Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Castielholmeshasthephonebox, horsegirl2430, Raheem, Perdition Raiser and giawinchester for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Once everyone in the bunker had had breakfast and coffee the four of them made their way into the library, to the table where Kevin had spread out all he had done and found.
"So what ya got Kev?" Dean asked looking at the jumble of what he guessed was writing, but it was no langue he had ever seen. He thought Kevin had found something? So where was it?
"Well, I've been trying to translate the tablet into English. But then I realised that that was impossible, but I could translate it into this." Kevin explained holding up his notebook for Dean to see the symbols he had written down upon it.
"And what the freakin' hell is that?" Dean asked taking the book and looking down at the symbols which to him looked more like doodles than anything useful.
"It's Elamite cuneiform." Kevin explained pulling a book from the pile and showing it to Dean as if to prove he wasn't lying, not that it meant anything to the other man.
"And that helps us how?" Dean asked with disbelief. This was the big thing Sam had wanted them to see? This was nothing. He and Cas could have definitely spent more time in bed, and the shower, and well, anywhere else he could get the guy in his arms.
"Because I can read it Dean." Castiel said interrupting Dean's thoughts and taking the book of words from his hand.
"Oh right. So what does it say?" Dean asked suddenly doing a turnabout as he belatedly remembered Cas had been an angel, he know doubt knew all the dead languages, as well as the not so dead ones.
"It is hard to translate directly so I will paraphrase." Castiel muttered absently as his eyes moved down the words and he read what it had to say.
"Well paraphrase already Cas." Dean said gently giving him a nudge with his shoulder when the former angel didn't say anything for a while. He needed to know what it said, he needed to be able to help Cas get the angels back to heaven, and he needed to know if he was gonna lose the man he loved in the process. Because if there was any chance of that happening, then this was a no go in Deans mind. He would not lose Cas now he had him, no way.
"To close the gates of heaven and expel the angels upon earth requires the heart of a Nephilim, a cupid's bow, and the grace of an angel who knows love. To undo the spell the angel must give up his existing grace to another angel who is pure at heart. The angel must be willing to sacrifice all he has known to return his family to their home. Be willing to walk the earth in a human form, and stand with those who serve god and his creations." Castiel said laying the book back down on the table as he thought over the words he had just read. The translation he had given the Winchesters and Kevin, and the actual words as he had read them. He had left nothing out from his paraphrasing, but the tone and inflection of the words he had read had most definitely been lost in translation.
"What the hell does that mean?" Dean asked around the room after silence followed Cas' words. Cos to him it sounded like Cas needed to become human, but he already was, so how could he become human again?
"It means that not all my grace was used in Metatron's spell. It is still out there, and we need to find it." Castiel replied with a small smile to the man next to him.
"Well crap." Dean replied wondering just what this meant to Cas. To find out that there was a way he could become an angel again, and then know he would have to give it up. It was a whole different ball game to having it forcibly taken from him. Could Cas give it away? Did Cas want to give it away? Did he want to be human if there was a chance he could be an angel again? There were far too many questions in his head right then. But first things first. They needed to find Cas' grace and that was not going to be easy, no doubt Meta-douche had hidden away somewhere. How the hell were they gonna get that dick to tell them where?
"So we need to find an angel who is pure at heart?" Sam asked thinking over the words Cas had spoken, choosing to voice the one that he hoped would be the easiest for them to come by.
"I'm thinkin' finding Cas' grace is the first thing to do Sam." Dean replied with a glare at his brother. There was no way he would be letting Cas near any angels until he knew he could defend himself against the evil shits. He did not trust them to try and kill him again. And there was no way Dean was putting Cas in that sort of danger.
"But an angel could maybe help us locate it." Sam argued, turning to Cas hoping he would confirm his words and take his side in this. But all he found was that the former angel was staring down at the words in the note book with a frown on his face.
"An angel… or maybe a demon?" Dean suggested an idea coming into his mind. Yeah okay it might not be the best one he had ever had, but it was certainly better than calling an angel. At least he knew Crowley wouldn't try and kill any of them, which is more than he could say for the god squad.
"No Dean." Sam stated crossing his arms as he glared at his brother. He knew exactly what demon Dean was thinking of, and he knew that Crowley wouldn't do this without getting something out of it for himself. Dean had made enough deals with the king of hell, he was not going to let his brother make another, not now, not ever.
"He could help." Dean argued back returning the glare, both forgetting the other two people in the room with them.
"He who?" Castiel asked bringing his head up and turning to look at Dean just as the man turned to him. Looking into the green eyes he had learnt to read so well he saw a quick look of guilt before it disappeared and became softly apologetic, as if Castiel was not going to like Dean's answer.
"Crowley." Dean said gently waiting for the expected look of disappointment in the blue eyes he loved so much. But instead all he saw was curiosity.
"I thought he was dead, did not the trials kill him?" Castiel asked turning to Sam. He would have thought if Crowley was still alive one of the Winchester brothers would have told him.
"No, he survived." Sam replied through gritted teeth still glaring at Dean for all he was worth. He couldn't believe he was even considering getting information from that dick.
"Wait, Crowley is alive?" Kevin interrupted in fury at the knowledge that the thing who had killed his girlfriend and his mother was still alive and walking around as if nothing had happened.
"Yeah he is. Look Kev, I'm sorry-" Dean started to say, trying to think of a way he could explain to the kid why he had let the demon go. But before he could even try to come up with the words Castiel interrupted him.
"Why would he help us in this?" Castiel asked, he did not want to hear Dean apologise for something he had no control over. No doubt he had been more concerned with getting Sam to the hospital than dealing with the king of hell. Right now he wanted to understand Dean's thinking, to work out why he felt that he would help them.
"Cos I doubt he wants the winged-dicks on earth any more than we do." Dean answered with a shrug, not meeting Castiel eyes making him narrow them at the man he had come to care so much about. What was Dean not telling him? Was this the lie Sam was talking about? Was it something to do with Crowley? But this was not the time or place to ask those questions. That was something he and Dean would need to discuss in private. Right now they needed to decide if they were going to ask Crowley or call an angel for the help they required.
"Do you know of any angel that would be able to help us instead of asking Crowley?" Sam asked Cas, still sure that that was the best course of action here. Leave Crowley alone, they could do this without him.
"There is one, but whether he survived the fall or not I do not know." Castiel replied after a minute of thinking. So many of the angel he knew and trusted were gone now, and from those that were left he was not sure they would willing help him in this. Not sure he could trust them not to kill him on sight.
"Well why don't we try and call him, and if that doesn't work we can come back to the idea of asking Crowley." Sam suggested thinking that that would sort it out. They would have no need of the demon with an angel on their side, right?
"I can do that." Castiel responded with a nod at Sam's suggestion. It made the most sense to him, and it kept Crowley out of it.
"You really think this guy can be trusted Cas? Cos if not…" Dean said trailing off as the man he loved turned to him with a look in his eyes that told him to be quiet. That Cas was doing this whether he wanted him to or not, he could come with him and be at his side, or he could stay home. There was no way he was stopping him. "Fine, but if this guy is a no show, we summon Crowley." Dean conceded, there was no way he would let Cas do this without him.
"Very well." Castiel agreed. They would need someone with supernatural powers to be able to track what remained of his grace. He would prefer it be one of his brothers, but if it had to be Crowley then so be it. He needed his grace so he could open the gates of heaven, fix what he had broken and allow his family to return to their home.