Fallen

Chapter Nineteen: Miss Amnesia

The next morning, Gabriel, Sam, Dean, and Castiel gathered just outside of Lailah's door as she got ready. They start to discuss what to do next.

"What are we going to do with her?" Dean asks.

Gabriel rolls his eyes. "Obviously, I have to help her regain memories, so I have to take her around in an eighty's montage style. Clothing included. If you didn't notice, she only has one pair of clothes."

Cas nods. "Gabriel's right. I should go along for assistance. Abaddon is probably in pursuit, and if she finds out—"

"She'll be on our trail, won't she?" Sam asks.

"Not only that, she'll know that Miss Amnesia here is the one she wants." Dean replies.

"So it'll be me, Cas, and Lailah going on a shopping spree. Fun!"

"What about us?"

"Sam, you and Dean should keep in touch with Kevin and the others, try to find out where Abaddon is."

"That's a good idea Cassie. Once I get my grace back, I can totally smoke her."

"Wait, you can kill a knight of hell with one-third of your grace?"

"No, Sammy-boy! I'll need all of my grace for that, I mean we don't have the mark of Cain or the first blade so—"

"What?" Dean and Sam ask in unison.

"Never mind! Abaddon is up to me, okay? That's the only way she's going down."

"It's settled then."

"What's settled?" Lailah asks as she steps out of her motel room in yesterday's clothes.

"We're taking you shopping!" Gabriel explains.

Lailah looks down at her clothes and nods. "Thanks, that's a really good idea. I feel like I smell."

Castiel sniffs the air which makes everyone else cringe. "You do not smell."

She looks at him strangely and giggles. "Thank you. But please, let's go!"

"It's just me, Cassie, and you today!"

"I will assist in transportation."

"Cool Castiel. Um—just one thing—who's paying?"

"We're covering it, don't worry." Sam smiles guiltily.

Dean stifles a laugh as he hands the credit cards to Cas. "Yeah, all credit."

Lailah seemed suspicious, but she didn't want to argue when she really needed clothes.

Castiel put his hand on Gabriel's and Lailah's shoulder. "We will return soon." He looks pointedly at Dean.

Dean nods and puts up a hand in goodbye.

"See ya Gabe," Sam says.

Gabriel waggles his eyebrows as they disappeared, only to reappear in a dark corner of the mall that was nearby.

"How much do you think I will need?" Lailah asks, a bit sheepishly as if afraid to splurge on clothing.

"It doesn't matter, Lailah. Get whatever you want, as much as you want." Gabriel says. Castiel gives him a warning look.

"Really? Thanks." Lailah began to look around until something dawned on her. "Wait, I just realized—when will I be able to go home? I mean, once I remember and all."

Cas glares at Gabriel now, obviously upset that he had said something so careless. All Gabriel could say is, "What?"

"Lailah, I apologize for not telling you before—many things have happened—but we're not sure you can return. It's too dangerous. We're headed back where we live to keep you safe."

Lailah looks visibly upset, but sighs. "I guess it can't be helped. I don't like arguing anyway. I could endanger people I love. Like my brother—I have a brother."

"Great! Progress is good." Gabriel smiles weakly, obviously feeling bad.

"Okay, anyway we're almost to the store that caught my eye."

Castiel and Gabriel look surprised as she entered a pretty dark store with band shirts everywhere.

"I'll get my shirts here. Other places don't have great shirts."

"Okay, um—take the credit card. Tell the cashier it's your boyfriend's or something. We'll wait for you outside." Gabriel nods.

"Sure."

Castiel and Gabriel began to learn that shopping with Lailah is an interesting experience. Though her memories weren't all there, she had a lot of things to say about clothing.

"I can only go into stories like this because everything is so annoying. Everything's transparent and cropped and so thin! And for over 20 bucks? No thank you! I swear to God all the designers are trying to swindle money out of consumers through trends. They'll use less material, but because of trends and fashion, it'll cost twice or triple its actual value. It's all bullshit. I'd rather buy band tees because at least I'm supporting a band I love."

"You're really opinionated." Gabriel laughs.

"I feel like I've heard that before. At least I'm remembering things!"

"It is great progress," Castiel adds.

She showed off her shirts, and one that she changed into immediately in the bathroom was a girl's floral print muscle shirt with an ampersand in the middle to represent one of her favorite bands. She remembered them and that she loves music in general.

