Afraid of The Light

Chapter 26

Season: 7

Episode: Reading is Fundamental

***

I wake up in Castiel's arms, seemly unscathed, just a little tired.

"It's okay, I healed you." Cas says simply as he very carefully places me on my feet. I look around and frown. "Where are we?"

"Celeste tracked you in an uninhabited part of Iran. I insisted I go." He says simply. "What? What happened? How long was I out? Where is Celeste!?"

"Safe with Sam and Dean." He says before placing a hand on my head, flying us back to Rufus' cabin.

"What the hell, Dean!" I snap when I see him. "Last time that shit almost killed me, this time I'm blasted to a country that doesn't like people who aren't straight and woman have to wear a headscarf!? I could have been stoned to death!"

He gives me a sorry look. I knew why he did it, it was smart. But it was a huge gamble. "Where's Celeste? Did she get zapped too?"

"No. She's asleep. The cuffs stopped her powers, she was human when the blast took place."

"Good." I nod but frown. I was so very confused. Cas coaxes me to sit down beside him. I don't hesitate, too fatigued to comprehend anything.

Dean excuses himself, leaving for the basement level of the cabin. Sam takes this opportunity to sit down across from the two of us with a concerned look.

"You seem troubled." Cas points out, picking up a porcelain figurine and examining it as if he were a diamond authenticator and the figure was his diamond. I rest my head on his shoulder, watching his movements, without really thinking about it. "Of course, that's a primary aspect of your personality, so I sometimes ignore it."

"Okay. Um... right now I'm just wondering about you." Sam says delicately

"What about me?" He asks, putting the figure in my lap. "You're worried about the burden I lifted from you."

"I think I was done for." Sam answers honestly and I frown, keeping silent for a long time. "Do you see Lucifer?"

"I did at first. But that was... It was a projection of yours, I think, sort of an aftertaste. Now I more see... well, everything." He says with a wide smile.

"It's funny. I was - I was done for, too." I frown
"The weight of all my mistakes, all those lives and souls lost, what I did to Mia and Celeste," I clench my eyes shut but don't move from my position, too exhausted to do so. "I... I couldn't take it, either. I was... I was lost until I took on your pain. It's strange to think that that helped, but-"

"I know you never did anything but try to help. I realize that, Cas, and I'm grateful. We're all grateful. And we're gonna help you get better, okay? No matter what it takes." Sam says simply.

"What do you mean, "better"?" Cas suddenly asks and Sam and I share a look.

-

I'm woken up by a loud crashing. Jilting upright I see the door of the cabin being ripped off its hinges in very epic glory.

"You took the Prophet from us?!" One of the angels from before screams

"I'm - I'm sorry?" Cas says, unsure of what really to say.

"You have fallen in every way imaginable." I look around for my daughter, hoping she isn't in harms way. I see her by the door and my eyes stay fixed on her, all my energy focused on protecting her. Meaning I was simply but a bystander to the current conversation.

"Please, Castiel. We have to follow the code. Help us do our work."

"He can't help you. He can't help anybody." Dean points out.

"We don't need his help... or his permission." There is the sound of wings ruffling and then an angel reappears, I'm assuming with the prophet. I don't look. I'm too focused on making sure that if they step too close to my daughter, they burn in holy hell fire.

"The Keeper goes to the desert tonight."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back off. We're actually trying to clean up one of your angel's messes! You know that." I hear dean yell.

"He's right. An angel brought the Leviathan back into this world, and - and they begged him. They begged him not to do it." Cas speaks in third person, I don't notice him at first but he walks over to me. He's protecting me while I protect our daughter. What I also didn't notice is it's prompted by the close approach of the offended angel.

"Look, just give us some time, okay? We will take care of your Prophet."

"Why should we give you anything... After everything you have taken from us? The very touch of you corrupts. When Castiel first laid a hand on you in Hell, he was lost! When he later with the half breed, he was obliterated. For that, you're both going to pay."

"Please. They're the ones we were put here to protect." Cas tries to reason. For a second - less than a second - I heard my Cas come back.

"No, Castiel." I hear a slap, I feel Cas stumble into be before landing on the floor. I deliberate for a moment, considering who I should protect. Celeste or Cas? I quickly move so I'm beside my daughter.

Two other angels hold up their hands to stop Sam and Dean going to Cas' aid.

"No more madness!" She yells, punching Cas again. Celeste flinches. "No more promises!" Another punch, another flinch. "No more new Gods!" More punches, more flinches, and suddenly an angel blade.

"Hester! No!" One of the other angels protests, grabbing their arm. "Please! There's so few of us left." The first angel just punches the merciful one in the face, causing them to stagger back.

"You wanted free will. Now I'm making the choices." She raises the blade to drive it into Cas' face when bright light shines from every crevice of her body before dropping, revealing the small little angel with a pissed off look on her face as she defends her father.

"They were going to kill dad." She reasons with a shrug.

-

It's been about an hour since Celeste killed the angel to protect her father. We've disposed of the body and Meg has seemingly disappeared - much to her style.

"Listen to this." Sam suddenly says, piquing the attention of me, Dean, Cas and Celeste. Even though she was in no way involved. 'Leviathan cannot be slain but by a bone of a righteous mortal washed in the three bloods of the fallen.' Uh... It says we need to start with the blood of a fallen angel." Sam, Dean and I look to Cas. Celeste of course not knowing what a fallen angel is, how it's different to a regular angel, and why her father would be one.

"Well, you know me." Cas says, pulling out an empty glass vial he just so happened to have in his pocket. Who carries glass vials around on them? "I'm always happy to bleed for the Winchesters." His fingers wrap tightly around the bottle and it fills with red liquid. He hands it to me. It's still warm. It's creepy.

"What are you gonna do, Cas?" Dean asks and I look at him confused. What does he mean? He's gonna stay here, be with his daughter. If he didn't, I'd kick his ass.

"I don't know." He says with a smile. "Isn't that amazing?" He looks down to Celeste, giving her a warm smile, pulling her in for a tight hug and whispering something in her ear that I just can't quite make out. She nods and then we're gone, him, Celeste and Myself. He flies us all to god only knows where in god only knows what country.

"Cas... what are you doing?" I ask as I look around at the desolate albeit beautiful surroundings.

"Spending time with my family. Like you asked me to."