Five Years Later

Chapter Fourteen: The Escape

It all happened so quickly, Cas didn't know how to react. He closed his eyes, feeling the rush of flames as they rose up to greet him, towering above his mortal height. He couldn't step through it without causing harm to himself, and he couldn't put it out with the materials at hand. There was only one option, and he feared he would be unable to follow through. He channeled all the dregs of grace he still held within him and envisioned himself within the wall of flame, on arm around each of the people he planned to free. It took a minute, and just as he believed it was hopeless, he was gone.

When he reappeared, he was at the feet of the man he least wanted to be near. He felt the wood of Negan's bat against the edge of his neck, skin inches away from the wounds of barbed wire. Dean sat dazedly to one side of him and Jess was to the other, shaking uncontrollably as she brushed away the ashes that was once the hem of her dress.

"Well, to hell with that." Negan was saying to the group gathered behind him in the freshly fallen snow. He moved his bat and Cas winced as the barbs scratched at his skin. "It was time for a new place anyway. We'll move out east starting tomorrow. Cas, Dean, Logan—come with me. I need you guys to help me scout out some breakfast for the morning."

"Dean can't—" Cas started, but Dean shook his head vigorously, eyes closed as he winced with pain.

"Dean can't what, Cas?" Negan snapped. Cas scrambled to his feet, making sure to first set Dean in a comfortable position adjacent the chain link fence they were standing near. "I'm tired of hearing what Dean can and can't do. I want the three of you to get the fuck off of your asses and join me by the door in five minutes."

"Yes, sir." Cas slumped to the ground beside Dean as Negan stormed away, snowflakes melting against the fabric of their charred clothing as they awaited what came next.

***

The night was a strange mix of the bitter cold and snow meeting the pulsating heat from the dying flames. Cas made sure to stagger his pace so that he was behind Negan and Logan at all times and could more easily support Dean without it looking provocative. The four of them moved slowly through the undergrowth that was slick with newly fallen snow, and their footsteps crunching against the branches that had fallen from the icy trees.

"Cas—I have to stop soon." Dean held back a cough, instead choking on the cold gasp of air he accidently took. "I won't be able to go much further, and I can barely walk, let alone on my own. You're going to have to leave me. This is happening faster than we wanted it to and I'm sorry, but I'm finding it hard to—"

"Quit the chattering back there." Negan snapped, his bat dragging in the snow behind him. "Or I'll shut you both up without hesitation."

There was the rumble of thunder overhead in the clouds that were separated by a canopy of tree branches. Cas glanced up, shuddering from the cold, and held Dean closer to him. Was it thunder or possibly walkers? The area around them looked relatively clear, but one could never be sure what was hiding behind a nearby bush or boulder.

"Negan, I think there are walkers." Logan whispered, his voice hushed as he paused, gun poised in the air. "Let's head back. It's too dark to see them properly, and the noise from shooting them will attract others."

"Let them come." Negan snarled. He was pissed about the fire, but Cas worried that meant their lives were now in danger from his recklessness. "Dean, Cas, hang back and watch us from behind. Me and Logan will take the lead."

"Copy that." Cas affirmed. He immediately began looking for a way out, nudging Dean to key him into the situation. There were walkers—Dean was weak. Fighting would be a death sentence for the both of them, if Cas stayed behind to help, and there was no doubt in his mind that he would.