Chapter 8

The burning sensation surprised Claire as she felt the bullet penetrate her body. She had never been shot before, but had been injured during hunts. The pain started slowly and blossomed outward as she tried to breathe around the pain. A wheezing sound escaped from her lips while she gasped for a breath. Her heart was pounding hard as she tried to continue to fight him. The gun was pulled from her hands and the shooter rolled away from her and got unsteadily to his feet. He pointed the gun at her and started to pull the trigger when a solid force hit him from behind knocking him into the wall. Dean was on him instantly, throwing several well placed punches knocking him out cold. He picked up the gun and tucked it into his jeans before dropping down beside Claire.

"Claire, hey, hey hang in there," Dean told her placing a hand over her wound trying to stem the flow of blood. He looked up when Castiel rushed in faltering in his steps when he saw Claire on the floor and blood beginning to pool around her. "Cas, here help her so I can check the others out."

"The souls of two have already left their bodies, I'm afraid they are gone," he told Dean before falling down beside Claire. "Claire?" he questioned reaching to heal her.

"You can't heal her, they know she was shot. Just make sure it's manageable, do it halfway until we can get her home," Dean whispered before getting up to see to the others. "Go on get out of here," he told the other students guiding them toward the door before checking the teacher and the other students lying on the floor.

"Dean?" Sam asked from the doorway as he tried to get around the students running out.

"Over there," he pointed to the unconscious guy in front of the chalk board. "Two's dead and two need medical attention."

"I'll check them," Sam said kneeling beside the teacher to check his injury.

"Dean what's going on?" Jody asked when she hurried through the door.

"He's over there Jody," Dean nodded toward the crumpled body laying at the front of the class.

"Cole cuff him, search him then get him out of here," Jody ordered. "Oh god, Claire," she cried seeing Castiel beside Claire.

"Knocked him out pretty good," Cole commented as he pulled the limp arms of the guy behind him and slapping cuffs on him. He searched his clothes for other weapons and found another handgun and clips for the guns.

"He's lucky I didn't do more than that," Dean growled madly. "He's lucky he's still breathing."

"You okay?" Sky asked Dean as she came to a stop by him.

"Yeah, can you look after the girl?" he told her pointing to a young girl leaning up against the wall holding her side.

"Hey sweetie, I'm Sky are you okay?"

"He said it was a graze, but it hurts real bad," she replied in a trembling voice as tears ran down her cheeks.

"I know, I know but the paramedics will be here shortly and they'll help you. Okay if I sit here beside you until they do?"

"Okay." she whispered as Sky sat down beside and put an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm trying to stop the bleeding." Castiel told Jody. "Dean said I couldn't heal her completely," he whispered to her. "I'll help later."

"EMTs are on the way," Jody nodding understanding while making sure all the students were safely out of the room.

"Jody, that ones got a graze and this one's shot in the shoulder looks like a through and through. Two are gone, I'm sorry," Dean said jerking a jacket off a seat and pressing it to the guy's shoulder. "Cas get Claire to the hospital she needs seen now. Her breathing's not sounding good," Dean told him when he heard Claire's breathing.

"Alright," he said scooping her up and heading outside before vanishing so no one would see him.

"Here, took this off him," Dean told Jody as he handed her the gun the shooter used.

"Thanks. He the only one you saw?" she said accepting it from him. They both looked toward the door when paramedics rushed in.

"Over here, he's worse," Dean informed them as he stepped back out of the way. "Didn't see anyone else. Sky and me are heading to the hospital to be with Claire."

"Me too, I want to check on Sasha," Sam added seeing the EMT's had things under control.

"What makes a kid wanna shoot up a school any way?"

"I don't know but hopefully I can find out," she said watching the paramedics doctor the injured. "Tell Claire I will be there as soon as I get everything wrapped up here."

"We'll take care of her, don't worry," Dean replied. "I'll call with an update as soon as we find out anything."

"I'll be waiting to hear from you, so don't you dare keep me in the dark."

"I'll make sure you're called," Sky whispered as she passed by Jody. Jody gave her a nod of thanks and turned back to the crime scene. She never thought something like this would happen in their small town, but she guessed crazy wasn't limited to just the big cities. She needed to find out the identity of the two who didn't make it and notify their families. That was one of the jobs she hated the most, but it was part of her job.

spn

Dean, Sky, and Sam rushed into the emergency room looking around for Castiel.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for two young women, gun shots from the high school, they were brought in earlier," Sam asked at the desk.

"Name please."

"Claire, Claire Novack and Sasha Fowler."

The nurse typed on her keypad and looked up him. "Are you family?"

"Yes, for Claire her brothers and friend of Sasha Fowler."

"They're both in surgery; the waiting room is on the next floor up. Someone will come out and let you know how your sister's doing, but we can't release anything for Ms. Fowler except to immediate family."

"Thanks," Sam said pushing Dean and Sky toward an elevator to head to the second floor. "Let's see if Cas is waiting up there."

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Castiel looked up and stood when the door to the waiting room opened hoping it was the doctor. He sat back down when Sam, Dean and Sky walked in.

"Hey Cas how is she?" Dean asked him as they sat down beside him.

