The Angel of Solitude and Tears Chapter 2: Nightingale's Song, a supernatural fanfic

Title: The Angel of Solitude and Tears

Written By: Alexia Blackbriar

Summary:

Season 5 AU After Carthage. Because Cas was just too awesome to Fall and I felt like the writers were throwing away so much potential. A lot of things haven't been explained.

Castiel raised both hand to the Winchester's foreheads and gathered his Grace, shielding them at the same time and focusing on 1978 and on Mary and John Winchester and Anna. He took a deep breath to steady himself before touching the Winchesters and transporting them back into the Vortex. His Grace was practically torn from him, his energy waned dangerously and when they arrived in the era with a crash, Castiel collapsed against a car, trying to support himself and failing.

AN: Longer chapter. This is going into The Song Remains the Same. Plus, I might add, some characters are a little OOC.

In reply to wildanimelover's review, I know Dean and Sam trapping Cas in holy fire is a little extreme, but I wanted it to seem like quite an extreme situation. I mean, Castiel hiding that he is an archangel is pretty big and with his and Dean's 'profound bond' (I think we all know what that really means though), I think Dean would probably feel betrayed like he did in S8 Clip Show, when he kept on ignoring Cas and shouting at him.

I'm glad you all like it! Just watched Meta Fiction so have some major feels...

Hey, Cas. You said we could pray to you now we know you're, uh, up rank, but figured you still have your phone. Er, don't know whether you know how to listen to voicemails, but, er, just in case. Just had a visit from Anna. She wants to meet with us. It's nearly midnight, I sent you a text with the motel address. Think you could drop in?

Castiel had spread his wings and flown off immediately to the motel address before even considering the situation. When he landed, Dean was lying on the crap motel sofa and Sam was tapping away at his laptop.

"Anna?" he demanded almost instantly. "Where? Why? What did she say to you, Dean?"

"Whoa, calm down," Dean said, rising. "We haven't seen you in a few weeks; just, take it easy."

"Dean!" Castiel almost shouted. "What did Anna say to you?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "She said she escaped from Heaven Prison, whatever that is, and she needs help. She gave us an address: two-two-five Industrial -"

"I'll go there immediately," Cas announced, spreading his wings to fly off, but Dean caught his wrist.

"Wait, dude, just a minute, okay?"

Castiel stared at him expectantly. Sam looked up from his laptop screen. Dean ran a hand through his hair.

"Look, she - Anna said you handed her over. That true?"

Cas' expression changed from one of determination to anguish. "Dean -"

"Great, so it is true."

"I - I was under orders and I couldn't - I had to, after..." The Archangel cut off, closing his eyes and hanging his head defeatedly. "I told you I was punished for considering disobedience. I wanted to avoid going back - having that done to me... I never wanted that again. Handing Anna over was an order I couldn't ignore."

Dean stared for a moment then questioned, "When you say punished, do you mean... like, torture?"

Castiel grimaced. "That would be an apt description."

Dean blanched and looked like he was about to apologise, comment, but Castiel quickly interrupted him.

"I need to go and find Anna. Nobody escapes from Heaven's prisons. I know that first hand. If she is here on Earth, she'll be here to do their dirty work; possibly here to kidnap you both. I will confront her. I will return as soon as possible."

Dean looked slightly worried. "Dude, just be careful, okay?"

"I am an Archangel, Dean," Cas reminded him.

"Does she know that?" Dean asked, raising an eyebrow.

Cas hesitated. "Yes, but I -"

"There you go. She'll be prepared to fight you."

"Thank you for your concern, Dean. But I am more powerful than her. I should be safe," the angel assured them.

"Maybe we should come," Sam suggested, standing up with his arms crossed.

"Yeah, we're good in a fight. Three against one is better odds," Dean added, looking happier at the suggestion.

"No. Stay here." Castiel waited a moment before saying, "I will be back soon."

He met with Anna.

