Castiel tensed when he heard the locks of his prison door turning. His burly guard rose to his feet and backed away from the door as it swung open. The bare bulb overhead flicked on, and another demon stepped through the door.

"Ah, Castiel," the demon purred. She prowled across the small cell to stand in front of the bound angel. "It's been so long. Do you still remember me?"

Castiel summoned the strength to glare at her. "Marax," he growled.

She smiled, a feral baring of teeth, and placed a hand over her chest. "Oh, he does remember me. I must have made quite the impression." Marax took a step closer, her eyes darting across Castiel's many wounds. Her smile grew. "I see you've been tenderized in preparation. Good."

Before Castiel could brace himself, her hand darted out and twisted the spike in his side. He couldn't stop the low cry that escaped his lips before gritting his teeth. Marax ran her wet, red tongue over her lower lip, enjoying his pain.

"We have to save you for later," she said with a note of regret. "But there's no harm in working up an appetite." She snapped her fingers, and the guard demon lumbered out of the cell, only to return a moment later with a covered tray. He set it on the stool and left again, swinging the door shut. Marax pulled the cloth from the tray with a flourish. She carefully chose her tool: a wicked-looking metal hook with a razor point.

Castiel forced his face to remain impassive despite the crawling feeling in his gut. He leaned as far away from the demon as the chains and the wall allowed, his breath coming in fast, shallow gasps. Marax stared at him from the corner of her eyes that were suddenly inky-black.

"After all," she continued throatily. "Your sister will need to know where to find you." She stepped toward the angel, raising the hook menacingly. "Let's get started."

XxxXxxX

"...Police investigation led them to the home of Eddie Kruger, who was found in his basement, dead from apparent blunt force trauma. There is still no sign of Congressman Graves' daughter..."

The news anchor continued to drone on in the background of the bar, ignored by the three figures huddled in one corner. Dean and Sam positioned themselves to block the girl from the view of the other patrons. She was hunched over, elbows on knees and fingers pressed to temples, rocking back and forth with her eyes screwed tightly shut. A map of Detroit was spread out on the table in front of them.

"Dude, what are we even doing here?" Sam hissed at his brother.

"She lost the trail somewhere around here," Dean growled. "She needed a place to recuperate."

"And you picked a bar?" Sam demanded.

"It was closest. Shut up."

The girl's eyes flew open and she fixed her gaze on Sam without taking her hands down. "Sam. Did you find anything?"

He shook his head. "No. There's no demonic sings anywhere in the area. They're covering their tracks pretty well."

Amitiel frowned. "I don't understand. I would think they would attempt to lure me into some sort of trap."

"That would make sense," Sam agreed. "I mean, after all, they need you, too."

The angel straightened, a frown still creasing her brow. She raked her gaze over the map of the city. "He is somewhere nearby, I can feel it. But his presence is blurred, unfocused." She shook her head with a quiet growl. "Before I fell I knew the exact location of every one of my brothers and sisters. Now I cannot even find the one I love most."

Dean looked like he wanted to comment on that, but Sam dug his elbow into Dean's ribs with a forbidding expression. Amitiel circled an area on the map with her finger. "This is the area we must search. It will be underground, dark. Probably abandoned by humans."

Sam leaned forward. "That's about three miles square. It'll take us hours."

"We'll have to split up," Dean decided. "Sam, you take the north half and Ami and I'll take the southern half."

The taller Winchester nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But call me before you do anything stupid." The three of them got to their feet and headed for the door, Sam still attempting to shield Amitiel from view. The angel suddenly stiffened, her eyes widening as her expression froze.

"Amitiel?" Sam asked, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Ami, what is it?"

"Castiel," she gasped. "Oh, my brother. What are they doing to you?"

"Ami!" Sam said sharply, giving her a little shake. "What's going on?"

She swayed and grabbed Sam's jacket to steady herself. "Pain," she whispered brokenly. "Pain...they're torturing him!"

"Are you sure?" Dean demanded, grabbing her elbow and maneuvering her towards the door.

"Pain sharpens...the presence," Amitiel struggled to speak. "They're hurting him...to lead me to him... We...have to hurry."

They made it to the street and Amitiel seemed to regain her balance. Her head snapped around to the right. "This way," she said, and took off at a run. Sam and Dean ran after her, Sam catching her first.

"Ami, wait," he called, grabbing her arm. "We can't just run into this blind. We need a plan."

She slowed but didn't stop. "Talk quickly," she ordered. Sam cast a glance at Dean.

"All right. I have an idea."

