In the dead of the night, lights festered from within the Gates of Hell, where a conflicted Castiel gazed down the rebelling demons threatening to break out. The door of course was sealed tight, but that didn't stop the devils from making it shake from the amount of souls currently being restricted in Hell. Not long after the angel had arrived, the phoenix followed suit, appearing a distance behind the angel as she walked towards him, her hips swaying as her red ombred with blonde tip curls bounced down her back. It's only been the past couple of days that the tips had started to lighten, for reasons not even Melilah knew.

"Its getting worse, Melilah."

"You think this has something to do with me?" asked the redhead softly, coming to stand by the angel to stare at the damned Gate. The festering calmed significantly in the phoenix's presence, and Mel didn't hold back a powerful kick of the door, sending the demons waiting behind it further into the depths, screeching. "That ought to shut them up for a while."

Castiel looked at her with a serious expression, as he usually did. "They fear you. They know you can defeat them. Why don't you accept our offer?"

"Because it's not my battle to fight in," was her response, her gaze not breaking from the intricate designs on the gate as Castiel kept his gaze glued on her.

"It's always been your battle, Melilah. You're the chariot of fire prophesized in the last of the days when Lucifer and his spawn attempt to seize control. This is one war that won't be won without you. Both offending sides need you, and will do absolutely anything to get you on their side. Father had this planned for you all along. Haven't you wanted to know your purpose?"

Melilah remained silent, nodding in response to the angel's question. He had a point. If she had known all of this centuries ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to fulfill this mission. But then she met two very special human men. And everything changed. But Melilah knew she had to understand that she held a responsibility to her God, and that through serving His purpose, she could keep her loved ones safe, including her angel half-siblings and her two human friends.

"What would He ask of me?" asked the redhead softly. Castiel kept his gaze lowered at the slightly shorter woman, hands in his trenchcoat pockets. His bright blue eyes gazed into the endless cosmos of her bright lavender hues, fixated on trying to read her out, why she was so hesitant to fight in the first place. He had always known his sister to be full of life and fight against darkness, but why was she holding back?

"This is about Dean and Sam, isn't it?"

"You said so yourself, we have to protect them."

"Yes, and by serving our Father, you're doing just that."

"But there are still monsters and demons out to kill them, Cas. They need someone by their side at all times. You certainly haven't been filling in that role." Replied Mel with a suspicious raise of her brow, while Castiel looked away a little guiltily.

"I've been doing my part preparing for this war, like you should be doing. I'll go back to them, Melilah. Go where Father needs you to go."

"I promised Sam I'd meet them-"

"Then I will relay the message that you are currently engaged in a worthy cause and that they are protected."

"Cas…"

"Melilah, please. Put your feelings aside and go about the work. You'll see them again, I promise you that."

The phoenix looked sadly at the angel, very much desiring to return to Dean and Sam. But she and Castiel both knew she could not. She had obligations elsewhere, fighting and preparing for the war that threatened to split the earth. She was to travel the globe, purging as many demons, monsters, and corrupted angels as possible in the name of her Heavenly Father, in spite of her hell father.

"Keep them safe, Cas…"

"You have my word, Melilah."

It took Sam hours to argue with Dean to take the hunt of werewolves in the vast mountains of the Rockies, but the older, depressed Winchester eventually agreed. They drove and drove, Sam trying to cheer Dean up with whatever he could to get that stupid frown off of his face. If anything, a fresh cherry pie managed to ease the pain, and Dean appreciated it. Whenever Sam would try to bring up Melilah, Dean would shrug it off, doing his best to just forget it. But both of them knew it was impossible.

In all reality, Dean was a wreck. He missed the phoenix like crazy but that was the last thing he wanted to admit to himself. He felt bad that he had shoved her away and didn't give her time to explain herself before she had left. He assumed it was his fault and he would have liked nothing more than to have her back in the car with them, that angelic voice belting along to Joan Jett or Pat Benatar. But no, here he was, nursing his powerful hangover while Sam drove them across the empty roads. Dean managed to sleep off most of the headache, but the chest pain lingered.

Hours turned into days, and they finally drove past the Idaho border from Wyoming. The beautiful mountain range stretched endlessly along the plains they passed. Dean almost lost himself in the scenery. Why they didn't drive more out west was beyond him. It was stunning. But they came upon the little town of Arimo and soon, a hunt was upon them. There had been unnaturally large wolves prowling around the area, and the brothers could only assume it was a pack of lycans looking for a territory to establish. Upon driving into the town, they immediately began investigating. Arimo was very small and very out in the middle of nowhere. It made sense for lycans-who were both human and wolf- would want to settle in a place like this. But there had been a few murders recently, and it was high time the dogs were booted out.

