Chapter 14

I do not own Supernatural in any way.

A/N-I've been going back and watching all of Gabriel's episodes, excluding Hammer of the Gods. I'm especially excited to write Changing Channels since something very big is revealed to Sam and Dean regarding Celeste. I've been thinking and I will be posting a chapter in my Gabriel/Celeste 'deleted scenes' story later, maybe tonight if I feel like it, set during Tall Tales, when the Winchesters, unknowingly meet Celeste.

A/N-This is 6 pages in Word and over 3,500 words. New record!

Celeste stood in a field.

"Celeste", a voice said.

She turned and saw Castiel. "Cass, why are you visiting me in a dream?" she asked him.

He took her face in his hands and said, "I don't have time to explain. I've talked to Dean. When you wake up, call him. He'll tell you where to meet them".

"Cass, you're scaring me", Celeste said.

He smiled and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Everything will be fine", he said kissing her forehead.

Celeste awoke with a gasp. She hurriedly packed a bag and left a note for Gabriel. She called Dean. "Something's wrong", she said.

"I know", he said, "I take it Castiel visited you too".

"Yeah", she said.

He told her the address and she appeared next to the brothers.

She looked up at the warehouse. "Why the hell would Cass send us here?" Celeste asked.

Sam and Dean just shrugged. Sam and Dean opened the door to the warehouse.

Celeste clutched onto the back of Dean's leather jacket as they walked through the dark warehouse.

"Well, what did he say, Dean? What was so important?" Sam asked.

"If I knew, would I be here?" Dean snapped back.

Sam turned to Celeste.

"He didn't tell me anything, but it didn't sound good", she said.

The three ascended a set of stairs. The warehouse was in shambles.

"What the hell?" Dean asked.

"It looks like a bomb went off", Sam asked.

"There was a fight here", Celeste said.

"Between who?" Sam asked.

Dean shone the flashlight on the wall.

A symbol was painted in blood.

"Check it out. Look familiar?" Dean asked.

Celeste's heart rate picked up.

"Yeah, it does", Sam said.

"We need to find Castiel", she said quickly.

"Anna used something like that to wish the angels back to the cornfield", Dean said.

"So, what? Cass was fighting angels?" Sam asked.

"I don't know", Dean said.

Celeste spotted a body lying in the rubble. "Cass!" she yelled. She ran over to him. She placed her head on his chest. "He's still breathing", she said.

Sam and Dean walked over to her.

"Cass? Cass. Hey, Cass?" Dean said shaking him.

"What's...? What's...? What's going on?" he asked.

Celeste stood up. This wasn't Cass. She could feel it.

"Just take it easy. Take it easy", Dean said.

"Oh. No", the Castiel look alike said. He stood up with some help from Dean.

"Cass, you okay?" Sam asked.

"Ugh. Castiel. I'm not Castiel. It's me", the man said.

"Who's 'me'?" Sam asked.

Celeste's hand covered her mouth as she gasped. "You're Jimmy. Cass' vessel", she said.

"Yeah", Jimmy said.

"Where the hell is Castiel?" Dean said.

"He's gone", Jimmy said.

"He can't just be gone!" Celeste shrieked. She slid her hands into her hair as she muttered to herself. "He can't be gone. No. No. No. This isn't possible. He promised", she muttered.

"Let's get out of here", Dean said. He walked over to Celeste and pulled her into him.

She breathed in Dean's scent to calm herself.

"Come on", he said.

She followed Dean, Sam, and Jimmy out of the warehouse.

They found a motel and got Jimmy something to eat.

Jimmy practically scarfed down the hamburger in his hands.

All Celeste could do was stare at her salad.

"You mind slowing down? You're gonna give me angina", Dean said.

"I'm hungry", Jimmy said.

"When's the last time you ate?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. Months", Jimmy said. Jimmy took another bite of the hamburger and continued to scarf down his food.

Celeste, disgusted, pushed her salad away from her, no longer hungry.

"What the hell happened back there? It looked like an angel battle royale", Sam said.

"All I remember is a flash of light and I, uh . . . I woke up and I was just, you know, like, me again", Jimmy said.

