Dean walked into the main room, Sam was already packing up.
"Morning." He said, putting the guns into a duffle bag.
"We almost ready to go?"
"Almost. Hey, you seen Cas this morning?" he paused, looking at his brother.
"Which one?" Dean snorted, packing up his own bag.
"Both. I looked in Cassidy's room and she wasn't there. I tried calling Cas but he wouldn't answer."
Dean frowned slightly, putting his bag down. "Huh."
"You think maybe something's happened to them?"
"Nah. Cas can take care of Cas."
"Which one?"
Dean smirked and Sam laughed slightly. The front door opened and Cassidy walked in, closely followed by Castiel.
"Hey, lovebirds, where you been?" Dean asked jokily.
Castiel went pale, and Cassidy elbowed him. "We were out getting breakfast when a demon post man tried to cut my head off."
"There are more of them? Aw crap!" Dean started unpacking the guns again.
"There seems to be a whole lot of them. Half the town, I'd say."
"No way!" Dean stood up from the table, shaking his head angrily. "Me and Sammy were out all night on a demon search and we couldn't find any!"
"They must have moved in this morning. Maybe your little trip to the police station got some unwanted attention." Cassidy clicked her tongue thoughtfully. "Anyway, me and Cas dealt with one."
"What did you do?" Sam asked, taking the bags of food out of her hands.
"Well, THFB over here wanted to burn him but I explained how exorcising him might be a little more environmentally friendly." Cassidy gave Castiel a meaningful and disapproving look.
He blushed slightly and looked out of the window.
Dean raised an eyebrow. "THF- what?"
Cassidy froze slightly, realising they wouldn't get the reference because it hadn't happened yet. "Trigger happy feather butt."
Dean howled with laughter, holding onto the table. "Feather butt! Classic!"
Castiel narrowed his eyes at him then left the room. Cassidy watched him go and smiled slightly; Sam caught the look and frowned thoughtfully. When she turned back to the others the look was gone.
"Right, so shall we eat?"
Lucifer dropped the now lifeless body of the demon he'd just drained and then decided to smite. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand; a long trail of red was left on his skin. A demon was sitting on the sofa of the apartment they'd been making use of; he sat lazily and flicked through a magazine with Megan Fox on the front. Lucifer went to the window and cracked his neck. He felt like he was bursting at the seams, like he was wearing jeans that had once fit perfectly but then you stuffed your face at a Sunday dinner and now they were feeling a little tight at the waist. He huffed, touching a painful part of his head. It felt tacky. He looked at his finger and saw his own blood.
"Damn."
The demon chuckled slightly, not looking up.
"Something funny Botis?"
"Nothing much... just found that a little punny." He looked up, a sly grin covering his narrow face. "See what I did there? Punny, as in funny but it's a pun."
Lucifer turned slowly, giving him a not impressed face and arching an eyebrow slowly.
Botis cleared his throat then covered his face with the magazine. The devil rolled his eyes and sighed slowly, turning back to the window.
"I miss my brother." he said sadly, watching the hairless apes on the other side of the glass go about their day to day futilities.
"I know pumpkin. But it's only a matter of time."
Lucifer ignored the pet name. He allowed Botis to call him whatever he wished, he was irreplaceable and he knew it. The demon hadn't been one of the first, but he had always been loyal. He was also good friends with Crowley but would not betray him to Lucifer, apparently loyalty means a lot to him which is a strange trait for a demon.
There was a slight rush of air behind them, Lucifer didn't turn at the arrival of a new demon, but Botis sighed and put what he was reading down. He got up to deal with the messenger.
"Ahoy there, may I take a message."
"The Winchesters have been spotted." The demon spoke in a monotone. Botis raised an eyebrow and glanced at his boss in the corner of his eye. He saw him stiffen slightly.
"Well? Where are they?"
"They're here, in town. The angel Castiel is with them, and a young woman."
Lucifer turned at this, raising an eyebrow. "A woman? Is she an angel?"
The demon shook her head.
"A child of Eve?"
She responded negatively.
"A human then?"
She seemed a little unsure of this; her black eyes darted between them. "I'm not sure. She gives off a strange energy."
The devil thought this over, looking back out of the window and frowning.
"She doesn't seem to be of this time."
A smile grew on the angel's face. "I see... find out who she is."
The demon bowed slightly, and then vanished. Botis smiled until she'd gone, then turned to him.
"What's so important about this girl?"
"She's with the Winchesters. Either she's important to the greater plan, or she's important to them. Either way, we can use her."
Botis laughed slightly, "and here I thought you were finally considering a human... mate." He wiggled his eyebrows.
Lucifer shuddered. "To coin the popular phrase, when hell freezes over."
The demon laughed heartily, walking over and clapping him on the shoulder. "It already has, Lucy."
Cassie was in her room, collecting up her things. Dean had found a motel in town and they were heading there. She was a little relieved to be getting out of the run down house. It was creepy and cold and there were only so many nights Cas could keep her company. She smiled slightly, closing her eyes and thinking of the memory of the adorable look in his eyes. That look had changed the longer she'd known him, she found that she had missed the look of devotion and pure fear.
