Wayward Angel

Jy-shiaj eyed Crowley warily and shrugged his shoulders, leaning a bit closer. He wasn't sure that he had heard him correctly.

"Um, all due apologies, Mr. Crowley, but did you say...?", he left the question unasked and raised his eyebrows, waiting.

Crowley sighed and took a step closer, leaning in to the informant. He started to whisper conspiratorially to him. Jy-shiaj leaned closer.

"I said, that I need you to find where the Emperor has got off too, if he had an Angel with him, and to do it before the sun sets."

Jy-shiaj nodded. "Yes, that part I got...but the second part...about me needing to do this before the sun sets because..."

"Because," Crowley continued, pausing dramatically, "if you do not find out before the sun sets, the entire city will be a hundred fathoms under water." He leaned back and smiled amiably towards Jy-shiaj.

The little spy paled. "But...but...that's...that's horrible! Shouldn't the people be warned? The entire city should be evacuated! The loss of life...wait, how do you know this?", he finished, looking quizzically back to Crowley.

"Let's just say I'm in the know about certain things, Jy-shiaj. And as far as warning people goes, I really wouldn't recommend that."

"But...with all due respect Mr. Crowley sir, why? There are a million souls in the city...if they don't know..."

Crowley rubbed his chin. "Yes, horrifying, isn't it?", he said slowly, pensively. "Believe it or not, it was his idea that we don't forewarn everyone. Will wonders never cease?" Crowley glanced over at the Angel wearing the long tan coat, who was leaning against a wall, equally thoughtful and staring out of the front door. Jy-shiaj followed his gaze and walked over to stand in front of the Angel. He had begun to shake fearfully as he looked up into the Angel's face.

"Why?", was all he managed to ask in a small voice. He had no doubt of the power of the Angels, and if there was a flood coming, he also had no doubts that they would be the ones behind it.

The Angel sighed heavily and turned his eyes to Jy-shiaj.

"I... sympathize, I truly do," he said, his voice grating and dry. "but there is no time. Add to that the fact that warning these people will introduce thousands of new souls into the timeline that were supposed to have perished here..." He broke his gaze away and stared outside again before continuing. He seemed to be struggling with himself. "We...we cannot do it. And if you start warning people to flee the city because a flood is coming, the City Guard will have you locked up as a crazy person within the hour." He turned back to the Atlantian. Jy-shiaj blinked in surprise. There we tears forming in the Angel's eyes. "We don't have enough time, Jy-shiaj. We never have enough time. We need you to find the Emperor. More...more than you can even imagine rests on this. More lives than you can imagine as well. Please...there is no one that knows the city like you do. Can you do this for us?"

Jy-shiaj swallowed hard past a lump in his throat. "If I do this thing," he started slowly. "what...what happens afterward?"

The Angel stared at him questioningly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, myself, my family...", the small man said softly. "What will happen then?"

The Angel grimaced and looked away. Jy-shiaj dropped his head.

"Castiel," Crowley said, breaking the silence. "You can't just ask him to do this and not allow him to save himself and the people he loves."

Castiel looked up and stared daggers at the Demon.

"Are you trying to tell me how to be merciful?", the Angel growled.

Crowley simply glared back.

"I'm trying to tell you how to understand humans, Castiel," he answered, voice low.

"Since you're such an expert on that subject," Castiel snarled back, his hand waving in the air as he stalked a few paces away.

"I know a hell of a lot more than you!", Crowley shot back. "Take our current dilemma with Sam and Dean as an example, since it's got you so damned worked up."

Castiel let out a bestial growl and faster than a blink had Crowley pinned up against a wall, holding him a foot off the ground.

"They're my friends, Crowley, and you left them in danger. I would seriously consider what you're about to say to me right now"

Crowley was not fazed. "Just this," he spit back."What do you think Dean would tell you to do if you could ask him, hm?"

Castiel narrowed his eyes, not relaxing his grip. "What?", he whispered angrily.

"What. Would Dean. Say?", Crowley answered back steadily. "Would he say: 'Oh never mind the hunt for the Archangel and the Demon, or that stupid Apocalypse they're trying to start, just come and save me?'", Crowley said, staring at Castiel in challenge. "No, Castiel, he would have told you to focus on the mission. That the hunt was what was of the utmost importance. You know that, or at least you should know that. That's what I was talking about when I told you I need you focused. It's because I know that's what they would have wanted."

Castiel stared at Crowley, then lowered him slowly to the floor. He watched him carefully for a few seconds, then slowly, grudgingly, nodded and turned away from him.

Crowley sighed and busily brushed his suit straight.

"See? You know that I was right about..."

Castiel flashed back around and slugged Crowley hard in the jaw. The Demon dropped in a heap, his face in total shock. Several Demon guards, who had been watching the situation unfold with apprehension, took a few meaningful paces towards Castiel. Crowley looked left and right, wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, and waved them off.

"You still should have told me about them Crowley," Castiel said. With that, he straightened up, gave the Demon guards a not-so-subtle warning glance, and walked back over to Jy-shiaj. He placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"It's...not unheard of for an Angel to grant a servant refuge from an oncoming disaster. Do this for us. Find the Emperor, and more importantly, the Angel he had with him, or a least where he's gone, and you and your family can leave...just...just remember, you have until the sun sets."

Jy-shiaj nodded numbly, and walked slowly from the casino, as if in a trance. He turned to look back at Castiel and Crowley, set his jaw, and gave them a firm nod. He then went into the streets of Atlantis, his pace picking up speed with every step.

