I had gotten orders to look into what turned out to be a nest of vampires. In Heaven orders were given out by the potestates, the powers.

"The Powers That Be, they help keep things in check on Earth, keep everything in balance." Dean elaborated at Sam's blank look.

"Oh. What kind of angel are you?"

"I'm a principatus, a principalities, it's like a knight. I'm one of the guardians of Earth, we also have a hand in educating people as well. But mainly we're really good at fighting." Dean took a sip of water and continued.

I had sneaked into the nest, and was taking care of things, when everything went wrong. You see Angels draw strength and power from the divine force, it helps us in battle and allows us to smite evil and save humans on a rather huge scale if needed. We can do just fine on our own, but the difference in ability while connected with the divine, is astounding. Well, one moment I was burning my way through vampires, my sword blindingly bright in my hand, nothing but a cloud of ash surrounding me as I worked through the nest; the next moment there was nothing. No power, no spark, no force except for my own. And while I could still slay vampires without the divine backup, I felt empty, alone.

It was the worst thing I had ever felt. It felt like there was nothing but endless quite and stillness inside me, where there used to be the voices of all my brothers and sisters and endless joy. I tried to fight the vampires as best I could with out the will of God, but even with my training, I lost ground to the still formidable nest as they surrounded me and attacked. One had a sword and used it to slice at my wings. The pain was unimaginable as the sword found its way home and sliced through muscle and skin. I returned the blow, decapitating that vampire as quickly as I could and the few who were foolish enough to be nearby, before running away from the remains of the nest and taking shakily to the air.

I've never had to deal with a wound like this. If I was still in contact with the will of God, it would be no problem, I'd just have to think it healed, and it would be done. But with nothing there, it hurt. I could feel the air around me pulling on my wing, the rain running down my feathers and against the edges of torn flesh. Landing was a blessing, any longer and I wouldn't of been able to fly for much longer. Then I blacked out.

"I still don't know completely why I was cut off. I have a few suspicions, but I don't see the purpose."

"Why do you think you were cut off? Who would want to do that to you?"

"I don't know, but I think it was because I got too close to something. There are rumors that the darkness is coming back, that-"

"They want control again." Sam finished. "I've heard the stories of before, how angels forced it back and made things safer for . I've studied them, watched for signs, no one in my village believed me. They thought I was a fool or maybe crazy. They said that the darkness was gone and that I was banished to this part of the forest. The official reason is "for trying to incite a panic"."

"Banished?"

Sam nodded. "One of the worst punishments that my kind can give, save death."

"Your kind? Apparently I'm not the only one with secrets... Okay, I'll bite, what are you Sam?"

Sam snorted and stood up, walking towards the center of the room. He turned to face Dean and shifted, a bright flash of light engulfing his body. Sam briefly wondered what it looked like to Dean. He had seen other centaurs change, went through it himself, but rarely did another creature get to see it. Those that had, were awed by it, though they all had a habit of asking if it hurt. It didn't, not a bit, it just felt like Sam was switching one form for another, and the shift just flowed like water. No pain, just warmth.

Dean blinked from his bed as Sam stood in front of him. "Sam?"

"It's me, Dean."

"I can see that. You're a horse."

"A centaur."

"Right, centaur, sorry. Well that explains how you were able to get me here."

Sam nodded. "Yeah."

Dean watched Sam, eyes running over his body, taking in the fact that Sam had hooves, four of them, and not just a pair of feet. And a tail! He had a freaking tail! It didn't really bother him, hell Dean had wings for crying out loud, but he did like the color of Sam's coat. It was a dark brown and Dean's fingers itched to touch it. It looked like it would feel soft.

"I've never met a centaur before."

"Well, I've never met an angel before either, so we're even."

Dean laughed, wincing when his body protested at the sudden movement. "Alright then. Come here, I want a closer look at you."

Sam moved closer, tail swishing up on his right side, the only sign of his nervousness. "I was training to be the village's next healer, I was almost done, when I was banished."

"You would have made them an excellent healer, their loss."

"Thank you."

"How long until I'll be able to move around?"