There was a light tapping on her door and she looked around to see Sam standing in the doorway. She smiled.
"Hey Sammy. What can I do you for?"
He walked in and shut the door behind him. "What's going on with you and Cas?"
She raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "What are you talking about?"
"I saw the look, Cassie, okay?" He kept his voice low. "So what, are you two together or something?"
Cassie almost lied again, but sighed and leant against the wall. "Yeah... in the future we're... well... we're engaged."
Sam's eyes shot wide and he stared at her in disbelief. "But you're... like 20?"
She frowned at him and snorted. "Dude, I'm 24."
"Oh... okay, do we know? You know... later?"
Cassie chewed the inside of her bottom lip, looking down slightly and crossing her arms.
"What is it?"
"Well... if I'm honest I rarely see you two." She met his eyes.
Suddenly he understood and a lump of some melancholy emotion grew in his throat. Dean doesn't make it. He remains as trapped in the job as he's ever been. "Oh..."
"But when I do it's always great." She smiled happily, trying to cheer her uncle up. "You have such great stories and you taught me so much. I'm glad in a way. Most kids hate their family at one point in their life. I never did."
Sam couldn't help smiling at that. "If you value Castiel's life, I wouldn't tell Dean. He'll lose it."
Cassie snorted, zipping up her bag. "Oh, I know."
There was a crashing sound downstairs and Dean shouted loudly for them. Sam and Cassie looked at each other then ran down the stairs.
Dean got thrown into the table and it broke under the force, sending paper and Sam's laptop flying.
"DEAN!" Sam shouted, looking for the attacker.
A narrow faced demon was standing in front of the open door; a smirk grew on his face. He took a step forwards and stopped when Castiel appeared before him. Cas went to put his hand on the demon's forehead, but he grabbed his wrist and swung him, throwing him towards the room. Castiel vanished then appeared again facing him. He's redirected himself so he'd fly right into the demon.
"Aw shit." The angel crashed into him and they both went through the wall. Cassie ran to her Dad and helped him up.
"You okay?"
"Son of a... yeah, I'm peachy! Where's Cas?"
The two climbed out of the hole they'd made in the wall sluggishly, moaning and wincing. Cassie frowned slightly, then swore and quickly searched for a weapon. Sam watched her.
"What?"
"Botis."
"What?" he asked again, only more confused.
"The demon! His name is Botis!" She met his eyes, he saw sheer panic in them.
Botis headed towards them, smirking again. Castiel tackled him; they rolled until Castiel was sitting on his chest and punched him. Botis caught his wrists and turned them again, he head butted Castiel's arm and his angel sword fell out of his sleeve. Cassie made a dive for it, but Botis head butted Castiel then rolled away from him, snatching it and kicking Cassie in the stomach. She flew back into the wall, denting it.
Castiel sat up.
"CASSIE!" He shouted. His eyes turned to Botis, utter rage filling them.
Botis swallowed his fear and gripping the sword tighter. Castiel jumped up and lunged at him. The fight that continued was a blur of moments that none of the Winchesters could follow. But suddenly Castiel was up against a wall, Botis forcing the sword towards his chest, the angel pushing his arms away. The tip of the knife cut into his chest slightly, white light showing. The angel cried out, gritting his teeth. Cassie jumped up, and grabbed Botis around his neck, dragging him back. Castiel slumped down to the floor, holding his chest. He'd gone very pale. Botis turned and slammed Cassie against the other wall, holding his arm against her neck, Dean grabbed his gun and Botis moved fast, putting her in front of him as a human shield.
"Go on Deany-bear. Shoot me and kill your..." Botis turned her slightly, looking at her face. He smiled and laughed slightly, "Daughter."
Castiel tried to stand but Sam went over to him and made him stay down.
"Let her go, asshat." Dean held his gun with white knuckles.
Botis held her closer. "Well... maybe after Lucy Goosey is done with her. Toodles."
He vanished, taking Cassidy with him.
"FUCK!" Dean saw loudly, kicking a chair.
Castiel groaned and Sam helped him up. "We have... to find her..." He fell, Sam catching him.
"You're not going anywhere, Cas." Sam remained calm for both of them. "Me and Dean will get her back. You stay here and heal."
"Lucifer, is waiting for you! He'll do anything he can to make you say yes."
"That's a risk we're going to have to take." Sam picked up and chair and sat him down.
"Cas it right, Sam. If Lucifer gets his hooves on you he'll screw you over faster than... than..." Cas and Sam looked at him and he frowned in thought. "Yeah, I got nothing."
"Faster than Sam got over your death?" Cas raised an eyebrow.
They both looked at him in shock. He looked between them. "Did that not work? How about, faster than Dean gave in in hell?"
When the looks didn't change, Castiel looked down. "Is this what you call 'too soon'?"
"Go stand outside." Dean pointed to the door.
"But-"
"NOW!"
Castiel pushed himself up and limped outside. A moment of silence fell. Dean broke it by looking at his brother, "How long did it take you?"
Sam cleared his throat. "We'd better get going."