No Matter What Happens

Drip. Drip. Drip

The sound of dripping is starting to irritate me. I do not know how long I have been listening to it before I realize the source. I weakly open my eyes to find the origin of the drip. Oh, right. Now I remember. I squeeze my eyes shut so I do not have to look at the shame.

They have kept me here for a week. The other angels took me while I was helping Sam and Dean with a ritual to get rid of some demons that had overrun the town they were in. Zachariah wanted to use me to get to the boys and he thought that I would betray them. When I refused to tell him anything about the boys, he punished me in the most hurtful way he could. I can still hear his cruel laughter as he listened to me scream in pain.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I said in a broken voice.

"Oh, Castiel. You know why," Zachariah said with malevolence, as he ripped the last of my feathers out.

"NO! Please stop! AHHHHH!" My head fell forward and tears of pain mixed with my blood on the concrete. He ran his fingers in my hair and then jerked my head back, he leaned close to my ear and whispered with malice, "If you want to help the humans so much, then you can join them."

With that, he ripped out my grace, the only remaining thing in me that ties me to my home. That last thing I heard before I blacked out from the agony was his cruel laughter.

I am drawn out of my musings by the familiar sounds of fighting coming from the entrance of the warehouse they are keeping me in. I keep my eyes shut and weakly turn my head away. I do not want them to see me like this. I am too ashamed. I hear them fight off the last of the guards and then they tip-toe towards me. They both gasp in shock as they see what the angels did to one of their own.

"Oh, my God! Cas? What did they do to you?" Dean says softly.

Tears begin to squeeze out of my eyes because I am so relieved to hear his voice. A rough but gentle hand moves my head to look at me.

"Cas. Open your eyes. C'mon. No one here is gonna hurt you now. You're safe. Me and Sam will take care of you. No matter what happens," Dean says kindly.

Finally I open my eyes and I am met by bright green ones that stare back with kindness and warmth. I start to cry openly now, and Dean takes me into his arms like the brother that he truly is. I know that the Winchester boys will make it through this battle. And I will proudly stand by their side, no matter what happens.