Piper woke slowly, her head pounding. Her mouth tasted like pennies. She was laying on her side. When she tried to get up, she realized her hands were handcuffed behind her. "Great," she muttered darkly.
She looked around, trying to get her bearings. It was a small room, probably a bedroom, without furniture.
The door opened. A tall blonde man walked through, eyes lighting up when he saw her. "Ah, Miss Finley. So kind of you to join me."
"Where the hell am I? Where are Sam and Dean?"
He snarled when she said Dean's name. He stepped forward and kicked her in the stomach, hard. She grunted as the air left her body. "You keep that upstart's name to yourself, whore." He took a deep breath, and when his eyes opened, they were black. "Winchester is nothing, do you understand? Alastair didn't see it, but I did…"
"What?"
"As soon as that bastard got off the rack, suddenly he's some sort of golden child. He 'shows promise.' He was there for barely ten years!" The demon was pacing, running frustrated hands through his hair. "I was there for centuries, and I didn't get nearly the recognition-" He stopped, seeming to realize that he was ranting at the enemy. "But none of that matters now. I can show them what I can do. And I can show them on that worthless bastard's woman."
"You're a demon… And you took me to get to Dean?"
She was rewarded with another kick. He crouched and met her eyes. "I couldn't overpower Sam, but I knew I could take the girlfriend. Stupid bitch. And he'll come running to save you." The demon's eyes closed. "Then we'll see who showed promise."
Fury flooded her veins. She struggled to sit up, cursing herself for not changing out of the damn dress. "Let's get a couple of things straight, you filthy piece of shit." He snarled, but she ignored him. "First of all, he will not come for me. He's not stupid. Second of all, you didn't take me, you chloroformed me, you spineless weasel." She met his eyes, letting anger wrap her in its comforting warmth. "And third, and this is the most important thing, so pay attention." She leaned forward, rejoicing in the uncertainty in his eyes. "I do not need to be rescued."
Before he could back away, she snapped forward and used the only weapon handy: her teeth. Clenching her teeth down hard on whatever part of his face she'd gotten, she ripped away hard, her stomach rolling at the sound it made. She spat his flesh out, wincing. "You taste like ass."
He was screaming, clutching his cheek. He came forward and hit her hard in the face twice. "If I didn't need you alive, I would peel your goddamn face off, you little skank." He stood and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Ugh. I hate demons," she muttered. She sat up again, groaning. "Dumbass, jealous demons at that."
She leaned her head back and shook it hard, feeling vicious triumph when she heard a bobby pin fall to the floor. She was skilled at many things, but putting bobby pins in right wasn't one of them. She picked it up and closed her eyes to pick the lock on the handcuffs. She was rewarded several slow minutes later when they popped open.
She rubbed her wrists and stood, wiping blood off of her face. She looked around the room, but it was completely empty. There was nothing to use as a weapon. "Shit."
She kicked her heels off, taking a moment to mourn their loss. Then she gritted her teeth and started ripping her long skirt so it ended at her upper thigh. "The better to kick you in the teeth with, my dear," she said softly, mourning the dress, too. It had been an expensive outfit.
She moved to touch the doorknob, and darkness engulfed her.
xxxxx
She woke up in the white room, the trickster standing next to the bed. "Piper, did they hurt you?" he asked anxiously.
"Okay, ignoring the fact that you are the second person in a day who has abducted me, how did you know I'm in trouble?"
"No time, precious. Listen, there are too many demons there, and they all have a beef with your boys. I can't help you. You need to get outside and pray. Pray to Castiel."
She leaned back. "Pray to Castiel? What?"
"There are no times for questions, Piper! The place is warded against angels, but if you get outside, he can hear you. Go now."
He placed two fingers against her forehead, and she blacked out before she could ask so what the hell was going on.
xxxxx
She woke up on the floor. "Okay, as soon as I get out of here, we are having words about that bastard."
She stood and considered for a moment, then opened the door. She peeked out and found herself alone. She slipped down the hall slowly, her back pressed against the wall, desperately wishing for a gun.
A demon came down the hall in front of her. He snarled as he spotted her. Piper launched herself at him, punching him in the throat hard on impact to prevent him from crying out. He choked and hit the floor with a soft thud. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii…" she muttered the exorcism, keeping a hand on his throat and straddling his hips to counteract the bucking he was doing a get her off of him.
