Last Hope (Supernatural fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Later on that night, Hope, Castiel and Dean were in the car, camped out near where they expected Famine was hiding. The air was frigid and somehow seemed to wrap around you, freezing you from the inside out. It was the sort of cold that was bone deep, aching and persistant in it's desire to turn everything to ice.

"I will return", Castiel announced, before disappearing, leaving a warm patch on the front seat and an emptiness in Hope's heart. She ignored the nagging loneliness that had entwined itself around her heart during the course of the day, pulling it apart slowly, she forced her focus on curiosity instead,

"Did Sam really get addicted to demon blood?"

They had left Sam at the motel, handcuffed to the radiator in the bathroom. Once he'd been affected the only way to break the hold Famine had on Sam was to defeat him.

"Yeah. Some demon bitch, Ruby, got him into it after I went to Hell", Dean said, staring out the window.

"Uh... you mean that metaphorically, right?"

"I wish. No, I mean it literally. I sold my soul to save Sam's life. Then I went to Hell", his voice grew quieter, "Thirty years I was there..."

It was like he was going to say more, but Castiel had returned and it broke the moment.

"Here", Castiel handed Hope a steaming hot chocolate, "you looked cold".

"Thanks", she said, touched he had even noticed when he seemed so oblivious to most of the little human traits that surrounded him daily.

Dean turned to look at the angel with amusement, "Dude, are you serious?"

Castiel unwrapped his burger, "These make me happy". Taking a bite, he moaned slightly, which did weird things to Hope's body. It was like a shock of electricity, static running through her veins and lighting every one of her nerves on fire.

"How many is that?", she asked, her voice sounding strange to her own ears.

Castiel contemplated the burger for a moment, "I lost count. It's in the low hundreds. What I don't get is..." he took a bite, "where's your hunger?"

Clutching the hot paper cup in her hands Hope swirled the liquid with her finger absently, "I'm not sure. I just... I just feel like I've got something missing". Hope pointed to her chest, "Right there".

"Dean?", Cas asked, obviously satisfied with Hope's answer.

"What about my hunger?"

"Well, slowly, but surely, everyone in town is falling prey to Famine, but you seem unaffected", he said, still eating.

"Look, when I want a drink, I drink. When I want sex I go get it. Same goes for a sandwich or a fight", Dean shrugged.

"So... you're just well adjusted?"

Dean sighed, suddenly looking much older, "God no. I'm just... well fed". He gestured to the resturaunt they were parked outside of, "Look. Demons. You wanna go over the plan again? Hey, happy meal? The plan?"

"I go in. I cut off Famine's ring hand. I meet you back here in the parking lot".

"Good", Dean said.

Castiel stuffed the last of his burger in his mouth, just before he disappeared though, Hope grabbed his shoulder,

"Be carefull. Okay?"

Castiel nodded, the burger filling his cheeks out comically, then he disappeared.

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