A/Ns: First of all, sorry it's so late. I lost track of the days and had no clue I was so behind. My work schedule is still kind of funky, so updates will be a little behind for a while until I can get caught up.

I forgot to point out the importance of the smells. Apple blossoms are supposed to signify preference whereas apples themselves signify temptation. Lilacs have a variety of symbolism. Field lilacs are supposed to symbolize humility, purple lilacs symbolize first feelings of love, and white lilacs symbolize purity, innocence, and majesty. In this case, it's more likely apple blossoms and white lilacs, but the meanings will vary from chapter to chapter. In this AU, each faerie has their own unique combination of scents they produce so Cas' will always be a combination of apples and lilacs, but the strength and type will vary depending on his moods.

As much fun as I have had writing this so far, I haven't been getting much response on this fic on or AO3, so I'm going to put this on the backburner for a bit after this chapter. Since I'm writing this mostly for myself, I'm going to kick up the rating for future stuff because I can.

Chapter Four: In Which the Truth Comes Out
OR
Sam Learns About a Bunch of Stuff He Wishes He Didn't Bother to Ask About

Sam huffs an amused laugh when he first walks through the motel door. The sound gets Dean's attention and has the older hunter looking into the room to figure out what Sam is laughing at. He was hoping it was something that would make him laugh also, but instead finds embarrassment washing over him.

During the short time they were gone, Castiel has made some kind of nest or fort from Dean's varying laundry and the spare blankets and towels. Dean can't see much of the faerie, but he can make out one of the faerie's wings sticking out and resting over part of the huge mound of clothes and fabric. Part of him wants to wake Castiel up so he can yell at him for making such a mess, not to mention how it's not considered normal to make a bed out of someone else's belongings, but the other part wants to leave him alone for reasons he will never admit to.

Sam takes a seat on the empty bed and begins digging into his salad as he kicks off his shoes and stretches his legs out on the mattress. Dean sends his brother a glare when he sees that Sam hasn't left any room for Dean to sit down, leaving Dean to sit at the small table by the window.

Dean sets the small, paper bag of food down on the table and starts rummaging through the contents and pulls out a cheeseburger. He's about to take a bite when the sleeping body on his bed stirs and sniffs the air curiously. A mess of dark, brown hair appears from behind the large mound of fabric and turns to stare at where the savory scent is coming from. Dean watches with an eyebrow raised and trying to keep a smirk from playing on his face.

The faerie's eyes open slowly and focus on where Dean is, or rather the food that sits in his hands. Dean pauses from taking the first bite and wonders why he suddenly smells apples instead of his burger and looks around the room hoping to catch a glimpse at what might be causing the new, stronger scent. Bright, almost glowing, blue eyes train on Dean as the older hunter's are searching around the room and Castiel takes the opportunity to fling himself out of the bed and towards Dean.

Dean jerks and stares wide eyed at what now appears to be half naked faerie charging at him, in time to catch sight of Castiel snatching his food from his hands and disappear under the bed. He blinks a few times and his mouth opens and closes a few times as if to say something, but ends up keeping it shut and looking from side to side confused. Sam looks at Dean and laughs before returning to his salad.

It takes a few moments for Dean to finally shake the initial shock, and he shakes his head before reaching into the fast food bag to pull out another burger. He's about to take a bit, but he's interrupted again this time by soft, muffled moans from under the bed. Both hunters do their best to ignore the sounds, but when it continues Dean finally gets fed up and sets his cheeseburger down and squats down by the bed the faerie dived under. When he lifts the edge of the bed's comforter, he's staring at Castiel blissfully munching away at the burger he ripped out of Dean's hands.

"Cas," and Dean doesn't even know how he's going to explain this to a faerie who clearly doesn't know any better, "Cas you can't… you can't make those sounds." He glances up at Sam looking for some kind of help, but Sam is completely focused on his salad and avoiding Dean's eyes. Dean sighs and returns to the faerie who's nearly finished with the cheeseburger. "Okay, man. You can't eat under the freakin' bed. At least come out of there."

Castiel stuffs the remainder of the food in his mouth and crawls out from under the bed.

"How the fuck did you even fit under there?" The faerie is lean, but he's not that much smaller than Dean and is about the same height. Not only that but he does have those two fucking huge wings too. Dean's trying not to let his eyes wander too much, and looks away as he leads the faerie over to sit at the table. "And what the hell happened to your clothes?"

Castiel doesn't answer; instead he catches sight of Dean's other uneaten burger and immediately starts digging into the greasy meal.

