Charlotte played with the ring in her hands. Could she really get married? After everything she'd been through, after everything she'd seen. Did she really deserve to be normal?

She had deserted her family when they had needed her the most. They had tried to stop her but they had failed. She remembered Dean being so confused; shouting at her pleading for her to stay, asking why. She never told him, he wouldn't have understood. It had been two years since she had seen Sam or Dean even longer since she'd spoken to Cas. Sam phoned every once in a while but Charlie never mentioned where she was, if any of them knew where she was they'd come after her and she knew if Dean tried it wouldn't take him long.

Charlie had been living with her Boyfriend Jake for nearly a year and she never expected any kind of proposal especially a marriage proposal. He'd caught her by surprise and it wasn't like she didn't love him, she did. But she never imagined herself walking down the aisle or living a normal life.

Charlie fished for her mobile phone and she hesitated before dialling a number.

"Hello?" Said an abrupt voice on the other end.

She took a breath in before speaking "Dean, It's Charlie." She closed her eyes as she waited for a reaction.

"Charlie? Are you okay? Where are you?" Dean's tone had softened but he had a flick of fear in his voice.

"I'm fine; I just needed to hear your voice." Tears began to well in her eyes, as she spoke to Dean she knew what she had to do.

This worried Dean more and more; he knew Charlie she hadn't phoned for two years something had to be wrong. "Charlie what is wrong?"

"Nothing Dean I just…I have to make a choice and I just needed to talk to you"

Dean sighed, choices were never good. "What is it?"

"My boyfriend asked me to marry him."

"Bloody hell! Charlie I didn't even know you had a boyfriend. Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Say yes?"

Charlie rolled her eyes. "No Dean that's why I phoned you."

"Do you Love him?"

"I do."

"More than you love Cas."

Charlie froze touché Dean Touché. "I haven't spoken to Cas in a long time."

"That wasn't what I asked."

She sighed and put a hand on her head. "Dean I can't think about Cas, he's an angel. It would've never have worked."

She could picture Dean smiling to himself. "Does he even know?"

"Of course he doesn't know!"

"Yeah because that's a healthy sign of a relationship" he replied sarcastically. "Will you tell him?"

"Never."

"Cause this ended well for Sammy."

"This is different Dean."

"Why? Because your love is eternal or some crap like that."

"No because I won't let him burn!"

"Charlie this is big, we need to talk."

"We are talking Dean" She knew that wasn't what he meant but she was practically raised by Dean and her automatic Defence was being difficult.

"We need to talk face to face. Where are you?"

"No Dean, If you come here he's in danger."

"Charlie-"

"No dean, it was nice talking to you. Goodbye" She closed her phone quickly. Charlie threw the phone across the room and nearly hit Jake as she turned. She hadn't seen him standing there and she hoped he hadn't heard the conversation. His green eyes met hers and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Who was that honey?"

"My uncle." She thanked Dean mentally for teaching her to lie so well.

"I thought you didn't speak to your family?"

"I don't speak to them, or at least I didn't" She ran her hand through her chestnut hair and she rested her head on Jake's shoulder. She was thinking of the wedding of starting a life without the Winchesters then she saw a man with feathery black hair and piercing blue eyes standing on the other side of the room. "Cas?"
She broke out of Jake's arms and stood opposite the angel.

"Charlotte." He said with a nod, his voice seemed sad and uncomfortable then she saw his eyes flash to the ring on her left hand then slowly back to her eyes.

"What are you doing here Cas?"

"Dean sent me."

Charlie shook her head "He couldn't leave things alone could he?"

Castiel's emotionless face slowly grew into a small smile "It is good to see you again Charlie."

"Cas I think you should go."

Jake stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Charlie's waist. "No he doesn't. Why doesn't he stay for a while?"

Charlie ignored Jake and kept her eyes on Cas. "What did Dean tell you Cas?" She folded her arms and Castiel gave her and emotional look. For a moment she forgot he wasn't human, all she saw was their past, the love they had shared.

"He seemed worried; he said I had to find you before you made a mistake."

Jake looked down at her future wife, she was never like this. "Tell Dean that next time he wants to ruin my life he can do it himself, now leave." She paused before adding "Through the door." Then their blue eyes met.

"Don't hide who you are Charlie, eventually it will all come out. It was nice to see you again." Then he was gone. Jake looked at her with wide eyes.

"He's gone! He was here…now he's gone" He looked over patting the air, "What did he mean? Don't hide who you are? Lottie who is he?"

Charlie looked away then back at Jake. "His name is Castiel. He's a…friend."

"Really? Because last time I checked, you had no friends! No family! Lottie I want to marry you and be with you forever but…I need to know more about you! You know everything about me but I don't even know you really are!"

"I'm Charlotte Joy Braeden"

"And? Who are your parents? Who's your uncle? Who's Castiel?"

"I can't tell you." She said with a serious look.

"Why not?"

"Because if I tell you I have to leave!"

"Why?"

"to keep you safe! Look I've said to much lets forget it." She just prayed things would go back to normal but now she knew things could never be the same again.

"I'm not a child I don't need protecting!" jake continued.

Charlie began to laugh. "If you had seen anything I have you wouldn't be saying that!"

Jake shook his head "So tell me! "

"No Jake! Once you know it's over! Everything will be over!"

"If you're keeping secrets from me we might Aswell be over." He said calmly.

Tears were now rolling down her cheeks and she nodded looking up at him with her blue eyes. "It's over then, I'm sorry. I will protect you even if that means you'll never see me again." She pushed up and kissed him "I love you but you have to trust "

Then the doorbell rang. Jake caressed her cheek "Fine, but this isn't over."

Charlie followed him as he went to open the door and as he opened the door she found herself stumbling backwards. The short man on the other end smiled at her and scratched his head. His long black coat reached the floor and Charlie recognised him immediately. "Hello dear charlotte."

Charlie pulled Jake back instinctively. "Crowley. What the hell are you doing here?"

He smiled and sighed "Oh charlotte dear that is no way to treat an old friend."