Chapter 21
Dust was spreading through the forest as the sun moved lowered behind the trees. Sam tried again to wiggle his body and pull with his good arm to get out from under the creature. He groaned and huffed in pain not feeling any movement at all. He could feel the sharp rocks digging into his back and hip and tried to shift an inch to relieve the hurt. He felt like he was trapped in a vice that kept getting tighter. He tried to twist his body and the lifeless body on top of him moved lowered pressing in harder. Blackness danced in front of his eyes as the pressure on his chest increased making it harder to draw in a breath. Sam was on the brink of passing out when he heard his name being called. He sucked in as much air as he could and called out as loud as he could, but it was barely a whisper. Please hear me, please; he begged trying to make noises again.
All of a sudden the weight was lifted from his body and he pulled in a shallow breath of much need air. Soft hands were cradling his face and someone was speaking to him but he couldn't latch on to it.
"Sam, Sammy!" Sasha called to him cupping his face. She watched his eyes roll and glaze over as he tried to focus on her. "We're here, you're going to be okay," she whispered to him. "Cas can you help him?" she begged when Sam didn't move and his breathing didn't improve.
"Yes," Castiel said kneeling beside them and placing a hand on his chest. He pushed out his grace allowing it to flow into his friend and finding the wounds to repair them. He set the bones in his arm, mended the cracked ribs and fractured hip and took away Sam's pains. Castiel drew in a shaky breath as he steadied himself feeling the drain on his body and power.
Sam sucked in a deeper breath and sat up with Sasha's help looking at the two people in front of him.
"Dean? Where's Dean?" he questioned looking around quickly for his brother.
"Cas, quick, Dean's in bad shape," Sky called to him in desperation.
Castiel and Sasha helped Sam to stand and guided him as he stumbled toward Sky's voice. He had to get to his brother, he had to help him.
"Dean's unconscious again and he's lost a lot of blood," she told Castiel who squatted beside Dean placing his hand on his chest and releasing his grace again finding the fractured leg, ribs, lacerated fingers and the head wound. He concentrated on mending the bones and stopping the slow bleed on his brain plus taking care of the cuts and abrasions on his fingers. Castiel sat back weak and pale as Dean moaned and turned his head toward the voice calling to him.
"Dean, hey Handsome, can you hear me?" Sky cooed to him kissing his forehead.
"Sky?" he croaked out reaching for her.
"Dean you okay?" Sam asked hoarsely, dropping to his brother's side.
"S'mmy, monster?"
"Got it," he nodded.
"Here, you two need water," Sasha said pulling two bottles from her pack.
They grabbed at the bottles and ripped the caps off hungrily gulped the water. Dean rinsed his mouth and spit the water to the side before swallowing several large mouthfuls.
"Easy there Handsome, don't need to be puking it back up," Sky cautioned him. She turned to Castiel checking him out when she saw his weakened state. "Cas you okay?"
"Yes, just a little drained is all. I'll be fine, but I can't transport all of you back to the cars," he sighed accepting a bottle of water from Sasha, not really needing it, but he sipped on it anyway.
"Well that mean's we get to hike out," Sky said helping Dean sit up to get his bearings.
"At least most of it's downhill," Dean told her. "We better get going, it's getting dark fast," he grunted taking her hand to be helped up. He swayed for a minute letting the world around him stop swirling before taking a tentative step.
"I got ya Handsome," Sky said slipping under his arm and putting an arm around his waist. "Lean on me until you get your balance."
"C'mon Sam, you ready to get out of here?" Sasha asked him pulling him close.
"Yeah, I've had my fill of hiking."
"Hate to tell you this Sam, but you really stink," Sasha frowned wrinkling her nose when she got a whiff of his blood drenched clothes.
"Look Cas, are you able to zap on back to the cars, if so do it. We'll be alone as soon as we can," Dean told him once everyone was standing.
"But you might need my help," he replied stepping closer to them.
"We'll be okay Cas, the monster's dead," Dean told him. "Here's the keys, give us twenty minutes and turn on the headlights so we'll see them," he said holding out the keys.
"Are you sure?"
"We got them Cas, if we need you I'll pray," Sky added hugging Dean tighter to her.
"Alright, if you're sure."
"Yes," they all said at the same time watching him disappear.
spn
"We better get going while there's still a little light to see by," Sasha told them looking around at how quickly the light was fading and realizing just how spooky this place was when it got dark. If there was by chance any more of those monsters out here, she didn't want to find out, especially in the dark.
"I'm with you on that," Sky agreed. "You ready?" she asked looking up at Dean.
"Always," he half smiled at her.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," she laughed slapping at his hand.
The two couples headed back down the trail trying to watch for loose rocks and slick places as they hurried trying to beat the night that was coming fast now. The girls pulled small flashlights from their packs and trained it in front of them so they could see. They didn't get but about a mile before the darkness engulfed them completely.
"Man, this place is really creepy at night," Sasha said tightening her hold on Sam.
"Not one of my favorite places to be that's for sure," Sky agreed but wasn't as freaked out as Sasha. She had seen a lot during her time with the government, not monsters like this, but monsters all the same, so the darkness didn't bother her. She actually liked the night and the things that came out only during this time. Sky looked around listening to the birds and animals and insects starting their musical symphony for the night. A lone wolf howled off in the distance and moments later another answered the call. She looked up at the bright stars decorating the sky, marveling at how breathtaking they seemed.
"So this doesn't bother you?" Dean asked watching her face in the shadows of the flashlight as she smiled listening to the night sounds and looking up at the sky.
