I was driving my car down the road.

Castiel was in the passenger seat.

Metatron was sitting chained up in the backseat.

The radio was on. "Our flashback playback continues with a song that climbed all the way to number four on the charts. Here's Alanis Morissette's 'Ironic'."

Castiel turned off the radio.

"Really?" Metatron asked. "That song is a classic." We didn't respond. "Yeah, I hear you. I do. And you're right. Inclement weather on the day of your nuptials and the wrong cutlery at inopportune times is hardly ironic. But it sure is catchy. Yeah, fair point. Can't argue taste. But since I became Human, it's just so... strange. All these feelings, you know? I mean, I can feel music. Like that last song, 'Sussudio'. I don't even know what it's about, and I love it. I always enjoyed lyrics, words, stories. Gives me goosebumps. And goosebumps, don't even get me started on those. Creepy! And yet... arousing." He looked at me. "But you would understand that, wouldn't you, Octavia? Do you still feel aroused when you're with Sam, or did that feeling fade once you became an Angel again, died and came back to life." I lost my patience, punching Metatron in the face. "Ow!"

I looked at Castiel. "Can I just kill him now?"

"You know I can hear you, right?" Metatron asked.

"No, we need him alive for now," Castiel told me. "Look, after he gives me my Grace back, you can do whatever you want with him."

"Well, I'd like to kill him slowly," I told him.

"I'm am like, two feet from you," Metatron told us. "Every word? Crystal clear."

We continued to ignore him.

"How was Dean when you left him?" I asked.

"He was good, but... fading," Castiel answered. "Even if he is close to becoming a Demon again, there is an answer out there. We will find a cure for Dean."

"I don't know why you'd want to cure that little firecracker now," Metatron told us. "He's finally interest--" Castiel punched Metatron in the face. "Ow!"

Castiel and I exchanged a smirk as I continued to drive.

*     *

The next day, Castiel, Metatron and I were sitting at a table in a diner.

Metatron and Castiel were each eating waffles with whipped cream, strawberries, and blueberries on top.

Metatron was relishing every bite annoyingly. "Mm! O.. M... Me! Oh. Food. Glorious food. Mm. Al the countless descriptions in so many books, but those are just words. Oh, the taste, the--the actual taste... I had no idea. Oh, and the process. Goes in here..." He pointed at his mouth. "Comes out here." He pointed toward his rear. "Sorcery. I mean, Cas, you're Human. And Ava, you used to me. Don't you miss all this?"

"No, I don't miss digestion," I answered. "I don't miss indigestion."

"No, no, no," Metatron told me. "Not that. I mean, don't you miss the feeling of all this? Like the taste of waffles? The sound of a child's laughter? I mean, I know that you still have some Human feelings after your Human experience, but you don't get to enjoy meals or little things like this like they do. Like we do. Look at us. We're a couple of Angels who've touched not only the divine, but the mundane. The three of us have a lot in common."

"Don't," Castiel told him.

"What?" Metatron asked. "I thought we were having a moment. Can't we be besties?"

"No," Castiel answered. "Because you killed our friend."

"Oh, pfft," Metatron told us. "Dean is fine, mostly. Can't you get past that?"

"Never," Castiel answered. "Now we've hit three of your so-called safe houses, and all of them are empty. So, either you've lost my Grace, or you're stalling."

"Can you blame me?" Metatron asked. "The minute I hand over your Grace, I'm dead."

"You have made your bed, Metatron, and nothing is going to get you out of it," I told him. There were loud digestive noises coming from Metatron. "What are you doing?"

"I think I need to use the little boys' room," Metatron told us, holding up his handcuffed hands in front of him. "Little help."

I looked at Castiel.

Castiel gave me a look.

I shrugged.

Castiel sighed, helping Metatron get up, leading him to the bathroom.

I looked down at the table, holding my head in my hands.

*     *

Castiel, Metatron and I walked out of the diner.

Metatron looked at Castiel. "Sorry about the mess. I guess I'm lactose intolerant."

"Let's never speak of it again," Castiel told us.

An Angel was leaning against my car. "Metatron, Castiel and Octavia. This really must be my lucky day. Three birds, one blade." 

The Angel pulled out his Angel Blade from his denim jacket.

I pulled out my Angel Sword from my leather jacket. "Who are you?"

"Just a Cupid," the Angel answered. "Just an angry, angry Cupid."

"I understand you're upset," I told him.

"You all corrupted Heaven," the Cupid told us. "It's never gonna be the same!"

Cupid lunged at me with his Angel Blade. I pivoted back onto one foot to make him miss, punching him in the face.

