Ch 9. Oops, I Did it Again
Based around "Free to be You and Me"
Several hours later, Dean let out a breath as the conversation attempts with Buffy grew increasingly difficult. If she wasn't receiving incessant phone calls from one of her crew, she was staring off through the window. He didn't feel the blazing tension as before but he knew there was something brewing in her mind that she was reluctant to reveal. He let his curiosity go as they passed the state line, heading Eastbound.
As exhaustion and hunger gripped his body, he veered off the highway and pulled into a motel parking lot adjacent to a diner.
"You want to eat first or clean up?"
Buffy shifted in her seat as she felt a very faint throbbing in her head.
"Um, clean up," she said.
Buffy strolled along side Dean as he ambled up to the manager's office. An old man with a shiny chrome waddled up to the desk and eyed him and Buffy with a disgruntled frown, noting their visible cuts and bruises.
"One king or two queens?" he asked.
"One king," Dean answered.
"Two queens," Buffy stated.
Dean shot a glance at Buffy when he was struck by her answer. He gauged the heavy exhaustion and irritability on her face. He let out a sigh as he shifted his attention to the manager.
"What she said," he surrendered.
The manager pushed the register book toward Dean and snatched a set of room keys from a board fastened to the wall.
"I'll wait outside," Buffy said as she ambled out of the office.
The manager cocked a bushy black eyebrow at Dean.
"I don't want no trouble here, so if you and the missus are gonna get into another brawl, you do it right. Go to the bar down the street," he grumbled as he held the room key out.
"Uh, right," Dean said as he took the key.
After a quick stride down an open corridor, Dean pushed the door open and let Buffy inside first. He flipped the light switch on as Buffy dropped her bag on one of the beds. She rummaged through her bag and yanked out a plastic case full of medical items. She peeled off her jacket and pushed up right sleeve, examining the large gash she had received from one of the demons in France. Dried blood was caked around her arm as she fetched some cotton balls and antiseptic.
Dean slipped off his own jacket and spied a look at Buffy. She was bleeding through her shirt as she tended to a wound on her arm.
"You check those gargoyles for rabies?" he cracked.
Buffy let out a slow breath as she tossed her clump of cotton balls in the trash. She fetched out some fresh cotton balls and began dabbing at her arm.
"You're gonna need some patchwork."
Buffy shifted her eyes around and noticed his sights staring at her back. She noticed a deep gash in her shoulder blade.
"Oh um, I didn't even realize I took a hit there," she said.
"You want me to stitch that up?"
"Um, yeah okay, but I don't have any needles."
Dean rifled through his bag and retrieved his own first aid kit.
"I got you covered," he said.
Buffy moved over on the edge of her bed, allowing Dean to sit next to her. She slowly peeled off her bloodied blouse and pulled her hair away from her back. Dean examined all the cuts and gashes on her back in various stages of healing. He took some gauze bandages and doused it in antiseptic, cleaning up all the blood from her wounds. As the minutes passed in silence, Dean focused on closing up the large gash in her shoulder blade before he couldn't brush away his curiosity any longer.
"If you wanted your own room, you should have said something," he remarked softly.
Buffy let out a deep breath as she turned her eyes behind her to regard his bewilderment.
"I just need a little more time," she imparted.
"And space apparently."
Buffy displayed a conflicted expression as she released a heavy sigh.
"Dean, I..."
"You don't have to explain," he said. "If you need time or space, just tell me…tell me how to fix this."
Buffy felt the tug of string as Dean sealed up the wound on her shoulder and snapped the remainder of thread off. She shifted around to meet his eyes and gave him a humbled expression.
"It's not that easy to fix," she said. "That requires a little more than a few stitches."
She returned his kindness by tending to the cuts on his face.
"We can't just go back to the way we were before. We can't pick up where we left off," she admitted.
Buffy let out a breath as she absorbed the deep gleam of his eyes as he watched her wipe a cut clean of blood.
"Okay, so...where do you want to pick up?"
Buffy gingerly pressed a Band-Aid over the cut and shaded with a small smile.
"We could try being...friends."
Dean shined his amazement. "Friends?"
"Yeah, you know, when you think about it, we were never really 'friends' – I mean, when we met we'd fight a lot and then eventually we'd um..."
Buffy met his eyes as she flashed him a knowing look. She drew a shy smile as she averted his eyes. She gulped before she went back to cleaning more cuts on his face.
"We've never really been 'friends'," she stated.
"Friends," he reiterated.
Buffy unexpectedly giggled at his wide eyed look.
"Yeah Dean, girls and boys can be friends without you know other stuff getting in the way."
"Oh, you mean the 'benefits' stuff," he cracked.
"Well, yeah, take me and Xander for example, we've been friends for a long time without it ever getting complicated."
"Really, I thought you said back in high school, he wanted to bang you," he said pointedly.
Buffy balked in offense. "I told you he had a CRUSH on me, stop making everything sound so bad."
Dean shrugged as Buffy put another small Band-Aid on his cheek.
"He was a teenage boy who was dialing on a hot sixteen year old girl. He may be just your friend now, but trust me back then he was thinking about you in a 'bad' way. I know I would have been," he cracked with a smile.
Buffy exuded her amusement as she shook her head.
"So you want me to be one of your 'benefit-less' friends, huh?"
Buffy absorbed the flare of disappointment in his eyes. She shrouded a frown of dismay.
"Is that ALL you want from me?"
Buffy narrowed her eyes on Dean as she stopped treating his wounds. Feeling the tension boiling in the room, Dean heaved a huge sigh.
"That's not what I meant," he stated.
Buffy studied him for a minute before she got to her feet and moved to the dresser.
"If you haven't noticed, I tend to be a dick," he quipped. "So I was just saying that if you really want to try this whole friendship bit thing, I don't know how long it will last before you get annoyed or pissed off at me and kiss my ass goodbye."
Buffy let her hurt die away when she gauged the humor in his eyes.
"Well, it doesn't take much for you to piss me off," she added.
"Yeah, so I've noticed."
As a silence drifted into the room, Buffy eyed the time and shuffled back to the bed.
"My head still kind of hurts," she revealed. "So um, can you just bring me something back from the diner?"
Dean rose from the bed and nodded as he slipped on his jacket.
"Yeah, you relax and...make me a nice bracelet while I'm out."
Buffy drew a curious look to Dean as she scooted back against the headboard.
"Huh? A bracelet?"
Dean paused at the door and shined a silly expression.
"Yeah, you know, don't I get one of those multicolored bracelets you weave from yarn or something?"
Buffy opened her mouth in awe. "You mean a friendship bracelet?"
"Yeah, that," he clarified.
"This isn't grade school Dean," she moaned.
Dean threw her a self-deprecating look. "Oh, so I'm not even worthy of a grade school bracelet."
Buffy heaved a sigh and shook her head. As she met his eyes, she bit down on her lips quavering with emotion.
"I just want to try having a relationship with you that isn't complicated by...things," she admitted softly. "I want to believe we have more than that."
Dean absorbed the heavy conflict in her eyes for a minute before he simply nodded and ambled out the door.
Buffy looked up in surprise when she heard the door opening a short time later. Dean walked in carrying a couple of large white take out bags that he set on a table.
"That was quick," she said. "I thought you'd be out for awhile."
Dean peeled his jacket off and started taking out the contents in the bags.
"Well, what kind of 'friend' would I be if I let you eat alone?"
Buffy shined a joyful smile as a delicious aroma wafted through the room. She hopped off the bed and took a seat at the table, eagerly snatching up a container of food.
"You want to watch a movie?" she asked.
Dean flipped on the television and looked over the programming schedule.
"Let's see what we got, hmm, 'Biloxi Beach Boobs'...talk about fun in the sun."
