There's More Than One Way To Die - Dean/Cas Big Bang Part V of VI
I swear it's nearly the end...
Previous
...Ω...
The fact that this was the second time didn't make it any easier. In fact, he thought that it made it worse because he kept comparing the facts of now with the facts of then. Leaning over to rest his fingers over Dean's mouth he sighed in relief, his eyes fluttering shut as he felt the uneven breaths warming his hand. Blinking tiredly at the road ahead of him he shook off the fatigue clouding his mind and corrected so that he was fully in his lane instead of drifting off to the shoulder. Reaching over to tuck the blanket in around Dean he thanked his Father yet again that the priest had given them the blanket before their hasty departure from the church once he'd realized that the wards were flaring in warning as they were tested for weaknesses. Dean had still been settled in his lap as he brought up mouthful after mouthful of dark red blood that spilled past his lips and onto the tiled floors with each cough that racked his feverish body. The flaring light of the wards could not have come at a worse time as he struggled to lower Dean's fever and to keep the man breathing while he sat on the floor with Dean's back to his chest as he cradled the man with a nearly tangible desperation.
He'd waited until dark to complete the activation of the wards and then in the minutes that had been granted by the action he'd bundled Dean up in the blanket and carried him out to the car all the while advising the priest to leave the church until the wards had gone dark. He'd been too worried to stop for the first hour that they were on the road and his lower lip was raw and bloody from his teeth as he tugged it between them in a nervous movement he was helpless to stop. Somewhere along the dark roads Dean's breathing had grown worse as his chest rose and fell with each labored breath that passed his blood stained lips. They needed rest for Dean's sake if nothing else but also for his own. Exhaustion was a danger he'd forgotten when he'd started the long drive back but he didn't dare pull over for rest until they were able to do so in a place that could be secured with wards to hide them until Dean was recovered from the rigors of the latest Trial.
Yawning and swiping irritably at his eyes as they watered he felt them burning with the weariness that was forcing his body to clamor for the rest that he'd denied it for the hours that had passed since they'd left the church behind them. Looking up at the mileage sign he felt relief build at the knowledge that they would soon be back in the United States with the church far behind them and then they could rest in a proper bed just as soon as he'd etched the wards into the room and laid down a barrier of salt. Flexing his fingers as they began to cramp from the grip he held on the steering wheel he glanced back over at Dean to assure himself yet again that the man was still breathing. He'd need to call Charlie in the morning to see how he went about procuring a car because he was nearly certain that the car they were in now was too well known for them to be remain hidden for very long. Reaching over with one of the handful of paper towels he'd swiped from a restroom at a gas station he wiped carefully at the trickle of blood sliding down from Dean's mouth. His stomach twisted uncomfortably as the man failed to respond as he'd done since falling unconscious in the church and he hadn't realized just how comforting it was to be able to hear the sounds Dean made while asleep. He hasn't realized until now when the man lay as still and pale as death with only the sounds of his breathing and coughing breaking the bleak portrait he painted.
Flipping his blinker on as he changed lanes his eyes watched the signs detailing the nearby motels for a higher end one because it was as Charlie had said; if they were being hunted the lower end motels that Dean preferred would be among the first checked. Thankful more than ever for the paranoia that had led Dean into keeping his life as Uri Vonnegut hidden he turned his blinker on again as the off-ramp for a higher end motel came closer. Navigating the still congested streets he pulled into the motel's parking lot and put the car into park after parking in one of the open parking spaces near the front. Leaning over to tuck the edges of the blanket more securely around Dean he stayed frozen just watching the man sleeping his hands trembling with exhaustion as he reached over to wipe away blood from Dean's lips with his thumb. Looking down at the blood now staining the digit he closed his eyes and took a shaky breath in before he forced himself to get out of the car. Scanning the parking lot for anything abnormal he locked the car and with one last look around he turned and walked into the motel lobby and stopped at the sign for the front desk. Waiting with growing impatience for the man at the desk to finish assisting the couple in front of him, he dug into the pocket of the wrinkled khakis he was wearing for the wallet with the driver's license and credit card that Charlie had given to him before driving him to the airport. Tapping the hard edges against his thigh in the only overt sign of impatience he allowed himself he moved to the front desk with a tired smile for the man greeting him as the couple in front of him left.
"Good evening sir and how long will you be staying with us?"
"My husband and I will be here for a week." He answered wondering if it would be enough time for Dean to rest before they changed cities and wishing that they could stay in one place for longer without raising suspicions. "He's not feeling well at the moment and I don't want anyone disturbing him while he's supposed to be recovering," Cas asked his vision gong blurry as he handed over his identification, "is there a way to avoid having maid service?"
"Oh! I'm sorry to hear he's not feeling well and of course we'd be happy to accommodate your request. Would you prefer to have a room on the ground floor?"
"Please," he replied and within fifteen minutes he'd been given the room keys and he was exiting the lobby. Glancing around the parking lot as he stopped beside the passenger side door he opened it before bending down to pull Dean into his arms in as smooth a motion as he could with his hand still holding onto the keycard for their room. Locking the door with his elbow and closing it with his foot he walked back towards the lobby where he hit the handicap opening with his arm and waited for the doors to swing open. Glancing down at Dean as he walked through the lobby and down the hallway to the left as the man had instructed he stopped in front of the door bearing the number given to them. Wondering how he was going to open the door with Dean in his arms he looked up as the sounds of hurried footsteps came closer.
"I'm sorry I didn't think about it until I saw you coming in with him. Let me get the door open for you.". Blinking dumbly at the man from the front desk Cas offered a grateful smile and adjusted his hold on Dean so he could offer the keycard still in his hand before he stepped aside so that the door could be opened wide enough for him to pass through. "Would you like me to turn down the blankets so you can get him to bed?"
"If you would be so kind." Straightening as he got Dean settled into the bed with his shoes removed and blankets piled around him he waited for the hotel employee to leave before feeling even remotely comfortable with leaving Dean alone for the amount of time it would take to gather their belongings from the car. Reaching into his shirt pocket he pulled a small sandwich bag of salt and made salt lines along the windows and door before leaving the room. Making quick work of recovering their bags and moving the car to the back of the building he hurried back to their room to find Dean still sleeping restlessly. Dropping the bags in the closet and kicking his shoes off with a sigh of relief he padded back to the door and locked it. Swaying tiredly as exhaustion pressed down on him he reached into his pocket for the knife he'd placed there the morning they'd left for the church which had been two days before. A confused expression took over his face as instead of the warm steel of the pocketknife his fingers instead closed around small beads.
Pulling his hand from his pocket he opened it to find the rosary that he'd pried from Dean's grasp back in the church. Thumb rubbing along the beads in an absent motion he moved to the bed and after moment's hesitation set it down on the table beside the bed. Hand digging into his pocket again he pulled the pocketknife out and crossed the room to stand by the door as he tilted his head to one side and studied it. Lifting his fingers to brush against the door frame he sliced open the tip of his finger and began to set the intricate series of wards that would hide them from both angelic and demonic sight. By the time he finished, the daylight streaming in through the curtains had been replaced with moonlight as the moon rose. Going to the bathroom he washed his hands and the knife before setting it to dry on the counter atop a hand towel.
Grasping on to the door jamb of the bathroom as a bout of dizziness hit he closed his eyes tightly until it passed before he moved back to the closet and knelt down to start digging out night clothes from the bags. Retrieving a wet washcloth from the bathroom along with a towel he sat on the bed next to Dean and began to clean the still sleeping man while changing his clothing into clothes that would be far more comfortable for him to rest in. Clothing changed he nestled him beneath the covers again and left the room to take a quick shower. Steam followed him from the bathroom as he walked out with still dripping hair and moved to pull the extra blanket down from the top shelf in the closet. Turning off the light in the entryway he made his way back to the bed with the blanket in hand and set it down on the bed next to Dean.
Moving him over in the bed so that he was on the side furthest from the door he spread the extra blanket over the shivering man before turning back to the closet and digging out what remained of the medical supplies. Using duck tape he managed to secure a metal rod to the beds headboard and after several attempts left a bag of saline hanging from it with the tubing coiled neatly on the pillow beside Dean. Kneeling on the floor beside the bed he pulled on a pair of gloves before tying a tourniquet on Dean's upper arm and felt along the crook of his elbow for a vein that was close enough to the surface for him to find. Tearing open one of the alcohol swabs he wiped along the portion of skin covering the vein he'd found before throwing it on the floor to be picked up later and pulled the covering off of the needle. Hands shaking he closed his eyes while taking in a deep breath before exhaling and feeling his hands steady as much as they were going to he opened his eyes and slowly broke the skin with the needle looking anxiously for the flash of blood that would show he'd found the vein.
Sliding it forward until it was flush with the arm he pressed down on it with his other hand before sliding the needle out and leaving what Charlie had called a catheter behind. Setting the needle on the bed after capping it he reached over for the tubing from the saline bag and quickly attached it all together before taping it down and making sure that the IV was secure. Picking up the used supplies he threw them in the trash before turning off the light on the table and sliding into bed beside Dean. Closing his eyes he counted Dean's shallow breaths and waited for sleep to claim him before the shivering of the man next to him grew to be too much. Turning on to his side he pulled Dean closer and carefully wrapped an arm around the man. Feeling his arm rise and fall with Dean's breathing as he lay awake he closed his eyes and counted each breath that Dean took before he fell asleep to the feeling of the room spinning around him.
