The Fifth Archangel

15: Tears, Pain, and Humanity

As if killing my niece in front of me wasn't enough, Micheal had to take my Grace too. Now I wasn't an archangel. I wasn't even an angel. I was a human. A pathetic, multilingual, fallen-from-Heaven human. And let me just tell you, being an archangel felt like Heaven on Earth compared to being a human.

Cas looked at me with sympathy after he told me I was a human.

"How do I- um- stop the pain in my head?" I asked him. Cas smiled and grabbed a white container off my nightstand. He twisted off the top and pulled out two white tablets.

"Open up, Kei." He said and popped the tablets into my mouth. I chewed on them, the taste was revolting. "Aspirin," Cas said, as if that explained the horrid taste.

"They taste awful." I said.

He smiled, "You weren't supposed to chew them."

I swallowed again, trying to rid my mouth of the taste, "Don't you think you should have told me before I did?" He shrugged.

Castiel sat down on the edge of the bed. "Any other-," He looked at the wall above my head, "Pains?"

"My stomach," I said, "It feels- weird."

He looked into his hands, "You need to eat."

I nodded and swung my legs out from under the bedspread. A tearing pain hit my back, and I immediately swung them back. No, no, no, no, no. This could not be happening. Those weren't part of the deal. Tears filled my eyes, and a few dripped down my cheek.

"I was wondering when you'd notice." Cas said.

I squeaked out, "My wings are- are gone?"

"They- Crowley- came back after you passed out. He cut them off with your own archangel blade."

"You saw and you just watched?"

"He had an archangel blade, going after him would be suicide."

"Does he still have my blade?"

"I believe so."

"Can you- um- heal me? At least the open wounds?"

Cas obliged and placed two fingers on my forehead. I instantly felt warm and safe. I felt- well- I felt like an angel again.

"Cas, I don't know what to say. Thank you."

He stood up and helped me out of the bed. My center of gravity seemed to be off, probably from the loss of my wings, and it was a bit difficult to walk out of the room. Cas walked me down the bunker's hallway, towards Dean's room.

"Um, what time is it?" I asked.

"Around noon."

"I mean, what day?"

"Three days after we found you."

I was speechless. Three days unconscious? Maybe even more if they hadn't found me on the same day I lost my Grace. That was lomg

Cas knocked on Dean's door. He answered it in a heartbeat. "Is she awake yet, Cas?" He obviously didn't see me behind Castiel. "Tell me she's awake!"

Cas stepped aside, and I stepped forward, "Hello Dean."

Dean's face went from annoyed to soft. He stepped to me and wrapped me in a tight hug. "You're okay."

"Not completely." I said.

Dean pulled away, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not an archangel anymore. I'm a human. I have no powers, no wings, and no Grace."