DISCLAIMER: I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

WARNING: Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

Starring…

Katheryn Winnick as Angel Winchester

Shantel Vansanten as Young Angel Winchester

Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester

Brock Kelly as Young Dean Winchester

Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester

Collin Ford as Young Sam Winchester

Misha Collins as Castiel

Chris Pine as Asa Fox

Genevieve Cortese as Ruby

Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer

Christopher Heyerdahl as Alastair

Julie McNiven as Anna Milton

Robert Wisdom as Uriel

Traci Dinwiddie as Pamela Barnes

Kurt Fuller as Zachariah

Rob Benedict as Chuck Shurley

Amy Gumenick as Young Mary Winchester

Matt Cohen as Young John Winchester

Jake Abel as Adam Milligan

Four months later…

Quiet filled Angel's ears. The pained screams of agony were abruptly cut off and replaced by Angels own breathy panicked breathing. The white hot pain she was used to feeling, along with the hot sticky feeling of blood, were also gone. Her eyes snapped open as her breath started coming in faster heavier bursts. Wherever she was now, it was cold, dark and confined. A severe contrast to the hell she was previously enduring.

Frantically she began feeling around her body for anything that could help. Coming across a lighter in her pocket she hurriedly took it out and lit it to shine light around her. She realized she was surrounded by panels of wood, confined into a small wood coffin. Even more fierce panic and terror set in at that realization.

"Oh, god, oh god. Help!" She yelled out but her voice came out in barely more than a hoarse whisper, "Help!"

Angel pounded on the wood above her head over and over again until it began to crack. Soon the thin wood gave way and dirt rained down on her face. When it gave way completely she put one hand in front of the other and managed to dig her way up and out of the grave. A hysterically relieved whimper left her as soon as her hands and upper body breached the air. Grasping the grass and dirt around her she pulled her body out of the grave and onto her back as she gasped for air. The sunlight in the sky was blinding but she stayed in her position for a few seconds just staring up at the sky in shock and awe. She couldn't believe what the hell was happening.

She was free…

The thought brought some kind of hysterically happy hoarse giggle to erupt from her but it was immediately cut off by the confusion her new found resurrection brought. If she was indeed ripped out of hell, what did that mean for her brothers? Finally bringing herself to her feet, Angel looked down at the crude headstone her brothers made to her other surroundings. A perfect circle of dead trees were lying around her grave. As if some kind of an unearthly powerful blast had caused them to fall.

On the country road…

Through the hazy heat of the day, Angel walked down an empty road before coming across a seemingly run down gas station. She pounded on the door and attempted to yell for help but her voice was still extremely hoarse and she could get much volume out of it. Taking off her flannel's long sleeve, she rolled it over her right hand and broke the glass on the door so she could make her way inside. The first thing she went for was a water bottle in the fridge and gulped it empty, gasping for air afterwards. Looking around she staggered over to a newspaper and shock rocked her at what she read.

'Thursday, September 18th'

"September?" She bulked at that, "Four months… That can't be right."

Where she was it felt like years, not months. It felt like a long white hot lifetime full of agony, torture and death. A time that would completely change her forever. It wasn't possible that it only lasted four months.

Tossing the newspaper back on the rack, Angel walked into the small dingy bathroom to wash her face in the dirty sink. She splashed her face multiple times as she tried to breathe through the panic and confusion coursing through her. All of the images and feelings that surrounded her in the pit pushed themselves through her memory and she had to struggle to push them aside.

Washing her face once more she looked up and studied her reflection. She was wearing the same tight black v-neck, jeans and flannel she wore when the hellhound slashed into her. Frowning she pulled her shirt up to expose her chest and stomach which should be ripped to shreds but wasn't. Her body was completely unblemished and scar free. All that was there was her anti-possession tattoo. With a grimace she turned and pulled up her left sleeve to see what was causing her pain there and once again bulked in shock at the sight before her. A large red and raw handprint brand stood out in a stark comparison to the otherwise normal looking skin around it.

