"So, have you heard anything from Cas?"

Sam looked up from his phone, watching as Dean wandered back and forth across the waiting room for Liam's therapist. "Nope." He looked back down, sliding his finger across the screen. "It's only been two days."

"I would still rather have him with us." Dean lowered his voice, even with the white noise machine that was meant to keep people from hearing what went on in the next room. "I mean, we have demons coming after us. Coming after Liam. We could use an angel."

Opening a link that looked like it led to a small town news article, Sam shook his head. "Castiel doesn't want to know where our home base is. He said—"

"I heard what he said, Sam," Dean snapped. "He doesn't want to know because if Heaven finds him, they could torture him and get the information. I know, okay? I know."

Sam sighed softly and locked his phone screen. "Dean." He held up his hand slightly, as if physically grabbing his words. "I… I feel you. I completely feel you, because ever since the demons got Liam, I have been…" His mouth opened and closed for a few seconds, head shaking back and forth. "I have been losing my mind. But Cas is doing what he thinks will keep us safe, and he's probably right."

Stopping in the middle of the room, Dean ran his hands through his hair and let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I know." He dropped his hands, staring out the small window. "We have got to get this Apocalypse thing figured out. Like, yesterday."

Sam tapped his finger against the back of his phone. "Do you…" He paused, running his tongue over his upper lip as he tried to decide whether to bring up a fear he had been entertaining for weeks. "Do you think that once we defeat Michael and Lucifer that… this will end? Or will there just be more plots, and more demons, and more angels, and more…" He gestured vaguely, implying the space could be filled with any number of threats.

"I have no idea, Sam." Putting his hands on his hips, Dean turned to face his brother. "We just have to keep doing our best. If there's more danger around the corner, then…" He let out another sigh, even heavier than its predecessor, and shook his head. "I don't know."

Sam opened his mouth to commiserate, but he cut himself off when the door to the therapist's office opened, the words changing on his tongue. "Hey, buddy."

"Hey." Liam stepped out and then turned to look at the woman standing in the open doorway. "Um, thanks Mrs. Statton."

"Of course. I'll see you in two weeks, alright?"

Liam smiled up at her, nodding faintly.

"It was good to see you all." She waved to them. "Have a nice day."

Sam smiled cordially and waited until she disappeared into her office to get to his feet. He could tell by the look on Liam's face that he was more than ready to leave, so Sam took the lead and started out of the building.

"How was it?" Sam asked, pushing the front door open and looking down at Liam with a smile.

"It was fine." Liam stared down at his feet, shuffling across the small parking lot. "We, uh… we talked about Timmy… and… some other stuff."

Sam nodded, sneaking a glance at Dean before looking at Liam again. "That sounds really good. Do you think it helped?"

Liam shrugged.

"Well, you know we would never force you to talk about the stuff you share with your therapist." Sam waited until Dean unlocked the Impala and then got in on the passenger side. "I think it's great that you're talking to her more. I hope it helps you."

Liam crawled into the back, not smiling and looking almost… distracted. His shoulders were slouched, and his eyes were somewhat vacant, the light shades of blue staring toward the front of the car without really locking on to anything. Calypso jumped from the floor to his lap, and he ran his hand over her fur without looking at her.

"You okay, Lee?" Dean asked, turning the keys in the ignition.

Liam just nodded, and after another second of an empty gaze, he seemed to pull himself out of it. "Yeah, I'm good. Just tired." He put his seatbelt on, and Calypso curled up on his lap. "Are we going to look for Pestilence now?"

Dean nodded, backing out of the parking lot and pulling onto the road. "Yeah. We're gonna get in touch with Cas, and then we're gonna do some investigating. And you're gonna be sticking real close."

"Got it." Liam looked out the window on his left, still seeming absent.

Sam gave Dean a quick look—one that asked what they were supposed to do—and then he faced forward. He's been kidnapped and tortured by demons. I let that happen. And I have no idea how to fix it.

At least with the angels, Liam had been comfortable. It hadn't been a good arrangement, and of course Liam wanted to come home, but there was no real danger there unless Sam or Dean did something the angels didn't like. Sam couldn't control demons the same way. No matter what they did, the demons would be out for blood, and he could do absolutely nothing to stop it.

