A/N: For some reason Castiel helps my writer's block. And I have also owed all you wonderful readers who asked me for more...so I hope this is a worthy offering for your patience. This is AU of course, because Cas didn't meet the Winchesters until Dean was in Hell...so I'm playing with things a little. I know in the show it was said that only 4 angels have seen God, but I like to think that the others are at least allowed to speak with God, even if they don't physically see him (in my verse anyway). Hope this works for you guys...it's just my little spin on how John seemed to show up at just the right moment in Something Wicked.

Thanks to Pallina and LovinJackson for their support and help. You guys saved my bacon again! ;)

xxxxxxxxxXXXXXxxxxxxxx

Fort Douglas, Wisconsin

He was such a young boy, with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Dean Winchester, eldest son of John and Mary Winchester, older brother to Sam Winchester.

A boy who was wise well beyond his years and yet still desperate to be the child he was. Torn between the two worlds of hunter and innocent child. Of guardian…and needing to be guarded himself.

Castiel had watched the boy grow from a tiny blonde moppet, to a tall, strong boy with a unshakable loyalty to his family. His love for his brother and father were something that the angel had come to admire deeply in the child, knowing that loyalty was something so rare in this world now.

But there were times, when the child inside Dean outweighed the loyal soldier the boy was rapidly becoming. When the natural urges to simply enjoy himself and be a child, overruled the commands given by his father. It was something that Castiel himself had never experienced, finding it fascinating, something uniquely human.

And so Castiel had watched, hidden from view as Dean left his brother sleeping and snuck out of the motel room. Anyone who had watched Dean walk through the parking lot to the store across the street, wouldn't have given the boy a second glance. To them, he was simply another child who should have been tucked in bed at that hour. Another child who's parents apparently didn't give a damn.

They couldn't have been further from the truth.

Because Castiel had been watching John Winchester since that first night in Lawrence. He had watched the man grow into a formidable hunter, driven in his need to find the demon that had taken his wife and left his children without a mother. He was hardly a perfect father. John Winchester was as flawed as any other man.

But Castiel knew that John was shaping his boys into warriors. Fulfilling a destiny set out before any of them had even drawn breath in this world. What he did, was out of love and the need to keep his boys safe from the evil of the world.

Would it be enough?

XxxxxxXXxxxxxxx

Where the hell was this son of bitch? John had been sitting in the Impala so long, that his ass was getting numb. This had to be right. John had the right house. The Randall's youngest had taken ill only two nights ago to the same supposed mystery illness that was claiming other kids in the town. Dozens of them. All with the same symptoms and all with the same damn tell tale signs outside their windows.

So he had to be right. Jesse Randall was already dying…but there was still a sibling, his older sister Emily. John knew how thorough this Shtriga was. He'd watched as the number of children taking sick climbed by the day. Emily Randall was his chance to catch this thing and stop it in it's tracks. Because John knew it would come back for her. It was too damn greedy not too.

So where was it? Glancing at his watch, John saw that it was getting late and he rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. Had he tipped it off somehow because he was parked across the street? No…the Shtriga was too arrogant to even pay him attention. It only thought with it's belly. So sure of itself after all the children it had already fed on.

"You will not find it here."

John almost jumped out of his skin, his hand already gripping the gun inside his jacket and bringing it to bear on the man who had suddenly appeared beside him inside the Impala. The muzzle touched against the man's forehead as John cocked the hammer. "Who the hell are you?"

"We have met before, John Winchester. In Lawrence."

John's eyes widened slightly as he recognised the same piercing blue eyes watching him from within the now older, balding face of the man who had appeared in his room that night. Gone was the jogging suit. The man was now wearing a set of red striped flannel pyjamas. "You? How…who are you?"

"There's no time. Your sons are in danger, John. The Shtriga knows of you. It's moving right now to strike you where you are most vulnerable. You must go home. Go home now."

"What? No…" John's blood was running cold as he reached out to turn the key in the Impala's ignition, dropping the gun to the now empty seat. He had no idea what had just happened…but his gut instincts now were screaming at him, telling him to get home before it was too late.

The Impala roared to life and peeled away from the curb with the screech of burning rubber.

XxxxxxxXXxxxxxxxx

Any other child would have run. They would have listened to the fear screaming in their gut and just run for their lives. Self preservation was a powerful instinct but stronger than that…was love.

Castiel watched as Dean's hand shook while he reached for the shotgun that almost seemed as big as he was. The boy held it awkwardly, fighting to keep the gun level as the weight and the terror of what was happening before him battled with his instincts.

The Shtriga was crouched over Sam on the bed, draining the little boy, who looked so small and fragile in it's arms.

Castiel remained unseen, knowing he had already overstepped the line by appearing to John again, pushing the boundaries. He was meant to guide the Winchesters, not get personally invested in them. But Castiel found it hard to remain objective with them. He couldn't merely watch if he was able to help somehow. He reached out, wanting to place his hand on Dean's shoulder and offer the boy some peace at knowing he wasn't alone.

John burst through the door, his weapon already lifting up as he aimed at the creature. "Get out of the way!"

Castiel guided Dean clear of any harm, trusting that John was there now to protect Sam. The room filled with the loud roar of gunfire and breaking glass before it went quiet again.

It was a different Dean who appeared in the doorway shortly after. This Dean had just been shown a harsh lesson in responsibility and Castiel felt the urge to shield the boy from the pain he was feeling right now. The look in Dean's eyes as he listened to his father angrily demand answers was so broken.

It was sometime later - although Castiel had no real concept of how long it had been, as time meant nothing to an angel - that he had sought answers about why it had to have happened that way for Dean. Such a hard lesson for such a young boy and one he would carry for the rest of his life.

Uriel tried to explain that it was simply the best way to teach someone as slow minded as a child. But Castiel refused to believe that. He knew that Uriel's view on mankind had been tainted for some time now. So instead, Castiel went to his Father about it all, knowing that he may well be disciplined himself for his interference with the Winchesters.

But there was no punishment for his behaviour. God knew why his angel had behaved that way, why he found the humans so fascinating. And so he explained to him, how it was John's flawed nature that drove his fear of losing his sons, which led him to show Dean how disappointed he was for disobeying him. How that one simple act could have cost so much. One small act of rebellion that had seemed so harmless…and yet had led to so much more.

Almost like the bite from an apple….

How that one night would shape Dean, was yet to be seen…but it was another step in the direction of his destiny. One that Castiel could not prevent…and yet would not let the boy face alone.