A one shot for Kiwibethbasket on Tumblr! Check her out guys! Also, I don't own any character mentioned and can hardly claim the OC that appears.
Caribeth could barely believe her eyes as she slid down to her knees. Blood surrounded the room; a warm pool of it surrounded her best friend, Alexandria. Those eyes that once held so much light now stared blankly ahead with her last look of horror in them. Caribeth slowly crawled over to her and placed her friend's head into her lap, playing with her hair as she had done since they were children. She was so focused that she didn't feel the presence behind her that she had been feeling the last few weeks. A feeling that caused her to look but never see anything. Now, however, she was solely focused on her friend whose body was mangled and ripped open.
After a few minutes, Caribeth became aware of the presence and took solace in the fact that she wasn't alone even if she didn't know the person who provided the comfort. Slowly she looked up to see a tall man in a trench coat. He met her big brown eyes and his held the same sadness she knew hers did at that moment. She took him in with his dark hair and stubble that was begging to be shaved. He had a tired look that looked permanently etched there. Caribeth liked that she could now place a face to the person who was watching her but quickly broke eye contact.
"What did this?" Her voice was soft and from the edge of her vision she saw him heave a great sigh though it made no noise. The man seemed reluctant to tell her but she needed to know. Alexandria had been there for every moment of her life, she scarcely held a memory that didn't include the now dead girl whose head was still cradled in her lap.
"It wouldn't change what has happened." His reply finally came when he began to take footsteps and kneeled next to her. His body seemed to curl around her own with his scent filling her senses, a smell that was unidentifiable to her but she was instantly addicted. It was as though all of her favorite smells were coming off of this stranger.
"I know it wouldn't but I need to know." Caribeth knew no human could do this. She herself was a witch with her ancestral line going back hundreds of years but she knew of no beast that would or could do this. Perhaps it was because she knew her friend was the sweetest anyone could meet that she couldn't think straight in her grief or it could be the delicious smells coming from the mystery man next to her.
"A soul sucker did this. She must have put up quite a fight for it to have had to rip her open like this." If he felt Caribeth flinch at his wording he showed no signs of it. A small smile lifted the corner of her lips however because she knew that Alexandria was a fighter, always the more confrontational of the two. They were like sisters with Alexandria speaking for Caribeth when she was overcome by the social anxiety that made it so she couldn't.
"You always were a fighter." Fresh tears came to her eyes when she spoke to the girl. "It is just like you to try and take on a demon to the point of this happening." Caribeth's voice broke at the end as a sob escaped her mouth. She slumped over her friend, clutching her to her chest as she let the tears come and sounds of that could only be described as ungodly. She felt arms try to pry her away but she fought them. Caribeth couldn't let go of her friend yet, Alexandria would have never let her go and for the briefest of moments she wished it was her in her friend's place. Anything for Alexandria's light to once again fill this Earth, any price she would pay. The hands were persistent so when Caribeth finally weakened somewhat they took her from her position on the floor, held her against a strong chest and pulled her up.
"It will be okay Caribeth. I will make sure the monster that did this is hunted down." She wrenched herself away from the calming voice and hands that were rubbing her back. Caribeth didn't want to feel comforted any more, she was angry. Angry that this man had been following her but did nothing to stop this from happening when he knew it would. Yet still in the back of her brain she knew she shouldn't be blaming him. She should be blaming the monster but this man was the closest.
"You should have done that before he took her!" Caribeth's voice broke again but was oddly pleased when the man looked ashamed. "You have been following me for weeks and didn't stop this! I don't want the beast that did this to die, I want Alexandria back! I want my best friend back!" Her legs weakened under her but she remained tall. "You did nothing while she was slaughtered like this. This isn't how she was supposed to die! She didn't deserve this!" The weakening had become more intense as she had gone on. Caribeth knew soon they would give out and as the thought came to her head they did give out but she never touched the ground. The man had caught her before she fell and now clutched her against his chest as though she were the most precious of jewels.
"If I could bring her back, I would." His response was simple and the deep voice brought little relief to Caribeth. "But for now, we have to get out of here."
"And go where? I don't even know your name!" Though her legs had given up on her the rest of her body was fine. As her big brown eyes met his hazel ones she could have sworn she saw a hint of humor come to them which only added to her anger that hid the grief.
"Castiel. That's my name." She knew the name. All the witches knew his name, the angel that traveled with the Winchester boys. She wondered if they were near as well and felt her anger grow towards them. They hunted beasts but hadn't stopped this death. If Caribeth were honest with herself she knew she just wanted someone to blame that was near to her. While her thoughts wandered she wasn't aware that he was walking. When she did she quickly stole a glance at her best friend, still frozen in her death.
4 Years Later. Boston, Massachusetts.
Caribeth idly ran a hand over her swollen stomach while she read. It was summer in the north east and she was just about nine months pregnant. She sat outside on the balcony of her and Castiel's apartment. The sounds of the Winchester boys and him talking reached her ears mutely through the sliding glass door. After Alexandria's death, Castiel and the boys had hunted the soul sucker and killed it. Castiel took care of Caribeth and it had slowly grown to love with them now expecting their first child. She knew the baby might have wings and since she was due at any time she had carefully placed a spell so that she delivered the child no wings would be seen. Caribeth had just turned to the last page of her book when she felt a tightening in her gut and then releases followed by warm liquid flowing down her leg. Ever the calm one she set her book down and went into the house.
"Love, will you get the hospital bag and help me with my shoes?" She watched as confusion then understanding overcame the three men with the color draining from her lover's face.
"Now? The baby is coming now?" Dean's gruff voice was laced with disbelief. "How do you know?" She looked at him like she was ready to kill him. Her gut tightened and then released a few moments later.
"Well, when a woman's water breaks that is usually the first sign." She answered him with annoyance and turned to Castiel. "Love. The bag and shoes?" Caribeth again addressed the angel that stood in horror. In the end it was Sam that went to get the bag while Cas got her shoes. He helped her slip them on and before she knew it she was in Baby and on the way to the hospital.
It was two hours later when tiny screams filled the room. Caribeth was exhausted but smiled to Castiel when the screams filled the room. He smiled back and kissed her head muttering terms of endearment.
"Looks like we have a girl here." The nurse said excitedly to the new parents before placing her on Caribeth's chest. She looked at her first child with love. The child was tiny and pink, its eyes closed but it's mouth moving somewhat. Her tiny hands grasping and ungrasping until Cas placed his finger in her hand and she hung on to it. They both were in awe of the life they created but Caribeth took in every detail from the dark brown hair that covered the top of her head to the bottom of the blanket that she knew held all ten of her daughter's toes.
"What are you naming her?" Another nurse asked with a clip board. Caribeth barely spared her a glance and just continued to look with wonder. From under the blanket she could see little white feather's poking out, unable to be seen by the nurses and doctors in the room. They looked soft to the touch and as white as a virginal dress.
"Alexandria." It was Cas' voice that answered the nurse without taking his eyes off of his daughter; Caribeth could feel his eyes going from her to the baby in her arms. "Her name in Alexandria."