Summary:

Once Bobby and Dean figured out where Sam went, Dean got in Baby and disappeared, completely focused on saving his brother. Back at Bobby's, Liam is alone with his thoughts and a sick, sinking feeling that says his family is never going to be whole again. Castiel and Bobby do what they can to help, but at the end of the day, Liam is still alone with his thoughts. All he can do is beg and plead and hope and pray that Sam and Dean will come home again.

"It won't help to worry about them."

Liam didn't move from where he sat on the porch step, his arms wrapped around his legs and his chin resting on his knees. "Are you worried about them?" he asked simply.

Castiel sighed, not responding right away but eventually confessing. "Yes."

Liam didn't say anything. There was nothing to say.

Castiel slowly approached, the porch steps creaking under his feet, and then he sat down next to Liam. He wrapped his blanket around himself a little tighter and sighed softly. "I heard you."

Liam frowned, but he didn't lift his head from his knees and he didn't stop staring out at the scrapyard. "You heard me?"

"You talked to me while I was… missing. I could hear you. It brought me a lot of comfort." Castiel adjusted his blanket and drew his knees up slightly, leaning forward to mimic Liam's hunched-over position. "I think… I think Sam is willing to listen to Dean. And I don't think he would have been quite so willing without you. You kept his heart soft."

Liam crinkled his nose, staring down at his feet. "What does that mean?"

Castiel hummed softly, staring down at his feet. "Well, Sam is currently using a kind of substance to fight demons that can…" Castiel struggled for a moment. "It… has a habit of making the people who use it very angry. But I don't think Sam has been angry… and I think that's because of you."

Liam looked out at the salvage yard and sighed. "Yeah. Maybe." He shuddered and rubbed his arms, the cool, spring breeze sending a chill down his spine.

Castiel quickly opened his blanket and moved closer, draping the warm fabric around Liam's shoulders. "They'll find their way home," he assured. "They always do."

Liam stayed close to Castiel, still hugging his legs to his chest and still resting his chin on his knees. He stared out at the junked cars and the gravel driveway leading up to Bobby's house. He stared at the place Baby was normally parked. He stared at how empty it was.

"I hate demons," Liam muttered. "I wish they would just go away and leave us alone. Monsters and angels, too." He quickly reached over and grabbed Castiel's shirt, realizing what he had said. "Not you." He gripped the fabric in his fist, still staring out at the empty parking space. "You're not allowed to leave."

Castiel pulled Liam against his side and kept the blanket wrapped around both of them. "If Sam and Dean let me stay, I'll stay." He rubbed Liam's upper arm and squeezed him in a side hug. "I promise."

Liam sniffed, blinking away the tears in his eyes. He couldn't be sad. He had to stay happy, or Sam and Dean and Bobby would have one more thing to worry about. They would have one more thing to fight about. Liam was so tired of all the fighting.

Liam twisted his feet in the gravel, watching his own movements hazily. He took a small breath and leaned into Castiel's side. "Can you tell me a Bible story?"

Castiel had a smile in his voice when he spoke. "Of course." He pulled the blanket around them a little tighter, holding the ends together in front of them. "Let's see. Well, I was telling you about the Israelites last time, wasn't I?"

Liam nodded as he curled into a ball, soaking up the warmth of the blanket-tent. "Yeah. They complained a lot, and God sent mana from Heaven."

"Exactly." Castiel looked out over the salvage yard with an almost wistful expression on his face. "Well, if I recall correctly, the last time I told you about them, they had just been punished by God. He was making them spend forty years in the desert. Do you remember that?"

Liam nodded his head. "Yeah, because they wouldn't go where He said."

"Correct." Castiel leaned back against the steps and stretched his legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankles. "Well, it was a long forty years, but when it was done, the Israelites were given another chance to go into the Promised Land."

Liam leaned in a little more and felt Castiel's voice rumbling through his ribcage.

"By the time the punishment was over, Moses had died, and a man named Joshua was put in charge. Now, before trying to enter Canaan, Joshua sent two spies into the land to investigate, and he told them to take a special look at Jericho."

Liam reached out and grabbed Castiel's shirt, tugging on the fabric as he sought comfort. He hoped—he really, really hoped—the story would take his mind off Sam and Dean.

"Now, while the two spies were… well, spying, they came across the house of Rahab the prostitute." Castiel rubbed Liam's shoulder and upper arm as he spoke, still keeping the blanket around them. "Rahab was a very shrewd woman, and she knew of the power of the God of Israel, so when she realized where the spies were from, she hid them up on her roof."

Where are they? Why won't Sam answer his phone? Why is Dean so angry at him? Why— Liam screwed his eyes shut. Stop. Listen to the story.

