Please see prologue for disclaimers/warnings

A/N Hi, hi... only 3 more to go after this. Thanks again for reading/reviewing :)

Part 3 B

There was very little light in the room Sam and Castiel had sought refuge in. Despite the fact that the corridor they had traveled had a clear red exit sign above it, the doors at the end turned out to be solid steel and were sealed quite effectively from the outside. Turning back the way they came, Castiel still leaning heavily on Sam, and Sam dragging himself along with increasing weariness at every step, they finally found this small control room to regroup, to catch their breath.

Now, Castiel sat slumped unceremoniously in the corner, while Sam balanced himself on a backless stool in front of the switch panel. Both were worse for wear. Blood was smeared on Sam's face where he had tried to wipe it away from his nose with a sleeve and his brow was knitted together in obvious pain. Bruises and dried blood mottled Castiel's face in stark relief to his pale skin while blood seeped from his left ear in a dark rivulet, pooling on his collar.

"The holy water in the sprinklers was a nice touch," Castiel said wearily.

"I wasn't completely sure it would work," Sam said. "I guess I'm not so far gone that I can't manage a reservoir of holy water."

"I already knew that."

"Well, that makes one of us," Sam breathed quietly.

I wasn't able to finish the death sign," Castiel said, chin dropping slowly to his chest. "The souleater is weakened only. It will recover quickly."

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Sam asked...demanded really, abandoning his stool and sliding down beside Castiel. "You know...this thing that wants to eat my soul."

"I suspected," Castiel said, voice deeper than normal, much weaker too, "I wasn't sure though... at first."

"What is she? What's a souleater, and what does it want me for?"

"It's very old," Castiel replied. "An ancient creature, but very easily influenced. A creature that binds souls. Eats them... in a way. You could think of the souleater as a leash. Once a soul is bound to it, whomever controls it controls the souls in its possession. This one is controlled by demons. Hell wishes to harness your power, and since you would surely not give in to them willingly... they have sought a method to... compel you."

"I felt drawn to her... to it," Sam said thoughtfully.

"Once it... imprints...it attempts to pull the soul in," Castiel said, more slowly, eyes closing, words slurring a little and stumbling from his mouth. He shuddered noticeably. "That is... it is likely... what you felt."

"Cas," Sam asked, concerned, hand reaching for Castiel's sleeve, "are you okay?"

"Sorry...I'm having trouble... I think... I think I'm going to vomit."

Sam quickly snatched up some old newspapers scattered nearby to catch it, but Castiel closed his eyes, pale and sweating, and managed to hold the sick feeling down.

"You definitely have a concussion, Cas," Sam said. "You must have one mother of a headache too."

"As do you... I can see...your abilities are taxing you more extensively than before," Castiel said squinting at him. "You can't fight these demons right now. Nor can I. We are both too weakened."

Sam shook his head in denial knowing nothing good could follow that statement, but Castiel continued anyway.

"Listen to me Sam... You might have a chance to get out of here. I can't heal myself... I don't know if I could even walk on my own right now. You will be more mobile if you go without me. I could... serve as a distraction perhaps."

"No way, Cas!" And Sam was outraged. "What makes you think I would leave you here. Let them take you, hurt you, kill you. Is that what you think of me? That I've fallen so far that I would sacrifice a friend?"

"You don't understand, Sam..." Castiel paused for a few seconds to slow his breathing, more pale than before... then, "They cannot find you. Are you aware of how dangerous that would be?"

Sam just looked at him. "There has to be another way."

Castiel closed his eyes, struggling with his breathing again. And this time he was sick, but the papers were there next to him and he turned his head toward them just in time. Afterwards, the smell was rank and almost made his stomach heave again. He paused for a moment, and when he was sure he was done, folded the papers over, wiped his mouth with a corner of the sports section, and pushed the whole mess an arms length away.

"That was unpleasant," Castiel gasped, then closed his eyes, head against the wall. Sam rested a hand lightly, tentatively on the angel's shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry, Cas," Sam said sadly. "I'm sorry I got you into all of this. You're an angel of the Lord, for God's sake. You should have killed me when you first came down here. You shouldn't even be here right now. You should be up in Heaven right now... and not..." And then Sam's eyes suddenly widened, hands falling forgotten to his sides. "You should be in Heaven... you should be..."

