AN: Hello friends, and sorry for keeping you in suspense. Please excuse my return to school, and I hope you all are doing well.

Thank you so much, CaptainFenrys, for following the adventure! I really appreciate it.

Enjoy the new chapter, lovelies!

Loricorn out.

Facing Home

Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will. - Ghandi

They sat there for a millisecond before Faz asked sharply, "Well, what are you waiting for? Give it to him, before he dies and brings all of Heaven down on us!"

Sam needed no more encouragement. He tipped Cas's head back slightly so that he could pour the bottle's contents into his mouth. Delta was right next to him, holding a handkerchief.

Almost as soon as the liquid leaked down his throat, Cas jerked and coughed, violently trying to free himself and spit out the cure. Delta covered his mouth with the handkerchief and plugged his nose to make him swallow while Dean tightened his grip on Cas's shoulders.

"C'mon, Cas, just take this." Delta said, moving the cloth slightly so that he could breath better after most of the liquid had been swallowed. "Just a few swallows, and you'll feel better, I promise. Please."

Cas's eyes were misty and far away, but they seemed to see her just fine. He looked beyond scared, a rare expression of pure emotion, and he made no effort to stop fighting against Dean's hold. His angel blade slipped into his hand, but Dean moved it out of his reach before he could grip it tightly.

"Cas." She tried again, her voice suddenly breaking. Sam felt her unexpected desperation as she said, "Don't be scared. I know that our races haven't been on the best of terms, but we're working together now, so don't be scared. Cas, please."

Dean looked at her in surprise while Cas struggled for a moment more. Then what she'd said seemed to reach him. He froze, then squinted at her, his clouded eyes flickering in sudden and very brief recognition before they started to return to panic. She took that opportunity to remove the cloth so that Sam could get more of the liquid into Cas's mouth.

As he jerked away again, Delta slid the hand that wasn't holding the cloth over his mouth onto his shoulder, holding him steady so that he couldn't lash around too much. He seemed to want to look at anything but her, but at her touch his eyes misted more. Sam recognized Delta's Tracking eyes as her own misted and turned distant. He realized that she was showing him what she saw.

Cas stilled again and swallowed repeatedly, shock leaking into his expression as he looked at her directly, squinting from her light. She removed the cloth from his mouth, squinting back evenly with a measured, but still slightly warm, look in her eyes.

"There's still a little left." Sam said, holding the bottle up to look at the small swallow left.

"Okay, let's do it." Delta's misty, squinted eyes flicked to Dean, who nodded and re-positioned his grip. "Cas?" She asked, leaning to look at him again. He'd never taken his eyes off of her, though he looked less shocked. "One more, okay, angel? Just one."

He sat still as Sam poured the last bit into his mouth. Without so much as twitching, he swallowed.

"Um…" Dean craned to look at Cas's face, worry crinkling his eyebrows. "Is he okay?"

Delta removed her hand from the angel's shoulder cautiously, her eyes returning to normal. As hers cleared, so did Cas's, until they looked normal, too. He blinked, then let out a huge sigh and slumped forward. Dean held onto him firmly and let him slide to lay on the ground more gently than a direct faceplant. Almost immediately, Delta opened her kit, frowned, then closed it again.

"Sadi can heal him up better when we get back to the van." She said. "Let's go." She stood shakily, and scooped the remnants of her kit back into her broken backpack, which she picked up in her arms after taking the empty bottle from Sam.

"Is he okay now?" Sam asked as he slung one of Cas's arms over his shoulders. Dean had taken the other one.

"He should be." Delta said, checking the white strip of cloth tied to Cas's wrist to make sure it was secure.

"What I want to know is what you were doing with the cure." Faz said, making no move to stand aside as they walked up to her.

"Sadi made a lot of different things for me before the others threw her into that cage." Delta said, ignoring the flash of disbelief in Faz's expression. "She must have thought that since I couldn't come back to the clans without signing my death warrant, then maybe I'd be forced to make unexpected alliances. Ask her when we get back." Pointedly, Delta walked right up to stand nose-to-nose with Faz (more like nose to forehead; Faz was shorter than Delta), not flinching under her glare. Finally, Faz stood aside as Delta and the boys walked past her, heading for the van.

Sadi asked no questions as the boys let Cas sit on the van's bumper while Delta opened the driver's side door to tell the occupants inside the van what was going on. She came back in time to see Sadi finish wrapping up Cas's leg while Dean and Sam finished gathering the stuff they'd dropped. Faz looked on from her spot next to the red-haired guy, who'd sunk to sit on the ground. She was scowling, and turned to look at Delta as soon as she shut the door.

"An angel?" Was all she said. Her voice was measurably less furious, but still held some anger.

"Yes." Delta said, walking to stand next to Sam, who'd stopped next to Dean. She turned to face Faz. "Surprised me, too. But we're okay."

