Thankfully the drive proved to be less awful than expected after Taylor found some heavy duty tape rolling around on the floor and managed to tape the blanket over the inside of the broken window. The dust still seeped in, but it was better than sitting in a dust cloud.

It was still a very long drive though. Taylor and I were able to get some sleep in, but poor Dean had to drive.

He was used to driving for long periods without rest, but even so, by the time we hit the sealed roads that led into town he was having trouble keeping the car within the lane markings.

I had woken up an hour earlier, and had been talking to him ever since. It was all I could do to help him stay awake.

I had suggested that we stop and rest for a while, maybe even settle in for the night, but he'd refused. Insisted that we needed to get back to the motel.

So we talked. We didn't talk about today, that would come later when things weren't so raw. We talked happy times…we had had a few over the years. Fourth of July fireworks, sleeping under the stars, the occasional decent birthday or Christmas.

Sometimes Taylor slept, sometimes she sat and listened, but she didn't speak. I was worried about her. She had that shocked and haunted expression that I'd seen far too many times over the years. The look of someone who had seen the horrors of the supernatural. The supernatural world that most people denied even existed.

I don't think it had quite been real to her, despite what she'd been through already today, until she saw the death that it so often brought. Till she'd felt the harsh reality of a shard of glass slicing into her arm.

She was awake now, the injured arm cradled to her chest. She was rubbing absentmindedly at the makeshift bandage while she stared out the window.

The ache of my own wounds was broken only by the sharp pains triggered by bumps in the rough road. I was glad we'd finally reached sealed roads, where those bumps were much rarer. I hoped the motel wasn't much further.

Suddenly the car gave an unhealthy rattle. I looked to Dean, concern showing on my face. He looked over and met my gaze. I think he was hoping I hadn't noticed.

"Almost out of gas." He admitted quietly. "I think we'll make it."

I hoped so, it was around 2am by now, and we hadn't passed another car yet. If we ran out of gas there was almost no chance of getting a lift.

I stretched my left leg out experimentally, and winced. Not only did it pull the wounds on my leg, I was also painfully stiff from sitting still in the car. I probably should have made an effort to move around more, but it hurt to move and I knew Dean noticed every flinch and wince. I didn't want him to worry.

I knew he noticed now. He didn't comment, but I saw his face tighten. We all seemed to have come to an agreement to not question how the others were feeling…at least out loud.

I knew he was hurting too. He'd taken a hell of a hit when that angel had thrown him, and a sprained ankle was a worry too. It may be less serious than a broken ankle, but it still needed treating. Really it should be wrapped, iced and elevated right now. Driving a car, even if all the injured ankle was doing was sitting there, was far from ideal. I knew without even looking that it would be badly swollen by now.

I was distracted from my thoughts by a small noise of triumph from the backseat. I looked at her questioningly, and she pointed out the front windscreen. I turned to look, and smiled a little at what we could now see. The first lights of town just up the road. A couple of minutes and we'd be back to the hotel.

Of course, when was our luck any good at all?

The car chose that moment to shudder…and then die completely.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean whacked the steering wheel with his palm before easing the car onto the dirt shoulder.

We all just sat in the sudden silence. No one wanted to be the one to admit what we knew was coming. A long, painful walk.

The motel was just a couple of minutes away by car, probably a five to ten minute walk if it was just Dean and I uninjured.

Currently? It was probably going to take us half an hour…and that's if we could manage it at all.

So far I hadn't been able to walk without assistance. The pain in my legs was just too much. I felt a renewed hatred for the man who had bashed my knees and cut my legs…he'd gotten off too easy.

Then there was Dean, who was not going to be able to put weight on his injured ankle.

Taylor was able to walk on her own, but I was worried about her none the less. We hadn't even been able to finish our tins of soup, and that had been hours ago. Dean and I were used to going hungry…but she was no doubt suffering, even if she didn't want to admit it.

So it was much to my surprise when she was the first to speak. "We have to walk, don't we." I nodded, she wasn't stupid. "But…" I turned to see her better, and realised she was scared. "They'll find us again if we leave the car, won't they?" There was a quiet tremor to her voice.

I groaned, I'd forgotten that little detail. I looked at Dean helplessly, hoping he had an answer.

He grimaced, "Cas-" He started to call, when I cut him off.

"Dean, he's already pushed himself too far today! We can't ask him to transport three people!"

He held his hands out, palms up in a gesture of frustration. "You got any other ideas?" He snapped, then sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. He was tired, I wasn't surprised he was feeling less than patient with me. Especially when I was so useless right now.

I looked down, suddenly finding myself fighting the urge to cry. It was stupid, I knew. I guess I was more tired than I thought.

He waited a moment longer, and when I didn't say anything went back to calling Cas.

"Cas, sorry dude, but we need your help again." We waited…but nothing happened.

I gave Dean a worried look, maybe Cas was even worse off than we had realised.

Hi everybody! I have had a very busy weekend, but of course I made time to write another chapter for you as promised! I hope you enjoyed it!

Thankyou to BonanzaRocks and Lady Nivian for your encouragement!

And welcome to my latest followers!