Sorry for the long break. Real Life is crazy sometimes! And the boys are still not mine.
.~o()o~.
"Baby, is that you?" Samantha called joyfully.
"Yeah Mommy!" Nathan shouted. "I followed Castiel all the way to you. Did I do good?"
"Yes, you did. I am very proud of you," Samantha smiled. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"
"I'm fine, mommy, can't you see?"
"No, sorry sweetie, I can't."
"But I'm right here" Nathan's lip trembled as the stress of the day finally caught up to him and he threw himself into her lap in tears.
"But I can feel you," Samantha said softly as she stroked his hair and held him close. "Castiel, how is this possible?"
"He greatly exceeds my expectations also," Castiel said softly. "I did not expect that you would be able to hear him, much less touch him. He learns fast and is growing stronger by the hour.
"What do they want with him?"
"I have been unable to discover their purpose because I still do not know who holds you. Were you able to discover the name of the man?"
"Hamaliel," Nathan spoke up from the protective circle of his mother's arms. "His name is Hamaliel, although he is not the one in charge."
There was uncharacteristic sorrow in Castiel's voice when he spoke again. "So, my brothers are involved after all. Dean was right. I was foolish to believe they can all be trusted."
"I am sorry we brought you into this fight. You shouldn't have to do this. . ."Samantha began.
"I am your guardian," Cas interrupted. "I would move heaven and earth to keep you safe. Even though I didn't expect heaven to need quite this much moving, I will stand by my vows. My brothers will not tear you apart."
"You know, Cas?" Samantha looked up at him gratefully. "If I could have chosen any angel in heaven to be my guardian, I still would have chosen you."
"Thank you," Cas said slowly after a stunned silence.
Suddenly, Samantha felt Nathan grow less solid in her arms. "What's happening, baby?" she cried, panicked.
"Nathan is growing tired. He has to return. With practice, he will be able to maintain this for longer. Honestly, I am surprised at how long he managed to hold the connection, especially at the sensory level."
"I'll come back as soon as I can, Mommy!" Nathan called as he faded further. "I love you."
"I love you too," Samantha wept when they were alone.
She felt Castiel's calloused fingers drying her tears. "Stay strong, Ahava. I now have a place to start and I will find you."
"Can't you stay with me, even just a little longer?" she asked.
"I wish I could, but I cannot delay. I will get the Winchester's and we will be back as soon as we have a plan. I promise I will come for you," Cas said firmly.
"Then I promise I will be waiting," Samantha said, determination renewed, tears gone.
There was a pause as Castiel breathed deeply. When he spoke again, his voice was filled with tenderness and awe. "You are so strong. Would that I had more warriors such as you to fight on the side of love and light and good and truth. Heaven would surely never lose a battle. Tell me, my Kelila, how have a lived so long without you?" He was gone before she had time to find the words to reply.
.~o()o~.
"So," Sam asked once they were all together. "What do we know." He batted away Dean's hand that kept sneaking toward his forehead to check the temperature.
Castiel ignored the brothers' antics and spoke grimly. "Not enough, other than the name of their captor, Hamaliel."
Sam's eyebrows rose. "Not a name I am familiar with."
"There is no reason you would be," Cas continued. "He is the bottom of the barrel, even among the lowest ranks. If he ever had a single original thought, all of heaven would know and rejoice."
Sam pushed at his brother as he hovered by him. "Knock it off, Dean," he warned menacingly before returning to the task at hand. "Then why haven't you just gone to get them? If he is as powerless as you say. . ." his voice trailed off.
"Hamaliel is just a lackey, but he has powerful friends, many of them archangels. They like him because he does their bidding, no questions asked. This could be coming from as far up as Raphael or even Michael himself. At least we won't have to worry about Gabriel." Castiel explained.
"Why not?" Shelby asked
"He is dead, or fallen, either way, not someone we need to be worrying about. Good thing too." Caxs said dispassionately.
"What do you mean," Leah asked.
