A/N: Thanks for all the reviews/favs! As corny or cliché as it is, they certainly help me write and get through all the dreaded studying I have to do. -_-
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Lilith followed the tall man's steps at Lucifer's order. Despite the fact that Alistair was being paid for this job, their Lord still didn't trust him. He was, after all, maniacal, and even though it was a trait that Lucifer admired, he was not willing to put his complete trust in the man. So Lilith was stuck following the man's every move.
Alistair had found the pair's boat and picked up their trail easily when they reached the forest. She hated to admit it, but the man was good, even with all that crazy in him.
"This way," he informed and led the group into the forest.
"Why would they willingly step into the Forest?" Lilith wondered aloud. She didn't understand the logic behind the pair they were chasing. "No one's ever made it out alive." She even got chills as they stepped over fallen branches, gazing around the darkening forest.
A weak chuckle sounded and she directed her attention to Alistair. "That's what they want you to think," he commented in a sing-song voice that sent chills down Lilith's spine. The man was disturbed, had a thing for the dark and twisted. Of course he would be at home here.
"Sir?" Another Demon called out from several paces ahead, alerting their attention.
In a swift movement, Alistair approached the Demon. He indicated a fallen Hellhound and Alistair crouched down to investigate. "The body is still warm," he said with amusement, laughing. "They were here not too long ago."
"I can't find their tracks, sir," The Demon commented. "They just disappear."
"They had help," Alistair stood and walked the perimeter of the area. "Whoever's helping them knows a thing or two about hunting, I imagine."
"Perhaps the beast consumed them before it met its demise?" Lilith suggested. The Hellhound looked awfully bloated to her. But to be honest, she had never seen one up close like this.
"No. The prints tell a different story. They had help. Ah-ha," Alistair kneeled to the ground, picking up an empty shell from a gun. "Yes. They certainly had help indeed." He let out a low chuckle that disturbed Lilith.
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Castiel walked beside Bobby, with Dean trailing a few paces behind. Bobby had been telling them stories about the city, and ever the one for knowledge, Castiel listened intently. "Before the war with Lucifer, this was once the greatest city in all of Purgatory. Michael and his Hunters ruled with careful wisdom."
"So Lucifer and his Demons destroyed everything?" Castiel inquired, stepping over a large log.
Bobby nodded solemnly as they reached the outskirts of the city. "It was a brutal war, and when Lucifer won, he only wanted to feel the good, not the bad."
They walked, no one willing to say anything further. Castiel glanced around, noting the crumbling walls of the ancient city. Everything reminded him of something he would have seen in a history text. It was hauntingly beautiful, even in the dimming light.
Bobby stopped after a few more minutes of quiet walking. "Believe it or not, this was once the throne room." In front of them was a small clearing, with young trees just beginning to grow. At the center was a stone seat that was crumbling like the rest of the city. "We'll make camp here. You, boy, go get some wood," he ordered Dean.
Grumbling, Dean sauntered from the area. "Is there anything I can help with?" Castiel asked.
"When he gets back, start a fire. Gets cold at night. There's some fruit here," Bobby replied, motioning to a small pile of strangely shaped fruit. "Don't want to risk hunting with those Demons about. I'll stand guard," he continued as he pulled his gun out and walked off towards the edge of the clearing.
With nothing to do, Castiel wandered about their makeshift camp. It was strange, being here. There was an unmistakable sadness that hung in the air. And all of this was because of Lucifer? He shivered, partly from the chill in the air, but mostly in fear of the prospect of meeting the man.
Dean returned only a few minutes later with an armful of logs. They went about setting the fire, and once it was lit, the two sat near, basking in the warmth. Castiel finished off a piece of fruit, finding its sweet taste almost addicting.
"So, Cas, tell me about yourself," Dean said, glancing at the Angel. They had all night, they might as well talk.
Castiel shrugged, "There's not much to tell. I'm nothing special, really."
Dean gave him a hard look, "I doubt that. What about family? Friends?"
The Angel stared at Dean for a long moment, before breaking his gaze and looking up at the sky. "When I was twelve, my Dad left. Gabriel, my brother, he had to drop out of college to take care of me. But everything turned out okay, I guess." Then, with a smile, he added, "He's also dating my best friend, Sam."
