He had taken on the role of guardian to this wayward demon since he had found her, with help from the Winchesters, in that filthy bathroom. After Naomi's hold on him was broken, and he had hidden the tablet in a temporarily safe place, Castiel circled back to rescue his nurse from the King of Hell.

He found her lying on the ground in a crumpled heap. Fearing the worst, Cas reached inside the vessel searching for a dark essence. She couldn't be gone. Not this one, he had to fix her, under any circumstance.

This wasn't what he had in mind when he absorbed the grace of his fallen brothers and sisters. The tiny amulets he had fashioned to look like buttons on his trench coat began to glow. His beloved Balthazar and the family's trickster Gabriel were placed closest to Jimmy's heart. He had perceived this to be the human race's highest show of affection. The angels that were mistakenly destroyed when Castiel's ego got the better of him were concentrated into two buttons at each wrist of the spotless trench coat that had become his identifier. He absorbed them and the strength of heaven spread throughout his vessel.

With this boost of grace Castiel was able to catch the thinnest thread of abomination and use it to reel in Hell's finest traitor.

The blonde vessel inhaled so deeply her previously limp body rose slightly off the ground. As she inhaled Cas exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding. She's okay, he silently rejoiced, she's going to be okay. Cas scooped the demon into his arms and breathed in the familiar scent. Repugnant, but in Castiel's mind the sour smell of sulfur registered as safety, sanctuary… home.

"Oh, Meg," he whispered.

()()()

It had been close to three weeks since Cas had resurrected his black eyed beauty. The grace he'd borrowed was returned to the buttons, that lesson had been learned. Meg continued to lay on the makeshift bed her savior had fashioned from a fallen tree trunk and anything he could find that even resembled 'soft'. She still had not opened her eyes.

Cas had cleaned her up the best he knew how; healed her broken bones, sponged the filth from her skin. Sometimes he read to her, or just talked to her. Most days he just sat and watched her, hoping she would wake up.

The newly freed angel was careful not to pray, no matter how much it could possibly help. He knew better than to call attention to himself, especially with the Angel tablet and a resurrected demon under his wing.

He'd placed the buttons from his coat into the trees surrounding them forming a protective circle. Coupled with the goofer dust, there was nothing that could even sense their presence let alone harm them. There were days when Castiel lay next to her and day dreamed of simpler times. Who would have thought a being could miss being locked up in a mental ward under the care of a demon with loyalty issues? Cas did. He missed the feeling of the bed sinking as Meg sat next to him and ran her fingers through his hair. If he concentrated hard enough he could almost feel it.

"My Clarence," he thought he could feel her breath against his temple. "Who knew there was a heaven for demons?"

That was no daydream.

Cas looked up into Meg's eyes not entirely believing it was true.

"Hey there, unicorn," she purred.

"Unicorn?" Cas replied, head halfcocked, confused and giddy. He thought, 'She's ok'.

"I'll let Moose tell ya'," Meg chuckled lightly as she looked Castiel over still not sure all of this was real.

He let his gaze fall to his lap. He hadn't seen the Winchesters since he fled with the Angel tablet, and Dean had not been particularly happy with him.

"Oh, no, Clarence. I know that face. What have you done?" Meg questioned.

Cas told Meg all that happened between getting into Lucifer's crypt and the present.

"My hero," she coddled.

Castiel blushed, he loved to make Meg happy.

"You should really straighten things out with Sam and Dean though, they care a lot about you Cas."

"I am aware. Just waiting for the right time… and the right way to explain everything," he sighed, trying not to let the task overwhelm him.

"You don't have to do it right now, Cas." Then, "Do you remember what I told you when you were patching me up?"

Cas thought for a moment, "I do," a smile spread across his lips, the first in weeks.

"Let's move some furniture, Clarence."

FIN.