"Are you kidding me? Did they not feed you or something?" Dean throws up his arms with a frown. He sends Sam a hard glare when he hears his younger brother snickering. "You know what, Samantha. If you're just going to sit there and laugh, you can go and get some me some more burgers.

That gets Sam's attention, "What? Why should I go?"

"Unless you want to stay here with our plus one." Dean smirks. Either way he's going to win. Sam will have to go out and get him more food, and therefore help Dean. Or he can stay with the faerie and put up with this nonsense and finally giving Dean some time alone.

Sam throws Dean one of his best bitch faces and gets up from the bed and grabs his coat on the way to the door. Before the door slams shut, Dean manages out a snarky, "Thanks Sammy!"

Dean's smile fades when he smells the faint apple scent from before, except it's different this time and smells more floral and now there's a small trace of lilacs again too. "What is that smell?"

The faerie stiffens a bit, but doesn't say anything and continues eating the remainder of Dean's burger. It doesn't get past Dean though, and the hunter's brow furrow and focuses completely on Castiel. "Is that you?"

Castiel looks up hesitantly at Dean, and then off to the side as he slowly chews the bite of food he'd just taken.

Dean narrows his eyes, "Cas?"

After he gulps the food down, Castiel looks at Dean again. "Yes."

"Okay… want to tell me why you smell like Bath and Body Works?"

The embarrassment on Castiel's face disappears and is replaced by confusion, "I don't know what that is."

Dean rolls his eyes and his voice carries a slight edge of annoyance, "You smell like fruit and flowers, man."

Castiel's eyes widen a fraction and the faerie sits taller in the chair, "You shouldn't be able to smell that."

"Well, I'm telling you I do, so what the hell does that mean?" Dean's about five seconds from snapping, and if he doesn't get some answers soon he's probably going to do or say something he'll regret later.

"It is not of import."

When Castiel doesn't say anything else, Dean rubs a hand over his face. "You know what? Fine. Can you at least tell me why you're in your underwear, or whatever the hell that thing is?" Dean gestures in the direction of the small white cloth barely concealing much of anything.

"You sleep in your clothes?" Castiel looks baffled." Isn't that uncomfortable, and what do you sleep on?"

"Well, we have separate clothes for sleeping in, and we sleep under the blankets." Dean mutters in a manner that says it should be obvious.

"Your nests are very strange. At first, they looked hard and unpleasant." Castiel gets up from his seat and walks to the side of the bed and bends over to press down on the mattress. "But surprisingly they are even more comfortable than anything I have slept in before." His wings shift and Dean's eyes follow the movement, which is a mistake because it causes his eyes to travel from where the faerie's back where the feathers meet the skin down to-

"Alright." Dean breaks his eyes away and claps his hands together. "That's enough for now. How about you get dressed so we can get going when Sammy comes back?"

Castiel's head tilts in curiosity, "Where are we going?"

"No offense, dude." Dean distracts himself by packing up his bag, "But just because we're keeping an eye on you doesn't mean we're going to stop hunting. We've got a job to do."

Castiel nods, "Can I be of any assistance?"

Dean looks up from his bag, and he immediately regrets it when he sees that the faerie hasn't bothered to make any effort to get dressed yet and he looks back down at his bag. "You really want to help? You sure this isn't some prank you're playing because I'm not in the mood especially when our lives are on the line."

The faerie looks at Dean pointedly, "Unlike my brothers, I do not participate in pranks. However, my brothers Uriel and Gabriel are actually quite good at it. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I do want to help if I can."

"Yeah, sure pal." The remark leaves Dean's mouth on its own, but when it does he realizes that he does have more reason to trust Castiel than the others. All the other Fae treated him as an inferior, but Castiel chose to help him without a second thought. Castiel may have his own reasons for that, but as much as Dean hates it, he owes the guy and the least he can do is give him a chance. Disappointment clouds over Castiel's face, and either this guy really good at acting, or he really means it. "Alright, alright. You can help."

Dean points at Castiel with a serious look when Castiel's wings perks up slightly, "But you're going to stay in sight at all times, you hear me? I don't trust you enough not to know where you are all the time."

"Of course, Dean." He's not sure if his eyes are playing tricks on him, or if it's the faerie himself, but Dean thinks he can almost see a smile on Castiel's lips at the response.

