Chapter Two: New Angel

Dean was scared. He was at a loss for words and actions. Benny was gripping this angel, Castiel, by the shoulders while the angel is bound and scared for his life. What did Benny expect Dean to do? Dean looked into Castiel's frightened eyes that was wet with tears. He didn't know if the job was worth this.

"Come on Dean, do something. Don't just stand there!" yelled Benny.

"Wh-What am I supposed to do exactly?" panicked Dean.

"Grab him by the other shoulder and we're taking him to check in."

He made it sound so professional. Let's just take the angel to the check in place...wherever that is. He made it sound like a motel, right? Except that this angel did not want to check in, obviously. Dean gave the frightened angel an apologetic look and followed Benny's orders. They led Castiel out of the truck as carefully as they could since Castiel's footsteps were slow due to chains around his feet.

Benny looked Castiel in the eye with every step, Dean assumed he was watching the angel expecting him to do something. Castiel did nothing. He was so frightened, so upset. He followed Benny and Dean reluctantly but obediently as a tear ran down his cheek. Dean wanted to punch himself. He hated letting people down and this is an obvious way of showing it. Castiel was so upset and Dean felt responsible, he wanted to help Castiel feel better in some way. Dean shook his head silently, there is no way in hell that's happening.

Benny and Dean walked Castiel out of the arriving building and next door to the check in building. The first room they walked into was a small lobby with a check in desk and chairs, it reminded Dean of a doctor's office.

Benny guided the two to a chair. "Stay here with him, I've got to fill out some stuff. You can take his gag off but if he starts making a scene put it back, alright?" Benny said to Dean.

Dean nodded. "Sure thing." He watched Benny walk up to the front desk and he turned to Castiel and gave him an apologetic smile as he slowly took the gag off. Castiel let out a deep breath. "Hey, my name's Dean as you've probably already figured out," he laughed pointing to his name tag, "and you're Castiel right?" he gave a gentle grin. He wasn't sure where this conversation was headed but he wanted the angel to talk to him, to feel safe after being treated this way.

Castiel nodded while avoiding eye contact.

"I'm sorry about all this. I really am, but it's not so bad you'll see. The guests are so nice." Dean tried to make Castiel feel better without lying too much.

Castiel just shook his head. Dean sighed with defeat. He wanted for Castiel to say something, attempting to talk to him was useless if he refused to respond with words.

"Can I—Can I call you Cas?"

Castiel gave Dean a disapproving look. "My name is Castiel. Please don't demean me anymore than I already will be."

Castiel finally spoke. He spoke in a deep and commanding voice. Dean jumped a little at the sound of it. "I—I'm sorry man. Overstepped there. I would never demean any angel, swear."

They both sat in silence for a few minutes. Dean gave up on talking to Castiel and resulted to twiddling his thumbs and singing a Metallica song in his head. Eventually, Castiel interrupted his thoughts.

"Please get me out of here."

Dean swallowed thickly. He looked over at Castiel who was looking him straight in the eye, he looked desperate. "I can't, I could lose my job. I wish angels didn't have to be in awful places like this."

Castiel looked downward again. "Tell me the truth." Dean quirked an eyebrow in suspicion. "About here," Castiel whispered. Dean took a breath but Benny returned.

Benny grabbed Castiel by the chin. "You behave yourself angel?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Your doctor is ready so let's take you back. Don't think about escaping." Benny grabbed Castiel by the right shoulder and Dean preceded with Castiel's left. Dean helped Castiel on the doctor's table while Benny took the only available seat. After no longer than five minutes of waiting, a woman in her late forties with medium length brown hair and a stern but nurturing face entered.

"Hello boys, I don't think I've had the pleasure to meet you yet," she gestured to Dean, "I'm Ellen. I look after the angels here."

"Dean Winchester," he extended his hand and shook hers. Dean was confused. Why do angels need a doctor? Can't they heal themselves?

"And you must be Castiel, huh?" she offered him a sweet smile but he just stared down at his feet. "Not one for chatter I suppose? Let's take these chains off huh? But I got to keep the collar on I'm sorry, procedure."

Castiel nodded in reply as Dean helped Ellen remove Castiel's chains. He rubbed his wrists together which were a bright red.

"Is something the matter?" Ellen asked Castiel, noticing his nervous look at Benny. "You can whisper to me if you like." He nodded and whispered something to her. "I'm sorry sweetheart, they have to be here during checkup."

"You got a problem angel?" Benny asked Castiel, realizing the angel was uncomfortable with his presence. Castiel immediately shook his head and Dean bit his lip, he couldn't stand for the way Castiel was getting treated by Benny but he would have a talk with him later.