"Hm." Faz made a noncommittal sound, then said bluntly, "You realize that the only reason I'm not killing him is that if I did, we'd have more of them, right?"

"And because you've done enough killing." Delta said. When Faz stiffened, Delta continued before she could interrupt, "I know that killing Marsh like that was something you had to fight yourself to do. And the third reason is because of me and your sister."

Faz looked like she was ready to fly at Delta, then suddenly she deflated. In an instant, she went from hardened warrior to broken sister and mother. She glanced at Sam, Dean and Sadi, then said quietly, "They just left her there, and wouldn't let me…" She fought to control herself.

"I know." Delta said. "I felt it, too."

Sam glanced at her. "Then…" He looked at Faz, suddenly making the connection. "You're Es's sister."

Faz looked at him, some of her old sharpness returning, her eyes like a mirror of Es's. "Yes, she was my sister." She looked back at Delta, regaining herself every second. "You never explained why you're here in the first place, with hunters and an angel."

"I as good as told you." Delta said, then continued, "We- my new partner, Sam, his brother Dean there, and Cas- were searching for missing supernatural creatures. Mostly shapeshifters of some kind. Sam and Dean got separated, Sam found me, we found Dean, Cas got called, we came here. Now we need to find the others and return them to their families."

"That's not possible anymore." The red-haired man said from his position on the ground. Faz shot him a sharp look at the same time Dean asked, "Why not?"

The young man ignored Faz's look, then continued to Dean, "You're Dean Winchester? And you're Sam?" He glanced at Sam, then returned his gaze to Dean.

"Um, yeah." Dean said, glancing at Delta questioningly. "How did-"

"I can see the future, which is how we knew you'd be here, or see you wherever you went." The young man said, glancing at Delta briefly. He winced, and Sadi shot him a worried look. He continued, "I don't see everything, just important things. And I can't prevent everything from happening, like with Marsh." He glanced up at Faz fleetingly, who stood rock still next to him. He looked back at Sam and Dean. "The other four shapeshifters were taken into clan territory, the Clawreath's. Your-"

"My old clan." Delta's voice was as rock hard as Faz's stance. "What for? Why not the others?"

"They…" The young man took a shaky breath, seeming to gather his thoughts. "There were… are strange things happening. The visions I've been getting… I think that they're being changed. Altered."

"Altered how?" Sadi asked, concerned. She gently pushed Cas against the van's door to keep him upright, pulling her hand away quickly like touching him hurt her fingers.

"I'm not sure." The redhead's eyebrows scrunched together, frightened and concerned. "I just know it's not good."

"Tell me about it." Delta said softly, almost to herself. Sam glanced down at her. She caught his glance, and looked up at him, her expression resigned and serious. "I've been-" Suddenly, her eyes misted over, so fast that Sam thought for a split second that her eyes were going up in smoke. She stumbled towards him and grabbed his arm, trying to stay on her feet as she got a flash. Sam caught her, dropping the other things he was holding and wrapping his arms around her to keep her upright. The others all reacted, their heads snapping from the redhead to them.

"Flashes." Sam said in a distracted explanation; he could feel her shaking violently as she hugged him back, trying to control whatever she was seeing.

"What?" Faz asked, the edge partly gone from her voice as she saw how gently Sam treated Delta, and how much Delta seemed to trust him.

"She gets flashes of the people she's Tracking." Dean explained for his brother, watching them worriedly as Sam tried to calm her down. Dean continued, "Sometimes she gets glimpses of where they've been, what they've felt, and sometimes what's happening to them at the moment. She's been getting them more often lately."

Sam ducked his head closer to Delta, murmuring, "You okay?"

Delta made a noncommittal, slightly squeaky noise that sounded like it was somewhere between a choke and a sigh. She pushed back from him, not looking at anyone as she said dully, "Whatever it is, it's getting worse, fast. Where are they?"

"We told you." Faz said. To her credit, she didn't sound irritable.

"Exact location." Delta said, her attitude returning as she came back to herself, even though her hands were shaking again. "That would be helpful."

Faz's jaw tightened, but the redhead spoke up. "The Center. They set up holding cages weeks ago."

Faz hissed at him, but he snapped back in what seemed like an uncharacteristic display of impatience. "We can't just do nothing, Faz! Especially if we want to get the best for everyone out of this mess! You heard Sadi, and I agree with her. Do what you want, but I'm going with them."

Faz looked at him, her unreadable expression dissolving into the reluctant one of resignation and almost-amusement of someone who's used to leading gets told off by someone who's not. "Alright, Ryan." She said, giving in. She scrambled to pull her gruff mask back on as she continued, "I'm sure as hell not letting you go with them alone."

"Wait." Dean said. "So we're going to the middle of clan territory now?" He glanced at Delta. "Or you're at least thinking about it."

