Thank you for the reviews once again! I told you that keeping strong would pay off. :)

Also, you may notice that I've added Castiel to the main character listing. There's so many characters that it needed someone else, despite that he doesn't really come into his own until much later into the story. But whatever, it's fine.

His back hit the wall and Bal took deep breaths while quickly looking around. Was it smart to come here? He still had the anti-detection sigils, but he couldn't really go anywhere else with her... Where was everyone, anyway?

"Balthazar?"

He jumped from the wall, ready for anything, before he found that the speaker was only Castiel. Bal took a relieved breath and leaned against the library's wall again as his brother approached, wide eyed and questioning. "How did you-?" Cas gave him a once over. "Was that you? You took your grace? Where's Gabriel?"

"With Lucifer," Balthazar groaned, then finally unclenched his hand and allowed her soul to be free again, at least until something else happened.

It was the first time Cas even noticed the soul and he watched her, speechless for a beat. "You found her?"

Bartholomew did, honestly, but he just sighed instead. "I found her..."

Castiel looked between his brother and the soul, obviously growing more and more concerned. "Why is he with Lucifer?" he asked, changing the subject back, "Was he chasing you?"

"He saw me kill Michael."

Cas stopped and blinked to him right when another voice interrupted.

"Who saw you do what?"

Castiel turned to the speaker while Balthazar rubbed at his eyes and replied, "Always the questioning one, aren't we, Dean?" The hunter started approaching, Sam and Kevin running in behind him, both shocked to see the new visitor. "Don't worry," Bal continued, leaning off of the wall and walking around his brother to meet them, "I'm not hurt or anything, but thank you for asking."

Castiel watched as Catherine's bright soul hovered around him, seeming to drift about lazily but obviously following Balthazar. Sam noticed the soul at the same moment and pointed to her, mouth agape and trying to form a question. Kevin just stood still, glancing between them all, while Dean looked like he was about to have a meltdown.

"Wha- How are you here?" the eldest Winchester asked, trying not to panic too much, "Where did you find her? Where's Gabriel? And what the hell was that freaking earthquake? Was that you? I don't like earthquakes!"

Bal stopped on the highest step with another groan while Cat's soul drifted about as it wished. "I killed Michael," he said again, finally making the Winchesters shut their mouths. After a moment that he was sure wouldn't be interrupted, he continued. "Lucifer saw me do it – or saw the massive explosion, at least – and decided to wring my neck for the deed. Obviously, I ran away."

Sam blinked between his brother and the angel before stepping forward. "You have your grace back?"

Balthazar groaned. "Unfortunately, yes. For now, that is."

The younger Winchester furrowed his brow and looked to Catherine. "And Michael had her soul this whole time?"

The angel didn't move. He only stared at the human like he may kill him and Sam regretted asking the question, but an answer finally came – quick and to the point. "No." Sam didn't ask for an elaboration.

Dean pursed his lips and shifted. "And Gabriel is where?"

Ah, right. Bal looked back over to him, giving an annoyed sigh. "With Lucifer. Fighting, running, I don't know. He allowed me to escape."

The Winchester nodded and Balthazar could swear he felt a headache coming on. "Right, so," Dean shifted in place, "you left the walking, talking, cocky nuke with Satan? That's what you're telling me? Without any Michael of Heaven to stand in his way now?"

"Oh!" Bal exclaimed sarcastically, "Right, I'm sorry. I should have stayed and died alongside him. I should have let Lucifer destroy what's left of her soul without even trying to get her to safety. Oh, yes. That's a much better plan, Dean!"

The other was about to start on a proper torrent when Castiel stepped forward from behind his brother. "It hasn't been a lot of time," he said, "We need to go after Gabriel. We need to do something."

The sound of wings made them all jump in place, Balthazar even taking a few steps back, but Gabriel just stood there trying to stretch his neck. "Thanks for the concern," he said before finally cracking it and letting out a deep, quivering sigh.

Cas moved towards him, one hand reaching out to his older brother. "You're okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Gabe said, shaking himself off, "Luci thinks I'm dead, though... I hope."

Dean paced towards him, too. "You tricked him?"

