CHAPTER FIVE
Over the last few weeks, Castiel had felt lost and confused.
Sam and Gabriel refused to talk to him. Dean had short conversations with him, but it wasn't the same. It hadn't been the same since the half breed had shown up. Despite constantly being around the hunters and his brother, Castiel felt like the outsider. He felt alone.
He waited until Dean was showering and Sam was napping to approach Gabriel about the matter.
[Brother.]
Gabriel looked up from the armchair he sat in nearby. He had an open book resting in his lap. The archangel raised an eyebrow in question.
[May I speak with you?]
Gabriel mulled over the request before tilting his head to the side. The two angels stood and walked out into the hall.
"What do you want, Castiel?" Gabriel asked, using a neutral tone.
Castiel would never admit it out loud but he missed his brother's nickname for him. Castiel wrung his hands together in front of him.
"I thought you may know where the…halfling lives," Castiel confessed.
Gabriel didn't act surprised yet he didn't look pleased either.
"Why?" he questioned.
"I wish to speak to her," Castiel answered.
He hoped he didn't have to expand more on his answer. Gabriel stared at him seemingly looking for something. He eventually tilted his head to the side while crossing his arms over his chest.
"I don't know where Kalen lives," Gabriel admitted. "But I know where she's staying for now."
Despite having the information, it took Castiel a while to work up the courage to actually go to the hotel. He approached the front desk unsure of how to address what he wanted. The receptionist looked up from her computer and smiled.
"Are you Castiel?" she asked.
The angel quirked his head to the side.
"Yes, I am."
The receptionist held her arm out to the right.
"Elevators are to the right. Eighth floor. Room 825."
Confused, Castiel followed her instructions. He was relieved the elevator didn't play any music. The last one he had been in had played horrible quiet music. When he stepped out on the eighth floor, he inspected the placard before going down the left hall. He found the room marked 825 and raised his hand to knock.
He startled when the door opened. He stood with his fist half raised to the door. Kalen stood there in the doorway wearing a loose top and long pajama pants.
"It's two in the morning," she spoke softly.
"We need to talk," he replied, lowering his arm.
Kalen rolled her eyes.
"At two in the morning, dumbass?" she asked.
He stared. She sighed before stepping aside and opening the door more. Castiel was surprised to find a modest hotel room. There was a pair of queen beds, a living space with a table and half kitchen, and a door that led into a small bathroom. Castiel leaned his head back as he turned around to face her. He paused when he heard a deep growling.
Turning back, he found Marbles appearing from thin air onto one of the beds. Kalen sighed as she crossed the room.
"Down, boy. Angel just wants to talk." Kalen looked at Castiel with a small smirk. "Anything 'more' and he'll shred you up like a box of confetti."
"I haven't told them we've met," Castiel said, out of the blue.
Kalen raised an eyebrow as she spread her hands out in front of her palms up.
"Neither have I. As far as Gabriel and the hunters know, we've never met," she replied.
Castiel stared quietly at Kalen. He remembered her well. She hadn't changed since their first meeting. He remembered dropping the blood and opening purgatory. Dean, Bobby, and Sam were there by means he didn't know nor care at the time.
Unbeknownst to the hunters, Kalen had stepped out of the shadows. He saw her wings, but hadn't recognized her. As Castiel recited, Kalen pulled out a small book. With her head down, he couldn't understand her words as she spoke. However, he understood when he felt the pull from the markings on the wall.
He felt Dean grab his arm and tried to shake him off. Except it was too late and in the next instance, he knew they were in Purgatory.
"I'm sorry Dean got pulled into Purgatory, but I'm not sorry you did. Crowley was easy to convince to work with someone else. I just didn't know it'd be Raphael," Kalen told him.
Castiel shifted on his feet as his eyebrows lowered.
"Why would you do that? Raphael could have opened the gateway and absorbed all the souls in Purgatory!" Castiel growled.
Kalen threw up her arms.
"To prevent you from taking in the souls of Purgatory, breaking Sam's mind, and eventually going on to allow the Leviathan to walk freely on this Earth!" Kalen exclaimed.
Castiel stared stunned.
How could I break Sam's mind, he thought.
"You can't know that would happen," he muttered.
Kalen flashed him an annoyed look.
"Yes, I can. I looked deep into your future and I saw dark memories. I didn't used to give a rat's ass about you but you were connected to Dean and Dean is connected to Sam. To protect them, I had to extend that protection to you."
Castiel stepped closer. He ignored the renewed growling behind Kalen. She stared defiantly up at him as he hovered over her.
"I don't believe you. You are not a Prophet of the Lord."
Kalen's smirk was barely caught before she stated, "Let's see it together then."
Before he could even protest, Kalen grabbed his hands in hers. A great burst of light shined from their embrace. Castiel watched in astonishment as hundreds of lines broke off from his body and zigzagged everywhere as they raced up above him. He saw some of the lines closer to him showed memories of his past.
Gabriel put an arm around him, pointing.
"See that fish, Castiel? Don't step on it. Big plans for that fish."
"You will go down to Hell and retrieve the human Dean Winchester. We have work for him to do."
"This is your timeline. It's the network of memories and decisions made in the past, present, and future," Kalen explained.
