She peeked cautiously around the corner, staring down the endless white hallway. She tried to keep her mind as clear and calm as possible. She knew one stray thought could be her undoing, for they were listening… always.

When the coast was clear, she slipped down the corridor toward the unseen door she knew was there. It was much further down the hall than she would have liked, but as long as she remained calm she could reach it.

Her footsteps seemed impossibly loud to her as she crept along, but there was no sign that she had been noticed or even missed. She resisted the urge to think of where her captors may be or to review her plan as she neared her destination.

After what felt like an eternity, and it could very well have been for all she knew, she reached the pearlescent white door marked "42". She gingerly grasped the handle, looked once more the way she had come, and pushed the handle downward. The door silently opened, and she stepped through.

"I'm just sayin', it could have been a lot worse," said Dean as he lined up his shot; 4-ball, corner pocket.

The dingy dive bar a few miles down the road from their bunker had become the Winchester boys' frequent hangout since things had become relatively quiet. Heaven and Hell appeared to be pretty much in order, and they weren't going to go poking that with a stick if they didn't have to.

Dean made his shot easily, being the pool shark that he was, and prepared for his next as Sam looked on, leaning against the wall behind the pool table.

"Exactly," said Sam. "Why wasn't it? Don't you think that last case was a little too easy? I mean, what vamp just hangs around waiting to lose his head?"

Dean looks up from the table and shrugs. "Don't know. Don't care."

"Sam's right. It's been… unusual lately." Castiel was sitting on a nearby barstool watching as the boys played. "I'm afraid all may not be as quiet as -"

Castiel abuptly cut off and got to his feet.

"Cass? What's up?" asked Sam.

"I'm… not sure." Castiel tilted his head with the look of a cat listening intently for something people can't hear. Whatever he was listening for, he heard it, and he quickly made for the exit. "We have to go. Now. I'll drive."

The Winchesters exchanged puzzled looks, but Cass was already gone. Dean downed the last of his beer, and they quickly grabbed their jackets. Castiel was already in the driver's seat of the gold Lincoln Continental when the boys climbed in. Dean in the front, Sam in the back.

"Cass, what's going on? Where are we going?" It was Dean who asked this time.

Castiel started the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot with a little more speed than he had intended, and the tires emitted a quick squeal of protest.

"I'm not sure, but I'll know when we're close." Castiel's eyes were staring dead ahead at a distant spot down the road.

"Ok, then why are we going, Cass? Sensed a disturbance in the Force, Obi-Wan?" Dean smiled at his own reference. There was a time when Castiel wouldn't have known what that meant, but thanks to Metatron, he had a pretty firm grasp on pop culture.

"Yes. Something isn't in Heaven that should be. Specifically, someone."

"There was a jailbreak?" asked Sam. "How do you know?"

"Because I can hear her thoughts. She's here on Earth, but that's not possible." said Castiel, flatly.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Great. Another rogue angel. Perfect."

"Not and angel," said Castiel. "An abstract."

The boys exchanged puzzled looks again.

"An abstract. Like an idea?" Sam asked, cautiously.

"More like a muse. Or a conscience. Abstracts are human souls that have never been born on Earth. They are each assigned an Earth-bound angel, and their main purpose is to keep the angel on task. To help them stay on their mission."

As Castiel explained, a small moment of sadness crossed his vessel's features.

"And so now one's loose? But it's human, right? So it's not dangerous," said Dean, stating this as the fact he hoped it was.

"No she's not a threat to us, but Heaven will be looking for her. We need to find her first."

"Why? She's Heaven's problem, not ours. So she beat the system. Good for her." Dean settled back in his seat, having made his point.

"It's not that simple. Human souls are not allowed to walk free in Heaven, and they are certainly not allowed to come to Earth if they are not to be born into it. Her being here could set off a chain of events that would be catastrophic to both Heaven and Earth. Probably Hell, too."

"So much for 'quiet'," said Dean as he closed his eyes.

She sat on the cool damp ground, quietly enjoying the sensation. She had never felt anything before, and it was all so strange and new and wonderful. And terrifying. She hadn't really thought her escape plan through very well, because she had no idea what she would encounter when she reached Earth. And now she was alone, and scared, and alive. At least, she thought she was alive. She really didn't understand the sensation of the rhythmic thumping in her chest that seemed a little too fast. The light from the late afternoon sun caused an intense discomfort for her if she looked up.

Is this pain? she thought. It was the first thought she had allowed herself to have since before she attempted her escape. It came more or less unbidden, but the thought happened just the same. The next thought she had was very intentional.

Castiel. Please find me.