4
It wasn't lights of morning, or pain that woke me. This time it was comfortably. Under my head was a folded suit jacket and on me was a spread out trench coat, keeping me warm. I looked towards the chair to make sure I wasn't yet alone, and maybe just to make sure the angel was still here, and sure enough, there he was, leaning forward in the chair, missing the two articles of clothing that we now part of my bed. I couldn't tell if he was asleep, or not. I didn't even know if angels slept, but Castiel didn't look conscious to me, not in any way, so I kept quiet to be sure I didn't wake him and just closed my eyes again, sinking deeper and deeper into this new feeling around me.
It wasn't until the early orange splatters or sunrise that I just couldn't keep my eyes closed anymore. I was full of an overcoming feeling of restlessness. I'd slept for almost two days now and I couldn't sleep anymore. I didn't even want to sit still, but where could I go? They'd told me to stay here where I'd be safe, and I didn't want to push leaving this room unless they thought it was safe, but I could shake this feeling out of my legs. I sighed and rolled over in my quiet bed as I heard the sound of a car roll up outside.
Dean was the one to open my door this time. "Are you ready for breakfast?" he asked with a grin.
"Depends on what it is."
"Home style eggs, bacon, maybe some pie?"
"All right, I'll take you up on that."
"Awesome, car'll be waiting outside."
"Wait, I can go?" I stood, suddenly full of energy.
"Cas just has to hook you up with a quick spell. The rest of the charms are in the car."
"Spell?" Dean went out without answering me as Castiel replaced him in the room with me.
"You should probably sit down." I sat. "This will hurt a bit." he said looking me in the eye and I nodded. I was ready to get out of here, but I wanted to be careful too. Castiel put one hand gently on my shoulder and the other on top of my head. He closed his eyes and I could feel an energy shift between us and a stinging sensation on my insides. It only lasted a few seconds then Castiel released me. "No angel can find you now."
"I didn't know they'd be an issue too."
"We're just taking precautions."
"Does that mean you won't be able to find me either?"
"No, I won't." I nodded then handed his clothes back to him.
"Thank you."
He looked down at the clothes in his hands before saying, "You're welcome." then turning away and swiftly walking out of the room. I followed him up to the car where Dean was standing, waiting.
"Here, put these on." Dean handed me a necklace with different odd looking charms on it and two bracelets with a bunch of different herbs weaved into the leather band. "They'll hide you from some things. Sam has hex bags back at the room that will help more."
"Alright." I said getting into the passenger seat of the black Impala.
"Cas, the motel is down the road about two miles and just two right-"
"I'll just ride with you." Dean cocked his head to the side at Castiel. "It'll be safer in case we run into trouble."
"It's two miles away." Castiel didn't say anything, just got into the backseat.
We drove to the motel with a diner in the front, and pulled up in front of room 9. When we got out, Dean headed for the room instead of the diner. "Breakfast?" I asked, my stomach growling like a hungry wolf under my shirt.
"Might want to shower before we go anywhere with people around." He was right. I smelled horrid, I was sweaty, and my hair must have been a mess. Being clean was something I forgot about with Nora inside of me. She didn't often need to clean us up. We didn't get dirty.
Dean unlocked the room with two full size beds, cheery blue wall paper, and a large tube TV. Sam was sitting at a little table in the back with three chairs around it, on his laptop. "Hey." I waved as we walked in. He gave me a small nod then went back to the computer.
"Bathroom is over there." Dean pointed to the back of the room. I went into the little bathroom and turned the shower on and took a look at myself in the mirror for the first time in a few months, and it was truly a sight that I didn't enjoy. My hair that was once long and beautiful was in a tangled mess of dried blood at my scalp, tangled in small knots from sleeping with it down and not brushing it. I peeled off my black sweater and white tank top to find dried blood caked on my shoulders, chest, and side from ribs that had been broken then healed, cuts that were now mended, and bruises that had faded away. My legs were just a torn up looking, but the overall conclusion was that Castiel had managed to heal it all. My body was fine, even after everything. I was okay. The only thing left to fix was my head.
