"Run, run, run away

Buy yourself another day

A Cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear

So low and only you can hear

Run, run, run and hide

Somewhere no one else can find

Tall trees bend their leaves pointing where to go

Where you will still be alone"

-Kingdom Come, The Civil Wars

When you're on the run you tend to be very jumpy. I hadn't meant to shoot at him, really I hadn't. But I've been on the run for three, maybe four, months and having someone sneak up on me like he had caused me to shoot.

Luckily for the man in front of me, I wasn't really a good shot under pressure. Now, when I had time to aim and shoot I hit the target 99% of the time. He moved to disarm me and I jumped back this time aiming the gun. I was aiming at his shoulder, I wasn't going to kill him, yet.

"Whoa, whoa," The man said raising his hand, "Just put the gun down." He was young but I could see that he'd been through a lot. He had green eyes and was wearing a leather jacket over a gray shirt. His hair was brown and cut military short.

"Who are you?" I asked, my hands starting to shake. I did not do well under pressure. I was surprised that I had survived this long.

"Dean, Dean Winchester," the man said. I'd heard the name before but I'd only heard little bits about the man.

I heard a noise behind me spun around looking behind me just as someone jumped for my gun. I shot. Lucky for him I didn't magically become a good shot under pressure. The other man got the gun and had me pinned on the ground in under two seconds. I have to say I was impressed.

"Who are you?" The man asked, repeating my question from earlier. This man was older and was wearing a baseball cap and a vest over a worn shirt and worn jeans. His breath smelt faintly of cloves and old liquor.

"Devin," I supplied in a raspy voice before I started coughing, the man was heavy and he had a knee pressed to my back. I felt the pressure on my back let up slightly and I was able to start breathing again. I remembered hearing a bit about Dean and guessed that the man with him would be Bobby Singer.

"Gotta last name, Devin?" Dean asked. I could hear him kneeling beside me.

"Yup," I said popping the 'p' "and I'll share it when I'm not lying on a dirt floor. I think you guys broke my wrist."

I blinked when Dean thrust a flask in front of me. It was holy water, I knew that. I grabbed the flask and drank. I enjoyed drinking the holy water, it made me feel clean. I kept a supply of it in the trunk of my car. Half of it was for hunts the other half for me.

Dean had to pull the flask away from me before I'd emptied it. The man got off my back and then helped me up. I smiled a little and then dusted off my clothes. I was wearing dirty jeans and a slightly torn blood splattered shirt, not my own blood. I wasn't actually sure whose blood it was. I hadn't been able to change in a while.

"Okay, you're off the ground, who are you?" Dean grunted. I ignored him and gestured to the flask raising an eyebrow. Dean sighed then took a drink cringing a little. He handed the flask to Bobby and the other man did the same.

"Devin Quinn Ahearn," I said with a grin, holding my left hand out to Dean. My right hand really did feel like it was broken, I wouldn't even be able to get a cast for it.

"Well, Devin, what exactly are you doing here?" Dean asked, raising his eyebrow and shaking my hand.

"I thought I'd have a tea party," I quipped. Dean smiled a little at that but Bobby frowned, "It's a joke, lighten up. I'm obviously a hunter, Bobby."

"How do you know my name?" Bobby tensed and I shrugged, trying not a smirk.

"In this business, word gets around," I explained lightly, "I know things. And besides, I'm a friend of Jo and Ellen, Jo spoke highly of the three of you."

"She's never mentioned you," Dean pointed out, crossing his arms.

"Some things aren't worth mentioning," I said with a shrug, "Like how exactly do you tell someone, 'hey I have this friend but I can't tell you anything about her' do you see how that might be a little awkward to bring up, Dean?"

Dean nodded, "Okay ya, but Bobby and I have things to do so you need to leave."

"No," I said, not liking Dean ordering me around. I had found the place first and it had been a nice hideout for that week.

"No?" Dean asked raising his brow, I could see a grudging respect starting to form in his eyes and it made me smirk at him.

I shrugged, moving so that I was sitting on the sole table in the barn that we were occupying. There were double doors opposite where I was and Bobby and Dean just stared at me.

"I would think that you'd have better hearing than that," I quipped, no less agitated than I was moments ago. "I'm not leaving. I found this place first and whatever you need to do you either have to do with me here or you have to find somewhere else."

Dean glared at me before turning to Bobby. "Let's go, Bobby." He said.

Bobby shook his head, "Dean, I'd feel better with more than us here. Besides, she probably won't get in the way and she could help us with some of the grunt work."

"Fine," Dean said before turning to me with a glare, "but if you so much as get in our way you're outta here."

"Deal," I said with a grimace cradling my arm against my chest as it started to throb, "Just tell me what to do and it'll be done, no complaints." I thought for a moment before adding, "as long as I don't have to leave this room."

Dean nodded and half an hour later we were ready to begin whatever it was they had planned on doing. I sat on the table by Bobby with my gun in my lap and a knife in my left hand. Bobby was also holding a gun and a vial of holy water. I had a flask of holy water next to me and had been drinking that throughout the night.

"So what exactly is it that we're summoning?" I asked watching Dean closely

"Honestly, kid, we have no idea," Dean replied and I groaned.

"Great," I muttered, Dean glared at me but I just shrugged and he turned away. I thought for a moment before adding: "By the way, I'm not a kid. I'm probably older than you."

"Let's get this over with," Bobby almost begged, obviously not wanting us to start anything. I have to say that I did agree with him. Summoning vigils put me on edge.

"You sure you did the ritual right?" I asked when nothing happened after Bobby was done. He glared at me and I threw my arms up in surrender, "Sorry. Touchy, touchy, huh?"