Buffy groaned and rolled her eyes. "You know I wasn't asking about those kinds of movies."
Dean scoffed lightly. "Come on, what kind of friend are you not wanting to watch what I want?"
The next morning, over a hearty breakfast at the diner, Buffy fervently skimmed through several different news sections. After downing her second cup of coffee, she looked up at Dean and noticed his quiet reflection.
"Penny for your thoughts," she said.
Dean shifted his eyes from the window and frowned in jest.
"Cheapskate," he said.
Buffy shrugged as she threw him a knowing look.
"Saving the world isn't a paid gig," she reasoned.
Buffy settled back in her seat and pushed her coffee mug aside.
"What's wrong?"
"Just trying to take in all the changes I guess," he admitted softly.
Buffy let out a sigh as she leaned forward.
"It's not going to be like this forever," she said.
"No, I didn't mean with you...well, you're part of it yeah but mostly I was talking about...being a solo gig again. It's been a long time since it was just me."
Buffy shook her head as she gave an encouraging smile.
"It's not just you."
Dean shifted his eyes to the newspaper in the center of the table, seeking a distraction from his inner musings.
"Anything look good in there?"
Buffy lit up with anticipation.
"As a matter of fact, there is."
Buffy unfolded the newspaper to a particular page and tapped on a photo.
"Bunch of people in Greeley, Pennsylvania were drained of blood, a couple barely survived and were hospitalized. Police are chalking it off as freak animal attacks in the area but I'm thinking there's a little late night snacking going on."
Dean perused some of the article and nodded.
"Okay, we'll check it out."
Greeley, PA
As Dean pulled up along side Taft Memorial hospital, Buffy put the finishing touches of her cover together. She smoothed out her navy slacks and white blouse, fastening her hair in a neat ponytail. She retrieved a Scooby Doo lunch box from her duffle bag and placed it in her lap as Dean cut the engine.
He straightened his tie as Buffy looked through several billfolds. She frowned with disappointment after a minute.
"I don't have a state ID for Pennsylvania anymore," she moaned. "Best I can do is Florida FBI branch."
Dean spied a look at the fake badge and I.D. before he noticed the other billfolds.
"You kept all the I.D.'s I scored for you?"
She shrugged casually as she checked her makeup in the side view mirror.
"I figured they'd come in handy again at some point."
"So you'd reap the rewards of all my hard work."
"Hey, it was the least you could do for breaking my heart," she cracked.
"Right, if you put it that way..." he remarked dryly.
They both got out of the car and paused on the street. Dean hid a long knife under his coat as Buffy slipped her stake in the cuff of her blazer. After a few minutes of waiting in the reception area, a man with wire framed glasses approached them.
Dean flashed his fake I.D.
"I'm with the Pennsylvania state PD," he said. "This is Louise Sawyer from the Miami FBI."
Buffy flipped her billfold containing her fake badge very briefly. The doctor eyed her curiously.
"FBI?"
Dean gave a very rigid nod. "Yeah, my office is cooperating with the bureau on a possible connection. Anyway, we're here to see a couple of your patients, the ones that were ensanguined."
The doctor nodded as he led Dean and Buffy down a corridor.
About an hour later, Dean and Buffy emerged from the hospital and swiftly returned to the car.
"Vampires in Amish country. I wonder if they wear those funny hats," she mused. "You know like the oatmeal guy."
"Uh, that guy is a Quaker," Dean clarified.
Buffy shrugged as she practically skipped across the street.
"Oh whatever, at least there's no research involved in this case," she said. "Body drained of blood, plus distinct fang marks makes for a happy Slayer. Tag it, stake it and say good night!"
Dean took in the sparks of excitement in her eyes as they reached the car.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you actually like working with me again."
Buffy peeled off her blazer as she climbed into the car.
"To be honest, it's kind of nice not to have to supervise over a bunch of green Slayers. With you, I can just dive right in and score an assist."
"More like steal the play and score your own goal."
"Well hey, I've got MAD skills you know," she teased. "Anyway, I actually feel...useful."
"You are," Dean affirmed as he pulled the car back onto the street.
After a long drive to the outskirts of town, Dean parked across the street from a bar where the victims had been seen the night of their attack. Buffy picked out her favorite dagger and stuffed it in her purse along with her stake. She followed Dean inside the bar which had just opened up its business hours.
Buffy glanced at the guy tending bar and shot her eyes to Dean, throwing him a knowing look. She tapped on her belly before she rolled up the cuff of her blouse and ripped the bandage from her arm, exposing the dark blood. Dean took out his badge and started questioning the bartender.
Buffy exaggerated a grimace as she picked at the dark blood.
"Oh gosh, this thing is SO itchy," she moaned.
Buffy noticed the bartender flinched very subtly as he eyed the blood in her wound. She wandered up to the bar and gave the bartender a casual look.
"Could I trouble you for a bandage mister? Wouldn't want to ooze blood all over your establishment."
Buffy purposefully raised her bloodied arm to the bartender's face. After a blink, he snarled very softly. She hardened her expression as the guy flared his fangs and roared.
Buffy snapped her arm out and threw the guy down against the bar. Dean took out his long knife and pressed it against the guy's neck. The vampire kicked his feet out, slamming them into Dean. Dean stumbled back as Buffy grabbed the vampire and threw him into the bar. She pinned him firmly down and glared at him.
"Are those fangs or are you just happy to see me?" she taunted as the vampire hissed at her.
The raging vampire launched a defensive attack within a flash. After a few minutes of sparring across the bar, Buffy and Dean wrestled the vampire down on the counter. Dean swiftly worked on hacking off the vampire's head.
"Suck it Edward!" Dean groaned as he cut through the layers of tissue, splattering blood all over his face and neck.
Buffy grimaced as she shook off blood and tissue from her hands. She winced when she yanked off a clump of skin from her hair. She flicked it off her finger as she moped at Dean.
"Okay, that was a little overkill," she whined.
She examined her white blouse now splattered with large spots of red.
"Great, another blouse bites the dust," she moaned.
Buffy felt the weight of a stare and shifted her eyes to Dean.
"What?"
Dean simply sighed and shook his head.
After trying to scrub the blood spots out of her blouse for almost an hour without much success, Buffy heaved a sigh and let it soak in the sink. She poked her head out of the motel room and spotted Dean at the gas station across the street, fervently washing the Impala. She moseyed through the convenience store and bought a couple magazines. She perched on the curb a few feet from Dean and flipped through one of the magazines when she noticed a small drive through car wash down the road.
"Why didn't you just pay the five bucks for the drive thru wash?"
"I needed something to pass the time."
Buffy hitched her eyes up from her magazine and noticed Dean making wide strokes of a soapy sponge over the hood.
"Oh," she said. "I thought you would have um...gone to a bar..."
Dean chucked the sponge in a bucket by his feet, his face knitted with frustration.
"I could have, but I figured that's a pretty thin thread I'd be walking on," he said as he threw her a knowing look.
Buffy crooked her eyes at Dean.
"Do what you want," she snapped softly.
Dean let out a big sigh as he massaged a ton of knots in the back of his neck.
"That's how I got in this shit with you," he grumbled.
Buffy balked loudly as she shot to her feet.
"You have NO right to be pissed at me," she snapped.
She pushed off toward the street in the direction of the motel. Dean stamped his eyes shut and blew out a calming breath.
"Dammit," he muttered.
He stepped off the curb and clapped a hand on her shoulder.
"Wait, you're right," he conceded. "I shouldn't be pissed."
Buffy turned back toward him and waited expectantly for an explanation.
"Give me a little bit of a break though," he moaned. "I mean, you drop back into my life and it was like...having a steak dinner every night for a month and then all of a sudden I'm supposed to go on one measly leaf of lettuce..."
