Second chapter! It's vague in this chapter about Tori and whatnot, but there's a pretty good payoff next chapter when you find out why. Reviews are greatly appreciated. ^^

Chapter 2: An Angel Among Us

Ashley turned, seeing a man in a suit and trenchcoat. He had a determined, yet stern look on his face. Ashley raised an eebrow, half tempted to reach for the gun she had tucked away in the holster under her jacket.

"This man is to be protected."

"Why?" Dean questioned after turning to face the stranger.

"He's a prophet of the Lord."

Glancing to Tori, Ashley shot her a curious look. Tori shrugged, also lost in the situation. Frankly, she was concerned about how the man appeared out of thin air. Ashley moved a hand towards her gun slowly.

The man kept his eyes locked on Dean and said, "Don't."

She froze.

"You… You're Castiel," Chuck said, sounding awestruck.

"Who?" Ashley questioned. Dean held up a hand and went to talk, but was cut off.

Instead, Castiel spoke. "It is an honor to meet you. I…admire your work." He turned and picked up one of the books that was laying on a cabinet next to him.

Chuck moved and sat in his chair, cowering a little. Ashley looked to Tori again, who seemed to be stuck in a state of shock as she carefully sat on the couch. Ashley rolled her eyes as Dean shouted, "What? What this guy a prophet? He's practically a Penthouse Forum writer." He looked in Chuck's direction. "Did you know about this?"

When she looked at Chuck, he was struggling with the bottle of alcohol. "I…I might've dreamt about it…"

"And you didn't think to tell us?"

Ashley shook her head. This was pure crazy, crazier than things she dealt with in the past. Glancing at the Castiel guy, she saw he was reading the book.

"It was too preposterous. And arrogant. I mean, writing yourself into the story is one thing, but as a prophet? That's like M. Night level doucheyness." He got the bottle open and poured some into a glass as he spoke, shaking slightly before downing it.

"I'm…wow. So you decide our fates?" Ashley asked.

"He isn't deciding anything, he's a mouth piece," Castiel explained while turning a page of the paperback novel. "Conduit for the inspired word."

Something sounded weird about that to Ashley. "The word?"

"As in, the word of God?" Dean asked quickly after her. "What, like the new New Testament.?"

He shut the book, studying the cover. "One day, these books will be known as the Winchester Gospel."

"You gotta be kidding me," Chuck and Dean both said in unison.

"I am not…kidding you." Castiel spoke calmly, putting the book back on the cabinet. Ashley's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe it, any of it.

Chuck got up, quickly excusing himself. Ashley thought he sounded scared. Hell, she knew she would be if it were her.

"I think," Tori managed to say in a quiet voice, "we should be going…"

Dean quickly looked at the two. "No one's going anywhere." He shook his head and Tori shrunk lower into the couch. "Why'd he get tapped?" Dean paced the living room past Castiel, as Ashley backed up to lean against the wall.

"I don't know how prophets are chosen. The order comes from high up on the celestial chain of command."

"How high?"

"Very."

The two went on to talk about the prophet Chuck for a few moments and Ashley tuned it all out. She couldn't wrap her head around any of it. Quietly, she kept her spot against the wall. When she looked at Tori, she was doing the same it seemed.

"Hey! Ashley," Dean barked, snapping her out of the silent daze she was in. "Do you mind coming with to my motel?"

Biting her lip in thought, she nodded, "Which one?"

"The toreador. You should-"

"That's the one we're staying at," Tori quietly stated.

Ashley gave her a side glance, warning her to be careful of her words as Castiel said, "It seems your paths became intertwined for the moment."

Dean rolled his eyes. "More to worry about on top of Lilith in town. Great."

Dean made a stop at a garage to get his car fixed before they returned to the motel. He thought the girls were nice, pretty too; but he had to explain things to the, about the apocalypse. At one point, Tori said she knew it was coming, but he never asked why or how.

