Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets Part 1

Lebanon, Kansas

In the bunker, Sam, Dean, and Angela were looking at a board with a map where they were trying to track Kelly's movements.

"Yeah, I was looking at that earlier," Sam noted. "Cas has been busy, huh?"

"Yeah, busy not finding Kelly Kline or her Rosemary's baby." Dean scoffed lightly. "I mean, how's a chick like this just drop off the map?"

Sam sat down and pulled Angela to sit on his lap. "Well, I think that's what he's trying to figure out. Hey, Angie called Robert. Have you, uh, heard from Mom yet?"

"Yeah, she called last night, said she and Robert got a line on a shapeshifter in Atlanta," Dean replied. "I said we could come help, and she said, 'Don't bother.' Apparently, they've 'got it.'"

"Then they probably got it." Sam shrugged.

"Yeah," Dean muttered unconvinced.

"Mom's good," Sam assured his older brother.

"I just think she jumped back into this a little quick, don't you?" Dean asked.

"I don't think we have the kind of mom who's gonna stay home and make us chicken soup for dinner, you know?" Sam shrugged.

"Have you talked to Cas yet?" Angela asked.

"No." Dean sipped his coffee.

"So, what, you're just gonna keep walking past each other in the kitchen, not saying a word?" Angela quirked a brow.

"Maybe."

"Look, yes, Cas killed Billie, but he saved us. He saved Mom." Sam reminded. "How long are you gonna stay pissed?"

"I'm not pissed that he cares about us, you know," Dean sighed heavily. "I'm—I'm grateful. But Billie said there would be 'cosmic consequences' if that deal got broken. Either of you have any idea what that means?"

"No." Sam and Angela answered.

"Neither do I," Dean replied. "But I'm pretty sure it ain't jellybeans and g-strings."

"Our point is, Cas thought he was doing the right thing." Sam sighed.

"I was doing the right thing," Castiel said as he walked into the room.

"You sure about that?" Dean questioned.

"Yes."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not so sure. And when the other shoe drops—

"I'll deal with it." Castiel interrupted. "I have to go."

"Got a lead on Kelly?" Angela asked curiously.

"No," the angel shook his head. "This is personal."

"Meaning what?" Dean asked.

"Another angel. An old friend. He called out for help."

"Oh," Dean set down his mug. "Good old reliable angel radio."

"He was begging for help and then he just stopped," Castiel explained. "I need to know if he's still alive."

"Yeah, all right." Sam nodded in understanding. "Well… we'll come with you."

"All of you?" Castiel raised his brows and looked at Dean pointedly.

Dean sighed heavily. "Sure. Yeah, we could help. Gotta make sure you don't do anything else stupid."

~/~\~

Castiel sat in the back seat of the Impala with Grace and there was an awkward silence in the car as Dean drove down the dark road.

Sam scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "All right, who wants music?"

"I'm good," Dean replied.

"You…" Sam cleared his throat. "Okay."

"Cas, is there anything specific we should know about your friend?" Angela inquired, earning no response. "All right. Guys, you know what? This—this silent treatment thing, it's immature. It's not gonna work. Whatever we're walking into, we should probably have an actual plan. Do you understand me?"

Castiel sighed deeply. "What do you wanna know?"

"Oh, he speaks." Dean sassed.

"Enough," Angela warned the eldest Winchester, using her 'mom voice'. "Cas, you said when you heard Benjamin, he—he was screaming."

"It was, um… Look, Benjamin wouldn't call for help lightly. And he wouldn't put himself in harm's way if he could help it." Castiel explained.

"Wow," Dean started. "This Benjamin seems like he's pretty cool, you know. Like he wouldn't make any half-cocked, knee-jerk choices."

"Yeah, you know what I like about him? Is that he's sarcastic, but he's thoughtful and appreciative, too." Castiel retorted.

Dean turned in his seat and glared. "Now what is that supposed to mean?"

