The night after the unpredicted meteor shower, people began to notice changes. There would be random groups of twenty, maybe thirty people together, all talking, walking down the road, even in the most unlikely of places. They'd be talking, whispering "Castiel, he didn't actually fall, though, he was already on Earth, wasn't he?","Metatron has Castiel's grace. There could be chance for angels yet to retrieve heaven.", "Castiel spoke often of Sam and Dean Winchester. I heard they still go to Bobby Singer's lot." or "We could most likely get to Singer's and talk to Castiel. Maybe he will have some idea to take back heaven."

They all began to flock to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. All on foot. Each group passing a message on to one another, so as they would follow.

Sam and Dean drove away in the Impala that night, Cas was only a few towns over. Though Cas had called for a lift, Dean was still worried about him. They arrived in the town by dawn, finding Cas sitting in a field. Dean honked, and smiled, waving for his friend to hop in. A look of relief washed over Castiel's face, seeing these two calmed him a bit. Driving back through the town, they couldn't help but notice the large groups of people, walking down the middle of the road. Dean honked, slightly annoyed of driving slowly behind them. They turned around, and grins spread across their faces.

"Fallen angels." Cas noted.

"Castiel! Sam! Dean!" They called out, Dean stopped the car and opened his door.

"Where are you all headed?"

"Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Bobby Singer's lot. We thought you three might be there." One spoke up. "A few of us still hold a little telepathy. It's the spreading message."

"Right..Follow us, I guess. Not enough room for everyone."

Sam had his attention turned to a school bus sitting, unattended. "Dean, get a few in the Impala, I got the rest. We need the transportation."

Dean nodded, Cas hopped the seat and sat up front, and four angels crowded the back seat. Sam loaded the rest into the bus and they left. Impala and bus full of fallen angels. Dean didn't stop, but the bus did, multiple times. The first group of twenty six, as four had gone in the Impala, took up random seats. Luckily the bus was large. Sam hit another group, about twelve there. Here and there he'd stop to let ten to thirty more on at a time. The bus could only take so many, though. They started piling three to a seat, with about thirty seats there, he filled them up quickly, having loaded ninety fallen angels. After all the seats were filled, they began sitting in the isle towards the back, to avoid being stepped on. He'd gotten the isle filled, right down to the last step. He arrived about forty minutes after Dean and Cas. They yard already held fifty odd people, and down the road it was clear more were coming.

Sam parked, and the ones he'd picked up stood, making a path for him to get off first, before they filed out into the yard.

"Where'd they come from?" Dean asked.

"Started showing up on the road. Figured I should pick them up as well." Sam answered, scanning the lot.

"Okay...we've got over a hundred fallen angels then." Dean sighed, and noted a nearby car. Jumping up, he stood on the roof and yelled "Right, Gather in! Come on!". He could see a few just a little bit out begin to run, so they could join in. All crowded close, as instructed, Sam and Cas had joined Dean on the car. "What are you all doing here?" He asked at last. He knew they'd come to this lot because they were told to, but why? He got over a hundred voices speaking out at once. He shook his head and Cas called out to one of them. The lot quieted down, and let her speak.

She looked up to him, smiling, as she answered his question. "Castiel, your grace is with Metatron. We know...Well, we think you can retrieve it. Defeat Metatron, and retrieve heaven as well. We came here because of you, and the two you seem attached to." One in the back spoke up next.

"You, Castiel, know more about humanity as it is than all of us combined, and we know someone is watching out for you, Sam, and Dean."

"We need time, and it may not be possible. We don't know how." Sam announced, Dean looked at him sideways, then shrugged it off. He looked down and could see disappointment shadowing on the faces below.

"I might be able to help." A small female with long, red, wavy hair stepped forward. She was wearing a blue sundress. All took a few steps away from her, making a path, and keeping their distance. No body showed any recognition towards her and they seemed to be slightly hostile when they saw Castiel, Sam, and Dean didn't know her either.

"Who are you?" Sam asked after a long silence.

"Lulaiza."

"Come here." His voice was calm, yet you could tell that was an order. He hopped down from the car- eyes following him and her. She met him halfway, and he could tell she wasn't fully comfortable. "What are you?"

"Keep the little human angels under control and I'll tell you."

Castiel had joined them, eying Lulaiza as Sam told the crowd that they weren't to touch her. But Cas didn't wait for her to tell him. "Lulaiza. The experiment of Lucifer, Lilith and Azazel. You were just a small rumor."

It was clear the onlookers were all on edge now. Lulaiza, looking down slightly, faced Castiel. He was expecting eyes to change or something to change, but nothing happened. Her eyes, a piercing blue, stared at him, but he could tell it wasn't a hard stare. It was soft and it made him think differently of her. Dean had pulled a gun from his waist and now aimed it at her, glaring. It confused him a little to see Castiel step directly in his line of fire. Cas, facing Dean, shook his head slightly. Dean lowered his weapon and hopped down.

"Relax." Lulaiza said. "Father does not want anything. Though I heard your angels had fallen."

"Why are you here?" Dean asked, harshly.

"I'm here to help. Honest." Sam watched, he didn't know how to react, it seemed. She hadn't taken her eyes of Cas. "Father has a soft spot for you, Castiel."

"Me?" He asked, quietly. It was dead silent. Nobody dared move or make any sound, all eyes were on the four.

"Yes. Of course. The younger brother." She smiled slightly, finally breaking her gaze. "You molotov'd Michael for the Winchesters. It showed your loyalty, Castiel. Not only that, but you rebelled, and you went further than father had." She was rather small, compared to Castiel. Something that amused Sam slightly. "He likes that. Where your loyalty lies and why it lies there. He just wants to help."

