stared at Crowley, a hard gaze in her gray eyes, and he just looked back at her expectantly, ignoring the anger radiating off of the angel sitting beside him.

"I don't see how it's any of your business. But, If you _must_ know, he's a sexual deviant. Castiel does things to me that would make even you blush." She watched Crowley's jaw drop slightly and a small smirk crossed her lips, pleased that he believed her lie. Perhaps that would shut him up for a little while.

They stopped at an office building that Crowley had contacts at, and the next thing they knew they were on their way to Somerset, Pennsylvania, the last known location of the Impala, and where they would find the angel that was inside of Sam.

It took a few hours to drive to Somerset, where they tracked Dean's beloved car to a house in a quiet neighborhood. Dean got out of the Lincoln first, walking over to the Impala and running his hands over the car, making Amriel raise an eyebrow and turn to look at Cas with a confused look.

"He loves that car more than himself," he answered, and Crowley made a noise of agreement.

They watched Dean go into the house and Cas got out of the car, leaning down and telling Amriel to watch Crowley while he went in as backup. Before she could argue, Castiel was gone and she was left alone with the former King of Hell.

"And then there were two," Crowley said smugly. "But it's nice to have some alone time with a woman for a change. I've been held captive by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumbass for who knows how long."

"I'm an angel, and you are beneath me," Amriel responded, staring him down as she spoke. "But, you are of use to us. Sam is one of my charges and I will do anything it takes to keep him safe."

"Ah yes, ever the dutiful one. I've heard about you, Amriel. Don't think you've flown under the radar for all these years."

Before she could ask what he was talking about, Dean and Cas came out of the house with an unconscious Sam, and Amriel jumped out of the car to help carry the giant man. They got Sam into the back seat of the Impala and Dean told Cas to take the Lincoln and follow him closely.

"Amriel, go with Cas. Make sure Crowley behaves himself."

She wasn't used to being ordered around by Dean, but she nodded and headed over to the car, getting in the back seat with Crowley while Cas started the car and waited for Dean to start driving.

"Why hello there, darling. Couldn't stay away, I see," Crowley smirked and Amriel inched closer to the door. "Don't be shy, I don't bite much."

"Don't talk to her, Crowley," Cas growled from behind the steering wheel, making the demon raise an eyebrow.

"Touched a nerve, did I? A bit possessive, if you ask me. Not very angel-like," he chided, and Amriel watched Cas tense up. She leaned forward and put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently before returning to her previous position against the door.

Amriel turned so she could look at Crowley, taking in his vessel and understanding how he could have been the King of Hell. He may have been small in stature, but he made up for it in grandiose.

"What was it like being human, Castiel? I myself haven't been one for centuries." Crowley continued to prod at Cas, and Amriel was losing patience with him quickly.

"You will not speak to him for the duration of the ride, Crowley. Instead, you and I will have a civil conversation. No snide remarks or rude comments," she finally told him, catching Castiel's eye in the rear view mirror and nodding when he shot her a thankful look.

"How does a demon like yourself know so much about me? I'm a mere watcher. I'm of little importance in Heaven." She wasn't sure how long they would be driving for, so she figured she could try and get some answers out of him.

"That's where you're wrong, Barbie. You're not just some angel that sits on the mantle and watches over every insignificant human that happens to be born in May. You're meant for much greater things, but trench coat here ruined that when he let his grace get stolen." Amriel could practically hear Cas rolling his eyes at this point. "But as the King of Hell, it's my job to know these things. To know about those who are destined for more. However, what I know is just that. For me to know and for you to find out, darling."

The car pulled to a stop outside of an abandoned warehouse, and Castiel stepped out and opened Crowley's door, grabbing his arm and pulling him out roughly, shooting him a look.

"No tricks, Crowley," he said as Amriel got out of the car and shut her door, and she went over to help Dean get Sam out of the Impala.

"No tricks, Cas."

* * *

Sam was tied to a chair and warded handcuffs were secured around his wrists, his head and chin restrained. Amriel sat on a chair nearby, holding onto his hand to assess the damage and letting go only when he began to stir.

"Welcome to the party, pal. Amriel, how we lookin'?" Dean asked as he stood nearby.

"Most of Sam's internal burns are healed. I should be able to fix the rest." She turned from Dean to look back at Sam, not seeing the frown that crossed Castiel's face.

"What's your name?" Cas asked, "I thought I knew every angel in Heaven, but I've never seen you."

"Why would I tell you anything?" the angel snapped.

"Well, I don't give a damn who you are. You just need to get out. _Now_," Dean answered, his voice reaching a dangerous tone that Amriel had never heard before.

"And if I don't?"

Crowley moved away from the wall he had been leaning against, "Then you and I will have a lovely little playdate."

The unknown angel rolled his eyes, "Even bound, I can rip this body apart. Tell them, Castiel."

"You do, you die," Dean answered before Cas could confirm the angel's threat.

"You want this to end? Go ahead, put a blade through your brother's heart. If it makes you feel better, I have Sam locked away in a dream. As far as he knows, the two of you are working a case right now — something with ghouls and cheerleaders."

"Why are you doing this, huh?" Dean asked. "We fought together, and I trusted you. I thought you were one of the good guys!"

"I'm doing what I have to do," the angel said firmly.

"Well, so am I." Dean nodded to Crowley, who picked up a large, thick needle from the tray and moving towards the angel.

"So am I," Crowley echoed the other two and he stuck the needle into the angel's temple and moved it around. The angel screamed, and Amriel looked away, unable to watch her charge being tortured like this.

Crowley continued to push needles into the angel's forehead and other temple, and Amriel was leaning against her knees now, holding her head in her hands and trying to tune out his screams. She felt a hand on her back and she looked up to see Cas giving her a small smile. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair, whispering in her ear, "He's going to come out of this, I promise."

Nodding, Amriel looked past Cas and saw that Dean was having a harder time dealing with this than she was. She pointed to Dean, grabbing Castiel's lapel and pulling him close so she could speak to him.

"Take him outside. I'll keep watch here, okay?"

"Are you sure?" Castiel didn't want to leave her alone if he could help it, but Dean suddenly moved towards the door and he had no choice but to follow.

Amriel watched the two leave before turning her attention back to Crowley and his work. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath, trying not to listen in as Dean and Cas spoke outside.

* * *

Castiel caught up to Dean and saw that his friend was barely holding back tears, and he felt something pulling at his heart just a tiny bit.

"Hey," he said lamely, unsure of what else he _could_ say to the Winchester.

"I can't watch that anymore."

"I understand," Cas agreed. "It's not Sam, but— It's still Sam."

"Pretty much, yeah," Dean's voice cracked, but he kept going. "How are you doing?"

"You want to talk about me now?" He was surprised. Dean never asked how he was doing.

"I want to talk about anything that's not a demon sticking needles into my brother's brain," Dean looked out the window in an attempt to get himself under control, but the tears still pooled in his eyes. "So yeah, humor me, man. How you doing?"

"Uh.. I'm okay, I suppose." Cas stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, thinking about how he had left Elle alone in there.

"Good. Good. That's, uh… So, what, you just change out the batteries, power back up? It's that easy?"

"It wasn't easy, but I didn't have a choice. I had to protect Amriel," he answered, knowing he had made the right decision.

"Yeah. Well, that's usually how it goes," Dean paused for a split second, "Cas, I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"Kickin' you out of the bunker. That's uh, you know, not telling you about Sam."

Castiel could see that Dean was having a hard time apologizing. The Winchester was never quite good at it, but neither was he.

"You thought his life was at stake," he shrugged, knowing that if he had stayed at the bunker he probably wouldn't have found Amriel.

"Yeah, I got played," Dean said with a humorless laugh.

"I thought I was saving Heaven. I got played, too."

Dean gave a weak smile, the first Cas had seen in a long time.

"So you're sayin' we're both a couple of dumbasses?"

"I prefer the word _trusting_," Cas said with a small smile as well. "Less dumb, less ass."

"Laverne! Shirley! Get in here," Crowley's voice rang out from the other room, and the two quickly made their way back into the room.

"Pinhead's out cold, but watch this," Crowley said as he moved two of the needles, and the angel began to speak in Enochian.

"Zir noco iad Gadreel. Zir noco iad Gadreel," he repeated, and Amriel's eyes widened.

"What's he saying?"

"His name," both Cas and Amriel said at the same time, and Castiel continued. "Gadreel."

"Does that mean something to either of you?" Dean asked, looking between the angels, who were staring at each other with confused looks.

"Well, it's why I've never seen him. He's been imprisoned since the dawn of time. Gadreel was the sentry who allowed Lucifer into the garden," Cas explained.

"My, my," Crowley mused, "A celebrity."

"Wait, the garden? Like _Eden_? Adam and Eve? Fig-leaves garden?" Dean wasn't sure whether to be impressed or horrified.

"It's his fault— all of it. The corruption of man, demons, hell." Cas was beginning to get worked up, Amriel could tell, so she quickly rose from her seat as he kept talking. "God left because of him. The archangels— the apocalypse. If he hadn't been so weak, none of it would have happened."

Castiel swiftly approached Gadreel and began to shake the unconscious angel.

"You ruined the universe, you damn son of a bitch!"

Amriel grabbed Cas by the back of his coat and swung him around to face her.

"Elle, you know what he did! He-"

"I know. But you need to calm down," she told him softly, taking his hand and pulling him away from Gadreel so Crowley could continue his work.

"What's taking so long?" Dean asked after what felt like ages.

"Other than the fact that I'm trying to unravel a living, multidimensional knot of pure energy, not much," Crowley snapped at the squirrel for ruining his concentration.

Gadreel gasped and opened his eyes, and Dean looked up in hopes of Sam, only to be disappointed.

"It won't work. You will never find your brother, so go ahead. Poke and prod. I can sit in this chair for years and watch you fail. I've endured _much_ worse than this, Dean, and I have all the time in the world."

"Shut up! All right. Okay," Dean began to pace. "Plan 'B.' Cas, you gotta possess him."

"What?" Cas and Amriel asked at the same time, and Dean briefly wondered how they did that.

"Do it now! Get in there, tell Sam what's going on, and help him kick that lying son of a bitch out."

"It might work, but I can't possess a vessel without permission, and neither can Amriel."

Crowley cleared his throat, raising his hand as a volunteer, and Dean shook his head, "No. Not happening."

"Don't be daft. Demons can take what they want. I can burrow into that rat's nest of a head. I can wake Sam up. Just call me plan 'C.'"

"You can't! I won't allow it-" Amriel started to fight, and Dean cut her off, asking if she had a better idea.

"What about the angel?" Dean asked Crowley, who said that he'd work fast, and that he would run if he was found.

"Of course, if I do this, you're gonna have to…"

"Take off the leash. Yeah, I know," Dean sighed.

"And it stays off. I save Sam, I leave a free man. Do we have a deal?"

Dean turned to Cas, telling him to burn off Sam's anti-possession tattoo.

"Dean-" Castiel wasn't sure about this. Amriel had a worried look in her eyes that was making him uneasy too.

"Just do it, Cas!" Dean didn't want to hear it anymore. He had to do anything he could to get this angel out of his brother.

Nodding, Cas walked over to Gadreel and pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal his tattoo, quickly removing it with a flash of light.

"If you mess with Sam, if you try anything—" Dean began is threat, and Crowley nodded like he knew the drill.

"I keep my bargains. Besides, I don't want to be inside your brother longer than I have to. I'm not one for sloppy seconds."

"When you find him, say 'Poughkeepsie.' It's our go word," Dean explained quickly, "It means drop everything and run."

"Fine. While I'm gone, hands off the suit. Well, maybe not you, Barbie," Crowley winked at Amriel, who felt her stomach churn with disgust.

"I will destroy you," Gadreel said as he glared up at Crowley, who smirked and answered, "Eat me."

A cloud of red smoke shot out of Crowley's mouth and flooded into Gadreel's. He was in Sam.

* * *

All they could do was wait. Dean paced the room while Cas stood behind Amriel, his hands on her shoulders as she watched Sam from her seat.

"Hopefully I'm strong enough to repair the rest of the damage he obtained going through the trials," she muttered to herself, wiping at her face with the sleeve of her hoodie and frowning. Amriel was angry that she was so weak- she had been doing so much better, and Urim had to go and ruin all of her recovery. There was no use dwelling on what was already done, though, she thought.

She felt Castiel's hands leave her shoulders, and the next thing she knew he was kneeling in front of her, a resolute look on his face that made her feel a little better.

"We will take care of Sam, no matter what it takes," he told her firmly, making sure she knew he meant it.

"It's been a while since Crowley went into him… Do you think he's found Sam yet?"

Cas could only imagine what was going on inside Sam's mind right now, especially with three beings in there at once.

"I hope so," he said quietly, not wanting Dean to overhear their uncertainty.

Red smoke began to pour out of Sam's mouth and back into Crowley's abandoned body, followed by a bright, white light that Dean had to shield his eye from, and Sam gasped as he regained consciousness. Amriel was out of her chair and had crossed the few feet to her charge in the blink of an eye, looking him over to make sure he was okay.

"Sam!" Dean was right behind Amriel, and Cas wasn't far behind either.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Crowley grumbled, going unnoticed by the three that were focused on the younger Winchester.

"Sam, are you okay?" Cas asked as Amriel worked on removing the needles from Sam's head.

The man was staring up at the blonde angel with wide eyes, wincing as she pulled the last needle from his temple. She released his head from the restraint and watched him roll his neck, hearing a pop that made her wince.

"Thanks, Amriel," he breathed out a sigh, and headlights flashed in the window of the warehouse.

