Chapter Two
The town is dusty and arid, it has little in the way of modern convenience, but Dean and Sam manage to find a small motel, the Desert Sands, whose décor has not seen the other side of the eighties. Dean views the room with distain. The wallpaper alone is enough to make Deans eyes slightly cross if he looks at it for too long. He sniffs the air and kicks the bed. There is a weird squeak; he sits gently on it to test it, his eyebrow raising slightly clearly suspect of its ability to support him. The bed groans but holds his weight; Dean's expression is still sceptical. Dean really wants to get going and start looking for the missing girls, anything to get away from the claustrophobic silence in the motel room. He sits watching Sam unpack the laptop and plug it in to charge, they don't have much in the way of belongings so it doesn't take Sam very long. Sam looks over to Dean; silence measures the unseen gulf between them.
Sam boots up the laptop. "Where do we start then?" Dean says.
"We'll have to be careful, there might already be FBI involved in a case like this, plus two strange men nosing about can't look good. We can't use our usual tactics until we are one hundred percent sure we aren't drawing attention to ourselves," Sam types in his password and brings up the information he already has on the girls.
"Ok softly, softly. Check," Dean looks thoughtful for a moment and rubs his chin. "Shouldn't we suit-up?"
"I'll phone the locals and ask for the FBI, if they don't know what I am talking about I'll tell them there are agents on the way. Then we can suit up if necessary."
Dean watches as Sam takes out one of the spare cells they always carry around with them and place it next to the laptop. A few seconds typing later and he has the number for the local law enforcement and is dialling. Dean is silent throughout Sam's call, he allows his mind to wander further afield than the confines of the dingy room he is sitting in.
A brief flicker crosses Dean's face, when he thinks of the destiny that is in store for him. Screw that, he thinks, I'm not going to be anyone's bitch. He smirks a little as he recalls the time Cas called Raphael, his 'little bitch,' he couldn't think of anything better to add. The memory brought Cas's behaviour to Dean's attention, how he personally has effected and changed Cas over the last few months. They were good changes as far as he could see. Nothing wrong with removing the stick from up Cas's proverbial. Besides having an Angel as a back up buddy was extremely reassuring… well, sometimes.
Sam finishes his call, and from the parts Dean overheard, at least when he wasn't thinking about other things, he knew they were in the clear as far as the FBI were concerned and could suit up. It doesn't take long for them both to change, though Dean wonders sometimes how they ever manage to keep their suits clean and pressed. Dean mentally shrugs, he doesn't care.
"What about Cas, should we wait and see if he has anything first?" Dean says.
Sam smirks, "You could try giving him a call."
Dean looks surprised, "What, oh yeah," he pats himself down, finds his cell and speed dials Cas. "Cas? Yeah we are here… Motel… Desert Sands," Dean takes the cell from his ear, blinks at it for a few beats, and then puts it back in his pocket. Seconds later, there is a knock at the door.
Dean opens the door and Castiel strides in, "I have been unable to locate the children or find the source of their disappearance. The local authorities are out in force looking for the girls and are being quite hostile non-townspeople," Castiel looks windswept, but then he always looks windswept to Dean.
"Hey, Cas, how you doing? I'm doing swell, thanks for asking. Why no, we haven't had time to eat or even take a leak… but hell, maybe we should just dispense with all that human rubbish."
Castiel cocks his head slightly before he speaks, "Then you should see to your biological functions quickly so that we may proceed."
Dean chuckles lightly and shakes his head; Castiel stares at him then says, "You are being sarcastic."
"Yes, Cas, I was being sarcastic," Dean says.
"Your tone… Sometimes I find it hard to understand your intentions. I was under the impression that two children are missing and their lives might depend on our decisive action in this case. But if you need to urinate… then do so, I will go save the children," Castiel turns and walks away.
Sam smirks at Dean, who looks at Sam, "What?"
"Dude, Cas just handed you your ass on a plate," Sam walks on after Castiel leaving Dean alone. Dean stands still momentarily, staring at the open doorway, bemused.
Dean replays the conversation in his head; he is starting to suspect that Castiel has more of a sense of humour than he lets on sometimes. He kinda likes the fact that Castiel can keep him on his toes and the surprises just keep on coming. Dean notices that Castiel had his game face on; he admires Castiel's dedication to the cause, even if sometimes that led to some spectacularly bad decisions in Dean's opinion, he respects Cas's relentlessness. That unwavering dedication reminds Dean of how he used to be, a different Dean in a different time. Dean grabs his keys from the table and trots after Sam and Cas, slamming the door shut behind him.
