They waited until midnight when they were sure James would be asleep. Cas had on jeans and a t-shirt again, Dean holding out a jacket for him, despite knowing that Cas wouldn't get cold. The angel smiled taking it gratefully and putting it on.

"Alright," Dean said, "you pop your ass back here, first sign of trouble, you got it?"

Cas nodded, and Dean repeated the gesture back in acceptance.

"See you soon," Cas said, and with that, he flew from the bunker straight to James's room, landing by his bedside. They boy was sleeping, his face calmer than when they'd first met. Cas timidly walked up to him, placing a few fingers on the boy's head.

Immediately he was transported. Cas had visited dreams before, but somehow it was always disorienting at first. The jolt into someone else's psyche could be extremely confusing until you adjusted. Cas was definitely experiencing this now. And it was aggravated by the fact that it was a child's brain. He knew from experience that the mind of a child was more malleable and disorganized than an adults. But James's brain surprised even him. Around him bright colors swirled into view, distinctive music playing in the background. Cas bent his knees, bracing himself.

It took a moment, but slowly everything came into view. He was at a carnival. James was by a booth grabbing cotton candy from a vender. He took a large bite, turning towards Cas, and when he saw him, he let his hands fall to his sides, scrunching his eyebrows.

"You were at the police office," the boy said.

Cas nodded. "Mind if we talk for a minute?" he asked. Hesitantly, James nodded. He walked over to a table and sat down. Cas joined him.

"I'm Cas," said the angel.

"James," said the boy.

Cas nodded, then silence ensued for a moment. James looked at Cas as if he wanted to say something, but didn't. Cas tilted his head questioningly, waiting.

Finally, James opened his mouth. "Are you an alien?" he blurted out, then blushed a little. "Cause. . . you did something. Made me feel better. Like magic. Or like an alien."

Cas smiled. The poor kid had no frame of reference for the things he had been experiencing. Cas felt a sense of familiarity with the situation. "Close enough," he replied.

The boy nodded as if letting this new information sink in. When he took another bite of cotton candy, he started to look more at home with the situation.

"Why are you here?" James asked, his words coming out thick with his mouth full.

"Well," said Cas, "I want to ask you a few things about that night. . ." Cas paused, "and I'd like it if you could tell me about the Demons."

The carnival music played happily in the background, eerily contrasting the topic of conversation. Cas also noted that the park that had been packed with people only a few minutes before was now deserted with the exception of the two of them. Cas shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

The boy's expression looked more disconcerted as he started talking. "They killed them," he said, looking away. "I closed my eyes, but it was loud."

Cas scooted closer to the boy as he talked, feeling remorse at having to ask him this.

"Who?" Cas asked, though he knew the answer.

"My aunt and uncle," said James. And as he talked, Cas noticed a light wind start to form, the air growing colder.

James continued, letting his cotton candy drop forgotten to the ground. "Their eyes were black. They said they were looking for a man named Dean."

Cas felt his stomach turn. Why would Crowley be looking for Dean? he wondered. Couldn't he just call? And why would these people know where Dean is . . . something is wrong about this. Maybe the Demons were working independently? Cas mulled this over with doubt. But, even as he thought, he realized that his theories weren't the only thing that felt wrong. The sky around them had started darkening, black clouds rolling in. Cas looked at James and he seemed distressed.

"Why?" Cas asked, now needing to raise his voice against the sound of the wind. Around him, tents flapped violently, threatening to pull themselves from the ground. "Why were the demons looking for Dean?"

James had brought his knees up towards his chest again, looking very much like he had when he'd gone into shock. Cas wished he could comfort him, or at least stop asking questions that made James feel this way, as Cas could only assume that the reason for the drastic change in scenery correlated with the boy's emotions. They were, after all, inside his head. Instead, he knelt down in front of the boy, his face pleading with him for more information.

"Please," Cas said, "it's important."

The boy nodded, then finally said, "they were looking for an angel. Dean was supposed to have an angel."

Cas's chest tightened in panic. At this point, the wind screamed in their ears. "And did they tell him where to find them?" Cas asked him, not realizing that his hands were now clutching the boy's knees.

But the boy shook his head. "I don't think they knew," he said. His voice was wavering, and his eyes weren't on Cas anymore. They were looking towards the black skyline, his face upset.

"They're coming," James said, sadly. "They always come." He pulled his hands in tighter, circling them around his knees. Cas looked at the origin of the boy's fear and suddenly understood. He looked as the dark skyline, which he had originally thought were clouds, began shifting. It turned and twisted in thin spirals shooting rapidly towards them, their long tails trailing behind. As they came closer, Cas stood, wrapping his arms around the boy protectively as if he could defend him against the cloud of darkness. But as it came closer, Cas saw the boy obediently open his mouth.

"James, no!" Cas yelled, but within a second, the smoke was careening into his mouth in droves, filling him. And when it was finished, the park was quiet and the weather calm. The boy's eyes were closed and Cas looked to him putting his hands lightly on his shoulders.

"James?" he asked hesitantly. There was a pause, then violently the boy's eyes opened. But it wasn't James anymore. Cas was looking at the black eyes of a demon.

And Cas jumped out of James's dream in surprise, landing him back into the boy's room. He looked down at James's distressed face with pity. Then, reaching down, he touched his forehead with his fingers, soothing the boy's dream. Immediately, James's face relaxed again. I'm so sorry you had to go through this, Cas thought before flying away.