Chapter Ten
Castiel stood staring at Bobby when Sam returned with Dean and Lark who had red rimmed puffy eyes. He knew humans were capable of sorrow and fear but this was heart ache. This was beyond comprehension for an angel of the Lord. He had yet to comprehend such loss and how humans dealt with it.
"The man you know as Spencer Owens, as his true name you would not be able to pronounce, is set for trial with the angels." Castiel said hoping to see anything that might spark happiness inside the grim faces of these humans. "He will be found guilty and will be put to death."
"That bastard deserves it." Dean said glancing up the stairs toward his sister's bedroom. "If only she could hear this too."
"What do you mean?" Castiel asked looking confused before he felt something strange about the house. There wasn't any presence of the youngest Winchester around. Even if she was weak when they rescued her she was still alive, but he didn't feel that. He quickly vanished and appeared in the closed room, looking down at the young woman that lay still on the bed.
He walked towards her gently pressing his hand to her forehead and felt nothing but a cold and empty shell. Something sparked inside him as he heard the door open behind him. He felt anger flowing through his own perfect soul. He felt his wings stretching out filling the room and his eyes blazed white.
"Cas!" Dean yelled as he shielded his eyes, but his screams were silenced as Castiel vanished shooting towards the heavens to confront a killer.
~DSCWIN~
Spencer Owens sat in his angelic cell staring bemusedly at the wall behind the bars that held him. Taking out his fingers he began to count down from three until Castiel appeared right as he reached zero.
"What did you do?!" Castiel growled with anger, slamming a fist on the cell door.
"I only did what I had to do to survive, brother." Spencer said not looking up at the frustrated angel. "However, if you let me go I can help bring her back to the way she was."
Castiel's eyes burned as he narrowed them dangerously at Spencer. He felt the anger cloud his better judgment as he broke the door and grabbed Spencer's wrist and vanished from the cell. He could care less what would happen to him as long as he could bring back Christina and then he'd destroy him himself.
~DSCWIN~
The room was too quiet for Dean and Sam to handle as they gently lead Lark down the stairs. None of them had seen so much anger in their angel friend since they met him a year earlier.
"What was that?" Lark asked as they sat around the kitchen table as Sam poured her and himself a glass of whiskey. Dean stared at his coffee mug before filling it up with black coffee, which made Lark smile at his choice.
"I don't know." Dean said still shaken by what he saw. "I've never seen Cas that upset."
"Same here." Sam agreed setting his and Lark's glass on the table. "But I guess Christy's death is affecting him as well."
"That's because she's family." Castiel's voice was deep and threatening like a large thunderstorm ready to destroy everything in its path.
Dean and Sam jumped to their feet as they saw Owens held tightly by the upper arm by Castiel.
"Cas...What the hell?!" Dean said his voice darkening as he was now near the monster that took his sister. "Why is he here?!"
"Make a trap downstairs and I'll talk." Castiel said tightening his grip on the angel's arm which made Owens whimper. Lark could see Dean ready to attack and forced him downstairs to the basement, while Sam picked up the holy oil they needed.
~DSCWIN~
Bobby woke up to smelling smoke and he sat up with a confused look on his face as he followed the smell down to his panic room in the basement. It was the first time Bobby was more upset with the fact he had a killer in his house and he couldn't deal with it personally as he saw Sam, Dean, Lark and Castiel talking in hushed whispers. Anger clouded Bobby's eyes as he pulled out his pistol and took a shot at the man that stood in the middle of the ring of fire.
"Bobby!" Sam yelled as he went to grab Bobby's arms while Dean fought to take the pistol out of the old hunter's hands. "Bobby, he's going to help bring Christy back!"
"You're gonna trust a killer?!" Bobby demanded pushing Sam and Dean away from him.
"Bobby, your anger is understandable." Castiel loomed over the older hunter. "But I promised no harm will come to him while he's here."
Bobby snarled and took slow deep breaths until he glared back at Owens who smirked at him.
"I'm glad your pets listen to you, Castiel." Spencer smirked sitting down on the cot that had been inside the ring of holy oil. "Now that I have your attention, I will tell you how to get your sister back to where she was." Everyone took a step closer ready to mental notes. "You must fulfill the lives of the recent people your sister has influenced."
"What?" Dean asked his green eyes narrowing in confusion.
Spencer let out a sigh of exasperation. "Humans, need everything spelled out for them. Your dear sweet sister has helped a couple of people to become better. One must forgive himself and return to the one he pushed away. The second must be able to stand in front of his family and profess his desires to leave them and follow his dream."