After he left, Crowley collected himself off of the floor, straightened himself out as best he could, and looked back at Castiel, who was watching him.

"Better now?", he said sarcastically, working his sore jaw and raising his eyebrows at the Angel. Castiel snorted at him in reply, crossing his arms.

"Castiel? Why did you just tell Jy-shiaj that finding the past version of yourself was the most important thing?"

Castiel looked away. "He's coming with us."

Crowley's eyebrows raised even higher. "Is he now? Wouldn't that be considered a...oh, I don't know, a rather serious paradox in the time stream?"

Castiel let out a breath and nodded slowly. "It's a risk, but one I need to take," he replied soberly. He looked back over his shoulder at Crowley. "He's been...I've been programmed to open those Portals. I need to see if I can undo that."

Crowley frowned. "Sorry...but isn't that a mute point, Castiel? The Portals are permanently opened from this side. There's nothing we can do to change that, including trying to re-program yourself. Well, not without destroying the entire timeline I imagine. That's why we're going to try to do it from the other side, with my captive Deep One."

Castiel turned away again. "I...have to try, Crowley. Especially if your plan doesn't work." He turned back, his gaze determined. "We're running out of options."

Crowley watched him for a moment and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I suppose we are," he answered at last, shrugging. "Let's hope the little spy is on his game, then. There's not much time."

With that, he nodded to his guards and went back to his study. Castiel watched him go and sighed heavily, his gaze turning back to the streets outside.

He closed his eyes. He could feel the power building from the oncoming flood. Gabriel was charging everything around them with Angelic energy. The air was buzzing with it. He could hear horses whinnying in stables across the street and dogs howling in the city even further off. They knew as well. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Please, Father, please let him find him," he whispered into the empty air. "This has to end."

Jy-shiaj, breathless, ran into the Casino a few hours later. The guards had him wait in the lobby while they went to get Crowley. He bent over and placed his hands on his knees, breathing hard.

A minute later Castiel and Crowley came out to the lobby and stood in front of him. Jy-shiaj looked up and nodded.

"I found them," he said, eyes glittering.

"Where?", the Angel asked earnestly.

Jy-shiaj nodded. "Remember your promise?"

Castiel nodded. "Of course."

Jy-shiaj canted his head to the side. "My friends and family?"

The Angel nodded back impatiently. "Yes, they'll be spared, now, where are they?"

Jy-shiaj nodded to himself. "They're on a boat."

"A boat?"

"Yes, it left Atlantis this morning heading for the mainland. A trade port. My informants saw the Emperor and several of his guard come from the beach this morning going straight to the docks. There was a man bound and gagged with them, I am assuming that he was this Angel that you are looking for. There was quite a scene. The Emperor had his guards remove the captain and ships crew, and launched the boat shortly after."

"That actually makes sense," Crowley said, rubbing his chin. "Joshua knows what's coming as well, so he's saving himself."

The Atlantian cocked his head. "How did he know? Was the Emperor also warned?"

"After a fashion," Crowley grunted in response. He looked outside at the street. "OK, c'mon, we only have an hour or so to get to the dock and commandeer a ship." He looked around at his assembled Demon guards and staff. "We're getting out of here."

Jy-shiaj looked nervously out at the horizon and the setting sun. "If you please, Sir, I have a ship ready. Please, let us hurry."

They reached the docks and ran directly into a small army standing in front of an Atlantian freighter ready to sail.

" Jy-shiaj, who are all of these people?", Crowley growled, waving his hand over the small horde of nervous looking Atlantians.

The little man shrugged. "My family," he replied flatly. He narrowed his eyes. "You said that I could protect them...you gave me your word," he finished, looking at the Angel pleadingly.

"How many family members do you have?", Crowley exclaimed, exasperated.

Jy-shiaj shrugged. "I have a lot of cousins," he replied. His green eyes shot back at Crowley and he jabbed a finger at him. "This is the deal, Mr. Crowley, sir. My family are also sailors, so unless your guards know how to tie off a slip-knot, this ship is going to have a hard time sailing from here."

Crowley wiped a hand slowly over his face. "Fine, fine, you win," he said slowly. "Get them on board." He looked pointedly at the setting sun. "And hurry it up."

Jy-shiaj grinned widely and began shouting at the crowd, who began to gather up bundles and various belongings and move steadily up the gangplank onboard.

"They'll be able to re-populate China with that many people," Crowley mumbled acidly. Castiel raised his eyebrows.

"A deal's a deal, Crowley," he answered back. "That's something that you should know a lot about." He frowned, looking over the boat. "I just hope this thing is fast enough to catch up with them is all."

"Especially with all of the extra ballast," Crowley grumbled in reply. "Look, Castiel, is it absolutely necessary to retrieve your past self?"

Castiel shook his head vigorously. "I've already told you, Crowley..."

"Fine, fine," Crowley answered, holding his palm up. "It's your back up plan. But if we're not fast enough or lose them..."

Castiel set his jaw. "We won't. We can't." He looked up at the sky. There was a faint rumble in the ground and the sky began to turn dark. A gentle rain began to fall and the waves in the harbor swelled suddenly and rocked the barge. The last of Jy-shiaj's family and the Demon guards quickened their pace and finished loading onto the ship.

Crowley looked all around him, then back to Castiel. "Is it...?"

Castiel nodded.

"Yes, Crowley. It's time."