They found out that a gang of seemingly homeless men and women came into town around two weeks prior, around the time the wolves were being spotted. They caused trouble all over town but escaped before police officers could catch them in any sort of act. But as they got to work, Melilah became a small lingering memory for the time being. It was back to the way things used to be, just the boys, on their own. Sam had been quieter than usual, looking around consistently as he waited for the phoenix to make her appearance, but she never did. Then again, she had this knack of appearing at the opportune moment, just when they needed her the most. His patience was running thin. He needed to see Dean happy again. So much sadness had been injected into their lives, and it was high time something good came out of all this. That good thing could be Melilah.

"Dude, what are you looking for?" Dean asked, looking up from the book he was currently reading on lycanthropy. Sam shook his head, realizing his back had been turned towards the door for a while. Sam shrugged it off, trying to make things as believable as possible.

"Nothing. Never know when that pack could show up, y'know?"

"Right…"

A few hours passed and nighttime shadowed the little Idaho town. And with the moonshine, so rose the Winchesters. Gearing up with the weapons in the Impala, they set out for the wolves with their guns loaded and their eyes sharp. The thrill of the hunt cascaded over them as they ventured further into the woods, where howling could be heard from a distance. Stepping softly on the dry dirt, Sam and Dean kept their eyes peeled and their feet moving. At every rustle in the trees, they'd aim their weapons, but it would always be the wind or another smaller animal scurrying home for the night. Dean kept hoping it would be one of the wolves. Sam hoped it was a particularly beautiful redhead. But both were going to be disappointed for about ten searching minutes.

They tracked the wolf tracks and evidence to their den, a good two miles outside of the town. It was empty. There wasn't much inside of it other than a dying firepit surrounded by worn sleeping bags and gnawed bones from various forest animals, and even some humans. The den hadn't been visited in a while, from the lack of wolf smell and the dead fire. As Dean scavenged around for whatever evidence he could find, Sam stood out watch, keeping his eyes peeled in the darkness, his flashlight shining back and forth into the forest. Whilst he was shining his light, he thought he caught a pair of big yellow eyes staring at him in the bushes. But as he passed the eyes, he quickly shone back to where he saw them, but there were no eyes to be seen.

"Dean…" Sam hushed, not taking his eyes off of the darkness, slowly backing up towards his brother. Immediately, Dean aimed his gun to wherever Sam was shining the light, knowing the tone in Sam's voice meant he saw something. Then, softly at first, they heard growling coming from one direction, and so they looked. Nothing. Then they heard it again, louder this time. They didn't see anything. Panicking a little, the boys pressed their backs to each other and looked around, turning as multiple growls began to draw closer and the bushes began to rustle. Dean was about to shoot his gun at one of the rustling bushes, when the growling ceased and a young woman in her early twenties stepped from the bushes. Dean froze as he took in her condition. She wasn't bad-looking, just a little roughed up. Her hair was long and black, ratted and tangled. Her clothes were worn and there were several patches of skin showing across her attire. Her eyes were dark brown, rimmed with a traditional werewolf golden rim. She looked subtly pissed off, her pale lips a tight line and her body stiff.

Others soon joined her, the brothers surrounded by lycan shifters, all dressed and in similar conditions as the first girl. They all seemed to be in between ages of twenty one and thirty five. The oldest was a male, a tall, broad man with long chocolate locks tied back into a ratted ponytail. One could only assume this was the Alpha of the pack. The lycans drew in closer, all wearing annoyed expressions mixed with murderous malice.

"It was unwise to step onto another's territory, boys." Growled the Alpha as they drew in closer, not very phased by the guns the Winchesters were currently pointing at them. "But we're lucky you stopped by. Saves us hunting for food tonight."

One of the other men, a younger blonde one, shifted into his wolf form and leapt for Sam. Dean aimed a perfect shot right square in the blonde wolf's head. It fell to the ground with a whine. The raven-haired girl they had seen first growled and shifted, running towards Dean with her jaws wide open. The blonde must've been her mate. Sam intervened with a silver knife in her chest. The fight pressed on, the brothers stabbing, shooting, and wrestling the pack of wolves off of them. By the time only the Alpha remained, Sam was sporting a broken rib and a slashed cheek; with Dean curling a dislocated elbow into his stomach and nursing a bleeding ear with his good hand. They were both on the ground, surrounded by the bodies of the dead lycan pack. The Alpha stalked towards them with his teeth bared and his eyes glowing a sickly, terrifying yellow. Blood dripped from his jowls and his paws were matted with dirt and the remains of his pack.

Coughing up a little blood from his mouth, Dean tried not to fall unconscious as he held onto life. Only now, on the brink of death does he finally let go of his pride and whisper a long-awaited word.

