A/N: Sorry for the lack of an update last week. I was away on a trip to Berlin and I didn't have much wifi. I say it every time, but I'm so grateful for all the support you guys have given to this story. Thanks in particular to fadedrage for the review!

Chapter 6

"CAS!" Dean roared as the three of them stumbled out of the house. Sam had gone dead weight in their arms and, if it weren't for Mary supporting his other side, Dean knew they'd never have made it out. They stared in shock as the prone forms of a few men in suits - probably Toni's supervisors - littered the driveway. Cas appeared in front of them, causing Mary to jump. Dean, being more used to Cas's sudden appearances and disappearances, reached out and clasped his friend's shoulder with his free hand.

"Cas, what happened?" He asked urgently.

Cas looked around ruefully. "They suddenly arrived in that car," he explained, indicating the large black SUV parked to the side. "They were going to enter the house; I put them to sleep as soon as I realised."

"Angels can do that?" Mary questioned, surprise in her voice.

"Yeah," Dean replied. "That, and a whole load of other weird crap. Cas, can you take Sam? I'm gonna go hotwire that thing."

"We're going to steal their car?" Mary demanded.

Dean shrugged. "We need a ride." He sighed, his voice dropping to a low mumble. "And I don't think Sam's going to be up to walking anywhere anytime soon." He shifted Sam's weight onto Cas's shoulders and strode over to the car and climbed in the front seat, realising too late that the driver's seat was on the other side. He cursed as he reached over at an awkward angle to grasp the wires under the wheel. He missed Baby already.

Mary sat in the back seat with her son's head cradled on her lap. Castiel sat shotgun next to Dean. She had heard the two of them exchange words in hushed whispers, but she hadn't been able to tell what they had been saying. She carded her fingers through Sam's knotted hair and studied his face as they drove along. Dean had shown her a few pictures of them that he had on his cell phone, but the man next to her was barely recognisable. He had grown up handsome, that much she could tell, but even at rest there were tight lines of pain around the edges of his eyes. Purple bruises from lack of sleep shadowed his face, making him seem far older than his years. She combed some crusted blood out of his hair and turned to Dean in the front seat.

"Dean?"

"Yeah?"

She hesitated. "What... What's he like?"

"Who, Sam?"

Mary made a noise of assent. Dean twisted in his seat and gazed thoughtfully at his brother for a moment before turning back round. A few seconds passed before he replied.

"He's smart. Like, freaky smart. Got into Stanford when he was 18 and got out of hunting for four years. Wanted to become a lawyer, white picket fence, the whole lot."

"He got out? Then why..." Mary's voice trailed off, unable to finish her question as thousands of possible scenarios ran through her head, each more terrible than the last. She saw Dean's shoulders tighten minutely and they sat in silence for a moment.

"I think it'd be best if Sam told you that himself," he quietly told her. Mary nodded in understanding and waited for Dean to continue.

"He's huge. A freaking giant, you saw. He was really little as a kid but then he just shot straight past me all of a sudden. I was so pissed." Dean chuckled. "Dad always said Sammy would grow up to be bigger than me. Guess he was right. Sam's also the best damn hunter out there, better than me, but don't ever tell him I said that."

Now it was Mary's turn to laugh. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell that Dean was smiling. She heard him give a small sigh. "We haven't exactly had it easy since you died, Sam especially. So much crap has gone his way and he's just taken it in his stride. I was supposed to keep him safe, it was my job to protect him, and I've failed so many times. And yet, after everything, he still manages to trust me."

The smile faded from Mary's face. "Dean... I know I haven't been here for you, but I can tell how much the two of you mean to each other. Whatever happened, whatever you did, you haven't failed Sam, and he'd be the first one to tell you that."

Dean grunted. "That's the problem. If there's one thing I know about Sam, it's that he'll always have my back, even if I don't always have his. Whatever I've said to him, whatever happens between us, I know he'll be there if I need him."

A comfortable silence fell over the group. Mary stared back down into Sam's beaten and bruised face, feeling like she was finally beginning to know him.

Dean checked the four of them into a cheap hotel next to a huge lake. So as to avoid arousing suspicion, Cas teleported with Sam up to their room, leaving Dean and Mary to climb up the four flights of stairs. Cas had laid Sam on the couch and was bent over him with a hand on his shoulder, brow furrowed in concentration.

"How is he?" Dean asked worriedly.

"He has suffered severe burns from what I believe to be a naked flame and several more from some form of electricity. There are multiple lacerations across his body from various sharp implements and the remnants of a mild sedative are still in his systems. The bullet wound to his left leg is also infected. I am able to heal his wounds but it will be a while before he wakes up."

"Those sons of bitches." Dean voice had grown quiet and there was a hard edge to it. He was glaring at the door like he was going to drive right back to Toni Bevell's house and murder them all. Which, given Dean's temperament and Sam's condition, was entirely possible.

"Dean," Mary warned. "Don't. Sam needs you here."

At the mention of his brother's name, all the fight seemed to leave Dan and he slumped down onto one of the beds, rubbing a hand across his face.

"I know. Okay, Cas, fix him up then we'll talk strategy."

