Title: Failure

Wordcount: 6,200 total

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Dean, Sam, Castiel, Bobby, Balthazar, Eve, Crowley

Warnings: Character death, creatures, Eve being Eve.

Summary: Castiel did everything- everything- to protect Sam and Dean. What would happen if he failed? In which the Mother of All doesn't wait for the good guys to find her- she finds them.

Spoilers/Warning: Spoilers for the first six seasons.

AN: This story is pretty dark, guys. But things can be misleading...


She went to them, even as they prepared to come to her. They didn't know she was there, for she could veil herself even from the angel. All of them thought they were just trying to figure out a way to even find her, never guessing that she had already gone after them. She could… she could let them chase after and find her. That was tempting to trap them, and she even had a perfect town for it. But it might not be wise. They had a way they thought would kill her. She didn't think it would, but she wasn't sure, and she wasn't willing to take the risk.

Eve watched as the humans and the angel they called family strategized. Dean Winchester had already been her child for such a brief time. He'd been so magnificent. But then he'd found a way to turn back. And Sam… oh, he had potential too, and with his soul now firmly in place, he'd be even better. And the two of them considered Bobby Singer their father, so she couldn't leave him behind, or they'd grieve.

That just left the angel. The angel, who was so desperate to keep the others safe that he was walking a dangerous road and using her children to do it. She could understand his desperate desire to keep his family safe, but she could not condone using her children like that.

No; but then again, those who were about to be her newest children would grieve if she killed him. And they would be her children. A mother never wanted her children to hurt. She couldn't turn him. Perhaps…

Yes, that might work. Castiel was willing to work with a demon. Perhaps he'd be more willing to work with her. Yes, that would do. And if it didn't, well, she was older than he was, and still stronger. She could strip him of the majority of his powers, and order her newest children to keep him safe. That would keep them happy.

Castiel looked up, frowning. Something was wrong. "Something is not right," he said.

The three humans looked around. "What is it?" Sam asked.

"I am… not sure. But something is here. Something powerful, to get through the wards without an invitation, and without my knowledge."

"You are right, Castiel."

Castiel had his sword out almost before the woman finished speaking, turning to face her. Sam and Dean scrambled for weapons as Bobby pulled out a shotgun.

She smirked. "None of that now," she said. An instant later, Castiel felt something pressing down on his power, keeping it trapped, inaccessible. "Eve," he said, certain it was her.

Sam and Dean stepped up next to Castiel, with Bobby on Dean's far side.

"Quite right, little angel," she replied. She glanced at his charges, his humans. "Hello, Sam, Dean… Bobby," she said.

Castiel snarled at her, but with his powers gone, he could do nothing. She had such a tight grip on him, he couldn't even move. "Don't touch them," he said.

She rounded on him. "I am more than upset at you, angel," she said. "For what you've done, if it weren't for the fact that these three consider you family, I'd kill you now. But…" she sauntered up to Dean. Castiel twitched, but he still couldn't move. "But no, you three, you three… you're special. Do you know how many humans have caught my eye the way you three have? Not many."

She reached out and brushed her hand over Dean's cheek. "You were so magnificent when you were my child, Dean. Just wonderful. You should never have taken the cure. To see you reduced to mere humanity is… oh, it's saddening."

"Bite me, bitch" Dean snapped.

She smiled at him. "No, not yet," she said. She turned to Bobby. "I admit, Bobby Singer, its Sam and Dean who have really caught my eye, but I can't bear to force them to lose more of their family. Castiel's family has done quite enough of that."

Bobby glared at her but didn't say anything. She smiled again.

"And you, Sam," she said, turning to the last person in the room. "You will be just as magnificent as your brother."

"Like Hell I will," Sam snapped. "I'll kill myself before I let you…"

"You don't have a choice," Eve said. "None at all." She glanced at Castiel. "You and I need to have a talk, little angel," she said. "But first I need to welcome my newest children."

She glanced back and forth at them. "Don't worry, all of you. It will be wonderful. And you'll thank me."

