The Angel at my Side

Summary: What if Castiel stayed with Ellen and Jo during the events of Abandon All Hope? When confronted by hellhounds are the chances of survival any higher with an angel at your side? AU. AngelWhump.

A/N: AU set during Abandon All Hope. Warnings: Battle/injury, and a few cuss words thrown in (future chapters). Nothing graphic on a sexual nature.

I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Castiel stayed with the group during Abandon All Hope instead of searching for Lucifer. Well this is what grew from that. Was not written with a certain pairing in mind…you could probably infer Castiel/Dean or Castiel/Jo from this. Kinda took on a mind of its own. Also, this is my first fic so here goes…

Chapter 1/3

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Supernatural. (bummer)

Ellen sat in one of the broken down chairs in Bobby's living room. Jo had just called and told her the insane story of Crowley giving them the colt and telling them to empty it in the Devil's face. She let out a small sigh of relief to know that her only daughter would soon be with her, safe and sound. She had been involved in the hunter lifestyle for years but that never made it easier when it was your baby out there breaking into demon households. Ever her father's daughter…

She turned to the door as she heard the sound of tires crunching on the gravel outside. Soon after, her daughter burst through the front door laughing at something Dean had just said. She let her blonde curls free from the updo she had them in and kicked off her heels. Ellen tossed her a bag she brought with a tank top and jeans, knowing her daughter wouldn't want to sit around in a dress all night.

She heard Dean on his cell phone telling someone to 'get your feathery butt over here' and moments later there was a whooshing sound and a young man in a trench coat materialized in the middle of the room.

"Ellen, meet Cas. He's our resident angel." Dean accepted a beer Sam was offering him and turned to the room Jo had just disappeared into. "Hey Jo get out here and meet Castiel!"

Jo's blonde head popped around the corner, "Hey Cas, pleased to finally meet you."

The angel nodded stiffly, "And I you. Dean speaks often of you both."

Ellen kicked out the chair across from her. She wasn't sure what an angel of the Lord was supposed to be like but it just seemed like this guy needed a drink. "Have a seat Cas. Ever tried whiskey?"

Dean and Sam retreated to the other room, no doubt to discuss the next step in the crazy situation they were in. Castiel sat down across from Ellen and glanced at the full whiskey bottle and the shot glasses she was lining up in front of them. "No," he responded shortly twisting in his chair like he was a child about to be scolded.

"Well," Ellen said, filling their shot glasses, " I am curious to see if and angel of the Lord can hold his liquor."

Jo couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, "Mom are you sure that is such a good idea? I have a feeling Cas here will drink you under the table."

"Well he may have super powers but I own a bar. We are gong to play a little drinking game, angel boy."

Cas was about to correct her that being an angel was not like human's superheroes but he stopped himself when Jo laughed again. Perhaps this was more of the human teasing that he never could identify. Instead he allowed himself a slight smile (more like a twitch of the lips) and inquired as to the rules of the game.

Ellen took her shot and breathed out as the fire passed down her throat. She gave Castiel a challenging look. Cas downed all five of the shots in front of him like he was drinking water and paused.

"I think I feel something." Jo burst forth with laughter and shot her mom an 'I told you so' look. She went to the kitchen to grab herself a beer. Ellen filled his glasses again.

After another round of shots Ellen was really feeling the alcohol and Cas seemed to be mostly unchanged.

"Well boy, you can drink, I'll give you that." Bobby called them over for a group photo. "Oh come on Bobby, no one wants their picture taken." She couldn't bear the thought of one of them being killed in the morning and having that one last photo screaming the loss at her.

Bobby would have none of it and lined them up wheeling in front of them as the timer counted down.

"Bobby is right," Castiel's grim voice filled the silence. "Tomorrow we fight the Devil. This is our last night on earth." The certainty in his voice washed over them like ice water.

Castiel found himself outside shortly after the picture was taken, seeking some solace in the quiet evening. He gazed up at the stars, remembering a time when he could sit in the shadow of his brother's wing and have them teach him the name of each sparkling dot. Now his brothers would kill him on sight. He felt a pain in his chest, not quite physical, and a tightening of his vessels throat. Sadness, he identified. Ever since he chose to go against his brothers and help Dean prevent the breaking of the final seal, he had become more attuned to human emotions.