They spoke.

She threatened the Winchesters.

She wanted to kill Sam.

He wouldn't let her.

As soon as Cas entered the rooms and folded his wings, the Winchester brothers were on their feet, greeting him, checking him over for injuries. Dean seemed generally concerned, while Sam was amused at Dean's antics.

"Anna did not want to speak to you," Cas told them, his shoulders slumping. "She wanted to kill Sam."

"What?" Dean cried out, horrified. "Anna? Seriously?"

Cas shook his head, walking over to the table and summoning some chalk, beginning to draw a few Enochian symbols. He was going to track Anna. He began putting together the spell quickly. Sam was to be protected by him, and Anna would not touch him. Sam was sitting on the far bed, looking down at the floor while Dean was pacing back and forth.

"Really? Anna?" Dean repeated. "I don't believe it."

The angel sighed. "It's true."

"So she's gone all Glenn Close, huh?" Dean gave a dark chuckle. "That's awesome."

Castiel straightened up, confused. "Who's Glenn Close?"

Dean shook his head, walking over next to Sam, though he looked amused that Castiel didn't understand. "No one, just this psycho bitch who likes to boil rabbits."

Sam finally looked up, questioning in a flat tone, "So the plan to kill me, would it actually stop Satan?"

Dean turned back to his brother, horrified. "No, Sam, come on."

Sam glared at Dean to shut up before turning back to the angel. "Cas, what do you think? Does Anna have a point?"

Cas shot a glance at Dean, and saw the desperation in the older brother's face. He knew that technically, Anna did have a point. But Sam was his friend. And he was a selfish angel. He wanted Sam to live. So he gave Dean a glance of reassurance and said, "No. She's, uh, Glenn Close."

Looking down, Sam sighed. Relieved, Dean strode over to Cas and observed the angel preparing the spell. Cas continued to throw in myrrh and the tracking ingredients methodically, checking his knowledge once or twice and adding little pieces of scripture to the symbols.

"I don't get it," Dean said, confused. "We're looking for the chick that wants to gank Sam. Why poke the bear?"

Castiel shook his head. "Anna will keep trying. She won't give up until Sam is dead. So we kill her first."

He poured last ingredient, holy oil, into the bowl and began chanting the Enochian spell, focusing on Anna's Grace. The bowl burst into red flames as Cas reeled back as the knowledge of Anna's location plagued his mind, tumbling in like an out of control rock fall, knocking against his Grace painfully. He steadied himself on the chair, trying to keep his breathing under control. He could tell the Winchesters were looking at him worriedly, so he looked up at them.

"I've found her," he announced.

"Where is she?" Dean questioned.

"Not where," he corrected. "When. It's nineteen seventy-eight."

"What?" Sam stood up quickly at joined them at the table. "Why nineteen seventy-eight? I wasn't even born yet."

Oh god. Oh Father. Castiel realised in that split second, the horror overwhelming him. No. Anna couldn't really think - she was going to change history! "You won't be if she kills your parents."

Sam looked like he was about to be sick. "What?"

Castiel grimaced, turning around to face the brothers. "Anna can't get to you because of me. So she's going after them."

Dean stared at him before demanding, "Take us back right now." He sounded completely serious, and furious.

The Archangel raised an eyebrow. "And deliver you right to Anna? I should go alone."

Angry, Dean hissed, "They're our parents. Cas, we're going." It wasn't even a request. It was an order. Castiel would take them back.

Castiel shook his head. "It's not that easy." He strode a few steps away, head in hands as he tried to think.

Sam demanded, "Why not?"

Cas sighed. "Time travel is difficult even with the powers of Heaven at my disposal."

Sam looked surprised. "But you're an Archangel. The Son of God. You have enough mojo. Don't you?"

"Technically speaking, yes. But the further back I travel, the harder it gets. Nineteen seventy-eight is reasonably easy - but extremely noticeable. Lucifer and Michael would know our location in moments, unless I shielded us and used more of my Grace. I may not be cut off from Heaven, but I might as well be."

