Saving Grace

Lucifer Rising -- The Sixty-Sixth Seal

~*****~

Dean was rightfully silent for the next day or so. Always lost in thought, gazing through unfocused eyes. "Dean?" I hum softly as we talk lowly about calling Sam. Bobby and I share a concerned glance before I reached towards Dean and palmed at his back. "Dean, did you hear us?"

Dean shifted a bit. "Yeah, I heard you. I'm not calling him."

"Don't make me get my gun, boy." Bobby comments.

"We are damn near kickoff for Armageddon." Dean mentions irritably. "Don't you think we got bigger fish at the moment?"

"I know you're pissed," Bobby retorts. "And I'm not making apologies for what he's done, but he's your...."

"Blood?" Dean scoffs. "He's my blood, is that what you're gonna say?"

"Dean, he's your brother and he's drowning." I say softly.

"I tried to help him, Lottie. I did." Dean says lowly. "Look what happened."

"So try again!" Bobby suggests irritably.

Dean shakes his head and saunters past us. "It's too late."

"There's no such thing." Bobby states.

"No! Damn it!" Dean snaps. "No. We got to face the facts-- Sam never wanted part of this family. He hated this life growing up-- Ran away to Stanford first chance he got. And now its like Deja Vu all over again. Well, I am sick and tired of chasing him." Dean sighs as he takes a seat. "Screw him. He can do what he wants."

"You don't mean that," Bobby says.

"Yes, I do, Bobby. Sam's gone. He's gone. I'm not even sure if he's still my brother anymore." Dean says softly. "If he ever was."

I suck in a sharp breath as Bobby shoves everything off his desk in anger. "You stupid, son of a bitch!" Bobby bellows at Dean. "Well, Boohoo! I am so sorry your feelings are hurt, Princess!" Dean stares wide eyed at Bobby. "Are you under the impression that family's supposed to make you feel good-- Bake you an apple pie, maybe? They're supposed to make you miserable! That's why they're family!"

"I told him, you walk out that door, don't come back." Dean retorts angrily. "And he walked out anyway! That was his choice!"

"You sound like a whiny brat." Bobby snaps. Dean scoffs and attempts to walk off. "No," Bobby presses. "You sound like your dad. Well, let me tell you something-- your dad was a coward."

Dean turned around slowly. I backed into a corner and gazed between the two men skeptically. "My dad was a lot of things, Bobby, but a coward?"

"He'd rather push Sam away than reach out to him. Well, that don't strike me as brave." Bobby says in a calmer tone. "You are a better man than your daddy ever way." Dean scoffs again. "Do you do both of us a favor-- don't be him."

I blink rapidly as Dean suddenly disappears. "What the fuck--" I snap as Bobby and I surge forward. I glance around until I spot a familiar figure outside. I storm towards him, snarling loudly. "Where the fuck is he, Castiel?!"

"He is in a safe place." Castiel says softly.

"Why?! Aren't you supposed to tell him when he can take on Lilith?!" I ask angrily.

Castiel just stands there as I grasp onto his jacket. "I have my orders."

"Oh, fuck that, Castiel--" I snap. "Orders? Has it occurred to you that your orders are crap? Take me to him. Now."

"I cannot." Castiel says softly. "I am under orders--"

"If you tell me that one more time, I'm going to kick your ass." I hiss. With a soft fluttering noise, Castiel disappears from sight. "Son of a bitch!"

~*****~

"Listen, Bobby, I don't have time!" I snap over the phone. "I have to find Sam!"

"I don't give a hoot what kinda time you're on, Lottie, you answer me, dammit!" Bobby shouts at me.

"I've got a bad feeling in my gut-- this seal is gonna break soon, I can feel it!" I snap. "Get the kid hidden, now! Listen, if you can get ahold of Dean at any time, tell him to meet me at St. Mary's Convent! Do you understand?"

"Where the hell'd you get--"

"I called Chuck, okay? He didn't have all the details but that's where it's going down!" I shout. I end the call and continue to press on the gas. My ears begin to ring violently as I begin hearing a familiar voice just behind my ear. One I'd heard multiple times as a child. I begin cursing loudly as I pull the car up to the convent. Thunder booms across the sky, the ground quakes under me. "No-- no, no, no--"

Then, when the bright light floods the convent, I hear his voice just in my ear, whispering softly. "It's good to see you, little sister..." Lucifer coos softly before it disappears, leaving me shaking and stumbling to the ground.

I stare into the bright pillar of light as it continues to shoot across the sky, violently shaking the world. My heartbeat fills my ears as I start to choke on my own air, my throat tightening and sucking the air out of my body. My world tilts back as I hit the ground, heaving and gasping for breath.