"Dean, they found Jo!" shouted Sam as he raced into the house, slamming the front door behind him.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" Dean asked, quickly putting his shoes on.

"I don't know how she is, just that she's alive. I saw Charlie outside, and she said Anna or Michael or one of the angels found her outside the compound and that she'd being held in the city hall."

Dean rose. "Let's go."

I grabbed his shoulder, squeezing tight enough that he shuddered, "Hold on, both of you. It is unlikely that you will be allowed to see her now."

Dean grabbed my hand on is shoulder and leaned in, saying, "Jo's family. We help her – end of story."

I nodded, and we left for city hall.

Inside the old, brick building we found Ellen and Uriel outside, trying to get inside. "They won't let us in," said Ellen, the frantic look in her eyes belying her calm tone. "Uriel is trying to find someone to listen. I need to see if Jo's all right."

I patted her arm twice. "We don't know what has happened to Jo. They need to find that out first before anyone can see her. Also, they need to find out if she knows anything. But fear not, they will make sure she is safe and well."

"But questions will come first, right?" asked Dean in my ear, as to not upset Ellen.

"They would not let her suffer."

"You wouldn't," he mumbled, "I dunno about the rest of them."

Finally, Uriel got us inside, and we headed into the main hall. There was Jo sitting on a chair, looking haggard, but uninjured. Ellen ran up and began simultaneously hugging and scolding her daughter. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel were standing nearby. Though we couldn't hear what they were saying, Gabriel was gesturing animatedly, while Michael and Raphael were standing more placidly. The expressions on all of their faces were stern and angry.

Anna arrived next, but instead of going to her charge, she stood by the Voice of the Lord, Metatron and his human companion, Rufus, a hunter friend of Bobby's who visited often and drank beer. I wondered what Metatron was doing here. He usually only came when…

When there was there was punishment to be given.

I yanked Balthazar aside. "What is Metatron doing here?"

"What do you think, Castiel?" Though the words were harsh, his voice was concerned.

"This cannot happen," I said firmly.

"Who are we to decide?" Balthazar asked, but backtracked quickly. "All right, all right, Castiel. You needn't glare like that – it almost hurts. Wouldn't want the humans to be sad, would we? Look, I don't know why that fool girl ran off, but I don't know what Michael and Raphael are going to do to her. Gabriel's obviously on our—on the humans' side." He mumbled something about "going native," but I ignored him.

Dean, Sam, and Bobby pushed their way into our conversation. "I don't like that look on your face, Cas," Dean hissed, keeping his voice low so the others in the room wouldn't hear. Of course, it didn't matter in the case of the archangels, but it was kind for Ellen and Jo.

Balthazar explained, "That stiff looking fellow over there by Bobby's drinking buddy – that's Metatron. He's the enforcer, shall we say? He doles out all those nasty punishment for bad little angels. Now it looks like he'll be doing his work on your dear girl, Jo."

"Figured it was something like that," muttered Bobby.

"What are we going to do?" asked Sam.

"There's not much we can do," explained Balthazar. "Whatever the big bosses decide goes. Looks like it's two to one right now, favor them."

"What about Anna?" Sam wondered. "Does she have any say."

"Not much," I said.

"Not like it seems like that bitch give a rip right now," Dean said snidely.

"She is very angry at Jo," I said, "but Jo is still her charge to protect no matter what she does. Perhaps I should speak with Anna."

Balthazar nodded. "I'll keep an eye on everything else." As I turned to leave, he grabbed my arm and hissed in my ear, "If things look like they're not going to go well for the girl, get Dean and Sam, if you can, and get them out of here. Michael will not like it if they cause any of their usual trouble."

Anna refused to make eye contact with me, but I was not deterred. "Jo is your charge, given to you for protection from God, Himself. You lost her before, do not fail her now." Anna only shrugged. "I does not matter what the archangels decided, you need to speak for her and stand beside her not matter what happens."

"I do not have to do anything," she hissed, finally looking at me. "You have no idea – she has been nothing but a thorn in my side since they day Rachel handed her chains to me."

"Yes, Anna, 'to you.' She is yours, and you were supposed to keep her safe. I know you did everything you could to find her before. Perhaps, you were never meant to be friends, but you still have a job to do. If you fail now, you will never forgive yourself."

After a moment, Anna asked, her eyes sad, "What about you, Castiel? Would you forgive me? You have always been the gentlest of us all."

"Anna, you have done nothing against me. But forsake her now, and you will never be able to change that."

