I don't know went wrong with me on this one. I was so, so, so excited about it, and I meant for it to be four parts instead of three. And to end in awesome sex because yay, slash. Then, RL got in the way a little bit but I had time to write again pretty soon but I just couldn't seem to get this out. I'd try to write and it just impossible, and that was incredibly frustrating. So, I've finally gotten it wrapped up(late, *headdesk*), and it's three parts instead of four. And no sex. Which is SO not like me. *sigh* Well, I hope it's good anyway. Once I was able to get into it again, this one was as fun to write as the first two parts were. :) (Also, for everyone out that there that knows the book, I crazy changed things…sorry for that but I knew it couldn't be much longer so I had to cut corners and change a few things…)

Here's Cas as an adult:

http : / / puppydogweb . com / caninebreeds / dogimages / englishsetter _ pdw . jpg

Knowing didn't really make things any easier. Sure, now he at least mostly remembered why he was here, but there were other things to consider, now. First of all, getting out like that again was out of the question. Not only had Dean added an extra bolt to the door that the cats couldn't work, Dean had clearly been upset. He wouldn't worry him like that again.

So, for awhile he'd been thoroughly confined. Not that he minded particularly, not so long as Dean was home. That was one of the strange things, something he could remember well enough now to know he hadn't suspected. This form he'd been forced to take…strong instincts came with it. He'd expected his search for the Zoi to be uncomplicated, but he felt literally bound to Dean, now. His new instincts would permit nothing that would hurt his beloved master in any way.

For some time he was restricted only to planning in his head. He'd thought of telling Ellen and Jo just what he was looking for, but he was certain they wouldn't understand. After the last incident Jo had taken quite a liking to him, and he was sure if he told her she'd want to help him. Everything he remembered about the Zoi told him it could and likely would be dangerous, and he couldn't let anyone else be hurt.

There were certainly changes, though. He was growing, for one. Really, really growing. His legs seemed longer every day, and Dean couldn't pick him up anymore. That part was disappointing at first, but in the end it didn't matter too much because he could still fit at least half of himself in Dean's lap, and Dean always let him. A week or so after he'd spoken to Anna for the first time Sam came home talking about someone named Jess, though they hadn't met her until sometime after. She'd had milkbones in a bag in her purse, and Castiel had liked her immediately. She's fussed over him properly at the door, and she'd laughed and come over to stoke his head when he'd gone scampering back to Dean as soon as he was done greeting her. She was wonderful, as far as he was concerned, and Dean seemed to like her as well.

All the same, Sam spent most of his nights out with her now, and Cas could see the toll it was taking on Dean. He was almost always happy around Sam, even exuberantly so, but when he was gone…that was a different story.

It had been going on for ages now, or so it seemed. It was at least a couple months since he'd gotten out, as far as he could tell. His understanding of their words had improved considerably, but time was something he was still a little fuzzy on.

Dean was laying on the couch, Cas with his head on his chest, one back leg slipping between Dean's to rest just against his knee(something Dean protested, because he complained that Cas kicked when he wagged his tail. Still, he never made him move.). Dean turned from the baseball game he'd been watching suddenly, dragged his fingers a little roughly through the fur around Cas' neck.

"This is a good thing, you know? I really think she's it. They're good for each other." He laughed once, and Cas huffed softly as he rose with Dean's chest. "Hell, I can't remember the last time I saw Sammy so happy. And I'm happy for him, Cas, really I am it's just…" His voice dropped, his hand tightening against Cas' fur. He nosed closer, left foot kicking against Dean's knee as he wagged his tail. "Hey, stop that." He sighed, shut his eyes. "I just miss him, you know? And it's stupid, I know it is, cause what the hell was I thinkin'….it's not like I can keep him here with me forever. I just…I just kinda wish I could. Even if it's selfish." He let out a deep breath, rubbed hard over Castiel's shoulders. "But…he's gonna marry Jess, and he's gonna have kids that I'll be a bad influence for, and me…well, we're gonna be ok, me and Sam. Nothin's gonna change between us, right? It never could."

