Shadow of the Wind - Chapter Six: Death and Pain and Sin
Title: Shadow of the Wind
Subtitle: Death and Pain and Sin
Author: dracox-serdriel
There was a fire burning on earth.
As the wood and blood became ash, the ground became purified. It was not the fire but the vigil that made this a place set apart, sacred. Here, on this spot, a battleground became heaven on earth.
'How long will it burn?'
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. February 7, 2008.
"Hey, you guys seen Bela? She's not in her room. She's not answering her phone," Dean said.
Sam replied, "She must've taken off or something."
"Just like that? It's a little weird."
Bobby said, "Yeah well, if you ask me what's weird is why she helped us in the first place."
"I thought you saved her life," Dean said.
Bobby looked at both of them, confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Dean said, "The thing in Flagstaff."
"That thing in Flagstaff was an amulet. I gave her a good deal, that's all."
Sam was the one who asked. "Well, then why did you - "
"You boys better check your pockets," Bobby said, interrupting. "Not literally."
Dean ran to the safe. "No, no, no! No!"
It was empty.
"The Colt," Sam said miserably. "Bela stole the Colt."
"Damn it, boys!"
"Pack your crap," Dean said.
"Why? Where're we going?" Sam asked.
"We're gonna go hunt the bitch down."
Monument, Colorado. February 21, 2008.
Dean and Sam broke into the apartment and started riffling through everything. The room's phone rang. They traded glances.
The older Winchester picked it up.
"Dean? Sweetie, are you there?" Bela asked.
"Where are you?"
"Two states away by now."
"Where?"
She said, "Where's our usual quippy banter? I miss it."
"I want it back, Bela... now."
"Your little pistol, you mean? Sorry, I can't at the moment."
"You understand how many people are gonna die if you do this?"
"What exactly is it that you think I plan to do with it?"
Dean replied, "Take the only weapon we have against an army of demons and sell it to the highest bidder."
"You know nothing about me," she said. She almost sounded hurt.
"I know I'm gonna stop you."
"Tough words for a guy who can't even find me."
"Oh, I'll find you, sweetheart. You know why? Because I have absolutely nothing better to do than to track you down."
"That's where you're wrong. You're about to be quite occupied."
Dean cast a significant look at his brother.
She continued, "Did you really think I wouldn't take precautions?"
Police burst into the room, guns at the ready.
"Hands in the air!"
"On your knees!"
Dean and Sam raised their hands above their heads and the line disconnected.
Meanwhile, two states away...
Bela pulled up to a hazardous-looking cafe. She spotted the man in the trench coat, Crowley's special gopher, just inside the back door.
She slipped in and joined him at the table. She passed him the Colt under the table.
"Those Winchesters will kill me when they find me. Is that Crowley's plan?"
"The Winchesters won't kill you," the man replied.
"Is that right?"
"I would advise you to avoid them for the next year," the man replied.
Lawrence, Kansas. May 17, 2008.
Dean paced as the tattoo artist worked on Crowley.
"I don't need a baby sitter," Crowley sniped.
"I'll be the judge of that."
"Fine!" the former demon yelled. "Do I really need more than one?"
"Stops them from cutting off your leg to possess you."
Crowley shook his head. "This is ridiculous."
"You gotta be sideways and still," the tattoo artist said to Crowley.
He rolled onto his side. Dean stared at the first tattoo Crowley had gotten on his left calf.
Lawrence, Kansas. February 21, 2007.
"I need this tattoo," Cas said, showing his leg to the artist, "on my torso."
"You got a picture of it?" the artist asked.
"It's right here. Why would I need a picture?"
"This guy a friend of yours?" the artist asked Dean, who was hovering nearby.
"I'm footing the bill," Dean replied.
"He's moral support," Cas said at the same time.
If the tattoo artist was put off by it, he didn't show it. He cleaned the area and began working. Cas winced as the needled worked.
"Where is Sam?" Cas asked.
"Supply run. When we're done, we'll go meet him."
"I don't need a baby sitter," Cas said.
"It's better if we stick together. Besides, you and me have another errand after this."