After two more minutes, the wind began to howl. I jumped and Bobby swirled around raising the gun he held. I ducked in case he decided to shoot and hit me. The roof of the barn started banging around and I bit back a scream.

"Wishful thinking, but maybe it's just the wind," Dean commented and I rolled my eyes.

After a couple more minutes of just wind and the lights in the barn going out, everything went quiet. Then the door was thrown open to a blinding light that had all three of us covering our eyes. Even when I could open my eyes there was only an outline of what appeared to be a man in the doorway

"Who are you?" Dean demanded of the shadow.

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition." The shadow replied. The light was fading to reveal a man, maybe around the age of 35. He was wearing a trench coat over a suit with a crooked blue tie.

"Yeah," Dean replied sarcastically, "Thanks for that."

Dean shot at the man who just stood there, taking the bullets as though they were nothing. I raised an eyebrow at the scene but didn't comment, thinking it best not to draw attention to myself.

"We need to talk, Dean," The man said walking closer to us. He didn't even flinch when Dean stabbed him with a knife. Bobby went to hit him with an iron rod and the man reached out to touch his forehead and Bobby crumpled to the ground. "Alone." The man added.

Dean started to go towards Bobby when the man stopped him with a hand. I army crawled over to the older man, keeping my right hand cradled to my chest, and checked his pulse, making sure the older hunter was okay.

"Your friend is alive," The man told Dean who glanced at me for confirmation. I nodded at Dean who let out a relieved sigh.

"Who are you?" Dean demanded still pointing a gun at the man.

"Castiel," The man replied with a tilt of his head.

I froze. It couldn't be, could it? The name was all too familiar to me and I started to back away from the angel, wanting to put as much space between us as possible.

"Yeah, I figured that much," Dean bit out, noticing my reaction. "I mean what are you?"

"I'm an angel of the lord," Castiel informed as though he didn't just shatter Dean's world.

"Get the hell out of here," Dean growled, "There's no such thing."

"This is your problem, Dean," Castiel said with a tilt of his head, giving Dean puppy dog eyes, "You have no faith."

"Some angel you are," Dean quipped, "You burned out that poor woman's eyes."

"I warned her not to spy on my true form," Castiel shrugged, the bastard burned someone's eyes out and he was shrugging about it, "It can be overwhelming to humans And so can my real voice. But you already knew that."

"You mean the gas station and the motel?" Dean asked, "That was you talking? Buddy, next time, lower the volume."

"That was my mistake." Castiel apologized, confirming Dean's words, "Certain people - Special people," He looked back at me and I stopped moving back with a cringe, "-Can perceive my true visage. I thought you would be one of them. I was wrong."

"And what visage are you in now, huh?" Dean asked sarcastically, "What - Holy tax accountant?"

"This? This is-" Castiel paused, trying to figure out the right way to explain that he had used someone's faith against them, "a vessel." He ended simply.

"You're possessing some poor bastard?" Dean questioned, knowing better.

"He's a devout man," Castiel remarked, "He actually prayed for this."

"Look, pal, I'm not buying what you're selling." Dean said, "So who are you, really?"

"I told you," Castiel said, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion, "And Devin could also tell you."

I glared at the angel for bringing me into this. Dean looked at me for a long moment before he turned back to Castiel. Then Castiel raised his arms and did that angel thing where he made lightning flash (inside the building, mind you) so that there was the shadow of his wings on the walls of the building.

"Right," Dean said finally believing Castiel, even if only a little bit. "And why would an angel rescue me from hell?"

I looked at Dean, the man had been to hell? And made it back out?

Holy shit.

"Good things do happen, Dean." The angel said

"Not in my experience," Dean shrugged

"What's the matter?" Castiel questioned, "You don't think you deserve to be saved."

"Why'd you do it?" Dean asked, not answering the angel's question

"Because God commanded it," Castiel said. "Because we have work for you." He added after a moment.

I winced in sympathy at that. Considering how finicky angels were Dean would have his work cut out for him. At least in my experience with the demons, everything had been cut and dry.

Castiel turned to me and I glared at him. He tilted his head and squinted before finally nodding.

"You're clean now, Devin," Castiel remarked and I laughed shortly.

"No shit," I said, feeling Dean's eyes on me. I knew that the man would be suspicious but I never asked to know the angel in front of me, "and also no thanks to you."

Castiel frowned, "I did not mean to abandon you."

"Yeah, well you did," I growled, standing up, suddenly feeling the urge to confront the angel. "And I suffered because of it, for five years. I had to get myself out."

Castiel backed up as I stalked over to him. With long red hair, green eyes and pale skin with a dash of freckles and considering I only stood at 5'4" I may not have been the most threatening figure out there but damn could I be scary when I needed to be. Or at least I've been told as much.

"Five years, Castiel," I stated angrily, "You were supposed to protect me. I was possessed because of your lack of vigilance. You claim you're a soldier for Heaven but you left me to fight on my own. I was only able to escape four months ago because Azazel disappeared." I took a calming breath when I heard Bobby groan behind me, "I'm lucky to be alive" I added quietly.

"I'm sorry," Castiel started but I held up a hand.

"No," I said tiredly, "don't you dare apologize, what's done is done. You obviously have new orders. Just don't mention it anymore."

Castiel nodded and then there was the sound of wings as he disappeared. After a second I looked at Dean who was helping Bobby stand up. My nerves were shot and I really didn't want to be here anymore.

I started walking out of the building when Bobby's voice stopped me.

"Wait," the older hunter said, "You obviously know something. Do you want to come with us, we could use your help."

"Bobby-" Dean protested, only to be shushed by the man.

