PROLOGUE
And on the sixth day God created man...
And on the day he created man, God gathered a select group of Angels to stand guard over the Earth, and Castiel was one of them.
Castiel was an old angel, not an arch-angel but one who could not remember anything before time had started. He had seen new angels come into existence, but could not remember any before him. Unsure of what his purpose was on Earth, all Castiel was told was to stand watch and one day he would be called to act and he would know it. He would stand guard over the Earth and wait... wait for a long time.
Wait for the day when he would meet Sam & Dean Winchester.
CURRENT DAY
Sam, Dean and Cas were in the Impala rolling west along historic Route 66. Dean drove of course with Sam sitting shotgun. Cas was in the back seat watching the world roll by.
"Where are we heading actually," Sam asked over the blaring radio.
"Well... I figured we would just chase the sun, maybe go back to Hotel California. God I love the Eagles," Dean responded.
In truth, it had been a slow few weeks for the brothers. A ghost popped up here and there, but no overtly violent spirits - just your standard salt and burn. Angel radio had been pretty quiet as well. Cas would tune in every once and a while to keep tabs on the angel power struggle that had began since the fall. He was happy to stay out of it, and glad to have his grace back. He actually thought that the time off would be good for Sam and Dean... They needed some time to just be brothers again.
The California desert roared passed them as they made their way through the Coachella valley, past Palm Springs, and into Los Angeles. They found their usual tragic motel in Hollywood and Sam thought that if Hotel California a metaphor for hell, we'll they were pretty close... Dean, of course, loved it. He felt like one of the 70's rockers he loved so much, those guys all had stories to tell and they wrote them in places like this. Cas nonchalantly sat on he bed and looked at the pizza delivery menu on the night stand - nothing really phased him.
"All right, first things first, food," Dean announced as he left the room leaving Sam and Cas behind. He returned about 25 minutes later carrying a few white sacks full of In N Out burgers.
"Seriously, you have to have one of these, they are heaven," Dean proclaimed from a half stuffed mouth, "and I have kissed an angel."
Sam thought it a bit gross how everything with Dean revolved around burgers and pie, but he was used to it now.
"The tag says it is animal style," Cas spoke in his usual monotonous voice, "is it safe?"
"Just eat," Dean protested, and they did.
After they had eaten and realized that they were, in fact, bored the guys made there way to a bar on Sunset. Dean said it was under the pretense to find a new case, but really he was hoping this would be more of a vacation. He had a blast the last time he was in LA and hoped to re-create it. They found an old rock n roll bar that was stuck in the seventies with great music blaring into the street.
They weren't surprised to find a few demons sitting at the bar, but they were more surprised to find an angel as the bartender. The bartender motioned to Cas, sensing that he was a heavenly host.
"This is a neutral zone, you hear me... You're new here. Don't start shit, and I won't have to finish it," the angel warned as he drew a beer from the tap.
Dean ordered for the three and promised that they would be chill.
"Who would of thought LA, the center of supernatural tolerance," Sam sarcastically mentioned.
He got a few glances for that comment... From both Angels and Demons. The place was full of tattoo'd rough necks, and your average afternoon drinkers. The floors were dirty, the counters sitcky, but everyone in there felt like they belonged... even if it was just for the moment.
"Hunters" a loud voice beckoned from a back booth, "I want a word," the voiced echoed from the shadows. Dean turned and looked... no one else was responding to the call. He looked at Sam who gave him a shrug that all but said 'why not'. Sam and Dean took their beers and made their way to where the voice was coming from. The voice belonged to a very strong, very large man dressed in all white. He was clearly an angel.
"I know who you two are... Why are you here?", the Angel questioned.
"Nothing, nothing," Sam quickly and a bit timidly replied. Dean smirked and took a sip.
"Would it be crazy to think that we are just here on vacation.." Dean rebuted.
"Winchester..." the angel snuffed. "Well a friend of mine has gone missing, an angel, a guardian angel. Now I would find her myself, but I am a warrior and still a loyal servant of heaven, not a free agent like your friend over there."
Cas had been listening in and turned to look at them when the warrior had mentioned him. The other angel motioned to him and so Cas reluctanly headed over to the booth.
"Free agent," Cas sounded annoyed, "I have been on earth since the beginning. We were not guardians, we are watchers," Cas interjected.
"Yes, to stand watch to wait for the one you are to guard," the warrior explained as Dean gave a sideways glance to Sam.
"You may be the last one left, if my friend is truly gone... She was an amazing protector."
"What was she protecting?" Sam questioned.
The warrior responded "what all guardians protect, something vital to God's divine plan."
"And now that is unprotected?" Dean questioned.
With a sigh the warrior responded, "yes, a very fearsome thought."
"Any idea who or what she was protecting?" Sam asked.
"All she would say was she knew truth."
A hint of recognition flashed is Cas's eyes, "what?"
"She knew truth" the warrior repeated himself, "it never changed."
"Well I guess we have a case," Sam happily announced as Dean looked worrisome at Castiel.
