Sara paced back and forth, wearing a simple t-shirt she stole from one of the boys on a hunt and a loose pair of sweatpants. She twisted her hands and her wrists. Too afraid to ask any more questions at this point… it was obvious by the look on Dean's face that something about this worried him, which means it should worry her too.

"Okay, I called Cas." Dean announced as he came around the corner of the library. Sam looked up from the stack of books in front of him. "He'll be here soon."

"I can't find anything close to that in any of these books… you said it glowed when you touched it?"

"It what?!" Sara asked suddenly looking between them.

"Sara, it's okay. We'll figure it out. We'll fix it." Dean assured her as he watched her wring her wrist over and over, noting how red it was. Then he turned to Sam. "Yes, it glowed, and became hot to the touch."

"Sara, could you feel the heat when he touched it?"

"No." She shook her head.

"Do you mind if I try and see what happens?"

"No that's fine." She said as she walked up to him, turning to face her back to him where he sat. She slightly pulled her shirt up and her waistband down until it was past the scarring. The scarring she could feel now that she knew where to look for it.

Sam gently ran his fingers across it, and again just as Dean said it began to glow red. It was very subtle at first, but the longer his finger remained against it the brighter it became. He left his hand there until it was so hot he couldn't stand it.

"Could you feel that?" He asked as he finally pulled his hand away.

"All I felt was you." She mumbled, looking up at Dean as he watched them intensely.

"Okay. It's fine. That's not necessarily a bad thing okay?"

"Well it doesn't seem like a good thing based on your expression, or his."

"Sara, its just new for us. We've never seen this before… but we also never knew what a healer was before. We never knew you existed. Sometimes the unknown isn't as scary as it seems at first. Give us a chance to find you some answers before you panic, okay?"

"Yeah." She sighed as she pulled her shirt back down. Walking away from them both. She was scared… something in her knew that this wasn't okay. Somethings wrong. She continued to pace, back and forth around the tables. Running her hands along the books on the shelves. Sam and Dean sat at the tables and continued to flip through pages, typing things into search engines on the laptop.

They would do whatever it took to find an answer.

"Hey…" Sam said catching their attention. "Look at this."

He turned the book towards Dean as Sara walked over, leaning over his shoulder.

"So, its not the same thing… but its similar. And its Enochian." Sam explained.

"Enochian?" Sara asked confused.

"It's the language the angels use." Dean explained shortly, more focused on the page in front of him.

"So what are those symbols for?" Sara asked.

"Well, anything from protection, to casting away evil. Some of these are used for locating or tracking angels. There's one here that looks like it boosts your strength. And… uh, this one looks like it's used to put someone into a deep sleep, or paralysis of some sort."

"But none of them are like the one I have." She sighed frustrated as she stood again.

"Sara, can you think back for me. Think of anything that strikes you as odd. Did you have a rash? An itch? … Were you touched by someone or something? Anything at all."

"Not that I can think of. I've racked my brain for the last hour thinking about how long it might have been there. I mean, I never looked for it. But surely it couldn't have been there long or one of us would have noticed it right?!"

"Yeah. I'm sure between all the training and stuff, we would have seen it." Dean agreed. Really though he knew that it hadn't been there for very long because he spends more time that he cared to admit staring at her ass, and he had never seen it poking out of her jeans.

"Sara." Cas's voice caught everyone's attention and they turned towards him. "I understand you have something I need to examine."

"Yes." She breathed a sigh of relief as she walked towards him, she had never been so happy to see him. She moved towards him and like she had what felt like a dozen times already today she turned her back to him, raising her shirt and pulling down her waistband again.

She looked up to watch Sam and Dean's face as they watched the angel lean down to get a closer look, they were focused on Cas. But she was focused on them, trying to gage their reactions.

"Sara… How long has this been on you?" Cas asked as he reached up to run his fingers across it.

"We don't know." Dean answered before Sara could even try. "Not very long."

"This is… ancient. Its Enochian, but a very unevolved form. If this is what I think it is, then I'm afraid we'll have to gather a few things."

"What is it?!" Sara asked, her voice shaky and her mind impatient.

"I think it's a binding link." Cas said as he stood again. Sara moved to turn towards him.

"Binding link? Like… someone's connected to me?"

"Or you to something… or someone. I need to test a theory to be sure."

"What test?" Sam asked.

"If it is indeed a binding link, then there are two parts. One mark on Sara, and another on who or whatever she is bound to."

"What's with the heat that things putting off?"

Cas looked at Sara and back at Dean, hesitant to answer. He didn't want to scare her more. Dean picked up on this and quickly intervened.

"Actually let's just focus on one thing at a time, what do we need to find the other part of the link?

"No." Sara interrupted him. "Say it… why does it burn you when you touch it?"

"Sara, you're just getting worked u-" Sam started to say.

"No. I'm getting tired of you three tip toeing around me. Sam you and I have already had this conversation. If there is something you feel like you can't say in front of me then why am I even here?"

"Sara." Dean sighed. "We just don't want to scare you."

"You're not. The damn mark is… and I need to know more about it to be less afraid of it."

"Okay, fair enough… Cas?" Dean said crossing his arms, they all turned back towards the angel.

"Anytime you've drawn symbols, or seen the angels use their grace you notice the bright white light. But… this symbol doesn't glow white like the others I've seen angels use. This one, it glows red, and that's something I've only seen done by evil."