Dean let out a deep sigh as he shifted anxiously in his stance. He swiftly walked back to the car and picked up some rags to start the drying process. Buffy watched him for a minute as he began drying the car like a mad dog.
She cleared her throat when the level of his pent up frustration was apparent in the almost frantic motions he made with the rags across the car.
"Are you frustrated by something else?"
"Yeah," he grunted softly.
She strolled back over to him as he drifted into his thoughts.
"You want to talk about it?"
"Not really," he uttered.
Dean paused in his actions and looked up at Buffy, taking in her soft expression.
"I've got about a million things going through my mind and none of it is good," he sighed. "So it's probably better that you go back to the room….relax and let me…..let me work it off."
Buffy perched on the walk, a little hesitant to leave him alone when she clearly saw the conflict raging in his eyes.
"I'll be done a little bit," he remarked.
"Um, okay," she said.
She observed him for a minute before wandering back to the motel.
After a half hour of soaking in a warm bath, Buffy emerged from the tub and shuffled into the main room, feeling the tension drifting out of her bones. A few minutes of towel drying her hair, she yanked on some panties and rummaged through her bag. Her eyes widened when she felt a tingling in her gut. She whipped around and squealed in horror when Cass suddenly appeared in the room. She backed up against the bed and threw her arms over her body to cover herself. She glared at Cass with deep annoyance.
"What the hell Cass? Didn't they teach you at Angel school to knock?"
Cass gulped as Buffy deepened her glare.
"Apologies," he said.
"Look AWAY Cass!"
Cass widened his eyes in embarrassment as he quickly shifted his sights away.
"Apologies."
"Turn around!" Buffy barked.
"Of course."
Cass obediently turned his back on Buffy. Buffy hurriedly yanked her damp towel from the floor and wrapped it around herself just as Dean popped through the door. He eyed her state of dress and Cass standing in the room, staring at the wall with an awkward expression on his face.
Dean stared at Cass and hitched an eyebrow up in suspicion.
"Uh, what's going on here?"
Buffy growled softly in her throat as she charged toward the bathroom. She threw a sharp glare at Cass.
"You are lucky you are on our side cuz I swear..." she moaned.
Buffy shook her head as she hastily snatched up her sleep wear and disappeared into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Dean stared at the door as the shocking sight settled in. Cass continued to stare at the wall as Dean set his car wash supplies on the table.
"You can turn around now Cass."
Cass cleared his throat and slowly turned around. Dean took in his complete look of remorse and shame.
"So...you saw her naked huh?" he asked with a tint of amusement.
Cass shifted awkwardly in his stance as he buried his hands in his coat pockets.
"Not completely," he said flatly.
Dean stared at Cass for a minute before he cracked a smile.
"You sound disappointed," he joked.
"I did not mean offense," Cass stated. "I was looking for you and...I inadvertently found..."
"Heaven in a little package?" Dean asked with a goofy grin.
Cass narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"Heaven is not small."
Dean shook his head as his humor fell on deaf ears.
"Okay, so you found me," he said. "But how did you, since you carved me up a nice little Angel cloaking device?"
Dean patted on his ribcage as Cass looked around the room.
"You still are hidden," Cass confirmed. "I inquired your location through Bobby."
Cass swept his eyes over the room one more time.
"Sam is not here?"
Dean flashed a disgruntled frown. "Nice deduction Sherlock, no, Sam's not around we're...taking a 'break' – anyway, what do you want?"
Dean and Cass shifted their sights to the bathroom door as it creaked open. Buffy scowled as she shuffled to her bed, dressed in her shorts and tee shirt. She plopped down on her bed and began rubbing lotion on her legs.
"So, how's your God hunt going? Can I get my necklace back now?"
Buffy glanced up and met Cass' eyes. She frowned at him, prompting him to immediately look away.
"I am still looking for him."
"Did you try Hawaii?" Dean asked with a sardonic tone.
Buffy let out her grievances and eyed Cass.
"What about that memo from dear old dad? You know the one you put in my head? Maybe there's a clue to where he is."
"That message was not intended for me," Cass said flatly.
Buffy shrugged as she set her bottle of lotion aside.
"Well, think of it as me letting you read it," she said. "I mean, what else have you really got? So if you want to wave your magic Angel hand, go ahead. Just keep your eyes ABOVE the horizon."
Buffy glared at Cass sternly. Cass glanced at Dean for guidance. Dean cleared his throat and casually brushed a hand across his neck. Cass very slowly approached Buffy and pressed his hand against her forehead. After a minute, he shined his disappointment.
"It is as I expected. I am unable to access it," he said.
Cass drifted back to Dean as Buffy got up to brush her teeth.
"I seek your assistance."
Dean shrouded a cynical frown.
"In looking for God? If that requires a little believing I'm afraid I can't really help you."
Cass shook his head. "No, I seek another."
"Oh? Who might that be?"
"The one responsible for my death."
Buffy paused in her action as Dean shined a bewildered look at Cass.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I speak of the ArchAngel named Raphael."
Dean snorted with amusement.
"A ninja turtle with wings killed you?"
"There has been talk that he is here on Earth. We must use this unique circumstance to our advantage."
"And do what exactly? Dish out some payback?"
"He has knowledge," Cass answered succinctly.
"Okay, so you're just gonna pop in, say hi, have a cup of tea and then what, he'll just give you the scoop on where God's having drinks?"
Cass frowned. "Yes, we will lure him to a location and force him to provide the information we seek."
Dean absorbed Cass' determined expression and shined his disbelief.
"You really want to do this," he remarked.
Dean shook his head as Cass remained silent and heavily brooding.
"Great, so you want me to be the Sundance Kid to your Butch Cassidy and we're just going hole up and bond for awhile before we decide to run out with guns a blazing and get cut down by the Bolivian army."
Cass stared at Dean with wide confusion.
"I do not understand what you speak of," he stated.
Dean let out a deep scoff.
"It's a bad idea," he clarified sharply.
Buffy returned to her bedside and snorted with amusement.
"Like you've never had a bad idea or two, or TEN," she pointed sharply.
Dean heaved a sigh and acknowledged her knowing look.
"Yeah, okay, so I'm the King of Bad Ideas," he groaned. "Which is even more reason to heed my words Cass. I mean, why the hell should I go to Bolivia with you huh?"
Cass deepened his confused expression.
Dean huffed deeply before he explained, "Why should I put my ass on the line?"
"You are protected as the vessel of Michael," Cass reiterated. "The angels will not harm you."
"Oh, so I'm YOUR body armor now," Dean groused.
"No one else will help me," Cass noted.
Buffy was surprised to hear a tint of desperation in his tone. She let out a deep breath as she dug out a change of clothes and got to her feet.
"I'll help you," she offered.
Buffy shifted her eyes to Dean.
"You do owe it to him Dean, after everything he's done for you, everything he put on the line for you," she admonished lightly. "He's your friend and even if they have crazy ideas, you step up to bat for them because they do the same for you."
Buffy shuffled toward the bathroom and shut the door.
"Okay," Dean sighed as he looked back at Cass. "I'll help you go turtle hunting."
"Thank you," Cass said.
"Any ideas on where to start looking?"
Cass nodded as Buffy emerged from the bathroom in black jeans, a white turtleneck and her black leather jacket. She grabbed her pillow she used for road trips, her brush and makeup case and clutched them under her arm.
"Yes, he is in Maine. We will leave at once."
"I'm ready," Buffy imparted.
Cass readied his two fingers for celestial transport as Dean staggered away with an apprehensive expression.
"Uh, I'd prefer to drive Cass," he replied. "No offense."
Buffy zipped up her jacket and glanced at Dean in curiosity as he fetched his keys.
Several hours later of driving at top speed, Dean caught Cass studying Buffy in the rear view mirror as she slept in the back seat.
