Hey! Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I'm in the process of moving and it's been keeping me pretty busy. I definitely haven't forgotten about Cas and Amriel! Once I'm in my new place and settled in I'll have more time to write and edit, which means I'll be able to post more often.

Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! It means a lot to me. :)

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

Chapter Twenty Two: The King of Hell

Amriel glanced around the large room as Dean pushed some shelves out of the way, revealing an enormous devil's trap painted on the floor. A chair was in the center of the trap, and in that chair was a man dressed in a black suit, his arms and legs shackled and a dark cloth bag draped over his head.

Dean removed the cloth and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest as the former King of Hell cleared his throat and looked around the room.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Hello boys…" His brown eyes finally settled on Amriel and he perked up. "And just who might you be, love?"

The blonde didn't respond- instead, she moved closer to Castiel, trying to shrink behind his trench coat covered frame.

Crowley squinted before his eyes widened, "You're Amriel. I almost couldn't tell with how dim that grace of yours is! I've heard so much about you over the years. But let me introduce myself, I'm Crowley, King of Hell."

"Ex-King," Dean scoffed and Crowley shot him a dirty scowl.

"Well, I'm sure you didn't come in here to introduce me to the shiny, new member of your little gang," Crowley heaved a dramatic sigh. "So, what is it that you want from me?"

"Here's the deal. You're gonna tell us how to hack an angel, and I'm gonna give you some of the good stuff," Dean held up a syringe of blood, "Human blood, fresh from the tap. Word is you're jonesing for it."

"Please. I'll pass," Crowley said with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"What do you want, then?" Cas asked, trying to ignore Amriel's closeness and focus on the task at hand.

"Well, for starters… A massage. Between the sitting and the shackles, a body gets a little stiff."

"Yeah… I ain't rubbing you," Dean shot back and Crowley's eyes widened.

"God, no. Get Kevin. His tiny fists can really work wonder-"

"Kevin is dead," Cas interrupted, and Crowley gave is condolences. "Don't pretend you care. You tried to kill him."

"I told him this was gonna happen. I was the only person who tried to warn him- I told him to run."

"From what?" Dean snapped, and Amriel could almost feel the tension in the air.

"You, of course. How many times am I gonna have to say this? People in your general vicinity don't have much in the way of a life-span," Crowley told him. "Now, I can't teach you how to crack open an angel. It's more.. art, than science. But I can do it for you. All I ask in return is a little field trip. I'm dying for some fresh air. Chains on, naturally."

Dean's immediate response was a firm no, and Cas nodded in agreement.

"No? Of course not. Because if I'm plan 'A' I'm sure you have a much better plan 'B.'"

Castiel pulled Dean aside and Amriel stood in her place, watching Crowley with a curious gaze as the two spoke.

"What are you looking at, girlie?" Crowley snapped, and Amriel shrugged in response.

"You're not really what I expected the King of Hell to look like, is all."

"I'm far more handsome, right?" he laughed, earning a small smile from Amriel. "I didn't expect the angel of May to be as adorable as you. Now I see why you and my old pal Cas were made for each other."

Before Amriel had the chance to press him to explain what he meant, Dean and Cas came back towards the center of the room where the demon was seated.

"So boys, it looks like we need a tiebreaker. But I already know who Angel Barbie is going to side with. Go get Moose, Squirrel."

Guilt crossed Dean's face and Crowley's eyes lit up with mirth.

"Unless, of course, you can't. That's why you're here, isn't it? The poor giant baby's in trouble again, isn't he?"

"Are you done?" Dean asked with a groan, rubbing his temple.

"Depends. Do we have a deal?"

Dean said yes, and Crowley asked when they were going to leave.

"As soon as I can scrounge up a ride," Dean sighed, turning to look at Cas and Amriel, who had already sent each other a quick glance.

"Well, we have a vehicle. It stopped a few miles from here, inexplicably," Cas offered, pulling a set of keys out of his coat pocket.

"I bet you're out of gas. C'mon, let's go."

The four walked the two miles to the car, Crowley between Dean and Cas, his hands shackled in the demon cuffs and his jacket carefully folded over his hands to conceal them. Amriel stayed close to Cas, keeping a careful eye on the demon as they approached the car.

"Really? What are you, a pimp? Crowley asked Cas with a raised eyebrow, and Cas shrugged, saying that he liked it.

Dean was busy trying to start the car, and when he saw the "E" on the dashboard, he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, it's out of gas," he got out of the driver's seat, mumbling something about angels working at a gas station but not knowing when a car needed gas, and he went to fill the tank with the gas can he had brought.

