So it begins again. this will spread over a few chapters not sure exactly how many but it will have a happy ending I promise for those concerned =) enjoy and feedback. Castiel is in for a rough few chapters tho be warned Maggie is Pissed D=
FEEDBACK looking for takes on the Cas/Gabe diaglog at the end especially did that feel like Gabe?
Enjoy
xox
EP
35
Maggie woke up on the sofa, it was the beginning of the third full day since Castiel left. Since that time nothing had changed except her clothes, and those only once.
She had managed to drag herself upstairs the morning of the second day, to take a shower, and change. She couldn't stand to even be in the room. Too many memories, too much pain. She was in and out of the shower quickly and changed just as fast. Since that time, as most of time before that, she spent her days and nights on the sofa. She had become a regular fixture of it, much like the pillows that sat on it and the quilt that draped over it.
She rolled on to her side to see Dean asleep on the floor next to the sofa. Why the hell he didn't just go to the spare room to sleep was beyond her. Hell she didn't even want him there. She didn't need a babysitter. The cushion from the side chair as his pillow, using the quilt from that chair to cover himself. It was pointless to argue with him. He was that stupid kind of hard headed reason was useless on.
"Damn fool" she muttered looking at him, "You can't possibly be comfortable like that."
He didn't move.
But he couldn't have been comfortable, with nothing between him and the hard pine floor but the antique Persian rug. A nice rug, and in it's day, thick and plush. It's day had long past however, leaving it thin, but not quite threadbare. Still it was beautiful but, far from comfortable, especially for sleeping.
She sighed stepping around the snoring hunter, on her way to the downstairs bathroom.
"Some hunter you are" she thought as she stepped over him. "Love those cat like reflexes." her mind continued.
Coming out of the bathroom she found Dean awake and sitting up.
"Where were you?" he questioned.
"I decided to save the world while you slept." She answered sarcastically, then "Where the hell do you think I was?"
He nodded at her. "Good morning to you too."
"Hey I didn't tell you to stay, as a matter of fact I seem to remember telling you to leave…. Several times… Daily…" she pointed out.
"Maggie… stop huh." he said gently "We both know you shouldn't be alone right now.'
"No, YOU think I shouldn't be alone right now… Me.. Personally… oh yeah, I think I definitely need to be alone right now." she defended, her tone fed up, glaring at him.
"Maggie" He sighed. "We both know I'm not the one you are mad at, so let's make the best of this.
A few days before
Dean and Sam, getting no answer from Castiel's cell, had called the house shortly after Gabriel arrived. When he informed them of the situation they, blazed a trail to the cabin, driving the several hundred miles in record time.
Once there, Gabriel wanted to begin the search for his brother, swearing to talk sense to him, beat it into him if necessary. Even if Maggie didn't want him back at the moment. He was dragging his sorry ass home for the 3 of them to deal with.
Since their conversation at the diner was interrupted by Maggie's screams, Gabriel finished relaying the latest on Zachariah's actions to the Winchesters. Dean was horrified to learn the truth regarding the death of the Nebraska town, and the part he played in it. He didn't like the pudgy conniving angels new approach and he was angry at Zach's latest stunt, still he could not surrender.
Sam, it was decided would go and sniff out as much information as he could. Find out what exactly had gone on in the town, exactly how those people had died and look for clues as to Zach's next move. They had to find a way to stop him, short of turning over Dean.
Gabriel would hunt down Castiel, even if Maggie said she didn't want him to come home, the three others wanted a piece of him. A chance, if nothing else, to knock some sense into him. Gabriel had the best shot at locating him.
Dean decided he would stay with Maggie. Of course he never bothered to consult Maggie on this, none of them did.
Maggie, just wanted left alone. She had dealt with worse and she would deal with this. Alone, in her own way, in her own time. None of them seemed to hear a word she said, however, they just went about their plan.
She was becoming frustrated with all of them. Especially Dean as his overbearing, overprotective streak seemed to pick up right where Castiel's left off.
"I'll Stay with Maggie" Dean told Gabe and his brother, "Nothing will get in, and if it does, it sure as hell wont get out alive." he assured, as he laid out his personal armory of weapons on the kitchen table.
"You're going to have to look after her otherwise too" Gabriel reminded, nodding to the living room where Maggie sat on the sofa.
Dean nodded "She'll be ok, I'll make sure she eats and sleeps and takes care of herself… I won't let her do anything stupid."
Sam laughed. " And who's gonna keep you from doing anything stupid?"
Dean smirked at his brother "I can take care of myself."
Now three days later Maggie just wanted left alone more than ever. She needed to think. She knew she couldn't go back to the way things were. She and her baby were going to be hunted by heaven and hell for the rest of their lives, possibly longer.
She meant it when she said she didn't want Castiel to come back. He did this to her. He dragged her into this and ran like a scared rabbit when he could no longer take the heat…
"Fuck him.. I can do this myself." she thought.
***
Castiel sat atop a small apartment building in Union Nebraska. The authorities had finished taking the last of the dead bodies out days ago. He looked out over the town aside from the fact that not a living thing moved, there were no lights, no sound, a stranger would be hard pressed to find anything wrong on the surface.
He had come to try to find what method Zachariah had used to kill all of those people. All of those lives, his fathers creation lost to the temper tantrum of an insane angel. No Zach was no angel, he was something else, some new evil. Castiel questioned what his fathers motives could possibly have been, to allow them so much power. The power to destroy with out conscious something so wondrous as humanity, with out a second thought because of something so selfish.
Then again, they were meant to love humanity but not understand it, it's beauty, they also were not meant to be selfish.
He understood because of Maggie. Maggie and her incredible soul, her love, her desires, her kindness. All of which he too, quite possibly destroyed. But not without conscious. He grieved for her, the loss of her, her love, everyday.
