"My name is Dean Winchester. Sam is my brother. Mary…Mary Winch…Mary Winchester is…"
"I've read the damned thing over and over," Rowena snapped. "But that isn't going to help us when I can't understand a word of it." Sam ran a hand over his face.
"What am I supposed to do?" he asked.
"Let me go for one thing," Rowena threw back her hands as if revealing the handcuffs to him, though he had put them there.
"And let you run off with the book?" Sam snorted, "I don't think so."
"I can't help you, Samuel," she said, "Unless you still have that little red head and her magic computer hanging around." Sam put his hands on the back of the chair across the table from Rowena and closed his eyes. He sighed. He glanced up at Dean, sleeping on one of the two motel beds. He shook his head and hit the chair. "There's always your angel friend," Rowena said and Sam thought he heard a touch of softness in her voice. "Maybe he could fix it."
"I thought this was more your area of expertise," Sam said.
"Well obviously that isn't working," Rowena snarked back. Sam sighed and stood up.
"Watch him," he pointed at the sleeping Dean. Then he stepped outside and slammed the door. For a moment, he didn't move. He leaned against the door and sighed. He rubbed his hands over his face and his fingers tugged on his hair. Finally, he pulled out his phone.
"Hello?" Cas answered after two rings.
"Hey, Cas," Sam replied. His voice sounded weary.
"Sam?" Cas asked.
"Look," Sam sighed, "I know you're busy with Lucifer's baby and crap. But do you mind coming down here for a few minutes." He ran his hand over his face again.
"What is it?" Cas asked in a worried tone. Sam put his head back on the door.
"Something's wrong with Dean," he said. His throat felt dry with unshed tears and he almost couldn't get any more words past the lump inside it. "I'll explain it to you once you get here." He told Cas the location of the motel they were staying in then hung up. It took him a few minutes to muster the courage to go inside. He looked down at the phone in his hands and flipped through his list of contacts. He stopped on one name. He wondered if he should call her. She deserved to know what was happening to her son. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. That meant giving up and Sam wasn't ready to do that yet. He opened the door and went inside. Rowena raised her eyebrows but Sam ignored her and sat on the empty bed beside his brother. He put his face in his hands. Only a few moments passed when a flutter of wings made Sam look up. The sound woke Dean and he jerked awake with limbs flailing. He looked up at Cas with wide eyes.
"Who are you?" He sat up and his eyes moved around to each person in the room. Cas' eyebrows drew together and he looked at Sam. The taller man didn't respond to the angel's confusion. Instead he came to Dean's side.
"Hey," he said, "That's Cas. Our angel friend." Dean didn't seem any less confused. "I'm Sam, your brother. That's Cas. Dean?"
"Who's Dean?" Sam closed his eyes as he felt Cas' confused gaze on him.
"You're Dean, remember?" he asked, "I'm Sam. Cas. Rowena." He pointed to each person in turn. Dean nodded as if he understood but Sam could see the confusion still in his eyes.
"What's wrong with him?" Cas asked. Dean looked from Cas to Sam.
"I don't know," he answered Cas, "Is there something wrong with him?" Sam sighed and grabbed Cas' arm. He dragged him outside. As he opened the door, he turned to Rowena.
"I know, I know," she said before he could speak, "I'll watch him." Sam nodded and as he closed the door he heard her mutter, "Kinda hard when I'm all chained up."