" 'Loose cannon' is the term I believe you humans would use to describe him. He is probably the one who comes the closest to experiencing emotion as you do. Whereas Michael was God's perfect soldier, leading the army and Raphael worked without showing anyone his face, Gabriel was always the one Father chose to speak face-to-face with his creation. Gabriel understood compassion. He found it easier to relate but it also meant it was far easier for his heart to rule his head. He had so much passion for his job, for speaking the words of God to his people, but like a roaring fire, it consumed him. Suddenly, no one could agree on what the words of God actually were and Gabriel would rather deliver no message at all than send one that was wrong. One day, he simply got fed up with the family drama and disappeared. It is good he is out of the picture. Who knows what he would be capable of if he found a cause to latch onto. There is nothing quite so dangerous as a zealot. He believes what he is fighting for and would die for his cause," Castiel's voice trailed off thoughtfully as his mind drifted to a cause he would die for.
"How do you know he isn't just in hiding?" Leah asked. "If he simply disappeared, he might not be dead."
"Subtle, my brother is not. If he were on earth, we would see his powers at work. He would never stop using them as long as he had them and we would know if there was an angel working on the earth apart from our garrison," Cas said with certainty.
Leah sat back on the couch, uneasy with what Castiel was telling her, but unable to put her finger on exactly what was bugging her. She looked up at Sam to hear what he thought, but he was still busy trying to fight off Dean's hands.
"Seriously, dude, I feel fine," his voice came out in a tone that was almost a whine.
"Right. . .says you. . .until you fall down and faint like a little girl again, Samantha," Dean smirked, dodging Sam's octopus limbs to continue his diagnosis.
Sam sighed and submitted. "So, what are we going to do then?" he asked the angel.
"You are going to be on surveillance for now. I know where they are being held, but not how well guarded or how difficult it would be to get them out. You will be watching from outside. I will tell you when and how to act."
"And how are you planning to do that if you are inside?" Dean smirked. "Send an angel-gram?"
"That will not be necessary," Castiel spoke. "Three of the four of you are sensitive to telepathic messages. I will be able to send my thoughts and you will know what to do. You should split up into two groups. Leah, you should stay with Sam since your gift is new and does not work independently of him. Shelby, you and Dean will work together since your gift is much stronger than Sam's and will make up for the fact that Dean does not have the ability."
"Say what now?" Asked Shelby, mouth dropping open.
"You were not aware of your talent?" Castiel asked, almost surprised. "That is strange. You have much skill."
"You're kidding. . ."Shelby gasped.
"I do not kid," Castiel raised one eyebrow at her.
"And what will you be doing while we wait outside for your psychic vibrations?" Dean demanded.
"Hamaliel is the angel of logic. He obeys the archangels because, logically, being on their good side is the best choice for him. I hope to, through logical argument, convince him that helping us is more intellectually sound. Then, perhaps, we will be able to get Samantha and Nathan out without a fight and gain valuable information on whatever this scheme may be."
"That's it? That is your big plan? Talk to the angel while we watch from outside? I don't know if I have ever told you this, Cas, but you are a lousy tactician," Dean scowled.
"And what's your plan?" Sam asked, laughing. "Rush in with guns blazing and drag them out? Because that's not a recipe for disaster at all."
"Hey, I stick with what works," Dean protested.
"These aren't Werewolves or vampires or any other creature. Silver bullets, rock salt or sharp machetes aren't going to take these angels down. Do you even know how to kill an angel, much less keep it from smiting you on the spot?" Sam stood, using every inch he had on Dean. "I think when it comes to fighting angels, we should listen to the angel."
"Thank you, Sam," Cas said. "I am glad I do not have to shun you and your abomination any longer."
"Uh thanks," Sam said.
"Aw," Dean ruffled Sam's hair playfully. "I am so glad you two can be friends." Then his voice took on an edge of steel. "But we are losing seconds much faster than we can afford. Let's go short out Robo-angel."
"You know Dean," Castiel said as he reached out his hand in the familiar gesture of transportation. "One day, you will have to write me a Winchester dictionary. . ." and they were off.
.~o()o~.
I know that was mostly filler and set up, but action is coming soon! Let me know what you think!