"Are you picturing her naked?"
Cass sheepishly drew his eyes forward.
"No," Cass said flatly. "I was curious."
"About what she looks like naked?"
Cass kept his eyes forward as Dean nudged him in the arm and chuckled.
"Dude, it's okay considering your situation, so just this once, I won't punch your lights out," he said. "I mean you got a little taste and you can't help but wonder what the rest of the exquisite portrait looks like."
"I do not entertain such thoughts," Cass remarked.
Dean stared at Cass in shock.
"Seriously? Never? I mean even if you are dead so to speak, you're still a man aren't you? At least you're wearing a man's skin so, you've got to be feeling urges and have lusty thoughts on the brain on occasion."
"No, it is a sin," Cass answered.
"Yeah, but killing other Angels has got to be some kind of sin too," Dean pointed. "So, you might as well jump into the naughty pool now."
Dean caught Cass stealing another look at Buffy in the rear view mirror.
"Okay, I'll bite, what's got you so curious about the little firecracker? I can answer any question you have, let's see…..Yes, she's a matching set…."
Dean shot Cass a sly smile.
"Everything is small and tight about her and DAMN fantastic….she's as flexible as you would think….."
Cass shifted his eyes forward.
"She is helping me even though I offended her."
Dean blew out the excitement stirring in his body from his own thoughts.
"Oh," he sighed. "Well, that's just how she is."
"She is the Slayer, a very selfless, brave warrior."
"Well yeah, that, but I'm talking about her as a person," Dean noted with a humbled smile. "She does things for people because she cares, even the ones that offend her on occasion. Take me, I offend her like every five minutes but she's still sticking around."
"Yes, I am quite curious of your relationship with the Slayer," Cass admitted.
"Well that makes two of us," Dean professed.
Cass glanced at Dean and displayed his cluelessness.
"I'm trying to say, it's complicated but then again, it always has been."
"Then why continue if it is too difficult?"
Dean shrugged with a casual look.
"Why do you continue believing in God when he hasn't shown his face?"
"Because I feel he is out there," Cass stated.
"Okay, well, Goldilocks and I – we go through a lot of rough patches – some major ones - but once we climb out of it, we hit this groove, you know? Where everything just falls into place and you feel….like you can do anything. So even when she hates me or we're not getting along, in my crazy mind, I'm thinking, I'm hanging onto that point where we hit that groove. Because when we're there, it's awesome," Dean remarked with a silly smile.
"So you have Faith in your relationship with the Slayer, despite the bad times," Cass assessed.
"Yeah, I guess so," Dean said. "But it hasn't always been easy because, I'm sure she'll tell you how I tend to screw things up a lot."
Dean shot a glance in the rear view mirror as Buffy shifted in her sleeping position.
By the morning, they reached the town of Waterville, Maine. Dean parked across the street from the local sheriff's station as he and Cass got out. Buffy roused from her slumber and let out a yawn. She stumbled out of the backseat and began fixing her hair.
"So why are we in Maine?" Dean asked as he glanced at the sheriff's station.
Buffy leaned against the backseat door and flipped her compact open, quickly applying her makeup.
"The archangel was seen by the deputy sheriff," Cass answered.
Dean displayed his incredulousness.
"And he can still see?"
Buffy clicked her compact shut and stuffed it in her purse.
"Okay, so, how do you want to do this?" Dean asked.
Cass shoved his hands in the pockets of his trench coat and drew a confident expression.
"It is simple. We will inform the deputy of his encounter with an Angel of the Lord. He will then inform us of where to find the Angel."
Buffy stared at Cass in disbelief before she shifted her sights to Dean.
"I take it Cass has never worked a case with you, has he?"
Cass eyed Buffy as she threw an amused look at Dean.
"That's not really going to work Cass," Dean urged. "You can't just go to the deputy and tell him truth. It's not that simple."
"Why is it not?"
"Because this is planet Earth," Buffy interjected. "And we're not all pious folks. Plus, sometimes the truth can do you more harm than good."
Cass narrowed his eyes, deepening his perplexed expression as Dean yanked out another fake badge.
"In what way?" Cass asked.
"Well, if you start blabbing about angels and God and demons for that matter, you might end up in a jail cell or the loony bin," Buffy remarked.
"Then what do you suggest?"
Dean stuffed the fake badge in Cass' coat pocket as Buffy shrugged.
"We do what we always do when we need something really badly, smile, look good and lie through our teeth," she said.
"This is a form of deception," Cass stated flatly.
Dean cocked his head as he straightened Cass' tie.
"Or, for us humans, it's a profession called politics," he cracked. "In some cases, you can get to the White House."
He patted Cass on the back as the three made their way into the Sheriff's station.
After questioning the receptionist, Dean followed her sights as she pointed out the deputy sheriff. He walked over with Buffy on his right, Cass slightly behind him.
"Hey, Framingham, Deputy Sheriff, right?"
Framingham swung around as Dean flashed his FBI badge.
"I'm Ted Striker, with the Bureau," he lied.
Buffy flipped her fake ID out and flashed it.
"My partner Lorna Patterson," Dean added. "And this is Steve McCrosky, also with us."
Buffy and Dean stared at Cass for a minute until he finally understood their silent cue. He yanked out the fake badge and flashed it quickly. Buffy stifled a snort of amusement when Cass inadvertently displayed the badge upside down. Dean gave the deputy an apologetic look as he turned Cass' badge over.
"Uh, sorry, he's a new recruit, supposed to be shadowing us today," he covered. "Anyway, do you have a few minutes to answer some questions for us?"
Framingham eyed the three as he nodded.
"Sure do," he replied. "But keep it to this ear please."
Framingham tapped on his right earlobe as he led the three into his office.
"I'm afraid the other one is completely shot," he said.
"Oh, sorry to hear that. Whenabouts did that happen?" Dean asked.
"At the gas station," Framingham revealed. "That is why you're asking me questions?"
Dean nodded with a poised smile.
"Yes."
Dean and Cass took seats in the two chairs by Framingham's desk, while Buffy leaned against a credenza.
"So deputy, could you, just for the record, review the events that took place at the gas station?"
Framingham settled into his seat and folded his hands together.
"Well, dispatch relayed the call, disorderly antics going down at the Pump and Go, the one on route four."
"Oh, what type of disorderly antics?"
Framingham glanced at the doorway of his office before shifting his sights to Dean.
"Never would have believed it if I hadn't been there to see it with my own eyes," he imparted. "Total anarchy – like those L.A. riots that went down in '92."
"What was the casualty rate?" Buffy interjected.
Framingham shifted his eyes to Buffy.
"I'd estimate around thirty-five, probably more, since it seemed to be like a warzone, an 'us or them' kind of thing."
"Do you have any theories as to what started it all?"
"Angels against demons," Cass blurted. "They have begun battling for territory here."
Framingham stared at Cass in bewilderment.
"Excuse me?"
Framingham glanced at Dean.
"I didn't hear him, can you say that again?"
Dean flashed Cass a look before he cleared his throat.
"Creatures of evil," Cass clarified. "Demonic beings."
Buffy bit back another burst of amusement as Dean discreetly smacked Cass in the arm.
"Uh, forgive him deputy, he's not supposed to give input, just watch and learn," he said.
Dean threw Cass another scolding look out of the deputy's sights.
"He thinks the FBI is just like X-Files, you know?" Dean forced out along with a laugh.
Framingham stared at Dean and Cass with an odd look.
"Uh, okay."
"Moving on," Buffy said. "So after the bloodshed, what happened after that?"
"Huge damn explosion," Framingham revealed. "The fire department claims it was a leak in an underground gas tank but I seriously doubt it."
Dean studied the deputy for a second. "Oh, why is that?"
