Cross My Heart
Sacrifice
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Ohmygod. Hell. Hell. Hell. This one was the most challenging by far which is why the update took so long, but I hope you like.
…And before I get a storm of theological corrections, I have a book on the archangels, but I couldn't find it and so I was going on what I remembered as far as some characters are concerned. On a more important note, Thanks so much to everyone who has kept with the story, and kept reviewing…cookies for all of you!
Now, I'm going to go and track down some aspirin for the headache that this story has given me.
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You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don't trust enough.
-Frank Crane
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Uriel could smell doubt, and self-deceit and Castiel felt like he reeked of it from the moment he was given his order.
His order.
And again, Uriel trailed along. He knew he was not trusted by him. He looked at him as being weaker for being a guardian, that he had too much sympathy for their race. It was partially true, he was empathic toward the humans, and he loved them. He could not decline the archangel's offer of assistance any more than he could deny Michael's order to terminate their newest threat.
It was an order that filled him with terror, it felt like one step down from the order he was terrified of being assigned; to kill Sam Winchester.
His brother had been compared to demons with his lack of pity for the humans, and once he did understand that comparison. The Angel of Repentance could not fold, but he felt that Uriel did lack empathy and tact necessary to communicate with humankind. But he knew where his place was—where it was supposed to be more specifically. He was no one to question the one who held the key to Hell.
Uriel may be the sharpest of all the spirits of Heaven, but without empathy, Castiel feared he could never understand humans enough to love them.
Or even to want to save them.
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"We're here to reclaim the girl." Castiel told them; hoping that Dean would heed his last warning well, but he could see the suspicious doubt in the boy's eyes.
It was well deserved.
"To protect her." Sam interjected, "You're going to take her away from the demons."
Didn't he wish that? He could feel Uriel's steely gaze upon him, and felt like this was little more than a test of his devotion, and faith in the greater plan.
"No." Castiel told him, sorry to hurt Samuel once again. He still remembered a time when Sam had so much faith in his kind, and it hurt to know he was the one who continued to be involved in diminishing such faith.
Uriel's silence was deafening, but he noticed how Dean's eyes did not waver from him. Castiel wondered if the boy knew that of all the angels in heaven, Uriel could throw him into the pit with no resistance at all, and that he would.
More importantly, that he wanted to. Uriel had never wanted them to pull Dean from the Pit. But even he dare not argue with God, or Michael.
"To terminate her." Castiel told them.
Dean looked at him in surprise, he expected a hell of a lot of things to come from an angel but he hadn't seen this coming.
The look that Samuel gave him, however, was heartbreaking. He wanted to tell him that all the pain was for nothing, that it was for the best, that God was just and his plan, right.
But he couldn't.
"You want us to hand over this girl to you so that you can kank her?" Dean questioned.
Castiel nodded his head. "It's necessary."
Why couldn't they just strip it from her? His kind gave her the gift; he didn't understand why they couldn't take it away as well.
"It's none of your concern." Uriel said, "Hand her over."
Sam looked to Ruby, she was scared, and he could see it. He didn't blame her; he could be blind and still see that Dean was terrified. How do you fight an angel?
They were caught in the cross hairs of both Heaven and Hell, and he didn't see a way out—for any of them.
--
Castiel could see their minds silently working out a battle plan, and he prayed that they wouldn't. This was one thing that neither of them could fight.
If they fought they would lose. He had fought too long and hard to try and save Sam to allow one soul to intervene and ruin it.
"You're out of your mind." Dean told him, the words coming slowly, shocked into response. "We're not going to let you kill her just because she's broadcasting angel radio."
"And who will stop us?" Uriel asked him, "You Dean Winchester? Your brother? Your demon courtesan?" He laughed, "You cannot win this battle."
"You misogynistic dicks." Ruby spat at them, "You're fools."
Angels move swiftly. Archangels don't have to. They are where they want to be when they want to be. Uriel had her by the throat.
"Stop it!" Sam objected, looking to Dean for support. "You kill her and you won't find Anna. None of us will."
Castiel hadn't expected it to get so out of hand, so fast. The demon girl should be killed; it would solve one of his problems, but now was not the time.
Uriel loosened his grip on the demon and let her fall to the floor. "Return her to us, demon."
He could feel Sam's fear for her, and his intent to intervene, so he did before Samuel was deposited into the pit.
"You cannot save her." Castiel informed them, wishing it wasn't true.
"Her life is forfeit." Uriel turned to Dean. "You are in no position to battle with us, you insignificant mud monkey! It is only by the grace of God that you are walking the earth. You can't save her any more than you can save the rest of this pathetic race."
"We can make an effort." Dean told him, "Try it sometime, instead of sitting on your ass."
They had many skills as hunters that Castiel admired, that made him think they could save Adam's sons and the daughters of Eve. Diplomacy was not one of them.
Sam stepped in front of his brother, and the angels.
Castiel wondered if he understood what he could be doing to himself, and his question was answered for him.
He had faith that what he was doing was right.
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The left hand of god brought down the new order that was laid upon them, for them to depart from the earthly plane.
Reclamation of the girl was no longer a priority.
With Gabriel's message they departed immediately, recalled to the heavens, and even though disaster had struck his thoughts were still centered on Sam.
He couldn't let him go.
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Note: Okay, sue me. I couldn't kill Anna. It seemed too easy, and I can't help myself, even though she is with Dean…I like her. I liked Katie Cassidy and Lauren Cohan a hell of a lot better, but in spite of it all…I really do like Anna. But I don't want this to turn into something that is Ruby and Sam, Anna and Dean, first and foremost this story is about Castiel and Sam. So, in regard to that, The Anna thing ends here…and hopefully I left the ending ambiguous enough that if you think Anna should take Bela's place in hell….well, she can. Right, I'm done. And tired. I refuse to look at this update anymore, but I hope you all enjoyed it.
