Hours later, Castiel drove the Impala down the wide-open road. Claire, riding shotgun, glanced over at him. "Hey, thanks for the ride," she said.
"It's not a problem," said Cas. "I could use the help finding Jack."
"So this is what you do?" Claire asked. "You drive around aimlessly until you find a hunt?"
"That's right," Castiel explained. "I like driving. It helps me to think."
"How do you find all these hunts, anyway?" Claire wondered.
"I hear the prayers of hunters like you in their hour of need," Cas answered, making sure to keep his eyes on the road. "They call me the Patron Saint of Hunters."
"Catchy," Claire offered. She paused, then said, "I can drive too, you know."
"I know," said Cas, deadpan. Then, after a moment of consideration, he added, "Would you like to?"
"Really?" Claire asked, her eyes full of excitement.
"Dean rarely let anyone drive this car," Cas explained, "but I, on the other hand, wouldn't mind sharing the honor."
Cas pulled over, after carefully making sure that it was safe. He switched places with Claire, finding it strange to be in shotgun for once.
"Remember," he said to Claire as she pulled back out onto the highway, "be careful. Always watch where you're going."
"I know, dad," she said, expertly increasing the Impala's speed.
She proved to be a safe, competent driver, much to Castiel's relief.
Two hours later, Claire looked out of the driver's side window as they neared a rest stop. "I'm gonna pull over here," she announced. "I'm getting hungry."
"Of course," said Cas. "I understand."
Claire pulled into the parking lot, looking extremely proud of herself when she parallel parked successfully.
As Claire wandered off to take care of her very human needs, Castiel refueled the Impala. That task done, he passed the rest of the time listening to angel radio. An event such as the disappearance of a Nephilim should have been big news in Heaven, but the angels were still too busy rebuilding what had been lost to prioritize anything else.
And then Cas felt a faint, familiar signal. It took some time for him to recognize it as Jack.
"Claire, we have to go," Cas announced when she came back. "I know where Jack is now."
"Let's go find him, then," said Claire, carefully shutting the door of the Impala.
They were soon on their way to Jack, Cas in the driver's seat once again, getting closer with every mile.
When they arrived at their destination, Cas parked the Impala in the empty parking lot, listening for the desperate thoughts and prayers that he had become attuned to from hunters. This time there were none, only the telltale presence of Jack.
"This is it?" Claire asked, her voice a whisper just in case.
"It is," Cas confirmed. "I can feel it."
They approached the abandoned building stealthily. Cas motioned to Claire, indicating for her to scout the area on the opposite side.
They found Jack standing relatively unharmed in the middle of the room. All around him were the former vessels of the demons, all of them lying on the ground sprawled in odd positions, dead. All traces of the demons themselves had vanished.
"Jack!" Cas called out. Jack turned his head and broke out into a grin when he saw Cas and Claire. Cas rushed forward and gave Jack a tight hug, a reassurance that they were all safe, and together again.
"You didn't leave any for us?" Claire asked disappointedly.
"Sorry," Jack said, an innocent expression on his face.
"Well, thank God you're okay," Claire observed, in dismissal. "God had nothing to do with it," a new voice interjected.
They all turned to see Anael walk out of the shadows, a smug look on her face.
"What are you doing here, Anael?" Cas asked.
"I wanted to help," she said. "I was looking for Jack, to make sure he was okay. I couldn't just sit around and do nothing when I heard that he might be in danger"
"That's very thoughtful of you," said Cas.
As Cas and Anael had begun talking, Jack and Claire walked off together, to clean up the abandoned building.
Anael gave Cas a second, more thoughtful glance.
"So," she said. "You're the one who's been impersonating a hunter."
"Not impersonating, no. I am a hunter," Cas declared. It had been over a year since he had begun hunting, so he felt he had the right to consider himself a hunter.
"Let me ask you something, then, Castiel," said Anael. "If you had to choose between Heaven and Earth, which would you pick?"
The question was one Castiel had spent more than ten years figuring out for himself. He pondered a bit before giving his answer. "I would choose to create a balance of both for myself," he said. "Sam and Dean were my family, and now Jack and Claire are too. But in spite of everything I still feel a loyalty to Heaven."
Anael laughed. "That's cute," she said, "and noble of you, Castiel."
"Thank you," said Cas.
Just then, Jack and Claire walked back in, having finished clearing the place. Now, it was as if
"What do you know? They actually did it," Anael said quietly to Cas.
"They did," Cas said, smiling proudly. "Then it's time to go home," he announced.
Jack and Claire agreed easily, and they walked back to the Impala, leaving the abandoned building behind, and leaving Anael to come and go as she pleased once again.
Claire decided to stay the night at the bunker, at the insistence of both Cas and Jack. She sent a quick text to the other Wayward Sisters, letting them know that she was safe, and still alive.
When they got back to the bunker, they settled down in front of the TV, taking turns leafing through Sam and Dean's old collection of movies.
"What movie should we watch tonight?" Claire asked.
"I pick Star Wars," Jack declared excitedly.
"You've seen all the Star Wars movies at least five times," said Cas. "Let's watch something else."
When they were finally able to decide on a movie, both Jack and Claire fell asleep by the time it was halfway over. And so, as he had done for the Winchesters time and time again, the fallen angel watched over the hunter and Nephilim he had taken in as his chosen family.