35

YOU STILL EXIST

"I don't know Sam! She's just gone! She won't answer her phone, and I have no idea where she went!" Sam's older brother screamed into the phone. Bobby was sitting across the living room studying more texts. They were exhausting every avenue to find a key to destroy the Hell Gate. Meanwhile, Dean was having a crisis up in Colorado.

"Did you try tracking her phone?" Sam asked, trying to help his brother stay calm. He was failing miserably.

"Of course I tried tracking her phone. She left it here at the cabin!" Dean snapped.

"Well she'd five months pregnant Dean, she can't be moving too fast. Did she take the spare car?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well cars from this century sometimes have GPS access," Sam explained. Dean ignored the insult towards the Impala and remained silent on the other line.

"How do I do that?" the elder Winchester pleaded.

"I'll walk you through it. Open up her lap top." As Sam explained how to track down the GPS in the spare vehicle Anna took, he thought about how scared Dean sounded. Always looking out for him, Sam had rarely seen his brother scared or in such a panic. Anna completely changed the famous womanizer into a caring family man. Sam could only imagine how crazy Dean looked trying to desperately find the mother of his unborn child. "Was anything off the past few days? Any signs as to why she would have left?" Sam tried to pry.

"No. That's just it, everything has been going so great lately, it's like I knew something shitty had to happen soon. That's just the way it always is."

"Well just try to stay sane, we'll figure this out. Bobby or I can drive up and help you look for her if you need," Sammy offered.

"I know. How long does this search thing take? It still says loading."

"Just give it time Dean. Try to be patient."

"I can't be patient! What if she was kidnapped? What if she dumped me and just left on her own? What if she got in a car accident? Why did she leave and where the Hell did she go!?" Sam could hear the pure rage and worry in Dean's voice, and knew it was only a matter of time before he broke the lap top or did something irrational. Before Sam could form a response, a soft ding was heard through the line indicating that the search was over. "Nevada? The car's GPS popped up in Nevada. Why is she heading west? Sam if Zach has her, I don't…" Dean couldn't finish his sentence.

"No. Think about it, if Zach was going to take her, I'm sure he would have made a bigger show about it. We're number one on his angel hate list; I don't think he'd 'secretly' take Anna from you. Plus, considering we haven't heard from Cas let's hope he's working on the situation."

"Then she left on her own. Why?"

"She's your wife Dean. Not mine," Sam concluded.

"I'll call you when I get to Nevada," Dean hung up the phone.

Anna continued down the highway, bypassing Las Vegas. She was headed to California, and wanted to see the ocean. She deserved some time on the beach. Not going out of her way to cover her tracks, she knew if Dean wanted to find her he would. A pit of worry warmed inside her at the thought that he really was relieved she was gone. She felt she'd been too selfish throughout the entire prophecy they'd been involved with, and wanted to give him a chance to live his life. With one hand on the wheel, she moved the other to her expanded belly. Rubbing circles, she felt the baby move within her.

A couple hundred miles later, she pulled into a decent looking hotel in Santa Monica, California. Stepping out of her car, she had to pull her hair back due to the heat. She made her way towards the hotel lobby, and saw a young man sitting behind the desk. "Hi, I'd like a room for a few nights please," she politely requested.

"Sure. Just a single then?" he asked. He was smiling kindly at her, and gave her a quick wink.

"Uhh, yeah," she replied uneasily. Was this guy really flirting with a five month pregnant woman?

"Here ya go. I just need a credit card on file."

"Here," she offered the shiny plastic.

"You on vacation?" he wondered as he started filling out the paperwork and typing information into the computer.

"Kind of. Haven't been here in a while," she explained. A few years ago she'd been on a hunt in northern California, but never had the chance to relax.

"Beautiful day. Hopefully you can try out the pool and get a tan?" he continued to make small talk.

"We'll see," she said as he handed her back the credit card.

"Room five, nice and close the lobby. My name's Brian if you need anything," he smirked.

After settling in to her room, she decided to sit outside. The pool area was clean and open. She spotted a perfect lounge in the shade, and decided to read a book for a while. With being cooped up at the cabin, she'd gotten pretty resourceful with occupying herself. Knowing it was a smart decision to leave her phone back at the cabin, she wished she had it. Bringing it would have resulted in her constantly checking it to see if Dean tried calling, and she didn't want that temptation. He had an out if he wanted it. It took all her strength to keep the tears at bay and pretend to be enjoying the Californian weather.

Dean sped down the highway, nearing the town Anna's GPS showed up in Nevada. AC/DC screamed through the speakers as his knuckles turned white from his grip on the steering wheel. All of a sudden Castiel appeared in the passenger seat. "Damn Cas!" Dean swerved on the road. After gaining control, he glared at the angel. "Where the Hell have you been?"

"Protecting you. You are going to find Anna and the baby, aren't you?" Castiel suggested.

"Yeah. You knew she was missing? Why didn't you come to us sooner? I've been praying! You abandoned us after the Zachariah kidnapping mess!"

"I was battling a war against him in Heaven," Cas tried to calmly explain. "Anna is safe; she is merely giving you an option to leave."

"What?"

"She must explain things to you. It is not my place. Just know that she is healthy and safe. Her current location is the Coconut Haven in Santa Monica, California. Zachariah is still alive, but my armies are holding him off. I must return." Castiel vanished and Dean was left even more frustrated than before with the angel's lack of information.