I paused for a moment, thinking it through. I would be safer with these two hunters than I would have been on my own. However, I wasn't sure if it would be worth it. I needed to keep moving in order to keep from getting caught.

"I don't know," I replied slowly, "I've got enough on my plate as is."

"I'm sure we could find a way to help you," Bobby suggested after a brief conversation with Dean, who did not look happy with the situation.

After another moment of consideration, I nodded and Bobby looked relieved.

Dean helped Bobby to the car while I packed up my things, being careful not to jostle my hand. I winced when I hit it against my chest and heaved a sigh, dropping my bag in order to check on my hand.

It was bruising already and definitely needed a cast. I grimaced at it before pulling out an old ace bandage and wrapping it around the appendage, trying not to cry out.

"Here," a voice offered as a pair of hands reached almost hesitantly.

I looked up to see the Winchester who was looking at my hand guiltily. I smiled as I held it out to him, knowing he would do a better job wrapping it than I could.

"Thanks."


When we made it the Singer auto yard I brought my duffle bag and my supply of holy water inside. Bobby had me set everything by the couch before he went to prepare some food. I sat on the couch and Dean grabbed a chair from the dining room and sat across the room from me, watching me.

"What," I said defensively after a few minutes.

"How do you know Castiel?" Dean asked after a few more moments.

"It's not by choice," I assured with a shrug.

"That doesn't tell me how you know him," Dean remarked gruffly.

I squinted at Dean before sighing, the man looked like he was freaked and I didn't blame him, he had been to hell. Even Azazel had been afraid of hell.

"About ten years ago Hell caught wind of a rogue hunter that was killing crossroad demons, my dad, and they came to kill him. Afterwards, they kidnapped me. Heaven sent angels to save me because apparently I'm important or some shit like that," I scoffed, "Castiel was one of them. He told me that he was to be my guardian angel. From then on he'd come whenever I was in trouble. Then suddenly five years ago there was nothing. I was on a hunt, it was supposed to be a routine salt and burn when everything that could go wrong did." I ran my hands through my hair and sighed, "I was salting the body of a nurse who was kidnapping children to 'take care of', by which I mean kill when suddenly there was a demon with yellow eyes standing next to me. I'd called for Castiel but he hadn't responded. The demon then possessed me. And for the last five years, up until four months ago, I've been either possessed or shut into a room with no doors or windows, hardly even any air."

"Shit man," Dean said.

I nodded my agreement then stood when Bobby called that food was ready. We ate our burgers in silence and afterward I went back to the couch and turned on the TV. Flipping through the channels I found nothing interesting instead I settled on finding something mind-numbing. I stopped on the channel playing Dr. Sexy MD because I'd seen the show before and it hadn't been too terrible.

Dean sat on the opposite side of the couch and watched the show with rapture. I smiled at him before grabbing a pillow and snuggling it. After a few minutes, I fell asleep and missed Dean watching me.


When I woke up there was another man in the living room and I flailed a bit reaching for the gun I usually put under my pillow but instead I got caught in a blanket that's wrapped around my shoulders and fell to the floor. The man chuckled and I glared at him before sitting up and acting like I'd meant to do that. Luckily I'd fallen onto my left hand instead of my right, though my right hand was still throbbing.

I stood up and stalked past the man into the kitchen where I searched for a glass to put some of my holy water in. I glared at the man who had taken my spot on the couch before filling up the glass.

I sat on the floor with my back against the wall still glaring at the other man. I got up when I finished my glass and went back to the kitchen to put it in the sink. I heard voices off to the side and walked out to see Dean and Bobby arguing.

"Well, then tell me what else it could be," Bobby said as I walked into the room

"Look, all I know is I was not groped by an angel," Dean said looking over his shoulder at me.

"Okay, look, Dean," Bobby sighed gaining Dean's attention, "Why do you think this Castiel would lie to you about it?"

"Maybe he's some kind of demon." Dean said defensively "Demons lie"

"A demon who's immune to salt rounds and devil's traps and Ruby's knife?" I remembered the inscriptions on the knife that Dean had stabbed Castiel with, it would kill a demon but not an angel, "Dean, Lilith is scared of that thing!"

"Don't you think that if angels were real, that some hunter somewhere would have seen one at some point ever?" Dean asked. I cleared my throat and Dean turned to look at me again

"Yeah," I said "You just did, Dean. And I did tell you that I've met angels before, or did you think that I was lying?"

"I'm trying to come up with a theory here." Dean remarked, "Okay? Work with me."

"Dean, we have a theory." I argued, annoyed that he was working so hard to deny the truth, "It's actually past the point of theory and on the way to joining the laws."

"Yeah, one with a little less fairy dust on it, please." Dean pleaded, I raised an eyebrow

"Okay, look." I said, "You can believe it or not but what other explanation is there."

"We don't know for sure, so I'm not gonna believe that this thing is a freaking angel of the lord because it says so!"

"You two chuckleheads want to keep arguing religion," Bobby asked us and I turned from Dean with a huff as the other man walked into the room, "Or do you want to come take a look at this? I got stacks of lore - Biblical, pre-Biblical. Some of it's in damn cuneiform. It all says an angel can snatch a soul from the pit."

"What else?" Dean asked

"What else, what?" Bobby said

"What else could do it?" Dean reiterated

"Airlift your ass out of the hot box? As far as I can tell, nothing." Bobby said, looking at me for confirmation.

"Well angels can also exterminate demons, and pretty much any other creature, but yeah, lifting out of the hotbox is a pretty big deal," I supplied.

"Dean, this is good news," The other man said.

"How?" Dean asked, turning to look at the man who must have been Dean's brother, Sam.

"Because for once, this isn't just another round of demon crap." The man explained, "I mean, maybe you were saved."