Cas checked it out as Dean un-cuffed Sam, and Amriel helped the man stand up, letting him lean against her as he got his bearings.

"It's Abbadon," Castiel called out, and Crowley told them to go.

"Get out of here. The back door. I'll handle this," the King of Hell told them, straightening out his cuffs and smoothing the front of his jacked.

"Oh, 'cause you're such a good guy?" Dean snapped, making Amriel bite back a groan. They needed to get out of here now.

"Right now, I'm the goodest guy you got," Crowley shot back.

"This don't make us square. I see you again—"

"I'm dead. Yes, I know. I love you too," Crowley blew Dean a kiss, "Pleasure doing business with you, as always."

Dean and Castiel grabbed Sam's arms and helped him out the back door, Amriel following behind quickly, shooting Crowley one last glance and seeing him sit down in the chair Sam had previously occupied, readying himself for Abbadon's arrival.

They drove until Dean noticed Sam beginning to show signs of pain, and he had called the angels in the other car to tell them he was stopping. They were at a lake with a long dock, and it was pouring rain, but they were all standing on the old dock that probably hadn't been used in years.

Amriel was standing in front of Sam on her tip toes, slowly moving her hand over his forehead and healing some of the wounds the needles had left behind. Sam started to sway, and Amriel put both of her hands on his shoulders to steady him. Cas stepped in as well, thinking the Winchester would topple over and take Elle down with him.

"You feel better?" he asked Sam, who shrugged.

"A little, yeah."

"It'll take time to fully heal you. We'll have to do it in stages, and Elle and I will have to take turns," Cas told him, shooting Amriel a pointed look and she rolled her eyes.

Sam nodded, but he wasn't focused on the angels in front of him. Instead, he kept glancing at his brother, who finally approached the three at the end of the dock.

Cas, realizing this was going to be a private conversation, took Amriel's hand and led her back to the cars for a conversation of their own that he felt they needed to have.

"You don't have to take care of Sam all on your own, you know," he told her, watching an annoyed look cross her face. He found it hard to take her serious with the hood of her jacket pulled up and her wet hair sticking to her face and neck. All he wanted to do was return to the bunker and ravish her.

"It's my _duty_, Cas! He's one of my charges, and the only one I can help right now. I need to do this…"

"You need to let me help you. If you try this on your own, you'll drain yourself and you won't be able to recover from what Urim-" Castiel stopped, seeing Amriel tense up, and he knew he couldn't bring up those memories. "Just let me help, okay? You always helped others in Heaven. Let me help you here."

Amriel knew he just wanted to make things easier on her, but she was having a hard time letting go of her responsibilities as an angel. It was what she was created to do, and if she couldn't do it, there was no point in her existence, right? But she could see that Cas was sincere, and she knew that all she had to do was say yes and he would do whatever he could. So, with that in mind, she nodded in acceptance.

"Okay. We'll heal Sam together," Amriel gave in, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders as she smiled up at Cas. She took her hands out of her jacket pockets and tugged on the lapels of his trench coat, bringing him closer to her so she could press a quick kiss to his lips, burying her face in his neck and taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Cas."

"Anything for you, Elle," he told her quietly, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. "All you have to do is ask."

Amriel heard footsteps coming towards them, so she pulled back from Castiel's embrace and watched Dean walking to the Impala, Sam not far behind. Dean got into the car slowly and slammed the door, the engine roared, and then there were only two angels and a single Winchester standing in the rain.


	23. Extraction

Hey there. Long time no see. I'm all settled in at my new place and I finally sat myself down to do some editing and get this chapter posted.  
Thanks so much for reading. Feel free to comment, favorite, and follow. I really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: Extraction**

Amriel stood in the kitchen of the bunker, making herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich after having already given Cas his. They were chatting idly, their conversation moving from the things they saw on their ride back to what they were going to do about healing Sam, when the younger Winchester appeared from the other room.

"Hello, Sam," Amriel shot him a glance over her shoulder, "Want a sandwich?"

"No, thanks though. Hey, Cas."

Castiel, who had a mouth full of sandwich, mumbled out a "mm" in response. When he swallowed, he set the sandwich down on his plate and frowned.

"It tastes like molecules."

"What?" Sam asked, continuing before he could repeat himself. "What are you talking about?"

"I had to eat constantly when I was human, you know. It was kind of annoying," Cas continued to frown, and Amriel sat beside him.

"Yeah, a lot of human things are pretty annoying," Sam agreed, amazed that he was having this conversation with the angel.

"I enjoyed the taste of food, though. Particularly peanut butter and grape jelly. Not jam. Jam I found unsettling." Cas looked down at his sandwich thoughtfully, and Amriel smiled.

"He was really picky as a human. You don't know how many times he sent something back at a restaurant because he didn't like it."

"I seem to recall someone crying after she ate wasabi when we had sushi for the first time," Castiel reminded her, and Amriel felt heat spread over her cheeks.

"It was the first thing I had ever eaten that was spicy! I wasn't prepared—" Realizing that she was only making it worse for herself, Amriel fell silent and took a bite of her sandwich.

"So what, now you can't taste PB and J?" Sam asked, sitting across from them at the table and looking between them. "Can you taste it, Amriel?"

"I taste every single molecule," Cas said sadly, "it's overwhelming. It's disgusting… I miss you, PB and J."

"I eat because it keeps my vessel going and it helps me fit in with other humans. When I fell, I could taste food like a human would. As I grew stronger, it was just molecules. But if you focus hard enough, you can piece everything together. Castiel just isn't trying as hard as he could," she smiled, nudging Cas with her knee. "Are you sure you don't want anything, Sam?"

"I'm fine, really. Can I ask you two something… personal?"

Amriel looked from Cas to her charge and nodded, "You can ask me anything. I can't promise an answer, though."

"You got together when Cas was human, but now he's an angel again. How does that work if you're both angels?"

"It's just as it was before," the blonde answered for the both of them. "We're just feeling things out as we go. Romantic relations were frowned upon in Heaven and angels who defied the rules were punished or cast out."

"Just because I'm an angel again doesn't mean I can't feel emotions," Cas snapped suddenly, standing up from the table, surprising Amriel in the process. "We need to continue your healing. We're almost done."

Amriel watched him move around the table to stand in front of Sam, wondering where his outburst had come from. She continued to eat her sandwich, mostly out of habit now, while she watched Cas lay two fingers on Sam's forehead and start to heal him. A concerned look crossed his face and Amriel raised an eyebrow, noticing that Sam saw the look too.

"What?" Sam asked, looking to Amriel, who shrugged.

"N-nothing," Cas tried to be nonchalant, but Sam slapped his hand away.

"You're a terrible liar."

"That's not true, Sam. I once deceived and betrayed both you _and_ your brother."

Amriel held back a laugh, knowing that it wasn't supposed to be funny. He had lied and opened Purgatory, absorbing all of its souls and unleashing the Leviathan upon the world.

"Okay, that's not the point. Cas, just tell me. What's wrong?" Sam stared up at the angel, something that he rarely ever had to do since he was so tall.

"I noticed something. It's um, it's resonating inside you."

"What?" Sam asked, and Amriel narrowed her gaze, wondering if it was what she thought it was.

"Something angelic," Cas clarified, shooting a glance to Amriel and motioning for her to come over.

Rising from her seat, Amriel stood in front of Sam now too, touching his forehead briefly and nodding in agreement.

"It's definitely angelic."

"Okay, so, what the hell does that mean?" Sam was starting to freak out, and Amriel didn't like that at all. She needed Sam to preserve his energy, and he was wasting it by worrying.

"Maybe we should call Dean…" Cas offered, and Sam got up from his chair, towering above the two angels.

"No. He wanted to go, and he's gone. We'll handle this ourselves."

And with that, Sam left the kitchen and Amriel sighed. She wanted to follow him, and somehow Cas knew that.

"Go and talk to him, Elle. I'll start doing some research," he told her with a small smile. "I want you to know that I'm glad you're here."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," she answered without a second thought, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. "Text Dean, though. I'm not sure we should be dealing with Sam alone."

Cas nodded before he leaned in and kissed Amriel once, twice, then a third time, savoring the way her soft lips felt against his. Before things could get too heated, though, he pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Go, before we get carried away and end up doing something here in the kitchen," Cas said with a grin that Amriel hadn't seen in days, and she smiled too, letting go of his hand and leaving the room to find Sam.

* * *

Amriel found the younger Winchester in the "war room" of the bunker, staring down at a book with a look of concentration on his face. She cleared her throat, announcing her presence, but he still jumped when he looked up and saw her.

"May I sit?" she asked, standing in front of the chair across from him, and he nodded. "Sam… I know what it's like to be _on the outs_ with your sibling. I mean, Urim tortured me relentlessly for information I didn't have. Angels killed each other in civil wars."

"Yeah, but-"

"I know. It's nothing compared to the relationship you and Dean have. Cas has told me all about it, and I've gotten to see it for myself. The bond you share is strong, Sam. Give him time, and he'll come around. In the meantime, we'll figure out what's going on with this angelic presence in you."

Sam ran a hand through his shaggy hair, asking how she knew exactly what he needed to hear, and she shrugged.

"I've existed for eons. It comes with age," Amriel said thoughtfully before shaking her head, "But really, I've watched a lot of TV movies in the past few months. They're fascinating, really."

"TV movies?" Sam asked incredulously, amazed by the angel sitting across from him. Cas walked in with a stack of books and files in his arms, piled up to his nose, but Sam saw the way his eyes lit up when he saw Amriel, and it filled him with hope. If Cas was happy, then maybe one day he could be too.

"Okay, are we ready to get to work? I went through the library and found as much as I could on angels. I don't want to interrupt—"

"It's fine, Castiel," the girl smiled, grabbing a book and thumbing through the first few pages before putting it aside and grabbing another. "That book was about archangels, and of no use to us seeing as two of them are locked away in a cage and the others are dead."

Sam couldn't help but notice the way Amriel addressed Cas, whether by his full name or not, her voice always held the same loving tone to it, even if she was annoyed with him. He felt a small smile forming on his lips, and he shook his head, telling Cas to take a seat so they could get to work.

While they read, the angels talked back and forth in Enochian, and Sam was fascinated. Cas would read a phrase from the book he was going through, Amriel would work it out in English, and then they would come up with the translation. It was amazing that they knew as many languages as they did, but Sam knew it was to be expected of angels. He was a little jealous, but he was starting to pick up on some of the words the two were throwing around.

He watched them sitting next to each other, reading through their own books, and every once in a while Cas would look at Amriel and smile slightly before going back to reading. Sam felt like he was intruding on them, and he was just about to excuse himself to grab a cup of coffee when Cas raised his eyebrows and looked up at him.

"I've found something. It's a detail about when angels leave their vessels, I think," Cas furrowed his brow, "It's Enochian, which can be a bit flowery, you know. _And the departed shall remain, and the remains shall be the departed_."

"Yes, it's not the most straightforward language," Amriel shook her head, glancing down at what Cas had just read and looking it over too.

"Okay, so, when an angel leaves a vessel, they leave behind a piece of themselves? Like… an angelic fingerprint?" Sam worked out what the passage was saying, and Cas nodded.

"Whatever you want to call it, this piece of the departed contains grace."

Amriel saw a look of worry come over Sam, who asked if Cas meant there was angelic grace inside of him.

"Yes, but it's fading each time we heal you," Amriel told him, trying to calm him down.

"Okay. Is that good or bad?" Sam asked, and Cas shrugged and said it was harmless.

"The grace itself might be helpful, though," Castiel said as he picked up a file that was labeled _On the Inner Workings of Angels_. "According to this, we might be able to use the grace that remains inside you to track Gadreel, if we can extract it. However, it looks like it will be quite painful."

Cas held up a photo of a syringe with a 4-inch long needle, and Sam cringed.

"The Men of Letters believed that you could perform a tracking spell with extracted grace, but they were never able to test their theory," Cas continued, setting the photo down.

"Well they didn't have a guinea pig, but we do," Sam said, his eyes still on the picture of the giant needle.

"You have a guinea pig?" Amriel asked excitedly, "Where? Oh, I've seen pictures, but I've never seen one in real life. They look so soft and kind—"

"Me, Amriel. I'm the guinea pig. It's a figure of speech," Sam told her, trying not to disappoint her too much, but her excitement was squashed and she frowned and said, "_Oh._"

"Any idea where that syringe is?" Castiel asked, and Sam shrugged, saying that it was probably somewhere in storage.

"I'll go find it. I'm pretty sure I know where it's at," the Winchester was up from the table before either angel could argue, and he was gone before they could say anything else.

Amriel heaved a sigh, "I really thought there was a guinea pig here."

"The Winchesters are full of metaphors and phrases that confuse me as well. You get used to it," Cas shrugged before he turned more serious. "Are you going to be okay with me extracting the grace from Sam? It will probably be extremely painful."

"If it's what Sam wants, I suppose I _have_ to be okay with it. Just promise me that you'll stop before it gets too far. I won't let him die on my watch."

The angels fell silent and Amriel excused herself so she could return her plate to the kitchen. Castiel was going over the file one more time when Sam came back into the room with a box in his hands, and Cas asked the Winchester if he could ask him a question.

"You just did, Cas," he laughed, and the angel asked if he could ask another question. "Well, technically you just- you know what? Yeah, go ahead. What's up?"

"Sam, you chose not to go through with the trials for a reason, didn't you? You chose to live rather to sacrifice yourself. You and Dean… you chose each other."

"Yeah, I did. We did," Sam grumbled, not wanting to talk about this, especially not with Cas. "And then Dean made a choice for me."