"So, what, you're like a Delorean without enough plutonium?"

Castiel growled, frustrated. "I don't understand that reference. But I'm telling you, taking this trip, with passengers no less, while shielding us from Michael and Lucifer -" Cas shook his head. "It'll weaken me."

Dean walked up to angel, deathly calm, before murmuring quietly, "They're our mom and dad. If we can save them, and not just from Anna... I mean if we can set things right, we have to try."

Cas sighed. "Dean. I understand. But you cannot change history."

"Why the hell not?" Dean shouted.

"Because it is extremely dangerous. If you change something in history, you change the future."

"So what, Marty McFly didn't get his kickers. We're still going back!"

"You know I don't understand that reference!" Castiel snarled at him. "And you can't make me do anything, Dean!"

Dean stepped back, wide eyed at the angel's sudden anger. The Archangel sighed and placed his head in his hands warily. He wanted to take the two of them back, but he knew that if he did, his Grace would be weakened. He might not be able to get all three of them back. The angel sighed and looked down, a motion he had copied from Dean, knowing it showed his frustration.

"I want to take you back," Castiel said slowly. "But if I did, I would only be able to do so much. I would not be able to use my Grace, at all. I would be useless."

"Man, your fighting skills are amazing, that's good enough for us," Sam objected.

Cas sighed, giving in. "Alright. But here -" He pulled out an angel blade and handed it to Sam, before pulling out another and giving it to Dean. "Take these."

"Dude, you need one," Dean frowned.

"I have my own," Cas replied. A blade slipped down his sleeved into his hand and he raised it. It was silver like the other blades, but slightly longer with a streak of gold in the hilt and Enochian engraved in the blade. "I cannot use it often as it is known to belong to the Son of God, but Anna already knows, so I see no harm in using it. Also, you should take holy oil and I should teach you some sigils."

"We know the angel banishing sigil," Dean interjected.

"Yes, and if you use it, I will be banished too," Cas reminded them. "Here." He handed them a piece of paper with two new sigils scribbled on it. "These will banish all angels except me, and ward other angels as well. You can use these generally."

"Thanks, Cas."

The Archangel began packing a duffel back for the boys, placing two ceramic jars of holy oil into it, the sigil guide and also their two angel blades, before zipping it up and turning around, taking a breath. He handed the back to Sam before taking a deep breath.

"Ready?" he questioned

Sam grimaced. "Not really."

"Bend your knees," Dean called out.

"Whoa, Cas!" Dean shouted, getting underneath him and supporting him, his face worried and concerned. "Hey, take it easy, take it easy. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," the angel replied, coughing. "That took a lot more Grace than I was expecting."

"You need a rest? We can wait," Sam said anxiously.

"No, it is fine," the angel answered, falling back onto his own feet and testing his weight. He could hold himself up. "We need to find Mary and John Winchester."

Sam still looked uneasy, but jogged off. "I'll search a phone book."

Cas coughed violently again and was shocked at the flash of blood on his hand that came from his mouth. He stared at it. Dean saw his gaze and grabbed his hand, checking it, and when he saw the blood, he swore and guided the Archangel to a bench. They sat there in silence for a while, waiting for Sam to return. Dean handed Cas a hanky when he started coughing again.

"Dude, look, when you say, 'it'll weaken me', you gotta just say, 'Dean, shut up, I'll end up nearly passing out and coughing up blood', okay?" Dean finally said, still worried. "You're like family to us, man."

"Thank you, Dean. I consider you family too." Cas looked around, before turning back. "If I landed like that, then Anna should be much worse. She is much less powerful than me. It will take her a while to gather enough Grace to get to your mother and father. Hopefully, that should buy us enough time."

Sam ran up then, holding a phone book page in his hands. "Found them. The Winchesters. Four-eight-five Robintree."

