Hello everyone! I got a review asking to update, so here I am! I've been pretty busy, but I'm still determined to stick with this story. Thanks for the follows and favorites, and thanks for reading the story! If you think things are starting off slowly, don't worry.

Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters. I own Amriel and any other OCs that pop up along the way.

Chapter Three: Marissa

Purchasing clothing was extremely difficult for a fallen angel. Amriel was overwhelmed by the seemingly endless amount of clothes- there were racks of pants, shirts, and items she could not identify. She should have asked Castiel to come with her, but she didn't want to seem more weak and helpless than she already did.

Amriel wandered around the store, picking up anything that seemed interesting and putting it back in its respective place. She finally gave up trying to figure things out on her own and approached the employee that worked there, a young woman with unnatural, red hair and dark pink lips that looked painted on.

"Hello… I was wondering if you could assist me?" Amriel started, and the girl looked up from her magazine. "I am looking to purchase clothing, but I do not know what to buy."

The girl stared at her as if she was an alien, and Amriel might as well have been one. After looking over her once or twice, the red head nodded and got up from her stool.

"Sure, come on. You're cute so I'm sure I can find you some stuff," her voice seemed bored, but the employee had been reading a fashion magazine and said she had a few ideas.

The girl, whose name tag said Marissa told Amriel that she was an aspiring fashion student and longed to get out of Idaho and move to New York, which was incidentally where Amriel had taken her vessel. The two talked, well, Marissa mostly talked about clothes and Amriel tried to commit all of the intricate rules of fashion to memory.

"Don't wear white after Labor Day, unless it's a winter white."

The blonde had no idea that winter was even a color.

"Don't wear denim on denim on denim. Canadian tuxedo's aren't cute, and be careful how you wear stripes- it might make you look like an inmate," Marissa kept listing off rules as she held up different shirts before shaking her head and putting them back.

Amriel's mind was running a mile a minute as she managed to hold back the majority of her questions. After pulling what seemed like far too many pieces off of racks, Marissa pushed the blonde into a dressing room and told her which things went with which.

"Are you sure this is not too revealing?" Amriel asked, emerging from the small room wearing a pair of jeans that were skin tight and a shirt that was shorter in the front than it was in the back.

"Oh no, girl. Plus you have a rockin' bod! Why wouldn't you want to show it off? It might be cold out but that doesn't mean you have to dress like a nun." Marissa grinned, giving the girl a thumbs up for the outfit. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Amriel shook her head, saying that she had no time for one. The former angel had been constantly moving across the country, and her vessel truly had no room in her schedule for a romantic interest while in school.

"Well wear any of what I picked out for you and you'll definitely find one soon," the red head told her with a smile.

Marissa had decided that Amriel, or Amy as she had introduced herself as, would be leaving with a few pairs of leggings and the jeans, as well as a few plain t-shirts and a couple of cuter tops, sweaters, a thick, knitted scarf, and a soft, warm garment called a hoodie.

They had found her everything she needed, and Amriel was pleased with what she was purchasing. Marissa even gave her something called a discount- the redhead said she "tacked on" as many discounts as she could, and now she had money left over to return to Castiel.

"I have one more question, Marissa," Amriel said quietly, unsure of how to go about it. She shifted her new duffel bag on her shoulder so that it sat comfortably, wondering why she felt so strange. "Do you know if there are any women's shelters in town? I am.. new here and looking for somewhere to sleep until I can find something more permanent."

The cashier eyed the girl sadly, having already figured that she was running from something. Probably a bad boyfriend or family, Marissa had imagined. Amy seemed like a nice girl, but she was a little clueless about everything apparently.

"Yeah, actually. It's just up the road from here, so not too far," Marissa told her. "Um, I spent some time there. Mrs. Haverbrook runs the place and she's really great. She'll make sure you're taken care of."

"Thank you very much, Marissa," Amriel nodded, feeling a little disappointed that she was not born in May. She would like to watch over her once Heaven was restored… if it was restored at all.

The former angel left the store and walked to the shelter, where she saw a few women milling about, speaking with each other or reading books. It wasn't too different from others she had been to, and Amriel found the place warm and inviting.

The walls were painted a warm gold tone and the couches looked plush and comfortable. Amriel wouldn't mind being able to curl up on something like that, rather than outside in a wooded area or a hidden alcove down an alley.

