Dear Readers,

I wanted to take the time to thank you all for your wonderful comments and praise. Unfortunately, it is hard to interact with you on FF as opposed to the set up with AO3. In any case, I am glad you guys enjoyed it so far. I want you to kind of know where I am at right now with this story.

It was my original intent to write a 10 chapter Destiel fan fiction. I had no other intentions but that going into it. I did however want to keep it as close to cannon as possible and that meant having a villain and a story arc. About halfway through the story, it came clear to me that 10 chapters were not feasible so I started brain storming a second story arc in a second part. I play them like episodes, being that they continue the major story line but also have an episode story line that I try to wrap up by the end.

I had intentions, when starting the second part of the story, to write three parts and end it. I felt that 3 parts would make the book well rounded and I would be content with the finished product. I have a dozen other ideas I would like to fool around with, after all, and so I wanted to bring this to conclusion.

Halfway through the third part it became evident that would not be the case. This was a bit disappointing, because then I wasn't sure where I was going with the whole thing and when the end would actually be in sight. I didn't want to leave any questions unanswered though and as I wrote the story manifested into a massive hydra with multiple heads just waiting to be cut off so more could sprout. After taking some time off, I decided to just say "fuck it" and let the story play out.

The other component to this is that while this story originates as a Destiel love story, it evolves into so much more. I continue with the main love story plot but there is a lot of substories involving Sam and others (no spoilers here). Rest assured I have 35 chapters completed so you can be entertained for many weeks to come. However, if you do not want to have such an epic storyline to follow, I wanted to make you aware now that it might be good for you to stop reading now. I mean, the last chapter kind of wrapped things up pretty nicely. I would love for you to continue and stay with me on this magical carpet ride until the very end but at this point in time, I have no clue when that end will be.

I just love writing about these characters far too much to put them away. So please, keep providing your feedback and enjoy Eros's Arrow!

-Sarah Jane

Chapter 10

The sun was so warm on his skin. It felt like heaven, or the closest thing to it. The breeze was gentle and soft as it tickled along his bare chest. The ground, always cold beneath him, seemed a distant thought to the warmth surrounding him. Smiling, he reached out towards the man beside him; the man that he loved, and slowly realized that he was no longer there. Dean opened his eyes.

Sam turned in his bed and let out a groan. The day after the hunt was always a sore one. He really didn't know how he and his brother still remained in one piece, but by some stroke of luck, they weren't six feet under yet. Sam sat up and tried to stretch out some of the kinks. He looked to the bed beside him and saw that it was still made from the night before. So that happened then.

Sam checked the time and noticed it was just a few minutes past 7 AM. Not sure what to do with himself, he decided upon getting dressed and checking out the internet for any information on their case. His mind raced, imagining what might have happened with his brother, but with an effort he pushed all the thoughts aside. His brother's business was his own and Sam had work to do here.

He thought about the things Angel had said to them, and wondered who this Chieftess person could be. Sitting at the table, he checked the internet sites that were tailored to hunters to see if there was any word of sightings. He was mainly looking for areas where monsters were gathered together and laying low in uncommon groupings. Vampires and specters, or Banshees and changelings for example. He also took the time to email all the hunters he knew to alert them of the message that the vetala made sure to convey. Something big was coming, and they were all in a serious world of trouble if any of it was true.

"Hello Sam," a flat voice suddenly said and Sam startled out of his seat so quickly he got tangled in his legs and tumbled onto the floor. Castiel stood before him, trench coat and all. Sam realized the angel hadn't been wearing the thing and wondered why he suddenly started again.

"Cas…" Sam managed as he found his feet. Then he looked around, worried, "Where's Dean?"

"Dean," Castiel said as he lifted the curtain to look out the window. "I brought him back."

"Brought him back…where?" Sam ventured. Cas seemed different, or more correctly, seemed very much the same as he always was. This did not bode well for Sam's brother.

"He's outside. Sitting in the automobile. I …don't think he wants to see me right now." Castiel turned then to face Sam, and he let the curtain fall. "I must leave you both for a while. I need to find Eros and make sure he understands what he has done. I will be here though, if you need me. Or…if Dean needs me. You just need to call. Here." Cas held out his hands and suddenly father's journal was laying in them. He handed it to Sam who took it eagerly and looked it over.

