Summary: Something changed in Castiel when the Apocalypse ended. He lost his Grace for his first charge and only love, but he's somehow become someone who can break her heart as easily as breaking glass. Can they return to how they once were? Please R&R!

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters. I only own Mia Johnson. I don't own the lyrics to the songs used at the beginning and end of each chapter.

Even After All These Years

Chapter Two

"And through it all
She offers me protection,
A lotta love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong…"

The early morning sun filtered through the curtains and Castiel awoke to find himself still in Mia's arms. Had she really held him all night? Did she love him that much that she'd lay there in what seemed to be a very uncomfortable position and hold him that way? His thoughts were interrupted by Mia taking a sharp breath as she awoke, Castiel lifting himself from Mia's chest to check on her.

"Mia?" He asked, cupping her cheek gently and looking into her fearful eyes.

A small smile spread across her face when she saw Castiel and she relaxed.

"Morning, Castiel," She whispered, "Did you sleep well?"

Castiel smiled weakly and nodded in response, leaning forward and kissing Mia's lips sweetly.

"I did, thank you." He replied, "Your chest is most comfortable."

Mia let out a really girly giggle then and Castiel beamed at her.

"What?" He asked, Mia shaking her head and kissing his lips tenderly, sitting them up and lowering her pillows, laying back against them so she was flat on her back and pulling Castiel into a kiss.

The kiss deepened and Castiel cupped Mia's face tenderly, Mia's hands journeying down his bare upper half to rest on his hips, the right hand moving back up to hold the back of his head. Castiel leaned down and moved Mia's long hair to kiss her neck, Mia sighing in response.

"Baby, it's Monday…" she whispered, "I gotta go to work…"

Castiel sighed and pulled away.

"Oh…what do I do today?" Castiel asked, "I cannot…I…"

Then Mia realised that Castiel had no idea what to do in the human world, and God how ashamed he must've felt, going from someone as powerful as he was to being completely helpless.

"Cas…it's okay, I'll call in sick…" Mia replied, wincing at the tears in her angel's eyes, "It's alright."

She cupped his cheek and kissed his forehead, getting out of bed to call work.

When she returned to the bedroom, she heard sobs coming from inside and looked around the door to see Castiel laying face down with his head in the pillows, crying his eyes out. She didn't hesitate before moving to his side and rubbing his back soothingly, laying on her stomach and kissing his head, stroking his hair and whispering soft assurances into his ear. When his sobbing stopped he sniffled and turned his head, meeting Mia's green eyes with his own bloodshot, teary blue ones. He couldn't speak past the lump in his throat so he resorted to mouthing the words: 'I love you'.

"I love you too." Mia whispered, kissing Castiel's cheek and stroking it as she lay back down beside him, "I'm going to teach you how to do so many things, Cas. I promise I'll take care of you."

Mia headed out to the clothing stores that morning (being careful not to be seen by any work colleagues) after getting the sizes of Castiel's vessel's clothes and she bought him a decent wardrobe so he didn't have to wear that damn suit and trenchcoat all the time.

That afternoon, the couple sat on the couch, cuddled up together as they watched P.S. I Love You. This was a movie that Dean would've called "Chick-Flick" but Castiel didn't mind. The story was very moving and he felt Mia's body trembling next to him. He looked down to see tears in her eyes, some escaping them and falling down her cheeks.

"Mia?" He asked, "Mia, are you alright?"

Mia just turned her head and buried it in his shoulder, holding him tight and caressing his right cheek with her left hand, fingers stroking it gently.

"Don't ever leave me…" She whispered, "Not ever…"

Castiel held her close and kissed her temple, lifting up the remote and pausing the DVD. He did it right this time; that was an improvement.

"Mia, is this about your dream last night?" He asked, "I know it must've been bad because of the way you woke up…please tell me…"

Mia looked up into his eyes and he quoted something she'd said to him the night before.

"Do you want to talk about it, because that can help sometimes?" He asked, Mia smiling through her tears as she sighed against him.

"You were killed…" She whispered, the dream shocking him a little, "You were shot…and I had to cradle you as you died…"

Her fingers twisted in his light blue checkered shirt and she pressed closer to him.

"You won't leave me will you?" She asked, Castiel sighing and pressing a kiss to her forehead again.

"Never."

He'd been back for just over twenty-four hours and already he was causing Mia pain? This wasn't right, she shouldn't be hurting like this. He needed a drink…whiskey. That's what he needed. That was his favourite when he drank an entire liquor store and he'd had it a couple of times before, as well as beer. He was still getting used to strange feelings in his body, still getting used to holding a knife and fork properly as well as eating. This was so difficult, and he wondered why the angels kept his Grace when he worked so hard to protect Heaven and Earth from Hell's army. Humanity was miserable, he concluded, but his saving Grace and his light at the end of this damn horrible, dark tunnel was the woman in his arms, the girl who'd give up anything for anybody. She was gentle, honest, trustworthy, funny, sweet and loving, and anybody who knew her would tell you the same. As long as he had Mia, he'd be okay…right?

"I'll stand by you…
I'll stand by you,
I won't let nobody hurt you…
I'll stand by you…"

-TBC-