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"Whoa. I wasn't expecting you to zap us out of there. I thought you said you couldn't do that there." Jensen is looking around wildly and the sudden change of their surroundings.

Castiel takes a few steps forward and squints his eyes off into the distance searching, "The magic only prevented me flying us in. It's meant to keep intruders out. If the wards of the temple or my brothers did not wish us to enter, we wouldn't have been able to. The only ones who have been inside this temple have been Jael and Zarall."

"And now us," Jared breathes out reverently in awe of the idea.

Castiel turns back to look at Jared and smiles softly, "You should consider it a great honor."

Jensen is still looking around, holding a hand above his eyes to keep the sun out of his eyes, "Now where are we? It doesn't look all that different."

When Castiel gets ready to answer, he's immediately cut off when he's suddenly thrown a few hundred feet from Jared and Jensen.

Jared and Jensen look shocked and start running towards the angel. Jensen is spinning around as he races up to where Castiel was thrown, "What the hell was that? Castiel are you alri-"

The two stop running when they see a figure standing over their knocked over comrade. It's hard to see them from here and the light brown robe and hood the person is wearing doesn't make it any easier. They can tell that the newcomer has a very large satchel tied to their back and they have a good guess what's in it.

The figure draws an angel sword out of thin air and growls as the individual points the blade at the rebel angel, "Castiel."

Castiel grimaces and then sighs as he turns to face his brother, "Shemhazai."

From what Castiel can see, his brother's vessel is a lean and tall dark skinned woman with a few painted symbols on her face. Her lips wide and thick, and her eyes are a chocolate brown currently glowing hot with rage. Shemhazai rips the hood down and yells at Castiel in Enochian, "Draw your weapon, traitor!" His vessel's accent is thick and heavy even when speaking the holy language. Now with the hood removed, Castiel can see his brother's vessel has very close cut, black hair and a series of gold hoops that stretches her neck. She also wears a multitude of necklaces and earrings made from bone each with intricate carvings of animals. Castiel recognizes what he's looking at, more specifically what his brother is doing, but refrains from saying anything for now.

Rather than drawing his weapon, Castiel stares solemnly up at his brother. Shemhazai doesn't like Castiel's lack of response and kicks Castiel hard in the leg, causing some coarse sand to cover Jimmy's dress pants, and yells again, "I said draw your weapon!"

Castiel doesn't budge and stares down his brother and former comrade, "I heard you, brother. I just choose not to listen."

Hot fury flashes over Shemhazai's face, "You-"

Shemhazai is cut off when a small rock hits the fuming angel, which jostles him enough to look away from Castiel. When he looks over he sees Jared and Jensen standing there looking just as shocked as the enemy angel was.

Jared stares with his jaw open at the angel before turning to Jensen in a panic, "Dude! Where the hell did you find that? There's like nothing but sand here."

Jensen squirms uncomfortably. He's used to being the focus of attention, but for some strange reason he's self-conscious of everyone staring at him. Jensen looks down at his feet while attempting to shrink into his shoulders and mumbles hoping that no one hears him, "I… I brought it with me." He doesn't know why he took it from the temple, but he does know is that it looked really important and might help Castiel out. Something inside him just told him to take it, and it was more than just a gut feeling. He just couldn't place what the feeling was exactly, but he knew it was familiar. Why he decided to throw a potentially useful artifact at an enemy who can smite him without a second thought or why he thought it would be helpful in that regard, he has no idea.

Shemhazai looks down at the stone and then up to Jared and Jensen. He sneers and starts approaching the two humans.

"You brought a rock with you?" Jared shoots Jensen a look that all but screams "are you fucking serious?" and crosses his arms, "Do you always carry a rock? What are you a caveman?"

Getting visibly annoyed with Jared, Jensen points accusingly at the taller human, "You're one to talk, forehead."

Jared straightens up, uncrosses his arms, and then pushes Jensen who stumbles a bit and pushes him back. The shoving gradually intensifies and both are unaware of Shemhazai walking up to them in harsh, quick steps.