She winced as black smoke flew out of his mouth. God, I hope no one heard that.
She felt the body for a pulse, and was relieved when she found one. She frisked him quickly, coming up with a knife from his waistband. She took it and went down the hallway, running silently in her bare feet.
Her luck didn't hold. She ran down a hallway, taking a turn and stopping when she was confronted with three demons. "Shit," she cursed softly, turning and sprinting the other way.
They followed her a beat later, thundering down the hallway. Dammit, dammit, dammit, she thought as she ran, looking desperately for a door out. But the windows she was passing made it look like she was on the second story. She didn't have time for stairs, and the demons were gaining on her.
She hated going through windows.
She waited until she got to a big window, and when she found one, she took a sharp right and flew through it, closing her eyes and curling into herself, dimly grateful for the protection the long sleeves of her dress gave her. Still, a hundred shards of glass cut into her, and she couldn't help the scream that came from her. She hit the ground and heard a pop, screaming again as agony exploded through her shoulder.
She scrunched her eyes closed and concentrated. Castiel, please, help me.
She heard the sound of wings behind her and exhaled sharply. "Piper Finley, what is happening?"
She turned onto her back, groaning when it jostled her shoulder, which she was sure was broken. She met the angel's eyes. "Cas, please just get me the hell out of here."
He blinked, then looked up as the demons started shouting. He knelt and gathered into his arms, surprisingly tender. He held her against his chest and the world swirled around them.
xxxxx
Dean wasn't sure how many more times he could stand Piper showing up in another man's arms covered in blood. A man could only take so much.
"What the hell?"
Castiel had appeared in their motel room, cradling Piper to his chest. Her shoulder looked wrong, and she was covered in tiny, bleeding cuts. She looked at him and smiled, not attempting to move from the angel's arms. "Hey, you."
He hurried forward, but stopped just short of taking her. That shoulder had to hurt. "Piper, what happened?"
"Demons." She sucked in a breath when the angel approached the bed and put her down on it, helping her scoot so her back was resting against the headboard. "He chloroformed me, can you believe that shit?"
Castiel frowned down at her. "You've been injured again, Piper Finley."
She ignored him to keep talking to Dean. He sat next to her legs on the bed, placing a hand on her shin, willing the voices in his head to quiet down. "I think he was jealous of you. About you, uh, becoming a favorite," she said calmly.
Dean frowned. "What?"
She met his gaze. "He mentioned something about Alastair, and 'showing promise.'"
Pain hit him in his heart. "So, it was because of me."
She rolled her eyes. "Stop it, Winchester. It was because they're demons, and that's what demons do. It was not because of you. Now, my shoulder hurts and I had to leave my shoes behind, so quit wallowing in guilt and come comfort me."
Her words had his lips tugging into a smile. "Yes, ma'am." He gingerly crawled onto the bed next to her, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips.
Castiel was studying her closely. It made Dean's hackles raise. "Anything else, Castiel?"
Piper hit him gently on the arm, not taking her eyes off of the angel. "Dean, Cas saved me. Be nice."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Cas?"
She ignored him. "Thank you, Castiel. I think you probably saved my life."
"Yes, I did." Dean hmphed as Piper laughed at the angel's blunt response. Castiel leaned forward and pressed two fingers to her forehead. Dean watched with wide eyes as the cuts disappeared, her swollen lip returned to normal, and her shoulder looked like it was supposed to again.
She smiled. "Thank you, wings."
He frowned. "I thought we were past disrespect, Piper Finley."
She laughed again. Dean found himself being enchanted by her. "It's not disrespect anymore, wings. It's more like… Begrudging affection."
Something in Castiel's face changed, and if he hadn't been a dickhead angel, Dean would have sympathized. Something about her wide hazel eyes watching you while she told you she liked you... It had certainly knocked Dean for a loop when it had happened to him.
"Very well, Piper," Castiel stood. "You should not stay here tonight. They're going to be angry that you escaped."
She shook her head. "Doesn't matter, I'm going back. We can't leave a building full of demons here."
