Innocence (Burning Beliefs #1)

Chapter Twenty-Seven *edited*

Chapter Twenty-Seven

SERENA'S POV

"What do you want, why did you call me here?" I pace nervously, chewing on my fingernails. A habit me and my sister share. "Where's Gracie?"

"I'm not sure about that," Sam sighs.

The Winchester brothers exchange a look. Castiel is standing in the corner. He knows that something bad has happened, that something like this was bound to happen. Leave Gracie alone with a gun violence victim and you'll end up filing a missing person's report.

"How can you not be sure? She must've told you something," I don't stop pacing. Nervous tingles run up and down my spine, fueling me like Gatorade. "Where is she?"

"She left," Sam finally reveals.

I stop. I lower my eyebrows. My lungs contract and collapse faster and faster. I can't seem to stand still.

"Where?" I say with more force than intended. "Where did she go?"

Sam and Dean glance at each other again.

"She didn't say."

"Son of a -" I swear at the empty air. "What do you mean, she didn't say?"

Sam looks down at his hands. "She didn't tell me where she went."

Cas still stands, crestfallen and hopeless, in the corner, his trench coat wrapped around his body like a protective blanket. Dean starts to talk, glaring at me, but I interrupt him.

"Is that why you brought us here? To tell us that she just got up off her ass and left?"

"No," the younger brother sighs. "She left me... well, kind of a will."

"So she's gone off to kill herself again? What is it now, the third time? Goddammit, Sam, you don't just let a suicidal half-Angel teenager walk off into the mist!"

"She isn't going to kill herself, I'm damn sure about that," Dean grunts.

"And how would you know?"

"Because death would be an escape for her, and she was all about punishing herself, feeling sorry, all of that shit," he mutters. "Her greatest punishment was living."

I can't even respond to that. I can't do anything except drop my jaw and gape at this man who thinks that he can just say jack and it'll be true because his great scientific mind theorized it up. But someplace, deep within me... I know it's true.

"I meant that she gave me a message for all of you," Sam explains. He turns to Dean. "I told her about your little foster parent act."

"My what now?"

"Well, someone has to take care of her when Cas isn't there," Sam shrugs. My father gives Dean a meaningful look. Not thankful, just... acknowledging him. Saying that he did good looking out for his kid when he wasn't able to do that. "And that was up to you, Dean. You love her, in the family bondage love type of way. And she loves you too."

Dean narrows his eyes.

"She said so."

His irises light up with surprise. Sam doesn't give him time to respond.

"Rena, she said to take the pressure off of you," he continues.

I just cross my arms and glare at him. "What does that mean?"

He sighs, licks his lips, and stares directly into me. "You think it's your fault that I got shot."

"Well, who else's would it be?"

"No one's," he reassures. "Zach's, actually."

"It was my fault, all of it was my fault," I persist.

"Stop it," Cas speaks up for the first time. I look to him in surprise and outrage, my arms wide open. "Don't say that. You're going to end up just like her."

"You're talking like she's already dead!"

"She might as well be!" Dean grunts. I know he's still affected by Gracie's little revelation.

"Shut up, all of you, shut up!" I say lividly. "We have to find her, no matter how long it takes, she's all alone, probably with Lucas -" - that gets a reaction out of Dad -"-and in the middle of nowhere. Losing her virginity, or -"

"Serena," Dad's sharp, rough voice stops the train right on its tracks.

I give him a look. What else was I supposed to say? What else would make any sense? This is exactly what Gracie would be doing.

"She doesn't want to come back," Cas says, holding his hand to his face. "She won't listen to us."

"Did she ever listen to you?"

Dad gives me a sad look. "Serena, we all know it's a lost cause."

I push my lips tightly together. I turn around and slam the door behind me.

I fall against the wall and shut my eyes, sliding down until I reach the floor. I bury my head in my hands and rest them against my knees. I let the tears fall. I let it all come out.

There's been too much of this lately.