"Drop the blade, Dean!" Sam's voice broke through the darkness, urgent and pleading. "Dean. Look at me!" There was a cry of alarm, and Alex groaned, trying to open her eyes, but her body was unresponsive, too shocked to move. "Let it go!" she heard the Winchester insisted. "Let it go! Let it go."

The voices faded away, and the next thing she knew, her eyes were opening, but the brothers were nowhere in sight. Alex blinked twice, her vision swimming, and she curled her toes in her boots at the throbbing in her head. What had happened? She could taste blood, and the young hunter reluctantly flicked out her tongue to taste her lips. Definitely blood.

That was right. Dean's elbow had knocked her out. Right after he had attacked Gadreel. Alex's eyes fell closed as footsteps approached, her stomach roiling nauseously. "Are you okay?" The voice was Castiel's, and Alex cracked open an eye to see that the seraph was kneeling in front of her, his face dark with concern.

Her mouth initially refused to form words, and the young angel could only groan. She struggled to sit up, grunting out her thanks as Castiel held her steady. "Where's Dean?" Her head throbbed, protesting the change in position, and Alex gingerly touched the side of her head.

"Downstairs. We've confined him to the dungeon for the moment." Concern still laced his voice, and after a moment's pause, Castiel added, "Can I get you anything?"

"Uh, uh — yeah. There's an icepack in the freezer." Alex brushed off Castiel's help as she pushed herself to her feet. "Where's the First Blade?" Her gaze followed Cas' on the ground, and she bent down to pick up the jaw bone as the seraph walked away. It was the first time she had held it, and the young angel ran her fingers down the length of the mylohyoid line, ending at the leather straps that enveloped the handle. "We should keep this far away from him." Her fist closed around the handle, eyes closed as she tried to feel the power that lay within the bone, but there was nothing.

Footsteps approached, and Alex looked up as Castiel returned, ice pack in hand. "You should put that down." The seraph held out the cold compress, and Alex pressed it up against her temple.

"Crowley wanted me to have the Mark, you know." Alex twisted the Blade again, watching how the yellowed teeth caught in the light. "Cain insisted on giving it to Dean."

"I'm glad he did." Castiel's hand covered hers, and Alex reluctantly relinquished her grasp on the weapon. "Look at what it's done." His touch lingered on the back of her hand for only a second longer before it pulled away, and the seraph placed the Blade down onto the table. His gaze flickered past hers before he added, "We'll find Gadreel after I have a word with Dean."

Gadreel. She had completely forgotten about the injured warrior. Alex's head snapped back to where the angel had fallen, but he was nowhere in sight; only a pool of blood remained on the floor. "W-where'd he go?"

"I don't know." Castiel disappeared down the hall, and Alex followed, unsteady at first, but gaining her footing as she went. They circled past the living quarters and descended the stairs, and Alex hesitated as they stepped into the storage room. The door was closed, and Castiel knocked on the metal shelves. "Sam. It's us."

The doors opened, and Alex stepped into the dungeon. Dean was standing there, arms folded across his chest as he glared at the three of them. "The hell if you think I'm riding the pine on this one, guys."

"Something's wrong with you, Dean." Sam's voice was sharp with exasperation, and Dean's lips curled angrily. "And until we figure out what, this is where you have to stay."

"And you two are gonna do what? Take on Metatron yourselves?" Dean scoffed loudly, and Alex shoved her hands into her pockets with a scowl. "That's smart — oh, no, wait." He nodded towards Castiel. "No, you — you lost your angel army. And you," he added to Sam, "— now you're trying to lock up the one guy who has a shot at killing the son of a bitch! Hell of a plan, fellas."

Sam's arm brushed hers as he exited the room, and Alex pressed the ice pack back up against her head as Castiel followed after the Winchester. "Thanks for the concussion," she spat.

The doors closed behind her as she stepped out of the dungeon, and Dean's voice was muffled by the thick metal. "Hey! Guys! I'm sorry, okay? Alex!"

Sam's hand came to rest on her shoulder, and Alex met his sympathetic look before she sighed. "We should go find Gadreel. He couldn't have gotten far, injured like that." She led the way back up the stairs, and her hand fell back to her side, the quickly-warming ice pack held loosely in her grip.

"Sam." Castiel's soft voice came from behind them as they approached the library, and Alex chanced a look back. "Dean … wasn't wrong. My followers have abandoned us." Castiel picked up the First Blade off of the table and carried it over to a steel box.

Sam took it from the seraph and laid it inside, closing the lid and locking it tight. "Yeah," he began as Alex made her way into the war room, "but Gadreel says he can help us. From where I sit, that's more than an even trade."

"That is, if we still find Gadreel before he either bleeds or or goes back to Metatron." Alex muttered out the dark thought as she followed the trail of blood across the floor and up the metal stairs. The bunker door was ajar, and the young hunter waved her companions after her as she stepped outside.

The dirt was dark with blood, and Alex broke into a run as she caught sight of a figure laying motionless in the tall grass ten yards from the bunker, feet carrying her across a ditch and to the Gadreel's side. The angel jerked into consciousness at her loud and rushed appearance, and he weakly tried to scramble away, eyes wide as his free hand tried in vain to stem the blood flow, but the wound was too deep. "Please," he begged as Sam and Castiel stopped beside her, looming over the fallen angel. "I'll leave you alone, I swear."

"We're not going to hurt you." Castiel crouched down beside Alex, one hand stretching out towards Gadreel, but the angel weakly knocked it away.

"No," he insisted. "Your grace. Healing me will only weaken you."

Alex nudged the seraph out of the way as she placed her hand Gadreel's chest. Before the angel could protest again, she willed the last of Gabriel's grace out from beneath her soul and into the wound. Gadreel's eyes fell closed with a groan as his flesh was stitched back together. The last tendril of the archangel's warm essence disappeared, and Alex slumped into the grass, a shudder passing through her body at the empty pit in her stomach. Castiel's hand came to rest on her shoulder, and the hunter squeezed her eyes shut at the rush of nausea. "Did you hear him?" she heard Gadreel ask, and she let herself fall back into the grass beside the angel, grunting out her own confusion.

