A/N: I do not own the characters from Supernatural, I do not make any kind of money off these tales as I am merely borrowing the guys and gals so please do not sue me. I do own the OC's that appear though. For all the readers out there following these stories by reading, reviewing and/or adding to their alerts and favorites: Your positive feedback is pure love to me! Please keep it coming!

The secret's out…

"Cas! Cas, get your angelic butt in here!" Dean shouted racing through the hallway towards the bathroom. Castiel rushed into the room collapsing beside Dean as his blue eyes went dark with shock and grief. He reached out touching Brooklyn's cut up arm seeing the large slash marks that crisscrossed her slender arm. Dean gathered a cloth and warm water and began tenderly cleaning the wet sticky blood off her skin.

"Dean, what happened?" The angel's voice was barely above a whisper. Dean continued cleaning the gashes as he answered his friend.

"Brooklyn decided to slice and dice her arm because she said she was paying for her deceit." His voice was flat and hollow. Tariel and Brady entered the room seeing Brooklyn slumped against the counter with blood covering her shirt and arm. Tariel raised a hand to her mouth in disbelief over what she was seeing. Why did her sister do this? Brady pressed his forehead against the doorframe afraid this would happen. He hit his fist against the wall angry he didn't stop her from taking off alone yet at the same time was thankful Dean had followed her and stopped her from doing any further harm to herself.

Castiel gently took the fresh water and cloth taking over for Dean as he went to change. He looked to his angel while his hands continued to clean and heal her wounds.

"Brook, why did you do this, my angel?" Castiel whispered seeing her unconsciously answer him.

"Sorry, Cas…"

"Sorry for what, Brook?" Castiel gently prodded the angel hoping at last she would divulge her secret to him.

"I betrayed you, my love…"

"How, Brook? What happened?" His eyes welling up as she began to confess.

"Aiden…" She whispered.

"What did he do to you?" Castiel fought to keep his emotions in check as he listened to her speak.

"Nothing, bad…Said he loved me and wanted to say goodbye." So Aiden was going to uphold his oath and stay away. But the angel sensed Brooklyn was holding back.

"What else happened, my angel? Please, tell me Brooklyn. Open your heart to me." He gently pleaded with the angel. Brooklyn slowly opened her grey eyes looking over at her angel. She reached out tracing her fingers along his jaw line. Castiel held her hand within his covering it with his other hand. Brooklyn couldn't stand it any longer; she had to tell her angel and accept the consequences.

"You will hate me, Cas. You will never want to see me again after what I have to say." Her voice cracked and strained as she broke down before him.

"Just tell me, Brook. Tell me what happened." Tears rapidly welled and fell down the angel's face as she started to confess.

"Aiden wanted to be with me one last time….And I gave myself to him." Brooklyn bolted out of the room sobbing loudly. Castiel sat there numb at her confession as he slowly closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. Tariel gathered her brother in her arms comforting him as the angel began to break down in her arms.

"Castiel, look at me." The angel looked up at his sister greeting her with red watery eyes. Tariel held her brother's face in her hands soothing his broken heart with her gentle words.

"Castiel, Brooklyn loves you so very much or she would not be in such anguish over this. I know you are hurting at this but don't abandon her. She's your soulmate and one truest love…No one said that being soulmates would be easy. But haven't you both found your way back to each other every time something has tried to rip you both apart?" Castiel could only sniffle as he nodded his head.

"She gave herself to Aiden, Tariel…." Tariel held up a hand silencing her brother.

"But just her body, Castiel, not her heart and not her soul for those always will be yours. I am distressed about what happened as well but is it worth losing her? Right now she is in there devastated at what she did to you. Please, Castiel, go talk to her…."

The angel rose and wiped away his tears as he took a deep breath. He headed towards their room hearing Brooklyn continue to cry. Her sobs grew louder until he reached the doorway seeing her curled up on their bed crying into a pillow.

