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Onto Six!
Chapter Six: The smell of trust
Dean sat on the ground, legs splayed out to either side. Burning pain bored into his right hip, but he ignored it. His back muscles were clenched and cramped due to the uncomfortable position that he was seated in, but he forced it out of his mind. His head pounded as he came down from the adrenaline rush that accompanied the fighting. The weight of the angel's completely limp body was almost enough to unsteady Dean's grip, but he held determined not to let the angel fall.
A soft sound from his left drew his attention. The little girl raised her face to look at him, blonde curls falling out of the way of her small pixie face. "Umm… My daddy's looking for me. And I think he needs to go see Mr. Whitman. Even if he doesn't want to." Her small high-pitched voice was calm, a bold contrast that took the meaning out of the words she spoke. Dean could only gawk at her incredulously. "Daddy says not to listen to rumours at school. Doctors are really nice, and can help you if you feel sick. I think he's very sick. Almost like my mommy." The little girl looked down suddenly and buried her face into the angel's arm again.
Dean swallowed and looked up at Ruby was anxiously pacing. "Well, why didn't it work?" Dean asked, his voice muffled by his thickening lip. Dean could still feel quick pants of hot breath on his cheek coming from Castiel's vessel. The angel was still alive, though not alright. Dean was clueless to what had happened. Ruby was on their side. She should have been able to take the collar off.
Ruby looked up to Dean, fear blanketing her expression. "I touched and tried to take it off. But I couldn't feel anything, no magical clasp. But I could feel him." She trailed off to look at the bloodied angel in Dean's arms. She shivered. "He's in his own hell Dean. He might as well be Downstairs. This collar thing cut him off from the main body of his power. He would have only had a little left. He probably spent most of it trying to keep Lilith from tearing him to pieces mentally and getting your attention. Then when he whammied the kid... there's almost nothing left. I touched him, and he withdrew into his own mind. He fell apart..." She stopped breaking eye contact with the elder Winchester's intense green gaze. "I don't know if he's still even left in there."
"Damn it. Can't you try again? Try harder." Dean snapped back in tense frustration.
"It's not like I'm jumping up and trying to grab a cookie from the top shelf of the cupboard. Dean, I don't think the problem was on my end. Maybe Sam could try-"
"Sam's not his enemy." Dean retorted maybe too quickly.
Dean leaned back and tried to rest against a crate. Castiel slumped with him, bouncing around limply – a marionette with its strings cut. "Where's Sam?" Dean knew the car was two miles away. Even the long-legged Sam could not run that fast.
"Castiel?" A voice called out from behind her. Uriel stepped out of the shadows. He was as ragged as Dean had ever seen the angel. The cleanly pressed look was gone, and the shirt might have been dirty. The angel walked past the crates and pushed Ruby out of the way. The demon stumbled, but caught herself on one of the abundant crates around the room.
"What the hell happened to you?" Dean double-entendre meaning the angel's not perfect appearance, and the notable lack of assistance when Dean called for him after Castiel stopped seizuring fifteen minutes prior.
"Hell." The angel said in reply.
The angel stopped in front of Dean and laid a hand on Castiel's forehead. "Castiel?" There was a faint probing light that passed between the two angels.
And Uriel ripped back his hand his a pained grunt. "I can do nothing for him. As long as that collar still remains on him... Lucifer was to receive no aid by his minions when we locked him away. Castiel cannot receive our Father's blessing either." The angel sniffed, the only reaction that angel gave that seemed remotely empathetic.
"You can't even heal his vessel? I mean you guys fixed my shredded, rotted corpse and you can't even put Humpty back together again?" Dean looked up at the dark angel furiously.
"If Lucifer had been allowed to be helped –" Uriel began somewhat pompously like he was explaining something to a small child, not his God-chosen ally.
"Castiel's not Lucifer. And I'm not sure that he's going to be able to help himself." Dean implored the angel, but he knew without even having to ask what the other angel's response would be.
"Then show me that having you alive is worth anyone's time and remove the collar. Why you haven't gotten your pet demon to do it yet... No, that wouldn't work." Uriel stopped. "Not even Castiel, whose fondness for you lowlifes goes nearly unparallel, would not consent and trust an abomination like her."
