A/N If you haven't already please go back and read the prologue I did in chapter 1. Don't forget to send a review. I love em.

Chapter 25

Vehicles Required

"I think we should get the book back to the boys. They'll need it in the morning," Velvet said nonchalantly as if Gabriel hadn't said anything. Why was he making this up? He had to be making it up. This implied she was indeed anything but ordinary. Taking the book from Gabriel, she buried her nose in it so the two of them couldn't see the panic on her face. Madame Zinna had said Lucifer searched for an ancient soul. What did that really mean? Ancient meant old but thirty-five wasn't ancient.

Gabriel gave Castiel a knowing look. "I will take the book to them seeing as you are a little under-dressed. I'm sure they'll be happy to see me." He grinned as he held out his hand for the book.

Velvet refused to even look up until she heard Castiel's voice. "Give him the book Velvet. He will do as he says." Reluctantly, she placed the book in his hand.

Gabriel felt sorry for her and sorry for Castiel. She looked so lost but it only lasted a second as a smile again brightened her face. "Thank you." He didn't want his little brother to get hurt but Cas had fallen hard and fast. It didn't bode well for either of them.

"Take care of Castiel here, he's always getting into trouble," and with a wink he was gone.

"What do you think it means Cas? Am I something so old that no one knows me? Am I some type of ancient evil? Ugh! This is so frustrating. Why can't everyone just leave me alone?" She beat her fist on the arm of the chair. "I was perfectly content being a divorced woman whose husband cheated on her. I was fine trudging around that big old house dusting and vacuuming and mopping. I was ok babysitting the neighbor's children. I…" She was happy … surviving?

"You wish me to leave?" Cas asked, startling her out of little tirade.

"NO!" She shouted and jumped to her feet. Would he really leave if she asked? He looked so innocent sitting there buried under thick blankets, pulled up to his waist. "I just feel so out of place sometimes Cas. This world of hunters and monsters, it's not mine." She stood and began pacing across the room, needing to work out her frustration. "How can you stand this? Always fighting and never winning? Always having to protect nobodies like me?"

Castiel couldn't claim he understood women. They were complicated creatures. Men were simple to understand. He always thought God created women to confuse the angels as to their appeal. Even Gabriel never understood them fully. Yet, he sensed she needed comfort which she seemed to find in his embrace. "Come here Velvet."

She looked at his handsome face and realized how lucky she was. He was terrifyingly powerful yet wonderfully gentle. Had he truly believed he would hurt her? His hands on her skin had been tender and he had touched her in an almost reverent manner. His lips had worshiped her body as his eyes had looked at her in pure wonderment. An angel had saved her, healed her and fought for her. Just thinking of him as a man sent tingles all over her body. But he wasn't a man, he was an heavenly being. Walking over to the bed, she slid under the cover and was pulled into his comforting embrace. Laying her head on his shoulder, she sighed contentedly, smiling against his bare skin.

"I have told you before you are not evil. I cannot sense anything in you that could possibly be wicked. I only sense goodness," he spoke truthfully.

"Cas, let's be realistic. Lucifer wants me. There's something wrong with this picture. Why else would he claim to want me and says he's in love with me? Could I be a reincarnation? I don't know much about it but if my soul truly is ancient, couldn't it be possible?" She asked, brainstorming ideas aloud.

He considered what she said. Reincarnation was possible but highly improbable. "It is one possibility. However, it is very rare for a soul to be reborn. When I say rare, I mean it's only happened about a dozen times." He highly doubted she was the reincarnation of anyone.

"Another theory down the drain I guess. Maybe I should just ask Lucifer. He seems to know a lot." He really did but she didn't fancy another trip to hell and back.

"I hope we can keep him from ever speaking to you again," he said. Lucifer would not have her. No matter what he had to do, he would protect her, even if it meant trading his soul. He would do what he must. "Now sleep. You don't take care of yourself the way you should."

"But..."

"No more talk. Close your eyes and sleep," he ordered as he scooted down in the bed and pulled her to him, her back snuggly against him. Pulling the cover up around them, he tucked it under her chin.

She lay there a long time thinking over all the pieces, trying to put them together. Finally, after having no luck, she gave into the tiredness and drifted to sleep.

Castiel knew she wasn't asleep although she lay completely still and utterly quiet. He hated that she had to worry about this and he hated the fact he couldn't do much to ease her self-imposed burden. There were those in heaven he considered friends and maybe they could be of some use. Closing his own eyes, he relaxed, listening to the sounds of her heart beating.

Velvet woke to find light streaming through the break in the drapes. Stretching, she turned over to find Castiel gone. Sitting up she looked around to find all traces of him had vanished: no trench coat or tie. Nothing. Had he truly left her all alone? She felt a little nervous. This was the first time she'd been alone for out of bed, and finding herself a bit sore, she walked to the door noticing the salt line. Had Cas done that before he left? She opened the door and peered into the hallway. Seeing nothing, she rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower. When she returned to the bedroom, Cas was waiting and relief filled her.

"I went to get you something to eat, " he explained holding up the McDonalds bag. "The voice at the sign was irritated because I wasn't in a vehicle."

She laughed. "You went through the drive through. You are supposed to go inside if you are not in a car." She shook her head at him. "Thank you. It was very thoughtful. Maybe I should teach you to drive. Maybe tomorrow."

" I got something called number 5. The voice said it was very popular," he explained further.

"It's fine Cas," she assured him. She dived in surprised how hungry she was and when she looked at the clock, she knew why. It was nearly noon.

Cas watched with interest as she ate. She would tear tiny bits off the fluffily brown and white thing and put them in her mouth. He was used to seeing Dean shove huge amounts of food into his mouth, hardly stopping to chew before swallowing. The way she licked her lips made the throbbing hardness between his legs return, her innocent movements seducing him.

