6
It was dark out when someone, a demon most likely, came by with food, a plate of grapes, sliced cheese, and a few slices of bread. I looked down at the plate in front of me, wondering why such expensive food was being given to me. I slowly picked at a grape, tasting it for anything that could have been wrong with it.
"We aren't all monsters you know." I looked up to see Crowley standing above me.
"You killed my brother, right in front of me." I hissed.
"Well, there is always the rare casualty."
"'Rare casualty'? That was my brother!" I paused and looked back down at my food, "But I guess none of that will matter once you find Nora."
"Rather sudden change of thought."
"Like you see me as anything but a car for your demons to ride around in." I scoffed.
"No argument there, but why such little faith in yourself?"
"Please, I can't be the first vessel that feels like everything is absolutely pointless."
"No, but you are the first that didn't drive me to the brink of annoyance in the first hour, so congrats on that." he grinned sarcastically.
"Whatever. How much longer?"
"Till?"
"Till you get that sleezebag of a demon back in me."
"Not nice, and blame Castiel, not us that this is taking so long. We're not the ones who sent her off to who knows where." So much for being the boss. He couldn't even keep track of his demons. I sneered at him as he went back to the other room and closed the door behind himself.
I finished my food then looked around the empty room, ready to get out of here. I'd scoped out the room, checking doors and windows for any way out. Any of them would have been acceptable to use to escape, the only problems were the demon goons patrolling outside. I just had to sit and think of a distraction. It would be my only way out now that I was on my own again.
It was pushing eleven when I noticed the shadows of ten or so demons running outside, all in the same direction. There hadn't been a peep out of Crowley in hours so it was now or never. I ran over to the door across the room and to my surprise it opened without a key. I ran as fast as I could across a dark gravel parking lot, after giving it one quick look. I was in the clear and bolted towards a road leading into town. I had no idea where I was going or why I was able to escape so easily, but I was turning back to ask questions. Not now that I was free again.
I had to slow after a good ten minutes of full on sprinting to catch my breath. I could see the town lights not far off. I was almost there and into the clear, just a little bit further.
Once it got into the town, I slowed down and looked for somewhere safe I could rest. I was tired and I could hear the rumble of a cold winter thunderstorm in the distance. Not too long after, the sky opened up above me, soaking me in seconds. I ran across the empty streets until I was safely under the shaded awning of a quiet pub.
I stood there for a good while before two drunk men stumbled out of the pub. They were laughing at something until they looked at me.
"Hey there, pretty lady," the older one slurred. "How's you want to come stay with me tonight?"
"Yeah, right around the corner and warm up?" the other said. Then they both took two steps closer, I sighed and continued on in the rain. The men were clearly too drunk to walk properly, giving me more than a perfect chance to get away from them.
I kept on walking, looking for anything dry to sleep under, but everything with either a closed up apartment building or a tightly knit fenced in neighborhood. I was just passing a six roomed inn when it occurred to me that I had no money to pay for a room. I was broke and starting to become hopeless.
I'd started walking past the inn when the sound of a car rolled up to the curb. I ignored the sound of a door slamming and continued on until I heard, "Mind explaining something?" from behind me. I turned around to see a wet looking man in a leather jacket standing outside of the car under the street lamp. When the other door opened up and another men got out of the car, I smiled to myself and walked over to them.
"And what's that?" I asked.
"Where the hell you've been for the last twelve hours?!" he demanded.
"A rather empty warehouse." I played.
He sighed then grunted, "Let's go." I followed them into the inn's office where he ordered a room. He unlocked the door to room three and we all piled in.
Sam put their bags on the bed and I headed into the bathroom and took a fast shower. When I turned off the water, someone knocked on the door.
"Got some dry clothes." Dean said through the door.
"Hold on a sec." I wrapped myself in a towel then opened the door slightly and took the clothes.
I dressed in the oversized red flannel shirt and large jeans that sagged at my waist, and just left the shirt untucked so that it covered by backside, being that I had no belt to hold up the pants. I picked up my wet clothes from the floor and washed them quick in the sink then hung them over the shower to dry. They'd be ready by morning.
