Where to Run
Chapter Four
Sam woke up, nestled in a bunch of blankets, and for the first time in a long time he could sense that he was alone in the room. Usually when he woke up there was someone there with him – Bobby or Dean. He sat up in the bed, pushing the blankets away and shivering a bit at the cool temperature.
He could hear movement from outside the room so he got to his feet and made his way to the door. His legs shook with each step and he felt a little dizzy, but he put a hand on the wall and managed to make it out into the hallway. His body protested and he told it to shut up.
He made his way down the stairs without tripping – a miracle unto itself – and followed the noises through another hallway and into a kitchen. Bobby was at the counter, fiddling with a toaster. A burnt piece of toast lay a few inches away and Sam realized that the dull 'thunk' he'd heard was more than likely Bobby hitting the toaster.
"Hitting it won't solve anything." He told the older hunter, voice raspy and throat sore. Bobby jumped and whirled around, a carving knife in his hand.
"Dammit Sam, don't do that!" Sam blinked, leaning on the doorway. "You shouldn't sneak up on a hunter, ya idjit." The knife lowered.
"I didn't – sneak." Sam wobbled in and sat down hard in a chair. "Slide the little knob on the side from four to two and you should be set for the toast." He suggested. Bobby grumbled, did so, and within minutes had a nicely toasted piece of bread. He repeated the process and Sam blinked as the older hunter slid a plate of toast across the table to him.
"What're you even doing up?" Bobby asked as he poured coffee and sat down across from the younger Winchester.
"I got tired of being tired." Sam shrugged, wincing a bit as the movement pulled at his stitches. He picked at a piece of the toast and started to eat.
"When did it start?" He glanced up at Bobby. "Susceptibility to holy water. Salt. Devil's traps."
"I noticed it a little while after…" After Dean abandoned him, he wanted to say. He couldn't but Bobby seemed to understand. Bobby nodded. "I don't think it's as… severe as…. The traps don't hold me, per say." Sam struggled to say. "It's like walking through… jello? Hard to do, and tingly, but not impossible. And holy water and salt don't…" It was hard to put to words.
All he knew was that it hurt like hell but wasn't near as bad as what he'd seen other demon's go through.
"I ain't gonna lie to you boy, what you're becoming scares the shit out of me." Bobby sighed. "I don't know what it is, and neither does your brother, but…. Sam you know when I said to lose my number?" Sam cringed. "It wasn't me talking." Suddenly a warm hand was covering his own and Sam looked up. "It was a demon – I was possessed."
"Possessed?"
"I, I may have been worried. I may have been thinking it. But I would never cut you out like that. Ever." Sam lowered his gaze. "Dammit, you're like a son to me. Nothing will ever change that." There was a small cough.
"Am I interrupting a chick flick moment?" Sam glanced up in surprise as Dean walked – no, stumbled, in. Bobby withdrew his hand and Sam sighed. He shifted uncomfortably – he didn't know how to act around his older brother now. Dean busied himself with getting some breakfast. "Who wants eggs?"
Sam finished his toast and as Dean cracked some eggs over a skillet. That was when all hell decided to break loose. Sam just about had a heart attack and actually leapt up and over his chair – he didn't know how, he just did – to scurry into a far corner. Bobby jumped and reached for athe carving knife again.
Dean just sighed over the skillet and tilted his head towards Castiel, who was now standing inches behind him. "Cas, we talked about this…?" He sounded partly amused, partly annoyed. But Sam didn't care. His heart raced and he held his breath.
"Right. Personal space." Castiel stepped back and Bobby lowered the weapon. "I apologize." Dean nodded and turned around, eggs finished. Sam continued to stare at Castiel, a strange sense of fear enveloping him and causing him to stand completely still.
"Hey, Sam?" Castiel turned and Sam felt pinned. He reacted on instinct and suddenly everyone was thrown back by an invisible wind. Sam's eyes turned black and he fled. "Sam! Dammit!" He weaved through the hosue until he found a small crawlspace. He managed to fit his lanky frame in and held his breath.
"What the hell was that?" He heard Bobby ask a few minutes later.
"I apologize again. I should have… called?" Castiel was speaking.
"Damn, he can run fast. Where'd he go? What happened, and what was that?" Dean was close by.
"I should not have come. I should have thought…." Castiel again apologized. "Your brother was traumatized, he has reason to flee." There was a thoughtful tone to his voice and Sam crunched himself smaller. "He also has demon blood, so my presence is more than likely to have…"
"He never reacted this way to you before." Dean argued. Sam heard them coming closer.
"Something's changed." Castiel said. "Which is part of why I came. He can be trapped now, and salt and holy water hurt him?"
"Yeah." Bobby replied.
"You saw him when we brought him here." Dean sighed. "What's that have to do anything?" They where right outside his hiding place now.
"I would like to speak to him about this as well." Castiel said, not answering Dean's question. "So if you would get him?"
"What?" Suddenly the door was open and Sam saw three sets of legs. Suddenly Dean was squatting down and peering in at him. Dean hesitated for a minute before speaking. "How the hell did you get in there Sasquatch?" Sam blinked at him. Bobby leaned down and peered in, whistling.
"Now that's something you don't see every day." Bobby laughed. "Get him out of there." But when Dean reached in, Sam scooted back even further in the crevice and hissed. Hissed. At his brother. Dean pulled back.
"Whoa! Dude, did you just…?"
"He is reacting on instinct." Castiel spoke calmly. "He does not mean it, not really." Suddenly Castiel was there and Sam squashed himself to the back of the hidey-hole with a growl. "You two go, I will retrieve him."
"Are you sure…?" Sam wanted to call out to Dean, tell him to not leave him. But Bobby dragged Dean off and Sam was alone. With Castiel. Sam bristled.
"If you bite me I will not be happy." Castiel warned as he, too, squashed himself and crawled into the confined space. A hand reached out and, before Sam could even consider the thought, touched his forehead. Sam let out a squeak and then suddenly he was no longer afraid. "Are you yourself?"
"Cas?" Sam asked. "What happened?" Castiel retreated, pulling himself out of the space. Sam shifted and with help from the angel, managed to get himself out and leaned against the wall shakily. "How did I get in there?"
"You fled." Sam blinked. "We need to go talk with your brother and Bobby. Before what I did wears off."
"What did you do?" But Castiel was already walking away, and Sam followed with a frown. Dean and Bobby where in the kitchen, eating the eggs Dean had made. Dean glanced at him curiously and Sam shrugged. He flopped into the empty chair with a sigh.
"I have news." Castiel finally said. "I do believe you will like it."
TBC