DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction using characters from the Supernatural universe. I do not claim any ownership. This work is solely for entertainment purposes and is not considered film or tv canon (not by a long shot).

Castiel closed his eyes in pain as he listened to the wolf doleful cries spill into the night. It was almost as if the beast were screaming at the moon. He poured the wine with shaking hands and took the cups down to where Bobby stood, staring into the darkness.

"It's him, isn't it?" Castiel asked. "The wolf ... it's Dean, isn't it?"

Singer threw back the wine. "Drink up, thief ... forget."

Castiel frowned. "An hour ago you were drunk and you remembered ... "

Singer regarded the younger man for a moment. Young, but his eyes ... blue and fathomless. Far too old for his youthful appearance. He squinted. "What are you called?"

"Castiel."

Bobby blinked and stepped back. "An angel's name ..." He turned and motioned toward the room where Sam slept. "His name is Samuel Winchester ... you've met his brother Dean. They are the sons of John, the Marquess of Winchester. Their mother died in a fire and their father died three years ago in Antioch. Dean brought Sam here to study in Aquila, where he was the captain of the guard." Bobby sighed. "You've seen them both ... they were sought after by every unattached female and not a few attached ones. Unfortunately, Samuel attracted the attention of the Bishop."

Castiel choked on his wine. "The Bishop -?"

"The Bishop became as a man possessed. He sought every reason imaginable to be near Sam," Bobby said with a deep frown. "Dean continued to serve with all the loyalty that is in his nature, but he was afraid for his younger brother. The Bishop's suit was not a welcome one for Samuel."

Castiel found himself wanting to know more about Dean Winchester, the man with the bewitching green eyes. He heard the wolf howl again and wiped at his eyes.

"Unfortunately, Dean's loyalty was fractured when the Bishop continued to pursue Sam despite the fact that the boy wasn't interested ... Sam sensed the Bishop's wickedness and he shrank from it. He sent back letters unopened and poems unread. The Bishop's lust was not slaked and he desired Sam more and more. Dean is at his most fearsome when he is protecting his loved ones and he was preparing to take extraordinary measures to protect his brother. Until ..."

Bobby fell silent and Castiel ran for the wine. He poured the cup full again and sat down beside the monk. "Until ... ?"

The man drank deeply and stared into the fire. "Until they were betrayed. A weak fool of a priest gave a drunken confession to his superior and revealed the plan to escape the city and the Bishop. The idiot didn't even know what he'd done at first nor what a terrible revenge the Bishop would take. His Grace ... went mad ... he swore that if he could not have Samuel, no one would have him and the brother that sought to keep him from the Bishop would instead be separated from his sibling."

Bobby threw his cup into the fire where the clay vessel shattered in a shower of sparks. Castiel winced.

"The brothers fled the city and the Bishop followed, never more than an hour behind. He dogged their every turn, wearing them down steadily. Rome had turned its back on the Bishop but he was a powerful man ... he called on the powers of Hell itself for a curse to damn the brothers. It is said that a man came to him ... a man with yellow eyes ... a man who cast no shadow. He made a dreadful deal with this man ... and Hell gave him his revenge. You've seen it with your own eyes, thief," Singer looked out into the darkness as the wolf howled again. "By day, Sam is the beautiful bird you brought to me. And by night, as you already know, the voice of the wolf we hear is the cry of Dean Winchester. Poor dumb creatures with no memory of the half-life of their human existence. Brothers, forever apart – the agony of a split second between sunrise and sunset when they can almost touch but not."

Castiel stared at the old monk. "Always together ... eternally apart."

"As long as the sun rises and sets," Bobby agreed sadly. "As long as there is day and night and for as long as they both shall live."

The wolf's sorrowful notes filled the air. Bobby looked over to the young man. "You have stumbled into a tragic story, Castiel, thief named of an angel. Whether you like it or not ... you are part of it with the rest of us."

The Bishop flipped through skin after skin of dead wolves. None of them the one he sought.

"Useless! All of them!" the Bishop yelled. "Why do you torment me with your foolishness?"

Cezar smiled darkly. "It pleases me to do so. You would do well to keep a civil tongue. Besides, I am simply waiting for the boy to show himself." The yellow eyes speared the Bishop.

The Bishop's eyes grew distant as he pictured the object of his desire. "No boy – now a man ... tall and stately ... delicate features with golden eyes that glow with the light of the sun - his sun is the moon. Samuel ... my Samuel." The Bishop looked back at the hunter who knew more of his dark secrets than any man living did. "He travels with Castiel now – and I want that one dead too. Along with the wolf who calls Samuel brother. The black wolf."

