Oddly enough, Castiel was the first up the next morning. He had already started making pancakes, in which the smell, woke up Dean second. Dean sat up, "Those smell good, bro."

"Don't they?" Cas grinned, "It's a recipe I learned from one of my brothers."

Dean raised an eyebrow, drowsily climbing out of bed, and still in his pajama's, he asked, "So did you have somewhat of a childhood with brothers and sisters?"

"Yes," Cas sighed flipping the pancakes on the pan, "I got beaten up by a lot of them for wanting to be an 'Individual'. That's why I was so stuck up when you met me. I tried not to be an individual for the rest of my life so I'd be normal like my brothers and sisters." He glanced at Meg fast asleep on the couch and down at his chocolate chip pancakes, "I didn't turn out as such."

Dean stretched when he stood up and trotted over, slapping his friend on the back, "Come on you're awesome. It's better than being some dick angel right?"

Cas nodded, "Of course. This is the life I wanted since I was a little angel."
Dean smirked, "I can just imagine you in a little diaper with a bow an arrow like baby cupid. It's adorab-"

Cas whacked him with his spatula, "Shut up." He couldn't maintain a serious face. Dean chuckled and walked to the bathroom to freshen up and change into his regular clothes. He could hear Cas setting the table. When he was finished Dean walked out sliding his button up plaid shirt on, "Do we have any banana's?"

"I'll look. You wake up the others."

Dean noddes and grabbed Sam by his hair, "Wakey wakey."

He walked over to Meg and did the same. She hissed at him unlike Sam who rolled his eyes and nearly fell off the side of his bed. Once Meg and Sam were dressed the group of four sat around the small wooden table. When no one spoke Dean decided to fill the awkward silence, "So Cas, which brother taught you how to make these?"

Cas smirked, "You'd be ashamed of me if I told you."

"Spill it," Meg said with a smile as she shoved a slice of chocolate chip pancake in her mouth. Cas gave Sam and Dean a look then whispered, "Gabriel."

Sam laughed, "Come on Cas, that's not so bad."

Dean raised an eyebrow, "Why did he teach you a secret recipe of good chocolate chip pancakes. You're angels you should be saving people, hunting things, the angel business."

Cas gave him a look, "You're hunters. But did you not do brotherly things when you were younger?"

"Point made." Sam agreed with a small smile.

Cas sighed, "Since I wasn't exactly the most popular new angel in heaven, Uriel and Gabriel felt like they needed to spend time with me."

"Uriel was kind to you?" Dean asked surprised.

"Who's Uriel?" Meg asked. Dean and Sam exchanged looks, "Uriel was a dick angel who treated Cas like a dog." Dean replied.

Cas sighed, "He wasn't always like that. He changed somewhere along the line...I was too loyal to him to let him go that easy. All things have changed now. I never thought walking in the barn to meet the boy I saved from hell would end me up here."

Dean laughed, "Remember when I tried shooting you? I had no idea! You didn't even flinch."

Sam chuckled, "No offense Cas, but we didn't exactly like you at first. You grew up like one of the dick angels."

"No offense taken," Cas started, "You're absolutely right. Thanks to you guys. I'm right where I'm suppos-"

A knock at the door interrupted the former angel. Sam gave his brother a look. Dean nodded and felt for the gun in his pocket as he slowly approached the hotel door. He looked through the eyehole. "Meg," he whispered, "Get the angel bl-"

"I can hear you Dean." a womans voice said.

Sam's eyes widened, "Is that...Ariel!?"

"Yes Sam." Ariel said from behind the door.

She suddenly appeared in the room, "I thought it would be less of a shock to knock but now it's just awkward. She ripped the necklace from her neck and threw it to Cas and said reluctantly, "It's yours."

"It's not that easy." Dean said in a steady voice.

"Apparantley it is." Ariel said with a sigh, "Metatron told me that you three are no longer a threat so he told me to give Castiel his grace back."

Sam stood up, "How are we supposed to trust you."

Ariel started laughing, "Oh my god? Does it look like I give a shit if you do or don't? Just do something with the grace. I don't care what you do with it."

With a snap of her fingers she was gone. Dean growled at the air then gave a look of sympathy to Cas, "Hey should we trust her?"

Sam sighed, "She did seem pretty sincere."

"That bitch had no problem with hurting him though, "Meg started, "who's to say she didn't rig it."

"Let's not jump to comclusions." Sam said.

Dean glanced at the group, "I think it should be Cas' idea. Cas?"

"Hmm..." he mumbled as he stared at his grace.

Dean raised an eyebrow, "What do you want to do?"

Cas glanced at his pancakes. He then glanced at the groups, "I don't want to be an angel again, but...but..."

Sam smiled, "Then chuck it."

Cas frowned, "It's not that easy. I can't just chuck something that's been a part of me my whole life."

Dean smirked, "Cas, part of life is letting go of the things you love. Either way, we'll all support your choice."

"Thank you, Dean." Cas whispered, "Do you mind if I go outside and think about this alone?"

Meg stood up, "Do you want me to come with you?"

He shook his head, "No you stay with the winchesters. I'll be only a moment presume." He walked outside and shut the door and escaped the brothers sight."

"I don't particularily want him as an angel again do you?" Sam asked. Dean shook his head, "Neither do I. It's his choice, though"

Cas paced in front of the motel door. He grasped his grace firmly as different individual thoughts burst into his head. What did he want to do? What would be the consequences of each choice? Should he stop overanalyzing. Stop it's going to give you a hernia! Cas grasped his forehead with his free hand, "What do I do?" He asked himself.

There was a flutter of angel wings. Cas didn't want to look up. He somehow knew who it was going to be, "Metatron." he muttered.

Metatron smirked, "I heard you were desperate. Why do you think I gave you your grace back? I may have told Ariel that I didn't care anymore but why do you think you have it in your hands now?"

"Because you are preparing a fight," Cas whispered, "And you need a challenge."

"Wrong." Metatron said tauntingly. Cas was confused, "What?"
Metatron stepped closer to him, "I want you to fly up to heaven and open the gates for me. I can't do it on my own. I need help."

Cas smirked, "Why would I help you?"

"Because I can snap the winchesters necks with a snap of my fingers and send your pretty little girlfriend back to hell with just a few words."

Cas felt a lump in his throat and he looked down at his grace.

Dean paced around the motel room, "He's taking to long."

"Dean, this a tough decision. Give him time." Sam said. Dean rolled his eyes, "I just want to check on him okay?" He stormed off to the door and opened it. His eyes widened as he ran out the doorway. Sam raised an eyebrow, "Dean what's wrong?"

He followed his brother outside and was just as surprised as to what he saw. Meg followed and screamed, "Cas!"

There on the sidewalk was an empty bottle rolling around as if it had just been dropped.