"Melilah…"

A flash of red and gold cut through the air between the giant wolf and Dean. The wolf reared back and exclaimed in pain as his fur caught flames and a large, beautiful firebird latched itself onto it's head and pecked his eyes out, it's talons digging into the skin. With a final howl, the wolf fell to it's demise and the red eagle cawed out musically, soaring over it's kill victoriously. Landing on the ground near Dean, the bird leaned it's great head over his own head… and began to weep. Her tears dribbled from her large purple eyes and into his mouth. All the pain that seemed to be consuming him disappeared, and his vision cleared and he was healed again. He managed to sit up and investigate his repaired elbow before turning to see the phoenix do the same to Sam, the younger brother unconscious but breathing. His wounds closed and he looked at peace.

The bird turned towards Dean, looked at him with a sad gleam in her eyes… and took flight. Before Dean could call out her name, he was grabbed on the shoulder and pulled through time and space back to the motel room he and Sam were currently staying in. He was sitting on his bed, Sam curled in the covers, snoozing away contentedly. Looking around hurriedly, his eyes finally landed on a very familiar, dark-haired, blue eyed angel.

"Cas! Where the hell did-"

"She left, Dean. She isn't ready to return yet."

Dean stared at Castiel with a very confused, angry expression. Melilah had obviously saved their asses- again. But once more, she had departed once the deed was complete. "What do you mean she can't return?"

"Melilah has a very important task at hand and it requires her full attention. I insisted she not come to you and that I take her place but she didn't listen. She managed to find a moment to save you, so I'd suggest you be grateful." Castiel almost growled back, his serious gaze lowering at Dean as he defended Melilah. Dean huffed but nonetheless looked away, putting his head in his hands. He wanted to know why she wasn't there and what it was she was doing but something told him that asking such questions would only result in even more shrouded mystery. So he stayed silent.

"She will come back, Dean."

"Gee, what makes you think that? Apparantly she's so busy trying to do your bidding that she can't even stop by to explain things once in a while?" Dean replied bitterly, walking to the bathroom to wash some cold water over his face. Castiel remained where he was, serious as ever.

"It's not my bidding she is doing. It's God's. From the moment she was born she was to fill a special task when it came time. This is that time, Dean."

"Do I not get to know what's going on? Seems to involve me and my brother quite a lot."

"No."

Dean scoffed and walked away, towards the door to get outside for some fresh air. He needed to get out and think for a while. He needed to be alone with his tortured self. When Cas was about to follow him, Dean bid him not and requested that the angel remain with Sam. Castiel was hesitant but he knew Dean needed the space to think, so he consented.

Dean walked down the quiet blocks of the little city, the night quiet and free of disturbances. With the wolves gone, they weren't likely to be an issue anymore. As Dean walked, he placed his hands in his coat pockets and walked along, grateful for the silent solitude. But as he came towards the end of town, into the more rolling hills areas, he kept walking. Once he felt that he was far away enough, he looked up to the stars and the moon. They were glittering a little brighter than usual tonight. It was a pretty sight. As Dean glanced back to the ground, he felt a welling in his chest that carried through his vocal chords and through his lips. He couldn't really hold it back anymore. He's wanted to do this since the moment he had shut that door on Melilah all that time ago.

"Oceans apart day after day

And I slowly go insane

I hear your voice on the line

But it doesn't stop the pain…"

Dean's voice is rough and gravelly, but nonetheless pleasant as he softly harmonizes the Richard Marx classic. He thinks of Melilah, letting his thoughts flow instead of trying to compress them somewhere in the more forbidden part of his brain. It felt good, knowing that at least she still cared about them enough to save their arses once more. Her tears had healed him and his brother and she hadn't abandoned them like he initially thought she had. Still, the pain of not having her around still lingered and it was clenching his heart a little tighter. But the singing was helping.

"If see you next to never

How can we say forever

Wherever you go, whatever you do…

I will be right here waiting for you

Whatever it takes

Or how my heart breaks

I will be right here waiting for you."

It was a testament as he continued to sing, his rooted feelings for the Phoenix still powerful and faithful. Regardless of how she felt, she still had some sense of protection over them, and it was enough for him.

"I wonder how we can survive this romance

But in the end if I'm with you I'll take the chance

Oh can't you see it baby,

You've got me goin' crazy

Wherever you go, whatever you do

I will be right here waiting for you

No matter what it takes,

Or how my heart breaks,

I will be right here waiting for you…"

His arms spread out and he threw his head to the sky, a cool breeze blowing open his jacket as a smile crossed his face and he surrendered to the human emotions he had denied himself for so long. Was love so bad? Not if he could help it. The music soared through the air, and he very faintly noticed as he sung the last measure of notes that a very familiar, angelic voice joined in with him.

"I will be waiting…"

"…for you."

Slowly, he turned, and she was there.

Song: I Will Be Right Here Waiting For You

Artist: Richard Marx