"The King of Jericho caught wind of what the spies were up to, so he sent soldiers to Rahab's house. They told her to hand over the spies, but Rahab lied and said they had already left. She then went up to the roof to talk to the men, and she asked them to deal kindly with her family. The Israeli spies promised her they would."

Liam sniffed, staring blankly at Castiel's light blue, flannel shirt. It was soft, and he liked how it felt when he rubbed his face against Castiel's chest. "Did they do what they promised?"

"They did." Castiel rubbed Liam's back a few times and then returned his hand to Liam's arm. "Not only that, but after they rescued her and her family from the attack, she lived among them, and she became part of the lineage of Jesus."

"Lineage?" Liam blinked and tilted his head back to meet Castiel's eyes, his gaze locking onto something for the first time since Castiel came out. "What does that mean?"

"Well, your lineage is where you come from. Your parents have parents, and their parents had parents, and their parents had parents, and so on. That is your lineage."

Liam rested his head on Castiel's chest again, nodding slightly. "Oh. So… she was Jesus's great-great-great-great-grandmother?"

Castiel had a smile in his voice when he spoke. "It was a few more 'great's than that, but yes." He squeezed Liam a little. "She was a very important woman in history."

Liam crinkled his nose, somewhat confused but happy to have the distraction. "Why?"

"Well," Castiel started, his tone matter-of-fact. "Rahab was a prostitute, and she wasn't one of God's chosen people, but God still chose her to be a part of His family and His story."

Liam felt a sick twist in his gut. Why won't Sam answer his phone? Does Dean even know where to go to find him, or was he lying to make me feel better? He quickly dragged his thoughts away from Sam and Dean. Focus on the story. Focus on the story. Liam took a breath. "Why is that important?"

For a moment, there was nothing, but then Liam felt a finger under his chin. Castiel tilted Liam's head up and met his eyes, a small smile pulling on the corner of his mouth.

"It's important because it reminds us that no matter where we are, and no matter what we've done, and no matter who we've been, God still loves us and has a plan for us. All we have to do is ask Him for help."

Liam thought about that for a moment, and despite his every effort, his brain made a beeline for the topic he was trying so hard to avoid. "Could we…" Liam shifted a little, hiding in Castiel's blanket. "Could we pray for Sam and Dean?"

Castiel didn't say anything, and when Liam looked up, there was a surprised expression on his face. But, after a moment of thought, Castiel nodded his head and offered a small smile. "Of course we can. Do you want to start?"

Liam nodded his head and closed his eyes, clasping his hands together in front of himself. It had been a long time since he prayed, but he remembered bits and pieces from an after-school program he had once attended, so he didn't think it would go too badly.

"Dear God," Liam started, trying to remember the moral of Castiel's story. "I know it's been a really long time… and I know I've done some stuff I shouldn't have…" He had done a lot of things he shouldn't have. "But, um, but Sam and Dean need help. And I know they've done some bad stuff, too, but…" His throat closed up, and the backs of his eyes started to burn. "But I need them to come home. I need them to be okay, and—" he choked back a sob, "—I just need them. I—"

Liam burst into sobs, grabbing onto Castiel and crying into his shirt. He held on for dear life, his body trembling, the cool breeze chilling the tears on his cheeks. He felt Castiel's large hands envelope his waist, and then he was being lifted into Castiel's lap. He immediately latched onto Castiel's neck and hugged him tight, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Father," Castiel started, picking up where Liam left off. "Please bring Sam and Dean home to us, safe and sound, and please give Liam peace while we wait for them to return. Amen."

"Amen," Liam finished, sniffing quietly, hoping the prayer would do something to help put his family back together.

Castiel squeezed Liam tightly, tucking his chin over Liam's head. "They're going to be alright, Liam."

Liam sobbed and shook his head. "You don't know that."

Castiel didn't say anything for a moment, and then he let out a little sigh of defeat. "No, I suppose I don't. But I do believe it, even if I can't know for sure." He rubbed Liam's back a few times and then hugged him again. "I truly do believe—"

"Hey!"

Liam's head popped up when he heard Bobby's voice coming from the house, and Castiel stopped speaking midsentence.

"You boys want some hot chocolate?"

Liam thought about it for a moment, and then he looked at Castiel and nodded.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Liam and slowly got to his feet, situating Liam on his hip as he walked toward the front door. "Hot chocolate would be wonderful."

Liam didn't say anything in regards to the offered drink, but he silently continued his pleading for Sam and Dean's safety.

Please, please, please, please, please, please…

"What, no devil's trap?"

Sam stared at the demon-possessed nurse he had tied to a chair in the middle of the room, a cruel smirk twisting his lips. "I don't need one."

She gave up struggling and sneered at him, snorting a laugh. "Look at you, all 'roided up. It's like A-Rod and Madonna over here."