By the time they got back on the road, it was beginning to get dark. Ashley was in the passenger seat this time around and he saw she had taken to staring at the glove box. "Something wrong, sweetheart? You hear a ticking coming from the glove box?"

She looked at him with an unamused expression. "That guy back there. How'd he just appear like that?"

"He's an angel," Dean told her. "I'm his charge or whatever."

"So, he's your guardian angel?" Tori questioned from the back seat.

Dean shrugged. "Something like that." Truthfully, Dean wouldn't call it that. More like a…forced alliance or something. Shaking his head, Dean pulled the car into the motel parking lot and parked it in front of his and Sam's room.

"Hey," Ashley said as she got out. "Their sign's busted."

This caught Dean's undivided attention and he glanced over, only to see the sign said 'red' since half the letters were unlit. "Oh no…"

"What?"

Dean looked at the two. Ashley had her hands casually on the roof of the car and Tori had a concerned look. "Go to your room and grab your stuff. I'll drop you two at the bus station then."

Ashley nodded, turning to walk towards the room with the number four on it. Tori held her ground. "Is something wrong?"

"No… Just hurry up." He shut the Impala's door and stormed past her to the room.

Tori walked into the motel room to find Ashley rummaging through her bag. She pulled out her leather jacket, throwing it on and noticing Tori. Silently, she shut the door and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Ashley asked suspiciously.

"Something's wrong…"

"Did you…?"

"No. I didn't, so don't jump to conclusions," Tori told Ashley as she walked to her bed and grabbed her backpack. She kept her back turned, scowling. "Why do you do that?"

There was a groan and Ashley asked, "Do what?"

Tori turned around and gave a knowing look. "That."

"You know why, Tor."

"You'd really think I would do that? Stoop so low?"

"No, but…" She trailed off, zipping up her jacket and crossing her arms.

"But what?"

Ashley shook her head and looked up at the ceiling. "If I were you, I'd use it and find out what the hell is really going on, if anything." Shocked with what she said, Tori walked quickly to the door. "Where are you going?"

Tori put her backpack on a shoulder and looked at Ashley with scorn. "Outside. Where I won't get judged by my actions." Not saying another word, she left the room.

Castiel disappeared and Dean saw Tori huffing as she slammed the door behind her. He looked at her curiously, debating if he should talk to her or not. "Tori!" he called. She looked at him and he waved her over. "C'mon. You can come with."

"Where?" she asked as she approached him.

Dean thought she was acting a bit different and narrowed his eyes. "To go get Chuck quick. I've gotta bring him here, but we need to leave now."

Tori nodded, hitching her backpack higher on her shoulder. "Alright."

The two got in before Dean started the engine and tore out of the parking lot. "Do you want me to explain, because it's just as confusing as the whole prophet thing earlier." He looked at her from the corner of his eye and saw her give him a thoughtful look. "What?"

Tori didn't say anything. Instead, she lifted a hand and touched his cheek lightly. Dean had no idea what was going on, but it felt like his entire body was tingling. She pulled her hand away a moment later, eyes going wide.

"Tori, what the hell was that?"

"I…"

"You know what, one thing at a time. Tell me later." He put his foot down harder on the accelerator for the Impala to speed up.

For what she said to Tori, Ashley felt like hell. It wasn't Tori's fault for what she could do, but still… The point of the matter was that it was wrong and unnatural. She'd admit, it was handy on a case or two, but past that it was plain wrong for her to be able to do.

She left the motel room, backpack on her shoulders and leather jacket back to being unzipped. Ashley looked for dean's car and saw it was gone. She cursed under her breath, knowing Tori must've left without her. She'd done it once before…

"It's not what you think."

Ashley turned to see Castiel standing a few steps in front of her. She jumped, putting a hand to her chest. "Damn it… You scared me."

"My apologies," he said bowing his head. "I need to speak with you about Tori."