"So, what? Cass just ditched out of your meat suit?" Dean asked.

Celeste shot Dean a glare.

"Sorry", he said softly, "Touchy".

"I really don't know", Jimmy said.

"You remember anything about being possessed? Anything at all?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, bits and pieces", Jimmy said looking at Celeste.

Celeste blushed and looked down.

"I mean, angel inside of you, it's kinda like being chained to a comet", Jimmy asked.

"Ah, that doesn't sound like much fun", Dean said.

"Understatement", Jimmy said.

"Cass said he wanted to tell us something. Please tell me you remember that", Sam said.

"Sorry", Jimmy said.

"Come on, what do you know?" Dean asked.

"My name is Jimmy Novak. I'm from Pontiac, Illinois. I have a family", he said.

At that, Celeste got up, took her salad, and went outside. She placed the salad on the ground next to her. She brought her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her arms, crying.

Dean and Sam came out later.

Dean sat down next to Celeste. He reached over and stroked her hair. "You okay?" he asked.

She raised her head up and shook her head. "He's got a family! A family!" she said, "If I had known that, I…"

Dean smiled.

"Shut-up! I kissed a married man and the things I wanted to do with him…" she said horrified.

Dean had started to laugh.

"I said shut-up Dean!" she said playfully shoving him. Celeste straightened her legs and placed her salad on her lap. She unwrapped her fork and started to eat as Sam and Dean talked.

"So, what do we do?" Sam asked.

"What do you mean? The guy's got a family. We buy him a bus ticket, send him home", Dean said.

"I don't know about that. Dean, he's the only lead we got", Sam said.

"He doesn't know anything", Dean argued.

"Are you 100 percent about that?" Sam asked.

"You think he's lying? What, you wanna go Guantanamo on the guy?" Dean asked, which made Celeste laugh.

"Dean, maybe he doesn't even know what he knows", Sam said.

"Huh?" Dean asked.

"I say, at least we get him to Bobby's. Maybe all he needs is hypnosis or a psychic. Or hell, maybe Cass will just drop back into him", Sam said.

"Doubt that", Celeste said.

"I'm with Celeste on this one. I don't know, man", Dean said.

"Dean, back there, that was angel-on-angel violence. Now, I don't know what's going on, but it's big. And we can't just let the only lead we got just skip out", Sam said trying to reason with Dean.

Dean shook his head.

"What?" Sam asked.

"You remember when our job was helping people? Like, getting them back to their families?" Dean asked.

"You think I don't want to help him? I'm just being realistic. I mean, hell, we're doing him a favor", Sam said.

"How?" Dean asked.

"Dean, if we want to question the guy, you can damn well bet the demons do, too", Sam said.

Dean sighed in defeat and said, "Okay".

Celeste, Sam, and Dean went back inside the motel room.

"I'm sorry Jimmy, but we can't let you go home", Sam said.

"The hell are you talking about, I can't go home?" Jimmy asked.

"There's a good chance you have a bull's-eye on your back", Dean said.

"What? From who?" Jimmy asked.

"Demons", Dean answered.

"Come on, that's crazy. What do they want with me?" Jimmy asked.

"I don't know, information, maybe?" Dean said sarcastically.

"I don't know anything", Jimmy insisted.

"I know, but…" Dean said.

"Dean", Celeste snapped.

"Look, I'm done, okay? With demons, angels, all of it. I just want to go home", Jimmy said tired and exhausted.

"We understand", Dean said.

"I don't think that you do understand. I've been shot and stabbed and healed, and my body has been dragged all over the Earth. By some miracle, I'm out, and I am done. I've given enough, okay?" Jimmy said.

"Look, all we're saying is that until we figure this out, the safest place is with us", Sam said.

"How long?" Jimmy asked.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it", Sam said.

Jimmy shook his head and tried to move past Sam to get to the door.

"Where are you going?" Dean asked.

"To see my wife and daughter, okay?" Jimmy said.

"No, you're not. You're just going to put those people in danger", Sam said.

"So, what, now I'm a prisoner?" Jimmy asked.

"Harsh way to put it", Sam said.