Metatron tried to get away.

Castiel grabbed him, pushing him to the ground so he wouldn't escape.

Cupid tried to stab Metatron. I used magic to push Cupid away from Metatron, to the ground, walking closer. I punched Cupid in the face, making him turn away. Cupid raised his blade to try to stab me. I slashed my sword across his stomach, making him bleed with Grace, punching him in the face, kicking him in the chest, making him fall to the ground. Cupid stood, running toward me, trying to stab me with the blade. I ducked, grabbing him around the waist, pushing him against my car, stabbing him in the heart with my Angel Sword, killing him, making him flash with bright white light, taking it out, letting him fall to the ground. 

I sighed in regret, turning to face Metatron and Castiel.

Metatron stood, looking surprised. "You saved me."

"Only because we need you," I told him. "This changes nothing."

I pushed Metatron forward.

Castiel followed us.

*     *

Metatron, Castiel and I walked into a dark library.

"Oh, come on," Castiel told him. "You expect me to believe that you hid my Grace in  library?"

"Nobody goes to libraries anymore," Metatron told us. "It's the safest place in the world."

Castiel turned his lights on. "I can feel my Grace. It's here, but you've hidden it somewhere. Where is it?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Metatron told us.

I pushed Metatron into a chair, squeezing the wound from the shot on his injured leg, making him scream in pain. "Where is it?"

Metatron gasped for breath. "I don't know, I swear! I had another Angel hide it, even from me." I squeezed the gunshot wound in his leg even harder, making him groan a scream. "You know, in case someone tries to torture the information out of me. Case in point."

"Where is my Grace?" Castiel asked.

I let him go.

"I told the Angel to hide some clues in some of my favorite books," Metatron told us, standing, holding up his handcuffed wrists. "Mother, may I?"

Metatron limped over to a shelf, pulling out a book.

Castiel took the book, opening it, removing a note. "'What is the maddest thing a man can do?'"

"It's a riddle?" I asked. "What--what's the answer?"

"Beats me," Metatron told us. "I've only been a man a day. Um, the--the answer to the riddle will lead to another book. And inside that book, you'll find the Grace. We're gonna work this out together, okay? Teamwork."

Castiel and I exchanged an exasperated, annoyed look.

*     *

Metatron was on the other side of the shelf as me.

Castiel was looking at the shelf on the other side of me.

"You know, we really do make a good team," Metatron told us. "Kind of like a buddy comedy, without the comedy."

"Or the buddies," I told them.

"Oh, now, come on," Metatron told us. "Back at the diner, that was some pretty awesome action."

"What I did back there was unfortunate," I told him. "No more of our brothers and sisters should die."

"Brothers and sisters?" Metatron repeated skeptically. "Listen to you. Still spitting out the company line like anyone cares. Like we're actually a family? When what we really are--are a bunch of glowing lights filled with self-loathing or delusions of grandeur. Or both."

"You shut up!" Castiel told him.

"No!" Metatron told us. "If I'm gonna die, I want answers. Like, who are the two of you now? Like, you're obviously not Angels of the Lord. And, Cas, you're Human, but you're dying to get your Grace back. And what about you, Ava? The Angel that has the thoughts and feelings of a Human. And what about all this walking the Earth like Caine from 'Kung Fu' crap? Cleaning up Heaven's messes. How many more rogue Angels are there out there? And, what are you gonna do once you're done with all that? Go back to Heaven? Please. The Angel formerly known as Heaven has restored order up top. Smoothest it's run since God cut the ribbon on the pearly gates. So, tell me, truly, what are your missions now?"

"You shut up and keep looking," Castiel told him.

"Well, cannot say I didn't try," Metatron told us. I looked through the shelves to see him writing blood Sigils on the books in the next row, activating them. I suddenly couldn't breathe, gasping, coughing, falling to my knees. Metatron walked toward me. "Poor Octavia. Swam so far just to drown in shallow waters." Castiel walked toward me from the other side, looking at Metatron incredulously. "Isn't it ironic? Don't you think?"

Metatron smirked.

I glared, but the spell from the Sigils made me feel as if I was dying.

*     *

Castiel ran past me toward Metatron, tackling him to the floor. "Reverse the spell."

"All right," Metatron told him. "First things first. Find what I really came here for." He gouged his bloody fingers into Castiel's eyes, making him scream, making him fall. I continued to cough and gasp in pain, coughing up blood and Grace onto the floor. Metatron stood, taking a book from the shelf, taking a note from the book, reading. "'What two things do you need to succeed in life?' Ignorance and confidence."

