A/N: I know my wonderful loyal readers, it has been several weeks since my last update. Lack of internet connection is the cause of the immense delay, but I'm back and better than ever… At least I think so. Review and Let me know whether it's up to my usual standards. But as a way to make up for the terribly long wait, I've posted for your reading pleasure three new chapters, that are longer than any I've posted before. The first two will finish up my take of the episode The Rapture and bring you into what I like to call the arc entitled 'Apocalypse Now!' For all you pop culture buffs out there. One again, I don't own Supernatural or any of the wonderful characters in the Story except Kailyn. Sorry for the excessive A/N, and enjoy!!
Castiel's address led us to a warehouse at the end of a back alley street. Dean and Sam and I got out of the Impala. I started to follow them into the warehouse but Dean turned and took me by the shoulders.
"Pip, wait for us out here, I don't know what's going on but I don't want anything happening to you." Said then amending, "Please stay here, at least until we know what's inside?"
At the change of his tone I nodded, "But when the coast is clear, I want you to let me come."
"Fine, but not until then." Dean agreed, heading into the warehouse, Sam following behind.
I waited in the alley, my guard up ready for anything. My only thoughts were 'Please God, yes God, don't let my Cas be hurt.' I heard Sam before I saw him; he came out of the warehouse and motioned me inside.
I followed him inside. I was met with destruction. The warehouse was pure chaos, masonry and pieces of metal were strewn everywhere. The lights flickered and cast sparks as we walked under them. Dean was scanning the area, gun raised. I pulled out my Ruger just be safe and scanned the room as well. Something caught Dean's eye and he ran to a pile of rubble, helping a figure to his feet. It was Castiel. I lowered my gun and flipped on the safety, running towards the angel, flinging my arms around his neck, waiting for his arms to come around me, what I got was his hands gripping my upper arms and pushing me away. The look of confusion etched across his face mirrored my own. I looked into his eyes and knew that this wasn't my Castiel.
"Where is Castiel?" I asked simply, backing away from the man.
"Castiel is gone." He answered.
"What do you mean Castiel is gone? If you aren't Cas, then who are you?" Dean asked, joining the confusion.
"My name is Jimmy… Jimmy Novak. I guess I'm Castiel's vessel." He answered his voice and stance different than my Cas.
Tears threatened to spill forth, but a Winchester seldom cries, so I gave myself a mental shake and looked at Dean. "We need someone who knows what might be going on." I said.
"Who? Bobby's knowledge about angels is pretty limited and Ruby wouldn't tell us for spite." Dean said, not understanding what I meant.
I glanced first at Jimmy and then looked towards the heavens, "Anna, I need to talk to you."
Dean looked at me and then the red head that appeared in a rustle of feathers. I walked over to the woman and embraced her before pulling away and giving her a questioning look. "What's happened to Mac? He has left his vessel." I said, motioning to where Jimmy stood.
"I know Little Sis. He's been pulled back home, he pissed off somebody upstairs and is being punished for his disobedience. But don't worry about Castiel right now, Jimmy needs protection." Anna said, keeping an arm over my shoulder as she looked over the confused man.
"Only because I trust you and because when Cas comes back he'll need a vessel. One question though, is Jimmy a douche bag?" I asked, taking my eyes from Cas's vessel returning them to the angel who I had secretly been talking to since she had gotten her grace back.
"So Jimmy, where are you from?" I heard Dean ask in an attempt at small talk.
"He was a very religious man. A zealot of sorts, but he has the gift; he can talk to and view angels in their true form. It's a gift that is passed down through bloodlines. I don't know if you know it yet but you have the gift as well, and your mother before you. When you and the boys protect him, keep in mind that you have much in common with the vessel." Anna replied.
"What of his family?" I asked, knowing that even though he wasn't my Castiel anymore, it would be painful.
"A wife and daughter," She answered, giving me a melancholy smile as if she knew my thoughts. "If you feel that seeing them together would be too painful, you don't have to go with your brothers. Help Bobby find Meg and Lilith."
"I'll go; somebody's gotta keep them alive. I'm not sure that I trust Sammy completely yet. He said that he'd stop but he still seems different. Do you sense the change?" I answered, leveling Anna with a questioning look.
"There is darkness in him that wasn't so deep the last time I was with the three of you. If you need me, call. I'll be there in a flash Little Sis." Anna said, glancing at Dean before she was gone in a rustle of feathers.
Dean and Sam were talking to Jimmy when I approached. I regarded Jimmy with a brief glance before looking at Dean and Sammy.
"So what are we gonna do?" I asked my brothers.
"Well what we're not going to do is go to Jimmy's house. The demons would probably expect it and you know I never want to do what is expected of me. So we're going back to Bobby's." My elder brother said, Sammy nodding in agreement.
"Good idea, he should be safe there, nothing gets in or out of Bobby's house without his say so." Sammy added, his arm circling my shoulders in a show of support.
"It'll take a couple of days to get back, for two reasons…" I started flashing a smile at Dean in spite of my sadness at losing my Castiel, "One, we are a far piece from South Dakota and two Dean is not driving; I am."
"Fine, but I get to pick the tunes Pip." Dean said, fishing around in his pockets as we walked to what was left of the door of the warehouse.
"You and Cas… um sorry, you and Jimmy can take the back. Sammy's gonna be my shotgun."I said, taking the keys from Dean. "Oh and Dean, no Mötley Crüe this time; I'm not in the mood for Nicki."
