A Little Big Surprise

Chapter 13 ~Part Three~

Crowley had disappeared that night and no one had seen him since. The boys searched everywhere they could think of, Castiel taking over once they exhausted themselves. After the events of that night Aria had closed herself off, falling into her head space but refusing to be touched unless absolutely necessary, and she wouldn't let them look at the rune work on her skin. Castiel however already knew what they were and when they had finally gotten her back home and into her own bed he had explained to the boys what he thought had happened to her at some point in her recent past.

Both Sam and Dean had initially been horrified. "Who would...who has the power to brand the word of God into her skin? And then hide it?" Sam had asked seriously, his hazel-green eyes wide in curiosity and shock.

"I'm not sure." Castiel began slowly, his brow furrowed in thought "But I do know that her scream would have exorcised any lower level demon in the vicinity, which explains why we only encountered Crowley. And it could have killed you both had you been exposed for much longer."

At this Dean sprung up from his chair "What even was that?" he demanded to know.

"An alarm system probably." Sam muttered as Castiel nodded. That was exactly why he was able to go to her. That scream would call out to any angel closest to her location, and thank God that had just happened to be Castiel. If any other angel had found her...

Dean wasn't satisfied "So she's the demon tablet now? Why? How could that.." he became lost for words as his stomach churned at the thought of someone tattooing those symbols into her skin. Luckily he didn't know the actual process. Castiel was just as stumped as the brother's, but he could take a guess,

"Perhaps that demon...Carlise was his name..thought that he would always be near. If he was looking to defy Crowley and hide the demon tablet, inside of the girl he believed he would always protect would be the perfect place."

"Too bad we'll never really know." Sam spoke up quietly.

Since then it had been two weeks, the boys took no more jobs and simply sent out whatever hunter was closest. Aria was all that mattered now. All that they could focus on was her constant night terrors, or the way that she hid under her bed for a good portion of the day. She was acting like a terrified animal. None of them knew what to do and each of them threw themselves into research, Sam into all things age regression and Dean into anything the men of letters had on the demon tablet. Castiel was the only one who could get Aria to show her face anymore so he spent his days with her now whether they were simply sleeping for hours on end or doing small activities. Currently she was curled up into his lap with her eyes glued blankly to his chest, not paying any sort of attention to the movie playing just in front of her.

He ran a hand through her hair gently "Do you want anything to eat?"

No answer. Instead she closed her eyes and curled up into a tighter ball. With a sigh he rubbed her back, quite accustomed to not hearing her voice often. In these weeks she had barely said anything and when she did it was barely above a whisper. The whole situation was partly his fault he knew, but Sam and Dean would hear none of this. He shifted a bit so that his arms were underneath Aria's legs and behind her back, officially cradling her closer so that he could press his forehead to hers. The guilt had not stopped but instead grew stronger every day his happy little Aria was away. Her blank eyes haunted his thoughts, the grey that had once been so piercing and lively now a mere shadow of hidden words and pain. While thinking of his actions Castiel's face began to scrunch up in frustration, wanting to go back in time and redo everything that had happened. If he, an angel of heaven couldn't take care of her better than a demon who had branded her could, what good was he? Aria had opened her eyes when he cradled her, and was steadily watching his face twist in agony before she reached up and brushed her fingers across the lines on his forehead. The angel's eyes shot open to meet her gray ones and Aria couldn't help the little light that returned to her eyes as she stroked the lines of his face before she spoke in a tiny soft voice,

"You sad?"

Castiel was ready to jump for joy at having heard her voice, but instead he shook his head, "I'm worried about you Aria."

At this she tilted her head and stuck her thumb into her mouth, staring at him as if waiting for him to continue. He cleared his throat and lowered her a bit so it would be easier for him to speak, "You haven't been...yourself. And I know it's my fault. I should have protected you better Aria...and I'm so sor-"

His apology was interrupted by Aria rubbing her face against his shoulder, a soft whine lifting from her throat. Her eyes were shut tight and her fingers clutched his jacket like a lifeline 

"Nu sowwies. 's hewe now, tay daddy?" she said louder than before, her eyes opening and looking into his pleadingly. Grey to blue.

Immediately Castiel buried his face into her hair, hugging her tighter as he felt he could cry. She was back. This was their Aria. While she was being squeezed Aria wrapped her arms around Castiel's neck happily, her own happy tears falling down her cheeks. She had been feeling trapped in a continuous nightmare ever since she had gotten home. Everyone had been so emotionless since then that it had scared her more and made her afraid to be herself again. The worry that they were all scared of her now that they had seen what she was had prompted her shutdown. But now Castiel was showing her that they had been worried about her, and that they were happy to have her back. She wasn't some puzzle to them or a tool, she was still just Aria. Her happy tears broke up into sobs as Castiel smoothed her hair back and told her how much he had missed her, and it wasn't long before two pairs of heavy feet could be heard thudding down the hall. The door flew open and Sam nearly fell over Dean with the shorter brother yelling in protest as Aria broke away from Castiel to laugh at them, her tears all but forgotten. That laugh stopped them both dead. It was as if everything suddenly gained color again, and they wasted no time in seating themselves in front of the girl, Sam placing his large hand on her cheek and melting in relief as she leaned into it. Dean went for her tiny hand and took it in his strong one, squeezing as if to make sure she wouldn't vanish from sight again.

"She called me daddy." Castiel said with a dash of pride in his voice.

Sam laughed and put his forehead to Aria's, all tension of the passed two weeks forgotten "Oh yeah? What about me Ria?" he teased.

The girl giggled at the feeling of Sam's hair against her cheeks before poking his nose with her only free hand "Sammy Bababeaw! Cassel's daddybeaw! An an an een is..uhm..."

Dean watched her eyes dart to him before looking away again, probably remembering when he had snapped at her to only call him Dean. With a heavy heart he pulled Aria into his lap, his long legs encasing her little frame easily as he put each of his hands onto her face and kissed her forehead with all the tenderness he could. Only when he felt her relax and lean into his hands so that her cheeks were a bit smushed did he speak

"What are you going to call me buttercup? I need a name too right?" he said softly, his voice a bit husky with all the emotion he was holding back. He had never felt such raw regret all at one time about a decision he consciously made, and he had made quite a lot of bad decisions whether consciously or unconsciously. When he didn't know if he would ever see her again all he wanted was to take back what he said to her. Now he would finally get that chance, right here with this beautiful little things cheeks pressed against his palms, her grey eyes wet with tears. How could he ever deny her?

With a hiccup Aria whined and closed her eyes, feeling even more emotional as she finished her earlier sentence "Een ish papabe-e-eaaaw!"

She bursted out her words with a fresh flow of tears and Castiel turned her face towards him so he could wipe her nose. Dean felt Sam clap him on the back and turned to see his brother nodding encouragingly. It was decided then and there, a silent agreement between all three men as they felt the red strings of their hearts intertwine and knot around Aria's little fingers. They could never let her go. Now she was a part of them. And she would always be.