It's not long before Sam returns with more food and Dean's not only thankful because his stomach was starting to eat itself away, but because he brought more food for Castiel. Castiel smells the air and immediately snatches the bag from Sam's hand who stares wide-eyed at the faerie as Castiel retreats to the nest he made on Dean's bed.

"Hey, feathers!" Dean rips the bag from Castiel's hands, "Leave something for me."

Castiel's expression doesn't change, but his wings droop a little. "I apologize. I've just never had anything quite like that before." He perks up a little when Dean hands him one of the cheeseburgers, and he wastes no time unwrapping the burger and taking a bite. "These make me very happy."

Small laughs come from both brothers and Dean finally takes a bite of his first burger moaning at the taste.

"I thought you weren't supposed to make those sounds." Castiel is staring at Dean completely bewildered.

"Yeah, Dean." Sam smiles and crosses his arms. "You're not setting a good example for Castiel."

Sam, the bitch that he is, is already back to giving Dean shit and Dean doesn't like it one bit. He's going to give Sam so much trouble later. Right now he's even tempted to ask Castiel for help, even though he knows better and most likely won't later. The younger brother, on the other hand, thinks he's hilarious and starts laughing at his own joke.

"Shut up." Dean mumbles and he's feeling far too tired and hungry to bother with what he would consider a brilliant retort.

"You okay, Dean?" The amusement vanishes and morphs into concern when Sam notices how worn out his brother looks.

Dean rubs his eyes in between mouthfuls of food, "Yeah."

Sam doesn't buy it at all. He's seen his brother like this before and he's not about to let him go on a hunt after the last time this happened. "Dean…"

"Sam," Dean holds up a hand to stop his brother from saying what he knows he's going to. "Don't okay?"

"No, I need to say it. You look like you're going to pass out. You need to get some sleep or it's going to be like that witch hunt back in Sturbridge. I can handle this."

"Sam."

"I can handle this. The werewolf problem has been already taken care of, now there's just the ghost problem." Sam makes it sound simple, though the case has had both of them worried when they found out the killings were two different cases in the same town.

It was smart for the werewolf though. It made its kills look much like the ghost had and originally made the hunters think it was all the work of the vengeful spirit. Unfortunately for the werewolf, it slipped up and started killing well outside the ghosts boundaries. The other part that worried them was the fact the werewolf was aware of exactly what it was doing in its monster-like state instead of just killing whatever was nearby. Something was really off about the werewolf, and there's no telling if their 'simple salt and burn' will turn out just as bad.

Sam ponders a second and then turns to the faerie who looks like he's about to drift off again. "Hey, can I ask you something?" The question is enough to keep Castiel from falling asleep and he looks up at Sam. "Do you know anything about werewolves?"

The faerie looks at Dean who is also curious about the answer, and although he doesn't show it Castiel is finally glad to be of some help. "I know a fair amount. Their kind and ours share the same realms in both life and death. When we're not sharing the world with your kind, we share both Avalon and Purgatory. Generally we avoid each other. The werewolves tend to be a bit aggressive in their wolf-life state."

"That's putting it lightly," Dean scoffs but Sam waves in his direction almost angrily.

This is far more than any amount of research Sam has gotten and he wants to get as much as possible before the faerie decides to change his mind on helping them. Like Dean, he still doesn't trust him, but so far there's nothing said that would give any reason to lie.

"When in their human state, they're even less likely to approach us. I can only assume it has something to do with the way your kind usually deals with ours, but even so, I still know a few things. Is there something in particular or could you be more specific?" Castiel probably shouldn't tell them anything, considering they are hunters, but no one has ever said that he shouldn't and if he can help them any way to gain their trust he's more than willing to assist them in any way he can.

Dean's mouth opens and when he looks at Sam it clicks shut. Sam's clearly about to go into his geek out mode. Dean can see the mind numbingly long list of questions flying around in that large head of his. The thought alone makes Dean laugh at his own joke and looks away when Sam sends him a questioning look. He then takes the opportunity to get up and walk over to Sam's bed and lie down after kicking off his boots.

Ignoring his brother, who is probably thinking of some stupid joke or insulting him in his head like he knows Dean does, Sam turns back to focus on the supernatural encyclopedia in front of him and takes the chair Dean evacuated. "So, like I want to ask about Avalon and Purgatory, but can we come back to that in a bit?" When Castiel nods, Sam continues. "We've been tracking this werewolf for a while and it's part of the reason Dean ended up in Avalon?"

"You're unsure?" Castiel isn't quite following what Sam is trying to ask him and it must show on his face.

