Chapter 21
The cabin came into view as the two vehicles rounded a curve. It was rustic and looked like it hadn't been used in a while, but looked useable. Dean pulled up beside Bobby and got out slowly checking the place out.
"I'll go in and get the power turned on, wait out here." Bobby told him as he headed around the side of the cabin.
"How's your brother?" John asked once he got out of the truck.
"No change." Dean replied opening the back door of the Impala and leaning in to check on him. His breathing was still shallow and his pulse weak and heat still poured off him. The only good thing was the bleeding had stopped, but he looked pale and felt cold even though sweat dripped down his face. "Any idea how to get Skippy here with Ladybug? Where would he have taken her?"
"Not sure, but I heard him in my head when he took her saying he'd keep her safe." John said leaning heavily against the car.
"How bad is it?" Dean asked him seeing the pained look on his sweaty face.
"I'll live." he grunted looking toward the cabin waiting for Bobby to return.
Dean sighed with relief when twenty minutes later Bobby finally opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch leaving the door open.
"Got a bed made for Sam." he said stepping from the porch and over to the Impala.
"I'll get the top half." Dean said moving to grip Sam under his arms and pulling him carefully out of the car. He waited as Bobby got his lower half and they slowly walked toward the cabin door.
"Down the hall on the left." Bobby said guiding him to a bedroom that had a full size bed against one wall and a twin bed sitting across from it. He let Dean lead him to the full size bed and eased Sam onto it. Sam showed no signs of gaining consciousness as Dean moved his body a little until he looked comfortable. "Bathroom's down the hall."
"I'll get some towels and clean him up." Dean said nodding his thanks before heading for the bathroom.
"I'll get the other bed made up so you can lie down 'fore you fall down." Bobby told John who was leaning against the door frame trying to hold himself up. "Then I'll run to town and get a few supplies for a few days."
"Alright, don't think I can be of much help right now anyway."
"He's right Dad, lie down and rest. I'll check on you once I've seen to Sam."
"I'll be ok; you just look after your brother." John insisted before he turned to go into the other bedroom Bobby disappeared into to lay down.
spn
"Sammy you did it...We got her back...You and the angel saved her. You got 'em all, every last one of those sonovabitches." Dean mumbled to his unconscious brother as he cleaned his face of the dried blood and dirt. He removed Sam's jacket, outer shirt, boots, jeans, and tee shirt. Dean looked him over and could find no injuries to his physical body, except for a few scratches and scraps that he cleaned. He quickly wiped his body down with cool water and patted it dry, then grabbed a clean tee shirt and worked it onto Sam's body. "I know it might be hard but you gotta come back to us. Ladybug needs her Daddy and I need my little brother." He looked at his brother's face, but saw no acknowledgement on it. Sam lay still and lifeless, except for the slight rise of his chest as he drew in shallow breaths of air. Once he got Sam cleaned, Dean took the dirty towels back to the bathroom and checked on their father before returning to sit beside Sam's bed. He kept a cold cloth on his forehead changing it out every fifteen minutes, noticing that his body temperature seemed to be going down slightly, but not enough for his liking. Dean was not sure what Sam had done back there, it seemed much more intense and powerful than the last time he had took on demons. He was worried that this time he might have gone too far and would not be able to find his way back.
spn
Castiel looked down at the small form that he held in his arms as he walked into a personal Heaven he knew so well. A blonde woman looked up from where she was sitting in a garden and ran to his side to look down at her daughter.
"What happened Castiel?" she asked brushing her daughter's hair from her face.
"A demon took her, but she was saved by her father and family."
"Why is she not awake?" Jessica asked worry in her voice when she saw drops of blood on her face and shirt.
"As you expected, she has the powers like her father and used them to save her grandfather. Right now her body is healing and her mind is adjusting to what has happened. She will be alright."
Jessica took her daughter in her arms and looked her over marveling at how she had grown and how precious she was. Deanna's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at her mother for a moment and smiled up at her before lapsing back into unconsciousness. Jessica could see recognition in her daughter's eyes before they closed. Tears ran from her eyes as she kissed her and handed her back to the angel.
"Go back to them, they must be very worried about her." she said. "Do what you can Castiel. I know they limit your intervention, but try, please."
