Chapter 21

The smell of coffee was enough to wake Dean from his restless slumber on the couch. Ever since Oree and Castiel had vanished three days ago, this was his usual bed. He pushed himself up and sat there for a minute making his body wake up. A buzzing got his attention as he looked around for his cell.

"Hello."

"Dean, my child, I will be there soon."

"You know the way?"

"Yes, do not worry, Aurora is a strong girl and smart, she has been well-trained, we will get her back."

"I hope so." he replied worry relevant in his voice.

"How is your brother?"

"This has hit him hard, and along with the other things goin' on with him, it's one day at a time."

"Take care of him, maybe I can help when I get there."

"Be careful." he told her before hanging up and heading for the kitchen and a cup of coffee.

"Who you talkin' to?" Bobby asked folding the paper and looking over at the young hunter.

"Oree's aunt, she should be here today." he answered taking a seat at the table.

"Guess I need to do a supply run then. How's yer brother today?"

"Don't know, he's not come down yet. I'll give him a few more minutes 'fore I check him."

"You get any sleep?"

"Little." he mumbled looking away from the older man not wanting him to know how little it was.

"Well, supplies aren't going to come to me, so I'm heading into town."

"Pick up some more gauze pads and antibiotic cream."

"That all?"

"Think so." he said draining his cup before getting up. "Goin' to check my brother."

"I'll be back."

Dean headed up the stairs to the bedroom they shared when they stayed at Bobby's, to check on Sam. Shock had made him almost comatose by the time they had gotten back to the house and he had been in bed for the past three days. He pushed the door open and quietly made his way into the room. Sam was still asleep in his bed, but it looked like it had been a restless one by the way the covers were wadded up around him. He still looked pale and a sheen of sweat coated his forehead.

The room had a chill to it, so Dean pulled the blanket from under Sam's feet and covered him up. He laid a hand on his forehead feeling for a fever as Sam moaned and jerked in his sleep when Dean ran a hand over his tousled hair. Sam had taken Oree's disappearance hard, extremely hard, while Dean held his feelings bottled up and locked away in one of the doors he rarely opened, it was tearing him up inside to know his little sister was in Purgatory. If she hadn't pushed him out-of-the-way, it would have been him. It should of been him that this happened to, not her. Guilt was weighing heavy on his heart when a voice broke into his thoughts.

"Dee." Sam said hoarsely looking bleary eyed up at him.

"Hey Sammy, how ya feelin'?" he asked giving him a once over.

"Did it really happen? Are Oree and Cas really gone?" he said in a raspy voice as he tried to get up.

"Yeah, but we're going to get them back. Why don't you try to rest a little more. Here, I brought you some water and meds." he said holding out his hand to Sam.

"Help...Gotta pee." he groaned letting Dean hold him up. With his brother's help, Sam shuffled his way to the bathroom. Dean waited with his back turned as Sam relieved himself and washed his hands. He ran a wet hand over his face and dried it with a hand towel.

"No arguing Sammy, you're running a slight fever, need to nip it in the bud 'fore it gets worse." he insisted pushing the tablets in his hand. "You need to get better so you can use that brain of yours to help find our sister and Cas."

Sam knew there was not use arguing with his brother and accepted the tablets and water. He sipped some water wetting his dry mouth and scratchy throat before trying to take the tablets. Once they were finally swallowed, Sam dropped back down on the bed shivering slightly as he pulled the blanket up around him. Dean pulled the quilt from under Sam's body and spread it over him, tucking it around him like he did when he was little. He didn't like seeing Sam sick and hoped his hallucinations weren't making him worse.

"You need anything..." Dean started but saw Sam was already slipping back to sleep. "I'll check on you later, get some rest." He patted his shoulder and headed back downstairs deciding to continue the research they had started on Purgatory.

Dean was thumbing through another book when he heard an unfamiliar car pull up in front of the house and figured it was Asteria, Oree's aunt. He got up making his way to the door keeping the gun he was carrying out of sight. He had learned it was better to be safe than sorry.

A soft knock could be heard as he stopped at the door glancing through the slit in the curtain before opening the door.

"Hello Dean." Asteria hummed softly.

"I see you made good time, come on in." he responded opening the door wider for her to come in.

"Weather and traffic cooperated, but it was still a long trip."

"Can I get you something? Coffee, tea, beer?"

"Hot tea would be nice, where is that Mr. Singer?" she asked looking around the room.

"Supply run, he should be back shortly."

"Your brother?"

"Bed, all that has happened has taken a lot out of him, he's running a fever and exhausted, I made him stay in bed." Dean explained as he heated the water and looked in the cabinet for tea bags.

"I will mix him up some hot tea that should help, I know how close those two are. It must have hit him hard, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine." he answered as his tone changed.

"Dean, it's alright to be upset, but you can't blame yourself. Oree was protecting you and you know she would do the same thing again even if she knew that would happen. Don't beat yourself up, we will get her back."

"Do you take milk in your tea?"

"Only honey. Tell me about this Castiel that went through too."