"Like what?" Sara asked again. She knew the answer in her head, but she needed him to say it. The room was silent, finally Cas looked at her and took a step forward closing the space between them.

"Like a demon."

Sara nodded. Trying not to show the instant adrenaline and panic that surged through her entire body. She felt like she could puke, or pass out, but she knew if she lost it in front of them she'd only be validating their reason to leave her out of important conversations… so instead she just shook her head and sat down in the chair closest to her.

"What do you need… to find the other link." Sam asked. Dean watched quietly between Sara, and the movement between Cas and Sam as they discussed needed resources.

She was still. Too still. She kept her arms crossed and close against her body, unwilling to show her shaking hands. Her eyes were glued straight ahead. He didn't push… he just watched.

"Okay, we have everything here." Sam called over to Dean, pulling his attention away. "I'll go get everything. Get a bowl off the shelf. Hey Sara?"

"Yes." She replied not looking up to him, but instead leaning against the table, her hand over the lower half of her face.

"We're going to need a little bit of your blood."

"That's fine." She answered shortly.

Dean moved to grab a bowl while Sam and Cas went for the desired ingredients. Then he moved into the kitchen, he pulled the cabinet open and grabbed the first aid kit. He knew she could probably just heal it, but she was so distracted he didn't want to take any chances. He grabbed gauze and Coban before walking back to the library.

Sam and Cas were pouring and mixing things into the dingy gold bowl as Sara watched. Still silent as she sat. She had shut down, Sam and Dean both knew it… and they knew she was trying to prove a point, but what she didn't know is that this reaction was just as concerning as her having a full blown meltdown right there in the floor.

"Sara, hun we're ready for you." Sam called over to her. She finally looked up to him and met his eyes before standing and walking forward. Sam held out a small knife and she extended her arm over the bowl.

"It'll hurt, okay?" He said, trying to prepare her before he pushed the blade against her skin.

"Do it." She replied shortly. Sam pushed and pulled the blade downward, watching as her blood dripped into the bowl rapidly. Dean moved forward and instantly applied pressure with the guaze, using the Coban to wrap around it and form a small pressure dressing.

"Step back." Cas said to them as he reached his hand down into the mixture in the bowl. It was dark, and he rubbed the liquid between his fingers. Sara watched as his eyes turned white. He was looking at something, but it wasn't in the library.

Sam reached over subtly and pulled his arm around Sara's shoulders. Waiting for Castiel to speak. She lightly leaned against him. Her fingers twisting as she still tried to hide them against her body with crossed arms.

"How.. how did you get here?" Castiel mumbled.

"Cas?" Sam asked softly. But they quickly realized he wasn't talking to them.

"I don't understand." He mumbled again.

Moments later the light in his eyes dimmed, and he withdrew his hand, picking up the towel to rub away whatever was left.

"Okay… care to share?" Dean asked impatiently.

"It's an angel. He's chained to a wall, somewhere in Hell."

"How did an angel get captured in Hell?!" Sam asked.

"I don't know… but. I think its him, Zolteon. He knows they are the only way to get to her, I just don't know how he keeps getting angels."

Sara took in a sharp breath and pulled away from Sam. She moved towards the back of the room, facing away from the men as they discussed. Nothing they said now really mattered… He found her. He found her again. It must have been when she was unwarded.

"The woman in the bathroom…" She mumbled out loud.

"Sara? What did you say?" Dean asked, barely hearing her voice. He had been pulling his attention between her and Cas.

"When I was un-warded… the woman in the bathroom. The ghost… she was different from the others. She was covered in blood. I mean… head to toe, like she had been running through razor wires for days. I think, maybe she touched me. I barely remembered. I was just so scared." She rambled.

"Okay. It's okay, that makes sense. It's good to know. That would tell us how you got it and how long its been there. Barely a week. That's good." Sam said reassuringly.

"… So he can find me, this mark links me to him?" She asked carefully.

"Not exactly." Cas shrugged. "Your warding is throwing things off I'm sure of it. But it does link him to you. That explains how he got into your head."

"So he can't find me physically, but he can find me anytime I close my eyes." She nodded up and down.

"How do we break the link?" Dean asked, he was only geared towards finding a solution. A quick solution. He wanted this mark gone and Sara to feel safe with them.

"I need to send a team out to find the captured angel. When we save him we can break the link. It's a simple remedy and incantation, similar to what we've done here."

"Okay, that's a solid plan." Sam nodded, trying to encourage Sara.

"How long will it take?" Dean asked.

Sara was out of questions. She was out of room to process any further information. She had nothing left to say, nothing left to think about. All she knew is that he was connected to her. He can reach her. And with that, nothing else seemed to matter.

"A day, maybe two. It will be a quick mission. I have the angels name, we can locate him from Heaven and just like I found you we can pull him out."

"What if he dies, before we break the link. Does that affect her at all? Does anything that happens to that angel affect her?" Sam asked. Sara simply leaned against the table as the inquisition continued. Staring down at her feet. Dean wanted to move towards her, to fix this, to chase away her fears. He took two steps in her direction, but did not reach for her.

"To some degree yes. They would share something, most likely they would share each other's pain, perhaps feel each other's injuries."

"Okay." Sam nodded up and down. "So… theoretically. IF they are sharing ailments, and this angel is injured. Could Sara's grace be fighting to heal itself continuously? I mean that would explain why she's so exhausted… why her labs and her blood pressure and everything is off."

