Lesson Number Five

It was nighttime and typical for a hunt. The ability to blend in with the shadows was a gift and it was even more impressive when you used special mojo to be invisible to your enemies and then use it to sneak up on them and attack. Or it was handy for spying on demons in order to learn that the colt still existed and you had to tell your charge that it was still around to provide the faintest hope regarding the insane idea of killing the devil. Unfortunately none of that was to be the case as Castiel stood inside the kitchen of a rundown apartment staring at one of Dean's busty beauties.

Castiel couldn't help but take in the smell of the fruity freshness of the beauty. Ever since his time learning more about the intricacies of pie, he had been tempted to repeat that experience but the hunt for the Colt superseded that. Now he was in close proximity to one and he started to see what Dean meant by it being a necessity. He decided that he had to have a bite.

Somehow he managed to summon a fork from the battered drawer without even walking to the thing and was looking at the beauty with a peculiar expression. It was more like the intense expression he got when going to battle against his brothers to protect the Winchesters. He held the fork like he would his angel sword and swooped in for the kill.

This one was different from the one that Dean had him try. True it was full of fruit but it had a different quality to it. Was this what Dean meant when he said that homemade versions were prime escorts? Castiel had to find out and kept digging in, making the noises he still was not aware of making and vaguely aware that he was behaving like Dean in taking dabs of the filling and licking it off his finger. He managed to mutter, "You will obey or I will smite you."

"I think you already smited her Cas."

Castiel looked up with wide blue eyes to find that someone had been watching him smite the poor beauty that looked ready to collapse. He put down the fork and solemnly stood up unaware that he had some pie bits hanging off his coat. "I apologize, Malachi. I didn't ask to partake in…"

The laughter had him thoroughly confused and he looked at the owner of the laughter with his confused wide eyed look. When the owner finally calmed down, she replied, "Well the last time I saw someone swoop in for the kill on one of my pies, it was Dean though I think he has it more down as an art."

Castiel looked at the sorry remains of the pie and at the woman who spoke to him and replied, "Dean Winchester is a man of many tal…"

"Cas," Angela cut the angel off before he could go into a eulogy, "I know. I've traveled with him… just not now." She sighed and inspected the remains of the pie. She had been intending on curling up on the lame ass sofa and indulge in television for once since she was in between jobs while maintaining her primary one. She looked at the angel who was staring at her with a curious expression and asked, "So what brings you here? Learn how to actually find me even though I am hidden from both angels and demons now?"

"Your tattoo has other properties."

"Figures. I take it that you're checking up on me?"

"I've found out about the Colt. I was going to take Dean but…"

Angela lifted a hand as she walked to the cupboard and began pulling out ingredients to make another pie, maybe two since Castiel was here. "I get it." Since she had the angel's company for more likely three to four hours, she might as well make use of her time and his and possibly get a little fun out of it. She added, "So you here to keep me company?"

"You are my charge. It is my duty even though I rebelled," Castiel replied as he walked over to see what Angela was doing. He had heard of the human concept of preparing food but as an angel, he had no need for sustenance and it was a mystery.

Angela gave a slight eye roll of amusement. "Well I declare you to be off duty tonight." She turned to look at the angel who was still wearing the stoic expression but she could tell that he had one of shock, as if she were crazy. She added, "Since you demolished my peach pie there, I need to make another one and you're going to help me."

"I am not a creator…"

Angela recognized the look of terror on the angel's face and said, "Cas, this isn't a den of iniquity here. It's baking. I'm going to teach you how to make one so you can have one whenever you like."

"Why?"

"Let's just say that one of the most important lessons that I learned was that men should learn how to cook. Even if it is just one dish, they need to learn the basics." Angela finished pulling out various bowls and the last of the ingredients. Glancing at Castiel, she had a thought and pulled something out of a drawer and held it in her hands. "Besides since you're here, you can learn and do your duty of you're worried about that. You just have to do one thing if you stay."

Castiel's expression didn't change much as he watched his charge handle some sort of cloth. He could tell that she had something planned and he knew that he was going to agree to it even if he were to say that it was embarrassing. He never did learn how to say no to her. He asked, "What are the requirements?"

"You wear this."

