Left behind but not alone

"What's this?" Gabriel gasps, grasping at the air near my ear. He pulls out a long red balloon out of the air. I let out a small smile from between the tears but it fades all to fast. Gabe gestures at me to wait before turning his back to me and begins twisting, folding the balloon with exaggerated gestures. My tears have stopped, my curiosity piqued at what he was creating. He jumped around to face and presented to me the balloon dog. "Ta-Daa!" he laughs. "Hello, cutie, I am Tizzle the balloon dog! Please don't cry!" He said in a comically-high pitched voice as he rocked the balloon side to side and nuzzled it into my face. I can't help but giggle at his expression and he soon embraces me in a hug, kissing the sides of my face with the dog and his own lips. "Don't cry, cutie." he mumbles, using the pet-name only he can use.

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"Thanks for letting us crash here." Sam's familiar voice floats over my thoughts, bringing me back to reality. I shake the memory from my head and sniffle back the tears that are building up in my eyes.

"No problem. What are you guys hunting this time?" I ask, leading him into the kitchen that Dean is already raiding. I fondly look over the shorter, but equally as handsome Winchester who smiles at me with a mouth full of pie.

"Eve. The mother of monsters." Sam states, giving his brother a look of shame and shaking his head. I hand Dean a beer from the beer fridge under the counter and flip the switch on the kettle to boil some water.

"Ah, what makes you think she is here?" I ask, putting two tea bags into matching smile face cups. The cups Gabe bought for us....I quickly dispel the thought before it can consume me.

"There have been some pretty strange occurrences here." Dean mumbles over his beer.

"That was a week ago." I chuckle, stirring the spoon around in the water-less cups. Collectively, the boys shrug. I guess they don't have many leads on this chick. Ah, well, they're always welcome here. These two, plus the angel Castiel, were my rock after Gabriel died. Coming to check up on me every couple weeks just to make sure I was okay and to take me out on hunts just so I wouldn't be alone. I owe them a lot, even though they were the reason he was killed but that's not really their fault.

I pour the newly boiled water into both cups and pass one of the cups to Sam, he can make his own. Turning, I nearly bump into Cas who has appeared in my way. I heave a deep sigh, Gabriel used to do the same thing but usually he'd grab my face a kiss my nose before flying to the other side of the room. Cas shoots me a sad look that screams "I'm sorry." just like he always does.

"Hey, Cas?" I ask, giving him as big of a smile as I can muster (Which isn't all that big)

"Yes?"

"I need you to do something for me, that only you can do."

"What's that?"

"Hide me from the angels."

"Why?" all three boys ask in unison. There eyes trained on me. I look down at the liquid in my cups, watching it swirl around a moment before answering them.

"Gabe was always afraid that the angel's may come after me but....you know, he was always there and I never had to worry....b-but now....i just think I need it is all." I mumble, looking everywhere but at their faces. Dean steps closer and ruffles my hair before walking past me into the living room. I follow behind him and Sam places a protective hand on the small of my back, as if guiding me to a chair.

"I will." Cas says, after a moment and waits for me to seat myself in the nearest chair. Castiel takes the space beside me, I lean back and close my eyes. A hand presses against the cotton of my black tank top and a sharp pain blooms like a burst of flames on my ribs. I let out a small scream, Cas pulls his hand back and I take the moment of pain free to just stretch my diaphragm.