Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters - these were created by Eric Kripke - I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making any commercial gain. No harm or infringement intended.

Castiel is resurrected after being killed by Lucifer, but soon finds himself drowning in the responsibilities of Heaven, while protecting Dean becomes an obsession. Spoilers from S5E22: Swan Song and on through S6.

This is dedicated to OpheliacAngel who kindly allowed me to borrow her name for the title of this fanfic. It's also thanks to her that I 'discovered' Emilie Autumn, and the song "Opheliac" which is the inspiration for this story that was conceived before the season 6 finale (Yes, I am that slow at writing).

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." Friedrich Nietzsche

"He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done." Leonardo da Vinci

Opheliac Angel Chapter One

"Hey ass-butt," Castiel yelled at Michael as he hurled the flask of holy oil. He couldn't believe what he was doing - it was as if he were watching someone else - and it made him spare a brief sympathetic thought for his own vessel, Jimmy. The projectile hit the intended target and Castiel watched, stunned as the mystical flames consumed the screaming archangel.

"You've got your five minutes," he smiled at Dean, already guessing at his own fate, and wishing beyond hope that the elder Winchester would finally appreciate the latest in the many, many sacrifices he had made for him.

Lucifer, firmly ensconced in the body of Sam Winchester, rounded on the younger angel, "Did you just Molotov my brother - with holy fire?" he growled.

What would Dean do? thought Castiel. He had a sudden desperate desire to impress his human friend in what he suspected were about to be his final moments. A quip, I need a devil-may-care quip, he thought. "Er, no", was all he could think to say.

"No one dicks with Michael, but me," said Lucifer, radiating an expression of menace that had never before been seen on Sam's face.

As above, so below - this is just Sam and Dean all over again, thought Castiel.

In a satanic burst of everlasting agony, each individual atom of Castiel's body and angelic essence was ripped apart and scattered to every time and corner of the universe.

Somehow Castiel was still able to sense Dean's thoughts of anguish at his sudden demise, and he felt the righteous love that only a true martyr can know - although he did feel cheated of the epic death-scene he'd always imagined would be their one-and-only chance to express their true feelings for each another. A mere second later he heard Dean call "Sammy?", and at that Castiel welcomed the agonizing death by vaporization, if only to put a stop to the stark sting of rejection.

~#~

Many aeons later a vague presence, with only a tenuous awareness of having once being Castiel, coalesced at a place that could only be described as no-where and no-when.

He was greeted and comforted by an immense spiritual being that seemed to have been waiting for him. It was like staring into the Sun and, on noticing Castiel's discomfort, the being cupped him in the metaphysical palm of its hand to shield him from its blinding radiance. Castiel felt strong comforting waves of joy and love emanate from the being as it started the long process of recreating him.

"We can rebuild him...we have the technology," giggled the glorious, transcendent being, "We can make him better than he was. Better...stronger...faster."

From his time on earth with the Winchesters, Castiel had become inured to missing the cultural reference component in almost all conversation and so he didn't give it a second thought. "Are you God?" he asked in awe.

The illustrious being was far, far too powerful to comprehend - even with Castiel's angelic senses that continued to improve at an almost alarming rate. All Castiel could absorb was the crude translated equivalent of a beautiful, grinning mouth and an impression of a shrug followed by vigorous nodding.

As Castiel's rebirth neared completion he realized with a shock that as well as now being an angel of unsurpassed power, he was no longer just pure energy – he now had a permanent corporeal form so he would always manifest on the material plane in a body looking like Jimmy Novak. He had grown fond of the appearance of his vessel, and it pleased him to think that he could retain the familiar visage without pulling Jimmy back from his well deserved reward in Heaven.

His body thrummed in time with the Universe as all energy flowed through his ethereal veins - and for a brief eternal moment the entirety of creation revolved around him.

"Lord, you have truly raised this unworthy one. How may I serve you?" he prayed.

Divine instruction took the form of a single Word.

Castiel cried out in pure joy as his being resonated in time to the sound of the name that he already carried in his heart.

~#~