"Yes. That would likely be the case. Sara would likely not feel the same effects due to her body's ability to heal itself."

"Well. That definitely answers some burning questions."

"If you three are okay, I'd like to start arranging my team immediately."

"Yeah. Yes. Please, go." Dean insisted. Knowing the sooner this is over the better.

With a flutter of wings the three of them were alone again. Sam turned to look at Sara, who did not meet his gaze this time. She didn't speak. He and Dean looked at each other, knowing that the next 24-48 hours wouldn't be easy.

"We need to put the case on hold until this is resolved." Dean said breaking the silence.

"Agreed." Sam nodded. "We'll just stay in the bunker until we hear from Cas. No problem."

"Sara, you good with that?" Dean asked as he stood next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah." She nodded, she briefly looked between them and gave not even half of a smile. "That's fine. Whatever we need to do."

"Do you wanna talk about th-" Sam started to ask before she cut him off.

"I'm fine, we're good." She said as she stood, pulling away from Dean and walking past them down the hall. The only thing on her mind was how many hours… how many minutes. He had too many opportunities. Too many chances. She couldn't wait a day, or god forbid two days.

She wanted the mark gone, and she wanted it gone NOW.

…..

…..

…..

"She's obviously not fine." Dean sighed as he ran his hand down his face.

"Yeah." Sam agreed vehemently.

"What do we do."

"I don't know, Dean. I mean… I don't want to push her. She's already clearly shut down on us. She's not talking, she's not engaged in the solution."

"She's scared." Dean added as Sam went on.

"I know… I mean. He scared me, Dean. He was terrifying. We told her that it was just something in her mind. Something he had done to scare her, but it's more likely she was seeing what that angel saw. That we both saw that. There was so much blood… I mean that angel is probably being tortured around the clock."

"Do we give it some time, give her the space?" He argued with himself internally. Not wanting her to be alone AND afraid.

"I think we just take it an hour at a time."

While Sam and Dean stood around discussing how to help Sara, she had already decided a way to help herself. She stood in the bathroom. Using two mirrors as a guide. She had changed into low riding shorts for easier access. She lifted the small pocket knife Dean had given her to carry around and doused the blade in alcohol. If the mark was destroyed then surely the link would be too… it had to be.

She turned, and her hands shook violently as she moved the edge of the blade closer and closer to the tender skin at the lowest point on her back. She moved slowly, having trouble positioning everything correctly by trying to look over her shoulder.

She contemplated asking Sam or Dean to just carve right through the damn thing, but she knew they would say no. She knew they would tell her to wait on Cas, and she couldn't risk them trying to stop her.

She was already on the verge of stopping herself.

She took two deep breaths and then pushed her shaking hand forward until she felt the blade cut into her body. She cried out softly as she drug it downward, leaving a large cut right through the center of the mark.

Blood steadily dripped down onto her shorts and the back of her leg. She breathed in and out, forcing herself to stay calm. She reached for the guaze on the counter and pushed it against the wound. Holding pressure to stop the bleed. After a minute or two she peeled back the guaze the see if the bleeding was slowing down, but when she did she suddenly felt the urge to puke.

The mark was whole again. Her skin still bloody but no longer cut open.

She cried softly as she leaned over the sink. A wave of nausea and panic came on too strong and she moved to the toilet as her body heaved over and over again.

Once she was able to gather herself and her thoughts she stood back at the sink. Starring at herself in the mirror. If cutting through the mark was unsuccessful then maybe she needed to find a way to remove the entire mark at once. She contemplated cutting a chunk out of her back, but she knew that the bleeding and the pain of going that deep would probably be too much for her.

… Then she thought maybe, just maybe. If she couldn't feel how hot the mark got then maybe she wouldn't feel the heat from fire if she were able to burn it off. It took only a few minutes of convincing herself to try it before she was digging through her drawers looking for a lighter.

Finally she came across one. She tested the lighter. As she looked down at the flame her stomach was in knots, and her body still shaking but she knew she had to do it.

She couldn't let him be linked to her for a single minute longer than absolutely necessary.

She closed her eyes and told herself over and over again that the short lived pain would ultimately free her of his grasp… and that was worth it, no matter how much it hurt.

She turned again, making sure she could clearly see the mark in the mirror. She slid her shorts down a little further on her hips and rolled the waistband to keep it out of the way, then she pulled the loose shirt forward and left plenty of room between where the flame would be and any clothing that could catch fire.

She pushed the flame towards her skin, and just before it touched her she could feel the heat.

"Dammit…" She whimpered. Now she knew for sure it would hurt like hell.

She prepared herself yet again, and pushed the lighter with the tall flame towards her back.

Dean was walking towards his own room, deciding to give her some space… but as he passed he heard her cry out softly. As if she was hurt, his body had turned back towards her door before his brain could even process it. He couldn't delay himself by knocking so instead he just shoved the door open and could see Sara in the bathroom from across the room.

"Sara! Stop!" He rushed in just as her pain had become almost unbearable and at the sound of his voice she jumped and her hands lost its grip on the lighter.

"Dean just go!" She said looking up to him.

"No, what the fuck are you doing?!" He said as he reached the bathroom door, she moved to shut it before he could get inside but his hand was already against the wood pushing it back.