His mind often rang loudly and uncontrollably with her thoughts of him. They were still connected and he could still hear her. He heard her pain, her anger, an now her hatred of him. Hatred, yes, that is what she was sending his way. Could she possibly now hate him? Just days ago she loved him with all of her heart. No he couldn't accept it. Not when he loved her so completely. He hung his head.
"There is a fine line Castiel… between love and hate. You sit on the edge of that line, in Maggie's heart." he heard the voice of Haniel
"Where have you been" he snapped at the archangel.
"It has been difficult here." He explained
"What is so difficult in heaven that could cause you to leave Maggie so open?" he questioned angry.
"Zachariah has more influence here than expected." the arch told him.
"Influence over you?"
"Of course not, we are all being watched carefully… Accusations of Blasphemy are rampant." he expounded.
"He is evil" Castiel growled.
"Yes" the voice agreed
"Castiel, you have disobeyed as well."
"No," he defended.
"Your orders where to protect Maggie, to guide her, you are not doing that sitting here."
"I had to leave to protect her."
"No" the voice said simply.
"Zachariah wanted the Bible, I had to remove it from her possession."
"No" the voice said again.
"I should let him have the bible?" Castiel questioned.
"Of course not, but your orders were not to protect this book."
"It's the only way."
"I understand you see it that way, your love for her clouds your view of the situation. I have assigned her a new guardian."
"No. who?"
"It is not your concern Castiel. Protect your book."
"Haniel! Who?"
There was no answer.
***
Dean was behind Maggie every step she took at cabin. She was in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch, she really hadn't eaten, hadn't been eating much at all. She was starving but, she just couldn't seem to swallow. She knew it was the situation and nothing physical but, he wasn't helping right now.
"Look Dean I just want to get back to normal." She told him. "I had a life before he showed up. I want it back."
"Maggie you know there is no going back, and we can't just leave you here alone." Dean told her.
"Yes you can, I will be fine."
"And the baby, you really think that baby is gonna be fine out here? C'mon Maggie, you know as well as I do what's going to happen once she is born." Dean reminded
"I know, nothing Dean. She will just be a normal little girl, that's all anyone will ever have to know."
"There are two problems with that and you know it. First both heaven and hell know all about her, and second she won't be a normal little girl." Dean argued.
"Castiel obviously isn't worried about her. So take his lead huh. GO!" she said firm.
"Sorry, no can do… Once you're safe… if you are ever safe.. Maybe, but until then, get used to me… us.. We aren't going anywhere, least not without both of you."
Maggie rolled her eyes and sighed at him exasperation, then stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
"Where you going?" he asked
"To the shower!" she stomped
"I'll be waiting right here" he said, picking up a package of cookies and stuffing one in his mouth.
***
Maggie stormed in the bedroom without even thinking, as soon as she entered the room she regretted it. She closed her eyes and soon the tears started to flow again.
She just wanted out… away from it all. She didn't want to be here, she didn't want the memories.
Maggie was tired, and hungry, her head was splitting with pain and her back was complaining loudly from the few nights on the sofa, waking to find Dean, like some love sick school boy sleeping on the floor those mornings. He meant well she understood but, she wanted rid of him just the same.
He was just a reminder. The excess baggage of Castiel. Some guys moved in with, ratty underwear, girly magazines and video games and left them to be gotten rid of. Castiel came with the Winchesters. She couldn't sell them at a yard sale… No she was going to have to leave them, him, Dean, behind.
***
Gabriel arrived on the rooftop a few feet behind where his brother was sitting, gazing out on the remains of the small Midwestern town. In the last few days he had trailed Castiel all over the globe just missing finally in the middle of the night, he stood a few feet away.
"Bout time you slow down little brother." Gabriel said calm
"Leave me alone Gabriel." Castiel responded unsurprised by his brothers arrival.
"You knew I was coming?"
"It's why I stayed." he responded.
"So we could talk?" Gabe asked hopeful
"So I could tell you to leave me alone." Castiel responded flat.
"You need to come home."
"My work is here."
"Here Cass? The job market looks a little dead, much like the town." Gabe said trying to lighten the moment.
"Here observing the earth. Changing what I can. Doing our fathers bidding." He explained.
"You're putting on a good show Cass… might even work on a few.. Not me though. I've seen too much."
Castiel shot Gabe, who was now beside him, a sideways glance.
"I do not know what you think you have seen." He said trying to regain composure.
"Enough to know you are doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons." Gabe relayed.
"I am protecting her." he growled.
"How?" Gabe snapped "How is this protecting her?"
"Zachariah wants the book, I have it. It is my problem now, not Maggie's" He said her name with a hitch.
"You really don't get it do you?" Gabriel said looking at him almost amazed.
"Get what?" Castiel said with exasperation.
"It's not the Bible Cass."
"Of course it is. The information contained in that book is a threat to Zachariah. His plans."
"Yes you're right it is" Gabe agreed "But it doesn't end with the book Cass."
Castiel looked confused.
"Castiel, you can burn that book, shred it, bury it, do what ever you want to it. But when the time comes it will be re written. It's not the book that is the threat Cass. It's the writer."
Castiel's eyes grew wide. Maggie" he said the answer occurring to him.
"Or the child. Yes," Gabriel told him, "it is her bloodline that protects it. The book was left to her, I would assume she is the only one, at the moment, who can write it."
"I need to go back" Castiel growled.
"Whoa… wait."
"What" he growled out impatient.
"Maggie isn't going to be happy to see you, as a matter of fact you have one pretty pissed off Winchester at the house too."
"She will get over it" Castiel snapped
"Wouldn't count on it" Gabe said as his brother left the rooftop.