Chapter 5: Faced with the Truth

Dean sat on his bed and stared at himself in the mirror of his room. It was almost like looking into the face of a stranger. He didn't recognize the person in the mirror. It was a feeling that he had since he had awoken, face down on the floor of some run down motel, with Crowley finishing off the hunter that had been trying to kill him. His head had been pounding and his whole body ached. The demon had been relieved to see him awake but it turned sour when the King of Hell found out that Dean remembered nothing of before.

The Scotsman had taken him back to his mansion and explained everything to him. Hunters and angels had found out about him being Nephilim. The only one of his kind and they had tried to kill him for it. They had nearly succeeded too. The car accident they had staged had killed his half brother, step-father, mother, and mate. He had barely survived and Crowley had answered his call for help only to find them dragging him away. The King of Hell followed them to the motel where he saved him from certain death. Or so he was told.

Seeing the angel today had shaken him to his core though he didn't want to admit it. The shock he had seen in those blue eyes had been understandable, he had just run into the Nephilim after all. But it had been the hope and love that came after the shock that had thrown him. Why would an angel, who was supposed to be trying to kill him, been filled with hope at the very sight of him? Why would there be love in his eyes?

I need my mate.

Crowley had told him that his mate was dead. Yet this black haired angel was claiming to be his mate. When he had told the angel his mate was dead that pain that had came from him had made his own heart stutter and he almost went over and kissed him. The tears that fell from his eyes only made the urge that much stronger. He wasn't sure where the urge had come from but it had been there. It left him feeling confused and his his head hurt.

Adding to the confusion was when the angel had pulled out his own blades only to discard them. No, not discard, because the angel had kicked his blades to him. He had surrendered to Dean without even being asked. Angels never surrendered; they preferred death over capture, especially in the case of being captured by a demon. Maybe the angel thought he could appeal to him, being only half demon.

Reaching up he scrubbed at his face with his hands. This whole thing seemed like one big fucking mess and he seemed to be at the center of it. Was it because he was a Nephilim or was it because of something more? The only person who had answers was Crowley and the demon was not the most forthcoming type in the world. Unless...

Dean stood and went over to his desk. He shuffled through the drawers until he found what he was looking for. A lock pick set. It had been in the pocket of the clothes he was wearing when Crowley had found him. The demon would be in meetings for most of the night. He had to get to his study.

Quickly leaving his room Dean rushed downstairs to Crowley's office. The doors were unlocked so he slipped in without the guards seeing him. Going over to the large black oak monstrosity he began carefully going through the papers. So far it just seemed like the normal stuff that humans had but he knew that sometimes the two worlds intersected.

He carefully pulled open the drawers and found a few things that looked interesting but nothing that would give him any true answers. He finally found something in the bottom on the left. There! A receipt for a motel in Lawrence, Kansas. Frowning he wracked his brain trying to place why that would be important. The motel that Crowley had found him in had been in Lawrence. Why would the demon have a receipt for there? Unless his accident had been a set up to get him?

*Relax Dean. It might have been the only way to make sure that you couldn't be tracked. Crowley might have paid for a room to hide the fact that I'd been there. Yeah and pigs fly. Come on! I know you keep files on everything. Where the fuck are they?!*

Placing the small piece of paper back Dean noticed that the drawer was smaller then it should have been. Removing the papers he found a locked false bottom. Pulling out his lock picks he was surprised to find that he was able to use them easily. Now he had another question to deal with and still no answers. Opening the lock, he popped the bottom open and found a large manilla envelope. Not knowing how much time he had he pulled it out and replaced the bottom and locked it once more.

Sliding the envelope under the baggy black shirt he had changed into he left the room careful not to be seen again. He stopped into the den and grabbed a couple movies to use as a cover just in case he had been missed. He was glad he did. As he got closer to his room he was greeted by the one guard that never seemed to be afraid of him. If nothing else his neon blue eyes were cool. They made quite a pair. A deaf Nephilim and his blind guard.