"Never," Dean snarled.

Even smiled at him and paced back toward him. "Oh, Dean, my wayward child. You know you shouldn't talk to your mother that way, right?"

"You're not my mother," Dean spat.

Eve sighed. "No, not right now. But I was. And I will be again."

Castiel resumed his struggles against the power holding him still. "Do not!" he cried out. "Don't hurt them!"

She smiled at him. "And that is why I am sparing you, Castiel. You really do care for them. Don't worry, it won't hurt, not for but an instant."

She glanced at them and curled her right hand in a simple "come here" gesture. Sam and Dean stumbled forward, clearly not under their own power.

"Which first?" she asked. "The one who has been my child before or the one who will always follow in his brother's footsteps? The shield or the sword? Which of you?"

Castiel fought to say something, anything, but he couldn't move his mouth any longer. He hadn't even felt this powerless after he'd thrown the Holy Oil Molotov cocktail at Michael.

Eve reached out and gently caressed Sam's cheek. "The one who doesn't remember a mother's love or the one who still mourns?"

She reached out and placed her other hand on Dean's cheek. "Or perhaps both at the same time?"

She looked back at Castiel and Bobby as they stood as frozen witnesses to the horror. "What would you do, Castiel, if you had to choose to make Sam and Dean your children? Who would you chose first?"

He still couldn't answer her, but he didn't think she expected an answer.

She smiled and closed her eyes. "Both at once…"

Sam and Dean both cried out at the same time and collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain.

Castiel could feel Bobby twitching beside him, trying to reach out to their friends.

Sam went still first, facing them, eyes closed, an expression of peace on his face. He was breathing, but that didn't matter much. Dean stilled a moment later, facing away from them and barely a foot away from Sam.

"They'll sleep for a short time," Eve said as she knelt down next to them. "But they are going to be just fine. Truly wonderful, the first of a new species."

"Why?" Bobby finally cried. "Why us? Why my boys?"

Eve stood up and walked over to them. "Because, like I told you Bobby, they are so strong. And who better to know how to evade hunters than those who were hunters?" She reached out and gently cradled Bobby's head. "Don't worry, Bobby. Join them now." Bobby cried out and arched his back, trying to get away from her touch as her power infused him.

Even as he collapsed, just like Sam and Dean, Castiel still couldn't move.

Bobby stilled. Castiel wanted nothing more than to collapse. He'd lost his friends, all of them.

And still he couldn't move. Still he was helpless before the Mother of All Monsters.


Eve smiled at Castiel. The little angel looked so devastated. Good. Perhaps now he'd have an inkling how she felt about what he and that demon had done to her children.

"Now, little angel, while my children sleep and learn, you and I are going to talk." She freed his head.

"I have nothing to say to you," Castiel said. He even sounded lost. So very lost, like he didn't have anything to live for.

"They are still your friends," she said. "They are just… stronger, now. And less likely to get hurt. I'm sure you can appreciate that."

"You've made them into the very thing they've always fought."

"Do you even know what they are now?" she asked.

"How can I?" He wasn't going to look up at her, just stare down at the floor. Perhaps he thought she'd kill him for the rudeness.

"They are a new species, Castiel. They're immortal- like phoenixes; the only thing that will kill them is that Colt. They won't require human deaths to live. Yes, they will feed on humans, on their emotions. I suppose they're very much like Sirens or Incubi now. But they won't have to kill, if they don't wish it. I know how important human life is to them. I wouldn't force them to kill." And she wouldn't. She wanted all her children to be happy. This was just one way to make sure they were.

"They won't be grateful."

"Yes, they will, Castiel." But this wasn't what she wanted to talk to the angel about. "But I have more important matters to discuss with you."

"Nothing is more important to me than Sam and Dean."

"Which is why you allied with that demon, Crowley, and have been torturing my children," she spat. She stalked up to him. "For that, I would kill you. For that, I should kill you. But Sam and Dean love you, Castiel. You are their brother."