Her brows furrowed as she stared at it in confusion, "The hell…"

With another grimace she put her sleeve back down and decided to hightail it to her brothers or Bobby. One of them had to have the answers to all of her questions. Grabbing a plastic bag she began to fill it up with any provisions she could find. Snacks, energy bars, and water bottles were all thrown into it before she stepped behind the register. Snaking a bottle of JD she took a few swigs out of it before opening the register with a smile and looting the cash.

Suddenly the TV to Angels left flickered on and started showing only static. Eyeing it with a frown she immediately shut it off; only to have the radio to her right turn on to play white noise. Not wasting another second, Angel scrambled to another shelf and grabbed a carton of salt to pour it along the windowsills. A high-pitched single tone began to shriek around her causing her to clutch one ear in pain as she frantically continued to pour salt with her free hand. As it continued louder she dropped the salt and dropped to her knees, groaning in pain as she clutched her ears. The window above her head shattered and she leapt to her feet to try to escape as more glass on the ceiling, windows and doors shattered. Sprinting outside she flung herself into the phone booth, frantically filled it with change and dialed Sams number immediately.

"We're sorry. You have reached a number that has been disconnected."

Hanging up she tried Dean next who answered after a few tries.

"Hello?"

"Dean?" She sagged against the side of the booth in relief, "Thank God."

"Uh, yeah." Uncertainty filled his voice upon hearing Angel, "Who the hell is this?"

"Your sister dumbass. Look, I- I need-"

"Yeah, my sister's dead dickwad. Call me again and you will be too."

At the dial tone she groaned and hung up with yet another huff of frustration. Inserting another coin she dialed yet another familiar number. It rang once before being picked up.

"Yeah?"

Relief once again flooded Angel, "Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"It's me, Bobby."

"Who's 'me'?"

"Angel, Bobby." She shifted to case her surroundings as she spoke, "Who do you think? Who does it sound like?"

The dial tone sounded so she hung up the receiver and dialed him again.

Anger filled his voice this time, "Who is this?"

"Bobby, listen to me-"

"This ain't funny. Call again, I'll kill ya!"

At the third sound of the dial tone she slammed the phone down in anger, "Christ!"

As she shook her head and looked around she saw an old, beat-up white car parked outside. She hurried inside it, hotwired the engine and promptly pulled away from the gas station.

Outside Bobby's house…

Angel pulled to a stop next Deans shiny black impala. As she parked the car she stole she eyed Baby in relief. The boys must already be here so she was that much closer to a reunion and answers. Trailing her hand over the waxed car she made her way to Bobby's porch. Hurrying up the stairs she pounded on the door nonstop until the older man swung it open. Shock filled his face as he stared at her leaning on his doorstep, a little winded. Apprehension filled his face before quickly being replaced by anger and suspicion.

"Well, hey there, B." Angel grinned, "Surprise."

"I- I don't…"

"Yeah, we're in the same boat there." She walked into his house as Bobby backed away carefully, "But here I am."

Dean then seemingly came out of nowhere and grabbed her roughly before slamming her into the wall painfully hard. He trapped her hands behind her as he pinned her body to the wall.

In the next second she had a silver blade pressed against her throat, "Who the hell are you?"

"Ow! Damn it, Dean." He tightened pressure when she squirmed, "Let me go! It's me!"

Bobby's angry voice sounded somewhere behind her, "My ass!"

Rolling her eyes she stomped on Deans foot making him loosen his grip before quickly elbowing him in the ribs and disarming him. Dean and Bobby each flanked her in anger, ready for a fight, as she kept her distance from them with the knife in hand.

"Guys, it really is me." She tossed the knife behind her and away from them before putting her hands up, "I'm telling you the truth."

Bobby lunged forward but she managed to shove a chair between herself and him stopping his advance. As she tried to bolt to the next room Dean caught her once again and pinned her to the wall. This time he held his forearm tightly against her throat.