"Then how are we supposed to help him?" Sam asked as he jogged into the room, his face red and sweaty, holding the Impala keys tightly in his fist like the Holy Grail. He skidded along the ground and dropped to his knees in front of his brother. Sam put down the large plastic tool chest that housed their medical supplies.
"You will figure it out." Then Uriel left, and Dean could not figure out if what the angel had said was a threat, a prediction, or a way of ignoring the situation. Dean questioned the relationship that existed between the two angels. Castiel was usually calm. Uriel was usually a mix of arrogant and angry. They never expressed any sort of friendship or camaraderie with each other, and often Castiel was pulling Uriel back away from Dean himself. They had no loyalty to each other, only feeling the pull of their duty. Dean half wondered if the only reason Castiel would hold Uriel back from smiting Dean, was that Castiel had a duty to protect him.
"Guys, we need to get out of here before Lilith finds some backup and returns here. I mean, it can still go down tonight. There are a couple of hours of daylight left. She's not going to waste them." Sam spoke softly and opened the medical kit. He pulled out a pair of scissors that Dean could cut through pennies with. He started in on Castiel's pant leg.
The material was stiff, but Sam cut through it up past the angel's knee. The leg was slowly exposed revealing bruising that reflected what they could already see on the angel's back and chest. The angel's leg was clearly broken. It looked sickening, laying at an off angle just below the angel's knee. Sam's long fingers felt around the break gently. At least the bone had not torn through the skin. "It feels like a clean break." Sam said, but Dean inferred from his tone that it was a guess.
"Too bad demon blood didn't give you x-ray vision." Dean tightened his hold on the angel. "Do you need help to set it?"
"Yeah, just Ruby. Go grab two SAM splints out of the bottom the kit. Mold them to the shape of the good leg. Okay, be ready to put them on." Sam gripped Castiel's knee and upper leg with one hand, and with the other his lower leg five inches below the break. "Ruby, the second the bone fits back into place..." Sam paused, for the first time noticing the little girl clinging to Castiel's arm. "Huh?"
"It's long story. Castiel mind wiped her. Kinda like those flashy things off Men In Black, actually. You gonna' do this, or are you going keep boning around?"
"Yeah, but if he starts thrashing around..." Sam started and then noticed Dean's solemn facial expression. "Or not. Three, two, one." A loud snicker snap filled the air, punctuated by a sharp cry from the small girl's lips. Ruby rushed in with the splints, and Sam tied them on efficiently. He probed the break again, nodding. "Seems alright. We just need to be careful transporting him."
"Gee, you think?"
Sam assisted by his not so lovely nurse Ruby, made short work of the rest of the injuries. Mostly it was bruising, serious or not, there was not a hell of a lot they could about it, expect ice it back at the hotel. There were scrapes and cuts. Those were wiped off with saline and bandaged with gauze and tape. The cut on the angel's forehead was ragged, but Dean figured that if the angel survived, it would either get healed, or form into a wicked scar. The gapping slash on the angel's sternum was rinsed thoroughly and pulled together with butterfly bandages until they could get somewhere a little more sterile.
Sam ran outside again, opening all the doors to the Impala in preparation for the move. The little girl moved away as the younger Winchester came back around to Castiel's upper body, and crossed the angel's arms in front of him. Reaching underneath his armpits, Sam hugged the angel's lax body close with his long arms, and grasped the angel's doctored wrists tightly. Demon strength enhanced Ruby was in position to support the angel's legs, keeping the broken one from anymore stress than absolutely necessary. And Dean was… well, he was trying to get his courage to stand up. His own hip was a myriad of sharp agony. The little girl waited beside him as Sam and Ruby carried Castiel out to the car.
"Am I going home now? Are you going home now?" The girl asked, and held out a hand to help Dean up.
The little girl got dropped off a block from her house with instructions to not remember what had happened to her, and go to her dad as soon as possible. Her eyes turned foggy for a moment, then without a word, she skipped down the street to her home. Dean nodded in appreciation. That was some good angel mojo Castiel had worked. Dean only hoped that it hadn't cost the angel his life.