"Dean!" She argued as she pushed against him but he quickly won that battle and stepped in as she took a few steps backwards. Preparing to defend her actions.

Dean stood wide eyed looking between her and the blood on the floor, then to the knife on the counter and the lighter near his foot.

"Sara." He said so harsh it came out as a growl. "What did you do."

"I'm fine, just get out." She said as she crossed her arms. Her eyes still red rimmed and wide.

"Show me your back." He insisted as he looked down as the trail of blood down her leg.

"Dean! Go!"

"Show me. Now." He insisted taking another step forward.

She took a step back and stood her ground, even if her entire body was shaking. Dean stared at her, and she stared back. He knew she wouldn't show him willingly, and as much as he hated to force her he felt like he was protecting her from herself at this point.

He quickly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her, spinning her body to the side.

"DEAN! Stop!" She fought back against him, but he quickly was able to pin her arms in only one of his hands and pulled her shirt up on her back. He looked down and it was clear that the skin around the mark was now burned, but the mark itself still remained fully intact, now a darker shade of red than it had been before.

"Dammit Sara!" He said as he released her and turned back towards the sink. She backed herself against the wall. Trying to control her breathing. Her back felt like it was on fire. Her entire body felt like it was coursing with adrenaline, and her emotions were quickly becoming unstable.

Dean picked up the bloody knife and then threw it back down on the counter angrily. He didn't turn to look at her as he started to speak.

"That mark isn't a surface wound Sara, its from the inside out and you can't fucking scratch it off!"

"Well I had to try!"

"Well if you had just bothered to talk to us we could have told you that!"

"Well I didn't feel chatty at the moment!"

Finally he turned back towards her.

"What is it gonna take for you to trust us… I mean really. You would rather slice yourself up then just TALK to us. That is stupid!"

Sara looked away from him and stared at the wall beside her, unable to reply. Her face burned hot. Tears spilling over out of her control as he continued to yell at her.

"We had a plan… what about that didn't click? All you had to do was wait!"

"I couldn't wait!" She cried back, still refusing to look at him. Biting down on her lip to try and stop it from quivering in front of him.

Dean ran is hand through his short hair and down to his neck. Forcing himself to take two deep breaths.

"Let me clean it up." He finally said in a much calmer tone, realizing that arguing was just making this worse.

"I can do it." She replied refusing to look up to him.

"Sara. Please… just let me help."

"I can do it." She said firmly.

Dean shook his head up and down and turned in the door frame facing the bedroom. He contemplated not saying anything at all, but he couldn't stop himself.

"One day you're going to have to realize that you're not alone anymore." He said with his back still turned to her, there was no reply. He walked forward through her bedroom and out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Sara sank to the ground and buried her face against her knees as she cried. Partially because of the pain, and the fear… but mostly because he had yelled at her, and she knew he was right to do so. He was right about all of it.

Dean stomped down the hall to the kitchen, smacking something off the counter and onto the floor as he went for a beer in the fridge.

"Hey, what the hells wrong with you?" Sam said coming around the corner after hearing something clobber to the floor.

"Don't ask." He said before taking another drink.

"Dean…" Sam pushed lightly.

"You need to go check on Sara, see if she'll let you clean up her back."

"Clean it up?" He asked suddenly concerned, then it clicked. "No. She didn't…"

"Oh she did." Dean answered grabbing another beer from the fridge and disappearing down the hall in the opposite direction. Sam sighed and walked quickly towards Sara's room. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He pushed it open slowly, and could hear her crying from the bathroom. He slowly shut the door behind him and walked forward. He stopped once he reached the bathroom, examining the blood in the floor and on the counter. He stepped up to her and kneeled down.

"Sara." He called out softly.

She didn't reply, she just continued to hide herself as she hiccupped and tried to slow her breathing.

"Sara, it's okay. I know you're scared… but we're here. I'm here okay?"

Still no reply.

He moved to sit beside her, and without permission swung his arm over her, pulling her against him. She resisted at first, but eventually caved. He let them sit in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"Sara, can I check your back? We need to clean it up… you may not heal in that area with the mark being there."

"It healed from the knife but not the burn." She mumbled back.

"Let me see it."

She carefully slid to sit in front of him and pulled her shirt up from over her shoulders, her head laying against her knees as Sam reached forward, then he stood and walked to the sink, wetting a wash cloth.

"Stand up." He said softly as he extended his hand to her. She took it without making eye contact with him and just turned, sitting on the edge of the counter and leaning against the wall so that he could easily reach the fresh burn.

"The blood… from the knife?" He asked trying to clean the dried blood off of her skin so he could better assess how large the burn actually was.

"Yes." She whispered.

"Sara… why didn't you talk to us. We would have told you this wasn't going to work."

"Because I had to try something. I can't just sit around and wait for him to show himself again."

"Sara I know how scary this is. I remember his face. But he can't hurt you… he can scare you, but he can't physically touch you."

"It's not about touching me Sam." She whimpered. "It's about him getting into my head again… I would rather take ten knives to the back then let him back in."

He sighed, knowing he didn't have anything to combat that fear.

"We'll fix this Sara. Quickly… I know it feels like an eternity, but you just gotta wait it out. But you don't have to do that alone."

She didn't reply this time. Sam continued to clean the burnt skin as best he could before applying a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and a small dressing over the top.