Castiel notices the rock and examines it and sees unknown writing over its surface. He realizes it's from the Hanging Gardens, but it's not a piece of rubble. The rock is black and polished smooth, but the writing was carved in after the rock was rounded down. Jensen must have grabbed the stone at the temple, but upon Castiel's inspection he knows that this piece did not originate from the there. The part that is the strangest is the fact he doesn't understand what the writing means.

Before he has time to ponder the story behind Jensen's unusual find, Castiel's attention is pulled to an unnerving silence. Jared and Jensen have stopped arguing and are now looking terrified at Shemhazai standing in front of them. The angel looks torn between curiosity and the desire to smite both humans. Castiel immediately forgets the stone and is between his brother and the humans in a second and the stone already forgotten.

The sudden appearance of Castiel startles Shemhazai. Although brief, his brother appeared to have no desire to fight back until Shemhazai walked up to the cowering mud monkeys. Castiel uses an arm to gently push back Jared and Jensen away from the threat but never breaks eye contact with his brother.

Jared and Jensen allow themselves to be pushed away from the inevitable confrontation. Feeling guilty, Jared elbows Jensen to get his attention, "I'm sorry I called you a caveman."

Shifting on his feet, Jensen stares at the ground and mumbles, "I'm sorry I made fun of your forehead… again. It's a nice forehead. Not that it's big or anything. Because it's not."

Jared raises an eyebrow at the comment and Jensen continues rambling, "I don't even know what I'm trying to say anymore. If it makes you feel better you can make fun of my lips again."

Not above taking his one chance to get away with making fun of his co-star, Jared smirks as he replies, "I'm sorry I ever said you looked like a Disney princess and you had lips that would make a porn star blush."

Castiel's face scrunches in confusion and his brother seems to match the feeling if the sputtering is anything to go by. Both angels stare aghast at the two actors. Castiel isn't sure what is worse, the conversation or the fact they are having this conversation right now in the middle of danger.

Jensen unaware of his audience sticks out a hand and mock laughs, "Oh ha ha. Funny. Truce?"

Jared smirks as he takes Jensen's hand, "Truce."

The two shake hands and then go back to staring at the showdown between the two angels that currently seems to be on hold. Both of them notice that the angels are staring at them. They might even go as far as to say that Castiel looks embarrassed of them.

"What?" Jared and Jensen ask in unison.

Castiel turns back around to face Shemhazai and shakes his head, "I have no idea what they are talking about, but I apologize for their behavior."

It takes the other angel a good moment to recover, but is still obviously shaken. "Tell me, brother. Why would you lower yourself to travel with these vermin? The very creatures that has poisoned our Father's most precious creation?"

"Shemhazai, you of all angels should know we cannot fault humans or justify being better than them." Castiel approaches the other slowly and carefully as if his brother was a frightened child.

The angel frowns, but his stiff posture relaxes minutely. "Castiel. Please."

Castiel stops walking towards Shemhazai and his face turns grim and dark, "No. Have you learned nothing from that day? Our Father-"

"Our Father is gone, Castiel!" Shemhazai stiffens again and yells at Castiel. His voice booms and Jared and Jensen have to cover their ears from the intensity of it.

Snarling now, Castiel steps forward. "So that justifies your failure?"

"Our Father wants us to love humans as He does, but condemns us when we do?" The anger is still apparent, but Castiel can now see the fear and hurt and sadness as well.

"Wait a sec…" Jensen is trying to catch up on the conversation, but the comment falls on deaf ears.

Castiel's own anger quickly diminishes and mirrors the sadness in his own eyes to show his brother sympathy. "You mistake lust for love. Our Father would never judge us for loving them. You even repented for your sin, so why so you still judge them so?" Castiel places a hand on Shemhazai's shoulder, "It's why the Nephalim turned out so twisted and monstrous. Their lives were brought from sin and lust. Not love."

Shemhazai attempts to shrug off Castiel's hand, "How do you know it would have been different. That it could be different. You can't possibly know that!"

Castiel sighs, "I did not come to fight, brother."

The other angel snarls as he removes the satchel strap from his shoulder, "No. You came for this," and Shemhazai tosses the bag at Castiel's feet. "Take it. I don't care anymore, and it's the only thing you seem to really care about right now."

