The static remained, swirling in her thoughts, as she drove. Her head throbbed dully and her jacket was cast aside because the sleeves kept snagging on the sliced flesh of her arms. Mar wasn't sleepy, her eyes wide and somewhat focused, but an internal exhaustion was set deep within her chest. From time to time she became painfully aware of the sting of her arms, the ache in her temples, or a simple detail in the car, breaking from the haze she had found herself in. For a moment she half expected to pull under a neon sign or the diner, or a backwoods cabin in georgia, but as the yard of partially worked on and probably forgotten cars came into view she was pulled back into the reality of the situation. The car rumbled to a stop and parked—strangely enough she couldn't recall moving her hand to take the keys out or her foot to let off the gas—and Mar found herself at its door, duffle in hand and an expression that matched her mind. She knocked with new conviction but no one answered. Waiting a moment, she knocked again. A shuffling sound came from inside before a muffled and pissed off voice followed it.
"What the hell do you wan- Oh," Mar was met by a scruffy older man whose brow slightly furrowed as he saw her, "Well damn kid, what the hell did you get into now?" His tone carried with it a bit of humor but it seemed to fade as his eyes flickered over Mar's exposed arms.
"Hey Bobby," She managed to say, rubbing her face before attempting a slight smile. He simply turned to walk back into the house, leaving the door ajar.
"You gonna come in or not ya idjit," Mar hurried inside, tossing her bag on the ground with a thud. The familiar musty scent met her nose as a slight smile made its way onto her face, despite her still aching bones. Her head turned to look at the white-ish kitchen and the labeled phones across the wall before she followed Bobby into his study, sitting awkwardly in a fold-out chair on the opposite side of his desk. He must have been researching a case for someone due to the myriad of lore books and items sprawled out in front of him.
"It's a long story, Bobby," Mar sighed out as she noticed his inquisitive glare.
"Who's hell did you walk through?" He attempted to maintain his former humor but a softness was evident behind his words.
"My own I suppose," May pinched the bridge of her nose again, briefly darting her eyes about the room before returning them to his face.
"It's gonna be alright kid," Bobby moved to stand behind her, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly before making his way to the kitchen, kicking over a discarded beer bottle in the process.
In hindsight it was probably the lack of sleep that had Mar running outside into the yard of cars that night and at the time she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing anyway. Lucifer kept infiltrating the stirring of her thoughts and she couldn't help but wonder about him. It wasn't her fault, she knew that, but the fact that she had no idea where he was kept pulling painfully at her brain. Perhaps, it was this that had her hurrying out under the hazy yellow glow of the lights outside the garage.
"Luce!" She began yelling, loud enough to empty her heart but still reserved so that hopefully Bobby would remain sleeping, "Lucifer!"
"You called," His low voice sounded from behind her and she sighed turning to face him but his expression was cold, stiff, and it sent a chill down her spine.
"What the hell happened?" Mar questioned, her tone brittle.
"I was going to ask you the same thing, love." His face was still without emotion and it did nothing short of confusing her. She smiled at him, utterly relieved as she stepped forward to grab his arm. Her fingers ran through his flesh and it dissipated, only to reappear in solid form once she pulled away.
"You aren't actually here?" It was more of a realization than a question as a surprised expression took hold of her features.
"There are cracks in the cage. I can project myself to those whom I have a connection with." His last few words dripped with sheer vimum as a deep horror overtook her. Did he just say the cage?
"You're back in the cage," Mar nearly choked on her words as she searched his face for some sort of pain, some terror, something at all, but it was unchanging.
"Why should you care? You abandoned me, warded yourself against me." Only his tone changed now, becoming angry and bitter. Mar was simply taken aback by his words.
"No, Luce. I didn't. Not gonna fly away, remember? I had my bags packed but I woke up tied to a chair in my basement with sigils covering the walls." She tried to soften her voice but in the moment she felt the rope still around her wrists, " I love you. I wasn't just gonna up and fuck off." She tried to hold onto a sympathy for him. It would have looked that way to him she supposed but a fervent defensive nature took hold. He simply looked at her, his eyes searching for something in her face, before his expression finally softened.
"How the hell did you end up back in the cage?"
"It doesn't matter now," He began seeming almost sorrowful, "Don't come down here." He added, causing Mar's stomach to turn.
"What do you mean don't come down there. I'm not gonna let you rot in a cage. I've spent my own time doing a bit of that this week and it isn't exactly a disneyland experience."
"Mar," He reminded her now of the morning after he told her about his wings, his words soft, simple to her as she woke up in a sleepy haze, "Don't come down here. Don't try to save me. The whole fucking world is out for the devil's head and I don't need the little shits after you." Mar saw the plea in his eyes and reluctantly nodded her head. Her hand reached for him again but pulled back, remembering he was simply a projection.
"I'm not gonna say goodbye. I'd say 'see ya in hell' but I think that might defeat the purpose." He smiled at her, not his usual mischievous smirk but something more tender as she set a devilish glare on her own face. Nodding his head at her, the form evaporated, leaving Mar alone, eyes glossy in the light.
Mar had always been fond of research, luckily, given that her next few weeks at Bobby's were full of it. She spent her time combing through the lore books or the internet. On occasion, she even picked up the phone to offer up her serves as the FBI. It was familiar, spending her days like this, as she had done many times over the years with Bobby. She was always grateful for his open door and he was grateful—not that he would admit it—for her research skills and ability to create something more than just a heated up can of beans. Apparently Sam and Dean were on their way over in a few days and She decided it was about time she was up and out of there. They were practically brothers to her and she adored them but something in her told her it was time she hit the road. Mar had begun to miss the hum of the asphalt and as much fun as research was, that bug to hunt always got her in the end. Packing up and saying her goodbyes she zipped out of the driveway, AC/Dc cranked up (something she knew Dean would have surely approved of), as her engine growled, off to God knows where.