"What's that?"
"You'll see."
Madison, Indiana. That night.
Cas sat on his bed in the motel room as Dean wrapped up his call.
"We're crashing for the night, Sam," Dean said into the phone. "We'll be headed back your way, be there tomorrow night. Right, bye."
"Where are we going?" Cas asked.
"Trust me."
"You're being mysterious."
"Nah. You should sleep."
"I sleep fine."
Dean sat on the other bed, opposite from Cas. "No, you don't," he said.
"I do."
Cas stared at Dean. His heart rate accelerated.
"Cas, it's me."
In a moment of desire and confusion, Cas pulled Dean into an awkward, but quite spectacular, kiss. Dean's hands traced Cas's face. They kissed again.
Then they broke apart.
Dean stood up. "Cas, do you even know what you're doing? You haven't been human that long..."
Springfield, Ohio. February 15, 2007.
Castiel and Gabriel were alone.
"Well, baby bro, this whole favor thing comes at a price. Specifically from you."
"What price?"
"How long have you been human?" Gabriel asked.
"About two weeks."
"So just long enough."
"For what?"
"Oh, you'll see. Here's the deal: I'll keep up my end of this bargain, and you're gonna keep up your end."
"What is 'my end'?"
"Follow your impulses," Gabriel replied. "Listen to your gut, your human instincts and drives. And you're gonna follow them. You can do that, right?"
"I don't know."
"Well, if you don't, this whole plan of yours falls apart."
"I don't understand."
"Good thing you don't have to, then."
Gabriel sent a ball of glowing something straight into Cas's chest. It felt like he had been struck by lightning.
Madison, Indiana. February 21, 2007.
Cas stood up to face Dean.
"You've been human for over thirty years. And you still don't know what you're doing."
"That's not what I mean!"
"It is," Cas replied. He got closer. "It is exactly what you mean."
"Don't do this..."
Cas kissed him again.
Lawrence, Kansas. May 17, 2008.
"Dean! DEAN!" Crowley yelled.
Dean snapped out of his memory to see Crowley in his frumpy tracksuit.
"Your brother and Cas should have Bela's little gifts by now. Let's go!"
Meanwhile, in Alva, Oklahoma.
Cas waited outside an abandoned warehouse for two hours before Bela pulled up. She had a shotgun across her lap.
"Why are you armed?" Cas asked.
"I checked this place out before coming," she said. "You've hidden this place from everybody and everything. Any particular reason?"
"This is a safe house."
"For whom?"
"You. I recommend you stay here for the next week."
"No, I don't think so," she said.
"The past few days have been tumultuous. The supernatural world is in chaos."
"Always is, isn't it?" Bela asked.
"But this time, it's worse. You need to hide."
"I can hide just fine."
She made a high-pitched yelp when Sam jammed a needle into her neck. She collapsed into his arms.
"Told you we'd have to drug her," Sam said.
"She is heavy," Cas said. "And you can't come in inside with me."
"Not without confusing the crap out of our guard," Sam agreed. "I'll be in the car."
Cas lifted Bela and carried her into the safe house, where Ash was fiddling with some computers.
"Hang on!" Ash said. "Is she dead?"
"Drugged," Cas replied casually. "It was necessary. You may have to lock her in."
Ash asked, "Seriously? How pissed is she gonna she be?"
"Incredibly."
Men of Letters Bunker. Later that night.
Crowley and Dean waited until Sam and Cas returned. They had a rather large bag of Hoodoo and occult objects required for the spell.
"Before I tell you this spell," Crowley said. "I want assurances."
"'Course you do," Dean mumbled.
"If I'm stuck going with you, which I'm guessing is the case, since you've tatted me up. If that happens, I'll only go if we have this one," he indicated Cas, "in his powered-up mode."
"Why?" Sam asked.
"So someone can get my very mortal ass out of the line of fire!" Crowley shouted.
"Very well," Cas replied. "There will be someone there who will ensure your, uh, very mortal ass."