"Metatron," Castiel explained to her before he turned back to Gadreel. "And yes. Where is he going? What does he want?"

"I'm afraid … humanity." Gadreel sat up beside her, and Alex cracked open her eyes to look up into his solemn face. "You shouldn't have used the last of your grace to save me. How is your head?"

"Hurts like a bitch." Alex grimaced as she forced herself to sit up; with her grace gone, the full effect of her concussion was almost too much to bear.

"Let me help." Gadreel reached out to place two fingers on her head. "It is the least that I can offer."

His grace flowed inwards, warm yet weak, and the pressure in her head disappeared. "Thanks." Alex reached up to feel her temple, but the pain was gone. "You — you didn't have to, though. I figured, after you fixed my heart in Rexford, I should return the favor."

"Of course," she heard Castiel murmur, and she glanced over at him to find a newfound respect glowing in the seraph's eyes. "It was you." He helped Alex to her feet, and the young hunter felt a shiver run down her spine despite the warmth of the sun on her face.

"Where is Dean?" Wariness lined Gadreel's words, and he looked around the empty field. "Perhaps if I can just reason with him …"

"No, it — it's okay. We took care of Dean." Sam started back across the field, and Alex followed him back to the bunker. She stepped carefully over the drying blood as she entered. "Oh, no." Sam's noise of dismay had her looking up in surprise as the Winchester hurried down the stairs and into the library.

She followed close at his heels, eyes going wide at the sight of the box on the library table. The lid was thrown back, revealing the emptiness inside. The First Blade was gone. "What's that smell?" Gadreel's voice had Alex's head tipping back, and she sniffed at the air.

"Sulfur." Sam's word came at the same time as Alex growled out, "Crowley." The thought of the demon had anger rising in her chest before her eyes stretched wide. "Dean." Alex took off down the hall and jumped down the stairs, Sam close at her heels. The storage door was closed, but the metal door to the dungeon was flung wide open. The light was on, and Alex slid to a stop outside of the room.

"The Impala is gone." Castiel's voice came from the doorway as Alex crossed into the dungeon, kneeling down beside the array of empty vials and bowls. A burnt match lay off to the side, and Alex picked up the metal bowl beside it and sniffed at the charred ashes inside. "Demon summoning spell." The girl's nose wrinkled at the pungent smell. "Son of a bitch." Her gaze turned to the wall behind her where a red liquid pooled on the ground. "Sam."

"Blood." Sam knelt down beside her, concern darkening his face. "Great." The Winchester pulled out his cell phone and hurried back out into the hallway, and Alex turned her head to listen to his footsteps retreat back up the stairs. She pushed herself back up to her feet, and Castiel's hand reached out to rest on her shoulder to steady her before she brushed off his support.

"Where's Gadreel?" She looked around for the angel, but he was nowhere in sight. "Did you leave him upstairs?"

"He doesn't need supervision." Castiel turned to go after Sam, and Alex followed, flipping off the lights before she sprinted past him up the stairs.

"Dean, pick up the phone." Sam was sitting down at the library table, leaning forward with his cell pressed up tightly against his ear. "Call me back. I'm not kidding, alright? Don't do this. Not like this."

"Are you sure it was Crowley?" Castiel stopped in front of Sam as the Winchester hung up with a scowl.

Alex nodded, and Sam's gaze flickered over to her before he shrugged. "Who else would he summon?" he replied darkly. "I mean, he and Crowley have been bromancing over the Blade ever since Dean got the Mark."

"The Mark?" Gadreel stepped into view from the hallway, and Alex turned, surprised to find him nearby.

"The Mark of Cain," she explained, and the angel's face darkened gravely. "It was given to him by ... well, Cain."

"Yes, I know about the Mark." Gadreel's eyes turned to Castiel as they grew thoughtful. "So that's what Dean cut me with — the First Blade. In a way that could be useful." He was shaken from his thoughts by Sam's noise of surprise, and explained, "Well, Metatron is more powerful than ever, but if Dean has the First Blade and the Mark, that might give us our best chance."

"Y-You're joking, right?" Sam rose to his feet and turned to face the angel. "A few minutes ago, we were ready to throw Dean in a padded cell, and now you say he's our best chance?"

Castiel stepped forward, ready to intercept the brother if necessary. "Hear him out, Sam."

"Oh, right. Excuse me." Sam's hazel eyes flashed angrily as he glared at the three of them. "Sorry, guys — uh, sorry I'm a little less than eager to hear out that our best chance is — is arming the warhead and hoping it hits the mark. This is not a bomb we're talking about. This is my brother!"

"And your brother would not be in this alone," Gadreel promised. 'We can help."

"How?"

The angel kept his head held high, unfazed by the Winchester's challenge. "I believe Metatron has found a way to tap into the Angel tablet, harnessing its power to give him powers equivalent to —"

"God, right?" Sam finished. "I mean, that's what this is all about, isn't it? Metatron wants to be God." Gadreel nodded, and Sam's lips pursed in a thin frown. "Great, well, that basically makes him unstoppable."

"Well, not if we can get to the tablet and destroy it." Alex looked up at Castiel and Gadreel, eyebrows lifted as she put forth her suggestion.

Gadreel's head tipped, but Castiel nodded. "Perhaps we don't even have to go that far," he added. "If we could just break the connection between Metatron and the tablet, that would make him just an ordinary angel." He turned to Gadreel and asked, "Where is he keeping it?"

"In his office." The angel's blue eyes lit up as Castiel's plan began to take form. "In heaven. I can get us to the door."

"And then what?" Sam broke into the two's planning. "I mean, why would they let you in? If Metatron's number two shows up with heaven's most wanted, the gig is up." He motioned to Castiel as he spoke, and the seraph's eyes narrowed.

"Sam," he insisted, "we have to try. This might be our only option."

