Title: Under the Influence of Djinn
Chapter: Thirty
Summary: AU: The Djinn siblings created a terrible detailed nightmare for Dean out of revenge, nearly killing him, Lisa, and Ben. With Sam alive, Castiel missing, and Campbell cousins in tow, he tries to pull himself back together.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Supernatural was created by Eric Kripke. No disrespect in intended with this work of fan fiction.

Nia, or whatever her real name was, laid her hands on the doorframe and, for a second, Dean thought she might simply push past Sam or do that materializing thing over by Castiel. She didn't, looking up at Sam. "He's in the home stretch now, but it'd be best if one of his own nursed him through this last part."

"Wait…." Sam put up a hand, blocking her. "You're an angel?"

She looked down at the floor, then back up. "I didn't intentionally show you that just now. It's a reaction to the extreme amount of power still surging through him. Gabriel was right. The heavenly power source that powers us all is merging with his other power source."

"Other power source?" Dean left Jo to stay with Cas, went around the bed, and joined Sam at the door. What did she mean by that?

"Yes." She said it like it was obvious. "How did you think he was making improvements and gaining powers? His power from heaven was cut off by Raphael. Of course there's another source."

"You mean God?"

Nia rolled her eyes. "I need to come inside. I need to check his progress on a cellular level. May I come in, Sam?"

"Jo tested for things." Sam looked over his shoulder at Jo and back at Daphne. "She had sigils up."

While Dean didn't want to take his eyes off of Nia now that he knew what she was, he glanced at Jo.

"I did every test I knew to do." Jo adjusted the pillow under Castiel's head. "And you walked right past the sigils into the room several times."

"Gabriel sent me." Nia lowered her hands from the doorframe. "We have something of a very tight schedule right now, which I know you're aware of, so if you could allow me inside?"

Dean shook his head. Of course she avoided the subject. "Uh-uh. Gabriel couldn't have sent you the first time you were here with them because he didn't know about Castiel."

She cocked her head. "I mean no harm, Dean."

"That'd be a first from one of you."

"A first? Do you not count Castiel among the angels? He was one when you first met him and for a long time of your acquaintance he's been one in varying states. Has he not been a friend to you? Your statement is incorrect. It's not a first. It's not even a second, for -"

"You know what I mean. He's the only one -"

"- Gabriel didn't always mean you harm. Indeed, he tried to take action on your side."

He made a low noise of frustration. "The bulk of you are self-centered dicks who hate humanity."

"So you've met the bulk of angels? You've visited with thousands and thousands of angels?"

Dean thought he'd feel better about trying to explain this is she showed any sign of anger or annoyance. However, she was calm while he felt like he was about to burst a blood vessel. "I've met enough."

"That reasoning makes no sense. You've interacted with a small number, yet judge us all. Curious that you want us not to follow that same example regarding humanity."

Sam now put his arm all the way across the opening, blocking her more fully. "We need an assurance that you aren't here to hurt him.

He thought he saw sadness in her eyes. "I could have harmed both of them at any time when I was with them and I didn't. I got them to you safely and now I'm here to make sure that Raphael doesn't kill any of you. You need to understand me on this. Right now, Castiel is a beacon." She made a gesture with her hands towards the sky. "You can't see it, but the power is still coming down to him, finishing the healing process, fixing what Raphael broke. It's bright and pointing the way. He needs to be protected and cared for." Nia pointed a finger at him, then Sam. "You need to be protected. The garrison is surrounding the building."

With a snort, Dean said, "I feel so much safer."

"Sarcasm isn't needed. You should feel safer. Gabriel's garrison is here for your protection. Please know that they're apart from heaven. They all left when Castiel displayed free thinking. They broke their molds like he did. They're trying to anyway. They want to live on earth among humans, away from the politics. However, they will follow Gabriel's orders and, by extension, Castiel's when he wakes. Gabriel wants you protected and, I assume, Castiel will as well, so therefore," she raised a brow at him, "you're protected."

Jo cleared her throat. "Daphne…Nia…what did you mean by one of his own? If he's changing into something more than what he was, then what is he becoming?"

Nia looked down at Sam's arm. "Please."

Sam moved his hand and opened his jacket, revealing the angel blade hidden there. "We won't hesitate to use it if you do try anything."