"I can hear someone praying, it is the brother Dean." Castiel said tilting his head slightly as he listened to the plea.
"Thank you for bringing Deanna so I could see her. You take care of her and my husband and family." she said giving Deanna a final kiss on her forehead and throwing her arms around Castiel, giving him a brief hug. "I know you weren't suppose to let me see her...I don't know how to thank you...You are truly a good friend, now go before you're found out."
"I will do as you ask my child." Castiel said bowing his head to her before disappearing. He felt a stirring in his chest by this young woman's words. Never before had he been called a friend, except by this child who he vowed to better protect from now on. Her purity and innocence seemed to give her an ethereal glow inside Heaven's borders and this astounded him. He had never seen another like her before and was honored he had been chosen as her guardian.
spn
"I don't know if I'm doing this right, but I'm praying that you will bring Deanna to us. Her father needs her and so do we. Please bring her back." Dean whispered as he bowed his head and hoped the angel was listening. There was a rustling at the foot of the bed and he looked up to see the angel standing there with Deanna in his arms. "Ladybug..." Dean called to her when he saw her limp in his arms.
"She is not injured..." Castiel told him as he let Dean take her from his arms. "Her mind has to rest while her soul heals after what she did. She will wake soon."
"What did she do?" Dean asked with concern looking down at his niece's sleeping face. "Skippy, what happened?" he insisted trying to pull the memories from his brain. Last he remembered of Deanna was a chair hitting her and her going down. After that he was too busy watching Sam's back and trying to stop the demons.
"She called forth the power within her and defended her grandfather against Alastair. She was no match against him being so young and untrained, but it gave John enough time to destroy the last sigil and shoot the demon." Castiel explained. "What she did took tremendous courage and strength to stand up to one so powerful."
"Will there be any side effects with her doing that? I mean using them at such a young age?" he asked as he took a wet cloth to wipe the dried blood from her face.
"I do not think so, but I am not versed about such matters."
"Can you look at Sammy...I'm worried about him. He was bleeding from his ears and nose and just collapsed after releasing a huge bomb of energy. He's burning up too. It was different from last time..." Dean told him cuddling Deanna to his chest and sighing with relief to feel her chest rise and fall against his.
Castiel stepped to the side of the bed and looked down at the young man lying so still on the bed. He could feel heat radiating from his body, but could sense a coldness inside of him. He placed a hand on his forehead and let his grace flow freely into him patching the injuries in his body and sensing that most of the darkness seemed to have been burned away when Sam released the massive burst of power on the demons. He was sure Sam still had abilities, but he didn't know what they might be. He left a sliver of grace around it to keep it contained until the young man was conscious and in control again. He touched his soul and saw the dimness of it as it fought to gain back its brightness. He searched for the young man and saw he had retreated into the farthest corner of his mind were even he could not reach. He stepped back and looked over to the brother before speaking.
"I have done all I can, it is up to him now. He must find his way back."
"My father, he's in the other bedroom. I think the demon hurt him too."
"I shall see." he said walking out and going into the other room. He was gone for a few minutes and returned. "He will rest now and will be well when he wakes."
"Thank you." Dean said deciding to lay Deanna beside her Daddy on the bed. He made sure they were touching before sitting back down in the chair. "Pull up a chair Skippy, I ain't goin' anywhere. Besides Ladybug will probably want to see ya when she wakes up."
Castiel looked around the room and saw another chair and moved it to the other side of the bed and sat down. He looked over at the older brother as saw the look of worry and concern on his face and in his eyes.
He wasn't sure why he was calling his this 'Skippy' name and looked at his thoughts seeing he seemed to maybe like him and was a nickname for him like 'Ladybug' was a nickname for the child that he loved. It was hard to understand humans sometimes with all their emotions and feelings and strange ways. He saw Dean was grateful to him for saving Deanna, but there was still that hint of distrust because that was who he was. He loved his brother and niece with every ounce of his being and would destroy anyone or anything that tried to hurt them, even if it meant losing his own life in the process. The angel remained silent, though he had questions he would of liked to ask, but at least knew now did not seem like the time. He watched as Dean removed the warm cloth from Sam's forehead and replaced it with a cold one. He checked his pulse and breathing and did the same to the child who curled into her father's side.