"How is this possible?" Castiel murmured.
Kalen shrugged.
"It's an ability I've always had. Look there! Your first meeting with Dean."
Castiel followed Kalen's gaze and watched as one of the lines drifted closer.
"My name is Castiel and I am an angel of the Lord."
"Dude, that was you talking? Turn down the volume."
As more recent memories came nearby, Castiel noticed some of the lines were a faded red. He nodded his head to one that branched off from the memory of him and Dean being sucked into Purgatory.
"What is that?" he asked.
Kalen stared at him. She didn't have to look to know which line he was looking at.
"You really wanna go down that rabbit hole, Angel?"
A serious look flickered across Castiel's face before he gave her a firm, "Yes."
Concentrating, Kalen drew the line closer to them and opened the memory. Castiel stared as he watched an alternate version of events happening. He saw himself draw in the souls and destroy Raphael. He felt the pain and suffering.
"I'm glad you made it, Sam. But the angel blade won't work, because I'm not an angel anymore. I'm your new God. A better one. So you will bow down and profess your love unto me, your Lord. Or I shall destroy you."
"If you stood against me, punishment is certain. There is nowhere to hide. The rest of you our father left a long time ago…You need a firm hand. You need a father…The obedience of children or this will be your fate."
Castiel found himself transfixed. He took human and angel lives. He saw Sam's mind breaking and the pain Dean went through trying to help his brother. He saw the bodies of his brothers and sisters littering the ground with their dead bodies and burnt wings.
"Enough."
Kalen raised an eyebrow. Castiel slowly shook his head.
"Enough. Please."
Kalen loosened her grip before letting go completely. The threads faded as they descended back down to the angel. They eventually faded completely from sight.
"Your vessel is leaking, Castiel."
Castiel brought a hand up and was surprised to find his face wet. He hadn't even realized he had been crying.
"Can you see that in everyone? The lines and the memories?" he whispered.
"Yes and no. Human timelines, I can see most of everything. I can only see so far in the future for them. Angels, well, I have to have a connection to be able to see theirs. Otherwise, I can only see snippets of the past and present. For you and Gabriel, the connection is the Winchesters."
Kalen paused.
"Creatures are harder, but I haven't spent much time focusing on them to see what their timelines look like."
Castiel waved his hands weakly out in front of him as he took a step back from Kalen.
"How did you know your actions would not cause bigger problems?"
Kalen smiled sadly.
"I didn't. But I was willing to take the chances. Sam was worth the risks," Kalen answered.
There were so many questions the angel wanted to ask. He only wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answers. Sensing his unease, Kalen glanced at her watch.
"The breakfast should be set up downstairs. Let me change shirts. I could use some bacon."
Castiel carefully approached the beds and sat down on the free bed. Kalen kept the door open to the bathroom but Castiel looked elsewhere. Something told him to glance over her way as she was lowering her shirt down. What he saw drew him closer.
There was a long thin red line running parallel to the length of her spine. Kalen had her shirt pulled down just above her stomach when she felt the light but purposeful touch. She stiffened up but allowed the touch for a few seconds more before dropping her shirt the rest of the way. She turned around to face his questioning look.
"The man who thought…no meant yes?" Castiel questioned.
Dean's been here, Kalen thought.
"Yes. I don't heal, Castiel. That's not the only scar I bear, but it's the biggest," she murmured.
"Did he pay?" Castiel demanded.
"I let him be a chew toy for a Wendigo," Kalen smirked.
"Good."
Kalen raised an eyebrow.
"A human who would do that to another does not deserve mercy. Dean and Sam have helped me realize not all humans are evil because of demonic possession."
Kalen gave him a small smile.
"I appreciate the sentiment."
"I apologize for my words and actions. I did not wish for further harm to come to Dean and Sam."
"You can't prevent anything from happening to them. Life doesn't work that way, Castiel."
"You may call me Cas."
"Cas?"
"My nickname from Sam and Dean. Gabriel prefers to call me Cassie." Frown. "Crowley calls me Feathers."
"I like Cas, but do you mind if I just call you Castiel?"
Nod.
"Good. Let's go eat. Come on, Marbles."
It was early evening when Castiel finally returned to the bunker. Sam was surprised when he was handed a first edition book.
"Thanks…uh…Cas. How'd you know I wanted this? I've been searching for months," Sam said.
Castiel gave him a soft smile.
"It is a gift from Kalen. She asked me to bring it back with me."
Dean and Sam lifted their gazes with surprised looks. Gabriel leaned back in his own seat with a small smile playing on his face and a lollipop in his mouth.
"You…you talked to Kalen?" Sam asked.
"Yes, I've been with her since two," Castiel responded.
Dean lowered his gaze.
"I hope you mean two in the afternoon," Dean stated.
Gabriel laughed when Castiel shook his head.
"It was two in the morning. Kalen called me a dumbass and told me never to wake her before eight again," Castiel replied.
Sam coughed back a chuckle of his own before taking a bite of his salad. Dean slapped him on his back after Castiel sat down beside him.
"Cas, man, women appreciate their beauty sleep. Right, Sammy?" Dean grinned.
Sam's eyes shot upward.
"Jerk."
"Bitch."
END OF CHAPTER FIVE