Next Chapter: >>>
Chapter Seven: Two for Sympathy
<<< Previous Chapter:
Chapter Five: Door to Dreams
Subtitle: Death and Pain and Sin
Author: dracox-serdriel
There was a fire burning on earth.
As the wood and blood became ash, the ground became purified. It was not the fire but the vigil that made this a place set apart, sacred. Here, on this spot, a battleground became heaven on earth.
'How long will it burn?'
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. February 7, 2008.
"Hey, you guys seen Bela? She's not in her room. She's not answering her phone," Dean said.
Sam replied, "She must've taken off or something."
"Just like that? It's a little weird."
Bobby said, "Yeah well, if you ask me what's weird is why she helped us in the first place."
"I thought you saved her life," Dean said.
Bobby looked at both of them, confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Dean said, "The thing in Flagstaff."
"That thing in Flagstaff was an amulet. I gave her a good deal, that's all."
Sam was the one who asked. "Well, then why did you - "
"You boys better check your pockets," Bobby said, interrupting. "Not literally."
Dean ran to the safe. "No, no, no! No!"
It was empty.
"The Colt," Sam said miserably. "Bela stole the Colt."
"Damn it, boys!"
"Pack your crap," Dean said.
"Why? Where're we going?" Sam asked.
"We're gonna go hunt the bitch down."
Monument, Colorado. February 21, 2008.
Dean and Sam broke into the apartment and started riffling through everything. The room's phone rang. They traded glances.
The older Winchester picked it up.
"Dean? Sweetie, are you there?" Bela asked.
"Where are you?"
"Two states away by now."
"Where?"
She said, "Where's our usual quippy banter? I miss it."
"I want it back, Bela... now."
"Your little pistol, you mean? Sorry, I can't at the moment."
"You understand how many people are gonna die if you do this?"
"What exactly is it that you think I plan to do with it?"
Dean replied, "Take the only weapon we have against an army of demons and sell it to the highest bidder."
"You know nothing about me," she said. She almost sounded hurt.
"I know I'm gonna stop you."
"Tough words for a guy who can't even find me."
"Oh, I'll find you, sweetheart. You know why? Because I have absolutely nothing better to do than to track you down."
"That's where you're wrong. You're about to be quite occupied."
Dean cast a significant look at his brother.
She continued, "Did you really think I wouldn't take precautions?"
Police burst into the room, guns at the ready.
"Hands in the air!"
"On your knees!"
Dean and Sam raised their hands above their heads and the line disconnected.
Meanwhile, two states away...
Bela pulled up to a hazardous-looking cafe. She spotted the man in the trench coat, Crowley's special gopher, just inside the back door.
She slipped in and joined him at the table. She passed him the Colt under the table.
"Those Winchesters will kill me when they find me. Is that Crowley's plan?"
"The Winchesters won't kill you," the man replied.
"Is that right?"
"I would advise you to avoid them for the next year," the man replied.
Lawrence, Kansas. May 17, 2008.
Dean paced as the tattoo artist worked on Crowley.
"I don't need a baby sitter," Crowley sniped.
"I'll be the judge of that."
"Fine!" the former demon yelled. "Do I really need more than one?"
"Stops them from cutting off your leg to possess you."
Crowley shook his head. "This is ridiculous."
"You gotta be sideways and still," the tattoo artist said to Crowley.
He rolled onto his side. Dean stared at the first tattoo Crowley had gotten on his left calf.
Lawrence, Kansas. February 21, 2007.
"I need this tattoo," Cas said, showing his leg to the artist, "on my torso."
"You got a picture of it?" the artist asked.
"It's right here. Why would I need a picture?"
"This guy a friend of yours?" the artist asked Dean, who was hovering nearby.
"I'm footing the bill," Dean replied.
"He's moral support," Cas said at the same time.
If the tattoo artist was put off by it, he didn't show it. He cleaned the area and began working. Cas winced as the needled worked.
"Where is Sam?" Cas asked.
"Supply run. When we're done, we'll go meet him."
"I don't need a baby sitter," Cas said.
"It's better if we stick together. Besides, you and me have another errand after this."
"What's that?"
"You'll see."
