Riley had gathered whatever strength she had and opened her door. Not hearing a sound, she crept down the bunker hallway to the bathroom. She locked the door with shaking hands and used the toilet before washing her hands under the cool water. She leaned forward over the sink bowl and cupped her left hand, scooping several handfuls of the water up to her lips before cranking the tap off.

The pressure in the air changed suddenly and she turned to see Castiel inside the bathroom with her. "Cas." He didn't even get a chance to speak before her arms were around his neck in a tight hug. He carefully returned the hug and felt her relax a bit against him. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she held in a sob. "Thank you for coming for me." Riley's choked whisper made him nod.

"We were both so glad you were alright." Riley closed her eyes when he released her carefully, his clear blue eyes focused on her expression. She didn't miss how he didn't include Dean in that sentiment. As if reading her mind, Castiel added quietly. "Dean... he's asking about you."

"I just wanna take a shower." Was all the brunette could manage and she moved back from Castiel's personal space. She turned her back on him and moved to the shower and turned on the hot water. "Please stay here, okay?"

"While you shower?" Dean had had many conversations with him about privacy, especially in the bedrooms and bathrooms, and he felt compelled to clarify her seemingly innocent request.

"Just turn around when I change, okay?" The angel frowned before turning around in a complete circle, facing her again. His clueless action made her smile just the tiniest bit. "Look over at the hamper while I undress. Where our dirty clothes are." Realization dawned on his eyes and he did as she asked. Her clothing was tossed near the hamper and he heard her pulling back the shower curtain.

Her shower was quick and she washed her hair and body before she reached out for a towel. Riley dried off most of the way before stepping out, the white towel around her torso. He heard the sink water running and the sounds of her brushing her teeth before she spat and wiped her mouth. "Where are..."

"The dungeon." The blue eyed angel answered before she could ask. "Do you want me to get Sam?"

Riley sighed softly. "No. I'm just gonna go back to my room."

Castiel turned to face her when he heard the heavy door being unlocked. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Yes." Riley spoke softly and the pair walked down the short distance to her room. She locked her door once inside and looked to Castiel. He took the hint and turned away. He heard the towel drop to the floor before the drawer on her dresser slid open. Riley shuffled around and she got dressed into a pair of thin lounge pants and an old shrunken tshirt of Dean's. "Okay. I'm dressed."

Castiel didn't comment on what she was wearing, although she was sure he'd noticed. Riley sat down on the side of her bed, her eyes moving around her room, still not believing what had happened over the last sixteen or so hours. It was nearing noon, somehow she was sure of that, but to her, it felt like she'd been awake for days. Her body and mind felt strangely exhausted. Never in a million years would Riley get over the fact that emotional exhaustion was worse than physical exhaustion, at least, in her opinion. She felt like she could curl up in her bed and sleep for a week.

Castiel stood there as she curled up on her side and pulled the blanket at the foot of her bed up over herself with a soft, defeated sigh. "Rest, Riley. I won't leave." His quiet assurance was all she needed and she turned her lamp down to the lowest setting before closing her eyes, watched over by the angel.

spnspnspnspn

Sam was half sitting, half leaning on a stool in the corner of the dungeon while his older brother paced the floor in front of him. "Sam, tell me everything. I mean, everything." His voice was shaking and the young man's throat worked to swallow.

"Dean, the night I brought you home..."

Green flashed to hazel. "The night I died." Dean felt the need to clarify.

Sam nodded. "The night you died, I brought you home. I put you on your bed and went down to the bathroom where we'd left Ry." Dean's eyes closed for a second; it had been his idea to cuff Riley to the sink. She couldn't follow them, but she'd be safe in the bunker. She could use the toilet but still have access to the sink to sate her thirst. "She slapped me silly when I got down there to let her go."

"Then what?"

Sam's jaw worked a bit before he answered. "I showered and came back out to find Riley." His eyes moved from Dean's. "She was in your room, in your bed, curled up next to your dead body." That statement nearly sent Dean to his knees as he pictured that. Tears stung his eyes and he started pacing again. "I had to pull her away from you and lock your door while I tried to figure out what to do." Emotion was heavy in his voice.

"Sam, stop." He immediately regretted wanting to know the details. There was barely controlled anguish in Dean's whisper, threatening to overtake him.