He's resilient. He's got a therapist. He's got us.

Sam let out a soft sigh.

I just hope that's enough.

Liam put a final touch on his sketch of Calypso, leaning back slightly and examining the picture to see whether he liked it. He squinted, looking at the image of the walking black cat on a sidewalk with a blue, somewhat cloudy sky for a backdrop. Brushing some pencil dust off the corner, he gave the picture a final onceover and nodded his head in approval.

"That's very nice."

Liam looked up at Castiel from his position on the trunk of the Impala, giving him a gap-toothed grin. "Thanks." He looked back at the image. "Once we stop the Apocalypse and we aren't moving around so much, I'm going to ask Sorzie if I can take some art classes."

Castiel leaned against the side of the Impala. "That sounds like something you would thoroughly enjoy. I think it's a good idea." He shifted slightly, his gaze wandering up to the large hospital building where Sam and Dean were investigating a disease outbreak. "Hopefully, if we can get these rings, we'll be able to do just that."

Sitting with his legs crisscrossed, Liam reached to his left and scratched Calypso behind the ears. "As long as we still hunt monsters." He smiled. "I really wanna be a monster hunter."

Castiel smiled, too. "I think as long as there are monsters to hunt, we will be hunting them."

Liam shifted from scratching to petting, watching Calypso push her head into his hand. "I'm sorry you have to stay out here with me while they're investigating."

"Don't apologize. I'm happy to do it." Castiel walked around the Impala to Calypso's side, joining Liam in administering attention. "It doesn't make much of a difference if I hear the details firsthand or from Sam and Dean."

Liam wasn't convinced, but he wasn't about to argue, so he just pet Calypso a few more times and then turned the page in his sketchbook. "What should I draw now?"

Castiel pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. "How about you draw some angel wings?"

Grabbing his bag of pencils, he peered inside. "What color should I make them?"

"Perhaps you could make them purple and blue and green like you did when you colored that picture for me." Castiel smiled, faintly touching his trench coat pocket, where Liam assumed the picture still remained.

Liam nodded, trying to decide how he wanted to make the image. Did he want to just use the colors and create textures to define things like the feathers, or did he want to actually create outlines? If he did decide to do outlines, would he use black, or would he just do a darker shade of the same color he was using to fill in said outlines?

It'll keep me busy for a while, at least.

"I do have a question." Castiel cocked his head to the side, a contemplative expression on his face. "When we met, you were mostly coloring in pictures that were already drawn. When did you decide to start drawing the pictures yourself?"

Liam wet his lips, feeling a little nervousness, and tried to answer as truthfully as possible. "Well, I used to draw all the time, but my parents always said it looked stupid, and the kids at the group home made fun of the stuff I would draw, so… I stopped." He didn't look at Castiel, not sure what he would find if he did.

"Well." Castiel sounded less than pleased, but Liam got the idea he wasn't the one Castiel was mad at. "I can tell you with certainty that your pictures are wonderful."

Liam felt his mouth twitch up in the corner, and he didn't comment on the compliment, but he didn't refuse it, either. "What should I do for the background?"

Castiel smiled a knowing kind of smile and reached out, tousling Liam's dark red hair. "You do whatever you think is best. You're very talented, Liam, and I have every confidence that whatever you do will be amazing."

Feeling his face heat up a little, Liam flashed a smile and nodded. "Okay." He wet his lips, warmth spreading through his chest. "Thanks, Castiel."

"I only spoke the truth."

Liam said nothing, picking up a pencil and beginning to draw.

He never once lost the smile on his face.

"If you honestly think I'm going to say something, you're crazy."

Liam half hid behind the wall between the living room and kitchen of the abandoned house, blue eyes scanning the demon tied to a chair in the middle of the room. He had been told to stay in the kitchen and keep his headphones in, but he was getting hungry, and he had been ignoring it for about an hour. He didn't want to bother them, and he didn't want to interrupt, but he was confident his family would understand.

"Sorzie?"

Sam turned away from the demon with a bloody, iron knife in his hand, concern creasing his brow. "What's up, buddy?"

"I, um…" Liam wrapped his arms around himself, vaguely aware of Calypso rubbing against his leg. "I'm getting kinda hungry."