Dean nodded. "Let's go pop in on the folks. Cas?"

"I can fly you there," the Archangel answered, nodding. "You will not need to steal an automobile today."

"Good. I'm tired of hotwiring," Sam replied with a grin.

They arrived in front of a small house on a nice street, that had the Impala parked outside of it. The sun was already setting quickly, casting a tangerine hue over the tiles and paintwork, making the brothers smile. Dean and Sam looked impressed by the state of the lawn and the house. Sam quickly crossed the road and Dean and Cas followed. Sam started turning towards the door of the house, looking determined, but Dean caught his sleeve and held him back, pulling him aside to the street.

"Sam. Sam. Wait, wait, wait, wait."

"Dean, Anna could be here any second!" Sam hissed.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are we gonna march up there and tell 'em?"

"Uh, the truth," Sam answered.

"What, that their sons are back from the future to save them from an angel? Gone Terminator?" Dean scoffed, annoyed. He shook his head. "Come on. Those movies haven't even come out yet."

Castiel looked up at the house and suggested, "We could tell them that demons are after them."

Sam nodded, agreeing with the angel easily. "Yeah, I mean, she thinks you're a hunter, right?"

Dean snorted. "Yeah, a hunter who disappeared right when her dad died. She's gonna love me." Dean hesitated, thinking for a moment, then motioning for the two of them to follow him. "Just follow my lead."

The three of them strode up to the house and Dean knocked carefully on the door. When it was answered, a pretty woman with kind eyes and blonde hair stared at them in astonishment and then in anger. It was clear that she recognised Dean.

"Hi, Mary," Dean quipped.

Mary shook her head. "You can't be here."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry if this is a bad time."

"You don't understand," Mary hissed angrily. "I'm not—"

Mary stopped, looking at Sam strangely. The younger brother was gazing at his mother with wide eyes, unable to stop staring at her. Castiel nudged him, but it did not break his gaze. Then Mary looked at him, and Castiel stared back defiantly. The female Winchester finally turned back to Dean.

"I don't do that anymore," Mary whispered. "I have a normal life now. You have to go."

Mary moved to try and close the door, and Cas instantly shot his arm out and stopped her from slamming it shut. Mary glared at him, but the angel didn't waver. Dean shot him an appreciative look and Cas motioned to his mother.

"I'm sorry, but this is important, okay?" Dean told her.

There was a clearing of throats and the door swung open, revealing a young man standing beside Mary. Castiel instantly recognised him as John Winchester; his soul was the same. Mary glared at Dean before turning back to her husband.

"Sorry, sweetie, they're just..."

Dean flashed a massive smile. "Mary's cousins! Yeah, we couldn't stop through town without swinging by and saying 'hey', now, could we?" He held out a hand for John to shake, and when he did, he introduced himself, "Dean."

John squinted. "You look familiar."

Mary looked anxious and alarmed.

"Really?" Dean said, frowning fakely. "Yeah, you do, too, actually, you know? We must have met sometime." He gave another big fake smile, shaking his head in amusement. "Small towns, right? Got to love 'em."

"I'm John," John said.

John held out his hand to Sam and Sam stared at it for a moment, seeming to be in shock, and Cas stepped on his foot. Sam quickly took the hand and shook it enthusiastically.

"This is Sam," Dean said.

John nodded. "Sam. Uh, Mary's father was a Sam."

Dean smiled. "Uh, it's a—it's a family name."

John turned back to Sam. He still hadn't released John's hand, and was staring at him. He couldn't get over the fact that this was his father he was talking too.

"You okay, pal?" John questioned curiously. "You look a little spooked."

Sam finally dropped John's hand, startling. "Oh. Oh, yeah. Just a...long trip."

Dean nodded. "Yeah. Oh, this is Cas," he added, shouldering the angel, who nodded at Mary and John respectively. "He's, uh, our cousin too. Different side, but he's travelling with us and wanted to meet Mary."

