Chapter 13

Castiel kept a strong hold on Oree as she trembled and moaned trying to throw off the cloud of terror. Dean stood beside them looking from Castiel to Oree wondering what he could do. He didn't like feeling this helpless when his little sister was suffering. Her face was a picture of agony and despair as she tried to breath.

"Cas, what's happening?"

"I don't know, I tried to read her, but something is blocking me." he said as he felt her racing heart pounding in her chest. "Aurora you need to calm down."

"Could she be having a panic attack?"

"I don't know what that is."

"Oree, kid come on you can snap out of it." Dean told her taking her from Castiel and holding her tightly in his arms. Oree's head snuggled in the nap of his neck as he began to rub small circles up and down her back. "Come on, feel my breathing, match yours with it, slow it down, slow."

Oree knew this touch and this smell, it represented safety. It was a place she was protected. Oree's breathing began to slow as her heart beat decreased. She could feel the strong, steady beat of a heart that let her concentrate on slowing hers down. As she calmed down, Oree knew she had to try to see more; she needed to know what happened to Sam if they were going to help him.

"Let me go, I need to feel." Oree told Dean pushing to make him let her go.

Reluctantly, Dean released her, but kept a hand on her upper arm. Oree steadied herself before patting Dean's hand making him let go. She stepped away from the two and walked toward a small clearing fifty feet in front of her. She raised her hands and closed her eyes drinking in the echo vibrations and waves of energy. She saw the after thoughts left behind by the living, wisps of energy swirling in the air. The closer she stepped the stronger the power bombarded her. Lingering psychic energy floated around her as she absorbed it letting it take her back to Sam.

Here, this was the place; this is where the epicenter of the activity came from. Standing completely still, she focused her mind pulling images of what happened here into her thoughts. She saw Sam walking into the clearing and look around. He made his way further in and stopped looking up quickly going into defensive mode. He had his gun drawn, surveying the area when suddenly an unseen force threw him backward to the ground. Sam tried to get up, but was knocked back down. Oree heard and felt his agony as something ripped his soul from his body and threw it through some sort of shimmering opening that collapsed on itself as soon as the soul passed through it. Sam's body lay still, void of life on the ground as the unknown being left. Oree collapsed to the ground as she tried to shoulder the pain Sam had suffered. Castiel and Dean were by her side, but she waved them back.

"What's happening to her?" Dean asked Castiel as he clenched his hands into fists feeling helpless.

"She's reading the area, Oree can see the energy left behind and see what happened." he tried to explain.

"What do you see?"

Castiel closed his eyes and listened. There had been something here, something very evil and ancient. This was a being he had never come across before. He opened his eyes and looked at Dean with fear and worry.

"Cas, what is it?"

"Something very evil was here."

"No!" Oree screamed as she fell to the ground sobbing loudly. She dug her hands into the dirt beating the ground madly. "I'm sorry!" she cried with such anguish and pain as she curled into a fetal position.

Dean was by her side, scooping her off the ground before she knew he was there. She struggled for a moment before going limp in his arms as she continued to cry unabashed. This was all about her, Sam disappearing, the missing people, it was almost too much for her to shoulder alone.

"Hey it's ok. I'm here." he cooed to her trying to calm her down.

"I-I-I'm gon' b' sic'..." she choked out as she tried to turn her head enough to throw up. Vomit ran down her chin and splattered on her arm and Dean's chest. She hiccupped as the sobs caught in her throat. The bitter taste of bile lingered in her mouth as she swallowed grimacing from the taste.

"Cas, get us to the hotel." Dean said as the odor assaulted his nose. He held back the urge to upchuck too.

Castiel laid a hand on both of them and took them back to their hotel room. Dean headed for the bathroom with Oree so he could help her clean up.

"Grab her some clean clothes." he instructed Castiel before sitting Oree on the commode.

"'orry." she slurred trying to hold her too heavy head up. The pounding in her head matched the pounding in her chest. She kept her eyes shut since the glare of the light made it hurt more. She used one hand to try and massage her temple hoping to ease the stabbing pain.

"Hush, its alright." he told her stripping off his coat and tossing it in the corner along with his outer shirt. Might a well start a laundry pile he thought.

