Chapter Two
Castiel, Take The Wheel
Castiel stopped for gas at a chevron outside of Sioux City, Iowa. Going back to Kansas was making Sam nervous. He had originally thought he'd said good-bye to the bunker and his home state itself for good. But this was important. He had to find this girl who was potentially his niece. Having Cas back didn't make him forget all his problems, but it had been elevating having someone who felt like family there with him.
"Her name is Courtney Croce, born August thirteenth, nineteen ninety-eight. I'm having difficulty finding her. Something tells me that she's still alive, but there's also something clouding Courtney from me. Someone or a thing doesn't want me to find her." This was all the information Castiel had retained.
They got onto the road again after the tank was filled up with gas. "So, what do you propose we do, Cas?" Sam went through possible scenarios in his mind. "I have enough ingredients at the bunker to try and locate her with a spell."
Castiel sighed heavily with his eyes still locked on the road ahead. "I don't want you going through the trouble of using a spell that likely won't work Sam. Courtney, I feel is under someone's influence and spell. It'll be best to conjure up someone who is powerful in magic, someone we can both trust."
There was one person that came to Sam's mind. Someone he thought he could trust which took time before, now she was the only witch he could trust with his whole life. "Rowena?"
Castiel nodded his head. "Just whom I was thinking."
The highway got dimmer as there were little to no cars around anymore and he glanced at a sign that said, 'Welcome to Nebraska'. "I did see your brother, Sam. He's in Heaven." He said reassuringly.
Sam looked at Castiel like he was about to say something. He rolled his flannel shirt sleeve down to the point where it became exposed from his dark olive-green jacket. It was a shirt that Dean wore often. It was red and black. He did the same on the other side. "Did you two talk?" Sam finally asked.
"No," Castiel answered swiftly. "He hasn't seen me. Dean is happy and he knows that I am alive again. He does think and talk about you frequently. The last I saw him he was catching up with Kevin Tran. Jack was able to find his spirit walking the earth and brought him to Heaven."
That made Sam smile, he was glad to know that Kevin was where he needed to be. Sam felt a trickle of water run down his cheek and realized it was a tear drop. "Well, as long as he's happy now."
Castiel glanced over at his friend mercifully, "I've been hearing your thoughts and prayers a lot Sam. I've been by you most of the time." The angel felt great sympathy for Sam. He wasn't going to tell him anything consisting of his new place in Heaven and the other angels but a feeling told him it was necessary.
"The way Jack wants to handle everything now," Castiel continued. "consists of himself and angels not to be seen anymore. So, we are again working behind the scenes as we used to. I'm sorry I never showed myself during those times you called me."
"It's okay, Cas." Sam revealed, but there was a part of him screaming no, that it wasn't okay. He tossed his long locks back. "I'm glad that you're with me this time. Though I speculate that when this is all over, I won't be able to see you again right?"
Castiel nodded his head as he placed his gaze back on the road. "Unfortunately, that is true."
Sam now knew what Garth possibly felt when they said goodbye the other night. He automatically felt the guilt more deeply than he had before.
Castiel continued, "I've also heard that you plan on leaving and starting over? I don't think it's a bad idea. I believe that in the end Dean would've wanted you to have a normal life."
The rest of the drive was mostly in silence, Castiel cranked up the dial for the music's volume. Wheel In the Sky by Journey was playing. This was a song Sam deeply reflected on. It's a song about life's long journey. You never know what tomorrow will bring nor is it promised.
Before driving into Kansas Castiel decided to stop at a twenty-four-hour mama and pop diner for his friend. "You look terrible Sam. It's plainly evident you're having a deficiency in protein."
Sam tried to put up a fight before stepping out of the car but knew Castiel was correct. He did look to be in the beginning stages of becoming malnourished from not eating enough and staying away from meat as it made him feel sick to digest. Castiel took yesterday's salad box that Sam had off the dashboard and out of the car. Sam rolled two windows down for Miracle as his angel friend tossed the salad box in a nearby outdoor trashcan. The diner had a light and calming rustic look and once seated by an elder waitress who looked at both men admiringly Sam held himself together looking at the menu. He initially didn't want anything that was on it except for coffee.
Sam ordered for regular black coffee and an egg benedict with toast. Castiel didn't need to eat with being an immortal angel and all. He did have a taste of coffee as he reminisced his liking of it once. "I forget sometimes how simple things like coffee could make one feel." He grinned. Sam looked up at his angel friend and smiled.