Waking the next morning with a groan he buried his face in the pillow trying to escape the unrelenting sunlight flooding the room through the curtains he'd forgotten to close the night before. Surfacing moments later he untangled himself from where he'd wrapped himself around Dean and pushed the covers away before sitting up while running a hand through his hair. Yawning as he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stood he glared blearily at nothing in particular before moving to the closet and pulling Dean's laptop and a folded piece of paper from one of the bags. Crossing his legs as he sat on the bed with his back against the headboard he turned the laptop on and set it down while waiting for it to boot up. Leaning over he pulled Dean's arm into his lap and checked the skin around the needle looking for swelling or anything that would necessitate him needing to pull it out. Settling Dean back onto the bed he turned his attention back to the laptop and connected to the Wi-Fi he'd paid for the night before while renting the room.
Looking around the desktop with narrowed eyes he clicked hesitantly on an icon and relaxed when the window that opened was the correct one. Unfolding the paper he entered in the user name and password written on it and clicked sign in.
...Ω...
Biting the nail of her thumb Charlie blew her bangs off her forehead as she stared blankly at the still open conversation screen. Everything that she'd made provisions for on the off chance that it would be needed was being used and stretched to its limits. After Dean had convinced her to let her mother go she hadn't been able to shake the persistent feeling that she needed to prepare in the only way that she could because someone didn't stay on the run for as long as she had without being good at what she did. She'd started it knowing that Dean wouldn't be happy but after a week of starting and deleting everything she had finally thrown her hands up in frustration and decided that she'd deal with Dean when the time came because it would. Sam wasn't getting any better and going by the conversations they'd had prior to her decision Dean was implying that he was getting worse and...
And she knew that eventually something was going to happen to force Dean's hand.
So she'd carefully crafted Casimir Vonnegut née Zupan who immigrated from the Czech Republic at the age of fifteen with his parents in 1992. Slipping false home school records into the government systems hadn't been too hard compared to creating a life for Cas in Bloomington, Indiana because in a town filled with college students it was easier to hide someone who didn't technically exist as the faces in town were constantly changing. Even harder had been creating a trail showing Dean and Cas' marriage on April 6, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. She had a friend in the county clerk’s office that had owed her a favor and had been willing to file the correct paperwork and make it look as though it had just been misfiled instead of never existed. Next she'd had to hack into the DMV records and set up a driver's license and record for Cas using the picture that she may or may not have liberated from Dean's bag before leaving the bunker. Everything after that had been relatively easy as she'd sent in the requests to the banks and the social security administration noting the changes in marital status and had requested the new documentation and cards for Cas. For some reason she still didn't understand she'd also made Cas a passport.
When the call from the priest had come asking for Cas to go to Dean in New Mexico of all places she'd gathered everything from the room that she'd claimed as hers and slipped it into an manila envelope and stuffed it all into a small bag along with a wallet that she hoped Cas would use. She'd known that eventually her preparations would come in handy because Dean was too well known to not have to go on the run again at some point but she'd hoped. She'd hoped because sometimes with Dean it seemed like that was all she could do. Things had gone downhill faster than expected if Cas wasn't exaggerating and even though she really hoped that he was she sincerely doubted that was the case. She'd told Cas to take Dean's car and leave it in the long term parking at the airport and that she would take care of the reservations for both the parking and a rental car. He was right in that Dean's car was too conspicuous but like she'd told him she thought that it might be best if they stayed on the west coast until Dean had recovered especially as he was the only one who knew where the third Trial would be. Traveling to the east coast would no doubt be expected by the ones trailing them and that long of a trip most likely wouldn't be in Dean's best interests. On top of all of that she’d still need to find someone trustworthy enough to go to the hotel where Dean and Cas were to set up an IV for nutrition and to get Cas the blood thinners he’d need for as long as Dean was unconscious.
Tapping her fingers against the laptop she shrunk into herself with worry. Sam was slowly getting better even as Dean was steadily getting worse and how was it that knowing it was going to happen didn’t make it any easier to accept? Kevin could only help her distract him for so long and eventually they were going to be caught out in their lies the same way that Kevin had caught her. Gnawing on the tip of her thumb she wondered how much of the medical stuff they had stashed in the bunker she should send out to Cas and thought with a wince of how much shipping overnight was going to cost. Opening a browser window she absently went about setting everything up for the reservation at the long term parking lot and a rental car for Cas. Finishing that she brought up a map of the United States and carefully overlaid it with gas stations, hotels and rest stops before deleting everything east of Texas. Leaning her head on her fist as she leaned her elbow against the kitchen table she meticulously created a list of hotels and cities that could help hide them until Dean was well enough for the third Trial. Pursing her lips as she finished the thought she wondered when it was that everything had changed from the possibility of Dean completing the Trials to the certainty that she now held. Rubbing the knuckles of one hand over her collarbone she set up a travel plan and emailed it to Cas with a note that it was only a suggestion and that he should feel free to make adjustments as needed.
Shutting the computer down she stretched her arms up above her head before standing and tucking the laptop beneath her arm as she left the kitchen. Stopping in the room with the massive table she studied the lights still on and her face crinkled with confusion as she noted that there was still the same amount of lights now as there had been this morning which was... Eyes widening she set her laptop down and scrambled for the notepad she'd left resting on the table with the notes of every light that had turned off since the day she'd arrived at the bunker with Cas in tow. Opening the notepad and flipping through the pages she stopped on the page from three days before which was the last note she'd left. Inhaling sharply as she flipped through the previous pages her face paled with realization as she dropped the notebook and went running back to the kitchen for her cell phone. Doing a search for the name of the hotel Cas had given her in El Paso, Texas she fumbled with the touch screen as her shaking hands had her making stupid mistakes like opening the calendar instead of the browser. Searching through the hotels main website for locations she finally found the phone number of the hotel and tapped on it before she hit send once the dial screen was up.
Holding the phone to her ear as she paced around the kitchen while waiting for someone to answer. "Yes please connect me to room one oh nine. Thank you!" Voice trembling and reflecting her state of mind she flattened her bangs against her forehead with the palm of her hand before letting out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding when Cas' cautious tones came over the phone. "Cas! No I know that I wasn't supposed to call but this is like seriously important dude! So Dean was having me keep an eye on the lights on the table here cause he said they were showing where all of the angels were. I don't know why I didn't notice but dude the angels were being hunted up until like three days ago! And I seriously mean hunted cause these things were going out like crazy and now-now they're not. Isn't that like more than just a coincidence that they stop when you start running with Dean?"
Breath ragged with the panic curling its claws in her chest she fought back the tears that were burning her eyes. "I'll lay down some false trails but they know-oh God they're gonna figure out that you guys aren't in Mexico and where do you think the first place they're gonna start looking is gonna be? You've gotta leave as soon as he's awake cause you're too close to the border. I know he's not doing good but Cas that isn't going to matter if they find you cause they will. Dean said that there's only so long you can stay hidden from angels and demons when they're really looking for you and they are. I mean why wouldn't they be? Dean's trying to mess up their stuff again and it's not like he isn't the world’s biggest pain in the ass. If at the end of the week he's still not awake you've gotta leave Cas. Wards can be broken and they only help you so much since they know what you guys look like and how long do you think it'll take for the guys after you to start putting word out that they're looking for you?" Scrubbing at her face where a few wayward tears had fallen she forced herself to calm down as she listened to Cas.
"I know but I'm telling you that I've got a bad feeling about this like major bad mojo feeling okay? Please just-I know he's sick because of the Trial but I'd rather take the chance that it'll take him longer to recover than to take the chance that they'll catch up to you guys. I don't-I know you don't know me and you don't have a reason to trust me yet but Dean does and I swear I wouldn't do anything to hurt him. He's," her breath hitched, "he's all I got you know?" Nodding before remembering he couldn't see her, "I'll get everything done that I can to give you guys time but I can't promise you the week. Just promise me you'll leave as soon as he's awake or at least before the end of the week."
Putting the phone back in her pocket as Cas agreed and then ended the call she leaned forward to press her head against the coolness of the wall before straightening and leaving the kitchen. Walking through the hallways she went into a room and stood in the doorway with her hand on the doorknob as she met Kevin's questioning gaze. "I need a minute or two with him." Offering a quick smile that didn't reach her eyes she closed the door behind Kevin and sat down in the armchair that Kevin had liberated from the library. Leaning forward she rubbed the palms of her hands along her jean clad thighs while studying the angel sitting up in the bed across from her. His deceptively slender frame was dressed in blue plaid pajama bottoms and a plain grey t-shirt that were borrowed from Sam and the angels brown hair was still sleep mussed with several strands sticking up. Meeting cool green eyes Charlie swallowed before straightening. "How would a demon know if someone were taking the Trials of Heaven?"
"What interest does a monkey have in them?"
"This monkey," Charlie retorted icily, "has a big interest seeing as how it's her brother saving everyone else. Again. What do you guys do up there while he's off doing what you're supposed to be doing?"
The angel snorted his eyes full of disdain as he examined her. "We do exactly as my Father commands."
"Which would be what exactly?"
"Why are you so interested?"
"What are you hiding?"
"Your mind is too feeble to comprehend the matters that plague my mind."
"Oh? Well then how about we start off with the stuff that's plaguing my mind? See when I came back here I found a note telling me that the guys who used to live here knew how to track angels down if they got their wings clipped." Baring her teeth in a vicious smile she leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees and her smile widened when she caught the unease that flitted across the angels face. "Here's the thing; there are on average 21 or 21.2 if we wanna get technical, lights going out per day. Or at least there were until three days ago when someone found them finishing the second Trial.
"Stop."
"Don't you wanna know how many lights have gone out in the two months that I've been here?"
"Please."
"I'm not a mean person. Seriously I'm not but being Queen of Moondor taught me that sometimes you have to do things you wouldn't ever do to protect the ones you love." Charlie said in a low voice as the angel's green eyes looked up from studying the blanket to meet her own. "My brother taught me that family isn’t always blood and that family comes before anything and anyone else. So tell me how a demon would know how and where someone was taking the Trials of Heaven."
