Saints or Sinners | {BOOK 3}

68| Naomi and Sending Benny Back

"She's turning five tomorrow," I tried to sound casual as I twisted my ring. "We should be celebrating and instead we're waiting for Sam to get back from Hell with Bobby while she's trapped in Heaven with her brother."

I felt Dean glance over at me from the stove. He had found some eggs and bacon in the fridge and was working on frying them. I didn't look up from my hands, not wanting to see his expression.

"I told you we'll get them back, and we will, Ellie," he said quietly.

I didn't respond and when I looked up, he had gone back to focusing on the food.

"Hey, Kevin!" he called. "Come in here and grab some of these eggs. Kev! Come on, man. You can't hide in there forever."

We looked over in surprise as Kevin entered through the main door.

"Where the hell have you been?" I asked. "What happened to being scared?"

"I am scared. So I made a preemptive move."

"So... Made a what now?" Dean asked.

"I can't sit here with the tablet like a... sitting duck and Crowley breathing down my ass. Getting rid of the tablet just takes some of the pressure."

"Wait. Getting rid of it?"

"Temporarily. I hid it."

"What? Where?"

"If I tell you where, it's not hidden, is it?" Kevin quipped.

"Kevin, tell me where the damn tablet is, or I swear to you-"

"You'll what, Dean?"

Kevin didn't wait for a response, heading back into the closet and closing the door.

"Kevin!" Dean yelled again, moving toward the door.

"Kids," a familiar voice said and Dean and I looked over to see Naomi. "So cute when they're little, then they turn into teenagers and the party's over. We haven't been formally introduced, Dean. My name is Naomi."

She held a hand out for him to shake as I scrambled up from the table and moved closer to where Dean was standing to get as far away from the angel as possible.

"Oh, I know who you are," Dean spat. "And I know you're the one holding my kids hostage. And what you did to Cass after he got out of Purgatory."

"After I rescued him from Purgatory, you mean, at the cost of many angels' lives," Naomi corrected, ignoring his comment about Maddie and Zep.

"You screwed with his head and had him spy on us."

"Well, it is true that I have spoken with Castiel many times, trying to reach out to him, trying to help him. Dean, you must have noticed how Purgatory changed him. You as well, Ecclesia," the angel addressed me. "I mean, he's been unstable in the past, but I was shocked at how damaged he is now."

"Stop, okay?" I said, trying to hide how scared I was of her. "Don't- don't try to spin this. You think we don't know that you told him to try and kill us?"

"Hmm," Naomi hummed. "Yeah, I suppose that's how he would hear it. When I learned of the angel tablet, I did tell Castiel to get it at any cost. That's my job- to protect Heaven. I'm a warrior, just as the two of you are. What would you expect? And now Castiel is in the wind with a hydrogen bomb in his pocket, and I- I'm scared, for all of us."

"Save it," Dean snapped at her. "See, I don't trust angels, which means I don't trust you."

"And yet, you haven't warded this place against us. I know. You're both hoping Castiel will return to you. I admire your loyalty. I only wish he felt the same way. I know you don't want to believe it, Dean, Ecclesia, but we're on the same side- shutting the Gates of Hell, bringing Castiel in from the cold. And I'm willing to return Madelaine and Zeppelin to you if you help me. Take a moment. Think about what I've said."