..
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, I will rejoice
..
'Why are they taking so long?'
Castiel groaned low in his throat, pacing the damp ground as they waited. The light from the diner gave the pouring rain an eerie glow and reflecting back to Castiel from the deep puddles. He glared at them in frustration, wishing that they would answer his question instead of being met by silence. His blood was boiling with frustration, more at himself than anyone else; once he could just spread his wings and be where he wanted or needed to be. He felt like he had lost a leg, and it was not something he had fully become use to.
The diner door shut behind him and he looked over his shoulder to Sam who handed him a coffee. It steamed in front of him and Castiel accepted it, leaning on Micah's car. Sam stood there silently as they waited, both too anxious to speak. It was like that for a couple of minutes, enough time for Castiel to scull the burning coffee and for Sam to tap the bonnet.
'Nice car, Dodge Charger?'
Castiel nodded briskly, fiddling with the paper cup until it crushed beneath his hands.
They were taking too long, it had been an hour!
Sam's sharp eyes were watching him carefully and absently touched his pocket as Castiel walked past him. Castiel knew he had the keys, had already thought of wrestling the giant for them but instead dropped the cup into the bin, watching the quiet street for any head lights, his hopes crushed each time a car drove by, not the acquainted rumble of the Impala.
'I have faith Sam, I just,' Castiel was lost for words; he didn't know what he wanted to say, he just had to speak, had to stop worrying but that was like asking him to stop eating hamburgers.
'I know, I do to Cas.'
Time dragged by slowly and when there had been no phone call and three cups of coffee later, Sam started to become edgy.
'Maybe they did get into some trouble,' he said and Castiel nodded, opening the door and ready to get in. This was ridiculous, they couldn't just stand around here any longer; besides, police had started to drive in the direction of the motel and also the health ward, they couldn't stay in one place any longer looking suspicious. Sam had barely managed to squeeze into the driver's seat when headlights pulled up beside them.
The impala was a welcoming sight and Castiel felt some of his tension leave, but it didn't last long.
Dean rolled his window down, shouting something across to Sam but Castiel looked towards the passenger's seat of the Impala, seeing a quiet Micah. Even in this light he could see something was wrong, she remained still, staring out at the diner with her arms crossed. He was about to call out to her as the cars pulled away, Castiel winding the window back up as he focused on what Sam was saying to him.
'They got held up at security and road blocks but otherwise alright.'
That was a lie.
Castiel knew that there would have been some, but a whole hour and a half worth? He could feel his frown deepen, not from anger but from frustration.
They drove until they were just out of town, an abandoned farming house offering a good enough place to rest. Dean had already taken Micah inside, setting a duffle bag down for her to lean on as she shivered from the rain. Dry twigs and logs sat beside the fire place and Castiel slowly got a fire going, offering light in the dark house.
Micah didn't look at him and Castiel sighed, sitting beside her as the Winchester brothers filled the house with protective symbols, salt and devils traps. Nudging Micah's arm, he encourage her out of the wet shirt she was wearing, helping her to carefully lift her arms up and wrapping a blanket around her.
Bruises riddled her arms and Castiel felt a spark of rage for the demon that did this to her. A split lip was slowly crusting and Castiel reached across to gently push damp hair from her face.
He remembered the first time he saw Micah; how could he forget? She was so beautiful; he mistook her for an angel. Nothing much had changed as he watched the yellow light of the fire dance across her skin; it made her look untouchable.
To defy his thought Castiel reached out slowly, gently running his fingers down her bare arm. It raised goose bumps across her skin, that was clear and Castiel went to move closer but Micah pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, shielding herself from his touch. He opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong but footsteps behind them interrupted him.
'We've done this place as best we can, hopefully we will be outa here before they find us.'
Sam sighed; dropping the spray pain can on the ground and collapsing into the dusty chair.
'I would like to know what the hell is happening.'
'I know.'
All eyes turned to Micah who remained focused on the fire before she blinked, snapping out of whatever trance she had been in.
'There is something inside of me and they won't stop until they get it.'
Her eyes lost focus, a confused frown growing on her face and words mumbled under her breath. Concerned, Castiel looked towards Sam and Dean, who had looked to him as if he knew what was going on.
If he was still an angel he would have been able to find out, solve this problem in one night rather than keep going at this guessing game.
'Something inside of you?'
Micah looked at them and Castiel felt his breath catch in his throat as her eyes slowly softened from an angry red.
