Cast my wings off-
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize*
Author's note: After this I think I might have one or two more chapters than it's done. I think this turned out to be a great story :)
0000000000000000000
"Why is he coming here?" Cass asked, grabbing onto Dean's shirt and refusing to let go.
"It's time to set him straight once and for all," Aphrodite said, a bit sadly. She knew this day was coming, but she kept hoping to push it off. She was tired of making mistakes, like with Cass and Dennis, so she was just squaring her shoulders and hoping for the best.
"What do you mean?" Dean couldn't help but wonder.
"He needs to learn the error of his ways. Now, since he created lust, it will still be here, but not as bad." She walked over to them and crouched down next to them. "I'm sorry guys, especially Cass, but this needs to be done. I know it's hard enough learning to be human, and I don't want you guys constantly worrying about Asmodeus."
Cass nodded, his grip tightening on Dean's shirt. Dean helped him up, both standing shakily.
"Cass? You plan on letting me go any time soon?" Dean asked. Cass quickly shook his head.
"No. I need to touch a part of you for now," he answered. Dean sighed.
"Fine." He looked over to Aphrodite. "By the way, where's Sam and Gabriel?"
"Right here!" Sam called, suddenly appearing with Gabriel. Dean glowered at the two, taking in the slightly mussed hair and wrinkled clothing.
"Where have you two been? Partying with Lindsey Lohan?" Dean asked, glaring at his brother and the angel.
"Shut up. Now, when's Asmodeus supposed to be here?" Sam tried to change the subject. Aphrodite tried to answer but was cut off by Dean.
"No, don't tell me to shut up, okay?" He gently tried to pry off Cass's hands but gave up and just moved him to behind him, fully facing his brother. He knew that he was just feeling scared about the whole Asmodeus thing and him having sex with Cass, but he couldn't stop himself from snapping and taking it out on his brother.
"Hey, save the family bonding stuff for later behind closed doors. We've got a demon to worry about," Crowley snapped, stepping forward. "It's not our fault you don't like the idea of your brother hooking up with an angel, which, by the way, makes you one filthy hypocrite." He tilted his head towards Cass.
"I'm not saying that. I just don't want him running off without telling me, especially if it's with Gabriel, AKA Trickster." Dean crossed his arms and turned his glare onto Crowley.
Sam sighed, entirely too used to his brother's moods. "Dean, it's not like I'm a kid again. I can leave without telling you."
"Well, what if something happened to you? Huh? You think Gabe's gonna be around forever and save you from every little thing? What is he going to kiss your paper cuts and make it all better?"
Gabriel stepped forwards now. "Listen, Deanster, and listen good. I will be around forever; you have no say in that. I am fully capable of taking care of Sam, and if he so much as gets a splinter, I'll be there to get it out. Now you can take your righteous attitude and shove it into your ass, because I'm not going anywhere. Got it?" His voice was low and strong. Aphrodite scooted closer to Crowley, biting her lower lip. She hated fighting, of any sort, but she knew this needed to be said. It was bad enough she had to fight her own brother; she wasn't about to get into this argument.
Dean looked Gabriel over, and then nodded. Sam relaxed and Cass stood on his tiptoes to see Gabe's face over Dean's shoulder. The two elder brothers seemed to have reached an unspoken truce.
"Aww, isn't that touching?" Everyone turned to see Asmodeus leaning against a tree about five feet away from Aphrodite and Crowley. "You know, I've always hated touching moments." He gave a slight shiver. "Too…sentimental. I prefer just getting your rocks off and living the moment, right Dean?" He winked at Dean and faced his sister. "Alright, I'm here. What do you want?"
"I'm going to stop you once and for all," she declared, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"Stop me? Why?" Asmodeus pushed off from the tree and stepped closer towards his sister and Crowley, who shifted slightly, placing himself closer to Aphrodite.
"Asmodeus, when Mother gave us her gift, this isn't what she wanted." Aphrodite glanced at Crowley and gave a slight nod. He nodded back and stepped away. "She gave us the gift of love so that we may bring some peace into this world."
Her brother snorted. "Mother was weak. She feared Hera, a goddess who never lifted a finger against her. She gave us this gift so that we could save her, making Hera like her enough to spare her life. Look how that turned out."
Dean, Sam, Cass, Gabriel, and Crowley had never heard this story before. They were curious as to why Asmodeus was the way he is.
Aphrodite frowned slightly. "Mother feared Hera for good reason. Hera has never harmed you, so you sit there thinking she is some great goddess who is peaceful and pretty. That's a lie. Hera was just as wrathful as Artemis or Athena. She gave us that gift, not to save her, but to save us. She knew she would die by Hera's hand, but she gave us a fighting chance. She knew Hera would think twice about killing us if we had the gift of love."
Asmodeus scowled. "I do not sit there and think her peaceful and pretty. I know what she is capable of, what she has done. But she did not even know of Mother until we were born. If she had not run to the sea and begged Poseidon to save her, Hera would of remained ignorant of her existence. She signed off on her own death!"
Dean leaned closer to Sam and whispered, "someone's got mommy issues." Sam coughed to hide his laugh and pushed Dean away from him. This was a serious moment and Sam didn't want to ruin it by laughing.
