Thanks to those who have read, reviewed and alerted. Here's Chapter 4, enjoy! – candygal1

The Chosen - 4

"Hello Dean."

"Cas."

Dean stood stiffly, his arms across his chest as he looked intently at Cas, green eyes hard as they met unreadable blue eyes. After all this time he had actually decided to turn up to help them.

"So, six months Cas, after everything we went through you just disappear. You couldn't drop in on occasion say hi, grab a beer?" he said gruffly, his deep voice filled with emotion.

"I apologise Dean, I had not meant to stay away so long. Things are not well in Heaven, things are-" Castiel paused, his head tilting slightly as he considered his next words "difficult."

Stepping back slightly, Dean uncrossed his arms and looked closely at his friend for the first time since he appeared in the room; taking in the almost imperceptible lines of stress around his eyes he realised that he looked tired and knowing Cas "difficult" an understatement. Whatever Cas was going through in Heaven it was not good. Deciding to cut his friend some slack he stepped forward and pulled the Angel into a tight embrace. "Don't worry about it Cas. It's good to see you."

"Thank you Dean. It is good to see you also my friend." Cas replied as he returned the hug.

Realising that the moment was turning into a definite chick flick moment Dean stepped back and turned to look at Sam who was watching the exchange between him and the Angel with amusement, a hand resting lightly on Zara's arm; Zara on the other hand looked as freaked as hell well your world is just about to get a lot freakier sweetheart he thought.

"Zee, meet Castiel the Angel of the Lord."

Zara stood shocked for a moment, her eyes holding a hint of wariness as she took in the man in the long tan trench coat with messy black hair and intense serious eyes standing in front of her.

"An Angel?" She looked at Sam searching his face for signs that Dean was teasing her. At Sam's nod she turned again to look at Cas. Stealing herself and taking a deep breath she stepped forward hand outstretched. "Castiel, it's nice to meet you."

Cas looked at her for a second his vivid blue eyes seemingly searching into the very depths of her soul before taking her hand in his. "Zara you are the one that Dean has spoken of, the Chosen destined to bring Baliel back into this world?"

"Yes, but I'd really like to stop that from happening."

"Then I shall try to help" Castiel said earnestly. He let go of her hand gently then turned to Sam. "Sam it is good to see you also. You look undamaged by your time in the cage. Are you well?"

Sam glanced quickly at Zara who looked at him curiously at Cas's statement but said nothing. Rolling on the balls of his feet he stepped forward and shook Castiel's hand. "I'm good Cas, no lasting damage. "It's good to see you. Thanks for coming."

"Right, let's get this show on the road." Dean said as he moved to sit at the table; indicating that the others should also sit. Turning Sam's laptop toward Cas. "What can you tell us about the Prophecy is there anything that you can tell us that isn't in the books?"

Cas read the Prophecy quietly for a moment then looked at Zara asking "You are still pure?"

Sam and Dean turned their eyes simultaneously to the young woman whose face had flared an astonishing shade of red and was now staring at the table in complete mortification. Dean was the first to find his voice. "Cas man. that's a bit personal don't you think?"

"It is crucial to the effectiveness of the ritual Dean." Cas replied seriously, unaware that he had just made the three human occupants incredibly uncomfortable.

Shrugging Dean turned to Zara and asked "So, are you?"

Not looking up Zara simply nodded, her face still burning with embarrassment.

"So, you're a...but you're hot, how does that happen?" he pressed before turning to Sam with a wiggle of his eyebrows and saying "Well if it's that easy I'm sure Sam would happily step up and take one for the team"

"Dean, what the hell!" Sam said sharply as he looked with concern at Zara who had gone incredibly still.

"It's not as simple as that Dean don't you think I already know that it's essential that I'm a virgin for the ritual? Of course I know. I'm not a virgin through choice Dean. I just ...I just can't." Zara said quietly. She stood up and walked out of the motel room not looking at the others as she left.

"Dean dude, have you ever thought of engaging your brain before you open your mouth? That wasn't cool dude." Sam said angrily as he got up and pulled on his boots before following Zara out of the room.

Dean turned to Cas and with a grin which indicated his lack of remorse and said "Yeah Cas, not cool."

"It was not my intention to cause Zara any discomfort Dean. I am still unsure when it comes to human emotions."

