Isaiah 48:22

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A/N Set during Episode 4.07 It's The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester. My first fanfic :) This is the part where I say I love reviews, blah blah blah. You know the drill. Thank you so much to my Betas: LoupGarouAngel and RhiannonNymph. Your encouragement and editing skills are wholly appreciated.

Synopsis: "There is no peace," says the Lord, "For the wicked." Uriel and Sam both seem to share the view that the Apocalypse should be stopped at all costs, however they have different ideas on how to do. Dean thinks the price is too high and Castiel seems inclined to agree. The missing scenes in S4 starting at Ep. 4.07. The storyline alternates from Sam/Dean/Castiel point of view. Guest stars include Uriel & Ruby so far. Canon story with oodles of angst but no slash.

Chapter 1: Escape Artists Never Die

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"There is no peace," says the Lord, "For the wicked."

Isaiah 48:22

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"Is this necessary?" Castiel inquired.

"I am watching… for educational purposes brother," Uriel replied.

Castiel frowned, "How long have we been stationed together? Give me a little credit and satisfaction. It is disturbing to see you clearly enjoying this. A tad unbecoming for a warrior of the Lord."

"Well look at you…" A chuckle escaped from Uriel's lips as he looked at Castiel in amusement. "You used to find such childish human behavior amusing as well." He tilted his head and stated, "How did you ever pass the time before becoming a 'guardian angel' to the great Dean Winchester? You resurrected an assignment. A willful, disobedient, crass mud monkey if we want to be technical."

Uriel added, "Such insolence… Oh I love this one! We must track down this… Trickster… I want to shake his hand." Castiel shook his head as Uriel laughed. Had they been on Earth the ground would have quaked from the intensity of the angel's laughter. "Despite his best intentions, the boy with the demon blood actually takes an axe to his own beloved brother's head! In an effort to save him! From dying! Again!" Uriel looked incredulous while narrating the scene before them and the ground appeared to quake from the intensity of the angel's laughter. "This is simply too much."

Castiel's voice grated with frustration. "These memories were not made available to us so that you could realize these perverse obsessions of watching Dean Winchester die. Some might even call you heartless."

Castiel's face softened as his gaze turned upon Sam who was now crumpled next to a bloody and listless Dean. Had Castiel been capable of crying, he was quite certain tears would flow freely down his face. After an eternity of observing Earth, the ability to comprehend such intense sorrow still eluded him, but he felt like he was beginning to get the idea. This wasn't the first occasion he had been privy to witness the atrocities committed on the undeserving, but listening to Sam's screams made him feel as if he was truly seeing hell on Earth. Lord knows, he cannot think of a more appropriate expression.

What Uriel found amusement in, Castiel found wonder, even in the face of this intractable agony, Sam somehow managed to summon the strength to continue. Even though with every Tuesday that passed (or rather, didn't come to pass), it becomes more and more likely that the cycle would continue unhindered, without so much as the possibility of a momentary respite. Castiel admired the grit and the fortitude that occupied the young man's soul. To cope with such horrendous events and to do so while lacking the wisdom and insight that came naturally to angel. Uriel called the mud monkeys, said repeatedly he didn't understand their Father's creation of them. Castiel felt that at this moment he was able to see his Father's human children as the wondrous works of art he intended them to be.

Castiel leaned forward with his arm outstretched in an effort to comfort Sam… to absolve him of his guilt… but the illusion began to flicker culminating in a flash of white light. He was almost startled when the gut-wrenching sobs of the youngest Winchester abruptly ended, but quickly regained his composure. The ramshackle walls of the Broward County Mystery Spot gave way to a glorious night sky carefully suspended above lush country meadow. With nothing to interrupt the men, save for the quiet breeze of solitude, Castiel decided that it was as good of time as any to address Uriel's disdain.

He eagerly eyed his brother in arms, his ally in a holy war to bring on the apocalypse. "What of compassion and understanding? At the very least, we must treat our Father's mission with the respect required by our station?"

"Some might say… Castiel....That you allow these feelings," Uriel spit out the word as if it was riddled with disease. "Rule your judgment… cloud that sharp mind of yours. Keep you from following orders." He paused, momentarily intrigued by a comet streaking across the sky. "Of course, I tell these fools that I know you better… And know, that no matter what, you will do your sworn duty to serve our Father."

Uriel made no attempt to disguise the tone of his voice. He was only half-heartedly trying to hide the malicious grin that threatened to spread across his face. Castiel turned away, looking at the mountains across the horizon. He couldn't help but find comfort in the majestic beauty that naturally enveloped the Earth. When he drew Dean Winchester's ticket, it was just another day at the office so to speak. Granted, it was his first trip to the nine circles of Hell and there was that chance of him not making it back…

Castiel trailed off, unable to complete his thought. There was something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Everything was changing, becoming more complicated which was a word that had never graced his vocabulary before this moment. He felt like he had deceived Dean. Moreover, he was equally surprised that he cared what Dean thought about the matter. At the very least, Dean believed Castiel approved of the town's destruction. Castiel assured himself that when Uriel left, he would seek Dean out to explain himself. Shifting his glance to the sky, he lightly smiled towards the Heavens, silently thanking the Lord for answering his prayers.

"I think I'll go seek revelations while you make nice with your ward, though I really do not understand why you should. Because of him, we are now seal closer to the apocalypse." Uriel shook his head with fervor. "To Lucifer's rising Castiel! I reiterate this simply because I am curious to know what you accomplished here today that makes you look so smug!" Uriel bellowed.

Castiel paused, taking the moment to consider the best course of action. "I understand the enormity his actions completely brother. What is done is done. The events that came to pass are sorrowful indeed. But I have faith in our Father and I truly believe that we are part of a bigger plan here."

But when Castiel turned around to face his fellow warrior, he found himself alone in the wilderness.