Chapter Fifty! Can't believe we've come so far, but we still have a lot to go. Let's get to it.
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Disclaimer: In no way do I have any rights to Supernatural or any of the characters you are familiar with. I only own Amriel and any OCs that pop up along the way.
Chapter Fifty: Sacrifice
Amriel stared into the distance, watching the dying sun fall below the horizon as it set in the southern California desert. She had driven all the way out to Joshua Tree after leaving the bunker, knowing it would be a place where she could look within herself and reflect on what she had done as well as how to begin making up for it. She hadn't realized when she left, though, that the universe would be coming to an end so quickly.
Her phone had been ringing for the past few hours, and missed calls and texts from Cas, Sam, and Dean filled her notifications, so they must have figured out that she left.
She had left the bunker in the middle of the night after they had gotten back from their showdown with Amara, when she was positive no one would notice. Amriel needed space to sort herself out and work through everything that had happened while Lucifer controlled her vessel, and she couldn't do it with Cas and the Winchesters hovering over her like she was a fragile piece of glass that would break any second. She couldn't handle the fact that God was dying right in front of her, either, so she had to leave.
Amriel sat in the warm sand, feeling the air around her begin to cool as the sun continued to fade and she frowned, realizing that she'd have to head back to the car soon and get moving. She wanted to rest before visiting a few hospitals and doing some healing.
She had decided that was how she would begin to make up for what she had done with whatever time she had left on Earth. She had faith in the Winchesters and knew they would most likely find a way to keep the universe from ceasing to exist- they always did.
At a small motel right outside of the national park, Amriel used their public computer in the lobby to look up nearby hospitals. She wrote down addresses and directions, making notes and deciding which ones she would go to and when before finally returning to her room.
Collapsing onto the bed, Amriel closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, wondering what Cas was up to at that moment. Of course, she could have focused and reached out to him, but that would open the connection she had been working so hard to close off. She wouldn't be able to check on Cas without him being able to do the same to her, so she'd have to go without knowing for the time being.
"We got a hit on the Thunderbird's license plate," Sam announced as he walked into the library, and Cas instantly looked up from the laptop screen he had been pouring over for the past day and a half. "Spotted outside of Joshua Tree National Park. There's video footage of Amriel getting gas."
Sam queued up the video and showed Cas and Dean, who had been sitting a few seats down the table from the angel. Chuck merely heaved a labored breath, taking another sip from the glass of water that sat in front of him, knowing exactly where Amriel had gone but wanting the boys to work it out themselves.
The grainy video showed the blonde, dressed in what looked like a t-shirt and shorts, holding a large soft drink cup as well as a bag full of what Castiel assumed was snacks, sunglasses perched atop her head as she waited for the tank to fill.
"She also took one of the credit cards from the stash I showed her," Sam continued. "She first used it outside of Denver."
"What's the latest charge on the card?" Dean asked, glancing at Cas from the corner of his eye as he looked at his brother.
"A motel right outside of the park. It's a hold, so I think she's still there." Sam told them the name of the motel and Dean picked his cell phone off of the table, dialling the number after a quick web search.
"Hi, yeah, this is Agent Perry, FBI, missing persons," Dean lied easily. "I'm working a case right now looking for a girl that's been reported missing by her family and it looks like she might be a guest at your motel. She's about 5'6", blonde hair, grey eyes. She might be going under the name Amy or Elle…"
Dean tapped his fingers against the table, feeling all eyes on him as the motel employee went through the database and finally responded.
"She's there? Perfect. Look, do you think you could keep her there? I can have someone out on their way in under an hour…" Dean searched directions to the motel and saw it'd be about a 20 hour drive, and he held back a groan. "Great. Thanks."
He hung up and tossed his phone back on the table, shooting Cas a relieved look, "She's at the motel. Checked in as Elle Potter. Management is gonna try and keep her from leaving, but can't make any promises."
As soon as Dean was done talking Cas was out of his chair, gathering up his belongings and muttering something neither Winchester could quite make out.
"Woah, Cas. Let's calm down," Dean told the angel, who merely shot him a scathing glare.
"I don't want to risk her not being there when we arrive. We have to leave as soon as possible. If you don't want to come, I can go alone," Cas told Dean before glancing at Sam, showing that he meant the same went for him as well.
"Cas, we gotta deal with Chuck and Amara first," Dean said in as gentle a tone as he could. "Amriel's gonna have to wait. I can see if Jody can send someone."
Castiel glared at Dean, his jaw clenching as he bit back a response. He wanted to yell at the Winchester that Amriel, his wife, was far more important than God or the Darkness or anything else on Earth, but he had to put his feelings aside.
"Fine," the angel acquiesced bitterly. "Where are we going to get these souls from? Heaven won't help."
Crowley entered the room, a dejected look on his face that clearly showed he hadn't had any luck in Hell either.
"Sounds like you guys could use some help," Billie, the reaper that had helped them more than a few times, said as she walked into the bunker, catching everyone off guard.
