Allegra dragged herself across the ground to sit against a rock. The gash on her right leg was huge and bleeding profusely. She tied her scarf around it as a tourniquet, but that didn't help against the broken bone sticking out of the wound. If she hadn't been overusing her powers, it would've already started to heal. But the blood trickling down her nose and the blinding headache told her enough. Where the hell was Crowley when you needed him?
She looked back at the body lying in the dirt. Damn Leviathans were getting craftier in finding her, even way out in the middle of the Mojave desert. But this one came after her alone. His mistake. Still, he'd proven a challenge. John Winchester's knife had been useless against him. So had the Archangel blade. The only plague that managed to slow him down a little was darkness. Luckily, a well-aimed lightning bolt to the bastard's head eventually did the trick. The lightning had left the Leviathan decapitated, his head rolling away from the body as it fell, black ooze spilling everywhere.

Allegra was too tired to move any further. She couldn't teleport away, not until she recuperated her strength a little. But staying out in the open like this was way too risky. She had to get back to the hide-out Crowley put her in (an abandoned looney bin of all places) to get her things and move out of state as fast as she could. 
Suddenly, Allegra sensed a presence near her and grabbed hold of her blade, ready to defend herself again. A dark-haired woman in a suit appeared from behind the rock.

"I've already killed one of you bastards; I can do it again!" challenged Allegra bravely.

'That won't be necessary, Allegra. I'm not your enemy," said the woman. "I'm here to help you. My name is Naomi."

The brunette knelt down beside her and put her hand on Allegra's leg. She grimaced but showed no further display of pain or weakness. Allegra eyed the woman suspiciously. She wasn't Leviathan, sure enough. And she wasn't a demon either; she couldn't see any demon face on her. So that only left one option.

"You're an angel. Whether or not that makes you my enemy is debatable."

"Please do not compare me to others of my kind. I did not agree with some of the things that were done to you. Hold still now."

Naomi's hand glowed, and Allegra's leg warmed up. The glow spread and touched her grace. Allegra screamed in pain when the bone in her leg was pushed back, and the wound closed itself. The pain subdued a little afterward, but it still hurt like a bitch. Naomi offered Allegra a hand and pulled her up. She was careful not to put too much weight on her wounded leg.

"How did you do that?" she asked, raising a brow at Naomi. "I thought normal angels couldn't connect to an Archangel's grace? That it had to be the other way around?"

"Normal angels, yes. But my powers are more advanced, and you are not a full-blood Archangel."

"Hm... Well, thank you."

"You're welcome. You should go now. Get back to the Winchesters, they need you, and you'll be better off with them anyway."

"The Winchesters? No, I can't go back to them. I'll just put them in danger."

"They're already in danger, Allegra. You being there won't change that."

The angel looked her over, a pensive gaze in her eyes.

"It's strange you don't want to go," she observed. "I would've thought you would want to be with Dean."

Allegra blinked a few times, believing she must've misheard that last bit. Was this chick trying to mess with her? Because that would be a very bad move at this point.

"Are you freakin' kidding me right now?! First, I have to save Dean from Hell and stick around, then I can't stay, and I can't be with him, what with you lot going as far as attacking me to make your point, and now you're telling me it's okay to go back?! You guys seriously need to make up your minds! I'm not a yo-yo!"

"I usually don't repeat myself, Allegra, but I understand we haven't been the best of guides to you. So I'll make it crystal clear for you. Your safest option right now is with the Winchesters. Whether or not that means you continue your relationship with Dean is not our immediate concern right now. You both know the risks, so we're fairly certain you won't do anything stupid on that front. And while we're discussing stupid things, do try and stay away from Crowley. He only needs you for his own survival."

"Oh, and you don't?"

Naomi took a step towards Allegra, who kept her ground despite the angel's harsh intimidating expression.

"The prophecy will come to pass sooner or later. It's inevitable. But since both Lucifer and Michael are still locked away, you've bought yourself time. So until they get out and you're called to do what you were created for, you're gonna work with the Winchesters to get rid of the Leviathans and any other threat that may come."

Allegra scoffed. 

"An angel went crazy and let the Leviathans out of Purgatory. Seems only fair you guys clean up your own mess."

"We are. Don't forget; you're one of us."

***

What the hell am I doing? I shouldn't be here. They can't keep me safe any more than I can protect them. We'll just put each other in danger.

Allegra was about to turn away for the twentieth time. But just like before, her heart made her body stop. Her concern drowned out the reasonable voice in her head. She should at least just check in on Bobby, Sam and Dean and make sure they were okay. If any of them had gotten hurt during whatever had happened in the salvage yard...

