Hey - I posted Chapter 9 and 10 at the same time...so if you're just opening this story to Ch 10...back up one!

Kate…

Sometimes you wake up, and you just know the day is gone. I sensed it before my eyes peeled open. At first I was worried. How'd I sleep so late without Sam waking me up? My smart side rolled its eyes and reminded me how exhausted Sam was when we laid down. Not to mention how many times he woke during the night, lost in nightmares.

Still...Dean didn't come get me? That was odd.

I stretched, lazily looking around. There was only one small window, on the far side of the room. Squinting, I saw dark gray puffs floating past, preventing me from gauging the time.

Beside me, Sam yawned, also stretching, a growly noise coming from the back of his throat.

"Wha'timesit?" The murmur was soon followed by another yawn.

I grunted, "No idea. Feels late, though."

Rolling onto my side, I watched Sam twist this way and that, stretching out kinks. When he finished, he lie there, blinking at the ceiling, before turning toward me. "Feels weird…"

I shrugged my eyebrows in agreement, reaching out and swiping hair off his face. "You were up a lot last night."

Blinking languidly, he answered, "You, too."

"Yeah…" I sighed, tucking my hand under my pillow.

"So. How're you doing?" He'd been here over a day and this was the first real conversation we'd had. Opening up to him was so easy. He's the only one here who could understand.

"The trials kept me pretty out of it. I don't think I ever really processed everything. I mean, yeah, there was time before the trials started to really think about all the jumping...but...we were on a mission. Then Kevin and the Hound and the trials and Cas being controlled, and...and the Cage…"

He reached out, tucking hair behind my ear. "And the chapel and the whole dying thing."

We both snorted.

"So I guess...I guess...yeah. You?"

Sam sighed. "On my end, I guess I haven't been real good about being...alone."

That's how he left it, and I knew exactly what he meant. But I had to ask. "How's Kevin? And Jody?"

The corner of Sam's mouth quirked up. "The kid's doing well. After...after the third trial, I, uh, had Charlie come to the Bunker to help...look." He swallowed. "She, uh, said to tell you hi." I actually blushed at that. "She and Kevin hit it off...but she and Crowley became really good friends."

"They...okay. About that..."

Sam snorted, rolling onto his back and lacing his fingers behind his head. "About that." He sighed. "After the trial I was...a mess. Hell was locked up...there were no demons around and - ."

"So it worked?" I murmured. I couldn't believe I didn't lead with that question.

Sam nodded, glancing at me. "Yeah...yeah it did. But Crowley...he's technically still a demon, but...you cured him. He has all the powers, but none of the evil. None of the essence. So he didn't get pulled into Hell."

Huh. "So he's been with you in the Bunker?"

He looked at me again. "What else was I gonna do with him? I was a mess, but...he was a mess, too. A few hundred years of emotions whammies you in the face, well. That's a tall order for anyone." He paused, lost in a memory. Shaking his head, he continued. "I'm not gonna lie - it was weird with him around at first. But...he's been…*sigh*...I'm glad he was there. I dunno. Maybe because he's another connection to Dean. It doesn't matter. He's kinda been...a friend."

My eyebrows rose at that, and now Sam blushed a little. "I know. Shaddup." The smile on his face softened as he looked me over. "How're you feeling?"

When this Sam did the whole eye roving assessing thing, it didn't bother me. Like, at all. Maybe it's because I was so used to it. He and Dean assessed me on an hourly basis for over a year.

I took stock of what my insides were doing, knowing that lying wasn't an option. He knew too much. "Okay...not a hundred percent, but definitely not like I was yesterday. I haven't been outside of the wards for this long since I put them up." His eyebrows rose in a challenge, so I quickly added, "I feel it...my blood's...buzzing and my head's off, but it's not bad. Like...like after the first trial. Promise."

Sam took a long breath through his nose, exhaling slowly. "Okay. I feel like they're gonna skewer me if you don't get better."

I rolled my eyes. "I know. They won't, though. I had such a hard time being back here. They're just...jealous. That's really it. Took a long time to accept that Dad and Bobby and Adam weren't...you know. And Dean..." My voice broke a little. "I kept looking for our Dean...and...yeah."