"Oh my God! I need to get some of those jeans!" Lailah gaped at a store that had multiple shades of blue jeans, with pastels and loud colors. She gathered a pastel baby blue, a loud turquoise, a striking deep blue, and a regular denim to pay for them.

"Sorry guys, I just love blue jeans. Blue is my favorite color." She looks pointedly at Castiel.

"Is that why you love my eyes?"

"I want your eyes!"

Gabriel rolls his eyes. "Need anything else, Lailah?"

"Just one. If you'll allow it. I really always wanted this pair of boots—"

"Sure, get'em and we can go," Gabriel replies.

Lailah beamed and knew exactly where they were. She passed them with longing, not wanting to use their money on something she didn't necessarily need.

When she returns to Gabriel and Castiel, she has on a pair of knee-high lace up combat boots.

"I had to put them on."

"They're really cool! You look like an actual hunter, kinda," Gabriel comments.

"Okay, I guess we're done here. You should take me away before I splurge even more with your illegal credit cards."

Cas' eyes widen. "What? You knew?"

"Of course I knew! How couldn't I? How the hell do people like you make money? I only bought from the big companies. They won't miss a thing."

"Wow, she's got an economic mind, too."

"Of course I do, my parents raised me right. I mean, it helps when you have an immigrant mother who had to work hard—What?"

Castiel and Gabriel are gaping at her.

"Where did your mother immigrate from?"

"Central America…Guatemala…" she stops in her tracks. "I remembered! I'm…wow…"

"Are you remembering a lot?" Gabriel asks.

"Yeah…it's a lot to process."

"We better get to the bunker soon." Cas adds.

"Whoosh us away bro."

The three appear in the middle of Dean's motel room, right in front of Dean.

"I was trying to go to the bathroom before you guys blocked me," he grumbles.

"Great, you're back! Did Lailah get enough clothes?" Sam asks.

"Yes, I did!"

"She's starting to remember rapidly," Castiel explains.

"Okay, I think we know what's going on with Abaddon," Sam says.

"We're sure that Abaddon is after Lailah, right?"

"Yes Dean, of course we are," Cas says.

"Yet, we haven't seen her. We're not exactly powerful at the moment. She could easily take Lailah with her."

"Thanks Sam." She frowns.

"What Sammy's trying to say is this was a bit too easy. All of this. We went through a whole day without as much as a hitch. First, we get the girl without a sighting of Abaddon. Then there's no demons after us? And you didn't have any trouble shopping. We called Kevin and the others, they were tracking Abaddon and she's not around. Not one demon either." Dean shakes his head.

"Shit," Gabriel mutters.

"Not only that, but if Abaddon let us take Lailah, she could have been testing to see if Lailah was indeed the one without having to do the work herself," Sam added.

Cas' eyes widen as he looks pointedly at Gabriel. "We need to get to the bunker, no stops. Dean and Sam, you will trade off driving if needed."

"Whoa, slow down guys! What's the rush?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Lailah adds.

"We'll explain on the way, you just need to pack now," Cas replies.

Only when everyone was in the Impala and well on their way did Castiel begin to explain what was going on.

"Cas, this is crazy. Why are we leaving now?" Dean asks.

"Because I realized why Abaddon hasn't appeared, yet. She's waiting for Lailah's memories to return. It's easier to make a demon when you have negative memories."

"Not only that, but that means Luci will be released faster. Two months topside at most. One at least," Gabriel adds.

"This is definitely bad," Sam replies.

"Okay, what the hell is going on? I'm partly confused and fully terrified," Lailah finally speaks.

"Should we tell her?" Dean asks.

"I think we should," Sam answers.

"It may be too much for her."

"Cas, she's gotta be prepared!"

"Then you tell her Gabriel," Cas huffs.

"Fine."

"Well? I'm waiting!"

"Okay. Lailah, you're special. Like, soul special. When you die, you'll become an angel yourself."

"Really? That's amazing."

"Right, which is why you need to stay with us. We're trying to protect you from Abaddon, a Knight of Hell who could use you to release Lucifer from—"

"Hold on—Lucifer? As in, Satan Lucifer? As in, the fucking devil?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Gabriel scratches his head.

"Holy shit."

"Yeah, which is why we're headed to the bunker. It would be better to walk around California and familiarize where you actually live, but if Abaddon is after us—"

"I get it. I'm sure I'll be able to remember. I'm remembering a lot of things now…they're coming back in bits and pieces."

"Do you know you're full name?" Sam asks.

"Full name…" Lailah paused for a bit. "L-e-i-g-h-l-a. Leighla."