"What else could we do?" Alex added. "With Metatron juiced up, he — he's like Cas when he was high on those souls. The only thing that slowed him down was Death. And it's not like we can just summon him again," she quickly added when Sam's eyes lit up. "We barely survived, and that was with Dean. I think this plan will work." She turned to look up at Castiel. "After all, how hard can breaking into heaven be?"

...

The brakes squealed ominously as the Lincoln Continental rolled to a stop alongside the curb, and Alex looked out the window to see a playground laying on the other side of the field. Sunlight reflected on the shining metal of the swing set, which rocked and swayed as a young girl swung gently, aided by her mother. "This … this is the gate to heaven?" Alex leaned forward in between Castiel and Gadreel, eyes narrowed in confusion. "It's a playground."

"And it's guarded by two of Metatron's most loyal. I recruited them myself." Gadreel nodded towards the mother and daughter before his gaze turned to Castiel. "So, you said you had a plan … how we might convince them to let us pass."

"Wookie." Castiel reached into the pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

Alex chuckled, her mind spinning as the plan came to mind, but Gadreel's face remained blank with confusion. "Brother, I have no idea what that means."

"It's a references to Star Wars — I'd show it to you later but it'd go right over your head." Alex patted Gadreel on the shoulder twice before she leaned back in her seat. "Alright, so we sneak into heaven under the guise of being Gadreel's prisoners."

"Metatron left heaven earlier this morning," Gadreel added. "He insisted he would not be back until tomorrow, and I have had no other news of his return, so his presence will not be a problem."

"Okay, great. Let's go." Alex reached down to unbuckle her seatbelt. "Hopefully we can be out of there before Metatron returns. We just need … here. I've got another pair of handcuffs stashed back here somewhere." She ducked down to feel under the seat before she popped back up with a grin, but her enthusiasm died at the look on the angels' faces. "What?"

"Alex," Castiel began gravely, but Gadreel spoke at the same time, his eyes squinted in confusion as he stared at her. "Why do you keep handcuffs hidden in the car?"

"Cause — cause bad guys." Alex shook the metal cuffs so that they jingled. "Look, t-they're even warded."

"Alex, you're not coming with." Castiel's voice deepened as he frowned. "I thought we had this discussion back at the bunker with Sam."

"And … I agreed to stay in the car just to get him to shut up." Alex scoffed loudly as she toyed with the latch on the handcuffs. "I thought that was obvious, considering I backed down in, like, ten seconds." She dropped the metal cuffs onto the seat between the two angels. "Come on, I'm not just going to sit here while you two risk your life."

"I agree with Castiel," Gadreel began slowly. "If this fails, you would be safer the further away from heaven you are."

Alex looked between the two angels, her jaw hanging open before she snapped her mouth shut. "Oh my God." Her shoulders fell, and her head rolled back in exasperation. "You two are worse than Sam and Dean."

Castiel and Gadreel exchanged looks, and Castiel's jaw tightened slightly. "I don't know if that's an insult," he began, "but you're not coming with."

"Um, yeah, I am." Alex narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Otherwise I'm going after you." She picked up her angel blade for emphasis, casting a low glare towards the two guardians of the playground. "And it's going to be far less tactful." Her cold grey eyes turned back onto Castiel. "Your call."

The flicker in the seraph's eyes was the sign that Alex had won, and the young hunter tossed her weapon back onto the seat before throwing open the door. "Great."

"Does she always push you around like that, brother?" Gadreel's voice was a low murmur as Alex pulled herself out of the car. She couldn't hear Castiel's response, but after a second, Gadreel replied, "Yes, I can see that." The car door opened, and the angel stepped out, eyes scanning the park in the distance. "Actually, Alex has given me an idea. If Asariel and Purah do doubt, perhaps seeing my loyalty for themselves will convince them of our deception."

"What are you talking about?" Castiel turned to Gadreel, a frown of confusion upon his face.

The angel ignored him as he looked down at Alex. "If I had been able to capture Castiel," he began, "you would stop at nothing to get him back, correct?" Alex nodded, and Gadreel's face grew thoughtful. "They will believe our deception if they witness me capturing Alex while she attempts to rescue you." His blue eyes turned onto Castiel. "Does that sound plausible? I do not know your mate as well as you do."

"It does." Castiel's gaze flickered across Alex's face, terse with displeasure, before it returned to his brother. "Here." He clamped the handcuffs around his wrists. "Let's go."

Alex handed her own set of handcuffs to Gadreel, surprised to find that the angel was holding out her weapon. "You should approach from the trees. Only do so if it appears they will not let us through; I do not want to risk bloodshed if we do not have to. If it becomes necessary, attack me only; do not hurt them, and they will not hurt you."

"Yeah, okay." Alex slipped off towards the woods with a roll of her eyes. There was no way she wasn't going to attack; Gadreel and Castiel weren't going to go to heaven alone. She drew in several deep breaths to force a sense of panic, trying to get in the mindset as she stepped in among the trees. They had taken her mate and were bringing him to Metatron. She hurried through the underbrush and broke into a run as she circled around to the playground, repeating her mantra in her head. They had taken her mate and were bringing him to Metatron.

She paused at the edge of the trees and peered out onto the playground. The mother and daughter had ceased swinging and risen to their feet to meet Gadreel, who was leading Castiel towards the sandbox. She could see Gadreel's mouth moving, but couldn't make out any sounds. The guardians had a frown upon their faces, and Alex slipped out of the trees, sneaking closer and hiding behind the playground equipment until she was close enough to hear Gadreel's words. "And who do you think gave the order to capture Castiel?" he was challenging. "Unless you think Metatron isn't interested in questioning the lead of the rebellion?"

Alex sprang forward, weapon gripped tightly in her hands as she lunged for Gadreel. She swung it high, giving him enough time to duck out of the way. His hands grabbed hers, wrestling away the weapon, and anger pulsed through her at the struggle. One hand left the blade and flew out, colliding with Gadreel's nose as a snarl left her throat.

Hands wrapped around her, drawing her back and throwing her onto the ground, and Alex's eyes rolled into the back of her head as the wind was knocked out of her lungs. An angel blade flashed in the air, and Alex struggled to draw oxygen back into her chest as one of Metatron's angels knelt over her, weapon poised to be thrust into her heart.

