Many Years Ago
Castiel a young angel, hid up on the staircase, as he listened to his brothers who were arguing with their mother. He cringed as heard their voices rise in higher louder octaves. He hadn't heard or understood most of their conversation, but he knew it was about him. All their conversations were always about him. With his mother denying and his brothers insisting on just what was Castiel destiny.
Castiel knew nothing about destiny and he especially knew nothing about his own destiny. In all truth he could care less about destiny, all it ever seemed to do was cause his family strife. His wings enclosed around his body like he was in a cocoon as he tried to push out his family's loud yelling that echoed off the walls.
"Castiel is not an archangel like you." He heard his mother snap. This was first of the conversation he had clearly and it made him peak though the gap between each of his wings as he listened more intently.
"That's not the point. He is the one who is going to change the future. He is going to stop all of this. You know as well as I that I can't stop what is happening I thought you had accepted this mother." He recognized Michael's smooth and distinct voice.
Castiel opened his wings a little more to hear his brother better. For some reason when Michael spoke Castiel couldn't help but listen. "Castiel has to find this man and our prayers will be answered. Father told me so before he died. You have to believe me mother." Michael said sternly and he heard his mother let out a soft sob.
"I know, but what if Castiel can't do it. He is still so young. Why couldn't it be you or Gabriel? You two are just more capable then he is." His mother sighed and Castiel felt ashamed so he wrapped his wings back around him once more. He didn't understand want everyone was worrying about and no one seemed to be discussing it with him despite it being his own destiny that they were referring to. After hearing what his family had said he was beginning to feel overwhelmed. He wished someone would take the time to explain to him what was going on.
"Castiel honey! Could you come down here and see us. We have something we want to talk to you about." His mother voice was sweet and calming, but he stayed rooted to the spot in which he sat. "Castiel…. Castiel!" He wanted to understand, but he was scared.
He tried to ignore the voices by covering his ears. "Please just leave me alone." Castiel muttered, tears beginning to welling up in his eyes.
"Castiel?" The soft sound of Michael's voice seemed so different from how it had sounded just moments ago when he was speaking with their mother. The soft tone could have been due to the fact that his brother was standing next to him with a gentle hand stroking his wings in a comforting gesture. "It's okay I know this is overwhelming, but all you need to do is be yourself and the rest will follow."
Castiel slowly unfurled his wings as he stared up at the handsome face of his brother Michael. He had dark tussled hair much like Castiel, and instead of having midnight black wings like Castiel he had pearl gray wings that stretched out much larger than any other angel Castiel had ever met.
Castiel idolized his brother. He wanted nothing more to be just like Michael. He wanted to be able to command attention like Michael could, but most of all he just wanted to be someone he could be proud of. Michael was all of what Castiel wanted and hoped to be.
"Michael, I don't understand." Castiel mumbled as he tried to brush the tears away from his eyes with the back of his hand, but missed and the tears continued to crawl down his cheek. He didn't want to show such weakness in front of the brother he idolized so much.
"It's okay Castiel. All you need to worry about is being yourself because just being who you are will change the world." Michael gave Castiel a warm smile as he reached up and brushed a stray tear from Castiel's cheek with his thumb.
"Why can't you tell me more Michael? Why won't you help me?" Castiel pleaded and Michael bit his lip.
"I can't tell you more because I don't know how everything will turn out yet. I only know what father told me just before he died and it wasn't much. Most of it was that you will meet someone and this someone will help you will change the world." Michael stated proudly as he stood up and gave Castiel another smile before he turned and left Castiel behind. Castiel watched his brother go. He wished he had more answers, but from that moment he promised to make his brother proud and fulfill his destiny.
That had been the last time Castiel saw Michael, and Castiel never got a chance to find out that Michael learned who Castiel had to meet to change the world with. The infamous hunter Dean Winchester.
A Couple Months Ago
Castiel had been in hiding in his safe house for months and now nearly all the angels he had known had either vanished without a trace or were captured by hunters, to be sold off to collectors or killed. He was still searching for his brothers, especially for Michael, but all the leads he seemed to come across come up short. He was on the verge of giving up hope in ever finding Michael, but Then the only family member he knew was alive was one of his brothers, Gabriel, who he had seen seemed to always come and go.
Gabriel the only brother Castiel knew the location of a majority of the time. Due to the fact that they lived together on and off when Gabriel wasn't traveling or whatever the heck he did. And on one of Gabriel's last outing searching for god knows what he claimed that he had heard a rumor that Michael was somewhere in the city, this was the city where no angel would dare step foot in because the fear of getting caught by one of the many hunters that resided there was far too great.