Sam made his way towards the medical room and Cas followed quickly, glancing over his shoulder to the kitchen and wishing he could let Amriel know where they would be. She would probably find them, though.

"What Dean did-"

"It doesn't matter what Dean did. Look, I have to put a stop to all of this, Cas. I could've closed the gates of Hell."

"Oh, Sam," Castiel sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. He felt for the young man, knowing just how much he had put himself through over the years.

"Dean's gone, okay? This is on me now, and if I can find Gadreel… I can fix this." Sam set the box he had found on a table next to the gurney. He was busy taking off his plaid shirt when Amriel walked in, and his gaze shot up to meet her gray eyes. "Being a human means settling your debts."

He handed the box to Cas and took a seat on the gurney, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do. "Let's start balancing the books."

Cas opened the small box to find the needle he had seen in the file, and he felt something in him sink at the thought of what he was about to do to the Winchester. He heard Amriel gasp, and he turned to see that her eyes were focused on the needle.

"It's much larger than the photo depicted… Are you sure you want to do this, Sam? If at any point you want to stop…" Amriel's voice was full of uncertainty, and the man on the gurney shook his head.

"I have to do this, Amriel. Thanks for your concern though. I know it's your job and all-"

"Yes, it's my job. I should be the one to perform the extraction." Her gaze moved from Sam to Cas, who was still holding the box containing the needle. "He's my charge, Castiel. Let me do it."

Cas frowned, knowing she wouldn't be able to do what needed to be done, especially after seeing how she reacted to Crowley digging around in Sam's brain when Gadreel was in control.

"No, Elle. I'll do it," he said with a firm tone, making Sam look at him curiously. He hadn't heard Cas talk to her like that before, but he hadn't been around them that much so he wasn't sure if this was a regular occurrence.

Amriel stared at him, her mouth open but nothing was coming out. She had no idea what to say… He had never said no to her before, so she moved towards Sam and pulled a rolling chair over to the gurney.

"Fine. I'll be here the entire time, just in case you want to stop, Sam. It'll be best if you lay down," she said gently, ignoring Cas as he walked up to the gurney and set the box on the tray.

When Sam was ready, Castiel inserted the needle into Sam's neck, just below his left ear, making the man gasp. Amriel was immediately out of her seat, standing on the opposite side of the gurney from Cas, looking down at Sam and making sure he was all right.

"Now comes the part that will actually hurt," Cas said apologetically, "I'm gonna begin the extraction, okay?"

Amriel watched him slowly pull the plunger and the syringe barrel filled with a minute amount of a shimmering grace. So what they had read in Enochian had been correct.

"Is it working?" Sam gasped, his chest heaving with every breath he took and a thin layer of sweat covered his face and chest.

"Yeah…" Castiel nodded, his brow furrowing in thought and Sam asked, "But?"

"I need to push the needle in deeper," he explained. "We need more grace to cast the spell."

Amriel was ready to put a stop to this all, concerned that it was going too far, but Sam gave the go ahead to continue.

"Sam, if I get too close to-"

"Damn it, Cas!" Sam snapped, "Just do it!"

Slowly, Castiel pushed the needle deeper and started to pull back on the plunger again. Sam's body lurched and Amriel jumped up, holding him down so he wouldn't hurt himself as Cas pulled out the needle.

"What the hell was that?" Sam panted, staring up at Amriel, who was still holding him down against the gurney.

"Your body is regressing to the state it was in before Gadreel possessed you," Cas explained, and he saw Amriel shoot him a concerned look.

"Do we have enough grace for the spell?"

"Sam…" Amriel said carefully, but the Winchester ignored her and looked up at Castiel.

"Do we or not, Cas?" he asked, and Cas shook his head.

"Then keep going," Sam told him before he finally looked at Amriel. "I need you to leave."

"What? No," she shook her head and looked from Sam to Castiel. "I'm not going anywhere."

"If you won't leave, you gotta promise to stay like ten feet away from me, or I swear I'll do whatever it takes to make being my guardian angel a living hell."

Amriel didn't appreciate Sam's threat, but she knew he was being serious. She looked at Cas and nodded.

"Fine, I promise. Have it your way, Samuel," she hissed, moving to the other side of the room and leaning against the wall near a filing cabinet. "By all means, continue."

Cas didn't like the way Amriel was acting, but he couldn't address it at the moment. Instead, he heaved a sigh and inserted the needle back into Sam's neck, trying to ignore the look of pain that flashed across his face.

He didn't know how long it had been, but Castiel hadn't been able to extract much more grace. Sam had screamed himself horse, and he was nearly unconscious by now. Amriel had held true to her word and remained in her spot, but by now, she was sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest and her face buried in her hands.

"Sam?" Castiel asked for what seemed like the hundredth time as he made sure he was still conscious. When he didn't reply, Cas asked again, "Sam?!"

"Keep going," was the man's weak reply, and Cas swore he heard a sob come from Amriel's side of the room. His head shot up and he saw her small form shaking, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't comfort her at the moment.

"Why? Why should I continue?" he asked Sam, who tried to roll his eyes.

"We — we have to find Gadreel."

"No," Cas said as he started to slide the needle out of Sam's neck. "Why must you Winchesters run towards death?"

Sam's hand shot up, grasping the syringe that Castiel had been holding and stopped him from taking it out, "Don't! Don't stop."

Cas sighed, looking from Sam to Amriel and then back to Sam with a soft look in his eyes.

"Sam, when I was human, I died. And during the first few weeks Amriel was with me, she died. That showed me that life is precious, and it must be protected at all costs… Even a life as pig-headed as a Winchester's."

"My life's not worth any more than anyone else's. Not yours or Dean's, or Amriel's… or Kevin's. Please, help me do one thing right, Cas. Keep going." Sam's voice was so quiet that Castiel wouldn't have been able to hear him without his angelic hearing, and what had come out of his mouth had been enough to make Cas hesitate.

But this was what the hunter wanted, so Cas pushed the needle in further, trying to block out the sounds of Sam's screams.

Amriel couldn't handle watching Sam writhing in pain anymore, so she had slid down the wall to sit on the floor not long after Cas had started. When he had started to scream, she fought every single one of her instincts that told her to stop the extraction, but she had to adhere to Sam's wishes.

She thought of every time she had failed a charge in her existence, which had been few and far between, but some of those failures had been monumental and resulted in severe punishments. She hadn't even realized she had been crying until she felt the small droplets making their way down her cheeks.

Covering her tear stained face with her hands, Amriel tried to ignore what Sam and Cas were talking about, but it was hard to tune out Sam's hoarse voice telling Cas to basically send him to his death. He wouldn't last much longer, and Amriel wasn't sure if she would be able to keep her promise to Sam. She would gladly put up with his attempts to make her job difficult as long as it meant he was alive.

Amriel felt like she was being watched, so she looked up to see Cas gazing at her with an expression she couldn't quite read. She merely stared back, wiping away her tears and trying to ignore the smell of blood that filled the air.

She saw Cas shake his head and begin to withdraw the needle from Sam's neck, and he said, "Hold on. This may pinch."

"What the hell, Cas!" Sam tried to fight as Castiel pressed his finger's to his forehead. "Cas. What the hell was that?"

"I've healed your wounds completely," he answered, his eyes locked on Amriel the entire time he spoke, and she knew that he had done just that.

"And the grace?" Sam asked, sitting up and grabbing his plaid shirt, ignoring Amriel as she got up and returned to the chair next to the gurney.

"Well, whatever grace was inside you is gone now. What's left of Gadreel is in here," he held up the syringe and shrugged. "We'll just have to try the spell with what we have."

Amriel heard the Winchester quietly mutter _damn it_, and Cas shook his head.

"Sam, I want Gadreel to pay as much as you do, but nothing is worth losing you. You know, being human didn't just change my view of food. It changed my view of you. I mean, I can relate to how you feel." Cas avoided Sam's gaze as well as Amriel's, choosing to stare down at his shoes instead.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, confused by the angel's admission.

"The only person who has screwed things up more consistently than you, is me. And I know what that guilt feels like. And I know what it," Cas stopped himself for a moment, taking a deep breath and locking eyes with Sam. "I know what it means to feel sorry, Sam. I'm sorry."

"I know," Sam nodded, "We're all sorry."

"You know, old me, I would've just kept going. I would've jammed that needle in deeper until you died because the end justifies the means. I wouldn't care what Amriel would do to me after I killed you, because it would all be part of a larger cause. But what I went through, well. I learned that angels can change, so who knows? Maybe Winchesters can too."

Without a word, Sam got up and left the medical room, leaving the two angels alone once again.

Amriel refused to look at Cas, even though he had just kept Sam from sacrificing himself.

"Elle," he started, but she shook her head.

"No. I don't want to hear it," she crossed her ams over her chest. "It shouldn't have gotten this far. Taking that grace did something to you, and I'm not sure I like it."

"You didn't know me very well as an angel, Amriel. Not long ago I would've had no issues with letting Sam die. Being human changed me. Being with _you_ changed me. I'm still the same Cas you found at the Gas 'n' Sip."

Castiel helped her out of the chair, his hand resting on her cheek and he wiped away a stray tear with his thumb, noticing how she leaned into his touch like she always did.

"I know it hurt you to have Sam going through that, and that's one of the many things I love about you, Elle. You're far too empathetic for your own good, even when we were in Heaven."

Amriel wasn't sure if he was complimenting her or what, but she wasn't going to stick around to find out.

"I'm going to go for a walk," she said as she took a step, backing away from him. "I'm feeling a little confined down here."

"Let me come with you. I'm sure Sam will wait to attempt the spell," Cas offered, but she shook her head and told him that she'd like to be alone.

She watched a look of hurt flash over his face but he quickly masked it with indifference and waved her off.

"The door to the bunker will remain unlocked for when you wish to return, then."

Amriel nodded and quickly made her exit, brushing past Sam without saying a word on her way out.


	24. Unwind

Hey there! It's been a while, but here's chapter 24!  
Feel free to favorite, follow, and leave a comment! I really appreciate everyone for reading.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

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**Chapter Twenty Four: Unwind**

"What's up with her?" Sam asked once the door to the bunker had closed and Amriel was gone, looking to Cas with an expectant gaze. What had he done to tick her off?

"I'm not sure," Castiel frowned. "Amriel seems to think that I've changed, but I still love her just as much as I did when I was human. I told her that, and she said she needed to go for a walk."

Sam's brow furrowed and Cas took that as a bad sign. He must've messed up somehow, but he just didn't know.

"Sometimes you need to do more than just _saying_ it, you know? But she's probably just overwhelmed. I wasn't exactly the nicest towards her just now, telling her to ignore her job and let me suffer. Just give her some time, man," Sam set his hand on the angel's shoulder and squeezed supportively. "Text her if she doesn't come back in a couple of hours. In the meantime, do you wanna see if we can track down Gadreel?"

The two stood over a bowl that Cas was busy pouring different items into, and once he added the bits of grace he had extracted from Sam not long ago, they watched the mixture boil and then fade until nothing was there. Castiel looked away in disappointment, knowing it hadn't worked.

"Was that it?" Sam asked, unsure of what had just happened.

"I'm afraid there wasn't enough grace. We'll have to find Gadreel another way… I'm sorry, Sam."

"It's all right, Cas. You— you were right. About everything." The younger Winchester suddenly pulled Cas into a tight hug, fighting back a laugh as the angel just stood there awkwardly, and so Sam said, "Now's the part where you hug back."

"Oh, right," Castiel hugged Sam back, "Uh, sorry."

"There you go," Sam laughed, letting go of the angel and shoving his hands into his pockets.

"As far as I'm concerned, Metatron is the key to fixing everything that's wrong. I'm gonna find him," Cas said, a familiar voice of certainty and confidence that Sam hadn't heard in a long time from him. "You know, Sam, we could use all the help we could get to find Gadreel and Metatron…"

"Don't worry, man. We got this. Now, let's have a drink while we wait for Amriel to come back."

"Are you sure we shouldn't try and find her?" Castiel looked from Sam to the door of the bunker, and the Winchester felt sorry for his friend.

"She'll be fine, Cas. Amriel can take care of herself, you know."

"Yes, but you don't see her grace," Castiel said, a hint of concern in his voice that set off something in Sam that worried him too. "I told Dean this when we first arrived here. Urim tortured her when Malachi had us captive. She's weak and I'm— I'm worried about her, Sam."

"Let her have some time alone, okay?" Sam grabbed a bottle of bourbon and two glasses, pouring one for each of them. "Here, take a load off. We've had a long day."

Castiel took the glass Sam was holding out to him and sat down at the table. He downed the drink quickly and Sam poured him another, and the two drank together, trying to forget what had happened earlier that afternoon.

* * *

Amriel was at a small cafe in town a few miles from the bunker, picking at a plate of french fries as she stared out the window. This tiny town reminded her of Rexford, and she suddenly missed Marissa and her fiery personality that matched her hair.

It had been an hour or so since she left Cas and Sam, and she wondered if they had attempted the spell to track Gadreel. She was worried that there wasn't enough grace, but there was no way Castiel could have gotten more without killing Sam in the process.

Sighing, Amriel thought about Sam and how determined he was to make things right. He tried to shoulder all of the burden on his own, when he really needed to share it with Dean, Cas, and herself. But from what she understood, Winchesters were hard headed and had trouble letting people help them.

The angel was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't realize that her phone had been ringing. She quickly picked it up on the third ring and held the phone to her ear and asked, "Hello?"

