It took him 10 minutes longer than usual to clean his weapons. He knew because he timed it, it was a good way to keep track of his hunting ability. Under 40 minutes meant he was on top of his game, 50 minutes was his usual and an hour meant he was slow. It had taken him an hour and 6 minutes today. So he cleaned Dean's as well, but he was slower, an hour and 8 minutes. He frowned in concern and went to wash his hands of the grease coated gunk stuck between his fingers, Dean had gone to get food and he was online looking for cases, not that he was having much luck. He nearly drew his gun in surprise when the door swung open with a cheerful looking Dean standing in the door way, 2 bags in hand.

"Woah, dude, expecting something else?"

Dean continued inwards and dropped the bag on the counter and pulled out a burger that looked almost as greasy as Sam's hands seconds ago.

"Nah just thought you'd be out a bit longer. What is that anyway?"

Sam pulled up a seat by the counter and began to look through the second bag that was presumably for him.

"Isn't she beautiful? the 'Grand Meat Queen' they called her." Dean then proceeded to take an impossibly big bite and closed his eyes in enjoyment.

"Don't you think you're being a little over-dramatic?" Dean tried to answer but his mouth was so full it came out at indecipherable noises.

"Keep your mouth closed! I do not want to see that." Sam pulled out his own burger and had to admit Dean wasn't actually exaggerating that much, it did taste pretty good especially since he hadn't eaten for awhile.

Dean swallowed and looked to where most their now clean weapons lay on the motel beds.

"Wow, you've been busy. Do you ever just relax?" Sam shrugged and finished his own mouthful.

"I couldn't find much online and I was bored. Seemed like a productive use of time"

"You know most people do things they enjoy if they have spare time."

"Oh shut up, just because I don't sit and watch Porn like you do."

"I do not!"

"Correction, Japanese erotica" before Dean could reply however there was a knock at the door. Both men became serious instantly and moved towards the door, Dean stood to the side ready to intervene if he needed and Sam opened the door hesitantly to reveal a certain beige trench coated angel.

"Cas?"

he opened the door to let Cas in fully.

Dean spoke next "Great to see you buddy but a little warning next time, a call or text?"

Castiel actually looked a little sheepish at that.

"My uh, phone is broken." To prove it he pulled out a phone with a shattered screen rendering it useless.

" For such a smart contraption they do break remarkably easily don't they?"

Sam, still a little shocked at the entrance spoke ."How'd you find us anyway if your phones broken?"

Cas smiled a little like it was an extremely simple question

"Well I already knew what town you were in so I just found the only motel with an Impala in the parking area and asked the manager if two tall men had booked a room."

Dean laughed a little "Wow, sounds extremely simple when you put it like that we really should cover our tracks a little better." Sam picked up Cas's broken phone a little curious. "We should also probably get you a new phone. How'd you break it anyway?"

That sheepish look from before returned and Cas seemed a tad embarrassed.

"Well I was just walking with it, and I, uh, accidentally dropped it onto the pavement."

"Geese, you've fought demons and angels but walking is the point you break your phone?" Dean joked.

"Alright enough, Cas did you stop by for a reason?"

"Actually yes. I have a case."

"A case?"

" Well its to do with angels and given my track record I though it might be nice to have some back up."

"Ughhh more angels, seriously what do they want now?" Dean sighed back at Cas

"Well its only one, Afriel. He used to be under Uriels command and shares some of Uriel's views on humans, I hadn't seen him for a millennia but recently there's been killings in Boulder that I'm sure are him."

"What makes you think its him?"

"This wouldn't be the first times he's murdered humans out of hate and he has a very….. particular style of killing. "

"And that would be..?" chimed Dean

"He turns them into salt."

Both Sam and Dean stared blankly "Wow, okay"

"Like in the bible?" queried Sam

"Exactly, he believes most humans to be unworthy and strives to rid humanity of their sins. Unfortunately that means he basically kills anyone who makes even a small mistake"

"Alright when do we leave?" Sam asked a little excited to be on a hunt again.

"Someone's eager. Lets get some sleep and leave in the morning."

Sam deflated a little but not enough for anyone to notice. Truth was he wasn't exactly sleeping well at the moment. He could normally hide it pretty well in front of Dean, he'd just wait for Dean to fall asleep who was often out like a rock , then he'd read or go online but with Cas here it'd be much harder to hide.

