Chapter 3: Lazarus Rising

"What did you do?!" Balthazar cried as Castiel placed his hands over his face in shame. "You became the guardian of…." Balthazar couldn't even finish the sentence. He threw his hands in the air in exasperation and sat alongside his best friend. "What are you going to do?"

"What else? Guard him. Protect him. Lead him the right way." Castiel answered quietly.

"He is a hunter. How are you supposed to protect someone who doesn't want to be protected? That's why his last angel quit on him."

"I can try."

Balthazar shook his head. "I'm more worried about the bond."

"The bond?"

"Yes, Cassie. The bond you just made with the human. The bond. You do know it goes both ways, right?"

"So, your concern is…"

"You'll get too close to him and won't see the mission anymore."

Castiel scoffed. "I'll be fine. When have I ever gone sideways?" Castiel looked at the sun. It's positioned told him it was almost time. "I have to go."

"Where are you going?"

"To make sure the human I'm supposed to guard makes it out of his grave alive."

"That is a sentence you never thought you would say."

Castiel smiled, spread his wings and left.

Castiel laughed at how he had left Dean's grave. The moment the bond was made it sent and explosion that killed trees around the area. If he had wanted to make himself present, this was the perfect sign. It was like a target, with Dean's grave in the middle. Castiel wouldn't be surprised of some demons lurked around to see what was going on. He hoped it wouldn't come to that but you never knew.

As he flew around the area he started thinking, how will Dean get back on the road? He had to get back, obviously. If he knew the character in the books well, he would want to go back to his brother.

A few miles from the grave was a convenience store. He would probably go there but how would he transport himself? The road was far. He just made a car appear, made sure it was old like Dean liked. Again, basing himself on the books. He could figure the rest out.

And, if they were bonded, if Dean was special like Castiel thought he was, he would be able to hear him. To listen. And Castiel looked forward to that.

A hand. A hand rose from the soil and Castiel smiled.

Dean reached the convenience store, just as Castiel thought. He drank water. Of course, since he hadn't had water when he was dead. Made sense. And he saw the mark Castiel had left.

He grabbed chocolate. That isn't….healthy, is it?

More water as he ate the chocolate and….a magazine? He opened it and Castiel looked over his shoulder. That was not a good magazine! And now he was stealing money?

Castiel decided to speak up at that very second. He was supposed to protect him! Lead him on the right path! "Leave that there!" He said but Dean didn't listen, so Castiel turned on the TV.

Dean turned it off.

"Leave the magazine and the money alone." Castiel repeated. Again, Dean did not listen. So Castiel turned on the radio to get his attention. "Listen! Can you hear me?!"

He started talking louder, but the louder he talked the more electronics turned on. "Dean! We need to talk! Listen!" Dean started placing salt on the door.

"Dean! You have to listen! I know you can!" Dean began putting his hands on his ears.

"Dean!" Castiel cried and the windows exploded.

"Dean!" Castiel cried again, now worried that he might have hurt him, but his second cry made another two windows explode. He stayed quiet.

Dean stood up and looked around. Maybe he couldn't hear him after all? Or maybe he was just too fresh from hell to hear him? Castiel decided to try later.

Dean took the car Castiel left for him and left. Castiel did the same thing and went back to heaven. Maybe he needed to start trying to get a vessel. Just in case Dean really wasn't able to hear him.

"Uriel wants to talk to you." Balthazar sing-song when he saw Castiel in the hall.

Castiel sighed. "Did they notice?"

"Your new gig as guardian angel? I think so."

Castiel shook his head while Balthazar chuckled teasingly and heard him sing his way down the knocked on Uriel's door and went inside.

"Castiel" Uriel said in feigned surprise. "Anything you want to say?"

"Who made it back?"

"There were deaths as was expected, yes. Poor Tabatha." Castiel closed his eyes. Tabatha had been relatively young. "What about you, though?"

"There was…an accident."

"I heard."

"It doesn't mean anything."