"I'm gonna ask you this one more time before i start breaking things. Who are you?"

"Listen, listen, listen." Angel gasped out as gripped his arm tightly, "You're Dean Thomas Winchester an- and Robert Steven Singer. Dean when we were teenagers, I used to annoy the crap out of you by playing my Ramones album over and over again." When he tightened his grip again she struggled to speak as she met his eyes, "So much that you burned it." He loosened at that a little, throwing a scared look over his shoulder at Bobby who looked equally as freaked, "Bobby, you became a hunter after your wife got possessed, and… you're about the closest thing any of us have to a father. Guys, it's really me."

Dean pierced his eyes into hers, "What'd you tell Sam when he said there was a monster in his closet?"

"What?"

"Whatd you tell him?!"

"Dad gave him a gun so i took it and said i'd protect him. That you two didn't have anything to worry about as long as I was around."

Dean slowly lowered his arm and unpinned her as shock filled eyes. In the next second he was crushing Angel into an emotional bear hug as tears fell down each of their faces. When a sharp pain filled her arm she hissed in a breath and pulled back. She and Dean both turned to Bobby who had cut her with the previously tossed away silver knife.

"I'm not a shifter or a revenant, old man."

"Can't be too careful, darlin." Bobby took her in for the next tight hug that she returned with just as much enthusiasm, and relief, "It's… It's good to see you, girl."

Dean shook his head as he looked at her dumbfounded, "That's an understatement."

"Its…" She grinned and came back to stand next to her little brother, "More than great to see you two again."

"I'll bet."

"But… how'd you bust out?"

"I wish i knew. Just all of a sudden I woke up in a pine box and had to dig my way out of the grave you guys buried me in." Suddenly Bobby splashed water in her face earning an annoyed glare from the blonde, "Yeah, not a demon either!"

"Like i said, can't be too careful." Bobby grinned sheepishly as he threw her a towel and led them further into the house, "But… that don't make a lick of sense."

Angel nodded as she wiped her face dry, "Preachin' to the choir."

"Angel…" Dean suddenly looked pained and uncomfortable, "Your chest was ripped apart. I mean you were… mangled. Not to mention, you've been buried four months. Even if you could slip out of hell and back into your meat suit-"

"I know, I know. I should look like I just stepped out of Jaws and into the Thriller video reject pile."

Dean studied her closely, "What do you remember?"

"Nothing really." She lied, her face tight, "I remember I was a Hellhound's chew toy, and then… lights out. The next thing I know, I'm waking up in a pine box six feet under." Bobby sat as he listened and Angel took a breath before looking at Dean, "Sam's number's not working. He's, uh, he's not…"

"No, no. He's fine." He answered way too quickly as he cut eye contact, "He's alive."

Bobby sighed heavily, "As far as we know."

"What's that mean?" Angel frowned from him back to Dean, "'As far as you know'?"

"We haven't exactly…" Dean cleared his throat tensely, "Talked to him for a few months."

"Dean! You let him go off by himself?"

"He was dead set on it." Bobby interjected, "There wasn't no talkin him out of it."

"That's not good enough." Ange glared at the two of them as worry set in for Sam, "You two should have been looking after him. That's literally all i wanted."

"We tried." Bobby's face hardened, "These last months haven't been exactly easy, you know. For these boys or me."

"Ang…" Dean's jaw set tightly, "We had to bury you."

"I know… I know." Her face tightened in pain and guilt, "I'm sorry, it's just, when it comes to you boys… I just want you to be safe." She looked between them with pursed lips, "What was with the coffin anyway?"

"Dean and I wanted you salted and burned. Usual drill. But…" Bobby shared a grim look with Dean, "Sam wouldn't have it."

"He said you'd need a body when he… 'got you back home' somehow."

"That's about all he said before he took off."

Suspicion filled her, "And what exactly does that mean?"