"He's an angel, close friend, I'm sure he'll protect her as best he can."

"An angel you say, that is interesting." she contemplated accepting the cup from Dean.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't say right yet, I believe Bobby is back."

A minute later Bobby came in the back door carrying bags. He sat them on the counter and spied Asteria at the table.

"Well I see you made it ok." he smiled warmly.

"Hello Mr. Singer." she smiled back letting unspoken words pass between them.

Dean looked from one to the other wondering if he had missed something. He knew they drove back together from Las Vegas after they rescued him from that underground fight club, but didn't really think anything about it. Maybe there was more going on between them that he knew.

"You want to get the other bags Dean?"

"Sure, I'll be right back." he said pushing his thoughts aside.

"Here let me help you." she offered getting up and strolling over to the counter. She began to remove the food from the bags putting things in the fridge.

"Thanks." Bobby said as he began to remove items from the other bags and putting them away in the cabinets.

Dean brought the remaining bags in and left them to finish up and visit. He grabbed his laptop and began search the web for any useful information. He thought about summoning Crowley again, but wasn't sure what help he could be since he had looked for Purgatory to begin with.

Oree scrambled over a rock pausing to catch her breath as she gauged their progress down the cliff. They were almost to the bottom and to level ground. She was hot, tired and thirsty. She could see Ellie just ahead of her jumping from one boulder to another quickly increasing the distance between them. She was anxious to get off the rocks and to the valley floor.

"Be careful your step, the rocks are slick and you don't want to fall." Castiel cautioned while he watched her slip down beside him. She smeared the dirt coating her face as she wiped her damp hair out of her face.

"I saw, don't worry, I don't intend to break my arm or leg." she answered. "Hope there's some water down there, I could use some." Oree picked up a couple of small stones and rubbed them in her hand before putting them in her mouth. She hoped this would help until water could be found.

"I'm sure we'll find some once we get down." he assured her looking at their path down for any pitfalls.

Ellie was waiting at the bottom for them resting under a tree. She waited for Oree to reach the bottom before trotting over to her.

"Hey girl, you glad to be down too." she cooed scratching her ears. "Find any water around here?"

With a sharp woof, Ellie headed into the trees glancing back to see if she was following. Oree and Castiel followed her a short ways into the woods to find a little pool of water bubbling up out of the ground.

"Water finally." she sighed kneeling down and scooping up a hand full of water. The coolness wet her parched throat as it trickled down. She wiped her face and neck with her wet hand enjoying the relief from the heat.

"We need to move on." Castiel told her.

"I know, I feel them too." she said standing up and drying her hand on her pants. "Ellie, which way to Jasper?"

Ellie looked deeper into the woods and back at her sending her the message to follow.

The first attack came about an hour later as they were crossing a small meadow. The vampire threw her to the ground and was ready to kill her when Ellie dove for it latching on to its throat ripping the head off. Oree wiped splatters of blood from her face as Castiel offered his hand to her to help her up.

"Are you alright?" he asked her checking her out before letting go of her hand. He was becoming fond of the youngest Winchester sibling, she was beginning to feel like a little sister to him.

"I'll survive, we need to keep moving, there are more not far off." she said picking up the weapon the vampire had dropped and followed off after Ellie at a steady trot. Castiel fell in behind her keeping an eye and his senses out for others.

"How's he doing?" Bobby asked Dean as he came back downstairs.

"I got him to eat a few bites and Asteria got him to drink some of that tea she brewed." he replied falling down on the couch.

"Has his fever broke?"

"Not yet, it keeps going up and down, but won't break. Man, it's been over a week now since they went missing and Sam is not getting any better."

"He still seeing Lucy?"

"Not sure, you think he could be having some effect on him like making him think he's sick?"

"Not sure, haven't had much dealings with Lucifer hallucinations."

"Learn anything new on Purgatory?"

"Still workin' on it." he said closing the book he was looking through.

"Your brother's resting now." Asteria told Dean as she carried a small tray with a cup and small tea-pot back to the kitchen.

"Thanks for your help, what's your take on him?"

"He's being tormented which is weakening him, I've cast a spell that will help, but will not stop them." she said sadly. "I wish I could do more."

"Have you sensed anything from Oree?"

"Not yet, but trying to get through another plane is very hard, no matter how strong your powers are. Don't give up hope, she will come back to us and she'll figure out a way to contact us."

"She's right, if anyone can survive Purgatory, she can, she a Winchester through and through." Bobby added trying to give Dean some assurance.

Dean nodded to both of them before heading outside for some air and to get away for a few minutes. He walked aimlessly through the junk yard stopping in a back corner. He picked up a random piece of pipe and crashed it into a cracked window of a junker. He did this several times before letting it drop from his hands and leaning heavily against the car, letting his breathing calm down as he wiped the sweat from his eyes. The guilt was still there, but his pent-up rage was mostly gone, he had to keep control for Sammy and for Oree and Cas. He had to believe they were coming back.

Thanks so much for reading, please review. NC