"Okay. Say it's true," Dean started.

"It's true," I said, earning a glare from Dean but otherwise getting ignored.

"Say there are angels." Dean continued sounding distressed, "Then what? There's a god?"

"At this point, Vegas money's on yeah." The man said.

"I don't know, guys," Dean said skeptically, shaking his head.

"Okay, look." Bobby started, "I know you're not all choirboy about this stuff, But this is becoming less and less about faith and more and more about proof."

"Proof?" Dean asked

"Yes," I interrupted, earning another scathing glare, "Proof that there's a god out there"

"That actually gives a crap about me personally? I'm sorry, but I'm not buying it."

"Why not?" I asked with a tilt of my head, a habit that I had picked up from Castiel years ago.

"Because why me? If there is a god out there, why would he give a crap about me?"

"Dean-" The other man said but Dean continued

"I mean, I've saved some people, okay? I figured that made up for the stealing but why do I deserve to get saved? I'm just a regular guy."

"Apparently, you're a regular guy that's important to the man upstairs," I said with a small smile.

"Well, that creeps me out," Dean said.

"As it should," I agreed.

"I mean, I don't like getting singled out at birthday parties, much less by God." Dean continued, ignoring me again.

"Okay, well, too bad, Dean, because I think he wants you to strap on your party hat." The man said with a smirk.

"All right. What do we know about angels?" Dean said turning to me, I shrugged, I didn't actually know that much, my main source of angel interaction was Castiel and he wasn't exactly too forthcoming on the ins and outs of his feathered friends.

"Start reading," Bobby said when I shook my head, pointing to a large stack of books.

"You're gonna get me some pie," Dean said, turning to the other man who nodded then walked out the door.

I walked over to the stack and picked up five of the books then went to the dining room table to start reading. Dean joined me after a few more words with Bobby. We read in silence for a while before I stood and stretched. I looked at the clock and realized that I hadn't eaten and I doubted that Bobby and Dean had either.

I went into the kitchen and started going through the cupboards and the fridge and freezer looking for something that I could make.

"You sure made yourself at home," Dean commented, making me jump. I looked over and saw the bastard leaning against the door frame with a smug smile on his face.

I looked back to the fridge and shrugged, pulling a carton of eggs and a precooked chicken out of the fridge, "Yeah, well, when you live the way I have you learn that there's no point in feeling awkward in a new place. Can you get me a large pan and fill it with water?"

Dean moved into the kitchen and went through a cupboard before pulling out a pot, "This good enough?" He asked and then he went to fill it with water as I nodded.

When the pot was on the stove I dropped the chicken in then grabbed some flour, salt and the other ingredients I would need for noodles. I handed Dean the carton of eggs and he gave me a look that said 'what do I do with these', I laughed.

"Make some eggs, this is gonna take a couple hours," I chuckled at the look on his face, "I like mine scrambled with bacon bits."

Dean shrugged and went to make the eggs as Bobby walked in.

"So domestic," He commented, moving past me to the fridge. I grinned when Dean groaned at the older man.

"Well I wanted food and Dean was in the way do I put him to work." I explained, "I'm making Chicken noodle soup because it's good and it lasts a long time."

I finished up the noodles and Dean and Bobby talked about angels. I was walking over to the fridge to pull out some vegetables when I heard a low-pitched howl outside. I turned on my heel and ran outside, Dean and Bobby on my heels.

On the front porch of Bobby's house, there was an Australian Hound panting and getting ready for another howl. I dropped right in front of the dog and threw my arms around it as she licked my face sloppily. I grinned and started checking the animal for fleas or ticks. Unsurprisingly she had none.

"Devin, who is this," Bobby asked as the dog wriggled out of my grip and jumped on Bobby.

"That's Adrasteia," I told them as the dog moved from Bobby to Dean, who knelt to pet the dog with a smile, "She's been with me for the last four months, always manages to find me no matter where I go, it's rather amazing."

I heard a yowl behind me and turned to see a cat saunter up the stairs. He stopped in front of me and I picked him up, smiling. The cat started purring and rubbing his head against my shoulder before he climbed on and made himself at home, effectively becoming a scarf.

"And who is that?" Dean asked with a grin.

"This is Stygian," I said as Adrasteia came to sit by my feet, "I've had him since Castiel and the rest of the angels saved me the first time."

"Saved you?" Bobby asked and Dean said, "You named a cat after the guardian of the river leading into hell, who, I might add, is a demon."

"I'll explain later, after lunch, Bobby," I said with a smile to the older man, "and I didn't name him. He told me his name."

"What?" Dean asked, looking shocked.

"I'm saying that he is actually the guardian of the river Styx."

"What?" Dean asked again, his mouth wide open in his shock. I reached up to close it and simply laughed at his glare.

Stygian stood up with his back legs on my shoulder and his front paws resting on my head and started mewling at the two grown men. I smiled at the cat and Adrasteia whuffed what sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

"He's saying that if you two don't stop questioning me he's going to do… something… about it." I smiled

"Something?" Bobby asked, "Girl, you've got some weird friends."

"Tell me about it," I said, removing Stygian from my head and giving Adra a pat on the head.

I went back inside, the animals following me, much to the protest of Bobby.

"I would assume that the effective guardian of hell is house trained," I told Bobby who guffawed.

I walked into the kitchen with a smirk as Stygian purred in my ear. I got out the vegetables I needed and pulled the chicken out of the broth I'd made to tear it apart and check for any bones that it had. Dean handed me some eggs after a couple minutes and I ate those as I worked.

Dean and I started talking and I found that we had a lot in common. Both of our dads had been hunters. While his mom had been killed by a demon mine had died giving birth to me. My dad had trained me from a young age, as had Dean's dad. While Dean had a younger brother I had been an only child.

