Shadow of the Wind
Chapter Four
Night Again


There was a fire burning on earth.

The humans nearest to the fire carried a heaviness, like they were weighed down in rising water. But even as they sank lower into the depths, the flames rose into the sky.


Stull, Kansas. February 15, 2007.
Dean and Sam appeared in a deserted part of Stull, Kansas with their bags at their feet.

"Where's Cas?" Dean asked.

"Maybe Gabriel wanted some time, brother to brother or something?"

"Screw this, I'm calling him."

Dean tried Cas's phone.

"Dean, his phone is from twenty-thirteen."

"We're in two thousand seven, not the stone age."

Sam said, "I already checked. The burners from twenty-thirteen don't get reception. The technology they use doesn't exist yet."

"You didn't mention it till now? How we gonna call Cas?"

"As soon as we get a chance, we'll get him one of the older phones."

Cas suddenly appeared in front of them.

"I understand," Cas mumbled.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Dean has always hated 'zapping around.' Now I understand why. It is deeply unsettling as a human."

"What did Gabe hold you up for?" Dean asked.

Cas shrugged. "I believe he was, as you would say, 'just screwing with me.'"

"We can talk later," Sam said. "Right now, we need transportation and a place to crash."

"And food," Dean added.

"I'll find us a motel that current-us would never spot," Sam said. "You two get us a car and some food."

"I have no money," Cas said.

"Relax, we're gonna boost a ride," Dean said. "This is your lucky day. I'm gonna teach you how to hot wire a car."


Mt. Vernon, Illinois. May 15, 2008.
Dean hung up his phone.

"You should have let me answer," Cas said. "Talking on the phone while driving can get us pulled over."

"Don't be a soccer mom about it."

"I don't know what that means."

"Never mind," Dean said. "Sammy said there's a problem."

"The trial?" Cas asked. "Did it work?"

"I don't know. He didn't say. He just asked us to get us back to the Bunker."

Dean pulled into the next gas station to fill up.

"Can you handle the pump, Cas?"

"Very well."

Dean walked into the bathroom. He hoped that he wouldn't have to do this, but he had just bathed in the blood of a hellhound. Technically, he had completed the first trial.

"Kah na ahm darr," he said, reading aloud from a scrap of paper from his pocket.

He buckled as his body lit up like a Christmas tree. Pain throbbed through him.

It stopped.

He stood up straight and washed his face. He felt a little feverish, but otherwise he was fine.

Dean returned to the car.

"Hey," he said to Cas as he handed off the keys. "Drive as far as you can. Don't push it. Get us a motel room as soon as you're feeling a little tired. Got it?"

"You look very ill."

Dean's left knee buckled, and he staggered to the passenger-side. Cas helped him into the back seat.

"Shouldn't we get a doctor?" Cas asked.

"No, I'm fine," Dean said. "Just drive."


About an hour ago in Concordia, Kansas. May 15, 2008.
Sam sliced his hand open and spoke the words, "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, hanc animam redintegra, lustra."

Crowley struggled in his restraints as the hunter clapped his palm over his mouth.

Lightning went through both of them: orange and white and terrifying. Crowley felt something dissolve as the blood touched his lips, his tongue. His body became smaller. His mind shrunk.

He was human.

Sam Winchester tried to stand up straight as he said the words of the final trial: "Kah na ahm darr."

Nothing happened.

"What's going on?" Crowley demanded. "What's happened?"

Sam tried the spell again. His body burned with the same old pain, but beyond that, nothing else occurred.

He pulled out his phone to call his brother.

"Sam! Tell me what's going on!" Crowley protested.

"I don't know yet."

"You don't know? You just took away all my sodding powers, and now you don't know if you've done the job?"

"That's what I just said."

"Curse the day I agreed to help you! Why did I ever sign on with you miserable Winchesters?"


Stull, Kansas. March 15, 2007.
Dean and Sam finished burying the box. They lit a match and threw it down to ensure they'd get the right crossroads demon to come running.

Crowley appeared.

"To what do I owe the honor?" he asked.

"We got a deal for you," Sam said.

"Can't say I'm surprised. The Winchesters eventually all do deals. Which one of you gentlemen is offering your soul?"

"Neither," Dean replied. "This is more of a business arrangement."

Crowley laughed. "Summon me when you're ready to deal."

He tried to teleport. He couldn't. He looked down. He was standing in a Devil's Trap about thirty feet in diameter.

"You know about yellow eyes? Azazel?" Dean asked. "His little plan to let the big bad archangel out of his jail cell in hell?"

"Just a fairy story us demons tell one another."

"We know you're not that stupid," Sam said. "He's been putting things in motion for decades. Right about now, crossroads demons are getting a lot of pull because, for him, you're part of the next step."

"What of it?"

"We know you've got no love for Lucifer," Dean said. "Because if he takes over, he'll fight the fight, sure. But once that's all said and done, the demons won't be of any use to him, now will they?"

"Right, you expect me to help you derail a demonic plot? Lead by Azazel?" Crowley asked. "I've got a better idea: no. I want to survive, if you don't mind."