XxxXxxX

Jimmy woke up screaming. Castiel had done his best to shield his host, but the weaker he became, the less control he had over his vessel. He gave a choked cry as Marax tore the hook free from his flesh and stepped back, a smug expression on her face. Castiel hung limp against the chains, fighting for each breath. He choked again and coughed, trying to clear the blood that clogged his throat. It dripped over his lower lip and ran down his chin.

Jimmy was still screaming, in a complete panic. The pain was bad for Castiel; it must be excruciating for the human. Castiel expended a tiny amount of his Grace to try to block some of the pain. "Jimmy. Jimmy. It's all right. I am here."

Castiel? Oh, my God, Castiel, what the hell is going on?

Castiel coughed again, bringing up more blood. "I fear I have been captured."

Jimmy was silent for a couple of heartbeats. It hurts, he finally said. God, we're being tortured!

Castiel didn't reply as he fought to gather a bit more Grace to shield Jimmy, but the spike still in his side made it next to impossible to access his power. Marax fingered her implements lovingly, picking up first one and then another as she tried to decide which one to use next. "Jimmy, I need you to remain calm."

Calm? Calm? How the hell am I supposed to be calm?

Each breath brought more blood into Castiel's mouth. Marax settled on something that vaguely resembled a corkscrew and approached Castiel again. He shut his eyes so Jimmy wouldn't see it coming. He couldn't, however, contain the groan as he felt the object pierce his skin. He clenched his jaw in order to contain any further noise.

"I cannot retain control while you are panicking," he told Jimmy, trying to focus on his host in order to keep his mind from the pain. "I need you to help me remain strong. Dean and Sam will come for us. Until then we must stay strong. I need your help, Jimmy."

That shocked Jimmy into silence again. I...I'll try.

"Thank you," Castiel murmured, not realizing he said it out loud until he felt Marax pause.

"What's that, angel?" she asked with a smirk in her voice. Castiel opened his eyes. "Are you enjoying this?" the demon went on. "Why, you kinky son of a bitch."

"Go to hell," he rasped. Marax leered at him.

"Not the first time I've heard that, angelcakes," she said. With a twist of her wrist, she drove the screw in further. Castiel gasped and then choked.

Cas? Jimmy's voice was uncertain, tremulous. Cas, I'm here. We're gonna be okay, right?

"Yes," Castiel grunted. "We will be. We must be."

Jimmy suddenly surged to the forefront, taking the brunt of the pain. Castiel hissed in surprise as he was unceremoniously shoved to the back of Jimmy's mind. He had no idea his host could do that.

You're weak, Jimmy said, straining with effort. It's my turn.

"Jimmy..." Castiel tried to argue, but his host wasn't listening. He was thinking steadfastly of Claire. Castiel remembered Claire. He remembered her incredible bravery, her willingness to do anything, anything at all, to save her parents. He had been with her only moments, but he would forever care for her. Understanding what Jimmy was trying to do, Castiel poured his memories of his host's daughter into Jimmy's mind to help distract them both from the pain. Jimmy clung to them like a lifeline.

A fist pounded heavily on the metal door and Marax ceased her activities with an annoyed look on her face. With a growl, she flung the bloody corkscrew onto the tray and stalked out of the cell. Jimmy/Castiel went limp with relief.

Oh, thank God, Jimmy gasped.

"Something is happening," Castiel said, straining to hear beyond the metal door.

D'you think...Sam and Dean? Jimmy asked hopefully.

"Perhaps. I hope they know it's a trap." Castiel nudged Jimmy until the human receded, allowing Castiel to again take control. By now they were sharing the pain from their injuries equally, leaning against each other for support. Castiel extended his senses as far as the spike would allow.

He heard a distant sound that might have been a gunshot, followed by a sharp scream cut short. Then the rusted pipes of the sprinkler system overhead wheezed, groaned, and began spraying water. As it washed over Castiel, trickling through his hair and soaking into his clothes, he knew it was holy water.

More screams came from the other side of the door. Jimmy was becoming frantic. What's going on? he demanded. What the hell is happening out there?

"I don't know," Castiel replied. The locks turned and the door slammed open. The light from the outside cast the figure standing there in dark shadow, but the shape of wings rising from the shoulders were unmistakable.

"Amitiel," Castiel breathed.

She hurried to his side, reaching up for the manacles around his wrists. She easily forced them open and caught Castiel as he collapsed into her arms, easing them both to the ground. She ran her hands over his hair and then down his side, freezing when she felt the end of the spike.

"Brace yourself," she warned, and then grasped the end of it. She pulled it out in a quick, smooth movement, but that didn't stop it from hurting.