"Purah!" Gadreel reached out to stop the young girl, and the corner of Alex's lip curled up into a disgusted snarl as the angel hesitated. "Stop."

"What is she doing here?" The angel hissed out her sentence, and Alex struggled in vain against her tight grip.

"She's been following us since Kansas. The only way to draw her out was to bring Castiel into the open." Gadreel didn't relinquish his grasp on Purah's shoulder until her weapon dropped back to her side. "Do not harm her. She is more use to Metatron alive than dead."

"What use could Metatron have for a half-breed like her?" Purah's voice was scornful, and Alex scowled, but Gadreel remained unfazed.

"What use could Metatron have for the one person that our enemy cares for the most?" he repeated. "Perhaps your short sightedness is the reason that you are down here guarding the door instead of serving in heaven." It was Purah's turn to scowl, and Gadreel reached into his pocket and pulled out the handcuffs that Alex had given him. "Here." He handed them down to the angel. "Secure her and redraw the sigil."

"Asariel." Purah jerked her head back towards the sandbox, and Alex turned her head to watch the angel draw in the sand with a stick as the angel above her secured her wrists with the warded cuffs. She stifled a hiss as the metal dug too tightly into her skin, but she refused to flinch away from the angel's stare.

Purah roughly pulled Alex to her feet, and the hunter shrugged the angel off as she stalked over to stand at Castiel's side. Asariel finished the sigil, and it began to glow with a brilliant blue light. Gadreel nudged her forward, and Alex snapped out a, "Watch it!" as she was shoved towards the sandbox. Gadreel's only response was to tighten his grip on her and her mate, and together the three of them stepped onto the sand.

The sound of rushing wind filled her ears as she stepped into the light, followed by a great, crushing pressure that disappeared as quickly as it had come. The world disappeared in a flash of white, and when Alex blinked, she was standing in an elevator. The door was opening, and Alex blinked again in surprise to find herself standing outside a shining white office. Angels bustled around, and Alex followed Gadreel out of the elevator and into the room. "This is heaven?" She looked around with a frown. "No wonder you guys are so lame. Pandemonium is way cooler than this."

"You've been to Pandemonium?" Castiel's voice was low with confusion mixed with anger, and Alex gave a small shrug.

"Lucifer showed me," she explained. "Said he based it off of heaven, but I don't see the resemblance."

"Naomi had the place redone when she took Michael's place." Hannah walked up to them, accompanied by another angel, and Alex's face darkened into a scowl at the sight of her. "The new structure has become much more efficient."

"Well, you know what they say about corruption in corporation." Alex's grey eyes flashed, and satisfaction shot through her when Hannah looked away.

"Well done." The angel who had accompanied Hannah spoke up, ignoring Alex as she addressed Gadreel. "We've sent word to Metatron. He'll be back shortly. You can wait inside." She motioned to a door on the other side of the room, and Gadreel dipped his head in respect.

"Thank you, Ingrid." Gadreel nudged Castiel and Alex ahead of him as they crossed the room, and Alex pushed her way through the door and into Metatron's office.

The doors closed behind them, and Alex looked around the ornate office with a nod. She turned back to Gadreel, but even as she did so, the room quivered. The walls slipped away, and heavy stone exploded into being, encircling them and arching above their heads. Iron bars pushed up through the ground, and Alex stepped away from them with a cry of surprise. "What the hell is going on?"

"No, no, no, no!" Gadreel's plead had her brushing past Castiel to press up against the bars, trying to catch a glimpse of the angel in the cell beside them. "Not here!"

"Did you really think your little ruse would work?" Ingrid looked scornfully over at Gadreel, and Alex heard him plead again as her attention turned onto Alex and Cas. "Welcome to heaven's jail, Castiel. I believe Gadreel can give you the tour."

"Please!" Gadreel's voice cracked as Ingrid walked away, and Alex heard him slump against the wall in despair.

"Hey." Alex crouched down next to the bars, leaning her shoulder against the wall they shared. "We're gonna get out of this." Panic constricted her chest as she wrapped a hand around the steel bars, but she kept her voice as calm as she could. "Metatron's not going to get away with what he's done." Her eyes hardened as they lifted up onto Hannah's face, who stood there watching. "What do you want?" She rose to her feet, anger bringing heat to her face. "It's bad enough you're working for the asshole who killed Oren and Josiah and — and a hundred other angels! So now you're just here to, what? Mock us?"

"Oren killed himself." Hannah's gaze turned onto Cas. "He did it for Castiel."

Alex threw her head back with a loud, exasperated groan. "Angels. I swear." She pointed over to Gadreel's cell. "Gadreel, tell her. Tell her what you told us."

No response came from the other cell, and Castiel stepped forward. "Hannah. Metatron recruited Oren as a double agent. He did the same with Tessa, Constantine, and Josiah. He was the one who convinced them to blow themselves up in my name to make me look like the bad one. Gadreel came to me after he realized the truth; he was the one who recruited them."

"Is that true?" Hannah looked over at Gadreel's cell, and Alex leaned forward, but the angel didn't speak. He must have given some signal of assent, because Hannah turned back to them. "Okay, so you're telling me that Metatron set you up, arranged those suicide bombers to make himself look like the victim."

Castiel nodded. "Gadreel was his second in command. For what other reason than the truth would he turn against Metatron?"

"So now I'm expected to trust the word of an angel who's only ever thought of himself since the Garden, and you two?" Hannah's eyes narrowed. "You told us not a single angel more would die in this fight."

Castiel stepped forward, and Alex shifted to make room for him at the steel door. "What do you think I have been trying to do?"

"Trying?" Hannah's voice was scornful. "By killing Metatron?"

"We don't need to kill him." Alex's fingers dug into the fabric of her jacket. "I just want to talk to him. Violently. With my fists."

"Alex." Castiel nudged her backwards, and Alex reluctantly stepped away with a scowl. "Hannah, he is the reason for all of our suffering."

"Nothing you say matters."