Framingham eyed the doorway of his office again before he leaned forward.
"Well, um, usually explosion are all fire and black smoke clouds and stuff but this….this wasn't anything like that…..there was just a…."
"Brilliant white light," Cass finished.
Framingham shined his surprise but nodded.
"Yes, that was it and then the next you know, the whole gas station was obliterated along with everyone around it….except for one guy….it was strange. He was just staring off and kneeling, completely unharmed by the chaos that had gone on."
Dean flashed a knowing look to Cass before he regarded the deputy.
"You got a name for this guy?"
"Yeah, it's Donnie. Donnie Finnerman, he's a mechanic at the station."
"So then what, one minute he was kneeling and the next he just….disappeared?" Buffy asked.
"No, he went into shock, he was checked into St. Pete's," the deputy answered.
"Interesting, well, thanks for your help deputy," Dean remarked with a smile.
Dean got to his feet, prompting Cass to get up as well. As the three peeled out into the street, Dean blew out a breath and shook his head at Cass.
"That went well," he groused. "I guess I should have schooled you a bit more in the art of lying."
Cass simply shined his obliviousness as Buffy released the amusement she had held back for awhile. She folded over and snickered for a minute.
"You could have jumped in a bit more too," Dean grumbled.
"And miss out on the Cass and Dean comedy show? You were fumbling on your own just fine."
A short time later, after arriving at St. Pete's and locating Donnie's room, Dean, Cass and Buffy perched outside the hallway window and looked in. Donnie was settled in a wheelchair, staring at a wall with a completely blank look on his face.
Dean widened his eyes at the physical state of the archangel.
"That's not Raphael is it? Because he doesn't look very intimidating."
Cass shook his head.
"No, that is just his vessel when he is not occupied by his host."
Dean swallowed a huge lump of dread and horror as he stared at Donnie's vegetative state.
"Are you saying that's what's in store for me if 'ol Mikey takes up shop in my body?"
Buffy edged closer to the window, feeling her own swarm of horror flooding her throat.
"No," Cass said flatly.
Dean heaved a huge sigh of relief.
"It will be a lot worse," Cass added. "Michael's power greatly exceeds Raphael's."
Dean forced his staring eyes away from the window as Buffy felt her cell phone buzzing in her purse. She stepped back from the window and took out her phone as Dean and Cass drifted toward the exit door.
After finding a cabin way off the beaten path, Buffy finally wrapped up her long conference call as she walked in behind Dean.
"Me? I'm um on an archangel hunt…um, yeah, if you need me…..okay."
Buffy glanced at Cass as he followed Dean through the cabin.
"No, no, I'll uh….I'll see about getting there on my own, thanks."
She put her phone away as Cass assessed the space.
"This will be suitable," he said.
"Okay so, now what?" Dean asked as he dropped a few things on a dusty table.
"There is a ritual I need to perform," Cass stated. "But I am in need of an important element."
"Well, I'm a traveling pawn shop, what do you need?"
"It is not here, I believe it is in Jerusalem," Cass said.
Buffy settled her bag in a corner and dug out her stake and a few other weapons that she shoved in her pockets.
"Oh, that's like a hop, skip and a jump from Esme, Turkey, isn't it?"
Dean blinked in surprise as Buffy approached Cass.
"Mind if I hitch a ride with an angel taxi?"
Cass stared at her with curiosity as she blew out her impatience.
"You're heading out, and so am I, can you take me some place on your way?"
Cass nodded.
"Yes, of course."
"You're dropping out of our fun little turtle hunt to go to Turkey?"
Buffy heaved a sigh as she buttoned up her coat.
"Some big dust up is going on and Suri needs some seasoned backup. I'll be back as soon as I'm done."
She rummaged through her pockets and fished out several vials filled with a dark violet liquid. She stuffed them back in her pocket and narrowed her eyes on Dean.
"Try not to do anything stupid while I'm away, okay?"
"Define stupid."
Buffy narrowed her eyes even more.
"Dean stupid," she snapped lightly.
Dean drew an amused grin. "Okay, I'll just stick to doing regular stupid stuff then."
Buffy rolled her eyes as she stepped beside Cass. Within a blink, the two disappeared from the cabin.
A breath later, Buffy blinked rapidly when she was standing in the middle of a Turkish town. As Cass stepped away, Buffy quickly retrieved a small glass bottle from her inner coat pocket.
"Wait," she said.
Cass perched a few feet away as Buffy walked up to him and pumped out a few sprays from the bottle. Cass stared at her in wonder as she put the bottle back in her pocket.
"A friend of mine whipped up a special concoction, a potion that can track celestial beings like you anywhere on Earth, so, if you get attacked by a demon or your bad angel brothers, I'll be able to poof in with an assist."
Buffy clicked a few buttons on her phone and studied the screen.
"Okay, looks like it worked, got a reading on you," she said as she put her phone away.
"Thank you."
"No problem, thanks for the ride."
Buffy pushed off down a dusty road as Cass vanished.
Several hours later, Dean looked up from his dad's journal when he heard footsteps behind him. Cass ambled into the cabin carrying an ancient looking ceramic jar and wandered toward Dean.
"Hey, so how was your trip to the Holy Land?"
"Uneventful," Cass answered.
"Oh, that's good I guess."
Dean drew a curious expression as he was hit with a strange scent when Cass walked by him.
"Are you wearing perfume?"
Dean lit up with a proud smile.
"Did you stop off at a harem?"
"No."
Cass set the ancient jar on the table as Dean glanced at it for a second.
"You went to Jerusalem to pick up some décor? I don't think it really goes with the rest of the place," he cracked.
"It contains a very rare oil."
Cass settled down into a chair as he turned the jar in his hands.
"An oil? You plan to net Raphael with a little salad dressing?"
"It is the key to the ritual," Cass explained.
"Okay, well, when's it happening?"
"The break of dawn."
"Okay, so you plan to trap him with this special oil of yours but it sounds like the equivalent of catching a hurricane in a net, right?"
"It is much more difficult."
Dean drew a grim frown.
"Isn't it always," he groaned. "Well, what are the chances we'll come out of this alive?"
"Excellent for you," Cass answered.
"But not for you? So you're saying it's very possible that you're gonna be eating dirt sometime tomorrow?"
Cass nodded. "It is very likely."
"That sucks," Dean griped. "Well, how do you plan on spending your last night on earth?"
Cass looked out the window and took in the night sky.
"I will sit here in quiet reflection," he answered.
Dean shined his disbelief as Cass seemed perfectly content sitting by the window.
"You've got one night left on Earth and you want to spend it here, just sitting?"
"Yes."
"Oh come on Cass," Dean moaned. "This is your chance to really go out with a bang. Isn't there something you really want to try? Don't you want, I don't know, ten kegs of beer and a leather clad lady with a….whip?"
Cass shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Dean deepened his stare of wonder.
"No," he said. "I would like to just sit here."
"Seriously, you shouldn't go out alone or quietly. So…"
Dean nudged Cass in the arm with a silly smile on his face.
"What flavor do you like huh?"
Cass shifted his eyes from the window and studied Dean curiously.
"Of what?"
"Of women, blonde, brunette, redhead? Or….all three squeezed together in a variety of skimpy outfits?"
Dean snorted with amusement as Cass fidgeted in his seat, not answering. His face shaded with awkwardness as he went back to observing the night scene through the window. Dean picked up on his hesitation and stared at him.
"Wait a minute, you have had, you know, the pleasure of a woman's company before, right?"
Cass shifted awkwardly in his seat again as he kept his eyes trained on the window.
"I have not," he answered softly.
"Seriously? You've never even made a little angel love while you were upstairs?"
Cass cleared his throat as he massaged the back of his neck with his hand. After a very long minute, Dean deepened his look of wonder.