"What happened with Dean?" He asked as he finished. He moved to stand across from her as she turned and leaned her back against the large mirror while she stayed sat on the counter next to the sink.

"He's mad at me." She sighed as she picked up the wash cloth and began to rub the dried blood off of her leg.

"He's not mad, Sara… he's worried. That's just how Dean is. That's how he is when he's worried about you getting hurt. I know it's not an excuse for being an ass because he can certainly do that when he gets like this, but he's not mad at you. If he's mad at anyone it's himself."

"Why?" Sara asked suddenly. Looking up to meet his eyes for the first time.

"Because he will always feel like it's his job to protect you, and he takes that seriously. We both do, but for Dean it's different. The way we grew up… he never had a choice. He was told from a very young age that HE was responsible for my safety. For other people's lives."

"So he's mad or worried or whatever because I shed a little blood and he couldn't stop it?"

"No." Sam chuckled. "He knows that if you don't feel like you can talk to us, then he can't protect you… at least not from the things he doesn't know about. The more he understands what's going on, the better prepared he feels to keep you safe."

Sara stared down at her feet again… she knew that being open and honest with each other is important, especially on a hunt or when something is going on. But sometimes she just needed to deal with things her own way, she needed to have some small sense of control of her life… especially now that so many things are out of her control all together.

Sam knew she wasn't going to say anything else to either of them right now… not until she's ready. So instead of asking more questions he simply moved closer to her and pinned her hair behind her ear before he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"When you're ready, you know where to find me."

He moved to wrap his arms around her, and she reached up and hugged him around the neck. They stayed that way for a long minute before Sam pulled away and smiled at her before walking out.

…..

…..

…..

Sara was the first one up, or rather the first one to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She hadn't slept much throughout the night. She wondered if Sam or Dean would come back and try to talk things out… part of her was thankful they didn't, the other slightly disappointed that her and Dean went to bed on a sour note.

She sat at the table with her cup of coffee and stared at the clock as it moved ever so slowly. She was trying to make up her mind on whether or not she wanted to be here when they boys woke up, or if she'd rather just bury herself in her room.

If it's Sam that comes through the door first, then things would be easy… he would ask if she's okay and not pry for more information.

But if it's Dean, and the two of them are alone together would it be a fight? A silent standoff? She's not sure which one would be worse.

After deciding it was best to leave that mystery alone she made herself some peanut butter toast and poured herself a second cup before taking them both back to her room. She sat them on the desk and looked around… feeling like she needed to busy herself. Her hands.

She was so exhausted from not sleeping, yet feeling drained as she had for the last several days, but her fear pushed her to keep going. Not to give him the chance to catch her off guard again.

Sam was the next one awake, walking into the kitchen and seeing the coffee already in the pot, he knew she was awake. And if she wasn't sitting down eating breakfast, then she wasn't ready to talk. He sighed, knowing that Dean wouldn't be happy with that answer.

He figured he'd take his chances on breaking the ice. He poured his cup and made his way towards Sara's door. He knocked twice before hearing her call out for him to open the door. When he walked in Sara was sorting through clothes, appearing to have emptied everything out of its proper drawer.

"Hey, did you get any sleep last night?" He asked noting the dark circles under her eyes, she looked exhausted.

"No." She answered honestly as she continued to sort through clothes.

"Too afraid to sleep?"

"Yeah…" she sighed as she stood still for a moment, finally looking up to him. "Any word from Cas?"

"Not yet. But hopefully we'll hear something today."

She nodded.

"I just wanted to come in and check on you, see if you wanted company or needed some space today?"

"Honestly?"

"Always."

"Company sounds nice."

Sam smiled as he took a seat at her desk, sipping at his cup.

"You got plans today?"

"Just… staying busy I guess."

"Well, throw that junk back in the drawer and lets go rent a bunch of Marvel movies."

"Movie Marathon?" She asked surprised.

"I mean, if we're gonna be here all day anyways, we might as well do something that you enjoy. Maybe give your brain a break from the chaos."

Sara looked up to him… wondering how she ever lived her life without someone like Sam. Anna was the obvious quick answer, but Sam brought something else to the table when it came to their friendship. She couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but she knew she could never live without her best friend.

She threw down the clothes in her hand and walked over to him, sitting across from him on the bed.

"How do you know what to say EVERY time." She asked him. "It's like you literally read my thoughts like they were running across my forehead."

"Because you're important to me… you're important to Dean. You're a part of our lives too, Sara. Not just the other way around. It's a two way street, and the more we get to know each other, the more we love you. I care about you, and if I can lift some of the weight off your shoulders then I will. That's what family does for each other."

Sara's eyes watered.

"I hope you know that I don't shut off because I don't trust you… sometimes it just feels like the only way I have any control over my life." She finally mumbled.

"That's okay, just… don't go shoving knives in your own back. Literally and metaphorically." He joked. "We never want anything more than to help, and if you had come to us we would have explored if there was a way to remove the mark externally. In this case, the answer would have been a short no, and that's only because I've been there."

"You were bound to a demon?" Sara asked, somewhat to challenge him and the other out of genuine curiosity.

"More like… she locked herself in. The mark she left on me was like a lock, we couldn't exorcise her. Until dean picked up a hot poker from the fireplace and laid it over the mark… burnt it right off and she was gone."

"So why couldn't that have worked for me?"