Sam pulled at a thread in the blanket. "Your Sam's been really quiet. Hasn't said much, won't even look at me."

"Well, c'mon, Sam. It's weird to look at and talk to yourself when yourself is literally standing in front of you."

He huffed through his nose. "No, I get that. It's just...something's brewing there. If we're as similar as you say we are, then I know something's going on. I can tell. Because if it were me, I'd have something going on."

I wasn't about to go into my Sam's relationship with me. This Sam's head would probably explode. So instead, I said, "Sam and I...he's my best friend. He understands what's going on, and right now, he's the voice of reason over there." I rolled onto my back, visually tracing the cracks in the ceiling. "He's the one who kept me going after I got back."

Sam huffed a smile. "What about Dad? I mean…"

I waved him off. I certainly didn't care if he called my dad Dad. "Dad's been mostly patient. He's been better about walking that line between hunter and dad. A lot better, actually. He's been trying to give me space, but he...I don't think he believed what happened. When I first got back, he wouldn't even listen to me when I told him about how your mom hunted in your world and others I was in. Total denial." Sam snorted. "I know, shocker, right? Eventually, he investigated, and yup - she hunted here, too. He's on edge from that, from me, and Jody's trying to be there for him and - "

"Fuck, I forgot about her. They're, like, a thing here, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Bobby's with Ellen and Adam's with Jo."

Sam rolled onto his back. "It's like...cosmic lining up. Perfect pairings...everyone alive...like a fantasy story." His tone was a little bitter.

"I know. But I'm here...the big fat wrinkle."

He shook his head, eyes still on the ceiling. "No. If you were the only thing that made my world yours, then you saved them from being like…" He swallowed hard. "Makes me wonder, sometimes. What one little thing could've changed our whole lives?"

"Not to shit on your parade, but just because we look great right now, doesn't mean things won't go into the crapper. We don't have Azazel's plans yet, and the angels are all up in our business, now."

He glanced at me. "What's going on with Cas?"

Blech. "Michael told us to back off so we don't attract attention from Heaven."

"Ouch."

I nodded back, my voice suddenly hiding in the back of my throat.

He frowned. "But now Cas is more involved…"

I gave him a thumbs up and a sigh, to which he just nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry."

I took a deep breath. "Well. It's better than him being dead from rescuing me in Hell, right? So I'm gonna shut up about it."

We fell silent a moment. Then Sam asked, "Adam seems...he's really attached to you, isn't he?"

I smiled, absently touching the scar on my arm. "Yeah...yeah, he is. He's my little brother." I chuckled a little. "I get Dean's whole thing, now."

At Dean's name, Sam's whole demeanor stiffened a little, the pain of losing him, the worry over getting him back, all coming to the surface. I was going to offer something, anything, to reassure him that we'd do whatever it took to find him, but Sam spoke first. "Dad...your dad...told me we'd find him...that he'd do whatever he could. Bobby, too. It was...Jesus, it was so surreal. I know he isn't my dad. I mean, he looks just like him, but my dad would never...he...he felt my forehead, Kate, like I was ten. Told me to take Advil and get some sleep."

Facing him again, I looked him right in the eyes. "That's not a bad thing."

"No, I know, but…"

"But nothing, Sam. Dad has his faults, but one of them isn't a lack of caring. Lack of tact, lack of foresight, sure. Not a lack of caring. So...maybe let him care for you. Let them all care for you." I caressed his cheek. "You need it."

"You need it, too."

In a dry tone, I said, "I can't get rid of it."

We smiled at each other.

"So. Where do we start?" I asked.

"I believe I know the possible locations of the original prophecy."

Sam and I jumped as Castiel blinked into view. I didn't "hear" him enter at all. The trenchcoat was gone, replaced by a simple long sleeved shirt and jeans.

"What?" He asked in my mind, a little defensively.

I shook my head. "Nothing, just wondering where the coat is."

"I'm...trying something new."

Uh-huh.

Sam sat up, the blanket falling to his lap. "Seriously? That's great! Where is it?"