"For fuck's sake!" Alex threw her head back. "This is ridiculous. You're all insane — you can't even see deception when it's sitting right in front of you." She pushed her way past Castiel to grasp the bars. "You're making the same mistake Gadreel made with Lucifer and you don't even know it."

"Give us a chance," Castiel added more softly. "Let us out, Hannah. Please."

"I'm sorry." Hannah leaned against the wall, arms crossed as she watched them, and Alex returned the stare with a dark glare.

"Like shit you're sorry," she muttered, and she dropped back down onto the ground. "You need better friends, Cas." She dug into her pockets and pulled out the keys for the handcuffs that she was wearing. "Guess we don't need these anymore." She popped off the cuffs, rubbing her sore wrists as she held the key out to her mate. "Here you go. Gadreel? Hey, you still okay over there?" There was no response, and she sighed, her voice growing softer. "Okay, well just sit tight then. We're not going to leave you here alone; we'll get you out of here." She leaned her back against the wall, hugging her knees up against her chest as she tucked her head into them.

"I sat in this hole for thousands of years, thinking of nothing but redemption, of reclaiming my good name. I thought of nobody, no cause, other than my own." Footsteps echoed on the ground as Gadreel rose to his feet, pacing back and forth in his cell.

"You've been redeemed, my friend," Castiel promised, and Alex murmured out her own agreement.

"The only thing that matters in the end is the mission," Gadreel continued, and his voice strengthened in resolve, "protecting those who would not and cannot protect themselves — the humans. None of us is bigger than that. And we will not let our fears, our self-absorption prevent us from seeing it through. Not anymore."

"No, of course not." Alex lifted her head. "Don't worry. We're going to stop Metatron if its the last thing we do. These cells can't hold us forever."

"You're right." Gadreel's pacing ceased. "Now move to the other side of your cell and keep your head down."

"What?" Alex's head snapped to the side as she tried to look back at the angel through the white stone wall. "Gadreel? What are you talking about?"

"When they say my name, perhaps I won't just be the one who let the serpent in." Alex pushed herself to her feet as footsteps rushed up to them, and she peered through the bars to see Hannah fumbling with the keys to Gadreel's cell.

"Gadreel?" Alex reached through the bars. "What are you doing?" Her eyes stretched wide at the urgency in Hannah's movements, and she shook the bars in desperation. "Please, don't do anything stupid."

"Perhaps I will be known as one of many who gave heaven a second chance." Gadreel spoke over her words, and Alex struggled harder. "Run, sister."

Castiel's hands pulled her back, and Alex reached out towards the wall, trying to struggle free. "Please!" she begged as Castiel threw her to the ground, kneeling over her protectively as the world shook with an earth-shattering bang. The wall of the cell cracked and broke, sending a cloud of dust into the air, and Alex turned her face into Castiel's chest.

The dust settled, and the young hunter coughed, pushing Castiel away so she could stagger to her feet. "Gadreel?" She stumbled forward through what remained of the wall, and her legs shook to find the angel nowhere in sight. "What did he do? What did he do?" She turned onto Hannah, who was slowly pulling herself back to her feet.

"He … he blew himself up. He used the same sigil as the bombers." Hannah looked over at Alex with wide eyes.

The girl's legs shook, and she took a step back. "That son of a bitch." Her voice shook, and Alex pushed away Castiel's offered hand of support as she glared over at Hannah. "You didn't want any more angels to die? Well, I hope you're happy!" she yelled, and her feet carried her over the rubble as she reached out, shoving Hannah up against the stone wall. "Do you believe him now?" First Ezekiel, then Kevin, now Gadreel. "Because his death is on you!"

"Alex." Castiel pulled her away, and Alex wiped away her tears as she roughly pushed free to get away from him. "I'm sorry." Alex turned to face the wall, tears stinging her eyes as the seraph's voice grew soft, and she felt him approach, hands resting on her shoulders as his voice murmured in her ear. "But we have to go before the rest of Metatron's followers realize what has happened."

"No." Hannah dusted off her blazer, straightening the fabric that had been creased during Alex's attack. "I'll take you to Metatron's office." Her blue eyes looked up into Castiel's face as the seraph turned to look at her. "I never should have doubted you, Castiel. I'm sorry."

Alex looked up into her mate's face, waiting with terse frown to see if he accepted the apology, but the seraph only nodded. "Take us there. We need to find the angel tablet."

Hannah nodded and led the way off towards a flight of stairs. Alex took a step in her direction but faltered, unable to tear her gaze from the mess of stone and dust that covered the floor. There was no sign of Gadreel's vessel, and her eyes rested on the a bloody shard of rock that he had used to carve the sigil. "Let's go." Castiel gently nudged her towards the stairs, and Alex reluctantly fell in step beside him. They crossed through the winding halls, and Alex moved closer to her mate as they reappeared in the glowing office. Hannah led the way across the room, ignoring the looks from the angels around them, and Alex paused beside the door, wary of a trap that lay behind.

"Metatron's office is in here." Hannah turned to face them, her hand on the door handle. "So is Ingrid, but perhaps she knows where the tablet is." She opened the door and led the way through, and Castiel followed, leaving Alex to take up the rear.

"What are they doing here?" Ingrid rose to her feet, eyes narrowed in anger as she looked between Castiel and Alex, and an angel blade fell into Hannah's hand as she surged forward, twisting Ingrid around and poising the angel blade at her throat.

Castiel stalked forward, and Alex followed, her eyes narrowed in rage. "Where is it?" His voice was low in a growl, but Ingrid held her head high, lips pursed as she held the seraph's glare. "Remove her."

He turned away as Hannah led the angel out of the office, and Alex looked around at the stacks of books. "It's got to be here somewhere." She stepped up to a bookshelf and pulled off a book. "Start looking." She threw the book down on the ground and reached for another, dropping them onto the carpet. "And destroy as much as you can while you're at it." She kicked at a stack of papers on the ground, sending them flying haphazardly in the air. "I'm going to fucking kill him."

