Chapter 33.

Dean was looking over Sarah's car. "How's it running?" he said.

"Haven't had a moment's trouble with it since you fixed it." she said.

He smiled. "Good. You need to call me if there is ever a problem with it, however small, however big. I'm not having you ripped off by some second-rate mechanic."

"That's kind of you." she said, "I'm grateful for everything you boys do for me."

"You do a lot more for us." he said, "When the others come tonight, you need to talk to Sam."

"Yes, I do. It's easy enough to arrange. You want to talk to Castiel, so take him over by the creek. He feels safe talking there, because he can't hear anything from the house, which makes him confident nobody here can hear him. That will give me a chance to talk to your brother. Of course, even if I can get him to tell me what's wrong, I may not be able to tell you."

"Understood." he said. He wanted to know what was wrong, but as long as Sarah knew, he felt she would help Sam with whatever it was. "I'd never ask you to break faith with any of them." he said.

"And I hope you know I will not break faith with you." she said.

"I trust you." he said.

"Come with me." she said, heading off towards a pasture to the right of the house. He followed her. She took him into the field and up to a mature tree. "Carl used to love climbing the burr oak." she said, running her hand down the rough bark. I used to climb it too, after he died, to feel close to him. Can't do it now. I feel bad asking, but if you could help me onto that first branch ... "

He lifted her easily and soon she was happily perched on the branch, one arm around the trunk. The branch was strong, so he climbed up to sit beside her.

"I've always loved trees." she said, "You'll think I'm silly, but this one always felt like a friend, watching over me."

"I'll never think you're silly." he said, "You're talking to a guy whose closest friend has often been a car."

"Also not silly." said Sarah, "My car is a good friend too. Trees seem constant, permanent, in a world that can be so changeable and so cruel.

He nodded in sympathy.

She looked at him. "How are you feeling, my dear? You must be tired."

"A little." he said, "I'll be fine. A few days without sleep won't kill me."

"So you don't intend to sleep tonight, either?" she said.

"I don't know." he said, "I just feel like I need to keep control."

"Because you feel you're losing control?"

"Hm. I feel like I'm losing my mind."

"You're as sane as I am." she said firmly.

"You're sitting in a tree." he said with a smile.

"Birds do it all the time." she said.

"That's why they're called cuckoo." he said.

"I could point out that you are also sitting in a tree."

"Well, we know I'm crazy."

She looked up into the tree. "How crazy?"

"Is that a challenge?" he said, "Because these branches look like they could take my weight for at least another six feet."

"Talk's cheap." she said.

"I mean, some of those upper branches look pretty sturdy."

"The storms we get here are wild and none have come down."

"I think I can get right to the top. That's my head, sticking out at the top, not sitting on those top branches, because those wouldn't take Jack's weight."

"Agreed." she said, "And if you do it, I'll give you my recipe for apple pie."

"Done." he said, shaking her hand.

The tree was easier to climb than a lot of the walls and fences he had scaled in the past, although it lacked the incentive of baying guard dogs in eager pursuit. However, the promise of her secret pie recipe proved an effective inspiration and he soon made it to the top. It was a great view and the knowledge that from there, he got the bigger picture gently drew his attention to the metaphorical one.

"Hey," he shouted down, "Did you get me climbing this tree for some sneaky, psychological reason?"

"Such as?"

"Is this how you lull me into a false sense of security?" he said, "So you can pounce on me later with the dark stuff?" He started to climb back down to her.

"No, my dear. You had fun climbing, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did." he said.

"This is how I teach you to live again. I told you from the start. Joy heals."

He joined her on the lowest branch. "Sorry if I misjudged you. So what's the plan later?"

"When I pounce on you with the dark stuff?" she said.

"I admit, I'm paranoid."

"You're tired." she said, "You've been tired for a very long time. It's a lot more than lack of sleep. It's exhaustion from enduring without hope for so long and from saving everyone but yourself."

"I have hope. I have some hope."

"For yourself?" she said.

He shrugged.

"I'm glad you asked the others to come here." she said.

"I'm not sure that was a good idea." he said.

"I think it was." she said.