"Any others?" Sam asked not having a clue as to where to start.
"I'll keep that for when you have finished the last two. And you better hurry you only have less then a week to fulfill it."
"What?!" Bobby snarled reaching for his weapon from Dean who quickly held it out of Bobby's reach. "You murderin' feather brained soul sucker! We're not going to be playin' your freakin' games!"
"Fine, you can stay and keep an eye on me if you like. The rest need to go and do what I have asked. If you do not finish in a week then Grumpy-must-kill-angels will have to send her body off."
Dean let out a growl of frustration. Where were they supposed to start? He looked over at Lark who had the same fear in her eyes. They didn't have any idea what to do or start.
"You heard what I said, now you'd better go upstairs and plan." Spencer said lying on the cot and closed his eyes silently telling his hosts that he was done talking.
~DSCWIN~
"Do you have any idea where to go?" Dean asked Lark and Sam as the stood in the kitchen trying to solve the strange clues Owens had given them.
"I might, but I'm not sure and I don't want to waste our time sending you in the wrong direction." Lark admitted massaging her neck for a moment to ease some of the tension. Her friend's life could be brought back but she wasn't sure if her suspensions were correct. "If you want I can try and contact her...I mean. If we can, then we can easily do what that bastard wants."
"But how do we do that?" Dean asked.
"I know how but you have to trust me." Lark said biting her lip nervously not sure he would agree to a séance. "We don't have a lot of time to chase our tails for answers so this might be the quickest. I can perform a type of séance that will let me seek her out and hopefully speak with her."
"Let's try it then." Dean said after looking at Lark and nodded. "I'm in."
"Good. Because I was going to do it myself regardless." she said walking toward the stairs.
"I hope you made up with her." Bobby said glaring at the basement door. "Because I like how she's keeping you in line."
"Shut up, Bobby." Dean braved but felt something smack the backside of his head.
"Watch your tongue boy. I may be old but I can still whip ya ass." Bobby cautioned him.
Dean rubbed the back of his head and nodded. He knew that Bobby did indeed have the ability to put him in his place. Not only that, he knew that if he pushed his luck even more, his brother wouldn't stop Bobby. He would probably cheer him on or even help. He kept his mouth shut and went after Lark and growled at Sam when he snickered behind his back.
~DSCWIN~
Castiel remained downstairs with Owens looking smugly in his angel trap. He looked confidant that the humans wouldn't be able to fulfill their duties and he seemed smug about being let go once again.
"Why did you do this?" Castiel asked walking close to the flames. "Why are you trying to destroy what God had planned?"
"Because of everything you and the rest of our brothers and sisters have done." Spencer said giving Castiel a sideways look. "You kicked me out of heaven and I needed to survive how I saw fit. For hundreds of years I've lived off human souls. They managed to allow me to heal most of those worthless humans in trusting me. So when the time came I could easily keep them for my well being."
"But why souls though. You know that a human without a soul does not go to heaven or hell. They are trapped in the veil for eternity forever trying to call a place their own. They will..."
"Spare me the lecture, Castiel." Spencer snarled sitting up and staring intently at Castiel. "You know that these humans don't deserve paradise or hell. They deserve to wallow in self pity as they don't know which way is up anymore."
"Actually they do." Castiel said simply making him laughed.
"Castiel, you have stayed too long in the clouds. Humans forgot who their God is. Even though claiming they found God they're lost. They forgot what it was like to be in his presence. They don't see us walking among them trying to help them upwards. They're trapped in their own minds. Take the last six souls I took. Besides the very last one, Christina I believe, she was a delicacy. You would switch to souls if you could taste how sweet it was." Castiel growled. "Nah uh, Castiel. You promised no harm to me while I'm helping you."
"Quit toying with me then." Castiel warned knowing Dean and Sam would never forgive him if he killed Spencer himself.
"Fine, each of their souls had something in common. Self pride. They believed they were better then God. I was doing this for their sake. Hell will be too good for them, the torture they already do themselves will be nothing. So I figured be stuck in the veil will be perfect." Spencer let out a small groan and placed a hand on his stomach. "I guess your human pets are smarter then I gave them credit. What I need you to do is warn them they cannot force the people to follow their dreams. Only persuade."
"How would they know they accomplished your tasks correctly?"
"I will have you send a text to them." Spencer held up a hand and laid down on a cot. His eyes closed ignoring Castiel.
