The Last Goodbye

9

After Elle vanished, Sam remained in the kitchen, overcome by the whirling panic in his mind, until he heard a shuffle from the spare room the angel had hijacked. She must have sensed Dean snooping through her bag. Sam's initial instincts to protect his brother drove him toward the door when he heard their voices echoing faintly. He couldn't make out their words but could tell there was no aggression in their exchange. He stopped a few feet away from the door. The noises he heard were only gentle movements, then the squeak of a mattress.

Oh...

When the sounds registered, Sam needed to go somewhere, anywhere else. His heart nearly leapt from his chest as he pivoted. A familiar sullen angel in a trench-coat loomed rigidly in the kitchen. He hadn't even heard Cas come inside.

"Sam. I did not mean to startle you," Castiel apologized as he strode toward the hunter.

Sam hadn't thought it was possible, but Cas looked even more frayed than when they left for Washington. He knew it was impossible for angels to age, even in Cas' weakened state, but Sam swore he appeared at least 5 years older. The restless blue in his eyes was intensified by the dark crescents beneath them.

"Man, I meant to call and tell you I found Dean. Safe. I hope you haven't been out trying to find us. It's not safe right now. There are angels hunting us, apparently."

Castiel stopped and briefly relaxed his shoulders. "Where is he? I would like to proclaim my frustration at him for being careless," Cas rumbled. He searched the room and started to stride past Sam, but Sam held out his arm to stop him from heading down the bedroom hall.

Cas sighed, "I will try very hard not to punch him, Sam."

He muffled a snicker, "No, Cas. It's not that. Dean is... occupied..."

Cas stared at Sam inquisitively.

Sam sighed, "The chick who lured us there, who pretended to be Ambriel, she's called Elle. She's an angel."

Castiel looked apprehensively at Sam. "An angel?"

"Her and Dean have a history, I guess... well, future would be more accurate... they're compromised right now. You really don't want to go in there..." This was one of the many awkward moments Sam wished that Cas understood human nuance.

Cas gradually grasped what Sam was casually trying to say. "Oh," he turned away and slunk back toward the kitchen.

Sam tensed at Castiel's obvious despondency. Several seconds of silence ensued, broken abruptly by the brooding angel.

"Why did she lure you? Did she say why she was here?" Castiel probed.

Castiel's intensity distressed Sam. He was reluctant to be completely truthful... considering the circumstances. "She said Dean is in danger...that he's going to die. She's here to save him."

He did not respond. Castiel closed his eyes and listened. His heavenly hearing identified Dean and the angel through the bunker's walls.

"Cas?" Sam tried to extract a response from him.

Castiel looked back to Sam severely, "how do you know she is not dangerous?"

Sam picked up the worn photograph Elle had left on the table, and he handed it to Cas.

Castiel stared at the picture with revulsion. The image trembled in his hand. Why? Panic overwhelmed him. Something unspeakable is going to happen. That is the only logical motivation for her visit to the past. His voice a hoarse whisper he asked, "What did you say her name was?"

Sam fidgeted, "Elle? But that's not her angelic name. It' the name-"

"-of her vessel," Castiel finished. He scowled past Sam, seemingly focused on the bedroom hallway.

"You know her, Cas?"

The angel inched toward the closest chair and collapsed into it, obviously troubled. He studied the fractures and imperfections of the floor, hypnotized by his own thoughts. Despite Sam's desire to get to the opposite side of the bunker, he remained in the kitchen with Castiel. Sam said nothing, either out of courtesy or loss of words, but he stayed; a silent beacon of comfort for his friend.

Eventually, Castiel rose and stated he would be retreating to the library. Before Sam could inquire further, Castiel had rushed through the doorway, his worn khaki trench coat beating against his calves with each swift stride.

Sam sensed Castiel wanted to be alone. He was mystified by the angels. He just wanted to turn his brain off... He hadn't slept in his own bed in weeks and was completely wasted by exhaustion. He hobbled cautiously toward his bedroom. As he passed the spare room, he heard faint whispers from his brother and Elle. He moved a little faster to refrain from hearing anything more intimate and swiftly entered his room. He flopped onto his bed and was deeply asleep within a minute.

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