"Cas, huh?" John asked, seeming to accept this much more easily. "Is that short for something?"

"Yes. It's Castiel," the Archangel replied. "It's an honour to meet you, John. I have heard a lot about you -"

Mary interrupted quickly. "Well, Sam, Dean and Castiel were just on their way out."

John blanched, turning to her. "What? They just got here." He wheeled back around to face their visitors. "Real happy to meet folks from Mary's side." He opened the door wider, smiling. "Please come on in for a beer."

Dean grinned, ignoring Mary's glower. "Twist my arm."

As soon as John left the three of them alone with Mary to answer the phone, after Sam had made some weird comments and the brothers had almost blown their cover, Mary stood and confronted them furiously.

"You have to leave. Now," she demanded.

Dean blinked and tried, "Okay, just listen—"

Mary interrupted in a rage. "No, you listen. Last time I saw you, a demon killed my parents!" She was whispering loudly, in a hiss. "Now you waltz in here like you're family? Whatever you want—no. Leave me alone."

Sam shook his head and then informed her seriously, "You and John are in danger."

Mary cautiously looked between the three of them. "What are you talking about?"

"Something's coming for you," Dean told her.

"Demon?" Mary asked worriedly.

Dean rubbed the back of his neck. "Not exactly."

Mary frantically questioned, "Well, what, then?"

"It's kind of hard to explain, okay?" Dean told her, trying to find his words. "It's—it's—"

"An angel," Castiel interrupted. "It's an angel of the Lord."

Mary laughed nervously. "What? There's no such thing."

"I assure you, we are real."

Mary stared for a moment. She opened her mouth and then closed it. "You can't be serious."

"Castiel's telling the truth," Sam said quickly. "He's an angel."

"Actually, an Archangel," Castiel corrected, turning to Sam.

"I don't -" Mary was shaking now. "Aren't angels the good guys?"

Dean grimaced. "I wish. But they're twice as strong as demons. And bigger dicks."

"Dean," Cas objected, sounding offended.

"'Cept you, Cas. You're awesome."

"Why would an angel want to kill us?" Mary whispered.

Dean shook his head. "It's a long story, and we'll tell you the whole thing, but right now, you've got to trust us, and we got to go." His eyes were shining emerald in the low light and he was upset, they could tell. "Look at my face and tell me if I'm lying to you."

Mary stared for a moment before agreeing quietly, "Okay. Where do we go?"

"Out of here," Sam answered. "We got to move now, though."

"Okay. But what do I tell John?"

"Just tell him—" Dean halted and looked around worriedly. "John?" There was no answer. He turned to the angel. "Cas?"

"I'll search the house." He flew off, checking each room and the hallway, finding a note and picking it up before flying back to the brothers and Mary. Mary looked shocked, but didn't say anything. "He's gone. I found this."

He handed them the note.

Back in 15 J

"Oh god," Mary said, close to crying. "Do you think -"

"Where would he have gone? Mary?" Dean demanded, taking her hands and forcing her to look at him.

"I - I don't know. Maybe Woodson's Garage? That's where he works -"

Dean turned to the angel. "Cas? Can you beam us there?"

The Archangel nodded. "Yes. Let's go."

He reached over and tapped Dean and Sam on the forehead, and Mary held Dean's hand. They flew in a split second to outside the garage. Dean dropped his duffel and pulled out the two angel blades, handing one to Sam and taking one himself. Cas let his own blade slip down into his hand. There was a large crash from inside the garage and the four of them rushed inside.

Anna was standing with her angel blade in hand, approaching a terrified John on the ground, defenceless.

"Anna!" Cas shouted.

The angel turned and stared at him in surprise, allowing Dean the split second to dart behind and pull John up. Anna attacked Cas and they clashed blades. Cas clenched his teeth and struck again, swiping out with his sword as the two celestial beings circled each other. Anna spread her wings and flew behind him, trying to lash out at his own wings, but the Archangel pulled back and struck her again, and she parried the blow.