"So when I was ten he was taking me to the Roadhouse to stay with Ellen and Jo for a week when he gets this call. And we had to detour to a circus. He takes one look at a clown and turns around screaming. Ellen had to send another group to take care of the clowns." I told Dean as I stirred the soup to make sure that it didn't burn.

"Dean!" Bobby yelled from where he was reading more about angels. Dean gave me a look then went to see what Bobby needed. I removed the soup from the heat and followed.

I walked into the living room to see Bobby putting on his coat. I watched as Adrasteia walks over to him and whined. That dog has never gotten close to someone that fast. I had to wait a whole month to pet her when we first met.

"You coming with, or staying here?" Dean asked, watching me.

"You'd really trust someone you met yesterday in your house without you being here?" I asked, slightly shocked, they did not seem like trusting people, "I'm coming with."

"Good point," Dean said with a shrug.

I got my things together and followed Dean out of the house just as Sam drove up.

"Keep the engine running," Dean told Sam as Sam got out of the Car.

"Why? What's going on?" Sam asked, looking around at the three of us.

"I got a friend one state over - Olivia Lowry." Bobby explained, "I've been trying to reach her for three days on this angel thing. It's not like her to ignore this many calls."

"Olivia Lowry - A hunter, right?" I asked, the name sounding familiar

"Yeah." Bobby said, "We're gonna go check on her. You guys follow me."

"Scoot over," Dean told Sam as I got in the back seat with Adrasteia and Stygian.

"They better not get hair all over my car," Dean said as Sam handed him a bag

"Yeah. Yeah," I replied rolling my eyes.

"Dude?" Dean said to Sam

"Yeah?"

"Where's the pie?"

I laughed and the boys looked back at me before they both shrugged and Dean started driving.

Then I noticed that Stygian was hissing silently at Sam and Adrasteia looked like she was going to jump the man any moment. They only got like this around Demons.

"Sam," I said taking a flask out of the bag next to me, "Drink this, I need to check something."

"You think my brother's possessed or something?" Dean asked with a smirk.

"I don't know what I think of your brother," I said, not taking my eyes off the younger man.

"Fair enough," Dean said as Sam took a drink of the holy water.

Nothing happened so I relaxed. Whatever my animals were sensing we could deal with it later. After that, it took me an hour to calm Stygian and Adrasteia down so that they would sleep. After I did that I slept myself but woke up after only an hour covered in sweat.

Dean looked at me in the review and I smiled at him, albeit a bit forced on my part but I did just have a dream that Azazel had me again so I can't be blamed. I sat up and leaned my chin against his seat watching the scenery through the front window. Sam was asleep, his head leaning against the window as he snored.

"Bad dream?" Dean asked after a moment.

"Yeah," I replied, "Last night was the first time I haven't had one in the last four months."

"Sucks man. But I understand the feeling." Dean said with a shake of his head.

"Hell?" I asked, laying my head down on my arms.

"Yeah," Dean said, "Although it's only been three days since I got back I haven't been sleeping much."

I nod in understanding, "If you need someone to talk to I'm probably not going anywhere for a while. And I won't even talk if you don't want me too."

"Same goes for you," Dean told me smirking. I smiled and sat back in my seat pulling Adrasteia into my lap as Stygian crawled onto my shoulders. I relaxed and let sleep take me again, this time sleeping better than I had before.

Dean shook my shoulder when we arrived at Olivia's house and I was instantly awake. Stygian was hissing and Adrasteia was outright growling. They put everyone on edge and I stayed in the car with them as Dean, Sam, and Bobby went to check out the house.

"What is it, Styg?" I asked the cat who gave me a cat shrug. He didn't know. That couldn't bode well.

"Something's up, huh?" I asked, sticking my head out the open window as the three returned

"You think?" Bobby replied sarcastically as Dean came out of the house talking on his phone

"Jed, Dean Winchester again-" Dean was saying, "Friend of Bobby Singer. Look, we think something's happening. We think it's happening to hunters. Just want to make sure you're okay. Call me back."

Bobby got in his car shortly after to head back to the yard and I went with him. When we got there I finished the soup and then started on some pie for dessert. Bobby made phone calls to people he knew while Dean and Sam drove around to check on those people.

I put the pie in the oven then walked over to the desk that Bobby was sitting at. The man looked tired so I took the empty glass of Brandy he had in front of him and refilled it. I took a seat across from Bobby and Stygian jumped up on the man's shoulders, wrapping himself around the man's neck, and started purring loudly.

Bobby got a call at that moment and I stood up to go check on the pie. There were another 45 minutes until it was done but I always made sure to check. I grabbed a bowl of my soup for myself and another one for Bobby and brought it to the man. Sitting across from him again I dig into the soup. I'm not ashamed to admit I moaned a little bit. It's the first home cooked meal I'd had in five years.

Bobby looked up at me and I smiled sheepishly before I controlled my eating habits and ate with more dignity than I possessed at that moment. After I finished I covered the pot and put it in the fridge. I gave Adrasteia some of the meat I didn't use and put a bowl of water on the ground for her.

I pulled the pie out of the oven and had set it down on an oven mitt when the lights started to flicker. I looked around for Bobby who was walking around with an iron rod. I followed Bobby into the back of the house to the stairs until I heard a voice behind me.

"It's your fault." The voice said. I spun around, gaping as Stygian started hissing right next to me.

In front of me was a young woman, around the age of 26, with long brown hair and a horribly misshapen nose. I recognized the woman from my Demon Day's, as I'd been calling them. She was one of the women I'd tortured, well my body, when Azazel was possessing me.