The angel swallowed thickly his eyes troubled as he twisted his fingers in the blanket covering him. Charlie opened her mouth to prod some more when the angel spoke up. "Only one of my brothers or sisters still in possession of their Grace would know and it would only be with their help that any demon would be able to ascertain the location of the Trials."
"Then someone's helping them?"
"Yes."
"Thank you very much for your cooperation that's all I needed to know." Standing from the chair she opened the door only to stop before leaving to look back at the slumped figure of the angel. "For what's it's worth," she called out, "I really am sorry about your family."
...Ω...
He thinks that maybe he's been awake before. Not fully awake but the kind of awake when you're still mostly asleep so later on when you're really awake you're not sure if you were actually awake or just dreaming that you were awake. If he was awake then he wishes that he wasn't because he thinks that he remembers coughs that left his chest feeling raw as though he was being torn apart from the inside out by thousands of paper cuts. He can't remember what it's like to not have the taste and smell of copper invading his senses until blood is all that he knows and there are strong arms pulling him up and back against a body that radiates warmth. The coldness that's invaded every part of his body is slowly chased away by the medicine that makes his arm burn as it goes into and up through his veins and he wants to make a sound-any sound-to tell Cas that he's still there. That he hasn't given up yet even though the fever leaves him feeling as though he'll never truly be warm and the cough makes him think fondly of the possibilities that true unconsciousness brings.
He loses track of time, not that he's sure he had a track of it, so the minutes stretch into hours without end and he doesn't know long he stays like that. Lost between worlds as his mom said when he was four and he ended up with pneumonia after he went sneaking outside to play in the snow in the middle of the night. That was the last time he'd been as miserably sick as he is now and he knows that he's sick even if he can't remember the hows or whys of it all. He 's been bundled up in a blanket more than once as he's carried as smoothly as possible and then he thinks that he's been put into a car because he's pretty sure that he remembers hearing the muffled sound of the seat belt clicking into place but the seats aren't the familiar comfort of his baby.
When Dean finally wakes it's to a quiet room.
Dozing fitfully until his mind finally woke from the fog of sleep he wondered why his pillow was moving and finally managed to drag his heavy eyes open. The side of his face was pressed against a chest rising and falling steadily with sleep and he's struck dumb for a moment by the feeling of utter serenity that follows him into consciousness. Fingers curling into the soft sleep shirt he was lying on he swallowed thickly as his stomach twisted violently and he opened his mouth to moan, groan or to do something only to stop when the feeling of nausea intensified. Breathing slowly through his nose he felt his stomach beginning to twist with the first of the dry heaves and his tongue went stiff.
Rolling onto his side and feeling frantically for the edge of the bed he hung his head over the edge just as the bile began to swell up onto his tongue. Warm hands slipped under him to lift him from the bed and he was moved to the bathroom where he was deposited onto the cold tile and his hands were pressed around the rim of the toilet. Leaning forward as he started gagging he felt a hand rubbing soothing circles on his back as the bile splattered into the toilet and after what seemed like forever he was finally able to lean back into the warm chest behind him. Opening his mouth again to ask where he was he felt the cold flood of trepidation sweeping through when all that came out was air. Moving his hand up to his throat he felt frantically for a cut or some sort of swelling to explain his complete inability to speak and with a growing sense of horror he realized that there was nothing but smooth, unbroken skin. Fighting against the arms holding him close as the first stirrings of panic set in he continued to struggle in a haze of unrestrained panic. He couldn't talk. He couldn't make a sound. He couldn't talk!
Eyes wide and watering as he started to cough before he began to struggle wildly against the grip pulling his hands down as his panic grew with the realization. Minutes passed before he began to listen to the voice calling out to him as he struggled to breathe through the coughs tearing through his chest. Listening to the tired tones of the rough voice whispering pleadingly into his ear Dean's struggled until at last his mind clawed its way free of the smothering weight of panic and he at last recognized the voice speaking to him.
Chest heaving as he stopped fighting he fell limp into the arms still supporting him and bit his lip until he felt blood begin to drip down his chin to join the blood he'd already brought up with his coughing. Using the pain to ground himself he finally calmed once he remembered that he'd completed the second trial and that completing it meant-, "Dean please answer me." Hearing the uncertainty in Cas' voice he moved his heavy limbs to grasp the angel's hand within his own before shaking his head and closed his eyes tiredly. "No what do y-Was it the the Trial?" Nodding his head with an effort that left him panting and dizzy, he let Cas clean the bile and blood from his face before he was picked up off of the floor and moved back to the bed. Sinking into the cooled sheets he strained his ears to listen as Cas moved about the room and he heard the sound of a zipper being opened and running water before the bed dipped on one side and then Cas was sitting him up and sliding in behind him on the bed.
"Lift your arms please I need to change your shirt." Feeling his face burn with embarrassment he thought about refusing for a moment and insisting that he could do it himself before he realized that he was exhausted from the effort it was taking to sit upright while leaning back against Cas. Lifting his arms he shivered as the wet shirt was pulled off and his chest, face and neck were wiped down with swift, practiced movements that spoke to the fact that this wasn't the first time that Cas had done this. Rolling facedown onto the covers after his shirt was replaced with a long sleeved one that felt like one of his henleys he squirmed around until he was under the covers and tried to catch his breath. He stiffened as the bed moved and he felt the bed beside him dip before a heavy arm wrapped around him and gently tugged him closer to Cas. "It would have looked odd for a married couple to have a room with two beds instead of one." Frowning at the odd tone in Cas' voice he relaxed as the angel's warmth was wrapped around him. "I also find it easier to sleep here as you've woken up several times in the past weeks because of problems with your breathing."
Turning the words over in his head he nodded his head reasoning that he was too tired for an argument and Cas... he sounded off in a way that he was too tired to puzzle over. Yawning widely he decided that arguments could wait for the morning or a time when just puking didn't leave him feeling like he hadn't slept for days on end. Settling comfortably on the bed he fell asleep to the sounds of Cas' soft breathing and didn't wake until the next day when the sounds of knocking pulled him from sleep and he slowly became aware that he was alone in the bed. Stretching he frowned as he felt the soreness in the crooks of his elbows and moved his fingers to press lightly at the areas feeling out the swollen and dry skin. "You've been asleep for nearly two weeks and you needed fluids so I had to set up an IV for you and used the nutrient bags that Charlie sent me. The last time that I tried to give you water you choked on it so an IV was the safest option to keep you alive."
Turning his face in the direction Cas' voice was coming from he listened as the doors locks were flipped and turned. He hid a flinch with a cough when the bed dipped under Cas' weight after something was set down onto the table with a low thump and rustle of paper. How pathetic was it that he couldn't even tell that Cas was close by he thought sullenly before shoving the bitter thoughts away and concentrating on what Cas was telling him. "-we've been moving constantly since then which I don't think helped you any because it took you so long to wake the first time and even then you weren't truly conscious of what was happening."
Opening his mouth to ask Cas to repeat himself he ground his teeth together out of sheer frustration at the knowledge that he couldn't speak to garner Cas' attention. How the Hell was he supposed to get anything done if he couldn't say anything, he wondered before he silently groaned at his own stupidity. Doubling over with his arm coming up to wrap around his stomach as he coughed he leaned back with a tired sigh and wiped away the blood he could taste on his lips. Slamming his hand on the mattress to get Cas' attention as he sat up with difficulty he held his hand up in the universal sign to stop and then searched the bed for Cas' hand which the angel was quick to realize. Turning it over he concentrated on making sure the letters he was tracing out on the palm were recognizable even with the shakiness of his hands. "What happened?” Nodding his head and grimacing at the pain and lightheadedness that followed he motioned for Cas to continue.
"After you finished the Trial you were... you weren't doing very well and I was planning on staying at the church for a few days as Brother Francisco had offered but then the wards started reacting. The wards were old ones from the time before the Nephilim and are-were one of Gabriel's favorites for securing an area from demons as they react to intent and the taint that demons carry. I packed and then waited until nightfall to set off the banishment seals in the wards." Picking up Cas' hand again he traced out demons? Cas sighed heavily before replying, "the wards wouldn't have reacted as they did to anything less and it drained them which means that we were being tracked by more than those belonging to the lower echelons of Hell." Eyes closed and head tilted to the side Dean's eyebrows knit together in concentration as he realized that there was something odd in the tone of Cas' voice; almost as though the angel was trying hard to hide that he omitting something.
You don't think that's all do you?
"No," Cas said slowly, "they shouldn't have been able to ascertain the location of the church which means that they had assistance. Unfortunately the only realm capable of feeling the initiation of the Trials is Heaven as it would be the realm most affected and closely linked to the Trials."
Metatron?
"Unless you think Charlie capable of betraying you then I see no other possibilities." Shaking his head absently he jumped when an open styrofoam container was pushed into his hands. Grimacing at the thought of being back to soups for meals he turned a hopeful look in Cas' general direction only to slump as the angel told him to drink his soup. Bringing the soup to his mouth with his fingers dipping into the container he obediently started sipping at the soup that tasted like weak chicken broth with bits of egg floating in it. Which meant that Cas had brought him egg drop soup. Shrugging he continued to drink it as it was at least a change from the chicken noodle and tomato soups that had given to him the last time.
"We've changed hotels three times and states twice trying to keep ahead of them. Charlie's been doing her best to help us stay ahead of them but I worry that doing so is taking as great a toll on her as it is on you." Smelling soy sauce and garlic as Cas began to eat Dean sipped at the soup while the angel continued to talk between bites of food. "The hex bags are always with us but when we're forced to leave is when we're most vulnerable because the simple wards only prevent them from finding an exact location not just an idea of where we're moving. I couldn't use any of the stronger wards because those require a willing sacrifice of blood and one which you were incapable of giving before."
