Supernatural and the characters of Supernatural are not my property, etc. Here's chapter 2.
P.S. I know that if Sam hadn't been alive, then Dean would never have gone back in time and made John choose the Impala, but I'm keeping it in because I like it. So there.
Castiel stood in a gas station parking lot, keeping watch for a demon. His long trench coat flapped in the wind. The rank smell of gasoline hung in the air. Castiel searched the people on the sidewalk with his vigilant eyes. None of them were demons.
"Castiel."
He turned and saw a sharply dressed woman holding a book and a clipboard. "Fate," he muttered. "What is it that you want?" He eyed her suspiciously, like an antelope watching a nearby lion.
"Something has been set off balance. A life that should not have been taken, was taken," said Fate. "I don't know the full extent of it, but I do know that it was Raphael who did it."
"Raphael? Why?"
Fate bit her lip. "This is going to be hard to explain in person," she said. She put forward the book, thrusting it into Castiel's hands. "Read, Castiel."
Castiel opened the book to where it was marked.
Sam Winchester, dead. Azazel & Raphael. Unintended.
"Sam…Winchester?" asked Castiel.
"Yes," replied Fate. "Now read how many lives are lost as a result."
Castiel browsed the long list. It was mostly people who had been killed by supernatural forces, like ghosts or wendigos, or shapeshifters, but then the list got stranger. It started telling who had not died, and Castiel found that once he got forward into the list it got very unnatural.
"Yuriel? And…Anna?" he asked. He frowned. "She would have died if this Sam Winchester had not been killed? And why does it say Sam Winchester was killed by both Raphael and Azazel? Are you trying to imply that the archangel Raphael would betray our cause?" He glared down at Fate. "Are you lying to me?"
"No," said Fate. "Let me show you what needs to happen."
Castiel drew his dagger and backed away from Fate. "Get away from me."
"Just let me show you, Castiel. I won't hurt you." She stepped forward and reached up, placing her hand on his forehead.
Castiel fell to the ground, his head splitting with the rush of images, of memories of what had really happened. Lilith, Lucifer, Michael, the apocalypse, Death and the other horsemen, Crowley, and…Raphael.
Castiel gasped as his memories fully returned to him. He staggered to his feet and said, "I need to find Raphael."
"No," said Fate. "You're not strong enough to stop him now. You need to alter things again, change it back to the way it was."
"But you…will become obsolete," said Castiel. "Why do you want this?"
"I am not a god," said Fate. "I merely make sure that what needs to happen does. I don't get to decide things for myself. I obey natural law along with my sisters." She sighed. "Look, Castiel, I wish I could leave things the way they are, but I'm not allowed to. I have to warn you so that you can change things back. Find Dean. Go back. Stop Raphael. And then wipe his memory of this whole incident afterwards, because the memory of living a lifetime without his brother will torture him. Especially since his father will be gone. Don't tell him that part, won't you, dear?"
"But…you yourself said I am not powerful enough to defeat Raphael." Castiel looked up into the sky. "How will I be able to stop him from killing Sam?"
"You'll have Dean with you," replied Fate. She smirked. "As much as I hate you guys, I have to say you make a really good team."
Castiel nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Atropos."
Fate sighed. "No problem." And then she was gone.
Castiel left his post. The demon he had been waiting for walked free.
Castiel arrived in a dark suburban neighborhood. He was standing beside the empty Impala. He leaned down and glanced inside. A dejected pizza box lay in the passenger seat. "So that's how you replaced Sam. With food," Castiel murmured. He stood at full height once more. "I should have known."
Castiel sensed that Dean was still inside the house. But not just Dean...a monster, as well.
"Hey, Castiel."
Castiel whirled round. "What, Crowley? Shouldn't you be watching a crossroads for potential victims?"
"You could say it was my day off," chuckled Crowley.
"Wait, do you…remember?" asked Castiel. It was the only possible explanation, really. The way Crowley just popped in to see him, the jovial manner in which he chatted him up.
"Ding ding, the angel gets it," confirmed Crowley. "Now listen, you're going to set things right again, aren't you?"
Castiel was about to say yes, but then he paused. A small bit of doubt gnawed at him. Was it worth it, to save Sam? He couldn't help but think of his garrison, of Anna, of all the problems he had caused. But then, he had his cause. To stop Raphael. The archangel was corrupt and had to be destroyed.
And then there was Crowley. He wouldn't need a demon to help him if he let Sam die. But Sam was Sam…
"Uh, Cas?" asked Crowley.
"Oh, yes," said Castiel, snapping out of his thought. "I'll save Sam Winchester. We still have a deal."
"Do we?" asked Crowley. "You seem awfully hesitant there, Cas. Is everything all right?"
"Yes," said Castiel. "Why wouldn't it be all right?" He stepped forward, glaring down at Crowley. "Do not question me, petty demon." A flash of lightning appeared, and Castiel let his wings show, huge dark shadows behind him. He drew his dagger. "Get thee behind me, demon."
"Quoting the Bible now, are we, Castiel?" asked Crowley, apparently unintimidated by Castiel's impressive show of force. The angel raised his hand, but then Crowley wasn't there.
"All right," said Crowley. Castiel turned and saw the demon once more. "I'm behind you," said Crowley. "It's what you wanted, isn't it? Yeah, why don't you calm down a bit, darling? Just consider your options, really. I have quite a posse that I can pursue you with. You've just got yourself, Dean Winchester, and John Winchester. Not to mention that Azazel, Alastair, all those bad boys are still alive, and as soon as you start messing with time, they're going to want to know why. In this world you don't have nearly as much power as you did. If you betray my deal, one of us will find you and kill you forever."
"Will you now?" asked Castiel. He smirked. "Leave. I've got business to take care of."
Crowley shrugged. "So be it then." The demon vanished.