"Duh!" Gabriel stretched his arms and finally relaxed, looking around at them. "Yeah, I was gonna start an impromptu fight by myself with a very angry Satan. I'm not an idiot, Dean. I can learn after the first time." Gabe's eyes landed on the bright soul for a moment, before he looked to Balthazar who was now clenching his jaw. The archangel turned to fully face him and stand his ground. "I see you found her."

"Yes," the other growled, "I did." Gabriel raised his hands, about to speak a word of caution, right as his brother vanished and appeared right in front of him, grabbing on to his collar and pushing him into the wall several feet away. Balthazar pinned him there and the others began to scramble for the two, but the archangel raised his hand to stop them. "You knew!" Bal's voice echoed off the walls. "You wanted me to take my grace back so badly that you let her-!"

"I didn't know!" Gabriel interrupted, trying to calm him down. "Listen to me, all right? Just one second." Balthazar clenched his teeth, but didn't say a word, so the other continued. "She was hurt," he said, "Michael had hurt her soul so badly, that I couldn't even see her anymore, especially with just my own crap grace. Her soul was healed while with your grace, just like yours was healed with Michael's. That's- That's why she's here! That's why she got stronger again... That's why you started losing it..." Bal seemed more or less unconvinced, trying to not let anyone pull something like that over him, so Gabriel sighed. "I swear, I didn't know where her soul was. I had no idea, Balthazar. I would have told you if I did. I'm not that much of a dick."

Bal relaxed his grip and allowed his brother to push off of the wall. The others stayed in place, watching him closely for another outburst, but he only bowed his head for a brief moment before looking back up to the angel in front of him again. "You're going to bring her back," he said in low voice, "right now."

It was obvious that Gabriel meant to protest for a second, but he seemed to change his mind then nod. "We need to go outside," he answered with a sigh, "where we burned her."

Something flashed in Balthazar's eyes as if he meant to punch Gabriel anyway, but he only backed off instead, intending for the elder to take the lead. They watched each other for a moment before he finally did obey the gesture with his younger brother walking tensely alongside him.

Castiel took a few steps forward, but stopped short as Catherine's soul quickly passed him by, following after the two angels. Only Gabriel glanced back to see her. In the end, Cas and everyone else stayed where they were, watching them leave.

"He thinks you're dead?" Balthazar asked while Gabriel opened the door for both of them.

The other nodded, walking out into the daylight. It wasn't even noon yet. "Stabbed me himself, or so he believes," Gabe answered, "He can't sense me either. Trust me, I'm paranoid enough to check all the bases."

Catherine's soul followed them both outside, staying low to the ground as it hovered by and allowed Gabriel to close the door behind them. Bal watched her inch away and slow down so that she was still near. It was weird to see a soul act that way. "So that wasn't you, then?" he asked instead, bringing his thoughts back, "It was an illusion or something?"

"Fooled you," Gabriel shrugged taking the lead again, "I am still the Trickster, after all." Bal didn't answer back this time. He just kept an eye on her soul, watching her float between them like she knew what she was doing. Gabe spoke up again. "It's not you she's following, you know. No offense." Balthazar looked up in confusion so the archangel continued. "She's following your grace. All she knows is that it made her feel better. She doesn't know anything else. Souls are instinctual things. You know that."

"I know," Bal answered, watching her again. Maybe Gabriel was right. Maybe he wasn't. It didn't really matter now anyway. She was still with him so none of it mattered.

Gabe glanced behind him at the pair but didn't say anything. Bringing her back wasn't really going to help his brother very much. Yes, he would feel much better with her being alive and all, but now he had his grace back and didn't believe that he could be with her, or so he claimed. She wouldn't stand for him abandoning his grace willingly and he wouldn't do it so long as it bothered her so badly. He would eventually be forced to see her die for good and then... well, whatever happened just happened. She would be happy in Heaven, at least, and she was definitely going to Heaven after the things that she had done for them, so hopefully her happiness would make things easier on the angel.

… This attachment was exactly why it was forbidden. It was more of a curse than anything, but it was done. He loved the human deeply, so he had to find a way to make the best of it.