Dean now sat on the edge of the bed where Castiel lay, covered by quilts. All the bedding had been stripped from both the rooms to warm the angel, keep him from going deeper into shock. A lump in the bed off center indicated the pillows that had been piled to elevate the broken leg. The blankets were drawn up to the man's sharp angled chin. The bright orange felt contrasted with the pale white skin and the dark scruff that always covered the angel's face. Castiel was supported from the torso up by mountains of pillows and a rolled blanket. Sam thought it would be easier on the angel's breathing, and the semi sitting position was more comfortable for stomach pain. No one said that comfort should have been an afterthought as it wouldn't matter because the angel was unconscious, and if one believed Ruby, nearly dead.
So Dean kept on with his bedside vigil, leaning up against the pillows himself, right leg up on the bed to ease the burning pain not nearly countered by the Codeine he had swallowed to appease Sam. The drug was making him tired and dizzy, but he shook it off to keep watching Castiel. He kept listening for the faint puff as the angel's host exhaled a breath, listening for the faint rasping inhale that told Dean it was not the angel's last breath. So he waited for Sam and Ruby to find a way to remove the collar hidden by the cheery quilts.
Dean felt his eyes slip closed.
Then he heard a women speak to him. "Dean, isn't your bed time?"
He opened his eyes, and looked up at his mother. He was sitting on the ground playing with his fire truck in his Muppets pajamas rescuing the Lego men from their Lego house. The beige carpet made the fire truck go slower, so he hoped that he could still get there in time.
"Mommy, not bedtime yet!" He retorted indignantly. Dean crossed his arms in front of his chest and stayed on the floor by his bed.
"Dean," his mother's voice warned softly. She bent over slowly; her tummy was getting very round. Daddy called her a pear when he thought she was not listening. But Daddy was kidding because he laughed after he said it. "It's bedtime. Do you want a story?"
"No mommy. Can I play for a few minutes instead?" Dean asked in compromise. Mommy's stories were nice. She read them out of the books he got for Christmas. Daddy's stories were better. They always had loud noises and made Dean giggle.
"Dean. Please?" Mary asked again and reached for her son. Dean reached back and let his mother lift him from the carpet. He breathed in and smelled his mother. She smelled like pretty shampoo and the flowers Daddy got her all the time. Dean did not want to make mommy cry. Sometimes she did that lately. Daddy always hugged her and told Dean later that mommy was not actually mad at him. She was just tired from holding up his baby brother or sister.
So Dean let her pick him up and tuck him into bed with a kiss. She tucked the blankets around him, and turned off his lamp. "Don't worry baby, just go to sleep. Angel's are watching over you." Mary soothed and brushed her hand over Dean's head.
Dean looked over to the man standing in the corner of the room, leaning against Dean's dresser. "I know mommy." Then Mary left, but Dean continued to watch his angel. "Shouldn't you be up in heaven?" Dean asked suspiciously.
The corner of the angel's mouth quirked. "No, I've come to watch over you. One last time." The angel stood up straighter and walked into the middle of the room, barely missing Dean's Lego house or the Lego man that lay around it. "To pray for your strength and courage, and your compassion and faith." The angel made the sign of the cross over his chest. "Even if you don't think you deserve it Dean. You should trust in yourself more. Trust in His plan."
The angel stopped and watched Dean lying in bed wrapped in the blankets with his head cocked. No bruises marred his face. No cuts spilled blood across his features. His clothes were clean. He looked every bit like he had when he spoke to Dean in the shed with Bobby. He was quiet and simply watched Dean in bed, lightly returning his angel's stare. They stayed that way for a long time.
The dulcet tones of the angel's voice broke the silence after a time. "I pray that you will find luck in your later missions with the seals. And thank you." The angel's voice broke at the end snapping Dean out of the trance, and Castiel took a step back, the beige trench coat swirled around his legs.