Cas took a measured breath. "I believe it's in one of Lucifer's crypts."

xxxxx

You'd think I was gone, I dunno, two years...lost in an angel curse. The bear hug I got from Dean was almost ridiculous. If it weren't for Sam's wistful expression, I'd have rolled my eyes straight into the back of my head. Dad and Bobby played it much cooler, but I could see it in their eyes. Adam began shoving food at us as soon as he heard I might be somewhat hungry.

The fact that Sam and I both got the same level of concern and care was what kept me from being flippant. Sam really didn't know what to do with the attention, so he settled on swallowing a lot and nodding answers to questions.

I kept my eye on Sammy (Christ, I hate calling him that) after my conversation with Sam earlier. I saw it - averted eyes, kept his distance, body a little tense. Something was brewing, alright. But it wasn't like I could ask him what was what. I couldn't get a second alone, except to go to the bathroom, and I wasn't about to ask Sammy to join me in there.

Crowley leaned against the railing on the far side of the porch, sipping something in a mug, lost in thought. I tilted my head at him. He just smiled, raising his glass in a mini salute.

It was almost five in the afternoon, which completely blew me away. Cas admitted to using his powers to help us sleep, pointing out how rested we both felt. Sam looked pretty much back to normal. He was adjusting to everyone being present and alive, the pull of finding Dean pushing him forward.

"Tell us about these crypts," Dad asked, taking a long pull on a bottle of beer.

Cas looked over at Crowley, who set down his mug and took the stage. "Back in the day, Lucifer set up secret little clubhouses to store all of his favorite toys. These crypts are all over the world, their locations only known to his most faithful followers, the Princes of Hell. After creating the first demon, Lilith..." Sam shifted uncomfortably in his chair. I laid my hand on his knee to settle him. "...Lucifer created four Princes of Hell, designed to help rule Earth after the Apocalypse." He paused here before murmuring, "Sorry, Sam."

Leg bouncing, Sam shook his head. "It's okay. They need to know."

Nodding, Crowley continued. "Azazel is one of those Princes. The others lost interest in Lucifer and his schemes, but Azazel was...and I suppose is...truly devoted. In our world, The Word of God was scribed on to three tablets - Angel, Demon, and Leviathan. Our Lucifer hid the angel tablet in one of his crypts, which held the information on the trials among other things."

That's when I interrupted. "Michael told me that there are tablets here, but they're not the same as those. So maybe the prophecies are on these tablets?"

Everyone turned to Cas, who knit his brows and shrugged. "I am unsure how the prophecies were recorded. I just know they are most likely in one of the crypts. I tried confirming this with Michael, but...he isn't responding to me."

Sam asked, "Cas...do you know which one? They're all over the world." He glanced at Crowley. "The Leviathan tablet was in Iraq, right?"

Crowley nodded.

Bobby asked, "We gotta go to Iraq, now?"

"Goodness, no. It's too dusty this time of year. There are plenty to search right here before considering travel abroad. Is that grilled cheese? Mind if I…?"

Everyone jumped, reaching for weapons that no one was carrying, as a middle-aged man, blond and handsome (kept that tidbit to myself…) popped into view, reaching for the uneaten half of my sandwich, unconcerned about the sudden aggression around him.

It was Sam who sputtered first. "Balthazar?!"

Balthazar paused mid-bite. "Do I know you?"

Sam's mouth opened and closed, as he tried to figure out a way to explain. I, on the other hand, recognized the name. He was the angel who helped Cas rescue me from Hell.

Balthazar glanced around the porch, chewing and nodding. "Mmmmm...this is so good. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I had a simple grilled cheese sandwich? Cas?" He spun to face Castiel, who was actually rolling his eyes. "It's been caviar and fresh shellfish for decades." He polished off the sandwich in three bites, wiped his hands on a napkin he snagged from under my plate, and held up a finger as he finished swallowing. "Ah. Thank you. Now. I asked, do I know you?" He jauntily pointed at Sam. "And you…" He turned to me. "Must be Kate."

Still no one moved.

Cas sighed a sigh that was a mixture of I Can't Believe I Put Up With Your Bullshit and Oh, Balthazar!. "This is Balthazar. He's an angel."