"Do you still ever miss being human Cas?" Sam asked taking a bite from his toast.
"I still feel human emotions, I treasure still having that." He explained putting both hands underneath his chin while propping his elbows on the white table. "I miss the actual flavor of food, i still taste the molecules. Sleep was nice and sex... was great. I don't miss indigestion." Castiel sort of laughed. "I'm just glad that I had the experience so I could relate to humans more. I have the compassion and know the different kinds of love people have for each other. I just don't know if I could be one again. Jack is allowing the angel's that option now. To become human. Though, I refused when he offered it to me."
Sam nodded to that. "It's really good to have you back now, Cas."
After paying and leaving a tip on the table Castiel and Sam drove less than an hour before reaching Lebanon, Kansas. He drove up the street Sam never thought he'd look at again and pulled over near the bunker. Castiel took the key out of the ignition and exhaled a bit. "I know what you're thinking Sam, but hopefully this won't take too long."
They left the impala and Sam opened the door to the bunker, then he knew something wasn't right. "I didn't leave the lights on when I left." Sam said to himself. Miracle had raced indoors between Sam and Castiel's feet. Miracle didn't go down the stairs but instead up to the second floor where he disappeared. Sam turned to get a response from Castiel. The angel's face said it all. He was just as muddled as Sam was as they made eye contact with each other.
Castiel walked ahead of Sam down the stairs into the Nest and then into the library where he spun around and locked his eyes on something Sam didn't see. Sam joined Castiel in the library and looked in the same direction the angel looked perplexed at. Behind a table stood a woman very familiar to Sam. His heart dropped. "Eileen?" Sam's voice shook.
Eileen tossed a piece of her hair to side and smiled at Sam. "Hey, Sam."
Sam made his way around the table to Eileen. He cupped her face in his hand caressing her with his thumb finger. He stared at her for the longest time and Eileen wrapped her arms around him. He kissed Eileen's forehead and embraced her back.
He couldn't believe it. Sam gripped her with his fingers not ever wanting to let her go again. After the rapture, Sam had tried multiple times trying to facetime and text her. He never got any responses. He'd assumed the worst after a few weeks and tried moving on. Deep down, he never could.
As this was going on, Castiel reached into Sam's book bag pulling out the laptop, opened it up on the table and sat down. He searched an area where Courtney was last seen in Savannah, Georgia on google maps. He pulled up an article on another window where a friend of hers discussed with the police how she went missing on the 17th, almost 3 days ago. When Courtney didn't meet her for brunch following a night of catching up in the downtown historic district. She went on and on about sending follow up texts and calling, the parents had received nothing from their adoptive daughter.
Sam and Eileen sat down together on a table next to where Castiel was sitting. He pulled his chair closer to Eileen's. "So where have you been? What happened? How did you get back?"
Eileen laughed at the many questions Sam Winchester was asking her. "I was back in Hell, and then I was in Heaven, and now I'm back here with you." She motioned to the room with her finger that surrounded them. "Wait, I'm not dead anymore?"
Sam shook his head and laid his hand on hers. "No, you're here on earth. Something or someone must've realized that you belonged here again."
Eileen smiled at Sam as she turned her hand over to meet his fingers with hers. "I've missed you Sam." She looked over at Castiel. "Hello Castiel." The angel nodded at her meeting Eileen's smile with his own. She looked around and across the room before locking her eyes back at Sam. "Where's Dean?"
Sam could feel the softness in his face leave now. He saw Castiel look at him in dismay and the angel looked back at the laptop screen in front of him. Sam brushed his hair back with his fingers. "He's dead." Sam said gazing forward. but without meeting Eileen's eyes. "It happened during a vampire hunt."
"I'm so sorry Sam."
"Sam!" Castiel exclaimed.
Sam rose from his chair and walked over to Castiel looking down at the laptop. "What is it Cas?"
"I tapped into security footage where Courtney was last seen." Castiel tapped on a key on the keyboard to play the footage. He pointed at a young woman with her straight hair down and was wearing a casual tank top with dark skinny jeans and a flannel shirt wrapped around her waist leaving a bar called 'Rocks on the Roof'. "It's her leaving at twelve forty-five that night. Also watch this." Castiel closed out the previous footage pulling out another piece of footage and pressed play. The same woman turns a corner of a building on the sidewalk, her head tilts up to the sky before she fell over on the ground for about almost a minute and got back up. The woman walked away as though nothing had happened or checked for any injuries.
This made Sam flinch. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking Cas." Sam said rhetorically.