The warm shower felt good, feeling all the blood and dirt being washed away gave me a sense of purity. My hair was untangled by my fingers as they pushed conditioner through the wet strands that were back on their way to perfection. At the bottom of the tub sat bits of dirt and puddles of rehydrated blood. Seeing this only fuelled my hatred towards Nora and I was becoming more and more sure of the want, need, to get her. I wasn't about to let this happen to anyone else. She had to go. Thinking about her again just off the slight throbbing in my head for a few moments, then it stopped as I turned off the water.
I grabbed my towel and dried off then took a look at the pile of soiled clothing at my feet. I bit my lip at the thought of having to put them back on, but I didn't have much of a choice. I grabbed my pants and sat on the toilet to pull them on when I felt something other than toilet lid under my cheeks. I got up quickly to see a set of fresh clothes on the seat. A pair of dark blue, boot-cut jeans, a dark red blouse that buttoned up the front, and a black sweater, much like the one I'd just taken off. This made me smile, this new outfit that fit perfectly and was something that I'd normally wear. Only thing was that I never heard anyone come into the room to drop them off, then I knew exactly who it had been.
I finished getting dressed then went back out into the main room, where Dean and Castiel were sitting on the beds watching TV, and Sam was still on his laptop.
"Whoa. You clean up nice." Dean said with his mouth open. Then both Castiel and Sam looked at me, Sam with just about the same reaction as Dean.
"Hey, no flirting yet. It's too early in the morning for that." I giggled.
"Breakfast?" Sam shrugged. I put my arm out, pointing to the door as Dean turned off the TV and lead everyone outside. "Here, keep these in your pockets." Sam handed me two little cloth bags tied with string that I put into my jeans pocket.
"Thanks for the charms."
"No problem, but you might want to take it a little further soon." He pulled down his shirt collar to show me a tattoo of a black sun with a star in the center. "These keep us from getting possessed. Dean has one too."
"I'll look into it." I said closing the room door behind me. "Castiel, thanks for the clothes." I stepped beside him.
"Do you like them?" he asked with an unsure tone.
"I do." I smiled as we headed into the diner.
"What do you say, Cas? Safe?" Dean asked looking over the room that held no more than twenty people who were all too busy reading the paper or dug too far into their eggs to even take notice of us.
"I don't see anything in need of worry."
"Good, let's eat." Dean beamed and led us to a booth that over looked the parking lot through pink blinds. I noticed that he grabbed a long look at the dessert stand on our way to the table, and when we sat down he took one quick look at the menu before looking around for our waitress.
"Heard the pie was no good here." I mumbled to the menu in my face with a smirk.
"Well, I don't know who you've been listening to, because I had two slices last night, and it was perfect." he said as if it had been a taste of heaven. I looked over the menu for a few seconds, but I already had a good idea of what I wanted and was ready.
An older woman in a faded red uniform and apron with a name tag that read Molly, came up to take our orders after about five minutes. "Welcome to Rocky's, what can I get for you all?"
"I'll have the meat platter," Dean started.
"How would you like your eggs?"
"Over easy, coffee, and another slice of the cherry pie." She nodded then looked to me, going around the table.
"I'll have the cheese and bacon omelet with orange juice."
"What kind of toast?"
"White please." She nodded again then looked across the table to Castiel who had been staring off into space outside the window since we'd walked sat down.
"Sir?" she asked. He didn't snap back to us, so Sam answered for him, just ordering him a coffee. "And for you?" she asked Sam.
"Pancakes and coffee, please."
"You got it, I'll be right back with your drinks." she said, collecting our menus.
"Does he ever eat?" I asked.
"Who, Cas? No, not really." Dean answered.
"Sleep?"
"Only when his angel powers are taken away."
"Doesn't his vessel need it?"
"We have no idea how any of that works." Just then, Molly came by with our drinks and not long after, our food. I dug right into the omelet and it was heaven. I hadn't had a proper meal in months and this was finally it. The bits of bacon in the eggs and cheese just made me close my eyes and smile. It was so good, I accidentally let out a whine in my throat, and immediately regretted it when I heard Sam and Dean put their forks down and look towards me.