"Aaaaaaand your best friend. You always leave that part out, Cassie."

"Please don't call me Cassie."

It sounded so much like Sam asking Dean to stop using Sammy that I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it.

Balthazar turned back to me, a wide grin on his face as he realized he had captured an audience. I smiled back at him. "Thank you for helping get me out of Hell."

He shrugged nonchalantly. " 'Twasn't a bother."

I rose an eyebrow at him. "I know that's not true. Michael told me it took a lot out of you. And...really. Thank you."

Balthazar cocked his head, studying me. "It's not everyday Castiel asks for a favor. When he does, I tend to listen." He again turned back to Sam. "Now, you…"

Castiel interrupted. "He knew you in that reality."

More eyebrows raised. "Really. How interesting." Thankfully, he didn't ask for more. I knew a little of what had befallen Balthazar, and from the look on Sam's face, he really didn't want to get into it.

We all noticed that Crowley had disappeared at some point, most likely to stay off celestial or demonic radar.

"So you know the location of Lucifer's Crypts?" Dad asked, looking mostly relaxed but under the surface, I could feel his tension at having so many not-humans on his fucking porch. "And why would they be there?"

Balthazar shrugged, hands in his pockets. "Lucie collected things. He liked 'borrowing' Father's stuff and not returning it. We aren't even sure they're there. It was a rumor of a rumor. But it's something. Unfortunately, no, I don't know the locations. I just know there are some in the continental United States, and why not start there before running off all over the world, hmm?"

"Did you find anything about the prophecies?" Cas asked.

That's when Balthazar got serious. "No new prophecies have been recorded, which is odd, because there should have been a prophet out there recording them. But that assumes that prophecies need to exist. No one seems to know what's going on, and no one seems concerned. The focus is on the Apocalypse, which I'm starting to think isn't even based on those prophecies. But...it could be. It's just hard to say. Michael isn't answering anyone, Gabriel is still...doing whatever Gabriel does, and Raphael is, well. Raphael."

No one besides Cas knew that that meant, except Sam, who's face darkened at the angel's name.

Balthazar continued, "The twist, is that the prophet line has faltered, and as far as I know, there isn't one out there."

"Waitasec," Sam interjected. "I thought all the prophets' names were sort of...wired into you. Like...forever. And if one dies, another takes its place. So don't you know who to find?"

"That is true, Sam," Cas answered. "However when the prophecies altered…" He paused there, and I felt heat inching its way up my neck. "Prophet activity sort of…"

"Fizzled," Balthazar finished for him. "Fizzled and stopped. A prophet hasn't been identified for a while, and the list of names has proven now obsolete, which is...odd, but that's what happened. Even though prophets aren't activated, we always knew who they could be. But now…" He shrugged again. "Nada."

Cas sighed. "I didn't realize one hadn't been identified, though."

Bobby scratched his head. "Okay...so we need to find the original prophecies. Try to suss out what the plan used to be, see if Metatron is aiming for it, and if there's any info on Sammy."

"Ah, yes. The boy with demon blood." Sammy paled a little, and Dean's protectiveness ratcheted up about ten levels. "I don't know whether the prophecies will help with that. But they might. Well. I have a date with triplets in France. Call if you need me, Cassie." He blinked out of sight.

"That is so...unnerving," Dad muttered, his hand waving around. "They just...pop in and out and-"

"It is unnerving." Everyone jumped as Crowley popped back onto the porch. Dad put his head in his hands. "But there really isn't another way. I refuse to walk around."

"You heard?" Sam asked.

Crowley nodded. "Everything. The sandwich was delightful and there are no prophets. However, I have an idea. We can try the locations of two crypts from our world, and see if crypts exist here, too."

Sam shared a look with me. I knew what he was thinking about. Visiting the crypt in Missouri...what started out as a weird hunt that involved angels, turned out to reveal Cas under Naomi's control, and the lies he led me to believe about my brothers. "Where's the other one, besides Missouri?" he asked, eyes locked on mine.

"Utah."

"You went to one?" Dean asked, noting the looks Sam and I shared.

