Chapter Two-Darkening Horizons
Once outside, Sam quietly closed the door behind them so as not to disturb Elizabeth. The Impala was parked directly in front of their room and Dean already had the trunk raised, waiting for Sam.
At first, Dean didn't speak when Sam stood by his side. Then-"Got any ideas on how we can help Beth?"
"I'm working on it, man. There has to be more here than we're seeing, Dean. I mean…Azazel? Can't be him, man, it can't be." The nervousness in Sam's voice betrayed his calm exterior.
Dean couldn't believe it either. He had seen Azazel die himself with the bullet he fired into his chest. Maybe we should call Cas in on this one.
"I don't think we should take a chance. I think we ought to call Cas and see if he knows anything." Dean replied rather quickly.
Neither Sam nor Dean saw where he came from, but suddenly Cas was there, standing right behind them as if he'd been present all along.
"I'm already here, Dean." his voice was guarded.
Dean spun around. "Damn it, Cas! You're gonna give me a freakin' heart attack one day!"
"Sorry."
"Cas," Sam began, "Elizabeth has been having nightmares about a demon Dean killed two years ago-Azazel. Do you know anything about him?"
"The situation was brought to my attention one week ago. I've been looking into it and it appears he hasn't come topside. When you killed his vessel with the colt, it prevented Azazel from returning."
No matter how grim the situation was, Castiel always spoke in a monotone voice, devoid of any emotion. However, sometimes, Dean and Sam could faintly hear his voice crack-almost as if Castiel was losing the battle with his human side.
By this time, Dean had recovered from the shock of Cas popping in. "So, what are we gonna do, Cas? How can we find out what's going on with Elizabeth?"
"Since Elizabeth hasn't shown any extrasensory perceptional abilities, it may be that she is simply having night terrors-dreams so vivid that everything convinces the dreamer its reality. After all, the lives that you lead make an impression on your psyche, even if it goes unnoticed for a time." To Castiel, this seemed like a logical reason until he could investigate further.
This explanation didn't satisfy Dean at all. Elizabeth had been hunting with them for nearly two years without any problems. Something wasn't right-he could feel it.
"There is one way that I can be sure Azazel, or another demon, hasn't marked Elizabeth for death." Castiel spoke with hesitation. "I can examine her soul. If there are any marks, I will see them."
Sam and Dean knew immediately was Castiel was suggesting. They had seen him examine the young boy's soul while looking for the rest of Moses' staff and it had been excruciatingly painful.
"Isn't there another way, Cas? Dean asked. "Beth has been through so much these last two weeks. I hate to subject her to anymore pain."
Dean knew Castiel was right-he just had to ask anyway.
"I'm afraid not, Dean. I wish there was. She should come through the procedure just fine."
Uneasy with the suggestion, Sam chimed in, "Let's go ask Beth. I think it should be her decision."
By this time, it was dawn and Elizabeth would be getting up soon. Dean felt they owed it to her to make the call. Sometimes being Winchesters sucked hard.
While the men talked outside, Elizabeth had been listening at the door for most of the conversation. She hated to eavesdrop on her older brothers, but, she had to find out if they were talking about her nightmares.
What was Castiel suggesting? If it would help her find some answers, then, she was all for it. Why does Dean and Sam sound so worried? Elizabeth wondered to herself. Cas would never hurt me.
Sometimes Elizabeth was uncomfortable around Castiel. It wasn't that he frightened her; she knew he was Heaven's angel after all. Maybe it was all the power he controlled within that normal looking human frame. He had helped them get out of some pretty tough situations since joining them about a year ago. When Elizabeth thought about their life before Castiel arrived, she wasn't sure how they had managed.
Dean closed the trunk and the three men headed back to the motel room.
With her ear to the door, Elizabeth could hear the men's voices getting closer. She'd never hear the end of it if Dean caught her snooping.
Quickly turning around to avoid detection, Elizabeth's foot became tangled in the bedspread that was hanging off Dean's bed near the door, causing her to lose her balance. Since there was nothing to grab to stop her fall, her body bounced off the corner of Dean's bed; coming to rest near the middle of the room. Damn! When she landed, a sharp pain shot up from her right ankle causing her to cry out.
