Chapter 29
Castiel was standing by the Impala after the strategy meeting. He was staring at her, at 'Baby' the only constant left in his life other than the Bunker. He had the keys to both in the pocket of his trench coat just tapping his fingers against them listening to the muted jingling sound they made.
Castiel was going to ask his father for the rest he desired but had changed his mind when he realized that Susan the Leviathan that had started this new war needed to be occupied so she would not sense what was going to be her ultimate demise (or so he hoped).
He stood there with his hand on the roof of the Impala remembering all the times she had saved the Winchesters, and even him on occasion.
He was going to give the Keys to both the Impala and the Bunker to Ben. The bunker would give him a home Base to come back to and the Impala would take care of Ben as well as it did Winchesters and himself.
It was then that he heard footsteps approaching. As he turned, he saw Ben who had stopped just behind him.
"I always loved this car."
"Dean taught me how to maintain her...And love her"
As he finished talking, he reached out to her and patted her roof as Dean did each time just before he slipped behind the steering wheel.
Castiel pulled the keys to 'Baby' and the 'Bunker' from his pocket.
"They're yours, they will take care of you." Castiel said as Ben slowly reached for the keys.
It was then that Ben understood. Cas did not plan on returning or surviving this battle. He was shaking his head as he spoke,
"No Cas you will come back from this. This world still needs you. Meg will need you. I will need you."
The last four words caused Cas to swallow hard. Dean had said those same words to him in Lucifer's crypts.
"Ben, I have changed. I can barely control this thing I have become."
Cas stepped back and Changed into the 'Avenging Angel' he had become.
Ben sucked in a surprised breath. He had never seen Castiel this way before and in all honesty scared him a little and Ben like his father feared very little.
"Ok so you've got a Star Trek Mirror-Mirror thing going on, but we are here to help you." Ben begged.
"Lucifer has his cage; I will have Purgatory" Castiel said.
Ben looked at Castiel. He saw the struggle in Castiel's eyes. he realized that Castiel, the Angel, who had watched after him, trained him, and cared for him had given up and was ready to sacrifice himself.
Ben stared at him his voice cracked as he said,
"Please Cas don't do this. Stay, Please."
Castiel did not respond to Ben's plea. Instead, he looked away and said,
"Susan needs to be occupied both physically and mentally for this plan to work. She wants me dead like she did when I was in purgatory the first time (with Dean was left unspoken)."
"But Lucifer can leave the cage YOU will be stuck in purgatory for forever." Ben pleaded.
Castiel smiled and huffed out a small laugh.
"What?" Ben asked
"I was just wondering if Benny was still alive in purgatory."
And with that Castiel walked away from Ben before the boy, no man, could change his mind.
