This time he wouldn't be left sitting outside. This time, finally, after so long, Castiel would finally be allowed to see the inside of his Father's office.
He just wished it could be under more pleasant circumstances.
Lucifer had been a thorn in their side for far too long. Not content with creating discord among the angels, he had gone to Earth and corrupted his Father's greatest creation, mankind. From his unauthorized entry into the Garden where he tempted Adam and Eve, to the corruption of their firstborn son, and even going so far as using the space where the Father had confined him as a place to capture and torment human souls, it was clear that there was no going back. He had been banned from Heaven and confined to Hell, but even that was not enough.
Now the Father would have to do the one thing He had held off on doing all this time: build a cell to hold the wayward archangel for all eternity.
This he had done.
Getting him into this cell was another matter. But once they had forced, or tricked, him into the cage, they had the means to lock it and keep him there forever.
That was what Cas was being told, anyway.
He had been close to his Father's office a few times before, but never past the door. Today, however, that would change.
This time, when Michael opened the door and held it for his brothers, he didn't stop Castiel from entering. He held it a moment longer, only closing it when the young angel was inside.
Cas stopped in the doorway and looked around.
The office was so big that he couldn't see the walls, only an endless whiteness that stretched as far as his eye could see. There were a few things he recognized-the workbench where Father created things, a board full of pictures of all the angels at various ages (Cas spotted one of himself sitting on Gabe's lap), some folded robes of an indeterminate size-but most he didn't. He wouldn't have time to ask about them, however, as his brothers were leading him to the place where Father waited for them.
It looked like an ordinary living room set. Couch, end table, two matching armchairs, a wooden chair which looked as if it had been dragged in from another room (this was for him, he knew) . . . it seemed so normal.
The tall-backed chair at the far end of this little arrangement spun around, and for the first time since his birth, Castiel was in the actual presence of his Father.
"Hello, Castiel," He said. "It's so good that you're here. Please, have a seat. We have much to go over before we do what we came for. What have your brothers told you?"
"Well . . . nothing, so far. Sir."
"No need to be formal with me, son. Call me Dad, if you want."
"I . . . I-"
"Or not. That's okay, too. So, nothing at all? Really?" He looked at His older sons, who seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Just that You'd come up with the final solution to the problem of what to do with Lucifer. And I'm supposed to help somehow?"
"You have the ring that Michael gave you? You've kept it safe?"
"Yes, si-Father. It's right here." He patted his pocket.
"Good. Keep that with you. The spell is almost ready, but it won't work from here. You'll have to go down to Earth, find a portal to Hell, and say the spell over the mouth of the Hellgate. Lucifer has to be there too, of course."
"What if he escapes again?"
"He won't," said Raphael. "We have so many binding spells on him right now, he can't even scratch his nose. Have no fear, young one. This will work."
Father passed out sheets of paper. "Here is the spell. Read it and memorize it. You'll have to be perfect when the moment comes."
Cas raised a hand, then remembered he wasn't in school and put it down again.
"Yes, Castiel? You have a question?"
"This part marked with a circle? What's that?"
"That's when you put on the rings."
"Put it . . . on?" No one had mentioned him having to wear it. "But I can't wear an archangel ring! I'm not-not powerful enough!"
Father reached out and closed a hand over his. "You can do this, Castiel. I know you're young, but your grace is strong. I'm not asking you to wear the ring full-time, just for the spell. The spell needs the power of all four rings, and the ring won't work by itself. It needs you to wear it."
"We're reasonably sure it probably won't kill you," said Gabe. "Most likely."
Father turned and gave him a Look.
"What? We can't be a hundred percent sure that it'll work. Maybe ninety-five percent. Ninety-five and a half. Call it ninety-six."
"Gabriel," Michael said, in a tightly controlled voice that suggested he was on the verge of smiting someone, "just. Shut. Up!"
Ninety-six percent. Those were good odds. That meant that there were only four chances out of a hundred that something would go wrong. If they did the spell a hundred times, it would pretty much work all the time. And they would only have to do it once.
Correction: they would only get one chance to do this. So it would have to work. He would have to make it work.
He had sworn to lay down his life, if necessary, for the defense of Heaven.
He just hoped that it wouldn't be necessary today.
"How soon do You want us to do this, Father?" Michael asked Him.
"As soon as possible. Today, if you can. Memorize the spell, right now, so that you'll be ready when I tell you to go. I'll bring Lucifer to the old portal chamber; meet me there."
