Summary: Something changed in Castiel when the Apocalypse ended. He lost his Grace for his first charge and only love, but he's somehow become someone who can break her heart as easily as breaking glass. Can they return to how they once were? Please R&R!

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters. I only own Mia Johnson. I don't own the lyrics to the songs used at the beginning and end of each chapter.

A/N: The lyrics in this first chapter represent what times are like now Castiel has come home, but the story begins from when he turns up on Mia's doorstep. Reviews are appreciated welcomed and loved.

Even After All These Years

Chapter One

"She's all laid up in bed with a broken heart
While I'm drinking Jack all alone in my local bar,
And we don't know how, how we got into this mad situation
Only doing things out of frustration.
Trying to make it work but man, these times are hard.

She needs me now but I can't seem to find the time.
I've got a new job now in the unemployment line,
And we don't know how, how we got into this mess it's a God's test
Someone help us cause we're doing our best.

Trying to make it work but man, these times are hard,
But we're gonna start by drinking old cheap bottles of wine
Sit talking up all night
Saying things we haven't for a while, a while yeah.
We're smiling but we're close to tears,
Even after all these years.
We just now got the feeling that we're meeting
For the first time…"

They'd been apart for three years now, since Castiel had to go to the Winchesters, but they'd been together for so much longer. He stood at her door waiting for her to answer, praying (yeah, praying to the bastards who kept his Grace from him) that he hadn't caught her at a time when she was out. The door opened and his brunette beauty stood before him, long, wavy hair hung over one shoulder in a ponytail as she used to wear it, big green eyes looking up into his with tears forming into them. She wore her favourite dark pink sweater and her black cotton sweatpants, her body as beautifully shaped as Castiel remembered it. Her mouth dropped open and she covered it with one small hand, gripping the door with the other.

"Cas?" She breathed when she got past the lump in her throat.

"Mia…" Castiel replied, tears in both their eyes as they looked at each other, "I'm home."

Mia sighed shakily and smiled at her lover, breaking into sobs and wrapping her arms around him, holding his trenchcoat clad body close to her and taking his hand.

"I'm so glad you're alright…" Mia cried, "I've been praying every day that you might come home…and now you're here…oh, Cas!"

They embraced again and shared their first kiss in three years, remembering exactly how the other person liked to be kissed. Breaking their kiss, Mia led the angel inside and closed the door.

"I take you and the Winchesters won…" Mia whispered as they headed into the living room where Mia had the fire on, Castiel nodding in response to her query.

"I'm…I…Gabriel brought me here…" Castiel said quietly, "I'm human…I lost my Grace in the war and it's lost forever…"

Mia sighed as they sat on the sofa and cupped Castiel's cheek.

"I'll take care of you." She said gently, "I swear."

Castiel looked into her eyes with his own, the tears escaping and falling down his cheeks. Mia pressed a sweet kiss to his lips and then one to his forehead, pulling him close and rocking him in her embrace.

That night, the couple lay in bed together for the first time in three years, Mia looked over at her angelic lover. Despite him losing his Grace, he would always be an angel to her. He still had tears in his eyes so she leaned over and brushed her tender fingers down his cheek.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, "Because that can help sometimes…"

Castiel shook his head and turned onto his side, resting his head against Mia's chest before sighing shakily. Mia wound her arms around Castiel's body and sighed into his hair, running soothing fingers through it and kissing his head.

"I love you, Castiel." She whispered, "I'm here for you."

"Thank you," Castiel replied, "I love you too."

Mia stroked his cheek with gentle fingers and pressed a kiss to his head.

"Sleep now, Cas." She breathed, "Get some sleep."

As she felt her angel relax, Mia wondered what had happened in that war, what Castiel had seen and what he had done, what had happened with his brothers, the Winchesters…Lucifer even. She hoped that she could help him heal in time, but she would take each day as it came. She was now the one to guide him through human life and she would care for him and love him as long as she had life in her body. She drifted to sleep with her angel in her arms, ready to embrace the next day.

"We're smiling but we're close to tears,
Even after all these years.
We just now got the feeling that we're meeting
For the first time…"

-TBC-