"No," Cass finally admitted.
"Wow," Dean gasped.
Dean collected his jacket and slipped it on.
"Well, I may not know a lot of things about the future, but I'm positive of at least two things – the first is that, somewhere in the world it's happy hour, and second – you're going to go out with a real 'bang'," he mused with a smirk. "So come on."
Cass shifted nervously in the passenger seat as Dean sped down the highway.
"Where are you taking me?"
Dean flashed a sly smile.
"It's a surprise."
He chuckled as he was hit with another whiff of perfume wafting in the car. He took a heavy sniff as his mind struck with wonder.
"I know that scent," he said as he scratched his head. "Why the hell do I know that scent?"
He sniffed deeply as the scent suddenly registered in his mind. He frowned in suspicion as he eyed Cass.
"Hey, that's 'Wild Honeysuckle'," he assessed in a sharp tone. "Eight ninety nine a bottle at Heather's Intimates – you can only buy that particular scent at the flagship store in Cleveland where a certain girl I know frequents. So, tell me Cass, why the hell do you smell like her, huh? Did you really go to Jerusalem or did you meet with a certain little blonde in a motel somewhere in the world to have a sordid affair?"
Dean deepened his dubious stare as Cass shifted in his seat.
"The Slayer sprayed me with it. It contains some sort of potion," he explained.
Dean didn't break from his dubious glare as he cocked an eyebrow.
"A love potion?"
"She said it was a magic potion that informs her of when I am in danger."
Dean studied Cass for several seconds before he blew out a breath to stave off the hot feelings brewing through his system.
"Oh," he replied. "So she rigged you with an angel lojack."
"You are familiar with her scent?"
"Yeah, I know all of her scents, artificial and….natural."
"I do not understand."
"Never mind."
A few minutes later, Cass was shaking in his bones, his face knitted with complete terror as Dean sat back in his seat, enjoying a drink and throwing friendly smiles at the attractive girls in scantily clad outfits prancing by their table. He glanced at Cass who seemed to turn a sheet whiter with each passing minute. He snickered as he knocked back his drink.
"Geez Cass, you look like you're about to die," he quipped. "Drink up. Let your hair down."
Cass shuddered as more girls roamed around.
"You have brought me to a house of depravity," he said sharply. "This is wrong."
Dean batted a hand dismissively and chuckled.
"Oh come on man, you broke the rules in your dad's house, depravity is your reward."
A busty blonde girl in a pink teddy sashayed down the aisle. Dean eyed her as she neared the table. He threw Cass a teasing smile.
"Okay, curtain's up buddy."
The busty blonde posed by the table and beamed a flirtatious smile.
"Well hey there, what's your name good looking?"
Dean snorted with great amusement as Cass avoided looking at the girl, clattering in his seat.
"His name is Cass," Dean answered.
Cass widened his eyes at Dean.
"What about you sweetheart? Got a name for the pretty face?"
The girl widened her coquettish smile.
"I'm Chastity."
Dean ripped with laughter as he sipped more of his drink.
"Well, isn't that a stroke of fate huh Cass?"
He chuckled some more as he eyed Chastity.
"Well Chastity, he's dishing on you, you're dishing on him, looks like the stars have aligned tonight."
He raised his glass high in toast.
"So as the Hebrews say – dayenu!"
Dean smiled as he took a long sip watching Chastity tugging Cass out of his seat.
"Let's have some fun," Chastity cooed.
Cass tumbled out of his seat and nearly fell to the floor. He steadied his balance as he stared at Dean with wide, fearful eyes.
"I wish to retreat," he stammered.
Dean chuckled again as he slipped out of the booth.
"Oh you'll be fine, Cass," he said dismissively.
Dean fished out his wallet and removed several large bills.
"Here you go."
He threw a look over Cass' shoulder before returning his sights to the frightened angel.
"Don't give her any plastic if she asks for it or tries to coerce you," he warned. "Don't get any of the specials – just ask for the standard shake and bake, got it?"
Dean stuffed the bills in Cass' hand who stood completely frozen.
"Dude, do not make me drag you in there."
After a long minute, Cass slowly tucked the money in his hand and followed Chastity down a hallway. Dean enjoyed another bout of amused laughter as he strolled back to his table. He picked up his glass and smiled at a girl who passed by him.
"Cheers."
Buffy heaved a deep breath as she took form outside a darkly lit building. She swept a thick lock of hair from her face and prodded the blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. She straightened the hem of her coat as she crossed a dirt road and eyed the neon sign that said 'Cloud Nine'. As an old man in a blazer swung out the front door, Buffy widened her eyes when she caught sight of a bevy of half naked girls chatting with the male patrons. She groaned in her throat as she felt her belly tugging with an unsettling sensation.
She blew out a sigh as she ambled toward the front entrance. As she reached the door, she heard a fit of male laughter echoing from the side of the building. She pivoted toward an alley and narrowed her eyes when she saw Dean folded over in hysterics as Cass simply stared at him in wonder.
"...I can't even remember that last time I laughed so much and so hard!" Dean roared as he laughed some more.
"You have got to be kidding me," Buffy moaned.
Dean cut his amusement short when he heard the familiar voice. He straightened as he saw Buffy looking over Cass' disheveled clothing and awkward expression.
"What's going on?" she asked sharply.
Cass gulped under the weight of the Slayer's glare.
"I wished to sit in silence," he stressed as he retreated to the car.
Buffy took in Cass' complete humiliation before she settled her scolding glare on Dean.
"I told you not to do anything stupid," she said sternly.
Dean cleared his throat as he shifted in his stance.
"All I was doing was trying to make my friend's last night on earth more...memorable," he reasoned.
"By taking him to a brothel?"
Buffy sighed in exasperation as she rolled her eyes.
"God, I should have known," she groaned. "Cass might die tomorrow so what do you do? You show him how to go out the Dean Winchester way. I cannot believe you."
Buffy shook her head as she spun around and pushed down the alley.
"I was just trying to help out a friend before he marches off into the crossfire."
Buffy bolted abruptly in the alley and whipped around as Dean caught up to her.
"Well, I'm his friend too, maybe you should have waited for me to get back so I could loan myself to him," she scoffed.
Dean studied her for a minute in wonder.
"Are you serious?"
Buffy shrugged, exaggerating a casual look.
"Maybe. I mean, I'd think Cass is more comfortable with me than some random hooker. And let's see, if I think about it, he's brooding, mysterious and easy on the eyes – pretty much my type so..."
Dean balked as he frowned deeply with resentment.
"Wow, now I cannot believe you," he grunted.
He propped his hands on his hips and shook his head in mass disbelief.
"You'd pimp yourself out to Cass?"
Buffy bit back her disgust as she shrugged in response.
"If it really is his last night on earth, I should give him a little comfort you know? I know you would do the same if you had, say an angel to conveniently keep you company," she said bitterly.
Dean shook his head as he glowered at her.
"Oh, so is that what this is about? A revenge lay?"
Buffy cocked her head as she mocked a doe eyed look.
"Well, why should you be the only one to experience a 'heavenly' lay? Mind if Cass and I borrow the Impala for an hour or two?" she asked sardonically.
Dean stared at her in shock as a tense silence sifted through the air.
"Jesus Christ," he barked.
He dipped his eyes to the ground as his mind rumbled with a flurry of thoughts. He exhaled a heavy sigh and shook his head as he bit back the impulsive urge to let out an assortment of curse words. He settled his eyes on her sour glare.
"You know what, fine, if you think this is gonna help you stop drudging up my past mistakes, then..."
He pulled out his car keys and shook them at her, the harsh lines on his face thickening.