He looked directly at Cas. "You are to tell no one of this, Castiel. No matter how this comes out, your part in this must remain secret. Are you good at keeping secrets?"
"I-I think so, Father."
"Good. This is one you'll keep for all time. Now get to memorizing, and I'll see you later." He was about to leave when He turned back. "Oh, and Castiel?"
"Yes, Father?"
"How is He?"
"Your Son? Don't You know?"
"I've been busy. I try to keep tabs on Him, but, you know . . ."
Cas smiled. "He is devoted to doing Your will."
"How is He as a man? I always worried about that. Is He getting along all right?"
Cas measured his next words carefully. "He heals the sick, makes the blind see and the deaf hear, and some say He has even raised the dead. Everything He does is to the benefit of mankind; though they speak of Him far and wide, He seeks no glory for Himself, only to give glory to You. And they shall worship Him for centuries to come."
His Father smiled. "That's my boy."
The portal room looked pretty much the same as it had on Cas' last visit, so many years ago. It was still dusty and unused; when he looked down at the floor, he could see the small footprints he had left behind last time. Close to them were some that were a bit larger; those must have been Gabe's. Further off he could see even larger footprints that had to be Luci's.
Luci. What were they going to do to him? While Cas was a good soldier and would follow orders, he wasn't sure he agreed with the idea of locking the archangel away permanently. Still, it was better than killing him.
"What's wrong?" Gabe had drifted over, noticing the young angel's unease.
"I'm just wondering if what we're doing is right."
"I know. I mean, it's Luci. He taught me to fly. He taught you to read. I don't want to have to do this . . . but he can't be allowed to get away with what he's done. If you or I had done even half of what he's done? We would have been smited on the spot."
"I think the proper tense is 'smote'."
"Whatever, smarty pants. But because he's Dad's favorite, He just lets it slide time and time again. But he crossed a line that shouldn't be crossed. He messed with Dad's beloved Son, and you just don't do that!"
"He picked on the wrong person," Cas agreed. "Rabbi Yeshua didn't let him get away with that."
"Good for Him. What are we waiting for? I thought they were already here!"
"Sorry I'm late." Father arrived, leading Lucifer by the arm. The archangel was shackled but not gagged; surprisingly, he was quiet even so. "I forgot where this place was, if you can believe that. It's been so long since we were here. Do you remember?"
"I remember," Michael said. He looked at Luci meaningfully. "We used to be a family. We loved and supported each other. I haven't forgotten what that was like."
"I remember," said Raphael. "I remember when we all made planets. Mike made the big one with the red spot, and I made the one with all the rings, and Luce made a few medium-sized ones, and Gabriel made the teeny tiny one."
"Well, there wasn't much left to work with by the time I got my turn," Gabe protested. "And you made me stick it way out at the far end of the solar system."
"It's a very nice planet," Father said. He looked at Luci. "Lucifer, I'm giving you one last chance to repent. We love you and want you to come back to us, but this behavior cannot continue. If you refuse to change, if you go on creating chaos and discord everywhere you go . . . then I'll have no choice but to lock you away in Hell forever."
Luci said nothing, his eyes on the floor.
"Don't you have anything to say to us?"
"Why should I? You've already condemned me. What difference will it make now?"
"I am willing to forgive you, but only if you-"
"What? Beg for it? Fall on my knees and grovel? Nope, not happening."
"I remember," said Gabriel, "a brother who would do anything for me. Who let me sleep curled up next to him. Who held me up in the air so I could practice flying, when I was still very small. Who always knew just how to make me smile when I was feeling down. What happened to that guy? I miss him."
"He's dead," Luci said with bitterness in his voice. "He died of neglect when you all found new toys to play with. You brought this on yourselves. I'm not apologizing, because I'm not the one to blame here."
Cas wanted to say something to change Luci's mind, but he couldn't think of a single thing. He could only stand and watch sadly as the drama played out in front of him.
"You leave me no choice, then," Father said. "Step on the pad, all of you."
Michael took hold of the chain binding Luci's wrists and yanked on it, leading him along. The others followed behind him.
"I'm going to send you down now," Father said. "You'll have an hour to recite both spells: the one that opens the Cage, and the one to close it again. They shouldn't take that long. Bring the rings back to me when you're finished. I have plans for them."
"You're not coming?" Michael asked.
"I can't." He looked at Lucifer. "I'm so sorry, my son. But you leave me no choice."
He pressed the sequence that would activate the portal. The room shimmered and vanished, and Cas found himself standing on soft grass, in a place . . .