She finished and cleaned up the mess. When she got up to throw away the trash, she noticed Cas's eyes staring at her with a burning intensity. "Something wrong?" she asked curious as to what had him gazing at her.

"Remove the towel," he ordered, his face serious. He wanted a repeat of what happened between them last night. He wanted to show her how he felt; time for them was running out.

Surprised at his boldness, she squeaked, "What?"

" I said remove the towel," he growled, his voice deep and his body tense with desire and yearning for her. He face was stern and told her he expected no arguments.

She walked to the bed where he was sitting. Giving him a seductive smile, she slowly removed the towel, letting it fall to the floor. He took her in his arms and they made love again, Cas taking charge and leading them both to heaven.

Later that evening, Velvet lay propped up on the angel's upper body, tracing random designs on his smooth chest. She wanted to say so many things to him, whisper she loved him. She doubted lover's talk was in the cards for them.

"Did I make you fly again?" He asked completely serious. Cas had picked up quickly that meant he had done something to please her.

Dropping a soft kiss on his bare skin, she looked up into his eyes, looking at her so earnestly. "No. I have to say that I soared. You're amazing Cas. Everything has been perfect and I truly mean that. It's too bad you aren't human." She couldn't afford to let him know how much this meant to her. Guard you heart Velvet.

He didn't really understand what she meant about soaring but it pleased him to know she was content. Brushing the hair back from her face, he smiled. She made him feel complete but like all things human, never could last forever. Even if she lived full life, she only had about fifty more years. To an angel that would only be a moment in time. Sadness filled him.

"So this what Dean has with his women?" He asked abruptly.

"What do you mean?" She didn't understand what he was asking. Dean and his women?

"Dean always takes harlots to his bed. Afterwards he never sees them because they are unimportant."

She took a deep breath before speaking. "Do you think I'm a...a harlot? You think I'm a whore?" Her voice betrayed her hurt.

Immediately he sensed his mistake. "No, I don't. That did not come out as I wanted." She was hurt so easily that sometimes he wondered how she survived even a day among humans. He saw she was intensely interested in her fingernails for some reason. "I've hurt you again with my words. I am sorry that I can't always say the correct things. Bobby says my people skills are sorely lacking."

"So you don't think badly of me because we had sex?" She flushed quite prettily under his gaze.

"Of course not. You do not do things to be hurtful or spiteful. I don't believe it's in your nature."

"Do angels get married?"

"No."

"Do angels have sex with humans a lot?"

"No."

"Do angels have sex with other angels?"

"No."

"Do all angels love humans?"

"No."

Frustrated, she poked him in the chest. "Okay Cas, work with me here. I'm trying to get information and you're giving me one-word answers. Not helpful."

Taking the offending digit, he kissed the tip, effectively keeping her from poking him again. It hadn't hurt but it was irritating. "Alright little one, ask your questions." He only hoped she didn't ask something he couldn't answer.

"Okay so angels don't get married. Why not?"

" Marriage is a human union. The marriage act proclaims that two people are becoming sexual partners and will procreate. Angels do not need or desire a partner." He liked the idea of proclaiming Velvet as his. The closest angels came to marriage was the binding ceremony, which created the bond, a bond that was forbidden.

"Next question. Why don't angels have sex with humans very often?" Ignoring the need to break down at the fact he'd just said he didn't need her or want her.

"Many angels consider humans to be inferior creatures. To become so intimately involved would be beneath them. For others there is no desire for it. You must understand an angel is not a human. We are more like waves of light than a solid form like a human. To look at an angel's true form will burn out your eyes."

Again, she didn't look at him, instead appearing to be deep in thought. "That's fine. I'm perfectly happy looking at you like this. So you've got a Cocoon thing going on. What on earth do you do all the time? You don't watch TV or go to work. You don't get married or have children."

"We serve God." A simple answer. That's all they had ever done.

"Sounds kinda boring Cas."

Surprised, he said, "We do other things. Fight battles, keep things in order."

" Aren't you afraid you'll get killed?" She worried about him when he had left. He might not care for her but she loved him and wanted him to live.

"I would gladly die in the service of the Lord," he replied seriously. If duty demanded it, he would give up his life. He would give up his life for her.

"Do you think you and I could ever be a thing?" She asked but did not meet his eyes.

"A thing?" He asked, voice full of confusion.

"You know. Like a couple," she said it quietly he almost didn't hear her.

This was what he had dreaded. He couldn't tell her about the penalties for the type of relationship she obviously wanted. No, he had to protect her. He was going to have to break her heart but what else could he do.

"Velvet we cannot be a couple like you would want. It isn't possible. Trust me when I say this. I do care for you. You are one of the most wonderful humans I have ever known. You are my father's creation and I've sworn to protect God's chosen. Angels don't become permanently attached to humans. It's not done, ever. This isn't even really me, this body. An angel has duties that come before anything else. God and his will come before anything. Angels do not love anyone other than him. It is who we are and nothing has or ever will change that." He tried to be gentle with hs explanation, leaving out the part where they would both be doomed to die. However, he already sensed her drawing away from him.

She couldn't say she was surprised. This explanation was pretty much what she had expected but she had needed to ask. Now she had her answer. "I can't say it doesn't hurt Cas because it does. I hoped...I don't know what I hoped for really. I bet you think I'm really silly don't you." She felt like a fool again as her eyes stung with unshed tears. Why did she always need to cry?

He watched as tear trailed down her cheek. It killed him inside to see her suffer but he couldn't let this go on. They had shared a few tender and precious moments but it had to stop. He had a war to fight and a world to try to save. Most importantly, he had to save her.