Castiel answered before Sam had a chance, his gaze never once leaving the bound menace in front of him. "I'll continue the interrogation. You should leave here and put some distance between yourselves and this place. You can get food along the way."

Standing in between Sam and Castiel, Dean looked like the last thing he wanted was to walk away from the interrogation. "Cas, Sammy and Lee can go for food. We can stay here and—"

"You shouldn't be around me any more than necessary." Castiel flexed his fingers, a faint glow forming at the tips. "I know I told you I would assist you in finding Pestilence, but it is still best that we limit our interactions. It's safest if you get far away from here before the other demons realize something is amiss."

Dean stammered for a moment, making noises of disagreement, but he finally settled on a heavy sigh. "Okay." He ran a hand through his hair and cast another glare at the demon.

"Get your stuff." Sam walked over to the duffel bag on the floor, pulling out a rag and wiping off his blade. "Do you know what kind of food you'd like to have for dinner?"

Liam shrugged his shoulders, eyes lingering on the demon for a moment before drifting over to Sam. "I dunno. I want fries, but other than that…"

"We can make that happen." Sam zipped up the bag and stood up, slinging it over his shoulder. "They should have fries just about everywhere. We'll hit the road and see what we find."

Nodding, Liam stepped away from the archway and returned to the kitchen table, gathering up his pencils. He put them in their case and grabbed the sketchpad, flipping it closed and putting both items in his backpack. He picked up the cellphone and earbuds he had left, wrapping the wires around the device and shoving it into his jean pocket.

"Got it all?"

"Almost." Liam grabbed some miscellaneous items—like his eraser and pencil sharpener—and smiled when Calypso jumped up on the table and meowed at him. He gave her a kiss on the head and then grabbed his bag, looking up at Sam with an affirmative nod. "I'm ready."

Dean walked into the kitchen, giving Sam a look Liam couldn't quite read, and then they were walking toward the front door.

"Bye, Castiel!" Liam looked over his shoulder, unable to see Castiel from the front door. "I love you! Be safe!"

Castiel didn't respond immediately, and his words were slightly disjointed when he finally spoke. "I—yes, be safe, and—well, I love you, too."

Smiling to himself, Liam walked through the door and started down the steps to the sidewalk. He pursed his lips, considering the situation they were in, and then his mouth started to move. "If… if demons are from Hell… then they're probably used to all kinds of torture." He adjusted his backpack strap. "Maybe there's something else you can do to get them to talk."

Dean hummed, pulling the car keys from his pocket. "You might be on to something, kiddo. Maybe we can try a little good cop, bad cop next time."

Shrugging, Sam waited for Dean to unlock the car. "I'll try anything at this point. We're not getting anywhere."

They lapsed into silence as they got into the car, and once the radio was on, their inclination to talk was even lower. Liam leaned against the door, staring out the window as Dean pulled Baby away from the old, abandoned farmhouse.

I hope Castiel will be okay. Liam peered through the glass as long as he could, and when he finally looked away, he found Calypso was watching him. She stared, and he could tell from the look in her greenish eyes that she knew he was worried. My and my anxiety.

But it wasn't that bad, so he didn't make a fuss. He just stroked Calypso's dark fur and started humming along with the radio. It wouldn't do him any good to worry, so he just started reassuring himself on a loop that everything would be fine. He knew his recent capture was the main reason for the fears, and he tried to confront his anxiety with logic, but it was only partially successful.

I was kidnapped by demons. He let out a soft sigh, watching his hand move in a loop, petting Calypso from her nose to the tip of her tail. I was tortured. Of course, Castiel had healed him up within a matter of hours, but that didn't take away the fact that it had happened. I know I don't really trust Mrs. Statton yet, but… I kinda wish I could talk to her about this.

He thought about talking to Sam, but he quickly decided that was a bad idea. He knew Sam—and Dean and Castiel—felt guilty about him being kidnapped, so he definitely didn't want to tell them about the nightmares or the fear or the lingering ache in his body. It was difficult, but Liam had been through a million difficult things. He could handle it.

Still… I've got to do something to process this.

How, he didn't know. But there had to be something.

I'll figure it out.

