Fallen (Book Four: Supernatural fanfic)

Tombstone

Sam, Dean and I walked toward Castiel, still in shock.

"Cas, is that really you?" Dean asked.

"No, you're--you're dead," Sam told him.

"Yeah, I was," Castiel agreed. "But then I... annoyed an ancient cosmic being so much that he sent me back."

"I don't even know what to say," I told him.

Dean walked toward Castiel. "I do. Welcome home, pal."

Dean and Sam embraced Castiel in return. I felt so relieved to actually be able to embrace Cas, having my best friend back, pulling away.

"How long was I gone?" Castiel asked.

"Too damn long," Dean answered.

"So how was your trip to the Empty?" I asked. "Not a fun vacation spot, is it? I don't remember much about it. I was asleep for all of it until the Angels pulled me out."

"What is it like?" Sam asked.

"Well, it's dark and nothing," Castiel answered. "It's like... nothing. Like Ava was, I was sleeping, and then I heard voices that said my name, and I woke up. I thought you... had done something."

Dean shook his head. "No, we--we didn't even think we could bring you back, because Ava said it took dozens of Angels to bring her back at the cost of their deaths to do it."

"So who was it?" Sam asked. "Chuck? Uh, God?"

"No," Castiel answered.

"You said that you heard voices say your name, right?" I asked, remembering when the kids had told me that they called out to Cas but nothing happened.

"Yeah," Castiel answered. "Why?"

"Let me guess," I told him. "Four voices?"

Castiel frowned. "How did you know that?"

Sam and Dean realized what I had, looking at me in surprise.

I sighed. "Ariel and Faith. Jack and Kai."

        *         *         *      

The next morning, we returned home, seeing Ariel, Faith, Jack and Kai sitting in the library. Ariel was on the computer.

"How'd it go?" Kai asked.

"Well..." Dean trailed off.

"Guys, um..." Sam trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

Castiel walked in. "Hello, Ariel. Faith. Jack. Kai."

They stood in shock.

Ariel and Faith spoke together in surprise. "Cas?"

Castiel sighed, nodding. "Yeah, it's me."

"No," Jack told him. "We burned your body, and they said normally what's burned stays dead."

"How..." Kai trailed off.

"Well, that's the question we've been asking," Dean told them.

"Ariel, Faith..." I trailed off. "You, Jack and Kai said that you tried to call out to Cas, to try to bring him back."

"Yeah, but nothing happened," Faith told us.

"I heard four voices where I was," Castiel explained. "They woke me up. And it gave me a chance to come back."