Small Cuts (Supernatural Dark!fic)

e i g h t y - f i v e

"I was looking for something but denying that I found it
There's an elephant sitting in the room
And I can't find another way to tiptoe around it"
Running From My Shadow - Mike Shinoda & grandson

The familiar hum of the bunker's lights buzzed overhead as Sam, Dean, and Amara settled back in after the long drive. The comfort of home should have brought a sense of relief, but there was an undercurrent of tension that none of them could shake. Castiel had been gone for days now, searching for answers in Heaven, and though they trusted him to return with insight, the waiting was taking its toll.

Amara sat at the table, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the edge of her coffee cup. Ever since they had defeated Paimon, she had expected things to get easier. But it felt like something darker had taken notice of her—something older and far more dangerous. The protection ward Castiel had placed on her had been strong, but it had been days since he'd recharged it, and now she could feel it weakening.

Dean paced the room, his jaw clenched in frustration as he glanced at the door for what felt like the hundredth time. "How long is Cas gonna be up there?" He muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Feels like it's been forever."

Sam looked up from his laptop, where he had been researching other potential threats. "He'll come back when he finds something useful," Sam said, his voice calm but tinged with the same impatience that Dean was feeling. "He's not gonna leave us hanging."

Dean huffed, his frustration evident. "Yeah, well, it'd be nice if he could speed things up a bit. Amara's not exactly got all the time in the world."

Amara looked up from her coffee, her eyes meeting Dean's. "I'll be fine," she said, though the words felt hollow. The truth was, she didn't feel fine. The sense of something looming over her had only grown stronger in the past few days, and now, without the full protection of the ward, she felt exposed in a way she hadn't before.

Dean's eyes softened as he met her gaze, his protectiveness flaring. "You're not supposed to be fine," he said quietly. "You're supposed to be safe."

Amara's chest tightened, the weight of his concern pressing down on her. She appreciated how fiercely both brothers cared for her, but she also hated the feeling of helplessness that had taken root inside her. She had always fought to protect herself, to stand on her own, but now, she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out without Castiel's help.

Sam noticed the tension in her expression and stood up, walking over to sit beside her. "We're gonna figure this out," he said gently, his hand resting on her arm in a comforting gesture. "Cas will be back soon, and once we know what we're up against, we can take it down. Like we always do."

Amara nodded, though her heart was still heavy with the uncertainty of it all. "I just... I hate not knowing what's coming," she admitted, her voice quiet but filled with frustration. "There's something out there—something stronger than what we've faced before. And I can feel it getting closer."

Dean stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing. "You think it's tied to something from before? Paimon's gone, but it feels like something else is picking up where he left off."

Amara bit her lip, her fingers tightening around the cup. "It feels... older. Stronger. Like it's been waiting for the right moment."

The room fell into a tense silence as Sam and Dean processed her words. The idea that something older and stronger than Paimon was after her was a terrifying thought, but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. They had seen too much to rule anything out.

Dean let out a slow breath, his frustration giving way to determination. "Well, whatever it is, we're not letting it get to you. Cas is gonna come through, and we'll figure out how to stop this thing."