Tick Tock

By

Ava Brett

Disclaimer

None of the characters mentioned in the below piece of fiction belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.

Author Note

So sorry for the delay in the story! I had started this chapter so many times but which time it just felt wrong but I think I finally have it right and ready to be viewed.

There shouldn't be such a long gap between this chapter and the next one you'll be pleased to know. I'm pretty sure I know what I want to do with the next chapter which is often a good start when it comes to writing it!

Anyway please enjoy!

Overall Summary

Dean is gone and time is running out because someone is playing a game with Sam and Castiel, someone wants them to lose but the price of losing is Dean's life. They have to find the clues and win. The clock is ticking… can you hear it? Because Dean certainly can…

Chapter Summary

Castiel brings Sam the book…

Overall Romance

Castiel/Dean Winchester, possibly Sam Winchester/OFC

Chapter Romance

None really… Sam's got way too much angst to deal with at the moment to think about getting it on with anyone…

Chapter Five

The things we do…

Sam breathed out noisily, throwing the book he had been attempting to read onto the cluttered surface of the small side table before he glanced down at his watch with a look of frustration on his face.

It had been over a hour since Sam had gotten off the phone to Bobby, over a hour since Castiel had disappeared from the motel room to collect the spell book from where it was being shown in New York. Sam had no idea how the Angel planned to do it, whether he would simply take it or whether he would replace it with something which would fool everyone who saw it into thinking it was the real deal. He didn't even know whether Castiel had thought that far ahead or whether he had even gone straight to New York. There was always the chance that Castiel had gone somewhere else first.

It was the only explanation Sam could think of to explain why Castiel hadn't returned to the room, normally whenever he did his teleporting trick he would be back within minutes of disappearing from their sight, looking unruffled and calm as though he had never gone anywhere.

There was only one other explanation Sam could think of and it was the one he didn't want to even think about. Castiel would never leave New York without that book, not when he knew the price of failing was Dean's life. Castiel wouldn't have lingered or taken his time to get there which could only mean that he had run into some trouble while obtaining it for them. Trouble which he would have to deal with alone. Sam hoped that Castiel was alright, not only because he respected the Angel and genuinely liked him but also because he knew that without the Castiel's help, Dean would be lost to them all.

Sam dragged both his hands through his hair, wincing when his fingers caught on the knots before he surged to his feet, pacing the floor and trying to ignore the feeling of dread which was taking root in his stomach, slowly spreading through him until he thought he might choke on it. Sam felt as though he had spent the majority of his time walking, either pacing the room of searching through the town for any sign of where Dean might be being kept hidden.

He hated feeling so useless and helpless and yet what choice did he have? He had tried everything he could think of to find his brother and it wasn't as if he would have been able to go to New York him self to get the book. He should have realised what Castiel would do and grabbed onto him, insisting the Angel took his with him just so Sam could feel as though he was doing something to help Dean. He needed to be doing something, anything to stop the thoughts and images plaguing his mind. He had already seen Dean die once, he didn't think he could survive it if it happened again, especially if the lunatic held true to his threat and sent Sam Dean's corpse.

Sam stopped pacing, a frown coming to his face. Just how long had the man been following them for him to know that Dean was killed by hell hounds. No human should have been able to know that, especially as neither brother ever spoke about it, the trauma the experience had brought to them wasn't worth reliving for any reason. Sam had been assuming that it had been a human who took Dean from them but what if it wasn't. God knew there were plenty of demons and other supernatural creatures who would give up a limb to get their hands on one of the Winchester brothers.

What if this was one?

Sam swallowed, a slight flicker of hope coming to him. Supernatural creatures and demons were something which he could deal with, he could kill them.

He breathed out noisily and glanced at the clock, biting down hard on his bottom lip when he realised that it was already eleven thirty. They only had thirty minutes until they had to be back in front of the diner with the spell book. The spell book which he currently didn't possess.

Sam turned, jumping when he realised that Castiel was standing directly behind him.

"Jesus Cas are you trying to give me a heart attack" he snapped, placing a hand over his heart as it continued to race.

"Your heart is in perfect working condition Sam" Castiel remarked calmly. Sam shook his head, dropping his eyes to the bundle which Castiel held under his arm. The book had been wrapped up in a blanket, hiding it from view.

"Is that the book?" Sam demanded eagerly, taking a step towards him. Castiel nodded his head.

