Hey guys~ So... this is my very first SPN fic!
It's really just a little blurb about how a whole
episode - maybe two - could go. I hope ya'll like it!

This first chapter is a bit of a prologue; others
will be longer.

Fallen Angel

Written by l0velyfe

Chapter One

The first thing that Castiel felt when he awoke was the cold. Dampness seeped into his clothing from the mossy forest floor beneath him. The air smelled of dirt and pine, but the cold... He shivered; one violent shake of his entire body, then went about accessing himself. A wiggle of his fingers, a bend of his knee. His vessel didn't seem to be terribly damaged.

He sat up, casting blue eyes across his surroundings. Trees, trees, undergrowth, a fallen log, more trees. None of it looked familiar at all. He dismissed the flash of panic that followed the realization that he had no idea where he was. Standing up on shaky legs, he took a few steps, dead leaves and foliage crunching beneath his shoes as he ignored the stabbing pain of both shoulder blades. Something was wrong. He began to walk aimlessly, but as his legs grew stronger, he quickened his pace to a jog. Something was very wrong.

Halting in a small clearing, a burst of light in the velvet sky above caught his attention. There was another, and another. Castiel watched as he identified the flaming figures as his fallen brothers and sisters, thrust out of Heaven by Metatron just as he had been. He hoped they, too, didn't remember the fall when they woke up. Distressed, he watched as they plummeted toward the ground and disappeared behind the tree line, out of sight and nowhere near him. He was alone once again.

For a fleeting moment, he considered lying back down on the moist ground and giving up. What hope was there now? What purpose did he serve? Mere humans could not pose as a threat to Metatron, let alone defeat him and his allies. As these thoughts crossed his mind, an imposing person, a name, barged into his conscience.

Dean.

Dean meant much to him. And, as far as Castiel was concerned, the Winchesters were still in his charge, despite his loss of grace. His duty was still to protect them, but now, that duty was upheld in the name of loyalty and affinity, not orders from superiors. Sam and Dean were out there now, without him, and he needed to find them.

He moved on through the thick undergrowth, trying to put the forest behind him and find someone who could help. But it seemed endless, and after some time, he wondered if he had been walking in circles. He was shivering uncontrollably, teeth chattering, and fatigue was beginning the settle into his now mortal body. His steps became less steady, path less straight as he stumbled about. Finally, he allowed his knees to buckle, and he nestled himself against a large tree trunk, pulling his knees close to his body to conserve warmth.

Ever so slowly, daylight crept into the dark sky, providing him with enough light to see the area around him. Though he hadn't managed to sleep – really, he didn't know how to – the rest did him good, and once there was a decent amount of light, he stood and continued on with renewed energy.

This time, however, his journey through the pine forest was much shorter. As he emerged from the sea of trees, he came face to face with a paved road. At first, the mere sight stunned him, but after a moment, he began to follow the road's curve. A few cars passed by, speeding along the white and yellow striped pavement, but none of their inhabitants seemed too concerned with him.

Eventually, a small town appeared in the distance, and he hurried toward it with a slightly limping gait. A diner on the right side of the road seemed promising, and he headed toward it at an exhausted pace.

He made a beeline for the doors, but a small booth caught his eye on the way in. A phone. A phone was what he needed. If he could just call Dean, everything would be better. If he could just hear his voice, he would know he was alright.

Castiel slid inside of the booth and stared at the device. This phone was not at all like the cellphone Dean had once given him. Reaching out, he picked up the phone and held it up to his ear. Immediately, a calm female voice spoke.

"Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents."

"Hello? I don't have any money. I would like to speak with my friend, Dean."

When the woman didn't answer, Castiel placed with phone back and tried once more.

"Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents."

Growing impatient, Castiel's voice rose. "I just want to speak with Dean! Hello?"

No response. Emotion welled up in his throat, and, in his frustration, he slammed the phone back onto the receiver. Rubbing a palm over his face, he found a strange wetness on his hand.

"Need some help?"

Startled by the sudden female voice, Castiel spun around to face its owner. A blonde woman stood on the sidewalk, hair pulled back. She wore a coat over a waitress's dress. Large green eyes reminded him of Dean, and that calmed him for some reason.

"Are you alright, honey?" She sounded genuinely concerned, as a mother would for her child, and Castiel decided that she very well could be a mother herself.

"The woman on the phone refuses to let me talk to Dean."

For a moment, she looked very confused, and Castiel recalled something Dean had once told him. He must lie to this woman, or else she would think he was insane, and then she might not help him.