Sam sat back in his chair, breaking my gaze and bowing his head. I decided to answer this one. "I didn't go in, Sam didn't either. Dean did. It was…" I glanced at Cas. "...complicated."

"In the end, we found the Angel tablet in that crypt. And...lost someone." We both stole glances at Crowley, whose face remained impassive, but his eyes...shone with guilt.

I cleared my throat. "Anyway, it's worth a shot, right? I mean, it's a lead where there are no leads, so…"

"...So who goes where?" Dean asked, looking around, clearly already having an idea of who should go with whom.

There was silence for a moment, no one really wanting to offer an opinion that would get shot down by someone. Cas broke it. "I think it would be wise for Crowley and I to each accompany a group. That way each group has some extra...abilities...available to them."

"Good idea," Crowley murmured. "I think it'd be best if I went to the crypt in Utah, since…" He paused, actually at a loss for words on how to finish that sentence. Since he killed Meg? Since he caused the drama outside that Missouri crypt? I understood why he didn't want to go back there.

"Since Sam and I already know the location of the other one," I offered. His head dipped in thanks.

Again, silence.

Rolling his eyes, Dad opened his mouth to speak just as Sam blurted, "I'll go with Crowley." Dad snapped his mouth shut. Sam looked to me. "Can you...can you go back to Missouri?" His eyes said more than his mouth...was I okay splitting up, was I okay going back there, did I feel up to even traveling.

I knew how to alleviate his worry. "Duh!"

Sam snorted, shaking his head.

Bobby nodded. "I'll stay here, hold down the fort with Adam. John, why don't you go with Sam and Crowley. Let the boys go with Kate and Cas."

Dad, who'd been eyeballing us, flickered his gaze at Bobby. "Sounds good. Where in Missouri are you headed?"

"Lincoln Springs," came from Sam and I at the same time.

Dad pulled at his chin. "Okay...why don't we head to the Roadhouse first. Caleb sent over some stuff I ordered, and we can check in with Ellen. See if anything's buzzing before splitting up."

"Well. If you're heading there first...maybe...Adam and I'll join you." I bit my lip to keep from laughing as Bobby turned beet red. "What?" he demanded.

Dad patted him on the shoulder. "If you don't, she'll murder you."

"No shit," Bobby muttered. "Speakin' of which, you should probably not get murdered yourself." He rose and stretched. "Good talk, everyone. Now who's hungry?"

Bobby shuffled back into the house with Adam. Dad pulled out his phone, making a blech face.

"Just call her, Dad." Dean chuckled. "Jody'll be pissed if you don't."

At Jody's name, Crowley's eyes widened. He looked at me, and I shrugged one shoulder, confirming his suspicions. He pursed his lips, but said nothing.

What could he say? Jody was with Dad over here.

Still, the longing on his face was evident, and I found myself feeling sorry for him. I knew how it felt to miss someone across worlds.

A feather brushed my cheek, and I smiled.

Dad sent what appeared to be a text, then sighed. "Let's look at some maps and plan out where we're going." He waved for Sam to follow, then paused as he considered the demon. With another sigh, he stepped into the house. A scraping sound was heard, and Dad reappeared, hooking a finger at Crowley. "Come on...we need you to help with the mapping." Sensing Crowley's hesitation, he explained. "I...broke the main trap. You can come in."

He disappeared back into the house. Crowley gave us an Oooooh! Look, complete with eyebrow waggling before following, Sam on his heels, booping my nose as he passed.

And then it was just Cas, me, Dean and Sammy on the porch.

Sammy looked at me. "So can we go back to calling me 'Sam' on this trip?"

"For the love of God, yes."

xxxxx

The next few hours were spent pouring over maps and making a list of supplies. Since we were leaving first thing in the morning, Dean tinkered with the Impala downstairs in the garage, making sure she was ready. Sammy stayed upstairs with me.

"So...you were at this crypt, but not at this crypt?"

Sighing, I leaned back against the wall, mindful of the map spread out on the bed between us. "Yeah." I explained what happened, including Castiel's deception, making me think Sam and Dean didn't want me around. "I wasn't feeling so hot after the first trial...coupled with thinking they didn't want me around...I spent that night at the motel, waiting for them to return."