"Prince Dean I've been looking for you. You didn't tell anyone you were leaving your room."

Dean grinned and help up his movie choices. "Just went and got some porn since I couldn't find someone to bang at the festival. Could you do me a favor and have someone send me up some food and tell Crowley that I don't want to be disturbed Razael?"

"Of course." Razael said with a grin.

Dean went into his room and pulled the envelope out from under his shirt and hid it under his pillow before stripping down to his boxers. He grabbed his laptop and sat it on the bed and began booting it up. He put the movie and hit play and made sure to settle in, putting a pillow in his lap. Just in time to because Crowley entered the room with a wave.

Dean glared. "Can't a guy jack off in peace?"

Crowley frowned. "Couldn't find someone to bed then?"

The brunette threw the pillow that wasn't in lap at the Hell King. "Fuck off! I want to be left alone! Unless you have my food. Leave it here first then fuck off!"

The demon made a face and a servant came in with a service tray filled with his favorites and left just as quickly. Dean grinned and grabbed for a burger but stopped when he realized that Crowley was still watching him. He flipped the demon the bird and the King of Hell let out a growl and left, locking the door behind him.

Dean waited until he was sure he was alone before he pulled the envelope out, opened it, and dumped it's contents on his bed. The first thing he noticed was a contract with an angel by the name of Castiel. He read it over and frowned. It seemed like the contract was no longer valid so why would he keep it? There was also a blank one that hadn't been signed yet. The next was several pictures and to his shock it was pictures of the angel he had seen earlier. Was this Castiel?

The angel was dressed all in white with a collar and cuffs and the same large black wings. There was another picture of the angel being whipped and another of him sucking on Crowley but there were tears rolling down the angel's face. It made Dean wonder just how many times the angel was forced into such degradation. It was clear the angel didn't want to do it.

The next set of pictures was of the blonde that had come into the alley way after the angel. There were several pictures all showing the angel in various stages of pain and torture. There was even one where the angel's wings were out and they seemed to be rotting. One of them lay severed from his body and a bloody knife was in the angel's hand and it made Dean gag a bit. How much pain had the angel been in to feel the need to cut off his own wing?

The next set of pictures had him dropping them in shock. It was him! Him and the black haired angel and the human that had been with the blonde! He flipped through the nineteen pictures each one driving him further into confusion. It was clear that he knew them. Pictures didn't lie. He knew them. And judging by the closeness that they had showed he must have known the blonde angel too.

Setting the pictures down he realized that there was one thing left. A dvd. With a shrug he took the porn movie out of the laptop and went over to the tv and dvd player and put the movie in there instead and let it play on the big screen. He wanted to make sure he wasn't disturbed. As the porn began to play he was grateful he was deaf; it would have made his task so much harder.

Putting the dvd from the envelope into his laptop he made sure to mute the sound on it just in case before hitting play. He was quite glad he did. The dvd jumped right into the dark haired angel being whipped. There were several angles of it and it made his skin crawl watching the angel scream. Crowley stepping into frame and began yelling at the angel about trying to take his own life. Dean could sympathize. He try to off himself too if he was forced to please a demon.

Speaking of, Crowley forcing the angel to please him came up next. It seemed that Crowley was training the angel to please him. The demon made a comment about a clause in the contract about remaining a virgin. Grabbing up the contract he had first seen Dean read it over and looked back at the screen. He was convinced that the angel he was watching was Castiel. The screen went fuzzy and then it came back.

Instead of a bedroom they were now in a cellar with the blonde angel. Crowley seemed to enjoy kicking the poor angel. He watched as then angel mouthed off the the Hell King with absolutely no fear and endured everything he was given with no complaint. The only sign the angel was hurting was after the room would empty and then the angel was reduced to sobs. It changed again and Dean looked away quickly as the blonde brought the knife up and sliced through his own wing in one quick stroke.

When he looked back he grabbed the screen and leaned in close staring. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was himself, the human, and the dark angel. They slipped into the room with the blonde, weapons drawn and on guard. He watched himself as he help rescue the blonde angel from his confinement. He felt numb when he watched himself kiss the dark haired angel before they rushed from the room, with the angel taking point, the human carrying the blonde, and himself taking up the rear.

