Author's note: This is the sequel to my fic Us Against Them. You should really read it first to understand what's going on in this story. Enjoy!
"Cas!" Dean yelled into the dark room, and he heard Cas give a quick answer. "Listen to me. Come here to my voice and put your back against mine. That way we won't shoot each other."
Dean felt Cas lean against his back, and a sense of calm rushed through him. He could do this. As long as he had Cas, he could do anything. He felt something pressed into his hand from Cas.
"What's that?" he asked, the flickering ghosts advancing slowly. Dean knew the only reason they weren't dead already was because the ghosts were enjoying the chase.
"Salt. Make the circle, my hands are shaking," Cas said.
Dean quickly spread a salt circle around them, and the ghosts halted, anger covering their gashed faces.
"It's okay, Cas. Don't worry, you'll be fine."
"It's not me I'm worried about," Cas said, giving Dean's arm a squeeze, and Dean smiled despite the situation.
"Ah hell, baby, we've been in worse," Dean said. "What's that sound?"
A strange humming noise had begun in the room, and the flickering of the ghosts intensified. Their mouths were moving, and Dean recognized Latin.
"What the hell," he said, as the salt ring around him and Cas began to blow in an unseen wind. "Get ready, Cas baby."
He felt Cas stiffen next to him, raising his salt gun. Without a word, he and Dean began firing.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Anna and Cas made it to the asylum in record time, quickly paying the cabbie and running inside. They had just made it in the door when Sam heard shots.
"Dean!" he yelled, and he and Anna ran toward the sound.
They rounded a corner, and saw an office door was shut. The sounds were coming from inside. Sam twisted the handle but it didn't turn. He banged on the door.
"Dean! Are you okay?" he yelled.
"Kind of busy, Sam! Get the door open!" Dean yelled back.
"I can't, it's locked tight. What are you fighting?" Sam asked loudly, hearing scuffles and gunshots, as well as some strange voices.
"Dammit, Sam, I can't talk! It's four ghosts who know Latin," Dean said, grunting as he was pushed back against a wall and his shotgun torn from his hands.
"Latin?" Sam asked, confused, but suddenly Anna understood.
Anna strode to the door quickly, at the same time as Cas was overcome by a ghost inside. He was shoved to the ground, but heard Anna's voice on the other side of the door.
"Et vade, aculeus tuus. Aperiesque ostium."
The ghosts inside vanished at once, and the door flew open. Sam and Anna ran in to find Dean and Cas scratched and bruised, but thankfully alive.
"Come on, we have to go. Now," Anna said, heaving Dean to his feet as Sam grabbed Cas.
They nearly ran out of the building, Anna looking behind them every step of the way. They got into the car, and Sam volunteered to drive.
"I'm not dead, Sam. Get in, I'm driving."
"What did you say?" Sam asked Anna when they were back on the road.
"Latin. Dean said the ghosts were speaking Latin, and it made me think maybe we were dealing with ghosts of witches," Anna said.
"Awesome. Two of my favorite things in one," Dean grumbled.
"Yeah, well, that must be what it is, because the Latin worked. But what are witches doing at an asylum?" Sam asked.
"We need more research. Until we know exactly who we're dealing with, we aren't going back in that hospital," Dean said, pulling the car into the parking lot, and Sam and Anna climbed out. "Come on, Cas."
But Cas didn't even try to get up. Instead he clutched his right side.
"I-I don't think I can," he said, and lay his head back against the seat.
Dean was out of the car and to Cas' side before he could even get a sentence out. He took in the sight of Cas' bloodied coat, which Cas had his hand pressed to.
"Damn, Cas," he said, lifting him out of the car and into his arms. He took him to their room and lay him on the bed.
"What's happened?" Anna asked suddenly, coming to his side.
"One of them pulled at me. I thought it was just a scratch," Cas said, laying his head back on the pillows, his face pale.
Dean pulled Cas' hand aside to reveal deep gashes in the material of his clothes. He lifted them off to see a deep wound on Cas' side. Thick blood was leaking from it.
"Sam-," Dean managed to get out, and Sam looked at the wound closer.
"It's deep, but it doesn't look like it went deep enough to hit anything serious. We could take him to the hospital," Sam said, but Cas interrupted.
"No," he said, and Dean turned to face him. "If Sam says it's not serious, I trust him. I don't want to go to the hospital."
Dean glanced at his brother, who nodded in agreement that Cas would be fine.
"Okay, Cas, you don't want to go, you don't have to," Sam glanced at his watch. "The library is still open. We need some more information…Anna, you want to go?"
Anna nodded, finally tearing her eyes from Cas.
"Yes, let's find out who these women are."
"We'll be back soon. Call if you need anything," Sam said, and they left.
Dean rose immediately to open his duffel bag, bringing out the medical supplies they always carried.
"Cas baby, this is going to hurt. But I have no choice," Dean said, producing a bottle of alcohol, a needle, thread, and some bandages.
"I understand," Cas said, and Dean was startled to see the bravery in Cas' pale eyes.
Dean sat next to Cas on the bed, and leaned forward to give him a quick kiss.
"I'll make it as quick as I can. Ready?" he asked.
"Yes," Cas said, squeezing Dean's arm slightly.
Dean nodded, and opened the alcohol. He hesitated for a moment, knowing how badly this hurt, but looked at Cas' determined face. He turned the bottle up, pouring the liquid over the wound. Cas clamped his jaw shut and briefly closed his eyes, but made no sound. Dean threaded the needle with the thick thread, then doused the entire thing in alcohol to sanitize it as well.
He pressed the needle to Cas' smooth skin, and punctured it. Cas gave a small grunt, but didn't make any indication of pain other than that. Dean worked quickly and skillfully, closing the wound with twenty five stitches. He then took the bandages and wrapped them over the area carefully, trying to keep Cas from hurting any more than he already had.
Dean sat up, rather pale in the face, and started cleaning up the supplies. Cas breathed a small sigh of relief, and Dean offered him a small pill.
"It's a pain pill," he said, noticing Cas' confusion. "It will help you sleep."
"I don't need medicine for something as minor as this," Cas said, confused.
"I just gave you stitches. That isn't minor."
"It is for me," Cas replied, and Dean knew it to be true.
"But you're human now. You could get an infection, or hurt so bad you can't sleep," Dean said in a worried tone, but Cas clasped his hand tightly on Dean's.
"It is sweet you're worried. But as long as I have you, Dean, I know everything will be fine."