"Whoa, Satine, are you eating or- ouch!" Dean barked and I could tell Sam had just kicked him under the table. I smiled again then went back to my food, this time, silently, that is until the pie arrived and Dean just purred like a kitten the whole time.
When we were done, we all headed back to the room. Dean was on the phone with someone and Sam was back on his laptop leaving me and Castiel to watch the TV. Sam had said that he thought it was safe enough for me to stay here with them for a few hours, but it'd be better if I still slept in the panic room.
"I don't understand," Castiel said as an episode of Law and Order SVU ended. "What about the two sons? With no mother or father, where will they go?"
"They'd go to any family left or foster care. It isn't fair, but that how it works here." I sighed then laid back down on the bed.
"Yeah, hold on a sec," Dean said and pushed Sam away from the computer. "Yeah, I found it. Okay, thanks Garth."
"What'd he say?" Sam asked.
"He said to look at this spell." Castiel got up from the bed and went over to the computer. "Would this work, Cas?"
After a few moments of him reading it over, he said, "Yes, this—this is what we need." And just in time too. My head started to pound again just as Castiel went off to, I could only guess, gather ingredients. My head stopped again and we sat around for a little while, waiting, and I started to grow nervous. I had no idea what any of this entailed and Castiel had said that it was going to be painful, let alone the possibility that it might kill me.
Dean and I were half way through an episode of CSI when there was a knocking at the door. "Sammie, door." Dean said lazily, clearly not getting up to answer it.
"Really Dean?" Sam got up and looked through the door hole before opening it up.
"Delivery for err... Sam and Dean Winchester?" a man in a brown uniform said.
"That's us."
"Sign here please." the man said, handing Sam a clipboard, then rolling in a handcart into the room with a large box on it.
"Did you order something?" Dean asked Sam.
"No, not that I remember." Just then the door slammed shut by itself.
"No order, but a delivery." the man said, looking at us. His eyes scoped out Dean then they turned black.
"Shit!" Dean grunted, then ran at the man with a funny looking knife drawn. With one quick flick of the man's wrist, Dean was sent flying into the wall beside the TV. Next it was Sam's turn to run at the man as he pulled out a small flask from his pocket and dumped it on the man's head before he could push Sam away. The man screamed as the clear liquid burned his face and hands, giving Dean just enough time to get back up and stab him in the side. His eyes lit up for a few seconds then blacked out and closed when Dean withdrew the blade.
"What was that?!" I howled.
"A demon." Sam breathed.
"I thought these charms were keeping me hidden."
"Honey, we could smell you the moment you drove into town." We looked to the doorway that was now wide open to a tall and skinny black women who also flashed a pair of black eyes.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Dean rolled his eyes before charging at the woman. Sam dumped more of the liquid on her just as Dean sliced her arm and she blew out and fell to the ground. "Is that it? Is that all of them?"
"Nope, there are about ten more just standing outside." Sam said as he was pouring a salt line across the window ledge and another one across the floor below the door.
"Damn it Cas, now would be a good time to get your feathery ass back here." I wasn't sure if it was the stress or the spell leaving my body, but my head was starting to pound yet again and I couldn't help but grab at my skull.
"How many are there?" another voice asked from the table. I sat up to see Castiel putting down a few odds and ends on the table top.
"Too many to fight with her here." Dean said. "She needs to get back to the panic room."
"Cas, we'll meet you there." Sam said getting out another flask. Castiel nodded then walked over and put and hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes then opened them. We were back in the dark panic room. My head pounding away like a hammering nail.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"It's my head again," I hissed through my teeth.
"I can't do the spell alone. We have to wait for Sam and Dean."
"Can't you make another like the other one?"
"No, your body can't take any more of that." This was useless. It was only getting worse and worse. It felt like it was pounding harder and harder, and soon enough, I couldn't take it anymore and everything went dark.