"Hey, Sam. Long time, no see."

Sam immediately recognized the voice, eyes snapping open as panic gripped him. He sat up in the motel bed and looked around, quickly finding Lucifer off to his left. It was dangerous to take his eyes off the threat, but he did a quick look around and, thankfully, confirmed that Dean and Liam were absent. That meant they either went on a midnight run, or Sam was having a dream, and with all the precautions they had taken to stay away from Lucifer, Sam was tempted to think it was the latter.

"You've been causing quite a bit of trouble with all your capturing and interrogating."

Keeping his lips pressed together, Sam leaned back until he was laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling. He had decided shortly after his first devil dream that he wasn't going to engage if Lucifer came again. There was always a possibility Lucifer would catch some kind of clue and use it to track them down.

"Oh, I see. I'm getting the silent treatment, am I?"

Sam interlaced his fingers, resting them on his stomach, and he continued to gaze at nothing. His eyes went out of focus, the texture of the motel ceiling blurring into a solid slate of color. Silence was suffocating the room, and Sam found it odd that he couldn't hear his own breathing and heartbeat. Though, he supposed that could have been because it was a dream and not reality.

"You don't have to talk to me, Sam. I'm going to find you. It's a forgone conclusion."

Eyes drifting shut, Sam let out a long, steady stream of air that he couldn't hear. He found he could still see, even though he had closed his eyes, which was something else he attributed to the dream state.

"You can't win this."

Sam tapped his index finger against the back of his hand. He clicked his tongue, making idle noises of disinterest that he could actually hear. He didn't know why he could hear one thing and not the other, but dreams were weird. It was kind of normal for something like that to happen.

"I'm coming for you, Sam. I always get what I want, and what I want is you as my vessel. You can run, and hide, and fight, and kick, and scream, and do whatever you can to resist this, but it doesn't matter. This is bigger than you. It's bigger than planet Earth, and you have no chance of victory, because two measly humans and a rebellious angel aren't enough to change fate."

Sam wiggled his toes, and even though he was laying on his back, he could still see the blanket moving where his feet were.

"I'll be seeing you, Sam."

And Sam woke up.

"Sammy?"

Sam gasped for air, and it took a moment for him to realize he was sitting up in bed. He could remember the dream vividly, and even though he had displayed an eerie amount of calm with Lucifer, his real body was drenched in sweat.

"Lucifer." Sam shook his head, running a hand through his somewhat tangled hair. "He was in my dream again."

Dean threw off his covers and turned to face Sam, who was in the bed to his left, green eyes not showing any of the lingering sleep that should have been there. "Lucifer? But we haven't heard from him in weeks. He just came that one time, and then—"

"I know." Pressing his hands to his face, Sam started to rub. "I know, but he was there. I didn't say anything, and it didn't seem like he knew anything about where we are, but he knew we've been interrogating demons." He let out a frustrated groan. "Last time this happened, Castiel said he would look into some wards to keep Lucifer out of my head. Do you think he's got any on hand?"

Tilting his head, Dean gave a sideways sort of nod. "Yeah, probably. I mean, just because he hasn't talked about it…" He let the idea hang for a moment, and then he switched tracks. "Do you think we should get out of here, just in case?"

Sam thought about it for a second, and then he nodded. "Yeah, we better. It's not like he would tell us if he knew where we were, so…"

Snorting, Dean shook his head. "If he knew where we were, we'd be dead." He stood up and moved toward the jeans he had left on the floor. "Well, me and Liam would be dead. You would be tortured until you agreed to be his meatsuit."

"Yeah." Sam didn't make any further comments, slipping out from under the sheets and noticing that Calypso had woken up and was sitting at the foot of the bed. He scratched her head and walked around the bed, smiling despite the circumstances when he saw Liam curled up under the comforter and gripping his stuffed cat. He carefully lowered the blankets, staring at his son and trying to figure out how to pick him up without waking him.

Taking a breath, Sam slipped one arm under Liam's knees and squeezed the other under his shoulders. He waited a second, but Liam didn't stir, so Sam lifted him from the mattress as gently as he could, struggling with the weight of his ever-growing teen.

"He's getting big." Dean had a fond look on his face. "I'll get the doors for you."