"We can't leave them there." Sadi said, sympathy and understanding lighting her eyes, as well as determination.

"You guys didn't sign up for it." Delta said. She looked at Sam, projecting understanding. "You don't have to come."

Sam and Dean shared a glance. Dean looked like he was about to take up Delta's offer of staying out of it, but one look at Sam's face and he blew out a huge sigh. "Damn it, Sammy. Alright, we'll go."

"It's going to be far more dangerous than traipsing around in no-man's land." Faz said. "Especially for hunters."

"They'll have me to protect them, and her." Delta said, nodding at Sadi. "And if you two are coming, then they'll have you, too."

"What about the angel?" Faz asked, sparing a glance for Cas as he sat up straighter.

"I'm going with them." Cas said, glancing at Sam and Dean. He looked closely at Faz and Ryan, suspicious all over again. "That is, if you don't object to letting an angel into the clans to save innocent lives."

"Of course I object." Faz said sharply, then continued more calmly, "But there's no stopping you if you're with them. They'll let you in as soon as they're inside" She gestured at Delta, Sam, Dean, and Sadi. "Might tear down the wards if they had to, bring the rest of them down on us."

"Absolutely." Delta said, not missing a beat. "We're a team, and teams stick together."

Cas looked at her for a moment, then looked back at Faz and nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

She started in surprise, then rolled her eyes. "I thought my life couldn't get any more weird." She muttered, sinking down to squat beside Ryan.

Delta looked at Dean and Sam, and all three of them created a circle around Cas with Sadi.

"We need to get the van out before we make any moves." Delta said in a low voice. "Cas, you okay? I can do it myself if you're not up for it."

"I'm healed." Cas said, pulling the bandages and tape away from his leg. The gaping gash that had been there before was gone, a scar the only reminder that there had been anything wrong at all. As they watched, his pants glowed around the bloody edges until they repaired, as good as new. "Whenever you're ready to hit the road." His voice put a question mark on the end of that sentence, like he was asking for verification.

Delta nodded, the smallest wisp of a smile flitting across her face. "Sure. Good job, Cas."

Sam turned and walked over to Faz and Ryan. Sadi followed him with a bag that clinked softly from the bottles that were inside. Faz looked up at them, her eyes flickering from Sam to Sadi, who knelt next to Ryan and pulled several bottles from her bag. Sam stayed standing and told Faz what their next step was.

"Smart, getting the other shapeshifters and that angel out of here as quick as possible." Faz said after he finished. She glanced fleetingly at him again, then said, "Look, I'm sorry about before. It's just that you shouldn't be here, not this close to the territories."

"Trust me, I wouldn't be here if I could help it." Sam said, glancing back at Delta as she shot Dean a look for whatever he had just said.

"So you two are partners now." Faz said after a small pause. She sounded like she was trying not to be bitter.

"Es transferred Delta to me, yeah." Sam said. "It's one of the last things she did." He turned back to look at Faz, and caught the pained expression on her face before she concealed it.

"Well, it looks like she made a good choice." Sam couldn't hide this surprise. Faz nodded at him, either ignoring or not caring about his obvious incredulity. Faz kept her eyes on Ryan and Sadi as she continued, "She's good for you, and you're clearly good for her. The only thing I'm concerned about now, besides getting those others out and keeping track of everyone, is the angel." She looked at him searchingly, boring into him with eyes so similar to Es's that it spooked him. "Where the heck did you get him, anyway?"

"Um, long story. He pulled Dean out of Hell." He continued as Faz's eyebrows slowly crept toward her hairline. "He's been helping us off and on for a while now. Usually he just drops in randomly."

"Does he come when you call?" Ryan piped up unexpectedly, grimacing from the foul-tasting medicine he'd just swallowed and showing the first real curiosity Sam had seen from him.

"Only for Dean." Sam said, smiling the small smile of one who's in on a joke.

Faz's eyebrows lifted even more. "I thought that the angel would come for you over your brother, never mind come at a mortal's call at all." She glanced at Delta, Dean and Cas as Dean chuckled at something that Delta had said while Cas looked mildly confused. "He wouldn't have taken very well to Delta's presence, though."

"They almost attacked each other." Sam remembered. "I think that they would have if Dean and I hadn't been there to stop them."

"She listens to you." Sadi said, finishing putting the bottles away and zipping her bag closed. "And respects what you have to say. That's a lot, coming from her."

"She didn't really get along with Dean at first, but that was partly his fault." Sam said. "He doesn't take to people easily, especially…"

"The things he's supposed to be killing?" Faz asked dryly. She shook her head. "I understand where he's coming from." Her eyes flicked to Cas again, then briefly up at Sam before she looked at Ryan. "You think you can stand up now?"

"No." Sadi said at the same time Ryan said, "Yeah." Sadi shot him a look that could have flattened a mountain. He shrank away from her slightly, looking both scared and sheepish. Sam had to bite back a laugh.