"He was quiet. Real quiet." Bobby continued, "And then he just took off. Wouldn't return our calls. Went completely off the grid from Dean even. We tried to find him, but he didn't want to be found."

Angel closed her eyes and hung her head at the possibilities running through her brain, "Oh, damnit, Sammy."

Sam must've made some sort of deal or bargain to bring her back.

Dean nodded in agreement as if reading her mind, "I've been thinking the same thing ever since you called."

Bobby frowned, "What?"

"Whatever he did brought me home. I'm here and I'm breathing but whatever he used was some seriously bad mojo. I mean you should've seen the gravesite. It was like a nuke went off. And then there was this… this force, this presence. I don't know what it was, but it blew past me at a gas station. Destroyed the place and almost me as well. Then there's this." Stripping off her flannel she pulled up the sleeve of her shirt to reveal the still red, raised and raw handprint, "It freakin' branded me."

Bobby and Dean both hopped up out of their seats upon seeing that, "What in the hell?"

Dean's eyes widened as he carefully took her arm in his hand, "You think some kind of demon yanked you out?"

"I don't know… IMaybe. Or one rode me out."

"But why?"

"To hold up their end of the bargain. Why else?"

Bobby scoffred, "You two think Sam made a deal?"

"Don't you?" Angels cocked her brow, "It's exactly what I did, so why not follow in big sister's and Dad's footsteps?"

Dean shook his head, "We gotta find him and fast."

"We've been trying. Kid went completely off the grid."

"Ang." Dean sighed heavily, "He went completely off the grid."

"C'mon, Dean." Angel rolled her eyes, "You can do better than that. Phone." She held out her hand and when he handed his cell over she quickly dialed, "Yeah, hi, I have a cell phone account with you guys, and uh, I lost my phone. I was wondering if you could turn the GPS on for me." She paused, "Yeah. Name's Wedge Antilles. Social is 2-4-7-4." Another few seconds passed, "Thank you."

As she hung up and crossed the room to a laptop on the table, Bobby watched her, "How'd you know he'd use that name?"

"Please. I know these two better than they know themselves." She typed in the address for Arc Mobile before looking around at the many empty bottles around her, "So what's with all the booze, Bobby? I thought Dean and I were the heavy drinkers."

"Like i said…" His face hardened, "Last few months ain't been all that easy."

Angle held his gaze for a moment, "Fair enough." Taking a deep breath she prodded a little deeper, "Where's Asa? He not want to stick around with you three after?"

"Honestly…" Deans eyes softened when she met his gaze, "Man's probably drinking his way through his second bar by now. Your death hit him hard. I check in every few weeks but uh… he's not the friendliest anymore."

Sadness and guilt filled Angel at that information. Before she could comment the laptop beeped. The display showed a city map with a blue arrow pointing to a star. The locator read:

Phone Location:

263 Adams Road

Pontiac, Illinois.

Angel went back to business mode as she looked from the laptop to the two men beside her, "Sams in Pontiac, Illinois."

Bobby's eyes widened, "Right near where you were planted."

"Right where I popped up. Hell of a coincidence, don't you think boys?"

At the Astoria motel…

Angel, Dean and Bobby walked down a dingy hallway before stopping at Room 207. Angel quickly rapped on the door a few times before leaning on the frame. The door was opened by a hot young woman with dark brunette hair. She was wearing only a tank top and lace panties earning an appreciative eye from both Winchester siblings gaping at her.

"So…" She looked them over expectantly, "Where is it?"

Dean and Angel shared a confused look, "Huh?"

"The pizza…" She motioned, "That takes three people to deliver?"

"Oh, right…" Dean eyed her weirdly before motioning to Angel and Bobby to back up, "We, uh, probably have the wrong room. sorry."

Sam stepped into their line of sight just then. His face was grim and focused, and he wore a grey t-shirt and jeans. Angel's eyes widened at how much bigger her little brother was than what she remembered. The past few months she's been gone he must've thrown himself into a Dwayne Johnson-Esque workout routine. As soon as he saw Angel standing in the doorway he stopped dead in his tracks as shock rocked him. His eyes swiftly moved behind her to Dean and Bobby in confusion before settling back on Angel.

