/Haha thank you for all the reviews and follows everyone! Especially Annie, to whom this fic is dedicated :D Thanks for the continued support! Love you all. This was yet another difficult chapter to write, but don't worry, there's a happy ending in sight, though it may not be exactly what you're expecting xD/

CASTIEL

"Castiel!" Anael is stricken, her lovely wings the colour of fire, shaking.

"Anael." Castiel stares up at her, wondering if this is a trick or some kind of magic to make him break.

Anael reaches out slender fingers, wiping away the blood dripping down Castiel's chin. She presses two fingers to his forehead, and Castiel immediately feels better, as Anael's grace washes through him. She hovers her palms over the cuffs restraining Castiel and they recede across his skin.

"Thank you, Anna." Castiel tells her gratefully.

"What happened to you, Castiel!" Anael asks, stroking Castiel's cramped up and disarrayed feathers.

"Dean." Castiel begins. "I must find him."

"Castiel…"

"We must leave here, Anna, it is not safe."

Anael stares at him a moment, as if she is convinced Castiel has somehow gone rogue. Castiel is much too weak to 'work his mojo' as Dean might say, and he looks to her, trying to convey his fear and weariness through his eyes.

She inhales deeply, and places her hand in Castiel's. A moment later, they are at the side of a dusty road. It is completely deserted and Castiel guesses it is some kind of side road, because it is not nearly big enough to be an interstate highway.

"Tell me everything, Castiel." Anael demands. So he does.

She unfolds her wings when he's done, and gives them a quick shake, pulling up dust from the road. Castiel stares at her, and her eyebrows furrow.

"So you are in love with Dean Winchester?" Anael asks. Castiel confirms it with a nod.

"That's why they held you captive?"

Another nod.

"Oh, Castiel." Anael shakes her head. "What will you do?"

"I must find Dean." Castiel says.

"Heaven will know where you are Castiel." Anael says. "What are you going to do, if they try to take you away again."

Castiel has considered this. "I will always try to make my way back to Dean. It matters not how many times they take me away. My path will always lead back to Dean."

Anael embraces him. "I wish you luck. You really do love him, I can see it."

Castiel closes his eyes briefly, but then pulls away. "You must go."

Anael nods. "I cannot stay away for long. Goodbye Castiel." She touches her forehead to his, then vanishes.

Castiel stands there, evaluating the state of his grace. It needs time to heal, and he is in no way able to fly to Dean's house. He knows where it is though, and the road trip with Dean taught him a lot about how travel works. He could perhaps walk along the road and try to find a ride from somewhere. Castiel begins to walk along the long, dusty path, not really taking note of the surroundings, but wondering if Dean is at his parents' house. He doesn't know how he's going to get all the way to Lawrence. He can walk; he won't get tired. If anything, Castiel is determined to get back to Lawrence, and back to Dean.

His grace is much too tarnished to fly large distances, and Castiel doesn't know what Michael is going to do when he finds out Castiel has escaped. He gets his answer soon enough. As he walks along, trench coat rippling around his calves, Anael appears in front of him.

"Castiel, I don't have any time, you must listen carefully." She tells him, her wings fluttering wildly in a panic. "Michael knows that you escaped. He does not know that I helped you, but his wrath is great, Castiel. He is going to cut you off."

"Cut me…off?" Castiel cocks his head to the side.

"You will not be an angel any longer, Castiel." Anael whispers. "I can feel your grace disappearing. I do not have much time, tell me where Dean Winchester lives."

Castiel tells her the exact address, and Anael places her arms around him. "Good luck brother." She murmurs, and Castiel's alone in front of Dean's house. The familiar whitewashed exterior calls to him like an old friend, and Castiel, exhausted, collapses to his knees. He can feel his grace seeping out of his very bones. Castiel feels like sleeping for a very long time. He uses the last vestiges of his grace to get into the locked house and slowly makes his way up the empty house to Dean's bedroom. Dean's cologne and his scent swirl within the room, comforting and painful all at once. Pulling off his coat, he folds it and places it on his rocking chair, then does the same with his shirt and pants. In Dean's closet, he finds his favourite Metallica t-shirt that smells of Dean and pulls it on over his head. It's a little big for him, but the cotton is soft and it's comfortable. Pulling back the duvet, he crawls into the warmth of Dean's bed.

Storm clouds gather outside the window and a clap of thunder sounds from the skies. Rain begins to fall, slapping against the glass softly, a lulling rhythm. Castiel closes his eyes and curls up, his head supported by the pillow. Breathing deeply, he slips into his dreams.

"Castiel." God looks down at him kindly. "You have done well, my son."

"Father." Castiel cries out. "Why did you leave me?"

"It was necessary." God tells him. White light obscures him, but Castiel can make out the figure of a shorter, slim man. "I was always looking out for you, child."

"You sent Anael." Castiel murmurs, eyes wide.

