Chapter 11: Nightmares
Dean was frustrated to say the least when Cas refused to tell him what he had told Mary other than "the Truth" but he let it go so he could try to calm her down.
After a few minutes of soothing her, Dean had been able to calm her enough to carry her to her (and his father's) bedroom to rest.
When Cas still wouldn't explain, Dean decided to go to his old room and try to get some sleep, since he hadn't slept at all on the drive over.
Mary woke an hour or so later and sat up slowly on the bed. She rubbed her eyes and let the newly-reconstructed settle in her head.
"Are you alright?" Castiel asked from the door.
Mary looked up and clasped her hands in her lap, leaning forward so her weight was on her knees.
"You never did tell me who you were," she stated matter-of-factly.
The man closed his eyes before sighing.
"When Sam and Dean were sent back here for a second chance at life," he began, sitting next to Mary. "It was decided that they would both need guardians. Of course, Dean's guardian would be the angel that had protected him for the past 6 years."
Mary felt dizzy. I hit an angel, was all she could think.
"The other," he continued. "Was a bit harder to decide but it was finally concluded that an angel that had wronged Sam also deserved a second chance and was given charge of Sam as penance."
Mary leaned back on the bed and closed her eyes. Not one but two creatures have been living in my home.
"My brother thought it would be a good idea to stay hidden and only show himself in dire circumstances while I knew that Dean would require guidance." She could't see Castiel, as her eyes were closed, but she could hear the... Could it be considered pride of regret? in his voice.
Just then, Mary heard a small whimper escape from down the hall and was up like a shot, Castiel close behind her.
She rounded the corner into Dean's bedroom and saw Dean's face pressed into his pillow but obviously in a grimace and crying out softly in his sleep.
"He's remembering," Castiel said, by way of explanation.
"Is there any way to wake him?"
The angel just shook his head, sadly.
"Show me," Mary steeled herself. "I need to know what Dean's been through."
Cas almost corrected her by saying he'd already told her but thought better of it.
Instead, he took her hand and led her to the chair that was still by the bed and motioned for her to sit.
She sat and Castiel placed a hand on Dean but hesitated before touching two fingers to Mary's forehead.
"You must understand, no matter what you see you can not make yourself known. If you are noticed by anyone in the memory, it could spin off into a nightmare even worse than the memory itself."
Cas watched as Mary nodded her head but her gaze never left her writhing son.
Mary tensed when Castiel touched her forehead and she felt the rush of energy as the world around her became dark and muggy, like a dungeon, but smelled like a slaughterhouse.
She felt her son's guardian angel put a hand on her shoulder.
"We need to go. You shouldn't see this." He sounded angry, afraid and anguished all at once.
Mary shook her head and shrugged him off.
Mary's eyes finally adjusted to the dim light and could barely make out a figure chained to a table in the center of the cell.
She started forward but halted when the door was thrown open by a man being thrown through it.
"Dean," she whispered.
Dean, who had been thrown against the door hard enough to shove it open, was crumpled on the floor, bloody and groaning in figure (Mary couldn't identify it any more than to say that it was vaguely humanoid and the most horrifying thing she'd ever seen) strode in and kicked Dean before leaning down and soothingly rubbing his hair.
"Come on, Dean. You can do it; or would you rather be back on the rack?"
Castiel's hand clamped down on Mary's arm: "We need to go. Now."
Mary took a step closer and saw that her son held a small blade in his hand.
The young man struggled to his feet as he attempted to mumble out negatives and pleas of mercy through the blood in his mouth.
Mary felt her stomach twirl.
"Mary," the angel pleaded. "You shouldn't see this."
Mary watched as the monster goaded Dean, alternating between abusing him (physically and verbally) and praising him, to use the blade he carried.
Mary recognised it from the few "normal" hunting trips her father had taken her on. The blade was used to strip the skin from your prey.
Dean held the blade close to the skin of the woman, who was now begging.
Tears ran down Dean's cheeks and stuttered "I'm sorry"'s came in rivers from his mouth as he began to cut.
Mary stumbled back into Castiel, her hands up to her mouth.
Cas caught Mary as she fell back into him and immediately transported them back to reality, still holding Mary, who slumped to the floor.
Cas held her and realized she was too shocked to do anything more than shake and stare at her son, who had grown very still and stiff on the bed.
End Notes:
You guys are going to love (or despise, whatever) who Sam's guardian angel is. I have to rewatch a few episodes so I can make sure I get his actions and reactions right, so please be patient with me when I introduce him. We don't have 9 seasons of him like we do the boys.
I'm not sure when I'll have more but I promise to continue writing as soon as I get a minute to sit down.
Please send in comments and suggestions. It really helps me with ideas and encouragment. And if something's unclear or unexplained entirely, please let me know so I can make it better.