Satine went quiet and her lifeless body fell to the floor below her. "Satine?" the angel asked, but she didn't replay. She didn't move or grab at her head, she was completely still. He bent down beside her with worry in his heart, putting his ear down to her chest then drew in a breath of relief when he could hear her heart still beating, faintly. Castiel carefully put his arms around her and lifted her onto the bed. He knew she didn't have long before it would be too late, and he was starting to fear for her. There wasn't much time left. He would have left to help the boys but he knew better than to leave her alone, not anymore. Maybe it would have been okay yesterday, but she was almost at her braking point and he knew it. All he could do at the moment was sit beside her and wait as precious time ticked by.
It wasn't more than an hour before the sound of a car drew closer. Now he could finish collecting what he needed for the spell, knowing that she wasn't alone anymore. When Sam and Dean got into the room with the things Castiel had left in the motel, he'd already left. Dean sat down on the bed beside Satine and pushed on her shoulder gently to wake her, but she didn't even stir.
"Sam," Sam looked over at her and Dean shook his head.
"Is she breathing?"
"Yeah, but she won't get up."
"Come on, Cas." Dean breathed towards the sky, hoping that he'd hurry.
The boys sat around for almost another hour before Castiel finally got back to them with his arms full of odd objects from all over the world. He was clearly out of breath from traveling the world but there was no time to waste. Sam opened up his laptop to look over the spell one more time and read the Latin out loud for Castiel and Dean to hear. Castiel was throwing different herbs into another wooden bowl along with ashes and bits of animals and plants, panting as he went along as fast as he could.
"Cas, hold on. Take a break."
"No, Dean!" Castiel looked him in the eye, "We don't have time to wait."
"Alright." Dean said submissively. "What do you need me to do?"
"Sit her up." Dean nodded then moved the limp body so that it was leaning up against the wall behind the bed. Once Castiel had everything in the bowl, he set it on the chair that was now pulled up to the bed, then took Dean's lighter and set fire to the mess of objects, and sat in front of Satine who had opened her eyes and mouth as the smoke from the fire filtered into her. She wasn't awake but now she was open for Castiel. He said something in Latin then put his hands on her temples again and closed his eyes.
Castiel was no longer in his vessel but was now wandering around in Satine's head, looking for the leaking wound that was drawing all the attention of demons to her. It didn't take long to find the trail of energy that lead him right to it. It was like a large crack in a wall, chipping at its paint, as well as a weed constricting around a tree, taking all the sunlight and killing the tree. It was a festering wound full of a black poison that was infecting the space around it, making every waking moment for Satine pure torture.
Castiel was surprised at how well she'd taken it, now seeing the full extent of the injury. This rooted fault, twisted and weaved into her very existence, but now it was time to fix this. He put out his healing touch to the wound. He put all his strength and energy into mending this lesion.
Dean and Sam were only able to stand by and wait for a sign that something was happening, that the spell was working, but neither Castiel's or Satine's body moved. Hours pasted by with nothing. Neither brother spoke in fear that they might disturb the spell, and neither brother left in case something went wrong.
It wasn't until it was dark that Castiel was back in his vessel. They knew when he fell backwards off the bed, taking heavy, labored breaths.
"Well?" Dean asked.
"We have to wait and see now." he took a breath, "I did what I could, but the rest is up to her." Sam helped him to his feet and sat him down in the chair where he leaned over to get his breath. When he sat up, both Sam and Dean noticed how tired he looked. His eyes were sunken in and not in focus.
"Cas, are you alright?" Sam asked.
"I'll be fine. I just need-" he shut up and they all looked at Satine as her body started to react again.
I took deep breaths and opened my eyes to a dark room, but I had to wait for my eyes to adjust to the darkness before I could see anything. When they finally started to work again, I could see Sam, Dean, and Castiel were all here, still in the panic room. "Hey, guys." I said in a rusty voice. Immediately all three of the looked relieved and they all smiled, even Castiel who let out a sigh and closed his eyes. "What happened?"
"Well, Cas did it." Sam smiled. "How does it feel?"
