Hollowing Souls

Survival of the Fittest Pt 2

Okay, before we start I just want to say thank you so much for reading. It's been a lot of work to write, but I'm glad I've been able to share a little part of me with you, and I hope that you've enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Anyways, I apologize that this chapter took forever to publish, but here it is.

...

August 5, 2012

Whitefish, Montana

Dean was at the table in Rufus' cabin when Alex stepped through the front door. The hunter was sitting alone, the room lit only by a single lamp, head bowed as he stared down at the weapon lying on the table. Alex quietly closed the door behind her, and the hunter slowly looked up, green eyes blinking in recognition. "Thought you'd run off again."

"There was something I needed to take care of." Alex crossed the room to sit across from the hunter, voice quiet to match the dark and solemn atmosphere. "Where's Sam?"

"Went into town." Dean motioned to an empty bottle of whiskey at his side to fill in any blanks. "He should be back soon."

Alex's gaze fell down to the two halves of the femur laying in front of them. "What are you doing?" she asked, picking up the one covered in blood as Dean picked up the second. She watched quizzically as he began filing down the end into a sharp point, much like what he had done to the actual weapon. "I don't understand."

"We're making a second weapon," Dean explained without looking up. "A decoy, actually. Pig's blood." He set his knife down when Alex made a curious noise. "Crowley said Dick knows what we're doing. So if we have any chance of catching him, he needs to be off guard."

"That's . . . actually really smart." Alex put the weapon back on the table. "Was that your idea?" When Dean grunted in acknowledgment, she nodded. "Nice. Very clever." She slid the femur back over to the Winchester. "So . . . we have a plan, right?"

"Yeah."

Silence followed Dean's disinterested answer, and Alex twitched her wings. "Well what is it?" she finally prompted.

"Listen. . ." Dean put down the femur and finally looked up.

"Okay." Alex immediately held up her hands defensively. "I get it." She shook her head. "I totally get it. It's been a long day, so let me just get out of your hair." She stood up and backed away, frowning at the tired look on Dean's face even though she knew it was mirrored on her own. "If . . . if you need me, I'll be down by the lake, okay?"

Dean didn't respond, and Alex walked away.

She followed the path towards the shimmering lake, footsteps muted by the thick layer of pine needles covering the dirt ground. Her black wings fanned out, feathers hoping to catch the night breeze as it brushed past her. Moonlight danced on the rippling water ahead of her as she paused beside the lakeshore, the lapping of waves and the trilling whistle of the insects the only sounds. Pebbles crunched beneath her canvas shoes as Alex crossed the shoreline to a large rock where she sat down. "Cas?" she prayed aloud, eyes lifted towards the sky, "I-I know you said you were, um, busy, but . . . I wish you were here." The angel's wings fell down in disappointment when there was no immediate answer, and she sighed. "Just hurry up and come back, Cas. I miss you."

...

The sun peaked over the tree line, and pale lines of golden light stretched out over the water where waves still lapped at the rocky shore. Insects buzzed around her head, and Alex looked up from her hands, blinking in surprise to see that morning had arrived, having been so lost in her own thoughts that the night had seemed only an hour's length. She looked up to see the dark clouds overhead, promising rain later on, but for the moment the air remained dry. The angel stretched out her wings, wincing as the sore muscles uncurled after so long of being still, and she reluctantly pushed herself to her feet.