Aphrodite sighed. "Asmodeus, please. Reconsider your ways. You are more than welcome to come back with me, if only you drop this perverse way of living." She was giving her brother one last chance to redeem himself on his own.
He snarled and spat out, "I do not live a perverse life! If anything is like that, it is you! With your pathetic ideas of true love and soul mates." Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a golden knife with a jewel-encrusted handle. Aphrodite backed up when she took in the weapon. It was one of the few weapons used to kill a god or goddess. "Let's see how your 'gift' fares against a dagger, shall we?"
Everyone had straightened when they saw the dagger, but Aphrodite's shout caused them to stand down.
"No one move! I must fight him myself or this is all for nothing." She gathered her hair together and tied it back.
"Oh, so noble," he said, sneering. "How…irritating." He grimaced and gripped the knife tighter.
She snapped her fingers and a sleek bow appeared in her hand, a quiver of arrows on her back. She drew an arrow and readied the bow. "Think, Asmodeus. I may not be a fighter, but who beat you at every sport we played over the years?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
She stepped to the side, drawing him away from the small group. As she suspected, he followed instantly, stepping away from them. She continued to draw him away, he followed her every movement.
Cass's grip never faltered as he shifted around Dean to better see what was happening. Gabriel had planted himself in front of Sam, ready to protect him no matter what. Crowley was standing off to the side, intently watching the fight, ready to jump in and defend Aphrodite if needed be.
He suddenly lunged, hoping to catch her off guard. She expected it though and twisted around to miss the edge of the knife. She let loose the arrow and it embedded itself in his thigh.
Asmodeus snarled in pain, wrenching it out and tossing it aside. "Point for you, would you like a cookie?" He feinted left, then swung right.
She fell for the trick and winced as the knife sliced a thin cut on her side, cutting through her shirt. "Hey, I liked that shirt," she said, inspecting it.
They circled each other, both tense and wounded. Asmodeus was worse, slightly limping as he tried not to put weight on the injured leg. She quickly let another arrow fly and this one hit his arm, nearly knocking the knife out of his hand. Seeing a way to win, she aimed for his hand next, this time knocking the knife out of his hand. He snarled again and fell to the ground on his knees, clutching his now bleeding hand.
She moved quickly, grabbing the knife and twisting out of reaching distance. Aphrodite moved forward and swung the knife down. But she didn't see him reach into his jacket a second time. As the golden knife plunged into Asmodeus's chest, he thrust a smaller sliver dagger into Aphrodite's stomach.
"Chew…on that…S-Sister…" Asmodeus said haltingly, coughing and spitting up blood. He tried pulling the knife out, but was too weak. With a violent cough, he slumped to the ground and didn't move again.
Aphrodite lurched back, looking down at the sliver hilt sticking out of her stomach. She took a couple of steps before falling onto the ground. Each breath hurt as she tried to suck in air. Everyone was around her instantly, with Crowley supporting her body.
"Hurts…" she whimpered, grabbing Crowley's sleeve and wincing. Ignoring everyone, he brushed a strand of hair off her face and hushed her, trying to get her to save her strength.
"Gabe, can't you heal her?" Sam asked, worried because she looked paler than usual, but thankfully wasn't coughing up blood yet.
"I-I don't know…I never tried healing a goddess before…" Gabe said, looking down at the hilt. "I could try…"
"Try now! She's dying!" Crowley said, looking at the angel. Dean and Cass looked at him in surprise, Sam looked a bit confused, and Gabriel just looked at the demon.
"Alright, all humans stand back," he warned, rolling up his sleeves. Dean, Cass, and Sam stepped away. Gabriel placed a hand on the hilt and a hand on her shoulder. Aphrodite's eyes had closed by now. "I have to take this out," he told Crowley. The king of hell nodded and held the goddess more tightly. Gabriel, in one swift move, yanked the knife out. Aphrodite's eyes flew back open as she screamed. Gabriel quickly placed his hand over the wound and focused all his energy on it. A soft golden light flowed from his hand to the wound, slowly closing it.
It took nearly all his powers, but eventually Gabriel slumped back onto the ground. She was breathing normally now and the wound was closed and healed. She slowly opened her eyes.
"Crowley?" She gazed up at the demon holding her. She smiled. "I told you I liked a demon," she said, reaching up and pulling him down towards her, giving him a small kiss. Everyone else made a point looking away until she tried to stand. Crowley helped her up and she looked down at Gabriel.
She knelt down and smiled at the exhausted angel. "Thank you," she told him.
"It was nothing," Gabe said, waving her off.
"I know that took a lot out of you, though. I owe you one," she winked and stood back up.
"So…What now?" Dean asked. Aphrodite grinned.
"Well, my brother's dead, Gabriel is tired, Cass is hungry, I say let's go party!" She wiggled her hips and everyone laughed, glad she was okay.
As they walked away from the meadow, after Aphrodite sent her brother's body off in a ritual she knew, Cass turned to Dean.
"How did she know I was hungry? I didn't even know."
Dean laughed and kissed him. "Never question a kickass goddess," he told Cass, watching as Aphrodite, ahead of them, wrapped an arm around Crowley and gave him another kiss. "About anything."