Becoming Human

Chapter 1

Castiel watched transfixed as the bodies of his brothers and sisters fell, wings ripped from them as they were forcibly expelled from Heaven, each one like shooting stars. The sight was both beautiful and heartbreaking.

He mourned the absence of his grace, could feel the fragility of humanity overtake the awesome power of his Father which once resided within him. He was no stranger to that feeling, remembered the helplessness he felt during the apocalypse, but his brothers and sisters if they survived the fall would be overwhelmed by its absence, humans each and every one of them. Confusion and fear would consume them.

Guilt soared. He had once again hurt his family through choices that he had made. He had trusted Metatron, trusted that his brother had only the best of intentions when it came to their family. That he had wanted to help them become what they once were. Instead Metatron had betrayed him. Betrayed them all of them in his need for revenge against the angels who had taken Fathers perfect creation and twisted it for their own purposes.

Would he ever learn, time after time he made the same mistake. Naomi had said the he was always causing trouble never doing as ordered. Maybe it was right that he be punished, he did not deserve the gift of life that his Father had bestowed on him. He had brought him back so many times and each time he had foolishly squandered the gift given to him. Was he even capable of making the right choice, of doing the right thing?

The weight of his anguish forced Castiel to his knees, his eyes never leaving the sky as one by one his family fell to earth. He did not know what to do, how to make this right. He was human, weak and without power but he knew that he had to find a way.

His Father had made it clear that he was not returning. He had abandoned them to find their own way - he would not help.

Metatron had told him to lead a human life, find a wife have a family and then when he died to return to Heaven and tell him his story.

Castiel could not do that, would not do that. He would not abandon his family as his Father had. He would find a way to reverse Metatron's spell and return their grace.

A cry from behind brought him to his feet. He turned, running towards the sound, his now human heart threatening to burst through his chest as he ran towards the woods.

"Hello." He called, knowing instinctively that it was one of his sisters. Her cries of despair and loss tore at his sole.

He stopped, cursing his human weakness as he struggled to hear over the sound of his own laboured breaths.

"HELLO!" He tried again. "It's Castiel. Please sister. Where are you?"

"Castiel?"

Castiel turned towards the sound of the voice, his eyes widening as his sister walked shakily out of the undergrowth, stunned by how frail she looked.

She trembled as she limped towards him, brown eyes impossibly large in her pale tear-streaked face, the clothing that she wore dirty and torn. Blood soaked hair matted and plastered to her head. It was impossible to see the heavenly being that she had been only minutes before in the human woman before him.

Hand outstretched, he took a step towards her.

"Sister."

She looked at him, tears running down her face.

"It's gone Castiel." She whispered.

"Yes." He replied, unable to look at the anguish which seemed to exude from within her very being.

He surprised himself when he reached out and pulled her shaking form into his arms. He held her as she sobbed and whispered softly into her hair.

"I will make it right."

Castiel knew then what he had to do. He would not leave them lost and alone in this world. He would find every one of his brothers and sisters and he would get back that what was stolen from them.

"I vow to you sister. I will not rest until you are restored."

Pulling the phone from his pocket he dialled, sending a silent thanks to Dean for insisting that he carry it with him in case of emergencies.

"Cas! What the Hell's going on?" Dean shouted down the phone. "It looks like the freaking Fourth of July out there."

"All of Heavens angels are falling Dean. Metatron has betrayed us."

"That means-"

"I'm human Dean."

"Jesus freaking Christ." Dean cursed down the line. "Where are you?"

"I do not know."

"Don't worry. I'll find you just sit tight."

"Sam?" Castiel asked questioningly before Dean could hang up.

"Looks like shit but he's gonna be okay." Dean said, the relief in his voice palpable. "Cas. I'm coming to get you."

"Dean I'm sorry."

"Cas-" Castiel heard Dean sigh into the phone. "You screwed up, Christ I've screwed up. We'll deal with the fallout from this together. You, me and Sammy. Okay?"

"Yes Dean."

"Okay sit tight. I'm on my way." Dean said finally before hanging up.

Castiel stared at the phone in his hand for a few moments after Dean hung up. The heaviness weighing in him lifting slightly on hearing Dean's words. They would get through this together.

TBC

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