He did a good job keeping his expression bland. "Why didn't they want you around?"

I sat on the bed, sighing, remembering that whole mess. "They did," I said softly. "Cas was… under the control of another angel. He was ordered to make me feel distant from them. It's a long story and it doesn't matter."

His head nod told me he understood...I didn't want to talk about it.

"Anyway, it was a crazy night. Crowley was involved, and we ended up leaving in a hurry." I didn't think it was important to mention Meg since her...relationship with Sam was a bitch to explain. Hopefully, Sammy wouldn't -

"So who was the person you lost that night?"

Fuck.

Sammy watched closely, waiting for me to open up about our loss. Except it wasn't our loss. It was a complicated "loss" of someone who knew Sam better than anyone, because she inhabited his body for a while. How could I explain that mixture of relief and mourning without freaking Sammy...because I had no idea if this "Meg" existed here. If she did, were her eyes on Sammy?

Yeah...tread carefully.

I was saying that a lot, lately.

"Kate?"

"She was a demon. I never met her. She was kind of like Azazel's daughter. Their John had run-ins with her, as did Sam."

As expected, Sammy's face scrunched up. "I don't see how that's a loss."

"I know. It's complicated."

"There's a lot of that over there."

I snorted. "You have no idea. I guess the best way to put it is that...after a while, lines that were clear became blurry. Situations dictated new rules, and we just...haven't had those situations pop up yet. I don't know if that demon even exists over here."

Sammy just nodded, accepting my answer, giant holes of missing information included, with no further questioning. If anyone understood complicated, it was him.

In any reality.

He watched me shove some things in a bag for a bit. I knew there were more questions in there, even if not about Meg.

"So...you're okay with...you know...not being with him on this trip?"

And there it was.

I studied him before answering. "Of course...why wouldn't I be? I'm with you." I plastered a sweet smile on my face, complete with batted eyelashes.

Sammy rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

Deflection, deflection, deflection. "I'm more curious about him traveling with Dad than anything. Although...Sam's kinda blown away by him." At Sammy's raised eyebrows, I explained. "From what I know, his John was in Marine mode all the time. He loved them, and he tried the best he could, but...when Sam left for Stanford, he had no contact from Dean or Dad the whole time."

"Oh…"

"Yeah. In the end, his dad made the best decisions he could make, given what he had to work with. He didn't have Bobby. He didn't have Jo and Ellen."

"He didn't have you," Sammy murmured, poking me in the side.

"Yeah." I wasn't sure what else to say, so I left it there.

xxxxx

It was almost eleven before Sam returned to our room. He looked tired, but vibrant. The fact that we had a plan, something to do, somewhere to go, bolstered him from deep within. It was good to see.

"Hey…" Winchester standard greeting. "How're you doing?"

"Good! All packed...ready to go." I made a grand sweeping gesture over the duffel bag politely sitting on the table.

Sam nodded, running a hand through his hair as he spun around looking for his own bags.

"On the bed, Sam."

Spying them, his mouth formed an Ahhh shape. Hesitating only a moment, he motioned me over. I dutifully sat on the bed. "I feel like I'm waiting for you to dole out presents."

He chuckled, opening one up. "I kinda am. I, uh, brought some of your things. From your room. I left some stuff in case…" He trailed off, eyes flickering to me before refocusing on the contents of the bag. "...I dunno. In case you ever come back, I guess. I dunno. Anyway…"

Out of the bag came the iPad that helped keep me sane when things were bleak. "I made sure the music you like is on it. I have no idea what's what with music over here, or if there are even iPads. Anyway, I figured...I'd just...grab a bunch of stuff."

Next came one of those frames that has multiple pictures in it. There were only a few, but they whalloped me in the heart. "Oh, Sam…" I breathed. One was a shot of me and Kevin, making faces. Another was of me and Dean in the kitchen. Dean was angrily pointing at a cookbook and I was rolling my eyes. Sam must've been hiding when he took it. The third had me and Sam, pouring over a book.