He asked Cas questions all the time, and every single time he wished that he could answer. He'd tried, of course, but Dean never understood. Language barriers were frustrating. He'd tried particularly hard once, howling until Dean had gently clamped his mouth shut, telling him in no uncertain terms he was about to either break the glass in the sliding doors or convince the neighbors he needed to become a fur coat. At the moment, he wanted desperately to tell Dean that even if Sam left, he wasn't. He inched closer, pressed his nose against Dean's chin and licked him once, reassuring.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Thanks, bud."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

When his chance came again, he could at first hardly believe his luck. The morning started out like any other, but when Dean pulled on his jacket before heading out the door, he didn't put the gate up in the kitchen. Instead, he patted his leg twice, expectant. "Wanna come, Cas?"

Did he! At first, the prospect of spending the whole day with Dean was enough of a pleasant shock that he was all dog, prancing around in the seat of the Impala, alternating between sticking his head out the window and pressing desperately close to Dean's side, almost shaking with happiness. It was a short drive, but by the time they got there he'd managed to calm the whirlwind in his brain long enough to realize that this just might be the chance he'd been waiting for. He was out of the house, and if he could find some time to slip away at the garage without Dean noticing, then he could search for the Zoi unhindered. He'd tried sniffing for a few times on their walks, but every time he tried to lead Dean off the sidewalk Dean had balked and tugged him back. Now, if he could only slip out for even an hour or so a day, it'd be better than any attempt he'd made so far.

The first few days, Dean kept a pretty close eye on him. The garage was a little like he'd remembered from his days in the box, all loud noises and bright lights and strange smells. Still, the view from the ground was far different. There were cars coming and going all the time, and Dean and a team of three other men were constantly working at them. Dean had made a place for him near the back on an old bench seat, and it definitely was the perfect place to sleep. A little bit removed from the worst of the noise, and the sun shone through the typically open door to bathe the seat in warmth. Absolutely perfect.

And, perfect for when Anna wanted to contact him.

He was dozing when he heard her voice for the first time in weeks, his eyes drifting open every now and then to make sure Dean was still there, his boots sticking out from under the side of a pickup truck.

"Castiel, you really need to start working."

He shook himself a little, skin twitching under the heightened warmth of the sun. "Yes, I know. But Dean-"

"Don't you see, that's part of their plan! They didn't exactly put you in the best position to redeem yourself. If they'd wanted you to really have a fair shot at finding this thing, they'd have made you human. No, instead they stick you in this body, and now you're stuck on him but you can't let it stop you! You can't! I've kept Uriel from changing your sentence and I'm looking for clues but I can't do it all, Castiel."

She sounded desperate, worried, and deep down something told him she was right. He pried his eyes open a little wider, an unbidden whine rising in his throat at the thought of not being here to watch over his master. He'd come with Dean every day for the past week, and though it was mostly watching and sleeping in the sun, Dean sat on the seat beside him and ate lunch every day at noon, rubbing Cas' flank, feeding him bits of whatever he had and telling him about the cars he'd spent the morning working on. It was wonderful.

Still…the Zoi. Dean had already taken lunch today, and he did need to get to work…

He leapt off the bench, stretched in the doorway like Ellen always did when she woke up. Jo usually said he looked more clumsy when he tried it. "Alright. I'm coming."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

With Dean busy on the cars, it was easy to milk 2 or 3 hours out of his afternoons. If Dean ever noticed him gone, he hadn't yelled at him about it yet. What was harder was knowing what to do with the time he spent searching. He was fairly sure the Zoi would smell strong and different once he scented it, but none of that told him how exactly to go about even knowing where to start. Anna had told him she suspected down near the water, but that wasn't really very much help.