"Where was it?" Sam asked.

"I hid it," Cas said simply.

"Yes, but where?" Sam studied the angel who seemed to be content focusing on his empty hands.

"I hid it inside my Grace. I could not think of a safer place for it to be." Sam was touched by this, knowing that an angel's Grace was as sacred to him as a soul, but also a little unsettled at the idea of Castiel somehow keistering his father's book.

"Cas…what happened last night?" Sam asked. He didn't want to pry but he didn't like where any of this was heading and felt that he had to know.

"Something that shouldn't have happened," Castiel said matter-of-factly. "Something that won't happen again. Goodbye, Sam" and with that, Castiel was gone. Sam swallowed hard and looked around the room. If Dean was already in the car, it was long past time to go. They had a lot of hunters to warn that weren't on the grid. That would be a good place to start. Gathering all their things, Sam examined the room one last time, and then slipped out the door. He left the key in the door for the motel staff to find later. Just as Castiel said, Dean was sitting in the car parked outside. Sam threw their things in the back seat and then slid into the passenger seat beside him.

Sam looked at his brother and his heart sank. Dean looked cold. His eyes faced straight ahead but his mind was miles away in thought. He looked cold, true, and his face looked hard, but his eyes seemed haunted. Lost.

"Dean…are you ok?" Sam asked and Dean glanced over at him.

"Yeah. Sure, completely fine," he said with a shrug and went to start the ignition. Sam reached out and stopped him. He watched his brother until the other man turned to meet his gaze.

"What happened last night?" Sam asked, honest concern filling his words.

"Nothing," Dean said with another shrug, "…everything… anyway it's over now. Castiel is Castiel and you are you and I am me. Nothing more to talk about."

"No," Sam would not accept this as all there was, "there has to be another way."

"What other way, Sam?" Dean suddenly snapped, and the anguish he was feeling threatened to spill onto his face. "The spell is broken. The game is over. Cupid had his fun but now it's back to the way things were for all of us."

"And Castiel?" Sam asked, "Did you talk to him?"

"No. I just woke up and he zapped me back here on Angel express," Dean said bitterly and Sam hurt for the pain his brother was feeling.

"Maybe we can figure out a way. To get him back to the way he was before," Sam offered but Dean already was shaking his head.

"You saw what happened to him. What that thing did to him. He couldn't protect himself, Sam! I sure as hell wouldn't be able to protect him. No…it's better this way. I just need to accept that last night was a once and done thing. Time to move on Sammy boy," and with that Dean turned the key in the ignition. His trusty classic roared to life. "Let's hit the road, I'm starving."

"Castiel please," Eros's drew his hands into a symbol of prayer as he pleaded with his older brother, "it was all in fun. I didn't know what would happen. I didn't know any of that would occur."

"Eros," Castiel said flatly, "what you have done to me is a violation of at least twelve different Holy laws. And this is your second offence in the areas of emotional disturbance." Castiel had thought about torturing the boy a bit, but he didn't have it in him to damage a child vessel. They were so much more resilient and often survived the possession. No, it seemed that Eros very quickly realized that this was all a bad idea when Castiel kicked in his bedroom door and laid his Angel sword against the boy's neck.

"Castiel…let's not be too hasty here…"

"With the case against you, I think your punishment would certainly be banishment to hell where you can bathe in the pits of fire with Lucifer. You had already been warned after all"

"Castiel!" Eros shrieked at hearing this. The mischief draining from his eyes. "You can't be serious! I was giving you a gift…"

"You were playing with my heart!" Castiel shouted. He pulled away from the boy and left him where he lay on his bed. Cas steadied his breath for a moment, fearful he would actually use the Angel sword after all, and went on. "For what you have done you should be stripped of your wings, banished to the depths, and cast out of the books as an angel no more."

"Castiel please, I am only a boy-"

"However…"

"Yes?" Eros sat up in his bed looking eager.

"Eros… what happened between us will remain between us… if you help me."

"Help you do what?" Eros asked, "Anything you want Castiel, name it and I will do it." Castiel took another deep breath. It was all or nothing now. Thoughts of his night with Dean still flashed through his mind. The things that he said and the promises he made. He meant every word of it. He would give up everything for Dean. And now, he just might.

"Eros I want you to help me to remove the veil again," Castiel said at last, "And this time, remove it for good."