-No Destiel here, folks, just buds-

18

Almost Home

I could see just how badly he'd been beaten now. The blood and dirt washed away, revealing the scrapes and bruises and the bullet wound in all its glory. His face was resting in my chest, eyes closed, fevered body shaking. His breath was labored and shaking.

"Shh…it's alright, Cas. It's okay." I washed his hair and cleaned him off as best as I could, but I didn't know how to take care of him. He broke into one of many coughing fits, hands trembling, painful tears welling in his eyes.

I didn't know what to do about this gunshot wound, or the deep gash in his stomach. I didn't know how to check for broken bones or what to do if they were. I didn't know why he wouldn't let me take him to a hospital. But those sweet, gentle eyes told me that I couldn't. I couldn't do that to him.

I had to call Sam and Dean. Something in my gut told me that they would know what to do, and that they knew who the hell did this.

I shut the water off and wrapped a towel around him as quickly as I could, rubbing his shoulders to keep him warm.

He shivered still, goosebumps rising on his exposed skin. He shut his eyes tight, whimpering quietly, coughing again.

"I know, I know, baby. It's alright. Shh…it's okay," I soothed. I dried him off, shushing him, stroking his cheek, whatever I could to make sure he was still alright before taking him out into my room and lying him down.

I covered him up, the blankets only at his waist, hating myself for making those tears and pain appear in his eyes.

"Annabelle," he croaked. "P-please…" I swallowed hard.

"Shh… Just a little longer, sweetheart. Just a little longer. It'll be alright, shh…" I pushed his damp hair back, rubbing his forehead. God his face was so hot. "I'll be right back, Cas." I stood quickly, running to the hall closet and snatching the thermometer, Vicks and NyQuil.

"Alright, honey, come here," I said, gently lifting his head, holding the thermometer. "Put this under your tongue, alright?" He frowned, his head cocking to the side a little.

"Why?" He croaked, coughing again. I smiled lightly. Even in this state, he was absolutely adorable.

"It's to see how high your fever is, okay?" I said, coaxing the thermometer into his mouth. I laid his head back down.

"I'll be back in just a second," I promised, running out of the room and coming back with a glass of water.

"I-it made a noise," he said shakily, looking scared.

"Oh, honey." I sat down next to him, taking the thermometer out. "It's alright; it's supposed to do that." He nodded but didn't look any less worried. I tried not to gasp when I saw the numbers on it. 105.2.

"Oh God," I breathed.

"Wh-what? Wh-what's wrong?" He trembled, coughing again. I looked down at him, into his bright, bloodshot eyes. He was so scared.

"Uh…your fever's really high, baby. But here's what I'm gonna do," I couldn't throw him back in that shower. I wouldn't put him through all of that again. It wasn't fair. "I'm gonna give you this medicine and it should help you feel better alright? It'll make your fever go down."

"What i-if it do-doesn't?" He shivered. I stroked his cheek.

"Don't you worry about that," I smiled. "You just worry about getting better, alright?" He nodded. I lifted his head again, giving him one of the large gel pills.

"Don't chew it!" I exclaimed, but it was too late. He grimaced, lips pursing at the bitterness. I couldn't help but smile. I gave him a drink of water to both get the medicine down and the taste out of his mouth before feeding him the other pill.

"Now just swallow this one, alright?" I said gently. He nodded, shaking lips welcoming the drink of water. I gave him the rest of the glass, telling him over and over that no one was going to take it from him.

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay. Take it easy, honey. Shh… Easy." I stroked his fevered face, setting the empty glass on the table beside me.

I took some of the Vicks and put it on his chest, hoping to clear up his cough and ease the obvious tension in his chest as he struggled to breathe.

He gasped at the chill, sobbing once. "Shh, honey, honey, it's alright."

"It smells," he rasped. I smiled again.

"I know, I know," I said, combing his hair back with my fingers. "It'll help you breathe, okay?" I may not know how to deal with everything else, but I knew how to take care of someone who was sick.

I pulled the blankets over him, tucking them around his trembling form, kissing his forehead.

"Okay, I'm gonna call Sam and Dean, alright? They'll be able to get you better…right?" He nodded, shaking. "And, and they'll bring you clothes, too."

He leaned into my hand, a tear sliding down his cheek. My heart cracked yet again. "Shh, it's gonna be alright. I'll be right back, okay?" He nodded slowly, his eyes pained as he watched me go.

I waited until I was out in the hall to let my own tears fall freely. That terrible innocence in his eyes, that raw pleading in his shaking voice. What soulless son of a bitch could do something so awful to someone so innocent? How could they?

I sniffed, taking my cell phone from my pocket and redialed Dean's number.

"Annabelle, this isn't-"

"I found Cas. You have to come help him, I, I don't know what to do, he's hurt. Please, hurry the hell up. He needs you." There was a moment of what I assumed was stunned silence before Dean spoke.

"Uh, wh-where are you?"

I was lost in a haze. My whole body pounded, fever making everything look strange and my ability to think almost zero. I shivered under the covers, still hardly able to get warm. I wanted relief, mercy, but it had evaded me so far.

Flashes of the awful things that were done to me flashed in front of my eyes, making me whimper and try to hide in the pillow.

No more, no more, I can't take anymore.

She helped. Her soothing voice and gentle hands helped me more than I ever dreamed. Her skin was so soft, even the smell of her hair comforted me. I didn't want her to let me go. I remembered the pain when she let me go. I wouldn't tell her that. She got sad when I said those kinds of things.

So I lied there, alone, waiting for something to happen, praying for her to come back.

I slipped so far out of it I didn't see someone come in. I didn't feel them sit down on the bed. I did feel their icy hand on my cheek.

"Ahn!" I cried, flinching away.

"Hey, hey, Cas, it's me!" I looked up, my swirling vision dizzying. "Shh, it's alright. It's me, it's Dean."

Tears overwhelmed me, making those odd sounds come from my throat again. "Dean!" I choked. He was alive. He was okay! Saphriel wasn't lying, he was alright.

Dean pulled me into a hug, holding me securely. I clung to him as tightly as my weak fingers would allow, sobbing into his chest.

"Shh, it's alright. It's okay now. You're gonna be okay. Shh…"

I truly believed it now. Dean was here. Dean wouldn't let anything happen to me. He wouldn't let Zachariah hurt me again.

And in that embrace I felt something that I never had before. Home.

-And yet more TLC next chap!-