Out in the main room, one small light was on the counter by the coffee pot and small table with a few papers on it, and in the other part, no other light was shining but the light from the T.V. On the two beds sat Sam who was bent over using his laptop and Dean on the other, right in the middle, snoring to the late night shows.
"Sorry they're so big." Sam apologized.
"It's alright, they'll work. Thanks."
"Thank Dean, they're his." he said before throwing a pillow at his brother.
"I'm not sleeping." he shot up.
"Whatever, just move over." Sam took his laptop and sat next to his brother who'd rolled over.
"Where's Castiel?" I asked sitting on the other bed.
"He left us about an hour before we found you."
"Did he say where he was going?"
"No, he doesn't normally."
"Would he answer if I texted him?" I looked at the clock. It was just after midnight but I didn't think he slept. "I know it's late, but-"
"He wouldn't know how to text. He barely understands how to call." Sam laughed.
"Oh. How do you get a'hold of him?"
"Well, you could try praying. Sometimes he answers."
"Praying?"
"He is an angel. I guess he can hone in on prayers. Just give it a try if you want." he turned back to his computer.
Pray? On my knees? I'd try just in my head first. Castiel, I'm here with Sam and Dean in a motel. Nothing. "Castiel? I'm here." I said very quietly, not wanting to let Sam here me. I felt kind of foolish praying out loud, but I gave it a shot.
"Are you alright?" a close voice to my right asked, making me jump.
"Jeez," I inhaled deeply, "I'm fine." I breathed again and smiled, knowing the prayer worked. "I got away with no problem. Just like I said in my text." I looked at Sam who was closing his laptop. I'd told them not to come after me, but here they were, clearly looking for me. Sam gave me one look as he put the computer on the table and looked right away, avoiding the conversation. Whatever, I'd leave it for tomorrow along with the questions I had that'd built up over the day.
"I'm sorry." Castiel said.
"About?"
"About your brother."
Oh. Right. That. I'd forgotten for a little while about all of that, but I'd have to face that cold reality. I'd have to set up funeral arrangements, call mom—no, not mom. No mom. No dad. Both of them were the only children other than my dad's brother and their parents were all dead. I guess I didn't have anyone to call. He didn't leave the house so he didn't have friends. All that was left was me and uncle—no, not uncle either. Just me. Just me to say goodbye.
"Satine?"
"I'm fine." I said quietly then got up to pull the blankets down.
"We'll leave in the morning so get some rest." Sam said turning off the T.V. I slid under the blankets and rolled over so that I was facing the alarm clock on the little table between the beds. Its bright red numbers burned into my head so I had to squeeze my eyes closed not to see it. Soon it worked and I drifted off to a dark place with no dreams.
With everyone asleep around him, Castiel didn't know whether he should stay the night with them, or leave. But if he left, where would he go? And if he left, what would happen if they got into trouble? No he wouldn't let anything happen.
He sat down on the bed gingerly so he wouldn't wake Satine and leaned back against the headboard. He'd make sure they were safe from the demons who would surely be out looking for her. He'd make sure she was safe.
5:00, great. I couldn't get back to sleep after looking at the clock three times. In the other bed, everything was still. They were still both sound asleep so there was no point in getting up. I rolled on my back and looked up at the celling before closing my eyes again. I sighed after a good amount of had passed and I still couldn't fall back to sleep.
Another quick look at the clock, 5:15. Ugh. With a large breath through my nose, I could feel a cold sweat building up on my forehead.
"What's wrong?" a quiet voice asked beside me.
"Oh, you're still here." I breathed. "Nothing, I just can't sleep." I sat up and rubbed the back of my neck. Outside the window I could see that it was still pitch black out and it made me want to curl back up in bed for a few more hours, but my legs were too restless. "Do you want some coffee?" I whispered.
"No, thank you."