There was something scary in the angel's eyes. Dean found himself looking at a soldier. "Do not concern yourself, Piper. The demons will be taken care of." With the sound of wings, Castiel disappeared.
Piper sighed and leaned into Dean. He put his arm around her shoulders and held her close. "How ya holdin' up, kitten?"
"I'm okay, but I'm exhausted." She lifted her head and looked up at him. "Where's Sam?"
Dean started and felt a guilty flush spread across his skin. "Ah, out looking for you." He pulled his phone out and hit the speed dial for Sam while ignoring her chuckles.
"Dean?"
"Sam. I've got her. Well, Castiel got her, and brought her back."
There was a beat of silence, and Dean didn't interrupt it. He was fighting some feelings back himself. "Is she all right?" Sam asked quietly.
Dean handed the phone to Piper. "Say hi, Pipes."
She smiled and took it. "Hi, Sam," she said softly. "Come back so we can get the hell out of here."
xxxxx
Once they had repeated the same phone call with Bobby, they headed back to Sioux Falls. Sam took the backseat to sleep, so Piper was curled against Dean, dozing on and off against his shoulder.
His feeling of contentment had come back. Driving his Baby, Piper next to him, Sam in the backseat, on their way to Bobby's. For someone who had just come back from hell, life couldn't get a whole lot better.
"What are you smiling at?" She asked softly, looking up at him. He glanced down at her and felt the warmth in his chest spread. She was wrapped in his leather jacket. He had discovered that he very much liked her in his clothes.
"Just glad you're safe, kitten."
She smiled. "Me, too." She sat up a little and pressed a kiss to his jaw. "I love you," she whispered gently, starting to nibble her way down to his neck.
And there it was. He wanted to say it. At least, he thought he wanted to say it. But the point was moot if he couldn't even think the words! Piper deserved more than he could give her, but if he couldn't even tell her, he didn't deserve her at all.
She must have sensed his distress, because she sighed and sat back. "Dean, baby, it's okay."
He looked at her briefly, noticing the shadow of sadness in her eyes before looking at the road again. "Pipes, I… I…" Dammit!
He was interrupted by her soft fingers on his lips. "Dean, it's okay, really. I understand. Like I said, I don't say it so you'll say it back. I know how you feel about me, Dean."
She tucked herself under his arm again and almost immediately resumed dozing. Dean wasn't happy. The situation was what he should have wanted… Access to mind-blowing sex pretty much any time, no expectations, and they were on the road.
So why did he feel a little empty?
xxxxx
The angel Castiel surveyed the wreckage. There were bodies littering the grounds and inside the building. He found himself wishing that he could smite the demon who had hurt Piper Finley again. It was a strange feeling. He tried to analyze it.
"Castiel, are we done here?" Castiel turned to see Balthazar exiting the building, wiping his hands on a towel.
"Are all the demons dead?"
"Sure are." Balthazar came to stand next to Castiel. "Why are we here, Cas? This wasn't on the list of missions for the garrison, and it's not a seal."
Castiel thought for a moment. "These demons, they intended to hurt my friend. She was able to get out and pray to me, but it was close."
Balthazar's eyebrows rose. "A friend? This was for revenge?"
Castiel was uncomfortable. "Not exactly, I-"
He was cut off by Balthazar's hand in the air. "Cas, you know I'll fight beside you always. And if it's for a friend, all the more reason." Castiel found himself being examined by the other angel. "But I feel that I have to ask, who is this woman who was able to make Castiel, Angel of the Lord, Obedient Soldier, bend the rules?"
Now Castiel spoke freely, hoping to get insight from Balthazar. "Piper Finley. She is a hunter. She.. She said she has affection for me."
Balthazar's chuckling left Castiel feeling more confused than he had been before.
xxxxx
Hi, everyone! Here's my notes:
I own only Piper Finley, the original character. I don't own Supernatural or the characters. (heartbroken)
Reviews and comments give me the warm fuzzies and keep me going.
If there are any mistakes in continuity, canon, or geography, blame me.
**Long chapter... I bit off more than I thought I did with this chapter, lol. Lots to wrap up. Hope you enjoy!
**Also... I have finally figured out editing on this fucking website. SO. If there are any parts that completely confused you, you should be able to go back and the should be much clearer now. Thanks, beautiful readers, for your patience.