"What? The night here?" she asked. "No, doesn't bother me, I kind of like it out here listening to all the sounds and watching the stars," she said looking up into the night sky as the first stars began to appear in the black sky. "It's calming in a way."
"Yeah, I get that," Dean replied glancing up at the night sky too. "You can let your mind drift, not think of anything, just...Be."
"Watch it up here, there's a lot of loose rock," Sam called back to them right before he lost his footing and started to slide taking Sasha with him.
"Sam!" she cried as she clung to him trying to keep her balance and help Sam keep his.
Dean and Sky watched the two skate down the incline actually keeping on their feet until it leveled out and Sasha tripped taking both of them down. Sam twisted so he would break Sasha's fall and protect her as much as possible from injury.
"Hey you two okay?" Dean called as they walked sideways down the loose rock and dirt to stop beside the two sitting on the ground. "Sammy talk to me."
"I'm fine," Sam laughed helping Sasha to her feet. "You good?"
"Yeah, what a rush," she grinned running her light over both of them to see if they were hurt but all she saw was that they were covered in dirt. "And we made it all the way down and then fell. I guess you can just call me graceful," she said bowing slightly.
"It was like watching a slow motion dance on rocks," Sky giggled shining the light down at their feet.
"Hey look, I see lights," Sam said pointing on down the trail toward the lower part of the ridge.
"Great, let's get goin'," Dean said taking Sky's hand and heading toward the light.
"Go into the light," Sasha said in a spooky voice, giggling at her reference to the movie.
"That's so bad," Sam chided her, chuckling as he got the reference.
"Gee I though I was pretty good," she pouted looping arms with Sam as they hurried to catch up with Dean and Sky.
spn
Castiel looked up when he heard the footstep coming down the trail. He knew they were almost there and stood up waiting for them make their way on down. He could hear talk and occasional laughter from them and knew they were ok. He sat back down in back of the Impala and smile to himself happy they were ok and to be a part of their family.
"We made it," Dean sighed in relief as the shape of the Impala came into view. "You know I hate hiking, right?" he asked nuzzling Sky's neck as they walked toward the car.
"And I thought we could go on a secluded camping trip. You know commune with the outdoors and all," Sky teased.
"The only communing I wanna be doing is in a nice comfortable bed with you naked beside me," he growled at her.
"TMI dude!" Sam complained as they caught up with them in time to hear Dean's comment.
"You wanna ride with me and Castiel can go back with Dean and Sky," Sasha asked.
"Of course. Meet ya at the motel?" Sam asked Dean.
"Yeah, we need to clean up and take these ladies out for dinner," Dean answered opening the door for Sky.
"Cas you wanna join us or you can head on back home, oh, and let Cole know everything's okay," Sky told him. "I wasn't very informative when we left."
"I will go on back; I can rest there, regain my strength and visit with your brother," Cas replied. "I will see you back at your home."
"You know, I've told you before, that's your home too Cas. You're part of this family just as much as any of us are. Don't forget that," Sky scolded him, speaking softly at the end and kissing him on the cheek. "Thanks for helping."
"Yeah Cas, I don't know what we would of done without you," Sasha agreed kissing his other cheek.
"I'll go now," he said turning a deep red with all the attention before vanishing.
"You made him blush," Dean teased.
"Well what I said was true and I hope he remembers that. Our home will always be his home, no matter where we are."
"You know, you're one hell of a woman," Dean said lovingly as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
"Hey, you guys can make out later; I wanna get to the motel and wash this nasty blood off me," Sam complained.
"We're coming. Go on and we'll be right behind you."
"Okay, don't be too lon,." Sam told him knowing by that look not to expect him for a bit.
"I'll drive," Sasha told Sam getting in the driver's seat.
"I'm fine to drive."
"Right and I'm not the one that was trapped under a four hundred pound whatever all day, get in."
"Yes ma'am," Sam chuckled deciding not to argue with her. He threw a wave to his brother before they headed back down the dirt road toward the highway.
"Didn't think they'd ever leave," Dean said reaching in and turning off the lights on the car. He pulled Sky to him and leaned back against the Impala with her in his arms. They stood silently listening to the night noises starting back up around them, neither wanting to spoil the magic with words. Sky closed her eyes and leaned her head back against Dean's strong chest and enjoyed the natural music around them. "How did you know we needed help?"
"I felt it," she whispered softly. "Down in my gut, I just knew something was wrong and I've learned to trust my gut feelings. Uncle Jethro taught me that."
"I'm glad he did," he said kissing the top of her head. "I love you so much."
"I love you too. Maybe that's why I knew. They say love is the strongest emotion you can have."
"Whatever it was, I'm just glad. I don't know how much longer we could of lasted out here neither of us able to help the other."
"Look, fireflies," she whispered pointing off at the edge of the woods as little lights began to blink on and off. "I love to watch them. Brings back memories of my Dad."
Dean squeezed her gently letting her know he understood. They stood there for another half hour just enjoying all the sounds around them. Dean's stomach began to growl loudly and Sky giggled, pulling from his arms.
"C'mon Handsome let's go get cleaned up. I'm getting hungry too."
"Sounds good," he said starting to go around to the driver's side.
"Nothing doing, tonight I'm the chauffeur," Sky insisted stopping him with her hand. "Other side."
Dean smirked at her but did as she asked and went around to the other side of the car. He dropped into the passenger seat as she got into the driver's seat. Sky started the Impala patting the dash.
"I know I'm not your guy, but he needs a break tonight. So no acting up deal?" she asked the car before putting it into drive and steering it onto the dirt road.
Dean looked over at his girl with pride and joy. He had both his ladies with him tonight and it felt good.