"Well, no. I mean I don't know if that's where Dean ended up."

"Yes. That is where Dean found me, but what you're saying is that the werewolf led Dean to a portal knowingly?" Castiel can already tell why they're confused, and if he's honest it is very strange.

"Well, that's what it seemed like to me anyway." Sam looks over at Dean who's crawling under the bed covers, "Dean?"

Dean pauses. He's surprised he didn't mention it himself and Sam only saw the dead werewolf and Dean standing in the middle of the faerie rath. Sure he was more preoccupied with the whole being abducted by faeries and elves, but a cognizant werewolf was beyond weird. Then there's the whole plotting around the ghost thing. That was the biggest clue though, the werewolf was plotting. He's more awake than he was a few minutes ago, and now he really wants to know the answer. Dean looks between Castiel and his brother a few times before his eyes settle on the faerie. "Yeah, fucking Kujo led me right to it and laughed in my face."

"This werewolf… Kujo, laughed at you?" Castiel seems as amazed that the creature not only laughed at Dean, but that Dean was able to learn its name in its feral state.

"No, I mean. Yeah, it laughed at me." Dean rolls over on his side away from the other two and mumbles, "I'm too tired for this shit right now."

Sam on the other hand scoots his chair closer to the bed Castiel is perched on, "So, what do you know of werewolves having any semblance of intelligence because I've never heard of such a thing. Is it really just a façade or was it really able to separate its primal instincts from its reasoning?"

Castiel's eyes are still glued on the hunter slowly falling asleep in the other bed, but at the same time he racks his thoughts for any information that Sam might be looking for and when something finally comes to mind he tears his gaze from Dean to the other hunter. "There's only been rumors to my knowledge, but I've heard of even the most monstrous creatures becoming aware to some degree. Once such rumor is that when a frightful beast in Avalon becomes as such, it is cast away to the human realm to protect the Fae because we cannot control them or even contend against them without heavy losses."

"You send them here?" Castiel isn't exactly surprised by the anger starting to seep into Sam's voice. He's sure if he was in Sam's place, he might be inclined to feel the same way.

"Rumors and stories. I'm afraid I don't have a definite answer for you."

Sam backs off a little when he realizes that Castiel isn't really the one to be blame if the stories were even true. Maybe changing the subject will lighten the mood a bit. "What's Avalon like?"

Castiel isn't sure how to answer the question and it takes him a little longer than he would like before he decides that he has to tell Sam as such. "I don't know how to answer your first question. Avalon is all I've ever known. This is the first time I've been outside of it. It's… home?"

Unfortunately for Sam he's not familiar with home. He and Dean have been on the road so much and as long as they can remember that they don't even know what it's like to have a home of their own. It's been something Sam has wanted, and tried for, but in the end it wasn't in the cards for them to have it. Maybe that's why he's seems a bit desperate to hear more of Castiel's answer. If he can't have a home of their own, he can at least hear about someone else's.

"Avalon, from the parts I have seen, is always busy but probably not in the sense you would call it. My kind is always moving, always working on or doing something whenever they're not sleeping, but I would hardly call what they do work. Trees canopy over the capitol as far as one can see and the plant life is lush in the places where the suns can break through the tree tops to the ground below. I've heard that the land where the capitol resides is surrounded by waterfalls that go on for miles to the common lands and then from the common lands to the dark lands. From what I have read the common lands are just as lush, but are more dangerous. The capitol and the highlands it is found on are for the Fae, and the common lands are for the other creatures you and your brother hunt."

Sam's leaning forward in his chair and hanging on Castiel's every word, "And the dark lands?"

"The land of the Unseelie." Castiel doesn't know much about them except from what he's heard in stories, but that seems to be all he's been able to share with Sam so far. "The Dark Fae. They are creatures so dark they rival what your kind calls demons. Some stories even say they are one in the same."

The younger hunter doesn't like the sound of that. If they are different creatures, he can't imagine how terrifying they would be if the other faeries have to cast them away, and if they are demons… he doesn't even want to think of that. "Why did you leave?"

Castiel was starting to worry he wasn't going to be able to fully answer any of Sam's questions, so he's moderately relieved when Sam asks the next question because it's one he finally knows the answer to. "At first… I wasn't sure. Your brother needed help, and I knew if they had captured him again it would not have been pleasant for him. I didn't actually have a chance to think about what I was doing until we got to one of the exit portals. Once we were there, I realized the only way to get him out was to go with him. A faerie cannot leave Avalon without the aid of a human, which is why humans have to summon faeries for help or find ones already in your world, and Dean couldn't leave on his own because your kind save a select few have lost the ways of old magic." The faerie looks down at his left hand and flexes it as if he's never seen it before. "I got so caught up in the feeling of finally getting out of the capitol I wasn't thinking properly and I did something I shouldn't have."