_"Amy, finally! I've been trying to call you for days. Where have you been?"_

Amriel felt her stomach drop at the sound of Marissa's voice. She had been avoiding her calls, and now she had no idea what to say.

"I… I've been out of town-"

_"Yeah, I get that! But where are you? Are you with Steve? Neither of you said anything to Nora and she thought you two went missing or something…"_

"We've been busy. Some stuff came up and I haven't been able to get in touch with anyone-" Amriel stumbled over her words, unsure of what to tell her friend. She definitely couldn't tell her that they had been abducted and tortured by angels.

_"Well it's nice to know you're not dead. When are you coming back? Nora hired some high school kids to fill in while you're gone."_

"I'm not sure. We're helping out a friend who's going through a hard time with his brother-"

_"Is that true or did you and Steve run off and get married? Amy, I'll be so pissed if you get married and I'm not there!"_

Amriel laughed, telling Marissa that she wasn't married, "I'm not lying. I just don't know when we're going to be able to come back."

_"Well, do you have some time to talk? I want to fill you in on what's been going on!"_

So Amriel listened as Marissa told her about everything that was happening in Rexford, from the people that came into the store, to the Mayor's affair with a college student, to Marissa's own drama with her ex.

_"I dunno, Caleb just shows up in my life at the worst times. I'm waiting to hear back on Fall admission to design school in New York, and then he just comes back into my life, wanting to keep me here with all of these promises."_

Amriel could tell that Marissa sounded conflicted, but after spending almost a year with her, the angel knew what she really wanted to hear.

"Marissa, don't listen to him. You've told me that he's done this before, and nothing good comes from it. Go to New York. It'll be much better for you than Caleb will ever be," Amriel told her, taking a sip of her soda and glancing out the window at the people passing by. "You're not suited for a small town."

_"You know me all too well, Amy,"_ The angel could practically hear the smile on the redhead's face as she spoke. _"I miss you, you know. Deal with your shit and come back to Rexford, okay?"_

"I miss you too. We'll try to come back when we can. If you move to New York before then, let me know and we'll visit you."

_"Promise?"_ Marissa asked, and Amriel noticed a worried tone to the girl's voice. Was she concerned that she wasn't going to see her again?

"I promise, Marissa. You're my best friend," Amriel assured her. "I would never forget about you."

_"Good. You'd better not! Now, send me a picture of you and Steve wherever you're staying, so I know you're still disgustingly cute together wherever you are."_

Amriel said that she would before telling Marissa that she had to go. They had been on the phone for a while, and she was starting to feel better after her outburst at Cas. The friends said their goodbyes, and Amriel hung up, seeing that they had spoken for nearly an hour.

Shaking her head, Amriel paid for her food and left the cafe. She walked down the street and took in the shops that lined the sidewalk, spotting a nail salon and quickly ducking inside, where she asked the receptionist if they took walk-ins.

Now she was seated across from the nail technician, watching as the older woman worked on her fingers, scraping dirt and what looked like rope fibers out and dunking them into a bowl of warm water. Amriel frowned— she thought she had rid herself of everything that would remind her of her torture, but she had apparently been wrong.

Amriel let herself relax and let the woman work, painting her nails a navy blue. She was out of the salon within an hour, and she felt much better than she had earlier that day. After listening to Sam's screams all afternoon, it was nice to be outside and away from the bunker.

She was starting to walk back toward the bunker as the sun was beginning to set when her phone began to ring. Pulling it out of her pocket, she saw Castiel's name on the phone so she answered it quickly.

"Hey Cas," she said, continuing on her walk.

_"Elle, where are you? Are you okay?"_

He sounded flustered for some reason, and Amriel narrowed her gaze even though he couldn't see her.

"I'm fine… I'm on my way back. Are _you_ okay?"

_"Actually, I was wondering if you could do us a favor,"_ Amriel could hear Sam's voice in the background, telling Cas to hurry up. _"Could you stop by the liquor store before you come back?"_

"The liquor store? Are you and Sam drinking?"

She could hear the Winchester's voice in the background, telling Castiel to ask her to get more bourbon.

_"Yes, and he's far more intoxicated than I am. Would you please bring back bourbon and whatever else you can find? We tried the tracking spell and it didn't work."_

Oh. That was why they were drinking heavily. Nodding her head and looking around the block she was on, Amriel spotted a liquor store across the street.

"I suppose I could make a quick stop."

* * *

Amriel returned to the bunker with two bottles of bourbon for Sam and eight bottles of the strongest liquor she could find, which happened to be the Bacardi 151 she had first tried months ago. The clerk at the store had been a little weary to sell her ten bottles, but she had the money and a valid drivers license, so he triple bagged the bottles and sent her on her way.

"You're the best, Amriel," Sam greeted her when she arrived, taking the bags from her and planting a sloppy kiss on her right cheek before making his way to the kitchen. She saw Cas standing there, watching her with a strange look on his face before he took off for the kitchen too.

"Cas- wait," she called out, stopping him in his tracks. Amriel approached him carefully, unsure of what to say to him now that they were face to face. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I was- I was just upset with what had happened to Sam, and I took it out on you."

"It's okay, Elle-" he started, but the girl shook her head, telling him that it wasn't.

"I shouldn't have done it, and I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Cas nodded, knowing that he couldn't talk her out of it if he tried. "Now c'mon. Sam already has a few drinks on me and we have to get in there if we want to catch up."

The entered the kitchen and found Sam lining up shot glasses, filling them to the brim with bourbon before he turned to face the pair of angels that had joined him.

"I've had a _really_ hard day, so we're gonna get drunk, okay?" the Winchester told them, holding out two shot glasses and smiling when the angels took them from him.

"Sam, are you sure-?" Amriel asked, looking from the amber liquid to her charge, a curious look on her face as he shook his head.

"No guardian angel stuff tonight, you've done enough of that today." Sam clinked his shot glass against hers before throwing his back and shaking his head, turning to pour himself another.

Grabbing a bottle for himself, Sam disappeared into the main room of the bunker, and Amriel heard the sounds of rock music coming into the kitchen. She looked over to Cas, who shrugged and quickly drank his shot, motioning for Amriel to do the same.

A few shots later, the angels grabbed their own bottles and joined Sam. Amriel took a seat at the long table, watching Castiel take off his trench coat and jacket before sitting down in the chair next to her.

Amriel took a swig from her bottle and let her hand rest on Cas' thigh, a motion that didn't go unnoticed by her charge.

"You're awfully touchy for an angel," Sam mused, watching the blonde with a small smile on his face.

"Well I've spent nearly a year on Earth. I've learned a lot since I've been here," she told him, glancing to Cas and watching him roll up the sleeves of his dress shirt. "I understand that you were researching me?"

Amriel set her bottle on the table and crossed her arms over her chest, staring up at the Winchester with an expectant look on her face. She watched him shift in his seat uncomfortably and he did another shot before getting up and grabbing a file off of a nearby shelf.

"I wanted to know as much about you as I could after we met, so I did some research and this is what I found," he set the file in front of her, gesturing for her to look through it as he sat and took another drink.

The blonde opened the folder and glanced through the pages, seeing the painting by Raphael that she saw when she had first come to the bunker. There were other pieces of information about her duties and lore, but she kept going back to that painting. Amriel felt Cas staring at the pages too- they were both drawn to it.

"I know all about the lore humans have about me, but what is it about this painting? How did you find it?" She sat back and poured herself and Cas another drink.

"It was a painting Raphael finished in 1506 as part of a series, but the Vatican had it in storage until 2008, from what I've read. Pope Julius II thought it was blasphemous, as the series tells of two angels who oversee Heaven and maintain order in God's absence."

"Why have I never heard of this?" Cas finally spoke, looking from the painting to Sam, his eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "I think I would know if angels were supposed to preside over Heaven."

"Well God disappeared a long time ago, and you've said before that he didn't leave any instructions. What if these paintings are it?"

"That's ridiculous. I can't oversee Heaven or any other angels- I'm just a watcher," Amriel closed the folder and pushed it back towards Sam. "I don't need to see any more of your _research_, and I certainly don't need to see any more of Raphael's work."

"Amriel, don't you see? Once Heaven is re-opened, you could help restore order. You _both_ could restore order," Sam looked between the two angels. "I'm pretty sure that painting depicts the two of you, whether you like it or not."

Rolling her eyes, the blonde leaned forward and said, "I don't even think I want to go back to Heaven, Sam. Now, I'd like to stop talking about things that don't matter. Heaven is closed to angels, and I don't really care if it stays that way."

Castiel felt his jaw drop and he saw a look of surprise Sam's face. He turned and looked at Amriel, wondering if it was the bottle of Bacardi talking.

"Elle, I think you should slow down on the liquor…" Cas reached over to take the empty bottle, only to have his hand pushed away.

Amriel got up from the table and excused herself to the kitchen, where Cas knew she was probably going to get another bottle of rum. He looked to Sam and shook his head, unsure of what he should say.

"Cas, even though I haven't seen anything in my research, I know that painting depicts you too. She doesn't want to believe it, but together you could set things right up there, once we get the door open-" Sam stopped when Castiel held up his hand, signaling for him to stop.

"Let's save this discussion for another time. We're supposed to be relaxing after a strenuous day, not making things more stressful for each other." Cas watched Sam nod, and the two continued to drink until Amriel returned, a bottle in one hand as the other ran through her long hair.

She made her way to the table, sitting back down in her seat and glancing up at Sam, but not really acknowledging him before she turned and sent Castiel a small smile.

"How about we play a drinking game?" Sam suggested, getting up and looking through a few drawers until he found a deck of cards. "Have either of you heard of Bullshit?"

"I believe that's an expletive, not a game," Cas corrected, and Sam's eyes lit up at the angel in front of him as he began to shuffle the cards.

* * *

"Bullshit!" Amriel yelped, her eyes narrowed at Cas, who had just set down three cards and claimed that they were all tens. She knew for a fact that she had two tens in her hand, and according to the rules she had to call him out on his lie.

With a sheepish look on his face, Castiel took the pile of cards that sat in the center of the table and took a swig of rum from his third bottle, finally able to taste it now that he had taken Amriel's advice and put the molecules together himself. Amriel took her turn, setting two cards face down, saying that they were twos, and the game continued.

Sam was quickly learning that the angels were competitive. _Really_ competitive. Aside from the first round, he hadn't won a single game.

"I'm gonna go grab something to eat, maybe bread to soak up the booze. Want anything?" Sam asked, running a hand through his hair and blinking slowly, realizing that he was pretty drunk.

The pair shook their heads, so he carefully got up and made his way to the kitchen.

"This has been fun," Amriel smiled, playing with her phone and noticing a text from Marissa.

_**Where's that pic you promised, girl?!**_

"Oh! Cas, I talked to Marissa on the phone today! She called and was kinda mad that I haven't let her know where we were. She thinks we ran off and got married, and she wants a picture of us so she knows were alive…"

"But you spoke with her earlier, so that would mean you're alive," Castiel reasoned, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, making the girl laugh.

"I think she just misses us. Let's indulge her, though." The blonde opened up the camera app on her phone and held it up, trying to fit both Cas and herself in the frame, but couldn't quite get it to work.

"Here, sit on me, that way we can both be in it," Cas suggested, spreading his arms and wrapping them tightly around Amriel, pulling her back against his chest and breathing in the scent of her shampoo. They used the same one, but it always smelled better on her.

Amriel held her phone out in front of them and lit up when she saw both of them on the screen. She told Cas to smile, and she took a few pictures before choosing one to send to Marissa.

_**See, we're alive and well.**_

Tossing her phone on the table, Amriel leaned further back into Cas and heaved a sigh. She grabbed the half empty bottle of rum, probably their sixth or seventh, and took a long swig from it. She only stopped drinking when Cas reached up and set his hand on top of hers, lowering the bottle and taking it out of her grasp and drinking from it himself.

"Are you drunk?" Amriel asked, turning herself so she was sitting sideways and wrapping an arm around his neck to keep herself steady.

"I'm not sure. I don't think I'm _drunk_, but I'm certainly not sober," he answered. "Why? Are you?"

"Kinda. But that's okay, we both deserve to relax after today-" she stopped herself, suddenly mesmerized by the brightness of Castiel's eyes. "You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."

"Elle, you know they're not really mine," Cas looked down, but she set both of her hands on his cheeks and tilted his head so he was looking up at her again.

"I know, Cas. But I also know how magnificent you are as an angel, and I can't wait for you to get your grace back." She pressed a firm kiss to his lips, then his cheek, before leaning closer and breathing against his neck, "But just so you know, I certainly do enjoy the things you do to me with that vessel of yours."

"Oh? And what would those things be?" Castiel had never considered himself to be confident or even skilled when it came to the art of flirting, or really most human interactions in general, but the way Amriel was looking at him filled him with confidence and possibly pride that he had never felt before.

"I think it'd be better if I had you show me," her voice was just above a whisper, and Cas could hardly contain himself. He felt a tightness in his slacks, and all he wanted to do right now was ravish the girl sitting in his lap.

Cas stood suddenly, taking Amriel with him and sitting her on the table, smiling to himself when she let out a quiet gasp. He quickly leaned in and kissed her hungrily, setting one of his hands on her side underneath the fabric of her shirt, cupping her breast over her bra, while the other tangled itself in her long hair, and he felt a small rush of excitement run through him when she wrapped her legs around him and took hold of his tie, pulling him closer and deepening their kiss.

"C'mon, let's go to bed," she said in between breaths, while Cas was placing searing kisses to her jaw.

"What about Sam?" Cas asked, wondering where the Winchester had gone, but trying not to put too much thought into it.

