AN: Thanks to all of you for getting through these rather different chapters. Thanks Mummabro for liking the story direction and sharing your hopes for M. Thanks taytay127 too for calling the story both juicy and dynamite; that gave me a little chuckle. I really do hope that this story has been enjoyable for you all. Thanks OldNarnia for the prod at my subconscious. I wasn't thinking of Les Mis directly, but it really must have been lurking in the hidden recesses of my mind. Lastly, Master's daughter I am glad that these characters have stirred up so much. Thanks all of you for the feels. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Cas had decided to stay at M's that night. He couldn't imagine feeling comfortable anywhere else. He would just worry about them. He was greatly unprepared for his choices though. He had left the office in a rush. He had his wallet and the keys for the bike, but not his jacket or his phone. M loaned him one of her larger tee shirts to wear to sleep and a pair of sweats that surprisingly fit.

"Well, now, look at you. Who would have guessed that we could wear the same size." She laughed a little at him wearing her Lilith Fair tee and settled in at the dining room table with a warm mug of tea. She pushed a second mug over to him and said. "Sit with me." Lil had been in bed for a few hours now and the two of them had done their best to not look worried in her presence. Now that she was safely tucked away, they both let their guards down.

"How about I take the first watch? You got less sleep than I did last night given that he got you up at 3:00 am. I can wake you up in a few hours to take the second watch." Cas was all business. What he would do if someone did show up in the night was another thing. If this morning was any indication, Cas was woefully unprepared for a physical altercation.

It was then that M reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a small gun. She slid it across the table. "Do you know how to use one of these?"

Cas did not touch it. He had never touched a weapon in his life. He did not want to start now. "No, I have no clue how to use that."

"Well, no time to learn like the present." She picked it up and tipped it to the side, showing him the safety. "This is a Beretta 3032. It holds 7 rounds with one extra in the tube. You get more bang for your buck with this gun. It is easy to use." She demonstrated the insertion and removal of the magazine. She showed him how to add the bullet to the tube. "Then it is just point, aim, shoot."

"I don't know if I can shoot someone. It might be best if I don't have that." Cas was afraid of the gun, of what it meant.

"I won't be able to sleep if you don't take this." She pushed the gun over to him. "The safety is on. Make sure to switch it off if you need to use it." Cas reluctantly scooped the gun toward himself.

"Better?" M nodded at him. "Then go to sleep. I'll be down here." Cas sent her a smile as she stood to go.

"Thank you, Cas." She came over to him and placed a light kiss on his head. Her hand fell to his cheek and she smiled back with a look of resignation playing out in her eyes. She then turned and walked out of the room. Cas lingered at the table and tried his best to push aside the fear and the nagging thought that everything was coming apart.

He walked into the living room and saw M's phone on the coffee table. He decided to use it. Normally, he would not use someone's cell, but he figured that a woman that just gave him a gun would likely not mind giving him her cell phone too. He turned it on and it was not passcode protected. Odd. He assumed that someone like M would have passwords on everything. He dialed Sam's number. There was only one ring before it was answered. "Hello." The brusque greeting came through the phone.

"Hello, Sam." Cas began.

"Oh, thank God. It's him, Dean." There was a shuffling sound in the background as Dean apparently was wresting the phone away from Sam.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." Dean's first words were angry and relieved all at once.

"I'm okay." Cas didn't know what else to say.

"You took off. Sam didn't know where you went. I've been climbing the walls. Where are you?"

"I'm at M's. This is her phone. I think that I left mine in the office."

"Well, that explains why you didn't reply to my five million frantic texts and voicemails." Dean paused then. "So, this is M's phone that you are on?" There was more to the question. Cas understood what was implied by it and decided to be cautious with his words in case they weren't so private.

"I need to meet up with you." Cas was trying to be subtle. He needed Dean to return the file. He knew that Dean had it. He had to have it. There was just no other explanation for where it was that made sense.

"Of course, tell me where M lives, and I'll be there." Dean sounded like he would run here if Cas just gave him the least little details about where M lived. Cas didn't want that. Dean could not be here. They were likely being watched. It had to be some place public and loud.

"No, we can't meet here. It needs to be someplace public, and removed from M's daughter Lil. I don't want her anywhere near this. Also, not tonight. M just got to sleep and I won't leave her and Lil alone."

Cas could tell that Dean was struggling with the idea that he would not see Cas tonight. The pause in their conversation was lengthy and filled with a type of communication that Cas understood. When Dean finally spoke it was clipped and businesslike, "Skybar, tomorrow night at 10. Do you know the place?" Cas knew the place. It was usually full of hipster 20 somethings and low lighting. The usual bands were large and had at least four different types of horns. The last time that he was there, they had a cellist playing with three trumpeters and a large black man in an old 30's era suit. They were fun to watch. It was not the type of bar that would, he imagined, normally draw someone like Dean. He was surprised that this was the first place that Dean had come up with.

"Yes, I know the place. We'll exchange information." He over enunciated the last word. He was worried that Dean did not understand just how important the files were, that they had to be brought with him. M's life depended on this and, he thought, so did his.

"I understand." The silence fell on them again. Cas could hear Dean's breathing so he knew that he was still there. "We could just stay on the phone. We don't have to talk."

"Okay. I'm afraid to talk."

"Hmm. Then just hold the phone and know that I am here."

Cas held the phone to his ear and pulled his legs up to his chest. He didn't speak again. He just listened to the slowing of Dean's breath through the phone. He felt it calming him. It was a sea washing over his fragile emotions. It was a promise of life. It was too far away and at the same time all that he could cling to in this world. At the same time he was drowning, and there was likely nothing in the world that this man could do to save him. He worried. He rocked about in his seat. He felt everything closing in, and he felt powerless to stop it.

Review, Fav., Follow. The encouragement that these reviews and favs give me is quite immense. Thanks for all of it. P.S. the story is now over 100k because you all made me keep writing. Thanks for that. :) Also, I know that the chapters have been a little short lately. The next one is rather huge. 'Till tomorrow then.