Hey, guys! Just wanted to apologize again for typos and spelling errors. My phone likes to pick and choose what it autocorrects and what it leaves spelled wrong. Writing on here is hard, but I gotta do what I gotta do for you guys! I've been getting more reviews lately, and its reinvigorated my love for the story :) so thanks to those people for that. Anyways, enjoy the chapter! Let me know what your thoughts are on it :)!

Candy tugged Castiel along behind her, holding his wrist tightly in her small hand as she pulled him through the double doors of the public pool. Castiel looked around nervously for any late night employees or security guards. As nice as it was to see Candy so excited about something, he didn't want to have to deal with any unwanted attention from the law, since she was known in most cities as a federal agent. Not a real one, Castiel reminded himself, suddenly more afraid of being caught. What would happen to Candy? He'd have to do something, but then he'd be exposing himself in the process.

"Stop worrying," Candy laughed when she saw the anxious expression on his face. "No one is here this late, not even security. All public pools release employees after a certain time, if they even have late night employees. Come on. I won't be long." She walked to the edge of the pool and looked down in the moonlit water glittering as if it was inviting her into its depths. It had been awhile since shed been swimming, and even longer since she'd been swimming in an actual pool. With the extra time she had while Sam and Dean were gone, she wanted to get out and do some of the things she'd been missing out on.

"I guess I'll wait here," Cas sighed as he flopped down in a white plastic chair beside the pool. Candy looked down at her toes dangling over the edge, then, unable to contain herself any longer, she yanked off her tank top and jeans, then jumped into the water. She was wearing a small two piece bikini, all black, with a little bow in the center of her top. Castiel didn't have much time to admire it before she dove in, but it was better that way.

Castiel knew that he would never be with Candy like Sam and Dean were, and while he accepted that fact, he couldn't deny that it made him sad just thinking about it. There was a pain in his chest when he looked at her, and it worsened when he saw her with Dean or Sam. He hoped it would go away overtime, but instead, it got worse. One night while he was with the brothers and Candy in the hotel, Sam and Dean had fallen asleep, but Candy stayed up watching a movie. The whole time they sat there together, Candy told Cas her life story.

She told him about her family, and how she'd suffered emotional abuse at the hands of her step father when she was younger. When she told the story, she didn't seem weak or broken by those events, but she talked as if they had made her stronger. The death of her father, whom she'd been close to, brought tears to her eyes, but she still smiled as she talked about him. He sounded like a great person, and the one who gave Candy that undeniable strength and resiliency. After all, the man found off cancer for years before he died, according to Candy.

She also told him the story of how she met Sam. She had just gotten a job in a bar as a waitress, and she absolutely hated it. Candy was one of two female employees, and the other was a forty-two year old chain smoker. Sam had been there one night alone, which Candy told Cas was odd because he was a handsome guy. He was polite to her, and after seeing the way she was talked to by the drunks, left her a large tip. Candy got off right at closing when Sam left. She was heading to her car when three guys approached her, all sloppy drunk off of whiskey and beer.

Luckily, Sam was parked nearby. Candy said she tried to give him his money back as a thank you, but instead, Sam just asked that she go to dinner with him the next night. She was more than happy to accept his invitation, and the two of them sat down at a Chinese restaurant because Candy wasn't fond of fancy places. After that, she was accidentally roped into the case, so Sam introduced her to Dean. When they packed up to leave once the case was over, Sam asked Candy to go with him, and she said yes.

The more he learned about Candy and her life, the more he admired her. Watching her get excited over certain things and reminisce about others was entertaining to Castiel. He loved learning about humans and their trials and tribulations, but especially Candy's. It was actually that night, while they sat and talked, that Castiel found himself wishing he was in Sam's place. Later, he wished she had run to him after Sam jumped into the pit, instead of Dean. Then again, Dean was his best friend, and he knew how happy she made him. Dean deserved to be happy, more so than Castiel.

Candy noticed him deep in thought, so she leaned on the side of the pool and rested her chin on her hands, staring at him until he noticed her.

"What's wrong?" Candy asked curiously. "You're staring off into space with a frown. Is something bothering you. Cas?"

"No. Just thinking about how I'm going to stop Raphael."

"Can't you just challenge him to a one on one, winner take all?" Candy asked. Castiel looked at her for a second, puzzled momentarily until he deciphered her words.

"His followers would make it their mission to kill me," Castiel told her. "I have to handle the situation with care, and kill Raphael when the time is right."

"Then, why don't you try reasoning with his followers? Capture them in masses, and tell them your side of the story. Then, release them. Some of them will appreciate that you're not just killing them off, that you're giving them a chance. It might be a good way to recruit."