Sam narrowed his eyes, exerting pressure on her body from every side. "Where's Lilith?"

The demonic nurse only snorted again, but it wasn't nearly as convincing when she couldn't breathe. "You're here," she panted. "You're telling me—you don't already know?"

Sam increased the pressure until she screamed, and then he let up. "We know she's in Ilchester, but we don't know where in Ilchester she is." He increased the pressure on her body again. "So start talking."

The demonic nurse shook her head and glared up at him, chest heaving as she struggled to breathe. "I'm not scared of you."

"Yeah, you are, actually." Sam folded his arms over his chest and let out a small laugh. "And with good reason."

"Look, what's my upside?" She looked at Sam expectantly, then to Ruby, and then back to Sam. "I tell you, you kill me. I don't tell you, you still kill me. I get away somehow, Lilith will definitely kill me." She shrugged her shoulders. "So, where's my carrot?"

Sam's lips curled into a smirk as he dropped his arms to his sides. "I think what you should be worrying about is what happens before you die." He extended his hand, fingers curling slightly, and the screaming began.

Me I'm not mad.

Liam looked at the message for a long time before he sent it, and once it was through, he stared at it some more. He idly tapped the screen, not sure of what he wanted to say next.

Me I was. But I'm not anymore.

Liam sat up in bed and looked out at the window, willing Baby to come up the driveway with two passengers. He thought back to the reunion after his stint with the angels; to the way Sam half fell out of the car trying to get to Liam as fast as possible.

Me Just come home. Please.

Liam heaved a sigh and fell back into the sheets, trying to convince himself to sleep but still clutching his phone in his hand. Sorzie would want me to sleep. Of course, normally, Sorzie would be there to read him a story or hum 'You Are My Sunshine' on a loop until Liam faded. Normally, the phone in Liam's hands wouldn't be the only contact Liam had with his dad.

Normally.

Me Please.

Dean shot past Ruby's Mustang and threw the Impala into a wide turn. He slammed on the breaks and skidded to a stop in the gravel, putting the car in park and tearing the keys from the ignition. He threw his door open, got out, and let the door slam shut behind him.

That's St. Mary's Convent. Dean looked over at the Mustang, but it was empty. He's already inside.

"Sam!"

Dean took off running toward the old church, gravel crunching underneath his feet. He flew through the main door and found himself in a long hall with voices at the end of it. He ran as fast as his legs would take him, heart hammering on the inside of his chest.

"Sam!"

He turned a sharp corner and saw an open doorway with Sam, Ruby, and Lilith beyond it. He hadn't even opened his mouth to shout again when Ruby looked back at him. They locked eyes, she smirked, and then she extended her hand and the sanctuary doors slammed.

"Sam!"

Dean ran at the door and kicked it with all his might, but it didn't give. It was an old building; the door was probably solid wood. Dean kicked it again, and then again, and then a third time, but nothing happened.

"Sam! Sam, she's the seal! Lilith is the seal!"

Dean looked around for something to help him and grabbed a standing candelabra. He held on tight and rammed it into the door. He rammed it again, and again, and he couldn't hear anything from inside, and he was panicking, and he rammed it again, and again, and again.

It gave—finally—and Dean ran into the room, drawing his knife.

Ruby straightened up and moved away from Sam, who was collapsed on the ground. "You're too late," she said, lips curled into a smirk.

Dean saw red. "I don't care." He rushed forward, and Sam moved in time to grab her and hold her in place. Dean thrust the blade into her gut and twisted it hard, growling into her ear, "I waited way too long for this."

Ruby crumpled to the ground, but Sam followed her down a moment later. He looked up at Dean with blood on his face and tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Dean."

Dean shook his head, grabbing Sam by the jacket and dragging him to his feet.

"I'm so sorry, Dean." Sam bent over, out of breath and disoriented. "I thought—"

"I know, Sammy, just run!" He started dragging Sam. "Come on, man, run with me."

Sam took a few steps and then stopped, watching the center of the room in shock and horror. "Dean… he's coming."

"Sam!" Dean shook Sam as hard as he could, grabbing Sam's jacket in a white-knuckle grip. "Run!" He jerked Sam, pulling him toward the broken-down door and dragging him down the hall. "Come on, Sammy, we're almost out!"

They both stumbled when the ground began to shake beneath their feet, but as soon as they had their balance, they were running again.

Dean could feel his teeth chattering together from the violent rumbling underfoot. "Come on, Sammy!" He finally let go of Sam's jacket so they could go to different sides of the car. "Get in, get in, get in!"

Dean jumped in the driver's seat, shoved the keys in the ignition, and brought the car to life. He threw it in drive, turned the wheel, and floored it, sending a spray of gravel out behind them.

"Dean…"

Dean ignored whatever it was Sam was trying to tell him, completely focused on escaping before all Hell literally broke loose.