'Yes. It needs my life to keep itself alive. It is helping me,' she sighed, blowing her fringe from her eyes and scratching nervously at her cheek. Castiel narrowed his eyes, noticing that her split lip was now practically healed, and her black eye now something that looked weeks old. It made his blood run cold; it may be helping her, but at what cost?
'You had been looking...younger.' Dean chuckled slightly, his smile fading as Sam gave him a funny look. Micah smiled, giving him a gracious smile.
'Are you saying I looked old?'
Her smile slowly faded as she turned to Castiel as he remained still, only moving his hand to rest beside Micah's. The fire cracked behind them, the rain still heavy outside and Castiel couldn't take it anymore.
'What is it?'
Micah's face hardened and she dropped her eyes from them, her nails scratching at the old wooden floor. Her mouth moved, forming silent words and Castiel put his hand over hers, stopping her from scratching the wood. Splinters were under her nails, and she hardly seemed to notice as Castiel carefully brushed them away, squeezing her hand as Micah fell silent, tilting her head as though she could barely hear something. Dean and Sam shared a look, Sam standing and moving to pull his laptop from his bag.
Green eyes locked with Castiel, and he felt a chill go down his spine before she even opened her mouth. Taking her hand back, Micah rubbed at her eyes, pulling her grimy hair over her shoulder.
'It calls itself an amaranth.'
His world didn't fall apart but Castiel felt it jolt.
Rising to his feet, Castiel pulled his jacket around him tighter as he moved away, lost in thought. The warmth of the fire left him and he stared out at the rain from the broken window. Of course, it was staring to all make sense now. The unusual activities from all the supernatural, their unlikely patterns across the country, it was after the amaranth!
He had heard of it in his many thousands of years being an angel, but he had never come across it. Many angels had believed that it was just a word, something that their Lord father had said to call his power. Of course he also knew it was a flower, something that had been created by his father for its lasting beauty but he had never thought anything else of it.
They were talking behind him, but he couldn't hear then, they sounded distant as he sort through his memory for something, anything that could help them. It could not fall into the hands of anything, not even the humans but what could they do?
'Cas?'
Micah's soft voice brought him back and he spun around, everyone's eyes filled with worry.
'Do you know what it is?' Sam asked, his laptop on his lap as he typed away, trying to find what it was.
'You won't find it on any site or book,' Castiel moved back towards them, welcoming the warmth on his skin from the fire and leant on the flaking wall, 'it is not something that even the angels know much about.'
'But you know something, right?' Dean asked and Castiel looked at Micah who stared up at him from the floor.
'An amaranth as you know it is a flower, one that blooms for a very long time.'
'A flower is inside of Micah?' Dean interrupted, holding his hand up in sorry as Castiel snapped his eyes to him.
'This amaranth is something entirely different. It is the power God himself used to create all life.'
The words sat heavily in the room, Micah turning away from them and staring at the fire, Sam and Dean blinking absently at Castiel before to Micah.
'So … Creation in seven days, all life on the planet, all that power... in Micah?'
Castiel managed to nod his head, deciding to kneel beside Micah, his arm wrapping around her softly as she trembled.
'Can you ask it what it is doing here?'
Micah's green eyes looked up at him, the terror in them making Castiel want nothing more than to run away with her. She nodded, closing her eyes and Castiel rubbed her arm soothingly, trying to reassure her that she is not alone.
'Where is it meant to be? Wouldn't God want to keep that close?'
Castiel looked over his shoulder at the brothers, nodding slightly.
'Angels of my status were not privileged to know anything of such importance, but from what I do know, he would not keep something like that in heaven.' he shrugged slightly, checking on Micah who remained still and quiet. 'As you know, heaven is not often the most secure place. It would have been hidden somewhere with a guardian.'
'It is running,' Micah said suddenly, lifting her head up, 'it has been for centuries. A, demon is after it.' she frowned slightly, her hand reaching up to cover her ear as if in pain, 'it is not sure of his name, but it does know that it has to survive. If it dies, everything dies.'
Castiel could feel the room shrink in around him and was sure that the brothers felt the same. This was big, this was something that Castiel knew was almost too big. The Winchesters would never admit that though, they had faced worse but Castiel wondered if they truly understood the severity of this. Micah sagged slightly, holding her hand to her forehead. She may look healed and healthy but Castiel could sense that she was drained.
If they couldn't help this Amaranth, if it remained in Micah for much longer, it would kill her and he could not lose her again.
Thank you for reading! Silver Kirin
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