"Only because you could kick my ass," Dean said as he leaned over the seat and pushed in a cassette, I think he might have set fire to Sammy's iPod jack, and settled in on the driver's side backseat.
We drove in silence for several hours and just as dawn was breaking I turned into a motel, the typical Winchester special, and got a room with a couple of beds. While Dean stayed with Jimmy at the motel, Sammy and I went to get some food from a cheap restraint down the street. When we got back, Jimmy ate like he hadn't seen food in years; it was an appetite of Dean Winchester proportions. Cas's vessel didn't say much during the inquiry and seemed sincere in his statement that he barely remembered being a vessel to an angel of the lord.
When we were finished, it was close to nine in the morning. Jimmy said that he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so Sammy kept watch to make sure that he didn't run off while I went to talk to the Goddess. Before I could begin my chat, Dean sat next to me.
"Pip, can I ask a couple of things of you?" he asked.
"Anything Big Brother, you know that." I answered; I couldn't help but smile at the sheepish tone to his voice when he asked.
"How long have you been talking to Anna?"
"Since right after Uriel freed Alistair so that he could kill you and there would be no hope to stop Lucifer after the rise." I answered.
"Okay, second question. Could you… well is there a way for me to talk to your Goddess too?"
"Dean, she isn't just my Goddess. Anyone who accepts her and acknowledges her as a celestial being will be watched over by her. I'll see what I can do. Just sit here with me, but give me your hand, if you hear her or experience anything that you think might be her trying to communicate squeeze my hand, but don't break my focus with her. You can tell me if it worked when I come back, but it won't be as soon as I go into meditation, I have to ask her to." I informed, taking his larger hand in mine.
He shook his head in acknowledgement as I closed my eyes and focused on the nature around me, blocking out the drone of the cars on the road that ran by the motel and the hum of the soda machine outside the main office. Dean shifted beside me.
'Goddess, it's me again. And this time I'm not alone. I know that you've told me that they should believe? Well one of them just might.' I spoke to her, joy in my inner voice.
'It makes me more happy than I can say to hear that Kailyn. I will talk to him as I do you. If you would be agreeable, I will… how is it that the mortals say these days… make this conversation a 'three way call'.' Her voice echoed faintly before I felt Dean squeeze my hand.
'Holy Hell Kailyn… Sorry Goddess, when you always said that you were talking to a Goddess I thought that you might be off your rocker but since you weren't the dangerous kind of crazy it was okay. But you aren't nuts.' Dean's inner voice said in amazement, it was less coarse when we were between.
'You're fine Dean dear, though Hell would benefit if it were holy. The demons would really feel torture. But you didn't contact me to talk about Hell. This is about Castiel, is it not?' The Goddess said, warmth washing over me.
'Yes it is Goddess. Did you know that he had been torn from his vessel and is being tortured up there?' I asked.
'Only a few moments ago; you must remember that I seldom go up to Heaven. I'm called Mother Nature for a reason. You focus on nature to talk to me for a purpose. Castiel has been taken by Zachariah, he feels that Castiel has been disobedient and is becoming too attached to the humans that he has been dwelling with.' She informed.
'You mean me. Me and my brothers;' I said, tears threatening my closed eyes.
Dean's hand tightened on mine slightly before he cursed, 'Goddess, I apologize in advance, but Sonovabitch, I knew that he was a slimy bastard. Is he a turncoat like Uriel?'
'Not that I'm aware Dean, but do be ever watchful, not only of the angels but also of Sam. He is walking the edge of a fine sword, one wrong choice and he will fall.' She answered.
'Thank you for the warning, but what about Castiel? What will happen to my… Dean's angel?' I asked holding a mental breath.
'I'll do what I can my child. Dean, I'm glad you have chosen to believe. But remember, it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe it. Kailyn, Have faith in the light…'The Goddess said, her connection to us waning.
"And illuminate the darkness." I finished aloud, opening my eyes, turning to meet Dean's green.
"Wow." He said, his hand tightening on mine in affection.
"Well, what did you think of the Goddess?" I asked, smiling at his reaction.
In true dean fashion he smirked and said, "Not to be sacrilegious or anything but She sounds hot. Have you ever seen Her?"
"I've not Dean, but I expect she is very pretty. As she said herself, she is Mother Nature. You can't expect someone who is responsible for the beauty of the natural world around us to be ugly can you?" I asked taking his comment in stride as I rose from where I sat to see Sam looking out the door of the room we got for the day.
"Oh no, I wonder what Sasquatch has done this time." Dean said, rising and pulling me to my feet and we walked toward an angry Sam.
"Jimmy's gone." He said anger evident.
"How did he pull the slip on you?" Dean asked.
"I went to the bathroom and when I came back he was gone." Sam answered, but there was something about his expression that made me uneasy.
"Dean, he went to his family. You and Sam go find him, I'll follow along behind you but fist I've gotta do something." I said, looking at my brothers with a look of determination.
"You know where he lives then?" Dean asked.
"Dean, he told you where he lived. It shouldn't be that hard to find. I'll boost a car and be there as soon as I finish what I need to do. Don't ask me any questions yet, I couldn't answer them if you did. Just be careful, an angel's vessel might be of use in breaking a seal" I said, hugging both Sam and Dean before helping them get what little was in the motel.