Hurts Me Too

Tell me you're still here and you won't ever go away.

Castiel woke up with a crick in his neck and a rigid back. Sam was already awake and was trying to untangle himself from Castiel. "G'morning," Castiel murmured. Sam's stiffened in surprise, but he relaxed quickly. Sam's reply was muffled by Castiel's arm, but he believed it was along the lines of, "Good morning."

Castiel let go of Sam unwillingly. He felt the repercussions of his decision instantaneously, the warmth Sam had provided slipped away and Castiel was left cold. Castiel exhaled and stood up. He stretched his sore muscles and left the bedroom. Sam was making breakfast when Castiel made it downstairs. Sam poured the soup into bowls and handed one to Castiel.

"What do you think happened to the kitchen furniture?" Sam questioned. He gestured to the empty space where a table and chairs might have sat.

"They could have been used as firewood," Castiel guessed. Sam nodded, considering Castiel's answer.

"I'd have thought the first to go would be the coffee table, it's the closest the fireplace."

"The table and chairs would provide more wood."

"That's true."

They stopped talking for a moment. Castiel stared at Sam for a moment, "Why did you ask?"

"Just curious what you thought," Sam replied.

"What do you think happed to the furniture?"

Sam hesitated to answer for a beat. He looked at his bowl of untouched soup. "When I went upstairs during the storm, some of the doors I tried to get open wouldn't budge," Sam paused. "I didn't put much thought until I saw the furniture was missing down here."

Castiel absorbed the information for a minute.

'I suppose that answers your question," Castiel said after a moment. Sam shot him a puzzled look.

"What?"

"When you asked me, I thought happened to the infected, the people here could have been infected, and you didn't hear anything right?"

"They could be long dead, I didn't stay long enough to smell anything."

"It's not ruling out the possibility that the infected could have all disappeared. We didn't see any on our way out here either."

"So?"

Castiel felt himself starting to get frustrated," So, we would have seen at least one or more. They were everywhere."

Sam nodded in understanding. They ate in silence after that.

Sam decided they should leave the house today. The storm was over, and they did not have a reason to stay there anymore. Castiel begrudgingly agreed, although he believed a gas stove was plenty reason not to leave, and he said as much to Sam. It earned him a small smile and a light chuckle, but not another day in the farmhouse. They repacked all their belongings into their bags and set off.

The field that surrounded the farmhouse was muddy and difficult to walk on. Sam had a grimace on his face the whole walk back to the road, which egged Castiel on. "We should have stayed another day." Castiel teased him.

"Shut it," Sam groaned. He rubbed a hand down his face, but Castiel still saw the grin.

They walk an obscenely long time after that until they find another hint of civilization. The town is just as devoid of human life as the last one, but neither of them mind. The first house they went into stunk. Sam's nose crinkled and Castiel thought he saw his eyes get glossy. It was a putrid odor that must be human remains. That was the first time they had come across dead people on their journey. Sam tried the cars that were left in the town while Castiel looked for a suitable house for them to rest in. Castiel found the perfect house for them, by them, he means him. It had a working gas oven and that's all the ex-angel could have hoped for. Sam is amused when Castiel called him over to the house.