"Possession?" Castiel asked, and they simultaneously nodded their heads.
Castiel told Sam he would do more research before summoning Rowena. The angel wanted to give his friend and Eileen space. Sam offered his help, though an hour later he and Eileen ended up in his bed where they ended up having sexual intercourse. Sam and Eileen lay next to each other after their third round and had now become exhausted, but elevated.
"I love you, Eileen." Sam used sign language for Eileen. He wrapped his arms around the woman he's fallen for. Eileen reciprocated by caressing Sam's face. She told Sam she loves him too. Sam found her lips with his, pulling her closer to him. They made out for a bit before they got out of bed together and got dressed.
"So," Eileen began sitting back down on the bed while putting her shoes back on. "You and Castiel are trying to find a girl who is potentially your niece?"
Sam buttoned up his shirt before responding. "I wouldn't say or think it's potential. Castiel made it sound obviously aware that she is Dean's daughter. She also resembles him." Sam grinned at the last statement he made.
"Is she in any kind of danger?" Eileen asked.
"Yes, but Cas and I will find her, hopefully before it gets too dangerous."
"I can help you two." Eileen said using sign language signals.
Sam shook his head. "No, I've lost you too many times. You couldn't stand it when I was concerned for your safety when you did cases by yourself. It'll be worse if we work a case together."
Eileen playfully laughed. "I want to help, Sam. Don't tell me no."
It took a while for Sam to grin at how adorable Eileen is. "Eileen, what was your Heaven like?"
"It was Ireland, and I had my parents." Eileen's face lit up. "I even had my hearing, I wasn't deaf. Heaven is a good place. I was happy. I am still happy though because I'm here with you."
Sam bent down to kiss Eileen on the forehead. "Let's go see Cas, he's probably found something new by now."
During that hour while Sam and Eileen were away. Castiel had made massive progress in Courtney's whereabouts. While he spent the time looking at her on footage it brought many memories of Dean. He'd replay the first piece of footage over again a few times of Courtney leaving the bar captivated of who she seemed to be before the possession moments later. It was only speculation of course for Castiel. She was unsettled. A sign of grief preoccupying her face. It was as if she was holding back on something, or wanted to say, only she doesn't know how to say it.
Again, Castiel thought, it was just speculation, but my gosh she reminded him so much of Dean. The way her eyes would narrow to her surroundings or when her lips would purse. Castiel had thought of Dean often since coming back to earth knowing full well it wasn't going to be the same not being able to see him, but at the same time Dean was safe and still existed out there. He thought of his final goodbye to his friend before the Empty took him. He'd told Dean that he loved him. He didn't have time to explain everything on how much Dean had changed him and the life he himself could never have.
Castiel went through the footage carefully of finding Courtney's car in each city and state to which she was crossing over into and she drove in a black 2018 Toyota Avalon. When Castiel followed the footage of her in Texas, he had made a wild discovery.
"Cas?" Sam called from the stairs.
"Sam I'm still in the library. Come here and see this." Castiel sounded urgent so Sam hurried his pace down the stairs with Eileen following closely behind and stood with Castiel.
"What did you find?" Sam asked.
"It's not what I found it's what she did." Castiel spun the laptop to show Sam footage of Garth and Sam walking along a sidewalk in Austin with Courtney shinning demon eyes not far behind them. Sam bent down and paused to capture it.
"How did Courtney find me?" Sam asked with confusion on his face.
"Courtney didn't find you. That demon possessing her body did." Castiel said in his correcting tone. Castiel stepped away for a moment and came back with ingredients in hand and a bowl. "I had also seen that she began to follow you in her car when you left Austin. It's obvious the demon is following you wherever you're going."
"Okay, so why are we still summoning Rowena? If she's following me, we can easily set a trap and get rid of the demon possessing her." Sam asked still in confusion.
"Because Sam, she could still have a spell on her, I can't pinpoint her. Also, when we do send away the demon Rowena can help us hide her with another spell… you're welcome." Castiel rolled his eyes at Sam as he placed the bowl on the table and began adding ingredients to it. Castiel went back to find some candles and came back with four, he lit them up, two on each side. "Do you perhaps have a knife on you?" Castiel looked at Sam.
Sam reached for his jacket that was hanging on one of the chairs. He took out a pocketknife and handed it to Castiel.
Castiel cut the palm of his hand to create the summoning sigil and squeezed the rest of the blood over the ingredients in the bowl. Castiel began his chant; "Et ad congregandom, Eos coram me."