"All you have to do is answer my call," Dean said. "The younger version of me. In a couple of months, he's going to summon a crossroads demon and want to deal."

"And you want me to make it? If you think killing the dealer will save your soul, you're dead wrong."

"All we need you to do is add a little loophole. The kind that no one else would bother to check besides you," Sam said. "You show up, make a hard deal with Dean when he calls, and we make sure you out-live Azazel."

"And Alastair," Dean added for good measure. "And Lilith and whoever else is down in the pit, waiting to be sprung."

"Huh," Crowley said. "The younger you? Time travel. Interesting. Tell me, how do you plan on saving me?"

"We lock Lucifer and Michael in the Cage," Dean said. "With Mikey down there, there's no Apocalypse. Hell stays hell."

Sam added, "Oh and since all the top guns get killed off in the fray, someone like you is in line for a promotion."

"Let me guess, then you kill me," Crowley said.

"Put it down in the contract," Dean replied. "If any Winchester kills you, we're screwed."

"I'll think about it," Crowley said. "But if I take a stake in your venture, I'm a full partner. I know what's going on and when. You understand?"

"So we got ourselves something to shake on?"

"Let me out first."

Sam broke the Devil's Trap. Before either could respond, Crowley grabbed both of them and kissed their cheeks. Then he vanished.


Blue Springs, Missouri. May 15, 2008.
After eight hours on the road, Cas pulled into a motel in Blue Springs. He texted Sam. Then he propped Dean up and helped him into their motel room.

He took cool water and a washcloth to put over Dean's forehead. He looked worse than before.

"Cas?" Dean said.

"We've stopped for the night," Cas replied.

"You should get some sleep."

"You have a fever."

"I'm fine."

"I had to nearly carry you to the bed. You're not fine," Cas replied. "Shut up and let me help you."

Dean grabbed Cas's wrist and protested, "You need sleep, too."

Cas stared into Dean's eyes and replied sincerely, "I will once you fall asleep."

Dean let go, and Cas continued. He checked all of Dean's injuries: the stitches he had from a few days ago along his inner thigh, the superficial cut on his chest, the scratches down his arms.

Dean drifted off to sleep, mumbling, "Glad I met you Cas. You should know that. Damn glad."


Stull, Kansas. February 15, 2007.
Dean and Cas scouted for a good car to boost.

Dean received a text message.

"Sam got us a motel for the night. One of us is gonna have to sleep on a cot."

"Not me," Cas replied. He indicated an older Taurus and asked, "What about this car?"

"Good pick," Dean replied. "Keep a lookout, will you? It'll take a minute to hotwire."

Cas nodded.

After a few minutes of tinkering, a thin man in overalls headed into the parking lot. It looked like he was heading toward the Taurus.

"Dean," Cas whispered. "Someone's coming."

"Distract him! GO!"

The former angel, having no idea what to do, ran over to the man and crashed headlong into him.

"What the hell!" the guy said. Then he saw Cas and he added, "You okay?"

"No! NO!" Cas replied. "There's a man with a machete in the parking lot. He just jumped out at me from behind a car and started slashing, look!"

He lifted his shirt to show a cut he received a few days ago. "Look!"

"Calm down."

"Calm down? He's still there! We need to run!"

"Hey, I'll call 911, just come with me," the man said.

Cas followed until he heard a car start.

"That's my ride," Cas said.

The man turned, confused, and Cas punched him in the face before running back to the car.

"Did you just punch that guy?" Dean asked

"Yes, his head was harder than I thought. My hand hurts."

Dean laughed. "Sometimes, Cas, I'm just damn glad I met you."

As they pulled away, the man chased after them.

"Maybe you should call Sam and let him know this car is kinda hot," Dean replied. "We might have to drive straight to the Bunker."

Cas's heart began to race with anticipation. He didn't know why.

"Cas? You okay?"

"I'm good," he replied. "I mean, I'm very well."


Blue Springs, Missouri. May 16, 2008.
Dean woke up. He squinted at the clock. It was five in the morning. He had been tossing and turning all night, so he gave up on sleep.

He put on a fresh pair of boxers and went into the bathroom.

"Dean?"

"Yeah, Cas, I'm in the bathroom. I could use a shower."

Cas's heart began to race.


Springfield, Ohio. February 15, 2007.
"Name the place," The Trickster said. "You can't stay here, so close to your current selves."

"Stull, Kansas," Sam replied.

The Trickster snapped his fingers, and Sam and Dean disappeared.

"Now you," he said, "you are interesting. What's your name?"

"Castiel."

"An angel but not an angel."

"My Grace was stolen. I'm human now."

"You know, that's not a great story. You should work on that."

"I don't understand."

"You know who I am?" he asked.

"Gabriel."

"Well, baby bro, this whole favor thing comes at a price. Specifically from you."

"What price?"


Blue Springs, Missouri. May 16, 2008.
"How are you?" Cas asked from the bedroom.

"I'm fine," Dean replied from the bathroom. "Don't worry."

Dean started the shower, and Cas came into the bathroom.

"You don't look well."

"I'm fine. I just need to wash up."

Cas got into the shower first. When Dean didn't follow, he poked his head out.

"Are you coming?"