He didn't even expect to find her.

Hell, he didn't expect the hollow ache in his chest when Dean told him she went missing. Of course she was free to roam around the camp, but leaving it...

Dean kept saying he didn't like it. Castiel was more or less indifferent because of the joint form earlier this morning.

Leading a small team, the former angel tried to blink away a haze as he sat in the passenger seat of his small truck, one of the hunters taking the wheel while he looked for the demon.

It wasn't that Dean was worried about her. Meg could easily take care of herself, but the fact was she was their only informant since Crowley was killed. And somehow, Castiel couldn't tear his mind from her.

"It's just a weird relationship, Cas", Dean had said. "It's not like you're in love with her".

He was not in love with her. Sex was sex. Meaningless. The angel had learned that.

...hadn't he?

Castiel felt his confusion start to blow away as he allowed more of the haze to take him over, losing that last bit of control as the truck turned down a quiet road, Castiel barely able to focus outside as the trucks in front of them stopped.

"What's going on?" Castiel growled as his head almost slammed into the front from the abrupt stop.

"Shh," the hunter he was with was yammering on the radio, too fast for Castiel to understand. "Cas they found her."

"What?"

"They found her."

"Who?"

"Just get out and get her! Mark says she wants you."

Castiel ignored the man's grumbling as he clamored out the truck, following -what was his name? Dave? John?- who lead him down to a little shack where other hunters were parked at, the tiny house having an almost haunted feeling that almost made Castiel panic.

Just the weed.

"The demon's got herself held up in the bedroom."

"How did you find her?"

"Dead demon trail down the road, could smell the sulphur."

Castiel shuddered, making his way over destroyed rooms to get to the master bedroom at the end, almost not noticing how much blood was everywhere.

"Meg?"

"Clarence?" a weak voice called back, and Castiel almost felt his high dissipate at how she looked. Blood was everywhere, as well as a few more bodies of demons. Meg was on her side in the bed, bleeding heavily from a wound in her side.

"Meg, what happened?"

"Had to stop them," she coughed. "They were gonna attack the camp."

"The demons?"

She smirked up at him, "The wings weren't the only things that fell, huh?"

Carefully, he lifted her in his arms, careful to keep her wound unexposed. "What did they do this with?"

"Angels blades. Apparently they're everywhere now. Clarence-"

"Shh," Castiel muttered, stepping over a body while trying to fit them both out the door. The demon looked so small and fragile in his arms that he was afraid one wrong step would break her.

She didn't argue, just buried her face in his jacket. "You know, I think I miss the coat."

"So that's it?"

"Dean, she almost died to protect the camp," Castiel downed another shot of whiskey, almost amused at his friend's disbelief.

"It's just...How did she know? How did she lead them all out there?"

Castiel frowned. "False information?"

"Maybe."

"She's not doing well."

"Well, taking an arrow to the knee like that can fuck someone up."

"What I mean, Dean, is that I'm staying with her."

"What?" Dean stood from his chair. "Dude, you said it was just sex."

"It is, but I owe her. She saved us, Dean."

Dean frowned at his whiskey before dumping it down his throat. "Fine. Fine! But if she's faking, or fucks upup the camp, Cas, I swear-"

"I know," Castiel muttered, taking one final shot before heading out the door to Dean's cabin.