Chapter 7: I know what you did last summer
When Castiel was made leader of the garrison, it wasn't because of his leadership skills. It wasn't because he deserved it. It was because of a tragedy. The previous leader had fallen into shame and someone had to take her place. No one dared step into the shoes of a disgraced angel. No one but Castiel.
He had humbly stepped forward. He had said that if the position was too disgraceful for his brothers and sisters, he would take it. And he would not repeat the mistakes the previous leader had made. He would not fall.
Castiel thought back on that promise and on the situation he was on now. How his superiors were growing suspicious of him. How even he, himself, did not trust he would keep the promise. How everyday his doubts grew.
"Why so gloomy?" Balthazar asked, throwing a grape to the air and catching it with his mouth.
Castiel hadn't even heard him come in. How many hours had he been sitting there? He stood up from his favorite chair and looked into Balthazar's mischievous face.
"How long…" Castiel began but Balthazar interrupted.
"You know your kid has started calling you Cas? A pet name. He gave you a pet name. Cute."
Castiel smiled as Balthazar threw caught another grape in the air. "You just came here to tell me that?"
"Cas. I've called you Cassie, but Cas ha a nice ring to it too. Just remember I'm your BFF. I came first. I'm a jealous friend."
Castiel chuckled. "You're weird."
"I know." Balthazar stood up and walked toward his friend. "There is a rumor going around."
"Where do you hear all these rumors from?"
"Hey! I'm a social person!"
"And I your jealous friend."
Balthazar waved his hand around meaning don't worry about it and continued speaking, "Demons are after a particular human. A human who, apparently, can hear angels."
"No human can hear angels."
"Well….some humans can."
"But they are few. And they are extremely special."
"And yet you thought your boy Dean was one of them." Balthazar teased. Castiel said nothing. "Anyway, the rumor is that this particular human is not special. But an angel herself."
"What?!" Castiel exclaimed. "Who is saying this things."
"I just hear stuff and pass it on. Don't kill the messenger."
"But we are all…here. And the ones who are not are accounted for. Either dead or caged.." Castiel closed his eyes in realization. "Fallen."
"There have been more fallen angels? I haven't heard of any since…Oh."
"Could it be Anna?"
Balthazar shrugged. "It's a possibility."
"I'll look into it."
Everything pointed at Anna being on earth. She had been on Earth all this time while everyone thought she was dead. Castiel's breathing increased. She was alive. And if anyone else found out, they would want to kill her.
Because that was the order. Any angel who fell deserved to die.
Immediately, Castiel prepared to go find Anna, talk to her before anyone else found her. But Uriel found him.
"Where are you going?" Uriel asked. Seeing Castiel's wings open and ready to go, Uriel added, "You were going to Earth, weren't you? Unfollow orders?"
Castiel gulped. "This was a matter of great urgency."
"What is it?"
"Anna. She's on Earth."
Uriel looked at him with shock, spread his wings and followed Castiel to Earth, the latter hoping Uriel would take pity on Anna.
Castiel entered the cabin where Anna's power surged from and found, to his surprise Sam and Dean inside. He opened his eyes wide and his vessel's heart beat at an incredible speed. This could get ugly. Especially with a demon in the room. Sam and Dean could be in danger.
"Please tell me you're here to help," Dean said. Begged. His emerald eyes never leaving Castiel's. "We've been having demon issues all day."
The demon at the brother's side took a step back. Castiel recognized her as the one who was with Sam. The one he drank blood from. Trying to get his attention back into the conversation, get the shock of Sam and Dean being here, Castiel listened to the silence that surrounded after Uriel made a demeaning comment of the demon.
"We're here for Anna." Castiel said after a second. Better make it quick, before anyone attacked anyone. We want to take Anna home. He wanted to ask. Dean seemed to understand his meaning.
Uriel, however, did not. "Give her to us" Uriel said in an authoritarian tone. At that moment Castiel knew this was impossible. Uriel would not take pity on Anna. Uriel wanted to follow orders and kill a fallen angel. And if Castiel refused, he would fall himself. And, consequently, be killed.
"Are you going to help her?" Sam asked.
With all the anguish in the world he responded no. Anna had to die. Those were the rules. And Castiel was not brave enough to break the rules.