Instead of offering advice on how much time he should wait before getting up, she just reached over, placed her hand on his arm, and closed her eyes.

Ryan's eyes closed, too. Suddenly, his body jerked and his eyes flew open. Sadi let go of him as he shot to his feet, letting out a yelp. Faz took off after him, throwing Sadi a bewildered and affronted look, as Ryan ran around the front of the van.

"What did you do?" Sam asked as Sadi stood, looking amused.

"I healed his ribs." Sadi said, rubbing her hands together softly. "It'll take him a few moments to run off the extra energy."

Sam stared at her for a second, then said, "Delta told us that there was someone she knew that could heal injuries just by touching people."

"Have I lied before?" Delta asked, walking over. Dean and Cas followed, Cas looking into the mist warily. "Don't answer that." Delta added as Sam opened his mouth.

Ryan raced around the back of the van as Sam smiled and Cas and Dean reached them. Faz was directly on his heels as he skidded to a stop, panting. She ran full-tilt into him, unbalancing them both and pitching him forward while she landed on her butt.

Dean and Sam experienced temporary loss of control over their lungs as they choked down their laughter. Delta snorted a non-gunfire snort and said, "I didn't realize just how graceful you were before now, Faz." Sadi rolled her eyes while Cas, as usual, didn't really react.

"Are we ready to go?" Faz asked irritably, glaring as she got up while Ryan rolled over onto his back, chuckling good-naturedly.

"Waiting on you." Delta said, turning to climb into the driver's seat. Sam and Dean had a brief altercation for shotgun, which was resolved by Cas climbing in while they were glaring at each other. Sadi, Faz and Ryan climbed into the back with Sam and Dean, to the surprise of the frightened occupants.

"What are they doing here?" One of the more vocal ones asked, glaring at Sadi, Faz and Ryan. Sam and Dean moved so that they were semi-blocking the clan shapeshifters from the others, which seemed to surprise them, as Delta explained, "They just saved your asses, so cool it. They're helping us get the others out, too. Pretty soon, you won't have to deal with them. Think you can wait for less than three minutes?"

Not saying anything, the stolen shapeshifters went back to their seats, albeit grudgingly. Sadi, Faz and Ryan remained by the back doors, trying to appear like as little a threat as possible. Sam and Dean went to their seats behind the driver's and passenger's, making sure that everyone inside was secure before strapping themselves in, too. Cas and Delta were already ready, and as soon as Dean gave the okay, Delta grabbed the steering wheel and said loudly, "Hold on tight, and if any of you throw up in this van, so help me, I will make you clean the entire thing ten times."

Everyone grabbed onto each other, the straps on the walls, anything they could hold onto as Delta took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Cas reached over and grabbed the steering wheel just below Delta's right hand as the van lifted up and shuddered. Several people cried out in surprise while Dean and Sam braced themselves against their seats. As the roller coaster feeling grew almost unbearable, Delta took a deep breath, then opened her eyes.

The organs-in-throat feeling disappeared, and the van landed with a crunch on an unfamiliar gravel driveway. The gravel led up to a two-storey cabin, with tall, thick trees all around. Springy, green grass lay in a dense carpet between the trees, and a stream could be seen through the thick foliage at the edge of the yard. A shed stood just behind the cabin. Winding paths led off into the trees randomly, going who-knows-where.

The shapeshifters in the back piled out of the van, some of them stumbling to the bushes shakily. Sam, Dean, Sadi, and Cas got out while Delta sat in the driver's seat for a moment, looking at the cabin with an unreadable expression, before she got out.

"Where are we?" Sam asked, looking around at the well-kept lawn and not-too-shabby buildings.

Delta, not looking at any of them, ignored the question and said loudly, "Okay, everybody over here, please! Thank you."

As soon as the others gathered around, staying clear of Sadi, Faz and Ryan, who stood a little away from the group, Delta said, "Okay, the bunk houses are down that path. There's maps there of this place if you want to find things other than baths and beds and food. If you're only staying one night, there's the path to the bathhouse by the stream. That path next to that one leads to the building for food. Watch for bear traps. That shed over there's got maps and a lock-box of car keys if you're interested in leaving. I'll be back to dish those out to interested people once I'm done doing hygienic things for myself. Okay, any questions, come find me. Otherwise, go nuts. And try not to break anything."

The regular shapeshifters dispersed, leaving Sam, Dean, Cas, Sadi, Faz and Ryan standing with Delta. She gestured at the cabin, almost helplessly, then started walking toward it.

"Delta." Sam said, stopping her. He could feel how uncomfortable she was. "What is this place?"

She looked at him, then at Dean's unbudging expression, then at the others. They all raised their eyebrows slightly, except for Cas, who was still looking around at the yard. She looked back at Sam, took a deep breath, then said, "This is my home."