"How is Lucifer supposed to help Cas?" Dean asked, the harshness to his voiced had died a little, and looking around, he could still see the edge in the onlookers.

"Father and Uncle Michael have had plenty of time to talk. Michael wishes Metatron out of heaven, and father agrees. They want you Castiel, and as they put it, going with the amount of things they've overheard." She paused, laughing quietly to herself. "they want your boyfriend," She pointed slightly at Dean. "and the moose." She then nodded towards Sam, laughing a bit more. "To help you."

She tried to contain her laughter, but it didn't work well. She wasn't very mature, but then she was. The laughter was friendly, though, and it seemed that was all the onlookers needed to relax a little. Though it was obvious they still didn't now what to think. Michael, Lucifer, Lulaiza, Castiel, Sam, and Dean. Two humans, an angel in hell, a devil, an angel without his grace, and an experiment. Sam, Dean, and Castiel were welcomed names. Michael was as well, but with his time in hell, they were a bit unsure. And with the clear input of Lucifer and Lulaiza, it was very uncertain to many.

"So, your idea then?" Sam asked, breaking the silence after her laughter had ceased. She turned to him, looked to the side a little then to him once again.

"Summon Metatron. Get your grace back..." She seemed a little tense.

"There is either an and or a but here isn't there?" Dean asked. She nodded, biting her lip a little.

"Michael is needed." She said quietly.

"And bringing Michael, means we'll get Lucifer too." Sam added. Again, tension crossed the faces around them.

"He can," she paused, noticing Dean's look had hardened, and Castiel's look wasn't as friendly. "He can help."

"You're just the messenger though." Cas said, cocking his head slightly, trying to read her face. She nodded a little.

"Yes, but I wouldn't think to little. I did grow up with my father, Lilith and Azazel to guide me. Mostly father though. I am of all three."

"And you're also young."

"Twenty-five!" She said, defensively. Cas shook his head firmly.

"No, not twenty five." He sighed. "Lulaiza, you are a child. Messenger, fine. But why are you actually here?"

"I..I just want to be with my father again. And the angels should be in heaven." Her voice was soft.

"Why would you care about the angels?" he asked.

"Father doesn't like the arrangements. He wants to be with his brothers and sisters once more." Her confidence seemed to waiver. She kept glancing down, the harder the stares got.

"You are a very good actress, Lulaiza." She looked up, nervous. "You aren't as old as you wish to be. Fifteen."

"What?" She asked, softly.

"Maybe sixteen."

"Cas, what are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"Definitely not twenty five though. Dean, isn't it obvious. She's young. A teenager. Who seems to have been on her own for months, maybe close to a year." He turned back to Lulaiza. "You speak of wanting your father. A child's instinct. But, Lulaiza, you refer to Lucifer as your father, but can you face your family?" He gestured to those that stood around him. "Your aunts, and uncles?"

All eyes stared at Cas, nothing seemed to change about him. His stature remained the same, it seemed that there was only a loss of power. Either than that, it seemed time with the Winchesters hadn't been a bad thing. It had, in fact, prepared him for this moment. He was the leader they wanted. Lulaiza seemed even smaller now, and the gap between her and the others had shrunk greatly. She looked at the ground.

"Lulaiza." Cas started, his tone had changed from reprimanding, to calm and friendly. She looked up, her eyes meeting his. She didn't look as strong as she had when this started.

"Who do you think told them to come here?" She said quietly. Dean and Sam looked between each other.

"You sent them here?" Castiel asked, he was still being gentle. She nodded.

"You-you weren't afraid to stand up to your brothers for the sake of two humans. I thought you might listen. And then the angels fell, and I wanted to help. I started seeing them in large groups. I sent small messages to a few, telling them to thin out to at most thirty, and come here." She was speaking rather quickly. "And then father sent a few angels, basically carrying messages to me. Of what he and Michael want. They just want out. Michael wants heaven in order. And father wants back home."

"How do we know you aren't lying?" Dean asked.

"You don't." She glanced at him. "Dean, when your father was unable to be reached, all you wanted was to see him. You got small clues, but didn't get to talk to him. It's all I'm getting." She was tearing up, and Sam watched closely. "I just want him."

"She's a child Dean. Put the knife away." Sam ordered. Most hadn't noticed the knife that was in his hand, on his side.

"Why should we help her?" Dean asked, looking at his brother.

"Because she's telling the truth." Sam answered, looking at her. "I remember that look. I saw it so many times on your face when we were looking for dad." She had looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Thank you Sam." She whispered. There was still hesitation though. "Look, believe me or don't. We can still get heaven and Castiel's grace back. I'll help."

"Sounds like a plan." Sam said.

"Wait, what are Michael and Lucifer supposed to do anyways if we do drag them up here?" Dean asked. "They're angels. The angels have fallen."

"Father fell long ago, yet his power remains. He and Michael are still angels, technically. They hold power still."

The silence finally ceased to exist, as everyone began whispering back and forth. Michael was still an angel. There was hope yet. Castiel and Michael. Smiles popped up around them.

"Lulaiza-" Sam began.

"Call me Lu, or Lai." She interrupted.

"Lai, Come inside with me, we'll talk some more." Sam said, he turned to Dean and Cas. "We need to get this place together. We're going to need places for them to sleep. We're going to need food for them to eat."

A/N

Hello! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! There will be plenty more, I can assure. And yes, the title does have to do with the song Stairway to Heaven. :3 Anyways, I'll just leave this here! ~Lissa Joan