"You did this to me!" The woman yells.

"No, I didn't," I muttered quietly

"Yes, you did!" The woman stalks towards me and I cringe, "you knew the demons would be after you. You knew it but you never protected yourself."

"I was scared ok." I yelled, "I was afraid that it wouldn't work"

"But you never tried." The spirit said.

"I know," I whispered sitting down on the stairs and staring at the woman. "I made a mistake but don't you think that I've paid for it by now?"

"No." The woman says, "You won't pay for it until you're dead. "

I sat there, not really paying attention to the woman, as Stygian and Adrasteia hissed and growled at her. She didn't get close to me but she also didn't leave me alone. After what felt like days but was probably only a couple hours I heard Dean and Sam enter the house.

They went to find Bobby and me and I could hear them fighting their own spirits so I pushed myself off the stairs in order to help. The spirit backed away as Stygian moved toward it and I found Dean in the living room. I ran to his side and he looked relieved.

I saw what he was looking at and I cringed. Meg Masters. I may have been possessed at the time but I was the reason Meg got possessed, I had pointed her out to the Demon Meg. I motioned for Stygian to stay by the door, hoping that he would follow my orders for once

"Now, I was awake." Meg said, ignoring my presence, "I had to watch while she murdered people."

"I'm sorry," Dean said

"Oh, yeah? So sorry you had me thrown off a building."

"Well, we thought-" Dean tried to explain and I stepped in front of him.

Meg kept yelling at Dean and Dean kept replying. I tried to interrupt but both of them ignored me. I was getting tired of being ignored.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to be ridden for months by pure evil while your family has no idea what happened to you?" Meg asked and I snapped.

"Shut up, Meg," I yelled before pulling Dean away.

We found Bobby and Sam and then went to the library. Stygian was able to keep the spirits at bay but I had no idea how long he could do so

"So, they're all people we know?" I asked looking at Bobby after he explained a little bit of what he knew.

"Not just know." Bobby emphasized, "People we couldn't save."

"Hey, I saw something on Meg." Dean said and I turned to him, "Did she have a tattoo when she was alive?"

"I don't think so." Sam said at the same time that I said, "No"

"It was like a- A mark on her hand - Almost like a brand," Dean explained, I'd seen the same thing on the woman that I couldn't save.

"I saw a mark, too, on Henriksen," Sam said

"What did it look like?" Bobby asked

"Uh, paper?" Sam said, looking around. I grabbed a piece of paper and handed it to Sam, "Thanks." He said as he drew the tattoo.

"That's it," I said, looking at Sam's drawing

"I may have seen this before," Bobby said before looking through books in the library and grabbing one of them before he looked at us

"We got to move." Bobby said grabbing Dean who was closest to him, "Follow me."

"Okay," Sam said following Bobby and Dean

"Where are we going?" I asked as we went down the stairs and into the basement

"Someplace safe, you idiot," Bobby said and I rolled my eyes because that explained a lot.

Stygian froze when we reached the room as though he couldn't go further. "Bobby is this Solid iron," I asked as Stygian nodded his head at me to enter the room. I closed the door after Adrasteia entered and turned to Bobby, waiting for his answer.

"Completely coated in salt." Bobby nodded at me.

The room was large enough for a desk and a cot and could fit the four of us comfortably. Adrasteia was already laying on the cot and I walked over to sit by her.

"You built a panic room?" Sam asked.

"I had a weekend off," Bobby said like that explained the panic room.

"Bobby," Dean said appreciatively.

"What?" Bobby asked suspiciously looking up from the book he was going through.

"You're awesome." Dean finished and I laughed, damn it felt good to laugh.

"See, this is why I can't get behind god," Dean said suddenly and I looked at him raising an eyebrow

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, sitting on the chair by the desk that Bobby was at

"If he doesn't exist, fine." Dean explained, "Bad crap happens to good people. That's how it is. There's no rhyme or reason - Just random, horrible, evil - I get it, okay. I can roll with that. But if he is out there, what's wrong with him? Where the hell is he while all these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself? You know, why doesn't he help?"

"I ain't touching this one with a 10-Foot pole," Sam said and I chuckled.

"Yeah." Dean sighed

"Found it," Bobby said after a moment

"What?" Dean asked walking over to Bobby.

"The symbol you saw-" Bobby said

"The brand on the ghosts yeah?" I asked, just making sure I was on track, Bobby nodded.

"Mark of the witness," Bobby said, and I paled.

"Witness? Witness to what?" Sam asked

"The unnatural." Bobby said, "None of them died what you'd call ordinary deaths. See, these ghosts - They were forced to rise. They woke up in agony. They were like rabid dogs. It ain't their fault. Someone rose them on purpose."

"Who?" Dean asked

"Do I look like I know?" Bobby asked raising an eyebrow, "But whoever it was used a spell so powerful it left a mark, a brand on their souls. Whoever did this had big plans. It's called "the rising of the witnesses. It figures into an ancient prophecy."

"Wait, wait," Dean demanded, "What - What book is that prophecy from?"

"Well, the widely distributed version's Just for tourists, you know." Bobby explained, "But long story short - Revelations. This is a sign, boys."

"A sign of what?" Sam and Dean asked at the same time.

"The apocalypse," Bobby stated

"Apocalypse?" Sam blanched

"The apocalypse, apocalypse?" Dean asked, "The four horsemen, pestilence, $5-A-Gallon-Gas apocalypse?"

"That's the one." Bobby explained, "The rise of the witnesses is a mile marker."

"Okay, so, what do we do now?" I asked getting up from my spot petting Adrasteia and walking over to the desk to read over Bobby's shoulder.

