Chapter 4

Goodbye

Dean crossed his arms. "You'd be surprised."

She took a deep breath. "On the night of a chorus concert in my sophomore year of high school, I had a solo. It was A Broken Wing by Martina McBride and it's a song that requires very powerful vocals. On the last note I had to sustain it for a long time-" her voice faltered and all of a sudden tears sprung from her eyes and she got quiet.

Dean's face scrunched up. "Wait, let me get this straight...you left your entire life at sixteen years old because you were embarrassed about going all Jim Carey singing Somebody to Love on everyone?"

Sam scowled. "Dean, I really don't think this is the time. Also, of all things to reference…The Cable Guy?"

"Shut up."

"What's wrong." Castiel suddenly appeared with a bag of food, but at the sight of Cassandra crying he immediately put it down and went to her, pressing his fingers to her forehead and preparing to heal her pain, but then realized it was emotional pain she was going through. "Why is she crying?" For some reason his glare immediately went to Sam.

He held his hands up. "I didn't do anything! She was telling us her story."

"You two didn't need to interrogate her, I could've just gotten the information myself," he said harshly, and he gently pressed a finger to her forehead, searching Cassandra's mind. She thought it was odd that he had a finger on her head for such an extended period of time but she got the gist that he was looking for something.

He saw that she'd been born as a normal human. But ever since she could talk she called herself Cassandra, even though everyone else called her Sarah. She talked to animals as a toddler, she was very in sync with her intuitive instincts, and when she went through puberty she became very sensitive to sound and started having dreams about flying. Then he saw a concert hall made entire out of glass shatter…

Castiel pulled away, and a contemplative expression took control of his face. "She's…she's human but angel at the same time. The only way this could be possible is if her grace were planted into a human…but Cassandra would be self-conscious and aware of the fact she was possessing someone." He looked down at her. "Did you obtain this human's permission?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, her head swimming with confusion.

Possession. Vessel. Grace. All new words, none of them making any sense.

"A human vessel can't hold an angel's grace unless they are willing," he prompted.

"This body is mine. I'm not some Casper ghost or something, I'm just me."

"But you're not a regular human," he insisted, looking her straight in the eye. "You understood animals as a child. You had dreams of flying through clouds, and your voice - "

" - You saw everything?!" She asked, astonished. "Can Angels do that?"

Castiel took her hand in both of his. "Yes, we can. You can, too. You just don't know it yet." He gingerly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "You're not the warrior you used to be, but you are still my sister. I don't care what you've done in the past, you have a new life now. You are safe here. You don't have to keep running anymore."

"Cas," Dean ruined the moment. "What happened on the night of the concert?"

Castiel looked at Sam and Dean, then back down at Cassie. "You don't have to say it, I'll tell them."

She nodded, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her red plaid shirt.

"Angel voices are at such a high frequency that they shatter glass, alter the flow of electricity, and destroy anything it comes into contact with, like when I first tried to communicate with Dean. When she sang the last note of the song, it triggered her Angelic voice and it shattered the glass of the concert hall. The shards fell and staked several people."

Dean was suddenly on the defensive, glaring at Cassie. So she's killed before, then. She's no different than any other Monster we've come into contact with.

Sam's eyes widened with shock, but his fear evaporated almost immediately. Her crystal blue eyes were shiny from crying and she had a hand over her mouth. She looked so frail and vulnerable it pulled Sam's heart strings. He wanted to protect her.

"It was an accident," she managed to gasp out. "I had no idea that I was…an...Angel. I didn't know anything. I mean I know I'm…different from normal people. But I never thought-"

"-That you were a monster?" Dean's jaw tensed.

"Dean!" Sam scolded, immediately getting up and standing in front of Cassie. "That's enough. She said it was an accident. She was only sixteen."

"You know, now that you mention it, I remember reading a case in Dad's journal about a Concert Hall in Vermont that mysteriously shattered. The kill count was seventy eight people, and thirty six were injured. There was no sign that a gun had been used, and any witnesses who could've reported anything were either unconscious or dead."

"I'm sorry!" She sobbed. "I never meant to hurt anyone. I'd never killed anything in my life! Not even bugs when they got into the house."

The weight of the situation hit Dean like a freight train. "She can't stay here," he said.