"Because your mark goes much deeper… it's not a spell or some trick. Its Enochian, the most powerful supernatural force I know of. It's going to be harder to scrub off then some silly symbol she scratched into my arm."

"You guys really have been through hell, huh?"

"More than I hope you ever understand." He replied. "So… movies?"

"Movies." Sara smiled slightly.

Sam moved some pillows onto the large couch in their make-shift movie room. Sara carried in a few blankets that she had stashed in her room and went to the kitchen to grab some snacks. She was pulling things out of the cabinet when she heard footsteps behind her, she turned.

"Hey Sam do you want-"

She stopped mid-sentence as Dean entered the room, moving directly towards the coffee pot and not making eye contact. Sara looked away disappointed. She grabbed the last few things in her reach and quickly exited the kitchen.

She passed Sam in the hall on her way back.

"Hey, do you think you could grab a few drinks, I ran out of room to grab them." She said indicating to her full hands, but truthfully she didn't want to be there with Dean. He was still angry at her, and she didn't want to fight anymore.

"Yeah." He nodded, and then they went in opposite directions.

"Hey." He called out seeing Dean leaned against the counter.

"Hey. What's with all the goods?" He asked noting that Sara walked out with her hands full, and now Sam was grabbing several drinks.

"Um, I got Sara to agree to watch some movies. Try and get her mind off some things… honestly I'm kinda hoping she'll doze off and get some sleep. She was up all night."

"Afraid to sleep?"

"Yeah. She didn't want to risk him getting to her again."

Dean nodded up and down.

"You uh, you gonna join us?" Sam asked casually. Knowing the question was really to test his level of stubbornness for the day.

"Yeah. I uh, I'll pop in. I'm gonna take a shower and check the perimeter first. Make sure nothings out of place. Call Cas maybe."

"Okay, well let us know. I'm sure she'd appreciate an update."

"Sure." Dean mumbled as he took his coffee and walked away.

He was mad at himself… had he not come at her so hard maybe she would have caved and asked for someone to stay so she wouldn't have been alone. Maybe she would have slept. But as much as he was mad at himself, he wanted to be mad at her too… for being too stubborn to ask.

Sam watched as he walked away and rolled his eyes, knowing that neither of them were going to make the first step without a little push. He knew that the one thing Sara needed the most right now was to feel safe, and no one made her feel safer than Dean. She was going to run herself ragged trying to stay awake.

"Okay. Let's get started." He said popping in and setting the drinks down on the small table in front of the couch. He picked up the remote and flipped through until he found the movies and they agreed to start with Iron Man since they had watched most of Captain America at the motel last week.

They were only maybe an hour into their movie when Sara started to fidget. She wanted so desperately to get comfortable and rest her eyes, but instead she moved every few minutes to keep herself awake.

Footsteps caught her attention and she turned her head as she watched Dean walk through the door. She immediately diverted her eyes directly to the TV as he walked over and sat down on the couch next to her, not quite within reach.

She asked herself if he was putting that distance between them on the seat to be spiteful, or because he thought she would ask him to move over. She hoped however that maybe like Sam, Dean knew her better than she expected and he knows that all she wants is for them to be over this petty fight.

Dean had carried a six pack of beer in and leaned forward to place it on the ground at his feet. Sara watched out the corner of her eye, suddenly less interested in the movie. She felt the tension between them continue to take up that space on the couch… it was making her even more tired than she already was.

Sam watched carefully out of his peripheral vision as they fought not to acknowledge each other… and as Sara fought to keep her eyes open. She stopped moving however, and he wondered if it was because of the anxiety between them.

"I gotta take a pee break, don't pause it for me." He said as he stood off the couch and stepped out, leaving them alone.

Sara stared forward at the TV, but she couldn't focus on the movie. All she could focus on was how relaxed he was, his feet propped up on the table, his arm draped over the back of the couch, and his beer tilting backwards.

She forced herself to keep her eyes straight ahead, not to deviate from her current spot, or give them any reason to have to communicate.

Sam finally made his way back, and when he did he noted that even though Sara was sitting straight up, she was asleep. Her eyes closed and her head resting against a pillow as she laned towards his side of the couch.

"Well… that didn't take long." Sam sighed.

"Cas said they're working on getting past some new gate, apparently someone has planted some property in hell and wants to keep the riff raff out."

"I'm sure he does. Did you let her know?"

"No." He answered plainly.

"Dean… I told you she'd want to know."

"Okay, so then when she wakes up let her know."

"Dean." Sam deadpanned.

"I'll tell her when she wakes up." He agreed with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"Hopefully that won't be for a while. I'm gonna go get a shower… will you stay with her so she doesn't wake up alone?" Sam insisted.

"Dude. Hurry up." Dean whined.

"Shut up." Sam called back as he walked away, with no intent on returning quickly. He knew shoving them together was the only way either of them would crack. Dean bounced his leg slightly, hoping that she stayed asleep until he was back.

He knew she didn't want to talk to him… didn't want him to be the one she wakes up and finds sitting on the couch. He was however thankful she had finally fallen asleep.

Dean settled in and continued the movie, losing track of time as it came to an end. He glanced at his watch, asking himself how long it takes his brother to wash his too damn long hair. He stood to pick up the remote and start the next movie, but when he did he accidently bumped something off of the table and it landed on the floor with a thud.

The noise caused Sara to jolt awake in a panic, searching the room around her with her eyes wide.