"Find the tablet first." The sound of books hitting the ground signaled the start of Castiel's own frantic search. "The sooner it is destroyed, the better chance Dean will stand."

"Yeah." Alex swiped the shelf of books onto the ground, jumping out of their way as she moved over to the next stack. She pounded her fist against the back of the bookshelf, searching for any hidden alcove, but there was nothing. "Dammit."

"Nothing." Castiel ran his hand across the mantle of the fireplace, fingers dancing across the bumps and crevices in search of a hidden latch. "There's nothing here."

Alex crossed over to the desk and threw open the drawers, but the only thing inside was blank paper and pens. She dropped to her knees and peered inside the cabinets, scowling in disgust. "The desk is empty." She looked up at Castiel, who was pulling books off of the last bookcase. "Now what?"

Castiel turned back, running a hand through his short, messy hair as he thought, and his blue eyes landed on the typewriter on the desk. "There." He crossed to the desk, and Alex rose to her feet as he lifted off the top.

The angel tablet sat inside, its Enochian scrawlings glowing like embers. They sparked as Castiel lifted the smooth rock from its home and tossed it to the wooden floor, and the tablet shattered like glass. "Great." Alex wiped her feet off of her jeans. "Now we just wait for Dean to kill this son of a bitch."

"Or for Metatron to return here." Castiel's gaze swept across the room. "There's a chance that he'll attempt to come back once he feels that the tablet has been destroyed."

"Well, in that case, I'll need a weapon." Alex crossed over to the door and stepped out into the office, unsurprised to find that all of the angel's gazes turned onto her. "Hey. You." She pointed to the nearest angel, narrowing her eyes as she rolled back her shoulders. "I need your angel blade."

The angel's gaze turned onto Hannah, who stood at the other end of the room. "Give her whatever she needs." Her words were accompanied by a short nod, and the angel let his weapon fall into his hands as he held out the blade.

"Thank you. If Meta-dick shows back up, we'll be in here waiting." Alex kicked the door closed behind her as she stepped back into the office. She twisted the weapon in her hands as she crossed back over to Castiel. "What's that?"

The seraph was toying with a phonograph that sat beside the desk, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "I don't know …" he slowly began, "but I believe it's what Metatron used to broadcast his message across all of angel radio. Perhaps we can use this to our advantage."

"Oh yeah. You and Gadreel mentioned you heard him." Alex thought back to that morning before she frowned. "Looks pretty rustic, though."

Castiel made a small noise agreement as he fell back into his thought, and Alex crossed over to the fire. The flames crackled through the air, warm and homey, and for a moment the hunter let herself get lost in the flickering tongues before she tightened her grip on her weapon. Gadreel should be here with them. "You work on that," she said, her voice tight with anger. "I'm going to destroy some more of Metatron's precious books before he gets back." She twisted the blade in her hand as she turned away, adding under her breath, "And when he does, I'll kill him myself."

Before she could take two steps towards the last remaining stacks of books, however, a voice had her spinning around. "Well played, Castiel." Metatron stood in the center of the room, his gaze fixed upon the seraph who now sat behind the desk. "Obviously, you and Gadreel managed to turn a few dead enders against me."

"Gadreel's dead!" Alex sprang forward, but Metatron sent her flying across the room with a flick of his wrist. Her back hit the wall, and she slumped to the floor with a groan.

"Ah." The angel straightened the collar of his worn, oversized coat that he wore over a dusty sweatshirt. "So Gadreel bites the dust." He ignored Alex's hiss of anger at his disrespect, choosing instead to look down at the shattered tablet at his feet. "And the angel tablet — arguably the most powerful instrument in the history of the universe — is in pieces, and for what again?" Metatron's face scrunched up in faux-confusion for the briefest of seconds. "Oh, that's right — to save Dean Winchester. That was your goal, right? I mean, you draped yourself in the flag of heaven, but ultimately, it was all about saving one human, right? Well, guess what. He's dead, too."

Liar. Alex squeezed the handle of her weapon so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Liar!" she yelled, and her feet carried her forward.

A force like a brick wall sent her back, the impact knocking the angel blade from her hand and pinning her up against the wall.

"Ah ah." Metatron waggled a finger in her direction as the girl struggled against the invisible hand holding her off of the ground, and his gaze turned onto Castiel. "And you're sitting in my chair."

Handcuffs sprang from thin air, clamping around the seraph's wrists. "Dean isn't dead!" Alex strained against her bonds, her heart racing in her chest as panic built up inside of her lungs. "You lying piece of shit —"

"Say one more word and I'll take your tongue," Metatron warned. "Dean is very much dead." A chuckle rose in his throat, and he added, "He put up quite the valiant fight, but even with the First Blade, he wasn't strong enough." He lifted his hands to show his bloodied knuckles, and Alex snarled to hide her trembling jaw. "I put this right through his heart." A bloodied angel blade fell into Metatron's hands, and the angel placed it on the desk in front of Cas. "Even Winchesters die, Castiel."

"No." Alex pushed against the force with all her might as her vision ran red. "I'm going to fucking kill you, you hear me!" Her fists clenched as she strained, but Metatron's grace didn't give. "I'll finish what he fucking started!"

"Okay." The invisible hand disappeared, and Alex fell to the ground. "You're all out of juice, sweetheart. What's one more dead rebel?"

"Alex, don't." Castiel's voice had Alex freezing where she knelt, hand curled around the handle of the blade. "Set it down."

"He's killed enough people today." Alex pushed herself to her shaking feet. "I'm not letting him take any more. He's not going to get away with this."

A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind, and Alex gasped as an angel blade tore through her skin, passing through her ribs and out the other side. Her weapon clattered to the ground, and she looked down at the silver protruding from her chest, stained with hers and Dean's blood. "I already have." Metatron withdrew his weapon, and Alex staggered. She dropped to her knees, hands clutching her bleeding chest as she fought to breathe through her punctured lung. "So what?" Metatron placed the blade back onto the desk in front of Castiel, who struggled violently against his bonds. "You told a silly story to a group of less-than-believers. I'll clean up your mess in an hour."