"I hope not, Castiel, because if it becomes something…"

"I'll be taken out of the case. I know."

"Glad we are clear on that." Uriel turned his back on Castiel. This conversation was over.

Castiel made his first contact with a man called Jimmy Novak. Just in case he needed a vessel. Just in case Dean couldn't hear him.

Time later, Castiel felt a pull. I invoke, conjure and command you appear onto me before this circle. Castiel tried not to go, but the pull was too strong. He landed over a circular table. Dean was there, along with two other men and a dark-haired woman who was pulling him forward. "Stop!" He said. "I'm Castiel! Leave me. You'll get hurt"

"Castiel?" The woman asked. "No. Sorry, Castiel, I don't scare easy."

"Castiel?" Dean asked.

"Its name. It's whispering to me, warning me to turn back."

"And you should listen." Castiel replied. And then she did the unthinkable. She commanded him to show his face. "No!" He cried. "Don't look at me!"

Castiel saw her spirit turn toward him. Her spirit had closed eyes.

One man asked if they should stop but the woman refused.

"Listen to him!" Castiel cried. And then she opened her eyes.

Castiel had tried to warn her. He tried. He never would hurt a human. Not a creation of the Lord. He would never do that. He felt a burden on his stomach. On his back. He felt really guilty for ruining that woman's life.

"She asked for it." Balthazar said trying to comfort him, his hand on Castiel's back.

"That doesn't mean she deserved it."

"Well, no. But if she doesn't follow directions…"

Castiel sighed. "The look on her face, though. I can't imagine how much it hurt."

"Why are you thinking of how humans hurt? That's what they do. They feel pain."

"But she didn't deserve…"

"And what human does deserve pain? They deserve truth."

Castiel tried to forget it. Tried to move on.

He talked to Jimmy Novak for the second time. Jimmy had a family. A small human in his care. Castiel felt bad for taking him. Maybe he didn't really need to?

He looked for Dean. Just to verify he really wouldn't hear him this way.

"Dean?" He muttered and all electronics turned on. He had to control himself. His desperation for Dean to listen. "Dean?"

Dean grabbed a gun.

"Can you hear me? Put the gun down! Dean!" Windows started breaking. "Dean!"

The man present in the circle came in and Castiel left. He circled around town for a bit. Saw a restaurant that reeked of Demons so he walked in just because. They screamed. And as he saw the eyes of the demons melt, he decided something.

He would have to use Jimmy. Dean wasn't as special as he'd thought. He didn't have the ability to hear him. For the first time in a hundred years, he would have to walk the Earth.

So Castiel went back to Jimmy and asked him. Jimmy accepted knowing fully well he would leave his wife, his daughter. He accepted.

And when his daughter asked him something, Castiel simply took Balthazar's advice. No one deserved pain. They deserved the truth. Jimmy had asked for it. Prayed for it. "I am not your father." Castiel replied and walked away.

Now Castiel debated how he would introduce himself. He had to make Dean trust him. Make Dean trust him and the rest of his friends would trust him.

He felt a pull.

It wasn't as strong as the woman's but a pull, never the less. Dean. He thought. He was summoning him. And he was thousands of miles away. He would have to fly.

He flew to an abandoned barn and, as he landed, the wind became stronger. He had forgotten how to get his wings to land smoothly during a vessel. And, last time he was on Earth, there were no bulbs. Now they were exploding everywhere as he walked in. He would have to learn how to control that, he noted.

He walked in slowly, looking at all the vigils and art they had drawn on the inside of the barn. Cute. He knew they were trying to catch him. But, of course, they had no idea what he was.

He saw Dean and the man shooting him. Poor Jimmy. Castiel reminded himself he had to heal him later.

Dean grabbed a knife. "Who are you?"

Castiel gulped and said, "I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."

Castiel was stabbed by a mad Dean and Castiel smiled. More work to repair the vessel now. He took the blade out and threw it on the ground, got rid of the man by making him sleep and told Dean they had to talk. Finally.