Sam and Dean stood at the gravesite of Mary Winchester in Lebanon, Kansas now, while Cas, Rowena, and Crowley watched. Billie had supplied them with enough souls for the bomb, and Dean was going to sacrifice himself to take out Amara so that when Chuck died, she would too and the Earth would continue to spin.
Dean told them that he wanted a big funeral, and told Cas that he saw him as a best friend and a brother.
They hugged before Dean's gaze turned serious, "Listen, if- when - when this works, Sam.. He's gonna be a mess. Look out for him, okay? Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. And Amriel, too. Find her, and help her through whatever crap she's going through because of Lucifer."
"Of course, Dean," Cas nodded, "You're very brave for doing this. You won't be forgotten."
Dean laughed, setting his hand on the angel's shoulder and pulling him into another tight hug as he mumbled, "I'm sorry for almost killing you when I was a demon."
"All is forgiven," he whispered back, squeezing him once more before he finally let go to say his goodbyes to his brother.
Cas saw Dean hand over the keys of the Impala to Sam, and he realized just how serious this actually was.
When Dean was done with his goodbyes, Chuck sent him to Amara.
Without a word, Sam, Cas, Crowley, and Rowena piled into the Impala and pulled up to a bar/restaurant that had a closed sign taped to the door.
Crowley snapped his fingers and the doors opened, and with a smirk he said to Sam, "Your round, Moose."
They went inside and watched the news, which was telling viewers not to panic, and that residents were advised to stay in their homes.
The former King of Hell snapped again, turning off the television as he mumbled, "Boring."
"He looks horrible," Cas mumbled to the demon, nodding to Chuck, who was covered in sweat and looked like he had just run a marathon despite not moving for hours.
"You're telling me," he mumbled back, just as quietly, a frown on his face the entire time.
God was eternal. He was everything. How could he just cease to exist? Cas was worried. If Dean couldn't carry out his task, then the entire universe was at risk.
"Hey Chuck, how you holding up?" Sam asked, and the angel looked up to face God.
"Oh, aces," Chuck groaned.
"You know… We, um. We need you to try and hang in there just a little longer," Sam said gently, trying not to offend him.
"I know. I'm trying," Chuck said quietly.
Sam got up to go get him some water, and Cas sighed, pulling out his phone and sending a text to Amriel, hoping that it wouldn't be the last text he'd ever send her.
"Dean is sacrificing himself to save everyone. If he succeeds, I'll meet you at Joshua Tree. I don't understand why you left, but I need you, and you need me. If he doesn't, I need you to know that you changed me, and I'm eternally grateful for the time we spent together. I will always love you, no matter what."
"Chuck… Would it help if I let you use some of my grace?" he asked as he tucked his phone into his coat pocket. "Maybe that could get you a little better-"
"Thanks for offering, but it won't help," Chuck told him, a small smile on his chapped lips. "I don't think there's anything anyone can do."
And then he was gone.
"Chuck?" Cas called, looking around frantically, and Crowley just stared at the space where he had once been.
They looked around the bar for Chuck, only to find that he was truly gone. The sun began to stream in through the windows, and the four went outside, staring up at it in awe now that it was no longer disappearing.
"He did it," Crowley finally said, and it settled in just what had to be done in order for the sun to reappear.
Cas glanced over to Sam, whose shoulders were shaking as he held back tears. He went over to him and set a hand on his shoulder, squeezing tightly at letting him know that he was there for him.
"Let's go back to the bunker," he suggested, and Sam quickly nodded beside him, wiping at his eyes as he did so.
Rowena and Crowley went their own ways and the angel left in the Impala with Sam, enduring a quiet ride back to the bunker as they realized that Dean wouldn't be meeting them there.
"Sam, I'm so sorry," Cas said as they walked down into the bunker. "If you want to talk, I'm here if you need anything…"
"Hello, hello," a female voice rang out and a blonde woman placed her hand on a banishing sigil, making Cas disappear.
Amriel stared up at the sun as it returned to its normal state, a sinking feeling in her stomach as she realized that Dean had truly sacrificed himself. She glanced down at her phone and reread the last text Cas had sent her, guilt washing over her for leaving him to handle this on his own.
She had stayed at the motel in Joshua Tree, the manager telling her that she had been given extra nights free from some sort of loyalty program she wasn't even sure she was a member of, and she was currently standing in the parking lot.
Returning to her room, she dialled Cas and held her breath until she heard the other line pick up.
"Cas I am so sorry I left," she blurted out, feeling her eyes begin to water as she spoke. "Are you at the bunker? I can leave right away-"
"Someone banished me from the bunker using a sigil," Cas answered, sounding like he was out of breath. "I'm in a town outside of Boulder, Colorado."
Amriel took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart, "Okay. Get an exact address and send it to me. I'll get to you as soon as I can. Cas… I-"
"Now is not the time, Amriel," he said, and she flinched at his tone. "We'll talk face to face."
"Oh-okay," she stammered, rushing through her motel room and packing her things. "I- I'll see you soon hopefully. I love you."
The other end was silent and Amriel thought that he had hung up before she heard a reluctant mumble of "I love you too" in response.