Sam's heart fell in his chest. "Dean, it was an accident. It happened years ago."

"She's dangerous! She has powers that she obviously can't control, Sam!"

"Dean-" Cas began.

"- I'm sorry, Cas. But whether she means to be or not, she's a freakin' mine field and I'm not walking across that crap. She should be in prison or dead by now. You need to find another place for her."

Cassie gasped. His words felt like a slap.

Sam was starting to feel sick. He'd known this woman for less than twenty four hours but he already felt connected to her. "She doesn't have anywhere else to go, Dean! She's Cas' sister. We can't make her leave, it's our responsibility to help her!"

"Who decided that? Last time I checked she's a grown woman who can take care of herself. She's done pretty well so far."

Sam was almost shivering with rage. "How can you be so heartless?!"

Cassandra flinched, turning away. "No, he's right. It's why I never stayed in one place for too long. I've hurt people." She turned to leave. "I'll pack my things."

No. "Cassie-" Sam gently took hold of her wrist.

"It's okay Sam," she said quietly, fighting more tears. "I never meant to stay here anyway, remember? If I'd know that people lived here I never would've come here in the first place."

"No. Cassie, think about it…what were the odds that you'd ever find yourself here? Maybe it was meant to be." He leaned down a bit so they were at eye level.

She lost the ability to breathe when Sam looked into her eyes with such intensity, and for a moment, she wished with all of her being that his words were true.

"Sam's right. If you hadn't come here and Dean hadn't called me…" Castiel couldn't continue.

You never would've found me, she thought, regarding her brother with warmth.

"It was coincidence." Dean wasn't letting up.

Sam pulled his gaze way from Cassie to look at his brother. "When has anything in our life ever been coincidence?"

There was a silence.

"She's an angel. Raised human or not, under normal circumstances I would take her to heaven with me. But at the moment-"

"-No," Cassie immediately growled. "If there really is a God, then he abandoned me. He let me grow up without a mom, let me suffer, let my father die for no reason at all, and let me struggle my entire life. He obviously doesn't care about me. So fuck heaven, fuck him, and fuck all of you."

She ripped herself from Sam and stomped out of the room down the hallway.

The absence of her touch was unsettling. It was an emptiness that clung to Sam's fingertips.

Castiel got the most depressed look on his face, like with every word she'd said had been a dagger in his heart. All of a sudden he vanished.

Dean threw his hands up. "Son of a bitch." He pulled his phone out and started dialing.

Sam tensed. "Dean, what are you doing?"

"Calling Garth. I'll take her to his place until we figure out what to do with her."

Sam shook his head. "If she's such a huge threat, then why are you throwing her on Garth? We should just keep her here."

Dean ignored his brother as Garth answered. "Garth? Yeah hey. I need a favor," he paced around with his head lowered as he talked.

"Dammit, Dean! Stop!" Sam was five seconds away from ripping the phone out of his brother's hand.

"There's a girl here that we need you to keep safe for a few days. It's temporary." Dean shot Sam a warning glare, but Sam wasn't giving up.

He walked briskly over to Dean. "This is the safest place for her. You're blowing this whole thing out of proportion-"

Dean put his hand over the phone and hissed hurriedly, "You're not thinking clearly. You're emotionally involved in this, so shut your trap and let me handle this!

Sam clammed up and crossed his arms. He took notice of the bag of Chinese food and walked over to it, grabbing a random carton and a fork, and walking in the direction of the hall.


Cassie rolled up her dirty clothes and stuffed them into her bag. She placed the wad of bills in the outside pocket of the backpack so it would be easily accessible, then laced up her combat boots.

She jumped as she heard a soft knock at the door.

"Hey. I have food." It was Sam's voice.

She walked over to the door, turning the knob to see the tall, dark and handsome man she'd come to know as Sam and saw he came bearing gifts.

"I can't get Dean to change his mind. But you should eat something before you go."

"I'm not hungry," she lied, pushing the door farther open to signal that he could come in.

"Yes you are, you haven't eaten in five days."

"Actually it's been six," she said, but at proving his point, she resigned and took the carton from him, sitting pretzel style on the bed. "Thank you."

Sam nodded, sitting at the chair by the desk.

She opened it and took a bite. It was vegetable lo mein. She immediately started scarfing it down, not caring that it was scorching the hell out of her throat. She suddenly blushed when she realized that Sam was watching her.

