It had been a while since you had seen the boys, and they had seemed a little surprised to hear from you. "I've got something big after me, you guys." You'd told them. A stupid mistake on a hunt that had been fucking weird to begin with, and your life was definitely more in danger than usual. "Bigger than I know how to deal with on my own. I just need somebody to watch my ass while I do some research on how to take the sucker down. You guys know of anybody?"
They'd told you not to be ridiculous, that they owed you a favor anyway after the vampire nest you'd helped them with—saved their lives, really—last time you worked together, and gave you instructions to the bunker. You were there within 24 hours. You'd thanked them repeatedly for the help, but they brushed it off in a typical Winchester fashion. It felt good to be safe.
There was a knock on the door the next day, and you'd grabbed your gun at the unexpected sound. No one was expecting company. Dean looked through the peephole and then let in a scrawny kid who would have looked like a lost puppy if it weren't for the steely sort of calm in his eyes. He was in a Wiener Hut uniform, and was apparently named "Alfie," if his nametag were anything to go by.
You kept a very close eye on the stranger, but Sam and Dean didn't seem especially concerned, so you tried not to worry. "Alfie" smiled slightly. "Sam, Dean, [y/n]." He greeted each of you. You raised an eyebrow.
"How do you know my name?" You asked, the hand on your gun tensing slightly.
Dean intervened then, gesturing to the kid. "[y/n], this is Samandriel. He's an angel and, for the most part, a friend."
You eyed Samandriel, skeptical. You could believe in everything from vampires to werewolves to wendigo, even demons. But angels? Not in this life. Not after everything you'd seen, everything you'd been through. Even so, you decided not to say anything and just nodded, going back to your research. You needed to figure out what the hell was going on, and if the Winchesters really trusted this guy, who were you to second guess them?
The conversation was going on without you. "Need something, Samandriel?" Sam had asked, hands in his pockets.
He shook his head, glancing at you. "Not from you two. I've been assigned the task of protecting [y/n] for the time being. I'll be here until [they] leave."
You looked up from your research, a little incredulous. Confused and speechless, your hand lingered on the page you'd been reading. "You here about the growling eyes?" You finally managed to ask. That was what you were running from, after all. Glowing eyes in the middle of the night. You still remembered the heavy, guttural breathing and the feel of invisible claws raking through your flesh. How you'd managed to get away from the damn thing was more a story of luck than skill, and you'd been running ever since. Dean and Sam shared a look, seeming to be impressed that you'd gotten yourself in so deep that Heaven was sending angels to cover your ass.
Samandriel nodded solemnly. "There's nothing to do but wait it out, and I will be with you until it has given up the chase."
You shrugged and folded your book closed, still without a clue what interest Heaven could possibly have in keeping you safe. "Well then I guess research isn't going to do me much good, is it? I'm making a sandwich. Anyone else want one?"
Sam and Dean shook their heads and Samandriel just watched you blankly, which you took to mean 'no.' It was a matter of minutes before the bunker settled back into routine. Sam and Dean were off doing their own thing, and you were eating your sandwich at the table, Samandriel watching you from a few seats down. The silence between you lengthened, and you tried not to be too uncomfortable.
"Sorry for dragging you away from your other angelic duties." You said finally, once about half of your sandwich was gone.
Samandriel's brow crinkled slightly. "Sorry?" he repeated, and you immediately felt foolish. He seemed to be searching you then, his face both inquisitive and confused. "Why are you sorry?"
You bit your lip and looked down, determined not to make eye contact, backtracking immediately. "Nothing. Never mind."
He was still watching you, and you went back to your sandwich, deciding to aggressively pretend that he wasn't. "You don't know, do you?" He seemed to come to the realization all at once. You shrugged, not knowing what he was talking about and not eager to make a fool of yourself again.
He ducked his head to try and make eye contact, which you avoided. "You still believe those things they told you all those years ago." He sounded confused and a little hurt, letting out a little breath of disbelief. "[y/n], you are not a distraction or a burden. You never were." You looked up then, surprised, and he caught your eyes with his own. They were kind and warm and as blue as blue could be. When he spoke again, his tone was earnest and very serious, but quieter. "They were wrong about you. They could never see what we see, and that was a mistake that I will be the first to apologize for."
You swallowed hard and shook your head, not sure you believed what you were hearing, not wanting to dredge up the past. "It's fine." You said.
"It's not fine." Samandriel insisted. "My father is so proud of you. I am proud of you. It is no burden to protect you from something no human could have foreseen because you are important to Heaven, and to Earth as well. And this…thing…that has been awakened to hunt you will not succeed. I swear it."
You hesitated before nodding, wanting in that moment nothing more than to believe him. "Okay." You said, feeling a weight lift from you that you hadn't even known was there. "Uh. Thank you. Thanks a lot."
He smiled slightly at you, happy that he finally seemed to be getting through to you, and leaned back in his chair. "You're very welcome."