Chapter 32

Then:

"I get it." Dean lets out a brief humorless chuckle. "Believe me, if anyone gets how it feels to lose a brother, it's me." He glances inside and Ariel follows his gaze to where Sam is sitting with Bobby in the kitchen, talking quietly. "But that's what we're meant to deal with. So we stow our crap and keep going, 'cause we've got a world to save."

"And if I can't stow my crap?" Ariel looks back at Dean, who smiles tiredly.

"You're gonna have to." She presses her face against his collar as tears sting her eyes. He clutches her tightly, letting her cry silently into his shirt. "I know. I know it hurts, sweetheart, I'm sorry." He rubs her back gently. He doesn't say it's going to be okay, because he knows from personal experience that it never will be.

But he can at least be there for the kid, and hope that it's enough to get her through.

Now:

Archangels don't get headaches. At least that's what Ariel tells herself over and over as her forehead aches dully in a steady rhythm. It's like two different people have been shoved into her head and told to re-enact the Hunger Games in there.

When she tries to explain it to Sam, though, she swears she's not crazy.

"We're all a little crazy," he points out with a wry grin, clearly not quite believing her. He's been quiet ever since the incident with Brady a few days ago, and this is the first time he's spoken to her in that time. While they prepare to hunt Pestilence down, Ariel's been taking the time to reevaluate what's happening to her. Stowing crap is not as easy as Dean makes it out to be.

"Yeah, but your version of 'crazy' is digging up graves and stopping Apocalypses," Ariel replies with a grimace as the pain in her head spikes, "My kind of 'crazy' involves two different people in my head who claim to be the same person."

"Which one's talking to me now?" Sam asks and she frowns thoughtfully.

"Human me. The archangel's kind of backed off for a while, trying to get used to things. She's been stuck in a crystal for God knows how long." Sam nods in agreement.

"Well, so long as you don't go 'Glenn Close' on us like Anna did..."

"That's what happens when the human and angel sides don't mix well." Ariel's nose wrinkles. "It messes with your cognition, I think. Something like that."

"We'll stick you in a holy fire ring if we have to," Sam promises and she's not quite sure if he's joking or not. His lips twitch and she gets her answer, so she smacks his arm lightly, careful to watch her newfound strength.

"You want to do what?!" Dean snaps.

"Look, if I can get back control-" Sam begins wearily.

"A one-in-a-million chance, by the way," Bobby interrupts.

Sam grimaces and continues, "-I can open the Cage and jump in. Lucifer will be locked up and the Apocalypse will be avoided."

"Is that even possible?" Dean turns to Ariel. "Getting control back from an archangel?"

"Were it anyone else, I would have said 'no,'" she admits, "You and Sam seem to have a habit of exceeding my expectations." She then turns sharply to glare at Sam. "That was not permission to do it, by the way." He holds up his hands in surrender.

"Did you know about this?" Dean demands and Bobby raises his eyebrows.

"What?"

"About Sam's genius plan to cram the Devil down his throat?" Bobby nods sheepishly. "Great. Awesome. Thanks for the heads-up." Dean turns back to Sam. "You're not doing this."

"Seems to be the general consensus." Sam grimaces.

"Good. End of discussion, then."

Ariel's phone rings and she frowns, pulling it out of her pocket while pointing at Sam warningly. "This isn't over." She flips her phone open. "Hello?"

"Ariel?" She would know that voice anywhere.

"Castiel?!" Everyone around her perks up as well. "We all thought you were dead, where have you been?!" She can hardly keep the excitement out of her voice as she sets the phone on speaker so that the others can hear.

"A hospital."

"You wanna elaborate?" Dean pipes up.

"I just woke up here. The doctors were fairly surprised. They thought I was brain-dead," Castiel admits. He sounds tired and Ariel can hear the faint beeping of a heart monitor in the background.

"So what happened?" Sam asks.

"Apparently, after Van Nuys, I suddenly appeared, bloody and unconscious, on a shrimping boat off Delacroix. I'm told it upset the sailors."

Ariel bites back a laugh at his matter-of-fact tone. "Yeah, I'll bet. Listen, a lot's happened since you were gone. We found a way to break open Lucifer's Cage."

"How?"