"What?" Sam shakes his head with a grin.

"That's how I always spelled my name."

Gabriel smiles. "We gave you a different version of your real name!"

Leighla laughs. "Huh, how'd you spell the one you gave me?"

"L-a-i-l-a-h."

"That sounds more like Lie-la! At least mine is more phonetic."

"Don't be such a smartass."

"I guess it's just in my nature. Oh! My last name is Marenakos."

"That's a mouthful. Leighla Marenakos," Dean says.

"Hey! My dad is Greek! But I've probably been told that before." She laughs.

They drive on without a stop for three hours. Everyone is already feeling antsy and gas was running low.

"Are we really not going to stop anywhere to sleep?" Dean complains.

"We can't risk it, Dean."

"Cas, people need to sleep!"

"And eat." Leighla adds.

Castiel sighs. "I didn't want to have to do this—"

"What?"

"Dean, obviously Cas is worried about Leighla's safety. Let them poof back to the bunker and we'll meet them there in a couple days."

"I repeat, what?"

"No, actually—pull over."

Dean pulls over, confused as to what Cas has in mind. "What are you doing, Cas?"

Castiel gets out of the car. "I will need complete concentration, please do not disturb me."

Dean looks at Sam who shrugs, then looks at Gabriel who also shrugs. They watch Castiel carefully, as he seems to be gripping the Impala tightly.

"Not so fast, angel."

Dean, Sam, and Gabriel scramble out of the car at record speed.

"Abaddon," Castiel growls.

"Nice to see you, too." She smiles, her perfect teeth gleaming against her red lips and olive skin. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

"She doesn't belong to you!" Sam snaps.

"Oh? And what is that young girl to you?"

"A friend, for one," Dean replies.

"Well, you would know what happens to people who are friends with the Winchesters, don't you?"

Dean clenches his fists.

Gabriel rolls his eyes. "Look Abaddon, we don't have time for your games. We know exactly what you're up to. Trying to bring back Luci and be his bride? Ha! You're hilarious."

Abaddon rose her thin, black eyebrows in surprise. "Aren't you intelligent? Or was this all because of Castiel?" she turns to see Castiel still deep in concentration. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Now or never Cas!" Gabriel shouts. "Everyone hold onto the Impala!"

Sam and Dean comply, then they feel a whooshing sensation and are suddenly plopped in front of the bunker.

"That was extremely hard," Castiel collapses to the ground.

"Holy shit Cassie! That was awesome!"

"Cas! You okay, angel?"

"I'm fine, Dean. It just took more power than I thought."

"That was definitely a close one!"

"That was more than close! We barely escaped Abaddon!" Sam shakes his head.

Leighla gets out of the car. "So that was Abaddon? She's beautiful for a demon, until I saw her true face."

"That's how she gets away with stuff." Gabriel snorts.

"Whoa, where are we?" she asks, finally looking around for once.

"Lebanon, Kansas. The literal middle of the nation," Dean explains. "As well as home sweet home."

They head inside the bunker, and Leighla begins to gawk at everything.

"Is this some sort of bomb shelter? Or something vaguely apocalyptic?"

"Neither. It's a place for everything supernatural, kind of like a library. It was headquarters for the Men of Letters. They were a secret society," Sam explains.

"Wow, that's awesome. Secret society managing a collection of supernatural stuff? You don't hear about that ever."

Crowley comes out from the kitchen looking extremely weary. "You're back! Thank God! You know as well as I—I would never thank God but here I am doing that because those four are driving me crazy! I have to do all the cooking and they always complain—"

"Leighla, this is Crowley. He's—" Castiel is interrupted.

"Got demon feet."

"Yes, he does," Castiel adds with a smirk.

Dean bursts out laughing. "Really? Just the feet? Oh man!"

Gabriel and Sam join in the laughter, too.

Crowley rolls his eyes. "So this is the one you have to help with memories, eh Gabriel?"

Gabriel nods. "Where are the others?"

"How many people are here?" Leighla asks.

"We have four angels without grace here, Crowley the feet-demon—" Dean shoots a grin at Crowley who frowns, "—and Kevin who's a prophet. He's probably around your age."

They make their way into what Dean tells Leighla is "main HQ" where she meets the four powerless angels and Kevin.

"Wow, so many people to meet."

"We've got more people than usual." Dean shrugs.

"Kevin told us all about the trials, so this must be the girl with memory loss. Hello, I'm Balthazar."

"He's pretty fruity," Gabriel murmurs.