"It is the book" Castiel confirmed. Sam stopped, feeling giddy with relief for a moment. They actually had it.

"Thank God" he swore, saying a silent prayer of thanks to a God he didn't even believe in anymore. Castiel frowned at his choice of word but remained silently, his blue eyes fixed on Sam as though he was waiting to see how Sam would react. "Can I see it?" he asked, surprised when Castiel shook his head, his grip tightening around his package.

"I do not think it would be advisable for you to look or touch this book Sam" Castiel answered after a pause, his gaze meeting Sam's with a look that chilled Sam to his core. That was the look Dean had jokingly referred to as Castiel smiting face. An expression which meant that the Angel meant business and expected to be obeyed.

"Why can't I see it exactly?" Sam demanded curiously. "It's just a spell book right? I've seen loads of them in the past."

Castiel placed the book on the table, frowning down at it as he lightly reached out and touched it, quickly taking his hand away as thought the book had burnt him through the material of the blanket. Sam wondered vaguely where Castiel had found the blanket in the first place.

"This book is tainted with evil Sam, it is perhaps the most powerful human artefact I have seen in a extremely long time. It's the sort of book which thrives off of human emotions and yours at the moment are strong and powerful due to your fear for your brother's life and safety. This particular spell book would feed off your negative emotions and therefore grown stronger like a parasite sucking blood from a victim. It should be taken to the vaults in heaven and kept there but-" Castiel's voice trailed off as a look of sheer frustration came to his face.

"But we need the book here on Earth so we can save Dean from being murdered" Sam finished for him with a heavy sigh. The whole situation was impossible to deal with and yet they had no other choice but to deliver the book. If they didn't then Dean would die. For a moment Sam wondered whether Dean would happily sacrifice his life if it meant keeping the book safely out of harms away, away from people who would use it to kill people. He probably would, Dean would have seen that as a good way to die, saving the life of other people but Sam couldn't do it. He couldn't live through Dean's death again, once had been hard enough. He spoke again. "So this guy wants this crazy powerful, emotion sucking spell book to-"

"Most likely to take over the world or at least destroy most of it" Castiel answered seriously. Sam blinked for a moment, his mouth falling open when he realised just how serious Castiel was.

"Bit dramatic don't you think Cas? You know with the whole emotion eating book and everything. I've heard of a hell of a lot in my time but never anything even remotely describing a book which can do what you say it can do" Sam finished off weakly as he met Castiel's gaze. A cold sweat covered him when Castiel began speaking.

"There is much in this world Sam which has been forgotten in the passage of time. Skills which were known and practiced in the past are now gone from existence, the knowledge lost for all time. The ability to make a book such as this, was one of them."

"What do you mean?" Sam croaked out.

"Demons were a great deal different back in the time when this book was created as were the Hunters who killed them. They were more powerful then you could imagine, you know this from when you fought Lilith, you saw first hand a small portion of what she was able to accomplish. The souls back then were a great deal more innocent, there was less exposure to corruption making their souls all the more powerful for anyone who wished to obtained them. To have such a soul in their keeping was a gift and many demons were willing to do whatever it took to gain them, including to teach humans things which they should never have been taught. This" he said, indicating the book with a wave of his hand. "Is the work of one particular demon, a second only to Lilith. I recognise his taint."

"What demon?" Sam demanded, sinking down onto the bed, his legs suddenly weak.

"His name no longer matters" Castiel answered instantly and for a moment Sam was positive that Castiel sounded almost afraid. "The demon in question was killed by Michael centuries ago in a great battle. This is the only part of him which remains now."

"So what you're telling me is that we're about to hand over this demon tainted book to some random psychopath. Jesus Cas, the stuff he could do with that book and the stuff which is in it. I-"

"What would you have us do Sam?" Castiel said, his voice quiet and full of intensity. "Abandon Dean to his fate?" Sam shook his head, running his hand down his face, feeling a wave of exhaustion hit him. He wished Dean was here, Dean would know what to do.

"There's nothing else we can do, not when he has Dean" Sam answered equally as quietly. Castiel searched his eyes for a moment before he nodded once.

"It is time for us to go Sam" he said picking up the book again. He looked at Sam who nodded, closing his eyes when he felt Castiel's fingers touch his forehead.

They had to do this for Dean, not matter how wrong it felt.

Author Note

Thanks for reading