"What about me?" came Sam's voice, followed by the sound of glass shattering.

Cas went rigid and he stared down at Amriel, who had let go of his tie and was now sitting up straight, her entire face bright pink with embarrassment. He quickly removed his hand from beneath her shirt, pulling it down to cover the skin he had exposed.

"Sam-" Castiel started as he turned around to see the Winchester staring at them with wide eyes, pretzels and the fragments of what looked like a bowl scattered at his feet.

"I've seen _so_ much stuff in my lifetime… But I have never-" Sam ran a hand through his hair before taking a deep breath and releasing it. "You know what. I'm too drunk for this. I'm gonna go to bed and deal with this in the morning."

Amriel wasn't sure whether he meant the glass shards or the situation he had walked in on, but either way, she was fine with it.

"Goodnight, Sam," Cas said awkwardly, and Amriel buried her face in his shirt to avoid watching the Winchester shake his head at them before leaving the room.

"He did _not_ just walk in on us making out," she grumbled, "How weird."

Castiel laughed, rubbing her back and shoulders before pushing her back a little so he could make eye contact with her, "Trust me, you don't know weird. I've visited the Winchesters during stranger situations. Plus I'm sure Sam has seen worse."

"Can we go outside?" Amriel asked suddenly, staring up at Cas with a small smile, "I want to look at the stars with you."

"We probably shouldn't leave the bunker… But okay. Just for a little while."

Cas backed up and Amriel jumped off the table and headed towards the stairs that led to the door of the bunker.

She heard Castiel's footsteps as she opened the door, and she glanced over her shoulder to see that he wasn't far behind, his coat now on and the key to the bunker in his hand.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Amriel took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, admiring the way the stars shimmered. She felt arms wrap around her waist and she leaned back, looking up and smiling at Cas.

"I love being able to see the stars from Earth. Heaven was nice and all, but the view looking down is nowhere near as beautiful as the view looking up."

They were quiet for a while, staring up at the sky and listening to the crickets chirping nearby. There was a slight breeze, but Amriel was warm thanks to Cas, and she was glad that he radiated body heat. She had been a bit drunk earlier, but the fresh air had helped a lot and she felt a lot better now.

Cas cleared his throat and Amriel turned to face him, only to see a nervous look on his handsome features. His eyebrows were knitted together, causing lines to form on his forehead, and his hands were stuffed in his pockets, something she recognized as an anxious habit of his.

"What's up, Cas?" she asked, wondering if he was going to tell her. That was one of the hardest things to grasp when interacting with humans. You could never truly tell what someone was thinking, or if they were being truthful when they told you.

"I keep thinking about how Marissa seems certain that we've run off and gotten married. Is that what people do?"

Amriel could hear the confusion in his voice, and it was similar to how she felt, too. She shrugged, asking why he was thinking about it, "Marissa likes to tease. I try to ignore her when she says things like that."

"Yes, but what if we _do_ go and get married? Would.. Would that be something you'd like to do?"

"From my understanding, marriage is something people do when they truly love each other and want to share the rest of their lives together. Are you saying that's how you feel about me?" Amriel had seen enough movies to know the gist of weddings and married life, but she had never pictured it for herself since she wasn't really human.

"Of course. I'm just saying that maybe we should consider it. I love you, Elle, and I plan to spend eternity with you once I get my grace back," Cas had taken his hands out of his pockets and grabbed both of hers, lacing their fingers together and squeezing gently as he spoke. "I want to commit myself to you in every way possible."

"How about this. We'll get married once you have your grace. Then when Marissa asks, you can tell her yes, and watch her freak out."

"I would like nothing else," he smiled, letting go of her hands and digging through his pockets, fumbling as he pulled out some loose change, a receipt, and a red twist tie from a loaf of bread. He held out the twist tie, "Here. This is all I have, so it'll have to do."

Amriel offered him her hand, watching quietly as Cas wound it around her left ring finger and twisted it so it was secure. When he was done, he smiled softly and pressed a kiss to her palm.

"Thank you, Castiel," she smiled in response, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "I love you _so_ much. I'm so glad I found you."

Cas buried his face in her hair, taking a deep breath and exhaling, "I love you too. Don't forget that. I don't know what it's going to take to recover my grace, or what state it'll be in when I do, but we'll figure out what those paintings mean and what Crowley was talking about us being destined for more."

The girl laughed, leaning back and kissing his cheek, telling him that they'd take it one day at a time.

"C'mon, let's go to bed. I know you don't sleep anymore, but I could use the rest." Amriel took his hand and pulled him back towards the bunker, turning to look at him when he resisted at first.

She pulled again, but he remained in place, and Amriel raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're beautiful in the moonlight. Let me look at you a little longer," he said quietly, and Amriel stopped pulling, staring up at him with a smile.

"_Cas_, you see me every day, and it's cold out here."

"Allow me to help you with that," Cas shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, shooting her a look that made Amriel's cheeks turn pink.

The blonde stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes when she felt that he had been staring at her long enough, and Cas merely laughed at her antics. He wrapped his arm around her and led her inside, making sure he locked the bunker door behind them.


	25. Bartholomew

Hey there! I hope everyone has had a happy holiday season so far. Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy.

As always, thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews! It really means a lot to me.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

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**Chapter Twenty Five: Bartholomew**

Sam had gone to Wisconsin to check up on a fellow hunter named Garth, leaving the two angels to fend for themselves in the bunker. Of course, he had laid out a few ground rules before he left.

"No parties, no driving any of the cars in the garage, and for the love of God, please don't have sex in any of the common areas," Sam said as he zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Why do I feel like a teenager on some sort of sitcom?" Amriel asked, looking from Cas to Sam, wondering if they felt that way too.

Neither of them answered, though, and Sam merely shook his head at her and sighed.

"Just… Just don't do anything that will draw attention. No one in town knows about this bunker, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"We'll behave, Sam, as long as you promise to keep us informed of your whereabouts. We have no problem coming to help if you need it."

Sam said that wouldn't be necessary, and as he slung the strap of his bag over his shoulder, Amriel jumped out of her seat and pulled him into a quick hug.

"Be careful, please," she said, feeling Castiel's eyes on her back the entire time.

"I will, I promise."

Amriel had spent an entire day reading through files the Men of Letters had kept on Heaven and angels, but found very little that she didn't already know herself. While she had settled in the library, Cas was restless. He would pace the halls of the bunker and stare into space thoughtfully, and Amriel was starting to worry about him.

"What's wrong, Cas?" she finally asked, shutting the book she had just finished and getting up to set it back on the shelf.

She made her way over to him and reached up, running her fingers through his soft hair, smiling at the feeling. His lips twitched up into a slight smile, but she could tell something was bothering him.

"Don't you feel like we should be doing something to find Metatron? To find a way to open Heaven's gates?"

Amriel frowned, pulling back and crossing her arms over her chest. She shook her head, knowing that she couldn't care less about returning to Heaven- not after what Urim had done to her.

"Not really. I have no desire to track down the scribe and listen to him speak in riddles, and I don't really care about going back to Heaven. I'd rather explore the country- the world, even! Cas, we have the chance to experience so much…"

"How about we compromise?" Cas suggested, tracing her jaw with his thumb before running it over her soft lips. "We can travel the country to anywhere your heart desires, but we can also look for leads to find Metatron. Does that sound acceptable to you?"

"You're not gonna let this go, are you?" Amriel watched Cas shake his head, so she sighed. "Okay. Let's do some research and the first lead we get will be the beginning of our journey."

* * *

The angels had left the bunker two weeks ago. Amriel had insisted on texting Sam before they left, telling her charge that they were going on the road for a bit and to call or pray if he needed anything, no matter how small or insignificant.

Castiel had found a lead that took them to Michigan first, but it had been a total bust. The angel they had been tracking had abandoned his vessel a few days before they arrived- the man's body was unable to contain the angel for very long, apparently.

The couple visited the World's Largest Tire in Allen Park, as well as the Dinosaur Gardens Prehistoric Zoo in Ossineke. Amriel thoroughly enjoyed the dinosaurs, remembering when they roamed the Earth millions of years ago.

Now they were in South Carolina, following a lead about an angel named Rebecca. They had stopped at a motel on the way through the state, on their way Virginia, where she had last been spotted.

"I'm not sure _why_ someone thought it was necessary to build a seven-story-tall basket, but it was rather impressive," Amriel smiled as she slipped off her shoes, tucking them under the desk out of habit. She watched Cas shrug off his trench coat and jacket, noticing how he loosened his tie and heaved a tired sigh. He had been driving for hours on end and refused to admit that it was getting old.

When he didn't answer, Amriel walked over to him and had him sit on the edge of the bed. She looked down into his bright, blue eyes and saw that he was frustrated. It was amazing how much someone's eyes could tell you, and Amriel liked to think she could read him pretty well now.

"Castiel," she said softly, setting her hands on his shoulders and squeezing in an attempt to ease his tension. "I know things haven't been going as well as you'd like."

He raised an eyebrow, his forehead creasing as he mumbled, "That's certainly an understatement."

"But, try to see this in a positive light. We've been to ten states!" Amriel wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer to him, now standing between his legs. "We've seen the Everglades, the Atlantic Ocean, and a giant ball of twine. I know you want answers about Metatron, but they will come with time. You have to be patient."

"How are you so enthusiastic all the time?" he asked, and Amriel tried to ignore his hands on her hips, the way his warm fingers were brushing against her skin was distracting her.

"If I don't remain positive, I experience the emotions that drove me to take pills so I wouldn't feel anymore. I don't want to do that to myself or to you, so I look for the good side of everything when I can."

It felt good to finally tell Cas that yes, she had thought about acquiring and taking pills again, but she hadn't gone through with it.

"Elle, why didn't you tell me?" He looked up at her, noticing how she avoided his gaze. "You don't have to keep anything from me, you know."

She nodded, saying that she did know, but she didn't want him to worry.

"It isn't a big deal, Cas," she shrugged. "Sometimes I'm sad, but it's okay. It's part of life. Now. What do you want to see when we get to Virginia?"

Cas knew she was changing the subject because she was uncomfortable talking about herself, so he went along with it and said that he wanted to visit Washington, D.C.

"Ooh, yes! The capitol! We could go to the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. And then there are all of those museums," Amriel grinned, remembering all of the things she had read about the city online. "I'll make a list of things we can do."

Amriel squeezed his shoulders and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before backing out of his grasp and grabbing the pen and pad of paper on the desk. She curled up on the sofa, tucking her feet beneath herself and wrote down the places she had just mentioned, then looked over to Cas when she realized he hadn't moved.

"Is something wrong, Castiel?" she asked, watching him shake his head and send her a small smile.

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm just still amazed by how different you are now compared to when you first arrived…"

"Well I have you to thank for that," Amriel flashed him a bright grin and sent a playful wink. "You and basic cable, I guess."

Cas laughed, and Amriel saw that he was less tense than he had been when they first got to the motel. He had been on edge ever since they discovered their last lead was a bust, and it was good to see him smile.

"Get back to your planning, Elle. I'm going to shower… It's been a long day."

Amriel watched him disappear into the bathroom and close the door behind himself, heaving a sigh once she heard the water turn on. He was right, it had been a long day. She glanced down at her note pad and saw that she had more than enough listed for them to do when they got to Washington, D.C.

The angel grabbed the remote off of the coffee table and turned on the television, flipping through until she found one of her favorite shows. She recognized the episode, but didn't mind that it was a repeat so she stretched out and yawned, trying to keep her eyes open so she could pay attention to the blond chef with a British accent trying to help people save their failing restaurants.

When Castiel emerged from the shower in a clean pair of boxers and a white t-shirt, he was still toweling his hair dry.

"What time do you want to get going tomorr-" Cas started, but quickly cut himself off when he saw the blonde fast asleep. He smiled, noticing how innocent and peaceful she looked, sprawled out on the couch, her note pad on the floor, pen uncapped on the coffee table.

Cas quickly hung up his towel and pulled back the covers on the bed before walking back over to the couch and slipping one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, careful not to wake her. It was only a few steps to the bed, where he laid her down gently and tucked her in, brushing her long hair out of her face.

"I suppose we can just sleep in," he said quietly to himself, sliding into bed and turning down the volume on the TV. Cas laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling and listened to Amriel's slow, steady breathing.

He wasn't sure how long he had been like that, but after what felt like hours, he heard Amriel shift and he quickly glanced towards her. The blonde was still asleep, but her eyebrows were furrowed and she seemed distressed. Cas was ready to wake her up, thinking she was having a nightmare, but he was quickly put at ease when she reached out and her hand made contact with his chest.

Amriel seemed to relax at the contact, and Cas felt his heart skip a beat. She had been worried that he wasn't next to her, even in her sleep. Just the thought of her missing him subconsciously made him feel like he could do anything. With a smile on his lips, Castiel rolled onto his side and pulled her into him, breathing in the smell of her shampoo as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Amriel woke up the next morning, she found herself alone in the motel room. A folded piece of paper sat on the bedside table, her name written on it in Castiel's messy script, so she grabbed it quickly.

_Elle-  
Got a lead about Rebecca a few towns over. I'll call when I can, and I'll be back tonight.  
Cas_

The blonde frowned, glancing at the alarm clock to see that it was nearly noon. Why hadn't he woken her up? She would have gladly gone with him. He had taken the car, so it wasn't like she could go very far from the motel now. Amriel would have to spend the day watching television instead of going to the country's capitol like she had planned.