"Why did I do that? Why?! I hurt someone I truly love; someone who protected and loved me unconditionally…." She choked between sobs unaware her angel was standing beside the bed hearing every word she uttered. He slowly reached over gently touching her hair.

"Brooklyn, look at me please?" Castiel pleaded sadly with her seeing her raise her head to look at him briefly.

"Why are you here, Cas? I don't deserve you. I lied to you and deceived you. If you don't want me anymore I'll understand…" She sadly said half expecting him to leave her. Castiel only lowered his body on the bed as he reached out pulling the sobbing seraph in his arms. Her pain so intense and so vivid it scared Castiel causing him to only hold her closer.

"Brook, I am never going to leave you for I love you so much I couldn't go on without you. It hurts, a lot, to know you slept with Aiden, Brooklyn. My heart hurts hearing your words but I refuse to let you go. We are going to survive this and come out stronger than ever. You are my life and soulmate, Brook and I am not going to let this destroy us." Brooklyn leaned deeper against her angel feeling unworthy of him. She wasn't sure of how Castiel would forgive her for this deep betrayal knowing this had put a deep crack in their relationship but she knew one thing. Castiel would do everything in his power to heal that rift between them.

Castiel looked down at the quiet angel gently brushing away a strand of loose hair. He could see the lacerations on her arm had already started healing quite nicely and would soon be gone. The angel knew he would forgive Brooklyn but the question was when would Brooklyn forgive herself? Pressing two fingers to her forehead, Castiel sent Brooklyn into a deep sleep. Adjusting her body on the bed to make her comfortable, Castiel rose to join the others in the living room.

Brady rushed the angel once he appeared in the living room. The young hunter noticed the angel's red watery eyes and the red blotches on his face and neck causing concern.

"I am fine, Brady, I am just very tired I suppose you could say…." Castiel mustered before taking a seat in the chair. Tariel knew better seeing her brother's face as she could read him like a book. He had been crying and was still reeling from what had happened. The angel had been praying ever since Brooklyn had confessed to her night with the Elder. Tariel had secretly begun to question what their Father's plans were for her sister and brother as they had been put through so much drama and angst ever since they had met. Dean saw her troubled expression and pulled Tariel tightly against him running his hand up and down her arm.

Dean was finding himself upset over the whole thing even though Brooklyn was no longer with him, it still didn't mean he wasn't affected by everything. He wanted to kill the Elder for sleeping with his friend. In his mind, the Elder seduced Brooklyn in a moment of weakness opening the door for him to fuck her one last time. He clenched his jaw feeling his anger surging within him.

"Dean, don't even think about going after Aiden as it is written all over your face. I will take care of the Elder in my own way." Castiel stared directly at Dean as the hunter felt the bright blue eyes burning into his soul as Tariel turned and ran a hand down his cheek and neck looking up at her hunter.

"Please, Dean, my brother can take care of this as he should. Brooklyn does not need any more heartache as she has inflicted enough pain upon her own being. We need to be there for her and support her while Castiel is away." Dean could never say no to those gentle hazel orbs as he tilted his head down to meet her pleading gaze. He cracked a small smile and nodded his head.

"Alright, we do things, Cas's way then. I will take the first watch over her and then Brady followed by you, Tariel. You angels were always a stubborn bunch." Tariel wrapped her arms around Dean as he reciprocated the gesture adding a kiss to her forehead.

"I will go check on Brooklyn before I leave to find Aiden." Castiel's back and knees cracked when rose and left towards the bedroom.

"Cas is getting old" Dean chuckled earning a small punch to the arm courtesy of Tariel. "What?" He feigned surprise and hurt as Tariel merely narrowed her eyes in a playful manner.

"She's gone!" Castiel charged through the hallway towards the group. His eyes were wild and panicked as his breath was sharp and gasping. "Brook's gone!"

"What do you mean she's gone, Cas? Wasn't she asleep when you left her?" Brady asked not allowing panic to rush in. The angel nodded his head wildly.

