In Their Beginning

Part Seven

They stopped to pick up a pizza to eat at the hotel after they left the library. Cassie figured Dean must have felt guilty about his earlier harshness but she wasn't angry with him. He followed her into the kitchenette while Sam went to wash his hands in the bathroom.

"Dean," she said before he pulled her to him for a kiss.

She smiled when he pulled back to look at her, her heart still raced when she was near him, will it always be this way? I love him so much, maybe too much for my own good.

"I'm not upset with you," she replied before he brought his lips down on hers again.

Sam cleared his throat as he opened the paper plates. Cassie smiled to herself as Dean held her another moment. I hope what we have lasts, forever. She realized later that he never said a word; that was like him more action than talk. That was another thing about him that she adored in a long lists of qualities. Cassie told Dean she was going to run down to the ice machine, it was only a few feet down the hall. Then she was out the door before he acknowledged what she said. It couldn't have been more than a minute later when he checked the hall to find only the ice bucket on the floor.

"Cassie?" he called first just irritated, then he became worried after searching the hall. Sam came out of the room a few minutes later wondering where they both were. He saw Dean coming down the hall from the elevator.

"She's gone."

"What do you mean gone?"

"Missing, we need to check this entire hotel."

One half hour later they were back in their rooms and Cassie was no where to be found.

"Someone knows what we are doing here they must have followed us. We should phone Sonja to see if she spoke to someone," Sam suggested.

"That's what I was thinking. What we are dealing with is not just ghosts but millions of dollars in housing it's the kind of thing people die and kill over." Dean said as he ran his hands through his hair again.

His phone rang a second later.

"Cassie?"

There was the sound of a scuffle in the background.

"Ouch," a man's voice said.

Before a slapping sound could be heard.

"Bitch," the male voice said.

"Cassie?" Dean yelled again.

She is going to get herself killed.

"You need to speak to your little girlfriend about her manners."

"She's my wife and you keep your hands off her," Dean shouted.

"Look I don't want her I want you to stay out of my business."

"Let me talk to her," Dean asked calmer now.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You didn't do anything; but try not to hit the kidnapper person okay I don't want you getting hurt."

"Good advice, now here is the deal," the guy said as he got back on the phone.

"So where is this barn?" Sam asked because it seemed that had been driving for a while.

"He promised to leave her there; but he was going to be watching to make sure that we left town. We only have two hours to do this and we are running out of time. Damn it."

Dean turned around again all of the little gravel roads looked alike he was afraid this guy, Lance Berry, didn't want them to make it in time to get Cassie. I have helped so many others I have to be able to save my wife. God please. He could feel a panic attack coming on but he took deep breaths to ward it off. I can do this it is more important than any other thing we have done and we will bring this guy down.

"Stop."

Dean hit the breaks, "What?"

"We passed the marker turn around again the road must be smaller than the others," Sam insisted.

They turned around and the road they saw couldn't have been much larger than a foot path. The car barely fit but they drove it because they needed it in case they had to carry Cassie.

The barn was fairly large though it looked modern. Surprisingly enough it was occupied; there were horses out back, cows, chickens running around, but no people. They parked the car on one side of the barn and jumped out to go in where a couple of horses were in their stalls. Then they began to call her name. Sam took one side and Dean the other. Dean found her in the corner with duct tape on her mouth, feet and hands and her eyes covered with a bandana. She wasn't moving.

He took the bandana off and could tell she was unconscious. He removed the tape gently from her mouth and saw dried blood on her lip. He stiffened as he tried not to lose control. Sam found him just before Dean picked her up to take her to the car. He slid her in the back seat and got in beside her. Sam grabbed some bottle water and a towel from the trunk just in case and gave them to Dean.

"Thank you. We should go," Dean said as he avoided Sam's eyes.

Sam could only imagine how Dean felt to see his wife in that condition; he was sure he was blaming himself even though she had wanted to come. After Dean removed the tape from her hands and feet he covered her with a blanket since she only wore a tank top and jean shorts. He wrapped it around her as he covered it with his arms to hold her against his chest. He couldn't relax until he checked her scalp to make sure there were no scratches or traces of blood. He put his nose to her hair and took a deep breath, unconsciously the tears came then. Sam watched in the mirror every few minutes Dean looked so sad as he held her. Sam even thought he heard him crying.

They left the area rapidly as their time limit wound down. They had no idea whether he was watching them or even he had been at the barn, but they had a plan to bring him down. "Cas, I'm here okay," Dean said into her hair.

She still wasn't moving but she seemed to be breathing normal; maybe he gave her something to sleep so she wouldn't fight back. Such a stubborn woman. She started to move around after about a half hour, she opened her eyes and smiled when she felt Dean behind her. She leaned up to kiss his cheek to wake him.

"Hey sleepyhead," she teased.

He smiled at her to full of emotion to say anything.