"Long story, but we're going after Pestilence now, so if you want to come over here-"

"I can't." Castiel sounds regretful. "You could say my batteries are drained."

"What do you mean? You're out of angel mojo?" Dean says.

"I'm saying that I am thirsty and my head aches. I have a bug bite that itches no matter how much I scratch it, and I'm saying that I'm just incredibly..."

"Human," Ariel realizes softly and Castiel sighs.

"Yes." She wants nothing more than to be near him at that point, to lend him any strength she can give him, but they're miles apart and she can't pinpoint his location enough to go to him. "Anyway, my point is that I can't go anywhere without money for...an airplane ride. And food. And...more pain medication, ideally."

"All right. Well, look, no worries. Uh, Bobby's here. He'll wire you the cash," Dean answers confidently.

"I will?" Bobby demands, bewildered.

"No, I'll come get you," Ariel dismisses, "All I need is your exact location to bypass the sigils."

"What?" Castiel sounds confused. "I don't underst-" He breaks off. "You have your Grace back?!"

She grins, unable to help herself. "I might."

Castiel seems to be struggling between annoyance and relief on the other end of the line. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"You didn't ask," she answers cheekily.

He mutters something along the lines of "the Lord is testing me" in Enochian. "Well, come get me soon, then."

"Yeah, yeah, will do." She goes to hang up the phone.

"Wait. Dean, are you still there?"

"Yeah, Cas. What's up?" Dean frowns.

"Ariel, give him the phone." Ariel switches off the speakerphone and hands it to Dean, who presses it to his ear. As Castiel speaks, Dean's expression softens marginally and he looks to be on the verge of emotion.

"Cas, I...it's okay." He pauses and then deadpans, "Thank you. I appreciate that." Castiel must have said something relatively tactless. Dean pulls away the phone and hands it back to Ariel, who takes it.

"So where are you?"

"East Jefferson General Hospital. My chart says my name is John Doe." He pauses. "My name isn't John Doe."

"It's just a way of saying they don't know your real name. It's fine, I'll be there in five." She hangs up. "I'll go pick up Cas."

"Bring him back here," Bobby suggests.

"Meanwhile, we'll go after Pestilence," Sam adds and Ariel frowns.

"On your own?"

"Hey, it's not like we haven't fought Horsemen on our own before," Dean reminds her.

She grimaces. "War was one thing, but-"

"We'll be fine," Sam reassures her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "And if anything, we'll call you if we need help."

Reluctantly, Ariel nods. "Be careful."

Within minutes, she's standing in the lobby of East Jefferson General Hospital, and makes her way to the receptionist's desk. The lady looks incredibly bored, smacking bubblegum lazily as she types rapidly on the keyboard in front of her.

Ariel clears her throat. "Excuse me?" The receptionist looks up and raises a penciled eyebrow at her, probably because she looks like she's barely out of her teens. "I'm here to identify a John Doe."

"Which one? We got a lotta them," the receptionist drawls.

"Uhh, he's got black hair and blue eyes?" Ariel tries.

"Oh, you mean the one that's easy on the eyes." The receptionist nods and Ariel tries not to grimace at the thought of her brother being described as eye-candy. "So who is he, then?"

Ariel quickly makes up his last name. "Castiel Novak. He's my brother."

The receptionist hands her a visitor's pass. "Room 340. Go on up." Ariel thanks her and heads to the elevator even as she shoves the pass into her pocket.

When she knocks on the door briefly before pushing it open, Castiel sits up in the bed, his eyes lighting up in relief. "Hello, Ariel."

"Cas." She can't help but smile widely as she shuts the door behind her before impulsively throwing her arms around him. He winces in pain and she flinches, pulling back. "Sorry, I just-"

"No, it's all right," he reassures her, "I am glad to see you, too."

"How's your chest?" She peers at the thick bandages around his torso and he shrugs.

"Healing." He absently attempts to scratch at the bandages and she smacks his hand away lightly.

"Stop that, you'll get scars now that you can't heal them up yourself." She leans back to study him a little more. There's a little scrape near his left eyebrow, and his skin is paler than usual. His eyes seem duller, and there's an unnatural slump to his shoulders. She cards her hand through his hair and he closes his eyes as he leans into the touch.