He was pretty lost on the whole thing for awhile, his only lead coming when he least expected it. He was on his way back to the garage one afternoon when the breeze changed and he smelled something that made his hair stand on end. It was sharp and cold and he was off and running in that direction before he could even think. He was absolutely positive it was the scent of the Zoi, and his heart beat madly against his ribs as he ran. If this was it, if that was really truly it and he could find it before the wind changed again…

Except that it both was and wasn't the Zoi. The scent was, he was sure of it, but it became apparent once he gained on the source of the scent that what he was really chasing was another dog. He was white with blood red ears, and he was covering ground on the sidewalk with the speed of a deer. By the time he caught up to him his sides were heaving, his tongue lolling uselessly out of the side of his mouth, flapping in the breeze.

The dog showed no signs of stopping and he barreled into him, ruining his balance and pinning him by the shoulder into the ground. His advantage didn't last long. The other dog twisted, snapping, and before long they were in a full on fight, mouthfuls of fur coming away in each others' teeth. He was losing at first, but there were reserves of his own this body shouldn't have had, and he drew on those to give him the strength to push just a little bit harder, finally pinning the other dog down beneath him.

He let his mouth hang all the way opening, panting desperately. He could taste fur and the strange taste of the dog itself, all mixed with the bizarre scent of the Zoi. "Where have you got it?"

"Oh, you think I'm hiding it? If I had my hands on it, do you really think I'd be letting you hold me down like this?" His eyes were a disturbingly bright yellow, and they gleamed now, mischievous and not the least bit afraid, even with Cas' teeth hovering over his throat.

"Who are you? Why do you carry the scent of the Zoi?"

"Azazel. And that-" He twisted suddenly, startling Cas enough that he lost his balance, falling to the side enough that Azazel could escape. "Is none of your business, dog. Good luck finding the Zoi, you'll need it." His words faded as he streaked off, the scent dying in his wake. He hadn't seemed tired at all by their exertions, and Castiel was about to drop. There was no way he'd ever re-catch him now, not today.

He made his way back slowly, limping on sore paws. There was no way Dean wouldn't notice how he was feeling, but he could only hope he'd be more sympathetic and less questioning. The sun burned hotter against his shoulder blades as he walked, Anna zeroing in on him.

"You must be getting closer. He's certainly been close enough to it, hasn't he?"

"He has to have. Though who exactly he is or why he wants it is-"

"As far as I can see, he wants it for his master. I don't know everything though, Castiel. I'd be careful. That one, he's dangerous, but the one he serves is worse. Don't…don't' make yourself too obvious, alright? We don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

He stepped on a crack in the sidewalk, yelping as a sharp fragment of cement poked hard into his paw. He shifted, brought it up to lick at the wound a moment before forcing himself to keep going. "Why? Is anyone really still watching? I'm the outcast, Anna, I very much doubt-"

"That's exactly the problem! The only people paying any attention are the ones that want you dead. Just be careful, alright? But don't stop looking…you're on the right track."

That burned him up a little, but he kept his mouth shut. How could he be on the right track? Yes, he sort of knew the direction Azazel had come from smelling like the Zoi and sure, that was something. But it wasn't much, and if Azazel had been close enough to it for the scent to be that strong, he was far closer to finding it than Castiel was.

He limped back into the garage exhausted and sore, breath rushing out of him as he hopped up on the seat and flopped down. After a quick scan of the garage he saw Dean, under the hood of a Jeep. He let his eyes close then, tail wagging wearily once or twice as he drifted off to sleep.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

That night, he hardly moved off the couch. His head was resting on Dean's thigh while he played XBOX with Sam and Ellen and Jo had both curled up against his side, purring. Even Rufus had gone as far as coming to sit on the end of the couch, paws tucked under his chest and tail curled around his body. He wasn't ready to cuddle with the rest of them, but no matter how he tried to deny it, Cas was growing on him.

On a break between games he felt Dean's hands on his head, rubbing gently against his neck and behind his ears. His tail thumped wearily, hardly as enthusiastic as it should've been.

"Think something's wrong with Cas."

"Dean, he's fine, ok? You just baby him, I'm sure he's just-"

"He didn't wanna play when we got home. He always wants to play with his ball, you know that." He slid his hand down a little lower, rubbed gently between his shoulders. "Think I'm gonna take him to the vet tomorrow."

