Six weeks later
Sam lay on the bed in the panic room, his face and body now still after the spasms that had racked his body just a few minutes earlier. Dean and Bobby were upstairs, Alice could see that Dean was out of his mind with worry and that after holding her tight when they'd first come in with Sam, he'd sought solace in booze and distance. She sat next to the bed, watching Sam closely, occasionally she'd place a cool cloth on his forehead as you do when a child is sick, feeling powerless to help with the events unfolding in front of her.
Bobby came down, and stood in the doorway watching Sam, "Cas has betrayed us," was all he said. Alice looked up, and her heart sank as she realised what that would do to Dean.
"What now?" she asked. Steeling herself for the answer she didn't want to hear.
"We go and deal with the son of a bitch, Alice, I need to talk to you please," Dean had appeared behind Bobby and his face was full of pain and grief as he spoke. She got up and went to him; he held out his hand and led her up the stairs.
"Things are getting out of hand. I don't know what he's up to, but it's something to do with the King of Hell, and purgatory and souls. None of it's good, and I don't want you near any of it. I need you to be safe. I need to know that when I'm out there dealing with this crap that you're not in danger. Please Alice. Promise me you'll be safe. I can't do this without you in the world, but I can't be with you. We can't be together. Not now. I love you, I'll love you for always, but you're just a novice and this is bad. You make me vulnerable and I can't be that now, not with Sam like this. Alice, oh God, Alice, I'm sorry."
Tears ran freely down Alice's face as she listened to his speech, his eyes filled at the sight of her crying and he pulled her in close. "It's not for forever, sweetheart, I'll come back and make it work. I will, if it's the last thing I do. It's just for now."
"I love you Dean," said Alice, and with that she went upstairs to pack. Dean watched her as she walked up the stairs, his face stricken, but confident he'd made the right choice for all of them.