Alex tried to speak, but blood bubbled up from her lungs, its acrid tang burning against her tongue. "C-Cas." She leaned her head forward, letting the thick red liquid trickle from her lips and onto the ground. "Cr-Crowley …" Her muscles screamed in protest, and she fell silent, lifting her head to meet the seraph's eyes, begging for him to understand.

Castiel's blue eyes flickered, and his jaw set in anger as he whipped his head back to look at Metatron. "You give our brothers and sisters far too little credit," he snapped. "They will soon learn that you have been playing them."

"And then?" Metatron rolled his eyes, and Alex pressed her forehead into Castiel's foot as her vision blurred. "They will do nothing because they are frightened little sheep following my crook wherever it leads. And where I'm taking them, back to our rightful place atop this mountain of human shame and excrement — when that happens, trust me, they're not gonna care how they got there."

Alex gasped weakly, and Castiel sharply yanked at his handcuffs. "Make your point," he growled, and Alex curled her hand around his ankle, squeezing it with what remained of her strength. Hurry up, she begged.

Metatron chuckled, circling around the desk, and Alex groaned as his foot connected with her knee, knocking it out from under her and sending her keeling off to the side; the impact knocked away her hand, and blood poured from her wound. "You know why you could never quite pull it together, Castiel? While you're sitting here with your grace slowly burning away and your reputation long extinguished? No curiosity." He stopped back on the other side of the desk, leaning forward to hold Castiel's gaze. "You didn't read enough. You never learned to tell a good story."

"But you did." Triumph sparked in Castiel's eyes, and they flickered over to the microphone that sat on the desk. The doors flew open with a bang, and Alex's eyes rolled into the back of her head as angels rushed in, weapons drawn. Castiel ripped of the handcuffs, and agony tore through Alex's ribs as she was drawn up into his arms. "Put him in jail." The seraph's voice was tight as he gave Metatron a contemptuous look. "I'll deal with him later."

"You can't save her, Castiel." Metatron's scornful voice followed them across the room. "No doctor's going to be able to help."

"Good thing we don't need a doctor." Castiel stepped into the elevator, and Alex closed her eyes as the room flashed white. A sharp pressure surrounded her, crushing her lungs, and the young hunter's head lolled back limply against her mate's chest as they stepped out of the sandbox.

"Castiel." Purah and Asariel were there at their side, and Alex cried out as the seraph laid her down in the grass.

"Stand back." Castiel waved the two angels away as Alex curled up in agony as her blood seeped into the grass. "Metatron attacked her." His fingers threaded through hers, and Alex gripped his hand tight as her body convulsed in a spasm that tore at her bones. "She's dying."

"C-Cas …" Alex gasped out her mate's name, reaching up to grab the nape of his neck as the seraph leaned over her in concern. "B-Blade." She curled her hand on his neck, fingernails digging into her skin. "G-Give m—"

She cut off with a choked cry, and Castiel looked over at Asariel. "Give me your weapon," he demanded, but when neither angel moved, his voice sharpened in urgency. "Now!"

There was movement, and Alex felt the smooth handle of an angel blade against her palm as Castiel pressed the weapon into her fingers. Her hand shook, bloodless and cold, and Alex dug her teeth into her bottom lip as she pressed the tip against her chest with trembling hands. She drew in a deep breath, and with the last remaining bit of her strength, she drove the blade into her flesh.

The tip pierced the skin and disappeared, melting from her grasp, and Alex gasped as ice rushed through her veins. Her flesh stung as it was roughly stitched back into place, and she shivered violently as the cold was yanked away. "You're welcome." Crowley pushed her away and rose back to his feet, straightening the cuffs of his jacket with a frown. "Next time, make an appointment."

Alex coughed, hacking up blood as she pushed herself up onto her knees. "Dean …" She wiped her mouth off on her sleeve, and she reached out to steady herself on Castiel as the world spun from the blood loss.

"Dean's dead." Crowley shrugged off her cough of surprise as he wiped off his hand on his handkerchief. "Anything else? No? Good. Don't bother me again." The King of Hell disappeared, and Alex let herself collapse back onto the grass.

Castiel crouched down beside her, and Alex trembled as his hand came to rest on her shoulder. How could Dean Winchester be dead? He — he was invincible; even in her worst nightmares, the hunter had escaped unscathed. Tears stung at her eyes, and she stifled a sob that twitched through her chest. Castiel's hand gently massaged her arm, and he finally spoke up. "I need to return to heaven to speak with Metatron," he murmured. "And then I can take you to see Sam. Do you want to wait here?"

Alex shook her head, not trusting her voice as she struggled to her feet. Castiel was there, a solid, calm presence, and the young hunter struggled to push back her tears as she followed him into the sandbox. The pressure had her lightheaded, and she leaned heavily against her mate as they stepped out of the elevator.

"You're back." Hannah was at their side, and Alex turned her head away to hide her face. "And you're well." Skepticism and hesitation lined her voice, but she didn't ask for an explanation. "Metatron is down in a cell. I can take you there now if you wish."

"Yes, please. We can't stay long." Castiel followed Hannah down the hallway, his arm wrapped tightly around Alex to help her traverse the heavenly corridors, and slowly yet surely, they made their way down to heaven's prison.

"The angels are awaiting your decision," Hannah explained. "Either we can execute him, or we can keep him in his cell."

"We'll keep him alive." Castiel stopped outside the bars, and Alex lifted her head to stare into Metatron's cold eyes. "I told you that no more angels would die. And that includes him."

Alex pushed herself free from her mate's hold as Hannah nodded. "You're doing the right thing," she promised, "letting him live. It's what a leader would do."

"I'm no leader, Hannah. I never was." Castiel's voice was soft with regret, and Alex stopped in front of the bars, drawing in a deep, painful breath as she stood in front of Dean's murderer. "I just want to be an angel."

"And your grace?" Hannah's voice lowered to match his. "What will you do about that? You will die if you don't replenish it."

"Speaking of dying." Metatron lifted his head, and Alex reached out to grab onto the bars, scowling as the angel spoke. "You're looking quite well."