"Thanks." Sam started carrying Liam across the room, going through the door as Dean opened it. He continued out to the car, trying not to trip over Calypso, and then waited for Dean. Once Dean opened the door, he squeezed into the backseat and tried to figure out what to do next. He tried to turn himself, wanting to place Liam horizontally, and after about three minutes of struggling, he finally got Liam in the position he wanted. "There we go."

Dean had disappeared, most likely returning to the room to grab their things, and Sam was left to get Liam tucked in. So, he grabbed the 'you are my sunshine' pillow from the floor and worked it under Liam's head. He followed it with a blanket that had been partially pushed under one of the front seats, gently tucking the fabric around Liam's shoulders.

"Perfect." Sam looked at Liam for a moment, a smile pulling on the corner of his mouth, and then he brushed Liam's bangs back.

"Mmm…" Liam opened his eyes, staring blearily up at Sam. "Sorzie…?"

"Shh, just go back to sleep. We're just moving, okay?" Sam pushed his hair back again. "Just to back to sleep."

Liam nodded, eyes drifting shut, and Sam adjusted the blanket one more time before crawling out of the vehicle. He held the door open for Calypso, who jumped into the backseat and curled up next to Liam's middle, and then he looked back at the motel. He saw Dean coming out with their bags, and he quickly went to open the trunk, the two of them working together to get everything packed up. Then Dean slammed the lid, and they got in on their designated sides, Sam pulling out his cellphone with a sigh.

"I was really hoping we wouldn't have to deal with this." Sam pressed Castiel's name and then put the device to his ear, waiting. "I wonder why he's showing up all of sudden. Do you think he knows that we're looking for the rings? Or is it just—"

"Hello?"

"Hey, Cas." Sam looked out at the road ahead of them, a familiar sense of paranoia telling him there were monsters out in the shadows, just beyond the high beams. "Um, I had another dream with Lucifer in it. I know we talked about this before, and you said you had some wards to try, so…"

"I can begin gathering the ingredients immediately." Castiel paused, and Sam was sure he could hear someone spitting threats in the background. "Well, not immediately. I will finish my business here with this demon, and then I will shift my focus."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief—why, he didn't know, because he hadn't doubted that Castiel would help him—and glanced at Dean out of the corner of his eye. "I don't suppose this demon you're finishing up with has told you anything."

"Unfortunately, no." Castiel didn't sound angry, per se, but he wasn't speaking in his usual monotone. "But there are millions of demons out there. I will get what I want eventually. I always do."

For a brief moment, Sam was reminded of how fortunate they were that Castiel was on their side, but he chose not to comment. "Cool. Just call one of us once you have everything you need, and we'll tell you where we are."

"Consider it done." And with that, the line went dead.

Sam pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at the screen for a moment. When did my life get this weird? He sighed and shifted on the seat, shoving the device into his back pocket. "So." He reached up to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Where are we headed?"

"Oh, I have no idea." Dean shrugged. "I figured we would just drive until I can't keep my eyes open anymore, and then we'll find a motel and stop for the night."

Laughing softly, Sam rolled his eyes and then turned in his seat, looking behind them. His smile lingered, hazel eyes watching the steady rise and fall of Liam's chest beneath the blanket. He almost reached out to adjust it, but he stopped short, wondering if the action would stir Liam into consciousness again. So, Sam turned back around and slouched in his seat, letting out a tired sigh but still not losing his smile.

"What is it?"

Sam shook his head, disbelief taking over his features. "Nothing. Just… you were right. He's getting big." He huffed out a little laugh and shook his head again. "Soon he won't be able to sleep in the backseat, and I don't know how much longer I'll be able to carry him."

"He's growing up." Dean dropped one hand from the wheel, resting it on his thigh. "Next year, he'll be in high school. Pretty soon, he'll be meeting girls and sneaking booze right under our noses."

Sam couldn't help it. He snorted out a laugh, looking at Dean and raising an eyebrow. "You really think Liam, of all people, is going to do those things?"

"Yeah, well…" Dean lifted his head and tilted it from side to side in a so-so gesture. "Maybe he'll stick to the rules a little closer than that, but I mean, he's still gonna be a teen."