"Oh, I'm sure Sam will make sure she's okay." He slapped a hand on his friend's shoulder, before adding with a laugh "It's so good to have you back."

"It is good to be back. I have missed you and Sam in my time away."

Dean looked thoughtful for a moment before saying "So Heaven, things aren't going good?"

"No Dean they are not."

xxOOxx

Sam walked out of the room and found Zara leaning against the Impala, her arms wrapped around herself as she stared into the distance and her eyes focused on an unknown point in the horizon.

"Zara" he said softly as he approached her slowly. He didn't want to intrude on what was clearly a private moment, but pressed on knowing that it wasn't really safe. "Hey, ignore Dean he can't help being an ass and Cas he doesn't really understand about human boundaries."

"It's fine Sam; it really was a reasonable question. I just wasn't expecting it that's all" she interrupted, her voice holding a hint of self-directed derision as she turned to look at him. "I'm fine really."

"Yeah I can tell." he said with a grin "Do you want to talk about it?"

A smile suddenly lit up her face, eyes sparkling with mischief. The transformation hitting Sam in the gut as the unhappiness left her face replaced with laughter.

"I can't believe I just spoke with an Angel and two of the hottest guys on the planet about being a virgin." She laughed. "So Sam how did you and Dean meet Castiel?"

"It's a very long story." Sam replied

"Yeah you said that before Sam. You know it looks like we're going to be spending some time together I think we've got time for a long story."

"Yeah, maybe." He replied quietly his eyes dropping to hold her gaze for a moment, before looking away.

"How about you and I make a deal. I tell you about my virgin status and you tell me how you came to know an Angel of the Lord?" she asked with a grin. "It's only fair after all you're going to know all my dark secrets so I should get to know some of yours."

Considering her question Sam realised that this would be easier for her if he shared a little with her. Sighing he said. "Okay" then moved to the front of the Impala and pulled his body on the bonnet before patting the space beside him and indicating that Zara should join him.

"Okay you first." He said after she settled into place, her hands lightly clenched in her lap.

Zara thought carefully, searching her memories. "When I was seventeen I was staying in a small town in West Virginia. My mother and I had been there for about two months; I was a senior at the local high school. I guess I wasn't your typical teenager, I was shy, had a shock of red hair, a mass of freckles and skin that would burn if I spent more than fifteen minutes in the sun without a factor a million sun block. I was the typical ugly duckling I didn't feel attractive at all. None of the boys ever paid any attention to the new girl and I was always the new girl. I would watch the blond-haired cheerleaders and the super handsome jocks and be envious of the life that they had."

"I find it difficult to believe that you were ever an ugly duckling Zara." Sam interrupted, watching as a flush rose over her cheeks and noticed for the first time the spattering of freckles across her nose which he found incredibly cute.

Nudging him gently with her elbow she said "I have evidence. Maybe I'll show you sometime." Then with a grimace and a laugh, "maybe not. I bet you were always the hot jock."

Sam grinned. "I was never the 'hot jock' Zara."

At her sceptical look he said. "Really."

"Right, I'll need to see evidence of that Sam. Anyway, to cut a long story short. There was this boy and he showed me more attention than anyone had ever shown me. We were inseparable and we fell in love, well as much in love as two seventeen year olds can be. We hadn't really gotten past some heavy make out sessions and we decided that we would ... we would take the next step in our relationship after prom. Cliché I know, but we thought it was terribly romantic."

Sam watched as Zara stopped talking suddenly her brow furrowed as she searched for the right words.

"We were, well you know," with a roll of her eyes "we were getting hot and heavy, further than we had gone before when I started to feel incredibly hot. The next thing I remember was waking up in hospital my body covered in second degree burns. I didn't know, my mother hadn't told me, didn't think it was necessary. The Order had cast a purity spell on me. Their way of ensuring that the ritual couldn't be stopped. Anyway I never saw the boy again and I've never tried again. I've looked for ways to break the spell but..."

"That's something we could look at for you. Cas or Bobby might know of a way to break the spell so that when this is all over you can have a relationship Zara. I promise we'll find a way to give you your life back Zara." he said softly.

"Thanks Sam. Okay your turn." she said her grey eyes lighting up as she grinned up at him. She still had an embarrassed flush on her face that made her glow slightly.

Sam found himself grinning back, the trust in her eyes making the words come easier. "Castiel gripped Dean tight and raised him from perdition."

"Pardon?"