After a lengthy pause, Castiel opened his eyes again, slowly, wary of the sudden silence. Sam sat next to him quietly wiping old blood off the knife onto his jeans.

"You can't think that hurting yourself is the answer," Castiel said, alarmed.

"No... of course not." Sam said, and pulling himself to his feet, stood next to one blank wall. Then he dragged the sharp side of the blade across his forearm and began to draw on the wall in his own blood.

"Sam... no...don't," Castiel protested, trying to struggle to his feet.

"But it's perfect, don't you see?" Sam replied, working on the angel-banishing sigil on the wall, not pausing in his task in the slightest. "I send you away... but I'll be holding on to you... we'll both be sent to Oz."

"There can be no certainty that it will work," Castiel said, finally managing to stand, leaning against the wall.

"Then you would come back for me," Sam said reasonably.

"It would take too long," Castiel said. "They would have you by then."

"Anyway," Sam repeated at length, "I'm sure it'll work."

Castiel just stared at him, doubtfully.

"What? Your clothes went with you when Dean sent you away, right?" Sam said more than asked, as if that explained everything, shoulders shrugging in a dismissive gesture. "I figure if I'm close enough, I'll be caught in the same effect."

"And if it you're not?" Castiel asked. "You'll still be here... with them."

"It'll work. Don't worry." Sam seemed convinced but Castiel only shook his head slowly, eyes drifting down.

"I still don't know if this is a good idea," Castiel said. "I will be weakened after... everything... then the banishment... I might not be able to..."

"It's better than staying here," Sam interrupted.

"Point taken," Castiel said. "However... my brethren will be there. They must not see you. They cannot know."

There was a short pause as Sam processed this, bloody hand suspended in mid air. He now felt he should have thought of this before. "You're going against orders, aren't you? It was never your plan to kill me. Was it?"

"I think I have an alternative," Castiel said glancing away again. "They would not understand."

"What about me?" Sam asked, hand dropping, the sigil forgotten. His voice got louder as he continued. "Would I 'not understand' either? Why haven't you shared this... alternative? It obviously concerns me."

"I wasn't sure if..." Then Castiel paused, then looked contrite. "I'm sorry, of course we will discuss it."

Then they both heard it. A muffled noise, something falling heavily, footsteps finally stopping in front of the door. It was only a matter of time after all. They had been found and any discussions would have to wait until later. Sam hastily completed the sigil he had started and it was just done as the first jolt slammed against the door. Castiel had sunk once again to the floor and Sam had to lever him up next to the markings so he could reach. Sam positioned his hand, readying himself to activate the sigil, then the voice came and he stopped.

"We know you're in there," Mary's voice seeped under the door, beckoning. "Come to me Sam..."

Sam was frozen. The call was strong, pulling him again, pulling his soul. Finally, eyes glassy and blank, he left Castiel to lean against the wall and started toward the door, hand moving toward the latch.

"Sam!" Castiel said sharply, jolting Sam out of his trance.

Once again, Sam found himself trying to physically shake the souleater's influence from his head. Then, blinking hard and steeling himself, he turned back and reached for Castiel.

"Be ready... keep your eyes closed... whatever you do... and do not let go," Castiel said, giving hurried instructions between too fast breaths as he concentrated on keeping his knees from buckling. The renewed pounding at the door nearly drowned out his words. "Once we are sent from here, providing this does indeed work, I will transport us away immediately." The angel shook his head minutely. "I can only pray that I will be strong enough. We will have the element of surprise though. With any luck, the others will not follow."

"We're going to heaven?," Sam asked, slightly dazed.

"No," Castiel said. "Just somewhere... nearby. It will be just as dangerous though."

The door was now perilously close to giving way under the onslaught of the demons outside. Sam turned back to the sigil and, gripping Castiel hard, slammed his hand into the center of the drawing. He could still see the flash of bright light despite tightly closed lids and he hoped his eyes weren't burning out anyway. Then there was a horrible pulling and rending through his body, and deeper still Sam felt as if he were being pulled through the eye of a needle, quite literally. He heard Castiel's screams, and realized they were mingled with his own. And then they were gone, leaving the frying pan for what Sam could only assume was going to be the fire, despite its Heavenly connotations. When the door at the Scare Stroll at last burst open, it was to an empty and darkened room and the smell of ozone.