Jimmy sighed and went to one of the beds.

Celeste watched Jimmy. She missed Castiel and it was so hard to keep her hands off of him.

Jimmy looked like he was having some trouble sleeping.

She knew Castiel like it when she ran her fingers through his hair, but she wasn't so sure about Jimmy. Sam was still up.

Sam stood up to leave the room.

"I'll watch them", Celeste said.

When Sam went left, Jimmy got up, startling Celeste.

He grabbed his stuff. He motioned for Celeste to follow him out of the room.

The two snuck past Dean and left the motel room.

"It's amazing what Castiel feels for you", Jimmy told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"It's like the purest love I've ever felt. The way he thinks about you. You're always on his mind", he said.

Celeste suddenly hugged Jimmy. "Thanks. I need that", she said breathing in his scent, "You may not be Castiel, but you two smell the same".

Jimmy felt something wet on his neck and realized Celeste was crying. He ran his hand up and down her back to soothe her. "It'll be okay. It'll be fine. You'll see", he told her.

She pulled back and wiped her face.

The next thing Jimmy did shocked the both of them.

He placed his hands on her temples and kissed her forehead.

Just like Castiel.

Jimmy pulled back and turned to walk away.

Celeste looked up at the stars and whispered a prayer.

"Please come back Castiel", she said.

The next morning, Dean was fuming at her.

"You let him go!?" Dean yelled, "Dammit Celeste. You just put his family in danger".

She just looked at him with tears in her green-golden eyes.

Dean sighed and said, "Why did you let him go?"

"Don't you ever wish you could go back to your normal life?" she asked.

Dean looked at her and said, "Yeah, but it still wasn't a good thing to do. Come on".

Celeste grabbed her stuff and they got in the Impala.

They drove in silence.

Anna suddenly appeared next to Celeste in the backseat. "Hey, guys", she said startling Dean.

"Aah! Jeez", Dean said jerking the steering wheel.

The Impala swerved before he got it back under control.

"Smooth", Anna said.

"You ever try calling ahead?" Dean asked.

"I like the element of surprise", Anna answered.

"Well, you look terrific", Dean said flirting.

Celeste rolled her eyes.

"Um, yeah, not the most appropriate time, Dean. You let Jimmy get away?" she asked.

"Talk to Celeste. She let him go", Dean said.

Anna turned to Celeste. "You let your emotions get in the way", she said, "That's why angels don't feel".

"Well I'm not a damn angel!" Celeste snapped, "Like you've never left you emotions get in the way". She turned her head away as tears filled her eyes.

"Sam. You seem different", Anna said.

"Me? I don't know. Heh. A haircut?" Sam asked trying to deflect.

"That's not what I'm talking about", Anna said. Anna gave Sam a look and he looked way. She looked at Dean. "So, what'd Jimmy tell you? He remember anything?" Anna said.

"Why? What's going on?" Dean asked.

"It's Cass. He got sent back home. Well, more like dragged back", Anna said.

That explained why Castiel was so frantic when he talked to Celeste.

"To heaven? That's not a good thing?" Dean asked.

"Understatement", Celeste muttered under her breath.

Those words made her think Jimmy who made her think of Castiel.

Everything led back to Castiel in Celeste's world.

"No. That's a very bad thing. Painfully, awfully bad. He must have seriously pissed someone off", Anna said.

"Cass said he had something to tell me. Something important", Dean told her.

"What?" she asked.

"I don't know", Dean said.

"Does Jimmy know?" Anna asked.

"If he did, do you think we'd be going after him?" Celeste snapped at Anna.

"I don't think so", Dean said.

"You don't think so? Whatever it is, it's huge. You gotta find out for sure", Anna said.

"Celeste's right. That's why we're going after Jimmy", Sam said.

"That's why you shouldn't have let him go in the first place. He's probably dead already", Anna said. Anna disappeared.

"Thank goodness", Celeste growled.

They pulled up to Jimmy's house.

Sam and Dean could hear screams.

"Stay in the car", Dean told her.

A few minutes later, she noticed Jimmy, his wife, and daughter come running out of the house.