"Yeah. Sure. Cas are you staying?"

"Yes, if you don't mind of course." Sam may have been a little worried about Cas staying but the last thing he'd want to do was offend his friend. He had already struggled so much to find a home and Sam certainly didn't want to give him the impression that he was unwelcome.

"Of course we don't mind. Just thought you might get a bit bored." Sam shrugged.

"Cas is a big boy, he'll find something to entertain himself. Right Cas?" and Dean clapped Cas over the shoulder.

"Of course."

and so Sam and Dean began prepping themselves for bed like brushing their teeth and packing away their stuff for tomorrow until Dean eventually flopped onto the faded flower bed and went to sleep. Sam grabbed a book and started reading and Cas, who had previously asked if he could borrow Sam's laptop, was now sitting at the countertop with the soft blue light being emitted from the computer reflecting on his face. They sat like this for awhile until Sam was sure Castiel was focused on whatever he was looking at, he then proceeded to take the sleeping pills he had concealed under the blanket. The container said to take 2 but he really didn't want to make any disturbances lest Cas notice so he took 4.

That night he barley slept, he was tormented by memories of his time on demon blood. Faces of those he loved killed by his own hands, until he had no-one left around him, until it was him alone with his bloodstained hands.

He visibly flinched when he opened his eyes and someone was standing above him, his hand was half wrapped around the gun tucked under the pillow before he recognised who it was.

"Cas?"

"Sam, are you Okay?"

Sam took a second before answering to regain his composure,

"Thanks for caring Cas but I'm fine. Really, Dean and I, well sometimes the stuff we've been through doesn't always stay in the past."

he shifted a little bit uncomfortably but said nothing else.

"I know this might seem, intrusive but would you like me to help you sleep?"

Cas held up two fingers in offering. Sam had to admit it looked comforting, a completely nightmare free sleep and he was too tired to really fight it.

"Thanks Cas, that would be great."

after that he only remembers a light touch and a feeling of warmth before black.

The next morning neither Cas nor Sam spoke about the previous night, though Sam did shoot Cas an extra happy smile trying to convey a thank you and Cas nodded his head graciously. They spent very little time packing up and where in the car on the way to Boulder within an hour, Dean was still grumbling about having to skip breakfast but seemed to be making up for it by playing Led Zepplin extra loud. By the time they hit the interstate Dean was singing loudly, Cas was sitting in the backseat looking out the window and Sam was watching the road in front of them considering Dean seemed a little distracted. Though none of them said it, they were happy just being together in the Impala. It was comforting and they all felt good going on a hunt together, it was home-y.

"So this Afriel guy? did you know him in heaven?"

Cas's gaze broke away from the window to answer Dean "Not directly no, though he was probably aware of me. He served under me a couple times."

"Nice guy?" Sam asked.

"Well if you mean 'nice angel' not particularly. He would, as you put it, be called a righteous Dick"

Both Sam and Dean didn't bother to suppress laughing, it was quite odd hearing Cas call someone a dick.

"Nice description, I'm guessing we can kill him with a normal angel blade?"

"Yes"

"Okay then quiz me this, Cas 'Mr I can handle it on my own' decides to track us down to hunt down a run of the mill angel? Don't get me wrong I'm happy to help but are you sure there's nothing else?"

"Well he may have the powers of a normal angel but he's known to be a bit of a fanatic, I was worried he might have brought more angels to his side and thought for once that maybe I should request backup considering how well my last hunting attempts have gone."

"Smart, sounds like this guy might be a little tricker than expected."

not much was said after that besides small pitstops for toilet breaks and food, until they arrived in Boulder. Sam then picked up the local news paper from some sleepy gas station.

"Alright so we already know what did it and how to kill it, all we have to do is track him down. Any ideas?"

"Tough since non of the victims have anything in common besides making small mistakes right before their death"

"He doesn't need to sleep or eat so we can't find where he's staying."

"He has to be finding his victims somewhere." Dean seen offering some sort of lead.

Then it clicked for Sam, "You said he was like, super righteous right Cas?"

"Yes?" Cas said still not seeing the connection.

"Where would someone with a 'holier-than-thou' complex go to?"

"The church" Dean replied following Sam's train of thought.