"I hope we are still going to get these SOB for what they're trying to pull?" she said softly.

"How do you wrap that pretty mouth around such harsh words?" he teased her.

"Sorry," she said as she looked repentant for a moment then smiled.

He handed her the water before she reached for her purse to put on Chap Stick. Her lips felt cracked and dry. Dean watched as she flinched while she completed the simple chore and he made a decision he knew she wasn't going to like.

Later that night after they let the authorities know what was going on Dean held Cassie in his arms.

"Maybe I was wrong to bring you," he said into the silence.

"No, I wanted to come I really need to be with you; can't we try it a while longer?"

"You did well, but I am going to have to be selfish."

She leaned up to look at him as he ran his fingers down her jaw.

"I can't lose you; you know it's not that I don't want you here because I do. I am beginning to realize I want you home because if you are there my dream for us to lead a normal life is alive. I know it's selfish but if we get comfortable on the road we may stay on the road."

"I see, you want me barefoot and pregnant at home in the kitchen," she teased.

He grinned.

"Let's just say I guess I am more old-fashioned then I thought."

"Maybe all we want is just going to come in time," she said as she kissed him.

He held her against his chest; maybe what I want is sure craziness. She is here with me I should just enjoy it, I love her so much. I love that she is stubborn and brave.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I love you and I know you are going to be angry but we are taking you back home." he said.

She frowned but didn't say anything. You said you might do this, didn't you?

He nodded as she put her head on his chest. This is a good sign.

"Maybe I married you because I wanted some adventure."

"You have had some adventure; I think you can come along again sometime after my next heart surgery," he laughed as she hit him.

"Don't joke about that, I was terrified."

"So was I," he whispered.

He remembered the fear in her face when they were all so unsure if he was going to make it or how long they would keep him to monitor his heart. He wasn't sure how he would have endured the same situation if she had been the one lying there. Today showed him that emotionally he was too vulnerable with her around.

Then he found himself thinking about their wedding.

Flashback

They were standing on the beach at sunset as Cassie held his hand. Her hair was around her shoulders though Dean had added wildflowers to it, just a few because he liked the way it looked. She also wore a delicate gold anklet, a wedding gift from Sam. Her off white lace dress was sleeveless but perfect for the warm Texas weather.

"Do you take this woman……..," the minister asked.

"I do."

"Do you take this man….."

"I do, but he obeying is a little iffy," she teased as Dean raised an eyebrow at her.

She smiled at him as he took her hand in his.

"I will protect you even when you refuse to see my reasoning. I will love you when you think you hate my guts. I will never not think of your best interest, until I take my last breath. You have my heart and my love," he said as a tear ran down his cheek.

"I will honor you and cherish your love all the days of my life. I will try to be a good companion and do my best to be attentive to your needs as we go through this life together. I love you and will respect your attempts to keep me safe though I may not always agree," she said as she tried to hold in her tears.

Sam pulled out a hanky for himself but Dean took it with a smile to share with Cassie as the minister waiting for the water works to stop. Then they exchanged the rings and were finally allowed to kiss.

"I present for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Dean Winchester."

Their cottage mates were the only ones in attendance besides Sam and they clapped as they kissed.

End Flashback

"Be honest, okay. Do you sometimes wish you had stayed single?"

"No Cassie I don't," he said without hesitation.

"Why?"

"Because I refuse to live my life without you in it seeing you again when your father died just reminded me how much I wanted to be with you, walking away then was the hardest thing I have ever done."

He looked up at her as she leaned on his chest still hesitant about hurting him after all this time.

"How about you, Cas?"

"Absolutely not, I haven't wanted anyone else since I met you. It doesn't matter that you are a pain in the ass most of the times, but now when you walk away I know you plan to come back to me," she said with a smile in her voice.

"Back at you," he replied as pushed her over on her back to begin tickling her.

Sam was on the phone with Missy in the other room.

"Yea, Cassie did well but it was touch and go for a minute."

"I am sure she'll be fine. Dean isn't worried is he?"

"Not officially but I know he is having second thoughts. He is a born worrier."

"I miss you," she said.

"I miss you too; I can't believe we are going to meet in a couple weeks. That seems like a very long time."

"Try to think about all the fun we plan on having when we see one another," she said with a laugh.

He laughed too.

The next morning Sam got up early to go get breakfast downstairs at the restaurant so the lovebirds could sleep in, but when he came back they were still in the room. He knocked on the door thinking they should be awake but he had no idea they had been up late talking.

"Hey, the food will get cold."

"We will warm it," Dean said through the door.

"Thanks Sam, for getting us something," Cassie said as she grinned up at Dean.

"Why do we always end up making love in the morning?" she asked him as he kissed her neck.
"So last night didn't count?" he asked with a crooked grin.

It counted probably more than either of wants to consider, but time will tell.

TBC

Authors Note—coming next is the conclusion.