I got up and filled the small coffee pot and turned it on before going into the bathroom and wetting my face. In the mirror I could see my cheeks growing red. The sweating. The restless legs. Red cheeks. The signs of an oncoming panic attack were in motion. I didn't know why I'd be getting one now, but it was on its way.
Back in the other room, I poured myself a cup of coffee and took it outside. It was still pouring out but under the walkway, I was able to keep dry. In the distance I listened to the deep rumbles of thunder. They were ominous, like a warning or something.
"Heavy storm." he said beside me.
I nodded, just listening.
"Did Crowley hurt you?"
I looked at him, head cocked to the side. "No." I finally answered then turned back to the sky. "Why?"
"You seem... different."
"Different?"
"Are you ill?"
"Ill?" I looked at him again.
"Your face is red and sweating." he pointed towards my forehead.
"No, that's just this thing I get..." I put my hand over my stomach that was twisting and churning at the coffee. Just then, I bolted inside, put my cup on the counter and made it just in time to the bathroom where I let everything in my stomach go. I threw up the fresh coffee right into the white bowl then flushed it away.
After I was sure I was done, I headed back outside where Castiel was standing in front of the window. I stood beside him, letting the breeze cool down my face.
"Why do you do that, expel all the food you'd just ingested?"
"I didn't want to. It's called a panic attack."
"Panic attack?"
"It's why I look sick. Something is setting me off." Another rumble of thunder. "Something's wrong." He nodded then we both went back inside and I ran over to the boys. "Dean," I said, rubbing his shoulder. He had slept in the same clothes and above the blankets with a pillow tucked under his arm toward his chest. "Dean," I repeated and rubbed until he opened his eyes. "Sam," I reached over Dean and rubbed on Sam's shoulder.
"Hum?" Dean groaned.
"We gotta go."
"What's wrong?" Sam sat up, barely awake.
"I don't know... but I can feel something wrong." They both got up quick, grabbed everything and we piled into the Impala parked right outside on the curb.
"Where are we going?" I asked from the backseat.
"Far away from here." Dean said from the driver's seat, pulled hastily from the curb and driving towards the highway.
"Florida?" Sam asked Dean.
"Yeah."
"Florida?" I asked.
"We were going to head down there yesterday. There's a case we were looking into, but then we got your text." Sam said.
"And we'll be far enough away from Crowley." Dean added.
"Our dad has keys to a cabin near the town we were looking at, so we have somewhere to stay. Somewhere safe."
"Alright, Florida it is."
We journeyed through many states and were pulling down a dirt road by nine at night. It seemed to the boys surprise that Castiel hadn't left us yet when we pulled up to a dark lodge/cabin. Dean unlocked the front door then switched on the lights in the room. If I hadn't known any better, I'd have guessed that this was the place the Castiel had first brought me, but this place was too unused. With the layer of dust on everything, I could tell no one had been here in months. Maybe even years.
"Demon free home, sweat home." Dean said as he threw his bag on the tan couch then went right to the fridge and pulled out three beers. Sam and I we both handed one and we cracked them and found seats around the main room. A couch and two chairs circled around an old T.V., a table next to the fridge and an old microwave on the counter. A stove sat in the dark room and I thought I'd seen a grill outside. I checked out the bed rooms. Two of them, both with two beds that had been stripped of bedding. I found a lining closet and made up the beds while Sam did some research on their case and Dean laid down in front of the T.V., obviously tired from the long day of driving.
When all the beds were made up, I searched the cabinets for food. I'd found a half-full box of popcorn, a can of black beans, and a can of peas. Popcorn it was.
"Beds are all made up." I said, plopping down on the couch beside Dean with my bowl of popcorn.
"You didn't have to do that, Satine." Sam smiled.
"Come on, it's the least I could do."
"Cleaning, what are you going to tell me next, you can cook?" Dean laughed.
"Well, I do make a killer apple, cherry, or pumpkin pie." I said.
Dean went all serious, "Don't kid with me. Are you kidding with me?"
"Nope, but there is no oven here."