"Yes, she was asleep but now she is gone!" Tariel took Castiel's hands as she channeled a calming energy into the panicked angel seeing him begin to slightly relax.

"Castiel, did she leave anything behind, like a letter or note?" Tariel gently asked her brother.

"I do not know, I did not check. I was so upset to find her gone…" The angel turned to Brady as the hunter was two steps ahead of her already headed down the hall. Brady scanned the room looking for anything that may resemble a letter. Looking around the bed, he found what he was looking for. There on the pillow was an envelope with Castiel's name written on it. Brady retrieved it hurrying back down the hall.

"Found something. Cas, she left this for you." Shaky hands reached out to take the envelope and rip it open. Castiel sat back as he read Brooklyn's words.

My Castiel,

I have decided to leave for a while to clear my heart and mind. I know that you will forgive me much easier for this than I will forgive myself which is why I have taken absence. Please do not try to find me as I will only vanish. Please, my angel, respect my wish and know that I will return to you when I have allowed forgiveness upon myself.

Brooklyn

Castiel sat there clutching her letter to his chest as his body was racked with sobs. Dean felt his own anger rising within him. What kind of god would allow this shit?! Brooklyn and Cas have been through so much pain and heartache only to face more of the same old bull? Unable to see the angel before him continue to be in pain, Dean stormed out of the house with fists balled tight on his sides. Tariel hurried after him afraid of what he would do to himself.

Brady sat beside the weeping seraph putting a warm hand on his shoulder. Castiel looked up seeing gentle dark eyes looking back at him.

"Cas, maybe you should go find her. She may threaten to leave if you do, but I know her and she won't leave if you find her. She is just really upset over what happened. She let her guard down in a moment of vulnerability. She's not perfect, Cas, she does make mistakes for after all she was once human. So get up and off your angelic ass and go find her!"

With a rush of air and the ruffle of feathers, the angel was gone.

The waves gently lapped against Brooklyn's feet as she walked along the shore. She hated leaving her angel like that but she needed time to sort out the different emotions fighting within her. Her mind flashed back to when she was with Aiden one last time. She left herself open and exposed to the Elder but she was the one who made that first move. He had been hesitant and weary initially but she pushed him into it; pushed him to lay with her. But he could have just as easily walked away yet he didn't and instead accepted her "invitation". She was not about to deny the sex was pretty hot but she had also come to a stark realization that night. A part of her had fallen for the Elder during the whole ordeal but perhaps it was well before that; perhaps it was when they first met all those months ago.

Brooklyn wanted to kick her own ass for falling for the Elder, albeit it was a small part, but it didn't matter. Brooklyn had devoted her heart and soul to Castiel as he had with her except he didn't sleep with a vampire of his own free will. She could only pray that he was not upset with her and understood why she needed to take this leave away from everyone.

Sighing deeply, the angel seated herself on the soft black sand hugging her knees and closing her eyes as she thought of her angel. She tried to reach deep within her own angelic psyche trying to forgive herself for laying with Aiden but couldn't, at least not now. Fixated on the crashing waves, Brooklyn let her mind wander unaware she was being watched.

"I am so sorry, Cas, for hurting you like this. You are my life and I almost lost it. I only hope you understand as to why I am here alone. Maybe I should just be alone for all eternity…."

"You should never be alone, Brook…" Brooklyn stood and spun around to find Castiel standing before her. His soft blue eyes matched the color of the Pacific making Brooklyn feel more horrid than she already was.

"What are you doing, here, Cas? Didn't you read my letter?" Brooklyn whispered. Castiel nodded as he saw the angst within her and expressed on her face making him reach out to her that much more.

"Then what are you doing here? I don't want you to see me like this, being in so much angst and pain. I am so confused and unsure of what to say or feel anymore! I hurt you, Cas; I willingly gave myself to another. Aren't you angry with me? I know I would be furious with myself if I was in your shoes…." Her voice strained and becoming high pitched the more she spoke as her emotions took over revealing themselves to Castiel.