The last one...I remembered being taken. It was before the trials started. Sam, Dean and I posed on the Impala in the garage. Dean was barking photography orders at Kevin...who was grumpy about being bossed around. But in the picture, we were all smiling, arms around each other, just...there.

Tears just rolled down my cheeks at the sight of Dean, and that whole other life I had. My fingers ghosted over his face. I felt a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. Sniffling, I wiped my eyes and set the frame aside. "Sorry…" But when I looked up at him, Sam was wiping away tears of his own.

He handed me a copy. "I had an extra one made so you could...I dunno...carry it around, I guess." Clearing his throat, he dug back into the bag. "I also brought that sweatshirt of mine that you kept stealing - "

"Borrowing," I corrected.

"Stealing," he counter-corrected, tossing the thick bundle at my head. "And...this." He pulled out a Glock, my first gun in his world. "Thought you'd like it." I held it lovingly, remembering outshooting Dean on the range in the basement. "And! It comes with witch killing bullets and angel blade bullets."

I brought up my head sharply. "Get the fuck out of here. How'd you get those?"

Sam grinned. "Crowley. Remember he used them on Cas? Well, he knew how to make them, and where to find them. With all the demons gone, the earthbound gateways to Hell are abandoned, so...we raided a bunch."

"Nice," I whistled. "Dad'll go nuts when he sees this."

Huffing, Sam zipped up the bag and set it on the floor. "Already told him. He's super excited. I guess Caleb got him a few new guns and a crossbow that we're picking up from the Roadhouse." His eyes got wistful as he thought of his old friend.

"Tired?" I asked him.

Sam shook his head. "Not really. I'm...ready to get going." He nudged the other bags. "I need some clothes, though. I mostly brought weapons and ingredients for spells and stuff. John said we could stop somewhere on the way." He paused, blinking at me. "Feels weird to call him John."

"You can always call him Dad."

The look on his face told me that wasn't really an option.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck. "Did I make the right call by splitting us up?"

I shifted my weight on the bed, tucking one leg under me. "I think that if you suggested we stay together away from Dean, his brain would've melted."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, I think so, too. Still...going back to Missouri…"

"Sam. I was barely in Missouri last time. My memories of that day are centered on other things. I didn't do much to help. But, if the town's somewhat the same, I know what's where, and I know the location of the warehouse. It's at least a start. Going to Utah is better for you. And Crowley."

"I know. And...I feel better knowing you're with...Dean...and...me. Fuck, that's messed up. I mean, if you were with other hunters, not...like, anyone other than Bobby or - "

I patted his knee. "I know what you mean. I'm with my family...our family. It'll be fine."

Sam blew out a breath. "Yeah."

"You do need our phone numbers, though."

Sam patted his pocket. "Already got 'em. Adam added everyone to my phone. After I showed him how."

A knock sounded at the door, and Cas poked his head inside. "Hello? Is this better than popping in and out?"

"Jesus, I forgot how he was," Sam muttered under his breath.

I bit my tongue so I wouldn't laugh, or more importantly, think about laughing. "Yeah, Cas, come on in," I called out, casually punching Sam's leg when Cas wasn't looking.

"I am trying to be more...aware of how my presence affects you," he said.

Then he just stood there.

"Uh, did you need something, Cas?" Sam asked, also biting his tongue to stop laughing.

"Yes. I know you...we...are leaving in the morning. I thought perhaps...you would want to sleep…"

Sam and I exchanged looks. "Uh, that's usually the plan, yes." I wasn't sure what he was getting at. He was acting weird.

Castiel's expression turned sheepish. "Since I had you sleep so much today, I thought you would have difficulty sleeping now. I am here to offer my...you know. Assistance." He actually wiggled his fingers at us.

That's when I lost the battle, and laughed. Sam joined me. "Sorry...I'm sorry, Cas. The finger thing was just...okay. Uhm. I think it's probably a good idea...Sam?"

"Normally, I'd stay away from, you know." He wiggled his fingers back at Cas. "But I think...yeah. It'd be really bad if we're exhausted tomorrow."

Cas looked pleased. "Alright." Before we could move, or get ready, or maybe say something, he tapped our foreheads, and everything went black.