Yet as soon as Gabriel told Castiel the rumor he felt the need to immediately go in and search for his missing brother. While Gabriel just kept insisting that Castiel's plan was reckless and stupid and suicidal. Castiel paid little mind to his older brother. Castiel also knew that but the questions about his destiny needed to be answered, and the only one who would be able to do that was Michael. So Castiel had to at least try and attempt to find his brother and if he failed, it would then be no different from the last times he had went out searching.
"Gabriel, we have to find Michael. He was the only one who had answers about my destiny in the first place." Castiel sighed as he looked over towards his pacing brother, who looked up and locked eyes with him, waiting for him to continue. He than realized that Castiel wanted him to interject.
Gabriel stood just slightly taller than Castiel and had curly amber hair that matched his gorgeous pair of wings of the same color that were small and sleeker instead of like Michael's, which were large and extensive. Gabriel though, unlike Michael, had no sense of responsibility and had been more than happy to have destiny passed off to Castiel instead of himself. Sure Gabriel loved his little brother, but he wasn't going to pretend that he wanted to take on the whole destiny thing. The whole thing was a way more than he could handle and he could barely understand how Castiel coped with it all.
Gabriel slid his tongue over his teeth as he shook his head "Cass! Going into that city would be the most reckless thing we could do. We have been lucky enough to evade the hunters out here and that city is supposedly crawling with them. We might as well put a bull's-eye in our back." Gabriel said in a harsh tone that made Castiel cringe and look away.
Castiel knew what his brother had said was true, but without knowing more, Castiel would be walking into his destiny blind (and of course what would the point of that be). Sure he had thought that that could probably be a better plan, but when a friend of his was captured he had taken it as more of personal challenge to start the change Michael had constantly reminded Castiel to make.
"I know that, but Michael is our brother." Castiel pleaded in hope that he would be able to convince his brother with idea of family.
"No! Cass. I am not going to risk my life for him. He left us with pretty much nothing to go on, or what this change would be. I can't just stop looking out for myself because he is family. Angels are a rare breed now, and going into that city will just take us a step closer to extinction. I am all for family, but I am also for staying alive and if we go into that city we won't make it back out alive." Gabriel said firmly as he headed for the exit of Castiel's safe house.
"Gabriel please he is our brother. He would do this for us." Castiel pleaded once more laying the family card on even thicker. Gabriel paused at the door and turned around to face Castiel, with a solemn look spread across his face. He then shook his head from side to side.
"Would he Cass? Because I don't think he would, especially, if it went against all this destiny crap he believes in so much." Gabriel muttered in a low sad voice as he turned away from Castiel once more and finally exited the safe house without saying goodbye. Castiel wanted to go after him, and command him to come and help him. But Castiel didn't, he just watched the spot where her brother had stood because all of what Gabriel had said was right.
Later that night Castiel fine tuned his plan to gain entrance into the massive city. This was the only lead on Michael that he had so he had to take it, but he couldn't help but still agree with Gabriel on some of the finer points. Getting into the city would be tough and getting out would be even tougher if the rumor proved to be false. Castiel pressed his eye lids shut, hoping that the darkness would somehow bring him clarity, but it didn't. So he opened them once again and stared around the safe house.
One word could be used to describe the safe house and that one word was shack. And in all truth Castiel was surprised it hadn't fallen in already. He was becoming impressed with ramshackle house he took up residence in. Castiel's thoughts drifted back to the daunting task at hand, but Castiel knew the trip would prove to be worth it if he did discover Michael and answer the questions he had about his destiny.
Castiel exhaled slowly as he summed up his courage. He had never done anything so reckless before. He had always been one to do what people asked of him, no questions asked. Why was he choosing to rebel and go against everything now?
He pushed his hand through his hair and closed his eyes once again, but this time he prayed. He prayed that he would get the answers he was looking for and that he would find his brother. He slowly opened his eyes when he had finished his prayer and he quickly left the safe house. He knew that he would have to leave everything behind because he wouldn't be able to return, but it didn't matter since even after all these years he had never acquired anything that he cared about losing. He exited the rundown safe house and flapped his wings hard.
He took off in a matter of seconds and soared across the sky. He was scared yes, but for the first time in a long time he felt hope. Hope that maybe he could fulfill his destiny. Just like his brother had believed he would.