The angel tilted his head at his shaking angel pulling her within his arms feeling her sobbing into his shoulder. Castiel slowly closed his eyes as he stroked her coppery tresses. The remained locked within one another's arms until Castiel leaned back to look down into her dull grey eyes.

"Brook, listen to me, please? I want to make a few things clear, so I beg you to hear me out. It hurts, yes, to know that you gave yourself to Aiden and it will heal as all wounds do, with time and love. But it is hurting me more to see you so full of self hatred and anger. Can't you see that this is destroying you? Brook, you must forgive yourself and let go of the grief you feel. I am not asking you to forgive yourself over night, but to at least begin the healing process. Let me help you. I love you so much, Brooklyn, and I want you to get better. We can work this out and you know it. Please come home? Everyone is worried about you."

Castiel took Brooklyn's hands within hers kissing each one. A small smile crept up along the angel's lips as she found herself nodding her head at her angel.

"Take me home, Cas. I don't want to hurt anymore." Brooklyn said feeling exhausted from all of the mental and physical pain and anguish. Castiel eagerly wrapped his arms around her waist holding her tight as they vanished in a rush of air and feathers.

Brady, Dean and Tariel had gathered at the kitchen table sharing a pot of coffee as a quiet voice broke the deafening silence.

"Anybody home?" The trio rushed towards the sound of the melodic voice finding Brooklyn standing before them with a small smile etched on her face.

"Um, hi, everyone?" She said weakly as Brady rushed towards his best friend picking her up and swinging her around. Brooklyn felt the air rushing from her as the hunter kept her tightly locked within his embrace.

"Sun Devil, if you ever up and leave like that again, I am going to personally hunt you down and then drag you back even if it means hog tying you!" Brady released her pressing his forehead against hers.

"I get it, Brady. I promise I won't run away again unless I have a good reason." Brooklyn sighed as Tariel embraced her sister.

"Tariel, I am so sorry about what I've done. I'll understand if you wish not to forgive me…"

"Hush, Brooklyn, don't you dare even think that. You should know by now that angels are very forgiving as we are all made of God's love allowing us to forgive our charges and brethren much easier. It is you who must forgive yourself to be truly forgiven. Look within yourself." Brooklyn nodded knowing what Tariel meant. She had to reach deep within herself to find the strength to forgive.

Dean slowly walked up to his friend reaching out to embrace her. She let the hunter hold her for a brief moment before pulling away still feeling conflicted and confused. Dean looked down at her confused as to why she was so tense in his welcoming arms.

"Brook, are you okay?" Castiel asked seeing her react to Dean's touch. Brooklyn merely nodded before turning towards her room but stopped mid-turn to face Dean. She hesitated for a moment before running back over to hug her old friend.

"I'm sorry, Dean. I didn't mean to be cold like that." The tears welled up in her eyes as she pulled back from the hunter. Dean's emerald eyes looked down at her with a soft hint to them.

"It's okay, Brook, I'm just glad you're back where you should be, with Cas." Brooklyn allowed a small smile to creep up before heading towards her room. Dean looked back at Castiel with an eyebrow arched.

Castiel merely looked back with the same lost look in his eyes before taking his leave. Dean and Tariel merely looked at one another before heading back to the hotel they were staying at. Taking her hand in his Dean whispered in her ear "Come on let's leave the two lovebirds alone to talk."

Tariel rolled her eyes at hunter as they stepped out the door. Brady decided to take his cue from the pair and went to his own corner of the house noticing the soft glow of the light coming from beneath the door of Castiel and Brooklyn's room. He could only hope that Brooklyn would eventually absolve herself as he retired for the night.

Alright everyone one more chap and this will wrap up this little drama! I want to thank everyone out there for reading and reviewing this story as my inner muse functions better with all the love that reviews and feedback!