"I will keep you and Dean safe. The time has almost come." God assures him, then there is nothing but light, and Castiel is drifting. The light is warm and it pulsates around him. He feels like he is flying in this bright nothingness, and it feels wonderful. It feels like being in his Father's arms once more, and Castiel relishes the long forgotten sensation of utter peace and forgiving love.

"Cas!" A faraway voice calls to Castiel, and he rises up.

"Dean?" He calls back, the light throbbing faster and faster.

"Cas!" Something starts shaking Castiel and he opens his eyes to green eyes directly above him. Arms gather him in, holding him tight, and the thing starts to cry brokenly.

"Dean?" Castiel is suddenly alert and he wraps his arms around his charge. Finally, Dean relinquishes him, eyes red, cheeks flushed.

"Cas. Holy shit. Where the fuck have you been?"

Castiel tells him about the throne room, and the torture. He describes his escape. When Castiel has finished talking Dean is quiet. He is more beautiful than Castiel remembers, and Castiel joyfully reaches out to pull him into an embrace but Dean flinches.

"Dean?" Castiel falters.

"It's been two years Cas." Dean says, quietly, biting his lip. "I'm so sorry." Silent tears slide down Dean's freckle spattered cheeks. "I'm an awful person."

Castiel is baffled. He thought Dean would be happy to see him… "Dean, what is wrong?"

"I slept with someone." Dean blurts out. "Not just one, a couple people. One night stands, Cas, they didn't mean anything to me, I'm so sorry."

Castiel doesn't know what to say, or think. He cannot blame Dean for his infidelity, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. Something in his chest aches, and Castiel doubles up, letting his wings wrap around him.

"Cas, don't leave, please." Dean whispers. "I love you…I'm so sorry…"

"I cannot leave." Castiel's voice is carefully emotionless. "I will not be an angel for much longer."

"What?" Guilt is written clearly on Dean's face, and Castiel is too lost in his own grief to offer solace.

"I have rebelled, and I have fallen." Castiel lifts his eyes to Dean's. "For you."

"Fuck, Cas…I" Dean chewed on his lip, but Castiel stopped him with a raised palm.

"Dean, I love you. It does not matter to me." Castiel reaches forward, grasps Dean's face in his hands and kisses him. Dean melts into him without a word, pulling Castiel into his lap.

"I love you so much, Cas. I missed you so much." Dean says against Castiel's lips. Castiel knows it to be true.

"I will never leave you again." He promises.

"Come on." Dean grins after a long time spent in each others' arms. "I've got pie, and we can put on a movie. How about City of Fallen Angels? You like that one don't you?"

Castiel kisses Dean's lips chastely. "That sounds wonderful, Dean."

They padded through the empty house to the kitchen, hand in hand. Castiel lay back on the couch with his head in Dean's lap while Dean ate pie and kissed him during intervals. Castiel watches Dean's soft moan of pleasure as he wraps his lips around a pie and ice cream laden fork, and smiles. He feels like he can stay like this forever, and never get bored.

Dean finishes up, and Castiel moves his head so that Dean can put his plate back in the kitchen. He closes his eyes, and listens to the actors' dialogue and savours the delicious contentment spreading through him. He only opens his eyes when he feels a heavy weight shift the couch and smiles at Dean who has somehow managed to climb on top of Castiel.

Dean lowers his head and presses soft lips to Castiel, a palm splayed out on his chest. Soft fingers play through Castiel's locks, and Dean groans when he swipes his tongue against the inside of his charge's mouth.

"I've dreamt of this for the past two years." Dean mumbles. "Thought of touching you, kissing you." Dean licks down the column of Castiel's neck. "Tasting you. You taste so damn good Cas."

"Dean…" Castiel moans when Dean nips at his collarbone. "Upstairs…"

Dean slips his hands under Castiel and lifts, while Castiel wraps his legs around Dean's waist.

Dean carries him upstairs, depositing him on the bed. Another concern hits Castiel. "What about….Sam…and your mother?" Castiel gasps as Dean lifts his shirt, pressing a kiss to the exposed skin of his stomach.

"Gone out. They'll be home late tonight." Dean says in a hurry as he strips. He gets out the lube and slicks up his erection. He moves forward and takes Castiel in his mouth, sucking hard before he pulls off with a pop. Castiel moans, fingers digging into the duvet.

"I love you." Castiel tells him as Dean plunges into him.

Dean brushes Castiel's hair away from his forehead and kisses his temple. "I love you." Then he starts to move, and Castiel forgets everything.

They break apart, eyes shut, when Castiel feels the soft brush of down against his fingers. He hears Dean gasp in shock.

"Cas…"

He sits up and as he looks around, his heart sinks. His feathers are strewn everywhere, a kaleidoscope of violet, indigo, and inky blue littering Dean's floor. His grace is completely gone; there is nothing left.

"I'm not an angel anymore Dean." He says calmly, and Dean holds him close.