Managing to finish half of the soup before he was full he held out the container to Cas before leaning back against the mountain of pillows that Cas had moved behind him. Resting his hands on his chest, he waited for his stomach to settle and for the threat of puking again to wane before stretching his hand out palm up. Feeling Cas' hand move tentatively into his own his fingers closed and he brought the hand closer so he could trace out a request for Cas to get a pen and paper to write down what he was going to say. Wincing as he began to cough again he struggled to catch his breath and wiped his hand as nonchalantly as possible on the blanket while he waited for Cas to say he was ready.
"I'm ready," Cas placed his hand back in Dean's still open one and waited.
Two choices for the third Trial. Can go to Vézelay Abbey in France or Church of Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem. No one should know about the first one so we'll go to France.
"After you've recovered more than you are now. You've been awake for less than twelve hours and I won't take you to France only to die." Cas' tone was firm with no room for disagreement and he hid a wince at Cas' choice of words as the conversation that he'd had with Chuck came to the front of his mind. The conversation about what he'd be willing to sacrifice and he wondered idly if he oughtn't say something now before it was too late to say anything. Realizing that Cas was still waiting for an answer he rolled his eyes behind closed lids while he gave a curt nod and laid down on his side with his head on ready to go back to sleep. Grumbling to himself in the privacy of his mind he stiffened as a stray memory of the night before floated through causing him to turn over again and scramble to sit up whilst at the same time trying to reach out for Cas' hand.
Why the Hell did you say we were married last night?
"Because there is more safety in being Dean and Casimir Vonnegut than there is in being Dean Winchester and Castiel."
Couldn't you say you're my brother or something that doesn't end with people thinking I like dick?
"You aren't my brother. Perhaps it isn't the most ideal of situations but it is the safest and as you were unconscious I was forced to go with the explanation that was the easiest to give." Bewildered by the biting tone of Cas' voice Dean wondered what he'd said to make the angel so angry because it really wasn't anything he hadn't said before. Okay so maybe he'd never said it in this particular situation but then they'd never been in this particular situation before and it wasn't like he was trying to piss the angel off. It's just weird you know? I've never thought of you like that. Feeling Cas stiffen as the last letter was traced out before the angel pulled his hand away and stood up from the bed Dean was left with the feeling that he'd somehow made everything worse instead of better.
"I'm sorry. I know that it's no excuse but I think the lack of sleep has affected my temperament. Try to sleep I'm going to shower and change my clothing." Nodding his head as he lay back down he puzzled over Cas' reaction to his words and wondered why he felt like his stomach was twisting itself into knots over the angel’s reaction. It wasn’t the first time he'd upset the angel and considering his track record it wouldn't be the last either which is what made his reaction so odd. He shouldn't care that Cas got upset about his ability to make the wrong comment at the absolute worst time because when he was around the angel he seemed to forget that he was capable of someone into anything. Eyes dropping closed for longer periods of time as he turned the thoughts over in his head he finally fell asleep to sound of the running water in the shower.
The next few days were awkward to say the least and seemed to prove that he'd done something wrong as Cas seemed inclined to do everything possible to avoid conversation including sleeping on the floor. He could swear that the angel was making things up on the spot that kept him from being able to give Dean his hands so that he could ask what was wrong or apologize for whatever it was that he'd said. It took four days and a long car ride in an unfamiliar car to a new hotel for Dean to reach his breaking point. Firmly ensconced on the bed while Cas straightened their belongings and gathered the clothing that needed to be washed he leaned across the bed stretching his hand out to feel for the notepad and pen that most hotels left on the nightstand beside the phone.
Using the index finger of his left hand as a guide he carefully wrote down his question 'y r u moping like a bitch', hoping it was legible before capping the pen and flinging both pen and notepad in what he thought was Cas' general direction. A perverse sort of satisfaction filled him as he heard Cas' startled yelp and waited for the angel to get around to telling him just what the fuck his problem was cause if anyone should be pouting and moping around then it should be him.
Y'know seeing as how he couldn't see or speak.
"There isn't anything bothering me nor is there, as you have so eloquently phrased it, something that is making me mope like a bitch."
And he had thought that Sam was bad? Shaking his head in disbelief he wanted for nothing more in that moment than the ability to speak. He could live without being able to see just so long as he could call Cas out about this. Cause this? This was some grade A bullshit and he wasn't buying it for a second. His face apparently showed his disbelief as Cas sighed before he felt the bed dip on the side opposite of where he was sitting. "I know that this farce has left you... unhappy and I wanted to do what I could to make it easier on you because the stress will only lengthen your recovery time." Feeling his jaw twitch with anger as the bed moved he lunged across the bed and managed to grab hold of the angel’s pants leg in time to prevent him from standing.
It was one comment and I didn't even mean it like that. He was startled to realize as he traced the letters out on Cas' palm that he was telling the truth. He hadn't meant it and the feeling that the realization caused left his heart pounding hard enough that he could almost hear it as it caused his head to throb in time with it. Shaking his head he pushed the feeling aside to be prodded over later preferably when there wasn't a chance that Cas would ask him why he was acting so strangely. So long as you don't grope me in your sleep I'm cool with you sleeping on the bed. What I'm not cool with is you sleeping on the floor and coming up with shit excuses to avoid me. We're living in a hotel room and it's getting ridiculous. Especially when I don't even get make up sex.
Fighting the urge to drop his jaw in disbelief as he felt his face begin to burn with the telltale sign of a blush spreading its way across his face he moved back and as he laid down he wondered where the Hell the blush had come from. "You should rest." Cas murmured as he settled a blanket over him. "I'll call the front desk to have someone pick up the laundry so I'll be here to watch over you."
He was too tired and eager to keep his face hidden to argue so he settled his arm beneath the pillow he was lying on and wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment. He woke what felt like hours later to a quiet room and the sound of the shower running nearly muffling the sounds of the TV across the room. Lying on his side he dozed fitfully for a while to the sounds of Dr. Sexy M.D. and settled fully into sleep when the bed dipped and Cas' arms wrapped themselves around him. When he woke again the bed was cold and he found himself missing the warmth of earlier with a fierceness that surprised him. Laying in bed he rolled over and flung his arm over his face as he tried to figure out just what the Hell was wrong with him. He'd never had problems with making risqué comments to Cas before and he'd stopped blushing like that when he was thirteen. Yet here he was. In bed. Alone. Wondering when making stupid comments was enough to have him blushing like he hadn't when he was a thirteen year old virgin.
It was Cas!
And maybe that was the problem.
He was totally and completely dependent on the angel for everything because he still hadn't adjusted to being blind and he couldn't exactly ask for help anymore so things between them had changed. Obviously it had to change because it wasn't like things could stay with that weird tension they'd had before... before when he was hurt because Cas thought he couldn't be trusted. He didn't know when exactly the hurt had subsided to a general ache but he figured that it had probably been during one of the several arguments they'd had to clear the air between them. If he had to pick a moment when everything had transitioned to this he would have to say it was the morning they'd gone to the church in Mexico after he'd asked for Cas' assistance in getting dressed cause he wasn't entirely sure he could get his clothing on straight by himself.
Huffing silently as he rubbed at his eyes he grumbled at the fact that when he actually needed to talk with Charlie he couldn't and when he didn't want to he could. Moving his arm as the hotel door opened he used it to push himself up and shoved at the pillows bunched behind him in an attempt to shake away the thoughts before acknowledging Cas. Flinching as the door slammed shut and he could hear Cas' weary shuffle back into the room he moved over on the bed and flung the covers back in invitation because he couldn’t see the angel turned human but he could hear the exhaustion in way the other moved about the room. "You should eat first." Shaking his head he patted the bed and curled up coughing as Cas sighed and the bed dipped. "You will eat afterwards though."
The next few days passed like that with him puzzling over the still random bouts of blushing and the peace he felt in knowing that Cas was sleeping beside him. It was nearly a week later when he heard Cas beginning to pack their belongings up again. Sliding to the edge of the bed he slipped off and shuffled over to where he could hear Cas messing around with their bags and sat on the floor. "Charlie was able to purchase the tickets for France and it was time for us to change hotels. It will be easier to go to France now and wait for your recovery there."
Nodding without knowing or caring if Cas could see him Dean sprawled back on the carpet to take a short nap only waking when Cas prodded him awake and forced him into changing his clothing before making him stand and carrying him out to the car where he napped all the way to the airport. He never wanted to go through airport security as a blind mute ever again because if one more security guard insinuated that he was stupid just because he couldn't see or talk he wasn't gonna be held responsible for anything he did. Somehow they managed to get through airport security without him kicking/hurting/maiming anyone either intentionally or accidentally.
Cas was the only reason he didn't do something he most definitely wouldn't have regretted as the angel had kept an arm wrapped tightly around his waist through the airports and through the boarding and disembarking process. While on the plane he'd pulled Dean's head onto his shoulder after he tried and failed to fall asleep using the pillow they'd bought in one of the stores in the airport. Once in France they had the minor difficulty of Cas remembering what side of the road he needed to drive on but other than that everything was calm between them for once. They slept in the same bed at night because the one night Cas had tried sleeping on the floor Dean had flat out refused to sleep even as exhaustion weighed down on him until Cas moved back to the bed. The fact that they were still on the run was stressful when he thought about how useless he'd be in an actual fight so he was loathe to lose the comfort he'd found in sleeping next to Cas.
It was peaceful.
Nice even.
Good in a way that it hadn't been for a long time and he could almost forget... forget why he and Cas were in France.
Until Charlie called to tell them that they needed to get to the final Trial quickly because of the dozens of people that were being reported missing in France.