Sighing, Amriel got up and showered, changed into clean shorts and one of Cas's t-shirts he had worn often as a human. Now that he was an angel again, he stuck to his suit and trench coat, and Amriel didn't mind it, but he certainly missed seeing him in jeans and a sweatshirt.

She combed her hair and decided to forgo the blowdryer since she couldn't find it. Amriel sat on the couch and picked up the laptop Sam had loaned her, opening it up and turning it on.

For the next few hours, the angel looked for signs of Metatron's presence. She really wasn't sure what exactly she should be looking for, but nothing in the news really struck her as something he would do.

Amriel had heard stories about Metatron— how he was awkward and rude at the same time, his ego over inflated as he referred to himself as the Scribe of God on an almost constant basis. He was insufferable, according to other angels. Cas had told her of how he convinced him to help him restore Heaven to its former glory, but his trust in the scribe had ultimately cost him his grace and caused the Fall. Metatron was crafty, and finding him would be difficult, but if anyone could do it, Castiel could, and she would help him any way she could.

Her phone vibrated twice on the table, and Amriel quickly picked up the device, seeing that she had a message from Cas. It contained an address, telling her to meet him there as soon as she could.

With a groan, Amriel rose from the couch and stretched, trying to figure out how she would get to the location in the message. She quickly searched it online, glad to see it was only a few hours away via public transit.

She threw on a light jacket and grabbed her shoes before sitting on the coffee table and putting them on. If she wanted to catch the next bus, she'd have to leave in the next five minutes. Amriel tucked her blade in the back of her shorts, picked up her purse and left the room, heading down a block and a half to the bus stop right as the one she needed pulled up and she hopped on, paying the fare and taking a seat.

* * *

Cas walked through a forest until he came upon a cemetery, where he saw a priest talking to a small group of people. One of the mourners had left, coming towards Castiel, who was waiting quietly for his chance to strike.

When he had caught wind of this lead it had been 4 a.m. and he didn't want to wake her up and drag her out of bed in case it didn't pan out. But it looked like he was onto something here, and as soon as the angel was close enough, Cas grabbed him and shoved him into the closest tree.

"What are you doing here?" Castiel asked, gripping the man's collar tightly.

"Please, she was my friend!"

Cas didn't let up, and asked, "Who? The dead human or the angel who was killed while possessing her?"

When he confirmed that he was friends with Rebecca, Castiel's grip loosened slightly.

"Rebecca had a lot of friends. Friends like Metatron. Where is he?!"

"You're looking in the wrong place. Rebecca and Metatron were friends, but that was a long time ago. They had no contact since the Fall. Naomi, Metatron, heavenly battles and politics, she gave it all up. Rebecca taught us the angels have lost touch with our true mission," the angel explained and Cas fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"What do you mean by us?"

The angel explained that Rebecca had a small group of followers that didn't want to fuel the angel war.

"We live humbly among these humans… Or we did. He killed all the others, and he killed her," the angel said sadly, and Cas tilted his head curiously, surprised that other angels had been living peacefully on Earth.

"Who did?"

"Who else?" The angel said like it was obvious, "The monster. Bartholomew."

They spoke for a few more minutes before Castiel decided to let the angel go. He could feel the presence of other angels as he left the cemetery, and he felt his blade in his sleeve, reassuring himself that he could handle the two armed angels that were approaching him if he needed to.

"Where did your friend go in such a hurry?" the angel on the left asked, looking to his partner with a smirk.

"You're too late. He's gone," Cas answered simply, and the first angel raised an eyebrow.

"Castiel?" he asked, and the other angel finally spoke, "Our boss has been looking for you."

"Is your boss Bartholomew?"

Cas watched them both nod, and he told them that he would go with them peacefully.

The three angels were now seated in a waiting room of an office building not far from the cemetery. It had been a while, and Castiel was starting to get impatient. He hadn't heard from Amriel all day, and now he was wondering if he should text her.

"How much longer?" he finally asked, deciding to forego texting the blonde angel that was probably still sleeping peacefully in their motel room.

"You have someplace to be?"

Before Cas could tell him that yes, he did have somewhere he had to be, the door swung open and Bartholomew walked in.

"His blade."

Bartholomew's words weren't a statement. They were a command, and one of the angels handed Castiel's blade over to his boss.

"Standard security protocol. Can't be too careful these days," Bartholomew explained. "Your phone, too. Can't have those pesky Winchesters tracking you here."

Cas frowned slightly, but he gave him his phone and watched as he gave it to one of the angels, leaning in and telling him something that Cas couldn't quite hear.

When the two angels disappeared, Cas finally looked at the leader of this violent faction and said, "Hello, Bartholomew."

"Castiel," he grinned, and the two hugged. "It has been too long. Please, sit. We have much to discuss."

* * *

The two angels sat in the waiting room, talking about their previous battles during the Civil War. Cas wasn't really sure where this conversation was going, but he went along with it anyways.

"Madness, wasn't it? A puny force of 20 behind enemy lines, launching an incursion against Raphael and his loyalists…"

"It was a calculated risk," Castiel shrugged.

"I thought you'd gone insane, and I questioned your leadership, second-guessed every step of the campaign," Bartholomew confessed. "But you were my commander, so I held my tongue and I followed orders. Raphael fled, most of his loyalists dead or captured. Your gambit paid off… You won."

"_We_ won," Cas corrected, him, and the angel nodded.

"Word of your victory spread and you got called back to the garrison. You became the great Castiel, while I stayed behind, just a grunt."

"Yes, but you gained a reputation for yourself as well. The captives I left in your care, you tortured and killed them."

Cas frowned, remembering when he had gotten the news that nearly a dozen angels had been murdered at the hands of Bartholomew after he had given explicit instructions to leave captives unharmed.

"I was _ordered_ to kill those captives. You've been flying solo for so long, you've forgotten that's what angels do. We follow orders."

"Not you though, not anymore," Castiel mused as he glanced around the waiting room before looking at the bemused smirk on Bartholomew's face.

"That's right. I give them." Bartholomew suddenly stood, motioning for Cas to join him. "Come, why don't I give you a tour of the building."

They walked around the facility, still talking as they went down hallways and through the offices.

"Realizing they were more trouble than they were worth, we purged our human allies then commandeered Boyle Ministries, Inc. for our own use," Bartholomew explained, making Cas frown again.

"Buddy Boyle. So, you killed him."

"No. We made him and his colleagues vessels. At least those who didn't go _pop_." Bartholomew stopped suddenly, turning to face the angel in a trench coat and raising an eyebrow. "You nervous, Castiel?"

"Your followers want me dead. I'm not entirely certain you don't, too."

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead," Bartholomew said casually, and Cas was still trying to figure out where this was all going.

"So, we're friends here?" he asked and Bartholomew nodded, saying yes. "And I'm free to go?"

"Of course. Though, I don't know why you would. What's out there for you, Castiel? What do you expect to accomplish on your own? You'll never find Metatron that way."

Cas was relieved that he hadn't brought up Amriel. Maybe he didn't know about their relationship. He'd have to be careful and avoid mentioning her at all costs.

"How'd you know about Metatron?" He decided to change the subject to keep Bartholomew's thoughts occupied.

"I figured that's why you were pursuing Rebecca and engaging with her follower. We have different methods, Cas, but we want the same thing — to find Metatron and restore our kind to Heaven."

"Then why kill Rebecca and her followers? They're no threat to you."

Bartholomew went on the explain that it was better to nip a fledgling faction in the bud then let it grow into a larger threat in the future, but Castiel didn't see things that way, and he voiced his disagreement.

"I'm not asking you to agree. I will outrace Malachi in the hunt for Metatron, and I'll certainly outrace you on your own. But if you can set aside your qualms about methods for one second, there's no reason the two of us can't take him down, together."

They entered a conference room with a large map on the wall with dots on it. Cas stared at the wall, squinting at the marks and wondering what they meant.

"What are these locations?" he finally asked.

"Sightings of Metatron," Bartholomew replied, and Castiel's eyes widened.

"He's been on Earth?"

"Three times we know of so far. That's the benefit of a massive ground operation. Eyes and ears everywhere. It's only a matter of time before we get an active location."

"Why wait then? With this kind of information, I'd lure him out…" Cas wanted nothing more than to find Metatron as soon as possible. Why was Bartholomew sitting on this?

"I knew you'd be an asset. No one's as motivated as you to take him down. I've had my hands so full with the factions, it's distracted me from the main goal. But with you by my side, the new boss and the ultimate rebel working together, think of the message that would send to would-be dissidents," Bartholomew mused. "They'd finally understand that resistance is futile. Think of the bloodshed we could avert… What a united angelkind could accomplish in Heaven… Elsewhere."

Before Cas could reply, the doors open and the two angels that had brought him in entered with the angel from the funeral. Bartholomew knelt and held an angel blade to his throat.

"Bart, what are you doing?" Cas asked, staring in confusion at the scene before him.

"What needs to be done. I'm gonna torture this rebel, then kill him. And you, Castiel, are going to help." Bartholomew told the two angels to tie their captive up, and once he was, the torturing began.

Castiel could only watch as Bartholomew punched, stabbed, and sliced the angel, asking him where the others were. Time and time again, he replied that he was the last, but Bartholomew didn't take that as an answer. Closing his eyes, Cas couldn't help but remember when he and Amriel were held against their will and tortured.

"Can't you see he's telling the truth?" Cas finally interrupted, having had enough of this. "He's done."

"Yes, I believe he is," Bartholomew said, handing the blade out to Castiel. "Now, finish him off."

"Bartholomew, it doesn't need to be like this."

There was no way Cas was going to kill this angel. Amriel would never forgive him for it, and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself, either.

"Castiel, get your head out of the sand. Do you know why they brought you back from the battlefield? The truth?"

"Yes, I know the truth," Cas answered, crossing his arms over his chest as he spoke.

"Our leaders wanted those captives killed, and they knew you'd stand in the way of their orders. Said you didn't have it in you. That you couldn't do what needed to be done. But I know different. I know you've changed…"

"I'm _not_ a murderer," Castiel snapped, feeling anger bubbling up inside of him. How dare Bartholomew…

"You weren't. Not then. But since then, you've slaughtered _thousands_ of angels. You killed Malachi's man for his Grace."

"Who I was, what I did, that's not who I am," he tried to explain, but the words just weren't coming out right.

"No? Then who are you? I want to work with you, Castiel, but I need proof. They need proof that they were wrong. That you can do what has to be done, and _this_ has to be done."

"I was never free to leave, was I? My only choice was to obey or be killed. Well, I choose."

Castiel handed the blade back to Bartholomew, maintaining eye contact the entire time to make sure he knew that he was being serious.

"I am truly sorry to hear that," Bartholomew said before swinging around and stabbing the angel in the heart, watching the bright light flash before disappearing forever.

Bartholomew turned back to Cas, a deep frown on his face as he straightened out the sleeves of his suit jacket.

"As your refusal makes it perfectly clear, you always thought you were better than me. Shall we put your superiority to the test once and for all?"

He punched Castiel in the mouth twice, rolling his eyes when he didn't retaliate.

"No. Angels fighting angels has to stop somewhere. Might as well stop with me," Cas said, wiping his mouth with his fingers to see that he was bleeding.

Bartholomew picked up up a blade and tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck as he said, "Fine."

Cas watched as Bartholomew lunged towards him, and thankfully he was able to grab his arm to stop him. He saw the two angels step forward to help, but Bartholomew told them to stand down.

"This is between me and the rebel," he shouted, his distraction giving Castiel the perfect opportunity to strike, moving suddenly and trapping Bartholomew in a headlock with his blade against his throat.

"To the victor," Bartholomew hissed. "Do it."

Castiel let him go, stepping back as he said that he wasn't going to kill him.

"What are you now? A penitent?" Bartholomew asked, trying to figure out what the angel was getting at.

"I'm nothing," Cas answered, and Bartholomew scoffed.

"You never did understand, Castiel. There can be no peace without bloodshed."

He moved to strike, but the door suddenly burst open for the second time that afternoon, and all four angels in the room turned to see Amriel standing there, her eyes blazing with a rage Cas had never seen before.

"What is going on here?" she asked, her voice low, but firm. Her eyes went from the two angels to Bartholomew and finally to Cas, and she frowned at the sight of blood on his lips. "It was unwise to bring me here under false pretenses, Bartholomew. Did you have one of your lackeys send me a text from Castiel's phone?"

"I was wondering when you'd arrive, Amriel. I've been waiting for you," Bartholomew smiled. "I seem to be having difficulties getting the great Castiel to side with me, so I thought it would be wise to bring you here to persuade him."

"Persuade him to side with _you_? You're no better than Malachi," she hissed, angry that he thought he could use her to get to Cas. "You know, I could hear you from the waiting room, telling Cas that he was never going to get anything done on his own. I couldn't help but laugh, because he most certainly _isn't_ alone in his hunt for Metatron and you know that."

"Yes, I admit that I did lie, but I assumed that once Castiel sided with me, you would fall into line as well. After all, you are his little shadow, aren't you? He rebels, you rebel, and so on."

Amriel clenched her fists, growing tired of listening to Bartholomew's obnoxious voice. She shook her head and sent him a fake smile, "You always thought you were all that, huh?"

Bartholomew stared at the blonde angel, taken aback by the way she spoke to him. She was an insolent creature, that was for certain.

"I'm sick of angels thinking they're above everyone else. This pissing match between you and Malachi is over," Amriel said firmly, drawing her blade and shooting Cas a glance, letting him know that she would be fine handling this on her own.

"_You're_ going to stop me? You're a pathetic excuse for an angel, Amriel. You're weak, unfocused," Bartholomew laughed, turning to Castiel and motioning towards the blonde. "Is she serious, Cas?"

