Desolation Comes Upon the Sky

King of the Damned

The Impala sped down the road, its headlights cutting through the cold night air. Alex shifted in her seat, drawing her legs up tighter beneath her as she looked out the window, watching the trees fly past. Her angel blade sat in her lap, her fingers curled around the handle as she held it close, and the young angel let out an impatient sigh as the car slowed down for a light.

"We got a gig." Dean had gotten the phone call as they had dropped Ennis back off at his home. Sam had immediately voiced his concern, hesitant to leave the city of monsters, but Dean shook his head, firm on his position. "Cas has a line on Metatron. This is what we've been waiting for. This is our shot."

Now, they were on their way to Monett, Missouri, as fast as the Impala could carry them. "It's the next left up here," Sam told his brother, and Alex shifted at the sound of his voice. "Hey." The younger Winchester's eyes turned to look back at her. "You doing okay? You've been quiet since we left."

"I'm fine." The angel's gaze dropped onto her gun that lay on the seat beside her as she fell silent once again. She could still feel the metal against her trembling hands as she stared into her father's eyes, the rift in her soul when he hadn't tried to stop her from pulling the trigger.

The bullet had barely nicked his cheek, embedding itself in the plaster wall. Had he thought it was an act of mercy, or a warning? Or did he know that she had only missed because her hands were shaking beyond control?

"This is the address?" Dean pulled the Impala up alongside an old concrete building, and Alex narrowed her eyes to read the darkened sign. Central Municipal Power Corp.

"Yeah." Sam got out of the Impala, and Alex quickly followed suit. A quick glance around didn't show anything strange; there were no signs of any angels, no visible wardings.

The young hunter followed the Winchesters up to the entrance with a frown, but before she could vocalize her confusion, the door swung open. Light spilled out, revealing a tall, stoic angel. "If you'll follow me, the Commander will see you now," he announced, and Alex's face twisted in puzzlement as they were ushered inside.

"The Commander?" Dean looked back at his brother as he murmured out the words, and Sam gave a small shrug, just as confused. The angel led the way down the hall and through a set of double doors, and Alex's eyes widened as she took in the bustling control room that lay before them. All eyes turned as they entered, and she felt her face redden under so many angelic stares. "Sir?" Their guide paused at the open door of an office, and Alex slipped past Dean.

Castiel stood there talking to another angel, but at the sound of his title he turned. "Alex." The seraph stepped forward, and Alex threw herself into his arms. Castiel pulled away after a second, giving both Sam and Dean a brief yet awkward hug before he turned back to the angel who had escorted them in. "Um ... dismissed." He turned back to them to add an apologetic, "He can be a bit stuffy," as the angel walked away.

"So ... Commander?" Dean asked, and he smirked slightly in amusement as he regarded the angel.

"Yeah, not my idea." Castiel crossed back over to stand beside Alex. "They had no leader, and they insisted on following me."

"Yeah. No, we get it." Dean glanced back over his shoulder to the room full of angels, all deeply involved in their work. "You're a rockstar."

The seraph's lips dipped down in a frown at the sharpness in the Winchester's voice.

"Bartholomew is dead," he reminded. "Malachi was murdered by Gadreel, and with Metatron as powerful as he is now, I needed to do something."

Sam looked over at Alex, and the young angel gave a small shake of her head, unsure what to say. "So this war between angels is really gonna happen, huh?" he asked.