After asking locals they found there were 3 churches but the main one was in the centre, it was also the most traditional making it the most likely place for Afriel to choose victims. Now they only had one more problem,

"Cas if you were put in a room with another angel could you recognise them?" Sam mentioned

"Yes I should be able to, especially if I'm actively looking for them. I can sense their grace but it'll be harder to do in a crowded area"

"But he'll be able to recognise you to?"

"Yes I believe so."

"Alright so I say we go to the church, wait till we find Afriel, then follow him when he tries to make a run for it." Dean announced

"Not our most complicated plan but yeah okay. Cas?"

"We'll have to make sure we see him before he see's us for it to work but yes I think it should work"

and thats how they now sat in the pews of a rather large church waiting not so patiently, they also carried with them concealed angel blades.

Cas was watching everyone who entered carefully, his gaze focused into a laser making him look even more concentrated than usual.

after about 2 hours Cas's demeanour changed and he whispered quietly "That's him, the man who just entered"

Sam and Dean shifted and spotted him, he was medium sized with short brown hair and grey eyes. His face was skinny and lean and he looks very young in his early 20's.

The was a very small metal clinking noise and Sam, Dean and Cas stood up and and their angel blades moved slightly. The man who had now been identified as Afriel was about to sit down when his gaze moved across the room and stopped at them. He got up swiftly and moved towards the door, Sam, Dean and Cas were close behind him.

After they had left the church they drew their angel blades now that no one was around to see and started sprinting, Afriel was fast and had a small headstart on them. They rounded a corner and the road split in 2, Afriel could have gone down either one.

"I'll go left, you two go right. It rounds back to the same place anyway." yelled Sam and once again they were running.

Cas and Dean followed their street but no-one else was there and there was no sign Afriel had ever gone down there. Even their own tracks could be seen against dusty gravels.

"I'll double back and see if he's managed to pass us, you go find Sam!" Dean span in a plume of dust and Cas followed his own suburban road that twisted to the left.

When he reached then end of it he stopped hard in his tracks.

4 angles stood there including Afriel who had an angel blade held against the soft skin of Sam's neck. It had been an ambush and they were ready for them. Cas's own fear jumped as he saw the danger Sam was in.

"Castiel, the 'rouge'. I did think it would be a little harder to beat you, I knew you and the Winchester where in town and all I had too do was get you to split up." one of the angles to the right of Afriel was wearing the gas stations uniform and Cas recognised him as the man Sam had bought the newspaper from.

"Afriel, do not do this. We once fought together, there is no reason we must fight."

"Oh Castiel, you might be right. I did fight with you when you actually stood for something, when we used to be real angels. Gods Wrath incarnate. We would descend upon the sinners of this earth and purge them. Now? you stand with these pitiful humans, if you can even call this one a human."

he grabbed Sams hair and tugged viscously causing the blade to graze Sam's neck causing a small red drop to trail down. Castiel growled and moved forwards and Sam gave him a look telling him it was okay.

"Careful Castiel, my blade might slip but that wouldn't be good for either of us."

"What do you want."

"I only seek friendship, for you to join as one of us again. You are strong and there are some who still look up to you, still refuse to see you as this pitiful angel."

"And how do you propose you I join you?"

"Well we can't have you be only half committed. You have to prove your loyalty to us, your brothers."

He moved closer, Sam with him who although couldn't say much else risking cutting himself was staring angrily at Afriel.

"I ask of you only a small task, then you may rejoin your family, become what you were always meant to be Castiel. A true angel."

"Kill him."

and he pushed Sam forwards.

"No." Cas answered roughly, he would not kill Sam ever. He would rather take his own life.

Afriel continued getting more passionate with each word "This abomination of a human stops you from joining us? his very blood is tainted and yet you still defend him? what of the many he has killed of our own kind, his fornication with the demon girl alone justifies his death! He has killed and killed and is a stain upon this very world!"

The angels around him nodded with agreement, Sam looked down slightly ashamed

"He is more noble than you will ever be Afriel, and he is my friend. I will not kill him"

At that moment Dean came round the corner behind Cas angel blade readied but the angel closest lifted a hand and sent Dean flying backwards. Afriel turned his attention back to Cas.

"I still have hope for you Castiel. My offer still stands"

there was a bright flash of light that even Cas had to cover his eyes from, then there was only dust where 5 people stood seconds ago. It was just him and Dean, who was now slowly getting up, left. They had taken Sam.