"Do what you want," he said sharply. "If you're going to play it this way, maybe I'll just make a pit stop at a cemetery and wait for a nice female fang to crawl up and take her for a ride huh?...wait, wait, make it TWO fangs if we're going by YOUR past history."
Buffy drew a heavily pained look as he deepened his glare. She growled low in her throat as she charged toward him. She scowled at him as her voice quavered with hurt.
"You're not the only one to have been cut so deep by a Winchester that you want to die sometimes just to make the pain go away," she snapped. "You're not the only one who has faith in a person and keeps getting let down."
Buffy sniffed back the tears gathering force in her eyes as she bit down on her shaking lips. She brushed sharply by Dean and started walking away.
Dean felt his icy shell fracturing quickly as the look of sheer pain on her face slammed through his mind. He stamped his eyes shut and blew out a long breath before he swung around.
"Okay, so I keep doing stupid stuff, what do you want me to do?"
Buffy halted at the edge of the alley and slowly pivoted to meet his eyes. She noticed his expression had softened and his eyes were flaring with conflict as he drifted over to her.
"I want you to GROW UP," she barked softly. "Because until then...what we have, isn't going to be fixed any time soon."
Buffy heaved a breath as she turned back and walked to the car. Cass was patiently waiting by the passenger side when Buffy ambled over, Dean a significant distance away. When the two got in the car, Cass eyed them both curiously but remained silent.
Back at the cabin, Cass made preparations to trap Raphael, drawing a large circle with the oil in the middle of the main room. After a quick discussion of a plan, Cass vanished leaving Buffy and Dean alone in the cabin. She threw him a steely look as she tried to find a comfortable place to camp out. She wedged herself into a corner of the room, stuffing her coat behind her as cushioning. As she tried to get settled, she noticed Dean watching her from the table, his face stoic. She shifted onto her side, patting the coat a few times as she burrowed on top of it.
"Buffy, I..."
Buffy folded her arms over herself as she absorbed the heavy sorrow in his tone.
"Can we please just focus on this Raphael thing? I'm exhausted and I...I can't take anymore tonight," she replied shakily.
Feeling her eyes swelling with tears, she averted her sights from Dean. She heard him release a deep sigh as his chair creaked under the shifting of his weight.
"Yeah," he acceded softly.
Early the next morning, while Buffy was still sleeping in the cabin, Dean drove back to St. Pete's and found Cass lingering in the hallway outside of Donnie's room. An attractive young nurse noticed Dean and flashed him a shy smile. Dean merely nodded at the girl, holding back his impulsive urge to return her interest. After his tense confrontation with Buffy, he had turned restlessly in his sleep for several hours before he finally gave up and just sat in the Impala listening to the radio.
He didn't know why she kept coming back when it was clear he continued to hurt her through the most subtle actions. But if he pushed her out of his life to keep from hurting her, he knew that was a fate worse than death. He had crushed her heart too many times to just react on his first instinct. When all this crap with Sam and the Angels was over, if he managed to survive the gigantic mess he had made; he was going to take some time with her to figure things out for good. He was falling into old habits mainly because it was easy and familiar and safe. He knew the outcome of his frequent behaviors and he had learned to live with them. But now, he had to revise his thinking, revise his impulsive nature with Buffy back in the mix. She was always the source of a good kick in the pants when he needed it and these days, it seemed he needed it by the hour.
Dean swept his sights down the hall before he slipped into Donnie's room and shut the door behind him. He drew the shades closed as Cass poured the oil around Donnie's wheelchair.
"Okay, so how does this work?" Dean asked as he watched Cass complete the circle.
"An angel cannot pass through nor make any contact with the circle of oil once it burns. If he does, it is instant death."
"Huh, interesting. Sounds like a pretty nice way to box him in. But the question is, how are you going to lure him into the box?"
Cass set the jar down and stepped over the circle of oil, edging toward Donnie.
"A vessel and his angel are like a seamless line of contact. It is a matter of knowing how to effectively dial the line."
Cass leaned down to Donnie's ear and rattled off an Enochian chant.
"It's me Raphael," he whispered. "I'll be here waiting you, you sonofabitch."
Cass straightened and walked out of the circle.
"Uh, wow Cass, different side of you," Dean remarked. "Anyway, how long do you think we'll be on hold until we're patched through to the wingy turtle?"
"We must be prepared at any moment."
Cass struck a match and tossed it into the oil. Dean watched as a ring of flames shot around Donnie.
As the sun settled into the horizon, Buffy wandered through the cabin as she munched on a couple candy bars. She pulled the shutters over the window to a close as the night sky stamped out the light outside. After several more candy bars, she moved to the dusty table as thunder roared in the distance. She shuffled into the main area of the cabin when she felt an odd flurry in her belly. She heard a strange crackle in the air as the bulbs in the cabin exploded, followed by a blinding white light.
Dean veered the Impala onto the dirt drive of the cabin. When he got out, he took pause with Cass as sheer white light bled through the cracks of the cabin. A short breath later, the two ambled into the cabin to see Donnie inside, flashing hot lightning into the main living area. A distinct shadow of wings banked off the wall behind Donnie, showing the presence of Raphael. The archangel gripped Buffy by the neck as her head hung low, her eyes shut, her hands at her side, her body completely still.
"Hello Castiel," Raphael said with a menacing expression.
"Let the Slayer go Raphael," Cass warned. "And return her to a conscious state."
"You do not make demands," Raphael said sharply. "If I were not merciful like most of our brothers, the Slayer would be dead along with you. I could strike you down right here."
"But you won't or you would have already," Dean interjected. "And maybe that's because you're just blowing smoke up our ass. Because you're scared that your dear 'ol daddy will revive Cass again so he can rain down a wall of pain on you. In case you were wondering, I'm Dean. THEE Dean, you might have heard about me through the water cooler chat upstairs."
Dean drew a cocky smirk at Raphael who simply stared at him with an icy glare.
"I am aware of who you are," Raphael stated flatly. "And now I know how to find you."
Cass narrowed his eyes in an intimating glare.
"You cannot harm him," he said.
"I don't need to," Raphael replied. "Michael wants his vessel. I shall bring it to him."
Dean mocked a shudder of fear.
"I am SO scared, NOT," he grunted. "Hate to break it to you but you're not taking me anywhere."
"Then I will hurt the Slayer," Raphael said caustically. "I will make her suffer something more painful than the hemorrhaging Zachariah struck her with. I have more imagination than he does."
"No, you really don't," Dean said firmly. "And you know why? Because you should have figured out that this was a damn trap, you stupid Ninja turtle!"
Dean tossed his lighter into the circle of holy oil. Large flames spat up and surrounded Raphael who flared with fury. Buffy snapped her eyes open and threw the small vile clutched in her hand down to her feet, smashing it. The purple liquid inside formed into a gas, consuming her body until she disappeared. Raphael glared at Dean and Cass.
"Uh, for the record, this was all Cass' plan, not mine," Dean confessed as he backed away from the flaming circle.
"Tell me where he is," Cass barked.
Raphael scoffed. "You mean God? Sorry Castiel but he's not around, not in Heaven, not on Earth, so there is only one option left."
Cass shook his head. "No, I do not believe that is he dead."
"Why not? Why do you keep denying what it obvious? You were around for the twentieth century, seen the death and destruction of these uncivilized societies. If God were alive, why would he let humanity he loves so much continue to suffer?"
"Because he's a lazy, unfeeling bastard," Dean groused.
"You watch your mouth," Raphael said sternly. "That is my father you speak of."
"Right, your dearest daddy, if he were here now, I'm sure he'd be shining a proud smile upon his sons for conspiring to start the end of the world. Break out the cigars," Dean grunted.
"You find humor in a world without God, he who abandoned you and left you alone with no guidance or direction."
"So you and your brothers are home alone and you thought, let's party with an apocalypse?"