...Ω...
Next
Previous
...Ω...
The fact that this was the second time didn't make it any easier. In fact, he thought that it made it worse because he kept comparing the facts of now with the facts of then. Leaning over to rest his fingers over Dean's mouth he sighed in relief, his eyes fluttering shut as he felt the uneven breaths warming his hand. Blinking tiredly at the road ahead of him he shook off the fatigue clouding his mind and corrected so that he was fully in his lane instead of drifting off to the shoulder. Reaching over to tuck the blanket in around Dean he thanked his Father yet again that the priest had given them the blanket before their hasty departure from the church once he'd realized that the wards were flaring in warning as they were tested for weaknesses. Dean had still been settled in his lap as he brought up mouthful after mouthful of dark red blood that spilled past his lips and onto the tiled floors with each cough that racked his feverish body. The flaring light of the wards could not have come at a worse time as he struggled to lower Dean's fever and to keep the man breathing while he sat on the floor with Dean's back to his chest as he cradled the man with a nearly tangible desperation.
He'd waited until dark to complete the activation of the wards and then in the minutes that had been granted by the action he'd bundled Dean up in the blanket and carried him out to the car all the while advising the priest to leave the church until the wards had gone dark. He'd been too worried to stop for the first hour that they were on the road and his lower lip was raw and bloody from his teeth as he tugged it between them in a nervous movement he was helpless to stop. Somewhere along the dark roads Dean's breathing had grown worse as his chest rose and fell with each labored breath that passed his blood stained lips. They needed rest for Dean's sake if nothing else but also for his own. Exhaustion was a danger he'd forgotten when he'd started the long drive back but he didn't dare pull over for rest until they were able to do so in a place that could be secured with wards to hide them until Dean was recovered from the rigors of the latest Trial.
Yawning and swiping irritably at his eyes as they watered he felt them burning with the weariness that was forcing his body to clamor for the rest that he'd denied it for the hours that had passed since they'd left the church behind them. Looking up at the mileage sign he felt relief build at the knowledge that they would soon be back in the United States with the church far behind them and then they could rest in a proper bed just as soon as he'd etched the wards into the room and laid down a barrier of salt. Flexing his fingers as they began to cramp from the grip he held on the steering wheel he glanced back over at Dean to assure himself yet again that the man was still breathing. He'd need to call Charlie in the morning to see how he went about procuring a car because he was nearly certain that the car they were in now was too well known for them to be remain hidden for very long. Reaching over with one of the handful of paper towels he'd swiped from a restroom at a gas station he wiped carefully at the trickle of blood sliding down from Dean's mouth. His stomach twisted uncomfortably as the man failed to respond as he'd done since falling unconscious in the church and he hadn't realized just how comforting it was to be able to hear the sounds Dean made while asleep. He hasn't realized until now when the man lay as still and pale as death with only the sounds of his breathing and coughing breaking the bleak portrait he painted.
Flipping his blinker on as he changed lanes his eyes watched the signs detailing the nearby motels for a higher end one because it was as Charlie had said; if they were being hunted the lower end motels that Dean preferred would be among the first checked. Thankful more than ever for the paranoia that had led Dean into keeping his life as Uri Vonnegut hidden he turned his blinker on again as the off-ramp for a higher end motel came closer. Navigating the still congested streets he pulled into the motel's parking lot and put the car into park after parking in one of the open parking spaces near the front. Leaning over to tuck the edges of the blanket more securely around Dean he stayed frozen just watching the man sleeping his hands trembling with exhaustion as he reached over to wipe away blood from Dean's lips with his thumb. Looking down at the blood now staining the digit he closed his eyes and took a shaky breath in before he forced himself to get out of the car. Scanning the parking lot for anything abnormal he locked the car and with one last look around he turned and walked into the motel lobby and stopped at the sign for the front desk. Waiting with growing impatience for the man at the desk to finish assisting the couple in front of him, he dug into the pocket of the wrinkled khakis he was wearing for the wallet with the driver's license and credit card that Charlie had given to him before driving him to the airport. Tapping the hard edges against his thigh in the only overt sign of impatience he allowed himself he moved to the front desk with a tired smile for the man greeting him as the couple in front of him left.
"Good evening sir and how long will you be staying with us?"
"My husband and I will be here for a week." He answered wondering if it would be enough time for Dean to rest before they changed cities and wishing that they could stay in one place for longer without raising suspicions. "He's not feeling well at the moment and I don't want anyone disturbing him while he's supposed to be recovering," Cas asked his vision gong blurry as he handed over his identification, "is there a way to avoid having maid service?"
"Oh! I'm sorry to hear he's not feeling well and of course we'd be happy to accommodate your request. Would you prefer to have a room on the ground floor?"
"Please," he replied and within fifteen minutes he'd been given the room keys and he was exiting the lobby. Glancing around the parking lot as he stopped beside the passenger side door he opened it before bending down to pull Dean into his arms in as smooth a motion as he could with his hand still holding onto the keycard for their room. Locking the door with his elbow and closing it with his foot he walked back towards the lobby where he hit the handicap opening with his arm and waited for the doors to swing open. Glancing down at Dean as he walked through the lobby and down the hallway to the left as the man had instructed he stopped in front of the door bearing the number given to them. Wondering how he was going to open the door with Dean in his arms he looked up as the sounds of hurried footsteps came closer.
"I'm sorry I didn't think about it until I saw you coming in with him. Let me get the door open for you.". Blinking dumbly at the man from the front desk Cas offered a grateful smile and adjusted his hold on Dean so he could offer the keycard still in his hand before he stepped aside so that the door could be opened wide enough for him to pass through. "Would you like me to turn down the blankets so you can get him to bed?"
"If you would be so kind." Straightening as he got Dean settled into the bed with his shoes removed and blankets piled around him he waited for the hotel employee to leave before feeling even remotely comfortable with leaving Dean alone for the amount of time it would take to gather their belongings from the car. Reaching into his shirt pocket he pulled a small sandwich bag of salt and made salt lines along the windows and door before leaving the room. Making quick work of recovering their bags and moving the car to the back of the building he hurried back to their room to find Dean still sleeping restlessly. Dropping the bags in the closet and kicking his shoes off with a sigh of relief he padded back to the door and locked it. Swaying tiredly as exhaustion pressed down on him he reached into his pocket for the knife he'd placed there the morning they'd left for the church which had been two days before. A confused expression took over his face as instead of the warm steel of the pocketknife his fingers instead closed around small beads.
Pulling his hand from his pocket he opened it to find the rosary that he'd pried from Dean's grasp back in the church. Thumb rubbing along the beads in an absent motion he moved to the bed and after moment's hesitation set it down on the table beside the bed. Hand digging into his pocket again he pulled the pocketknife out and crossed the room to stand by the door as he tilted his head to one side and studied it. Lifting his fingers to brush against the door frame he sliced open the tip of his finger and began to set the intricate series of wards that would hide them from both angelic and demonic sight. By the time he finished, the daylight streaming in through the curtains had been replaced with moonlight as the moon rose. Going to the bathroom he washed his hands and the knife before setting it to dry on the counter atop a hand towel.
Grasping on to the door jamb of the bathroom as a bout of dizziness hit he closed his eyes tightly until it passed before he moved back to the closet and knelt down to start digging out night clothes from the bags. Retrieving a wet washcloth from the bathroom along with a towel he sat on the bed next to Dean and began to clean the still sleeping man while changing his clothing into clothes that would be far more comfortable for him to rest in. Clothing changed he nestled him beneath the covers again and left the room to take a quick shower. Steam followed him from the bathroom as he walked out with still dripping hair and moved to pull the extra blanket down from the top shelf in the closet. Turning off the light in the entryway he made his way back to the bed with the blanket in hand and set it down on the bed next to Dean.
Moving him over in the bed so that he was on the side furthest from the door he spread the extra blanket over the shivering man before turning back to the closet and digging out what remained of the medical supplies. Using duck tape he managed to secure a metal rod to the beds headboard and after several attempts left a bag of saline hanging from it with the tubing coiled neatly on the pillow beside Dean. Kneeling on the floor beside the bed he pulled on a pair of gloves before tying a tourniquet on Dean's upper arm and felt along the crook of his elbow for a vein that was close enough to the surface for him to find. Tearing open one of the alcohol swabs he wiped along the portion of skin covering the vein he'd found before throwing it on the floor to be picked up later and pulled the covering off of the needle. Hands shaking he closed his eyes while taking in a deep breath before exhaling and feeling his hands steady as much as they were going to he opened his eyes and slowly broke the skin with the needle looking anxiously for the flash of blood that would show he'd found the vein.
Sliding it forward until it was flush with the arm he pressed down on it with his other hand before sliding the needle out and leaving what Charlie had called a catheter behind. Setting the needle on the bed after capping it he reached over for the tubing from the saline bag and quickly attached it all together before taping it down and making sure that the IV was secure. Picking up the used supplies he threw them in the trash before turning off the light on the table and sliding into bed beside Dean. Closing his eyes he counted Dean's shallow breaths and waited for sleep to claim him before the shivering of the man next to him grew to be too much. Turning on to his side he pulled Dean closer and carefully wrapped an arm around the man. Feeling his arm rise and fall with Dean's breathing as he lay awake he closed his eyes and counted each breath that Dean took before he fell asleep to the feeling of the room spinning around him.