Dean stood up to his full height, no longer a three year old. "Why are you thanking me?" Castiel did not respond, he just took another step back, though it looked more to Dean like his knees were giving way, and he was staggering. He grabbed the black collar around his neck tightly, and all Dean's sense disappeared slowly. The only thing left was he could smell is mother's ghostly perfume drifting through the air, Castiel's life's blood hanging in the air, Lucifer's damning hellfire burning brighter, consuming the air. It was the smell of Death.
"Castiel!" He yelled leaping forward and grabbed his shoulder hard. "You can't do this!" He yelled and pulled Castiel back up to his feet. Castiel's eyes opened to look at Dean in sheer confusion. Why not? They said to Dean where the voice of the angel said naught. "You can't do this. We'll get the collar off. We just don't know how right now."
"A trusted enemy." Castiel spoke. He lifted his hand to touch the hand print shaped scar that was the only mark left on Dean from Hell.
"I know. We tried Cas. Ruby couldn't get it off of you. We tried." Dean's voice was almost begging. Castiel sagged in Dean's grip.
But he looked up into Dean's eyes with blatant inquiry. "Ruby? The demon Sam consorts with?" Castiel looked truly lost. "Trust, Dean. I have no trust of her."
Dean rolled his eyes. "Can't you pretend? You're running out of options here. You don't have to hold hands at recess. And I won't tell your boss."
"How can I trust her? She is a demon. She made a deal and sold her soul. Her soul was her gift from my Father and she squandered it." Castiel replied.
Dean could only roll his eyes at the irony of it all. "What do you think I did?"
Castiel did not reply. He was sagging even more. Dean had to let them both drop to his knees. "Ruby says you are out of angel juice. How are you even doing this?"
"I'm not." Was the simple answer. The angel's head was lolling on his shoulders. "It was your faith that led you to me. But Dean Winchester, I'm sorry. I cannot go on." Dean looked around. They were in a dark room, with a large, deep cracks running through the floor. Dean was on side of the rift, and he leaned over to hold Castiel up on the other. The crack extended, wider, deeper into the floor.
"Castiel, you've got to work with me here. I think the Seal is almost broken. Does that appeal to your sense of duty, even if your life doesn't?" Dean broke in desperately. The symbolism of the dream did not escape him. Castiel looked up at him, and the angel's grip tightened on Dean's scar. "Come on Cas! You are seriously going to leave me all alone with Uriel? Either he's going to kill me, or I'm going throw myself back into the Pit to escape his ranting." Dean tried to force a grin onto his face but it was hard. Castiel closed his eyes, and nearly went limp. But the crack stopped moving as well.
"What are your orders?" Castiel asked, his gravelly voice faint.
"Could you crack a deal with Ruby?" Dean suddenly asked, and idea blooming in his head. "Some sort of 'I won't smite you for a month if you promise to take the collar off' thing." Dean looked at the angel. "Or is that like completely sacrilegious?"
"She would agree?" The angel asked, hope beginning to colour his voice.
"If you can't trust her you'll die." Dean said as straightforward as he could make it.
"Lilith asked me to trust her. That Trust is the colour of Death." The angel said softly, his voice was empty and fearful. "But Trust is the colour Hope. I must not fail my Duty."
He locked eyes with Dean. Castiel's electric, bright blue orbs bored into Dean's soul. Dean wanted to shirk back and away. But he could not. It was Dean's strength that would carry them away from Hell.
"Okay, we can do this. Then you can get some rest." Dean said, and winced. Why would I say that?
Dean woke up with a jolt and turned to see Castiel's good eye looking at him. The eye batted open and closed quickly. The other twitched almost unnoticeably under the dark bruising and swelling that covered that side of his face. With all the blood washed off, Castiel's unblemished skin looked to be the color of the gauze taped to his face. The dull eye kept opening and closing lazily. The angel was having a hard time staying conscious. He was drifting back away from Dean. And he was rapidly tiring, quickly fading. The angel would not last long.
"Ruby! Get over here and make a deal with him!" Dean snapped and rolled off the bed and limped over to the other side where Ruby was now standing. The sharp pain from his hip ripped through his leg and up through his chest, but Dean vanquished it, and grabbed Castiel's hand out from under the blankets. He squeezed it hard. Castiel's hand bent, not quite squeezing back. But Dean knew it meant that Castiel was aware enough, that the angel was conscious of his surroundings.