"With the end, brings the beginning of eternal paradise. It is what we have been waiting for," Raphael stated flatly.
"Oh yeah? Well I've been waiting for the call to be the lead singer of Led Zeppelin," Dean cracked sharply.
Seeing the same obliviousness on the archangel's face, Dean scowled.
"You're dreaming if you think you can just touch down on Earth and do whatever you want without parental supervision," he clarified sharply.
"No, it is not a dream, it is real, and it is now, because God is gone," Raphael remarked in an eerie tone.
"Then how am I alive?" Cass posed.
"Maybe it was Lucifer that brought you back, have you ever considered that?"
"Never," Cass declared emphatically.
"Never say never," Raphael taunted. "Give it some thought. He can use all the rebellious angels he can get when the End begins. It makes sense if you really think about it."
Cass edged back toward the door. Raphael glared furiously.
"Do not walk away Castiel," he warned. "There is no place you can go where I will not find you."
"Yes, perhaps another day. As for tonight, I'm the boss of you!" Cass barked as he charged out the door.
Dean turned to follow Cass before he paused and tried to think of something clever to add.
He shrugged and said, "Ditto!"
Dean stepped out of the cabin to see Cass perched a few feet outside the door. He surveyed the distance and saw Buffy perched on a fence at the edge of the property, watching the perimeter of the cabin, clutching several weapons.
He ambled over to Cass who was looking off at a grassy field far down the road. Cass pushed off down the dirt road, walking in silence. Dean fell into step and drew an optimistic smile.
"I have to say based on previous suicide missions, this went pretty well. Not a scratch on me or you."
Cass remained quiet, simply taking in the night as he strolled along the road.
"Are you alright Cass?"
Cass continued to stare off, seemingly lost in thought.
"Don't get me wrong Cass," Dean said. "I still think your little quest is a plateful of crazy. But I get it."
Cass finally stopped walking and exuded interest, glancing at Dean in wonder.
"Get what?"
"I get why you're sticking with it," Dean remarked. "I know what it's like to have an absentee father."
Dean leaned on a tree stump and let out a deep sigh.
"I remember the days when I searched high and low for my dad went he went missing," he imparted softly. "When all reason and all evidence kept telling me that he was gone for good, there was still this part of me, deep inside that believed he was out there. So don't give one thought to what that stupid pizza eating turtle told you. What are you feeling?"
After a long moment of reflection, Cass held his head up in confidence.
"I feel that he is alive and he is on Earth somewhere."
Dean nodded in a supportive gesture. "Cool, so off you go then. Keep looking."
Cass studied Dean as he pushed off the tree stump.
"Will you be okay?"
"Me? Yeah, I guess. Who knows."
"Shall I stay longer?"
Dean shook his head as he dug his hands in his pockets.
"No man, you go. I'll be fine."
Dean bounced in his stance as a frosty air blew through him.
"I'm freezing now but the rest, I'm fine. I am, I really am," he confessed. "I'm amazed to say that but truly, honestly Cass. I'm good."
"Alone? Without Sam?"
"Absolutely," Dean affirmed. "I'm better without Sam. To tell you the truth, the time I've been without him has been….refreshing. I mean ever since I found out about all the shit he did, I've been worrying my ass off about that backstabbing bastard. The past day and half you've been here, has been the first time I've been able to just….breathe, you know? And laugh, oh hell have I laughed my ass off with you around! And you have NO sense of humor."
Dean took a moment to enjoy a short laugh before he regarded Cass.
"I feel….free," he revealed. "For the first time in….well, ever. I just feel free to just…..be. I mean, my whole life I have been leashed with obligations to my family and now….I'm loose and running around and it's….great. It really is."
Dean let out a contented sigh as Cass glanced at the horizon.
"What about the Slayer?"
Dean glanced behind him as Buffy continued to monitor the property.
"Every day is a new adventure with her," he said. "Good and bad."
"You are better with her?"
Dean chuckled deeply as he turned toward the fence line.
"Are you kidding? She may be a pain in the ass but she's MY pain in the ass. And sometimes I just need that pain."
Cass frowned in confusion.
"I do not understand."
Dean batted the air with a hand.
"Don't worry about it man."
When he swung his sights around, Cass was gone.
A few minutes later, as he reached the fence line, Buffy hopped off her post and pocketed her weapons.
"Chicken in his holy coop?" she asked.
Dean gauged the relaxed expression on her face and chuckled briefly.
"Yeah, but who knows for how long. We should get out of here."
Once back on the highway toward the motel, Dean stole a glance at Buffy as she picked at some dried blood on her face.
"You got out of your Turkey scuffle okay I see."
"Yeah," she sighed. "Who knew Slaying would require so much mileage."
"Well, when you're in a real jam, I'd want the best Slayer in the world to bail me out," he reasoned.
"Of an attack or….a brothel?"
Dean heaved a sigh and shined his regret.
"Okay, okay, breaking bad habits, one thing I've gotta to work on," he said. "What else?"
Buffy snorted as she flipped her compact shut and put it away.
"Not enough paper in the world for that list," she cracked.
Dean shook his head and let out another sigh.
"Yeah, uh, so…..Cass is on your red alert now? That's good. Interesting method of tagging him though."
Buffy bit back her guilty expression but her cheeks flushed red.
"Oh, um…..right," she said.
Dean did a double take when something bothered him about the look on her face. Buffy felt her eyes meeting his assessing gaze. After a minute, she caved and displayed a sheepish look.
"There wasn't any Angel tracking potion in the perfume," she admitted. "It was just...perfume."
"What? Are you saying you lied to Cass?"
"No, I merely related a...message knowing that he would pass it on to you."
Dean frowned with suspicion.
"And why would you do that?"
"Why do you think? I knew it would bother you smelling that on another guy – considering what WE did the first time you smelled it on me."
Buffy chuckled for a long minute as he scowled.
"Oh, you lied to an Angel to put ideas in my head huh? That's a little...childish," he groaned.
Buffy rolled her eyes.
"This coming from the Master of childish things to do," she said pointedly.
"Right," he said as he heaved a sigh of surrender.
Back at the motel, after settling into bed for the night, Buffy shifted onto her right side as her mind drifted deep into a dark dream. She rolled onto her left side as she was assailed with an abundance of horrific images magnified by high pitched screams, hell hounds, zombies, vampires, demons of every kind attacking from all corners of the Earth, the smell of death and disease pungent in the air, bolts of lightning shooting from Heaven, shadows of wings, flashes of red eyes and then she heard a voice saying in a haunting tone:
"It's you, my true vessel..."
Her mind whirled with more and more terrifying scenes until she burst from her sleep, bolting forward, gasping loudly.
Buffy sucked in several deep breaths of air as her heart beat thundered in her throat. Dean wearily opened his eyes when he heard the sound cracking the silence. He rubbed his face and let out a yawn as he took in the heavy distress on her face.
"Hey," he said softly.
Buffy wiped a sheen of perspiration from her face as the weight of her shocking dream still gripped her.
"Slayer dream?"
Buffy could only manage to nod as she curled her legs up to her chest and hugged them with her arms. Her face became riddled with more distress as she inhaled more gasps of air.
"What was it about?" Dean asked, his eyes widening with apprehension.
Buffy shook her head and swallowed a dry lump in her throat.
"Nothing."
Dean sighed as he readjusted his pillow under his head.
"You don't want talk about it," he grumbled. "I understand."
Buffy let out a deep gasp as her breathing finally began to settle. She shined her sheer dread at Dean as the images lingered in her head.
"No, no, I meant...I saw...chaos everywhere, death...and disease and humanity destroying each other until there was...nothing. I think...I think it was the End," she choked out in a quavering tone.
Dean absorbed the complete gloom in her eyes as she stumbled out of bed.