"How do you… Right. Forgot you were an angel for a second…" Ashley put her hands in her jacket pockets and looked at him with interest. "Talk then."

Castiel looked up towards the sky, then back at her. "May I take you somewhere safer? Lilith will be here any moment now."

"Lilith? As in the demon?" she remembered Dean mentioning her on the way to the motel. He gave a nod and she narrowed her eyes. "Oh no. If there's a demon coming 'round, I wanna be here to help."

He tilted his head in a questioning manner. "It's not your battle though."

Ashley shook her head, scoffing. "I hunt because I want to help people, Castiel. It's what I do." She turned. Ashley would go knock on every door until she found the Winchester's room.

"Ashley. You should hear me out," Castiel's voice called.

She stopped, looking back at him over her shoulder. "About what? What's so urgent about Tori that we need to talk about?"

"Her ability." His look hardened as he spoke.

Turning, she walked over to him. "Fine," she told him in a defeated tone. Her put two fingers to her forehead and they disappeared.

The impala pulled into the space in the parking lot of the motel. Dean was urgent, hurrying out of the car to get Chuck from the backseat. Tori had been in the passenger seat and she circled around the tail end of the car. "Dean, don't hurt him," she told him as he literally yanked Chuck from the car.

"This is happening now. We might be too late as is," he snapped.

"Please," she grabbed his hand and cringed a little before quickly dropping it.

Chuck scrambled forward as Dean pushed him along. "Stay in the car, Tori," he grumbled.

She looked at the ground before getting into the backseat of the Impala. Tori saw them enter one of the rooms and squeezed her eyes shut. "Can't touch people… Can't touch people…" she muttered to herself. Even after three or so odd years, she forgot about it. Tori just wanted to forget it all…

They sat on a park bench, and Ashley was watching the stars above her. "So…you're sure?"

"Yes."

She shook her head. "I just can't believe that… I really can't. Even if she stopped." Rubbing a hand over her mouth, Ashley shook her head again. "What should do Castiel?"

He was silent at first, almost seeming to be thinking about it. "I suggest you keep a watchful eye on her and her actions."

"Would you help me? I can't always watch her." Ashley let her eyes wander down to the ground. She was beginning to feel like it was her fault. Again.

"I will do what I can. I suggest keeping in touch with the Winchesters. They may be able to lend you assistance." He paused for a moment. "Lilith should be gone. I'll take you back now." He put two fingers to her forehead and in a blink, they were back to standing in the motel parking lot.

Ashley blinked away the slight dizzy sensation and saw Dean coming out of a motel room. She looked to Castiel, but he was gone. Frowning, she made her way to the Impala. "Dean…"

"There you are. Look, we need to leave town now. You'll have to tag along. We'll drop you at Bobby's." Dean had an indescribable look on his face. He didn't seem angry or happy. Just a combination of the two.

She nodded. "Okay…"

"Hey," he tilted his head, "everything alright?"

"Kind of. I don't wanna talk about it."

"Right. Go ahead and hop in the car. Tori's sleeping in the back," he told her while jutting a finger over his shoulder.

Ashley nodded again. She felt heavy, carrying the regular secrets she kept and then some. She moved to the car sluggishly and slid in behind the passenger's seat to sit, drifting to sleep in an instant.

Tori was half asleep, uncomfortably sitting in the backseat of Dean's car with her head resting against the window. She could hear talking, but didn't catch the beginning of the conversation.

"She's not gonna survive the apocalypse, I'll make sure of that," a voice said. She recognized it as Sam's. How she recognized it was another story.

There was a long pause. Dean was next to speak.

"Did you read anything…strange in Chuck's manuscript?"

"Like what?"

"About…you know…"

"Them? Why?"

Dean shushed Sam. "C'mon man."

"They're both sleeping," Sam said in a low voice. "I don't think they're listening."

"Never mind." One of them sighed. "We'll talk about it later."