Chapter 10

Castiel sat on the recliner, staring outside the window.

The snow was falling down faster and faster, thicker and thicker.

His thoughts wandered to Dean, then Claire. He pondered a new escape plan. He'd have to be more thoughtful about it this time through, since Claire and Sam would have to come with him this time.

Castiel stood and paced the room, pondering situation to situation.

Each had its flaws. And each was trumped by a new plan that had perhaps as many flaws as the next.

If he went for Claire first, Sam would be heavily guarded. If he went for Sam first, Claire would be heavily guarded. If he appeared in their rooms, they'd be stopped before they could get out of the manor.

Castiel sighed, exasperated. He sat back down and prayed for a solution.

The door opened.

"Hey, Clarence, why so moody?"

Castiel looked at Meg, confused.

"What are you doing here? You should be with Dean trying to—"

"We can't do that till tonight," she said. "Are you coming or not? Who knows how long it will take for Crowley to get back from Hell."

"What?"

"Dean exorcised him," she summarized.

"Oh. What about Sam and Claire?"

"Already got them," she said. Castiel stood and followed her out. The demons glared at them as they passed.

"Is it just me—"

"No," Meg whispered. "It's not. I'm not that popular with the rest of the girls for being Prom Queen."

"Please, clarify."

"Do I have to? It makes me sick thinking about it."

"Fine, don't, but you're sure we just need to walk out?"

"They won't attack," she hissed. "If Crowley's not here, I'm the acting leader until he returns."

Castiel furrowed his brow, but didn't press any more questions. Sam and Claire were waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. Their hands were bound behind their backs and their mouths gagged.

Another demon grabbed Castiel's wrists and pinned them behind his back, locking them together with cuffs. Then he too was gagged.

"You'll have to forgive the treatment," Meg said to them, "Can't have any trouble on the way to your new prison. Come on."

They were led outside. Meg gave the lackeys leading them coordinates and they vanished, reappearing in a motel room. The confused demons looked at Meg, who smirked while Dean recited a quick exorcism.

Sam, Claire, and Castiel jumped out of the traps and Meg unlocked their wrists.

Once the exorcisms were complete, the bodies thudded to the ground.

"How much time do we have left?" Sam asked.

"Three hours," Dean said. "You guys all right?"

"As all right as can be expected," Claire said, rubbing her wrists. "You two are idiots for coming. How could you not tell it was a trap? I could have handle Crowley."

"Cut them some slack, Sweetie," Meg said. "They're men. That's what they do. They think they're chivalric, but they're all just idiots." Sam glared at Meg. She blinked at him. "What? It's true."

"Misandrist," Dean muttered.

"Chauvinist," Meg snapped back.

"I'm not chauvinist!"

"And I'm not misandrist. Telling the truth is not the same as misandry."

"What is wrong with being chivalric?" Sam snapped.

"Other than chivalry is a form of chauvinism?" Claire asked.

"Can we stop debating gender studies and take care of the real problem at hand?" Castiel snapped. They stared at him.

"All vote for Cas' solution?" Sam asked, raising his hand. Three other hands rose into the air.

"But this isn't over," Dean said.

Claire and Meg stuck their tongues at him.

"Women…"

"What?!"

"Dean," Castiel snapped, "Drop it."

#

The night was clear and cold. The icy air bit their skin and stung their throats when they breathed in. Claire shivered. It had been cold, but not this cold.

With numb fingers, Sam drew a devil's trap with graveyard dirt, littered on the snow laden lawn. Claire set up candles at each point of the trap. Meg lit them.

"That's it?" Castiel asked.

"No," Sam said. "We need different kinds of blood."

"Could you clarify?" Meg asked.

"About a drop from each of the following," Sam said. "The demon, the damned, the righteous, the angel, and the virgin."

"What differentiates the demon and the damned? And while we're at that, what differentiates the righteous and the angel?"

Sam and Dean exchanged looks. "He's damned," Sam said.

"And he's righteous," Dean said, nudging Sam.

"Ah. And our virgin?"

"Me," Claire said. Dean stared at her, bewildered. "Really? You're looking at me like I'm a sea urchin? Is my being a virgin offensive to you? Well, no wonder you're the damned, pervert."

"I prefer party boy," Dean said, smirking.

Claire wrinkled her nose, disgusted. "You're repulsive. I value spirituality above sexuality."

"You need to learn how to have fun."

"There are plenty of fun things to do that don't involve fornication."

"Will the virgin and the damned get back into their corners?" Meg shouted. Claire and Dean glared at her, but she ignored them.

Meg slit her palm and let bled onto the candle, passing the knife to Castiel.

Once everyone had bled on their candle, Sam began to chant in a dead language that sounded vaguely like Hebrew or Arabic.

The wind blew faster, howling around them, but the candles held their flame. The moon was blocked by clouds rushing at them.

Meg collapsed.

"Castiel!" she shouted. "Now! Please! Kill me!" Castiel helped her up and pressed his palm against her forehead. "Thank you," she gasped before imploding.

Her body dropped to the ground, lying there, motionlessly.

"Grab onto something!" Sam shouted, seizing Claire's wrist. Castiel and Dean raced for the tree. Sam and Claire braced themselves behind a headstone. Demons tried to seize them and drag them down into hell.

The headstone broke and Claire shrieked, tearing at the grass. Sam jumped at her, grabbing her wrist again, his legs curled around a poll.

"Don't let go!" Claire shrieked. "Don't let go!"

"I'm not letting go!" Sam promised, "Give me your other hand!"

Claire stretched her free hand out and Sam took it in his free hand, pulling Claire back. He wrapped his arms around the poll and Claire latched her arms around his waist, breathing heavily.

With howls and shrieks, the gates closed and the wind died down. The clear sky was a welcome sight.

Dean and Castiel came out from behind the tree, a little shaken, but otherwise alright.

"Sam? Claire? You guys okay?" Dean asked.

"We're fine," Sam said, standing. Claire refused to let go, shaking so violently, she could barely stand.

"How you doing, Princess?" Dean teased. "Challenging enough for you?"

"Don't call me Princess," Claire tried to snap, but it came out shaky and quiet. "How did you manage to do that last time? No demon would have agreed to do before."

"No," Sam said, "we stole blood from one last time. And another angel helped us out."

"Let's get out of here," Dean suggested. He and Castiel walked back toward the car. Sam led Claire after them.

"Wait!" Claire shouted. They stopped and turned to look at her. "My Dad."

"Claire, we were telling the truth. Your dad passed away."

"But Castiel is still inside my Dad. Are you even allowed to possess the dead?"

"It's never been done before, I admit, but I suppose it can happen."

"But you can't possess the dead. The dead can't give permission. If my dad was really dead, you'd have been expelled from his body. I did the research."

"Times change, so do the rules," Castiel said. "I haven't heard from your father since I returned."

"Did you hear from him even when you knew he was alive?"

"No, not always."

Claire released Sam and walked toward Castiel. She grabbed his coat. "Dad? Daddy?"

Castiel groaned, stepping back.

"Cas?"

"Cas, what's wrong?"

He fell to the ground, clutching his head.

"Castiel," Claire said, kneeling down on the ground. "Please, let me talk to my dad."

"Hey, Princess." His voice was a little higher, less throaty. "I don't have a lot of time before Castiel takes over again."

Claire embraced him, weeping. "Daddy."

"I missed you to," Jimmy said, stroking Claire's hair. "I wish I could have been there for you."

"It's okay. It's okay."

Dean and Sam exchanged looks.

We got to go.

Give them a moment, Sam thought back. Then we'll go.