Author's Note:

Damn, I messed up the order of the chapters again! This always happens when I post on this site (I mostly use my AO3 account). 21 was accidentally 22, or something, so we missed a chapter. Sorry for the confusion. Damn...

-M

When Dean and Cas left the inn and headed out into the streets of Lawrence, they were greeted by a hustle and bustle far greater than within their lodging. Horse drawn carts created a heavy traffic going, as well as people performing their jobs—folks carrying bags and bottles over their shoulders, some with fishing lines and others with objects neither of them recognized. They heard laughter, shouting, rapid chatting and the occasional whistling. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. A group of children went running down the street in front of them with carrying small bags and rolls of papyrus. They didn't know that they were going to school.

"Okay, now what?" Dean asked.

They had spent some time watching the people, but if they didn't want to be in Lawrence too long, they'd have to get started on their to do list.

"The library. It's part of the castle, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. But where's that?"

Cas narrowed his eyes. He peered down at his egg and touched it lightly.

"We'll have to ask someone."

"We could go back inside the inn," Dean suggested.

Cas smiled in response.

"Don't you think exploring the city is more fun?"

Dean shrugged.

"Sure," he said rather blankly.

They went down the main street and followed it a ways. To the left, there were houses. Women with eggs and babies were sweeping their porches or heading out to shop. A few had cauldrons in fires in their yards. Cas watched them as they passed and smiled more.

"It's different here," he remarked.

"Sure is," Dean said in a slightly grim tone. He sniffed and kept walking.

It wasn't very long until they ran into the merchant that had brought them to Lawrence. He saw Dean and Cas and waved to them. He was standing in front of his cart, which had been parked on one side of the street and the horses were nowhere to be seen.

"You missed your deal on salt!" he shouted. "I swore I'd see ya again! Too bad…"

Cas gave a week, happy shrug.

"We had to get our gold changed, and by the time were at the inn, we were too tired to find you. The city is overwhelming to say the least."

"Aah, I see."

The merchant folded his arms and looked over his shoulder. Bags of salt were sitting behind him.

"I'll cut you a deal, just 'cause I like you—I'll still sell you a bag for 2 gratz."

Dean and Cas looked to each other, shrugged, then Dean gave a small nod. They couldn't refuse his generosity at this point.

"Very well," said Cas. Dean handed him two gratz from his pocket. "We'll take a bag."

"Excellent!" The merchant cheered. He took the money gratefully and handed them the bag of salt. "I knew that'd be worth it! Hey, hey, where are you two headed?"

"We want to see the library at the castle," said Cas. "It's lucky you asked. Do you know where it is?"

"Castle's on the other side of the river-just follow the road to the west and take the bridge. It's obvious. See? You can tell where you're goin' 'cause the you can see the top of the castle."

He pointed and they followed the direction of his finger to where a large, grey building stood. It had pointed turrets and many small windows. Cas thought it was beautiful.

"Library's on the northern side," the merchant added.

"Thank you—very much."

Cas bowed softly and turned to Dean.

"Okay," said the alpha. "We're gonna go, then. Thanks for the deal."

"Yep!"

They walked away from the merchant as he waved goodbye, following the road to the west. It curved around several buildings that appeared to be job-related. The folks that went in and out of those were mostly men, and they carried tools, animals and supplies. Dean commented that they were probably all alphas.

"Imagine if we stayed," said Cas. "What job would you want?"

Dean shrugged.

"I like to do all of my own stuff. I'm not real crazy about the job idea."

"Oh, I know. But just for fun. If you had to, what would you do?"

"Guess I'd have to see what sorta jobs they have."

"Fair enough."

Before they made it to the bridge, another site distracted them. There was a clearing that the road wrapped around in a circle, and it was fenced off. Signs were posted here and there but they didn't serve a good purpose for Dean and Cas, of course.

"What is that?"

As they approached, it was apparent that the space went down into the ground. It was a large crater. Dean went to the edge of the fence and looked down.

"Woah."

"What is it?" Cas asked, coming up alongside him.

He looked, too, and saw that it went down about ten feet, and the entire space was around twenty-five or so across. It was rocky, and on one side the fence opened up and stairs had been carved into it. People were walking down into the crater with buckets. Cas observed that a pool of running water was at the center which streamed down from a crack in the rocks.

"That must be the spring they mentioned," he said.

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "Let's go down there and get a closer look."

They went to the opening in the fence and followed the bucket carriers down the stairs. It was noticeably colder down there. A small space around the water, which you would have to kneel to scoop up, or lean across to catch the fresh stream, allowed a small handful of people to stand together comfortably. There was another sign that had many words on it.

"What d'you think it says?" asked Dean, pointing to the sign, but Cas didn't answer. "Hey, Cas?"

The beta was standing right in front of the pool and staring down at it with his mouth open. He was mesmerized.

"Helloooo, Cas? Cas, what're you looking at? It's just water, right?"

Dean stepped over to Cas' side and gazed into the water as well.

"The shape," Cas muttered.

"Of what?"

"The bottom of the spring."