After Naomi healed Allegra and basically ordered her to return to the Winchesters, Allegra picked up her stuff from the hide-out and went back to Bobby's. When she saw the house burned down, she went into a state of frenzy. She tried to find all three of them at once but realized she wouldn't get to any of them if she didn't focus on one soul specifically. Even though she immediately wanted to search for Dean, she locked on to Bobby instead. If he survived, then the boys had too. 
She found him, and in extension Sam and Dean too, in Whitefish, Montana. Knowing that there was only one place Bobby would go to in that area - a cabin in the woods, which used to belong to his friend Rufus - Allegra immediately teleported there to see if they were okay. That was around noon. It was now almost 4 pm.

There wasn't much going on in the cabin, but Allegra knew they were in there. Baby was parked a little further ahead, next to Bobby's truck. And there was, of course, the fact that Allegra kept checking on them every 5 minutes or so. She didn't like what she was feeling. Bobby seemed to be doing fine. Grumpy and annoyed, but no more than usual. It was Sam and Dean she was anxious about.

The youngest of the Winchester was not doing well. Not at all. Allegra felt another presence inside Sam's head. But whether or not that was because something was controlling him or because Death's wall finally cracked and all of Hell's torments of the past year were now streaming out, Allegra couldn't say. Yet. 
And then there was Dean. He was wounded pretty badly. She felt his pain as clearly as if it were her own. He broke his right leg too, curiously enough. She wanted to rush into the cabin and just forget the whole damn fight had ever happened when she sensed the injury. But he clearly had no need of her, or else he would've tried to contact her again, which he hadn't done since he got back from Portland.

That sappy Foreigner song... Allegra still couldn't believe Dean actually remembered. It was years since she admitted to loving that song to him. Seemed like something so trivial, and yet he remembered it. But Allegra was certain it meant nothing. 
Dean hadn't exactly bothered to find out anything else she liked. He didn't know about the other songs she loved. Or that she adored every movie Tim Burton had ever made, with Edward Scissorhands her all-time favorite. She doubted Dean even knew she could play piano and violin, or that she'd never been to the beach, or that she loved to read classic novels like Pride and Prejudice, The Count of Montecristo, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and so many more. Heck, he had never even bothered to ask her out on a proper date! Something was always getting in the way of them having a normal couple's moment; a case or Sam falling apart, or those goddamn angels and demons screwing up the world!

Why should I even bother? He will never truly be mine...

Allegra sat down against the tree she'd been pacing under. She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face, allowing her tears to roll down her cheeks, hidden from the world. In her mind, Allegra did the thing she was too afraid and too stubborn to do; she went inside the cabin and forgave Dean for everything he said to her. She was with him.

***

"She still out there?"

"Yep, sitting under a tree now."

Dean tried to sit up as best he could, but his injured leg made it difficult. He winced as another jab of pain shot through him. Even in his current position, he still couldn't look out the window. And he really wanted to.
Dean wanted to see for himself if Allegra was really out there. It wasn't that he didn't believe Bobby, but it seemed incredible that Allegra had shown up out of the blue hours ago and that she still hadn't come in. She had to know he was in here and that he was hurt. Why the hell wouldn't she just come in already?

"Dammit!" exclaimed Dean as he slumped back down on the couch. "Bobby, can you please just get her?"

"Me?" Bobby turned to him. "She's your damn girlfriend. You go out and fetch her if you wanna see her."

Dean dragged his hands across his face.

"She's just... so infuriatingly stubborn sometimes."

"That makes two of you," huffed Bobby.

"Hey, I did as you said, I reached out. Fact that she's still out there instead of in here says everything."

"Yeah, says you hurt her, ya idiot! Come on, Dean, place yourself in her shoes. How would you feel if she came to you and accused you of still having feelings for Lisa? If she resented you for being a Hunter? Or for being Michael's vessel even, which you seem to have forgotten all about, might I add! She could've left your sorry ass ages ago!"

"She knows I didn't mean any of it!"

"Don't look like she does!"

Bobby huffed and puffed again, like he usually did when he was upset, and opened the door.

"Where are you going?" demanded Dean.

"I ain't gonna force the girl to come in here if she don't want to," said Bobby. "But neither am I gonna ignore her."

As his mentor walked out, Dean cursed under his breath and reached for his crutches. Damn things were a freakin' pain to handle, but he eventually managed to get up from the couch, albeit a bit clumsily. He hopped to the window to see Bobby walking over to the tree where Allegra was sitting under. Dean's breath caught when she raised her head, revealing her tears. He hated seeing her like this. Sad, bloodied, messy, and... wait, bloodied?

Squinting his eyes a little, Dean tried to make sure he was really seeing what he was seeing. Allegra's jeans were torn at the right leg, blood dried on the fabric, and her scarf tied around her thigh. Her combat boots were nearly white from dust or sand. There was something darker than blood sticking to both her jacket and her shirt. Was it? No, it couldn't be... But it was, realized Dean shockingly. Black ooze. Leviathan ooze.
How the hell had those sons of bitches found her? How could they have done this to her? Allegra was a freakin' hybrid Archangel! There was just no way those ooze-festering bastards could get the better of her. And why was she back? Did she kill the Leviathans? Was it over? Or did she have nowhere else to run? Maybe Allegra had returned because she wanted to be with him again. Maybe she'd finally come to her senses and realized that they were stronger together. But if that were the case, why was she still outside?