"Okay, okay, the road, road. Dude, watch the road." Sam said as the car swerved a bit. "We have Gracie in the car, man."

"I got it," Dean assured.

"Anything else, Cas?" Sam inquired.

"Benjamin is always very careful," Castiel noted. "Long ago, he found a powerfully devout vessel in Madrid, and her faith, it… she gave him everything—her trust and her body."

Dean's brows furrowed. "Wait, so, Benjamin's a woman?"

"Benjamin is an angel. His vessel is a woman." Castiel corrected. "But it—it's—it's more than that. She's not just his vessel."

"She's… she's his friend." Sam realized.

"Yeah. Benjamin would never put her in unnecessary danger."

"Okay, well, if this Benjamin is so careful, then what happened?" Dean demanded.

"I don't know." Castiel pursed his lips. "That's what I need to find out."

~/~\~

Sam, Dean, Angela, and Castiel were in the bar talking to the manager. Angela held Grace on her hip. Castiel stared at the dark wing imprints that were seared onto the wall.

"The police report is calling it a stabbing," Sam noted.

"Sure, yeah," the man nodded. "That's the official story. I mean, I was outside, and… Dead woman? No blood? Come on. And these crazy burn marks? It's a cult thing, right? That's why the FBI's—

Castiel turned to face the group and walked over. "Get out."

"What?" the man asked in confusion.

"Get out," Castiel repeated sternly.

"He means we can take it from here," Dean told the man. "Thanks."

"Yeah."

"We'll call you when we're done," Dean said as he walked the man toward the stairs.

"Hon, are you okay?" Angela asked Castiel quietly.

"No." he admitted. "No, Benjamin and I, we fought together. He was… he was a gifted soldier. I don't know how this could've happened."

Dean walked back over and spotted an angel blade under one of the counters. "Got something. Looks like we had a little angel-on-angel action."

Castiel took the blade from Dean and frowned. "This isn't Benjamin's blade."

As he touched the blade, Castiel suddenly heard whispering, and his brows creased together.

"What?" Sam asked in concern.

"We have to go. Now." Castiel said firmly.

~/~\~

The Impala was parked outside of a restaurant called The Wright Spot. Sam, Dean, Angela, and Castiel got out of the Impala, and Angela took Grace out of her car seat.

"All right, who we meetin'?" Sam asked.

"His name is Ishim," Castiel answered. "Before I, uh, commanded my own flight of angels, my own battalion, I served under him with Benjamin."

"And you think he knows what's going on?" Angela asked.

"We'll find out. You wait here." Castiel replied before walking toward the restaurant.

"Woah, wait," Dean stopped him. "Excuse me?"

"Ishim said to come alone. He doesn't like humans." Castiel explained. "If I plan to do anything else stupid, I'll let you know."

Sam, Dean, and Angela just looked at each other as Castiel walked inside.

~/~\~

Dean paced outside the restaurant while Sam and Angela leaned against the Impala.

"And you're gonna storm in right…" Angela trailed off as Dean prepared to go into the restaurant. "Now."

Dean went inside and Sam and Angela followed, bringing Grace with them.

"Hey." Dean greeted.

Castiel sighed in annoyance. "Dean."

"Feel a little left out over there," Dean replied. "Scoot over."

Sam and Dean squeezed into the booth with Castiel, and Sam pulled Angela down to sit on his lap.

"Hi." Grace waved innocently to Ishim.

"I said to come alone." Ishim looked at Castiel as he poured two packets of sugar into his coffee.

"These are my friends—my friends who don't listen very well." Castiel gave the hunters a pointed look.

"How you doing?" Sam asked. "I'm—

"We know who you are." Mirabel interrupted.

"Check outside to see if there are others," Ishim instructed.

Mirabel nodded and left as Ishim stirred his coffee.

"I only brought Sam, Dean, and Angela," Castiel assured.

"As far as you know," Ishim grunted.

~/~\~

"Well, who wants some pie?" Dean asked.