Dean stopped the movie. Crowley was lying to him. He pulled the movie from the computer and replace it and everything else back into the envelope. Dean felt numb. He wasn't sure what to think. If Crowley was lying to him then who was he supposed to believe? Reaching up Dean clutched at the necklace around his neck.

It's my feather you wear around your neck. It was my response to your courting gift.

Of course! Dean rushed over to his desk and pulled out a pen and some paper.

{I want the answers I know you have. We need to talk. Come to the mansion. Say nothing to Crowley of our previous meeting. ~DW}

He wrote the address underneath and rolled up the note. Trying to think of the best way to send it he saw the empty wine bottle from the other night. He shoved the note in it and quickly found the cork and shoved it in. He turned and let out a whistle, smiling as Fergus stood and padded silently over to him from his corner of the room.

Dean gave the hell hound a good rub. "I need a favor my friend. I need you to take a message to someone okay? An angel. Think you can do that for me?"

Fergus let out a rumble that Dean could feel under his fingers.

"Thanks. I think his name is Castiel. This feather I'm wearing belongs to him." Dean held out his necklace and the hell hound took several big sniffs before growling again. "Don't attack anyone. Just give them this bottle and leave okay? Make sure no one here sees you okay? This is important. This is for my own protection."

Fergus let out a growl. He had been tasked with protecting this body and answered only to him. He would do anything to protect his owner. He gently took the bottle and rubbed against his Master. He would do as was asked. Watching his Master smile he turned and went out the open window, breathing deeply. He had an angel to find.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Castiel stared into the roaring fireplace, a cup of tea that Sam made him held tight in his hands and one of Gabriel's fur blankets were draped around him, weighing down his wings but he couldn't bring himself to care. They had found Dean. They had found his mate. His mate who it seemed had forgotten him completely. Those green eyes that he loved so much held no recognition in them when Dean had looked at him. It was like looking into the eyes of a stranger.

He took a sip of his tea and reached for their bond again. It felt no different then before but it seemed that now Dean's side was opened but something was blocking it. Perhaps even hiding it from the hunter which would explain why Dean would think his mate dead. It had still hurt, to know that Dean did not see him as his mate or even as a friend, but as someone who had killed those he loved. It left him feeling cold inside.

Behind him he could hear Gabriel, Sam, and Bobby talking softly, not wanting to disturb him. Even Sam was hesitant to say anything to him, instead waiting until Castiel would set his empty cup down before refilling it and setting it back beside him. He was grateful for the space. He needed time to cope with what had happened in New Orleans.

Dean had indeed threatened him but Castiel hadn't felt any malicious intent from the hunter. Instead he had only felt the need for answers and anger. Dean had no real intent to harm him. In fact he had pulled them away from people who were innocent in case they had come to blows. Maybe his Dean still resided somewhere in that man that had stood before him.

It still left the question of why Dean was lacking his memory. He hadn't sensed any new injuries that had happened to the hunter so that could only mean that a spell had been used. Until he managed to connect with Dean again he couldn't be sure what kind of spell had been used. Were Dean's memories simply sealed away or were they lost for good? His very soul ached at the thought on his mate's memories lost forever. Castiel shuddered, his wings trembling so violently that the blanket fell off him.

"Castiel?"

Castiel flinched and his wings twitched at his brother's soft voice. "I'm fine."

"I don't think you are. Do you even realize that you've been sitting here for almost a full day?" Gabriel asked sitting down behind him.

"I was just lost in my thoughts."

"Thoughts about your mate who, from what you said, seems to have forgotten all about you."

Though Gabriel's voice held no malice in it, it still stung like the whip that had once tore his skin apart. "It has to be a spell. He had no injuries."

"I know. I don't know what spell was used but we'll get Dean back. I promise." Gabriel said softly. "I won't let you lose him again."