"Sam, huh?" Dean commented, watching the dark-haired man. "I have a little brother named Sam."
"Where is he?" Castiel asked, turning his gaze back to Dean.
Dean frowned, shrugging. "Been a few years since I've seen him. We used to be close, but then Lucifer and everything happened. Sam was tired of it. He ran."
It was a painful memory, the day Sam decided that he was sick of Lucifer and the 'feel-good' drugs. Sam had begged Dean to come with him, but he stayed. He couldn't leave his home. He still couldn't. There was too much to do here, too many people that needed help. Lucifer had all of Purgatory so clouded that people couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. The few that had any sense left in them were seeking refuge in the Library.
But he knew it wouldn't be long before Lucifer destroyed that too.
Neither spoke, Dean watching the fire and Castiel staring up at the sky. The stars looked the same and he leaned back, "Is it really possible?"
"What?" Dean turned to look at Castiel, watching the light of the fire dance across the younger man's features.
"Can we make a deal with the Demons?"
"I've only met the guy once. He works part time at the casino. But as long as you've got that amulet, you've got a chance."
Castiel frowned, tilting his head. "You? What happened to 'we'?"
Dean sighed, and when he spoke after a long moment, there was a hesitance to his tone, "I can't leave, Cas. Purgatory's my home. I can't abandon it, despite what I said. I have to stay and fight."
Castiel was surprised, "What?"
"Being here, seeing what's become of this great kingdom? It's a bit of a wakeup call, Cas. There are hundreds of refugees hiding underground, all counting on me."
The Angel blinked, "But, didn't Crowley say he wanted you dead?" He couldn't figure out why Dean would stay behind when it seemed like everyone in Purgatory wanted him dead. As though no one would appreciate what Dean was willing to do to help them.
Dean shrugged. "I turn up with the amulet, he might forgive me."
Castiel looked away, finally understanding. Everything seemed to come back to the amulet. He knew how important it was, but he had hoped that Dean would have been more interested in him rather than the trinket. He suddenly felt guilty at his thoughts. Here he was, pining after the guy sitting next to him, when there was a whole world out there that needed saving.
The crestfallen look on the Angel's features made Dean's gut churn. "Don't worry, I'll get you home safe and sound first," he assured.
"And Balthazar?" Castiel asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"You have to forget about Balthazar. If we try to break him out of the casino, it'll only alert Lucifer. It'll make your escape impossible!"
Castiel stood, no longer wanting to be near the other man, "So you were just leading me on, back there?" He was angry and he didn't trust his voice with any more than that. He shut his eyes, breathing slow and deep, trying to calm down.
"It's suicide, Cas," Dean continued, wishing that the Angel would see his reasoning. But Castiel kept his back to him and Dean sighed, "Balthazar's a lucky guy."
The Angel blinked, turning to look at Dean. "What?"
"Nothing," Dean mumbled and stood as well. "It's late and we all need our rest. We can argue about this tomorrow." With that, he walked out of the light of the fire and disappeared from sight.
Castiel almost crumbled to the ground, body shaking. He knew Dean was right, but he couldn't leave Balthazar behind. He would hate himself for the rest of his life if he left him in that casino. If he didn't do everything he could to help him, he wouldn't be able to live with that knowledge.
He slept for maybe a couple hours and woke when it was still dark. Dean was slumped against a tree, sound asleep. Bobby, he could hear snoring just on the other side of camp.
Castiel sighed, pulling off the trench coat and folding it neatly, laying it on the ground where he had been sleeping. He left camp as quietly as he could walking in what he hoped was the right direction. He reached the outskirts of the ancient city just as dawn broke, and slumped against a tree that overlooked it. He was panting softly from the hike when he heard it.
A soft whine caught his attention and Castiel slowly turned to face the sound. A small white dog stood staring at him, dark patches of fur around the brown eyes. When the dog caught the Angel's eyes, it woofed and wagged its tail. Castiel blinked in confusion, "Fenrir?"