Waking the next morning with a groan he buried his face in the pillow trying to escape the unrelenting sunlight flooding the room through the curtains he'd forgotten to close the night before. Surfacing moments later he untangled himself from where he'd wrapped himself around Dean and pushed the covers away before sitting up while running a hand through his hair. Yawning as he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stood he glared blearily at nothing in particular before moving to the closet and pulling Dean's laptop and a folded piece of paper from one of the bags. Crossing his legs as he sat on the bed with his back against the headboard he turned the laptop on and set it down while waiting for it to boot up. Leaning over he pulled Dean's arm into his lap and checked the skin around the needle looking for swelling or anything that would necessitate him needing to pull it out. Settling Dean back onto the bed he turned his attention back to the laptop and connected to the Wi-Fi he'd paid for the night before while renting the room.
Looking around the desktop with narrowed eyes he clicked hesitantly on an icon and relaxed when the window that opened was the correct one. Unfolding the paper he entered in the user name and password written on it and clicked sign in.
...Ω...
Biting the nail of her thumb Charlie blew her bangs off her forehead as she stared blankly at the still open conversation screen. Everything that she'd made provisions for on the off chance that it would be needed was being used and stretched to its limits. After Dean had convinced her to let her mother go she hadn't been able to shake the persistent feeling that she needed to prepare in the only way that she could because someone didn't stay on the run for as long as she had without being good at what she did. She'd started it knowing that Dean wouldn't be happy but after a week of starting and deleting everything she had finally thrown her hands up in frustration and decided that she'd deal with Dean when the time came because it would. Sam wasn't getting any better and going by the conversations they'd had prior to her decision Dean was implying that he was getting worse and...
And she knew that eventually something was going to happen to force Dean's hand.
So she'd carefully crafted Casimir Vonnegut née Zupan who immigrated from the Czech Republic at the age of fifteen with his parents in 1992. Slipping false home school records into the government systems hadn't been too hard compared to creating a life for Cas in Bloomington, Indiana because in a town filled with college students it was easier to hide someone who didn't technically exist as the faces in town were constantly changing. Even harder had been creating a trail showing Dean and Cas' marriage on April 6, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. She had a friend in the county clerk’s office that had owed her a favor and had been willing to file the correct paperwork and make it look as though it had just been misfiled instead of never existed. Next she'd had to hack into the DMV records and set up a driver's license and record for Cas using the picture that she may or may not have liberated from Dean's bag before leaving the bunker. Everything after that had been relatively easy as she'd sent in the requests to the banks and the social security administration noting the changes in marital status and had requested the new documentation and cards for Cas. For some reason she still didn't understand she'd also made Cas a passport.
When the call from the priest had come asking for Cas to go to Dean in New Mexico of all places she'd gathered everything from the room that she'd claimed as hers and slipped it into an manila envelope and stuffed it all into a small bag along with a wallet that she hoped Cas would use. She'd known that eventually her preparations would come in handy because Dean was too well known to not have to go on the run again at some point but she'd hoped. She'd hoped because sometimes with Dean it seemed like that was all she could do. Things had gone downhill faster than expected if Cas wasn't exaggerating and even though she really hoped that he was she sincerely doubted that was the case. She'd told Cas to take Dean's car and leave it in the long term parking at the airport and that she would take care of the reservations for both the parking and a rental car. He was right in that Dean's car was too conspicuous but like she'd told him she thought that it might be best if they stayed on the west coast until Dean had recovered especially as he was the only one who knew where the third Trial would be. Traveling to the east coast would no doubt be expected by the ones trailing them and that long of a trip most likely wouldn't be in Dean's best interests. On top of all of that she’d still need to find someone trustworthy enough to go to the hotel where Dean and Cas were to set up an IV for nutrition and to get Cas the blood thinners he’d need for as long as Dean was unconscious.
Tapping her fingers against the laptop she shrunk into herself with worry. Sam was slowly getting better even as Dean was steadily getting worse and how was it that knowing it was going to happen didn’t make it any easier to accept? Kevin could only help her distract him for so long and eventually they were going to be caught out in their lies the same way that Kevin had caught her. Gnawing on the tip of her thumb she wondered how much of the medical stuff they had stashed in the bunker she should send out to Cas and thought with a wince of how much shipping overnight was going to cost. Opening a browser window she absently went about setting everything up for the reservation at the long term parking lot and a rental car for Cas. Finishing that she brought up a map of the United States and carefully overlaid it with gas stations, hotels and rest stops before deleting everything east of Texas. Leaning her head on her fist as she leaned her elbow against the kitchen table she meticulously created a list of hotels and cities that could help hide them until Dean was well enough for the third Trial. Pursing her lips as she finished the thought she wondered when it was that everything had changed from the possibility of Dean completing the Trials to the certainty that she now held. Rubbing the knuckles of one hand over her collarbone she set up a travel plan and emailed it to Cas with a note that it was only a suggestion and that he should feel free to make adjustments as needed.
Shutting the computer down she stretched her arms up above her head before standing and tucking the laptop beneath her arm as she left the kitchen. Stopping in the room with the massive table she studied the lights still on and her face crinkled with confusion as she noted that there was still the same amount of lights now as there had been this morning which was... Eyes widening she set her laptop down and scrambled for the notepad she'd left resting on the table with the notes of every light that had turned off since the day she'd arrived at the bunker with Cas in tow. Opening the notepad and flipping through the pages she stopped on the page from three days before which was the last note she'd left. Inhaling sharply as she flipped through the previous pages her face paled with realization as she dropped the notebook and went running back to the kitchen for her cell phone. Doing a search for the name of the hotel Cas had given her in El Paso, Texas she fumbled with the touch screen as her shaking hands had her making stupid mistakes like opening the calendar instead of the browser. Searching through the hotels main website for locations she finally found the phone number of the hotel and tapped on it before she hit send once the dial screen was up.
Holding the phone to her ear as she paced around the kitchen while waiting for someone to answer. "Yes please connect me to room one oh nine. Thank you!" Voice trembling and reflecting her state of mind she flattened her bangs against her forehead with the palm of her hand before letting out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding when Cas' cautious tones came over the phone. "Cas! No I know that I wasn't supposed to call but this is like seriously important dude! So Dean was having me keep an eye on the lights on the table here cause he said they were showing where all of the angels were. I don't know why I didn't notice but dude the angels were being hunted up until like three days ago! And I seriously mean hunted cause these things were going out like crazy and now-now they're not. Isn't that like more than just a coincidence that they stop when you start running with Dean?"
Breath ragged with the panic curling its claws in her chest she fought back the tears that were burning her eyes. "I'll lay down some false trails but they know-oh God they're gonna figure out that you guys aren't in Mexico and where do you think the first place they're gonna start looking is gonna be? You've gotta leave as soon as he's awake cause you're too close to the border. I know he's not doing good but Cas that isn't going to matter if they find you cause they will. Dean said that there's only so long you can stay hidden from angels and demons when they're really looking for you and they are. I mean why wouldn't they be? Dean's trying to mess up their stuff again and it's not like he isn't the world’s biggest pain in the ass. If at the end of the week he's still not awake you've gotta leave Cas. Wards can be broken and they only help you so much since they know what you guys look like and how long do you think it'll take for the guys after you to start putting word out that they're looking for you?" Scrubbing at her face where a few wayward tears had fallen she forced herself to calm down as she listened to Cas.
"I know but I'm telling you that I've got a bad feeling about this like major bad mojo feeling okay? Please just-I know he's sick because of the Trial but I'd rather take the chance that it'll take him longer to recover than to take the chance that they'll catch up to you guys. I don't-I know you don't know me and you don't have a reason to trust me yet but Dean does and I swear I wouldn't do anything to hurt him. He's," her breath hitched, "he's all I got you know?" Nodding before remembering he couldn't see her, "I'll get everything done that I can to give you guys time but I can't promise you the week. Just promise me you'll leave as soon as he's awake or at least before the end of the week."
Putting the phone back in her pocket as Cas agreed and then ended the call she leaned forward to press her head against the coolness of the wall before straightening and leaving the kitchen. Walking through the hallways she went into a room and stood in the doorway with her hand on the doorknob as she met Kevin's questioning gaze. "I need a minute or two with him." Offering a quick smile that didn't reach her eyes she closed the door behind Kevin and sat down in the armchair that Kevin had liberated from the library. Leaning forward she rubbed the palms of her hands along her jean clad thighs while studying the angel sitting up in the bed across from her. His deceptively slender frame was dressed in blue plaid pajama bottoms and a plain grey t-shirt that were borrowed from Sam and the angels brown hair was still sleep mussed with several strands sticking up. Meeting cool green eyes Charlie swallowed before straightening. "How would a demon know if someone were taking the Trials of Heaven?"
"What interest does a monkey have in them?"
"This monkey," Charlie retorted icily, "has a big interest seeing as how it's her brother saving everyone else. Again. What do you guys do up there while he's off doing what you're supposed to be doing?"
The angel snorted his eyes full of disdain as he examined her. "We do exactly as my Father commands."
"Which would be what exactly?"
"Why are you so interested?"
"What are you hiding?"
"Your mind is too feeble to comprehend the matters that plague my mind."
"Oh? Well then how about we start off with the stuff that's plaguing my mind? See when I came back here I found a note telling me that the guys who used to live here knew how to track angels down if they got their wings clipped." Baring her teeth in a vicious smile she leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees and her smile widened when she caught the unease that flitted across the angels face. "Here's the thing; there are on average 21 or 21.2 if we wanna get technical, lights going out per day. Or at least there were until three days ago when someone found them finishing the second Trial.
"Stop."
"Don't you wanna know how many lights have gone out in the two months that I've been here?"
"Please."
"I'm not a mean person. Seriously I'm not but being Queen of Moondor taught me that sometimes you have to do things you wouldn't ever do to protect the ones you love." Charlie said in a low voice as the angel's green eyes looked up from studying the blanket to meet her own. "My brother taught me that family isn’t always blood and that family comes before anything and anyone else. So tell me how a demon would know how and where someone was taking the Trials of Heaven."