"Dean, I'm sorry."

"Stop. Okay? Just—" Dean pushed the pedal down even more, watching the needle on the speedometer slowly approach three digits. "You screwed up. It happens."

"Not like this," Sam muttered.

Dean watched the needle hover shakily over 110, and he looked in his rearview mirror. He couldn't see the convent anymore, which he considered a victory. "Do you think—"

Dean gripped the wheel as an explosion shook the air, the world behind them suddenly engulfed in blinding white light. He felt the Impala lurch ahead, thrown forward by the force of the explosion, and he had to use all his strength to keep Baby's wheels on the old, dirt road.

"What the—?" Sam turned around in his seat. "I can't see anything at all. It's just light from every direction."

"Well," Dean grunted, gripping the wheel and keeping Baby as steady as he could. "At least it's lighting up the road in front of us."

Sam turned back around and sat in his seat, not saying anything. Dean knew the guilt was still weighing heavy on Sam's mind, and as much as Dean wanted to assure him that everything was okay, Dean was still angry.

"I…" Sam deflated before he could get another word out. He looked out his window and rested his chin in his hand, staring blankly into the well-lit forest.

Dean tried to keep his temper in check—tried to focus on the fact that Sam was safe—and he somehow managed to prioritize. "You gotta call Liam."

Sam wet his lips. "I don't have my phone." He cleared his throat. "I, uh… I left it in the Mustang."

Dean patted himself down and grabbed his phone from his jacket pocket, handing it over to Sam with a quiet. "There."

Sam took the phone almost numbly, not saying a word.

Dean let the silence settle over them, still soothing his wounded pride and trying not to focus on what Sam had done wrong. He's alive. He's still breathing. He's sorry. He couldn't let himself get bogged down in the negative. He had to keep it together, for everybody's sake, and he couldn't do that while thinking of all Sam had done wrong.

"Hello?" Sam paused, a confused frown twisting his lips. "Who's this?"

Dean tensed up, his mind quickly supplying any number of terrible things that could have prevented Liam from answering his phone.

"Oh, Castiel. Sorry, I didn't…" Sam trailed off and then sighed. "I, uh, I just wanted to check on Liam. If I could…" Sam listened for a few seconds. "Oh. Okay." He shook his head. "No, no, let him sleep. I'm sure he needs it. Dean and I are on our way home… just… just have him call me when he wakes up." A few more seconds of silence and some nodding. "Okay. Thanks. Bye."

Dean glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the light starting to die down. "Little man's asleep?" He looked back at the road ahead of them, slowing down to the more manageable speed of ninety miles per hour.

"Yeah." Sam cleared his throat and put Dean's phone back in the pocket it had come from. "From what Castiel said, it… uh, it sounds like it took a long time for him to finally fall asleep."

Dean couldn't stop the biting remark from jumping off his tongue. "Gee, I wonder why."

Sam didn't say anything to defend himself, his gaze wandering down to his lap and then returning to the wooded area outside.

Dean let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Your face is all bloody." He wet his lips, approaching even the most innocuous topics with caution. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," was the quiet, almost incoherent reply.

Dean gave Sam a disbelieving, suspicious look. "Haven't you lied enough for one day?"

Dean was half joking, but Sam flinched at the words anyway.

Dean put his eyes back on the road with a sigh. "Just… tell me the truth. Are you okay?"

Sam didn't say anything for a moment, and when he did, his voice was soft and defeated in a way Dean had never heard before. "I think I'm alright. It was just… hard." He shrugged his shoulders, leaning against the passenger side door. "I'll be fine."

Dean tossed around his jumbled thoughts for a minute or two, running down a list of all the ways he could respond to the situation, and he finally decided to go with the one instinct that had never steered him wrong.

"Get some sleep, Sammy. I'll be here when you wake up."

Sam barely managed to look at Dean, his features awash with shame and self-loathing, and then he looked down at his lap again. He folded his arms over his middle and leaned into the door, resting his head at an awkward angle and closing his eyes.

Dean took his foot off the pedal and let the car dwindle down to sixty miles per hour, and then he reached out and tousled Sam's hair. He put his hand back on the wheel and shifted his attention from Sam to the road.

They had a long way to go to get them back to Bobby's house, and in the meantime, they had no idea what Lucifer was doing or where he would be or how to avoid him. The only thing they knew for sure was that the Devil was definitely topside, and everyone on Earth was in danger until that changed.

Dean let out a heavy sigh and shook his head.

Now what?

Author's Note: That's the end of Season 4! I hope you guys liked it, and I hope you stick around for Season 5! I should be posting it sometime soon. It will be titled 'Sparkling Eyes and Cigarette Burns.' Thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! It's always appreciated!