Even half asleep, that got his attention. That was one place he never wanted to go again. They'd been a few times, when he was little, and every time it had been horrible. Strange people had picked him up and manhandled him, taken him away from Dean and poked and prodded him with needles and all sorts of horrible other things. He was never sure exactly why Dean took him there, but Dean seemed to think it was good for him, somehow. It absolutely wasn't.

He lifted his head, nosed against Dean's ribs and whined, desperate. Please don't. Not that place.

Dean laughed soft, took his face in his hands. "You heard that, didn't you? Just wanna make sure you're ok, Cas. That's all."

"Dean, he's a dog, he couldn't possibly-"

"Didn't you have some psychology paper where you mentioned a dog that had some crazy vocabulary?"

"That was Rico, a border collie, and yeah, he knew over 200 words. But there's a difference in that and in picking a word out totally out of context when he doesn't even know you're talking about him."

"Whatever." He muttered it low, ruffled Cas' ears. Sam had been on his way into the kitchen for more beer and Dean leaned over while he was gone, green eyes locking with Cas'. "You understand me, don't you? I'm not crazy, right, cause I've been thinking that for awhile and-"

He wriggled, pressed closer as he turned his head to nose against Dean's palm. It was the best answer he could give, and apparently it was enough. Dean smiled, and his tail wagged harder. It absolutely had a mind of its own. "Hell, maybe I am crazy. Who knows. But I'm pretty sure I'm right. So…" He scratched his ears absently, laughing a little when Cas tilted his head into the touch. "If you're feeling better tomorrow, we'll forget it ok? No vet."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Dean checked his watch, shrugged once before moving Cas enough to stand up. "Sammy, I got it." As much as he'd have rather stayed on the couch, instinct pulled Cas to follow him and he leapt down, padding down the hallway after him much more slowly than he usually charged the door. He had it open before he even got there, a pretty, brown haired woman standing just under the porch late.

"I know it's late, I'm sorry, it's just that my car broke down, and I asked your neighbor to borrow his phone but he said it might be something simple, and that you knew cars? I totally understand if you can't look at it right now or something but I just moved to town yesterday and-"

Dean poured on the charm, smiling as he leaned against the doorframe. "Absolutely, no problem! Just let me grab a couple things and-"

An unfamiliar emotion had risen in his chest faster than he could think, and he found himself pressed against Dean's leg, head against his knee, one paw pressing firmly on his boot. Something in the way she was looking at Dean, even in the way he was looking at her… This was his human, thanks, and no one was going to be stealing him away. There was a growl rumbling in his chest, every muscle in his body tense. He could've never explained what came over him, really. There was little thought involved beyond the red hot force of mine burning in his chest.

She looked a little startled, maybe a tiny bit frightened, but it passed quick. She smiled, knelt down on the porch and held her hand out. "Hey, it's ok big guy, I'm not gonna hurt him." She looked up at Dean, her eyes far too warm. "You have a beautiful dog."

Dean knocked him on the back of the head, gentle. "Yeah, this is Cas. He's usually not such an ass, I swear." He could practically feel Dean's eyes boring into him and he let the growl die to a low rumble in his chest, obligingly tilted his head forward just enough to let her rub his head. He felt dirty from it, a shudder shivering its way down his body, head to tail.

"That's a good boy, Cas." Dean ruffled his ears, rubbed the right one in between his fingers and just like that his tail was waving frantically again. He could never be angry when Dean was touching him.

She reached out to him again, tipped his chin up in her hands to look at his eyes. Just like everyone always did. "Hey, Cas! You have pretty eyes, don't you boy?" She looked up, talked to Dean. "That's weird for a setter, isn't it? I've never seen one this color anyway, definitely not one with blue eyes like that."

Dean rubbed his thumb over the top of his head, calming. "Oh he's not an Irish Setter. He's mostly English Setter, we think. Sam, my brother, he thought he was a purebred at first cause apparently they're all born with blue eyes or something like that, but his didn't change so..." He shrugged, shifted over to lean against the doorframe. "Sam thinks he's got some husky in him. Can't be much though, cause he sure doesn't look it otherwise."