She smiled, amusement dancing in her eyes, and Dean wondered what was so funny about the threat. "Of course. You may always protect yourselves. I expect nothing less." When she was sitting on the bedside, hand gentle on Castiel's forehead, Nia looked at Jo. "Daphne is what is called a conduit. I don't take a traditional vessel, but she serves a similar function. I can see, hear, and act through her without inhabiting her body. I'm here, but I'm not here, if that makes any sense to you all. As for what he's becoming, he's changing into a new and improved version of what I am."

Dean moved to stand behind her. "And what are you, Nia?"

"A class of angel that is pretty much extinct. I'm the last. He's the start of a new class and likely the only one that'll ever be formed, though I'm not entirely sure of that. His development has been over centuries. It took that long for him to reach the point where he showed his free will and capability for emotion and self action. I don't know what the maturation point is or if it's the same for any others. The members of the garrison may be those who will eventually join him." She removed her hand from Castiel's forehead. "This body is his, not his former vessel's , though he does look like his former vessel. The genetic material is coded to look and sound the same as the vessel, probably because he's used to the man, but I don't know. The important thing is that this, all of him including the body, is Castiel."

"Will a blade still kill him," Sam asked.

"Best not to find out. My guess would be that any blade that would kill me would kill him."

Dean thought about her wording on that a moment. "You make that sound like the blades we have won't kill you, Nia." Which would make her amusement make a lot of sense.

Her lips curved in a small smile as she turned her head to look up at him. "They won't. I'm harder to kill than that. You need to have the blade for my class to kill me, though those you have will wound me. You'd kill Daphne for sure. The archangels have their blades, my class has ours, and the rest have their blade." She touched Castiel's forehead again. "Don't worry, Dean. I already told you I mean you no harm."

She reiterated that regularly as the hours began to pass and Castiel's fever went higher. A normal human would be brain dead by now from a fever that high, but she assured them that he'd be fine. She was keeping a close eye on him as the final changes happened inside his body.

Dean refused to leave him, as did Jo. He knew they weren't really helping and Nia was more focused on Castiel than in answering anymore questions.

Sam stepped out to meet the garrison, returning with news that there was a flurry of activity on the heavenly airwaves. "They said it sounds like Raphael is amassing her forces."

"That can't be good," Jo commented, carefully stretching her back before sinking back down into her chair. She looked exhausted, dark circles beginning to show under her eyes and a weariness in her gaze. She'd yawned frequently the past hour.

Nia glanced up. "Any word from Gabriel?" She held one of Castiel's hands in hers, stroking the back of it over and over.

"They didn't say. Just that Raphael is planning an attack and angels are either hurrying to take their places or running and hiding."

She nodded and Dean saw the tiniest sliver of worry in her eyes as she looked back at Castiel. "Hurry," she whispered so low that he wondered if he'd heard her say it at all.

He wondered just how close they were cutting it.

Waking was like waking after a very refreshing nap. He could feel the power inside him again, fully intact. He was once more an angel though…. Castiel was surprised. He felt no different than he had before that power had rolled down from heaven into him. His emotions were there and he was a little thirsty. Not to mention he could really go for a cheeseburger right now. With maybe some onion rings and a shake.

Castiel opened his eyes. He was on a bed.

Turning his head, he saw Dean and Jo on the other bed and realized he was in Dean and Sam's room.

"Try not to move," came a familiar whisper and he looked back to his left as Daphne set a bowl of water on the nightstand and dipped a cloth in it. She rung it out and gently stroked his face with it.

"You're not Daphne." He could see the presence there with the woman.

"Of course I am."

Reaching up, he stilled her hand. "Who are you?"

"I'm -"

"I don't mean the vessel."

She drew her hand back. "I'm not a vessel, Cas. I'm a conduit. Completely different thing."

"Fine. Who is your angel then?"

There was the slightest flicker as the presence took control. He felt the switch happen. "I'm Nia. I'm the Watcher that Michael left alive and the current leader of Gabriel's garrison."

He'd thought the stories of the Watchers were merely that: stories. "Why did you come to us earlier? What's your role?"

She set the cloth in the bowl and reached for the glass of water on the end of the night table. Nia handed it to him. "I came on God's orders. I spent two months studying you so I can testify to all that I've seen. I've watched the birth of a new class of angel, one that's been a long time coming. I've seen the fledgling steps into maturity and I will live to see my replacement take his place at Gabriel's side as Gabriel's commander."

He sat up and drained the glass. "I haven't said I'll stay when the battle is over. Gabriel and I have a deal."

"There's no reason you have to be up there all the time. How do you feel?"

"My powers are all back."

"Not what I asked. Feel, as in your emotions or your physical sensations."

