.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in.
Matthew 25:35
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The hot water was blistering Castiel's skin, but he relished the pain; it took his mind off everything that had happened the other day.

Leaning his hands against the wall in front of him, Castiel hung his head and squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the red flow with the water.
Images were burning in his mind, ones that he could not recognise but they were there as if he had lived them over and over.

He couldn't control his body but he could see as he staggered deeper into the water. It should have been cold, wet but he could feel nothing, only the pain before he sank into darkness. Things were ripping into him, shredding his very being away but there was something there, the light giving him a chance to escape…

A sharp knock on the bathroom door made him jump slightly and Castiel opened his eyes, listening as Micah spoke softly through the door.
'You alright in there?'
It took him a moment to find his voice, giving her a weak yes.

Looking back down, he noticed that there was no more blood mixing in with the water and stood back, scrubbing away the crusted blood on his arms and chest. Turning his hands, Castiel still had to suck in a deep breath as his eyes traced the long line one both forearms. The stitches were neat and held his skin tightly together but he knew it would leave a scar.

The last thing he remembered was Micah telling him to stay awake in the car. His head was too light and the nausea felt better when he closed his eyes. When he had woken he had been expecting to be in a hospital but instead he was in the motel room, the grey ceiling above him. Micah wasn't there but he still was not ready to move.

The stinging in his arms reminded him of the previous day, knowing he had been out for a while. He remembered fighting a vampire but three more got the better of him, jumping him from behind. He felt ridiculous now for not listening to Micah but at the time some sort of courage sparked in him; he knew what he was doing, nothing was stronger than him. Obviously he was wrong and he was tied to the chair, wrists slashed and the vampires whispering to him how being a vampire was the best thing, all he had to do was break his tie to humanity; kill his partner.

Turning off the tap, Castiel wrapped the towel around him and stepped out into the small bathroom, yellow tiles almost making him feel sick again.
He was still weak, he could feel his head rolling and eyes' shifting in and out of focus but it was better than lying on that bed feeling sorry for himself. Plus he didn't think he had the courage to face Micah.

He had been foolish, he had risked his life. Worst, he had put Micah's in danger also.
Castiel could hear when Micah came into that room, listened as she tried to save him.
'I didn't give you permission to die Cass, get off your ass!'
When he managed to look up, seeing the vampires winning as Micah tried to guard herself, he had no idea what came over him.

It was like he was a different person.
He stood quickly, finding the head vampire smiling behind him. The machete was on the ground and he scooped it up, surprise in the vampires eyes before he howled.
It was all too easy to kill them, to cut through muscle and bone. Blood poured, both from his victims but also from his own arms. The only thought that ran through his head was that he would heal quickly.

What the hell was he thinking? He couldn't heal such wounds that quickly, but that wasn't his concern when he saw Micah.
Charging over, he swung the blade and killed it. He stood over it, battling with his thoughts as he swayed, almost waiting for something.

The barn was old, and the moon was lighting the place more than the oil candle on the wooden bench. But Castiel had no time to admire the way it cast looming shadows on the walls. A man was before him, hitting Dean repeatedly before Castiel stepped forward, his trench coat glowing almost white in the light as he ripped the man off him, slamming his open hand to the man's almost baled head. Those eyes gleamed back at him, humoured that his power was not working.

Castiel just couldn't watch Micah get hurt, and he knew he had to protect her; it was his fault it happened in the first place.
He had to protect someone else… but he couldn't remember who. Looking at his reflection, Castiel sighed at how pale he was.
Castiel could barely save himself let alone others.

There was another knock at the door.
'It's too quiet in there. Hurry up, I got you some food.'
Carefully drying his stitches, he slipped on a sleeved shirt, rolling them up so his wounds could breathe and grabbed his fresh pair of pants.

The air was colder than what it was in the bathroom and Castiel felt it shiver straight down his spine. Glancing around, he found Micah sitting at the round table; the light above it bright as she ate. There were a few bottles lined up on the table and as he got closer he saw that it was Dettol and some cotton buds. Sitting heavily, Castiel gave her a weak smile as Micah grinned, pushing his food closer to him.

'Eat, you need to get all your blood back.'
Castiel stared at the food for a minute, 'Burgers,' Micah paused in her mouthful of beer.
'Sorry, if you want something else I can-'
'No, I…. I like burgers.' He smiled but before he began to eat, he looked at Micah as she wrote down in a book. He wasn't rude enough to look at what she was being written but he was curious. Was she writing a diary, writing how close she came to death because of a stranger she practically adopted?
Of course he had a choice in it, he had decided to stay with her in the hopes of remembering things, traveling around to perhaps find someone who knew him.
It was better than being held prisoner in a hospital somewhere like a puppy in a pound.

Green eyes glanced up quickly, looking again when she saw him staring at her.
'What's wrong?' she looked towards his wounds as Castiel shrugged. She put her feet back on the ground, closing the book and turning to face him properly.
'Cass? You look like your plotting to kill someone,' her smile died when Castiel simply dropped his gaze, 'Yeah, bad choice of words.' She mumbled but Castiel shook his head.

'I'm sorry.'
He meant it and when Micah just rolled her eyes, drinking her beer Castiel leant in, resting his arms on the table.
'I mean it, I am sorry for what I have caused already. I appreciate what it is you do, saving people and I thank you so very much for what you have done for me.'
Micah shuffled uncomfortably but Castiel shook his head when she tried to silence him. At that gesture Micah grabbed his hand, pulling his arm closer to her and she inspected his stitches, preparing a cotton ball with some disinfectant.
'I was a stranger; no memory and dying but still you cared for me, offered for me to come with you. And still you help me, even though I almost killed you.'