It took her several more minutes of silence and thinking, before Anna squared her shoulders and walked over to Jo, Ellen, and Uriel. Giving the blonde girl an unreadable look, she stood behind the girl, putting a protective hand on her shoulder.

Michael was finishing giving his sentence, "Due to her disobedience and choice to put others in danger, Jo will first be given thirty lashes." Ellen's angry gasped made him pause. "As her guardian, Anna may take half of the punishment on herself if she chooses."

Anna stepped forward, "I will take half. I would like to formally request another ten on her behalf."

Gabriel interjected, "Granted."

Michael frowned, but did not argue. "Second, since we cannot banish her, Jo will remain in confinement in a cell in the police station jail. Anna will be the only one allowed to visit."

Ellen shouted something, but I could not hear it over the ruckus the boys were putting up. I looked at the archangels, keeping a firm hand on Dean's shoulder. Gabriel's face was pained, Raphael was furious, but Michael had the slightest smile on his face. How he loved to punish others. Jo would not be the only one punished today, if they kept this up.

I turned to Balthazar. "Get the three of them out of here, now." Balthazar nodded. I turned to Uriel and Ellen, but they were already gone, only the echo of her curse remained. I hoped they would forgive us later.

I stepped forward, more furious than I could ever remember being. I did not wait for permission. "Michael, do you truly think this punishment is just? The girl was scared and angry and ran away. She neither hurt nor betrayed anyone. There is absolutely no reason her punishment needs to go on after today. Certainly she suffered enough out there."

Gabriel said, "I agree with Castiel. There must be some compromise. Obviously, we must ensure that she can never escape again, but locking her up forever cannot be the only answer. Perhaps, that human, Ash, may have some technological method of keeping her under control."

Presented with this logic, Michael had to acquiesce. Raphael nodded, now looking bored that the excitement was over.

Feeling that I should not press my point, I went on to my second. "And the lashes."

"What of them?" snapped Michael.

"They are cruel."

"They, are a bit medieval, aren't they, Mike?" Gabriel was obviously feeling more relieved now that his obnoxious sense of humor was back.

Michael's annoyed face was fearsome. "Our Lord God Himself suffered the lash. Surely this girl can as well, especially since Anna has taken over half of them."

I frowned, "I do not believe that was supposed to be an example to follow. Did He not suffer for their sins, so they would be spared?"

Michael blinked. Then he said roughly, "I did not come here to argue theology with upstart angels. This child needs to be punished, and she shall be. If not the lash, what?"

"Make her write lines," suggested Gabriel drolly.

"What are lines?" snapped Michael.

"You make her write something like, 'It is very bad to run away from Anna and I'll never do it again and Gabriel is awesome,' life fifty times. It's so boring, she'll learn her lesson."

"That might work," said Michael thoughtfully. "She should write, 'It is very wicked to be disobedient and run away. Instead I should be grateful for my many blessings.'"

"…'and Gabriel is awesome.'"

"…'and Gabriel—' no, she is not to write that last bit. And she is to write it one thousand times." Michael finished, looking very pleased with himself.

I sneaked a look at Jo and Anna. Jo seemed very bewildered, while Anna looked resigned.

"Well, I'm glad that's settled, dear brothers," Gabriel said, throwing his arms around Michael and Raphael. As he led them out of the room, I heard his voice in my head, "I've told Balthazar and Uriel everything's fine, but you'd better head back home, before your annoyingly-virtuous face spills the beans and makes them change their minds." I glared at him, but he only said, "Get lost, Cassy!"

With annoyed grunt, I left the building, and headed home. Things were quiet, and I took a moment to relax in the peaceful yard, before heading inside.

Unusually, it was quiet and peaceful in there as well. I called out for Dean and the others, but got no response. I wasn't worried; Balthazar could have taken them over to Ellen's, but I thought I had better have a quick look around before, I went over there. They could always be in the garage.

I checked the garage first, but there was no sign of them. Back in the kitchen, I heard a noise upstairs in Bobby's room. It sounded like a groan. In an instant I was there, kneeling at Balthazar's prone side. He was bleeding from several wounds in his body, the largest a cut on his scalp. Placing my hand over the wound, I poured some of my grace into him as I flipped him gently over.

His eyes opened once before fluttering closed. He body stiffed as his vessel knit itself together.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"Demons – waiting up here. I killed two, but they took the humans." As he said, there were two bodies lying on the other side of the room.

"Where did they take them?" I asked, readying myself for flight.

"No, Castiel, not alone. Get the others. They'll have taken more humans. You'll never take them all on your own. Eve and Lilith are leading them."