Author's Note: "About dang time, Cass, goshdarnit!" Is that what you guys are thinking? Because I am. I'm sorry this took so long. I've been neck-deep in non-pathogenic strains of E. Coli and jellyfish bio-luminescence genetic engineering. As well as college algebra and AP English. (I'm suffering.) But I love you guys! Hope you enjoy this story as much as I do!

"What was that all about?" Azariah asked sarcastically, sitting on a tree stump in a field. "Don't you think you should be a little more careful? Sam and Dean don't know anything about your workings with Crowley. Don't want to tip them off by being so angry."

"They couldn't tell," Castiel snapped. "And you know that."

Azariah shrugged. "Look. I know you're angry that I left Crowley's 'protection,' but I'll have you know that there is no way I'd ever stay down there for long," she told him. "And you know that."

The anger in her brother's eyes slowly puttered out while she stared at him coolly. "Okay. I'm sorry," he finally muttered. She got up off the tree stump and wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her face into his chest.

"You don't have to be sorry. Just don't make me go back there with Crowley."

"I won't. But… I still want you safe,"Castiel said.

"I can take care of myself. And the Winchesters were having a great time playing games with me!" Joking sarcasm spilled from her tongue. Castiel chuckled and planted a kiss on the top of her head in her brown hair before resting his chin on top of it. His strong arms were holding her in a comforting but protective embrace. "Besides, when have you known me to be incapable of anything?" she added.

She could feel Castiel's chuckle flutter the hairs on the top of her head. "Never." He paused for a very long time. "Can I see it?"

"What?"

"Crowley's little gift to you." Azariah smirked and broke out of his hold. From the back of her jacket she pulled the circlet out and held it for him to see. Smiling, he snatched it from her hands and examined the strands. "Gold, silver, 'angel grace'." He nodded approvingly and set it on her head. "It suits you, princess," he decided. Azariah rolled her eyes and yanked it off before stowing it away again. Castiel smiled broader. Usually it was so hard to get him to crack a grin, but around her he seemed… happier. And that was a good thing. She was one of the only people who could make him go from angry to relatively fine in mere seconds.

"Should we… go back?" she asked. "Before they get suspicious?"

"Promise not to tell about my arrangement with Crowley?"

"Only if you promise not to make me go back there."

"It's a deal."

"Great! I promise then!" The two turned to leave.

"Not so fast!" a new voice shouted at them.

"Did Cas seem a little… angry to you?" Dean asked Sam as he dealt out a poker game, leaving a hand aside for Azariah. The younger Winchester shrugged and popped open his can of soda.

"Well, I didn't think so, but I imagine he wouldn't exactly be thrilled that the one sibling he wanted to keep safe refused to listen and broke out of the safe zone because she was bored," Sam replied after a moment of thought. Dean made a "seems legit" face and set down the cards in favor of picking up a burger. He took a huge bite into it.

"Well, what can I say? We are awesome to play games with," he commented while chewing. Sam didn't agree with Dean's grammar, but decided not to say anything because Dean probably wouldn't understand his explanation.

"This hand for me?" Bobby asked, walking in and pointing to the hand Dean had dealt for Azariah. Oh well. It looked like she wasn't coming back for a while anyway.

"Sure," Dean said. Bobby sat down and took up the cards. Together the three started to play a decent game of poker. While Dean ate a burger, Sam drank a soda, and Bobby made sarcastic comments. Dean couldn't remember the last time he'd played a game of poker that was that challenging. Honestly, the bikers and idiots he versed in bars were never as good as his brother and father-figure. And he enjoyed the challenge—maybe a little too much for his own good. With a smile on his face, he threw two white chips into the pot.

"Hello," Castiel greeted, keeping his voice steady and calm. Azariah was looking curiously at the face under the Vessel. She didn't know most of the host, so she wasn't surprised that she had never seen the angelic visage before. The burning eyes were glaring darkly. But the new angel wasn't paying any attention to Azariah. His gaze was fixed on Castiel. Instinctively, Azariah's fingers touched the bottom of her angel blade and she contemplated pulling it out. But Castiel's hand on her arm was a silent way of him telling her not to. So she stayed stock-still and kept her own emotions suppressed, even though if she had to admit it, she was a little frightened. Having been so far removed from the civil war she had no idea how deep hatred ran for her favorite older brother. If she had to guess it would be "pretty darn deep," but she couldn't think about trying to quantifying it. She had no evidence. "Do you mind if I ask what you want?" he continued.

"Enough with the cordiality, Castiel," the newcomer said, spitting Castiel's name past his lips like it was poison. Azariah arched an eyebrow. "You know why I'm here!"

"Honestly, I don't think I do," Castiel replied, sounding genuine.

"Yeah. You know. You're just not willing to admit it!"

"Is he talking about…?" Azariah trailed off, murmuring quietly. Castiel shot a quick glance down at her with his bluer than blue eyes.

"I actually don't know. I don't think so though. No one knows about it except you."

Azariah sighed. "Great. Nothing to worry about. So we have a psycho staring us in the face," she remarked sarcastically.

"Pretty much," Castiel agreed.

End Note: Thank you for reading!

~Cass