Castiel looked away. "I…"

She smiled. He was just a lost child, too, trying to keep his family safe. She could understand that, and she could almost forgive him for that. She reached out and gently lifted his head. "You could ally with me. Stay with your friends, and still keep them safe. You don't need to break into purgatory- though I can't understand why you'd want to. You can't hope to control all the souls there. Simply ask for my help, and I will give it to you. I'll forgive you for what you've had the demon do to my children."

"I… cannot," he looked down at the Winchesters. "Sam and Dean wouldn't want me to do so."

"And yet you've allied with the demon Crowley."

"Only because I had no choice."

"Do you think you have a choice here?" Eve asked. "I have shown you how much stronger I am. I can simply strip you of all your powers and give you to Sam and Dean to keep care of. I probably should. But for them, I want to give you this chance to repent."

"Repent?" he snarled, his blue eyes suddenly blazing. "Repent!"

"Yes," she said calmly. "You caused a considerable number of my children pain. I understand that some die thanks to their own actions- and hunters. I will not let someone to torture them any longer. That cannot be allowed to continue."

"I…" he stared down at Dean, anger gone as quickly as it came. "I…"

"Give it some thought, Castiel," Eve said. "I've won, but I can let you take the time." She released her hold on his body, and he stumbled back. His back hit the wall and he slid down into a heap. "Sit with your friends while they sleep," she suggested. "When they wake up, you can get their advice."


Castiel didn't move. He'd been sitting on Bobby's floor for several hours. Eve had left the room, but he was sure she was still nearby. His powers were still suppressed, and he was sure she couldn't do that from too far away.

Dean stirred and rolled over. "Sammy," he muttered.

Sam groaned in response. "Dean." Sam opened his eyes slowly. "Cas," he said as he met the angel's gaze.

"You alright there, Cas?" Dean asked.

Castiel didn't respond.

This wasn't Sam and Dean anymore. It couldn't be, even if they were acting just like his friends.

Dean sat up. He stretched, just as he normally did when he woke up. "Hey, Cas, come on. It's still us."

"No it's not," Castiel said woodenly.

"Yeah, it pretty much is," Sam replied. "So we're a bit different now, but it's still us."

Castiel just leaned forward and pressed his head into his hands. He felt two hands against his back, gently offering support as he fought not to cry.

"I think we need to talk," Bobby said as Castiel regained control over himself.

Castiel knew that it was a bad idea, but they'd hear it from Eve anyway, so what did it matter? He told them everything. From trying to pull Sam out, and failing, to Raphael's ultimatum, to the deal with Crowley, everything. Through it all Sam, Dean, and Bobby were silent.

"Well, I think you're an idjit," Bobby said once he finally ran out of words. "But that's par for the course in this group."

"You should have come to me," Dean said. "You should have known I'd do anything to help you."

"I wanted you to be happy," Castiel said. "That's all I wanted."

"I wasn't," Dean said. "I never would have been happy there. Not without Sam."

"It wasn't your fault, Cas," Sam said. "You made some bad choices, and you'd think we'd learn not to deal with demons, but it wasn't all your fault."

"It's my fault that Eve escaped," Castiel said. "If Crowley and I hadn't been looking for purgatory, she wouldn't have tried to get out. It's my fault."

"So fix it," Dean said. "Make it better. Stop working with Crowley. We'll help you. Eve will help you."

Castiel huddled in on himself. "How can I betray my friends again?"

"You're not," Sam said gently. "We'll be right by your side the entire time."

"My friends are gone," Castiel whispered. "And it's my fault."

"No we're not," Bobby replied. "We're right here, Feathers."

He shook his head. His friends were gone, and he'd never see them again. Even their souls were lost to him. All he had left were three monsters… he looked up. These three were all that was left of his friends, the people who'd considered him family when his family had abandoned him. He should find the Colt and release what was left of them, but he wasn't sure he could ever do that.

He didn't know what to do.


And this is it for part 1. Part 2 will be up in a few days.