A/N: This is for molf on Tumblr. Her prompt was regarding 13x7, when Cas went to see fellow angel Duma at the entrance to Heaven to ask about if they'd seen Jack. Only to realize it was a trap and they wanted to use Jack to make more angels, and they wanted to take Cas because of his "influence" with Jack. What would have happened if Lucifer hadn't turned up?

Setting: Episode 13x7, alternate version.

Summary: Heaven wants Jack, no matter what they have to do to Cas. The Winchesters are pissed. That's never good.

Angel, Traitor, Brother, Friend

Castiel tugged at the cuffs. They were tight on his wrists, attached to a hook set into the marble floor of Heaven's throne room so he could barely even sit up. Naomi seemed content to leave him there at her feet, rather than locking him in the dungeon—Castiel was too busy reeling from the horror of her apparent survival to feel any satisfaction that they were afraid of leaving him unguarded.

"Duma," Naomi greeted an approaching angel. "Any word?"

"Nothing yet," Duma reported. "But Jonas made contact with the nephilim some time ago. Likely he's still trying to establish trust."She flicked a glance at Castiel. "It won't be long, once he hears Castiel wants him to join us here."

"I will not help you," Castiel immediately maintained. He cursed himself for having trusted Duma, for letting himself be ambushed and captured by the three angels in the park.

"Castiel," Naomi tsk-ed. "Have you no interest in redeeming yourself from the traitor we all know you to be?" She rose from the throne she had no business occupying to squat in front of the manacled angel. "It's because of you our numbers are so diminished. You should be leaping at the chance to assist us."

Castiel shook his head, jaw set stubbornly. "I'm not a traitor. And I will not help you capture and enslave Jack."

"You will help us gain the nephilim's cooperation," Naomi said, standing and retreating to the throne again. "One way or another."

The threat left him cold with dread, but Castiel didn't have long to dwell on what might be in store for him, as Jonas's voice filled their ears through Angel Radio.

"Naomi, I have news."

"You have him?" Naomi asked eagerly.

"…Um… no. The Winchesters are demanding Castiel be returned."

"In exchange for the nephilim?"

"Er… in exchange for… me."

Castiel raised his head, watching Naomi's eyes tight shoulders started to loosen; Sam and Dean were coming for him. Meanwhile, Jonas grunted in pain then said,

"He wants me to speak for him."

"He?"

"This is Dean Winchester," Jonas continued, a slight waver in his tone. "Here's how it's going to go, you- you bitch. His word, not mine!" Jonas paused, Naomi's face turning puce as the other angels traded looks. "I don't know how you're still alive… but we know all about you and what you did to Cas. For your sake, he'd better be in one piece when you let him go."

"And why would I let him go?" Naomi snapped, arms folding as she began to pace. "Aside from the fact I don't negotiate with Winchesters, we need every angel left."

Another pause as Jonas apparently conveyed her message to Dean. When his voice returned to Angel Radio, Castiel could hear how shaken he sounded.

"Then it would be a shame if we… fried what was left of this one's wings, and- and declared war on Heaven. Naomi, please, they're very angry…"

Naomi huffed. "Let me think. The nephilim must have gone to them after you first spoke to him. So he's probably with them now. Perhaps we could set up an exchange and then take the nephilim while we're there-"

"You're going to release Cas first," Jonas carried on, still parroting Dean's words. "And once he's safe, we'll cut this one loose. That's the only deal we'll accept. This isn't a negotiation, it's an… ultimatum. If Cas is okay, then Heaven lives another day. If not… trust me, that is not a 'shit storm' you want coming down on you."

"And why should we believe they'll keep their word? We don't have time for this!" Naomi snapped.

Castiel shifted. "Then release me," he urged. "I will personally ensure Jonas is returned to you, and work to restore Heaven however I can." He waited until Naomi met his eyes to murmur, "I'm not a traitor. I want the angels to survive. But not by submitting myself and an innocent boy to your tortures."

"Innocent? He's-"

"Not his father," Castiel finished for her. "Maybe he can help Heaven. You want to work together?" He tugged at the manacles, making the chains rattle. "This isn't how." The idea of working with Naomi made him ill, but remaining in Heaven as her captive and bargaining chip was even worse. Naomi stood over him, jaw clenched with evident anger. Castiel didn't look away.

"They won't give up Jack," he pointed out quietly from the floor. "And with so few of you left… can you really afford to have Winchesters to contend with as well? Release me."

Naomi glowered at him for a long moment, then spun. "Duma, return the traitor to Earth," she spat out while storming from the hall. "Get him out of my sight."

Duma nodded and hurried to unlock the manacles from Castiel's wrists. He stood gratefully, eager to be away from this place and Naomi. Duma didn't meet his eyes as she escorted him back to the portal. Castiel made no effort to speak to her, either.

When they stepped through and the flash of light had dissipated, Castiel found himself face to face with Sam Winchester's livid expression, but the glare was pointed at Duma. So was the angel blade.

"Cas, you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Sam nodded, not dropping his blade as he reached out to take Castiel's sleeve and maneuver the angel behind him. "You tell Naomi," he snarled at Duma, backing away. "Touch him again, she dies. Got it?"

Duma swallowed, nodding. Sam nodded back.

"Dean will send your angel up as soon as Cas and I are clear. Go."

Again, Duma nodded then stepped back into the another flash of light, she was gone. Sam dropped his arm and spun towards Castiel.

"Did they hurt you?"

"No," he assured his friend truthfully. "Jack?"

"Safe. He was worried when that angel mentioned you wanted him in Heaven, but hadn't come yourself. He called us up and we… took care of it. Come on, let's get you home. Dean will want to know you're okay."

Home. That sounded good to Castiel. He paused though,rubbing his wrists where he still felt the cold of the manacles clamped around them. He wasn't ready yet to admit even to himself how shaken he was to know the angels were nearly extinct, or how much the idea of being Naomi's prisoner again terrified him. If his friends hadn't rescued him… "Sam. Thank you."

Sam stopped, then turned back to him. He clapped a hand to Castiel's arm. "Hey. You're our brother. Anyone trying to mess with you has to go through me and Dean. You've done the same for us."

And he would continue to do so, protecting his friends,his family, until his last breath. Castiel gave Sam a solemn nod.

Whatever happened from here, they would all face it together.