"Here," Gabriel spoke, stopping in the tiny clearing where they had built the pyre.

Balthazar stopped, too, not seeing any sign of ashes or anything. Even the charred logs were gone. It was just a place on the ground where the grass still failed to touch. He stared at the spot for a moment. "I should be thanking you."

"Don't go soft now," Gabe scoffed, going down on one knee, "but, yeah, you should." He reached out a hand and the soul began to drift towards the archangel.

Unwillingly, Balthazar took a step or so back, watching Catherine's soul go to the only angel that was actually going to help her. He grimaced but didn't speak.

Gabriel tilted his head as she came closer. "She's still weak," he said, gaining the other's attention. "I can bring her back just fine, but she might not wake up for a little while."

Still more time for things to go wrong. Still more time to wait. "Can't you heal her?"

"A soul? No," Gabriel shook his head, "Not unless I did like you and let her mingle around with my grace, but I have a feeling you'd like that a lot less than her just sleeping it off."

That did make him scowl and the thought of being grateful vanished again. "What's that supposed to mean?"

His brother just scoffed in return. "You can't decide if I want to kill her or screw her. The actual answer is neither," Gabe answered back sarcastically but turned serious. "I'm bringing her back, yes, but only because you'd torch my ass if I didn't. I would rather see her in Heaven, honestly. I don't like this will they or won't they crap... Besides, you were the one who went looking for her. You were the one who stayed with her before. She cares for you-"

Balthazar shook his head, cutting off the lecture. "Just bring her back."

Gabriel watched his brother for a second, unmoving. Finally, he shifted to get more comfortable and looked back to Catherine's soul. "Fine," he grumbled, directing her closer to the ground, "She can tell you herself."

Again, Bal didn't answer. He refused to answer that one. To be honest, he had no idea how he was supposed to greet her once he saw her alive and well again. He wasn't sure how to act or what to say or even how she would feel about it all and what questions she might ask him. Right now, it didn't matter. Once she was back, nothing else would matter anymore. He could just leave and watch over her if it came to that... He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

The wind began to pick up and her soul glowed so brightly that a human would have to look away. Balthazar was suddenly grateful that he didn't have to, but also wondered how much energy this would spend of Gabriel. Maybe Lucifer couldn't sense him, but could he sense this? Perhaps Gabe had prepared for that, too. Either way, Bal said nothing, not willing to interrupt even with the possible threat of the devil. She would be fine. He'd see to that. Just... one thing at a time.

The light burst forth and the wind rushed pass him, stirring up dried leaves and dust. Apparently, the archangel knew enough to know what he was doing, but was the light show necessary? Maybe he was less creating the body from scratch and more helping the soul along. Balthazar didn't know – his expertise never sat with something like this – but the light dimmed away and the wind died down quickly enough.

Gabriel's hand was resting on her bare, uncut stomach as he checked her breathing and heart rate. Balthazar just stared down at her, being a bit shocked at seeing her unharmed. It had been awhile since he could imagine such a thing... Then something else struck him. "Why in the hell is she naked?"

"We didn't bury her, basket case," Gabe answered, looking to Cat's face and removing his hand from her. "Her clothes were burned."

"So was her body, o' great archangel of God," Bal grumbled, stepping towards her and instantly clothing her in what she had been wearing the last time he saw her alive. He dropped to his knees beside her, meaning to just check and physically make sure that she was all right, until he got a better look at her and the shock wanted to come back. His hands touched her neck then glided over the sides of her face, still feeling how warm she was compared to him even with his grace back. She was breathing. She was sleeping like he had seen many times before... Everything began to rush back and the current situation hit home for him. She was alive again.

Gabriel stayed still and watched his brother's face change from one of jealous annoyance to something more awe-filled and tender. He watched Balthazar's thumb glide slowly over the skin beneath her eye before Gabe his head a bit. Perhaps this was a bad time, but he opened his mouth to say something to break up the moment anyway, but his brother spoke first.

"Gabriel." Whatever words the archangel had failed him at the sound of Balthazar's voice. A soft whisper that nearly sounded like the other was truly on the verge of tears. "Thank you."