Smiling, Sam looked in the back again. "Yeah, he is."

Liam let out a sighing noise and rolled over, the blue blanket tangling around his torso as he hugged Miss Frizzle a little tighter. Calypso mewed softly, adjusting her own position to adapt to Liam's, and then they both settled down into sleep.

Sam watched for another moment, and then he faced forward again. "It's gonna be great." He shook his head, an expression of something like disbelief taking over his features. "I can't wait to see it."

Liam tapped his fingertips together, watching nervously as Castiel drew a complicated symbol on Sam's forehead in blood. He looked at Sam's face—at the dark circles under his eyes and his vacant stare—and then looked at the way he almost swayed where he sat. Please, let this work.

It had been a few days since Sam had his second dream with Lucifer, and Lucifer was apparently changing his tactics. Instead of threatening Sam and disappearing for a time, Lucifer was entering Sam's dreams every time he slept. And he wasn't just showing himself in the dreams anymore. He was showing violent images and predictions of what was going to happen to the Winchester family if they didn't surrender. It had taken two nights and an attempted midday nap for Sam to decide he had no choice but to stay awake. That had been two days earlier, and Sam was looking worse for wear. Castiel's first two wards hadn't worked, and if the one he was trying this time failed, too, then he was going to have to break into Heaven again and look for more resources.

"You ever give her treats?"

Liam startled slightly, turning away from his family and finding Balthazar crouched down by Calypso, who was giving him a very scrutinizing kind of look. Smiling, Liam walked across the warehouse floor and approached the two, going down to his knees and petting his familiar's soft fur. "We don't carry any with us because it's just one more thing to try and fit in Baby, but sometimes I give her people food. She seems to like it."

Balthazar nodded, reaching out to pet her the way Liam had, but he stopped when she backed up and growled at him. "Okay, okay." He pulled his hand back, watched her for a moment, and then he looked at Liam. "You hanging in there, kid?"

Blinking, Liam found himself somewhat surprised by the question, but he recovered quickly. "Um, yeah. I'm fine."

Balthazar hummed. "I heard you got taken by demons."

Liam swallowed and wet his lips. "Um… yeah, I was." He clasped his hands together and rested them in his lap. "But it's fine. I'm fine." He tapped his thumbs against each other, his throat drying a bit as he considered breeching a topic that might induce anger. "Um… Balthazar, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

Licking his lips again, Liam looked down at the floor and then looked at the angel again. "Um… is the reason you want to help us really so you can keep partying and having sex and doing whatever you want?"

Thankfully, Balthazar laughed, completely unbothered by the question. "Well, it's complicated." He reached out to pet Calypso but was once again growled into retreat. "My main reason for helping is exactly what you said, but…" Sucking air through his teeth, he tilted his head from side to side, and his eyes drifted upward as he considered his words. "I've seen some good things in my time on Earth." He held up his hands. "Don't get me wrong. There's a lot of evil out there that has nothing to do with demons or monsters, and the human race is pretty good at making mistakes, but… I don't know. I still think it's worth saving."

Liam pursed his lips and nodded, stroking Calypso's black coat as he thought over the response. "If you can see it, why can't the other angels see it?"

Sighing, Balthazar shook his head. "They stay up there in Heaven, and they only look down on Earth when they want something from it, which isn't often. They don't care about it because, to them, it's just a resource. It's just a way of getting what they want."

Liam dropped his hands into his lap again, silent. He couldn't help but think of his parents, who had always based their actions toward him on what he could give to them. Most of the time, they determined that he was just a nuisance, and they treated him accordingly.

"You okay, kid?"

Liam pulled himself from his thoughts and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine." He turned his head to look over his shoulder at Castiel and Sam and Dean, who were standing in a circle and talking. He thought of his life with them, and everything they had done for him, and all they had taught him in their time together.

"It's like you said." Liam smiled. "There's good out there."

Author's Note: If you like my writing style, you should check out my website! I post updates about the different things I'm working on, including fanfiction and original works. does not allow links in profiles or stories, but if you message me, I can tell you how to get there. Or you can go to my other fanfiction pages, like AO3 and Wattpad, and follow the link from there! I hope to see you on the site!