"I'm Anna."

"Dean slept with her. It's gonna get pretty awkward."

Leighla suppresses a laugh.

"I'm Samandriel."

"Got one of the cuter vessels, lucky bastard."

Sam narrowed his eyes as he overhears Gabriel.

"I'm Rachel."

"Uptight, but she's cool."

Kevin walks up to Leighla. "And I'm Kevin."

"You're the prophet." Leighla smiles.

Kevin scratches his head. "Yeah, and your name?"

"Oh yeah! Almost forgot—forgot! That's hilarious—Leighla. Nice to meet you guys."

He is blushing a bit when Dean looks between the two and winks at Kevin. He then goes completely scarlet.

"Okay, so we have fruity Balthazar—"

He glares at Gabriel.

"—Anna who slept with Dean—"

Cas squints menacingly as Anna crosses her arms.

"Cutie Samandriel—"

Kevin rolls his eyes while Samandriel scratches his head.

"Uptight but cool Rachel—"

"Excuse me?" she asks, pointedly looking at Gabriel.

"And Prophet Kevin. Piece of cake!"

"Okay, enough fun for now squirt! You need your memories back," Dean says.

"What should I do?"

"Why don't you talk about yourself? It may help a lot," Kevin adds.

"Okay—"

"Hey! Leighla is supposed to get my help." Gabriel crosses his arms.

"Right, you guys get on that." Dean starts backing away.

"Yes, Dean and I have had a long day," Castiel replies.

"We're gonna take a nice nap." Dean grins.

Cas nods in agreement and they both leave with angel-like quickness.

Sam rolls his eyes. "Hopefully they won't be too noisy."

"Anyway, you can try to tell your life story, Leighla," Kevin continues.

"But shouldn't you be getting back to your job?" Gabriel narrows his eyes.

"I can take a break." He shrugs.

"Okay, I guess I can start…" Leighla begins to talk to Gabriel and Kevin (while Sam is in the background reading, a bit upset that Gabriel and him can't 'take a nap' too). She recounts her birthday, which hospital she was born, then begins to add on her other family members in her life. Her brother and cousins born after her, being the eldest of her cousins. Sometimes she would go off onto a tangent of a really random memory that was either happy or painful. Even one as slight as always carrying around a stuffed Piglet and Winnie the Pooh when she was younger that she still has or peeing her pants at the park on her eighth birthday. She remembers friends and enemies made through elementary to high school, as well as the horrible hell that was middle school. She talks about a life full of failed crushes, unrequited love, and one relationship that didn't work. She expresses fears about going into her third year of college and the terror of the looming graduation. She talks about music, and how much she just loves it. How much she'll listen to a song over and over so she can belt it out and sing it at the top of her lungs. She loves singing at all times and isn't ashamed to do so, even if she sucks. She loves making playlists of completely different songs and relishing in the different sounds.

"I guess that's what I would do with my life if I could…"

"Wow, that's really amazing. You're retelling your life!" Kevin says.

She smiles at him as Dean and Castiel are finished 'napping' and come back to main HQ.

"How's it going?" Dean asks.

"I feel like I remember everything," Leighla says. She suddenly begins to feel a rush of energy in her head. "That's weird. It feels like my head is simultaneously filling and emptying of blood. Oh my God!"

Leighla's eyes suddenly begin glowing a pure white and she whispers something in Enochian as Gabriel is shrouded in the same blinding light.

She blinks and smiles. "Any final memories must've come back." She looks pointedly at Gabriel. "There's that halo."

Gabriel's eyes widen before his face breaks out in a trickster smirk.

"Cas, how much is a third of an archangel's grace?" Dean asks.

"He has as much grace as me at this moment. Possibly either a bit less or a bit more."

Dean and Cas begin to feel uneasy. Sam isn't that worried. But he's still worried.

What's the worst Gabriel can do?

DUN DUN DUNNN~ WHAT PRANK WILL GABRIEL PULL THIS TIME?

I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE FOR SUCH LATENESS BUT SOMETIMES FREE TIME ISN'T REALLY FREE TIME AND BEFORE I HAD UP TO CHAPTER 10 DONE AND OTHERS OUTLINED BEFORE I STARTED POSTING ONLINE AND I JUST KINDA GOT BLOCKED AT CH 16/17 SOO I'LL TRY TO BE BETTER!

THANK YOU ALL WHO READ/REVIEW MY STORY I LOVE YOU ALL YOU GIVE ME LIFE ;)

~rockleah