"You know, when I knew Castiel, he was a soldier," Ishim poured two more packets of sugar into his coffee. "He was a warrior. He was an angel's angel. Now, look how far he's fallen."

Dean eyed Ishim as he poured more sugar into his drink. "How about a little coffee with that sugar?"

Ishim and Dean stared at each other, then Ishim turned his attention to Castiel.

"No wings, no home. Just a ratty old coat and three poorly trained humans."

"Oh," Dean narrowed his eyes. "Well, you can go to Hell."

"Dean, it's fine," Castiel muttered.

"No. No, it's not." Angela retorted.

"Angela, this isn't about me. It's about Benjamin."

"Now, that is refreshingly accurate," Ishim replied. "But since you brought a couple of extra 'people' to our little chitchat, we should go somewhere more private. I have a safe house nearby." He explained as he stood up and took out some bills. "I'll go get Mirabel. So nice to see you, old friend. Have some pie."

Ishim threw the money on the table before walking out.

"Wow." Sam scoffed.

"Dick," Angela muttered as she and Sam moved to the seat Ishim vacated. "Hell of a friend, Cas."

"Why do you let him talk to you like that?" Dean asked.

"If Ishim can help me find whoever killed Benjamin, then I have to," Castiel replied.

"Okay, yeah, look, I-I get that we need super dick there, but, I mean, come on."

"The angels that I served with are being killed." Castiel reminded. "So I will put up with Ishim, I will put up with everything else, and so will you. I have to go."

Dean got up to let Castiel out of the booth. The hunters watched in concern as Castiel walked out of the restaurant.

~/~\~

"Hey!" Sam yelled as he, Dean, and Angela walked into the alley.

The brothers cocked their guns and Angela held Grace protectively.

"I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt any human." Lily told the hunters. "Just let me finish what I started."

"Yeah, not gonna happen, Patches." Dean retorted.

Suddenly, Lily held up her hand and flooded the area with a blinding light.

"Can't see," Dean grunted. "Sam? Angie? Hey."

Lily took the chance to get into her white convertible and she sped away, leaving the hunters and angels behind.

"I can't see," Angela muttered. "Baby, did you get a plate?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Who the hell was that?!" Dean exclaimed.

~/~\~

Inside a church, Ishim was looking at the deep slash in his side.

"Ishim, let me tend to your wound."

Ishim pulled down his shirt and glared up at Castiel. "I'm fine."

Castiel sighed deeply. "Ishim, how is she still alive?"

Sam's brows shot up in shock. "Wait a second. You know her?"

"Yes."

"You don't owe them an explanation." Ishim muttered.

"Okay, hand on now. Uh, One-Eyed Willy back there wasn't trying to kill us. She was after you." Dean reminded. "So, talk before she kicks in the damn door."

"Before the Apocalypse, angels, um… well, we rarely came to Earth." Castiel noted.

"Yeah, uh, basically never, right?" Angela asked.

"Right, except this once. Many years ago, there was an anomaly."

"An anomaly?" Sam's brows furrowed.

"They won't understand." Ishim scoffed.

"Cas, hon, what's going on?" Angela asked concernedly.

~/~\~

Orono, Maine (1901)

A group of angels walked through the trees and into a field where they saw a decently sized house.

"Castiel, are we all here?" Ishim asked.

Castiel, in a female vessel, nodded. "Yes."

"Why are we even on Earth?" Benjamin sneered. "It's so wet."

"Stop complaining." Mirabel scoffed.

"We're here because one of our fellow angels has taken a human wife," Ishim explained. "They also have a small daughter."

"A Nephilim? You're sure?" Castiel asked.

"Father has wings. Mother's a primate. And this child has a human soul mixed with angelic grace. Now that's—

"Dangerous." Mirabel interrupted. "Nephilim are forbidden by the oldest laws in Heaven."

"We jumped down here for a kid?" Benjamin asked incredulously.

"Nephilim grow up." Castiel retorted. "They grow into their power and then—

"Entire worlds die." Mirabel cut in.