"Losing your touch, Archangel?" Anna said, panting slightly as she circled around him again.

Dean crept up behind Anna with an angel blade and tried to stab her, but Anna whirled around and threw him through the window. Cas struck again, but Anna was ready and slipped past and made a shallow stab in his side. Cas reeled back defensively. Castiel saw out of the corner of his eyes Mary pick up Dean's dropped sword and approach Anna from behind, twirling the blade in her hand.

Anna turned back and parried Mary's blow, and for a few minutes they exchanged strikes and parries, Mary fighting like a professional, ducking and rolling. John was hiding in the corner, wide-eyed. As soon as it looked like Mary was detoriating, Castiel came forwards and took her place, striking and lashing out as the two angels fought and defended. He managed to stab Anna twice, and she winched and flinched and cried out, but didn't fall back or surrender.

Mary grabbed a crow bar and stabbed it into Anna's back.

Anna turned around as Cas pulled Mary behind him. She pulled the crowbar out, smirking.

"It's not that easy to kill an angel," she said.

"No."

Anna wheeled around and Sam was standing there next to a bloody angel sigil that would banish Anna but not Castiel. She blanched at the sight of it.

"But you can distract 'em," Sam shouted. He pressed his palm into the middle of the sigil and Anna vanished with a blast of white light and a scream.

Mary came out from behind Cas just as Dean stumbled in through the door, looking around murderously. Realised Sam had banished her, he deflated and took his blade from Mary. John finally approached out of his corner, wide-eyed, but the terror gone and now it was shock and anger and horror. Cas held his injured side tenderly. She hadn't completely struck his Grace, but it still ebbed slightly.

"Man, that sucked," Dean grimaced. "Everybody okay?"

"I think Cas got hit," Mary said.

"It's alright, merely a scratch," Castiel reassured Dean, as the hunter shot him an anxious look.

"Let me take a look," Sam pressed. When he saw the wound, he made a small distressed noise. "She stabbed you."

"Merely a scratch," Cas told him firmly.

John finally asked in a shaking voice, "What the hell was that?"

"That, my friend, was an angel," Dean replied, pursing his lips and crossing his arms.

"I - I don't -"

"Understand? Don't worry," Sam sighed. "You will soon."

"She - she said you were an Archangel," John said shakily, staring at Castiel.

"That would be true," Cas responded, allowing Sam to inspect his wound closer. "Though that is not common knowledge - Sam, please do not prod me."

"It's bleeding."

"It would do. It is a stab wound."

"We need to get out of here," Dean suddenly announced. "Anna could come back any time."

"I second that," Mary said quickly. "We can go to the Campbell house. That's protected."

"I will take us," Castiel announced, raising his hands.

"Whoa, dude, you just got stabbed. You ain't flying us there," Dean protested. He turned to John. "Can we take the Impala?"

John had a hardened look on his face. "Sure. But I am driving. And you are explaining. I want answers. And I want them now."

AN: Tried to accommodate to Cas being in the ep. I thought with him being an Archangel and all, the effects of the time travel wouldn't be as bad. Plus, this is where Hurt!Cas begins... oh I do love Cas!whump... just warning you.

Please review and tell me your ideas!

Plus, I need some suggestions for:

- Dark Side of the Moon (where the boys get killed by hunters, go Heaven, meet Joshua and find out God doesn't care)

- 99 Problems (the Whore of Babylon)

- Point of No Return (Dean gives up, the ep where Cas beats him up, and banishes himself when fighting the angels to try and save Adam from Zach the douchebag)

- Hammer of the Gods (Gabriel's ep, how Cas is gonna save him (HE WILL LIVE) and what'll happen after that)

PLEASE REVIEW AND THANK YOU FOR READING!