"I'm nervous, anxious, and hungry." He shook his head. "It's not possible. I should feel none of those things to the extent I do. They're almost…."

"Human?" She took the empty glass and set it down. "You're both now, you know. Half human and half angel, but in the best of ways. You were created for this. It's your end game. You've transformed, like -"

He recalled Moira's words. "A caterpillar into a butterfly."

"Exactly. Pretty long caterpillar stage, but you made it through. You're done. You were made to be everything I couldn't be and do the job I couldn't. Your transformation ushers in a new age in heaven."

"You think I was always going to become this?"

Her gaze was calm and reassuring. "Yes. I think, from the moment you were formed, that this was your path."

That idea made him a little uncomfortable, so he turned his attention to Dean and Jo. "What have you done to them?" Dean was sprawled on his back and Jo was against him, head on his chest and one arm across his stomach.

"Neither one would leave you. Nor would they sleep. They both began to get snappish, so I…made them sleep. Sam did approve the action. They're not harmed. They'll be waking up soon."

Castiel scooted up so he had room to swing his legs over the side of the bed. "Death's deadline is nearly here. How bad is it in heaven?"

"Raphael is amassing her army to attack. The library is dark, a section of the training grounds is almost dark, and part of human heaven is gone. The souls contained there were spilled back out onto earth when it went dark. It's affecting earth as well. A tsunami hit South America, there's torrential rain all across the west coast, and temperatures have risen twenty degrees higher than they should be."

"Can all of that be fixed by taking out Raphael?"

She sighed. "Well…. Maybe. The library is still there, as is the training ground, but the piece of human heaven is gone. It's not there anymore. The borders of human heaven contracted when the piece went dark and disappeared. All of those souls have to be found and brought back, but it's not as simple as it sounds. They were reaped once and sent on. It's not clear whether or not Death will allow the reapers to hunt them and send them on again or if angels have to retrieve them. It's a mess. The weather will settle down, but there are consequences." Nia stood and half turned away. "So, are you still seeing Gwen?"

"She's on a hunt."

"Again, not what I asked. You and Gabriel should get along perfectly. You're still seeing her?"

"Yes. She had something to attend to." Glancing up at her, he thought he saw a tiny smile on her lips and craned his neck to attempt to see better. "Nia?"

"Would you like to talk to Daphne? I should check in with Sam and Hezekiah and send someone to get Gabriel." She left before he could answer and Daphne was crossing her arms and facing him. "So…." She smiled. "You have questions?"

She was right. He did have questions. May as well get some answers while he could. "You called yourself a conduit, not a vessel?"

"Yes. It's different than being a vessel. I'm conscious the entire time and there's nothing painful about it. I understand that traditional vessels have a difficult time coping with the angelic essence. I have no such trouble. She told me I'm the last conduit that she's found, but that she thinks there are some in other areas of the earth. Most of those lines have died out. Since it was only her, the cupids weren't assigned to make sure the lines continued."

"Did you know what I was when you came to us?"

She bit her lip and looked down at the floor. "It didn't matter. When you got better, I thought maybe she was wrong. You were so sweet and kind. You never made me feel like I was stupid or naïve. I liked that, but you were what you were. Are. I hated that we had to leave, but Dean would have figured it out pretty fast. Jo almost did. So many times she was this," she held up thumb and forefinger about an inch part, "close. Nia always retreated then and let me do the tests."

"How much of the woman with us was you and how much was her?"

"It wasn't like that. I was fully me at all times. Present, hearing, seeing, talking. I was awake. She was in the background, yes, and sometimes she'd be in the front and me in the background, but it was always me. It's not like being a vessel, Castiel. She never inhabited my body like you did with your vessel. Yes, she was able to transport me with her, but it's different. If I got hurt, healing me was harder. It's not an ideal situation, but it is beneficial to us both. She gets to interact and I get to do things and see things I'd never have a chance otherwise. Like meeting all of you. Seeing you change into an even more beautiful being than you were. Your wings are…. They're so pretty."

"You professed affection for me."

"I still do, but I know you've moved on. I understand that. I accept it. We're on two different paths, Castiel, and they go opposite ways."

"You left your car."

"You needed one and Jo wouldn't have accepted it unless she thought I'd abandoned it."

"You're an amazingly generous woman."

"Thank you. I like sharing what I have. My parents call it stupidity and think I'm going to give away the fortune."

"If we win this fight, what happens to you?"

She shrugged. "Don't know. Fight isn't done yet. I assume, however, that if Nia is pardoned, she won't need me much at all. She'll return to heaven."

