"Hell?" McKenna balked. "Hell. The…hell. The real one."
"Yeah, the real hell," Dean said again, and almost chuckled.
"You went to hell," McKenna said it again, and again, and then one more time, but she still couldn't fully comprehend what was being said to her.
To pull herself away from the situation a bit, McKenna glanced at the Impala's passenger side mirror, and watched as a single headlight followed closely behind them. She was thankful that her Harley wouldn't have to spend the night at the ravine alone, thankful that Sam knew how to drive a motorcycle well enough to get it back to Bobby's.
"With everything you've seen, everything you've lived through, is it honestly that hard for you to believe that I sold my soul for Sam, and went to hell?" Dean asked.
McKenna bowed her head in disgrace. Dean was right. She should believe his every word, with no questions asked.
After all, he had believed her…
"You just told me that you went to hell, and I believe you. I really do."
"Thanks," Dean said, and meant it.
"Can I ask you a question, though, Dean?" McKenna asked.
"Sure," he shrugged. "Shoot."
"How did you get out?"
~~~~~*****~~~~~
Thankfully, Dean didn't have the chance to explain to McKenna how he had managed to escape from hell. Bobby's driveway came into view, and the house quickly followed. He didn't have time to tell her about Castiel, Chuck, Zachariah, Lucifer, or Michael.
He knew she was aware of the fact that he and Sam had technically started the Apocalypse, but according to Bobby, she had no idea that they had released the devil, himself.
She also didn't know that Lucifer wanted Sam, or that Michael wanted Dean. And for now, for just a little longer, he wanted to keep it that way.
Dean parked the Impala in front of the house, and Sam pulled McKenna's Harley up behind him. He dismounted, placed the bike on its kickstand, and moved to open McKenna's door for her.
"Dean," she said, softly, just before Sam helped her out of the car. "Thank you for telling me about what happened to you in hell."
Dean nodded, meaningfully. "Thanks for telling me about what happened to you in yours."
~~~~~*****~~~~~
Dean glanced back over his shoulder as he watched Sam head upstairs to go to bed. McKenna had already been upstairs for over an hour, and Dean hoped she would be able to get some sleep. After everything she had done today, she was certainly going to need it. And thankfully, Bobby had already been in bed by the time the hunters had returned home.
When he heard enter their room, and shut the door behind him, Dean barreled his way out the front door, and into the driveway. He pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket, and pressed it to his ear. He didn't even give the man on the other end a chance to say any greeting, before he began to shout out harsh demands.
"Cas, you better get your angel ass over here to Bobby's right now, or else I'll come find you, and bring you here, myself."
Dean closed his phone, and shoved it back into his pocket. He knew that he would never be able to follow through on his threat, but it made him feel better to get rid of at least some of his pent-up frustration, anyway.
A strong gust of wind against Dean's back spoke of the angels' immediate presence. He turned and looked at Castiel, instantly reminded that the last time he'd seen him had been when he and Sam had tried to kill Lucifer.
When Jo and Ellen had died…
"You mind telling me what the hell that little ESP conversation was all about?" Dean demanded. "You haven't pulled that bull in a pretty long time, so I hope you had a damn good reason for doing it."
"I did, Dean," Castiel said, simply. "And I already explained everything to you. There's a bigger picture, but it's up to you to figure it out."
"You know I hate it when you talk in riddles, Cas," Dean growled. "I thought we were past all that. And what do you know about Kenna, anyway? You've never even met her."
For a long time, Castiel was silent.
"Right?" Dean asked again.
He blinked, and Cas was gone.
Dean clenched his fists, and screamed. "Dammit!"