She rubbed him one last time before standing up, brushing her hands off on her jeans. "Well, he's gorgeous anyway. I've got two dogs of my own. Nothing better than having a dog in the house."

"Absolutely." He ran his hand down Cas' neck, had his collar gripped before Cas could even realize it. "So, let me come out and take a look at this car….could be nothin' and I've a couple tools here at home if it just needs a little work." As he talked he slipped out the door, pushing Cas back behind him and shutting the door in his face.

It wasn't that he hadn't been left before, because he had. But he'd never been left like that, especially not so his master could just walk off with some stranger. He scratched at the door, stopped when he heard Sam tell him to quit from the other room. Frustrated, he flopped back on his haunches and howled, ignoring both Ellen, Jo, and Rufus when they all told him he was being ridiculous.

Finally, Sam was behind him, grabbing his collar and hauling him away from the door to take him and shut him up in Dean's room. "Cas, it's alright, ok? He hasn't left you, he's coming right back! Geez you'd think you'd be used to this, he used to leave you here all day long, remember? It's ok, Cas. Just…wait for him here, ok? And don't chew anything up, cause he'll kill me."

He nosed at the shut door for a minute, whining softly. Now, he was even cut off from the cats. Lonely and feeling more than a little betrayed, he jumped onto the bed and settled down in the covers, shuffling around until he could lay his head on the spot that smelled most like Dean.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''

He wasn't sure how late it was when Dean came in, but he woke up the minute he heard him shut the door. He jumped off the bed and ran to him, whining happily and swirling around his feet, eagerly licking his hands when he could reach them.

Dean laughed, crouched down to let Cas wiggle into his arms, pressing against his chest. "Easy, Cas, it's alright, babe. Could hear you howling all the way from the damn street, buddy, what the hell was goin' on, huh? You know I'm not leavin' you here. Being stuck as Sam's dog, you think I'd make you do that? You'd never have any fun!" He flipped him over on his back easily, rubbed his belly till he calmed down. "That's better, huh? Just trust me a little bit, alright? I'm not runnin' off without you." One last thump against Cas' ribs and he stood up, crossing over to the dresser and changing quickly in the dark. "Still, she was hot wasn't she? I mean, c'mon, who has that kind of luck? Hot girl breakin' down right out in front of your house? Amazing." He flopped back into bed, patted the space beside him. "C'mere, Cas. Sleep."

He joined him, settling in with his head over his heart just like he had every other night since he'd been a puppy. Somehow, though, he didn't feel completely reassured.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The night after that, he started hearing the howls. They seeped in through the cracks in the windows, eerie and high and cold, and even though he had no rational reason to be sure of it, he was certain it was Azazel. They came from the same direction he'd been when Cas had run into him that first time, and they sounded lost and desperate and yet terrifying all at once. Dean and Sam never commented on them and the cats were only frightened of them, so wasn't sure if the humans could even hear him or not. Either way, even if he wanted to get out and go after him he couldn't. Not after dark.

He did the best he could, though, kept searching during the day, and it wasn't long before he found out exactly why Anna had wanted him to be so careful.

He was crouched down, sniffing a pile of limbs near the roadside down around the area he'd seen Azazel come from when he caught a strange scent. It was thick, sickly sweet, and he could remember smelling once before, when he'd been young and gotten out on his own for the first time. It was strong enough to hurt his nose a little, and he shook his head, rubbed his paw across his nose.

"Castiel, you have to get out of there. Now." Anna sounded panicked and he stood up to his full height, tense.

"Why? What's-"

"Just go, will you?"

He didn't ask any more questions. There was real fear in her voice, and he if he was honest with himself something about the scent unnerved him, too. He took off, bounding out of the meadow with as long as stride as he could. From everything Dean had said he was almost full grown by now, and he could cover a lot better ground than he'd been able to before. Still, he could tell that whatever carried the smell was gaining.