"Road trip." Dean said "Grand Canyon, star trek experience. Bunny ranch."

"First things first." Sam said, "How about we survive our friends out there?"

"Great." Dean groaned, "Any ideas aside from staying in this room until judgment day?"

"It's a spell to send the witnesses back to rest." Bobby said showing them a page in the book, "Should work"

"Should," Dean repeated, "Great."

"If I translate it correctly. I think I got everything we need here at the house."

"Any chance you got everything we need here in this room?" Dean asked hopefully

"So, you thought our luck was gonna start now all of a sudden?" Bobby asked, "Spell's got to be cast over an open fire."

"The fireplace in the library," I said

"Bingo," Bobby replied

"That's just not as appealing as a ghost-Proof panic room, you know?" Dean added

"Cover each other." Bobby said when all of us were ready to leave the room, "And aim careful. Don't run out of ammo until I'm done, or they'll shred you. Ready?"

I stayed with Bobby so that he could work on the spell without having to worry about the spirits bugging him. Stygian was on my shoulders again in his favorite scarf position and I was sitting in the chair off to the side of the fireplace, reading out the ingredients to Bobby who told the boys where everything was located.

"Bobby, you walked right by us while that monster ate us all up," Two girls were standing on the other side of the salt line that Dean and Sam had laid out.

Bobby stopped working and Stygian jumped off my shoulder and onto Bobby's

"It's okay Bobby, keep working," I said to the man. I stood up and grabbed the gun that Bobby had in his hand. I shot at the girls and they disappeared, "The sooner you finish the sooner we'll be through this."

As I said that Dean and Sam came back to the library handing Bobby the rest of the stuff that they needed. The wind started to howl and the spirits were appearing left and right. Spot one- Shoot. Spot another- shoot. This continued for a couple minutes. I stayed by Bobby covering him when I heard a crash and a grunt to my right.

I turned and saw Sam caught behind a desk and the two girls were climbing on it. I shot at them and that was when Meg got to Bobby. I froze and stared in horror. Bobby dropped the bowl he was holding and yelled for Dean.

"Dean," Bobby yelled, "The fire."

Dean caught the bowl and dumped the contents into the fire. A bright blue light flashed and I shielded my eyes. When the light faded Bobby was on the floor and I ran to him as Stygian jumped off Bobby and ran out of the room. I didn't question the cat anymore. Adrasteia started licking Bobby's face and the man started moaning.

"Heel," I called to Adrasteia who ran over to me panting her enjoyment. "At least one of us enjoyed this," I said to the dog as Dean and Sam helped Bobby stand up.

They led the man to the kitchen and I went in and pulled the soup and pie out of the fridge. I put the soup on the stove and put the pie in the oven then went to get some holy water for myself.

The office was a mess and the living room wasn't any better. There was a hole in my bag and I went to it and found that all of my holy water had been emptied. I flopped on the ground and didn't move until Adrasteia nudged her head under my left arm. I started petting her absently and stared at the empty flasks in front of me.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Dean asked, crouching down in front of me.

I blinked at him before gesturing to the empty flasks, "my holy water," I said weakly, "That took me three months to get."

Dean chuckled and I glared at him. Three months may not seem that bad to him but I'd felt like slime that entire time. Then again… Dean had been to hell. And if what I'd heard was true one month was a decade in hell.

"I have more but I can't use that. It's for hunts." I explained, sounding like a spoilt child and not caring.

Dean chuckled and then helped me stand up, "Bobby has a supply in the house, and I'll get you some nice holy water to have with dinner." He said before walking out of the living room and towards the office.

I went back into the kitchen and pulled the pie from the oven before turning the heat off on the soup. I grabbed some bowls from one of the cupboards and dished out the soup for everyone.

When I turned around Dean was eyeing the pie and I raised an eyebrow at him, "I know you're a grown adult and all but you're gonna eat your dinner first." I told him and he looked at me with a cocky grin, "and if you don't I'll never make pie again."

Obviously, Dean had a love of pie and like I thought it would my threat had worked. I had Dean help me bring the bowls out to Sam and Bobby and then took my place by Bobby and dug into the soup. It tasted just as good as it had earlier. Dean handed me a flask then and I smiled at him.

"You know," I said after my last spoonful of the soup, "I'd never thought you guys would be so trusting of me so quickly."

"You make damn good soup," Dean grunted after he swallowed, he was on his third bowl.

Bobby shook his head at Dean before turning to me, "Mostly it was necessity but you've obviously been through a lot and I think this is the best place for you to be. Believe me, we're not actually that trusting."

I nodded and decided to let well enough go. I stood and took the empty bowls to the kitchen and put them in the sink. Then I grabbed plates from the same cupboard that held the bowls and sliced into the pie. The aroma of apple pie hit me like a brick and my mouth started to water, Dean wasn't the only one who liked a good pie.

I put a slice on each of the four plates and brought it out to the men. They dug in with a gusto that had me cackling like a hyena. Sam stared at me for a bit before shrugging and continuing to devour the pie.

Dean moaned, "This is the best pie I've had in years."

I smiled at him and then yawned, "Bunny farm?" I asked Dean with a grin.

Dean grimaced before replying, his mouth full of food, "I've never been to one,"

"I know a good one in Alabama," I told him, "We could stop by it sometime?"

I smiled when he nodded and stood up grabbing all the plates. I put the plates in the sink and then went back to the dining room and grabbed the flask with holy water. I took a swig of the water and the feeling of the holy water in my mouth was wonderful after the day I'd had.

I sat on the floor in front of the couch and flicked the TV on flipping through channels for a bit before stopping on Dr. Sexy MD again. The show was able to distract me for a little while before I nodded off, curled on up against the couch.

