The Price of Freedom

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Farrah rested her head on her fist. Eight hours of sleep wasn't cutting it.

"Okay, spill," Dean said. Blinking rapidly, Farrah tried to wake up some.

"About what?"

"Something isn't right with you."

"I was-"

"In purgatory, I know."

She sighed. "My point is that people change in a year, especially when their life is constantly threatened."

"You eat like a horse, you don't sleep, something weird is going on between you and Cas that I don't think I want to understand, and you're not scared of leviathans. Out with it. Tell me what's eating at you."

"Not scared?" she sputtered. "Dad, I was terrified in there! A bunch of those guys tried to kill me last year, how could I not be?"

He nodded. "Okay, so you're scared. Let's backtrack. What's going on between you and Casper the friendly angel?"

When she smiled sightly, he sighed and sat back. "Don't tell me this is some weird angel-love crap."

"I'm not sure," she said honestly. "Philip said he wanted us to figure it out for ourselves."

"Philip, the other lycan?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"So what does the whole thing entail exactly?"

She sighed. "You know everything that-Castiel!" Then she flew away, her arm feeling like someone had just cut it off.

Dean grumbled to himself and stood up. "Sammy! Hey! We got work to do!"

~

"Come on, Cas, where are you?" Farrah mumbled. She was just in the air, trying to find him as crippling pain spiked her body.

Castiel! Cas! Please! Please respond!

Nothing. Well, nothing except pain. She landed at a small park and pulled her legs up to her chest. The pain has dulled to something similar to growing pains now, but she was still afraid for him.

Philip! She flew to his house and impatiently rang the doorbell. Please, please let him be inside! When the door opened, she didn't waste her breath on pleasantries. "Castiel's in trouble and he's not responding to me and I need help! Philip, you've gotta tell me what's going on so that I can help him!"

The tall brunette let her in and closed the door behind her. "What kind of trouble?" he asked.

She took her shoes off and rolled up her jeans, where there was a faint line, like a fingernail scratch. "And they're all over my arms and they hurt. He's being tortured."

"I don't know how I can help. If you can't see him, then there's obviously warding around the room, so neither can I."

"You can help by telling me what's going on with Cas and I."

He sighed. "You're sure you want me to tell you?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. Sit. Here, see," he paused. "Hm. Never mind, we'll get to that later. It, well telepathy and empathy, is special to a specific couple. When a demon and an angel fall in love and admit it, if only to themselves, these powers...manifest. It's only because demons and angels can hardly see each other without the influence of another, so they need some way to keep in contact."

"Okay, does anything else come with it? Anything that can help me find him?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. Esther has never been in danger before. If you'd like, I could ask her to look for him."

She opened her mouth to scream yes, but at the last second she caught herself. "No. No, that's fine. I don't want her to get into trouble. I have plenty of manpower on my side. Thank you, Philip. And hey, if you ever need anything, really, here's where I live." She gave him the address.

"Thanks, but-"

"Just in case. You've helped me a lot, and if I could possibly help you, ever, I will."

He nodded. "Thank you. Go find Castiel, and call me when you do." She nodded and headed to the door. "Oh, and you may want to think about getting warded against angels."

~

"One more time, Giraffe. I'll ask one more time. Where's the lycan?"

Panting in pain, Castiel spit blood from his mouth and looked up at him. With everything he was going through, the worst pain was knowing that Farrah was going through something even worse. "And I'll say one more time: never."

"I've played nice, I've taught the squirrel's daughter about demons, and this is how you repay me? All I want is a location. Give me one word! One! And this can all be over."

"No."

Castiel! Cas! Please! Please respond!

The desperation in her voice made him wince, but he couldn't respond to her. It would just put her in danger.

In Crowley's hand was a bloody angel blade, and he was putting it to good use. After Cas' refusal, he continued to do so. Slashing, stabbing-Crowley did everything but kill him or take his grace.

"Fine. We'll see how you feel when I'm torturing Dean or Sam then." He walked out and the steel door slammed closed behind him.

Cas, where are you? Can you hear me? Please, Cas!

After a fair amount of struggling, Castiel got his voice to sound strong and not as tortured as he felt.

Tell me how badly it hurt you.

I could stand it. Castiel, where are you? Who is hurting you?

Crowley. But do not come. Do not look for him.

What? Why shouldn't I? Farrah flew back to the bunker and walked in. As soon as the boys saw her, they understood what was going on.

He will not let me go unless I give him information, and it is something I would never give to a man like him. If you come, he will only imprison and torture you as well.

She began to shake with anger.

"What's going on?" Dean asked.

"Cas is in trouble."

"What? Details. Come on."

She grimaced and let out a heavy breath. "I don't know anything. Crowley's torturing him for information, but that's all."

"Crowley's got thousands of hidey-holes; how are we supposed to find the one he's got Cas in?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. Farrah, Sam and I will try to find something, but it's on you."

"I can't see him. I don't know."

"Well look. Talk to Cas. Get something from him. And if you start to feel pain, get down to us and block him out." She nodded.