"I will find you an oven. Sam we will find her an oven." he said, looking very determined.
"Sure thing Dean." Sam took a sip of his beer.
"So, what's there to do around here?"
"Well, there's good sized lake out back, so swimming, fishing maybe. I'm sure dad's got some old stuff here you could use."
"Cool." We watched T.V. For a little while before Dean started his loud snoring. After about five minutes of listening to that, I headed into my room for the night.
"Night, Sam."
"See you in the morning." I would've said goodnight to Castiel, but I had no idea where he'd gone.
I laid down in bed for a while, not really tired but it was late and I didn't want to sleep all day tomorrow. The clock read 12:02 when I got back up to stretch my legs to try to fall asleep, but it didn't work.
Outside I could see the bright moonlight reflecting off the lake that Sam had told me about. It was a clam lake and it was a clear night. I figured that maybe I could slip away out there for a little while. We were far enough away I thought that I'd be safe.
Out in the main room, it was quiet. Sam was on his laptop but it looked like Dean had moved to his bed for the night. I found the back door at the end of the small hallway and went outside. It was muggy outside, even though it was technically winter, but Florida did have mild winters. The temperature had to be around seventy or so. Perfect swimming temperatures.
I took a very short stroll down to the lake edge that was about fifty feet from the lodge/cabin, and I looked the lake over. I could see a few boats on the shore across the lake. Maybe another lodge, a house? Other people used this lake and I could see a small floating dock in the middle of the water. It was easy to see with the moon not being hidden by any clouds in the very clear sky.
I stripped away the clothes Dean had let me barrow and folded them into a pile on the sand and slowly walked into the cool water. It lapped at my ankles then my knees, hips, until I was in up to my shoulders. I then swam around. The water felt so relaxing on my bare body and it flowed through my hair as I took short dives into the deeper water.
I was a good ways out when I took a deeper dive into the dark water and stayed down until I had to come back up for air. I did it once more when I felt something grabbing at me. With my recent experience of gabbing, I kicked whatever it was away. Then I felt it grab me again by my shoulder and I lashed out with my hands, digging into whoever it was with my finger nails until they let go. I kicked to the surface when I choked and gasped for air. When I opened my eyes, I looked around for who I was dealing with, but I saw no one.
I turned around quickly when I heard a gasp from behind me and I was just about to kick again when I saw who it was.
"Castiel? What are you doing out here?" I breathed.
"You didn't come back up." he said. I looked over his bobbing head and quickly took notice of the scratches that ran across his left brow where I'd dug into him.
"Castiel, you're bleeding." Three scratches were dripping down the side of his face, running with the water that was dripping from his hair. "Come over to the dock." We were too far out for me to just swim back to shore before I looked him over and caught my breath back.
He climbed up the metal latter first and then I saw that he was still fully clothed, coat and all. "Cas, you didn't even take your coat off." I shook my head as I hauled myself out of the water onto the dock.
"I thought you were in trouble." he sat down and immediately looked away from me and towards the water. His back stiffened and his face almost looked frightened.
"Cas-" that's when I remembered that was still naked. I sat down beside him so that he wasn't facing me. I could have tried to cover myself up, but I had nothing and it was too late anyways. He'd already seen me. I did, however, draw my knees up to my chest to cover a part of me. I could feel my cheeks turning color with embarrassment.
A few seconds later, a folded up coat was being pushed in front of me. "Thanks." I smiled down at that wet thing and put it on quickly. When I was fully covered, Castiel relaxed a bit and I knelled in front of him, getting a closer look at his face. "I'm so sorry." I said, wiping away the blood. He just looked at me, like he'd done something wrong. The cut was all healed already, the only thing left was the left over blood. I'd forgotten he could heal himself. "Thanks for looking out for me." I said shyly.
That was new to me. Both him and the boys were looking out for me. That was something I wasn't used to. I was normally the one watching out for people back home or at least for myself. But this felt good knowing that I could rely on them for help. Help with anything. Mundane tasks and even my wellbeing. It just felt good.