But Sam didn't stop. "She refused to eat, didn't sleep and when she eventually did, she'd wake up screaming for you. That lost tone in her voice killed me." Sam realized how his voice was rising with each word he spoke. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he continued in a softer tone. "I kept putting vanilla protein powder in her coffee. That's all I could get in her." Sam paused there a moment, the image of Riley clinging to his brother's body still very fresh in his mind. "Dean, I honestly had no idea just how close the two of you had gotten since we met her in June at Bobby's."

Dean stopped pacing by the chair he'd just been bound to, his left hand reaching out to the back of the chair to steady himself. "Sam, this will never be okay between us." He shook his head bitterly.

"You don't know that." He could see his older brother reliving what Cas had shown him from Riley's point of view.

A fat tear slipped down Dean's cheek and he didn't bother to stop it. "Riley trusted me, Sam." An ashamed gaze dropped from Sam's to the wooden chair he was standing next to, his white knuckled grip tight of the back of the chair. "She was so amazing to me." Dean murmured. "I was a walking fucking disaster with the Mark on my arm and she just... stayed. Riley could just look at me and know what I need and I honestly don't know if I would've made it that far without her."

Sam just nodded, in a state of shock because his brother didn't do feelings. Ever. He hoped Dean would continue.

"Ry was there for me in my darkest times," Sam's brow quirked, slightly put off by that comment because, hey, he'd been there too. "Not that you weren't, brother, but at night, she'd lay with me and..." Dean closed his eyes as another memory washed over him. "She'd just lay with me and run her fingers through my hair and listen to me. Ry never judged my story, even though she walked in on one hell of a chapter. Or an impossible ending, whatever."

The younger man watched his brother fall apart in front of him and he had no idea what to say. "Riley... hurt herself in the hotel room?" Curiosity had gotten the best of Sam and the words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. The murderous look that instantly darkened Dean's features was enough to make him hold his hands up a bit, his palms towards Dean defensively. "Easy... I just had to ask."

Dean wiped a calloused hand over his three day stubble, his eyes wet with tears. "When the Mark really took hold of me and we were arguing about what to do with me all the time?" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "We came home from that one hunt in Omaha and all's me and you did was fight about everything and nothing?" Sam nodded, remembering that night well. "I went down to use the bathroom and shower and walked in on Riley. She was down there with one of my razors..." The sentence trailed off and Dean's gaze moved to his hand, still gripping the chair. The air was thick with emotion and several tense seconds ticked by as Sam felt his own chest tighten at Dean's admission.

"What?" His question was hushed.

Dean shot him a glare. "So when you gave me shit about taking her out for ice cream, that's when we had a heart to heart." Sam closed his eyes. "I told her to come to me if she ever felt like that again... Anxiety is an awful thing." Pause. "That's why we spent so many nights together... because I made Ry promise me if she felt that hopeless, she'd come to me and let me take care of her."

A fat tear snuck down Sam's cheek at the thought of his gruff older brother bringing comfort to the young woman Bobby had carefully hidden away from all the evil that was in the world. Riley Elkins, who always wore a shy smile even though inside, she was breaking. "I'm so sorry, brother... I didn't know."

"She made me promise not to tell ya." Dean admitted quietly. "She's been clean... ever since we talked."

"God, how didn't I see that?" Sam's voice was broken.

"She hid it well." He wiped a hand over his face, smoothing his tears away before he continued. "I knew all this and I intimidated her and put my hands on her anyway." Dean finally sank onto the chair he'd been bound to earlier. "Sam, does she even... wanna see me?"

Sam couldn't hide the myriad of emotions he was feeling. "I don't think so." The older man closed his eyes for a few seconds, his jaw working. "Dean, Riley needs some space. Just give her that. She knows deep down, it wasn't really you." Dean's green eyes darkened even more and he shook his head before he spoke again.

"Sam, I threatened her. I told Riley to tell me where you and Castiel were..." Dean got choked up, almost able to continue. "When she wouldn't, I told her I'd use other methods to force her into talking to me..." Sam's jawline was tight now, the tables turned, him wanting Dean to stop talking. "I was pulling her into the hotel bedroom and she was begging me to stop..." Dean couldn't even look his little brother in the eye when he admitted that. "I didn't... in case you're wondering." His tone was darker now and Sam visibly relaxed. "I don't deserve her forgiveness."

"Let her decide that."

spnspnspnspn

Good evening, lovely readers!

Not sure if the boys ever actually shared a cry, but this is how I'd imagine it would go if they did. (Not some sobfest, of course.) I'm glad they aren't the only ones with and angel watching over them. :)

ButterflyAlley, EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester and SaphyraBlu13- thank you for your reviews on the last chapter!

Have a great night!

CitrineMama