The Supernatural X-Files

On the Head of a Pin [2]

Castiel listened to Alastair's groans. The light flickered, catching Castiel's attention; the bulb exploded.

Maxima appeared behind Castiel.

"Maxima," Castiel greeted

"Hello, Castiel,"

Castiel turned to look at Max.

Alastair became slightly more audible.

"You shouldn't be here." Castiel chastised

"Where's Uriel?" Maxima asked

"He went to receive revelation,"

"Right," Max looked into the prison room "Why are you letting Dean do this?"

"He's doing God's work,"

"Torturing? That's God's work? Stop him, Cas, please,"

"Who are we to question the will of God?"

"Unless this isn't his will,"

"Then where do the orders come from?"

"I don't know." Maxima shook her head "but not him. The father you love. Do you think he wants this? Do you think he'd ask this of you? You think this is righteous?"

Castiel couldn't meet her eyes.

"What you're feeling? It's called doubt," Max touched Castiel's hand "These orders are wrong and you know it. But you can do the right thing. You're afraid, Cas. But together, we can still..."

"Together?" Castiel yanked his hand away "I am nothing like you,"

"Than what am I? I am apparently something important to the angels, something that needs to be kept away from the demons..." Maxima looked Castiel in the eye "Tell me,"

There was a sudden silence between the two. Broken by the sound of Alastair's screams.

Castiel quickly looked away "You should go,"

"Not without Dean," Max seethed and with a snap of her fingers, Castiel disappeared. "Dean..." Maxima hurried to the door only to curse at what she saw "Shit,"

Dean was covered in blood.

Alastair was holding Dean by his shirt collar and punching him repeatedly, then dropped Dean and picked him up by the throat and shoved him up against the hexacle, lifting Dean's feet off the floor. "You've got a lot to learn, boy. So I'll see you back in class bright and early Monday morning,"

Max clenched her fists and felt an object in her grasp, looking down she recognized it as Ruby's blade. "Now, we're talking," Maxima smirked as she threw the door open causing Alastair to turn around. Upon seeing Max, Alastair dropped Dean, who didn't move. Max stabbed Alastair in the heart. The injury sparked gold light, but not as much as when the blade killed.

"Well, almost. Looks like God is on my side today,"

Maxima lifted her hand. The knife twisting itself.

"There she is," Alastair grunted as he pulled out the knife, tossing it away before charging at Maxima.

The two fought.

Alastair slammed Max against the wall, leaning towards her ear "Be grateful you're needed alive,"

Maxima looked at Alastair in confusion as she continued to struggle against his grip. She was dropped to the ground as Alastair began choking and was slammed against the wall. Max looked back and saw it was Sam. But rather than with gratitude, Max couldn't help but look at the youngest Winchester with a look of fear.

"Stupid pet tricks," Alastair grunted in pain.

Max returned her attention to the real problem at hand and stood up to face the demon. "Who's murdering the angels? How are they doing it?"

"You think I'm gonna tell you?"

"Yeah, I do,"

Sam twisted his hand.

Alastair's eyes rolled white and he choked.

"How are the demons killing angels?" Max repeated

"I don't know," Alastair admitted

"Right," Maxima scoffed

"It's not us. We're not doing it,"

"I don't believe you,"

"Lilith is not behind this. She wouldn't kill seven angels. Oh, she'd kill a hundred, a thousand,"

Max held out her hand causing Sam to stop his torture.

"Oh, go ahead. Send me back, if you can," Alastair taunted.

"Sam..." Maxima started to argue.

Sam ignored Max's pleads as he stared down Alastair "I'm stronger than that now. Now I can kill," Sam held out his hand. Gold light flared inside Alastair as he screamed.

Alastair's host collapsed, dead.

Sam looked over at Maxima, his eyes gleaming with an unspoken apology. But Max could only shake her head in denial as she headed over to Dean's unconscious body.

"I'll see you at the hospital," was all Maxima said as both she and Dean disappeared from the scene.