She finally found who she was looking for and she found Mrs. Regina Haverbrook. The woman was well into her fifties, with dark brown hair that was starting to gray, and she had kind, brown eyes.

Amriel introduced herself as Amy and asked if she had any room for her at the shelter.

"Oh, I am so sorry Amy, but we don't have any beds available right now- with winter coming, we're gonna be pretty much full for the next few months. I really hate to do this," Regina said with a frown on her worn face. "But you'll have to check back in a few days. There's another shelter across town if you'd like to see if they have anything for tonight."

"I understand," Amriel told her, nodding her head firmly and feeling a panic coursing through her body. What was this? Why did she feel it when things weren't going according to how she planned?

"Please, come back at the end of the week. I know we have a few people moving into permanent housing then. I'll put your name on the list- I just need your last name."

"Grant. My name is Amy Grant," Amriel said, using a name she had seen on a magazine cover at the gas station. "I will return in a few days. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Haverbrook."

Amriel walked back to the Gas-N-Sip, her backpack and duffel bag in tow. She felt somewhat accomplished- perhaps Castiel would be able to suggest a place she could go to rest. When she entered the store Castiel was helping a customer check out, so Amriel waited until the human left to approach him.

"I have acquired clothing for the coming season. The woman working at the store was very kind and told me that there is a women's shelter nearby. However, they have no room for me," she told him, watching a frown cross his face. "I will find something, though. Do not be concerned."

"Why wouldn't I worry, Amriel?" he blurted out, unable to keep himself from saying it. "I would let you stay with me, but I've been sleeping in the store room without Nora's knowledge."

A frown found its way onto Amriel's lips now, too, at the thought of him sleeping inside the gas station. She had seen a few 'For Sale' signs on houses as she walked into town, so she told Castiel about them.

"That's always an idea… I'll go with you tonight after we close the store," Cas said with a finality in his voice.

He had overheard several customers over the past few weeks talking about abandoned houses and foreclosures, so he knew that there were vacant homes for Amriel to stay in. He didn't want her to be alone, though, so he hoped she would allow him to stay with her.

"I appreciate that, Cas. It will be good having someone to talk to," she smiled, "Now. Where can I put these so they are not in the way while I watch you tend to the store?"

Castiel showed Amriel how to stock shelves, refill the ice in the soda machine, and even how to check out customers at the register. She was a fast learner and seemed intrigued by every little thing that went into running the store. Cas was the same way, too, he realized as he watched her dispense Dr. Pepper into a foam cup.

He had spent more time on Earth, though, and had more time to adjust to the world around him. She seemed to be doing a good job interacting with people, Cas thought, since she had managed to buy clothes by herself.

"What are these?" Amriel asked as she picked up a pair of lime green sunglasses from the rack. She put them on her face, like she had seen the humans that came into the gas station doing. "Is this correct?"

She looked up at Cas, who actually laughed and said, "I believe they are upside down."

"Oh…" she quickly corrected them before asking if she was wearing them properly now.

"I would say so. They're sunglasses," he told her. "People wear them to protect their eyes from the sun."

"Why do they come in so many colors if they all do the same thing?" Amriel tried on a different pair with wire frames, making sure they were the correct way first.

"I think it has something to do with individuality or style," Cas shrugged before saying, "Those look much better than the previous pair."

"Are you saying that these are visually pleasing?" she asked, trying to understand the many meanings and nuances that came with humans.

Castiel's face reddened, and for a moment Amriel thought that something was wrong with him. She quickly approached him and took his chin with her thumb and forefinger, staring at his face with what he knew was a look of worry. When she didn't find anything immediately wrong, she released him and let her hand fall to her side.

"You appear to be fine, but your vessel is such an unusual color-" Amriel trailed off, taking in the pink color in his cheeks.

"This isn't a vessel anymore, Amriel. It's my body," he reminded her. "Yes, those sunglasses are visually pleasing on you. It's a compliment."

"Oh, I apologize for my mistake," she said quietly, taking them off and putting them back on the rack. "Thank you for the compliment, though. What other duties do you have here that I can help you with?"

Cas shook his head, trying to get rid of the feeling of her touch as he grabbed a clipboard from behind the counter and together they started going over a checklist Nora had given him.