It would have smarter, really, if he'd gone somewhere else, but at the moment he could think of nothing but getting back to Dean. Whatever this was, he'd be safe there. He breezed through the back door at record speed, not stopping at his bed but going past it, paws spinning helplessly for a moment against slick concrete. Getting his traction took him just long enough to scan the garage for Dean, and when he could run properly again he bolted to where he stood beside an old Trans Am, panting heavily as he squeezed himself between Dean and the car.

"Geez, Cas, what lit a fire under your tail, huh? " He reached down, rubbed his head gently. "One of the cars scare you or something? Something outside." Yes, something like that. He whined, pawed nervously at Dean's jeans. "Hey, s'ok, Cas, huh? It's ok. C'mon, I'll get you some water but then I've gotta get back to work, and you need to stay out of the way, alright? Be good."

The smell had never dissipated, and it came on then in full force, just as a woman knocked on the open back door. The minute his eyes fell on her he knew, and he grabbed onto Dean's jeans with his teeth, desperate. Dean reached down and pried his jaws apart, a little impatient. "Will you relax? She's just a customer."

His instinctive fear of her-whoever she was-urge him to stay by the car, but his need to be close to Dean won out and he followed him to the door, slinking. Dean wiped his hand on his jeans, held it out to her. "Dean Winchester, ma'm. Can I help you?"

She took his hand, smiled in a way that somewhere between formal and too friendly. "Ruby. I'm in the neighborhood looking for a lost dog…an English setter just like that one, actually." Her eyes bored into him, through him, and his head was spinning with the realization. Ruby. His companion, the one he'd trusted, the one he'd ask to speak to the court on his behalf…

He could remember it better now, standing on the side of the road, feeling something burn against his heels…that would have been easily within her power. He pranced nervously behind Dean, tugged impatiently on the hem of his shirt. They needed to go, to get home and hope to God that Ruby couldn't find him there.

Dean shoved at him halfheartedly, tried to get him to let go of his shirt. "Are you? Well, I'll keep an eye out."

"This dog…how long have you had him? The puppy would've been lost some time ago, he-"

"Well, this guy's all mine, but if I see anyone around here his age, I'll let you know, alright? Leave your phone number with Richie over there." He pointed at one of the other mechanics outside at a picnic table, eating a late lunch. She was slow to leave, and Dean didn't take his eyes off her till she was across the yard and facing away from the door, talking to Richie. "Here. C'mere." Dean muttered softly under his breath, pulled Cas back by his collar and shut the back door, tugging Cas behind him into his office. "I hate to lock you up, but I don't trust her...maybe she did lose you, but she's got no right to be coming after you now."

The fact that she had followed him here, had been on his trail since he was a puppy…that was more than enough to tell Castiel exactly what she wanted. There had been rumors among their star cluster, rumors that she wanted more, that she desired to take the sphere for herself but he'd never believed any of them. She seemed to loyal, too firmly on his side to have ever contemplated actually overthrowing him. But now, he had no doubt. She wanted his power, and her set up was almost complete. It wouldn't be hard to kill a dog, and once she found the Zoi, she'd have not only his position but one of the most powerful weapons. He couldn't let that happen. Finding the Zoi now was more imperative than ever, but at the same time, he couldn't very well parade out looking for right under her nose. She had him thoroughly trapped.

He whined, circled anxiously around Dean's desk chair.

"I know, it's annoying, but you'll just need to lay low for a few days, alright? Just until she's gone. I'm almost done, maybe we can cut out of here early tonight, alright? Just me and you and the house tonight, Sammy's taken Jess out to that movie and I'm pretty sure he'll be staying with her."

Which meant that if Ruby wanted to come after him with the least damage done, she couldn't have picked a better time.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

That night, he couldn't sleep. He'd only been able to bring himself to get into bed for about 5 minutes, but he felt like his skin was crawling with the anticipation and he hadn't been able to lie still. He'd hopped off the bed to pace the floor anxiously, and though Dean had tried several times to coax him back he'd finally given up, eventually falling asleep though he didn't seem to rest quite as easy as he usually did. Deep down, Cas couldn't help but be a little pleased at that.