Ellen removed Castiel's clothing and completed her full examination. She checked his wings which Castiel seemed uncomfortable during, his vitals, even ran some tests with his genitalia. Dean was confused why an angel's genitalia was important but Ellen told him that he wouldn't believe the condition some angels would be in upon arrival.

After Ellen cleaned up Castiel and he was given a matching pair of boxers for his wings, Dean and Benny led Castiel to next room, the "I.D. room". Castiel sat in a cushion chair that was leaning back slightly and looked around the small room, quite scared.

"Look Benny I don't think I can watch this," Dean admitted and Castiel shot him a worried look.

"Dean it's nothing. It lasts like two seconds. Your little friend will live."

"Benny what is your problem? Why are you being so cruel to him?"

"He's an angel, Dean. He's not anything special to me."

"Who cares? Treat him like a—"

"A human? No, I refuse to treat angels like humans. They're monsters." Castiel's horrified look on his face only grew.

"I can't—Can I just step outside the room?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Do you really think this will go well if you're not here? He already hates me, at least you could…put him at ease or something. Get it over with faster."

Dean sucked in his lips. He could not believe he was going to agree to watch this. "Okay fine. But if I stay you're not. He's already scared enough. Just… please?" Benny gave Dean a "are you kidding me?" look but shook his head and agreed anyway.

"Whatever. Come and get me when he's ready. I'll be in the lobby."

Dean let out a breath and pulled up a chair to sit beside Castiel. The room was small and dimly lit, this must have made Castiel uncomfortable. The angel kept looking around the room and back to his lap, fidgeting nervously.

"What's going to happen?" Castiel asked quietly.

Dean sighed. Well here goes nothing. "Um…well…this guy is gonna come in and it's only gonna take a few seconds but uh…he's gonna pierce your nipple and—"

"No! No! Please!" Castiel screamed. Dean put his hand over the angel's mouth.

"I'm sorry, I really am but every angel has to have it done. It will only hurt for a little bit I promise. I'll be right here. I won't leave you."

Castiel continued to shake his head and scream.

"Please quiet down or he'll come back here," Dean gritted his teeth. Castiel slowed his breathing and Dean removed his hand.

"No Dean please—"

"I'm sorry but there is nothing I can do about it. I wish this wasn't a requirement."

Castiel bit his lip nervously. "I don't know what this feels like I've never done anything like this before."

"It's normal to be nervous. I mean it's you're freaking nipple that's getting pierced. But as soon as it's over you'll realize it wasn't that big of a deal to worry about."

Castiel sighed and looked away from Dean. He almost had a hint of anger in his eyes. Dean wished this place wouldn't go through such cruel lengths for display of angels. He knew Castiel wasn't believing anything he was saying but it had to help.

Moments later a man in his late twenties entered. He had a T-shirt with cut off sleeves and a brown mullet. Dean eyed the man untrustworthily. This man gave off a certain vibe that didn't scream professional.

"Hey guys, the name's Ash. I've never seen you before," he pointed at Dean.

"Dean Winchester, my first day."

Ash nodded, "Ah, I see. Welcome to the party man. And who are you?" Ash looked at Castiel. Castiel was taken back too. He just looked up at Ash with a stunned expression on his face.

"His name is Castiel, he just had his check up and he's really nervous about this," Dean warned Ash.

"No problemo Castiel, almost every angel that has come through here is nervous about this. It's a very sensitive spot on the skin but no worries I've been doing piercings as long as I can remember. You have nothing to worry about."

This eased Castiel a bit but he still looked nervous and on edge. Ash pulled up a seat and gathered a few tools together. Castiel swallowed thickly and avoided eye contact with Ash. Ash instructed Castiel to lean back and began to clean his nipple and mark the spot he would pierce.

"Cover his mouth Dean," Ash said lowly.

Dean was curious as to why Castiel couldn't just express whatever pain he felt but obeyed Ash anyway. Dean's hand over Castiel's mouth surely didn't help him relax. It happened so quickly. The needle went through and it made Dean shift uncomfortably and he wanted to tear his eyes away. Castiel threw his head back and let out a little scream and his breathing sped up.

Ash carefully inserted the nipple ring and gave Castiel a pat on the leg and nodded at Dean to uncover Castiel's mouth. Castiel gritted his teeth and sat up in his seat, looking at his pierced nipple.

"It's going to be sore, alright? We won't be able to put the usual dangling ring with your I.D. just yet. We need to wait at least a week so it can heal. Try not to touch it and just let the watchers clean it for you, huh?" Ash said to Castiel.

Castiel silently nodded.

