Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or anything associated with it. I make no profit from the following work of fiction nor am I advertising for any affiliated works.

Chapter: The First

There was a wet thud as Dean wiped the blood from his cheek. Eyeing what remained of the vampire leader before him, he smirked back at his brother. "Well, looks like we're just in time for dinner and pie at Granny's."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother. "We still have to clean up, Dean. Besides, Granny's closed five minutes ago."

Frowning, Dean let the blade in his hand clatter to the ground. Checking his watch, he groaned and shot a glare at Sam. "If you hadn't gotten your ass kidnapped, we would've been able to make it," he grumbled.

"Whatever. It was a dumb plan. If you hadn't—"

Sam's voice was lost in a moment of airlessness and suffocating silence. Blinding light burst between the two men and a dark shadow enveloped Dean before either of them knew what was happening.

As the spots in his vision started to fade and his pupils shrunk enough for him to make out any real shape, Sam saw a pair or red eyes and two arms around Dean's rigid body, one hand securely gripping his neck. Dean looked unnaturally still, like he was paralyzed, muscles locked into place under the steady grip of his captor.

"Hello, Sam." There was ice running in Sam's veins the second his brain registered that voice. The voice of his nightmares in the Cage. The same voice he thought they had locked away forever.

"Lucifer…"

There was a sordid laugh. "You didn't think you had gotten rid of me that easily, did you, Sammy?" He smirked, seeing Sam's hand move towards the gun on his belt. "Now come on, buddy, you know better. I know we had our fun back when we were roomies but now it's Dean's turn to spend some quality time with me. I'll be sure to provide double the accommodations I had for you during our time together."

There was another flash of glowing light and Sam was thrown back, disoriented and appalled by Lucifer's parting words.

"Dean!"

"It's been two months, Castiel! We have no new leads and we're no closer to finding him!" The crashing of books onto the floor jarred the angel from his thoughts, making him finally look over at the man behind him. "We have to get him back."

Castiel watched as Sam crumpled in his chair, face in his hands in frustrated defeat. They had chased down every lead and had scoured every location they could think of. Dozens of demons and some angels had been killed for their noncompliance and their loyalty to their enemy.

"Sam." Castiel waited for him to look up. "We will get him back. We are doing everything we can but you need to keep it together." His voice was tight and deeper than usual, trying to hold back the anger and pain he had been drowning in for the last two months upon learning of his charge's abduction.

Sam didn't say anything. Instead, he stood up and walked away, retreating in the direction of the bunker's library.

Castiel wondered if he should follow or give Sam some space, but his attention was diverted by the Enochian whispers in the back of his mind. The "angel radio" was alive with rumors of some of Lucifer's accomplices making their way towards one of Heaven's entrances. Castiel gave it no thought before heading to the rumored location.

It was dark outside, the moon and stars providing the only light cast over the small neighborhood park Castiel found himself in. He could feel the pull of Heaven in the large fountain behind him, but stayed focused on the figure approaching from the shadows of the trees around the park.

"Hello, brother." A firm female voice carried over to him, but he could recognize the angel within the vessel.

"Leliel." Castiel glared at the approaching angel. The vessel that broke through the tree line was a middle-aged woman, blond and slight, with the sinewy build of a runner. "I heard you joined the ranks of Lucifer's followers. I need to know where he is."

"Castiel…always to the point. Well, since we're being straightforward, I'll just go ahead and tell you that I can't do that. Now, before you get any ideas," the angel eyed the blade in Castiel's hand as he stepped forward slightly, "I'm the only one other than Lucifer himself who knows where he is. Kill me and your only lead is gone."

Castiel glared at the small woman but stayed put. The thoughts running through his head at a million miles an hour were screaming conflicting things at him. Sighing, he placed the blade back in his coat and approached the other angel slowly.

"I knew you would make the right decision, Castiel. Now, let us part ways and I might consider delivering a message to Lucifer and his new pet for you."

Less than a couple feet away, Castiel lunged forward and caught the woman by the throat, dragging her kicking form upwards and holding her there. "I think you forget who you're speaking to, Leliel. I am not someone you want to anger and you will give me the whereabouts of where Lucifer is keeping Dean."

There was a soft breeze, softly inching over the empty space where the two angelic vessels were only moments before, rippling over the murky water of the fountain.

The days went by quickly after that. The only way to keep track of the days was how by how often Sam joined Castiel in questioning the trapped angel in the bunker's dungeon. Without needing sleep, Castiel's presence in the interrogation was almost constant, filling the hallways with angry screams and pained grunts for three days before the angel finally broke. Not needing much more than a few persistent questions, Leliel gave them the name of the town where Lucifer was holed up. A small place in the middle of nowhere with barely enough of a population to make a spot on any map.

"Are you going to kill me now?" Leliel closed his eyes, looking more tired than pained. "Because if you are, how can you guarantee that I didn't give you a false location just to get you off my back?"

Castiel and Sam exchanged looks before Castiel answered. "No. We are not going to kill you. I can tell you're not lying. But I have informed our brothers of your loyalties. Going back to heaven is no longer an option for you. And after we go to Lucifer, I doubt he will be all too pleased with you."

Leliel shot a look at Castiel as if trying to smite him where he stood.

"So you get what you wanted and I—what? Am left without a home and you think that by leaving me alive you're doing me a favor? Please," he scoffed indignantly, "at least have the guts to kill me."

Castiel stepped forward, within arm's length of Leliel, making the smaller angel cringe. Slowly, he raised a hand to rest on the woman's forehead and there was a blinding flash of light as he forced the angel from his vessel.

Sam stepped back and stood at the entrance to the dungeon room, shielding his eyes from the light and stepping aside once Castiel started walking towards the exit. The woman was gone, probably sent back to safety after being 'exorcised,' and the dungeon sat empty of evidence of what had happened there the past few days. All gone except for the frown on Sam's face, barely containing the thought that was screaming inside his head.

"Was that too easy, Cas?"

Castiel stalked past him towards the weapons room, not saying a word. As Sam caught up to Castiel in the arsenal, a duffel bag was held out in front of his face.

"Pack what you need. We are going to go get him, Sam."

Author's note:

Most definitely not my best work but I'm trying to break out of the rut. Please review and feel free to tell me where you can see this story going because I started this entire thing off of a one-sentence prompt ha ha.

Thanks!