"Hey, hey… You're fine." Dean said trying to catch her wandering stare. Finally her eyes landed on his and they sat frozen, just staring at one another.

Sara was finally the first one to tear her eyes away.

"I fell asleep?" She asked softly.

"Yeah, about an hour or so ago."

Sara didn't reply. Instead she reached forward for her drink, hoping the caffeine would prevent her from falling asleep again.

"Did you, see something?" Dean asked awkwardly, wondering if she had nightmares.

"No." She answered plainly.

Dean shook his head up and down slightly before hitting the play button and starting the next movie. Sara moved to make herself more comfortable, and make sure she wasn't intruding on Dean's space.

"Where's Sam?" She asked softly, not looking up as she nuzzled against a couple of pillows again.

"Went to get showered and cleaned up."

Sara nodded and went back to the movie.

Ten minutes went by before Dean caught movement to the side of him, and as he subtly turned his head to look he watched as Sara nodded off and then pulled herself awake. Trying to resist the overwhelming urge to just sleep.

Something in him couldn't stand to watch it go on any longer.

"Sara." He finally said. She jumped awake again. "Get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

"No. I'm fine." She shook her head, forcing herself to sit up.

"You're nodding off. You need to sleep."

"I'll be okay." She insisted softly.

"I know, but that doesn't mean you have to be miserable."

Sara thought about his words… She knew the opportunity was presenting itself, and she needed to take it. But she didn't know how to start. Luckily Dean was feeling the same pressure, and his resolve was fading faster than hers.

"Have you checked the mark today? See if you've healed around it?"

She shook her head back and forth. Still not looking up to him. Dean glanced between her and the TV, arguing with himself.

"Do you, uh. Want me to check it out?"

Sara finally pulled her eyes up to his, surprised by his offer. They locked into one another and neither of them could find words, just the inability to pull away from each other's gaze. Sara's eyes begged him to help her, to make everything okay again… even if she wouldn't say the words.

"C'mere." He finally said, cutting through the tension between the two of them. Sara finally looked back down as she moved across the seat. He laid a pillow on the other side of his legs and she took the cue to lay across his lap, her arms resting comfortably around the pillow and her body laid across his legs.

Dean slowly lifted the bottom of her shirt and peeled back the tape on the small dressing. As he pulled it off he could see that the burn had healed significantly overnight. The mark however was just as prominent. He grazed the area with his fingers and watched as it did indeed glow red again. He sighed softly. Wishing that it had began to fade even slightly.

"It's healing pretty well… should be good by tomorrow. The mark hasn't changed."

Sara nodded softly, but she didn't want to move. Didn't want to separate herself from him… it was the safest spot in the world, and she knew that.

Dean watched as she softly nodded, but she didn't move to stand or pull herself back across the couch. He reached up and lightly ran his hand over her back, she sighed softly and her eyes fought to close as she felt herself begin to relax for the first time in hours.

"Hey Dean." She finally mumbled.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. I was just…" She struggled to find the right words. She was scared. She was impatient. She was determined to fix it herself, to gain some control over the situation. To take her body back from him.

"You were scared." He finished for her. She nodded slightly as she felt her eyes watering again. She fought against it, but Dean caught the soft sniffle she tried to cover with a cough.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have yelled at you." He admitted as he reached over and pulled his fingers through her hair, moving it away from her face so he could read her reaction.

"I deserved it."

"No, you didn't sweetheart. I just saw the blood and I got upset that we left you on your own knowing that you weren't okay."

"I kinda didn't give you a choice." She admitted finally looking up at him. He smiled slightly and pushed her hair back again, her eyes felt so heavy she closed them as his hand moved.

"Sara, go to sleep. I'm here. I'm awake. I'll wake you up if you start to fidget or look uncomfortable."

"I don't want to see him again." She mumbled as she turned back down to the pillow.

"Okay."

He knew that her resolve would only last so long. That as much as she fought to resist it, she was going to fall asleep soon. He rubbed his hand up and down her back, his attention on her rather than the movie. He waited until she was still and her breathing was a constant and steady rise and fall.

"Sara." He said softly, testing the waters. She didn't budge. He smiled to himself and leaned back, getting comfortable. He would stay on this couch for as long as she would sleep, he was determined to be at her side until this mark was gone.

Sam came around the corner and peaked into the room, he found Sara laid across Dean's lap and Dean comfortably watching the movie. He considered not saying anything at all, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Well you made quick work of that, huh." He smiled as he walked back in and sat on the other end of the couch.

"Shut up." Dean rolled his eyes.

"I don't know why you don't just come clean with her, Dean."

"Stop."

"I don't know which one of you is more lovesick for the other." He said, knowing that Sara would probably be angry at him for saying it but that she needed Dean, and in many ways he needed her too.

Dean shot his eyes over to Sam, who was watching the movie casually. As if he didn't just say the words out loud.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He pushed, his mind circling itself at the thought that maybe… he wasn't imagining things. That he didn't misread the mixed signals. That maybe drunk was just the only way Sara was brave enough to admit her feelings.

He was careful not to let himself become too wrapped up in those thoughts. He knew that even if- and it was a big if, she had feelings for him too that it wasn't sunshine and rainbows from there. It could complicate things significantly… what if things went bad. How would they rely on one another if he broke her heart?

Or worse… if she broke his.

