An Archangel's Daughter

Chapter 13

Little do the others know that when Aurora called out to Castiel he woke up. He woke up in a place that was just blackness as far as the eye could see. The Empty. He slowly gets up and tries to get his bearings, he walks around looking, the blackness feeling suffocating. He also feels something else, something he has never felt before and he knows every creature in creation.

"I know you're there. I can feel you." Castiel tells the unknown creature. He hears a voice say "Hello." behind him and he turns to see...himself. "What are you?" Castiel asks it. "Oh, just your friendly neighborhood cosmic entity." It says with a strained smile. The way it talks reminds him of that character...the Mad Hatter I think it's called. "Why do you look like me?" He asks it.

It rearranges its trench coat putting its hands in the pockets. "Oh, yes, yes, yes. Well, I show up in my true form and you freak out, rip out your own eyes, et cetera. That would be embarrassing, wouldn't it? For the both of us?" It says with that same strained smile. Maybe it can tell me where I am. "What is this place?" Castiel asks. "Oh, yes. Excellent question. You see, before God and Amara, creation, destruction, Heaven, Hell, your precious little Earth, what was there?" It asks him.

"Nothing." Castiel answers, confused by the creature's question. "Yes, that's right. Nothing. Nothing but Empty." it says, looking around. "And you are soaking in it. Angels and demons, you all come here when you die." Castiel looks around, straining to see or sense something, anything but this suffocating feeling. He tries to sense the familiar feeling of one of his own, or a demon. But nothing. "Every angel that ever died is here?" He asks.

"Yes, sleeping an endless, peaceful sleep." It walks around to Castiel's side. "You know...I, I was sleeping too. Hey, uh, since we're pals, there's something I've gotta know. I've just gotta ask." Its tone turns angry. "Hmm, why are you awake? Cause, fun fact, in all of forever, nothing ever wakes up here. I mean, ever. Ever. And second fun fact, when you woke up, I woke up, and I don't like being awake. So...what's up smart guy?" I wish I could tell you.

"I don't know." Castiel tells it honestly. "Well think!" It shouts. "The Winchesters. Sam and Dean, they must've made a deal." He tries. The Empty shakes its head. "No, no, no, no. Not with me and I'm, I'm the only one with any pull around here. Not Heaven, not Hell, not G-O-D himself. So think harder. Rack that perky little brain of yours." It pokes Castiel on the forehead with two of its fingers.

"Stay away from me." Castiel says. "Okay, fine. I'll rack it for you." The Empty grabs the top of Castiel's head with its hand and he screams in pain. His memories flashing before him, all of his memories. It takes its hand off of him and he collapses in pain. "What did you do to me?" He asks, gasping for air. "I read your mind, such as it is." The Empty says. Castiel sits up slowly and asks, "What do you want?"

"What do I want? I want you to shut up. Having you awake, it's like...it's like a gnat flew right up here." It taps its temple. "And it's trapped, and it's buzzing." "Having me awake causes you pain." Castiel realizes. "If you can't sleep, I can't sleep. Yeah? And I like sleep. I need sleep." It says.

"Then get rid of me." Castiel says. "Oh I should, should I?" The Empty says, its hand on its chin. "Send me back to Earth." He suggests. "Or, I throw you so deep in the Empty, that you can't bother me anymore. Hmm?" It says, but Castiel knows it's bluffing. "Except you know that won't work or you would've done it already." The Empty looks frustrated. "Pretty smart, Dummy."

"Send. Me. Back." Castiel says again. "That's not part of the deal. No. Besides, you don't want to go back." It says. "Yes I do." He insists. "Sam and Dean and Aurora need me." The Empty rolls its eyes. "Oh save it." It bends down to his level. "I have tiptoed though all your little tulips. Your memories, your little feelings, yes. I know what you hate...I know who you love...I know what you fear. There is nothing for you back there." I have Aurora. I promised her mother I would keep her safe.

"Here, let me show you." It puts its hands on both sides of Castiel's head and he screams as it shows him memories. His grace being taken from him, being run through with an angel blade, when the Leviathan took over his body, when Lucifer killed him, again. The Empty lets go of him and he collapses in pain for the second time.

The Empty stands up over Castiel. "Come on Castiel. Wouldn't you rather be a fond memory than a constant, festering disappointment?" It kicks him in the side and he groans in pain. I can't give up. "Let's just lay down...and try to sleep." It says in an uncharacteristically soft voice and it kneels down by Castiel and it strokes his back gently. "Hmm? Think about it. Infinite peace. Yes? No regrets. No pain." It pats his shoulder and gets up again. "Kiddo, save yourself."

"I'm already saved." Castiel says, starting to get up again. The Empty kicks him again, keeping him down. "You can prance, and you can preen and you can scream and yell and remind me of my failings but somehow, I'm awake." He slowly gets back up again. "And I will stay awake and I will keep you awake until we both go insane." The Empty punches him in the face but he stands up. "I will fight you. Fight you and fight you for...ever. For eternity." It shakes its head. "No. No."

"Release me." He stands up face to face with the creature. "Release...me." The Empty takes a deep breath and puts its hand on Castiel again. He flinches but this time pain didn't come. Nothing.

Castiel wakes up in an empty field. The sickening feeling that was the Empty is gone. He is back on Earth again. He looks up at the sky and smiles to see the sun again. Don't worry Winchesters...Aurora. I'm coming.

Authors Note
I hope everyone is enjoying the story. Aurora and the Winchesters will be back in the next chapter. Please don't forget to vote and comment.