"He can't...He can't have lost them for good..."

"Your mating bond is still intact Castiel. That means that his memories can't be lost. Only sealed. That is what having a soul mate bond does. It protects the memories and the soul that they are attached too. Dean still has us in his head somewhere. It's just lost right now." Gabriel said softly, as three of his wings slowly settled over the younger angel, like a large feathered blanket. "And what's even better is that we have a way to purge the demon blood. We have all the ingredients."

Castiel fought to hold in his tears. "I was a stranger to him. You should have seen the way he looked at me Gabriel. It was like he was looking at the things he hunts. His eyes were so cold that I almost didn't recognize him."

Those wings wrapped around him a bit tighter. "This is only temporary Cassie."

"He thinks that his mate and family are dead and the angels and hunters are responsible. He thinks us dead and...I...I don't know what to do. Our bond is still there but it's like something else is there, blocking us." He admitted softly.

Gabriel raised his hand. "May I?"

Castiel nodded, surprised that Gabriel even felt the need to ask. Gabriel was the only angel he trusted completely with his Grace. Something that he told his older brother multiple times and yet his brother still felt the need to ask. It just made him trust his older brother even more because he knew that Gabriel only asked because he didn't want to betray that trust. It was just another thing that made Gabriel his favorite brother.

He closed his eyes as he felt the other three wings wrap tightly around him and he relaxed into them as Gabriel's fingers touched his brow. The warmth of Gabriel's Grace enveloped him, working to soothe the hurt he was feeling. Warm, tingling lips pressed against his own and he pressed back giving the archangel full access to everything that he was. That warmth slid deeper until it reached his bond with Dean. It hesitantly touched it, hovering before Castiel gave it a shove and the warmth slid deeper going across the bond to where the block was.

The dark haired angel had no idea how long Gabriel was examining the bond but it felt like an eternity before the archangel pulled back. He allowed his Grace to envelop him once again before he felt those tingling lips pull away, leaving him slightly dazed. Touching the Grace of an archangel was always such a rush that it left him feeling much like he had just been free falling and unsure if his wings could catch him.

He blinked and looked into those gold eyes and smiling face. "Gabriel?"

The archangel let out a chuckle. "Crowley is sloppy. Very, very sloppy. I just found out a lot thanks to you Cassie."

"What did you find?"

"A seal and a block. Both easy enough to break but I need Dean's permission to do so. So we have to convince your mate that we are who we say we are." Gabriel said. "Which means that we need to find Crowley as soon as possible."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Bobby said, having been brought to the house by Gabriel at Sam's request. "I've already got hunter's looking everywhere for them. They won't be able to hide for very long. If anyone knows anything then they know to call me."

Castiel nodded. "Thank you for doing this Bobby. I don't know how-"

"Finish that sentence and I will beat you over the head with something." Bobby said in no uncertain terms. "This is just what family does."

"Speaking of, you are welcome to stay as long as you want until this is settled Bobby." Gabriel said. "I have more then enough room not to mention several libraries filled with tomes and several cellars full of just about everything you'd need for spell casting. Help yourself."

"Thank for that. I'm glad you're letting me help. These boys mean the world to me." Bobby said. "I'd do anything for them."

"Then you and Sam do me both a favor and stand really, really still." Gabriel said as he stood, his gold eyes locked on the glass door.

"Gabe?" Sam asked. "What do you see?"

"It's a hell hound. He's just sitting there. Holding a wine bottle." The archangel said with confusion. "Castiel do you mind?"

Castiel stood and moved to stand before Sam and Bobby, his blades at ready. Gabriel moved forward and opened the door. He watched as the hound set down the bottle and turned and walked off, not interested in doing anything other then his apparently appointed task. Picking up the bottle the blonde frowned noticing the note inside. He smashed it against the side of the house and picked up the note before bringing it back inside.

Castiel stood down now that the danger had passed. "What does it say?"

When Gabriel looked up at him, his smile was dark. "It seems that Dean has invited us to Crowley's new mansion tomorrow night. We have their address."