Warnings: Spoilers for SPN Season 9.

A/N: I was talked into this. That, and I love the Buffy/Castiel pairing so much. So, yeah… with some help from Slinky-and-the-BloodyWands, this is the next story that follows "Den of Iniquity" and "Home of Humanity." Also using this to fill my hc-bingo square, forced to hurt somebody. Enjoy!

Sanctuary of the Heart

"Lead the dumb, disenfranchised, rebellious angels against me, Castiel. They will follow you. Do this, and I'll save you something special. A reward that, with that stolen grace inside you, you would never be able to achieve now," Metatron said from his seat atop the front of his desk.

Castiel pressed his back against his chair, trying to put as much distance between himself and the liar as possible. He had already had enough bad influences in his life. Metatron need not be another.

"My grace is fine," was Castiel's only reply.

"No, it's not. It's burning out. It's gonna burn you out. But, if you lead the angels against me, become the villain of my masterpiece, I'll send you to where you really want to go. To a place where angels don't exists and graces don't matter. I'll send you to where she lives."

Castiel tried his best to betray nothing. He swallowed, trying not to make it a hard one. He kept his face even, despite the chaos circling his mind. Metatron couldn't know about her. It wasn't possible. She was his secret, a secret that not even the Winchesters knew about. Metatron grinned at him.

"You're a hard sale. Tell you what… I'll let you test-drive your reward. Give you just a little taste of what you could have if you just play the part assigned to you."

He snapped his fingers, and Castiel blinked. When his eyes reopened, he was no longer in the Scribe's study. Instead, he was standing in the courtyard of a massive, gray-stone castle. And the only other occupant of the courtyard turned, and her green eyes widened. Blonde hair flying in a wave behind her as she moved, Buffy Summers ran right into Castiel's arms. He caught her willingly.

"Castiel! But… I thought—" the slayer sputtered.

"I'm sorry," was all Castiel could muster. "I'm sorry."

"For what? For not calling? For not writing? For not visiting my dreams again?"

Castiel was simply aghast now. "You… that was truly you?"

Buffy nodded. She took him by the hand, dragging him within the open doors of the castle. No words were exchanged, and joy and sorrow that battled within Castiel's heart threatened to consume him as Buffy finally opened the door of a very familiar bedroom. She slammed it behind the two of them, turning to press both her body and her lips to his.

"Wait!" he said, calling her to a stop. "Don't you want to know? How I came to be here?"

"Are you really here? Really, really?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Then you can explain in a bit."

They were out of their clothes in moments and tangled in the sheets. They covered every inch of each other's flesh with kisses that seemed to burn with a pleasant fire. He toppled Buffy, entering her in one fluid motion. They both gasped, staring into one another's eyes as they rose to ecstasy together. When they were relaxed from their wave of passion, Buffy—wrapped seductively in her sheet—turn to her side to stare at him.

"Okay, you were saying? On how you got here?"

Castiel's lips pursed, and he watched as her face fell into a frown. She fell back to stare at the ceiling of her room.

"How long do you have?" she asked.

"I don't know. Metatron sent me here."

"Meta-who?"

"He… he betrayed me. He caused the angels to fall. He stole my grace, and I stole one to replace it. He sent me here… 'test-driving' my reward, as he called it."

"Reward? So… he's giving you a gift?"

Her voice was so hopeful that Castiel felt his heart break. He turned his head to stare at her, and found her doing the same for him. He smiled sadly.

"You know how this goes, all too well."

"Strings attached, huh?"

"I can't accept. The price is too much to pay. I would be making the same mistake again. I'm sorry."

Buffy nodded, looking back to the ceiling. He thought he saw her eyes shining with tears. She forced a smile through them, nodding.

"Make the good decision, Castiel. I know you've got it in you. Make the right one."

A flash from nowhere blinded Castiel as he turned to stare at the slayer, and when it cleared he was back in Metatron's study, fully clothed as if nothing had happened. Metatron was still sitting on his desk, grinning at his fellow angel.

"So, whatcha think? I've gotta trade you here in just a little bit for Gadreel, but huh? Huh? Good stuff, am I right?"

Castiel's stomach was rock solid with a lava-fueled anger. He could access her? He could hurt her, should he not accept his ridiculous offer. That was the true statement of Metatron's "test drive." He was showing Castiel that he had the advantage, had access to everything and everyone that the angel cared about. He might as well be holding a neon sign that read, "Join me or everyone dies horribly."

Castiel knew what he had to do. And if Metatron misinterpreted it to fit his needs to begin with, then so be it.

Lips pursed, Castiel muttered, "Do the trade."

Later the next day, after the trade was complete, and the Winchesters were gone from Castiel's motel, he drew the Horn of Gabriel on the wall. After activating the sigil, he opened the door to find a mass number of his brothers and sisters waiting to follow his every word. Metratron would have his wish, for now. Only because he didn't know. He could never understand what Castiel had planned.

Metatron was the true villain of the piece, and all would be revealed. He would do just as Buffy suggested. He would make the right choice.

No matter what wonderful sanctuary it cost him.

End Notes: Yes, I looked up a transcript so I could quote/paraphrase Metatron's dialogue from "Meta Fiction" as I needed. Thanks to whoever took the time to transcribe that epi!