"You're welcome." he said, finally.
"Come on, let's go back." I climbed back into the water and swam back to shore where I picked up my clothes and sunk back in through the hall door. I went into the bathroom and grabbed two towels. I wrapped one around my hair and went looking to give the other to Castiel. No one was in the main room so I figured he was gone for the night.
I headed back to my room to change when I found a long white nightgown spread across my bed. I knew who'd put it there. I turned towards the other bed in the room and held out the other towel, but I saw that he was already dry. Another angel perk.
"Thought you'd like it better..."
"Thank you, Castiel." I took the nightgown into the bathroom where I hung up the towels to dry along with Castiel's coat and changed into the nightgown.
Back in my room, the clock read 3:23. Oh boy, another late night, only this time, I felt genuinely tired. I saw Castiel still sitting on the other bed as I reached for the lamp switch and I noticed that he looked out of place, lost even. I'd only seen him sleep once, well I thought he was asleep, and I wondered what he normally did.
"Castiel, what do you do when everyone is sleeping?"
"Wait for them to awake again." he said, almost sounding sad.
"That sounds lonely."
He didn't say anything, just looked down at the floor.
"Have you ever tried sleeping?" I know it sounded like an odd question, but maybe he could sleep and just didn't have to.
"Not for the sake of sleep."
"Try it. It'll pass the time faster."
He looked around the bed like he wasn't sure what to do, or where to start.
"Come here." I said patting down the bedding beside me. He didn't move for a few moments, then he slowly got up off his bed then moved over to mine where he sat on the edge. "It's easier when there are other's sleeping with you." I'd always found that to be true.
He still sat on the edge of the bed, not looking up.
"You still have to lay down." I scooted over so that I was closer to the edge of the bed, making enough room for him to fit against the wall.
He slid his back up against the wall but he didn't lay down until I guided his shoulders down to the bed, his head just barely resting on the pillow.
I switched off the lamp and laid down, facing towards the angel. He didn't lay under the blankets, but this was a start. If he had been asleep that last time, it was from pure exhaustion from working the spell and healing me.
I closed my eyes and fell into an immediate and deep sleep. Castiel brought a feeling of protection with him and everything Nora had done, Crowley, anything any demon had done melted away into a reality that seemed so far away. I was safe with him here, right beside me. A real angel.
Her breathing slowed and her shoulders rose and fell in a constant and calm pattern beside him. He watched her sleep, feeling calm and relaxed. She wanted him here with her, in her own bed, right next to her. Why? Why would she want anything to do with him? He hadn't treated her ill, but he hadn't done anything that would warrant her interest, had he? Why did she want him here with her? He couldn't stop asking himself these questions. Over and over again, they went through his mind. He still wasn't even sure why she'd trusted him in the first place. It was his fault for the pain she endured. Thinking of that alone made the sickening feeling of guilt rise into his throat. And not only that, but he'd been so quick to leave her, that her brother was killed, and Crowley had gotten his hands on her, and if she hadn't escaped when she did, who knows what mutilation they would have inflicted on her.
Still, she turned to watch out for him, an angel. She made sure he was alright after just a few scratches. Made sure he was comfortably dry. And now was trying to help him pass lonely hours with the only way she knew how.
A hot and airy feeling was building up inside of him and he was starting to notice it more often. Was something wrong with him? Had he done something wrong and he was starting a punishment? He worried that if this was a punishment, how would it effect Satine? What would become of her?
He pushed all of that out of his mind. He was where he felt like he belonged at the moment. Satine was safe at the moment beside him, and he needed to relish in that fact. He carefully nudged closer to the sleeping woman, trying his best not to wake her, but still get closer. Once he could feel her hand touching his forehead, he froze, afraid she would awaken and be angry with him. When she didn't stir, he moved even closer so that her hand was cupping the side of his face. That's where he wanted to be. That was the boundary he wanted to test, now that he had this strange feeling, no, urge to be closer to her. He didn't understand one bit of it, but it felt right to him.