Chap 34

(A/ N: Consenting adults, y'all... Thanks for reading. FW)

'Not finding anything out of the ord. Why?'

Dean didn't reply, simply put his phone away.

"So, this cousin.. when does he get in?" Dean asked Lita.

"Actually, he might already be there." Lita said.

Dean searched her voice for any hints of concern, but found none. "Can I meet him?"

"Of course, I'm sure he'll want to thank you personally, and then probably talk shop." She shook her head. "You wouldn't believe how much you have in common."

"What's his name?" Dean asked, gleaning as much information as he could without sounding suspicious.

"Antonio."

Dean shot her a surprised look. "That doesn't sound... well..."

"He's not Muslim." Lita laughed. "Actually, most of his family are Catholic."

Dean shook his head. "I don't know what I was expecting."

"I told you, my family's from Spain. Lita isn't a Muslim name, either, it's a short form of Carlita." Lita said, shaking her head as well.

"Learn something new every day, huh...?" Dean was quiet for a few moments, before he turned to her again. "Listen, this old lady at the hotel last night, she said something, and maybe I'm some racist hick for bringing it up, but are you sure you're safe if you go back?"

Lita was speechless, her mouth hung open.

Dean looked at the road, them back to Lita, desperation on his face. "Just tell me you're not in danger of some kind of honor killing?"

"No! Dean, no. My family wouldn't do that! I barely got grounded for sneaking out as a teenager, and my dad saw my boyfriend in the back yard. And Antonio, he doesn't care, he's actually got some kind of poly relationship with his wife and girlfriend. No one is going to hurt me." Lita said, incredulous.

"I'm sorry." Dean said quietly. "I don't know a lot about this stuff, and that old lady really rattled me."

Lita rolled her eyes and stared out the window.

"Wait a minute... you snuck out, your dad saw your boyfriend in the back yard, and you barely got grounded?" Dean asked.

"I was a straight A student, they didn't have much to complain about." Lita responded with an even tone.

Dean shrugged, shaking his head. "Hey, I'm not judging... Just surprised after all that they'd disown you for going to college out of state."

"That's not the whole truth." Lita said. "A better description might be, they didn't want me involved with Antonio's group, they didn't want me picking up information on ghosts, demons, djinn, and all the other things I can see, and running off to Europe where they can't protect me. So I had an argument with my dad, and he said to just leave, because he couldn't stand to lose me twice."

Dean looked at her. "Twice?"

"Once, leaving home, and twice, if I get myself killed, getting involved with hunting." Lita explained.

Dean nodded. "You ever heard of a group called the Men of Letters?"

Sam walked into the kitchen, and nearly ran over Melissa. "Sorry. Feeling better?"

"Yeah, I guess. It's getting easier to move around."

"Cas said he was able to heal you some more, something about you can still make grace?" Sam asked, going for another cup of coffee.

"Looks like it. It was on accident, but that should mean voluntary should work, too, right?" Melissa said. "I don't think even he knows."

"I'm going to run into town, get you a new phone, pick up some stuff. You need anything?" Sam asked. "You, uh, got enough of your medication to last a while?"

Melissa nodded, "About a week's worth."

"Okay." Sam said, "maybe we can take the time to forge the prescription by then."

Melissa looked at the floor as Sam left the room.

Castiel had named a few of Melissa's favorite foods for Sam's grocery list, and supplied the keys to the rental car. It wasn't long before Melissa wandered into the library.

Castiel looked up, not speaking, noticing Melissa had changed into a different sun dress, one he recognized from her own wardrobe, red, with a halter tied behind her neck.

"Can you heal my heart condition enough that I won't need the pills?" Melissa asked rather directly from the edge of the room.

"I can make an attempt." Castiel said quietly.

"I don't want them stealing and forging things to keep me alive." Melissa replied. "It's not right. Not fair to anyone."

Castiel closed the book, and pulled a stray newspaper over it. "I don't have enough grace to do it right now, but I do want to help. Would you be willing to attempt it in meditation?"

