Chapter 15

The house creaked and moaned as Castiel appeared down in the basement. There was not any outbursts inside the locked room and Castiel easily opened the door. Christina sat in a corner behind the cot, making Castiel believe she had somehow escaped. As he turned to leave in search for her, he heard a soft whimper.

"Christy?" Castiel spoke softly walking inside and towards his friend.

He could see that she was shaking with fear as he sat down beside her and draped an arm around her shoulders.

Christina's body jerked as she jumped to her feet and tried to get away from Castiel who slowly clambered to his feet his hands outstretched in a non threatening way.

"It's alright. It's just me."

"G...Get away from me!" Christina screamed her eyes focusing on an area behind Castiel.

Castiel looked behind him thinking that something was there to be threatening but he saw nothing. He wasn't sure what was going through her head as she curled up again in the corner her eyes wide open with fear as she trembled uncontrollably. He continued to watch her as she kept lowering and raising her head up see if whatever had startled her was still inside the room.

It was hard for him to witness such childish fear in someone he knew was quite strong minded. He felt anger pulsing through him as he knew the reason behind the behavior. He couldn't believe someone he had sworn to protect, was now being used even when the monster behind it was being destroyed as he sat there.

"Why..." Christina's sobbing made Castiel look at her. "Why do you want me to kill those important...?"

Castiel had a feeling that it wasn't him she was speaking to. "You didn't want to hurt Lark?"

"No...I would never hurt her...but..." Tears streamed down her cheeks as her body continued to tremble. "...Owens...he said he'd leave me alone. I was not strong enough to fight him. Those sleeping pills I took were just placebos to allow him to get deeper in my mind...I wasn't supposed to escape him...why?"

"Christy, you're..."

"Cas? Is that you?" Sam called from the stairs as he had been upstairs talking with Bobby when he heard talking in the basement.

"Yes, Sam." Castiel replied, taking the moment when Christina looked over her shoulder, to wrap his arms around her body and hold her tightly. He felt her shudder and sink back against him finally as he had used his grace to help her rest. A smile appeared on the angel's face as the word of those that serve above him told that he had gotten his grace back since Owens was becoming less of a threat.

"Is she okay?" Sam asked watching as Castiel picked her up and placed her on the cot draping a small blanket over her body.

"She will be fine. I used my grace to help her rest. Owens' planning on taking her down with him. But I'm hoping this will give her some time for us to save her completely."

"What do you mean?" Sam questioned as they left the room closing the door behind them. "Wait a minute...Wasn't your grace on short supply?"

"It was. But I have proven myself worthy to receive it back. Owens will no longer be a threat to any of you. But I do have something to discuss between the rest of you. Including Lark."

~DSCWIN~

Bobby rubbed his head trying to keep his grumbles quiet as the two adults, who were like his kids, still slept on the couch needing to rest since they had a rough go of it a few hours before. The young woman began to stir and opened her eyes looking surprised at the one that held onto her like a prized possession. She gently moved out of his grasp and headed into the kitchen. She smiled fondly at Bobby.

"Sleepin' like a log?" Bobby asked before taking a sip of his coffee. She seemed to be more relaxed and calm.

"Yeah." Lark answered grabbing a mug for herself and filling it up with hot, strong coffee. She flinched slightly as her wound pulled slightly. She gave her head a little shake before mixing her coffee the way she liked it.

"How you doin', lass?" he asked as Lark sat down at the table and blew across the top of the mug before taking a tentative sip, not wanting to burn her tongue.

"Still shaking. I mean, I don't want to say anything bad about Christy, but she's not the same." Lark already felt bad for even saying anything since Dean lay just a few feet away on the couch. "The Christy I know would never have tried to kill me like that."

"Yeah, that wasn't like her at all." Bobby spoke sitting down in a chair. "I mean, I raised her for only a few years and she never showed signs of being so aggressive. Even after meetin' Sam and Dean."

"You think there's a darker lining to her mental health?"

"Like Owens still manipulating her?" Lark nodded quietly and Bobby nodded slowly. "Yeah. But I think we should ask Sam what he thinks after he comes up from checkin' on her."

Sam indeed walked into the kitchen with Castiel following behind him. Even without knowing what Castiel did downstairs Lark and even Bobby could tell the angel looked better.

"Castiel got here just a few minutes ago." Sam said picking up a towel and tossing it at Dean who grumbled and pulled the towel off his face looking annoyed at the gesture. Lark had to bite down a grin as he sluggishly came over and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Cas, when did you get here?" Dean grumbled his eyes barely opened as he poured his coffee.

"Only a few minutes ago." Castiel motioned for everyone to take a seat as he continued to stand. "I came to inform you I know what is wrong with Christy."