"Are you going to get in trouble?" Sam looks genuinely concerned for the faerie and it actually takes Castiel by surprise because he's never seen anyone look like that for his sake in all his years, centuries.

"I'm certain my father will not be pleased, but he wouldn't allow me to come to any harm. If anything, he probably believes that your brother took me prisoner." He frowns at his own comment in a way that suggests he only thought of it now. "I won't let him hurt Dean though. This is all my fault and I have a better chance surviving my father's wrath than Dean ever would."

He's got a suspicion, and he really hopes he's wrong, but Sam can't help but ask his next question. "Who's your father?"

With the most serious and straight face Castiel can give he responds, "His Lordship and King of the Fae, Oberon."

Fuck. Dean's really gotten them in it this time.

"Do you think he's going to send someone after you?" Again, Sam wishes he would stop asking questions he's really dreading to hear the answers of.

"Undoubtably."

"Something we should worry about?" Stop. Just stop asking questions already.

"Without question." Sam groans and hides his face in his hands when Castiel continues to answer Sam with the worst possible responses. "To be honest, when I first found out about his altered vision, it's the main reason I wished to stay close by. He's been given the gift of faerie sight and it's not something that will go away. As helpful as it will be whenever you hunts, it's something that goes both ways. He's been marked by the Fae, and the Fae and any likely animals and the creatures you hunt will see this for as long as he lives. It's not a gift given often, so chances are likely that Dean will be targeted if I'm not around." Castiel pauses, he doesn't want to share the next part, but it's not fair to keep such an important detail from them. He can tell Dean later after he's fully rested. "They will not touch him so long as I am nearby. The mark on his arm will attest to that. It's unheard of to release a human after they have been brought to Avalon, and the only way I was able to do so is by putting a claim on him."

Sam sits up straighter in his seat and the more he hears the more he thinks his brother royally, no pun intended, screwed up.

"When a claim is laid on a living soul, it leaves a mark, a brand." Castiel looks over his shoulder and stares at the very place he burned his own claim on Dean's arm.

Sam sputters, "What like a… like a shirt tag at camp?"

Castiel's eyebrows furrow in confusion, "I have no idea."

"So you claimed Dean?" And maybe he said that a bit more harshly than he intended, but can anyone honestly blame him?

"Yes. But you or Dean don't have anything to worry about. He has no obligations because of my error." There's no reason to bring up the fact that Castiel does, however. He's done enough already and there's no reason to bring them any further into his mess.

Sam still has a million questions, but he doesn't think he can handle much more and in Dean fashion, he feels he could really use a drink. "Alright. We'll talk more later. You stay here, and try to keep you and Dean out of any more trouble, okay?" He's still got a salt and burn to take care of after all. Sam never thought he would use a hunt to take his mind off an even bigger problem. Problems.

He grabs what he needs for his hunt and the keys to the car before heading out the door leaving his sleeping and currently helpless brother alone with a freaking faerie. Sam feels like everyone is losing their minds, but there's something about Castiel that he feels he can trust. There wasn't any hesitation in his answers except the ones about the whole brand thing. Castiel even warned them about the likelihood of faeries coming after them when in all respects he probably shouldn't have. Sam can't leave his brother alone for five minutes without him doing something stupid. Hopefully he can finish the hunt before Dean even wakes up.

Unknowingly to Sam, however, Dean's lying on his side and wide awake.

A/Ns: I just recently realized I got the time different between the worlds backwards from the SpN canon and I don't think there's any good way to correct it, so for the purposes of this AU it will stay this way.

Lore for AU purposes: It's not that time passes faster in Avalon so much as it stretches. Things move more quickly in Avalon. Kind of like a movie on fast-forward. For the Fae, or at least faeries, this can carry over with them and it's how they are able to complete tasks so quickly. For faeries their wings only gives them flight though the vibrations of their wings, so they're more like insects and hummingbirds rather than other birds with flight. It's also how faeries in the human world keep their wings hidden from those gifted with faerie sight (those who have been to Avalon, young children, or other innocent believers).

Also, sorry to leave it there. I didn't mean for that to happen, I swear…