Madison, Indiana. That night.
Cas sat on his bed in the motel room as Dean wrapped up his call.
"We're crashing for the night, Sam," Dean said into the phone. "We'll be headed back your way, be there tomorrow night. Right, bye."
"Where are we going?" Cas asked.
"Trust me."
"You're being mysterious."
"Nah. You should sleep."
"I sleep fine."
Dean sat on the other bed, opposite from Cas. "No, you don't," he said.
"I do."
Cas stared at Dean. His heart rate accelerated.
"Cas, it's me."
In a moment of desire and confusion, Cas pulled Dean into an awkward, but quite spectacular, kiss. Dean's hands traced Cas's face. They kissed again.
Then they broke apart.
Dean stood up. "Cas, do you even know what you're doing? You haven't been human that long..."
Springfield, Ohio. February 15, 2007.
Castiel and Gabriel were alone.
"Well, baby bro, this whole favor thing comes at a price. Specifically from you."
"What price?"
"How long have you been human?" Gabriel asked.
"About two weeks."
"So just long enough."
"For what?"
"Oh, you'll see. Here's the deal: I'll keep up my end of this bargain, and you're gonna keep up your end."
"What is 'my end'?"
"Follow your impulses," Gabriel replied. "Listen to your gut, your human instincts and drives. And you're gonna follow them. You can do that, right?"
"I don't know."
"Well, if you don't, this whole plan of yours falls apart."
"I don't understand."
"Good thing you don't have to, then."
Gabriel sent a ball of glowing something straight into Cas's chest. It felt like he had been struck by lightning.
Madison, Indiana. February 21, 2007.
Cas stood up to face Dean.
"You've been human for over thirty years. And you still don't know what you're doing."
"That's not what I mean!"
"It is," Cas replied. He got closer. "It is exactly what you mean."
"Don't do this..."
Cas kissed him again.
Lawrence, Kansas. May 17, 2008.
"Dean! DEAN!" Crowley yelled.
Dean snapped out of his memory to see Crowley in his frumpy tracksuit.
"Your brother and Cas should have Bela's little gifts by now. Let's go!"
Meanwhile, in Alva, Oklahoma.
Cas waited outside an abandoned warehouse for two hours before Bela pulled up. She had a shotgun across her lap.
"Why are you armed?" Cas asked.
"I checked this place out before coming," she said. "You've hidden this place from everybody and everything. Any particular reason?"
"This is a safe house."
"For whom?"
"You. I recommend you stay here for the next week."
"No, I don't think so," she said.
"The past few days have been tumultuous. The supernatural world is in chaos."
"Always is, isn't it?" Bela asked.
"But this time, it's worse. You need to hide."
"I can hide just fine."
She made a high-pitched yelp when Sam jammed a needle into her neck. She collapsed into his arms.
"Told you we'd have to drug her," Sam said.
"She is heavy," Cas said. "And you can't come in inside with me."
"Not without confusing the crap out of our guard," Sam agreed. "I'll be in the car."
Cas lifted Bela and carried her into the safe house, where Ash was fiddling with some computers.
"Hang on!" Ash said. "Is she dead?"
"Drugged," Cas replied casually. "It was necessary. You may have to lock her in."
Ash asked, "Seriously? How pissed is she gonna she be?"
"Incredibly."
Men of Letters Bunker. Later that night.
Crowley and Dean waited until Sam and Cas returned. They had a rather large bag of Hoodoo and occult objects required for the spell.
"Before I tell you this spell," Crowley said. "I want assurances."
"'Course you do," Dean mumbled.
"If I'm stuck going with you, which I'm guessing is the case, since you've tatted me up. If that happens, I'll only go if we have this one," he indicated Cas, "in his powered-up mode."
"Why?" Sam asked.
"So someone can get my very mortal ass out of the line of fire!" Crowley shouted.
"Very well," Cas replied. "There will be someone there who will ensure your, uh, very mortal ass."
Next Chapter: >>>
Chapter Seven: Two for Sympathy
<<< Previous Chapter:
Chapter Five: Door to Dreams