The elder closed his mouth and nodded, looking back to her. When he did speak, it wasn't with sarcasm and his voice was low as well. "It might be hours or even days until she wakes up again, but she should be fine other than that."

Balthazar didn't even acknowledge that he had heard anything. He stayed still, his hands gently going over her face and hair, like he intended to just wait like this until she woke. Eventually, his expression changed back to something more serious and he looked away from her face while his arms slunk under her body.

Gabriel stood as Bal picked her up and began to carry her back to the bunker.

Catherine lay in their bed, about as comfortable as Balthazar could make her, while the angel in question stood against the wall a few feet away, watching her breathe. He didn't want to get any closer for fear she would wake and be startled or angry or- He feared nearly any kind of reaction, but he didn't want to leave either. He didn't want her to wake up alone and he definitely didn't want something else happening to her. Honestly, he didn't know what to do, so Bal just stood there, keeping as best of a guard as he could while she slept.

The fighting wasn't over. Lucifer was out there and he was very angry, no doubt spreading some sort of torment. Gabriel and the Winchesters would want to move quickly and no one could blame them of it, but it still left Balthazar with an awful feeling. If only he had the same options as before, he could just steal her away and let everyone fight amongst themselves while he kept her safe. It wasn't like he gave a damn about the rest of this crap. Except Lucifer was angry with him. If he left, he would be hunted down and killed. He couldn't bring Catherine into that, but he couldn't just leave her behind to fight in this war without him. Satan would get his hands on her one way or another and that-... that wouldn't end well.

Balthazar's thoughts were cut short and he looked to the door, finding Castiel standing there and awkwardly shifting on his feet. The other stopped moving when he realized he had been noticed so he glanced to Catherine. "She's-..." Cas cleared his throat, "She's okay?"

It took a second, but Bal nodded and looked back to her. "She's okay," he answered, "Gabriel said she may not wake for a few days or so."

Castiel shifted in place again before walking forward into the room. Balthazar didn't lash out or stop him or even so much as move, so the other took that as an invitation to stand beside his brother. "The worst is over now," he said, trying hard to be encouraging. "Everything should work out."

The other shook his head slowly. "Lucifer wants my head," Bal sighed, "and he'd go through whatever means to get it."

"We'll win," Castiel said with such conviction that Balthazar blinked and looked over to him before he continued. "Michael's gone. Gabriel has two archangel graces within him, plus the graces that he hasn't taken on yet. You're completely healed since the fall. We have the Winchesters, the angel tablets, the resources. He has blind anger and no help... We can't lose. He can't hurt us."

Bal watched his brother for a second and realized that the other actually believed what he was saying. He chuckled and looked back to Catherine. "You remember back when Dad ordered Michael to strike Lucifer down?" There was no response. Of course Castiel remembered and Bal glanced back to him. "If he can hurt God, then he can hurt us."

Cas' eyes moved up and down over his brother before he finally looked away. "Kevin's left with Crowley." Balthazar closed his eyes and the other sighed. "It was Dean's orders. He doesn't want Lucifer getting to either of them... I don't believe that the fight is coming to us, brother, but I know that it is not far away."

"What about her?" Bal asked, tilting his head up but still keeping his eyes closed.

"Dean mentioned that the dungeon might work," he answered, shifting in place and rolling one shoulder, but his words were still strong and full of belief. "Demons can't get in and we can just angel proof that entire wing to keep Lucifer at bay if he tries for it."

"And keep me out if she needs me." Balthazar opened his eyes again, staring at the far wall. It wasn't like he could stay with her, just sitting out the fight and being completely depowered like that.

But Castiel's jaw hardened and he turned completely to face his brother. "We will win. We cannot lose," he said sternly, "He cannot hurt her or you or anyone else."

Bal sighed. "I'm just being realistic, Cassie."

"You're being pessimistic."

Balthazar glanced over to his brother's angry, stern face and began to laugh. After bringing a hand to his face and taking in a deep breath, he looked back to Catherine again. "I hope so," he said aloud, "We can't lose. Not again."

We're getting so close! I'm so excited! Also, I hope you're happy about Gabriel. You're welcome.

Review, follow, etc etc. Thank you so much for reading, guys. :)