Linger- The Cranberries

Oh, I thought the world of you.
I thought nothing could go wrong,
But I was wrong. I was wrong.
If you, if you could get by, trying not to lie,
Things wouldn't be so confused and I wouldn't feel so used,
But you always really knew, I just wanna be with you.
But I'm in so deep. You know I'm such a fool for you.
You got me wrapped around your finger, ah, ha, ha.
Do you have to let it linger?

Danielle Tyler ran her hand through her wavy dark hair as she observed the circles under her brown eyes. She had to be ready to head to the club in 30 minutes and Castiel still hadn't come back to retrieve what he'd stashed at her apartment. It was bad enough that she missed rehearsal but now she was going to be late.

She walked out through the living room to find Meg still asleep on her couch under one of her favourite Star Wars comforters. She had slept off and on throughout the day, waking only really long enough to eat and drink when Dani offered it.

How had she let Castiel talk her into this? Easy, her mind answered, you'd do just about anything he asked.

It was true. Castiel had her on the hook for the last two years but looking after Meg for most of the day, she knew that Cas had been on her hook longer than that.

When he'd knocked on her door in the middle of the night, he'd looked so forlorn and lost holding a very tired, intoxicated Meg up that Avery couldn't turn him down

"I'm sorry, Dani, to impose on you," he said quietly as he guided Meg through the apartment door that Dani opened wide for them.

"Come in. It's no problem,"she hadn't been sleeping but she was clad only her normal pajama attire of flannel shorts and a tank top. "Excuse the mess. Rehearsal ran long and I didn't do the dishes."

He laid Meg down on the couch. "I need somewhere for her to stay tonight," his blue eyes imploring. "You know..Dean won't…"

"I know…sure she can stay here." Dani brushed her crazy hair to the side as she reached for the Star Wars blanket that she used as a throw. "What's wrong with her?"

Castiel frowned "She's drunk. She was out with…her boyfriend and they had a fight."

"Like an argument?" she asked pulling her sweatshirt over thank.

"Something like that," he said as he pointed to a purplish blemish that was forming on Meg's cheek.

"You're an angel, Clarence" Meg mumbled as she settled under the blanket "You are always there to save me. Stay with me."

Castiel took the blanket and covered Meg gently, almost reverently. Tyler's heart skipped a beat to see him so caring. "Yes Meg, I am here," he crooned as he pushed her hair from her face.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." Meg continued "I've been waiting for you..and you've been waiting for me…remember?"

"Yes Meg," he continued to sooth "I remember."

"Nine hundred years.." she trailed off as she closed her eyes.

"Yes.." he agreed "A lifetime."

Dani felt her heart break at the sadness in his voice, followed by a rush of embarrassment that she'd witnessed such an intimate scene. She moved to the kitchen and began to fill the teapot with water. She figured it would be a long sleepless night and tea would give her enough strength to deal with it but not completely wire her like coffee.

Castiel walked in as she turned to place the kettle on the stove. "Danielle, I'm really grateful for your help tonight. I didn't know where to go and I just came here out of habit, I guess."

"I'm glad I could help..you know I'd…well you know I'll help you whenever I can," she replied.

Cas pulled out a chair at her small kitchen table and sat."I know that about you. I suppose that's why I'm here."

Dani let a tired smile spread across her face and he looked confused for a second trying to figure out what he had said that was so funny."I'm glad you've come back to your senses."

"I'm not sure what you mean?" he asked tilting his head as if that helped clarify things.

"Well you called me Dani when you first brought her in, that's how I knew you were distraught," she explained as she grabbed two cups from the cabinet and placed them in front of him on the table. "But just now you called me Danielle again, so I know you must be feeling better."

He ran his hand through his hair, making the pieces stand in different directions.

Dani brought the sugar bowl and teaspoon on the table in anticipation and placed it on the table before heading to the fridge for the milk.

"I take it Dean has no idea," she asked pouring him a cup of tea.

"None at all," Castiel added quickly as he spread his long fingers against her placemat. "And I'd like to keep it that way."

"Your secret is safe with me," she said quietly, crossing her heart with her hand.

"I knew it would be," he chuckled softly.

Dani smiled in return but jumped slightly when the tea kettle went off. "Would you like some tea?"

"Sure," he replied drumming his fingers on the table lightly "Tea sounds wonderful."

And tea was wonderful..anytime she got to spend with Castiel was. She knew he'd never see her as anything other than a friend but it was still nice to find him sleeping on her living room recliner when she woke up in the morning. Of course, Meg was the reason he was there but that still didn't stop Dani's heart from thumping like mad at the sight of him rubbing his blue eyes until they could focus.

But damn, when he said he'd be back for Meg, Dani thought it would be earlier in the day..not 8:30…Cas didn't want to leave Meg alone he said in fear of what she might do to herself but Dani knew it was really because he thought she'd take off…or take something….which she probably did anyway. Maybe that's why she'd been asleep all day. No normal person slept that much….geez, it's 8:30 already, she thought.

"I am so late," she mumbled allowed to herself as she tied the laces on her blue converse again.

When she heard a knock at the door, she rushed through the room, careful not to wake the sleeping princess.

Castiel stood before her clad in a black v-neck tshirt with a black button down over it with blue jeans faded in all the right places. His beard stubble made his look good enough to eat.

Stay on task, Dani, her conscience reminded her.

"You're late," she pointed out the obvious as she pointed to the sleeping Meg.

"I know, I'm very sorry. I had a situation to deal with at home," he replied.

"A situation that kept you from coming to pick your girlfriend up from where you have her stashed so your best friend doesn't get pissed at you. I can appreciate that..hell I'll even help you but at least get here in time for me to get to work."

Cas gave her a heart stopping half grin "Playing in a band is work? I thought it was fun."

Dani became furious. "It is fun but it's part of how I pay the bills. I don't have a rich daddy who sends me money every month so I can live scot free and I certainly I don't have a drug dealing boyfriend who foots my bill as long as he can keep me around as a punching bag."

Cas bristled at the reference to Crowley, Meg's current boyfriend who just couldn't seem to keep her out of trouble.

"That's not fair…" he began.

"Save it, Cas," she hastily cut him off grabbing her jacket. "I have to go. Please lock up after you two leave."