Dean began to unbutton her coat and removed it throwing it on his. He wet a wash cloth and began to gently wipe her face cleaning off the dirt, vomit and tears. He rinsed the cloth and continued to clean her hands. Dean saw the vacant stare on her face and how lifeless she appeared. She wasn't protesting, but neither was she helping him. Her eyes had a glazed far away look and had lost the brightness in them.

"Dean." Castiel said softly holding out clean clothes.

"Thanks. Can you turn her bed down?"

"Of course." he said leaving to give them some privacy.

Without Oree's help, Dean slipped Sam's old tee over her head before unbuttoning her shirt to take it off. He worked her arms into the sleeves letting it fall down her body trying to be as discrete as possible.

"Come on kid, you gotta help me." Dean said pulling her up so he could strip her jeans off. Oree swayed as she stood by the sink letting Dean do the work. Once he had her clothes off, he picked her up and carried her into the other room and to her bed.

Castiel waited patiently by the bed as Dean laid her on the mattress. Oree was pale and her body was cool to the touch. He pulled the covers up over her body and tucked them tightly around her.

"I'm goin' to get her some pain meds." Dean told him looking through his pack for the first aid kit. "Can you get her some water?"

"Yes." he said going to the fridge to retrieve a bottle of water.

"Sis, take these." he requested holding two pills to her lips. Oree opened her mouth to accept the pills and a sip of water.

"Dee." she whispered hoarsely.

"Yeah kid?" he asked leaning down closer so he could hear her.

"It's my fault." she choked out before turning on her side and curling into a ball her shoulders shaking as she silently cried.

Dean looked at Castiel with a puzzled frown trying to decipher her words. He didn't know what she thought was her fault.

"Cas did you pick anything up out there?"

"There was something very old and evil in that place recently." Castiel relayed to Dean.

"Do you know what it is?"

"No, it was beyond by knowledge. It was a being I have never dealt with before."

"Think you can maybe contact some other angels and see if they know anything. If Sam was there, do you think that being could have attacked him and took his soul? Would it be able to do that?"

Castiel looked over at Oree, hesitate to leave her, but knew he was the only one capable of doing this.

"I will see what I can find out." he agreed disappearing in the blink of an eye.

spn

Dean pulled a beer from the fridge and made himself comfortable on his bed. He found the remote and began to channel surf looking for something to take his mind off everything going on. Until Oree could talk to them, there wasn't much he could do. Finding an old western, he settled down to watch and keep an eye on her. He closed his eyes for a moment before he was woke by whimpering noises coming from the other bed. Dean slipped off his bed and went to sit on Oree's pulling the covers down from her face.

"Kid, hey, it's ok, you're safe." he tried to assure her as he brushed her hair out of her face. "Come on Sis, I'm right here."

Not being able to take his sister's helpless cries, Dean pulled her, blankets and all, out of the bed and settled himself on his bed with Oree in his lap. He tucked her head under his chin and slowly rocked her as he hummed softly in her ear hoping to calm her down.

Deep humming and familiar words sung to her penetrated Oree's mind as she felt her body being moved and embraced in a tight hug. She listened to the steady beat of a heart and felt the deep breathing of a chest rising and falling against her own body. A chill still ran through her body as she snuggled closer to the warmth, trying to absorb it into her own. The chill had sunk so deep inside of her that she couldn't seem to get warm. It was as if her body heat had been drained out of her and she couldn't replace it.

The distressful whimpers slowly faded as Oree began to relax into his chest. Her breathing slowed and the shivering of her body eased up as Dean lovingly rocked her like a child. He kissed her forehead and started to lay her in his bed, but felt her stiffen and small hands wadded his tee tightly in them, holding on so he couldn't move her. Dean sighed and slid down in the bed making himself comfortable while still holding her close. After he settled down, Oree settled too.

Dean didn't know what she had seen, but one thing he knew it wasn't good. He was pretty sure she saw what happened to Sam. Hopefully she would be able to talk to him once she rested and let her strength build back up. He knew she was strong and would do whatever she needed to help Sam. He had no doubts they would find a way to solve this, they were Winchesters and Winchesters never gave up on family. With that thought, Dean let his mind drift on the wind taking it ever higher into the clouds and sleep.