Jo watched Castiel slip outside and considered following him. She heard Dean talk about Cas often- the angel who rebelled against his brothers and has been helping the humans stop a divine plan to end the world. Dean had also mentioned that Cas was pretty high up on the celestial hit list. She felt sorry for the angel; she had no idea what it would feel like to have your own family out to kill you.

She slipped out quietly onto the porch and watched Castiel gaze up at the stars. She didn't quite know how to engage him in a conversation and was about to go back inside when she heard his soft greeting.

"Hello, Jo." He said, his gaze never leaving the night sky. "Care to join me?"

"Sure," Jo walked forward to stand next to the angel. She too looked up at the stars. "Remind you of home?" The question was innocent but Castiel's brow creased. Jo thought maybe asking about how the exiled angel felt about home was crossing a line. "I'm sorry…I just-"

"It's fine," he cut her off, "It reminds me of more peaceful times. My older brothers taught me the names of every star. The ones you see now and the ones long died out."

Jo gazed at the multitude of white dots across the sky. "Wow. That must have taken some studying. There are so many."

Castiel's lip twitched once again and for the second time that night Jo almost saw the angel smile. "Actually with the lights of the cities you really can't see the true night sky."

Jo could hear a sense of yearning in his voice. "It is our last night on Earth…take me some place where we can see the stars."

Castiel turned to look at her, his head tilting in an extremely physical manifestation of his confusion. "You wish for me to take you somewhere else? To leave here?"

"Yeah," Jo said casually, "Just for a while. I want to see that impressive night sky you are talking about. What if we all die tomorrow and I never had a chance to see it?" She didn't really care if she zapped off to look at stars tonight, she would be just as happy sitting inside listening to Sam and Dean tease each other while sipping on a beer. The angel seemed lost though and she new this would mean a lot to him.

Cas nodded his head. "Very well, I will take you." He raised two fingers to her head but hesitated. "Are you sure? Dean complains of this mode of travel. Apparently it makes him constipated."

Jo couldn't help but burst out laughing at that, especially with the genuine concern written on Castiel's face. When Castiel remained still, waiting for her response, she caught her breath. "Yeah Cas, I'll risk it." And with that she felt the air pulse around her and her stomach dropped like she was riding a rollercoaster. As soon as it started the feeling stopped and her feet hit solid ground.

"Where are we?" She shivered at a cold wind rising off the huge expanse of water in front of her.

"Eastern Canada on the ocean." Castiel saw her fold her arms together trying to keep in some body heat. "Are you cold?" he questioned.

Jo's teeth chattered. "Maybe a little. If we were goin' to the tundra you could've told me to grab a jacket," she teased.

Castiel looked confused. "This isn't the…" he then glanced down, as if noticing for the first time the ever-present trench coat. He took it off and draped it on Jo's shoulders.

Jo pulled it around her and looked up at Castiel. "Do angels not feel cold?"

"It will not harm me," was Castiel's short response. He raised his gaze to the sky and Jo followed suit. She couldn't hold back a gasp as the full beauty of the night sky hit her.

"Oh my God."

"Yes," another almost smile, "My father is capable of amazing things."

Jo sat down and leant back on the frosty hill they were standing on. Really perfect for stargazing she thought. She patted the ground next to her, indicating for Cas to take a seat. "Well Mr. Angel astronomer," she said, "teach me the names."

Jo woke up as she was set in Bobby's spare bed. She felt the trench coat being replaced by a soft blanket. She opened her eyes slightly, "D'd I fall 'sleep?" she questioned blearily.

Castiel pulled the blanket around her. "Sleep now, dawn is only a few hours away. You must be ready for the morning." She felt his gentle touch on her forehead and knew no more.

Castiel had never had an evening like that with a human. Jo had stayed next to him for hours asking him about the stars and constellations, repeating the trickier names back to him. As the evening grew colder she nestled up next to him, sharing his body's warmth. It was a new sensation for Castiel, especially when she tucked her head on his chest, placing his arm under her body. New, but not unpleasant. He began to understand more and more why his father had loved the humans. They were perfect in their imperfections.

Castiel stood on the salvage yard watching the sunrise on what would probably be their last day on Earth.

A/N: Keep on the lookout for the next two chapters! The whole story is complete, I'm just going to upload it one chapter at a time but don't worry about it starting off and never being continued.

Coming up- Encounter with the hellhounds!

Reviews are welcome