He didn't smell her coming until almost dawn. Frantic, he ran to the bed, nosing against Dean's hand. He needed to be up, ready. Castiel wasn't sure what he was going to do just yet, but Dean had to be with him. That wasn't an option.

Dean barely cracked his eyes, warm and sleepy. "Mm? Cas? Go to sleep, alright? It's-"

He couldn't let him stall, not now. He barked, the sound loud and echoing in the quiet and he knew he really shouldn't have done it. She would hear. Not that it mattered too much at this point, really. He tugged the blankets back from Dean's shoulders, hopped up on the side of the bed to stick his cold nose against his cheek.

Groaning, Dean rolled over, shoving him back. "Alright, alright, I'm up. You wanna go out, is that it? Just give me a sec, ok?"

It didn't take him long to get up, but every second he could feel her getting closer. It was unnerving, and he was relieved when Dean rolled out of bed and came with him to the door. The cats were already in the living room, Rufus up on the coffee table, his back tentatively arched.

" 'the hell's out there?"

"Stay back." It was all he could tell them on such short notice, and he knew it wouldn't be enough. He stayed ahead of Dean in the hallway, antsy, and when Dean tugged open the door he bolted out just in front of him, planting his feet on the porch and growling furiously into the darkness.

She was already there, in the yard, and just as Dean started to ask her what the hell she was doing, she raised her hand, her fingers throbbing with red glow as she prepared to kill them both.

Just then, though, they were saved by something he hadn't expected. A haunting howl, sharp and prickling, and Castiel could smell both Azazel and the Zoi on the wind. Apparently, so could Ruby. Her eyes gleamed and she whirled away, running with inhuman speed in the direction of the sound. He had no choice but to follow her. Whether Azazel had been hiding the Zoi or if he was just close to it now, either way, he couldn't let either of them have it. Particularly her. He barely heard Dean behind him, hardly registered the fact that he was probably following him. In all likelihood, it wouldn't matter. They'd probably lose him soon, and Dean could go back home, safe. Once all this business was over, he could go back home too. For the moment it seemed that simple, his thoughts narrowed down as he ran. He couldn't think too much about the aftermath, couldn't think of what he'd say to Ruby or to the court once he found the Zoi. He knew only that he had to be the one to claim it.

They left the neighborhood, ran in fields with deep grass that soothed his paws. Ruby fired a jet of light back over her shoulder and he dodged it, smelled the grass burst into flames as he passed and hoped that Dean wasn't following anymore. Even for Dean, he couldn't spare a look back. He couldn't take his eyes off her, couldn't take his focus off the periodic call of the hound and the scent of Zoi and cold, dark dog on the air. Even her scent couldn't cover that.

It seemed like ages before he actually caught sight of Azazel, running desperately, gleaming white in the moonlight. He stretched and flowed over the ground like silk, and it would have been mesmerizing if he let it. He pushed harder, dug his claws into the dirt and forced himself to come up almost even with Ruby, dodging a couple more bolts of heat. She couldn't waste much energy on him, and for that he was lucky. If they'd been still and she'd had her focus, he would've been dead.

Finally, finally Azazel was coming to a stop. He'd come up even with Ruby in the run, and he surged just ahead of her, caught the tail end of Azazel's muttering's.

"…it's there, it's right there, I know it…"

He skidded to a stop, his eyes casting around wilding. "I knew you had it."

Azazel looked up from the weeds, seeming to notice his pursuers for the first time. "No. Not exactly. See, I've found it, but I can't pick it up. Only my master can. But I don't know how to bring it here, or bring him to it, or-"

He saw Ruby twitch out of the corner of his eye, and he lunged into the tall weeds before she could break into full on movement. Whether he'd be able to pick it up or not, he had to at least try. He followed the scent, scrabbled around a little in the weeds until his foot connected with something heavy, and he darted his jaws down, snapping them shut around it.