"Riddle me this, boy wonder and girlfriend. Why do you need the wheels?" Crowley asked, looking from one angel to the other, wondering which would answer first. Amriel looked at the demon and frowned, surprised when Castiel spoke from beside her, and what came out of his mouth surprised her.

"When you betray us, I'll be the one to carve out your heart.

Crowley chuckled, "Oh Cas, such a flirt."

"All right, you two. Knock it off. Let's go," Dean cut them off, twirling the keys on his finger as he addressed them.

"Shotgun!" Crowley called, and Dean frowned.

"Uh, wrong. You're in the back," he pointed to the door behind the driver's, and Cas smirked, stepping over to the other front seat. "Hey, you too. Keep an eye on him. Ladies sit shotgun."

Crowley shot Cas a smirk and got in the back, and Amriel watched Cas roll his eyes and get in too. She quickly followed suit, listening to the two bicker in the back as she buckled her seat belt.

"Hey, hey hey! Stop it back there! I will turn this car around!" Dean had finally had enough of their arguing and put an end to it.

"Fine," Crowley huffed, turning his attention to the blonde in the front seat. "So, Barbie. Tell me. Just how good is our Cas here in bed?"

Amriel's head turned so fast Dean thought she gave herself whiplash. She stared at Crowley, a hard gaze in her gray eyes, and he just looked back at her expectantly, ignoring the anger radiating off of the angel sitting beside him.

"I don't see how it's any of your business. But, If you must know, he's a sexual deviant. Castiel does things to me that would make even you blush." She watched Crowley's jaw drop slightly and a small smirk crossed her lips, pleased that he believed her lie. Perhaps that would shut him up for a little while.

They stopped at an office building that Crowley had contacts at, and the next thing they knew they were on their way to Somerset, Pennsylvania, the last known location of the Impala, and where they would find the angel that was inside of Sam.

It took a few hours to drive to Somerset, where they tracked Dean's beloved car to a house in a quiet neighborhood. Dean got out of the Lincoln first, walking over to the Impala and running his hands over the car, making Amriel raise an eyebrow and turn to look at Cas with a confused look.

"He loves that car more than himself," he answered, and Crowley made a noise of agreement.

They watched Dean go into the house and Cas got out of the car, leaning down and telling Amriel to watch Crowley while he went in as backup. Before she could argue, Castiel was gone and she was left alone with the former King of Hell.

"And then there were two," Crowley said smugly. "But it's nice to have some alone time with a woman for a change. I've been held captive by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumbass for who knows how long."

"I'm an angel, and you are beneath me," Amriel responded, staring him down as she spoke. "But, you are of use to us. Sam is one of my charges and I will do anything it takes to keep him safe."

"Ah yes, ever the dutiful one. I've heard about you, Amriel. Don't think you've flown under the radar for all these years."

Before she could ask what he was talking about, Dean and Cas came out of the house with an unconscious Sam, and Amriel jumped out of the car to help carry the giant man. They got Sam into the back seat of the Impala and Dean told Cas to take the Lincoln and follow him closely.

"Amriel, go with Cas. Make sure Crowley behaves himself."

She wasn't used to being ordered around by Dean, but she nodded and headed over to the car, getting in the back seat with Crowley while Cas started the car and waited for Dean to start driving.

"Why hello there, darling. Couldn't stay away, I see," Crowley smirked and Amriel inched closer to the door. "Don't be shy, I don't bite much."

"Don't talk to her, Crowley," Cas growled from behind the steering wheel, making the demon raise an eyebrow.

"Touched a nerve, did I? A bit possessive, if you ask me. Not very angel-like," he chided, and Amriel watched Cas tense up. She leaned forward and put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently before returning to her previous position against the door.

Amriel turned so she could look at Crowley, taking in his vessel and understanding how he could have been the King of Hell. He may have been small in stature, but he made up for it in grandiose.

"What was it like being human, Castiel? I myself haven't been one for centuries." Crowley continued to prod at Cas, and Amriel was losing patience with him quickly.

"You will not speak to him for the duration of the ride, Crowley. Instead, you and I will have a civil conversation. No snide remarks or rude comments," she finally told him, catching Castiel's eye in the rear view mirror and nodding when he shot her a thankful look.

"How does a demon like yourself know so much about me? I'm a mere watcher. I'm of little importance in Heaven." She wasn't sure how long they would be driving for, so she figured she could try and get some answers out of him.

"That's where you're wrong, Barbie. You're not just some angel that sits on the mantle and watches over every insignificant human that happens to be born in May. You're meant for much greater things, but trench coat here ruined that when he let his grace get stolen." Amriel could practically hear Cas rolling his eyes at this point. "But as the King of Hell, it's my job to know these things. To know about those who are destined for more. However, what I know is just that. For me to know and for you to find out, darling."