Before she could get up and recover any shred of her dignity; the door opened.
A moment of silence blanketed the room as the two men and one angel got past the initial shock of seeing Elizabeth on the floor in front of them.
"Beth! Are you hurt? What happened?" Dean and Sam kneeled down beside her.
Why can't I die now? "No…I think I twisted my ankle." Beth looked from one face to another. Three pair of eyes all asking the same question…Why is she on the floor?
Dean untangled her foot from the bedspread and took note of the swelling that was beginning. "This might hurt a bit. I'm going to make sure you didn't break it."
"Ok." As gently as was possible, Dean cradled her ankle in one hand and began lightly pushing on different areas with his other hand. "Tell me if you feel anything painful, Beth."
"You'll be the first to know." She said through clenched teeth. A gasp from Elizabeth let Dean know that he had found the break.
In the meantime, Castiel had come closer and was stooping down, looking at Elizabeth's ankle. "I can see the break. Allow me to help."
Castiel touched the inside of Elizabeth's ankle with the two fingertips on his right hand. She could feel warmth moving from his fingers down into her foot. When the sensation left, Elizabeth noticed that her ankle didn't hurt anymore.
"Thanks, Cas. That feels a lot better." she said, smiling.
"You're welcome." In a blink, he was back in a standing position, waiting for them to join him.
On their feet again, Elizabeth sat down on Sam's bed, while Sam, Dean, and Castiel stood nearby. She looked from one man to another expectantly, wondering when someone was going to say something.
This was the longest silence that she could ever remember the three of them sharing. Beth knew something was up-something she hadn't overheard at the door. Ask me, already!
Sam sat down on the bed beside Elizabeth. "Beth, Cas hasn't heard anything about Azazel being back."
"Yes. As far as I can tell, he is still imprisoned in Hell. I would sense it if he were free."
"Then why do I keep dreaming about him?" Her face fell. Elizabeth was sure that Castiel would've known something. There had to be a way to find out what was happening to her.
Sam looked up at Dean for him to continue. Dean paused, searching for the right words.
"Cas thinks if he examines your soul, he would be able to see if there is a mark."
Elizabeth's eyes flashed up with the first small spark of hope she had had in a long time. "Ok, let's do it. What do you need me to do?" She always had been a do it first, ask questions later kind of girl.
"Listen, honey-I think you need to slow down a minute." Dean stared at her and she looked down quickly. "It's not as cut and dry as you think."
A cloud passed over Castiel's face. "The examination will be excruciatingly painful, Elizabeth. You will not be physically harmed during the process, but, it is the only way that I can see if you have been marked for death."
Anything has got to be better than going through this hell each night. "I don't have any other choice. I've got to find out why I keep having the same nightmare over and over again, Dean. I have to." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Night was coming again, and with it would come the nightmares.
"Very well, you will need to lie back on the bed. Dean, Sam, I need you to hold Elizabeth's wrists so that her arms remain as still as possible. It is a natural occurrence for the hands to grab at whatever is causing the body pain."
Elizabeth took her place in the center of the bed with Sam and Dean either side. Each brother had a firm hold on one of her wrists. As badly as she wanted to get some answers; she felt a fear creeping up inside of her. Let's do this.
"Here, bite down on this. It will help with the pain." Castiel placed a leather belt in Elizabeth's mouth and she clamped her teeth down.
Castiel pushed up the sleeve on his right arm. Elizabeth noticed that his skin was beginning to glow a warm amber color—making his flesh translucent.
Standing on the left side of the bed, Castiel stooped over and began inserting his arm into Elizabeth's body, just below her ribcage. Her skin offered no resistance to the intruder as Castiel probed deep inside for the mark that would identify her tormentor.
Elizabeth's head snapped back on the pillow-her eyes glazing over from the pain. Her body felt like it was on fire. White-hot agony shot out from her ribcage to every corner of her being. The belt fell from her mouth allowing the screams to escape unhindered. Waves of pain reared high up and washed over Elizabeth's head, pulling her under. When she could take no more-darkness mercifully claimed her.