"It's really you," he says suddenly, opening his eyes again.

She laughs briefly. "Yeah, it's really me. Wings and all."

His face crumples. "I can't see them."

She can't see his wings, either; it seems as though every shred of his Grace has been wiped out of his body. "It's okay. Maybe this is just a temporary thing."

He shakes his head mournfully. "It isn't." Unable to help herself, she tugs him back into an embrace, pressing a kiss into his hair. He smells like disinfectant and the overall sterility of the hospital, and it doesn't suit him at all. He presses his face against her collarbone, looking almost exactly like the fledgling she had left back in Heaven, and her heart melts as she squeezes his shoulders gently.

"It's okay," she murmurs again. There's a long pause as she silently holds him and he allows himself to be comforted through the aftermath of his fall from Grace.

Finally, Castiel breaks the silence tentatively. "Where is Gabriel?"

Ariel's throat tightens abruptly as she swallows and answers quietly, "Dead. Lucifer killed him last week."

Castiel's eyes widen, stunned, before softening in raw sympathy. Being human has done wonders for his ability to express emotion, Ariel notes. "Ariel, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. I'm-" Her voice cracks, but she pushes ahead, "I'm fine. It's war, right? We knew there would be losses." She tries to smile, but it comes out as more of a pained grimace.

"Gabriel was your twin," Castiel reminds her gently, "It's all right to grieve for him."

"I've grieved enough," she dismisses quickly and adds, "We'd better get going. Sam and Dean have gone after Pestilence on their own and Bobby's waiting on me to get you back to his place."

"Right." Castiel winces as he pulls off the covers and struggles to stand, but with one brush of Ariel's hand against his shoulder, his injuries heal and he stands straighter. "Thank you." She shrugs and holds out her hand. He grasps it and in the next second, they're in Bobby's living room. Castiel stumbles and Ariel pushes him down onto the couch. He grimaces as he sits, rubbing his head. "It's much more disorienting on the other side."

"Now you know how I used to feel." She pats his shoulder gently as Bobby wheels in.

"No more feathers, huh?" he asks wryly and Castiel shakes his head.

"Did Sam and Dean call?" Ariel asks, frowning worriedly.

"They called halfway to Serenity Valley, but I haven't heard from them since," Bobby informs her, "They said they'd pray to you if they needed you to drop in on them."

Ariel nods pensively even as Castiel says, "I'm coming with you if you go."

"Are you nuts?!" Ariel rounds on him. "You're human now, Castiel! Pestilence won't hurt me, but he'll tear you to shreds!"

Castiel grimaces. "At least I won't be useless if I-"

"No. You're staying where it's safe until you can defend yourself," she interrupts.

"Stop treating me like a child. I haven't been a fledgling in a very long time."

The words are a harsh smack to the face and she clenches her jaw. "I know, I just-" She breaks off when a prayer flits across her metaphorical radar.

Air, it's Dean. Sam and I could really use your help here. If you got Cas to Bobby's already, meet us outside the facility.

"Ariel?" Bobby asks warily and she snaps out of her daze.

"Sorry, they were calling me. I've gotta go." She concentrates on the location of Serenity Valley Convalescence Home before disappearing. Just as she moves, though, she feels Castiel reach out and grab her shoulder so that he's taken with her. She jerks in surprise, but grabs his hand to keep from losing him.

When they land outside the building, she whirls around to face him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! That could've killed you!"

Castiel's jaw sets. "I timed it perfectly."

Ariel has to resist the urge to hit him. "I told you to stay behind for a reason!"

"You are no longer my superior, nor are you my caretaker," Castiel snaps and Ariel's chest tightens painfully. "I have the right to decide for myself."

"Cas?" Dean and Sam have pulled up in the Impala and gotten out. "What're you doing here?"

"He stowed away on the archangel express," Ariel says sourly and Sam pats her shoulder reassuringly.

"Well, we're glad you're both here. There's a ton of demons in there with Pestilence and we can't take 'em all out on our own, hence the backup," he explains.

"Yeah, you were right in calling me." Ariel scans the building briefly. "Most of the demons seem to be lower management, though, and centered on the ground floor. If we split them up, we should be able to take them. I won't be of much use as we get closer to Pestilence, though. You remember how it was with Famine and Gabriel." She stumbles briefly over her brother's name, but if the others notice, they don't comment on it.