Present
Faith : n, 1a: allegiance to duty or a person : LOYALTY b: fidelity to ones promises 2a: belief and trust in and loyalty to God b:A firm belief in something for which there is no proof 3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction
Dean finally pulled the car over to the side of the road and nudged Castiel gently with his elbow to wake him. He had just fallen asleep so he grunted at Dean to leave him alone. Dean let out an exasperated sigh then nudged him again, this time a little harder.
"Wake you Cass. We're here." Dean said in a soft and cheerful voice as Castiel's eyes shot open. He had been looking forward to finding out Dean's secret vacation spot for days.
"What time is it?" Castiel muttered still slightly groggy from barely getting any sleep as he began to stretch his arms out in front of him.
"Just past 6:50am. The sun has already started rising." Dean said slowly as he pointed out through the windshield of the impala with his index finger. "Come on get out of the car." Dean sounded suddenly excited and Castiel couldn't help but smile as he clamored out of the car after Dean.
"Wow…." Castiel's voice faded into the distance as he stared into the vastness that was the Grand Canyon. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
The sun had just crested over the edge of the canyon. A range of colors were scattered up along the red walls. The color at the bottom of the canyon was a deep purple and as Castiel's eyes wandered up he noticed how the color transformed flawlessly into the each other. Castiel had never seen any as breath taking as this massive canyon. Quickly he turned to look at Dean to see if he was having the same he was as in awe like Castiel was. But Dean was focused on something else, and Castiel felt immediately uncomfortable under Dean's unwavering gaze.
"That was just what I was going to say." Dean muttered as he approached Castiel slowly reaching his hand out slowly to stroke one of Castiel's glittering wings.
"They aren't that special." Castiel muttered as he looked away from Dean because he felt completely embarrassed that Dean was still staring at him.
"But they are. Cass I have never seen angels who have wings like this. You are truly one of a kind." Dean said a wide smile spreading across his face as he looked away over towards the canyon.
Castiel felt a blush creep across his face as he looked over and back at the canyon.
"So, was it worth it?" Dean asked in a low voice as he reached up and placed his hand upon Castiel's shoulder. Castiel felt a smile slide across his lips as he nodded his head vigorously. He felt Dean's hand linger upon his shoulder for a long moment and he felt happy. Happier than he had ever felt, ever.
"Very worth it." Castiel said happily.
"Great, I was hoping you would say that." Dean chuckled and Castiel turned to look at Dean once more.
Dean looked handsome in the first light of morning and Castiel thought the glimmer of his wings was pale in comparison and even though Dean had dark circles under his eyes from driving all night and all morning for a couple of days straight, it just showed how amazing Dean Winchester truly was. Castiel had never met anyone like him, and doubt he would ever find another who even came close.
"Cass, I am glad I found you." Dean said suddenly as he looked down to the red earth underneath their feet.
Castiel stood silent for a moment unsure how to rely to Dean's sudden statement, but finally he settled on telling Dean the truth.
"Dean, I can honestly say I am glad you found me too." Castiel shrugged as he reached up and brushed his hand on the back of his neck as if he was embarrassed once more because he was.
Together both angel and hunter stayed for another couple of hours at the canyon just watching the sun completely rise into the sky. They didn't say anything more to one another when they were there because they didn't need to any more. Finally they climbed back into the impala and headed for the nearest motel Dean could find, since both of them were exhausted.
They hauled themselves up to their room and as soon as Dean fell upon the bed, he was asleep instantly. Castiel just smiled and let him sleep as he stretched and climbed onto the bed next to Dean. Dean would never know the one thing Castiel allowed himself. All Castiel wanted was to close to Dean and he promised himself that he would never allow Dean to find out.
He knew he couldn't permit getting close to Dean because that would only cause problems for Dean, and he had done more than his fair share of that. Yet maybe just maybe he could just let himself for a little while give in and forget about destiny for just one brief moment, so he could spend time just a little bit more time with Dean. The world probably wasn't going to change that much, and even if it did Castiel that this given moment wouldn't have noticed anyways.
Castiel then fell asleep almost as quickly as Dean had. After a couple of hours Dean woke up and noticed Castiel sleeping on the bed beside him. He smiled and just snuggled closer to his angel. Suddenly one of Castiel's ebony wings wrapped around them as if to protect him, and Dean couldn't help but agree with Castiel. He had been right they did have a mind of their own and they were beginning to grow on him.
"Cass…" Dean's voice was low and barely a whisper "I was so stunned when I saw your wings I realized that I was destine to meet you, and the strangest thing is that I don't believe destiny. You make me believe that I can be happy. I can barely even remember a time when I was really happy. Thank you…. I love you."