When the dog barked and appeared to be smiling, Castiel knew it was his and his brother's dog. "How… I thought…" It had been years since he had seen the animal as it had run off chasing a cat, only to be hit by a car. He and Gabriel had been devastated at the loss of their canine friend, and their father had tried his best to console them. But that had been years ago...
Fenrir barked again and spun around, running in the other direction. "Fenrir, come back!" Castiel called out, running after the dog. He was really getting tired of all this running. He almost tripped twice, and succeeded a third time, landing flat on his face. When he looked up, Fenrir was a few yards away, wagging his tail as if to say, "Wanna play?"
Groaning, Castiel got up and the dog ran off again. "Come back!" But he froze when he spotted a door in the middle of the forest. It looked like a bomb shelter, but the door was wide open. He lost sight of Fenrir, glancing in every direction to find the dog. When his gaze returned to the door, he faltered.
Did Fenrir go inside? But that would imply the door had been open already, because there was no way a dog could open a door. Walking forward cautiously, Castiel entered the doorway. Once he was inside the strange shelter, he heard Fenrir bark from behind him. Castiel spun around, spotting the dog standing outside, just before the door slammed shut.
He recognized the door. An Albert Einstein poster hung on it with tape. Glancing around the room, he realized he was in his childhood bedroom. "Dad?" He called out, his voice sounding years younger. A feeling of dread hit him as he remembered the night their father left. That feeling that he did something wrong to make his father angry with him.
Castiel blinked as a bright light burned his eyes. When he opened them again, he realized he was still slumped against the tree where he had rested before he found Fenrir. It had all been a dream.
He stood and began walking, albeit a bit shakily. That dream had stirred up unwanted memories. He supposed his talk with Dean last night may have triggered the dream, or possibly the stress of his entire situation. Forcing the memories away, he continued walking.
It felt like hours before Castiel suddenly found himself at the edge of a forest, the sun high above now that he could see the open sky. Ahead appeared to be some sort of grassland, though he could see no sign of any sort of civilization. When he moved forward, dark figures appeared in front of him. When he spun around, intending to run, he found the tall man behind him.
The look in the man's eyes gave Castiel a chill and his voice sent warning bells off in his mind, "Hello, little Angel. You look like you could use a little company," the man said as he approached, a grin splitting his face.
Castiel gulped.
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Dean jolted awake at the sound of a bird cawing in panic. Bobby was already up and pacing around their makeshift camp. "What the hell was that?" The younger man asked, looking around.
"Someone's tripped off the warning sign," Bobby responded as he gathered his gear.
Dean frowned when he couldn't find Castiel. "Where's Cas?" He asked but Bobby paid no mind as he loaded his gun and made sure it was working properly. Dean found the trench coat folded neatly a few feet away and cursed, kneeling down to retrieve it. "Son of a bitch!"
At his exclamation, Bobby turned to the younger man with a raised eyebrow.
"I need a horse, Bobby," Dean said angrily. They made quick work getting back to the stable on the outskirt of the city. As Dean saddled the horse he rode yesterday, he said, "You don't have to come with me, Bobby."
"The hell I don't. You led that Angel to me for a reason. Fate or destiny, whatever. But you'll never find him without my help."
And Dean knew the Hunter was right. The man knew these woods a helluva lot better than Dean did, and had survived for countless years. "I know where he's going," Dean said, thinking of the headstrong Angel and his determination to do things his way. "But yeah, I could use your help."
Bobby nodded and finished saddling his own horse. They took off, heading east towards Lucifer's casino.
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A/N: We're more than halfway through with this story! Where has the time gone? I've got two weeks until finals, so I'm definitely going to try my best to get one more chapter out before then. Maybe even two?
And I couldn't resist throwing Gabriel's dog in there! As for the name, Fenrir is a monstrous wolf and the son of Loki (Gabriel) in Norse mythology. I thought it might be appropriate.
Now, time to sit here and wait (im)patiently for the new episode tonight! Maybe studying will help the time pass more quickly…
Oh, and on a side note: I've signed up to do a Dean/Cas Big Bang fic on livejournal, I'm so excited! I chickened out last year and didn't even bother to sign up, but this year, I'm going for it. :D I've got a few ideas loitering around in my brain for a story.
Comments, questions, or concerns are greatly appreciated!