Castiel looks down at the bag at his feet briefly before looking back up at his brother and sidestepping the satchel at his feet. "Brother," Castiel takes a few slow steps toward Shemhazai who turns away from Castiel. "Please. It doesn't have to be like this."

"Then tell me, brother," Shemhazai does not hold back the venom in his voice, "How should it be? You seem to think you have all the answers."

Jared takes this opputunity to start approaching the angels cautiously, "You can help us." Shemhazai whips his head towards Jared with a glare and while the human flinches at the look, Jared continues walking towards him. "We can't begin to believe what you had to go through, but you have to know this isn't the answer."

Taking the pause that follows an opportunity to chime in, Jensen speaks up, "Your brother Raph wants to re-start the Apocalypse and there's going to be casualties on all sides. A lot more than is going to come from this Civil War."

Castiel watches Jared and Jensen with interest, at first the two replacement "hunters" only wanted to help in order to get home, but now it looks like something has changed since then. At least, that's what he hopes. He knows the two are actors, and making people believe them whatever they want is their job, but Castiel really wants to believe the honesty and sincerity behind Jared's words.

The most important thing, however, is that Shemhazai seems to believe. His vessel's shoulders slump, and mouth frowns. He nods while staring at the ground. "You're right. As much as I hate seeing our family kill one another… you're right. This can't possibly be what Father wants." Shemhazai brings his gaze up, and for the first time, Castiel can see how tired and broken his brother is from all of this. It's visible on his vessel, but the part that concerns him more is the damage he can see on Shemhazai's own grace. "What do you need me to do, Castiel?"

Jared and Jensen watch as what seems to be the two angels having some secret conversation. Shemhazai nods once, and is gone.

The remaining angel is still staring at the place where the other disappeared from, "I'm not certain if you believed what you said or if it was a ruse, but thank you."

Huffing a laugh, Jared wipes sweat from his forehead, "I'd be lying if I said I did it just for you, but… assuming this isn't some horrible dream then lives are at stake. I just couldn't stand by and say nothing. Especially when it's all true."

Jensen walks over and carefully picks up the bag Shemhazai left with a smirk, "Yeah. Besides, how many people can say they helped stop the Apocalypse? Use what skills you've got, right? And if it's true, that just makes it easier to pull off."

"Thank you," Castiel repeats this time turning to face the others. "I'm glad to have your help. I don't know if I could have come this far without it."

The comment shocks both Jared and Jensen and neither know what to say to it. Neither have been depended on so much for anything before let alone stopping the freaking Apocalypse. Castiel reaches a hand out for the bag Jensen is holding, who hands it over willingly but remains quiet.

The angel opens up the bag and pulls a small, red leafed bush out with roots and everything. No fire. Nothing out of the ordinary. It looks like one that could be found in a neighbor's yard or at a park in the middle of Fall.

Jensen clears his throat uncertain if he's going to get smited for what he's about to say, "It's a bush alright. Um. I guess I sort of expected it to be, I don't know, like on fire or something."

Jared and Jensen don't miss the small smile that plays on Castiel's face as he looks reverently at the plant in his hands, "No. This is a specific type of bush. The name your kind gave it in Latin is euonymus alatus, which means 'winged spindle.' I think what you are referring to is when an angel speaks to a human in its true voice through nature. Very few can withstand that, however, and the results can be much like humans upon seeing our true form. This is the very bush our Father used to speak through to Moses at Mount Sinai."

"Huh." Jensen looks at Jared and shrugs his shoulders, "You learn something new every day."

Jared frowns and stares at the plant confused, "Not to sound rude or anything, but how is this going to help with the war?"

The rebel angel doesn't answer right away and watches a small gust of loose sand fly by before he answers, "This is more of a precaution. Just in case…"

Understanding hits Jared and he takes a breath before he fills in the last of the sentence, "Just in case, your dad wants to talk or get involved."

Castiel nods and sadness washes across his eyes, "It also has a special meaning to us. It's the closest thing we have to Him at this point." His brows burrow and he appears as if he's thinking hard about something. When Castiel looks back up, his eyes are a bit brighter, "But that's not true. The closest thing we have to our Father is you." As soon as he finishes, Castiel stands up taller and more determined than before. "And that's all the more reason to stop Raphael."

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