Sam and Castiel are waiting by the car for Dean. He opens the car, gets in, and waits for Castiel to get in the back. Castiel looks around at the inside of the car and pulls out an old burger wrapper, he gives it to Sam, who is leaning in through the window; Sam chucks it on the sidewalk. Dean is aware that Castiel is out of his comfort zone, well if the Angel has a comfort zone, and can see him staring at the back of his head in the rear-view mirror.
Sam looks at his mobile, "Got a missed call from Bobby," Sam removes himself from the window and takes a few steps away from the car to make the call, leaving Dean and Cas alone.
"I could meet you at the local authority's headquarters or the parents abode," Castiel says, still looking at the back of Dean's head.
"What's the matter, Cas, don't you like my car?" Dean pulls a hurt face.
"The car is fine but there are other things I could be achieving."
Dean turns around to look at Cas, "Like what?"
"I could be searching, watching the parents or finding other alternatives to just sitting here."
"Are you saying we hairless apes are going to slow for you?"
Castiel nods seemingly relieved that Dean understands his situation, "Yes that is exactly it."
Dean snorts derisively and turns back to the wheel of his car, "Go on then, do you disappearing Angel thingy and leave us lesser beings to grunt and scratch our collective asses." Dean looks in the mirror and sees that Castiel is gone already. Dean feels disappointment leech in. He always feels just that little bit safer with Cas around, though he would deny it if asked. Dean thinks it is strange how Castiel has managed to become part of his and Sam's dynamic duo. Plenty of people had tried before and while a choice few of them had been welcome at the time, almost all of them had gotten themselves killed or maimed. Dean's mind wanders to Bobby and then to others. All too often, the people he cared about, or had started to care about, were caught in the crossfire. Sometimes being a hunter blew, hell, who was he kidding, it sucked pretty much all of the time. Dean sighs and tries to put those thoughts out of his head. He taps the wheel impatiently, waiting for Sam to finish his call. He turns on the stereo, finds something he wants to listen to, and turns it up to eleven.
***
Sam turns to look at the car, music is blaring out, but even so, he can hear Dean drumming away to some rock tune. Irritated, Sam puts a finger in the ear he isn't using to block out the song, and tries to focus on what Bobby is saying.
"Are you even listening to a word I'm saying, Sam?" Bobby says, clearly annoyed.
"Yes, sorry, say that part again, Dean is listening to Van Halen again."
"I said, you're wasting your time up there. There's a ton of demon sign roughly a hundred miles due south of your current position. What are you up to anyways?"
Sam sighs, "We are looking into a couple of kids that went missing, possibly something occult. I spent some time looking around before we came here, I didn't see any serious activity… where were you looking?" Sam is curious, has he missed something or did Bobby get his information from somewhere else.
"Oh, you know, the usual sources," Bobby says evasively, "Well I guess it can hold for now, as long as you two don't sit around hugging, talking about your feelings or nothing."
Sam feels Bobby is not telling the whole truth, but knows better than to ask, if Bobby don't want to tell, he won't, simple as. "Well, if you are sure it can wait, and then we'll try and wrap up here as quickly as we can."
"Ok then. You know where I am if you need me, and by that I mean don't call me for a chat." Bobby hangs up before Sam could say another thing. Smiling, Sam knew that Bobby's gruff façade was little more than a show. Bobby, more than anyone had shown him and Dean what real family means, and Sam was grateful for that. He puts the cell away, walks back over to the car, and gets in. Automatically, Sam turns down the music, from eleven to less deafening. He ignores the scandalised look he receives from Dean.
"What did Ironside want?" Dean asks.
"He found some demon sign, apparently he has a source of information we don't, but he said it could wait. In Bobby time, that probably means a few days only, so we had better get going on this."
"So the plan now is; local law and parent's after," Dean starts the car and pulls out of the lot.
"Where did Cas go?" Sam says glancing into the back seat.
"He had better things to do, rather than wait with us or sit in the car, apparently," Dean's tone is indifferent.
"You just aren't quick enough for him, Dean, even with wheels," Sam looks briefly in Dean's direction, trying not to smirk.