"What the Hell are you taking about Dean? Make a Dean with an angel? Have you lost your mind?" She shouted right back, and flung her hands up. Dean saw fear in her eyes. Sam stood up from the table behind her, a thoughtful expression on his face. He smiled suddenly, understanding his brother's plan.
The person in the next room knocked on the wall vigorously. Dean kicked it in response. His injured leg really hurt. "I talked to him. He said that he won't smite you for a month if you take that collar off."
Ruby frowned. "Why would that help?" She was the only one in the room that did not understand what was going on. Dean thought she probably did not want to. She was scared shitless of angels. Even the broken one bleeding out on the sheets in front of her. Dean had to wonder how far her loyalties to Sam would extend. Dean knew he could just always threaten to exorcise her if she would not cooperate.
"You are not a trusted enemy, or whatever. You are just his enemy. You need to establish some trust." Sam came up and gripped Ruby's shoulder. "Just say yes." Dean knew that Sam saw his own desperation. And Sam probably knew better that Dean how to convince the demon of the plan. "Ruby. Please."
Ruby's eyes went black and she looked at the angel. "Do you agree to this deal?" She leaned in close to the angel's face. She had to, to hear the angel's response.
"Yes. I will let you in. Trust you." It was a pitiful small voice. It had more rust and rumble, than actual words. Dean picked up a water bottle, in case the angel wanted a drink.
"Thus the deal is struck. Thus the agreement is made. I'm going to Hell." She mumbled, then looked horrified and possibly nauseous. She swore a word Dean hadn't heard since he was in Hell, and bent closer to the angel. And kissed him. It happened so quickly that Dean blinked an almost missed it. Ruby was wiping her mouth, cringing. "Why is that necessary?" She said mostly to herself. "Demon's are just cruel."
Dean shuddered. "I got to agree – eww!" He gripped Castiel's hand tighter. "You okay in there buddy?" The fingers twitched in response. Dean was not quite sure that the angel had even felt the kiss. For Castiel's sake, Dean hoped he would not. The angel was bound to be traumatized enough.
Castiel was still blinking slowly. He exhaled loudly, and sucked in panting breaths. The angel's body tensed up. And went limp.
Castiel drove his head back in the pillow and arched his back, emitting a pain filled scream.
Ruby suddenly jerked up. "Wow. I have all of this power. This is amazing..." She listed on her feet. Sam steadied her warily. Castiel went quiet, completely still. Not even the sounds of his breathing could be heard.
"Ruby, take the collar off now!" Sam pushed her forward. She grabbed to the cool metal around the angel's neck. He lay there, still, not thrashing as he had before. She ran her fingers along it slowly. She pinched one spot between her fingers and twisted delicately. A metal sounding spring engaged, and the collar disappeared.
"Poof!" Dean muttered and leaned over to look at the angel. "Well that was anticlimactic. I expected it to burst into flames." Dean frowned when the angel did not respond. He dropped the angel's hand. It fell limply back to the bed, and bounced off the mattresses. "Cas, you in there?"
Dean felt a shiver go down his spine. He looked first to Sam who striding closer to stand at the angel's bedside. "Dean, is he breathing?"
Ruby backed away. Dean hobbled a quick step to stand by the angel's head. He bent over and placed his ear by Castiel's mouth. Dean could not hear anything, he could not feel anything, and the sheets above the angel's chest were not moving. Dean waited there for ten seconds before he looked up into his brother's eyes fearfully.
"Castiel!"
First off, everyone HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
As you all feel the giving, generous, holiday spirit, please take a few minutes and leave review. There like super awesome presents. Thanks to all you have been reviewing and especially those that take the time to think of someing critical, inquisitive, or even funny to say. I appreciate every single one of you! This story recently got three thousand hits which I think is amazing for only being posted for a month.
So, thank you for all your support. Last chapter will be up as soon as I finish it, and my lovely beta looks it over.
HAVE A VERY SUPERNATURAL CHRISTMAS!!!
(will anyone read it if I post during the holidays?)