He hissed at the sting as she pressed the ball over his stitches, cleaning away some of the clear liquid that oozed from it. Micah was not looking at him but then she stopped, her arms dropping to the table as she looked anywhere but Castiel.
'Why?'
Green eyes met his from between strands of blonde hair and Castiel could have sworn they were darker than they usually were. Micah took a few moments, but then she opened her mouth, breathing in deep.

'"Use every chance you have for doing good because these are evil times."'
She smiled weakly, giving herself a strange look before she returned her attention to his arms.
Castiel took in those words, recognising them from somewhere and he grinned.
'Ephesians… I didn't take you as the bible reading type.'

A soft chuckle filled his ears and Castiel felt some of his pain melt away. This woman, the way she sounded, looked and acted, her very being was something strange to Castiel but right at that moment he couldn't imagine not ever knowing her.
'I'm not really, just… being a hunter you kind of need to read a lot of different sources.'
She finished up on cleaning both arms, standing and dumping the mess into a bin as Castiel now ate his meal. It was cold but he was so hungry after the first bite that he didn't care.

It was strange that Castiel knew what book of the bible that quote had come from. Was he a religious man?

Castiel was standing in the corner of a large kitchen, at least, he thought he was. Before him was another man, him. His hand was leaning over the rim of a large pot, the water boiling only, the man that looked like his was not recoiling in pain and he almost felt, proud. Was this pride he was feeling as he watched the other man? Pride or approval?
A woman walked in, shocked by the scene in front of her.
'Jimmy!'

Castiel raised an eyebrow, looking back at the man who was talking softly, drying his arm.
'No, it's ok, see? He asked me to do it.'
'Who did Why did he ask you to do that?'
'To show my faith. Castiel.'

'I hope you don't mind scars.'
Castiel snapped his attention back up to Micah who leant against the wall, opening another beer.
Looking at his arms, Castiel frowned. When he was in the shower the first time, he had not seen any scars on him, so having some would be a reminder of this event.
'Don't worry too much about it. I got one on my first hunt to. Reminds me all the time to pay attention and obey rules.' She gave Castiel a sharp look and he coward slightly under that gaze.
So beautiful, but Castiel wondered how many buttons he could push to make Micah snap him like a twig.

'How did you get yours? Where is it?'
Placing her beer on the table, Micah turned her back to Castiel, lifting the back of her shirt and hooking it over her shoulders. Briefly Castiel was busy looking at the pale flesh of the girl before him but then his eyes found the scars. They were long and ridged, the three of them spreading down from beneath her shoulder blades to the top of her pants, possibly lower than that. Pulling it back down she sighed and turned back to face him.
'Where-wolf when I was twelve.'

'Twelve? How did you get into hunting so early?'
A heavy weight seemed to drop on Micah's shoulders but she angled her head, sighing heavily.
'My parents were killed when I was only five. Lived with my cousin who is a hunter and one day I just decided that I didn't want anyone else to lose their parents. Loose anyone to these creatures. '

Castiel knew she was a good person.
Scrunching up his rubbish, he leaned back in the chair, holding down a yawn.
'I am sorry for you parents. I'm sure that if they were still here you would have been lucky and escaped this life.'
Scoffing Micah unfolded her arms, drinking the rest of her beer quickly.
'In a sick way I am just grateful that you are here, otherwise I could be dead. Thank you for being the way you are Micah.'

She almost laughed, breathing from her nose heavily as she swallowed her beer.
'Ok huggy bear, let's get you to bed before you grow boobs.'
Castiel yawned now, not able to hide it and followed Micah's guide to his bed. His head was light again and Castiel rested comfortable even on the hard pillow and lumpy mattress.

Micah pulled the blankets up over him, turning to leave but she paused when Castiel felt a tear slip from his eye.
Gently Micah wiped it away, smiling at him.
'Hey, I'm sorry. You won't grow boobs, not that they're a bad thing but I guess on a guy-'

Chuckling, Castiel shook his head, looking up at her. Gold hair spilled around her shoulders and Castiel tried to keep his blurry eyes focused on her.
'I just want to remember. What if I have a family? Are they looking for me?'

The smile vanished from Micah's face quickly and she gripped his hand in hers, holding it tightly.
'I'm sure they are, Cass. We'll find them, I promise you that, no matter how long it takes.'
She stood when Castiel had calmed, turning out the main light, the dark of the night slipping over the room like a blanket. She remained at the table, a small lamp offering her enough light as she continued to write in the book.

Castiel rolled to watch her, eyes growing heavy before they sealed themselves shut. Maybe now they were not so much as strangers, but an odd new partnership.
'Thank you, Micah.'

It was raining so much today, I had nothing else to do.

Toushirou chan, to answer your questions;
Of course he is and I am still trying to figure out what to do with him and Micah in later chapters.
I had lost a lot of my memory in an accident a while ago and certain events, words, situations, even smells helped me remember things, it just takes time.
And yes, Cass survived the blood loss haha because I had tried to make him like when he was an angel; stabbed shot whatever, he would not have hesitated to save people, bleeding or not.

If anyone would like to share with me what they would like to happen; hunts, ending, angelcass or humancass, i'm all ears.
You guys are the readers, so thanks for reading!

Silver-Kirin
xXx