"I'll have to get back to doing it anyway, to get the scars off later, right? May as well start now." She came closer to where Castiel sat.

Castiel stood, and turned to sit on the table as she approached him.

"Same as when we started, right?" Melissa asked, her concern apparent in her voice.

"I take it you mean prior to when we..." Melissa nodded in response. "Yes. If that's what you want."

Melissa hesitated, but brought her hands up to Castiel's shoulders. Castiel let his hands hang awkwardly at his sides, trying to stay in keeping with the boundaries Melissa needed.

She began to sway slightly as she went into her meditative trance. The swaying got a little more intense and he lifted one hand to her hip to steady her.

"Don't..." she breathed.

Castiel let his hand fall.

Melissa was clearly struggling. Castiel could see the colors and lights of her chakras, her soul, moving in a strange dance to the rhythm of her hopes and dreams, but everything was out of step. He had just enough grace left after healing her to feel the twinge in her side.

He watched her brow furrow, and slight shakes of her head as she tried to focus. After several minutes, her eyes snapped open. "I can't."

She let her hands fall from his shoulders. Castiel didn't say anything, but he felt desperate to have her touch back. She turned away for a moment, rubbing at her face. "What if it's only involuntary now?"

Castiel considered the implications. "Then we will find some other way."

Melissa turned back to him. "How?"

Castiel wasn't sure how to answer her, but he wasn't expecting her to come closer and start kissing him. After a few seconds of surprise and confusion, he relaxed and began to kiss back, gently and patiently. He could feel something stirring within her, and put his hand on her upper arm to push her back slightly.

"Is it working?" She asked.

"Melissa, please, don't do this. It isn't what you want." Castiel whispered.

"You said you'd help me. I need you to help me. Please... I can't die with these scars again." Melissa's voice broke on the last words.

Castiel shook his head, pushing her further away. "This isn't right."

"Why should you get to decide what's right for me?" Melissa asked, her normally hidden fierceness showing through.

Castiel's voice came out far harsher than he meant as he stepped further away from the table. "Because I care for you. Because I won't mistreat you, even if you ask me to, nor will I allow you to use me to mistreat yourself. Because whether or not you are being controlled by a pattern drawn on your skin by a feather you pulled from my wing, I am still very much involved."

Melissa dropped into the chair Castiel had vacated. "...You still want to take that mark off of me?"

Castiel turned to face her. "Yes... please, Melissa, let me try."

Melissa studied his face. "You really didn't do this."

Castiel stared into her eyes, quiet rage boiling beneath them. "No."

Melissa pushed her hair back over her shoulder, "Okay."

Castiel stepped closer, taking her hand and pulling her gently to rise from the chair. She stood perfectly still as he untied the soft wide straps behind her shoulders. He left the left one where it was, and brought the one on her right forward to hang down from the top of the bodice, slowly slipping his fingers into the edge of the fabric, against her skin. He moved slowly, as if he was afraid to startle her.

Delicately, he pulled the edge of the bodice down to expose the design, and as little else as possible. Leaving the fabric where it was, he turned his hand to cover the design.

Castiel wasn't sure what possessed him to do it, but instead of a fast, simple touch to make it disappear, he dragged his fingertips over it, and healed her slowly with the touch of a lover. The pulse of warmth and the cool silky chill that followed made her grasp at his trench coat to keep her balance, and elicited a moan and heavier breathing from her.

Despite her reaction, Castiel gripped the cloth and pulled it back up, covering her, and took hold of the strap, guiding it up her chest, behind her neck, reaching to tie it to the other one.

Melissa reached up, taking his hands before he could make a knot, and pulled them down, bringing them around her waist, the straps on her dress forgotten.

The realization on her face was unmistakable. "Castiel... I'm sorry I didn't believe y-"

He bent forward, capturing her mouth with his own. He could feel the deep storm of emotions within her, in stark contrast to the pure relief he felt.