The car pulled to a stop outside of an abandoned warehouse, and Castiel stepped out and opened Crowley's door, grabbing his arm and pulling him out roughly, shooting him a look.

"No tricks, Crowley," he said as Amriel got out of the car and shut her door, and she went over to help Dean get Sam out of the Impala.

"No tricks, Cas."

Sam was tied to a chair and warded handcuffs were secured around his wrists, his head and chin restrained. Amriel sat on a chair nearby, holding onto his hand to assess the damage and letting go only when he began to stir.

"Welcome to the party, pal. Amriel, how we lookin'?" Dean asked as he stood nearby.

"Most of Sam's internal burns are healed. I should be able to fix the rest." She turned from Dean to look back at Sam, not seeing the frown that crossed Castiel's face.

"What's your name?" Cas asked, "I thought I knew every angel in Heaven, but I've never seen you."

"Why would I tell you anything?" the angel snapped.

"Well, I don't give a damn who you are. You just need to get out. Now," Dean answered, his voice reaching a dangerous tone that Amriel had never heard before.

"And if I don't?"

Crowley moved away from the wall he had been leaning against, "Then you and I will have a lovely little playdate."

The unknown angel rolled his eyes, "Even bound, I can rip this body apart. Tell them, Castiel."

"You do, you die," Dean answered before Cas could confirm the angel's threat.

"You want this to end? Go ahead, put a blade through your brother's heart. If it makes you feel better, I have Sam locked away in a dream. As far as he knows, the two of you are working a case right now — something with ghouls and cheerleaders."

"Why are you doing this, huh?" Dean asked. "We fought together, and I trusted you. I thought you were one of the good guys!"

"I'm doing what I have to do," the angel said firmly.

"Well, so am I." Dean nodded to Crowley, who picked up a large, thick needle from the tray and moving towards the angel.

"So am I," Crowley echoed the other two and he stuck the needle into the angel's temple and moved it around. The angel screamed, and Amriel looked away, unable to watch her charge being tortured like this.

Crowley continued to push needles into the angel's forehead and other temple, and Amriel was leaning against her knees now, holding her head in her hands and trying to tune out his screams. She felt a hand on her back and she looked up to see Cas giving her a small smile. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair, whispering in her ear, "He's going to come out of this, I promise."

Nodding, Amriel looked past Cas and saw that Dean was having a harder time dealing with this than she was. She pointed to Dean, grabbing Castiel's lapel and pulling him close so she could speak to him.

"Take him outside. I'll keep watch here, okay?"

"Are you sure?" Castiel didn't want to leave her alone if he could help it, but Dean suddenly moved towards the door and he had no choice but to follow.

Amriel watched the two leave before turning her attention back to Crowley and his work. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath, trying not to listen in as Dean and Cas spoke outside.

Castiel caught up to Dean and saw that his friend was barely holding back tears, and he felt something pulling at his heart just a tiny bit.

"Hey," he said lamely, unsure of what else he could say to the Winchester.

"I can't watch that anymore."

"I understand," Cas agreed. "It's not Sam, but— It's still Sam."

"Pretty much, yeah," Dean's voice cracked, but he kept going. "How are you doing?"

"You want to talk about me now?" He was surprised. Dean never asked how he was doing.

"I want to talk about anything that's not a demon sticking needles into my brother's brain," Dean looked out the window in an attempt to get himself under control, but the tears still pooled in his eyes. "So yeah, humor me, man. How you doing?"

"Uh.. I'm okay, I suppose." Cas stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, thinking about how he had left Elle alone in there.

"Good. Good. That's, uh… So, what, you just change out the batteries, power back up? It's that easy?"

"It wasn't easy, but I didn't have a choice. I had to protect Amriel," he answered, knowing he had made the right decision.

"Yeah. Well, that's usually how it goes," Dean paused for a split second, "Cas, I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"Kickin' you out of the bunker. That's uh, you know, not telling you about Sam."

Castiel could see that Dean was having a hard time apologizing. The Winchester was never quite good at it, but neither was he.

"You thought his life was at stake," he shrugged, knowing that if he had stayed at the bunker he probably wouldn't have found Amriel.

"Yeah, I got played," Dean said with a humorless laugh.

"I thought I was saving Heaven. I got played, too."

Dean gave a weak smile, the first Cas had seen in a long time.

"So you're sayin' we're both a couple of dumbasses?"

"I prefer the word trusting," Cas said with a small smile as well. "Less dumb, less ass."