"Dean was in Hell and Cas pulled him out."

"In Hell, I don't understand Sam, why would Dean be in Hell?" Her confusion clear.

"As I said it's a long story, but I died and Dean made a deal with a cross roads Demon to bring me back. A year later a Hell hound killed him and dragged to Hell. Cas pulled him out and they've been friends ever since." he said as he turned his gaze to Zara who was watching him intently with no hint of disbelief or disdain.

How do you live knowing that your brother had made such a big sacrifice for you? She thought, and then remembering the encounter back in the motel room between the Angel and Dean. "They seem a bit intense, are they you know... together?"

At Zara's question Sam stared at her an incredulous expression on his face, then burst out laughing.

"No they're not together, but you've got to ask Dean that question when you get a chance. I'd pay money to see his reaction to that one."

"They're not together? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. They just share a profound bond. We went through a lot together, well that's their story but no they're just friends." Sam confirmed watching as a million questions flitted across Zara's face and knew that she wasn't satisfied with that brief explanation.

He sat quietly for a moment considering his next words; he knew that if he told her everything that she would turn away from him in disgust or look at him with fear and keep her distance from him, maybe that was for the best. The longer he was around her the more he felt drawn to her and he didn't need the added complications of the feelings which he could feel burning inside him every time he caught and held her gaze. He needed to make her keep her distance, even now he was acutely aware that was pressed against him shoulder to thigh and could feel the heat of her body as it seeped through her clothes.

Taking a deep breath. "So, do you want to hear the rest of the story?"

"Yes please."

"Well it all started on the night of my sixth month birthday..." Sam began, not looking into her eyes as he conveyed the tale of his and Dean's life, of life on the road, of the battles with his dad and finally of Michael and Lucifer, leaving nothing out. He talked and talked and poured out every detail never looking at the woman beside him, not wanting to see her eyes turn from trust to disgust. He didn't know how long he spoke for but when he stopped he sat silently waiting for the woman beside him to turn away. He started slightly, his breathing laboured and heavy in his chest, as he felt Zara shift and turn towards him her hand reaching to take his.

"Oh my God Sam, how terrible for you both."

She squeezed his hand gently, her other hand reaching to turn his face to look at her, her gaze concerned. "Sam, look at me."

Sam turned his gaze and met the wide, open face of the woman in front of him; there was not even a hint of disgust on her face as she looked at him. Shame made him look away.

"How can you not be disgusted with me?"

"Why would I be Sam, none of it was your fault. Sure you and Dean may have made some questionable decisions. I mean deals with demons, demon blood, but in the end you did what you had to do to make sure that the world was safe. I can only hope that when the time comes I can do the same-" Zara replied. She smiled her lips trembling slightly as she leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before saying huskily, "and it gives me hope that maybe I can get through this in one piece and have a life at the end of it all. Thank you for sharing your story with me Sam."

Sam could feel his face heat slightly and his eyes sting at Zara's acceptance; sliding off of the bonnet of the car he reached out a hand. "Come on I need a shower and we need to get on the road. Besides I want to see Dean's face when you ask him about his relationship with Cas."

xxOOxx

Screams could be heard throughout the entire building; the Master was not pleased. The team sent to recover the Chosen had once again returned empty-handed. No one had wanted to tell him, but the task had been given to one of the lower ranking servants. His screams as the Master took out his displeasure on his body had echoed loudly through the building for hours; the Master making good on his promise to inflict unending torture if the team failed. Suddenly the screams stopped as the young man fell into unconsciousness; the prayer begging for death slipping from his lips.

"Father" a handsome young man of around twenty-five walked forward; crystal blue eyes unafraid as he stopped in front of the Master. He bowed his head in reverence before looking into the Masters black eyes "I have failed Father, she was gone when I arrived at the bar where she worked. No one could say where she had gone; I believe that she left with a customer that she met at the bar."

Closing his black eyes a flash of annoyance flashed across the Master's face.

"She has help?" He said. His voice deceptively calm, his rage simmering just below the surface. Turning sharply he made his way quickly to the altar; picking up an ancient cup he sent up a silent prayer to his Lord. Placing his finger in the chalice he swirled it lightly before whispering "Reveal."

He peered into the cup for a moment before roaring loudly. "NOOOOO!"

Throwing the cup against the wall he turned to his son and said "She is with the Winchesters."

TBC

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