I had been searching hard for Sam. I needed to find Sam, needed to do something helpful. They'd failed, and I'd been beaten to a small pulp by a woman named Mrs. Watt, with enchanted brass knuckles. I couldn't help but think of how Kylie would've loved to know how she did that; would've loved seeing how she had accomplished enchanting them. She was always interested in things like that, in how other people chose to use magic.
That, and Kylie had a knack for fighting styles. She probably would've been fine, or at least had a spell to keep us fine. She would've had a way to figure it all out.
Keep your hands up. She was sparring with Dean, trying to learn what she could. I had wandered in, and was watching from the shadows. Come on, Kylie. Keep that left hand up, don't let it drag!
One hit to her left side, with her hand too low to block. She winced in pain, and I winced with her.
Another hit, same side. Another shared wince.
The third time, though, I just barely caught a glimpse of a smile before she dodged Dean's swing, and hit him square in the solar plexus. He wheezed, taking a few steps back as he clutched his chest tightly. You… You played me. His voice, though out of breath, was a mixture of surprise, happiness, and pain.
You taught me to. That was her response. You taught me to. And you swing weak. If I'm going to learn to fight and defend, and do it well, I need you to swing like you mean it.
Swing like you mean it, Cas. She wouldn't have wanted me to stay on the ground like that. She would have wanted me to fight, and to win. Not that it had mattered in the end, anyways. Mary had done what Kylie would have done, and stabbed Mrs. Watt.
And now I was standing outside a house, one that I was certain was where Sam was, but it was warded like… well… like Kylie had come in personally to do it. She never missed a beat.
Babe, I'm sorry, but I have to finish these wardings on the door real quick. Kylie was painting, kind of, but with invisible ink and a black light. We were in our apartment. She just wanted to make sure we were safe. I promise, no angel wardings. I've already double and triple checked all of this. Plus, with the invisible ink, the landlord will never have to know! She wiped a hand across her face, smearing invisible ink across herself. Well, so long as he doesn't run a black light in here as well, which we really should've done before moving in as well. She shuddered a little. That closet needs five buckets of bleach and, quite possibly, six of holy water and salt-infused crosses. We'd both shared a laugh at that. I hadn't told her about the invisible ink until after I'd kissed her.
I wondered for a moment if the people inside the house, the people holding Sam, had done the same. I couldn't get any closer to the place. This was some very well done spellwork.
I reached up for the ring around my neck, holding it lightly. "I won't fail you." I promised. "Dean isn't dead. Sam can't be dead yet. I will keep fixing my failures." There was only one failure I couldn't fix, though. Failing her. I could still see that look in her eyes, the look of betrayal and fear and terror right before she disappeared.
It was the same look that haunted my nightmares, the same look that I would never be able to erase from my memory.
I picked up my phone, and made a call to Dean and his mother. I could fix this failure. I could re-unite the Winchester family. I could do something good.
That way, when I finally went to visit Kylie in heaven, she would forgive me.