"This car is a babe; Cas just doesn't understand class when he sees it."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's get going before the heavy petting starts."
Dean lovingly strokes the dashboard, "Ignore him, baby, he wouldn't know class if it bit him on the ass," Dean pauses thinking about what he just said, "And I am a poet, but didn't know it." Clearly pleased with himself, Dean grins.
There is little conversation on the way to the local law enforcement but plenty of loud music, at least until they pulled up and then Dean turns the music off. Sam knows the music is Dean's way of filling the silence between them. Even though they are back together again, Sam knows that irreparable damage had been done. It wasn't a matter of time will heal, it was more, would Dean ever trust him again. Deep down inside, sometimes Sam wonders if accepting Lucifer's offer might be the easy way out. Easy was pretty tempting, especially, in the dark hours when he thought about everything he had done. But he wouldn't be that guy again, not ever, not to Dean. He wasn't going to roll over without a fight and he would take as many demons with him as he could. And he is pretty sure that is how Dean feels too.
They pull up outside the station and go in to see what they can find out. Sam notices Dean glancing around before they go in, no doubt looking for Castiel. They find out the girls have been missing for nearly forty-eight hours and the last place they were seen is an old house near some woods. It sounds typical of the sort of thing they expected to be told. The locals welcomed the help; they were truly concerned for the girls' safety. Dean was sure to mention Castiel to the law, just in case they saw him hanging around; better safe than sorry.
While they were driving to the old house near the woods, Sam considers Dean's concern for Castiel. Their twosome had become a threesome. And Sam thought he knew why, at least on this occasion, Dean has let another into their previously exclusive club. He let Dean down and Castiel stepped into the breach. Castiel is obviously a friend to Dean, to them both, but he clearly favoured Dean. It isn't that Sam feels Castiel dislikes him, but that Castiel can see right through him, and Sam hates that transparency. For everything, Sam thought he had been fighting for in the past, Castiel had thought Sam would fail, good intentions be damned. And Sam hadn't done anything to prove him wrong. In the end, Castiel had achieved what he could not; he saved Dean from Hell. Sometimes he felt left out of the dynamic that has sprung up between Dean and the Angel, but he does not resent Dean a friend and companion, Sam knows they both have had too few friends in their lives.
Sam has noticed a few other things about Castiel's time spent with Dean that he is not quite comfortable. For one, the Angel seems to be following Dean around like a lost puppy, a dangerous and potentially lethal puppy. It wasn't hero worship, Sam is sure of that but he is clearly a little lost. Sam is a little worried about Castiel's fall from grace, he isn't entirely sure how Angels deal with things but if they were anything at all like humans, Sam is sure Cas must be feeling some grief for what has happened. Yet, Sam had seen no evidence of loss, nor heard the Angel speak of it at all. If Sam didn't know any better he would have said Castiel is lonely, but isn't even sure if the Angel even knows what that is. The other thing Sam has noticed is the Angels newfound eagerness to try new things. It is extremely disconcerting to Sam, the amount of pleasure Dean gets out of introducing Cas to his vices. Even more disturbing is the reaction Castiel has to these sessions, he clearly enjoys them.
"Sam?" Sam looks at Dean; he has stopped the car and opened his door. "Are you getting out or do you need a minute?" Annoyance dripped from Dean's tone and he got out and slammed the door firmly, but not hard enough to do damage, of course. Sam clearly hadn't been listening to Dean because his thoughts had been far away and now his brother is pissed at him. Through the windshield, Sam can see Castiel waiting at the foot of the old house's pathway. Sam sighed, Dean would ignore him in preference for Castiel now, but he'd rather that, than stony silence.
***
Castiel is pacing up and down the lay-by near the old house, where the children were seen last. He see's evidence of adult footprints, he is sure the authorities missed and a slight tingle in his flesh he can't quite explain. There definitely seems to be more to this case than just kidnapping or disappearance. He walks up the road to the house and feels the hairs on Jimmy's arm rise, something about this place was reacting with him, and it bothers him that he does not know what it is. He hears the distant rumble of Dean's car and relaxes slightly, pleased that the brothers have finally caught up with him.
He watches as Dean gets out of the car, slamming the door, and stomps over to where he is standing. It is not a surprise to Castiel; he is familiar with the brother's frequent outbursts and seemingly endless arguments. As he watches Dean, the hunter looks up and nods in greeting, to Castiel, who gives the smallest of nods back.