She swallowed. "Women get really self-conscious when someone watches them eat."

Sam got a bit of color in his cheeks. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to creep you out, It's just because…I mean I think Dean is completely overreacting. You're obviously human. You sleep, eat, and need showers just like the rest of us. You don't need to go anywhere."

She frowned, taking a smaller bite and speaking as she chewed. "No he's right. I probably have power I don't even know I have…I could hurt someone without meaning to. And I don't want to hurt you…" she said the last part quietly.

Sam's heart fluttered. "Cassie…I've been through hell and back. Literally. The things I've taken on…and conquered…you're not scary to me."

Her eyes widened with curiosity. "How do you guys know so much about this stuff anyway? Are you guys Team Helsing or something?"

At least she didn't say Ghost busters, he thought. "Pretty much. We kill monsters. We protect people. We hunt demons, exorcise ghosts, stake vampires…you name it."

She froze, unbelieving.

Sam grinned. "Now it's your turn not to believe me," he said.

She chewed a bit more and swallowed. "Well…it explains all the weapons on the table at least. You're not serial killers. Well, I mean technically you are…but for a good cause." She giggled. "Does that mean all vampires and werewolves and stuff like that are bad?"

"No," he said with all seriousness.

She made eye contact with him again and blushed. God, he's attractive.

"I wanted to ask you something," he said softly.

She nodded, urging him to continue.

"Would you want to try lending me your watch? You said you don't know who gave it to you…maybe it can give some clues as to who you are."

She looked down at it, the familiar pulse of the hand moving as the seconds past a reassuring weight on her wrist. "I…"

"It wouldn't be forever. I'd give it back to you. Dean thinks we're going to ship you off somewhere I guess, but I'm going to keep tabs on you and make sure you're okay. It's the least I can do." His eyes shined with good intentions.

Cassie's heart sped up and she felt her face grow hot. Oh God. "Okay." She slipped it off her wrist and handed it to him.

"I'll keep it safe, I promise," he said gently.

She nodded, feeling her palms get sweaty. God dammit what is wrong with me? I've never been this nervous around a guy since…ever.

"And I'll give you something," he said, pulling open the drawer of the desk to reveal a glistening blade. Sam got up out of his chair and got on his knees by the bedside. He held it out to her, the silver handle pointed in her direction. "I used to use this on hunts. You should be armed with something, at least."

"What is it?" She asked, looking at it with intrigue.

"It's called a Suan Ywe Gou. I nicknamed it Alien Claw. I want you to have it."

This was certainly an odd exchange, a hunter giving one of his most prized weapons to a newly self-discovered Angel. She stared at it for a moment, then reached for the handle hesitantly taking it from Sam and gently stowed it into her backpack.

Sam felt a bit better now that she had a piece of him to protect her. "You're going to a friend of ours named Garth Fitzgerald. He's definitely an acquired taste, but he's harmless. He's sweet to everyone, especially to pretty girls." Sam blushed and looked up at the ceiling, realizing what he just said.

She grinned. "Do you give all the pretty girls you like shiny blades?" she teased.

But Sam looked at her with very serious eyes. "Never. You're an exception."

She bit her lip at his words, and suddenly stopped breathing when she realized how close their faces were.

Sam seemed to come to the same conclusion. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down quickly as his jaw tensed.

They stared at each other for a few moments. Cassandra's heart pounded hard, the moments feeling like an eternity.

He gently brought his hand up to cup the side of her face. Oh God he's going to kiss me, she thought, her hopes soaring through the roof.

He placed his thumb over her bottom lip, their eyes locked and ever so delicately tilted her head down as he slowly leaned forward.

His grip wasn't firm, an indication that she could pull away or move if she wanted to…but she didn't.

Her heart pounded in her ears so loudly she was sure he could hear it. With shaking hands she reached to grasp the back of his hair, the soft feathery strands resting between her fingers. Her eyes closed and she breathed in the scent of him. It was a scent she couldn't quite place, but it had a mixture of soap, woodsy-ness and old spice.

The tips of their noses touches, and it sent a shudder through her -

"Time to go, Princess."

The voice made them both jump and snap back into their original sitting positions.

Dean was standing in the doorway, a bag slung over his shoulder. "I'm your escort."