"I took something off a demon; do you know what it is?" Dean asked out of the blue breaking the silence in the room. He stepped to his jacket and pulled out the knife, holding it out to the angel.
Castiel accepted the blade and studied it carefully, looking at the writing on the blade and turning it over in his hands feeling the power it possessed.
"It killed a demon and I've never heard of anything that could do that." Dean added waiting for an answer from him.
"This is a very old and powerful weapon Dean. It was forged in the very bowels of hell by Lucifer himself. The writing is Enochian and one I've never seen before. The best I can tell it means Bearer of Death. It will kill demons and angels alike, except for the archangels and the very highest level of demons. This will not send demons back to hell; it will destroy their souls and send them to Purgatory. I had heard of rumors of the a blade like this over the years, but have never seen it. It is almost as powerful as my own weapon." Castiel explained letting a long, silver strangely shaped blade fall into his hand for Dean to see. He quickly concealed it again and held the demon knife back out to the hunter. "I can kill any beast or even fellow angels but for the archangels with my blade also. You are lucky to have taken the blade. It could be a useful weapon for you in your battles with the supernatural."
"Good to know." Dean said taking the blade back and looking at it again. He turned it over in his hand before replacing it in his jacket pocket for safe keeping. He did feel like this was a huge discovery because now they could defend themselves against demons.
spn
Bobby came back in with some supplies and put the items away before filling the coffee pot and starting it. He watched it began to drip before stepping away and heading for the bedroom to check on Sam and Dean. Dean didn't turn his head, but the angel on the other side of the bed looked up as Bobby stepped into the room.
"How they doing?" he asked seeing Deanna lying beside her father.
"To be honest...I don't know..." Dean trailed off.
"The child should wake soon, but her father will take much longer, if he does wake from his ordeal." Castiel said, not knowing that he was being too blunt with his words. "There is that chance he might not find his way back. If that should happen, his body will slowly perish and he will..."
Dean sucked in a quick breath at his words and glared at him as he started to stand.
"Don't talk like that." Dean growled through clenched teeth, stopping him from saying any more. "Sammy's waking up. He did last time, he will this time too."
"Easy son, he didn't mean anything by it." Bobby cautioned Dean while looking at the angel seeing a puzzled look. "We know Sam's strong and he'll come out of this. He's got his family here for him and a lass to live for."
It looked like Castiel was about to speak again until he saw the look Bobby gave him and closed his mouth. He was going to have to learn more about being around humans and how to act. He was only telling the truth and wasn't sure why Dean became angry by that. Maybe they didn't want to know the truth because it was painful he thought when he saw the despair on his face.
"Sam is a strong man to have kept his powers quiet for so long and he has a reason to fight to wake up." Castiel stated, trying to correct his mistake. He looked at the sleeping child knowing if anything would bring Sam back would be his love for his daughter.
"Damn straight." Dean mumbled running a hand over Deanna's head and brushing her hair back.
"Got some coffee made, I'll bring us a cup. You drink coffee?" he asked Castiel.
"No, I have no need for sustenance." he replied and as an afterthought added. "Thank you for asking."
"Right, I'll be right back." he said a little perplexed with the angel. Since they didn't even know they existed, he was curious about him and just what all he could do besides vanish into thin air.
"I will stay with them if you would like to rest." Castiel offered to Dean when he saw his body weighted down with exhaustion. "I have no need for sleep."
"I'm good, little caffeine will do the trick." he replied not wanting to leave his family.
It wasn't long before Bobby was back with hot coffee for Dean who gratefully accepted the cup.
"Why don't you go get some rest Bobby, I got this." Dean told him knowing they both didn't need to be up. "Wouldn't sleep anyway."
"You sure son, I don't mind?"
"Naw...Skippy and me can handle it." he replied shooing him away with a wave of his hand. Dean blew across the cup before taking a tentative sip of the strong brew.
"If ya need me, ya know where I'm at." he told him heading to the other bedroom that had a full size bed and a daybed. John was in the full bed, so he made himself comfortable on the daybed.
A/N: So guys, only four more chapter left and the journey will be over for this story. Thanks to everyone for the continued support and the reviews. I hope you are enjoying the story and have found it entertaining. Reviews always welcome. NC