I'll Protect You, Always (Supernatural AU/ Castiel love story )

Chapter 32

I blinked rapidly and shook my head, trying my best to make sense of what was happening. I was trying to clear the fogginess from my brain and the image of the women standing in front of me. It had to be a dream, or I was hallucinating. But,no matter how many times I blinked, she wouldn't leave. I collapsed on the ground and held my head in my hands. 

"What's happening," I whispered and closed my eyes. I let a small sob escape my lips, and I curled up into a ball. I rocked back and forth and cried harder. I was going insane. I had finally cracked. After everything, my mother was what drove me over the edge. I felt something brush  my shoulder, and I shook my head. 

"It's not real. It's not real. It is not real," I told myself through the tears that threatened to fall into my mouth. Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up. My mother was standing above me, smiling. 

"You're not dreaming, Annabelle. This is all real," her soft motherly voice filled my ears, and I cried harder. Hearing her say my name was so surreal, I almost lost my mind. 

"Get up, sweetheart. Please," she gave me a small smile that was very motivating, and filled me with a very strange sense of willpower. 

I felt like I had no control over my limbs and I stood up. I was sobbing and hugging my waist. My heart ached from seeing her again. "How are you real? It's not possible. I watched you die," I sobbed harder as I said the last word. Her shoulders sagged, and she raised her eyebrows sadly. She smiled but there was no happiness left in her eyes. 

"I know how confusing this must be and how unfair. I mean you just won the war and here is your dead mother talking to you. You think you're going crazy but you're not, Annabelle. You are everything but crazy. This is so real, sweetheart," she stroked my face and I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes. I grabbed her hand hoping to keep the anchor that was her solid body.

She grabbed ahold of my chin and forced me to look at her. I stared at her and she breathed deeply. She closed her eyes and looked distressed. I squinted and titled my head. 

"Mom, are you okay?" I shivered realizing it was the second time I had ever gotten to call someone mom. She opened her eyes and they were once again, happy. 

"You called me Mom," she laughed happily, and I blushed slightly. 

"Yeah, that's who you are, right?" I asked sounding doubtful. She nodded her head excitably.

"Okay, well then, of course I'm gonna call you that," I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. She smiled again and then her face went grim. 

"Annabelle, I need you to listen very carefully. This is very important. Are you listening?" I nodded, feeling somewhat scared. "Okay, you have to believe me, I never wanted to tell you this. I would have been completely contempt with watching you live your life happily, but I feel like it's not fair to you. This life is a fake one, Annabelle," she searched my eyes looking for any signs that I believed her.

I stared at her dumbfounded. "What do you mean?" She sighed and pulled down the long white nightdress she died in. 

"I mean, this isn't real, but it is. I know that might be confusing but just listen. You died, Annabelle." 

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah I know I died. Cas told me." 

She shook her head, "No, you don't understand. You died as in you're still dead! Annabelle, you're in heaven!" she exclaimed. My eyes went wide.

"No, you're lying. You're not my mother! My mother would never lie to me! What the hell are you?! Are you a shapeshifter?!" I screamed in her face and tears streamed down my face. She had to be lying. I couldn't be dead, could I?