"Cezar" watched the Bishop walk away. He was beginning to regret the deals he'd made with this pompous human and thought that perhaps their time together was coming to an end. After all ... he was Azazel, the yellow-eyed demon of Hell. He would not long suffer the arrogance of a mere human.

Castiel watched Sam turn in his sleep. He could understand the Bishop being drawn to the young man – Sam was indeed handsome. But to desire him so much that one would cast lots with a demon? It seemed insanity until Castiel's mind wandered over Sam's brother, Dean. His green eyes haunted Castiel and he shivered with the memory of that deep voice exhorting him to save the hawk – the hawk Castiel now knew was his younger brother. Castiel's feelings for the elder Winchester were beginning to concern him – they were borne of the duress of the situation no doubt. Castiel hadn't even had an entire conversation with the man ... how could he possibly be falling in love?

Love? Did I just say 'love'? Castiel thought, sitting up in shock. He glanced upward. You continue to confound me, Lord ... You show me the reason for my exile but what can I do to fight such darkness? Now Dean Winchester fills my every waking thought ... if I was not mad before, I surely will be when this trial is done.

Castiel's thoughts were disturbed as Sam began to groan and waken. Sam's head turned on the pillow as if he were trying to deny something in his dreams. Castiel leaned forward as the young man's eyes fluttered open. Sam grunted and tried to sit up. Castiel quickly urged him back down on the furs with a gentle hand.

"Easy, Sam ... you will start bleeding again ..."

Sam blew a breath out in frustration before sinking back down. He winced as he moved his shoulder. Amber eyes settled on Castiel. "So ... Castiel the angel ... you are traveling with my brother, aren't you?"

Castiel nodded. "Yes."

Sam regarded the thief steadily for a moment before turning his gaze back to the ceiling. His eyes were pained. Castiel decided to embellish a bit ...

"You must save the hawk, Dean told me. He's my life ... my last, best hope for living ..." Castiel said softly.

Sam smirked at the ceiling and turned an amused gaze on Castiel. "Dean ... my Dean said that? The same Dean who has called me a woman more times than I can count for merely trying to show brotherly affection to him?"

Castiel grinned and gave a shrug. "It sounded poetic."

Sam chuckled and then winced as his shoulder pulled. "You are funny, Castiel the angel."

"The result of living in such discrepant circumstances, no doubt," Castiel offered. "Still, he did mention that he still has hope."

Sam's eyes suddenly shone with emotion. "That ... that is good to hear, Castiel. If anyone deserves to hope for a better life, it is my brother."

"Is it so horrible to be him?" Castiel asked.

Sam shook his head. "Dean ... Dean is the strength in our family ... its heart if you will. He would deny everything I say and whip me with the flat of his sword for even implying that but it is truth." Sam sighed and turned his head to meet Castiel's eyes. "Dean is handsome to gaze upon and there is no fiercer warrior in battle but inside ... his soul is the finest stained glass – beautiful but fragile. He will never consider himself worthy of sacrifice and yet he has done and given everything asked of him. Look at us now – we are here because he would not leave me to the Bishop. He would not back down when they finally cornered us. If he could, he would sell his soul to Hell for a way to free me."

"No!" Castiel cried. "He cannot!"

Sam sighed. "A cry I have given to heaven more than once, Castiel. He has tried, I know he has – he would not be Dean Winchester otherwise. Since we remain as we are, they have not heard his petition, thankfully. Stoke the fire of that hope, Castiel." Sam's amber eyes met Castiel's blue. "Dean trusts you, Castiel. He will listen to you. Do not let him do anything foolish."

"I will try, Sam. I will try." Castiel murmured. "Rest now."

The thief walked out to where the monk bent over his garden. "Does he know?"

"What?"

"That you are the priest that betrayed them?" Castiel explained.

Bobby regarded him and then shrugged. "It doesn't matter ... God has shown me a way to undo everything."

"Make yourself plain Robert Singer."

"I can break the curse!" Bobby exclaimed. "Dean can confront the Bishop and begin his own true life again."

"He intends to confront the Bishop," Castiel said calmly. "To kill him with the sword of his ancestors."

"Idiot! He can't do that – if he kills the Bishop the curse can never be broken!"

Any response Castiel may have had was lost when the sound of approaching riders echoed along the hillside. Singer glanced over and then looked at Castiel. "Take care of Samuel while I speak with these ... gentlemen. Go, hurry!"

Singer peered down at the riders – the Bishop's guards. One of them called up to him. "Open the door in the name of his holiness the Bishop of Aquila!"

Singer sneered. "Get out of here – this is a house of God!"

"I said open it in the name of the Bishop!"

"I've met the Bishop," Bobby yelled down. "You look nothing like him!"