Cas obliged, placing two fingers onto Sam's forehead. Instantly, all the wounds on Sam's body disappeared and his breathing evened out. The angel nodded in satisfaction and sat down on the other bed opposite Dean. Mary pulled up a chair in front of them and rested her head on a fist.

"What now?"

"Wait for Sam to get better, I guess," Dean started. "Then try and get more information about these British Men of Letters and what they wanted with us." He looked over at Cas and was surprised at the look of puzzlement on the angel's face.

"Cas?" He asked. "What's up?"

Cas started out of his reverie and looked up at Dean. "When we were driving here I felt a disturbance rip through the Veil. Some sort of supernatural energy is coming from the lake by the hotel and I fear for what it could mean. I must go-"

"Woah, Cas, slow down," Dean said, his voice rising. "You are NOT going there alone when we don't even know what we're up against."

"I will only be a moment. I can shield myself and scout out the area. If I need reinforcements, I will come back and get you immediately."

Dean still looked doubtful, but Mary laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Dean," she reassured. "I'm sure Castiel knows what he's doing, and, besides, the more information we can get, the better."

"I still don't like it."

"Neither do I," Cas interjected. "But we need information and I believe this may hold some answers."

"Yeah, and probably a million more questions," Dean protested.

"Dean, I won't fight with you over it," Cas stated, before vanishing into thin air.

"Dammit," Dean grumbled, rising to his feet. "I wish he wouldn't do that." He paced the room a few times, muttering to himself about dumb angel and stupid lakes whilst Mary watched, amused.

They'd been waiting for two minutes and Dean was starting to get worried.

"This is taking too long," he fretted.

"He did say he was going to search the whole place," Mary pointed out.

"Yeah, but Cas can usually scout an entire town in about two seconds. Perks of being an angel, I guess."

"Well, maybe something there caught his attention," she tried.

"He said he'd come straight back if he needed help."

Mary was at a complete loss for words and was struggling to come up with a response when Sam stirred on the couch. Dean's face immediately took on a look of concern and he rushed over to his brother, all other worries forgotten.

"Sammy? You with me?"

The fog in Sam's eyes cleared slightly and he focused on Dean, his face a mask of confusion.

"Dean?" He asked in disbelief. "You can't be here. You're dead. Am I..."

"Nope, and neither am I little brother. Amara had a change of heart." Out of the corner of his eye, Dean spotted Mary begin to move closer to them. He subtly motioned for her to stay out; he wasn't sure Sam would be able to cope with her resurrection just yet. A look of hurt flashed across her face, but she quickly nodded in understanding and backed off.

"What happened?" Sam demanded. "What about the- the soul bomb and Chuck and the Darkness?" His eyes blew wide with panic and he clutched at Dean's shirt. "Dean, the Men of Letters. They know who we are, they-"

"Sam, relax," Dean reassured. "You're safe, we got you out. Cas is just out investigating a lead and the Men of Letters..." Dean's voice trailed off and he shook his head. "I don't know Sammy. They just let us go."

Sam frowned and he tried to push himself up from the couch. Dean placed a hand on his brother's chest and pushed him back down.

"Woah there, Sasquatch. You're not going anywhere," he berated when Sam continued to struggle.

"Dean, I'm fine," Sam protested. When Dean refused to budge, Sam tried pushing his brother off him. "Dean, let me up. I-" Sam suddenly stilled as he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He stared in disbelief at the figure slowly coming into focus in front of him. "Mom?"

Cas stared at the woman in front of him. She reminded him of his sisters in Heaven, but she wasn't an angel, nor was she human or demon. He squinted at her in distrust.

"Who are you?"

"Fear not," she said, her voice high and clear. "I only seek to help. The world is in danger, Castiel. You must help us to save it."

"How do you know who I am?"

She smiled faintly. "I know many things, although I suspect you do not know me. My name is Freya. I have watched over these shores for many centuries and I keep guard of the souls that reside in the Veil. I am responsible for helping them pass into the next life."

"You're a Reaper?" Cas asked incredulously.

"I suppose that is what you would call me," she mused. "But, no, I am not. I am known as the Lady of the Lake and I am the only one of my kind."

"Why do you need my help?"

"It is not I who will require your services. Return to this place at sunset tonight. They will be here."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"Do I look like I'm lying to you? Dark things are stirring in the Veil; surely you have felt it too. If you do not do as I say, you and your friends will have no hope of defeating this new evil and the world will burn." Her voice grew quiet and soft. "Please."

Cas considered for a moment. If Freya was telling the truth then this was far bigger than anything they had ever experienced before. There was something in her earnest expression that compelled Cas to believe that was she was saying was true and, whilst this woman wasn't human, there was something deeply honest about her. He knew they had to do what she said.

"Very well," he sighed. "We will be here."

Freya smiled at him, then her form shimmered and faded into the air. Cas nervously twisted his hands into his coat and returned to the hotel.

A/N: Alright, we're getting close! I wanted to include the meeting in this chapter but then it would have been too long (I'm trying to keep each chapter to about 2000 words) so definitely next chapter. I'll update soon. Bye!