In that moment, everything changed. It hurt, God, it hurt but that part was short, more disorienting than painful. A split second and then he was strong, tall, power flowing through him unrestrained like it had since he was born. He could remember now, all of it, and he rolled his shoulders, felt how good it felt to have his own body back again. He'd grown so accustomed to the dog, to fur and poor eyesight and…

He whipped his head around, looking down. Azazel was there, whining in frustration. His own body was at his feet, warm and twitching and barely dead. And Ruby…she was screeching in fury, stepping back from the heat of his true form and turning on…Dean.

Seeing that, he didn't think. He Zoi felt familiar and steady in his hand and he turned it on her with hardly a thought, watched as she simply blinked out of existence. It always had worked more smoothly when it fed off emotion.

If Dean could see him, he didn't show it. He went instead to the body of the dog he had been, wrapped it up in his arms and cradled it against his chest, whispering into his ear the way he always had when Cas had been frightened. Overwhelming need surged in him then and he knelt down to get closer, reached an arm out toward him. If he could just touch him, tell Dean that it was alright, that-

The grass burst into flames near his fingers and he yanked his arm back, horrified. What had he been thinking? He couldn't get near him, not like this, not…

Dean look back toward the fire, brought a hand up to shield his eyes against the brilliant blue light. There were tears in his eyes, and Castiel had never hated himself more than he did in that moment. He hadn't wanted the Zoi to fall into dangerous hands, and when he'd been sentenced he'd thought he'd want nothing more than to come back home but now…now dying as Dean's dog sounded like a wonderful fate. Dying as Dean's anything…that would be a blessing. Now…

Frantic, he turned toward the horizon, faced the direction where Anna was just starting to be able to see just what was going on. "Anna! Please, I-"

"You have it! Castiel, that's-"

"Yes, I have it, now please…please…" He went to her, the distance seeming nothing to him in his true form. "Please, take it and put me back."

That, she hadn't expected. She shook her golden hair back, studied him with curious blazing eyes. "You…Castiel, the main point of this was so you could come home. Clearing your name. When I testify that Ruby came here to kill I'm sure that they-"

"I don't care." And really, he didn't. He'd never cared about any victory less than this.

"You were a dog for some time, I'm sure the residual emotions-"

"That's part of me now, don't you understand? The dog, it's gone, but this…" So many of his dog thoughts were gone now. The fascination in the scents and thought of chasing his ball and how it felt to wag his tail when Dean came home from work. But the rest of it, the need for the man who had been the center of his world for months, that hadn't faded. It was emotion that had branded into him, seeped through to the core. "Please. I've earned the right to go home, haven't I? Wasn't that what I was supposed to receive, if I completed this task?"

"Yes, but you-"

"Then take this." He reached out and took her hand, curved her fingers around the Zoi. "And send me home." He met her eyes, let her feel how much he meant this with everything he had. "I want to stay with Dean. That's all."

She sighed, ran her fingers over the rough surface of the Zoi. "The court said you were a free man if you returned it…"

"Free to make my own choices then, I would presume."

"Alright. Alright. I can try, Castiel, if you're sure, but I've never-"

"You can use it. Just focus."

She slid her palm down the rock, paused as she considered. "That's what you want, then? To be with Dean? That's it?"

"Yes." He answered without thinking, at first. Skimming over her words again in his head he was a little more cautious, brought his eyes back up to meet hers. "What exactly do you-"

He didn't get the chance to finish asking his question.

Alright, the epilogue will be the last part of this, and it will be posted later tonight, I promise. :)

So…I changed a ton. And there are elements to the book that I barely threw in and probably didn't explain very well. In the book, the hounds of hell (which are represented only by Azazel here)and the mythical Wild Hunt are a big part of the climax, considering in the book the Welsh god of the underworld already has the Zoi. Here, I didn't really have time to get into all of that so I included only Azazel and him wanting to find the Zoi and take it back to his master, Lucifer.

Overall, I really really wanted to have more for this and have it in four parts, and I'm not as happy with it as I wanted to be, but I hope it worked out alright.