"I can feel where it was, but it doesn't hurt. Not anymore." I was so happy, but lethargic. I was fixed and it was all thanks to these boys, and their angel. "I can't thank you enough. All of you. I'll make it up to you in any way."
"Please, it's part of our job." Sam tried to be modest.
"Yeah, you just get some rest." Dean said. I nodded then laid back down on the bed. "Cas, you earned yourself a beer." Dean slapped him on the shoulder, but Castiel shook his head.
"Not now." Sam said, "Look at him. He's just as tired as Satine is." Castiel was still leaned over in the chair, breathing heavily.
"Cas, you okay?"
"Sam's right. I just need to rest for a while."
"Alright, then we'll see you two in the morning." Sam said taking his leave.
"Take it easy you two." Now we were alone. Both of us so tired from that adventure. I could feel him when he was inside, walking through my mind. I could feel him the whole time, and now here he was, the angel that'd saved my life, about to fall out of a chair, sound asleep. I got up and carefully moved him from the chair and put him on the bed, where he rolled onto his side and curled up, almost like he was in a nest. He was a sweet thing and I owed him this much, so I took the chair, then soon moved to the floor and passed out again into a dream filled land of happiness.
Castiel awoke to the sound of an owl, echoing down the iron room. He sat up and realized that he'd been asleep, and not only asleep, but dreaming. But angels don't sleep, so how could they dream? They couldn't, but there she was none the less. The blue eyed, blond haired figure wandered into his dreams where she danced in the shadowy, snow covered woods while he chased after her, calling out her name. She silently pranced ahead of him so that he had to run to keep up. It wasn't until they'd gotten to a clearing that he was finally able to see her face. She'd stopped right in the middle of the clearing as the moonlight shimmered off her pale skin that was uncovered by a flowing white dress. The waves in her light hair tangoed as she spun around and gazed at him. Her sharp eyes of a sunny winter sky pierced through him, sending shivers up his spine. A good ten paces away, she slowly moved towards him, silently.
Once she was right in front of him, she stopped and looked him over before bring her soft right hand to his face, where she caressed his cheek. He didn't flinch or turn away from her or her touch. He stood still as her other hand moved around his neck and pulled him down, closer and closer to her face, until she was able to press her hungry lips to his. Again, he didn't flinch, but instead, pressed into her, slowly encircling her in his arms. He could feel her warmth in his chest and was sure that every flake of snow around them would melt instantly.
When she pulled away, he stood up straight and explored her peaceful face, that is, until the chilling song of a lone wolf haunted the woods around them. She turned away in fear, looking in every direction franticly, but soon she stopped and stood still. He walked around her to see her face, to assure her everything was alright, but she wouldn't look at him. Her eyes were sealed shut. He lifted her chin up to face him, and when she was paused in place, her eyes jetted open.
He backed away, startled by the deep black pools that had taken over her beautiful blue eyes, and now he knew that it was no longer her. Her body snapped backwards and let out a blood curtailing screech as the evil smoke drifted from her mouth into the sky. Her body was stiff as it fell to the frozen earth below. He wasn't fast enough to catch her and she hit the ground, cold and lifeless. Her bosom didn't rise or fall with breaths, nor did her heart beat in her chest. Everything she ever was or ever would be was gone, shattered and stolen by the true evil that was long gone.
That was when the owl's hoot was heard and he was able to awake from the lonely nightmare. His body shook and his chin quivered at the thought that any of that might have been real, that such a pure and beautiful creature could have been broken and taken that easily. But he knew that only a dream could be that safe, that something like her could be protected from something like that forever.
He looked down at the floor beside the bed to where the enchanting women from his dream was laying still, breathing deep, blissful breaths. Sure she wasn't dancing in the moonlight in a long flowing white dress, hair golden hair falling in place behind her, but she was just as beautiful. He could remember how the moonlight shined off her hair, giving her a halo of light. The halo added to the calmness of her face and grace of her soul only made her seem more like an angel than a human to him. An angel who didn't know what she was.