. . . that looked familiar.
I've been here before.
Gabe was looking at him. "What's wrong?"
"I think I've been here before. I feel like . . . something bad happened here."
"Maybe you're remembering something that hasn't happened yet. Our memories don't work in a straight line. You could be remembering something that happens centuries from now."
"Really?"
"In which case, you'll be ready for it, and you'll be here to help when the bad thing happens." He smiled. "That's why you're here. To help. Get that ring ready, now."
"Put it on?"
"Not yet. Not till we open the Hell Gate. That is what we're doing now, isn't it?" he asked Michael.
The elder archangel nodded. "There are three incantations: Opening, Binding, and Closing. Did you memorize them all?"
"No, but I brought the cheat sheet." He unfolded it and held it up so the others could read from it.
Lucifer stared at them with panicked eyes. This was suddenly becoming real. "Don't do this," he begged. "Mikey, my big brother who always takes care of me . . ."
"Oh, now you want to talk. Now, when your butt is on the line, you get nostalgic. Well, it's too late, little brother. Begin."
They began the first incantation even as Lucifer pleaded with them to stop. Cas recited the Enochian along with his brothers until the ground in front of them fell away, revealing a hole with no bottom.
"Who gets the honor of shoving him in?" Gabe asked.
Luci turned to him. "Gabriel, my precious boy. Please don't do this. Haven't I always taken care of you?"
In response, Gabe turned his back.
Luci's eyes fell on Cas. "Castiel," he said, "you were never meant to be a soldier. Have mercy on me, baby brother. Give me my ring back, and I'll go away. For good. Don't let them lock me away! I promise I won't hurt anyone ever again!"
Cas started to speak, but Michael looked at him, and he closed his mouth and said nothing. He didn't want to make things worse.
"I'll do it," Raph said. "Luce, you know you brought this on yourself. Take your punishment like a grownup." He reached out and knocked Luci into the hole.
"Put the ring on now!" Michael instructed. Cas took it out of his pocket and slipped it on. The only finger it would fit was the middle finger of his left hand. It sat crookedly, but no one had said it had to be perfect.
They began the second incantation, the one that bound Lucifer inside the cage. Halfway through, the ring started to heat up on Cas' finger. It was really uncomfortable, but he was determined to get through this and not let his brothers down.
Sparks started dancing across the surface of the ring. It was burning him, and he knew it was because his grace was insufficient. He didn't have the grace of an archangel. He couldn't do this. The ring would burn off his finger and the spell would fail. He couldn't-
A hand slipped into his free hand and grasped it. He looked up and saw Gabe smiling at him even as he kept up the recitation. Cas felt his brother's grace flowing into and augmenting his . . . but it was not enough.
Michael put a hand on his right shoulder, and Raphael his left. Their grace helped him power through the burning pain.
Castiel didn't have the grace and power of an archangel. He had three. His brothers lent their power to him in order to finish the spell, and it worked. The Cage shut with a clang. All that was left was the closing spell, and that was a breeze.
When it was over, Cas pulled the ring off his finger and flung it into the grass, where it smoked and nearly set the grass alight. He rubbed at the red circle around his middle finger and finally released the pain he had been holding back as he collapsed onto the ground near where the hole had been.
"Cassie! Talk to me, baby! Cas, can you hear me?"
Cas opened his eyes to see Gabe leaning over him looking worried. "What happened?"
"You passed out. Guess the power was too much for you. You did it, though. You did it!"
"We did it. I couldn't have done it without you."
He tried to get up, but when he placed his left hand on the ground, the burning pain radiated up his arm. It felt like his whole hand was on fire now.
"Let me see that." Raphael knelt beside him and reached for the injured hand. "I can heal this for you."
"But . . . but it was archangel power that did this."
"Trust me on this, little brother. The power can destroy, but it can also rebuild. Let me help you."
Raph closed his fingers over Cas' hand, and it was like cool water flowing over him, quenching the fire, giving him peace and sweet relief. He closed his eyes and let out his breath in a long sigh.
"That feels good," he said. "Thanks, Raph."
"We should go now." His older brother helped Cas to his feet, and they rejoined the others.
"Grab the ring," Michael said. "Just put it in your pocket for now. Father will need it later."
"For what?" Cas asked, but the question was never answered. He picked the ring, still warm, off the grass and shoved it in his pocket just as the portal opened and they went home.
He thought it was over. They all thought it was over.
But this was just the beginning.