Castiel looked confused as Spencer opened his mouth allowing a small wisp of white smoke to hover over his face.
~DSCWIN~
Dean entered their bedroom and saw Lark had pulled a small table to the middle of the room and had three chairs sitting around it. She had covered it with a silky black cloth that had sigils and symbols painted on it. She had deep purple candles sitting around it and a brass bowl in the middle.
"Go ahead and sit." Lark said as she removed what she would need from her pack.
Dean and Sam watched with interest as each ingredient was added to the bowl and mixed with a sterling silver wand. Lark was mumbling softly in an old dialect only spoken by the elders of the clan of gypsies that she had studied under years ago. The only reason she was shown any of their secrets was because of linage on her mother's side. Lark reached for Dean's hand and took a thin, sharp blade to nick his palm and letting the blood drip into the bowl. She did the same for Sam who flinched. When she was satisfied with her mixture handed a bandaid to both brothers, who placed it on their wounds, just as she lit a match and dropped it into the bowl lighting the ingredients. Dean and Sam squinted their eyes as a bright flame shot up before quickly dying back and a cloud of bluish/green smoke took its place filling the room with an earthy, tangy aroma.
"Hold hands and don't let go no matter what and don't speak. I need your energy to help me cross over and to anchor me here. Now clear your minds and still any doubts you have." Lark told them as she grasped their hands it hers and Sam reached for Dean's other hand gripping it tightly. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply several times as she reached deep inside herself letting her soul detach and float above her. Lark's head fell forward and Dean looked on with concern as his grip tightened on her hand. They could barely hear chanting coming from her as her lips barely moved.
Lark could feel her soul moving through the thickness of the barrier as she pushed through to the other side. She looked around at the souls wandering nearby and began to search for Christina. With the care of one who didn't belong in this place, she moved among the souls feeling a tug toward a certain place. Lark hurried that way and stopped when she saw the back of her friend, her sister, her family.
"Christy..." Lark spoke softly as a small smile touched her lips.
"You really shouldn't be here." Christina said, turning slowly to face her. "Your time has not come yet."
"Neither should you. Cas captured the rogue angel and we have him at Bobby's. He says he can bring you back if we perform two tasks. We can bring you back but I need to know who you helped after I left the B&B."
"I don't think that is a good idea. My time was up; I am at peace with it."
"No you're wrong, your life was taken from you by force. It was not your time, don't ask how I know but I do. You were not meant to die yet and I think if you search you soul you will see it too. Your family needs you to come back to them. Please tell me what I need to know. It is our only chance to save you."
Christina looked at her friend, her family and felt the grief inside of her. She could feel her brother's through her and saw how devastated they were. "Maybe you are right, what do you need to know?"
"This is what he said, 'One must forgive himself and return to the one he pushed away. The second must be able to stand in front of his family and profess his desires to leave them and follow his dreams'. Do you know what this means?"
Christina smiled as the memories came to her. "Yes, Devin, sweet scared Devin...He broke up with a woman, named Cassandra, who still cares greatly for him. He pushed her away after his parents died. And the other would be Robbie Skylark, he wants to go to college but is afraid to tell his family."
"I thought one might be Devin, but I wasn't sure. Thank you sister and don't worry we will complete the tasks and bring you back." Lark assured her wanting to hug her, but knew it was forbidden. "I have to go now, but know we are doing everything possible. Have faith..." Lark said before she was pulled back into her body.
~DSCWIN~
Lark suddenly jerked up and gasped for air breaking her connection with the other side. Dean grabbed her before she fell to the floor and quickly moved her to the bed.
"Lark are you alright?" Dean asked frantically as he patted her cheeks and brushed her hair from her face. "Go get a wet cloth." he told Sam who stood nearby.
"Alright." he said hurrying to the bathroom. A few moments later Sam was back and handed Dean a cold washcloth.
"C'mon Babe, snap out of it." Dean begged as he wiped her face and down her neck.
Several minutes later Lark's eyes finally fluttered opened and she worked on breathing again. She wet her lips and swallowed hard letting her mind and soul link back up before trying to speak.
"Sam water." Dean pointed to a bottle sitting on the dresser. Sam grabbed it and handed it to Dean. He opened it and held it to Lark's lips letting her drink a few sips. She nodded she was okay and let Dean help her sit up.
"I know who you need to contact." she forced out weakly. Her voice was hoarse and wheezy as she tried to get out what they needed to know. "Devin Healing and Robbie Skylark. We need to help them." After she got it out, Lark collapsed back on the bed exhausted and drained.