The angel swallowed thickly his eyes troubled as he twisted his fingers in the blanket covering him. Charlie opened her mouth to prod some more when the angel spoke up. "Only one of my brothers or sisters still in possession of their Grace would know and it would only be with their help that any demon would be able to ascertain the location of the Trials."
"Then someone's helping them?"
"Yes."
"Thank you very much for your cooperation that's all I needed to know." Standing from the chair she opened the door only to stop before leaving to look back at the slumped figure of the angel. "For what's it's worth," she called out, "I really am sorry about your family."
...Ω...
He thinks that maybe he's been awake before. Not fully awake but the kind of awake when you're still mostly asleep so later on when you're really awake you're not sure if you were actually awake or just dreaming that you were awake. If he was awake then he wishes that he wasn't because he thinks that he remembers coughs that left his chest feeling raw as though he was being torn apart from the inside out by thousands of paper cuts. He can't remember what it's like to not have the taste and smell of copper invading his senses until blood is all that he knows and there are strong arms pulling him up and back against a body that radiates warmth. The coldness that's invaded every part of his body is slowly chased away by the medicine that makes his arm burn as it goes into and up through his veins and he wants to make a sound-any sound-to tell Cas that he's still there. That he hasn't given up yet even though the fever leaves him feeling as though he'll never truly be warm and the cough makes him think fondly of the possibilities that true unconsciousness brings.
He loses track of time, not that he's sure he had a track of it, so the minutes stretch into hours without end and he doesn't know long he stays like that. Lost between worlds as his mom said when he was four and he ended up with pneumonia after he went sneaking outside to play in the snow in the middle of the night. That was the last time he'd been as miserably sick as he is now and he knows that he's sick even if he can't remember the hows or whys of it all. He 's been bundled up in a blanket more than once as he's carried as smoothly as possible and then he thinks that he's been put into a car because he's pretty sure that he remembers hearing the muffled sound of the seat belt clicking into place but the seats aren't the familiar comfort of his baby.
When Dean finally wakes it's to a quiet room.
Dozing fitfully until his mind finally woke from the fog of sleep he wondered why his pillow was moving and finally managed to drag his heavy eyes open. The side of his face was pressed against a chest rising and falling steadily with sleep and he's struck dumb for a moment by the feeling of utter serenity that follows him into consciousness. Fingers curling into the soft sleep shirt he was lying on he swallowed thickly as his stomach twisted violently and he opened his mouth to moan, groan or to do something only to stop when the feeling of nausea intensified. Breathing slowly through his nose he felt his stomach beginning to twist with the first of the dry heaves and his tongue went stiff.
Rolling onto his side and feeling frantically for the edge of the bed he hung his head over the edge just as the bile began to swell up onto his tongue. Warm hands slipped under him to lift him from the bed and he was moved to the bathroom where he was deposited onto the cold tile and his hands were pressed around the rim of the toilet. Leaning forward as he started gagging he felt a hand rubbing soothing circles on his back as the bile splattered into the toilet and after what seemed like forever he was finally able to lean back into the warm chest behind him. Opening his mouth again to ask where he was he felt the cold flood of trepidation sweeping through when all that came out was air. Moving his hand up to his throat he felt frantically for a cut or some sort of swelling to explain his complete inability to speak and with a growing sense of horror he realized that there was nothing but smooth, unbroken skin. Fighting against the arms holding him close as the first stirrings of panic set in he continued to struggle in a haze of unrestrained panic. He couldn't talk. He couldn't make a sound. He couldn't talk!
Eyes wide and watering as he started to cough before he began to struggle wildly against the grip pulling his hands down as his panic grew with the realization. Minutes passed before he began to listen to the voice calling out to him as he struggled to breathe through the coughs tearing through his chest. Listening to the tired tones of the rough voice whispering pleadingly into his ear Dean's struggled until at last his mind clawed its way free of the smothering weight of panic and he at last recognized the voice speaking to him.
Chest heaving as he stopped fighting he fell limp into the arms still supporting him and bit his lip until he felt blood begin to drip down his chin to join the blood he'd already brought up with his coughing. Using the pain to ground himself he finally calmed once he remembered that he'd completed the second trial and that completing it meant-, "Dean please answer me." Hearing the uncertainty in Cas' voice he moved his heavy limbs to grasp the angel's hand within his own before shaking his head and closed his eyes tiredly. "No what do y-Was it the the Trial?" Nodding his head with an effort that left him panting and dizzy, he let Cas clean the bile and blood from his face before he was picked up off of the floor and moved back to the bed. Sinking into the cooled sheets he strained his ears to listen as Cas moved about the room and he heard the sound of a zipper being opened and running water before the bed dipped on one side and then Cas was sitting him up and sliding in behind him on the bed.
"Lift your arms please I need to change your shirt." Feeling his face burn with embarrassment he thought about refusing for a moment and insisting that he could do it himself before he realized that he was exhausted from the effort it was taking to sit upright while leaning back against Cas. Lifting his arms he shivered as the wet shirt was pulled off and his chest, face and neck were wiped down with swift, practiced movements that spoke to the fact that this wasn't the first time that Cas had done this. Rolling facedown onto the covers after his shirt was replaced with a long sleeved one that felt like one of his henleys he squirmed around until he was under the covers and tried to catch his breath. He stiffened as the bed moved and he felt the bed beside him dip before a heavy arm wrapped around him and gently tugged him closer to Cas. "It would have looked odd for a married couple to have a room with two beds instead of one." Frowning at the odd tone in Cas' voice he relaxed as the angel's warmth was wrapped around him. "I also find it easier to sleep here as you've woken up several times in the past weeks because of problems with your breathing."
Turning the words over in his head he nodded his head reasoning that he was too tired for an argument and Cas... he sounded off in a way that he was too tired to puzzle over. Yawning widely he decided that arguments could wait for the morning or a time when just puking didn't leave him feeling like he hadn't slept for days on end. Settling comfortably on the bed he fell asleep to the sounds of Cas' soft breathing and didn't wake until the next day when the sounds of knocking pulled him from sleep and he slowly became aware that he was alone in the bed. Stretching he frowned as he felt the soreness in the crooks of his elbows and moved his fingers to press lightly at the areas feeling out the swollen and dry skin. "You've been asleep for nearly two weeks and you needed fluids so I had to set up an IV for you and used the nutrient bags that Charlie sent me. The last time that I tried to give you water you choked on it so an IV was the safest option to keep you alive."
Turning his face in the direction Cas' voice was coming from he listened as the doors locks were flipped and turned. He hid a flinch with a cough when the bed dipped under Cas' weight after something was set down onto the table with a low thump and rustle of paper. How pathetic was it that he couldn't even tell that Cas was close by he thought sullenly before shoving the bitter thoughts away and concentrating on what Cas was telling him. "-we've been moving constantly since then which I don't think helped you any because it took you so long to wake the first time and even then you weren't truly conscious of what was happening."
Opening his mouth to ask Cas to repeat himself he ground his teeth together out of sheer frustration at the knowledge that he couldn't speak to garner Cas' attention. How the Hell was he supposed to get anything done if he couldn't say anything, he wondered before he silently groaned at his own stupidity. Doubling over with his arm coming up to wrap around his stomach as he coughed he leaned back with a tired sigh and wiped away the blood he could taste on his lips. Slamming his hand on the mattress to get Cas' attention as he sat up with difficulty he held his hand up in the universal sign to stop and then searched the bed for Cas' hand which the angel was quick to realize. Turning it over he concentrated on making sure the letters he was tracing out on the palm were recognizable even with the shakiness of his hands. "What happened?” Nodding his head and grimacing at the pain and lightheadedness that followed he motioned for Cas to continue.
"After you finished the Trial you were... you weren't doing very well and I was planning on staying at the church for a few days as Brother Francisco had offered but then the wards started reacting. The wards were old ones from the time before the Nephilim and are-were one of Gabriel's favorites for securing an area from demons as they react to intent and the taint that demons carry. I packed and then waited until nightfall to set off the banishment seals in the wards." Picking up Cas' hand again he traced out demons? Cas sighed heavily before replying, "the wards wouldn't have reacted as they did to anything less and it drained them which means that we were being tracked by more than those belonging to the lower echelons of Hell." Eyes closed and head tilted to the side Dean's eyebrows knit together in concentration as he realized that there was something odd in the tone of Cas' voice; almost as though the angel was trying hard to hide that he omitting something.
You don't think that's all do you?
"No," Cas said slowly, "they shouldn't have been able to ascertain the location of the church which means that they had assistance. Unfortunately the only realm capable of feeling the initiation of the Trials is Heaven as it would be the realm most affected and closely linked to the Trials."
Metatron?
"Unless you think Charlie capable of betraying you then I see no other possibilities." Shaking his head absently he jumped when an open styrofoam container was pushed into his hands. Grimacing at the thought of being back to soups for meals he turned a hopeful look in Cas' general direction only to slump as the angel told him to drink his soup. Bringing the soup to his mouth with his fingers dipping into the container he obediently started sipping at the soup that tasted like weak chicken broth with bits of egg floating in it. Which meant that Cas had brought him egg drop soup. Shrugging he continued to drink it as it was at least a change from the chicken noodle and tomato soups that had given to him the last time.
"We've changed hotels three times and states twice trying to keep ahead of them. Charlie's been doing her best to help us stay ahead of them but I worry that doing so is taking as great a toll on her as it is on you." Smelling soy sauce and garlic as Cas began to eat Dean sipped at the soup while the angel continued to talk between bites of food. "The hex bags are always with us but when we're forced to leave is when we're most vulnerable because the simple wards only prevent them from finding an exact location not just an idea of where we're moving. I couldn't use any of the stronger wards because those require a willing sacrifice of blood and one which you were incapable of giving before."