Angel ignored the woman and took a few steps inside as emotion filled her voice, "Sammy-"

Sam immediately attacked, slamming her into the wall by her throat and attempting to stab her with a silver knife but she used all of her own strength to block his attack. The young woman screamed and shuffled out of the way as Dean and Bobby rushed forward to pry Sam off of her. Angel gasped for air and fell to the floor as he was ripped away.

Both men had to hold him back as he lunged for her again, "Who are you?!"

"Seriously, Sam?!" Angel pushed the pain out of her mind and got up to glare right back at him, "Don't act like you didn't do this!"

"Do what?!"

"Sam it's her." Dean pushed him further back before stepping between them to look his brother in the eye, "It's really her. We've been through this already."

Sam stared at Angel as the struggle slowly went out of his body and Bobby loosened his grip, "What…"

"Right? I look amazing." Angel took a few steps forward as she smirked, "I think I even lost a few pounds."

Sam stepped out of Bobby's grasp as tears filled his eyes. He immediately pulled Angel into an emotional and desperate hug which she returned. They embraced for several seconds, heavy with emotion, as Bobby and Dean both watched with tear filled eyes.

"You're huge now, Sammy." Angel laughed a little as she looked him over once pushing him back to arm's length, "Lay off the roids."

"So… are you two like…" The woman from earlier pointed between them in confusion, "Together?"

"What?" Sam turned to her like he had just remembered that she was there, "No. No. She's my sister."

"Uh... got it. I... I guess." She pointed to the door, "Look, I should probably go."

"Yeah…" Sam nodded, "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Sorry."

After they both got dressed, Sam quickly walked her to the door.

"So.." She turned to him with a small smile, "Call me?"

"Yeah." Sam nodded, uninterested, as he was still sending shocked looks to Angel who was watching them in entertainment from beside Dean, "Yeah, sure thing, Kathy."

She frowned with disappointment, "Kristy."

"Right."

Sam shut the door as she left with a frown before coming back into the room and sitting down. Angel paced the room quietly with her arms crossed as Bobby and Dean also watched the youngest Winchester with suspicion.

"So Sam…" Dean earned his eye, "What did it cost you?"

"The girl?" Sam smirked, "I don't pay, Dean."

"That's not funny, Sam." Dean crossed the room, "To bring Angel back. What'd it cost?"

Angel met his eyes as well, "Was it just your soul, or was it something worse, Sammy?"

He scoffed, "You think I made a deal?"

Bobby nodded, "That's exactly what we think."

"Well I didn't!"

Angel glared at him as anger filled her, "Don't you lie straight to my face Sam!"

"I'm not lying!"

"What does this mean, hm? Angel advanced on him angrily, "I'm off the hook and you're on, is that it? You're some demon's bitch-boy? For Christ sakes Sammy, I told you guys to leave it alone!"

Sam stood over her just as angrily, "Look, Angel, I wish I had done it, alright?"

"There's no other way this could have happened Sam!" Angel glared and held her own even if he was towering over her, "Tell me the truth!"

"That's the truth! I tried opening the Devil's Gate. Hell, I tried to bargain, Angel, but no demon would deal, alright? You were rotting in Hell for months, for months, and I couldn't stop it. So I'm sorry it wasn't me, alright?" His face and voice broke with emotion as guilt and horror filled him, "Angel, I'm sorry."

Angel relented as she backed away from him. Taking a second to collect herself she wiped her face and took a collecting breath.

"It's okay, Sammy." Sadness filled her own eyes as she looked back at him, "I believe you."

"Don't get me wrong…" Bobby interjected carefully, "I'm gladdened that Sam's soul remains intact, but it does raise a sticky question."

Angel's eyes met his with a grim reality, "If he didn't pull me out, then what did?"