Melissa kissed him harder, and pressed him back toward the table, working frantically at his tie and buttons. She quickly gave up as he leaned back against the table and pulled her legs up around his hips, slipping his hands under her skirt.

He tightened his grip on one of her thighs when she nipped his lip and moved to his neck, making her moan.

"I missed this..." she said, tugging at his clothes.

Castiel could feel her chakras moving in a careful connection with what was left of his grace. He brought his hand to the top of her head, tangling his fingers in her hair, causing a reaction in her crown chakra. The violet light flowed against his hand, and spun comfortably in place.

Melissa pressed him down against the table. "I don't want to wait."

Castiel nodded as he leaned back, "I understand. I can feel it... I know you need this."

He ran his hand further up her thigh as she worked at his pants. He found her skin bare, her folds nearly dripping. She stopped, kissing him as he continued to touch her, swallowing her moans.

He brought his hand away as she pulled him free from his clothing, taking hold of her hips and guiding her forward, murmuring his assurances to her.

Castiel wasn't prepared for the feeling of her hot, wet body taking him in. She threw her head back with a strained moan as her body settled around him. His fingers tangled in her hair and skirt, as he gasped. His muscles tried to thrust, but he had no purchase with his legs hanging off the edge of the table.

As Melissa began to rock against his hips, Castiel's hands wandered to her ribs. She pulled her dress down, guiding his hands to her breasts as she continued to move, picking up speed.

Castiel could feel it when the energy started to shift. He looked down to confirm it, and the red light near the base of her spine was moving differently. Only this time, so was the violet light, flowing downward. If he didn't rush her, they would meet in her heart chakra again.

"Faster..." he said around a moan. "It's grace... you have to finish quickly."

"But... you..." Melissa tried to speak through her panting.

"Mmmnn, no.. faster... We can keep going after." Castiel said, trying to rock against her, as her frantic movements bounced her flesh in his hands. "Please... let me feel you..."

Melissa curled forward, grinding against him, clawing at his still clothed torso, tightening around his hard length, burying her mouth and nose against the skin of his neck before arching herself upright in bliss. Castiel bolted forward, taking his mouth directly to the front of her neck.

Castiel let go of her breasts, pulling her frame tightly against him as she continued to thrust against his lap, to be sure she wouldn't fall. He felt every wave her flesh made, pulling at his skin within her. Every tightened muscle.

He took every bit of grace out of her, praying out his thanks that this time didn't require a blade.

Melissa shook against his body as she started to come down from her wordless screams. Castiel laid back down on the table gently, taking her with him, her spent form cradled on his chest. His arms still around her, his throbbing member still sheathed to the hilt.

Castiel was content to hold her, feeling the grace she had given him still carrying the traces of her orgasm.

"Castiel..." Melissa said, her voice a hushed tone. "You want to keep going?"

Castiel was about to answer her, but he heard the sound of the bunker door beginning to open. He clutched her tightly.

A moment later he had them in the shower, door locked, clothes abandoned on the floor, Melissa's back pressed firmly to the tile wall, her legs still wrapped around his hips. He used his grace to start the water, dropping his mouth to the side of her neck.

He adjusted her weight, finding a better height at which he could thrust.

Melissa gasped, and rocked against him, ready to continue, her arms wrapped tight around his shoulders. Warm water pooled between them, running over them both.

His thrusts built in strength and urgency, and a much smaller amount of grace was gathering. This one only in her throat chakra. He kissed her deeply to quiet her, still holding tight to the backs of her thighs.

He was getting close, and manipulated her flesh only slightly, bringing her to the same speed. He nudged her chin up, moving his mouth across her throat once again, only this time as he came, moaning roughly and slowly sinking to his knees as she tightened around him once more, feeling his heat, and stifling a scream by gently biting at the flesh of his shoulder.

Castiel barely kept himself focused enough to collect the grace before the chakra closed, shuddering.

He pulled back to look at the woman in his arms, then pulled her closer for a gentle kiss as the water continued to fall on their entwined bodies.