PLEASE READ!
This is a sequel story, pleeease start with my other story (Dust and Bones) or you might get a bit confused (:

I'M BACK! After all the amazing feedback from my first story, I decided to continue the tale of Cas and Eliana and hopefully people are still interested! I can't guarantee I'll update regularly because of Uni and work, but I WILL update as soon as I can.

PLEASE review etc, it really means the world to me to have some feedback! And as always... enjoy! ;D

"Eliana, sweetie? You miss him don't you?"

I glanced up at my mother with a start; I had been completely lost in my thoughts again. Not that this was a rare occurrence lately. "Which one?" I asked dryly. My mother just gave me a small, sad smile and left the room, probably to make me another cup of "piping hot, sweet, soothing tea" as she liked to call it.

I sighed and lay down on our couch, curling myself into a foetal position. Maybe I could turn the TV on, but I just could not bring myself to move. So I resorted to my usual activity these days – closing my eyes and reflecting on everything that had happened lately. Since all the whirlwind events from in the barn a couple of months ago I had hardly seen Cas. Dean told me you have to pray for him but he never answers... typical. Maybe it's because I'm just not the praying type. Who knows?

I ran an agitated hand through my unruly hair, especially since I couldn't even remember the last time I had brushed it. Although I had no energy to really show it anymore, I was still seething. After everything we had been through together the least he could do would be to show up and see how I'm doing. Which for the record was not brilliant. I had killed my father, and even though deep down I knew I had no choice... it damn well hurt.

We'd had the funeral, I didn't know what cover story mum came up with (and I didn't want to know), and Castiel didn't even show for that. Right when I needed him most. At times I felt like he was there, maybe a flutter of a leaf or a breeze cooling my tears... but it was all my imagination. I stood there, watching the coffin being lowered into the ground, all the while unconsciously avoiding my mother's hugs. Sam and Dean were there but every time they came near I walked away. In the end they settled for giving me sympathetic smiles across the room whenever I caught their eye. I didn't want sympathy, I didn't need sympathy.

I was broken.

Of course mum tried her best at being the new single parent, but not being near your daughter since they were five and then having to suddenly deal with an extremely messed up young woman... I didn't expect miracles.

I just needed someone who would tell me everything will be alright; tell me everything will get better eventually, even if I didn't believe that yet. Someone I had a connection with.

"I thought you could use another cup of tea, sweetheart," my mother's careful voice entered my mind. She was afraid of either more waterworks or the occasional angry outburst – depending on my mood. I slowly opened my eyes and watched as she walked over to the coffee table and placed down a mug of tea. I just shook my head and replied tiredly, "I'm ok mum. You drink it," and stood to leave. My mother's eyes followed me and I jumped as she suddenly grabbed my hand. I winced at the human contact, having isolated myself for so long. She saw this and sighed wearily. "Eliana, please... there are things we need to discuss... important things." Her eyes continued to search my face, almost pleading with me, but I shook my head. What was there to discuss? Our feelings? Our pain? No thank you. I shook my head, "I'm sorry mum, I don't feel up to talking," then left the room to her small reply of "ok, honey. Whatever you wish."

I trudged upstairs to my room with a heavy heart. Mum tried her best but she wasn't what I needed right now, she couldn't just drop back in and act like everything is funky dory. I closed the door softly behind me and leaned (lent is past tense, isn't it?) my back against it. After a while of just staring into space I felt myself sliding down the door to sit on the floor as wracking sobs swept through my body. I couldn't cope with this anymore. I was fed up with trying to get over everything, get over the emotions – the guilt. I was fed up of trying to cope on my own.

"Castiel?" I thought silently, trying once more to contact someone who I knew I should really be trying to get over. "Are you there? I really need you."

I waited a few moments before realising, yet again, he wasn't going to show. I leaned forwards and placed my hands over my eyes and let the misery wash over me.

I suddenly jolted back with a start as I felt a hand on my shoulder and slammed into the door behind me. I winced with pain as a familiar voice asked, "Eliana?"

My eyes flew open. Castiel stood over me, his eyes full of concern. I tried to fight it, but all the anger that had built up over the past month overflowed as I pulled my sore back into a standing position. "Where the hell have you been, Castiel? Finally decided to grace me with your presence? I called for you, I needed you, and now you decide to pop back in? What makes you think I would even want to see you after this all this time?"

Castiel frowned, "But... you called for me Eliana. I answered that call."

I laughed humourlessly. "Yes, I called Cas. I have also been calling every day for the past couple of months and you never showed any of those times! You have no idea what I've been trying to deal with and quite frankly, I do not think you care."

"Of course I care Eliana," Castiel muttered as he reached out a hand to me. I closed my eyes, fighting the desperate urge to take his hand and give in to his comfort, but with a great effort I knocked his hand aside and strode past him to other side of the room. However, half way across the room, Castiel had caught up with me and grabbed my arm to spin me round to face him. Ugly fat tears were freely falling down my cheeks by now and I just looked at him sadly as I asked, "Why now Castiel?"

"I have been thinking Eliana. Thinking about what is important to me and my life. I thought I could find an answer up in Heaven, my home, but it has been difficult. Heaven is in such a state... I am expected to help, of course, but instead I find myself thinking about you. I find myself thinking I would rather be with you, Eliana. It is traitorous to think these thoughts, I am supposed to be helping my family in Heaven and do my duty but I will admit – I find it almost impossible. Having thoughts about humans like this is rebellious; I cannot think what my brothers and sisters would say about the situation. Despite this... I needed to see you Eliana - I could not go another day without seeing you." After this speech he just looked at me with those beautifully familiar blue eyes, tinged with sadness and hope.

"What are we gonna do now then, Cas?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

He shook his head sadly and then with a sudden feeling that he was mustering some kind of strength, he raised his head to gaze down at me. All I could do was meet this gaze, lost in the intense blue of his eyes and the strangeness of the situation.

Then so quickly, as if he might change his mind, he placed both hands either side of my face and kissed me softly, hesitantly. All the anger I had felt for him melted away as I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back, as if this was the moment I had waited for my whole life. It felt like a different Castiel, a Castiel who was certain of himself and that someone loved him, as he moved a hand into my hair and held me tighter, as if afraid to let me go.

After we stood kissing for a few moments Castiel slowly pulled away, and I instantly wanted him back. I smiled up at him as he frowned at me in his usual way, but did not remove his hand from behind my head. "Well," he said after a short while, "that was certainly interesting."