"I wouldn't want to get on her bad side," he answered, not taking his eyes off Amriel as he spoke to Bartholomew.

"Well then, I won't go easy on her."

Bartholomew drew a blade and lunged towards Amriel, who had been anticipating his attack. She easily blocked his attempts to stab her and knocked him to the ground, letting out a groan when he grabbed onto her hair and pulled her down with him.

They wrestled on the ground for a few moments until Amriel got the upper hand and plunged her blade deep into his chest, watching his eyes widen as the bright light left his vessel and he died.

Amriel, breathing heavily, sat up and pushed her hair out of her face before she noticed that Cas was now standing in front of her, holding out his hand to help her up off of the ground. Once she was standing, she looked down at Bartholomew's dead vessel and heaved a sigh, wishing she could've let the human live.

"Are you okay?" Cas asked, his fingers gently grasping her chin as he tilted her face to look for any sign of injury or trauma.

"I'm fine. Let's get out of here."

She took his hand and pulled him towards the door, where the two angels still stood, staring at Amriel in absolute awe.

"Let us pass," she said, shooting them each a glare that only left her face when they stepped aside and let them leave the room.

* * *

The pair of angels stood in the cemetery the next morning, looking down at the grave of Darlene Foster, the vessel Rebecca had occupied.

"I'm sorry I created this chaos, and I'm sorry I couldn't do more to fix it," Cas spoke to the headstone. "You may have lost the war, Rebecca, but you tried a new way. You have my respect for that."

Amriel nodded in agreement but decided not to say anything. She heard footsteps approaching and turned to see that it was one of the angels that had been under Bartholomew's command. Nudging Cas, he turned as well and sighed.

"We don't want to fight, but we will if we have to," he said, trying not to sound as exhausted as he was.

"I didn't come to fight," the angel said. "When I fell, I thought I had no choice, but yesterday, you've showed me that there is a choice, and I choose you. Both of you."

"I'm sorry, I'm no leader," Cas shook his head, glancing to Amriel and seeing that she was shaking hers as well.

"Yes, you are. If you will have me, Castiel, I will follow you, and Amriel too. And I am not the only one."

More angels entered the cemetery, and Amriel looked to see dozens of angels walking towards them with confident looks on their faces.

"What is this?" she asked the angel, gesturing to the group that had formed around them.

"After Bartholomew gave me this device to contact you under the guise of it being Castiel, I used it to contact other angels that I knew would follow you," he answered, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket and handing it to Cas. "I am sorry I had to lure you to him, Amriel. Please, forgive me."

Amriel tilted her head in confusion. Why was he apologizing to her? Was he afraid that she would punish him for what he had done?

"It isn't your fault. You were following orders," she said, letting him know that she wasn't angry.

"Look, I understand that you're all looking for someone to lead you but I'm not that person. I'm going to do everything I can to find Metatron, and so will Amriel. But I won't be leading any faction," Castiel explained to the crowd that had formed. "I'll give you all our contact information in case you see him or come across any leads."

Once each angel had received both Cas and Amriel's cell phone numbers, the pair left and returned to the motel room, exhausted from the day's events.


	26. Separated

Thanks so much for the follows, favorites, reads, and reviews! It means a lot to me that so many of you are reading. :) Have a great day!

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.

* * *

**Twenty Six: Separated**

"I don't see why I have to stay here, Cas," Amriel complained as they stood on opposite sides of a long conference table in the office of the command center they had taken over in the recent weeks.

The angels had insisted that Castiel lead them, and he wouldn't do anything without Amriel by his side as his equal. At first they had been hesitant, but the angels agreed and things just went from there.

"We discussed this earlier. You need to oversee operations here while I follow this lead," Cas walked around the table so he was standing in front of Amriel, taking her hand and squeezing gently. "I'll only be gone for a day or two."

"I guess I could go that long without seeing you," she answered, trying to maintain her composure. This would be the longest time she had been without Cas, so she wasn't sure what she'd do without him around. "As long as you call or text when you can."

"I think I can manage that." Castiel smiled down at her, leaning in and pressing his lips to hers for a gentle kiss.

At first they had been hesitant to show any sort of affection towards one another in front of the group of angels that had become their followers. It had started off as just small touches to the shoulder or back, then it moved to holding hands and kisses to the forehead or cheek. They didn't actually kiss in front of the other angels, but their relationship was recognized and even envied by some.

Amriel knew that the other angels spoke about them, wondered about their relationship and how they could be so close. She hadn't even attempted to explain it, but she knew that they had questions.

"How do you know they'll listen to my orders without you here?" She was certain that the angels only did what she tasked them with because they didn't want to upset Castiel, and she didn't want them to ignore her just because he was gone.

"They respect you, Elle. We come as a pair, and they knew that when they agreed to follow us," Cas reassured her with a smile, taking her other hand and tangling their fingers together. "You just have to be firm in your actions and they will comply."

The blonde shrugged in response, unsure if they really respected her or if they just put up with her because they admired Castiel. He was going to go track down this lead on his own whether she liked it or not, so she decided to go along with it.

"I suppose you're right," she finally nodded. "I'll make sure things run smoothly here, and you handle the lead. Do you have everything you need?"

Amriel ran through a mental list and named them off, "Money, a change of clothes, cell phone, charger…" and Cas would nod after each one. She felt a little more at ease knowing that he was prepared.

"Okay, I guess you should get going then?" Amriel didn't really want him to go yet, but he was adamant about leaving as soon as he could.

"Yes, I should…" he trailed off, staring down at her with a look she couldn't place. Before she could question him, she felt his arms wrap around her waist as he pulled her into him, resting his head on top of hers. "I'll miss you, Elle."

Amriel stood in his arms, reveling in the warmth as she breathed in. She was always curious as to why he smelled like the forest, but she liked it nonetheless. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before leaning back and kissing her gently, his chapped lips meeting hers for a long moment before he pulled away completely.

"It's time for me to go. Walk me to the car?" he asked, holding out his hand and smiling when she took it.

The pair left the conference room and walked through the headquarters, making brief eye contact and nodding to whoever they passed on their way out of the building. They stood beside the Lincoln Continental and Amriel watched Cas jingle the keys in his right hand.

"Call me when you can, okay? And if you need me, let me know and I'll get to you as soon as possible." Amriel rambled on nervously, only stopping when Cas leaned in and kissed her, effectively shutting her up.

"I will, I promise," he reassured her, setting his hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently as he smiled down at her. "You'll be fine. I love you, Amriel."

She nodded, staring up at him with the most confident look she could muster, "I love you too. Now, get out of here before I change my mind and drag you back inside."

With a laugh, Cas gave her one more kiss and got into the car, starting it up and waving as he pulled out onto the road. Amriel heaved a sigh and took a minute to compose herself. The last thing she needed was to look weak in front of the angels that had chosen to follow them.

"I can do this," she muttered to herself. "It's just a few days. Keep it together until Cas gets back."

Amriel took a deep breath and smoothed out her hair, then she headed back into the base with her head held high, walking over to a group of angels that were huddling around a map laid out on a table.

"Any signs of Metatron on Earth?" she asked, catching them off guard.

The four angels looked up at her, then to each other as if trying to figure out who should speak up.

"I asked a question, don't make me repeat myself," Amriel narrowed her eyes at the four of them, setting her hands on her hips and widening her stance like she had seen others do to command respect.

"No, we haven't heard of anything new," Daniel finally spoke up for the others. "Has Castiel left to follow the lead he found?"

"Yes, he just left a few minutes ago. I'll be the only one in charge until he returns." She looked at each one of the angels, her gaze lingering for a few moments before settling on Daniel. "Now, please return to your duties. I don't want us to waste time when we could be searching for Metatron."

Amriel walked away from them and headed into the office she and Cas shared, sitting at the desk and turning on the computer so she could get started on some research of her own.

She wanted to find Castiel's grace, but she wasn't quite sure where to start. If the Men of Letters' notes were correct, she could possibly extract remnants of it from Cas, but that might mean he'd have to expel Theo's. Shaking her head, Amriel heaved a sigh. She was in way over her head here- there's no way she could handle this group of angels on her own.

A buzzing on the desk snapped Amriel out of her thoughts, and she glanced down at her phone to see a message from Marissa.

**Guess who moved to NYC! Come visit me soon, babe. xoxo**

Attached was a selfie of the redhead in the middle of Times Square, and Amriel smiled. She was glad Marissa had made the move and didn't stay with her ex-boyfriend. Picking up the phone, she typed back a message, asking for her new address and telling her friend that she was excited for her.

Amriel longed for the days where she and Cas worked at the Gas-n-Sip, stocking shelves and speaking with customers. But most of all, she missed staying up late with Castiel, talking about their days and kissing occasionally, exploring each other's bodies without a care in the world. She wondered what would've happened if they hadn't gone to check out that massacre at the biker bar. Would Cas still be human?

With a frown, Amriel quickly dismissed the thought. It didn't matter- they had gone, and Castiel was an angel again. They were committed to finding Metatron and opening Heaven.

"Excuse me, Amriel?" a hesitant voice came from the doorway, and the blonde looked up to see Mihr standing there. He was in the vessel of a man in his late twenties, with sandy blonde hair and bright, green eyes. Mihr wore a suit that was slightly too big for him, but it seemed to work for his lanky figure.

"Yes, Mihr? Please, come in." Amriel closed the laptop and watched him enter the room, closing the door behind him before he sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the desk.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions." He seemed nervous, avoiding eye contact with her at all cost.

Amriel told him to go ahead, that he could ask anything he wanted.

"I— the others have been talking, about you and Castiel. What does it feel like to love?"

The blonde was silent, staring at Mihr and trying to figure out what to say. She wasn't really sure what love felt like, really… She just knew that she loved Castiel with all of her being.

"Um, that's a rather difficult question to answer. It's unlike anything I've ever felt in my entire existence. There are many emotions I've felt in my time on Earth, but love, and loving Cas, is the best one."

"Why Castiel?"

Mihr's question caught her off guard, and Amriel frowned, furrowing her eyebrows and, unsure of what he meant.

"What do you mean, Mihr?"

"Out of every being in Heaven and every human on Earth. Why choose Castiel?" Mihr clarified, and she shook her head.

"I didn't _choose_ him… It doesn't work like that," Amriel frowned slightly, "I'm not even sure how it works. I just.. he makes me feel _so_ much. Castiel frustrates me, he makes me angry, but he also makes me smile and he understands me. Love isn't just one emotion. It's all of them, I think."

When Mihr didn't reply, Amriel asked if he had any more questions. He shrugged and remained silent for a few seconds before asking if he would love someone too.

"Mihr… Everyone is capable of love. You'll know when it happens," she smiled, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Maybe once we find Metatron and open Heaven, we can have some human experiences. Have you ever been to a bar?"

"A bar? Amriel, inebriation is a sin!"

The blonde laughed, wondering if she had been the same way when Cas was explaining things to her. She shook her head and grinned, "Oh Mihr, you have so much to learn. I'm so glad you're here with us."

"I'm glad to be here. You and Castiel are good leaders. We all believe in the cause, and we'll do whatever it takes to apprehend Metatron."

Amriel was surprised by his words, but she could tell by the determined look on his face that he was telling the truth.

* * *

Cas had found Hannah in a factory a few states over from where the headquarters was located. He had discovered that angels were trying to recruit others to join Metatron, and he had healed her of her injuries. Apparently there had been sort of siren calling to angels and luring them to the warehouse where they were killed, all but Hannah, apparently.

Hannah had taken a rather plain vessel, Castiel had noticed. The woman had shoulder length, brown hair and bangs that covered her forehead. Her features were angled, and Cas couldn't help but compare her to Amriel, whose features were far more delicate.

He also found out that one of the angels working for Metatron was Gadreel, so he had called the brothers to tell them the news.

_"Gadreel? Gadreel is working for Metatron? For how long?"_ Sam's voice came through the phone as Cas entered his motel room.

"I don't know," he answered, setting the room key down on the desk.

_"So, Metatron made Gadreel kill Kevin?"_ It was Dean speaking on the other line now, and Cas slipped out of his shoes and tucked them under the desk out of habit.

"It would explain a lot, and there have been no new prophets, which Metatron could have fixed to his advantage."

_"And Gadreel said that angels are returning to Heaven? How? I thought that the spell was irreversible."_ Dean seemed confused, and Sam took continued, _"That's what Crowley said. Look, let's just find Gadreel and… beat some answers about of him."_

"Yeah, here's something to start with that. Uh, hold on, I'm uh," Cas fumbled with his phone, pressing a few buttons as he spoke, "Elle showed me how to do this. I'm sending you a photo of the symbol that drew all the angels in."

When Sam confirmed that they got the picture, Cas went on, "It's acting as some kind of angel siren. I think it's a spell. The ingredients used to create it were very odd… Griffin feathers, bones of a fairy. I've never seen it before."

_"Yeah, me neither. All right, let me see what I can find. What did Amriel have to say about this?"_ Sam asked, and Castiel frowned slightly.

"I haven't sent it to her yet. She's back at our headquarters, keeping things in order there," he stared at the honor bar mini fridge and muttered, "Honor bar. What's so honorable about a miniature bar in a motel room?"

_"Everything,"_ came Dean's serious response, making Cas smile.

"How are you, Dean?" he asked, moving to sit on the bed.

_"I'm fine, Cas. How 'bout you?"_

"I miss my wings," he answered wistfully, "Life on the road… smells. And I miss Amriel. She made traveling more enjoyable."