Ash handed Dean a bottle. "You're in charge of cleaning the piercing. Instruction's all right there. I trust you more than that gorilla."

"You mean Benny?"

"Yeah, he hates the angels. I think you'll take better care of them," Ash offered Dean a smile.

…

Dean, Benny, and Castiel rode back to the Seraph area in silence. Castiel hated Benny, Benny hated Castiel, and Benny and Dean weren't too fond of each other at the moment. Benny guided the two to the back area of the buildings where the angels are kept. Dean noticed that each habitat had a back door. He assumed this is where the angels went when the habitats are being cleaned.

"Stay here until tomorrow Castiel. Dean will be your personal watcher until you get used to the area. Your habitat won't be fully ready until tomorrow. Questions?" Benny coldly asked.

"The collar?" Castiel quietly asked.

"It stays on until you're in the enclosure. We can't afford for you to do any smiting or flying out of here." Castiel nodded as he eyed the dark room he would stay in until tomorrow morning. It was a dark and small room with cement walls and a cement floor, there was a wooden bench against the wall, a small window near the top of the wall, a very large wooden door which Dean assumed led to the enclosure, and a plaque nailed to the wall of the rules the angels must live by.

"I'm going to start cleaning habitats. Lock the door behind you okay Dean?"

Dean nodded. "Gotcha." Benny left and Dean couldn't help but hear a small sigh of relief come from Castiel. "Sorry about the collar."

"I believed so. It's very uncomfortable to stay on all night. Heavy too," Castiel sat on the wooden bench and made himself as comfortable as he could.

"So, uh…how does your nipple feel?" asked Dean, joining Castiel on the bench.

"Sore. Very sore."

"Does it hurt as bad as you thought?"

"Yes and no. It hurt a lot but not as long as I thought."

There was a small silence. Castiel looked at his feet as he moved them back and forth along the cement. Dean felt pity for the angel and wished that he wasn't seen as an enemy.

"Look man, I just want to make your time here as comfortable as possible. I know that might be hard because of what's happened so far and this dark room but at least you get me as your personal watcher. I'll make sure Benny doesn't do anything stupid." Dean gave Castiel a little smile.

"I… I appreciate that. I'm not sure what to think anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Humans. It seems they all hate me. So much pain and suffering."

"I don't hate you. I have no reason to. Are…are you in pain? Other than the obvious."

"I…I can't talk about it." Castiel's eyes seemed to hide behind a barrier, a wall to cover some immense pain he had endured.

"Okay, completely understand. A lot has happened and you got to figure some stuff out but I'll be here tomorrow morning and I'll let you in the enclosure first thing. I'm sorry you feel this way."

"Thank you Dean."

"No problem, I've got a few habitats to clean so I'll see you tomorrow?"

Castiel nodded, "See you soon."

…

To say that Dean had a rough day would be an understatement. First day on the job and he already had found a friend, a possibly enemy, witnessed all the pain that an angel had to endure on its first day, and find that the habitats are a more terrible place than he first believed. Dean was glad to be home.

He threw his shoes off and plopped on the couch Sam wasn't sitting on. Sam eyed Dean as he saw him practically try to shut himself off. He landed on the couch, turned his back toward Sam, and buried his head in the cushions.

"Rough day?" asked the younger brother.

"Rough day? Yeah, you could say that." Dean grumbled.

"I can't hear you.."

Dean sat up and faced Sam. "I had a terrible day. Not because I was mistreated but because I was taking part in the mistreating. On my first freaking day! The things they do to these angels they see as protocol and following business rules. I've never felt like more of an enemy in my life."

"What do you mean? What did you have to do?" Sam questioned him.

"I just—I don't want to talk about it right now. Maybe later," Dean grumbled.

"Well there's some heated up canned chili if you're interested." Sam gave Dean a little smile as he flipped through the television channels.

Dean practically leapt to the kitchen to eat some cheap dinner as he tried to get his mind off Castiel. This angel was innocent and already had endured so much pain. Those blur eyes of his should be filled with happiness and joy, but instead they are filled with pain, torment, and hate from the other watchers. It's not fair.

Dean's living situation isn't the best but he didn't feel right about laying on a bed in a comfortable, insulated apartment while Castiel and the other angels looked forward to a dark, cement room. Maybe angels don't need the same type of nourishment and care that humans do, but Dean is starting to believe that they do.

End of chapter 2! Thanks for reading and hope you are enjoying the story so far! Please drop a review and let me know what you think! In chapter three we will further explore Benny's hatred for angels as Dean becomes Castiel's primary watcher, and there will be a pretty big ending with the next chapter as well!