"So that's settled, then. You and Cas take the lower demons and Sam and I can tackle Pestilence." Dean nods firmly.

Ariel's about to protest Castiel's involvement, but seeing the steely glint in his eyes, she relents. "Fine." Dean and Sam pass Castiel a spare angel's blade from the trunk of the Impala. Ariel can rely on her Grace long enough to get the Winchesters up to Pestilence.

With their respective weapons sorted out, the Winchesters and the angels storm Serenity Valley Convalescence Home.

Ariel manages to burn several demons out of their vessels as soon as they are mobbed when they enter the building. Castiel, unused to his sudden lack of angelic balance, stumbles every time a demon swipes at him and sloppily stabs them in the chest. Sam and Dean rush on ahead as soon as the path is cleared, allowing Ariel to keep track of Castiel and smite any demon who aims for his unprotected back. With each flare of power, she feels more like her old self again, righteous and strong in battle.

"Watch your left!" she calls to her brother, who spins shakily to block a punch from a demon. He's flung back against the wall and Ariel throws a glare to the demon who had dared to harm her little brother.

"Not a bit of angel left in him," he notes and Ariel slams her fist - which glows with power - straight into his smirking face, smiting him on contact.

"Plenty enough in me, though." Castiel stares at her as she yanks him to his feet. "Just be more careful," she tells him softly, unable to scold him further than she'd already done that day.

He nods, his gaze flicking to the ground. "I'm sorry."

"Save it. We can have a moment after we're out of this place." Ariel glances around at the littered dead bodies around them - only some of them demons and others the victims of Pestilence's experiments. "We should follow up to Pestilence, see if Sam and Dean have gotten to him yet." Castiel nods and follows her up the stairs and through a hallway. He coughs suddenly and she glances over her shoulder at him. "Pestilence?" He nods, rubbing his chest. "Maybe you should stay back."

Castiel shakes his head. "No. I'm coming with you."

Ariel huffs, tired of arguing with him. "If you start throwing up, I'm not cleaning it up." But she will, anyway, no matter what she says. Castiel stumbles behind her, but continues to walk, and Ariel can feel her powers growing steadily weaker as they reach the end of the hallway. Sam and Dean are sprawled out on the floor, coughing weakly and struggling to lift themselves up.

"Now on a scale of one to ten, how's the pain?" a calm voice asks and Ariel sees a gray-haired man with spectacles leaning over them. Castiel storms in before she can react, his knife drawn.

"Cas!" Dean says, startled, and Ariel has to facepalm as she runs in after Castiel, who can't reach Pestilence before collapsing to his knees, coughing.

"How'd you get here?" Pestilence demands, but then his eyes flick to Ariel. "Oh. Figures. Hello, little archangel. Feeling a little under the weather in my presence?"

"Oh, don't even start with the bad puns." Ariel rolls her eyes; she doesn't feel sick at all, but she is powerless, and can feel the lack of Grace like a gaping hole in her chest. It's almost worse than being completely human. She's slammed against the wall with one flick of Pestilence's hand, the angel blade she had borrowed from the Winchesters clattering to the floor, and struggles against the psychic grip.

"Well, look at that," Pestilence says, turning to Castiel, "An occupied vessel, but powerless. Oh, that's fascinating. There's not a speck of angel in you, is there?"

Castiel scowls as he sends his hand up suddenly and Pestilence screams. Two bloody severed fingers, plus one Horseman ring, land on the floor. "Maybe just a speck." Ariel drops to the floor as she feels her powers surging back.

"I take back anything negative I ever said about you coming," she says with a laugh, going over to help Castiel up as Sam and Dean stumble to their feet, Dean taking the ring and tucking it into his pocket.

"It doesn't matter," Pestilence spits at them, drawing their attention, "It's too late." He disappears before Ariel can ask what he means.

The cryptic words haunt them all the way back to Bobby's house.

This chapter did not want to be written. I have no idea why, but it refused. Now finals are approaching, so I won't update for at least two more weeks, but hopefully this will tide you over until then.

Bloody writer's block finally decided to hit me. Leave reviews!