"Laverne! Shirley! Get in here," Crowley's voice rang out from the other room, and the two quickly made their way back into the room.

"Pinhead's out cold, but watch this," Crowley said as he moved two of the needles, and the angel began to speak in Enochian.

"Zir noco iad Gadreel. Zir noco iad Gadreel," he repeated, and Amriel's eyes widened.

"What's he saying?"

"His name," both Cas and Amriel said at the same time, and Castiel continued. "Gadreel."

"Does that mean something to either of you?" Dean asked, looking between the angels, who were staring at each other with confused looks.

"Well, it's why I've never seen him. He's been imprisoned since the dawn of time. Gadreel was the sentry who allowed Lucifer into the garden," Cas explained.

"My, my," Crowley mused, "A celebrity."

"Wait, the garden? Like Eden? Adam and Eve? Fig-leaves garden?" Dean wasn't sure whether to be impressed or horrified.

"It's his fault— all of it. The corruption of man, demons, hell." Cas was beginning to get worked up, Amriel could tell, so she quickly rose from her seat as he kept talking. "God left because of him. The archangels— the apocalypse. If he hadn't been so weak, none of it would have happened."

Castiel swiftly approached Gadreel and began to shake the unconscious angel.

"You ruined the universe, you damn son of a bitch!"

Amriel grabbed Cas by the back of his coat and swung him around to face her.

"Elle, you know what he did! He-"

"I know. But you need to calm down," she told him softly, taking his hand and pulling him away from Gadreel so Crowley could continue his work.

"What's taking so long?" Dean asked after what felt like ages.

"Other than the fact that I'm trying to unravel a living, multidimensional knot of pure energy, not much," Crowley snapped at the squirrel for ruining his concentration.

Gadreel gasped and opened his eyes, and Dean looked up in hopes of Sam, only to be disappointed.

"It won't work. You will never find your brother, so go ahead. Poke and prod. I can sit in this chair for years and watch you fail. I've endured much worse than this, Dean, and I have all the time in the world."

"Shut up! All right. Okay," Dean began to pace. "Plan 'B.' Cas, you gotta possess him."

"What?" Cas and Amriel asked at the same time, and Dean briefly wondered how they did that.

"Do it now! Get in there, tell Sam what's going on, and help him kick that lying son of a bitch out."

"It might work, but I can't possess a vessel without permission, and neither can Amriel."

Crowley cleared his throat, raising his hand as a volunteer, and Dean shook his head, "No. Not happening."

"Don't be daft. Demons can take what they want. I can burrow into that rat's nest of a head. I can wake Sam up. Just call me plan 'C.'"

"You can't! I won't allow it-" Amriel started to fight, and Dean cut her off, asking if she had a better idea.

"What about the angel?" Dean asked Crowley, who said that he'd work fast, and that he would run if he was found.

"Of course, if I do this, you're gonna have to…"

"Take off the leash. Yeah, I know," Dean sighed.

"And it stays off. I save Sam, I leave a free man. Do we have a deal?"

Dean turned to Cas, telling him to burn off Sam's anti-possession tattoo.

"Dean-" Castiel wasn't sure about this. Amriel had a worried look in her eyes that was making him uneasy too.

"Just do it, Cas!" Dean didn't want to hear it anymore. He had to do anything he could to get this angel out of his brother.

Nodding, Cas walked over to Gadreel and pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal his tattoo, quickly removing it with a flash of light.

"If you mess with Sam, if you try anything—" Dean began is threat, and Crowley nodded like he knew the drill.

"I keep my bargains. Besides, I don't want to be inside your brother longer than I have to. I'm not one for sloppy seconds."

"When you find him, say 'Poughkeepsie.' It's our go word," Dean explained quickly, "It means drop everything and run."

"Fine. While I'm gone, hands off the suit. Well, maybe not you, Barbie," Crowley winked at Amriel, who felt her stomach churn with disgust.

"I will destroy you," Gadreel said as he glared up at Crowley, who smirked and answered, "Eat me."

A cloud of red smoke shot out of Crowley's mouth and flooded into Gadreel's. He was in Sam.

All they could do was wait. Dean paced the room while Cas stood behind Amriel, his hands on her shoulders as she watched Sam from her seat.

"Hopefully I'm strong enough to repair the rest of the damage he obtained going through the trials," she muttered to herself, wiping at her face with the sleeve of her hoodie and frowning. Amriel was angry that she was so weak- she had been doing so much better, and Urim had to go and ruin all of her recovery. There was no use dwelling on what was already done, though, she thought.

She felt Castiel's hands leave her shoulders, and the next thing she knew he was kneeling in front of her, a resolute look on his face that made her feel a little better.