"You won't be out. It won't be the end, Daphne. Demons will find you to -"

Stepping close, she touched a hand to his cheek. "You're sweet to be concerned, but why would they want me? I'm the last conduit for an angelic class that is gone. I'm obsolete. They have no reason to figure out how I work. I'll be fine. I'll live my life and, if your friends are amenable, I'll give them little gifts now and then. They can use my cabin in the mountains to rest if they want."

"Daphne."

"What?"

"Demons don't always do what you expect them to. They may not see it the way you do."

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "I always am."

She really believed it and he saw that nothing he said would change that. He stood. "I need to see Gabriel."

The battle plans were in place. Castiel's plan had been approved and he understood now that Gabriel had deliberately given him a bad plan. Having watched him in the capacity of commander, Castiel knew that Michael had trained him and Gabriel had known just how to prod Castiel into action. Strangely, he wasn't bothered by it. It reminded him of Dean in a way.

He returned to earth and handed Hezekiah a small box, indicating Dean, Sam, and Jo with a hand. "Pass these out to them." It was time to see if Hezekiah really would follow him or not. Nia had assured him he would, but Castiel felt the need for a little test of that loyalty.

The angel opened the box, seemed to blanch, and closed it again. "No." Hezekiah shook his head.

"Naomi authorized it."

His jaw squared, intense dislike flitting through his eyes at Naomi's name. "I'm not standing by men who have the weapon to kill me. They dislike angels. How do I know they won't kill me anyway?"

Castiel nodded. He didn't enlighten him that Sam and Dean already did have angel knives. "I understand. You don't trust them."

"No, I don't. They're dangerous."

"Do you trust Nia?"

His frown was confused. "Of course."

"Gabriel?"

"Yes."

He glanced down, at Sam, Dean, and Jo, then back at Hezekiah. "Me?"

Hezekiah stared at him a long moment. "Yes, Castiel. I do trust you. Though it appeared to many that you betrayed and abandoned us, that perception was wrong. You were acting with your conscience and you were right to question your superiors on those issues. You've been a model for many of us. You showed us that we're not bound by our orders. We have a will and we can use it. We're individuals with individual personalities."

"I trust them. So do Gabriel and Nia. Can you not, by extension, trust them as well?"

He hesitated.

"They didn't kill Naomi either time they met her."

"Being in the same room with her is provocation. I once had the misfortune of being called into her office for a talk." Hezekiah drew himself up tall, relaxing his grip on the box of knives. "I suppose them not killing her does count for something. Many would enjoy killing Naomi." Setting the box down on the table, he opened it, brought out a knife and proffered it to Dean. He held it by the blade end so that the hilt was towards Dean. "For you."

Dean and Sam both opened their jackets, revealing the knives they already had.

With a small smile, Dean said, "We're good, thanks."

"You already have knives?" Hezekiah's brows rose.

"Guess you can trust us not to kill you," Sam told him, smiling a little.

Hezekiah sighed and started to put the knife back.

"Hold on." Jo reached for it. "They may have them, but I don't." She hefted the knife, flipped it a few times in a way Castiel had never gotten the hang of, and smiled. "Nice balance. Good design."

Closing the box, Hezekiah took a step closer to Jo. "May I have your promise, Jo Harvelle, that you won't stab me with that?"

"Uh-huh. Sure." Just when Castiel saw his shoulders relax, she added, "Unless you're working for Raphael. Then you're totally getting ganked."

"Nia will vouch for me."

Castiel chuckled. "Vouching means nothing. It's your actions that count."

Hezekiah's eyes went wide. "I see. I hope then that my actions, in the end, will prove me an ally."

The way he said it was odd, and Castiel stared at him, trying to find a hidden meaning in the words, but the angel appeared open and honest. "For your sake, I hope that as well. I'd hate for some sort of misunderstanding to get in the way."

"I'll do my job, Castiel."

Of course he would, but was it the same job they were doing? "Are we all ready?"

Dean gave him a 'thumbs up' and the rest nodded.

"This is the right thing," he said half to himself. There were many words he wanted to say in case the battle went wrong. "I…."

Dean held up a hand. "Cas. Dude." He pointed towards the sky. "Save the world, man. We've got your back down here."

With a nod, Castiel took flight and headed heavenward. His wings were strong and he felt strangely calm. He felt rather like he was exactly where he should be. Action was pushing the fear aside. Whatever the end of this coming battle, he was ready for it.