Dean chuckled and hummed before Sam cut in, saying that he got a match and that the symbol was the same as a few that were spotted at crime scenes of multiple homicides in Baker and Hill Valley, Utah.

Castiel was in Bishop Falls, Utah, and it looked like Gadreel was heading north. The next two big towns were Auburn and Ogden, so Sam and Dean would head to Ogden and Cas was going to take Auburn, and then they decided to meet in the middle.

When he hung up with the brothers, Cas briefly considered calling Amriel and telling her about his plans, but he didn't want to bother her if she was busy.

He went to bed that night with an ache in his chest that he couldn't identify the source of. His vessel was fine, he knew that much, but he wasn't sure why he felt off. Cas glanced over at his phone and picked it up, opening it up and squinting at the bright screen illuminating the dark room.

His background picture was one of Amriel and himself- he was wearing the suit he had gotten from Marissa while she was in that stunning coral dress he had grown so fond of, and they were standing with his arm draped over her shoulders while her's was around his waist, at a museum gala they had stumbled upon a month ago. As he stared at the photo, he realized the source of his pain.

He missed Amriel.

Cas frowned, something he had been doing a lot lately, and wondered if she was still awake. It was nearly 2 a.m., so he was sure she was curled up in bed, sleeping peacefully while he was restless. He contemplated sending her a text, half hoping that she would be awake and respond, just to put him somewhat at ease.

**I hope all is well at headquarters. I shouldn't be gone much longer. I miss you.**

He hit send and stared at the message for a few moments before navigating to a game on the phone and starting the next level.

* * *

Amriel had been tossing and turning for hours, unable to get comfortable.

She had gone to bed around 11:30, right when she got back from headquarters. It was strange coming back to the empty motel room, knowing she was going to be alone. Usually she would try to wait up for Cas, but tonight she wouldn't be able to.

Things had gone smoothly for the rest of the day, surprisingly. Details of her conversation with Mihr had apparently spread, and some of the other angels had been talking about emotions and what kinds of human activities they might like to try all day.

They hadn't come up with any new leads on Metatron's location, and she hadn't found out anything more about finding Cas's grace, but she was eager to get back to it in the morning.

The blonde was fed up with not being able to sleep. Throwing the covers off of herself, she got out of bed and grabbed a water bottle from the mini fridge.

Heaving a sigh, she knew there was no way she'd be able to sleep soundly without Castiel by her side. Amriel quickly found the remote and turned on the TV, flipping channels until she found a true crime show. She settled back under the covers and tried to count sheep, knowing it was something humans did when sleep evaded them.

After reaching two thousand, however, she figured it was a lost cause. Amriel ran through strategies and ways to draw out Metatron, and then she started thinking about what Heaven would be like when she finally returned— if she even returned at all.

Gone would be the camaraderie amongst the angels. Instead, there would be bitterness between those who followed Bartholomew and Malachi. Heaven was most likely in shambles, without having anyone there to keep things running. It would take a lot of work to restore it to what it once was, and Amriel wasn't really sure she wanted to deal with it unless she had Cas by her side.

How were they even going to get Metatron to reveal the entrance to Heaven? Would they torture him? Amriel didn't want to stoop down to that level, but if it was for the greater good and allowed the other angels to return, she would have to consider it.

Of course, there were a few things she wanted to do before returning to Heaven. She wanted to visit Marissa in New York, she wanted to get Castiel's grace back, and she wanted to make sure Sam would be okay without her presence. He could always pray to her, but she wanted to know he would be fine when she wasn't on Earth.

Just the thought of leaving Earth upset her. She liked experiencing all of these new things— Heaven was monotonous and boring after eons of existence. Suddenly her chest was tight and her eyes had started to water— no. She wasn't leaving just yet. She still had time to do everything on her list.

Amriel grabbed her phone, wanting to add something to the list, when she noticed it was approaching 4 a.m. She had hoped to hear from Cas, but he hadn't sent her anything to let her know where he was or how things were going. Perhaps he was busy or his phone died. He wasn't the best at keeping it charged, she thought to herself. Maybe she should try calling him.

Finding his number and pressing send, Amriel listened to the phone ring until she heard his voice filter through the speaker.

_"I don't understand why… why do you want me to say my name?"_

Next came the tone that signaled she was supposed to leave a message, so she did just that.

"Hey Cas, it's me… I just wanted to call and see how things were going on your end. Call back when you get the chance… Or at least text me so I know something hasn't happened to you. Love you… Bye."

Frowning, Amriel plugged her phone in out of habit and tossed it back on the table.

"I need to go to sleep," she mumbled to herself, pulling the comforter up over her face as she began to count sheep again.

* * *

Cas was getting ready to leave the motel to head to Auburn when the electricity started to flicker. He glanced around in confusion when the TV turned on by itself and a film called _Casa Erotica 14_ started to play.

A woman on the screen spoke, "Sometimes, you need a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. #amiright. Sometimes, you need #casaerotica."

"That's inappropriate," Cas said to himself, but his eyes were focused on the film nonetheless.

The woman on the screen got up and answered the door, and Castiel's eyes widened when he saw Gabriel wearing an obviously fake mustache.

"Hello. Remember me, bucko?" he ripped off his mustache, "Gabriel. I'm gonna take that as a yes."

He snapped his fingers and the TV went black. Cas turned around cautiously, tensing when he saw Gabriel standing before him.

"I need your help, brother."

"I thought you were dead," Cas said, confused as to what was happening.

"Please," Gabriel scoffed. "You can't take the trick out of the Trickster."

"So, I assume you faked your own death?"

"And I assume you weren't let into Mensa while I was gone," Gabriel said with a laugh.

When Cas asked Gabriel where he had been, the Archangel shrugged.

"Ohhhh you know, hither with a side of yon. I was hiding, Captain Side Eyes, in the safest place in the universe. Heaven. But then you and the two stooges had to go and ruin Christmas, now didn't you?"

"Sorry," Cas mumbled, looking down at his shoes.

"Oh cry me a river. Look, I dropped, I hid, I finally watched Downton Abbey. But then, your BFF Metatron sent his minions out looking for me. Apparently, he thinks since I'm an Archangel I have extra juice."

"And that you're a threat?"

"Yeah, but I got hurt in the fall too. Used most of my juice to get back into porn," Gabriel paused for a split second, "That came out wrong. So did that. Uhh, the point is, I've been on the run. But then, a few weeks ago, somebody started playing my song."

"The angel siren," Castiel said, thinking back to Hannah.

"No. The horn of Gabriel. One of Dad's little party favors that I never got around to messing with. Metatron dug it up and started blowing, so I came out of hiding."

Cas asked why, and Gabriel explained that there was safety in numbers, but Metatron was using it to trap angels instead of uniting them.

"It wasn't Metatron," Cas explained. "It was his second in command, Gadreel."

"_Gadreel_? That old chestnut? Wow!"

Castiel was growing tired of this, so he asked Gabriel what he wanted.

"Your help, Columbo. I'm getting the band back together. We're going on a kill Metatron tour, and you're looking at the new front man," Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows and Cas rolled his eyes.

"Come on, let's get going."

The two angels were on the road, Cas driving and Gabriel sitting shotgun as Castiel attempted to call Dean.

_"This is Dean's other, other cell, so you must know what to do,"_ the hunter's voicemail was followed by a loud beep, and Cas began to leave a message.

"Dean, it's me. I'm-"

He was cut off as Gabriel snatched the phone and chastised him, "Ho, whoa, whoa, whoa! Hands-free much? Both on the wheel. I'm precious cargo." Gabriel then addressed Dean via voicemail. "Hey, what's up shorties? Remember me, the guy who died for your sins? No, not the cat with the beard and the sandals… the hot one. Hey, thank you so much for the flowers and condolences. Really meant a lot to the fam. Any how, your boy toy and I are rolling our way towards your top-secret domicile. Call to discuss."

Gabriel hung up the phone and looked down at the screen, his eyes widening at the background picture.

"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. You finally hooked up with Amriel? It's about time, brother!" The Archangel grinned, noticing Castiel tense slightly at the mention of her name. "She certainly picked a fine vessel for herself. I don't know what she sees in yours though— a little too tall, dark, and handsome for my tastes."

"She likes me for me, Gabriel, not my vessel," Cas grumbled.

"I'm sure it doesn't hurt, though. I always knew you two would shack up. It was just a matter of when…"

"I've been hearing that lately. You, Crowley… Is there something I'm not aware of?"

Gabriel merely shrugged and sent him a smirk as he said, "You'll find out when the time's right, little bro."

The ride was quiet for almost ten minutes when Cas finally spoke again.

"So, you've been back for months. What have you seen out there?"

"After it was raining winged men? Well, you know… Total nigh-biblical chaos. Crowley and Aba-douche duking it out. Good times," Gabriel chuckled. "Then there's our peeps, scattered like confetti."

"There has been a lot of confusion," Cas admitted and the archangel scoffed.

"You think? Most angels aren't like us, Castiel. They can't handle this whole _free will_ thing. They're sheep, drones. But us?" Gabriel gestured between the two of them, "We're rebels… one without a cause, one with."

Keeping his eyes on the road, Cas shook his head, "I'm just a soldier."

"Bitch, please. You've been God more often than Dad has," Gabriel shot back, making Cas let out a laugh for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Yeah. Look how that worked out…"

"Well, go ahead then. Be a soldier all you want. I'm gonna need as many as I can get."

Gabriel explained that he was sick of running. He had run from God, from his fellow angels, from the Winchesters, and he didn't want to any more. So he was going to do what he was meant to do, and that was lead.

"Well, we need a leader. And I'm happy it's gonna be you," Cas said with a small smile, somewhat relieved that he and Amriel wouldn't have to do it.

"A little low on gas, aren't we?" Gabriel asked suddenly before looking out the window and Cas glanced down at the dash to see that the indicator was in fact almost to the E, which he now knew stood for _Empty._

Cas took the next exit and pulled into a Gas-n-Sip, and the two entered the station. Looking around, Castiel noticed just how similar they all were. He knew where every item belonged on the shelves and he suddenly missed working at the one in Idaho.

"Ooh, smell that cancer. Delicious!" Gabriel said as he looked at all of the snacks lining the aisle. His head turned when he saw a truck pull up outside and people jump out and come towards the doors. "Uh… Remember the minions of Metatron I mentioned?"

The Archangel ran towards the doors and locked them, eyeing the minions as he backed away towards Cas.

"We'll never keep these guys out of here," Gabriel groaned.

"I know. So, we fight," Cas said firmly, reaching for his blade that was tucked away in his sleeve.

"No, I fight. I lied before. I never watched Downton Abbey… I was just trying to fit in," he confessed. "Oh, and I do have some Archangel juice left. I can hold these boneheads off long enough."

"Long enough for what?"

"For you to get out of here," Gabriel said like it was obvious, and Cas shook his head, saying that he wasn't going to leave him.

The two argued back and forth, and Cas told Gabriel that they would cut him to pieces.

"I can stall them long enough for you to amscray, and you can take my place. You and your lovely Amriel."

"What are you talking about," Cas narrowed his eyes, not liking where this was going.

"The angels need a leader, or well, leaders, and it's gotta be somebody like us… somebody different."

Castiel shook his head fervently, "No."

"I know you don't want this burden, Castiel. Neither do I." Gabriel sounded like he was pleading with the lesser angel, but Cas wasn't going to buy it.

"What if I fail again?" Cas stared down at the floor, memories of his betrayal and releasing the Leviathan flooding his thoughts.

"With Amriel by your side, you won't. You can't."

Cas suddenly pulled Gabriel into a tight hug, muttering, "Thank you." The archangel hugged back, telling him to shut up.

When their hug ended, Castiel turned to leave, going to tuck his blade back into his coat when he noticed something off. His coat, which had been torn earlier when he had found Hannah, was no longer ripped. It was perfectly fine. He turned back around to face the Achangel, suspicious of what was going on.

"Haven't got all day, hotpants," Gabriel said, tapping his foot impatiently, watching Cas stare him down with an accusing look.

"Was any of this real?" he asked, and Gabriel frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? Cas, go!"

When Castiel didn't move, the Archangel tried again, "So, what, we both die here?"

Cas approached Gabriel and thrust his angel blade into him quickly, frowning as it didn't do anything, "No. You're already dead."

"Well," Gabriel huffed, snapping his fingers and the minions that were breaking through the door disappeared. "What gave it all away?"

"My coat was torn earlier today."

"Ah, crap. I really hate continuity errors," Gabriel groaned, rubbing his temples in annoyance.

"So, none of this is real, and I'm guessing I'm no longer in the motel."

How long had he been gone for? Hours, days, weeks? Was anyone looking for him?

"Here's the thing… none of it was real, but all of it was true," Gabriel tried to explain and Cas shook his head sadly.

"Whose truth? Yours or Metatron's?"

Gabriel heaved a sigh, "Just hear him out, would you? He's just trying to help you."

Metatron? Help? It wasn't possible. Cas shook his head and asked how he could possibly be trying to help.

"Sorry, didn't read the whole script, just uh, skimmed for my parts. Well, it's good to see you, old bean-" Gabriel went to snap, but Cas stopped him before he could disappear.

"Wait. Are you dead?" he asked, watching the Archangel smirk and snap his fingers.

Everything disappeared and Castiel found himself gagged and tied to a chair in an unfamiliar room. He glanced around what looked to be a study or library of some kind, and he stilled when he spotted Metatron seated at a typewriter.

Metatron looked up and took off his glasses, a smile appearing on his face as he asked, "What makes a story work?"


End file.

Supernatural, Hurt-Comfort, Romance