Eileen stood back as she clung onto Sam's arm. The amount of the tug pressure on his arm made Sam step ahead of Eileen, protecting her from something she was feeling anxious about.
Castiel finished the ritual, so now everyone present in the room waited. A figure appeared in Castiel's peripheral vision. "Seriously? At this hour your girl was getting some much needed action from her best looking demons."
Everyone's eyes darted over at the woman standing in the middle of the room. Rowena continued with a satisfied grin as she straightened out her flowing red locks and long black sequin dress, "Hello boys."
A Few Hours Ago
Marshall, Minnesota
A Toyota Avalon pulled up to a vacant motel with only two other cars in the parking lot, one being the Impala. The engine stopped and a woman stepped out. She scoped out the motel leaning against the vehicle's door with her pointed black boot propped on the bottom pocket. She stepped away and closed the door shut walking up to the lobby entrance. She walked in and found a bored looking girl behind the desk with her nose in a teen magazine with air pods in her ears.
"Leave her alone." A voice said. The woman ignored that voice as she strode over to the desk and kicked it. "Hey, wake the hell up." She told the girl.
The girl promptly took out her air pods and placed her magazine to the side. "Yeah? How might I help you?" She asked.
The woman looked at the girl's name tag. "Yes, Cassidy." She smiled overzealously. "I'm looking for a man that checked in not too long ago. He's a giant, cute, and has shoulder length dark hair."
"Yeah," Cassidy recalled. "He was here just twenty minutes ago. What's your name?" Cassidy asked now focusing on the computer.
It took a while for her to respond. "My name is Courtney Croce."
"Okay," Cassidy typed and looked back up. "I'm going to have you tell me about his name because of protocol to let you know where he is."
Courtney laughed. "I don't think you understand. I'm not staying, I just need to see him."
Cassidy shook her head. "It's still protocol."
Courtney leaned in. "This man uses more fake names than the number of pages in the Bible. So, I don't know what name he used."
Cassidy expressed amusement. "Sure, I can call his room and tell him that a Courtney is here." She said with obvious laughter in her tone.
"I'll just find the room myself then." Courtney said turning away furiously.
"Uh, you're not supposed to do that miss!" Cassidy called coming around the desk to try and stop Courtney.
Courtney whipped around. Cassidy could remember seeing the woman's eyes. It went from normal green eyes to pitch black ones before being thrown across the room. It took a few seconds after Cassidy was on the floor that she realized her back made a cracking noise against the wall. Cassidy couldn't feel her joints as she was trying to pull herself up. Nothing was happening. She could hear and see boots coming toward her.
The demon inside of Courtney knelt near Cassidy, thinking about finishing her off, flashing her pitch black eyes again. That was when that inside voice came back, "No! Please! Leave her alone! You've done enough! Stop it! Don't kill her!"
Cassidy began to cry in hysterics, and the voice got to the demon possessing Courtney's vessel. The demon stood leaving Cassidy on the floor as she was going behind the desk to search the latest sign in. The name was under the alias of 'Thomas Petty'.
The demon in Courtney left the lobby after getting the room number. It was at the end of the building. There was no rush making her way in the darkness, the boots making that clanking noise through the corridor of the motel. The demon wanted it to be a nice surprise for the Winchester.
She closed in when suddenly the room door flung open. The demon looked around and darted toward a vending machine pretending as though she was using it or deciding on a drink to get.
"Come on, you too Castiel." Sam ordered.
The demon could hear Sam and the angel swap around a conversation. Worthily noting, the demon heard Sam say something about going to Lebanon, Kansas. After a minute the Impala started and drove away. The demon possessing Courtney made her way to the room and luckily for it the door was still open.
"Okay Courtney go away. Your thoughts are getting on my nerves." The demon told the original spirit of the vessel. Courtney was sent away in a dream for the moment. The demon turned on the light and slowly examined the room. Personal possessions seemed to have already been picked up except for a book on an end table. The demon picked it up and skimmed a few pages. Ah, it thought, its eyes glistened. Sam Winchester's journal. The demon kept it and walked out of the motel room.
The demon inside of Courtney grinned walking to her Toyota Avalon and got in. She didn't follow the Impala closely now knowing the next destination.
Author's Note: Hey, so I've changed this story's name from The Guardian to Wheel in The Sky, because I feel it fits the theme of the story's progression. Also Courtney's last name 'Croce' is pronounced 'Cross'. The next chapter I put out will explain more of her back story.
Hope you enjoy! :)