They got into the Impala and sped off.

"What the hell happened?" Celeste asked.

"Demons!" Dean yelled. Dean pulled up to a parking garage and got out of the Impala.

Sam, Jimmy, and Celeste did the same.

"You were right", Jimmy said.

"I'm sorry we were", Dean said.

"I'm telling you, I don't know anything", Jimmy said again.

"I don't think they're inclined to believe you", Dean told him.

"And even if they did, you're a vessel. They're still gonna wanna know what makes you tick", Sam said.

"Which means vivisection, if they're feeling generous", Dean explained.

"I'm gonna tell you once again, you're putting your family in danger. You have to come with us", Sam insisted.

"How long? And don't give me that "cross that bridge when we get to it" crap", Jimmy said.

"Don't you get it? Forever. The demons will never stop. You can never be with your family. So you either get as far away from them as possible or you put a bullet in your head. And that's how you keep your family safe. But there's no getting out and there's no going home", Sam said.

"Well, don't sugarcoat it, Sam", Dean said sarcastically.

"I'm just telling him the truth, Dean. Someone has to", Sam admitted.

Jimmy looked at them and then opened the back door to talk to his wife.

It broke Celeste's heart. She couldn't imagine having to leave her family.

Sam managed to hotwire a car for Jimmy's wife and daughter. "Okay, so, uh, here's your car", Sam said.

"Hey. Take care of your mom, okay, bub?" Jimmy said.

"Okay", the girl said.

Jimmy's wife and daughter got in the car and left. Jimmy and Celeste got into the backseat of the Impala and Jimmy set his head on her lap.

As they drove, Celeste ran her fingers through Jimmy's hair and healed the cut on his cheek. Celeste looked out the window at the rain and listened to Sam and Dean talk.

"What the hell happened back there?" Dean asked Sam.

"What?" Sam asked.

"You practically fainted trying to gank a demon", Dean said.

"Okay, I didn't faint. I got a little dizzy", Sam said.

"Well, you can call it whatever you want. Point is, you used to be strong enough to kill Alastair. Now you can't even kill a stunt-demon number three?" Dean asked.

"What do you want me to say about it, Dean?" Sam asked.

"Well for starters, what's going on with your mojo? I mean, it's yo-yoing all over the place. I'm not trying to pick a fight here, okay? I just – you're scaring me, man", Dean said.

"I'm scaring myself", Sam said. Sam's phone rang and he answered it.

"Hello? ...Who is this?" he asked. He turned to Celeste and said, "Wake him up".

Celeste lightly shook Jimmy.

Jimmy sat up.

"Hey. It's your wife", Sam said.

Jimmy took the phone from Sam. "Amelia?...Oh, my God", Jimmy said.

He hung up.

"Turn around", Jimmy said.

They pulled up to another warehouse.

"Stay in the car", Dean told Celeste.

"Like hell I am", she said getting out, "This is Cass we're talking about".

"Exactly and he would kill me if anything happened to you", Dean said.

"I have a right to help you", she said.

"And what exactly is that?" Dean said.

"I love him!" she snapped with her hands on her hips.

Dean looked at Celeste for a few moments and then turned to Jimmy.

"Alright, they're expecting you to come alone. That's exactly what you're gonna do", Dean told him.

"We'll work our way through the catwalks. We'll be right behind you", Sam said.

"All you gotta do is stay calm and stall. Let us do our job", Dean said.

"You want me to stay calm? This is my family we're talking about", Jimmy said.

"Listen to me, this will work. You understand? Nobody's gonna get hurt", Dean assured him.

"Yeah, whatever. Give me a minute, okay?" Jimmy asked. Jimmy walked away from them towards the warehouse.

"There's no way they're expecting him to come alone, Dean. You know this is probably a trap", Sam told Dean.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I have a plan", Dean said.

Celeste followed Sam and Dean into the warehouse, only to be ambushed by demons.

"Silly little nephilim. Getting mixed up in human affairs", one said.

They dragged them into the room where Jimmy, his possessed wife, and unconscious daughter were.

The demons threw Celeste roughly to the ground. Celeste smacked her head on the concrete.