"So, we've come to set things right," Ishim noted.

Six angels strode toward the house and the door opened. Akobel and Lily came out of the house.

"Akobel, please," Lily begged.

"Go back inside. Just…" Akobel leaned down and whispered indistinctly.

Lily nodded and turned to go back inside the house, shutting the door behind her.

"You have no business being here," Akobel told the other angels.

"Me?" Ishim scoffed. "You were sent here to observe humanity, to watch and to learn. But instead, taking up with a filthy animal. Have you no shame?"

"Who are you to lecture me about shame?" Akobel demanded as he walked down the steps. "Humans aren't animals. Most of them are good and true and… How could anyone know them and not love them?"

"Touching, but we're not—

"I know why you're here." Akobel cut Ishim off.

Angel blades were produced and Akobel began fighting, but Benjamin and Mirabel grabbed his arms, subduing him.

"Castiel." Ishim looked at the angel.

"Akobel," Castiel started. "Seraphim of the Sixth Choir, you have lain with a human and you have fathered a Nephilim."

Akobel's eyes widened. "What?"

Ishim grabbed Akobel by the throat, stopping him from talking.

"Continue."

"You have broken our most sacred oath, and the penalty is…" Castiel trailed off as Mirabel stabbed Akobel in the chest. "…death."

"Dispose of his vessel," Ishim instructed. "This next part, I'll do alone." He added as he walked into the house.

"No!" Lily yelled from inside. "No! Stay away from my daughter!"

A little girl's scream could be heard, and Castiel flinched ever so slightly.

~/~\~

Present Day

Sam ran a hand over his face. "Cas, you, um…"

"We completed a mission." Castiel defended.

"Some mission," Dean muttered.

"It was horrific, but it was necessary. It was right." Castiel stressed.

"Well, you say so."

"And the woman?" Angela inquired.

"Lily Sunder," Ishim answered. "She was a professor of Apocalyptic Literature. Studied angels, speaks fluent Enochian. I took mercy on her by letting her live."

"And now she wants revenge." Dean sighed.

"Hmm. Mm-hmm."

"I mean, she's gotta be what, 100 years old?" Sam asked.

"No. More," Castiel replied.

"Yeah, but somehow, she's still kicking ass?" Dean frowned.

"No. Not somehow." Ishim shook his head. "I know what she's up to. She made some kind of demonic pact. Keeps her young, keeps her strong. Keeps her immune from our powers."

"All right, but we'll find her," Dean assured. "Me, Sam, and Angie."

"No," Castiel frowned. "Dean."

"Cas, she doesn't care about us, okay?" Dean shrugged. "She's gunning for you guys."

"Yeah, maybe we can reason with her," Sam added.

"Uh, four dead angels indicate that perhaps she is not reasonable," Castiel argued. "If she has this dark power, it will take all of us to fight her." He added before turning to Ishim. "And I need to heal your wound."

"I have to agree with Cas," Angela spoke up. "It's too dangerous for just us to go."

"Her family was murdered." Sam reminded. "I mean, I-I know Cas was just doing a job, but—

"Are you saying that those angels deserved to die?" Castiel questioned.

"What?" Sam frowned.

"You think I deserve to die?"

"No, no. That's not what he's saying." Dean interjected.

"What is he saying?" Castiel demanded.

"I'm saying maybe if we find her, we can explain to her that you're different now, you know?" Sam suggested.

"Sam, that won't work." Castiel huffed. "She won't quit. Think about it. Would you?"

"Castiel's right. It won't work."

Sam looked over at Ishim. "We have to try."

"He's right," Dean agreed. "And we're not askin'."

A/N: Hey, guys, sorry for being MIA again. I've been trying to work as much as I can before I go back to college. I really hope you guys liked this chapter :) Also, I watched the most recent episode of Supernatural and I have so many ideas for when I write that installment ;) Love you guys, xoxo

~Emily