"The doctor took her to surgery, I wanted to go too, but they wouldn't let me," he told them slightly irate at not being allowed to go with her. "I was told to wait here."

"Yeah, they're pretty strict about who goes in the operating rooms," Sam commented.

"I did partly heal her before we got here."

"That's good; I hope we can find out if Sasha is doing okay too," Sam said looking toward the door.

"How do you know this Fowler person?" Dean asked his brother.

"Literary ran into her in the library when Claire and I were doing research. Claire helped her out last semester so she knew her and we talked for a few minutes."

"How long do we have to wait? I could go back and check on her?" Castiel asked looking at the two brothers. Even though he was not related to Claire, he still felt responsible for her and wanted to help.

"The doctor will come out and tell us, we have to be patient," Sam told him while his leg bounced impatiently in front of him as he tried to hide his worry. Sky laid a sisterly hand on his knee to stop the nervous twitch and smiled understandingly at him. She watched Dean pace back and forth and Cas sit back with a shocked look on his face. Sky knew Cas felt more like a father to Claire since he had taken her father as his vessel, but doing this tore the family apart. He did all he could to help Claire when she let him. Dean had filled her in on most of their story and Claire actually talked to her a little about it too.

"She'll be okay," Sam said more to himself than to the others.

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All four turned quickly when the door to the waiting room opened several hours later and a man dressed in scrubs stepped in. He looked into four anxious faces that were waiting for news. He stepped closer before asking for the family.

"Novack family?"

"Yes," Dean answered for them as they stepped toward the doctor.

"She's in recovery and stable. We removed the bullet and repaired the damage done. She was lucky it wasn't as bad as it looked but she did have a collapsed lung that made it hard for her to breathe. You should be able to see her in an hour or so when she's moved to a room. If she continues to improve I see her being discharged in a few days. I'll have a nurse come and get you when she's settled."

"Thank you doctor, there was another gunshot victim brought in Sasha Fowler," Sam started. "I know I'm not family, but I'm a friend, could you tell me how she is?"

"She's not my patient, but I did see another woman in recovery, that's about all I can tell you," he told Sam seeing how concerned he was for the woman.

"Thank you, I'll see if I can see her later," Sam thanked the doctor.

"I'll call Jody and let her know," Dean told them walking toward the door while he wrestled his cell out of his jacket pocket.

"I'll get us some coffee," Sky said heading out the door and went in search of the cafeteria. She figured they could all use the caffeine while they waited to see Claire.

"Can I go see her and finish healing her?" Castiel asked Sam finding it hard to be patient.

"Not yet Cas. I think the doctors would think it suspicious if her injuries were suddenly healed," Sam told him clapping him on the shoulder to show his support. His mind drifted from Claire to Sasha as he settled back to wait until they could see Claire. He was going to search for Sasha and be sure she was okay too.

"Got Jody, she'll be up later after she gets the shooter booked and all the paperwork done," Dean announced when he walked back into the waiting room. He stiffened slightly when a couple followed him into the room taking a seat on the other side of the room. Once he was sure they were not a threat, he turned back to his brother and Cas.

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All eyes turned to the door again as Sky slipped in balancing a tray with four coffees nestled in it. She looked up and started to speak until she saw the newcomers sitting in the corner.

"Coffee guys," she told them checking to be sure she gave Sam the one she doctored with cream and sugar. "Castiel, I wasn't sure how you liked yours so I brought you creamer and sugar."

"I have no need for sustenance," Castiel answered looking up at her.

"I know but it won't hurt will it?" she encouraged holding out the cup.

"No, I can eat and drink if I want to."

"Cas, quieter," Dean mumbled when he noticed the man glanced over at them and frowned. He didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.

"Thanks," Sam told Sky accepting the cup marked with his name.

"Sorry," Cas whispered realizing why Dean wanted him to be quiet when he saw the man glancing at him several times.

Sky picked up a remote control and began to flip through the channels on the TV that was mounted in the corner of the room. She stopped on some local news and waited to see if anything would be on about the shooting. She made herself comfortable beside Dean and they all listened to the news to pass the time more quickly until they could see Claire.

"Excuse me, I'm don't mean to intrude, but do you know anything about the shooting at the school? Our daughter was injured," the man asked them.

"Was she a blonde?" Sky asked.

"Yes, Sophie."

"I was with her until the EMTs got there. She was lucky I don't think it was serious."

"We haven't seen her yet, but a nurse said she should be released once they have tended to her injury. Thank you for helping her."

"No problem, I'm glad she's okay," Sky nodded smiling at the couple.

"I hope your family member will be okay too."

"She should be, she's out of surgery and stable."

"I'll say a prayer for her," the woman said smiling at her.

"Thank you, that is nice of you."

"Why would they pray for Claire?" Cas whispered to Dean.

"They are being polite, that's what humans do 'cause they don't know any better," he mumbled to him looking up when the door opened.

The man dressed in scrubs made his way to the couple and spoke quietly to them before leading them out of the room. The others slumped into their seats to wait for someone to come and get them so they could see Claire.

A/N: Thank you fore reading. Reviews are nice. NC