~0~0~

"What is a tsp.?"

"Teaspoon. It's the little one right there."

Castiel picked up the tiny spoon and inspected it. It was fascinating that so many things went into creating something that was going to be eaten in a short while. "I don't understand."

"Understand what Cas?" Angela was finishing up the apple pie she had made while Cas was mixing for the peach.

"Why go through all the effort to make one dish only to eat mere minutes later? More energy goes into making it than eating it." The angel dumped the ingredient he had measured into the bowl. He started stirring the mixture that was to be the fruity filling. Immediately he could smell the same smells that the finished pie he demolished had.

Angela watched the angel sniff the mixture and grinned. It had taken much effort not to laugh when he emerged with the apron over his trench coat. She tried convincing him to take the coat off but he looked pained while doing it she told him to keep it on and that he looked naked without it. That had the angel frowning in confusion at her for a full five minutes while she got a quick snapshot with her camera. Then they set about with her teaching him how everything worked. It reminded her of when her mother first taught her how to cook. She had managed to pass what she knew on to various people and had partially succeeded with Sam of all people. Dean thought it to be too girly but he reluctantly learned to better the basics he had grown up with. Now she was teaching her clueless angel and surprisingly it was fun.

Looking at the angel, she replied, "Well the reactions of the people eating it are the results of the effort put into it."

Castiel paused and looked at Angela. "I don't understand."

Angela laughed, "Cas, you should know this. The way you demolished the poor beauty earlier was worth the time I put into it."

"So you are saying that the ends justify the means?"

"In a manner of speaking. I like putting the effort into it because I find it therapeutic, especially when I need to think. Some do it for the challenge and some see it as a means of putting food into the body." Angela shrugged her shoulders as she finished putting the last bit of dough to create the lattice on the pie. "There are other reasons for it. The end result is the same. People eat it and enjoy it."

Castiel turned back to what he was doing with a thoughtful expression. He thought he understood Angela's motives for the things she did. Big risks just to bring a few moments of happiness to people she would never see again. Perhaps the same thing could be said for humans and their need to put effort into making a meal.

"Sometimes the effort is worth it Cas. It may seem like a lot with only a small reward but in the end, it's the little things that make all the difference."

"So it may not be necessary but if it produces even the smallest hint of success, then it is worth it?" Castiel brought the mixture over to the waiting crust and started spooning it in. He was starting to think that he understood what she was getting at. Dean said something similar when he warned him about that town and the seal regarding Samhain. Between the righteous man and the Malachi of Absolution, he was learning quite a bit in the habits of his father's greatest creations even if some were more on the side of the den of iniquity.

"You could call it hope in some cases," Angela replied as she checked Castiel's progress. His work was coming along nicely and she was sure that if he were human, he would make a pretty decent baker. She did have to admit that finding out that the angel had a sweet tooth was something of a surprise and she thanked Dean for that. "There is nothing wrong with hope Cas. I know you think the idea of icing the devil is foolish but if there is a chance, you gotta take it no matter how small a chance of a success."

Castiel gave one of his more puzzled frowns. It was certainly something to think about. A thing that he had plenty of time to do while he was on the search for God and finding out about the Colt. He finished what he was doing and followed Angela's lead in putting them in the oven that creaked badly and he was sure was going to explode.

While they were baking, he sat in the chair and stared at it, daring it to make a wrong move much to Angela's laughter. She said, "You know they say that a watched pot never boils Cas."

"I have doubts about this thing you call an oven. I should smite it and put it out of its misery."

"It's fine and if you smite it, then the hard work you did creating that peachy beauty would be for nothing."

Something then clicked for Castiel. He could see now what Angela meant about their discussion. While he may never completely understand someone like the Winchesters and the Malachi, he could understand them better. In the end, perhaps if there was a chance, then maybe this whole Apocalypse could be averted. He gave a nod as she removed the pies.

The smell of the peach was intoxicating just as if she had made it. He couldn't believe that he was capable of making one of those… prime escorts. He gave no notice to the laughs and the click of a camera as he sniffed the pie.

A/N: I told ya that there would be a sequel somewhat to Cas and the pie thing. He has his own brand of dirty for an angel and he learns something from his special charge.