Sam stared at Dean with his eyes raised as if it was obvious, but Dean only stared back. Needing to hear the words come out of his mouth before he'd let himself get caught up in the possibilities.

"Let's leave it open for interpretation." Sam said rolling his eyes and standing. "I'm gonna run out and grab some real food. Want something?"

"Sure." Dean said as he shook his head irritably and pulled his eyes back to the movie. Not that he could focus on it now.

…..

…..

…..

Dean had sat through a couple of movies and Sara hadn't stirred even an inch. Sam had come back with food, and left again to find something in the library. Dean waited impatiently for his phone to ring, to hear from Cas that the link was broken. He wanted so desperately to give her that relief.

He shifted his weight slightly, and with that the blanket he had pulled across her began to slip. He went to reach for it when he realized he could see the faint glow of red, he softly went to move her shirt, and as he did ne noted it became brighter by the second.

Sara flew upwards without warning, scaring the hell out of Dean in the process.

"Ahhh… It hurts, Dean!" She cried as sat forward, reaching back towards him.

"What Sara?! What hurts?"

"My back… the mark! It's burning. Please make it stop!"

"SAM!" Dean yelled out as pulled her shirt up and watched as the mark was so bright it almost lost the red color, but he could see the skin at the edges of the mark were getting darker, as if it was charring her flesh.

Sam came running into the room, seeing Sara's back arched as she pushed and pulled against Dean's grasp, writhing in pain.

"Sara, sweetheart stop moving." Dean tried to hold her, so he could try to figure out how to stop it.

"Please make it stop!" She cried against him as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"What is it?!" Sam asked as he rushed in.

"It's the mark, it's like its burning right through her!" Dean answered in a slight panic, unable to stop it.

Sam moved to place his hand against it, trying to understand why all of a sudden it's changed, but Sara screamed out in pain as soon as his hand touched her skin.

"Stop!" She cried. Dean wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him as he pulled them both to stand.

"Dean I don't know what it's doing! I don't know how to stop it…" Sam replied, only able to watch as the mark projected a bright light.

Before either of them could come up with a thought on how to stop her pain, or what the mark was doing it flashed bright enough that Sam had to turn away, and just as quickly it was dim again. The mark now looked like it was smoldering embers, and then it turned ashes that Sam simply reached up and wiped from her skin.

"It's gone." Sam said shocked. He and Dean looked back and forth between her back and each other. Dean noticed Sara had stilled in his grasp, no longer gripping him with white knuckles. Instead she kept her hands steady as they rested, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Sara?" Dean asked as he tried to pull her forward to look at him, but she only tightened her grip.

"Sara it's gone. The marks gone." Sam said with relief as his hand brushed against her skin, now perfectly untouched as if the mark and the burn she left had never been there.

"He killed him… the angel." She finally mumbled against his shoulder. "I could feel it."

"Call Cas." Dean insisted as he and Sam looked back up to one another.

Sam left the room to find his phone.

"Sara." Dean whispered. "You good?"

"It's really gone right?" She asked hesitantly. Dean reached down and rubbed his hand across her lower back, his fingers slightly dipping below the back of her shorts along her underwear.

"Sara sweetheart, it's gone, there's nothing there." He assured her as he pulled his hand back up.

She took a shaky breath in and cried with relief for only a moment before she forced herself to reign in her emotions. She finally loosened her grip and pulled back from him.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't think of anything other than the pain."

"Hey, don't be sorry." He smiled softly. "I'm just glad its gone, and you're okay."

"Dean." Sam's voice called out from down the hall. Dean moved to leave the room and Sara followed behind him closely. They walked until they came across Sam standing leaning against the table, and a distraught and dirty Cas standing across from him.

"Cas, what happened?" Dean asked concerned at the look of his friend. He grabbed his shoulder as he pulled him to look up to his face.

"We broke past the gate, but somehow he knew we were coming… he was gone, but the demon he left behind waited until we entered the room before he lit the angel on fire, he had been doused in holy oil. He burned him alive." Cas admitted sadly.

"Cas. I'm so sorry." Sara said softly, seeing that he was upset. She had never seen him display so much emotion before. Cas turned towards her.

"Sara, are you okay?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I. I felt the angel die… but the marks gone now."

"Well then I suppose the mission wasn't a total loss." He smiled sadly.

"Did you find out how he keeps capturing angels?" Sam asked.

"No. But we've issued warnings to all angels. We've made everyone aware, forbid them from going alone when they leave. Safety in numbers."

"Yeah, sure. Makes sense." Sam nodded.

"If you three are well then I must go, I have to notify the rest of the garrison."

"Cas." Sara called before he could leave. "Thank you. For helping me."

"Sara, I will always be here to help you." He replied with a smile before he was gone.

The three of them stood for a moment, taking in the gravity of the moment. Sara moved to stand between the two of them, leaning against the table next to Sam. Her head tilted against his shoulder as her eyes were glued to Deans.

"So what happens now…" She finally asked, breaking the silence.

"We gotta case to check out." Dean answered. "If you're feeling up to it."

"Suddenly sleeping in the backseat seems like a fabulous idea." She joked.

"Hopefully you'll be feeling more like yourself now that it's gone. It's not draining your grace anymore."

"I'm sure I will… good ole stubborn Sara." She smiled up to Dean, trying to tell herself the look in his eyes was just her mind playing tricks on itself. But sometimes, she just liked to let herself have that moment of bliss before she came back to reality.