"So what have we got Cas?" Castiel sees that Dean is not in a playful mood, Castiel is almost thankful, as he finds it hard to follow conversation when Dean is 'being funny'.
"I have found some adult human footprints and indications that they walked off into the woods; I would have followed but…" Castiel trails off looking towards the woods momentarily, he feels the tingle again.
"But…" Dean prompted impatiently, his eyes narrowing.
"But there is a presence here… I have a sense or feeling of something else at work. I do not know what, however," Castiel's eyes drag themselves back to Dean, who still looks short on humour.
"So what's that… an Angel hunch?"
"Dean, Angels do not have hunches."
"Ok, what would you call it then?" Dean says looking into the woods where Castiel had been looking.
"A feeling."
Dean rolls his eyes and wipes his hand over his face, "An Angel feeling that is almost but not entirely unlike a hunch?"
Castiel looks at Dean for a moment, "Yes."
"Well, I'm glad we cleared that up."
"We have yet to ascertain anything yet, Dean. We are still very much in the dark."
"You are damn hard work sometimes, Cas, d'you know that?" Dean turns his back on Castiel and starts walking up the path to the house and Castiel follows. Neither seems to notice that Sam has not joined them. After no answer at the house, Dean and Castiel look around the back of the house and are generally nosey until they are satisfied with what they have seen. They walk back down the path and meet Sam at the gate, who is watching them.
"So what's the score?" Sam asks.
"Cas thinks that the girls went into the woods and has a hunch there's some sort of 'presence' floating around nearby."
"I did not say I had a hunch or that what I felt was floating," Castiel says correcting Dean, who is nonchalant.
"Well, there is a search party in the woods but they have moved further in. I reckon we could have a look and see how far they have got and if they missed anything," Sam adds. Dean doesn't say anything but starts in the direction of the woods, Castiel follows him, equally silent.
After five minutes of walking and looking around Sam finds a sigil engraved on a pine tree. He points it out to Dean, who calls over Castiel. Castiel stares at it and says, "It's very old, but implies this place is sacred."
Dean looks around, "Yeah, but sacred to who… or what?"
After twenty more minutes of searching, they find the direction that the search party headed and start to go that way, when Sam notices another sigil on a tree that leads in a different direction.
"Perhaps we should split up, I will follow the sigils, and you both can catch up with the search parties to find out what they have learned." Castiel is surprised to hear the brothers both object to him going off on his own into the woods. He is even more surprised to hear the younger Winchester suggest that Dean should go with him.
"I mean it, I'll go follow up the search party, and it will be quicker. If there is anything you can't handle, just make sure you both get out of there quick," Sam looks at Castiel meaningfully, making it clear he should get his brother out of trouble if it occurred. Castiel gives Sam an imperceptively small nod of understanding, although Castiel feels Sam should know he would do that for Dean anyway. Castiel watches as Sam walks away, there was something different in Sam's manner lately. Castiel was not proficient at identifying specifics when it came to human feelings but he did not ponder on it, or look deeper for an answer, he merely carried on with the task at hand.
Castiel and Dean carry on up the path, every now and then finding another sigil, always the same sign, always old and encased in sticky resin. Castiel finds himself watching Dean, the hunter on the hunt. He finds it fascinating to see Dean focused and hard at work, face determined and resolute. He then sees Dean bend and pick something up, and as Dean turned he saw that it was a confection wrapper, not unlike things he has seen him eating. He watched Dean sniff the wrapper.
"Blueberry; smells recently opened. Not necessarily the girls of course, but someone has been up here recently." Dean looks around some more and then back at Castiel, "We could be in here for days, and never find these kids."
Castiel nods, knowing Dean is not giving up, but commenting on how hard the job was, Castiel has learnt that difference. Castiel senses that Dean is pausing for a momentary break, so he also looks around, he starts to say something… when it hits him. The full force of the presence he has been feeling the entire time in the woods. It is overwhelming, it paralyses him, and he feels hands on his shoulders shaking him, a voice calling his name. All he can see is the green of the canopy above him becoming lighter and lighter until he can bear it no more; he hears his own scream a few seconds before there is total silence...
***
AN: Hope you all liked :) Chapter three already on its way :)