The simple statement made everyone, including Dean, perk up in their seats anxious to hear what was wrong. Bobby let out a deep growl making everyone there picture a bull dog ready to attack.

"Christy's soul was never fully given back to her. It was one of Owens's tricks to keep Christy for himself. She somehow made him crave her..."

"Cas..." Dean held up a hand trying to hide the disgusted look on his face. "It's a bit early for talk like that. Though I don't like that Owens still has her soul..." he stopped and looked curiously up at Castiel. "What do you mean he still had Christy's soul? I thought she was given it back after Sam and I did those things for him."

"I was actually getting to that." Castiel said keeping his voice level. Sam shot Dean a 'be quiet' look before returning his attention. "Owens was controlling Christy by using her soul as collateral."

"So Owens manipulated her into attacking me last night?" Lark asked and Castiel nodded. "But how is that possible? I thought those pills were helping her."

Castiel's eyes fell and glanced up at Sam who wondered the same thing. "Spencer Owens was still able to infect her even with those pills. I'm afraid that if we can't take back her soul she would be forever lost to us."

"Meaning she's going to die again?" Dean inquired as he swallowed hard; trying to keep his emotions under control and Castiel looked uncertain as to how to answer that.

"There is said to be an elixir that when ingested with certain herbs one can be directed towards the missing soul."

Lark went deep into thought and her face looked panicked. Rushing from the table she ran up the stairs and into her room. Everyone at the table was confused until she returned a short time later clutching something in her hand and looking excited.

"Is this the elixir?" Lark asked handing the vial to Castiel. She bounced nervously on her toes hoping this was indeed something she needed to have.

Castiel gently took the vial from Lark and scrutinized it. He gently opened the bottle and raised it to his nose. His eyes closed for a second then opened to show how puzzled he was.

"Where did you get this?" he asked putting the lid back onto the vial.

Lark glanced at everyone else before clearing her throat. "When I was in the hospital after that vampire bit me, there was a woman in my room. She didn't tell me her name but she told me she was a friend; in fact she said she's been a friend since I knew Christy. But she gave me this vial and said I needed to find a Missouri Mosley."

"Oh Missouri." Dean chuckled shaking his head slowly. "Found memories of her."

"You know her?" Lark asked. "Her name sounds familiar but I can't place her."

"It's alright. The point is you got the elixir." Dean said standing up and stretched. "Lark and I should leave and head to see Missouri, while you guys keep an eye on Christy."

"That sounds like a good plan." Castiel said but everyone froze when they heard screams coming from downstairs. They all ran knocking over chairs and their drinks on the table but that wasn't anybody's main concern. It was the screaming.

~DSCWIN~

Christina was screaming on the bed her eyes wide with fright and unfocused. She fought against Castiel, who tried to use his grace again. Soon her body stilled and her eyes slowly closed. The group waited in tense silence before Christina's eyes fluttered opened as she looked around her. Her face looked relaxed as she looked up at the few that surrounded her.

"Owens...he has just been executed." she said her voice raspy as Sam and Castiel helped her into a sitting position. "He...was screaming I come with him...but then everything went silent."

"Owens' is dead?" Bobby asked his voice not hiding the pleasure of hearing the news.

"Yeah..." Christina answered looking at Bobby before laying her eyes on Lark. Regret instantly filled her eyes as she lowered them in shame. "Lark...I..."

"It's okay." Lark said pushing her way to her friend. "I know it wasn't you."

"Thank you." Christina said as tears filled her eyes.

Lark couldn't stand seeing her friend cry so she wrapped her arms around her and held her close. Sam, Dean, Castiel and Bobby quietly left leaving the girls as sobs began to escape Christina but Lark knew it wasn't her fault and remained next to her friend.

"Its okay..." Lark said gently rubbing Christina's back and gently started to rock her. "We'll make sure everything is good...just believe me."

"Lark..." Christina said as she wiped her eyes trying to take care of the tears. "He's still here..." Christina slowly lowered her head and placed it on Lark's lap. "I can't escape him..."

"It's going to be okay, Christy." Lark said gently playing with Christina's hair. "He won't be with you for much longer. He's gone now. Don't worry. You're not alone."

While Christina started to sob softly Lark, while still caressing Christina's hair, began to hum the lullaby like she did when they had rescued her on that day. Slowly she heard her friend's sob turn to soft snores as she fell into, what Lark hoped, was a good dreamless sleep.

"I promise, Christy." Lark whispered moving the hair away from her eyes and gently lifting her friend's head and placed it on the pillow. "I'll make sure you will be okay." She glanced back at her friend's sleeping form and quietly left the basement.