"Don't you touch her", Dean growled.

"Nice plan, Dean", Sam said.

"Yeah, well, nobody bats 1,000", Dean snapped.

"Got the knife?" Jimmy's wife asked.

One of the demons holding Sam held up Ruby's knife.

"And you know what's funny?" the wife asked.

"You wearing a soccer mom?" Dean asked sarcastically.

If Celeste wasn't in so much pain, she would've laughed.

Gabriel was right.

The Winchesters were going to get her killed.

"Is I was actually bummed to get this detail, picking up an empty vessel. Sort of like a milk run. Now look who landed in my lap", she said.

"Yeah, well, you got us, okay? Let these people go", Sam said.

"Oh, Sam. It's easy to act chivalrous when your Wonder Girl powers aren't working, huh? Now for the punch line. Everybody dies", the wife said shooting Jimmy.

"No", Celeste whimpered, "Cass".

The wife turned to one of the demons holding Sam and said, "Waste Little Orphan Annie".

Celeste began falling in and out of consciousness. She could hear Jimmy say, "Castiel".

As the demons and Sam and Dean continued to fight, Celeste crawled over to Jimmy.

Castiel, in the little girl's body, walked over to them. "Of course we keep our promises. Of course you have our gratitude. You served us well. Your work is done. It's time to go home now. Your real home. You'll rest forever in the fields of the Lord. Rest now, Jimmy", Castiel spoke through the little girl.

"No. Claire?" Jimmy asked.

"She's with me now. She's chosen. It's in her blood, as it was in yours", he said.

"Please, Castiel. Me, just take me. Take me, please", Jimmy begged.

"I wanna make sure you understand. You won't die or age. If this last year was painful for you, picture a hundred, a thousand more like it", he said.

"It doesn't matter. You take me. Just take me", Jimmy begged.

"As you wish", Castiel said. Castiel touched Jimmy's face and went into Jimmy.

The little girl dropped to her hands and knees as Celeste hugged Castiel.

Castiel shrugged her off as he stood up. He walked over to Sam and Dean, then turned to leave.

"Cass, hold up. What were you gonna tell me?" Dean asked.

"I learned my lesson while I was away, Dean. I serve heaven, I don't serve man, and I certainly don't serve you", Castiel said.

He looked at Celeste's tear stained face.

Celeste could see the sadness in his eyes.

He turned and walked away.

Celeste teleported home and knocked on the door.

The light flicked on and Gabriel answered the door.

He took in Celeste's appearance.

Disheveled clothing, dirt stains on her shirt and jeans, her hair looked like it had been blown everywhere, she was holding her arm in pain, and blood was dripping down her face, along with tears. "Can you not say I told you so?" she asked pathetically.

"Oh honey", he said gently taking her in his arms.

She had completely lost it. She burst into tears.

Gabriel managed to get her to come into the house where he cleaned her up.

"I guess you heard about Cass", she said.

"Oh yeah. I heard", he said gently brushing her hair.

Celeste opened her eyes and found herself lying on a beach as the sun set. She turned her head and saw Castiel staring out onto the horizon. "Careful. If you stare too long at the sun, you'll go blind", Celeste said.

Castiel smiled.

Celeste moved closer to him and grabbed his chin. She turned his head towards hers and kissed him.

Castiel placed his hand on her cheek.

Celeste pulled away and set her forehead on Castiel's. "Don't do that again", she told him, "Don't leave me".

"I won't. I promise", he said.

Celeste looked away from Castiel.

He took her face in his hands and said, "I vow that I will never leave you".

Celeste smiled.

Castiel layed down on the ground and Celeste curled up on chest. She fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.

Yay! So Celeste has finally admitted out loud to the Winchesters that she is in love with Castiel. The reason why Celeste is so neurotic in this chapter is to show how Celeste handles Castiel leaving her. Castiel and Gabriel are the two people she loves most in life and it would kill her if she lost either one of and if you're wondering why Celeste is always breathing in everyone's scent is so she can stay grounded in reality and it calms her. Cause when you're dealing with angels and demons, sometimes it's hard to tell what's real and what's not.