Flying Lessons

Erela woke up the next morning and Sam wasn't there. His side of the bed was cold. She put on jeans and a t-shirt and walked downstairs. Sam, Cas, and Dean were all gone.

"Good to know how much I meant to you guys," Erela grumbled to herself as she walked into the kitchen. There was a note on the table next to the clothes that she had lent Cas.

Erela,

Dean and I have a case a few miles away. We should be back in a few days. Cas got called to do something else. He'll probably come back eventually. If you really need help, just pray for him. It usually works for Dean. Also, Cas is a guy again and he says thank you for the clothes.

Sam

Erela stretched out her wings and cracked her neck.

"Breakfast time," she said as her stomach growled. She searched through the cupboards and the refrigerator. She saw a container of apple pie in the refrigerator. It was half eaten. Erela didn't remember that being there before, but grabbed it anyway.

"Dean wouldn't like it if you ate his pie," Castiel said from behind her. Erela jumped and banged her head against the top of the fridge.

"Ow! Damn Cas. Don't sneak up on me like that," Erela scolded, holding where she bumped her head.

"I apologize," he replied. Erela set the pie down on the counter and turned to Cas.

"I need your help. I don't know what to do with my wings. Can I fly? How do I make it so that people can or can't see them?"

"Well, when you and Sam got home last night, even Dean could see your wings. So it is possible that when you are relaxed or happy, people can see them. Your wings are more corporeal than mine, so you have different rules as far as that is concerned. Sam and Dean have never seen my wings because mine are manifestations of my grace, whereas you have lumps on your shoulder blades where your wings start. Theoretically, you could have to cut holes in your shirts for your wings if they do become fully corporeal."

"Okay… So can I fly?"

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to attempt it," Cas said.

"Yes Cas! Yes it would! I can die!" Erela shouted, frustrated at the angel.

"That is true. You could die."

Erela sighed. "Yeah, ok. I'll go. But I need food, so let's get a hamburger or something first. And we're taking my car."

"You sound like Dean. He's always hungry," Cas replied. "And he always insists that we take the car."

Erela took a bite of her egg and bacon cheeseburger as she parked her Subaru Outback in the parking lot of the Freetown/Fall River State Forest. Erela had been surprised that Cas had agreed to go here with her and that he had agreed to ride in the car. There was a big cliff in the State Forest that they could use to practice flying. Of course, there were rumors of ghosts, serial killers, Satanists, and puckwudgies in those woods, especially on that cliff. However, it was broad daylight, so Erela was pretty sure they weren't going to find any of those things. They hiked their way out to the cliff, a 90 foot drop straight down into water. It was usually a popular spot for cliff jumpers, but fortunately they hadn't been out in about a month because it hadn't been warm enough. It was almost October.

"This whole forest is supposed to be haunted, you know," Erela said. "I'm surprised that Dean and Sam haven't had more cases up this way. By the way, what's the case they're on now?"

Castiel took off his trench coat and, folding it neatly, set it on the ground. "Shapeshifters."

"Huh. Cool," Erela replied. There was an awkward pause and she stepped in to fill it. "So how do you want to do this?"

"Well…" Cas extended his inky black wings. His wingspan was at least 10 feet. He turned to face Erela, collapsing his wings again. "We could fall off the cliff and then fly."

"You've never done this teaching thing before, have you?" Erela asked, stretching her wings.

"No, I haven't."

"Sweet. Let's do this," Erela smiled, running and jumping off the cliff. She extended her wings as she fell, gliding to the other side of the pond. "That was bad planning. Now I can't get back," she called to Castiel. The angel on the cliff flapped his wings a few times and his feet lifted off the ground.

"Like this," he called down to her. Erela tried it, flapping her wings in large strokes. She could feel muscles in her back being used that had never been used before. She slowly, laboriously made her way back up the cliff face and landed next to Castiel. She sat down, panting.

"Damn Cas, that's hard work." Cas just shrugged. "It was fun, though."

"Well, they say that the best things don't come easily, Erela," Cas responded.

"Wow Cas. Aren't you a walking fortune cookie?" they heard Dean say from behind them. Castiel and Erela spun to face the voice. Sam and Dean were walking toward them, smiling triumphantly.

"So you finished the case, I take it?" Castiel asked as Erela and Sam hugged.

"Yep. Took out a couple of shapeshifters. Pretty simple stab to the heart," Sam replied.

"Great. Cas here was just teaching me how to fly," Erela smiled.

"Yeah, I can see your wings," Sam said, stroking one. Dean nodded. Sam touched Erela's cheek and she crumpled to the ground. Dean touched Castiel's hand before the angel could react and Cas passed out too.