Cas pointed. Down at the very bottom, which only went four feet or so, was a very odd, wide shape of something. It almost looked like a giant, heavy bird had crashed into the rocks so hard that it left an imprint, like mud.

"What is that?" Cas asked in a gasping voice.

"No idea. Rocks are weird…"

Someone came up behind them and tapped Cas on the shoulder. He turned around quickly and saw an old woman, clutching an empty bucket in her hands and wearing a thin smile.

"First time in Lawrence?" she asked in a wheezy voice.

"Yes," said Cas. "Do you know what's—"

"Can't read?"

"The sign?"

"Indeed."

Cas frowned and looked to Dean.

"No, we can't. Do you know what's—"

"Where the angel fell," the woman said.

"What?" Dean asked as if he didn't hear her. "What did you say?"

The old woman smiled warmly. "The angel," she reiterated. "This is where they fell. Years and years ago, before Lawrence was Lawrence. An angel fell from the sky and cut that big hole in the ground. It opened up the spring, and some of the packs and herds gathered around and built the city. It was Lawrence—not the place, the man, King Lawrence, but he wasn't king at the time—who befriended that angel. He nursed them back to health."

Dean and Cas were speechless. There had been many farfetched tales and incredible creatures discovered on their time outside of the Valley, but this was the strangest. How casual the woman was also added to the oddity.

"An angel? Really?" Dean asked.

"Yes, really. You see their shape down there, don't you?"

Cas was still looking into the water. He watched the surface ripple over the giant wing impression.

"What happened?" he asked. "To the angel, I mean."

"Nobody knows for sure," the woman replied. Her voice grew slightly sad. "Lawrence and the angel made a deal of sorts, but we don't know the extent of it. All we know is that Lawrence said the angel would return somehow. But the scribes and philosophers don't think it would be the same angel."

"How strange," Cas said. His eyes remained on the water.

"You can read about it in the library, but—oh, you can't read…"

Dean frowned.

"Thanks for reminding us. I'm so sorry I never learned." His voice was filled with sarcasm but the woman didn't pick up on it.

"I'm sure someone at the library would be happy to read to you," she said, smiling again. "Be well."

She didn't give them a chance to say anything else before she went to fill her bucket and hobbled back up the stairs. Dean cursed under his breath.

"Right, Cas?" He mumbled, but there was no answer. "...Cas? Hey, Cas!"

"Huh?"

Dean nudged his mate.

"What?"

"Stop staring at the spring. Let's go check out the library. We can get more details there than we can by looking."

Cas nodded. He painfully pulled himself away from the water and slipped his fingers into Dean's hand. He gave a tired sigh. They went back up the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. I just feel sad…looking at the spring makes me sad."

"Don't worry about it, babe."

They got back up to the ground level and looked for the path once more. They had been thrown off slightly and had to get their bearings once more. Cas looked up to the sky to get the direction, but he gasped and let out a tiny cry when he saw dark clouds coming in from the north.

"No!" he shouted. A few people around him stopped and looked at him oddly.

"Cas, hush. It's fine."

"C-Clouds! Storm!"

"Baby, baby," Dean cooed. He put his arms around Cas and held him gently. "That's just some rain. It happens, remember? The bad storm came when it was real, real hot."

Cas trembled. He was suddenly embarrassed and felt like everyone was staring at him, but the overwhelming fear of another storm destroying his life had him paralyzed.

"Let's go back to the inn," said Dean. "It's okay."

Shaking, crying and clinging to his egg, Cas followed Dean very closely as they ran back to the inn. Nobody else in Lawrence was acting odd. They were going about their day as if nothing was wrong. Dean pointed this out but it didn't help.

"My herd died because they thought it was just a regular storm," Cas sniffed. "What if…"

"Hush, stop worrying yourself. It's fine. I promise. I told you it was a bad storm last time, remember?"

Cas frowned sadly and kept a fair pace with Dean. They jogged past the vendors and cart, people with tools and meats and vegetables until they made it back to the inn. They walked inside quickly and Cas immediately took a seat in the dining hall. He pet his egg repeatedly. Bobby eyed them over his desk.

"You two all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, just…"

Dean stopped. He looked at Cas and felt his heart breaking. The beta was terrified. Tears ran down his face and he sobbed quietly.

"Just a little scared. It's fine. Thanks."

"Worried about the storms?" Bobby asked.

"Kinda," said Dean.

"No need. These walls have withstood years an' years a' rain. Had some heavy wind and crazy lightnin', but never seen no trouble from it."

Dean leaned closer to Cas and whispered in his ear, "See?" But Cas just kept shaking.

The storm eventually came but it really was just rain. There were a few rumbles of thunder and a tiny bit of wind, but it passed quickly. Nothing had changed.

"See?" Dean said, looking out the window once the sun was coming back out. "We're safe. It's totally fine."

Cas closed his eyes. Dean wiped the tears from his cheeks and kissed him on the top of his head.

"This place is safe," Cas whispered. Some relief was present on his face. "The walls…they're strong…it's safe."

Bobby must have been listening still.

"Told ya," he said.