"Hey, what's going on?"

Dean turned his head as he heard Sam's voice. His brother came out of the bedroom and went straight for the coffee Bobby ade earlier.

Of course... She came for him.

"Allegra's back," said Dean, waiting for Sam's reaction.

It didn't disappoint.

"What?!" Sam nearly dropped the cup of coffee. "When? Where is she? How's she doing?"

He rushed to the open door to see for himself.

"Why is she outside with Bobby? Something happen? Hang on... Is that blood?!"

"You sure asking a lot of questions there, Sammy. Didn't know you cared so much about her."

Sam slowly turned around when he picked up on the bitter tone. Dean gave him an ice-cold look that made the entire room feel like the North pole.

"Really, Dean?" His brother scoffed and shook his head. "You're still going on about that? How many times do we have to tell you that nothing is going on between us?"

"Oh, so it's 'we' now?!"

"Stop being a jerk! You're screwing up what you have with Allegra based on something that happened beyond our control and when you two weren't even together! She told you it meant nothing. She's in love with you, man. What more do you want?!'

"I want you to tell me the damn truth for once!" yelled Dean. "Tell me you're not falling in love with her, and I'll drop it right now. Go on, Sam, say it.'

Sam opened his mouth but said nothing. Nothing to defend himself, nothing to change the subject, nothing that would convince Dean his suspicions were ungrounded. Because the simple truth was that he was in love with Allegra. Dean had figured that out a long time ago. Now it was out in the open.

"You know what? Go ahead," he said. "Go out and comfort her. Let her see she picked the wrong brother. Good luck getting any further with her than I have."

Sam turned away at Dean's harsh words. His eyes wandered out the door and he froze. It was like he saw a ghost for the first time all over again. Or it could be one of his freaky hallucinations again. Dean sighed and hobbled to the door to slam it shut. He looked up, one hand on the door, and saw what had spooked Sam like that. His heart sank.
Bobby had managed to convince Allegra to come inside, and they had been on their way in when they had heard Sam and Dean argue. Since the door stood wide open, they heard everything. She heard everything. Dean would never forget Allegra's heartbroken expression.

***

"Naomi? Naomi, I know you can hear me. I-I couldn't stay with the Winchesters. And unless you help me, I have no choice but to go back to Crowley."

Allegra waited a moment, holding her breath. But she was still alone in the church, surrounded by hundreds of lit candles from that evening's mass. She sighed.

"Naomi, I haven't reached out to an angel in some time, so this should tell you how desperate I am. Please?"

A faint flutter of wings made Allegra look up from her seat. Naomi smiled down at her.

"Hello Allegra." She came to sit beside her. "Well, this is a surprise. I have to say, not the first place I would've thought to look for you."

Allegra sure couldn't argue with that. But for some reason, the Basilica of Saint Michael down in Pensacola, Florida, seemed like a good place to be right now.

"Mind telling me why you aren't with the Winchesters?" inquired Naomi. "I believe I made myself clear when I told you they were your safest option right now."

"I... It's over. Dean, he... We..."

She bit her lip. She couldn't say it. His words still echoed through her mind, shattering her heart all over again.

"I see." The angel gave a short nod. "I should warn you; I'm not good with human emotion, so don't expect me to offer a shoulder to cry on."

"That's not why I called. It's something... I want to know what it'll take for me to go up with you."

She met Naomi's surprised stare. 

"You want to..."

"Go up to Heaven, yes," finished Allegra.

"And why should I allow that?"

"Because it would benefit all the angels if I'm up there. I can learn what I need to know about my grace, my powers... You'll know for sure I'm safe. I'll be away from Crowley, and the Leviathans can't hunt me down in Heaven.'

Naomi didn't seem convinced by just that, so Allegra pushed on.

"There's nothing left for me here, Naomi. I'm tired of fighting. You said I was one of you. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that with Raphael blown to smithereens, Heaven's down on Archangels. I may not be a full-blood Archangel, but I'm the best you've got. Might as well give it a go if I'm meant to be Michael's wife."

The angel's eyes widened, and Allegra quickly put her hand up.

"Before you say anything, no, this isn't me making a decision to fulfill the prophecy. But... I mean, let's face it, he is my best option."

It pained her to admit it out loud, but if it actually came down to it... she would say yes to Michael. Better him than the Devil. And at least with Michael... she knew what to expect. Sort of.

"So, what do you say?" she asked. "Can I... can I go with you?"

She tried to read through Naomi, but the angel did a marvelous job keeping her thoughts to herself. After a few seconds in silence, Naomi rose to her feet and offered her hand to Allegra.

"Let's go home, little Archangel."