Thankfully, she seemed to be a compassionate woman, and she stepped forward. "Here, let me take a look." Castiel stepped aside so she could fit into the tiny booth. "Did you put the money in yet?"

"I don't have any money," Castiel admitted.

The woman looked back at him, giving him a quick once-over. He definitely looked a mess. Was he homeless? He seemed really upset, and those pretty blue eyes were wet. Was he lost? With a soft smile, she dug through her purse.

"Listen honey, not everybody around here is as nice as me. But you look like you've had a rough day."

Castiel watched as she pushed coins into the box. "Thank you."

She offered him a sideways smile. "Is Dean your friend?" He nodded. "What's his number?"

Castiel gazed at her blankly. "I don't know."

Lifting her brows, she wrapped her fingers around the phone. "Oh. Well, the operator can connect you to any company or business. Does he own a store or restaurant?"

"No, Dean does not have a business," Castiel murmured, shaking his head. This was all wrong; this was not how things were supposed to happen. How would he find Dean if he could not call him?

She must have recognized his panic, because she reached forward to touch his shoulder. "It's alright, we'll figure it out. Do you know where he is?"

"The last time I saw Dean, he was in South Dakota at Bobby's house–..." Castiel paused, realization dawning on his face. "Bobby owns a repair store, with a lot of cars."

"We'll try that then. What city in South Dakota?"

"Sioux Falls."

She dialed a number and held the phone close to her ear. "What's the name of the shop?"

Castiel's brows furrowed. "Singer Auto Self-Service."

With a nod, she spoke into the phone while Castiel stood by impatiently. He still didn't understand why this phone was so different, but if the woman asking for money could give them the number to Bobby's house, he could possibly talk to Sam or Dean.

Suddenly, the woman turned to him, holding out the phone with a smile. "It's ringing."

Having woken up from his long nap, Sam felt... decent. His pain was tolerable, and his fatigue manageable. His feet padded quietly on the wooden floors as he shuffled through Bobby's house. He found Dean asleep in a chair in the living room – exhausted from taking care of him, no doubt. Deciding to leave him be, Sam wandered into the kitchen in search of something to quench his parched throat. Just as he pulled the refrigerator door open, the ringing of a phone distracted him.

In the other room, Sam struggled to determine which of Bobby's many phones was the one ringing. Who would be calling them at this location? 'Dad?' Finally, he lifted it to his ear and cleared his throat.

"Hello?" he answered, voice still gruff from sleep.

For a brief moment, Castiel simply held the phone, blue eyes wide.

"Hello...?" Sam asked again.

"Sam."

The brunet's brows furrowed. "Who is this?"

"Castiel."

"Cas...!? You're alive?"

"Yes. Are you alright?"

"I've been better," Sam murmured, a small smile curving his lips.

"Is Dean there?"

Sam nodded, despite the fact that Castiel couldn't see him. "Yeah. Hold on a second, okay? I'll get him."

Placing the phone on the table beside the cradle, Sam returned to the living room and shook Dean's shoulder lightly. "Dean."

"Mmn... what?" he mumbled.

"Dean, Cas is on the phone."

Castiel waited beside the woman anxiously, tapping one foot, gripping the phone tight enough to make his knuckles turn white. And when he finally, finally heard that familiar voice on the other end of the line, tears gathered in his eyes. The woman stepped out of the vicinity, giving him some privacy.

"Cas, you there?"

"Yes."

Dean breathed a sigh of relief, making the line crackle. "Damn, it's good to hear you voice. Are you okay? Where are you?"

Castiel glanced around, his eyes catching on the phone book beneath the payphone. "Dayton. I'm in Dayton, Washington."

"Okay." Dean rubbed a hand over his face, still trying to shake the grogginess of sleep away. "Okay, that's not too far."

"Dean, he stole my grace." Dean heard his voice crack. He sounded so vulnerable, and more frightened than he'd ever heard Cas sound. "I fell. My wings are gone."

"It's gonna be okay, Cas," Dean murmured, trying to soothe the angel.

"Did you see the others?"

"Yeah, we saw 'em." Dean paused. "Listen, we can get there in less than a day. Is there a restaurant or something nearby?"

"Th-There is a diner."

"Good. Just go in there, okay? Ask for some water, it should be free. Stay there and we'll come get you tonight, okay?"

Castiel nodded, and then remembered that Dean couldn't see him and added a meek "Yes," into the phone.

"... I'm glad you're okay, Cas. Sam and I thought you were dead."

Castiel swallowed and wiped his cheek on his sleeve. "I'm glad you're alright as well."

"Yeah. I'm gonna hang up now. See you soon, Cas."

And with that, Castiel heard the click of the other line, then dead air.