Managing to finish half of the soup before he was full he held out the container to Cas before leaning back against the mountain of pillows that Cas had moved behind him. Resting his hands on his chest, he waited for his stomach to settle and for the threat of puking again to wane before stretching his hand out palm up. Feeling Cas' hand move tentatively into his own his fingers closed and he brought the hand closer so he could trace out a request for Cas to get a pen and paper to write down what he was going to say. Wincing as he began to cough again he struggled to catch his breath and wiped his hand as nonchalantly as possible on the blanket while he waited for Cas to say he was ready.
"I'm ready," Cas placed his hand back in Dean's still open one and waited.
Two choices for the third Trial. Can go to Vézelay Abbey in France or Church of Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem. No one should know about the first one so we'll go to France.
"After you've recovered more than you are now. You've been awake for less than twelve hours and I won't take you to France only to die." Cas' tone was firm with no room for disagreement and he hid a wince at Cas' choice of words as the conversation that he'd had with Chuck came to the front of his mind. The conversation about what he'd be willing to sacrifice and he wondered idly if he oughtn't say something now before it was too late to say anything. Realizing that Cas was still waiting for an answer he rolled his eyes behind closed lids while he gave a curt nod and laid down on his side with his head on ready to go back to sleep. Grumbling to himself in the privacy of his mind he stiffened as a stray memory of the night before floated through causing him to turn over again and scramble to sit up whilst at the same time trying to reach out for Cas' hand.
Why the Hell did you say we were married last night?
"Because there is more safety in being Dean and Casimir Vonnegut than there is in being Dean Winchester and Castiel."
Couldn't you say you're my brother or something that doesn't end with people thinking I like dick?
"You aren't my brother. Perhaps it isn't the most ideal of situations but it is the safest and as you were unconscious I was forced to go with the explanation that was the easiest to give." Bewildered by the biting tone of Cas' voice Dean wondered what he'd said to make the angel so angry because it really wasn't anything he hadn't said before. Okay so maybe he'd never said it in this particular situation but then they'd never been in this particular situation before and it wasn't like he was trying to piss the angel off. It's just weird you know? I've never thought of you like that. Feeling Cas stiffen as the last letter was traced out before the angel pulled his hand away and stood up from the bed Dean was left with the feeling that he'd somehow made everything worse instead of better.
"I'm sorry. I know that it's no excuse but I think the lack of sleep has affected my temperament. Try to sleep I'm going to shower and change my clothing." Nodding his head as he lay back down he puzzled over Cas' reaction to his words and wondered why he felt like his stomach was twisting itself into knots over the angel’s reaction. It wasn’t the first time he'd upset the angel and considering his track record it wouldn't be the last either which is what made his reaction so odd. He shouldn't care that Cas got upset about his ability to make the wrong comment at the absolute worst time because when he was around the angel he seemed to forget that he was capable of someone into anything. Eyes dropping closed for longer periods of time as he turned the thoughts over in his head he finally fell asleep to sound of the running water in the shower.
The next few days were awkward to say the least and seemed to prove that he'd done something wrong as Cas seemed inclined to do everything possible to avoid conversation including sleeping on the floor. He could swear that the angel was making things up on the spot that kept him from being able to give Dean his hands so that he could ask what was wrong or apologize for whatever it was that he'd said. It took four days and a long car ride in an unfamiliar car to a new hotel for Dean to reach his breaking point. Firmly ensconced on the bed while Cas straightened their belongings and gathered the clothing that needed to be washed he leaned across the bed stretching his hand out to feel for the notepad and pen that most hotels left on the nightstand beside the phone.
Using the index finger of his left hand as a guide he carefully wrote down his question 'y r u moping like a bitch', hoping it was legible before capping the pen and flinging both pen and notepad in what he thought was Cas' general direction. A perverse sort of satisfaction filled him as he heard Cas' startled yelp and waited for the angel to get around to telling him just what the fuck his problem was cause if anyone should be pouting and moping around then it should be him.
Y'know seeing as how he couldn't see or speak.
"There isn't anything bothering me nor is there, as you have so eloquently phrased it, something that is making me mope like a bitch."
And he had thought that Sam was bad? Shaking his head in disbelief he wanted for nothing more in that moment than the ability to speak. He could live without being able to see just so long as he could call Cas out about this. Cause this? This was some grade A bullshit and he wasn't buying it for a second. His face apparently showed his disbelief as Cas sighed before he felt the bed dip on the side opposite of where he was sitting. "I know that this farce has left you... unhappy and I wanted to do what I could to make it easier on you because the stress will only lengthen your recovery time." Feeling his jaw twitch with anger as the bed moved he lunged across the bed and managed to grab hold of the angel’s pants leg in time to prevent him from standing.
It was one comment and I didn't even mean it like that. He was startled to realize as he traced the letters out on Cas' palm that he was telling the truth. He hadn't meant it and the feeling that the realization caused left his heart pounding hard enough that he could almost hear it as it caused his head to throb in time with it. Shaking his head he pushed the feeling aside to be prodded over later preferably when there wasn't a chance that Cas would ask him why he was acting so strangely. So long as you don't grope me in your sleep I'm cool with you sleeping on the bed. What I'm not cool with is you sleeping on the floor and coming up with shit excuses to avoid me. We're living in a hotel room and it's getting ridiculous. Especially when I don't even get make up sex.
Fighting the urge to drop his jaw in disbelief as he felt his face begin to burn with the telltale sign of a blush spreading its way across his face he moved back and as he laid down he wondered where the Hell the blush had come from. "You should rest." Cas murmured as he settled a blanket over him. "I'll call the front desk to have someone pick up the laundry so I'll be here to watch over you."
He was too tired and eager to keep his face hidden to argue so he settled his arm beneath the pillow he was lying on and wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment. He woke what felt like hours later to a quiet room and the sound of the shower running nearly muffling the sounds of the TV across the room. Lying on his side he dozed fitfully for a while to the sounds of Dr. Sexy M.D. and settled fully into sleep when the bed dipped and Cas' arms wrapped themselves around him. When he woke again the bed was cold and he found himself missing the warmth of earlier with a fierceness that surprised him. Laying in bed he rolled over and flung his arm over his face as he tried to figure out just what the Hell was wrong with him. He'd never had problems with making risqué comments to Cas before and he'd stopped blushing like that when he was thirteen. Yet here he was. In bed. Alone. Wondering when making stupid comments was enough to have him blushing like he hadn't when he was a thirteen year old virgin.
It was Cas!
And maybe that was the problem.
He was totally and completely dependent on the angel for everything because he still hadn't adjusted to being blind and he couldn't exactly ask for help anymore so things between them had changed. Obviously it had to change because it wasn't like things could stay with that weird tension they'd had before... before when he was hurt because Cas thought he couldn't be trusted. He didn't know when exactly the hurt had subsided to a general ache but he figured that it had probably been during one of the several arguments they'd had to clear the air between them. If he had to pick a moment when everything had transitioned to this he would have to say it was the morning they'd gone to the church in Mexico after he'd asked for Cas' assistance in getting dressed cause he wasn't entirely sure he could get his clothing on straight by himself.
Huffing silently as he rubbed at his eyes he grumbled at the fact that when he actually needed to talk with Charlie he couldn't and when he didn't want to he could. Moving his arm as the hotel door opened he used it to push himself up and shoved at the pillows bunched behind him in an attempt to shake away the thoughts before acknowledging Cas. Flinching as the door slammed shut and he could hear Cas' weary shuffle back into the room he moved over on the bed and flung the covers back in invitation because he couldn’t see the angel turned human but he could hear the exhaustion in way the other moved about the room. "You should eat first." Shaking his head he patted the bed and curled up coughing as Cas sighed and the bed dipped. "You will eat afterwards though."
The next few days passed like that with him puzzling over the still random bouts of blushing and the peace he felt in knowing that Cas was sleeping beside him. It was nearly a week later when he heard Cas beginning to pack their belongings up again. Sliding to the edge of the bed he slipped off and shuffled over to where he could hear Cas messing around with their bags and sat on the floor. "Charlie was able to purchase the tickets for France and it was time for us to change hotels. It will be easier to go to France now and wait for your recovery there."
Nodding without knowing or caring if Cas could see him Dean sprawled back on the carpet to take a short nap only waking when Cas prodded him awake and forced him into changing his clothing before making him stand and carrying him out to the car where he napped all the way to the airport. He never wanted to go through airport security as a blind mute ever again because if one more security guard insinuated that he was stupid just because he couldn't see or talk he wasn't gonna be held responsible for anything he did. Somehow they managed to get through airport security without him kicking/hurting/maiming anyone either intentionally or accidentally.
Cas was the only reason he didn't do something he most definitely wouldn't have regretted as the angel had kept an arm wrapped tightly around his waist through the airports and through the boarding and disembarking process. While on the plane he'd pulled Dean's head onto his shoulder after he tried and failed to fall asleep using the pillow they'd bought in one of the stores in the airport. Once in France they had the minor difficulty of Cas remembering what side of the road he needed to drive on but other than that everything was calm between them for once. They slept in the same bed at night because the one night Cas had tried sleeping on the floor Dean had flat out refused to sleep even as exhaustion weighed down on him until Cas moved back to the bed. The fact that they were still on the run was stressful when he thought about how useless he'd be in an actual fight so he was loathe to lose the comfort he'd found in sleeping next to Cas.
It was peaceful.
Nice even.
Good in a way that it hadn't been for a long time and he could almost forget... forget why he and Cas were in France.
Until Charlie called to tell them that they needed to get to the final Trial quickly because of the dozens of people that were being reported missing in France.
...Ω...
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