Castiel looked at the note from the first book.

I coughed, gasping for breath, crawling weakly toward Cas. "They're quotes."

"So, uh, did you and Samateur hour really think I wouldn't have a backup plan?" Metatron asked, locating a book, opening it to reveal a Tablet. Castiel ran down another aisle, looking for a book. "Ah. Hello, Demon Tablet." Castiel grabbed a book, pulling it off the shelf, opening it to reveal the vial with the rest of his Grace. "The places I'll go with this." Metatron limped to the row with Castiel and me. "And your Grace. Well, one out of two ain't bad."

I weakly held my hand toward Metatron, trying to make light emanate, but it was flickering and dimming due to the spell.

Metatron smirked, running away, leaving.

Castiel opened the vial with his Grace. "What's the maddest thing a man can do? Let himself die."

Castiel inhaled his Grace. He started to glow, bright white light emanating from him. The power burst outward, magically throwing the shelves and the books around, the books raining down around us.

The books with the Sigils were on the floor.

Castiel stood, emanating with bright white light, his eyes glowing bluish-white from within. Shadows of his wings were on the wall behind him, broken and tattered. 

I had to look away from the bright. "Cas."

Castiel returned to normal. He walked closer to me. "Ava."

Castiel put two fingers to my head, healing me from the damage of the spell.

I could finally breathe and I felt all right, standing in relief. We looked at each other, smiling, embracing, happy that Cas had his Grace back, pulling away. We looked over the damage of the library, the happiness fading, because we knew that Metatron had gotten away.

*     *

We got to the Bunker.

Dean, Castiel and the woman named Charlie Bradbury, Sam and Dean's computer genius friend, were out getting snacks and drinks.

Sam had told us about the Book of the Damned and how that it was calling out to Dean to make him do bad things because of the Mark, and a family called the Steins that wanted to kill anyone just to get that book back. So Sam had to destroy it.

Sam and I were sitting at the map table in the control him.

"It felt like everything inside of me was liquefying and melting," I told him. "The spell would've killed me if Cas hadn't gotten his Grace back and healed me. And Metatron slipped away. Should've killed him. Who knows what he'll do with that Tablet?"

"Well, you know what, Ava?" Sam asked. "Cas got his Grace back. You're alive. You two did the right thing."

"You did the right thing," I told him. "That book needed to be destroyed. We will find another way, Sam."

Sam nodded, taking my hand on the table. "I'm just happy that you're okay."

I smiled a small smile, nodding. "And I, you."

Sam and I looked at each other, smiling.

Charlie, Dean and Castiel walked in with their bags.

Charlie walked down the stairs. "We're back, bitches!" Sam and I stood. Charlie looked at me. "Whoa. Is that who I think it is?"

"Charlie, Ava," Sam told her. "Ava, Charlie."

Charlie put her bags down, embracing me suddenly, surprising me, pulling away. "I didn't think you would be so short."

Sam picked up the bags. "I'm gonna get these to the fridge."

Sam walked away.

Charlie looked at me. "So, Cas told us that you helped him get his mojo back." I nodded. "So, can't you two just, you know... cure Dean?"

"Unfortunately, it's not that simple," I told her.

Charlie nodded in understanding. "Oh. Never is, is it?" I shook my head. "Do you think you could do anything about my carpal tunnel?" I put two fingers to Charlie's head, healing her. "Is that it?"

"Your carpal tunnel and your bullet wound are now healed," I told her. "You may want to continue wearing your wrist brace at night, though."

Charlie smiled, patting me on the shoulder. "Did we just become best friends?"

I smiled a small smile in amusement, chuckling.

Dean and Castiel walked close.

"Hey, look who decided to show," Dean told us. He looked at Castiel. "So, you're back. 100%. How did that happen, again?"

Dean put the food on the table.

Sam walked in.

"Um, it was Hannah," Castiel told them. "She managed to get the location of the remainder of my Grace out of Metatron."

"Awesome," Dean told us. He looked at Sam. "I told you we were due for a win." He looked at Cas. "Good to have you back, pal."

*     *

Sam, Dean, Castiel, Charlie and I were eating and drinking and having fun conversation to ease the tension away for a little while.

Dean was laughing with a mouthful of pizza.

Charlie was showing me and Castiel a fortune teller paper trick. 

I smiled, sitting back in my chair next to Sam.

Sam held his arm around me.

I looked at Sam, smiling. We kissed slowly and softly, pulling away.

Sam smiled a small smile.

Finally, we had something to take all the trouble and the tensions away, even if it was only for the night.