"You could try to get up now, but flying is going to have to wait a bit, for the obvious reasons."

Dean pulled his legs over the edge of the bed and got up, holding a hand out to Sam's shoulder for balance. Sam held onto his hand and slowly backed up so Dean would have room to move. Dean's feet protested at having weight on them, but they held and Dean stepped forward. Everything was a little stiff and sore, and Sam had to grab Dean when one of his knees buckled. "Back to bed, or do you want to continue?"

"I want outside if you don't mind."

Sam slid an arm around Dean's waist and Dean's left arm around his shoulder to help with the weight and the two walked toward the door and outside. It was late afternoon and Dean stepped away from Sam to stretch in the light and get some sun on his wings. The left extended out and the feathers moved and splayed themselves out to soak up as much sunlight as they could. The right did the same, but more slowly and not as wide, Dean becoming acutely aware of the stitches holding it together. He looked over his wings, nudging the feathers back into place where needed and enjoying the feeling of being outside after being cooped up inside for a few days and not being able to really move. While inspecting the right wing, he could feel the delicate stitches and the amount of work put into them, he was very careful of the site of the wound and turned to Sam.

"Thank you. You did a wonderful job, your village would be proud if they knew."

Sam watched as Dean enjoyed the sunshine, warming his wings in the fading light. The two stayed outside, watching twilight fall and the moon rise.

"If the rumors are true, we need to know, the sooner the better."

"Would you like me to look for you?" Sam asked.

Dean nodded and they began to make plans as they walked back into the cottage.

The plan was rather simple, Dean told Sam where the nest had last been and Sam would watch them, letting Dean know if they did anything unusual. What they didn't count on, was that someone knew Dean had made it out alive. That the vampires were working with someone and that someone had sent another angel to finish the job the vampires didn't.

Dean was sitting in the cottage, waiting for Sam to come back, bored out of his mind. In the back of his mind, he heard what he swore was the divine choir, when the roof of the cottage was vaporized in a rain of holy fire. Dean jumped out of the way of falling debris and looked up to see Uriel descending into the house.

"Hello Dean." Uriel said, sword held ready.

"Ureil. What are you doing here?"

"My job." And with that, Uriel attacked, sword blazing brightly.

Dean blocked Uriel's sword. "Why? I've done nothing wrong, who sent you?"

Uriel laughed. "I don't need to tell you anything. You are fallen. You are nothing to me."

"It's not my fault, I didn't decide to fall, I was thrown out. Something cut me off."

"I don't care what your excuses are Dean. I will admit that it's sad that it's you that's to be destroyed. I'll offer you a choice: Be destroyed by my sword or destroy yourself."

"Never." Dean growled and attacked, throwing a ceramic jar at Uriel.

Uriel swatted the jar out of the air, paying it no attention. When he raised his sword again, his host's hand had blood on it. "What did you do?" he demanded of Dean, as the contents of the jar, a black cloud of what looked to be dust, consumed the flesh on his hand.

"I don't know." Dean replied, watching as the cloud continued to burn its way across his brother.

Seeing his opportunity, Dean knocked the sword away from Uriel and slammed him against the wall of the cottage."Stop this Uriel. I've done nothing to deserve this, leave now."

"Either you will die or I will." Uriel replied and reached out calling his sword to him. Responding to Uriel's will his blade flew through the air towards them.

Dean grabbed the sword from the air and slammed it into Uriel's chest."Then I must choose myself." he growled, letting the sword go and shutting his eyes tears streaking his cheeks as Uriel's grace bled out of his host and burst out, burning an image of four huge wings into the wall behind him.

Sam found Dean a few hours later amidst the ruin of his home, holding what had been Uriel's body. "What happened?"

"He tried to kill me, said that orders had been given to kill me."

"Oh Dean. I'm so sorry."

"Me too Sam."

"So what do we do? The house is gone, we'll need to bury the body."

"I know someone that might know who's behind this."

"Who?" Sam asked.

"Lucifer."

"The Morningstar? Why?" Sam exclaimed, staring at Dean.

"Because someone wants me dead and I want to know why. Even if he is cut off he should know something. We'll need to go soon."