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve." Alex's voice shook, and she fought back the sudden urge to try and break down the door. "I guess demon deals have their use after all. And since my soul's off to hell anyways … there's nothing stopping me from doing anything."

Metatron chuckled, and Alex pulled her lips back in a silent snarl. "And you call yourself an angel. You're a disgrace."

"And yet somehow, I'm the one out here." Alex stepped back and turned to Castiel, steadying herself on the wall as her feet faltered slightly. "Take me to Dean."

...

Alex pushed her way through the bunker door, letting the heavy iron slab swing closed behind her as she reached out to steady herself on the railing. Castiel had dropped her off, promising to return after heaven had regained its stability, but personally, Alex believed that the seraph couldn't bring himself to see what remained of his friend. "Sam?" She hurried down the stairs, concern fueling her movements as she stepped into the library.

The Winchester sat at the table, a bottle of whiskey in front of him, and Alex felt her jaw tremble at the hunter's red, puffy eyes. "Sam …" Her voice cracked, and Sam pushed himself to his feet. His arms enveloped her, holding her tight in a sudden, desperate hug, and Alex pulled him close, her eyes watering as she felt Sam's chest rise and fall in a shaky breath. "I'm so sorry." She buried her fingers in the Winchester's shirt, pressing her face into her chest as tears slipped past her eyelids. "Where is he?"

Sam's face pressed into her hair, and Alex dug her fingers into his back, massaging tight circles as his breathing grew ragged. "It's okay." Her own voice sounded low and broken, but she couldn't seem to push past the lump that tightened her throat. "We'll get him back. We … we always do."

She hoped her voice sounded more confident than she felt, and she sniffled as she pressed her cheek against Sam's sternum. "I … I put him in his room." Sam's voice cracked, rough with grief, and when Alex gave a small, gentle nod, she felt him straighten with resolve. "I need to figure out what to do." He stepped away, wiping his tears off on his sleeve as he cleared his throat. "Maybe there'll be something in the archives."

He walked away, and Alex's shoulders fell as she watched him leave. Her feet carried her down the hall towards Dean's bedroom, but her mind felt in a daze, whirling with questions she didn't want to be answered. She had seen Dean's body once before, back when she had first arrived, but back then … his death hadn't meant anything. It was supposed to happen, a piece of a script destined to play out. But this …

She stopped outside the door, her heart thudding in her chest as her fingers wrapped around the cold door handle. Could she really bring herself to step inside? It still didn't feel real, but seeing his body, cold and lifeless … Alex flinched at the sudden pulse of grief that constricted her heart, and her grip on the door handle lessened. She wouldn't be able to deny it any longer.

A voice drifted through the air, soft and low, and Alex's eyes snapped open. It was coming from the room in front of her, the words muffled by the heavy door, and the young hunter's heart pounded in her chest in a rush of hope. "Dean?" She pushed her way into the darkly lit room, pulling up short at the sight of the dark, stocky figure.

Crowley's eyes glittered at her entrance, but Alex's gaze slid past him onto the body of her friend. He lay on his bed, eyes closed like he was sleeping, and Alex tried to will her feet to move her closer to no avail. "Sam, bless his soul," Crowley began, "is summoning me as I speak. Make a deal, bring you back." His gaze fell back down onto Dean, and Alex clenched her teeth to bite back the tears. "It's exactly what I was talking about, isn't it? It's all become so … expected."

His gaze turned onto Alex, and the young hunter narrowed her eyes in anger, but when she couldn't trust her voice enough to speak, the demon turned back to Dean.

"You have to believe me," he continued quietly. "When I suggested you take on the Mark of Cain, I didn't know this was going to happen. Not really. I mean, I might not have told you the entire truth. But I never lied. I never lied, Dean. That's important. It's fundamental."

"Why are you talking to him like he can hear you?" Alex's anger exploded, her fists tightening at her side. "He's dead, Crowley! Do something about it!"

"Shh." Crowley brought a finger up to his lips, willing the hunter to be silent. "You see, there's one story about Cain that I might have forgotten to tell you. Apparently he, too, was willing to accept death rather than becoming the killer the Mark wanted him to be. So he took his own life with the Blade. He died. Except, as rumor has it, the Mark never quite let go. You can understand why I never spoke of this. Why set hearts aflutter at mere speculation? It wasn't until you summoned me this morning … No, it wasn't truly until you left that cheeseburger uneaten … that I began to let myself believe. Maybe miracles do come true."

The demon stepped forward, unwrapping the leather pouch he held in his hands to reveal the First Blade. He held it up, the lamplight catching on the grooves in the ancient bone, and Crowley quietly placed the weapon in Dean's cold hand. "Listen to me, Dean Winchester," he whispered, "what you're feeling right now — it's not death. It's life, a new kind of life. Open your eyes, Dean." His voice rose, and Alex shifted backwards, scared by the intensity in his words. "See what I see. Feel what I feel. And let's go take a howl at that moon."

Dean's eyes snapped open, black as ink, and Alex felt fear run down her spine. No, this wasn't real. Her back hit the wall and her throat closed, choking around empty air. She could feel Crowley's triumph as Dean sat up, a cold, biting chill that filled the room as she struggled to breath. "No — no."

"Yes." Crowley turned to face her with gleaming eyes as he addressed the demon at his side. "I think it's time, Dean Winchester, that we go. And as for you," he added to Alex, "I think it's time you fulfilled another part of your duty." He beckoned her forward with a cocked finger, and Alex's feet carried her towards him against her will. Dean stood up, his black eyes locking onto hers, and the ex-angel's skin grew cold beneath his stare as Crowley chuckled. "Time to go. The three of us have a little hell to raise."

...

And so ends this season. I hope you all enjoyed it! If you did, and you're interested in reading the next installment, I've created another story with a small prologue so you guys can follow it - that way, when I do start posting again, you'll be the first ones to know! Hopefully, it will only be a few months, since I've already gotten a great headstart so far!

I'll see you guys soon, and thank you so so much for sticking around with me!

-casti3l