"I might actually try that," Castiel smiled. "Thanks, Candy."

"Anytime," she beamed happily, excited to see him smile like that. She pushed off of the wall and waded backwards for a minute. "Hey, Cas... Do you think I'll go to hell when I die?"

"No. Why?"

"Because of being with Sam and Dean. At the same time... And hunting, too. I think I'm going to hell, and it scares me because this job could kill me at any time. Or Raphael could kill me... Will you promise me something, Cas?" She looked over at him, then continued when he nodded. "Promise me that if I die and go to hell before I'm seventy, you'll pull me back out like you did for Dean."

"Candy, its more difficult than you know to accomplish something like that."

"Just promise. Even if you don't actually do it. That way I won't be so afraid."

"I promise, Candy," he said as sincerely as he could. "I won't let you go to hell. I can't imagine someone like you being damned to hell. You're a great person, and beautiful like the angels that humans thought we would be."

"Aw, Cas," she blushed slightly. "That's really sweet of you."

"No, I'm simply stating facts," he cleared his throat. "Are you ready to go back now? Adam and Meg need to be watched closely, and leaving them this long is a bad idea."

"Sure," she swam towards the side of the pool. "Let's go."

When they returned, Meg was sitting at the end of the bed with the remote in her hand. She muted the TV when Castiel and Candy came in, looking over at them with a grin. Candy avoided her accusing gaze and headed for the shower. Once she was gone, Cas sat on the opposite bed of Meg, hands sitting in his lap awkwardly.

"So did you finally get that good lay you so desperately need?" Meg inquired curiously. Castiel's cheeks flushed pink, and Meg knew that she had struck a nerve. "Well, you want to, don't you? She's a sexy little thing, and you think about it all of the time. I can see it in your eyes when you look at her. That hunger could be satiated Castiel."

"I'm not going to let you fluster me, Meg," Castiel glared over at her. "My feelings towards Candy are irrelevant. She is with Sam and Dean."

"Both of them, huh," Meg snorted. "How dirty."

"Don't say things about her like that," Castiel gritted his teeth. "She's a better person than you'll ever be, and unlike you, she won't end up burning the hell. You were a terrible person alive, and and even worse person in death."

"You don't know me, Wings, so I suggest you shut it," Meg said as she stood up suddenly. "You can mope over your precious red-head for the rest of your life, or you can take my advice and do something about it. I was giving you solid advice. There was no reason to be a dick about it." She stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Although he shouldn't have, Cas suddenly felt very guilty. As soon as Candy got out of the shower, he told her he'd be right back, that he needed to speak with Meg.

Being polite, he knocked on the door instead of appearing in there without warning. Meg opened the door with a scowl, still clearly unhappy with him.

"What do you want?"

"To apologize. It's kind of you to help protect Candy, and I should recognize that instead of condemning you for being what you are. I realize you were human once, and that you can still be offended. I shouldn't have said what I did, and I'm sorry." He dropped his gaze to the ground. "I guess I was just a little angry that you were right about my feelings towards Candy."

"I thought you could use some advice," Meg shrugged. "But at this point, the best advice I can give us to move on. Get away from Candy for awhile after this is all over. She's not the only pretty face out there."

"Of course not. I fell for her character. Lots of humans have pretty faces. Even you do."

"I'll try to take that as a compliment," Meg said, feeling her cheeks get hotter, something that she didn't think she was capable of anymore. Suddenly, she felt herself smiling, almost as if that compliment had made her happy for some reason. It had been since she was human that anyone complimented her appearance.

"I just mean that... It isn't that easy to stop wanting to be with someone.'

" Find someone else," Meg suggested. "That's the easiest and quickest way to do it. If you find someone else you like just as much, slowly you begin to lose all of those painful feelings, especially if you find someone you can be with."

"I will try, then," Castiel smiled at Meg. "Thank you. You're not as bad as you like to make everyone believe. Hopefully, you'll come back to help us even after all of this is said and done. You're pretty smart." Meg blushed again,

"Shut up."

"Well, then," Castiel stuck out his hand. "Let's start over."

"Sure." She took his hand and let him shake it until he was satisfied with their fresh start. His sudden change of attitude made her a little uneasy, but his sincerity made it hard to believe he was lying to her about anything he said.

" Goodnight, Meg," he called back to her as he headed for Candy's room. Meg waved half-heartedly, then closed the door to get him out of her view. For some reason her chest was aching, and nothing she could do would stop it from hurting. For whatever reason, Castiel made her anxious and nervous, as well as excited and amused. Something must have been wrong with her, she supposed. With some sleep, she hoped it would be gone in the morning.