I woke up a couple hours later to the sound of wings. I blinked and moved Stygian and Adrasteia away from me before standing. I looked at Sam on the couch before noticing the two men in the kitchen, Cas and Dean were in the kitchen and I can tell that Dean was angry at the angel. I was too.

I walk into the kitchen with Stygian wrapped around my neck. I smiled at Castiel then went to the fridge where I had put the holy water that Bobby had given me after dinner. I poured the stuff into a glass and walked back to Dean before Castiel spoke.

"Excellent job with the witnesses."

"You were hip to all this?" Dean asked

"I was, uh, made aware," Cas said awkwardly

"Well, thanks a lot for the angelic assistance." Dean said sarcastically, "You know, I almost got my heart ripped out of my chest. Devin could have died."

"But you didn't." Cas pointed out, "and Devin is still alive"

"No thanks to you," I muttered, not catching Cas' hurt expression.

"I thought angels were supposed to be guardians." Dean said, "Fluffy wings, halos - You know, Michael Landon. Not dicks" I laughed shortly

"Read the bible." Cas said, "Angels are warriors of god. I'm a soldier."

"Yeah? Then, why didn't you fight?" Dean asked, a very good question

"I'm not here to perch on your shoulder." Castiel said, "We had larger concerns."

"Concerns?" Dean asked incredulously, "There were people getting torn to shreds down here! And, by the way, while all this is going on, where the hell is your boss, huh, if there is a god?"

"There's a god," Castiel said earnestly

"I'm not convinced," I said at the same time as Dean

"Cause if there's a god, what the hell is he waiting for, huh?" Dean continued, "Genocide? Monsters roaming the earth? The freaking apocalypse? At what point does he lift a damn finger and help the poor bastards that are stuck down here?"

"The lord works-" Cas started but Dean interrupted him

"If you say 'mysterious ways,' So help me, I will kick your ass," Dean said, and I hummed my agreement.

"So, Bobby was right about the witnesses." I said, "This is some kind of a Sign of the apocalypse."

"That's why we're here." Cas pointed out, "Big things afoot."

"Do I want to know what kind of things?" Dean asked

"I sincerely doubt it, but you need to know." Cas said, "both of you"

Dean and I shared a look and I swallowed hard, the last time I'd had to deal with the angels it hadn't gone well. I really didn't want to work with them again.

"The rising of the witnesses is one of the 66 seals." Cas continued obliviously

"Okay," I said, nodding

"I'm guessing that's not a show at SeaWorld." Dean joked and I smacked him on the chest, he grinned.

"Those seals are being broken by Lilith." Cas said, ignoring our banter, "She did the spell. She rose the witnesses."

"Mm-Hmm." Dean hummed

"And not just here," I said

"20 other hunters are dead," Dean added

"Of course." Cas agreed and I shot him a look

"She picked victims that the hunters couldn't save," Dean said, "So that they would barrel right after us."

"Lilith has a certain sense of humor," Cas said and I groaned, Lilith's sense of humor was morbid at best.

"Well, we put those spirits back to rest." Dean pointed out, I nodded

"It doesn't matter." Cas said and I frowned, "The seal was broken."

"Why break the seal anyway?" I asked

"You think of the seals as locks on a door."

"Okay," Dean said

"Last one opens and Lucifer walks free," Cas explained and I cringed

"Lucifer?" I squeaked, Dean put a hand on my shoulder and I turned to smile my appreciation at him.

"But I thought Lucifer was just a story they told at demon Sunday school," Dean said.

"There's no such thing." Cas said, not understanding that it was a joke, "Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as me. Why do you think we're here walking among you now for the first time in 2,000 years?'

"I thought it was because I was charming," I joked and Dean squeezed my shoulder

"To stop Lucifer." Cas said, ignoring me, "That's why we've arrived."

"Well bang-Up job so far," Dean said,

"Stellar work with the witnesses," I added sarcastically.

"We tried." Cas said, "And there are other battles, other seals. Some we'll win, some we'll lose. This one we lost."

"No shit, Sherlock," I muttered earning myself another shoulder squeeze from Dean and a confused look from Cas.

"Our numbers are not unlimited. Six of my brothers died in the field this week. You think the armies of heaven should just follow you around? There's a bigger picture here. You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of hell. I can throw you back in."

I breathed in sharply and glared at Cas, he froze, as well he should. The bastard didn't protect me from the demons and now he was threatening to throw Dean back to Hell. I'd only known the man for a day but I did not like Cas threatening him.

"Get out," I growled, "You have no right to demand respect until you learn to think for yourself. Or was it your own decision to abandon me to Azazel?"

"It was not… my choice." Cas muttered and I nodded.

"Good now get out," Dean said and Cas vanished.

"You all right?" Dean asked me, finally removing his hand from my shoulder (Not gonna lie I missed the warmth).

"What's wrong, Dean?" A voice said behind us, we both turned to see Sam rubbing at his face sleepily.

"So you got no problem believing in God and angels?" I asked Sam when we were all sitting in the living room, Dean and Sam on the couch and me on the floor leaning slightly into Dean's legs.

"No, not really," Sam said.

"So, I guess that means that you believe in the devil," Dean said, we shared a look.

"Why are you asking me all this?" Sam asked, looking between us.


A/N: Hey all! I promise I didn't abandon this story, I just hit a two-year writer's block with it! I'm going through and editing the already posted chapters before I update with new ones! I'm already working on the sequel but I have other stories I'm working on as well so posting will still be irregular as I've got school, work, and a show to direct this quarter. I don't believe there will be any drastic changes to the story, mostly phrasing and grammar and the like. Please enjoy!

Updated: 9/25/17