The guard looked at his men. "Break it down."

Castiel ran to the castle proper where Sam lay. He shook the man as gently as he could to wake him. "Sam ... Sam wake up ... come with me."

"Huh? What is it?" Sam asked drowsily.

"Don't talk, just come with me," Castiel urged.

The monk looked down at the guards who had broken through the front gate. They immediately ran into the scaffold ruins of the castle. When they began to make their way across a rope suspended bridge, Singer calmly cut a line that released one side of the bridge, dumping the men into a pit below. "Sorry! Priest! Not an architect!"

A guard raced by him and over the bridge leading to the main castle doors. Singer called out, "Remember - " The guard broke through the slats and plummeted into the moat. "Walk on the left side!"

Bobby stood smiling until the hilt of a sword was brought down on the back of his head. He fell silent to the ground.

Castiel and Sam darted through the maze of the ruins trying to find a place to hide. Sam was tiring because of the blood he'd lost. Castiel pushed him back down a hallway and up another flight of stairs. They emerged onto a parapet.

"No no no, Castiel, we can't stay here! We're trapped!" Sam exclaimed.

"I don't think we have much choice, Sam!" Castiel said as the trapdoor leading to the stairs burst open. Leaping forward, Castiel landed on the door with all his weight, pushing it shut. The guard below shoved upward again and Castiel was almost bucked off. Sam added his weight and Castiel was able to get the latch slid into place. Sam stepped back to the edge of the platform and Castiel crouched hesitantly on top of the door. "I think maybe -"

Castiel's words broke off as a sword blade came through the slats in the door. Startled, Castiel leapt off the door and stumbled backwards into Sam. Sam's thighs slammed into the stone railing and he windmilled frantically before going over with a shout. Turning, Castiel dove and was just able to grab Sam's hands. The two men clung together desperately as Sam struggled to get his long legs to the edge of the tower for some purchase.

"Castiel! I'm slipping!" Sam yelled. Sweat-slickened hands fought to keep hold of the thief's grip. One hand broke free and Sam's eyes widened in fear. "Castiel!"

"I'm trying ... Sam! Hold on! Please hold on!" Castiel cried. He pulled back, trying to pull Sam up. The young man was far too heavy.

Sam was holding onto Castiel's hand with his injured arm. He felt the pain radiating out from his wound and the strength seems to slip out of the muscle. With sharp cry, Sam's fingers slid out of Castiel's hand and he fell.

Castiel felt Sam's arm shake with the strain of trying to hold on and then the young man was falling ... plummeting to the Earth and nothing Castiel could do would stop that. He screamed as if the sound of his voice would halt what was happening. Then his eyes met Sam's and even though his long frame was still writhing in the empty space between the parapet and the ground, there was a soft sort of peace in those amber eyes. As if he knew something that Castiel did not.

The sun burst over the ridge and long fingers of light enveloped Sam – and then suddenly it wasn't Sam. The golden hawk screeched as long wings beat against the pull of the world itself. Feathers jarred loose and fluttered unheeded to the ground as the hawk managed to right itself and catch a thermal. It rose as though it were ascending to heaven. Castiel thought he'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life. The hawk called out as it wheeled overhead and flew out into the hills. Castiel sagged against the stone wall and sobbed.

His grief was cut short as a thumping sound came from behind him and he watched the trap door vibrate with repeated blows from below. He quickly cast about for a hiding place.

The guard finally managed to break the latch on the trap door and spring upward onto the parapet. He spun around looking for either of the men he knew had escaped here. There was no where else for them to go – he stood confused until he heard the soft patter of disturbed gravel. He ran to the edge of the stone rail and peered over. The thief sat there, straddling an outcropping next to an elaborate gargoyle.

"You! Where is the man?"

Castiel sighed. "He flew away."

The guard raised his sword. "Where is he!?"

Castiel covered his head. "God's truth – he flew away!"

Castiel cringed as the sword began its downward arc. Instead of a strike, however, Castiel heard a hiss and a faint grunt of pain. Looking up, he saw the guard transfixed by a crossbow quarrel. The man's lifeless body fell past Castiel's perch to crash into the ground below in a tangle of battered limbs and dented armor. He looked around in shock and then saw his savior.

Dean Winchester stood on a rock outcropping. His strong legs were braced over a fissure and he held his crossbow easily in one hand. Even from the distance, Castiel thought he was the most handsome man he'd ever seen in his life. He shyly raised his hand and waved. Dean did not gesture back, but Castiel got the distinct feeling Dean was pleased. He looked upward with a shaky smile.

"It always pays to tell the truth, Lord – thank you. I see that now." Castiel muttered. He carefully began to climb back over the parapet edge.