Disclaimer: Supernatural, the Winchesters, and Castiel all belong to the CW and Mr. Kripke. NO money was made on this and I do not intend to make money on this. The poem, "Footprints" was made by an anonymous author, but I don't mean to tred on that person's toes either and do not own the poem.

This is two one-shots that are conversations between Castiel and Dean and Castiel and Sam. This WILL BE a pretty religious piece, sorry if that offends you. I really just wanted to see Castiel talking faith with people and the boys seemed the logical targets, let me know if you like this and want me to continue with other people. They do not take place in any certain time frame. The Sam/Castiel will be more theological and intellectual than the Dean/Castiel talk.

Because You Could Handle It: Sam and Castiel

Someone had once described Sam as a "take a walk kind of a guy", and that person had nailed it spot on. Sam enjoyed walking as often as he could, mainly because of the amount of time spent in the car. Walking was a way for Sam to have a little peace and quiet and not have Dean asking him what he was thinking about. Currently, Sam was walking along a lakeside beach and brooding over the newest addition to his and his brother's life. He was, of course, grateful to Castiel for saving Dean, but the angels had been…disappointing. Sam had expected something more benevolent, merciful, less warlike and more like the pictures you saw in churches.

A person ahead of Sam had stopped to examine sea shells and Sam meant to change course to avoid that person, until he realized who it was. "That's not quite your normal entrance, Castiel." Sam said as he approached the still crouched figure. Castiel stood up, "I did it for you, Samuel, you are not as used to my intrusions as your brother." Sam only nodded and kept walking, this time with the angel by his side. "What are you doing Samuel?" Castiel questioned after a couple of silent minutes. "Wandering around, I guess. I normally like the quiet of walks." Sam raised an eyebrow for emphasis on the second part. "Ah yes, wandering and wondering, an interesting human trait. My father did much of that while he was human." Sam wasn't sure how to respond. Castiel was being congenial, conversational, not at all his normal self; he decided to take advantage of it to get some things cleared up. "I thought it was the Son who was human? Wasn't that the point?"

"The Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father, Sam. No one can come to the Father except through the Son." Castiel spouted the scripture from his mouth as if it were as plain as day. "But that's not the doctrine that bothers you is it? You understand Grace more than Dean does, and basic theology is practically a second language to you. What you have issues with is fear, your attitude towards my brothers and I shows that." Castiel and Sam had at this point made nearly around the small lake. "Let's take a break, Sam."

Castiel sat down on the sand with his heels in front of him and elbows on his bent knees. Sam wanted to laugh at the site of the normally austere angel sitting in sand. Instead, curiosity got the better of him and Sam sat next to Castiel. It was time to talk. "What I don't get is this. God is supposedly love, right? He created humans in his image and wants us to 'be fruitful and multiply'? So how come his messengers, his angels are so harsh. Shouldn't they be just as good as him? Shouldn't they have compassion and want to see us succeed? And why the hell did this God of love ruin my family? Why does my brother wake up screaming from the hell he supposedly doesn't remember?! Why do I feel like at any moment some part of me is going to burst and no one-not even Dean-will be able to control me!?" By this time Sam had worked himself into a frenzy. His face was red and tears were starting to stream down his face. "Why does this God, your "father" Castiel! Why does he hate my family so damn much?! What did we do that was so horribly wrong that we deserve all this? We sacrifice ourselves to protect the innocent and kill evil and the result is we get completely screwed over!!! God, no wonder Dean has never believed, he saw firsthand what God did to our family!"

Castiel had watched the breakdown with nothing more than mild interest etched on his face, although his eyes showed complete anguish for the young man spilling everything to him. He laid a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Peace Samuel peace. Angels are not given omnipotence, but we are wise and I may be able to calm some of your fears." Sam had relaxed a bit at the warming sensation Castiel sent through him when he touched his shoulder. He regained his normal breathing pattern and nodded as a sign that it was okay for Castiel to continue. "First of all, God IS Love, he is not THE God OF Love. All good and perfect things come from God. God created love but He is not Aphrodite, Eros, or Venus. My Father is the God of all things. Everything you see, hear, touch, smell, feel, and the vast things that no sense can touch, was created by God. God is fierce and ancient, older than time, he is Alpha and Omega. And you humans were created to fellowship with him. In the Garden, Adam and Eve had pure, unabashed fellowship with our Lord. No human can feel entirely complete unless they make the effort to regain that fellowship. Second, we angels are far more than messengers. Gabriel, the most known angel to you humans, was a messenger. But that is only one of our duties. Consider Hagar and her son in the desert, angels were dispatched to save them from the harsh environment. An angel was sent to lead the Israelites to ensure they made their way to their new home, and God warned them no to rebel against him. Then, that night in Bethlehem we were there to announce and to praise. We were a sign of hope to those lowly men on the hilltop who had waited so long for a savior." Sam was beginning to feel like he was listening to the best preacher of all time. But was still frustrated, upset, and generally pissed off. "But what about us?" Sam said through clenched teeth. "Why us? Why my mother, why Dean?" Castiel could see his approach was not working. "Sam." It was the first time Castiel had used his shortened name and it made Sam look up. "Look at your footprints in the sand. Imagine each one represents a hardship in your life. Now see how they are washed away so quickly with the tide? Quartz is one of the toughest rocks. After years a large quartzite structure will be corroded and weathered to breakdown and form small granules of quartz that form sandy beaches. Your family is quartz, you can handle all the corrosion and weathering and still be strong just changed a little bit. And I promise you, just like those footprints, God WILL wash away all the problems in the end. Until then we are here to help, God has never abandoned you Samuel Winchester. I beg of you, do not abandon Him. Your goal is greater than your struggle. You can handle this Sam, it wouldn't be your task if you couldn't." Sam sat in pensive silence and Castiel was gone when he looked up to respond.

"Jesus, Sammy. I was about to send out a search party." Dean said as a way of welcoming his brother back into the dingy motel room. "Sorry Dean, I, uh, had a lot to mull over." Dean knew something was up. This was more than the usual Sam-angst. "You weren't practicing, the, you know." Dean raised his hand in a gesture that resembled Sam pulling out a demon. "No, Dean. I'm finished with that for good. It's not natural. I shouldn't be able to do that." That was too easy Dean thought to himself. "Whatever, I'm hitting the hay. Long day tomorrow." Dean and Sam laid down on their beds but neither slept. After a few minutes, "Sammy? You awake?" Came Dean's ill-disguised whisper. "No, Dean, I'm sleeping like a rock." Dean rolled his eyes at his brother's dry humor. "Sam, have you ever wondered why we, specifically, get into all the crappiest demon, end of days, really bad shit?" Sam smiled to himself, he and Dean were getting more and more alike. "I think it's because we can handle it Dean."