Son of a bitch! Jimmy yelled in Castiel's head. Castiel grunted in reply. Amitiel tried to haul her brother to his feet.

"We don't have much time. Dean and Sam are distracting the demons. We have to leave, now." She maneuvered herself under one of Castiel's arms and staggered to her feet, dragging him up with her. He couldn't seem to get his legs to work, forced to put most of his weight on his sister.

"How..." Castiel began, and then coughed, spraying the side of Amitiel's face with droplets of blood. "How did you get past the guards?"

"They simply walked up to the front door," Amitiel replied. "I came in through the back."

She half-carried, half-dragged him out of the cell and Castiel discovered they were in some sort of factory, long ago abandoned. The sounds of battle were closer now, and louder. Castiel could hear Dean's and Sam's voices rising above the clamor.

Amitiel headed in the opposite direction as the struggle, keeping to the shadows as she led the other angel through the building. Jimmy kept up a stream of encouragement, babbling in panic and relief. Castiel focused on his voice.

Castiel could see the exterior door when Amitiel swore under her breath in Enochian. He swung his head around to find the source of her ire. Marax stood between them and freedom, a black chain swinging from one hand.

"Oh, you thought it was going to be that easy, did you?" she taunted, stepping closer. "You just played right into my hands. Now I have both of you and soon my master will walk free."

Amitiel leaned her head sideways until it rested against Castiel's. "Brother, on my signal," she whispered in Enochian. He felt her wings, torn and broken, stretch to their fullest span. He strained to open his own wings, thankfully untouched by Marax's tortures.

The demon prowled closer, whirring the chain through the air. Her expression was triumphant. Amitiel edged backwards, nearly causing Castiel to stumble. Marax came closer, even closer, until the chain whipped only inches from the two angels.

"Now!" Amitiel yelled, and they both swept their wings down as hard as they could.

They landed in the backseat of the Impala, a heap of wings and limbs and bloody clothing. Castiel tried to move, tried to disentangle himself from his sister, but he found himself unable to control his vessel. Amitiel lay absolutely still, her eyes closed and her breath coming in shallow flutters. She had expended too much of her injured Grace.

How long they lay there, Castiel had no idea, but he was grateful for the silence, the lack of pain, and the feeling of safety, however ephemeral it may have been. Jimmy had slid back into unconsciousness, leaving Castiel strangely lonely.

The driver's side door was yanked open and Castiel tensed. But it was only Dean, who flung himself into the car and cranked the ignition. Sam tumbled int a moment later, and Dean mashed the gas before Sam had even closed the door. Sam twisted to check on the angels in the back seat.

"Cas, you okay?" he demanded.

"Not really," Castiel replied, and surrendered to the darkness.

XxxXxxX

They chose the motel solely on the basis of its proximity. Dean came back from paying for a room, thankful for the cover of darkness when he reached the Impala. He swung open the back door and peered in at the angels. Castiel and Amitiel were still curled up together, Amitiel gripping double fistfuls of Cas' bloody shirt. He sighed. "I got Cas, man," he told Sam. "You bring Ami in."

They carefully disentangled the two, and Castiel roused himself enough to get unsteadily to his feet, leaning heavily on Dean as they staggered into the motel room. Dean eased Castiel down on one bed as Sam gently lay Amitiel on the other. She didn't react, laying as limp and flaccid as only someone truly comatose could achieve.

Castiel didn't protest when Dean began undoing his shirt, carefully sliding his arms out of the blood-caked material. "Damn," Dean breathed when he saw the hole in Castiel's side. It had stopped bleeding almost as soon as the spike was removed, allowing Castiel's angelic healing to begin, but it was still deep and open. Dean pressed his fingertip against the injury and waited for Castiel to draw in a breath.

"It's not sucking," he told Sam with relief. "Get me some bandages and water. We gotta patch him up fast."

Dean had to cut the t-shirt away from Castiel's chest. The angel watched with blank eyes as Dean carefully sponged the blood away from his abdomen. Dean cursed under his breath, a constant stream of blasphemy as Castiel's multiple wounds became apparent.

"I'm gonna find the son of a bitch and rip his lungs out!" Dean growled angrily. "He is dead. So dead."

Castiel only blinked, finding words too difficult. Sam came over from checking on Amitiel, carrying handfuls of bandages, tape, and gauze.

"This is all we have," he told Dean, setting it on the bed beside Castiel. Dean looked it over with a critical eye.

"We're gonna need more."

Sam was reaching for the keys when the door burst open and police officers poured into the room.

XXXXX

A/N: For anyone who cares, I have cast AnnaSophia Robb as Amitiel and Eliza Dushku as Marax.