"We will take care of Sam, no matter what it takes," he told her firmly, making sure she knew he meant it.

"It's been a while since Crowley went into him… Do you think he's found Sam yet?"

Cas could only imagine what was going on inside Sam's mind right now, especially with three beings in there at once.

"I hope so," he said quietly, not wanting Dean to overhear their uncertainty.

Red smoke began to pour out of Sam's mouth and back into Crowley's abandoned body, followed by a bright, white light that Dean had to shield his eye from, and Sam gasped as he regained consciousness. Amriel was out of her chair and had crossed the few feet to her charge in the blink of an eye, looking him over to make sure he was okay.

"Sam!" Dean was right behind Amriel, and Cas wasn't far behind either.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Crowley grumbled, going unnoticed by the three that were focused on the younger Winchester.

"Sam, are you okay?" Cas asked as Amriel worked on removing the needles from Sam's head.

The man was staring up at the blonde angel with wide eyes, wincing as she pulled the last needle from his temple. She released his head from the restraint and watched him roll his neck, hearing a pop that made her wince.

"Thanks, Amriel," he breathed out a sigh, and headlights flashed in the window of the warehouse.

Cas checked it out as Dean un-cuffed Sam, and Amriel helped the man stand up, letting him lean against her as he got his bearings.

"It's Abbadon," Castiel called out, and Crowley told them to go.

"Get out of here. The back door. I'll handle this," the King of Hell told them, straightening out his cuffs and smoothing the front of his jacked.

"Oh, 'cause you're such a good guy?" Dean snapped, making Amriel bite back a groan. They needed to get out of here now.

"Right now, I'm the goodest guy you got," Crowley shot back.

"This don't make us square. I see you again—"

"I'm dead. Yes, I know. I love you too," Crowley blew Dean a kiss, "Pleasure doing business with you, as always."

Dean and Castiel grabbed Sam's arms and helped him out the back door, Amriel following behind quickly, shooting Crowley one last glance and seeing him sit down in the chair Sam had previously occupied, readying himself for Abbadon's arrival.

They drove until Dean noticed Sam beginning to show signs of pain, and he had called the angels in the other car to tell them he was stopping. They were at a lake with a long dock, and it was pouring rain, but they were all standing on the old dock that probably hadn't been used in years.

Amriel was standing in front of Sam on her tip toes, slowly moving her hand over his forehead and healing some of the wounds the needles had left behind. Sam started to sway, and Amriel put both of her hands on his shoulders to steady him. Cas stepped in as well, thinking the Winchester would topple over and take Elle down with him.

"You feel better?" he asked Sam, who shrugged.

"A little, yeah."

"It'll take time to fully heal you. We'll have to do it in stages, and Elle and I will have to take turns," Cas told him, shooting Amriel a pointed look and she rolled her eyes.

Sam nodded, but he wasn't focused on the angels in front of him. Instead, he kept glancing at his brother, who finally approached the three at the end of the dock.

Cas, realizing this was going to be a private conversation, took Amriel's hand and led her back to the cars for a conversation of their own that he felt they needed to have.

"You don't have to take care of Sam all on your own, you know," he told her, watching an annoyed look cross her face. He found it hard to take her serious with the hood of her jacket pulled up and her wet hair sticking to her face and neck. All he wanted to do was return to the bunker and ravish her.

"It's my duty, Cas! He's one of my charges, and the only one I can help right now. I need to do this…"

"You need to let me help you. If you try this on your own, you'll drain yourself and you won't be able to recover from what Urim-" Castiel stopped, seeing Amriel tense up, and he knew he couldn't bring up those memories. "Just let me help, okay? You always helped others in Heaven. Let me help you here."

Amriel knew he just wanted to make things easier on her, but she was having a hard time letting go of her responsibilities as an angel. It was what she was created to do, and if she couldn't do it, there was no point in her existence, right? But she could see that Cas was sincere, and she knew that all she had to do was say yes and he would do whatever he could. So, with that in mind, she nodded in acceptance.

"Okay. We'll heal Sam together," Amriel gave in, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders as she smiled up at Cas. She took her hands out of her jacket pockets and tugged on the lapels of his trench coat, bringing him closer to her so she could press a quick kiss to his lips, burying her face in his neck and taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Cas."

"Anything for you, Elle," he told her quietly, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. "All you have to do is ask."

Amriel heard footsteps coming towards them, so she pulled back from Castiel's embrace and watched Dean walking to the Impala, Sam not far behind. Dean got into the car slowly and slammed the door, the engine roared, and then there were only two angels and a single Winchester standing in the rain.